Part 14

Sauron looks over his shoulder at Dark Willow as her dragon banked to take a curve. Her power was getting stronger every day. She was still no match for either himself or Gandalf and he planned on keeping it that way.

He learned his lesson with Glory. He wouldn't allow anyone to become more powerful than he was. Gandalf was different. The Powers had made him powerful and there was nothing Sauron could do about it. They were evenly matched. Yin to Yang.

Dark Willow was concentrating on drowning out the noise of Willow's constant efforts to impede her. It was like water on a rock . . . or the Chinese water torture she wasn't sure which. Willow was a continuous buzz at the back of her consciousness and Dark Willow was just as determined to ignore it.

There they are. Are you ready, my dear?

Dark Willow smiled as she saw the small band of travelers below. Gwaihir won't be coming to their rescue will he?

There won't be any interference.

Sauron directed his dragon to swoop down toward Gandalf and the others. He would take care of Gandalf so his protégé could concentrate on the others. He had no doubts that he would be the one that would have to kill Willow's friends. Sauron was under no illusions that Willow was still fighting and that her hold on the shell's subconscious was tenuous but it WAS there.

It would be enough that it would cause Dark Willow to harm but not kill those Willow cared about. So he knew it fell to him to destroy the fragile hope that Sunnydale Willow still clung to.

When this battle was over there would be no more Willow/Dark Willow. He would have his protégé alone, without the weakness that Ben posed for Glory. No light with the dark.

Gandalf felt Sauron and the other one long before he saw them in the sky. He was grateful for Willow's warning, it gave them time to plan. He suspected that Sauron was moving up his timetable with each defeat they dealt him. He just hadn't calculated that he would attack with Dark Willow this soon. Gandalf thought Sauron would use more canon fodder.

"Be prepared they are approaching." Gandalf pointed to the sky.

Xander turned worried eyes to Buffy. "I know it's not Willow but it is Willow. I'm not sure I can hurt her, Buffy."

Buffy brought her horse closer to Xander and reached for his hand. "I know, Xan. But it's what Willow wants. If we see a shot to take her out we need to take it. It might be what Willow needs to fight the other her. I don't like the idea of hurting her either." Buffy glanced over her shoulder at Angel, "But sometimes you have to do what you hate in order to help the greater good. There is no winner."

Xander followed Buffy's gaze and inwardly winced when he looked at Angel. He never regretted what he said to Buffy that day at the mansion. If she had been conflicted she never would have fought as hard as she did against Angelus. His only regret was that Willow succeeded in restoring Angel's soul and Buffy had been forced to send him to hell.

Gandalf raises his staff and calls upon the elements of Middle Earth. Mumbling an incantation, an arc of fire erupts from his staff and heads towards Sauron and his dragon.

Dark Willow smiles calculatingly as she heads her dragon toward Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas. She will save the Sunnydale group for last.

She holds her hand out palm up where a small ball of energy appears. It is a red orb of pure energy. With a half smile she throws it toward the travelers.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas scatter as the energy ball flies past and hits a nearby tree. The tree splits in half and narrowly misses Gimli.

They hear Willow's laughter as she calls forth another energy blast.

"Fire!" Aragorn yells at Legolas.

Legolas notches an arrow and shoots at the dragon not wanting to hit Willow.

Wesley looks up and sees he has a clear shot. Thinking to spare his friends Angel and Xander he raises his crossbow and aims at Willow.

Buffy sees Wes take the shot and quickly turns her head so she doesn't see if he hits his mark.

The arrow from Legolas causes the dragon to dive. The dragon's dive takes Dark Willow straight into the path of the bolt from Wes' crossbow.

Xander's anguished cry of "Willow!" causes Buffy to turn back around. She is just in time to see Willow slump forward with a bolt in her shoulder.

Angel takes an unneeded breath to gasp as he watches Willow sit back up and pull the bolt from her shoulder. The dragon is still circling lower and seems to be wobbling. Legolas is constantly firing arrows at it.

Sauron uses his own staff to deflect the fire bolt from Gandalf. He smiles as his dragon lowers his head and rains fire down on Gandalf.

Gandalf mutters louder and a protective shield forms over him. He is unscathed, as the fire doesn't penetrate the field.

Sauron looks over to Dark Willow while his dragon keeps Gandalf distracted. He felt the bolt enter her shoulder and smiled when he saw her regain her seat and take the bolt out.

He watches in concern as her dragon circled ever closer to the ground. Finally she leaps off its back and lands near the dwarf.

Gimli shouts and raises his axe to attack. He meant only to wound the girl for he knew it wasn't really Willow there. He takes aim and throws the axe toward her.

The dragon started to roll over and Dark Willow quickly jumps out of its way. As she jumps it takes her closer to the axe. They all watch in horror as Gimli's axe embeds itself between Willow's shoulders.

Dark Willow falls forward from the force of the blow.

"OH GOD!"

Angel, Buffy, Xander and Legolas all run toward Willow.

Gimli stands in stunned disbelief. "I didn't mean to kill the lass." He keeps mumbling over and over.

Dark Willow smirks as she heard them all yell for her. Magick allows her to slowly rise and pull the axe out. She turns to Gimli, "Oh you didn't kill me. Nice try though."

Sauron laughs as he sees Willow rise and turn to face her attackers. He is delighted with his creation.

Buffy and the others all stop in their tracks as they watch Willow throw the axe back at Gimli and begin stalking him.