Chapter 1 - And So It Begins
Legolas Greenleaf, former denizen of the Woodland Realm, was hunting. The Elven warrior had been tracking the Griann demon for days, following it back to its nest to destroy the demon's progeny before they hatched. One demon could produce hundreds of hatchlings, spelling doom for the quaint California town it now inhabited.
He moved silently through the forest with the practice of long years. Too many years, it seemed at times. He had wandered through countless forests during his time in this world, destroyed many beasts, rarely encountering others of his kind as their numbers slowly dwindled.
Most humans passed by without even noticing him, unable to penetrate the aura of magic that kept him separate from the modern world. There were those who might be able to see him - witches and other magic users, humans distantly descended from the elves of old, and anyone who had faith in magic still unseen. For that reason, he no longer wore the traditional clothes of his people - he had adopted period dress for most of his life. Nothing was quite as comfortable as elven-made clothing, but it would not do for him to give away his true nature... his "secret identity" as they would call it.
Still, he was at home among the trees, more so than anywhere else in this land of steel and stone. The forests welcomed him, encompassing him with the few remnants that were left from his world. But this land where he now stood... Sunnydale. The name conjured old memories of his youth in the glades of Mirkwood, though there seemed to be something off about this place.
It was like nothing he'd ever known before. He was unable explain his unease. The land seemed saturated with evil, the very air he breathed was permeated with darkness, though he did not know how that could be possible.
He had heard of the "Boca del Infierno," the area the original Spanish settlers had referred to as the "Mouth of Hell." He'd thought it superstition created by those who feared the magic of their world. Who believed in hell? Perhaps he had more cynicism than most, growing up without an idea of "hell" - a strictly human idea, or so he thought.
Legolas shook his head. True, evil was far more real than most people would ever suspect, but Hell? Could the myth of the Hellmouth be true? He would need to be greatly on his guard this night.
Hoisting his bow higher, he continued his pursuit of the demon.
****
"I still don't understand why you have to go." Willow looked up from her packing as Buffy entered the room.
Willow glanced over at Buffy, searching for the words to make her best friend understand, knowing that nothing she could say could convey the way she was feeling. Buffy didn't know what it was like to have such evil inside her, didn't have to fight the power that periodically threatened to consume her. Buffy hadn't been in England, learning from the Coven. She couldn't understand the connectedness of all living things, with Gaia, with the energy of the earth. Willow could barely understand it all in her own mind, let alone explain it to a non-Wicca.
She breathed deeply, then began. "When I was in England, studying with the Coven, I learned a lot....everything is connected - us, the earth, the energy, the power... I can't explain it...to make you understand. In England, I felt connected, like I was a part of the magic, like I could control it instead of letting it take me over."
She stopped, watching Buffy unintentionally recoil from her words. Even now, Buffy was afraid. The last time she'd lost control, Willow's power had been so strong she'd nearly destroyed the whole world. Even the Slayer hadn't been able to stop her. She'd been evil, the "Big Bad" out to annihilate all of humanity. She deserved Buffy's fear, scorn, even hate. So why did it hurt so much that her best friend feared her?
"I'm not losing control, Buffy." She noted the blonde's skeptical expression. "I'm not. I'm in control. Control is me. I'm just starting to feel disconnected, like I'm not a part of the energy. I need to feel the connection, find my focus."
"But why go away? You can focus here."
Willow shook her head.
"Will, I don't want you to leave. There's still something out there, something we can't identify is out to get us. From beneath you it devours, remember? I don't want you to be devoured."
Willow smiled, pulling Buffy into a hug. "I'll be careful, I promise. No devouring."
"Where are you going?" she asked, as Willow returned to packing things in her backpack.
"Breaker's Woods. My parents' friends have this cabin, if I need it."
"Cabin?" Buffy asked. She hadn't realized that this might be an extended trip.
"I don't know if I'll be away long enough to need it," she reassured her friend. "I need to feel a part of the energy, reground myself to Gaia."
"This is a Wicca thing that I'm just not going to understand, isn't it?"
"Pretty much."
"Be careful?"
"Always."
****
Legolas Greenleaf, former denizen of the Woodland Realm, was hunting. The Elven warrior had been tracking the Griann demon for days, following it back to its nest to destroy the demon's progeny before they hatched. One demon could produce hundreds of hatchlings, spelling doom for the quaint California town it now inhabited.
He moved silently through the forest with the practice of long years. Too many years, it seemed at times. He had wandered through countless forests during his time in this world, destroyed many beasts, rarely encountering others of his kind as their numbers slowly dwindled.
Most humans passed by without even noticing him, unable to penetrate the aura of magic that kept him separate from the modern world. There were those who might be able to see him - witches and other magic users, humans distantly descended from the elves of old, and anyone who had faith in magic still unseen. For that reason, he no longer wore the traditional clothes of his people - he had adopted period dress for most of his life. Nothing was quite as comfortable as elven-made clothing, but it would not do for him to give away his true nature... his "secret identity" as they would call it.
Still, he was at home among the trees, more so than anywhere else in this land of steel and stone. The forests welcomed him, encompassing him with the few remnants that were left from his world. But this land where he now stood... Sunnydale. The name conjured old memories of his youth in the glades of Mirkwood, though there seemed to be something off about this place.
It was like nothing he'd ever known before. He was unable explain his unease. The land seemed saturated with evil, the very air he breathed was permeated with darkness, though he did not know how that could be possible.
He had heard of the "Boca del Infierno," the area the original Spanish settlers had referred to as the "Mouth of Hell." He'd thought it superstition created by those who feared the magic of their world. Who believed in hell? Perhaps he had more cynicism than most, growing up without an idea of "hell" - a strictly human idea, or so he thought.
Legolas shook his head. True, evil was far more real than most people would ever suspect, but Hell? Could the myth of the Hellmouth be true? He would need to be greatly on his guard this night.
Hoisting his bow higher, he continued his pursuit of the demon.
****
"I still don't understand why you have to go." Willow looked up from her packing as Buffy entered the room.
Willow glanced over at Buffy, searching for the words to make her best friend understand, knowing that nothing she could say could convey the way she was feeling. Buffy didn't know what it was like to have such evil inside her, didn't have to fight the power that periodically threatened to consume her. Buffy hadn't been in England, learning from the Coven. She couldn't understand the connectedness of all living things, with Gaia, with the energy of the earth. Willow could barely understand it all in her own mind, let alone explain it to a non-Wicca.
She breathed deeply, then began. "When I was in England, studying with the Coven, I learned a lot....everything is connected - us, the earth, the energy, the power... I can't explain it...to make you understand. In England, I felt connected, like I was a part of the magic, like I could control it instead of letting it take me over."
She stopped, watching Buffy unintentionally recoil from her words. Even now, Buffy was afraid. The last time she'd lost control, Willow's power had been so strong she'd nearly destroyed the whole world. Even the Slayer hadn't been able to stop her. She'd been evil, the "Big Bad" out to annihilate all of humanity. She deserved Buffy's fear, scorn, even hate. So why did it hurt so much that her best friend feared her?
"I'm not losing control, Buffy." She noted the blonde's skeptical expression. "I'm not. I'm in control. Control is me. I'm just starting to feel disconnected, like I'm not a part of the energy. I need to feel the connection, find my focus."
"But why go away? You can focus here."
Willow shook her head.
"Will, I don't want you to leave. There's still something out there, something we can't identify is out to get us. From beneath you it devours, remember? I don't want you to be devoured."
Willow smiled, pulling Buffy into a hug. "I'll be careful, I promise. No devouring."
"Where are you going?" she asked, as Willow returned to packing things in her backpack.
"Breaker's Woods. My parents' friends have this cabin, if I need it."
"Cabin?" Buffy asked. She hadn't realized that this might be an extended trip.
"I don't know if I'll be away long enough to need it," she reassured her friend. "I need to feel a part of the energy, reground myself to Gaia."
"This is a Wicca thing that I'm just not going to understand, isn't it?"
"Pretty much."
"Be careful?"
"Always."
****