Chapter Five

The air within the main chamber was thick with anticipation. Willow sat in the shadows, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. Thankfully no one seemed interested in her, even Xander was absorbed in the ritual taking place. She looked away as Luke bit into the Master's offered wrist, her stomach churning.

"My blood is your blood. My soul is your soul."

"My body is your instrument."

Willow looked towards Xander, he stood behind Darla with his hideous face. He was completely enraptured with what was happening. Turning back to the Master and Luke she watched as the Master drew a pattern on the man's forehead, she was sickened to see he used his own blood from the wound in his wrist.

"On this most hallowed night...we are as one. Luke, is the vessel!" The Master's voice rose as he made the announcement. "Every soul he takes will feed me, and their souls will grant me the strength to free myself. Tonight I shall walk the earth, and the stars themselves will hide!"

Rapturous applause echoed throughout the chamber and Luke, with surprising grace for someone built like an ox, stood up.

"Come, the sun is setting. Let us move." Luke commanded, Xander turned his eyes onto Willow but she looked down at her feet. "Alexander, do not falter in your duty."

"Of course." There was a clattering of footsteps and cheers as the vampires departed the chamber. Willow twisted her hands and tried not to think about what would happen above ground. For a few moments there was silence between herself and the ancient vampire, she was too frightened to even look over at him. I want to go home, I want to go home. Finally she could bear the silence no longer.

"How will you know, if it's worked I mean?"

"I will feel it, even you will feel it." As if to emphasise his words the ground beneath them trembled and Willow jumped up a chunk of rock narrowly missing her. "You see? Can you feel the power?" Another tremor shook the earth and Willow stumbled, falling against a wall she looked around for somewhere to take cover. The Master grasped her arms as she lost her balance, he seemed unphased by the cavern collapsing around him. In fact he seemed positively joyous. "Come, I will show you."

Willow followed him to the mouth of the tunnel which would take them from the makeshift throne room and, what she assumed, would lead them to the surface. She had seen the other vampires come and go through this tunnel, but now she realised she had never seen The Master use it. He used the series of tunnels which led deeper underground, but never this one. As he held out his hand she saw why; an invisible barrier barred his way. She moved her arm to touch the air by his fingertips, but found his free hand still clasped her arm, as if he knew she would try to bolt.

"Do you see?" He asked, his voice was heavy with anticipation and Willow tore her eyes from the tunnel ahead to focus on his hand once more. The air in front of him shimmered and bulged as he pushed forwards. His grip on her arm tightened as he seemed to be able to push further and further against the invisible barrier. "I can feel them!" He cried, "their souls are liberating!"

"W - what is he doing?" Willow asked, trying to pull free,but his grip only tightened.

"Feasting," Willow retched at the realisation of what was taking place. For a fleeting moment she feared for Xander, until she realised he was already dead. "With each life Luke takes, their soul passes through me, the mortals on this sacred night are setting me free. And in return, I shall set them free."

"No!" Willow cried and succeeded in breaking free, without hesitating she ran through the tunnels.

"What good will running do little mortal? What do you hope to achieve, warn your friends? The Harvest has already begun, Anyone in that pitiful club will already know they are doomed." She knew he was right, but her legs still moved. The tunnels twisted and branched, she had no idea if she was running the right way, in circles or even deeper into the lair itself. Her only thought was putting distance between herself and the monster.

A joyous yell erupted from far away, it gave her relief that she had achieved distance but it was quickly squashed at the realisation of what it meant; he was free. She paused and leant against a wall trying to catch her breath, sucking in deep gulps of air as quietly as she could. She had paused just before a fork, she moved closer to the mouth of each tunnel and squinted in the darkness to try and see which way was best. The left she could see nothing, but on the right she was sure she could make out a slope leading up.

A few feet down she passed a ladder, looking up she could see nothing but she realised that didn't necessarily mean the ladder would lead to a dead-end. It was night after all, and she had no idea how deep underground they were - or even where. Grasping the rungs she made her way up, speedily at first but soon her arms began to burn and her lungs yearned for her to stop. Keep pushing on, she told herself.

Reaching the top she found a grate blocking her exit, keeping one hand tightly wrapped around the top rung she used her free one to push at the heavy metal. She could feel it budging ever so slightly as she pushed, and she let out a small laugh as she felt it lift and move to the side. Her joy was short lived as a cold hand grasped hers, lifting her from the ladder effortlessly.

"Will, you shouldn't have run." Xander's arms pulled her close into a tight embrace, for a second she felt safe. She pressed her face into the front of his shirt inhaling, but he didn't smell like Xander anymore. He smelt musty.

"Don't be too worried for her Alexandra," Darla's fingers ran through her hair in a soothing manner. "The Master expected her to run long before this, it is the weakness of human nature. He will be too overjoyed at what has happened tonight, he will forgive her this discretion. Once."

Willow couldn't help herself, she pressed her face closer to Xander and wept, putting up no fight as he lifted her and walked.

"We have arrived just in time," Darla stood outside the bronze and Willow recoiled as she heard a scream from within. Xander set her down and rested his hand on her lower back, a firm guide reminding her there was only forwards to go. The stench of death hit Willow as Xander opened the door and nudged her inside.

The Bronze, normally teeming with bodies dancing and writing, was almost silent. The only sounds were people sobbing and praying. Towards the back of the stage where Willow had seen so many bands play, a pile of bodies were stacked up sickeningly high. She tried not to look at them, she didn't want to know how many people she knew were lost in that pile.

"Ah, Alexander - come, come!" Xander approached the stage, leaving Willow behind with Darla. Moving amongst the shadows Darla led Willow to the side, closer to the stage. It was almost as if she didn't want Willow to be seen yet, but she needn't have bothered. Those who dared to look up from the floor had their eyes fixated between Luke, Xander and The Master. "Pitiful mortals, you have been witness tonight to a joyous event…"

Willow blocked out the Master's voice, her eyes scanned the crowd for familiar faces. She recognised Cordelia and the Cordettes, all huddled together with their eyes fixed firmly on the ground. She felt sick when she realised there were fewer people than she knew in the crowd. Had they merely stayed home, or…? Her eyes flicked to the pile and quickly back to The Master who was gesturing to Xander, squeezing his shoulder in an almost fatherly gesture.

"Many of you will succumb to the great fate that you witnessed tonight, you will sustain a higher life force. A select few however, those who prove their worth, will ascend to a greater being. As this young man did only a few nights ago."

"Him?" The voice was scathing and came from the Cordette's, a scream was cut short as Xander leapt from the stage and grabbed Cordelia by her hair, pulling her from the crowd. Cordelia let out a shriek, fighting against him and scratching at the hands entwined in her hair.

"For years -"

"Xander, please don't!" Willow said, her voice pleading. "Cordelia wasn't the one - this isn't you!"

"This is me, Will. And soon it will be you." His face transformed and Cordelia let out a fresh scream. "For years she tormented us, don't you want her to suffer? To pay her back for all the suffering?"

"No!" Willow said, although horrified that a part of her wanted to say yes. But not like this. She just wanted Cordelia to suffer a little humiliation, not physical or mental trauma. "Please Xander."

"She may change her mind after," The Master plucked Cordelia from Xander's grip and sent her scurrying back into the crowd. He gestured to Darla, and Willow felt herself being pushed towards the stage. With shaking legs she moved up, thankful that the lights on the stage blocked out the view of the people cowering beneath. "Remember how you felt before your transformation, and how you feel now? Don't waste your revenge now, enjoy it. With her."

"I won't," Willow shook her head but no one paid her any heed.

"You see now how those you jeered have transcended into a powerful being? Alexandra only a few nights ago was weak, frightened. Look at him now; powerful. Immortal." A few heads perked up at that. "In four nights time, you will witness a second fate; available to only a select few. Perhaps none, if none of you prove worthy." The Master took Willow's hand and pulled her closer. "Despite your transgression tonight, I will keep my word Little Mortal. You have three more nights, when the sun sets on the fourth, this town will witness the second most joyous occasion; The Ceremony."