Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. In the interests of full disclosure, I should warn you, gentle reader, that this story is un-beta'd and mostly un-plotted. I do have a good idea of where things are going, though. Thank you DarkLegacies and Koos for your reviews. Hope you continue to enjoy the story.
The blue-haired woman cocked her head and stared at Willow, her face expressionless. Willow stared back. The woman was beginning to look more and more familiar, although Willow could not remember ever having met any blue women before.
"Who are you?" She repeated. "Did you kill Gunn and Wesley?"
"You are Willow Rosenberg," said the woman. "The shell once knew you." Willow gaped at her, but before she could respond the woman continued, "I did not kill Charles or Wesley. They died in battle again the minions of the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart." The woman paused for a moment. "Although they were lower beings, they were not entirely displeasing. I find that I grieve for them, though I should not."
Willow stared at the woman, a horrible suspicion beginning to build in her mind. "Wesley was my guide in this world," the woman continued, her strange eyes going distant. "He cared deeply for the shell."
"The shell," Willow whispered. "Tell me about the shell."
The woman looked at her. "You knew the shell as Winifred Burkle." Willow gasped in horror.
"Who are you? What did you do to Fred?" she demanded, feeling her hands clench into fists as anger grew within her again.
"I am Illyria, the God-King," replied the woman. "I slept in the Deeper Well for millenia, but I was awakened and born from within the shell by my Quaha-Xhan." Her penetrating eyes stared at Willow.
"Deeper Well," Willow murmured. "You're an Old One."
"You are correct," replied Illyria. She started to speak again but Willow interrupted her.
"You murdered Fred," she said in a furious voice, her hands shaking. Illyria saw her eyes beginning to turn black again, and readied herself for an attack. But the young witch simply glared at her.
"Why didn't Angel stop this? Unless," she paused and a look of horror came over her face. "Did Angel do this? Did he awaken you?"
"No," said Illyria. "The souled vampire and his followers attempted to save the shell. After I consumed the shell and came forth, they attempted to destroy me. But they failed."
"Then it was you," Willow said accusingly, "you killed them."
"No again," replied the Old One. "You are quick to pass judgment on things you have no knowledge of," she said, her tone slightly acerbic. "After I awoke, I found that the world had changed. My legions were dead and dust, and the humans had overrun the world. Lesser beings had taken the places once held by the Old Ones, and we were forgotten."
Illyria paused again, and her face was troubled. "Wesley killed my Quaha-Xhan, and I was left without worshipers. Soon after, he and the other followers of the vampire robbed me of much of my power."
Illyria actually frowned. "I should have killed them all, but I was uncertain of my place in this new world." Her face resumed its normal expression - or lack thereof. "Wesley agreed to serve as my guide, which is only just since he slew my Quaha-Xhan. And in turn, I deigned to help Angel in his battle against the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart."
"Wolfram and Hart," said Willow, her eyes shading back to green. She stepped closer to Illyria, looking past her to the still bodies of two men she wished she had been better friends with.
"They killed Wes and Gunn," she said. Illyria nodded.
"Correct," she replied. "They fell in battle against the Circle of the Black Thorn, who served as the hand of the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart on this continent." A certain satisfaction crept into her voice. "But we succeeded in destroying the Black Thorn."
"Which leads to the million-dollar question," said Willow. "Where are Angel and Spike?"
Illyria frowned again. "The Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart sent an army of demons against us after we destroyed their minions. The two vampires were captured, and taken away through a portal."
"Captured?" Willow said, shocked.
"I have lost my power to move between worlds, and could not follow," Illyria said, almost mournfully. "And now I have no more guides in this world."
Willow looked into the alien, ice-blue eyes of the thing that had stolen Fred's body, wondering how much of the gentle woman was still in there. She felt a wave of grief pass over her. Wes and Gunn dead, Fred possessed by some nightmare out of an H.P. Lovecraft story. And Angel and Spike captured, probably being tormented in some hell dimension. Why hadn't Angel contacted the Council? Had it all happened too quickly, or had he been just as mistrustful of them as Giles was of him?
Pushing her sorrow back, she focused again on the being standing in front of her. "Tell me everything that happened," she said, firmly. "How you were ... born ... from within Fred, Wesley becoming your guide, what happened with these Black Thorn people. All of it."
The former God-King looked at Willow, her face suddenly thoughtful. Willow felt like squirming under that dispassionate alien gaze, but held herself still.
"I will tell you what you desire to know," Illyria said. "In return, you shall be my new guide."
Willow hadn't expected that reply. "M-me?" she squeaked, suddenly feeling very unsure of herself. She couldn't do that. Be a guide for an ancient, evil thing that had murdered her friend? Never! But Wesley had done it, apparently. Was there something of Fred left inside Illyria? Willow's mind worked quickly, trying to figure out the right thing to do.
She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "You said you felt grief for Wesley and Gunn, right?"
Illyria cocked her head again. "I do," she admitted, "though it displeases me. I should not feel emotions of any kind, and certainly not for lesser beings."
Willow looked sharply at her. "Do you feel other emotions? Anger, maybe? A desire for revenge against Wolfram and Hart?"
Illyria looked at her for long moment, than replied, "It would please me to destroy more minions of the Wolf, the Ram and the Hart."
"And maybe rescue Angel and Spike?" Willow continued. "Did you feel friendship for them too?"
"Perhaps," said Illyria. "But though it pains me to admit it, I cannot attack the Wolf, the Ram and the Hart directly. I have lost much of my former strength."
"You fought alongside Angel and the others against Wolfram and Hart," Willow said, plans beginning to form in her mind. "I'm part of an organization that opposes the Senior Partners, and things like them. Would you be willing to fight with us?"
That cold gaze considered her again. "Will you serve as my guide?" Illyria said.
Willow hesitated. She wasn't sure what she was committing herself to, but she knew they would need Illyria if they were going to rescue Angel and Spike, and disrupt whatever Wolfram and Hart was planning. She nodded.
"I will be your guide," she said.
"Then I will aid you in your fight," said Illyria.
"Then let's get started. Tell me what happened here. Tell me everything."
TBC