Thought for the Day – Stairs when combined with crutches are pure evil.
Author's notes: - In the summary I mentioned an Oz ouchie, but failed to mention there are other ouchies, I only mentioned Oz in the summary because I don't think he had a large enough role in the story and thought I could make up for that by mentioning him in the summary…just a small point I felt needed to be said but now wish I had not.
Chapter 4
"Miss Rosenberg, a lady after my own heart."
The pressure moved off of Willow's shoulder after the comment from the disembodied voice, well what she assumed was disembodied, as it was pitch black. Taking a few shuddering breathes after the heart stopping moment she started to peer around her in the dark hoping to see anything, but stopped short when the voice spoke next to her ear.
"And such a pretty name…Willow…a fine name for a Jewish lass. You are Jewish are you not Miss Rosenberg?"
Willow merely nodded in response, which seemed to be enough as the voice continued talking, "I presume it was to honour the trees from whose branches the Israelites used to hang their harps…or was it to honour the weeping willows, whose branches hung in sympathy to the Jews held captive in Babylon?" Before Willow could answer though the voice continued, "Not exactly devout though, you study magic as well." The voice seemed to slightly sing song itself throughout.
"I'm…" But she was again cut off.
"You have the potential, just not the power…You wish for more power don't you, so you can help your friends, make Giles proud. Its what makes you feel needed." It was a statement not a question.
"Huh?" The voice was trying to psych her out, they never did that in the movies, least none she could recall at that moment, though given how scared she was she was not sure if she could remember her own name if it had not just been told to her.
"What if I could give you that power, would you say yes?"
"What power?" She whispered nervously in response.
The voice chuckled slightly, "All the power, all the knowledge of all the magic books you could imagine, all that at your fingertips. The power of life and death, you could kill instantaneously or bring someone back to life…I bet the slayer would appreciate that would she not." The voice finished coldly, making Willow shiver as her spine tingled.
"I…I'm not interested, no person should have that much power and well you're not exactly the most reputable source." Willow replied with moral conviction, even if her voice was quivering slightly.
The voice chuckled again, "So is that a no Miss Rosenberg?"
"Where's Xander? Do you have him?" The questions came out automatically, even before she could consider that she may not want to hear the answers.
The voice turned cold and abrupt, "That is no concern of yours. Do you accept my gift?"
"No…Never, especially not from some evil…thing like you."
In response a cold wind started to blow around her and a shrill whistle started to fill the small confined space, causing Willow to cringe as the sound reverberated through her eardrums. The wind was swirling around her now and the volume of the whistle so loud she put her hands over her ears. She was about to start shouting for help, when it all stopped as quickly as it had started and she stood at the bottom of a narrow spiralling staircase blanketed in light from a now open door, which had a shadow standing in the middle of it.
"Willow?" The shadow asked cautiously in a familiar voice.
Willow shot forward instantly engulfing the person in a hug, "Oh Buffy, thank god, it was horrible, it was dark and there was this voice and it asked questions, it was evil and then this wind and horrible sound, and all that dark and I couldn't find my way and, oh God Xander…" Her eyes widened as she remembered her friend and she took a much needed breath before continuing. "We need to find Xander, there was this cloud of darkness and he pushed me into a room, which annoyed at, cause then I had to use the staircase, but there was this banging and the voice wouldn't tell me if he had him and it got angry and I was so scared, and… How did you find me?"
A stunned Buffy pulled back from the hug to look at her friend, surprised at how much she could say in one breath but also relieved to know she was okay. Willow babble was a good sign in that respect. "I, we…" She indicated to Angel, "We heard you scream and then we could hear this whistling sound from the door, so I just opened it and hey look its Willow. Are you okay?"
Willow gave Angel a weak smile of hello before nodding in response to Buffy's question, "I'm just a little hyped is all…It asked if I wanted something and I said no and it got a little angry I think." Looking around the corridor for anyone else but not seeing anyone she asked, "Is Oz okay? Do you know?"
Buffy looked to Angel first before replying to Willow, "Yeah, we split up at the foyer, he's with Giles, so he's in good hands, though they do have Cordelia for company so he may be a little agitated."
Willow gave her a weak smile at her comment; she was still shaking slightly from what had just happened. "So what are we doing now?"
Buffy looked at her watch, "We still have twenty minutes till we have to meet the others, so I guess we look for Xander."
Willow nodded as Angel added, "We may want to do that while heading in the direction of the meeting place, it may take us that long to find the room."
Buffy gave the vampire a curious look, but nodded in agreement as she took one of Willow's hands in her own as a sign of comfort and followed Angel's lead.
Xander awoke to darkness and the sensation of lying down; he tried to sit up only to find he could not move, so he called out instead hoping one of his friends may hear him. "Hello, anybody there."
"Nobody you wish was here Mr Harris." An unfamiliar voice replied almost instantly.
"Crap." Xander remarked edgily, still trying to move.
"I would not bother trying to get up, I'm afraid I need you immobile."
Xander groaned in response, his only thought why him, he always got the weird ones. Then his memory kicked in as he remembered the corridor, "Where's Willow?"
"Straight to the point you lot…I can assure you she is fine."
"Right and I'm just going to believe that because." Xander replied rather sarcastically considering his position, only now noticing the slight echo his voice produced whenever he spoke and how some of the air from when he spoke rebounded back onto his face, indicating he was in an enclosed space.
"You do not have a choice…"
"I'm just glad I'm not claustrophobic." Xander replied sourly, but the comment went unheeded as the voice went off into its own little spiel.
"Alexander, helper and protector of mankind and well I guess in your case womankind Mr Harris. You do have quite the dilemma and you really don't know who or what you want do you. You are rather like Paris in some ways Mr Harris."
"The love or lights way Mr Voice." The comment coming out more petulant then he intended.
The voice chuckled in response before explaining, "Paris of Ancient Greece, he was made to choose which of the three he considered most beautiful; Hera, Athena or Aphrodite. Though he was bribed with power, wisdom, fame and finally true love, but I wonder could you make that choice. Which do you consider most beautiful? Buffy, Cordelia or maybe Willow.
Xander scowled from his position, wherever that may be, "What exactly is your point?"
The voice sighed, "I don't have one really, we can put your relationships aside that is not your main focus and in that not mine either. What I have is an offer for you, an offer that will give you what you truly want."
"And what exactly is that oh great Carnac the Magnificent?"
"Power, something you can use to protect your friends with, gain acceptance and I guess, impress all the girls."
"Right so you are just going to give me a power, just like that and then what, let me go on my way."
"Of course, all you need to do is say yes to accept the offer."
"What kind of power?" The question reluctant, but Xander needed to know what he was answering to.
"What ever you feel deep down would be most beneficial to help your friends and gain you respect." The last bit said knowingly.
"I have respect thank you very much." Xander spat indignantly, "And quite frankly I think something my father once taught me applies here…well actually my father never taught me much, except for maybe never mix single malt scotch with coke, which may not apply here…unless I consider myself the scotch…in which case you can take your evil soda pop power and shove it up your…"
"I think I get your point Mr Harris and I believe it is a no, but for the sake of clarity please just say no."
"NO." Xander retorted.
"Right…you are a smart young man."
"Your evil, its an easy choice, nothing smart about it."
"What exactly gave me away as evil?" The voice questioned curiously.
"Er, how about you turn on the lights, let me sit up and talk to Willow, then I'll tell you…" Xander remarked sarcastically.
The voice chuckled, "I see your point."
"Of course you would, you're a smart young voice."
"Well I'm afraid time is running on and I have but one final point of business to accomplish."
"And what would that be?" Xander asked, trying to sound bored and succeeding.
"Well Mr Harris I understand you are quite the helpful lad, always helping those in need, and well I have a very important task for you. I rather it not be this way but I'm afraid I'm out of choices. Hopefully in the future I can explain the reasons to you. Do not worry your friends will be here soon, that I will make sure of."
Before Xander could ask the question of what he was supposed to do, he realised he was moving and he could feel a cool liquid surrounding him, as he went to comment his mouth filled with said liquid. He tried to cough it out only to have it replaced by more, he tried to move again but his body refused to answer the brains request. His final thought before darkness claimed him; Cordelia was going to kill him for getting himself into trouble again.
To be continued…maybe. Do you say yes to that offer?
