Sorry about the false chapter earlier today, but this is a real update! It's not long, but I hope you like it!
For the reviewer that reminded me Frigga isn't the biological mother of Thor, I do know that. However, I'm going on the assumption that she raised him and Loki from an early age.
This chapter is dedicated to all the readers that wanted to see more Willow.
Chapter 16: The Power of a Witch
*****Back on Earth*****
Willow gasped as she suddenly appeared in her lab at Stark Tower. Her two newly hired employees screamed in fright. Her mind was whirling in disbelief and growing anger, and she didn't have time to deal with them.
"Don't be afraid. I'll explain later," she told them. Then she teleported to Tony's office.
Tony jumped to his feet when Willow appeared out of nowhere in his office. He gazed at her in alarm. Giles was still in New York and had been chatting with Tony. He, too, stood and faced Willow, concern on his face.
"Willow? What are you doing here? How did you get here?" Tony asked.
Willow tried to control the growing rage; her eyes flickered back and forth from her normal color to black. She took a deep calming breath.
Giles stepped toward her, sensing her struggle. "Willow, calm down. Get control," he said in a soothing voice.
Willow nodded. "Thor's father threw me back to earth," she spit out.
Giles' eyes widened at the implication. "He is that strong?" Giles asked.
Willow nodded again. "I've never encountered anyone like him. His mind sees all; his power's vast. He didn't want to fight me, so he sent me back here," Willow said.
"Fight? You tried to fight Thor's father? The All-Father, ruler of the Nine Realms?" Tony asked in disbelief. "Are you nuts?"
"He didn't want to release Dawn. He claims she is Atali, his niece. He says she was kidnapped long ago as she worked as an ambassador to the realms. Her gift was portals," Willow shared.
Giles mind was trying to process the new information. It explained so much. Why she was able to be so easily fashioned into a person. Why she was a key to open realms. "This may be true," Giles said.
"Does it really matter?" Willow asked, impatiently. "She doesn't remember any of that. She is ours. She wanted to leave, and he wouldn't let her. Instead, he said he was going to restore Atali and put the whammy on her!"
"What do you mean?" Tony asked in confusion.
"He pointed his giant staff and shot this energy wave at her that engulfed her so completely, we couldn't see her. I tried to stop him, but I couldn't. Then he threw me back here before I had a chance to really try," she said, her annoyance obvious.
Pepper appeared. She looked at Willow with trepidation. "Are you okay? Your staff called me nearly incoherent. They said you had suddenly appeared in the lab and then disappeared again," she said.
"Yeah, I ended up back where I originated from. The lab," Willow said. "I'll talk to them later. If they're going to work for me, they're going to have to understand, science can't explain everything."
Tony had to quell his natural instinct to argue with that point.
"What are you going to do?" Giles asked. "A being that powerful isn't someone you can trifle with. If he could remove you so easily, I'm not sure what you could do against him."
"I'm not someone you should trifle with either," Willow said coldly. "I wasn't prepared for that. I admit it. He caught me off guard. It won't happen again. Now that I know what to expect and have been to Asgard, I can return."
"Seriously?" Tony asked skeptically.
"Yes. I'm going to go home to regroup. Then I'll open a portal and go back. I'll bring Dawn back if it's the last thing I do," Willow vowed.
"Be careful," Giles said. She nodded before disappearing.
"I'm never going to get used to that," Tony said in bemusement.
Giles took off his glasses and began to clean them with his handkerchief. He didn't like not being with his girls. It felt wrong, but he had so many other responsibilities these days besides Buffy.
"Can she actually do anything against Thor's father?" Tony asked.
"I honestly can't say," Giles said, putting his glasses back on. "There's not much Willow can't accomplish if she puts her mind to it. My concern is her losing control and going to that dark place. A place that turns her into someone that cares little for her friends."
"Surely, Buffy and Xander can get through to her," Pepper said.
"I hope so," Giles said, but his doubt was apparent.
Willow arrived at her apartment and began to gather some supplies. She went into her living room, moving her coffee table out of the way. She needed the space. As she was placing things around the room in four points, her doorbell rang. Pausing, she straightened up and walked to the door.
It was Natasha. "I heard you were back already. Are you okay?" Natasha asked.
"I'm fine," Willow said distractedly. "I don't have time to talk. I've got to get back there. Buffy and Dawn need me."
"Can I help?" Natasha asked. Fury had wanted her to come find out what was going on, but she would've came anyway. There was something about this woman that drew her. It'd been a very long time since anyone—male or female—had caught her eye.
"Sure. Another person helping focus their energy is always good," Willow said. "Dawn always helps me with that." She frowned, worry for Dawn breaking through her concentration. She took a deep breath and pushed aside her anxiety. "I'm drawing on the four corners. You can hold the fire." She gave Natasha a candle and told her where to sit. She sat opposite her, a bowl of water in front of her. Waving her hand, she lit Natasha's candle. "Just stare at the flame and think of fire. Clear your mind of everything else."
Willow closed her eyes a moment. Then she began her invocation. "Hail, Guardian of the Watch Tower of the North; Powers of Mother and Earth. I greet you now in perfect love and perfect trust. Changeless power of unending change, in steadfastness and strength, I bless the elements of Earth, and call upon you to gather here with me."
Natasha felt the energy in the room and glanced up. Unseen hands caressed the bowl of dirt to her right. Willow continued.
"Hail, Guardian of the Watch Tower of the East. Powers of Air and Intuition, I greet you now in perfect love and perfect trust. As you carry the seeds of the plants across the land; as you bring the moisture of the storms to the shore; join me in all your gentle and powerful ways. I bless the elements of air and call upon you to gather here with me."
Natasha felt the wind stirring in the room, ruffling their hair.
"Don't be startled," Willow said as she glanced at her burning candle.
"Hail, Guardian of the Watch Tower of the South. Powers of Fire and Feeling, I greet you now, in perfect love and perfect trust. Flaming One; Apollo, Bright Warrior, Wild courage, Lion-strength, I bless the elements of Fire, and call upon you to gather here with me."
The flame of the candle shot up high. Natasha had to force herself to not drop it. The flame died down.
Willow continued. She plunged her hand in the bowl of water as she spoke.
"Hail, Guardian of the Watch Tower of the West. Powers of Water and Intervention, I greet you now, in perfect love and perfect trust. Water - soft and yielding, formless and flowing, You are the blood coursing through my veins. I bless the elements of Water and call upon you to gather here with me."
The power in the room increased. Willow raised her hands. "Hecate, goddess that I serve, I call on you now. I, a servant of Mother Earth, need your strength. Not for vengeance but to protect. Empower me now with your touch. Grant me the will, the power, the strength to protect those I love."
Natasha's eyes widened as a wave of wind and energy encircled Willow. The air in the apartment crackled with electricity. Willow's eyes turned completely white as did her hair. She rose to her feet.
"I must go now," she said.
"Let me go with you," Natasha offered, worried about Willow and her creepy appearance.
Willow held out her hand. Natasha blew out the candle and sat it down. Then she stood up and grabbed Willow's hand.
*****Asgard*****
Buffy was pacing, trying to contain her growing anxiety. The tension in the room was growing. Both Angel and Spike tried to distract her by engaging her in conversation, but it didn't work. Her sister was in some type of mystical cocoon. Finally, she stopped pacing and glared at Thor.
"You must do something! I want my sister out of that thing, and I want her out now!" Buffy demanded.
"I assure you, Atali is fine," Thor said easily.
"Stop calling her that!" Buffy said angrily. "Her name is Dawn! Dawn Summers. The same as mine!"
"I know this is not easy for you, Buffy Summers, but when she awakens, you will be forced to accept what we already know," Thor said. Then he walked away to talk to his friends. Odin sat on the throne with his wife next to him. Both seemed relax and eager. Their relaxed air did little to calm Buffy's growing anxiety.
Buffy's fists clinched in rage. She so wanted to knock the arrogant bastard on his ass. Kennedy stepped forward, putting a restraining hand on her arm.
"Calm down, Buffy. We are out-gunned here. The All-Father commands an army of demi-gods. Without Willow here, we cannot hope to win against them," Kennedy said.
Illyria made her presence known. "I am unafraid of his army. If you want to bring them to their knees, I will be glad to make it happen," she said haughtily.
Buffy smiled in appreciation. The more time she spent in the woman's presence the more she liked her. Unlike so many others, Illyria never had to be convinced to fight. She was like a gun. All Buffy had to do was point her in the direction she needed and fire. Like a bullet, Illyria would never hesitate or falter once she was unleashed. "Hold that thought. If Dawn isn't okay, then we will most definitely do our best to make them regret touching her!" she vowed.
Before she could continue her pacing, Willow suddenly appeared in their midst, stepping through a portal. Natasha was with her. Buffy was relieved to see her.
Natasha was frozen immobile, unable to process that Willow had succeeded in bringing them to another planet. She looked around and realized they were in a throne room of sorts. Her eyes found her partner; Clint smiled and waved. However, all attention was focused on Willow as she marched toward Odin chanting in Latin. Before he could rise to his feet, Willow had taken possession of his staff, somehow pulling it toward her with her magic.
The Asgards in the room gasped as the white haired woman so easily managed to relieve their king of his staff.
Willow was prepared this time. She wasn't going to let the king so easily dismiss her. She used his staff to channel her own power, sensing that was what it was most used for. A wave of white lightening hit the All-Father knocking him back. Natasha followed behind Willow, her back toward her. She had decided to guard Willow's back from the attack she knew would come. Sure enough, a soldier charged. Natasha pulled out her gun and shot the solider in the leg, not trying to kill him. She knew Fury would be angry if she killed or seriously injured one of the Agards. However, she couldn't stand by and not defend Willow.
All around, Thor and his warriors moved to stop her attack. However, Buffy and her friends moved forward to intercept them. Buffy was finally able to unleash her anger. She jumped high to hit Thor hard in his jaw causing his head to swing back. Thor looked angrily at her. It wasn't in his nature to hit a woman, especially one that was connected to his family. However, the slayer was pushing the edge of his restraint.
All around the room, fighting once again broke out. The sight of their king on his back in pain, enraged his people. Frigga tried spell after spell to slow down the witch, but nothing worked. Frantic, she did the only thing she could think of. She projected her image into Loki's cell.
"Loki, please. I need you!" she told him.
Loki got to his feet in alarm at her sudden frantic appearance. "What's wrong, Mother? Are we under attack?" he asked. "Is Asgard about to be destroyed?" He smiled in pleasure at the thought.
"Not exactly. There's a witch here. She's trying to take Atali from us. I need you. Come to the throne room," Frigga ordered.
Loki's eyebrow went up when she opened his cell with her magic. He stepped out of it debating on if he should escape or not. However, his mother so rarely needed him. The mention of Atali puzzled him. Their sister had been lost so long ago.
He moved quickly to the throne room. The lack of guards to stop him told him how serious the situation was. More curious than worried, he went into the throne room. He saw strangers engaging with his brother and his warriors. They were not Asgards but looked human. He recognized a few of the Avengers he had battled on Earth. How did they get to be here? Why were they fighting Odin's soldiers? He grinned in amusement when he saw a small blonde woman kicking Thor.
His eyes, though, found his mother. She was trying to stop some white haired woman from hurting Odin. The sight of his hated father fallen and engulfed in electricity filled him with immense satisfaction. However, when the woman waved her hand and telepathically knocked his mother hard against a nearby wall, his smile left him. No one hurt his mother.
Loki moved quickly, throwing his body in front of the witch's bolt of electricity. Like most magic, it deflected off of him. He smirked at the witch, who frowned at him. His presence surprised and confused her.
"Get out of my way!" Willow ordered at the new arrival.
"You can do what you want to my father, but you hurt my mother again, and I will show you what pain really is," Loki said, giving her a look of malice. He held up his hands and began pulling her magic from her.
Willow gasped as power began to leave her. Her hair and eyes returned back to normal. Weakened, she fell to her knees.
Odin got to his feet, breathing heavily. The witch had taken him off guard. However, he was far from helpless. He raised his hand, calling back Gungnir to his hand. He hit the ground hard with it, a wave of power went out, knocking everyone off their feet. He pointed his staff at Atali; the cloud that was around her began to recede.
Buffy and Xander both ran to Willow's side to help her to her feet. She was weakened but not powerless. She glared angrily at the newcomer. "You're going to regret that," she said. When a bolt of green lightening flew out of her hands at him, he simply disappeared and reappeared behind her.
"I think not," Loki said, smirking. Then he hit Willow hard in the back of the head before Buffy could intervene, and she fell unconscious to the ground.
"Loki!" Natasha exclaimed, stepping toward him, her gun centering on his face.
Before she could fire, he pulled it from her hand with his magic. He glanced at it with disdain. "Such a primitive weapon," he said. He raised it to fire back at her.
Thor jumped in front of her. "Enough, Loki!" he ordered, glaring at his brother.
"Please, don't fight," a voice said. All eyes turned to the new voice. It was Dawn, but it was not. She was no longer encased in white.
Buffy gaped at her sister. She stepped toward her. "Dawn, is that you?" she asked. Her sister looked taller. The shape of her face different, her hair longer and lighter. As Buffy got closer, she saw that her sister's eyes were the same, but they looked older.
Dawn smiled at her sister and shook her head slightly. "Actually, I'm Atali," she informed them.
******To Be Continued******
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