FF: Realms (18/19?)

[shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Realms
By
Sam


Title: Realms (18/19&?)

Words of praise: Special thanks to Coy, a most excellent beta reader 
and offer of like totally great advise.
email: shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxxxxxx 
Disclaimer: I do not own `em (big sigh), they belong to Joss. I am 
borrowing them, taking them out to play for a while and will attempt 
to return them safely (insert mischievous grin here). 
Spoilers: None that I can think of, but everything is fair game 
Archive: The usual suspects (you know who you are), all others feel 
free to do so, just send me a line to let me know.
Pairing: B/W, F/T, G/J 
Notes: revelation, recovery and more revelation (Boy can you feel the 
showdown getting closer <insert evil grin here>)

beer good, feedback better.

Giles stood in the hall off the slayers in awe, all around him hand 
painted on the murals was the history of the slayers, from the first 
slayer all the way up to Buffy and Faith, they where all there. He 
watched as two of the castle artist worked on the portrait of Faith, 
carefully painting in Tara by her side. He would have been happy to 
stand there lost in history but an unknown voice brought the watcher 
back down to reality.

"Look carefully at what you are seeing watcher and head it well for 
all of them are warriors of Gods and Goddesses who stand between 
humanity and the demon realm," said a young woman wearing the cloths 
of a mage. Beside her was another woman who was dressed in leather 
and armed with a sword. 

The woman dressed in leather walked over to towards Giles and 
Fey, "Hear her words well watcher. The things that you see and hear 
here today will forever change your life, but forgive us for our lack 
of manner in not introducing ourselves, for we seldom get visitors 
here. I am Alexandria and this is my beloved Sabryn."

Giles w2as overcome by shock at the young women's words and sat down 
in the chair closest to him, "Alexandria and Sabryn?"

"Yes," Replied Alexandria

"You're the keeper of the slayers and this is the hall of the 
slayers," stammered Giles as where he was began to sink in.

"Yes, I know that."

Fey left Giles side and walked over towards the two immortals. She 
looked at the watcher and smiled, "If I didn't know better I would 
say he is about to go in shock."

Alexandria let out a hearty laugh, "It will pass, just give his mind 
time to adjust to what is happening, after even though the watchers 
are well versed in the book knowledge of this place and the story of 
myself and Sabryn, until now none of them had seen this place or met 
us. It is understandable that he would be for a loss of words."

Sabryn and Faith both nodded in agreement at what Alexandria had just 
said and the three of them took a seat across from the watcher and 
waited for him to regain his senses.

After several minutes Giles had regained his composer enough to 
speak,, "There's so much I want to ask about the slayers and how all 
this fits together, but I don't know where to begin."

Sabryn stood up from here chair and walked over to the wall where the 
artist where working, "throughout the ages many the philosopher has 
said that it is best to start in the beginning, however seeing that 
we do not have the time to cover the entire history of humanity and 
the slayers it would be best to start with that which you know," 
stated the immortal as she pointed first to the picture of Buffy and 
Willow, then to the one of Faith and Tara, "let us talk about the 
slayers you have so valiantly served watcher."     

Alexandria then got up and joined her beloved by the murals, "tell us 
when you look at their pictures and then look at the others what is 
it that separates them from the others?"

Giles pondered Alexandria's question for a moment then it dawned on 
him, "The others, they are alone in the pictures."

"Yes, and do you know why?"

"No."

Alexandria paused a moment before continuing and wiped a tear from 
her cheek, "It is because the they are the only slayers ever to find 
there beloved. All the others you see here fought the good fight 
with courage and honor but did so without knowing the joy of true 
love. They lived and died in the heat of battle, and that was all 
they knew, such is the tragedy of the slayers."

Giles began to sob as the immortals worlds sunk home, their where so 
many slayers shown on the walls, each of them a young girl called to 
a higher destiny just like his two slayers, but none of them finding 
love in their short lives. Giles struggled to swallow back the tears 
for the other slayers that was overcoming him, "It's not right, they 
shouldn't have had to live like that."

"You are correct watcher, but sadly the nature of their calling for 
the most part is a cruel fate, you are justified in weeping for the 
other slayer. But I must remind you that things are different with 
both of the slayers that have been entrusted in your care. You 
should rejoice for now both of them have overcome that that harsh 
fate and know the love of another."

Sabryn wrapped her arm around Alexandria`s shoulder and softly spoke 
to Giles, "Take this to heart watcher, because these two slayers have 
managed to overcome the cruel fate of the slayers and found their 
beloved's the nature of what it is to be a slayer has changed, if all 
goes well there will be no more murals of young warriors standing 
alone panted upon these walls."

Giles got up from his seat and looked at the murals of His 
slayers, "They are changing that."

"Yes but not as much as you will watcher," replied Alexandria.

A look of puzzlement filled Giles face, "What do you mean?"

"We wish you to be are emissary to the council. You would guide them 
on how to care for the slayers, show them that if they wish to fight 
a good battle against the darkness that they first must cast aside 
all their idiotic beliefs and test and love the slayers as if they 
were their own daughters just as you have done. You will instruct 
them that not only are they to support their slayers in this manner 
but to help them in the quest to find their soul mates."

"They won't listen to me."

"If you where just a watcher that would be correct, but as our 
emissary they will have no choice but to follow your instruction, for 
they are still held accountable to our house."

"I think I understand what you're saying."

Alexandria smiled at Giles and motioned for him to sit back 
down, "Good for now that is all that is required of you."

Giles took his seat and waited for the others to do the same, "I have 
some more questions for you."

"You wish to know what is happening to your slayers."

"Yes."

"They share the same lineage as all slayers do, but both of them have 
a destiny far greater than any of their sisters past."

Sabryn picked up the conversation as soon as Alexandria paused, "One 
has already started to achieve her destiny by becoming the ultimate 
slayer and the others destiny is just beginning to unfold, but the 
nature of that destiny is one that will not be revealed until she is 
ready to accept it." 

Giles was getting ready to put another question on the table when one 
of the healers walked into the hall, "We are done."

Fey stood up and walked over to the healer with the others right 
behind her, "How are they."

"They are well, the transfusion went well, all of them will have a 
full recovery."

"Can I see them now," impatiently interrupted Giles.

"Yes, but you must keep it short, they need their rest."

Everyone stood around the two beds in the healing room. Tara 
snuggled up next to Faith and was placing tender kisses on the 
weakened slayers forehead. Buffy and Willow where cuddled up next to 
one another two tired really do anything but take comfort in the fact 
that the other was going to be fine. As Giles watched the four of 
them he felt a wave of relief come over him, for now his daughters 
were safe.

Fey walked over to where the chair at the foot of the two bed where 
Giles had sat down and tapped the watcher on the shoulder, "You must 
now return to outer earth and let the others know that all of you are 
fine. The for of them will spend the night here and be returned to 
tomorrow."

"Can't they come back now," pleaded Giles.

"No they are to weak to travel, plus the magic of this Realm will 
enhanced their recovery. By morning they will be back up to power, 
besides the four of them have some visions that are easier shared 
with them when they are in the Ethereal. So return to your friends 
and loved ones and take heart in the fact that they are safe and will 
be returning to you shortly."

After Fey had finished speaking the room seemed to start to spin 
around the watcher as everything became Blurry. When it cleared up 
he found that he was no longer in the Middle Ethereal but on his 
front porch and alone. He reached in his jacket pocket and produced 
a house key, and started to chuckle. After all they have been 
through tonight all he could think of was how he was going to explain 
what had happened to Joyce.

Within the Dream World...

Buffy and Willow walked hand in hand through a vast garden. It was 
filled with every kind of plant imaginable and some that where beyond 
imagination. Throughout the Garden there was magnificent sculptures 
that would rival those of the Roman Empire. As they walked through 
the garden they found them selves drawn to a large fountain in its 
center. The fountain was made of marble and had a statue of them 
along with Faith and Tara as it's center piece. Sitting on the bench 
next to it where Tara and Faith who also seemed drawn to this 
fountain.

"Hey how did you guys get here," Questioned Buffy.

""Not sure B, last thing I remember was falling a sleep next to Tara 
and presto we found ourselves here."

"So do either of you know where here is?"

Tara ran her hand through Faiths hair as she stood up, "We are in the 
warriors garden just outside Alexandria's castle."

"How'd you know that," questioned Willow.

"My Mom and Fey used to bring me here a lot before I was sent to 
outer Earth, though I don't recall ever seeing this fountain before."

"That's because it hasn't been built yet child," replied Fey as she 
rounded the corner.

The four young Women spun around and stared blankly at Fey for a 
moment. "What do you mean it hasn't been built yet," demanded Faith.

Fey grinned at Faith, "You are definitely as spirited one to say the 
least," she then motioned towards the benches that surrounded the 
fountain, "Come sit with me and I will answer your question and tell 
you why the four of you have been brought here."

Fey waited for the four of them to take their seats and 
continued, "It hasn't been built yet because the four of you are in 
the dream world, what you are looking at is the Warriors garden of 
the future. This fountain is the heart of the garden because and 
represents the greatest of the slayers and their soulmates." 

Willow looked dircely at Fey, "Why have we been brought here."

"I thought it would be nice for you to see this place, the four of 
you are just now starting to embark on the path that will lead to 
this fountain being built in your honor, but before you go down that 
path there are some things that you must know first."

"Like what," quipped Buffy.

"Yeah what," added Faith.

"For starters is anyone interested in knowing why Willow fell when 
Buffy did."

Buffy and Willow both looked at one another and pondered the question 
that had just been put to them. After a brief moment the two of them 
turned their attention back to Fey and shook their heads yes.

"When the two of you declared your love for one another and Buffy 
awoke as the ultimate slayer the powers to be in their wisdom bonded 
you to one another, so what happens to one of you is felt by the 
other. Your beloved fell with you slayer because the nature of that 
bond created will not allow one to exist with out the other."

"Wait a second your saying that if I would for some reason get taken 
out in a fight or heaven forbid something would happen to Willow the 
other one of us would..."

"Also perish, it is the what that it has to be, the two of you have 
been blessed with great power, together you are a near unstoppable 
force against the darkness, but with great power comes great cost.  
You see child when one is dealing with the powers that be everything 
is about balance, it is the only way the universe can survive."

"OK, I'm just a little bit confused here, please explain that to me 
in English," snapped a rather frustrated Buffy.

"Buffy you are now the most powerful slayer ever to walk the earth, 
but you are quick to react and often leap before you think things 
through. Willow who is rapidly becoming a powerful mage is the 
opposite, she is cautious and tries to plan things through to the 
finest detail, a lot of times to her own hindrance. However together 
the two of you balance one another, and that is a balance that must 
be maintained at all cost."

"But why if something should happen to one of us does it need to 
happen to the other."

"It is to maintain the balance, besides the two of you shouldn't fret 
over this, I foresee you sharing a long and prosperous life together."

"Buffy smiled when she heard Fey's reassuring words. The blonde 
slayer wrapped her arms around Willow and placed a tender kiss on the 
redhead's lips, "I think I could live with that."

"Me to," added Willow just before returning Buffy's kiss.

"W-what about us," nervously asked Tara.

"Child the two of you also have a destiny together but it is a very 
different path than the one that your friends are embarking on."

"What is it."

Fey walked over next to Faith and Tara and put a hand on each of the 
girls shoulder, "It is not yet time, before the destiny the two of 
you have ahead of you can be revealed there is a battle to be fought."

Faith tightened her grip on Tara's hand, "Ciarán."

"Correct child, the time has come for the four of you to face and 
banish the warlock, and I shall show you how to do it."


To be continued...