FIC: Royalty Redux (Chapter 13)

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Title: Royalty Redux
Author: Cilia
Archives: List archivers go right ahead.
Notes: The rewrite of the classic B/W story Royalty, the story that set
the stage for the epic Two Worlds story and made any of the characters
that are still around and kicking in Prophecy's Twilight. 
Relative to the show, this takes place after the events of Graduation,
so those are still in continuity while, but I have taken some liberties
and this is very much an alternate universe story.
Summary: Buffy finds herself in San Francisco looking for Willow, but
the young witch has gone missing, both of them struggle with their
emerging affection for each other and new enemies. Along for the ride
are Spike, Giles, Anya and Xander, every single one of them with a
mission of their own.




Chapter 13: Inner Fires - Willow Rosenberg


Anya had found the covens building and a frightened young wiccan had
pointed her to where Willow had gone. The girl had been as white as a
sheet and trembling, so Anya knew there would be trouble.
"Willow?" Anya said as she moved through the house, with Willow's sword
poised in her hand.
"Go away!" echoed through the house.
How did she find me? The sword, stupid, stupid Willow, Willow thought as
she moved through the house.
"Willow I just want to talk to you," Anya said calmly.
"I don't care," Willow shouted back and Anya dodged a magical blast.
Why do I bother she thought.
"Willow this isn't funny," she stated.
"No it isn't," Willow laughingly replied.
"She will forgive you," Anya said.
"No she won't," Willow shouted as another blast seared the wall next to
Anya's head.
"Denial isn't just a river in Egypt," Anya said as she fiddled with the
pouch in her pocket. 
"Funny," Willow commented as Anya's shadow passed in front of her.
"Why are you making this hard on yourself?" Anya said as she ran her
hand over the wall. "If you don't get your silly little head together
she'll die," she said and there was silence. "You know that don't you?"
Anya asked after a minute or so.
"Yes," Willow replied somewhat calmer.
"I can help you," Anya offered and blew some glittering dust from her
hand over Willow.
"You're not supposed to know how to do that," Willow said from the
shadows.
"I've still got a few surprises left," Anya replied.
"I can't control it," Willow said and green eyes flared in the darkness.
"I know that power isn't something easily tamed that's why I'm here,"
Anya replied.
"You think you can help me?" Willow asked in a mocking voice as a shadow
passed before Anya eyes,
"I know love when I see it," Anya said and reached out her hand.
"You know nothing!" Willow exclaimed.
"Okay I've just had about enough of this," Anya said, spun around,
grabbed Willow and slammed her against the wall. "Now you listen here
little girl. Buffy is hurting, Giles and Spike are acting like they've
lost their marbles and Xander is worried sick and when he gets worried I
get worried," she said.
"Go to hell," Willow spat.
"Too late," Anya said, but then felt herself being slammed against the
opposite wall.
"Never attack a spell caster directly. You of all people should know
that," Willow said.
"If you insist," Anya said and threw some more glitter over Willow.
"Fairy dust can't harm me," Willow said as she readied a ball of fire in
her hand.
"No but it will calm you. Now sleep," Anya said in a soothing voice as
Willow took a step forward and then fell down.
"Glad that worked actually," Anya muttered and picked Willow up. 
"Man what are you made of?" she muttered as she carried the sleeping
witch to the nearest bedroom.

Willow stood on a green field and the whole world seemed to spin around
her and then there stood Buffy.
"Hello Willow," she said and touched her cheek.
"Buffy I."
"Don't say anything, just lie with me," Buffy said as pulled Willow
down.
"I'm sorry," Willow cried.
"For what dear?" Buffy asked. They lay in the field, but it Buffy seamed
older.
"Nothing," Willow said and hugged Buffy close and a red haired girl came
running over the hills, with Spike and another girl following close
behind. Willow smiled and then found herself sitting in a church.
"Dearly bellowed we're gathered here today."
Spike and who is that woman next to. Oh! Dear. Willow thought. The scene
faded.
"Hello grandma," Spike said kissing her cheek and she was now standing
in a hospital, accepting a baby into her arms.
Then she was back in the familiar room
"You're back," The voice said.
"I didn't have a choice," Willow said.
"You want to be free of your powers," The voice asked.
"Yes," Willow said.
"The future you saw will not be if you do. William will die alone and
your daughter and granddaughter will never be born," the voice said.
"It hurts," Willow said.
"I can only tell you that it gets better," The voice said.
"Willow," Came Anya's voice.
"Go," The voice said as the scene faded away.
"Willow," Anya said repeated and Willow's eyes fluttered open.
"It gets better," Willow muttered.
"What does?" Anya asked.
"Everything," Willow answered.
"That's good to hear, now are you ready to be reasonable?" Anya asked
laying the sword on the bed.
"I'll help them, then I'll leave," Willow said calmly.
"That was quick. So what's the plan?" Anya asked.
"I'll end this threat before it begins," Willow said bluntly and stood.
"You sure that's such a good idea," Anya asked, but Willow waved her
hand and Anya was gone.
"No I'm not," Willow said and threw the hood over her head.
This is how it has to be. I'll go save the Prince and then destroy the
foothold the Warlock has in this world. She looked over to the desk and
saw a pen and parchment. She sat down and started to write.

Dear Buffy.

If you're reading this I'm either leaving, gone or maybe even dead.
Either way I'm asking you not to blame yourself. This is my choice and I
beg of you to respect it.

Love you as always

Willow

p.s. I know you'll come after me no matter what I say, but you will not
find me.

Short and to the point, she'll like that. No drawn out goodbyes or long
sappy letters. She thought and sealed the paper. She then pointed at the
letter and it was gone.
"Now let's go save the world," that said she now stood outside an old
warehouse.
"Warehouses always with the warehouses," she muttered as the two guards
went down in flames. She tried the doors, but they didn't budge. 
"Everything the hard way," she muttered, laid a palm against the door
and chanted until it blew inwards.
Maybe this wasn't such a bright idea, she thought as she heard snarls
and growls from inside. What the heck. The only light came from the
moonlight that came in through the roof windows.
"I've come for Prince Daniel Night," she thundered as she stepped
through the doors.
"Then you have come to your death," A voice that sent chills down her
spine sounded across the warehouse. 
"And you are?" Willow asked as she staked a vampire sneaking up behind
her.
"My name is Viktor Argent," The voice said and a man stepped into the
moonbeam in the center of the room.
"Where is the Warlock?" Willow demanded.
"He's around," Viktor said with a grand gesture of a hand and a shadow
could be seen moving around the room.
"You're the undying that attacked Buffy," Willow stated as she torched
another vampire.
"Guilty as charged," Viktor said with a bow.
"Then you must face judgment," a British accented voice echoed through
the warehouse
"You!" Viktor snarled.
"Yes me!" Spike said as he stepped up next to Willow with a sword in one
hand and a shotgun in the other.
"Spike what are you doing here?" Willow hissed.
"Taking care of business," Spike said simply.
"Oh then I must introduce you to my business partner," Viktor said and a
dark shadow rose behind him.
"Red what the hell is that?" Spike asked as they took a step back.
"The Warlock," Willow answered.
"Bloody." Spike said and then him and Willow went flying through the air
and slammed against the wall.
"Hell," Willow finished.
Viktor took a step backwards as the shadow took on the shape of a man in
a billowing red cloak.
"Red I thought this thing wasn't supposed to enter this plane until the
stars where aligned?" Spike asked as he hauled himself of the floor.
"Well apparently not," Willow replied.
"Okay what's the plan Red?" Spike asked.
"We need to get him to someplace holy," Willow said.
"But you told Anya you were going to kill him," Spike exclaimed.
"In his shadows state yes," Willow replied as the shadow took form.
"Just great. There is a church a few blocks away, now all we have to do
is get him to follow us," Spike said.
"Easy," Willow said and let loose a fury of bolts and the figure turned
and snarled.
"Nice plan pet. Now run!" Spike ordered and he pushed her through the
door.
"Which way?" Willow asked once out on the street as Spike dragged a
motorcycle onto the street.
"This way," Spike pointed as he pulled a bike onto the street and he
started it just as the Warlock burst out of the warehouse.
"Get on," he ordered as Willow threw more bolts at the Warlock and then
jumped onto the bike.
Spike sped down the street; the Warlock following appeared as a blur of
red in the rearview mirror was not a pleasant sight. They came to a
shrieking stop next to a dark green Jaguar.
"Xander get your stick ready," Spike yelled as he threw open the door.
"We're in trouble, right?" Xander said as he looked up from wrapping his
arm.
"Could say that," Spike said as Willow said as she started firing
randomly down the street.
"This is getting tiresome," she muttered. "Hey Xander," she nodded.
"Hey yourself," Xander said as he picked up the staff lying in the
passenger seat.
"Spike you sure you can get in there I mean it's a." Willow started.
"I'll manage," Spike said as they ran to the door
"Get in. I'll set up some wards to stall him," Willow yelled over the
thunders and started weaving patterns with her hands.
The doors were flung open and a thunder crashed causing the two figures
kneeling at the altar to jump to their feet.

To Be Continued.