Solace

Title: Solace

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: S/W

Summary: We find comfort in the strangest of places.

Reviews: I need reviews like I need air. They help to inspire me! So please leave your comments, good, bad, or indifferent.

Random Quote:"Unity to be real must stand the severest strain without breaking” ~Mahatma Gandhi

Disclaimer: I don’t own them I’m just playing with them a little bit… Sue me and all you will get is my debt.
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The sounds of fire crackling and waves kissing stone shores woke Willow up. The ground below her was soft and warm. As she stretched her finger grazed over the tangles of animal fur and then into sand. She sat up and looked around in a panic.

All around her were demons, sitting on split logs, laughing, talking, eating, and drinking, around a blazing fire. Her eyes darted around at the demons. None of them looked alike but they were still having a good time. It looked like a demon version of a cultural fair. Her green eyes connected with the red eyes of one smiling demon.

The demon stood up and walked over to her. It squatted down and smiled again. Its smile stretched the width of its face revealing several rows of very sharp, shark like, teeth. Its dark brown skin shone in the light of the fire. Its head was covered in three large, thick, horns that curled down past its neck. It extended its hand to her. She took the three fingered webbed hand in hers and shook it. She refused to be the reason that the party went sour.

The demon’s smile grew and it nodded its head in approval. It reached behind itself and revealed a large glass. It made a gesture towards its large mouth that indicated she should drink. Willow sniffed the brew then shrugged her shoulders. She took a small sip of the unknown fluid. The flavor exploded in her mouth, tasting of sweet raspberries and strawberries, actually making her moan in pleasure. She took a larger drink before passing the glass back to the demon. The demon smiled again and pointed towards a tent at the border of the festivities. It then motioned with his hands for her to go.

Willow smiled sweetly at the demon. It stood and extended its hand down to her to help her to her feet. She took its hand again and was pulled to her feet. She smiled and bowed her head a little in thanks. She started towards the tent, careful to avoid groups of demons who were partying in packs. She may have been willing to partake in the festivities when just one demon was in front of her but was very aware of how some of the demons gathered around the fire could behave.

She gently pushed the flap back and smiled. Madeline sat quietly on an over stuffed chair in the center of the tent. She motioned for Willow to take a seat in the chair that was placed across from her. Madeline had a look of peacefulness etched into her features.

“Good morning young one.”

“Good morning Madeline. Where are we?”

“A place of unity in the southern recesses of Africa, we came here while you slept. How are you feeling?”

“Confused, I feel very very confused and angry for that matter. Why wouldn’t he just tell me what was going on? Why would Xander do anything like this? I just don’t understand! Where is Spike anyway?”

“He was scared, he’s not himself, you are not meant to yet, in the trials.” Madeline nodded seemingly pleased she was able to keep up with Willow.

“Scared of what?”

“The result. He did not want to hurt you or your friends and would rather take the brunt of the pain to keep you safe.”

“Well that’s just dumb.” Willow pouted for a moment before she continued, “is Xander possessed again?”

“Not again but rather still. Something has woken the dormant beast within Alexander. His caged animal is seeking a vengeance unlike any you have seen up to this point. The primal has been locked away within his mind for over five years now.”

“Primal? The Hyena? What brought it back? How do I fix this?”

“Yes the hyena. I can not tell you anymore Willow my sweet child. I can only tell you that the time for you to make your choice is coming and it will not be an easy one.”

“How long will Spike be in there?”

“If he survives it could be hours or it could be days.”

“IF! No one said anything about him possibility dying err more dying.”

“This is part of his destiny child. Calm yourself. Have you had some of the wine?”

“Agh!” Willow threw her hands up in the air in frustration before she remembered who she was sitting with. She really did not know what Madeline was but she seemed to earn respect from all species of demons and she figured that she should follow in suit. “You mean the stuff that tasted like sweet berries?”

“You drank this on your own accord?”

“Yes some demon offered it to me and I thought it best to accept seeing as I was surrounded by demons.”

“What did this demon look like?”

“Horns, a huge mouth, red eyes, three fingers, and scaly brown skin?”

“Did he speak?”

“No, just gestured.”

“You are wise beyond your years sweet child. Had you not taking a drink offered to you by a Loznarly demon he would have bitten off your head and used it as a glass.”

Willow swallowed, “what?”

“Yes he would have seen it as an insult to a kind gesture and that will never do for a Loznarly demon. William completed the first test.” Madeline looked up and smiled before her features faltered. Spike’s angered roar could be heard across the beach causing Willow to gasp. “The fates are never kind to my poor William.”

“Is he?”

“No child William is a survivor. It will take more than this second test to keep him from what he truly wants. Let us practice honing your magical skills Willow. Hold my hands.” Madeline stretched her hands out to Willow who took them.

Her eyes snapped shut as she felt a surge of power course through her. When she opened her eyes again she was in a light filled space, fog dancing all around her. She turned and looked around. Her eyes landed on a thin girl with long blond hair and hazel eyes. The girl stood in the fog and light wearing jeans, cowboy boots, and a t-shirt. The girl started to walk towards Willow causing Willow to gasp. As the girl walked towards her a second identical girl started to walk towards Willow seconds later.

“Do not be afraid.” Madeline’s voice carried over the fog. Seconds later the statement was repeated. “This is merely who I would be today if I weren’t what I am.”

“Where are we?” Willow was surprised to hear the question repeat itself just like Madeline’s had.

“We are in a plain were our doppelgangers and our bodies are united.” She waited for her doppelganger to finish speaking before continuing. “This is the place where your powers are the strongest because of this unity.” Again she paused. “Once you have been invited to this place you can revisit it at anytime.”

“How?”

“By meditation. Just be careful child because time runs differently here than it does on our plain of existence.”

Willow waited until both Madelines had finished speaking before she spoke, “different how?”

“Time runs much faster here. Spend too much time here and you will wither and die. A year in here is a day in our plain.”

Willow nodded as she listened to Madeline. She wondered why she had been granted entrance into such a place given the fact that it was so much responsibility. Even with the doubts her body hummed with the anticipation to study with Madeline. Spending a year with Madeline would be like living in an actual coven for most of her life. Her fear quickly turned into excitement as she listened to Madeline’s instructions.

“Everything is connected child. There is nothing that stands alone from the earth,” Madeline paused and waited for Willow to catch up, “You must find something that grounds your powers Willow. Something that helps you feel connected to the world.”

Willow nodded and thought about all the things in her life that made her feel connected to anything. It used to be her friends but in light of recent events she had lost that connection to them, then she had felt grounded and connected with Tara but Tara had broken her heart and made her feel less than worthy of her powers. At one point she could have said school but that was an escape and not something that grounded her. She started to panic what if there was nothing that grounded her.

“Relax Willow. You will find what grounds you but you must relax, close your eyes, see the world for what it is, an intricate connection of life, know and feel this and your grounder will appear.”

Willow nodded and closed her eyes. She could feel and see the connections Madeline had talked about. The pictures and images were blending together, swirling in her mind. Then a flash of bright blue filled her mind quickly replaced by amber. Her eyes snapped open and Madeline smiled at her and nodded her head.

The year seemed to slip away. Information poured into her as Madeline trained her to use her powers. Her strength increased at an alarming rate but Madeline never judged her. On more than one occasion her darkness took a hold and Madeline bound her until she came down from the power. But by the end of the year her powers seemed to settle in and when she shifted her features encompassed both light and dark aspects.

“You have done very well Willow. Do not hesitate to contact me should you need something further.”

“What?”

“Remember what I said, vengeance is not yours to seek. Take care of dear William he needs you now more than ever.”

“Madeline wait!” Before Willow had a chance to reach out for Madeline her world started to spin.