veiled isis moon -
Yep, don't worry you're fixing to find out what I've done...I don't think it's a very dramatic way to get out of it...but I thought it was a good idea.
robotguru - I'm glad I made the right choices with the characters. At first I was thinking about bringing in Drusilla as Seymour...but I thought she'd be better off with William and Darla as their captain. Are you having trouble with the mountain puzzles? Or something else?
This is the complete Bevelle chapter I decided to post it at once instead of having two.
Final Fantasy X Retold
Pairing: Eventually W/T
Rating: R for violence and language
Disclaimer: I still don’t own ‘em
Chapter Nineteen: Bevelle
Tara and Glory met in the circle where the two walkways came together. The tower bells rang as the stood side beside. Glory slowly walked forward with Tara by her side, and the solders standing behind them. As they reached the steps leading up to where Maester Snyder was waiting a solder shouted. Looking up thousands of brightly colored souls was falling from the sky, following the airship out of the clouds.
"Cdynd! Cdynd! Tysh oui!" (Start! Start! Damn you!) Dawn shouted at the control panel watching the ocean rushing up to meet them. She kept pressing the ignition button and getting no response from the engine, with the ocean getting closer by the second she began to panic. Pleading quietly Dawn pressed the button one last time, and the engine roared to life. She pulled back on the stick pulling the ship up and accelerating an inch from the water.
"Fire!" Ethan ordered the solders. The men began shooting at the ship as it slowed down on the right side of the tower, and flew around to the left side.
"Come!" Glory said grabbing Tara's wrist and pulling her up the steps behind her."
Dawn dropped the anchors down on to the walkway and pulling the ship back to tighten the cables. "Let's go!" Willow yelled from the open door and jumped on to the cables, with the others following. Sparks were flying under their shoes as they slide down the cables, Willow ducked under one of the cables as it passed over her head, then side flipped over it as it came back across. The group jumped off the cables just at they broke from the gunfire. The airship pulled up and away from the gunfire, and disappeared off into the distance.
Xander was throwing his ball hitting the solders in their heads knocking them out, as Anya cast low-level Thunder spells hurting, but not killing. Buffy was punching the men in the face; Faith was hitting them with the butt of her spear. Willow and Giles were using the dull side of their blades on the solders, either giving them a headache or knocking them out. Reached the steps going up to where Tara and Glory were standing, they ran up to the top, and were stopped when Ethan stepped in front of them.
"Enough! You will stop right there!" Ethan said pointing his gun at the group, as armed guards surrounded them.
Tara stepped back from Glory and raises her rod out in front of her, "You would play at marriage just for a chance to send me?" Glory asks then smiles an evil smile "I find that very admirable. And you more fitting to be my lovely wife." she said as Tara started the sending.
"If you value your friends' lives you will stop." Maester Snyder said stepping forward. "Your actions determine their fate. Either protect them, or let them die...the choice is yours."
Tara looked over to the group and saw Ethan put his gun under Willow's chin and cock the hammer back. Lowering her head Tara dropped her rod.
"You are wise." Glory said and turned Tara around to face Snyder.
"Let's be quick with this, Lady Maester Glory, Lady Summoner Tara, I Grand Maester Snyder pronounce you to all of Spira married in the name of Yevon."
Glory turns to Tara and places her hands on Tara's shoulders pulling her closer, and leaning down. Glory forces her into a kiss, and Tara clenches her fist. Buffy looked to Anya who turned away not being able to watch anymore than she'd already seen. Willow growled and tried to take a step forward only to have Ethan tilt the shotgun barrel up with his finger on the trigger.
Glory raised up and pulled Tara close to her body wrapping her right arm around Tara, she motioned with her left "Kill them." she said and Tara pulled away from her.
"I truly am sorry, but this is for Yevon." Ethan said to the group as the solders cocked their shotguns.
"And aren't those weapons forbidden by Yevon?" Giles asked Ethan nodding to the gun.
Ethan chuckled "There are exceptions."
"No!" Tara shouted. When everyone looked over to her she was standing on the ledge of the wall. "Throw down your weapons! Let them go, or else..." Tara steps back a little closer to the edge. Glory commands the soldiers to stand down, when the gun lowered Willow ran up the steps. "Please! Leave now!" Tara said to Willow, smiling a little.
"No! I'm not leaving without you!"
"Don't worry, just go!"
Glory stepped beside Willow "Don't be foolish. If you fall, you'll die."
"Don't worry. I can fly. Just believe." Tara tells Willow and lets her body fall over the edge.
"Tara!" Willow screamed and watched as Tara fell through the air in a head dive. A bright circle surrounded her and Valefor flew straight down and turned over allowing Tara to fall on her chest.
"Cover you eyes!" Buffy shouts out and throws a small bomb. A bright flash lit up the bridge and walkway blinding everyone who'd saw the flash.
"What was that?" Xander asked running down the steps.
"It was an Al Bhed Flashbomb!"
Faith grabbed Willow and started dragging her down the steps "Lemme go! I'll kill that bitch!"
"Tara told us to leave! So, we leave!"
"Don't worry we'll meet up with her later." Anya said running beside Faith.
"Break through the guards, don't stop!" Giles said hitting one of the guards on the head.
The group ran down the stairs of the tower and into a small alleyway and stopped to catch their breath.
"Where'd Tara go?" Buffy asked breathing hard with her hands on her knees.
"The Bevelle Palace is also the temple, so Tara would only go to one place." Faith said finally catching her breath.
"The Chamber of the Fayth!" Willow shouted "Come on let's go." she followed Giles as he led the group to the temple.
"This is too quite...do you think it could be a trap?" Anya asked looking around the small room.
"I don't care, we have to get to Tara before they do!" Willow said
Buffy looked over to a control panel "Huh?" she said and walked over to it, and began typing and activating the floor revealing a spiraling staircase going down.
"What the hell is a machina doing in the temple?" Xander asked confused.
Buffy shrugged her shoulders "I suppose it comes in handy."
"That is not what I meant! The teachings! What about the teachings?"
"Don't look at me...I don't know."
Willow and Giles were already walking down the stairs with Anya and Faith behind them; Buffy and Xander ran to catch up. At the bottom Buffy found another control panel and activated it, bringing the force field down.
"Another machina? Damn..." Xander hung his head.
"So this is Yevon's true face...They betray their own teachings." Giles said shaking his head.
Xander kicked an imaginary rock "They treated us like dirt." he said and followed the group into the next room.
"This is the entrance to the Trials." Anya said motioning to the door in front of them.
"I hope Tara's in there." Buffy said and saw Willow nod her head.
"Well come on what're we waiting for?" Willow said and ran through the door and into the Trials with the group following.
"What the hell?" Faith said when she saw several blue and red pathways leading forward, down, and up. "This will take forever!"
Willow ran forward and down the path "Well just standing there isn't going to get us through the Trials any quicker." they heard her hollering. Not knowing which way to go Willow followed the right path down to a dead end, with a light blue sphere taking she ran back up to the main path. Back at the top she heard Buffy hollering, running over she saw Buffy with another sphere. Buffy placed the sphere into the slot she was examining, which caused a force field to deactivate near one of the bottom paths. Anya was at the end of the path placing another sphere into the slot there, revealed a purple glyph; Xander ran over with another sphere and placed it in the slot. The wall fell away revealing a purple sphere, Anya grabbed it and ran back to the group. Willow took the purple sphere and ran to the middle path to the end, placing the sphere there deactivated another force field leading to the top. Giles was holding on to another sphere as the group ran up the path to the top. Reaching the top he placed the sphere into the slot in front of them, opening a short path to a chest. Willow ran over and opened it getting a Knight Lance she smiled and turned to Faith "I do believe you can use this." she said and gave the Lance to a grinning Faith.
"Thank you...my other one was getting dull." She said and strapped the Lance on her back.
Willow nodded and followed Giles into the Prayer room. "Tara?" Willow asked looking around the room.
"Maybe she's inside the Chamber." Xander said causing Willow to run to the Chamber door.
"So, what are we just standing around for?" She asked bending down and grabbing the bottom of the door trying to raise it.
"Hey! You can't do that!" Xander said and was pulled back by Anya.
"You can stuff your taboos!" Willow said in a strained voice.
Faith ran over to the door and helped raise it up Willow smiled up at Faith who nodded her head. Willow squeezed through the door and into the Chamber. Tara was on her knees praying as a hooded boy floated over a statue in the floor.
"Wh-What's that?" Willow asked looking at the hooded boy.
"That is a Fayth." Giles said walking up behind Willow. "They join with a Summoner, and together receive the Aeon. They are human souls, imprisoned in stone by ancient Yevon rites... The dead should be allowed to rest." Giles said as the Fayth flew toward Tara and into her body; Tara fell to the floor unconscious.
"Tara!" Willow shouted and ran over to Tara's body, as Giles walked back outside. Kneeling down Willow gently rolled Tara on her back, and pushed her hair away from her eyes. "You are beautiful... and I... I love you." Willow quietly said and gently picks Tara up into her arms. "I just wish I could tell you when you're awake."
"No! Don't come out!" Buffy shouted as Willow emerged from the Chamber only to see four soldiers pointing guns at the others.
"That's the last of them." Ethan said appearing in the doorway. "You are to stand trial."
"I expect this will be a fair trial." Giles said facing Ethan.
"Oh, of course it will, old friend." Ethan said smiling.
The group was escorted to the main temple where they were to stand trial. Tara awoke to find herself being held in Willow's arms and smiled.
"Hey you." Willow said when she saw Tara was awake.
"Hey yourself. Where are we?"
"We were caught in the Prayer room...and we are going to be on trial in a few minutes." Willow whispered and gently sat Tara down on her feet.
"Oh, I was hoping to get away before they found us." Tara said as a guard walked over and escorted her to a small platform. Willow watched the platform rose up into the air a few feet before stopping.
"The High Court of Yevon is now in session." A woman with long coal black hair said, "The sacred offices of this court seek nothing but the absolute truth, in Yevon's name. To those on trial: Believe in Yevon, and only speak the truth."
"That is Lady Maester Aurora Dragon." Anya whispered to Willow.
"Summoner Tara. You have sworn to protect the people of Yevon, correct?"
"Yes, My Lady."
"Then, consider this: You have inflicted dire injury upon Lady Maester Glory Guado... You also conspired with the Al Bhed, and joined in their insurrection. These are traitorous and unforgivable crimes that disturb the order of Yevon. Please tell the court of Yevon what possessed you to participate in such violence."
"My Lady... The real traitor is Lady Glory! She killed her father Lord Jyscal with her own hands!"
"What is this!" Aurora took a small step back in surprise.
"What? Haven't you heard?" Glory asked standing to Aurora's right/
"Not only that Lady Glory is already dead!" Tara nearly shouted.
"It is a Summoner's sacred duty to send the souls of the departed to the Farplane! Tara was only trying to do her job as a Summoner!" Anya said stepping forward.
Tara looked up to Snyder "Grand Maester Snyder... Please, send Glory now!"
"Send the unsent to where they belong?" Snyder asked and rubbed his chin.
"Yes!" Tara said then looked carefully at him "Maester?"
"Send the dead...hmm?" He said as souls appeared around his body.
"Then, Summoner Tara...you would have to send me also."
"What!" Xander shouted in surprise as Tara lowered her head.
"Grand Maester Snyder is a wise leader...even in death, he is invaluable to Spira." Aurora said looking upon the group.
"Enlightened rule by the dead if preferable to the misguided failures of the living." Ethan said standing behind Snyder.
"You see," Glory said leaning forward. "Life if nothing but a passing dream, but the death that follows is eternal."
"Men die. Beasts die. Trees die. Even continents perish. Only the power of death truly commands in Spira. Resisting the power of death if futile." Snyder said with souls circling his body.
"But what of Sin? My Lord, I am a Summoner, like my mother before me! I am on a pilgrimage to stop the death that Sin brings. Are you... Are you telling me that, too, is futile? Grand Maester Snyder, I am not alone! All the people who have opposed Sin... Their battles, their sacrifices were they all in vain?" Tara asked passionately.
"No, not in vain. It does not matter how many Summoners give their lives, Sin cannot be truly defeated. The rebirth cannot be stopped. But the courage of the Summoners that fight give the people hope. And there is nothing futile in the life and death of a Summoner." Snyder said to Tara.
"It may not be futile...but it never ends." Giles said
"Yes, indeed, that is the essence of Yevon."
"Lord Snyder!" Tara said surprised.
"Yevon is embodied be eternal, unchanging continuity, Summoner."
"No! That can't be right!"
"Yes! And the ones who question these truths...they are the traitors!"
"Lord Snyder!"
"Enough Summoner!" Snyder shouted. "You and your guardians will be detained until your sentence has been decided."
The group put of a fight as the guards grabbed them. Faith was knocked unconscious and was taken away; Anya was being dragged away by two guards along with a kicking and screaming Buffy. Xander was being led the same way as the guard dragging Faith. Willow had run over to Tara and was holding on to her like a lifeline; a guard hit her with the butt of his gun causing her to black out. A guard grabbed Tara and led her away as Giles picked Willow up and carried her as two guards led him away.
Willow opened her eyes to find herself in a cage with Giles; she rubbed the back of her head and got up. Slowly walking to the bars she grabbed hold of them and started shaking with all her strength.
"Let me outta here! You bastards hear me? I want out now!" Willow screamed to an empty room.
"You're wasting your breath. They don't care." Giles said leaning against the bars.
"Dammit!" Willow kicked the bars and sat down "I hope Tara's okay."
"Don't worry Tara is strong, she'll make."
"What just so she can die?" Willow asked angrily "Why does it seem like everything in Spira revolves around people dying?"
"The spiral of death."
"Huh?"
"Summoners challenge the bringer of death, Sin, and die doing so. The guardians give their lives to protect their Summoner. The Fayth are the souls of the dead. And even the Maester of Yevon are unsent. Spira is full of death... Only Sin is reborn...and then only to bring more death. It is a cycle of death, spiraling endlessly." Giles said as Ethan appeared.
"You may come out now. Your sentence has been decided."
"Sentence? Don't you mean execution?" Giles asked miffed.
"Now Giles, what kind of a person would execute a dear friend?"
"You would." Giles said and was led away from Willow.
Willow was taken down a long hallway into a room with an opening in the floor full of water. One of the guards shoved her over to the opening.
"You're next."
"And just what am I next for?"
"Get going!" The guard said and shoved her into the water.
"Hey! Where's everybody else?"
"They're probably floating down there somewhere."
Willow glares at the guard and dives under the water and swimming into a tunnel, when she surfaced on the other side she saw Xander and Buffy ahead of her. "Yo!" Willow said getting their attention.
"You made it!" Xander says grinning.
"So, what's our sentence supposed to be?" Willow asked
"They probably think we'll give up and die down here."
"Now that's a lame way to kill someone."
"Where's Tara?" Buffy asked looking toward the tunnel.
"I don't know. I woke up in a cage with Giles, and he was taken a different way than I was."
"Do you think we should wait here?"
"No, let's wait for everyone at the exit." Willow said and swam off with Xander following.
"Yeah...if there is an exit." Buffy said to herself and followed.
[Back at the courtroom]
"How is the Dragon Maester faring?" Snyder asked Glory
"It seems that my father's murder troubled her."
"Just like the Dragons. Hard-headed and hardly useful."
"However... The Summoner Tara, daughter to High Summoner Mythe... She may be of some use to us alive."
"She has disturbed the order of Yevon! She cannot be allowed to live."
"I understand."
"Just let it go, Glory. No one has ever survived the Via Purifico." Ethan said walking into the room.
"But there is always a chance that they might. I want guards placed at the exit, and kill any who emerge." Snyder said pacing back and forth.
"Please, leave that to me."
"First you father, now your bride?"
"Allow me to do this because she is my bride."
"Wait, I'll go too." Ethan said stepping in front of Glory.
"What do you not trust me?"
"And would you trust someone who'd murdered their own father?"
"Very well, as you wish."
"Lady Tara, please forgive me." Ethan says to himself and follows Glory out the door.
[In the Maze of Sorrow]
Tara is sitting on a large rock with her head down and holding her rod in her shaking hands. She slowly raises her hand and wipes away a tear, and gets off the rock. Walking carefully down the debris-covered hallway, she watched for any sign of fiends. Not finding any she runs down the opening to the left, and screams out when a clawed fin cut into her calf. Quickly turning she saw a Sahagin standing behind her cover in blood. Using her rod as a weapon she smacks the fiend on the head, causing it to take a step back, it fell to the floor as electricity danced over its body, and disappeared. Turning Tara saw Anya running toward her.
"Anya!" Tara cries out as Anya wraps her into a bone-crushing hug. "I...I'm s-so..."
"Shh, It's okay, Tara." Anya says and pulls out of the hug to look Tara over; when she sees the blood she kneels down and looks the wound over. "Here drink this. It will save your strength." Anya hands her a Potion.
"Do you know where the others are?" Tara asks drinking the Potion and tossing the vile to the floor.
"After I was thrown in here I went searching and ended up getting attacked. Then I heard you cry out and came running. I figure the others...if they are down here, are fighting fiends, also."
"I hope everyone's okay...if they aren't its all my fault."
"Don't say or even think that! It is not your fault! This is all Glory's doing, not yours." Anya said and hugged Tara again. "Now, lets find the others."
"Right" The two young women chose a path that led them back to the main hall, seeing another hall to the left they cautiously go down that hall. Halfway down they hear Faith let out a curse, and then hear a fiend shriek. Hurrying the rest of the way they see Faith finishing off a lizard fiend and turn toward them with the spear raised, upon seeing who was behind her Faith lowered the spear.
"Tara! Anya! You're both okay!" Faith said and ran over to them "Tara I'm so sorry that we left you alone." she says and hangs her head.
"Faith, don't worry about it. It isn't your fault."
"You're right it's that bitch Glory... Anyway are the others around?"
"We haven't found them...yet." Anya said as Tara lowered her head.
"Willow, Xander, Buffy, and Sir Giles... Please let them all be okay."
"Hey, I'm sure they're fine, hell Sir Giles was your mother's guardian, so he knows how to fight. And the others, aren't beginners either...well Willow is, but she's a lot better than she was." Faith said trying to make Tara fell better.
"Faith's right, they're fine, so let's find a way out of here."
Nodding Tara began walking down the hall with Faith in front of her and Anya behind. Faith held her hand out signaling for Tara to stop, looking around the corner she saw Giles fighting off a grayish purple armored fiend. With the fiend dissolving into souls and disappearing the girls tuned the corner and walked over to Giles.
"So, you are down here, too." Giles said them
"Sir Giles, are you okay? Is Willow and the others down here?" Tara asked concerned
"I am fine. Willow was taken to another section, and I'm assuming that Xander and Buffy are with her."
"Well, now that we're together we should look for a way out." Anya said with Faith nodding her head in agreement.
"The way out is up this hall." Giles said pointing to the hallway behind him. "I checked it out before that fiend attacked me."
"Okay, then. Lets get going." Faith said taking the lead; reaching the next room they saw Jonathon standing in front of the exit.
"Lady Tara... So it is you!"
"Why are you here?" Tara asked from behind Faith and Giles.
"We rode the airship to the Calm Lands, them made our way back to Bevelle. Maester Ethan summoned us, and ordered us to 'deal with the traitors'"
"And you are going to fight us?" Giles asked with a glare.
"Sir, you know the temple's orders are law... Even if you are the daughter of Lady Mythe... You're still a traitor!"
Anya looked around the room and into the shadows before turning back to face Jonathon. "Where are your guardians?"
"Andrew and Warren are not here. I will do this unhappy deed myself... Please, Lady Tara, forgive me." Jonathon said and summoned Grothia, his version of Ifrit. "It will be your Aeons against mine."
"Bahamut, please help me." Tara said summoning the great king of the dragon race. Bahamut flew down from the sky his red, orange, and gold wings showing brightly against his midnight blue body. When he landed the ground shook causing Tara to steady herself with her rod. "Use your Impulse attack." Bahamut spread his huge arms outward as silver balls of energy flew from his body hitting Grothia head on, and knocking him back. Grothia used Hellfire against Bahamut sending him to his knees; Bahamut rose up and used Mega Flare at Tara's command. Grothia took the huge energy blast to the chest effectively knocking him out, Bahamut fell to his knees again as Tara thanked him and he disappeared.
"It isn't over yet!" Jonathon said and summoned Pterya, his version of Valefor. Tara summoned Ixion when the Thunder Aeon appeared Pterya attack him. Ixion took the hit and stepped back shooting electricity from his horn, Pterya attacked using her Sonic Wings, and Ixion fell and struggled to rise up. Tara gave the command to use Thor's Hammer, Ixions' body glowed bright with electricity dancing over him and up to his horn, rearing up Ixion brought his head down as the attack shot out and hit Pterya knocking her out. Tara thanked Ixion and he disappeared.
"I'm sorry, but I cannot let you pass." Jonathon said and summoned Spathi, his version of Bahamut. Tara summoned Shiva. When the ice Aeon appeared she jumped back dodging an attack, and use Heavenly Strike. The huge block of ice hit Spathi on the head and shattered; Spathi attacked Shiva with his Impulse attack knocking her back a foot. Regaining her footing Shiva flipped in the air and kicked Spathi on the head, and jumped back beside Tara and use Heavenly Strike again. Spathi use Mega Flare on her, causing Shiva to fall to her knees. Using a Blizzard spell Shiva healed her body and used Diamond Dust, knocking Spathi out. "Thank you Shiva. You may go now." Tara said and smiled to the Aeon as she disappeared.
Jonathon fell on his butt and looked up at Tara, as she approached "No! Stay away from me!" he said and Tara backed off with her head down.
"Tara, leave him, let's go." Anya said glaring at Jonathon
"I'm sorry. There is a way to the surface up ahead." Jonathon said not meeting Tara's eyes.
As Faith and Anya led Tara to the exit Giles looked down at the male Summoner "Your pilgrimage is over." Giles said and moved on.
[The Underwater Tunnel]
Willow, Xander and Buffy were fighting off an octopus that had attacked them at a latched gate they were trying to open. After one last strike from Willow's sword the octopus was killed and the three of them went back to trying to open the gate. Neither of the three saw the souls that rose up from the depths behind them and take shape. Buffy saw something out of the corner of her eye and turned around, her eyes went wide and the hit Willow on the shoulder. Willow turned to Buffy with a glare that melted into one of fright, she hit Xander who completely turned and saw what they were looking at. Floating there in front of them was gray colored Evrae, the gray signified that Evrae was in a zombified state and was even more dangerous than before. Xander turned and quickly hit the right latch unlocking it, Willow and Buffy dodged out of the way of a gray claw. Buffy went to work on the left latch as Willow swam toward Evrae, she swung her sword hitting Evrae in the mid-section slicing open his stomach. She ducked under his tail as it came around, and he was hit in the head by Xander's blitzball. The gate went up and was starting to come back down as the three swam under it. Evrae followed only to be trapped when the gate came down on his back, Willow swam back and severed Evraes' head killing him for a second time.
Willow thought as she Buffy and Xander swam down the corridor leading to a bright light in the water. She thought as they swam into the light and out an opening at the top. When they rose out of the water Buffy screamed excitedly and ran over to Tara.
"Tara! You're here!" Buffy said and hugged Tara. "We were so worried! It's good to see you again!"
"Thank you." Tara giggled out and looked over to Xander then Willow and smiled.
"Tara...uh...I...um...want to tell you...uh...something." Willow said nervously and stopped when she saw Glory approaching them. She was carrying the dead body of Ethan and dropped his body to the ground all the while smiling at the group.
"Ethan!" Giles shouted.
Willow stepped in front of Tara and glared at Glory "Why, you!" she said looking from Ethan's body and back to Glory.
"I save him, you see? He was a man who craved power, and great power he had...but he feared losing that power. Trembling at unseen enemies, he spent his days scheming petty schemes. Being chased by his fears, he never knew rest. And now... he has no worries. I have granted him sleep eternal. Death is a sweet slumber; all the pain of life is gently swept away. You see, if all life were to end in Spira, all of the suffering would come to an end. Can't you see? Don't you agree?" Glory said all of this looking at each guardian then turned to Tara. "And that, Tara, is why I need you. Come to me, Lady Tara... Come with me to Zanarkand, the lost city of the dead. With death on our side, we will save Spira, and for this...I will take your strength, Tara, your life, and I will become the next Sin. I will destroy Spira! I will save it!"
"Damn you are freaking nuts!" Willow shouted pulling her sword.
"You will not touch her" Faith shouted and stabbed Glory in her heart with her spear.
Glory looked down at the spearhead that was embedded in her chest with a sneer "That is very unpleasant! Very well, I will give you your death. You seem to want it so." She said and transformed into a light gray demon. Her blond hair was pushed back and up, frozen in place. Ethan’s' body transformed into a black fiend with a scorpion like tail, with spikes sticking out from the body, and two long thin arms shaped almost like knives. He wrapped his tail around Glory’s' neck and settled on her chest.
"Get away from here and protect Tara!" Faith said fighting to hold Glory in her place.
"Let's go!" Giles said
"No! I'm fighting!" Willow said holding her sword up.
Giles pulled out his sword and held it to Willows' neck "I said to go!" he said and shoved Willow forward.
The group ran down the path from the temple room Anya, Xander and Giles were behind Willow and Tara, and almost collided when Tara stopped.
"I'm not leaving Faith behind!" Tara said to Giles
"She is your guardian. And protecting you is everything."
"Giles!"
"That's right, Tara! We're all guardians! And you know what that means? Tara, anywhere you go, I'll follow!" Willow said smiling
"Anywhere I go?"
"Yeah, anywhere!"
"Well, then!" Tara said as she and Willow faced one another "Let's go!" They both shouted and ran back the way they came.
"Hey, Faith! Leave some for us!" The others heard Willow shouting
"Wait up! I'm coming too!" Xander yelled and followed.
"Me, too!" Buffy said and ran after Xander
"You're not leaving me behind!" Anya yells out and runs off.
Giles sighed "Oh, well." he follows.
Willow and Tara burst through the door and took a fighting stance, Faith looked over and shook her head as Xander came running in, with the other three not too far behind.
"Ah, Lady Tara you don't seem pleased to see me." Glory speaks in a demonic voice
"The only time I'll be please is when I send you to the Farplane!"
"Although he was not the man I once knew... Ethan was still my friend, Glory. And you are going to pay for his death." Giles said raising his sword.
Xander threw his ball hitting the fiend Ethan's body; Tara was casting Protect spells on the group and watching for anyone who got wounded. Glory cast multiple fire spells on Xander burning him, and knocking him to the floor. Willow glowed blue and ran at Glory, she hit the fiend and Glory six times before she was hit and sent flying over the group. Ethan cast a Cure spell on Glory healing her, before he cast Dispel on the group dispelling the Protective barriers surrounding them. Buffy had mixed a Soft and a Water Gem creating a Flash Flood over Glory knocking her back five foot. Giles severed Ethan’s' tail and then his head as the fiend fell to the floor; Glory kicked Giles into the far wall behind the group. Blood was running down his face as he stood. Tara had healed Xander, and then Willow, when she saw Giles she cast a healing spell on him. Faith sliced Glory’s' stomach open with her spear and jumped back before getting hit, Anya's eyes turned red and she raised her hands in the air. She cast seven Blizzaga spells one after another effectively sending Glory to her knees. Glory knocked Anya unconscious with a Flare spell, before she disappeared. Tara ran over to Anya and healed her; Xander picked Anya up and looked to where Glory had been.
"She's gone, ya?"
"Let's not stick around and find out!" Buffy said walking toward the door with Faith beside her.
"Buffy is right, let's leave before we are detained again." Giles said and walked out the door.
"Tara? You okay?" Willow asked gently rubbing Tara's shoulders.
"Yes, I'm fine. Let's go." Taking Willow's hand she and Willow walked out the door and caught up with the others, as Xander followed carrying Anya in his arms. Giles led the group into the Macalania Woods and into a small campsite where they hid for the time being.
We escaped with our skins intact, but Tara had lost something. I could already tell… her faith was shaken. Yevon had betrayed her, I felt like I should do or say something-anything... But nothing came. I was just as lost as she was. And then...
Well there's 19 and 20 will be out tomorrow. Hope ya'll enjoyed. If anyone is wondering Macalaina Woods also led into Bevelle, that's where the group would have ended up, if Sin hadn't of dropped everyone off in the desert.
To be forgotten is worse than death.
by amazonaa » Thu Jul 29, 2004 12:52 am 
....that can't be good. She can't die, it's not fair. Willow's gotta say something now about the way she feels, otherwise she might never get the chance. Great update.
Great job. Thou I'm a bit concerned about Tara's future. Willow won't let that something bad happen to her, right? 
BWR
Kisses, groping, shirt switching...My pants dance with glee!!
They're almost there... 
It was full of angst chapter.
The only things I changed were the names and what they are wearing, so everything else is the same. Tell me what you think. 
