Goddesses of Magic by Wolf Nightwind

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: The usual. All Buffy characters belong to those who own them. Blah blah blah. I'm just borrowing them and I promise to return them in fair condition. (Some even better, like being not dead.)
Distribution: The Mystic Muse: http://mysticmuse.net
Feedback: No flames if you can help it.
Spoilers: Post-Chosen.
Author's Note: Oh this is kinda AU. It's the Buffy gang... just branching out into new territory. Kennedy calls Willow a Goddess, now IF Willow altered the destiny of the potentials, then is could have easily altered her OWN destiny and the destiny of her TRUE SOULMATE! Click for additional notes.
Pairing: Willow/Tara

Summary: The Scoobies face a new adventure in another dimension.

~ In an act of light, destiny was changed,
From survival the Goddesses of Magick were made.
The Red alone holds darkness of untold power,
But an act of life gave to the balance of her.
The White's destiny was altered by light,
Reborn anew she was into the night.
Without all she once had, past sins will be forgot,
In a world strange and new, life she'll gain, but power not.
The White is light and within her is forgiveness,
She alone uses love to calm the Red's darkness.
Without the White the Red will be lost,
So the Amazons are called to protect the White at all cost.
Only together can the Goddesses be complete.
So the White is she who all will seek.
For they who control the White will control the Red.
So let it be written, so let it be said.
- The Words of the Seers of the Amazons at the time of the Great Altering ~

The raiding party had been successful. A band of Mu'Hoc'Gi had been slain, the women they had intended to sell in the slave stalls in the Kazumi Market Ring were free. The women, torn from the oppressive homes through out the Huliwa Swamp Region were at a lost of what to do. No one wished to return home to abusive husbands, the hardships of farming peasants, or living as if they were nearly slaves already. Though one or two decided to adventure off on their own, a majority wished to join their saviors, the Amazons of Tikamiko.

The Amazon Nation were warrior women who refused to live as Tikamiko men saw fit. Though many a man lived within their borders, they had pledged themselves to the Amazon ways, a pledge that could only be broken by death. The Amazon Nation Territory was guarded on three sides by miles of swamp that only the Amazons knew how to cross. On the Fourth, the Vok'fa Mountain Ridge rose to a sheer drop down into the Great Ocean. The raiding party had just cleared the last of the swamp and into Amazon Forest grounds. The second of there two suns had passes beyond the horizon two hours ago but they had pushed on for it was unwise to camp in the swamp land, by the time they had passed into the forest they were within an hour of the first of many Amazon villages and so had agreed to push on through the night.

Surina, Head Tracker, was leading the proud warriors and battered women through the dark thick jungle toward their new home when the heavens seemed to split open with thunderous clap. The freed women cried and coward as the raiding party took up a defensive formation around them. The purest of white light any had seen shot down ahead of them just over the rise. Many were forced to look away from the blinding sight.

Moments past, the light faded, and darkness over took them again as nothing in the forest moved. The freed women slowly calmed down till the only sound were a few sniffles. The forest was silent, Surina did not like it when the forest did not talk. She motioned for her Head Scout, Zu. The warrior approached her old friend. Zu's gray hair was held tightly in a braid down her back, catching and glittering in the pale moon light of the pinkish moon in the sky.

"^'Rina, This is not good. It is too early for new worlders to be arriving.^" The scout spoke in Amazonian.

"^I know. We need to check it out, though.^" The tracker searched her friends face, seeing no fear. "^Go. Take Keimi, and return safely sister.^"

The elderly scout nodded and motioned a short young woman to join her, together they crept into the undergrowth to investigate.

The scout and her companion made their way through the forest without a sound. Their dyed buckskin clothing blending in with the foliaged, their faces and skin camouflaged by war paint. Sandaled and bare feet made their way stealthily across the forest floor. The scout held two daggers firmly while the shorter woman carried a weapon looking similar to an ax. Ahead of them the ground was disrupted, leaves strewn and branches broken, leading to bare earth where grass and plants had been burned away, all centering around a 5 foot diameter crater that still smoked around the edges.

The scout scanned with knowing eyes before motioning her companion to guard them as she approached cautiously. The woman's mouth dropped open as she squatted at the crater's edge.

There in the middle, curled into a fetal position, was a young woman. She was nude and quivering, her long brownish blond hiding her face. Her white skin was streaked with dirt and ash, yet despite the heat the elderly scout could spot no burns. Regaining her bearings, she jumped down to help the woman. She bent forward, about to touch a smooth shoulder when she heard the newcomer mumbling.

Though the scout didn't understand the language she knew the word Amazon. She listened until she knew she could repeat the words she didn't know, then she gently nudged the woman. Clear blue eyes slowly opened to peer out from a curtain of blondish brown hair.

"^Easy child, I will not hurt you.^" Zu didn't know if the woman would understand her but hopefully the tone of her voice was soothing enough to get her point across. The young woman slowly, weakly, climbed into a sitting position, attempting to cover herself. The scout quickly removed her cloak and draped it over the newcomer. The young woman looked around in confusion before focusing on the scout.

The scout tilted her head in confusion and shook her head. She gathered the weak woman in her arms before slowly standing. Behind her, the other Amazon looked on in amazement. The newcomer could not support her own weight and relied heavy on the thin scout. Finally her lower lip quivering she spoke again.

"W-who am I?" The woman's bewildered blue eyes search her surrounding once more for answers before rolling into the back of her head as she fainted into Zu's arms.

It was dark. An all encompassing, suppressing, Things-Go-Bump-In-The-Night darkness. The kind of dark that no light could penetrate.

"But Xander step on my foot for like the fifth time!" The annoyed voice turned whiny teen.

The sudden yellowish ball of light left everyone blinking their watering eyes, or in Xander's case, eye.

"There. It won't last long so hurry up." This time Willow did snap. Buffy, Xander, Dawn, Giles, Faith, and Kennedy shifted uneasily at her angered voice.

"Ok Will. Guys let's go." Buffy led the gang farther into the supposedly haunted cave. After the fall of Sunnydale, the new slayers split up, some heading home, others heading out to find other Hellmouths, and other newly empowered slayers. Buffy, Xander, Willow, Kennedy, Dawn, Giles, Faith, and Robin had chosen to make their way to the Cleveland Hellmouth to see what they could do.

Things among the Scooby Gang were not peachy by any means. Buffy, while not shutting herself off to her friends, had pulled in from the world in general. Some of the gang believed it to be the lost of Spike, a few, mainly Dawn and Xander felt that with the threat of the First over that the older slayer was finally dealing with the pain of her friends abandoning her that horrid night. In many ways she was as withdrawn as when she was first brought back from the dead, and yet they knew this pain was far different.

Faith and Robin had a torrent love affair for four months, a record for Faith. However as all good things tend to do, this too came to an end. When it was all over the whole break up was very anti-climatic. Robin, tired of being second best to slaying and bed cure for the HH effect, said he was through, boarded a plane for New York, and was gone. Faith had grown a lot in that time, becoming more honorable and showing emotions, other than anger, beyond her tough girl shell. Even still, the Scooby only saw her shrug her shoulders when he left. They didn't see how she silently cried that night on patrol, slaying vampires as tears made tracks down her face.

Dawn had managed to attend summer classes and so hadn't had to repeat her freshmen year. Now in the fall she would be starting her junior year and had grown into a mature lady for her age, of course that didn't stop the occasionally bouts of childish fun she, Xander, and Faith had.

Xander had became accustom to his disability, which was from a construction accident when people asked. While no longer able to work in construction he had found a steady job working in a hardware store, giving advice, and helping costumers find what they needed. He joked his success was from all the capitalism that Anya had drilled into him.

Giles had found himself at a crossroads. He was no longer needed as a Watcher to Buffy or even Faith yet he couldn't bare to part from the people he looked upon as family. So he found himself coming full circle and working as a librarian at Dawn's high school.

While each of the Scoobies had their own worries and worries for their friends, by far everyone was the most concerned for Willow. The spell she had done, to make potentials into slayers, had changed her. No one knew how, not even Willow herself. The once bubbly and spastic redhead was now withdrawn and angry. She was not the anger of Big Bad Black Willow, truly she would rather die then hurt her friends, but she was noticeably bad tempered and grouchy. She spent more and more time meditating to control both her mood and her powers, which she had whispered to Kennedy one night after love making, had grown even more powerful after the spell. Just how much power she had was completely unknown, and that frightened the red head more then anything.

Kennedy was thriving in her new powers as a slayer. She felt she could take on anything. So she was dually upset when Willow's dreams started. Shortly after the fall of the Hellmouth, Willow began to dream of Tara every night. When she awoke the redhead could never remember the dreams, but Kennedy had angrily pointed out that Willow would be calling out to Tara in them. To Kennedy she felt like Willow was cheating on her, with a dead girl no less. She understood that Willow, and the rest of the gang who had know Tara in life, were upset to had lost the blond witch's grave when Sunnydale clasped, but Kennedy was rubbed raw at the thought of Willow still be so in love with the girl.

"Geeze Kennedy, you cut her off or something." Faith mumbled to the brunette as she passed.

"Guys enough!" Buffy snapped as she adjusted the sword in her hands. The cave they were in was suppose to be haunted. People and animals went in, but never came out. Hikers only seemed to go missing during the same time every year. It was now that time of year so here the gang was, in a pitch-black tunnel because they had forgotten flashlights, not knowing what was ahead. Willow's ball of light was following them down the tunnel, casting deep shadows as they went. Up ahead the rough walls widen and smoothed as a cavern was revealed. In the soft dusty sand Buffy could make out footprints walking into the middle of open space before suddenly vanishing. Hazel eyes narrowed.

"This is it. Keep a close watch for anything odd. Will, do you sense anything fishy?" As a group, they began to walk slowly forward.

Willow closed her eyes in concentration before shrugging in frustration. "Nothing, Sorry."

"That's o...Ahhhh!" Buffy was cut off as the ground beneath their feet seemed to flicker out of existents and they began to fall. Their screams echoed off the cavern walls, even after the ground flickered and solidified, leaving nothing to show the gang's passage except for footprints in the sand.

"Ahhhhhhhh! Ooft! AHHHH!" The gang landed with a thud on a steep hillside and in the tangle of limbs began to tumble down it. During the fall Willow's head connected solidly with a stone, sending her into the land of unconsciousness. After about twenty feet they slowly rolled to a stop. Faith and Kennedy were the first to spring to their feet, followed a half second later by Buffy. Giles slowly rose cradling his right wrist which he was sure was sprained. Dawn suffer a cut on her forehead but other then bruises and scrapes everyone seemed to come out intact except for Willow.

Kennedy was by Willow's side in an heartbeat. "Hey, Willow. Common Babe, Wake up."

Giles kneeled down next to the women examining the nasty gash along Willow's hairline. "We need to stop the bleeding." He stopped when he noticed the bewildered looks Buffy and the rest were giving to their surroundings. He too finally realized the oddity of where they were.

They were no longer in a cave. In fact other then the rocky hill behind them the Scoobies found themselves in a thick jungle. The tall leafy trees and vines blending to make a near impassable wall. The jungle's thick canopy blocked the sunlight trying in vain to filter down giving what laid ahead a foreboding feeling.

Shaking himself from his stupor Giles torn his right sleeve, mindful of his wrist, and wadded it against Willow's wound. "Kennedy please keep pressure on this." He instructed the youngest slayer before standing and making his way to Buffy and Faith.

"Ok, in the words of Will: What in the Frilly Heck just happened???" Xander exclaimed as he helped Dawn up.

Faith rolled her eyes. "No shit Sherlock!" Giles glared at the dark slayer and started opening his mouth to scold her.

"Umm guys." Dawn nearly squeaked looking up at the sky. "I don't think were ON Earth. Look!" She pointed up above the hill they had tumbled down. There suspended in the sky was a large golden sun, a smaller reddish one following in the giant's wake.

"Two suns would indicate that we are not in an altered Sunnydale, possibly a demon dimension than." Giles mumbled more to himself then to the others.

"We need to move." Decided Buffy. "We don't know where we are or where here is. We don't know if what's out there is friendly or not." She looked over at Willow's limp form. "And besides, we should find shelter and help for Willow."

A roar from in the wall of jungle caused everyone to jump. Shifting nervously Buffy squatted next to Willow and Kennedy.

"I got the bleeding to stop, but she won't wake up." Kennedy tenderly stroked the red witch's head opposite the injury.

Buffy nodded and stood up. Another growl, this time closer, made the blond slayer turn to the others. "Ok we really need to move. Faith, Kennedy, and I will take turns carrying Willow. Let's move." As she turned back to Kennedy she came face to face with a horrid sight.

It looked almost like a demon insect. Standing over seven feet tall it's shiny bone white horns seemed to rupture from the middle of it's face. Two protruding along it's eyebrows, two curving up along it's furry forehead and two running like pinchers down it's checks and passed it's mouth. The monster's mouth alone had curved saber tooth like fangs from the it's corners and a small spike on it's chin. It eyes were like a fly's curving between the forehead and check horns. A thick mangy fur covered the rest of the things head and face hanging down like a lion's mane around its neck. It's chest looked like a an exoskeleton, the collar bone and sternum, eerily white, protruding and bumpy with two more horns growing out to curve around it's shoulders. The rest of the chest cavity was a thick black shell. The things arms and legs were massive with sharp blades jutting from the elbows and knees leading to webbed three fingered hands and hoofed feet.

The monster roared, switching it's spiked tail, before letting out a series of throat soaring grunts and growls.

It took a swing at Buffy, expecting to knock the wisp of a girl off her feet. Instead the blond slayer neatly back flipped, landing on her feet she took a running leap at the creature and landed a solid side kick just off to the side of it's sternum bone. She bounced off like she hit a brick wall. The monster let out something sickly similar to a laugh and let a roar off into the air. Faintly a number of answering roars sounded in the distance.

"Ah oh." Buffy mumble as she got to her feet. She was comforted to sense Faith and Kennedy on either side.

"Kennedy wait! Damn it!" Buffy swore before charging herself, Faith right at her side. Kennedy ran up to the creature and attempted to punch it in the stomach. The thing's massive hand closed around the youngest slayer's fist, cause Kennedy to wince in pain. It then picked her off her feet holding her suspended by her crushed fist.

"^Ahh a feisty one. You will get my a pretty price in the stalls.^" It spoke in it's growling voice.

As one Buffy and Faith attacked. The blond slayer going for the soft looking area just below it's chest plate and Faith lashing out with her foot to the side of its knee. The monster swatted Faith away like an annoying bug, before snapping it's spiked tail over its shoulder forcing Buffy to duck and roll.

Kennedy still hanging from her hand tried an old stand by and put all her slayer strength into a front kick to the groin area. This only angered the creature more as it roared and toss Kennedy, causing her to crash into Faith who was just getting to her feet. Both fell to the forest floor.

Giles, Dawn, and Xander had taken up surrounding a still unconscious Willow. Powerless to help they stood and watched the three slayers fighting the monster. Dawn, biting her lower lip in worry scanned around for anything that could be used as a weapon. Sunlight glittering off an object up the hill caught her eye. Taking one last look at the slayers she took off up the hill, headless of Giles’s calls to come back.

Meanwhile Buffy had broken a three-inch thick branch from a tree and was using it like a club to try and hit the monster on the head. However it blocked every attempt. Suddenly Faith was on it's back holding it's curving chest spikes like handle bars. The monster roared enraged, twisting while trying to lose the slayer on it's back. It's tail attempted to spear the dark slayer forcing Faith to let go with one hand to jerk to the side. Buffy smashed her club against its chest plate and watched the wood shatter.

"Oh crap." Buffy backed away. The thing finally got a grip of Faith leather jacket and tossed her over its shoulder. She tumbled and came up on her feet just in front of Buffy.

Dawn scrambled on hands and knees up the hill to discover the sword Buffy had in the cave embedded in the dirt. She tugged it free and turned in time to see Faith shrugged off the creature's back.

"Buffy! Catch!" The younger Summer's girl went to throw the sword but lost her balance on the loose rocks. The throw was off and the sword flew higher then intended.

In an instant Faith and Buffy met eyes and nodded. The dark slayer locked her fingers together and gave Buffy a boost. The older slayer flipped in the air, catching the sword and brought it down into the back of the monster's neck. The blade protruded out the front just under the monster's gaping mouth. It slowly fell to its knees and with one last gurgling growl, clasped face first, dead.

Buffy pulled the sword free as pus colored blood oozed from the wound. "Ok. Like ewww." She then frowned and walked towards the others. Kennedy knelt cradling Willow's head in her lap. Buffy marched right up to her as Dawn and Faith joined them. "Ok Ken, What the hell was THAT!"

Buffy glared back. "Charging off half cocked like that! That thing could have snapped you in two! You saw what happened when I kicked it!" Kennedy opened her mouth to protest when Faith interrupted them.

"Give me one reason just why the hell not?" Buffy turned her glare to the dark slayer.

Faith took a deep breath looking over Buffy's shoulder. "Ah ok, how about twelve of them." She nodded her head.

Buffy turned to at lest a dozen more of the creatures moving to circle them. Buffy pouted. "But I never get to lecture!"

Faith, Buffy and Kennedy formed a loose circle around the other Scoobies, watching wearily as the creatures circled to surrounded them. Unlike their dead companion, these monsters carried various weapons in their webbed hands. Some were recognizable as daggers, swords, and axes while others appeared to carry crystal circles that could hook to their palms. Buffy's spidey senses told her they weren't jewelry.

"Ah this can't be good." said Xander as the creature nearest to him growled. He backed more into the tight circle the slayers had made.

"Fine, take it." Buffy tossed the sword over her shoulder where Kennedy deftly caught it.

Buffy spoke with more confidence then she felt. "We took out an army of uber vamps. What are twelve really big...armored...strong....icky looking...things."

One of the monsters, apparently the leader by the way others ducked around it in submission, stepped forward and looked at the dead carcass laying in a pool of it's own pus-like blood. It looked back to their surrounded victims and let a blood-curdling roar of rage. The others answered the cry as they began to close in on the Scoobies.

Finally the leader raised its clawed fist and swiftly lowered it. The creatures charged from all sides. The slayers and other Scoobies tensed, ready to fight or run if the opening presented itself, when a high-pitched howl priced through the air. The creatures stopped in their tracks, confused. A small ball of fire shot from within the jungle, hitting one of the monsters in the back of its head. The creature fell, dead, with a smoking black hole scorched into its fur.

The monsters drew their circle lasers, some firing bursts of white-hot light into the jungle. Silence fell. The howl echoed again from a different spot, followed by a birdcall sounding similar to a crow's caws. Another fireball and another monster dead left the remaining creatures beginning to panic and scattered.

The leader roared. "^Stand your ground! Cowards!^" It fired into the thick vegetation at where the call had last came from.

Three more fire balls left one more of the creatures dead, one crawling away on it's now lame leg and the other fleeing while holding the remaining scraps that held it's arm together. The leader still stood it's ground, weapon aimed wildly at the forest, while it's four remaining fighters that hadn't ran scared stood circling the Scoobies.

A fireball cut one down five feet away from the Scoobies that had stood stunned through out the attack. Now Buffy sprang into action. The blond slayer kicked the spiked club from one of the approaching creatures, hefting it easily with her slayer strength she smashed it against the chest plate of the monster. It roared in pain but showed no signs of slowing.

Meanwhile Faith jumped over the clumsy swing of a huge broad sword and grabbed at the laser jewel in the creature's opposite hand. Unfortunately she didn't manage to pry it away before she was picked up off the ground and flung ten feet away.

Kennedy ducked under a massive arm that was aimed for her head, and was then forced to roll away from the laser beam of light that burned a path where she had been. She keep rolling and jumping to draw fire away from Willow and the other Scoobies.

The leader roared in fury and began shooting rapidly into the undergrowth. Quicker then the eye, a glint of sunlight off metal was the only indication before a small throwing knife embedded itself in the leaders hand, forcing it to drop the laser gun as it cried out in pain. Another howl sounded from the jungle as a cloaked figure emerged at a dead run towards the leader.

The figure carried something resembling an ax. It curved like an elongated 'S' with metal points on the ends, the top half held a curving ax blade that gleamed in the sunlight. The leader used its good hand to pull a wicked looking blade from its belt as it charged the figure. The cloaked form raised its weapon to clash against the sword and despite the monster's obvious advantage in size it found its blow glancing of the weapon. The figure brought the blade down and swept across the thing's legs slicing in deep. The leader fell to the ground in agony. The cloaked form placed one bared foot against it's plated chest and plunged one of the curving spikes up under the edge of the exoskeleton. The monster shook violently before going limp.

Buffy tugged the spiked club from the creature's chest and ducked under a swing placing her behind the monster. She brought the club down hard, one of the razor sharp spikes piercing the thing's neck. It let out a hit pitched squeal, pulling out of Buffy's grasp and turning to her. It took a quivering step before half falling, half lunging forward at Buffy. They both landed with a thud, the now dead creature pinning the blond slayer to the ground.

Kennedy finally saw an opening when the creature she was fighting turned at the sound of it's fellow dying, she surged forward and plunged the sword up under the things chin and into it's neck. The monster was dead instantly but reflexively fired one last shot. A shot that hit Faith square in the back.

"NO!" Dawn shouted from were she stood over Willow. Taking off at a run Dawn brushed by a shocked Kennedy pulling out the sword on her way and racing for the fallen slayer and the monster towering over her. Xander and Giles were attempting to pull the dead creature off of Buffy who was complaining about it bleeding on her. Buffy saw her sister take off and fought hard to wiggle free.

The cloaked figure looked up from where it stood over the fallen leader. Seeing the creature aiming at Faith, the figure raised it's hand, palm outstretched and a shock of wind knocked the creature off balance. It grappled clumsily for the laser jewel before dropping it. By this time Dawn stood over Faith holding the sword with both hands and a determined look. The creature looked at the girl before it, switched it's gaze to it's fallen leader, then to the cloaked figure, then to Kennedy as she regain her wits and picked up a fallen laser jewel, then to Buffy as Xander and Giles helped her up and finally back Dawn. Then it turned tail and ran as fast as it could the other way.

Dawn let out the breath she was holding, the sword dropping from her grip, before she spun and dropped down next to Faith. "Oh God." She swallowed hard to keep from throwing up. In the middle of Faith's back was a smoking hole.

"Dawn!" Buffy ran to her sister, when she saw the dark slayer she also dropped to her knees and turned Dawn's face away from the sight.

"Does her heart still beat." a female voice spoke in broken English. The cloaked figure dropped down on the other side of Faith setting her weapon aside. She checked the still form for a pulse. Sighing in relief she said. "She still lives. I will heal." the figure removed her hood to reveal a small woman in her early twenties. Her blond bangs were pulled back into a small ponytail leaving the rest to fall just to her shoulders. Small braids, beads as well as a few black feathers decorated her hair and a leather headband held a small clear crystal on the middle of her forehead. Her dark green eyes flickered over the damage done to the dark slayer before sitting cross-legged next to her.

She placed her hands flat on the ground and closed her eyes in concentration. Slowly green tendrils of energy began creeping from the ground in a circle. The circle grew in size until energy was being drawn from trees fifteen feet away. The energy traveled along the ground and onto the woman's hands, some twirling up her arms and neck into the jewel on her forehead, but most gathered around her hands causing them to glow a blinding green.

"Hold her down." She spoke to Buffy and Kennedy, having watched how they, like the one she was healing, had strength no normal human should have.

The woman searched for the right words. "I...can make the body heal fast at once. But...but the body will feel all the pain at once too, understand, yes?"

"Oh God." Buffy's eyes widen. Faith was gonna to feel all the pain of a wound that should have heal over a week , for a slayer at lest, in a matter of seconds. In other words, it was gonna hurt like Hell. "Kennedy, hold her legs." Buffy moved to brace the dark slayer's head and upper shoulders, using her own body to pin Faith face down. Kennedy shook her head and sat on Faith's legs, Xander and Giles moved to each take an arm, and Dawn stood by not knowing what to do before finally turning away and going to Willow.

The cloaked woman lifted her glowing hands and placed them on Faith's back. The glowing spread across her back and brighten until everyone had to shut their eyes. When the light faded only smooth skin shone through the charred hole in Faith's jacket. The others held their breath as silence filled the area for a moment. Then Faith let out a scream as she began to shake and convulsed, sweat pouring off of her. She continued to twist and scream, knocking Giles from his grip on her arm, before finally collapsing into pained sobs.

Buffy looked up at the cloaked woman who nodded. The blond slayer let up and the others followed suit, letting Faith roll onto her back.

"Ah, God, how many did I have last night." Everyone let out a sigh of relief, and even a few chuckles.

"Welc...where did I go?" Faith asked confused. The blond stranger arched an eyebrow and snorted. Faith turned her head to look at her and became even more confused. "Who the hell are you?" The dark slayer rubbed her head as she felt a headache starting.

The figure placed a fist over her heart and ducked her head. "My name is Keimi'kiai Duna'C'u. Welcome to the Planet of Tikamiko."

"Tikamiko, yes. You have came through the...ah...portal?" Keimi hope she had the right word.

Keimi smiled understandingly. "Yes you came from your world to ours. Tikamiko. You our new worlders. New to this world." Keimi looked over to see Willow still laying unconscious and stood. For the first time the Scoobies realized how short their welcoming party was. Keimi stood under 5 ft making her a good few inches shorter than Buffy. The short blond walked and squatted down next to the injured redhead. "What hurt has she?" the blond brushed aside Willow's bangs to examine the gash on her forehead.

"I think her head hit a rock when we fell." Dawn spoke up. "She been unconscious since we got here." Keimi nodded then lightly places her hand on the red witch's forehead. A slightly purple light glowed from her palm.

After a moment Keimi frowned. "Be ready to hold her down." Buffy, Kennedy, and a still groggy Faith held Willow in place. Keimi took a deep breath than sat and repeated the same healing magick she preformed on Faith. When the blond was finished the gash was still there, but had begun to heal. Like the dark slayer, the redhead let out a piercing scream and convulsed in pain, but unlike the dark slayer, Willow remained unconscious when it was over.

Keimi tilted her head as she thought how to answer. "Head injuries are bad, tricky. I have healed what her body could not. Now her body must finish on its own." the small blond placed a comforting hand on the youngest slayer's shoulder. "Worry not. She will awaken when she is ready." She noticed Kennedy's hand. "Let me see?" the slayer nodded her consent and Keimi gently took it within hers. After a moment she let it go again. "I can put a bandage on it, but no more."

The gang looked confused, Buffy put a voice to their question. "Why can you do your magickal healingness on Faith and Willow but not Kennedy?"

Keimi began walking towards the trees and answered over her shoulder. "I can only heal what the body can not on it's own. If I healed all wounds small and big the body would not remember how to heal at all. Her hand will heal fine without my help. As will his wrist." She nodded towards Giles who was cradling his wrist in his arm. The older man nodded back in understanding.

Keimi looked up at the suns and frowned. "We must go. Night will be soon. It will take three days to reach home."

"Amazon? You're an Amazon?? There's Amazons???" Exclaimed Xander. His eye than glazed over thought of a village of women with no man in sight except for him and an over-the-hill Englishmen. Then another thought occurred to him. "Wait a minute what do you do with men? Torture? Execute? Keep for breeding?" Again his eye glazed over.

"Xander cut it out!" Dawn punched him in the arm. He grabbed his arm in mock pain causing Dawn to roll her eyes.

Giles had other concerns "Why is it our home now? Can we not go back through the portal?"

"No. The portal is one way as far as we know. New worlders come this time every year, not always from same place or same planet. None have found a way back, I'm sorry. But we must go." Seeing the gang's looks the small blond pleaded. "Please, danger awaits the night, we must be far from here before more Mu'Hoc'Gi come."

"Mu'Hoc'Gi? You mean those things?" Asked Dawn pointing toward one of the dead monsters.

"Yes. Those that live will bring many more." Keimi stopped at the jungle edge and called out. "Suhi! Kol! Zavi!" A knicker and short bark answered her call. The sounds of creatures moving closer reached the Scoobies as Faith and Buffy shared a concerned look. A sleek canine shape shot from the undergrowth and leaped at Keimi, knocking her to the ground. The slayers started to move forward until the heard giggling and realized the dog was licking Keimi's face, not attacking.

"Kol! Wova! Wova! Gira!" The dog, which looked like a greyhound from Earth, stopped and sat obediently, her long tongue hanging out of the side of it's mouth. The dog all but squirmed with energy. Behind them, entering much more sedately but none the less eye opening was Suhi, Keimi's huge horse. The mare stood 19 hands tall, black, except for the feathering around her hooves and a lighting pattern on her forehead. The mare clumped her way over Keimi who was sitting up and nudged the girl, knocking her over again.

Xander leaned into Buffy and whispered. "Good thing Willow's taking a little nap. That pony would put her into orbit!" despite the seriousness of their situation Buffy had to stifle a giggle. Willow's fear of horses and frogs was legendary among the Scoobies.

Keimi stood, pushing Suhi away and motioned to Buffy. "Bring, Wee-low yes?" the blond repeated the name she had heard attached to the unconscious redhead. Buffy gave her a questioning look before kneeling down and picking up the petite witch in her arms. As she approached, Keimi spoke softly to the huge beast and Suhi first kneeled on her front legs then laid down. Keimi removed bandages from her saddlebag and handed them to Dawn motioning to Kennedy and Giles. After years of fixing up her big sister after patrol, Dawn knew what to do and went about wrapping Kennedy's crushed hand and Giles's wrist.

The short blond climbed into her saddle. "Give Wee-low to me. Suhi will carry us both."

"Ok one it's WIL-low, not WEE-low, and two, Willow on a really, really big birthday pony is a bad idea." Buffy stood holding her best friend in her arms. Keimi let out a frustrated sigh and mumbled something and Buffy suspected she didn't want translated.

The blond rubbed her forehead, a sure sigh of a headache no matter on what world. "Please, we must go. She will sleep for much longer, if not, then she will be not in need of a ride, yes?" Green eyes looked beseechingly into hazel. Buffy sighed and help prop Willow up in the saddle. They ended up having Willow in front, her head laying back on Keimi's shoulder as she held Willow steady with on hand around her waist and the other holding Suhi's reins.

"Suhi Qui." The large horse climbed her way back up to standing. Squeezing her knees she promoted the horse forward. As they pasted Kol, who still sat patiently, the small blond called out. "Kol, Kep!" The dog obediently heeled, walking along side Suhi while remaining far enough away from her massive hooves. Keimi looked to the remaining Scoobies and spoke. "We go now." Buffy glanced at her sister, then at Giles before shrugging and following in the horse's wake.

They soon learned a day on Tikamiko lasted about the same as on Earth and that they had arrived not long after sunrise. Over the course of the day the smaller red sun and surpassed it's larger fellow and now lead the great giant below the horizon. Keimi had stopped them at a well-used clearing. A circle of stones and old ash gave testament to fires past. The short blond quickly unsaddled Suhi, brushed her down, and left her to graze at will in the surrounding forest. Kennedy plopped herself down, Willow's head in her lap, and refused to move. She was extremely worried at the redhead's prolong bout of unconsciousness, despite the Tikamiko native's assurances.

In short order the blond had a fire going and pulled togethered ingredients for a vegetable stew that now simmered in a small cast iron pot above the fire. Finally as the second sun slipped beneath the horizon, the small Amazon removed a wooden flute from her packs and facing the direction the suns had gone began to play a slow, mournful tune. This carried on for a minute or two before she spoke a few soft words and returned the flute to her bag.

"What was that?" Asked Dawn when Keimi sat next to her. Dawn had discovered Keimi was the closest to her age, the blond not celebrating her twenty first birthday until 'next quarter' as the young Amazon had said. The two girls had chatted the day away, and while Keimi's English was at times choppy, they understood each other very well. Dawn was fascinated by the idea of Amazon women and asked Keimi many questions about her home and ways.

"It was the song of Amazon travels. We sing it as the second sun sets when we are not in the nation. We sing to ask for our way home. At the capitol where the Nation's Army stays and trains the priestesses and family of us echo the song to guide us home. It is more ceremony than anything else. But, it has been done for many generations and I believe will be done for many more."

Keimi smiled and ducked her head, blushing faintly. "Yes, but I do not sing well. For us who don't we learn the song on the, ah, flute, yes?" She looked to Dawn who nodded, saying she had the right word.

"Another new worlder, from your world, came nearly a year ago. The language is not new but very very old. Only the Seers speak it. Many were, umm, shocked when Keisu began talking to the Seers in the Old Tongue." Keimi smiled at a memory only she had.

"Hmm that is true. Keisu came to this world with no memory of where she came from, very odd. The Seers spoke to her and gave her the name Kei'suwa Daina'C'u. It means roughly 'Blond Goddess of the Moon'. Many thought the name odd for Tikamiko has three moons." Keimi shrugged. "I taught Keisu Amazonian, and Keisu taught me English. That is how I know you are from the same world, you speak English."

The gang sat quietly absorbing this information before Buffy frowned. "But the portal has been taking people for apparently years. If they're not here, where are they?"

Keimi answered immediately. "Another world. Until Keisu, we had never a new worlder who spoke the Old Tongue, but many from other planets, speaking in other tongues. I believe it is these planets they would have gone, until now." Silence fell again.

Keimi laughed and replied. "'Small Blond Friend of the Wolves' It is a mouth full yes?" She asked, stroking Kol's head as she stretched out by Keimi's feet.

"Yeah, I think I'll stick with Kiwi thank you." Buffy spoke cheerfully. Keimi playfully growled at her, causing most of the gang to laugh.

Unknown to everyone, Willow, while still being too far into the realm of unconsciousness to wake up, was not too far gone to dream. And so Willow Rosenberg dreamed, of Tara.

~ It was always the same dream, she knew it was and yet when she would awaken she knew she would forget it again: She had fallen asleep researching for a paper due in a month. The one thing about no one being able to talk was it left for peace and quiet for studying. The redhead jerked awake at the sound of frantic pounding. Someone wanted in, but were they friend or foe? Indecision plagued Willow's mind. It could be a trap, the gentlemen trying to trick someone to let them in. Or some could be in serious trouble, someone who would end up dead if not helped. Choice made Willow opened the door and stepped into the hall scanning to her right. She never saw the fleeing blond until she was on the ground grabbing her foot she twisted in the fall.

Willow looked up and saw the gentlemen for the first time, they were even more grotesque than Giles's drawings. She was brought back to reality with the jingling of chains and the henchmen moving forward in their crazy gait, as they chased down the blond beside her. A moment of satisfaction flashed through the redhead's mind for being right about the someone needing help. The moment was short lived as the two girl began racing down the stairs. Not about to put much weight on her ankle she clung to the taller girl, who seemed to understand as she tightened her grip around Willow's waist.

The redhead knew they couldn't outrun them so her mind raced for a place to make a stand. A door on her right caught her attention. The Landry room! Willow nearly slammed the door on the poor girl beside her as they slipped through. The blond caught on and locked the door but Willow was already looking for something to barricade it, she had learned over the years on the Hellmouth the a simply lock NEVER worked. Spying the soda pop machine she hopped to it, again the other girl followed her lead and they pushed with all their might, it barely moved. Panic began to set in and Willow hobbled to the ground, holding her ankle. She began to call up the power within herself, survival magick can be very, very powerful, the adrenalin amplifying the body's natural power. She stared hard at the infuriating machine, it shook but did not move. Her fear filled mind couldn't stay grounded, she needed a focus. An electrifying touch made her look down as fingers interlocked with her own. She followed the fingers to a hand, up an arm to the face of the girl. Surprise filled Willow as she recognized the girl from the Wicca group, the quiet girl who had begun to speak up, only to shy away from being the center of attention. For the first time Willow met the blonde’s eyes and instantly was lost in an ocean of blue.

Suddenly it was like she was watching flashes of her life in fast forward. The rose spell with, Tara, yes Tara was the shy girl's name. Hiding from Faith in Tara's room, the Nether Realm spell, Oz returning, crying on her shoulder feeling confused, that extra flamey night when they first made love, Tara's family visiting, dancing at her birthday party. Faster now, Tara comforting her after Joyce died, their first fight, Tara being attacked by Glory, returning the favor to Glory, Tara when the spell worked and she had herself back, bringing Buffy back. Images started coming too fast to really register. The mind spell, Tara leaving, the car crash, Tara coming back, making love all night and most of the following two days. Tara in front of the window, glass breaking, blood, death, pain, blackness, Kennedy's kiss, Amy's curse, the scythe, the spell, light, power, blinding power, destiny changed forever. Time froze.

"Your shirt." Willow looked to see the red stain spreading across her chest, and then she was falling, the world slipping away, growing dark, until nothing remained except for a name on her lips.

"TARA!" Willow went from laying prone to standing before her mind could catch up to her body. She stood, shaking, thirteen wide eyes greeting her as she tried to wrap her mind around what just happened. Finally her usually warp speed mind ground to a halt as a headache pulsed red behind her eyes. Groaning, she crumpled into Kennedy's waiting arms.

"Willow!" Buffy and Dawn called simultaneously and raced to the redhead's side. She curled up in Kennedy's lap holding her head. Keimi pushed her way through the Summer sisters to examine Willow.

Keimi placed a gentle hand on Willow's forehand, frowning a moment later at the conflicting signals she was receiving. "You are having a reaction to the Magick."

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Did you use Black Magick? Please say you didn't use Black Magick!" Dawn squealed.

"No. I used Elemental Magick, it is Grey, neutral. it cannot be colored by the person's intentions. It always remains Grey. Why? What of Black Magick?" Keimi turned to look at the sisters.

Willow was beginning to shake from pain, at temping to block out all noise and find her center, but every time she tried red-hot pain flashed behind her eyelids, causing her to loose focus.

"Ummm." Buffy and Dawn exchanged looks before Buffy finally answered. "Willow got addicted, ummm attached to Black Magick, like a drug. She sometimes reacts badly after using magick because of it."

Keimi nodded in understanding but still frowned. "She would not react to Grey Magick this way though." A thought occurred to the Amazon, "Unless...." Keimi concentrated and slowly what looked like purple smoke, tinged with black drifted from Willow to disappear into the air. Keimi sat back in awe. Willow quit shaking and laid in Kennedy's lap gulping down cool night air, trying to calm her nerves.

Buffy and Dawn ping ponged their eyes between the blond and redhead before Dawn spoke. "Um, ok, what just happened?"

Keimi shook herself back to the present and turned to the sisters, noticing Xander's, Giles's, and Faith's anxious looks over the girls' shoulders. "Your friend, she is no mere witch, she is a Dark Magi." Silence greeted her words.

Everyone was asleep, or at lest they were suppose to be. Buffy, so use to being up at night had found if she had more than three days in a row of eight or more hours of sleep, that insomnia would hit her smack in the face. A trait that apparently hadn't carried on to Faith or Kennedy, who were both sound asleep. Faith was, sprawled, was the word that came to mind, out. She had her arms ninety degrees to her body and her legs open in basically a spread eagle position. Buffy had to arch an eyebrow at that because for some reason it didn't surprise the blond slayer in the lest. Using one of Faith arms as a pillow, Dawn laid curled up. Buffy had noticed the two dark haired girls had rekindled their strong friendship at last.

True that friendship had never really happened, was merely memories created by the monks, but to Buffy and especially to Faith and Dawn, that friendship had been real. In the beginning Dawn had stared at Faith and her wild stories in a state of hero worship. The blond slayer though her little sister was just another thing Faith was stealing from her. But for a while, Faith learned what it was like to have someone look up to her. They had gone to action movies together, pigging out on pizza afterwards. Buffy even suspected Faith had snuck Dawn out patrolling a few times, but always the older girl made sure 'little D' returned home safe and sound and with a pulse. That's why the dark slayer's betrayal hit the youngest Summers' girl the most. Dawn had sat in her room and cried for three days. However, later, after the fall of Sunnydale, Faith had confessed that betraying Dawn had hurt at the time, and continued to shame the dark slayer the most now. Buffy smiled sadly. She was happy both were healing, she still at times found herself suspicious of Faith, but those times were getting fewer and fewer.

Across the fire Willow and Kennedy laid snuggled. Buffy's smile turned to a frown. Something just never sat right with Kennedy being with Willow, perhaps it was, Buffy muse, that she was use to seeing Willow with Tara, that like Willow she had thought the two witches would be forever. She would never dare tell Willow, but for Buffy, she had always counted on them being together, to be the one stable relationship in the Scoobies. But, trying to make up for ignoring her friend's addiction, Buffy was major supporto gal when the new relationship bloom between the then potential and witch. Buffy knew they were having troubles though, had heard Kennedy complaining about Willow's dreams, and now had witnessed one of those dreams herself. Plus Willow's moods were getting more and more darker, Keimi had contributed this to her being a Dark Magi, no longer just a witch.

After she had recovered Willow looked up at Keimi. " That's impossible." she croaked.

Keimi shook her head. "A Dark Magi can not be infused with any magick not dark. Only a magi or higher would react the way you did.

Willow stood angrily. "No! The Coven tested after... after what I d..No! Your wrong." her eye flashed, literally, but unlike the black eyed look of Dark Magick, her pupils were still visible, it was the white of her eyes that flashed, and they flashed red.

"Ok that's new." Faith spoke as Buffy, Dawn, and Keimi stepped back. Beside Faith, Giles gasped. That was not a reaction a witch would have.

Kennedy also stood, but being behind Willow, missed the light show. She placed a hand on Willow's shoulder and turned on the charm full force. "Hey baby, come on, lets calm down."

Willow shrugged off the hand and glared at the slayer. "Don't touch me!" She turned back to Keimi. "Your wrong!" Than stormed off into the jungle.

"Why? You just want her going off and getting lost!" Kennedy turned angrily to the Amazon, but Keimi was already calling Kol to her. The short blond crouched down and whispered into the dog's ear before running a hand over the canine's eyes. As soon as she removed her hand Kol took off following the trail after Willow.

"She will be safe. Kol shall lead her back when she is ready to return. Now though we have must to talk. Why is it you did not know she was a magi?"

They had talked and finally decided that Earth had what they had come to call a dampening field when it came to magick. Keimi believed that was why Earth was littered with Hellmouths. The magicks were dampened and suppressed, shoved together, so they formed hot spots. Keimi informed the group and nearly 3/4th of the people on Tikamiko had some level of magickal ability, even if no more than seeing auras. Those who could tap into magick of any kind on Earth would probably find themselves nearly threefold stronger here. Buffy had to agree, she felt faster and stronger since arriving, and already Kennedy's hand was well on it's way healing.

After discussing it, Giles and Keimi had agreed that Willow had be approaching her activation before, but arriving on Tikamiko must have been enough to push Willow into Magihood. She would now draw magick from herself, not any other source such as herbs and crystals. Giles had confirmed that the transition was often rocky and an emotional rollercoaster for the new magi.

About the time they were settling down to sleep, Kol led a sheepish and sorry filled Willow back into camp. She apologized to everyone for storming off and than joined Kennedy to slumber for the night.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Buffy was broken from her daze and looked up to see Keimi settle beside her. "It is a saying Keisu says a lot, though I am still not sure what 'pennies' are." The blond shrugged. Buffy felt a sad smile tug at her lips. Tara had used that as a opening when she sensed someone needed to talk. She always played the listener, often sitting without a sound as one member of the Scoobies or the other vented whatever was on their mind. Afterwards she never really needed to say anything, people just felt better from telling their problems to her. The blond slayer could distinctly remember crying on the shy witches lap, begging to not be forgiven as gentle fingers ran through her hair. Buffy hadn't realized how important Tara's kind words and gentle natural was crucial to the gang until the shy blond was gone. Buffy was again broken from past memories by a hand waving in her face.

She turned sheepishly to Keimi. "Sorry, kinda zoned out there." the Amazon's eyebrows furrowed at the words 'zone out' but she caught the meaning nonetheless. "So how much longer do we need to go?" Buffy still wasn't too happy to not be looking for a way home, but Giles had said it would be best to gather supplies if nothing else.

"In the morning we shall cross the Huliwa Swamp that protects the Nation. If we do not stop for many breaks we shall reach the Nation by first sun setting. The closest village is an , er, hour after that. Keisu is waiting at the Bucrima Tavern. It will be one more day after that to reach the capital." the shorter girl managed all five sentences in one breath.

"You and Keisu are pretty close. What with you ALWAYS talking about her." Buffy wiggled her eyebrows. She had noticed Keimi didn't even blink an eye at Willow and Kennedy's relationship so she figured either Tikamiko was more open, or some of the Amazon stereotypes from Earth were true.

Keimi snorted. "You have what Keisu calls a 'gutter-mind' yes?" Keimi turned serious. "Keisu can not remember her life on Earth, she remembers Earth, just not herself or her family. I have no memory of my family before the Amazons so we have became each other's kin. She is like an older sister."

"Hmmm. Yeah, the big sister gig is pretty great." Buffy replied looking kindly at Dawn.

Keimi caught the look. "What do you mean big sister, Dawn is after all taller than you."

"Ah! I knew letting you two talk all day would be a bad thing!" Buffy gave the quietly giggling girl a shove, sending her off the rock they were sitting on and setting off another set of giggles. "Grr, little sisters united, I soo need to meet this Keisu!" The blond slayer mumbled. "Than you just watch it Missy!" Keimi only grinned in return.

The orange giant of a sun was again in the lead as it peeked over the horizon. The air was cool, but moist, promising for another humid day. Keimi packed up camp and saddled Suhi quietly, giving the new worlders extra time to sleep, however slayer hearing helped awaken three members and soon everyone was sitting up bl early eyed.

"I have these for morning meal. Um, the skin is safe to eat, fuzz and all." Said Keimi as she passed out fruit from a sack, before moving to finish packing up Suhi. The strange fruit was about the size and shape of a pear, yet it was a deep purple with tiny orangish red dots that were spouting fuzz like a peach. Xander was the bravest one who finally took a bite.

"Hmmm more like roast beef." Xander teased back before admitting, "Actually it tastes like grape and cherry Kool-Aid mixed together." The other finally began taking tentative bites and finding it to their liking. Keimi had raided a near by grove and had enough for breakfast and lunch for everyone.

The gang moved off in different directions to take care of a few more personal cares before returning, ready to get their journey underway. It was here that the first problem of the day arose.

"No way, uh uh! Not happening!" Willow crossed her arms defiantly. Keimi sighed in frustration before looking at the others for help.

"Uh, Will, not to, ya know, gang up, but you are still getting over major clunk on the head. It might be a good thing to, ya know, stay off your feet?" Buffy tried for the logical approach.

"Off my feet sure. But on THAT THING! No way in Hell! It's probably planning a whole bunch of evil things to do to me, like, like running into low branches, and , ah, and arm biting, lets not get into arm biting! Why just look at how evil and shifty eyed it is!" Willow pointed an accusing finger at the calmly standing draft horse, who actually managed to look offended.

"Come on Will! You rode her all yesterday, and hey look! All arms intact and in working order!" As soon as the words were out of Xander's mouth he realized his mistake.

"Umm, I'll just be over here." Xander ran to relative safety behind Dawn, peeking out from around her shoulder.

"Red, you cracked your head open like an egg, you weren't just gonna get up and jog." Faith said in an annoyed voice. Willow shot Faith a nasty look and the dark slayer raised her hands in surrender.

"Willow honey calm down, it's just a dumb horse." Kennedy tried her direct approach, if rude.

"Suhi is not 'a dumb horse'!" Keimi put her hands on her hips angrily. They were wasting time they could not afford, it was dangerous to cross the swamp without sunlight.

Keimi pointed an angry finger at Kennedy. "I do not know what a 'shrimp' is but you are NOT helping. We do not have time for this." The small Amazon marched up to Willow and grabbed her arm. Willow's reaction was instant. Her eyes did their eerie red flashing again and Keimi was flung away by a pulse of energy. Faith and Buffy quickly began to move forward but stop as Keimi waved them off. She pointed to Willow's arm, there was a small dart sticking from it.

After her burst, Willow's eyes filled with regret and fear that she hurt someone. "Oh Goddess! are you alright? Oh god, oh god, oh god, I didn't mean, I mean I didn't think... I dunno what..." The redhead noticed the dart and pulled it out as her vision began to sway. "Hey, what did you d..." She fell forward into Kennedy's arms.

"Bitch! What did you do to her!" The youngest slayer glared at the small Amazon picking herself up off the ground.

"I calmed her down. The dart will not last long. You will ride with her, when she awakens you can help calm her."

"I don't take orders from some pint sized Blondie!" Kennedy stood and began walking towards Keimi.

"Oh your gonna take orders from her or THIS pint sized Blondie is gonna kick your ass." Buffy stepped in front of Kennedy, halting her movements.

Faith stepped up on her other side. "Cool it Ken! What the hell is gonna on here. First Willow's all Queen PMS Bitch, and now you two! " The dark slayer's interruption seemed to dispel the tension in the air.

"Willow's happening." spoke Giles. "I've never met a Dark Magi before, but I've read when a Dark Magi is first activated the magick can influence their moods for a time. They would either learn to control it, or go mad."

Giles looked to see Keimi nodding. The blond picked up the thought. "When a Dark Magi first comes to being, before they learn to control the emotions that come with the power, they will affect the people around them. Those who know evil and darkness, become more calm, more focused. Innocents or those that have had little to do with darkness will be overwhelmed by the emotions coming off the new magi. It does not always happen, but in this case it would explain a lot."

"Yes." Giles pondered for a moment. "Willow was having trouble with her moods before we came, could it be she was nearing activation on Earth?"

"Tis possible. If so she has much power, and being here would only make it bigger."

"So your saying she'll turn the good guys bad and the bad guys good?" Xander asked.

"Not quit the way you worded it, but I suppose essentially, yes." Giles removed his glasses to clean them, only to find his rag muddy, sighing he replaced the glasses on his head.

"Yes, until she has fully regain control, only those who have been touched by darkness should stay near. The farther away people are the less influence the magi will have." Keimi said decisively.

"Uh yes, I believe Faith and I shall have the best luck dealing directly with Willow for now."

"Whoa, why you two, Hello, died and brought back by Black Magick!" Buffy huffed.

"Yes, well, you were affected just now, not as much as Kennedy perhaps, but affected none the less. Xander and Dawn were far enough away to not be affected at all, and well, Faith and I have had the most experience with the dark side of life I would say." Giles smiled sadly at Faith, an unlikely bond, but a bond just the same was formed with the understanding look the two shared. "Now," continued Giles. "What was the command you used to make Suhi kneel?"

The red sun was well on its journey by the time they finally made it to the small ridge leading down into the swamp. Keimi had informed them that the swamp was created from the rivers flowing from the mountain range becoming trapped in a low flat area that hit up against smaller ridges, essentially creating a rough half circle of low flooded land know as the Huliwa Swamp.

Before them the trees stopped as the land dropped away. The fog rose up, awaiting to swallow them, and the cooler air hit them in waves. Keimi removed her cloak and a rope from one of Suhi's saddlebags and led the gang towards a stone pillar perched in the hillside, Faith following close behind. Giles carefully kneed Suhi forward keeping a gentle but firm grip on Willow in front of him, the redhead was beginning move slightly as the sedative began to wear off. Behind them Buffy and Xander walked with Kennedy and Dawn behind them.

The pillar was roughly an upright rectangle. A blue gem encased near the top faced front and back Below the gem various carved symbols were in two columns of nine with a larger symbol between the columns. Keimi studied the large symbol for a moment before gently pushing on a number of the smaller ones, finally touching the large one last. After a moment pause the gem began to glow bright and a steady stream of light shot into the fog. The Amazon nodded to herself, than looped the rope through a ring on Suhi's saddle, than told everyone to keep a hold of it. Keimi finally took the horse's reins from Giles, Faith taking up position on Suhi's other side. Keimi called Kol to walk closely at her side, and led the gang into the fog.

"Follow the light beam. Do not stray from the rope. The path is fairly wide but to either side it is like quick sand." They were forced to walk in ankle deep mud, earning complaint form both Buffy and Dawn bout their shoe's being ruined. The thick fog made visibility only a few feet on either side so Keimi was about to encourage talking to help keep track of everyone when Willow finally woke up.

"Wha-what? Owwie, head all hurty now." Willow rubbed her head for a moment before becoming aware of the steady rocky motion of Suhi. "Oh, oh, OH! No! Horsey bad!" the redhead began to struggle.

Giles tighten his grip. "Willow, please calm down, you need to remain calm, it is most imperative, especially now."

Faith answered. "Apparently you get all worked up you go all Supreme Bitch and make everyone itch for a fight. Good ol' Rupert here and me don't get to play along though."

Willow's brows pucker in confusion. The redhead was about to ask another question when Keimi called for a stop. In front of them the blue light ended on the gem of another pillar, only this time there were pillars in the four-quarter directions, North, East, South, and West. The pillar they were approaching was the one facing west. Keimi touched the large symbol on the blue pillar, killing the light before moving to a pillar to their left. Here she touch another series of symbols and another light, this time greenish shot out to pierce the fog. With a nod of satisfaction she gave the reins a tug and the gang set off again.

That was the way the day went. They would follow the light beam to a junction, Keimi would activate the next pillar and they would travel in a different direction. After a long, long time, the ground began to slightly angle up, not long after they were walking on solid ground again. Finally the disabling fog began to disperse and lift as Keimi lead them to the last pillar, the green stone going dark with a finial touch. Putting away the rope Keimi observed the suns before removing her flute. She repeated the Amazon Song of Travel before returning the wooden instrument to it's home.

"We have a hour of travel than we all can have a warm bath and warmer meal." Her comment was met with groans of relief. Looking up at the two riders she finally gave in. "Alright Willow, you can walk the rest of the way if you wish."

"Oh I wish, I wish!" Willow glance at the ground before asking Giles. "Um, How do we get down?"

"Like this. Suhi, Kaihotu!" Keimi smirked. Willow let out a screech as the huge horse first kneeled than laid down.

Giles and Keimi helped Willow to untangle herself from the saddle as she stood on wobbly legs. "Ohhhh, owwie!" The redhead moans as she walked funny trying to loosen up her inner thighs. Suhi looked highly offended and snorted at the redhead, startling her. "Um, I'll just be over there, ya know, away from here and all and going now." Willow waddled towards Xander and Kennedy.

Giles removed himself from the saddle but wasn't fairing much better. "Hmm, it's been too long since I've ridden last." The Englishmen wish he could sit in a tub full of ice.

Keimi merely chuckled and commanded Suhi to stand. "Come the quicker we go the sooner we shall be there."

The travel weary group reached the out skirts of the village of Ap'etchamal. The trees gave way to fields and small wood and sod houses. The scattered farms grew into more sturdy buildings resembling something straight out of the old west. Keimi picked up her pace as they neared the Bucrima Tavern. Hurriedly hitching Suhi to the post outside, the small Amazon hopped on the wooden walk way and pushed through the swinging doors. The Scoobies followed close behind.

Inside the room was lit by candles on tables and walls giving dim light but enough to illuminate the interior. The tavern was well kept and clean, having a cozy feel in the homemade tables and stools. Upon Keimi's entrance the patrons turned, a majority being women but, much to Xander's disappointment, a number of men were in the room as well. All wore varying outfits of leather cloaks and jackets, laced shirts and bras, loincloths, skirts, and britches, boots, sandals, or bare feet. However all wore headbands matching Keimi's.

An older woman at the bar turned and grinned widely, speaking in rapid Amazonian. "^ Keimi! You found them! You did it! ^" The crowd gave a light cheer for the young Amazon.

"^ Thank you Zu'I'rai.^" Keimi started but was interrupted when the woman waved her off.

"^Please, Keimi, call me Zu. So did you run into trouble? What world are they from? Are you all fine?^"

"^Yes they landed right on top of a pack of Mu'Hoc'Gi. I killed five, hurt two, and I believe three got away. The new worlders killed three on their own!^" Keimi explained excitedly. Zu gave the gang a glance filled with admiration.

"^They are from Earth, the same as Keisu. They speak the old tongue!^" Keimi carried on before remembering her manners.

"Oh! Everyone this is Zu'I'rai Dogoyi'ai." the small blond introduced, then named off everyone in turn to Zu.

"^I'm here Keimi, though I believe I could have heard you in the capital as loud as you are.^" A voice admonished behind Zu. Keimi smiled sheepishly before leaping at the hooded woman for a bear hug.

Near the doorway Willow felt her heart stop, she knew that voice, she hadn't heard it in over two years but she could never forget it. She had heard it stutter, speak Latin, cry out in passion, and whisper words of love softly in her ear. Even speaking a language she didn't know, Willow would recognize that voice anywhere's. It was the voice that haunted her nights. Willow mouth went dry as she forced the name past her lips.

The hooded woman looked up in confusion before disengaging herself from Keimi's death grip. She gentle removed her hood, flipping her braided blondish brown hair over her shoulder and studied the suddenly pale group before her with clear blue eyes. Buffy, Dawn, Xander, and Giles all gasped. Faith cocked her head in dim recognition, Kennedy continued to look on confused and Willow saw her world begin dim, for a moment she feared she was going to pass out yet again as she struggled not to give into it. Before them, as alive as can be, stood Tara Maclay.

Finally Keisu frowned in confusion. "I'm sorry, but who is Tara?" Her only answer was the thud as Willow finally lost her battle and fell unconscious to the floor.

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Goddesses of Magic

by Wolf Nightwind

Copyright © 2004

wolf_nightwind@yahoo.com