FF: Triad 3

["Sam" <shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxx>]

Triad

By

Sam


Title: Triad chpt 3 
Email: shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxx 
Rating: R 
Disclaimer: BtVS belongs to Joss, Dungeon Keeper 2 belongs to 
bullfrog, I'm just borrowing the two ideas in the name of fun.
Spoilers: Alternate Reality, so there are not really any but you 
never know. 
Archive: The usual suspects, all others just ask me, I'll say yes, 
really I will.
Pairing: Willow/Tara for now
Thanks: To Coy for doing a most excellent job beta'ing this twisted 
tale off mine and for putting up with my insanity.
Notes: The time has come for revelation as the Keeper draws closer 
to reacing the surface. Feedback, jungle Juice both are gladly 
welcomed.
Concept: Kinda a BtVS/Dungeon Keeper II crossover, yeah I know I'm 
weird

Sunnydale:

Giles sipped at his first cup of tea of the day, pondering over the 
dream that Willow and Tara had just told him about. You say that the 
two of you believe this mysterious woman in your dreams is Buffy?"

"Yes'" Willow replied.

"I see, and what makes you so sure it was her," Questioned Giles.

"S-she was blonde," Tara nervously answered.

"You do realize that there are lots of blonde women it could have 
been anyone."

"No, it was Buffy, I'm sure of it," forcefully stated Willow.

"You are, Why?"

"It's hard to say, I'm really not sure how I know it was Buffy, I 
just do."

"It's true, I have the same feeling, there is no expiation for it but 
it was?Buffy in our dream," Tara added.

Giles leaned back in his chair and took another sip of tea, "I need 
you two to write down everything about this dream so I can study it, 
and for now do not tell Buffy about this. I want to try and figure 
out what is happening first."

Giles then leaned forward and placed his cup on the table, he rubbed 
his forehead and tried to decipher what was happening, first Buffy 
faints outside and can't remember why she was their and now this, 
<What's happening here>. 

Later that evening..

On the other side of town Riley Finn held Buffy in his arms 
contentedly smiling as she told him how much she loved him. The 
spell of the Dark Wizard had worked even better than he though, Buffy 
was now more devoted to him than ever. The Triad would not be 
completed, his keeper would come, and he would present to him as a 
gift the slayer.

Riley softly kissed Buffy on the cheeks and pulled her close to him, 
<enjoy the illusion why you can for soon you die>.

The dream world

Willow and Tara stood in the large open field trying to figure out 
was happening. For the past several nights their shared dream had 
brought them into a darkened triangle but now the triangle was gone 
and all their was is the empty field they stood in.

Willow turned to her girlfriend, "What's happening?"

"I don't know, but someone is coming," Tara replied.

The two Wicca watched the approaching figures coming from the east.  
There was a male wearing body armor and a female dressed in blue 
robes.

"There not human," stated Tara.

"I can see that, but what are they."

"I'm not sure, but I think t-they might be e-elves."

"And you would be correct in that assumption young Wicca," replied 
Vallen as he and Kari came within earshot of the young humans.

Willow and Tara grabbed each other's hands. Who are you," Willow 
nervously inquired.

"I am Vallen, commander of the armies of the great forest."

And I am Kari apprentice mage of the elder Talmir." 

Confusion filled Willow and Tara, looked at one another then back to 
the two elves, but said nothing.

"Be not afraid for we have come to help you," Vallen replied in a 
soothing voice.

Willow held tightly to Tara's hand as she took a few steps closer to 
the elves, "Help us? How? Why?"

Kari step forward closing the gap between them and the Wicca even 
future, "Have you not been haunted in your dreams my a mysterious 
form that eludes you, Does not now her image haunt you even during 
you waking hours?"

"W-ho is s-she," Tara barely managed to ask.

"Together you are strong, but nit complete. For you to reach your 
highest potential and know true love the triad must be complete. The 
one who haunts your dreams is your beloved."

"But I love Willow," Tara exclaimed.

"And she loves you as it should be."

Willow wrapped her arms around Tara and pulled her close, "I don't 
understand what you are saying. If we are suppose to be together how 
can this other be Tara's beloved."

"She is more than that, for she is your beloved too," Kari paused for 
a moment and stepped even closer to the two Wicca, "Your magic grows 
stronger does it not?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with all of this," inquired a 
rather confused Willow.

Vallen walked over and placed his hand on the young mages shoulder 
Kari looked over at the older elf and nodded before taking a few 
steps back. "You Will have to my traveling companion, sometimes she 
forgets that this world does not have the same knowledge as the great 
forest."

Vallen looked at the two young humans and motioned for them to join 
him over by a nearby tree. The four of them walked over to the tree 
and sat on the dew covered ground.

When he was confidant that the Wicca where ready for the truth he 
continued, "the Triad is the tome of power, it is the blessed union 
of three souls. Two of magic and one of war, when they are united 
the forces of darkness tremble, so it is written in the text of my 
ancestors who once inhabited this world.. You see young Wicca the 
two of you each hold a part of the Triad within you. Now that you 
are together your powers are growing but they can not reach the their 
full potential until the Two of you find the missing part and bring 
your beloved into the fold. Only then will the Triad be complete, 
only then will you understand fully off what I speak of, and only 
then will you be ready to face our advisory."

The four of them sat in silence for the longest time, Vallen and Kari 
patently watched as the two young women absorbed all the information 
that they had been given. The young mage leaned over to the older 
elf, "Do you think the understand what we have revealed?"

Vallen replied softly so as to conceal his voice from the Wicca, "I 
can only pray to the Gods of the forest that they have heard are 
words."

"What do we do know?"

"We wait for them to speak."

The forgotten Domain:

Keeper Zaven's armies marched through the vast outskirts of the realm 
crushing what little opposition remained as they searched for the 
good knight who eluded them and the last gateway stone. It had been 
over a day since Lionheart's fortress fell, but there was no sign 
whatsoever of the good lord.

"Search high and low, leave no stone unturned! Our foe can not hide 
from us forever, We will find him! We will bring the final stone to 
our Keeper," the senior Black Knight screamed.

Back at the dungeon heart Zaven turned from his crystal ball and 
stared at one of his Dark Wizards, "Have the final preparations been 
made?"

"Yes my Keeper."

"Good, all is going according to my plan, soon the surface will be 
mine," hissed Zaven, as his sinister laughter echoed through the 
bowels of the dungeon.

The dream world

What seemed like an eternity to the elves passed before Willow 
spoke, "The dreams we have been having, it was you trying to tell us 
of the Triad?"

"Yes, it was the only way we could help you at the time," replied 
Kari.

"And the mysterious woman at the other end of the triangle?"

"Is your beloved."

Willow looked at Tara and saw tears beginning to stream down the 
blonde Wicca's face, she tried to fight back her own tears and 
continued to speak, "Our beloved, is it Buffy?"

"Kari looked at Vallen for the words to say, the older elf seeing the 
young mages dilemma came to her aid and took over the 
conversation, "The slayer is the missing piece in your lives, with 
her you can be complete."

Willow and Tara just sat there, neither one of them could find the 
words to express the feelings that where know raging through their 
system. Each of them knew the other had feelings for Buffy, they had 
talked about it before because they did not want to have any secretes 
in their relationship. They both had agreed that Buffy should never 
be told about it, for they feared that it would cost them her 
friendship, and now it seemed that they had no choice but to confront 
their friend and reveal the secret love they held for her.

Vallen stood up and walked over to the young Wicca's, he knelt down 
beside them, "Tell me children of the Goddess, why is it that you 
cry?"

"We have loved her for some time," Willow answered, "but we never 
told her."

"Then tell her."

"We can't."

"And why is that?"

"She loves another," blurted out Tara as she began to weep.

Not even Vallen had noticed that Kari had walked over to them until 
the mage began to speak.

"Her love for the other is only an illusion, created by the forces of 
our advisory."

Willow and Tara lifted up their heads and stared at Kari as she 
continued to speak, "Your beloved does not really love the one she is 
with, her true feelings have been blinded by darkness."

Tara clenched Willows hand, "W-what?"

"Our advisory does not wish for you to find her for he fears the 
Triad. You must break the spell that blinds her or you will loose 
her forever."

"My travel companion speaks the truth, if the spell is not broken the 
keeper will come, Your beloved will betrayed and turned over to him."

Willow felt a primal rage burning deep inside her at Vallen's 
revelation, she could feel Tara's hand tightly clutching hers as the 
blonde shook with the same anger that filled her mind.

"We won't let that happen! You have to tell us how to break the 
spell," demanded Willow.

"Only through truth can the dark magic be broken, the two of you must 
tell her of your feelings," replied Kari.

Vallen then stood up and took the mage by the hand, "We have other 
business to attend to know, but know this that our advisory draws 
near, the Triad must be completed before he comes or all is lost."

With that the two elves faded into the shadows, the field became a 
blur to Willow and Tara and before they knew it they awoke in their 
bed, holding onto each other tightly and openly weeping.

Sunnydale:

Buffy had finished her patrol and deiced to stop by Riley's for a 
quick visit before heading home. When she rounded the corner she 
spotter her boyfriend standing out front with Spike.

<What in the world is Riley talking to Spike for.> Buffy started to 
approach them when someone grabbed her shoulder, she spun around and 
saw a human looking creature wearing body armor.  

Buffy quickly pulled out Mr. Pointy and took a defensive poster.

The creature looked at her in amusement, "I mean no harm slayer, I 
have only come to aid you in the fight against the coming darkness."

Buffy gazed at the creature for a moment before returning Mr. Pointy 
to her jacket, "Who are you, or should I ask what are you?"

"I am an Elf, sent by the Powers That be to Aid you in your cause.  
You may call me Vallen."

"Well then Vallen it's nice meeting you but you're gonna have to 
excuse me for one sec why I find out what is going on."

"If you confront them you will only be deceived, to learn the truth 
you must stay her with em in the shadows and listen."

"I don't even know you, and why would Riley want to lie to me."

"He is not what you think he is, you must trust me on that."

"And if I don't."

"Then the fate of the ones called Willow and Tara is sealed."

Buffy grabbed Vallen by the collar, "What is that suppose to mean!"

"Only that if you allow yourself to be deceived further that they 
will be on their own when our advisory comes and it will cost them 
their lives."

Buffy lowered the Elf back onto the ground and let go of him, "OK we 
eaves drop, but I swear if anything happens to them you'll pay for 
it."

Vallen took a big gulp of air at the slayers threat <The Wicca where 
much easier to talk to>, "Deal, now come let us listen."

"So did the spell work," inquired Spike.

"Yes, she is ore in love with me now than she has ever been," smirked 
Riley.

"That's good, but I still don't see how making the slayer fall in 
love with you is gonna help your Keeper, or whatever it is you call 
him."

"If she does not find her true loves and stays with me the Triad will 
not be in place when my keeper comes."

"So your messing up her love life, big deal. You promised me that if 
I helped you I would get to see her suffer."

"Ands you will. When my keeper comes I will turn her over to him.:

"Big deal, so she's a prisoner."

"My Keeper does not take prisoners, he destroys his enemies or makes 
them slaves till he grows tired of them."

"That's promising but will she suffer."

"At my Keepers hands the slayer will suffer like no slayer has 
suffered before her."

"I think I'm gonna like this Keeper."

Buffy took a few steps back and started to stumble, Vallen grabbed 
her and held her up. Tears freely flowed down the slayers cheeks and 
Riley's cruel words replayed repeatedly in her head.

She felt like her entire world had been crushed as she listened to 
Riley and Spike talk. Buffy leaned against Vallen and wept.

The Elf gently patted her on the back, "There is no need to cry 
child, now that you know the truth everything can be made right."

"And how is that, the love of my life has betrayed me."

"It was a dark illusion that you felt, not love."

"It felt like love, it still feels like love," Buffy sobbed.

"I know, but you must trust me it wasn't. Once the magic is broken 
the pain will be gone and you will find the meaning of true love."

"How can I do that," Buffy replied from behind tear stained eyes.

"Seek the Wicca, they are the only ones who can help you."

Meanwhile across town..

Giles opened his front door and came face to face with a female elf 
wearing blue robes.

"Greetings watcher. I am Kari, I believe I have the answers that you 
seek."

"Such as?"

"The meaning of the Wicca's dream, why the slayer can not remember 
why she was outside to name a few, but first I must warn you that our 
advisory comes."

The Forgotten Domain:

Zaven stood in the secret room holding the holy talisman of the 
horned reaper in his hands, Lionheart had eluded him for long enough 
and it was now time to put this to an end.

He carefully placed the talisman on the altar before him, "By the 
powers of the dark Gods I call upon you my unholy avenger. Come 
forth into this realm and smite mine enemies so that evil can be 
spread!"

The ground around Zaven began to tremble, and a circle of fire burnt 
next to the altar. The smell of sulfur filled the room as blood 
flowed from the walls. The circle of fire filled with light and the 
horned reaper burst forth.

The massive demon stood over nine feet tall, it entire body was 
covered in read scales and two large horns rested on top of it's 
hideous head.  

"What is it that you want keeper," bellowed the beast.

"Bring me the head of Lionheart and the gateway stone," commanded the 
Keeper.

"So shall it be," snarled the massive demon before rushing from the 
room.

A grimace came across Zaven's face as he watched his dark avenger 
depart, <Now it is over, and I come>.


TBC...