The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
by cathy nort
chapter 11
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It was the chant that finally penetrated Buffy's unconsciousness. It was so distant that the blond Slayer could barely make it out. As her senses cleared and her confusion dissipated she became aware of her situation.
It wasn't good.
Her arms were strung up over her head, tied at the wrists to a chain hanging down from the ceiling. Buffy was half sitting, half kneeling, her back propped up by a wall. Her head drooped onto her chest and when she raised it a deep throbbing pulsed through her. Oh my. Ouch. She closed her eyes and tried to piece together what had happened. It didn't take much piecing together. Sasha had clubbed her. Knocked her out cold.
What a dummy I am, Buffy thought. Her concern for Willow had made her foolish. That wasn't like her but that it wasn't didn't do any good now. Looking around she found she was in a darkened room. Across from her, in the center of the room, was a circle of flickering candles. At the top of the circle knelt an old, even ancient, woman. It was she who was chanting, and chanting in a language Buffy could only guess to be German.
Other than the light from those candles the room was fully black. The perimeters of the rest of the room were indistinguishable to Buffy. What wasn't indistinguishable was what was in the center of the circle of candles. Sasha sat Buddha style, her long, black dress fanned across the floor much as her white blond hair fanned across her shoulders. Cradled in Sasha's arms was the limp form of Willow Rosenberg.
Willow was wearing a pure white gown so thin that Buffy could see the nakedness of her beneath it. Her small breasts rose up and down with each breath so thankfully, she was alive.
Willow's legs were bent to one side and her head was back hanging over one of Sasha's arms. One arm was flopped at her side, the fingers curled nervelessly. Her other hand was folded in the fingers of Sasha's left hand.
"Willow," Buffy called so weakly no one seemed to have heard. The droning chant continued and Sasha was unmoving except for her lips.
"WILLOW!" Buffy called louder, the fear in her chest rising as she watched in horror. What had they done to Willow? What were they doing to her? But Buffy knew. The take over of Willow's powers was at hand.
Sasha's eyes were closed but unlike Willow's, whose eyes were also closed, Sasha seemed to at least be conscious because her lips still moved slowing in unison with the chanting being delivered by the old woman.
"WILLOW! WILLOW! WILLOW!" Buffy was crying out in desperation. She tugged at her bound wrists and managed to rise to her feet but she was powerless to do more than that.
Over and over Buffy shrieked Willow's name begging her, pleading with her to awaken. The old woman stopped chanting and Sasha's eyes opened and focused sleepily on Buffy.
Willow stirred ever so slightly. Then whimpered.
Sasha turned, trance like, to the old woman who was also glaring at Buffy.
"Stop her. Kill her." The old woman pointed at Buffy with one gnarled finger that trembled in the dim light of the candles, hatred glowed from her eyes. "Kill her now!!"
Carefully Sasha slid out from under Willow and gently layed Willow's still form on the floor. Then she stepped from the circle and appeared to regain her normal self. She walked over to a table near the archway across the room. She opened a drawer, her back to Buffy. When she turned around to again face Buffy she had a dagger in her hand, She smiled sweetly at Buffy then, holding the dagger in front of her, Sasha came toward Buffy.
The old woman's face was contorted as she screamed. "KILL HER! KILL HER!"
Buffy couldn't remove her gaze from Sasha as the girl moved closer raising the weapon over her head poised to strike. The Slayer thrashed trying to free herself but her bonds held firmly. It was useless, Buffy realized, and she turned toward Sasha to accept her fate.
At the final moment, which Buffy knew was the end of her life, Buffy whispered Willow's name and as she did a strange light, a mixture of purple and red, soared through the room. As if a window had flown open in a raging storm a soaring wind crashed through the room blowing Sasha hair out straight before wrapping it across her face. Frantically she clawed it aside before raising the dagger again. As she did a vase was hurled against her back shocking her.
Buffy then saw Willow still in the circle, now standing, her eyes glowing red coals, her arm pointed at Sasha as objects began to hurl at the white blond witch. A chair first which Sasha was able to dodge as she backed away. Then cups and glasses appeared from the darkened areas of the room. As Sasha turned to protect herself another chair then a table rammed into her. The wind became stronger and books, lamps, more vases, a night stand were bouncing off Sasha until one, a vase maybe splattered against her head and Sasha sank to the floor to lay still.
Buffy looked at Sasha, then over to the old woman who was lying crumbled on the floor holding her chest and no longer moving.
"Buffy?" It was more a cry than a question. It was Willow who was now sobbing as she stood where Buffy had last seen her. The moment was frozen in time. For Willow. For Buffy. Then the stillness of complete silence.
It was a while before Willow moved. She stepped over the candles, most were blown out but a few supplied a dark, erie light, and crossed to where Sasha lay. She stooped down and picked up the dagger that was beside Sasha on the floor. She went over to Buffy and cut her bonds.
Tears streamed down Willow's cheeks as Buffy gathered her into her arms. Now Willow was crying deeply, every inch of her soul poured from her as Buffy held her tight.
"Oh Buff. What have I done?"
Buffy placed her fingers on Willow's chin and tilted her head up so they could look at each other directly. She brushed aside some of the tears then kissed Willow softly on the mouth. "What you did was save my life." Buffy said. "You saved our lives."