12992/Knock knock. Who's there

Knock knock. Who's there
Date of Scene:	09 April 2021
Location:	Willow and Tala's secret spell casting place!
Synopsis:	Willow and Tala practice a spell of summoning.
Cast of Characters:	Tala, Willow Rosenberg, Phobos
Tinyplot:	Temptation

---

Tala has posed:
The lessons had been going well. Willow was eager to learn and Tala was more than glad to share information. Already the younger woman had been learning some pretty low level spells that could be used in interesting ways. Glamours, warding. It was amazing how such things could be used if people chose to think outside the box. Or spell circle.

Yet now, there was something strange going on. Something Willow was working on preparations for that Tala had not seen. Seems the apprentice was about to become the master.

She eyed the various ingredients and tilted her head a moment. When she spoke, the accent was Russian. "What are you working on, Willow?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow didn't *mean* to practice this spell here.. but with the boys at home she was just a little bit leery of this certain spell. And since Tala had been encouraging her..

Really it was a simple summoning spell. She had put all the 'ingredients' in their proper order. Next part should be simple, she hoped!

"Uh, this?" She almost hid it away. "I'm working on a summoning spell." Just in case. "You know, for practice." Now what had made her lie like that? (even if it was a tiny little lie)

Tala has posed:
Tala walked along the table, fingers hovering above each ingredient for a moment as she advanced. "I am not angry with you. Experimentation is always good, as long as you use the proper protection spells to keep everything safe."

She paused over a particularly unusual ingredient for such a spell. "Yet this is different from the summoning spells I have seen. I would like to understand this spell. What do you summon? It is not a demon. Nor an angel."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Did she remember to use the spell to protect the ingredients? She thought she had.. Willow reassured Tala she had, and prayed.

"Well, that's because it's not demons, and angels." Oh.. she could summon angels?!? "It's sorta a friend. You know? These are things that make me feel close to him." With a side order of god summoning. But she doesn't say that.. yet

Tala has posed:
"A friend?"

Tala pauses at the end of the table, turning to face Willow as she watches her for long seconds. Quiet. No movement. Alien in so many ways.

"Friends can be called. Or texted. They would not normally be summoned. Unless they are an unusual friend." But she doesn't press forward no that point. It is just her way of saying she understands that is more to this than is being shown.

"You are positive the spell works? Have you tested it?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Oh she didn't her, but still..

"He's sorta a god. He promised me to protect me in a particular situation." But Willow really had no clue if it would work. "That's the problem. If it doesn't when I need it.." She let her sentence drift off. "It's not like the summoning I'm used to. You don't think..?"

Tala has posed:
A god.

Tala feels a thrill at the thought of such a spell, of such power. But she needed to understand it further. Outwardly, she remained that still figure. "If he is a friend, he would understand you want to be sure the spell works. Would he be pleased if you needed him in a dangerous moment only to find the spell failed? I doubt it.

She raised a hand. "You should perform the spell. Be certain it works. Your friend will understand. Or he is no friend."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Oh. If I failed, I'd be dead." Willow was fairly certain of that fact. If Hellequin should decide to annihilate her, she'd be dead. "Do you think? I mean, I could him.. oh! He might be impressed if I called him right here! And you could meet him."

Tala has posed:
"Precisely. I could meet him and he would be happy you had the forethought to be certain you were ready when the time comes. I will assist if you like or simply watch."

Tala wasn't going to interfere but if she watched, she would have the spell too. Of course, what sort of god did Willow know? The woman was more surprising everytime she talked.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow began to cast her spell..

It really was simple, and helped by the fact that she had a personal relationship (sorry Tala, it might not work for you). Her hands made a strange shape before her, and her fingertips glowed.. and then they didn't. Still she looked like something went on..

Phobos has posed:
    For the naturally talented aspects of magic can come easily. It can be drawn forth and brought within, taken wholly and accepted, internalized, and then that power manifests without. Such may well be the way of someone with such a natural gift as Willow, though were she not as well-studied... and well-tutored then it is likely aspects of such a summoning spell might well prey upon her.
    For as soon as that power draws and the tension builds, the room's lights darken, taking on shadows that grow in length. There is the flicker of what light abounds, and candles would fluctuate with breath invisible. Around the symbols drawn and the runes crafted a subtle glow begins, then a surge builds as wind seems to brush across shoulders, heading towards the center of that summoning circle.
    Aged and ancient rites demand a sacrifice for such an invocation, or something given in honor. At first Willow likely would feel the growling snarling grasp of subtle tendrils that seek to draw on her own strength until she pushes upon the spell the ability... the /need/ to forestall on offering that sacrifice. Balance must be maintained... but spells, spells live in between one moment and the next. So her incantation goes through, yet it may begin to carry such fatigue upon a young mage's strength of self.
    The shadows grow, darkness begins to settle into the room more fully, like an old friend. And eventually... eventually that haze seems to solidify and settled into something... Other. Something existing in that summoning circle.
    Little more than a shape that becomes more defined. At first it is just dark, a space of light unable to escape. Then there are motes in that blackness, like small blue stars swirling in the fabric of a night sky. Yet these motes are in the perfect shape of eyes. A mouth. A face.
    And then the voice reverberating with grim portent, seeming to echo upon the walls. "It seems I am summoned."
    Then a shadowy hand extends to touch upon the edge of the circle, creating a sharp /CRACKLE!/ of energy that blasts the shadow from the hand, revealing it to be a golden limb with long digits lightly touching the bonds and boundaries of what holds him.

Tala has posed:
While Willow worked on the rite, Tala was paying close attention. She didn't realize there might be a need for a personal link to the being they were summoning. For her it was the bits and pieces, the movements.

Yet Willow saw this as a friend. Thus, she was not concerned for safety. Just as Willow cast out her net, Tala raised her hands. The circle that was always on the floor began to glow a deep purple. The ward was in place. Just in case anything went wrong and Willow managed to summon a demon or the like.

Then the spell went through and the room began to darken. Certainly seemed more demon like but she waited, power welling as she prepared for what might be things going wrong.

The darkness with the booming voice boded ill. Then it just reached out to test the warding circle. It seemed bound but she was taking no chances.

"Willow, behind me." Because she was sure this wasn't who the woman had meant to call! Unless she was friends with shadow demons. Was she friends with shadow demons too? Who wasn't Willow friends with if that was the case?

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Hrm. That didn't seem to go as planned. In fact as soon as the summoning began to go dark, Willow began to cast another spell, one she had long ago made friends with. Force lightning.

As the hands reached out for the summoning circle, Willow didn't take Tala suggestion, standing right where she was. Forks of lightning began to crackle and hiss towards the hands.

Phobos has posed:
    The barrier between summoner and the summoned worked both ways as electricity began to lick around that tall tube-like shape of force, swirling around and dancing across the 'surface' of whatever power held the being inside in check while without the world was safe from it.
    Inside the golden hand drew back as if instinctively pulling away from the lightning, then as it seemed harmless there was a chuckle that reverberated as well. Which caused a moment of reflection as those motes of stars in the shapes of eyes and a mouth seem to swirl.
    "Is that my voice?"
    he echo continues, and then there's a slight 'hnh' that comes from within as well.
    "Now batting for the Yankees..." More echoes.
    Then the stars in the dark smile, amused.
    Yet as the spell finishes, within the shadows the figure becomes more in view. Darkness falls away, as if defining itself, drawing within, coming back out the other side of reality as a golden silhouette at first. Then a figure, long lines, strong limbs, like some molten statue with golden skin and brilliant hair. It is a creature of such terrible beauty, standing tall in the confines of the summoning circle...
    Though those eyes. They remain the dark. And when the horrible perfection that is the molten golden god smiles, one can see the abyss there as well.
    "Hello, Willow. Is everything alright?" It is Alexander. She can see him now. Recognize him. Though as if he were idealized. Perfection in metal and the male form, with a wisp of fabric that seems to hang from one shoulder to the opposite hip. Enough to grant what could be considered modesty in such a situation for whatever reason.

Tala has posed:
The shadows take form, becoming more humanoid. Then it was a glowing golden man who looked like he had been sculpted.

Not a shadow demon. He certainly look more like a god. And he knew Willow.

Seems the spell had worked after all. But now, she needed to know more. "This is your friend?" she asked Willow softly.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Are you sure?" /Now/ Willow was checking him out. "If you aren't pretending to be.. Where did we meet, and tell me what did you say to me after?" She doesn't let go of the lightning.. yet.

Phobos has posed:
    A twist of his lips can be seen, though when he speaks that darkness seems still manifest, yet his eyes twinkle with a gleam from those starlets deep within. "We were at the Bronze."
    Alexander's voice continues to thrum and reverberate, carrying such weight to it even when one can hear the laughter in his tone of voice. "And I told you that I'd rather date you than Buffy, if I had my druthers." Which does /sound/ like him, the pacing of his words, that slightly weird word choice.
    Then he turns his head to the side and bites his lower lip a little, the golden figure seeming so perfect in every movement, every word, and when he turns back to uncurl a hand as he gestures, "Though I think my current significant other is going to be mad at me for disappearing and leaving her alone while she has the sniffles."
    Resting his hands on his hips it's only then that the metallic figure turns, looking upon Tala. His brow furrows together as he says, "You... you are different."

Tala has posed:
"You have room to talk," Tala returns with that accent, walking closer to the warding circle and eyeing the figure within. The eyes are strange. Creepy really. Not that her own were normal but compared to his? She looked like the girl next door.

She waited for Willow's verdict on if he was who he was. Only then would she drop the ward holding him. Though it was good to know her circle could hold him. Or could it? It knew Willow so it wasn't really trying hard to escape.

"I believe introductions may be in order?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
That makes Willow feel okay, even if she still doesn't believe. After all, her or Buffy?? Even she would prefer Buffy. But it's enough for her to drop the spell. "I'm sorry? Tala made me think that I would be smart to test it out, rather than try it under duress.. wait! Your significant other? When did this happen?"

"Oh!" She blushes. "Alex meet my teacher, Tala."

Phobos has posed:
    "Your teacher..." At those words the scrutiny of the molten metal being turns heavily upon Tala and she can just feel its eyes upon her as it stands tall, almost seeming imperious in manner. There's no way to read its face, those eyes are empty save for the swirl of the stars deep in their depths. It does smile, but it looks as if that smile is there even at rest and perhaps... means little.
    "Tala. Do you see me?" As if she couldn't. Yet the way he glows and seems to almost hang there in reality, as if not entirely real and the world holds no weight upon him. "I believe I see you. I hope you teach Willow well."
    Then the Olympian turns his head and looks to Willow, "Hmm." He says at first, then replies. "Probably wise to try it and see. Also probably wise to feel what this feels like being summoned. So you did us both a favor."
    He draws up straight and murmurs, "And yeah, I know. I was as surprised as you are." About the whole significant other thing. Who knew?

Tala has posed:
What a strange phrasing. "Of course I can see you," Tala answers, looking to Willow then back to the golden being. He can see her. Why did that seems to more more than visual? What did he see?

She wanted to ask the questions but she held off. Perhaps if she had another chance to talk to him, she might try. Without Willow there. The apprentice didn't need to know all her secrets. Not likely to ever happen.

"To perform it without practicing at least once would have been foolish. I am pleased it works. I will do my best to teach her, help her find her potential." She smiled to the redhead. "Our dear Willow has no idea of the power she holds within."

Then she tilted her head, looking over at Alex. "Alex. Not a god name I am familiar with. Though I am curious why you both feel she needs to have a god on call?" Since she doesn't know all the details about what prompted this.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Is she nice to you? Treats you fairly? As an equal?" Then Willow had a thought. "It's a she, right? I mean, with me it could be either one, male or female."

As for the summoning..

"You aren't like a demon.. kinda. You certainly were bigger, and scarier than I thought. Though, if I really needed you, I guess I'd prefer to be stronger and meaner.. Alex? Was that thing you appeared.. is it your true form?"

At Tala's words she ducks, and doesn't know what to make of it.

Phobos has posed:
    There is a smouldering blaze of heat that seems to contort the features of the God, unbound and free of the spells placed, but the protection the mystic circle provides is ever present. Yet the contortion is not physical, more as if the way the casters could perceive him alters, like some distance between the reality and the within.
    Yet it is enough to cause his voice to lift when questioned by Tala, and as he speaks the strength in the tone grows, "I am the God of Fear, Son of War, Slayer of the Chaos King, Wielder of Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. I am the one in between. The next and the last. I have stood upon the corpses of the divine and watched as a pantheon died."
    As he spoke the room seemed to darken again, growing heavy with such palpable portent. Only for it to ease and return to normalcy when his voice gentles...
    "But I prefer Alexander."
    Then he turns back towards Willow and says quietly, "This... feels strange, Willow. Please send me back." And there is a hint of the normalcy there in that voice, the youth's tone that she heard back in the Bronze so playful yet here under some small hint of duress.

Tala has posed:
As the room darkens, Tala feels a hint of trepidation. Not fear. That was a foreign thing for her really. But a hint of doubt that it is good to have summoned a god.

Then he added he preferred Alexander.

She was a bit stunned and shook her head. "Thank you, Alexander. I am honored to have met you and I am reassured my apprentice has you available should it be needed."

Because she was not going to try to hold him. That would require more research for her to take a step like that. Not that she would. But if she needed to.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
All those things were him?!? Good grief. Thank goodness she just met Alex. Plain old Alex. Then he asks to be free. "Bye Alex." Willow lets him go.

Phobos has posed:
    With the sudden drop of concentration, the abrupt end of that calling, the figure in the mystical circle holds up a hand as if about to say something...
    And then there's nothing. Nothing else in that room save the two magic-users, whatever presence was there is gone, and the lights illuminate somewhat brighter.