who are you... without your memories

[slayers_desire]

Xander Harris piled all his Superman comics up against the pentagram he had engraved on the wall. He cut open his wrist, glancing over his shoulder at the woman in black behind him cautiously. She could attack him at any moment. But hopefully, his magical bonds around her wrists and ankles would keep her tamed while he was vulnerable.

They called him desperate... and after losing everyone important to him perhaps he was. Xander even mourned those that he disliked. There were very few heroes left. Times were desperate.

A few days ago Xander had captured the woman in black. She was important to his plan too. They claimed that she had the powers to make their world right again. To stop the evil. The problem was she was evil herself. Xander called her Lilith, basically because he had nothing else to call her and it seemed appropriate.

And right now, he was sacrificing the last few treasured memories he had. To fix the world, Xander needed to take Lilith to the Stone of Power. But he couldn't do it alone. He needed a hero. And his comics... this spell was his only hope.

He was asking for a Superman.

"He who seeks for the path, never knows where it will lead." The soft voice of the woman whispered behind him. Xander could feel her staring at him. He didn't care. He placed his blood onto the pentagram and opened the portal. This had to work. He had nothing else...

Comments

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Why?" Caution is a reasonable response, but paranoia is another. "She's agreed to help us. I believe her."

[slayers_desire]

"She is touched by evil. Lived with the Demons. Ruled them for a long time..." Xander explained. "We lost a lot of warriors fighting her. Capturing her."

"She is acting different. It is... scary."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Really." He looks at her with a frown. He's seen captured villains attempt to look harmless and frightened to serve their own purposes, but this is different. He can tell when they're faking. He has a hard time believing she could be as ruthless as Xander is implying.

[slayers_desire]

Xander checks his watch. "Damn... speaking of which... I have to go out and find her some food. Watch over her will you?"

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Of course. Will you be safe out there on your own?"

[slayers_desire]

"Yah. I will be okay. And even if I don't return... you know the mission." Xander glances once more behind him. Then heads into the streets.

Lilith looks up when he leaves.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

With no way to leave at the moment, it's just the two of them, her in the shadows and him in the light. The sun here feels like a paler imitation of the one back home, like the corruption here has effected even that.

And there's still that strange, unplaceable feeling he gets when he looks at her. "Who are you, really?"

[slayers_desire]

"Not Lilith." She replies. Looking at her hands. "The name doesn't feel right. Doesn't ring true."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"You can see so many things, but not that?"

[slayers_desire]

"I remember the name being taken from me. But I know it is still there..." Lilith looked up at him. "I remember walking in the sun once. The sun should have saved me... when the Demons came. But... it wasn't there."

"I miss it so."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Now how is that possible, he wonders. Xander said she'd ruled the demons for a long time. Maybe before she was cursed? "Is there a way to reverse it?" He wants to help her, and not just because he's Superman.

[slayers_desire]

"Always a way. The sun is back. You shine with it."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"If the way exists, then we will find it," he promises, even though he's not sure why. He has no real reason to trust her, and yet he does, far more than he would any other stranger.

[slayers_desire]

"I hope to find the missing piece at the top of the mountain." Lilith responded stood up, taking a few steps towards the doorway. She stops where the light of the sun has entered the building.

"I know something is missing."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Missing. Yes... that helps him put a name to some of what he's been feeling too. Like he's only looking at a part of the puzzle, but he doesn't know what the picture is, so he can't finish it. "Maybe if we restore things to their rightful state, you'll find what you're looking for."

He takes a step sideways, using his shadow to create a safe zone for her, unconcerned that she might try to move against him, no matter what Xander thinks.

[slayers_desire]

She moves towards him. "You miss something too?"

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"I think so. I can't explain it." He knows that he's lived alone since his mother went to Washington, so why does he feel like the apartment is so empty? And he finds himself going to make phone calls and then not remembering who he was calling. It doesn't make sense.

[slayers_desire]

She reaches out and touches his chest. Her fingers lightly trace the symbol on his costume. "The symbol was always there... but it took while to take this form."

This isn't a vision. She just knows it. But can't explain why.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Yes," he confirms, assuming her insight is telling her. "It's my family's symbol."

[slayers_desire]

"The House of El." Lilth reaches up to touch his face. Something is there. It feels so close...

But then... there is an explosion at their side. The wall breaks open, sunlight hits her and she screams. A large Demon enters the building. Xander is also there... trying to fight it back from doing any damage.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

He reacts quickly, pushing her behind him, letting his shadow block the light from touching her. His eyes glow reddish-gold with heat vision, and blasts at the demon, hot enough to harm but not kill.

[slayers_desire]

The Demon screams when it is hit with the heat. Xander takes advantage of the tactic, and pushes the Demon back. He looks back at Superman. "Take her to the top of the mountain. Quickly!"

[kalel_ofkrypton]

He wants to argue, but this is what he's here for, and Xander looks like he can handle it. So he grabs Lilith and goes into superspeed, heading for the top of the mountain, moving back into the shadows where he can.

[slayers_desire]

They move so fast, and she holds on so tight. When they get to the mountains, he will see a series of caves and tunnels near the top. Any one he enters will get them out of the sun. And to safety.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

He stops just inside, and looks and listens ahead, making sure the coast is clear before he lets her go. "You should be safe now."