Thanks for reading my humble little story, guys. I really hope you enjoy it, and please fell free to tell me what you think, and offer any suggestions/criticisms – cruzdecristo2000@yahoo.com.
Disclaimer: I am not associated in any way with Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy or any other of the good people who work to put Buffy the Vampire Slayer on the air, God bless 'em. All charactersare solely theirs, I just watch 'em on TV.
Summary: Takes up right where Season 6 left off. A powerful Wizard defeats an almost equally powerful demon and banishes it. But when Willow raised the Satanic temple, it was unleashed upon the world again. What will it mean for the Scoobies, and what role will Willow play? And I promise a few more familiar faces will show up by the end of it. This is just the first chapter, I hope you enjoy it, and come back when I get it updated.
Southern England AD 1042
As the wind and rain swirled around the two ancient warriors, the wizard stood his ground, confident in the face of the demon. The battle had raged for days, as both had ultimately known it would. The wizard was the most powerful of his time, perhaps of all time. The demon was the last remaining creature of the Old World; a king of evil from the time before mortal man had walked the earth. He was the last of his kind, however, and was fighting for his very existence before the cloaked one who stood unafraid in his presence. Yes, the battle had raged for days, and the demon was loosing.
A deep growl, the voice of hell, came from the depths of the demon. "Stand aside, mortal, you have detained me long enough."
The wizard raised his head, his yellow hawk-like eyes gleaming from the darkness of his hood. He said nothing. He merely advanced sword; in one hand and staff in the other, both of them emanating with power from the man who would be known as the greatest wizard of all time.
With each step forward the demon reeled back. He knew he could not hope to vanquish his foe, this cursed mortal was just to powerful, but he still had one more card to play.
"Die, old man. Face the damnation of hell!", the demon roared. He lunged towards the man, and again the wizard stood his ground. He raised his staff just an inch, almost casually, and the demon was slammed against the ground
The wizard moved closer, his victory finally at hand. He threw his hood back, and, his piercing yellow eyes burning through the demon, he crossed his staff and sword over his head. He did not notice the demon muttering a spell under his breath until it was too late. A streak of power shot from his weapons, and the demon finished his spell at exactly the right time. The bolt of power was absorbed into the demon's outstretched hand, and with an explosion of green light he was gone.
The wizard sighed deeply as the rain continued to pour down around him. He had not destroyed the demon, the evil one's spell had deflected the magic's fatal power, instead he had merely banished it. It had been imprisoned, but could one day be set free, and because of that the wizard knew what he must do. It would mean the end of him, but it was time. He had stood by his king, a man who would be as famous as himself, and fought against the Old World evil for almost two centuries. His time had come, and in bringing it about himself he would ensure that the power to destroy that demon would be preserved. He slipped a medallion off from around his neck. He crossed his sword and staff on the ground and placed the medallion on top. Muttering the ancient words under his breath, he outstretched his hands over the objects. A visible power flowed forth out of his hands and into the medallion. Finally finished, the wizard staggered for a few steps. Very very tired, he leaned heavily on his staff. It would not be long now, but he had to smile a little even so. Even in death he had outwitted his enemy.
* * *
Sunnydale
She cried. She cried because she had to, because there was nothing else to do. She cried because the murderous rage that had been so strong within her only seconds before was gone and yet the unbelievable anguish and pain remained. And Xander cried with her. He cried for his friend, his best friend – the friend he had known since, well, forever. He cried for her and for her loss. And for his. He knew Willow would never be the same. The friend he had laughed with, joked with, fought with, fought along aside, and even kissed, would never be the same. The light and the innocence behind her eyes would never quite be the same.
"Willow, oh will, will . . ."
He didn't know what else to say, words escaped him. He wanted to tell her it would all be Ok, he just didn't know. He knew that they say time heals all wounds. And he prayed to God they were right, whoever the hell "they" were, because he wanted his friend back.
* * *
"So do you really have to hit them like right in heart? I mean that's pretty small, and you've seen how bad I am at stuff like that. Remember the last time I played darts? I couldn't even hit that little circle thingie from like two feet awa . . . "
"Circle thingie? You mean the target?", Dawn's sister cut in.
"Yeah, yeah, the target. And I almost hit Xander in the head, and I would have if Tara wouldn't ha . . .", this time she cut her own ramblings off with the mention of her dead friend.
Buffy and Dawn were out on patrol together, much to the great excitement of the latter and the utter dismay of the former.
"Dawn, relax. I told you after you do it a few times it almost becomes like instinct. Its making alive through those first coupla times that's the hard part", the slayer said, frowning at that last thought.
"Well yeah, but I don't have those fancy Wonder Woman moves you do."
"Dawn, we've gone over this before, I'm not Wonder Woman . . . I'm Cat Woman. She had better clothes.
"Wasn't she a bad guy though, I mean Bat Man . . . "
"Pshhht, Bat Man just set her up, he was jealous"
"Stupid boys!"
"Yeah, stupid sexy males, you know he was kinda ho . . .
Buffy stopped short when she heard a branch snap off to the left.
"Did you hear that?"
"No, must be your cat-like hearing"
"Look, Dawn, I . . ."
She was cut short as a young brunette vampire jumped up from behind a tombstone. Dawn, eager to prove herself, yanked a stake out of her bag and lunged at the teenage vamp. The vampire, also inexperienced, stumbled over her own feet in her own lunge. But in so doing, she avoided the would-be slayer's attack, and Dawn slammed against a tombstone. The vampire then made the mistake of turning to finish off Dawn. She bared her fangs and bent over her prey.
"Uh, excuse me, little teeny-bopper demonette, you forget about me, the slayer? You know that pale look doesn't really work for you, I've heard direct sunlight does wonders for that."
"Slayer. . .", the vamp hissed as it twirled and lunged. It didn't even make it all the way around, before Buffy ducked under its lunge and sprang upwards plunging the stake all the way through the vampire's chest. The ex-vampire disappeared in a cloud of dust as Buffy rushed over to her sister.
"So instinct, huh?"
"I told you it would take a few times."
"hmmm, how about a crossbow from now on, or, wait no, flame-thrower, yeah a flame-thrower."
"Dawn, I . . ."
"They sell those at Walmart don't they?"
"Dawn that vamp wasn't what I heard. It was in the other direction. Wait here, I want to go check it out."
"But I . . ."
"Dawn, stay."
"I guess I'll just stay here then."
Dawn walked over to a tombstone, muttering under her breath.
"Well, hey there sweetheart", came an annoying masculine voice from behind her.
"Oh, not again", Dawn groaned, turning and drawing a stake and a cross out of her bag. She was pretty sure she could do better this time . . . or at least scream really loud and hold him off until Buffy came back. She was shocked, however, to see what looked like just a regular guy, well regular except for the gun held loosely in his left hand. Vamps don't use guns do they? She wasn't sure. Wasn't it against like the vampire code of conduct or something? She didn't know, so might as well ask.
"You wouldn't, uh, happen to be scared to death of this cross would you?"
The man's smirk was replaced by a look of genuine confusion at the question.
"huh?"
"Well, you wouldn't melt or be horribly scarred for life or just disappear in a little poofy cloud or something if I just happened to beat you senseless with it would you?"
Her answer was just a blank stare.
"No? How about this stake? Doesn't it just fill you with unimaginable dread, huh? Doesn't it? Please be filled with unimaginable dread!"
His smirk deepened, "And just what are you gonna do with that little stick of yours, sweetheart?"
"Well I could think of one or two places you could shove it", Dawn suggested helpfully.
"Enough", the mugger sneered, "Just hand over the watch and the ring and you can go back to doing whatever it was you were doing out here."
Dawn bristled at that, "This ring was my mother's, you can just . . . "
"Now!", the mugger yelled, cutting her off and advancing.
"That's far enough, mate. I strongly suggest you leave her alone."
"And just who the hell are you?", the mugger asked turning around to face the new voice.
Dawn, however, knew exactly who it was, that English accent laced with a not so subtle edge of contempt could only be one person – well not exactly a person, Spike.
"Sp-spike, I thought you left. What are . . . "
"You know each other?", the mugger was back to looking confused again
Spike answered with a sarcastic smirk of his own. "You're a quick one aren't you? Why don't you be a good lad and just run along now?"
The mugger snarled at the insult, and took a clumsy off balance swing at Spike. The vampire easily deflected the blow, and smiled patronizingly at him.
"Nice shot but next time put your hips into it, gives you more power."
The mugger, finally remembering he had gun in his hand, started to bring it up.
"Now now, play nice." Spike was at his side in an instant. He caught him by the wrist and wrenched it with all of his considerable strength. Dawn shuddered as she heard the muted pop of bones breaking. The mugger instantly dropped the gun, and ran from the scene clutching his wrist and yelling in pain.
"Spike!" Dawn jumped to her feet and ran over to him. "Wait, no", she stopped short, "No, I . . . I'm still mad at you."
Spike said nothing, he merely looked at here.
"I mean you tried to . . . to . . . to Buffy and . . .I"
Dawn stopped short suddenly when she looked into the vampire's eyes. She saw a glimmer of something there she's never seen before. Remorse.
"Spike, something is diff . . . "
"Dawn, I . . . "
"No wait, that was a human arm you almost just tore off. Spike! Oh my God, you got the chip out!"
Spike just shook his head. "I'll do you one better that, Nibblet."
Dawn looked at him again and it hit her.
"Oh God, Spike, you . . . you got it back." Dawn looked almost on the verge of tears. "Spike I'm really happy for you, but . . . but you still . . . I'm still mad." She said trying to look the part, but not feeling it at all.
Spike's face broke into a small grin, "You look just like your sister when your pissed, you know that?
Dawn giggled a little in spite of herself.
"Dawn, I really am sorry for what I did to Buffy, if this is what sorrow is anyway. This whole souled demon ain't exactly a walk in the park, you know, and I . . ."
"Dawn Dawn, are you ok? I heard someone yelling.", Buffy's voice came nearby.
Spike gave a little growl. "Nibblet, I gotta run. This ain't the time for me an' your sis to get reacquainted. Oh and you may not want to mention our little rendezvous tonight."
"You're not leaving again are you?"
"No, I'll be sticking around for a while. Its weird Dawn, it feels like something is fixin' to go down here. Something bad. When you've been around like I have you can pick up on these things."
"What do yo . . ."
The sound of Buffy approaching through the woods cut her off.
"Later, luv.", and Spike vanished into the shadows
A second latter Buffy appeared. "Dawn are you ok? I thought I heard a man yelling."
"I think you need to get your ears checked Ms. Kitty. I haven't made any men scream in at least two or three days.
Buffy shot her a disapproving look, but then burst out laughing. "You really are my sister."
* * *
Not that far away, at the spot where a Satanic temple was recently risen by the murderous rage of one lone troubled witch. A man appeared, though that's not exactly right. He took the form of a man, but was not one. He was, in fact, much much older than any man. He was a creature from the Old Times, vanquished a millenium ago to that recently raised temple. And not just any creature, but a king, a general of the dark legions of old. But now he was back. The man raised his arms, and for a brief moment he was surrounded by a dark fire. The Dark Fire. The very light around him was absorbed into his outstretched fingers, and replaced by a burning darkness, and then, just as suddenly, everything was normal again. A smile touched the thing's lips. Back again, time to get started.