CHAPTER 10
Angel and Nikon looked at each other. Both had a huge battle axe in their hand. They seemed to be measuring who had the biggest weapon. Faith had a huge broad sword in her hand. A compound bow was hanging from her back along with a quiver and 50 arrows. She hopped they were enough. Mary and Dawn packed light. Each had has double edge sword, not as big as Faith. They moved quiet flexible and quite fast. Hidden under Dawn's black jacket, were a set of black daggers. Great for throwing.
Buffy had only her trusty crossbow and a stake up her jacket sleeve. It was more of a force of habit than a practical use really. Buffy walked over to Willow. The witch had performed the spell and had worked perfectly. She was now packing up her ingredients. She turned towards her best friend. "Guess I will see you at the end of all this", Willow said sadly
"Of course", Buffy said. "After all, we need to catch up on everything"
"Why doesn't evil ever take a break?" Willow complained.
"We would be out of a job", Buffy joked half smiling.
Willow smiled sadly at Buffy and embraced her. They hugged for a few seconds without anybody saying anything. "Come back safe".
"We will", Buffy said. Willow than proceeded to hug Dawn and Angel. She half waived goodbye to the rest and started walking towards the basement. All heard the door locked. Buffy turned her attention to Dawn and Mary. "Are we ready?", the blonde slayer asked.
Dawn smiled and closes her eyes. "Stand behind me", Dawn said as she turned towards the altar of the church. "Once the portal is open enter as quickly as possible". Dawn lifted her hands in front of her. The air around her filled with static electricity. Her black hair started to rise as her body glowed with a soft white light. She clapped her hands together. A thundering sound was heard inside the church as her hands came together. As she separated her hands, white light was forming in the space in front of her. As her hands separated further, the white door was formed. "Go", Dawn instructed.
Buffy looked at the white light. She could see beyond a reddish terrain. She stepped inside followed by Faith and Mary. Still controlling the gateway, Dawn entered next followed by Nikon and Angel. As they passed into the warrior's dimension, Dawn closed the portal.
Buffy looked around her new environment. She saw the ground tainted in red. Bones and skulls adorned the blood tainted terrain. They seem to indicate a path. Several rock formations were visible all around. Buffy looked at the sky. It was as dark as she had ever seen. No stars. No moon. Completely black.
Buffy let her senses take over. She took a few steps forward to look over the terrain. She had point on this expedition. She looked back and saw Faith and Mary at the ready. Dawn walked slowly and covering their back were Angel and Nikon.
She slowly made her way through the path. As she walked over the hill she saw exactly what Nikon had described. A large circular plain terrain, tainted in red blood. Skeletons of previous warriors that had battled covered the entire field. Buffy turned her eyes to the center of the circle. She saw a single squared stone with a shinny object sticking out of it. She also saw hundred of demons and warriors surrounding the stone. They were all just standing or sitting around. Not fighting at all.
Faith and Mary were now next to the slayer. Buffy took a look at Dawn who was looking somewhat pale. "Dawnie?", Buffy asked turning toward her sister. "You ok?"
Dawn smiled weakly. "Yeah", she said. "Just feel like the wind was knocked out of me". Buffy looked at Nikon who was steadying Dawn.
"Don't worry Buffy", Nikon assured her. "She needs to recharge. It takes a lot of energy to pull inter-dimensional gateways. She needs to safe her strength to open an exit out of here"
Buffy looked worried. She looked towards her Angel, who with one single look reassured her.
"For being a warrior dimension", Faith said. "They all seem kind of passive".
"You are right", Mary said. "The descriptions of this place were that there was an immense battlefield. The ground proves that, but the warriors attitude sure doesn't"
"Well", Buffy said. "Let's get closer. There is no place to hide. As much as I hate it, a frontal approach will be the only option".
Buffy and the rest started to walk towards the center of the dimension. Each step brought them closer to their goal. As they approached Buffy saw warriors were taking interest in them. She saw them for the first time. They were al sorts of them Some were human looking. Other large demons. From scaly to slimy. The variety was high. As Buffy led her expedition through the pack, she could hear mumbling in the crowd. There were at least five thousand warriors surrounding the sword. As they neared the center, the warriors started surrounding them. Blocking their exit. They did not attack. They just made sure there was no escape
Buffy kept walking until she reached the stone. There it was in all it's splendor. Apocalypse. The sword was halfway introduced into the stone. A Cross formed the handle and a red heart jewel adorned the center. Just as it was described. Impossible to imagine this sword had the power to put an end to evil.
"Amazing isn't it?", a deep voice bellowed.
Buffy looked at the source and saw a large brow skinned demon standing up and walking towards them. He was around seven feet tall and massive. His muscular tone was broad. He would almost seem like a tall human being if it weren't for the horns popping out his forehead. He stopped as soon as he reached the blade and stood next to it.
"Are you in charge of this place?" Buffy asked.
"Asphodel", he replied as he bowed down. "At your service".
"We have come for the sword", Buffy said.
"You and thousands more", Asphodel responded. "Tell me, what gives you the idea that you can just come here and remove it from it's resting place"
"We need it", Buffy said. She figured there was no loosing trying to negotiate. Specially after being out numbered 1000 to 1.
"Most warriors say that", Asphodel said as he walked by the sword. "Many have died for the glory of possessing Apocalypse. Others like me survived to tell the tale"
"Survived?" Buffy asked.
Asphodel snapped his fingers. A dark demon walked up towards the sword. He bowed before Asphodel as if to request approval. As the leader consented, the dark demon made a grab for the sword. Lighting flashed from the sky as his flesh touched the handle of the blade. His body was consumed by electricity. The flash was instantaneous. After the flash, only a pile of dust stood at the foot of the stone.
"He was unworthy", Asphodel said.
Buffy looked back at Nikon and Angel. They had Dawn well guarded. She than turned towards Mary. She seemed quiet calm considering the scene they had just witnessed. Finally Buffy turned towards Faith. The blonde slayer read Faith's body language. She was tense. She was aching. She wanted to fight. Buffy slightly put her hand on Faith's shoulder. Faith seemed to relax but only a little.
"Just our of curiosity", Buffy said taking a step forward. "Why do you decide who can make an attempt on the sword?"
Asphodel smiled. "Only the strong survive the blast", he answered. "I am the strongest warrior here. The lightning did not end my life. I decide who tries to remove the sword"
"And if I want a shot at it", Buffy started. "I have to defeat you I assume?"
"It is warrior's plain", Asphodel said extending his arms. All the warriors shouted a battle cry. Not every day they were offered with entertainment.
Buffy put her cross bow down as she removed her jacket. She could see Asphodel start stretching. The blonde slayer felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Faith giving her an evil smile. "Let me stretch out my legs B", Faith said.
Buffy smiled back and looked at the demon. He looked huge, but nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing Faith had not battled before. Buffy nodded as Faith started removing her black jacket. Buffy turned towards Asphodel and said. "My friend wants a shot at you", she said. "She wins, we take the sword"
"Fine by me", Asphodel said. "But if she looses, there is no second chance"
Buffy walked back towards her team. Dawn's face started to get color again. She was looking better. Angel and Nikon were not leaving her side. Mary stood beside Buffy as Faith stretched. The ancient vampire picked up Faith's weapons. Faith stepped closer towards Asphodel as he prepared the circle to do battle.
"Next stop, New York City", Buffy whispered as she watched Faith measure the demon she would battle. "Dawn. Please tell me when you are ready"
Dawn saw Buffy's eyes turn towards the sword. She than looked at her. She understood immediately the plan. "I will need cover Angel", Dawn said. "It is going to be tight"
Angel looked at Nikon. They both understood. The gripped their weapons tightly.
Faith took one last look at Buffy before she started circling Asphodel. "You are quiet a big guy", Faith said. "How much do you press"
Asphodel rushed her. He fired a hard right punch towards her face. Faith lifted her forearms to block the blow. Asphodel's fist crashed into the slayer's arms. It felt like hitting stone. The blow caused Faith to drag her body in standing position through the gravel. But the slayer held her ground.
Asphodel seemed surprised to see Faith still standing up. Faith lowered her arms and smiled completely unharmed. "Is that your best?" she asked.
Asphodel fired a few more jabs. Faith was just dodging them. Moving left to right as the blows came and missed constantly. Asphodel launched a roundhouse kick that Faith evaded by arching her body back. As her hands touched the floor behind her, she propelled herself upward like a spring. She closed her fist and smashed it right into Asphodel's face. The demon took a step back staggering because of the force of the blow. He took a look at Faith who was just standing there smiling.
He launched himself again trying to hit the slayer. She was just to fast for him She side stepped him from side to side. Finally she just tripped him at the last launch. The beast ate the dust as he landed on his face. Faith was on full swing now. Very alert. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Buffy who was softly shaking her head. She caught a glimpse of Dawn who was now sitting down behind Buffy. Angel had placed his trench coat over her.
Faith looked back at Asphodel who was slowly getting up. He suddenly flung dirt towards Faith's eyes. As the dirt left his hand he launched himself into an attack with a flying kick aimed at Faith's chest.
Faith saw everything move in slow motion. The dirt flung at her eyes. She instinctively closed them protecting them as the dirt hit her face. Her slayer senses were at their peak now. She felt the air around her get heavier. As if a brute force was coming her way. She separated her legs doing a split just as Asphodel flew above her. Without opening her eyes she stands back up and fires a roundhouse at the demon's head. A crack was audible that makes Buffy cringe as she hears it.
Asphodel is down shaking his head. Faith walks over him with her eyes aimed at Buffy. Buffy slowly nods.
"Come on big guy", Faith taunted putting her unprotected face in harms way.. "I will give you a free shot. Right here"
Asphodel reached out strongly and grabbed Faith's throat. Faith gasped as she took on last breath of fresh air. Asphodel lifted Faith up from the ground. Faith grabbed Asphodel's arms to have more leverage. Make it less painful.
"It seems you should never underestimate your opponents little girl", Asphodel said. Faith tried to say something but the pressure on her throat was just to much. "No witty comeback. Nothing to say have you". Asphodel lifted Faith up and smashed her back first into the ground. He lessened the grip on Faith's throat only a little. The slayer started coughing immediately. "What is it that you were saying?" Asphodel asked
Faith smiled as if she had just been tickled. "Work out is over", she said. She then turned towards Buffy.
Buffy was already moving. She made a dash towards the stone with Apocalypse sticking out of it. She grabbed the handle and made a micro prayer as she pulled out the sword. She immediately felt energy accumulating above her. She pulled the sword from the stone just as lightning came flashing down. Buffy held the sword toward the lightning. The electricity clashed on the steel. It took all Buffy's strength to control the blade.
When Faith saw Buffy pull out the sword, she placed both her feet in Asphodel's chest and flung him from her. Asphodel's body was airborne just as Buffy pointed the sword at him. Lightning flashed from the sword hitting Asphodel's body. It turned to dust in that instant.
The warriors seeing what had transpired stood up ready to battle. Angel lifted his coat from Dawn and flung it on his back. Dawn's body was already glowing and the portal out of the cursed dimension was starting to open.
Nikon flung his axe at the first warrior who was about to attack him. The blade just cut him in two like butter. He kicked the second warrior in the chest. He grabbed a third and flung him to the rest. "We are leaving!" Nikon screamed over all the action.
Angel pushed Dawn and Nikon into the portal. He looked up at his blonde slayer. Apocalypse was shinning in her hands a white bright glow. She slashed with the sword right through the air. Angel saw energy come out as the sword generated the wave. Mary and Faith ducked as the energy blast went over them. The energy hit the warriors turning them to dust as it touched their flesh.
Mary got up and helped Faith to her feet. She pushed her into the portal just as she caught a glimpse of Warriors moving in closer to them. Angel helped Mary into the portal. Buffy was running with the sword in her hand towards Angel. Angel extended his arm as he entered the portal. His body was halfway out. The warriors were running fast towards Buffy as she jumped towards Angel's arms. Both slayer and Vampire fell on concrete floor. Buffy stood up and saw that warriors were coming out. Nikon and Mary were fighting them off. Some had made it pass the defenses and went after Dawn, who was busy closing her hands and the gateway.
"Dawn!" Buffy screamed.
Faith jumped in the way of the warriors and Dawn. A right hand punch across the face and a kick to the chest brought Faith to her knees. Dawn fell to one knee. She was having problems closing the door. She was almost spent. Faith grabbed both warriors from their throat's and smashed them into the concrete.
Dawn took a deep breath and closed her hands. The portal was now closing. Finally the light generated from the door was off. Dawn fell down on both knees and felt her world go dark. Angel caught her right before her weakened body hit the ground. Buffy was right next to him.
Nikon and Mary finished off the last of the warriors. Both lovers looked at each other. They were exhausted. They than looked at their surroundings and realized than where they were.
Dawn had opened the portal back to the human world. Right in the middle of Time Square New York. Or what was left of it. Buildings were dark covered in ash. Most were Human bodies spread all over their surroundings
"Nikon!", Buffy yelled.
Buffy's voice brought him back to reality. He ran up to Angel who was now carrying Dawn in his arms. Nikon Felt Dawn's forehead and listened to her breathing. "She is burning up", he said as he took of his jacket and covered her. "We need food and shelter", Nikon said.
Faith and Mary led the expedition into a crumpled building. Time was running out.
There was infinite white space. The floor and the sky were shinning a bluish white color. In the vast sea of white, a small room stood. A bed room. A small four post bed in the center was neatly made. A pinks small stuffed pig was the only ornament it had. Besides the bed, two small drawer units. On one side a small closet. Inside the closet clothes that fit a young girl's body. Besides the closet a large book shelf. The book shelf surrounded most of the room. It had all types of books. A small portion were children and coloring books. But the rest seemed for advanced reading. In all languages. French, Spanish, English, Latin and Cantonese. Some books looked brand new. Others were old as time.
"Sola pugnabit contra lamia, damones et vires tenebrarum", a five year old girl read out loud on the floor. "Illa est interfectorem". Her green eyes read over the text. It was her favorite book. She turned the page and looked at the picture on the dresser. It was her mom and dad. Her true mom and dad. These days she had noticed she was looking at the picture more often.
"Illa erat maxima interfectorem omnem tempore", she continued reading. She than felt a small gust of wind. She looked and saw a blue like person walking towards her. He was carrying a small tray with a glass of milk and cookies.
"Your afternoon snack Miss Katarina", the blue being said.
Katarina stood up and walked over to her bed. She moved her blond hair from her eyes.
"Thank you", she said as she grabbed a cookie.
"Keeping yourself entertained I see", the blue being said noting the book she was reading.
Katarina nodded as she drank her milk without breathing. She put it back on the tray and went back to the floor on her book. "Reading is good", Katarina said. "Take care Andrecious"
Andrecious sighed as he turned around with the tray. All of the sudden he saw a white light in front of him popped up. What ever produced it, it needed a lot of energy. No one could barge in the room without clearance from The Powers That Be. Adrecious felt that it was being forced. Out of the portal came out a blonde demon dressed in white.
"Daristos", Andrecious gasped. "How there you enter this sacred place?"
Daristos walked slowly towards Andrecious. "Desperate times call for desperate measures", the demon said as he extended his arm and encrusted it into Adrecious' chest. "Have a nice day"
Katarina popped her head behind her bed. Daristos smiled at her as he threw Andrecious lifeless body to the floor. "There is no hiding it in this place", Daristos said. "Andrecious won't be bringing you snacks anymore"
Katarina held on to the sheets of her bed. She wanted to cry out but she was petrified in fear. Daristos walked over to the bed and picked up the photograph lying on the floor. "Is this mommy and daddy?" Daristos mockingly asked.
Katarina said nothing. In her young age she had learned when to speak and when to keep quiet. Daristos glared at her silence. "Your mommy has not been nice to me", he said.
"Then you must be evil!", Katarina retorted. As soon as she did she regretted it. She put her hands in her mouth.
Daristos smiled. "How right you are", he said as he stood up and walked towards her. Katarina walked back in fear. "You are coming with me", he said. "Got to keep the slayer under control"