-Chapter Twenty Five-

The End of the World... Again

It shot through the sky like a meteor, except it had a target and again, it was Smallville. Clark pushed hard running trying to keep up with it. It rocketed away picking up going like a blur leaving a fiery trail. It was taking everything Clark had to keep up with it. Now, he thought kicking off from the ground leaping in the air swiping at it trying to grab it, his fingers gazing the flames as he dropped back to the ground.

This isn't going to work, Clark growled inwardly as he slammed to the ground looking up to see the flame rocketing away, I lose too much speed if I jump and I won't be able to control it if catch up to it and just jump. I'll have to do. I'll have to fly.

Clark sighed unsure what to do exactly, but he had a fair idea. He kicked off from the ground darting down the road trying to pick up speed, like an aeroplane. He knew this wasn't how Kal-El had done it, but if he was going to do this he was going to do this his way. He pushed hard against himself thundering down the road the speed being incredible he was going faster than he'd ever done before.

"NOW!"

He kicked off. Rocketing into the air, the cool air beating against his skin. His eyes were closed tight as he hoped against hope. Let me fly, he wished, he could feel himself going higher and higher until-

He stopped.

Clark opened his eyes. His eyes widening at the sight he saw. He had stopped. He was hovering mid-air. Oh my god, Clark gasped fearfully in his hand.

Suddenly, he felt whatever was holding him disappearing dropping through the air. Clark's eyes widened as he dropped thousands of feet, his body flailing in the harsh thunderous wind.

Fly, fly, FLY! Clark repeated in his head as he dropped further and further to the ground. He closed his eyes as he saw the ground coming closer expecting to feel the hard crushing feeling of the ground in which he will smash into. He'd live... but he knew it would hurt.

And then he stopped. He didn't feel anything. That's strange. I should feel something, Clark thought, he opened his eyes slowly to see the ground, it wasn't cracked beneath him, crushed or pressing into his face. In fact it was nowhere near him. He looked down his shadow stretched across the ground a foot below him as he laid in mid-air his arms outstretched. He looked his body over in amazement more so than he did before. He was floating. He'd done it.

He pushed back his whole body straightening up as he continued to float. His whole thought on just staying still not falling. He wanted to fly. He needed to fly. He was flying. HE WAS FLYING! He thought excitedly. He turned to where the fireball was heading. A new sense of determination in his eyes; he was ready. Time to fly. He kicked off from the air as though it were the ground. Rocketing in the air moving his chest down to straighten up kicking off again shooting off like a red and blue blur into the sky. Faster than a speeding bullet. It was like super speed; only free. It was like he'd been doing it for years. He held his hands out in front of him wanting to feel the air in his hands. He didn't know how he went faster all he knew was that he just had to think it. He had to command his entire to body to break through the laws of gravity and sound. He felt free.

Xander's eyes opened weakly as he regained consciousness, a throbbing pain at the top of his head. He winced as he got to his feet the cold air hitting the cut on his head. He placed a steady hand on the grave he laid next to pushing himself to his feet. Where was everyone? He thought looking around to the empty cemetery.

"Buffy are you okay?" he heard Dawn shriek at the sound of a thud.

"I'm fine," Buffy groaned from below, Xander turning to see a deep hole next to where he stood.

"Hello?" Xander called down the hole, kneeling down to look into it.

"Xander?" Buffy called looking up to Xander, Dawn stood next to her, "are okay? Is Andrew and Jonathon there?"

"Yeah I'm okay," Xander called down, "they must have skedaddled when I was knocked out. Weasels," he added with a note of distain.

"Xander, you need to get some rope to pull us out," Buffy called back. "Look around and hurry before..." She is cut off as suddenly Anya appears out of nowhere, shimmering into the dark hole. "Anya? What are you doing here? Is Giles okay?"

"Giles is back?" Dawn exclaimed.

"Not now," Buffy snapped irritably. "Did he stop Willow?"

"No and things just got a lot worse," Anya replied nervously.

"How?"

Xander gulped looking down on the scene listening intently.

"End of the world worse," Anya said urgently, "Willow's going to destroy it."

"She can do that?" Dawn gasped.

"Where she's going she can," Anya replied.

"Where?" Buffy asked darkly.

"An Old Satanic Temple," Anya gulped nervously, "Kingman's Bluff?"

Kingsman's Bluff. She was here. Willow looked around the deserted stretch of land. Time to end it all, she thought lifting her hands out at a spot not too far from her. The earth began to crack, crumbling as something rose from the ground. A huge steeple rose, gargoyles decorating its surface, a snake-haired woman carved against it, her mouth open and her snake tongue stuck out, a snake wrapped around her. At the top of the steeple is a pentacle topped by a trident. Its grotesque, just like life, Willow thought as she continued to lift it from the ground.

"Prosperpexa? Who's she?" Buffy asked confused and yet with urgency as she needed to get all the information.

"She was big in the hierarchy of demons, her follows believed using her effigy would destroy the world but the temple was buried by an earthquake," Anya said urgently, "if Willow uses it the world will burn."

"Well get me out of here," Buffy cried indignantly, "I have to stop her."

"You can't," Anya replied sadly shaking her head, "none of us can. No magical or supernatural being can stop her... I'm not sure what it means, Giles wasn't clear... I-I should go back..." she added nervously.

"Anya what's going on?" Buffy asked noting her nervousness, a pang hitting her stomach. She didn't like it.

"I don't think he's got a lot of time left," Anya replied nervously fidgeting before disappearing.

There was silence between the two sisters.

"M-Maybe, Clark could..." Dawn began.

"He's supernatural," Buffy replied dismally, "despite being alien his powers are abnormal..." can't think like that she thought looking upwards, "Xander! Do you have that rope? Xander?"

Clark rocketed through the sky; cities and towns blurring past him as he shoots past them in a blink in an eye. Despite all the urgency he was enjoying flying. He still had his arms out in front of him touching the air. He threw them back as though pushing him faster, propelling faster towards the fireball. He could see it in the distance, thundering through the sky towards-

Smallville. His home.

He could see it and see where it was heading. Smallville Medical Centre. He pushed hard rocketing forward gaining on the fireball.

"Why even bother? Giles already said you can't stop her," Dawn said dismally as Buffy fell again, dropping to the ground again after trying to climb out of the pit.

"If you think I'm going to sit and let Willow destroy the world," Buffy snapped, "I've worked too hard to protect it."

"Always the Slayer," Willow's voice appeared. Buffy spun around expecting to see but all there was was her voice, "right to the last. You are a true warrior. Always fighting. Never giving up even when the end is near."

"Willow just stop and think," Buffy called to nothing.

"You should have a warrior's death," Willow continued ignoring Buffy, "I was the one who took you out of this world... well, now the world wants you back."

The ground shook beneath Buffy and Dawn's feet, the walls exploding as creatures leapt out of them grotesque and deformed. They wriggle out of the walls turning to Buffy and Dawn hungrily ready to attack. Buffy's eyes widen as they move forward. Over the past few years she'd been able to counter enemies fairly quickly and right now she was surrounded. There were at least ten of them. She grabbed the swords quickly throwing one at Dawn, who catches it gingerly.

"I'm going to need your help fighting these guys," Buffy said placing a hand on her sister's shoulder, "you ready?"

"Yes," Dawn said worriedly yet still determined raising the sword.

"Proserpexa... cleansing fires from the depth burn away the suffering souls and bring bitter sweet death," Willow chanted holding her hands up at the statue lightning crackling around her. A look of determination within her dark eyes. The ground shook violently around her as suddenly green energy shot from her hands hitting the statue, pulsing through it. The end is near, Willow thought through the thunderous earthquake as the magic pulsed through the statue of Proserpexa.

Buffy sliced at the heads of creatures, kicking and punching them down, stabbing at them as the lay ignoring the shaking of the ground. It shook violently but she didn't let it falter her. She kept her eye on Dawn as she hacked at the creatures too. They were surrounded. The Earth was ending she could feel it. Willow, she thought as she kicked one of the creature's head off, please stop.

Screams echoed throughout the Smallville Medical centre as the earth shook. Doctors ran around as patients tried to escape. "Everyone to the emergency exits!" yelled one of the doctors, "everyone out!"

"Lex! Lex!" yelled Lionel pushing past people staggering as the whole building shook.

"Lionel, you have to get out here," Jonn ordered grabbing his arm, "I shall get your son to safety as well as everyone."

"This earthquake? What's causing this?" Lionel asked looking around confused, "The Phantom?"

"I cannot sense the Phantom anywhere," Jonn replied, "It is destroyed. It is the witch... I sense anger, pain, hate... and love... there may be hope."

"Where's Clark?" Lionel asked looking around as he saw Lois helping a weak Chloe out of her room.

"Smallville was meant to be looking after Chloe," Lois snapped, "last time I ever..." she stopped looking ahead at the window, she something. Something that made her shake to her very core. "My god, what is that?"

Lionel and Jonn turned to see it coming straight towards them. A great ball of fire.

Clark rocketed forward zipping past the fire ball, feeling its heat burning against his flesh. He spun around in front of it holding out his hands readying himself. He hoped this work. The fireball slammed into his hands, he gripped it hard growling through gritted teeth as his hands began to sizzle from the beat, the force of the fireball so great it pushed him backwards. He glanced over his shoulder as he pushed backwards to see the medical centre coming near. No, he thought, can't give up, gotta stop it, can't...

Willow held her hands out shooting blasts of energy at the statue. She felt a swell of joy as she felt it nearing an end. She was going to end it all. Suddenly, the flow is interrupted as Xander appears in front of the statue.

"Hey dark eyed girl," Xander joked, "whatcha doin?"

"Get out of here Xander," Willow snapped.

"Sorry don't think so, we haven't had much time to talk," Xander said shaking his head, "I mean I know I'm not uber-witch but I bet I can talk you too submission."

"Get out of my way. Now!" Willow shrieked throwing a blast of energy at Xander knocking him against the statue and to the floor continuing the flow on to the statue.

"It's not over," Giles said softly, a small smile on his face as lay in Anya's arms.

"Giles, what's happening?" Anya cried anxiously.

"Xander," Giles breathed softly.

Clark pushed hard as the fireball pushed harder, harder towards the medical centre. No, No, No, Clark thought as he came nearer and nearer.

Buffy sliced hard at the yet another creature looking over as Dawn is fighting a monster backed at a corner. "Dawn I'm coming!" She cried running over to her, her eyes widening with surprise as Dawn punched at the creature knocking it back and slicing it in half.

Dawn looked at Buffy a tiny smile on her face. "You think I'd never watched fight before?" Dawn asked weakly. Buffy smiled but there moments of joy ends as more creatures explode through the walls. "They're still coming."

"Then we keep stabbing!" Buffy cried holding her sword up nodding at Dawn, who nodded at her, both girls sharing the same look of determination as they turned to the creatures. Ready. Ready to keep fighting.

"You can't stop this," Willow growled as yet again Xander stood between the statue and her energy interrupting it again.

"I know, but where else am I gonna be?" Xander shrugged stepping forward towards her, "end of the world? I wanna be with my best friend? I know you doing something stupid; I know you're in pain. I can't imagine that kind of pain. But hey, who cares? You my best friend Will... I'll always wanna hang out with you. Even when it's an Earth Barbeque on the cards."

"Shut up," Willow snapped angrily.

"First day of kindergarten, you broke a crayon and you cried because you were too scared to tell anyone," Xander said holding out his hand to her, "kind of a step up now with this end of the world thing. But yeah," he shrugged, "I love you. I still love you. I love crayon-breaking Willow and I love scary veiny Willow."

Clark pushed hard feeling the fireball falling back but still pushing back. He glanced back to see the hospital getting closer. It's now or never gotta stop it, he cried in his head using all his strength pushing hard, gripped the ball of flame tighter, his very skin sizzling, burning as he did, he could feel it blistering as he did this. He growled through the pain moving his legs back as though pushing into the air as a sort of grip to stop himself, pushing hard into flame ball flinging it up into the air with all its might. He stopped looking up to see the ball of fire fly up into the sky higher and higher until it turned into an orange dot exploding thousands of feet away.

Thank god, Clark thought glancing back to see himself a foot away from the hospital. He could see the Earth shaking. The People screaming.

Go Kal-El, I shall protect these people, came Jonn's voice in his head, he looked down to see a red blur zip through Smallville nodding himself kicking off from the air disappearing in a red and blur unaware of who had seen the miraculous save.

Lex Luthor looked on in shock at what he had just seen. "Clark?" he questioned unable to believe his eyes.

"You think I won't kill you?" Willow spat upset.

"Doesn't matter," Xander replied, "I still love you."

Willow flicks her arm slicing Xander's face. He stumbled turning back to her.

"I love you," he said raising his hand up to her. She looked at it nervously.

She slashed him again causing him to fall to his knees in pain. He got up weakly panting, shaking, but still getting up.

"I love you, Willow," he said shakily, panting as he got closer.

"Shut up!" she cried throwing a blast of green energy at him. It hardly affected him, he stumbled, carrying on. He looks at her closely as tears start to stream down her face.

"I love you," he repeated.

"Shut up!" Willow cried tearfully, tears streaming down her face. She didn't hit with energy she just punched him as he gets close to him, beating his chest hard and uncontrollably. He took it holding her tightly. She fell to her knees crying hard Xander holding her closely as she sobs.

"I love you," he repeated holding her tightly letting her sob in his arms. The veins disappearing from her face and the blackness of her hair returning to red.

Buffy and Dawn lunge at the creatures, stopping as they suddenly stop still crumbling back into the dirt. "What happened?" Dawn asked confused holding her sword still ready.

Buffy dropped the sword with relief looking up at the sky as the sun continued to shine through. Thank god, Buffy thought, I'm alive. We're alive.