Disclaimers

All characters appearing in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are copyright Joss Whedon. No infringements of these copyrights are intended, and are not authorized by the copyright holder.

All original characters are the property of Celgress.

The Slayer Squad – Slayerverse Prologue

By

Celgress

"Well I hear the Devil calling, got to pay him what he's due. I can't stop the dogs of war."

"Well I see the fields burning because hell is coming through. I can't stop the dogs of war."

Dogs of War (2014) Blues Sacarceno

Buffy Summers ran through the dark, deserted streets of Sunnydale. Her heart pounded in her ears. Sweat dripping into her eyes clouding her vision. Leaping over and dodging obstacles Buffy ploughed on until she found herself in an alley. Whirling around frantically Buffy knew she was trapped. There was nowhere for her to run nowhere for her to hide.

"Your time has come face me." Xou'acc the Contaminator said looming up out of the darkness behind Buffy like a living shadow. Xou'acc's stark white mask impassive as ever, his eye sockets impenetrable pools of darkness.

Buffy lunged forward plunging her sword deep into Xou'acc's torso, shrugging off the apparently mortal wound as if it were nothing Xou'acc backhand Buffy violently. Xou'acc hit her with such force Buffy bounced off the brick way twenty feet away cracking it and shattering her spine. Coughing up blood her body filled with indescribable pain Buffy slowly crawled on her hands and knees forward. One thought consumed her escape from her tormentor before it was to late.

"Aw what happened? Did I break the itty bitty Slayer?" Xou'acc mocked breaking Buffy's fingers with his boots.

"Go to hell," Buffy said defiantly through gritted teeth.

"You first princess," Xou'acc said plucking Buffy's own sword from his torso. In one swift movement Xou'acc struck downward decapitating Buffy. "Pitiful, I do hope her counterparts provide more of a challenge."

Xou'acc discarding Buffy's gore smeared sword walked out of the alley. A shimmering blue portal made of swirling light appeared before him. Silently Xou'acc stepped through the gateway which then vanished.

A Place without place a Time without time aka Domain of the Powers That Be

A pair of gold skinned twins, one male the other female, dressed in robes reminiscent of those worn in Classical Greece stood side by side in an etheric realm beyond four dimensional understanding. The pair suddenly winced in pain. Glancing at each other once the momentary spasm passed the twins exchanged worried looks then, for lack of a better term, conversed telepathically.

"Another branch has been severed my sister."

"Indeed, another world has lost it's protector brother."

"Destruction spreads sister."

"We cannot allow this trend to continue brother. We must prevent it brother."

"The Anomaly must be removed by any means at our disposal sister. It is the only way sister."

"Agreed if not the Adversary will win brother, even now the Adversary grows ever bolder brother with the loss of each champion."

"We must send the Altered Ones to confront the Anomaly sister. I sense they could possibly prevail sister. It is the only way sister."

"Are they ready brother?"

"They will have to be sister. There is no other way sister. If the Anomaly continues his destructive path then the Root itself shall soon be a grave jeopardy sister."

"Alas it would seem you are correct brother. There is no other way brother. What of the others brother, what role if any should they play?"

"The Anomaly is a treacherous foe sister. The others shall be needed if the anomaly is to be overcome sister. The others must help Altered Ones sister."

"Very well we must contact the being known as Elijah the Wanderer brother. Let him know the Great Trial has begun brother."

"Worry not sister Elijah has long prepared for the Great Trial. He is ready sister."

"I only hope the Altered Ones and the Defender are equally prepared brother. If not the damaged caused by the Anomaly at the behest of his patron the Adversary could be catastrophic brother. Even we may not be able to hold back the resulting tide of darkness and chaos brother."

"We have no other choice sister. We must try sister."

"I hope it does not come to such dire action brother."

"As do I sister, let us hope the Altered Ones and the Defender with help from the Others partaking in Elijah's guidance can successfully complete the Great Trial."

"If not all could be lost brother."

"I know sister."

The Nexus

Elijah rose from his desk. The Powers That Be had contacted him via his physic link to them which he'd willingly established eons ago. The Great Trial had at last arrived. Long had Elijah awaited their call with trepidation. The ultimate contest between good and evil was here. The circle of destiny was closing, winners and losers would be determined. His own personal journey would soon be at an end. In fact his final chapter had started once he'd heard the Powers That Be's call. He must soon face head on consequences from a mistake he'd helped make of oh so long ago.

Picking up an old fashioned rotary telephone receiver Elijah paused briefly before he detailed a well-practiced number. "Defender, Elijah here its' time," Elijah said calmly his voice indicating no emotion positive of negative. "Bring your charges to the appointed place at the appointed time I'll be there waiting, yes all of them including the child and the vampires. I do not care if one of the vampires has left town retrieve him, goodbye Defender." Elijah hung up cutting Defender's angry protests, including profanity, off in mid-stream.

Exhaling slowly Elijah ran his wrinkled fingers through his messy mop of grey hair he was getting too old for this he thought ruefully. He should have retired centuries ago, joined his original circle of colleagues in obscurity. No someone had to help undo the damage they had callously caused through their carelessness and single minded pursuit of what they foolishly assumed would be a better, more just order. If only they had seen their error before it was too late. Thankfully his job of helping correct their mistakes would soon be done then he could enjoy the long rest he had so difficultly earned.

Wolfram & Hart Offices Los Angeles mid-June 1999, morning

Holland Manners was worried. In fact the high ranking lawyer had never been more worried in his entire bottom feeding excuse for a life. When he'd come into work that morning he'd found the firm in a total state of disarray. Some mysterious event had occurred overnight which had caused the Senior Partners to up and vanish. They had seemingly cut off all communication with the mortal realm. The conduit knew nothing as did all the various psychics Wolfram & Hart employed in a variety of capacities. Worse after launching an impromptu investigation it had been quickly determined the lack of communication wasn't relegated to this dimension but rather spread throughout the entire multiverse. They had cut off all their minions and allies no matter where said allies and minions were located. It was as if the Senior Partners' attention was focused exclusively elsewhere, every ounce of it. Manners only hoped they returned a portion of their attention to his dimension soon, if not he feared what might happen in their absence.

To Be Continued

The time has come my loyal readers. Soon all shall be revealed concerning Xou'acc and his plot to destroy the Slayer Multiverse.