"Where have you guys been all this time?" Angel asked.
"We've been gone a long time, I know, but you kno-" Buffy started.
"Buffy, you weren't gone that long. You and the others were only missing for two weeks. You make it sound like you were out of contact for a year or mor-" Angel began to reply.
"Two weeks?! Dead Boy, did you fall and hit your head while we were away?! We've been in that other place for at least a year! And why the hell is Spike here?!" Xander snapped.
Angel and Spike both turned their heads and glared daggers at Xander. The teen shut up quickly.
"Clearly, time passes differently in Eppy's world." Diana spoke up, subtly moving in-between Xander and the two annoyed vampires, which Xander was clearly grateful for.
Spike looked at Diana in surprise, then at Neil's other friends, then back to Diana.
"Who the bloody hell are you people anyway?" Spike asked pointedly.
Diana evaluated Spike coolly. Spike felt a little intimidated by this huge amazon, who was towering over him.
"Hello William." Diana said calmly.
"H-Hi." Spike stammered.
"Cat got your tongue, William?" Buffy commented in amusement.
Spike glared at Buffy, and growled:
"Button your gob Slayer."
"Which Slayer ya talkin' to?" Faith asked as she and Athena approached.
Spike looked at Faith, then at Buffy, then back to Faith.
Both girls favored him with an impish grin.
"Oh, that's bleeding wonderful it is! TWO Slayers? Still?!" Spike groaned.
"Who are you anyhow?" Faith asked Spike.
"This is the infamous William the Bloody, legendary killer of Slayers, aka Spike." Athena informed Faith.
"Really?" Faith replied. She looked Spike up and down.
"Let me guess. You thought I would be taller, right?" Spike queried Faith grumpily.
"Actually, I was thinking you were kinda cute." Faith answered with a mischievous glint in her eye.
Spike cocked his head at her in disbelief, but then smirked. He turned around and resumed walking.
"You can look, but you can't touch Slayer." Spike called over his shoulder with an amused inflection in his tone.
"If I want to touch it, it'll get touched." Faith retorted with a chuckle.
Spike looked back at Faith, then looked at Athena, who was watching him with a devious grin.
Spike looked away and thought:.
They both got darkness in them, but that tall bird that Faith is clearly with?
Evil with a capital E.
Better watch out for that one.
They had been traveling through the dense forest for an hour now.
Angel and Spike had agreed going to Neil's castle was a wise move, as it contained weapons and supplies.
Of course there was always the possibility that Demona's forces had seized or destroyed them.
Time to find out.
As they finally arrived at the castle, they witnessed a disheartening site.
The once grand fortress was in ruin.
"Looks like Demona leveled the place. Not unexpected." Ares commented, scanning the rubble of their former abode.
"No, it is not." Lilith replied.
"We may still find something." Angel reasoned, as he looked at the others.
"Perhaps Angel. Can't hurt to try, I say." Artemis said.
There was a lack of dissent from the others, and they carefully made their way to an opening in one of the walls, weapons ready.
"It's too quiet. I don't like this at all." Buffy whispered.
"Agreed. It would only sense for Demona's soldiers to occupy this area." Giles whispered back.
"True." Diana murmured, her keen green eyes scanning the shadows.
Climbing through the opening, they remained alert. The interior was as devastated as the exterior. The houses inside had been wrecked.
Making their way through, they came across an unexpected sight.
"No wonder its so silent. Jesus Christ." Neptune observed softly.
Before them was a massacre.
Demona's troops had been decapitated and their limbs severed. What was left had been scattered far and wide. Everyone was stunned by this carnage.
"Who the fuck did this to them?" Zeus wondered.
"And are they still around?" Apollo asked.
Before any reply or speculation could spring forth, they were surrounded by the garrison's killers.
And Neil's personalities and Buffy and the Slayerettes recognized them immediately.
Encircling them were Long-Necks and Many-Legs!
"What are you doing here?!" Helen asked in astonishment.
"Nice to see you too." came a familiar voice. The speaker emerged from the darkness.
"You?! Again?!" Athena almost shouted in astonishment but restrained her volume.
Dante favored her with a smart-ass grin.
"Greetings honeysuckle." Dante said to Athena.
Athena sighed and rolled her blue eyes.
Angel, Spike, and the infantrymen stared at the newcomers in astonishment.
"How did you get here?" Willow asked Dante.
"Well, we invoked the god of space and time to find your world and you. Then we used a magical Gate. And here we are." Dante answered with a flourish.
Faith looked around and asked:
"Where are Eppy and Spidey?"
"Under house arrest, I'm afraid."
"House arrest?" Cordelia asked.
"Yeah. My little sibling and its buddy wanted to send an army to help you take back your kingdom. Unfortunately our parents disagreed, and when they insisted, well, they were placed in their chambers under very heavy guard. So, I took it upon myself to help you. But I had to be crafty, so the force I brought isn't large. But they're elite, so it should work out. I also brought lots of weapons and equipment. Good thing too, because whatever you had in this structure has been toasted." Dante explained.
"Thank you. Any help is appreciated." Oz told Dante.
"You're welcome." Dante replied.
"What kind of troops are these?" one soldier inquired.
"Special forces." Dante replied.
"We should save further questions or conversation until we are in relative safety." Diana said.
"Agreed. We better head back." Angel said.
"Lead the way." Dante commented.
The reinforced party left the castle, taking the weapons and supplies Dante had brought with them.