Author's note: I'm so hellishly sorry for not being able to get this next part up in time

Author's note: I'm so hellishly sorry for not being able to get this next part up in time. Been too busy looking for a new place to work since the present locale is beginning to wear me out. - That, and a long spell of writer's block which happened to also be a result from the shock over the events of September 11. Hope you like the new addition to the place of the weird. Heck this story is getting weirder every chapter! I know the updates have been horribly slow, but I promise that I won't give up on this and see this little project of mine to its end.

New added Disclaimer: Everything Buffy belongs to Joss Whedon and Company, The Panday (pronounced "Pandai") belongs to Fernando Poe Jr. and his movie production company and whoever owns the rights to the character now. The rest of the ghouls, gags, and the other unmentionables are mine – all MINE!

Chapter 9: "With friends to help, its harder to find enemies! (No matter in what company always be prepared with lots of C-4!)

Spike was not a happy camper. Two of the mystery tablet's pieces have been found – and they still don't know what it meant. The prophecy was too vague this time to pin down in one event. It was as if there's a lot missing in between. All this made the vampire's head hurt thinking about it. Bloody hell! He swore this was worse than watching the X-Files on a plot twisting binge.

Picking up were the Eternal Champion left off, he shot him a question. "And just whose help are we going to get with something we even vaguely know about? I mean; it's fine when you mentioned a real mess is coming – and that the leader might be a fallen Angel this time around, but whom can we call? It's not as if we just pick up a phone and ask for the Ghostbusters or the Justice League, mate."

"Well," Max began, "Last I heard of Ja'Redd was that he was supposedly still out in space. So he's out of the present picture for now." Spike snickered, completely aware of just where EXACTLY the Cosmic Protector was – and with whom. No need to tell the rest of them yet for the meantime.

"Then who?" The peroxide-chipped vamp asked.

"Have you ever heard of the legend of the Panday?" Max Quaylen said, face smiling at the vampire.

"Huh?" Spike blinked. "If you're talking about an enchanted sword-wielding yahoo from a small country called the Philippines; then legend has it that he fought and died around seventeen hundred A.D. So what can another dead bloke do to help us?"

Giles was just listening on the side and gaped at Spike's knowledge of the said legend. The Watcher shook his head; this was one of the rare times when Spike really showed an aptitude towards real intelligence. An obscure legend such as the one Spike knew of was not common know-how. Even the Council had only one account of the tale Spike described; in fact it was almost a direct quote since the book in question had only a one-paragraph description of the Panday. The Council thought nothing more of it, a "case closed" archive to sure. If Max was right, then someone had better update that legend as truth – and not a fairytale.

"Right." Max replied, "And you're the right guy to meet him once he gets off the plane in L.A.X. tomorrow night."

"WHAT!" Everybody in the room exclaimed in unison.

"Come one, William!" Max continued, looking the vampire in the eyes. "With a little crash course training, you'll be able to stand toe to toe with him even with your chip. Wish I could go and get him myself, but Faith is still slightly wobbly from that beating she took a fortnight ago. Plus I have a hunch the two of you might hit it off right nicely."

"And why is that?" Asked Giles.

"The Panday will instantly recognize him for what he is, Rupert." Max said, "And with that said, he'll more likely challenge Spike here before he starts believing what this vampire tells him to see if he really IS telling the truth. And I'd rather not have William the Bloody fall to pieces on me right now since I have a feeling that his fate is somehow tied up in this damned prophecy."

Then Willow suddenly screamed as the front doors of the shop burst open. Outside, they could see an untold number of vampires amassed behind three hugely grotesque parodies of human beings. Max's eyes narrowed as he recognized one of them, feeling the blood drain from his face as he remembered all the suffering the creature before them had caused over the eons.

Spike himself was scared shitless as he saw some of the Scooby Gang's formerly dusted enemies live again behind The Fallen Ones. He quickly scooted over to Dawn and placed himself in front of her to protect her from whatever might happen. Oh shit, Spike thought, it couldn't be – could it? Behind them is the revived Master Buffy destroyed!

The fallen in the middle merely looked amused and turned his attention to Max Quaylen and spoke. "Well met, Champion! I believe those belong to me!" He points at the broken pieces. "Hand them over, and I might let you suffer to live a little while longer!"

Max Quaylen's eyes started blazing white as his angelic sword appeared in his hand, bathed in holy fire. Feeling all the fury of heaven, he screamed the traitor's name in full rage.

"XARANON!!"

. . . . . . . . . . .

TBC