2675, five days later
"I can't believe the slayer found out our location!" Nabald is furiously pacing back and forth across the carpets in his primary meeting hall. He's a hand-talker, and his arms are pumping up and down. His hair is sticking straight up in patches where he rubbed his fingers over his scalp. In all the months I've spent in close contact with him, I have never seen him so flustered.
He ceases moving and faces me with a plaintive expression. "How, Cynthia? How could she possibly have found out?"
Being on thin ground, I am not certain what to say in reply. I decide to go with the truth. . . simpler and less likely to give me away. "Someone ratted you out."
Nabald immediately resumes his path. "But, who would do something like that? How have I not treated my followers well?"
"Someone who got a better deal?" I hypothesize, not really knowing if he was listening to me.
"Maybe. But who would give him a better deal?" His right hand goes to his head, and he tugs his fingers through his tangled hair. "I've treated them all so well!" He glances at me. "Is no one loyal anymore?" He shook his head. "Don't answer that. . . And he picked the perfect time! Just when I was about to pull off one of my biggest raids."
"But the main thing is that we get everyone out. Joshua and Miros have found the perfect place. Somewhere the slayer would never find. They're busy helping everyone else evacuate. We just have to get you there as well. That's my job."
He bows his head in defeat. "I know."
I approach him carefully. "Come now. Let's get your things ready. Everyone else is already on the way."
"My bags are there, Cynthia." He points at the mound of luggage against the wall.
I hurry to the pile and load my arms and shoulders with Nabald's belongings. Nabald doesn't seem to be joining me. "Um. Are you going to help me?"
Almost despondently, Nabald shrugs. "Sure."
My heart tugs a bit for the vampire before me. Then, I remind myself of his plans to kill hundreds or thousands of children. He's definitely a predator with whom I don't want to trifle. "You ready?"
"Yes." He nods almost childlike.
Waiting for him, I signal the direction we are supposed to go with one bag-laden arm. "That way." He doesn't move.
"Cynthia, do you know how much I will miss this place?" Nabald surveys the now almost completely empty space thoughtfully.
My voice is low, "I think I do."
He continues, "This was a symbol of my power, my strength. . . a symbol of my success. So many things have happened here."
Choosing a half-lie, I reassure, "You'll reestablish yourself elsewhere. Then, you'll have a new home."
His body straightens a little. "You're right. I will."
Several minutes pass, and we are already in the underground tunnels before he speaks again, "Thank you, Cynthia."
My chest constricts. "You're welcome."
The echo of rapid footfalls saves me from having to further respond to Nabald's sentiments. My hands clench around the bag straps, preparing to throw them aside. Nabald's reaction is similar. Miros rounds the corner, his hair and clothes askew.
"Nabald! There's trouble! The slayer's discovered our new place as well! Come quickly, we need your help. . . your leadership. We outnumber the slayer, but they. . . we need guidance!"
Nabald and I shed the heavy cloak of his belongings, and we trail Miros at a run. I note the change in Nabald. Now that his group is in danger, he is prepared for battle.
"Miros, what exactly happened?"
"I don't know. One minute, we were settling in. The next, the slayer and her group showed. We were completely taken by surprise. T-the witch has some sort of solar spell. Dusted at least a hundred in a second or two."
Nabald's jaw visibly tightens. Secretly, I'm impressed by Sage's finesse. "So, how many are left? And can the witch do it again?"
"No, she's apparently out for the count. Spell drained her completely. There's about twenty or thirty of us left."
"We've got the numbers. That should be to our advantage," I point out.
"Yes," Miros agrees.
* * *
2675, several minutes later
We arrive at the scene, and I quickly take in as much information about the surrounding battle as I can. Set in a shadowed, cavern-like room with concrete walls, my first instinct is to locate Spike, and I spot him in the corner, staying in the background. Ayledan is fighting back to back with Richard whose hands are glove-free. My eyes widen as I witness him grab a vampire and press his hand against the vampire's bare flesh. After a handful of seconds, the vampire explodes into a ball of dust. Sage has pushed herself weakly against the wall, and Bandel is swinging a double- edged sword at vampires. The demons are angrily trying to get the witch who torched their friends.
Spike's eyes light even in the shadows when he spies me, and his body seems to come alive as he springs out of the darkness. Miros growls beside me and launches himself at Nabald who is shaken by the surprise.
Shifting into my own game face, I jump into the fray, sliding a stake into my palm from the inner part of my sleeve. Landing a kick into a vampire's thigh and forcing her to the ground, I pause as she gathers herself.
Gold eyes glint up at me from under a drape of blonde hair. "Lydia."
She pounces on me, pinning me to the ground on my back. Pain shoots through my spine as shock radiates through my back against the unbending cement, and my vampire face is forced away. I bring my stake toward her heart, but she scoops my hand away.
"What the hell are you doing, Cynthia?"
Another voice interrupts before I can speak. "It's a trap!" Nabald shouts. I hear the customary sound of a vampire being dusted. I crane my neck to see Miros's remains floating down. "Cynthia and Joshua have betrayed us! They are the enemy here!"
A cry of anguish emits from Ayledan in reaction to Miros's death. She rushes just past me to attack Nabald, but before she can get to the vampire leader, Lydia snags her pant leg. Lydia's weight is lifted from my torso as she tackles the girl. I'm on my feet instantaneously, and I jerk Lydia off Ayledan. After helping the slayer to her feet, I whirl to face Lydia who has just picked herself up. She hisses as I block her punches and kicks and land a punch on her jaw. She flies back, crashing into the wall behind her.
"Buffy!" My eyes lock on Spike's. "Nabald!"
My head flies right to witness Nabald abandoning the battlefield. Ayledan is crumpled in a heap on the ground. She groans as I bend over her.
"You okay?"
She blinks up at me. "Yeah. Go."
I need no more encouragement and race after the vampire leader, not knowing what to expect in the tunnels. I smile. . . I thrive on the unknown.
TBC. . . the fight. . . between Nabald and Buffy. . . :o) Hope you enjoy it! Thanks so much for your encouragement!
"I can't believe the slayer found out our location!" Nabald is furiously pacing back and forth across the carpets in his primary meeting hall. He's a hand-talker, and his arms are pumping up and down. His hair is sticking straight up in patches where he rubbed his fingers over his scalp. In all the months I've spent in close contact with him, I have never seen him so flustered.
He ceases moving and faces me with a plaintive expression. "How, Cynthia? How could she possibly have found out?"
Being on thin ground, I am not certain what to say in reply. I decide to go with the truth. . . simpler and less likely to give me away. "Someone ratted you out."
Nabald immediately resumes his path. "But, who would do something like that? How have I not treated my followers well?"
"Someone who got a better deal?" I hypothesize, not really knowing if he was listening to me.
"Maybe. But who would give him a better deal?" His right hand goes to his head, and he tugs his fingers through his tangled hair. "I've treated them all so well!" He glances at me. "Is no one loyal anymore?" He shook his head. "Don't answer that. . . And he picked the perfect time! Just when I was about to pull off one of my biggest raids."
"But the main thing is that we get everyone out. Joshua and Miros have found the perfect place. Somewhere the slayer would never find. They're busy helping everyone else evacuate. We just have to get you there as well. That's my job."
He bows his head in defeat. "I know."
I approach him carefully. "Come now. Let's get your things ready. Everyone else is already on the way."
"My bags are there, Cynthia." He points at the mound of luggage against the wall.
I hurry to the pile and load my arms and shoulders with Nabald's belongings. Nabald doesn't seem to be joining me. "Um. Are you going to help me?"
Almost despondently, Nabald shrugs. "Sure."
My heart tugs a bit for the vampire before me. Then, I remind myself of his plans to kill hundreds or thousands of children. He's definitely a predator with whom I don't want to trifle. "You ready?"
"Yes." He nods almost childlike.
Waiting for him, I signal the direction we are supposed to go with one bag-laden arm. "That way." He doesn't move.
"Cynthia, do you know how much I will miss this place?" Nabald surveys the now almost completely empty space thoughtfully.
My voice is low, "I think I do."
He continues, "This was a symbol of my power, my strength. . . a symbol of my success. So many things have happened here."
Choosing a half-lie, I reassure, "You'll reestablish yourself elsewhere. Then, you'll have a new home."
His body straightens a little. "You're right. I will."
Several minutes pass, and we are already in the underground tunnels before he speaks again, "Thank you, Cynthia."
My chest constricts. "You're welcome."
The echo of rapid footfalls saves me from having to further respond to Nabald's sentiments. My hands clench around the bag straps, preparing to throw them aside. Nabald's reaction is similar. Miros rounds the corner, his hair and clothes askew.
"Nabald! There's trouble! The slayer's discovered our new place as well! Come quickly, we need your help. . . your leadership. We outnumber the slayer, but they. . . we need guidance!"
Nabald and I shed the heavy cloak of his belongings, and we trail Miros at a run. I note the change in Nabald. Now that his group is in danger, he is prepared for battle.
"Miros, what exactly happened?"
"I don't know. One minute, we were settling in. The next, the slayer and her group showed. We were completely taken by surprise. T-the witch has some sort of solar spell. Dusted at least a hundred in a second or two."
Nabald's jaw visibly tightens. Secretly, I'm impressed by Sage's finesse. "So, how many are left? And can the witch do it again?"
"No, she's apparently out for the count. Spell drained her completely. There's about twenty or thirty of us left."
"We've got the numbers. That should be to our advantage," I point out.
"Yes," Miros agrees.
* * *
2675, several minutes later
We arrive at the scene, and I quickly take in as much information about the surrounding battle as I can. Set in a shadowed, cavern-like room with concrete walls, my first instinct is to locate Spike, and I spot him in the corner, staying in the background. Ayledan is fighting back to back with Richard whose hands are glove-free. My eyes widen as I witness him grab a vampire and press his hand against the vampire's bare flesh. After a handful of seconds, the vampire explodes into a ball of dust. Sage has pushed herself weakly against the wall, and Bandel is swinging a double- edged sword at vampires. The demons are angrily trying to get the witch who torched their friends.
Spike's eyes light even in the shadows when he spies me, and his body seems to come alive as he springs out of the darkness. Miros growls beside me and launches himself at Nabald who is shaken by the surprise.
Shifting into my own game face, I jump into the fray, sliding a stake into my palm from the inner part of my sleeve. Landing a kick into a vampire's thigh and forcing her to the ground, I pause as she gathers herself.
Gold eyes glint up at me from under a drape of blonde hair. "Lydia."
She pounces on me, pinning me to the ground on my back. Pain shoots through my spine as shock radiates through my back against the unbending cement, and my vampire face is forced away. I bring my stake toward her heart, but she scoops my hand away.
"What the hell are you doing, Cynthia?"
Another voice interrupts before I can speak. "It's a trap!" Nabald shouts. I hear the customary sound of a vampire being dusted. I crane my neck to see Miros's remains floating down. "Cynthia and Joshua have betrayed us! They are the enemy here!"
A cry of anguish emits from Ayledan in reaction to Miros's death. She rushes just past me to attack Nabald, but before she can get to the vampire leader, Lydia snags her pant leg. Lydia's weight is lifted from my torso as she tackles the girl. I'm on my feet instantaneously, and I jerk Lydia off Ayledan. After helping the slayer to her feet, I whirl to face Lydia who has just picked herself up. She hisses as I block her punches and kicks and land a punch on her jaw. She flies back, crashing into the wall behind her.
"Buffy!" My eyes lock on Spike's. "Nabald!"
My head flies right to witness Nabald abandoning the battlefield. Ayledan is crumpled in a heap on the ground. She groans as I bend over her.
"You okay?"
She blinks up at me. "Yeah. Go."
I need no more encouragement and race after the vampire leader, not knowing what to expect in the tunnels. I smile. . . I thrive on the unknown.
TBC. . . the fight. . . between Nabald and Buffy. . . :o) Hope you enjoy it! Thanks so much for your encouragement!