Chapter Thirty-Four

Giles pushed past the demon and forced himself down the stairs into the basement. Blood trickled from various wounds. Giles forged on.

Wesley followed Giles, ready to continue fighting. He ran down the basement stairs and into the fray.

Connor pounded the Turok-Han, beating it with his bare hands. Kennedy engaged several of the Bringers. Her new slayer powers weren't helping. She was taking a beating. Amanda was pinned against the wall three Turok- Hans surrounded her. Vi stood over a large brownish horned demon, kicking him repeatedly. Molly stood between two average sized demons; she fought both with everything she could. Rona battled on; her arms and face covered with bruises and cuts, her legs sore and bleeding.

Dawn swung her blade powerfully at the attacking Turok-Han. She knew in her mind that she was no match for the monster, yet she fought bravely. Oz crouched on the other side of the room, attacking demon after demon.

Gunn and Rondell battled their way into the basement, closer to the Hellmouth. The boys followed suit. Blood flowed from a gash in Gunn's head, yet he didn't seem to notice.

Xander moved down the basement stairs with a large axe in his hands. He swung at every demon in his view. Anya and Fred moved together, both girls carrying their weapons tightly. Each fought as fiercely as they could.

Willow entered the basement leaning in Lorne's arms. He helped her as she walked slowly down the steps. Spell after spell, Willow's energy faded, yet she continued to help as best as she could.

-

Spike pushed himself up against the wall clutching his head. The First continued to issue command after command. Spike fought with everything he had to ignore the orders to destroy Buffy. He grasped his head tighter and screamed.

Angel's head instantly turned to the right as Spike's scream reached him. Angel snapped the neck of the Turok-Han and punched the large demon approaching him. Angel moved with purpose towards Spike.

Angel grabbed Spike's shoulders and shook him harshly. Spike tried to bat his grandsire away.

"It's got me." Spike moaned as he shook his head from side to side.

"Fight it." Angel shouted, slamming Spike against the wall. "You used to be strong, you used to be able to fight, no one would have controlled the old Spike!"

"I can't." Spike practically cried.

"Do it!" Angel commanded, baring his fangs unintentionally.

Spike thrashed back and forth. "It's too strong."

Angel nodded. "I'm sorry." Angel slammed Spike as hard as he could against the brick wall and brought his hand down to Spike's face with force. Spike's head flew to the side as Angel's fist connected. With in moments, Spike had lost consciousness.

"Faith!" Buffy screamed as a Turok-Han hefted her from the ground. "Help!"

Faith looked over and watched as the Turok-Han lifted Buffy over his head and prepared to throw her across the room. Faith threw one last punch at the demon in front of her and turned to run to Buffy. Her legs burned from the fighting. Her eyes and arms were swollen. She threw herself into the Turok-Han.

Buffy crashed to the floor as Faith tackled her attacker. Buffy swept herself up and brought her foot hard into the Turok-Han's head.

Faith rolled over and brought her blade down against the Turok-Han's throat. Buffy pushed her shoe into the end of the sword and the two girls decapitated the monster.

Buffy looked around the room. The First was gone; the Bringers were gone; only the demon warriors and the Turok-Han remained. Buffy scanned the room for her friends. Angel fought fiercely against the attacking demons. Connor, Gunn, Rondell, Giles and Wesley; Buffy went one by one making sure everyone was alive. Dawn, Oz, Willow, the other slayers; Buffy watched as everyone fought.

"B." Faith said as she spat out a mouthful of blood.

"We won't win this way." Buffy shook her head.

"We need to fall back." Faith said. "Check our numbers, bandage our wounds."

Buffy nodded. "Fall back." She said softly.

"Fall back!" Faith shouted as loud as she could.

"Fall back!" Buffy shouted again. Buffy and Faith watched as everyone began fleeing up the stairs.

"Watch for demons waiting for us!" Faith called as she began attacking the demons in the room.

Buffy and Faith fought as others fled.

-

The gang poured out into the school courtyard. Only demon bodies remained. Nothing was alive. Trees and bushes burned, offering an eerie glow to the dusty sky. Angel followed Buffy and Faith out of the school with Spike flung over his shoulder.

"Sun's coming up." Angel said urgently.

"Get in the van." Giles called, pointing to the van in the parking lot.

Angel ran as fast as he could as the sun began to crest the sky. He yanked the backdoor open and threw Spike urgently into the back. Angel climbed in after him and shut the door with a slam.

"I did see down there what I thought I saw, didn't I?" Faith said confused.

"I did too." Buffy nodded, holding her hand against her bleeding side. "Angel's a vampire."

"Again." Wesley offered.

"We'll explain later." Giles said as he began ushering the group back toward the cars. "Right now, I think we need to get someplace safe."

Buffy nodded and moved off. Everyone followed.

Faith sighed and looked back at the school. They had stopped the Hellmouth from being open, for now anyway. She knew The First would be back after sunset.

"We'll be back too." Willow said as she placed her hand on Faith's arm.

"We need a better plan." Faith said hard. "This trying to fight every demon one at a time isn't working."

"Then we find something that will." Lorne said as he pulled Willow towards the van.

"Here." Faith said as she put Willow's arm around her shoulders. "Lean her on me."

Lorne, Faith and Willow limped away together.