Chapter 27b
The recently reunited group moved as one…slowly entering the huge dark chamber of the newly insane blonde vampiress, knowing that any kind & any number of surprises could be waiting for them.
Their two champion vampires lead their group, Giles & Xander bringing up the rear.
Druscilla hadn't moved from her spot on the floor. She was still too busy lamenting over her problems.
Xander was only marginally worried that Dru would get up & decide to join the party, attacking them from the back, once they were occupied fighting from the front. He was about to say something to Giles, about that, when the doors slammed shut & the wall closed up behind them.
Willow quickly informed them,
"I didn't do it."
Spike & Xander gave her twin 'Duh' looks.
But, instead of commenting on it, Spike returned his attention to the darkest areas of the room, vamping out to see better in the darkness of the chamber.
Xander, looking at the now solid wall behind them, said,
"Well, on the one hand…I'm like relieved. Don't have to worry about Druscilla deciding that she's hungry all of the sudden & hey, that Xander looks full of yummy delicious life-giving blood, so let's just reach up & drain him dry. On the other hand…yikes! As a qualified bricklayer, I hate to give you all badder news, but it's sealed tight."
Spike & Angel's heads snapped up & their stances became more aggressive and protective as they both said,
"We've other things to worry about. Heads up everyone…something's coming."
The air around them swooshed with dark & evil magical energy. The walls seemed to hum with the energy. They could feel that whatever it was, it was getting closer...and they could tell that it was going to be huge.
But they saw nothing.
"Where is it?"
"Xander be quiet," Willow hushed, her eyes darkening as she & Tara powered themselves up.
"Like you've never panicked before, " Xander mumbled as he moved closer to Giles, looking everywhere.
Angel had a flashback of the last time something huge had emerged & where it had emerged from.
"Spread out …it's coming from under us!" He shouted.
Willow looked down & noticed how the floor was starting to waver.
She grasped Tara's hand & whispered some words in an ancient dialect.
Their entire group levitated off the floor, about 5 feet in the air, but to them all, it still felt as if they were walking on the floor.
"Now this is bloody wiggy," Spike said, looking down & seeing how he and the others now hovered way above the floor. He started to use his feet to press down on the invisible barrier holding them up, to see how strong it was.
"Now…I understand where your coming from Spike…which is a first for me, well…at least the first I'm going to acknowledge, I'm happy to say. But, I don't think that testing the strength of our new air floor is a good thing. Let's just be happy that it's holding us up...Oh my god!"
At Xander's shout, everyone looked at him, to find him looking down to the actual floor.
When they looked down, their mouths opened in shock…the real floor was falling away…and great balls of fire and smoke were rising from the holes.
Their air floor bucked and waved until Willow steadied it.
"What made the floor move? I don't see anything, so what made the floor move?"
Gunn said, " I don't think now's the time to panic Xand."
"Shows how new you are to the team. As a Scooby five years and running, I have to say that now is a perfect time to pani..."
Xander abruptly broke off as he caught a glimpse of the huge, horn-rimmed creature that was coming up from the smoke and fire.
"Okay...that does it. I'm done being the one that gets the first glimpse. Do you see that thing? That's the straw that broke this monkey's back."
"When we get out of here Whelp..."
"What?"
"I promise, to torture
you, for days on end for calling yourself a monkey. For now though, 'Stop freaking out,' Spike said, shaking him
lightly. "We need you to pay
attention. Buffy's waiting for us,
remember?"
Xander took a deep breath.
"I remember...Buffy's my
friend. I want Buffy to be alive. I live through this, help to battle an evil
scary, once dead and now unliving, insane Vampiress...Buffy comes back. I can do this...Okay...I'm ready.
Spike nodded...and then pushed
him towards Gunn and Giles.
"Watch out for them."
"Okay."
During their conversation, the creature Xander had gotten a glimpse of, continued to rise. It was huge enough and way more fierce-looking than anything they had seen crawl out of the Sunnydale hellmouth before. Horns and tentacles, more than 5 heads, with reddish eyes, mouths with fangs and claws, scales that looked like armor. It took the word terrifying to a whole new level.
"Oh...my...God!"
"Willow, Tara, some kind of protective barrier around us would be appreciated."
Willow and Tara raised their hands and a barrier formed around them.
"Now that's what I'm talking about, " Gunn replied.
"Watcher, what the hell is that
thing? And how the hell do we bloody
kill it?"
"I...uh...I don't
know. It...it appears as if it might
be...but it can't be...they're extinct."
"I don't know about you G-man, but that thing looks to be alive and kicking to me."
"I know...it could be...I mean...it appears to be...a…Twaashingsal demon. They were one of the original demons to walk the earth. But, all those demons were lost due to..."
"Watcher...history lesson later, a way to kill it before it gets through our barrier and kills us would be good thing right now."
"Right ...umm...If you can get to it's head, the first one...I believe if you remove that center horn, take it and ram it into the back of it's center head, it'll be turn on itself. Or...I think that's the right way."
Spike and Angel gave Giles exasperated looks.
"Well...ain't that just bloody great," Spike started. "Just how the hell...hey...what the hell was that?"
Their barrier shuddered. They all looked up, at the now, 30-foot creature. It was sending fireballs and some sort of magical discs at their barrier.
'Damn,' Angel thought. 'It's strong...I hope our barrier can hold up.'
Seconds after he thought it, their barrier gave another huge shudder and then fell, taking with it, their floor, dropping them down towards the now flowing molten lava covered floor.
Willow spread her hands, uttered the words 'SOLID' and they landed on solid ground.
"I have never been more pleased to know you Wil, " Xander told her, helping to upright Tara, Gunn, and Giles who had not landed on their feet.
Angel and Spike, who, however, had landed on their feet, and they were now moving back and forth, looking extremely agitated, and staring up at the monster, who had seemed to have shut down.
"What's with the pacing guys?" Gunn asked them.
"Why isn't that thing shooting things at us anymore? We're sitting ducks without that barrier. And Spike and I, really flammable...it should be taking advantage of that...and it's not. Something is up. Willow, see if you can get another, much stronger and movable barrier up around us. Something that will hold well and long, cause it' s probably going to get a workout."
Willow nodded and a barrier jumped up around them.
Just in time.
The Twaashingsal demon had finished powering up and started sending it's deadly magic their way, yet again. This time, though, it was at least 3 times stronger.
"Is it my imagination, or is
that thing getting stronger?"
"Your not imagining
Whelp, it is...come on Giles. Use that
enormous, squishy frontal lobe of yours and help us figure out a way to kill
the damn thing. And be sure man. I sure as hell don't want to get up there,
do what you say, and find out that it just pisses it off instead of killing it
dead."
"I think chopping off some of
its parts works for me? Anyone else up
for that plan?"
"See Gunn, the problem
with your plan, which I 'appen to like myself, is that some demons regenerate. No fun chopping it off if something grows
back bigger and stronger, maybe harrier, or in this case, scalier, now is
it?"
"Starting to see your point."
"Knew you were brilliant."
Gunn flashed him a smile.
"I...I have...I have a plan," Tara said softly.
"What's your plan Glenda?"
"We float you and Angel up to that ledge above the demon's head, you jump on it and find a way to kill it."
"I like how you think
Glenda...Watcher, is this the regenerating kind?"
"It can't regenerate its
heads...anything else though, I believe is regenerative. If you chop off the heads, it'll kill
it...but I believe you'll have to kill all nine heads to really kill it. But be careful. Those horns are poisonous.
If it strikes you with one..."
"Got the word-picture there Rupert, alright 'Soul Boy', time to rock and roll."
"What did I do to get stuck with this boy? There's now way I was that bad. Hell...I should arrive Shanshu today. This has got to be worth at least two thousand redemption points."
They all chuckled as Angel and Spike were encompassed by a second bubble, which lifted them off the ground.
Spike looked toward Tara and made a motion with his hands. She nodded and he winked.
"Be careful all of you," Both Spike and Angel said together.
There was no time to reply, as they were suddenly hit with 4 times the force of the last blow, shaking them hard and dropping all to their knees.
Once Willow and Tara had readjusted themselves, rising quickly and standing once again, they sent Angel and Spike to the top of the 30-foot demon's head with a wave of their hands.
Thirty feet in the air, Willow and Tara's bubble deposited them on a nearby wall niche, where they could jump on the creature when they were ready.
Spike gave Angel a wink & a smile,
"Gotta say, Red and Glenda sure think of everything. I didn't even think about being able to use this ceiling ledge."
Angel agreed, "Willow's got brains."
"Come on, let's get closer."
Angel nodded & led the way.
Being natural predators came in handy for our friendly vamps, for they were able to maintain their balance, while moving at a supernaturally fast pace, on a landing barely two-feet wide.
They moved until they were directly above and behind the demon.
Angel looked over at Spike & wondered if he had that same gleam in his eyes as his childe.
He probably had, he figured.
As much as he denied it, he was a demon...blood, gore & violence made his borrowed blood sing as much as any other vampire.
And the fact that he was about to fight something that would help the Good Side, made his soul happy, but not too happy.
It was at this moment, when Angel felt something materialize on his back.
It felt like a sword case.
He reached back.
It was a sword case, with a beautiful long, good weight, 100-folded sword in it.
He pulled his out and looked at Spike.
Who had also pulled out his sword and was examining it.
"Was this your idea?"
"What's a matter? Don't you like yours?"
"Of course I like it, but I thought you wanted to do this the 'fist and fangs' way."
"Oh I do...but a sword will take out a few heads and since it didn't see us come up here with any weapons, it won't be expecting them at first."
"That's my boy...always full of surprises."
Spike just gave him a grin, that reminded him of a child's smile when they knew their parent was proud of them.
"I was taught by the best you know."
"I think that's the first compliment you ever gave me."
"Not the first...but I certainly won't be complimenting you often. So don't be looking for it."
"I wouldn't dare."
Spike rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself.
"Okay...battle plan time. I'll take the left side and you take the right."
"No way...I'll take the left."
"Why? What's the difference?"
"Left...I have to take the left side."
"Why Spike?"
"Hello...left...sinister...evil. I'm evil...therefore I take the left side."
Angel gave him a blank look.
Spike tried again.
"Spike is a vampire. Spike is soulless vampire. Spike is evil. Spike is left-handed. Left-handed people are supposed to be considered evil, which Spike is. Therefore Spike gets the left side. Come on, you have to get this."
"You are extremely disturbed, you do realize this don't you?"
Spike winked, "Oh yeah."
"Sometimes, you scare me."
"Yay!"
"Are you ready?"
"I get the left side
right?"
"Spike!!!"
"Well, do I?"
"Yes, fine. Evil Spike gets the left side."
"Knew you'd see it my way."
Angel looked up towards the heavens.
"Make that 10, 000 redemption points. This goes way beyond hell and torture."
Spike chuckled.
"Aren't you ready yet dad? Time's a wasting."
Angel closed his eyes and fought the urge to kill Spike. He knew Spike got off on bugging him, just like he'd gotten off on driving Spike and Xander crazy earlier. Speaking of which.
"You know Spike...sometimes, I
can't tell if your you or Harris."
"I am nothing like that
Wanker, Mate, and you'd do well to remember it."
"Come on Spike, it's time to kick a little demon ass."
"First, the big Twaggy demon and then, I'm kicking your demon ass."
"Well then, let's get this show on the road. We jump on the count of three, okay? One...two...damn, why do I bother?"
Angel merely shook his head side to side, following Spike into the fray, for the boy had jumped down, and onto the demon, before he had finished counting.
Spike had managed to chop off two of the Twaashingsal demon's heads before it realized what was going on. Then the rest of the heads and claws started to attack him. Spike ducked and jumped and punched and kicked, reveling in the glory of the battle.
Angel, was getting his own in, on the other side, he too had been able to chop off two heads before he had lost his sword when he had to use it to block a horn attack.
He began to fight the same way Spike loved 'fist and fangs' all the way.
On the ground, Willow and Tara, hands joined and facing one another, with eyes closed, were summoning up a spell to help out their vampires.
Ancient Creature from Demonic World
Leashed on us to rule this world
Using magic ten times your Power
We separate from you within this Hour
Let the Goddess that flows, between us
Grant us a power, Most Supremous
And with our blinding, purest light
We take your power and bind it tight.
As soon as the words were uttered, their heads snapped up, their eyes opened wide to reveal that they were both purely white, like Willow's eyes when filled with magic, only white instead of black.
Their heads snapped upwards, and as they exhaled, a thin white mist came out of both of their mouths, instantly floating over to the 30-foot creature and circling and then covering its bottom half, well, the part which was above the floor.
As soon as the mist covered it, it began to seep through its scales, changing the color from sickly gray to a greenish-gray color. The change began to sweep upwards, and the demon emitted an agonized scream, one that didn't come from a head being chopped off from the two Vampires fighting its heads above.
It tried to send a magical fireball towards the ground Scooby crew, but it disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Way to go Willow and Tara, " Xander cheered. "Witches rock."
Willow and Tara smiled, and said, "We had help."
"We saw, and you may tell them we're very grateful."
"They know," both Willow and Tara replied at once.
"What did you do?"
"Bind it. It can't send any more fireballs or magic disks, it was being helped by something, and the Goddess is helping us block that now. But it's still very powerful."
"Yeah, but I wager Spike and Angel are doing a good job so far, I only see five heads left."
"And five heads are better than nine."
They groaned, " Xander."
"I'm here...I'm quiet. I'm wondering what we do next."
"Watch for falling heads?"
"I'm liking you more and more Gunn."
"Thank you very much. Not so bad yourself."
Xander chuckled.
"Should we send more people up?"
"No I think not. The non-supernatural Scoobies should stay grounded...and I don't believe I just called Spike a Scooby. None of you will tell him I said that, right? Come on, promise me people."
The group laughed, and Willow said,
"Come on guys, we need to move to the sides and keep on the lookout, I doubt this was our only trap."
The rest of the gang agreed, and they moved to the side of the room, away from where they had come in, eyes opened for surprises.
Up above, Spike and Angel were still in the throes of a fierce battle.
Spike had been trying to punch and kick through the hard scales on the demon's fourth head, when it's fifth head (of the five that was left) had swung towards him, horn ready to pierce through and stab him, if not killing him with the blow, than definitely killing him with it's deadly poison.
Angel's warning shout, caused Spike to duck and roll out of the way, and the demon ended up stabbing itself causing the fourth head to shrivel up and die.
"Now that was cool," Spike said.
Angel laughed and turned back to his battle.
Angel, seeing how well the technique had worked for Spike, held tightly onto one head, twisting it to stop it from trying to sink it's fangs into him, waiting for the other head to attempt a sneak attack.
He didn't have to wait long. The second head came fast as lightning. He twisted and jumped and the deadly horn sunk itself deep into the first head's neck. The first head shriveled and died. Before it dissolved, Angel snapped off its horn and wasting no time, snuck around the second head, and rammed the horn behind its neck. It's eyes bugged out and turned black, and the head fell limp. Angel wasn't taking any chances, so he picked up his discarded sword, thankful that it hadn't fell to the ground, thirty feet below, and hacked off the head.
Spike pulled his sword out of the third head, where he had stuck it and went over and stabbed the fifth head with it repeatedly, all the while dedicating a stab or two to the Scoobies and LA crew,
"These two are for the woman I love, this is for my ponce of a sire, this one and that one are for my Nibblet, this one's for Red, this one's for Glenda, this is for my new buddy Gunn, this is for the Taco Loving Girl, this is for the May Queen, this one's for Rupert, this one's for Joyce, may she rest in peace and smile down on us from heaven, this one's for ex-demon girl back in Sunnyhell, this one's for the Pompous Twit, this one's for Harris the Wanker...this one is because I just dedicated one to Harris, this one is still because I dedicated one to the Whelp, and so is that one, and that one, okay...better now. And this one's for my poor lost black queen who will always have a special part of my heart...hold on, wait a minute. I get it now. Not good timing, but I get it now."
"I think it's dead Spike," Angel said with a wicked grin on his face.
"Well, you know...Had to be sure."
"And the dedication to Harris?"
"Tell him and you won't live long enough to make it to Shanshu."
"Do I look like I'd tell him?"
"In a heartbeat."
Angel just smiled.
"I liked it better when you were Broody Boy, when did you get a sense of humor?"
"'Bout the time I found out Buffy's coming back."
"Lucky me."
Angel just laughed.
"I noticed you didn't promise 'Soul Boy.'"
"I didn't, did I?"
"Right bastard."
Angel chuckled again.
"So are we double teaming the last one?"
"You want to work with
me?"
"Please..."
"You know you like me."
"Look 'O Mighty Souled Wonder'. I'm here, with you, for one reason. To help you dust Darla, so we can bring Buffy back to the land of the living. That's it. Bottom line. Now are you gonna help me take out this last head or shall I do it alone?"
"I'm helping...I'm helping. Don't get your knickers in a twist."
Angel said, laughing as Spike, turned away, trying to ignore him, heading towards the last head.
The last head didn't seem as aggressive as the others had been. It knew they were there to kill it, but it wasn't doing anything but waving side to side.
"Hey dad, I think this one's broken."
"Just you remember, the broken one's can be the most violent."
"I remember. I did spend over a century with one of the most vicious creatures on the face of the planet."
"Yes, you did."
No sooner had their words been uttered, than the demon's body shook, and the eyes, which had split up to keep them both in sight, blanked out, turning yellow. It's giant fang-filled mouth opened wide and a huge, what looked like a stalk, popped out of it, and came crashing down, aiming for them. They dodged and it just missed them.
"Damn, now that thing's fast."
"Keep on your toes Spike, here it comes again."
"It obviously doesn't know who it's dealing with. Do you think you can crush me? I am William the Bloody, Scourge of the Underworld and no ancient, crusty, poncy old tree-like demon, like you, is gonna stop me."
After his statement, Spike began to play, well his version of play, with the demon.
It would try to crush him, and alternately Angel, and when it missed, Spike would stab it with his sword, throwing out quips all the way, "Is that all you got? I came here for a fight, you know. You're not even at the pathetic level! You couldn't swat a fly! Are you supposed to be a threat to me?"
Angel alternated between stabbing it with his very own sword, dodging the crushing stalk, and laughing his head off at his childe.
And of course, the last is what made him careless, he was too busy watching and laughing at one of Spike's many quips, that he didn't see the crushing stalk until it was too late to move out of the way.
Thankfully, Spike saw, and with a muttered curse, he moved faster than he had in years, and by barreling into Angel, pushed his sire and himself to safety, a few feet away.
"Thanks Spike."
"Were you trying to die? If anyone gets to kill you, it'll be me…understand?"
"And here I thought you did it out of the evilness of your heart."
Spike growled and pulled him up.
"You interrupted my game, now I'm gonna have to kill it."
"Did the plan change? Was I not in on the plan changing?"
Spike smiled widely, and Angel realized he had left himself wide open for the upcoming insult.
"Why Dad, don't you sound just like 'Monkey Boy'?"
Angel ignored the taunt, as much as he wanted to smash Spike's face in for that one, he knew they had to kill the demon first.
"Okay, we're done playing. Let's kill this thing please, I want to get back down and check on everyone."
"Alright, I'll get in front of it, you wait until both it's eyes are trained on me…
and then stab it from the back. Once you do, I'll stab it from the front. I'll move left, and you right, we're gonna sever that damn thing if it's the last thing we do."
"Got it, let's, how do you say, Rock n' Roll."
Spike rolled his eyes, but jumped in front of the demon, dancing around, keeping its eyes trained on him. Once it was distracted, and stopped watching for Angel, Angel jumped behind it and stabbed it. At it's cry, Spike grinned and stabbed it in the front. The crushing stalk came squirming out, but barely had the strength to swat either one of them, much less crush Spike when it brushed passed him. Spike and Angel did their clockwise dance, slicing the demon apart.
When they had severed it's final head, the demon's body dropped.
And the two vampires dropped with it.
"Oh, bloody hell."
Angel agreed wholeheartedly, but said nothing, merely tried, as Spike did, to keep on top of the huge demon carcass on it's thirty foot decent.
"Wouldn't that be something? Battle the bloody thing for Lord knows how long, and then get crushed by a huge hulking demon carcass."
Angel laughed.
Gripping each other, by the hand, they managed to climb to the very top, and when the demon's body hit the floor, they both jumped in the air, landing with cat-like grace on the floor next to it.
A few seconds later, they were surrounded by the Scoobies and Gunn.
"Way to go guys!"
"I'm so glad you two are alright! You are alright, right?"
"We're fine Red, no need to worry your pretty head."
Willow smiled and hugged him tight.
Spike was shocked at first, but eventually he relaxed into it, and even hugged her back.
Willow let go and went to hug Angel.
Tara hugged him Spike next.
"I'm glad your fine Spike," she said softly.
"Thanks Glenda."
As Tara went to congratulate Angel, Gunn came over to him.
"Man…you so rule. I saw that sword move and I have to say that is the tightest thing I've ever seen."
"Glad you liked the show. Gotta keep up the moves, got fans to show off too…and you'll remember, I'm the 'Big Bad'."
"Way to represent," Gunn said with a laugh and a pat on the back.
Gunn then strolled over to Angel, "Not bad."
"You could have done better?"
"Well…yeah, but I don't like to brag, so I let you handle it."
Angel just laughed and hugged his friend.
Giles stepped up to Spike next.
Spike lifted his eyebrow.
"Spike…well… that was a bloody good show, I'm proud of you."
Spike stared at him, mouth gaping open.
"Spike…"
"Yeah?"
"Flies."
"Huh?"
"Open mouth…flies."
"Oh."
Giles laughed and reached out his hand. Spike held his out in reaction. Giles gripped his hand tight and then pulled him towards him and gave him a hug.
"Good show mate."
"Thanks."
Giles then broke off, leaving a bemused vampire staring after him, as he sauntered over to Angel to congratulate him as well.
Spike looked warily at Xander.
And Xander looked warily at Spike.
Xander opened his mouth to say something.
Spike narrowed his eyes, waiting for something negative to come flying out.
Xander stopped at his look.
Spike started to say something, and Xander narrowed his eyes.
So Spike stopped at his look.
They both opened their mouths at the same time,
"Okay…this isn't…"
"Will you hur…"
They both stopped, both looking kinda sheepish.
Spike gestured to Xander to start.
"I'm not gonna rag on you. You did great. Kinda makes you a true Scooby, not that I'll ever mention it out loud or near any of the others."
Spike smiled.
"Who wants to be in your 'Goody Scooby' gang anyways, I'm the 'Big Bad' you know. The Scourge of the Underworld, and all. But as long as we're saying things we'd never tell anyone else…thanks. It means a lot to know you accept me."
"I'm not hugging you," Xander said, as the rest of the gang started to come over to them.
"Ewww…look, now I know we're on the same team and all, Harris, but I'll be damned…well, more damned, if I'm gonna let you touch and rub up on me. I told you, I think you want me, and I don't swing that way, Mate."
"Don't call me Mate."
Spike laughed at him, as did the rest of the crew.
"If you two are done with your male bonding and posturing and the I'm-pretending-I-don't-really-like-you looks, we still have more work to do. Taking down the big nasty was great, but we still have to dust Darla. We're ready to go, are you?"
Xander and Spike smiled at each other and said," Let's rock and roll." Before strolling over to the doors and giving them a good solid kick.
And with that, they strolled into the next room, the rest of the crew right behind them.
*********
TBC….