Title: The Sword's Edge
Spoilers: Everything is fair game
Summary: The Keeper of Souls is in Sunnydale but will the gang have to sacrifice one of their own to stop it.
Disclaimer: This is a fictional story. Joss & ME own the characters, I own nothing and make nothing from this story. In other words; Don't want them. Don't need them. Couldn't afforded them if I did.
Author note: This fic takes place between the fourth & fifth seasons.
Author note 2: Thoughts


~Chapter One~



The fight was going fairly well. Xander watched as Buffy methodically took out vampire and demon alike without much effort. Willow and Tara were in one of the corners of the abandoned warehouse, helping out with spells that mostly irritated their opponents. 'Little fairy lights', as the witches called them, buzzed around the eyes and ears of the bad guys keeping them disoriented while Giles finished them off with what Xander considered to be a truly ugly-looking ax.

The two witches didn't try any of the stronger spells that they knew because there was always the off chance that one of their friends might get in the way. Of course the fact that the enemy was supposed to have an artifact that could absorb magic and release it back at the caster also served as another reason that they only used helpful spells.

Xander also held back from the battle at the request of a very adamant Slayer. He normally would have ignored her but she had to play on his protectiveness streak for his oldest friend and as much as it annoyed him, Xander let her convince him to stay with Willow and Tara. Mainly to keep anything from attacking them.

Xander kept an eye on the current big boss wannabe of Sunnyhell, who was standing off to the side watching the fight. The human was, according to Giles, a low level mage by the name of Ranier who got lucky in stealing power from various 'magic users' of both good and evil intent. Xander didn't know how Giles had found that out and all former Librarian would say was that he got this information from an 'old friend'.

That didn't make Xander feel any better since the only 'old friends' of Giles that Xander knew of were from the older man's youth or the Watchers. Unless he has been visited by someone from another dimension again like the one that had warned Giles about the Mayor wanting Angel to lose his soul.

That thought sent a shiver down Xander's spine because if it was other dimensional creatures that were worried enough to contact Giles then that means the Ranier has some serious power now.

Distracting himself from that thought, Xander took in Ranier's surroundings. An altar was contructed next to the mage. Scattered on it were various artifacts; rings, amulets, arm bands and daggers but what had really caught Xander's eye was a handle of a sword.

It stood out from the other items for two reasons. One; the smaller items looked to be all blackened and charred. Almost like they were burned in a fire but the sword handle was not. And two; The sword handle itself, was incased in a smokey crystal sphere.

"Slayer!" Ranier's yell jerked Xander from his observations. Turning back to the battle, Xander saw that Buffy had managed to dust most of the vampires leaving less than a dozen demons and Ranier.

"You know you can't win." Ranier's face was relaxed with a hint of a smile.

Xander's skin started to crawl. He is way too calm. Xander looked around trying to figure out what the mage might have up his sleeve. It's like he knows that he's gonna win no matter what we do.

Ranier clapped his hands together. As he slowly pulled them apart, a dark blue, ball of energy formed between his hands. "Oh Slayer." Ranier called out. "Say good-bye to your witches."

*~*~*


Buffy finished off one deamon she was fighting and turned in time to see the mage throw a ball of light at Willow and Tara. "NO!"

*~*~*


Giles had just yanked his ax from the body of a demon when he heard Buffy scream. Giles watched as Buffy tried to get to her friends but he could tell that she wouldn't make it. Giles felt his heart wrench at the thought of the two witches being killed while he could do nothing to prevent it.

*~*~*


Uh oh. Willow couldn't form any other thought as she waited for that ball of energy to hit her and her girlfriend. Willow closed her eyes and felt Tara's arms wrap around her. "Tara-"

*~*~*


Having stayed near the two, Xander dived and was able to knock the girls out of the way. The energy ball just barely missed them, instantly liquifying part of the wall behind them. Xander got to his feet and placed himself between Ranier and the two girls.

"Xander?" Willow asked, a little dazed.

Xander looked over his shoulder at Willow and Tara. "Are you two alright?"

"Thanks to you." Tara said.

"Awww. That is just so touching."

Xander turned his attention back to Ranier, who was acting like he was wiping tears from his eyes. Xander saw that Buffy and Giles had finished of the rest of Ranier's forces and were walking towards him.

Ranier yawned and stretched. "That was not a very nice thing to do boy. I really wanted to see those two become a puddle of goo."

"I personally think it was a very nice thing that Xander did." Buffy said as she stepped up next to Xander.

Ranier turned his attention to her, an arrogant smirk on his face. "Slayer, you might as well give up now. The only thing you could use to destroy me is in that crystal ball over there." he said motioning to the crystal sphere sitting on the altar.

Without thinking, Buffy ran for the sphere.

"Buffy no!" Giles yelled.

"I wouldn't do that." Ranier singsonged.

As soon as Buffy picked up the crystal sphere, an invisible force erupted from within it. Buffy was pushed away from the sphere and sent sliding across the floor.

Buffy was getting to her feet when Ranier grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the ground. "Too bad that didn't work for you. I was actually hoping you would be able to use it but now it looks like I'll just have to settle for killing you."

Xander watched as Buffy sagged for a second before fighting Ranier's grip. He was about to help when...

::power::

Xander stopped when he heard that soft whisper. He looked around for the source.

::power to save::

"What the.." Xander found his eyes were drawn to the sword handle that lie within the crystal sphere.

::yours to claim::

Xander spared a glance at Buffy trying to free herself from Ranier but his attention was drawn back to the sphere. Without anyone noticing, he calmly walked over and picked it up off the floor, holding it in one hand.

"Once I kill you, I'll start on the witches next." Ranier glanced at the two young women then turned his attention back to the slayer. "I think I could have a lot of fun with them. Don't you think so?"

"I don't think so." Xander held the sphere between his hands and started to press them together. He didn't understand how he knew that this was the only way to break the sphere and claim the sword within but ended up not caring as long as the whispery voice was right about the power to help his friends.

::claim the power::

*~*~*


Giles watched in disbelief as the sphere disintegrated in Xander's hands. There was a bright flash of light and when Giles' eyesight finally cleared, Xander was standing there with a sword handle in his hands. How could Xander.. Giles' mental question trailed off as he recalled how just seconds ago, Buffy was violently thrown from the same crystal.

Xander just stood there with the sword handle raised above his head. There is no blade. That thought occured to Giles as he watched the remains of the crystal floated in the air around Xander.

The air around Xander's hands started to glow softly and the crystal fragments flew into the glow. Piece by piece, each fragment connected with another to slowly form a sword blade. There was a smaller flash of light as the blade attached itself to the handle in Xander's hands.

Ignorant of the confusion running through the friends of the Slayer, Ranier turned to the young man with his hand still wrapped around the Slayer's neck. "Now how did you do that?" He looked at Buffy. "Do you know how he did that?"

"Let. Her. Go." Xander seemed to shake with fury.

"Ahh.." Ranier brought a finger to his chin in thought. He looked at his captive and released her. Buffy inhaled sharply and Ranier grabbed her by the neck again. "No. Sorry but I just can't bring myself to do that. Now more importantly, I want to know is how were you able to form the sword's blade?"

Forgetting the other occupants in the room. Ranier, still holding onto Buffy, started to circle Xander. "No comment? Now you are starting to hurt my feelings." Ranier faked a sniffle then raised Buffy above his head. Her feet weakly dangled several inches off the floor.

Giles tried to grab Buffy only to be lightly backhanded by Ranier. "Now I was raised to respect my elders so be glad I didn't hit you harder." the mage sneered at Giles.

It was at this point that Xander acted. Jumping forward, he swung the sword with all of his strength in a downward motion, neatly severing Ranier's arm at the elbow. Buffy, with the severed limb still attached to her neck, fell to the ground gasping for breath.

Ranier turned to the boy and stared the stump that was his arm. Then at Xander as he removed the lifeless limb from the Slayer. "Now you really should not have done that."

*~*~*


While Xander went to help Buffy, part of his mind was astounded at what he did and what he felt. From the moment he held the sword in his hands, he had the sense of that he was not alone. He thought he was hearing voices but he couldn't understand what was being said as the voices were just on the edge of his awareness.

There was also the power. Xander felt like he could go anything. No one could beat him. Xander held the full power back earlier so he wouldn't hurt Buffy but now that she was safe, nothing would stop him from unleashing that power on Ranier now.

Once he was sure that Buffy was safe, Xander stood up and faced Ranier. "It's time for you to say good-bye."

Ranier was calm with just the hint of a smile on his face. "I think I'll say something else if you don't mind." Ranier paused and smiled. "Tharillos."

Xander froze as Ranier's laughter echoed in the room.

*~*~*