Chapter 5: Out Of The Mountains

They had become increasingly anxious as they neared Chaono Lake, all hoping that Dawn would tell them that Buffy's trail had changed direction due west or south any time soon.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Having left Sash Fortress ten days when they encountered a group of twenty riders; ten Buntine, ten Chaos soldiers. Xander came to a halt, the others disguised as usual, as two sergeants approached him. They both saluted, palms out, the Buntine sergeant beginning "My lord I-" before Xander interrupted,
"Under whom do you serve?" in as imperious a manner as he could muster.
"Under Colonel Sash, my lord," said the Chaos Sergeant. But before he could continue Xander said,
"Good."
{There's no helping it, now}. Willow sent the thought to Xander.
I know, he thought back. "I am Lord General Ver-Tal. You will escort us to your base, sergeant."
"Of course, my lord," quickly said the Chaos Sergeant. Both sergeants saluted, and they turned to ride for Lake Chaono.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Willow created a mental link between the five, so that they could speak without being overheard. Willow, thought Xander, {if we get to the camp and Dawn senses Buffy went someplace else, how am I supposed to get us out of there?}
{I don't know yet}, came the reply. {We'll think of something}.
{Like what, Red?} Asked Spike. {If G.I. Dough-Boy here isn't convincing, that colonel will probably see right through him. Feels like we're walking to the headman's block to me. There's only twenty of them. We can take 'em.}
{But what if one of them gets away-}, began Anya.
{I know}, thought Spike. {This is just so bloody...}
{Laboriously slow?} Suggested Anya. Spike barked a humourless laugh catching the attention of some of the riders. At his stare, they turned away.
{Couldn't have put better}, thought Spike, {If only we had something in front of us. Between her and us. Something... I don't know: tangible: physical. Something I could...}
{Something you could fight}, supplied Dawn. Spike grimaced.
{Yeah, Niblet. Something I could just fight, to get to her.} Everyone was silent. Then Dawn spoke in her mind.
{You still love her don't you?} Spike rolled his eyes to the ground, closing them. A moment later he audibly sighed.
{Let's just say that I miss her, Dawn. I miss her...} They rode on, their minds contemplative. {Anya?} Dawn asked mentally an hour or so later, as they were riding west of a small mountainous area. {Why didn't you disguise Xander like you disguised us? Then we could have gotten through pretending to be regular soldiers.}
{Because its just a disguise, Dawn}, came the reply, {no Ankylan or normal Chaos demon is over ten feet tall! If I tried it, we'd all see an Ankylan demon, but with a gigantic Chaos Demon's chest sticking out of his head.}
{Oh}, came Dawn's response, {I didn't}-
{And trust me, he is gigantic}, interrupted Anya.
{Ah, Honey}, thought Xander warily to Anya, {we don't need-}
{We checked some things out back at the castle}, she continued.
{Anya}, tried Xander, but Anya steamrolled on.
{You know, when we had those private quarters? Trust me, when I say 'gigantic', I mean frikkin'}-
{ANYA!} mentally shouted Xander. Anya turned questioningly to Xander, who looked down and quickly shook his antlered head. Anya mouthed 'Oooh', and nodded, then turned to Willow and mouthed 'Gi-gan-tic'.

A few minutes later Dawn sent the thought, {Anya, you said Xander isn't a normal Chaos Demon. If he isn't, what is he?}
{I'm not really sure, Dawn. He might be a type of demon that's only native to this dimension, because I've never seen anything like him before.}
{Couldn't he be, like, just a really big regular Chaos Demony Guy?} Asked Dawn.
{I suppose}, she responded, {he has the wrong colour skin and eyes but}-, she stopped as a scouting Chaos Soldier came riding back ti the main group, saying,
"Sir, bandits ahead," to his sergeant.
"How many?" asked the sergeant. The scout's eyes were wild.
"Estimate fifty ahead, sir. But there are two large groups heading for us from the west and southwest, less than a quarter of a mile away, sir."
"Ours?" asked the sergeant. The scout shook his head. "How many coming from the west and southwest?"
"At least two hundred, sir." His response was that of a cornered animal.
"We are caught in a vice!" said the Ankylan sergeant. "We must make for the mountains. Ride! Quickly!" he shouted as he began to move.
"No!" exclaimed the Chaos Sergeant. They are Imystian bandits of the Desert Mountains. They ride mountain-krus. They will easily overtake us in that terrain. We would be picked off, one at a time."

Suddenly Xander shouted, "Halt, sergeant!" to the Ankylan, then turned to the Chaos sergeant. "Is what you true? Will their mounts outmatch ours on mountainous terrain?
"Without doubt, my lord," spoke the sergeant.
"Then we make for the north!" shouted Xander. "We hit them head on and punch a hole through the group," he instructed as they rode. "Once through we make for Chaono Lake. Do not stop!" he added as the group of fifty bandits became visible, growing closer. {Willow}, he thought,{can you and Anya protect Dawn?} Willow nodded and with urgency gathered Dawn and Anya to her. She incanted a short spell and a translucent shield of light, barely visible, appeared before them.
{Ride straight through, Red!} Mentally shouted Spike. {Don't stop for anything! We'll cover you.} He readied the sabre he had acquired from the first riders they had encountered.

The approaching bandits were two hundred yards away when Xander raised his weapon. Mentally readying himself for battle, suddenly the sabre glowed a shiny black, and grew in his outstretched arm to a nine-foot long great- sword of black steel, and his slick, night-black skin hardened into organic armour. He barely had time to open his mouth in shock when the bandits were upon them, and battle instincts took over. He raised the massive weapon and effortlessly cleaved an approaching red-skinned demon from shoulder to chops, spraying the area with demon blood. In the same motion he pulled out his sword and ran through another bandit. They were lightly built with dark muzzles and fanged mouths.

Willow's shield was preventing anyone from touching the three the girls as attackers futilely slashed and stabbed at the barrier. Those that weren't immediately deterred soon were, as Spike wielded his sabre with stunning speed, decapitating a particularly determined bandit.

Dawn winced at the sight of a flying severed arm, bone clearly visible, as she held as tightly as she could to her speeding animal, gripping the red beast by its dark, grey mane. Everywhere was blood and steel and screaming and hooves stomping and suddenly – they were through. She looked up and saw that Willow had released the shield, and Spike was beside her. She looked to Anya who was looking back and shouting something, "Xander! Hurry!" shouted Anya, as Xander and a few riders still fought off the bandits. He sent an attacker flying from his mount with a monstrous thrust before shouting,
"To me! To me!" and made for Anya and the others, flanked by two Chaos Soldiers and two Ankylans. The bandits had recovered from the shock of the sheer ferocity of the attack and were giving chase. "Ride!" bellowed Xander, "Move!" To his left, a Chaos Soldier toppled from his animal, with a fletching protruding from his ribs. The bandits were now making use of their bows as they rode, as arrows shot through the air. The Ankylan behind Xander took an arrow in the back and fell limp, as Xander saw another Chaos Soldier dropping from his animal, clutching his neck.

Dawn gasped as she saw an arrow strike Xander in the back, and bounce off the armour she only now realised he wore. The other rider and he were moving away from their pursuers as their mounts were better paced on this level terrain. As Xander and the Ankylan caught up to them, the bandits were growing smaller in the distance.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Xander surveyed the scene as they rode at a blistering pace. Dawn and the others were safe, but he saw that half the twenty had fallen. "Sergeant," he called loudly over the pounding hoofbeats.
"Both fallen, my lord," shouted back the Ankylan beside him, the one who had rode out at the last with him, "the Chaos Sergeant went down in the first rush and Sergeant Attel took an arrow in the back." Xander grimaced.
"What's your name?" he asked the soldier.
"Corporal Dricoi, my lord," he shouted in reply.
"Sergeant Dricoi," corrected Xander. "Tell me, sergeant; how far until we can expect assistance?"
"At least fifteen miles, my lord. We were much further away from camp than usual, as we were a scouting party attempting to locate these Imystian Mountain bandits. They have become much bolder, raiding deeper into Mesu in recent months than I can ever recall, my lord." Xander nodded his antlered head. To Anya he sent out the thought,
{An, what were those demons? Some of them must have been insane. One rode straight into my sword!} he thought incredulously.
{I think they were Truscho Demons.} She replied, and added {sometimes they tend to go a little berserk and go rampaging.}
{No kidding!} thought back Xander.
"My lord!" shouted one of the three remaining Chaos Soldiers, "To the west!" They could see that the largest group of bandits was riding diagonally toward them, northeast, having used the earlier melee to gain on the riders.
"They'll overtake us in minutes!" roared Xander.
{Xander!} mentally called Willow, {I have an idea! Order the soldiers to stop.}
{But-} began Xander.
{I don't have time to explain, Xander. Just trust me.}

Xander ordered a halt. {Anya, release the disguises on everyone} instructed Willow. Confused, Anya began removing the illusions on her and the others. {Xander}, urgently thought Willow, {tell the soldiers what they are about to see is an illusion; just a spell. Hurry!}
"Sergeant!" called Xander loud enough to be heard by all the group, "your men are not to flee! What you are about to see is an illusion." {If only I even knew what it was}, he added to himself.

As Willow and the others rode toward the attackers, Xander realised what Willow was doing, as he heard startled and choked gasps from behind of 'Vantals!' A faint glimmer preceding the human-looking group told Xander that Willow had re-established her mystical shield around them.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The head bandit saw that the fleeing riders had halted. {How noble}, he thought to himself, {a last stand}. "Ready your bows-" he began as he caught sight of four riders approaching. He chuckled to himself, {Fools, soon they-}, as he caught sight of their faces.
"Vantals!" shouted one of his men, falling from his krus as he desperately tried to stop and turn.
{No!} thought the Truscho, {Vantals! Four of-} "Turn!" he shouted, "Flee! Flee!" Feyuto had no wish to die, regardless of the size of the bounty.
"I don't believe it!", exclaimed Dawn. "They're running away. What did you do, Willow?" Spike, however, was smiling.
"Oh, that was cute, Red. Real cute." He began turning, "Let's catch up, quick. When they meet up with their buddies, they might get over their case of 'Willy The Snitch-Syndrome'. Come on, you lot!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Xander had the riders moving when the other, led by Anya returned, she having restored their disguises. "Are all of you alright?" he asked them.
{We're fine, Xander}, came Willow's reply in her head
{Willow, what was that?} asked Dawn. {Did you make them see monsters or something? I mean, I saw us looking normal.}
{They did, and we did,} answered Willow. Dawn's silence spoke volumes. {I let them see us as humans, Dawn. I remembered what Anya said about vampires in some dimensions. So, if humans are extinct in this world, the only thing that would look human...}
{Is a vampire!} Finished Dawn.
{And seeing how Spike easily tore apart ten guys when he lost it, four vamps could've annihilated more than half those bandits,} said Xander in their minds, as he sheathed his weapon on his back. Dawn was grinning.
{You seriously rule, Willow!}

After ten tenuous further miles, Dricoi said, "They are giving up the chase, my lord," as he craned his neck around, "They will risk coming no closer to our encampment." Behind, the Truscho were breaking off their pursuit. Ten minutes after they had disappeared from sight, Xander order that they slow to a canter, and then a trot, to give the tired animals some deserved rest. His own large mount suffered more than any others, bearing the six hundred pounds of muscle that was Xander's demon form. He knew that these krus must be stronger than any horse on Earth.
{Dawn}, he asked, {we still headed in the right direction?} She nodded. He only wished that the right direction wasn't going to continue to lead right into the encampment, and Colonel Sash.