Title: The Monster's Alphabet
Author: alliterator
Summary: A series of vignettes, from Adam to Zookeeper. Spoilers for all seven seasons.
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine; everything belongs to the great and power Whedon.
Balthazar
Spoilers for Season 3's "Consequences."
"It has been a hundred years since my enemy crippled me. Now ultimate power is within his grasp and I will not see it happen. This town is MINE to destroy. My amulet will give me strength, strength to kill him, to kill all my enemies, to burn this world to a cinder!"
- Balthazar in Consequences
He used to be thin. Back in 1898 he was a muscular demon, horrific and frightening and able to tear apart any creature with his bare hands. With the El Eliminati in tow, he went the Hellmouth to try to end all human life.
It was a noble mission and one he was truly prepared to see happen. He had prepared for everything: earthquakes, floods, even the arrival of the Slayer. He would rip her head from her shoulders and drink of her blood and then end mankind's pitiful existence.
Unfortunately, he was not prepared for the wealthy landowner that was mayor. The Mayor had sent his Deputy Mayor, Gleaves, to greet him, while the Mayor was secretly performing a spell.
Gleaves was a trickster. He stole Bathlazar's amulet and when Balthazar was unprotected the Mayor's spell struck. The spell was strong, it almost killed Balthazar. The Mayor sent a mob to finish the job, but the El Eliminati scared the off and dragged their fallen leader away from Sunnydale.
Away from the Hellmouth he was too weak even to feed, so the El Eliminati had to bring him his meals. So he would regain his strength faster, they brought him food six or seven times a day, often having to get them from neighboring towns to avoid detection.
After many years, he finally regained the power that the Mayor had stolen from him. There were only two problems: he was still missing his amulet and he was fatter than a house.