Solstice by SLynn

Chapter 7: Revelations

Buffy had heard the scream and headed as best she could in its direction. Not to far off, Angel and company did the same. Everyone feared the worst. The voice, decidedly male, was in no other way recognizable.

Xander, despite their fears, was safe. For the moment.

Narissa calmly laid the blade at Xander's feet then pulled the gag from his mouth. She then proceeded to drag Eamon into the center of the room and design. As far as Xander could tell, Eamon was still alive. He was bleeding profusely, but still alive.

After arranging Eamon carefully on the ground, as she had everything else, she pulled two daggers from her boot and proceeded to place on in each wrist.

"Have you any idea?" she asked. Her voice was low and calm, but Xander heard every word.

"Some," he answered and saw her nod once.

"She said you would. She said you were smart. She always knows."

Xander pressed his chin to his chest, not wanting to believe it.

"How is this..."

"How is anything possible?" Narissa countered, casually stepping over Eamon's body in further preparation. "I don't pretend to have her foresight. I am just the servant. After her return she sent me the cup and told me I would know when to use it. Now is that time."

"You can't," Xander said, shaking his head, "no. It's not... you can't do it."

Narissa said nothing, just continued on with her work. Xander's head was reeling. A noise from Eamon caught his attention. It was a gargled noise, a near gasp. Xander was transfixed by the sight. The vampire was actually bleeding to death. He didn't understand how that was even possible.

Narissa took note as well.

"Your part is coming."

Buffy went through room after room with little success. The vampires, there must have been many at one time, seemed to have disappeared in a hurry. Finally, after three empty rooms, she heard noises from the next.

Busting in she was surprised, not because of vampires, but because of Giles. He'd nearly hit her on the head with a chair.

"Buffy," Willow exclaimed, "thanks goodness."

"Sorry about that," Giles said returning the chair to its rightful place.

"Where's Xander?" Tara asked.

"They took him. He's the sacrifice," she blurted out.

"No," Angel said with a shake of his head, "that can't be right."

"But they took him," she insisted. "We've got to hurry. He's not back that way."

"No," Giles added, "we haven't run across him or anything else in that direction either."

"Okay," Buffy said, looking both doorways over and finally indicating a third, "we try there."

Xander continued to stare at what was left of Eamon. He looked like a corpse. A still breathing corpse.

Narissa made her way to him and unchained him from the wall. She walked him across the room till he was just beside Eamon, before forcing him to his knees, hands still tied behind him.

She didn't have to tell him not to move. Fear was doing a good job of keeping him in place.

Retrieving the blade and cup she stood before him and began to chant in a language he'd never heard before.

She placed the cup on the ground between them, then after a minute more drove the blade into the ground nearest her.

Xander looked at the cup as it began to glow slightly, shimmer. None of his nightmares had been this bad. He'd give anything to wake up now, back at the apartment. Anything.

The room began to feel warm and mist was swirling around them. Just then he heard a familiar sound. The sound a vampire makes as it turns to dust. Certain he knew what had happened, Xander didn't bother looking. Eamon was no more.

Xander knew he'd be next.

"This has got to be it," Angel said as they reached a large wooden door at what appeared to be the center of the catacombs.

Buffy was busy examining it. She knew there would be no kicking this one open. It looked too solid.

"We have to get in there," she said.

"It looks at least half foot thick," Angel countered.

"I think I have a way."

Everyone turned to look at Willow, eyes black as coal.

"Stand back," was the only warning she gave.

Narissa now knelt in front him, also on her knees. Her chanting was almost feverish and hurt his ears. It was like pounding.

Then Xander realized it wasn't her chanting, it was actual pounding. Pounding at the door.

If he could feel relief at that moment, he would have. But in him it just wasn't possible. He knew it was his friends out there, just knew it, but he still could do nothing. Xander was firmly rooted to the spot and unable to speak.

As the pounding grew louder he heard the door start to crack. Just as it did Narissa picked up the cup.

The cracking noises grew louder, Xander could hear pieces of the door falling, but it was too late.

Narissa had picked up the sword and in one quick stab pierced him in the side.

Xander's vision became a field of white. The pain was blinding and he felt himself falling backwards uncontrollably.

Around him he heard yelling and screaming. He couldn't see, couldn't focus. A moment stretched for an eternity as he continued to fall endlessly, the blade still in him.

Narissa had filled the cup with his blood.

Buffy was just making it into the room. Frantic. She'd seen Xander stabbed. Had seen him fall. The hellmouth was forgotten to her, she thought only of him.

Angel alone had presence of mind to try and stop Narissa. Try to keep her from fulfilling the ritual, but he was too late. As he was crossing towards her she lifted the cup.

"I am willing!" she yelled and raised the cup to her lips. Simultaneously, she pulled the blade from Xander's body and cast it aside.

Narissa drank and the room became bathed in light. Her body lifted into the air and pressure, a wind, pushed them all out of the way like leaves in the wind.

Giles, Tara and Willow who had not made it inside yet, were pushed completely out of the doorway and into the next room. Angel was flung to her left, having almost reached her, and taking the brunt of the blast. Buffy who had come up along side Xander, was now next to him at the wall he'd previously been held.

"I am willing my master!" Narissa called out again and again.

With the blade out of him, Xander could see again. The pain was still there and he felt the blood seeping from his body, but it didn't matter to him at the moment. All that mattered was stopping Narissa. All that mattered was keeping her from finishing.

"Buffy..." he managed, his words came out haltingly. "We have to stop her."

She seemed startled to hear him speak at all. Tears were in her eyes as she looked at him, but she understood at least in part.

Angel, across the room had already gotten to his feet, was already trying to see what if anything he could do. Buffy did the same. Narissa, seeing them both, threw her arms out towards each of them, affectively pinning each to the wall.

"There is no stopping me," she bellowed as her body began to transform. "I do not lose."

Buffy was in shock as she watched Narissa's body twist and contort. It was almost as if she was shedding the skin around her. Becoming someone else.

And then she too knew the truth.

Xander had been right. Xander's dreams had all been true. It wasn't the end of the world or the opening of the hellmouth they'd been after. It was worse. Much, much worse.

Constance was being reborn before their eyes.