Gunn flew backwards into Wes after being hit by a telekinetic blast.
At exactly the same moment, out of nowhere, a huge talon scythed through the ground towards the Erus Veneficus' torso. He jumped backwards impossibly fast, and the Reaver floated upwards, sending another huge claw directly towards the wizard.
Faith threw herself forward at the pile of supplies, and Gunn rolled over Fred to protect her from the battle.
Wes rolled to his feet using the momentum of the blow he just received.
The Erus Veneficus twisted sideways to avoid the claw, and Faith stood up bearing two weapons.
She threw one without looking across to Wes, who caught his shotgun and cocked it. Faith notched a bolt into her crossbow at the same time, and together they aimed at the Erus Veneficus.
The wizard roared in fury and unleashed a mental blast upon the Reaver, sending it soaring backwards away from the ruins of the group's base camp.
Faith released the bolt and it soared forward and plunged into the Erus Veneficus' shoulder. The impact sent him spinning around, and as he came to face Wes he brought his hand up just as the former Watcher pulled the trigger of his shotgun. Shrapnel crackled forward and fizzed inches from the wizard's body. The shotgun got cocked.
Katie launched between the folds of canvas that was her tent and released a small hand axe in a spinning arc.
Still spinning around, the Erus Veneficus brought up his other hand just as the energy barrier discharge from the shotgun shrapnel disappeared. The axe bounced off air a foot from the wizard's body. He finished his spin and landed like a cat on the grass, going into a fighting half-crouch.
The Reaver tumbled away along the field, coming to a stop fifty metres away.
The Erus Veneficus snarled at Faith. He went to jump forward at the group but at the same instant a swirling torrent of wraiths poured out of the roof of the mansion and into the twilight sky.
He gave a startled glance at the wraiths, then a hateful one to Faith. Obviously torn, he gave another glance at the wraiths. His face twisted in pained indecision, he growled at Faith, then launched himself into the air, trailing after the tornado of wraiths.
Faith followed his progress into the sky. "I think it would be best if we got the hell out of here."
Wes shared her line of vision. "I would be inclined to agree with you."
The shattered glass hit the floor and Buffy tensed herself for another Turok-Han onslaught.
They clambered inside, onto the balcony. There was instantly a line three deep of the horrific creatures snarling at the small group.
But in line they stayed.
Their expression hadn't changed, their actions suggested they were going to leap forward and dismember anything that moved, but they stood still.
"What's going on here…" muttered Giles.
"I dunno, but I'm getting pissed off with all of this crap," said Buffy. "The Erus Veneficus playing nice, Turok-Han with table manners…"
"It's enough to drive a person crazy," said Angel from behind her.
"Angel?" she said, turning to face him.
He shrugged. "I woke up."
"So we can see," said Giles curtly. "Any side effects of the Erus Veneficus' spell you're aware of?"
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about them, Rupert. They'll behave until the First tells them otherwise."
Giles shot him a puzzled look.
"Please. I might've been unconscious but that doesn't mean all the good stuff got past me."
"So what do we do?"
"Not much you can do, given the circumstances. Sit tight and hope for a quick death when they do decide to make a move."
"Well, forgive the rest of us for being a bit more optimistic."
"Forgiven."
Giles eyed Angel again, but said nothing. The vampire walked past Buffy and towards the line of the Turok-Han. He grabbed one by the chin and shook its head slightly.
"Aww, isn't it cute?"
"Angel, what are you doing!?" cried Buffy.
"Relax. Like I said, they'll behave until the First says otherwise, and the First'll behave as long as the Erus Veneficus is holding its leash. Looks like we've got some time to kill."
"Angel, I don't know what…"
"What a change."
Buffy stared, shocked at Angel.
He sighed suddenly. "I'm sorry. It must be that spell messing with my head. I'm gonna go rest for a little while." He brushed past the warriors on the balcony and leaped to the ground, heading for the back of the hall.
Buffy and Giles shared a puzzled glance, then returned their attention to the suddenly docile Turok-Han.
"All I'm saying is, I don't think this is what we came to Sunnydale for."
"Dude, shut the hell up. No-one cares what you think anyway."
"But this is all messed up, man! We come to pick up a little gear because the town's deserted, then our cycle gets messed up; we start changing whenever, wherever!"
"It's part of the power of this town. Haven't you ever heard of the Hellmouth?"
"Of course I have, my cousin only went to high school over it."
"So you understand that something big's going down if the entire town packed up and left, right?"
"…But what about the changes?"
"It's symbolic. We're becoming more powerful the closer we get to whatever's happening."
"More powerful? You mean more insane. Look at us, man. We're fighting like animals here."
"…You calling me an animal?"
"See what I mean? You never used to be like this, Jake."
"My ass. You never used to be like this – whining about everything, second guessing every damned thing we do. It's like you don't want us to be here."
"…Hello? Have you been listening to a word I've been saying?"
"Yeah, and it sounds like you need to be shut up for good."
"I wouldn't do anything you'd regret, Jake."
"Oh, I'm not gonna regret anything - "
"WOAH!"
"Dude, get out!"
"Did you see - ? He just changed in a second!"
"Go on – shoo!"
"Shoo? He ain't a house cat, man!"
"Alright then – piss off!"
"Jake!"
"He just changed too! I can't believe this sh- "
"GET DOWN!"
"ARGH!"
"…………"
"Yeah, that's right…he won't be coming back here any time soon."
"Dude, where's Will?"
"He ain't here, man."
"Heh. He must've run off with Jordy."
Legs pounded the loamy floor of the forest. Faith and Connor led the way, darting in between trees and brushy foliage, full of the knowledge that the Erus Veneficus and an army of wraiths might be right behind them.
Fred cried out as she tumbled to the ground, the loose strap of a bag she was carrying wrapped around her leg.
"Faith!" called Gunn, and they all slowed to a halt, converging around Fred.
"Ugh…it's my ankle," she gasped. Upon further inspection, it was revealed she had broken it.
"Damn," muttered Wes. He looked around for wood to make a splint, but his eyes rested on something in the near distance. Puzzled, Xander followed his glance.
Not fifty metres away was a moderately large stone structure. Steps led down to an open gateway into the building.
"Well isn't this terribly cliché," commented Xander.
A howl echoed in the distance.
"We're not outrunning anything now," said Gunn. "I say we dive into that crypt and take cover."
"And the cliché deepens," said Xander. Before anyone could comment, he added; "Not like we have a choice though."
After a moment's hesitation Wes unhooked the bag from Fred's shoulder. "Fine. Let's go."
He handed the bag to Katie and hoisted Fred onto his shoulders. They slowly but surely made the distance to the crypt.
"Connor, let's go scope it out," said Faith, and the two ran low to the ground into the structure. The rest clambered down the stairs a few moments later.
They waited at the entrance for word from the two scouts.
"Well?" called Gunn after a few minutes. "Any ghouls or ghosts?"
"No," floated the response. "We've sure found something though."
They headed inside into the main chamber. Faith and Connor kneeled over something in the centre of the hall.
Wes set Fred down on the floor just as the thing Faith and Connor were next to stood up.
"Oh my God!" exclaimed Xander.
Bah, I couldn't think of a little section after this one so you get a really small chapter instead. Well, relative to my other chapters short. I normally hate doing lil ones like this but I figured that I would appreciate an update rather than nothing if the roles were reversed, so apologies and enjoy. Hopefully the writer's block will go away soon. R/R please. Oh, and Tariq gets credit once again for the Jordy thing.
Edit Well, I got to the end of Chapter 22. That is, before I actually finished Chapter 21. Writer's Block hasn't ceased it's evil crusade against my mind, and I've got 75% of chapter 21 to write before I can put up 22! Argh! At least it's done though!