Unseen

After Not Fade Away

Angel swung the ax to the side, effectively cutting in half a demon that had gotten far ahead of the others.

Gunn chuckled.

"Now that's what I call a good swing."

"I can do better than that…watch this Charlie Boy," Spike said leaping onto an oncoming demon, knocking his sword out of his hands, skewering him with his own weapon and then taking said weapon and using it to block the hurled axe at his head…all within seconds.

"Show boating's not allowed," Gunn said as he battled his own demons…he felt himself draining bit by bit, but he was determined to give his all…as he had just told Illyria…if he was only going to last another 10 minutes…then he was going to make them memorable, make them count. Go out swinging, just as he had started fighting so many years ago. And it showed as he demonstrated what it was to be Charles Gunn, taking out demons left and right, holding his own with the strongest and remaining members of their group.

"Sure it is…it's what keeps me goin' ya know…that…and the killing of the demons…it's good for the soul," Spike said as he used his newly acquired ax and broadsword to hack down a wave of demons, leaving twitching and gory demon parts left and right.

Angel and he were hacking their way up the alley. Angel was after his prize…the giant dragon that was circling above...and Spike…he had his own plan, which he wasn't sharing with anyone until he got a chance to execute it.

Illyria was also holding her own; she grabbed the sword out of an incoming attacker's hand, kicked him back into his oncoming brethren, and then used the broadsword to skewer at least three demons in a row, when she tossed it at them. She quickly flowed into a new set of punches and kicks, making holes and exploding demon heads in her wake.

In other words…they were all doing the best they could to beat back the coming darkness.

Spike figured the quickest way to obtain his goal, was to go for the troll first. So cutting his way through the demon crowd, he advanced at the top of his speed and with the help of his newly exercised skills he made it to the huge advancing troll demon. Cutting one of its legs, he slipped behind it and after making another nick in its leg, he started climbing it.

As Spike climbed the giant troll, he kept attacking him with his sword; making huge gashes whenever he could land a blow…he had to dodge the troll's giant arms and all.

From his temporary perch he spied Angel still hacking away nearby and Illyria, moving Gunn to a safer location, away from the murderous demon herd, for that last hit that he had just taken had deepened his already deep puncture and they were all sure that he'd be dead in moments.

Well, if Charlie-Boy is on his way out, I'll give him a hell of a last memory to take with him, Spike thought.

With a sudden renewed spirit, Spike glanced up at the sky & his path, quickly assessing what he had to do to get where he was going, & then moved with lightening speed, climbing up the troll with both unnatural speed and ease. As he reached its head, he leaned over & blinded it quickly with both his sword & his ax.

The troll, screamed in agonizing pain, clutching at its eyes, trying to stop the burning and horrid sensation that it was now experiencing.

Spike smiled wickedly before slashing its throat. He then rushed to stand on top of its head as it staggered back & forth. As he held his ground, Spike couldn't resist shouting out to everyone below,

"I'm bloody king of the mountain."

Gunn, fading as each minute passed, laughed. If he had enough energy to shout he would have. As it was, he said softly,

"Only cause someone got a lucky shot in my first battle, Fang Boy Junior. Otherwise, it'd been me up there."

Spike smiled, from this distance, he couldn't actually hear what Gunn said, 'specially as he said it so softly, but he had a good idea.

As the troll staggered into a nearby building, Spike jumped high & scaled the wall, before leaping onto the roof.

From there, he took his ax in his left hand, flipped it until it was the right moment, and then he shouted down to the troll.

"Awww…is 'im sore? Did I 'urt the big baby demon? Why don't you come this way & teach me a lesson then."

The troll gave an enraged yell, it was dying, for the earlier blows that Spike had landed into the neck were gushing blood like petrol, but it seemed to still have a good amount of fight in it.

As it took a step towards Spike's rooftop, it stopped and staggered backwards as the ax that Spike had been just playing with deeply embedded itself between the giant troll's eyes.

"Man I'm good," Spike congratulated himself as he watched his ax land with accuracy and precision.

The troll gave up the fight as it died from the last blow & it's body fell backwards crushing a good deal of demons as it landed on the ground, shaking the earth for a brief moment.

It had, in crushing a great wave of demons, just missed Angel by inches, squashing, instead, the demon that he had been fighting.

Angel looked upwards to see a grinning Spike snapping his fingers, in the nonverbal way of saying, 'Damn'.

Angel glared up at him.

"What?" Spike asked, innocently, but with a devilish smirk on his face.

"Were you trying to get me smooshed?"

"No…not trying…just…it would have been funny if it had…not all of you even…just a leg would have been nice."

"Do I need to come up there and slay you too?"

"No need to get your knickers in a twist…I'm still on your side…just thought it would be funny is all. Sides…you didn't let me betray you…nor deny you three times…gotta get my kicks in somehow."

Angel was about to say something in response when Spike interrupted,

"Shouldn't you be watching those demons that are coming up behind you instead of stressing over what I could do to you?"

"This isn't over Spike," Angel warned him, returning to his work of hacking through the Wolf, Ram & Hart's demons.

Spike softly imitated him going,

"This isn't over Spike."

"Yeah and I'm quaking in my boots over what the mighty Angelus will do to me," he muttered back before looking over to see how Gunn was doing.

He saw that Gunn was still currently with them, Illyria standing guard in front of him, knocking down any demons that got past Angel and headed for them.

Wish I had thought of bringing or acquiring a crossbow…it would be easy pickings for me from here. Aww well…if I live through this one, next apocalypse I go into, I'm gonna remember. Note to self – bring crossbow…and arrows.

He yelled down to Gunn,

"Did you see that Charlie Boy? I missed him by that much," he demonstrated with his fingers.

Gunn laughed…he was so gonna miss the antics of the 'Fang Gang.'

As Angel battled demon after demon, he muttered curses in the name of Spike, for a good, long while.

Spike, laughing, scanned the rooftop until he found something that could help him out while he waited for his plan to take effect.

He pulled a pile of loose bricks over from the corner and then, picking a spot in the crowd of demons coming, he launched a few bricks through the air, smiling with satisfaction as he saw some demons drop down dead as the concrete bricks plowed into their brains.

"Now this is what I call fun…still wish I had those arrows though…could be sure to get a death and not stun in."

Angel below saw that Spike was launching bricks over the roof and as one or the not so far tossed ones missed him by a few feet he thought,

Just when I thought it was safe to battle demons…now I have to be careful of flying rocks. What is he doing up there anyway…I thought he was all about the fist and fangs way of fighting.

As the crowd around him fell, and he was waiting as the rest of the horde to get around the huge troll carcass so he could fight with them, he called up to Spike.

"Spike!"

"Yeah?"
"Why are you all the way up there anyway? Shouldn't you be down here pulling a fist and fangs action?"

"Ah quit your hen pecking…I'll be down there soon enough. I gots something to do up here is all. Why don't you mind your own business and sod off!!!"

Angel laughed, but couldn't help but say, if only to further annoy him.

"Fine…act like a child…sit up there flinging off rocks while the real man battles them down on the ground one-by-…"

The rest of Angel's sentence was cut off as Angel had to dive out of the way of the three oncoming bricks that had been launched directly at him.

"Well that's mature," Angel yelled up to Spike, who sat on the rooftop, leaned over and gave him the finger.

"Right bastard," was the only reply Angel heard.

He laughed and then went back to battling demons as the next wave had finally approached him.

As Gunn looked on, he wondered what their future hold. Spike's, Angel's, and ….Illyria.

Gunn turned to look at Illyria.

And found her watching him intently.

Not being one that usually didn't confront, Gunn wasn't going to bother about it now…

Sides…he wasn't sure he had that much time left…so he decided to check where Illyria stood on the issues that concerned him the most.

"When I'm gone…I need to know that you will fight on their side," he nodded towards the fighting vampire champions.

"I will fight…and on the half-breed's side."

"Glad to hear it, but curious…why?"
"Because you and Wesley held them both in high regard…as did this shell…I mean Fred. So…I will fight for their side. Until we win or their dust covers the earth and my blood flows deeply from an unhealable wound."

"Okay…what about if we win…what happens afterwards."

"I do not know what the future holds…or even if we have one…but if we do all survive they will not be my enemies."

"Glad to… hear it…I guess…you can't…get a more…thorough of an ….answer than that..."

"Your breathing is getting worse."

"No…need…to…tell…me. I'm the…one…feeling it."

Illyria looked at him for a second before saying,

"In my day, there would have been celebration festivals for what you call weeks."

"Why?"

"Because you died a warrior's death."

"I'm not dead yet…but thanks… for the …thought of the honor."

Illyria nodded her head.

She was quiet for a few seconds before saying,

"I am not pleased at your dying though."

"Sorry Blue."

"I told you to try NOT to die."

"Yeah…well…sometimes what is done is done."

"But I am already grieving for Wesley…and I can't stop it…and soon I will be grieving for Wesley and you as well."

Gunn gave her a peaceful smile,

"Glad to know you care Blue."

Illyria gave him a ghost of a smile before saying,

"You like calling me Blue…it is silly, almost degrading & disrespectful & yet I am not that bothered by it. At least you didn't call me a smurf like Wesley once did."

Gunn laughed out right at that, his eyes blazing for a second before they returned to their slowly glazing condition.

"You laugh…I guess it must be funny. What is a smurf?"

"Stop please…I can't take that much more laughter right now."

"I'm being serious."
"I know…and that's why it's funny."

Illyria sighed silently.

Gunn caught control of himself to explain.

"It's a cartoon."

"What is a cartoon?"
"It's a …children's show."

"A show made of children?"
"No…an animated show…that young children watch…kinda like that…Crash Bandicoot game…you & Drogyn…were playing…but you don't…control this show…you just watch it…and it moves…on it's own."

"Oh…pointless and annoying then…but I'll be compelled to watch it a long time…I understand…so…what are smurf's like?"
"Well…they're like…little people I guess…but…they're blue all over…and they're run by Papa Smurf…and if I remember correctly…they're very small…three apples high I believe."

"And how could such a tiny creature exist in a world full of giants."

"It isn't real."

"Oh…seems silly then."
"It was…and fun to watch."

"You watched this show."

"Time to time…I had a younger sister once. I used to sneak her into TV/video stores and let her watch those shows."

Illyria regarded him.

She was about to say something when they heard Spike give a loud yell as he jumped off the rooftop onto the dragon that was flying right past him.

As they looked on, they saw how Spike, once he had gotten his balance, had run up to the head, and holding on, got the great flying beast to turn the way he had wanted it to…and then got it to go up and down the alley, burning down it's own demon horde.

"Damn it Spike that was mine…"

Spike looked under him and then on both wings,

"I don't see your name on him any where…"

"I said…'Personally, I want to slay the dragon'…everyone heard me…and where am I…I'm on the ground fighting demons…watching you ride on the back of the very dragon that I wanted."

"Teach you to be slow, won't it then…poncy buggering bastard."

Angel growled, completely frustrated…and using said frustration began to launch a full scale assault on the non-charred demons that Spike's new pet had missed.

Gunn almost felt sorry for those demons, Angel was beyond pissed off…and he was taking it out on them big time. Hell…he just took on three demons at once and pulled an Illyria move, pinning three of them on one spear, before kicking the weapon out of another attacking demon's hand, using his foot to pick the sword up and then using the sword to cut off the demon's head and then flung it behind him, killing the demon who thought he'd get in a sneak attack.

Spike laughed and then said,

"And the way I remember it…you said you want to slay the dragon…right? This dragon…it ain't slayed…ridden, but not slayed…so stop your whining…sides…there's another one flapping about at the end of the line."

What Angel answered was unknown to them, but Spike sent his flying pet on another flight to burn down some more demons. As the dragon tried to spin around in an attempt to shake Spike off, he told it,

"If I were you, I'd obey me…I'd hate to have to put this big, shiny sword deep into your brain…are we getting a word picture mate?"

The dragon apparently understood, for it didn't try to knock him off again.

"The line ends," Illyria wondered aloud.

"I wonder how that happened…maybe this is just the first major wave," Gunn said.

"You sound better…not so much gasping," Illyria commented.

"I feel better."

"If I knew more of human anatomy, I'd check you for damages…but I don't…"

"Nice that you considered it though…guess humans aren't so pointless are they?"

"I have my own opinions on that one…but Wesley once told me to mind my manners when I told him off…so I'll do you the courtesy of keeping my opinion to myself."

"That's very kind of you."

Illyria nodded and then looked up at the air around them.

"What is it?"

"The air has changed…if my powers had not have been stripped I would have been able to tell you exactly what…as it is…I just know there has been a change made."

"Well let's hope for once, it's on our side."

Illyria didn't answer, merely took a shielding position before him, picking up two swords and holding them out to the side, waiting for whatever was coming next.

Whatever was coming had the demons up-in-arms.

They stopped fighting with Angel and Illyria and were looking around at each other and then around at the sky.

Angel looked around and muttered,

"What now."

Spike flew up and down the line, happily burning the confused demons as he went, but all of the sudden, the dragon lurched, almost knocking him off.

Spike growled low in his throat before saying,

"You were warned!! Thanks for the ride, but this here's my stop…thanks."

And with that, he rammed his sword through the dragon's head…causing the still flying beast to shudder and twitch and then suddenly plummet to the ground, with Spike on top of it.

"Awww…bloody hell!!!"

Apparently Spike had forgotten he was still in the air.

As the dragon's heavy carcass dropped to the ground, he climbed on top and rode it down, jumping off, twirling through the air like an acrobat and landing a few feet away, just before it hit the ground.

"Now that's what I call a landing," Gunn muttered, having time to watch, while Illyria was keeping a watchful guard.

"It was impressive," Illyria commented.

"I could have done that," Angel muttered.

Spike gave all a wicked grin and then picking up a sword from the nearest dead demon.

He bowed and said,

"Glad you enjoyed the show."

The sky and the earth rumbled and they all looked around,

"What the bleeding hell is that?"

They all looked around and noticed that the rest of the oncoming horde was gone and it was eerily quiet.

"Uh…not that I'm complaining, but weren't there more demons coming?" Gunn asked.

"A few moments ago there was…that feeling is coming again…"

"What feeling?"

"Something has changed."

"For the better or for the worse?"

"That is yet to be determined."
"Well that's comforting."

Illyria turned back to give him a look and a smile.

"If it is more demons, I will be what you call happy. I like doing violence."

"And now I know why you and Spike get along."

Illyria smiled.

"The white-haired half-breed entertains me. If I still had my powers, and if this world was a bit different, I'd have made him my pet."

Gunn laughed.

"I was being serious again."
"You usually are…I was laughing 'cause I imagined Spike with a collar on and on a leash. It amused me."

"You see my vision."

"That or we're both warped."

Illyria just smiled again, neither answering him nor disagreeing with him.

Seconds later, heaven and earth shook again.

"Alright…what in the hell is going on?" Angel roared.

"If we knew, we'd tell you," Spike said, sauntering over towards him and back towards Illyria and Gunn.

"Yeah…sure…I'm just glad you didn't aim at me with the damned dragon."

Spike merely smiled.

"It wouldn't do it…damn thing was already dead. Was all I had just to hold on to the bloody thing, keep me balance and land on top."

Angel gave him a glance.

"What you gonna cry boo hoo now?"

"Don't get me started on the damned dragon again Spike."
"I told you there was another one."

"Well where is it?"

"Wherever the rest of the sodding line has gone, I'm guessing."

"Speaking of which, you two know what's going on?"
"Not a clue…we were wondering if you had any idea. 'Lyria here thinks something has changed, but she doesn't know what."
"Well that's a boat-load of nothing."

Spike caught Illyria giving him a look.

"Wha?"
"You're skill on the dragon makes me re-think your position. You wouldn't just be my pet, you'd be my favorite pet."

"Thanks ever so," Spike said, before rolling his eyes.

Gunn and Angel chuckled, before they all stopped to brace themselves as the earth shook yet again.

When it had stopped Spike said,

"So what was that….about a .2?"
"This isn't' the time for jokes Spike."
"And what would be a good time? Do you even know what a joke is?

"I do, and you're not amusing me."

Spike was about to say something when the earth shook yet again.

"Something's coming," Illyria noted.

"Ya get that too?" Spike asked her, giving her his eyebrow lift.

Illyria pointed…

"I meant something's approaching, from over there."

She pointed to just past the once empty alley…

"Well shall we go to meet it, or shall we wait for it to get to us."

"I say we meet it."

"As do I?"
"I'm catching my second wind," Gunn said, standing up, "let's go and kick its butt."

As the rest glanced at Spike he gave them a look.

"Do you really need to ask?"

They shook their heads, grinning, as they all started towards the mouth of the alley.