Chapter Twenty Six: Loyalties
Jasmine reappeared in the basement next to the re-established seal where Buffy or rather The First in the form of Buffy was waiting for her.
"Did you kill them all?" asked Buffy/The First.
Jasmine smiled. "That's my business," she said. "Now what do you..."
Jasmine was interrupted by clapping from a single pair of hands. The noise was coming from Glory who now walked slowly forward towards the other two.
"Brilliant, just brilliant!" said Glory. "You do realise what you've just done makes matters worse don't you? You might just have blocked off my only chance to go home."
"Then you'd better join the fight instead of sitting around on your butt," said Jasmine. "Your only friends are right here. It's about time you had the sense to understand that."
"You just won't listen will you?" said Glory. "No wonder you have to keep running away from world after world. With a talent for making enemies like yours you'll never be more than a small nuisance to others more powerful than you."
"This from someone who couldn't even beat a vampire slayer," said Jasmine. "Ooh, you'd better get out of here. I understand there's at least one more slayer around and she might be looking for you."
"Why don't you sort out your differences later after we've dealt with the immediate problems," suggested Buffy/The First.
"I'm looking at my immediate problem," said Glory staring at Jasmine. "In fact I'm just about to deal with it."
By now Glory and Jasmine were glaring at each other. Buffy/The First, incorporeal as she was now stepped between them.
"That's enough," she ordered. "The seal is nearly ready to fully open and when it does..."
"You know you're not making any friends here by looking like that," interrupted Glory who glared at Buffy/The First.
"She's not your friend anyway," said Drusilla who now joined the other three. "Either of you. You do realise that after the meteor hits and most humans are dead there'll be enough vampires and demons coming out of the Hellmouth to make this, this thing corporeal. Once that happens it'll be in charge and you two will have to do as you're told."
The First now morphed into a copy of Drusilla. "Well, well, it seems the slayer's got a new friend." she said. "What a difference a soul makes. Well pretty soon we won't have to worry about souls any more."
"Is that what you guys want?" continued the real and apparently fully sane Drusilla. "The best you can hope for is to be minions of this guy. Do you remember when you used to be minions to somebody stronger? I bet that was great fun."
Glory already had grave doubts that the interests of The First and her interests were the same. Drusilla had now achieved her aim of placing the same doubts in the mind of Jasmine. Although both Glory and Jasmine claimed the status of Hellgods neither had started out as such powerful beings. Neither of them intended to return to a lesser status at somebody else's beck and call.
Glory looked at Drusilla. "You're sure about this?" she asked.
"You know I have The Sight," said Drusilla. "And you're both powerful enough to know the truth when you hear it. Once there are more demons in the world than humans The First gets its wish and becomes corporeal. That'll be a few minutes after the meteor hits."
Glory glanced at Jasmine and Drusilla/The First and then walked over to the seal. She held her hand over the seal and watched as one of the sections opened.
"What are you doing?" asked Drusilla/The First. "You're needed upstairs, not down there. What she says is true but it's not the whole truth. We can come to a deal about what happens after the humans are dealt with."
Glory giggled and shook her head. "Trust me, I'm the First Evil," she mocked. "Oh yeah, like I'm gonna fall for that."
Glory now entered the Hellmouth. Jasmine watched her go and then disappeared herself. Drusilla/The First glared at the real Drusilla and then also disappeared.
Darla now walked out of the shadows to join Drusilla followed by Connor supporting a still groggy Gunn.
"You heard all that?" Darla asked her son. Connor nodded. "You'd better fetch your friends down here. There isn't much time. They need to enter the Hellmouth, shut it from the other side and stop anything opening it again until this meteor is past."
"Why are you doing this?" asked Connor. "Why are you both doing this? Is it the souls?"
"A vampire is a thing," said Drusilla. "A soulless thing. I'm still a vampire but now I know what I am. I now have a choice and I choose not to be a thing any longer."
As she finished speaking Drusilla turned away and picked up two swords one of which she gave to Darla. She started walking towards the seal.
Darla started to follow Drusilla but as she did she turned back briefly towards her still confused son. "Come on, hurry up," she said. "For once in your life do as your mother tells you."
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Prue put the phone down after talking to Faith. Quickly she told her sisters and the others what had happened.
Both Leo and Jenny tried to get a read on where Tara had disappeared to but without success. "I'd better join Faith and her people since Tara's not around at the moment," said Jenny. I bet I have to save Rupert again before this is all over she thought as she orbed away.
"Do you think we should go over there too?" asked Colleen. "They might need us now the others have disappeared."
"Looks like we'd better all be ready to join them over in the school," said Piper. "We can take all this stuff with us and keep the spell going over there."
"If the Hellmouth doesn't interfere with it." said Paige. "We don't want to fall into whatever trap got Buffy and the others."
"Pheebs," asked Prue. "Do you think you could check your mystic e-mail? Try to find out what our best course of action is?"
"You can do that?" asked Cordelia. "You don't have to wait for it to just hit?"
"Sometimes I can," said Phoebe looking around and thinking. "I usually need to hold onto something with a connection to whatever it is I'm trying to find out about."
"Take my hand," said Cordelia holding out her hand. "Perhaps if we work together we can really find out what's going on."
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A search of the cavern by the slayers had shown no exits. Buffy and her companions seemed to have been transported to an underground cavern without any exit or entry. Short of a major effort to dig their way out through solid rock it seemed that magic was their only way of returning to the fight.
Willow, Tara, Giles, Amy and Anya had finished their discussions and were now preparing for a major magical effort. The plan was to enclose everybody within a magic circle and then transport everybody all together back to the basement of the school.
As well as the magic users there were The Slayer, the Battle Scythe, the enhanced potentials and their weapons plus the magical amulets worn by everybody. The plan was intended as a way of harnessing all of the magical power available at the same time and using it to break free of their present location. All preparations were interrupted however by the return of Jasmine who suddenly reappeared in the cavern.
Buffy strode towards Jasmine holding her scythe ready for use. "Nice to see you again," she said. "Now if you'll just hold still I'll remove that unsightly lump from your shoulders."
"If you kill me, not that you could, you'll never get out of here," said Jasmine causing Buffy to stop short.
"You don't know that," said Willow coming to stand beside Buffy. "We've got more magical power than you and it's white magic not black."
"Yes, I expect you have," said Jasmine. "Magic was never one of my strong suits. I couldn't do these teleportations without the Hellmouth nearby. But you need more than power. You need to know where you are. Even if you could get round that you don't have the time. Everything's coming to a head back at the Hellmouth. If you agree to what I want I can take you straight there."
"Is this really Jasmine or is it our Firsty friend playing games?" asked Xander.
"And does it make any difference anyway?" asked Anya.
In answer to this Jasmine crouched down and picked up a stone which she tossed at Xander. It bounced off him. "I believe that's the usual way of proving the point," said Jasmine.
"So you want us to believe that you've changed sides," said Buffy. "Why should we believe you?"
"You haven't heard what I want yet," said Jasmine. "You'll see that I'm still on the same side, mine."
"So what exactly do you want?" asked Giles.
"We're not gonna let you take over the world or carry on killing people." said Buffy.
Jasmine smiled. "I don't want the world anymore," she said. "Oh no, I can do much better than that."
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While Angel, Dawn and Fred went down the ladder into the basement after Darla, Connor and Gunn, Wesley went along the corridor to the other side of the building to see Faith and her team and to inform her of what had happened.
Wesley had volunteered to go. He had had second thoughts about staying with Angel to search for Connor. Knowing that Giles was no longer about he thought it more important that Faith have the advice of a watcher, or at least an ex-watcher, to help her as it seemed she was now the acting leader.
As Wesley was telling Faith, Jenny and the others about Connor, Gunn and Darla they were interrupted by the arrival of the Halliwells and Cordelia who had brought Chao-An and Colleen with them and also collected Kennedy and her group from the entrance on their way into the school.
Cordelia and Phoebe explained to the assembled group what they had been able to find out by the prompting of their vision talents.
"Inside the Hellmouth?" queried Faith. "You're sure?"
"It's the only way," replied Cordelia. "We have to shut the Hellmouth from the inside otherwise it can still be used to draw in the meteor."
"And we have to guard it from the other side against anything that comes at us trying to open it up again and get out," said Phoebe.
"This sounds awfully like the 'Hordes of Hell' prophecy," said Wesley.
"Oh no!" said Cordelia. "Not another prophecy. That's all we need."
"Won't knowing the prophecy help us know what's gonna happen?" asked Kennedy.
"Huh, all prophecies ever do is tell you you're doomed unless you kill yourself or marry your mother or something," said Cordelia. "And if you do it you then find out it meant something completely different all along," she added glaring at Wesley.
"Somebody's coming upstairs," called Isabella who was on watch at the basement door. Everybody immediately readied themselves for combat but relaxed again when they saw it was Connor and Gunn.
"What happened?" asked Wesley, taking hold of Connor's arm to make sure it was really him. "What's Darla up to?"
Connor gave a quick account of what had happened both upstairs and in the basement. Gunn said nothing. He had now recovered from being knocked out but was as interested as everybody else to find out what had happened.
"So these vampires want us to follow them into the Hellmouth," said Kennedy. "Sounds like a trap."
"Except that's what Phoebe and Cordy also want us to do," said Prue.
"So does the prophecy," said Wesley.
Faith led the way down into the basement but she wasn't the first there. Angel, Dawn and Fred had already arrived by using Darla's back door. As everybody followed Faith down the stairs Angel was glad to see Connor amongst those following the slayer. He went over to Connor and Gunn to find out what had happened to them.
"Any more news about Buffy?" Dawn asked Faith.
Faith shook her head. "Nope," she said. "But don't worry, she'll be OK. She's got Willow, Tara, Giles and all the rest with her. No way will they miss the big fight."
As if on cue Buffy, Willow, Tara, Giles and all the rest appeared back in the basement. As if this was not a big enough surprise they were accompanied by Jasmine. Before those who were able to recognise Jasmine were able to do any more than direct puzzled looks in her direction Jasmine left.
"Don't forget," said Jasmine to Buffy as she walked towards the Hellmouth. "You play straight with me and I'll play straight with you." She stared into the seal and caused one of the sections to move aside allowing her to enter the Hellmouth by going down the steps underneath.
Everybody began speaking at once and it was a full minute before the din died down. Buffy had raised her hands for silence. Since everybody wanted to hear what she had to say silence finally descended.
"Look," said Buffy. "We're all in this together so I'm gonna tell everybody what I know then listen to what's been happening here. But we don't have much time so everybody make it quick."
Buffy explained that Jasmine had sent them elsewhere but had then agreed to bring them back. She said that Jasmine claimed not to trust The First and had decided to make her home on the other side of the Hellmouth. In fact she probably intended to take over from The First. Buffy had agreed not to fight Jasmine provided she stayed on the other side.
"Can we trust her?" asked Fred.
"We don't need to trust her," replied Buffy. "Provided she stays away from us we'll stay away from her. I think she's happy for us to fight The First and then take advantage of any damage we do. So long as she's on the other side when we finally close down the entrance we can't lose."
"It's OK," said Tara. "Willow's amulets are still working. We're not under her control."
"She couldn't control a Whitelighter anyway," said Leo.
Connor then explained what had happened with Darla, Drusilla and Glory before handing over to Phoebe who explained about the visions that she and Cordelia had seen.
"So what's that prophecy about Wes?" asked Faith.
Xander groaned. "Yup," he said "Just when things are at their worst you can always rely on a watcher to come up with some awful prophecy."
Wesley explained that the prophecy concerned was a quite famous prophecy called 'The Hordes of Hell'. Giles was also familiar with this prophecy and at his request Tara orbed to his room back at the house to pick up a book which contained details of the prophecy.
Tara was soon back. She handed the book to Giles who went into a corner with Wesley to study it. Willow walked over to Tara but was forestalled by Leo who wanted to speak to her along with Jenny and Paige.
All the Whitelighters together thought Willow who decided it would be polite if she kept her distance. I wonder what that's about. As Willow continued to watch the group it seemed to her that both Paige and Tara were upset by what they were being told by Leo and Jenny.
Willow walked over to the Whitelighters to find out what was going on. "What's up sweetie?" she said putting her arm around Tara as the Whitelighter meeting broke up. Paige went with Leo over to her sisters and Jenny went over to speak to Giles.
"I can't go with you," said Tara. "I can't go into the Hellmouth. It isn't allowed for Whitelighters."
This statement, so unexpected as it was, immediately created great confusion in Willow's mind. On the one hand Willow wanted to stay close to Tara and be with her during the coming battle. On the other Willow couldn't bring herself to be unhappy about the prospect of Tara staying behind in safety.
"Not allowed?" asked Willow. "Who won't allow it? Do you mean the Hellmouth will stop you entering?"
"No," said Tara. "It's not like that. Nobody's gonna stop me, it's just that I've got to stop myself."
Willow still didn't understand and gave Tara a puzzled look.
"Leo and Jenny say that if Whitelighters go in there then demons will be able to go into the Higher Realms," continued Tara. "It'll be like issuing them with an invitation. Even if we won this battle it'd mean we would have lost more than we'd won."
Paige was even more upset that Tara if that were possible. She had pointed out to Leo that she had never been a proper Whitelighter, she just had the powers of a Whitelighter because of her father.
"I've never been measured for wings," she said. "I haven't joined the union or been put on the payroll. Surely I don't count as a Whitelighter?"
"I think you do," said Leo. "I might be wrong but do you want to risk the consequences? I really don't think you should."
"But haven't you been there before?" asked Paige. "I remember a few times when you orbed 'down below.' "
"It's not the same," said Leo. "I only went to the fringes and I wasn't part of a full scale invasion."
"There's no getting round it," said Jenny. "We really do have to stay behind."
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Giles and Wesley were at last ready to explain about the prophecy. As it was pretty clear that The Forces of Light would be going into the Hellmouth for the big fight Buffy had spent the intervening time organising the invasion.
As they would not be going into the Hellmouth Tara and Paige would do the magic to fully open up the seal and to shut it again after everybody else went through. Once on the other side the remaining Charmed Ones would perform a closing spell. That way the Hellmouth would be shut from both sides until the danger had passed. Because of this the Halliwell sisters would be the last through the seal.
According to Phoebe and Cordelia the next 48 hours was the critical time. If they could keep the Hellmouth closed down for that long then it would stay closed and there would no longer be any danger of it being used to pull the meteor down to Earth.
"48 hours," said Fred breaking the renewed silence. "In that case we'd better take a little food and water with us." That prompted the Whitelighters into another round of fetching and carrying to and from the house.
Of course everybody wanted to go through first, or at least first right after Buffy. Buffy therefore found herself insisting that the various groups that were used to working together should stay together as groups.
First through would be Buffy and the Scoobies including Wood. Willow and Amy would be ready to use magic to deal with any immediate magical threat. Faith would follow together with Vi and her team followed by Angel and his group. Next would come Kennedy, Rona and the other team of enhanced potentials and finally the Charmed Ones.
"Gather round everybody," said Giles with the book in his arms. "We'll explain as best we can what this prophecy says." Everybody gathered in a large semi-circle centred on the two watchers as they explained as best they could what the prophecy said and what it meant.
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Tara and Paige completed the opening and stood aside to allow Buffy and the rest to descend through the seal. In view of what Giles and Wesley had said Willow had tried to say her goodbyes but Tara had refused to accept that their parting would be anything but temporary.
"But they said we have to shut the Hellmouth from both sides," said Willow who like almost everybody else had been thinking of the consequences of that. "If we win this battle we can't open it again, it'll be shut for good. And if we don't win it..."
"No," said Tara. "I don't care what it says in that prophecy. We'll be together again. I know it. Don't forget, the trick with prophecies is what they don't say. They never give you the whole truth. I know you'll win and I know we'll be together, together always. Death couldn't keep us apart and nor can anything else." Tara had given Willow a final kiss and had then joined Paige in opening the seal.
Paige had had a final few words with her sisters, Leo had spoken to Piper and Jenny had had a quiet moment with Giles. By unspoken agreement all of the Whitelighters put on a front of perfect confidence in a successful outcome, whatever their private misgivings. Finally the Charmed Ones at the end of the procession entered the seal with Prue turning to give her youngest sister a final smile before disappearing below.
Tara and Paige now stepped forward to conduct the ritual to close the seal. As they continued they saw the seal gradually fade away as the magic being applied from both sides took effect. Finally they finished, looked at each other and wordlessly embraced before turning away.
Tara and Paige were now surprised to see that instead of just Leo and Jenny the school basement had silently filled with up with people. Not people Tara quickly realised but Whitelighters. There must now be fifty Whitelighters here she thought.
All of the Whitelighters, including Leo and Jenny, were dressed in white robes. Leo and Jenny stepped forward with white robes in their arms for Tara and Paige. As they did so Tara could see that both Leo and Jenny now had large swords which were sheathed on their backs. In addition there were swords for Tara and Paige with the robes.
"What's going on Leo?" asked Paige taking her set of robes and sword. "What's this all about?"
"Just because we can't go into the Hellmouth doesn't mean we're just spectators," said Leo. "Anything that gets past our people in there will have to face us."
With that Leo drew his sword which was a signal for the other Whitelighters to do the same. All at once the swords all burst into flame.
"Nothing, and I mean nothing, is going to get past us" he said.