Chapter 13

Eye fo an Eye

Africa, 2006

The sweltering heat of Africa beat down heavily on Willow and Xander as they made their slow trek over the terrain. Their Jeep broke down about two miles back so they had to walk to the nearest village. Every since the destruction of Sunnydale and them finding out about Jesse, the two became closer then ever. When Giles sent Xander on a mission to retrieve four new Potentials in Africa, Willow immediately volunteered to go with him.

Seeing the formation of huts in the distance the two increased their pace.

"So Will's what do you think of Africa so far?" Xander asked as he readjusted his backpack.

"Besides the heat this place is beautiful." she replied as she fanned herself with her hand.

As they got nearer to the village a tall muscular black man came out to greet them. After leading them back to the village the two unloaded their equipment and got some rest. As it neared nightfall the two and half of the village sat around a camp fire, while Xander told them tales of the Hellmouth.

"So there I was, just sitting in the hospital waiting room, then suddenly Angelus appears..." The little girl in Xander's lap gasps as he tells this part of the story.

"So then what happened Xantor?" The little five year old girl asks, not knowing how to pronounce Xander's name right. Xander just smiles down at her and ruffles her hair.

"And then..." he manages to get out as a scream suddenly permeates the air. Putting the little girl down Xander looks over at Willow who is slowly getting to her feet.

Taking an all silver sword from the side of her backpack, she quickly throws it to Xander. Arming herself with a crossbow and flashlights the two run off into the night. Before they get out of hearing distance a man stands up and calls out frantically to them, not to go.

Stopping at the mouth of a cave Willow hands Xander a flash light.

"Let's just go in, get whoever is in trouble and get back to the village." Xander says as he clicks on his flashlight. Willow just nods her head in agreement. Xander then runs into the cave only for it to close up behind him.

"Xander!" Willow yells out as she pounds on the stone in front of her.

"Will's." Xander calls back as he turns around and notices he's trapped. "I can't see a way to get out."

"Xander I don't know what to do. My magic isn't working. Should I go and get help?" Willow asks.

"Yeah, do what you can. Since I'm already in here I'll rescue whoever is in here."

"Alright. But be careful." Willow calls back as she begins to run in the direction of the village. As Xander again heard the scream he took off further down the dark cave.

After five minutes of searching Xander turned a corner and found a black woman on the ground tied up and screaming.

"Hold on I'll save you." Xander said as he ran to her. As he tried to touch her, her image faded and she was gone.

"What the fu..."

"Ahhhhhh White Knight..." a booming voice said through the darkness. "you've finally arrived."

Looking up with his one good eye, Xander saw a huge demon with green eyes staring intently at him. His huge tail was wagging back and forth like a dog as he just stood there.

"What the hell are you?" Xander asked. "And why the hell did you lure me here?" he asked as he quickly realized that he just walked into a trap. The demon let out an evil sounding laugh as he still stood there looking at Xander.

"Knight, I am a balance demon from the powers that be. I was told to summon you so you could be rewarded."

"Listen, I've been wanting to say this for a long time." Xander said as he stepped closer to the demon. "Tell the powers that be to go and FUCK THEMSELVES!" Xander shouted the last part out.

"For ten years me and my friends have had to do their dirty work. I've lost some of my friends and love ones, because the powers are to damn lazy to handle this themselves. I've even lost my eye in the name of the good fight." Xander said as he removed his eyepatch in frustration, showing the dead and mutilated skin. "So you tell the powers to take their gift and shove it." he said as he turned to leave.

To his surprise the demon laughed again before he replied.

"So you don't want to know about your daughter Jesse then knight?" That made Xander stop in his tracks.

"What the hell did you say?" Xander asked as he turned around with lightning speed and pointed the sword menacingly at the demon.

"Ah ah ah Knight..." the demon chided. "You must pass the trial before you will learn of the fate of your daughter."

"What the hell kind of trial?" Xander asked. Only for his answer to step out from the shadows.

Xander turns, to see he is no longer standing alone. There, facing him in the darkness, is a very large fellow. It seems he's made entirely of MUSCLES. Xander sizes him up.

'Hmph... with this sword I should be able to kill him easily.' Xander thinks to himself.

Muscles just grins wickedly as if reading his mind, and his FISTS BURST INTO FLAME. They provide the only illumination in the cave, eerily lighting the two combatants.

"Oh, son of a b..." Xander manages to get out.

BOOM! Xander gets hit in the side of the head with a flaming fist so hard, he spins and hits the dirt instantly. He scrambles onto his back, scuttling back like a crab.

Muscles moves in, much faster than you'd imagine he could, and BOOM! Another punch with his flaming fist sends Xander's sword out of his hands.

5 minutes later

Xander falls hard onto the dirt floor in the cave. He's been badly beaten, and his body bears more than a few scorch marks. Barely able to lift his head, he spits blood, stands wobbling on his feet...

"Had enough?" Xander quips.

In answer, a FLAMING FIST cracks Xander square in the face. And Muscles starts to pound Xander. It's nearly over. Xander takes a flaming fist to the stomach - and then doubles over in agony. Ironically enough he lands near his sword.

"So you are the descendant of Arabo's?" Muscles scoffs. "No wonder your daughter died."

Letting out an almost animal like growl Xander stands, with his sword in his hand and cuts off Muscles left hand. Which oddly enough didn't seem to hurt muscles much.

Xander backs up. Muscles approaches him, mayhem in his eyes, and goes for the killer blow when Xander grabs him, rolls with him, gets to his feet first and just manages to kick Muscles in the balls.

Muscles goes down. Xander leaps upon him and plunges the sword hilt deep into Muscles.

It's over. Xander barely manages to get to his feet, but manage he does. He stands, ringed by the flaming torches. He wipes the blood from his mouth, wearily triumphant.

He staggers forward. And we almost get a glimpse of the balance demon lurking in the darkness.

"I passed the test." Xander replies barely awake.

"So it seems." the demon replied. "So now I will tell you of your daughter."

"Before you do." Xander cuts him off. "What the hell did he mean by me being the descendant of somebody named Arabo's? What the hell was he talking about?" Xander asked.

"When the old one's ruled the earth, humans gathered an army to drive them out."

"I already know that!" Xander shouted. "But what does that have to do with me?"

"You are the descendant of one of the three generals who drove the last of the pure demons out of this dimension. There was Mithra's, A powerful sorceress named Artemis, and your ancestor of whom his sword you carry." the demon replied as it pointed at Xander's sword. (Actually it was Jesse's sword, that Willow took from her when she died.)

"Haven't you ever wondered why so many demons are attracted to you? They feel the aura of your ancestor and that attracts them."

"Oh." was all Xander could say to that. All this time he just thought it was because he was a nice guy.

"Now tell me about my daughter!" Xander demanded.

"Very well." the demon grumbled. "Your daughter isn't dead because she hasn't been born yet."

"What?"

"How can your daughter be dead if she hasn't been born yet?"

"I guess that makes sense." Xander reasoned. 'Wait until I tell Willow about this.' Xander thought to himself. "Don't bother getting up, I'll see myself out." Xander says as he starts to stand.

"Oh and Knight about the Powers gift." Suddenly the demon's hand reaches out toward Xander's chest.

The hand touches his chest and it glows fiery yellow-orange. Xander's eye glows the same color. He throws back his head and screams as he loses conciousness.

Willow finally made it back to the cave with three of the tribes strongest men. After threatening their lives with magic if they didn't help, the warriors obeyed and followed her. After they got to the cave it suddenly opened and Xander fell out of it.

Barely able to stand he falls into the waiting arms of Willow.

"Xander what the hell happened?" Willow asked. Then she looked up at his face. His eyepatch was gone and both brown eyes were intact.

"Oh my Goddess." Willow exclaims as she helps him stand to his feet. "Xander your eye."

"I'll explain later Will's." Xander said, his voice low and husky. "I just found out how we can save our daughter."

TBC...

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