Author's Note - I have to apologise for the delay between updates, particularly after being on a roll before. Sadly, my best friend's mum passed away two weeks ago, and it took me a while to get back into the swing of things again. I'm not entirely sure that I'm satisfied with this chapter - and it is short, so I apologise - but I wanted to get things moving again with the story.
As always, thank you to everyone who has supported this story. We're building up towards the big finish now - only a handful of chapters still to come - so I hope you'll continue to follow this until the end.
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN - CHANGING FORTUNES
Now Cordelia understood where the expression "seeing stars" came from – bright white lights danced before her eyes as a wave of dizziness hit her. Her head throbbed from where it had impacted on the ground.
Blinking several times, trying to get her eyes to focus, she could see the Hart move towards her. Trying to ignore her injuries, she rolled out of its way just in time and somehow staggered to her feet.
"You are only delaying the inevitable," it told her.
She dodged him again, adrenalin pretty much the only thing keeping her on her feet at this point. "What happened to you having to get my permission before you killed me?" she asked, hoping to get it talking – anything to delay it while she figured out what to do. "I thought I had to be a willing sacrifice."
"We have long since passed that point," it replied. "However, my brethren are even now making the preparations necessary for our true rising. I will not be able to join them on this occasion, but soon, when the Slayers are destroyed, then we will have more time to achieve my ascension."
"Your brethren?" she asked, becoming worried. Had they already risen? Did that mean that Connor and Angel were already…?
"They have already begun drawing energy from the vampire and his whelp," the Hart replied. "They have gone on ahead."
"Are they… Angel and Connor – are they dead?"
It sneered at her. "It is only a matter of time."
A cheer rose up through the night air.
The demon army was in disarray, at least half of its ranks gone.
But it was not the time for celebrations, Buffy thought. They still needed to ensure their victory.
"Form ranks!" she yelled. "Prepare to drive them back!"
The Slayers moved quickly into position. From what Buffy could see, there were still around twenty of Rondell's crew left, and maybe a dozen of their demon allies. These two groups joined in the ranks of the slayers.
Willow stood, staring off, lost in thought. Buffy touched a hand tenderly to her friend's arm.
"You with us?"
The witch nodded, still looking straight ahead. "Let's do it."
Drawing her sword once more, Buffy called back over her shoulder. "Forward!"
They surged forward as one force, feeling unstoppable and, perhaps, invincible. They cut a swath through the demon ranks, and Buffy was convinced it would all be over in mere moments when the demons began to retreat.
The earth rumbled. And in the midst of the chaos of what seemed to be a victorious battle, Buffy looked up to see exactly where the demons were retreating to.
They were clustering behind two huge, animal-like demons.
A wolf. And a ram.
The Hart attacked again and Cordy barely dodged it in time. She was against the clock now – there could be no more stalling for time or keeping the demon talking until she could figure a way out. Angel and Connor were dying a little more every second. She had to fight back and get away, so she could help them.
Focusing as best she could, she willed her mind to form another ball of fire. She could feel a spark between her fingers and, as she concentrated, the heat grew.
She dodged the demon again and then threw the ball of fire she had somehow magically conjured.
The demon's hand flew out, its scaly hide deflecting the fire with ease and sending it straight back towards Cordelia. There was no time to dodge out of the way. No time to figure out how to deflect it. It was headed straight for her.
The front ranks of slayers didn't see the bolt of energy until it was too late.
A flash of lightening. The smell of charred flesh. Bloodcurdling screams filled the air.
While the Wolf-demon shot lightening from its clawed hands, the Ram lashed out with the club it was carrying, swatting slayers like flies.
In mere seconds, at least twenty slayers lay dead.
Buffy didn't need to be told. She knew instinctively that these were no ordinary demons. They were the Senior Partners.
Angel had failed.
There was no time to mourn or even to worry about how they could possibly defeat the enemy now. If they stayed there, they would be wiped out in minutes.
"Fall back!" she bellowed at the top of her lungs. "Fall back!"
Spike came to a halt at her side, wide-eyes with amazement. "Any bright ideas, Slayer?" he asked her, clearly at a loss.
"We need to fall back to a better position," she muttered, almost to herself. "We're too exposed here."
They were backing up, away from the massive demons, who seemed to be biding their time for the moment, so sure of victory that they felt no need to rush.
"Will!" she called to the witch. "The hotel? Will the barrier hold?"
Willow looked uncertain. "Not for long," she replied honestly.
"It's our best option," Buffy decided. "Fall back to the hotel!"
Slayers, demons and street fighters alike scattered, the fit helping the injured, stumbling and staggering their way to safety.
Buffy and Spike brought up the rear, holding off the few lesser demons that still pursued them. When they were nearly at the doors of the hotel, Buffy turned and ran for it.
She didn't see the bolt of lightening coming at her. She barely even felt it. But as her body crumpled to the ground, she thought she heard Spike scream her name.
Cordy's eyes squeezed shut as the fireball was about to hit. Only – it didn't. Opening her eyes again, more confused than relieved, she discovered she was at the other side of the chamber, behind the demon.
'How the hell did I get over here?' she wondered.
Apparently the demon was wondering the same thing. It looked around, almost comical in its confusion, until it spotted her. Then it snarled.
"The few witches tricks you possess will not help you," it told her.
Witches tricks?
Cordelia mentally scrolled through the list of powers she knew Willow possessed until she hit gold. Had she also gained Willow's ability to teleport? And if so, could she somehow figure out how to control it?
The Hart was clearly not willing to allow her the time to get used to her new powers. Drawing its massive sword, it moved towards her, determined that she would not escape him this time.
Cordelia knew she only had one shot at this. Closing her eyes, she focused on where she needed to go.
She focused on Angel.
TO BE CONTINUED...