Disclaimer: You know it. I know it. So why are we discussing this again?
Gratitude's: Harry2, El Chacal (I hope you like what I do with your little mouse, my friend), Papa Wheelie (welcome, and glad you like it), and DavidBrookes, thank you for your reviews! Thanks as well for those who have reviewed my Interlude stories. You don't know how much I appreciate it.
Author's Note: Alright, pull out and listen to any music you have that's battle-oriented, mystical and the most angst-ridden that you have. As was once said in the BtVS s6 ep "Restless" (paraphrased): You think you know what's to come? You haven't even begun! (quiet ominous laughter follows, then she self-consciously clears her throat as she notices everyone staring) Right, sorry about that. Now, please excuse me while I go hide in my bomb shelter (you're about to see the reason I had my Muses build it).
Beware: I should probably give you some sort of hint of what's ahead, but I won't. Let's just say be ready for anything to happen at this point in the game.
Twilight Unicorn: The Vampiric Unicorn (who can't believe that she wrote and edited this part in two consecutive days!)
Part 27
Sunnydale: Abandoned Drive-In Theater, 8:49pm, Day 12
The moon shone brightly and fully on its third day in the clear night sky above the old drive-in theater that was but a remnant of its former self. In the parking area of the site, a small band of people stood in various states of patience and impatience. The leaders of this company stood in an inner-circle with Whistler, discussing strategy and possible outcomes, while the rest of the women were in two separate parties: the magical and supernatural, and yet people were missing from this gathering.
"Explain to me again why we had Anya, Xander, and the baby stay at their place? Wouldn't've been better to have them here," Buffy asked Whistler in displeasure and some aggravation.
The demon fiddled with his hat, then answered as he put it back on his head, "Look, I thought it would be better if they weren't here to witness this, 'cause it could very easily go either way. If we were given the slightest distraction—say: the baby crying. The other side will take whatever advantage it can get, and most likely win. We can't afford that."
"Won't D'Hoffryn know that they aren't here, and attempt to take the baby while we're fighting," Angel asked.
"No," Whistler said firmly, "he won't. If he did, he would be breaking the rules of this fight, and forfeit his prize: Anya's baby, and have to give us Dora. He'll not chance it. Too much is at stake."
"Gettin' back to distractions," Gunn interrupted, "Our little 'distraction' for them: will that tip things in our favor to win and keep the kid safe and get Dora back?"
The Head Messenger for the Powers That Be grimaced, then replied with brutal honesty, "For a little while, but hopefully it will be enough."
"Then let us hope that nothing happens to distract us," Giles murmured while furiously cleaning his glasses.
"Giles," Buffy exclaimed in horror and swift anger. "You've just jinxed us. Thanks a lot. You should know better!"
"Huh," Gunn questioned in bewilderment, "what's she goin' on about?"
As Angel put his hands on his wife's agitated shoulders to calm her, he answered, saying, "It's a superstition they have here when things are going bad. If someone says it can get even worse, or suggests it, it happens."
"And it does...every single friggin' time," the Slayer muttered darkly. "I have yet to see it fail."
"Guys," Willow inquired nervously beside them, "shouldn't they be here? It's almost five 'til nine."
"You're right," Whistler agreed. "He's probably waiting until the last possible moment to give us false hope."
The red-headed Wiccan nodded, then said in barely a whisper, "Oz sent me a message that they're ready on their end, and are only waiting for our signal."
"That is good to know," Giles said just loud enough for all in their party to take notice of with deliberate calmness while putting his glasses back on, "as it seems that they are here."
All turned to look in the direction Giles nodded to see an innumerable black mass of demons slowly coming over a low hill some distance from them. As the demons reached level ground, they split up, moving in different directions, and before the small army of warriors D'Hoffryn appeared. He gazed contemptuously at them as he questioned, "Is this it? I though you would surely have more people than this."
Buffy visibly bristled as she snapped out, "Do our numbers really matter? We'll still trounce your ass!"
The demon lord tutted in feigned shock, and said, "My, such language from a Champion! What would your children say?"
"D'Hoffryn," Whistler said in irritation, "what is your real purpose in talking to us?"
"Oh, nothing much," the Lord of Vengeance commented with mock innocence, "just wanting to distract you while my minions got into place...which they've just about done."
The small group of fighters looked about them sharply to see themselves nearly completely surrounded by demons, all staring at them hungrily with foul anticipation. Almost as one, the mismatched warriors tightened into a single circle, all facing outwards, while drawing their weapons or summoning their powers.
As they did this, D'Hoffryn commented, "I believe my work here is done. Although...if you want to save yourselves some trouble: simply hand over the child to me, and we'll avoid any bloodshed."
"Not a fat chance in Hell, demon," Buffy snarled as her crystal sword began to glow a deep midnight blue, then amethyst as her husband activated his own sword.
The demon lord shrugged indifferently, and said casually, "Well, you can't say I didn't try. I'll be watching from a different location as I need to be uninjured to do what I need to later. Have fun, then," before disappearing.
In the matter of a second the battle was on. Ten Warriors, two Champions, and one Messenger against thousands of demons...the odds were too unbearably horrifying to contemplate for long. Nature itself seemed to be holding its breath to wait out the outcome of this conflict.
For numerous minutes on end they fought. Bethany and Gwen each killed their foes in the way they knew best: hard impact with the ground and electrocution. Amanda was in her element as she hacked and slashed at anything not human that was not part of their small force, laughing, as Eve picked off any the Immortal woman left in her wake. Buffy and Angel fought as only supernatural beings of their caliber could: with lethal grace and deadly precision. Willow and Tara had joined their hands and were taking a queue from Bethany and throwing their enemies away to land on their supposed ally's weapons to their death when they weren't calling upon the Elements to do their will. Marie and Sara were following their teacher's lead, and did as they did. Gunn and Giles had formed an unusual tactic, and were attacking the same creature simultaneously as to confuse it until one of them could strike a killing blow, then moving onto the next to do the same. Whistler was a whirlwind of motion, and all in his path received a true death, never to live again.
It was utter chaos, yet they were somehow holding their own against Evil's horde...but not for long.
At a command from Angel as they all started to feel the strain from fighting so many without stop, Willow threw one hand towards the heavens and cast a powerful spell that lit up the night sky to the brightness of day for but a moment...blinding many of the demons. Through the clear night air, at the same time, a shrill scream resonated strongly. The sound eerily echoed long after the cry had stopped. All throughout the field of battle heard it, and those demons that had not been blinded paused to look and see what could possibly make such a formidable sound.
In three separate places, answering calls came...not as strongly, but great enough. A demon near the edge of the field of battle shouted and pointed away from the center of the combat. Surrounding the demons, shapeshifters and were-animals beyond count began appearing in all their might and wild splendor. In four separate places, the greatest of the shapeshifters stood, each leading a section of their vast army. Two were massive wolves—one russet, the other tan; another a giant coyote; and the last a creature out of legend: a Pegasus of palest golden hue. Yet this was not the creature as it is known today.
Greater than the largest of horses, armored with scales of a snake and bat-like wings, silver slitted eyes that burned with power, feral, and more intelligent than any man: this was the Pegasus as it had been in ages past...before it had been romanticized. This was Flidhais in her truest form, for she was the goddess and mother of all shapeshifters.
The creature reared up, its wings flaring out to brightly glisten in the moon's glow as its body reflected the image of all around it, and screamed. The sound was deafening. Landing upon all four, sparks flared where its hooves touched the ground. Snorting as it restlessly pawed the earth, smoke trickled out of its nostrils. The Pegasus screamed challenge once more, and was answered by its fellow creatures. Shrilly screaming one last time, the mythical being surged forward and began decimating its foes with teeth, hoof, scale, wing, and the fire it breathed. Shapeshifters and weres gave forth their own cries, rushed forward, and joined the fray...destroying demons left and right.
The battle was at last even.
The coyote and wolves cut a swath through the masses to reach their goal: the small group of weary defenders fighting in the middle of the battlefield. As the were-animals added their abilities to the others, Buffy and Angel stiffened in sudden shock. The Immortal Slayer staggered and collapsed to her hands and knees as the souled vampire swayed unsteadily on his feet. Light the color of their Elements began to surround them as Buffy whispered in grief, "Oh, Dawn, what have you done?"
"She is awakening," Angel gasped out as he fell down to kneel beside his wife and hold her. Leaning heavily against each other, they numbly gazed at the fighting happening around them, and only dimly were they aware of the others asking them what was happening and what they should do. They sensed as their daughter sent them reassurances, and when she lost control of her powers. The Slayer was openly weeping as her husband stared stoically ahead at nothing, tears freely falling down his face. Flames surrounded them as their child made her choice. Nothing could touch them as their powers were bound to their daughter's. They were one as Champions, bearers of the Swords of Light. Nothing would ever separate them again.
As the Champions were lost in the awakening of their daughter to her abilities, the other warriors fought on with desperate strength and skill, forcing themselves for the most part to disregard what was happening to their friends and allies: their leaders. It was not enough. Without the skill and guidance of their greatest warriors, they were finding themselves slowly loosing. Gwen and Bethany were the first to collapse, unable to go on, their power utterly spent. Grimly, the twin witches formed a shield around their fallen comrades, adding room when others fell. Amanda and Conner each were next, as they were taken down and gave way to their death-like healing sleep, and were pulled into the protective circle. Whistler and Eve soon followed as they too were gravely wounded and staggered to the fortified safety being offered. Giles and Gunn were the last to make it into the shielded shelter, and not by their own power, as they were dragged in by Raven in his were form.
All that remained of the defenders outside of the shielded circle was Flidhais, Oz, Willow, and Tara. Of the four, Flidhais alone now commanded the shapeshifting army, and had no time to be concerned with what was happening to the core group of warriors as she watched her children's children perishing about her.
The battle was becoming uneven, and Evil was winning as Good was losing its leaders and captains.
Tears threatening to spill down her face with the effort she was putting forth in this fight for a girl's life and a child's innocence, Willow desperately reached out with her mind to the two she held closest to her heart, and thought to them, "Come to me. There is something yet for us to try before we lose heart."
The three met, and gazed at each other, knowing instinctively what the other was thinking. They remembered their joined dream, and wondered if it would truly work.
"We can only try," Willow said at seeing uncertainty in their eyes.
The red-head linked hands with Tara familiarly, and then Oz, leaving it up to the other two if they would do it or not as she stood there with head bowed and eyes closed. The Wiccan and werewolf gazed at each other, a challenge in their eyes. Long had they battled for the one they loved's heart. Could they get along enough to work truly together in all things? Fate alone would decide as they reached out and joined hands. The moment they did so, Willow threw back her head in shock and wonder, then gasped out, "Oh my Goddess," before light and power enveloped them.
Power and souls joined and mingled within them, as the Elements became theirs to command. Nothing stood in their way to do what was needed, yet caution as well was given. They knew that such control could corrupt very easily, and they were wary of the limits of their bodies if not their very souls. Each grasped hold of an Element...the very Elements they had controlled in their dream, and worked together to weave and command the essences of all life to their needs.
Fire burned, Water drowned, Air whirled, and Earth trembled. But it was not enough. In utter weariness, they weakly dropped to the ground to sit, unable to do more. Looking at each other, they saw hopelessness. Gazing beyond themselves, they witnessed the demons surrounding them on all sides grinning maliciously in triumph. Even Flidhais had been quelled, and Buffy and Angel lay unconscious among the others, the fire that had surrounded and protected them long since gone.
Evil had won. They were surrounded with no way out but to cry defeat.
"Well, isn't this a pretty sight," D'Hoffryn said, gloating, as he materialized in front of the beaten warriors. "I told you, you should have just given me the child. Now look at you: bloody, bruised, and beaten."
"What do you want from us now," Whistler inquired bitterly. "You've won. Why are you still here?"
The Lord of Vengeance calmly strolled over to stand in front of the Messenger, then sat on his heels to gaze at Whistler face-to-face as he replied, "I merely wanted to hear just what you've said. With you openly acknowledging your defeat, I can now freely claim what I bargained for. Also, I wish to tell you that I'm going to let you all live so that you can wallow in your disappointment of not being able to stop me...and the knowledge that Evil will now win in this dimension because of you. Farewell. I doubt that we'll be seeing each other again with where I'm going with my prize."
As he finished speaking, D'Hoffryn smoothly rose to his feet, and disappeared...along with all the demons in the place, leaving the vanquished warriors to pick up the pieces.
Sunnydale: The Harris Home, 10:52pm, Day 12
Husband and wife stood before their child's crib, gazing somberly down upon their son in his slumber. They wondered if this would be the last time they ever saw Koren again...or not, and held each other close.
"I'm scared, Xander," Anya said, her voice muffled in her husband's shirt.
Tightening his hold around his wife, Xander replied softly, "I am too. But no matter what, know that Buffy and the others are doing their damnedest to keep our son safe. Have hope in that."
"I'm trying," was all the ex-demon commented, and then she looked up, a frown on her face, saying fearfully, "Someone's here!"
Xander immediately tensed up and moved away from his wife, and ordered urgently as he started to move towards the door, "Anya, pick up our son, and be ready to run if you can. You know the route to take."
As he grabbed the reinforced silver baseball bat he had kept nearby, they both heard a familiar female voice call out from the living room, "Anyanka? It's Halfrek. D'Hoffryn sent me. Please come out here."
As she watched Xander exit the room, Anya took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and closed her eyes as her heart clenched in grief. She knew what this meant: they had lost. With a calmness she did not truly feel, the new mother picked her son up out of his crib, and joined her husband in leaving the bedroom.
In the living room, Anya saw Xander standing defiantly before one she considered a friend, and saw the pain in her friend's eyes. Swallowing heavily, the mother slowly went and stood by her husband's side, and said seriously and firmly, "You're not getting him, Hallie."
The demoness sighed gustily, and said with great weariness, "Anyanka, don't do this, 'cause if I don't bring your son to him, he'll come here, and I don't want you hurt. You have no idea what he has planned for you if you don't cooperate."
"Let him come," Xander ground out defiantly, his hand tightening around his bat.
"Please, don't make this any harder than it already is," Halfrek beseeched. "I'll give you guys a few minutes to say goodbye, and then I'll go with your son."
Anya drew in a shuddering breath, smiled shakily at the demoness, then tugged on Xander's arm to pull him further away from Halfrek. He complied, but not too willingly, before putting his arms around wife and child. They stayed like that for long minutes, before Anya whispered heartbreakingly, "I love you, Koren. I'll not forget you."
Xander simply rested a hand on his son's head, then abruptly turned away while squeezing his eyes tightly shut and fisting his hands. In a harsh voice, he declared, "I can't do this. I won't give up my son!"
"You have no choice," Halfrek pointed out bluntly. "You've had your moment; now give me the boy."
"He's right," Anya said, determination in her eyes as she raised her head defiantly. "We're not giving him up!"
Halfrek closed her eyes in resignation, and whispered hoarsely, "Please don't make me do it!"
Anya laughed bitterly as she held her son closer, and said resentfully, "Do what? Betray our friendship and take my son? I'm sorry, but you're already doing that!"
Shoulders slumping, the demoness said calmly, then loudly, "No, this: D'HOFFRYN!"
In the midst of an especially pungent sulfuric cloud of smoke, the Lord of Vengeance appeared, and said in aggravation, "I send you on a simple task, Halfrek, and you still don't do it right!" Turning to the Harris family, he commanded, "Anyanka, give her the child."
"No," Anya declared, just as Xander said loudly as he raised his baseball bat menacingly, "We're not doing it."
The demon lord scoffed, before saying, "You really think that's going to hurt me, boy? It takes a lot more than that to kill one of my status."
"We'll see about that," Xander exclaimed, before rushing forward...only to be backhanded by D'Hoffryn with such force that he was knocked unconscious as he crashed against one wall and fell limply to the ground.
"Xander," Anya cried out as she rushed to her husband's side.
D'Hoffryn leisurely followed his former minion. Kneeling before the frantic wife and mother, he placed a hand on Anya's shoulder, making her freeze as she looked fearfully up at him. Calmly, coldly, he took the baby she held out of her arms, and handed the child to Halfrek.
Standing, he said, "You've inconvenienced me by having me come here to help Halfrek get your child, Anyanka. You need to be duly rewarded for that. Thus, I'm placing the following curse on you: every time you sleep, you will see the life your son is living without you. Goodbye."
Standing, the demon lord placed his hand on his minion's shoulder, and made all three disappear. Openly weeping, Anya frantically shook her husband in an attempt to wake him...as in the background the phone began ringing.
Sunnydale: Main Underground Cavern, Midnight, Day 13
"NO!"
"Oh, for Yekk's sake! Will no one do as they're told today," D'Hoffryn exclaimed in frustration as he threw up his hands. "You will open that necklace, girl, and make that child a Dark Slayer!"
D'Hoffryn, Dora, and Halfrek holding Anya's baby stood in the empty underground audience hall. Not long after arriving back with his prize, the demon lord had brought the young Slayer into this place and commanded her to perform the spell to create a Slayer. She had refused, for the demons were gone. She was feeling better, and able to truly comprehend what was happening now, and knew it was evil.
"The baby's innocent and not a demon, so I won't do it," Dora declared defiantly as she glared at her captor.
"Oh, is that all," D'Hoffryn inquired, then commented, "That's easily taken care of."
Turning to the baby in Halfrek's arms, the demon lord raised a hand palm up. A small pendant appeared with a shimmer of dark light. He took the pendant and placed it about the child's neck. The moment it was done the baby's face shifted into a gruesome visage, and then back to normal. The child giggled.
Smiling, the Lord of Vengeance turned back to Dora, and said calmly, then dangerously, "There, he's a demon. Now do what I told you."
Tears of frustration and hopelessness gathering in her eyes, the young teenager took the disguised necklace from around her neck, and cupped it in her hands. Whispering words in an ancient and guttural tongue, Pandora's Daughter twisted the cap off of the container holding the pure essences of Good and Evil, and tipped it down towards the ground. Light and Darkness poured out in separate yet entwined strands that grew the longer they were outside of their prison. A wind that had no source began to whip about the area as the Slayer began to call out words of great power to that which she commanded.
Shuddering and twisting, the strands wrapped themselves about the baby, lifting the child from Halfrek's arms and into the air. Light harshly pulled away from the babe, swirled itself about the Slayer and went back into its prison, yet some of it remained behind with the Darkness. Tighter and tighter did the Dark strands with sparkles of Light wrap itself about the soon to be Dark Slayer, until it too was called back and commanded into Pandora's Box.
The child floated back into his keeper's arms as Dora collapsed to the ground in utter exhaustion, the necklace once more about her neck. She looked up as D'Hoffryn stood before her, and did not even flinch as she saw the knife heading towards her. She fell back to the earth as blood poured forth from the wound in her stomach, her eyes closing.
Cleaning the blood from the blade, the demon lord said to his minion without looking up once, "I'm sending you and the child to Quortoth to raise him. Teach him all he needs to know, make him a good Hunter of all that is Good, and you will be aptly rewarded, Halfrek."
A sound made him look up, to see his right hand minion gazing at him in horror. In a strangled tone, Halfrek gasped out, "You're sending us there?"
Rolling his eyes, D'Hoffryn turned away from Halfrek, and said, "Yes. I've already set it up with the masters of that dimension," before raising his hands and shouting, "Lekko najine forkahdio!"
With a great thunderous roar that echoed harshly in the underground cavern, a horrific rent in time and space opened up before them. Redder than blood, and darker than night, Quortoth was revealed. On one side of the ravaged opening, several demon lords waited, staring avidly at the child Halfrek held. At a nod from her master, the demoness entered the other dimension, and was welcomed by the demon lords.
Looking on in satisfaction, D'Hoffryn once more raised his arms, commanded the opening between dimensions to close, and lowered his arms once it was done. Glancing about the cavern for a moment, then looking down upon the deathly white Slayer for a moment, the demon lord smiled cruelly with satisfaction, and disappeared.
All was still in the cave, then a small creature moved towards the fallen Slayer. The little brown mouse did not even flinch as the young woman-child stirred, one arm slowly moving to hold the necklace about her throat. With a soft grunt, she jerked the artifact from around her neck. Her arm falling down by her side, she took no notice of the mouse scurrying to sniff at the item as she whispered weakly, "My life is spent. My line is gone, broken at last. Go now to my successor, and remain with her forever more," and breathed her last.
The little creature stilled as Pandora's Box shimmered and faded away, then moved up over the Slayer's body to watch and keep guard until those whom cared for this fallen Warrior could come, and remained there the whole night through.
In another place, Pandora's Box slowly appeared about the Immortal Slayer Buffy's neck...never to be removed.
Author's Note2 (tacked onto the door of the bomb shelter): Was that morbid and angsty enough for you guys? 'Cause it sure was for me!
Next Part: The end of this tale, preparations for the final main story in the trilogy, and some concluding notes from your author!