Chapter 8
Buffy glanced around the huge room where the ritual would be taking place later that night. The ceiling was nothing but a gaping hole above her, showing the sunlit sky. The walls were lined with cushioned benches and the floor beneath her feet was a huge pentagram. She sighed and looked over at the shadows near the only entrance to the room.
"Do you think this it going to work?" She asked the shadows.
Angel moved a little further into the light, but not by much. He was afraid it would burn him. "It has to."
"Willow's still adamant that it's not Jake."
"Who else could it be?"
"Ork?"
Angel shook his head. "He's just the old demon who brought us here. He's not even in the top five."
"He is now." Buffy retorted. "Maybe that's what he was looking for."
Again, Angel shook his head. "I don't think so, Buffy."
"He can shape shift. He knows Spike well enough to badly imitate him. He knows us. He brought us here."
"But he also placed the protection spells on us to keep anything from happening."
"Like Angelus coming out?"
"Exactly." Angel paused. "Wait... Now I'm confused."
"See. You're starting to get my point here."
"No, I said I was confused."
"Exactly! We're always confused around each other. He distracted us with us! Maybe those pamphlets aren't as out of date as he says."
"That doesn't make any sense, Buffy."
"Think about it. He brings us in to look like the big heroes who can't because we were too busy dealing with our baggage, everybody blames us for not catching the killer, and no one's looking at the guy that brought us here in the first place. And he waits to kill off the last guy because he knew we'd suspect Jake and try and set a trap for him. Willow's instincts are pretty good when it comes to good guys and bad guys. Well, excluding that time she dated a homicidal robot demon online."
Angel stared at her. "Are you sure about this?"
"We need to make it look like we've set a trap for Jake, but I think we need to fix it so it traps Ork. My gut's telling me it's him."
Angel felt the need to go to Buffy and wrap her in his arms, but he stopped himself. The sunlight still separated them. She noticed his hesitation and walked over to him, burying herself in his arms. Suddenly, she began to cry. "Buffy..."
"I'm sorry, I just miss Dawn." She tried to pull away, but Angel held her there tightly, knowing it wasn't just her sister that had upset her. Buffy buried herself further in his arms.
"I know."
"I'm scared that after this is over with... After we go back home..."
"Willow's working on it."
"I can't lose you again."
"What's your gut telling you?"
"I don't know. I can't hear it over my heart."
Angel chuckled to himself. "When it comes to you, I can't hear anything but my heart either."
Willow woke up in the library, her head resting on a book. Spike was sprawled on the couch across the room, a book covering his face. They had been so devoted to trying to find a way to bind Angel's soul that they had stayed up all night and fallen asleep in their books. She looked at the piece of paper she had been writing incantations on. For a moment, it looked like gibberish in her sleep-haze. It was different spells she'd written and random herbs and magickal elements to go along with them. She stared at it for another moment and then looked at Spike.
"Spike." She called.
"Drowning... Shoes... Damn Nike..." Spike muttered, rolling his head away from her under the book.
"Spike, wake up!" She flicked her fingers at him and he was tossed off the couch.
He looked up angrily at her. "I was awake."
Willow cocked her head at him and lifted an eyebrow. "Damn Nike?"
"Don't ask." Spike shook his head and stood up, looking around the room. "What time is it?"
She looked at the grandfather clock on the wall. "12:42." She paused, letting that sink in. "Oh Gosh!"
"What?"
"The ritual!"
"Isn't until sundown."
"I have to start getting ready for it. There's a list of small, personal rituals they gave me that I have to do to prepare for the big ritual since it's my first time."
"What about Angel's soul?"
"It'll have to wait. Binding the fabric of reality is a little more important right now."
"What about me? What do I do?"
"You... I don't know."
"I'm not leaving you."
"Well, you can't be in the room with me when I do these spells."
"Why? Is there nudity involved?"
"As a matter of fact, yes."
"I don't want to see your girly parts, anyway. No offense, Red. You're not my type."
"And you're not mine. In case you didn't get the memo, your manly parts don't turn me on."
"Well, I can't leave you."
"Then sit outside my door." Willow gathered up the books she'd been reading from and her notes and stuffed them in a bag she produced from thin air.
"Can I steal my book too?"
"It's not stealing. We're allowed to take them out of the library. This isn't high school."
"Can I still call it stealing? I prefer the term a lot better than borrowing. Just sounds so... Nice."
Willow shook her head. "Whatever."
Buffy and Angel were back in their room, pacing the length of the floor. The ritual would begin in less than half an hour and so far, nothing had happened. Ork didn't suspect a thing. He assumed Jake was the one being set up tonight. Willow was still getting ready for the ritual and Spike still waited outside her door. He had gone through three packs of cigarettes and was working on his last pack, cursing himself for not bringing more.
The mages were starting to gather in the great room, waiting for the sun to set. The students couldn't participate in the ritual, so they weren't allowed into the great room. The only reason Buffy and Angel were allowed in was because people thought they were mages in training and that Willow was allowing them in on it. They didn't like it, but it was what was going to happen, so they didn't complain out loud.
Angel stopped pacing at the same moment Buffy did and they looked at each other. It was time to go. They had to draw out Ork early, before the ritual began. Buffy walked out first, staying a few steps ahead of Angel. She didn't look back at him. At the entrance to the great room, there was a minor delay because the mages were talking excitedly. Willow managed to catch up with Buffy and joined her in working their way through the crowd. She lost track of Angel, but it didn't matter. She knew he would show up later to play his part.
Without looking at Buffy, Willow telepathically said, Look, Buffy, there's Ork over there by the other side of the pentagram.
Buffy watched out of the corner of her eyes as Ork moved in his place. He seemed to be looking for someone that he couldn't find. I see him, Will. Where are you standing? Buffy felt a tug on her arm, but Willow hadn't touched her as she moved towards the right side of the pentagram. Buffy watched Willow walk away. She couldn't stand with her because she wasn't part of the ritual.
Back at the entrance, Angel shoved through the mages. The emitted small shouts of annoyance and anger, but they moved. He made it through the mages and searched the great room. When his eyes landed on Buffy, he growled and yelled, "You insane tramp!" All eyes flew to him. "What? You didn't think I would find out!" He marched across the room towards Buffy, who was now glaring back at him, and stopped dead in front of her. "You're unbelieveable!"
Buffy snorted and looked at him coldly. "Please, as if YOU could keep me satisfied."
Angel scoffed. "I gave you everything and you just throw it all away from HIM?"
"What can I say? He knows how to please a Slayer."
"I'm a hundred years older than him!"
"It's working against you, pops." Buffy didn't have to look around to know that all eyes were on the quarlling lovers. She kept a close eye on Ork in her periph while Angel kept Jake in his. They had planned this loud spat to draw attention to them, giving Ork or Jake the perfect opportunity to make their move.
Angel suddenly grabbed Buffy's shoulders roughly and jerked her towards him. "I should kill you for betraying me. I marked you."
"You can try." Buffy shoved him back and he came at her. They were making the scene bigger. She connected with Angel's jaw in a punch that sent him sprawling across the pentagram. She mentally apologized and then went after him as he leaped to his feet. Still keeping an eye on Ork, Buffy fought Angel. She didn't want to, but she really had no choice if they wanted this to work. And they couldn't hold any of their strength back. They fight between them lasted for all of two minutes before a few of the mages magickally pulled them apart.
Angel's eyes suddenly went wide. "Jake's gone!"
"What?" Buffy asked. The mages were angry with them, but they looked around in confusion at their words. "Where's Willow?" Buffy was starting to panic. "Angel, Willow's gone!"
"Willow!" Angel yelled. He didn't get any response. Ork still stood where he had stood before, moving back an forth, looking anxious.
Buffy ignored him and closed her eyes, listening for Willow. They were still connected telepathically. She caught glimpses, but couldn't make out where she was. Jake had her, she knew that much. Will, where is he taking you? Where are you at? She got a gnarled respose, but it was enough. ...Tower... West... Buffy!... Buffy grabbed the nearest mage. "Where's the West Tower?"
"West Tower?" The mage asked."Young lady, after the scene you just made with your friend here..."
"Where is it?" Buffy snapped.
"Follow me." The mage led them out of the great room. Buffy and Angel found Spike sprawled on the floor next to the entrance. All the mages had gone into the great room to see the commotion Buffy and Angel had caused.
Buffy grabbed Spike and hauled him to his feet. "Spike!" He didn't wake up. She created a flame in her hand and got it near Spike's face. That woke him up.
"Willow!" Spike yelped.
"Come on." Buffy let Spike go and ran after Angel and the mage.
The mage led them to a door that led to a spiraling stone staircase. They could hear scuffs of feet far above and grunts coming from Willow. The mage pointed and then turned to leave. "Wait!" Angel called.
"I must return to the ritual. It starts soon." The mage walked away.
"Angel, come on!" Buffy said, already dashing up the stairs after Spike. They ran up and up, but it felt like they weren't getting anywhere. It also felt like they had been running for hours. After a few more stairs, Buffy started to get light headed. "Hey, the air... It's really... Thin." She gasped for breath and collapsed to the stairs. "Go on... I'll... catch... I'll... Go."
Angel hesitated, but Spike pulled him away and up the stairs. They ran up and up and up for what seemed like hours. Angel was getting frustrated and tired. "This staircase cannot be this tall. It's impossible."
"It's a glamour." Spike said, racing along behind Angel.
"And what about the thin air?"
"Part of the glamour, mate." Spike grabbed him. "Stop."
"But..."
"Grasp onto reality. You know this isn't real. We both do. Focus on that. Like the hallway." Angel sighed and closed his eyes. He thought about how tall the staircase should be and that they should be at the top by now. "Angel."
Angel opened his eyes to discover they were standing in front of a locked wooden door. Buffy came running up behind them, still slightly winded. "What happened?" She asked.
"Reality check." Angel said. He grasped the door handle and pushed with all his might. It didn't budge.
"Count of three?" Buffy asked. They all moved into position, Buffy said, "Three," and they all kicked together. The door flew off it's old hinges and landed with a loud bang at the feet of Jake. He was holding Willow down on an altar and trying to strap her down. She squirmed and tried to spit out the gag in her mouth, staring wide-eyed at Buffy, Angel, and Spike. They were on top of a crumbling tower. The wall with the doorway was the only thing left of it. The rest of the room was open to the outside world. The setting sun was behind them, behind the wall, casting long shadows and not posing a threat to the two vampires. "Hey!" Jake didn't bother looking up.
"I believe the lady was speaking to you." Spike said, grabbing Jake's shoulders. Jake flicked his wrist at Spike and he went flying back into the stairwell and down the stairs.
"That wasn't nice." Buffy lectured, grabbing Jake's wrists. He tried to flick at her, but she held his wrists so firm, they were starting to crack. "Give it up, Jake."
"It is the end, Slayer." Jake hissed. He spit something purple at her and it burned her shoulder like acid. Buffy yelled in surprise and pain, loosing her grip on Jake and grabbing her shoulder. When she looked at the wound though, there was nothing there. As she sat there in shock, Jake went back to the alter he had been tying Willow to and grabbed a ceremonial dagger. Angel pulled out a knife from his boot and threw it at Jake's back, but Jake deflected it without turning around. Willow let out a strangled cry as Jake brought the dagger close to her exposed stomach, preparing to carve. Buffy, being the closest, got over the lingering pain in her shoulder and launched herself at Jake. She tackled him in the knees and he fell at an odd angle, the dagger falling from his grasp and slicing open Buffy's left bicep. The blade burned with red energy from Buffy's powerful blood and the wound in Buffy's arm seemed to sizzle. Or at least that's how it felt to her. Jake tried to put up a fight against Buffy gripping his legs, but Angel scooped up his knife and stuck it in Jake's forehead.
Suddenly, Buffy wasn't holding onto anything. Jake had disappeared. "What the..." Angel looked at the clean blade in his hand and the empty space where Jake had been. "He was just..."
"And I was just holding him." Buffy got to her feet and grasped her arm. Her shoulder no longer hurt. She picked up the dagger and examined it. "This thing in magickal. It felt like white hot fire in my arm." Willow made annoyed grunts in their direction. "Oh!"
Angel untied Willow and helped her off the alter. "Are you ok?"
"Been better. What happened?" Willow asked.
"He disappeared." Buffy said.
"He should be dead."
"Guys!" Spike called from the stairwell.
They all ran to the stairs and met Spike near the bottom. They could hear shouts and screams coming from the great room. With Buffy leading the way, they headed back in that general direction. When they got there, mages were desperately trying to get out of the room. Buffy, Angel, Willow, and Spike waded into them, going against the flow of retreating mages. Angel was the first to make it inside, staying in the shadows, and he found Ork standing in the middle of the pentagram, crackling with deadly black fire. He shot black flames at some of the trapped mages and one caught on fire. Buffy made it in next just as the burning mage screamed his last. There were blacked spots on the floor with ashes and charred remains as the only sign a person had been standing there.
"I told you." Buffy said to Angel.
"Buffy, the sun!" Willow said. "We need to do the ritual!" She burst in next to Buffy with Spike not far behind her. Then she saw Ork and gasped. "I didn't know he could do that!"
"What?" Angel asked.
"La Brûlure Noire! Buffy, it burns you to death in seconds, but it feels like a millineum."
"Remind me not to get too close." Buffy said gravely.
"The end of the world is nigh! Choas will reign!" Ork bellowed.
"We've got to stop him." Angel said. He looked at Willow. "There's got to be something you can do."
Willow shook her head. Buffy grabbed Willow's shoulders and gently shook her. "Will, come on. You're the best. You can do it."
"But... He'll know. He'll kill me."
"Then I'll distract him." Buffy turned and headed towards Ork.
"Buffy, no!" Angel reached for her, but yanked his hand back into the shadows when he felt the burn on his hand.
Ork turned his head towards Buffy. "Ah, puny Slayer."
"Puny? Have I really lost that much weight?" Buffy looked offended, but she moved around Ork, turning him away from Willow.
"Your efforts are futile. The walls of reality are falling and this little convention of mages will make a wonderful sacrifice to the Old Ones. But you and your vampires... This will please them greatly."
"Oh, cause my life's goal is to please Old Ones." Buffy realised how disturbing that image was, but she pushed it from her mind and glared at Ork. "You didn't get Willow, though. You don't have the powers you need."
"I don't need that little witch." Ork spread his arms wide. "I have already succeeded. I have stopped the ritual."
"THAT was your plan?" Buffy glanced up. The sun was still there. There was still time.
"No, Slayer. There is no time."
Buffy's glance ticked towards Willow as Ork watched Buffy stand in front of the three frightened and trapped mages left in the room. Her hair was white and her eyes were glowing white as she whispered to herself. She said something to Angel and Spike and after a moment of hesitation, they stuck their hands out into the sunlight. After a few seconds of smoldering, their hands caught fire. Willow grabbed their other hands and the flames on Angel's and Spike's hands turned white. She looked at Ork and the flames lengthened from their hands to Ork's back. Ork turned and stared at Willow, the black flames on his arms stretching out to meet the white ones. The mages behind Buffy gasped in awe and watched just as she did. There was a battle between the flames and the white flames seemed to be loosing ground as Willow began to seriously tire.
Willow needed more power. Buffy turned to the mages. "Do something!" They seemed to stare in awe for a moment too long, then they snapped out of it and got to work. Hot pink energy stretched from their combined hands towards the white flames. The white flames flared suddenly and surged forward. Soon, they engulfed Ork instead of the black flames. Ork began to scream as he and the black flames were consumed and disappeared. Angel and Spike pulled their scorched hands back in, pressing them tightly to their chests. Willow collapsed suddenly, Spike and Angel jumping to try and catch her. Buffy rushed over to them and crouched on the floor, holding Willow's head in her lap. "Good job, Will."
