About and hour after sundown the goddesses and the Scooby Gang had reconvened at the library to compare notes.

"I beat the crap and bunch of other stuff out of every inhuman lowlife in Sunnydale. Other than a small sense of satisfaction I didn't get much," related Angel. "Just someone new and powerful is in town. Someone even Mr. Trick is willing to kowtow to."

"I think we all know who that is," said Xander. "Nice work, dead boy. Ever consider being a detective?"

Angel mentally winced. "Could you not call me that? I'm over two hundred years old. I'm no boy. Which I guess is something we have in common now."

"Look, Count Leatherpants, I--"

"Guys! Uh, guy and girl, knock it off," interrupted Buffy. "You can take cheap shots at each after we stop Mara."
Looking chastised both Angel and Xander looked away from the Slayer and muttered short apologies.

"I didn't have any more luck than Angel," continued Buffy. "Faith seems to be MIA. All I was able to find out was that she might be heading to some big party out of town. No idea where though."

Giles frowned and massaged his forehead. "Wonderful. Faith's abilities would have been a tremendous asset in this situation. I fear things have just gotten even more difficult."

"Giles, relax," said Xander. "We've saved the world without Faith before. Yeah, having her here would be a big help. But we'll manage. Besides, this time we've got goddesses on out side. This round Mara's goin' down. Hard."

"You'd better believe she's going down!" snapped Skuld. "It's payback time for that 'Mara Bomb' trick and everything else she's done to all of us!"

Urd and Belldandy said nothing but managed weak smiles.

"Uh, yeah, go team," said Buffy. "Anyway, after I couldn't find Faith I thought a little arm twisting session with Willie the Snitch was in order. I twisted like I was at an old time dance party, but Willie doesn't seem to know anything. He repeated what we've heard about a big new player showing up a few days back.
"He also mentioned some new vamp in town that seems to be working for Mr. Trick. Other than it's a she with a funny accent he doesn't know anything. Not even a name."

"Another problem for another day," sighed Giles. "I've spent the last few hours consulting my books and making some phone calls. All I found were a few more nasty stories about Mara. None of them helpful."
"My source didn't know anything either," added Urd. "All I got was yet another repeat of the 'someone new and bad' in Sunnydale line. I gotta say I'm kinda surprised. Mara doesn't normally cause this big a stir. She's got a decent reputation but all this fuss seems a bit much her."

"True," agreed Belldandy. "But Mara has been acting very unusual of late. Perhaps we're not the only ones who've noticed. We've no idea how long Mara has had this more aggressive attitude. Our last confrontation with her was some time ago."

The goddess then frowned slightly. "That said my efforts have born no fruit as well."

"The Oracles?" asked Urd.

Belldandy nodded and Urd shook her head. "The Oracles can be so damn picky about sharing information. Honestly, there's never a helpful seer around when you need one."

"It would seem we've hit a dead end," said Giles. "This is most troubling. If anyone has any suggestions as to what to do next I would be most happy to listen."

No one seemed to have any ideas and silence hung heavily in the room.

The ringing of the phone at the checkout desk made everyone jump a bit. It was long past the time that the school had closed for the weekend. Giles furrowed his brow in puzzlement as he stepped over and picked up the receiver.

"Sunnydale High library, this is Rupert Giles speaking. I'm afraid we're clos--"

"Hiya, English. How's the noggin?" came Mara's voice. "Still hurntin' I hope."

Giles felt some of the blood drain from his face but managed to hold his composure. He lowered the receiver and hissed "It's Mara!" to the others.

"Hey, Prince of Tweed! Put the Slayer on the line. I've got something to say to her."

Anger arose in Giles and he let some of the malice he'd learned to speak with in his Ripper days creep into his voice. "Anything you have to say to Buffy you may say to me, you contemptible, demon harlot. I--"

Giles got no further as Buffy stepped forward and silently held out her hand for the phone. He hesitated.

"I'm the Slayer. I can handle it," said Buffy. The Watcher saw not a hint of fear in the eyes of his Slayer. He gave Buffy the phone without blinking.

"Hello?"

"Yo, Slayer. How's it going? You been having fun pruning Willow and teaching Xander to walk in high heels?"

Buffy clenched the phone tighter but fought down her anger. "Sorry, I've been too busy sharpening my favorite sword. You know, to make it easier to chop off your head and all."

"Oh, scary!" taunted Mara. "But you'll have to find me first."

"We'll find you."

"Actually, my lethal little bleach job, that's what I'm calling you about. You see, ol' Mara is throwing a throw-the-world-into-chaos bash and you and all your little pals are invited. Urd, the goody-goody and the brat too. It's BYOB and if you could pick some French dip on your way over that would be just super."

Buffy felt the urge to gnash her teeth. "Sure thing. I'll even bring a big bag of pretzels. Just tell me where."

"I'm waiting for you where you first died, Slayer," hissed Mara. "Why don't you come on down and see if history repeats itself."

The memory of her death in the Master's lair came rushing back to Buffy like a flash flood. Unconsciously she took a step back and lowered the phone from her ear.

"What's the matter, little girl? Afraid? You should be!" mocked the demon loud enough for the others to hear.

Before Buffy could respond Urd boldly stepped forward and yanked the phone from her hand. "Listen up, Mara!" snapped the goddess. "We're through fooling around here. I don't know what you're planning, but my sisters and I have taken a sacred vow to stop you no matter what. We will not let you threaten the creation of the Almighty! I don't care if I'm destroyed in the process! If I have to I will burn you from the face of the universe myself!"

For a long, pregnant moment there was but silence on the other end of the phone. Then chuckling could be heard which rapidly escalated into Mara's blistering staccato laugh. "So you finally decided to break out your A game? It's been ages since I've seen you as Urd the warrior rather than Urd the lazy party girl."

"The bitch is back, Mara," replied Urd, a menace in her voice that Skuld had never heard and could never have imagined coming from her eldest sister. The little goddess felt a chill as cold as the hand of death run down her spine. She would remember that feeling always.

"Oh, this really does feel like old days of battle and blood," said Mara nostalgically. "Ever miss those days, Urd? The time when we and the world were wild and primal and we fought battles all across the realms of creation? Sometimes on the same side and sometimes not. Sad that we never got to face each other one-on-one in combat. I always wanted to see which of us would win. Did you ever wonder about that, Urd?"

"No, I never did," the goddess replied, her voice now soft and pained. "I prefer to think of the better times back in Asgard. Before we had to take up the roles of goddess and demon. Back when we were fr--"

"Those days are as dead as glam rock," interrupted Mara coldly. "If you wanna stop me from making a really big mess out of this little mud ball that your so-called 'Almighty' is so fond of then you best get moving. The fun starts at midnight!"

Then the line went dead.

"Dammit," muttered Urd and she replaced the receiver. She then slowly turned and looked at her sisters and allies. "It's official. Now we go to war. No quarter. No mercy. No other option than victory."

"Mara's holed up in the Master's old lair," informed Buffy. "We have to assume she's got something nasty waiting to drop on us when we get down there."

"Mara didn't have too much of a problem kicking our asses the last time," said Xander. "She's probably cocky right now. We can use that against her, right?"

"The last time we fought her Mara was smart enough to play divide-and-conquer," reminded Angel. "She separated the most powerful of us with her hex fields and then hit those of us with the least ability to fight back. She has to know we'll be ready for something like that. I think Buffy's right. Mara has something new up her sleeve and she's waiting to spring it on us once we get down there."

"Mara has access to sophisticated demon technology and is well versed in the black arts," added Belldandy. "I concur that she's most certainly setting some sort of trap for us. However, I'm afraid it's impossible to even guess as to what kind of trap it might be."

"Mara has to have know that Belldandy and I were low on juice from punching through the Hexfield the last time we fought," said Urd. "No way is she going to try and duke it out with all of us. I'd say she might have gotten some flunkies to help her out. Either by summoning or recruiting from the local baddie population.

"Whatever or whoever she has on her side we don't have anymore time to worry about it. Mara said she's making her big move at midnight. That doesn't give us much time."

"Then we had best start preparing," advised Giles. "Fortunately, I finished doing maintenance on all of the weapons here at the library just last week."

"I call dibs on that black longsword!" said Buffy. "It goes with my shoes."

"Oh, I want that really cool lookin' mace that Giles almost dropped on his foot that one time," called Xander.

Giles heaved a mental sigh as he went to the book cage, opened it and then opened the weapon lockers. "I don't know if they will be of any help to goddesses, but feel free to avail yourselves of anything in here that you feel will be useful in tonight's battle."

With that the assembled heroes quickly began selecting weapons for themselves. The exception to this was Skuld who hung back. While the other were picking weapons for themselves she pulled her mallet from its place on her back and then pulled a cloth from some unseen pocket in her outfit. She breathed on both ends of the mallet and then quickly polished her weapon.

The little goddess then gave the mallet a few practice swings and smiled in satisfaction. "Yeah! Time for Skuld to kick some booty!"

"Just to be safe everyone check your weapons before we leave," called Giles once everyone had armed themselves. "There are also stakes, holy water and the like in the left locker. Those might be useful so take some if you have room in your pockets."

"And don't forget to use the bathroom before we leave keep your arms inside the bus at all times," quipped Xander as she checked her mace.

Giles gave her a look.

"You know, a bathroom break suddenly seems like a really good idea right now," said Xander as she quickly headed for the door.

"Don't believe everything you see written about you on the stall walls," called Buffy. "I'm sure Cordy only wrote those things because she was having a bad day."

Xander stopped dead and turned to look at the Slayer his mouth agape and a look of growing horror in his eyes.

"Kidding! I'm kidding!"

"Jeez, Buff, give me a heart attack, why don't ya," sighed Xander as she turned and left the library.

A few feet away Angel allowed himself a quick smile as he inspected the blade of the falchion he planned to fight with. You deserved that for the Count Leatherpants crack, he thought. I just wish I'd been the one to think of that. Of course then I'd have to explain why I'd been lurking in the girl's bathroom.

Uh…maybe it is better Buffy's the one to have pulled that on him.

Not far away, Giles, who had taken a crossbow for himself, watched Belldandy test the weight of a longspear. Satisfied, the goddess gave the spear a short twirl and then stopped to briefly look at the weapon's diamond-shaped tip. "An excellent weapon, Mr. Giles. The person that made this is exceptionally talented."

"The Watchers have many skilled craftsmen on our payroll," the librarian replied. "That one I believe was crafted by one of our senior smiths who resides in Ireland. I'm sure he'd be most gratified to know his work had been praised by a goddess."

"I'm only stating the truth," said Belldandy, her voice pure sincerity. She then gave Giles an appraising look. "If I'm wrong I do apologize, Mr. Giles. But you have a look on your face that says to me there's saying you'd like to say but don't feel comfortable doing so. Please speak your piece."

Giles gave a little chuckle. "You're most perceptive. I know this is not relative to what is happening tonight but I came across something I my research that…well, I doubt I shall ever have the chance to speak to such beings as yourselves again and…"

Belldandy nodded in understanding. "Ask away. If I am able to I'd be happy to enlighten you."

Giles gave a nod of his own in thanks before speaking. "The reason I was reluctant to ask is because what I found specifically involves the Norns." The Watcher turned and glanced at Skuld who was munching on a candy bar she'd acquired from somewhere.

"After Urd's revelation about the World Tree really being some sort of computer I was willing to believe that the information history has on the Norns might be somewhat flawed. But in many of my books I saw references to Skuld, in addition to being one of the Norns, being a valkyrie; one of the shieldmaidens of Odin who carried the souls of fallen warriors to Valhalla."

Belldandy gave a knowing smile. "And in some of the legends Urd and I are crones as well, correct?"

Giles nodded.

"You ask a complicated question, Mr. Giles. One I'm afraid mortals cannot fully be given the answers to."

"Ah, I see. Well, forget I asked. I just couldn't help--".

Belldandy held up a hand and the librarian stopped in mid-apology. "There's nothing to apologize for. Mr. Giles. Asking is the key to all knowledge."

Belldandy smiled at him again and Giles felt a sense of peace like nothing he'd ever known before wash over him. "It's true that many of the ways of the Higher Realms can't be imparted to mortals. But allow me to tell you this; the old myths are not in some ways far from wrong.

"There is a part of the three of us that is what the old stories make us out to be. There is also a part of us that is nothing more than the young women we appear to be on the surface. As the world changes so do we. You could say we…reinvent yourselves from time to time."

"Very fitting for goddesses of time," mused Giles.

"I've always thought so," agreed Belldandy. "Urd, being Goddess of the Past, is tied most strongly to what we once were. Skuld, being Goddess of the Future, feels the tie least. She's even forgotten much of what she once was in those days. For the future is best seen through the optimistic eyes of youth. But the knowledge of the old times will come to her when the time is right. Such is our nature. Such is the plan set for us by the Almighty."

Giles was silent, stuck by the profound power of Belldandy's words. "I see. Thank you for enlightening me. You won't get in trouble for telling me all that, I hope."

"No, no, it's fine," said Belldandy. "That was not sensitive information, I assure you. There is far more to it all than what I've told you. But those details I'm afraid were not meant for mortals."

The goddess turned looked toward Skuld who was still munching away on her candy bar. "These…rebirths of ours might sound strange to you but I've come to enjoy them. Being young again is wonderful. It allows me to see the wonder of the Almighty's creation with fresh eyes and rediscover life's joys and surprises again and again."

Giles then turned and looked toward Buffy. Xander had returned and was talking with the Slayer in an excited fashion. He was too far away to hear what had been said, but Buffy smiled and let forth a short round of laughter at some comment of her friend.

The Watcher, even without being privy to the joke, found himself smiling as well. "Young people do have an amazing ability to see and appreciate life. They have such vigor, such energy, such…hope. That hope is infectious. Sometimes it can even rub off on old fuddy duddies who've spent too much time with books and remind them why tomorrow is worth fighting for."

"Which is as it should be," added the goddess.

Just a few yards away the two young people in question were having their own conversation.

"Another weekend another apocalypse, huh, Buff?" said Xander.

"Yeah, it just doesn't seem like a real Saturday night without a little Armageddon prevention," sighed Buffy. "I swear, I think they'll put 'Buffy Anne Summers. She saved the world. A lot.' on my tombstone someday."

Xander frowned. "Don't go thinking about dying, okay? Think about putting the beatdown on Mara."

"I know that's what I should focus on but the last time I was down there in the Master's lair I died," said the Slayer. "There's nowhere else in the world I'd rather not go. Except maybe to the mall with Cordelia. I did that once and barely escaped with my sanity."

"I went shoe shopping with her once. I know your pain," said Xander. "But the last time you went down there there was some nasty prophecy saying you were supposed to die. That's not the case this time.

"So I'm going to give you a new prophecy to go down there with. Yes, the great seer Xander Harris has had a vision! The Slayer will descend into the earth, kick Mara's ass, restore her friends to normal and have a really fun victory party at the Bronze afterwards. Oh, and just so you know, the visions of the great seer Xander Harris are never wrong."

Buffy grinned broadly and placed a hand on Xander's arm. "I think I like that prophecy," she said. "You know, Xander, you're the one who sees things the way they are and knows how to get us to lighten up and remember what's important; our friendship. The last few hours, with all that's happened, well…I'm really glad to have a friend right now."

"Nice speech, Buffy. Maybe you should lay a few words on the troops. Ya know, get fired up before it's once more into the breach and all that."

Buffy glanced around and saw that the others seemed to have finished checking their gear and were waiting. "Yeah, I guess I could give it a shot.

"Hey, everyone, before we head out there's something I'd like to say," called the Slayer. All heads immediately turned to look at her. "I'm not really much for hero-type speeches so I'll make this quick. It looks like the world is on the line again and the only people who can do anything about it is us. So let's do something. Let's show Mara what happens to anyone who tries to destroy the world in this town. Let's show her what happens to be anyone who hurts our friends."

She glanced at the goddesses. "Friends, new or old."

"Good speech, Slayer," said Urd as she gave the weapon she'd selected, a double-bladed greataxe, a playful tip in Buffy's direction. "Now I think it's time to go. You should lead the way."

Buffy lifted her sword in front of her, focused on it for a moment, lowered it, and then nodded. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

No words were spoken as the Scoobies and the goddesses walked out the main doors of Sunnydale High. Fighting down the chill that had taken hold of her spine, Buffy quickly lead the group to a manhole in back of an office building a few blocks from the school.

"This is it," said the Slayer as she cast a quick look towards Giles. "This is where the Anointed One took me to go fight the Master."

"There are other ways to the Master's Lair that can be accessed from the tunnels under the school. But this is a fastest way," Angel said. "I never knew about this path until Buffy showed it to me and Xander on the way back to the school to finish the Master off."

"The word 'maze' does not even begin to describe what is under this town," muttered Xander.

Urd waved her hand and the manhole cover immediately levitated a few inches before moving over and settling to the ground. "Slayer, you want to take point I take it?" she said in a brisk tone.

Buffy just nodded and began to climb down the opening. A few minutes later the others had climbed down and were making their way swiftly to the Master's lair.

"We're almost there. Eyes and ears extra open," whispered the Slayer a short time later. Quite noises of affirmation were all that could be heard. Moments later the group entered what had been the Master's throne room only to find it deserted.

"You think Mara went out to rent a movie before destroying the world or something?" asked Xander as she looked around. "I'm up for a Bruce Lee flick after we're done kicking her ass. 'Cause, you know, Bruce Lee, kicking, kicking of asses…they all go together."

"Mara's not gone," said Urd. "She's close, I can almost smell her. Also, if you really care, Mara's more the cowboy movie type. She's a big John Wayne and Clint Eastwood fan. She really digs their tough guy talk."

Just then there was a bright flash of purple light. The assembled heroes moved to cover their eyes but the flash faded in an instant. The illusion covering the Master's hidden room was no more.

"I also like how at the end of those movies there's always a cool showdown," called Mara's voice from the chamber. "It's almost midnight, boys and girls. That's high noon for us demon types. So come on in and let's see what ya got!"

Buffy smiled to herself as she raised her sword. "I think someone needs a reminder that in those movies the good guys always win."

Cautiously the group entered the Master's hidden chamber. Mara stood a few steps from the pentagram on the floor. She wore her battle outfit but stood relaxed with her arms across her chest. Her vampire minions stood a few on each side of her with their game faces on. A few of them hissed at Buffy and Angel entered but they received no reaction.

"So glad you could make it," sneered Mara. "I want all of you to have front row seats for the festivities."

"I left my lighter and glow sticks at home so I'll just have to cheer extra loud," snapped Buffy. "I'm really looking forward to the your funeral part of the show."

Urd shot a hand in front of the Slayer just as she was about to step forward and challenge the demon. "Mara's mine, kiddo. I know she hurt you and your friends bad and you've got every right to want a pound of flesh. But this things between me and Mara goes back further than you can imagine. So for your sake and the sake of your friends let me be the one to handle her. Please."

Buffy hesitated a moment but then nodded. "Do what you have to do to stop her until you can get the passwords to Xander and Willow back to normal. After that…"

"Understood."

"Oh, so touching," mocked Mara. "Guess we'll finally get to see which of us is tougher after all, Urd."

"Don't think I won't do whatever it takes to stop you," replied Urd as she pointed her great axe in the direction of her former friend. "The great balance between gods and demons may claim my life to preserve the order of things once it's over, but if you force me to I will destroy you, Mara!"

"Just what I've been itchin' to hear!" said Mara gleefully. The demon's right hand fell to her side, made a quick series of gestures and then on the ground beneath the demon's hand a small pentagram of red energy etched itself. From nowhere came a metal sigh like something heavy being lift by a chain. From the pentagram rose the hilt of a sword which Mara lifted quickly and held aloft for all to see.

It was a greatsword with a handle that was wrapped in rough, crimson scales of what clearly had once been some beast of great power. An elaborate fixture with a skull and bones motif attached the blade to the hilt. The blade itself 35 inches long and sharp as a razor's dream. A multitude of runes ran down the blade and then flared red for a moment as Mara grinned viciously.

"Looks like mine the biggest," said the demon to the Scoobies and goddesses who were hanging back, wary of some new trick. "This party is off to a dull start. So let's liven things up." In a crackle of energy a ocher-colored sphere appeared. "It's a little somethin' I've been saving for a special occasion. Who knows what an Orb of Geb is?"

"Geb is the Egyptian god of the earth," answered Giles automatically. "An Orb of Geb is said to have great power over creatures of rock and soil and to vastly increase the power of spells that use the forces of elemental earth."

"Correct!" shouted Mara. "They're also especially useful in certain summoning spells."

The demon then said a few quick words and the orb began to glow with the powerful yellow light. Giles raised his crossbow to take aim at the orb and a Buffy took a step forward but it was too late.

In the space between the demon and her opponents several figures erupted from the ground. It took a moment for the cloud of dirt and dust the newcomers' arrival had caused. Once they could see clearly again the Scoobies and the Norns could saw eight hulking humanoid figures standing before them. The creatures had dark skin much the same color as the Orb of Geb. But pebbles and other small bits of rock protruded from their coarse skin. The creatures' eyes varied in hue but all seemed to be made of beautiful, flawless crystal.

"Earth elementals respond exceptionally well when summoned by an Orb of Geb," said Mara. "They're not much for conversation, but when you want someone pounded into the dirt few do it better.

"Now get them! All of you, get them! It's time to loose chaos upon the earth!"

At the demon's words the elementals and vampires charged the goddesses and the Scoobies. Urd was the first to react and she charged forward. After a few powerful strides she leap into the air, higher than any human ever could, sailed over the hoard and came to a landing a few feet in front of Mara.

"You wanted a fight. You wanted Urd the warrior. You got them, Mara," growled Urd. "Just remember that the gods are fond of destroying people by giving them what they want."

"The gods can go to hell for all I care," retorted the demon. "I just want your blood."

The two then charged each other with ancient war cries on their lips. Their weapons quickly met with a thunderous metal clang that echoed through the chamber.

Meanwhile the tide of fangs and earthen fists was raining down on the other assembled heroes.

Xander, having hung towards the back, had managed to scamper off to the side and was facing a vampire one-on-one. The vampire, a young male dressed in a polo shirt and khakis, sneered at the teen as he closed in.

"Oh, you're a cute one," cooed the vampire. "The cute ones always taste good going down. Heh, heh."

"Pervert, preppy vampires," snorted Xander. "Like the normal variety wasn't creepy enough. Good thing I brought a secret weapon." Xander then pulled a squirtgun from behind her back.

"What are you going to do with--" The vampire broke off in mid-sentence and a look of realization formed on his face. "That's filled with holy water, isn't it?"

Xander grinned. "The Lost Boys was on TV last week. It inspired me."

The vampire started to lunge at the teen but Xander was ready and hit the creature with a solid squirt to the eyes. The vampire howled, covered its eyes and began to flail wildly. Xander maneuvered carefully around the wounded monster waiting for just the right moment to strike. When the vampire's back was to her Xander lunged forward with all her strength and buried a stake in its back. A scream and a few seconds later the vampire was dust.

"Yeah! That rocked!" shouted Xander as she waved her weapons in triumph. "I don't know why I didn't start using one of these years ago!"

Just then the squirtgun was yanked from Xander's grip. She whipped around to see one of the earth elements standing there, the small weapon it its mighty hands. The elemental quickly closed its hand crushing the squirtgun to bits.

"Oh, now I remember why I never used one of those before," said Xander with a gulp. "Plastic weapons suck against really strong monsters."

The elemental actually seemed to smile a little bit before slamming a heavy fist into the side of Xander's head.

I hate elementals! thought Angel as he landed another blow to the earth creature's head only to see it fail to react. That fire elemental I fought in Atlanta back in '89 almost did me in and this one seems just as tough!

As if reading the vampire's mind the elemental, with speed defying its bulk, lunged forward and caught Angel in a bearhug. The rogue vamp grunted as his adversary began to squeeze.

"That hurts, rock boy, but breathing's not really a priority for my kind." Angel then shifted to his game face, threw his head forward and used his fangs to tear off the elemental's crudely formed nose.

The creature only looked at the vampire completely unfazed.

"I really hate elementals," sighed Angel just before his opponent nailed him with a punishing headbutt.

A few steps away Buffy was faring better as her sword separated a vampire from its head. But before she could savor that victory a cry came from her right. The Slayer turned to see Giles struggling to rise from the floor a few feet away. His crossbow in pieces, the Englishman clutched his ribs in pain. A vampire and elemental were closing in fast. The Slayer quickly dashed to her Watcher's side.

Dammit! This fight is so not going well for the good guys! she thought as she ran.

A bit further away Skuld was thinking much the same. "Sis, hurry up with that spell already! These rock guys seem to know my hammer is magic and are hanging back but I can't keep them and the vampires away forever."

The situation did indeed look grim as the two goddesses were surrounded on all sides by the remaining three vampires and three elementals. The elder goddess did not react but kept quickly chanting in a low voice.

"Stop playing about and get them, you fools!" commanded Sydney. At their leader's orders the other two vampires charged.

But as they did Belldandy finished chanting. Immediately several feet above her head a ball of light formed. Spears of burning white light lanced out of the sphere and struck three of the remaining four vampires turning them to ash in an instant. Only Sydney, in a display of agility that would astonish even a vampire, managed to dance out of the way.

"What manner of creature are you?" demanded Belldandy as she studied the vampire.

"You shall know soon enough, my dear," replied Sydney was a slight smile. The vampire then raised her right hand and a torrent of crimson energy shot forth.

Caught flat-footed Belldandy had no chance to get out of the way and the energy hit her dead center in the chest. Angry, blazing energy engulfed the goddess like a malevolent aura and Belldandy screamed in pain. The arcane inferno faded after a few moments and the goddess fell limply to the ground.

"Sis!" cried Skuld as she began to run towards his sister. But the little goddess had let her fear for her sister override her combat instinct. She only managed a few steps before an elemental appeared behind her and connected with an axe punch to the back of Skuld's head. The youngest goddess then too fell to the ground.

Urd was too busy squaring off against Mara to notice that her sisters had fallen. The battle was her world.

"This is great!" shouted Mara as she swung her sword again. "Good to see the stories I heard about you on the battlefield were true, Urd. It's been ages since I had this much fun in a fight to the death!"

"Dammit, Mara! It doesn't have to end this way!" countered the goddess with both words and her axe.

"Gods and demons, Urd. Of course it has to end this way. It's what we were born for."

"Not if we choose to find another way!"

Mara sighed as she swung her sword again. "You're starting to sound like your peacenik sister. Don't you get it, Urd? I want it to end this way. I always have."

"I don't believe that!" howled Urd as she brought her weapon against Mara's. "I won't believe that our friendship means nothing to you!"

The demon smiled darkly. "Believe it, bitch." Mara then spoke a short word and the runes on her sword flared to life. Urd only had time to gasp before burning red energy exploded from the sword right in her face.

The goddess fell back limply and did not move.

Only yards away Buffy again beheaded a vampire with her sword. As it turned to dusted she cartwheeled to the side avoid an attack from behind by an element. She came to her feet by Giles' side ready to continue protecting him.

"Buffy, I fear things are going very badly. You must be ready to--" Giles was cut off as red energy hit him as well. The wounded Watcher wasn't even able to cry out before he collapsed.

Battle instinct took control and Buffy turned around, forcing herself to ignore her mentor for the moment. To her left Buffy saw Sydney, her hands aglow with the red energy, standing there smiling.

"And then there was one," said the vampire.

Buffy readied herself for a fresh assault. "I'm the Slayer. One girl in all the world, you know. One of me is all I need."

"But not all your pals need," called Mara.

The Slayer hesitated and glanced at the demon. Mara stood with one foot planted on the chest of the fallen Urd, her face a mask of gleeful triumph. "Your vampire boyfriend, your formally a boy friend, your Watcher, and even the mighty Norns have fallen, Slayer. You've lost."

"If you knew me you'd know better than to say that," said Buffy as she again raised her sword into a battle stance.

"And you know not what or who you face," informed Sydney. Then Sydney's body began to glow with the crimson energy she used as her weapon. Buffy took a step back in caution and prepared herself to act on a moment's notice.

The energy flowed from Sydney's body into a ball above her head with a sound like a scream and a sluice gate being opened. Once all the energy was gone Sydney's flesh began to flow and change.

But Buffy only barely registered that. Her eyes were fixed on the glowing ball of crimson energy floating in the air. For a moment crude eyes and a mouth of lighter colored energy could be seen in the ball like some obscene jack-o-lantern. The face glared at the Slayer for a moment before the ball zipped towards the ground. There was a flash of red light and then where the ball had been stood the form of a woman.

The woman was tall, almost 5'11, with black hair that flowed down shortly past her shoulders. A golden circlet on her head and eyes of azure added a regal air to her already almost achingly beautiful features. Her clothes were a simple silk robe the color of a robin's egg tied with a short golden sash.

The woman's eyes became the focus of the Slayer's attention. There, by some sense she didn't fully understand, Buffy could see great and ancient power that belonged to an age long past.

"Aw, hell! Dammit! It's over! Oh, it's over! I free!" came a voice from nearby.

Buffy refused to take her eyes off the newcomer first. But when the woman glanced to where the voice originated the Slayer took a moment to do the same. After all, with such as major turn of events attacking now would have been foolish.

"Hey…you're that punk rock vampire from the other night," said Buffy as she saw that vampire that had once been a mortal girl called Courtney. "What are you doing here?"

Instead of answering Courtney crab-walked away from the woman as fast as she could. "You stay the hell away from! I don't know how you did it but I won't let you do it again. I won't let you posses and change me again!"

"You have severed your purpose, leech," said the woman. "I will suffer your tainted presence no more."

With a simple gesture a ray of the crimson energy forked from the woman's right hand and struck the vampire. With barely enough time for a scream the vampire was reduced to ash.

The woman then looked at Buffy with a look of distain and amusement. "Do you really plan to challenge me in physical combat, child? I assure you; even a Slayer is no match for the likes of one such as I."

"I've heard that one before," retorted Buffy. "And I'm still standing."

Just then wracking pain burned though Buffy's body. The Slayer's vision swam and she felt her legs turn to jelly. Somehow Buffy managed to use her sword as a crutch to stop herself from collapsing completely and instead only fell to one knee. Through a supreme effort of will blonde girl managed to turn her head around to where she now sensed someone behind her.

"Forgetting about someone like yours truly in the middle of a fight. That just screams rank amateur. I'm insulted," said Mara, a large smirk on her face. "Then again the lovely lady before you does tend to turn heads wherever she goes."

Buffy's vision was getting spotty and she could fell unconsciousness coming on like a chill on an autumn night. But she managed to again turn her head and look at the woman again. "Who…are you?"

"You have fought valiantly, child, so I shall tell you," said the woman in a tone that sounded oddly motherly. But then a cold naked anger filled the woman's face as she prepared to speak again.

"I am Sigyn! Wife of Loki of the Aesir and goddess first class, unlimited!"

Buffy opened her mouth to speak but before she could find words Mara viciously punched her in the back of the head. The Slayer fell to the ground in a heap.

"Like I said, Slayer; you lose," said Mara, simply.

To Be Concluded…

Author's Notes: Yes, I know just how long it's been since this story was last updated. I'll spare my readers more ramblings about my life. Simply put, I have a full-time job now and the energy and will to write aren't as common as they used to be.

Now let's talk story specifics.

The Oracles the Belldandy and Urd talk about are meant to be the ones we met during the first season of Angel. Peroth, from Oh My Goddess! was actually going to be the one Belldandy was going try and get information from for a long time. But in the end I realized I hadn't read enough stories with Peroth in them to give me confidence that I could right her well.

So I looked for a substitute from the Buffyverse and eventually remembered the Oracles. Since in story time the events of the first season of Angel are (give or take) about six months from starting I thought it would be a nice bit of foreshadowing.

Belldandy's talk about the goddesses changing through time was a way of reconciling the OMG universe with actual Norse history. Again Rod M and David Tai's Hellblazer/OMG stories were a big influence.

More foreshadowing was intended in the conversation between Buffy and Xander. Originally the words "devoted friend" where in the conversation but I took them out because it sounded forced. But Xander hearing Buffy say the words that would literally be craved on her tombstone in a little over two years time was really a kick to write. Somehow it just seemed to be that that part of her epitaph would have been something Xander came up with.

Buffy's line about how Xander sees things for how they really are was foreshadowing of what Caleb said to Xander just before he poked out his eye in season seven.

The sword Mara uses in her fight with Urd is meant to look like the one Paine uses in the video game Final Fantasy X-2. Though the runes are a bit of creative license.

We're almost at the end of this story's long road. All your questions will be answered next time. So hang in there.