The Risks of Glory

Ch 7- Glorificus

Brother Benes kneeled in an empty warehouse where he'd traced the emanations of the Dagon Sphere. He could feel it had been moved and could only hope that the Slayer had found it and was even now researching it. He could provide the answers she needed if he could trace where it had been taken from here.

Pulling out a map of Sunnydale, California and its environs he prepared to cast another locator spell for the Orb. The closer he came, the more exact each locator incantation became. Now that he was at its recent location, one more should tell him right where it was hidden. Just as he began to lay out the candles and ready the sand he'd need, the solid steel bay door began to shake under thunderous blows.

"No! No," Benes cried to the heavens, "I was so close."

At least Krejci survived. Benes had to leave him behind in a hospital in Rome when his flu had gotten dramatically worse. The doctors had assured him that the young man would fully recover, given time. It was time that Benes didn't have to spare. He left Krejci in his ward bed, looking guilt-ridden at being spared the confrontation that they both knew would occur eventually. Brother Benes had wanted that confrontation to happen side by side with the Slayer. The Mother Superior had been right, it appeared; The Fates were seeking to punish them for their deal with the Devil.

The solid metal door crashed inward with a mighty roar. Through dust and metal shavings, strode a pretty woman in a red silk dress. On her petite feet she wore red high heels and a gold chain glinted in the weak light from her ankle. Around her neck she wore a large diamond pendent and her earrings were of yellow gold.

As she stepped forward seeking, her eyes fell on Brother Benes standing alone and afraid. "Ahhhhh, there you are. I have been looking all over for you! Boys? Will you please tie my little friend to a chair. And then go find me something to eat, I'm starting to feel a bit peckish."

"Of course, your mightyness," a scabby creature with large dark eyes bowed.

Brother Benes could only acquiesce. He knew trying to flee would be hopeless.

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Buffy stormed out of the Summers' residence, marching with purpose in the direction of Riley's neighborhood. The warehouse where poor Mr. Goodmore recently was employed was the only place she could think of to find answers. There just had to be something there other than the Orb that would explain what it was and how it tied into Dawn and the attack on her mother.

As she crossed the lawn, the scent of cigarette smoke wafted in the air. Catching her attention, she crossed over to the large oak tree and sighed in annoyance when she saw a pile of used Marlboros on the ground.

She reached behind the tree and yanked Spike out into the open. "I'm busy, Spike. Why are you here? And, God help you if this is some weird stalking thing."

"Stalking? Don't be daft. I have far better uses for my time than to hang around watching you. I just happen to be out for a walk. You know, just because your house happens to sit between one part of town and, uh, other parts, doesn't mean it's all about you!"

Buffy kicked the pile of butts. "This is not the butt-pile of someone who was just walking by."

"Well…it's, um, Joyce! I came by to say hello to your mum and the Bit. They're always happy to say a 'hullo' to an abused vampire."

"Abused? Oh, now that is rich. Look, I don't have time for this crap. And you can forget about them inviting you in, too. You crossed the line, Spike."

Buffy went to march around him when she happened to glance back at the house. A light was on upstairs in her mother's room and when she glanced up she noted Dawn or whatever she was glaring down at her. Feeling a chill, she watched Spike stalking up the street in anger at her. Biting her lip and rolling her eyes at herself, she called out to him to come back for a minute.

He did. He rushed back in fact, a look of brief excitement on his face, before he slid a look of nonchalance on his features. Buffy had noticed, however, "What a loser," she thought.

"Spike, I need you to wait here for my mom. She's gone out for a bit."

"I know," Spike said. He caught the hard look Buffy shot him and shrugged. Pointing to the strewn smoked butts, he added, "Obviously I've been here longer than a short bit."

"Just make sure she gets inside safe, alright. And kind of listen into the house…make sure she's stays safe. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Oh, so, it's 'Spike's cast out…until we need to use him'? Is that it, now?"

Buffy blew a puff of air out in irritation. She didn't have time for these games. "Spike, if you really cared about my mom, you'd do this. Now are you in or are you out?"

"Something wrong? You seem tense, even for you."

"It's Slayer business, alright. It may have something to do with her, some danger. I just…I need to know that someone is here to make sure she's safe until I can double check something. Don't make me beg you."

Spike saw worry in her eyes and immediately softened. Hell, no one was going to touch his Joyce anyway, whether Buffy asked for his help or not. "Of course, I'll watch out for her. Nobody's getting within twenty feet of her."

He caught Buffy's glance at the upstairs window, but when he looked there was nothing there and the light was off. With a quick nod to him, she headed down the street at a jog. When she'd turned a corner, Spike sat himself on the front stoop of her house and waited for the Jeep to show up.

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Glorificus could feel her nerves beginning to go taut. Like nails being dragged down a chalkboard, the fat, old guy's whimpering and whining about his stupid useless wife and ugly brats were getting to her. She wanted to tell him if he'd just shut his mouth she might forget he was even there, but of course, that would be a big lie. He was here for a purpose after all. It's just that she wasn't interested in him at the moment; she was too busy paying attention to her cute, little monk-y in his darling little brown robe with the dark red stains.

"Hey…little morons! Obviously, me and monk-y need a bit of 'alone time'. Why don't you go get us some digs. You know what I like. Go! Get out!"

The repulsive little men and women who worshipped her as a goddess scampered away. She didn't much like them, but what was a girl to do? Somebody had to take care of the mundane things so she could focus on the big picture.

She was also growing angry at that self same monk. Despite her tying him up and despite her own little scabs making sure he never ran again and despite her hurting him, he still refused to tell her about her Key. And he knew where it was, oh yes he did. She wasn't an idiot, just 'cause she looked this fabulous. He knew and she wanted him to spill it, preferably before she forgot her self and spilled his insides out on the floor.

She leaned forward getting into his face, which she was gratified to see was terrified of her. As well he should be. It was only proper that he fear her. Everyone should fear and worship her and this little brown bug should be prostrating himself and struggling to not tell her what she wanted to know until she could ask. She sighed, but that wasn't how the cockroach was acting at all. It wasn't right!

"You know…it really hurts me that you're not sympathizing with my pain here. I mean, think about it for just one minute? I'm the victim, here. I'm the one who's been backstabbed. But no, all you can think about is your own stupid oaths. It's just selfish, really. I'm surprised at you religious folks, I thought you were supposed to be a lot more charitable than this. Now, I know that I might have come on a little strong, monk-y, and I guess I can be adult enough to say I'm sorry. I've been told before that I have boundary issues, but really it's not your Key, you know? It's not like you bought it or anything. It's mine. It's always been meant for me; why won't you just give it to me?"

Glory began to whine. She heard it in her voice and didn't like it. She didn't like that she was almost to the point of begging for something that was hers, by right. And from someone that was beneath her. She hated this, and boy was this guy going to regret it. But right now, she needed to garner a little sympathy, "Do you know how hard it is for me to be here? How much suffering I'm going through? Do you give even one moment of consideration for my pain? Hmm…any? And you can make it all better with one little thing: just tell me where you sent my Key. Please? With sugar on top?"

She looked at Benes and giggled to herself. The poor little dear, sometimes she really was a little ditzy. "Oops. I'm sorry monk-y. Here I am ranting for information, and you've got that silly tape all over your mouth. I mean, how did I think you were going to answer? It's not like you have some cool power, like telepathy. No, you're just a small, fragile human. So easy to kill. So easy… (Glory grabbed the duct tape from Benes' mouth and tore it savagely. His lips began to bleed from where skin had come with it)… to hurt! Now, tell me: Where is my Key!"

"I…I…w-will tell…you…nothing," Benes managed to sputter out. He hurt inside and was having trouble drawing a decent breath. He could feel himself growing weaker. And he was afraid, deeply afraid. But not of death, for that could only offer relief now. No, he feared that he wouldn't be able to hold his tongue against what The Beast may do to him next for his defiance.

Glory backed away from the monk, leaning heavily against a cement post. From her lips issued a sigh and her eyes were glinting with unshed tears. Next to her, chained to the same post, the guard babbled more about his wife and children and how he just wanted to go home. She didn't even hear him.

"Fine." Her entire focus was on Benes, "That's fine. You don't care. You don't empathize with my suffering. You probably think this is all funny, don't you? Say it! Say it out loud that this is humorous for you! You know why I need the Key. You know why it's so important for me, but still you sit there and mock me! Why? Why are you being so cruel?"

"It's typical! The whole mortal meatsack comes complete with stink and bile, sweat and protein," Glory whimpered. "Yes, I said humans! Not now, Mommy's talking! Wriggling, piling, prowling, crawling, clowning, cavorting, doing it over and over and over and over until someone's gonna sit down on their tuffet and make this birthing stop!" (1)

With a strangled cry of despair, Glory put her fingers on either side of the hapless guard's head. White light flared from him and his eyes went wide. Shock and pain dominated his face until he collapsed to the floor, whimpering and gasping. Glory took a deep breath and stood, calm and apparently refreshed. (2)

Once finished, she snapped the man's holding chains and gave him a rough push in the general direction of the exit. Smiling warmly at Benes, she gave him a little peck on the forehead. "That is so relieving. Now, pumpkin, where exactly were we…"

Buffy entered the fourth floor of the mostly empty warehouse on edge. Not only was there no guard outside patrolling the grounds (and surely they'd have a replacement by now) but her Slayer instincts were screaming at her to be careful. Once upon a time she might have given them short shrift as her imagination, but she'd learn to rely on them. With Giles' continued tutelage, she had learned that they were tied to some greater well of information than she was collecting with her eyes and ears.

Cautiously, she made her way down a dingy hallway. Lamps from outside lighting up the empty parking lot cast light in through the multiple windows and allowed her to navigate easily enough.

As she entered through a large metal door that had been torn from its latches and left lying as a twisted ruin on the floor, she grimaced. The last thing she was looking forward to was another super-powers fight. Sweeping her gaze across the expanse of the room revealed the huddled figure on a chair. It was obvious by the position of the ropes that he'd been tied securely. Bingo, she thought.

She rushed across the room, looking for signs of who might have done this to him, but the room was apparently bare, though her Slayer sense was still warning her of danger. As she knelt before him, relieved that he was conscious, he began yanking at the ropes binding him. Trying to be careful not to hurt him anymore than he obviously was already, she gave him a reassuring smile while working at the knots, "Don't worry. I do this stuff all the time. I'll have you safe in no time. You sent the glow-y Orb-doohickey, right?"

"Once we get out of here," she went on, "you can tell me why its here and who's in my house hurting my mother." When Buffy glanced at his face, his eyes were wide with fear, "Hey, don't worry…I'm stronger than I look. And also," she spun around grabbing a woman who'd been sneaking up behind her by the throat, "I'm not stupid."

Glory looked at the little, scrawny girl with annoyance. First of all, what did she think she was doing untying her monk? And second, just where did she get off trespassing and interrupting her questioning of that same monk? And finally, just who did she think she was, trying to manhandle her that way? Didn't she know who she was messing with?

Glory gave Buffy a withering look, at the same time wrenching Buffy's arm from her neck and following through with a backhand. The Slayer felt herself lifted off of her feet and across the room. Landing thirty feet away, she impacted a cement wall so hard she saw an indent of her shape cracked into it. Buffy looked up at Glory, stunned at her strength. She had thought that Adam was a heavy hitter!

"Are you sure about that, sweetie?"

Buffy rushed the woman in the dress, only to be casually swatted away and into the cement wall again, this time face first. The wall cracked under the impact, like the first time and she swallowed heavily. Glory strode forward and seized her by the shoulders.

"And another thing? I just want you to know..." Glory said as she slammed Buffy into a support pillar and began pummeling her. "…the whole 'beat ya to death' thing I'm doing? Its valuable time out of my life that I'm never gonna get back."

Buffy, shocked and realizing she was in trouble tried to fight back but the woman grabbed both of her arms and wrenched them down to her side. She cried out as pain shot through her shoulders. Thinking quickly, she slammed her head into Glory's face, breaking free from her grip.

Glory cried out in shock, "You hit me! What, are you crazy?"

Buffy pressed her attack, hitting and kicking for all she was worth, but her blows seemed to bounce off of her rather than actually injuring her.

"You can't go around hitting people. What, were you born in a barn? Fine. Be that way," Glory said as she easily blocked Buffy's next blow. Again grabbing the Slayer, she swung her around into the support post close by. She followed up with a blow for Buffy's head but the Slayer was able to duck at the last instant and Glory's fist punched through the concrete. Getting pissed, Glory picked her up by the throat and held her there, feet dangling and with her gasping for air.

"I just noticed something. You have super powers. That is so cool. Can you fly?" She hurled Buffy clear across the room where she landed hard on the concrete floor. Dazed and next to the monk she'd tried to untie, Buffy got unsteadily to her feet.

Grabbing the monk, she yanked him hard enough to break the chair into ruins and snap the ropes. She grimaced at causing him more injury, but she had to do this fast. Running toward the window, she heard mystery woman exclaim in surprise and outrage.

Glory charged after them but she was too late: Buffy went crashing through the window with the monk and tumbling to the ground below. Glory stumbled to a halt when the heel on her shoe broke off. Removing the offending shoe, she gnashed her teeth in irritation and threw it across the room. (3)

She went into a full blown temper tantrum. Stamping on the floor and screaming in frustration, she froze on hearing the building groan around her. As large slabs of roof began caving in on her, she thought, Oh, sh-, and then she was being pounded through the floor and down two stories, debris pinning her.

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End Ch 7

1, 2, 3- This is taken almost directly from the episode "No Place Like Home" with heavy transcript support from twiztv(dot)com.