Author: mkcrl120
Disclaimer: All the characters mentioned in this story belong to Joss Whedon or Mutant Enemy or some other people. I own nothing and wrote this just to get it out of my system.
Summary: Set two weeks after the events in Explaining Africa 3
Authors Notes: I have no clue about Africa. Which is probably always a good place to start writing a story. So if details I've used for place names, and tribal names and whatever are wrong then just (correctly) assume I have no idea what I'm doing.
Rating: 15 by English standards (mainly for language)
Chapter 15a:
Outside the apartment
Roger stifled a scream as he watched the creatures powerful blows appear to bounce off of nothing but air. 'Other than the world being slightly yellowish, I wouldn't believe anything was there,' he thought to himself. 'Don't even know where this shield thing is'. Glancing at the ground, he spotted that they seemed to be surrounded by a circle. 'Everything within the circle looks normal, whereas everything outside is like looking through yellow-tinted sunglasses.'
Raising his head to bring the creature back into view, he flinched slightly as the beast swung an arm in his direction. After it rebounded harmlessly off the shield, a good three or four feet from where his head was, he forced himself to get his racing pulse back under control.
'Unfortunately, apart from where it's resting against something, you can't tell where the shield actually is.'
"You ready..?" Shote asked from slightly in front of him.
"Ready..?" He returned the question automatically.
"Okay." Shote made a small gesture with his arms.
The air pressure around them increased slightly, then there was a brief sense of relief as the pressure eased. This culminated with the creature being knocked back a few feet, the afterimage of a brief flash of yellow where it had previously been standing.
Roger realised the shield had been dropped completely and turned to the others.
'They don't look as yellow either.' He noticed as he glanced in their direction before flicking his eyeline back to the beast as it came sliding to a halt approximately a dozen feet from where they stood. 'And the pressure's gone too.' He finished his thought as he flexed his shoulders, it only noticeable now it was absent. 'Apparently I adapted to it.'
"Well..?" Amy accused at him, without taking her eyes off his she nodded her head in the direction of the downed creature.
At his blank look she explained further. "Shoot it!"
"Right." He thought and quickly examined his shotgun before stepping forward and bringing it up so the beast was in his sights.
As he focused on the creature he waited for it to begin to stand, then pulled the trigger.
The loud blast accompanied the familiar jolt against his shoulder.
In the distance he spotted the creature get knocked back to the ground again. This time it was even further away, but still he couldn't spot anything that looked like blood. "What the hell is that thing made of..?" He asked the others.
No-one voiced an opinion and when he turned to look at them only blank looks were sent his way.
"Stand back." Shote commanded, Roger glancing down to where his old friend was creating the yellow ball of energy within his hands again.
Roger spotted Amy immediately stand next to Shote. He himself moved inwards to ensure he'd be safely within the newly resurrected shield.
"I said stand back." Shote stated before moving slightly away from the pair.
Unknown location
'This is it.' Faith thought to herself.
Tu'ron walked amongst the others, still slightly amazed at how she could hear conversations that should have clearly been out of earshot. Most of the conversations were centred around Tu'ron and what was about to occur.
The hunting party was larger than normal, as most within the group had chosen not to miss out on the first hunting trip since the demon-slayers had worked their magics on Tu'ron. The numbers easily surpassed sixty.
As it was night-time, most of those unfamiliar with the hunting trips stayed near to the centre of the group.
The demon-slayers walked with them too. Obviously wanting to know how successful their attempts at bestowing multiple gifts would be.
The conversations tended to concentrate on Tu'ron's potential abilities and whether they'd be any use against the Others.
Many were doubtful of what she might be capable of. Using how Tu'ron had fared in training sessions over the last three days. Comments about how she'd only been slightly better than she had been before. How most were doubtful that although it was obvious she was physically stronger than she had been before, they weren't sure how much stronger. It was doubted that she was even as strong as the most experienced human warriors from their own people, never mind expecting her to fair against either one of the Unseen Threat or a Braka.
Faith was doubtful too, but for other reasons, she knew that Tu'ron had been holding back. Though even she wasn't sure exactly by how much.
But that wasn't the reason she was worried either. She was worried that in her hesitency, Tu'ron might not be willing to fully commit to the fight.
'You've killed Others before.' She silently reminded the girl, wishing she could urge her on. 'Just go with your training, and try to trust your instincts.'
Faith was almost certain that it was those same instincts that had scared the younger girl, and made the training sessions far less than they should have been.
Ga'nav and Merkak walked beside Tu'ron, offering words of comfort. Tu'ron listened intently to everything that they said, but Faith couldn't help tuning them out.
Concentrating on her senses, she examined her surrounding, searching for that tell-tale sign that a vampire was close.
She was almost certain that her senses were registering something when Tu'ron suddenly stopped.
"Over there." Tu'ron stated to her colleagues, pointing towards some dunes. "Beyond the hill, maybe forty paces."
'How the fuck does she always beat me..?' Faith wanted to scream, partly in amusement and partly in jealousy. 'There's no way I'm this good at it even back in my own body.'
Ga'nav was the first to speak directly at her. "How many..?" He asked as the three of them began to scale the hill.
'Practical as always.' Faith accepted, as they reached the crest and glanced down at the small camp in front of them.
"Four, maybe five." Tu'ron informed him, eyes never leaving the camp that showed no signs of whether or not anyone was home. "Five." She finished in a confident tone.
'And fucking counting them..?' Faith wondered, wishing she could roll her eyes. Fairly certain her own abilities barely identified groups of differing sizes beyond the basic three; lone vampire, small handful and lots get backup.
"We'll help hold some of them off. Just give you one to start with." Ga'nav informed her, turning and gesturing for some other warriors to join them.
Merkak simply handed her the Scythe. "The Warrior ought to have her Weapon for her first trial."
By this point most of the group had climbed the hill, Ga'nav set about organising nine other hunters to accompany them into the Others' camp. Then he instructed them that unless things took a turn for the worst, those were to be the only ones to descend the hill.
Both Tu'ron and Faith ignored most of this, both in their own way getting ready for what was to come.
Tu'ron attempted to force herself to relax, but her heartrate continued to increase, her breaths becoming quicker, efficiently oxygenating muscles. Her brain focused on her recent training sessions, unable to resist examining those times when she'd thought she'd been about to lose control.
Faith thought about those times too, when she'd been wondering if Tu'ron really did have the killer instinct. Part of her hoping she didn't, but the more realistic part of her knowing she'd need it to survive. The only other thing Faith thought about for the upcoming battle was how she hated to be on the sidelines, something that, even if Tu'ron was a full participant for once, Faith would still in a way be a spectator for this.
Ga'nav led the group down the hill, trying to keep them all quiet.
As they reached the bottom though, all five members of the Unseen Threat burst out of their hiding spots and ran towards the group.
"Defend yourselves." Ga'nav shouted instructions at the team, as he took on the first on the Others himself.
Two humans went to his aid, Tu'ron recognised one of them as Dig'na. Two Braka moved as one towards another of the deadly creatures. Two of the creatures attacked the rest of their group together.
During this Tu'ron merely stood still and watched, knowing they were experienced hunters and they stood a good chance of surviving this. Her eyes never left the remaining monster as it moved towards her.
'Come on vampire.' Faith challenged silently. 'Come here and get your ass dusted.'
The monster charged first, Tu'ron darted to the side, overbalancing herself as she misjudged her own reaction times.
As she rolled across the ground and back to her feet, Faith swore slightly. 'Yeah, during training you weren't pumping fucking adrenalin through your system.'
Tu'ron slashed the Weapon through the air in front of her, knowing the creature would have followed her to the ground intending to take chunks of her neck while she was down.
"Die." Tu'ron spat through gritted teeth as the felt one end of the Weapon meet resistance.
Looking up, both Tu'ron and Faith realised that the demon had merely been wounded on the forearm by the wooden end of the Weapon.
The creature was hurt though, Tu'ron noticed it seemed far more so than when they'd previously stabbed one of them with metal weapons.
It stood, still defiant, even as it flexed it's fingers, obviously waiting for it's healing to kick in. Satisfied with it's progress it moved towards her again, more carefully this time. Attempting to use it's superior speed to snatch the weapon of the young woman's grasp.
Tu'ron matched the Others speed easily, catching it's wrist with her free hand and kicking it in the chest with her opposite leg. The demon flew backwards, the force of the kick taking it out of even Tu'ron's powerful grip.
As it landed on the floor, Tu'ron headed towards it. Swinging the Weapon back and forth in front of her. As the monster sat up, she aimed the axe part of the Weapon at it's neck and put as much power as she could behind the blow.
The blade barely slowed down on it's journey, Tu'ron having to halt it's momentum itself. The beast's head parted from it's body and a fraction of a second later it exploded into dust.
And Tu'ron was already heading towards the largest group of combatants.
Reaching them within a few seconds she joined the fight by simply grabbing the robes of one of the Unseen Threat and tossing them out of the fight so she could face it alone.
This one seemed more experienced, it rolled out of it's landing and dived towards her grabbing the Weapon in two hands and challenging her for possession of it.
Tu'ron grunted as the initial impact attempted to push her back, then held tight as the creature attempted to drag it out of her hands.
Faith wanted to laugh. 'You're taking on a Slayer in a battle of wills... fuck me, you're dumb.'
Confusion was apparent on her opponent's face, obviously it didn't think someone of such a small frame should be able to challenge it so.
Twisting her grip on the Weapon, Tu'ron moved the creature first forwards then back, and then used this new momentum to flick herself over the monster taking the Weapon with her. As her feet touched the ground, she continued her movement dragging the beast over her back so that it flew through the air. It's hands releasing their grip as it did so.
Before it could roll out of this one, she followed through and cut it's head off in a similar way to the first. This time she paused to admire her handywork.
'Two for two.' Faith agreed, 'Let's see if you can reach the magic number.'
Tu'ron turned facing those that remained. As she did so she noticed Ga'nav's group finishing off the Other they'd been fighting with. It was Dig'na that dealt the killing blow.
"I'm faster than Ga'nav." Tu'ron whispered to herself, apparently in slight disbelief.
She saw their group head towards the beast challenging the two Braka, and pausing only to nod in their direction headed towards the other group.
As she approached the Other stopped challenging the rest of the group and only paid attention to her. The rest of the group also paused, and spread out fully intending to watch their newly empowered camp-member in action. A semi-circle was created, cutting the creature off from those still on the hill, many had started to wander down as the number of Others had dwindled. Tu'ron took a deep breath and headed forwards into the half circle, where the creature stood alone.
Snarling the beast leapt at her, which she countered by simply leaping off to the side, easily matching the distance the beast had covered in it's jump.
Faith inwardly smiled as this time Tu'ron was in control of the jump, turning while airborne to always face the beast and landing effortlessly on her feet while heading backwards.
The Weapon was raised in her right arm, and she ran at the beast swiping at the creature as it ducked under the blade.
She swiped again, lower this time and the creature leapt up just enough to clear the axe head. But Tu'ron had planned for that and followed through with her trailing left leg, delivering a powerful kick to the beast's torso as it descended.
The monster flew back over a dozen feet, part of the crowd having to quickly backpeddle as it landed where they'd been standing.
This time Tu'ron walked towards it, expending no extra energy than was necessary.
"Watch out." Screamed Dig'na, causing Tu'ron to turn towards where the last Unseen Threat had abandoned it's previous challenge and was heading towards her.
A growl flicked her attention back to her current opponent, whose razor sharp claws were almost upon her.
Instinctively, Tu'ron caught the claws on the Weapon and spun to overbalance the creature and knock it to the ground. As she spun she was able to take note of how far away the other creature was and how soon it'd be able to close that distance and be upon her.
Realising that she didn't have time to dispatch the beast and then prepare to face the other one, she simply continued her spin so that her back would be facing the charging opponent.
She brought the blade down towards the creature that was trying to get up, effectively slicing it's head off as it was on it's hands and knees.
The axe continued it's journey to the soft ground below, this movement bringing the opposite end of the Weapon up to near waist height. Hoping she was fast enough, she quickly raised the axe and attempted to spin it so she could meet the remaining beast armed.
In the process of beginning her plan, she suddenly felt a jerk on the opposite end of the Weapon, and she found she had no momentum with which to swing it around.
As she turned to face the creature she idly wondered why it hadn't attacked if it had caught one end of the Weapon.
When she'd completed her turn she soon discovered why. The wooden part of the Weapon was buried deep in the monster's chest cavity.
Just as she begun to wonder if it'd come out the other side, the creature raised it's head and screamed. Expecting an attack she stepped back drawing the Weapon with her. Before it was even halfway out of the monster, the beast collapsed into dust much like they did when beheaded.
Tu'ron stood staring at the wooden end of the Weapon as the crowd all ran towards her.
She heard people congratulating her, heard others in the distance asking the demon-slayers about their future plans, Tu'ron ignored them all. Her attention only on the mysterious part of the Weapon which had killed an Other.
"The Weapon knew what it was for." Merkak stated as she approached the girl's side.
At her confused look Merkak continued. "It was something my father used to say. Many enchanted weapons seem to have knowledge that neither their wielders nor their creators had. The intent will be known, but not all of the means... least that was what he told me. Maybe it was Brouhm." Merkak finished sadly.
Tu'ron didn't know quite how to respond to that, Faith found she'd couldn't really advise. 'Comforting people ain't exactly my thing.'
"Maybe I'll ask him." Merkak brightened up and held out her hands for the Weapon.
"Your father..?" Tu'ron asked, as she willingly handed over the Weapon.
"No." Merkak said, taking it from her. "Enjoy your victory." She finished, eyes flicking over to the group that was still in high spirits.
As they watched her go, Tu'ron spotted Merkak cut her thumb slightly on the blade and then press it against the only remaining symbols on the Weapon.
She was pulled out of her confusion over Merkak's words and actions when Bee'ka grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the group.
End of chapter 15