"So what's the plan of attack?" Xander asked as the five of them stood at the door of the Bronze. The alley was dark, all streetlights out.
"We stay together" Buffy sighed, "We're vulnerable if we split up." She was right, no one knew what lurked behind the doorway, the last time they had seen the Bronze it had been full with vibrancy and life. It sent a shiver down their spines to think of how the Master must have taken over the place, the amount of people that must have died in the process. It did not bear thinking about. "We stay together" Buffy said again, almost trying to convince herself that everything would be fine. "Kill anything that moves. Our prime target is the Master." With that she turned to the door, kicking it high and hard, sending it crashing inwards.
"Here goes" The slayer said mirroring her earlier move with the portal, she stepped through the doorway and the darkness of the bronze consumed her. The others followed, it was near pitch black inside.
Something stirred in the shadows a figure moved and jumped. A vampire, then a second and a third. Buffy hit the first to reach her with a flying kick, he went spinning to the ground, she raised a stake but was too slow and the vamp punched back. Wesley shot his crossbow with deadly aim, piercing the heart of another. A burst of ashes covered the nearby slayer in combat. Giles tackled the third at a run, which sent them both sprawling to the floor with a clatter. Xander was by his side, tackling the demon into submission as Cordelia staked it, ashes covered the three of them. There was a strangled cry and the last vampire burst to dust, leaving the slayer crouched on the floor, stake in hand. Wesley helped her up.
"Thanks" she brushed her clothes down.
"They'll be more where they came from" Wesley cried, reloading his crossbow and surveying the place around them. "Is there anyway we can get some light in here?"
"No" Giles replied, "We don't want to alert are presence anymore than necessary but here" He handed the other Watcher a flashlight, who gladly turned it on dowsing the nearby floor with a white glow. He flashed the beam quickly around, getting his bearings.
"Dear Lord" Giles' voice stuttered.
"Did I ever tell you how much I hate it when you say that" Xander pointed out, coming up next to the watcher, Cordelia followed suit.
"What is it?" she turned to look at the main dance floor. Or at least where it should have been. "Oh God" she covered her mouth in disgust and in the fear that she might loose the contents of her stomach. Littered across the floor were bodies, strewn in a twisted wreckage of limbs, small piles of dust where visible nearby. There had been a battle here and more than a day ago, by the stench that was now reaching there noses.
"We should keep moving" Buffy scrunched her nose up, placing a sleeved hand over it. "we have to find the Master." She walked on, through the mass of bodies, Wesley followed, then Cordelia and Xander. Giles brought up the rear, turning another torch on, that he must of stowed somewhere on his person. They continued swiftly on, there was silence among the group, this dimension was beginning to show them the real horrors of what had gone on here. Giles peered at some of the bodies as he passed, regarding them, some faces he vaguely recognised, Sunnydale high students, he was sure. He turned to another, glazing the flashlight over its face. Suddenly bile rose in his throat and he struggled against the urge to vomit.
"My God" he whispered bending down to the corpse. The others continued on, oblivious to his sudden distress. "I failed you" he cried silently as he gazed into the staring eyes of the dead slayer. He turned to the side and gagged, thankfully nothing came up, tears threatened to stain his eyes. He glanced back at the body suddenly noting the odd position of its neck. The image of Jenny Calendars neck in the same position flashed through his mind. He gagged again, this time bringing up what small contents there was in is stomach, he suddenly felt dizzy, grief was overtaking him.
"Get a grip Rupert" he scolded himself as he began to shake, "It's not the real Buffy"
"Giles!" That was the real Buffy. She rushed to his side, "What's wrong are you ill?" The watcher stared at her as if he had seen a ghost, his face paled. He was thankful his slayer couldn't see it in the darkness. He shook his head suddenly grabbing her and taking her into his arms, she accepted the gesture in confusion. Turning her head she noted the corpse, the flashlight was half shining on it, then she finally realised.
"It's not me Giles" She hugged him tighter.
"I know" The watcher's voice was broken with emotion, "It's just" he pulled back out of the embrace, holding her at arms length. He took a long breath composing himself. "I...I can't loose you" he stuttered. Buffy smiled back at him tears now threatening her own eyes.
"And I can't loose you either" she said with defiant look upon her face, "I need you by my side through this, we'll make it" she looked up at the other three who had gathered around. "All of us!" she looked back at Giles. "And I promise this time I won't knock you out, for telling me that you're going to face the Master." The watcher smiled back at her joke.
"We're facing him together" she stood up pulling him with her, "I need you all by my side, we can do this"
"Can you?" The room's lights suddenly blinded them and a figure stood on the stage, bathed in light. The yellow demon eyes surveyed the situation with glee. "What a wonderful surprise to see you all here" the figure laughed cruelly. "Somehow I thought you might come along, what with the other me helping you research" it looked at them all one by one, eyes piecing grief and fear into their hearts. "I'm afraid your too late, the Master has already risen into your world, right now he's probably killing all your friends and family"
"Oh my God!" Buffy stepped forward staring in ewe, was this actually happening?
Xander stuttered, his voice threatened to fail, trying to believe the sight before his eyes. "Giles!" he cried.
"Is a Vampire" Added Wesley looking as shocked as the rest of them.
"That I am" the vampire laughed. "And I see you've brought the other one along too" he pointed out his double standing protectively next to the slayer.
Wesley stepped boldly forward, Cordelia tried to pull him back, but failed. He aimed the crossbow to the vampire.
"You think we're frightened by you don't you?" He advanced forward staring the enemy down. He pulled the trigger of the crossbow but it was sent flying off in the wrong direction as a body collided with his and he hit the floor.
"You really thought I'd be alone" Vampire Giles laughed again, "You really are a twit Wydam-price." A minion vampire that had tackled the watcher now straddled him. A fist connected with Wesley's jaw and he saw stars, then suddenly ash rained down, and then Buffy's face above his. She helped him up and he rubbed his bruised jaw in discomfort.
"The Master is gone" vamp Giles reminded them, "He's left this town to me. Unfortunately his best vampires Willow and Xander were dusted by the slayer, but he killed her for it. He wanted to show his gratitude for sending the slayer here, so he turned me. Well that and the fact that I wouldn't tell him how to cross over."
"I'm not afraid to kill you" Buffy stood strong but her voice wavered.
"I don't doubt that Miss Summers" he said in a thick British accent that reminded her of the first time she had met her watcher. "But it might be hard seeing as you'll be dead by the time you get to me" He snapped his fingers in haste and a crowd of vampires appeared around them. Wesley pulled Cordelia away from the nearest snarling set of fangs and pushed her behind him.
"Well this is fun" Xander commented nervously. Pulling his own crossbow up in a desperate attempt of defence. The two sides stared each other down for a moment, Buffy took a quick second to look around her, vampires everywhere, behind, in front, even above on the balcony. They were outnumbered ten to one, they were not about to get out of this one lightly.
In a beat the vampires attacked, crossbow bolts flew and punches where thrown. Buffy and the two watchers surrounded the other two who were desperately shooting crossbow bolts. Buffy held her own, dusting two vamps almost simultaneously. Between Wesley and Giles they decapitated several others, but more still came. Buffy went down, taking heavily blows and blocking others, her watcher was by her side then and dust rained down like a mist.
"Are you all right?" he pulled her up and she kicked another vampire.
"Fine" she barely spoke, too concentrated on the task before her. Giles turned back to the battle, sword still in hand. His shoulder was beginning to ache, an injury he had somehow forgotten about. Wesley then reeled backward, almost knocking them both down and Cordelia and Xander joined the fray. As the battle went on dust and ash floated in the air like a fog, the vampires were slowly diminishing one by one, but not without injury. Buffy was almost certain her shoulder had been dislocated, she glanced quickly back to the others finding them too so worse off than she. Wesley was strewn on the floor, seemingly in a semiconscious state by the look of it. Cordelia was on her feet next to him welding a small short sword. The slayer was surprised by the skill the girl seemed to have picked up since last she saw her. She was not unscathed though; a deep purple bruise was beginning to appear around her eye, she was taking some blows.
Xander was not far off, throwing punches but receiving twice as many back, his knuckles where blooded, he didn't have iron fists like the slayer. Giles was further off still, though Buffy couldn't understand how he had got so far across the room. She noted the gleam of his sword as he swept it around, knocking vamps down and dusting others. He had a defiant angry look on his face, brows furrowed tightly. His lip was bleeding but otherwise he seemed unscathed. Buffy knew what she had to do, although the thought of it made her shiver. She dusted more vamps, springing forward and out of others grasp she landed on the stage several metres ahead. Vampire Giles stood there, arms cross looking rather annoyed.
"How disappointing" he observed, "I thought they'd last at least a little longer." The slayer faced him and considered him for a moment. He was an almost exact copy of her watcher, discarding the facial stubble and clothes, there was not a single difference between them.
"I said I'm not afraid to kill you" Buffy stood up straight welding a stake in her hand.
"Your not afraid to kill the demon I know" Giles smiled calmly, "But you are afraid to kill your watcher" Buffy hesitated. It was true. "Remember Slayer" he continued, "I trained you be it the other me, but I know all your moves, there's nothing that you throw at me that I don't know" Buffy stiffened with hesitation, it was Giles, all she could think was, it was her watcher.
"Show me the demon" she cried, "Show me the demons true face"
"No" he chuckled, "you can't do it, can you, because I look like him?" He walked around her as he spoke, taking great delight in her distress. "Your watcher means too much to you doesn't he, it goes beyond the boundaries of watcher, slayer destiny doesn't it and it's a weakness."
"You're wrong' Buffy whispered, punching out. He dodged the fist with ease, "It's a strength."
"I can make you stronger" he whispered close to her ear, "You and me, we could rule this world together." The slayer remained motionless as he came closer, testing her nerve. He stepped in front of her, face close to hers.
"You could be like me" he snarled, the demons face showing itself. His twisted knotted brows and yellow eyes met the slayers. The sight of the hideous demon that had infected the watchers lifeless body was all she needed and she snapped back into reality. The slayer drove forward plunging the stake deep into the watchers heart. He stumbled back for a second, eyes wide in shock and burst into dust. Buffy watched as the particles spun and settled on the floor.
"I'm sorry" she whispered, "I'm sorry for what happened to you" she turned back to the main floor, tears swimming in her eyes. The vampires were gone, all slain, a covering of ashes had covered the floor.
"Are you ok?" Wesley stumbled forward, his nose was bleeding. Buffy remained on the spot staring to the pile of dust before her. "Buffy?" She glanced over to him wiping her eyes to hide the unfallen tears.
"Are you ok?" the watcher repeated.
"I... I think I dislocated my shoulder." She stuttered, tearing her eyes away from the ash pile. "Is everybody else ok?" The slayer looked around the room to the others. Cordelia was retrieving her crossbow from the floor and brushing her clothes, she walked toward them stiffly. Xander and Giles followed soon after. To everyone's surprise no one seemed badly injured, a few cuts and bruises but nothing major.
"We need to get back to the portal now!" Wesley looked to his watch, "We have less than 20 minutes"
"Lets get moving" Buffy jumped from the stage, avoiding eye contact with the others. She stormed off out of the Bronze and down the street, the others followed in silence. No one spoke. The speed the slayer had set out at, they others had to nearly break into a run to keep up. They did break into a run when they reached Giles' road, time was running out.
"Quickly" Wesley looked to his watch again, pulling the other watcher along noting his slowing pace. The other three where halfway up the steps by the time the two reached it. A figure in the distance was watching intently.
"Hurry" Buffy looked back from the top as she disappeared around the corner. The watchers rushed through the front door of the Giles' house. The slayer was the only one left in there, Cordelia and Xander had already disappeared through the portal.
"Come on" Buffy grabbed Wesley's hand, who in turn grabbed Giles' hand and they rushed forwards and into the portal. There was a sudden explosion of energy. Buffy collided with the familiar feel of Giles' living room carpet, her head was swimming with dizziness and the room seemed to be spinning.
"Whoa" she muttered trying to stop the vertigo, "what the hell just happened?"
"I dunno" Xander's voice came muffled from across the room where he had somehow ended up, he sat up dizzily, placing the palm of his hand on his forehead. "But whatever it was sure has made me feel like my dinner is about to end up on the carpet" he added. Cordelia stood up from another place in the room, leaning heavily on the sofa. Her eyes were closed and she was rubbing her temples.
"Ask Giles or Wesley" she croaked, "They'll know what's going on" Buffy looked around the room expecting to see the watchers somewhere nearby, nothing. Panic suddenly rose up inside.
"Their not here" The slayer stood up quickly, ignoring the vertigo which suddenly hit her. She took in the room frantically going from one side to the other.
"This doesn't make any sense" she stood still on the spot looking to the other two.
"Um Buff," Xander cried, "Isn't there supposed to be a big magic portal thingy where you're standing." Buffy turned around in a full circle, looking to the floor and ceiling.
"Oh God"
"You don't think" Cordelia stepped forward, looking at the slayer in desperation.
"They didn't make it through" Buffy stuttered, "The portal is closed"
>> >>
Wesley was sent flying backwards into Giles and the place shook with magicks. The watchers looked up dazed.
"What's going on?" Giles slurred out in a semiconscious state, he was beginning to feel unexpectedly ill and dizzy.
"The portal!" Wesley cried out, he looked to the place where the portal should have been. "The portal's closed, we're trapped" Giles sat up quickly, suddenly realising what was happening.
"We're the others" Giles stuttered.
"There gone." Wesley was panicking. "We're alone."
"Not alone" they looked around at the sound of a familiar but terrorizing voice. "Now this looks like an interesting situation" the figure laughed, "Two watchers and a vampire. I wonder what fun we can have here"
Wesley choked back in panic, "Angelus!"