As they entered the courtyard, the sight that greeted them caused them all to pause.
"Good lord!" Giles exclaimed.
"Holy shit." Buffy said.
"Looks like you guys had quite the party in here." Minerva remarked sarcastically.
"Yeah, no shit, new girl." Hera commented dryly. Minerva gave Hera an annoyed look but held her peace, which caused Hera to smirk.
Before them was a pile of badly wounded monstrous corpses, stacked in the exact center of the courtyard. Among them were the bodies of Sandra, Neal, James, and Jesse. Standing near them were a number of animated statues of hoplites and centurions, clearly keeping watch, their steel heads looking back and forth.
"So they did try to get in. Shit!" Faith said.
"Good thing Neil bought those golems to stand guard a few months ago!" Helen observed.
"Well, I try to think ahead." Neil stated as he walked up to them. He paused and looked them over.
"You guys had all the same kind of fun we had. The guardians as bad as advertised huh?"
"Unfortunately, man." Apollo confirmed.
"We got our giant asses kicked." Bellona said.
"How did you guys win?" Neil asked.
"I destroyed them somehow. Just by ordering them to stop. I don't fucking get it." Athena responded.
"Just when we think we know everything about each other, all the hows and why...something like this happens." Artemis said, clearly mystified at this revelation.
"Athena destroyed the Replicators too. In kinda the same way." Ares explained.
Neil stared at Athena and she shrugged.
Before Neil could speak further, he noticed Minerva.
"Well, hello there." Neil said in a friendly tone.
Minerva looked Neil up and down and said guardedly:
"Hi."
Willow, Xander, Joyce, and Dawn chose that opportunity to make their entrance.
"Buffy! Giles!" Willow cried out. They all ran forward and threw their arms around Buffy and Giles, who embraced them back.
Giles grimaced, and everyone stepped back from him.
"Thank you for the warm welcome, but I'm afraid my body cannot withstand much physical affection at the moment." Giles explicated wearily.
"Wow, Giles, sure you don't need a stretcher? Or an ambulance?" Xander commented, stunned at Giles's appearance.
"Either would be a welcome sight at this juncture." Giles answered dryly. He held up an ornate and very thick book.
"But at least our toils bore fruit."
"That's the magic book the Council spoke about?" Willow asked.
"It is indeed." Giles replied.
"I think we need to get some food and sleep. Because we badly need it." Buffy said.
"This is one of those rare times we are in complete agreement Elizabeth." Lilith remarked.
There was no disagreement to be had, and they all turned toward the castle to do just that.