Disclaimers

All characters appearing in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are copyright Joss Whedon. No infringements of these copyrights are intended, and are not authorized by the copyright holder.

All original characters, such as Naoikientan (Nah-Kean-Tune) and Edvackia (Eid-veak-key-ah), are the property of Celgress.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Four AU - Corruption: Episode Six

By

Celgress

"We're all architects of our own private hell. No one can hurt us like we hurt ourselves."

Bones (2013) Young Guns

External Rest Cemetery the evening of August 28th 1999

"Is it ready?" Buffy asked Xander as he and Oz exited the mausoleum.

"Yeah Buff it is ready. All you've got to do is flip the switch on this control unit, and a second later ka-boom!" Xander answered handing Buffy a small remote control unit. The device looked like it should be operating a radio control car, not a destructive homemade bomb.

"Are you sure this will work?" Buffy said, taking the remote control.

"The explosive is primed. I've checked the connection between the remote unit and the electronic transceiver three times. Don't worry it will work Buff, I'm sure" Xander said.

"Alright Xander, Oz thanks for everything now scram" Buffy said making shooing motions with her hand. "You heard me go now!"

"No" Xander said. "We are not going anywhere."

"I'm with Xander" Oz spoke up in an unusually determined manner for the master of Zen.

"Guys this is serious. If you stay I can't guarantee your safety. Hell I can't even guarantee my own safety against this guy."

"I don't care Buff. I love Willow and Giles just as much as you do" Xander retorted, "if this is our last roundup, as the cow folk say, at least we go out together." Xander finished a goofy grin on his face before he turned deadly serious. "It has been a fun ride. I can't deny that, but if this is my end I can't think of any other way I'd want to go or any other people I'd rather be with."

"Ditto" Oz said, patting Xander on the back.

"I love you guys" Buffy chocked out between sobs, her eyes filling with tears. The three friends embraced for what could very well be the last time.

"How touching" said the now sickeningly familiar voice of the vampire Naoikientan.

The old villain, clothed in his usual ornate black robe, stood atop the mausoleum clapping his hands in mock applause. The three friends broke their embrace. Buffy wiped the tears from her eyes and took a quick sniff to clear her head. Her expression now one of steely determination, the slayer sized up her hated enemy.

"Still afraid to face me I see. Still hiding in the shadows like the coward you are huh Darth Sidious?" Buffy challenged the master vampire, her voice full of sarcasm and defiance. "You're nothing you know, nothing at all."

"Oh really?" Naoikientan questioned, his hooded head titled slightly.

"Yeah really, you target my family and friends because you fear me. You know in a fair fight you're out classed. I respected the Master, Kakistos, Angelus, even the Mayor because as bad as they were at least they faced me. You on the other hand are a despicable, overrated wimp. I can't stake you because you're slippery like an eel and equally revolting, so I'm not even going to try."

"Finally she sees the light. Prepare for your demise Buffy Anne Summers" Naoikientan taunted, raising his arms over his head readying to pounce.

"You first hoody"

Buffy pressed down hard on the button before jumping behind a series of closely clustered tomb stones. Oz and Xander had done the same. The massive explosion leveled the mausoleum with a blinding flash of light accompanied by a deafening crash of sound. Naoikientan shrieked in agony. If he hadn't began his leap a second before the detonation he would have been dust in the wind. The injured vampire fell to the ground in a heap, not far from where the remnants of the Scooby Gang were clustered behind the protective stone barriers.

Once stone fragments stopped raining from the sky Buffy, Xander and Oz scurried out into the open. Naoikientan still lay on the cold hard ground, his robe tattered and burning in several places from the explosion. The temporarily incapacitated vampire rolled over onto his back with a groan, but made no further movement. Buffy took her chance in an instant she was standing over the prone form of Naoikientan, an extra-large stake in one hard while a malate occupied her other.

"I'm only asking you this once Neck Tie" Buffy said, her body shaking with anger. "Where is my sister, Willow & Giles? What have you done with them? Answer me, do you hear me answer me or your dust right here, right now!"

The only answer was laughter which emitted from deep within the confines of Naoikientan's hood. The folds of the hood had fallen over Naoikientan's face during his decent. Nothing could be seen of his head, not even the fiery red eyes.

"Answer me damn you!" Buffy said, lowering the stake a few inches. The weapon was now pressing into the area of Naoikientan's chest which was covered by the robe.

"Let him go B or captain can't do over her dies" said a voice Buffy prayed she would never hear again. Looking up Buffy saw Oz knocked out against a tombstone while Faith was holding Xander in a choke hold a rather large, sharp knife pressed perilously close to his jugular. "Don't even thinking about tackling me. He'll be dead before you take a step, now drop the stake!" Faith commanded.

Buff slowly got up off Naoikientan dropped the stake & mallet and backed up several steps with her hands in the air. "Good keep your hands where I can see 'em at all times." Faith instructed.

"I wish I could say I missed you Faith. You know how it is."

"Ain't nothing B, I didn't miss your pathetic ass either."

"Still hanging with the wrong crowd I see" Buffy said, eyeing Naoikientan who was just now slowly regaining his footing.

"B, b, b," Faith said, shaking her head. "It is you who don't get it. You never did girl. We are made for the hunt. We are better than the masses of sheep you protect & serve out there. Their rules don't apply to us, they never have."

"I know this clown didn't abduct Giles, Willow or my sister in broad daylight, so tell me was it you Faith?"

"You'd be surprised what he can do, even in the daytime B."

"Enough Faith silence" Naoikientan, now back on his feet, roared pointing a clawed finger at the dark slayer. His red eyes blazing brighter than ever from within the shadowy confines of his hooded robe, "not another word."

Buffy was shocked when the typically bombastic Faith didn't so much as utter a peep of protest. "What is the matter Faith Neck Tie got your tongue?" Buffy taunted her evil counterpart.

"Shut up!" Faith said, digging her blade dangerously deep into Xander's neck. A small trickle of blood ran down the young man's body from the small wound Faith had opened up.

"Faith I said enough!" Naoikientan yelled, limping over to stand beside his most important minion. "Release the boy at once!"

"But you promised" Faith whined, tightening her hold on Xander. "We had an agreement."

"I am altering our agreement, pray I do not alter it further" Naoikientan said. "Now release him. I warn you, I will not ask again!"

"You're no fun" Faith lamented releasing Xander, who feel to the ground coughing.

"Farewell Buffy, please enjoy these parting gifts my compliments" Naoikientan said, clapping his hands together. "I made them myself."

At Naoikientan's single two vampires in game face approached Buffy from each side. One had been a middle aged man, the other a young woman. As the vamps grew closer the true horror of the situation dawned on Buffy, "My God" she stammered placing a head over her mouth. The two vamps were Giles and Willow!

"Bye now" Naoikientan said waving at Buffy he and Faith then beat as hasty a retreat as possible given the former's current condition.

Buffy just stood there the scene around her seemed frozen in time. This was the single worst thing that had happened to her. Worse than Lothos killing her first watcher in front of her, worse than 'dying' at the claws of the Master, even worse than having to 'slay' Angel. Buffy knew things would never be the same again. There was no getting over this, no turning back. Confronted by a situation in which there was no good solution, no winning Buffy did what she always did she ran. Grabbing Xander and Oz she somehow escaped both vamps.

She was home before she realized. Ignoring her Mother's pleas of what happened Buffy ran upstairs closing her bedroom door behind her. Buffy spent the rest of the night crying. Buffy couldn't remember the last time she had cried so long and so hard. At times like this well-meaning people tell you things will get better. However sitting in the solitude of her darkened bedroom Buffy knew things would never be better, normal, again. Buffy continued to sob uncontrollably until well after sunrise.

To Be Continued