Knight's Lament

By: calikocat

Word Count: 3308

XXX

Tor examined the large gate that was set into the wall, the double doors were of a thick and dark wood, and the hinges were gold with elaborate scroll work in a language he couldn't read...the entire thing thrummed with magic. He was tempted to poke at the heavy silver lock that kept them shut. But only tempted. He was Hellmouth born and raised and knew better than to go poking at dragons and mysterious magical doors.

Gaius nudged him, nearly knocking him over. Tor gave the dragon's nose a pat. "I wasn't going to touch it." He definitely didn't go around poking dragons, not anymore...Gaius tended to poke back. "Where does it go?" He looked at the great serpent and it shook its head. "Fine, don't tell me."

The dragon hissed a bit and nudged him again. Tor got the hint and climbed onto his back and held on.

Riding on the back of the Gaasyendietha was never a dull experience...it was actually kind of like flying with Botan and he figured it was Gaius' influence that made Botan such a spazzy flier.

The first time he'd seen the great dragon he'd freaked...because hello, giant dragon/serpent thing that breathed fire, and sometimes flew on fire. Who knew Native American legends were true. However he'd easily gotten over the shock...mostly because Gaius was a big pet...and loved it when anyone scratched behind his horns.

When Gaius landed at the castle entry he was surprised to see Botan standing by Merlin. "You're back early. Hey Dad, where does the locked door lead to?"

Merlin chuckled. "Avalon."

"So...why is it locked?"

"Because your mother is still rather annoyed with her kin and doesn't want them trespassing...and it is not quite time for Arthur to awaken. I'm not sure I'd be able to resist waking him if I popped in for a visit."

"And you lost the key about four hundred years ago."

"Hush, Botan."

"Whoa... The Arthur?" When Merlin nodded, Tor sort of gulped. "Oh...okay. So Botan, what's up?"

"Xander got sucked into a time portal and ended up in the past."

Tor sighed and leaned heavily on Gaius. "Of course he did, so much for summer vacation."

xxx

Night passed uneventfully, there were no enemy attacks, and all of their misunderstandings had been cleared. Though there was a bit of a fuss when he and Cordelia had automatically bedded down together for the night. But after some growling on his part and glares of doom from Cordy no one gave them any more grief over it. Inuyasha was actually a decent guy when he wasn't running off swinging his sword at the first thing that breathed wrong in his or Kagome's direction.

The only bad part...was the nightmares. If Cordelia hadn't been there...well there was a good chance he would have been caught up in them all night. As it was he didn't remember what he dreamed about, just that all of the dreams were bad, horrible, and filled with death and blood. When morning came...everyone but Cordelia seemed to tiptoe around him. Evidently his dreams had been worse than he'd thought.

Kagome spent the morning catching up with her friends...evidently she'd never really had the chance to say goodbye when the Jewel of Four Souls had been purified and the well had closed. She'd barely grabbed onto Shippo in time before the magic of the well had whisked them away back to the present.

He was glad she was finally getting some closure. But if Miroku made eyes at Cordelia one more time he was going to stake the bastard, human or not...and Sango would probably help him. She seemed about as amused by her husband's antics as he was...less so since she was very, very pregnant.

Kaede took everything in stride and made them welcome, taking them with her on her rounds of the village. There were a few injuries among the residents, some from farming, some from hunting, and he and Cordelia enjoyed the lessons she gave them in treating the injured. It was after all something they could use.

And even though she kept them busy he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling the dreams had left him with. He was on edge...his senses were tingly, his inner alarms were ringing. Something was coming.

xxx

"Should you even be doing this? This is a lot of steps." Buffy asked as she eyed Kyle worriedly. Sure it had nearly been two weeks since the ambush at the library, and yeah all of them seemed to be fast healers, but she was still worried, he'd had some surgery after all. "I can totally carry you up to the shrine."

"You are not carrying me up to the shrine." He batted his lashes at Larry who was on his other side. "Carry me?"

Larry snickered and picked him up bridal style. "Sure, more fun than lifting weights."

Buffy rolled her eyes and continued up the steps to the Higurashi Shrine. Botan had dropped them off at the bottom of the steps and then left again. Rhonda and Heidi were cackling behind her, Heidi even nudged her. "You can carry me if you want."

"You're not injured. And I'm still mad." She ignored Heidi's pout and the rest of the walk was finished in silence. Willow, Oz, and Tor, whose hair was blue, were waiting for them underneath a tree.

"Buffy!" And then she had an armful of red and white Willow, who was all decked out in her miko outfit. Larry carried Kyle over to join Tor and Oz, giving them a moment alone. "Are the steps at Genkai's really bigger than here?"

Buffy fought a smile. "Yeah...any word?"

They pulled apart and Willow shot a glare toward a small wooden building. "No. The well is being stupid and not letting anyone else through...Botan said that you know everything now?"

"Everything that Xander put in the letter...I'm sure there might be a few details regarding Spike that he didn't say which I can understand...and that I probably don't want to know anyway."

"I uh...we actually ran into Spike on the way to LA...you should have seen the three of them Buffy."

Buffy blinked. "The three of them ... so that's why Cordelia hasn't killed him. See, he did leave something out." She sighed, "Probably trying to protect her from 'my wrath'. When I see him I'm going to hit him."

"Buffy-"

"I said hit, not maim or kill Will."

"Oh...okay."

"Can we be far away for that?" Heidi asked, and was promptly elbowed by Rhonda.

Buffy ignored them both. "So, what's the deal with this well?"

xxx

Xander had been getting steadily twitchier all day...and he wasn't the only one. Kagome would occasionally look to the west as if sensing something...and Inuyasha kept scenting the air.

"What is with everyone?" Cordelia asked.

Xander took her hand and pointed toward the sun that would be setting in an hour. "Close your eyes...and think about the Hellmouth. About the night it almost opened and the demon that stepped out of it."

She did and a few minutes later she shuddered. "What is that?"

"Demons. Nothing like we're familiar with...but definitely demons."

"Why are they coming here?"

"Living things absorb energy...and there isn't a Hellmouth anywhere in Japan."

Cordelia opened her eyes and stared at him. "So we're something shiny and new that they've never felt before...and they want a piece of the evil."

"It isn't always nice to be wanted."

"Great. We're gonna die five-hundred years in the past and we never even got Spike into bed...or the back of a car, or anything."

"Have I told you how awesome you are today?"

xxx

She'd listened with rapt attention as Willow told her the stories and legends that she'd been told during the last day or so. At least everything that Kagome's family knew about the girl's crazy adventures.

"Okay then...let's go take a look, everybody have a weapon?" Various weapons were raised, and Willow shouldered a quiver of arrows onto her back. "Okay then. Let's go play cavalry."

They approached the well house cautiously though all was quiet, inside and out. The inside of the old wooden building was dusty not inviting in the least. Buffy touched the side of the well, knocking on the wood. "Wakey wakey." Nothing happened.

Rhonda joined her, leaning against the wooden rim. "Like that was gonna work." She peered into the darkness, just able to make out the bottom of the dry well. "Now wha—ah-ACHOO!" She sneezed, the dust having left its mark on her nose.

The inside of the well started to glow, and they were all blinded by a flash of light. When they could see again they were all standing exactly where they'd been before the light show...only they were no longer in the old well house. Instead they were in a clearing in the middle of a forest.

They looked at one another in confusion, and then everyone glared at Rhonda who shrugged. "Hey, we wanted to come here, it's not my fault my sneeze made us travel through time."

"Um...Buffy..." Willow gazed into the forest. "I think we need to go that way...there are demons there...and something that feels like home."

Buffy blinked and gave her best friend a look. "Home?"

"Like the Hellmouth."

Rhonda nodded. "Cordy's that way. I can feel her." She shrugged again when they gave her yet more looks. "I always know where my sister is."

Kyle sniffed the air and walked a few paces in the direction Willow and Rhonda had indicated. "They're right. Xander and Cordelia's scents lead that way."

Buffy nodded and took the lead. "Try not to push yourself Kyle. Larry stay in the center, everyone be careful...this isn't Sunnydale."

xxx

The sun was just starting to set when the demons came...but they were ready for them. Kaede led them in the preparations and by the time the demons crested the hill they had a strong barrier around the entire village. Inuyasha stood outside the barrier, sword already drawn and ready for them. Miroku and Kagome were with him...Kaede was inside the barrier with Shippo. Kaede to keep the barrier secure and Shippo to guard her should the barrier fail. Sango, not being in any condition to fight, was holed up with the other villagers as a last line defense.

He and Cordelia passed through the barrier easily, as some of their own energy had gone into making it. They took their place with Kagome. Inuyasha snorted.

"This is no place for a couple of kids."

Cordelia bared her teeth and clenched her fists. "If we didn't need you for this fight I'd take you down dog boy."

"Easy Cordy. Ignore him and just get ready. Weapon?"

She opened her purse...and pulled out a short sword. "Yep."

He gaped, as did the others. "Um, Cor, babe...I think you used magic...cause there is no other explanation for that."

She shrugged. "Rhonda can cram things into her backpack like that...I have one of Giles' quarter staffs in here too. You want it?"

He laughed and held out his hand. "Sure." She did indeed pull a quarter staff out of her tiny clutch purse before tossing the stylish and mysterious accessory back into the barrier. Then she handed him the staff. "Thanks."

"If you two are done?"

Both teens grinned and got into position. The first wave of demons was on them only a moment later.

xxx

Buffy looked down at the village below them, it was covered behind something shimmery...probably some kind of barrier. And in front of it stood a small group standing between the village and horde of demons.

"Oh boy."

Buffy nodded with Willow's assessment. "Let's go."

xxx

Cordelia sliced through yet another demon with ease. "These things are so weak! What's the deal?"

He twirled his staff and bludgeoned several demons of his own. "Heck if I know."

"Hordes like this are always weak...what we don't want is for them draw together into a single body." Kagome called to them, she was firing the occasional arrow, but for the most part she was enhancing her bow with her spiritual energy and using it to purify any of the enemy she came into contact with.

"Yeah, I can see how a bigger demon could be a problem."

"Hell, enough of this!" Inuyasha gave his sword, which was freaky huge, a mighty sweep and what could have been a hundred demons disintegrated.

"Whoa..."

"Where can we get a sword like that?" Cordelia muttered.

"Don't let your guard down, there are more coming!"

Xander blinked in shock, as what looked like another hundred replaced the ones Inuyasha had just destroyed. "Well crap."

"You can say..." Cordelia paused just a second...and grinned. "Rhonda's here."

He spared her a glance, then tilted his head and yipped loudly. A series of yips and barks answered him over the sounds of the demons. "More like the whole pack is here." He continued knocking the demons back as Cordelia sliced through her enemies. "Hey Kags! The cavalry is here!" He yelled at her, just as an arrow saturated in Willow's energy took out a demon that nearly swept Miroku's feet out from under him.

It was the deciding factor in the battle. Inuyasha used his uber attack a couple more times and then the others were in view, hacking and slashing the demons with what looked like a lot of glee.

The last group was just about to overtake Cordelia when lightning struck them. He waved to Tor in thanks as he helped Cordelia up. The pack approached them slowly, all tired, sweating, covered in dirt and demon blood. He let Cordelia go and walked to meet them. When Buffy was in front of him she hit him.

"That's for keeping secrets."

He rubbed his jaw. "I deserved that."

She hit him again. "That's for not letting me know how much I hurt you when I tried to take out Spike."

"Ow."

She hit him a third time. "That's for me." When she raised her fist again he caught it and tried to twist her arm behind her. Instead they both ended up on the ground, tumbling, and both trying to gain purchase and top the other. A shrill whistle sounded and a crackle of purifying energy sparked them both. With a yelp they separated and rubbed their backsides.

"Are you two done?" Willow asked, hands on her hips, "Because I'm tired of all the stupid stuff. Xander is sorry for keeping secrets, Buffy is sorry for hurting Xander without knowing it. We're a pack and we need to move on. Are we done being all fractured and edgy now?"

Xander nodded, because really that had hurt. "Hey Buff...friends?"

She bit her lip and nodded, eying Willow carefully. "Ow and yeah. But don't you ever keep stuff like that from me again. Any of it. The part about being part demon, falling in love with a vampire, do you realize we could have compared notes and trash talked about them when they ticked us off? I mean really Xander; we missed out some great bonding experiences."

Xander rolled his eyes.

xxx

They were lucky, like vampires most of the demons they had fought had disintegrated, there were only a few corpses that had to be disposed of. A funeral pyre was put together; the pyre and bodies were blessed three times, once by each priestess and priestess in training. The barrier was kept in place...just in case more demons showed up. It was while they were watching the pyre burn that Buffy approached him and sat beside him on the ground.

Xander gave her a curious look and waited for her to speak. Her gaze was focused on the flames when she did. "The curse worked."

He closed his eyes and raised his arm letting her lean into the half embrace. "I'm so sorry Buffy."

"We were fighting, I almost lost...until you guys pulled off that weird energy trick, and then it was like I was reenergized, like nothing could stop me. I fought him, knocked his sword away, and I was going to kill him...then I saw the light in his eyes. He was...he was so confused Xander. He said it felt like he hadn't seen me in months, he didn't remember anything that he'd done."

He pulled her closer, all the way into his lap and rocked her while she cried. "I'm so sorry Buffy."

"And he held me in his arms; I kissed him, told him I loved him and to close his eyes...and I shoved the sword through him...and sent him to Hell."

He kissed the top of her head and continued rocking her. "I don't think there's anything I can say that will make this better."

"When you thought I took out Spike at the church...did it hurt this much?"

He took a breath. "Spike and I only had a couple of kisses by that point...but there was something there. I had nightmares until I saw him again when I got back from break. He was weak then; stuck in a wheelchair and not healing right."

"When did it turn to love?"

"I'm not sure exactly...maybe when I made it clear that Cordy and I are a package deal."

She snorted. "How did that happen?"

"The night the Judge grabbed me really scared her. It scared me to, the Judge's touch was enough to send my soul to a limbo kind of place temporarily, just like Ethan's Halloween spell."

"That was in the letter. That's where you talk to your ancestor, right?"

"Yeah."

She slid out of his lap. "It will be a while before we're okay."

"I know...I'm just glad you didn't get all growly and scoldy at me. Giles already did that."

"So I've heard." She sighed. "So...any idea how we get home?"

"Not a clue. We weren't even in the well house when we were brought here. You?"

"Rhonda was leaning against the well and when she sneezed we ended up here."

Xander blinked. "You know...Cordy and Rhonda have magic"

"What?"

"They've been using it for years either without realizing it or just not thinking about it much. You saw the short sword she had and the quarter staff I was using?"

"Yeah."

"She pulled them both out of her itty bitty clutch purse."

"You're kidding."

"Nope."

Buffy looked thoughtful. "You know...that well...is supposed to be sentient ...or alive or whatever. What if...it was just curious?"

He groaned and flopped back into the grass. "That would just be our kind of luck. We get sucked into the past because a magic well wanted a taste of our energies because we were shiny and new."

"Think it'll let us go home?"

"I hope so, because I really don't want to fight anymore hordes of demons and we're still all chock full of Hellmouth vibes."

"That's why the demons attacked?"

"Yep, don't you just feel all special and wanted now?"

"Ugh." She flopped down beside him, and they both stared up at the stars. "Our lives are so very messed up."

XXX