Ragnarok Part I - The Watchers Council



Ragnarok Part I

Teaser

Story by Chris Cook

Written by Chris Cook 

Directed by Chris Cook and CN Winters (with additional directing by Gelfling21)

Produced by Chris Cook, DragonWriter17 and CN Winters

Edited by DragonWriter17

Sound by CSR

Art Direction by Chris Cook

Artists: Chris Cook, David Zahir, Libbi, Humaira, Sarah and Robert Kidman

Fade in:

Int.

Watchers HQ Lobby – Mid-morning – 14 hours to H-Hour

"Red," Faith called, "new arrival. Just over there," she added to Alex, pointing her towards where Willow was waiting, flanked by two Black Ops slayers. 

"Thank you," Alex said, turning to Willow. "You’re expecting an attack?"

The lobby was crowded with people, and not a few demons. Vi and Marie were by the reception desk, which was surrounded by crates they were steadily opening and emptying, while Xander checked each delivered item off a list – swords, axes, pole-arms, crossbow bolts by the hundred.

Each stack of weapons was handed over to a trio of young coven members who, under Jeff’s supervision, had formed a makeshift production line to coat each blade and bolt with several purified unguents, and lastly sprinkled with holy water from a borrowed water cooler.

Also under Xander’s watchful eye, and occasional confirming signature, several other Black Ops agents were cataloguing the heavy steel transport crates taken to them by Slayers – these were opened, checked, and quietly sealed again.

The corridor leading to the library and computer labs was in constant use, a stream of watchers and watchers-in-training moving back and forth with ancient tomes and manuscripts, or CDs and print-outs.

Rowena, who had been talking to Giles, caught the eye of one of the watchers, exchanged a word or two, and with a nod to Giles as she left followed him back into the library. Giles returned his attention to the people and demons clustered around him – Brell was there, as were several others, some openly displaying their faces, others concealed beneath hoods and heavy clothing.

Robin was by the main door talking to Faith, who was glancing periodically at the contingent of slayers guarding the entrance. Every human or demon visitor in the room was accompanied by a slayer, and no new arrivals were entering without being checked. Glancing back at the door, Alex saw another newcomer, a Padisha demoness, being asked to follow a young slayer over to where she stood.

"No," Willow shook her head tiredly, "no attack, just security. You heard about the trouble we had with that Presidium shapeshifter?" Alex nodded. "Now wouldn’t be a good time for a repeat of that," Willow finished wryly.

"You’ve got spell for Changeling demons?" Alex asked, as Willow dipped her fingertips in a bowl of water, then another bowl containing an ochre powder.

"Yep, Changelings, Imbethit assassins, Komimitors, the whole deal. Been doing them all morning," Willow replied, "which between you and me, is starting to get a bit tiring. Just give me a minute…" She held out her hand towards Alex and muttered a few syllables. After a moment the powder clinging to her wet fingertips crackled and vanished, and she let out a sigh. "Thanks," she said, "sorry about that, but-"

"Understood," Alex hastened to assure her, "You’ve been turning the place upside down calling in allies and favors for two weeks now. I can see how getting an infiltrator just now would be inconvenient. Who should I talk to?"

"Giles," Willow said, suppressing a yawn. "In a few minutes, he should be free. He’s still handling our allies from the various hell dimensions. Some of them are a bit ‘conservative’."

"I guess we don’t have a monopoly on being backward-thinking at times," Alex shrugged. "I’ll see if I can help. My firm has allies here and there."

"Thanks Alex," Willow mustered a smile for her as she nodded and left. She looked up to see the Padisha and her slayer minder waiting, and took a deep, steadying breath. Just before she could speak, a coffee cup appeared in front of her.

"You look a bit like hell," Rowena said, stepping out from behind her and handing her the cup, "are you working on camouflage, for when we get there?"

"Ah, it’s nice when your girlfriend’s pleased to see you," Willow said with a grin, before downing half the cup in one go. Rowena smiled and ran her hand casually up and down the back of Willow’s neck.

"I’m needed back in the library," she said. "Can you get Jeff to take over for you soon?"

"He can’t do as many spells in a row," Willow sighed.

"He can do enough to give you a break – taking a shift watching over the weapon blessings will at least keep you off your feet."

"Wanna keep me off my feet huh?" Willow answered with a smirk. Rowena simply blushed. "Yeah, okay, I’ll give it another ten minutes… nice to see you," Willow turned to Rowena and gave her a wide, if tired, smile.

"You too," Rowena replied.

"Okay," Willow said, squaring her shoulders and turning back to the waiting Padisha, "matriarch, is it? This’ll just take a minute…"

Rowena headed back to the library, dodging around a two slayers who between them carried a pallet stacked with military-issue crates, marked ‘M72-A2’.

"Don’t drop those," she murmured to herself, weaving her way through the procession in and out of the library.

Inside the tables were crowded with watchers sitting among piles of books, reading, cross-referencing, periodically handing stacks of notes to others who took them back out. Several extra tables had been brought in to accommodate half a dozen laptops and their operators, who were quickly loading the databases supplied via network from the computer labs, and dispensing lists of references for their helpers, the newest of the watchers-in-training, to retrieve from the library shelves or the stacks next door, and bring to the readers.

To bring some semblance of order Rowena had had a large whiteboard dragged in from one of the classrooms, on which a brief plan of the room identified each table and what sort of research was being handled there.

"Sorry," she said to Dawn, who was waiting for her by the door, "Willow needed a coffee."

"Just one?" Dawn asked. "She’s doing okay then?"

Rowena nodded. "Now what were you saying before? The Kasdeja hell?"

"Right," the young watcher nodded, "there’s a reference in the Sheol Codex to the Kasdeja being a hive species, which might explain why there’s never been any refugees from there."

"The Presidium got the Queen?" Rowena surmised.

"Well, they’re genderless according to this, but yeah…capture the leaders of each of the six hives, and the rest of the species is incapable of resistance."

"Damn, so we can rule out any help from there," Rowena muttered. "Good work."

"Actually," Dawn admitted, "Skye found it…I was knee-deep in the Nessian Apocrypha volumes, which turned out to be really apocryphal in this case – though there was some useful reliable info on the Semyaza thaumocracy, oh, and Auza hydromancers. I dropped it off at the demon magics table."

"Great," Rowena said with an approving nod, looking around, "where is Skye? They could use an extra hand in the labs, and I think we’ve got our side of things under control for, oh, at least half an hour…"

"Stacks," Dawn said.

"Could you tell her?" Rowena asked. "I’ll be at the portals table."

"Sure," Dawn nodded, managing a smile as Rowena left. She looked around aimlessly for a moment, then sighed, picked up a pile of books one of the researchers had finished with from the nearest table, and crossed the library to the stacks, shelving the books here and there as she went.

"Skye?" she called as she entered the less impressive, but more extensive part of the library complex.

"Dioscuros manuscripts," a voice echoed out of the shelves. Dawn nodded, shelved one of her books, and left the remaining two on the sorting desk, where a passing watcher-in-training scooped them up on his way deeper into the stacks. Dawn followed the direction the voice had come from, finding Skye on top of a portable ladder in the demonic anthropology section.

"Hi," she said, closing the book she was glancing through and returning it to its shelf.

"Hi," Dawn replied, "um, Rowena says they could use you in the labs?"

"‘Kay," Skye nodded, dropping to the ground. Dawn stood aside to let her pass.

"Oh, um," Dawn added, "also, uh, Rowena said good work, on the Kasdeja find…" Skye paused.

"Oh," she said, "right…thanks." She nodded, Dawn did likewise, but neither of the moved.

"I’ll be real happy when this is over," Skye said forlornly.

"I know," Dawn nodded, "you, me, nice secluded spot like this…I’m holding the Presidium personally responsible for cutting our make-out time in half."

"They are evil," Skye sighed.

"Yeah," Dawn replied earnestly.

"Um, labs," Skye motioned vaguely to the end of the aisle, "I should…"

"Right," Dawn nodded. "Later," she added.

"Later," Skye grinned, before turning and leaving.

Hurrying through the main library and connecting corridor she nearly collided with Andrew as he was coming out of the computer lab doorway.

"Skye!" he exclaimed.

"Yes?" she asked hesitantly.

"Sorry. I was just coming to find you, can you handle the extra-dimensionality database queries for the next ten minutes? I really need to get back to the kitchen and count the rations."

"No problem," she replied, as Andrew led her to a seat among the watchers and research assistants. The lab was full, with every terminal now occupied, and the spare tables also crowded with laptops and hastily-imported desktops from other rooms, all with watchers busy at them. The lights had been dimmed in one corner to allow everyone to clearly read a screen being projected onto the wall, showing the various databases the Council maintained, along with lists of active queries and results waiting to be examined.

"People, extra-dimensionality is open for business!" Andrew called, and instantly Skye’s screen lit up with queries to be checked and filed. Andrew watched proudly as the room operated, then noticed a young watcher, Nicholas, waving to him.

"What’s up?" he asked, leaning over the young man’s terminal.

"Conflict," the watcher replied, "this slayer briefing on Klendath demons is tossing up a red flag with one of the codices we added into the mix earlier."

"None of the others?" Andrew frowned.

"Nope, just…‘Neogorgon’."

"Is that the title or the author’s name?"

"Both, according to this."

"Move on to the next briefing," Andrew said, "I’ll go check that. Print it out?" He crossed to the line of laser printers, weaving through the handful of people waiting until he spotted his page emerging and grabbed it. He headed back towards the library, and noticed Robin standing in the near side of the lobby on his way.

"Andrew," the head watcher nodded.

"Mr. Wood," Andrew replied, "the labs are running well, I’m just checking on a…a Klendath demon," he read from the page. "Do we know them? It sounds familiar."

"You were on the scene, weren’t you?" Robin asked. "The one Xander…" he raised his hands and made a whooshing ‘missile’ noise.

"Oh, that," Andrew snapped his fingers, "right…in that case," he consulted the page, "this ‘Neogorgon’ got it wrong, they’re not vulnerable to immersion in water, are they?"

"Not that I noticed," Robin agreed. "If you’ve got a minute, could you check the kitchen? The slayers on door duty had breakfast early, they could use a snack."

"On my way there anyway. I’ll get it done."

"Thanks." Robin turned and got a few steps across the lobby before Xander intercepted him. "What’s up?"

"Signature," he explained, holding out a clip-board and motioning at a pair of serious-looking soldiers waiting by the reception desk, with a heavily-laden trolley of crates beside them.

"More don’t-give-it-to-just-anyone equipment," Robin nodded, taking the board and glancing at the page on it, "okay, let’s- whoa!"

"Not bad, huh?" Xander nodded. "Firearms aren’t my first choice, but if you’ve got no choice, go with the best."

"These will take the anti-demon bullets?" Robin asked, signing.

"The documentation says yes," Xander said, taking the clipboard, "They’re from the same manufacturer as the Black Ops gear. I’ll unpack a couple and run them through their paces on the range just in case, but there’s no reason it shouldn’t work with the liquid-core rounds."

"Check the graphite-tips as well," Robin advised.

"Are there vampires in Vor?"

"I don’t know, but if there are, with our luck we’ll run into them."

"Can’t fault that argument," Xander agreed ruefully. "Thanks," he held up the clipboard, then noticed Kennedy coming from the slayer wing, wiping sweat from her brow with a cloth. "Hey, Ken!"

"Hey Xander," she said. "Need a hand?"

"You’re free?"

"I’ve run the girls through all the exercise drills I can without starting a mutiny," she said, stretching her arms behind her back as if trying to work an ache out, "and Heli’s up to her ears in wannabe warriors. We have no idea who’s just a butch with a stake and who’s a top class demon slayer. Twenty minutes off will do everyone more good than training right now, and at least we can look organized when we get back to work. Got a job for me?"

"Escort these gentlemen down to the range, would you?" Xander asked, motioning her towards the soldiers and their cargo. "Guys, one crate to the weapons range with Kennedy here, the others over there with the rest. Thanks." The soldiers began unloading the crates from the trolley, and Xander turned back to Kennedy, taking a deep, slow breath.

"I’m not the only one being run ragged?" she asked.

"If I never see another receipt form it’ll be too soon," he admitted with a grin. "Most of what we ordered is here though, so we’ll quieted down soon. Just as well," he noted, glancing at the crowd of people and demons around Giles, from which raised voices were emerging, "it sounds like there’ll be enough volume from our friends to keep the neighbors complaining on its own."

"If it’ll cheer you up, Vi told me to tell you hi," Kennedy offered.

"Thanks," Xander smiled wearily. "You wouldn’t think two people could go a whole fortnight without finding a quiet moment, would you?"

"Two weeks ago I wouldn’t have," Kennedy said wryly. "Then again, two weeks ago we weren’t trying to turn a bunch of trainees into the only patrol force this city is going to have, indefinitely."

"We’re ready," one of the soldiers said, straightening from unloading the second-to-last crate.

"Great," Xander said. "Ken, have the guys at the range check a few of these out with the graphite and the holy water rounds, okay?"

"Graphite and holy water, got it," the slayer repeated. She led the soldiers and their now substantially-lighter trolley away from the lobby, passing Mia as they went.

"New gear?" Mia asked, indicating the crate.

"Not sure, Xander just got them," Kennedy replied. "How’s things?"

"Things are good," Mia said vaguely, "you don’t know where Saida is, do you?"

"I saw her leave a minute ago – Giles was talking to her. He might know."

"I have to talk to him anyway. Been training?" Mia asked, noting Kennedy’s flushed skin and workout gear under her jacket.

"Ran the girls through their paces," Kennedy replied. "Sparring with allies, seeing how good they are, the usual."

"You look good," Mia offered. Kennedy gave a smile and nodded before hurrying away with the soldiers. Mia walked to where Giles was standing, addressing the gathered demons, and waited for him to notice her.

"This is not simply about us," he was in the middle of saying, "now yes, I admit that we on Earth are in the most immediate danger, but the Presidium is a threat to us all – those of you from conquered hells, especially, will have no doubt of that." Several of the demons nodded and murmured their agreement, while Giles saw Mia waiting. "Excuse me a moment…Mia?"

"Rosters, Mr. Giles," she said, handing over a folder.

"Thank you," he said, glancing through the pages quickly. "You’re sure the Black Ops unit is ready? After losing Janet…"

"It’s hard for all of us," Mia admitted, "for more reasons that just being down a lieutenant…the girls know the score though. So do I. Sitting on the sidelines licking our wounds isn’t going to help anyone."

"Very well, thank you." Mia nodded and turned, leaving Giles to face the assembled demons again.

"Your plan is bold," a Kray demon said, in its high-pitched, buzzing voice, "but boldness alone is insufficient. Such a thing has never been done."

"As I said, we are putting the full weight of the Council behind this," Giles replied. "We have allies coming in from around the globe, and the free hell dimensions, as we speak, many are already here."

"We will hear your words," sang a robed Carnivean, "but elsewhere, our hopes may come to rest."

"We fulfill our vows to defend our own," a horned demon snarled, "not for humans." A striking female demon rounded on him.

"If you vowed to protect the innocent, it shouldn’t matter what dimension they’re from!"

"You have a vested interest," her opponent pointed out. "Seeing as the Presidium is hunting the Oden Tal to extinction."

"Please," Giles interrupted, "let’s remain calm, please…"

"I can’t speak on behalf of my superiors," a human wearing the medallion of the Anmael demons said, "but our position is favorable at present."

"The moon’s shadow guides us," a squat Iblis, one of two present, intoned. "Where she wanders, we seek trial." There was a general hesitation as the various humans and demons frowned in confusion.

"Good," Giles said to fill the pause, "very well…" His gaze wandered to the main door, where a new arrival had appeared. "Oh, excuse me a moment, one of our coven leaders has arrived."

He hurried to the doorway, where Faith was waving in Althenea Dimmons.

"Althenea," he greeted her.

"Rupert," she smiled, "It’s good to see you again. You look…tired, actually. Have you and Mrs. Giles not been behaving yourselves?"

"Al!" Willow rushed over. The two slayers assigned to her hurried in her wake, reaching her just in time to step in-between her and Althenea.

"Oh," she grinned sheepishly, "sorry, I forgot…"

"We’re taking measures to avoid any infiltration from the Presidium," Giles explained, "until Willow’s done her spell-"

"-physical contact is a risk," Althenea finished, "of course – spell now, hug afterwards?"

"Uh-huh," Willow nodded enthusiastically, rushing back to prepare the spell.

"Just to make sure you’re not, you know, evil suddenly," she went on, dabbing her wet fingers in the bowl of powder held in her other hand as she came back, "Rowena’s in the library by the way, she’ll be so pleased to see you, I mean the circumstances could be better, sure, but hey, any excuse to get you this side of the Atlantic will do-"

"Um, Willow?" Althenea prompted.

"Right," Willow grinned, holding up her hand.

"To tell the truth," Althenea said as Willow muttered the spell beneath her breath, "I wouldn’t be surprised to find I’ve picked up a little evil, after sharing a flight on the way here with- oof!" she exhaled as Willow, having completed the ritual successfully, hugged her forcefully.

"With who?" Giles asked.

"Oh come now, Ripper," Ethan Rayne said from the doorway, "who else could it possibly be?"

"B-" Giles began.

"Here," Ethan interrupted, "Watch. He’s going to do his ‘bloody hell’ and sigh."

Giles closed his mouth again, but couldn’t suppress a long-suffering sigh.

Fade to black.

End of Teaser

Act One

With Felicia Day as Vi, Elijah Wood as Jeff, Stephanie March as Bonnie, Asia Argento as Marie, Alicia Silverstone as Heli, Rhona Mitra as Alex, Lindsay Felton as Skye, Thora Birch as Tracey, Michele Merkin as Saida, Victoria Pratt as Francesca, R. Lee Ermey as Sgt Zim, Jessica Biel as Lexa, Milla Jovovich as Sasha, Parminder Nagra as Sabina, Chiaki Kuriyama as Nozomi, Danielle Tricca as Haley, Ginny Holder as Liona, Aria Giovanni as Aria, Brad Dourif as Brell, Tyler Mane as Creed, Lawrence Makaore as Imbethit, Heather Graham as Kail, Jacqui Ainsley as Brighid, Jennifer Fisher as Angella, Duncan Young as the Flayer and Francesca Buller as the Lover

Guest Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, Robin Sachs as Ethan Rayne, Michelle Rodriguez as Kadin, Jennifer Connelly as Althenea, Bai Ling as Jhiera, Alexa Davalos as Gwen Raiden, Yancy Butler as Sara, Emannuelle Seigner as Irene, Peter Horton as Stone, Idris Elba as Vaughan Rice, Susannah Harker as Dr March, Bruce Spence as Tephros and Persis Khambatta as the Fallen

 

Fade in:

Int.

Watchers HQ Gymnasium – 11 hours to H-Hour

Faith stood in the doorway for a moment, gazing over the rows of slayers performing combat drills, the pairs duelling on the mats with gloves or practice swords, and the irregular grouping off to one side, secluded from the others, where Kennedy, Vi and some of the other experienced slayers were walking among sparring men and women, studying them. Faith looked faraway for a moment, gave a deep sigh, then strode quickly over to Kennedy.

"Leader on deck!" Kennedy called as she saw Faith, bringing the various bouts to a halt. Faith nodded at her then walked slowly in front of the group, glancing idly here and there as they watched her, some standing at attention, some simply standing, some leaning casually against exercise machines. She waited until everyone’s attention was fixed on her, then inclined her head slightly, bringing Kennedy to her side.

"No more new arrivals for a while," she said quietly. "Which are the good ones?"

Kennedy handed her four folders, and stood beside her, facing away from the group watching them.

"These are all good enough for patrol," she said. "The ones who couldn’t hack it are gone. The ones who came in these last few days are pretty good, I think we’ve exhausted the supply of wannabes. Those four are better than human, one way or another."

"Thanks," Faith nodded, flipping through the folders, noting the photo attached to each one. She closed them and raised her eyes to scan the group.

"Well, thanks for showing up," she began in a loud voice, pacing slowly back and forth. "Not everyone’s willing to stick their neck on the line. That’s your first test passed. I’m the other one. Each of you is going to pair off with a slayer. Short of doing anything that’d make you incapable of fighting after a few hours in the infirmary, they’re going to do everything in their power to take you down. And I’m gonna watch. Those of you who hold your own and I like the look of, you’ll get a shot at joining the ranks." She stopped and faced the group.

"Let me make one thing clear," she warned. "I don’t care if you’ve got a great destiny, or some magic weapon passed down for generations, or if you’re part-demon, or if your family’s been hunting critters since the stone age. You all think you’re good enough to stand side by side with my girls in a fight…that’s not going to happen until I see that you’re that good."

She took a last look at the folders, then tossed them onto a bench behind her.

"Stone, you’re with Marie. Adler, Vi. Raiden, Mia. Pezzini, Kennedy. The rest of you wait your turn. Five minutes to warm up, then you’d better come out swinging. That’s all."

She gave a grim little smile as the crowd dispersed, then turned at hearing a slow clapping from behind her.

"Well well," Faith began as she grinned. "Just in time for the apocalypse as usual."

"It’s a talent." Buffy Summers shrugged. "Giles asked if you could send Heli up with a final report, or something – have you guys been turning slaying into paperwork while my back’s turned?"

"Yeah but at least we get paid now. Lookin’ good, B," Faith said, hugging her friend with her good arm. "Is that a tan I see? You been lyin’ on a beach somewhere? Damn, how do I get your job?"

"You seem to be enjoying yours plenty," Buffy replied. She glanced down at Faith’s left arm, still in a sling. "That looks ouch."

"Not as bad as high explosives in the face, and that’s what the other guy got," Faith shrugged. "I thought you were getting in yesterday, what gives? Does Dawn know you’re here?"

"Bumped into her in the library. Flight got delayed out of Tokyo," Buffy explained. "Believe me, sitting in an airport lounge when I should be getting ready to kick some ass, not as much fun as it sounds. How’s it going?"

"Could be better, could be worse," Faith admitted. "A lot of the people we called weren’t exactly thrilled with what we asked. Hey guys, we’re off to hell to fight a huge army of killer demons! Come join us!"

"You gotta think like a salesman," Buffy nodded sagely. "Use the right words. Come to sunny hell, to join an adventure-of-a-lifetime battle against friendly, welcoming demon hordes…see?"

"Ah, we should’ve let you make the calls," Faith agreed. "Good news is the ones that did come in are the best, so what we’re lacking in numbers we’re making up in quality. It’s a bit of a bitch to get all the newcomers trained so they can work with slayers, and figure out exactly how much they can dish out, but we’re getting there. There’re some real good fighters out there, even if they aren’t slayers. Speaking of, though, hang on-" Faith whistled loudly, getting the attention of the nearby groups of slayers.

"Branch leaders, come here a minute!" she called. Six slayers left the training area, as the others resumed their drills.

"Ladies," Faith said proudly, "this is the Chosen One herself, Buffy Summers. We’ve got the best from each Council branch, and these are their leaders," she explained to Buffy. "Sasha from Moscow, Lexa from London, Haley from Sydney, Dharmini from New Delhi, Nozomi from Tokyo, Liona from Johannesburg."

"Hi girls," Buffy said, as the slayers nodded and greeted her. "Lexa, hey? Been here long?"

"Hey Buf’," the English slayer replied. "No, only got in this morning. We’ve patrolled together a few times," she added to Faith.

"Just when I’ve been passing through," Buffy said. "I get fidgety if I don’t get some slaying every now and then."

"She’s a handful, isn’t she?" Faith winked at Lexa.

"And a half," Lexa grinned and rolled her eyes.

"Oh thank you very much," Buffy grumbled, failing to hide a smile.

Cut to:

Int.

Giles’s office – 10:40 to H-Hour

"I’m sorry to have kept you waiting," Giles said, sighing as he closed the door behind him. "Today has…it’s been a long day."

"Well, that’s a hell of a thing to be saying before midday," Althenea observed, sitting opposite Giles’s desk.

"You’ve looked better," Ethan added from the couch at the side of the office.

"I imagine so," Giles frowned at Ethan. "And so have you," Giles nodded at Ethan’s left hand. The Sorcerer looked self-consciously at it and slowly stuck it into his pants pocket. He didn’t meet Giles’s gaze.

The Watcher stared at Ethan silently for moment, then turned back to Althenea. "We had an incident last night," he explained to her. "One of the pre-dawn patrols ran into an unusual subspecies vampire, and we had to all get out of bed and devise a means of getting rid of it. Nothing serious, thank god…"

"…but not the kind of thing you need the night before you deal with several dozen isolationist and argumentative demons and mages," Al nodded. "You can’t push the portal time back?"

"I’m reluctant to try," Giles admitted. "It took the better part of a week to get Creed and his cohorts to agree to allow us into their base of operations, even with everything we’ve promised them. Millennia of ill will between demons and humans doesn’t just vanish overnight, even if the demons are capable of reason…It’s not as if humans would behave much differently, come to that. We just have to hope that we can make a good impression once we’re among them."

"Well," Althenea murmured, "you’re really going…every time I think I’ve got the hang of the concept, I find myself being surprised all over again."

"We’re really going," Giles agreed, ignoring Ethan’s bitter chuckle. "Believe me, I’d rather not, but we simply have no choice. We’ve got less than a thousand slayers worldwide, only six covens capable of engaging in any kind of battle, conventional militaries just aren’t up to the task of dealing with demons and magic if it’s used against them…"

"Gotcha," Al nodded. "If we fight here, it’ll be a rout."

"It’ll be a massacre," Ethan put in. "So much for the great Watchers Council."

"Thank you," Giles growled. "There simply hasn’t been the time. Before this year, few people even considered the possibility of a force like this emerging from hell – demons cooperating have always been the exception rather than the rule. But the Presidium seems to command an enormous empire among the hell dimensions, and be able to direct its might wherever they wish. Against that kind of enemy…well, Faith is unquestionably right, we can’t wait for them to attack. Even a small percentage of their total forces would be too much for us to handle… hence the notion of a guerrilla campaign." He shrugged, and looked forlorn. "It’s all we’ve got. A handful of watchers and slayers, all the allies we can pull together, Creed’s troops…somehow we’ll have to make it enough. And, at the same time, leave enough people here and at the other branches to keep the world safe while we’re away."

"I’ve got some good news on that front," Al said. "The overtures we’ve made to elements within the EU have found some acceptance, so they’ll be extending as much help as we can reasonably expect. Robson has been meeting with Brigadier Bambera, and joint training exercised between her troops and our slayers have been promising. And the British government has loaned us two of their specialists, Vaughan Rice and Angela March, who’ll arrive tomorrow – Dr. March has been an expert in the field for more than fifteen years now, she could augment your watchers here considerably."

"That sounds promising," Giles agreed. "I wish I could say the same… our government’s failure in their Initiative project a few years ago seems to have scared off most of their top people who are aware of the demon problem. The only official aid we’re getting is from Riley Finn, a former acquaintance – he commands a strike force now, and he’s detached some troops for our use."

"See? It’s not all bad." Althenea grinned. "Should I see Robin about getting Rice and Dr. March put to work?"

"Yes, he’ll be done with the paperwork for our weapons requisitions by now," Giles nodded. "At least I hope he is…"

"I’ll see you later," Al said, getting up and leaving.

"You’re bloody mad," Ethan said, after she had left the room.

"Yes, well, you’ve often said so," Giles agreed largely ignoring him.

"This isn’t like sending a few slayers to some farm in the middle of nowhere to look into crop circles or something," Ethan persisted. "This is hell, Rupert. Believe me, I know the kind of places you’re likely to wind up in, and you don’t want to be there. Not even in these kinds of circumstances, no matter what Althenea the Teenage-Acting Witch might think."

"What would you suggest?" Giles asked, turning on him. "We can’t defeat the Presidium in battle, we can’t retreat-"

"Have you ever considered," Ethan interrupted, "that one way or another, the Presidium is going to take Earth? We both know what's coming. I’ve been doing my homework on them, believe me. And frankly, I’d rather take my chances under their rule than dash my brains out in some futile attempt to heroically defeat them."

"Take your chances?" Giles asked incredulously. "They mean to wipe us out, Ethan – they tried to kill you, if you’ll recall?"

"Welcome to my life," Ethan said dismissively. "I don’t have to go as far as hell to find someone who’d want me dead. I’m not sure I have to go outside this room," he added darkly.

"I bear you no ill-will," Giles protested stiffly.

"No, you just want to enlist me in a crusade to go get our throats cut in the wrong plane of reality."

"The door’s there, if you’d rather remain on your own," Giles offered, crossing his arms. "Perhaps if you make it clear to the Presidium that you’re not connected to the Council, they may offer you favorable terms. Some kind of gilded cage."

Ethan glared at Giles, then threw up his hands in defeat.

"Fine!" he exclaimed. "I’m not leaving – you’ll get yourself killed without me, you and your bloody heroism. You need someone to think the way I think."

"I’m not sure of that at all," Giles muttered. Both men glared at each other, until a knock on the door interrupted them.

"Is this a bad time?" Heli asked, peering around the door.

"No, just leaving," Ethan said dryly. Heli watched him suspiciously as he left.

"Mr. Giles, are you sure it’s a good idea having him with us?" she asked Giles once the door had closed.

"A good idea, no," Giles admitted, slumping into his chair. "But whatever his failings, I’m quite sure he’d never side with the Presidium – being ruled, by anyone, is against his nature. Whether he’s any help or not, I don’t believe it will hurt our chances to have him along. My patience is another matter…"

"I have that report you wanted," Heli avoided the subject tactfully, offering a folder. "Faith’s notes on the new recruits as well – she says short of Lara Croft and Supergirl showing up, the evaluations are complete. And she told me to tell you there’re five she wants with the slayer team when you go. The others can supplement our patrols here or in the other cities."

"Only five?" Giles asked, opening the folder and looking through Faith’s hand-written notes.

"She said she’d rather have a small force she knows she can rely on to, uh, ‘kick ass’," Heli explained. "Sara, Gwen, Irene, Patience and Jhiera she considers, quote, ‘good enough’, which is her way of saying exceptional."

"She hasn’t included most of General Finn’s detachment," Giles noted. "Or that Ezekiel fellow, I thought their skills were sufficient?"

"Finn’s troops are good patrollers, but they may not respond well to a change of scenery as extreme as what we’re planning," Heli replied. "And we can’t afford to take chances. Faith spoke to Lieutenant Matheson though, the medic, he’s agreed to accompany the team individually. Detective Stone is a bloodhound, we’ll need his kind here to hold the fort – we’ll be far more in need of watchers than slayers while you’re gone. Faith agrees with me."

"Very well," Giles nodded. "You’re still comfortable with your assignment?"

"I’ll do my best," Heli said seriously. "Mr. Giles…have you told Buffy yet?"

"I haven’t had the chance," he admitted. "I thought it only fair to tell her in person, and we only met briefly earlier…but I will."

Cut to:

Int.

Coven Room – 10:25 to H-Hour

"Okay, tune into the ambient magic and give it your best," Willow said. She was sitting at a desk, opposite Jeff. Between them was a logic game, a closed wooden frame with flip-flopping gates, blue and red-painted discs that swivelled around in their sockets. Unusually they were flipping on their own, via small motors, rather than waiting for the ball bearing Willow was holding above one of the holes in the top of the toy.

"Red, blue, red, red, blue," Jeff said, keeping his eyes closed. Willow dropped the steel ball and watched it clatter through the puzzle, halting each revolving gate as it bumped its way past, leaving a trail of still discs – red, blue, red, red and blue.

"Five out of five," Willow smiled. "How are you feeling, any effects?"

"A bit dizzy," Jeff admitted. "I feel kind of like I’m not sure if I’m about to do something or if I’ve already done it sometimes. Actually," he said with a faint grin, "I almost ate breakfast twice this morning, I wasn’t concentrating and thought the first time was just a foresight. Andrew noticed before I could overdose on Fruit Loops though. But it’s getting better."

"You’re sure?" Willow asked.

"Yeah," Jeff replied confidently. "I made a bit more of an effort to control it, now the prescience seems a bit more regular, and I can feel the difference."

"Well, that’s good," Willow said. "Just remember, don’t push yourself too hard."

"I thought the idea was to push as hard as possible, as fast as possible?" Jeff asked. "We are going into a bit of a crisis. Unless there was a memo I missed saying the world’s safe again."

"The idea is to be as good as possible, as fast as possible," Willow clarified. "Like the slayers, they’re training like nobody’s business but they’re still taking time off, otherwise they’d be useless when we got to crunch time. I know we’re trying to work fast here Jeff, but remember ‘as good as possible’ doesn’t mean burned out and incapable of any foresight at all, or unable to distinguish between future and reality – or worse. That’s why we’re being careful, neither of those would do the Council any good at all. And I’d hate to see you hurt," she added kindly.

"Okay, I see your point," Jeff nodded thoughtfully.

"Good," Willow said.

"Actually I foresaw it around about ‘slayers training like nobody’s business’," he added with a mischievous grin. "But it gets weird when I answer people before they’ve said what they’re saying."

"Okay," Willow chuckled, "bear in mind we’re not actually aiming for ‘omnipotent smart-ass’ here, ‘k?"

"Yeah I know, I’m not omnipotent," Jeff laughed. "You’re about to have company. I’ll take a break." Willow looked up as Althenea appeared in the doorway and knocked on the open door.

"Hello Miss Dimmons," Jeff said, standing.

"Hello Jeffrey-"

"No problem," Jeff replied, already gathering up his books. Althenea watched him with a bemused grin as he vacated the room.

"-would you give us a minute," she went on after the door had closed, looking at Willow curiously.

"He’s got a gift for it," she explained with a shrug. Althenea nodded and sat next to her.

"I can feel the difference," she said. "Last time I met him his energy was strong, but all over the place. Now he’s got it under much tighter control, he’s consciously directing it. It’s very promising…you’re keeping an eye on him?"

"Of course," Willow said quickly. "I know all about the pitfalls of prescience, after all the checking I did about Xander’s eye, just in case it manifested more powerfully than it was doing at first."

"So how is he?" Althenea asked.

"He’s headstrong," Willow admitted. "Impulsive, determined, acts more on instinct than considered rationale…"

"In other words, he’s a teen," Al said with a slight grin.

Willow grinned too and continued. "He means well, but sometimes doesn’t see the downside to whatever he’s doing until too late. But for a chromosome, there go I," she grinned wryly. "I do my best, but I can’t help worrying about him."

"But he’s got you to look after him," Althenea said. "You know the dangers, better than anyone else in the Council. You can help him realize his potential without losing his way."

"I learned from the best," Willow nodded, with a slight smile for Al.

"You learned from experience," she replied. "I only helped a little." Willow gave a non-committal shrug.

"How are you feeling, Willow?" Althenea probed gently.

"Worried," Willow admitted. "About everything, which I guess is natural enough when you’re getting ready to go start a guerrilla campaign in a hell dimension against a massively powerful empire, so I’m not worried by being worried, if you know what I mean…I’m not sure I know what I mean…"

"I’m glad to see you haven’t changed." Althenea laughed quietly.

"That’s what worries me though," Willow said with a frown. "I have…I’m nowhere near where I used to be magically, and I’m honestly not sure I can do much. I mean what do I have to offer? If I’d been like this last year, we’d never have won then."

"You don’t know that," Althenea said. "In my admittedly limited experience of you…you find a way, always. I’d trust my life to that, even now."

Willow sighed. "Thanks," she replied, "I appreciate that, I do…it’s just something I’ve been feeling for a while, I guess."

"Since your powers were interrupted?"

"Yeah…I’m worried I’m not really complete anymore. I’m me, but I’m not the whole me, the Willow who worked so hard to be in harmony with the world, and make it a part of me…now I’m what I was before. Just plain Willow Rosenberg. When I say ‘I’ll do my best,’ I wonder how much use that’s going to be in any case."

"Don’t say that like it’s a bad thing," Althenea said gently. "Who you are has never changed, and everything you’ve done – magic or otherwise – comes from that. ‘Just plain Willow Rosenberg’ was always the one who saved people."

Cut to:

Int.

Xander’s Workshop – 10:00 to H-Hour

"Xander."

Xander spun around at the voice.

"Alex? Um, hi – I didn’t realize you were here."

"I saw you in the lobby, but you looked busy," the lawyer shrugged.

"Yeah, true." Xander grinned. "What’re you doing here? Not that you’re persona non grata or anything, just…"

"Mr. Giles has friends in high places," Alex said. "My firm has a contribution to make to your effort, and seeing as I’m your contact, they decided I’d be the go-between." She gave an alluring smile. "I’ll admit I didn’t mind an excuse to come down here. You’re going tonight?"

"Yeah," Xander nodded.

"If you can spare a few minutes from preparations, I’d…" Alex paused, and looked sheepish. "Well, I’m here. If you’d like." She swallowed, and fixed Xander with a stare. "I really wanted to see you…"

She reached out for Xander, smiling as he put his hand over hers. But her smile was replaced by a confused frown when he gently removed her hand from his shoulders, and held it.

"Alex," he said, "there’s something you should know…"

"Ah," she said. "This something…isn’t a good something."

"For us, no," Xander admitted. "No, it’s…look, I really like you, I do. I’ve had great times with you and in other circumstances I, well frankly I’d think I was insane for being about to do what I’m about to do. But we…I can’t go out with you any more."

"Can’t?" Alex asked in a quiet voice.

"Well I don’t want to say ‘won’t’," Xander said, "that’s about as not true as you can get, cause there’s nothing about you that doesn’t make me want to be around you – heck, even when we argue it’s better than being apart. But the truth is, there’s you, and there’s another girl, and you’re both…in here," Xander put a hand on his chest. "And that’s not fair to you, either of you. So I gotta choose."

"And you choose her," Alex said sadly.

"I choose her. I’m sorry," Xander said sincerely. "I never meant to hurt you. I swear I didn’t, and if there was any way I could make this whole thing better I would…"

"You’ve done enough," Alex said automatically, and Xander tensed. She swallowed again, sighed, and looked at him.

"You did the decent thing," she admitted. "I’m sorry too…you’re a good man, Xander. I…" she took a moment to compose herself. "She’s good? Honestly?"

"The best." Xander nodded.

"I-I’m glad…Don’t regret me?" she asked in a whisper.

"Never," he promised. Alex nodded, then leaned forward and gave Xander a kiss on the cheek.

"I’ll see you later," she said, and quickly turned and left the workshop. Xander raised a hand to his cheek and let out a slow sigh. He turned back to his workbench, and yelped when he saw Vi standing in the doorway leading to the slayer wing and the armory.

"I…she…" Xander stammered, looking between the slayer and the doorway Alex had disappeared through. "It’s not…oh hell," he sighed, slumping against the bench. "I have the worst timing in the universe."

Vi bit her lip, then crossed the room and leaned over the bench, taking Xander’s head in her hands and making him meet her eyes, shining with tears.

"No, you don’t," she said.

"Whu…uh?" Xander frowned in confusion, then his eyes widened. "You heard…the whole thing? You didn’t just come in at the end for the kiss, and think-"

"The whole thing," Vi said. She leaned closer, until her lips were almost touching his. Then her cellphone rang.

"Right," she said to herself, closing her eyes and standing back. "Calm thoughts, calm thoughts…not going to destroy phone. Okay." She opened her eyes, checked her phone’s screen, and looked up to meet Xander’s hopeful stare.

"They need me," she said forlornly. "Hand over your ‘worst timing in the universe’ trophy."

"We’ll share it," Xander suggested.

"Among other things," Vi promised, before turning and sprinting back out the door. Xander watched her go, then leaned on the bench again.

"The Powers That Be exist to drive me mad," he said, picking up an invoice list. "That’s okay…At least they and me understand each other."

Cut to:

Int.

Guest Room – 9:40 to H-Hour

"Buffy," Giles said warmly. Buffy turned from her suitcases, rushed across the room and hugged her former watcher tightly.

"I didn’t think you really needed to be hugged in front of everyone," she said, muffled by his shoulder. "So I saved it."

"It’s good to see you too," he replied, once she had let go of him. "I’m afraid I still only have a few minutes to spare, but-"

"Yeah, I get it," she said, "people to meet, butt-kicking to plan. Well, we’ll have time on the mission to catch up…"

"Actually that’s why I’m here," Giles said, taking a seat. "I’ve been going over the field reports of your participation in missions for the London branch, the expedition to the Paris catacombs two months ago, your visit to India-"

"Man, do they have some funky demons there," Buffy nodded. She frowned in thought. "How come I feel like I’m back in school, and in the principal’s office? This isn’t something bad, is it?"

"Well…I imagine you might think so," Giles nodded.

"Oh my god what’s wrong?" Buffy asked nervously. "Are you okay? Is Willow, okay? Xander? Faith-"

"Everyone is perfectly alright," Giles insisted. "Well, so far as can be expected under the circumstances. But I have to ask you to do something rather difficult."

"A special mission?" Buffy asked. "I’m up for it."

"I need you to stay here," Giles said.

"Um, where?" Buffy said. "This room? What’s outside?"

"Earth," Giles clarified. "I need you to remain here when the mission goes to Vor." Buffy frowned at him, then smiled and nodded knowingly.

"I get it," she said, "good one, who’s hiding behind a curtain waiting to take a picture of me with deer-in-headlights face?"

"The threats the Council deals with on a day to day basis are not going to abate while we’re away," Giles continued. "All of Cleveland’s most experienced slayers and watchers will be leaving indefinitely – as long as it takes to see the job done, and the threat to Earth halted. We have plenty of trainees and junior slayers staying, but they need leaders."

"You can’t do this to me," Buffy protested. "I’m gonna have to stand back and watch the people I love go into danger, and just hope you’ll all come back, do you know what that’s like?"

"Yes," Giles said quietly. "Yes, I do. I’ve done it every night since the Harvest nine years ago." Buffy looked up sharply, then her anger seemed to evaporate.

"Oh god Giles I’m sorry," she said, sitting next to him. "I didn’t…I wasn’t thinking."

"I know how difficult it is," Giles said kindly. "But it’s necessary."

"Heli’s staying, isn’t she?" Buffy protested. "Faith said she’s-"

"She’ll be in charge of the slayer branch," Giles said, "she has the expertise and familiarity with the city. But the watcher branch is also being left without a leader."

"You’re serious?" Buffy asked. "You want me to command the watchers?"

"You’ll have the best support and advice possible under the circumstances," Giles said. "Althenea is remaining here as the Coven leader, Robson’s deputy, MacMillan, will be arriving here in two days to fill Robin’s role as administrative head…they’ll help you. But I believe, and I know they both agree, that you have the experience and the ability to command the Council during this crisis. A-And after, if need be."

"Don’t talk like that Giles," Buffy chastised.

"I have to be prepared for any scenario Buffy. If we fail…you’re the best person to head up the second front. So don’t underestimate yourself. Please, do this for me."

"Just for once, do what you ask me to do?" Buffy said, with a tiny grin.

"Something like that," Giles admitted. "I’ve drawn up the paperwork, your position will be somewhat different – Heli will defer to you on major decisions, as the more experienced slayer. And knowing your tendencies, I won’t try to stop you leading any missions of particular criticality yourself. Buffy, there are many people who have the knowledge the Council will need. But being a watcher is more than knowledge, it’s being able to make the right decision, under very difficult conditions. I trust you to do that. I’ve seen you do it too many times to doubt you now."

For a long moment they stared at each other, then Buffy nodded.

"Will you do something for me?"

"Name it," Giles said, surprised.

"I’ve talked to the gang. They all say you’re pretty much ready to go. I was thinking you’d be all busy getting me up to speed before H-Hour, but I guess that’s not an issue."

"No," Giles agreed apologetically.

"Then give everyone some time off," Buffy suggested. "Everyone’s run ragged, and I’m starting to feel like I need a nap just being around you all. Take a break, watch a movie – you, go see your wife."

"Is that an order?" Giles asked with a half-smile.

"Yes it is," Buffy nodded imperiously. "If you insist on hanging around here, I’ll be forced to inquire into this rumor I hear that you watch Xena."

"I wish you wouldn’t put it like that," Giles insisted at once, "the historical inaccuracies are quite deplorable, but on the balance of things there is from time to time a grandeur of storytelling that borders on operatic which, in spite of its faults…fine," he sighed, as Buffy collapsed on the couch holding her sides and laughing.

Cut to:

Int.

Bonnie’s Apartment – 8:00 to H-Hour

A knock sounded on the door, and Bonnie put down her book.

"Come in," she said in a bored tone. Andrew let himself into the apartment and took a set in an armchair, facing Bonnie across the coffee table.

"‘Crime and Punishment’," he noted, glancing at the open book.

"Actually I was reading a tacky erotic thriller," Bonnie said flatly, "it’s stuffed down the back of the couch. I just keep that around in case anyone drops by to give me a morality talk and needs something innocuous yet relevant to use as a starting point."

"I haven’t read it," Andrew confessed.

"It’s not my favorite," Bonnie shrugged. "Skipping ahead past the ‘why did you drop by?’ ‘It can’t just be to talk?’ ‘I don’t get many visitors who want to just talk’ ‘Feeling sorry for yourself?’ part of this conversation…?"

"I want you to come to Vor with us," Andrew said simply. Bonnie stared at him for a long moment, then shrugged.

"Okay," she replied. It was Andrew’s turn to stare.

"Excuse me?"

"I’ve never really liked my limbs all attached to my torso," Bonnie said airily, "and having internal organs is starting to bore me, so-"

"I’m serious," Andrew complained.

"I know," Bonnie retorted without missing a beat.

"So, skipping the you-making-deadpan-jokes part of this conversation…?" Andrew suggested. Bonnie raised an eyebrow, and gave a little smile.

"What possible reason could you have for wanting me to come with you on your little crusade?" she asked.

"The same reason they’re taking me," Andrew replied. "You know demons from the other side of the fence. Maybe not the powerful ones, but most of them are dead or enslaves anyway. What’s left are the ones who were on the fringes of their worlds’ societies – the kind you used to do business with, and I used to try to summon in my parents’ basement. Anything – any knowledge – might tip the scales, just a bit."

"And your scales are in dire need of tipping," Bonnie summarized. "You’re really going?"

"You could try to be a bit not surprised."

"Actually I’m not – who else around here knows how to keep a small army fed? And never underestimate the usefulness of the middle-man. Sort of a life philosophy." Bonnie grinned. "Anyway, you’ve got the edge on me – I don’t even know how to summon a demon in one of your Dungeons & Dragons games, but I gave you a run for your money last year."

"We’re playing Planescape, at the moment."

"You know I’m just going to say ‘whatever’, don’t you?"

"So, Vor…?"

"I’ll go," Bonnie said.

There was a prolonged pause.

"There’s no deadpan joke attached to that last sentence," Bonnie prompted. "Or that one," she added, after Andrew continued to stare at her. "Look," she tried again, "I spent the whole summer after you people vaporized the Engineer hiding out. I couldn’t go home, could barely risk being seen in public – I spent three months in empty rooms wondering how many more days it’d be before I had to move on to the next empty room. Every time I went to sleep I was wondering at the back of my mind whether I’d left it too long already – if I was going to be woken up by something’s claws cutting my throat. This," she waved a hand around, encompassing her apartment, "isn’t so bad. At least there’re a few people who’ll grudgingly try to keep the demons from killing me. Even if you aren’t always entirely successful."

Andrew stared hard at her, and gave a thoughtful shrug.

"I guess it’s a good enough reason to fight, to hold onto that," he conceded.

"Oh, I don’t think I’m going to hold onto anything," Bonnie said, her voice emotionless as she dropped her gaze. "I won’t repeat this to anyone else, because I know a bit about morale, but you’re different – I’ll give you that much credit. We’re going to lose this – we’re all dead and there’s nothing we can do about it. There never was. That was made abundantly clear to me the day the Engineer recruited me."

"So why…?"

"I’d rather spend my last days in relative comfort, with something to keep me occupied. Even if it is futile, and all there is at the end is a hopefully quick death during a melee. Being on the run isn’t any better, and sooner or later it’d end the same way. So I’ll throw in my lot with you brave warriors."

She looked up, meeting Andrew’s gaze again.

"Sorry," she shrugged.

"It’ll do," he replied, getting up.

Cut to:

Int.

Gymnasium – 5:00 to H-Hour (evening)

Several slayers were still in the gym, working out or sparring or just relaxing. A figure watched them from the doorway. Her gaze moved across the room, finally settling on Kennedy, who was on her back bench-pressing a heavily-laden weight, chatting idly with one of the junior slayers who was spotting for her.

Kennedy’s dragon was sitting on the junior slayer’s shoulder, stealing potato chips from a bag she was holding. Her observer studied the scene for some time, then backed through the doorway as she returned the weight to its mount and got up.

The observer left the weights room and crossed the empty basketball courts, heading back towards the lobby. Half-way though she paused, and glanced sidelong over her shoulder.

"Hello Kadin," Mia said from behind her.

"Mia, hey," Kadin Van Helsing replied, turning to face her.

"Thought you were a no-show," Mia said flatly.

"I was out of contact for a while," Kadin admitted. "Had to stop off in Finland to set fire to some guys, got delayed. Heard you lost someone from your team, sorry. Must be hard on you."

"Yeah," Mia said without expression. "Well, some of us try to take care of more than just ourselves." Kadin glared at her.

"I’m here to fight demons, not you," she said quietly. "Don’t change that."

"We’ll see," Mia replied. She went to pass Kadin, heading for the weight room.

"Mia," Kadin said as she passed her. "I am sorry."

"Yeah," Mia replied tonelessly. "Me too."

Cut to:

Int.

Giles’s Living Room – 4:00 to H-Hour

"Finally gave your other half the slip?" Becca asked as Giles closed the door behind him.

"As I say every time he appears, I’m sorry about Ethan," Giles sighed. Becca chuckled momentarily, and pulled Giles down onto the couch next to her.

"It’s all arranged?" she asked.

"It is," Giles nodded. "We’ll begin in three hours." There was a long pause.

"I’m uncomfortably aware that ‘we’, in this case, means ‘you’," Becca noted dryly.

"Becca-"

"I know, I know," she nodded, and then parroted Giles’ accent: "A hell dimension is no place for a very pregnant woman."

"No," Giles said, slightly exaggerating his accent himself, "it certainly is not. To tell the truth, nor is it the place for or a young Wiccan, or a Canadian fencer, or a former school principal, or…how would one define Andrew, exactly?"

"You’re really taking him along?" Becca asked, slightly incredulous.

"He really is quite skilled at managing supplies," Giles admitted. "And he’s quite determined-."

"He’s not a fighter," Becca pointed out quietly.

"No, he’s not," Giles agreed. "But he could help in other ways, as he did last year. We need every advantage."

"Even a middle-aged man with a heart condition?"

"One never knows," Giles replied. He hesitated, then continued: "I know how difficult this is for you-."

"I don't think you do," Becca replied – not angry or accusing, but quietly disbelieving nonetheless.

"Yes," Giles assured her, "I do. I’ve sent slayers into battle many times. Especially Buffy – in her own way she’s as dear to me as you are…and you," he added, placing a hand gently on Becca’s expansive stomach. "Her own way being quite often infuriating," he added after a moment.

"Seems to be something you look for in loved ones," Becca noted.

"So it seems," Giles agreed with a smile. "I really am dreadfully sorry…but I have to do this."

Becca paused a moment. "I'm scared of losing you. I'm...I'm not sure I can raise this child alone."

"And I know I don't want this child raised in a world where the Presidium reigns...I have to try to stop this."

"I know. I…" Becca stopped abruptly and choked back a sob, taking a moment to compose herself. "I want you to come back, when it’s done."

"I want that too," Giles said with utter sincerity, "more than almost anything."

"Almost?"

"As I said…" Giles’ shoulders slumped, as if under a weight. "I want you to be free. I want Elizabeth," he nodded to her belly, "to grow up in a world that isn’t ruled by evil. If it came down to a choice between that, and my coming home…" he trailed off glumly.

"Rupert?" Becca asked after a long silence.

"Yes?"

"‘Elizabeth’?" Becca asked, challenging the name choice.

Giles looked surprised, then grinned faintly.

"Elizabeth is a perfectly reasonable name. I’ve said so many number of times," he said reasonably.

"Like the queen," Becca teased.

"Like the actress," Giles answered.

"Taylor?"

"No, Hurley actually," Giles corrected.

"Hmm..." Becca said as if she thought about it. "So what about Alice instead?"

Giles smiled at Becca and shook his head at her stubbornness. Becca smiled in return, and held out a hand. Giles quickly stood and helped her up.

"Now you and I have business to attend to," she told him.

"We do?" Giles asked, confused.

"I may be pregnant, but that hardly means there’s nothing I can do to ‘prepare you for battle’. Though only having three hours might be a handicap," she added with a wicked grin.

"Preparing- oh," Giles’s eyes widened. "Well, if you don’t mind risking me having a heart attack before the apocalypse…"

"You’re risking it," Becca said, taking Giles’s hand and leading him in no uncertain terms towards their bedroom.

Cut to:

Int.

Watchers Council Lobby – 1:00 to H-Hour

Giles, looking quite cheerful, was supervising the moving of supplies, now packed up in heavy backpacks and impact-resistant containers, from the building to the grounds outside, when Alex approached him.

"Mr. Giles," she said quietly, to get his attention.

"Oh hello, Ms. Neel," he replied, "I’m sorry my mind was elsewhere…"

"And you’re getting ready to follow it," she nodded towards the small army of slayers and helpers acting as porters.

"We’re as ready as we can be," Giles said. "I must thank you again for your help, the information you’ve provided from your firm has already proven to be most enlightening with regards to the societies and species of demons, we’ve avoided several diplomatic mishaps already thanks to it."

"Glad to help," Alex smiled, "enlightening is what we do."

"Are you looking for Xander?" Giles asked helpfully. "I believe he’s out on the grounds helping inscribe the circle."

"No," Alex shook her head. "He and I talked earlier, and our…friendship, from now on, is just going to be a friendship."

"Oh… oh I’m most terribly sorry," Giles said, crestfallen. "I apologize, I didn’t know-"

"No, it’s alright," Alex said, forcing a smile. "I’ll admit to disappointment, but...I’m here on another matter actually. The partners of my firm have decided, within the boundaries they operate under, to extend more help than just information about hell and its denizens."

"Really? Well we’re very grateful," Giles said enthusiastically. "What manner of help would this be, exactly…?"

"They’re standing just over there," Alex said with a slight smile, pointing to a quiet spot at the side of the lobby. Giles looked, and started visibly as he saw two tall, wide-shouldered men standing there in heavy cloaks and long hoods that covered their faces in shadow. Despite this they were obviously watching Giles and Alex closely.

"Good lord," Giles said. "I never noticed them…I’m sorry gentlemen, how do you do?"

"Not being noticed is among their skills," Alex said. Giles nodded as each of the two strode over to him, their cloaks flowing about them, and shook his hand in turn with firm grips encased in thick, dark leather gloves.

"Arel and Azer," Alex said, indicating each as they stood silent and still. "They won’t make great conversationalists I’m afraid. But they are very useful men to have around should there be a crisis. My firm believes that the Presidium must be stopped, now, and that you and the Council are the best and only chance of accomplishing that."

"Well," Giles said, "thank you, very much." He turned to the two robed men. "And thank you both, your help and willingness to accompany us is very much appreciated…if I may ask, what is it exactly that you do?"

"Whatever they must to see that your mission succeeds," Alex said, "At present, given the environment you’re going into, a bodyguard role seems appropriate. If they’re needed in some other capacity, they’ll know. They always know when they’re needed."

"Indeed," Giles said, staring at them curiously. "My thanks again…I suppose we should go out and introduce you to Faith. She’ll be responsible for our force’s defense, which you two would seem to fall under…" The two robes nodded.

Cut to:

Ext.

Watchers Council Grounds – 15 minutes to H-Hour

Behind the multi-story Council headquarters, out of sight of the road beyond it, a gathering was taking place. Willow, Xander, Dawn, Skye, Jeff, Giles and Althenea were walking the perimeter of a magic circle of epic proportions, more than two hundred meters in diameter. Within its bounds were stacks of crates and packs, weapons, supplies, boxes of documents, laptops by the dozen, bulky generators and fuel cells, portably lights, rolls of cable, crates of tightly-packed rations and bundles of folded up tents, sleeping bags and blankets.

Milling about them were more than a hundred people – Faith, Kennedy, Vi, Marie, and a large contingent of slayers, all in custom-fit combat suits, their handful of non-slayer recruits, including Kadin, Mia and the four remaining members of her Black Ops team in their armor, accompanied by Sergeant Zim in a well-worn uniform, and many watchers in padded survival gear – Andrew supervising the last of the supplies being stacked, ensuring the very center of the circle was kept clear, Rowena gazing at the stars and comparing them to a book of charts, Robin and Buffy standing near Faith, listening as she gave a last-minute pep talk to her slayers, Bonnie looking ill-at-ease, standing by a stack of crates and keeping out of everyone’s way, Brell looking around nervously at all the activity, and Alex’s two associates, silent as ever.

"Where the hell have you been?" Giles demanded as Ethan sauntered into view, with his dog following on a lead.

"Rupert!" Willow grinned, starting towards him, until Ethan stood in her way.

"He’s a bit touchy around people," he explained quickly, without meeting her gaze. "He isn’t…quite the same as before."

"I see," Willow said carefully.

"He’ll be alright," Ethan insisted, "It’ll just take time…in the meantime, best to give him a little space. He’s no danger to anyone. I’ve made sure of that, a little magic…just until he’s better."

"Ethan this is hardly the time-" Giles insisted quietly, as Willow moved away.

"I’m not leaving him!" Ethan interrupted. "He needs me, all right? I can’t leave him with anyone, it’d make things worse. Look, I promise you, this is not going to be a problem, just…for god’s sake, man, I’m doing you a favor by being here. Just let me have this."

Giles stared at him grimly, then nodded sharply and turned away.

"Five minutes!" Rowena called out after checking her watch.

"Okay, let’s go!" Robin added, his voice carrying easily through the night air. "Places, people! Vor team, inside the circle, everyone else, outside!"

"This feels so weird," Buffy said, as Willow and Faith walked with her to the edge of the circle.

"Yeah, an apocalypse without Buffy," Willow nodded. "Somehow I just won’t be able to enjoy it as much."

"You take care of my Council while we’re gone," Faith said.

"Won’t get a scratch on it," Buffy said breezily. "Hey, can I get one of those funky leather outfits you got all the slayers wearing?"

"Yeah but you still won’t look as hot as me." Faith laughed.

Buffy rolled her eyes, and turned to pick up a large, flat leather carry-case from the ground.

"I’m trying to cut back on speeches," she said, holding it out to Faith. "This is for you."

"What’d you do?" Faith grinned, taking the case and sliding down the zip on its side. "If this is inflatable I’m gonna…oh…" Willow leaned over to see the gleam of metal from within the case.

"The Scythe," Faith breathed. "No, I can’t – this belongs to you, it’s-"

"It belongs to the slayer," Buffy shook her head. "Right now you’re the slayer. Bring it back in one piece." Faith nodded dazedly. "And this is only temporary," Buffy added sternly. "The minute you’re done saving the planet I’m taking it back! It’s way useful for getting through crowds at one-day sales." She and Faith exchanged a look, then Buffy turned to Willow.

"Will," she said, then paused, unsure of how to continue. Willow nodded, then drew her into a tight hug. There were tears in both their eyes when they finally released each other.

"You take care of yourself." Buffy sniffed. "Or I’m coming after…you… what the heck is that?"

Willow spun around to see what had cause Buffy to stare, and saw the water from the distant lake surging up the gentle slope, as if a very localized flood was taking place.

"Stand down!" she called, as various slayers and their allies drew weapons. "Wait, I think I know what it is…" She walked past the crowd and waited for the water to reach her, sighing with relief as it rose up off the ground in front of her and assumed the familiar, towering form of Necksa.

"Titan of Lake and Sea," Willow said in greeting, "Welcome. Um, what brings you here?"

"Greetings Willow Rosenberg," the figure formed of water replied. "In our time of need you helped my kind. We repay our debts." The pool of water around the titan’s feet swelled up and produced two more Undines, human-sized and female. "These are Naiad and Oread. They will stand between you and whatever dangers you may face ahead. This they do for the good of us all."

"Really?" Willow asked. "I mean, thank you! That’s incredible…are your kind capable of leaving Earth though? I thought you were bound to this plane…"

In response Necksa dipped his head, as if concentrating. The two female figures shimmered and changed, their fluid skins hardening into ice.

"So armored, they can go anywhere they are needed," Necksa said. "I must go. Farewell in your struggle, and may the fortune of the fates travel with you."

"You too!" Willow called, as the titan flowed back to the ground and rushed away down the slope into the lake.

"You know, for me," Althenea said from behind Willow, "getting his attention is like dealing with the local council’s development board. Looks like there’s more to ‘just plain Willow Rosenberg’ than her magic."

"Well I never expected this," Willow said, bemused as she stared at the pair of icy figures in front of her. "Um, can you two…we’re about to leave, so you’ll need to be inside the circle."

"As you wish," the two said in unison, and quickly moved within the circle’s perimeter, their motions remaining elegantly fluid in spite of their brittle appearance.

"Dawn?" Willow called. "It’s time."

"For the next apocalypse," Skye said quietly, her forehead touching Dawn’s as they stood together, "I’m learning how to cast fireballs or something…whatever it takes to come with you."

"I wish you were," Dawn admitted. "I love you sweetie…you take care while I’m gone, okay?"

"I’ll be fine," Skye said with a fragile smile. "All I have to contend with is your big sister." Dawn laughed, then tilted her head forward and gave Skye a lingering kiss.

"I have to go," she whispered.

"Make sure you come back, okay?" Skye asked.

"Promise," Dawn replied. Skye watched her make her way through the crowd and the mounds of supplies, towards the center of the circle. She finally turned when Dawn disappeared behind a tall stack of crates, to find Jeff nearby, also watching her. Their eyes met, they stood still for a moment, then Skye closed the distance between them.

"Keep her safe," she said quietly. "Do whatever you have to do to keep her safe."

"I will," Jeff said, not quite meeting her gaze. Skye sighed.

"I hate leaving her with you so close," she admitted. "I’m sorry, but there it is." Jeff frowned, then nodded.

"I haven’t exactly given you reason to trust me on that count," he admitted in return.

"Just keep her safe," Skye repeated. "Whatever else happens, that’s between you and me and her, when this is all over." Without waiting for a reply she turned and left the circle.

"Robin, we’re ready," Willow called, on her way to the center of the circle. "Start the count."

"Final boarding call!" he shouted. "Two minutes to H-Hour!" Skye, Becca, Buffy, Althenea, Tracey and the other onlookers stood back from the edge of the circle, while those within stood together, their faces showing varying degrees of nervousness, grim resolution, or both.

Cut to:

Int.

Presidium Citadel – Panopticon – Same Time

The vast circle and its surroundings spread around the Lover, immersing her. She seemed entranced, until a motion from the edge of the chamber caught her attention.

"Who disturbs me?" she barked, dispelling the illusion and turning. "Oh…Shaper, approach."

Emerging from the shadows came a strange figure. Eyes dark with eldritch power, yet somehow glassy and dull, its features were vaguely feminine, too much so to call this being a male. Yet the vagueness did not allow a ready judgment of this figure as female, either. Its attire offered no clue, consisting of dark robes and armor that fit a silhouette roughly human yet subtly other. In the place of limbs, mechanical arms created a gesture again somehow feminine and yet... not.

The Lover waved a hand vaguely at the darkness, which parted to reveal Angella, still missing an arm, and with her impassive face disfigured by the gaping wound in its side. The woman approached and stood near the Lover and the Shaper, waiting patiently.

"You remember your work?" the Lover asked.

"Of course, Highness," the Shaper replied in a thin voice. "From the moment you brought this human to me, until I completed rebuilding it. I remember all my creations."

"Her mission on Earth has been prematurely terminated," the Lover said. "I return her to you, to do with as you wish. Know that our trial by fire nears, perhaps sooner than we believed. It may be beneficial for you to practice your skills beforehand."

"Of course, Highness," the Shaper bowed stiffly. "Are our plans for Earth made difficult?"

"As it happens, no," the Lover said thoughtfully. "No, as chance would have it, quite the opposite. But leave now. Angella?"

"Mistress," the woman replied subserviently, slurring slightly through her torn lips.

"Go with the Shaper. Endeavor to be of some assistance during your dissection."

"Yes Mistress," Angella bowed. The Lover watched her follow the Shaper meekly out of the Panopticon, then quickly summoned back the vision of the Council’s circle.

Cut to:

Ext.

Watchers Council Grounds – Midnight – H-Hour

"I feel it," Dawn said to Willow, as she stood in the exact center of the circle.

"Just let it happen," Willow said. "You don’t have to do anything, it’ll just flow right over you. Stay calm sweetie." Dawn nodded and closed her eyes.

"Everyone, this is it!" Willow called out. "Stay back from the edge…keep your arms inside the moving section of space-time," she added to herself in a wry murmur.

The circle inscribed in the ground suddenly blazed with light, seeming to change from a simply pattern on the turf to a shaped gap in reality, to a dimension of fire and brilliance. Then with alarming suddenness the whole space seemed to twist, folding eye-wateringly in on itself like some complex piece of origami, and a second later the circle, and everything in it, were gone.

Fade to black.

 

End of Act One

Act Two

Fade In:

Ext.

Vor Hell Dimension – The Hub – H-Hour

In a dark cavern of smooth, polished stone, the process of the circle’s departure reversed itself, and several dozen people and their supplies twisted into existence.

"Oh goddess," Willow groaned, supporting herself against Rowena, who held onto a crate to keep from doubling over.

"Are we there yet?" Andrew muttered, sounding ill.

"Does everyone feel like the floor of a taxi on Saturday night, or it is just me?" Faith coughed. Various groans and complaints from the crowd echoed her.

"The experience was unsettling," the two Undines said, again in unison.

"What?" Dawn asked. "What’s wrong with everyone?"

"It’ll pass," Willow said, loudly and slightly unsteadily. "It’s just…from the portal being so big and powerful...it’s temporary. You’re okay?" she added to Dawn.

"I feel fine," Dawn said, confused. "Is this a Key thing?"

"If it is, count yourself lucky," Jeff suggested, slumping against a stack of boxes. "Next time, can we use a normal portal?"

"Presidium…would’ve tracked it…" Willow said indistinctly, fanning air across her face.

"Willow?" Kennedy called from the edge of the crowd. "There’s someone out here. I think it’s our escort."

"I should probably deal with this," Willow mumbled, forcing herself to stand up straight. "And…try not to throw up in the process…"

Willow arrived at the edge of the crowd at the same time as Giles and Faith. They watched as Creed and a bodyguard of demons emerged from the darkness. The nearby slayers and watchers regarded them warily.

"Yo," Creed addressed Faith, his voice formal. Willow stifled a grin.

"Back at ya," Faith called with a nod.

"You are damaged," Creed noted. "Have you not healed?"

"Nah, I got this taking down that dreadnought thing," Faith said, waggling her arm in its sling.

Creed looked vaguely impressed, as much as he ever looked anything besides fierce.

Faith stood to one side and gestured to Willow and Giles. "Rupert Giles, Willow Rosenberg," she said. "Watcher and coven leader."

Creed looked down at the two of them then nodded to himself. "You are here," he rumbled. "For your kind, that took courage. I am Creed. This is your entire force?"

"It is," Giles said. "Sixty-three in all."

Creed looked at one of the demons standing by his side, who nodded. "You are admitted to our home," Creed said, looking back at the humans before him.

As he spoke, the darkness in the cavern seemed to evaporate, revealing its gigantic scale. Every inch of it, from the high-domed ceiling a hundred feet overhead to the smooth floor, was etched with complex runes, tens of thousands of them, forming vast patterns.

"This is Tephros," Creed said, indicating a demon by his side, who was semi-transparent, fading in and out of being like a mirage. "He will instruct your mages in our ways. This is Volac." He indicated a second demon, handsome by human standards, but for deep green skin and snake-like eyes. "He and his brethren will assist your supply master."

"Uh, supply master?" Willow asked.

"You do have a supply master?" Creed asked incredulously. "No army would be foolish enough to set forth without such a one, to ration and distribute provisions?"

"Oh, Andrew!" Faith called. "Job for you."

"Yeah?" he said, emerging from the crowd of slayers.

"Supply master," Volac said reverentially, dropping to one knee. The cadre of demons behind him did likewise, echoing his greeting.

"Uh, okay," Andrew said, looking at them nervously. He glanced at Giles for help.

"They’re here to help you," Giles said quietly. "Get everyone set up wherever they want to put us." Andrew shrugged and turned back to Volac and his assistants, who were still kneeling.

"You must come with me," Creed said to Faith. "Gather those of you who lead. Brighid is waiting."

As Giles indicated those who would need to accompany Creed, Robin came up to Faith and led her aside for a moment.

"How’re you holding up?" Robin asked softly.

Faith flashed a smile and gave a nonchalant wave with her good arm. "Oh, you know me...five-by-five."

Robin raised an eyebrow.

"I’m fine. Really," Faith insisted, her eyes avoiding Robin’s.

Robin deepened his gaze.

"Okay, okay, I’m not fine," Faith whispered harshly. "But I don’t have time to be not fine, so that means I’m fine. Okay?"

Robin’s lips turned up in a small grin. "Okay," he said. Then he gave Faith’s shoulder a squeeze. "If you need me..."

Faith placed her hand on his and squeezed back. "I know," she assured him. At that, Faith returned to Creed, who led the group of leaders away.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – The Hub – Moments Later

As slayers and demons busily picked up supplies and hauled them away under Andrew’s direction, Jeff turned to Tephros, who was studying the magical artifacts and supplies they had brought.

"What is this place?" Jeff asked the mirage-like mage.

"It is our Hub," the demon said. "From here, our portals reach many places, steered and guarded by powerful protections and wards. You have such a thing, I was told?"

"You do?" Ethan asked Jeff, looking on with ill-concealed boredom.

"We do?" Jeff echoed.

"The Key," Tephros explained. "The anchor you used to travel here. Did you not bring it with you?"

"Oh, uh, that would be me," Dawn said, raising her hand.

Tephros looked her over and nodded to himself. "Physical form, I see. How novel."

"Thanks," Dawn said flatly. "So, this place is like a Super-Key?"

"On the contrary," Tephros shook his head, "the Hub is but a shadow of your power. You are a complexity of magic beyond the reach of any living mages."

"I’m also a human being," Dawn pointed out with a frown.

"No one’s perfect," Tephros replied with a shrug.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – The Ledge – Moments Later

Creed led Giles, Faith, Xander, Willow, Brell, and a few others from the Hub to the centermost cavern of the rebels’ network of underground caves. They moved carefully through a long and twisting tunnel.

"Stay away from edge," Brell advised, pointing toward the fiery red glow at the end of the tunnel. "Winds dangerous near Spire."

Willow looked up curiously, ignoring for a moment the laptop in her arms. Her two Undines and Giles’s two hooded guards kept pace with the group, following in their wake.

"Spire?" Faith asked as they rounded the corner. "Oh…wow. Nice HQ you guys have."

They emerged from the tunnel onto a wide ledge overlooking a huge hollowed-out cavern, almost a mile from top to bottom. Beneath, dizzyingly far down, a vast lake of magma and what looked like crimson ice seethed and churned. Rising from the lake of fire was a mountain of rock, carved with parapets and gateways and towers. Bridges stretched from the ledges and pathways in the outer walls towards the monolithic rock, connecting the surrounding caverns to the rebels’ center of command. Directly below the awestruck group was a steep pathway leading to one of the massive stone bridges. 

"The Spire," Creed said. He glanced down at Faith, who was by his side, still taking in the scene. "Once this was the burial place of my kind - the shelter for the bones of three thousand generations dead. Now we are forced to live and plan war here."

"No kidding," Faith murmured. "Well, let’s see about ripping the Presidium a new one. Then you guys can go back where you belong and leave the dead in peace."

Creed looked down at her with a long glance then grinned slightly.

"Yes," he said, "let us do that."

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Moments Later

Having braved the steep pathway from the ledge and then the stone bridge itself, the group finally reached the rebels’ command center deep within the Spire. The group filed through the entryway, past its arachnid guard, and entered the long, low-ceilinged cave where the leaders of the rebels awaited. The arcane circle still glowed in the center of the chamber, but now there was also a long stone slab, ten feet in length and five across, set upon two boulders. Covering it were hundreds of tiny bones, each no longer than a fingertip.

A group of demons was clustered around the makeshift table: the fire demon Brighid; another of Creed’s kind, seemingly younger, with jet black hair; a slender female with black horns growing out of her crown, disappearing into a mane of hair that writhed slowly of its own accord; and a woman similar to Brell, blue-skinned and with small horns poking from her forehead. Brell moved quickly forward to greet her.

"Brell, welcome," she said warmly. "Kail feared, when news of the Furian reached us."

"Brell fine," Brell replied. "Slayers very brave, protected Brell."

"Our leaders," Creed said loudly as the humans and demons faced each other. "Brighid, oldest and wisest of the Eternal." The fire demon regarded the visitors impassively. "Kail, our supply master." Brell’s female counterpart nodded. "Crom, my kinsman, our warmaster shadow." The towering leonine demon merely glared at them. "And Lucidique, our warmaster strategian and coven mistress." The demon sorceress favored Willow with a sultry smile and ignored the rest.

"Your names are known to them," Creed finished, glancing down at the humans beside him.

"The witch has a question?" Brighid asked.

"How’d you— Never mind," Willow shook her head. "Um, this?" She held up her laptop. "It’s a computer…a device for, um, keeping records," she added, seeing the demons’ blank looks. "It’s not working."

"An archive?" Brighid asked, looking on curiously as Willow put the laptop carefully on the edge of the stone table.

"Seen many such things," Brell explained. "Great store of knowledge inside, but works by difficult magic. Many safeguards to trap the unwary. Red Witch is gifted in their workings."

"We’ve got a bunch of them," Willow explained. "They’ve got all our knowledge inside them. We’ve got hard copy as well, of course, but these are faster and more efficient." Giles gave a small harrumph, and Willow shot him a look before he could say anything more. Then she went on. "I think it has to do with the different magical fundamentals in hell dimensions versus those on Earth. It might be affecting the chips somehow."

"I will study this artifact," Lucidique murmured, stroking a clawed fingertip over the laptop’s keyboard. Willow nodded, and the demon picked up the computer and carried it off thoughtfully.

"Your devices will function here as on Earth," Brighid said with confidence. "Humans are reliant on them, as a witch is on magic."

"Well, we try not to be exclusively reliant on anything," Willow said, "but it’d help, thanks."

"You are here to assist us, yet already you need our help," Crom said challengingly. "They are useless. We do not need them," he declared, folding his arms tightly against his chest.

"Crom," Creed rumbled warningly.

"We’re here to help any way we can," Giles said diplomatically.

"And in times of need, even the hand of a human may be accepted," Creed said firmly, glaring at his kinsman. "If you had seen their Faith in battle, as I have, you would not insult them."

Crom said nothing more but continued to glare.

"Perhaps first, we should get a general overview of where the situation stands," Giles suggested. "Which hell dimension are we in, exactly?"

"Vor," Brighid replied.

"Well, yes, but Vor is many dimensions," Giles said patiently. "An empire of sorts."

"Vor is many, yet one," Brighid said serenely.

She waved a hand over the stone table, and the tiny bones on it stirred and became a pattern, a vast web that hung in the air.

"This is creation," the fire demon continued, pointing. "Here, at the center, Earth, the foundation of all things, where once all things were. Around it, the fractured lands, which you call hell dimensions – those places the old kind took with them in the exodus, upon the rise of man. This is the beginning, when we were free."

"Three, four eons past," Brell supplied. "Give or take. Math not strong point."

"This is Vor," Brighid said, with for the first time a sliver of emotion in her voice, a hint of distaste.

The web began to change, a dark stain appearing and growing, pulling other threads towards itself, into a solid mass. The black distortion swelled, absorbing more and more, until it covered nearly half of the now-misshapen web, almost surrounding the tiny white mark at its center, where Brighid had proclaimed Earth to be.

"What is that?" Willow asked.

"That is Vor," Brighid replied simply. "With each conquest, the land the Presidium takes is added to their own."

"Holy assimilation, Batman," Xander muttered.

"You mean this is similar to our Ancient Rome?" Rowena asked. "Sorry, I’m assuming you know earth history. Perhaps I should explain—"

"No," Brighid said. "Conquest alone is not what happens."

"You mean, the land is physically added to Vor and then changed?" Giles asked.

"That’s impossible!" Willow exclaimed. "Isn’t it?"

"Yes, it is," Brighid answered, with a hint of a shrug. "Yet it is done. This place was once Infernus, but now it is Vor. In every conquered land the enemy sets its anchors in places of power and draws that land in, closing the rifts between planes—changing the landscape, Earth dwellers might say. The Presidium tried this once already on Earth," she added with a slight frown.

"You mean the Engineer’s machine?" Willow asked. "That was one of these ‘anchors’? We thought it was to open the hellmouth."

"An unusual tactic," Brighid said. "The destruction of the gateway—your ‘hellmouth’, half-open for so long—caused a readjustment of the web. For a time your Earth swung close to the edge of the rift. At that moment, with a single anchor, it was very nearly caught and consumed. You were fortunate to avoid that fate."

"Yeah," Willow nodded slowly, her eyes wide.

"If this Vor is a single dimension," Giles said in the ensuing silence, "how large is it?"

"Larger than Earth," Kail said darkly. "With far more warriors and more fortresses."

"But if it is one dimension, we can move freely," Giles persisted. "We don’t have to use hellmouth portals; other magic would suffice. We can come at their fortresses from anywhere, not just through a single hellmouth in each place."

"Yes," Brighid said, "we can move as we wish, if we are cautious. But there is one fortress we cannot assail."

She waved a hand again over the table, and the web dissolved into the image of a tower, an alien-looking structure, all razor-edges and wickedly curved spires.

"This is the Citadel," Creed said. "It is the Presidium’s home."

"We know this from the minds of enemies taken," Brighid added.

"It’d be a good place to hit, then," Faith spoke up.

"Ha!" Crom barked.

"It would be a great prize," Creed admitted, ignoring Crom’s outburst. "It is the heart of the Presidium’s magic and might. We have gained some knowledge of their defenses. At great cost, we once engaged the elite guard of their war master, the one who calls himself ‘Flayer’. Any battle against them would be fierce and bloody. Yet we would gladly risk such a battle, if we believed we could win."

"You can’t?" Xander asked.

"Strong magic protects the Citadel," Brighid explained. "It is the heart of Vor, yet unreachable. The ether is distorted by the web the Presidium has woven. No portals but their own may breach the barrier."

"This is our greatest weakness," Creed admitted. "Other strongholds we can lay siege to, cripple and destroy, by marshalling our strength and striking when the time is right. Yet their greatest armies come forth from the Citadel, and those we can engage only at a time and place of their choosing."

"Well that’s no good," Faith said. "Red, can we find their cubby hole?"

"It’ll take time," Willow said thoughtfully. "If it’s possible at all. Don’t get me wrong," she added quickly to Brighid, "I’m sure you’re very powerful and proficient, but there’s always the chance that a different method, even if it is a lesser one, could turn up something."

"Yes," Brighid nodded, "this is possible."

"That would be the coven’s first order of business," Giles suggested.

"We’ll get on it right away," Willow agreed.

"You have brought weapons also?" Crom prompted.

"Yes, Xander is overseeing their use," Giles said.

"Show your weapons," Kail said, stepping forward. "And Kail show you ours. We decide then how to best use what we have."

"I’ll go talk to Jeff and Dawn," Willow offered. "And Ethan, he might have some unconventional ideas."

"Yes, I dare say he will," Giles muttered.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Council Quarters – Later

In a large cavern near the Hub, the members of the Council mission team were busy getting organized. Sections had been set aside for kitchen, coven, sleeping, and training.

In the coven area, Jeff and Dawn were sorting through the boxes of magical inventory.

"What’s this?" Jeff asked, pulling, with great difficulty, a crate fitted with wheels across the stone floor. He peered inside, and Dawn glanced over his shoulder.

"Troll hammer," she said. "From a few years back. Don’t even bother trying to lift it. I think they pulled it out of the rubble after the London Council got bombed. Vi called dibs on it."

"Hey guys," Willow said, making her way through the bustle of slayers and watchers over to where the small coven had set up its workspace.

"How’d it go?" Dawn asked. "Are we in business?"

"We’re reasonably in business," Willow said, "given the fact that demons hate humans as a rule and appear to be only barely tolerating each other."

"So unlike humans," Ethan said from where he was sitting on a camp bed.

Willow gave a little shrug. "Where’s your helper guy?" she asked, looking around.

"He, or it, or whatever, went to find the demon in charge," Jeff said. "Lucy something."

"Met her," Willow nodded. "She’s creepy. But she’s looking at the laptop, so maybe we’re not as screwed on the technology front as we thought."

"Good," said a woman who had been sitting dejectedly behind Willow. She stood and strode purposefully over to Willow. "Maybe she can take a look at me next?"

"Uh, okay," Willow shrugged. "Miss…?"

"Gwen. My control chip shut down the moment we got here," the woman said unhappily.

"She’s got elemental powers," Jeff supplied. "She’s got an implant to moderate the energy, but it’s not working properly, so she can’t touch anyone until we get that sorted out. It’s not a high priority."

Gwen glared sharply at Jeff.

"No offense," he added quickly. "It’s just that there’s a lot to do, and you know, probably not a lot of socializing going on, compared to the likelihood of having to fight, so it’s not like it’s a life-threatening problem as it stands, and—"

"Fine," Gwen said with poor grace and stalked off.

"Are you catching my babble?" Willow asked with a grin.

"When confronted by an angry woman who generates more electrical power than the Hudson Dam, I think a little babble is in order," Jeff said. "Um, we’re pretty much all set up here. All the supplies are accounted for and stored. We’ve tested a few spells and they work okay, give or take. The laptops are the thing. Without the spell cryptography programs, it could take a while to adjust to casting big stuff here. Plus, there’s the package from India."

"We’ll leave that until we’re sure we have to use it," Willow said before addressing the group. "Guys, huddle up, we’ve got a big job to do here."

"I don’t normally ‘huddle’," Ethan said, getting to his feet. "I’m only doing this as a special favor because I like you."

"Maybe," Willow grinned, "but you like chaos more, Ethan. A world ruled by the Presidium doesn’t leave you much room to play in, does it?"

Ethan paused for just a moment and then shrugged. "Yes, you have a point."

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Armory – Same Time

In the level below the command center, Kail led Xander through the rebels’ makeshift armory.

"That’s a lot of medieval," Xander said softly, gazing along the rows and rows of swords, maces, polearms, axes, shields, and armor that lined the interior of the labyrinthine armory.

"We have many," Kail nodded. "These, the best. We keep here, where Presidium has not walked. These," she picked up a heavy mace, "Kail proud of. Own design, first ones made by own hands. Our gifted put magic inside."

"Good workmanship," Xander noted, inspecting the mace. Its head was unusual, hollow rather than solid, and tongues of flame billowed out of the tiny crescent-shaped holes in the metal sphere. "So, does it set your enemies on fire when you hit them, something like that?"

"Watch," Kail said, taking a step back.

She glanced down the aisle between the racks of weapons, taking sight at an empty rack at the end, then swung the heavy mace underarm, up and around. When it swung forward again, she gave it a flick with her wrist. A roiling bolt of fire leapt from the mace-head and streaked along the aisle, blasting the empty weapons rack to pieces.

"We are unlike you," Kail said, "but our ways are not lesser. Only different."

"Yeah, so I see," Xander nodded. "Hey, sorry if I sounded a bit condescending there. I’m not one of those ‘demons are bad’ guys, you know. My last girlfriend – partner," he clarified, at Kail’s confused expression, "was a vengeance demon. At least, part of the time she was. It was complicated."

"Yes," Kail nodded. "Your partner survived culling?"

"She died," Xander said distantly, "when we beat the First Evil." Then he turned to Kail with a questioning look. "Culling?"

"Vengeance demons are powerful," Kail said. "Resisted Presidium for many generations. But not long past, D’Hoffryn fell, and the cull began. Few survive now. But none serve Presidium. They are proud."

"Yeah, they are that," Xander agreed with a sad grin. Kail looked at him quizzically then ushered him down a side tunnel.

"Brell trusts you," she said. "Kail trusts Brell…and to see you, you are good. See this then."

They emerged together into a high cavern, with tier after tier of tunnel mouths and ledges running around its sides. Xander stared at the massive form within the cavern, taking in its titanic proportions, its rock-like wooden hide, and the dozens of demons working on it, performing rituals and applying oils and dusts to its surface.

"So that’s what it looked like," he murmured. "Willow was right, a wickerman gone feral."

"This we took long ago," Kail said with a note of pride in her voice. "Many died to bring it to us. More to learn its secrets. It is dangerous even without master. Yet we learn. Soon—perhaps with help from Council and Red Witch Brell speaks of—this dreadnought will live and fight for us."

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Council Quarters – Same Time

Rowena approached Andrew, who was fussing about a portable stove connected to a generator. Around him a makeshift kitchen had been set up using empty storage boxes for counters and infirmary screens for walls to separate the space from where the slayers and watchers were milling about. Volac stood by, watching keenly as Andrew fiddled with the stove.

"In your element already?" Rowena asked.

"Oh hey, Ro," Andrew smiled. "Yeah, what can I say? I like the kitchen. It calls to me."

"Some of the slayers are calling too," Rowena noted with a wry grin. "How soon is the food going to be on the table?"

"This is being just a bit temperamental," Andrew said, pointing to the stove. "But no trouble, it’ll be fine in a few minutes. But there’re still the rations. One of Volac’s people did a spell to heat up a few rocks, so boiling water’s no problem."

"I’m not sure if I’m that hungry yet," Rowena muttered.

"The pork and scalloped potatoes is really good," Andrew suggested. "If you close your eyes, you can totally forget it’s pre-packaged paste." He looked at Rowena again, ignoring her feigned nauseous expression. "Back to civvies?" he asked, noting her clothing.

"That padded jacket chafed," she complained.

"Yours too?" Andrew asked. "Mine was driving me nuts. Next time we do this, we should liberate a little dimension first, just to break in all our survival gear."

"Yeah," Rowena sighed. "Oh, what I came over here to say was, once you’ve got the kitchen going and can hand it over, could you go check with Dawn and Jeff? Willow said she’d like you in on what they’re doing."

"Always glad to help," Andrew said cheerfully. "Is Willow there?"

"No, she’s gone back to the Spire," Rowena said. "She needs to talk to their coven leader, and she wants to ask about using the Mirror to contact the Council back on Earth so that we can let them know we’re doing okay."

"So, everything’s good?" Andrew asked, fiddling with the stove again.

"Except for one stowaway, yes," Rowena said.

"Stowaway?" Andrew turned. "What stowaway?"

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Council Quarters – Same Time

In the sleeping area of the Council’s cavern, a semblance of a dorm had been set up using camp beds and wall dividers. At the far end of the row of beds, some were getting some sleep, while others, out of earshot of those resting, were unpacking weights and some small exercise equipment. On this end of the row, Vi and Kennedy sat comfortably on their bunks.

"You are so strange," Vi said flatly to Kennedy, who was cuddling her dragon and tickling its stomach.

"She just couldn’t bear to be away from her mommy," Kennedy said, grinning at her tiny companion. "You’re such a sweet little girl. Oh look, she did the brushing-her-nose-with-her-paw thing again!"

"You’re tickling the stomach of a fire-breathing, flying lizard," Vi said. "You know what? You’re going soft."

"You’re just pissed ’cause she keeps beating you at pool," Kennedy replied. "Besides, as if you wouldn’t jump at the chance to tickle Xander’s stomach, huh?"

Vi blushed. "Yeah well," she said quickly, "that may be some time away."

"How come?" Kennedy asked. "You said he dumped Alex, and you were grinning like the Cheshire Cat when you got back from the workshop. Tell me they didn’t get back together, please."

"No, nothing like that," Vi said. "For once, I think we’re actually both on the same page. It’s just...whenever it seems like something’s about to happen, something happens."

"You lost me," Kennedy said. Even the dragon looked confused.

"I mean something else," Vi explained. "Something other than the something I want to be happening. The fire alarm goes off, I get a call, he gets a call…we’re cursed. Literally cursed. It’s either him, or it’s me, or it’s both of us. I don’t know, but whenever we get within kissing distance, something pops up and spoils the moment."

"So kiss him anyway." Kennedy shrugged.

"I should," Vi sulked. "But I want it to be different. I’ve had too many kisses that are just ‘hi, like you, press lips together’ and that’s it. That’s how it’s been with the other guys I’ve known."

"Who, as I’ve mentioned, have been jerks," Kennedy pointed out.

"Yeah," Vi agreed. "But Xander’s not like that, and I know I’m not grasping at something just to fill a gap. I really want this to work, and I want to do it right." She shook her head and grinned at herself. "I want to look back someday and say ‘oh, remember the first time we kissed?’ and not have the next sentence be ‘yeah, then you got called away on patrol and I had to go stop the workshop from exploding’."

"Ah," Kennedy nodded sagely, "an idealist."

"Maybe," Vi admitted. "But you know him pretty well. Wouldn’t you say he’s worth a bit of idealism?"

"You’re asking the wrong girl," Kennedy laughed. "No, seriously…he’s a good guy. And I’m happy for you. Just don’t leave it too long, even if things do keep cropping up. Romance is all fine and good, but sometimes you just need to get out of the car and push."

Vi shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

A small silence passed between them when Kennedy spoke up again. 

"But on to a more pressing issue," she began.

"The Presidium," Vi said.

"No." Kennedy shook her head. "Do you think I should cut my hair when we get back? Seriously? I've been thinking about it."

Vi looked confused for a moment and then started to laugh. "What the hell, go for it," she answered throwing her hands in the air.

Kennedy smiled and went back to petting her dragon.

Cut to:

Ext.

Earth – Cemetery – Later

Heli saw Buffy standing motionless in the distance, staring down at a headstone. The Finnish slayer walked over to her, exchanging a nod when Buffy noticed her, and finally coming to stand by her side.

“Problem?” Buffy asked.

“No, not yet,” Heli said. “I mean, there will be, sooner or later.”

“There always is,” Buffy nodded with a faint grin. She looked back at the headstone. “Never been here before,” she went on quietly. “I was out on safari when it happened…two weeks before I got back to civilization. By then, it was all over…I thought it’d just dredge up the grief for everyone if I showed up late, for Will especially.” She shook her head. “No, that’s not exactly true,” she sighed. “It was easier staying away. It didn’t seem real that way—at least not until I got to the Council today and she wasn’t around.”

Heli gently put a hand on Buffy’s shoulder as they both stared at the name on the headstone: Marsha Parsons.

“You’re not alone in that,” Heli admitted. “The first few weeks, I kept coming out here. It was actually easier to be here than at home without her.”

“It shouldn’t be like this,” Buffy said somberly. “We shouldn’t be here, waiting to find out who’s coming back…who might not be.”

“It shouldn’t be,” Heli agreed. “But it is.”

“Pretty much everyone I care about is in a war zone,” Buffy lamented. She glanced at Heli. “Uh, no offense, you know…”

“It’s okay, I know you don’t care about me at all,” Heli deadpanned.

Buffy giggled then looked down at her belt as her pager vibrated.

“Signal from Vor,” Heli said, reading the LCD screen on her pager. “Sooner than we expected. I brought a car. You want a lift back?”

“Thanks,” Buffy nodded.

As Heli turned and departed as quickly as was decent in a cemetery, Buffy knelt down, reaching out to touch the letters carved into the stone.

“Wherever you are, I hope it’s as good as I remember,” she whispered. “And if it’s not, you find whoever’s in charge and kick their ass until it is, okay?” She smiled sadly. “Okay.”

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Armory – Later

Xander glanced up to see Willow enter, looking pensive. He set down the gyroscope he had been fiddling with and turned to Mia, who was patiently loading liquid-filled bullets into clips for the P90s.

"Hey, Mia, think you could round us up some coffee?"

"Sure thing," the slayer replied. "Be back in a jiff."

Xander nodded a thank-you as the slayer put aside her work and left.

"So…" Xander began as Willow sat next to him. "How’re things?"

"Could be better, could be worse," she shrugged. "Creepy-gal has figured out how to enchant a laptop so it’ll work, Giles has been making headway with the demon leadership, we’ve gotten the okay to use the Mirror to contact our HQ back on Earth, and when I checked in at the research room last, it sounded good like their scholars and our watchers were managing to work together."

"Well, that’s good," Xander nodded. "So, we’re on track, huh? I guess all that fretting Giles did about his diplomacy-fu paid off. Go G-man and his oral skills!" He paused and frowned.

"I wish you’d found some other way to phrase that," Willow noted with a similar frown.

"Me too," Xander agreed. "So, what brings you down to the Ba—"

"Xander, if you say ‘Bat Cave’ one more time, I’m just gonna have to hurt ya. You’re starting to sound like Andrew."

Xander laughed sheepishly then corrected himself. "So, what brings you down to the armory?"

Willow shrugged and sighed deeply. "Oh, I just thought I’d see how you were doing, see if you needed a hand, or…you know, anything." She looked uneasily at the stacks of crates they had received from the military.

"Thought you’d take another horrified peek at the arsenal?" Xander guessed.

Willow gave him a sad smile. "It’s silly, isn’t it?" she said quickly. "I mean, it’s not like a stake’s all nice and friendly – big sharp bit of wood, jam it in something’s heart, not a pretty image. Plus, splinters, ow. And really, crossbows aren’t any different, just more, well, more—"

"I get it," Xander said quietly, reaching an arm around Willow’s shoulders. "No pleasant memories of firearms here, either."

Willow nodded and sighed again. They stared for a moment at the stacks containing crate after crate of assault rifles.

"So, what’s your plan for the day?" Xander broke the silence, suddenly flashing a bright, if slightly brittle smile.

"Oh, um," Willow answered, "well, I’m pretty busy, working with Ethan and the coven on this Citadel business, and meeting with demons from the coven and mage orders here—though hopefully not with their coven mistress too much ’cause being hit on by creepy demonesses isn’t exactly my idea of a good time."

"After a while, you get used to it," Xander shrugged nonchalantly.

Willow grinned then went on. "I was thinking I’d go see if I could get a few minutes alone with Ro—somewhere we’re not in immediate and constant demand. You know, just so I can remember what she looks like and all that."

"I deem that a plus-five plan of goodness," Xander nodded approvingly. He glanced sidelong at Willow and shrunk slightly beneath her gaze. "Okay, so I have been hanging out with Andrew too much."

"Told ya," Willow said, shaking her head and smirking.

"Scoot, you," Xander finally ordered affectionately. "Go get your girl."

"Okay, okay," Willow nodded, getting to her feet. "What about you?"

"Well, I’m not saying Ro isn’t hot," Xander said seriously, "but I can’t really claim it’d be for medicinal purposes—" He broke off with a smile as Willow whacked him lightly in the back of the head. "I got work to do here, so scoot!" he repeated.

"I’m a-scootin’," Willow replied.

Cut to:

Int.

Earth – Council Coven Room – Moments Later

Buffy rushed through the door to find Althenea, Skye and Becca waiting for her, standing around the hovering polished stone that was their only link to Vor. Skye stood aside to let her see the stone’s surface and the image on it.

“Dawnie!” Buffy exclaimed, moving forward, then stopping sheepishly. “Uh…you know, I think I almost hugged a rock. 

“Hey,” Dawn frowned, “what you do in your spare time, I don’t want to know.” Buffy crossed her arms and huffed as the others in the room stifled their giggles.

“Okay,” Buffy said. “I’m back to finding you irritating.”

“As it should be,” Dawn said seriously before a tiny grin escaped. “Look, they’re saying to wrap this up; they need the magic for other stuff or something. I’ve told Al everything. In a nutshell, we’re all okay, and things look good, and I’ll call back later. Our friends want a coven member doing this, so I’ve kind of been elected communications girl. I’m glad I got to see you.”

“Me too,” Buffy said sincerely. “Everyone’s okay, then?”

“Yeah, so far so far,” she answered. “Have you spoken to the other delegations on earth?”

“The handful that are left around here, yeah,” Buffy answered. “Everyone’s in a holding position.”

“That’s good, that’s good,” Dawn said with a nod. “Everyone at the home base is okay?”

“Yeah, us left-behinds are bored silly, and no one’s water has broken, so we’re good,” Buffy said pitching a thumb to Becca behind her, who grinned and waved.

“Now you did it,” Dawn teased. “If Becca pops out a little Giles without him around, I’m telling him it’s your fault. You jinxed her.”

“Tattletale,” Buffy retorted sarcastically. “Everything’s good, so don’t worry about us. You just keep your wits about you over there, K?”

Dawn simply smiled and let the comment go.

“Skye…” she hesitated. She shook her head and brought her hand into view, pressed flat against the stone. Skye stepped forward and met it with her hand, as if they were touching through the distance between them.

“I know,” she said quietly. Dawn gave a smile, then her image blurred and faded back into the smooth stone.

Buffy turned to Althenea. “Can you inform the other areas that we’ve made contact from Vor?” she asked.

“Certainly, Miss Summers,” Althenea said with quick nod before leaving the room.

“Miss Summers,” Buffy said quietly to Skye. “I sound like such a grownup now. That must be why my shoulders suddenly feel heavier.”

Skye smiled and patted Buffy on the back. Then she led Buffy and Becca from the room.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Later

Willow and Rowena arrived in the command chamber, with Giles a few steps behind them. They found Faith already there with the demon leaders.

"The messenger said you needed us?" Rowena asked as they hurried over to Faith.

"There has been a fortuitous development," Creed rumbled. "This way."

Brighid waved a fiery hand over a strange circle inscribed on the floor and stood back as it began to peel open, the rock seeming to liquefy and flow into itself, opening a steeply-descending passageway. The moment it was wide enough, Creed started down, followed by the others.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Prisoner Chamber – Same Time

"They caught someone," Faith explained as she, Giles, Willow, and Rowena followed. "They do hit-and-runs on Presidium scout forces, and one of them netted a bigwig. Miss Hot Pants said you guys might be able to do something with him."

"Why not them?" Willow asked.

"I only got the gist of it," Faith said. "Apparently, the Presidium enchants their top guys to keep other demons from getting into their heads. They think humans might have a better shot at it."

"Some kind of telepathy spell might work," Giles suggested as the tunnel leveled out and began to widen into a chamber whose walls were inscribed with glowing red runes. "But it would be profoundly unpleasant for the subject."

"Win-win situation," Faith shrugged.

Willow frowned. "Well, we should keep in mind that a lot of the Presidium’s servants are unwilling," she offered. "I’m not saying we should go easy on them, but if there are other options, we should look into those first…"

Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of the figure standing amid a circle of demon guards, bound with heavy chains, radiating hostility from the faceless dark within his steel mask.

"In this case, though," Willow added, her voice hardening, "the kid gloves are definitely off."

"You recognize him?" Giles asked.

"That’s the son of a bitch who killed Marsha," Faith sneered.

Fade Out.

End of Act Two

Act Three

Fade In:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Prisoner Chamber – Resume

"That’s Imbethit," Willow said out loud.

"The Assassin Master," Creed murmured thoughtfully. "You are sure?"

"I’ve seen him before," Willow said.

"Me too," Faith added. "He was in charge when they put us in the Arena. Thought we killed him, though."

"The magic creating the dreamscape might have treated him differently than it did us," Willow suggested, faint disgust coloring her voice. "When he ‘died’ in there, it didn’t affect him."

"You have defeated him before, though?" Creed asked. Giles frowned in thought.

"Not one-on-one," Willow admitted. "It was different in the Arena. Everything in there was made of magic, so my powers were amplified. And I’ve lost a lot of power since then anyway."

"Is there a messenger here?" Giles asked quickly.

Creed nodded and gestured to a guard, who approached them.

"Go to the cavern where our people are," Giles instructed the demon. "Find Ethan Rayne. Ethan Rayne. Bring him here." The demon nodded and sprinted back up the tunnel.

"What have you got in mind?" Willow asked.

"Something I dearly hoped I’d never have to do again," Giles muttered. "You can’t help; only Ethan and I can do this. We’ve had experience."

"With what?" Willow persisted.

"It’s a kind of mental dissection," Giles said grimly. "When we were young, we used it on minor demons to learn from them. I’m sorry to say we developed quite an aptitude for it. After Ethan and I went our separate ways, I swore I’d never do such a thing again. It was cruel… vicious." He gave a disgruntled sigh and glanced at the captive again. "I suppose necessity makes monsters of us all."

"Giles, if what Imbethit said in the Arena was true, about taking his revenge on the slayers, then that means the Presidium used a huge amount of magic just to help satisfy him. If he’s worth that much to them, who knows what he could tell us?"

Giles nodded sadly.

"If you want my help..." Willow offered.

"No," Giles said at once. "Ethan and I are best equipped to do this, alone. And in any case, given the strength of your emotions, I’d rather you not be involved with this. I’m not trying to decide for you," he added quickly as Willow opened her mouth to protest, "but in this case, it’s just not necessary for you to participate. If it were, as much as it would sadden me, I would admit it."

"Good," Willow nodded. "I mean, believe me, I’d rather not, but I don’t want you taking all the risks on your own, just to shield the rest of us. We’re all in the fire here together. Sooner or later we’ve all got to fight."

"Yes," Giles agreed, "yes, sadly that’s quite true."

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Council Quarters – Same Time

Mia wandered wearily through the clutter of crates and supplies, passing Andrew, Bonnie, and Robin as they chatted in the kitchen area. Mia gave a small wave then headed for the area where the slayers had set up their gym, behind an outcrop of rock so as to keep the noise from disturbing those trying to sleep. She drew up short when she saw Kennedy and Kadin sparring. She gave a dejected sigh and sat on a bench, watching them.

Kennedy and Kadin circled one another, catching their breath after an intense exchange of blows. As Kennedy came around, she caught sight of Mia, and her eyes widened. She signaled to Kadin to end the bout and began unwrapping the straps from around her hands. Kadin clapped the slayer’s shoulder in passing, then strode off in search of a new partner.

"Hey," Kennedy said, approaching Mia.

"Hey," Mia said tonelessly.

"Mind if I sit?" Kennedy asked.

Mia motioned to the bench beside her, and Kennedy took a seat.

"You okay?" she asked.

Mia glanced at her then sighed again. "No," she admitted quietly. "No, I’m not okay."

"Is it about her?" Kennedy asked.

Mia shook her head, then shrugged. "I don’t know," she said. "No. Maybe, a bit. Or the other way ’round, or… I don’t know."

"Sounds serious," Kennedy said, frowning. "Can I help?"

"I hope so," Mia replied. She turned to Kennedy and stared at her intently. "You know I love you, right? I want you every waking moment."

"I know," Kennedy said automatically. "I…I’m sorry, that must’ve sounded so fake. I know," she tried again. "I do believe that."

"I’ve just spent an hour with Kail," Mia said in the silence that followed. "She’s got a bunch of demons, like her personal guard. I ran them through all the weapons drills, I showed them how to aim and reload, I went over safety, lead shooting, sights, the whole works. Now those demons are going to go out and train more, and then the more will train more, and there’ll be a whole army for all those guns we brought with us. And then...we’re gonna fight a war."

"It’s hard?" Kennedy said softly.

Mia shook her head. "That’s what scares me...it’s easy," she said, her voice shaking. "I just...snap into this soldier role, and it’s so easy. I’m worried, Ken. What happens if I forget to snap out of it again?" Mia paused and took a deep breath. "When we were fighting that wickerman, it wasn’t until Janet died than I even realized I was in combat mode. It just came so naturally. All those demons we killed, they were just targets. In my mind, it wasn’t even killing. Just bang, target neutralized, move on to the next."

"They would never have given up," Kennedy said. "Brell told us that. They were a night cult – they couldn’t surrender, no matter what we did. The Presidium made them into machines."

"Like me," Mia said.

"You’re not a machine," Kennedy insisted.

"I could be," Mia replied sadly. "I really could. You saw how I lost it out there when Janet—" Mia looked down at her hands. "After that, though, I went into full soldier mode. For a while, until it was over, I just stopped feeling, at all. I don’t want to be like that."

"You’re not," Kennedy said, taking Mia firmly by the shoulders. "Have you forgotten who was crying in the van later? And then that night, and the next, and—"

"I know," Mia said shakily. "But every time it gets easier. She was my best friend, Ken. She and I had been together since I hit the streets, even before Julia. We didn’t party or gossip or whatever, but she and I…she was always there, always. And I’d never have left her, never. If she’d stayed on the streets instead of joining up, I’d have stayed with her. We didn’t even have to discuss it, we never did, we just knew. And now she’s dead, and I have to remind myself when the fighting stopped."

"You did what you had to do," Kennedy said. "You helped keep us all alive. It was the right thing to do, Mia."

"Yeah it was," Mia nodded. "But a year ago, I’d never have been able to do it. Even if it’d cost us all, I’d never have been able to get it together like that. It’s easier now than it used to be. In the Arena, when I had to kill Jena…I swear, that hit me harder than Janet, and I didn’t even like Jena. She was a manipulative bitch, but I…I changed. I look in the mirror now, and I don’t even know what I’m seeing anymore."

"You’re seeing someone who’s strong," Kennedy told her. "Strong enough to fight when she has to, no matter what."

Mia shook her head and looked down, away from Kennedy.

"I’m not strong enough," she whispered.

Kennedy studied her for a moment. "What are you saying?" she asked.

"Look, I know the stakes here," Mia said. "The Council needs me right now; the other girls in the squad need me. But when this is done...I can’t do this anymore."

"Well, that’s okay," Kennedy began. "Giles could put you on regular patrol and—"

"That’s not what I mean. I’m saying I’m done."

Kennedy looked confused but suddenly realized what Mia was saying. "You’re leaving?" Kennedy asked, shocked. "Just like that, it’s over?" Kennedy asked. "Including us?"

Mia looked at her sadly. "It’s not ‘just like that’," she insisted. "I swear to you this is the hardest decision I’ve ever made."

"You couldn’t have said something?" Kennedy went on. "Not even ‘hey honey, I’m thinking maybe being a slayer isn’t right for me, what do you think?’ Don’t I get a say in this?"

"It’s not like that," Mia said, shaking her head. "If I stayed, sooner or later I wouldn’t be me anymore. You’d be stuck with this girl who thinks it’s okay to ‘neutralize’ people because they’re ‘targets’. I can’t take the hurt that comes with being a fighter, not indefinitely. You can. You can take anything."

"Oh sure!" Kennedy exclaimed angrily. "Beating demons up doesn’t bother me, so getting dumped should be a cinch, right? It doesn’t even leave a bruise."

"Ken—" Mia tried to say.

"Would it be this easy for you if I hadn’t—" Kennedy began then stopped.

"If you hadn’t what?" Mia asked.

Kennedy met her gaze then shook her head. "Stupid," she said to herself before turning back to Mia. "I kissed Kadin."

Mia swallowed hard. "When?" she said without inflection.

"Budapest."

"You said—"

"I lied," Kennedy admitted. "Well, not exactly. I didn’t ‘sleep with Kadin’. And that’s what you asked." Kennedy looked away. "I’m sorry. It was stupid, and lying to you like that was a crappy thing to do." She gave a bitter laugh and turned back to Mia. "Guess you’re smart to be leaving. I wouldn’t want to stay with me either." She was surprised by Mia’s hand, gently stroking her cheek. "What?" Kennedy asked.

"I could forgive you," Mia said quietly. "But this isn’t about you and me. Not like that. If it was just us, I’d stay with you. I absolutely would, regardless of what you just said."

"Even now?" Kennedy asked.

"Even now," Mia nodded. "As long as you wanted me."

"I do!" Kennedy insisted.

"I know," Mia nodded again. "But I have to do this. And I didn’t want to leave it until after. If something happened—"

"Don’t," Kennedy said.

"I’m a soldier," Mia said plainly. "And soldiers die sometimes." Kennedy began shaking her head. "Ken, please, just listen. If something happened, I didn’t want to leave you messed up. I didn’t want you thinking that what hasn't been right between us lately was your fault—"

"It was," Kennedy interrupted.

"I was drifting," Mia said quietly. "I think you knew, deep down. You told me once you were worried. I was getting colder, and I knew it too, and I was worried you’d leave me. I knew you were right to worry, but I couldn’t see a way out." She gave a little smile. "Now I can."

"No," Kennedy said. "No, don’t try to make this all your fault. You deserve better than that."

"Okay," Mia agreed. "We both handled things badly. And yeah, you hurt me just like I hurt you. I’m forgiving you, Ken, for all of it. When I go, I want to remember what was good between us. And it was really good."

Kennedy swallowed, seeming on the verge of tears. "There’s no other way?" she asked.

Mia shook her head. "There’s no other way," she replied. "Ken, will you promise me one thing?" Kennedy nodded. "When this is over, if I’m wavering, promise me you’ll remind me why I’m doing this. It’s going to be tough here, and when it’s done, it’s probably going to be damned tempting to just crawl into your arms and never leave. I know how hard it’ll be. I know it’ll hurt, but I need you to make sure I go. That’s the only way I’ll know I’ll never hurt you again."

"You trust me?" Kennedy asked. "After what I did?"

"We’re only human," Mia sighed. "I trust that when you say ‘I promise’, it’s going to get done."

"I promise," Kennedy managed to say. Mia nodded, tears already glistening on her cheeks. "What do we do now?" Kennedy asked.

"Now…" Mia hesitated. "Now I want to sleep. No lying awake trying to work out what to do. I know now. So I just want to sleep."

"Well, we’ve been up nearly two days," Kennedy chuckled weakly. "Can I…hold you?"

"I’d like that." Mia smiled. "Very much."

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Prisoner Chamber – Later

Ethan scattered some dust in a circle painted on the cave floor and frowned as it danced briefly on the stone before settling.

"You know," he said to Willow, who stood near where he was crouched, "I’m actually glad you’re not doing this."

"No, I’ll be off sight-seeing," she replied.

"Don’t joke," Ethan warned, making Willow frown. "The Styxies Iron Maiden is no spell you want to be getting involved in. I won’t preach like Ripper does. All I’ll say is magic’s magic, and what matters is how you use it, so long as it doesn’t end up using you. But this is going to be bloody unpleasant."

"Are you sure you want to do it?" Willow asked.

"No, I’m not," Ethan scowled. "But Ripper’s right, it’s got to be done. I’m not really happy with the idea of staying here any longer than we have to, and if this tin can," he gestured towards Imbethit, "knows anything resembling critical information, I’ll be the first, and might I say best, to wallop him into a more cooperative shape. No, I just wish I didn’t have to personally do this."

"You don’t," Giles said, emerging from the tunnel behind them, his hooded bodyguards following in his wake. "I’m not ordering you to do this, as if you’ve ever obeyed an order in your life anyway." Jeff, Dawn, and Rowena shortly followed.

"Yes, but if you do it without me," Ethan said, "you’re going to get yourself killed, and a lot of good that’ll do us. Gloat if you must but even I know you’re the horse glue that holds this team of wannabe world savers together." Ethan made another scattering of dust. "We’ll be ready to begin soon, so somebody’d better get Creed in here."

Willow nodded then turned to Jeff. "Jeff, how are you feeling?" she asked.

"I got a couple of hours rest," Jeff said. "Not sleep exactly, but lying down in a horizontal position and not worrying constantly. That’s like sleep, right?"

"Probably the best we’ll get for a while," Willow admitted ruefully. "Did Giles tell you what’s up?"

"I got the idea," he nodded, looking at the captive demon surrounded by guards. "That’s him, huh?"

"That’s him," Willow said. "Don’t worry, he’s bound by more spells than my private diary, he’s not getting out of here. But getting into his mind and learning anything is going to be very, very difficult."

"You want me to assist?" Jeff asked.

"No," Willow said quickly. "No one but Giles and Ethan are going to have any part in this ritual. I want you to do everything you can to tune your prescience to what’s happening here. If you can see ahead to what Imbethit is going to say, it may not be necessary to persist with the entire ritual. And if anything goes wrong, you might be able to see it beforehand and prevent things getting that far."

"Isn’t that something of a temporal paradox?" Rowena asked.

"The timeline is a lot more resilient than the makers of Star Trek would have us believe," Jeff said.

"Strange but true," Willow agreed. "Dawn, if anything does happen, I want you standing by to stop the ritual and to help Giles and Ethan recover if necessary. I won’t be here, so I’m trusting you two, okay?"

"You got it," Dawn nodded. "Where are you going?"

"That’s why I asked them to bring you," Willow said, glancing at Rowena. "There’s a chance we might get a leg-up in finding the Citadel if we go to the battlefield where our friends captured Imbethit. According to their scouts, Imbethit and his bodyguard arrived via a portal, a powerful one that they think came from the Citadel itself."

"We’re going to track it down from the portal residue?" Rowena asked.

"That’s the idea," Willow nodded.

"Isn’t that slightly incredibly dangerous?" Dawn asked.

"I hope not," Willow replied. "Creed knows where Imbethit was headed after teleporting, and it’s still too soon for him to have arrived there. And their creepy coven girl hasn’t detected any unusual disturbances in the Force, so...by the looks of things, it seems that the Presidium doesn’t know that their assassin master is missing yet. Their portal was in the middle of nowhere, and there are no hostile demons nearby. I’ve been going over this with Creed and Brighid, I think there’s a really good chance that we could portal a small group straight to the site, without drawing anyone’s attention."

"Get in, get info, get out," Rowena summed up.

"That’s the plan," Willow confirmed. She looked at Jeff and Dawn, who both looked worried. "Guys, it’ll be okay," she insisted. "We’ll be ready to leave at the first sign of trouble. And we’ll be taking these two," she gestured at the two icy Undines, standing patiently in the shadows at the edge of the chamber. "You guys know how much ass an Undine can kick, right? And like us, they’re not native to this dimension, so that should make us pretty difficult to detect."

"Be careful, Willow," Dawn said, reaching forward to hold her hands. "Uh, you too, Ro," she added sheepishly, glancing at Rowena, who chuckled and patted her shoulder.

"We will," Willow said. "This is what we came here for, to take the fight to them. If they had opened a portal on Earth, we’d already be sending a team to study it. We can’t pass up this opportunity."

Fade To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Presidium Citadel – Panopticon – Later

The Lover stood at the center of a desolate landscape, its shapes and muted colors bleeding from the walls of her chamber. She waited patiently, until a glimmer of light appeared in mid-air, expanded, and became an oily, glistening portal. An icy Undine stepped through, head held high. Willow and Rowena followed, looking far more cautious and wearing the Council’s survival gear. When the other Undine came through, the portal closed.

The Lover smiled then turned around, causing the landscape to rush around her. After a short, dizzying flight, the illusion settled again, miles from the portal, revealing a regiment of demons hidden in a deep crevasse.

"Hear me," the Lover said quietly, as the Panopticon closed in on the demons’ leader, a strange-looking creature with a smooth, almost metallic skin.

"Highness," she replied.

"They have come," the Lover told her servant. "Bring the witch to me. Do not under any circumstances harm her. Do you understand?"

"Yes Highness," the demon nodded. "And the others?"

"Do as you wish with them, but accomplish your mission first."

After a respectful nod to the Lover, the leader gestured to her troops, sending squads of demons marching both ways along the crevasse. More clambered up towards the surface, and a team of slender creatures raced into the sky, their wings blurring like an insect’s.

Cut To:

Ext.

Vor Hell Dimension – Gehenna Wasteland – Same Time

"It’s not far," Willow told Rowena cheerfully. "Brighid showed me an image of the area, and I recognize the landmarks. Come on," she added to the Undines, setting off across the gray, barren plain.

"It looks like Earth," Rowena observed. "Not a nice spot for a holiday, granted, but…I don’t know, I guess I was expecting fire and brimstone."

"The dimension this used to be was close to Earth," Willow explained. "It’s the farther-out ones that are all lakes of fire and upside-down pentagrams. They were all much more closely linked to Earth originally," she went on, "before the demons got cast out. You know the vampire lore, the last demon mixing blood before being banished?"

"I read it," Rowena nodded. "I guess I just never really believed it until now. I mean theoretically, sure, other dimensions with demons living in them, it all used to be one big world, fine. But actually being here, seeing the soil, the sky, the trees..." She glanced at the twisted, barren trunks that dotted the landscape. "It’s a reality shock. Like spotting a cameraman on The Amazing Race."

"That’s one way of looking at it," Willow chuckled.

"Thanks for bringing me, by the way," Rowena said.

"Thanks for coming," Willow replied. "Wandering around hell in small groups isn’t everyone’s idea of fun."

"When you sent for me, Andrew was just mentioning a dramatic reading of Dune as a way to pass the time," Rowena deadpanned, her lack of enthusiasm clearly evident.

"Original or Lynch?" Willow asked.

"How would I know? Sci-fi’s never really been my thing. So...thanks. You gave me a great excuse to leave. I’m still surprised you asked me, though. You were a bit skittish for a while there. About me going out on missions, I mean. And I don’t blame you. I’m the same way every time you go out and do something daredevilish."

"Shadow shook me up," Willow nodded soberly. "And the nightmares. I got scared of all the what-might-happens. But hey, you’re a watcher, and I’ve known Giles long enough to know what that means."

"A formal demeanor with an underlying rebellious streak?" Rowena joked.

"Yeah, something like that." Willow laughed. "Plus, there’s no one better qualified to help me cast all the spells we’ve got to get through. On my own it’d take twice as long, and I’m not up for dawdling out here. Speaking of which, we’re here."

"We are?" Rowena said, looking around. The area seemed utterly devoid of points of interest.

"Yep, I recognize it," Willow said. "And I can feel the residual magic from the portal. It was a strong one, wow." Willow shook her head to clear it. "Okay, first things first, I need to do a magic field topography ritual."

"Blessed oils coming up," Rowena said, setting her backpack down and opening it.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Prisoner Chamber – Later

As Creed, Jeff, and Dawn stood nearby, Giles and Ethan slowly circled the chained Imbethit, chanting steadily.

"Jeff?" Dawn asked quietly.

"Looks okay," he replied, eyes shut. "There’s a whole lot of power flying around, but nothing’s going wrong."

Dawn nodded and looked again at Ethan and Giles. "They’ve been going for an hour," Dawn muttered. "He hasn’t moved."

"He can’t," Jeff replied. "Not with those chains on. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine. I can’t see the details, but nothing’s going to go wrong. I’m pretty sure I can see the whole ritual, start to finish. It’s difficult to zero in, but he’s definitely going to say something."

When the chanting ended, a split-second flash of power arced from Giles’s outstretched palm to Ethan’s, then vanished again. A moment later it reappeared, flickering in and out of being. Slowly, the two men came to a halt and guided the strand of power towards the captive demon between them. They braced themselves, then let it touch him.

Immediately, the beam of magic split into thousands of tiny filaments, playing all over Imbethit’s body, striking sparks off his armor. Eerily, there was no sound at all, aside from the breathing of the humans and demons in the chamber.

"Contact," Ethan said, grimacing.

"Contact," Giles echoed.

"Con…tact," Imbethit rasped after a tense pause.

"Where is the Citadel?" Giles asked.

"I do…not know," the demon replied.

"Truth," Ethan reported.

"The location you arrived at," Giles went on, "is it dangerous? Are there Presidium forces nearby?"

"No," Imbethit said. "All…dead."

"Truth," Ethan confirmed again.

"Does the Presidium know you’ve been captured?" Giles asked.

"Do not…know…" the demon said with difficulty.

"Speculate," Giles insisted.

"No…reason…the Presidium…would know…yet," Imbethit replied.

"Truth."

"Is this base in danger?" Giles asked.

"Yes," Imbethit hissed. The demons in the chamber looked at each other warily.

"Truth." Ethan said, looking nervously at Giles.

"How?" Giles went on. "What is the nature of the threat?"

"Six legions…of bound Galas fighters," Imbethit said. "My assassins lead them…they have mages and stoneborers…"

"Where?" Creed barked.

"Where?" Giles echoed.

"Surface," Imbethit replied. "Tunneling into the second gallery…on all sides."

"Get Kail and Crom!" Creed ordered. "I want five hundred warriors ready to hit the catacombs, immediately!" One of his guards dashed from the chamber to carry out the order.

"Four legions...through the largest..." Imbethit went on. "Two others... through smaller tunnels...to divert attention..."

"Truth," Ethan reported.

"A good plan," Creed admitted grudgingly. "But now that we know, we shall destroy them. The second gallery has many secret passageways. We shall make them victims of their own scheme."

"It’ll work," Jeff said quietly, his brow creased in concentration. "I think it’ll work…they’ll stop the attack."

"You know, that is getting so creepy," Dawn told him.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Moments Later

"I see lots of demons in a big hurry," Faith said as she passed Creed on his way out. "What’s up?"

"Your mages are proving useful," the demon replied. "Our captive has revealed an attack being attempted against us. We shall ambush them and destroy their forces piece by piece before they set foot in this place."

"Sounds like a plan," Faith said. "Need any slayers?"

"I would welcome you by my side," Creed told her, "but this is not the time. Many of my people remain cautious about humans, especially slayers. They tolerate your presence here, but in battle emotions run high. I do not wish to risk them drawing your blood, or that of your troops. In time, this will no longer be a concern."

"Hope so," Faith shrugged. "I don’t want to be just sitting around while you do all the work. You’ve got enough people to handle it yourself?"

"We have," Creed rumbled. "Five hundred amass now, and a thousand more will follow us. The first will disrupt and confuse, and in the chaos our second wave will strike and destroy. Our mages are readying their magics now."

"Watch your back, big guy," Faith said.

"I shall be wise in battle," the demon said solemnly. "I shall return before long with the heads of those who would destroy us all."

"That’s the spirit." Faith grinned.

Cut To:

Ext.

Vor Hell Dimension – Gehenna Wasteland – Later

"I’m getting nothing," Willow complained. "I know the portal came from the Citadel. I can feel the magic protecting its origin point; it’s very strong. From what Brighid and Creed said, there’s nowhere else the Presidium would shield like that…but therein lies the problem. It’s very well-shielded. It’s raw power rather than subtlety, although there’s plenty of that, too."

"You want to head back?" Rowena asked, massaging Willow’s shoulders as she sat dejectedly at the center of a circle drawn in the dirt.

"Maybe," Willow nodded. "I guess we could try coming back with the rest of the coven, but that might be pushing our luck at not getting noticed. Let’s try a Ravennan Invocation and then call it a day, okay? Is your jacket still uncomfortable?"

"It’s getting better with wear," Rowena said, picking out runestones from her pack and handing them to Willow.

Suddenly, a distant, muffled thump from above the clouds caused both of them to look sharply at the sky.

"What was that?" Rowena whispered.

"I don’t know," Willow replied, also whispering. "Some kind of thunder, maybe…" She looked around the desolate landscape, frowning. "Call the portal."

"You see something?" Rowena asked.

Willow touched her hand and muttered an incantation. "Just a hunch. Call it," she added.

Rowena retrieved a pouch from her belt, spread a small quantity of black dust on the ground, then carefully lit it.

"Five," Willow whispered, "four, three, t— Oh hell."

"What?" Rowena asked, following Willow’s gaze towards the sky.

Her eyes widened as she saw a trail of blue fire bursting through the cloud layer, plummeting down towards them. It impacted the ground a few hundred yards away, silently, then seemed to seethe for a moment. Then it gave a deafening, resonant bass thrum and exploded, sending a colossal wave of power rippling through the surrounding terrain.

Willow and Rowena ducked as the energy washed over them, then struggled to their feet, fighting against the sudden gale that whipped past them.

"What the hell was that?" Rowena shouted.

"I don’t know!" Willow shouted back. "But it’s killed all the magic around here!"

"What?" Rowena yelped.

"I can feel it!" Willow explained. "I couldn’t even float a pencil if I tried! We’ve got to get away from it!" Rowena grabbed Willow’s hand as they and the Undines scrambled over the rough terrain, casting backward glances at the menacing glow of the roiling core of the spell, still churning where it had landed.

Reaching a rise, Willow drew up short, staring at the horizon where dozens of creatures were now visible, slowly advancing towards them.

"I think we’ve been noticed!" Rowena shouted. "Are you all right?" Willow had stumbled and shook her head as Rowena supported her.

"They’re trying to bind me!" she yelled. "It’s hard to move!"

"Thorough bastards," Rowena muttered, pulling Willow’s arm over her shoulders and helping her walk. "Come on, that wave didn’t extend much further, if we can—" She broke off as another descending bolt of magic emerged from the clouds, plummeting towards the surface directly ahead of them.

"This way!" Rowena shouted, pointing to one side as they ducked down behind the rise, taking shelter from the new wave of energy and its deafening tone.

"Ro!" Willow yelled above the din. "You go that way!"

"What about you?!" Rowena asked, horrified.

"They’re coming after me!" Willow replied. "I’ll lead them away!"

"No!" Rowena protested. "We’ll get out of this, Willow, you can’t—"

"We can’t cast a portal with those things going off around us!" Willow insisted. "And we can’t fight those troops, there’s just too many! Ro, it’s me they want. They’re not even trying to bind you! You can get away!"

"I’m not leaving you!" Rowena yelled.

"They won’t kill me!" Willow shouted back.

"How do you know?!" Rowena asked.

"If they wanted to kill me," Willow shouted with a shrug, "then that first spell would’ve just vaporized us!"

"I won’t leave you!" Rowena protested again.

"You have to!" Willow replied. "They could kill you!"

Willow raised her hand, showing Rowena the thin silver ring she was holding.

"Ro, I put a tinkerbell in it!" Willow explained quickly. "You can come back and find me, wherever they take me! It might even be the Citadel!"

"If they take you there—" Rowena began.

"You’ve got a whole army of slayers and demons!" Willow interrupted her. "You have to get this to Giles and the others, Ro! Promise me!"

"Will, no!" Rowena pleaded.

With her hands shaking, Willow took Rowena’s hand and slipped the ring onto her finger.

"Ro, you know you have to do this! If we all get captured, who’s going to come after us?! Go!" Willow insisted.

"I love you!" Rowena cried, taking a step back from Willow.

"I love you too. Now get out of here!" She turned swiftly to the Undines. "Get her far enough away for a portal! Do whatever it takes!"

"We are here for you," the two Undines said in unison, their voices somehow carrying over the whirlwind.

"She is me!" Willow shouted at them. "Protect her! That’s what I need now!"

"As you wish," the Undines replied.

They moved towards Rowena, who was still hesitating to move any further away. One of them gently took her by the shoulders, then all of a sudden, giving her no time to react, the icy creature stepped into her, its body flowing around her, leaving her stunned and covered in icy armor. The other stood by her side, its hands lengthening to become two long, sharp blades.

"For Necksa, we do this," it said.

"I will find you!" Rowena shouted, taking a step back, her icy covering moving effortlessly.

"I know, sweetie!" Willow smiled.

Rowena nodded helplessly, then turned and sprinted away, the Undine surrounding her making her faster and stronger as she leapt from rock to rock, with the other Undine at her heels.

"All righty," Willow muttered, turning and staring out at the squads of demons advancing towards her. "Let’s see if we can lead you guys on a bit of a chase."

Moving with difficulty, she clambered down from the rise and began stumbling off in the direction opposite to Rowena, towards where a third bolt was streaking down out of the clouds.

Fade Out.

End of Act Three

Act Four

Fade In:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – The Hub – Later

Vi and a handful of demon guards were at the entrance to the Hub when a portal formed in the middle of it and disgorged Rowena, still clad in a layer of icy armor. The other Undine wasn’t with her, apparently having been lost in the fight to get Rowena back.

The rebel demons regarded Rowena with a mixture of caution and curiosity, but Vi raced to her side at once.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "What happened, where’s Willow, and what’s with the ice?"

"Where’s Giles?" Rowena demanded, ignoring Vi’s questions. "And Faith, and the coven?"

"Faith’s in the command center, and Giles and the coven are in the prisoner chamber," Vi told her. "Giles and Ethan have got that assassin guy singing like a canary. What’s going on?" she asked as she followed Rowena out of the Hub.

"They’ve got Willow!" Rowena called back as she hurried away towards the Spire.

Vi’s eyes widened, then she doubled her pace to catch up to the watcher.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Prisoner Chamber – Moments Later

"What once was undone shall be made whole anew," Imbethit rasped. "With each conquest we grow stronger. All hells shall fall, then Earth will join them, and the gates of the high heavens will break. The Presidium will rule all of creation."

"Truth," Ethan said in a monotone before turning to Giles and smirking. "Ambitious sods, aren’t they?"

"You’re talking about restoring the hells to Earth?" Giles asked. "The Presidium wants to return to the old times? The demon era?"

"All shall be as it once was," Imbethit replied. "And more. The Powers who have long hidden in their fortresses beyond Earth, who have used both men and demons as their playthings and soldiers, will at last be brought to account. The Presidium, which rose from the darkest depths of the mortal hells, will overthrow those who stand above and will unite all creation in a single rule, under a single godhead."

"What exactly is the Presidium?" Giles persisted. "Who are they? Where do they come from?"

"The Presidium…" Imbethit hissed then trailed off.

"He doesn’t know," Ethan said.

"Someone must!" Giles insisted. "Are there servants more highly-ranked than you?"

"No," Imbethit replied.

"It makes sense," Ethan shrugged. "As a rule, most demons hate other breeds. It’s probably easier for the Presidium to keep control this way because no one knows what they are, exactly. Maybe they’re a breed you hate, maybe they’re not. It’s pretty easy to ignore a ‘maybe’, especially if there’s brute force helping convince you."

They both looked around as Faith and Rowena suddenly burst into the chamber, with Vi on their heels.

"We need to mount a rescue," Faith said. "Now."

"They’ve got Willow!" Rowena explained.

Giles and Ethan exchanged looks, then let their hands fall, dispelling the silent web of magic around Imbethit. Giles immediately herded the group out of the prisoner chamber and up the tunnel into the command center.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Moments Later

"How long ago?" Giles asked, once the entire group had emerged from the tunnel.

"Half an hour," Rowena said. "They ambushed us and bound Willow so that she couldn’t cast. She made me come back. I left her there, with those things getting closer…" She broke off, her voice choked with tears.

"You did the right thing," Giles told her firmly before turning to his head slayer. "Faith, whatever you need."

"Go alert the slayers," Faith quickly told Vi. "I’ll want to see you and Ken and the other team leaders when I get there. And send word to Mia and Xander in the armory."

"Will do," Vi promised, sprinting off.

"Where’s Creed?" Rowena asked. "We’ll need his help."

"Our prisoner revealed a planned attack," Giles explained. "Creed and his elite have gone to stage an ambush. He’s assured us that there’s no danger here, now that we’ve been warned."

"Your coven mistress is absent?" Brighid asked, approaching the group.

"Willow’s been captured," Ethan explained.

"She gave me this," Rowena said, holding up her hand, with the silver ring still on her finger. "She cast a tinkerbell on it right before they hit us with their magic. It’s her homing spell," she added, seeing blank expressions from several of the people there.

"This has a magical link to your Willow?" Brighid asked.

"Yes," Rowena nodded. "Willow thought they’d take her to the Citadel."

The fiery demon seemed to flicker for a moment, then glow with greater power. "I have summoned our most gifted," she said. "We must examine this item very closely." She reached out a hand. "Please give it to me."

Rowena hesitated, glancing at the others around her. Then she slowly slipped the ring off her finger. "Be careful. She gave me this…I don’t want to lose it."

"If what you say is true," Brighid said, "it is the most vital artifact that has ever come into our possession. We will defend it with our lives."

Rowena hesitated a moment longer, then extended her arm and dropped the ring into Brighid’s palm.

"Join me," the fire demon called, as others began emerging from the tunnel leading out of the chamber. "We have work to do."

She lifted her hand, and the ring floated up over the stone table, while the scattered bones on it began circling the ring in complicated patterns.

Cut to:

Int.

Earth – Council Room – Moments Later (evening)

Heli hurried into the room, taking her seat on one side of the table, which was much emptier than usual. Buffy sat at its head, Heli at her side, and beside her the detective, Stone, and Robson’s deputy, MacMillan. Opposite them were Major Krantz, from Riley’s command, and Dr. March, a serious-looking blonde woman in a lab coat. The seat beside her was vacant, waiting for Althenea; her associate, a tall black man named Rice, stood at the edge of the room, observing.

“Sorry,” Heli said. “I was just getting the evening patrol sorted out. It’s the first time in charge for a couple of the group leaders. Did I miss anything?”

“We were talking about the vamp nest, out on the east of the city,” Buffy said.

“We’ve found it?” Heli asked. Buffy nodded to Dr. March.

“Not yet,” the woman said carefully. “But I believe your supposition that such a nest exists is correct, based on the evidence I’ve seen – patterns of infection and propagation of the leech contagion, the apparent frequency of attacks versus estimated food requirements for a nest of this size…”

“Leech?” Heli asked Buffy.

“They don’t like saying ‘vampire’,” Buffy replied quietly. “Apparently, it’s a bit too Hammer Horror for the British government.”

“I’ve assigned two extra patrols to the city east,” Heli said. “They’ll track any vamps they locate and not intervene unless an attack seems likely. With luck, we’ll locate the nest and then go in during the day.”

“Sounds good to me,” Buffy nodded. “Dr. March has asked us to collect dust samples from the vamps we take out. We’ve got some sample tubes that’ll do the trick, apparently. Heli, can you brief the slayers on that? We’ll start with the nest tomorrow and continue for a couple of nights with the patrols. If anything useful turns up, we might keep the habit.”

“We can learn a lot about the leeches from their ether-genetics,” Dr. March explained. “Our sample bank in London is quite extensive, though the differences in species may require us to go through a period of alteration of our methods before we start seeing results…” She broke off as Althenea rushed into the room, bracing herself against the back of her chair and catching her breath.

“What is it?” Buffy asked, sensing Althenea’s immediacy was something more than just running late.

“Message from Vor,” she panted.

“What’s wrong?” Buffy asked, moving to her feet.

“They’ve got Willow…the Presidium. They’ve taken Willow.”

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Later

Giles, Ethan, Dawn, Jeff, and a cluster of demon mages led by Brighid worked busily around the stone table, suggesting and casting spells into a mass of magic that had formed around the floating ring. The workers’ stone tablets, rolls of parchment, ancient books, and slim laptops were strewn around the table and on the floor surrounding it. Hovering above the stone slab, the bones had again formed their map of the hell dimensions and were churning as the spell castings affected their structure.

In a corner out of the way, Rowena sat, watching the organized chaos with a dull stare. Nearby, Giles’s robed and hooded bodyguards, courtesy of Alex’s firm, waited patiently.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Council Quarters – Same Time

In their makeshift gym, three dozen slayers, plus a handful of their warrior allies, were exercising, warming up, practicing their moves with their weapons, donning their combat suits—all under the watchful eye of Kennedy and Vi.

Nearby, in the research area, Robin made rounds through a group of watchers who were busily studying laptop screens and printouts. Even Bonnie was assisting, seated next to a watcher who pointed out something in a book he was holding.

In the coven area, with spellbooks spread all around him, Andrew was preparing dozens of mixtures and runestones as well as bottles of oil and dust. On one corner of the table where he worked sat the package from India that Jeff had mentioned earlier, its top open. Inside, wrapped in a heavy cloth, was a dark, gleaming metal shape. Periodically, while waiting for a mixture to boil or settle, Andrew returned to it, lifting the cloth to gaze at it and comparing it to the descriptions in a thick manuscript densely written in some ancient, arcane language.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Armory – Same Time

Mia and her squad stood among dozens of demons as they prepared for battle. While Mia and her slayers donned their combat gear and filled their packs with ammunition, their demon allies put on their armor, slinging rifles over their shoulders alongside crossbows and axes.

With Kail’s assistance, Xander was handing out weapons and ammo. When he reached a lull in the demand, he glanced at Mia. Their expressions were tense and sober. Finally, Xander gave a little smile, and Mia returned it. Then the two of them went back to their work.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Catacombs – Same Time

Creed peered through the darkness, towards a spot where dull noises echoed through the tunnels. He turned to a demon by his side, a thin and eyeless creature.

"We have them," he growled quietly. "Tell the others to attack, now."

Cut To:

Ext.

Vor Hell Dimension – Infernus Surface – Same Time

The surface above the catacombs was a blasted desolation, marked only by the shattered ruins of what had once been buildings, now lying half-choked beneath shifting dust-storms that whirled through the tortured, fiery sky.

A vast tunnel had been bored into the solid rock, sloping down into darkness. Arrayed before it were ranks and ranks of demon soldiers slowly marching forward, armed with axes and swords, crossbows that gleamed with magic. Behind them came teams pulling heavy catapults and ballistae, whose shots burned with unearthly fire, waiting to be launched. In perfectly disciplined order, the army marched into the gaping maw of the dark tunnel.

Concealed by the storm and hidden behind a ridge of rock, Crom waited, with hundreds of renegade demons around him, the foremost peering over the top at their enemy. At his side, another eyeless demon, identical to the one with his kinsman Creed, spoke quietly.

"They are ready below," the creature said.

"For our blood," Crom said quietly to the demons around him, the whisper being taken up and spread throughout the whole force. "There shall be no chains around our necks."

Shaking off the light covering of dust that had settled on his back as he lay, Crom stood, in full view of the Presidium army below.

"Death! " he shouted at the top of his considerable lungs.

The cry was taken up by the others, and in the space of a few seconds, while the startled Presidium troops turned and looked to their leaders for guidance, hundreds of massive, fearless demons began charging down towards them.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Catacombs – Same Time

"Death! " Creed bellowed, as blasts of magic suddenly lit the darkened caverns, revealing the mouth of the huge tunnel sloping down from above and startling the force of demons guarding it.

Creed and his rebels charged forward, amid a hail of panicked bowfire and hurled axes, ignoring the cries of their wounded and the weapons-blasts which struck the rocks around them.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Prisoner Chamber – Same Time

In his chains, Imbethit stirred and then began to move.

His demon guards drew their curved swords and advanced.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Same Time

"We’ve got something!" Jeff called excitedly.

Rowena looked up, staring at the floating web of bones as it stirred.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Prisoner Chamber – Same Time

The chains securing Imbethit’s arms shattered, and the guards rushed forward to strike their captive down.

Imbethit lashed out at them, using the broken ends of his shackles to crunch into their faces and tear at their skin.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Catacombs – Same Time

Splattered with demon blood, Creed lunged forward, ignoring an axe that slashed at his shoulder, and grabbed his opponent with both hands, crushing the demon’s skull in an instant.

With an enraged roar, he lifted his victim high and threw him into a group of Presidium mages, who were casting spells about themselves in a panic.

The mass of bodies collapsed in confusion then erupted in screams as their aborted spell burst into flame, searing their flesh.

Cut To:

Ext.

Vor Hell Dimension – Infernus Surface – Same Time

The Presidium army had formed a wall of shields, but the sheer fury of the rebel’s surprise attack was pushing them back.

Demon soldiers began to break and run for the safety of the tunnel as Crom’s force tore into them.

In the wake of their retreat, Crom’s warriors quickly seized control of the Presidium’s abandoned war machines and turned them against the fleeing soldiers.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Same Time

"Is it the Citadel?" Rowena asked, hurrying to the edge of the stone table, staring up at the floating map.

"It is nowhere we have ever charted," Brighid said thoughtfully. "It may be."

A choked-off scream from the tunnel leading to Imbethit’s chamber silenced the chatter in the cavern.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Prisoner Chamber – Same Time

Gripping a jagged rib that was still dripping with blood, Imbethit straightened above the defeated and feebly struggling guards.

Then he opened his robes and used the broken bone to carve arcane patterns in the insubstantial darkness inside.

Cut To:

Ext.

Vor Hell Dimension – Infernus Surface – Same Time

"Drive them back!" Crom bellowed. "Into the tunnel!"

A volley of fire from the captured siege weapons flew narrowly over his head, smashing a gaping hole in the Presidium ranks.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Prisoner Chamber – Same Time

More guards rushed into the chamber, which was now lit up by a savage and blood-red light streaming out of the gashes Imbethit had inflicted upon himself.

The curved swords of the guards rose and fell, striking ineffectually at the assassin master. The confused guards stepped back.

Their eyes widened as Imbethit’s body burned and twisted, becoming lost in a red maelstrom of power.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Catacombs – Same Time

"Now!" Creed roared at one of his mages when he saw the Presidium troops retreating into their tunnel.

The mage knelt and began to chant, placing his palms flat against the rock beneath him.

A tremor shook the cavern.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Same Time

A burst of crimson light streamed up out of the tunnel in the center of the command center’s floor, accompanied by a dull roar.

"What the devil—?" Giles started to say.

A colossal eruption cut him off as it blasted through the chamber, throwing everyone to the ground, tearing through the floor and bringing part of the ceiling crashing down.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Armory – Same Time

Xander and Mia reeled as one of the walls of the armory cavern suddenly collapsed.

Humans and demons alike were showered in debris as a huge cloud of dust obscured everything.

Cut To:

Ext.

Vor Hell Dimension – Infernus Surface – Same Time

"Back!" Crom warned as the tunnel shook and began to collapse.

His demons retreated quickly, while the Presidium troops scrambled, trying to avoid the huge chunks of rock falling in on them, crushing dozens at a time.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Council Quarters – Same Time

Faith frowned as a tremor shook the cavern. She looked at Kennedy and Vi. "What the hell was that?" she asked.

"Creed’s guys?" Vi suggested. "They did say they’d be collapsing a tunnel on the Presidium force."

Faith looked around warily as her team leaders drew closer. "Something doesn’t feel right," she decided. She thought for a moment then started barking out orders.

"Get everyone ready to move!" Faith yelled to the crowd over the noise of the continuing quakes. She turned her attention to two particular slayers. "I want the route between here and the portal hub checked and guarded, and stay in visual contact. Lexa, Haley, get your teams on it." Faith turned to two others. "Sasha, Nozomi, your teams are bodyguards for the non-fighters among us." Faith turned to those remaining. "Sabina, Liona, Vi, you’re with me. Slick, you take point."

Faith then addressed the non-slayers of the bunch. "You girls too," she added with an encompassing wave to Jhiera, Gwen, Kadin, and the handful of other fighters.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Same Time

"What the hell—?" Rowena said, crawling out of some debris from the collapsing ceiling.

Her icy armor was gone. Around her, shards of ice were melting, the last remains of the shattered Undine that had protected her. Her attention was drawn from the melting ice to Dawn and Giles a few feet away.

"Giles," Dawn coughed, shaking the old watcher’s shoulders. "Giles, come on!"

Dawn placed two fingers on his neck and then his wrist before putting her ear to his chest.

"What hit us?" Ethan said, staggering to his feet. "Ripper— Is he okay?"

"He’s not breathing, his heart’s not beating!" Dawn yelled before getting in place to begin CPR.

Ethan looked at Giles, a panicked expression on his face, then another blast threw him off his feet.

"It’s not working," Dawn told Rowena who was now crawling over to join her.

Rowena moved toward Giles’s head and pinched his nose. 

"You take compression," Rowena told Dawn as she began to blow in the watcher’s mouth.

Dawn rubbed her hands together quickly, and when Rowena rose, Dawn pressed down on Giles’s chest.

"Come on," she whispered. "Damn it, Giles!"

Suddenly, there was a blinding flash from Dawn’s hands, and Giles jerked and coughed. Rowena also fell back about five feet and held her hand that she had used to pinch Giles’s nose.

"Whu—?" Giles tried to speak.

"Here," Jeff said, scrambling over to help Dawn pull the watcher to a sitting position.

"What’s going on?" Giles finally managed to ask in a shaking voice.

"Good question," Rowena said, rubbing her sore hand. "How did you do that? Magic?" she added to Dawn.

Dawn shrugged. "I dunno."

There was a fiery blast from a pile of rubble a short distance from them, and Brighid stood up, apparently unharmed.

"Leave here!" the fire demon commanded.

"What’s going on?" Rowena demanded from Brighid as Jeff and Dawn helped Giles towards the two hooded and robed men, who took the watcher and easily carried him between them.

Ragged groups of demons began pouring into the command center, running around, looking for orders or for an enemy to fight.

"You must leave here!" Brighid repeated. "There are portals opening!"

"Where?" Rowena asked.

"Everywhere!" the demon witch yelled.

Rowena’s face dropped.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – The Ledge – Same Time

Faith and her team of slayers and fighters reached the ledge overlooking the Spire. The massive mountain of rock was dotted with plumes of smoke as fires blazed in its carved fortifications. As they watched, a huge tower shuddered and collapsed, its top falling free and smashing through one of the stone bridges stretching to the Spire from the cavern walls.

"Oh, that is so not good," Sabina muttered.

"Come on!" Faith said, sprinting down the ledge towards connecting bridge below them. "Our people are in there! Move!"

As she let her slayers move swiftly past her, Faith grabbed one. "You," she said, pulling her aside. "Go back and tell everyone to evacuate. Get everyone to the Hub, now! "

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Same Time

"Where’s the ring?" Rowena shouted to the demons standing near the rubble of the stone table. She pointed to one of her other rings. "This, big, silver – find it!"

Rowena swept her hands through the debris scattered over the floor, ignoring the scrapes and cuts as she pushed jagged fragments of rock out of the way.

Brighid neared the crater that had been blasted into the chamber’s floor, where the entrance to the tunnel leading to the prisoner chamber had once been. She stared down, peering into the dusty darkness. Then her blazing eyes widened in shock.

A massive axe whirled up out of the chasm and thudded into her chest, punching straight through her torso and emerging from her back. She looked down at it, in apparent confusion, then toppled forward into the crater, leaving a trail of fire as she fell.

Rowena looked up in horror as Presidium troops began to emerge from the crater.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Bridge – Same Time

As Faith and Vi and the others rushed across the bridge, they met Ethan, Jeff, and Dawn as they fled the Spire. Behind them was Giles, carried by the two hooded and robed men.

"What’s going on?" Faith demanded.

"They said there’re portals opening!" Dawn yelled.

"Xander’s still in there!" Vi exclaimed, sprinting towards the burning spire.

"Vi!" Faith called after the redhead in vain. Then she turned to Kennedy. "Go with her," she added quickly, and Kennedy shot away. "Where’s Ro?" Faith asked.

Jeff and Dawn looked back along the bridge, suddenly panicked.

"She was with us," Dawn said uncertainly.

"Where is she now?!" Faith demanded.

Dawn looked at Jeff, who appeared momentarily puzzled before snapping his fingers.

"The ring!" he answered.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Same Time

Rowena scrambled out of the way of Presidium troops and rebel demons as they clashed violently, tearing at each other with swords, axes, claws, and magic. A falling body hit her from behind, knocking her to the ground.

As she landed, however, she caught a glimmer of silver in the debris before her—beyond a pair of massive demons locked in combat. She looked around desperately for another way through, but the chamber was becoming increasingly packed with fighting demons as more and more poured in from the adjoining tunnels and the crater.

"God dammit," she growled, pushing herself to her feet.

As the two demons in front of her locked swords, she dove between them, directly beneath their blades, sliding painfully across the rubble-strewn floor.

Behind her, the Presidium demon was distracted by Rowena’s dive for a split-second and fell to a slash across the throat from his opponent.

Rowena scrambled forward, pushing her hand into the debris and closing her fingers around the silver ring Willow had given her.

With the ring in hand, she stood. She looked around for a way out, but could see nothing but fighting demons on all sides.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Same Time

Brighid lay among the rubble of her command center, her fires dwindling. Her eyes, glowing only faintly, opened when she sensed a figure standing over her. She looked up as the figure’s wings cast a shadow over her.

"Fallen," she growled, and the fire within her suddenly glowed savagely, uncontrollably.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Command Center – Seconds Later

A colossal fireball erupted from the crater, incinerating dozens of Presidium troops who had been packed in tight, pressing their enemies into retreat. In the ensuing confusion, the renegade demons forced the intruders back for a moment into the charred remains of their comrades.

Rowena glimpsed a space opening up behind the rebel demons as they advanced. She rushed through it, dodging and weaving as more emerged from the connecting tunnel to join the fight. From behind her, she heard screaming, more terrible than even the sounds of battle had been, but she kept her head down and ran.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Tunnel – Same Time

"Xander!" Vi yelled, trying to be heard above the sounds of shouting and fighting from all around. "Xander!"

A new sound caught her attention, a familiar but unexpected one: gunfire.

She sprinted down a tunnel towards it, nearly outpacing Kennedy, who was still racing after her.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Council Quarters – Same Time

Guarded by a cordon of slayers, the Council mission team was in full evacuation, guiding trolleys laden with equipment and weapons as fast as they could over the rough stone floor.

Carrying a heavy backpack and an armful of crossbows with some difficulty, Bonnie bumped into Andrew, who was hastily stuffing as many of the coven supplies as he could into a large bag.

"I didn’t expect it to all go to hell this fast," she muttered.

"Fine, you get an I-told-you-so," Andrew replied angrily.

He pulled the metal object he had been studying from its cloth; it was a wicked-looking gauntlet that made Bonnie grimace at the sight of it. He tucked it under his arm and hauled the heavy bag onto his back.

"What the heck is that?" Bonnie asked.

"If we’re real lucky, you won’t have to find out," Andrew answered with a frown before joining the hurrying line of evacuees streaming out of the cavern.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Tunnel – Same Time

Xander and Kail hurried along, glancing back at the Black Ops slayers behind them, who were guarding their retreat with guns blazing. Presidium shock troops were charging towards them from the ruins of the armory, heedless of their casualties as bullets tore them apart.

"Not much further!" Xander yelled to Mia.

"Good," she shouted back. "We’re running low on ammo quicker than these guys are running low on demons!"

"Xander!" Vi shouted from the next junction as she rounded the corner.

"Vi!" Xander shouted back in relief. "Boy am I glad— Get down!"

Vi whirled around and leapt out of the way as the ceiling bulged and collapsed, disgorging a cascade of armored creatures, curled up protectively in their thick shells. As they struck the ground, they unfurled, revealing dozens of legs and huge, powerful claws. Vi looked around in panic as they surrounded her, raising their claws to strike.

"Get the hell away from her!" Kennedy roared, leaping forward off a boulder that had fallen from the ceiling.

She spun in mid-air, almost running along the wall for a second before falling towards the pack of surprised demons. Once down, she grabbed one of them by the claws and hurled it over Vi’s head into two others. Vi kicked at the closest one to her, driving it back, while Kennedy grabbed another and swung it like an enormous club, hammering it into a third and smashing both of them against the tunnel wall.

Vi looked over her shoulder to see another demon poised to strike. She crouched down in a desperate attempt to avoid it, but before it could bring its claws down on her, a blast of fire screamed along the tunnel and blew the insectoid’s head off, leaving the body to topple awkwardly sideways. Xander raced to her side, pulling her to her feet.

"Did you do that?" she asked, glancing at the smoking mace in his hand.

"Just like hitting a home run," he said with a grin. "Come on!"

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – The Hub – Same Time

The center of the Hub chamber was alight with magic, the huge portal flickering and pulsing with energy. People and demons were moving through it as quickly as possible, carrying weapons and supplies, flinching as distant explosions sent showers of dust and small rocks down on them from the ceiling.

Robin was hastily organizing the evacuation, ticking off names on a list as fast as he could manage.

"Where are we going?" Bonnie asked as she and Andrew passed him. "Earth?"

"We can’t," Robin said, shaking his head. "Not without sending Dawn first and setting up a circle. We’re going somewhere safe, though. Creed’s people picked the spot."

"Great," Bonnie muttered.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – The Ledge – Same Time

"There they are!" Dawn called out.

She pointed down from the ledge in the cavern wall towards the stone bridge leading to the Spire. Through the plumes of smoke and haze from the magma lake, they could just make out Vi, Kennedy, Xander, Kail, Mia, and the Black Ops squad emerging from the spire, joining Faith and the two teams led by Sabina and Liona. A moment later Rowena appeared, sprinting as fast as she could towards the slayers.

"Come on," Jeff muttered as he watched the group race for the end of the bridge. "Oh, no," he added when he saw Presidium demons beginning to emerge from the Spire behind them.

"We will attend to this," one of the hooded men said in a deep, melodious voice.

The two robed men gently handed Giles to Dawn and Jeff, then walked towards the edge of the vast cliff beneath them. They cast off their cloaks, revealing gleaming armor and wings of pure light that unfurled behind them.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Bridge – Same Time

Faith and the others looked up in awe as they saw the two angels descending from above them, floating through the smoke towards the demons streaming across the bridge after them.

"Where the hell did they come from?" Kennedy demanded.

"More likely heaven than hell," Faith corrected. "But who cares? Looks like they’re on our side," she added as the pair landed and drew burning swords, smashing the Presidium troops off the bridge with powerful sweeps.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – The Hub – Moments Later

By the time Dawn and Jeff reached the chamber, Giles was moving on his own. As they hurried toward the Hub, a nearby blast rocked the catacombs, nearly tossing everyone off their feet. From high above, a chunk of ceiling dislodged itself and plummeted towards the crowd below.

"Look out!" Bonnie yelled, pushing Andrew aside as the rock fell towards him. She barely escaped being hit by it, falling and rolling out of the way as it crashed into the smooth floor.

Beyond them, the great portal flickered and began to close.

"What’s wrong?" Giles and Robin yelled at once to the demon mage who was operating the Hub, standing between two stone pillars with his claws flat against them.

"The structure is damaged," he shouted back. "It cannot sustain a portal!"

From outside, another blast rocked the chamber, and the sounds of fighting echoed through the tunnels.

"Where’s the portal?" Faith demanded as she led her group into the chamber.

"They can’t keep it open," Robin told her.

"There’s no other way out!" Faith insisted. "There’re bad guys on every level. We had to fight just to get through to here!"

"Where’s Creed?" Ethan asked.

"Don’t know," Faith said, shaking her head. "If they’re back from their ambush, they’re probably neck deep in Presidium troops by now!"

"They’ve got a Fallen!" the demon mage Tephros said, flickering into view.

"A what?" Ethan asked.

"A Fallen, a warmistress!" Tephros explained desperately. "The Flayer’s handmaidens, they’re invincible!"

"Ethan, prepare a circle," Giles said grimly.

"What for—? No," Ethan interrupted himself. "No, Ripper, you absolutely cannot survive doing a portal spell right now!"

"Well, we can’t bloody well survive here, now can we?" Giles responded testily.

"It’ll kill you!" Ethan insisted.

"Better me than all of us!" Giles shouted back.

"No!" Dawn yelled at both of them. "I’ll do it!" She headed towards the demon mage and shoved him out of the way.

"What do you think you’re doing?" Jeff shouted after her.

"I have no idea!" she yelled back, placing her hands on the pillars as the mage had done. "Now shut up and let me do it!" Closing her eyes, she concentrated, beads of sweat forming on her brow. "Come on, damn you," she whispered to herself. "Less complex version of me, are you? Come on, you stupid rock! I’ll show you how it’s meant to be done!"

A glow formed on her hands, an eerie green that spread along her arms. With a rush, she extended both arms, sinking them to the elbow into the stone on either side of her.

"Dawn!" Jeff shouted.

"Get the hell out of here!" she shouted back.

Far above them, green light was filling in the damaged gaps in the ceiling, making the chamber whole again. A flicker began in its center, quickly growing to a glittering portal.

"How are you doing that?" Giles asked.

"I have no idea," Dawn said through gritted teeth, "but it is really uncomfortable, so I’d appreciate it if you’d get moving now."

"Okay go!" Robin shouted. "Come on, move! Through the portal, go!"

The crowd began surging through the opening, vanishing one by one.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Spire Bridge – Same Time

The ranks of demons pulled back from the two angels and parted to allow a slim figure to pass between them. She was human in size and appearance, clad in painfully tight black leather, and she carried two thin, jagged swords. Metal sprouted from her shoulders, forming two sweeping armatures behind her, and the skin from her back had been stretched out over them, mimicking wings. Blood flowed ceaselessly down her flayed back, over the bare muscles and spine, coating the backs of her legs.

"Who are you to challenge the Presidium?" she demanded of the two angels standing grimly before her. "Who are you to raise a hand to the likes of me?!"

"Some things we do not allow," the angels said in unison, raising their swords. The Fallen snarled and charged the pair, and great gouts of light and flame blasted around them as their blades met.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – The Hub – Same Time

"That’s it!" Robin shouted over the distant sounds of battle and destruction. "Just us and the two hooded fellows."

"They’re covering our retreat," Giles said. "So, go."

"You’re going too!" Robin insisted.

"This is a direct order. Get through that portal!" Giles shouted.

"Go," Faith added. "I’ll make sure we get through!"

Robin gave an exasperated sigh, then picked up as many bags as he could from the supplies scattered around and joined the last of the slayers going through the portal, leaving only Faith, Giles, Jeff, Dawn, Ethan, and Rupert the dog in the chamber.

"Dawn," Giles said, "pull back. We’ll hold the portal open while you go."

"It’ll kill you," she shook her head, tears streaking her face.

"We are not leaving you here!" Giles insisted. "This is a direct— Ooof! " He broke off as Ethan shoved him backwards through the portal.

"He’s getting too fond of his direct orders, if you ask me," he said grimly before turning to Jeff. "You, go."

"Not without Dawn!" the young man insisted. "You go. I’ll hold the portal open!"

"Oh for god’s sake, what is it with you people?" Ethan yelled. "Right, have you ever opened and maintained a transdimensional portal?"

"No, but—" Jeff began to say.

"Well, I have," Ethan interrupted, "so bugger off!"

"Go, Jeff," Faith said. "We won’t leave her here."

With a tortured look, Jeff turned and disappeared through the portal.

"Don’t think you’re getting me to go first," Faith warned Ethan.

"Perish the thought," he said. "Come on, give me a hand." He walked over to Dawn and bodily pulled her out from between the pillars.

"What—? Hey! " she protested as Ethan put her over his shoulder.

"Go!" Ethan yelled, handing her to Faith.

The slayer turned and ran for the portal, which was closing rapidly, while Ethan gripped the pillars and gritted his teeth. The portal’s closure slowed, just long enough for Faith and Dawn to get through, then Ethan fell back from the pillars, and it closed at last.

"Oh bugger," he muttered, staring at the empty space where the portal had been.

Cut to:

Int.

Earth – Giles’s Apartment – Same Time

“Becca?” Buffy said hesitantly from the doorway. Becca looked up from her crossword, smiling at first, then frowning as she saw Buffy’s expression.

“Come here,” she said, holding out an arm. Buffy sat beside her with Becca’s arm around her shoulders.

“Becca…” she began again.

“She’ll be all right,” Becca said quietly. “You’ve known her much longer than I have, and even I know that Willow never gives up. And we both know just what a bloodhound Rupert can be when he has to be. I wouldn’t put money on the Presidium right now-”

“Becca, that’s not it,” Buffy said at last. Becca looked at her intently, then bit her lip in worry.

“What’s happened?” she asked.

“We’ve lost contact,” Buffy said. “The Mirror just…stopped, went dead. Al thinks something’s happened to the other one. She and Skye are trying to get a spell going to contact Vor, to find out, but…I’m sorry,” she finished, sniffing back tears.

“Rupert?” Becca asked, her voice tiny. She stiffened, took a deep breath, and murmured, “Oh, god…”

“Actually, we don’t know what’s happening…” Buffy said hopefully. “This could be nothing, just a downed transmitter like Andrew would say, so…” Buffy trailed off for a moment as she watched Becca taking slow, deep breaths. “Are you okay?” the slayer asked. “I didn’t mean to scare you, but I wanted you to know what’s…”

“Buffy…” Becca said, still taking slow, deep breaths. “I think my water broke,” Becca said.

Buffy frowned in confusion and looked over her shoulder at the apartment’s kitchen. Becca grabbed her hand and put it on top of her rounded stomach.

“We’re not talking about the water in your sink, are we?” Buffy asked rhetorically.

“No, not that water,” Becca replied, nodding toward the kitchen.

“Okay! Okay!” Buffy darted from the sofa and began to pace. “A bag, right? We need to pack a bag and boil some water a-and-.”

“And calm down,” Becca said gently. “That’s number one on the list.” Becca reached out and gripped Buffy’s hand. “This is gonna take some time, so just go ask Skye if she can come up here, okay? When it gets closer, she can take me to the hospital.”

“How long?” Buffy asked.

“I probably have quite a few hours before anything major happens, so just ask Skye to come up right now.”

“Skye. Hospital. Okay,” Buffy said quickly and nodded. “I can do that.”

Without looking back, Buffy darted from the room. Becca struggled to her feet and went over to the wedding picture that sat on the mantel. She picked it up and looked at it a moment before wrapping her arms around it and holding it to her chest.

 

Cut To:

Int.

Vor Hell Dimension – Presidium Citadel – Panopticon – Same Time

The Lover had her back to the entrance when two of her servants appeared with a prisoner held securely between them.

She turned, studying the newcomer in great detail before she spoke.

"Hello, Willow," she said finally. "I have waited a long time to meet you."

Fade Out.

To be continued in Ragnarok, Part Two

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download