Chapter 29

Spike stood at the edge of the training fields watching the activity before him. Today the Slayer and the inhabitants of Midian would begin their attack on the Council. He would be by his slayer’s side as they headed into battle and he was determined that no harm would befall her. The knowledge that she wore an Amaran gem eased his fears slightly, but his demon was still fiercely protective, unwilling to contemplate the loss of another that he loved.

Spike noted how Buffy moved through their warriors, stopping to speak to some, asking questions and ensuring that they were confident about their part in the forth coming battle. He watched as she turned, searching the multitude, until her eyes settled on where he stood.

Slowly he made his way through the crowd, to her side. “Ready, luv?”

“No,” she said hesitantly, before tilting her chin defiantly. “Yes.”

“Don’t worry, luv, you’ll kick his arse.” Spike gave her a tender kiss, unmindful of the multitude of watching eyes. “Now let’s go get the others and get this show on the road.”

Dawn stood with her heart pounding in her chest and her mind racing as she went over her part of the attack plan. In theory she knew everything that was going to happen, she had discussed and planned and practiced with both Anya and Mathew. However, now minutes before they were due to start, doubts clouded her mind. Buffy was depending on her to open the doorways that would allow the fighters to infiltrate the council. Dawn knew this was their best chance of avoiding detection and minimising casualties on their side… and the responsibility kinda terrified her.

Dawn glanced nervously towards the others; their faces held the same expression of nervous anticipation and determination that she knew her own reflected.

Buffy and Spike came to stand by Dawn’s side.

“It’s time Dawnie,’ Buffy told her younger sister softly.

“I think I just need to visit the bathroom again.” Dawn twisted her hands nervously. “I mean it wouldn’t be good if we got there and, hey… need to have a pee break.”

Buffy stilled her sister’s hands. “If you really feel that you can’t do this, you don’t have to.”

Dawn stopped fidgeting. “But what would you do? I mean, you need me.”

“Yeah, we do,” Buffy agreed. “But we’ll find another way.” She watched her sister’s face, noting the moment that her nerves calmed.

“No, I’ll do it.” Dawn tilted her chin determinedly, squaring her shoulders as she took a deep breath before casting a quick glance behind her. “Ok guys, here we go,” she called.

Anya and Mathew walked up to stand by her side, each placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, though neither spoke.

Dawn closed her eyes, visualising the point amongst the catacombs that they had chosen as the most suitable. It was a huge cavernous room, close to where Samuel made his home, it also held the most direct path through the labyrinth of tunnels to the stairway leading to the lower library.

The air around the teenager took on a hazy quality; the more sensitive of the demons gathered could feel the vibrations emanating from it. Suddenly the air thickened and a wide hole appeared before Dawn. Concentrating, she pushed the edges outward even further. Cool air seeped out from the portal, and the smell of earth hung lightly around the entrance. The stone walls of the catacombs could be clearly seen on the other side, as well as the expectant figures of both Xander and Samuel.

Dawn and her companions moved forward, stepping easily through the portal to the other side, with Spike and Buffy following closely behind. Giles had wanted Buffy to be the first to cross through the portal, however Buffy had insisted that it be Dawn, arguing that if it weren’t for Dawn and the power of the Key their battle would be that much more difficult.

“Hey, Dawn,” Xander greeted, before nodding ‘hello’ to the others. “Ok, the Solartians have lit the most direct path through the tunnels to the main room.” Xander got straight to business, moving down the tunnel as he indicated the shimmering creatures that lined the walls. “They’ve closed off all access to anyplace that could contain any dangers so we won’t risk losing anyone. I’ve researched the magics that exist here in the catacombs and their effects on the lower library directly above us. End result is that the council shouldn’t be able to detect any disturbances down here or in the lower library, which should give us some extra time. Once Dawn breaches the upper library though they’re gonna be able to pick it up. So you’ll need to be even more on your guard then.”

“I suggest, Miss Summers, that we use the lower library as an access point to the portal Dawn has created at St Giles. This would be an ideal location to which we can evacuate any innocents, as it would remove them completely from harms way.” Samuel came to stand beside them. “The protection spell that the Amaran Order will be setting in place will prevent those present in the room from leaving via any path except the portal young Dawn creates, however, it will not prevent anyone entering the area from any of the existing access points. There is the main stairwell as well as a secondary emergency exit hidden towards the rear of the room. I can place a barrier spell across these, effectively sealing them from outside interference, however, it will also close this route to our fighters, so they must be made aware that they must use the portals at all times.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me, luv.”

Buffy nodded. “We were concerned about keeping them safe. Dawn…” Buffy caught her sister’s attention. “When we get upstairs I want you to get a door opened to Giles’ church as soon as ours is done. Getting to the upper level can wait a few minutes longer.”

Dawn nodded her understanding.

Buffy turned to stand on a flat rock near the edge of the caves. “Ok, we’re about to go in, remember to use only the portals that Dawn creates, look out for each other, and try not to harm any innocents. If you have to knock them out, that’s ok just don’t hit them too hard. Remember your strength.” She paused for a moment. “Let’s go kick some evil butt.” Buffy jumped down from the rock, grabbing Spike and giving him a hard kiss. “Watch my back?”

“’Til the end of time, Slayer.”

~*~*~*~*~*

A young man stood in the rear stacks of the lower library, scanning the shelves for the book he needed. He rubbed the back of his neck absently, the hairs prickling as though there were a small electrical current running across them. Something in the corner of his eye caught his attention, and turning his head, he stared as a portal appeared from nowhere and three figures stepped through. The first was a young girl, with long dark brown hair; the next was a woman with shorter lightly curled hair. He opened his mouth to yell for help; neither of the females looked dangerous in any way, however, it was the combination of the portal that they had stepped through and the creature that accompanied them that had his heart racing and his mind swimming.

Before he could utter a sound Mathew stepped forward placing one large hand across the terrified watcher’s mouth, before using the other to immobilise him. “Shhhh,” he hissed through his razor-like teeth, the sound causing a small whimper to escape from the man’s throat.

During this time Jayela, Willow, Tara and several others form the Order had stepped through and were chanting softly. Willow and Tara concentrated on their version of the Tirer La Couture spell while the others placed the barrier inside the room.

Slowly a dark mask seemed to form across the young watcher’s face, hovering like a poisonous cloud, and condemning him with its presence.

Mathew closed his eyes as he shifted his hand slightly to cover the man’s nose as well, pressing firmly he waited for the life to slip silently from him.

Buffy stood to one side; the battle had begun, with a whimper not a bang, but it had begun. “You’ll need to remove the head from the body,” Buffy whispered softly, her words full of compassion at what the empathic demon had had to do. “Just to be sure. Do you want me to do it?” As the words tapered off the first sounds of shock and fear were echoing around the library. Watchers young and old were reacting to the masks of evil that fell randomly over some of those present. Mathew shook his head, this was his task to complete; drawing the sword from his side he arched it back before bringing it down in one fluid motion and severing the watcher’s head. He returned to Dawn’s side as the others rushed into the main section of the library; they still had work to do.

Buffy, Spike and Isabo rushed forward; Redwulfs at the ready and they began to wield them with deadly accuracy.

Spike was having the time of his life; the thrill of the fight coursing through him as he battled his way through the enemy. Occasionally a well placed fist would stun an unmarked watcher so they could be pulled from harms way.

It didn’t take long for the watchers in the room to realise that only those clouded by the dark masks were being targeted; instead the others were being subtly herded to the rear of the room to where a young darked-haired man, and the head librarian were ushering them through a portal.

“Samuel, what's happening?” one of the older watchers called to him.

“The Council has been infiltrated by evil. The Slayer has come to eradicate it from our midst. Go through here, you’ll be safe.” Samuel grabbed the man’s arm before he could step through. “Stay at the church, don’t come back until it’s safe, and don’t trust anyone unless they come through this portal.”

The man nodded, not truly understanding what was going on, but years of training and a long association with the old man had taught him that evil sometimes hid in plain sight. He cast a look back towards the fight, the slayer was easily recognisable by her blonde hair and graceful moves, and his breath caught in his chest as he noticed a watcher he had known for years plunge a dagger towards her back, only to be stopped by the blow of the blonde man who was never far from her side.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy felt like she was flying; the ‘slayer’ rush filled her body with an almost euphoric sensation, putting her into a near trance-like state. Every part of her was aware of what was happening around her, even though she was focused on the fight she was currently engaged in. She felt the threat behind her, but never faltered. She knew, without doubt, that Spike would be there. With deft fingers she separated her Redwulf into two parts, cleaving the head of the man before her with the Halberd while using the mace section to defend herself from a side attack. Spinning, she swung the two halves above her head before doing the same thing to another two attackers.

She felt Spike come up behind her. “Almost through down here, luv. Although Bo’s got a particularly stubborn bastard cornered on the far wall.”

“Oh, do you think she wants any help?” Buffy’s eyes lit up at the thought of an opponent a little more challenging than those she’d come up against so far.

Spike watched as Bo neatly plunged the stake at the tip of the mace into her opponent’s chest. Holding him in place with the sharp end, she twisted the weapon apart and swung wide. Before she could finish, the man managed to push her backwards, snatching the weapon from her hands and counter-attacking.

Spike and Buffy quickly dispatched the last of their attackers and rushed to Bo’s side—Spike complaining bitterly about Bo having all the fun. Before they could reach her, however, the man snatched up a makeshift stake from the broken furniture and plunged it into her chest. Both the slayer and her vampire held their breath as they watched the wood slide into their friend’s flesh, anxious eyes waiting for signs that her Amaran gem was working correctly.

Isabo smiled at the watcher’s confused look; he had expected her to dust immediately, yet here she was still before him. He looked down in shock as he felt the sting of her Halberd slicing open his stomach.

“That’s not a nice thing to do to a lady.” Bo bought the blade down once more, severing the man’s head neatly from his body.

Looking around them, everyone sighed in relief when they realised that he had been the last of the clouded watchers in the room.

Jayela rushed through the crowd, carefully inspecting Isabo’s wound as it began to close. She was not so much concerned with the effectiveness of Bo’s gems, after all, she had been in possession of them for many years; she was concerned, however, that the Council would resort to using magically enhanced weapons. Seeing no evidence of it here though, she went back to inspecting the other wounded—carefully noting how long it took each to recover from their injuries.

“I would like the injured to remain behind when you move to the upper library,” Jayela said as she approached Buffy. “If they are the last to go into battle the next time it will give the gems’ magic time to return to full effectiveness.”

“There’s a problem?” Buffy asked, concerned for the safety of her new friends.

“Oh, no,” Jayela reassured her. “The wounds are healing nicely, albeit a little slower than the individually blessed ones. That is why I would like to give them that little extra time to recover.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Buffy agreed. “Ok, is everyone ready for the next part? Now remember, they are going to be able to sense us as soon as Dawn opens the first portal, so I want everyone on their guard. Dawn… Spike and I are going to go through first this time.”

Dawn merely waved her sister to one side. “Ok, worry wort, but I would be fine you know.” She turned her focus to creating the next portal, stepping aside once it was large enough for the others to cross through.

“Onwards and upwards,” Buffy whispered under her breath as she raised her Redwulf into position.

“Just remember, luv, give the witches time to get their spell done,” Spike reminded her.

“Gee, thanks for telling me, Mr I’m-too-impatient-to-follow-a-plan. I know what I’m doing, you know? Slayer here.”

“Was just sayin’”

“Yeah, yeah.” Buffy waved her hand dismissively as the pair stepped through the portal still bantering.