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Episode 1.3 "Anticlimactic"

 

Buffy walked into the lobby of the Hyperion ready to do some damage control. She wanted to talk to Faith and Riley over the loss of the significant others. Faith seemed fine, like Wood’s death didn’t mean anything to her, but Buffy knew it was only a facade. The other Slayer had stayed in her room all night and most of the day, not letting anyone in, except for Xander. They were sitting side by side on the couch, silently comforting each other. Buffy knew Xander was probably the best person to help Faith, so Buffy moved on to Riley.

 

Riley also kept to himself, but unlike Faith his face was filled with pain. Buffy walked to his room and softly knocked on the door. There was no answer, but she knew he was in there, so she quietly opened the door.

 

“Please leave” he said his back to her.

 

“Riley, it’s me”

 

He turned his head and then moved over on the bed, motioning for her to sit down. They sat there silently for a few minutes, until Riley finally spoke.

 

“We were in Brazil, when we heard what was happening here” he started, staring at a picture of his wife “It was the first vacation we took after our honeymoon. We were having lunch and we got a phone call. She was out of her seat and putting battle gear on before I even got off” he chuckled, then stopped a lump forming in his throat. Buffy grabbed his hand offering reassurance. She had no idea what to say to him, so she let him continue.

 

“At first all we knew was there was a pretty big infestation in L.A. Then I learned Angel was involved, and I figured he could handle himself, so I told Sam we didn’t have to go. She wouldn’t listen to me. She was a real fighter. But I kept telling her we could turn back, that Angel had it under control, but as we got closer we got word that a blonde woman had arrived in town. I stopped complaining and finally agreed we needed to come. I wish I never answered my phone”

 

                                          *                          *                       *

 

Willow sat in Wesley’s old office surrounded by books. She had been looking through them for hours trying to find anything that could help them to defeat the demons and found nothing. Most of the books they brought didn’t even mention Wolfram and Hart. She looked at her watch. It was six o’clock, it would get dark soon and they would have to fight again. She was glad that these demons only came out at night; it gave them time to regroup.

 

“Come on Wes, help me out here” she said closing the book in front of her. She was saddened by the news of his death. When she first met him he was a stuck up British guy barely able to fight. Then he changed into a very powerful man dying to save the world. Five years ago she wouldn’t have thought about spending time with him outside of the library, but since her last visit she had really wanted to get to know him better.

 

Willow got out of her chair to get something to eat, but was stopped when her knee hit the edge of the desk, causing her to look down. Curious, she reached down to open the bottom drawer and found it locked.

 

“Reveal” she said causing the lock to open. She opened the drawer and pulled out a book with a wolf, ram, and heart on the cover.

 

“Thanks Wes”

 

 

 

“Buffy!” Willow shouted coming out of the office causing everyone in the lobby to look at her.

 

“What’s wrong Will?” Buffy said coming down the stairs.

 

“I think I found a solution to our little demon problem.” Willow paused making sure that all the Scoobies were in the room “The reason the demons only come out at night are because the sun kills them, like vamps.”

 

“But how does that help us if they won’t come out during the day?” Faith asked standing and walking over standing next to Buffy.

 

“There’s a spell I worked on a few years ago to draw the power of the sun at night, to help Buffy with slaying. I think I can make it work for this”

 

“But Will that was small. It could only kill one vamp before it died. How do you expect to kill a whole demon army the size of LA with it?” Buffy asked.

 

“Well I’m more powerful now, but I do need someone else magically inclined to draw power from. The only one I knew powerful enough was . . . T-Tara” Willow said barely getting her name out.

 

“Oh, I’ve been practicing some magick. I could help.” Dawn said breaking the awkward silence.

 

“Sorry, Dawnie, but I’m talking major mojo here”

 

“Me. I’m not exactly a warlock, but I do have a lot of power. Could you draw power from me?” The Immortal asked.

 

“Yeah, I think so, but it still might not be enough.” Willow scanned the group trying to find power in any of them. She was starting to worry that her plan wouldn’t work. Then her eyes fell on Illyria.

 

“Illyria, as a god you have a whole lot of mystical power right?”

 

“Yes. My power was greater than many of the other gods. They would cower before me.”

 

“Well, will you be able to help with the spell?”

 

“In this plain of existence my power is not as great” she said tilting her head to the side “But I believe it will be sufficient”

 

                           *                     *                 *

 

 

“Will, do you have everything?” Buffy asked walking over to the witch.

 

“Yeah, I think so”

 

Buffy nodded scanning the room. All the Scoobies, Slayers, and troops were gathered in the hotel lobby, waiting to go back out and fight. Buffy’s eyes stopped on the two Vampire’s standing in the corner looking very unhappy. They weren’t thrilled knowing they would have to stay behind in the safety of the hotel, away from the threat of the sun. Buffy grabbed her sword and lead the way out of the hotel.

 

 

 

They all stood in an street intersection forming a protective circle around Willow and her two power sources. Willow was breathing heavily, preparing herself for the spell. They stood there for a few minutes as the night beat back the remaining rays of day. The sound of the demons running toward them could be heard before any of them were seen.

 

As Willow started chanting the fight began. Many of them had suffered injuries from the previous night’s battle and it cost them. Xander looked around noticing more human casualties than demon. He stole a look at Buffy to make sure she was okay, but he only caught a glimpse of her. All he was staring at now was concrete being stained by his blood.    

 

 

 

Faith heard Willow screaming her incantation to be heard over the loud clanging os swords and the screams of pain. Faith found her eyes drifting from the demon in front of her to a space a few feet away. She screamed as she saw him get stabbed in the stomach and fall to the ground. She ran to him easily killing anything that got in her way. She checked his pulse and sighed of relief as she found one.

 

Faith picked Xander up, not aware of how much blood he was losing. She started running to the safety of the hotel, not caring that she was fleeing from the battle, something she never did. Xander started to stir in her arms, his eyes fluttering open.

 

“W-What’s happening?”

 

“You’re hurt, but I’m gonna get you fixed up”

 

“No, th-the fight. We have to fight”

 

“Well right now you’re not even a match for Andrew.”

 

He smiled before falling back into unconsciousness. Faith was closing in on the hotel, hoping she would make it there in time.

 

“I’m not losing you too”

 

 

 

“I call you from the shadows of night, from the depths of darkness.” Willow chanted as bolts of orange energy erupted around her “Emerge from your hallow ground and bring forth your penetrating light.” Putting emphasis on her last word she reached her hands to The Immortal and Illyria. Bolts of energy erupted from her hands and engulfed the two beings draining the power from them.

 

From the center of the circle a tiny speck of light appeared, then grew bigger and floated to into the night sky. For a heartbreaking second Willow thought that it wasn’t going to work, but as the demons began to realize what was happening they stopped fighting and ran for cover. They never made it. Simultaneously the demons burst into flames and burned out of existence.  Willow turned around to look at The Immortal and Illyria and gasped.

 

                                  *                   *                    *    

 

“Help” Faith yelled as she burst through the Hyperion doors. “Get the First Aid kit and bandages” she said as Angel and Spike came running into the lobby. She laid Xander on the couch and tried the stop the bleeding.

 

“How much?” Faith asked looking up at Angel.

 

“He’s lost a lot, but not enough to kill him . . .yet”

 

“It’s not just his” Spike observed smelling the air, then looking at Faith “You’ve lost some blood too”

 

Faith looked down and saw a large gash across her thigh. She shrugged and turned her attention back to Xander. His faced was drained of color and he lay perfectly still. If it wasn’t for the slight rise and fall of his chest, Faith would have thought he was dead. She started to feel sick and backed away from Xander, letting Spike and Angel take over.

 

She looked out the window and saw something light up the night sky. She smiled to herself “Something’s finally going right”

                                     *                     *                       *

 

“Willow? What’s wrong” Buffy asked hearing the witch’s gasp. Buffy followed Willow’s gaze to the demon goddess and noticed that she was no longer blue. “Oh my God”

 

“Where am I?” Fred asked staring at the people in front of her.

                                                         Written by:Meghan

                                               Edited by: The Members of "The Good Fight"

                                                   Created by: Spangfuffy Network