Armageddon Saga
ChapterThirty Seven:
The Final Battle: The Demon Lord
By the Lady Sirona ladysirona@LadySirona.com
The time had finally come. The eight Slayers, along with Tirla and the Cucularaine, gathered in the dining room to finally do what they have worked for so long to do; to kill the Demon Lord and prevent him from opening the Hellmouths and bringing Hell to Earth. Their lives were just to do that and nothing else... they knew this. Failure meant life on Earth, as they now knew it would end. They could not fail.
Each Slayer was outfitted with their radio headsets and their personal weapons of choice.Buffy had her cross bow and her quarterstaff, while another had a wooden sai, which cut the air so easily. Kendra carried a sword and was packed with Stakes as all the Slayers were. Several carried quarterstaffs and cross bows.
They gathered together in a small bunch away from their Watchers, in order to enter the magickal portal the Lady would soon open to take them to the battle. A battle none of them even thought or ever hoped to survive.
The Cucularaine was standing a bit off to the side, a part of the group, yet separated. He stood tall and imposing in his black leather. He was dressed in black leather pants, a dark cotton shirt which underneath he wore a Kevlar, bullet-proof vest. His trim form was easily seen under the shirt and accentuated by the vest. Buffy smiled at the kevlar vest, she knew it would decrease the chances of him being killed by wood to the heart.
Angel had a long quarterstaff with sharpened ends, and a large Celtic sword strapped to his back. He looked, and gave, an aura of dangerous power very lightly under minimal control. It was plain to see, for those who knew him well, that it was Angelus who was out, who paced back and forth, a strong bloodlust growing in him for the upcoming battle.
Buffy stood off to the side of the other Slayers and like Angel she too was wearingblack leather pants and shirt. Leather offered the best protection for the Slayers while being light and giving them the flexibility they needed for the battle. Buffy stood proud and battle ready, wanting the battle to be started so it could be over. She wanted to know what was going to happen with her life!
Angel watched Buffy's every move, as she got ready for the battle. The Watchers could see easily the look in his eyes as he looked over at Buffy. He looked at her with such longing in his eyes, it was painful to behold. It was obvious to all that she was his life, his world, and he would willingly lay down his existence for her. They knew from the prophecy that his love for Slayer prime was what would save the world, and could easily cost him his existence.
He watched her as she moved so gracefully, and his heart broke. He wanted her and their child safe... and he knew that couldn't do it. He was staring at her when she looked up and caught his eyes.
Buffy looked back at Angel with love filled eyes. He was so handsome, and she was soproud of him. She knew they may never see each other after this, and it was painful to watch each other go into battle knowing this. Tears filled her eyes and she blinked them away to see him look her in the eye and mouth "I Love You" to her. She smiled with all her love and mouthed it back.
Xander stood over by the Watcher's table with Giles and Willow watching Buffy and Angel readying themselves to go into battle. He knew that if they failed, the world would end, but it broke his heart to see them readying for a battle that they may never survive. His bonding with Angel put in place in London was still in effect, although lessening with time. Ever since the rescue of Willow in London he felt a small part of Angel's emotions and needs. The bond hat they had to put into effect to save Willow caused Xander to feel Angel's emotions. Xander felt the depth of the love the vampire had for Buffy, and knew it was beyond anything Xander had ever experienced in his life.
Xander looked at Buffy - she was magnificent. She stood apart from the other Slayers like a lethal eagle among hawks. He knew with pride that Buffy was the best Slayer in Watcher history. He had a feeling of unreality as he was watching the best Slayer lead the others into a battle, where many if not all would not survive. He wanted to stop her...but knew she had to go. Willow slid under his arm and hugged him. He knew that she too was feeling the pain of the upcoming pain of potential losses, and he hugged her tight.
Tirla started to chant in a language that had not been heard in eons, and there began to form a magickal vortex. Colors defying normal description began to swirl and time and distance blended into a magickal gate. With a small motion, Tirla signaled to the Slayers and Angel, and they all jumped through to their destiny.
Demon Lord's CastleThey arrived at the Demon Lord's Castle and stepped out of the vortex into the mainroom. They stepped out into a dark and dank room. Where Tirla's castle had been warm and full of life and lights, this one was dark and dank. It had not been cared for, obviously, for a long time. Mold and moss grew on the floor, chairs and tables seems to be rotting where they stood.Old decrepit furniture stood scattered about like a child-forgotten plaything as shadows were playing across the walls and the items from flame torches giving everything an errie glow.
The Slayers could feel the vampires hiding in the shadows... and with a cry they burst out of the shadows and the room was filled with vampires, and the battle started. The vampires waiting were ready for the Slayers, and they attacked each in multiple numbers. They had obviously been trained to battle, and did not fight as usual vampires fought, individually and like animals.
The Eight slayers quickly spread out, and began to destroy all and any vampire thatcame within their reach. They stumbled over the furniture but the Lady Tirla's drills in the dark room played off... and they quickly killed their opponents. They fought hard and the training that they had done with The Lady Tirla saved many lives as they battled. The room they came into had probably once been a dinning hall, now it was an anteroom to anightmare...
While they fought, The Cucularaine led Tirla toward the center of the building, striking down any vampire that got in his way. Angelus' battle lust was fearsome to behold, and the control he had over it made it almost awe-inspiring. No vampire came close enough to see the battle lust in his eyes and continued long enough to tell of it. With his sword he beheaded several in a swing. They started to avoid him.
Each Slayer was hard pressed in their own battle, and could hear the other Slayersgroans and heavy breathing as they too slayed. There were many screams and cries heard over the headsets... no one know who or what was making the noise. You just prayed the scream of pain in the head set wasn't your own...
All in the battle and in the watcher's room heard a slayer's death scream as a vampire reversed a stake it and rammed it deep into her abdomen. Buffy turned at the scream and saw as Ramana the Dali Slayer went down, a stake deep in her abdomen, blood flowing over her hands as she feebly attempted to stop the flow. As she went down, Buffy took a crossbow bolt and shot the offending vampire through the heart.
Back at headquarters, Jahal her Watcher fell to his knees in tears, as his slayer’scommunication link stopped transmitting when her heart stopped. They looked at one another, the first casualty had fallen, and they knew all too well, it was to be far from the last. Mary, The English Watcher knelt beside the mourning Watcher and held him in his sorrow.
At Tirla's castle the Watchers listened to the battle carefully. Who would fall next? What Slayer would lay their life down for the world? Which other Watcher would lose their Slayer? The tension in the room was thick enough to cut.
Willow walked away from the table and toward the middle of the room, fears growing in her. Would Buffy and the Baby survive? She hated waiting and watching the transmissions.
Suddenly, a magickal portal opened in center of the Watcher's room and a hand reached out and grabbed Willow. She screamed in fear as she was dragged through the portal into God only knew where. The other Watcher's looked up too late as it pulled her through the portal to Xander's anguished scream.