Ten Thousand Days - 4 - Wings
by Valyssia
Tribulations
[reviews]
A fist reached out struck him hard in the ribs. Giles staggered, falling to his knees. The voices of the women who had been in his charge ordered him to rise. Clinging to the bumper of the car, he pushed up with all his strength and righted himself. Then a hand at his lower back pressed him forward.
Giles averted his eyes in the spirit of self-preservation when Faith keyed the access panel and stood momentarily, waiting for the machine to recognize her. They urged him through the doorway into a long, concrete corridor barely wide enough for two men to walk abreast. He had to duck to avoid a number of the light fixtures as he made his way into this catacomb. A sinking feeling washed over him that he would never pass this way again.
Faith stopped in front of him and opened the next secured door. There was a stairway leading up and a single steel door off to his right. It didn't surprise him when they passed through the doorway. Inside the dank supply closet was another single door. This one was barred. Giles understood this would be his home the moment he saw it. He walked without prodding into the tiny closet. There was an old, grime-covered slop sink and a commode in similar condition that took up the majority of the floor space. It must have been a lavatory for the janitor at some point, or so he imagined. The door slammed closed and he was alone in the dark. He curled in the corner of the tiny, concrete cell to await his sentence—to await Buffy.
***********
The blood seemed to drain from the witch's face as Faith said the word again, "E-Greg or E-Gregory... Is it a person, Will? What's that look about? B., ya get why she's freakin'?" She shot the blonde a questioning glance and leaned against the cement wall next to the freight elevator. The canvas bag she held seemed to be getting heavier, but she dismissed it as tiredness and lowered the bag so its contents could rest on the floor.
"Clueless, Faith," Buffy confirmed, placing an arm around her witch to steady her.
"We found this at the site," Faith remarked, trying to pass off the bag.
Willow refused to touch it. "Faith, do we have a place to lock dangerous artifacts?"
A crease formed in Faith's forehead. She fidgeted nervously before she answered. "Think Xander... Yeah, there's an old vault in the warehouse."
"Take the team with you. Lock that thing up. We'll deal later, 'kay?" she sighed, realizing that she was upsetting Faith and the girls. "There's nothing wrong with you. I'm just being careful," Willow offered reassuringly.
Faith motioned the team to follow and set off toward the tunnel that passed between the two buildings. Calling back over her shoulder, she said, "Alright, Red, consider it done."
Willow hit the button to summon the elevator and waited patiently for the doors to open. "Come with me, Buffy. We need to get you on the same page before you see Giles." When elevator car arrived, she stepped inside. As soon as the doors closed, she whispered, "The Grigori, from the Greek word egregoroi, 'The Watchers,' were angels sent down to The Garden of Eden to observe and guide man." She fell silent as the doors opened and led her stunned looking slayer back to the apartment.
The moment the door shut, Buffy commented, "So the name 'watcher,' that's just a coincidence, right?"
Willow bounced up the stairs toward her office, motioning for her partner to follow. "Dunno, Buffy. What I do know is, if it's not...things just got lots worse." When she entered the office, a book flew down off one of the shelves and opened on her desk. She sat down and read for a moment. "We have this story in our mythology too, Jewish people that is. They're called Irin—still means 'Watcher,'" she turned the page of her book and stared silently at the print for a moment, "Course I blew it off thinking that it was just an interesting coincidence, but no one really knows how old the Watchers' Council really is."
A deep sigh slipped out as Buffy took a seat, waiting for the always-funny punch line. She'll eventually get there once she gets done with the reading.
"From the first of the Books of Enoch, referred to as the Book of the Watchers," Willow noted and then began to read, "It happened after the sons of men had multiplied in those days that daughters were born to them, elegant and beautiful. And when the angels, the sons of heaven, beheld them, they became enamored of them..."
Buffy listened, still waiting for her witch to clarify. So, these angels got hooked on lust? Figures... And the whole 'Free Will' thing gets more complicated. "So the punch line?" Buffy prompted, absently rubbing the right side of her back.
"These angels took human wives and in exchange taught people the angelic arts. Useful stuff like writing," Willow paraphrased while she tapped her fingers lightly on the book. She glanced up, noting the angst that seemed to infect her partner's every feature.
"Doesn't sound bad so far," Buffy remarked, glancing at her witch then back down at the floor in front of her.
"It gets better," Willow replied. Turning her attention back to the book, she continued the story, "Of course, God didn't like it so he banished them from heaven, but you knew that. Everything was alright until the wives of these angels started having babies. Their kids were...legendary. The Nephilim brought pain and destruction. Blood flowed freely on the land and God sent more angels down to banish the Grigori," she sighed, "That whole 'Noah flood' thing was how God purified the earth after." A deep worried look infected the witch's expression when she glanced up again to meet her slayer's gaze. "The punch line is: if one is linked to the other—our bosses—badness—not an adequate term. Not being one to subscribe, I'm more open. Foolishly hopeful, even. Wiccan peoples see the things differently anyway. Christians tend to be real doom and gloomers."
"'Kay...not so much for the heavy religious card myself, but basically what we're talking is demons... I can totally relate to that. How do I kill them?" Buffy asked pensively.
Willow couldn't suppress a soft laugh. "Buff sweetie, you don't kill the guardians of the other realms. If you do...the badness gets apocalyptic. They're associated with the four elements, the four quarters and each solstice and equinox. In short, life as we know it," she cocked an eyebrow at her shocked slayer, "Then, there's that other view. If this is—then they are...well, not very nice, extremely old, very powerful, corrupt angelic beings. Best we can do is figure out if and how they control then make that go away...hopefully." She paused for a moment just to take in the 'oh shit' look on her partner's face then prodded, "Talk to Giles."
***********
When she entered the dank storage room, Buffy flipped on the light, pulling a comfy office chair behind her. A deep yawn and a stretch caused her to look completely bored as she sat down and kicked the cell door to wake the exhausted watcher. "Where's my sister, Giles?" she asked in an impatient manner.
Giles peered up, trying to look at the slayer. The overhead light was directly behind her head making her appear other worldly. He cast his gaze at the floor before he replied, "An agent of the Grigori drugged Dawn and abducted her. There was nothing I could do."
"That's a who, already had that. Where was the question," Buffy prompted not bothering to hide her aggravation.
"I can't answer that," Giles replied honestly.
"Oh...'kay... One more before I get annoyed and we move to the bonus round: how did this 'agent' take her? For extra points and a chance at keeping your legs, tell me everything you know about this 'agent'."
"Alexa Landry," Giles said the name and half expect to be ripped from the cage through the door. He winced then continued, "You'll recall, last we saw her, she was to be judged by the Council," he perceived a nod, "Well it would seem she caught their eye. She took your sister. The artifact she used was brought in with me." He watched the slayer rise and called desperately after her, "Wait!" Seeing that she had stopped, he resumed, "That artifact is very dangerous. It—it's the reason," he coughed, "It's a means of control. The Grigori use it to communicate with the leader of the Council."
Buffy turned back toward the watcher and laughed. "So, now you're gonna tell me the devil made you do it? Did the devil make you threaten Will?" she spat.
"Threaten?" Giles queried, searching for more information. Before he could react he was jerked to his feet and stood nose to nose with a very angry slayer.
Bouncing the watcher's head off the cement wall, Buffy snarled, "Play dumb, Giles. I'll rip your fucking head off. Did you or did you not say you should've killed Will when you had the chance?"
"I did, but before you kill me allow me to tell you the rest, please. It may mean your life," Giles said in a gentle patient voice.
Buffy dropped the watcher and let him crash to the floor.
Once he recovered enough to speak, Giles offered in a soft voice, "Know that I love Dawn like a daughter, Buffy. That has not changed. Alexa said she was to be made a consort to the Grigori. Understand that if you see her again, she will not be your sister," a tear slipped down his cheek, "The Grigori told me if I did not kill Willow and present you to them, my life would be forfeit. If midnight has come and gone, my life is over. I wait to die. It would actually be easier for me if you did kill me." As he peered at the drain in the floor, the door slammed. Seconds later, he sobbed, "I'm sorry," as the light went off. Giles sat alone in the dark, hoping Buffy had listened.
Buffy stood outside the supply room door with her hands on her hips, debating which way to go: up the stairs to the artifact or down the corridor to her witch. Her promise ate at her. No wrathy...we talk this out. She whispered, "Shit," and started off down the hall at a rapid pace.
When Buffy entered the apartment, Willow called to her from the sitting room. She made her way through the archway, seeing that Xander and Faith had joined them. She took a seat on the couch next to her witch and offered, "It's the artifact—that box thingy... They use it to control and to pass—Giles said Alexa Landry used the box to take Dawn."
After wincing at the name, Willow placed her hand over her slayer's and said, "Yeah...we sorta had that figured. 'Cept the part about that bitch. I have some ideas."
***********
A bored look infected her features as Dawn lay waiting for her mate to return. The room she'd been taken to was elaborate and comfortable: draperies of fine silk, tapestries of ancient battles, ornate rugs on the floor, and all the other fineries she thought a medieval lady's chamber should contain. When Alexa opened the door, she was relieved beyond belief, but saddened just the same that her dark prince had not returned to claim her.
Alexa stepped aside when the smith came through the door with his table. "Dawn, you will come over here and lie on the table, please."
Confused by the request, Dawn left the bed and walked over to the table, looking at the imp beside it. Dutifully, she lay down. The moment her body settled, bands of metal trapped her legs, waist, and shoulders.
Alexa stared into the terrified younger woman's eyes. "You must be marked as a lady of this court, Dawn," she offered. Pulling at the laces down the outside of each leg, she shed her leather pants.
Dawn saw a brand when the woman turned. Then she sat to remove her boots, unlacing them from the back. Dawn gasped when the boots came off. Through both hamstrings was a heavy silver ring. She had thought it just a decoration on the boot.
Alexa unhooked her top easily exposing both breasts then removed the lacing that held it to the corset. She walked over to the frightened younger woman, taking her hand. "The rings are for control. You didn't believe they would allow humans to run freely here. This is not our place, Dawn. You will be chained when you leave the consort's wing."
A thick roll of hard leather slid into Dawn's mouth and she accepted it, biting down.
Alexa did her best to lend comfort as the smith turned the younger woman's feet, clamping them down then pierced just behind the hamstring and soldered two links in place.
Tears streamed freely from her eyes as Dawn looked up into the kindly face of the woman next to her. The pain was excruciating, but she had no choice except bear it. When the piercing was done she noticed that Alexa still wore a leather underbust corset and finally found it in herself to ask. Spitting the leather from her mouth, she questioned nervously, "Is that? Does that come off?"
"I'm not allowed to remove it, except to bathe. You'll be fitted with one too. The Grigori worship the feminine form. Accentuating it is their way," Alexa replied, moving aside to allow the smith access to Dawn's arms. "The smith with now put your bracelets on. Allow him to take your arms, or it will hurt more," she instructed in a soothing voice, displaying the tight silver rings around each of her wrists.
There was a harsh sliding noise when the table opened up. She relaxed and allowed the smith to bind her arms to the branches of the table. It burned as the smith soldered the rings in place and Dawn wished she had the leather to bite down on again.
"Come now, I must prepare you for tonight," Alexa said in a kindly manner as she applied a healing salve to the younger woman's burned wrists. After the smith released Dawn, she helped her to her feet.
Dawn appeared curious despite the pain. "Tonight?" Limping behind the woman she looked at the brand on her right buttock just below the line of the corset. Then she felt her own. A dim memory returned of the branding that had happened the night prior while she lay over the cross.
A soft smile warmed her face then Alexa answered, "Only your husband can answer that. I'm here to pleasure and prepare you. I've been assigned to you as a body servant." Gesturing for Dawn to follow, she instructed, "Come so I can fit your corset."
Dawn's face turned flushed as she sputtered, "Pleasure?"
Alexa ran her fingers over Dawn's engorged sex and stated plainly, "You didn't have an orgasm last night did you?" Then she turned to a large wardrobe and opened it up. After selecting a thick leather corset that appeared two sizes too small for the younger woman, Alexa loosened the laces and unfastened the heavy metal hooks that held the front of the garment closed. She wrapped it around her charge and began to refasten it.
Dawn wanted to hide her face when she answered, "No." She looked down at the thick metal rings that were built into the bottom of Alexa's corset and began to weep.
As Alexa spoke she tightened the laces, crushing Dawn's midsection into the desired shape. "Ahh well... Rosier can be quite cruel when it comes to the giving of pleasure. You are mated to him though, so it is his to say what should bring you satisfaction."
***********
The artifact, draped in the canvas bag, emanated a soft blue light from the binding spell as hovered in the air in front of her. Buffy walked along side her witch, helping to steady what felt like a bomb.
"I've been thinking. Remember me saying that the woman we ran into at the morgue felt like you?" Willow offered pensively while she waited for her partner to open the door to the stairwell.
Buffy nodded, intoning a simple, "uh-huh," as she anxiously held the door for her witch to pass through.
"What if the 'demon essence' that was used to create the slayer line was actually from the Grigori?" Willow maneuvered the artifact through the doorway. "I mean Alexa was altered by them and the whole 'balance the scales' game gets lots easier if you've got your own personal assassin. The femaleness—case-in-point." She started down the stairs when her slayer was at her side. "The Grigori would want to stop any attempts by rival demons to bring about the Apocalypse. It all fits," she remarked in a soft thoughtful tone while she worked her way down the two flights of stairs.
Buffy moved ahead to open the door to the corridor that linked the two buildings. "And like with every other pure demon, vampires would be half-blood slime to them. Something to keep the slayer busy." She watched her witch pass through and shut the door, moving along side her. "You're right, it does make sense. Makes my tattoo pretty much ironic," she concluded her tone rich with sarcasm.
"Yeah...Giles confirmed that they can't appear here as anything more than shades...so influence—and they'd so want that," Willow replied while she split her attention to move the artifact forward again.
Buffy paced along side her witch down the narrow passage. "I'll be glad when we get this thing to the lobby. Makes me nervous as hell. I'll make the call to deploy the teams. Then we wait," she rattled anxiously, reviewing the plan aloud.
"Yup and heavy guard on Giles. Funny how, regardless the bad—" Willow cut off as they reached the end of the passage. She held the artifact steady while her slayer opened the next door.
As she held the door for her witch to pass, Buffy stated plainly, "We always save our own, Will. If possible."
***********
The door opened and Alexa moved swiftly from between her charge's thighs and off the bed, bowing deeply to Rosier. "Dawn, you should bow to your husband," she instructed in a frightened voice.
Dawn rose trembling from the bed, fell into a deep bow along side Alexa.
"Leave us, woman!" Rosier commanded.
Alexa rushed to crawl out the door, shutting it as she passed.
Rosier walked around his bride as he spoke. "You will be at my pleasure before the court until the time of your passing tonight." He fell silent and stooped to bind his bride.
Dawn winced as a thick chain passed through the rings in her ankles. Then the chain was threaded through the rings at the base of her corset and either end was locked to her wrists.
"Rise and face me. Do not meet my eyes," Rosier directed in a harsh, unforgiving tone.
Dawn rose clumsily to her feet. The chain was just long enough that, if she kept her hands to the base of the corset, she could take short steps, though it pulled at her hamstrings and made it difficult to remain on her feet. Her head hung, looking at the single piece of silver chain that confined her. If I knelt I might be able to scratch my nose.
"Tonight, at midnight by human reckoning, you will pass through to your realm. You will kill Rupert Giles and Willow Rosenberg and then secure your sister Buffy Summers. If you are able to present your sister to us to stand trial for her crimes, along with the bodies of the other two, then you will be kept in luxury as my wife. Should return to us in failure, you will be subject to the pleasure of the lower court," Rosier instructed as he placed a wide leather collar around his wife's throat.
"The lower court?" Dawn echoed nervously. Luxury? She turned her wrists to look at the heavy padlocks.
"If you do not like your fate, woman, be certain I can make it worse," Rosier snarled as he clipped a thick chain leash to the collar and started from the room. He pulled her along, continuing with the instruction, "Lower beings, imps, succubae, turok-han, hoards of famished beasts. They will pleasure themselves with you and feed on your flesh. Your sister's fate will be the same if you bring her to us. She is guilty of severing our pact with Man. Should you decide not to return to us, know that Alexa will take your place. The lower court will feed regardless the outcome."
Dawn shuffled behind the demon, taking short hurried steps, trying desperately not to fall. He won't stop if I fall. Tears poured freely from her eyes while she struggled to keep up.
"One last thing: you will flay the skin from your sister's back before her return and leave it for her people. The markings she wears offend the court," Rosier instructed harshly as he let his bride back to her cross.
***********
"One nasty, demony artifact: check," Buffy noted when the box finally slipped from the canvas bag onto the floor of the lobby.
Willow set off across the floor toward their apartment. She couldn't be away from that thing soon enough for her taste. Big question: how the hell do we destroy it? "Make the call. Then we research," she replied over her shoulder.
"'Kay..." Buffy took one last look at the box and set off after her witch. "Wait! Did you say 'we research'? There'll be doughnuts, right?" she asked nervously.
"No doughnuts, but I'll find some sorta sugary goodness for you, promise," Willow replied as she entered the apartment. "I did remember something, on a non-sugary subject."
Buffy shut the door the answered through a thick pout, "Not interested... Research without doughnuts is like capital punishment."
As she bounced up the stairs to her office for books, Willow remarked, "Suit yourself, but when this goes down, hang onto me. I think I can buy us some time. Maybe even knock Dawn on her ass."
After tilting her head to listen to her witch, Buffy questioned, "What makes you so sure it'll be Dawn?"
Willow called out from her office, "Just a feeling. It's how they seem to operate. Single female warrior...big theme with them. Plus, bonus points for pitting sister against sister. I don't think they'll be able to resist it."
Buffy grumbled a soft curse under her breath and moved to the phone and dialed operations. She's right...this is gonna suck mightily. Should've kept my mouth shut. Wonder what she plans to—? "Hey, Xander, we're all set here. Send the teams out and switch on the security net."
"No troubles then?" Xander replied nervously.
Buffy began to pace in her living room. "Nada...everything's just peachy. We're settling in for the wait. Oh...and nice work—getting all this stuff up and running."
Xander chuckled. "Thanks. I'll pass the word to the worthy. Remember me? Glorified bricklayer? The motion sensors are up. Anything moves in that lobby and the silent alarm will trip. The teams are on the move. If you patch into the network you can pull up the camera feeds."
Taking a seat on the couch, Buffy responded in a cheery voice, "Thanks again. We'll be safe. Know you're gonna say it so..." She hung up the phone and picked up Lakta. "So, what do you think?" she whispered to the small dog. Her fingers passed through the thick fur on her neck as she added, "Think we got a shot?"
The puppy tilted her head and yawned.
"My thoughts exactly," Buffy confirmed.
***********
The agony of the day had slipped away as her prince rode her. Dawn forgot the chain. She tasted him on her lips and in her mouth. A feeling of incredible power had come as she savored him this time. She longed to destroy his enemies. Once she was returned to her room, the chain was removed and Alexa stood ready to prepare her.
Dawn patiently sat as the woman cleaned her skin and oiled it. Then the first layer of tight leather was bound to her form. The boots were slipped on as she'd seen that day and tied at the back to allow the ring to press through. She looked at it and for a moment thought it was pretty. Then she thought about the chain. It didn't matter. What made him happy pleased her.
A long fingerless glove that caught between the webbing of Dawn's thumb and index finger was slipped over her right arm. Heavy leather pads were built in to protect her at the shoulders and forearm. Alexa strapped the other end of the glove around her neck. A tap to one of the pads revealed metal underneath.
Rosier returned to the room and both women bowed. He carried with him a bundle. Placing it on the bed, he offered, "My apologies for my harshness earlier. The court grows impatient. They will no longer tolerate failure. Someone will pay for the crimes of the Summers woman. It is out of my hands." Reverently, he pulled a large, hooked-bladed, single-bitted axe from the bundle and offered it to Dawn. His voice grew soft and pensive, "This is Kakia."
Dawn took the shimmering axe from her husband's hand.
"It was forged for me long ago in a place I will never again see. Use it well and return it to me," Rosier remarked. Then he draped a baldric of small knives around her. "These daggers will resist any forms of human magick." He silently left the room once his gifts were bestowed.
"Thank you," Dawn whispered as she looked over the intricate woven pattern forged into the blade of the great axe.
***********
Buffy was to the 'just hurry up and kill me' part of the evening. The bowl of caramel corn her witch had made sat empty on the coffee table. She leaned forward and took a sip of soda from the glass beside it. Her eyes hurt from looking over book after book for some hint at what might destroy the artifact. The result had been less than fruitful. She could find no reference in any of the seemingly hundreds of books that Willow wanted to bury her in of a method for destroying it or even mention of its existence. She looked up at the laptop display. The cube sat silent in the middle of the floor where they'd left it. A sudden urge hit her to go and throw it as hard as she could just to see.
"Well we could always try the old trusty standard: living flame. Bet it doesn't leave a mark," Willow offered disgustedly as she looked up from the book on her lap.
Buffy peered over the pile of books on the coffee table and cocked an eyebrow at the redhead. "Still not a fan of book failure, I see. When the books fail us...what do we do?"
"Normally...wing it," Willow replied in an annoyed tone. A soft growl rumbled from her then she added, "Winging it makes me cranky."
The notebook started to beep and they both looked up. The box was shaking. A soft light appeared around it then it rose from the floor.
"Might wanna get ready with the 'winging it,' Will. Think we're gonna have company soon," Buffy commented in route to the door.
Willow got up and rushed after her partner. "Hold up, slayer. Remember, stay with me till I say?"
Buffy took her witch's hand and opened the door, leading them both out into the lobby. A thick black curtain had replaced the box. She blinked to clear her eyes. There was movement on the other side of the void and she felt a gentle magickal tug come from her witch. Glancing over, she was actually happy to see a more dangerous looking Willow.
When Dawn stepped into view, Willow mumbled something and let go the pulse she'd been building all night. The shock wave of raw sound rippled from her and hit the block wall behind her, first cracking cement and sending showers of powdered limestone into the air. It traveled out at incredible speed, leaving destruction in its path. Debris flew through the air. When it reached Dawn she became part of the debris, flying backward into the wall behind her. "Now!" she directed.
Buffy followed her witch's lead, closing the distance between herself and Dawn just in time to see a blade fly from her hand. She dodged and tried to seize it by magick, but failed. Hoping Willow could handle it, she tore into her sister, grabbing the leather sash and swinging her into the wall she'd just hit. The blocks cracked with the impact. She paused for only an instant to look over her sister. Blood had leaked from her ears during Willow's attack, but she seemed to have recovered without a pause. My Goddess... Talk about the makeover from hell. Did she get a boob job? Her fist drew back to strike Dawn and it shocked the hell out of her when the punch was easily deflected.
Dawn brought her knee up into her sister's groin and watched when she crumbled to the ground trembling. She seized the axe with magick, bringing it toward her.
A deep ragged breath rushed passed her lips as Buffy struggled to compose herself. 'Kay, so...that hurt. Lots! Tears welled up in her eyes. She blinked to clear them and spun into a sweeping kick, taking her sister's legs out from under her. As the axe drew closer, she dove and intercepted it, rolling back to her feet. "But I didn't get you anything," she commented sweetly.
***********
Faith ran from the elevator with her team in tow. "Stay out of it," she directed over her shoulder in a hushed voice. Her attention turned from the two sisters to the redhead. She ran the width of the building, sweeping her up en route. Turning back to the elevator, she shuddered as Buffy smashed into the far wall, sending a shower of broken block when she hit. "B.'s right...we get in that, we're dead. Let's roll," she muttered.
Vi held the elevator open, stepping aside after Faith safely boarded with the injured witch. Another plume of dust and rubble rained over the lobby as Dawn connected with the wall halfway up its height. The doors closed before she saw the brunette hit the floor.
Faith looked down at the woman in her arms. The pommel of a dagger protruded from her just below her right clavicle. "Xander, call 911," she instructed. A soft anxious voice answered through her earpiece, "On it." She waited anxiously for the door to open. Once it did, she exited it and laid the redhead down. A quick search through her pockets yielded her car keys. Tossing them to Vi, she instructed, "In the console—black Evo," she pointed down the row to her car, "There's a pen and a small knife. Need 'em, please."
Vi ran to the car reappearing moments later holding the two items.
"Wish I had somethin' to prep with. Any alcohol you guys can think?" She listened to the chorus of "No's," and she shook her head. "Okay, well...broad spectrum antibiotics for the win," she offered as she gutted the cheap Bic pen down to a hollow tube and cut it in half. "Hold her," she instructed and watched Vi and Rona each take a shoulder. After ripping the front of Willow's blouse open, she measured about four inches down from her armpit on the right side and felt between two ribs just below her bra. She pushed the knife carefully through until blood began to run out then punched the pen in to create a clear drain. "I need to tie her arm off. Anything?"
Rona produced a bandanna and rolled it up.
Faith took the impromptu sling and tied the witch's wrist to her bra under her other armpit. "She needs to be sitting. Let's move her to the Evo."
Vi again took off with the keys to open the car up.
After carefully scooping the witch up from her left side, Faith set off for her car and gently placed her in the passenger seat with Vi's help. She reclined the seat just slightly and sat on the doorsill holding the redhead's free hand. "Hope that field medic course we took had a pay-off. Any luck, I did that right and she won't drown," she whispered as she tried to get comfortable.
***********
Dawn crashed to the floor. A deft kick brought her to her feet. Anger welled up in her as she flew at the slayer.
Effortlessly dodging the sloppy forward moving blow by simply stepping aside, Buffy swung the axe like a golf club, catching Dawn with the flat of the blade right under the tailbone. She watched her sister fly into the wall to her right and send a shower of broken rock as she hit. She was on her again by the time Dawn slid to the floor. Her right foot connected with her sister's left shin producing a compound fracture.
Dawn grabbed for the injured leg reflexively. A foot connected with the side of her head when she leaned forward, knocking her onto her side. Without the bone to support it, her ruined left leg twisted at an impossible angle. The bone protruded through the skin, tearing a hole in the tight leather leggings.
Buffy stood over her injured sister with her hands on her hips. A snarl sounded from deep in her throat then she spat. "You gonna firm up and stay down?" She played with the large axe, twirling it as she waited for a reply. When Dawn didn't answer but moved instead, she responded with a downward kick to her right forearm. Bones snapped under the force. "Stay down," she commanded. The sash of throwing knives caught her eye and she reached down to tear it away.
As the slayer's hand closed in, Dawn took one of the knives in her good hand and swiftly planted it into her sister's right thigh.
A look of panic temporarily passed over her face. Buffy felt for the charm. It was still around her neck. How in the hell? Another knife thrust into her just under her rib cage while she was debating the first.
Dawn smiled as she pressed the small dagger upward toward her sister's heart.
Buffy staggered backwards and fell on her ass. The final knife hit her as she fell, sticking out of her left shoulder. The axe clattered down beside her as she collapsed onto her back. Struggling to sit up, she reached for the dagger that protruded from her thigh then pulled it out. Blood soaked the leg of jeans. Her jaw muscles tensed as she flung the knife away.
The second dagger filled her with fear. Buffy wasn't certain why she was still moving, only that she was and there was still a threat. Her hand went to it. When she yanked it out, she felt her heart stumble. A grunt slipped from her through clenched teeth and she slumped over backwards again. The second wound bled more freely than the first. Her shirt stuck to her as it saturated with blood.
A dark scowl mixed with the pained expression on her face as Dawn fought to turn onto her stomach. When she finally managed to roll over, she dragged herself along with her good arm and leg toward her sister.
Her breathing was labored as Buffy pulled the third knife, but she could feel her body answering the damage. Once she was able, she used the axe to try and stand, pulling herself away from the hand that threatened to close around her throat. She staggered and fell the first two tries. When she finally righted herself, there was no mercy left in her. I gotta put her down. No choice. She snapped a kick with her right foot to the back of Dawn's head. There was a soft cracking noise she knew was the result of a broken nose. She'll live. Then I'm gonna kill her.
Buffy used the axe like a staff to limp across the lobby. When she passed the artifact, the urge stuck her to smash it. She drew back the axe and swung with all her remaining might. The blow shattered the right side of the artifact portal, showering shards of it over the lobby. She stood blinking at her reflection in the broken curtain between worlds. It looked like a broken black mirror to her. Cracks spider-webbed out from the impact point into the section left standing. A soft blue glow leaked out through the cracks in the black mirror. She glanced at the floor, taking in the pieces of broken black glass that littered the ground. When she looked back up, the radiance had grown brighter. A pressing need to flee struck her and she heeded her instincts with no real thought. The portal had begun to pulse threateningly and emit a strange humming noise in just the few seconds it took to make the decision and move. Lightning crackled from it, connecting with the beams of the metal ceiling, stories above.
***********
Faith ducked under the car roof as an explosion shook the parking garage, raining concrete dust over them. Her ears were ringing when she pulled herself upright again. Peering up at the ceiling, she noted the cracks. "We're moving," she directed firmly. Once she was on her feet again, Faith closed the passenger door and got into the driver's side. A siren sounded in the distance, as she slowly crept the car out of the garage. She clutched the redhead's hand, then turned her head to look back at the foundry. Her mouth fell open. A ragged hole gaped in the side of the building and rubble covered the lawn. The roof was caved inward and remains of the building creaked ominously. I hope to hell B. got out.