FF: Realms (15/?)

["sam stoltz" <shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Realms
By
Sam

Title: Realms (15?)
Words of praise: Special thanks to Coy, a most excellent beta reader 
and offer of like totally great advise, don't know what my poor 
twisted self would do without her help, but I do know that Realms 
wouldn't be what it. 
email: shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxxxxxx 
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own any of the characters 
associated with Buffy the Vampire Slayer (though I wish I did), they 
belong to Joss. I am borrowing them, taking them out to play for a 
while. 
Spoilers: None that I can think of, but everything is fair game 
Archive: Gary, Bill, Quin, Stephanie, all others just shoot me an 
email first.
Pairing: B/W, F/T, G/J
Notes: Please don't hate me for what I'm about to do but it's been 
along time coming, and not everyone's going to survive. Warning some 
angst and Character death ahead. Feedback is the life line that keep 
the muses going, it is greatly appreciated, do I have to beg here, I 
will it's not beneath me.
______________________________________________________________________

"They make a good couple," stated Angel.

"Yeah, all right, but which couple are you talking about," Inquired 
Cordelia pointing towards the two slayers and their girlfriends 
walked from the dance floor towards the table.

Xander leaned back in his seat and wrapped an arm around Anya, "She's 
got a good point, do you mean Buffy and Willow or Tara and Faith?"

"I was talking about Buffy and Willow, but Faith and Tara are good 
for one another too."

"Nice of ya to approve of us oh brooding one," replied Faith as she 
and Tara sat down across from Angel.

Tara gave Faith a playful punch on the shoulder, "That's not nice."

"Well when he starts to cheer up and isn't Mr. Doom and Gloom all the 
time I'll stop," replied Faith.

"Good point, Faith," replied Buffy as her and Willow took their seats.

The next few hours seemed to fly by for the group as they talked 
about old times, joked with one another, filled Cordelia and Angel in 
on what had happened in Sunnydale since the two of them had left for 
LA, and listened to the brooding vampire and ex-cheerleader tell of 
their LA adventures.

Buffy stood up and took Willows hand, "Care for one last dance before 
we head out on patrol?"

"Definitely," replied Willow.

Faith leaned over to Tara, "What ya say we join em?"

Before Tara could respond a mysterious cold breeze blew through the 
bronze, sending Buffy and Faiths slayer senses into over drive.

Tara wrapped her arms around the brunette slayer who had began 
trembling, "Faith, what's wrong?"

"He's here." 

"Who's here?"

"The Warlock," replied Faith recalling the coldness she had felt 
during the other two encounters with the warlock.

"If he's here he's not alone," shouted Buffy as several vampires made 
their way into the bronze.

The two slayers and Angel took up fighting positions in front of the 
others as the vampires slowly began to make their way towards them. 
The stopped about twenty feet from the group and stood there glaring 
at the two slayer and their friends, the space in front of the vamps 
began to waiver then emit a deep red glow, followed by a bright flash 
that produced The Warlock.

Ciarán looked Buffy dead in the eyes, "Now I end this," snapped The 
Warlock, motioning the vampires to attack.

Tara began chanting a protection spell for the groups as Willow 
launched a rather large fireball towards the vampires only to have it 
dissipated by The Warlock.

"It's not going to be that easy to win this time Mage," shouted The 
Warlock. He raised his hand into the air and shot a bolt of lighting 
towards Buffy.

Willow quickly raised a magical shield around her beloved causing the 
bolt to reflect back at The Warlock, sending him flying into the wall.

The vampires charged them, focusing primarily on Faith and Angel.  
Buffy rushed over towards her fellow slayer and grabbed one of the 
attacking vampires by the back of the collar and flung him across the 
room. She proceeded to grab another vamp by the chin and decapitated 
him with her bare hands.

The Warlock stood up and launched a fireball towards Tara as she 
continued her protection chant, Willow focused on the fireball as it 
careened towards the blonde immortal and caused it to dissipate 
seconds before it would have struck her. She then turned her 
attention back to The Warlock only to see a second fireball strike 
the in the heart of the vampires who where attacking Angel. She 
stood there in horror as the vampires along with Angel where reduced 
to ashes.

The Warlock then shot another fireball towards Faith and Buffy who 
had just finished off the last of the vampires. He watched as the 
fireball sailed through the air and struck an invisible barrier that 
Willow had put between him and her friends.  

"Well done young Mage, unfortunately for you I have more than one 
trick up my sleeve," replied the smirking Warlock as he vanished 
before her eyes.

Cordelia knelt down and ran her hand through the ashes where Angel 
had been fighting, tears started to stream down her cheeks as she 
though of her friend and mentor and all that he had done for her.  
She looked up at her friends who had formed a circle around her and 
sobbed, "He's gone."

"And good riddance, there's nothing worse than evil gone good," 
snapped 
Ciarán, reappearing next to Tara.  

The warlock reached out with his right arm and shot several bolts of 
energy into Xander and Cordelia dropping both of them to the ground. 

Ciarán looked at a stunned Willow, "It seems you have much to learn," 
he then turned towards Faith and looked her dead in the eye, "Since I 
couldn't get you to leave I guess I'll just have to take something 
you care about," Replied The Warlock as he grabbed Tara and vanished.


TBC. . . .(Heheh)