FIC: Terra Australis Incognito 29/29

[CDRERamius@xxxxxxx]

TITLE: Terra Australis Incognito 29/29
AUTHOR: Tony McD
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Joss Whendon, Mutant Enemy, WB and 
others. This is for fun, not profit.
SUMMARY: A stranger with many connections to the Scooby Gang arrives and 
changes their lives forever.
SPOILERS: General Season 4. Follows it for a bit then it's an AU.
DISTRIBUTION: Anywhere is fine, just email me first.
RATING: MA 15+
AUTHORS NOTES: Final part of Terra.


Vampires. Hundreds of vampires pouring out of the white light. The 
first wave of vampires hit the mines and were decimated in blast and flame. 
But for each vampire that was taken out two more surged up the hill towards 
them. The GMG's opened up and, along with the fire from Buffy, Xander and 
David, further decimated their numbers.
Behind them, Giles and Willow started to cast spells from the book 
that they had compiled. They transformed the ground into a bog like quagmire 
to slow the vampires. They sent fire balls into their midst, they sent 
confusion and fear into the minds of the vampires. But regardless of what 
spell was cast it would be countered by Murg Dor who would cast his own 
spells which Willow and Giles countered as well. The mass of demons drew 
closer.
Looking at the rate that the vampires advanced, Xander saw that the 
vampires would eventually get to the hill top, but not before the sun 
reappeared. The vampires were a little over 200 yards away when a number 
stopped. They raised their bows and the sky became thick with arrows. Arrows 
landed all around their position, forcing Giles and David to take cover as 
they lacked the magical protection of the others.
"Xander! For fuck sake, take out those archers!" David yelled above 
the roar of battle. Xander poured fire at the archers who exploded into flame 
as the Match Head rounds hit. The hail of arrows began to diminish.
The sound of the GMG's diminished and Xander swore.
"Shit! Two of the GMG's have stopped firing!" Xander told David who 
looked up at the battle field. Sure enough two GMG's had stopped firing. Now 
it was David's turn to swear.
"Oh fuck!" he said and looked at Buffy and Xander. Buffy was machine 
like as she dealt mechanised death to the vampires. Her face hard, her jaw 
set determinedly as she replaced the barrel of her weapon, reloaded and 
continued killing.
"I'm going to have to try to fix them." David told Xander. With two 
GMG's down the rate of the vampires advance increased. If the GMG's were not 
brought back on line then the mass of vampires would reach them before the 
sun reappeared. David yelled to Xander and Buffy.
"Cover me!" and then David climbed out of the pit and ran towards the 
GMG's. David reached the first GMG as a group of vampires managed to break 
clear of the mines and raced toward the summit where Buffy stood. David saw 
that the GMG had jammed and he raced to clear the jam before more vampires 
came through the break.
They saw the group of vampires which broke clear and sent fire and 
bullets into their numbers. Despite nearly wiping the group of vamps out, 
several vampires made it into the pit.
"Giles! The spray!" Buffy yelled as she pulled out her stake and 
started fighting the vamps. Giles hit the switch that started the spray of 
holy water inside the pit. The vampires roared in pain and tried to climb out 
of the pit but Buffy dusted them.
David yanked the action of the GMG and the weapon began to fire again. 
He then headed to the other weapon. As he approached it a second group of 
vampires was trying to follow the first group to the pit. David sent Spirit 
Fire at them, turning them to ash and creating a wall of fire that 
temporarily blocked the way.
Once David got to the second GMG he saw the reason for it stopping. A 
random arrow had torn out the control wiring between the automatic aiming 
system and the gun. It couldn't be fixed before the vampires reached Buffy. 
Swearing as only a soldier can, David switched the weapon to manual and began 
sweeping the vampires with fire. The vampire army began to crumble under the 
sustained fire.

Murg Dor saw that his army would not be able to reach the humans 
before the sun reappeared. Murg tried to slow time to allow his vampires time 
to kill the humans but it was countered but magic from the summit. The 
reduction of fire after the GMG's stopped gave Murg renewed hope which was 
dashed when they resumed firing. With only a minute or two before the sun 
came out from behind the moon, Murg Dor had one final chance to kill the 
Chosen One. Himself.
Buffy and the gang saw a figure advance toward them. Seemingly 
impervious to the mines and rounds sent it way, the group gasped in horror as 
they realised that it was none other than Murg Dor.
Murg Dor was similar in appearance to the Jachyra but was more 
powerfully built and a sickly green colour. An air of pure evil radiated from 
him, his black eyes seemingly sucked the light into them.
David jumped out of the GMG pit and put himself between Buffy and Murg 
Dor. With a yell, David sent Spirit Fire at Murg Dor who roared as it burnt 
his green scaly flesh. Murg Dor advanced onto David and slashed at the man 
before him. With a wet ripping sound, Murg Dor flung David aside like a rag 
doll.
"NO!!!" Giles yelled as he saw what had happened and in blind rage he 
attacked Murg Dor. Murg picked Giles up and threw him back into the pit, 
breaking Xander's knee and impaling Giles through the hip with a section of 
pipe. Murg Dor clambered into the pit.

Xander could do nothing but watch as Murg entered the pit. Willow 
stood between Murg and Buffy as she gathered her magic to fight Murg Dor. She 
let lose a barrage of magic but Murg Dor used his own magic to shield himself 
from it.
Seeing the uneven fight, Xander began to weep. It wasn't fair. Just 
when they had finally found happiness. Despair filled Xander.
Then something flashed through his mind. The opal that Willow gave him 
in the Dreamtime! Xander dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out the 
opal. It throbbed with energy. As he held it, the situation became clear. 
David and Giles were wrong! Buffy wasn't the Chosen One that Murg Dor needed 
to kill, Willow's child was!
Ignoring the pain of his shattered knee, Xander limped up behind Murg 
Dor and with an inhuman yell, buried his hand with the opal in it deep inside 
Murg Dor. Magic flowed through Xander and exploded out of the opal. With a 
final wail, Murg Dor disintegrated under the force of the white light which 
burned through him.
The magic flowed through Xander unabated as he sent it into the 
vampires which had come so near. White fire reduced dozens to ashes as it 
chased the now fleeing vampires down the hill. The magic stopped only when 
the sun reappeared from behind the moon, reducing the remaining vampires to 
ashes. Xander's legs gave way and he fell on the ground which had been fused 
into a green glass beneath his feet from the magic. Buffy and Willow removed 
Giles from the pipe and helped Xander and Giles out of the pit and to David.
David lay on the ground which was soaked with his blood. He was nearly 
torn in half from Murg Dor's attack. He slowly blinked at them as Giles 
openly wept and cradled David's head in his arms. Xander sat beside his 
friend.
"Don't cry Dad." David said weakly to his father.
"You can't die! You can't die now!" Giles cried.
"Journey's end." David told Giles. Xander looked at David shocked.
"You knew! You knew that you were going to die!" Xander said 
accusingly. David slowly nodded.
"No one can escape their destiny. Mine was revealed to me when I went 
to the Dreamtime." David coughed up blood. "Dulce decorum est pro patria 
mori." 
Xander looked up at Buffy. There was tears in her eyes as she cried at 
what had happened. Although she and David didn't get along, she knew how 
important he was to Giles and she respected the sacrifice that David had 
made. She saw him in a new light as she realised that they had much in 
common. Both destined to fight evil and to one day die in the fight. Both had 
their death prophesied, but Buffy had Xander to bring her back. No one could 
bring David back. David looked up at Giles with child like eyes full of fear.
"Dad."
"Yes son."
"Take me home."
Buffy could only watch as a grieving father held his dead son in his 
arms.

Xander looked out across the lights as they were reflected off the 
water. The beauty of Sydney harbour at night was lost on him as he reflected 
upon the loss of his friend. They had buried David with full military 
honours. Publicly, David died of an animal attack while on holiday in the 
United States but the truth was known by the small number of people involved 
with the new Slayers Council. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his 
hotel door. Opening it, Xander received a shock.
"Spike! What the hell are you doing here?" Xander said. Spike walked 
in and shoved a bag at Xander.
"David said to make sure that you got this." the vampire said. Xander 
opened the bag to find a leather bound book and a letter. Tearing open the 
letter, Xander began to read.

Xander,
I'm giving this to Spike to give to you as I won't be able to do it myself. I 
need to tell you a few things which are quite important.

First off, in defeating Murg Dor, you have sealed the Hellmouth for many 
years to come. Murg Dor drew much of his energy from the Hellmouth and in 
defeating him, the power drain will render the Hellmouth dormant and unable 
to be opened for quite some time.

Second, I ask that you, Buffy, Willow and Dad help train my unit to fight 
vampires and demons. I have spoken to the government and it is agreed that 
you will have full control on how they are to be trained and used. I've also 
spoken to Albert about getting the Slayers Council involved as well. Please 
do this. I want my home land to be safe again.

Thirdly, look after your child. She is important to the future of the battle 
between good and evil. I have written a book regarding what I have been told 
of the future. I don't understand much of it but you will be able to make 
more sense of it when the time is closer. In that same vein, hang on to the 
black opal as somehow it is important in the future.

Finally, look after Dad for me. This will be hard on him but he will have to 
get on with his life. Don't say anything to him but he is very attracted to 
Buffy's mum. Maybe you guys can help things along in that direction.
Tell him that I love him.

Farewell.

Your friend,
David.

Xander looked up at Spike. The vampire smirked at him.
"You know it's a real pity that he's dead. I rather enjoyed how he 
used to annoy the Slayer." Spike said and turned to leave.
"Where are you going?" Xander asked. Spike looked back.
"I'll be around. Enjoy your book." he said and left.
Xander picked up the leather bound book and opened it up. On the front 
page was the name of the book that David had written.
Terra Australis Incognito. The Unknown South Land.

5 Years later.

They sat in banana chairs on the white sand of Captain's Beach. On the 
horizon was the entrance to Jervis Bay and Bowen Island which provided 
shelter to the beach they sat on. Beyond that lay the Tasman Sea. Buffy, 
Willow and Xander watched as their daughter played in the sand.
A young boy of about 4 went up to their daughter.
"Hello." he said.
"Hello." she said back.
"You want to see something cool?" he asked.
"OK." she replied. The boy opened his hand to reveal a tiny white sand 
crab no bigger than an adult thumb nail. She was amazed at the little crab.
"Can I touch it?" she asked.
"Sure." he said. She touched it but the little crab nipped her finger. 
She gave a short squeal of fright and jerked her hand back. The little boy 
threw the crab into the water and looked at her with concern in his big brown 
eyes.
"Are you OK?" he asked.
"It bit me on the finger, look!" she said and held her finger out for 
him to see where it had nipped her. The little boy took her hand to have a 
closer look.
Buffy, Willow and Xander looked on in utter shock when their eyes 
flashed white. A mist every colour of the rainbow lifted from them and 
twisted together in a slow dance. They fused together in a flash of white 
light and disappeared. The little boy smiled at the little girl.
"My name's Paul." he told her.
"I'm Jenny." she said to Paul. They giggled and then hand in hand, 
Paul and Trinity's Child ran down the beach together in search of adventure.