FIC: Realms (19/19...?)

[shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Realms

By

Sam


Title: Realms (19/19? now would I end it here...)
Email: shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxxxxxx 
Rating: R (kinda sorta, its my best guess might be PG-13)
Disclaimer: Yeah they belong to Joss, not me (Sad face) I'm only 
borrowing them for a while to have a little fun.
Spoilers: Everything is fair game 
Archive: The usual suspects, all others just ask me, I'll say yes, 
really I will.
Pairing: B/W T/F G/J
Thanks: Coy thanks for the most outstanding job in beta reading my 
humble tale and for all the most excellent advise, which is greatly 
increasing the realm of Realms.
Notes: Are you ready to rumble, and yes feedback is welcome, do I 
have to beg here 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Outer Earth:

Giles held Joyce tightly as they waited for the two slayers and their 
perspective soulmates to return from the Middle Ethereal. He wanted 
to comfort Joyce, to tell her that everything was going to be OK but 
he couldn't, all he really could do is tell her that when he left 
them all four girls where safe, and hold on to her. He loved all 
four girls like they where his own daughters, but he knew that all of 
this was taking a bigger toll on Joyce, after all she was Buffy's 
mom, and their was nothing he could do to help her through this 
except be there for her.

Joyce rested her head on Giles shoulders and wandered what was going 
through his mind. She knew he had done his best to assure her that 
Buffy and the others where well and safe but she could tell by the 
sound of his voice that he was worried. She couldn't blame him 
because she was worried too. The Warlock had already put Xander and 
Cordelia in the hospital, killed Angel, and then almost killed her 
daughter, but that's not worried her. It was the Warlock himself 
that she found herself thinking about. She couldn't get him out of 
her mind. Ever since she learned that Buffy was the Slayer she was 
deeply worried for her daughters' safety, but she also realized that 
Buffy could take care of herself. Which she always did, along with 
Willows help and the help of the others she always managed to 
survive, but this time was different, this time she had seen the evil 
that her daughter had to fight first hand.

Middle Ethereal:

Willow sat in Buffy's lap with her head resting on the blonde 
slayer's shoulder. Across from them Tara and Faith sat on another 
one of the benches in Alexandria's Garden. She watched them as they 
whispered amongst themselves for a moment then turned her attention 
back to Buffy, tilting her head just right so she could place a 
gentle kiss on her soulmates lips.

Buffy smiled at Willow and tenderly ran her hands through her 
soulmates silky red hair, "That's nice."

Willow blushed slightly and snuggled up even closer to Buffy and the 
blonde slayer began to place gentle kisses on her neck.

"Hmmm...I hate to interrupt you but there are something's I need to 
cover before your sent back to face the Warlock," Fey replied as she 
approached the four young women.

"Like what," Buffy asked.

"Like how the only way you can defeat him is to banish him."

"Banish him, why can't we just slay him," Faith replied.

"You could, but Ciarán is a powerful warlock and it is very likely 
that he would take a couple of you with him in the prolonged fight it 
would take to slay him."

Faith looked at Tara then over at Buffy and Willow, "So how do we 
banish him?"

Outer Earth:

Giles and Joyce both leapt off of the couch when Buffy, Willow, Faith 
and Tara returned. They rushed over to the young women and began to 
hug them, checking to see if they were all right.

After several minuets of hugging the girls broke away from Giles and 
Joyce, Buffy looked at her mom then at her soon to be step-dad, "You 
guys might want to sit down, we need to talk."

Giles and Joyce walked back over to the couch and sat down 
immediately grabbing each other's hand, "OK Buffy what's going on," 
Joyce replied in a very motherly voice.

"We have to face the Warlock and we have to do it before tonight."

Giles stood up and walked over towards the four of them, "Why so 
soon? We should take time and prepare, especially after what happened 
last night, besides all of you should rest some."

"We don't have the time for that."

"Buffy is right Giles," Willow replied, "from what Fey said all the 
stars will be in there proper alignment tonight for him to open the 
Hellmouth for good, if we don't strike now it will be to late."

"Besides," added Buffy, "not only did Fey show us were to find the 
Warlock, she also gave us something to put an end to him."

"What?"

"This," answered Tara, producing a glistening red gem that was 
triangular in shape.

"Th-th-that's?a," stammered Giles.

"Banishing Crystal," Tara replied.

"I didn't think any of them still existed."

"On Outer Earth they don't, but we were in the Middle Ethereal." 

Middle Ethereal:

Fey, stood alongside Alexandria and Sabryn in the Hal of Slayers. The 
three of them were staring into a mirror with golden trim that was 
hung on the wall. Through it they watched as the for chosen warriors 
made their way to the warehouse that Fey had revealed to them as the 
lair of the Warlock.

"Do you think they can do it," Alexandria inquired.

"They have to or all is lost," Fey replied.

Outer Earth:

Ciarán was packing up the last of the supplies he needed for 
tonight's ceremony when the door to the warehouse flew open.

"Warlock, we have some business to settle," shouted Faith as her and 
Buffy stormed through the door with Willow and Tara right behind them 
chanting a protection spell for the two slayers.

Ciarán grinned wickedly, "So you think you have business with me, 
tell me this Slayer. Do you really think you can win?" He then looked 
at Buffy and Willow and snarled, "Shouldn't the two of you be dead?"

"Sorry to disappoint you," quipped Buffy.

"Don't worry about it, I plan on changing that circumstance right 
now," growled the warlock as he raised his hands into the air and 
shot a bolt of energy right at Buffy.

The bolt soared directly towards here but immediately dissipated when 
it hit the protective field that Willow and Tara had through up over 
the slayers.

"Somebody's been practicing, try and stop this."

The Warlock then launched a fireball at the four of them but it to 
was stopped by the field, however both Willow and Tara could feel the 
field beginning to weaken under the warlocks onslaught.

"You guys got to do something about this, I don't think the field can 
take much more," Willow shouted.

"Sure thing Red."

"Your wish is my command," replied Buffy as she gave Willow a quick 
peck on the cheek for good luck before springing into action.

Buffy rushed the warlock from the right and Faith from the left. He 
waved his hands through the air and sent Buffy falling to the ground, 
only to be blind sided by Faith.

As the Slayers fought the warlock Willow and Tara quickly drew a 
circle outline on the ground and sat down inside of it, they then 
placed the Banishing Crystal in the center of the circle and began 
the chant Fey had taught them a few hours ago.

Ciarán spun around in rage and lifted his right hand in the air. It 
began to glow with magical energy, "See if that puny protective field 
can withstand this."

Before the warlock could cast his spell Buffy swept his legs out from 
under him. He fell flat on his back and the energy blast that was 
ment for Faith shot up straight into the air and blew a large hole in 
the warehouse ceiling sending rubble falling down around them.

"Thanks, B."

"Don't mention it, I kinda owed you one."

Faith rushed up to the warlock and kicked him square in the ribs as 
he tried to get up, "That's for trying to make me feel like nothing."

Buffy then kicked him from the other side, "And that's for trying to 
kill me and Willow."

Ciarán vanished before either one of the slayers could get in another 
punch. He re-appeared several feet away from them, "And this is for 
thinking you could beat me."

The warlock then shot out several bolts of lighting at the two 
slayers completely dissipating the protective field and sending the 
two of them flying backwards.

Buffy and Faith quickly jumped to their feet and took a defensive 
stance.

The warlock stared at them for a moment then raised both his hands 
towards the ceiling,. A large ball of fire formed above his 
head, "Now I end this."

"Buffy, Faith?NOW," Shouted Tara causing the two slayers to dive 
towards the wall of the warehouse.

A bright beam of blue light shot from the banishing stone and struck 
the warlock in the chest lifting him up off of the ground and 
canceling out his spell.

He screamed in agony as the gems power opened up a porthole to Limbo 
around him. The two slayers picked themselves off of the floor and 
watched in astonishment as the field of light grew brighter and 
brighter, then simply vanished into nothingness along with the warlock

They walked over to Willow and Tara and helped their perspective 
soulmates up off of the warehouse floor.

"So what now," Buffy asked.

"Don't know about you B, but I think I'm gonna spend some quality 
time with Tara."

"Sounds good to me," Tara replied before wrapping her arms around 
Faith's waste.

Buffy turned to Willow and saw that she was grinning from ear to ear.

The redhead walked over to her and placed her hands on her 
shoulders, "I think we should let Giles and your mom know we are OK."

Buffy's voice was filled with a little disappointment, "Oh, I guess 
that's true."

Willow playfully punched her in the arm. "Then, afterwards, I have 
special plans for you."

"That'll work," Buffy replied.

Buffy then looked over at Faith and Tara, "Hey we're going to let 
everyone know we're still alive. We'll see you guys tomorrow."

Before Faith or Tara could respond there was a bright flash of light 
and the two of them vanished before Buffy and Willow's eyes.

Buffy protectively wrapped her arms around Willow, "What's going on 
here?"

"Fear not child," Fey said in a reassuring voice as she materialized 
to the left of them, "the battle is won and they are safe."

"What happened to them."

"They have been sent to the Middle Ethereal."

"Why," Buffy and Willow asked in unison.

"The time has come for their destiny to be revealed."


Inner Earth:

Lord Laos flung his seeing gem across his chambers in rage; he 
couldn't believe what he had just seen. Not only had the slayers and 
witches defeated the warlock but they did so before he could open the 
Hellmouth thus preventing his minions access to Outer Earth.

The Demon Prince let out a guttural grown that echoed throw the 
bowels of his lair; "This is far from over!"


Middle Ethereal:

Tara and Faith found themselves standing in a cottage that the 
brunette slayer didn't recognize. Faith watched as Tara's eyes ran 
over her and several pictures that were laid out on a coffee table 
with glee.

The brunette slayer walked over to her soulmate and wrapped her arm 
around her, "Where are we?"

"Home."

"Home?" Inquired a very puzzled Faith.

"That's correct Child," replied an older looking version of Tara as 
she walked in through the front door of the cottage.

Tara spun around and stared at the woman for a moment before rushing 
over to her, "Mom!"



Next up Realms: Interlude