FIC: Royalty Redux (Chapter 15)

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Title: Royalty Redux
Author: Cilia
Archives: List archivers go right ahead.
Notes: The rewrite of the classic B/W story Royalty, the story that set
the stage for the epic Two Worlds story and made any of the characters
that are still around and kicking in Prophecy's Twilight. 
Relative to the show, this takes place after the events of Graduation,
so those are still in continuity while, but I have taken some liberties
and this is very much an alternate universe story.
Summary: Buffy finds herself in San Francisco looking for Willow, but
the young witch has gone missing, both of them struggle with their
emerging affection for each other and new enemies. Along for the ride
are Spike, Giles, Anya and Xander, every single one of them with a
mission of their own.





Chapter 15: End Game


Inside the church there wasn't single unbroken piece of glass, the
benches lay in broken heaps, holy water spilled on the floor from
knocked over basins and the offering candles burned with blue flames.
"Just die!" Willow screamed as she weaved golden patterns with her hands
and then threw them at the Warlock.

Outside the church the three men readied themselves for the coming
onslaught of a proverbial army of darkness. 
"Don't let them enter the church!" Spike yelled as he took the head of
the first vampire that reached the steps.

Somewhere in the city's underbelly the events taking place did not go
unnoticed by those familiar with the things that travel in the night 
"Keep fighting, no one quits until every last one of them is dead," Lily
shouted to the witches gathered at her side.

Inside the church to the side by the confession booths, lay a Slayer
wounded by a mystical lightning that had torn into her midsection.
"Willow." Buffy moaned as her eyes started to open. 

At the mansion of Daniel Night, the Prince of the city, the armies of
the night also gathered driven by a command from their master to
eliminate the undying ones' powerbase.
"Stand fast," The First of the Elders ordered outside the gates of the
mansion.

In the church, the battle raged on, spell against spell, mind against
mind, soul against nothingness.
"Not good!" Willow exclaimed as she was pushed down onto one knee. 

Outside it three men still stood fast, bloody and scratched, scorched
and torn, but they still stood.
"Yeah ha!" Xander cried out as he cut left and right with his staff.
Giles swung the obsidian blade with grace and silent determination. No
sounds nor thoughts only pure control.

Willow rolled out the way of the animated bladed as it cut into the
floor. Her eyes fell on the crystal tear she'd tied around her wrist.
For Buffy she thought and pulled herself off the floor.
"Must help her," Buffy stubbornly groaned as she tried to sit. 
"Lie still child," Luna ordered the Slayer.
"Must help. love." Buffy said as her vision blurred and she felt a
burning pain.
"I know you want to, but where there is love there must also be trust,"
Luna
said.
"Trust is good," Buffy muttered as she blacked out again.

Outside the tide was surely but slowly turning, as Spike beat a vampire
away with the butt of his shotgun.
"Spike you're buying the beers when this is over," Xander exclaimed as
he high kicked a vampire in the face. Didn't know I could do that he
thought to himself.

Willow stepped defiantly in front the Warlock holding the crystal out in
front of her.
"With love and faith I banish you." she thundered as sparks danced in
her eyes and Buffy stirred as her senses tingled. 
"Willow be careful." she whispered.
"From this land and from this plane." Willow went on as her eyes took on
a green hue. 
"Spike they just keep coming," Xander yelled. "What do we do?"
"We Sing!" Spike stated as he slammed a spike into the chest of a minor
demon.
"Okay you first," Xander said as he went through sequence with the staff
that resulted in two piles of dust. 
"Do you hear singing?" Buffy asked as the tones drifted into the church.
"Yes," Luna nodded.
"If those are angels singing I'm disappointed," Buffy muttered as her
eyes closed again.
"By the power of goddesses and the God in whose house we stand." Willow
felt something hitting her chest and she fell back, but she didn't stop
chanting.

On the steps Spike, Giles and Xander fought on and sang. The vampires
kept coming barely noticing them or their singing. Spike got clawed
across the chest, but didn't stop singing.
"Slayer?" Luna asked with concern as Buffy seemed to be getting paler.
Buffy opened her eyes.
"Still here," She answered with a weak smile and grimaced. "Buffy," she
said after the pain faded.
"Luna," she replied with a soft smile.

"By the powers I have called I banish you." Willow whispered as she lay
on the floor staring up at the crystal in her hand.

There were shouts from the back of the mass of vampires outside the
church. The undying ones came marching from one side and the wiccans
from the other. Xander took a hit to the leg, but fought on and never
did the singing stop.
"How are they doing?" Buffy asked and Luna looked back.
"They're doing great," Luna said with a smile.
"Good and Willow?" Buffy asked.
"She's hanging in there. She's very brave," Luna said.
"Of course she's my Willow," Buffy said with pride.
"With my love for the one you hurt I cast you out. Forever and ever, to
the end of time and end of space," Willows voice rose as she stood from
the floor. 
"Anya," Xander shouted as the former demon cut down the vampire in front
of him.
"Miss me?" she asked with a smile.
"You've no idea," Xander answered with a lop sided grin and Spike
started to sing a new song. Xander shook his head and kept on fighting
as they drove the vampires away from the steps into the fighters behind
them.

A scream echoed through the church and out into the street. Willow stood
over the huddled form of the Warlock, holding the crystal out.
"Your time here is over," she said calmly as the Warlock was drawn into
the crystal that turned crimson red. Then there was silence.

To Be Concluded.