FIC: Royalty Redux (Chapter 14)

["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 14: Beginnings of the End


"Spike, Xander," Buffy and Giles exclaimed as the duo burst through the
doors.
"You're here good," Spike said, running up the aisle and looking around
the church. Crucifix not good he thought and pulled out a small mobile
phone.
"Report," he barked.
"We've got the prince, but he's in pretty bad shape sir," the undying
on the other end replied.
"What to you mean?" Spike demanded.
"Blood loss and it's massive," the man said.
"Just get him somewhere safe and get him treated, William out," Spike
said and closed the phone.
"The wards should hold for five maybe ten minutes," Willow said as she
came running up to them and the doors closed behind her.
"Spike what's going on here?" Giles demanded.
"In short, we've got the big bad Warlock about to bust through that
door," Spike said and loaded a shell into the shotgun. "The Prince is
safe but in critical condition." he added another shell. ".and Willow is
here, cool, in control and ready to help," he finished with a pump of
the gun.
"Talk later okay," Willow said, sounding very much like her old self, to
a dumfounded Buffy and started scanning the church.
"So what's the plan?" Buffy asked as she followed her gaze around the
church.
"There is no plan. You guys go out the back and I fight him," Willow
said and
Buffy shook her head.
"No deal Willow," she said.
"Buffy please," Willow pleaded and looked back as the doors started to
bulge.
"Willow we're not leaving you," Xander said.
"Giles?" Willow asked, but Giles too just shook his head.
"Spike?" she asked.
"No deal Red," Spike said. "It seems like you are stuck with us."
"Great, just freaking great," Willow cursed.
"Okay Spike what other weapons did you bring," she asked.
"Let me see. one large crossbow, three small ones, some stakes." he
stated and lifted the right flap of his coat. "...and these," he said
holding out the left flap, revealing a row of solid silver railroad
spikes. 
"Good, now Giles the sword you wield might hurt him," Willow said
turning to Giles.
"Might?" Buffy asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Now Buffy, Giles and Spike, I need you three to distract him long
enough for me to banish him. Xander I need you to watch my back," Willow
said as the whole church started to shake.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Spike exclaimed with a devil might care grin
and threw the large crossbow to Buffy and two smaller ones to Giles. 
"Why do I only get one?" Xander said with mock hurt.
"Do the math stick boy," Spike answered. I swear if I get through this
in one piece I'm going to see a shrink.
"Wait I need an object to trap him in. Buffy you still got the crystal?"
Willow asked. Buffy looked down, drew the crystal from her pocket and
handed it to Willow.
"Thank you," Willow said and there was a brief silence as they stared at
each other then there was a soft ahem from both Spike and Giles and both
women snapped out of their trance.
"Now taking his head off might do the trick, just don't count on it,"
Willow said calmly as she took up position at the base of the steps.
"Anything else, like shotgun blast." Spike asked as he stepped in front
of her.
"Or large nasty bolts?" Buffy added.
"No, but it'll hurt him." Willow was cut off as the doors exploded.
"Get ready people," Spike yelled.
"I'm here to destroy you." a red cloaked figure boomed as it rushed up
the aisle, but got shot in the chest.
"Yeah, yeah! Heard it all before," Spike muttered and pumped the gun as
the figure fell down and didn't stand up. An empty shell could be heard
hitting the floor.
"Something isn't right here," Spike muttered and walked over to the body
sword poised and the shotgun at his side.
"Spike?" Willow asked. Spike just glanced back and kept on walking.
Standing over the figure, Spike carefully removed the hood.
"Viktor?" he exclaimed
"Surprise!" The undying said with a smile and shot Spike in the chest.
There was a blur of motion over where the body had fallen and six shoots
could be heard.
"Wait if that's not the Warlock." Buffy began as the windows exploded
into the church. As the gang readied itself, Spike was having problems
of his own.

"Say farewell William Blood," Viktor said as he shot Spike again
"Should have known." Spike muttered, gripping onto the shotgun and
Viktor fired again.
"Should have killed." and for the fourth time a shot was heard
".you while I..," the fifth time.
".had the chance!" 
The sixth shot rang out and Spike fell back against the wall, closing
his eyes.
Viktor walked calmly over to where Spike was lying, throwing away the
empty gun and pulling out a knife as he went.
"I shall give your heart to my sister," he said with a smile, but
Spike's eyes opened and he smiled back with a dangerous gleam in his
eyes.
"My turn," he said, pointed the shotgun at Viktor's head and pulled the
trigger.
"Almost like an exploding melon," he muttered to himself as the body hit
the floor. He then pulled out a silver railroad spike and rammed it into
Viktor's chest.
"Better safe than sorry," he said in a matter of fact tone and then
looked up as the glass began to fall.
"Bloody hell!" He cursed and ran back to his friends.
Giles, Xander, Buffy and Willow were standing back to back in a
protective circle.
"Where the hell is this guy?" Buffy asked as she scanned the church.
"I guess that's him!" Xander said and pointed at the outline moving and
flickering through the church.
"Great invisibility. Which also means he's almost invulnerable," Willow
muttered as Buffy let an arrow fly, but it went straight through.
"Glad you could join us," Buffy nodded as Spike joined them. Ripping
open his shirt, revealing six bullets lodged in his armor.
"Red how do we fight this thing?" Spike asked, checked his gun and
fired, but hit nothing but air.
"First we've got to uncloak him and Spike I think silver sticks in him,"
Willow said with a wicked grin and looked at Spike whose eyes brightened
as he vamped out and sniffed the air. He drew out another spike,
focused his eyes, threw it and then it seemingly came to a halt in
midair. The figure howled out in pain.
"Well that's one way of seeing him," Xander commented as Spike let
another one fly. The group scattered as a magical bolt came flying
towards them.
"Hey look we can see him," Xander yelled as a red cloaked figure
appeared in the middle of the church.
"Xander no!" Willow yelled as Xander ran off and impaled it.
The Warlock looked down at Xander and simply pulled out the staff with
black blood dripping from the blade.
"Guys some help here," Xander squeaked as he got thrown back towards the
doors and landed in a heap on the floor.
"Do I have to do everything around here," Willow exclaimed as she
blasted the warlock back and Spike threw another spike, but the figure
held up its hand and the spike dropped to the ground.

Buffy quietly circled around, as Giles shot at it with the smaller
crossbows, and lined up for a shot. The Warlock turned around and a
lightning bolt tore into Buffy's midsection. 
"Buffy!" both Giles and Willow yelled. Buffy flew back and hit the floor
with a thud.
"Giles no!" Willow screamed and waved her hand. Giles who had thrown
away the smaller crossbows and drawn his sword, now found himself glued
to the floor. Things where turning out just like she'd seen them. She
poised herself in front of the altar. 
"Warlock your fight is with me and me alone!" Willow thundered and
watched as Spike ran to Buffy. The Warlock turned and red eyes glowed
underneath the hood.
"If that is what you wish," he said in a monotone voice devoid of all
emotion.
Willow's answer was a green ball of energy, but the Warlock held up his
hand and stopped it midair before he sent it back to the source. Willow
countered with a shield of blue energy. The battle was on.

Spike laid the shotgun on the floor and looked Buffy over. The blast her
thrown her backwards clear across the church and she lay near the
blasted doors, her suit was scorched and he smelled something burning. 
"Alive, lucky," he muttered as he heard a steady heartbeat and started
ripping her blouse open to check for injuries. Wait a minute he thought.
"Smart girl," he muttered with a smile.
"William," Luna exclaimed as she rushed through the broken doors.
"Luna?" Spike said a sounding a little confused. 
"There are uprisings all over the city," she explained as she looked
over Buffy's prone form. "The clans are doing what they can but."
"Spike we've got incoming," Xander yelled as he stumbled to his feet and
looked out onto the street. 
"Like flies to a corpse," Spike cursed as he saw the hoards of vampires
and lesser demons streaming towards the church from all over the city,
probably the state too.

There was an explosion as the battle raged inside the church. Giles came
loose and rushed over to Buffy. Completely ignoring Willow, the Warlock
and his own personal safety his only thoughts were on the girl he loved
like she were his own daughter.
"Luna, take care of her. Her armor took most of the blast, but she's
unconscious. Get her somewhere safe and keep your head down. I'll be
right back," Spike said, as Giles knelt by Buffy's side. 

Spike then kissed Luna's cheek, grabbed the crossbow that Buffy had been
using and rushed to the door. 
"Giles get over here now," he ordered. Giles glared at him with fire in
his eyes so intense that it made Spike want to turn away.
"Luna?" Spike asked with a look that spoke for him. Luna nodded and
turned to Giles.
"Go she'll be safe I promise," Luna said in soft voice. Giles looked at
Luna then down at Buffy. He then bent down, kissed Buffy's forehead,
calmly stood up and walked towards to the doors.
"They're drawn to the Warlocks power," he stated as they looked out over
the masses of vampires and several minor demons that were marching
towards the church.
"Any bright ideas?" Xander asked.
"We fight. Plain and simple," Spike said letting an arrow fly, twenty
meters away a vampire turned to dust. 
"And wait for backup right.?" Xander asked as they took a stance on the
front steps and Giles pulled the cork out of a small vial of holy water
a poured it in circle around them muttering prayers.
"Right?" Xander asked again. 
"Great something tells me I'll need more than a first-aid kit when this
is over," he muttered.
Behind them a battle raged, as Luna carefully dragged the unconscious
Slayer to relative safety, but they all knew that right now no place was
safe.

To Be Continued.