FIC: The Twilight War (Chapter Two: Elisabeth's Stand)

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Me once again,
Yes I've been busy little bunny, so here it the second chapter of The
Twilight War, you ready for kick ass Buffy? Also all rumours about a Two
Worlds muscial episode are untrue.
Cilia

The Twilight War
Cilia


Chapter Two: Elisabeth's Stand



Buffy was the first to spot the approaching army, ten regiments, each
numbering a thousand. 'They are really throwing a lot into this.' she
thought as she estimated the distance to the first soldier.

"Hand me a longbow," she said and one of Tark's archers handed
her a bow and an arrow. "Is the string strong?" she asked and the archer
nodded. Mounting that arrow she pulled her bow until the shaft vibrated with
tension and then she let it fly.

"Ouch," Cordelia said as she joined her on the timber wall and
Theris was with her staying silent, as it was obvious her mind was somewhere
else.

"Just sending them a small message," Buffy said as she handed
the bow back.

"And that would be?" Cordelia asked.

"I'm here, go away," Buffy said.

"Buying into your own myth?" Cordelia asked with a pointed look.

"No, but I need the troops to believe it," Buffy said in a
hushed voice.

"So I take it we're going to go out and meet them," Cordelia
said.

"No, we'll see what they do first. If they charge us we'll meet
them, but if they're stupid enough to think that they can lay siege to the
entire Nether, well we'll just sit back and rain arrows over them," Buffy
explained.

"What if they open up a portal and come to nip us in the butt?"
Stjar'a said as she joined them.

"You should be in Necris," Buffy said firmly and Stjar'a turned
her eyes skyward.

"You might be able to bully Piratess, but I'm staying," she said
firmly.

"Royalty fallin' in a battle be never a good thing," Gymli said
as he scrambled up onto the wall. "My boys are a ready General," he said.
"Give them word and we'll march out and."

"Nobody is marching anywhere Gymli," Buffy said firmly. "Not yet anyway,"
she added and then she looked out to see that the approaching army had
stopped, just out of the range of their bows.

"Guess they got the message," Cordelia said. "Too bad we can't just throw
mages at them," she added.

"The mages are where they're needed," Buffy said calmly as she focused on
her enemy. "Get the men ready, they're going to charge," she then said.

"How can you tell?" Stjar'a asked and peered out over the field.

"I just know," Buffy answered as she drew her sword. "Cordy, Theris, you two
are with me and somebody get me Ziel," she said. "Gymli keep your men in
check I don't want them charging until I say so," she said firmly. "Tark
ready your archers," she called out.

"What about the Drow?" Stjar'a asked. "This is our land," she said and
pulled herself up to her full regal height.

"When they come here I want you to summon the darkness," Buffy said. "The
Shadows, origins or not, are still human and they don't have infravision,"
she explained and a wicked grin spread over Stjar'a pale features. "I see
you like the idea," Buffy said with a thin smile. "Alright here's the game
plan," she said.



As the Shadow army, under the cover of raised shields, marched towards the
makeshift wooden wall blocking the entrance into the Nether, there was a
hail of arrows that bounced off their shields but still managed to pick off
a few of the soldiers. The arrows were only meant as a formality, kind of a
welcome to the approaching army.

"Alright they are in range," Buffy said in her crouched position
at the gates they'd build into the wall. "Gymli we shall lead the charge,"
she said with a grin. "Stjar'a you ready?" she asked and the princess
nodded. "Great let's do this," she said and stood. "Open the gates," she
shouted and the wooden doors swung open.

"Charge!" Buffy shouted as the dwarves thundered out through the
makeshift gate, at the front was Gymli swinging his hammer and axe and
frothing at the mouth. The noise alone was frightening, but the three women
leading the charge made the earth shudder with their mere presence. The
chanting of prayers to the god of War filled the air as Ziel stood on the
wall and sang.



Running with her sword in one hand and a throwing spear in the other, Buffy
raised the spear and let it fly just before they crashed into the phalanx of
Shadow troops it was the sign for Stjar'a to start. Just as the spear sliced
through the shield of the unlucky soldier that tried to deflect it the sun
disappeared from the sky and the land was covered in thick darkness.

There was panic as the Shadow line broke, but the dwarves did not need the
light of day to fight and the Drow came, wielding knives, poison tipped
crossbow bolts and scimitars. It was a slaughter and the Shadow charge
quickly turned into a route, but they didn't know where to run.



In the center of the melee was Buffy, having picked up a sword for her left
hand from a fallen Shadow soldiers, she was an angel of death, cutting down
Shadow's left and right, this was her revenge, they'd hurt Willow at the
Tower and now she had a chance to repay them in kind. But she was nothing
compared to the Mountain King that raged across the darkened battlefield,
Gymli was a force of nature, having seen much death ten years ago at Necris
the kind hearted dwarf wanted to do everything in his power to prevent it
from happening again and the arrows from the archers' bows fell like rain
over the battlefield.



Tare stood on the wall with her bow and fired off another arrow as tears
streamed down her face. Tark could see them as bright red lines on her face
as he commanded his soldiers to fire off another volley. War after all never
is a beautiful thing, no matter what the sages may write or the poets may
sing. People die and there is blood all around. So swallowing the lump in
her throat Tare let another arrow fly, there would plenty of time for guilt
later.



Then when the sun was setting beyond the curtain of darkness the Drow had
erected Buffy sounded the command to retreat back into the Nether, she might
be able to go on for days, but her soldiers were still mortal and they too
had taken causalities. So after routing the Shadow's they carried their dead
into the Nether and waited.



>From the wall Tark could see that the battlefield was strewn with bodies,
but his mental tally told him that they had a long way to go. Coldly and
calculatedly he estimated that they had maybe cut down a tenth of the Shadow
forces and the trick with the darkness would not work a second time. This
situation was quickly turning into a siege.

"They'll bring up the mages and clerics next," Buffy said as she
joined him on the wall with her sword sheathed and her armor covered in
hardened blood and dirt.

"You took a big risk General," Tark said.
"Well we had to do something," Buffy said. "They need to know
that we will fight them," she said. "How's Tare?" she asked.

"In her tent, crying," Tark said.

Buffy just stared at the Drow general for the longest moment before punching
him in the shoulder with considerable force.

"Go comfort her you dolt," she said. "That's an order," she
added in her command voice.

Nodding the Drow General took his leave and left Buffy on the wall. In the
distance she could see the smoke wafting up from where the Shadow's had set
up camp not far from the Nether. She then looked down at herself, there were
large splotches of blood on her armor and she ran a hand through her tangled
and caked hair. She was a mess, but she didn't intend to clean the armor
until this was over, a symbolic gesture, but a messy one.

"Willow," she whispered into the wind and immediately felt her
wife's mind.

'Hi,' came Willow's giggling reply. 'You win yet?' she asked.

'No, but we scared them good today, listen I don't have much time, but I
wanted to tell you that Al'x is riding in with help,' she said.

'Good,' was Willow's curt reply.

'Also I got a visit from a young girl with a message from Litni,' Buffy said
and she could feel Willow's interest peak.

'What did she have to say?' Willow asked.

'That Litni is okay and Poet's back on the side of good,' Buffy said. "Also
something about the Heart being just a rock,' she added.

'This is good news,' Willow said eagerly. 'Listen I have to bring this to
the rest of the gang,' she then said.

'Wait there is more, she also told me that a something was brewing in the
Dark Lands, a revolution,' Buffy said.

'Good, then maybe we stand a chance of ending this quickly,' Willow said.
'Got to bolt, they're calling for me,' Willow then said.

'I understand.I love you,' Buffy said.

'Love you too and try to sleep,' Willows said and the contact faded.

"Gymli what is it?" Buffy asked without turning around to face the dwarf.

"Well me and the lads were wonderin' if ya would join us for a drink lass,"
Gymli said in his gruff voice. "It would mean a lot to them if ya."

"I'll join you," Buffy said. "I need something bitter right about now," she
said and turned away from the battlefield.

Once Buffy was gone, Theris appeared to take her place on the wall and to
watch the enemy. Drawing her steel sword she summoned up an image of Angel
in the blade and smiled as he appeared.

"Hello old friend," she said with a smile.

"Theris, hi," Angel answered.

"Is everything alright?" Theris asked.

"Well Litni is currently. busy with the young Poet," he said
with a grin. "So I'm trying to lay low," he explained.

"Ah," Theris said with a smile. "Young love strikes once again,"
she stated.

"And again, and again," Angel said with a sigh. "The dead need
their sleep," he added. "I. got news of what happened at the Isle of Ages,"
he said in a graver voice.

"They stripped me of my rank Liam," Theris said reassuringly. "I
'm still of the High and a chosen Guardian," she explained. "Nothing has
changed."

"Yes something has," Angel said firmly.

"Liam," Theris said gently. "We both know that it can't be done.
it's too danger."

"I'll take the chance," he said firmly. "Won't be the first
time," he said.

Theris sighed and looked deeply into the blade at Angel's set jaw and firm
stare and it made her heart ache like it hadn't in centuries.

"Very well then," she said. "We'll consult the mages when the
war is over."

"I'll see you soon," Angel said. "Take care and try not to get
hurt again," he said as the image again faded and before Theris could say
goodbye the blade went dim.
"I love you," she whispered.



~*~*~*~



Tark entered the tent Tare shared with her fellow archer quietly, the two
soldiers already in there quickly made their salutes and left to join their
fellow warriors at one of the many fires that had been set up.

"Lady Tare," Tark said as he knelt by her cot.

"Go away," Tare stated.

"I can't do that, " he said plainly.

"Sure it's easy just stand up and walk out that flap," she said.

"General Summers will horribly beat me if I do not make this
effort," he said and that brought Tare from underneath the covers.

"Good," she said.

"I understand your feelings, I really do," he said. "I've been
there before, but you learn to shut it out," he explained.

"I don't think I'll ever be like you," she said. "I don't want
to die inside."

"I'm not dead inside," Tark said firmly.

"Don't give me that, I saw you on that wall, Tark Dragon of the
Third House, you were so cold that those around got frostbite," she said.

"Come with me," he said after a moments thought.

"I don't wanna," Tare said.

"Well you really don't have any say in it," he said and stood
and hauled her out of the bed and slung her over his shoulder.

"Hey, PUT me down," Tare said and beat her fists against his
back.

"We're going to visit the soldiers," he said. "And your not
sulking here for the night," he said.

"Why?" Tare demanded.

"Cause that's what commanders do," Tark said simply and carried
Tare out of the tent still slung over his shoulder and the hoots and applaud
of the soldiers outside followed them to the nearest fire where he put her
down. By chance it was the fire where Buffy sat with the dwarves and warrior
members of the Roses.

"Abducting our young warriors, General Tark?" Buffy asked from
where she sat by the fire and drank from a large tankard.

"Just showing her how a soldier behaves," Tark explained while
Tare fumed, but accepted a mug of mead.

"And taking the child drinking is your idea of how a soldier
behaves?" Ziel asked looking up from her book.

"I'm not a child," Tare stated firmly.

"Well technically in Drow terms, yer just a wee lass" King Einar
who was drinking said and was glared at hard by Tare

"Talking about robbing the crypt where are Stjar'a and Cordy?"
Buffy asked and looked around.

"Aye, the lasses are in the Royal tent," Gymli said and raised
his tankard. "Hard at work at making an heir no doubt," he said.

"Okay," Buffy said and reached to pull the tankard away from the
dwarf. "I think you had enough old friend," she said.

"Well he's not entirely wrong," Ziel said. "You and Mage Willow
did produce a child did you not?" she asked.

"Keepin' secrets from us lass?" Gymli asked with a raised
eyebrow and laughter erupted around the fire.

"Nope, flat as the fields of Larken," Buffy said with a grin.
"Want to see for yourself?" she asked and the Gymli promptly turned the same
color as his beard and another wave of laughter rolled through the ranks.

"You know for a Mountain King warrior, you blush like a elfin
maiden," Tare said and pointed her tankard at Gymli.

"Well, one is old and the world is changing so one doesn't know
which is which anymore, the grown princess of the Drow is mated to a human
female Ranger, the elfin king marries a human mage, strange times to be
alive in," Gymli said and then topped his philosophical speech with a hardy
burp.

"To interesting times," Buffy said and raised her tankard.

"To interesting times," Tark and Gymli said and raised theirs.

"And may they soon be over," said King Einar and another wave of
laughter rolled over the gathering. As the night wore on Tare emptied her
tankard and placed it on the ground before cuddling up next to Tark. Buffy
smiled in her tankard at the sight of Tark placing his cloak around the
young Drow. Tomorrow these would be the memories that would sustain them.




To be continued in Chapter Three: The Planes of Larken where Willow is
forced to go against her ethics and June Xare Rosenberg-Summers gets her
first taste of Old Realm style warfare.