Repost FIC: Terra Australis Incognito 25-29/29

["Tony McD" <o163210@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

TITLE: Terra Australis Incognito 25-29/29 
AUTHOR: Tony McD (o163210@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Joss Whendon, Mutant Enemy, WB and 
others. This is for fun, not profit. 
SUMMARY: Buffy, Willow, and Xander have their lives turned upside down and embark on a new destiny together. (B/W/X). First of my Terra/Trinity/Destiny series.
SPOILERS: AU around season 4. 
RATING: R (for language)



Authors Note: I'll be posting the entire series in sequential order over the next week or 2. The stories are (in order) Terra Australis Incognito, La Vita Nuova (written by Kirayoshi), Let the Games Begin (also by Kirayoshi),Bucket Full of Sunshine, Trinity's Child, and Destiny's End.

 
 
Chapter 25
 

There was a chorus of out cries at the judgment from the General Council. They were here to listen to the Slayer's request, not to witness her death. The Chief Watcher called for silence. Buffy stood defiant before the High Council. 

 

"What makes you think that you can stop me from walking out of here?" she said, her voice low and dead serious. The Chief Watcher made a motion with his hand and a young Watcher produced a pistol. Instantly there was a flurryof motion that revealed Xander pointing a machine pistol at the young Watcher. Xander was all business. His protective instincts towards Buffy and Giles coupled with his training, meant that any wrong movement on the young Watcher's part would be instantly fatal. 

 

The General Council was shocked at the production of guns into the meeting.David strolled up to the table where the High Council sat. He gave them a smile that reminded Buffy of the cruel smile that Angelus gave when he was enjoying a really bad moment. Without taking his eyes off the High Council,he spoke. 

 

"Albert, I'm guessing you would like to say a few words right about now. Why don't you share them with us?" David said. The old man stood, his eyes burning with anger at the High Council. 

 

"I bring the Slayer here in order for her to ask for our help. Instead, youalready dismiss her request out of hand and then put a death sentence on her and her Watcher..." the Chief Watcher leapt to his feet and interrupted. 

 

"He is no longer her Watcher!" the Chief Watcher said firmly. 

 

"She is the Slayer and he is her Watcher!" Albert said defiantly. 

 

"Shut up and sit down you ignorant black savage!" the Chief Watcher yelled at the old man. A hand grabbed the Chief Watcher by the throat and lifted him clear of the table. It was David. 

 

The look that David gave the Chief Watcher was truly terrifying. No overt displays of anger, just a look that was cold, hard and frighteningly calm. It was clear to all that the Chief Watcher's life was a hairs breadth away from being violently ended. David would kill the Chief Watcher with little more compunction than stepping on a bug. 

 

"Apologize to Albert. Or else." David said in a monotone voice. There was no need to explain the 'or else'. 

 

"I'm sorry." The Chief Watcher choked out as David slowly cut off his air. David released the man. 

 

"Good. Now there will be no punishment of the Slayer or her Watcher. While she and I don't like each other much, I have the deepest respect for her and realize how vital she is to this world. As for her Watcher, well, him being my father should be explanation enough. Now, Albert, I believe you were saying something before you were rudely interrupted." said David.

 

Albert stood before the General Council and addressed them. "A Slayers' duty is to fight the forces of evil and slay vampires. A Watchers' duty is totrain her, guide her and aid her in the performance of her sacred duty. The Watchers Council has a duty to train, aid and monitor the Watcher in his duty. What we have seen here today is a demonstration of this Councils' betrayal of its' duties. The High Council sacked her Watcher for trying to stop an old fashioned and barbaric test. It then brings her and her Watcher inunder false pretences to kill them. To kill the Slayer. 

 

"I have studied the Watchers Diaries of 416 Watchers and their Slayers. Of those 416, the average life span of the Slayer is 18. 137 Slayers have faced apocalyptic events. All were successful at adverting the apocalypse but only 10 survived the battle. Of those 10, 2 have faced two or more apocalyptic events. Buffy Summers is the only surviving one of them. "

 

"Buffy Summers is the most successful Slayer in recorded history. What makes her different? She is stronger physically than most other Slayers, but not massively so. Is it the support she has received from the Council? Most certainly not. What is it then? I say it is the support she receives from her Watcher and her friends. The love, the care, the reassurance that she will never go into battle alone. That is what makes her different. That is what makes her so successful." Albert said to the General Council. They hung on his every word. 

 

"This Council, this Watchers Council, has the attitude that the Slayer works for the Council. In reality, the Council should work for the Slayer. Things have changed over the centuries. No longer are Slayers illiterate peasant girls of the dark ages. They are highly educated, wise to the modern world, and demanding of a life as normal as is possible. This Council, this Watchers Council, has failed in its duties to the Slayer. I propose the formation of a new council, The Slayers Council, a council mindful of its duties and able to adapt to today's modern world." Albert looked about the stunnedWatchers. 

 

"Who will stand with me, who will stand behind the Slayer?" he asked them. Silence. Then the figure of Sam Zabuto stood and walked up to Buffy. He gently put his hand on the Slayers shoulder.  

 

"I lost my Slayer, my Kendra, in the fight against vampires. I trained her in the manner of which the Council dictated. I held myself above her emotional needs and attempted to remove her emotions, lest they make her weak. I was wrong. My mistake cost her, her life. A few days after I was told of her death, I realized just how much she meant to me. But it was too late. Shenever knew how I felt. She was like a daughter to me. I know that many Watchers feel that way about their Slayers, but usually it is only after her death do they realize it." Sam Zabuto looked at Buffy, a sad but determined look on his face. 

 

"I stand with you, Slayer. For you, for future generations of Slayers, for my Kendra." said Sam. Buffy smiled at the Watcher, grateful at his support.She too had fond memories of Kendra and the bond that they shared. 

 

She then looked around at the General Council. 

 

One by one, then in small groups, Watchers took their place behind Buffy and Giles. In the end, over half of the General Council stood with her. The vast majority of them were Watchers from outside England. Giles smiled a triumphant smile. 

 

"Gentlemen," he said to a shocked High Council, "with no further business, this meeting is closed." said Giles and turned for the doors. 

 

"Just one more thing." David said, reaching into his jacket and pulling outa piece of paper. "This is an agreement between the Australian, US, British, and other major governments which guarantees protection and aid to the Slayer and her associates. It reads 'any interference or threat to the Slayer or her associates by any individuals or groups shall be deemed by all nations as a threat to national and international security, and as such, it shall be dealt with accordingly'." David put the paper away. "I would think about that gentlemen if I were you." David said to the High Council. He thenturned and with Albert, Buffy and Giles, led the new Slayers Council out of the manor. Once everyone was out, Willow summed up the whole event. 

 

"Holy shit!"

 

Chapter 26
 

The next few days were so hectic that they were a blur. The new Slayers Council began setting up and elected Albert to head it. Both the Watchers Council and the Slayers Council had a Slayer. Buffy and the rest of the gang returned to Sunnydale to continue with the preparations for the up coming WarOf The Six. The Slayers Council along with Giles and Willow researched more into Murg Dor and spells that could be used in the battle against him andhis army. Buffy, Xander and David trained together; while neither David nor Buffy would ever admit it, they learnt from each other in the rare moments that they were not pissing each other off. There was only one major question that hadn't been answered. Who would be the sixth person in the war. 

 

With the split within the Watchers Council, the second Slayer was under thecontrol of the Watchers Council and would not be part of the war. At various times, everyone asked David who would take the second Slayers place. Allwere told the same thing. "Don't worry. I've got it fixed." David knew what was going to happen, not all of what was going to happen, but enough to know what he had to do. All he could do was wait for events to unfold. Threeweeks from the war, the first event in the chain reaction foretold happened. 

 

Buffy and Willow were patrolling when they were ambushed by a group of demons. The fight was fierce, too fierce. The fight had reached its peak when David and Xander, who were patrolling separately from Buffy and Willow, showed up. It was at that point that one demon ran Buffy through with its dagger. Xander and David finished off the demons while Willow tended to Buffy. The wound was deep and was so close to her heart. Buffy's lungs were fillingwith blood. Willow was frantic. Her lover was dying before her eyes. Willow cried and begged Buffy not to die. David and Xander rushed to the fallen Slayers side. David quickly examined the wound. He looked into Willow's tearful eyes. 

 

"We can save her. But I need your help, I can't do this with out you." David told the grief stricken Wicca. 

 

"Anything! Just save her!" Willow cried out. 

 

"I need to draw upon your power and combine it with mine so we can heal her. It's risky but it's the only way to save her." David said. 

 

"I don't care how risky it is! Let's just do it!" Willow nearly shouted at the young man. 

 

David took Willow's hands in his and closed his eyes. He began speaking in the language of his people and a white light formed around their hands. He then lowered their hands over the wound. Buffy and Willow screamed as the light flared and David chanted louder. The wound glowed white then closed over. Exhausted, David let go of Willow's hands and grew silent. 

 

Willow nearly fainted beside Buffy while Xander looked on, fear blazing in his eyes. Fear for Buffy, for Willow, for the world should Buffy die. 

 

Buffy sat up and examined the wound. It was gone, save a small scar. With the help of Xander she stood up and helped Willow up. All three looked at David who was still knelling on the ground. 

 

"What did you do to me?" Buffy asked in a hushed tone. David slowly looked up at the Slayer, a look of incredible age on his face. 

 

"I combined my power and Willow's power to call upon the Chimea spirits to heal you. It was risky, the spirits might have killed me for disturbing their slumber, but I had to do it. If you die before the War Of The Six then the world is lost." David got to his feet. 

 

"Come back to my place. There are other things that we need to decide on." David said. They all walked in silence back to David's place where Giles met them. 

 

 

"I can't just stop patrolling for three weeks! The death toll in this town is high enough." Buffy forcefully told he Watcher. Giles, upon hearing of Buffy's close call, decided that until the war, Buffy should refrain from patrolling. He paced about, deep concern on his face. 

 

"Buffy, if you die then the world will die. We can't risk losing you," he said to her. 

 

"Giles!" Buffy exclaimed. Up until now only Buffy and Giles had spoken. NowDavid stepped forward. 

 

"I think I have a solution. It's risky and neither of you will like it much." he said in a quiet reasonable tone. Buffy and Giles looked him. 

 

"Well? What's this big bad solution?" Buffy demanded to know. David paused for a few moments before speaking. 

 

"It's an Aboriginal ritual. It confers a limited invulnerability to the recipients. But its got a couple of risks and drawbacks." he told them. 

 

"Well, what are they?" Xander asked. 

 

"The ritual confers an invulnerability against injury from things not of tooth or claw. Daggers, swords, bullets will not be able to harm you. It willalso have the effect of not allowing Murg Dor to cut you down in a hail ofarrows during the war. It won't stop a vampire from tearing you apart withits hands or draining you. Basically it means that in order to kill you, they have to get close enough for hand-to-hand combat. The ritual must be performed on the young, so I'm afraid that it can't be done to you Dad." David told Giles sadly. David continued. 

 

"If I'm going to do this then I would want Buffy, Willow, Xander and myselfto under go it. The ritual involves bringing about a soul messenger forth from each person. This soul messenger then travels to that persons soul mate."

 

"Soul mate?" Willow asked. 

 

"It is an ancient belief that each person is created from a lump of clay which is divided in two, each half becoming a person, each half being the soul mate of the other. The soul messenger seeks out the soul mate. Once it does then each person will know who and where their soul mate is. Then the soul mates are brought into physical contact with each other and their souls rejoin and become one. Regardless of where in the world your soul mate is you will know where they are and I'll be able to get them here within 48 hours."

 

"So what's the risk?" Giles asked his son. 

 

"The risk is that should the persons soul mate be dead, then the soul messenger will also die, killing that person." There was silence as everyone contemplated that thought. David turned to his father. 

 

"I think that we should leave them so that they can discuss it, hey Dad?" Giles nodded. As they left the room, David had one more thing to say. He turned to Xander. 

 

"Oh. By the way, the dress code is the same as last time." David informed him then left. Willow looked quizzically at Xander. 

 

"Dress code? What's the dress code?" she asked her friend. Xander blushed, feeling awkward. 

 

"Um... well... you see... there is none. You have to be naked as the day you were born," he said. 

 

 

The argument had been going on for almost 10 minutes. Buffy was reluctantlyfor the ritual. Willow was against it, privately afraid that she would lose Buffy to her soul mate. Xander had not said a word, deep in thought. Finally he spoke up. 

 

"Willow, I think that we should do the ritual. It's the only way that we can have any chance." he said. Willow rounded on him. 

 

"No! No way Xander! We shouldn't risk it! There has to be a better way!" she yelled at her friend. 

 

"Will, this is the only way. Please trust me on this. Please." Xander said in a calm soothing voice. Willow opened her mouth to speak then stopped. She remembered what David had said that early morning. David's voice told herto trust Xander, he knew what he was doing. She looked down at her hands. 

 

"OK. Let's go through it." Willow reluctantly agreed. 

 

The four of them gathered at the hilltop where David and Xander had gone tovisit the Dreamtime Spirits. It was also the same hilltop that the War Of The Six would take place. Buffy, Willow and Xander had stared at each otherwhen they had removed their clothes. Xander could not believe how beautiful the girls were and it took him supreme effort not to react biologically. Buffy and Willow gawked at Little Xander, Buffy even going as far as makinga quiet remark to Willow. 

 

"I thought we killed the Mayor?"

 

David, for his part was all business. He gathered them around the fire where they began the ritual. 

 

The ritual reached its peak. David's eyes glowed white, then a mist, every colour of the rainbow, lifted from him and hovered over his head. The soul messenger then disappeared into the night sky. 

 

Xander, then Willow, then Buffy's eyes glowed white. Their soul messengers floating above them in a slow dance of motion. Willow, first took Buffy's hand with her left hand, then Xander's hand with her right. Xander and Buffyheld hands, completing the triangle. 

 

It was then that David heard a tone. Clear, pure, perfect. It was the same tone that he had heard when he had transferred Xander's pain and emotions to the two girls. Above their heads the three soul messengers twisted about each other. They fused in a dazzling flash of light, then disappeared. David stared at them in shock and awe. 

 

"Oh my God!" David breathed. "Trinity!"

 

Chapter 27
 

"What the hell do you mean they are Trinity?" Giles demanded to know. 

 

David looked at Buffy, Willow, and Xander who were curled up on the couch together fast asleep. The ritual had taken a lot out of everyone and no sooner had the three sat down they fell asleep. 

 

"There is a legend that one day there will be three people with one soul known as Trinity. Together they will be a powerful force and lead the forces of good. In the ritual, their souls became one. They are Trinity. God! It explains so much!" David exclaimed. 

 

"Explains what?" asked Xander who had woken up. Buffy and Willow were stillasleep. 

 

"Like how you three are so tangled up emotionally. Like how come Buffy has faced the apocalypse so often." David told Xander. 

 

"What has them being Trinity have to do with the apocalypse?" Giles asked his son. 

 

"Look. For eons, the fight between demons and humans has generally favoureddemons. With the exception of the Slayer and a handful of others, humans have been incapable of fighting demons on anything like equal terms. Now with the advance in technology, demons run the risk of being wiped out. Human weapons are becoming more and more lethal to demons, and demons by their nature cannot adapt to these new weapons. It won't be too long before only the most powerful magical demons will be able to attack humans without fear of being vaporized." said David. 

 

"Like phasers on Star Trek?" enquired Xander. 

 

"Yes. With one of those babies, one person could wipe out legions of demonsand vampires. Shit, demons and vampires are already in trouble because of Match Head bullets. So you combine advancing technology and the arrival ofTrinity, it means that demons must win now or humans will eventually win. Quickest way of winning for demons is to bring about the apocalypse. That'swhy you guys have faced it so often. For demons it's now or never." David explained. There was a minute or two of silence as they thought it through. 

 

"OK then, what do we know about this Trinity?" Giles asked. 

 

David shrugged and went to the library. He returned with a pile of books. "You guys start looking in the Althos Works, I'll start with the Chronicles of Golgotha." he said as the three of them started researching. Twenty minutes later, David spoke. 

 

"Proeliator consisto lumen, custos cretatus, veneficus consisto flamma, voluntas fieri modus. Tunc vinculum mos consisto scelratus." David read from the Chronicles of Golgotha. He had not had a chance to read it since stealing it from the Vatican Black Library, something that he truly regretted now. 

 

"Well? In English?" Xander asked. 

 

"Warrior of light, guardian in white, witch of flame, will be bond. And then the bond will be formed with blood." David roughly translated. 

 

"Still not getting it." Xander said. Giles took his glasses off and began cleaning them as he explained. 

 

"The warrior of light would refer to Buffy. Witch of flame is probably Willow, which means that you are the guardian in white. You three will be bond.Obviously it means the ritual. But I'm not sure what it means where it talks about the bond will be formed with blood."

 

In that moment, David knew what it meant. The last piece had fallen into place. David was as scared as he had ever been in his whole life. He stood and walked out. 

 

"David? Where are you going?" Giles asked. 

 

David stopped and turned. The fear and sadness on his face evident. "I just need to get some sleep. I'll see you both in the morning." David said quietly and left. 

 

 

The next morning saw David and Xander, down in the armory checking weapons for the war. 

 

"Xander? What's it like? You know, to be Trinity?" David asked. Xander stopped what he was doing and thought for a few moments. 

 

"It's hard to describe. There are all these strange feelings running through me. It's like a heightened sense of awareness of Buffy and Willow. I feelwhat they feel, and they feel what I feel. It's a connection deeper and stronger than anything you could think of. Each of us has this connection that goes beyond love or caring or any emotion. We are one with each other. It's as if we had been living in a two-dimensional world and now there is this third dimension that we have suddenly become aware of." explained Xander.David merely nodded and took it in. They resumed cleaning and checking theweapons when Xander asked David a question that had bugged him all morning. 

 

"So, what about your soul mate?" David stopped briefly. 

 

"Not coming." he said and resumed work. 

 

"What do you mean 'not coming'? How could they be not coming?" Xander insisted. David threw down the gun in anger. 

 

"I mean that they can't come to me and I can't go to her! So just leave it!" David yelled at Xander then stomped off. Xander watched his friend go andwondered what it all meant. 

       

Later that day, Xander discussed what had happened in the armory with Giles, Buffy and Willow. 

 

"His soul mate can't be dead, otherwise David would have died last night." Buffy pointed out. 

 

"With all the resources of several governments behind him, you would think that getting someone here would be easy." said Giles. 

 

"I'm more worried about this sixth person we need for the War Of The Six. David said he has it under control, but I'm not comfortable with that." Willow said. Xander exhaled. 

 

"Will, we just have to trust him in this." he said.

 

Chapter 28
 

The next morning, Xander and David were going over their part in the plan for the War Of The Six. Giles, Willow, and the Slayers Council were working together on the magic aspect of the war while Buffy was helping the SlayersCouncil set it self up in a way that was best for Slayers. 

 

Giles was returning in the afternoon from LA, having picked up some needed supplies from a rare magic shop. Xander and David were sitting in the library while Buffy and Willow had disappeared about an hour ago in the gym. 

 

David had finished showing Xander his plan for the battle. 

 

"Interesting." Xander said thoughtfully. "But I think there is a better way."

 

"What? How? Show me." David said, a little taken back. Xander had good military training, thanks to his Halloween costume, but David wasn't sure that it covered battle planning or strategy. 

 

"OK. This is an idea. First..." Xander laid out his own plan. David listened then tried to find some fatal flaw in Xander's plan. There was none. 

 

"Xander, you are a dead set genius. How did you come up with this? Why didn't I think of this?" David asked. 

 

"Different training, different experience. Your army are masters at small unit, hard hitting, mobile warfare. No one does it better. But this situation calls for massive firepower and brute force. And nobody does it better than Uncle Sam." Xander explained to an impressed David. 

 

"OK Stormin' Norman, I'll arrange to get the gear that you need for this dog and pony show of yours. What exactly do you need?"

 

"First, I'll need as many H&K GMG 2000's as you can get your hands on. NextI'll..." Xander's voice trailed off as he started to look strange. He shuddered, and rolled his eyes. David looked at Xander, worried. 

 

"Mate, what's wrong?" David asked. 

 

"Oh God! Nothing. Nothing is wrong at all. Oh boy!" Xander said strangely and then moaned. It wasn't a moan of pain, it was a moan of sheer pleasure. David wondered for a bit. Sure, battle planning and discussion of tactics gave him intellectual pleasure but wasn't something give a man a full-blown happy, which was exactly what was happening to Xander right before his eyes. It took a moment for David to realize what was happening. 

 

Since they became Trinity, Xander, Buffy, and Willow had displayed an empathetic connection. They could sense each other's moods and feelings, even when separated. The reason for Xander's current behaviour was probably due tothe activities of Buffy and Willow. David rolled his eyes in frustration. 

 

"BUFFY! WILLOW! CAN YOU PLEASE CUT THAT SHIT OUT! I'M TRYING TO TALK TO XANDER DOWN HERE!" David yelled at the top of his lungs. Xander continued to writhe in happiness. 

 

"I SAID CUT THAT SHIT OUT! I'M TRYING TO TALK TO XANDER!" David bellowed infrustration. Nothing. It was getting down right uncomfortable watching Xander. 

 

"ALL RIGHT, YOU ASKED FOR IT!" David yelled then went over to Xander and kicked him in the shin. 

 

"OW!!" Xander yelped and grabbed his leg. Faintly, David heard a similar cry of pain come from the two girls. Xander looked at David in annoyance. David merely shrugged. 

 

"Sorry about that mate, but I did ask them to stop."

 

 

Their days were spent in preparation for the War Of The Six. The last few days before the war, David and Xander spent their time preparing their position on the hilltop in accordance with Xander's plan. The morning of the warBuffy, Willow, Xander, Giles and David surveyed the battlefield. 

 

Willow and Giles had gone to the battlefield earlier to try and determine exactly where Murg Dor and his vampire army would appear. Together they had discovered a front of mystical energy that they believed to be where Murg Dor would come from. Using this information, Xander was able to orientate his battle plan. 

 

The land around the hill was cleared for almost a mile, providing a clear field of fire. Belts of Claymore mines and thermite mines were set up, readyto decimate the vampires. Near the top of the hill four pits had been dug and a H & K GMG 2000 had been emplaced in each. The H&K GMG (or Grenade Machine Gun) fired 40mm incendiary grenades designed to burst in the air and toast any thing with in 2 or 3 yards. They were fitted with an experimental automatic target finder and were autonomous. Capable of firing at 350 rounds a minute, they had enough ammunition to last out the eclipse. 

 

At the top of the hill a pit had been dug and this was where they would fight from. Several MAG 58 machine guns with Match Head rounds were there for personal use by the group. Willow and Giles were their magic team. 

 

Together they would detect any spell that Murg Dor cast and then counter it. They also had quite a number of other spells provided from the Slayers Council to use on Murg Dor and the vampire army. Should any vampire get into the pit where Buffy and the rest of them were, then the next defensive measure would be activated. It consisted of a sprinkler system that sprayed Holy Water in the pit. Everyone had crosses and stakes as a last ditch measure. 

 

The idea was not to wipe out the vampire army, it was rather to slow them down long enough for the eclipse to end and the sun to reappear. The sun would turn the vampires to ashes and Murg Dor would lose. The critical thing was that as the Chosen One, Buffy needed to survive until the sun came out from behind the moon. Everything else was not important, including Buffy's friends. 

 

They all stood in the pit, surveying the surrounding land. Each was in quiet contemplation of the up coming battle. Buffy looked at her watch in angerand then rounded on David. 

 

"OK, Captain Kangaroo. It's only a few minutes before this eclipse starts and there is no sign of your friend, you know, number six? As in the sixth person to make up this War Of The Six. There are only 5 people here." she said accusingly at David. David had a calm, almost resigned look on his face.Perhaps there was even a hint of sadness. 

 

"They are here. We have our six." he said. 

 

"WHERE? HAVE YOU BROUGHT SOME INVISIBLE MAN? YOU ARE SO FULL OF SHIT!" Buffy screamed at David. 

 

"You want to know who the sixth person is? Fine! Six people are to fight anarmy of vampires to save the world. A Chosen One and five others to protect her. Well, you as the Chosen One, Buffy, have 5 people to protect you. Xander, me, Dad, Willow and..." David paused for a moment. "... and Willow's unborn child." Everyone stood looking at David in stunned silence. 

 

Buffy snapped and grabbed David by his shirt. "WILLOW'S PREGNANT?" Buffy yelled at David. 

 

"I'm not! I mean I can't! I haven't had, well you know, with a guy since Ozleft! That was almost a year ago! I can't be pregnant!" Willow babbled. A light bulb went over Giles' head. 

 

"Warrior of Light, Guardian in White, Witch of Flame, will be bond. And then the bond will be formed with blood. The child is from the bond." said Giles. 

 

"What?" Buffy and Willow asked at the same time. 

 

"The moment you three had your soul combined, that must have been when the child was conceived." Giles said a little stunned. Buffy looked at David, anger burning in her eyes. 

 

"You knew! You knew for weeks but you didn't tell us!" Buffy roughly shook David. "Why didn't you tell us?" she yelled at David. 

 

"You want to know why?" David said angrily, and shoved Buffy away from him."I couldn't tell you. I was not allowed! There are shit tins of stuff thatI know but I couldn't tell you. Some things must happen and if you knew then they wouldn't happen the way they should, even the things I don't like or want! You think I like knowing things and not being able to say anything?Things that are so important and impact on the lives of friends and family? No one does, but I had to do what I had to do. Like it or not." He lookedup into the sky and saw the moon passing in front of the sun. 

 

"It's almost time. Everyone take your positions," instructed David. 

 

Everyone moved to their spots. Buffy glared at David. 

 

"Buffy, if you want to discuss this more, then wait until this is over, OK?" Giles told his Slayer. They stood there, waiting. The only sound was the light breeze that blew across the hill. Giles gave a small chuckle. 

 

"What?" David asked. 

 

"Today is Saint Crispin's day, isn't it?" Giles asked his son. David shrugged. 

 

"I dunno, maybe." David replied. Giles gave another chuckle and turned to face everyone. Standing before them, Giles saw his children. He felt great pride at them, and greater love. He stood there, a sense of nobility of whatthey were about to do radiated from Giles. In a deep and regal voice Gilesspoke to his children. 

 

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; 

For today that sheds his blood with me 

Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, 

This day shall gentle his condition; 

And the gentlemen in England now a-bed 

Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, 

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks 

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."

 

The smiles and looks from the group said it all. They were ready. Looking out on the battlefield they saw a white mist form in a line a few hundred yards away. Silence gripped the hill. The mist became thicker and more brilliant. It became a solid wall of white light. Then, as darkness fell over theland, heralding the start of the eclipse, an immense sound came form the white wall of light. It sounded as if God had torn the sky asunder. David cried out at the top of his lungs. 

 

"CRY 'HAVOC' AND LET SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR!"

 

Chapter 29
 

Vampires. Hundreds of vampires pouring out of the white light. The first wave of vampires hit the mines and was 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 that 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 hilltop, 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'shave stopped firing!" Xander told David who looked up at the battlefield. 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 mechanized death to the vampires. Her face hard, her jaw set determinedly as she replaced the barrel of her weapon, reloaded and continuedkilling. 

 

"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 clearof the mines and raced toward the summit where Buffy stood. David saw thatthe GMG had jammed and he raced to clear the jam before more vampires camethrough the break.

 

They saw the group of vampires that 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 waterinside 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 Fireat 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 systemand 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 thesun reappeared. Murg tried to slow time to allow his vampires time to killthe humans but it was countered but magic from the summit. The reduction of fire after the GMG's stopped gave Murg renewed hope that was dashed when they resumed firing. With only a minute or two before the sun came out frombehind 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 realized 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, twisting 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! Xanderdug 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 twisted knee, Xander limped up behind Murg Dor andwith an inhuman yell, buried his hand with the opal in it deep inside MurgDor. Magic flowed through Xander and exploded out of the opal. With a final wail, Murg Dor disintegrated under the force of the white light that burned through him. 

 

The magic flowed through Xander unabated as he sent it into the vampires that 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 that 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 that 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 were 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 realized 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 small number of people involved with the new Slayers Council knewthe truth. 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 andshoved 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 that 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 tobe 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 alsospoken to Albert about getting the Slayers Council involved as well. Please do this. I want my homeland 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 pagewas 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 that 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 crabno bigger than an adult thumbnail. 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 andTrinity's Child ran down the beach together in search of adventure. 

 

THE END