The fight was going fairly well. Xander watched as Buffy methodically took out vampire and demon alike without much effort. Willow and Tara were in one of the corners of the abandoned warehouse, helping out with spells that mostly irritated their opponents. 'Little fairy lights', as the witches called them, buzzed around the eyes and ears of the bad guys keeping them disoriented while Giles finished them off with what Xander considered to be a truly ugly-looking ax.
The two witches didn't try any of the stronger spells that they knew because there was always the off chance that one of their friends might get in the way. Of course the fact that the enemy was supposed to have an artifact that could absorb magic and release it back at the caster also served as another reason that they only used helpful spells.
Xander also held back from the battle at the request of a very adamant Slayer. He normally would have ignored her but she had to play on his protectiveness streak for his oldest friend and as much as it annoyed him, Xander let her convince him to stay with Willow and Tara. Mainly to keep anything from attacking them.
Xander kept an eye on the current big boss wannabe of Sunnyhell, who was standing off to the side watching the fight. The human was, according to Giles, a low level mage by the name of Ranier who got lucky in stealing power from various 'magic users' of both good and evil intent. Xander didn't know how Giles had found that out and all former Librarian would say was that he got this information from an 'old friend'.
That didn't make Xander feel any better since the only 'old friends' of Giles that Xander knew of were from the older man's youth or the Watchers. < Unless he has been visited by someone from another dimension again like the one that had warned Giles about the Mayor wanting Angel to lose his soul. >
That thought sent a shiver down Xander's spine because if it was other dimensional creatures that were worried enough to contact Giles then that means the Ranier has some serious power now.
Distracting himself from that thought, Xander took in Ranier's surroundings. An altar was contructed next to the mage. Scattered on it were various artifacts; rings, amulets, arm bands and daggers but what had really caught Xander's eye was a handle of a sword.
It stood out from the other items for two reasons. One; the smaller items looked to be all blackened and charred. Almost like they were burned in a fire but the sword handle was not. And two; The sword handle itself, was incased in a smokey crystal sphere.
"Slayer!" Ranier's yell jerked Xander from his observations. Turning back to the battle, Xander saw that Buffy had managed to dust most of the vampires leaving less than a dozen demons and Ranier.
"You know you can't win." Ranier's face was relaxed with a hint of a smile.
Xander's skin started to crawl. < He is way too calm. > Xander looked around trying to figure out what the mage might have up his sleeve. < It's like he knows that he's gonna win no matter what we do. >
Ranier clapped his hands together. As he slowly pulled them apart, a dark blue, ball of energy formed between his hands. "Oh Slayer." Ranier called out. "Say good-bye to your witches."
Buffy finished off one deamon she was fighting and turned in time to see the mage throw a ball of light at Willow and Tara. "NO!"
Giles had just yanked his ax from the body of a demon when he heard Buffy scream. Giles watched as Buffy tried to get to her friends but he could tell that she wouldn't make it. Giles felt his heart wrench at the thought of the two witches being killed while he could do nothing to prevent it.
< Uh oh. > Willow couldn't form any other thought as she waited for that ball of energy to hit her and her girlfriend. Willow closed her eyes and felt Tara's arms wrap around her. "Tara-"
Having stayed near the two, Xander dived and was able to knock the girls out of the way. The energy ball just barely missed them, instantly liquifying part of the wall behind them. Xander got to his feet and placed himself between Ranier and the two girls.
"Xander?" Willow asked, a little dazed.
Xander looked over his shoulder at Willow and Tara. "Are you two alright?"
"Thanks to you." Tara said.
"Awww. That is just so touching."
Xander turned his attention back to Ranier, who was acting like he was wiping tears from his eyes. Xander saw that Buffy and Giles had finished of the rest of Ranier's forces and were walking towards him.
Ranier yawned and stretched. "That was not a very nice thing to do boy. I really wanted to see those two become a puddle of goo."
"I personally think it was a very nice thing that Xander did." Buffy said as she stepped up next to Xander.
Ranier turned his attention to her, an arrogant smirk on his face. "Slayer, you might as well give up now. The only thing you could use to destroy me is in that crystal ball over there." he said motioning to the crystal sphere sitting on the altar.
Without thinking, Buffy ran for the sphere.
"Buffy no!" Giles yelled.
"I wouldn't do that." Ranier singsonged.
As soon as Buffy picked up the crystal sphere, an invisible force erupted from within it. Buffy was pushed away from the sphere and sent sliding across the floor.
Buffy was getting to her feet when Ranier grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the ground. "Too bad that didn't work for you. I was actually hoping you would be able to use it but now it looks like I'll just have to settle for killing you."
Xander watched as Buffy sagged for a second before fighting Ranier's grip. He was about to help when...
::power::
Xander stopped when he heard that soft whisper. He looked around for the source.
::power to save::
"What the.." Xander found his eyes were drawn to the sword handle that lie within the crystal sphere.
::yours to claim::
Xander spared a glance at Buffy trying to free herself from Ranier but his attention was drawn back to the sphere. Without anyone noticing, he calmly walked over and picked it up off the floor, holding it in one hand.
"Once I kill you, I'll start on the witches next." Ranier glanced at the two young women then turned his attention back to the slayer. "I think I could have a lot of fun with them. Don't you think so?"
"I don't think so." Xander held the sphere between his hands and started to press them together. He didn't understand how he knew that this was the only way to break the sphere and claim the sword within but ended up not caring as long as the whispery voice was right about the power to help his friends.
::claim the power::
Giles watched in disbelief as the sphere disintegrated in Xander's hands. There was a bright flash of light and when Giles' eyesight finally cleared, Xander was standing there with a sword handle in his hands. < How could Xander.. > Giles' mental question trailed off as he recalled how just seconds ago, Buffy was violently thrown from the same crystal.
Xander just stood there with the sword handle raised above his head. < There is no blade. > That thought occured to Giles as he watched the remains of the crystal floated in the air around Xander.
The air around Xander's hands started to glow softly and the crystal fragments flew into the glow. Piece by piece, each fragment connected with another to slowly form a sword blade. There was a smaller flash of light as the blade attached itself to the handle in Xander's hands.
Ignorant of the confusion running through the friends of the Slayer, Ranier turned to the young man with his hand still wrapped around the Slayer's neck. "Now how did you do that?" He looked at Buffy. "Do you know how he did that?"
"Let. Her. Go." Xander seemed to shake with fury.
"Ahh.." Ranier brought a finger to his chin in thought. He looked at his captive and released her. Buffy inhaled sharply and Ranier grabbed her by the neck again. "No. Sorry but I just can't bring myself to do that. Now more importantly, I want to know is how were you able to form the sword's blade?"
Forgetting the other occupants in the room. Ranier, still holding onto Buffy, started to circle Xander. "No comment? Now you are starting to hurt my feelings." Ranier faked a sniffle then raised Buffy above his head. Her feet weakly dangled several inches off the floor.
Giles tried to grab Buffy only to be lightly backhanded by Ranier. "Now I was raised to respect my elders so be glad I didn't hit you harder." the mage sneered at Giles.
It was at this point that Xander acted. Jumping forward, he swung the sword with all of his strength in a downward motion, neatly severing Ranier's arm at the elbow. Buffy, with the severed limb still attached to her neck, fell to the ground gasping for breath.
Ranier turned to the boy and stared the stump that was his arm. Then at Xander as he removed the lifeless limb from the Slayer. "Now you really should not have done that."
While Xander went to help Buffy, part of his mind was astounded at what he did and what he felt. From the moment he held the sword in his hands, he had the sense of that he was not alone. He thought he was hearing voices but he couldn't understand what was being said as the voices were just on the edge of his awareness.
There was also the power. Xander felt like he could go anything. No one could beat him. Xander held the full power back earlier so he wouldn't hurt Buffy but now that she was safe, nothing would stop him from unleashing that power on Ranier now.
Once he was sure that Buffy was safe, Xander stood up and faced Ranier. "It's time for you to say good-bye."
Ranier was calm with just the hint of a smile on his face. "I think I'll say something else if you don't mind." Ranier paused and smiled. "Tharillos."
Xander froze as Ranier's laughter echoed in the room.
Xander had no idea where he was. The last thing he remembered clearly was his friends being in danger and feeling the power flowing from the sword. < The sword! > Xander checked around but it was nowhere in sight.
< Of course that's not the only thing that I don't see. > Xander rubbed his eyes hoping to clear his vision but everything was covered in a hazy fog. "Guys? ... Buffy? ... Willow?"
No one answered.
"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto." Xander muttered.
"Who's Toto?"
Xander whipped around at the sound of a soft voice to find himself face to face with a little girl. "Who are you?"
The girl smiled widely. "My name is Crystal. What's yours?"
Xander figured the girl couldn't be more the six or seven years old. "Xander."
"Xander?" The little girl's face scrunched up in confusion. "What kind of name is that?"
"It's .. my .. name." Xander said slowly, not sure what to make of the young girl. She had long, jet black hair and deep violet eyes that made Xander nervous. This whole scene was making him nervous. "Where am I?"
"You .. are .. here." Crystal mimicked Xander's earlier tone then giggled. "So, who is Toto?"
"Toto?"
"Yes. Toto." She looked around Xander. "You were talking to Toto."
When she didn't get a answer from Xander, Crystal looked sad and a little frightened. "You're not gonna fade are you?"
"Fade?" Xander didn't think he could be more confused.
"Yeah." The little girl looked around them. "Everyone faded or became these horrible monsters that try to get you."
"Monsters?"
As if on cue, a load roar could be heard in the distance. "Oh no."
Xander could hear the girl's fear in her voice. He turned around to say something comforting to Crystal only to find her gone.
"Crystal!"
Nothing. Xander called out once more and was answered by more howling from within the fog. This time much closer.
He tried to find the girl but the fog was too thick. He couldn't see more than ten feet clearly in any direction. Beyond that everything became blurry shapes like the one that was growing larger.
< Waitaminute! > Xander's head snapped back to take another look when a large misshapen creature burst from the fog and knocked him to the ground. The four legged creature stood on it's hind legs and brought it's fore legs down on Xander's midsection, driving the air out of him. Then the creature lowered it's head and it's mouth opened to reveal large, sharp teeth.
"Let him up!" Several voices rang out.
The creature looked to it's right and then back to Xander. Very reluctantly, it moved off to the side of Xander as drool fell from it's mouth.
Xander slowly got to his feet. He was happy that he found some people but he only saw a faint outline of one person in the fog. Off to his left was the dog creature that jumped him. Xander slowly backed away and stopped only when he could see both the 'dog' and the stranger without turning his back on either.
"Who are you?"
"That does not concern you." A melodious voice came from the figure. "What should concern you is that you lost." The stranger stayed just within the fog, obscuring any detail Xander might have seen. Also the stranger's voice was weird. It sounded as if many people were saying the same thing at the same time but in sync. < Well that explains why I thought I heard several voices. >
"What are you talking about?" Xander demanded. "Lost what?"
"Your body."
"My body is right here."
"No, this," the figure pointed at Xander. "is your spirit. Your soul." Then the figure started to fade into the fog. "Your body is not in this place. It is..." The voice trailed off as it's owner disappeared completely.
Xander began running to where the person was, hoping to get some answers. Suddenly a loud screech sounded from all directions. He cupped his ears as the pain from the noise forced him to his knees. Xander heard a softer sound, as the darkness tried to claim him. A sound that pulled at his heart.
"Xander...."
Xander's eyes shot open and his hands fell to the ground in front of him. He could have swore he heard...
"Please Xander..."
< Willow! > He looked around but she was not there. "Willow!" His body tensed up suddenly locking his arms and legs in place. The only thing he could move was his fingers as he dug them into the grass and dirt under him. Sweat started to pour down his face as he struggled to breathe.
"Xander!"
"Buffy?" Blinding light exploded in his mind as Xander succumbed to the pain and lost consciousness. "Buffy... Willow..."
Buffy couldn't believe the scene taking place in front of her. It was almost surreal.
Giles was on his hands and knees trying to regain his breath.
Breath that was forced out of him by a savage kick to his midsection.
A kick that was administrated not by the last bad guy standing but by a friend.
A friend that was currently holding their best friend by the neck.
"Xander..."
Xander was silent as he held Willow by the neck but was not choking her. He simply held her as he rested the sharp point of his weapon on her breastbone.
"Please Xander..." Willow pleaded as a tear fell down her face.
Buffy was in shock. Only a few short minutes ago, Xander had saved her from Ranier with the same sword that he was now using to threaten Willow.
It looked like they were going to win when Ranier said something to Xander.
"Tharillos"
That caused Xander to stop. Buffy was still too weak, from whatever Ranier did to her, to help her friend. Ranier only laughed and watched as Willow and Giles moved to help Xander. Then he said something like...
"Tharillos libero"
Buffy didn't understand but whatever it was that Ranier said sent Giles into motion. He jerked Xander away from Ranier and backed them both closer to Willow. "Watch out!" Giles said. "He is summoning a-"
Buffy tried to listen but Ranier's maniacal laughter drowned out what Giles was saying. Then Ranier posed dramatically with his arms wide at his sides. "Keeper of Souls!" he shouted "I, Ranier, call you forth."
Giles paled at the announcement. Willow and Tara's gaze shifted around the room, trying to locate this new threat.
"I, your master, command you. And I command you to incapacitate my enemies."
There was a moment of silence before all hell broke loose.
Xander was standing between Giles and Willow. In one insane minute, Xander pivoted and kicked Giles in the gut. Then, without even stopping to witness the older man fall to the ground, Xander moved behind Willow and slammed his fist against the back of Tara's head, knocking her unconscious.
Before Willow realized it, Xander shoved her against the wall with one hand around her throat and the other held the sword, which was threatening to pin her to the wall, through her heart.
"Buffy!" Giles' harsh whisper broke through her shock. Turning slightly, she was startled to see how pale Giles was. "We have to get Willow and Tara out of here. Now!"
She shifted her attention back to her friends. Tara was lying on the floor unconscious. Xander was standing still, like a statue, as he continued to hold Willow against the wall, waiting for Ranier's next command.
A command that Ranier appeared to be in no hurry to give as he watched them all with a silly grin plastered on his face.
"But Xander-"
"Xander is gone." Giles voice cracked with emotion. "That is not Xander and what he is now, will kill us all."
"What are you talking about?"
"Ranier has just summoned a very powerful daemon. He used that sword as a medium to transport the daemon into Xander's body."
"But then we have to-"
"We do not have the time to argue."
Despite still feeling weak from Ranier's attack, Buffy quickly wrapped her arms around Xander. Ranier shook his head and chuckled as Buffy barely managed to pull Xander away from Willow, causing the redhead to drop to the floor. Ranier became serious and focused on young man in the Slayer's arms. "Kill her."
Xander's body turned within Buffy's grasp to face her. The movement alone startled her but she nearly screamed when she saw he eyes. Each one was completely black except one bright white spot where the iris would be in a normal eye.
Taking advantage of her distraction, he pushed her into Ranier's waiting arms and raised the sword, blade down in both of his hands over her.
Buffy could feel her life somehow being drained from her as she watched the blade begin it's descent. With the last of her strength, Buffy closed her eyes and screamed. "Xander!"
"Well now isn't this interesting?" Ranier said with his chin perched on her left shoulder. Buffy opened her eyes to find Xander standing before her with the tip of the sword just inches from her. Xander's whole body was trembling from the strain of not being able to bring the sword closer to Buffy.
"Tharillos, what are you doing?"
"I can not do as you instructed." The daemon in her friend answered.
"Why not?" Ranier's question almost sounded mocking.
"I do not know." The voice that came from the boy's mouth took on a frustrated tone. "This body will not let me kill her."
Ranier eyes shifted to the other occupants in the room. "Kill the one you knock out."
When the young man didn't move or even respond, Ranier threw Buffy to the ground. "So the great Keeper is not so great anymore. This is just too funny." He walked to the seemingly frozen form of Xander. "You can't even overcome this boy's soul."
"He is nothing." The demonic voice rasped. "The soul, like this body, is mine!"
Buffy watched as Xander's body began to shake badly as the daemon tried to exert it's will. Hope flared in her heart at the thought of Xander, their Xander, fighting for control of his body.
As if Giles had read her thoughts, Buffy heard him yell. "Fight it Xander! You can do it!"
"Oh no." Ranier turned and with a flick of his wrist, sent Giles flying into the far wall. "I think we should take this conversation someplace else where there are fewer distractions." Ranier put a hand on Xander's shoulder and a circle of green light formed on the floor under them. Ranier grinned and waved at Buffy as both he and Xander dropped from view, into the green light. Buffy tried to follow but the circle closed in on itself.
"Giles!" Buffy turned to see the man in question checking on the two witches. "Xander was-"
"I know." Giles picked up Tara. "Help Willow." He motioned to the redhead. She stared blankly at where their friend vanished. "We need to leave now."
"We've gotta save Xander." Buffy pointed out.
"And we will but if we do not regroup now, we lose any chance of getting Xander back." That was enough to motivate Buffy into action. Pulling Willow to her, the blonde whispered to her friend as she steered them both to the exit. Giles waited for Buffy to get Willow moving before he followed them out of the warehouse.
With Buffy and Willow desperately holding each other ahead of him, Giles muttered quietly to the darkness around them, "We will save you Xander." Giles couldn't bring himself to think about what Xander was going through. "But if the daemon Ranier summoned was really..." Giles trailed off as he prayed silently for Xander.
Xander didn't understand what was happening to him. At the moment, only one thing registered in his mind. Pain. Blinding, almost overwhelming pain. That was all Xander felt.
His whole being hurt.
"Xander..."
He opened his eyes to find himself lying down on the floor of the Bronze. Standing above him was a familiar girl.
"Cordelia?"
"Xander. What's going on?" Her question had a slight frantic edge to it.
"I don't know," Xander replied.
Cordelia became livid She didn't understand what was going on and that scared her. "What do you mean you don't know? You must have done something," She walked by the stage, feeling the edge of it with her fingertips. "I was helping Angel research a new daemon in LA when suddenly, everything went black. When I can see again, I'm in the bronze and I find you curled up into a ball on the floor, shaking."
Cordelia grabbed Xander by the front of his shirt. "Now what did you do?!"
As he was about to answer, the entire building shook. Large cracks formed across each wall, creating what looked like a large spider web. A spider web that, in a matter of seconds, spread out to cover the floor. Xander watched in wonder as crack after crack appeared beneath his feet.
"Xander?"
Tearing his eyes away from the floor, Xander looked up at her. "Cordelia?"
The room shook again with a loud groan and the floor beneath Xander, collapsed.
"XANDER!"
Her scream echoed in the room. She was helpless to do anything but watch as Xander fell through the ruined floor and out of sight.
"Cordelia?"
"no.."
"Cordelia. Wake up."
Cordelia herself being shaken and opened her eyes a fraction, squinting at the bright light above her. "What?"
"Are you alright, Cordelia?"
"Wesley?" Cordelia moved her head from side to side. She could see Angel and Wesley standing over her. Each had a look of concern on their faces. Cordelia realized with a start that she was on the sofa in her apartment. Sitting up, she carefully cradled her head in her hands.
"Xander..."
Angel's body tensed up at her whisper. "Cordelia-"
Cordelia shot up, nearly knocking Angel over as she raced to the phone and started punching numbers.
Wesley threw a questioning glance at the vampire who only shrugged his shoulders in response. Making his way over to Cordelia, Angel could hear her desperately whispering for someone to pick up.
The warehouse was a mess. During the fight, one of the support beams was knocked out of place letting part of the roof collapse inward. Sunlight filtered into the building through the damaged area of the roof, illuminating the dust in the air. In one corner of the warehouse, a pair of yellow eyes flashed in the darkness.
Staying in the darkness allowed it to witness the battle between the two groups. Surprise had coursed through the shadow's essence when the young male human actually managed to free the soul sword from it's prison.
It could remember when the sword had reappeared in the human world centuries ago. Out of fear of what would happen if the Keeper of Souls were given free reign in the world, several humans who were powerful in the ways of magic sought to bind the sword in a way so no human would ever try to wield the sword. So, using the blade itself, they formed a shield around the sword's handle and every being that had tried to breach it, were consumed. < Much like the human female should have been, had she not been thrown from it. >
Keeping that thought in mind, the shadow watched as the remaining humans gathered together. The male human picked up the fallen female while the other two females held onto each other. It waited patiently for the humans to leave.
When the warehouse was empty, a thin tendril of darkness slowly extended from the corner to slide across the floor. Inch by inch the expanding black shape crept closer, ultimately forming a small pool of darkness around the mage's severed limb. Over a matter of seconds, it disappeared into the inky depths of the shadow.
Once the arm was completely submerged, the darkness retreated back into the corner and the yellow eyes faded from view.
Xander was frustrated, plain and simple. Things, like his surroundings, were changing faster than he could handle.
Xander currently found himself standing in the middle of a road. On one side there was only a dark fog while on the other side, there was a group of buildings that looked familiar to Xander. He couldn't make out any features because there were no lights on in or around the structures. A dim darkness covered everything.
< Where is this? I remember falling down a hole and Cordelia was standing over the edge, screaming, and then - > That memory stopped him cold. "Cordelia!"
"She cannot help you,"
Xander turned to see a vague human-like shape within the fog. He recognized the strange multi-layered voice. "What did you do to Cordelia?"
"We did nothing to her."
"Then where is she?"
"She is not here."
"What kind of answer is that?"
A deep, booming voice rang out from behind Xander. "The only kind you'll ever get from that creature."
Xander turned to the new voice. A figure came out from inside one of the buildings in the distance. As the figure came closer, the dim light slowly revealed it to be a man. When the man stopped just a few feet from the road, he was completely visible. Xander could see a set of horns that started at the temple and curled back around each ear. Where the man's eyes would be, only a single white dot existed with in the center of each of the black orbs.
Of all the man's features that Xander could see, none shocked him more than the simple fact that, other than the horns and eyes, Xander was looking at a copy of himself.
On the outskirts of town, several abandoned buildings marked a part of the city boundaries like a silent warning to anyone coming into Sunnydale. All who passed these empty structures felt a shiver go up their spines and a small spark of fear in their hearts. Both feelings were promptly dismissed as people got further into the town and, like most of the town's inhabitants, they forgot about what they saw.
The buildings themselves seemed to cloaked in darkness and even direct sunlight didn't lessen the evil that was felt radiating from them. It was in one of these buildings, that a light flashed in a window causing bird-like creatures on the roof to take flight out of fear.
Inside, Ranier impatiently paced the length of a small room. He was idly picking at the stump of his arm, at times drawing out pieces of flesh or an oily, black substance that disintegrated in his fingers. The only other occupant in the room was Tharillos in the currently possessed form of Xander Harris, sitting against the wall.
Ranier was troubled.
Normally the daemon assimilates the soul of the host it possesses, into it's own. Tharillos would then know everything that the soul knew and felt in this life. The mage had questioned Tharillos intensely, trying to learn what the boy knew about the Slayer and her group but so far the daemon could not find any information in the boy's mind.
Not only was Ranier's mind was distracted by the unexpected problems his slave was having with accessing the boy's memories but the daemon has also experienced problems in controlling the body which prevented it from killing the Slayer and her friends.
He watched as sweat started to pour down the boy's face. Ranier was amazed that Tharillos had to fight an internal battle for dominance over a human soul. A battle that Ranier believed, shouldn't be taking place. < The daemon has possessed bodies of more powerful humans in the past with no problems. Why can't it complete it's control now? >
Suddenly, a short, high-pitched noise shattered the silence in the room. A small black circle formed on the ceiling and an object dropped from it onto the floor. Ranier smiled widely and bent down and picked up the object. "Now this is more like it!"
Ranier held it up to Tharillos, who recognized it as Ranier's missing arm. Ranier was slightly disappointed when Tharillos showed little, if any, reaction. Shrugging his shoulders, Ranier reattached the limb to his arm and a dim light emanated from the wound, fusing the two together.
"Ah, that's better," Ranier said as he flexed his fingers. "Now all we need is.." Ranier felt a massive drain on his reserve energies. Surprise registered on his face before he lost consciousness and tipped forward, onto the floor.
Tharillos was oblivious to the fallen form of his master because his attention was focused on an internal conversation.
In the foggy landscape, two figures face each other.
"Who are you?" Xander demanded.
The evil looking version of himself made no attempt to answer, only smiled. Mournful howls could be heard coming from the buildings in the distance.
On the other side of the road, a melodious voice rang out. "Tharillos!"
Xander's evil-looking twin shifted his gaze to the far side of the road. A sneer appeared on his face. "Begone Lost Ones. This is between me and the boy."
"You are wrong," the unseen being answered. "Everything you do concerns us. Only the one before you keeps us from returning you to your cage."
Tharillos glanced at Xander. Laughter bubbled up from within the daemon. "Oh this is irony at it's best. I was wondering why you hadn't made your presence known before now." Tharillos turned to Xander and said. "Thank you boy."
"Laugh while you can," the voice echoed from inside the fog. "As all before him did, so will this human also succumb and your protection will crumble. Then you will return to your cage."
"Never!" Tharillos charged only to be forcefully stopped at the road's edge by an invisible wall. Tharillos fell back as more animalistic howls rang out from behind him.
Xander stared as his double continued to assault the invisible wall that prevented him from crossing the road. Each blow that Tharillos delivered left faint, but visible, ripples in the air. Xander didn't understand most of what they were talking about but one thing was clear. He needed to get as far from them as possible. He knew somehow that he was safe on the road but that only felt temporary.
"You can not breach that wall any more than we can," The multi-layered voice held an amused tone. "Unlike you, we will simply wait until the time comes when the boy will no longer be able to bar our way."
Nothing was making sense to Xander. Here he was face to face with an evil-looking version of himself. There was another, equally scary, person inside the fog behind him and there was also the misshapen dog-like creatures. The only good thing in this hell that Xander found himself in was the little girl, Crystal.
< Crystal! > Xander mentally slapped himself for forgetting about the girl. Remembering the look of sadness in her eyes when she spoke of everyone leaving her alone caused Xander to decide to be there for Crystal and protect her. Despite what was happening to him, he needed to help her first then he could worry about his problems. Xander realized that if he was going to find her then he needed to get out of there, fast. Without sparing a backwards glance, Xander began running down the road.
He didn't go far before he was surrounded by an intense bright light and vanished altogether.
Giles was pacing in his home with a book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. Tara was lying on his couch. Willow was sitting next to her girlfriend, tear streaks were visible on her face. Buffy walked out of the kitchen with a damp washcloth that she handed to Willow. She then set her sights on the only man in the room. "Giles, what the hell is going on? What happened to Xander?"
Giles sighed heavily. "It would appear that Xander has been possessed by a powerful daemon."
"Well duh! That was kinda hard to miss," Buffy's voice was heavy with sarcasm. "What I want to know is what can we do?"
Giles set the book he was reading down and faced the upset Slayer. His face betrayed the frustration he felt. "Right now... I don't know what we can do."
"What?!"
Willow's voice cut through Giles like a hot blade. He looked down at the book on the table, avoiding the shocked stares coming from the two girls. He took a drink from his cup and tried to put into words the situation that they now faced. "The daemon now in Xander's body is called Tharillos, The Keeper of Souls."
"The Keeper of Souls?" Buffy asked.
"Yes. It is a very old and powerful force. During times long past, Tharillos has consumed thousands of souls in battle and destroyed many kingdoms of old. No one knows what Tharillos' true form looks like because it is written that he assumes the identity of the sword's bearer."
"Meaning that he possesses the body of the person holding the sword," Willow commented.
"Yes," Giles said. "The sword has the ability to absorb souls of people but Tharillos uses the sword's powers to rip the soul from the person bearing the sword and assume control of the body giving him complete control over the body and the mind."
Willow silently held the washcloth that Buffy gave her to Tara's forehead. She knew, deep down, that it wasn't her lifelong friend that had struck her girlfriend and threatened her with a sword. With determination, she asked the question that had been plaguing her. "If Xander is no longer in control of his actions then why couldn't the daemon kill Buffy when Ranier order him to? How could Xander stop him from killing her or the rest of us?"
Giles drug his hands through his hair. "I'm not sure how he managed to accomplish such a feat. From every mention of the daemon that I've read, Tharillos should have complete control over Xander's body not to mention having access to his memories."
Buffy jumped at that last part. "What, you're saying that the daemon knows everything that Xander knew about us. Then why are we still here Giles? We should be warning our families. The daemon could-"
"Do nothing, I think." Giles said, interrupting Buffy. "Don't you remember when he tried to kill you?"
"That's not something that I'm going to forget Giles," Buffy said icily. She was sure that she would have nightmares of that for a while just like she had bad dreams about Giles after the Master had killed her.
Giles ignored her tone as he continued. "Tharillos showed no knowledge that he knew any of us. If he did then I'm sure he would have tried to use Xander's memories against us." Giles resumed his pacing. "I do not understand how he accomplished it but Xander somehow managed to block his memories and be able to exert some, if little, control over his body."
"That means it will be easier to get him back." Willow exclaimed.
"Maybe Willow," Giles cautioned "We have to come up with a plan of action first and I'm not sure if we have a lot of time before..."
Buffy didn't like the way Giles trailed off like that. "What Giles? Before what?"
Giles looked at the two girls intently causing them to shift slightly under his scrutiny. "I'm not sure what Xander has done but it is said that the souls that Tharillos absorbed changed slowly until there was no difference between them and the daemon."
"So what you're saying is that soon we will lose Xander forever?" Buffy asked but Giles just turned away from her and picked up the book again. Buffy felt like she was kicked in the gut. She slowly sat down and stared into space.
Willow gazed down at Tara for a second then turned to look at Giles. "How was Tharillos defeated the last time?"
"What?" Giles asked absently.
Willow stood up and grabbed the book out of Giles' hands. "I said, how was the daemon defeated the last he possessed someone?"
Giles pinched the brow of his nose in thought. "The last time Tharillos was released, it is said that a coven of witches banded together with several warlocks to seal the daemon within his crystal sword. I-I haven't found out how they did it. Yet." He moved to the table and opened another book. "One researcher claimed that according to various sources, each time Tharillos surfaced, the daemon remained in power for shorter periods of time. There are eyewitness accounts from survivors that Tharillos was constantly distracted as if he was fighting an internal battle."
"But you said that the souls never survived," Buffy came back into the conversation.
"Yes the host body died after the soul either was destroyed or was absorbed by Tharillos. When that happened, the daemon was returned to the sword."
"You mean that to send the daemon back to the sword, Xander has to die," Buffy said weakly.
No one had anything to say after that.
Inside the barely lit room, Tharillos calmly sat on the floor. His black eyes never leaving the unconscious form of his 'Master' that was laying on the floor, in front of him. Every fiber of his host's being itched to kill the little leech. To rip him apart but the compulsion to obey was too strong.
"Uhhh." Ranier moaned and rolled onto his back. He glanced around to get his bearings and then, slowly, got to his feet. "Wow. That took more out me than I thought."
Ranier staggered to the only table in the room, scattering the few items that were on it onto the floor. "I need.. I.." Then he turned to Tharillos. "Come here."
The need to obey forced Tharillos to his feet. Woodenly, he walked over to stand by his 'Master'. Ranier placed a hand on his arm and then everything went dark.
Xander was lost. As soon as he began running, there was a flash of light and then he was here, surrounded by the same thick fog he saw when he first got here.
"Xander?"
Xander turned to the timid sounding voice. He found Crystal standing not far from him. "Crystal! Am I glad to see you."
The little girl approached slowly. "Are you still... you?"
< Am I still me? > Xander wasn't sure what made her ask that. "Are you okay Crystal?"
Crystal stopped a couple of feet from him. "Are you?" she asked again.
Xander took a step towards Crystal, intent on comforting the girl when he felt a weird pulling sensation. "What the.."
Then everything went dark.
"... yes that ... now lets ... why hasn't ..."
Xander fought to regain consciousness. A voice in the darkness offered Xander a piece of solid reality that he was able to cling to as he tried to wake up but.. he felt different. His body felt sluggish as if there was something weighing him down.
"Can yo ... up!"
Pain blossomed in his face as fireworks exploded in the darkness behind his eyelids. Xander forced his eyes open, squinting in the bright light. "Whaaa," Xander slurred, still not fully awake.
"I said wake up!"
Xander jolted to rest of the way to alertness as pain once again exploded behind his eyelids. Xander backed up until he hit a wall with his back. Xander franticly looked around, trying to figure out where he was.
"Over here."
Xander looked over at the only open door in the room and saw a familiar looking man.
"Weeelllllll?" the man asked.
That was when Xander remembered where he saw this man. Xander was back in his body and the man responsible for what he has been through was standing right in front of him. Anger flooded Xander washing away his exhaustion. "Where are they?" Xander growled.
Ranier's face screwed up in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Xander took a step closer, raising the sword in his hands. "Where are my friends?"
A look of shocked surprise fell over Ranier's face. Xander saw fear flashed briefly in his eyes but then Ranier started laughing.
"What's so funny?"
"This," Ranier gasped for breath between fits of laughter. "This is too rich. Tharillos can't even keep a miserable little soul like yours under control."
"Where are my friends!" Xander demanded once more.
"You want to know about your friends, huh?" Ranier studied Xander for a second. "Fine. I'll show you what you did to your friends." Then Ranier's hand shot out and grasped the sword by the blade. A dull green light emanated from his hand, which traveled up the blade to Xander's hand and then quickly spread out to cover the rest of his body.
Before Xander could jerk the sword out of Ranier's grasp Xander felt a sharp pain in his head. It felt like someone was pounding on his skull, trying to get in. There was one final surge of pain and then images flashed in Xander's mind. Images of him attacking Tara and Giles, Of him holding a sword against Willow. Of him swinging that same sword at Buffy.
Xander could hear Willow pleading with him. He could hear Buffy scream his name.
A great pain lanced through Xander's heart as he found himself, this time, kneeling in front of a smirking Ranier.
"I.. I didn't.." Xander gasped
"Oh but you did, dear boy,"
"No, I.. I wouldn't.."
Ranier smiled proudly at Xander. "You would, could and did."
Xander looked up at Ranier, shaking his head in horror.
"That's right, my boy," Ranier rested a hand on Xander's shoulder. "One by one, you killed them all. It was beautiful,"
Xander violently pushed Ranier away from him. "NO!! You're lying. I would never hurt them."
"I showed you what I saw," Ranier then pointed to the sword in Xander's hand "With that sword, they never stood a chance against you."
Xander began to hear Buffy's and Willow's screams echo in his ears again. He could feel the fear in their voices as the screams continued to grow louder until Xander could take no more and his mind succumbed to darkness. The last thing he heard was Ranier's laughter.
"You mean that to send the demon back to the sword, Xander has to die," Buffy said weakly.
Everyone was lost in their own thoughts for a time about the young man that had suddenly become their enemy. An enemy that they possibly would have to kill.
Willow wiped furiously at the tears that had fallen down her face. "No! We find a way to save Xander before he.. he.." a small sob broke through but then the redhead's posture firmed. "There has to be a way."
Giles set down the book in his hands and reached out for the young redhead. "Don't worry Willow, we'll find a way to save Xander."
"What about a spell?" Buffy quietly asked.
"What?" Willow asked as she pulled from Giles.
Buffy looked up at her best friend. "Xander is in this mess because Ranier cast a spell right?"
"Not exactly Buffy," Giles replied. "Tharillos was in the sword and all that was needed was for the daemon to establish a link between Xander and himself through the sword. All Ranier did was cast a summoning spell that allowed him to dominate Tharillos before the daemon could fully possess Xander."
Willow whirled on the ex-Watcher, hope illuminating in her eyes. "What if we cut the connection between Ranier and Xander or even better, between Xander and the sword."
"It's possible," Giles said carefully, trying not to get her hopes up.
"Really?" Buffy perked up a little.
"What about a transference spell?" Willow asked.
"That might be a good place to start," Giles moved to a shelf of books, selecting several titles and handing them to the girls. "Start looking through these volumes while I-"
Giles was interrupted by the ringing of his phone. Glancing briefly at the girls, he went to answer it. "Hello?"
"Damn!" Cordelia slammed the phone down in frustration.
"Calm down Cordelia." Angel took the shaking girl by the shoulders and drew her into his arms. She stayed there for a few seconds before withdrawing and sitting down on her couch.
Wesley sat down beside her. "What happened? In your vision I mean."
Cordelia took in a deep breath and began describing what she saw. From finding herself in an empty Bronze, seeing Xander on the floor in pain, and ending with the Bronze falling apart and Xander falling into large hole in the floor.
Angel and Wesley were silent after Cordelia finished her tale. Each were caught up in their own thoughts about what she had witnessed. The new Seer herself had picked up the phone and was quickly dialing a different number.
"Buffy. Riley's on the phone."
The Slayer looked up at Giles as he held the phone to her. Getting up, she took the phone from him and answered. "Hi Riley."
[ Buffy? You don't sound so good. What's wrong? ]
Buffy felt her spirits lighten a little at the sound of her boyfriend's concerned voice. She wished that he was here instead of the debriefing with his superiors. "Remember me telling you about the new bad guy setting up camp here?"
[ Yeah, but you said that it would be a piece of cake. ]
"That's what I thought too but..."
[ Buffy? ]
Buffy carefully watched Willow as the witch tended to her girlfriend. "The guy was more powerful than we thought, plus..." The Slayer paused.
[ What? ]
"He's got Xander."
The line went quiet for several seconds.
[ Look Buffy, I can't promise anything but I'll try to get back as soon as I can. The debriefing should only last a couple more hours and then I'm on my way. ]
"I can't wait for you. Xander can't."
[ I know. Be careful. ]
"I will."
[ See you soon. ]
"Okay. Bye."
*RING*
Dawn bounced into the kitchen and grabbed the phone before her mother could. Joyce went back to washing her dishes as her youngest daughter answered.
"Hello, Summers residence,"
[ Dawn?! Oh thank god you're there. ]
Dawn's face scrunched up as she tried to identify the familiar voice. "Cordelia?"
[ Yeah, is Xander there? ]
"Xander?" Dawn asked, "No. He left with everyone else to deal with some bad guy. I didn't hear much on account that I got sent out of the room by 'Little Miss Slayer'. Did you try Giles?"
Joyce Summers stopped what she was doing and listened in on the conversation.
[ The phone's busy. ]
Joyce took the phone from Dawn. "Cordelia, this is Joyce. What's the matter?"
[ Hello Mrs. Summers, I'm trying to find Xander. I think that he's been hurt. ]
"How do you know this?"
[ I get.... visions and I had one about Xander. ]
Joyce was quiet as she digested what Cordelia was telling her. Every since learning about Buffy's destiny and the supernatural forces at work in Sunnydale, she knew that it was better to just accept things as they were rather than try to look for logical explanations. "And you say that you couldn't reach him at Giles'?"
[ No. I hate to ask but could you go over there and check on them. ]
Joyce heard the younger woman's normally steady voice, tremble. < She's really worried. >
Without a second thought, Joyce promised to check in with Giles and wrote down Cordelia's number. After hanging up, she got her car keys and started for the door.
"Mom?"
Joyce turned to her daughter and for the first time, noticed that Dawn had paled considerably since hearing that Xander might be injured. She took the frightened girl into her arms. "Dawn, I'm sure that Xander will be okay. Now I want you to stay here and don't let anyone in."
Dawn just nodded and stepped away from her mother. She went to the window after Joyce closed the front door and watched as she got in her vehicle and drove off. Her young heart was beating fast as she prayed that Xander was alright. < If anything happens to Xander then - >
That's when she remembered Anya. Quickly she ran to the phone and dialed the number that Xander had made her memorize in case of emergencies and to Dawn, if Xander being in danger wasn't an emergency than nothing was.
"Xander?" Crystal called out as she ran through a field of tall grass that was covered in a light fog. She knew that he was here, could feel that he was here but she could not find him.
"He's fading and soon the change will happen."
Crystal turned to find a humanoid figure standing behind her. The person's body was concealed within a swirl of cloudy vapors that hid their identity. Only the yellow glow from the eyes could be seen from the outside.
"No he is not!" the small child spoke defiantly. "He is a good man and does not deserve what is happening to him."
"That does not matter." the melodious voice said. "No matter who the wielder is, the end is always the same. They either join us or the hounds."
"You could help him Wisp, if you were not so afraid!" Crystal spat before running off.
Wisp watched Crystal disappear then spoke with a singular, female voice. "That was never my task Crystal, it was always yours." Then Wisp too, faded away.
Hidden within the tall grass not too far away, Xander lay on the ground curled up in a ball. Tears coursed down his face as the cries of his best friends, Buffy and Willow, rang in his ears.