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Eric could feel the leak widen. He knew he didn’t have much
strength left. The young man was valiantly fighting, using both
his own strength and his powers.
Using him was dangerous but it had been the only way for him to
help the witch and the Watcher since he had to be physically near
to William and the Slayer, they needed him with them.
Eric shook his head and began chanting again. Sometime having a
soul and caring about an old friend was a bitch.
A tiny smile formed on his lips while he was chanting.
…sometimes, though, it could be very funny…and Eric hadn’t had so
much fun in centuries.
~~*~~*~~*~~
The demon roared. Its army had been almost dispatched by the
Elettis and the Slayer and it knew the remaining demons were
running away.
The demon was weakening; its grip around the two humans trapped in
the mist was lessening.
Its roar was heard in the gallery…but for the first time it
couldn’t feel fear or sorrow, just a strong determination.
It was almost the end, the demon could feel it…perhaps it was
going down…perhaps its plan had failed…but the Slayer and the
Elettis were going to go down as well.
Even if it was the last thing it did.
~~*~~*~~*~~
“Man…I’m not going to eat any more…” Xander grumbled, fighting
back a wave of nausea when another demon exploded covering him in
a yellowish slime.
“That said by the guy who devoured a fried chicken just after the
Ascension?” Willow said after dusting a vampire.
“You’re a barrel o’ laughter, Rosenberg you know that? Remind me,
why am I here?” Xander said smiling while getting close to Giles
and Willow who where at the centre of the hall, the same hall he
had seen Spike and Buffy fighting in.
“Because we’re family… ” Willow simply said, she shrugged then
added, “and because it’s against the Scooby Gang’s code of ethics
letting another Scooby die…”
Xander smiled at her, and pulled her in a hug whispering against
her hair, “Luv ya, Will…”
“Luv ya back, Xand…” Willow whispered back against his chest.
A polite tap of cough made them start, it was Giles who said, “I’m
sorry to interrupt, but we have a demon to kill…I am quite tired
of being trapped in my worst nightmare…”
“Luv ya too G-Man” Xander said.
Giles couldn’t help rolling his eyes at Xander’s words, yet he
smiled at him when he said, “Don’t call me that…”
“Now, let me show you the way…” Xander said.
They left the hall and headed toward the junction. They followed
Xander, holding hands. They could feel the energy, the power …they
didn’t fear the evil that radiated from that place, both Willow
and Giles hadn’t felt that strong since they had been taken. They
only had one goal; kill the demon that was keeping them trapped.
They didn’t even blink when they entered the purple mist, they
could feel the entity within it roaring and squirming.
There weren’t the horned demons Xander had seen when he had
entered the mist for the fist time. They were alone…apparently.
The mist was becoming thicker around them. They stopped and
silently formed a circle. Xander arched his head; he could feel
Eric’s power entering him.
He began chanting without even realizing he was doing it, he
didn’t even notice how Willow and Giles were looking at him.
A bright green light radiated from them all, it seemed to fight
with the purple mist, it almost seemed to eat it, piece by piece,
when it finally dissipated they could
see a figure standing not far away from them.
It was a demon there weren’t doubts about it. It was probably
three meters tall, its skin was as white as marble, and almost
iridescent, it was hairless.
The demon slowly walked toward them, and they could see its eyes,
they were black orbs, its mouth was large with razor-like fangs.
“Jesus…” Xander whispered seeing the demon.
<It’s not the moment to be squeamish, Xander…be my arms, be my
eyes and be their warrior> Eric’s voice told him.
“Uh…Giles? Any suggestions about how to kill its uber ugliness
over there?” Xander asked.
Both Willow and Giles turned toward him and Giles said, “Magic,
Xander…that’s the only way…”
“Good, good….” Xander said
“Now it’s the time to be our warrior, Xand…distract him” Willow
said, kneeling on the ground and taking from her backpack the
components for the counter spell.
Xander sighed and while he took a step forward, getting close to
the demon deadpanned, “Alright…but don’t say I don’t do nothing
for you….”
The demon came toward him, it was walking slowly it opened its
mouth and said, “Do you really think you can stop me, you useless
child?”
<Be my arms, Xander…> Eric’s voice whispered.
Xander shrugged and stretching his hands toward the demon said,
“You know something about useless children? They’re highly
underestimated…”
He was almost thrown back by the energy that poured out from
his hands, the demon fell back on its shoulders
<Whoa Eric…I didn’t expect you to pack such a wallop…>
Xander told the Eletti.
<It’s not finished, yet Xander…be their warrior…> was
Eric’s only answer.
Xander blinked, he could already hear Willow and Giles chanting.
The demon slowly got up; it evilly smiled at him showing his fangs
then blew at him.
An incredible pain exploded in Xander’s head. He fell on his
knees, feeling breathless; his heart almost seemed to burst in his
chest.
Never had he felt such pain…he took a few deep breaths and slowly
got up hissing, “That’s *so* it, you know? You’re really gonna
die, now…”
“I’d like to see you try” the demon hissed back.
He could hear that Giles and Willow had stopped chanting, without
turning to look at them he asked, “Guys? Are you ready?”
“As ready as we’ll ever be, Xand…”
Xander nodded and stretched his arms on his sides; he smiled when
he felt Willow and Giles taking his hands. He closed his eyes
while channeling all Eric’s energy on the counter spell that
Willow and Giles were chanting.
He felt like burning, but he didn’t break concentration, he didn’t
open his eyes, he didn’t even flinch. He didn’t understand a
single word of the spell, yet it was like he knew each word by
heart. .
There was a loud, shrill scream and then a sharp noise, as if
something had popped, when he opened his eyes, the demon had
disappeared.
He looked at his friends, they both looked exhausted and he
himself felt dead tired, yet he grinned at his friends and said,
“Well, that’s something I’m gonna tell to my grand kids…”
Both Willow and Giles smiled at him, they let go of his hands the
greenish light that surrounded them, seemed to lightly fade
<It’s time for you to go, Xander…I can’t keep the leak open any
more…> Eric told him.
Xander nodded and closed his eyes, he was feeling light-headed, he
opened his eyes and looked at his friends who were looking at him,
puzzled, he shrugged and said, “My work here is done…now it’s
Buffy and Spike’s battle…” he grinned and said, “I guess we’ll see
each other home…”
Both Giles and Willow nodded, then Willow pulled him to her and
hugged him, saying under her breath, “Tell Spike I love him,
Eric…”
Xander blinked, surprised by his friend words. He had realized the
bleached blonde vampire had the hots for his friend, he just
didn’t suspect Willow reciprocated those feelings.
He pulled away from her and said, “You’ll tell him when you come
back…” he looked at Giles, who was lightly apart from them, a sad
expression in his green eyes, and grinning said, “You both will…I
foresee major smoochies in your future…”
Willow and Giles looked at him surprised, he didn’t hear their
reply though, they disappeared. Flashes, colours, images, smells,
invaded his mind.
In the living room of Giles’ apartment, Xander Harris awoke with a
start from Anya’s lap. The former demon was looking at him,
worried
“Xander, are you all right? I couldn’t wake you…you have been
asleep since Eric left yesterday….”
Xander blinked, he stifled a yawn and getting up he said, “An? We
have to go …I'll explain what happened while we're going ....you
will never believe what happened!"
Anya cocked an eyebrow at him saying, “You’ve got to be kidding!
Former vengeance demon here, remember?"
Xander shook his head and pulled her at him, kissing her hard
before heading to the door
Anya followed him to door and asked, “Xander? Where exactly are we
going?”
Xander grinned at her and said, “We’re going to pick the others
up”
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