BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

"THE SLAYER AND THE SORCERESS"

PROLOGUE

It had never been a good idea to walk alone at night in Sunnydale. Even now, almost a year since it had collapsed into the dying hellmouth, the lost city was still home to dark supernatural forces. The dark figure hovering near the edge of the yawning crater that had once been Sunnydale, staring down into its shadowy depths, was no exception.

"Gone," it hissed, glowing red eyes flickering in the darkness. "The hellmouth is gone… and with it, all the dark power I had hoped to harness from it. My journey here… has been for nothing" The sky overhead rumbled angrily with ominous thunder. Searing forks of lightning lanced downward.

"NOTHING" The creature roared angrily. Arms cloaked in black rose to the air, summoning more of the storm's anger to match its own. Chill winds lashed against the creature's form, blowing open its tattered robes.

"I will not allow this" it hissed again. "I will not! Zaragos cannot be defeated so easily!! Boney, skeletal fingers gestured in the darkness, and the air around the menacing being began to shimmer.

"Show me where else I may find the power I seek… the power to conquer the heavens!" Powerful magic transformed the shimmering air in front of the dark creature, and an image slowly began to take shape there: a young girl, with short reddish hair and brilliant green eyes…

"This little one?" the creature asked, puzzled. "She has the power I seek?" The image rippled and transformed and the girl's hair turned jet black, along with her eyes. Dark veins stood out against the pale skin of her face.

"Incredible…" the creature whispered in awe. "Very well, where I can find her?" The image rippled again, and the girl's face was replaced by an imposing stone fortress. If the creature could've smiled, it would have. Its glowing red eyes sparkled in the darkness.

"Excellent! Soon she will be mine… and this world will taste Armageddon!!"

Half a world away, Buffy Anne Summers – The Slayer – was enjoying a brief respite from her ever-present duties… and the company of her best friend, Willow Rosenberg.

"Is it just me, or was saving the world a whole lot easier before we went and actually saved the world?" Buffy joked. She swung an angry fist at the practice dummy in front of her. Willow smiled.

"There's always going to be evil in the world, Buffy," she replied, "and the world is always going the need the Slayer."

"I know," Buffy said somberly. She snapped off a quick kick. "I just thought having hundreds of other slayers around might make the vamps pay a little less attention to yours truly."

"There may be hundreds of other slayers around the world now, but you were the first Buffy," Willow said. "You're the one they know… and fear."

"Besides," she added, resting a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "You know we're all here to help you." Buffy couldn't resist a smile.

"Thanks, Will. I'm glad you're here; I've missed you." The two friends shared a quick hug.

"No fair trying to make me cry now," Willow teased. "I've missed you too, Buffy."

"Best friend's privilege," Buffy replied, grinning. "Speaking of which, I think I'll exercise that privilege now and take my bestest friend in the whole world for some mochas and girl talk!" Willow giggled.

"I'd be honored!" Buffy put her arm around Willow and the two friends walked out of the training room.

"So where do you find mochas in Scotland anyway?" Willow asked.

"I found this great little place not too far away," Buffy answered. "Just let me grab a quick shower, and…" The rest of her words were suddenly cut off by a terrifying scream.

"What was that?!" Buffy demanded. As if in answer, the wall beside her and Willow suddenly exploded inward, showering them with dust and grit. Something dark and heavy crashed into Buffy and sent her sprawling.

"Buffy!" Willow rushed over to her. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Buffy growled, getting back to her feet. "What the hell was that?" She turned around to look at the thing that had sent her flying, expecting to see some kind of monster or demon… but was horrified to see instead the broken body of a young girl she knew.

"Leah!!" Buffy darted to her side, but it was already too late. The young slayer was clearly dead, and whatever had killed her had not done so nicely. Willow turned pale, clamping a hand over her mouth to keep from retching.

"Take it easy, Will," Buffy said to her when she noticed her friend's condition.

"W-what happened to her?"

"I don't know," Buffy answered grimly, "but I'm going to find out." She started to stand again.

"Buffy, look out!!" The slayer had only a fraction of a second to duck under the searing blade that suddenly carved through the air where her head had been just a moment before. Pivoting on her hip, she lashed out with a kick to sweep her attacker's legs out from under them. She was on her feet again a heartbeat later.

"Thanks for the warning, Will. I kinda like my head where it is."

"That makes two of us," Willow agreed. Buffy smiled and turned her attention back to the thing that attacked her. Her eyes widened at the sight of it. Its head was an empty, misshapen skull. Some kind of tattered leather armor covered its body, but its fleshless, skeletal arms and legs left little doubt as to what the rest of it looked like. The thing gave an ear-splitting scream and jumped to its feet, brandishing a long, sharp sword.

"Okay," Buffy quipped. "That's a new one on me." Buffy ducked under its swing and drove a kick into the skeletal warrior's chest, knocking it back. Then she reached out to grab the hilt of its sword, struggling to pry it from its owner's grip. A swift, vicious blow shattered the warrior's skeletal arm at the elbow, and Buffy seized the sword as her own. She wasted no time in using it to sever her attacker's head.

"That wasn't so bad," Buffy muttered. No sooner were the words out of her mouth, then two more skeletal warriors suddenly appeared, charging to attack Buffy in their fallen comrade's place. Then the two became four, and then six… and then eight.

"I take it back!" Buffy cried. "Will!" Willow raised her hands and gestured quickly at the attacking creatures. A shimmering, invisible barrier appeared suddenly between them and Buffy.

"Thanks, Will," Buffy said, panting. "That was getting out of hand quick."

"You're welcome," Willow replied, "but we need to figure out where they're coming from, before more of them decide to join the party!"

"God, the others!" Buffy screamed. She was on her feet and running towards the courtyard in a heartbeat. The sight that greeted her when she finally burst out into the open sent chills down her spine. Dozens of the skeletal warriors were locked in mortal combat with a handful of other slayers, and in the distance she could see Xander and Dawn being attacked as well. Without a moment's hesitation, Buffy hurled herself at the closest attacker. A swift high kick disarmed it, and Buffy wasted no time in then turning its own weapon against it. Moving with inhuman speed, she quickly turned to deal with another.

Willow appeared behind Buffy, trying to keep her distance from the fighting. She knew she was no match for the skeletal creatures in open combat, but she refused to allow Buffy and the others to face danger without her. Raising her hands, she began to chant the words of a protection spell. Suddenly, Willow felt something grab her around her waist. She opened her mouth to scream, but something cold and dark clamped itself over her mouth. Willow fought against it with all her strength, but it held her tight. Finally, she managed to summon enough power to telekinetically force the thing away from her mouth. She knew she couldn't last long though; not without tapping into power she feared to ever touch again.

"Buffy!!" she cried out. Buffy heard it and whirled around.

"Will!" What looked like tentacles of dark energy were attacking the red-headed witch, trying to drag her into a swirling, magical portal. Sword in hand, Buffy leapt to aid her best friend. Before she could get there, two more skeletons materialized in front of her. Buffy didn't even stop. Her swinging blade decapitated one of them, the other she sliced nearly in half.

"Hang on , Will! I'm coming!" She raised her sword to hack away the tentacles holding her best friend, but before she could, an unseen force blasted her back. Buffy hit the ground hard, the sword clattering from her grasp. By the time she was able to get to her feet again, it was too late. Buffy could do nothing but watch as Willow was pulled, screaming, into the portal, vanishing without a trace. Buffy's own scream of anguish echoed across the courtyard long afterward.

"Willooooooow!!"