Act 6

Cut To:

Ext.

Fairfax Neighborhood, East Side of Cleveland – Sidewalk – Next Day

Giles approached the lower level of a double porch colonial home. The structure stood mere inches away from the sidewalk. He was flanked by Reteesk and Brell, with the latter holding a small, white Styrofoam cooler. Compared to the other homes in the area, this one didn’t seem to be as well cared for, with weeds and shrubbery growing around the side of the house. While the other homes appeared owned and maintained, this structure appeared to be closed off from the outside world. There was no mistaking the house had an eerie quality.

“Sure this is it?” Brell asked suspiciously.

“If not,” Reteesk supplied, “I suggest we leave posthaste.”

Not deterred, the three of them climbed the stairs. Once they arrived at the door, Giles knocked three times. They waited for a few seconds, but no movement came.

Tightening his hold on the cooler, Brell suggested, “Do we have wrong place?”

Giles looked at the piece of paper in his hand and then the house numbers. They matched, although one of the house numbers seemed to be askew. He reached up and knocked again, this time with more force.

“My name is Rupert Giles,” he called through the door. “I’ve been sent here by Heerda Boglita. He said…” Giles paused, as if he wasn’t sure if he should continue speaking. After a sigh, he said, “‘Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti’.”

Reteesk cocked his head slightly and looked at Giles. “I have heard that before. But for the life of me, I cannot remember where”.”

Before Giles could answer Reteesk, the door swung open. In front of them stood a balding humanoid with an impressive mane of white hair that combined into a beard as it reached under his chin. He appeared to be less than five feet tall. He immediately broke into song and extended his arms in Broadway showstopper fashion.

“I seek to cure what’s deeeeep innnnnsiiiide…Frightened of this thiiiiing that I’vvve becoooooooome.”

He then pointed at Giles. All of the visitors looked at one another, as if not sure what to do. Finally, with some hesitation, Giles said, “It’s going to take a lot to keep me away from you?”

“‘Africa’!” Reteesk exclaimed in joy at remembering. “It’s ‘Africa’!”

The humanoid clapped his hands excitedly and then made a grand gesture inside the home as he said, “Enter, friends! You’ve shown you’re worthy! Enter!”

Once they cleared the threshold, the homeowner closed the door behind them. Inside, the room was filled with books and artifacts of different kinds. Some appeared outright sinister, while others looked quite benign. In fact, there wasn’t a wall or a corner that didn’t have some kind of magical paraphernalia or text.

“Thank you for seeing us,” Giles began, “Althenea Dimmons said that her contact Heerda Boglita claims you might have what we need for a dimensional closure spell.”

The humanoid wagged his finger at the trio. “Not might. I have,” he clarified. “But are you prepared to create a seal forever? Those here in this dimension will never be able to return home to Vor.”

“People here from Vor are already home,” Brell offered. “This is home,” he added, motioning around them.

The humanoid seemed to consider the comment and then shrugged with a short nod. “Fair enough. Let’s git ‘er closed!”

He walked over to a large chest and put his hand on what looked like an imprint of a palm. He placed his hand inside the divot and gave it a turn. The chest opened to reveal a staircase.

“Did you bring ice?” he asked, with a nod toward the cooler Brell held.

The blue demon simply nodded.

“Good, your first item will need to remain at no more than fifty degrees Fahrenheit, but not freezing. You can’t let it freeze. Can’t let it get warm. Think Goldilocks’ porridge. It needs to be just right. Got it? Spell won’t work if it’s not just right!”

“We understand,” Giles replied.

“Do you have the items for trade?” the creature asked excitedly.

Giles reached into his satchel and pulled out a Tupperware container. He extended it toward the humanoid. The creature grasped it in his hands like a found treasure.

He opened it to reveal several shark dorsal fins.

“This is genuine, is it not?” the humanoid asked. “Don’t be passing me some artificial fins.”

“Sadly, they are genuine,” Giles replied.

“So, the Council does have some pretty dark and deep ties,” the creature suggested. “I like that!”

“You got what you wanted,” Giles told him. “Now we need the three items we came for.”

“Absolutely! A deal is a deal!” He motioned to the staircase in front of them and asked, “Who is the bravest among you to enter the chamber to claim your prizes?”

Brell and Reteesk looked everywhere but at each other. Giles looked back and forth between them. When no one seemed to be moving, Giles took the cooler from Brell.

“Lead the way,” Giles told the humanoid.

The creature shook his head and then motioned with his arm. “The gentleman human should go first.”

Reteesk put his hand on Giles’s forearm. “This sounds as if it’s a trap,” he suggested.

“You need to enter and be brave to receive the items you wish,” the creature countered. “So, what will it be? I’m keeping the shark fins either way.”

“You do not need to do this,” Reteesk insisted to Giles, still not releasing his arm.

Giles seemed to consider the situation. “Yes, I may die if I go down there. I may not. He received his fins, so we’ve held up our end.” The creature nodded in agreement as Giles continued, “But if I don’t go down there, I won’t get the items. We can’t do the spell a-and we’ll all perish, myself included.” He took a deep breath. “Al sent us here and I trust her. You both can stay here, but I’m going.”

The creature gave him a respectful nod and took a step back to let Giles move forward. As Giles moved to take his first step, a loud whooshing sound made everyone turn toward the front door. There they could see a large green spiral starting to appear, indicating the opening of a portal.

The creature began to dramatically point to the staircase repeatedly, screaming, “Go! Go! Everybody! Go!”

Brell and Reteesk quickly followed Giles straight down the staircase. Once the three of them had cleared the opening, the creature closed the lid on the chest, sealing them inside.

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Hallway – Same Time

A door opened to reveal Faith on the other side. “I brought some reinforcements,” she said. She didn’t wait for an invitation and pushed her way past the threshold.

From either side of the doorway stepped Angel and Spike.

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Buffy and Xander’s Apartment – Continuous

Buffy smiled and motioned them forward. “Come in, both of you.”

After they were inside, Buffy opened her arms and hugged them, one arm around each vampire.

“Smart,” Faith said from behind her. “Hug them both at the same time, so no one gets jealous about who’s first.”

After Buffy pulled away, she turned back to Faith with a knowing grin.

“Seriously,” Buffy told them as she motioned them deeper into the apartment, “thanks for coming. Did you want anything? Coffee, tea…blood?” The vampires looked surprised at the option. “Skye,” Buffy explained, and they gave an understanding nod.

“Speakin’ of,” Spike asked, “how’s Pigeon doin’ these days?”

Buffy paused. “At one point, she was an actual pigeon,” she replied.

“What?” Angel chuckled, while Spike looked confused.

“Magic student spell went wonky,” Buffy replied.

“And B’s slayer, Emma, caught her,” Faith pointed out. “Well, not so much caught but more like threw her in a fan.”

“That’s not how I remember it,” Buffy said with a sigh.

“Anyway,” Faith went on, ignoring the comment. She walked toward the refrigerator and pulled out a soda pop. “In the end, we got pigeon Dawn in a box and, just like Pinocchio, Red turned her into a real girl.”

“So,” Angel said with apprehension, “Dawn’s leading the hellmouth spell, huh?”

“She’s very talented and Willow has complete faith. What happened to her was a fluke,” Buffy stressed. Before she could say more, sounds started to come over the baby monitor. It began with a baby sounding more alert and growing annoyed. “Excuse me a second,” she said as she walked to the nursery.

“Faith,” Angel said softly. “Is Dawn up for this? What are our chances here?”

“Hey, I’m not an odds maker,” she whispered back. “But Dawn’s pretty powerful. Especially when she’s with that vampy vamp of hers. Their healing magic is on point, ’cause you can barely tell Alex’s slayer sister used him as a punching bag.”

“The birds’ twins?” Spike whispered. “They were dukin’ it out?”

“Big time,” Faith replied. “Part of that totem insanity I mentioned.”

They both nodded as Buffy returned to the room carrying Joyce. The baby rested her temple on her mom’s shoulder and gave a big yawn in the quest to become more awake. She didn’t seem frightened of the strangers smiling at her.

“I will say this for the boy,” Spike commented, “he makes attractive children with beautiful women.”

“Just had to find a way to work that in, didn’t cha?” Angel asked.

“Ignore him,” Spike said, not bothering to look at Angel. “She’s gorgeous, Buffy, and your mum would be proud.”

“And how would you know?” Angel asked.

Spike finally turned in Angel’s direction and said, “Unlike you, I actually got to know the woman. She liked me. Hated you. Go figure.”

“Please,” Angel grumbled. “You didn’t know her.”

“Oh yeah?” Spike challenged. “What’s her favorite Passions character? Sheridan,” he said, before Angel could answer. “Her favorite tea? Earl Grey. Her favorite color? Yellow.”

Angel looked at Buffy in disbelief as he shook his head. The former slayer shrugged and said, “He’s right.”

“Ha!” Spike pointed at Angel in triumph. He turned to Buffy, looking more solemn. “Motherhood suits you. Wish she was here so you could enjoy it with her.”

“Me too,” Buffy agreed, getting misty eyed.

As if sensing the need for a topic change, Spike put his hands together and gave them a rub. “So, big evil is a-brewin’ eh?”

“Yeah,” Buffy replied.

“You guys ready?” Faith asked the vampires.

“These old dogs still have a few tricks left,” Angel said.

Faith smiled and then, after a beat, Spike sniffed, wiping a finger under his nose. Then he added. “Well, I do.”

Cut To:

Ext.

Fairfax Neighborhood, East Side of Cleveland – Mystical Basement – Later

“We are trapped,” Brell said, concerned, as Giles put a finger over his lips to silence them.

“Listen,” he whispered.

They could hear muffled voices just above them as they stood on the stairs, but no one in the trio could make out what was being said at first. There seemed to be two different voices.  The voices didn’t sound upset or angry. They were in simple conversation. One voice they recognized as the humanoid, but the other one was unknown. They also were speaking a language different from English.

“I don’t understand them,” Giles said, keeping his voice at a whisper.

Brell and Reteesk were also listening intently, but then they suddenly looked at one another and began to smile.

“Pilor,” Brell whispered. “Vor language.”

“Our fin loving friend is lying to the interloper about our visit,” Reteesk whispered.

Giles continued to wait, silent and completely still, as Brell and Reteesk continued to listen. After a few moments, though, he began creeping down the stairs to the landing. He moved his head around and looked at the dimly lit room. Covering these walls, he also found a number of artifacts, potions and magic supplies that seemed to go on and on when he looked toward his left. The space was much larger and more expansive than the size of the house would indicate.

As Brell and Reteesk continued to listen, Giles moved to the floor and took a seat. He closed his eyes and clasped his hands together, almost as if in prayer.

Cut To:

Int.

Rosenberg-Allister House – Sophie’s Room – Same Time

“So, that’s what’s up,” Willow said from her seated position on the floor next to Rowena and in front of Jake and Sophie, who sat on the bed. “Aunt Ken and Aunt Faith believe you are ready for this, but it’s your decision, so we want you to think about it.”

“I’m in,” Jake said immediately. Sophie nodded in agreement.

“That took all of one point three seconds,” Rowena sighed in frustration. “Seriously, guys, this is going to be unlike anything that you ever experienced before.”

“Worse than an octopus baby?” Sophie asked.

“Possibly. In fact, most likely,” Willow replied.

“Octobaby wasn’t too bad,” Sophie said. “Looked kinda fake, actually.”

The pre-teens looked at each other but didn’t say anything. Jake turned back to face his moms and asked, “Emma’s gonna be there too, right?”

“Yes,” Rowena replied. “She’s leading a whole bunch of slayers, about a hundred of them, whose only job is to guard you guys and Ken and Faith. But even with all this…”

“We can’t guarantee that you’ll be safe,” Willow told them straight out. “It’s going to be loud, it’s gonna be scary, and it will require you to do every single thing your Aunt Kennedy and your Aunt Faith tell you to do without question or argument. It doesn’t matter what you see happening around you – you have to listen to them.”

“What do you think will be happening?” Sophie asked, more in a tone of curiosity than fear.

“I don’t know, but it might be something really bad,” Willow told her.

“Like?” Jake asked.

“Like seeing Aunt Faith get ripped up by monsters while Aunt Ken tells you to run. You might want to stay to help, or you might find yourself in shock and fear and you can’t move. But you’ll need to listen to them and do everything they say. So again, we understand if this is more than you want to take on. A-and if you need to take more time to talk about it with each other or ask more questions before you answer, we understand.”

The kids looked at each other once again, and Sophie gave her brother a nod.

“We’ll do it,” Jake said.

“Yep,” Sophie agreed. “And we’ll listen to the grownups, no matter what.”

Rowena reached out and took Willow’s hand first, giving it a squeeze, and then motioned the kids toward her for a hug.

“Don’t say anything to anyone yet about the mission,” Rowena stressed. “We need to tell your siblings about their role in this before we all talk about yours. Plus, we can’t risk Zorgy overhearing, so we don’t talk until Ma and I say it’s time. Okay?”

“Okay,” they both said.

They then made their way over to Willow, and she embraced them. She squeezed them tight and closed her eyes and, as she did, a coalescing whisper swirled in her ears.

“Willow? Al’s contact sealed Brell, Reteesk and I in a…well, a magic chest to hide us. It seems someone from Vor paid this chap a visit via a portal. Oh, it’s Giles, by the way.”

“Right, Ma?” Rowena asked Willow, who was obviously distracted.

After a moment too long, Willow just muttered, “Right,” and walked from the room.

Cut To:

Ext.

Fairfax Neighborhood, East Side of Cleveland – Mystical Basement – Same Time

Giles still sat, his eyes closed almost as if in prayer, as he communicated with Willow. His lips moved as he spoke to her, but no sound passed from them.

“I’ve got the contact’s location too. Do you want me to send in reinforcements?” Willow called out.

Brell and Reteesk continued to listen to the conversation above them. At different times, they would grin and then nod at each other hopefully. Giles continued to converse silently with Willow.

“Not yet. I’m just letting you know that if we appear to be missing, we’re not. We’re in the house…inside a large magical chest. Right now, our contact’s still talking to the person upstairs and…”

Suddenly, the conversation cut off, and then there was a crashing noise followed by a thud.

“And what?” Willow’s voice rang out urgently in his head. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll let you know. Hang on.”

Giles opened his eyes to see the concerned looks on Brell and Reteesk’s faces. Suddenly, the door to the chest opened, and their humanoid friend extended his hand to them.

“Hurry! Hurry!” he told them as the three of them made their way up the stairs.

“The contact is releasing us. Stand by,” he called out to Willow.

Cut To:

Int.

Fairfax Neighborhood, East Side of Cleveland – House – Continuous

Reteesk was the first up the stairs, and he had to step over another creature with coal black skin and horns and sprawled out on the floor, looking quite dead. A purple liquid that might have been blood was seeping from a wound on the creature’s neck. As the rest of the trio arrived, their host took Giles’s hand in his. He began to chant and suddenly both of their hands glowed.

Giles tried to pull away, but the smaller creature held on tight until the glowing stopped. He pointed to the chest and told Giles, “Now you have the key, too.” He motioned to the wall, lined with shelves covered in various magical ingredients, as he walked toward it. “Toss everything you can inside now! Do it!”

The remaining three jumped in and started to clear as much of the shelves as they could. They tossed the items down the stairs inside the chest and then raced back to grab more. 

“Why do we do this?” Brell asked as he continued with his task.

“It’s Game Over,” the humanoid told them. “He was going to report me,” he said, pointing to the dead creature on the floor. “Then they’d return and get everything. Right now, they think he’s still hunting you, so this buys you some time.”

“Who is that?” Giles asked after nodding to the corpse, while he continued to toss books into the chest.

“Agent of Vor,” the humanoid replied. “They want to stop you from possessing your ingredients. All of which are down there, by the way. You can just grab them.”

“What about all the ‘brave and worthy’ talk?” Giles asked.

“Yeah, strictly theatrics. Usually, it’s harmless fun. Then again most of my guests aren’t hunted by agents of the crazy dictator now running a hell dimension that happens to have about thirty millennia of loose magic just lying around between the couch cushions. Which brings me back to my original comment…Game Over.”

He walked over and closed the lid. Then he motioned to the three and said, “It’s yours. Take it.”

Giles seemed unsure of what to say at first.

“Take the chest,” their host repeated. “Everything you’re looking for is stored alphabetically in the language you chose. Magic’s cool that way, isn’t it? But really, if it stays here, it will fall into Vor’s hands. Take it to the Council.”

Giles thought for a moment longer, then nodded and motioned for his companions to pick it up. He then turned back to the humanoid. “You’re coming with us, too.”

“I can’t.”

“They’ll hunt you and kill you. The Council can protect you.”

“There are still things in here that I need to destroy before they arrive.” Giles appeared torn about what to do as the creature went on. “Go! If I get done before they get here, I’ll go to your Council. Promise. There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do.”

Giles briefly grinned upon hearing the lyric. He nodded his thanks and watched as the creature began to chant and move his fingers in complex patterns. After a moment, some of the items still on the shelves began to dissolve into dust, then fade away.  As he began to follow Brell and Reteesk, who were carrying the chest, Giles called out to Willow.

“Vor might be following us. We’re bringing the chest to the Council.”

“Okay…No, wait. We’re both closer to your house. Stop there first.”

Cut To:

Int.

Vor – Throne Room – Same Time

“Empress!”

Zorgy, sprawled across her obsidian throne, was startled out of typing away on her phone by a mage in flowing robes rushing into the room. Her guards stood at attention, but she waved them off to allow the demon to pass. “Your highness. Our mage observing Mr. Giles overheard a mental conversation. They are taking the chest to Mr. Giles’s home.”

Zorgy grinned and then pointed to her two large guards. She tossed them something from her belt. “Bring me that chest. I’m talking surgical strike here. No rampaging, I mean it. And if you kill anybody, don’t make a mess, okay? We’re not putting all our cards on the table just yet. Also my entrail cleaning bills are already through the roof. Get that chest and get back. Got it?”

“Yes, your highness,” they both answered, before quickly leaving the room.

Cut To:

Ext.

Giles House – Driveway – Minutes Later

The garage door was already open, and Willow stood with two families’ worth of kids. Giles practically tipped his car over on two wheels as he pulled in before coming to a swift stop in the driveway.

Seconds later, the car was surrounded by teenagers. Jake opened the tailgate while Jen and Liz reached in and pulled out the chest and, with only a little bit of extra pulling between them, ran toward the garage with it. As soon as the others were inside, Sophie hit the door button, and it started to close.

Meanwhile, Becca held the front door open as Brell, Reteesk and Giles made their way inside.

Before she finished closing the door, she saw a large green portal swirl into life in the driveway. Her eyes went wide, and she slammed the door behind her.

“Two hostiles arriving in the driveway!” Becca shouted toward the garage, her back to her front door.

Cut To:

Ext.

Giles House – Garage – Same Time

Willow heard Rowena yell from the other side of the door. “Two hostiles in driveway!”

Alone, Willow kept waving her hand over the large chest as a greenish mist began to rise up and surround it.

“They took something from their belt; maybe trying to breach the protection spell,” Rowena shouted a few moments later.

It was then that Willow looked up and gave a nod to the teenagers – Liz, Marty and Alex – who were standing there. “You guys get inside,” she told them. Then she turned in the other direction to find Jen standing, face stony. Willow just asked quickly, “Ya ready, slayer?”

Jen gave a quick but confident nod.

Cut to:

Ext.

Giles House – Utility Room – Same Time

Rowena listened and heard Becca say, “They’ve breached the outer protection. Heading to the garage.”

Rowena closed her eyes and called out to Willow a few feet away, “They’re in and coming to you.”

Just then, the three teenagers escorted Jake and Sophie into the house. Rowena gave them space to walk through as they proceeded toward the basement, with the exception of Alex, who waved his hand around the doorframe. The action immediately made the seams around the doors glow for a moment. When Rowena didn’t immediately follow him as he exited, Alex looked back and moved a few paces back toward her.

“They got this. We gotta go,” he told her, pulling at her forearm.

Reluctantly, she followed him, but not before glancing back at the garage door one last time.

Cut To:

Ext.

Giles House – Outside – Same Time

The two guards slipped through the protection spell and lumbered toward the garage. Without much effort, they were able to quickly pull up the garage door. As it rattled to a stop, they could see Willow continuing to stand over the chest, waving her hands.

“Just ten seconds, Jen,” she told her daughter. “Buy me ten seconds to send it away.”

The slayer tried to do a running kick to the abdomens of the two hulking demons, but she just bounced off. They moved back about two feet and gave each other an amused look. Jen rolled upon hitting the ground and immediately bounced to her feet. She reared back to try to punch one of them, but his reach was far greater than hers. He grabbed her by the shirt before she could make contact and tossed her all the way to the back side of the garage, where she initially slammed into the wall, sending spider-web cracks out from her point of impact, until she came to rest on a workbench, unmoving.

Willow continued to move her hands around, but within seconds the two large guards stood over her and picked up the chest.

“Nooooo!” Willow yelled as she fell to her hands and knees. She tried to give chase, but a portal opened just in front of the garage, and they zapped out of existence before she could get close enough to them.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor – Throne Room – Continuous

Stepping through the portal, the two guards appeared in front of Zorgy’s throne, holding her prize.

She clapped joyfully and seemed to run in place in anticipation.

“You did it!” she commended them, clapping excitedly. “Finally, just a little bit of competence. You’d be amazed how rare that is these days.”

“No rage as promised,” one guard commented. “In and out, as you wished.”

“Was she upset?” Zorgy asked in a gossipy tone. “I bet she was. I bet she started to cry and do one of those ridiculous ‘nooooooooo’s’ like every movie villain does when they realize they’re doomed.”

“The only defender she had was a slayer,” the guard mentioned as the other only nodded.

“Didja kill ‘er? Didja?!” Zorgy asked gleefully.

“We do not know. Once we removed her as an obstacle, we immediately grabbed the chest as you instructed, your highness.”

Zorgy grinned. “You guys are the best,” she said. She pointed to them and announced, raising her voice so the rest of her underlings in the throne room could hear. “More of you need to be like these two over here and do what you’re told.” Taking a step back, she examined the chest. “Whaddaya say we crack her open and see what goodies are inside?” With that, she kicked the hand lock with such force that it shattered. Zorgy’s grin got even larger.

She cracked her knuckles and then twiddled her fingers a little before she reached down and grabbed the lid. When she did, the chest instantly evaporated before her eyes.

At first, she looked angry, but the expression soon began to transform into a grin and then a smile. And then a laugh.

“Oh, Rosenberg. You got me with a glamour. You crafty bitch! Ha!”

Cut To:

Int.

Giles House – Basement – Same Time

Willow and Jen came down the stairs moving at a quick pace to find the teens and tweens at the far end of the basement with the real chest. They were talking as they walked.

“You scared me. You play dead too convincingly,” Willow told her daughter.

“Why thank you. He bought your cheesy Darth Vader ‘nooo’,” Jen said with a laugh.

“Everything’s ready,” Alex told his Ma as he handed her a candle. Around the chest was a set of candles, all but four of which weren’t lit. Jake and Sophie stood by, also holding candles.

At the top of the stairs, Rowena came down with the Gileses, Brell and Reteesk.

“Got everyone?” Willow asked.

“Go for it,” Rowena told her.

From a large candle, Willow, Alex, Sophie and Jake lit their candles. At the four points of a compass sat unlit candles. Each member stood in front of one compass point and lit the candle in front of them.

When all the candles were lit, Willow reached out her hands, with Jake taking her left hand and Sophie taking her right. Alex joined hands with his siblings from the other side.

“Sivanah,” Willow began, “we pray that you keep the secret of this chest to only you and those of us in this room.”

Alex continued, “As the seventh veil, we ask that you cloak this magical device to keep it from harm. Allow only those present to engage with it.”

He paused, looked at his siblings and gave a light nod, and everyone in the circle said, “Goddess, hear our prayer.”

Everyone watched as the chest disappeared from sight and then immediately reappeared. Just as suddenly, all of the candles went out at once.

“What just happened?” Becca asked.

“Everyone in the room can see the box?” Willow asked. The room occupants nodded, with various expressions of agreement.

“Okay, it’s invisible to anyone who wasn’t in this room during the spell.” She turned to Giles, “So don’t send Buffy to get it. She can’t see it, touch it or hear it. It will remain hidden until the spell is broken.”

“Zorgy is going to come back,” Rowena said, “especially when she finds out she’s got the fake.”

“I don’t think so,” Giles replied. “She’s got an invasion to plan.”

“Right,” Willow agreed with Giles. “Plus, she’s smart. She knows she missed her window.”

Cut To:

Int.

Vor – Throne Room – Same time

The large guards were still trying to find a place in Zorgy’s good graces. “Your highness, please let us return.”

“Dudes,” Zorgy sighed. “It’s not your fault. And a return trip now is a waste of time. She could have put it anywhere by now, and we don’t have time for this ticky tack BS. What’s one teeny tiny battle lost when you’re about to overwhelm your enemies and have your new throne made out of their bones?” She grinned at them. “Ya always gotta look on the bright side.”

Cut To:

Int.

Giles House – Basement – Short Time Later

“Since we’ve got everyone here,” Willow began with a somewhat nervous twinge to her voice, “‘there’s something you all should know.” The Gileses and the Rosenbergs made up the majority of those standing around the ‘sound studio listening to her, with the exception of Brell and Reteesk. Willow motioned for all of the younger folks to have a seat around her on the rec room furniture.

“Aunt Kennedy is working on a spell that would temporarily give slayers back their strength to help us in the fight that lies ahead.”

“That’s great,” Alex said optimistically.

“It is,” Willow agreed, and then added, “Aunt Faith is certain it will work if we use two of the Rosenbergs to perform the spell with her and Aunt Kennedy.”

“You know I’m in,” Alex said confidently.

Willow paused for a moment and then said, “You’re not, sweetie. Jake and Sophie will be doing the spell with them.”

All the teenagers began to look at one another and then looked back at the two tweens, who didn’t say anything.

“That’s a joke, right?” Alex asked. Jake and Sophie both shook their heads, and then Willow did as well, when Alex looked back to her for confirmation.

“They’re just kids,” Jen said.

“Why not Alex?” Liz and Marty both asked at the same time.

“Yeah, why not me?”

For their part, Jake and Sophie didn’t say anything. They just continued to watch the tension rising in the room.

“Faith is convinced they’re our best shot,” Willow replied.

At first, no one spoke.

“Since when did we start listening to Faith’s advice?” Alex challenged her.

“Good question,” Jen added.

“Seriously!” Alex continued, sounding more agitated. “She stays gone for months or years at a time and then waltzes back in like she’s the know-it-all Savior.”

“It’s not just her,” Willow told him. “Aunt Ken agrees. She thinks bloodlines help with this particular spell.”

All the kids seemed to take a second to process what she was saying. Alex shook his head sadly, “I’m not yours,” he said quietly. “That’s it. They’re your biological children and I’m…just not.”

“Alex,” Willow said firmly. “You are my son.”

“I share your name, sure, but not your blood.” He then pointed to his siblings. “Not like them. Look at them, they’re doing the spell and they’re not even official members of the Watcher Council Coven yet. They just started their first degree, for Gaia’s Sake.”

Willow closed her eyes for a few seconds before she reopened them. “There’s more. With the exception of Jake and Sophie, none of you will be involved in this battle.”

“You’re benching us?” Liz asked incredulously. “Why? Another blood thing?”

“No. We need to keep you safe,” Rowena told them.

“No. You need our help,” Liz insisted. “You–”

“We need a second front,” Willow said, cutting her off. “The reason we’re holding you back is because you’re valuable and competent. If we fail, then the fate of what happens next in the world lies with you. We will need intelligent watchers,” she said, motioning to Liz and Martin. “We’ll need a take-charge slayer to organize the troops,” she said, pointing to Jen. Her eyes then fell on Alex. “And we’ll need a new powerful High Priest to protect and lead the surviving witches.”

“Do you understand?” Rowena asked gently. “We don’t give you this responsibility lightly. We’re giving it to you because we have to ensure we have a powerful and capable force if we fail. That’s all of you.”

None of the kids looked too pleased or convinced.

Alex stood up, “I’ll be honest. Part of me’s relieved. This is all pretty scary. But another part, a much larger part, tells me I deserve to be there to protect my family and to protect my home — just like my baby brother and sister. That’s what I’ve been training for all these years, isn’t it?” He began to walk away, heading towards the stairs.

“Where are you going?” Rowena asked.

“I’m not needed here,” he said.

“Alex, you are,” Rowena stressed. “Don’t leave.”

He stopped on the stairs and looked over at them. “I’m going to see my girlfriend. Someone who, by the way, might actually be in the battle that I’m too special to be a part of.”

“That’s not what we said, Alex,” Willow countered.

At the same time, Sophie and Jake simultaneously asked “Girlfriend?” but everyone ignored them.

“This nepo-baby disagrees,” Alex said, without stopping his climb up the stairs.

Willow then turned back to the teens remaining on the sofa. “You get it, don’tcha? It’s not that we don’t believe in you. It’s because we do.”

Liz shrugged. “We’re Alfred.”

“What?” Rowena asked.

“We putter around down here in the Batcave while everybody else goes out and does the superhero sh…crap. Feels great to feel useful.”

As if sensing the argument was going to continue to spiral, Giles told his children, “Come help me.”

“Vacuuming the Batcave?” Liz asked.

Giles grinned in spite of himself and then motioned them toward the chest. He put his hand on the locking mechanism and easily turned it to unlock the chest.

“Let’s get those spell ingredients,” he told her. After peeking inside the chest, he added, “Just watch for all the books on the stairs. We were in a rush.”

At once, all the younger people looked inside the chest and their mouths widened.

“What’s down there?” Liz asked in wonderment.

“Let’s find out,” Giles said as he held up a flashlight and gave it to Jen, who suddenly looked excited.

Cut To:

Int.

Abandoned Warehouse – Later

Maddie was doing one-handed pull ups in the makeshift gym she had created. Nearby stood a straw tackling dummy and a large punching bag. The lack of electricity and the wear on the building’s walls made it appear that it had been vacant for some time.

Alex, motocross helmet in hand, walked in through the doorway and called over to her. “Nifty setup.”

She paid him no notice and continued doing her pull-ups. She even switched hands to start working on the other side. After five repetitions, she released her grip, dropped to the cracked and peeling flooring. As she turned around, she noticed Alex standing there and jumped.

“Shit!” she exclaimed and then pulled one of her ear pods out before reaching for the second. “You’re lucky I’m not armed, or you’d be dead.”

“I said you got a nice place, but you didn’t hear me,” Alex told her as he motioned around them.

“Sure, it ain’t like those fancy gyms in your Council, but it helps me stay in shape. You look a lot better than the last time we saw each other.”

Alex closed the distance between them and, instead of asking, he simply greeted her by cupping her cheek and bringing her in for a slight kiss.

“I needed that. I had to see you,” he told her afterward.

“Pre-battle jitters?” she asked.

He grinned with melancholy. “Not for me. I won’t be in the battle,” Alex’s hands fell from Maddie’s face as he turned away with a deep sigh. “Neither will any of my friends, or Jen.”

“Too dangerous for you guys, huh?”

Alex didn’t answer that question. Instead, he said, “My nine-year-old brother will be there, along with my eight-year-old sister.”

“Say what?” Maddie asked skeptically. 

“That was pretty much my reaction,” Alex said as he levitated himself up and onto a gymnastic horse that had been crudely constructed from leftover factory parts. He took a seat on the horse and explained, “I’m fifteen, going on sixteen, well, if I make it to this fall, that is. And since the time I could walk, I’ve been training my entire life for what’s about to happen. I’m scared because, hello, I’m not dumb, but I’m ready. Y’know? I’m itchin’ to do this.”

“Then do it,” Maddie told him. “Why listen to them?”

“I’m not sure what to believe,” Alex told her sincerely. “I could go into battle to show I’m worthy of respect, but they want me as a second front in case they all die. But you know…no pressure there.”

Maddie shrugged.

Alex mimicked her shrug.

“What do you want me to say?” she asked.

“Say what you really think,” he replied.

“You’re asking my opinion, right? This isn’t just a venting session?”

“Your opinion matters to me,” Alex told her. “What do you think I should do?”

“If it was me, and I wanted to do it, I’d do it.”

“Speaking of you and this apocalypse thing, are you–?”

“Not entirely in at this point,” she said. “But if I wanted to do it, I would, and if I didn’t, I wouldn’t. Now you…you’re a different beast. And you are a beast. That window, man…whoosh…Anyway, as for what you should do…I say don’t listen to them; follow your gut instead. From the looks of it, you already are.”

Alex furrowed his brow in confusion, and Maddie motioned to his motocross helmet. He looked down, as if seeing it for the first time, and smiled. “You were worth getting into trouble.”

“Is the world and everyone in it worth getting into trouble over?” Maddie asked. Alex began to grin. “There’s your answer.”

Alex’s smile began to dip. He told her, “Still, even if I do this, no matter what happens, I’m still not a wielder as powerful as my kid sister and brother, who’re practically half my age.”

“They got talent, huh?” Maddie asked.

“They have genetics.” Maddie raised an eyebrow, so he went on. “My birth mother is Rowena. She gave me and my sister the name of Rosenberg, since Willow is our other parent. Now, my mom, Rowena, well, she does have magical abilities beyond the basics. Same can be said for our dad, Xander. Now, Jake and Sophie…same dad, but their mother is Willow. Willow gave them the name Allister, since Rowena is our other parent. Willow….one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful witch in human history. Are you with me so far?”

“It’s gotten a bit family tree-y, but I’m keepin’ up. Please continue.”

“My point is, Jake and Sophie are blood kin to Willow. To say they’re talented is a little shortsighted, because magic is literally in their bones, like in that Imagine Dragons song. It makes a difference. No matter what I do, I’ll never be as powerful as Sophie or Jake. I just won’t. And that makes me…”

“Jealous?” Maddie offered.

Alex considered it and then nodded. “And petty too, apparently.”

“Sounds to me like you’re just human, and that’s okay.”

There was a silence for a moment, then Alex said, “I can see why the Council wants them. I really really do. But it still hurts that they don’t want me.”

Maddie stepped up between Alex’s legs and looked up at him sitting on the horse.

“For what it’s worth, I want you. And we both know you’re going to end up in this fight…and if so, you need somebody to watch your back when you arrive. I can be that somebody.”

Alex leaned down and kissed her.

“I’ve got a lot to think about,” he told her.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor – Zorgy’s Palace – Bedroom – Day

Zorgy, wearing just a New Found Glory t-shirt and underwear, lay back on her bed in her palace, black sheets with a black onyx headboard, staring at the ceiling. She took a deep breath, then put two small white ear pods into her ears. She picked up her phone from the bed stand, which looked like it might have been made out of bones, and tapped the screen.

A solo piano phrase played over her ear pods, followed by another, before the singing kicked in.

VO: (Welcome To The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance) When I was a young boy, my father

Took me into the city to see a marching band.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and cricked her neck, first to one side, then the other.

He said, “Son, when you grow up, would you be

The savior of the broken, the beaten and the damned?”

Cut To:

Int.

Grace & Jeff’s Apartment – Bedroom – Same Time

Grace lay back on her own bed as Jeff unstrapped her protective boot from her leg. She grimaced as he pulled it off, but said nothing. She stared up at the ceiling, face expressionless. He then began dabbing at the exposed area of her leg, giving her a small smile as he did so. She did her best to return the smile, but it soon disappeared again.

He said, “Will you defeat them? Your demons

And all the non-believers, the plans that they have made?”

Cut To:

Int.

Vor – Zorgy’s Palace – Bedroom – Same Time

Zorgy got to her feet, then pulled her t-shirt off over her head, only getting it caught on her horns for a moment before getting it all the way off.

“Because one day, I’ll leave you, a phantom

To lead you in the summer to join the Black Parade…”

Much heavier guitars kicked in over her ear pods.

Cut To:

Int.

Buffy & Xander’s Apartment – Kitchen – Same Time

Emma approached the kitchen table holding a fancy covered serving dish. Buffy and Xander were already sitting there, holding an animated discussion between themselves. Joyce lay in her carrier on the table between them, giggling.

When I was a young boy, my father

Took me into the city to see a marching band.

Emma set the dish down in front of Buffy and pulled off the cover to reveal a plate of tteokbokki, covered in their traditional red-orange sauce. Buffy stared at it for a second, then looked back at Emma, a smile on her lips but eyes full of trepidation. Then she picked up a fork, stabbed one of the rice cakes, and stuck it in her mouth. She chewed three times, face revealing nothing. Then she grabbed desperately at the glass of water sitting next to her and began gulping it down. Emma and Xander both laughed.

He said, “Son, when you grow up, would you be

The savior of the broken, the beaten and the damned?”

Cut To:

Int.

Vor – Zorgy’s Palace – Bedroom – Same Time

Zorgy walked over to a seemingly featureless stretch of black stone wall as she put on a new t-shirt and then pressed her palm against a specific spot. As she did so, the tune playing on her ear pods changed into a much faster-paced rock song.

Sometimes I get the feeling she’s watching over me

And other times I feel like I should go.

The portion of wall under her hand depressed and, with a hiss of hydraulics, a large drawer slid smoothly out of the wall. Inside, in a red velvet lining, were displayed several black items of clothing, along with a full suit of light leather armor.

And through it all, the rise and fall, the bodies in the streets,

And when you’re gone, we want you all to know…

Cut To:

Int.

Giles House – Basement – Same Time

Jake and Sophie were both struggling to carry a box with handles out of the chest. Jen showed up and took it from them with ease, and Martin waved for her to put it by the steps. For his part, Martin stood in front of the door of an open refrigerator as he gently placed a large jar that was filled with liquid and some undistinguished-looking organ.

We’ll carry on, we’ll carry on, and though you’re

Dead and gone, believe me, your memory

Cut To:

Int.

Vor – Zorgy’s Palace – Bedroom – Same Time

Zorgy pulled her leather breastplate into place over her t-shirt and began fastening it with a series of snaps.

We’ll carry on, we’ll carry on, and in my

Heart, I can’t contain it, the anthem won’t explain it.

Cut To:

Int.

Giles House – Living Room – Same Time

Liz sat in one of the chairs, strumming on an acoustic guitar. Giles and Becca sat across from her on the couch, each with their own guitar. After a moment, Liz stopped and looked at them expectantly. Then Giles played a few strums on his own guitar. Before he could continue, Becca put a hand over his strings to stop him. She shook her head sadly. He looked slightly offended, but Liz laughed. Becca then began playing on her own guitar, and soon Liz joined her, still with a big smile.

A world that sends you reeling, through decimated dreams.

Your misery and hate will kill us all.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor – Zorgy’s Palace – Bedroom – Same Time

Zorgy put on her wrist guards, first one, then the other. She flexed her fingers to make sure she had full movement.

So paint it black and take it back, let’s shout it loud and clear

Defiant to the end we hear the call

Cut To:

Int.

The Stake & Crossbow – Same Time

SlayBae, Faith, Kelly and Anisha were sitting at one end of a long table at the Stake & Crossbow, with SlayBae in the midst of telling a story in a particularly animated style that involved a lot of hand gestures. She performed one that looked like she might be simulating a sex act, and Faith and Kelly both broke down laughing. Anisha just gave a sly smile and then sipped the beer in front of her.

To carry on, we’ll carry on, and though you’re

Dead and gone, believe me, your memory

Further down the table, Lexi was showing Crystal’s son, Dylan, how to work the camera on her phone. She then posed for him, letting him act as cameraman. This lasted for two seconds before Crystal swooped in to grab the phone from Dylan. She handed it back to Lexi, shaking her head. The younger girl pouted.

We’ll carry on, we’ll carry on, and though you’re

Broken and defeated, your weary widow marches

At the far end of the table, Maddie sat watching the proceedings. She looked down at her phone to find a text message from Alex and smiled. She picked it up to reply, but was interrupted by Lisa placing a large glass of Sprite down in front of her. Maddie glared up at the woman, who then dunked a straw into the beverage and patted her on the shoulder before walking on.

On and on, we’ll carry through the fears,

Disappointed faces of your peers.

Then look at me, ’cause I could not care at all.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor – Zorgy’s Palace – Bedroom – Same Time

Zorgy snapped a pair of shin guards over her lower legs, pulling on their straps to tighten them. As she did, the music turned into more of a march, pressing ever onward.

Do or die, you’ll never make me,

Because the world will never take my heart.

Cut To:

Int.

Shannon & Norman’s Apartment – Same Time

Shannon sat on the edge of her son’s bed, reading from a book titled Vampirina Goes to the Restaurant, while her son looked up at her, listening intently. She made her face look mean for a second, putting two fingers up to her lips to simulate fangs, and did a mock snarl. He pulled his covers up to his chin, frightened, but had a huge grin on his face. She laughed at him.

Go and try, you’ll never break me.

We want it all, we want to play this part.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor – Zorgy’s Palace – Bedroom – Same Time

Still barefoot, Zorgy walked back to her bed. She leaned down and reached underneath, pulling out her favorite pair of red sneakers from under her bed. She laced up each in turn, pulling the knots tight with a practiced flourish.

I won’t explain, or say I’m sorry.

I’m unashamed, I’m gonna show my scars.

Cut To:

Int.

Allister-Rosenberg House – Bedroom – Same Time

Rowena lay with her head on her pillow and her body mostly covered by a sheet. She gasped in ecstasy for a few seconds, closing her eyes. Then she opened them and moaned louder, tightly grasping a handful of bedspread with one hand as she did. She stiffened, her mouth silently forming an ‘o.’

Give a cheer, for all the broken.

Listen here, because it’s who we are.

A few moments later, Willow’s head appeared above the covers, wearing a huge smile and clearly not a lot else. Her wife turned to her, grabbed the sides of her face, and kissed her, hard.

I’m just a man, I’m not a hero.

Just a boy, who had to sing this song.

Cut To:

Int.

Vor – Zorgy’s Palace – Bedroom – Same Time

Zorgy stood up and walked back over to the hidden drawer. She reached in and pulled out a thin gold circlet crown, clearly designed to fit directly over her horns. She held it for a second, lost in thought.

I’m just a man, I’m not a hero.

I… don’t… care!

For a moment, she couldn’t hear the music anymore. Screams echoed in her head. Her father told her to hurry, they had to get out of there. She saw her mother’s frightened face as the debris of the Citadel began to rain from the sky. And then she heard her own terrified screams, after her mother and brother were crushed.

She took another deep breath and put on the crown, sliding it over horns. The music resumed, in a stirring guitar solo.

Then Zorgy walked over to the set of closed double doors at one end of the room, pushed them open with both hands, and stepped out onto the balcony.

The roar from her army was deafening. It spread out below her like an ocean. Black cliffs on either side framed growling airborne beasts flapping their leathery wings. On the ground between them, her troops stretched off into the horizon, shaking the palace at its foundations with the rhythmic pounding of their weapons.

Zorgy held up two hands, moving them as if conducting the blood bays of her army in time with the guitars of the song. After a few rapturous seconds, she dropped her hands, pulled out her ear pods and slid them into a pocket of her armor, and then held up a single finger. The gathered masses below instantly silenced.

“Warriors of the Unmerciful Horde, my name is Zorgrafilloraxtragor,” she shouted, her voice echoing in the canyon between the black cliffs. “I am the Queen of Ashes, the Mistress of Shadows, the Grand Duke of the Seventh and Twenty-First Hells, and the Twelfth Scion of the Thirty-Eighth House of Ralkess. Today I woke up and I thought, it seems like a pretty good day to wipe humanity from the face of their planet. What do you think?”

This was met with a massive, horrifying bellow of bloodlust from her army.

“Cool, we’re on the same page then. Let’s have fun out there!”

Black Out

 

 

End of The Fall Part 1