Chapter 4

"What on Earth is Buffy thinking?" Giles grumbled to himself.  True, he agreed that Spike needed to be back to normal, but he hadn't suggested that Buffy be the one to feed the vampire.  "It had to be all that purring," he continued to mutter.  "Now they think he's some kind of big pussy cat, instead of an evil vampire.

"They've all lost their minds, Giles," Xander replied.  "It's all Spike's fault, you know.  It was his idea to come here to this funky dimension.  There has to be something about this place that makes the women all go wacky."  He nodded vigorously.  "We should go out and investigate."

"I don't think that's very advisable, Xander," Giles muttered.  "They might mistake us as cows."

Xander eyed the demons sitting around the inn's common room.  "Look, we can't talk here.  Let's at least go outside."  He practically dragged the older man outside.

The rebels watched the inn with a great deal of interest.  They had heard the rumors about the newest demon and his slaves.  The rebels were interested in finding out more about them since the whispers basically said that there was a magic user and a strategist in the group.  The leader of the human insurrection group knew that to defeat their oppressors they were going to need both magic and strategy.  That was why he selected six of his finest men to kidnap the two they needed.

The kidnappers waited until the two men were next to the trees before they leapt out to drag their quarry into the undergrowth.  Quick taps on the head had them unconscious and easily transportable.  The six rebels hoisted the two men over the extra horse, and they quickly rode off unnoticed.

Xander groaned loudly.  His head hurt worse than that time he got drunk with Faith.  His mouth felt about the same as it had back then too.  Xander went to move his hand, and he realized that both hands were immobilized.  He opened his eyes to find that Giles was lying on the ground next to him.  It was then that he realized that they were modeling the latest in wooden stocks. Xander heard feet running away, and a young boy shout out.

"Sasha, tell Leader that they're waking up."

It was only a few moments before several adult men showed up. By then, Giles had woken up too.  He groaned in pain, and now he felt like an idiot for letting Xander drag him out of the inn.

"Gentlemen, I'm Leader," the roughly clothed man addressed both Giles and Xander.  "You are our guests."

"Guests aren't usually restrained in this fashion," Giles replied with as much dignity as he could muster.  "It seems instead that we're your prisoners."

"No, no, my good Mage."  Leader hurried to reassure the confined man.  "We weren't sure of your reaction when you awoke." He snapped his fingers, and one of the other men hurried to help Giles to his feet.

"Why are we here?" Xander demanded just before he slumped in despair.  "When we get back, Spike's in so much trouble," he grumbled.

"You're here because we heard that you..."  Leader pointed to Giles.  "... Can do magic, and you are a strategist.  We have need for your talents.  Plus, you are no longer the possessions of that demon."

"Hey, we're not..." Xander started to speak.

"Be quiet, Xander!"  Giles hushed the younger man.  Then, he turned his attention back to the rebels.  He knew he needed to put a spin on things that let them get out of the situation unscathed.  "My colleague and I are not so much slaves as we are independent contractors.  We are paid for our services."

"Yeah, right.  Mercs," Xander said.  He struggled to his feet to stand next to Giles.

Leader glanced at his second in command.  "There is no way we can pay you what the demon does, but I suppose we can take up a collection of some kind.  Our freedom from the demons here is priceless.  We just want to be treated fairly."

"May we have a few moments to consult?" Giles asked Leader.

Leader nodded before he waved the other rebels away.  He watched the two outworlders converse for several long minutes. When the older of the two waved him over, Leader was pleased to find that they would be helping.  No payment necessary.

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"I threatened the bartender," Buffy said after she slipped into the bedroom she shared with Dawn and Spike.  "He said they went outside before the midday meal.  That was hours ago."

"Any clues outside?" Willow asked.

"I haven't gone outside," Buffy answered.  "I want Spike to go with me."  She gave the vampire a small nod when he grabbed his duster, and he went to stand beside her.

"Can Fred and I go, too?  We're sick of being cooped up inside."  Dawn put her arm around the older female.  "We'll stay on the porch.  I promise."

When Buffy looked like she was about to protest, Willow piped up, "We could use a bit of fresh air too.  Anya and I'll stay on the porch with Dawn.  How about that?"

"Yeah."  Dawn smiled brightly.  "We'll all go."

"Fine."  Buffy acquiesced.  "But on step off the porch and you're grounded for life, Dawnie."  She opened the door, and she gestured for Spike to lead the way.

Once outside, Spike and Buffy searched the grounds while the others did indeed stay on the porch talking about the scenery.  Spike found the spot where the missing Scoobies' scents were mingled with several unknown scents, but before he could call Buffy over to investigate several men clad in black leather and face covering helmets rode up on horseback.  The vampire noticed that there was a dark-haired man in the midst of the others that smelled demonic.

The man leapt from his horse, and he pulled his weapon from his saddle.  He said in a challenging voice, "I am the Groosalugg.  I have been charged with vanquishing the vampire demon and his Slayer from our dimension."

On the porch, Dawn, Anya, and Willow stood to place themselves in front of Tara and Fred.  All three simultaneously geared up for both battle and retreat.

"Vanquishing?"  Buffy laughed.  "Someone's watching too much Charmed."  She moved to stand between the newest threat and the other female Scoobies.

"Charmed?  What is this charmed you speak about?"  The Groosalugg looked at the petite blond female with confusion. "I challenge you to fight to the death."

"You have no idea how many times I've heard that," Buffy sighed.

"He doesn't look all that tough, Buffy," Dawn called out.  "You and Spike can totally kick his butt."

The Groosalugg found himself staring at the young woman.  He blinked before he muttered in a dazed voice, "She's so beautiful.  So graceful. A goddess."

"Too young for you!" Spike growled.  He stepped directly in front of the taller man.  He snapped his fingers in front of the Groosalugg's face.  "Get your eyes off the Slayer's sister, you great bloody pillock."

"No, no dating for Dawnie till she's thirty," Buffy replied under her breath.  "Because it looks like she's not gonna be able to keep the demons away any better than the rest of us."

The Groosalugg's eyes dropped to the vampire's face.  "She is the Slayer's sister?  She is perfection."  He tilted his head in thought.  "She would not consent to courtship if I hurt you or the Slayer, would she, vampire?"

"Told you, she's too young," Spike said.

"Yes, I understand."  The Groosalugg nodded slowly.  "I will wait until such a time as you and the Slayer agree to let me court her."

"Groo, get your lazy ass in gear," one of the masked riders snarled.  "Brother Silas is expecting results."

"Of course."  Groo nodded to Spike before he turned on the horsed escort.  "However, I don't think the results will be what he expects."  With a roar, he caused the horses to rear, unseating the riders.  The fight didn't last very long.  The masked men were no match for the combined fighting experience of Spike, Buffy, and Groo.

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"You can't do a frontal attack against a stronger force," Xander protested.  He tapped the map lying on the table.  "This kind of fight can only be won by guerilla warfare."  He rolled his eyes when the rebel leader gave him a blank look.

"By being sneaky," Giles clarified.  "Create a diversion, and then strike several different points at once.  While they're looking ahead, you hit the weak spots."

"We need Buffy," Xander said.  "And I can't believe I'm saying this, but Spike too."  The dark-haired man looked disgusted with himself at the suggestion.

"Why is your owner so important?" Leader asked.

"I hate the scrawny bastard," Xander replied.  "But even I have to say he's handy in a fight."  He thought about the gang's escape from the Initiative the year before and the vampire's role in the whole incident.

Leader waved at the six rebels that had brought Xander and Giles to the camp.  With clear, concise instructions, he dispatched all eight men to go back to the inn for the others.

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General Gregor realized that he was without the rest of the knights.  He was alone in a harsh, fiery dimension, cut off from all allies.  Gregor found the air hard to breathe, as it was filled with harsh chemicals.  He saw a protected spot among the rocks, and he urged his horse towards it.

Gregor hoped the other knights were some place better than this one.  He wondered how long it would be before someone would be able to rescue him.  He realized the foolishness in following the Slayer across the dimensional horizon.  Looking around, he realized that vegetation was too sparse to keep his horse alive for long.  Gregor dismounted, took the tack off the animal, and he petted its nose.  He looked up at the blood red sky and barren landscape, and he wondered how long he would be able to stay sane in this world.

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"See, didn't I tell you the sales were awesome?"  Cordelia smiled brightly at Angel.

The vampire grunted his answer.  He couldn't figure out why he was so tired, and Cordelia was still so full of energy. After all, he was the one with the vampire stamina.

"Hey."  Cordelia nudged Angel in the ribs.  "Didn't Wes mention kidnappings by ugly midgets?"

"Yeah.  Why?"  Angel glanced at Cordelia.  He shifted the packages he was carrying.

"Well, look over by that dumpster."  Cordelia jutted her chin in the direction she wanted the vampire to look.  "Look at that creepy little creature.  Go catch it, big boy."

Angel sighed in protest, but he knew better than to cross Queen C.  He shoved her bags at her, and he went after the smaller demon.  Angel quickly caught the minion, holding him by the scruff of his neck.

"Now don't kill him, Angelus," Cordelia chided mockingly. Sometimes knowing an infamous vampire came in handy.   "We need him around for the torture later."  She primly marched off towards the mansion.

"Angelus?" the minion squeaked.  "Torture?"  He tried to kick the vampire in a desperate attempt to get away.

"Hold still," Angel growled as he shook the demon.  Then, he took off after Cordelia.

"Please, let me go," the minion pleaded. "I don't know anything."

Cordelia opened the front door of the mansion, and she stood back to let Angel and his passenger go in ahead.  After she closed the door, she called out, "Hey, Wes, we found you an ugly midget kidnapper."  She dropped her bags in the foyer.

"He says he doesn't know anything," Angel snarled. "Personally, I think he's lying."  He shook the minion. "Bet he knows why the Slayer left town."

"Doesn't matter anymore.  Jinx was a bad boy," Jinx replied.  He hung limply in Angel's hands.  "It took her Glorificus self sixty-five million years to get enough power to be born, and I ruined it."  Jinx burst into tears.

"What are you talking about?" Cordelia demanded.  She walked up to Jinx, and she poked him in the shoulder.

"Her divine greatness."  Jinx stopped crying long enough to see the blank looks.  Then, his sobs became more pronounced.  "She fell from her rightful spot in Hell.  It took so long for her power to return, and that nasty Slayer stole her Key."

"Buffy has a key?" Wesley asked.  Obviously things were far more serious in Sunnydale than he had imagined.

"Not a key. The Key," Jinx wept.  "The Key to open the dimensions so Glorificus could go home."

"Buffy's not a thief," Angel said darkly.

"Matter of opinion," Jinx replied. "Her magnificence will be so angry with me.  I just hope after another sixty-five million years she will have cooled off a bit."  He shuddered at the thought of the punishment his God would treat him to when she was reborn.

When Angel relaxed his grip, the smaller demon made a quick kick, and Jinx was loose.  He ran for the exit before his captors could react.  He needed to work on making things right with his mate.

"Let him go," Wesley said when Angel and Gunn went to follow the minion.  "So, Buffy has a key that this Gloificus wanted. I bet there's a time limit on the portal opening.  There always is."

"So, they'll be back soon?" Gunn asked.  He wanted to meet this infamous Slayer, Buffy Summers.

"Oh yes, I'm sure of it," Wesley answered.  "All we need to do is wait for them.

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"Brother Silas, the Groosalugg has returned," Klempt informed the WRH employed priest. "He brought the vampire and the Slayer with him."

"What?" Silas bellowed.  Things just weren't going the way they were supposed to be going.  "He was supposed to kill them. What is he thinking?  I own him, and he's going to be sorry."  He left the room to go confront the half-demon.

Silas stormed through the castle to the huge front doors.  Several of the younger order members raced to open the doors for their leader. Silas entered the courtyard just in time to see the Groosalugg and his two 'prisoners' defeat his honor guard.

"What is going on?" Silas demanded.  "You were to get rid of this problem, Groosalugg."  He waved towards the two grinning blonds.

"I have found perfection," Groo said as if that explained everything. 

"You'll be waiting until she's eighteen," the vampire growled.  He still wasn't sure about this guy dating the Nibblet, but he knew that he didn't want them sneaking around together behind his or Buffy's back.

"Of course."  Groo nodded his head at Spike.

Three loud explosions rocked the courtyard.  Brothers of the order poured out of the castle as rebels flowed through the front gates. Silas roared in anger as his troops were easily surrounded and defeated.