“Vesuvius”

The young blond girl, of about 16 years, stood resolute looking out at the cheering crowd.

It was nighttime. The arena was lit with old oil lanterns, torches, and every now and then a large column of bright white fire spilled out of large fire cauldrons.

Soon the air grew still and they prepared to open the gates to unleash the beasts.

They opened and the vampires came out screaming at the girl, but in the confusion one of the starving lions had been released from the pens as well as the vampires.

Andrew was talking aloud.
"- She was amazing. She tore into those vamps with a practiced ease of a great master.
- Right away one of the vamps went for the slayer.
The vampire bore down on the girl.
- But this girl was young, very young, and I swear to God, nobody, I mean nobody was meant to be that good at such a young age.
She stepped out of the vampire’s path, letting him careen into one of the other vampires.
- It didn’t make any sense.
She unleashed a furious kick sending another vampire into the other vampires down on the ground.
- Then it occurred to me what she must be, don’t worry I’ve gotten a lot better lately about being able to discern reality from fantasy, well at least lately. It was Giles… um Mr. Giles idea, he said since I was such a big fan of stories how about looking at a couple of stories that weren’t make believe. He gave me; The Great Big Book of History for Children. I figured it would suck because, duh, history, but it was amazing. It changed the way I looked at history. It wasn’t just dates and treaties and wars and politics. It was a story about real people. A really, really big story that seemed to never end."

One of the vampires was nipped on the leg by the lioness. The blond slayer looked at the lioness alarmed, and quickly sent the vampire sprawling across the ground.

The cat snarled at the slayer.

The blond slayer reached out her hand and grabbed the cat around the throat and lightly applied pressure. “You must not bite these things my pet. They will leave a bad taste in your mouth.”

The blond slayer formed her arms into knarled claws and looked at the cat seriously. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t help me shred them to bits.”

They looked out at the vampires surrounding them. With a glance sideways at the cat beside her, she tore into them.

"-Every now and then in history you have someone who so excels beyond others, they stand apart in their greatness..
The slayer dusted a vampire, yet one stood behind her waiting to attack.
-The Mozart’s, the di Vinci’s, the Einstein’s…"

The vampire reached out its arms to grab her when the cat leapt upon him and flung him too the ground.

"- And it was so with her…
- She was a virtuoso, a genius, she was near perfect.
- We were all impressed."

Spike looked out through the bars locking him off from the main arena where he watched the blond slayer fight. “Wow, did you see that mate? Who is she? She’s…”

“Magnificent.” The blue tinted Illyria looked out at the fight, a sneer on her lips.

Melaka Fray looked on. “She’s very fast, and very, very strong.”

“Yeah, maybe, but it’s not just that, man.” Faith wiped at the gooey black blood that covered most of her face. “Look, she just took out three vamps with one move.”

“Her technique is not like anyone’s I’ve ever seen, she’s, I mean she looks like she’s as good as Buffy.”

“Buffy Summers?” Melaka Fray’s color streamed hair fell over her shoulders. “No way I know my slayer history in her many years as slayer she racked up more kills and battle victories then anyone. She is easily marked as the greatest slayer of all time.”

“Oh geez, I hate this. Miss goody two suede shoes is officially the greatest. Well bully for her.” Faith kicked the dirt floor.

“I dunno.” Fray shrugged. “I never met her or anything, so I can’t, you know, tell but from what I’ve read, from what I’ve heard, Buffy really was pretty righteous.”

“No, no don’t get me wrong, I mean you gotta give the girl her props, I mean she kicked my butt enough times and the gal can take a hit, that’s something I really respect.”

“Yeah, well all slayers have, you know, inherent potential to be good at killing the undead, I always thought she was like…”

“Special? Yes she is. I mean all of us are special, but compared to her well, we’re not all that special. I think that’s why I still kinda hate her.” Faith frowned.

"-Just to get this out there, Fray is some kind of thief/slayer from the future. Yeah I know, that is kind of out there.
-Spike, he’s a vampire, which is bad, but he has a soul, so he’s good.
-Illyria, she’s sorta Fred, well Fred’s body or at least it was Fred’s body now it’s a god’s. The Fred who died is with God and the Fred who’s dead is a god.
-And Faith, she says she’s still 5 multiplied by 5, but speaking confidentially I think she’s older then 25."

The blond slayer stood alone having defeated all the vamps sent to fight her.

"-This new slayer, well, she made fast work of those guys."

The slayer knelt down holding the gaze of the lioness, she reached down gently and began to pet the cat.

"-But it looked like we were next."

The gates opened to the arena where the blond slayer waited sword in hand.

“Ok in you go.” The guard called out.

He went along and took the shackles off of each of them.

“What?” Spike stared wide eyed.

“You heard.” He jabbed him with his pike.

“Ow.” Spike grabbed the end of the pike. “Quit it before I put that thing where the sun don’t shine.”

“So what’s the deal?” Fray protested. “Are we seriously supposed to take her on without any of our powers?”

“Who says we don’t have powers.” Spike strode forward.

“We didn’t before.” Fray pointed out.

“Well you know if at first you don’t succeed.” Faith rammed into the blond slayer who was slammed back. “You have a second to see if it bleeds.”

The slayer simply hopped to her feet. She smiled at Faith, and then dropped her hands to her sides.

“What you’re going to drop your hands on me? Big mistake.” She lashed out furiously but the girl leaned back avoiding her blow. Faith tried a roundhouse kick which missed her cleanly. Faith let lose a flurry of blows that the girl quickly sidestepped.

“Stay still you little twerp, what are you afraid to take a hit?”

Suddenly Faith’s jaw was slammed backwards. She looked ahead dazed.

A powerful kick sent Faith careening away, tumbling to the ground unconscious.

“Ok, I think we’re in trouble now.” Fray gulped.

“C’mon luv, lets show this gal a thing or two.” Spike waved to Illyria.

Spike jumped into the arena challenging the blond slayer.

The blond slayer looked at Spike strangely. “You, you are not human.”

“No, not completely but neither are you luv.” He kicked her in the face.

“Didn’t see that one coming eh. Whatsthematter slayer? Don’t you want to slay the inhuman monster?” The slayer caught him with a punch that struck him hard, he reeled backwards and onto the ground.

He looked up at her groggily. “Nice move luv.“

She raised the stake in her hands above him.

She was struck in the chest, by a leather boot.

The slayer looked up at Illyria.

“You are not to kill this one; this one is under my protection.” Illyria stood in front of Spike.

Illyria positioned herself in a battle stance. She shot Fray a look. Fray nodded.

Illyria came forward with a series of attacks each one blocked by the slayer.

The slayer looked at Illyria defiantly. “You have no chance, you cannot hit me.”

Just then Fray jumped her from behind sending her forward onto her face.

Fray held her head in her hand and slammed it repeatedly against the stadium’s dirt floor.

“Had enough?” Fray called out to the opponent beneath her.

“Not even close.” She bucked Fray off of her and sent an elbow into her face.

“Sorry, but it’s not about how hard you can hit.” The blond slayer punched Fray in the chin with such force it sent her spinning. “It’s about how hard you can get hit.”

“Yes that is true.” Illyria focused her effort into a massive punch which caught the blond slayer on the side of the head. She slammed into the ground.

Illyria knelt over the prone body of the slayer. “How hard you can get hit, and often you can get hit hard.” Time seemed to slow as Illyria released blow after blow into the face of the blond slayer. Suddenly her body tensed and Illyria fell off of the slayer, clutching at her stomach in pain.

The slayer’s head lolled to one side.

Spike caught Illyria as she collapsed. “Well, well this is interesting.”

"- Interesting yes but confusing, maybe I should start this at the beginning because I know you’re wondering…."

“What in the bloody hell is happening here?” Spike stood alongside Illyria they both were covered in blood and guts.

Faith pointed to another girl with bluish-purple hair. “Hey I know the skinny on everyone but you skinny.”

“Huh?” Melaka Fray looked around her. Her outfitted was lined with protective knee and elbow pads, as well as generic high-tops. “I don’t… Who are you all? What is with you heads and why are you all webbed up in clothing that is like hundreds of years, outta style.”

“You call that fitness warrior outfit trendy honey?” Faith looked over Melaka.

“Could be worse luv, there was a time where it was fashionable for men to wear wigs and tights and frilly shirts.” Spike adjusted his collar. “Not that I would know anything about that of course.”

“Could somebody please tell me what’s happening.” Faith slammed the wall impatiently.

“Hitting inanimate objects isn’t going to help in this instance; if you want to find out where we are maybe we should start looking around.” Melaka Fray set out down the dark paths.

Spike pulled out his lighter and scanned the walls on the dark square cave like hallway. “It’s not that I’m not happy to be here, that last thing I knew Illyria and I were facing death at the advancing demon hordes. No demons hordes here, so far so that’s jolly good. Lots of dead bodies though.”

“What?!” Fray looked around alarmed.

“This place, wherever we are, is full of corpses. I can smell ‘em.” Spike continued down the path.

Spike looked around the shallow narrow dark passages.

“They’re catacombs.” A voice replied in the dark.

“Wait a second I know that voice…” Spike cupped his ear.

“Catacombs? Like, as in a mall underground passage?” Faith stepped toward the voice cautiously.

“No, I don’t mean some catacombs, I mean the catacombs. The underground burial chambers of the Romans.” The voice came out of the darkness.

Spike sniffed at the air “But that can’t be. There are a great number of bodies here that are very fresh, surely none that are 2000 years old like they should be.”

“Oh everything is what it should be, but it’s just not when it should be.” The voice in the dark edged closer

Spike frowned. “Where do I know that voice from?”

“I don’t blame you for not recognizing the sound of my voice, not that it’s changed.” Andrew stepped into the light. “But the sounds of the words that come out might not be that familiar to you.”

“So we really are in the past?” Fray asked.

“No, not at all, right now we’re in the present, you just came from the future, which was our present before we went into the past.“ Andrew explained.

“When in the past are we exactly?” Fray wondered.

“Um, Tuesday, April 4th.”

“Hey it’s my birthday.” Faith smiled. She grabbed Andrew by the shirt. “I’d like my present now. Take us back to the future McFly.”

A group of people rushed into the room wearing Roman Centurion uniforms. They rushed in carrying shields with their weapons drawn. “Stand down and surrender yourselves.”

Andrew looked alarmed when he saw the soldiers. He ran to hide behind Spike.

“Surrender? Mate, there are four super powered individuals here; I don’t care how many men you got, we’re going to wipe the floor with you.”

“He’s right, you’re not going to beat us.” Faith stepped forward.

Andrew called out as the group stepped forward to engage the Romans. “Hey stop guys. You really don’t want to do this now.”

“C’mon Andrew, how could we possibly lose?” Spike cast a glance back at him as he went up to engage the group of centurions.

The group of super powered individuals and Andrew stood handcuffed and on their knees. A Roman came into the room; he wore the red cape of a Roman General.

“All right, who are you and what are you doing here?” The Roman General shouted in Latin.

“Sorry friend I don’t speak Latin.” Meleka Fray looked at him defiantly.

He looked at her for a moment then summoned a servant to him. He said something indistinguishable to him and the servant raced off.

“Put them in the cells, they will fight.”

The group were taken and marched away.

They were all together in a large cell.

Andrew stood before them pleading on his knees. “Hey listen guys it’s not my fault, I tried to get you to stop fighting.”

“So it’s not your fault that all of a sudden I’m defanged, and impotent.” Spike prodded.

“You’re impotent?” Andrew snickered.

“It’s a metaphor you moron, and for your information the proper term is erectile dysfunction, and you can take a pill for it, of course you’d know that already don’t you.”

“Spike mi amigo, whatever are you implying.”

“Oh come of it, you were one of the very few males, and I uses that term with reservation, in an abode abiding in wall to wall women. Who else did they belong to?”

“Um… I really wouldn’t know anything about that, and besides I think they were fake anyway.”

“What in the world are you guys babbling about?” Fray hovered over Andrew threateningly. “What is this Andrew? Why are our powers gone? Why have we been taken from our respective timelines and gathered together?”

“Two slayers, one demi goddess, and one ensouled vampire. Altogether a pretty powerful combination.” Spike whistled.

“If you had your powers that is.” Andrew said smugly.

“That’s the thing see, I don’t like anybody stealing from me.” Melaka Fray grabbed Andrew by the throat and held him aloft.

“You’d best give me back what you’ve taken from me.”

Andrew tried to gasp.

“Hey!” Faith knocked Fray off of Andrew.

Andrew fell to the floor coughing. “Thanks. I couldn’t breath-“

Suddenly Faith’s hand was around Andrews’s throat as he lay on the ground. “And with me cutting off your air supply like this, you still can’t. Now when I let go the next thing I want to hear from you is answers. Ok?”

Andrew nodded.

Faith released her grip.

Andrew drew a deep breath in. “Thanks for not killing me Faith. I knew you didn’t go bad again.”

Faith grabbed his neck again. “Not hearing what I need to hear.”

She released his neck again.

“It’s not my fault really. This guy, bushy haired guy in sunglass, he just showed up at my door. “

“Why what did he want? Why would he go to you?”

“Well he had a question for me, he said it was something that only I knew the answer to.”

Spike looked at him incredulously. “What possible question could he have asked that only you would know the answer to?”

The gang stood around staring blankly into space.

“So that’s it.” Illyria nodded. “That’s why we are all here. It all makes sense I suppose.”

“Kinda flattering really.” Faith swaggered.

“I’ll say.” Fray smiled.

“Who’s the baddest vampire with a soul now you poncy gel haired git.”

“I’ve never met you. How did you know about me?” Melaka stared at Andrew.

“It’s in one of the books Giles had, you know, the listing of the greatest slayers of all time.”

“But I’m from your future.”

“So when they say all time they really mean “all time”. Spike whistled.

“But why not Buffy?” Faith looked to Andrew questioningly.

“Huh?”

“He asked you to list the four best fighters you knew of besides Buffy.” Faith crossed her arms resolutely. “Why not Buffy?”

A short, thin, bushy hared man with dark sunglass and a black leather blazer, wearing tight black jeans and hobnail boots walked into the room, through the stone wall.

“Been just pleased enough by Buffy.”
“But been enough seized, by Buffy.”
“She’s lots of fun but just…”
“The one.” He pointed at Spike.
“two.” He pointed at Illyria.
“Three.” He pointed at Faith
“Four.” At Fray.
“We’ll have lots of fun with more.”

“Huh.” Faith stared blankly at him.

“Yeah, he talks like that.” Andrew stepped forward.

“Who is he?” Fray stared at him.

Illyria looked closely at the man with the dark bushy hair and sunglasses. “Bob?”

“Bob?!” Spike frowned at her.

The man in sunglasses bowed to Illyria.

“Ah, her highness, pained and laid low.”
“And I, no less, again to see you so…”

Illyria strode toward him slowly. “The Shimmer–man? I would not have thought it possible yet you live, does it give you pleasure to see me so lowered?”

Bob smiled at her.

“You are not powerless yet with less power.”
“Yet you cower less then the least coward.”

“Illyria you know this bloke?” Spike proceeded to interject himself between them.

Illyria continued to stare at the man in sunglasses. “He is one of the old ones like myself. He is the master of tongues, a weaver of words. The Shimmer-man.”

“Or Bob?”

“That’s what I call him.” Andrew volunteered.

“So let me get this straight, you get Andrew to gather up all of us drag us off to Rome.” Spike glared at Bob.

“Pompeii.” Andrew volunteered.

“Pompeii wasn’t that the city that was buried by a volcano?” Faith turned to Andrew alarmed.

“Oh don’t worry it hasn’t happed yet” Andrew said reassuringly patting Faith on the back.

“Oh. Ok.” Faith furled her brow.

“Anyway we get hauled away to bleeding Pompeii for what?”

“Well it’s so we can gather up the final member of our group.” Andrew smiled. “Right Bob-“

They looked started as Bob seemed to flash out of existence.

Just then a door to the room began to open. A man wearing a worn and tattered robe with a hood that hid his face came in; he stood beside the general with the red cape.

“You can do this?” The General asked him.

“No the power is not mine but comes from our lord. But in him are all things possible.”

They unlocked the cells. The man in the ragged robes came in spinning his fist around in a circle. He hit Spike. “Your tongue now speaks the tongue. Speak.”

He slammed his fist down on top of Spike again.

“Speak.”

Spike grabbed the wrists of the priest pummeling him and spoke aloud. (Speaking Latin)

“Stop hitting me.”

“You speak Latin?”

“And you speak English. Or maybe it’s like the man said, we each know the others tongue .um, that didn’t come out right.” Spike shook his head

“You!” The General pointed directly at Spike. “You are one of the soulless beasts…”

“And you.” He pointed at Illyria. “And you are obviously not of our world.

He pointed to Fray and Faith. “Yet you two help them. “

The General shook his head. “Two vampire slayers in league with two beasts and a helpless innocent caught in your clutches.”

“Helpless innocent? Oh, come on, we’re not talking about Andrew here are we?” Faith looked him incredulously.

“Oh, I believe he was.” Andrew squirmed his way up to the General. “Thank you for coming to save me General.”

“Andrew, you little creep.” Faith punched Andrew in the stomach.

“How did you know?” Fray looked up at the General.

“How did I know a slayer when I see one? I know slayers, it’s my job to know slayers, I’m a watcher.”

In the middle of the arena Spike slapped Illyria’s unconscious form lightly in the face, as he cradled her in his arms. ”C’mon back, luv.”

Centurions surrounded them but they moved to help support the beaten bodies of Fray and Faith.

The General in the cape came out and knelt over the awakening form of the blond slayer. He helped her to her feet.

The blond slayer’s legs were wobbly so she was steadied by him as she walked back. Fray said to Faith as they both stared at the blond slayer walking back to the gate. “I’ve never had much use for watchers, they can be monsters too.”

“Yeah well, so can slayers.” Faith shrugged.

The blond slayer looked downward, with a look of shame on her face. The man in the General’s cape pat her on the back, he stopped her for a moment, then put his hand under her chin which hung down and pushed it up. He then let her walk on alone.

Fray elbowed Faith. “He’s coming this way.”

The caped man stepped up to them, as they waited in their cell. “You defeated her; I am greatly impressed, especially since you didn’t coordinate your efforts for the most part. You fought her as individuals and yet still beat her. I am greatly impressed indeed and weary to see such an example of power that I see before me.”

He motioned to the centurions around and they came over and began to release the shackles they wore around their wrists and ankles.

“You must forgive the misunderstanding; I had no idea of how great your power was until you defeated Lautitia. Please come this way.” The General walked down the hall.

A group of servants beckoned them to follow, they were led to another area. They walked into a large room, lined up with sleeping cots, furniture, and roman style recessed tables. Various plates of fruits and cheeses meats were laid out before them.

“So all of a sudden you start to treat us nice because you realize we’re living weapons and are therefore valuable to you.” Spike sneered.

“That much is obvious, but I don’t want uncontrollable weapons, that is not a good thing, and there are too many evil things walking around of late.” The General regarded them coolly.

“I do not want you to feel prisoners here. We will make accommodations for you soon elsewhere, until that time relax.”

He turned to Spike who still carried the unconscious form of Illyria. “If you require a physician for your lady friend.”

“Are you kidding me I’m not about to let one of your ‘drill into the top of her skull to release the evil spirits’ quacks touch her.” Spike turned away.

Andrew raised his index finger. “Actually Spike, Roman medicine was quite advanced.”

“I don’t care, no one touches her, she’s alright.” Spike laid her on one of the cots.

“Very well”. The General marched off.

Illyria stirred in the cot Spike had placed her in. “Wesley?” She cried out softly.

“Wesley’s dead luv.” Spike looked down at her. “For a while there I though you were too.”

“The girl, the slayer?”

“TKO luv.”

She looked at him questioningly.

“You beat her.” Spike smiled.

She smiled, and tried to lift her head, but her energy ebbed again and she fell back into the bed.

“Just get some rest ok.” Spike took her hand and squeezed it, then tried to stand up to leave.

Illyria held his hand tightly and pulled him back close to her.

“No Spike my pet, do not leave me.”

“You know it might be a little easier to be around you if you meant that as an expression of affection rather then its literal meaning of furry animal companion. I am not your bloody pet, pet.”

She glared at him.

“And I mean pet as a term of affection.”

She looked at him blankly then uttered a soft. “Please.”

Spike’s eyes narrowed, he sat down at the edge of the cot. “Sure pet what’s up?”

She glared at him again.

“Term of affection remember?”

”Do you think… do you… did he love me?”

“Sorry love, you know it was Fred he loved. The girl whose body you’re wearing.” Spike lit a cigarette. “If he felt anything like that toward you it was because of her.”

“I know…” Illyria looked down. “It is strange, she was but a paltry human, but I think I also love her.”

“Sorry love?”

“Everything this Winifred Burkle knew, everything she experienced I also have experienced, her life is open to me. A small powerless human whose only asset was an exceptionally strong intelligence…”

Spike raised his brow to her.

“For a human.” She continued.

“In my long lifetime, I beheld wonders and fought many glorious battles for the glory of my kingdom and its people, I loved my subjects and in return was revered and beloved by them all.”

“Yet in all my life I have not felt the happiness, or the loneliness, or the feeling of loving and being loved like she did.”

“For some reason I cannot help but see her as a great person.”

“I am a great and powerful queen, jealous of the life of a simple peasant.” She looked sadly downward.

Spike smirked. “You know, there’s hope for you yet your highness.”

She stared at Spike blankly.

“Look Fred, the girl whose body you took, was an example of the best of humanity. We all loved her because she was worth loving. How worthy were you of the adulation you received, or did they just bow down to you because if they didn’t you’d cut the feet out under them?”

“I showed them strength. The people respect strength.”

“Respect ain’t the same thing as love, luv. You’re worth of respect…”

“But not of love?”

“Are you? Let’s face it you may look like her, but you’re nothing alike, you’re like her evil twin.”

“Evil twin?” She looked at him confused.

“Nevermind, sodding pop culture references fly right over the head of someone who’s just popped into our culture.”

“All I’m saying is, that if you were to look up to someone, you know a person to aspire to be like, then there are a hell of a lot worse choices then Fred.”

“He said I needed to change. I think he wanted me to be more like her.”

“Maybe. What about you? Did you want to be more like her? Or just more liked by him.” His gaze narrowed.

“I should slice your neck for daring to ask me such a thing.” She raised her head in anger.

“I’m pretty sure that’s something she wouldn’t do.” Spike smirked.

“Because of your simple nature, I will forgive these slights.” Illyria turned away from him and moved her hand as if to shoe him away.

“You remind me of the fools and jesters of the courts of old. They too were of such a simple nature that their pranks and hyjinxs were forgiven because their masters found these creatures amusing.”

“I get you get the gist that I just jest?” Spike smiled.

“You, you sounded like him…”

“Him? Him who?”

“Bob.”

“Oh yeah, just what went on between you two anyhow. It almost sounds like you dated the guy.”

Illyria stared down at the ground.

“Oh my God, you did date the guy!”

She continued to look downward.

“What did you see in a git like that, with his slick leather jacket and rock and roll hairdo?”

Spike patted down his leather jacket and slicked back his hair. “Um, what I mean is, well, your regal highness he doesn’t exactly seem your type. What could he possibly have going for him?”

She turned to look downward and whispered. “His words.”

“His what?” Spike’s brow furled.

“The things he says, everything he utters, poetry all of it.”

“You like poetry?” Spike’s eyes widened.

“It is a weakness of mine.” She said softly.

“You really like poetry?” Spike gazed at her in awe.

“Even bad poetry seems to stir the strings of my heart.” She said seeming disgusted with herself.

“Really?” Spike gazed at her spellbound. Then suddenly noticed he was staring at her. “Well that, um, that’s great…”

She looked at Spike suspiciously.

“Because, you know, it’s too bad that rap gets bad poetry…” He twittered nervously.

She looked at him confused.

“What I mean is, um, poetry gets a bad rap.”

“Which you really like, and that’s great that you like…” He moved about happily.

“What does she like?” Faith came by them.

Spike looked at her alarmed; Illyria shot him a contemptuous look. “Er rap, she just loves that rap. Er, so whassup, er, um, be-otchs.”

Tesserarius, the General, and an entourage walked into the room. “Here this is so you can clean yourself up.”

A group of servants came in caring buckets of water and towels for the group.

Spike looked skeptically at the water.

“What is your problem? That is perfectly clean water.” Tesserarius frowned.

Spike looked at the bucket skeptically. “Holy water?”

“Holy… water,? Oh right to go along with the holy air and holy earth holy fire.”

“Really? They have all of those?” Spike looked at him incredulously.

“Makes about as much sense to me as holy water does.”

“I don’t get it. Lurks are in control of the city?” Fray grabbed a cloth and began clean her face.

“Lurks?” Faith asked.

“Yeah you know lurks…” Fray looked at her confused.

They looked at her skeptically

“Lurks, you know, vampires!” Fray said exasperated.

“How is that possible, I mean it is kinda hard for them to get around in daylight, and they aren’t known for being highly organized.” Faith interjected.

“Well that’s because there is a coalition ruling things, some vampires, some demons, but mostly and strangely, most viciously, plain ordinary evil people.” The General, Tesserarius paced pack and forth. “There are those that would fight that, many live in these catacombs. Runaway slaves, army deserters… Roman senators.”

A man walked into the place dressed in a toga with a fine red sash. Various ornaments announced his position as a member of the Roman Senate.

“Wait there is something different about these ones.” The senator turned toward the slayers but his eyes were white and without pupils.

“I sense you though I may not see you.” The senator smiled.

“You’re blind.” Fray walked up to him

“There are none so blind as those who will not see.”

Tesserarius gestured toward the senator. “Everyone this is my old friend Curia, now a Roman Senator.”

“Tesserarius do my eyes deceive me, there should be but one chosen one, yet you seem to have three, and you will likely need every one before this is through.”

“The situation is dire, but we have faced dire situations before. You have news?”

“Yes, none of it good.”

“The emperor?”

“Has no desire to meddle in what seems to be normal political wrangling, he perceives no threat to himself so he does not care.”

“This Caesar is another fool, descended from a long line of fools before him. So what is happening with the patrician families, and merchants?”

“They are corrupted most of them, too spoiled by promises of power, the will cede to his will.” The senator frowned

“He controls the governorship, therefore he wields the power.” Tesserarius shook his head.

“Who? Who wields the power? I mean it’s nice to which ass were supposed to kick” Faith took a wet cloth to her blood soaked arm.

“He was a beloved comrade in arms, we served together for countless years.” Tesserarius recounted. “Then there was the incident with the raiders over 20 years ago, we were victorious but the cost, the cost was unbearable. Ioculator was right in the middle of the action, nearly every man under his command died.”

“A phyric victory?” Spike exclaimed.

“Yes, yes exactly it was not unlike the doomed campaigns of pherus.” Tess nodded.

Despite our massive losses we were greeted as heroes when we arrived back in the city, but things had already begun to unravel in Ioculator’s mind, he saw himself now as a villain not the hero he was being heralded as. I lost him when something precious was taken from him. He was closer then a brother to me till then, but that was a long time ago. I have no more illusions about what I must do.”

He turned to face them. “What I do not understand is what you are all doing here.”

“Like I said we want you to team up with us.” Andrew volunteered.

“Shut up you git.”

“We?” Tesserarius asked. “Who is we?”

“Well it’s really this bushy hairdooed fella…” Spike started.

Faith moved to cut him off. “It doesn’t matter who we are exactly, just know that we share the same enemy.”

Tesserarius turned up his nose. “Do you really think that I could join with a vampire, even if he does consort with a …”

Faith wiped the last of the sticky blackish blood from her face.

Tesseraruis looked at her spellbound. “Slayer?”

“No it can’t be.” He stared at her dumbfounded; he slowly started walking toward Faith who stared up at him confused.

“Hey I don’t care who you are buddy.” Faith raised her fists.” Back off before I have to put you down.”

“It’s you but…” Tesserarius furled his brow.

“But that’s impossible…” He looked at her with tears in his eyes.

Faith stared up at him defiant, yet afraid.

“I mean it. Not another step.” She drew back her fist.

He reached out his hand and caressed her face. “I though I would never lay eyes on you again, how is this possible?”

Faith swung her fist at him but he sidestepped the blow.

“Why do you strike at me?”

“Sorry I have problem with guys who don’t understand the word no.”

“You have no idea who I am, do you? But you’re her I have no doubt in my mind you’re her.”

“Who do you think I am? Who am I supposed to be?”

“She died over two decades ago, on this very day.”

“Today as in my birthday today? Who was this girl?”

“She was a slayer, the first slayer under my charge, I was of course much younger then I am now, not being a vampire like you’re friend here.”

“It’s ok he has a soul.” Faith stood behind Spike.

“A soul, you mean he feels things like a person would.” Tess gazed at Spike.

“Yes exactly, he’s changed, he’s not the person he was.”

“Vampires do not change. Their nature is to be a beast and drink blood, no matter how bad he might feel about it afterwards, it is in his nature to enjoy feeding on our kind.”

“You are sort of right there.” Spike lit a cigarette. “I still like hurting people; the truth is it’s not any fun anymore unless they deserve it. Good thing there are so many things in this world that deserved to have their ass kicked. I may lay into some, but only to those who got it coming.”

“So what’s your story? Do you have it coming?” Tesserarius towered over Spike.

“Hold here.” Fray stepped up to the General. Fray grabbed Spike by the collar and pulled him to the back of the room.

“We have to talk.”

Fray stood before the group as they huddled together.

“Ok, what was that about?” Melaka Fray raised a brow.

“I dunno the guy is a little bit creepy, but I don’t think he’s dangerous, not to us anyway.” Faith offered.

“So that’s why we were brought here I guess, to contain the vampire threat.” Fray injected.

“Hey do you think that’s a good idea? Suppose we change history?” Spike said.

“Actually we’re here so that history goes like it’s supposed to.” Andrew said matter of factly.

“Huh?” Melaka looked confused.

“This is the work of the Shimmer-man?” Illyria asked knowingly.

“Bob?” Andrew nodded. “Yeah this is his plan.”

“So out with it, I don’t like secrets.” Melaka stood threatening before him. “What other things this Bob got in store for us?”

“I dunno…” Andrew backed away frightened.

“We’ll see how much you don’t know.” Faith approached him.

“Which I imagine is quite a bit.” Spike smirked.

Various training dummies and the like were set up in a courtyard.

“Nice little training area, you got here.” Faith paced about the place.

“This is my compound.” Tesserarius spread his arms wide showcasing the large villa he had erected. ”It has more then enough room to accommodate you all.”

“So you just live alone in a big empty house.” Fray frowned.

“I am not alone.” Tesserarius stretched his arm toward a fresco of Lautitia the blond slayer. ”She has been under my care for just over a decade.”

“Oh.” Fray raised her brow.

Tesserarius gazed back to the days years before.

“I found her one day; she was caring two large burlap sacks. She looked no more then 5 or 6 years old.”

The girl stood in the street with the sacks and wearing a modified burlap sack as clothing, her hair was ragged and unkempt and her face was dirty.

“We both know why, we both know you’re not like other girls, you’re special. You’re the slayer.”

“Wow.” Andrew looked on fascinated.

“So what exactly was in those sacks she carried?” Faith leaned in.

“Rats! Lots and lots of rats.” Tesserarius said proudly. “She had gone out hunting in the morning to get food for the underground community of escaped slaves she was living with.”

“They ate rats?” Faith looked disgusted.

Tesserarius gazed at her admiringly. “Amazing, a small child with such amazing skill, two whole sacks full.”

“Rats?” Faith squirmed in her seat.

“She has been with me ever since. I have taught her all I know long ago. She has surpassed anyone I have trained or fought with or, anybody I’ve heard about for that matter. She is unparalleled.”

“Is she really that good?” Fray looked at her skeptically.

“You’ve never seen Buffy have you.” Spike offered.

Illyria shot Spike a cold look.

“I defeated this unparalleled creature, just because you say she is great does not mean that it is so. At heart she is… merely human.” She looked at her bruised hand. “At one time she would have been naught but a knat in my sight.”

“At one time perhaps…”

“Look your boss gathered us all together, what the heck is his agenda, what does he want us to do now.” Spike stared at Andrew coldly.

“He’s not my boss.”

Spike raised his brow. “No?”

“No… he just kinda tells me what to do.” Andrew squirmed in his chair.

“And you do it…”

“Yeah so?”

“So ergo he’s your boss, look just tell us what you know about him, we have to figure out what his game is.”

Suddenly, seemingly from nowhere, Bob walked into the room.

”My game? For shame…”
“I play no game. I’ll say and explain.”
“You’ve made gains, you’ve obtained her…”
“But you can’t keep her chained, on her own contained.”
“You can’t keep her like a stone, cold and restrained. “
“You’ll reap what you’ve sown in her well trained frame.”
“So, just do as you will, as you will to do so.”
“And so the flow goes, so go with the flow…”

He touched Andrew and a light flowed from his hand and encompassed Andrew.

Andrew crumpled to the ground.

“What did you do?” Faith turned to Bob.

Bob waved to them as he started to fade out of sight.

The gang rushed over to Andrew. “Are you ok?”

Andrew looked around groggily. “I know, cough, I know what we have to do.”

“What, what do we do?”

“We…” Andrew passed out.

“Andrew buddy you ok?” Spike picked him up and laid him on a padded bench.

The doors careened open as Lautitia thundered in.

“Where is she?” The young blond slayer burst into the room, where the rest of the gang stood.

She strode up to Illyria and stood facing her. “You… you defeated me.”

“Yes, that is so.” Illyria smirked.

“I have never been beaten before. I stood unrivaled by any. “

“And now you find you are not as great as you believed. It stings, does it not?”

“Yes. But it is good. As we gain in this life so it is true we must lose in this life. For me the shame is not in losing, but in surrendering. And it is good to have a worthy opponent for once. I look forward to our next contest.”

“Opponent?” Spike looked up at her. “Listen missy we just sussed things out with your watcher here and there’s no need to beat the crap out of us again, we’re on the same team.”

“Team? Which team would that be?” The blond slayer looked at them fiercely.

Spike raised his hand. “Seeing as we’re mostly girls, I think we’d better opt for skins.”

Lautitia shouted at Tesserarius. “You think I would ally myself with a vampire?”

“He’s not a soulless beast.” Faith offered.

“But all vampires are.” Lautitia held the stake in her hand.

“Well I’m more or less a soulful beast. “

“You got soul Spike my man, you’re not Otis Redding but you got soul.” Faith volunteered.

Lautitia stood before Spike and gazed into his eyes. Gradually her face began to soften; she smiled at Spike, and then turned to Tesserarius. “He is restored? How?”

“That doesn’t matter; it’s enough that the beast is allied with us. Do you think we could fight the forces arrayed against us alone? “ Tesserarius stood resolutely.

“You are one of Rome’s greatest generals.” Lautitia looked up to Tesserarius

“Which means little now that I no longer command an army.”

“I think we’re supposed to be your army.” Fray cut in.

“Now hold on, no way is anyone giving me a crew cut.” Spike slicked back his hair.

“So does anybody know what to do?” Fray shrugged.

”I know, I know what to do.” Andrew sprung up eyes wide from where he lay resting.

“Hallelujah.” Faith exclaimed.

“So what the scoop?” Fray asked.

“It’s…” Andrew started then stared ahead blankly. “Um, er… I just forgot, but it’s on the tip if my tongue, it’s, its… Dammit!” He shook his head. “I had it but now it’s gone.”

“Wonderful.” Spike quipped.

“Wait I got it, again.” He jumped up excited.

They looked to him expectantly.

“Only I forget again. Why? It doesn’t make sense.”

“No, it makes perfect sense that you can’t make sense of it. Bob must’ve put a whammy on you.” Spike postulated.

“He’s been whammed, I’ll be damned.” Fray added.

“Oh, that was a clever rhyme.” Illyria bowed slightly to Fray.

Spike gave Fray a petty jealous look.

“So you’re saying although he might know the info he can’t tell us about it?” Faith asked.

“Right, he tries to tell what he knows and suddenly he doesn’t know it.” Spike puffed up his chest and strutted before them, he turned to Illyria. “So no know is a no-no, no?”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes!” The dark haired woman screamed as the couple wrestled in the bed.

“Oh God yes.“ The young woman bent down and kissed the dark haired man, then tumbled off of him.

“My dearest, should I go down to the cellar and fetch you something to eat?” The young woman gazed lovingly at the man of about 30 years that stood before her. He was thin yet well built and unusually tall. He smiled broadly from ear to eat.

“No I want something fresh tonight, something young, something not quite ripe.” He called out to her.

“I spied something I fancied. A young maiden but still a girl, she washes feet…”

The gang stood around with their feet in small wooden tubs. A young girl was pouring in hot water and scrubbing their feet.

“I don’t get it what’s with all the foot washing? This some kinda fetish of yours?” Faith held her leg aloft and looked over at General Tesserarius.

“It might have more to do with the fact that these blokes walk about in sandals all the time.” Spike paced near the group wearing a toga but eschewing sandals for his boots, having not opted for a footbath like the rest of them. “Not a problem I have.”

Tesseraruis said warmly. “It is a custom and it is relaxing.”

“Ya got that right.” Faith leaned back and closed her eyes.

The footbath girl poured the rest of the hot water from a kettle into Faith’s tub. Then bowed and left.

“As relaxing as it can get in a town run by vampires.” Fray noted casually, her eyes followed the girl as she walked away.

“So what you’re saying is that the governorship of this city in effect is controlled by a vampire?”

“Yes he has the control of all the resources of the city and province. The thing is, most of the subjects under his control in the army and elsewhere are humans. If they knew who he really was, well…” Tesserarius sipped his wine.

“So what you’re saying is we have to get him to reveal himself publicly?” Faith nodded. “That shouldn’t be that hard.”

“The spectacles for the spectators at the auditorium have grown evermore spectacular.” Lautitia noted.

“The shows have brought in travelers from all over. The tales of the prowess of the slayer have reached far and wide and many of the people want to see her. There is a holiday celebration taking place in a few days. They expect the biggest attendance in history on that night.” Tesserarius took another sip of wine.

“So you think we should just lie low until then?” Faith asked.

“Yes well, there is the matter of reclaiming my crown.” Lautitia looked over at Illyria.

“You mean to challenge me?” Illyria stared at her, using her mind to transform the white toga she was wearing into the tight black leathers she wore ordinarily. “Do you not know your better when you see her?”

“Ladies, ladies let’s save it for the rematch huh?” Spike stepped between them.

“Oh man, this is gonna be so cool, the super slayer challenges Illyria the once great god and the only person to ever defeat her.” Andrew splashed his feet excitedly. “This match is for championship title. We’ll call it The Stompin’ in Pompin’.”

“It’s Pompeii, you blooming idiot.”

“In India?” Andrew looked at him seriously.

“Hey, she was here just a moment ago.” Faith started to look around. “Where did Fray disappear to?”

Fray stalked the alleyways, tracking the young girl from the foot bath. The girl wandered into an alley, she stuck her hands on a metal grating and pulled up on it. She slipped into the entrance, replacing the grate after her. She made her way through the underground tunnels.

Voices could be heard coming from a group of people that were gathered together in an area lit by torches. Fray stuck close to the shadows.

“So what did you hear? The newcomers, the ones who fight in the arena, are they a danger to us?”

“So many of us wind up as chattel in that awful place.”

A man who seemed to be in charge held his hands aloft. “No, they are no danger to us, we who serve the God of love. They come to protect us. They are God’s servants. Right, Melaka Fray?”

The man looked up and that’s when Fray first noticed that the man was blind. “Senator?”

“Yes, among other things, but my capacity now as bishop of our church.”

“Right, the god of love, in Rome that’s Apollo right?”

“Not the Roman idol, the one true God.”

“My lord you’re, you’re among the first Christians.” Fray stepped backwards. “Do, do you all live like this?”

“It is forbidden to practice our faith, love the God who loves all and is all love. We must hide our ceremonies from the eyes of others.”

“Oh yeah, forgot about that.” Melaka grimaced

“Look, you guys look hungry.” Melaka clapped her hands together. “You wouldn’t be up for something besides loaves and fishes? “

Suddenly two vampires burst into the room. The senator shouted. “Oh no, it’s another attack by the servants of the devil.”

The group of Christians began to scatter and flee. Immediately the two vampires focused on the little girl. They grabbed her.

Fray looked around the room. “This has got to be first church I’ve been to without a cross.”

She smashed a small stool and picked up the shards. The vampire held the little girl aloft.

Fray ran toward him stake in hand. “No, you don’t get this one. You’re not getting this girl.”

She quickly staked him and caught the girl as she fell to the ground.

The other vampire started heading toward the door. “Where do you think you’re going?”

She gathered the rest of the chair fragments together in her hands.

She slammed the vampire against the wall.

“Now.” She took a large piece if wood and plunged it into him.

“You.” she took another piece and slammed it into the vampire

“Are going.” Jab, she plunged the shard in.

Jab, she repeated, jab, again. “To tell me.”

She took the largest chunk and plunged it into his stomach. “Everything.”

Fray walked in carrying a sack over her shoulder and a holding a girl’s small hand in hers. “Everybody, this is Sollertia.”

“Hey, you’re the girl from the foot baths.” Faith looked at her.

“She was just attacked by lurks.”

“Lurk? Oh right vampire.” Spike furled his brow. “How did you know that? Did you follow her?”

“Yeah, of course.” Melaka shrugged.

“Why?”

Why do you think? She looked poor and thin like she could use a little to eat.

“And you just thought you’d steal it for them?” Spike paced in front of her.

“Why? Do you have a problem with that?” Fray challenged him.

Spike turned nonchalant. “Nope, just making sure.”

“I have a problem with that.” Tesserarius grabbed one of the near empty sacks from Fray. “This produce it’s from Frux Fruits down the way correct?”

“How’d…” Fray stopped and just looked at Tesserarius.

“He has the best produce in the market; I didn’t figure you to be the type that would go for second best.”

“You got that right.”

Tess approached her and gave her a pouch. She opened it. Inside were many crudely printed silver and gold coins.

She gazed at the money wide eyed. “Oh my…”

“Pay for this, make this right.” He turned away from her.

She called out to him. “I dusted two vamps and got a name off one of them.”

He stopped and turned around slowly. “A name?”

“Yes, this guy is apparently one of the big bosses around here, guy by the name of.”

“Ioculator?”

“Yes that’s right, how did you?”

“He seems to have a taste for little girls.” Tesserarius clasped his hands behind his back.

Fray’s eyes narrowed as she approached him. “Really, well then, the only question is…”

She turned to face Tesserarius. “When do we kill him?”

Lautitia approached Andrew who was sitting alone. “The clothes you wore when you arrived, and the things you carried, they are very beautiful, tell me about the land you come from.”

Andrew squirmed away from her. “Um, you wanna know about us in the 20th century?”

“21st century…” Spike shook his head. “It’s no wonder you suck at time travel.”

“Well it’s pretty cool, we have cars and...” Andrew began.

Lautitia looked at Andrew puzzled.

“What I mean is, um, we have, um, horseless chariots and flying machines carrying hundreds of people.”

“Surely your world is one of wondrous magic.” Lautitia’s eyes widened

“Not really, there’s this thing called science and technology.” Andrew folded his arms.

“Really, so how is it possible for hundreds to become airborne?” Lautitia looked at him bright eyed.

“Well there’s a metal tube with wings… er…and because of the wings’ shape there are areas of high and low pressure…” Andrew mimed.

She looked at him very confused.

Andrew cleared his throat. “That is to say yes, very powerful magic in our world.”

“But there is normal stuff too, like the mall.” He added.

“The mall?” Lautitia furled her brow.

“Well yeah, they sell a lot of stuff there.”

“It is like a market?”

“Sort of like your markets but indoors without any of the dead pigs and cabbages. Hey that’s where the Cineplex movie theatre is.”

“Movie theater. What is a movie?”

“You’ve never seen a movie?” He stared at her astonished.

“How the hell she supposed to see a movie mate, it’s 1900 years till they invent the bleeding movie camera.” Spike punched Andrew in the arm.

“Oh yeah.” Andrew rubbed his sore arm.

“But don’t you worry I’m going to tell you everything you ever want to know about movies.” Andrew smiled at Lautitia.

“Oh great.” Spike rolled his eyes.

Faith approached the General. “So what’s your story, what was this slayer to you, the one you say I look like?”

“It does not matter.” He continued to look down away from her.

“If it doesn’t matter then why won’t you look at me?” Faith looked down at him.

He raised his face to hers but kept his eyes downcast. “I cannot, I dare not. It’s… your hair, your skin…” He reached out nimbly with his fingers and placed them on top of her hands. “Your hands, all like hers.”

She looked down at him sympathetically.

“Please stop.” She withdrew her hand.

“My god, even your voice.”

He stirred himself. “I’m sorry, that was…”

He looked up to face her. “Unbecoming of me.”

“Spike mi amigo,” Andrew approached Spike from behind and grabbed him by the shoulder. “So check out the new slayer chick, she’s pretty hot isn’t she.”

Spike took a swig from the wine bottle and stared over past Lautitia the Slayer to Illyria. “Oh definitely hot, with a splash of cool for effect.”

“So do you think she likes me?”

“Illyria? Are you kidding me mate? She doesn’t give a fig about you, or me for that matter.” Spike sighed and took another big swig.

“No not her, Lautitia, the new slayer.”

“Oh her, oh yeah, I’m sure she was really impressed with entire plot summation of the Star Wars series.”

“Really you don’t think it was a bit much?”

Spike gave Andrew a withering look.

Andrew slumped down. “I dunno sometimes if I find a girl I like, like really, well like, really, really well like them. Like that, I tend to go overboard.”

“Like I get it. like, but I don’t overlike the word like. “

“Like really?”

Spike tilled his head back and swallowed deep gulps from the bottle. “Don’t let it go to your head, we’ve all overdone things like that, it’s what happens to a man when a woman is involved.”

Spike sighed. “I mean you care about them, you want to get to know them and respectfully get their love, their respect, but no can’t have that, no I have to go for the gal that likes to treat me like dirt. The gal who enjoys kicking the tar out of me. The girl who feels I’m so far beneath her.”

“Spike, are you ok?”

Spike took another swig of the bottle of red wine.

“If she thinks I’m going to moon over her like a lovesick fool she’s got another think coming.”

“Oh by the way…” Spike leaned on Andrew as he pulled some papers from his pocket and unfolded it.

Spike handed it to Andrew. “So whatdoya think.” he slurred.

Andrew read aloud from the paper.

“Illyria, Illyria, none can comparia.
Whether sickened with malaria
Or they should kill or bury ya.
I’ll be there to carry ya.
Just don’t make me marry ya.”

“You’re writing poetry?” Andrew started to laugh.

“No, its not bleeding poetry. Poetry ha, ha, poetry is for sissies. It’s not a poem, it’s…it’s… a song.”

“A song? So where are the music notations?”

“Oh no, you see this is just the lyrics. But I got this idea for a power cord that goes like...” Spike strummed and strutted his air guitar. “Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, like that right.”

“This is love song then? With you vampires it’s sometimes hard to tell.”

“Nevermind.” Spike grabbed the sheet back from Andrew.

He turned around defensively. “I’ll have you know she likes poetry, um, I mean music.”

“Oh. Ok. Even bad poetry, um sorry, I mean even bad music?”

Spike looked at him wounded. As he turned and started walking away he stifled the frog in is throat long enough to let out a choked,”I’ll show you.”

Andrew stepped after him. “Spike, Spike what? What’s the matter, what did I say?”

“What’s my say in the matter?”

“None.” Tesserarius scolded Lautitia. “Come we need to go over the plans for the night.”

“What’s there to plan? We wait till General Ioculator shows his face then we put him down.” Faith swaggered up to him.

It is not going to prove that easy. His box is very secure. He has loyal vampire soldiers at all main checkpoints around the arena.

“We can get there from the arena’s, floor right.” Faith looked down at a set of plans on the table.

“Those walls are quite high, you will not be able to jump them, you’ll have to climb up them. That will take time. Especially with a whole slew of people ready to put an arrow into a slow moving target like you.” Tesserarius said matter of factly.

“Slow moving?” Faith was insulted.

“Look I do not doubt your skill, yet without proper strategy you are not much more then an ordinary soldier. The woman you were was more then a mere soldier, she was a master tactician.”

“Is that your offer to teach me?”

“Pull up a chair.”

Faith slowly sat down at the table.

“Look that night the arena is going to more crowded then you would believe possible. “ Tess pointed out.

Faith studied the map. “With all of them crowding the place is going to make it extremely difficult for the soldiers to control the crowd, if things were to get out of hand.”

“Hey I like your way of thinking, exploit your enemies’ weaknesses.” Tesserarius smiled at Faith. “There’s the girl I remember, you have a talent for this it’s innate.”

Illyria looked over at Lautitia.

Spike came up beside Illyria “She got you scared, luv?”

“I do not fear her.”

“No but you’re scared to lose and you’re pretty sure she’s going to clean your clock.”

“Polish my timepiece? Why would she?”

“I mean you think you’re going to lose.”

“It does not matter; everything has been taken from me what’s one more thing.” She hung down her head.

Spike squinted. ”All right, I’ve got it, you’ve got nothing, all your friends have abandoned you, and somehow you think you deserve it because why else is all this bad stuff happening to you, right?

She looked at him coldly, but hurt. “How dare you.”

Spike snapped his fingers, that’s it isn’t it.

Spike paced back and forth

“Right, right, right no problem I get this, you’re down and you need cheering up so you can do what you have to do to win the fight, then you come back with a big axe thingy, and I’m in like Flynn.”

Illyria continued to look at Spike perplexed.

“Hey Illyria, who here is the million year old goddess, who ruled over a great kingdom?” Spike gazed intensely at Illyria. “Illyria the great, that’s who.”

“You, you think I can win this contest?” She half smiled. “You know that I am no longer as I was. I am diminished.”

“Yeah I know, you lost a bit of your mojo … but not your moxy. And you know something luv, I don’t think you’re all that diminished, you were moving really, really fast for a while there. Ok afterwards you ended up prone and defenseless, but hey it all depends on the way you look at it, is the glass fully half empty kind of thing.”

Spike grabbed her shoulder. “I have no doubt you can mop the floor with this…”

“Illyria girl…” Andrew exclaimed.

“Really?” Lautitia asked.

“Oh no problem, I mean, if you weren’t so beat up from taking out the rest of those louts.” Andrew looked up at the group. “Um, I mean my nice companions, then she would never have taken you. One on one she doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Andrew thank you, your encouragement means a lot.”

“Um, really?”

‘Oh yes, I can’t believe how great a time I’ve had with you, listening to all your stories, all day long. It’s…”

“Too much, I know I’m sorry, it’s just that I really like you and I wanna talk to you, really talk to you, about you and me and my family and my life. But it’s easier for me to talk about other people, other things. Like Star Wars, Dr Who and Timothy Dalton who totally rocks and…“ Tears started to stream down his face.

He stopped and stared at her. “I’m probably boring you and you don’t have the heart to tell me to buzz off.”

She looked at him dismayed.

“You, you are weeping and wining like a woman.” She leaned in and lightly kissed him. “I did not think they made men like you, at least men like you who like women.”

“Oh, um, really?” Andrew looked to her nervously. “You know most people don’t think it’s a real big whoop being a real big wuss.”

“I do not think you are a coward; it is brave to be unafraid to show others how you feel.”

Tesserarius stood over a large battle map. Several blocks representing soldiers and military units were laid in formation on top of the map.

“Then Alexander struck, he thrust his cavalry right down the middle of the army dividing it in two.” Tesserarius moved the carved wooden markers denoting troops and horses. “He wedged the cavalry between the lined up Persian army breaking their formation and causing chaos.”

He took several pieces carved like soldiers riding chariots and pushed them into the center of the massive pile of blocks representing the Persian army.

Faith looked down at the board, where the Alexander’s white cavalry stood between the Persians black foot soldiers. “Divide and conquer.”

“The Persians unit cohesion completely fell apart.”

He moved Alexander’s small infantry to encircle the large Persian one.

“Alexander’s army marched up quickly to press them on either side with their phalanx and just pressed into them. Either they were pierced by the Macedonians swords or lances or were hacked down by Alexander and his cavalry that had pressed into the center of their army.”

Faith leaned over the table and stared at Tesserarius seriously. “Hey do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“It is a student’s job to ask questions, questions are rarely a bad thing.”

“What’s your story? You were a General in the army right? What about your battles, I mean, you must have stories to tell.”

“No, there no heroes in my stories like in your tales.”

“Hey baby, I ain’t no hero neither. Now spill…”

He stared at her impassionedly, and stood resolute.

She shook her head and started to turn around. “Nevermind.”

He grabbed her arm to stop her.

She turned to face him.

He motioned to the chair and she sat down.

He paced before her. “We Romans were so good, so dominant for so long that sometimes it no longer felt like battle merely slaughter.”

“I fought in the north, the forests of Gaul. Our enemy was too weak to face us directly. They kept their armies hidden, striking at the times and places of their choosing. But they were never really a threat. They were more akin to a long festering wound in your side, painful and irritating, but not fatal.”

“It went on this way for a while. We weren’t taking too many losses but the constant bleeding was enough to concern the high command. And so they decided to clamp down on the situation. The orders came down to liquidate the area.”

“Liquidate, I don’t understand. What does that mean?” Faith looked at him confused.

“It meant that most of the women and children were shackled and sold into slavery, and most of the men were killed outright.”

“What?”

“I kind of got tired of serving in the Roman Army after that.”

“Look it’s great to know military tactics and I think it’s an excellent idea for you to train to develop you capacities. But don’t think there’s any glory in war.”

“You think that I think war is a beautiful thing?”

“Don’t kid yourself, we both know you do. It’s where people like us are comfortable; we were not made for peaceful times.”

“You know, you kinda remind me of somebody, this older guy I used know. Not that I knew him in the biblical sense, just well, you remind me of him a bit, only…um…”

“Only what?”

“Less evil…”

“Well at least I think you’re less evil, I mean you could be evil and are just pretending to be good.”

“You think I’m pretending to be good?”

“Are you? Are you really good?” Faith shook her head as if to clear it. “No. Look it’s just with the kinda life I’ve had I’ve become a bit.”

“Paranoid? Yes I know, but let me put it to you this way, what if they really are out to get you. I mean then your paranoia would be rational in nature right?” He smiled at her.

“Hmm. Good points… but you didn’t answer my question, man.” She grabbed him and slammed him against the wall. “Are you bad?”

“Are you mad woman?” Spike turned as Fray bore down on him clutching a cross before her

He turned around but failed to avoid her, she pressed a cross into the flesh of his face.

“Arrgh! Ahhh! What have you done? What have you done? You’ve done something…” Spike felt at his face cautiously.

“What is he going on about?” Andrew asked.

“This cross…” Spike snatched it in his hand. “It doesn’t burn, it doesn’t do anything.”

“That’s right crosses don’t work here.” Fray snatched the cross back from Spike.

“Why would the instrument of death, the roman’s prime means of execution be a sign meant to hurt these creatures?” Lautitia frowned.

“This doesn’t make any sense, why isn’t there any power in the cross?” Andrew felt the cross around his neck.

“This could be a problem.” Fray sighed.

“This is bad, very bad.” Andrew frowned.

“Good, good, very good.” Tesserarius smiled at Faith as she pressed him up against the wall.

Faith stared down at Tesserarius. “I think that maybe you’re protesting too much.”

“Oh I don’t think that’s possible, you were very, very good. You were at least five feet from me. I would have easily avoided almost anyone, there’s very few humans or vampires or even slayers that can’t easily defeat. But not you no, you’re good, as good as she was and she was damn good.”

“So what? You’re admitting to me that you’re evil?”

“Do you believe yourself to wholly good?”

“We are not talking about me.”

“Well how about you believe me when I say that I am on your side, completely. I won’t let anything hurt you.”

“Why?”

“Do you really want to know why?”

“Yeah, um maybe. I dunno.” She squirmed uncomfortably.

He faced her calmly. “When I look at you, it’s suddenly like, like she is returned, come back to me, and now that I have her I dare not lose her again.”

“But I’m not her.”

“Yes I know, it’s just, you both, you don’t just look the same. You smell the same, you think the same, you fight the same. I never placed much stock in the religion of the Hindus in the land of India, they preached that we are reborn after death.”

“Reincarnation?”

“Yes, I never used to believe in it, but after what I see in you, well I am no longer sure what I believe.”

“You think I’m the reincarnation of your old student?”

“I was her watcher, and she was very dear to me, more dear then can be encompassed by the roles of watcher and slayer, she was more then just my student.”

“Yeah that’s the funny thing; I never got along with any of my watchers. But I can see how you and this chick could be pretty tight.”

“Yes well, I won’t tell you to trust me because I know that you won’t trust me, and it’s not just me, you don’t trust anyone, not until they prove themselves to you.”

Faith looked at him wide eyed.

“She was like that, so I know I must be patient and wait until I prove myself trustworthy to you.”

She let her weight off of him and he slumped to the ground. “Ok, ok,.”

She got up and reached out her hand to help him to his feet. He smiled at her broadly as he arranged the wooden army soldiers on top of a topographical map

She sidled up to him. “Some more kinds of tricks of warfare you believe you’d be willing to impart?”

“You’re more than willing part in being tricked into believing in some kind of fair war.” Governor Ioculator looked over to a dark haired woman who lay on a nearby bench. Ioculator arranged his carved wooded pieces designating military units over a large map that lay on the table.

An aide stepped into the room where Ioculator stood pouring over his battle maps. “My lord there is an emissary here from Rome.”

“What?” Ioculator looked up from his maps.

The dark haired young woman sitting beside him looked up at Ioculator frightened. “Is Caesar checking up on you?”

“Perhaps Sanguis, but that would not bode well.” Ioculator turned again to his aide. “Who is he, this emissary?”

“He claims to be a Roman Senator.” The aide replied.

“So it seems the emperor still remains oblivious, good. The senate has no military power, they are no threat to me. Send in this member of the senate.”

A thin man with gray hair stepped slowly into the room, he gazed ahead blankly, his eyes were white and pupiless. He interlocked arms with a servant that helped guide him.

The dark haired girl looked t him startled and afraid. She moved under the chair as if to hide herself behind it.

“Ah General Ioculator, good to not see you.” The blind man smiled.

“Ah Curia, it’s only you; I was expecting someone of importance. So it’s the senate now, why? You were always the smart one, why waste your time arguing with people to pass laws you have no power to enact. Eh, oh well I guess you must feel right at home surrounded by others equally as useless.”

“Look at you.” Ioculator sneered over him. “Oh right, I guess you can’t do that either. I can’t believe that at one time I was actually afraid of you; truth is you’re not that scary. “

“You truly believe that? Or you just say it because you realize I’m a threat to you.” Curio calmly folded his arms.

“If you were ever a threat to me we wouldn’t be talking, I’d kill you.” Ioculator sighed. “Such a disappointment, you had such promise.”

“Heh, I could say the same for you. Even so they like you in Rome, tax revenues have gone up heartily since you’ve become governor. Caesar is pleased as punch, You know when I heard about that it struck me at being very funny, why would you, of all people, give Caesar excess gold when you could have kept it for yourself. You are not the kind that does something for nothing, so you must be doing something that requires you to be in the emperors’ favor.”

The blind man stopped and turned around “Wait there’s something, someone here.”

He turned directly to focus on the woman who his behind a chair. . He stretched out his hands into the air, as if remotely feeling the girls face with his fingers. “Sanguis?” He began to choke up. “My Sanguis?” He move toward her

Sanguis looked at him guiltily and moved from the chair to stand behind Ioculator.

His white pupiless eyes bore down on Ioculator as if he was not blind. “What have you done with her, you had no right.”

“I have no right? As if you really cared, unlike you I have never let her come to harm.”

Curio stood before Sanguis again and stretched out his hands in the air as if feeling it. “She is, she is whole!?”

Ioculator smiled. “We are not so unalike you and I, we are both ruled by our desires, only we do not desire the same things.” He glanced back at Sanguis. “Save for one.”

“I know what it is that you desire.” Ioculator stepped aside revealing Sanguis behind him.

Ioculator stood behind the Sanguis and held her by the shoulders. “It’s not too late, to come back into the fold.”

Curio looked at Sanguis with sad eyes. “No, I’m sorry it is, far too late.”

He turned back at Ioculator pulling a scroll from his toga.

“Then there was this.” He passed Ioculator the scroll

Ioculator unrolled it partially. “So, it’s an imperial writ.”

“A writ designating procurement of military supplies for the legion stationed in Pompeii, you see this was the strangest thing of all.”

Ioculator looked at him with burning eyes. “Why?”

“Oh, you already know why, the legion doesn’t exist. Pretty threatening information, eh?”

Ioculator nodded slowly. “Yes, yes you are right my old friend, good for you.” He pat him appreciatively on the back.

“Sorry, now I’ll have to kill you.”

Ioculator grabbed the Senator by the throat and held him up against the wall.

Suddenly the wall behind the senator began to give way. Brick and mortar split as the wall began to collapse. Ioculator and his entourage looked out through the dust at the wreckage.

“Dearest?” Sanguis looked about confused. ”Who dares?”

Illyria stood flanked on either side by Fray and Faith.

Fray got to the Senator and helped him up, while Faith and Illyria took the fight to Ioculator and his guards.

Fray gathered the Senator up and rushed through the hole that had been beaten into the brick wall. “We’ve got the grab, let’s book.”

Faith followed Fray out while Illyria battled the centurions at the narrowed passage of the wall opening. “I cannot hold them off indefinitely.” She called out behind her. “Faith!”

Faith came up beside Illyria helping her battle the centurions, Illyria turned to her. “Hold here.”

Illyria turned and ran off.

“Hey scary blue lady where you going? I could use a little help here.” Faith fought them desperately.

Just then a large statue was thrown at the hole in the wall. It smashed into it embedding itself in the wall blocking off the opening they had made through the wall.

Illyria raised her eyebrow. “A hole in one.”

Faith dusted herself off. “Or at least one in the hole.”

Curio stumbled in supported partly by Melaka Fray.

“Well?” Tess looked to him hopefully.

Curio looked down at the ground. “I’m sorry.”

“Damn! So he didn’t give you anything, towns these troops might be coming from, mercenary lists anything?” Tesserarius asked.

“Nope it didn’t rattle him at all, he didn’t give me anybody’s name, didn’t ask me how I found out about it or anything, he just tried to kill me.” Curio recalled.

“I should have figured as much he is far to smart far too controlled to be tripped up in that way. I put your life in danger for nothing.”

“As long as he’s around our lives are in danger anyway.“

Fray tossed a sack to Illyria. “Come on.”

“What is it that you wish?”

“For you to get in gear and help me deliver this food down to the runaway slaves and others hiding out in the catacombs.”

“The caves?”

“Yeah so come on, I mean I can handle most things I come across, but you, you’re on a whole other level, I’d rather go in with overwhelming force. I can relate to these people. I don’t want any of them getting hurt.”

“I do not know if I wish to involve myself with…”

“Please blue lady, can you come with us.” Solleri beat her eyes at her.

“I don’t know how to say this but I’ve seen you fight and you were really great.” Solleri shyly walked up to Illyria.

“Looks like you’ve got a fan.” Fray whipped her hair back and smiled crookedly.

Illyria answered impassively. “I will go, for the sake of the child. I will go.”

She flung the sack around her back and headed for the door with Fray and the young girl. Illyria leaned down to the girl and said. “So you live in caves? I used to live in a cave, well… I mean, that is, I knew a friend who lived in a cave.”

Fray kicked at Andrew.

“What?”

“You’re coming too.”

“Can’t I stay here where there is less chance of being eaten?”

She pulled him up by the ear. “Ow, ow, ow, I’m coming, I’m coming, lemme go.”

The walked along the stalls of the crowed marketplace. Everything seemed to be sold from peaches, dates, giant sides of pork, to corn brooms and buckets. Fray stood with heavy baskets of food in her arms. “I think this should do.”

“We’ll hurry up pay for it and let’s get out here.” Faith helped carry the goods. “I was going to meet Tess for practice so I can’t deliver this stuff with you guys.”

“That’s ok it’s no big deal, no big thing, big mama.”

“You calling me big?” Faith looked at her sideways.

Fray noticed the shopkeeper helping another costumer and turning his back to her. “Right, let’s book, let’s get out of here.” Melaka turned to go.

Faith stepped right in front of her. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“What thieves tend to do, or did you forget that’s who I am?” Fray was annoyed. “Besides since when did you become so righteous?”

“I’m not.” Faith seemed exasperated. “Tesserarius told you to pay for it; he gave you the money for that purpose precisely so you wouldn’t steal it.”

Fray brushed her off. “What? You wanna just let Generalissimo Watcher push you around? Tell you what you can or cannot do?”

“Don’t you get it you selfish bitch, I understand about wanting to fulfill your desires, I admit it I’m as materialistic as the next guy, maybe more so.” Faith with her hands on her hips thrust herself forward at Fray. “But this isn’t about desire it’s about tactics and about judgment.”

“Let’s say something goes wrong.” Faith postulated.

“Don’t worry I never get caught.”

“Maybe, but how many will you hurt or injure in your attempt to escape? We can’t afford a scene like that, it’s an unnecessary risk.”

“Excuse me miss, you haven’t paid yet.” The merchant called out to Fray.

Fray turned around and sighed. “How much is it?”

They wandered into the catacomb, the walls were filled with different inscriptions

“Wow! Look at how often this fish motif appears on the walls.” Fray looked at the drawings scraped and cut into the walls of the catacombs.

“Yes of course, it makes sense, that was the symbol the early Christians used, the fish.” Andrew snapped his fingers.

“What are you babbling about? You see something.” Fray looked over at Andrew.

“Something that I didn’t see before, yeah I guess you could say that.” Andrew looked ahead blankly.

“Did you ever make sense, or were you born a spazz?”

“I dunno if I would call it born like this, but I was evil once so maybe I was, I dunno, demon spawned like it., or hatched I could have been hatched like this.” Andrew fidgeted nervously. “No it’s spawned, defiantly spawned.”

Illyria looked at an old rusty set of leg irons someone had hacked off amid the squalor of the underground living space. “Slavery. In the many forms it takes truly is an abomination.”

“Oh please.” Fray exclaimed. “You talk about slavery like you didn’t rule over a nation of people that were your slaves.”

“They were not my slaves; they stayed with me because it was their will to do so. My kingdom was fair and just. This…” She motioned at the shackles. “Would not have happened under my rule. “

“Sorry if I might have misjudged you, I’m just not used to the people in power giving a hoot about the down and out. So what happened to anybody that didn’t want to follow your rule?”

“They were exiled, if they continued to stay and sow insurrection I had them jailed.”

“Just jailed, really?”

“My dungeon was not pleasant.”

“Oh.”

“Yes I know, I showed far too much mercy to those malcontents. It is my curse to be sensitive and soft hearted.” Illyria stared at her coldly, impassibly. These Roman rulers would simply have killed or made slaves of dissenters.”

“You know when you put it in perspective like that you really do seem saintly.” Fray shrugged.

“This way the passage goes on further.” She pushed aside a statue that was in the way and crept into the small passageway revealed behind it..

“How did you know about…”

“Fresh air it was coming in through that.” She pointed at the crawlspace. She got down and crept into the dark passage.

They crawled through the cavern on their hands and knees, until it opened up. The stumbled out of the narrow opening into what seemed like a big room with a staircase running right up to the ceiling.

They looked on in awe.

“ Oh my God.” Andrew exclaimed.

“I think we’ve hit the jackpot.” Fray beamed.

The arena crowd cheered at the gladiator in the ring faced off against a large lioness.

On the ground floor of the arena the group watched between the metal bars separating them from the action outside.

“Is it just me is there something strange about that cat.” Fray‘s eyes narrowed.

The cat leapt upon the man from a great distance, he used his shield to deflect the cat but it still sent him tumbling to the ground.

“You are correct, even the most savage lion is incapable of that kind of strength.” Illyria noted.

“What are you saying?” Spike prodded. “That that cat has had a long dirt catnap?”

The cat swiped at the man sending him reeling.

“Somebody has to do something; he’s going to be killed.” Fray looked alarmed at the scene unfolding in the arena.

“Don’t worry about the big puss it’s kinda hard to get killed when you’re already dead.” Spike shrugged.

“Not the cat.” Fray slapped Spike on the arm

“Ok, all right, save the big wuss not, the big puss.”

Spike and Fray ran out to assist the man who was now struggling desperately against the big cat.

“So, everything’s going to plan so far.” Faith rubbed her hands together.

“Did you see the crowd, they’re packed in her like sardines.” Andrew looked up at the crowd in awe.

“Nobody wants to miss the main event; news that someone was able to defeat the slayer has people coming from all over to watch the rematch.” Faith looked at the stands that wear filled to the very top with people

“Ioculator’s head from his body will be freed.” Andrew dramatically expressed. “Decapitated by his freed captives before the freely captivated audience.”

“Yup, once everybody realizes he’s a vampire; it’ll discredit the entire collation he managed to put together. “ Faith concurred.

“Once Ioculator and his coconspirators have been identified, they will be purged from the government and the army. The emperor Caesar will not tolerate treason.” The blind Curio noted.

Illyria nodded. “A ruler cannot afford to be anything but brutal when it comes to these matters. Those who crave power, who wish conquer, are not moved by anything but unyielding force.”

“Sad, yet it is so.” Curio agreed.

Fray turned to Tess and Curio. “You know you Roman’s that’s your whole problem. You go around seeing atrocities around you every day. Everybody or most everybody in these cells is a slave, those good people out there paid good money to be entertained, not by watching a play, or hearing some music played. No you Roman’s like to watch people beating other people to death.”

“And you all say how horrible it is, and you wish it would stop, but you never do anything about it. You accept the unacceptable. You don’t do anything to change or challenge people expectations, you just make exceptions for certain people like us.” Melaka pointed down at the rows of cells full of the other gladiatorial fighters. “You didn’t bring anybody else locked up here home to your villa.”

“Melaka cool it! He’s on our side.” Faith stepped in front of her.

“Is he? Then why can’t he see what’s right.”

“Those that see themselves as righteous often think their actions seem right simply because they are righteous.” Curio smiled at Fray.

“They rationalize their behavior.” Fray shook her head disapprovingly.

“Like your stealing?” Curio prodded.

“Whoa! That is nothing like me. First off I don’t hurt anyone, and besides it’s not they can’t afford it.”

“Wow, and you too don’t rationalize your behavior?”

“Don’t you two behave rashly now.” Tesserarius faced the two women. “You are both prepared?”

Lautitia nodded. Illyria looked at him impassively.

“I want to be clear here.” He stood before Illyria. “I don’t want either of you killing the other. You have got limit yourselves a bit, we have a lot to take care of and we need you both mobile to do it.”

“Does this mean I am no longer allowed to dust her sundial?”

He looked her curiously. “No, no, feel free to do that whenever you wish.”

Illyria smiled broadly. “Oh I plan to.”

“Speaking of sundials why is Ioculator pushing this event so late.” He looked to the horizon. “Sunrise can’t be far off.”

“All right let’s go.” The gate separating them from the arena lifted up and General Tesserarius walked out followed by the two women.

The marched slowly to the center.

The announcer shouted out from a central elevated box where the Governor Ioculator and his entourage sat. It was supported by large pillars suspended partway over the arena to give its occupants a better view.

“And now the event you have awaited, a contest between two great fighters. Wearing black, a powerhouse with incredible speed, new to the arena and the only person to have ever defeated the great Lautitia, people welcome Illyria.”

The crowd began to cheer, although some jeers, boos and whistles could also be heard. Illyria looked up at the crowd around her. “So many of them, all focused on me.” She smiled. “This is good, I have missed this, to have so many cheering my name.”

“And wearing white, a person who needs no introduction, you all know and love her, one of the greatest fighters to ever have graced the arena, Lautitia.”

The crowd exploded in applause. People rose in their seats and screamed their lungs out for their hero. They shouted audibly. “Lautitia, Lautitia, Lautitia!”

Illyria eyed the crow enviously. “These cries are a distraction, the glory lies not in acclaim, or number of victims, one can claim glory only in victory.”

The two women circled around each other. Then Illyria struck first she tried to sweep Lautitia legs out from under her. But Lautitia jumped up and the kick missed her cleanly. The move had put Illyria off balance and Lautitia’s fist came down hard across her face.

Illyria rolled out of the way.

Lautitia came at her. Illyria blocked the first few punches but was struck hard on the head as Lautitia head butted her.

Illyria stumbled back, looking somewhat dazed.

“Oh come on, I was really hoping you’d give me a fight.” Lautitia punched Illyria in the face snapping her head to the side.

“But it seems…” Lautitia struck her again hard in the head.

“I seriously…” She caught Illyria again with a hard blow.

“Overestimated you.” She drew her fist way back and sent it directly into the chin of Illyria.

Illyria flew backward onto the ground. She looked up at Lautitia who stood over her triumphantly.

Illyria’s face was swollen on one side, blood streamed from her nose and mouth.

Illyria stared back defiantly; she quickly launched herself to her feet again.

“You know I was thinking about what you said the other day and you’re right, it’s not how hard you can hit. It’s how hard you can get hit.” Illyria launched herself at Lautitia she struck at her viciously, clawing at her and slamming her head repeatedly with her own. They both tumbled to the dusty ground.

The dust in the arena began to swirl as the wind came up suddenly. The dust floor of the arena was sucked up into the air. The entire floor of the arena was filled with thick dust blotting the combatants from view.

“Where are they?” Ioculator turned to one of his aides. “Why is there smoke? I did not say to start the ceremony yet.”

The aide bowed before him. “It is not us milord, this is not of our doing.”

Ioculator furled his brow as he looked down at the swirling dust mass. “Something is wrong, start the incantations, we can wait no longer.”

The men in the robes turned and walked away.

“What, you start it now?” The dark haired girl’s eyes widened, she clutched at the arm of Ioculator. “Please dearest not yet, I must be given time to go below.”

He smiled cruelly at her. ”Are you afraid?”

“Yes, but it is also what you wish, for me to remain as I am.

Ioculator laughed. “Instead of the remains that I am. Ha, ha.”

“Yes that is true, very well if you insist.” Ioculator picked her up and held her over his head.

“My dearest, what are you doing?” She asked as she looked down.

“Come dear, you always wanted me to give you a really good toss. Ha, ha.” He flung her down into the arena pit, where she was quickly obscured by the dust swirling about.

The air began to clear and the dust began to settle.

The crowd looked down, but instead of the two women fighting, they witnessed as the arena floor miraculously filled. Various men and women stood resolutely before them.

The bruised and bloody Lautitia looked over across the arena at the bruised and bloody Illyria. “Ready?” She called out.

“Ready.” Illyria replied. She struck out with her foot and knocked out a large support column on one side on the governor Ioculator box, while Lautitia made short work of the column on the other side.

The entire viewing box was tilted down, spilling its occupants onto the arena floor. Various roman centurion guards stood before the box, their short swords drawn.

“Alright draw your weapons.” At this command each of the people produced a large fish. He held it by the tail and began swirling it around.

“Do you mean to fight us with fish?” One the centurions smirked.

The centurion’s faces changed, large vampire fangs now protruded under the plumed helms.

Andrew came up to the vampire. He flung the fish at him.

Immediately the arm where the fish hit the vampire started to smoke and smolder. The vampire dropped to its knees screaming as he cradled the arm that had been hit by the fish.

In the next instant he was slapped across the face by the fish. His face began to bubble and melt. The vampire clutched his face as it began to disintegrate beneath his hands.

The fish toting slaves waded into the vampires which now began to break formation. The line of vamp centurions guarding the Ioculator began to thin.

Tess ran through the few remaining vamps toward Ioculator which was trying to climb the Debris from his demolished viewing box back into the stands and make his escape.

Tess grabbed the sandal of Ioculator and tried to pulled him back down., instead Ioculator kicked at him with his other foot. “Well, well Tesserarius, this surprise attack was very well crafted and downright sneaky; I see you’ve learned a thing or two from me.”

“Yes my means and methods have changed somewhat, but then one of the greatest gifts a commander can have is willingness to adapt and switch strategies if one if the current one is going ill. And things have been going ill with you and me for a while now.”

“You still fancy yourself a commander; I helped strip your army from you quite a while ago, but don’t worry I’ll strip your arm from you now. With a sword drawn from his scabbard he slashed clean through the arm of Tess.

Tess fell to his knees and tried to hold his stump of an arm as tightly as possible to stop the bleeding.

“Now I’ve stomped you and left you stumped, ha, ha. First your army now your arm, hurts doesn’t it to lose parts of yourself.”

“The army…” Tess smiled though in obvious pain, he began to raise himself up to his feet again. “Yes, I remember. I will admit that at the time it stung quite a bit.”

“More then this even.” He waggled his remaining arm. “But in retrospect I realize you did me a favor back then.”

“A favor? I crushed all you cared for. You should thank me, I left you care free. Ha, ha..”

“And you are still care-less.” Tesserarius struck at the remains of the demolished boxes support freeing it completely, it started to collapse underneath them dropping Ioculator and himself to he ground wth a thud. Various shrapnel pieces fell down over them.

Ioculator threw a large piece of debris off of him. He groaned as he moved to stand up. A broken piece of wooden furniture three feet long was lodged in his body. “You think inaccurately attacking my heart will actually give me a heart attack?”

He ripped the cross shaped hunk of wood from him. “You are changed old man; you are not the man I knew.”

Tess braced himself for an attack. “Yeah well, I’m like you in a way, the man I was died a long time ago.”

Ioculator smiled when he saw the stake in Tess’ hands. “Ha, ha, you really believe you can kill me?” with lightning speed Ioculator grabbed Tesserarius’ good arm and braced Tess’ arm against his own. He put pressure on it quickly; an audible snap could be heard as the stake tumbled from the fingers of Tesserarius’ useless broken arm.

“I kept you alive before because I wanted to see you suffer. To live an unlivable life.” Ioculator hovered over him. “I took all you cared for before, and I shall do it again now. Your little girl, oh, how I love the young ones.”

“You dare not touch Lautitia.” Tess looked at him with tears in his eyes.

“Oh she will know my touch.” He smiled. “She will feel it for all eternity.”

Tesserarius laughed awkwardly. “You should fear her. She’s going to kill you.”

“Proud of your girl eh? Don’t worry I’m sure she’ll make me just as proud.”

“Don’t forget what they say about pride.” Faith careened into Ioculator knocking him forcefully to the ground. “It going before a fall, and all.”

Ioculator spat the dirt from his mouth, he turned around rolling over onto his back and looked up at Faith. “Fiducia? Fiducia Fides? How, how…”

Ioculator with tears in his eyes looked over at Tesserarius. “What magic have you worked?”

He closely looked at the eyes of Tesserarius then turned from him. “No, this is not your doing.”

Lautitia went to the side of Tess and helped support him.

Slowly Ioculator rose to his knees. He reached out to Faith and touched her hand. “It, it’s warm.” Tears steamed down his face. ”My Fiducia.”

He pressed her hand to his face. Faith stood paralyzed, watching him in horror.

“It always was a weakness of yours Ioculator, concentrating on the details but missing the big picture.” Tess said.

Faith drew back and slammed her fist into Ioculator’s face, his head flew back. “Don’t touch me.”

He looked up at her dazed. “What?”

Faith let loosed a kick that caught Ioculator in the side. “Ow, why…”

He was hit again in the face. “Are…”

He was elbowed in the back. “You…”

He was struck with an uppercut. “Hitting…”

She head butted him backwards. He fell to the ground. “Me?”

The air around them grew dark. Faith looked down at Ioculator. “What have you done?”

“No… more like whom have I undone?”

The black cloud floated through the audience stands in the arena. As the cloud drew near each person it flowed into them filling their ears and nose and mouth. The people began to change, their stance became more contorted and fangs dripped from their mouths. Their brow ridges started to jut outwards. Soon all of the spectators were converted and the spectator stands were full of vampires

“Oh my God, you vamped everybody?” Faith gazed at the crowd of vampires overrunning the arena.

Sanguis stealthily walked among the battling vampires and fish toting slaves. Alone, away from the fighting, she sat down cross legged. She began incanting.

All around her the battle raged but the tide turned, the massive new number of vampires began pushing back overpowering the band of escapees and slaves wielding their fishes.

“By gods the stench, I can stand the blistering pain but the smell.” A vampire turned up his nose in disgust.

“You’re right there mate.” Spike knocked him in the face as he turned to him. “But put it in a pot with some batter, fry it up, throw in some chips, some cheap newsprint. You’re all set.”

“Bah.” The vampire centurion turned. “You eat worse then they do in Britainnia.”

“Look!” Fray pointed at the light from the sun that was beginning to creep over the horizon. “Here comes the sun.”

“Do ta ta doo doo.” Spike hummed. “Sun, sun, sun here it comes.”

“Hmm… that sounds good to my ear.” Illyria said impassively.

“Like that ditty do ya luv? It’s, um, one of mine.”

Faith turned to Spike. “Oh right, John, Paul, George, Ringo and Spike.”

Suddenly Sanguis rose up into the air, her eyes turned as dark as her hair. The air swirled around her. Then the ground began to shake. Everyone shook and tumbled to their feet.

Then there was a terrific boom.

Fray fell to the ground, she looked about her, she saw people screaming with panic and fright but she couldn’t hear anything. She tapped at her ear. But still she only heard a faint deep splashing sound as one would hear the world when submerged underwater She began to stumble around. Everywhere there was chaos. People were running, fighting, screaming.

Suddenly Fray was grabbed by the arm she turned to see Spike. He started talking to Fray but not a sound came out of his mouth. Melaka looked at him confused; she pointed toward her ears then gave the thumbs down signal.

Spike nodded understanding.

Spike pointed at something behind her. Fray slowly turned around and stared wide eyed.

The volcano in the distance had erupted; it was spewing up a huge amount of black smoke deep up into the sky.

She stood terror struck for an instant, then quickly moved into action. She grabbed a person next to her who stood screaming yet Fray heard not a sound. Melaka slapped her in the face. The woman shook her head as if to clear it. Shaken out of her panic she looked at Fray expectantly. Fray signaled for the group of people to follow her. When she and her entourage reached a certain area of the arena Melaka dropped to her hands and knees and began feeling around the gravel floor. When she uncovered an edge she began to lift. She lifted the rock slab covering a tunnel dug beneath it. She ushered the people into the exit hole.

Melaka looked up again at the volcano then noticed a dark haired woman floating in the air obviously in some kind of trance. She noticed that the black smoke blown into the atmosphere by the eruption was being sucked somehow deep up in the sky, the smoke did not billow so much as spiral up into the air. The air around the girl began to grow dark. Fray smiled as she pulled out her electric pistol. She lined her up in the sights and squeezed the trigger.

The girl collapsed to the ground but the torrent of fire and ash she seemed to control continued to go on. The black smoke rose so thickly in the air that it began to completely blot out the sky. Fray looked down at the unconscious young woman with dark hair, took her up hoisted her over her shoulder and ran off.

“Come Fiducia, you belong with me.” Ioculator stretched out his hand to Faith. “Come with me, be with me.”

“What do you want? What do you intend to do?”

“With my vampire army? Do what armies do. Veni vedi veci. “

“I guess you guys have to do a lot of night marching, burning up in the day and all.”

“Look to the sky.” Ioculator pointed at the black cloud above them that let in no light. “No daylight bleeds from the darkness.”

She laughed. “Oh right don’t tell me.” She pointed skyward. “That’s your version of a mini rain cloud that follows you wherever you go like in the cartoons? Get real why don’t you.”

“Ha, you don’t really get it, even when it’s been given freely, and I would freely give.” Ioculator sidled up to her putting his hands on her hips.

“Sorry baby I’d never let you give it to me.” Faith kicked him back off of her and onto the ground.

Ioculator smiled as he looked up at her from the ground. “Let’s face it there aren’t too many men you wouldn’t give it up for, still I’m for you giving up. We don’t have to be enemies…”

“Said the spider to the fly.”

“Look around you cannot win. If you would let me I would spare you. We share in our desire, I know you feel it.”

“Aright ok, for some crazy reason, yes, I think you’re really smoking hot. And if you would be the kinda guy who just did as he’s told and didn’t talk to much then maybe I’d take you for spin around the block. But I gotta say this whole evil, taking over the world thing is a major turn off. Plus I’m a slayer you’re a vampire, so we’re pretty much doomed from the start. These types of relationships things never work out, believe me.”

The vampires had begun to push the fish toting fighters back.

People were escaping into the exit hole in the floor as quickly as possible, yet undisciplined. Two stronger men helped lower everyone quickly down into the tunnel below.

On the perimeter Spike nailed another vampire with an elbow to the face. He looked at the vampires pressing in on them. “It’s no use, we can’t hold off this many, we never planned for this.”

“No you didn’t, but I did.” Curio looked to a broken piece of wood that had come from Inoculator’s collapsed balcony. He studied it, there seemed to be a great deal of blood on the cross shaped piece of wood in his hand. He then raised the fish he held in the other. And then he smiled. He held the cross out before him and began incanting.

Suddenly the fish seemed to glow with an unnaturally bright light. The light coursed through him spreading up his arms across his chest down the outstretched arm holding the cross. When the light hit the cross, it began to shine with a brilliant light.

The vampires before him held up their hands to shield their eyes from the blistering light.

They stood there unable or unwilling to press closer to light emanating from the cross.

Meanwhile the group of refugees behind him continued to move into the tunnel as quickly as possible.

Ioculator held up his hand to shield his eyes from the devastating light. “What’s this?”

His eyes narrowed as he tried to look at the person holding the cross. “Curio? What happened to you, you used to be nice and corruptible.”

Ioculator turned his gaze back to Faith. “Looks like your friends are making a run for it.”

Faith backed away from Ioculator slowly.

“Already retreating? Surprise attack didn’t work out so well huh? Some would say that you are simply cowardly but of course when you’re losing running away is just smart, brave even.”

“So now that you guys have upped the stakes by showing me how resolutely and bravely you can run away. Your bravery scares me really.”

“Go, go.” Faith called to the last ones through the hole. Soon only Illyria, herself and Curio remained curio raised his lighted cross to repel the vampires.

Together with Curio they plunged into the hole.

The vampires looked down. They were blinded by the light from the cross.

The were in the cave with the staircase that went up to the ceiling.

Both Illyria and faith grabbed a slab and jabbed it into the hole in the ceiling.

“It made a handy surprise entrance and now a handy surprise exit.” Faith sighed.

“That’s not going to hold them back for long.” Spike said. ‘C’mon lets move.”

Fray started to try and knock down a broken section of wall so as to block off the tunnel.

She kicked it again and again but the several foot thick wall refused to budge.

“Well? Are you just going to stand there?” She asked.

Spike shrugged his shoulder got up and started kicking away at the wall.

Faith joined in as well slamming it over and over.

Lautitia added her might to it.

It seemed to be moving now a bit.

Illyria shook her head as she approached them. “That will not work, your efforts are pointless.”

“Thanks a lot miss team player.” Faith gave the wall another boot.

“Its stress point is here.” All of a sudden Illyria launched herself at the wall striking a particular corner. Immediately the wall began to tumble over.

“How’d you know where to hit it?” Fray asked.

“I like hitting rocks.”

“Oh.”

Andrew wore a blanket around his head looking much like Linus in a Charlie Brown Christmas. The group followed him through the tunnels of the catacombs.

“So why exactly are we following you?” One of the released gladiators prodded Andrew.

“He knows the way we’re supposed to go.” Spike looked around as he walked down the path wary of attack.

“Really? I asked him about that a bunch of times, this guy doesn’t know where the hell he’s going.”

Andrew stopped at a wall and began feeling around tracing his hands across the surface until he reached a certain spot. He forcefully pushed on the spot. Suddenly there was a click and the wall slid open revealing another tunnel.

“Whoa! How did you know about that?” The gladiator asked.

“Er, I dunno, c’mon this way.” Andrew shrugged.

“But…” The gladiator was exasperated.

“It’s like this see, oh God I can’t believe I’m saying this.” Spike rolled his eyes. “Andrew is the key to us getting out of here alive. Just follow him blindly, unquestioningly, please.”

“What do you think we are sheep?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what you are sheep and we’ve probably got a bunch of wolves right on our tail. So just be a nice man and follow the Shepard.”

Lautitia and Faith helped General Tess walk the path as both his arms were now hastily wrapped in a sling.

He closed his eyes and stumbled. “Sorry, I’m just…”

“Shh…“ Lautitia put a finger to her lips. “Hold on Master Tess I feel we will be able to stop soon, but right now we need to keep moving.”

“Yes move…” His head slumped forward again and he began to stumble forward.

Faith caught him. ”It’s ok, don’t worry, I got you, I’ve got you.”

She turned him around he looked at her with half open eyes. “I need to get up.” Tess started to push himself up but again his strength failed, he began to slump down.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” Faith picked him up and carried him in her arms. “I’ve got you.”

Andrew pointed down the tunnel. “If you go further on you’ll come to an exit outside the city. I think that the rest of these people should be able to escape that way.”

“We’re not going to escort these people to safety?” Fray was incredulous.

“If they leave that way now they will be safe, we have more to do here.” Andrew was uncharacteristically firm.

“Wait you’re not serious you’re just going to abandon them to their fate?” Fray protested.

“Far be it to me to tell you what you should do but I think Andrew is right.” Tess said weakly.

“I’m ok, put me down.” He looked up at Faith. She let him down but hung close to his side supporting him.

“These people are just going to get killed if we don’t get them to clear out.“ Tess proclaimed.

“They’re going to be killed without someone capable of to protecting them.” Fray protested. “You can’t do this General.”

Tess nodded. “Thadius!” He called, his trusted officer came up to him.

“Yes General?”

“Pull my sword from its scabbard.”

Thadius pulled out his sword ready to hand it to the General, then felt embarrassed as he looked at the generals two useless arms.

“You have served as my first officer all these many years; I have valued your service and loyalty greatly. But now I must order you to do something you will not like, but because you are as loyal and honorable as you are, I know that you will carry it out, without question.”

“Sir?” He looked up at him confused.

“The sword you now hold is yours. I can no longer wield it, therefore it is your duty now to do so.”

“Sir your sword? Why…”

He shook his head to stop all protest. “I have worn this by my side for over 25 years, it has been a loyal companion and friend to me and I hope it gives you the same good service she gave me.”

“I still don’t understand why?”

“In truth, it’s a lucky sword. It’s for good luck.“

“Luck, I thought you said that depending on luck will get you killed quicker then depending on strategy.”

“True you don’t want to have to depend on it but never underestimate the importance of luck. Sometimes all a commander has going for him to save him from disaster is luck. You can’t determine all the variables. Remember that.”

“You are now in command, take the rest of the guard I won’t need them, they can do the most good with you. Take these people lead them, get them clear of this place, keep them alive.”

“Sir no, my place is here at your side.”

“Like I said you’re a good soldier.”

Thadius bit his lip and stifled the frog in his throat. “I will do as you ask.”

“I’m counting on you keep them safe.”

Melaka looked down at Sollertia. “Sorry you have to go now.”

“But I wanna go with you, it’s safe where you are.”

“No.” Fray gazed at her sternly. “No, I’m afraid it won’t be safe where I am.”

“Thadius is a big strong swordsman. He’ll protect you right?”

Thadius smiled at her. “Sollertia is it? Don’t worry; I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Melaka looked at him pleadingly. “Please make sure you don’t.”

He turned and started to walk down the hall, hand in hand with Sollertia

Andrew moved another panel on the wall and a door opened revealing a staircase.

Andrew held a finger to his lips and they tip toed up the steps.

“Who’s place is this?” Spike stood at the bottom of the stairs.

“As far as I’m concerned it’s mine now.” Fray passed by Spike.

“What are you planning on stealing it?’

“I already have c’mon let’s go in.”

Spike shrugged as he followed her up the stairs.

They looked around to see they were in a typical Roman house. They gazed through the glass panes that let in the soft light of the torches and fires outside.

Faith saw a bench and laid General Tess down on it. “I’ll search around see if there’s any medicine.” Faith wandered into another room.

Fray pressed her face up to the window and looked out.

Groups of vampires dressed in Roman Soldier uniforms marched around the streets outside.

“Still no sign of them.” said one.

Fray whispered behind her. “Looks like they’re looking for us. Streets are jammed with patrols. This really isn’t too safe a safe house.”

“Alright then no lights and keep it quit, with this many vamps there’s no way we can afford a confrontation.” Faith sad with authority, she turned to face Fray. “Understand?”

“Yeah, yeah alright.” Fray turned and continued to look out the window.

“You’re sure you checked everything?” One centurion turned to another.

“Yes sir, look the group of people they had with them was huge, they couldn’t fit in a house much less a barn.”

“He’s right commander, this is stupid they obviously did not come back this way into the city.”

“Governor Ioculator said there is one among them that he can see from afar. They are a source of the mystical energy, he has the ability feel. He said that this source has obviously not left the city.”

Curia looked up at the group, still holding the radiant cross yet he had it covered diminishing its light...

Fray looked to Curia. “Oh boy I think we have a problem, looks like he’s able to sense you’re here.”

“That is good in a way, now the others might be able to get away safely with the centurions patrolling the city and not the surrounding countryside.”

The Vampire Roman kicked his sandal at the dirt. “This is crazy, and I’m starving, Gaius said he saw a group of humans passing through the southern marshes. I’m through waiting here.”

“Looks like I’m going to have to stick my neck out again.” Fray walked out the door with her head held high. She stretched her neck out and stoked it invitingly with her fingers. “Look I’m sticking my beautiful sumptuous neck out for you to see. Aren’t you fellas hungry?”

One of them ran at her, she spun around grabbing an axe from her side. She cleanly sliced off its head. But instead on turning to dust the bones, and clothing of the vampire clattered to the floor. She looked down at it. “Whoa that’s so toy.”

Fray leaped up and landed behind another one. “I think you bit off more than you can chew.” She staked him trough the back. Again bones and armor clattered to the ground. “Wild!”

She turned when she was leapt upon by another vampire he flung her to the ground and wrapped his arms around her he bent down to her neck and bit into it.

Melaka struggled to push him off of her.

Suddenly his bones tumbled over her as he was staked by Faith from behind.

Fray looked up at Faith startled.

Faith extended her hand, Fray took hold of it and Faith helped her to her feet.

Fay smiled at Faith lightly and Faith returned the smile, then she suddenly drew back her fist and clobbered Fray. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Taking out some lurks, they were about to go after the refugees”

“So you decide to do it in the most conspicuous way possible?”

“Hey I didn’t know they were going to leave their bones lying around.”

“Gather them up and get inside quickly before someone else comes along. Next time I give you an order I expect you to follow it.”

“Whoa! Since when did I vote you the boss of me?”

Fray gave Faith a dirty look as she bent down and began to collect the bone pieces.

Faith shook her head started assist her, quickly picking up the bones and equipment.

Spike had some water gathered in a bucket; he carried it in to the area where Illyria lay down. He sat by the edge of her bed.

"Hi he said looking down at the blues hared Illyria, her face was swollen and bloodied.

“Yes?” She looked up at him coolly. “What is it you wish?”

“Not me luv, I was gonna help you with your…“ He motioned to her bloodied face.

She continued to glare at him but now her eyes narrowed in anger.

“You know, your…” He got up suddenly, throwing the cloth back into the bucket in frustration. “Ah forget it; I was just trying to be nice.”

Illyria looked up at Spike confused. “What did you intend?”

“Don’t take a hissy fit your highness.” Faith shook her head. “He just wants to clean the blood off your face.”

“Oh!” Her eyes softened. “Very well, I give you leave to do so. You may touch my person now.”

Spike sat back down at the edge of the bed. “Oh joy, what an honor.” He said sarcastically.

He dabbed the white cloth against her face. “You really took a lot of punishment out there today.”

He squinted. “What’s that between your eyes? Looks like something embedded in…”

He stood closely over her working intently. “What I mean is you took an impressive amount of punishment, I was impressed, pretty bleeding impressed, um not that I was just impressed by your bleeding. I mean, it was also amazing how often you got hit so hard. It was incredible, you really got pummeled.”

Her brow furled in obvious anger. “That’s it luv, scrunch your brow together like that, like you’re really pissed off. I think I got it now.” He pulled on it with his fingernails, out came a large ugly wooden splinter. “Look at that would you.” He showed her the splinter.

“Boy it’s big, lucky I didn’t get this baby lodged in my heart. That splinter was lodged in there pretty deep too. Must have been from you getting repeatedly hammered hard in the face.”

He turned to face her but was met with her fist in his face. “Ow! What did you do that for?”

“Did you come to rub my defeat in the arena in my face?”

Spike held up the bloodied cloth. “No more to rub your so called defeat in the arena off your face.”

“You didn’t lose pet, at least by my money you didn’t.”

Spike dropped the cloth back in the bucket and looked seriously to Lautitia. “Look, I fight. It’s what I like to do and I do it well. For over a hundred years I’ve had time to practice on my techniques. And in that time there are certain things I’ve sussed out.”

“There are actually very few things that matter to be a good offensive fighter: speed and agility, power and endurance, and wit and cunning.” He got up and started dancing on his feet in a fighting pose.

Shadow boxing, Spike lashed out quickly with a combination punch. “If you don’t got the speed you won’t be able to tag your opponent.”

Drawing his hands back to build up momentum, he threw his weight behind a couple of blows. “If you don’t got power you can’t hurt them.”

He danced around ducking and pulling back quickly as if evading blows. “If you don’t have the smarts you can’t outmaneuver them.”

He continued to shadow box around. “All of these things determine how effectively you can hit you opponent, and how effectively you can avoid getting hit.”

He stopped dead in his tracks standing perfectly still. “The ability to take a hit has nothing to do with any of that.”

“I’ve seen many great fighters that could demolish almost anyone, but if you do happen to get a good shot in then it’s over, they can’t take it and go down.”

“You see luv, taking a hit, taking punishment and shrugging it off is primarily an act of will. It takes a great deal of will and determination to continue to fight when you’re being pummeled, to instead of lying down and giving up, to get up and take more.”

“It is a sad fact but most people who are able to dish it out aren’t able to take it. You’re able to take it and that is a pretty big thing in my book.” Spike smiled down at her.

Illyria half returned the smile. “Perhaps I shall have to read this book of yours.”

Fray looked at the unconscious form of Sanguis laying on the Roman bed/ couch

“She’s waking up.” Fray looked down as the young dark haired woman began to stir.

“Dearest?” She opened her eyes. Her pupils were a pure black. “What, what is… “

The dark haired girl focused on Melaka. “You, you pointed your finger at me to strike me with lightning. You too have knowledge of the dark arts?”

“There is only one here who is truly versed in the dark arts.” Senator Curio stood over her, his eyes glowing with an intense white light. “Thank God it isn’t you.” He flung out his hands she was pushed back down into the bed by an invisible force.

“No, no not you. Stop, stop let me go, let me free, you can’t do this to me anymore. You can’t bind me and force me to obey your will.” She writhed on the bed.

“You will obey.” The light emanating from him surged.

“No I won’t, I won’t let you.” She pushed out with her blackness. They both stood locked in an invisible tug of war.

Gradually the light of the Senator began to ebb. “No I’m sorry I can’t let you free.” He nodded to Melaka Fray.

Fray leaned over her, pulled back her fist and hit her squarely in the jaw. Sanguis slumped down unconscious, while the Senator was thrown forcefully away from the bed.

“Well looks like you’re really going to get a lot out of her.” Spike said sarcastically.

“She’s involved in what happened when the volcano erupted. I saw her floating in the air kind of channeling all the smoke and ash high up into the atmosphere. Look you all saw it, that is not how a volcano normally erupts.” Melaka shook her head. “She’s gotta be the key to this.”

Tesserarius frowned skeptically at Fray. “I very much doubt little Sanguis capable of that powerful a magic.”

“No Tess my brother, she is not the sweet girl you once knew. She was changed; she is still not the same.” Curio bowed his head.

“I’m still her uncle and you’re still her father.” Tess turned to Curio angrily.

The group looked to Tesserarius with surprise at this revelation.

“Then be still and listen. She loves Ioculator. She loves him absolutely. She will never betray him.”

“No, don’t be silly, she was just a girl when everything transpired, she just didn’t understand. Didn’t understand why wasn’t she able to play with or talk to or pal around with Ioculator anymore, she really missed him. So when she saw him again afterward he was able to act around her, pretend to be other then he was so that she would help him. I’m sure that when she is exposed to the truth she will come around.”

Curio confronted Tess. “No, this is no girl in thrall, this is a girl inspired. It’s my fault. If only… heh, if only… if. Funny word.”

Curio looked at Sanguis sadly. “What is an if but a wish you made that never came true.”

Spike started putting on the centurion uniform.

“What are you up to?” Faith prodded.

“Grabbing some fancy new duds, I’ve always wanted a skirt and cape.” He looked around embarrassed. “I mean, I wanted a girl wearing a skirt and cape.”

Spike contorted his face, his brow protruded and sharp fangs erupted from his mouth. “As they say when in Rome.”

Spike opened the door to walk out when someone called behind him. “Wait.”

He turned to see Illyria decked out in the centurion uniform. “You said you needed a girl in a cape and skirt?”

“No not necessarily, if fact clothing is completely optional. Although I think you’d really look good in just the cape.”

She swirled her cape around. “I do.”

Spike gulped loudly. “Anyway where do you think you’re going dressed like that?”

“Out with you.”

“You want to go out with me?” Spikes eyes widened at what he’d inadvertently said. “What I mean is… um, it’s not that I’m asking you to, to, um, you know, it’s just.

“Look I, like you?” Illyria raised her brow.

Spike turned to her surprised, he said lightly under his breath. “What? You like me? Really?”

She made her brow protrude and grew fangs. “Look I, like you now?”

“Oh right.” Spike relaxed as he let out a nervous breath. “Um, yup, you really look like me.”

“It is a simple alteration of my physical appearance.”

He watched her as she walked before him in the centurion outfit. He said softly out of earshot. “And yes, God help me, I really like your looks.”

Spike stepped outside. “So luv, ready to fulfill fate, face your fears with your fearful face?”

Spike and Illyria walked along the cobblestone streets the volcano in the distance still seemed to be erupting black clouds of ash but looked to be doing so in slow motion.

“That does not look right…”

She looked at him incredulously. “You have seen a volcanic eruption before? How in your brief stay on earth?”

“The telly…”

“Yes I wish you to tell-y.”

“No, no the telly, you know big box you watch…”

She looked at him blankly.

“C’mon you remember, Passions?”

“Ah yes. However I seem to remember a great deal of deception, adultery, and intrigue but do not recall any volcanoes.”

“Yeah well they did a whole big thing with volcanoes the year before.”

Spike passed by a patrol of vampire soldiers. “No sign of anyone.” They asked him.

“No, personally I think they’ve already buggered off.”

“Bugger off?” The big centurion stepped up to him and stared at him intensely.

“No Biggus Diccus, he’s not making fun of your friend with the funny name, I think he’s from Britannia.” Another soldier tried to hold him back.

“Oh that nowhere province Britannia, such a pitiful island could never have an empire as great as ours.”

“Not only that but a bigger one too, you git.”

“He thinks he’s got a bigger one.” Biggus turned to his friends and laughed.

They all laughed as they went on.

Andrew paced back and forth in the room nervously. “Why aren’t they back yet? They should be back.”

“Whoa what’s the big hurry? Don’t tell me you actually want to go out there and fight the foes that vastly outnumber us.” Faith asked.

“Yes.” Andrew looked exasperated.

“Look we’re here now for the night, or the day, only it’s night cause it’s night all the time now… ok let’s just say we get some quick shuteye and then we get the hell out of here.” Fray said.

“To go where?” Faith asked.

“To go to hell, where else?” Andrew replied.

Spike burst in through the door followed by Illyria.

“I think we lost them, don’t you?”

Illyria looked to Spike irritated. “No, I do not believe we did, I believe your shouts of profanity toward them probably alerted them to our presence.”

“Oh bollocks.”

Fray walked right up to Spike. “Do you any clue what undercover means you lunkhead?”

“No, but you can teach me what under the covers means…”

Faith said exasperated. “Please people we’ve got to do something before…”

The door was hit several times. A man yelled from outside. “You are ordered to open this door at once.”

It buckled inward as it was rammed from outside.

Several seconds passed then the door was smashed down.

The gang stood gaping at the army at the door.

The vampire tried to enter but was stopped by an invisible barrier. “Oh damn, whose house is this?”

“It’s Incontinentia’s.“ Shouted another vampire centurion.

“Get her over here, she’s probably with Biggus.”

The gang ran back down the stairs into the basement. Andrew touched a stone and a wall opened again into the tunnel.

The group ran through the tunnels. Faith carried Sanguis’ unconscious form. “Come on we’ve got to get to the entrance quickly before they catch up.”

They waited by at a wall Andrew stood before. He looked around then pushed a block in the wall. Again the wall fell backwards revealing a set of steps. “Quick everyone inside.”

They filed into the room one by one. Andrew pressed another stone on the wall and the wall snapped back into place. “Good, we should be safe in here.”

“Um, Andrew is your idea of safe?” Fray gazed out over the expanse.

They looked around. They were in a giant cavern seemingly carved and crafted by stonemasons. And far below them over the edge of a large cliff that dropped far, far below them was an ocean of hot magma. In the center of the cavern was a pentagram symbol. It was open and energy seemed to be streaming from it straight up through the roof of the cavern. Andrews’s eyes opened wide when he saw it. “It’s the seal of Dan…. Danthazar…this is…this is…”

Spike looked out over the bleak expanse. “A hellmouth, and it looks like it’s been opened.”

They looked at the ominous seal that seemed to pour forth an energy force that shot out of the center of the seal up through the caverns roof.

“Ok, ok, this is bad.” Fray frowned

“The hellmouth partly open? No I’d say we progressed beyond bad at this point.” Faith agreed

“Yup, it’s worse look.” Spike pointed.

They watched as the circular hole at the center of the seal appeared to be slowly widening, letting out a broader band of energy with each second.

“It’s getting bigger.” Fray said dismayed.

“Oh swell.” Spike shook his head.

“Do you have to be sarcastic all the time?” Fray berated him.

“He was not being mocking; the hole is indeed swelled up.” Illyria pointed out.

“So how do we um bring down the swelling?” Faith asked.

“Um, frozen vegetables?” Spike joked.

Fray looked over at the unconscious form of Sanguis being attended to by Curio. “Frozen vegetable.”

Curio sat by Sanguis as she lay unconscious. “I am sorry, of course I never intended hurt you like I did. It is not something I planned, no matter what Ioculator says about it; it was never my intent to affect you at all. Problem is all that doesn’t really matter, how you ended up where you are, what or who drove you to it. All of that is completely inconsequential. The only question I have right now is, how do I save my little girl?”

“I may not have shown it before but I love you, more then anything. I hope I haven’t realized that too late.”

“Yes, yes I know words are worthless and sentiment hollow, all that really matters is action and the power and commitment to see that action through.”

“I really do love you, so I’ll prove it.” He got up as the group approached.

“Sanguis can you hear me? Wake up!” Fray shook the limp body of Sanguis. She continued to stare ahead with her black pupiless eyes open.

“What are you doing?” Faith asked.

“Sanguis, the magic she was controlling, I swear it seemed that it was her that caused the volcano to explode, like she controlled it.”

Tess shook his head. “No, I’m sure you misinterpreted. Sanguis couldn’t do something like that.”

“Oh come on you heard Curio, she’s changed.”

“No he is right in this instant.” Curio shook his head. “She couldn’t do something like that because she doesn’t have that kind of power, at least she didn’t.”

Fray looked into the deep black eyes. “I can’t tell if I’m getting through or not. We’ve got to get through to her.” She picked her up and carried her closer to the torches near the seal. As she carried her, she noticed her black eyes become blacker deeper. It seemed as if all the color was being slowly drained from her. Melaka looked down at her confused.

“Wow, I though you looked kind of pale before but now, now you’re literally losing your color.”

She stopped and turned around.

As she walked away the color seemed to come back to Sanguis face.

She looked behind her at the hellmouth seal, then back again at the rosy cheeked Sanguis. “Oh boy.”

“Absolutely, there’s no way Sanguis can’t be connected to the hellmouth.”

“You mean there’s no way that she can’t be connected to the hellmouth. Don’t you get it, that’s why she has the power, she’s drawing on the hellmouth’s power.” Fray was exasperated.

“That can’t be good, look at her, there’s nobody home in there.” Spike gazed at the vacant black eyes of Sanguis.

“No, there is something amiss. “ Lautitia pointed out.

“Is there something I missed.” Tess sat up from the Roman couch/bed. He turned to Spike and Illyria.

“No General I was just saying that I obtained a great deal of information, most of it quite willingly.” Illyria cleaned her short gladius sword.

“The people that he converted in the stadium are now decked out in full roman battle gear, in case you were wondering where all that army equipment disappeared to.” Spike shook the plumed battle helm he had just removed.

“Yes the fine details he always paid attention to, his planning and coordination is ingenious, it always was. Boy was I glad when he was on our side. He is a master tactician, better then anyone I know, myself included.” Tesseraruis’s eyes narrowed. “Perhaps that is his weakness.”

“He’s not happy, he really wants to find us.” Spike added.

“Really, I thought we hid out at this nice sunny hellmouth because we liked it so much down here. Did you uncover any further bits of obvious information?” Faith idled up to Spike.

“Well he doesn’t like being stuck here.” Spike lit a cigarette.

“Stuck here?” Faith ‘s brow raised.

“Yeah, that big old volcanic storm cloud that he whipped up is stuck here over the city, and will remain here until he can free it to make his march on Rome.” Spike casually blew out the smoke in his lungs.

“What is that offering you inhale? It smells peculiar.” Tess pointed at his cigarette.

“An offering of the new world beyond the great ocean, past Pillars of Hercules, you won’t be afflicted with this addictive substance for centuries.

“Which suddenly makes me worried about running out.” He looked at the near empty pack.

“Our oracles also inhale the offerings of hemp blossoms, belladonna, and poppy flowers.” Tess pointed out.

“Hmm… I’m not quite so worried about running out anymore.”

“So Ioculator and his vamp pals are just sitting around killing daylight? Faith shook her head.

“Cept they’ve already killed daylight.” Spike cleared his throat.

“Something is wrong; it is not like Ioculator to make this kind of mistake.” Tesserarius narrowed his gaze. ”Something has not gone according to his plans.”

“I guess, otherwise he would have marched his troops down one of Rome’s famous roads to conquer himself an empire.” Spike agreed.

“If that’s the case, what could have gone wrong for him? Our attack totally failed. Let’s face it we were lucky to survive that huge mass of vamps and get out of the arena alive with Sanguis.” Faith looked to the unconscious girl with the dark hair.”

Tess looked to Sanguis. “She’s controlling the black cloud and the volcano.”

“I though you said that was impossible.” Faith turned to him.

“Yes well I believe, I said it was improbable.” Tess equivocated.

“So now you think it is improbable that she is not controlling the black cloud?” Faith raised her brow.

“Probably.”

“Do you know what this means?” Spike stepped up to Sanguis.

Fray stood in front of Sanguis protecting her. “Forget it you can’t touch her, I’m not going to let you kill her.”

“The hell mouth is opening; it might be the only way to stop it.” Spike looked to her seriously.

“Hey where’s Curio?” Fray looked around the large cavern.

Ioculator pounded another tomato with his fists. “Damn them, they delay me far too long, have you not found them yet?”

“Do you enjoy doing that sir?” A centurion asked of Ioculator who smashed another tomato into a pulp.

“It’s palatable. The tomato reacts much like a human heart would when you squash it. And with the lack of human hearts to rip out, I’m relegated to this.” He smashed a tomato.

“Or this.” He thrust his hand into the vampire and pulled out his heart. He placed it on the table and smashed it with his fist. The heart squashed, then turned to dust as did the centurion who the heart it belonged to.

“Sir?” A centurion warily came in to the room, he looked at the skeletal form of his comrade wearing his uniform splayed on the ground.

“What? Why do you both bother to bother me?”

The centurion pulled a man in shackles into the room.

“Well, well I didn’t expect to see you here this late.” Ioculator smiled wide.

Curio gazed at him with his white eyes. “You expected me to be here?”

“Here now, what did you expect?”

Ioculator smiled. “I know you; I know exactly what a man like you thinks, because I was a man exactly like you.”

“You know she’s here in the city right? You can track the energy coming from her. The others were fooled they thought it was me.” Curio calmly walked up to him.

“And you let them believe it.”

“Of course, I did not want them to suspect Sanguis, if they knew what she was, they just might see fit to kill her. Neither of us wants to see her die.”

“We don’t want to see her die either.” Tess pleaded with Fray.

“Wait!” Fray held up her hand to ward them off. “There’s got to be a way to get through to her, get her to release her hold on the volcanic cloud.”

“You think there’s some way we can snap her out of this trance?” Andrew asked.

Fray bit her lip. “Guys, there’s something that you should see.”

Fray sighed then grabbed Sanguis up in her arms. Slowly she walked up closer towards to the seal.

“Oh my God she’s changing.” Andrew looked on amazed.

As before, Sanguis color drained away as she moved near the energy emanating from the hellmouth..

Her color seemed to disappear completely; even her toga was stripped of color. Then even the shades of gray began to disappear. Her form was expressed in a high contrast difference in near pure black and white.

She stirred slightly. “Dearest. My Dearest.” She looked around somewhat confused.

“You’re awake?” Andrew drew close to her.

The girl retreated to the corner; she curled herself into the fetal position, into a corner never loosing her black and white appearance.

“Sanguis?” Fray asked softly.

She did not respond.

Fray called out again. “Sanguis, can you hear me?”

Sanguis stared ahead vacantly rocking back and forth in the corner.

“Looks like the cars on the road, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone driving?”

“Sanguis do you know where you are?” Fray looked into her black eyes.

“Absolutely.” Sanguis said calmly.

Fray smiled. “Good, good now-“

She was cut off by Sanguis. “Absolutely all absolutes, all is absolute.”

Sanguis said in calm powerful voice. “The orders are perfect. There is only perfect order. There is no flaw. There is only law. There is… Is there? Is There a there when there becomes here, dearest dear?”

“Sorry to interrupt you with you’re going crazy, but we’ve got a little problem with an exploding volcano and a hell mouth to deal with, so if you could help us out with that at all we’d be most appreciative.” Spike turned her face up to face him.

“She’s completely out of it.” Faith shook her head.

“No, That’s not true.” Spike protested.” She’s just confused is all. She’s like, well, it was the same way with Dru. You know she once replaced the bird in a co-co clock with a real dodo bird. And got mad at it cause it didn’t change the sound of the chime to doe-doe.”

“All is whole. There is no separation, there is no self. There is no life just the living of it.” Sanguis said calmly with great authority, yet distantly almost as if possessed.

“Yeah right thanks, you’ve been loads of help.” Spike patted her on the head. “I dunno what to do, maybe we should off her?

“If you off her I can’t make him an offer.” Curio walked down the steps into the room.

“Curio where have you been?”

“Yeah we want you to know that you didn’t have to take off because Ioculator can track you. Whatever means he’s using to track you we’ll find a way to hide your hide from him...” Tess said sincerely.

Faith placed her hand on his shoulder. “We don’t leave our friends behind. “

Curio looked at them serenely. “I know, you’re good people. I don’t deserve such good friends, but I am thankful for the time that I got to have them with them, thank you my brother for believing in me when I stood on the brink. I owe you everything.”

Talking to Tess Curio motioned to Sanguis. “But you can’t save me; you know what you have to do.”

“Curio what are you talking about? What’s going on?” Tess asked.

Curio backed away from the group. He looked up to the steps leading into the cavern.

Ioculator appeared at the top of the steps, he stepped forward.

The vampire soldiers filed in behind Ioculator.

The group looked up at Ioculator in terror.

They saw Curio beside Ioculator leading in the vampire soldiers with dismay.

“My God, Curio what have you done?” Faith looked to him shocked.

Sanguis stopped rocking back and forth in the fetal position and began to stare at Ioculator joyfully.

Ioculator calmly, gracefully descended the narrow stone steps. “Well it could be that he’s betraying you.”

“That’s right! The stupid goat made a deal.” Ioculator put his arm around Curio. “Simple really he leads me to your hideout and in exchange I let both him and Sanguis live, pretty good deal.”

Tess looked to Curio in dismay. “Curio my friend, my brother how could you?”

“Yes, Curio how could you? You feeble old man.” Ioculator brow protruded and sharp teeth came jutting from his mouth. “The thing you have to remember about any deal is that they can be broken. They should only be entered into with people who you trust. And you shouldn’t trust anybody. Remember that as I kill you now Curio.”

Ioculator leapt upon Curio and dug his teeth into him. He took big gulps of his blood.

“Oh I remembered who I was dealing with, you however seem to have forgotten.” Curio pushed Ioculator off of him.

Ioculator clutched his stomach. “What have you…”

He dropped to his knees. “Your blood it’s poisoned.”

“Yes it is.” Curio smiled as he held the wound on his neck closed with his hand..

“Oh no, Curio.” Tess looked on at the scene unfolding.

“You fool, you commit suicide by drinking that poison but this will not kill me.” Ioculator staggered. “I cannot be killed.”

“I wouldn’t stake your life on a stake not taking your life.” Curio bore down on Ioculator.

“But you are right the poison will only weaken you, it won’t kill you, but this will.” Curio pulled out a very sharp and thin short sword. In a single motion he stepped behind Ioculator, holding the blade at either end. He pressed it up against the neck of Ioculator.

Ioculator looked astonished to be held captive in this way. “You must be kidding; you think I couldn’t rip your head off before you could cut halfway though my neck?”

“Right now, I believe you’re barely capable of standing.” Curio turned to Sanguis. “All right, here how things are going to work.”

“Ha, ha you fool do you really think I will accede to any demands you make. What do you hope to gain for letting me go?” Ioculator laughed.

“You misunderstand, you are merely the hostage here Ioculator.” Curio held the slumping Ioculator firmly and spoke calmly. “I am not bargaining with you, I’m not letting you go, I’m not going to do anything but kill you unless the volcano spell is stopped.”

“Are you mad, man. If that spell is messed with the whole city and surrounding countryside will be buried in layers upon layers of ash, it’ll destroy everything.”

“Ashes, ashes, they all fall down?” Fray eyes sprung wide.

“Everything already is destroyed.” Curio said flatly.

“I mean it. Sanguis I’ll kill him if you don’t bring that spell down.” Curio’s white eyes blazed.

“You wouldn’t…” Sanguis looked at him coolly.

“He’s bluffing dear, don’t mind him.” Ioculator continued to smile.

Curio cut the flesh of his neck a bit, a thin trickle of blood ran down.

“Please no…” Sanguis held up her hand as to shield herself from the events.

“Sanguis don’t.” Ioculator warned sternly

“Maybe I should press this sword in a just a little, little bit further.”

“Curio no! Stop. I’m sorry.” Sanguis sobbed

“Bring it down!” Curio yelled.

“No don’t.” Ioculator warned calmly.

“I’ll kill him now in three seconds…” Curio looked at her with complete sincerity.

“Ready.”

“No.” She whimpered.

“One.”

“No. Please…”

“Two.”

“Don’t worry he isn’t going to do it.”

“Three…”

“Here goes.” Curio shrugged his shoulders.

“Ok, ok, it’s down. It’s down. It’s down, please don’t kill my dearest. Please…” She sobbed.

“You stupid filthy sow; you disobeyed me.” Ioculator’s eyes blazed in fury.

“He was going to kill you.”

“Now I’m going to kill you.” his face changed dramatically, his brow became greatly protruded his skin became leathery.

The energy coming from it collapsed as the Seal of Danthalzar snapped shut. Suddenly the ground began to shake. Bits of the ceiling started to come down.

Ioculator bucked in his fury busting lose of the grip of Curio behind him. Curio fell reeling backwards. He looked to see Fray hauling Sanguis from the line of fire. He whispered a quite. “Goodbye.”

Fray grabbed Sanguis and began running further into the cavern.

Andrew smiled. “Looks like everything’s taken care of guys lets get out of here.”

“What?” Faith looked up through the chaos, chunks started to fall from the ceiling.

“I said did you want to get out of here?”

“Seeing as how the bloody mountain is about to fall on us, I’d say yeah wouldn’t mind a handy exit.” Spike braced himself.

Bob appeared before them. “I’m sure you’re excited about your mighty able exit, which enables your existence, as you might expect.”

Andrew pointed to a set of double fire doors marked EXIT behind Bob..

“Come on.” Faith made strait for the exit.

Ioculator spotted them and started to run toward the gang crowing toward the exit doors.

Suddenly Curio jumped him from behind.

"You still have some life in you old man?"

“Enough to stop you.” Curio said weakly.

“C’mon the senator is holding him back, but we’ve got to get out of here now.” Faith shouted.

They opened the fire doors it opened into total blackness.

“Go!” Andrew shouted and pushed Fray in. Fray disappeared into the blackness.

“Where did she go?” Spike asked.

“I dunno. Just go…”

“Wotta ya mean you don’t know?”

Andrew looked at Spike annoyed.

“Oh yeah, sorry mate.” Spike leapt into the blackness.

“General come on.” Fray and Lautitia tried to get Tess to the exit.

Tess continued to try and go back and help his brother. “No, Curio!”

Curio and Ioculator fought desperately. The light from the senator began to wane.

“Curio.” Tesserarius shouted as they both managed to push him back into the blackness of the exit.

Andrew gazed around. “Neh, neh, na, na, nah, nah, neh, neh, na, na, nah, nah..“ He chirped like Wood y Woodpecker. “That’s all folk’s.” He jumped through the hole which closed around him as he went through.

Soon all signs of the exit doors had disappeared.

Ioculator let out a giant howl of anguish.

“No! They’ve escaped my vengeance.” He turned to the battered Curio. “I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with killing you.”

Suddenly the ground began to shake furiously; the lava below them began to rise.

“What’s happening?”

“The volcanic eruption Sanguis was controlling is no longer under control. It’s erupting with the power you had been siphoning off. Soon this entire area will be destroyed.”

The Seal of Danthazar began to fall away into the floor.

“The hellmouth?”

“Will collapse upon itself. It will be closed for the foreseeable future.”

Curio smiled. “As will you.”

Debris from the roof came down on them, the lava threatened to overwhelm them both.

Looking out over his apparent doom, Ioculator’s smiled from ear to ear, he began laughing hysterically.

The volcano Vesuvius fully erupted, hot ash fell from the air onto the city of Pompeii destroying and burying it.

The group was gathered together in a small oddly shaped room.

“Whoa? Where are we?” Fray looked around at the small room with small round windows.

“Are we are we free of the volcano? I still feel the earth heave beneath me.” Illyria frowned.

“We’re where we’re supposed to be…” Andrew said calmly.

Bob walked in through the small door.

“See.” Andrew gestured to Bob.

Bob bowed, then began.

“Your fleeting fate is sealed, your fateful fleet has sailed.”
“You’re afloat and far remote with cutthroats on a boat.”
“You’ll concur to seize and conquer the seas.”

Suddenly the door was bust open and a group a ragged looking men in dirty and worn seventeenth century clothing burst into the room brandishing cutlasses. One of the men held his cutlass to Spike’s neck. ”Who might ye be, and why did they see fit to throw you in the brig?”

Another of the men stepped up to him. He brought up his hand up to the others sword and forced it down. “Well if they be in the brig, then they’re brigands like us.”

“What?” Faith looked around confused.

“We’re short of manpower as it is, and with our new acquisitions we are going to need all the help we can get. So what do you say are you up for joining the crew?”

“The crew?” Tesserarius was puzzled.

“C’mon I’ll introduce you to the captain; he’ll decide if you’re worth keeping alive, come along.”

He turned and beckoned for the group to follow.

Spike shrugged and began to follow the pirate up the ladder.

They climbed a ladder leading up into a roof hatch.

They climbed up and out onto the deck of an old military sailing vessel. Several cannons protruded from its lower decks.

Tied off next to it was a smaller pirate vessel which looked to have taken a minor amount of damage in the struggle.

However the pirates had won the battle as was evident from the ample amount of uniformed soldiers and sailors that lay dead on the deck.

The scene looked to be one of utter confusion as the pirates sat drinking and going through the spoils of battle they had won.

The pirate guiding them saluted to a tall gentlemen wearing the captain’s hat.

The captain approached them. As he came into view they looked at him opened mouthed in complete shock.

“So.” The familiar looking captain approached. “I hear you want to join my crew, you want to be one of Angel’s Devils.”