Disclaimer: I don't own them, would that I did. The characters herein belong to Joss, Mutant Enemy, Greenwalt, Fox, etc. I'm merely using them to tell my own little story.

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Part Four: The Field of Fire

Giles awakened to the less than pleasant sensation of being vigorously shaken. He opened his eyes slowly, looking up at a frowning vampire. That realization brought him back to reality in a hurry, his heart leaping until he realized it was Angel.

"Don't do that!" Giles hissed. Angel slipped back into his human face without apology.

"Are you all right?" Angel asked. Giles let the vampire pull him into an upright position, the weight of the armor making it difficult to maneuver. Through the dimming twilight he saw Spike and Xander standing nearby. He felt for his glasses and realized they were nowhere to be found, but his vision appeared to be normal. The act of reaching for the glasses brought fully to his attention that he had taken a bad fall. He winced as he felt a twinge in his back.

"I'll live," Giles answered Angel, "but I must say I feel rather silly in this get-up. And does anyone else find it a bit chafing?"

"Join the club," Xander said. "Not to mention chain mail? Not the softest thing to land on."

"Or be landed on by," Spike added sourly. "Yellow Boy here used me to break his fall."

"I wasn't exactly aiming," Xander protested. "And no one's ever going to call you a comfy cushion." By now Angel had hauled Giles to his feet and the Watcher was looking about. It was already dark enough that it was hard for him to see, so he turned to Angel.

"Do you know where we are?" he asked. Angel snorted, wandering away for a moment.

"Looks like Pylea, but it smells different."

"Pylea?" Spike asked shortly.

"Different dimension. Had mostly demon inhabitants, kept humans as slaves. Cordy got trapped there. We went there to rescue her, but by the time we'd gotten there she was a princess. Long story. The point is, in Pylea, I didn't have the usual sunlight and mirror issues." Angel's tone was more than a little wistful. "If this place is the same, it's going to make things a lot easier."

"We need to find some way to orient ourselves," Giles stated.

"Perhaps I can be of service, good Sir Knights," a voice said. A torch lit the darkness. It was held by a smiling man with a white beard. He was dressed in simple homespun tunic and boots.

"Who are you?" Spike asked suspiciously. The old man seemed surprised by the question.

"Why, I am thy loyal servant, Sir Knight. Thou may call me Gus. Thou art on a quest, art thou not?"

"How do you know that?" Angel asked. Instead of answering, Gus headed away at a brisk pace.

"Follow me. I must ready you for your journey," Gus called over his shoulder. Xander grabbed Spike's arm reflexively.

"I'm not too sure about this. I mean, where'd he come from?" Xander said. Spike snorted.

"Got a better plan?" Spike said. After just a moment's hesitation they followed after their strange new companion. He led them to a building lit by torches.

"A stable," Giles surmised.

"Great. Horses. To go with the outfits. We're all ready to join those wankers that tried to kill us to get Dawn," Spike grumbled.

"If we were insane zealots with weapons, sure," Xander agreed.

"Speaking of weapons, anyone else noticed that we don't have any?" Angel said. Gus chuckled.

"Thy weapons are here, Sir Knight. All that thy might need for thy valiant quest." Gus gestured to an array of medieval weaponry, including four shields. Xander reached down and picked up the shield that had been painted yellow with the emblem from his jerkin reproduced in white.

"Okay, we're probably so gonna die here, but at least we'll be color-coordinated," he muttered. "And some of us are already dead, so no big, really." Angel and Spike were digging through the weapons, while Giles looked up at the stars trying to memorize the new constellations. Gus approached Giles, shaking his head in bemusement.

"What great mystery dost thou behold in the heavens?" Gus asked.

"These stars, their patterns are unfamiliar to me. I'm trying to get my bearings...which way is south?"

"Ah, thou seek the Wand of Dragan!" Gus said in excitement.

"We do indeed," Giles responded. Gus pointed perpendicular to the wall of the stable.

"The Wand lies that way. Many a brave knight has attempted to cross the Field of Fire to retrieve it. But none have ever returned."

"Spike, take the mace. It's too heavy for Giles or Xander," Angel ordered the other vampire, then stood up and came over to Giles and Gus. "If that's south, then east is this way."

"Thou seek the Chalice of Restoration as well? Another noble quest!" Gus said in amazement.

"That's us, we're chock full of noble quests," Xander said, joining them.

"The Chalice does indeed lie to the east. But to the east is the Wells of Sadness. Many a brave knight has attempted to claim the Chalice, but none have returned."

"I'm sensing a theme," Angel muttered. Spike joined them, holding a nasty-looking battle-axe.

"Let's save some time, shall we?" He pointed back towards the stable. "North. Blade of Denis. Nasties?"

"The Army of the Black Gnomes," Gus swallowed, looking a bit pale. Spike nodded.

"Now's when you tell us how lots of knights have tried to fetch the sword, but no one ever comes back..."

"Actually, no knight has ever tried to get to the Blade of Denis. Tis far too dangerous," Gus corrected. Spike looked momentarily shaken, then smiled thinly.

"So, we get to be first. I like that. Army of the Black Gnomes sounds right up my alley," he added, swinging the axe for effect. Xander grimaced.

"Which just leaves the wild, wild west," he said to Gus, turning in that direction. Gus nodded, his expression softening.

"The Heart of Kafi. And the Desert of Enigmas. No one has ever returned, I'm afraid." Gus clapped Giles and Angel heartily on either shoulders. "Righteous quests, all. Thou art truly the most valiant of knights. Thou must rest and partake in some food before beginning. Come, a meal has been prepared."

"I say we start now, before we risk being crispy," Spike protested. Gus shook his head firmly.

"Tis a fine line between noble and foolhardy, good Sir Knight, and to begin such an undertaking on an empty stomach thou dost cross it."

"Gus seems to be here to help us succeed, Spike," Giles said. "I think we should follow his recommendations."

"If he says we eat, I say we eat," Xander agreed.

"You're just saying that cause you're hungry," Spike accused. "I can hear your stomach growling from here."

"Well, yeah. Aren't you?" Xander answered. Still bickering, the two followed Gus into a modest home, a meal of venison awaiting the humans and deer blood awaiting the vampires. Gus simply smiled at their surprise. They ate in silence, but found that the food did make them feel quite a bit stronger. At the finish of the meal, Gus showed them to sleeping quarters and helped them remove their armor. All were too weary to even think of protesting. The four fell immediately into deep dreamless slumber. Gus awakened them shortly before dawn. They dressed and readied themselves quickly. Spike and Xander found Gus by the stables.

"I hath prepared my four finest steeds. All of spirited temperament and as fast as the wind," he told them proudly.

"Great. Let's get to the peril and death as fast as possible," Xander mumbled, still sleepy.

"For some of us, it should only be a few more minutes," Spike said, eyeing the horizon nervously. Gus laid a gentle reassuring hand on the vampire's arm.

"Thou will not burn here, Sir William," Gus said softly.

"That's Sir Spike...I mean, just Spike," Spike corrected. "You telling me this is like what Angel was talking about. Daylight safety time?"

"Really?" Angel asked giddily as he joined them. Then forcing a solemn expression on his face, he turned to Gus. "Is everything ready?"

"Your steeds are laden with provisions and weapons, Sir Angel. Sir Rupert is checking to make certain that all is in order," Gus confirmed.

"Which way do we go first?" Xander asked.

"North," Spike said shortly.

"Or east," Angel said, glaring at Spike.

"Or west. We're riding horses, shouldn't we be riding into the proverbial sunset?" Xander said. Before anyone could comment further, Giles rode up on a magnificent white stallion. He smiled down at them, strangely seeming years younger in the early light.

"Time to go, gentlemen. South. It's only logical."

"Logical how?" Xander asked. Giles grinned.

"Cause we have to stick together and I was the first one on my horse. Last one to the Wand of Dragan is a pile of dust!" he called over his shoulder as he brought the horse to a light gallop. The other three cursed as Gus brought them their horses and assisted them in mounting, having only time to give short waves of thanks to Gus before heading after Giles at full gallop.

The day turned out relentlessly sunny. The countryside they were traveling through was quite beautiful, verdant but sparsely wooded. A few hours later, they stopped for a few minutes to rest the horses and take refreshment. Xander and Giles rested in the shade of a nearby tree, while Spike and Angel relished the feel of sunlight. Spike removed two of the swords from their stash of weapons. After a moment he tossed one to Angel and they began to spar slowly, more interested in the glint of sunlight on steel than in actual violence. After watching them for a few minutes, Xander turned to Giles curiously.

"So how do we know we've reached the Field of Fire? And what do we do when we get there?"

"I'm not really sure," Giles conceded. "I have a sense we'll know it when we see it."

"Probably right. Something will try to kill us," Xander added. "But just in case they don't actually succeed, then what? The Wand is just sitting there and we take it?"

"I know this is hard to believe, Xander. But I'm afraid I know nothing more of what's to come here than you do. I only know that whatever it is we must prevail. For Buffy's sake." Giles looked away, his eyes misting.

"Then we will," Xander promised. He looked over to Spike and Angel, who were putting the swords away, shaking their heads in wonder. "Let's get moving. I'll go get the Sunshine Boys."

They mounted up and had only ridden a short distance when the terrain became rockier. There was less greenery about and more trees, but they were all petrified wood. Spike spotted something that made him frown. He stopped his horse, signaling for the others to do the same.

"What is it?" Giles asked.

"I don't know. What is that?" he asked, pointing to something that had just crawled onto a nearby rock. It was a reptile about the size of a cat, dark green-skinned with bright red and orange spots.

"Lizard," Xander surmised. "Weird lizard. You find something else for Show and Tell, Spike, let me know," he added, coaxing his horse onward. Spike and Angel followed, but Giles remained behind, something about the lizard's appearance jogging some memory. He saw several dozen of the lizards sitting on various rocks and in trees in the area into which the others were riding, and it suddenly clicked. He drew his sword, urging his horse into a gallop.

"Look out!" he yelled, just as one of the reptiles opened its mouth and shot a burst of blue flame across the path of the horses. Spike and Xander were thrown as their horses reared up in fear. Angel, slightly behind them, was able to turn his horse around and draw his sword as well. A lizard in a tree breathed out a fireball that shot past his head.

"Hey! Watch the hair!" he yelled, nearly falling off the horse as he ducked. He drew his sword and dismounted in one fluid motion. Xander and Spike had both managed to grab the reins of their frightened horses. Xander had taken out an axe and Spike the heavy barbed mace, which they were holding at the ready. Giles rode up and dismounted quickly. A burst of flame passed through the spot his head had been at a moment before.

"Salamanders," he panted, grabbing the reins of his snorting mount. He handed the reins to Xander. "Take the horses. We'll have to cross on foot." Xander grabbed the reins of all the horses and mounted his own on the run, keeping his head down. Returning to the spot where they had rested earlier he quickly tied up their horses and hurried to rejoin his friends. He found them huddled nearby waiting for him.

"Field of Fire, I presume?" he asked as he approached.

"Salamanders," Angel said. "Fire-breathing salamanders. That's just...swell. How do we get past them?"

"We kill them and we run," Spike said tersely.

"That's not much of a plan," Xander complained.

"Works for me," Angel said, taking off at a full run. He decapitated a salamander to his left, then one to his right, quickly then tucking into a roll to escape a blue flame aimed for his midsection. He advanced as fast as he could; killing salamanders while bobbing and weaving like a prizefighter. He stole a glance back to see how the others were faring. Spike and Xander were clubbing and hacking salamanders to the left and right of Giles, who was between and slightly behind them. Angel's attention of necessity returned to his own situation when another burst of flames nearly roasted his head.

"I said. Watch. The. Hair," Angel growled as he dispatched a few more of the offending reptiles. Xander, Spike and Giles had been separated by their evasive maneuvers. Giles was running as fast as he could, but falling further behind the others as he ducked under repeated spurts of fire. Sliding to the ground, his head collided with a rock. He collapsed, momentarily stunned.

Xander cried out as his arm was nearly singed by another gust of salamander breath. Angel backtracked and pulled Xander out of the way of another one, chopping it down with grim efficiency. The vampire half-dragged Xander a few more feet, leaning him against a tree trunk.

"Are you okay?" Angel asked. Xander nodded breathlessly.

"Great. This is fun," Xander said sarcastically. Spike had also reached them, cradling one hand under his arm. He had lost the mace somewhere and was in full vamp face.

"Damn thing burnt my hand," he groused. Xander raised his axe, his eyes searching frantically for another sign of attack from the dangerous lizards. The salamanders all seemed to have vanished. And that wasn't all that was missing. Frowning in puzzlement, he looked at the others.

"Where's Giles?" he asked, scanning the area they had passed through frantically. Angel and Spike turned to look as well, initially seeing no sign of him.

"There!" Angel yelled, pointing in horror. The Watcher was getting groggily to his feet. A large green, red and orange cloud was closing in on him from all sides.

"Great, they fly?" Spike asked incredulously.

"They fly," Xander confirmed. "And they're after Giles!"

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