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Author's Chapter Notes:
Ok ,thanks straight away to my fab beta Jill who encourages me (hint hint) even through the boring bits.
Buffy and Illyria entered the alley behind the Hyperion, both
of them on high alert for the dragon.

There had been no words exchanged since Buffy’s earlier request to show her where the dragon had been seen last. Illyria had led and Buffy had followed, both of them focused on their need to find the dragon before Spike’s time ran out.

The alley itself was littered with the corpses of a staggering amount of different species of demons. Buffy wasn’t even sure she recognized half of the breeds lying dead around her.

She was brought up short as Illyria halted suddenly; her gaze resting on what Buffy could see was a human body. When she turned her gaze to the blue demon’s face, she wasn’t much surprised to see Fred’s soft eyes filled with tears. It was only then that Buffy recognized the dead man, Charles Gunn, one of Angel’s crew.

She remembered being introduced to him when they had briefly stopped in LA to let the AI crew know what had happened in Sunnydale.

Even as Illyria’s features and demeanor returned Buffy found herself hoping again that by some miracle Angel had made it, she couldn’t bear to think that she might be walking through his dust even now.

She was pulled abruptly from her worried thoughts, by the sound of Illyria hissing sharply to duck, just as a huge winged shape swept over their heads.

Holy Crap!…

Well who knew that they weren’t exaggerating about the whole size factor thingie.

Just once she would have loved it if the stories had all been testosterone driven fantasies, and dragons were just really, really big lizards.

But no, it seemed that the stories were right on the money. Big... well, huge would be a better word, and very, very ugly in a scaly glowing eyes and sharp fanged kind of way.

The dragon had landed at the very end of the alleyway, and for the moment didn’t seem to have noticed either herself or Illyria.

Signaling the blue god that she was going to try to get closer to the creature, she started to move stealthily towards it, hugging the wall, and using the larger demon corpses to shield her advance.

She was less than twenty meters away when she felt Illyria grab her wrist and pull her down low behind a looming dumpster.

Illyria didn’t speak she just pointed and Buffy felt her heart freeze at the sight that greeted her.

The dragon had settled wraping its tail around itself, and it quickly became apparent to both observers that it was feeding on the corpses of the nearest demons. That, while being way high on Buffy’s disturbo meter, wasn’t the worst of it.

Her eyes were fixated on the very familiar figure that lay at the base of the pile of bodies that the dragon had obviously picked out as it’s main course.

It was Angel…

“Jesus” she breathed out under her breath. Both relieved to see he wasn’t dust and at the same time horrified that he was about to become a dragon’s dinner.

Her eyes met the blue gods and without words they both acknowledged that they had to get him away from the feeding monster before he woke up and alerted it to his still mostly undead state.

God Angel, great time to need rescuing, came the somewhat disgruntled and disloyal thought.

She signaled to Illyria that she was going to try to draw the dragon’s attention and to be ready to move.

Buffy stood slowly, carefully maneuvering herself to a position that should the dragon decide to attack, would ensure that Angel wasn’t directly in its path.

The dragon’s head came up, its jaws dripping with gore and she couldn’t help noticing that the gore consisted mostly of what looked to be like half a Chirago demon.

Ok Buffy my girl, no problemo, just a great big flying lizard… “Bet it’s not even that smart” she mumbled to herself, advancing on the suddenly intent looking dragon.

“Ssslayer” hissed a voice in her head.

“What…huh?” she blinked.

“Didn’t your mother ever teach you that if you don’t have anything nice to ssssay you ssshouldn’t ssssay it at all” came the voice again, slithering into her mind with cold black humor.

Buffy gulped and swallowed hard.

Shaking her head to clear it, her eyes darted around the alley looking for the source of the question, though she was pretty sure the search was a delaying tactic on the part of her brain, as the dragon in front of her now had a strangely amused looking expression on it’s face.

“Yessss Ssslayer I’m talking to you” the beast hissed. Raising its head, it dropped the rest of its meal to stare contemptuously into her eyes.

“Oh that’s just great” Buffy grumbled to herself. “Now I not only have to kill puff the magic dragon but I actually have to listen to it yabber on at me too. Boy, could my life get anymore sucky?” she complained, while at the same time she took a firmer grip on the scythe.

“Don’t worrrry” came the amused voice. “You won’t be hearing meee for long… I’ve always enjoyed the tassste of SSSlayer meat... bit of a delicacy where I come from. Hmm now, fresh or roasssted” came the pondering words as the creature moved slowly towards her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Buffy could see the form of Illyria slip from the shadows and move to circle behind the dragon.

“That’s it just a little closer” muttered the slayer. “Come on… here puffy puffy” she called softly, as the dragon paused.

“What’s wrong puff? Not scared of little old me are ya?” she taunted mockingly.

She was relieved when the dragon moved towards her again. For a moment there she was sure the creature was about to turn and discover the blue god.

It hissed as its attention turned back to her.

“You are nothing but meeeat to me little girl… in my world my kind battle to sssee who will get to eat the next ssslayer called” it bragged. “Ssslayers are sssuch a tiny mouthful... and with only one every couple of daysss and thoussssands of usss… well let’sss just sssay… it’s been a while ssince my lassst sssnack.”

Inwardly Buffy quailed at the dragon’s words. Imagining the futility of being called, only to be eaten within days of becoming the slayer, instead of the years she’d had.

“Yeah well, my world, my rules, puffy”, she shot back defiantly, readying herself for the dragon’s next move.

“And in my world… slayers live long enough to kill your scaly ass” she yelled, diving to the right. Well out of the way of the stream of fire, the dragon let loose.

The dragon roared in rage as the slayer quickly flipped to her feet and struck with the scythe.

It flew from her hand and lodged itself firmly in the dragon’s left eye.

Its roar of rage turned to one of pain as it shook its head furiously trying to dislodge the weapon, while at the same time it tried vainly to keep track of its suddenly deadly opponent’s movement.

Buffy waited barely a second after the scythe left her hand before turning and vaulting onto the nearest closed dumpster. Once there, she turned and waited until she was sure the dragon’s blind side was facing her way before she struck.

She leapt from the dumpster and landed right where she wanted to be, on the back of the dragon’s head.

It screamed its rage, and with more than a hint of panic, it flailed its head with renewed desperation, attempting to dislodge its passenger.

Buffy winced in pain as the screaming in her brain threatened to make her ears bleed.

Hanging on for dear life, she searched the shadows desperately for Illyria and Angel, hoping that the blue god had managed to get the souled vampire away from the battle.

Just as she was starting to worry that she may have to retrieve the scythe and retreat, she spotted the blue god striding towards them.

“Worm… hear me,” sang the blue gods voice.

“Your kind was both servant and pet to me when I ruled this world, but both your time and mine is gone. We are the last of our kind on this miserable rock, so come… I will bestow upon you the honour of dying by my hand and mine alone… I, Illyria God King, command it.”

Whoa… way to get attention thought Buffy, as she once again found herself gulping at the nerve of the former God king.

The dragon was still trying desperately to dislodge the slayer from its neck, but at the blue demon’s words its cries changed from pain and anger to ones of deep and abiding hatred.

Buffy might have been blond but she wasn’t stupid, she knew this might be her only chance to get the scythe before the two ancient powers joined in battle, so she took it.

While the dragon was momentarily distracted by the addition of a new player in the game, she leapt from her place on its broad neck.

Throwing herself forward, she clasped the haft of the scythe and used her momentum to pull it free from the dragon’s eye.

Tumbling end over end, she nevertheless managed to land neatly on her feet before throwing herself forward into a series of flips. Hearing the roars of the dragon, and what could only be Illyria’s chilling war cry she turned to face the two combatants.

Illyria was crouched in a fighting stance obviously waiting for the dragon’s attack. But the dragon strangely enough wasn’t moving forward to engage her; instead now that the scythe had been removed it seemed to be studying the blue God with an intentness that left chills down Buffy’s spine.

As Buffy watched, the dragon let out a slow coil of flame from its jaws, and if she hadn’t known better Buffy could have sworn that the dragon was smiling.

Illyria didn’t move. She held her pose, as still as any statue.

The strange staring contest went on so long that Buffy was on the verge of asking them what the hell they were doing when the dragon spoke once more.

“You are indeed far from home majesssty,” came the sly voice. “But I sssense that you are farther than you know… Yesss, it may be true that once you ruled my kind… but the ssshell you wear has weakened you my God, and it isss your arrogance that ssshall finally be your downfall”

The dragon’s tone was knowing, its reptilian gaze calculating as it gazed on the shell that the once God now inhabited.

“I am old Illyria and myyy time nearly done but… ahhhh” the bliss in the dragon’s next words chilled Buffy to the core. “To live long enough to see the enssslaver of my kind reduced to meat and bone… well this is a wissh never dreamed of. You will have your battle… my God” the dragon hissed, its voice full of scorn “But it will be I… not you, that leavesss the field alive thisss night.”

And with that the dragon let burst a flow of flame that lit the alley up like it was day.

Buffy could do nothing but watch, as the former god king was enveloped in the fire.

The first volley of flame had barely ceased when the dragon reared back and seemed to be sucking in air, as though to launch a new attack.

Makes sense was Buffy’s irrelevant thought. Cos didn’t she vaguely remember something from chem class about fire needing oxygen to burn.

She grinned viciously. It was what she had been waiting for. Buffy, whom the dragon had seemingly forgotten, took her chance.

With a prayer to the powers and fate, for the second time that night she threw the scythe. This time, putting every bit of her slayer strength behind it.

The scythe flew straight and true… right into the exposed chest of the still rearing beast.

The dragon bellowed in pain, before swinging its head to meet the eyes of its killer. The look in its eyes was puzzled, as though it was searching for something other than the small blond woman in front of it.

“Yooou”…

Buffy heard the incredulity in its last gasp, and she smiled.

“Yup, me” she chirped brightly … “Hey puffy” she couldn’t resist quipping. “You should watch those late night snacks; they can be murder on the old heart.”

Flipping her hair to the side, she grinned broadly, as she watched the knowledge of its death at the hand of the said snack, reach the dragon’s eyes.

Then much to Buffy’s disappointment, it keeled over side ways and died.

She snorted indignantly. “Well that was just rude. You’d think that something that old could hang around long enough for me to get more than one quip in.

“No bloody consideration” she muttered, unwittingly channeling Spike

“Oh God… I hope the heart didn’t have to be intact” she worried aloud as she stepped forward and pulled the scythe from the dragon’s chest.
Her worries and fear for Spike returned in a rush now that the battle was done.

Grimacing, she looked at the gaping hole that the scythe had left in the dragon’s hide, trying to assess any damage to the seeping heart.

She glanced over her shoulder to see the figure of Illyria bearing down on her… looking less than happy.
Buffy, was surprisingly relieved to see, she was entirely whole. There wasn’t a singe mark on her.

“Nice moves Blue… hey, do you have any idea how the heck we’re gonna get the heart out of this thing without it’s blood getting everywhere?” She studied her feet with a concerned frown. “I just got these boots and they might be stylish, but they’re not affordable enough for me to replace them.”

Buffy smirked and Illyria glared, her look changing to one of puzzlement at the blonde’s humor.

Illyria tilted her head to the side, studying Buffy in a way which; if it hadn’t been for the buzz she still had on after killing the dragon, Buffy might have felt inclined to get a little ticked over.

As it was, she was just happy that the dragon was dead, and on a plus note, it hadn’t taken as long as it could have… now there was a real chance that they could save the man she loved.

The fact that Illyria might be her only chance of getting the heart out of the chest - without ending up in the same state as Spike - might have also had a lot to do with her suddenly even temper.

“I do not understand mortals,” stated Illyria, completely ignoring Buffy’s question.

“You who are a disease… a pestilence crawling on the face of this blighted world.” She looked puzzled for a moment before her face once again set in it’s customary haughty disdain.

“You are a foolish mortal indeed… to worry more about the state of the animal skins on your feet than the wrath of a god.”

Her voice was scathing and roiled with a power that had the slayer in Buffy itching for the battle that was implied in her tone.

“The dragon was mine to destroy slayer… my gri…” her lips tightened at the slip, but her face remained impassive.

“My right… to avenge Wesley, to punish the dragon for the damage to my pet, gifted me the same right to its destruction. You should die Slayer… for the insult you have dealt me this night… yet I find myself staying my hand.” Her gaze turned inward and Buffy felt herself start to relax.

Illyria’s next words had Buffy lowering her gaze to hide her pity. “I… I wish Wesley were here… I fail to understand what this hesitance in me means.”

Illyria’s eyes flickered from blue to brown, and back again, the expression on her face one of confusion as she studied the diminutive woman before her. The sudden rage she’d felt at being robbed of the kill evaporating at the look of sad understanding on the blond slayer’s face.

Buffy shook her head ruefully before meeting the former God’s eyes.

“What can I say... love changes everything Illyria… even a God. Besides,” she continued gently “when it comes down to it… you know what Wesley would have wanted you to do. As long as you hold him in your memories, Illyria, he will never really be gone. And every decision you make based on what Wesley would have done… means that he is still making a difference. The Wesley I remember would have been proud of that.”

Illyria didn’t answer but Buffy thought she saw the former God’s expression soften just a little.

Instead, the blue demon advanced slowly upon the corpse of the dragon, her expression once again becoming grim as she studied the wound that had brought down the giant beast.

“The kill was sloppy, there was little skill involved here Slayer” her voice once again scathing as she turned her gaze to Buffy’s.

“Nevertheless” she admitted, her tone changing to one of grudging respect. “Your strike was true and the heart is not damaged in any significant way. Stand clear mortal… I am a God and the worm’s blood will not kill me but it may still do damage. Find something to contain the heart” she ordered, before plunging her hands into the wound.

Buffy winced as she heard the sound of muscle and flesh tearing, the crack of what she guessed were the dragons ribs bringing home the fact that though this creature in front of her might look humanoid and weak, she was in fact anything but.

“Uh... um … I’ll just go do that then” she muttered, wincing again as dark clotted blood flowed from the damage that Illyria was creating.

Illyria failed to respond in any way, seemingly too absorbed in the task of extracting the heart.

“Eeww”… Buffy wrinkled her nose as she hurriedly backed away from the spreading puddle of gore that was pooling at the ex God’s feet.

Feeling her gorge rise at the sight of Illyria’s face now creased with something like glee, Buffy turned to search the debris of the alley for something to carry the heart in.

“Ok that was just disturbing,” she muttered to herself, as she walked towards the large dumpster she’d hidden behind earlier.

It was only as a shadow moved and shifted in the shelter of the dumpster that she suddenly remembered Angel.





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