Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fan Fiction ❯ Her New Family ❯ Ascended ( Chapter 22 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't!

WARNINGS:

DARK CHAPTER

CHARACTER DEATHS

------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------

Oz had gone up against many creatures, yet these Hell Demons were far superior than anything he'd ever fought before. They took hits as if they'd been caressed with feathers and rose petals, and when they landed a blow it was like being hit by a Mac Truck.

The werewolf dodged a blow and twirled, kicking the Hell Demon in the mouth of his stomach, sending him flying backwards into Riley, who sliced off his head with one of the weapons they'd gotten from the Initiative's Weapon's Room.

Now that they'd found the control room and deactivated the chips, the captured demons rallied to their side to eliminate the remaining Initiative members and the Hell Demons, so they were well numerically speaking. Yet the Hell Demons were superior, stronger, faster, and quite smug if their taunting had anything to say.

Another blast of light from the top room of the Initiative's base caught Oz's attention, and while he never let down his guard, he kept an eye on where his mum was still fighting with Nate McGuire. He'd seen Angel and Spike when they'd left the building and they'd shouted that to him before getting into the fight head on.

Oz was worried. There'd been explosions and minor collapses from that building ever since the fight had begun. How was his mum?

“Don't you touch my Xander!” Anya cried out as she attacked a Hell Demon who'd caught Xander off-guard and thrown him to the ground, readying to pounce.

The blonde threw herself on the demon's back, trying to choke it, while Xander from his position on the ground grabbed his fallen ax and with a swing chopped off its legs, causing Anya and the Hell Demon to fall on the ground with cries. The second Anya jumped off, Xander brought his ax down on the Hell Demon's head, splitting it in half.

Darius had fallen victim to a gang of Hell Demons, and had been torn apart alive, the sound of his screams still echoed throughout Oz's head, but he blocked out the memory, concentrating on the present as he watched Vicus fighting viciously as they'd always known his mum's mentor would. He realized that Vicus was taking Darius' death hardest, since both had always worked as a team.

The werewolf kept an eye on the beautiful dark haired vampiress and the blonde witch, but mostly on Cordelia. The vampiress was proving herself as a strong and able part of the family, killing Hell Demons easily and quickly, despite the fact that she was both female and newly born. Tara, on the other hand, was having more trouble, for not only was she only human, but was beginning to grow tired as her body was being worn by her excessive use of magic.

Angel and Spike were fighting as a team, which was surprising to all. While both seemed to want to kill each other most of the time, they were marvelous when they worked together. Between the two of them they found a quicker way to kill the Hell Demons, and were killing more than the others.

If one were to watch their effortless grace and strength, one would never believe that they'd just suffered endless torture only hours before. They looked as if they'd been created for this specific battle, strong, capable, and so blood-thirsty that the Hell Demons around them were beginning to back up in resentful respect.

There was a large explosion above them, and Oz shifted his gaze to see half of the wall in the upstairs room blow apart. Willow and Nate's frames were small in the distance, yet quite visible as they fought, ducking each other's attacks while shooting their own.

Nate pinned her to the wall by her neck.

Willow kicked him away, sending him staggering back a couple of steps.

Nate raised his hands, causing Willow to rise into the air, clutching at her throat and kicking her feet frantically.

With a desperate flick of her wrists, she sent a wave of darkness at the man that threw him against the wall, severing his power over her and causing her to fall to the ground on her knees.

A female scream caught Oz's attention, and he saw an elder blonde woman shoot at the Hell Demons that surrounded her before they jumped on her, eating her alive.

Oz didn't know her, and she had an Initiative uniform, so he didn't help her, blocking out her screams and please for help, and the sounds of flesh tearing.

Riley blanched as he watched this, ducking a fist sent his way. “Professor Walsh!” Yet he couldn't help, as he too was attacked by the Hell Demons, yet unlike his now dead superior, he was able to defend himself and kill his attackers.

Oz looked up at the portal as more and more demons flew out.

“Hurry mum…” He whispered before he was tackled from behind.

Quickly dodging the desk that flew towards her, Willow twirled around and with a flick of her wrist, sent it right back at Oliver, who shot out his wrist. They'd been fighting with magic for nearly an hour now, and neither seemed tired as their magic combated, the desk suspended in midair between them, trapped between both pulsing powers.

“This is such a waste of time.” Oliver told her cockily, hand outstretched, purple essence magic pushing against the desk. “You'll like being my queen. Why not just give up before I accidentally kill you?”

“Who says you're going to kill me?” Willow raised an eyebrow in amusement at that before sending an extra hard blast of power towards the desk.

Oliver, caught unawares at the harsh shove, broke his connection with the desk and raised his hands in time for it to come flying into him, throwing him against the wall. The desk trapped him against the wall, splinters entering his skin, causing his blood to begin to drip from his skin, and he roared, the sheer force of it causing the desk to explode, sending splinters everywhere.

Falling to her knees, Willow ducked her head and covered herself with her duster, protecting herself from the millions of splinters racing towards her.

“You're getting me angry Willow.” Oliver tsked when she swiftly stood, brushing away at the fallen splinters. “Why do you fight me?”

Instead of answering, the green glow around Willow's hands intensified. Turning her hands until her palms her facing skywards, her black eyes remained serene as her black hair hovered around her at the dark, hellish power radiating in pulses.

“I've never believed in hitting women, but it's amazing how I've always made exceptions for you.” Oliver snickered before sending a purple blast towards her.

She didn't try to dodge it, and it hit her full force. Willow closed her eyes, concentrating on keeping on her feet, feeling the darkness of his power battling her, hitting her like pieces of broken glass, and then, beginning to seep within her.

The redhead nearly fainted from the pain as he continued the attack, and she continued to suffer it, not doing anything.

“That's it Willow, submit to me again.” Oliver ordered as he strengthened the blast. “I don't know how you broke the connection before, but you're not going to get away this time. Now that I'm connected to you, you're connected to me too, and it's a bond you'll never be free of. Never.”

“You know…” She whimpered in pain, eyes closed tightly in pain. “That connection, it works both ways.”

“Huh?” The smugness left Oliver's expression as he wondered what she was talking about. She was in pain, she was receiving the full blasts of his power—how could she still think clearly much less speak of her own will?

It was only when he decided to stop the blast of his continual power when he realized he couldn't. “Stop!” He tried ordering it verbally, yet his powers were being pulled out of him and into Willow, who continued to absorb the mixture of powers within him, demon, vampire, witch, within her body, a body which was now glowing a green so dark it was nearly black. “I know what you're doing!” He yelled at her as the fatigue began to set in and he collapsed to his knees. “It'll kill us both!”

“See you in hell then.” And with that she screamed in agonized pain as the bridge between them opened completely, and all of his power rushed into her.

Falling onto her knees in the middle of the demonic symbols, Willow's body trembled at the near overload of power in her body. She'd ingested his powers…but suddenly she felt a darker power, darker than anything she'd ever known, entering her from beneath.

The darkness of the power of the Hellmouth, attracted by the show of magic, was being sucked into her as well.

Her heart beat faster and faster and her screams burnt her throat as the darkness forced itself into her pores, her eyes, nostrils and opened mouth.

The explosion blew the whole room, causing both the Hell Demons and Willow's Army to stop fighting and look up in surprise. Riley's eyes widened in horror as the building exploded as well, collapsing into itself.

“Willow!” Angel called as he and Spike hurried towards the building.

What Riley couldn't understand was why the Hell Demons had stopped fighting. The visiting demons ignored the rest and all turned to the building, sniffing and then recoiling suddenly, eyes widening so large it would be comical if Willow hadn't been in the building when it'd collapsed into itself.

Spike and Angel were pulling away the crumbled remains, trying to find their mate in the rubbles but not being able to. Cordelia and Oz had appeared by their side, ignoring the Hell Demons, and the dangers of the crumbled building, pulling at the fallen debris, calling for Willow to answer them.

Anya and Xander pushed through the throng of demons that were hurriedly joining Spike and Angel. It surprising to see Willow's Army there helping. Malcolm and Vicus hadn't made it either, but Oz and Anya had taken over, screaming orders to the soldiers to carefully pull out the debris—that Willow could be below them.

The demons seemed to truly be devoted to their Queen, desperate to find her.

Another surprising thing was that the Hell Demons were beginning to help as well. They advanced hesitantly towards the building, smelling and sniffing as they went, before going side by side with those they'd tried killing moments before, digging through the remains of the once grand Frat house.

With millions of demons surrounding the large crumbled mess, pulling out the fallen debris, it seemed like mere seconds before someone called out that they'd found her.

Riley hurried towards that sector of the building, as Angel and Spike pushed the demon who'd called out aside, to see a female hand sticking out from between the rocks and brick.

Carefully they took the fallen rubble off of her, both her mates speaking to her softly as they pulled her limp body out of the mess and onto the pavement.

Cordelia and Oz dropped to their knees besides her body as Angel and Spike hovered over her. Demons congregated around them, watching, listening, silent as death.

The dark vampiress gave a sudden heartbroken scream before throwing herself on Willow's limp body.

Oz clenched his fists and closed his eyes, turning his head, but not before Riley saw a tear fall from his face.

Angel was frozen in horror, tears of blood falling down his cheeks. “Willow.”

“Don't do this to me Red.” Spike whispered, voice breaking with emotion, shaking hand running over Willow's face, since Cordelia was thrown over her middle. “Red…”

“There's no heartbeat.” Cordelia whimpered, pulling away, face smeared with her bloody tears. “She's dead.”

Opening her eyes, Willow looked around, wondering where she was. She heard screams, smelt burning flesh, and looked to her right, eyes widening as she saw Oliver screaming in pain as the flames that encircled them consumed his skin agonizingly slow.

Realizing that said flames were around her as well, she blinked, realizing that she couldn't feel them. Had the heat eaten away at her nerve ends?

“When the portal to earth opened I sensed my heir.” A voice said to her left. “And it left me quite surprised considering that I didn't know I hadone.”

The tall demon with black hair, blacker eyes, and dark horns protruding from his forehead announced as he reached down and helped her to her feet, ignoring the screams around them as if it were the sound of birds singing.

“Ares.” Willow whispered, recognizing him from his description in her mother's rape report. “Why—why aren't I burning?” She asked, looking down at her clothes and back up at him.

“You're the daughter of an Ancient One, the lords of hells. Do you really think you'd suffer the same fate as the inferior filththat try to be as us?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at Oliver, who eyes were beginning to dissolve.

Turning his attention back on her, Ares smirked proudly. “And, I see, the Hellmouth has found you worthy.”

“What?” Willow asked, frowning, not trusting this guy, even if he was her father.

“Whenever an Ancient One is killed or dies, its power returns to the Hellmouths.” Ares told her, placing an arm around her shoulder and turning her so that she could see the portal that had opened towards earth. “There are few Ancient Ones left, I myself am one of four. And the Hellmouth has been known to gift one of our seed with the powers of the departed, to make sure that we do not die out and leave the worlds and universes to mixed breeds.”

“You not only infused this filthspowers, but the Hellmouth gave you it's as well.” He told her, fatherly pride beaming from his snakelike eyes. “You are an Ancient One by design—a special gift that is rarely bestowed on Halflings.” His grip on her tightened. “You will mate with Cryone, my brother Ancient, and you will have Ancient Offspring.”

Pulling away, Willow made a face at him. “Look, I'm not mating with this guy, Ancient One or not. I already HAVE two mates. Don't need another.”

Ares blinked, his eyelids closing horizontally, before another layer of eyelids closed over those vertically, before his eyelids opened once again. “You are already mated? To whom? What sort of demons are they?”

“Vampires.” Growling at the look of distaste that appeared on his face, she raised her chin defiantly. “They are called Angelus the Scourge of Europe, and William the Bloody.”

Ares made a face. “Vampires. My only heirchose to mate with vampires. At least the otherdemons were born demons, but no, she chose two that were once human!”

Raising an eyebrow at his pure fatherly rant, Willow shook her head. “And I'm blood bonded to both. So you'll just have to accept it. Without them I'd die—if I'm not dead now.”

He made a face at that. “You're not dead. Not in this sphere at least. And the blood bonding doesn't work now that you're an Ancient. If anything, they could be blood blonded to YOU, considering that you are the Superior Demon…” to himself he grumbled. “by far.”

She couldn't help but see the irony in the situation, yet failed to mention it since she didn't think he'd find it as comical as she did. This was a purely fatherly conversation…from a Hell Lord.

“So I believe you'll be wanting to return to earth.”

She nodded. “Yes.”

Ares sighed in disappointment. “I'm going to have to make it my duty to visit that smelly place more often.”

She nearly laughed at the look of resignation on his face. Nearly. “Why?”

He glared at her. “You're my heiress, if I am ever killed my essence, and that of our lineage, will be passed onto you, as will my place as Hell Lord of this Hell Dimension.”

She gulped, hoping he would live forever.

“You will be trained with your new powers, and, you're my only spawn.”

Willow made a face at that title.

“I am your father, and I'll have to meet these vampires” he made up his face “myself to see if they are truly worthy to be your mates.”

Willow shook her head. “You know, if you just want to get to know me and spend some time with me, you can just say that.”

He looked at her sheepishly before clearing his throat, looking aristocratically once more. “Come, you should return to your world before I close the portal.”

“And take back your Hell Demons.” She ordered, stepping over the withering body of someone she was sure she'd gone to school with. What was her name? Harmony?

He smirked. “I'll make a Hell Mistress out of you yet.”

Angel and Spike remained kneeling on each side of Willow, eyes stained with the blood of their tears, silent as the grave. Angel had had to tear a stake out of Spike's hand when the blonde had tried to stake himself out of desperation moments before, and now both of them looked at their mate emptily. What were they going to do now that she was gone?

“I couldn't even sire her.” Spike berated himself angrily. “If only I'd gotten to her before she died I could have bloody turned her!”

Angel gulped painfully. He'd been angrily telling himself the same thing.

Oz held Cordelia close as she cried into his shirt.

Tara stood next to Riley, Anya and Xander, the humans crying softly.

“Is that them?” An unrecognizable voice asked.

The demons all turned at the tall demon heading towards them. The Hell Demons all went to their knees immediately, and the vampires and werewolves and other demons took a couple of steps backwards, feeling the superiority of this demon and trembling in fear.

This was an Ancient One.

Angel looked up at him and growled as he came towards Willow's body, not caring that this was a demon far more powerful than him. He was not coming near his mate.

The demon raised an eyebrow at then turned to the empty space next to him. “I suppose that would be one of your mates.” There was silence, yet he smirked in amusement as if talking to someone. “You don't say.”

Spike stood rapidly, gameface on. “I don't know who the bloody hell you think you are you ponce, but if you've come to joke now that our mate is dead, Ancient One or not I'll bloody pull you apart with my bleedin' hands!”

The demon chuckled and turned to the empty space once more. “I can see that you didn't choose him for his manners. His pretty face maybe?”

What surprised everyone was that they saw his sleeve sink in as if he'd been slapped.

Angel raised an eyebrow and stood once more, sensing that more was going on here then they realized. “Who are you?”

“I am Ares, Hell Lord of the hell dimension opened by the portal of the Hellmouth of Sunnydale, California, Earth.” He told them with a superior expression. “And the father of---.” He turned to the empty space. “What did she name you, spawn of mine?” His face turned horrified. “She named you what?” There was a pause. “Which of my pastimes conceived and named you that?” Ares made a face at whatever answer he got. “She conceived you? I hardly touched her!” He chuckled proudly after a second. “Then you haven't heard of the sexual stamina of Ancient Ones.”

Spike and Angel exchanged uneasy looks that clearly asked if he was insane.

Ares sighed. “Well, go on then, lie in thyself and be reborn my daughter.”

Angel stiffened.

Spike continued to look at Ares as if he were insane.

Suddenly Willow shot up from where she'd been lying on the ground, gasping for breath. Her eyes flew open, completely black, not a speck of white visible, and her hair was black as well. Her skin pale as the purest full moon, and her lips blood red.

“Father.” She coughed into her hand.

He nodded in her direction.

Angel and Spike turned and as one dragged her to her feet, trapping her between their bodies as they held her close.

“I thought I'd lost you.” Angel growled against her neck as he peppered it with kisses.

“Don't you bloody do that again Red!” Spike hissed emotionally into her hair as he inhaled her hellish and oh so lovely scent.

“Guys…” She coughed. “Need…to…breathe…” Yet the moment they quickly pulled away, Cordelia pushed her way pass them and hugged her tightly, as did Oz, and finally Xander.

Ares watched with interest before turning to the Hell Demons around them. “As you must have sensed, this is my spawn, Willow.” He could just feel her glare boring into his back as he referred to her as a spawn. “She has been Ascended by the power of the Hellmouth, and has joined me in the ranks of Ancient One.” He paused with a wince. “And these vampires are her mates.”

“And I'm her childe!”

He turned and noticed the beautiful dark haired woman before turning accusingly to his daughter. “You never told me I had a grandchilde!”

Willow winced. “We spoke for like, what, two seconds?”

He growled at her. “We will talk.”

Angel's eyes were wide.

Spike's expression was quite possibly the most comical thing ever seen.

Both vampires looked at each other and gulped.

Hells Bells.

They had a father-in-law.

Willow watched as Ares and his demons returned to their hell dimension and closed it with a drop of his blood. They'd had a long, and slightly painful conversation for everyone, and he'd promised—more like threatened—to come and visit them soon for a longer period of time to begin her training.

She sighed, shaking her head.

She'd gone from having two parents who were never really there, to having an apparently control freak of a father.

How was she going to survive without someone from her family trying to kill him in an annoyed rage?

Ares had already let both Spike and Angel know how he thought them beneath Willow, and that if she chose to find an appropriate mate he would be more than happy to lend his assistance to introduce her around.

So, obviously, neither vampire held him in high graces.

Surprisingly enough, despite the fact that he felt most of her friends and family beneath him and his daughter, Ares seemed quite taken with his `grandchilde'. He'd informed Willow that Cordelia wasn't a vampire—and looked quite horrified that she'd thought her childe was a lower being.

Cordelia was a unique creation, because her creator was unique as well. And Ares wanted to talk about a match for his grandchilde with a high ranking Hell Demon in his army—but Cordelia had declined the offer—sending a look in Oz's direction that neither Oz nor Ares noticed, but Willow did, and decided that she needed to talk to her daughter about this new development.

Willow sat down on a chair in the Mansion. She was about to get up to find out where everyone had gone, when a hand went around her mouth and smothered her scream as she was yanked backwards, toppling the chair with the movement.

Probably like two more chapters and then I'm finished.

Review? Please?