The Varos Triad  Part 11

Disclaimers:-

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all the characters belong to Joss
Whedon, Warner Brothers and anyone else who own them - and that does
not include me.  I am making no profit from this - I'm just borrowing
them to write a story and entertain.

Author: Steff

Pairing:  Faith/Cordelia

Rating: PG-13   I think - but if anyone thinks it should be higher
let me know.

Feedback:  yes please:-  rebelgirl_uk@yahoo.co.uk  

Archive:   Disco Inferno, Passion and Perfection, CordySlash and Miss
K's site are all welcome.  Anyone else, please ask.

Summary:- Faith returns to Sunnydale in pursuit of a demon, but is
not well received by Buffy and the Scoobs.  However, it appears they
have to join forces with Faith and the LA gang when they discover the
history of the artefacts. Faith is attacked by a shape shifter and
Cordelia has a vision telling her that Varos is coming...

______________________________________________________
Cordelia stared at the departing form of the dark slayer for a second
in numbed shock.  She had never meant for Faith to hear about her
vision in that way.  "Shit," she swore at herself in disgust and rose
from the chair.  The Seer hurried to the door but was blocked by an
irate blonde slayer.

"Way to go, Cordelia.  I don't think you could have told her in a
more damaging way."

"I wasn't intending to tell her that way.  She wasn't supposed to
overhear that," Cordelia retorted.

"How were you going to tell her then?  Send her a singing telegram?" 
Buffy's eyes shone angrily.

"Get out of my way Buffy.  I need to explain things to her." 
Cordelia ignored the sarcasm from the shorter girl and tried to push
past Buffy but the blonde stood solidly in her way.

"Give her some space.  You've done enough damage for the day."  Buffy
was furious with the taller girl for revealing the reason behind her
stand-offish behaviour in such a mindless way.

"Cut the crap Miss Holier-than-thou," Cordelia spat back.  "Since
when did you get off being my conscience?  You need to sort out your
own first."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"  Buffy's voice rose
incredulously.

"Well I'm hard pushed to name anyone who's been *less* supportive
than you.  What was it now," Cordelia drummed her long, tapered
fingers on her chin in a parody of thinking.  " 'If you tell me
you're sorry I'll beat you to death'?  And then not a single moment
of contact since.  Sounds like the perfect example of true friendship
and trust to me."

"She threatened my mother, and my friends.  You can't blame me for
being upset with her."  The blonde slayer lowered her voice to an
aggressive growl.

"But I *can* blame you for being totally selfish and insensitive and
for holding her crimes against her for four years.  And I *can* blame
you for not giving her a chance to prove that she's changed during
the time she's been back."  Cordelia had gone past caring how her
words would affect the other girl.

The blonde slayer felt the barb sink home but chose to ignore it and
switched tacks.  "I'm not the one running after her at the moment. 
How do you think she'll react when you run up to her all angry? 
She'll just think you're venting at her," Buffy shot back, still
barring the ex-cheerleader's exit.

"Listen very closely Buffy," Cordelia snarled, her self-anger finding
a very convenient outlet suddenly.  "If you don't let me pass, then
slayer or no slayer, I'm going to kick your ass into Nebraska.  I
will not abandon Faith to her own insecurities the way you did."

Buffy was unimpressed and snorted derisively.  "More like you want to
explain your behaviour away.  Got your excuses ready?  Do you *know*
how much damage you've done?"

"About four years less damage than you.  At least I had the courage
to move on and see Faith for who she is now.  You and your cronies
have just spent the last two days reminding Faith of how she used to
be and how you'll always perceive her to be.  I won't let Faith think
that I don't trust her.  And she will think that if you don't get out
of my way."  Cordelia raised her height as much as she could and
stared intently at the slayer.  Buffy leaned back slightly, shocked
at the venom lacing Cordelia's words.  The logic behind them
registered with the blonde girl and she lowered her arm slowly and
stood to one side.

Cordelia sighed deeply.  "Thank you," she remarked sarcastically and
moved to leave the Magic Box.

"Cordelia, you lied to us," Willow spoke up from where she now stood
by the table.  "You said that Faith didn't betray us."

The brunette girl span round to face her accuser.  "She doesn't
betray you."

"Sounds pretty much like a change of sides to me," Willow challenged,
crossing her arms.  Her eyes were getting ominously dark.

"In my vision, she attacked me.  No one else.  Just me."  Cordelia's
voice rose slightly as she justified her earlier defence of the rogue
slayer.

"Still a betrayal," Willow pointed out acidly.

Cordelia rolled her eyes in frustration.  "I didn't tell you because
I knew that you'd all jump to conclusions pretty much like you just
have done."

"Not really a big leap to take though is it?" Xander
countered.  "There isn't much to get confused over."

"Look," Cordelia could feel her anger rising again.  "I haven't got
time to discuss all this with you.  I'm going to find Faith and sort
out the mess I've just created and then *we* are going to come back
in here and make plans for destroying the artefacts."  She stared
balefully at the shop's occupants, daring them to object to her
proposal.  When she was met with an astonished silence, she stepped
past Buffy and left the shop quickly.


* * *


As soon as she was outside, Cordelia scanned the horizon to get a
clue as to the direction Faith had set off in.  When she could see no
sign of her, she pulled her vision in to scour the local area and her
eyebrows shot up in surprise to see the rogue slayer sat on a park
bench just a few hundred yards from the shop.  Taking a calming
breath, Cordelia strode purposefully towards the girl.

Faith gave no indication that she heard the Seer's approach and
continued to stare into some faraway spot in the distance. 

Cordelia looked at the girl carefully, trying to decide whether to
sit down or not.  "Faith?" she prompted softly.  Getting no response
from the younger girl, Cordelia sat down next to Faith and looked out
at the vista in front of her, wondering what it was that had caught
Faith's attention.  The sun had set some time ago and everything was
a shadowy grey.  Seeing nothing remarkable, Cordelia steadied herself
and began again.  "Faith?"

"What's up Cordy?"  Faith remained stock-still and her voice was
neutral.

"I'm sorry you heard about my vision that way.  I wanted to tell you
but I needed to sort my head out about it first.  I spoke with Angel
and he reminded me that my visions could be interpreted in a number
of ways.  Then, Willow and Tara were badgering me about what I'd seen
and it all just slipped out."  The tall brunette paused for breath
and took a long glance at Faith as she wondered when it was that she
had started channelling Willow.  The Bostonian remained silent and
motionless, without a flicker of emotion across her face.  Cordelia
swallowed convulsively, feeling her throat constrict with
anxiety.  "I'm so sorry Faith.  Please believe me.  I'd never think
that you could stab me."

Faith looked at Cordelia so suddenly that it made the ex-cheerleader
jump back involuntarily.  "Really?  That wasn't the impression I
got." 

"Faith…"

"Don't say anything more Cordy.  I trusted you with my feelings.  I
allowed myself to believe that maybe someone actually felt something
for me."  Faith switched her gaze away from the older girl as she
felt an unwelcome pinpricking behind her eyes that were a prelude to
tears and she was determined not to cry in front of the other
girl.  "Every time I trust someone, I get screwed over.  Shit, I
ought to have learnt by now."  Faith shook her head as she mulled
over the situation again.

"You *can* trust me," Cordelia protested, hearing her voice crack and
feeling hot tears burn down her cheeks.

Faith snorted derisively.  "Really?  From the sound of your vision, I
can't even trust myself."

"There has to be an explanation," Cordelia reasoned.

Faith looked back at the Seer incredulously.  "Of course there's an
explanation.  I go bad again and end up gutting you.  Sounds pretty
simple to me."

Cordelia closed her eyes at the reminder of the vision.  "Do you want
to go bad again?" she asked softly.

"Doesn't look like I have much choice does it?"

"Do you *want* to go bad again?" Cordelia raised her voice as she
repeated the question.

"Of course I don't want to go bad.  You, of all people, shouldn't
have to ask that of me."

Cordelia smiled wanly.  "I'm not asking it for my benefit. I'm asking
it for yours.  Listen to yourself Faith.  You don't want to go bad. 
I know that you mean that.  Perhaps what happens is something you
have no control over."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The tall ex-prom queen was relieved to have found a way to get her
point across.  "Think it through.  Perhaps Varos is powerful enough
to hypnotise you or subject you to his will.  Your actions could be
influenced by something you can do nothing about."

Faith looked at Cordelia carefully.  "You don't get it do you?"  The
rogue slayer saw confusion wash over the taller girl's visage and
smiled humourlessly.  "It doesn't matter how or why it happens.  What
matters, no sorry, what mattered a while ago, was that you thought
that it could happen at all.  I would have put my life on the line
for you Cordelia and there's no way in Hell that I would ever harm
you.  But you seem to think I can.."

"Faith, I only thought that because I saw it in my vision," Cordelia
interrupted, desperate for Faith to believe her.

"Bullshit Cor.  It was only when Angel suggested a reason behind it
that you actually started doubting." 

Faith flicked her hair over her shoulder and shot her trademark grin
at the Seer.  "And that's the bit that really hurts.  Or it would if
I cared anymore."

Cordelia gasped.  Seeing the rogue slayer's reaction reminded her
acutely of when the girl had sided with the Mayor.  Cordelia could
practically see the walls being raised.  Willing herself not to
believe that the dark slayer had reverted back so far, the Seer
pursued the topic.  "Faith, that vision zoned me out.  I wasn't
thinking straight for a long time."

"Yeah, whatever.  Like I said, it doesn't matter anymore."

"What?  Why the hell not?"

"Because as soon as we've wiped this bastard demon out, I'm cutting
loose.  I'm gonna get out of your hair.  It was a mistake for me to
hang around this long anyway."  Faith couldn't bring herself to look
at the woman she thought she loved.

"You're running?" Cordelia couldn't help the accusatory tone lacing
her words.

"Wouldn't say that exactly.  There isn't much to run from except a
lot of hate and mistrust.  I can pretty much manage all that by
myself."  Faith narrowed her eyes at the ex-cheerleader, waiting for
the comeback.

The taller girl closed her eyes for a brief second.  "I don't want
you to leave Faith," she whispered, not knowing what else to say to
get through to the younger woman.

Faith grinned at Cordelia as she stood up.  "It's not your decision
Twinkie."  She turned and started walking back towards the Magic
Box.  "Come on," she called over her shoulder.  "The quicker we get
this over with, the sooner I can ditch this shit hole."

Cordelia clenched her fists and concentrated on the pain she
generated in the palm of her hands in an effort to prevent the tears
from falling.  One stupid sentence had destroyed the bond between
them.  Faith had withdrawn into her own protective shell once more
and the Seer knew that it was going to take a massive effort to break
through in order to mend the damage she had caused.  So she decided
to go on the offensive.  "Chicken," she muttered as she stood up.

Faith stopped mid-stride and turned round slowly.  "What did you call
me?"

"You heard.  You're taking the easy option again.  And I never
thought you would."

"You don't know jack!" Faith spat back, stepping back towards the
Seer.

"I know that you've spent the last two days running round wanting
people to believe that you've changed.  I know that it's hurt you
deeply that Buffy, Willow and Xander have been treating you
appallingly.  And I know that you're treating me the same way by not
allowing me a chance to make things right."

Faith gasped as the words sunk in.

Cordelia took a tentative closer to the slayer.  "I also know that
you do care.  Because otherwise you wouldn't be standing here right
now," she whispered.

The Bostonian's mind was reeling.  When Cordelia revealed her vision
in the Magic Box, it had underlined to Faith that she hadn't really
changed.  All her efforts whilst in prison and since had been for
nothing.  It horrified her that she could revert so totally as to
harm Cordelia, the first person since her Watcher who had genuinely
cared for her.  She had stormed out of the shop in an effort to
distance herself from everyone else but could go no further than a
nearby bench where she had sat down and tried to imagine stabbing
Cordelia.  The bizarre thing was that no matter how hard she tried,
the dark slayer just couldn't see it in her mind's eye.  But if
Cordelia had seen it happen, then it would.  Faith was going to go
back to her old ways of deceit and murder.  Coming to that
conclusion, the brunette had erected her old walls and assumed her
old persona so that by the time the Seer had found her, Faith had
already decided to take it out on her.

Now, somehow, Cordelia had managed to find a way through.  Her words
echoed in Faith's mind and allowed her the one thing she thought she
had just lost forever.  Cordelia had once again given her hope.  Hope
that the changes she had started in prison weren't superficial.  Hope
that she wasn't irrevocably evil.  And hope that she could learn to
let someone in enough to care about them deeply.  She wasn't quite
back at square one anymore.  But it was still a long and rocky road. 
The Southie mentally smiled at the expression, recalling the first of
Angel's many visits to see her at the prison.  

She looked at Cordelia and studied her features for a moment, only
realising that she had been staring when she noticed the taller girl
begin to fidget under her scrutiny.  "You've got your chance C.  But
we haven't got time to do this now.  Let's get the fight out of the
way first." 

Cordelia let out the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding
and before either of them knew what she was doing, stepped forward
and pulled Faith into a hug.  "Thank you," she murmured into the
younger girl's hair.  She smiled as she felt Faith's arms snake
tentatively round her and return the pressure briefly.  The Seer
stood back from the embrace, missing the feel of the renegade slayer
immediately.  "Come on then.  Let's not keep him waiting."

Faith nodded and turned back towards the Magic Box feeling better,
but she still had a deep-rooted sense of foreboding over what was
about to happen.  She had no idea how she was going to prevent
herself from attacking Cordelia but she was going to have to come up
with some sort of plan in the event that she did.

Cordelia hurried after the brunette slayer also feeling hopeful. 
Somehow, she had managed to break through Faith's defences.  What she
had to do next was get the slayer to trust her again.

As she stepped through into the shop, Cordelia felt a strange sense
of déjà vu.  The scoobs had wasted no time and were already
interrogating Faith.

"I don't know what Cordy saw.  You probably know more than me," Faith
told Willow tiredly.

"I doubt that.  You've probably already signed a pact with the demon
and have a plan to deliver the artefacts straight to him."  Willow
spat back, feeling perfectly justified in her behaviour toward the
rogue slayer since her return to Sunnydale now that her true nature
had been revealed once again.

"I haven't done anything.  I'm here to fight the demon.  I have no
idea why Cordelia saw what she saw but I have no intention of
betraying anyone."

"Yeah, but if you kill Cordelia during the spell recitation and break
it Varos will rise," Xander leapt in, relishing the opportunity to
put the boot in..

"Then you'll just have to make sure that I don't kill her."  Faith's
voice was barely audible but everyone fell silent as her words sunk
in.

"I didn't see her 'kill' me," Cordelia protested.

Willow snorted derisively.  "Didn't your vision go as far as the
Emergency Room then?"

"Willow!" Tara chided.  "We have to look at this all carefully. 
There has to be a reason why Faith does whatever it is she does."

Xander snorted.  "Well that's fairly self-evident..."

"Xander," Buffy and Cordelia warned him with icy coldness.  The
construction worker took the hint and halted his sentence.

Faith stared at Xander for a moment and then looked at Cordelia as
she continued.  "None of you have any reason to believe what I'm
about to say.  You can only accept my word, and I know my word means
nothing to you all."

"Glad to know that you've managed to pick up something while you've
been here."

Tara looked at her lover with a shocked expression.  Every time she
thought that Willow might start to see reason with Faith, something
happened to veer her right off course again.

The rogue slayer ignored all the reactions surrounding her as she
continued, at last coming up with a contingency to combat Cordelia's
vision.  "I swear I will not betray you willingly and I'm asking you,
Angel to kill me if I do."  The slayer switched her focus to the
reticent vampire that looked stunned at the request.  Faith's dark
eyes pleaded with him for understanding.

"Faith, I'm not sure I could," he hedged quietly.

"I could," Willow volunteered coldly, her arms crossed defiantly over
her chest.

"You'll be too busy with the incantation otherwise I would have asked
you," Faith told her, and was grimly satisfied to notice a look of
surprise ghost across the redhead's features.

"Then I'll do it," Gunn offered, having stepped out from the back of
the Magic Box.  "If that's what you want Faith."

The two looked at each other and nodded in silent understanding.

"Wait a minute," Cordelia interjected, aghast at what had just
transpired.  "There must be another way."

"Not for me Cordelia.  I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you so
I'd rather be killed if I attempted it.  Both your visions have had
me there at the final battle so there's no point planning on me being
put somewhere else.  All we can do is ensure that I don't hurt you." 
Faith kept her voice toneless and showed not a flicker of emotion
towards the taller girl that was totally at odds with the words she
had spoken.

"There must be something else we can do," the Seer insisted.


"Sounds perfectly reasonable to me," Willow countered.

"And me," Xander agreed.

"Will you two listen to yourselves for one minute."  Tara practically
shouted at her lover and the construction worker.  The shop fell into
an amazed silence.  Tara looked furiously at Willow and
Xander.  "Start listening to yourselves," she repeated, her voice
slightly more controlled.  "How dare you continue to think of Faith
as 'evil' or 'psycho' when you have both just advocated her murder."

"Hey, I didn't say murder," Willow protested.  Xander nodded rapidly
in agreement.

Tara shook her head, refuting their response.  "There's no need to go
into the semantics of this.  You offered to kill her Willow.  And you
both think that it's okay for someone else to kill her.  And you're
accusing *her* of being evil?"

"Wait up, Blondie," Faith interjected softly.  "They were just
popping off shots at me.  It's nothing I don't deserve."

Tara turned quickly to look at the brunette slayer.  "You most
certainly don't deserve it, Faith.  Your actions while you have been
in Sunnydale have been exemplary, without exception..."

"Wait a minute, what about Cordelia's vision?" Xander jumped in
hurriedly.

"She hasn't done what Cordelia saw," Tara pointed out logically.

"Yet," added Willow.

"She might not do it at all.  Cordelia has said that her visions can
be open to interpretation, but at the moment, you're missing the
point," the blonde witch continued, a tone of exasperation creeping
into her voice.

"The point being is that we have been judging Faith for what she did
in the past and not for what she's done now," Buffy stated.  Tara
nodded in agreement.  The older slayer took a step towards her oldest
friends.  "We can't keep doing that.  If you want to be wary, that's
not a problem.  No one's asking you to be friends with her.  But
start treating as you find.  Or how can we expect her to treat *us*
any differently?"

There was an awkward silence in the Magic Box for a few
seconds.  "Finally, someone sees sense," Angel muttered as he stepped
forward.  He hugged Buffy briefly.  "Thank you," he murmured into her
hair.  They stood back from each other and Buffy smiled. 

"It took long enough," she commented, berating herself mildly.

Angel nodded and then turned to face Faith.  "You understand about
the killing thing, right?" He whispered softly.

Faith nodded.  "Yeah, Soul boy.  I understand.  Don't hate me for
asking though."

Angel shook his head and pulled the girl into a brief hug.

"Have we all finished arguing now?" Giles spoke up from the counter. 
Getting general agreement all round he continued.  "I think the best
course of action is to get this all over and done with as soon as
possible.  The weapons cupboard is open.  Everyone make sure that
you're well equipped.  Willow, Tara and Cordelia," he looked at each
girl in turn.  "Come and collect an artefact.  You'll be holding it
for the duration of the incantation.  They have to be cast into the
dying embers on completion of the recitation in order to destroy
them.  Anya, pick up the cauldron and ingredients."  The tall English
watcher waited for the ex-vengeance demon to protest and was
surprised to see her hurry over and begin doing as he asked.

Cordelia, Willow and Tara approached the counter slowly and stared at
the artefacts.  Without even looking at each other, they reached for
a statuette each, and were surprised when they all selected a
different piece.

Wesley grinned at their choices.  "Remarkable," he uttered softly.

"What?" Demanded Cordelia, feeling suddenly exposed and wondering
over the significance of her choice.

"Each artefact has it's own strengths and merits.  It would appear
that you have all gone for the one closest to your own persona."

"What do you mean?"  Tara was fascinated.

Wesley's smile broadened warmly.  "Tara, you selected the gold
artefact.  Gold is pure and treasured universally.  It is a symbol of
wealth, not in the fiscal sense, but in the meaning of trust, love
and stability."  The rest of the shop all secretly agreed that Tara
couldn't have been a better choice for the gold artefact and the
blonde girl blushed furiously at the description.

Wesley turned to Willow.  "Jade is mysterious and has hidden depths. 
It is rare and multicoloured, even in it's purest form.  It has many
facets and is a powerful and strong emblem that holds great mystical
strength."  Willow realised that Wesley was referring to both her
light and dark magic skills and was honest enough to admit to herself
that he was quite accurate in his summation.

"Cordelia, the Yew is a tree that has deep and solid roots.  More of
it lives underneath the surface than anyone ever realises.  It
protects silently and thanklessly, and it stands tall and proud, a
distinctive and beautiful tree." 

The Seer stared at the ex-watcher as if he'd gone completely mad for
a moment.  Then the sentiment of his statement sunk in and she nodded
at the dark-haired man.  "You added that bit about beauty and
distinctiveness yourself," she accused, smiling.

"And who could blame me?"  Wesley smiled back.  "But we have work to
do so let's get focused."

"Where are we going to perform this rite then?" Buffy asked, hefting
a double-sided axe over her shoulder.

"Well, as Cordelia mentioned a cemetery, I'm guessing in one of
them," Giles answered vaguely.

"Which one?" Buffy pursued.

"It's probably a good idea to use one that's a bit more out of the
way on the outskirts of town," Angel suggested.

"I agree.  There are already too many people mixed up in this. 
There's no need for anyone else to get involved," Faith added.

"Everyone ready?" Buffy glanced round the shop and got a sea of nods
in response.  "Let's do it then."


* * *


The group inspected the graveyard carefully for vamps and any other
unwanted nasties before they selected an open area towards the centre
of the cemetery and set the cauldron down.

Cordelia looked nervously towards Faith who was limbering up with a
large broad sword. 

The rogue slayer turned round and met Cordelia's gaze.  She finished
her sword swing and lowered the blade before moving over to where the
Seer stood near the cauldron.  "You okay?" She asked softly.

"Not really," the ex-cheerleader answered honestly.  "I will be once
this is over with and I've sorted things out with you."

Faith shook her head slightly.  "Don't get caught up in all that. 
Just concentrate on the incantation.  Worry about that when the time
comes."  In the back of her mind, Faith had already decided that the
time would never come.  For some reason lost on her, she would attack
Cordelia and Gunn would kill her.  All Faith hoped was that he was
fast enough to prevent her doing any damage and Cordelia would be
safe.  Having to deal with what had transpired between the Seer and
herself was unlikely ever to happen.

Cordelia smiled wanly.  "All right.  But I won't forget that you
agreed to talk everything through."

Faith stepped away and joined Angel and Buffy, standing on a grassy
verge nearby. 

The tall Seer watched the girl leave and then turned to the two
witches.

"Ready?" Willow asked, taking the lead in the incantation as she was
by far the most powerful witch.  Both Tara and Cordelia nodded and
Willow looked over to where Giles was standing.  She raised her hand
to acknowledge that they were about to start and then all three girls
moved to surround the cauldron.  Gunn, Wes and Xander were in
position on the other side of the witches and Cordelia.  Xander
looked round nervously, amazed at how relaxed both Gunn and Wes
appeared to be.  "How can you just stand there like that?"

"Getting all twitchy just wastes energy," Gunn told him.  "It took me
ages to train Wes, but he's come round to my way of thinking too now."

Wes turned sharply towards the black man.  "Actually, I've gone past
the nervous fidgety stage," he confided.  "I'm now at the petrified,
motionless stage."  His words did nothing to ease Xander's anxiety.

Anya stepped forward and caught Willow's attention.  At the redhead's
signal, she threw the ingredients into the already hot cauldron and
withdrew quickly as they began to smoulder and burn.

Willow looked at Tara and Cordelia and then began the incantation. 
Immediately, Cordelia could feel a surge through her body and assumed
that Willow and Tara were sharing their magical abilities with her. 
She was momentarily put off, but continued confidently when she saw a
reassuring look from the blonde witch.

All three women continued the recitation, raising their voices
instinctively as they continued.  Around them, the wind was starting
to build up and the temperature dropped.

"Why is it that whenever a spell is performed, there are loads of
special effects?" Faith wondered. 

Buffy shrugged.  "Probably nature protesting," she suggested
philosophically, causing Angel to look at her in surprise.  "What? 
I'm not all shopping malls and stakes you know."

Suddenly, their faces were lit up by a massive streak of lightning,
tearing the sky apart.  All three of them looked at the girls
surrounding the cauldron but could now barely hear their voices.  The
wind was howling round them, and with it, icy droplets of rain were
stinging onto exposed areas of skin.

"Not exactly California weather," Xander yelled as he pulled his thin
jacket round him more tightly.

"I just hope the flame doesn't go out," Anya shouted, having joined
them after completing her part in the incantation.

"It won't," reassured Wesley confidently.  "It's a magical flame."

Lightning continued to illuminate the group but the witches and
Cordelia barely noticed it's existence.  Cordelia had felt the pull
of magic from Tara and Willow but as the recitation went on, she
began to experience the power of the magic she was invoking course
through her body.  It was intoxicating in its power and the Seer
began to channel that power into the words she recited.  She noticed
the look of surprise that ghosted across Willow's and Tara's faces
and realised that she was performing magic in her own right now.  Now
more determined than ever to get the recitation performed correctly,
the ex-cheerleader focused her thoughts as she reeled out the
incantation.

The static electricity build up was rising exponentially now, and
Giles realised that they were nearing the part of the spell that
actually invoked Varos.  He hoped that he had interpreted the text
books correctly.  Varos would rise but exist only for as long as it
took for the incantation to be completed.  A minute or two at most. 
However, the ex-watcher fretted over how much damage the powerful
demon mage would inflict in that short time and knew that he would
focus on the witches in order to prevent the rest of the recitation
taking place.  He looked round at the others and then yelled at
them.  "Ready yourselves.  As soon as he's here, you must distract
him and stop him from harming Willow and the others."  Despite the
howling wind, the others heard him and nodded grimly.

There was a massive bolt of blue lightning towards the north of the
cemetery, followed by a loud keening wail.  Everyone, bar the witches
and Cordelia, turned to see the originator of the sound and looked up
to see that Varos had indeed risen.

He stood at least nine feet tall, broad and well muscled, with a blue
tinge colouring his smooth skin.  Long dark hair was pulled into a
rough ponytail and his eyes burnt an evil yellow.  In his right hand
he held a great scimitar and was already sweeping it round him.  In
his left hand, he held a long wooden staff.

Without waiting for him to move, Buffy charged towards him.  Her
movement jolted everyone else into action and she was quickly
followed by Faith and Angel.

Varos noticed the three humans closing the distance between them and
pointed his staff towards them.  Suddenly a piercing wand of blue
energy crackled through the staff and shot towards his attackers.

The ground exploded around Buffy, Faith and Angel and they found
themselves tossed onto the floor.  Instantly they were back on their
feet and suddenly were within striking distance of the demon. 
Readying their weapons, the slayers and vampire set upon him,
realising even as the first blows struck that their efforts were
hardly affecting him.

Xander, Gunn and the two watchers stepped forward and were about to
attack Varos, when they were surrounded by demons themselves. 
Suddenly, two minutes was going to seem like infinity as they hacked
away at Varos' soldiers, determined to keep them from Cordelia,
Willow and Tara.

Cordelia was dimly aware of the tumult going on around them.  She
tried not to think about how the others, and especially Faith, were
doing.  They were in the last stretch of the incantation now. 
Another minute and Varos would be forever vanquished, along with the
artefacts.

Suddenly, she spotted movement headed directly towards her.  Almost
in slow motion, she turned, automatically continuing the recitation
in spite of what she was seeing.  Faith was sprinting towards her, a
long silver sword primed in her hand.  Cordelia almost laughed as she
saw her own expression reflected on the mirror sunglasses the rogue
slayer was wearing.  She never realised that she could look so
totally horrified and yet still manage to continue the incantation. 
And she knew with a cold certainty that the blade would enter her
before she managed to complete the recitation.


To be continued...