Buffy pushed Lilly up through the portal, everyone except her had gotten through. Just as she was about to jump, something tackled her from behind. It was Ken, the demon leader. "You think you can come in here, ruin everything and just leave? I don't think so little girl; you're going to pay for what you've destroyed."
Buffy looked up and noticed the portal closing, she had to hurry. She launched herself at Ken knocking him down and began hitting his head on the floor. He laughed while she straddled his chest.
"What are you laughing at ugly?"
"You girl, told you that you would pay look up," Ken said, pointing to the portal.
She glanced up just as the portal snapped shut. "NO!"
Ken pushed her away and began walking around her, taunting her. "What are you going to do now, little girl? There's no way out back there and the longer you stay the older you will become. In days, you will be a sack of bones used up. That's right, you're NOBODY down here."
Buffy roared and grabbed his head. All the pain, sorrow and anger rushed through her - Angel, Angelus, Jenny, Kendra and her mother. It finally broke through the grief that fueled her nights as she dreamed of Angel; a cold, hard rage replaced it. Taking Ken's head in her strong hands, Buffy ripped it from his body.
"The name is Buffy," she screamed. Dropping the head beside his body, she walked away. "I will get out of here just you wait, even if I have to fight my way to Satan, himself. I am going back, back home to Sunnydale."
She walked through the factory where none of the remaining demons even tried to stop her. Buffy picked up the large hammer, she had used previously and exited out a door. She found herself on what looked like a river, where people waited in line to get on a small boat. Buffy got in line and asked the man ahead of her. "Where does this boat take you?"
"Don't you know anything? Stupid girl, this is the River Styx. Charon takes you to Limbo for judgment where Minos decides what the proper hell is for your sins."
"Cool, then I just go to this Minnows dude and he'll send me home. I'm not supposed to be here," Buffy said to herself.
"You're in Hell, girl. No one leaves here once they've entered."
"Hey moron, I just asked a question and I didn't die so there. Just move ahead so I can hurry up and get on the boat."
The line moved faster than Buffy thought since only one or two people ever stepped onto the boat at a time. She stepped up; it was finally her turn next.
"Stop, you are not allowed here. You are not of this realm," Charon told her.
Buffy looked at him in his dark robes and skeletal body. "Listen Skelator, you can take me, or I take that boat myself."
Charon tilted his head listening to something Buffy couldn't hear. "My master said to bid you enter, but you will find no pity here."
"Don't want pity Cher just want to get home." She stepped into the flat bottom boat and looked around as they pushed off from the dock. The scenery changed in an instant from one dock to another. Buffy blinked her eyes, what was that warp speed. Stepping onto the deck, she saw yet another line. "Yep, this is Hell."
She walked up and got into line, hoping it would be as fast as the last one, it wasn't. Buffy knew she had been standing here for days as the line slowly moved forward. She was finally next. A demon that looked like a cross between a gorilla and an octopus with long tentacles extended from its back grabbed each person to pull them inside.
A tentacle moved towards Buffy but she grabbed it. "Hey, no touching, just show me where to go."
The demon doorman simply pointed to a long corridor. She began walking down it when the floor tilted. Buffy slid down on her back trying to catch herself but there wasn't anything to grab as she rushed toward the bottom. Hitting the ground hard, she jumped to her feet and saw another long corridor. At the end something or someone sat on a large throne, she walked forward carefully glancing all around for any more hidden surprises. The walls flickered white like the beginning of a movie then they faded back to black while Buffy continued forward. She finally stepped in front of what she could now see was a large demon. It was Minos; he had the head and shoulders of a man but the lower body of a bull.
"Why are you here? It is not your place or time?"
"Are you that Minnows guy?"
"I am Minos and you have not answered me, you will do so now." His voice made the walls vibrate, as he stared at Buffy with red eyes.
"You don't need to shout, I can hear you just fine. I had to help some kids get out but the portal closed before I could leave. Since you are the guy who says where people belong, you can send me back."
"No, that way is blocked to you. The only way out is if the Master grants you passage."
"Fine send me to him then he can send me back."
"That I cannot do, the closest I can send you is to the Eighth Circle of Hell. If you can battle, your way through its ten ditches and then through the four circles of the Ninth Circle. You will find my Master there."
"And he can send me back, send me home?"
"If he so chooses. Take care Slayer; you will see the worst Hell has to offer. Should you falter anywhere along the way, there you shall remain, forever."
"I'm not staying here Minnows, so do I get anything to fight with? I lost my hammer somewhere in the last line, I think."
"Take this sword but use it wisely. Things are not always, as they appear. You must harden your heart, Slayer. The ones here were sent here justly. Should you try to change their fate, you will lose all."
Buffy picked up the sword only to find herself standing before a deep ditch. Whips lashed at people and a handsome man approached her, smiling seductively. "I've come to help you across; so, you may continue your journey. One as young and beautiful as you should not be near this offal." His voice was smooth and comforting to hear. Eyeing him cautiously, she moved to go past but he caught her arm. "Wait, little one. I only ask a moment of your time, surely you can give me that."
Pulling her arm away from him, "Let me go." The man smoothed his hand up her arm edging closer to her breast. Buffy punched him in the face, knocking him down. "Don't touch me."
She walked out of the ditch; only to find herself standing before the next one. People stood in well, shit, up to their necks, you could only see their heads. "Gross, how do I get across this? Well it worked for James Bond." Closing her ears to their voices, she hopped from one head to another finally jumping clear. "This isn't so bad."
Buffy slowly plodded through the next three ditches, but each one took longer to get across. "This one should be number six. Here goes nothing." Walking down the slope, her spidey sense went into overdrive. Demons tortured people with whips, then threw them into a river of black tar. Without thought, she caught the hand of a demon about to punish a silver haired man. He could have been someone's grandfather. "What is his crime?"
"He stole money from poor families, so he could live in style while they suffered and died."
Releasing his hand, Buffy turned away to continue walking. I have to leave them be if I ever want to get out of here. I can't interfere, I'm not the Slayer here just a girl trying to go back home. Closing her ears and heart to the tortured cries around her, she finally made it to the seventh circle. Buffy watched people getting their hands cut off then turning into snakes. They would bite someone else to become human again in a never-ending cycle. She realized she would have to fight to keep them from biting her. Drawing the sword, she stepped carefully around everyone keeping enough distance that she could fight, if needed. Several snakes slithered towards her, but Buffy sliced them in two. Breathing a sigh of relief, she pulled herself up and out of the ditch. Moving quickly to the next ditch, there were only two more to go. Buffy dug even deeper inside herself to block out anything and anyone. She looked straight ahead keeping her focus on the other side. She now stood at the ninth circle of hell.
"What did Minnows say? There are four rounds here. Okay, Buffy just keep going, don't talk to anyone no matter what they say. They wouldn't be here if they didn't belong."
Looking out, she saw it was a frozen lake where people were frozen at chest level. "Please, set me free." "I did nothing, nothing I tell you." "Help me, here over here." "You there girl look at my face. Would I hurt anyone?"
Buffy moved on but this frozen world she traveled across seemed to stretch on forever. Stepping across to the next circle, the people were frozen to their shoulders. "They must be worse than the last group. Okay, no pity, no way, just move your feet Buffy, just move your feet."
"What are you doing here, bitch?" a familiar voice growled.
There at her feet lay Darla, which had Buffy breaking out in laughter at the sight. "Well fancy meeting you here. I thought the soul wasn't punished for what the demon did."
"Shut up Slayer, you know nothing. You think you're so smart, wait and see you won't be laughing long."
Buffy moved to walk by then kicked Darla in the head. "Oops, my bad, sorry Darla it was just so tempting."
After she walked past, Darla grinned evilly. "Yes, I'm sure that is what the Master hoped you would think." Her head disappeared from the ice while Buffy entered into the third round of the ninth circle.
Buffy saw...Xander frozen in ice up to his chin. She ran over to crouch down beside him. "Xander, what are you doing here? Were you caught in some spell? How is everyone? Come on, Xander, I'm getting us out of here."
"I can't see Buffy, the ice its in my eyes. Please take it out and get me out of here." Buffy looked around her finally noticing the others close by him. Everyone had pieces of ice piercing the part of their head not frozen solid.
"How did you get here, Xander?"
"I tried to protect you, to protect all of you. Willow's spell didn't work the first time. If you knew she was trying again, you might not have fought as hard. You would've died, Buffy. See I saved you now let me free!"
"You lied; you knew all along and lied to me. The spell worked Xander; I had to kill Angel not Angelus." Tears fell down her face as she looked at the boy she thought was her friend.
"No, if he was good then he wouldn't have been in the inner round."
"What do you mean been? Isn't he here somewhere? Oh, my gosh, I can get him out." Buffy rushed away.
"Buffy come back, I'll help you just free me," Xander pleaded. He watched her disappear over the horizon.
"You didn't tell her all of it did you boy?" A large demon stepped out; he was grotesque with his misshapen body. There were bulging muscles under skin the color of bile. His eyes were the color of molten lava and large horns jutted out from his forehead. The demon snatched Xander out of his frozen prison with a malicious leer on his face while his hands roamed the teen's body.
"No, please don't," Xander pleaded, tears fell down his pale face. His body shook knowing what would happen next.
Ignoring the boy's pleas, the demon roughly dragged him away. "You're a tasty thing, boy. We like the way you squeal. Didn't tell her how you and her replacement betrayed your friends. Didn't tell her you did it all too finally fuck a Slayer, too bad you didn't think about the slayer betraying you for a vampire. What a delicious morsel you are, you smell of hate, betrayal and lust. We like that here, it makes for better play."
Xander tried to struggle, but he couldn't pull away as he was thrown into a group of demons. They seemed to devour him all at once, as they beat and raped him repeatedly.
It was endless the same everyday, he saw their faces - Buffy, Willow, Giles, Cordelia and Oz. They were all the people that he had betrayed in his pursuit of a Slayer and to abolish his Zeppo persona. He was powerful and had a woman in his bed that others envied him for, granted it wasn't the Slayer he really wanted but Faith would do and she did in indeed. Faith's exploits in bed were addictive; Xander would have done anything to keep his place between those powerful thighs. He didn't care that he betrayed his friends and helped Faith work with the enemy. He was finally somebody. Then, Angel returned and she left him, for that damned vampire. What is it about Dead Boy that all of the Slayers pant after him. Faith helped them out in the end and Xander died helping the Mayor's attempted ascension, which landed him in this hell, literally. He wasn't the only one to die though. No, his betrayal took several lives with him before that fatal day. He knew how smart his former best friend and her boyfriend were and told the mayor. Willow and Oz died in a mysterious automobile accident, only two days before the ascension was scheduled to occur. Xander saw them everyday, in hell you never slept, you only remembered. Each night, demons came for him to beat and rape, then they returned him to his frozen prison to start the cycle again.
Buffy moved swiftly to the last round in the ninth circle, she didn't care if she kicked people's heads in her pursuit of the innermost sanctum and her end-goal. As she approached the last round, there at its center sat a beautiful man with black wings sprouting from his back. Slowly moving forward, she approached him. He smiled making it almost painful to look upon his beauty.
"Come closer little one, you are very strong to have made it this far. Sit here beside me and we shall talk of your future." A chair appeared and Buffy carefully sat down not saying a word. "You don't need your weapon, Elisabeth. No one shall harm you here, you are my honored guest."
"Why don't I believe that?" Buffy scoffed, her eyebrow rose, as her eyes rose to stare into his crystal blue ones.
"I speak no lies here; there is no need for them. Make your request and I will grant it." He gave her a blinding smile as the black wings slowly opened and closed in an hypnotic rhythm.
"I thought you're supposed to be red with horns, a tail and a pitchfork." Buffy tried to figure out what was going on because this was just too easy.
"I have many forms; they are chosen to fit each situation. This one is for your comfort and it is my original form. Does it not please you, Elisabeth?" His sky blue eyes held hers while his voice lowered to a huskier more intimate pitch.
"It's fine and the name's Buffy." She tried to drag her eyes away from his and ignore her body's response to the sound of his voice. It sent voice chills down her spine to settle at her groin. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from squirming in the chair or worst still leaning closer to the temptation.
"That is a child's name; you are no longer that child. Elisabeth is a queen's name and very appropriate. It suites one such as you."
"What's that supposed to mean? Never mind, Minnows said you could send me back if I made it this far, so send me back," she ordered, straightening her spine in the chair. She used every ounce of Slayer resolve not to move.
"Oh, but child I cannot. You aren't the same as when you arrived. Time is different here and it has taken you several years to reach me. It has been five of your Earth years, but here so many more have passed."
"H=how many have passed? What about my friends and my Mom?" Buffy's face paled, knowing she wouldn't like his answer.
"Over a million of your earth years have past, time passes slower the further out you go. The years passed differently for each circle you traveled." Satan watched Buffy's face as she processed his words. She was a delicious creature, one he was most pleased to spend time with.
"So, it's all gone, everything and everyone? But, you could send me back to the beginning right, then they wouldn't be dead." Her face glowed with hope.
"That is true, but in order to go back that far, you would have to change," Satan answered silkily.
"What do you mean change? Change how and into what?"
"Nothing that isn't already inside you, that piece of your powers will just be more so."
"I'll just be more of what I already am? I won't lose my soul?" Buffy asked him carefully, trying to see any loopholes to his proposition.
"No, child, I promise your soul goes with you." He waited for her decision with baited breath; this was just too tempting.
"Wait. There's someone else here by mistake. Angel, he's a vampire with a soul. Can he be released too?" Buffy's eyes gleamed at the thought of rescuing Angel.
"That is not possible."
"Why not? You have no right to keep him here. He doesn't belong. He didn't do anything wrong, it was his demon not him." Buffy stood glaring at Satan, hands on her hips.
"Elisabeth, child, I can't release him because he is already gone. The one you speak of was only here a few months. Your little friend, the red-headed one, retrieved him with using a spell."
"Willow got Angel out. That's wonderful. Okay, I'm ready to do. What do I have to do?" Buffy babbled happily. She couldn't wait to see Angel and the others again.
"Just close your eyes, child. I will send you back to the beginning," he laughed as she disappeared. "the very beginning. This should provide entertainment for the next few millennia."
"Master, you were wonderful. I wonder how long she will last. Perhaps, Angelus and I can kill her together. If she lasts that long of course." Darla stroked a hand down his body, feeling him grow hard.
"Darla, you do not understand. There will be no, you and Angelus or perhaps there will. It will all depend on her. You see, she will determine the creation of other vampires. Elizabeth is now the Mother of you all. The Mother of Darkness itself." He laughed merrily, causing his wings to expanded out to their full length.
"No, how can that be? She's just a slayer. Why would she become the start of us all?" Darla screamed in frustration.
"You dare question me? Raise you voice to me? She is the key, holding both light and dark inside. Her time here caused the darkness to grow, to bloom. Now, we shall see what her seeds will cause to grow. For your insolence, your punishment will be, mmm, let me see. What to do? What to do? Ah, yes here we go."
"No, Master, I'll be good. I'll do whatever you want."
"But of course you will Darla, this is hell after all and I want this." He snapped his fingers causing her to disappear. "Let's see how she likes that." He watched her appear beside Xander.
A large demon grabbed her, ripping the clothes from her body. "Fresh meat, thank you Master. Come on boys, second course, same as the first." He plunged into her as she screamed.
Buffy appeared at night in a desert. She started walking and grumbling to herself. "Where did he put me, somewhere in Vegas? This must be hell humor, ha, ha. I'm already thirsty. Funny, I don't remember the last time I ate or drank anything."
Up ahead, she saw some lights and took off at a jog. "Wow, when he said more, he meant it. That was like racecar fast. Wonder what else is different?"
She realized the light came from a fire and approached it slowly. People sat around it eating, but they weren't ordinary people. They looked strange, like cavemen. One came up to her, grunted and waved a club. "Back off Barney, I'm just passing through."
All at once, the men attacked her. They pulled her legs apart, ripping her clothes as they mauled her body. "That...is...enough." Buffy flung them away from her as if they weighed nothing. A 'man' snuck up behind her. He jumped on her back, throwing an arm around her neck. She grabbed the arm without thought and sunk her teeth into the flesh. As the blood hit her tongue, a moan escaped her lips. It tasted wonderful. She drank without thought. The man struggled to free himself as he started to grow weak from blood loss. Realizing what she had done, Buffy pulled away in horror. The cave people shrank back from her in fear.
She touched her forehead, no bumpies. Fingers gently probed her teeth, finding two large fangs. Buffy threw her head back and roared. It echoed throughout the still night, and the ground beneath her feet trembled. Animals ran in fright and the people by the fire huddled together even more frightened than they were before.
He made me a vampire, damn him to hell. She turned away from the people and ran. Her legs pumped faster and faster, when she looked down she saw that the ground lay several feet below her. I am freakin flying. She landed several miles away after spotting a cave. Sitting in the dark, Buffy tried to decide what had happened to her. "This sucks no matches means no fire. This is just great, I'm in the land of the Flintstones and I'm a vamp. So not liking this. He said I would only change from what was already inside of me. Does that mean they made slayers from vampires? I'm not going to kill people for food, no way. See how you like that, Mr. Can't Tell A Lie."
She marched outside minutes after the sun rose, but nothing happened. Buffy stomped her foot and threw her head back screaming at the top of her lungs. "Damn you." When her foot hit the ground cracks shot out, causing the Earth to tremble. "What the hell?" The cracks continued to grow shooting out to split the Earth's shell.
"That's a little over the top, don't you think? Now, what do I do? Sun won't kill me, maybe a stake." She rushed back into the cave and scoured it for a piece of wood. Taking a large branch, she shoved it directly into her heart then looked down in confusion. It stuck out of her body halfway not causing her one iota of harm.
"Nope, that won't work. Maybe I can find an animal or something to feed on." She walked out of the cave. Nothing stood out in the horizon as far as the eye could see. She decided to try to fly, although wasn't to sure about the mechanics. She felt rather stupid walking around talking to herself, but the isolation gave her no other choice. Buffy wasn't used to the constant silence. "I wonder if I have to run or if jumping will work?" She crouched down, then leapt into the air, taking off like bullet. She burst out laughing at the thrill that raced through her body. "Wonder if this is how Superman feels?"
Buffy flew for several minutes before spotting any signs of live. She landed before a strange creature with the body of a snake and the face of a man. Its face was handsome with high cheekbones and ruby-red lips. It hissed loudly, then tried to attack her. She simply stared into its eyes. They were an unusual shade of the deepest blue almost appearing appeared black, with elongated pupils. Hypnotized by her stare, the snakeman lay down and bared its neck for her. Buffy sank her fangs in and drank down his rich powerful blood. The creature sensually wrapped itself around her body, touching and rubbing her overly sensitive skin. Her body responded to the stimulation while she continued to drink. Its hands ran through her hair over her chest to between her thighs. Opening her eyes, she watched it become human-like. His body was now that of a man, although his eyes remained the same.
He raised her up as his hands continued to caress her body. His blood thrummed inside her leaving her heavy with need. He stood before her naked and hard, and Buffy couldn't remember why she shouldn't touch him, taste him and have him. She removed her tattered pants and in one smooth stroke, he was inside her. They clawed at each other in hunger. Her fangs sunk into the other side of his neck as they mated like animals. Buffy slammed her body down onto his until she tore away from his neck to roar her release.
"What are you?" She looked at him, not really expecting an answer. After all, Barney Rubble couldn't even talk yet.
"Lamia." His voice made a hissing sound when he talked. He licked the side of her face with a forked-tongue. "Yours." The 's' came out in a long streaming sound.
"What do you mean mine?"
"Yours, now. You own, you call, you claim. Yours."
"Are there others like you? I mean others who can talk not just grunt at me?"
"Yes, we were here first. Always, before the naked ones came," he answered, as his hands continued to stroke her body. It wasn't a gesture meant to ignite passion, but one of reverence, of worship.
"Can you show me, Lamia?" Buffy didn't understand why none of this bothered her. She was a virgin until only a few months ago. Now, she was a vampire and had just slept with a snakeman she didn't even know. All she knew was that her body felt satisfied, like the blood and sex went together somehow. To be honest, it was mind-blowing sex, and the blood, let's just say that it was even better than sex and leave it at that.
"Lamia what is, Cenon who am."
"Sorry, Cenon would you show me the others?"
He returned to his previous body, startling them both, and quickly slithered across the sand. He led her to a beautiful oasis. Moving through the trees, Buffy saw all kinds of creatures she didn't recognize. She stopped short and rubbed her eyes not believing her eyes.
Buffy watched a dragon land not far from where she stood. It was red and gold with huge wings and had what could only be termed as a patient look on its face. Then, it began to speak, "Hello, I am Danith. We felt your arrival."
"Uh, hi, I'm Buffy. You're a dragon, right? I mean I've never heard of a Lamia before, so I wanted to just be sure what everyone is," she rambled.
"Yes, I am a dragon. What are you?" His voice was a deep rumble that made Buffy's belly vibrate.
"I'm a, I'm not sure what I am anymore. I used to be a Slayer, but the devil changed that when he let me leave hell."
"Mmm," Danith pondered her response. "You carry great power which changed Chenon. How did you do that?" His hand rested under his chin reminding Buffy of Giles.
"I bit him. When I drank his blood, he changed."
"So now, he has more shapes?"
"Uh, yeah." Buffy blushed remembering what she did with Chenon's new shape.
"Would you bite me?" the Dragon asked, a strange light of longing lit his golden eyes.
"Me too?" a female voice asked. A beautiful black wolf approached. It was no ordinary wolf though. It was the size of small horse. Its snout met Buffy's face and she looked into two eyes of deepest amber. "What are you? I've never seen or even heard of a wolf like you before." Her hand went out tentatively to scratch the 'wolf's' ears.
"I am a shewolf," she replied proudly.
"You mean all of you want me to bite you to see if it will change you?" The mystical creatures nodded or answered aloud. "I'm not hungry now but if you agree to feed me then I will." At least, I won't be killing people, plus I will have someone to talk to.
Buffy lived at the oasis for many years. Each animal that she drank from gained the ability to have a human shape. They would revert back to their original form on the full moon. Any other time, they chose what shape they wanted to be in. No matter what shape they took, they retained the ability to speak. They remained in control of both bodies, if injured they could revert to their new form and heal immediately.
She had changed so much through out the long years - her outlook, her sexuality. The only standard that remained was her view on killing or feeding on humans. She watched them slowly begin to evolve, to start to speak and create cultures. She was content with her life until one day Danith didn't return. Buffy loved the old dragon but refused to sleep with him. He reminded her too much of Giles. Heartbroken, Danith went elsewhere for intimacy.
Taking to the air, she began to search for her closest friend. Buffy called to him with her mind. She was connected to the creatures she changed or so she thought. She was startled when close beside her two other dragons appeared.
"You called us mistress?" a large green and silver male dragon asked.
"Oh, I'm looking for Dalith. He hasn't returned and doesn't answer when I call to him. I'm worried that something has happened to him. What are your names?"
"I am Dazon and she is Depron." He motioned to a smaller female with blue and silver markings.
"Wow, all 'D' names, huh. Will you help me find Dalith? He must be hurt."
They nodded long elegant necks. "Mistress, climb onto my back and we will take you to my brother." Buffy landed on his shoulders as he flew further east.
"But, this is towards the village, he wouldn't go there."
"Dalith wants a mate like you, mistress."
Buffy felt a sense of fear overtake her. The closer they flew she could feel Dalith's pain. Below them on the ground, Dalith lay pinned, while men slashed at him with stone knives.
"No!" Buffy roared, throwing threw out her hands as fire shot from her fingertips. The dragons blew out their breaths, scaring the men away. Dazon landed and Buffy jumped off, running to Dalith.
"You'll be alright, Dal; they're gone. Now, change so that you will heal," she ordered.
"Too weak, you must bite me," he gasped.
Buffy sunk her fangs into his flesh, drinking carefully. She watched him change to his human form of a large man with fire red hair and golden eyes. Dalith was striking; he appeared as if painted with fire. "Not going to be enough."
Buffy set her jaw, then slit her wrist with a fang. "Drink. I'm not going to lose you."