Elsewhere: Harth enacts a dark ritual and ravages the mind and soul of one Watcher, Rupert Giles -- to complete his knowledge of the Slayer, to expand his magical power and repertoire and to be a bastard, because he can. He uses Katara's hair and blood for this.

It was esay to do, really. They decended into the dark. Already, a few slaves had been filtered away. Useful ones... down below the ground. So when they told him that the attack had begun, that their hive was fallen, he knew his lieutenants would do what was required of them ( Read more... )

It was mid-day so most of the slaves were in the large room that served as the industrial complex, busy working.

Until something went Whump, whump, whump, whump.

There was a creeeeaaaaking groooooooaaaaaning sound as the roof was torn off. People screamed and took cover, Magog screeched, and dust and rubble rained down. There was a tremendous ( Read more... )

The good guys came riding in on their shining, white steeds, swords glinting in the heavenly light that poured through the clouds ( Read more... )

They were just whispers, at first.

"There are people outside..."

"--heard there might be a rescue..."

"--powers or something and the blonde said we need to fight--"

"--too dangerous, they'll just kill us all--

"--have to try, right? Have to fight? We're all going to die anyway..."

"--why would anyone risk their lives for us?"Like a super- ( Read more... )

Elsewhere in the farm...

Krycek makes a deal with a demon. It's the start of a beautiful partnership.

She'd had the needles on her person, so that was easy enough. She always had them, the same as she always had a little bit of thread and a flint because life was perilous and difficult and always bringing the unexpected to your door.

Or bringing you, unexpected, nowhere near your door ( Read more... )

It was never good to show weakness in the hive.

It was never good to show weakness anywhere, really. The hive just made it that much worse.

But it happened, and people died.

The difference was this time, the person weak and sweating over a bucket was the phyiscian.

Someone's been cut off. Completely.

Cold turkey.

Never good.

Pain.

Before Beka opened her eyes or even realized she was awake, she felt the pain. It jerked her back to consciousness, and she clenched her teeth, her stomach churning. As she began to gain awareness of her surroundings, her memories returned; Harth... those Magog....

"Rev... Rev he's going to hurt you. He's going to kill you, Rev..."

Jim has a black eye today, courtesy of Gangrenous Talons, who fortunately doesn't live up to his name yet. It was because they caught him putting a part in where he'd already told them it wasn't supposed to go. They're catching on to him ( Read more... )