Gladiatrix

Rating R (violence) Title: Gladiatrix BtvS***** Glory rushed Faith, the axe in her hand a blur as she attacked the slayer. Faith grasped her weapon between her hands, raising it to block the blow. The sharp end of Glory's axe sliced through the wood handle Faith was holding up. Faith released the broken pieces, letting them drop to the floor. She grabbed the handle of Glory's axe with both hands. Glory yanked on the handle. Faith struggled to hold on. Faith let go of the handle causing Glory to stagger. She pummeled the demon with both fists, driving her backward. Her dark ponytail bounced up and down on her shoulders with each blow. Glory reached out, capturing one of her fists. She blocked the other fist with her forearm. Faith raised her legs, placing her feet in the center of Glory's chest and pushed off. The demon grabbed her ankles and spun her around in mid-air. She landed hard on her back. Glory grabbed Faith's ponytail forcing her head back. "Pledge your allegiance to the Bringer of Light and I will let you live." Glory stated. Faith glared up at Glory in defiance. "You won't win. They'll find a way to stop you." Summoning all her courage Faith smirked at the blonde. "When Buffy sends you to hell, I'll be waiting for you, BITCH!" Glory pulled Faith's head back exposing her neck. She raised the axe in her hand high in the air. "Mistress! Wait!" Dreg shouted. The Hell God growled in frustration. "Interrupt me again, and your head will be next," she warned. The minion held up a burlap sack; it's contents wiggled, causing it to move from side to side. "After hundreds of years asleep, it will be hungry." The minion glanced at Faith. "Reptiles prefer their food live. We should feed it the slayer and her friend, Mistress." Faith could feel her heart skip a beat. The Mayor had turned into a giant snake on graduation day and eaten many students. Faith had played a large part in helping him reach the Ascension. Buffy and the others would probably think it was poetic justice that she would die at the hands of a snake. A slow smile spread across Glory's lips. "Excellent idea. Dreg. Remind me to reward you later," Glory said. Faith tried sweeping Glory's legs out from under her. The demon jumped in the air, avoiding her legs. She came down slightly out of Faith's sight. The slayer twisted around in time to see Glory's axe coming towards her. The axe sliced through flesh and bone embeding in her shoulder. Her eyes watered in pain but Faith refused to scream knowing how much Glory would have enjoyed it. "We could have had so much fun together." Glory whispered. She bent down tasting Faith's blood. She groaned in her ear. "I would've given you the witches and slayer as presents. You could've done anything you wanted to them." She paused letting her words sink in. "Tortured them until they were broken. Watched demons the size of giants fuck them." Faith struggled to free herself. Glory wrapped a forearm around Faith's neck holding her in place. She nodded at Dreg. The minion lowered the sack and emptied it. "Once it's fed it will then find the key. And the end of humanity will begin." A black cobra slithered its way out of the bag. The angry serpent reared up on its tail, spread its hood, and hissed, baring sharp fangs. Glory giggled in delight. "Isn't my snakey-wakey beautiful?" Faith stared at the snake in surprise and started laughing. The snake was only three or four feet long. Hardly large enough to swallow her and Xander. "I think you need a bigger snake." Glory tightened her choke hold. "Careful what you ask for, slayer." She glanced at her minions. "Call forth Sobek." Her followers formed a circle around the snake. They started chanting in Latin. At the end of the incantation, Glory spoke. "In nomen of primoris malum ego to order vos ut orior oriri ortus." (In the name of the First Evil I command you to rise.) Like a dark cloud, the snake's hood started to rise until it towered over the group of minions surrounding it. The snake's fork-like tongue flicked out. A muffled sob pulled Faith's attention away from the snake. She could see Xander staring wide eyed at the snake. He was curled up on his side in a fetal position. "Oh look. Your friend's awake; now the fun can begin," Glory announced. Her minions stepped aside. The snake lowered itself on its belly and slid towards Faith. A burst of white light appeared behind Glory's minions. Glory raised a forearm to cover her eyes. Faith kept her eyes open and could see three forms coming toward her through the light. The light faded, and Faith blinked in surprise to see Tara, Buffy, and Giles standing in Glory's bedroom. "No, Glory. Now the real fun can begin," Buffy announced, running a long sword through one minion's side. She turned and stabbed another in the heart with the short sword in her other hand. Giles threw a glass bottle at a group of minions rushing towards them. It landed at their feet and shattered, spilling a red liquid that quickly spread under their feet. The minions started vaporizing, their bodies turning into mush. Glory screamed in outrage. "Kill them!" she yelled. The axe buried in Faith's shoulder pulled free hovering in the air. "The witch," Glory ground out, her blue eyes landing on Tara. Glory glanced at the snake that had somehow wrapped itself around Xander's body. She pointed out the balcony doors. "Find the key," Glory commanded. The reptile slithered across the room out the balcony doors and vanished from sight. Faith pushed up off the floor, forcing Glory to stand. She bent her elbow, slamming it into Glory's ribs. Glory ducked, releasing her hold when the floating axe swung at her head. "Get out of the way, Faith!" Giles yelled. The watcher threw a red vial at Glory's feet. Faith dived out of the way. Like the wicked witch from the movie 'Oz,' Glory started melting into the magical quicksand. As her body evaporated, she glared at Tara. "I may need the key to bring about hell on earth, but I don't need it to send you there." She pointed a finger at the witch. "I condemn your soul to hell for all eternity." A strong gust of wind blew the balcony doors open. Tara reached out, grabbing onto a bed post as she was lifted into the air. She wrapped both arms around the bed post, struggling to hold on. Faith tried moving closer to Tara, fighting against the force of the wind that pushed her, Buffy, and Giles back but which blew Tara in the opposite direction. Above the howling wind, Faith could hear Glory shouting. "You can't defeat us! The Morning Star will reclaim what was stolen and all humanity will suffer!" Glory watched Tara clinging to the bed post. A maniacal laugh bubbled up from her throat. "Say goodbye to the witch." She taunted. The room flooded with a burst of white light. Glory sank further into the red liquid until only her head was visible. The demon closed it's eyes blinded by the light. A musical voice whispered, its echo carried on the wind for all of them to hear. "Have faith, Tara. I will always be with you." A peaceful look settled on Tara's face. Glory opened her mouth to scream. The sound was lost as her mouth was flooded with quicksand. Tara closed her eyes and let go of the bed post. "No!" Faith yelled. "Don't let go!" The slayer positioned herself at the entrance of the balcony, holding onto the door frame to remain upright. She jumped into the air, snagging Tara's fingers as she blew by her. "Let me go, Faith!" Tara yelled. Faith shook her head, not releasing her hold. "No!" The slayer yelled back. Faith looked past Tara and could see the source of the gusting wind. A vortex of fire whirled in the air. The flames consumed all in its path. Gone was the forest behind Glory's estate and every living thing in it. Faith returned her gaze to Tara. The two women locked eyes. Faith entwined her fingers with Tara's. She let go of the door grabbing Tara's other hand. With nothing to anchor them, they were snatched into the air. Faith and Tara could hear Buffy and Giles screaming their names as they were sucked into the fire.