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“So, where would our big beastie be heading?” Spike asked

“Educated guess? Los Angeles,” Wesley answered, “Pavayne hates you, so Los Angeles is where he’ll strike. Illyria, what is that thing he summoned?”

“Firestorm, a most powerful and feared dragon,” Illyria replied, “I believe that it is one of the most powerful dragons to ever soar the skies”

“Los Angeles we go to then,” Spike said, “Percy, do your hoodoo voodoo thing”

Wesley sighed and rolled his eyes, before muttering the incantation. A minute later, they were all back in the lobby of the Hyperion. Illyria took Elena upstairs to clean up and bandage her wound, as Lindsey and Wesley headed outside

“No signs of Firestorm,” Lindsey noted, “Must still be crossing the Atlantic”

“Don’t worry. He’ll be here soon,” Spike said, grabbing the Vorax from the cabinet, “And when he gets here, it’ll be party time”

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A portal opened up, which Pavayne and Firestorm flew into, coming out into a desolate, frozen wilderness. A forceful blizzard blew about, as Pavayne directed the dragon towards the frozen ground, where the ice statues were residing. However, these weren’t ordinary statues. They were holding cells for numerous demons, counting somewhere in the hundreds. Over the centuries, they had been sent here, frozen in time, awaiting for the return of Firestorm so they could reclaim their world from the humans

“It is time, Firestorm,” Pavayne grinned wickedly, “Unleash your army”

Firestorm reared back its head and let loose with a stream of flames that were reaching over a thousand degrees. The ice quickly started melting, as Firestorm hovered about, blasting fire onto the frozen demons, thawing them out. Within minutes, they started moving, rolling their shoulders and getting back in touch with their muscles that they hadn’t used for at least a millennium

“Followers of Firestorm,” Pavayne called, “It is time to reclaim your world. We shall begin in the City of Angel and from there, we’ll take back the world”

A portal opened up, which the demons were walking through, as a large portal opened up in the air. Firestorm flew towards this one, as Pavayne clung onto the dragon’s horns

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“How you feeling, Nibblet?” Spike asked gently

“Good,” Elena replied with a small smile, “Mommy fixed me up good”

Illyria smiled at her step-daughter, before ushering her out of the bathroom

“Has the dragon arrived yet?” she asked

“No sign of it yet,” Spike answered, pulling her into his arms, “On the other hand. What is the time?”

“It was about four last time I checked”

“So why is it suddenly dark?”

Spike and Illyria headed outside, seeing that the sun had been blocked by thick black clouds, as fireballs rained down from the sky. Then came the screaming

“Sodding hell, where we go,” Spike said, “Civilian rescuing time. Let’s go”

He headed inside and grabbed the Vorax sword, as Lindsey and Dracula grabbed their swords, Illyria put on her bandoliers of knives and Wesley cocked his shotgun

“I think we’re gonna need some help on this one,” Spike said, “Wesley, you’re the sorcerer. Go around and get help for us. Oh and we need someone to watch Elena”

“I know just the person. I’ll be back in a few,” Wesley said

He muttered an incantation and disappeared in a swirl of red magic

“Okay, Pavayne’s awakened a big dragon and he’s using it to end the world,” Spike said, “No doubt he’s got demons to help him out, so we’re in for a hell of a fight”

“Any helpful advice?” Lindsey asked

“Sure. If you go down, take one of them with you”

Spike whirled around and decapitated a demon, as more demons arrived at the Hyperion. Illyria took down two demons with throwing knives, as Lindsey and Dracula hacked and slashed through the demons, shredded bodies quickly surrounding them. A massive roar echoed throughout, as Wesley reappeared. This time, he had Angel, Cordelia, Connor, Buffy, Dawn, Faith, Oz and Lorne with him, all armed and ready, except for Lorne. His role was babysitting and after a few words, he was in the hotel with Elena

“So, William, what sort of trouble have you caused this time?” Angel asked

“The usual,” Spike replied, “Dragon, Reaper, end of the world”

“Good thing I’m here to save your ass”

“Hey, I didn’t ask you to come here”

“Ladies, if we can give it a break,” Faith said, “We’ve got demons to kill”

“We’ll split up,” Angel said, “Two to a team. Let’s go peoples”

He headed off with Cordelia, while Spike went off with Illyria. Oz joined Dracula, as Faith went with Wesley, Connor had Dawn by his side and Buffy sided with Lindsey. Soon, they were spread over Los Angeles, saving the civilians from demons of a variety of species, some having been forgotten over time and thought to be extinct

“Well, isn’t this nice?” Spike said, beheading a vampire, “Got a lot of demons here, a nice range to choose from, plus there is a dragon to take care of”

“Firestorm was very powerful back in my time,” Illyria said, “He was feared and respected. Made lots of enemies. Including myself. It took fifteen of us Old Ones to finally defeat Firestorm and put him away”

“Cheery to know. Unfortunately, we don’t have fifteen Old Ones to help us”

“No, but you have me, the only living being that defeated Firestorm”

“And I’m glad that you’re here,” Spike smiled, kissing her

“Spike, stop this and focus now,” Illyria said, before giving him a quick kiss

“And I was just starting to enjoy myself,” Spike said, giving her a fake pout

“There are demons coming right now”

Spike looked away towards the alley where about ten demons were standing, all wielding swords and looking generally unimpressed

“Didn’t like the show? Well, come along then, let’s have at it”

The demons rushed forth, as Spike and Illyria stood side by side. Spike deflected a sword and sliced the owner’s stomach open, as Illyria stabbed a demon in the throat, while stabbing a second demon in the stomach at the same time, then throwing a knife into a demon’s face. Spike split a demon in half, bringing his sword down and angling the cut to decapitate another demon. Twisting away from a sword, he dropped and slashed wide, severing the demon’s legs off, then impaling it through the throat when it landed. Illyria kicked a demon in the stomach, before slashing its throat open and carrying the move on to stab another demon through the mouth. Dropping the body aside, Illyria threw a knife into a demon sneaking up behind Spike, as he impaled a demon charging at her

“Looks like we made quite a mess, love,” Spike said, surveying their surroundings

“That we did,” Illyria agreed, pulling Spike close to her and kissing him

A shadow fell over the pair and they broke apart, looking up at the grinning face of Firestorm. It was perched between four buildings, its claws digging into the walls and dropping debris onto the road, as it leaned its head down towards the pair

“Illyria, is that you?” Firestorm asked

“It has been a while,” Illyria replied, “At least a few millenniums”

“And look at what happened to you. You now reside in the body of a filthy human, your power nowhere as strong as it used to be. I could crush you easily now”

“That may be, but I know your tricks, Firestorm. I have the knowledge that could defeat you. Also, I have a champion by my side”

“This lowlife?” Firestorm asked, gesturing to Spike, “Nothing but a common vampire. There’s no power there”

“I am holding the Vorax sword,” Spike suggested, “If that helps my case at all”

“Silence, filth! My battle is with Illyria here. And it’ll be a short one at that”

“Very well then,” Illyria said, “First strike, little dragon. And go”

Firestorm unleashed a torrent of flames upon Illyria

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