Ch.42

Faith was in charge of the New York slayers that used knives and short swords with ejectable wooden stakes from their sleeves. We took to the roofs and moved with cloaking and silencing spells on us all.

Buffy lead the pack with me at her side while Alice lead the mystics with Willow at her side. Tara and Giles were behind her with Andrew and Robin as backup. When we arrived it started raining as we watched Angel's group gather.

Buffy tapped my arm and nodded and we both jumped down to meet the group that gathered before us. Buffy had the slayer scythe in hand. "You pick a fight with this dimensions largest demonic power and you don't notify the worlds largest superpower to back your play?"

I stayed quiet and watched her intro. Angel and Spike were both surprised. "Buffy? How'd you get here? What are you doing here?"

She snorted. "You picked a fight with Wolfram and Hart and now they're pissed. They're activating their magic's right now to send all of LA to a hell dimension. You've fucked the city with your move."

Illyria moves in front of her. "We've stood tall to our would be conquerers."

I growled and Illyria looked my way while Buffy smirked. "I'd back away demon. He doesn't take to kindly to old ones getting close to me. And in a fight my money's on him. After all he's eaten two old ones before he ever had this power."

A blast sent Illyria stumbling back as Buffy sad. "A warning shot. Next time I tell him you're lunch."

Angel said. "Enough, we don't have time for games."

A roar rang out and I turned to see the horde coming our way as the spells were complete and the sky changed to an infinite blackness. I spoke for the first time since Buffy began. "We're in hell now. It's completed."

The hordes came out of everywhere facing our way. Buffy sighed. "Well so much for the intro. Guess time to get to work. Ry, time to let the beastie out. Kill all vampires not with us in this dimension and city."

I grunted and shifted into my vampire form as I felt them all then screeched. With the sound of my voice as it rang out all vampires everywhere held their heads as their skulls popped like balloons and they dusted.

I shifted back as my runic armor readjusted to fit my form. Buffy looked to Angel's group. "All vampires are dead except you and Spike in the city and this hell dimension or as far out as there is vampires."

Spike asked. "What the hell is that thing?"

Illyria spoke. "A god. It feels familiar, like blood and carnage and those days when it ran like rivers all across this world. Old and powerful like I once was."

I didn't retort but Buffy did. "It's time girls. You know your duties. If they want hell give it to them."

As if the rooftops came alive slayers came out from all directions and started sweeping outwards killing demons as they went. Buffy turned to me. "Go big and take out that dragon."

I growled and turned roaring as the slayers moved out of my path. I charged and shifted on the run into my giant wolf form. I leaped as I heard Gunn yell. "Jesus Christ, what the hell man?"

I caught the dragon mid air and pulled it down, crashing into a few buildings before I finally got my jaws around it's neck and tore it's head off. By the time the dragon was dead the battle had reached Buffy and the rest. I roared a primal roar of dominance and waited for the return of a challenger.

All the demons went quiet except the ones fighting and dying. Two hulking cyclops and a mountain troll returned my roar and I greeted them in battle. In moments they too were dead and I roared again. This time a creature is never seen before appeared, it was a worm like thing that burst out of the ground at me.

It couldn't pierce my skin though and soon joined the dead. It wreaked of pure demon power. I knew it was an inhabitant of those hell dimension from the fact that a pure demon like that would've been noticed on earth.

After the worm died and was torn to bits under my claws I returned to human form and teleported to Buffy's side. I waved my hand as fire burst out and turned all those in half a block to ash. Buffy nodded and I teleported to Faith's side and did the same there before going to Alice and juicing her with a fuck ton of my magic.

A blast wave rang out as the hordes in the back of us were wiped out from Alice's spell. She passed out and I teleported her to the hotel. I returned to Buffy's side and watched the slayers activate their wrist bands and slaughter the demons in their path.

I told Buffy. "Nothing stronger stands between us and our exit. Once the girls finish here they can sweep out like you ordered."

Buffy nodded and told Angel's group who were fighting their best but tired now except Illyria. "Back off and regroup, the slayers will handle everything else here. It's time we headed to command and talked."

Sh turned to Faith and told her. "Stay and take command in my absence. If you need help or something unexpected happens Ryan will appear. Be safe."

She tossed the scythe to Faith who caught it with a smile. Buffy looked at me and I teleported is all to the front of the hotel and sent out a blast wave killing the demons that were trying to get in. Buffy tossed Angel's group the talismans. "Wear these or you can't get inside."

They put them on while Illyria just stared at hers in curiosity before settling on saying. "A meat trinket no matter it's power."

I walked passed the barrier and Buffy followed. When Angel got his full group inside after Wesley had Illyria put the 'trinket' on Buffy told him as she sat down at the massive table that encompasses the room. "Welcome to command. Now I think it's time we catch up on things."

She looked at me and I sighed before turning to the battle weary Spike. I tossed him his Gem of Amara. "No more loosing it. Your smokes are in room nineteen. You've officially been kicked out of sanctuary for so long you're lucky to get that back."

He frowned. "What do you mean kicked out?"

I turned to Buffy who told him. "You all have been in Wolfram and Hart for the better part of a year. We waited for your immediate return and sent agents to watch in case you showed signs of wanting to do so. When they reported back you'd been working there you were deemed untrusted and kicked out."

She turned to Connor saying. "I'm sorry about Cordelia but since you remember again you'll forgive me if I don't trust you. Be that as it may, so long as you're willing to give up on your revenge we'll be allies. Ryan has given his word and will keep it if you act against us."

Angel tried saying. "Now just hold on a second-"

Buffy shook her head. "That's all that needs said on that matter. Now on to why we haven't been in contact. You've been in the heart of evil itself, soaking in it and with each day that passed we became unsure of your alignment. Alice saw you falling from champion of the light into all that darkness. She tells me you've signed away your chance at being human again as a reward and killed the guardian of the deeper well."

I growled now as Angel backed up. "Not a wise move. We've had to put slayers there to guard the entrance until a new guardian is appointed. It's weakened us elsewhere."

Gunn spoke up. "Y'all don't exactly scream weakness to me."

Buffy turned to him now. "That's because we knew what you were planning for three months and have been preparing. We have a command and safe zones all over LA. The humans have flocked to them on instinct and self preservation. We call each of these zones beacons. The hotel is guarded by magic's no old one could hope to contend with and even in their full power they couldn't scratch the paint. We have a portal out of LA in case we lose all ground and have to secede it to the demons."

She took a deep breathe and Angel commented. "Love what you did to the place. Looks nice."

Buffy broke out into a fit of laughter before saying. "It's good to see you Angel. I just wish you'd have informed us sooner of your plans with Wolfram and Hart. We've been scrambling to prepare it all because of your lack of notice."

I sighed as well now and tossed Wesley a flask and Spike a joint. They both caught them and indulged as they saw me sit beside Buffy now. "It's good to see you boys again as well. Fred, not so much."

Wesley explained. "It's -"

"Illyria now, I know. I remember those memories. Maloker enjoyed it's company as they partied with flaying of creatures and humans alike. They were enemies and allies for eons. I think at one point he tried mating with it."

Illyria tilted it's head before saying. "That's what you are then. One of his toys like Archaeus. He enjoyed tinkering inside creatures with his control of their fluid. He called them meat sacks full of joy."

I grimaced at the memory that hit me. "Not quite. He possessed a mortal much like you do now and raped a witch, or druid you could call it. He force fed her what was left of his body and his twins to make me something stronger so he could posses me later on in life."

"When it was time to collect his due he miscalculated and ended up too weak to take over. His brother, reborn in my subconscious fought with him for control as if he one the wolf would be consumed. They weakened each other and I trapped them in mental cages before eventually consuming them both on the edge between life and death."

I smirked. "I am all them and more now. All that remains of the evil that was them is their memories locked away. Their essence was purified and became my own as I ascended into godhood."

She smiled. "A pity, they'd enjoy the carnage around us. It's funny how these lesser creatures squeal and die like broken toys."

I nodded. "Clearly you see them like I see bringers. The First tried playing with me much the same."

The others except Buffy and Angel who were wrapped up in their own conversations, were listening to our banter. Illyria asked. "Are your changes because of your connection to them?"

I nodded. "I'm still his son after all no matter how much I loathe him."

It nodded before turning to Wesley. "Let's go have more fun outside. I want to see the creatures try to crawl away with no limbs, it'll be amusing."

I appeared before it and grabbed it by the throat as my face changed a little and I squeezed. "The only thing you know and understand is violence so let me make things clear to you Illyria, self proclaimed godking of the primordium. If you harm those slayers out there in any way, I'll rip out your essence and feast on it. Your feeble powers will serve to bolster my own as I feast on your dead and broken corpse."

It struggled in my grasp fro a minute before I released it saying. "And by the way, you may not feel it yet but Fred is still inside you. You were unsuccessful in destroying her soul with the hell-fires of your creation. I can feel her inside of you under all that you are. Unable to move or act. Immobile in her own form of hell."

Wesley paled ant the others heard me as well. Angel and Buffy went quiet at the show and Wesley finally asked. "Can you save her? Can you get it out?"

I shook my head. "Illyria's control is absolute for now but she will bleed through eventually and become like a dual personality. Alive but trapped with her."

I turned to Buffy. "The rod should work when she's awake and has some form of control."

Buffy nodded and Angel asked. "What rod?"

Buffy explained. "We killed a demon years ago that had this rod that could separate your consciousness from your subconscious into two different bodies. If either body dies though the other will as well."

Illyria rubbed it's neck before asking. "And this will make me purer?"

I nodded. "You'll be less human and more demon. Your body will physically look the same but you'll have access to far more of your powers or be able to hold more anyway. Something you should know though, I catch you trying to alter time and I'll shove you back together and back into your coffin."

"Don't think I don't know how. Maloker was one of the few who helped put your essence away when you died. Of course he ate your body with the rest as compensation but then you expected as much."

It huffed but nodded with a smile. "That means some of my energy is inside you as well."

I stiffened and shook my head. "You won't be able to retrieve it as it's apart of my genetic makeup. I'd kill you if you tried."

It shrugged. "Maybe if you did some day I'll just take your body instead. With my energy apart of your being it is a possibility after all."

I growled and Buffy's eyes went black before she lunges at the old one in my defense. I caught her saying. "Calm love. It would mean I'm already dead and will be reborn elsewhere. It doesn't mean it want's to kill me. If I die it can have my body as long as it swears fealty to you."

Buffy stilled and illyria smiled. "That I'm willing to do at the possibility to grow stronger than even my previous form. Old ones, powers that be, both are of the same race in the end. One fled and the other became corrupted by evil and mutated. But gods, they are a different beast all together. If I'd known I'd get a chance to inhabit a mortal gods body I'd have killed my old form sooner."

Illyria kneeled to Buffy. "I swear my allegiance and fealty till my end or yours if you swear his body is mine should he fall in battle but not by my hand."

Buffy moves and I knew it was Sineya inside and I helped give her form. Buffy's body changes with the glamour as Sineya looked at me and nodded before turning to Illyria. "Accepted demon. If my mate falls in battle you will wear his flesh and serve me until my death or yours. Know that you speak to the goddess within and not the flesh. If you betray me you will have no chance to ascend or if you do, you will be destroyed either way."

Illyria smiled and stood cutting her fleshy hand off and offering it to Sineya who took it and vanished with it. Buffy regained control of her body and said. "Whoah, head rush."

I waved a hand stand sent a powerful healing spell on Illyria that saw it's hand regrown. It looked to me and nodded before leaving with Wesley to rejoin the battle outside. Buffy said. "It's time we-"

I teleported away and arrived just in time to send the pure fire demon flying back into a building away from Xander and Faith. I waved a hand and healed all the injured slayers before tossing talismans towards them. "Heal up and regroup. I'll deal with this thing."

I shifted into my vampire form and flew towards the pure demon. I reached into it's essence and ripped it out before sealing it in a special jar. It's body turned to a burnt husk. The slayers in the area regrouped and charged back into battle.

I screeched and several pure demons responded. I teleported all around and killed them in moments before returning to the slayers who'd killed half a cities worth of demons. They were covered in blood and gore and even the wrist bands of several were damaged from the intense battle.with a thought I burned all the demons for several blocks before saying in all their minds. (Return to command)

I stayed next to Faith as we made our way back. I activated the beacons second effect and all that ground they'd taken was instantly and repeatedly purified. Over the course of an hour as we returned, half the city became holy ground as demons felt agony to touch it.

When we got back to the hotel where Buffy waited I reported in. "Half the city is ours now. There were pure demons trying to fight them for territory, I fear there's at least several pure demon lords behind them. They're not as powerful as old ones but they'd kill Illyria as it is now. The pure demons it can handle but lords? Not a chance. I need to repair the girls weapons and armor before the second phase can be completed."

Buffy nodded. "Xander wake Alice and give her the blue amulet. We need to work fast and act faster. If the demon lords solidify their territory each battle will become a war all its own. Willow, Tara, I know you're tired but we'll need your help. Giles, rest for now and switch with them when they get too tired. Slayers, rest, eat and sharpen your blades."

That was all the slayers needed to hear before they dropped all their weapons and gear in front of me in a pile before heading to the hotel rooms to grab some showers and grub. A few might even actually sleep.

I began with cleaning and repairing the physical problems with their gear before moving onto the magical problems. That's where it would take the most time as I had to respell the wristbands and armor. Every single spell has to be rewoven from scratch with new foci put in.

Wesley and Illyria returned not long after that with frowns on their faces. The demons they'd found were in agony on the ground already as they were caught in the purification process. They'd killed them of course but came back to find out what had happened.

I apologized to Buffy for teleporting our like that and received a kiss before she and Faith went to let off steam together. Alice was still sleeping and I told Xander that since he couldn't wake her not to try again. She'd did a fairly big spell that'd killed a lot of demons and she'd be tired after that even if she were Willow's equal.

Xander was much more wild from his time in Africa and very tan as well. He and his slayers he'd managed to gather there had to fight off more than demons, they had to fight human warlords who'd kill and rape the girls if they ever got the chance. The term bush wife had described more than a few of them it was sad to say.

They were vengeance incarnate now and more besides. They slaughtered warlords and demons alike both liberating villages and preventing children to be taken in the night and eaten. He'd actually asked me to look into the vampire problem in Africa once as it was severely bad there. The wars meant blood and blood meant vampires ran rampant. The forests protected them along with the caves and occasional huts.

I'd taken one look at Africa and nearly told him to abandon hope. It wasn't just thousands of vampires but demons as well. Africa was home to it's own hellmouth's and they were very active by demon standards.

The slayers assigned time them were doing their best but there was an entire network of underground caves throughout most of Africa from the feel of it and most of those were full of demons of all kinds. I'd done Xander a favor and wiped out the vampires there but as soon as I did my own vampire form weakened.

It seemed I'm as connected to them as Sineya is to slayers. Buffy wasn't happy about it but she didn't complain that all the vamps were dead there either. A city meant very little compared to an entire continent I'd wiped out of all vampires. When I finally finished the repairs I joined Buffy and Faith in the bedroom.

When they'd had all they could take without being bed bound for a day they fell asleep for a few hours and I grabbed a shower before laying out all the repaired stuff in the girls rooms. They'd get them when they woke up or got out of their showers.

When I finished that I felt a massive presence more than most demons were possible of comprehending feeling out, searching for what was causing the holy grounds in a hell dimension. Just beyond those barriers that held LA in this dimension lay hordes of demons trying to enter the holy grounds and dying or weakening rapidly. When that failed others still, entered the other side.

I hid my presence and masked Illyria's as well. She, like me, felt the presence and was staring off into the ceiling. It couldn't get in anyway but it could feel out what was inside that was weaker than itself. It felt Illyria but only at the strength of a weak demon.

It felt Spike and Angel as well so there was no reason for it to linger on her. It felt and thought I was a warlock along with Willow and the rest. They too felt it but were more than a little weary until they saw my smirk. When it felt the slayers it was shocked but not frightened.

When it withdrew I felt it searching out for the beacons. Sighing I told Willow. "Rest times over. Wake everyone up. It's time to move or we'll lose LA. That was one of a few pure demon lords I've felt around. It's strong in magic unlike the others which is why it could feel us out like that."

Wesley asked. "Why didn't it react to you then?"

I smirked. "It can only feel me out if I let it. I purposely hid and made him think Illyria a minor demon to not alert them of our full power. If they knew I was here they'd call for backup and while I'm strong and would eventually survive and kill them all, you all would be long dead by the time I could do so."

We're in a hell dimension where they have the home field. With any luck we get the last two beacons lit and the spire will activate and shatter the barrier keeping LA in this place. It'll return to earth where it naturally belongs and us along with it."

Willow went around waking all the grumpy slayers up while I woke Buffy and Faith up. Alice was still out of it so I told Kennedy to keep an eye on her while everyone was out. The slayers gathered, wearing their armor and ready for nap time by the looks of it.

Sighing I told them. "The pure demon lords have shown themselves. Four have come and they intend to stay. I can take them on but the pure demons under their control will be yours to battle. The hordes as well until I've finished with the lords. Illyria can help and even easily kill pure demons beside you. Your weapons and armor are repaired and at full power. But I must warn you, if we don't act now they'll strike out at the beacons and if even one falls we'll be forced to retreat. LA will be lost to us as the rest will fall moments after."

My voice carried dread and anger through the slayers waking them fully. I turned to Buffy as she told them. "Xander, yours and Faith's squads will work to take the north of LA. I'll take the west with Angel and his team. Giles and Willow's group is with me, you get the rest and Faith takes the scythe. Hopefully we can end all this now. If even one demon lord calls for backup before we're done we're screwed and we'll have to evacuate all the humans we can before LA is over run."

She looked over the crowd and asked. "Any questions?"

When no one asked she told me. "Take the fight outside the barrier. We can't risk beings of that level fighting inside a city full of humans."

I nodded. "Be safe. If you, Faith or Alice get badly injured I'll abandon LA and the fight to protect you."

She knew my threat was real and Angel must've sensed it as well because he said. "People die, we loose people all the time, you can't just-"

I grabbed him by the throat and squeezed. "I can and I will. I'm not human or even morally good. I don't care about humans and their petty wants and needs. I care about my mates. If they're injured I'll take the slayers and as many humans with us as I can and abandon this city to the hell dimension. If you'd like you can stay here as well for all I care. No one and nothing is more important to me than them."

Buffy grabbed my arm saying. "Enough. He gets it."

I dropped the vampire that was looking at me in a new light. Illyria told him. "He's a god, like old ones and other higher beings he doesn't care about humans or anything below him. He cares about what he has and nothing more. It is foolish to sway a god to your whims. They are like the tides or the breeze. They move where and how they want."

I ignored them and told Buffy. "I'm going. Begin whenever you see the sparkling dome. It means I've passed through to the hell dimension and the demon lords will be with me."

She nodded and I teleported away. I found the demon lords gathered at the edge of the barrier where the taint was repelled by the purified ground. Crossing over the barrier reacted to my presence and rippled, sparkling like a night sky. I immediately attacked the demon lords giving no quarter.

Their minions tried to intercept me but were killed instantly except two females. Both were unique as one tried to suck the life from me magically. I ripped her head off and took that power from her demon essence as I took that as well.

The other screamed and attacked trying to control my mind. I brushed off her attempt and ripped her in half. Then I advanced on the demon lords. With a thought a barrier of power formed around us as they were now trapped inside with me. The magic user tried to break it but failed then looked towards me and screeched. "Godling!"

I smirked and made a sword of fire. Then the battle truly began. One was a giant spider demon, another a centipede and the other two were more humanoid but still the size of Mack trucks. The magic user made them more resistant and an annoyance but after ten minutes he was too dead to be of use anymore.

I stored his essence and moved to the other three. The spider demon was a right pain in the ass as every time I went to kill it the centipede would block me with its armored hide. The spider would them spit acid web juice that stuck me to the ground and again the centipede would block as soon as I was free.

Finally I got tired and just ripped the centipede demons armored hide off and tore it in half before taking it's essence. The spider was next in a blur of motion it lost it's legs. Then it's head was smashed in and essence all mine. The last demon lord barely fit the bill as it was the weakest of them all.

It was a red, horned and humanoid demon that was simply big and pure demon with a resistance for magic's and strength exceeding other regular pure demons. I ripped it apart and stored it's essence with the rest before sending out a blast wave of power into the hell realm, killing millions of demons in a brilliant fiery explosion that imploded at the end sucking up all that demonic essence.

I stored it all then went inside the barrier and moved like the wind itself, slaughtering demons by the thousands in my wake. When I got to where Xander and Faith were fighting several pure demons with the slayers I moved and sent piercing magic pillars through the demons.

I told the slayers and Xander. "We're done here move quickly. I'll take out the rest of the pure demons but the regular demons are out to you. Catch up and back up Buffy's group."

I moved to the west side and appeared in a blur beside Buffy, killing the pure blood demons with the last of my mental strength. I stored their essence before telling them. "These are the last of them. Xander's group is coming to back you up, I'm out magically but I can fight physically. Teleporting is out of the question now."

My haggard appearance showed I wasn't kidding. I'd wiped out the demons surrounding the city and another fourth besides along with killing the demon lords. While it sounds easy for a god, technically I'm a god of nature in a stone city in a hell realm where nothing grows and fire burns all around.

There's nothing to stabilize or replenish my strength. There's no vampires here as well and all the werewolves sensed the spells Wolfram and Hart were casting and fled. I had nothing to draw strength from and my magic while strong is not limitless. What's worse the spells I cast to repair all their stuff required vast amounts as well.

Beating up beings with impunity and super strength added on wasn't exactly lite on magic. Not to mention half the damn demons I've killed were either spelled or naturally resistant to magic so it took more to do so.

My head pounded as I fought beside Buffy and Giles. My nose was bleeding from the overuse of mental expenditures while I was still maintaining spells we needed to turn the tides. I just hope no demon lords came running to investigate the massive explosion I caused.

Xander and his group had managed to get on the other side of the demon horde and we were now making serious headway. I got tired of waiting and simply grabbed stop signs, slinging them at demons. They tore through them like a shredder as large swaths if demons fell headless or cut in half.

I did so at faster and faster paced until I began to feel something I never thought possible, physically exhausted. Without nature and magic to bolster and feed my body it seems I can run out of steam.

One last throw, this time a highway sign, I threw it with the last of my strength. It mowed down hundreds of demons and I leaned against the side of the road I'd taken it from. The demons were pushed back to nearly the city limits as three hundred slayers and a pissed off old one tore through them like papier-mâché.

When the demons finally saw they were all going to die they fled through the barrier. Buffy yelled. "Now!"

I sent a pulse of magic that activated the final two beacons and the spire. The beacons sent out pulses of magic purifying the rest of the city. I heard Angel ask for one more talisman for a demon he knows.

I saw the green demon not far away killing a few of the downed demons. I nodded weakly and Buffy gave it to him saying. "You'd better hurry, once it's fully activated any demon not wearing a talisman will be vaporized."

Angel ran towards Lorne and I felt the presence of another demon lord coming. I screamed. "Willow! Activate plan C now!"

She didn't hesitate as she and the rest of the coven pooled their power and through up a barrier where the demon lord was, trapping it inside. Angel barely made it in time and Lorne was still confused as to why he put the necklace on him.

A bright light came all around and I told Willow. "Release the spell. If you hold it the distance will kill you!"

They all let go of the spell like it was a plague and the spire fired a beam of light at the barrier. It cracked and shattered. In the blink of an eye the sky returned and the spire shut off. LA was back on earth and we'd won a battle but not the war.

Wolfram and Hart would not be pleased but with the entire city now a demon free zone they couldn't do anything about that. The beacons would stay and protect the city keeping it always pure as LA was officially no longer a hellmouth.

I leaned and finally sat down where I was now panting. "Sorry guys, but you'll have to live with a little rain. I need to regain some strength!"

As if the Niagara Falls were unleashed pure magic was pulled to me like a whirlpool. Vast amounts that would see the city raining for a couple weeks. I breathed it in as I passed out. The sensation overloaded my senses and my consciousness passed out in ecstasy.

I woke up feeling much better in the hotel a few hours later. It was storming outside like never before but it wasn't a hell dimension so no one was complaining. Most of the slayers had went back to the compound to rest while Buffy and the scoobies remained till I awoke.

When I did so I told Angel and his crew. "The beacons and don't just turn off. They're active always. LA is no longer a demon zone nor is it connected to other dimensions anymore. It's no longer a basic hellmouth. Demons can't stay here without agony and eventual death. The stronger the demon the quicker they die."

Angel asked. "What about Wolfram and Hart, they have humans working for them as well."

I shook my head. "You're still not getting it. When the spire activated it severed all connections to the demon dimensions in this city. All their contracts for souls were destroyed in that blast. They own no humans in LA. No demon contracts will work here either. It would take a pure demon lord to destroy a beacon and they'd have to sacrifice themself to do so. Now that we're on earth the final part of the spire and beacons activated. They're beyond perception. No being high or low can find them again so no being high or low can destroy them. LA is a permanent human and Wicca paradise. The magic is pure here as well so no demonic taint can hurt them."

They were all stunned and Wesley asked. "What you're saying is all the contracts and souls Wolfram and Hart has on file here in LA-"

I finished with a nod. "Are destroyed and the souls freed. No further contract can work on these grounds. If a human with a demon contract comes to LA it'll be destroyed by the spire's power. Humans are truly free here. An eden of sorts."

I turned to Buffy. "I found those bots I programmed during the last battle. I saw them destroyed by a regular demon lord. Magic ran out so they were practically defenseless. On the bright side that means Pylea is demon free."

Lorne paled. "What'd you say?"

I shrugged. "I heard demons were using humans as slaves there so I programmed and magically altered two sex bots a jackass made, one was for Spike FYI, and sent them on a search and destroy mission. They'd free the humans and kill all demons in Pylea. Why? You have friends there?"

He didn't look at me instead he said. "I need a drink or twenty."

He headed to the back office they must've kept stocked with alcohol. Angel finally told us. "He was from Pylea, he had family there."

I shrugged. "Sucks to be him. I'd still have done it either way. Buffy, Faith and Alice are human for the most part so protecting them is my priority. Tell him if he wants a better drink the flasks in room 420 are full of a demon fire liquor Willow found in Peru. I liked it but seeing as how he deserves it they can be left here for him."

I turned to Buffy who nodded. "We've said our goodbyes already. It's time to go."

I smiled and waved a hand, shattering the portal door. Xander asked. "How are we supposed to-"

One mass teleport later. "-get home if you break our- never mind."

I chuckled and told Buffy. "We were only gone a day in the hell dimension but it's been a few minutes here. All major operations are already suspended but I gotta say, even I could use some rest after that one."