The Followers of the Path

By: Bubbajack

Beta: IcySnowSage

Disclaimer: I do not own BtVS, DnD, Pathfinder, or any other game mechanic based work that makes it into this fic. Be they LN, Anime, or Korean Comic of some sort.

Ch.2: The Dungeon and the Don.

~FotP~

Just like he assumed The Path woke him up bright and early at the crack of dawn and after getting dressed in sweats he headed downstairs to get himself something to eat. He was surprised when he smelt breakfast already cooking on the stove. Poking his head around the corner he found Janna was already up and making eggs and sausage. "Hey you're up early Jan."

The Romani woman smiled at him as she spoke, "Hello Alex, and actually I usually get up around this time in the morning. As a teacher, I'm expected to be at school earlier than my students. I need to boot up all the computers and such. So you getting up early to go for your morning run is a good thing actually."

"Huh, guess so," Xander said as he set the table for two and set a plate by Janna so Cavall could get his portion.

As Xander sat at the table, not wanting to get in Janna's way, Cavall dragged himself into the kitchen his tail drooping. Yawning as he made his way to his water bowl he said, "Mornin' Mum, morning Alpha. Wot's for breakfast?"

"Eggs and sausage Cavall," Janna said placing Cavall's share of the food on the ground for him and the rest on the table for herself and Xander.

"Nice. Could use some tea, toast, and black pudding though, for a proper English breakfast Mum."

Janna just smiled and shook her head, "I'm not English Cavall… and how do you even know what a proper English breakfast is?"

"I couldn't sleep last night so I got up and watched the tellie, ended up on the food channel," Cavall explained as he trotted over to his food.

"See anything good on there last night?" Xander asked conversationally.

"Steaks," Cavall replied as he dug into his food for a bit. "Lot's of steaks. Makes me wanna go to Texas and NYC."

Xander chuckled a bit before he dug into his own meal. "Well, it's not like we're lacking in funds. We could certainly afford a couple of first class plane tickets and fly down to New York for the day sometime. It'd be nice to get some training done off the Hellmouth if I'm being honest. As long as we're here, we're at a disadvantage."

Janna nodded at her… ward she supposed for the time being, had a point. "True, being in Sunnydale means we need to try twice as hard to level up. Were we to get out of the range of its influence, we could level up faster."

Xander nodded solemnly as he ate his meal. "Yeah but from what I gathered from last year, things usually stay pretty hectic around here until summer, and even then, they don't settle down completely."

Janna nodded. "I noticed as much myself. So a summer vacation of leveling off the Hellmouth… sounds intriguing… provided you'll still be staying here of course."

A sudden tension filled the air, but only for a moment at Janna's final words. Xander looked down for a moment before he smiled. "I'm certainly considering staying yeah."

The Romani blinked surprised, "A-Are you really?"

"Yeah, I thought about it and you're… you're right. My parents don't treat me right, do they?"

Janna shook her head. "No Alex they don't. You don't deserve the verbal abuse you've had to put up with from them."

The teen tapped his chest as his reply. "I know that here," Then he tapped his head, "I just don't know it here, yet."

Janna patted Alexander on the arm comfortingly. "Don't worry Alex, you just need time."

The teen nodded. "Well, I've got plenty of that… and you're sure you don't mind me sticking around?"

"Perish the thought!" Janna told him with just a bit of force. "I'd like you… to think of this place as your home. But barring that, at least be able to think of it as your home away from home."

Xander gave a small smile. "Home huh? Sounds nice," He turned to Cavall, "Wanna join me on my morning run buddy?"

"Sure why not?" The dog said as he stretched, "My legs could use as stretch."

"It's a six mile run," Xander warned. "Three miles both ways."

"I'm no old dog," Cavall barked, affronted. "Now let's go!"

Cavall raced to the door and looked back at Xander, his tail wagging in expectation.

"Well, I'd best not keep him waiting, do you want me to put my things in the dishwasher before I go or?"

"I'll handle it don't worry," Janna told him with warmth and kindness coloring her tone.

"Right, let's go boy," Xander said grabbing a jacket as he headed for the door.

~FotP~

Xander stopped and turned around when The Path informed him he'd reached the halfway point in his daily run. Cavall was right beside him panting a bit. "Sure you're up for this?"

"Shut yer gob," The Cayhound snapped, "I'ma fine, I'ma fine! Just need a moment to catch my breath is all."

"Sure thing buddy," Xander said with a bit of a smirk on his face.

"Shut up. Try and keep up wit me why don'cha!" The Caypup said as he ran off.

Xander just shook his head as he ran off after the stubborn dog.

By the time they arrived back at the house, Cavall's tail was drooping and he was moving at a slow trot. "Too much?" Xander said as he opened the door for his canine friend.

"Nah, I just… just need to get used to it is all," The copper red hound made his way over to his water bowl and gulped half of it down before letting out a satisfied sigh. "Ahh, now that's better."

"I'm gonna go shower and get ready for school when I come back down, I'll turn the tv on for you."

"Don't worry mate, I got it covered," Cavall told him, pushing the power button with his paw and doing the same to flip through channels.

"Smart dog," Xander said with a smirk as he headed towards the stairs.

"Yeah, fuck you too pal!" Cavall barked after him with no heat in his tone, causing Xander to laugh as he trudged up the stairs to get ready for his obligatory eight hours of hell for five days a week.

~FopT~

Arriving at school on time from Janna's place was a bit tricky. Xander actually had to use the Map function in his Journal just so he could find his way and arrive on time. But arrive he did, and just in time to see someone he'd never noticed before heading towards the doors. Seeing that he looked lost, he stopped and said, "Hey man, you lost? Can I help you?"

The guy in question turned around, and smiled at him disarmingly. He reminded Xander of himself dark-brown hair, brown eyes, and tall. He had that thing Cordelia kept telling him he lacked, what was it again? Ah, fashion sense. That was it. He was wearing an orange shirt and khaki pants, that looked good with his kicks.

"Yeah, I was looking for a girl who used to go to my old school? Buffy Summers. Do you happen to know her?"

'A friend from Buffy's old school? From LA? Well, I mean… it's entirely possible right? Since he's not on fire right now he's clearly not a vamp so…' Xander decided to give this guy the benefit of the doubt. "I know her yeah, follow me… uh?"

"Sorry, Billy, Billy Fordham, but everybody calls me Ford," He held a hand out for Xander to shake which he did.

"Nice to meet you Ford. I'm Xander and yeah Buffy likes to hang out in the library, it's nice and quiet. It's this way dude, follow me."

Leading him past the quad, Xander questioned, "So you just coming for a visit?"

"I'm moving here actually," Ford's reply startled Xander though it didn't show on his face, not that Ford could see it, being a step or two behind him.

"Really? I gotta say, you might wanna rethink that man."

Xander could practically hear the frown in the other boy's tone when he asked, "Really? Why's that?"

"Sunnydale is nice enough, but it has a serious gang and drug problem. Gangs on PCP roam the streets at night looking for their next fix, and if you're not careful, you could get busted up if you're lucky… if you're not, you might just end up in a morgue."

Ford chuckled awkwardly, "Are you punking the new guy or something man?"

Xander stopped and turned looking Ford dead in the eye. He then shook his head. "No, no I'm not. This place gets dangerous after the sun goes down Ford. For your own sake, and Buffy's please, be careful."

Ford nodded taking Xander's warning seriously. "Right, thanks for the heads up Xander. But if its so dangerous around here, then why stay?"

Xander turned and kept walking for a time before he replied. "Everyone has their reasons I suppose. Mine is, I lost my best friend and brother to the gangs… and I'm not going anywhere until I get payback."

"... Damn, sorry dude," Ford said after a moment.

"It's all good, we're here," Xander motioned into the library.

As he walked in he was immediately noticed by the Slayer due to his Hawaiian shirt. "Hey Xander! It's been awhile Willow and I were starting to think you'd… Who's that… Ford!?"

"Hey Buffy," Ford gave her a little wave, "Been a minute huh?"

As the Slayer ran to greet her old friend from Los Angeles and Willow more timidly made her way over to introduce herself, Xander had his attention drawn by the Librarian/Watcher who was motioning him over. "Sup Gman? All good on the slayage front without me?"

"Yes, all's well done and dusted," Giles said as he polished his glasses, before motioning to his office. "Do you mind too terribly if we speak in my office for a moment Xander?"

"Is this about my parents Gman?" Xander asked cutting to the point.

"I… yes." Giles abruptly admitted.

Xander sighed. "Fine, but let's make it quick yeah? First period starts soon."

"Quite," The Watcher said opening his door and allowing Xander in first before following after him and shutting the door behind him. Seeing Xander just standing there he motioned for him to sit down, "Do have a seat. Tea, biscuit?"

Sitting down, Xander asked. "Biscuit means cookie right?"

"Yes," Giles replied handing the teen a tin with English Sugar cookies in it. Xander took one.

An awkward air lingered in the room. "Gman, if you've got something to say, just say it."

Giles sighed. "I just wish you would've come to me Xander. I could've… I could've helped."

Xander shrugged. "It's cool man, you've kinda got your own baggage to deal with. It's called Buffy."

Giles sheepishly admitted. "She can be… challenging at times but…"

"She's a teenage girl with super strength, agility, and innate fighting skills Giles. And it's your job to basically teach her everything she needs to know, when she wants nothing to do with this gig while simultaneously being a surrogate father figure for her. It's a tough job I get it."

Giles blinked owlishly at Xander's explanation. "You are… very astute Xander. More than I've ever given you credit for. And for that I apologize. I also apologize for not noticing the signs of abuse sooner. Please if there is anything I can do to make up for this oversight do let me know."

Xander shrugged as he replied, "I stopped viewing Tony as my dad years ago Gman. He's just someone I needed to put up with until I turn eighteen… then him and Jessica would probably kick me out of the house."

Giles frowned. "About your living arrangements with Mrs. Calendar. How is that working out?"

The teen cocked his head to the side. "Jenny? She's great. I've got my own room and it isn't in the basement next to all the Christmas stuff."

"I… I see well that's a relief," What Xander couldn't see was that beneath the desk, Giles was clenching his fist so hard it had turned white.

"Yeah now I have a room that gets actual sunlight which is nice, oh, and I'm not living off of frozen meals either. Jenny actually cooks, that's a plus."

"I'm sure it is," It was taking all of Giles' self control not to let Ripper out and plan the Harris' demise. He had more than enough ammunition to do so and plenty of means. But that was a slippery slope, it had been so very long ago since he walked that dark path. His recent brush with Ethan notwithstanding. He dare not go down it again.

'But it would be so bloody easy mate,' A sly voice in his head said. 'Just an inhibition lowering hex on the house, let em get sauced like they usually do, and sit back and watch the fireworks. The Police'll label it a crime of passion. Murder-suicide while under the influence and then, yer boy'll be safe.'

Giles did his best to ignore Ripper in the back of his head. He wasn't that person anymore. He stopped dabbling in dark magic a long time ago.

'Oh you did more than dabble and we both know it Gman,' Ripper taunted him. 'That mark you keep hidden on your arm is proof innit?'

"Giles," Xander said concerned to the point of using his actual name. "Are you okay man?"

The Watcher snapped himself out of his daze. "Hmm, yes I'm perfectly fine, thank you, Xander."

Xander let his gaze wander around the office while Giles collected himself. His eyes landed on the broken remains of a marble bust. Sitting on top of a filing cabinet.

"Side Quest: Retrieve and Repair the Bust of Janus.

Reward: 200EXP, Divine Favor

Failure: No EXP, no Divine Favor."

Xaner blinked. He knew something was going on now,"Gman, what's with the broken statue?"

"Hmm, oh, that," The Watcher said with distaste. "It's a bust of the Roman god Janus. Ethan Rayne used it to summon an aspect of his power halloween night, that of Chaos."

"Ah… is that all Janus represents? Chaos?"

"Um no, he's a god of duality so peace and war, winter and summer, fall and spring, good, evil light, and dark, chaos and law thing like that fall under his domain. Some also consider him a god of portals as he represented doors, coming and going to the Romans."

"Wow, big portfolio," Xander noted.

"Indeed, why do you ask?" Giles interest in Xanders sudden interest in a more obscure Roman God wasn't lost.

"Curiosity mostly, plus I kinda wanna see if I can repair it," Xander admitted going for the direct approach.

Giles blinked "Repair it, whatever for?"

"Jenny told me I'm an experiential learner not a formal one. That I learn by doing. So I guess this is just another way for me to learn something? I know its weird but…" He shrugged. "It'll give me something to do honestly besides homework."

Giles thought about it. 'Well, it's not like Xander is a wizard or any other type of magic user. So what's the harm?' Clearing his throat he said, "I don't see why not. Swing by after school and I'll give you the pieces alright?"

Xander smiled. "Thanks Gman."

The bell rang, and Xander stood up, "Gotta go man."

"Goodbye Xander."

The teen stopped at the door shortly to say, "Like I said earlier, I haven't considered Tony my dad for years now. But around the start of school last year, I found someone I look up to like a dad. Even if he is a bit of a stiff."

Giles was puzzled, "What do you… Me?!"

The Englishman never got an answer, as Xander had already left.

~FotP~

"So I had a chat with Gman before class today," Xander began as he and Janna had lunch in the computer room like they usually did. They were eating leftovers from the other night. Not that Xander cared. Even reheated, it tasted a thousand times better than any of the slop the school served or any Hungry Man dinner he'd ever had. "He's letting me have the broken shards of the bust of Janus which is a side quest apparently."

Janna nodded as she picked at her goulash. "I got the notification… is that all you talked about?"

"He brought up my former home situation too," The teen admitted with an annoyed sigh, "It was a little awkward, but we got through it."

"Well, at least you know other people care Alex."

"Yeah, I guess. It's just a bit weird you know? I'm used to them all ignoring my very existence now they're giving me all these encouraging smiles and stuff… it's a tad creepy."

Janna rolled her eyes. "We're people you know, not just machines that dole out boring knowledge?"

"Really? No way! Le gasp!"

"Shut up and finish your lunch, it's almost time for the bell, and I know you have a book report due in a week for history class by the way," Janna gave him a sharp knowing look, "What are you going to do it on?"

"I was considering the effects of World War II and the effects it had on the Romani people? What?" He asked upon seeing her surprised look. "We're living together Jan, I'd be a real idiot if I didn't try and take advantage of that on occasion."

"Your Wisdom stat really is doing wonders for you Alex," bemused Janna

Xander chuckled at her blunt statement, "Yeah, the increased Int helps too."

A knock came at the door to the computer lab and Janna put on her 'teacher face' before she called out to the person at the door, "Come in."

A student entered, he was someone Xander had interacted with rarely. Someone he saved twice. Once from 'Mrs. French' and from Ampheta, Jonathan Levinson. He was a tad awkward like Xander himself, but he tried to be more social. He kept trying, and failing, to get in with the popular crowd. Xander had to admire his persistence and tenacity though.

"Hi, Mrs. Calendar? I wanted to ask you about the assignment from the other day?" Johnathan said awkwardly.

Janna smiled encouragingly, "Of course Mr. Levinson, what seems to be the problem?"

Johnathan noticed Xander, "Oh, hey Harris, you serving lunch detention or something man? I knew you were a rebel, but not that much of one. Especially with Ms. Calendar I thought of all people it would have been Snyder."

Xander laughed when he heard that. "Nah man, I'm not in trouble or anything, I just enjoy eating in here, it's quieter. And I'm trying to win Ms. Calendar over with my charms," he stage whispered.

"It's not working," Janna whispered back, causing the three of them to laugh.

"Seriously though, I owe you like twice over Harris," Johnathan said his tone shifting to a more serious note.

"What for man?"

Johnathan looked at Xander like he'd grown a second head. "Um for saving me from having my head bitten off by a giant mantis and then a soul sucking zombie chick?"

Xander's eyes widened. "Oh, you actually remember that?"

"Dude, something tried to kill me, twice! Of course I fucking remember it… sorry ma'am," He said apologizing to his computer teacher.

Janna blinked. "It's… it's quite alright Mr. Levinson. Alex and myself are just surprised. It's just most people here in Sunnydale choose to forget their encounters with the supernatural."

Johnathan shook his head, "Not me. I lost too many friends over the years. All of them get labeled as runaways or troubled youths Rodney Munson… he loved his folks. He'd never run away from home. I think the zombie chick did him in."

'Ampata…' Xander thought to himself. "I think she was his first victim, and the reason she was released in the first place. He was fooling around near the exhibit and broke her seal."

Johnathan sighed, "Yeah sounds like Rod, he always was goofing off. So is this the part where you threaten me to keep silent or else? Leaving the or else up to my imagination?"

Xander and Janna chuckled. "No," Janna said, "The good guys don't usually do such things."

"Well considering your not working within the law but outside of it, the best you can be is Neutral Good, maybe Chaotic Good. So, meh?" Johanthan said while shaking his hand from side to side.

"Chaotic Good is my alignment if I had to pick one... So, you like Dungeons and Dragons huh?" Xander said with a mischievous smile on his face. An idea began to form is his mind.

The teen nodded. "I mained a Cleric of Illmater before everyone in my group… mysteriously kept disappearing."

"How would you like to join our DnD group John?"

Jonathan smiled a thousand watt smile. "Seriously? I'd love to join in! What campaign are you doing?!"

'Send party Invite,' Xander thought as he replied, "The biggest one of all Jon, the game of life."

"What the… oh dude, no friggin' way!" Jonathan's eyes bugged out as he stared at the screen in front of him.

"Party Invite: Welcome Johnathan Leroy Levinson. You have been formally invited by the [Player] to join the Open World Roleplaying Game known as The Path. Do you accept?

Yes/No?"

"Yes, friggin' way," Xander confirmed. "So whaddya say Jon, you up for this?"

Jonathan looked from the screen back to Xander, "Why are you offering this to me? Why not Rosenberg or Summers? Assuming you already haven't of course."

"We haven't," Janna affirmed. "Though I'm curious too, why make this offer Xander?"

Xander took a breath. "Well, because your a lot like me Jon. Can I call you that?" Getting a silent nod, he continued, "I too have lost people to the things in this town. Only, I decided to fight back. I didn't care if I was weak and they were strong. I was gonna take as many of these bastards with me as I could before they took me down. I'm offering you the chance to do the same, without the near suicidal tendencies. You can finally get back at these bastards for all the friends you've lost with this! So, Jonathan… are with me?"

Jonathan stared at the screen for just a moment more before he said, "Hell yeah."

'Party stats,' Xander thought to himself.

Name: Johnathan Levinson

Race: Human (Male)

Level: 1

EXP: 0/2000

Class: Cleric (1)

Domain: Endurance, Healing (Resurrection)

Feats:

Stats:

STR: 10 bonus of +1

DEX: 14 bonus of +2

CON: 9 bonus of -1

INT: 14(-2) bonus of +3

WIS: 18(-2) bonus of +4

CHA: 14(-2) bonus of +2

HP: 128

Mana: 150

Movement Speed: 14 ft per sec.

Carrying Capacity: 50kg/110lbs

AC: 12

Base Attack Bonus: +0

Fortitude Save: +1

Reflex Save: +0

Will Save: +1

"Okay, well besides the lower than average Con score I don't really see a problem here." Xander noted.

"I'm anemic and have asthma. So that's probably why," Jonathan said mostly to himself happy at his stats but said that his poor health affected them.

"Yeah… um far be it from me to tell you what to do, but maybe when you get to level four dude…" Xander trailed off.

Jonathan nodded. "Putting an attribute point into Con."

Just then, the bell signalling the end of lunch rang. Xander looked sadly at his unfinished food before he shoveled it all into his mouth.

"Alex, you'll choke!" Janna admonished.

"Worth it," He replied after he swallowed it all down.

The Romani witch just shook her head. "Well we never did get to the original reason you came here to begin with Jonathan."

The teen just shook his head, smiling giddily, "I can't even remember myself."

"You two had best be going before your late for class. Run along now," Janna said. "I'm sure Xander will talk your ear off about skills and all the language choices."

"Oh yeah… how's that work anyway? I mean we've got dozens of human languages. Are they all covered by common or?"

"No just English," Xander replied as they left the room, "If you want the most bang for your buck, get Celestial and either Sylvan or Elemental. They give you the second most bonus languages."

Janna smiled happily watching as the two boys left. 'I think Xander is going to be okay.'

~FotP~

It was another end to another weekday, but Xander didn't mind so much. He felt he'd found a kindred spirit in Jonathan Levinson. He was no replacement for Jessie like Buffy had become for Willow. Xander wasn't like that. Nothing and no one could replace his brother, but still, it was nice to have someone he could relate to again after Jessie's loss. There was one thing bugging him though. He'd never seen Ford in any of his classes nor had there been a social buzz of a new student joining the school.

'Maybe all this monster hunting is just making me paranoid,' Xander thought to himself as he made his way to the front of the school, where the rest of his fellow students were rushing to get out of this hellish federally mandated prison.

"Hey man," Jonathan greeted clapping him on the shoulder.

Xander gave his new friend a nod. "Sup Jon? Did you pick your feats and languages?"

Jonathan nodded. "Yep, went with Sylvan and Celestial in the end. As for feats, I chose Strong Soul. Plus one bonus to Fortitude and Will saves and if it's against Death, Energy, or Ability Drain effects the bonus increases to plus three."

"Nice," Xander complimented. "So ready to kick some ass tonight?"

Even though he looked nervous, Jonathan nodded. "Yep, what are we doing anyway?"

"Quest: Dungeon Crawl (Survival) Repeatable Quest.

Get to the end of the Dungeon without meeting an untimely end.

Reward: 400EXP, 150 gold.

Failure: Death."

Xander blinked as he stared at the sudden screen popped up in front of him. "Well, I guess that answers that question."

~FotP~

The ride back to Janna's place was unusually quiet and both of them knew why. The idea of going into a potentially lethal dungeon worried them both. Each were consumed with their own thoughts. Xander was ready to fight tooth, nail, and claw to survive, while Janna was primarily worried about Xander and Jonathan's safety. She was the adult here after all and as such, she was responsible for them.

Once they pulled into the driveway, they both just sat there for a moment. Finally, Janna turned to Xander and said, "We don't have to do this quest you know? There's nothing saying we need to do it."

Xander nodded. "True," he agreed. "But if we don't do it, who knows what will happen?" Seeing the witch's curious gaze he elaborated, "Like, say we don't do the quest, what's to stop whatever is in the dungeon from going out at night and killing people? Or maybe it's sentient and it can be reasoned with?"

"But we won't know until we go in," Janna said with a sigh.

Xander shrugged. "No, we won't. Which is why we need to do this. We're probably gonna have to carry Jonathan though. He's level one, meaning he has three cantrips and one first level spell. Though with any luck he'll level up a couple of times while we're on the quest."

The Romani sighed knowing her charge had a point. "Highly likely. So we're doing this then?"

"We have to, if we don't who will? The Slayer won't," Xander retorted with a slightly derisive tone.

Upon hearing his tone, Janna ventured a question. "Xander do you… do you hate Buffy?"

The teen shook his head. "No of course not, she's just annoyingly hypocritical. Says she doesn't want to be the Slayer, but doesn't mind throwing the title's weight around when it suits her. Her job is to kill vampires, but won't kill Angel because she has the hots for him and is using the excuse that he has a soul. Doesn't mind Willow helping her kill vampires, has a problem with me doing it. See what I mean?"

"Oh dear," Janna frowned. "Does she have no idea what he's done, the people he's killed, the lives he's ruined before my clan cursed him with a soul?"

Xander shrugged, "Giles either hasn't told her or she's too lovestruck to care."

"Neither idea is all that great," Janna said with a grimace on her face. "But this is a problem for another time. We need to focus on tonight."

"Right, I actually need to go visit the Rabbi see if he's got any word on a pair of custom falchions for me."

"Alright, I'll take Cavall for a walk while you're gone."

"Kay, be back soon mom," Xander said getting out of the car. And leaving without a second thought.

He left Janna there stunned. 'He probably doesn't even realize what he just said the dear boy.' Janna thought to herself as happy tears gathered in her eyes. 'Calm down Janna he probably didn't mean it and if he did well… we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.'

Getting out of her car, Janna was in a daze as she took Cavall for a walk. The Caypup noticed his mistress was in her own world but didn't disturb her. He just stayed extra vigilant and made sure his Mum didn't walk into traffic. Whatever was on her mind seemed important, and he didn't want to interrupt.

~FotP~

Jonathan was going through a few things he'd collected from around his house and gathered in his room. A cross he'd had since he was little, a bible, a Croquet mallet was the closest he could come to a hammer but he figured if it could work for Jack Torrence in the Shining as a weapon, it would do for him. He also scrounged up an old cast iron pot lid to use as a makeshift shield. His weaponry was a bit makeshift, but it'd do until he could get something better he supposed. Putting it all in his inventory, something super awesome Xander told him about after recommending he turn on Journal Mode, Jonathan perused his spells.

'What to pick?' He thought to himself.

"I could make some recommendations," A voice said in the back of his mind. One that wasn't his own.

"Who said that?!" Jonathan said looking around his room and hefting his mallet. "Come out!"

"Relax Jonathan Leroy Levinson, you're my first Cleric in… quite a long time so I figured I'd take the time to introduce myself," The voice commented in an amused fatherly tone.

"Your Cleric… wait you're… the one who turned Xander's life into a video game?" Jonathan questioned while lowering his bludgeoning weapon.

"Indeed, it had… unusually successful results," the Deity commented. "I didn't expect him to take to it so readily. Or form a party so fast. But where are my manners? I am Janus, Roman God of Duality, Peace, War, Doors, and Portals. It is nice to have a proper conversation with one of my new… devotees."

Jonathan sat down on his bed with a thump. This was heavier than learning demons and vampires were real, an actual Roman God was talking to him in his head! He took a moment to process that. Finally he said, "Um, nice to meet you too sir? Sorry, but this is a lot to take in. I'm gonna need a minute."

"I understand, do take your time," Janus replied understandingly.

Johnathan took a few deep breaths and a pull from his inhaler just in case to ward off a potential panic attack, and finally said, "Okay, I'm good… I think. So you said you had recommendations for spells?"

"I did, I would also like to add you need not have myself as your patron deity if you don't want to. Due to my ability to make portals, I can create a link between you and any deity of your choosing."

The teen blinked at that. "Any diety," he questioned, "Even fictional ones?"

"Consider this your first lesson on god's Jonathan. One man's fiction, is another's reality. So yes, any deity you would like."

"Ouch, my brain," The teen said, before taking another hit from his inhaler. "Okay then, can you patch me through to Illmater?"

"Coming right up. Goodness I feel like a phone operator, how may I direct your phone call today sir?"

"Sorry!" Jonathan replied quickly, "Sorry sir, I didn't mean to come off as rude."

"Relax Jonathan, unlike most gods, I have a sense of humor. It comes with being a god of duality. I'm more… human than most. Give me just a second and I'll link you to Illmater. Just to be clear however, this isn't a tether. Think of it more like a tunnel. Both Illmater and I will require prayer in equal measure in order for you to maintain your connection to him. Him, to access his domains, and me to channel his power in the first place, do you understand?"

Jonathan nodded solemnly, "Yes sir, I do."

"Good I'll leave you and Illmater to get acquainted now."

For a moment Jonathan didn't feel or hear anything… and then he felt a surge of what he could only describe as care like a metaphysical security blanket wrapped around him, and with it came a calm warm and sympathetic voice, "Hello Jonathan."

"H-Hello Illmater s-sir!" Jonathan stuttered out.

"You have felt so much pain, I'm so sorry for that," Illmater said earnestly.

"I think things are going to get better soon if I'm going to be honest, sir." Jonathan said. Squirreling up his courage, he said, "I have Xander and Miss Calendar… but in order for things to get better I need to be strong. Strong enough to endure anything. I need to be more like you… so… will you help me?"

"Of course my son. For I am Ilmater, I help all who but ask. And I sympathize with all regardless of circumstance. If it is strength you need, then just lean on me and I shall ease your burdens."

Jonathan let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Thank you! I… need to choose some spells, wanna help?"

"Certainly," Illmater replied, "Since you only get a few, choose the healing ones. Focus on keeping your comrades alive for now. You also get a spell from one of my domains. Which would you prefer?"

"Strength," Jonathan replied almost immediately. "It's something I'm somewhat lacking in so… yeah."

"Strength it is then," Jonathan felt a surge of power flow through him, before it settled in his gut, like the embers of a small flame, just waiting to flicker to life.

Johnathan then clicked on his spell tab and the journal flipped itself to the appropriate section. He looked through his available spells. He had a lot to choose from. One-hundred-sixty-six spells to be precise. But in the end, he chose only two. Cure Minor Wounds and Cure Light Wounds. Until he could unlock more powerful spells, he decided he would be the group healer and emergency damage dealer.

"What about your second domain to draw from?" Ilmater questioned.

"Oh, that's right I get two don't I?" Jonathan said mostly to himself. "One of your domains is resurrection right?"

"Yes, I am assuming that's what you'd like to take?" Ilmater asked.

"Please?" Johnathan asked. As he felt the embers in his gut grow a little hotter. Suddenly he just knew the cure light wounds spell. Since he was getting that for free he decided to change one of his spells from Cure Light Wounds to Blessed Aim, that way, even if he wasn't doing direct damage, he was still helping. 'Wait…' Jonathan thought to himself. 'I've got a high Wis modifier so I can get another spell.'

He skimmed through his spell list and chose Ray of Hope since it buffed basically everything short of attributes. "Yeah, I think this'll do it… I wonder where this dungeon is at anyway?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Janus informed him. "For now just wait… and try not to die. It really has been a long time since I've had a cleric and I'd hate to have to find a replacement so soon."

"I'll… do my best," was the only thing Jonathan could say at the ominous warning.

~FotP~

Xander meanwhile, had arrived at the Temple and called out, "Rabbi, you home man?"

"Always Alexander, always." Joseph came out of the back, a smile on his face. "What can I do for you today?"

"I came to ask if you had any word on those falchions?"

The Rabbi nodded. "Yes Mr. Singer got back with me earlier today in fact. He told me they'd cost a couple thousand dollars each unless I wanted something on the cheap side. I told him no and he said it would take anywhere from two to three weeks to make. I also placed an extra order for some more silver tipped arrows and throwing stakes. Those can be ready within a week's time and will be delivered in person by a friend of his. Goes by the name of John. One John Winchester I believe."

"Oh cool Joe," Xander pulled a pouch full of gold out of his inventory. "How much do I owe you man?"

But the holy man waved him away. "Not to worry Alexander, this one is as they say, on me."

"I gave you that gold to fix this place up, not buy me equipment Joe," Xander said obstinately, "Now, how much do I owe you?"

"You think I've even touched that sum you left for me the other day?" The Rabbi asked, "No, no no! Even here in Sunnydale my parishioners are quite generous."

"You are not making me feel any better Joe."

"Think of it this way my son. You are doing God's work by killing the denizens of hell. Thus, is it not fitting that your armaments come from the arms of the faithful?" wisely spoke Joseph. "Even if your job is a thankless one, you are unknowingly keeping my congregation alive. I feel the least they could do in return is pay for the tools of your trade."

"Fine, you got me by the balls here anyway," Xander added ten more gold pieces to the collection plate. "There, that should just about cover the falchions."

"May the Lord protect you my son as you hunt the demons that dwell in the dark corners of this town."

Xander then went into his inventory screen and decided to test something. He double tapped his leather armor and just like he thought, it appeared on his person. "Ha, that's handy!"

"How did you do that?" Joseph asked surprised.

"Would you believe me if I told you my life has been turned into an RPG because of magic gone strangely right?"

Joseph blinked twice… "That is not the strangest thing I've encountered in my time hunting," He said after a moment. "I'm assuming you equipped that armor from an inventory screen of some kind?"

"Got it in one padre," Xander said giving a thumbs up. As he double tapped the leather gauntlets that held his throwing stakes and they appeared on his wrists. He did the same with his hunting knives and they clipped themselves to his belt.

"I need to get my hands on some greaves and proper boots," Xander said to himself. "Really need to complete my hunter look. Maybe add a cloak or a mantle?"

"Perhaps. For now I'd take function over form my friend." Joseph advised.

"True, plus a cloak will just get in the way unless I take the cloaked fighting feat," Xander said, mostly to himself. "Anyway Joe, I'd better get going, nights coming soon and that means it's almost time to hunt."

"Good luck to you Alexander, and good hunting," Joe called as the boy left the Synagogue.

Xander raised a hand in goodbye as he walked into the twilight.

~FotP~

When Xander walked through the door of Janna's home he was greeted by the Romani Witch who smiled at him in a motherly fashion and said, "Well, what did Joseph say?"

Taking a seat on a chair, while absentmindedly scratching Cavall's ears as he laid his head on his knee, Xander replied, "Three weeks or less. By the way, we need to pick up Jonathan don't we?"

"I sent him directions via text. He said he'd make his way over before the sun went down," Janna replied. "Set the table for three would you?"

"Sure, what're we having?"

"Lasagna. Almost completely homemade too. The only part that was store bought were the noodles."

"You're too good to me Janna," Xander said with a smile. "You keep spoiling me like this and I'll never want to leave."

"You can stay if you want," Janna began hesitantly. "Forever I mean, like I've already said, I'd be more than happy to have you."

Xander rubbed the back of his head with one hand. "Yeah but, wouldn't that involve a lot of legal mumbo jumbo. Courts and things? Hearings? I really don't want everyone at school to know about my homelife, they treat me bad enough. I don't wanna give 'em more ammo. Plus a student living with his female teacher? If my situation wouldn't get folks talking ours certainly would. You could lose your job if you're not careful."

And once again, Xander showed himself to be far more mature and aware than many would give him credit for thinking about the reactions that would be garnered from this type of news getting out. While she was thinking about his welfare, he was looking at the bigger picture. Thinking about both of their lives and weighing them on a scale. He valued her's more than his own while she did the same for him.

'We really are too much alike,' Janna thought to herself, shaking her head as she said, "You don't need to worry about any of that. You're a teenager. The only thing you need to worry about are your grades."

"Janna," Xander deadpanned, "If I only worried about the things that concerned me, I wouldn't be going out to hunt vampires almost nightly."

"Point," The Romani conceded. "But that aside, there are some things that should be left to the adults to worry about, and this," She moved forward and embraced Xander, "This is one of them. So if you want to stay, just say it and I'll fight tooth and nail to see it happen, but make sure it's what you want. Alright?"

Xander stiffened when she hugged him and then returned the embrace after a moment's pause. Janna noticed but didn't comment on it. Yet to her it was just another strike against his parents, his father in particular. Looking down and refusing to meet her eyes, he nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"I want… I want to stay if your really okay with it," The teen said at last raising his head to meet her gaze.

Janna beamed. "Really? You're sure?"

"Yeah, I'd like it if Jessica could get a divorce from Tony and maybe get some professional help on top of everything else but that's a bit of a stretch, I suppose. Also just so you know, I have an unusual and unhealthy addiction to Twinkies."

Janna laughed and then went to babble on at speeds that would put Willow to shame, "I'm sure we can get along regardless. There's so much to do! Paperwork to file, I need to call the family lawyer and get you formally inducted into the Kalderash Clan. The Wisewoman will likely want to meet you before that happens and oh this is so great!"

"Wow… your like Willow on steroids. I'm not sure if I should be amused or terrified?" Xander said to himself.

Janna slapped him on the shoulder still smiling her thousand watt smile. "Quiet you, I'm allowed to be thrilled that I practically have a son."

"Hey Mum, I hate to ruin the happy moment an all, but somethin's burnin' in the oven," Cavall reported sniffing the air.

"Gah! My lasagna!" Janna rushed off to the kitchen, yet even as she did so she received a popup.

"Companion Quest: Behind the Facade. Complete!

Success: +10 Bond with Xander, +50EXP, and Legal Guardianship over one Alexander Lavelle Harris. All legal documents have already been filed. Thank you Janna for helping."

Looking down at the Caypup gratefully, Xander said, "Thanks for getting me outta that buddy, it was getting awkward."

Cavall scratched his ear with his hind leg. "No offense mate, but I didn't do it for you, I just didn't wanna eat burnt lasagna for dinner."

"I'll take it," Xander said as the doorbell rang.

Opening it he found Jonathan standing there. Since the sun was still dipping below the horizon, he knew it was safe to invite him inside. "Hey Jon, c'mon in."

"Sup Xan? You got here before me?" Jonathan asked.

Xander didn't see the point in lying. "I'm kinda living here at the moment dude."

"Oh… okay, I guess that makes things easier huh?" Johnathan said.

"You aren't gonna ask why I'm living here?"

Jonathan gave Xander a pointed look, "Dude, you're literally letting me live my dream of being an actual Dungeon and Dragons character, and you're also willing to be my friend which not a lot of people are. As far as I'm concerned, the reason your staying here is none of my damn business."

Xander blinked at Jonathan's blunt honesty with not asking questions, "Well, okay then. You arrived just in time for dinner. Hope you like lasagna."

"Love it as long as it's not that fake eggplant crap."

Now it was Xander's turn to give the other boy a look. "Do I look like the type to eat eggplant lasagna to you?"

"Point," Jonathan conceded. "Still gotta be sure, my mom, pure blooded italian bless her heart, went on a health kick once and made that stuff…" Jonathan shuddered, "I swore to myself never again man.."

Janna came out of the kitchen carrying a giant pan of the good stuff. "Well you don't have to worry about any of that here Jonathan. While I do put peppers in mine so it might be a little different than you're used to, it should still taste better than a vegan dish."

"Peppers huh?" Johnathan licked his lips. "Bring it on. I've always wanted to ask Miss Calendar and I hope this doesn't seem rude, but where do you come from?"

"I'm a Roma from Romania, I'm a first generation immigrant."

"Oh, your a modern day pioneer, at least that's what my mom always calls Romani since they move around in wagons all the time. Like the pioneers did back in the day. She's a European History teacher at UC Sunnydale."

Janna blinked for a moment before she smiled and flushed just a little. "That… is the sweetest thing I think I've ever been called. Thank your mother for me Jonathan."

"Yes ma'am, it's a bit of a pain having a teacher for a mom, she's always bugging me about doing well in school."

"Trust me, I know the feeling," Xander sent Janna a look causing the woman to blush again.

"Academics are important," Janna defended, "Besides I'm sure your mother would love for you to be on campus with her at some point."

"Are academics more important than not getting eaten by a demon or a vampire Miss Calendar? Because I don't think so. In fact, considering how oblivious just about everyone in this town is about the fact that demons, vampires and monsters not only exist but are in this town and want to kill them all, its amazing we aren't all dead yet. Well, that and it makes my worry about things like grades seem very superfluous. Also my friend Andrew was always better at studying and school in general."

After a moment of shocked silence Xander whistled and said, "Wow, you've been wanting to let that out for awhile now huh?"

"Yes!" Johnathan said, hissing through his teeth and releasing a sigh, "But who would even listen to me without thinking I'd gone crazy?"

"It's a hard knock life for us Johnny."

"You can say that again Little Orphan Annie. So whose this?" he said noting Cavall who had his own plate on the floor that he was licking clean, "Sandy?"

"I beg your pardon you fanny boy! My names Cavall and you best remember it unless you want me gnawing your bits off, savvy?"

Jonathan reared back in his chair due to shock. "It talks?!"

"Ah do ya Fanny boy, an if yer smart, you'll remember the pecking order."

"Pecking order?" Jonathan questioned.

"Aye, it goes Yew, the dirt in the yard, the worms in the dirt in the yard, ma shit, the fire hydrant ah pissh on, Mum, Me, and Alpha."

"Why an I lower on the pecking order than you Cavall?"

"Yer me Mum, and I love ya, but when it comes right down to it, I'm the one who has to charge in'ta the fray so you kin cast yer spells."

Janna smiled. Her Cavall really was a trooper. "Would you like seconds Cavall?"

"Oh I thought you'd never ask Mum, bless your kind heart," Cavall said, his tail wagging.

"Wow, I'm lower on the totem pole than a dog…" Jonathan said to himself

"Pecking order bitch!" Cavall said as his mistress placed another plate of lasagna in front of him.

"Language Cavall," Janna chastised.

"Yes Mum, sorry Mum," Cavall apologized before he dug into his food.

Once everyone had finished eating, some last minute checks were made and Xander checked the map feature of his Journal. "Okay so where do we need to go?"

"Quest Update: Dungeon (Survival): Head to the sewers below town and face what lurks there."

"Well, that answers that, everyone ready for this?" receiving a trio of nods one of which came from a dog, Xander put his hands on his hunting knives. "Then let's do this."

~FotP~

Getting into the sewers under Sunnydale wasn't exactly hard. All it took was the tire iron from Janna's car, and a bit of muscle and they had a manhole cover off and the trio were descending down a ladder, with Cavall just teleporting down once he knew where he was going. The moment he found out he was going into the sewers Xander bought a trio of headlights using the hundred bucks he found in the house the other day. This way, they could all see and wouldn't be hindered by having to carry a flashlight in one hand. While blindness wasn't a problem, the smell certainly was.

"God this reeks," Jonathan said suppressing his gag reflex.

"It is certainly unpleasant," Janna agreed with a grimace.

Xander just shrugged. "I've smelled worse, and been covered in a lot more foul smelling things when Buffy slays certain demons. A lot of them explode into goo when they die."

"Summers kills demons?" Jonathan asked surprised.

"Now isn't the time for this Jonny. Watch our six. Jan, our three and nine, Cavall eyes up front, I'm going to scout ahead," Xander whispered orders like a drill sergeant.

"Aye, aye Alpha, no one'll be sneakin' up on the pack while I'm about," Cavall promised.

Xander nodded before he used his hide ability to skulk forwards, dimming his light to nothing. He closed his eyes and allow his hearing to sharpen trusting in his listening skill to guide him. Xander inched forward his ears keen and listening for the sounds of skittering feet on stone. All he heard at the moment was the steady drip, drip of sewer water as it formed puddles and sloshed into the river of sewage off to his right.

Taking a slow step forward Xander felt his foot press against something. He stopped immediately and drew back. Drawing one of his knives he reached down with the blade and found a taut wire.

'I almost walked into a trap… meaning whatever is down here is smart enough to make them in the first place. So cunning, likes dark dank places, and is smart enough to make and use traps…. Could be Drow, Kobolds, or Goblins. All three have darkvision so they wouldn't need torches… I really hope it's Goblins and not Drow,' Xander thought to himself as he took a few steps back and cut the tripwire, causing three spears to jut out of a small pipe a step or two ahead at piston speed.

'Well that isn't something a Drow would do I 'think', so that rules them out. If this dungeon was filled with Drow that trap would've been filled with poison darts, and I would've died a slow painful death,' Or so Xander reasoned to himself. He moved forwards more cautiously now, knowing whatever he couldn't see, could likely see him perfectly in this pitch blackness. With that thought in mind, he didn't see the point in not having his headlamp on, not when he was depriving himself of a sense his opponent would have either way. 'If they see me coming they see me coming,' Xander thought with a grimace as he continued to move forwards.

He disabled a handful of traps as he kept going, his spot check doing him wonders. Rusty bear traps, debris held up by precariously ropes, and even Vietnam level punji sticks covered in feces were getting flung at him at one point, but Xander was fast on his feet. Then he noticed it, a bright warm light.

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Todo," Xander said to himself as he crept forwards. Rounding the bend, low to the ground as he could get, Xander's eyes widened. For he found a fortress made of trash and discarded junk. It rose over a giant pit from which the sewage drained. Rusty and old metal consisting of air conditioners to box cars and various scrap metal to garbage and trash of all sorts had been piled up into a defensive wall that lead from one side of the sewer to the other. A gate was made in the middle of the wall held by rusted chains and seemed to hammered together haphazardly. A wall that had Goblins patrolling it's buttress with makeshift quivers full of arrows and bows made from discarded wood or fishing lines.

Seeing planks of plywood crossing the sewage nile, Xander took it and hauled himself up onto some pipes before he crawled along it. He needed to get a birds eye view of this place. Following the pipe, he did a headcount of the goblins as he circled the makeshift building. There must've been an entire warband present in that place. Twenty Goblins, a Captain, and he noted at least two hobgoblins dressed in what looked like leather armor and having pieces of metal bent around their shoulders and legs to make pauldrons and greaves. They seemed to be bossing around the lesser goblins dressed in rags before they disappeared into a tarp tent. He then noted a deep pit and followed the piping and a section of it lead directly over it.

Inside were worgs, no less than half a dozen in all. They seemed to be nibbling on some sewer rats or some other unfortunate creature caught in the sewers.

'Well, this is going to be one hell of a party,' Xander thought to himself, 'Maybe I should kick it off early. Make it easier on the others?' For even though Janna was a higher level than he was, and the 'adult' in the group, it was Xander they looked to for leadership because out of all of them, he had the most experience killing monsters. So he felt it was his duty to look out for the others. 'I wonder if this is how Buffy feels about me… well, probably not since she we all started killing demons and shit around the same time.'

For a brief moment Xander considered trying to solo the garbage fort himself, but then he shook his head. "You're not Buffy he told himself. You have friends who want to help. Let them."

So thinking, he headed back to the others to report his findings.

~FotP~

"A warband of Goblins?" Johanthan said paling at the thought.

Xander nodded. "A small one I counted twenty heads meaning they have at least one captain, and there were also two hobgonbins going into a worn and weathered tent. They might be the ones in charge. They also have worgs."

"Shi~t!" Jonathan swore. "And this is just the first dungeon."

Janna added her two cents to the conversation. "Goblins aren't very difficult if I recall one one-third a challenge rating per. We should be able to go in there guns blazing and take them out."

"NO!" Jonathan and Xander said at the same time. Only for Xander to continue. "Jan, do you know what Goblins do to the women they manage to capture?" When the Romani shook her head he explained, "They rape them repeatedly in order to grow the hoard. You are under no circumstances getting within melee range of any Goblin."

"Ain't no filthy Gob layin' his hands on Mum!" Cavall growled menacingly his hackles rising.

Janna blanched, "Oh dear Lord… so what's the plan then?"

Xander rubbed his chin, "Well, I'm not sure if you're Hide skill is good enough but if it is then this might just work. I managed to survey they camp via walking along some pipe, I figure you could do the same and rain hell from above, or at least take out the archers on the battlements while Johnathan and I knock on the front door."

"You want the two of us, to take on a Goblin encampment by ourselves?" Jonathan looked at Xander like he was insane."

Xander fixed the greenhorn with a deadpan stare. "They are CR one-third dude, even you should be able to take on at least one of them with little effort. I considered taking on the entire camp by myself but… where would the fun in that be for the rest of you?"

"Too right!" Cavall said with a low growl. It was clear he was itching for a fight.

"So this is how we're gonna do it..." Xander began explaining the plan.

~FotP~

"I can't believe we're doing this," Jonathan said as he, Xander and Cavall walked at a leisurely clip towards the junk heap that was the Goblin encampment. "They're liable to kill us on sight you know that right?" Jonathan said, glancing at Xander.

"Dude, relax, we're the bait remember?" Xander said as they started to come within bowshot of the walls.

"I know that's what I'm afraid of."

"Put yer big boy diapers on ya fanny boy! It's time ta' be a man and quit being a lil bitch!" Cavall growled. "You signed up fer this kinda shite when you joined up so quit yer bellyachin'."

An arrow landed near Xander's foot moments before a warhorn sounded alerting the entire place to their presence. "Welp, no going back now Jonny boy."

"Oh joy," Jon drawlled, "If I die, I blame you Xander."

"And if you end up not dying and end up leveling up if this works like I think it will?"

"I'll still blame you, I'll just blame you for something good happening?" Jon retorted with a smirk as the makeshift gate opened up allowing the worg-riders to blitz out of the gate and head straight towards them.

Soon enough the trio were surrounded from all sides, some Worgs had jumped across the sewage river just to double back and surround them from behind. With spears being pointed in his face, one Goblin spoke in a guttural language, "Crewsha, nagra ita gor basha nada!"

"Um no el Espanol?" Xander said in response, earning a head shake from Jonathan.

"He said drop your weapons and surrender humans," His Worg translated for him.

"Oh, that's what he said, and here I thought he was giving us directions to the nearest exit. I suppose I should've known better what with the spear being pointed in my face and all," Xander replied while gently moving the rusted spearpoint out of his face. Also to hide his shock that the worg could talk. This added a whole new layer of difficulty to his plans.

The Worg growled in response, "You are oftly calm for being in mortal peril human."

"Grish na ka?" the Goblin asked his mount.

Xander just shrugged out his response, "It's how I deal with stressful situations, believe it or not."

"Gorgra norb barashna," The Worg replied.

The Goblin sneered and tried to poke Xander with his spear, but he deftly dodged it. "What'd you tell him."

"That you think your funny, I'm sure you'll be hilarious when your being turned on the spit while still alive," The Worg said while giving a sinister grin. "Now, drop your weapons!"

"Tell your rider that we wish to parlay with the commander of your… fort?" Xander replied looking at the trash heap and trying to find the right name for it.

A look of surprise appeared on the Worg's face for a moment before he spoke to his Rider again. "Gra kor baar, nareash ka ban toor biyet."

The Goblin's cruel smile disappeared for a moment and it became contemplative, his eyes narrowed at Xander suspiciously finally he spoke to his companion, "Grooka, norag borsha nagata."

The Worg nodded, "He says we shall escort you to our leader to parlay, but only after you surrender your weapons."

"Alright," Xander nodded before he unslung his bow from his back and took the quiver off as well before dropping it down on the ground. "That's all I got, and Jonny here is my squire."

The goblin snatched up the bow and arrows. Putting them behind his saddle. "Very well, follow us, and no funny business."

Xander held his hands up, "Wouldn't dream of it, seeing as you have us outnumbered twelve to one."

~FotP~

They reached the main gate in no time at all. There was a huge bonfire in the middle of the camp just like he saw from on high earlier. Goblins were standing around it drinking grog and dancing. A lot of them jeered at them as they walked past, hurling stones and… other things that would make monkeys proud were they there to see it. As they neared the tent, the jeering ceased and everything became quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the padding of the worgs, the crackling of the fire, and the footsteps of the two humans as they drew closer.

Stopping five feet away, the goblin in charge called, "Biyet! Grakorg nagra hoomans orgra parlee!"

"Send them in!" A wheezy deep voice spoke in a foreboding tone. Xander and Jonathan were shoved into the tent and came face to face with the warband's leader. The interior of the tarp tent was lit by crude torches which allowed the two humans to see. Sitting on a throne consisting of a broken toilet was a larger than average Goblin.

He was six foot tall, tall for a goblin, of impressive girth, with a pig like snout, his frame rumbled every time he took a breath, his jowls were thick like that of a bloodhound, and he had beady shifty red eyes. He had makeshift metal armor made out of a trash can, with the lid serving as a helmet. A sharp piece of scrap metal that looked like the propeller of an airplane had been sharpened with a handle simply being heavily wrapped cloth.

It was a Bugbear, and standing on either side of him were the two large hobgoblins he'd seen earlier, tall dumb looking brutes that were good at keeping the rabble in line, and taking orders. Both were grey-skinned, a few inches shorter than Xander himself and wearing roughly patched hide armor. The only difference between the two was one had a morningstar, the other an axe.

The Bugbear took a wheezing breath and spoke. "So you wish to parley, yes? What do you have to offer me humans, besides the juicy flesh on your bones?"

In response, Xander reached into his pants pocket and mentally pulled a single gold coin from his inventory before pulling his hand out and flipping the coin towards the Bugbear, who caught it eagerly with dexterity that surprised both party members. He held it up to the firelight admiring how it gleamed. He looked to Xander with greed marking his features. "You! You can get me more shiny metal yes?"

Xander nodded. "I can, but… well, that's all I have on me. In order to get more you'd have to let me leave. Or…"

"Or? Speak human, or what?" The Bugbear asked, while even Jonathan was giving him an odd look. Xander was going off script and by the seat of his pants now.

"Well, I do know where you can get more, a lot more. But it'll require a lot of work to get but you'll have more shiny metal than you'd ever want."

"Where? Where?!" The Bugbear demanded greed had overtaken him completely as he started to get up from his throne showing his true staggering height of seven feet.

"Uh boss, should we's be listening to him?" One Hobgoblin asked distrustfully showing he had the brains to not trust outsiders.

"Quiet you idiots!" The Bugbear raged. "Where's be the shiny metal human?"

Xander pointed up. "Humans keep it all in a building up above called a bank. I bet if you tried hard enough you could rob it."

"Xander?" Jonathan asked perplexed by this sudden turn of events.

"Take humans shiny metal? Me like this idea… what in it for you human?" The Bugbear asked suspiciously.

"A cut of the profits," Xander replied easily thinking fellow greed is something the Bugbear would understand.

"How much?" The Bugbear asked.

"Three shiny metal bricks… and whatever is in that chest over there," Xander pointed at said chest half covered in filth and looking like it needed a key. Xander new that was the boss chest and inside it would treasures that would only help his party in the long run.

"Deal Human!" The Bugbear tore an old key off from around his neck and tossed it to Xander who caught it.

"I'll need to head back above to find the proper plans so you'll know where to dig."

The Bugbear nodded eagerly. "Yes yes you go…" He pointed at Jonathan, "He stay here, make sure you come back."

"Might I suggest my dog instead?" Xander motioned to Cavall who had stayed silent while Xander had lied his way through this situation. Only now did he look at Xander and cock his eyebrow to the side. But a minute shake of his head made him stay silent. "I'm a ranger you see so I value my animal companion quite highly, and if a human goes missing well… the others would get suspicious you understand."

"Hmm," The Bugbear stroked its chin in thought. "Okay, dog stay, humans go, come back with plans soon yes?"

"We'll be back within a day," Xander promised. "First we'd like to take whatever is in the trunk, consider it an act of good faith or prepayment for the plans."

"Take trunk, take trunk and go. Go!" The Bugbear ushered him on his gaze constantly flickering towards the coin in his hand as his eyes almost shined with greed.

Xander took one of the handles on the side of the trunk and motioned for Jonathan to take the other before the Bugbear ordered the humans to be escorted from the encampment.

"I really hope you know what you're doing man," Jonathan whispered under his breath as they were surrounded by Goblins.

"I do, don't worry," Xander replied as one of his theories was confirmed as they were escorted out.

~FotP~

Janna met them once they were further away. "What happened why didn't you give the signal? How'd you get that chest… and where's Cavall?"

"Don't worry Janna this is all part of the plan I counted all the goblins as we were walking through the place and I was wrong… there weren't twenty… there were fifty at least."

"Fifty?" Janna paled.

"Yeah," Xander nodded. "No way we could take on that many plus the Worgs, two Hobgoblins, and the Bugbear leading them. So I devised an alternate strategy on the spot. One which involved leaving Cavall behind for a bit I'm sorry to say."

"Xander," Janna said getting his attention just as his self-depreciation kicked in. "I trust you. If you did what you thought was best then that's all there is to it. I understand, as I'm sure Cavall does. Now what's plan B?"

"How quickly can you find me plans on the infracture of Sunnydale? Xander asked.

Janna cocked her head to the side. "Shouldn't take me more than a couple of hours once I get access to my computer, why?"

The teen smiled, "Well because my dear Janna, I'm leading these goblins on a hunt for the ever elusive snipe."

Janna smiled knowingly. "Ah, I see. I'll get to looking as soon as we get home. The sooner we get Cavall back the better."

Xander nodded. "Agreed, he doesn't need to be treated to the Goblin's hospitality any longer than necessary."

The trio trudged off, determined now more than ever to end the Goblin scourge.

~FotP~

Once back at Janna's Xander opened the end of Dungeon chest and found within fifteen hundred gold which was split three ways between the three of them, a steel morningstar which was immediately given to Jonathan, and a small bag of precious gems which was tossed to Janna, "For all the trouble," Xander said.

The witch huffed. This must've been the third time he apologized for leaving Cavall behind. "I keep telling you it's no trouble Alex. If you're giving me the gems then I want you and Jonathan to split my share of the gold there's enough here to make up my share and then some."

"Yeah but…" Xander began. Only for Janna to silence him with a look.

"But nothing," she dropped two bags, each containing two-hundred fifty gold each on the counter as she booted up her laptop. "Now take it!"

"Yes ma'am!" Jonathan wasn't stupid enough to turn down gold and quickly plopped it into his inventory.

"Fine," Xander said, doing the same with more reluctance. He continued searching the chest, and found another key. This one looked to be hewn from stone and beset with semi precious stones like jade and amber. "A stone key? What could this go to?"

"This key unlocks the next dungeon! However, it will only become available once the current dungeon is defeated and your parties total CR is equal to 8."

"Oh, okay," Xander said as he read the popup.

"I've found the blueprints on the town Xander, but it would help if I knew exactly what I was looking for." Janna said.

"The location of Sunnydale's main gas lines," Xander was quick to reply.

That got both Janna's and Jonathan's attention. The other teenager was the first to comment. "You… you're a devious son of a bitch you know that?"

Xander for his part, just grinned. "Why thanks Jon, I'll take that as a compliment."

"That is rather cunning of you Alex," Janna hesitantly praised as she wasn't sure if she should positively reinforce such behavior or not.

"Thanks, I knew I needed to improvise and quickly if we were going to pull out a win," He paused a moment before asking, "How soon can you have the plans printed out?"

"Give me ten minutes," Janna said.

"Cool I'm gonna finish off my daily workout while you do that. I really don't need to know what a penalty quest entails," Xander said before he dropped to the floor and started doing push ups.

The only one who seemed to have a problem with this plan was Jonathan. "And then what, we just… wait?"

"Yep, I'll take the blueprints back to the Goblins once their ready then we wait," Xander replied as he completed his fifth pushup.

"But aren't you leaving a lot up to chance? Like what if the Goblin's read the directions wrong? What if while we were gone one of his bodyguards got through to him, what if it just plain doesn't work like you think it will?"

"Then we go with Plan C which was originally Plan A, and that is, kill em all by surprise," Xander replied completing his push ups and moving to do squats. "Jonny seriously relax even my spur of the moment plans have back up plans."

"Okay, I just kinda thought that…"

"That what? We were gonna be super badass murder hobos who were going to rush in, murder everything and take all the loots?" Xander replied dryly. "Well I hate to break it to you, dude, but this is still real life. If you die here, you're not tearing up a character sheet and starting over, your dead. Those goblins while evil and stupid, are still living beings, which is why I'm a little hesitant to kill them. You want me to kill undead and demons? I'll do that all damn day! I've seen what they are capable of. Goblins though, can be tricked into wiping themselves out, which saves us from having to get our hands dirty. Plus, we have no idea how many Goblins are there of their own free will either. Since most are forced to do what the strong want."

"But your still planning to kill them all in a mass explosion!" Jonathan pointed out.

"One of their own making," Xander pointed out as he moved on to the crunches. "Since their leader is a greedy selfish bastard and the rest of them aren't going to overthrow him anytime soon, well… I'm just helping nature take its course. Hell if any of them survive and want a change of job I will happily help."

"Really?"

"Sure, but they try and stab us in the back and well… we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"But your backstabbing them all first," Jonathan pointed out, this idea clearly didn't sit well with him.

"Hey man, if I thought I could get away with just killing the leader and his goons, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But I'm no Assassin. So I'm doing the best I can, I'm no super powered Slayer or anything like that, I'm just a normal dude," He said as he completed his daily quest.

"+4 EXP."

Johnathan had no idea where this thought came from but he thought that if d&d gods were real maybe it was a divine message, " I want to return with you when we get back and talk to some of them. If I find any who are forced against their will to stay there let me bargain for their freedom. I just can't sit by and let innocent life be lost even from stupidity."

"Fine, but your spending your own gold," Xander replied.

"Fair enough," Jonathan agreed.

Xander nodded, he hadn't intended to bring Jonathan with him when he went back down into the sewers, now that was another variable he'd have to account for. 'Still shouldn't be too difficult. I've got the plans. Give plans, get dog, get slave goblins, get out. Simple four step process. Of course, knowing 'my' luck, something somehow is going to get fucked up along the way.'

"Alex, the plans are done," Janna said having taken the plans out of her printer.

The teen took them, rolled them up and put them in a cardboard tube for safe keeping. "You ready for round two?"

Jonathan nodded. "Yep."

Xander sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Then let's get this over with, I really need a shower."

~FotP~

For the second time that night Xander found himself walking through the rank sewers, with Jonathan at his side. Xander looked to Jonathan as they made their way back to the Goblin's floating trash fortress. "Are you sure you wanna try saving some of these goblins? They could turn on us you know?"

Jonathan nodded. "I'm sure. It would leave a bad taste in my mouth if I didn't at least try Xander."

"Fair enough. If they do happen to turn on us you know what's gonna happen right?"

The other teen grimaced but nodded and answered, "Yeah I know."

"Kay as long as you know." Xander fell silent after that. Once they came within bowshot of the fortress the Worgs were released once again and the two teens found themselves surrounded. Xander smiled as he met with the same Goblin and Worg duo from before saying, "We really gotta stop meeting like this fellas people are gonna start talking."

"You're back sooner than expected little morsel," The Worg growled.

"Yeah well, it didn't take long to get the info your chief needed. So, same deal as last time I'm assuming?" Xander asked sliding his bow off his shoulder once again. The Goblin grinned nastily as he took his bow before a spear poked him in the back urging him forwards. "Okay, okay, no need to get handsy fellas, we're movin'."

~FtoP~

Xander and Jonathan were pushed into the tent where the Bugbear was leaning forward eagerly, rubbing his hands together greedily. "You back, you have plans yes?"

Xander nodded. "We do, however my companion would like to discuss something with you before I hand the plans over, and I'd like to see my hound please."

The Bugbear looked to one of his Hobgoblin cohorts. "Go get doggie! Now!"

"But boss how can we trust Hoomans?" The grey-skinned Hobgoblin complained.

"Go. Get. Doggie! The Bugbear wheezed angrily, throwing a rusted tin can full of grog at the Hobgoblin when he didn't comply immediately.

"I a'goin' I a'goin' but I don' trust da Hoomans," the Hobgoblin said under his breath loud enough for Xander and Jonathan to hear.

"Now, other Hooman have something to say yes?" The Bugbear asked fixing his beady eyes on Jonathan.

"I um yes, well, you see I…" Put on the spot as he was, the priest couldn't get up the gumption to talk.

So Xander did it for him. "My companion and I would like to buy slaves from you your lordship. We're willing to pay handsomely for any… unruly goblins you may want to get rid of if you take my meaning?"

The Bugbear stroked his many chins as he grinned maliciously and gave his answer, "More shiny metal for Goblins I no want?"

Xander gave the gelatinous Bugbear a sauve grin as he further described what he was looking for, "Don't want, don't like, can't bother to kill, it doesn't bother to us. We'll buy em at ten shiny metal a piece."

"Gahahaha!" The Bugbear laughed evilly. "Yes, yes, yes! Me got some like that round here!" The Bugbear turned to his remaining Hobgoblin and said "Go round up the hooligans. We gettin' rid of them today!"

The other Hobgoblin nodded eagerly and toddled off.

Xander then brought the cardboard tube out from behind his back and took the blueprints out. "These here are what you need."

"Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!" The Bugbear demanded. Xander handed them over to the fool of a leader who looked them over with confusion rapidly knitting his brow. "Where X on map? Where we s'posed to dig?"

"Ah my mistake may I?" Xander took the map back for a moment and taking a bit of charcoal he marked a big X where the closest gas line would be relative to the floating fortresses' position. He then handed it back with a smile. "There you are."

"It close," The Bugbear said wide eyed looking at the map.

"Yes it is," Xander agreed squinting his eyes a little and causing the Bugbears level to appear above its head

"Level 8."

'Damn,' It's a really good thing I did this,' Xander thought to himself.

Just then both Hobgoblins reappeared. One was dragging Cavall in by a leash made of cobbled together belts and the other was leading a line of five goblins were were bound in makeshift chains.

Each Goblin looked a little different and distinct. The first looked almost like a dwarf and if it wasn't for the lack of beard, and bony protrusions on its face, Xander might've mistaken it for one. The second in the line was swabbed almost completely in cloth, the only thing poking out was its face ever so slightly, showing this goblin had tan brown skin. The third was tall, taller than xander himself by a couple of inches and lanky and had tribal tattoos adorning its body, and it walked with the aid of an obsidian club. The fourth was the only woman in the group was just as tall and she had a veil over her face as she fingered a sling at her side even though she was bound in chains. The last looked like a Goblin had been crossbred with a bat. It had leathered wings of a fiend on its back along with its two fingered hands on its arms and two long whiplike tails swished around behind it as it grinned at all present menacingly.

"All of you listen up!" The Bugbear roared snot flying from its nose as it tried to look menacing but only came off as pitiful to Xander. "As of today you's be owned by the Hooman here." He pointed at Xander. "He be's payin' fer your lives so you's be good or he kill ya."

The mishmash of Goblinoids all looked at Xander who gave an odd wave. "Hiya folks," Reaching into his pocket, Xander pulled a small coin pouch of fifty gold out and tossed it to the Bugbear. "Fifty gold for five slaves, I got my dog and you got you're plans. I do believe our business is concluded now, yes?"

"Yes, yes, shoo shoo," The Bugbear said, staring at the gold in the pouch.

Xander pulled on the chain that connected the Goblins leading the way out of the encampment, collecting his bow on the way out.

~FotP~

Once they'd rounded the corner Xander sighed in relief. "Fuck all that was more stressful than the first time," Xander wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at Jonathan saying, "You owe me fifty gold by the way."

Jonathan nodded. "Right sorry for flubbing the pitch."

"Don't worry about it, the point is, we got the decent ones outta there," Xander turned to the waiting goblins. "Um if we take these shackles off are you gonna try and kill us?"

The Goblins looked at each other and most of them shook their heads proving they could at least understand english.

The winged one spoke up, in a devious weedly voice. "I might. Eeheheh!"

"Then you get to stay chained up asshole, how's that sound?" Xander retorted.

"Ah c'mon! I was only joking… mostly," The Goblin said the last bit below his breath.

Cavall growled, "I say we toss that one in the drink Alpha."

Xander eyed the Caypup. "Did they treat you ok while you were with them?"

Cavall snorted, "Aye, I'm fine, I'm fine. Kin I turn the Fiend blooded one into a chew toy please?" The celestial hound begged wagging his tail at the thought.

The winged goblin hid behind the taller goblins in fright, peeking behind their legs fearfully.

"Enough!" Xander raised his voice just a little but it was enough. If Cavall was going to call him Alpha he was going to act like it damn it. Xander looked over the Goblins as he asked, "Do you have names?"

The tiny dwarf-like one spoke first. "Doug

"G'narl." The tall spear wielder said, his voice deep despite his slender frame.

"Sylva," The woman said her voice had a mysterious quality to it.

"Scotiesovonovitch." The robed one said.

Xander blinked. "Wow that's a mouthful… I'm just gonna call you Scottie okay?"

"Fair enough,"

Xander looked to the winged one, "And you?"

"We all call him pissant but his name is Ziz," Sylva said derisively.

Xander blinked, "Why do you call him pissant?"

"Cause he thinks its funny to piss other people off with lethal pranks, despite the fact the only thing big of his is his wingspan," Sylva replied.

"Ziz like to burn things," Ziz retorted. "It funny watching others running around screaming."

Xander bent down till he was eye level with Ziz and said, "I've got a deal to make with you Ziz, this town is infested with… demonically possessed corpses you can pull as many nasty pranks on them as you'd like. I don't care. Pull one on a human though without my permission, and it's your head… get me?"

Ziz came out from behind Gnarl and Sylva and nodded eagerly. "Fine. At least I get to prank people still. Better demons than anything else I suppose."

Xander nodded and stood. "Indeed, we're gonna get along just fine as long as you follow this one rule Ziz."

"Um, sir?" Doug said, "I've a question?"

Xander did his best to suppress a yawn. "Yeah?"

"Why'd you bother going so far for us?" Doug asked.

Jonathan cleared his throat. "That was my idea actually. I figured at least a couple of innocent people were here against their will and I didn't want them to get killed."

"Get killed? You may be skilled but you are just two men. You can't possibly take an entire encampment," Gnarl said his deep timber assessing them both, sizing Xander and Jonathan up with his keen gaze.

"That's where I come back in," Xander replied leading the way out of the sewer. "You see that map I gave your moron of a leader is to an area of explosive gas. He has the rest dig… and it'll lead to a huge explosion which will take out the entire camp."

The goblins just stared dumbly after Xanders retreating back for a moment. "That's brilliant. Cruel and manipulative, but brilliant," Gnarl complimented as he moved to keep up with Xander.

"Thanks. I knew we weren't tough enough to take them on so I improvised. You don't seem particularly sad they're all going to die."

"We were k-kidnapped from our clans," Doug chimed up. "I'm a Puck from Icewind Dale. Gnarl is a Ponaturi from the islands off of the Sword Coast, and Sylva is a Tree Grim from the jungles around the desert of Netheril… and Ziz is a Vinayanka, an offspring of a goblin with a fiend. We don't know where he comes from."

"Nice to meet you all, I'm Alexander, but my friends just call me Xander," Xander said with a nod, as he undid their shackles. He then nodded to Jonathan, "That's Jonathan, or Johnny. He's a priest of Ilmater."

"Ah, now everything makes sense," Gnarl noted.

"Ilmater the Merciful," Sylva noted nodding her head in respect.

"The Bloodied Forgiver," Scottie added.

"Fool forgives everyone, even his enemies. Oh but i have heard of his anger. Oh how cruel he is pushed when children die," Ziz cackled in glee but oddly not out of disrespect.

Xander shook his head as Jonathan rubbed his, embarrassed at all the attention he was getting. Sighing Xander said, "Let's get the fuck outta this sewer and get a bite to eat okay?"

He had everyone's attention at food.

~FotP~

"Explain this to me again?" Janna said as she watched the quintet of goblins devour her leftovers. Most of them had the decorum to use the provided tableware except the winged one he ate everything on the plate with his bare hands… and then he ate the plate.

Xander cleared his throat. "Well the plan went off without a hitch. That dumbass Bugbear should be blowing himself to kingdom come sometime tomorrow. He was level eight by the way."

"Oh wow," Janna said, "Yes that would've ended badly for us even if all the other Goblins were only level one by contrast…"

"Fifty level ones are still a shit ton of cannon fodder," Xander agreed with a solemn nod.

"Quest Complete Dungeon (Survival)

+400EXP +150g

Hidden objective complete: Save the survivors of the Goblin Horde Raids. +250EXP."

"Huh, well that was a thing," Xander said at last. "Nice going Jonathan."

The other teen smiled. "Thanks and here's the gold I owe you," He tossed Xander a pouch containing fifty gold.

Xander slipped it into his pocket and then his inventory. Before clapping his hands and getting everyone's attention. "Okay, I am tired as hell and smell like ass. So I'm taking a shower and then going to bed. You all," He pointed at the Goblins, "Need to find somewhere to stay. To hide out. Someplace out of the way where people won't go… I got it!" The teen recalled fighting the cyber demon Moloch which is when they first learned Janna was a witch. "The Calax factory out on the edge of town!"

"Where that cyberdemon popped up?" Janna inquired.

"Yeah that place," Xander replied, "It's remote, out of the way, and no one wants to go in that place."

Janna nodded in agreement, "That sounds like a good place for a bunch of goblins to stay, for now anyway."

"Okay, first things first, I'm taking a damn shower because I smell like ass. Then all of you need to take showers because you all smell like ass," Xander added pointing at the goblin crew.

Ziz sniffed himself. "Ziz don't smell anything."

Sylva shook her head, "A bath sounds… grand thank you."

"No problem, after that I'll take you to the old Calax place and then I'm getting some damn sleep," Xander then thought, 'On that note, Time.' Xander thought.

"1:35am"

"Fuck better make this quick then," The teen sighed to himself. He bumped fists with Jonathan. "Seeya tomorrow buddy?"

"Yeah man… um one thing though… how the hell am I gonna get this smell outta my clothes or explain the stench to my folks?"

Xander sighed tiredly. He really just wanted to go to bed, but he couldn't yet. "Oh right, your parents actually care about you… um, I'd just burn most of what your wearing right now if I were you… unless… do you have a clothes cleaning cantrip?"

"I might?" Jonathan replied.

"Then use it and do what a Cleric does best and pray buddy," Xander said clapping him on the shoulder before he trudged upstairs.

~FotP~

It took Xander a bit to get the Goblins settled in at the Calax building. He had run out of what little steam his late night shower had given him and was slowly making his way home. He kept his ears perked up for sounds of movement around him. He was well aware that he looked like an easy target for any vamps stalking the streets right now. Xander heard the sound of a trash can being knocked over on his right. Most people would've considered that it might've been a cat, scrounging for scraps…

Xander wasn't most people.

With but a thought he equipped his hunting knives on his person and kept on walking. 'C'mon, come and get me you stupid bloodsuckers.'

He didn't have to wait long. No less than four vampires all of them game-faced fledglings bum rushed him from the alleyway where he heard the commotion just moments before. The highest leveled one was only level four while the other three were only level two. Xander took out his knives and threw the knife in his offhand at the closest incoming vamp. It dusted in a matter of seconds.

"+25EXP."

Xander ignored the update. He was still fighting for his life and now he was down a weapon. The remaining three ran towards him like a pack of incised hounds. Instead of running away, something he knew was an exercise in futility, Xander instead ran towards the vampires. Something that threw them off for just a second, just long enough for him to slide tackle into one of them and grab his tossed knife in the process, then stab both blades into either leg of the still standing vampires, who howled in pain as their flesh burned from the holy blessed silver.

"You sonova bitch!" One of the vamps who had a lime green mohawk of all things growled at him.

"The seventies ended a long time ago asshole," Xander replied before he stabbed the undead abomination multiple times in his junk.

"Gah fuck, why?!" The demonically possessed corpse screamed as he held his mutilated bleeding and burning groin.

"So I could do this!" Xander stabbed his knife up through the vampire's throat, dusting it as he severed its spinal cord.

"+25EXP"

Xander's victory was short lived however, as he found himself being picked up from behind by the vampire he'd tripped up moments ago. It had him in a bearhug and was starting to squeeze him, Xander felt a couple of his ribs crack in his chest.

'Fuck!' The teen thought to himself. 'I am not dying like this!'

Xander prepared to stab the vamp in order to make it let him go, only for it to suddenly do so of its own volition screaming as it did so.

"Fucking hell, what is this thing, get it off get it off get it…"

Crack.

The sound of a neck breaking was unmistakable.

Xander coughed a couple of times and looked back to see Ziz, his tails wrapped around the vampires neck and his hands twisting the head to an unnatural angle, his claws digging into the undead flesh, a sadistic grin of absolute glee on his face as his eyes turned to the remaining vampire who just looked back at Ziz in awestruck horror… That is until Xander viciously and mercilessly shanked him in the chest with his hunting knife.

"+25EXP"

"What… are you doing… here Ziz?" Xander asked a little breathlessly. It hurt to breathe at the moment, probably due to the fact that several of his ribs were cracked.

"Making sure you got home safe boss," The fiendish goblin replied. "Good thing I did too, or you'd be dead by now I es'pect."

Xander nodded. "Yeah thanks Ziz. So, how'd you enjoy your first vamp fight?"

"Kahaha! You said they's was possessed corpses boss, you never said anything bout em bein' vamps… this is gonna be so much more fun now! I can plan all kinds'a pranks! Slip holy water in their beer, rip the covers off their windows during the day, set buildings on fire!"

"Maybe not that last one Ziz."

"Throw holy incense into the ventilation system!" Ziz amended.

"Much better," Xander agreed. "Thanks again for the save."

The winged goblin nodded rapidly. "Yep, yep! No problem boss! I'm gonna go prank some more vampires now, kay? You gonna be able to make it home by yourself?"

"I should be but before you go… Send party invite," Xander said.

"What in the name of Malbolge is this?!" the Goblin fiend asked.

Xander rubbed his eyes. He was getting too tired for this shit. "Just hit the button that says yes okay?"

Hesitantly, Ziz reached out and tapped the screen in front of him. "Now what?"

"Now, you go out and prank the vamps like you were intending to, but we all benefit from it. Make sure to pick up anything they drop okay? All I ask is that you bring me any gold or gems." Xander told the winged menace as his evil grin got even wider.

"Can do boss. Seeya," Ziz took flight cackling into the night.

Xander shook his head. "What kind of hell have I just unleashed?" He then shrugged, "Ah well, not my problem."

The only thing Xander wanted right now was his bed. It called to him like a siren's song, and he couldn't resist any longer.

~FotP~

Xander woke up to the sound of his video game induced alarm. Groaning, Xander rolled onto his back and said, "Time."

"5am"

"Fuck you game!" Xander groaned as he sat up in bed. Then he noticed out of the corner of his eye, a message.

"One of your party members has earned the party 750EXP, given you 3000 gold, and five diamonds worth 15000 gold."

"Holy shit Ziz must've been busy last night," Xander said to himself. "He offed… thirty vamps in the time I've been asleep. He works fast, I'll give him that."

"Xander," Janna called up the stairs, "Could you please explain this message I just recieved about a party member granting me seven hundred fifty bonus EXP?"

"Uhh, yeah just a second!" Xander called down.

The boy hurriedly got dressed and headed downstairs. He greeted Janna with a wave and a smile but she was having none of that this morning. "Explain young man."

"Okay so I might've added one of the goblins from last night to the party when he said he was gonna go vamp hunting. Since anyone who does any killing get experience for the whole party I figured why not right?"

Janna ran a hand down her face. "While I see your reasoning, I wish you'd asked me before you added any of them to the group. We don't really know anything about any of them… it wasn't the winged one was it?"

"Well, in his defense he did save my life last night," Xander clarified.

"Oh Xander," Janna sighed, "What happened?"

Quickly explaining how he got jumped by a small pack of vampires last night and how his ribs were still sore from getting bear hugged Janna had him sit down while she fussed over him. "You should've woken me up last night if you had broken ribs! Especially if you had broken ribs!"

Xander shook his head. "They aren't broken just cracked. Trust me, I know what a broken rib feels like, and they aren't broken."

"From Tony?" Janna guessed acid dripping into her tone as she cast cure light wounds on her ward.

Xander gave a hollow laugh. "No, vampire. I've been smacked around plenty by them in the past year. Had my ribs broke a couple of times."

"Did you ever go to the doctor?" Janna asked.

In response Xander raised an eyebrow and replied. "And tell them what? That a vamp bitch slapped me into a wall or a dumpster? No, I just wrapped myself in gauze as tightly as I could and kept going."

"Plus, if you had gone to a doctor they likely would've called Child Protective Services right?" Janna said in a sad, knowing tone.

Xander grimaced. "That too I suppose. I'm gonna head out on my run, be back in time for breakfast mum."

Xander was out the door in a flash, Cavall hot on his heels. So he never saw the beaming smile Janna had on her face when he called her mom. "One of these days I'm going to call him son just so I get to see the look on his face." Wiping away the happy tears in her eyes, Janna got to work making breakfast. She'd learned well enough by now that her boy would be ravenous by the time he got back. "I just hope those goblins didn't eat us out of house and home last night."

"I do apologize if that was the case ma'am," Janna turned around sharply to see the lone female goblin sitting on her counter. "The food was delicious though."

"Thank… thank you. Sylva was it? Um don't take this the wrong way but… how'd you get in here?" Janna inquired.

"Through the hole in the back door," Sylva replied pointing at the doggie door she'd installed for Cavall.

"Oh… I see. Can I help you with something?" Janna asked politely.

Sylva nodded. "I wish to speak with Alexander. Is he about?"

"You just missed him, he went out on his morning run," Janna replied turning her back to the gobliness, and looking through her fridge for breakfast foods, spell at the ready, just in case.

"Then I shall wait here for his return if it is all the same to you?" Slyva replied from behind her.

Janna came back out holding a carton of eggs some bacon and some leftover peppers. "That's fine… would you like to stay for breakfast?"

"Yes please," Sylva said eagerly. "Do you require assistance?" she asked, slightly amazed when the flames lit on the stove. It was magic in her eyes.

"If you don't mind could you brown the sausage for me while I work on the eggs and tea?" Janna requested.

The gobliness nodded. "Yes. This, I can do."

The two women worked quietly in the kitchen for a time, and once the smell of food filled the air, did the Romani woman asked her question, "So what was it you wanted to ask Alex?"

"He has granted Ziz an… unusual power. I would like to know if he'd be willing to share it with the rest of us as well," Sylva replied.

Janna nodded. "I'm sure he'd be willing. He shared it with myself and Jonathan already."

"Yes, the priest of Ilmater, an odd one for sure he is." Sylva said.

Janna cocked her head to the side in confusion, "How so?"

"Tried to stick his neck out for goblins. Not many would do that. Priest of Ilmater or no," Sylva said by way of explanation. "Most see us as pests, no better than vermin. Something to be exterminated, or in the case of Orcs, eaten. But they… didn't. That makes them… strange. In a pleasant way, though."

Janna smiled warmly at Slyva, "I think you'll find if you put your faith in humans, sooner or later, we'll surprise you."

"I think… you may be right," The Gobliness replied after a moment's pause.

At that moment, the back door opened and Xander came in, with Cavall dragging his heels behind him. "I told you you didn't have to come with me buddy."

"Shut yer… shut yer gob!" Cavall panted as he made his way to his water bowl. "I'll keep up with yer scrawny arse even if it… even if it kills me I will!" Cavall then took a long draught from his bowl. When he looked up and noticed the goblin present he asked, "The fucks the goober doin' here mum? Didn't we do bloody enough fer them yesterday?"

"Cavall be nice," Janna chastised before turning to Sylva. "Sorry about him he didn't take to kindly to the Bugbears hospitality the other day."

"Tried to feed me to the Worgs they did, the feckers," Cavall spat. "So you'll have to excuse me all to hell if I'm not happy to see another one of em Mum."

"Sorry boy," Xander said scratching Cavalls back. "I should've stuck to the first cardinal rule of Dungeons and Dragons. You never split the party."

Cavall shook his head. "It's fine Alpha, those stoopid feckers'll get what's comin' to em soon enough."

"Yeah…" Xander clapped his hands, "Well, let's eat!"

After a breakfast of cheesy scrambled eggs with peppers and onions with sausage on the side, Xander folded his hands and focused his attention on Slyva. "So, what can I do for you this morning Sylva?"

"I would like for you to share whatever power you gave to Ziz last night… if you are willing." Sylva requested politely showing her respect to her chieftain.

Xander looked to Janna who nodded. "Okay. What? Did you think I was going to say no or something?" He said with a little laugh when he saw the look of surprise in the gobliness' eyes.

"No, its just I thought it would take more… convincing." Sylva admitted.

Xander shook his head. "Nope, I'll make you the same… well almost the same deal I made with Ziz. I want half of all the gold and all the gems you pick up from defeated foes. You can keep anything else you find."

"Xander, you want half of their gold."

"Hey, I'm taking all of Ziz's." Xander admitted. "He didn't seem to care one bit. But I'm assuming these guys might like to go out drinking every once in awhile."

"Yes… how much is gold worth in this world?"

"Two hundred eighty-eight dollars an ounce. Not per piece, per ounce."

He couldn't tell because her veil was in the way, but he was pretty sure Sylva's mouth just dropped.

Once she finally collected herself she asked, "So if you wanted to, you could ask for three-fourths of our gold and we could still be quite well off in this world."

"I could, but I'm not that much of an asshat," Xander replied. "Besides that would go against the pirate code."

"Pirate code Alex?" Janna questioned.

"Yep, whenever Jessie and I played DnD we always divided the loot by shares the Captain that's me got one and a half shares of all the loot, the lieutenant that's you Janna, also got one and a half shares which is why I've been hoarding gems like a damn raven."

"And Jonathan?" Janna asked.

Xander winced and waved his hand from side to side. "Eh, moral grey area with him. He could either be counted as a second lieutenant, or a regular crew member meaning he gets a share and a half or a normal share of all the loot. But since he's a cleric shouldn't he abstain from wealth anyway?"

"Xander! Stop trying to cheat your friends out of money on religious moral grounds!" Janna chastised even though she had a grin on her face, showing she was doing her best not to laugh.

"Yes ma'am," Xander faux-sulked, "I'll offer it to him at least, but if he says no, I'm keeping it."

"That's… that's fine Xander," Janna said with a little chuckle.

"Send invite," Xander said.

The screen popped up in front of Sylva causing her to jump a bit. She read what it said for a moment before reaching out and hitting yes.

"There you go your all set, now get out there and kill some undead. For the Horde! Xander joked.

"What Horde Alexander?" Sylva asked confused.

Xander shook his head while Janna chuckled at his joke."Nevermind."

~FotP~

"Hey Xander!" Xander turned seeing Buffy and Willow calling him over.

"Hey ladies," Xander said with a smile on his face. "How goes the slayage?"

"It goes well. I took out four vamps last night," Buffy said with a bit of pride in her tone.

Xander prevented himself from snorting derisively as he'd taken out six by himself just two days ago. "Oh yeah, isn't that a new record?"

"I think so, how's the studying going Xan?" The slayer asked.

"Going good, can't complain," Xander replied. He waved upon seeing Jonathan waving at him.

Willow sent Xander a curious look, "Are you friends with Jonathan?"

Xander nodded hesitantly. "Yeah he and I kinda formed a study group since he's having some trouble himself. So Miss Calendar is helping both of us out."

"Oh… well that makes sense," Willow said after a moment's thought.

Xander was glad his Charisma stat was so high because he was lying his ass off more oft than not these days. 'Thank god for Bluff checks.' he thought before he said, "I'd better go see what he wants. Excuse me ladies."

Willow opened her mouth to object only for Buffy to stop her. A bit sadly she said. "This is what we wanted isn't it? Xander out of danger, leading a normal life?"

Willow pouted and nodded. "But why does it hurt so much, not having him around Buffy?"

"I… I don't know Willow, I really don't," The Slayer denied.

"Sup man?" Xander greeted.

Jonathan sighed tiredly. "Well, I managed to get the stink out of my clothes, used Purify Food and Drink after soaking them in water."

"Nice use of a level zero spell," Xander complimented, "But that's not why you called me over here is it?" Xander asked already guessing the answer.

Jonathan got to the point. "No what's with the random seven-fifty EXP this morning man?"

"I added one of the Goblins to the group last night after he saved me from getting jumped by some vamps… since then, he's been busy."

Jonathan whistled, "Damn I guess so."

"I got some gold if you want some." Xander offered.

Jonathan shook his head. "Nah I'm good man, just put a little more in the collection plate next time you go to church or something. Plus it would be kinda weird if I were a rich Cleric right?"

Xander chuckled. "Yeah, I get it, totally."

"So uh, when do you think… you know? Boom!" Jonathan made an exploding motion with his hands.

Xander took a shot in the dark. "I'd have to say during or slightly after lunch I mean he's probably got all of them digging by now and they've more than likely been at it ever since we handed over the plans."

"Yeah probably… I did the math and if this works out like I think it will, I might level jump to level three maybe four when the boom hits."

Xander clapped Jonathan on the shoulder and smiled. "Well, we'll just have to wait and see man."

Xander looked around the milling students but couldn't see hide nor hair of Buffy's friend Ford. Someone who should still be the talk of the school. 'Okay once is coincidence, twice is happenstance, and three times…'

"Quest: Lying in Wait.

Objective: Find out what Billy Fordham is really doing in Sunnydale."

Reward: 2,300 EXP, +10 Buffy Affection, +5 fear with Vampire Faction, +200g

Failure: Buffy Dies.

'Three times is enemy action,' Xander thought to himself. His face set into grim determination.

~FotP~

Xander turned right around and headed out the front doors equipping his gear as he went. Janna was gonna probably be pissed at him but right now, he could care less. The lives of one of his friends was in danger and that's all that mattered. He wished he had a level or three in Ranger so he could try tracking Ford down. Xander stopped and shook his head. 'I' don't need to track him, I've got friends who can do it for me.'

With that thought in mind, Xander sprinted off across town, towards the Calax building. By the time he arrived he was sweaty and a bit out of breath but no worse for the wear, showing his morning workout was having an effect on him. He pushed the door open and released a shrill whistle getting everyone's attention. "Fall in everyone, I've got a job for you!"

G'narl ambled up to Xander his long wild hair now tied into numerous dreadlocks using scrounged copper wire and lugnuts. He was wearing a chainmail shirt and had a meat hook on the opposite end of his club shaft.

Sylva slid down a chain was now clad in tight leather that clung to her like a second skin, two wickedly curved daggers looped around her waist and doe-skin boots on her feet.

Doug came around the bend wearing a pair of child-sized overalls and a miner's hat, a man sized pickaxe over his shoulder and dirt covering his face.

Ziz flew down from the second story, wearing a grey padded jerkin, with a scarf that had fucking razor blades tied throughout its length wrapped around his neck trailing behind him.

Yet out of them all, the one that made him do a doubletake was Scottie. He was wearing a child sized black pinstripe three piece suit complete with a blue tie, and a fedora on his head with holes cut in it for his ears.

"You all clean up rather nicely, especially you Scottie," Xander complimented.

"Thank you sir," Scottie replied, "I excel at information gathering and to do that to the best of my ability, I thought it would be best if I blended in."

Xander walked down the line of goblins. "As it just so happens, I need some information. I need someone found. Names Billy Fordham. A bit shorter than me with the same colored hair and dark green eyes. I want him found, and I want him tailed. I want to know where he goes and I want to know what he's up to in this town. He's supposedly the friend of a friend of mine called Buffy, she's the Vampire Slayer."

"Is she some kind of Cleric or Paladin?" Gnarl asked.

Xander blinked he'd never really thought about where Buffy's powers came from before just that she was lucky enough to have them. "Good question but no as far as I'm aware she's not either of those… as far as I know."

"Side Quest: Origin's of a Slayer.

Objective: Find out the Origins of the Slayers source of power.

Reward: 10,000EXP M? And E? +10 Affection with Buffy +10 Affection with Giles. +15 Fear with Watchers Council. 5000g.

Failure: No affection increase with Buffy or Giles, the Slayer's origins remain a mystery E? remains lost, and M? Remains story locked."

"Okay we can break the storyline… whatever the hell the storyline is," Xander muttered to himself. He turned to the waiting Goblins. "Okay guys something just came up. I need you to find Ford while I deal with it as best I can. Can you handle this for me?"

"We's on it boss!" Ziz nodded. "I'll take to the air going Grim the rooftops going north, Ponaturi the allies to the east. Bhuka, hit up the bars to the north and see if you can scour up any info and Puck… stay out of trouble while we're gone."

"I'm not a Bhuka, that's a completely different race of Goblinoid I'll have you know!" Scottie yelled at Ziz as he flew off his perch and off into the open skylight. The Desert Goblin turned to Xander and nodded. "He's not wrong though I'll go grease some palms at the local pub you found last night Sylva what was called again? Billies?"

"Willy's." Sylva corrected.

Scottisonovavitch nodded, "Yes that's it thank you."

Upon hearing the local bartenders name, Xander's gears started turning. "Willy… hmm… on second thought, I'm going to come with you Scottie, I've got some business of my own with the local bartender at the moment."

The goblin nodded his face losing some tension it had gained. "Of course sir. It relieves me a bit to have some backup actually."

"Scottie seriously, just call me Xander. Or at least call me by my name. No need to be so formal man."

"Of course Alexander," Scottie replied promptly.

Xander chuckled out, "Never change Scottie, never change."

~FotP~

Willy's was a hole in the wall. Literally. It was a hole in the side of an abandoned building with a small wooden sign overtop the hole that said "Willy's Bar".

Ducking his head under the hole, Xander looked around the makeshift bar. Smoke lingered in the air, a ramshackle assortment of chairs and tables were set up haphazardly all around the place with a bar dominating the opposite wall. Three slightly unlevel shelves held everything from booze to blood to other more exotic substances for the patrons of this establishment. Over in the far corner Xander heard the mewling of kittens. Looking over he saw a trio of demons in the middle of a poker game.

'Are they using kittens as poker chips?' Xander asked himself as he approached the bar and the nervous man who kept polishing the glass he was holding faster and faster as he came closer.

"W-Whadaya want?!" Willie stammered out. "I-I didn't do nuttin' I swear!"

Xander blinked. "Um, I'm Xander and this is Scottie," the teen motioned to the goblin who nodded respectfully.

"I know you is. You're one of the Slayers friends. Every Time she comes in here, she threatens me, an' breaks my stuff. But I didn't do nuttin I tell ya! So you tell her to leave me be! I run a… mostly legitimate business here."

Xander sighed. "I'm not here to break anything Willy I was hoping you and I could set up a business arrangement of sorts."

The man eyed Xander shrewdly. "What kinda business we talkin' bout lad?"

In response, Xander reached into his pocket and pulled some gold out of his inventory and dropped it on the bartop. Willy watched it fall with wide eyes. "I have access to funds I need help… liquidating. Do you think you can help me?"

"I… I do believe I can do that for say… one percent of the profits yeah?"

"One? I was gonna give you ten but…" Xander began only for the barman to cut him off.

"T-T-Ten percent?" Willy said salivating at the thought.

Xander nodded. "Yes do you think you could find a good gold broker who would give me a good price for these?"

Willy picked up one of the coins and examined it. "What you got here lad, is a Roman Aureus, a roman gold coin. You could sell it for its gold content and net yourself about eight-hundred sixty four bucks a coin I'd say going by weight. Or, you could sell 'em to collectors and get anywhere from fifteen hundred to twenty-five hundred bucks each."

Xander blinked, "Damn!"

"Yeah you got yourself a fine fortune here. Lose a relative lately that collected coins or sumthin'?" Willy asked.

Xander shook his head, grinning. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you, but this is only the tip of the iceberg."

"You don't say?" Willy's eyes gleamed excitedly.

"I do I wanted to liquidate half my current assets which would be about… two thousand three hundred fifteen coins just like these here."

Willy's jaw dropped. For a full minute he just stared at Xander. "T-Two thousand three hundred you said?"

"And fifteen yes," Xander nodded before becoming confused. "Why is this going to be a problem?"

Willy snapped out of his funk and gave Xander a deadpan look. "Lad do you know how much money you'd be making if you got even a thousand dollars for each of these coins?"

Xander did some quick math in his head. "Um… oh… a couple of million dollars in change."

Willy snorted. "Yeah a couple mill and a few hundred thousand in change. And that's only half?! What did you do, slay a dragon or sumthin'?"

"Nope," Xander replied honestly. "Can you actually get us that kind of money though?"

The slightly sleazy barman nodded. "I can, but I'd need at least fifteen percent to pay for bribes, insurance to avoid the FBI and other costs."

Xander nodded. "Okay, but why not just sell it all at once?"

The barman sighed. "What the hell are they teachin' you kids in school these days? Alright thug-o-nomics one-o-one. You sell stuff that are valuable to make a profit. If we flood the damn market with these things, they'll become worthless. Buy cheap, sell dear, sort out the valuable from the junk and don't let the valuable become junk by over selling. Got it?"

Xander nodded,"Got it."

"+1 to Appraise," The Path informed him.

Xander squinted a little and checked Willies level.

"Level 15 Fence [Skill Trainer: Appraise]"

"You have found your first skill trainer! These people can (for a fee) train your skills but only ten ranks so use them wisely."

'Well that's another thing I didn't know,' Xander thought to himself. "You should teach the economic class at our school, you make it so much simpler than our teacher does… him and his damn pie charts."

"You couldn't pay me to do that kid. Sittin' in a damn classroom teachin' sprats like you? No thanks. But if you ever wanna learn a thing or two come and see me and I'll show you the ropes… for a fee a'course," Willy grinned.

Xander grinned back, "Sure, by the way I don't suppose another kid my age, bit shorter than me has come in here recently? Goes by Ford?"

"Well I can't seem to rightly recall. If only I had something to jog my memory. Something shiny like…" Willy began a grin plastered on his face.

In response Xander flicked a couple of gold his way, which the man greedily snatched up. "Ah yes now I remember. The little knob came in just last night as I recall asking where he could get in touch with a vampire of all things."

"What?" Xander's tone was deadpan flat. "Did he say why?"

"He did not but he said if one came round I could find him at this address," Willy handed him a card that had an address written on the back.

"Quest: Lying in Wait. Updated.

Objective: Look into the strange address."

"Thanks Willy you've been a big help Xander took a nearby napkin and wrote down his phone number on it. "This is my number, call me once you got the deals set up and I'll give you the gold yeah?"

"Not gonna trust me and just leave it with me lad?" Willy asked, sounding mock offended.

"I was born at night but not last night Willie," Xander deadpanned. He nodded to what little gold remained on the bartop. "Show me I can trust you by selling that first and not cheating me, and then we'll talk."

The barman grinned as if proud. "Smart move lad. Smart move," Before he moved the rest of the coins under the bar.

"Okay Scottie…" Xander looked around and didn't see the Goblin. "Scottie?"

"Over here Alexander!" The desert goblin waved from his seat over at the kitten poker table.

Xander shook his head in humor and amazement. While he was talking business with the barman, his goblin companion had inserted himself into a poker game and seemed to be winning if the box full of live kittens by his feet were any indication. Xander walked over. "Well, I see you've been busy buddy."

Scottie grinned. "Yes, delightful little game this Texas Hold Em. I had no idea this was how slavery of lower lifeforms worked in this dimension."

"Umm, its not Scottie."

"They why do we keep betting with the beastfolk?" Scottie asked looking down at his box of kittens.

"Those… those aren't beastfolk Scottie, those are cats. Household pets. I honestly have no idea why they were using them to bet with in the first place," Xander explained.

"Ah, I see," He picked a kitten, all white with a pair of mismatched blue and green eyes up by the scruff of its neck and held it up to eye level. "You would've been the foreman of my new work force if possible. You look strong."

"Meow!" the kitten said before it started purring and rubbing its head against the goblin's hand.

Scottie agreed. "Yes, and many sharp teeth too," He then set it down on his lap where it curled up and fell asleep. Scottie absentmindedly gently ran a clawed hand through its fur as he looked at his fellow compatriots at the table. "I don't suppose any of you have any information about a lad named Billy Fordham would you?"

"I was here when he came in the other night," One spoke up. He had a wrinkly face like a bloodhound with pigs ears flopping out of the side of his head. "He didn't stay long but what he was feeling, anxious, so very anxious. And scared to. Not of us but… of something else."

Scottie asked the pertinent question. "You're empathic Clem?"

The demon nodded. "That's why I'm usually so good at cards it's easy to tell when someone has a good hand when you can feel their joy, their triumph…"

"You cheatin' son of whore!" One demon at the table snarled starting to stand up only to be forced to sit down when he felt a silver blade at his throat courtesy of Xander.

"Thanks," Clem said before he continued. "But yeah anyway something was weighing on that kid. I heard he was asking for Spike but he weren't around that day. I drink with him every now and then. He's not so bad as long as you don't get him wasted cause then he starts singing God awful poetry."

That made Xander laugh. "Thanks Clem, I needed that."

"Anytime."

Xander then got an idea Reaching into his inventory again he pulled out twenty gold and tossed the bag at Clem. "Here, I need someone to keep me informed of the goings on around here and the occasional bodyguard for Scottie here," He patted the goblin on the shoulder.

"Alexander, I can handle myself well enough," Scottie protested.

"I look out for my friends," Xander said by way of explanation.

When Clem upended the bag and saw gold, his eyes bulged. "I um uh…."

"Did I not pay you enough or something dude?" Xander asked he didn't want to short anybody.

Clem rapidly shook his head. "No, no, no, no! This… this is plenty! I'm your demon whenever you need me boss."

'That's the second person to call me boss now,' Xander thought to himself. "Well just keep Scottie informed of the goings on around here, you know ears to the ground kinda stuff, and don't let him get jumped."

"Can do."

Xander looked at the two remaining demons who were looking at Xander hopefully. "I suppose you'd like to be hired on too huh?"

The two nodded. One looked like a classical satyr while the one he'd pulled a knife on was what he could best describe as an Efreeti All red skin black hair with a pointed beard and golden eyes.

Xander pulled out two more small pouches of gold and tossed one to each demon. "Fine but no funny business and if I find your trying to cheat me… well… You'll go under that bridge then I'll cross it."

The trio of demons nodded. Message received.

Xander turned to the Goblin. "You gonna be okay here by yourself? I got a lead on Fords location and I'm about to go check it out."

"Just a moment, let me contact the others and let them know," Scottie pulled a piece of copper wire out of his coat pocket and wrapped it around his finger before he asked for the information.

"Target is located at a building called the Sunset Club on… East and Central Boulevard," Scottie needed Xander to translate some of the shorthand for him.

Xander was impressed. "You know magic?"

"I dabble," Scottie admitted. "My talents mostly lie in the art of subterfuge. I'm something of an investigator really."

The teen found himself curious. "Investigating what exactly?"

"Magic ruins," Scottie replied, " they'd pop up in the desert all the time. The sands would get blown away revealing some ancient long buried tome and I just couldn't hold back my curiosity. So I began exploring them. Had to run away from a dry lich once."

"Wow, it's amazing your still alive."

"I know, I did escape with his necklace, though the damn Bugbear took it from me before clasping me in irons."

"Why didn't you just you know, use the amulet?"

Scottie gave Xander a deadpan look. "With all due respect Alexander, would you use an amulet you stole from a lich of all people?"

The teen didn't get to reply because all of the sudden the ground shook.

"What the hell was that?!" Willy asked, scared out of his wits.

"+28,800EXP."

"Ha! Those dumbasses just finished blowing themselves up is what! C'mon Scottie, let's go collect our plunder."

"But what about the Sunset Club Alexander?"

The teen replied. "It can wait, we've got item drops to collect. Besides don't you want your amulet back?"

"Yes."

"Well then c'mon!" Xander said leading the way out of the bar.

~FotP~

There was a giant ass hole in the middle of main street. It was clear as day where the explosion happened. Wasting no time, Xander made his way forward and jumped down into the goblin made pit before any cops or emergency responders could arrive on the scene. He fell a good five feet before land feet first on his hands and knees. Taking to his feet, Xander looked around. The trash fort had been blasted clean in half as if a red dragon had used its breath weapon on it. The stench of scorched metal, flesh and garbage fusing together hit Xander's nose making him crinkle it in disgust as he made his way forward to collect his spoils of deception.

'Time,' He thought to himself as he picked up the first of many coin pouches containing silver coins.

"1:36pm."

"I've got plenty of time to loot this place. Janna's gonna have my head for skipping school today but… meh."

The teen started picking up the small loot bags wherever he found them. He found several hundred silver, a magic Ring of Sustenance which he decided to sell because he enjoyed eating Janna's food thank you very much, a handful of iron daggers and leather bucklers, down in the Worg pit he found several enchanted rubies, vials full of Worg blood, and worg hides. Then he made his way into the boss tent which was a scorched half melted mess.

He picked up the first bag and found a Dwarven Urglosh and a ring of endure elements along with fifteen gold. "Well you must've been one of the Hobgoblins."

The other Hobgoblin had a Ring of Protection which in the end did him fuck all, a Cleaver, and five gold.

Then there was the Bugbear.

In his loot sack Xander found Scottie's amulet like he expected… what he didn't expect to find was a mottled grey cloak, fifty platinum, and a Masterwork Wand.

It was made of polished ebony wood and topped with a pointed piece of ruby.

"Well hello Janna's new weapon," Xander said as he tucked it away in his inventory donning the cloak as he did so.

Xander could immediately tell the cloak was magical somehow, he just didn't know how. "Well, it's not like I don't know a local appraiser or anything," He thought to himself as he made his way back to Willy's Bar.

~FotP~

"Where the fuck did you get all this?!" Willy asked upon seeing the haul Xander had laid out on his bartop. "Did it have anything to do with the explosion earlier?"

Xander grinned and replied, "I can neither confirm nor deny that."

"Yeah, I bet not," The barman scoffed. "Let's see here, this is three of your standard minor health potion. This is a Ring of Protection. These are some leather shields, a riveted leather armor, a handful of iron daggers, some magic rubies, a dwarven Urgolash."

Xander nodded. "What about the cloak I'm wearing?"

Willy peered at it for a second. "Holy shit! Unless my eyes deceive me, I do believe that is a Cloak of Stone. That's probably the most expensive thing of the bunch."

Xander took back the potions, the rings, rubies, and the riveted leather armor and one shield. Thinking Jonathan could use the armor. "Sell the rest."

"You ain't gonna get much for all of this, it's just iron and leather," Willy told the kid while eyeing the ring of sustenance to use for later.

"Then you sell it and keep the proceeds as your fifteen percent cut. I know your type Willy, you'd be willing to upcharge anyone for anything."

The bartender grinned. "I'd be insulted if it weren't true. Alright. I'll sell the crap you don't want and I'll deduct it from my cut of the gold sales. Your pretty business savvy kid."

"Also sell this," Xander gave him half of the platinum he had on him.

"You dealin' in Platinum now too?!" Willy's grin got wider. "Alright then. These'll go for about three hundred fifty an ounce and they weigh about an ounce an' a half each so… your looking at a little over thirteen grand here kid, before I take my cut of course."

"Wow. Who knew making money could be so easy?" The sarcasm in his tone was palpable. He then showed the man the amulet. "What's this do?"

Willie went blank for a moment. "Bless my soul I do believe that's an Amulet of the Planes… provided one knows what their doing when they use it they can travel… anywhere. How much you want for it?"

"Not for sale," Xander replied slipping it into his inventory.

"Ah c'mon kid, you're making me sell all the crap! You gotta let me sell one choice bit to reel people in!"

Xander sighed before he looked through his inventory. He tossed Willie the Dwarven Urgrosh. "Here."

"Thank you, pleasure doin' business with you," Willie said nodding happily towards the boy as he left.

'Time,' Xander thought as he left Willie's bar for the second time that day.

"2:45pm"

"Took me over an hour… damn. Well, I should go see what this Sunset Club is all about."

Xander suddenly felt his phone vibrate. He answered it and saw he had a dozen missed texts. Most of them from Janna but a couple came from Jonathan,Buffy, Willow, and even one from Giles. All of them wanted to know where he was and if he was alright. Worried that he might've been caught in the explosion from earlier.

"Oh boy, am I in trouble," The teen said to himself before stopping in his tracks upon having an epiphany.. "Huh, I'm actually in trouble because an adult gives enough of a shit about me to worry about where I am for once… that is both heartwarming and terrifying at the same time." He shrugged. "Well time to get this shit show on the road."

He sent a quick mass text.

"I'm fine just had to take off. Needed to take care of a family thing."

Xander then took off towards the Sunset Club. Spending his skill points on the way.

~FotP~

The address led to an old bomb shelter turned nightclub. 'This place is a club?' Xander thought eyebrow raised as he made his way inside. The theme was gothic vampire as the patrons of this place were dressed as such. Several classic black and white versions of Dracula were playing on various screens. "There be a bunch of fucking emo vampire fanboys," Xander muttered to himself as he made his way down the stairs, using his new cloak to blend into the background as he searched for Ford. He found him talking in the corner in hushed tones with an older boy wearing a blue cape. Xander silently made his way over to the duo. As he did, he did his best to home in on their conversation.

"-Diego. Come on man, its Diego now. But seriously Ford, the rent on this place is due in a month, who's going to cover that?" The other one said

"Don't worry about it Marvin," Ford said grinning triumphantly. "I'll have it all sorted out soon enough."

Xander clasped his hand down on Ford's shoulder his grip like iron, and breaking his hidden status as he said, "Ford, we need to talk."

"H-Harris?! W-What are you doing here?" Ford said in a scared and pained tone.

Xander would usually crack a joke to ease the tension, but right now, he wanted Ford to be tense, to be frightened. "I found it odd that no one was talking about the new kid in school so I decided to do some investigating… and look where it led me," Xander smiled at the other boy but it didn't meet his eyes. "So tell me Ford, what's really going on here?

"Hey man," 'Diego began only to shrink back with Xander fixed him with a glare.

"Stay out this you undead wannabe," Xander turned his attention back to Ford. "Well Fordham, I'm waiting."

Ford seemed to regain some confidence as he grinned and replied, "I don't need to tell you shit Harris!"

Xander kneed him in the stomach. "Wrong answer!" Xander pulled a hunting knife from under his cloak and pressed it close to Billy's under eyelid before he continued. "Now, I'm going to count to ten, and if you don't tell me what your up to by then…" Xander chuckled. "Well you're going to have depth perception problems man."

Now normally, Xander wouldn't be this violent towards a human being but he recalled what the price of failure of this mission would be… Buffy's death. So he was in no mood to be nice.

"Dude, you can't do this!" Diego said sounding frantic.

Xander's eyes flicked to him, "Watch me. One."

Ford started to sweat.

"Two."

Diego tried to rush him only for a spear shaft to block his way. Xander looked behind him and nodded to G'narl. "Thanks G'narl. Three."

"The fuck is that thing?!" Diego asked terrified.

Xander shook his head. "He's a goblin you damn racist. Four," Xander heard the sound of wingbeats in the air and spoke, "Ziz, keep the rest of these emo shits back, but don't hurt em. Five."

"You got it boss,." Ziz plugged the tips of his tails into wall outlets absorbing the electricity and zapping any kid who tried to get too close… or anyone that just looked at him funny, which was most of them.

"Excuse me, pardon me miss, thousand pardons," Scottie said as he made his way through the crowd.

"Move ya damn brats!" Clem said raising his voice and forcing the kids to form a hole for him and his charge to pass through.

Scottie greeted cordially as if his boss wasn't holding a knife to someone's eye. "Ah, Alexander, I see you've located Mr. Fordham."

"Indeed, I have Scottie. Six… you know Ford I might not gouge out your eye after all…"

"R-Really?" The teen said sounding relieved.

Xander lowered his weapon, "No, I think instead I'll feed you Clem over there."

Clem scowled. "Please don't boss, he looks awful stringy," Clem approached and gave Ford a sniff before he recoiled a bit. "And I think he's startin' to spoil on top of all that. He's got the beginin' stench of death on him he does."

Xander turned back to Ford and fixing him with a hard glare he said, "Something you want to tell the rest of the group Ford?"

"I have terminal brain cancer. I've got six months to live. So it's either become a vampire or die," Ford stated.

Xander grimaced before he slapped Ford upside the head. "You dumbass! Vampirism isn't the easy out you think it is! When you get turned your soul gets sent to… well, I wanna say hell but I'm not sure," Xander admitted before he continued. "The point is, your not the one in control! Your body just gets turned into a meatsuit for a demon to wear. You are gone."

Ford shook his head in denial. "No that can't be true! Spike he," Ford was silenced when Xander's blade found its way to his throat again.

"You made a deal with Spike? What kind of deal did you make Ford? You get turned for what? YOU GET TURNED FOR WHAT?! Xander raised his voice and pressed his blades closer drawing a bit of blood from Ford's neck when the boy didn't answer right away.

"Buffy," Ford said quietly. "I give him Buffy and he makes me immor… a vampire."

Xander's face turned stone cold and emotionless. "I have half a mind to kill you, right here, right now in a crowded room full of dozens of witnesses."

"We can get rid of the witnesses," Ziz offered grinning maliciously, causing everyone to shift uneasily.

Xander lowered his blades which was quivering due to his rage. "No, he's not worth a murder rap," Xander fixed Ford with a look of utter disgust and contempt. "You've got by nightfall to get out of Sunnydale, and if your not gone by then, I'm lifting Ziz's no killing human's rule on you specifically."

The Vinayana grinned. "Oh, do stick around then, we can have all kinds of fun before you expire, I'm sure."

Ford glanced at the winged goblinoid then at Xander who nodded towards the door. "I'd get to running if I were you."

Ford started doing just that, only for Xander to stop him by putting a hand on his shoulder. "But before you go your going to do one thing for me."

"W-What's that?" Ford said fearfully.

"You're going to call Spike and tell him you've got Buffy here," Xander said offering him his cellphone. "I'm sure he gave you a number to contact him by right?"

"Y-yeah, but if he finds out I sold him out…" Ford began.

Xander just grinned. "All the more reason for you to get out of town by sundown huh?"

As Ford shakily dialed Spikes number, Xander turned to the rest of the Sunset Club, saying, "I really hope I don't have to spell it out that you all need to clear out and why right?" The teens shook their heads and started leaving en masse, prompting Xander to turn to his Goblin companions, "How would you guys feel about offing some vamps?"

"Eh boss?" Clem said uncomfortably.

"Go back to the bar Clem, we don't need you allegiance known. Scottie, do you wanna stay and fight or go back to Willie's with Clem?"

The Goblin grinned, "I'll stay if it's all the same to you. I'm more than just an info broker you know? I've gotten my hands dirty plenty in my day," From his jacket, Scottie produced several what looked like oil slicked daggers.

"Sylva, you good to go too?"

"Of course Alexander," The Tree Grim spoke from the steel rafters. "I didn't come down because it looked too… crowded for my taste."

The teen nodded. "Understandable stay up there you can be our overwatch and firesupport."

Slyva didn't know what overwatch was but she knew firesupport when she heard it. "Understood."

Xander turned and pointed to the Ponaturi and the Desert Goblin. "G'narl, see if you and Scottie can rig up some traps with the stuff in this place."

Gnarl nodded. Already scoping out the loose piping and wooden furniture. "Your will be done Alexander."

The ranger then turned to Ziz. "Ziz, just do what you always do and be an annoying fucker."

"Kahahaha!" The Vinayaka laughed.

"Let's give em hell people!" Xander encouraged.

~FotP~

Spike strutted into the Sunset Club like he owned the place. With a cocky grin on his face. The little Poofer, Wally or whatever his name was, had actually managed to bag the Slayer for him, on top of already letting one of his mooks nab the Du Lac Manuscript right out from under the Slayer's nose. He may have hated the ponce, but he had to admit, he was bloody effective.

Spike felt his foot snag on something and he heard a cord break and heard a whoosh of displaced air as something heavy started barreling towards him. It was only his centuries of experience and honed combat instincts that saved him. Spike rolled away avoiding getting dusted by a spiked pillar as it swung low from above on the second story dusting the first half dozen of the minions he'd brought with him.

"Dru," Spike called out frantically, as the mad seeress insisted on coming with him on this foray, "Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine Spiky, it seems Kitten has come out to play," Drusilla said in her faraway tone.

Spike looked around not seeing anything but collecting dust piles. As the spiked pillar slowly came to a stop. "Oh yeah? Well, why don't you come out and fight like a man huh Kitten?"

The only effect taunt of the bleach blonde Master Vampire had was for the pneumatic hiss of air to herald the firing of wooden stakes into the ranks of his minions.

"Drusilla?!" Spike called looking around and still spotting no one.

"I'm fine William one of ours was kind enough to shield me with his body. Sam I think his name was."

Spike was getting pissed now. He game-faced and called out. "Come out and face me coward!"

"Ooh, scary," An amused voice spoke from behind him.

Spike whirled around to see a human standing not too far away from him, his face hidden in the shadows of a mottled grey cloak. He was wearing leather armor with the chest piece lined in silver depicting a fanged grinning skull. In either hand, he held a foot long silver hunting knife.

"Think you're clever do ya git?" Spike growled at him circling around Xander and glaring at his minions as they approached silently telling them to stay back.

"More than you, certainly Xander replied easily. "I mean, you never even once thought this was a trap, it made it so easy to con you."

"Just who the fuck are you anyway?" Spike hissed anger rising.

Xander considered lowering his hood and letting Spike know who just dusted his mooks but thought better of it. 'Why not let him think another threat besides the Slayer is out there?' He thought to himself. "I'm just a simple Ranger. One who hunts things like you for sport."

The Master Vampire stopped pacing around Xander and looked at him like he was crazy before he shook his head and laughed. "Nu-uh, that's not how this is supposed to work. you're prey and we're the predator got it?" Spike told him.

"Then how come more than a dozen of your own are done and dusted while I'm still standing?" Xander retorted.

"Good point… let's fix that!" Spike said before he tried to jump Xander from behind.

Tried being the keyword. Xander was immune to flanking attacks that weren't being delivered from stealth, and stealth wasn't Spike's forte, so it was nothing for Xander to jump up and deliver a back kick to Spike's face, sending him falling onto his back. As the vampire pulled himself to his feet, Xander glanced at his level.

"Level 14 Brawler Master Vampire. CR12."

'Well fuck, its a good think he's an arrogant fucker or I'd be dead already,' Xander thought to himself as he readied his blades.

"Your gonna pay for that." Spike promised his eyes a sulfuric yellow and face twisted into the likeness of bat as he took to his feet.

"Prove it," Xander said before he released a shrill whistle, the signal for the goblins to attack.

Ziz swooped down from above, cackling madly molotov cocktails in each hand which he chucked into the vamperic horde. Setting four ablaze was he wrapped his razor scarf around the neck of a fifth and dragged it off, zapping it periodically with lightning from his tail.

Scottie proved he was certainly a rogue as he dashed from the shadows stabbing vampires with his dagger. Not lethally… as if he did that, his poison couldn't take effect. He led those he'd stabbed on a merry chase, waiting for his venom to kick in. It didn't take long, soon enough, the five or so vampires chasing him collapsed, bits and pieces of their bodies rotting and falling off.

"W-What the fuck did you do to us?!" One of the fledglings asked as the Desert Goblin approached, slowly eyeing his slightly bloody daggers.

"Nothing much, just the alchemical equivalent of Mummies' Rot. It's a rather nasty curse that… well, I'm sure you've figured it out already," The Desert Goblin replied before stabbing each fledgling in the heart, dusting them. "You got your damn dust on my suit, you bastards."

G'narl had found himself a drill and with a bit of creativity only a goblin had and ripped it apart and jury rigged its innards to his spear. So now, when he hit a button on the shaft, The speartip spun, drilling into his foes when he stabbed them. When that stopped being so effective, he whipped out a fucking chainsaw, and with wicked glee on his face, waded his way through the undead horde screaming in glee about having found a modern day Terbutje. Blood, gore, and body parts followed in his wake.

Sylva meanwhile stuck to the iron rafters, slinging hot rocks from her sling into the remaining vampires, burning, scalding, and sometimes setting their clothes on fire and getting a kill.

That just left Spike and Xander who had been duking it out while all of this had been going on. Spike by now was covered in numerous bleeding burning cuts, whereas his 'prey' had yet to receive a single scrape. Everytime Spike tried to strike him he rolled out his grasp. Ducking dodging and weaving his way around his strikes.

"Stand still and fight like a man!" Spike roared in anger.

"If I did that, the only thing that would happen is me dying," the Ranger replied easily. "I know full well the difference between the two of us vampire, and I have no intention of fighting fair."

"Spikey," Drusilla had stepped in-between the two fighters. "It's time to go. Nothing more to be gained here. If you stay any longer you'll die. The Stars told me so."

"Dru, get back!" Spike demanded of his Sire.

Drusilla turned to Xander and smiled. "Kitten isn't going to hurt me, are you Kitten?"

Xander looked at her level.

"Level 20 Vampire Seer. CR 7. [CR is currently halved]."

He knew better than to fuck with someone who could see his every move before he made it. He lowered his blades, if only just. Xander nodded towards the exit. "Leave."

Drusilla curtsied. "Thank you every so much Kitten."

Xander's scowl could be seen from the shadows of his hood. "Don't call me Kitten."

"Of course Sandy, come along William, we've had enough fun for one night," Drusilla said.

Spike looked like he wanted to object but in the end, gave in to his sire's whims. "Fine," He glared at the Ranger. "This ain't over cloak and dagger! I'll be back, you'll see!"

Xander watched them go. Once they'd left, he sighed to himself. "Of course the crazy one likes me," He said to himself. "That's just my luck."

"Who are you?" Xander heard a familiar voice coming from the entrance of the Sunset Club. He turned to see the Slayer, Willow, and Angel himself standing there, staring at him.

'Can these people seriously not see into the shadows of a hood?' Xander thought to himself. He replied, "I'm the Ranger, I hunt the undead. There were plenty here just now."

Scottie and the other's flanked their leader, with the Desert Goblin piping up. "Is there anything else you require of us Don?"

"Your name is Don?" Buffy asked.

Angel shook his head and corrected the Slayer. "No, I think he meant Don as in Mob Boss."

'The fuck is Scottie doing right now? Ah to hell with it, might as well roll with it,' Xander thought. Sheathing his knives he flicked his hand out and commanded. "Collect what you can from the fallen, usual rates apply, my Consigliere."

The rogue grinned. Xander didn't like that look. "Of course Don Quixote."

Willow blinked. "Don Quixote, are you serious?"

Xander glared at her from the darkness of his cowl. "Is my name somehow funny miss?"

Willow shrank back. "N-No sir."

"Don't threaten my friends," Buffy told the gangster.

"So far I haven't threatened anyone. In fact, I've been doing your job for you if I hazard a guess and you're the "Slayer"," The air quotes were in his tone. As he looked at her level.

"Level 12 Vampire Slayer."

"I am," Buffy said crossing her arms. "And I don't know if I want a mob boss in my town."

"Your town?" Xander couldn't believe the shit he was hearing. He knew damn well Buffy didn't even want to be the Slayer, She'd only lived her a year while Xander had been here his entire life so where did she get off calling Sunnydale her town? "What gives you the right to call Sunnydale your town, when you don't even want the job… sherriff?"

Buffy lost her footing when the verbal barb struck. "I…" She looked down, before looking back up. "I may not want the job, but it's mine and if I can use it to protect people, than I should! What about you and your demon horde?"

"Yeah, you're hardly better than Spike," piped up Willow.

"They are Goblins! Not corpse-possessing demons, you racists," Xander said hotly in defense of his crew.

"Oh, sorry," Willow apologized.

Hearing no apology coming from the Slayer Xander sighed. "Look Slayer, someone called Ford tried to sell you out to a bleach blonde vampire."

"Ford… Ford wouldn't do that," Buffy denied shaking her head.

Xander sighed. He hated playing the bad guy, but someone had to. "He had terminal brain cancer. He was gonna sell you up the river so Blondie would turn him into a vamp."

"Ford did? No he…" Buffy stopped when Angel put a hand on her shoulder.

"He's… he's telling the truth Buffy. I can hear it in his heartbeat. It's not wavering at all."

It sucked having to stand there and see Buffy look so shattered but Xander had a part to play at the moment. Once the Slayer managed to collect herself she asked. "What happened to Ford?"

"Well, I considered killing him right then. You see, the Mob, we value loyalty above all else you understand," Xander said conversationally walking back and forth so he didn't have to keep looking at Buffy hugging Angel. "But then I decided I would give him till sundown to leave town. As by then, he'd be a deadman either way. If not by the hand of me and my associates, then by Spike and his."

"So he's gone then," Buffy said, seemingly to herself.

Xander stopped and nodded. "He is Slayer, and for his sake, I'd better never see him again living or undead. I do not take kindly to betrayal," Xander's tone was dark and foreboding. Nobody fucked with his friends.

Buffy nodded. "Thanks… I guess I owe you one. I mean, I'm still not happy your here but you did save me from getting served to Spike on a silver platter and you seem to hate vampires as much as me so… thanks."

"Your welcome Slayer… it's Elizabeth isn't it?" there was a joking titter in Don Quixote's voice as he asked that question.

Buffy scowled. "Most people call me Buffy."

Xander was sure she could see his smirk as her scowl deepended when he replied. "Oh, I'm sure they do Elizabeth."

"Quest: Laying in Wait Completed. +2,300EXP, +10 Buffy Affection, +15 Fear in Vampire Faction, +200 Gold.

Bonus Objective: Cure Ford's Cancer. Failed

Bonus Objective: Force Spike to Withdraw. Success + 250EXP."

"You gained 1,080 gold from item drops picked up by your companions, and five rubies worth 625 gold. And +450EXP for all the vampires slain."

"Sir," Scottie, said, "All drops have been collected."

"I noticed," Xander sighed before dusting his hands off on his pants, "Well then, we're done here. Head back to base Scottie," He turned to the humans and ensouled vampire. "I hope you have a pleasant rest of your evening Elizabeth." Xander pulled at his cowl like one would tip their hat before he sunk into the cement using the power of his cloak. Xander landed in the sewers below the Sunset Club and began a slow meandering trek back to Janna's house. 'I hope she doesn't yell at me too much, I'm beat.'

~FotP~

Xander found the air crushed out of his chest the moment he walked through the front door. It took the boy a moment to figure out what was going on. 'Oh, Janna's hugging me,' He realized after a moment. It took him a moment to return the embrace.

"Thank goodness you're alright," The Romani Witch pulled back and slapped him on the arm. "What were you thinking?! Fighting Spike all by yourself?"

"I wasn't all by myself Jan, I had the Goblins as backup." Xander replied.

Janna sighed as she led Xander into the kitchen by his hand. "Well thank goodness you had enough commonsense to at least bring backup, if not enough to not fight a four hundred year old master vampire who has killed two Slayers."

Xander blinked. "You… aren't upset I skipped school?"

She turned and gave her ward a dry look. "I knew nothing could stop you the moment I got the quest notification. So no, I'm not upset. I just wish you would've waited so as to include Jonathan and I."

"Yeah bro what gives?" Jonathan said from his seat at the table. "We're supposed to do things together as a party."

"Sorry guys… speaking of party, here ya go Johnny," Xander materialized the set of riveted leather mail and tossed it to him. Then did the same with the Wand of Fireballs and handed it handle first to Janna, along with a sack full of all the gems he'd collected so far.

"Sweet, some actual armor. Thanks Xander," Jonathan said trying it on.

Janna added the jewels to the growing horde in her inventory. "And thank you for the wand."

Xander also handed everyone a health potion, and gave Janna the Ring of Protection since she had the lowest Armor Class out of all of them. "I'm going to keep this Ring of Endure Elements okay Jonathan?"

"Sure dude, I got spells for that anyway," Jonathan replied as Xander slipped the ring on his finger. "Um, by the way, if I ever needed money for anything, you'd spot me right?"

"Of course," Xander replied. "I'm just hoarding gold like a dragon because I want to become an artificer... eventually."

Jonathan's eyes widened, then he nodded in understanding. "Ohh… yeah that makes sense artificing costs serious dosh."

"That's magical item creation if I recall?" Janna asked for clarification.

"Yep, its scary what can be made by an Artificer." Jonathan said, "But they need half of the worth of the item they intend to create in gold so…"

"So Xander is going to hoard gold like a red dragon." Janna surmised.

Xander nodded. "I am… though I don't know why no one could tell who I was with my hood up."

"Title gained: Vigilante: Ranger

Title Gained: Don Quixote: Mob Boss."

"Okay what kind of fuckery is this," He clicked on the first title. And an info bubble popped up.

"Vigilate allows you to hide you're less than savory actions behind a separate persona, in this case known as the Ranger. This persona can never be identified as Alexander Harris unless you reveal your dual identity to another or your separate identity becomes public knowledge, thus losing you this title. You can swap between the social persona of Alexander Harris and the Ranger at will."

Xander blinked. "Well damn, this is useful."

"What is it?" Jonathan asked.

"I gained a title that basically turns me into Batman. In the Cowl, I'm Batman, out of the Cowl, I'm Xander."

Awesome… wish I had a cool title," Jonathan said. It was then that a window popped up in front of him.

"Title Gained, Goblin Savior. Due to your efforts of trying to save Goblins from certain doom, you have been awarded this title. All goblins shall immediately start off as neutral towards you due to your actions instead of outright hostile."

"Never mind just got one," Jonathan said. "It makes all Goblins not outright hate me."

"Sweet," Xander said as the two boys bumped fists.

Jonathan then asked. "What's your other title do?"

"Don Quixote: Mob Boss. Congratulations you've formed your own branch of the Mob! With you as the Don, you can now form a power structure similar to a guild. (You can even turn your Famigla into a guild later if you so desire). With it, you can set up a power structure consisting of you the Don (The Boss) at the Top with a Consiligure ( you're right hand man), an Underboss (Your lieutenant) that gives out orders to your three Cappregimes (Captains), who themselves give orders to your Soldiers.

With this Title you can do various crimes from ranging from racketeering, smuggling, fraud, counterfeiting, robbery, bribery, assault, money laundering, illegal gambling, loan sharking, weapons trafficking, drug trafficking, extortion, fencing, murder, prostitution, pornography, and theft."

"Well I'm sure as hell not doing prostitution and pronography. I have standards thank you," Xander said to himself.

"What?" Both Jonathan and Janna said looking at Xander like he'd grown a second head.

"My second title made me the Don of a Mafia Family I can do… Mafia things…"

Janna rubbed her temples as she felt a headache coming on. "Oh dear. I'm almost afraid to ask but, what else does it do?"

"Hang on and I'll tell you." When you or your familia commit crimes you get Crime Experience Points, (Crime EXP) Which fills a separate EXP bar that, as it levels up, it allows your entire famiglia to become more skilled and pull off greater crimes with higher chances of success. Crimes can even be used to complete quests if used creatively, allowing you to get both Crime EXP and regular EXP at the same time. Additionally, Don Quixote: Mob Boss acts just like Vigilante Ranger in that it is separate from Alexander Harris. Thus, as long as you don't declare yourself a mob boss publically, no one will know you're a made man. Only those you accept into your Famiglia will know the truth."

Xander read all this out loud.

"Dude… this is so cool!" Jonathan said. "Can I be your Underboss?"

"Okay." Xander said with a shrug.

"Title Gained: Underboss "The Doctor"

"This title allows you to give orders to those of lower rank in the Famiglia and grants all healing spells one extra hit die than normal per their level," Jonathan read aloud. "Sweet."

"But…" Janna said, "Do you really want to be a criminal?"

Xander looked at her, "Jan, it's all in what you define as criminal I suppose. I mean technically speaking I've already started fencing goods and laundering money just today by having Willy turn some of my gold into actual cash, and sell the shitty drops none of us were going to use. Plus all thoes counts of murder with all the vamps we've dusted, plus the goblins, and the destruction of public property..."

"Alright I get it," Janna said. "None of us are exactly on the up and up are we? What's my position in the Familgila dare I ask?"

"You can be my other Constiligere if you like. Scottie is one already but since your kinda sorta my guardian it makes sense."

"Title Gained: Constiligere: Romani Queen."

"While the Don rules from the shadows, you act as his face when he is unable to act. Additionally you may use all of your hexes one additional time each day." Janna read. "So, we're really doing this aren't we?"

Xander shrugged. "I don't see why not? I also feel like we've had a similar conversation before."

Janna just smiled. "Quiet you, and make sure you finish your daily exercises before dinner."

"Oh right," Xander started doing push ups. As he did he asked Jonathan. "So what's your daily quest like Jonathan?"

"I need to pray for two hours everyday to my deity." Jonathan replied.

Xander shook his head and complained. "Why am I the only one that has to do any real work to complete his daily quest?"

"Probably because Rangers are the most combat intensive of the three of us," Jonathan noted.

Xander sent his friend a glare as he finished a push up. "I call shenanigans, Cleric's need to be buff too you know?"

Jonathan nodded, "Yeah," he hesitantly agreed. "But most of my power is divinely given. Hell, I can even buff my stats with spells. You need to be physically fit to do even half the stuff expected of a Ranger or a Fighter."

"I know, but that's not going to stop me from complaining about how easy you two got it compared to me," Xander finished his push ups and flipped onto his back and started doing crunches. "What's your reward anyway?"

"Plus one to my Con and Wis."

Xander shook his head. "Damn, and all you gotta do is pray."

"For two hours straight. That takes a lot of concentration." Jonathan retorted.

Xander grunted in reply, focusing on his workout for a moment before saying, "So, what did I miss in class?"

The boys chatted as Janna proceeded to make dinner. A giant pot of Spaghetti sounded good to her, and felt oddly appropriate considering what they'd learned today. So soon enough the smell of pasta sauce filled the air.

"Daily Quest Completed: 5/10. +4EXP."

The notification popped up as soon as Janna said dinner was ready. Once they'd all finished eating, Xander sighed contently. "Well, at least its the weekend. I mean, the friggin path is probably still going to wake me up at the crack of dawn to run six miles like it always does but I've started getting used to it."

"So then," Janna began, "What are our plans for tomorrow?"

"Well, I suppose we should lay the groundwork for the Famigila. Two of the usual eight laws don't really apply to us." Xander said.

"Which are?" Jonathan asked.

"Ethnicity and No Facial Hair." Xander replied relying on his Godfather knowledge. "Ethinicity should be ovbious, since we have goblins and demons working for us, but I've always considered the facial hair thing stupid myself. It's my face and I'll grow hair out of it if I want to, thank you very much."

Everyone shared a laugh at that, and Janna proposed something, "What about instead of Ethnicity we have something along the lines of "No Pulse, No Membership."

"Love it," Xander said, "I don't have a problem with the rest of the rules of the Mob since they actually make sense, any objections?"

Jonathan and Janna shook their heads. Xander leaned back in his chair grinning. "I'm a friggin' Godfather. Wow, what's next am I gonna become a harem protagonist?"

"Don't taunt the Dungeon Master dude," Jonathan warned. "Especially not when the Dungeon Master is a literal reality warping god who is doing things mostly for your benefit."

"Point," Xander conceded. "It's Janus isn't it? The Dungeon Master?" Xander clarified going to his backpack and getting the plastic container that held the broken shards of the bust.

Johanthan nodded, " It is."

The next ten minutes consisted of the trio putting the bust back together, with Xander fitting the pieces while Janna and Jonathan used a simple Mending spell on it. Once it was done they received a popup.

"Side Quest: Retrieve and Repair the Bust of Janus. Complete!

Reward: 200EXP, Divine Favor"

"Okay so… what's Divine Favor do?" Xander asked no one in particular. "Cause I doubt it's the level one Cleric spell that gives luck bonuses on attack and damage rolls with weapons."

"You would be correct there Alexander," A voice inside of his head that sounded fatherly and jovial as the bust began to glow with crimson energy.

"Okay, who the fuck?" Xander said looking around.

"Janus," Jonathan said.

"Hello again Jonathan Levinson, and greetings Janna Kalderash and Alexander Lavelle Harris… or is it Kalderash now too?" He joked.

"Umm Kalderash doesn't have the same ring to it… No offense Janna. Also what about trials and junk?" Xander asked worriedly.

"I took care of it for the most part don't worry. Suffice it to say, you won't have to deal with your legal system." The Roman god waved away Xander's concerns. "As for what my divine favor is, it put it simply, it is the ability to cast spells from my domain of Portals."

"Oh great," Xander joked, "Spells for someone who can't cast them yet."

"Not to worry Alexander. I've got something special for my Champion. After all, if your going to be a Capo de Capi,you need a signet ring."

The statue briefly animated and its mouth opened with its tongue lolling out. Sitting on the tongue was a silver ring. On either end of the ring was the face of Janus carved into perfect likeness. Even his long curly beard was flawlessly represented. Four single carat diamonds set into each of the eye sockets. Xander picked up the ring intent on examining it. The moment he touched it, it bound itself onto his middle right finger. On then did he get its stats.

"Ring to Anywhere. Classification: Relic. Value: 55,500g

Binds on Pickup. This item is the Relic of Janus. It is gifted to his Chosen Champion. The Ring, can open portals to any dimension or area of the users choice so long as he presses the ring into a gap or hole large enough to act as a door. This ability can be used four times a day as indicated by the glow of the diamonds on the ring. It can also unlock any door by simply being pressed up against the lock and turning. This ability can be used infinitely. It can also Cast Light, Darkness, Fireball, Frenzy, Calm, or Snowball at the cost of a single charge."

"Damn!" Xander swore.

"What's it do?" Janna asked.

Once Xander explained the Ring's functions Jonathan whistled. "That's a relic for you. They are items belonging to gods after all."

Xander nodded. It was true. "Thanks Big J."

"No problem Xan Man," Janus replied using the old nickname Jesse used to use for him before falling inert signaling the departure of the Ronman deity.

Jonathan turned to Xander. "So what's our first move Padrino?"

Xander stood up prompting the other two to do the same. "We all get a good night's sleep. We've got a 'criminal empire' to build starting tomorrow," Xander looked to Jonathan. "You gonna head home or spend the night here man?"

"I'll stay here, if that's alright. I just let me phone my folks first." The teen requested.

Janna walked off saying, " Of course it's fine Jonathan. I'll just go set up the guest room for you."

"Well things are looking up huh Alpha? Or is it Don now?" Cavall asked having stayed silent while the others were talking about things that didn't really matter to him.

"Just Alpha is fine Cavall." Xander replied scratching the Caypup's ears as he thought. 'My life is not going to get boring anytime soon that's for sure. Vigilante, Don, and RPG character all in one. Heh, what's next I wonder.' He thought as he looked at the inert and flawless bust.

Xander could've sworn he heard chuckling in the air for just a moment, originating from the statue. "Well that can't be good." Xander muttered to himself. "It's never good when the DM chuckles to themselves like that." Xander got up shaking his head. "Don't think about it, don't think about it." He said to himself like a mantra as he made his way towards his bed.

Word Count: 28,415 Number of Pages: 75 Date Completed: 1/24/2020

AN: Hello one and all and welcome to chapter two of Followers of the Path. Lots of craziness happened in this chapter and I really enjoyed writing it. I do hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Now over to my friendly neighborhood beta Snowy!

GOBLINS GOBLINS EVERYWHERE! Holy fuck that was a lot of goblins. Don't tell a certain slayer wink wink oh boy howdy would he get some ideas. Anyways it seems Xander has tempted fate and now the harem must be fed WAHAHAHAHAH. On a more serious note I personally helped with the bits on jonathan and expanding on the regular goblinoid enemies they will being play their part behind the scenes. Now the only question is how will this ESCALATE!

Thank you Snowy as always for leaving our readers wanting more. Speaking of more. You guys and gals are amazing! I mean, forty-two reviews for the first chapter alone? My thanks goes out to each and everyone of you. Till nextime everyone, this has been a Bubbajack and IcySnowSage Production! Peace.

PS. I have a Pat-reon. If you care to donate you can find me using the same handle I do on . Bubbajack.

Glossary:

CR: Challenge Rating. It shows how difficult a particular opponent is. For example something of CR 1 would need FOUR adventures at level one just to fight it. Spike being CR 12, would need four adventurers at level twelve just to be able to fight him on even terms much less to kill him. Xander was able to get around this, by having some hax skills at his level, plus blessed silver weapons that harm the undead. Plus, Spike isn't known for being all that stealthy. If he was, Xander would already be dead...

Relic: A class of magical items belonging to a Deity. They are very powerful as demonstrated above.

Current Levels and Skills:

Xander:

Level: 6

EXP: 18941/24,000

STR: 14 bonus of +2

DEX: 12 bonus of +1

CON: 12 bonus of +1

INT: 12(-2) bonus of 0

WIS: 16 bonus of +3

CHA: 15(-2) bonus of +1

HP: 143

Mana: 158

Movement Speed: 12ft per sec.

Carrying Capacity: 70kg/154lbs

AC: 11

Base Attack Bonus: +1

Fortitude Save: +4+2

Reflex Save: +4

Will Save: +3+4+1+2

New Feats:

Lv.6 Fighter [1]: Two-weapon Fighting: Can use a weapon in either hand, Dodge: self explanatory. / Ranger [1]: 1st Favored Enemy (Evil Outsider): does bonus damage against evil entities not native to Earth. Track: Can track a chosen target, Wild Empathy: Can befriend animals - Bonus Feat: Greater Fortitude: +2 to Fortitude Saves.

New Skill increases:

Search: 13+0(Bonus from INT)= 13

Survival: 9+3(Bonus from Wis): 12

Janna:

Name: Janna Kalderash

Race: Human (Female) Romani Blood

Level: 10

EXP: 18,941/22,000

Class: Witch (5), Technomancer (6)

Stats:

STR: 13 bonus of +1

DEX: 13 bonus of +1

CON: 11 bonus of 0

INT: 18(-2) bonus of +4

WIS: 12(-2) bonus of +0

CHA: 12(-2) bonus of +0

HP: 127

Mana: 153

Movement Speed: 12 ft per sec.

Carrying Capacity: 65kg/143lbs

AC: 12

Base Attack Bonus: +2+3

Fortitude Save: +1+2

Reflex Save: +1+2

Will Save: +4+5

New Feats: None

New Abilities:

Unified Energy: At 6th level, a technomancer can draw power from a technological device in his possession to cast a spell he knows (if a spontaneous caster) or a spell he currently has prepared (if he prepares spells) without expending a spell slot or prepared spell. He consumes 2 charges from the device for each spell level of the spell being cast. In the process of casting the spell, he can apply any of his metamagic feats, using a number of charges appropriate to the increase in spell level, but he cannot exceed the highest effective level of spell he is able to cast. He can use this ability multiple times per day, but never in excess of a number of charges equal to twice his technomancer level (so at 6th level, he can consume no more than 12 charges per day using this ability).

New Skill increases:

Spot: 4+1

Listen: 4+1

Jonathan:

Name: Johnathan Levinson

Race: Human (Male)

Level: 6

EXP: 8,941/12,000

Class: Cleric (6)

Domain: Strength Healing (Resurrection)

Feats: Endurance, Diehard,

Stats:

STR: 10 bonus of +0

DEX: 14 bonus of +2

CON: 10 bonus of 0

INT: 14(-2) bonus of +2

WIS: 18(-2) bonus of +4

CHA: 14(-2) bonus of +2

HP: 128

Mana: 150

Movement Speed: 14 ft per sec.

Carrying Capacity: 50kg/110lbs

AC: 12

Base Attack Bonus: +4

Fortitude Save: +5

Reflex Save: +2

Will Save: +9

Skill upgrades:

Knowledge (Religion): 13

Knowledge (Arcana): 13+2

Knowledge (Planes): 1+2

Listen: 5+4

Sense Motive: 13+4

Spellcraft: 13+2

Spot: 5+4