Disclaimer: I do not own BtVS, MTG, SM, or any other intellectual property referenced in this fic.

Xander turned and walked away; he'd prevented the bomb from exploding he didn't need anyone's approval, he had his own.

"How about a little wager?" D'Hoffryn asked, stepping out of the shadows.

Xander froze, stuck between fight or flight having depleted his body's ready supply of adrenaline with everything he'd gone through. "I recognize you," Xander said recalling Cordelia telling the group about her wish, the effect it'd had, and being forced to read a lot of moldy books.

"Indeed," D'Hoffryn said with a toothy grin. "So you know I am more than powerful enough to kill you with a snap of my fingers."

"Yeah, that's about the size of it," Xander agreed, trying to figure out how to escape whatever the demon lord had planned for him.

Unnoticed Cordelia had ran off and gotten the rest of the gang which had rushed out to help.

"I'll make you a deal. You make one wish," D'Hoffryn said, "and I won't snap my fingers at you."

"Monkey's paw variety that I have to figure out how to untangle so you can't screw with it?" Xander guessed.

"Exactly," the Demon Lord agreed.

"Xander, it's a trick," Giles warned, bringing his attention to the battered group.

"I know, but my back's against the wall here," Xander said honestly, mind searching for a way to defuse this wish.

"Xander don't be an idiot!" Buffy yelled, in panic as her slayer senses flared. "Don't make that wish!"

Cordelia smacked Buffy in the back of the head. "You idiot!"

Buffy winced realizing she'd said exactly the wrong thing as Xander's fists had clenched and his nervous smile had faded into a thin line.

"I wish to be a planeswalker," Xander said.

D'Hoffryn stared in surprise and looked shocked as he said, "Wish granted!"

A flare of energy surrounded Xander and seared the ground where he stood, as he screamed in agony, his clothes going up in flames right before he vanished, leaving a three foot circle of boiling stone to mark where he'd stood.

"I wasn't aware I could activate the spark of a planeswalker, much less that he was one," D'Hoffryn said in wonder.

"What did-" Willow began to demand only to have Faith slap her hand over her mouth.

"Lord D'Hoffryn if you would be so kind as to explain what just occurred," Giles requested, knowing the famed Demon Lord would more readily respond to a polite inquiry, especially if it would pain the listeners to hear it.

"Of course Ripper, it'd be a pleasure to explain to a man who understands vengeance as well as yourself," he replied with a toothy grin. "Anyanka, my favorite, granted a wish that lead to her losing her power for a time. Normally I would plan out something horrible for all involved, but on looking at Miss Chase's future I realized I needn't bother, and that Alexander was the cause of events that would prevent my reclaiming Anyanka in the future. Naturally I sought to correct this by offering him a wish or instant death, being the merciful being I am."

"I see," Giles said. "That is remarkably merciful of you, thank you."

"The boy has frustrated so many 'higher beings' I felt he deserved it, however just when he was about to choose a painless death, your Slayer, Miss Summers, convinced him to undergo something extraordinary painful, he wished to be a planeswalker."

"I... wouldn't that have caused widespread destruction?" Giles asked.

"Indeed it would," D'Hoffryn agreed. "However by shielding myself I prevented the destruction of the city, accidentally of course, and... it appears he's drained the Hellmouth of power for his transformation."

"Thank you for your time," Giles said politely giving a slight bow as the Demon vanished.

"Where is he?!" Buffy asked Giles, feeling even more powerless than she had when the council had stripped her of her powers.

"Everywhere, nowhere," Giles replied solemnly as they returned to the library.

"What do you mean?!" Willow demanded.

"Surely you can't believe he was telling the truth!" Wesley exclaimed.

"He's notorious for being honest, especially if it upsets the listeners," Giles said as he slowly started to clean the library obviously bone weary.

"What's a planeswalker?" Willow demanded.

"That's not something that is easy to describe," Wesley said. "I of course am well versed on what is known, but that is unfortunately very little. There are mortals, extremely rare ones-"

"There may be a total of two potential ones on earth out of the entire population," Giles interrupted.

"Who have the potential to become planeswalkers," Wesley continued. "Of the billions with the spark over the whole of creation it's just as rare to have it ignite."

"And Xander's one and he's ignited?" Buffy asked to be sure.

"Yes," Wesley agreed, "it appears that way. Planeswalkers are hunted by quite a few beings, particularly when they are... young, because they grow in power rapidly."

"But what are they?!" Cordelia demanded.

"Powerful beings who can grow to eclipse the gods themselves and step from one reality to another like we enter a room," Giles said. "Their power and motives vary greatly, as no two are alike."

"And Xander?" Faith asked wondering what wasn't being said.

"Is lost in eternity being hunted by other planeswalkers, beings who make gods tremble," Giles said. "If he survives and finds his way back here, it'll most likely be centuries after we're all dead and gone," he finished sadly.

"And considering he drew on the power of the Hellmouth to ignite himself..." Wesley trailed off. "He's probably in a Hell dimension, if not demonic himself."

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"Fuck you, Wesley," Faith said before turning and stomping out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"The readings say it's this way," a blue haired girl in a blue and white, short skirted outfit said in Japanese as she looked at her laptop, leading a group of five girls with similar outfits and two cats.

"I can feel the darkness like oil in my fur," a black cat with a gold crescent moon on its head said.

"She's right," a similar though white furred cat agreed. "It's the darkest energy I've ever felt. You all must be careful!"

"How about you hit it with a Moon Healing Escalation the moment we spot it?" a tall brown haired girl in a white and green outfit suggested.

"Can I do that?" a blonde girl with a rainbow trimmed white outfit asked.

"If anyone complains I'll hit them with a Akuryo Taisan," a dark haired girl with the same outfit as the others except with red trim promised.

"Three feet in front of us," the blue haired girl announced, just as a groan and some rustling came from the bushes.

"Moon Healing Escalation!" the blonde with the rainbow trim yelled, throwing a wave of light in front of them.

"Ow!" said a blackened figure as it fell over with a thud.

Typing by: Stephenopolos