This Fire Burns…Always!!!

Summary: Xander discovers something old and powerful.

Disclaimer: own nothing.

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The lightning all around her forced her to close her eyes and jump back, especially when several bolts were dangerously close to her. She knew, however, that this was Sonora Sky messing with her. He was softening her up, preparing her for the battle at hand.

Lori wished that she had Xander's sword with her as well as the bow, but she knew that that would ultimately be reneging the opportunity to claim the armor. The legends made it clear that all the knights won their armor with their mystic weapons, and the mystic weapons alone.

A bolt of lightning landed directly in front of her, causing Lori to jump back slightly as it impacted the ground. Once the bolt faded, however, she could easily see a figure standing before her.

Dressed head to toe in black armor, the 'man' stood a good foot above her, with gauntlets made to look like talons and a visor designed to encompass the frightening features of a bat. Sonora Sky had a small black cape in the back, which humorously reminded her of Batman as he even had the ears of a bat upon his helmet, although the ears stuck out horizontally. In his hand was a boomerang in the design of a bat, once more the comparisons with Batman struck out in her mind, causing her to smile slightly, even though she knew that Sonora Sky was not to be taken lightly.

The Lightning Bat growled out, a truly frightening sound, and cracked his neck with a jerking motion as he stretched.

"Ahhh," he said in a croaking voice that made her want to cover her ears, "It has been a while since last I stretched my legs."

The rain began to come, and she silently cursed the skies for giving her another problem to deal with.

"Who are you, childe," Sonora Sky called out, "I know not of your station. State your business."

"I am Lori O'Leary of Southern Ireland," she called back, "And I have come to get the Mystic Armor of Air…and to get the Hell off this cliff!"

"Ahhh," he croaked out, "Lori O'Leary of Southern Ireland, the latest challenger for the armor. In gratitude for releasing me from my dormant slumber for these past centuries, I shall offer you one opportunity."

The Lightning Bat pointed to a spot directly to her left. Lori stared at it for a moment before feeling the earth shake beneath her. She maintained her balance as the earth opened up before her, showing her a great chasm with a winding staircase.

"You may leave here, unspoiled, and return to the cave where the Whirlwind Crossbow and Mace of Earth were left long ago," Sonora Sky croaked out, "Should you choose to remain, however, you must conquer me in combat. I advise you to turn back, O'Leary, while you still can."

Lori stared at him for a long moment, truly tempted to turn around and go back. But she knew that if she did so, she would never get another opportunity to claim the armor as her own and the armor would be lost forever. She'd always dreamed of being Deirdre inside her fantasies, and now she had an opportunity to do so. She would not turn her back on that, not when she knew that Xander would need her help later on as well.

"I appreciate the offer, Lightning Bat," Lori called out, "But a true daughter of Ireland never turns her back on a challenge. I thought ye would know that."

"Ahhhh," Sonora Sky croaked, "Very well, then, true daughter of Ireland. Prepare to meet your end."

Sonora Sky raised his head into the air, preparing to let out a scream which Deirdre had described as 'sheer agony to behold.' Lori knew the legends of the battles front and back, and she felt she was prepared for whatever the Lightning Bat had to offer.

The moment she heard him take in a breath, Lori leveled her bow and took aim, summoned forth a feeling of love, and pulled the trigger. The second the purple energy was released, Lori took off after it in a full sprint.

The energy hit Sonora Sky in the chest, knocking out the breath from his lungs. Lori followed the blast, leaping into the air and striking the Lightning Bat directly in the chest with a powerful kick. Sonora Sky fell backwards, but rolled onto his feet with ease, brandishing his baterang as he did so.

Lori took a moment to notice that, to her surprise, the baterang had a blade for its edges, making the weapon much more deadlier than she had thought it was.

"Very good," Sonora Sky rasped, "Very good…"

He lunged at her with his weapon, and she dodged to the side. She brought the crossbow up, intending on slamming his head in with the weapon, but he backed up and avoided the blow, coming back at her with a slash at her midsection. She backed up, but tripped and fell onto her backside. Sonora Sky lifted up his weapon high, preparing to do her in, but she leveled her bow and took her shot.

The blast of air hit Sonora Sky directly where she had meant to hit him…in the testicles.

The Lightning Bat bent over in pain as he felt his testicles burst into flames. Lori quickly rose up to her feet and raised her leg, kicking Sonora Sky in the face, flipping the pained sentinel onto his backside. Lori quickly kicked away his weapon, sending it over the side of the cliff, and positioned her weapon directly over his face.

"It's over," she said to him, "I've-"

Sonora Sky swept her legs out from under with his arm, sending her falling. She rolled, and nearly rolled off the edge of the cliff, but managed to hold on. Before she could get up, the Lightning Bat was atop her, his talons positioned over her chest.

"Now it is," Sonora Sky rasped to her, "Goodbye…"

Lori brought the crossbow down across his face, sending him reeling away from her. She quickly came back to her feet and launched a kick into his face, and she could hear his helmet crack underneath the force of her kick. She backed away, leveling her weapon against him.

"Now it's over, Lightning Bat," she shouted out.

Sonora Sky stared up at her, slowly rising to his feet. She heard him take in a raspy breath, then chuckle.

"Yes, it is," Sonora Sky said, "Go, Lori O'Leary, and enjoy the fruits of your efforts."

With that being said, Sonora Sky disappeared in a green mist, leaving her alone atop the cliff.

Lori looked around, scanning the area in disbelief, before turning her gaze upon the crossbow, realizing exactly what that meant. She had won…and was now the Mystic Knight of Air.

Smiling to herself, she thought back to Xander and how he had summoned the armor. She wondered if hers could be summoned in a similar way, but decided that it had to be that way. She thought on what her phrase would be.

"If his was 'fire within me,'" Lori considered, looking up into the sky, she smiled slightly and raised her bow high.

"THE AIR ABOVE ME!"

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Shelly roared out in pain as the werewolf once more clawed at her face, sending her away in pain as his claws injured her as few other weapons could. She responded by kicking the wolf off of her, then following thru by leaping atop the wolf while it was still stunned, and sinking her claws and fangs deep into its flesh.

The wolf struggled valiantly against her grip, but Shelly held on firmly, knowing that it was for not as she could feel the life draining out of its body. Within moments, the wolf had stilled, its miserable existence brought to an end.

Shelly let go finally, allowing the body to hit the ground in a thud. She grinned a bloody terrifying grin as she stared down at the body, preparing herself for the meal...before stopping as she felt her master call for her.

Sighing in anger, Shelly picked up the wolf's body and carried it with her as she moved herself to the Castle. Van Culvert was waiting for her, a pleased look on his face.

"Ah, excellent," Van Culvert said as she returned, but his face scrunched up into disgust as he saw the wolf's body, "Ew. The dog didn't play nice, eh?"

"No, he did not," Shelly sighed, handing the body over to the Slayer as she did so.

"Oh, well, I trust no one has any objections over his death," Van Culvert said, his gaze focused on Willow.

"No," Willow said immediately, "He refused the gift of the song and, therefore, should have died."

"...Whatever," Van Culvert said, turning back to Shelly, "Now, I have just been granted a vision by our Lord. It appears as though that meddling child has caused the Mystic Knight of Air to come back into being."

"I apologize for yet another failure," Shelly said, bowing slightly as she did.

"Oh, posh," Van Culvert said, "Make it up to me by killing those two brats and we're square."

"No problem," Shelly said with a grin, "Just kill or can I take their will?"

"Just kill," Van Culvert sighed, "With that damnable armor on, your song will not affect them at all. And the weapons themselves will protect against your song. No, just kill them."

Shelly nodded, her teeth flashing in delight at the prospect of killing the two 'knights.'

"Come, stand in this circle," Van Culvert indicated.

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The entranced Buffy spared not even a glance as she deposited the still body of her werewolf friend Oz on the top corridor, where he could be seen from below. She quickly moved back down towards the lower level, intent on joining her fellow servants.

As she left, however, she did not see the werewolf begin to slowly transform, slowly becoming Daniel Osbourne once more.

The young man groaned out in pain, tossing as he attempted to completely wake up. Slowly, however, the musician became fully conscious. He noted first that he was very sore, and then very cold, and finally, he found that he was naked.

"Again?" he asked, sighing as he attempted to recall all that had happened.

All his questions were put to an end, however, as he heard someone beneath him. Sighing, the musician looked down, and immediately felt two sensations: joy upon seeing Willow, Buffy, and Giles were safe, and then rage upon seeing the creature that had attacked him.

Oz slowly came to his feet, mindful of his injuries, and looked out upon the scene before him. An old man was standing beside her, though they were separated by a circle of what he thought to be rice. He turned his gaze to his friends, starting with Willow, and found her to be...staring at the two with a look of absolute subservience.

Sighing, Oz easily pieced together what had happened. His friends had heard the creature's song and come over to its side. He felt the wolf rear up again, sensing that the pack was in danger, but Oz managed to quell it with considerable effort.

He looked back down and saw, with a gasp, that they were doing a spell...a teleportation spell, if he remembered Willow's lectures correctly. He noted immediately that they were nearing the end of the spell, so, Oz did the only thing he could think to do.

He grabbed a large piece of wood nearby and leaped off the top of the corridor, flying as he let the wolf once more, and collided with the creature just as the spell was completed.