A dangerous sorcerer named Felix Faust has come to Sunnydale, intent on raising an ancient demon to subjugate all of humankind. To succeed, he must perform a powerful curse to displace his enemies, transporting them from one time and place and exch...
Batman strode through the woods behind Father Vestille's hovel, with Willow and Helena keeping pace as best they could.
"Batman, what's wrong?" Willow asked, clutching the scroll they had taken from Felix Faust. "I mean, you act like something bad's about to happen. We've got the scroll, so Faust can't use it to summon Kalderon. Which means the Earth is saved. This should be a happy moment."
"It should be," Batman agreed in a dark tone. "But it all seemed too easy. Whenever we encountered Faust, the Scarecrow, and Avurkana before, they fought back. This time, they simply fled. Why?"
Helena narrowed her eyes, thinking. "You're right. With their magic, they've had us at a disadvantage in every battle. Why would they run?"
Willow tried to suggest a useful theory. "Um ... maybe they were tired? Or they had something else evil to do?"
"Yes, I believe they did," Batman said. "They're plotting something. And whatever it is, I suspect we've fallen into it."
"You certainly have," something snarled from up ahead.
Batman, Helena, and Willow froze as five large wolves padded toward them from the dark recesses of the forest. Helena's crossbow rose instantly and fired at the wolf leader as he growled and leaped at her. Her silver bolt sank into his chest and sent him spinning in mid-air, to drop to the ground in a heap.
"Willow, warn the others," Batman ordered. "And keep that scroll safe."
Willow clutched the scroll to her chest and sprinted away toward Father Vestille's hovel. As she departed, Batman hurled a handful of smoke pellets at the ground beneath the approaching wolves. The capsules burst and spewed fumes, causing the beasts to blink in confusion at the spreading cloud. Two wolves charged through the smoke at them. Helena pulled the lever of her repeating crossbow twice, dropping each of them to the dirt.
Batman kept his eyes peeled for further attacks, knowing this was what he had dreaded. But what exactly was Faust plotting?
At the stoop outside Father Vestille's hovel, Buffy and Xander sprang to their feet as three Lycanthru wolves moved toward them. "Sorry, guys," Buffy told them. "We're not allowed to keep pets here."
"Is that the best you've got?" Xander asked, his eyes darting between the three wolves.
"I can be hilarious, or I can save us," Buffy said, crouching in a fighting stance. "Take your pick."
"Saving's good," Xander accepted.
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"Don't worry, little girl," the lead wolf growled. "We won't hurt you too much. Yet."
Buffy raised an eyebrow. "'Little girl?'" she challenged. "I'm not worried, 'little wolf.' But just to be clear, I am gonna hurt you. A lot."
