Chapter 10
Buffy and Michael walked along the beach at sunset. The waves crashed against the shore throwing up salty sprays of water.
When Michael listened to Buffy concerned relating how she escaped from the pool he thought more over of keeping secrets from her. He was becoming tired of living a lie.
"That was the second time I've almost died from drowning," she said, "The first time my heart had actually stopped but I came back."
Michael looked out at the setting sun like he was deep in thought.
"Michael, what is going on?"
"Buffy," he said turning and looking into her face, "I am not the guy you think I am. I think there is something you need to know. You see..."
From down the beach a loud neigh came from a horse that was black as night. The horse let out billows of smoke from his nostrils. Its rider sat high and upright in a black cloak holding a sword by his side.
"End game Slayer," Joshua yelled from his steed.
"Oh great," Buffy said.
Joshua rode up the beach pounding through the surf and sand.
"Michael get out of here quickly," Buffy said to Michael.
Michael ran down part of the length of the beach as Buffy ran sideways towards a group of rocks that rose up into a path. She quickly jumped ahead when Joshua swung his sword missing her above the head. The path became higher until it led to a ledge high up enough to see the beach expanse. Joshua rode to a stop in front of Buffy.
"You have caused me more trouble than you are worth."
"You're not getting the book back."
"I will not be cheated this time."
Buffy slipped when the ledge behind her gave way spilling rumble on the cliff. She started falling quickly grabbing the side of the face of rocks. Joshua looked down grinning proudly. He approached the edge looking down on her.
"Looks like I have the advantage."
"Hey!" Michael said from behind him. "Why don't you go bother someone else and leave her alone?"
"Another impertinent boy," Joshua said turning his horse, "I will take care of you as well."
From one look at Michael's face Joshua turned back to glance at Buffy and backed away. Michael walked around slowly and pulled Buffy up.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
However, when they turned to Joshua they both saw him stampeding away on the beach disappearing.
"I must have done something to scare him off," Michael said.
"Yeah," Buffy said looking back at Michael curious.
Joshua rode past Catherine standing on a rock looking mockingly.
"Looks like you lost again," she called ahead.
Joshua stopped his horse and turned around seeing the grin on her face.
"Your faith is misplaced, Slayer."
"Your time is almost up or have you forgotten that."
"Oh, I haven't forgotten. Soon the new order will arise and the old one will fall away and all of you will go down with it."
"Pretty big words for a dead guy."
"You won't have to wait too long to see my great plan occur," he said, "Just wait and watch."
"I'll be there," she said watching him ride off.
Giles had been focusing all of his attention in his office going over his old books including the private ones that he normally doesn't let anyone read let alone Willow. Jenny walked in finding him asleep at his desk. She thought he looked so peaceful when he was resting but needed to wake him.
"Rupert," she announced.
"What?" Giles said jostled awake, "What's going on?"
Giles turned to see Jenny standing by his door.
"Oh it's you," he said rubbing his face with his face.
"Not having any luck?"
"I have looked and looked and found nothing that explains what's been happening."
"It's a demon."
"A demon?" Giles said looking more alert.
"I met him in the cemetery or Ethan Rayne," she said, "And he sounded like pretty bad news."
"You saw Ethan?"
"Yes."
A demon that has the power to be seen as anyone it chooses. Ethan, Darla, the Master, Angelus, Giles thought carefully.
"What else did he say?" Giles asked.
"Something big is coming soon and we're probably talking cataclysmic," she said, "We're seriously going to need to be ready for anything."
"We promised to help that witch and we still don't have the Slayer yet," Matthew's second said, "You're not much the leader as we thought you were, Matthew."
"I understand but he promised we would have our due."
"I am tired of promises," he replied, "I want results."
"You want results because I can give them to you," a voice said from the darkness.
"Who goes there?" Matthew said.
Angelus stepped from the shadows revealing himself to everyone.
"So what can you do for us?"
"Much more than you can accomplish I can see."
"Let's get rid of this guy."
"I would strongly advise against that unless you don't want to see the Slayer dead."
"Alright, we'll listen." Matthew said holding up his hand to his second. "What did you have in mind?"
Buffy walked downstairs of her house towards the front door and opened it. When she stepped outside she looked down feeling the dirt and grass at her feet. She turned around seeing the house was replaced by a view of the ocean under a cloudy sky. The white waves crashed far below the high cliffs from viewing out at the great expanse. From the distance she heard hoof beats and the shape of a woman riding a horse fast. Buffy saw the field empty except for a single stone built building with a wooden thatched roof. As the rider rode more fiercely toward the building Buffy could see it was Catherine. The wind had wisped back her blonde hair. She jumped off her horse running and threw open the door.
Buffy walked to the building just as a young girl ran past her down the trail. It started to rain while thunder rolled past the area lighting up the sky. Buffy stepped inside seeing Catherine struggle over a sword with a dark cloaked man. He landed her down on a stone slab and stabbed her with the sword. Her blood came pouring slowly from her abdomen.
Buffy looked up from her towards the man who pulled back his cloak. Buffy's face grew cold seeing Angel's face behind the hood. Not Angel but Angelus, she thought. He gave her a small evil grin. Buffy heard a loud boom from outside which made her turn around. She woke up in the school lounge.
Giles began reading at the table in the library thinking of his theories on which demon Jenny had met. He flipped to a page and began to scan it.
"Giles!" Buffy exclaimed.
"Buffy, what is it?"
"I saw him."
"Who?"
"Angelus."
"How?" Giles rose up concerned.
"Him and Catherine were fighting over a sword. Catherine got stabbed and he looked back at me then I woke up."
"It definitely sounds like a portent. If Joshua Miller intends on recreating what he did he will need to sacrifice someone."
"Great. Any takers?"
"I believe I know who's working with him."
"And scaring the hell out of us?"
"Yes, quite," Giles said, "I found...."
Upstairs and in Giles office the windows shattered one by one violently.
Everyone became surprised to see the lockers around the school all flew open and closed. The display case shattered collapsing the shelves of trophies. The bell tower exploded upwards into flames. The emergency hoses turned on shooting water down the hall.
Michael stood as people were running past to reach outside.
"What is going on?" he asked himself looking around.
He walked down the hall of the auditorium seeing the doors slam open. He walked inside seeing a man standing at the middle of the stage.
At the Bronze, Devon was busy checking amps. Immediately the strobe lights around the stage and dance floor grew bright and busted. Devon fell back when the speakers blew followed by the amps. The glass around the food area shattered.
At Giles apartment, the Orb of Thessulah shattered into pieces across his desk.
Buffy and Giles stood outside the library when Willow and Xander came down the hall.
"Everything in the gym started bouncing off the walls," Willow said.
"It's him," Buffy said.
She turned to Giles and said, "There has gotta be a way to stop him."
"If this is your doing stop it now," Michael said walking up the stairs of the stage.
"Not until you do as I say."
"I said I was going to get it."
A light fell from the rafters in front of Michael.
"I will stop as long as you promise to retrieve it for me now, agreed?"
"Yeah, agreed. Just stop!"
Outside everything grew quiet around Buffy, Giles, Xander and Willow.
"Guess he lost interest."
"We'll have to find some kind of binding spell to trap him," Giles said, "Willow?"
"I'm on it," she said, "I'll get Oz to help us."
"Good, do that," Buffy said.
At the end of the day Buffy, Xander, Willow and Oz met in the science lab.
"I'm not going to be able to stay long before I have to get to the cage," Oz said.
"We understand," Willow said by his side.
"So what we've got?"
"I think this is something we can manage. It's a pretty standard binding of spirits. Giles has the all the ingredients needed."
Michael walked into the library facing Giles reading a book from the upstairs shelf. He looked up seeing him standing still.
"Michael," he said, "Is there something I can do for you?"
"History," he said speaking up, "A book on the Roman Empire?"
"Right. I might have something in the cage," Giles said putting the book back walking downstairs. When he got into the cage the door swung closed by itself with a clang.
In the science lab the bunsen burners all lit up spewing flames around Buffy, Xander, Willow and Oz.
"Now it's getting personal."
"Giles is by himself," Willow said concerned.
Buffy heard the door locked. She went and pulled on the knob trying to open it.
"What?" Giles said after he turned around.
"I'm sorry," Michael said.
"Michael, let me out."
He walked over into Giles office picking up the grimiore that was on his shelf.
"Michael, what are you doing?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Giles," Michael said as he left holding the book.
Buffy had slammed against the door and kicked it off its hinges. The four of them went into the library seeing Giles locked in the cage.
"Giles, what happened?"
"Michael came in and took the grimiore."
"How did you get yourself locked in the cage?"
"The door swung closed by itself, Xander," Giles exclaimed, "Buffy, you need to go after him. Find him quickly."
"Right," Buffy said nodding and racing out.
Cordeila walked down into the courtyard area when she was stopped by Xander.
"There you are," she said, "Where've you been? The moon?"
"I've been busy," he said with a stare.
"Something wrong with you?"
"Just fine," he replied, "Let's go someplace where we can talk."
"No, you mean make out but I'll come anyways."
Xander escorted Cordeila at her arm by his side.
"Hey, watch the arm."
Buffy pushed open the doors to the courtyard scanning her eyes for Michael. Her eyes froze and stopped seeing Michael stand beside Joshua giving him the grimiore. As soon as Joshua held the book in his hands he materialized into more solid matter.
"Thank you, my boy," he said.
"Michael!"
Buffy saw Xander and Cordeila walking up towards Michael and Joshua.
"Xander, what the hell is going on?" she said looking and turning her head to him.
"That's not Xander, Cordeila," Buffy said walking up.
"Oh, so you've figured me out by now," Xander said smiling smugly, "Congratulations, Slayer."
In the library, Giles pulled out a book from his office and read. Oz had locked himself in the cage.
"Did you find it?" Willow inquired.
"Yes," he said continuing to read further, "Dear Lord."
Catherine walked down the stairs slowly watching everybody.
"Buffy, I had no choice," Michael said.
"Michael, be quiet."
"Michael thanks for doing an excellent job," Xander said, "And now I think we must be off."
"Let Cordeila go!"
"I don't think so," he said holding both her arms tight behind her, "She's really quite pretty."
"Buffy!" Cordeila said.
Joshua gave a final look to Catherine. He turned around walking away vanishing.
Xander turned and walked with Cordeila. He momentarily turned back and said, "And I suggest you'll definitely want to stick around for the fun later. Have so much planned."
"Now start explaining," Buffy said to Michael coldly.