Disclaimer: do not own anything.

Author's note: so I'm not sure how many chapters I want to do. Only that these chapters go as I write. My ideas will come to me over time. Anyway, if anyone doesn't understand the dynamics of what I'm doing with the scoobies now, it's basically them truly facing the issues between them and not just sweeping it under the rug as Joss whedon had them do. In all honesty, Buffy as a character I initially enjoyed but stopped because of where Whedon took the character. She went from good to bad to worse, not as a bad guy but as a supposedly strong woman who stopped being strong a long time ago, and that was whedon. I think Buffy could've been a great character. She is imperfect but an imperfect person is more inspirational than someone who is all about drama for crazy reasons. That said, enjoy this chapter.

Sunnydale High School Library

Early May, 1999

Sunnydale, California

Jonathan sat in the library with Amy as the two were reading whatever books they could find. Giles and Diana were out looking for other sources to determine how best to tackle the threat of Wilkins. They had found a vague reference to a box of mystical spiders. However, what they found were referenced to the 'Powers That Be' and the half breed demons and the pure demons called the Old Ones (evidently they were fallen but had been different names by the various cultures across the world at the time).

"Kinda weird how all these books tell us the same thing about who we apparently fight for and what we fight," Amy noted. Jonathan stopped and thought about her statement. "I think it's the same thing when you're dealing with various pagan cultures. Stories get passed around, and those new to the story change the narrative. I mean look at Ba'al Hadad and Marduk. Both storm gods and leaders of their pantheon. Later followed by Zeus and Jove, Thor and Perun, not to mention guys like Susano'o and a slew of others. And that's just storm gods. A lot of what these books could be telling us could've been from cults and cultures that were wiped out by the turn of the millennia when they were banished, either to another dimension or likely walking around without nearly as much power as they used to."

Amy thought about his last comments and replied, "How would any of those guys walk around and not get spotted if they're on Earth? Wouldn't something have been off if they were here?"

"It would if they were at full power then we would notice. From the stories and ideas told from the Hebrew Old Testament and and the bible, the simple fact is that any fallen roaming around the planet aren't doing so openly. It's because their power is stifled."

"How would that even work? Is God doing that?" Amy asked her boyfriend.

"He's the only one who could, and it's likely because He is the only one with more than enough power to do it," the young warrior said. Amy could only shake her head at the idea that God and his angels were on the lookout. She didn't have those kinds of conversations with her own mother being a witch and with her father not being much of a man of faith. But seeing a servant of God appear before them and not smiting them on sight, it made her wonder what was happening. She knew she inherited the power but thought about why things went the way they went.

"Jonathan...I'm worried," Amy said. "I mean...angels are appearing to us. Why am I not dead? I was using my powers the same way my mother did. I was on the path to destruction like she was. Why not just kill me and get it over with?"

Jonathan looked at the young witch. If he were honest with himself, he wasn't sure why exactly Ambriel and Whistler insisted that he bring Amy in. But he knew that they wouldn't have brought her just to kill here.

"Maybe God himself has a plan for you to be involved. You said you inherited your natural power from your mother, right? But it didn't increase until you learned from the spells and rituals she used. Maybe the reason you were able to use magic so quickly was because you were born with a power. Maybe God intended that you do something about this situation to help. I think it may be the same with Tara."

Amy thought back to when she felt her powers grow. She read one of her mother's books and practiced with a simple spell. Needless to say, she was now sure she didn't want to use any other spells to call on any beings in spellbooks, considering who they could really be. Amy went back searching through books until she made notice of a reference of something.

"Hey. Look at this," she said to her friend. Jonathan looked at the page that held what appeared to be a diary entry. "It said something about an ascension."

"Ascension. Hm. According to this, when it took place...oh god..." Jonathan said as he paled at the words on the page. "The entire town disappeared over night. The person who wrote this must've gotten away in time or maybe they arrived to the town and it was deserted."

"Sounds like Roanoke," Amy said. Jonathan looked up and said, "Yeah but I get the feeling that this ascension has serious disaster written all over it."

"Jonathan. Amy. did you find anything?" Giles said as he and Diana came back into the library with Xander not far carrying books.

"We did. There's an entry in this diary," Jonathan said as he handed the book to Giles. The older Englishman looked over the notes in the diary when he started to pale. The watcher visible shook as he read on. He placed the book on the table before he went into the stacks to find another book.

"This entry indeed points to another book. The town mentioned was near the Ural mountains. This entry points to another entry where someone became a pure demon. The sorcerer became the physical avatar of an Old One."

"And if what Ambriel said is anything to go by, then these ascensions lead to a human turning into an actual fallen angel," Diana said. "If we knew who survived, we could find anything else they may have written."

"I may have found someone who could've been there. The signature on the bottom page mentions someone named Halfrek. I've heard the name before. She's a vengeance demon," Giles said with a serious look on his face.

The others stood around as Giles prepared the ritual to summon Halfrek. Buffy and Faith had returned from their patrol and Tara and Marie were called in case the ritual got out of control. Jonathan made sure to have his spear-dagger at the ready in case this demon decided to have a confrontation. The ritual came to an end and a flash of light cascaded through the library before it faded. Everyone looked at the stacks and saw a dark haired woman with a face that looked as if it were burned.

"Do you know what I do to any man or woman who has the nerve to summon me?!" Halfrek said as she attempted to step forward. Jonathan, Amy, Tara, and Marie held out their hands using their power to stop the demonic woman. Halfrek did not expect the combined power to hold her so strongly. She looked at the four and she realized that each of them held very potent power. However, it was the shorter boy and the other one that killed Anyanka that concerned her.

"Understand this demon: we're not here for some ill-gotten gain. We simply want information," Diana said. Halfrek looked at the female watcher with disdain before she visibly relaxed.

"What do you want?" Halfrek asked.

"What do you know about the ascension that took place in the Ural Mountains?" Marie said.

Halfrek visibly paled as she assumed her human face. "That was a day that went down in infamy. A sorcerer had assembled the necessary ingredients to become a four-winged soul killer. We don't know how he was defeated but he didn't last long as a demon."

"Does anything called the box of Gavrok come to mind?" Buffy asked as she felt worried.

"Doesn't ring a bell," Halfrek said as she shook her head. "But if that's an ingredient, then it's likely for a completely different Old One. Whenever someone ascends, there's something in the ritual that has a unique link to the spiritual essence of that demon. Every set of ingredients is different for each demon."

"Then we'd waste too much time trying to find them all. The mayor could be ready to go by then," Xander said in frustration.

Halfrek looked to Xander. "You mean Richard Wilkins? You're saying he's trying to become an Old One? You want to stop him now and not later. Keep him from reaching the 100 days where he's invulnerable."

"And what if he's reached that point? What happens then?" Jonathan said. Halfrek looked at the shorter young man and said, "Then he can only be hurt once he becomes an Old One. But you should know that Old Ones are incredibly difficult to kill. Back when they overran the planet, there were many humans who had the powers necessary to fight them off. And even that was just enough to banish them. And even if they were killed, there were ways for them to come back. That's why many of those half-breeds are trying so hard to end the world."

"How long do we have before the 100 days start?" Jonathan asked. Halfrek looked to the shorter teen. "My best guess is that he would try to start it as soon as possible. And what I heard from Anyanka before...before her death," she paused and passed a glare at Xander who rolled his eyes. "You're only a few weeks away from leaving this place."

"Which means we need to find out when he'll get that blasted box or we're in for a disaster," Diana said.

"I've told you everything I know. Can you set me free now? Being near those two boys is giving me goosebumps thanks to their holy auras," Halfrek said with a slight shiver. "There's nothing worse than being in contact with something or someone holy."

The two watchers looked at the Jonathan and the three ladies and nodded. They released their hold and Halfrek who promptly vanished.

"That was enlightening," said Faith, speaking up for the first time since they discovered what they were up against.

"So what happens now?" Buffy asked.

"I'm already hacking into the servers of the mayor's office to check his dossier. I've found a lot of disturbing information so far," Willow said as she grew more uncertain with the information that her eyes beheld.

"Information like what?" Xander asked as he moved closer. Willow stiffened a little as she was still trying to come to terms with her feelings.

Willow made an audible gulp as she began reading off the list. "For one thing, it looks like the authorities in town know what's been going on."

Everyone grew silent at that information. For Willow, Xander, Jonathan, Oz, and Amy, it meant that for as long as they'd lived on what they thought was a closed portal to hell, the authorities had hidden the truth.

"How long was this going on?" Oz asked with visible reaction, contrary to his stoic demeanor. Willow briefly looked at her boyfriend before she answered, "It's been going on since before we were born. And then knowing that the may is over a hundred years old makes it worse. He's got a number of people in some authority on his payroll to make sure to they keep the truth under wraps. One of them is Principal Snyder."

"I knew that troll was never any good!" Buffy shouted with shock and anger. Everything had finally made sense as to why he always seemed quick to suspicion even when it was clear that the scoobies were not to blame. Flutie had never once questioned her behavior even during those moments she did look suspicious. She wasn't sure if it was due to wanting to keep suspicion off her or because he truly cared. All she knew was that very few adults cared enough to stand up to the evil demonic happenings within the town.

"I understand your feelings Buffy. But right now, we have more pressing concerns to deal with. Willow, is there anything else you can find about Wilkins' plans?" Giles asked.

"Still looking. There's a lot of information he stored here. Wait! I found something. It looks like he's having some box flown in two days from now," the redhead witch in training said.

"Does it say what the box is?" Jonathan asked. Willow continued reading when her eyes lit up. "It's the box of Gavrok."

"The very box that has been mentioned in the books. It's said to contain millions, if not billions of mystical powers. If many of them were to be released, then they could eradicate living beings wherever they may find them. We get that box and destroy it as quickly as possible," Diana declared.

"I'm ready to start planning when you guys are," Xander said.

Two days later...

Sunnydale airport

The gang prepared to ambush the demon flunkies Wilkins had hired and take the box. It did not take long to realize that a demonic presence would be present, so the watchers and witches were standing by with a spell to cover themselves while the slayers and divinely empowered warriors waged a full frontal assault. As the witches chanted the right spell, a heavy fog came over the runway and the four warriors immediately ran towards the plane that arrived only moments before.

It wasn't long before the remainder of the group could hear the sounds of fighting and the occasional slashing of blades cutting through flesh. It only took fifteen minutes of fighting before the warriors returned with the box as Xander held until it like a coveted treasure.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" he shouted as the others took off behind him. It didn't take long before the entire group left the airport with the box in hand.

Jonathan decided to walk home alone and take care of any fledglings and to reflect on the situation at hand. The box was destroyed, thanks to the ritual the group performed. And now the mayor was vulnerable, but they could not deal with him if he still plan on taking out the students during graduation. Jonathan's thoughts were interrupted when someone bumped into him.

"Oh man, I'm so sorry. I should've been paying attention," Jonathan said as he looked up. Jonathan was shocked at the man standing before him. He was of average height for a man but his face possessed a strong chin as well as strong features. His hair was dark and combed back yet fell to his shoulders and he was built as though he engaged in daily exercise even with the dark suit that about to be made by Armani. What caught the teen's attention were the man's eyes. They were dark but also appeared as though they reflected light, giving them an eerie but mysterious glow. Jonathan shook his head as he was shocked by the man's appearance.

"You seem like you were in a rush. What's on your mind young man?" the older gentleman asked with a deep voice that sounded rich and smooth.

"It's nothing. Just life as a teenager," Jonathan said. The man looked him over with a smirk. Jonathan audibly gulped at the appraisal. He decided to continue walking. The stranger seemed to follow right beside him.

"Really, what would cause you to be so deep in thought, that you forget the world around you?"

Jonathan felt as though the man was probing for details with the questions but didn't understand why. "Like I said, it's nothing."

"Are you sure it's nothing? After all, wasn't only last year that you were thinking of committing suicide, Jonathan Levinson?"

That caused Jonathan to stop in his tracks and glare hard at the stranger. "Who the hell are you?"

"Not Hell exactly," the man smirked. "More like world. I know about you and your friends Jonathan. You've got some rather pathetic people in your bunch. The small blonde girl who thinks the world revolves around her, that she abandoned her own friends for losing her boyfriend. I've heard of girls running away over that. But for a girl who has everything...and to never have been spoiled...well...I'd laugh if it weren't so ridiculous."

Jonathan's fist tightened at his side as the stranger continued. "The redhead witch in training is just as bad. She traded one domineering bitch for another. The only difference is the way they treated her. There's a reason why Stockholm Syndrome is a thing. And Rupert Giles pretending he can be fatherly to a washed out slayer, when doesn't even have the guts to stand up to her unless it involves her brooding boyfriend...truly pathetic."

"I'm giving you giving you one chance to leave now," Jonathan said as he turned to the stranger.

"Or what?" the man said with a dark smile. Jonathan took a swing at the stranger's jaw, only for it to be caught as though it was of no effort. The unknown man gave the fist a squeeze but to Jonathan, it felt as though it was caught in a vice grip. The stranger's smile grew until it seemed as though it was dripping with evil. The man left go of Jonathan's fist and the teen jumped back to get some breathing room.

Jonathan rushed forward and threw a few punches to catch the man off guard. But his opponent dodged his attacks so smoothly, it was as though the fight was simply a trifle to deal with.

"Foolish boy," the man said before he simply shoved Jonathan away with the force of the attack sending the teen into the wall of a cemetery across the street. Jonathan's back hit the wall hard enough that it cracked. The young man slowly stood on his feet and pulled out his spear dagger.

"Ah yes. Your famous weapon. Formed from a metal so heavenly, it can cut down just about any demon. Or rather I should say most demons."

Jonathan looked at the man and saw his eyes glow red. As Jonathan got a good look, he saw what appeared to be a light red aura surrounding his enemy, and yet he could feel himself trembling at the sheer power. It was likely it wasn't even his full power. However, if he had any hope, he knew he needed to do something.

Jonathan turned his weapon to his spear form and slammed the extended hilt to the ground. "Insigne ex magus!"

The stranger looked on in surprise and recognition at the miracle taking place before him. The silver light enveloped both the boy and his weapon. Before he could do anything, Jonathan charged and swung his spear at the man. This time, he had slight trouble trying to keep his distance, and felt it when the blade of the spear scraped his cheek. The man swatted Jonathan's spear away and the two re-engaged in hand-to-hand. Jonathan had an easier time keeping the stranger on his toes. He caught the man with a blow to the stomach followed by a haymaker to his face. However, the man simply turned back as thought the punch didn't affect him.

"Not bad. But you'll never be in my league," he said as his fists glowed with the same light red aura. The man caught Jonathan with a blow to his stomach, the mere strength making Jonathan want to regurgitate what he had eaten. He followed through with a straight punch to the face causing the boy to stumble. Finally, the stranger opened his palm and swiped at Jonathan's face again. This time, he didn't intend to punch, but to claw at Jonathan's face. The heat of the man's aura was enough to burn Jonathan's face around his left eye. Jonathan screamed as the pain was intense. Even during his training with Whistler, he never felt anything like this.

The stranger readied his next attack when he was blasted away by what he could only guess was holy energy. He looked up to see Alexander Harris helping his friend before the two ran away. The stranger looked at the two boys and simply chuckled to himself.

"Been a while since I had that kind of fun. We'll meet again boys."

Author's note: i do apologize for the very late update. But life and recent developments left me uninspired to write. But I'm back for the foreseeable. Also, in light of the recent news about the Buffy reboot. I've heard that there will be an apparent focus on "expanding lore". While that would sound like a good thing, a reboot just sounds like it'll be a rehash of old stuff that stopped making sense once the comics hit the shelves. Also, expanding the lore is something that should've been done a long time ago while they still had a show where world building could've been a big focus. While I'm not looking forward to the reboot, I will say don't let my cynicism of the Buffyverse stop you from enjoying it. Till next time!