A/N: Thanks to our reviewers! And it looks like you'll be getting your Spawn-y wish… in about 2 or 3 chapters. Please don't get too impatient, their reunion will definitely be worth the long wait, promise!
Chapter 7Spike awoke for the first time in over a century because the sun was shining straight into his face, tickling his nose. Yawning and stretching with relish, he took a moment just to think about that fact. Everything had been very confusing since he had found himself in that strange chamber with the Oracles, and this beautiful morning seemed to be the first thing in his new existence that really felt right.
After he had showered, he went down to the room where he had had dinner with Archie and the others the evening before. Agatha served him breakfast, which he enjoyed immensely, and when she came back to clear the table, he asked her to sit down for a moment.
"Can I do anything else for you, dear?" Agatha asked kindly.
Spike hesitated, but then answered, "Yes, you can, in fact. I've been trying to find out more about this place since I met Archie and the rest in the woods, and nobody's really willing to tell me anything useful. And the strange fight last night doesn't make sense either."
Agatha looked at him very intensely, as if trying to gauge his capability of dealing with the information she could provide. Finally, she sighed. "I'm not reluctant to give you answers because I know you need to hear them." Spike's expression turned quizzical. What does she mean by this? But Agatha continued with a sigh, "I blame it on Archie; he should have been the one to tell you. He's a good man, really, but sometimes his temper gets the better of him. He would have told you the version of the story that most people believe. But perhaps you were meant to hear the true history of Pacantia now." She took a deep breath. "The town was founded about 130 years ago by a married couple. They both had a vision: to create a place where all sorts of creatures could live together peacefully; some kind of multicultural community, if you want. Their vision was not unrelated to their own situation. The man – his name was Mendareth – was human, but his wife, Askaria, was a justice demon."
"Wait a moment, isn't the term 'justice demon' just a euphemism for 'vengeance demon'?"
"Why, yes, the terms refer to the same kind of demon. You won't really understand until I've reached the end of my narration. For now, you just have to accept the fact that we avoid using derogatory terms for our fellow citizens. And though I'm referring to them as 'demons' now, it would be very insulting to address someone as such."
Spike was reeling from all this new information. Then he remembered something. "I had two friends who were exactly in the same situation," he said, sounding sad and a little bit wistful, but at the same time marvelling at the fact that he thought of Xander and Anya as friends. Whatever happened between us, at the moment I'd be happy to talk to one of them.
"Did you now?" said Agatha with a strangely knowing smile. But Spike didn't have time to wonder about it because she continued, "When Pacantia was attracting more and more people from all over the country just a few years later, Mendareth's and Askaria's wish seemed fulfilled. But about thirty years after the foundation, the tension that had always prevailed between the inhabitants suddenly erupted into an unbelievably cruel and fierce war…"
~*~
After having had a plain but sumptuous breakfast the next morning, Dawn and Ken decided to go to Shaman's Mansion to try to speak to him. They got ready and left the house, full of hope and excitement.
The air was fresh and chilly, though the sun was already up, and Dawn wrapped the jacket Ken had given her more tightly around her. He himself wore a black woollen cloak that stood in harsh contrast to his very pale complexion.
Pacantia was even more beautiful to look at when it was early and the streets were deserted. Peace and contentment seemed to linger on the whole town, which made Dawn wonder whether she had ever felt such an amazing atmosphere before.
Hearing Ken's voice, she snapped out of her reverie. "You know, it's better to go there when it's early. Later, when we go back home, there'll be a crowd, eager to get inside. There are always people who need advice or help, even in Pacantia."
"Does he ask for any kind of payment for his work? Because there's nothing I could give him…," Dawn said, feeling slightly stupid for having to depend entirely on Ken. Eventually, she would have to return his kindness and helpfulness. But how, she did not know yet.
"Don't worry about that," he tried to soothe her and smiled, pointing at the backpack he was carrying. "I've brought some things that might make him more susceptible for our request."
It took them about half an hour to reach Shaman's Mansion the sight of which took Dawn's breath away. The building was surrounded by four turrets that seemed to scrape the slowly gathering clouds. The entire façade was made of dark, violet stone, now enlightened by the morning sun. Huge trees were planted on either side of the Mansion as well as miscellaneous flowers and bushes, giving the whole building a friendly atmosphere. Dawn saw that the entryway led to a court, where some people were already walking around. Two guards stood at the entrance, which disrupted the whole concept of peacefulness. Why are there guards when all the inhabitants apparently lived together peacefully? This Shaman really seems to be a big wig, having guards in this town.
Ken saw her astonished expression. "Amazing, isn't it?" Dawn only nodded and followed her companion to one of the guards who asked in a flat, bored voice, "Do you carry any weapons or other items which might endanger Lord Shaman?"
Dawn honestly didn't envy him. Who really enjoys standing still all day at the same place, asking the same question, when someone wants to be let in?
"No. The only thing we carry is our hope to enter the Mansion to be heard by the Lord Shaman," Ken answered. Dawn wasn't quite sure, but the guard seemed to have rolled his eyes, probably due to Ken's stilted speech. She suppressed a giggle.
As another security check, the man retrieved some small black device from his belt and pointed it at Dawn and Ken, who both didn't know what this thing was. Out of its tip, blue light was shining on them, from head to toe. The guard seemed convinced. "You can enter."
Dawn and Ken looked at each other quizzically and went through the entryway and the court until they saw an open door with a sign, indicating that this was the hearing room.
"There we are," Ken said and entered the room, which was almost empty. There was only one other man, sitting on a wooden bench. "I guess we have to wait here a bit until Shaman receives us," Ken whispered and they both seated themselves on the bench as well, keeping a little distance between them and the other waiting man who simply looked bored.
After a while, a little man in black robes entered the waiting room and announced that it was their turn to see Shaman, which relieved both Dawn and Ken who had been lost in their own thoughts while they had had to wait. They got up and followed the little man through a hallway and finally into what looked like a royal audience chamber.
Dawn looked around and was again astonished by the beauty of this room. Turning her gaze upward, she couldn't see where the ceiling ended; it was only dark. The room itself was decorated with exotic flowers and there were pictures hanging everywhere, mostly showing wonderful landscapes. Through the vast windows, the morning light was shining, immersing Shaman's chamber in gold.
And Shaman himself was sitting at his wide mahogany desk, on which several strange objects lay Dawn couldn't remember ever having seen before. One item looked like a crescent, another like some sort of periscope; the other things were hard to describe and Dawn wasn't sure whether she really wanted to know what they were for. The most striking object, though, was a crystal globe, cushioned by a pillow that was made of violet velvet. Was this man a diviner or did he simply enjoy playing Harry Potter?
And who the hell was Harry Potter?
Dawn didn't know why that thought had struck her, it just seemed to have popped up in her mind.
Shaman was bent over some sheets of paper and seemed to be engrossed in his studies so that he didn't notice that Dawn and Ken had entered the room until Ken apparently lost his patience and whispered to her, "You stay here, I'll talk to him first, if you don't mind."
"No, that's okay, I wouldn't know what to tell him anyway," she replied in a lowered voice.
In order to make Shaman notice their presence, he loudly cleared his throat and was successful - Shaman pried his eyes away from his documents and looked up. He had a slightly grey beard, short hair of the same colour and Ken could see that he was clad in a shimmering dark blue fabric.
Shaman scrutinized Ken, who had walked up to his desk, with a piercing gaze, making him feel uncomfortable and bare; other than that, he had a flat expression and seemed to be waiting for Ken to say something.
"Er, I am Kenneth Harrington and I am here because I seek your advice, for I was told that you were the only one who can answer my questions."
"There you are right, Kenneth Harrington." Something about the way Shaman pronounced Ken's name in his low voice was weird. Ken got the impression that Shaman knew more about him than he was willing to admit, but of course, the younger man didn't say anything about it.
"What," Shaman continued, "are your questions?"
As a consequence, Ken turned around and motioned to Dawn to come nearer, which she did. But before Ken could say anything else, the crystal globe on Shaman's desk began to glow. The closer Dawn came, the stronger it glowed, radiating a blue light around the room. Ken and Dawn didn't dare move and remained where they were.
Shaman abruptly got up, eyeing the globe closely with furrowed eyebrows. Could it be her?
He turned his gaze toward Dawn, who slowly began to feel panicked, not knowing what to do, or why the globe had started to glow.
"GUARDS!" Shaman roared. But before the two guards came in, his hands seemed to be engulfed by crackling, red energy, getting stronger and more blinding. Ken and Dawn backed away, bur it was no good. Shaman lifted his hands and pointed them directly at the friends, shooting two bolts of light at their bodies, which were rigid with fear.
Everything went black.
~*~
When Agatha had finally stopped talking, she looked at Spike pitifully. "That's quite a lot to process, isn't it? I'll make us some coffee, perhaps that will cheer you up a little bit," she said and disappeared into the kitchen.
When she came back, she was carrying a tray with a steaming pot of coffee, two mugs and – a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.
"How did you know I smoked?" asked Spike in amazement, taking the proffered cigarettes and lighting one.
As if he hadn't spoken, Agatha said with a smile, "You know, you should really consider cutting back on smoking. Now that you're not immortal anymore, these things can quite literally kill you."
"Okay, now I've really reached the end of my bloody tether! I never told you I smoked, nor that I was immortal once. And all of you seem to accept my not so detailed story about how I ended up here."
Agatha was still smiling softly and laid a hand on Spike's. "That's because we already know the details, dear."
Spike was really getting angry now. Being angry seemed to feel different than before, too: He felt the blood rising into his face, the fingernails digging into his flesh in his balled fists hurt more than they used to and he couldn't seem to growl anymore to express his anger. Nevertheless, it felt good to let off some steam. "What the hell is wrong with you people? Can't anyone of you make one single remark from time to time that is NOT cryptic?"
Taking one of his hands in hers, Agatha replied soothingly, "I'm sorry, William, to have caused you distress. I didn't mean to do that. It's just that I'm so glad you finally arrived; and if I tell you everything I know, you will have to leave very soon. I just wanted to enjoy your company for a while. Now, drink your coffee and let me tell you something about Pacantia's lore…"
Tbc