Well here's chapter 3. Tell me what you think. I did a whole _lot_ of dialog in this chapter but it was nessicary. Anyway I think it went rather well. And you find out some of why the story is called Red Willow's.
Title- Red Willow's (3/?)
Author- Danyella Skyler Silverfire
Email- bountyhunter_danyella@yahoo.com
Website- www.crosswinds.net/~danyella
Disclaimer- I don't own them. Wish I did but I don't so please don't sue me.
Rating- PG-13 I guess (Language and some kissing)
Category- Crossover w/ Highlander
Distribution- Ask and you shall receive.
Pairings- Xander/Anya, Buffy/Reily, Willow/Methos
Summary- The rest of the gang finally meet 'Adam'. A prophecy is revealed and the gang find out about Immortals and Watchers.
Note: I should mention that in the Buffyverse Tara never existed but Willow has been working on her magic, and in the Highlander universe the whole Horsemen thing never happened so Duncan and the rest never found out that Methos was Death. Also Archangel never happened so Richie is still around.
Dedication- To anyone who even bothers to read what I write.
Feedback- Please. I love feedback good or bad. It helps me come up with more ideas for stories.
Chapter Three
The Prophecy and Immortality
Spike was sprawled out on Giles couch watching the television when the door opened.
When he looked up he was surprised to see that Willow was followed in by a strange man who stood a little to close to his Willow for his comfort.
"Giles? You here?" Willow called throughout the condo.
"Right here Willow. Who's this?" Giles asked walking out of the kitchen holding a cup of tea.
"Oh this is Dr. Adam Peirson. The council sent him to help with the prophecy you've been researching. He knows a lot about a certain part of it even though he is from another branch of the Watcher's Council."
Willow said introducing Adam to Giles.
"Really? I aware that the Council had another branch." Giles said after shaking Adam's hand.
"Yes well we're a lot more secret than you're branch of the council. Willow tells me that her and a few others help you for research and such. Why don't you show me this prophecy while we wait for the other's to show up?" Adam asked with a slight British accent.
"Yes that's a good idea. Willow can you call the others? Right this way Dr. Peirson." Giles said not even checking to see if Willow would do as he asked.
"Sure thing Giles." Willow said as she moved towards the phone.
"Just Adam please." Adam said before following Giles to the study to look at the original copy of the prophecy.
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"So G-man what's going on?" Xander asked from where he sat on the couch next to Anya and Spike waiting for Giles to explain why they were there and who the strange man was.
"Please don't call me that. And you're all here because there's some new information on a prophecy that I've been researching. The council sent Dr. Peirson here to help us with it because they said he would be able to help. Although I am still unclear as to how." Giles said looking in annoyance at the closed-mouthed doctor.
"So how can you help Dr.?" Buffy asked from where she sat on Reily's lap in one of the chairs.
"Well like I told Giles I work for another branch of the Watcher's Council, and a few of the references in the prophecy pointed to something that has to do with my branch of the Council. So since I know the most about the references that caught their attention they sent me to help out." Adam said from were he stood.
"You still haven't told my which part of the prophecy concerns you. And just what does you're branch of the council do? I've never heard of it before." Xander asked worriedly.
"That's because it's never concerned you before to know about us. We like to keep as quiet about our existence as possible unlike your branch." Adam said in a slightly superior tone of voice.
"Well then just what does you're branch do? I think that it's necessary for us to know now don't you?" Giles asked in frustration.
"Well you'll find out eventually if what I suspect about the prophecy is true. My branch of the Council documents the lives of Immortals." Adam said.
"Immortals? Like in vampires? Why would you want to document _their_ lives?" Buffy asked eliciting a soft growl from Spike.
"There are different types of immortals Buffy." Giles told her.
"The type of Immortals we document are simply called Immortals and are exactly like humans except they cannot die except for their head to be cut off thus giving the winner that Immortal's Quickening." Adam explained.
"What's a 'quickening'?" Giles asked fascinated by this new information.
"It's an Immortal's power. When an Immortal loses their head to another Immortal all their powers and memory's are transferred to the winner causing a lighting storm called the 'Quickening'." Adam answered.
"This is fascinating but why did they send you? You told me earlier that you where a researcher not a field agent. A researcher of what exactly?" Giles asked.
"I research our records trying to the ancients Immortals. But most specifically I research Methos the oldest Immortal, or the Ancient One as he is sometimes referred to as." Adam said in lecture mode.
"Just how old is this 'Methos'?" Willow asked.
"Roughly about five thousand years old." Adam stated calmly.
"Excuse me did you say five _thousand_ years old?" Giles said shocked.
"Yes I did."
"Must look pretty ancient huh?" Spike said.
"Actually no. Immortals after their First Death stop aging completely. They also heal very quickly. They get no scars after their First Death. They can have them from before their First Death, but that's it. They also can't have children. Ever."
"First death? I though that these Immortals couldn't die unless their head was cut off." Xander said confused.
"They can't die _permanently_ unless their head is cut off. They are raised as ordinary mortals until their First Death that activates their Immortal status and puts them in the Game. They can still die. They just won't stay dead." Adam told them.
"Wow. That's kinda cool. Creepy but cool. But how do they know their fighting another Immortal rather than some random mortal?" Willow asked.
"They have a sort of advanced warning system. They can sense when another of their kind is near. They can also sense Holy Ground of any sort."
"Why would they sense holy ground? Is it like holy water and vampires?" Buffy asked confused.
"Because it's a sanctuary. It's one of the few rules the Game has. They cannot fight on Holy Ground, and a challenge once issued cannot be interfered with meaning no ganging up on others. Although there are head hunters." Adam said the last part as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.
"Head hunter? What are head hunters?" Xander asked confused.
"Exactly what they sound like, they hunt for the heads of those younger and weaker then themselves and take their heads thus bringing about the Gathering sooner."
"What's the Gathering? And this 'game' you mentioned earlier?" Giles asked.
"The Game is something that all Immortals must participate in no mater what. No one really knows what it is but they do know that there is supposed to be some sort of ultimate prize. The Gathering is when there are only a few Immortals left in the world and no more joining the Game. They will be drawn together in some isolated place and fight each other until there is only the one left, thus ending the game and winning the prize."
"Wow sounds grim." Willow said softly.
"What's this prophecy you mentioned earlier?" Buffy asked.
"Here let me read it to you," Giles said as he picked up a book in front of him and began to read;
"When the Riders of the End of All and the Students of the Crimson Weeping Tree meet upon the crux of evil during the time that the evil reaches out it's hand and bathes the moon in blood an End shall be met. Whether for the evil that they face both before and behind, or for those who stand against the evil lies all around and within them. The Ancient One and The Crimson Weeping Tree who bind the Riders and the Students together joined by a third who is of the line of the Angelic Warrior shall decide the fate of all. Three made One, One made three. Eternal they all be. A Trinity for Eternal after, A Warrior, A Witch, and An Ancient, so mot it be."
"Wow sounds bad. Lot's of evil." Willow commented.
"Yes. Well I think I might know who the Student's are that the prophecy refers to, and probably the Ancient is most likely Methos." Adam told them.
"What do you know about these 'students'?" Giles asked going into researcher mode.
"Well whenever there's a mention of Methos there's usually a mention of the 'Red Willow's' and vice versa." Adam explained
"Red Willow's? What's that? And what does that have to do with the Students?" Giles asked.
"Well the Red Willow's are the student's of an unknown immortal. But what is known about this is that this teacher marks all of his students."
"Marks them how?" Giles asked.
"They get a tattoo on the inside of their right wrist. It's of a red willow tree being struck by lightening. Their called the Red Willow's. They are all very good and long-lived Immortals. Only thing is there aren't many of them." Adam said.
"What do you mean?" Willow asked.
"Well there are only about three Red Willow's that we know about. There might be more. What worries us is we have no idea who their teacher is. We just know that their old. Not as old as Methos but they do seem to be associated with him. Most of the recent mentions of Methos have been with him being around a known Red Willow. That's pretty much all we know." Adam said.
"Well we should research and see if we can find anything." Giles said causing the group to go to their usual research modes. Adam joined Willow at the computer and talked to her as they worked for the next several hours.