Disclaimer: I own nothing…Joss and UPN does…hmm, lucky aren't they
:: indicates thoughts ::
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes
On what wings dare he aspire
What the hand dare seize the fire
William Blake
SAME NIGHT
BUFFY'S HOUSE
Buffy glanced at the clock again. :: Yep, I'm going to kill him. :: She had been waiting over an hour. Deep down she knew Xander must have a good reason for being late. The only problem was that that part of her wasn't putting up that good of an argument at the moment. She already called his house…oh, twenty or thirty times. Buffy sighed again resting her head on her hand. :: If he doesn't get here soon, I'll… ::
Luckily, she never had to answer that question as Xander burst through the front door. He looked as if he had just seen a ghost.
Thoughts of hurting him dissolved away when she saw the look in his eyes. "Oh my god, Xander. What happened?"
"I was in an accident."
"Are you okay? Was anybody hurt?" Buffy asked, walking over to Xander and taking him into an embrace.
"No, it was just my car. Look I need you to call Giles and meet us at the Magic Box as soon as he can."
"Why? Xander what's going on?"
"Perhaps I can explain."
Buffy and Xander spun around, and standing in the middle of the doorway was an old man in a suit. His face looked ragged with worries beyond his years. His silver beard and hair was short and neatly groomed. He wore a simple light brown double-breasted trench coat, and a light brown suit with a black shirt. His eyes were blue as a clear lake and piercing.
Buffy pushed Xander behind her and asked, "Who are you?"
The old man smiled a comforting smile, "My name isn't important at the moment, Buffy Summers. However, young Alexander is right. You must call your Watcher and have him meet us. There isn't much time and many things to discuss."
Buffy looked at Xander, whose eyes had not moved from the old man's gaze. "Xander, you okay? You know who this joker is?"
Xander shook his head trying to clear the fog covering his memory. "I don't know. You look familiar…somehow."
"Try not to dwell on it too much, Alexander. All will be made clear with time. Though, I doubt you will like it."
Xander looked to Buffy, "I think we should listen to him for now. Call Giles, I'll watch our guest."
"Look Xander, I don't know what's going on but I don't think it's a good idea to leave you alone with this guy."
Xander stroked Buffy's cheek with his hand, "Trust me."
Buffy looked from the old man back to Xander, and smiled, "Always." Buffy went to go call Giles.
When the slayer was out of earshot, the old man whispered to Xander, "She'll understand, you know."
Xander looked at the old man, and it was as if the fog had been lifted from his eyes. He recognized the man standing before him. "I know grandfather, but it doesn't make it any easier."
COUPLE HOURS LATER
MAGIC BOX
The Scooby Gang gathered around the table in the Magic Box. They had sat at this table during the most troubling times of their lives. Again tonight there was an uneasy feeling in the air tonight, as the Xander's grandfather sat before them telling an amazing if slightly unbelievable story.
Xander, sitting next to Buffy with an arm draped around her, stared at the man before him. A man who he hadn't seen since he was three. Strange as it seemed, that memory was now crystal clear in his mind. He never really paid it much attention before now. A dry voice in his head told him to pay attention.
The old man sighed, "I know what you maybe thinking, and believe me you won't even begin to scratch the surface. I am Garath, Xander's grandfather…with a dozen or so greats in front of it. You see I'm over eight thousand years old…"
"Doesn't look a day over 2000," Xander scoffed.
::QUIET!:: the dry voice resounded in his head
Garath smiled, and shook his head, "You always had a strange since of humor."
"What do you mean? I met you when I was three."
"Let's just say I been keeping an eye on you for sometime. You know you could be a bit more careful sometimes, I can't always be there to take care of you."
"What are you talking about?"
"I've kept you safe for a while now…"
Xander stared incredulously.
"You thought it was all you? Being through everything that you have, you believe that you only have a couple scratches to show for it. Listen here young man, I didn't keep our lineage safe just for you to end up a vampire or some she-mantis' dinner."
"But…how?" Giles spoke up.
Garath pulled a silver medallion out from under his shirt. When the light hit at the right angle a wolf was engraved in the metal disc. "I'm a sorcerer."
At this Willow and Tara perked up. "Really?" Willow asked.
"It's not what you think Willow. We don't use spells and charms to do what you believe magic. We will things to happen."
"Will?" Giles said.
"Yes, we use our will to do some extraordinary things, but that isn't why I've come looking for Xander and all of you."
Buffy finally spoke up, "Why have you come here? And what does this have to do with Xander?"
"First off," Garath said turning to Giles, "Rupert, do you have a copy of the Mrin Codex?"
"Yes, I do. I'll be right back." Giles rose from the table.
After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Giles returned with a huge book. When he placed it on the table, he spoke to Garath, "From what I understand no one has been able to make sense of this codex, just some ravings of a madman."
Garath smiled. "You just have to know where to look." Garath reached over to the book and started to flip to the pages. He scanned to the pages till he found want he wanted and turned the book back over to Giles to read. "Please translate this passage for us."
Giles cleared his throat and started to read, "So, it shall come to pass, the Child of Dark shall awaken, and under the waning moon, in the city of eternal night, the Child of Light and the Child of Dark shall meet. That which was one, that is now two, shall be one again…gibberish."
"Most of it is gibberish…but if you read between the lines it is one of the most complete prophecies there is. Basically, it says the Child of Light must face the Child of Dark for the fate of existence."
Tara asked, "Who is the Child of Dark?"
Garath sighed, "Before the age of man, when demons ruled in this dimension, gods walked freely about the world. Then they decided to drive the demons out, and let the race of man flourish. Each of the six gods took to the world watching over certain areas and its people. One however didn't, Alon travel to the most remote place on the planet and sat there till one day a stone fell from the sky. When Alon, my master, took up the stone it became alive. He sat over the next few years contemplating that stone and it became known as the Orb of Alon. Taerak, one of his brothers, came one day to Alon's refuge. Taerak, both beautiful and vain, persuaded my brother to put down the orb and join his brothers. Taerak struck his brother and stole the orb. When Alon pursued him, Taerak raised up the orb to stop his brother. It turned on him, engulfing him in living flame, a pure white fire that still burns today. The orb did not kill him however, he merely lays sleeping till the day when he will awaken and face the Child of Light."
"So…let me get this straight. Taerak, a full-fledged GOD, is the Child of Dark," Buffy stated.
"Exactly."
"What is it with us and gods? Do they have nothing better to do than try and kill us?" Buffy asked sarcastically. Xander held her comfortingly.
Tara shyly asked, "Then who is the Child of Light?"
Garath's expression turned serious when he looked over to Xander. "You are."
Xander looked at his grandfather for a moment before he burst out laughing.
:: indicates thoughts ::
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes
On what wings dare he aspire
What the hand dare seize the fire
William Blake
SAME NIGHT
BUFFY'S HOUSE
Buffy glanced at the clock again. :: Yep, I'm going to kill him. :: She had been waiting over an hour. Deep down she knew Xander must have a good reason for being late. The only problem was that that part of her wasn't putting up that good of an argument at the moment. She already called his house…oh, twenty or thirty times. Buffy sighed again resting her head on her hand. :: If he doesn't get here soon, I'll… ::
Luckily, she never had to answer that question as Xander burst through the front door. He looked as if he had just seen a ghost.
Thoughts of hurting him dissolved away when she saw the look in his eyes. "Oh my god, Xander. What happened?"
"I was in an accident."
"Are you okay? Was anybody hurt?" Buffy asked, walking over to Xander and taking him into an embrace.
"No, it was just my car. Look I need you to call Giles and meet us at the Magic Box as soon as he can."
"Why? Xander what's going on?"
"Perhaps I can explain."
Buffy and Xander spun around, and standing in the middle of the doorway was an old man in a suit. His face looked ragged with worries beyond his years. His silver beard and hair was short and neatly groomed. He wore a simple light brown double-breasted trench coat, and a light brown suit with a black shirt. His eyes were blue as a clear lake and piercing.
Buffy pushed Xander behind her and asked, "Who are you?"
The old man smiled a comforting smile, "My name isn't important at the moment, Buffy Summers. However, young Alexander is right. You must call your Watcher and have him meet us. There isn't much time and many things to discuss."
Buffy looked at Xander, whose eyes had not moved from the old man's gaze. "Xander, you okay? You know who this joker is?"
Xander shook his head trying to clear the fog covering his memory. "I don't know. You look familiar…somehow."
"Try not to dwell on it too much, Alexander. All will be made clear with time. Though, I doubt you will like it."
Xander looked to Buffy, "I think we should listen to him for now. Call Giles, I'll watch our guest."
"Look Xander, I don't know what's going on but I don't think it's a good idea to leave you alone with this guy."
Xander stroked Buffy's cheek with his hand, "Trust me."
Buffy looked from the old man back to Xander, and smiled, "Always." Buffy went to go call Giles.
When the slayer was out of earshot, the old man whispered to Xander, "She'll understand, you know."
Xander looked at the old man, and it was as if the fog had been lifted from his eyes. He recognized the man standing before him. "I know grandfather, but it doesn't make it any easier."
COUPLE HOURS LATER
MAGIC BOX
The Scooby Gang gathered around the table in the Magic Box. They had sat at this table during the most troubling times of their lives. Again tonight there was an uneasy feeling in the air tonight, as the Xander's grandfather sat before them telling an amazing if slightly unbelievable story.
Xander, sitting next to Buffy with an arm draped around her, stared at the man before him. A man who he hadn't seen since he was three. Strange as it seemed, that memory was now crystal clear in his mind. He never really paid it much attention before now. A dry voice in his head told him to pay attention.
The old man sighed, "I know what you maybe thinking, and believe me you won't even begin to scratch the surface. I am Garath, Xander's grandfather…with a dozen or so greats in front of it. You see I'm over eight thousand years old…"
"Doesn't look a day over 2000," Xander scoffed.
::QUIET!:: the dry voice resounded in his head
Garath smiled, and shook his head, "You always had a strange since of humor."
"What do you mean? I met you when I was three."
"Let's just say I been keeping an eye on you for sometime. You know you could be a bit more careful sometimes, I can't always be there to take care of you."
"What are you talking about?"
"I've kept you safe for a while now…"
Xander stared incredulously.
"You thought it was all you? Being through everything that you have, you believe that you only have a couple scratches to show for it. Listen here young man, I didn't keep our lineage safe just for you to end up a vampire or some she-mantis' dinner."
"But…how?" Giles spoke up.
Garath pulled a silver medallion out from under his shirt. When the light hit at the right angle a wolf was engraved in the metal disc. "I'm a sorcerer."
At this Willow and Tara perked up. "Really?" Willow asked.
"It's not what you think Willow. We don't use spells and charms to do what you believe magic. We will things to happen."
"Will?" Giles said.
"Yes, we use our will to do some extraordinary things, but that isn't why I've come looking for Xander and all of you."
Buffy finally spoke up, "Why have you come here? And what does this have to do with Xander?"
"First off," Garath said turning to Giles, "Rupert, do you have a copy of the Mrin Codex?"
"Yes, I do. I'll be right back." Giles rose from the table.
After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Giles returned with a huge book. When he placed it on the table, he spoke to Garath, "From what I understand no one has been able to make sense of this codex, just some ravings of a madman."
Garath smiled. "You just have to know where to look." Garath reached over to the book and started to flip to the pages. He scanned to the pages till he found want he wanted and turned the book back over to Giles to read. "Please translate this passage for us."
Giles cleared his throat and started to read, "So, it shall come to pass, the Child of Dark shall awaken, and under the waning moon, in the city of eternal night, the Child of Light and the Child of Dark shall meet. That which was one, that is now two, shall be one again…gibberish."
"Most of it is gibberish…but if you read between the lines it is one of the most complete prophecies there is. Basically, it says the Child of Light must face the Child of Dark for the fate of existence."
Tara asked, "Who is the Child of Dark?"
Garath sighed, "Before the age of man, when demons ruled in this dimension, gods walked freely about the world. Then they decided to drive the demons out, and let the race of man flourish. Each of the six gods took to the world watching over certain areas and its people. One however didn't, Alon travel to the most remote place on the planet and sat there till one day a stone fell from the sky. When Alon, my master, took up the stone it became alive. He sat over the next few years contemplating that stone and it became known as the Orb of Alon. Taerak, one of his brothers, came one day to Alon's refuge. Taerak, both beautiful and vain, persuaded my brother to put down the orb and join his brothers. Taerak struck his brother and stole the orb. When Alon pursued him, Taerak raised up the orb to stop his brother. It turned on him, engulfing him in living flame, a pure white fire that still burns today. The orb did not kill him however, he merely lays sleeping till the day when he will awaken and face the Child of Light."
"So…let me get this straight. Taerak, a full-fledged GOD, is the Child of Dark," Buffy stated.
"Exactly."
"What is it with us and gods? Do they have nothing better to do than try and kill us?" Buffy asked sarcastically. Xander held her comfortingly.
Tara shyly asked, "Then who is the Child of Light?"
Garath's expression turned serious when he looked over to Xander. "You are."
Xander looked at his grandfather for a moment before he burst out laughing.