The Final Confrontation
Chapter 1: Forebodings of Doom.
Preseli Hills, Wales, UK, 2007.
The traditional silence of the Welsh hills was disturbed by the low rumbling of several car engines approaching. The few sheep, munching on the fresh spring grass, scattered at the sight of several Range Rovers clearing the top of the hill. They halted in a clump and six suited men stepped out. All of them were dressed in smart yet old-fashioned flannel suits and as they looked nervously around, they gave the impression of being utterly out of their element. 'Why did we have to meet on this God-forsaken hilltop?' asked one of the younger ones, a look of disgust on his face as he clutched at his overcoat, trying to block out the cold wind. 'You know full well why, Gareth.' Replied the older-looking one, peering over the top of his glasses. 'This is where Achilles was seen for the last time. There must have been a reason for his visiting this place and we have to find it. It could lead us straight to him.' As they spoke, a third member of the group had pulled out a pocket-computer with several aerials extending from it. 'I've picked up something, sir. It's old but still clear. Achilles was definitely here but a few days ago. His hormonal trail leads this way.' 'Well done, Isaac. Lead on.' The man referred to as 'sir' strode to join Isaac as he headed down the hill, his eyes riveted on the screen of his device. After about half a mile of sliding down a muddy slope, most of the men had their suits covered in grass, mud and sheep droppings, when Isaac suddenly halted and looked back at the group. 'The tracks turn right towards that forest but they're much more numerous and pungent all of a sudden. Achilles was certainly here just a few hours ago.' He said with a trace of anxiety in his voice. Gareth unshouldered his rucksack and withdrew two stun guns. He tossed one to one of his colleagues named Dudley and clicked the safety off his as he moaned to himself. 'First time in history the entire Watchers' Council leave London and it's to come to this bloody backwater.' He said it louder than he realised as the leader turned round blisteringly fast. 'What was that, Gareth?' 'I'm ready, sir. If Achilles tries anything, he's in for a shock.' The leader looked at Gareth with a frown on his face. 'You really are astonishingly stupid, Gareth. Your little toy there would barely scratch Achilles.' Mumbling under his breath, Gareth nevertheless held the gun to his chest, his eyes darting around, looking for danger.
As the group advanced, they reached the edge of the forest, a large conglomeration of fir trees, swaying in the wind. The sounds of woodland animals and of birds gaily chirping despite the cold weather conditions could be heard all around as the party slowly advanced through the ferns and bracken. Isaac led them confidently towards the heart of the wood, the gloom increasing as the trees grew denser, blocking out the small amount of sunlight still shining through the leafy treetops. Suddenly, Isaac stopped and looked up the trunk of a large fir, slightly taller than the others. 'Here, right here. The tracks are very strong here but there's something else.' He bent down and scrabbled at the dirt around the tree trunk as the others looked on, worried. Gareth glanced around, his gun held firmly out in front of him. 'Does anyone else find it weird that all the animals have gone quiet all of a sudden.' He was interrupted by a huge column of flame exploding out of the ground where Isaac was digging, immediately incinerating the young scientist. The others hit the earth, knocked back by the heat until the column stopped as quickly as it had started a few seconds later. 'ISAAC!' Gareth ran to where the scientist's charred remains lay and where a gaping hole in the ground had appeared, a bright glow emerging from it. Gareth broke down in cries as the old man put a hand on his shoulder. 'Isaac knew the risks of the job, Gareth. We can't stay here. Achilles could come back.' Turning to the other three, he continued. 'This is worse than we thought. That column of fire could only indicate one thing. A Hellportal. We thought we'd isolated all of them but it seems Achilles has located a new one. I'll wager that hole leads straight to the Hellmouth in Sunnydale. If we don't close it quick, the Hell dimensions could pour out not only in Sunnydale but here as well. But first things first, we need to see if there is any sign of Achilles in the immediate vicinity. Since Isaac's computer burned with him, Mark, climb that tree and cast a look around.' Barely glancing at the fallen Isaac, Mark walked up to the tree and, clasping it with his hands, began hauling his muscular frame up. He soon disappeared into the foliage, leaving the others to look up anxiously. After two minutes of his disappearance, Gareth called up. 'Are you ok up there, Mark? Can you say anything?' There was a rustle among the branches and a small round object fell at the leader's feet. Looking down at it, the men screamed. It was Mark's severed head, a look of abject terror etched upon his features. As Dudley fired haphazardly up into the branches, the sun was blocked out by a huge shadow dropping from the top of the tree. As it hit the ground, the last thing Gareth remembered seeing was a pair of pitch-black eyes.
In Sunnydale, Buffy awoke from a very bad dream. Those eyes.so black.so terrifying.
Chapter 1: Forebodings of Doom.
Preseli Hills, Wales, UK, 2007.
The traditional silence of the Welsh hills was disturbed by the low rumbling of several car engines approaching. The few sheep, munching on the fresh spring grass, scattered at the sight of several Range Rovers clearing the top of the hill. They halted in a clump and six suited men stepped out. All of them were dressed in smart yet old-fashioned flannel suits and as they looked nervously around, they gave the impression of being utterly out of their element. 'Why did we have to meet on this God-forsaken hilltop?' asked one of the younger ones, a look of disgust on his face as he clutched at his overcoat, trying to block out the cold wind. 'You know full well why, Gareth.' Replied the older-looking one, peering over the top of his glasses. 'This is where Achilles was seen for the last time. There must have been a reason for his visiting this place and we have to find it. It could lead us straight to him.' As they spoke, a third member of the group had pulled out a pocket-computer with several aerials extending from it. 'I've picked up something, sir. It's old but still clear. Achilles was definitely here but a few days ago. His hormonal trail leads this way.' 'Well done, Isaac. Lead on.' The man referred to as 'sir' strode to join Isaac as he headed down the hill, his eyes riveted on the screen of his device. After about half a mile of sliding down a muddy slope, most of the men had their suits covered in grass, mud and sheep droppings, when Isaac suddenly halted and looked back at the group. 'The tracks turn right towards that forest but they're much more numerous and pungent all of a sudden. Achilles was certainly here just a few hours ago.' He said with a trace of anxiety in his voice. Gareth unshouldered his rucksack and withdrew two stun guns. He tossed one to one of his colleagues named Dudley and clicked the safety off his as he moaned to himself. 'First time in history the entire Watchers' Council leave London and it's to come to this bloody backwater.' He said it louder than he realised as the leader turned round blisteringly fast. 'What was that, Gareth?' 'I'm ready, sir. If Achilles tries anything, he's in for a shock.' The leader looked at Gareth with a frown on his face. 'You really are astonishingly stupid, Gareth. Your little toy there would barely scratch Achilles.' Mumbling under his breath, Gareth nevertheless held the gun to his chest, his eyes darting around, looking for danger.
As the group advanced, they reached the edge of the forest, a large conglomeration of fir trees, swaying in the wind. The sounds of woodland animals and of birds gaily chirping despite the cold weather conditions could be heard all around as the party slowly advanced through the ferns and bracken. Isaac led them confidently towards the heart of the wood, the gloom increasing as the trees grew denser, blocking out the small amount of sunlight still shining through the leafy treetops. Suddenly, Isaac stopped and looked up the trunk of a large fir, slightly taller than the others. 'Here, right here. The tracks are very strong here but there's something else.' He bent down and scrabbled at the dirt around the tree trunk as the others looked on, worried. Gareth glanced around, his gun held firmly out in front of him. 'Does anyone else find it weird that all the animals have gone quiet all of a sudden.' He was interrupted by a huge column of flame exploding out of the ground where Isaac was digging, immediately incinerating the young scientist. The others hit the earth, knocked back by the heat until the column stopped as quickly as it had started a few seconds later. 'ISAAC!' Gareth ran to where the scientist's charred remains lay and where a gaping hole in the ground had appeared, a bright glow emerging from it. Gareth broke down in cries as the old man put a hand on his shoulder. 'Isaac knew the risks of the job, Gareth. We can't stay here. Achilles could come back.' Turning to the other three, he continued. 'This is worse than we thought. That column of fire could only indicate one thing. A Hellportal. We thought we'd isolated all of them but it seems Achilles has located a new one. I'll wager that hole leads straight to the Hellmouth in Sunnydale. If we don't close it quick, the Hell dimensions could pour out not only in Sunnydale but here as well. But first things first, we need to see if there is any sign of Achilles in the immediate vicinity. Since Isaac's computer burned with him, Mark, climb that tree and cast a look around.' Barely glancing at the fallen Isaac, Mark walked up to the tree and, clasping it with his hands, began hauling his muscular frame up. He soon disappeared into the foliage, leaving the others to look up anxiously. After two minutes of his disappearance, Gareth called up. 'Are you ok up there, Mark? Can you say anything?' There was a rustle among the branches and a small round object fell at the leader's feet. Looking down at it, the men screamed. It was Mark's severed head, a look of abject terror etched upon his features. As Dudley fired haphazardly up into the branches, the sun was blocked out by a huge shadow dropping from the top of the tree. As it hit the ground, the last thing Gareth remembered seeing was a pair of pitch-black eyes.
In Sunnydale, Buffy awoke from a very bad dream. Those eyes.so black.so terrifying.