Disclaimer: All BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon and Co. The original ones are mine.
Distribution: Sure, just let me know where it's going.
After Buffy and Giles left Jezeil went to his room. He sat cross-legged on the bed and sent a message. Then he waited. A few minutes later Amaya appeared.
"We're on for tonight," he said. "We're meeting them at the school at sunset. Your job is going to be dealing with Giles. It's possible that he'll know an Energos Crystal when he sees one and it's imperative that he not see it and figure out what we're doing."
Amaya smiled. "Not a problem. I've always liked the scholarly type."
"I know. Just don't damage him. Play nice."
The smile still on her face, Amaya vanished.
Jezeil closed his eyes and sent another message. This one only had to go across town.
Buffy debated with herself for a good half an hour before calling Riley. She knew he and Sam wanted to help but he just didn't work and play well with others, at least when those others were demons and vampires. But Buffy knew they were going to need all the help they could get so in the end she did call. Riley told her they would be there in an hour.
Faith returned just before the Finns arrived.
"Hey B. Ready to rock and roll?"
Buffy smiled and nodded. "I guess so. Are you okay?"
"Five by five," said Faith. "Don't worry Buffy. We've got some serious help on this one."
"Yes you do."
Riley and Sam stood in the hall, armed to the teeth. Buffy wanted to laugh. They looked so out of place with their black camouflage and guns. Riley would never change.
"So what's the plan?" asked Sam.
"We can't destroy the First so we're going to send it back home," Buffy answered. "I don't know the details yet. Jezeil will tell us when we meet him at the school."
"I know you're feeling desperate Buffy, but I think you're trusting this guy too far," said Riley, a frown on his face.
"I know you do Riley and I can't change that. But I do trust him. If he wanted to destroy us he could have done it already." Buffy turned and went up the stairs leaving Riley standing there.
He wandered over to Giles.
"Riley. It was good of you to come." Giles removed his glasses and cleaned them before replacing them on his nose.
"What do you think about this? You can't be happy not knowing what's going to happen?" asked Riley.
Giles frowned. "It's strange. Normally that would be the case. I have spent the last few weeks worrying and despairing of the future. But now, even though we are in the dark, I feel calm. For the first time I truly believe that we will triumph."
"Just because of this guy Jezeil? He spends his time with demons and turns people into animals."
Giles nodded. "Yes. But he is just and I believe he may be the most compassionate person I have ever met. While he is certainly willing to voice his opinion, he does not judge. Today I saw Faith in his presence. She was at ease, comfortable in her own skin. I wasn't sure that was possible. If he can do that, it may be that he can do anything.
"I know you are not willing to trust him Riley, but trust Buffy."
As the sun was beginning to set Buffy and her troops gathered out on Ravello Drive. As she stood facing them Buffy realized she had no idea what to say. It was likely that some of them wouldn't be coming back. Perhaps it was best just to get to it.
"Okay. No speeches. This is it, the big battle. When we get to Sunnydale High we'll have a better idea what's going to happen. So, let's go."
When they got to the high school they found the Hamatra lounging on the front steps. Jezeil stood and descended to the sidewalk. He was wearing a long black silk coat that seemed to change color as he walked. And he carried a tall wooden staff covered in carvings. He also carried himself differently. Buffy was suddenly aware of what he was, of his power. And when she looked back at her troops she could see that they felt it too.
He stopped at the bottom of the steps and she went forward to meet him. She looked up and said, "Well, we're here."
Raising his voice Jezeil said, "We're going to the Principal's office. When we get there I'm going to get rid of the walls. It will leave us somewhat exposed but fighting in a cramped space is difficult; you're as likely to hit a friend as an enemy. Willow and I are going to summon the First and then we are going to keep it here. The rest of you will form a ring around us and make sure that we are undisturbed. Agents Finn, I suggest you don't use those firearms, we will be in close quarters. Mr. Wood, I regret that your office will probably not be the same once we're done with it." Lowering his voice he said to Buffy, "I will tell you the rest once we get up there. Let's go."
The Hamatra led the way into the building. When the group reached Robin Wood's office Jezeil raised his staff and the walls disappeared making the room much larger, one side open to the evening air. Buffy deployed her meager force as best she could. The five members of the Hamatra mixed in with her group, which made Buffy feel a bit better. Perhaps most of the Potentials would be okay. They faced out, waiting for the attack to come. She could see their fear but there was nothing to be done about it.
Giles stood in the circle, his eyes on Buffy. He could do nothing more to help her. Only hope that she would survive. Finally he turned away, facing out like everyone else. He glanced to his left and found a demon standing next to him.
"Hello there," she said. "My name is Amaya. Don't you worry, I'll make sure you keep all your parts in tact."
"Oh, well, thank you. Um, it's rather hot in here isn't it?"
"Oh, yes."
Jezeil glanced back to see that Amaya had Giles well occupied. He heard a voice in his head ask, "Are you sure?" He answered, "Yes, Willow, I am sure." He looked up to meet her eyes and nodded once.
"Miss Summers," said Jezeil removing a box from inside his robe. "This crystal is going to help you to channel the First's power. Once The First appears you and William will join hands, your right in his left. Then he will thrust the blade into the First."
"But it's not corporeal," said Buffy.
"No, but it has a presence and the blade will be able to touch its power. Hold the crystal in your left hand. Once the blade is in place you will say three words. They are in an ancient language that only three people alive today understand. Fortunately I'm one of them. The words are: Turos, merat, amon. Do have that?"
"Turos, merat, amon," she repeated.
"Yes. Are you ready?"
"As I'll ever be." She tucked the crystal close to her body and took a deep breath.
Jezeil and Willow faced each other arms raised at chest height. Wind began to blow through the room. It billowed Jezeil's robe and Willow's hair. Their eyes went gold from edge to edge. A form began to appear between them, writhing and changing shape.
A crash signaled the arrival of the enemy. Bringers came in a wave from both outside and inside the building. The ring of fighters moved out to meet them. Weapons clashed, blood spilled. One of the Potentials broke from the ring and ran out. She didn't get far. A Bringer's blade met her and she collapsed her blood flowing out onto the floor.
Buffy wanted to help, to join the fight but William grabbed her hand. She turned to face him and he said, "No, you have a job to do."
She squeezed his hand and he squeezed hers in return. As she watched, the writhing shape became a single figure. It was Joyce. Buffy clenched her teeth. This was not her mother, only a shadow.
Joyce turned to Buffy and said, "So, you think you can beat me Buffy? Think you can kill me, again?"
Buffy looked away and unfortunately right at a fight between Giles and a Bringer. For a moment it looked as if Giles was lost and she held her breath. But a demon grabbed the Bringer from behind and deftly snapped his neck. She smiled, almost seductively at Giles and winked. Buffy looked back at The First.
"I'm here to send you back where you belong," she yelled.
The First laughed. "You think that it's enough to hold me here? That you can send me back by wishing? I AM THE FIRST EVIL! YOU CANNOT WIN!"
The wind increased in speed and strength. Buffy could see that Willow was shaking with effort. Jezeil on the other hand was perfectly still. Buffy had no doubt that he was bearing the brunt of the effort. He was like a tree, its roots tapping power from the earth. But Willow wouldn't last.
Buffy turned to face William. Over her left shoulder he saw Faith fighting several Bringers. As he watched, one of them brought his weapon down on her neck. Her blood spurted and she collapsed to her knees. She turned her head and looked directly at him. She smiled and then collapsed. He tore his eyes away and focused on Buffy's face. Then he pulled his sword from the sheath on his back and thrust it into First.
Willow felt as if her body was being torn apart. She knew that Jezeil was helping her, holding her together. Even now she could barely believe his power. He didn't need to store it up; it just flowed out of the Earth into him. But even with his help she wasn't going to last. Then everything changed.
Buffy turned to face The First and yelled the words. "Turos, Merat, Amon!"
Once the words were out three things happened at once. The crystal in Buffy's hand turned black and then cracked in half, The First let out a scream of rage that shook the building, and Buffy collapsed, senseless.
Everything was suddenly still, the wind and noise gone. The Bringers that were left collapsed like puppets whose strings had been cut. William dropped to one knee and felt for Buffy's pulse. As everyone gathered around he said, "She's alive."
All heads turned to Jezeil. He said, "It's all right. She'll wake in a moment. She's had a bit of a shock."
And in a moment he was proved correct. Buffy's eyelids fluttered and she woke up. She sat up and rubbed her head. "What's happened," she asked.
"You succeeded," said Jezeil. "The First Evil has been sent back, the tear is healed and the Hellmouth has been sealed over permanently. It won't cause anymore trouble here in Sunnydale."
Buffy stood up and said, "Wow. I feel a little strange."
Giles was down on his knees, looking at the shards of crystal. He stood up and said, "This is an Energos Crystal. It takes power from the person holding it. You said we would use the First's power."
Jezeil shrugged his shoulders. "I lied."
"What? How could you..."
"We had to Giles."
"Willow? You knew about this?" Giles demanded.
Willow nodded. "We couldn't tell you." She turned to Jezeil. "Explain it."
He nodded. "There were only two ways to seal the tear. We chose the one we preferred. But it required secrecy. Buffy had to give something away but she couldn't do it voluntarily so we tricked her and all of you.
"Miss Summers, you have what you have always wanted. You are no longer The Slayer."
Buffy stared at him. "What?"
"It was your existence as the Slayer that was causing the problem. So I arranged to send your power back to where it came from. That's what the crystal was for. It's the last of its kind so hopefully we won't have this problem again. You are now a fully human woman able to be and do whatever you want, go wherever you want."
Buffy took a deep breath. "No more patrolling. No more washing blood out of my clothes. No more giving up my life for my calling. So that means Faith is it?"
Jezeil's face clouded over. "No," he said and walked over to Faith.
She was lying on the ground, her eyes staring at nothing. Jezeil dropped to one knee and closed her eyes. He closed his eyes for a moment and then stood. His eyes scanned the group until they found Amanda. She took a step back, frightened by his look.
"No, Amanda. Don't run. You are the new Slayer. It is, as Buffy can tell you, an awesome responsibility, especially for a young girl. But you will not be alone."
"What was the other choice?" demanded Buffy.
"To kill you," answered Jezeil. "And be assured, if that had been the only way I would have told you. And I would have taken care of it myself. No one else would have to share that burden.
"Enough now. Willow, take everyone back to my house. In spite of our losses, there is cause for celebration. I will take care of the fallen. Go on now."
Willow and the Hamatra gathered the group together and led them out into the night. Several Potentials began to cry as they passed Vi's body on the grass. Several minutes later only Jezeil remained. He knelt down by Faith and stroked her cheek. "Goodbye Faith. May you find some peace." He rose and walked over to the other dead girl. "Goodbye child," he said and then sighed deeply. He raised a hand and the two girls disappeared. He waved a hand again and the walls returned. Then he snapped his fingers and was gone. Silence filled the empty office. No evidence remained of the sacrifices made that night.