Thanks to my beta readers Sin, Canada, and Valerie...
****
Chapter 5 - Apparitions in the Night
Deep in the forest, a shimmer appeared. Slowly it took form, coalescing into the demonic visage of a vampire known simply as The Master. While the evil wasn't truly the Master, the vampire made a more than adequate vessel for its purposes.
The evil had no form. Older than time, older than space. It was, is, and always will be. It was the thing vampires, demons, and the forces of Darkness feared. It was the first. The First Evil. And it had big plans.
Somewhere under the forest floor was the most evil object ever created. Forged by the dark lord thousands of years before, it was thought to be destroyed long ago. However, true evil cannot be destroyed, and it had merely stayed dormant, awaiting the moment when it would rise to life again.
That time was now.
****
Willow crept through the woods behind Legolas, amazed at the way the elf didn't make a sound. He moved as though he were a part of the forest, effortlessly avoiding the rocks, leaves, and branches that covered the ground.
Unlike herself, she thought, wincing as the crack of a branch echoed through the night. She looked down, knowing that the offending twig crunched under her feet, not his.
Maybe she should have stayed back at the cabin. Elvishly silent, Legolas could sneak up on the vampires, but with their super-human hearing they'd likely hear Willow coming from a mile away. But how could she stay safely behind, knowing what he was risking against impossible odds, to save the world? She couldn't. She was a Slayerette. If she'd been able to stay behind instead of trying to save the world from evil, she'd have been gone from Sunnydale long ago.
So she followed behind the sexy elf, hoping that her woodsy ineptitude wasn't going to be the cause of both of their deaths.
As he stealthily made his way through the trees, Legolas felt the evil growing stronger. Not only were they getting close to its source, but the evil itself was gaining power. Something was rising from deep in the earth. A true evil, beyond all measure
Behind him, Willow attempted her own version of stealth. Less successful, he admitted, but not bad for a city-raised human. Still, to retain the element of surprise -- if that was even possible, given their earlier attack -- they would have to come up with a better plan. Willow was incapable of the quiet needed to sneak up on beings with super-human senses.
Nevertheless, he was grateful to have her by his side. Her magic was strong, her heart true. She was a brave warrior, willing to risk her very life to save her world. He vowed to keep her safe, whatever the cost. She was too precious to lose to the darkness.
Boom!
Another explosion rocked the forest, this time louder, closer. The trees shook, but not merely from the force of the blast. It was as if they trembled because they were unable to flee from the growing evil threatening to consume the woods.
Willow and Legolas exchanged a worried look at the last blast. Whatever was out there either had big time weapons or powerful magics to cause such huge explosions. What could they possibly be looking for out in the forest in the middle of nowhere?
Willow had previously studied topographical, geological, and historical maps of Sunnydale but didn't know of anything of interest out here in Breaker's Woods. No buried temples of evil gods, no weird geological formations, no strange mineral content... just trees.
She looked at Legolas as a new thought occurred to her. No one really knew how old the Hellmouth was...and the evil in the air felt old...older than the Master, almost as old as the Hellmouth itself. What if the thing the big bad was looking for predated Sunnydale's written records? What if the evil present here was as old as Legolas?
The elf put his arm in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. She followed his gaze, spotting two vampires, apparently on guard duty, about fifty feet away.
Legolas swore silently. If he had arrows for his bow he could dispatch these foes without a sound, but he was weaponless. He had no doubt that he and Willow could defeat the two, armed with branches from the forest as makeshift stakes, but at what cost their victory? Would the sound of the fight bring the other vampires running to their rescue?
Willow picked a stick up off the cold ground. She looked at the vampire on her right, indicating to Legolas that he should get closer to take out that vamp. He looked at her quizzically.
She held out her hand, palm up, placing the stick on her outstretched hand. She stared at the small branch for a moment, and it began to rise in the air.
Telekinesis. He understood. If he could silently kill the first vampire, she could take out his compatriot with a telekinetically directed branch-stake.
Legolas crept closer, one eye on his target, the other on Willow's floating branch. Her target was still facing the opposite direction, unaware of the danger that was currently targeting him. Good. The immortal warrior moved in closer, knowing that he was going to have to silently defeat his opponent, stake him long before he could summon help.
When the floating stake was inches away from the vampire's back, he began to turn around. Willow held her breath, hoping it would find its target quickly enough, before the guard vamp raised the alarm. The vampire spotted the stake floating in front of him, a puzzled expression on his face. Floating fatality, Willow thought, as she drove the stake into his heart.
The other vampire turned to look as his partner turned to dust. Before he could say a word, Legolas leaped from the cover of the trees, plunging his stake into the vampire's back.
Willow scampered down into the tiny clearing and the two continued their journey through the woods.
****
Meanwhile, farther ahead in the woods, evil lurked. Literally.
Vampires hurried through the woods, setting explosive charges as directed. They had no idea how the Master had come to be resurrected, but he was there, leading them once more. The Master had a purpose -- he was looking for something...or someone.
Victor was not a young vampire. He served under the Master, watched as Spike and Drusilla destroyed the Anointed One, escaped the carnage when the Mayor's plans for graduation day had gone awry. He'd been touched by evil -- hell, he was evil.
Something was coming...he could feel it. Evil was rising from the earth, old magics long lost. Old evils, such as the Master, were returning. Finally, the day they had been waiting for was at hand. They would call upon the Dark Lord, and he would send forth his emissary. Together, with the vampires of Sunnydale, they would destroy humanity.
Victor laughed in the darkness. It was a good day to be a vampire.
****
Willow and Legolas hadn't encountered any other guards on their journey to the site of evil's big plan. As they reached the top of a hill, they saw why. The vampires all appeared to be gathering in a moonlit clearing ahead of them.
Silently, they dropped to the ground, peering through the bushes to observe the vampires' ritual. Oddly, there were multiple holes in the ground, and stuff that appeared to be explosives laying on the ground. "Dynamite. Sort of high tech for vampires," Willow whispered in his ear.
Legolas nodded. Like elves, demons tended to be quite fond of the old ways.
He surveyed the clearing. There were more than a dozen vamps in front of them, all in a circle around a pit. Torches blazed around the clearing, sending off sparks into the night sky. The vampires all were looking towards the far end of the clearing, as if they were waiting for something...or someone.
Then he arrived.
The creature that emerged from the shadows was no ordinary vampire. Hideously misshapen, his skin was as pale as new-fallen snow, and his visage was clearly demonic with pointed teeth and long fangs. His hands ended in claws, clearly visible as he crossed his arms in front of his leather-clad body.
Willow bit her lip to keep from gasping. It was the Master. But how could that be possible? Buffy had killed him on prom night their sophomore year. His minions, including the juvenile Anointed One had kidnapped Willow and others in an attempt to resurrect him with some ceremony. Buffy had stopped them again, that time for good. She'd ground his bones to make her bread. Well, more ground his bones just to grind 'em, 'cause the bread part was just plain icky. Who'd want to eat vampire-bone-bread?
Willow brought herself back to the task at hand. Sometimes, she had far too many thoughts.
Okay, the Master was apparently alive and back in Sunnydale, trying to...resurrect something? Summon a demon, maybe? But why would he need dynamite? Willow shook her head. Nothing seemed to make any sense.
Legolas stared at the ancient vampire and his minions, trying to formulate a plan. How were he and Willow, unarmed, going to defeat a dozen vampires and an evil vampire master? He was a strong, experienced warrior, but even he could not hope to win against such insurmountable odds. Even with Willow's help, they were hopelessly outnumbered and outclassed.
He immediately stiffened, staying completely still as he heard the leaves crackle as more vampires walked through the forest behind him. He motioned to Willow, silently telling the witch to be quiet and still.
Their caution was for naught, as they were directly in the vampires' path, no way for them to move without being noticed.
"What do we have here?" One of the vamps growled. "Trespassers. Here to disrupt the ceremony, no doubt." He laughed evilly. "We'll see about that."
Willow and Legolas exchanged a look. They were in trouble.
****
Chapter 5 - Apparitions in the Night
Deep in the forest, a shimmer appeared. Slowly it took form, coalescing into the demonic visage of a vampire known simply as The Master. While the evil wasn't truly the Master, the vampire made a more than adequate vessel for its purposes.
The evil had no form. Older than time, older than space. It was, is, and always will be. It was the thing vampires, demons, and the forces of Darkness feared. It was the first. The First Evil. And it had big plans.
Somewhere under the forest floor was the most evil object ever created. Forged by the dark lord thousands of years before, it was thought to be destroyed long ago. However, true evil cannot be destroyed, and it had merely stayed dormant, awaiting the moment when it would rise to life again.
That time was now.
****
Willow crept through the woods behind Legolas, amazed at the way the elf didn't make a sound. He moved as though he were a part of the forest, effortlessly avoiding the rocks, leaves, and branches that covered the ground.
Unlike herself, she thought, wincing as the crack of a branch echoed through the night. She looked down, knowing that the offending twig crunched under her feet, not his.
Maybe she should have stayed back at the cabin. Elvishly silent, Legolas could sneak up on the vampires, but with their super-human hearing they'd likely hear Willow coming from a mile away. But how could she stay safely behind, knowing what he was risking against impossible odds, to save the world? She couldn't. She was a Slayerette. If she'd been able to stay behind instead of trying to save the world from evil, she'd have been gone from Sunnydale long ago.
So she followed behind the sexy elf, hoping that her woodsy ineptitude wasn't going to be the cause of both of their deaths.
As he stealthily made his way through the trees, Legolas felt the evil growing stronger. Not only were they getting close to its source, but the evil itself was gaining power. Something was rising from deep in the earth. A true evil, beyond all measure
Behind him, Willow attempted her own version of stealth. Less successful, he admitted, but not bad for a city-raised human. Still, to retain the element of surprise -- if that was even possible, given their earlier attack -- they would have to come up with a better plan. Willow was incapable of the quiet needed to sneak up on beings with super-human senses.
Nevertheless, he was grateful to have her by his side. Her magic was strong, her heart true. She was a brave warrior, willing to risk her very life to save her world. He vowed to keep her safe, whatever the cost. She was too precious to lose to the darkness.
Boom!
Another explosion rocked the forest, this time louder, closer. The trees shook, but not merely from the force of the blast. It was as if they trembled because they were unable to flee from the growing evil threatening to consume the woods.
Willow and Legolas exchanged a worried look at the last blast. Whatever was out there either had big time weapons or powerful magics to cause such huge explosions. What could they possibly be looking for out in the forest in the middle of nowhere?
Willow had previously studied topographical, geological, and historical maps of Sunnydale but didn't know of anything of interest out here in Breaker's Woods. No buried temples of evil gods, no weird geological formations, no strange mineral content... just trees.
She looked at Legolas as a new thought occurred to her. No one really knew how old the Hellmouth was...and the evil in the air felt old...older than the Master, almost as old as the Hellmouth itself. What if the thing the big bad was looking for predated Sunnydale's written records? What if the evil present here was as old as Legolas?
The elf put his arm in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. She followed his gaze, spotting two vampires, apparently on guard duty, about fifty feet away.
Legolas swore silently. If he had arrows for his bow he could dispatch these foes without a sound, but he was weaponless. He had no doubt that he and Willow could defeat the two, armed with branches from the forest as makeshift stakes, but at what cost their victory? Would the sound of the fight bring the other vampires running to their rescue?
Willow picked a stick up off the cold ground. She looked at the vampire on her right, indicating to Legolas that he should get closer to take out that vamp. He looked at her quizzically.
She held out her hand, palm up, placing the stick on her outstretched hand. She stared at the small branch for a moment, and it began to rise in the air.
Telekinesis. He understood. If he could silently kill the first vampire, she could take out his compatriot with a telekinetically directed branch-stake.
Legolas crept closer, one eye on his target, the other on Willow's floating branch. Her target was still facing the opposite direction, unaware of the danger that was currently targeting him. Good. The immortal warrior moved in closer, knowing that he was going to have to silently defeat his opponent, stake him long before he could summon help.
When the floating stake was inches away from the vampire's back, he began to turn around. Willow held her breath, hoping it would find its target quickly enough, before the guard vamp raised the alarm. The vampire spotted the stake floating in front of him, a puzzled expression on his face. Floating fatality, Willow thought, as she drove the stake into his heart.
The other vampire turned to look as his partner turned to dust. Before he could say a word, Legolas leaped from the cover of the trees, plunging his stake into the vampire's back.
Willow scampered down into the tiny clearing and the two continued their journey through the woods.
****
Meanwhile, farther ahead in the woods, evil lurked. Literally.
Vampires hurried through the woods, setting explosive charges as directed. They had no idea how the Master had come to be resurrected, but he was there, leading them once more. The Master had a purpose -- he was looking for something...or someone.
Victor was not a young vampire. He served under the Master, watched as Spike and Drusilla destroyed the Anointed One, escaped the carnage when the Mayor's plans for graduation day had gone awry. He'd been touched by evil -- hell, he was evil.
Something was coming...he could feel it. Evil was rising from the earth, old magics long lost. Old evils, such as the Master, were returning. Finally, the day they had been waiting for was at hand. They would call upon the Dark Lord, and he would send forth his emissary. Together, with the vampires of Sunnydale, they would destroy humanity.
Victor laughed in the darkness. It was a good day to be a vampire.
****
Willow and Legolas hadn't encountered any other guards on their journey to the site of evil's big plan. As they reached the top of a hill, they saw why. The vampires all appeared to be gathering in a moonlit clearing ahead of them.
Silently, they dropped to the ground, peering through the bushes to observe the vampires' ritual. Oddly, there were multiple holes in the ground, and stuff that appeared to be explosives laying on the ground. "Dynamite. Sort of high tech for vampires," Willow whispered in his ear.
Legolas nodded. Like elves, demons tended to be quite fond of the old ways.
He surveyed the clearing. There were more than a dozen vamps in front of them, all in a circle around a pit. Torches blazed around the clearing, sending off sparks into the night sky. The vampires all were looking towards the far end of the clearing, as if they were waiting for something...or someone.
Then he arrived.
The creature that emerged from the shadows was no ordinary vampire. Hideously misshapen, his skin was as pale as new-fallen snow, and his visage was clearly demonic with pointed teeth and long fangs. His hands ended in claws, clearly visible as he crossed his arms in front of his leather-clad body.
Willow bit her lip to keep from gasping. It was the Master. But how could that be possible? Buffy had killed him on prom night their sophomore year. His minions, including the juvenile Anointed One had kidnapped Willow and others in an attempt to resurrect him with some ceremony. Buffy had stopped them again, that time for good. She'd ground his bones to make her bread. Well, more ground his bones just to grind 'em, 'cause the bread part was just plain icky. Who'd want to eat vampire-bone-bread?
Willow brought herself back to the task at hand. Sometimes, she had far too many thoughts.
Okay, the Master was apparently alive and back in Sunnydale, trying to...resurrect something? Summon a demon, maybe? But why would he need dynamite? Willow shook her head. Nothing seemed to make any sense.
Legolas stared at the ancient vampire and his minions, trying to formulate a plan. How were he and Willow, unarmed, going to defeat a dozen vampires and an evil vampire master? He was a strong, experienced warrior, but even he could not hope to win against such insurmountable odds. Even with Willow's help, they were hopelessly outnumbered and outclassed.
He immediately stiffened, staying completely still as he heard the leaves crackle as more vampires walked through the forest behind him. He motioned to Willow, silently telling the witch to be quiet and still.
Their caution was for naught, as they were directly in the vampires' path, no way for them to move without being noticed.
"What do we have here?" One of the vamps growled. "Trespassers. Here to disrupt the ceremony, no doubt." He laughed evilly. "We'll see about that."
Willow and Legolas exchanged a look. They were in trouble.