Prophecy

Episode 13

Council Headquarters:

            Cindy was sitting on the bed, in her room. Jake was sitting across the room, in a chair.

            "This is hard," she said.

            "I know, Cindy," Jake replied, "But that's just the way it is. If I could change it for you, I would."

            She smiled and walked over and hugged him.

            "Thank you," she said softly, "I just wish I could change the slayer part of my life."

            "Cindy, this is the way your life is going to be, until you die," he told her. "You cannot change your life. It's fate that you were chosen to be the slayer. I'll always be there for you, because I love you."

            "Why do you always have to be so sweet and kind?" she questioned, "You're gonna make me cry with all that sweet talk."

            "Well, it's true," Jake said, "All of it."

            Cindy didn't say anything, she just smiled.

            "I will help you with anything that comes your way," he said.

            "I believe it," she said.

Giles' Apartment:

            "From beneath you, it devours," Spike said.

            His words kept repeating Buffy's head. She was confused. What could it possibly mean, if anything? Was it just something that Spike said because he was insane?

            Giles looked up from the book he had been looking at for the past hour.

            "I haven't found anything," Giles informed her, "You do know that he said it because he's insane."

            "Giles, I really believe that what he said is true," she told him, "It's like I can feel it."

            "It could be a prophecy," Giles said, "I'll look it up shortly."

            "Look, I have to go," Buffy said, "Miss Aldridge is expecting me to help Cindy finish her training by going out patrolling with them. I'll be back later."

            "All right, Buffy. Good luck," he said.

Cemetery:

            "So Buffy," Miss Aldridge asked, "Is it always this quiet?"

            "It can be sometimes," she answered.

            They were walking through the cemetery. It was close to 11. Buffy was supposed to be helping Cindy finish training. It was her first time out patrolling. Jake offered to come and help, but they told him no.

            So far, there hadn't been any vampires or demons. They had already been walking for close to an hour. Buffy really didn't want to go. She would have rather stayed and helped Giles with research.

            Suddenly, the ground began to shake. The earthquake broke Buffy's thoughts.

            "From beneath you, it devours," Buffy said aloud.

            "Excuse me?" Miss Aldridge questioned.

            "Sorry, I was just thinking aloud," Buffy said.

            "From beneath you, it devours," the soft voice came again.

            The ground shook again. They three women fell to the ground again. The shaking was getting more violent every moment.

            "So much for a quiet night," Buffy said.

            That's when she heard cracking. She turned to see a large crack in the ground. It was growing towards the three of them.

            "What is happening?" Miss Aldridge shouted.

            "I'm not sure," Buffy replied, yelling over the cracking and frequent Booms.

            "Buffy!" a familiar voice called, "Buffy, where are you?"

            Buffy recognized that voice immediately. It was Giles.

            "Giles!" she called back.

            "Buffy! Where are you?" he shouted again.

            That's when she saw him, about one hundred yards away. He was holding onto a gravestone so he wouldn't fall. Spike was behind him, holding on to a gravestone not too far away.

            Buffy stood up and started making her way over to them. Then she stopped and turned, remembering Cindy and Miss Aldridge.

            "Come on!" she shouted.

            The two of them stood up and made their way to Buffy. It was hard to walk because of the shaking. The three of them slowly made their way over to Giles.

            "I found it, Buffy," Giles said.

            "What is he talking about, Buffy?" Miss Aldridge questioned, "And who are these two men?"

            "I'll explain later," she said, "Let's hear it, Giles."

            "It's a prophecy. It begins with earthquakes. This will start several months in advance to the apocalypse," Giles began.

            "I should've known this had to do with an oncoming apocalypse," Buffy said.

            The earthquake finally subsided. The five of them were again able to stand without holding onto anything.

            "It will come to Sunnydale, from beneath the earth," Giles continued, "If I'm correct, I believe this thing may be the First Evil."

            "The First Evil?" Buffy questioned.

            "It has been woken up after thousands of years of rest," he went on, "Nothing can stop it, not even the one chosen to protect the world."

            "That would be me, the slayer," Buffy said.

            "Buffy, these earthquakes could be the evil, trying to escape its imprisonment under the earth. From beneath you, it devours," he informed, "It will devour the earth, from beneath us all. Until there is nothing left."

            "How could Spike have known this?" she questioned.

            "I'm not sure," Giles said, "The vampires and demons may be able to feel its arrival."

            "But what is this First Evil?" she questioned.

            "What the hell are you two babbling about? The First Evil is gone! There haven't been any records of it for hundreds of years." Miss Aldridge shouted.

            "That may be true, but there are records of it," Giles argued, "The probability of it resurfacing are possible."

            "Giles, stop arguing!" Buffy shouted.

            "Ok, Buffy," he said.

            "What is the First Evil?" she asked.

            "The book didn't clearly say," he went on, "I'm guessing possibly some sort of sorcerer.

            "We have to get out of here," Miss Aldridge interrupted, "The earthquakes could start again."

            "She's right, Buffy," Giles said.

            Giles and the three women exited the cemetery. Spike followed cautiously behind.

            "Giles," Buffy said, "This is Cindy, the other slayer."

            "Hello again, Cindy," Giles said.

            "Hi," she said.

            "Is this your first time patrolling?" he asked.

            "Yes," she answered.

            "This wasn't a good night for patrolling," Buffy added.

            "Who are you?" Miss Aldridge questioned Giles.

            "My name is Giles," he said, "I am an ex-watcher. Buffy's to be exact."

            "Buffy," Miss Aldridge scolded, "You were instructed to stay away from him, weren't you?"

            "Uh….no," Buffy lied.

            "We'll see about this," she said.

            "No!" she yelled, "You can't tell Quentin!"

            "And why's that?"

            "Because Giles has done us a big favor," she continued, "He found out important information for us."

            "That is a good point," she reconsidered, "I won't tell him."      

            "Thank you, Miss Aldridge," Buffy said.

            "By the way, who is that blond man that's been following us?" she questioned.

            "He's…uh…Giles's friend…from England!" she lied.

Council Headquarters:

            Buffy had called for a meeting. Everyone was waiting in the meeting room for her arrival. It was the next morning, the morning after the earthquakes in the cemetery.

            She walked into the room and sat down between Willow and Angel.

            "Buffy," Quentin began, "I believe there is a reason that you called for this meeting."

            "Yes, there is," she informed, "Is everyone here?"

            "Yes," Quentin said, "Do begin."

            "I've figured it out," she began.

            "Figured what out?" Xander questioned.

            "What may have caused that earthquake last night," she said.

            "And what's that?" Willow asked.

            "Something is trying to escape from the earth," she continued, "Something of pure evil. I can feel its energy. It keeps growing stronger."

            "What are you talking about, Buffy?" Quentin questioned.

            "She's right," Anya added, "I can feel it too!"

            "What in bloody hell are the two of you talking about?" he shouted in anger.

            "From beneath you, it devours," Anya said, "It is coming and soon."

            "You heard it too?" Buffy asked.

            "Oh, it's all the talk between us demons," Anya added.

            Anya had returned to her vengeance demon ways a few years back after Xander left her at the alter. Buffy could tell that they both still had feelings for each other.

            "Do you know what it is?" Buffy questioned.

            "No," she said, "No one does, but it's a powerful and pure evil"

            "How can something be pure evil?" Xander asked.

            "I'm not exactly sure," Anya replied.

            "What is this pure evil thing?" Willow asked.

            "I was researching…," Buffy began.

            "You research? That's hard to believe," Xander interrupted.

            "Yes, now let me finish," she started, "I came across a prophecy. It said that it will come to Sunnydale from beneath the earth. The greatest evil the world has ever known. The First Evil."

            "The First Evil?" Angel questioned, "But there have been no mention of it for hundreds of years."

            "It goes on to say that it will devour the earth, from beneath us, until there is nothing left," Buffy finished.

            "From beneath you, it devours," Anya said again.

            "It also says that nothing can stop it, not even the one chosen to protect the world," Buffy added.

            "That would be you, Buffy," Angel said.

            "I know," she said.

            "We need more information," Quentin said, "And I know just the right person to talk to."

            "And that person would be?" Xander questioned.

            "Rupert Giles," he answered.

            "But you fired him," Willow said, "Do you really think he's gonna want to come back?"
            "I'm not sure, but it's worth a try," Quentin said.

Giles' Apartment:

            Giles was sitting in the kitchen, eating lunch. Spike was sitting on the couch. It was a great risk bringing the insane vampire out to the cemetery last night, but everything was fine. Spike may have come in handy if Giles had run into any demons.

            The phone wrung. Giles got up and answered it.

            "Hello," he said, "This is Mr. Giles."

            "Hello Rupert, this is Quentin."

            "Can I help you?"

            "Yes, in fact you can."

            "And how's that?"

            "Buffy found a prophecy about the First Evil coming to Sunnydale."

            "And…"

            "We need you help in analyzing it. I believe Buffy has only touched the surface of it. You were one of two Watchers who were experts on them. The other one is dead."

            "What if I refuse?"

            His and Buffy's plan was working well.

            "I am offering you your job back."

            "My job as a watcher and I get to stay in the headquarters?"

            "Yes."

            "I have one problem though."

            "What's that?"
            "I have a roommate. If I leave, he'll have no where to stay."

            "Okay…he can stay here."

            Giles had gotten two things accomplished in one day, his job back and getting Spike into the headquarters. Everything had gone according to his and Buffy's plan.

            "By the way, I know of this prophecy already."

            "What do you know about it?"

            "I know that it will happen sometime between now and the beginning of summer. And that it will be the end of the world."

            "Thank you for the information, Giles. I will see you in a few hours. Goodbye."

            "Goodbye."

            Giles hung up. He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch next to Spike.

            "We're moving out," Giles told him.

            "Where to, mate?" Spike questioned.

            "The council headquarters," Giles replied.

            "But there's no bloody way that I'm getting in there."

            "You have already gained clearance and besides Buffy and I wouldn't let them harm you," he added.

            Giles gathered his belongings and put them in his car. Then he and Spike headed off to the other side of town, to the council base.