Lineage
Episode 16
Giles's Apartment:
Giles's attention had shifted over the past few days. He had put a hold on his search trying to decipher the rest of the prophecy dealing with the goddess. Now he was researching more on the slayer line. He had spent most of his life as a watcher and didn't know anything about the previous slayers or how a slayer originated.
All of it baffled him. Of course he had read a bit of watcher's journals, telling about a certain slayer. But he'd never known their history, like where they came from or any major apocalypses that they adverted.
He also wanted to be able to figure out which potential slayer would be called if Buffy were to die. There were very few of them left, but he wanted to figure out if one of the girl's Buffy had trained would become the slayer. If she wasn't, then he'd have to find her before she was called and bring her here.
Just then, Buffy entered his apartment. As usual, she just walked right in without knocking. Giles didn't mind. He looked up from his books.
"What else did you find out about the prophecy?" Buffy questioned, coming towards him.
"Actually, Buffy," he began, "I've been researching something else."
"But isn't this prophecy thing more important?" she asked, taking a seat at the table.
"I believe that this is just as important. I am researching the slayer lineage," he replied.
"How come?" she questioned.
"I want to know all about it. I was thinking of starting the new Watcher's Council," he told her, "You know if we live through this apocalypse. And I need to know as much as I can about the slayer."
"Like how she originated?" Buffy asked.
"Yes, precisely!" Giles exclaimed.
"I can tell you that," she informed, "I almost witnessed it firsthand."
"Excuse me?" he asked.
"Remember when I went through that portal?" she asked.
"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"I met the men that created the slayer. The portal transported me back in time, I think. They tried to use the same magiks that they used to create the slayer."
"Tell me more, Buffy."
Giles pulled out a piece of paper. Then he pulled the pen from behind his ear. He was ready to take some notes.
"Well, let's see. They attacked me. Actually, they knocked me out. There were three of them, shaman, I think."
"Interesting, continue."
"When I came to, I was chained inside a cave. The three of them surrounded me. It was all very weird."
"What is this?" Buffy questioned.
"We are at the beginning. The source of your strength," the third shadow man informed, "The well of the slayer's power."
The first shadow man spoke, "This is why we have brought you here."
"I thought I brought me here?" Buffy questioned, "Listen you guys; I'm already the slayer, bursting with power. Really, I don't need anymore."
"The first slayer did not talk so much," the first man said.
The three shadow men began beating their staffs rhythmically on the cavern floor. Buffy began struggling against her chains. The third man grabbed a small box and placed it onto a weird pattern on the ground. He then opened the box.
"Herein lies your truest strength," the first one said.
"The energy of a demon," the second one told her, "Its spirit."
"Its heart," the third one told her.
"This is how you…" Buffy began to ask.
"Created the slayer?" the first one finished her sentence, "Yes."
A weird black cloud began seeping out of the box and into the air before her. Buffy looked nervous. The first and second men are still beating the staffs on the ground.
"It must become one with you," the third man told her.
"No!" Buffy shouted as the cloud drew closer.
"This will make you ready for the fight," he continued.
"By making me less human?" Buffy questioned.
"This is how it was then," the second man replied, "How it must be now."
"This is all there is," the first man told her.
The black cloud swirled around her, seeping into her nose and mouth. Buffy screamed and the black cloud came out of her nose and mouth. She struggled even harder against the chains as the cloud continued to swirl all over her body. It crept around her legs and up her skirt.
"Make it stop!" Buffy shouted.
"This is what you came here for," the first man replied, "Don't fight it."
"You think I came all this way just to get knocked up by some demon dust?" Buffy questioned.
The shadow men continued beating their staffs on the ground. The cloud continued to swirl around her.
"I can't fight this," she said, "I know that now. But you guys, you're just men. Just the men that did this…to her. Whoever that girl was before she was the first slayer."
She pulled together all her strength and pulled hard on the chains. They both snapped up, very easily. She smirked as she whipped one of the chains up, smashing the third shadow man in the face. He fell down, silently.
"You don't understand," the first man spoke.
"No, you don't understand!" Buffy shouted, "You violated that girl, made her kill for you because you're weak, you're pathetic. You obviously have nothing to show me."
She lifted her and whipped the second man in the chest. He grinned in pain but came at her. Since the tapping of the staffs had stop, the black cloud just hovered in the air. She whipped him in the back of the head, knocking him out.
She walked right over to the last man and tore the staff from his hands. Then she broke it over her knee. The black cloud disappeared as the staff broke.
"I knew it," she said, "It's always the staff."
"We offered you power," he informed.
"Tell me something I don't know," she retaliated.
"Are you telling me that you beat them up?" Giles asked.
"Well what else was I supposed to do?" Buffy asked, "I mean, who knows what they were trying to do."
"I suppose you are right," he replied, "Now I know a little more of what happened. Thank you."
"Anytime."
Axel's Basement, AKA the Hellmouth:
Bringers stood all around Seal of Danthalzar. It was radiating with power beyond imagination. Anything could come out of the seal. All it took was blood. The seal in this town had never been open before. Buffy walked up behind the Bringers.
"My Bringers, this is a fresh seal," Buffy said, "We need to open it, to release my Turok-Han into this town. I will not lose this world to that thing. I will come to rule this world, not her."
Buffy stopped talking. It wasn't Buffy anymore. There stood a familiar face to the Bringers.
"The Good Book says 'Thou shalt not have strange gods before me.' No one will worship this goddess. They will all worship me," Caleb spoke.
The Bringers turned from the seal. They pulled out their daggers.
"Go!" Caleb shouted, "Bring me a sacrifice! If you come across any of those who have the blood of the slayer, kill them!"
The Bringer silently ran from the basement. Caleb stood there, glancing down at the seal. He smirked.
"The day will come when I rule this world," he said aloud.
Downtown Haynesville:
Danielle loved this new town. It was so much different from the Sunnydale. She hadn't even lived in Sunnydale for that long, but she still hated it. The reason that she liked this town better was because there weren't things always out trying to kill her. She could just enjoy life here in Haynesville.
It was a little more than a year ago when she first discovered that she was a potential slayer. She didn't believe it at first, but once she came across her first vampire, things changed. She remembered her watcher. He was a brilliant man, but he met an unfortunate end when he was killed by Bringers while trying to protect her.
Her watcher's last words to her were to head to Sunnydale, California. She didn't ask questions, she just left. She stayed in a motel for a few days. The one night, she was attacked by Bringers. Just as an axe was about to hit her head, she was shoved out of the way. The slayer, Buffy Summers, had saved her life. She never knew how the slayer knew that she was there, but she didn't ask questions. She was grateful to be alive.
She was walking along the streets of downtown. She had just left the mall. She had gone shopping. Now she was heading back towards her apartment. It was time to go back into the constant fighting of the other girls. She hated how all of them always fought, but it was nice having them around. There was always someone to talk to and she was never lonely.
Suddenly, she heard a loud crash. Her head spun instantly in the direction of an alley. A trashcan was lying on its side. There was nothing strange about it. It was probably just a stray cat or other animal.
She turned her head back. There was a hooded figure standing in front of her. He pulled out a dagger with a long blade. Danielle screamed. She knew who this figure was. It was a Bringer; so much for being safe here.
Danielle turned and started to run. That's when she noticed there were more. Two more came out of the alley where the trash can had fallen. And three were now coming at here from the direction of the mall. She was surrounded.
"Hey!" someone yelled, "How do you guys get around?"
Danielle looked past the Bringers. She saw a familiar face and smiled.
"I mean, come on, you guys are blind," Buffy shouted, "How can you possibly see her?"
Buffy ran up and knocked aside two Bringers. The others ran at her, bearing their blades. Buffy kicked another backwards. It fell into the Bringer behind it and both fell to the ground.
"How can you fight me?" Buffy questioned, "Maybe that's why you lose every time."
She gave another Bringer a roundhouse kick. Its neck snapped and its knives fell to the ground.
"Oh goodie!" Buffy exclaimed, "Weapons!"
She bent down and quickly claimed the daggers as her own. She twirled one around in her hand and then gripped it tightly. Two Bringers decided to charge her at once. Buffy ducked and their blades went into each other. Both fell to the ground dead.
"I guess your master really didn't leave town. That's a shame," Buffy said.
She flipped over three of them. The spun around just in time. Two of them got a dagger in their chest; they fell to the ground dead. The third slashed its dagger at Buffy. It sliced her across the chest.
"You're gonna wish you didn't do that," she replied, seriously.
She bent down and quickly moved her leg underneath the Bringer, tripping it. It fell to the ground on its back. Buffy took both daggers and slammed them down into the Bringer's chest and stomach.
She quickly pulled them out. She thrust one dagger backwards. It met its target, the stomach of the last Bringer. It was trying to attack her from behind. It fell backwards to the ground, dead.
"Are you okay?" Buffy asked Danielle.
"I-I thought we were safe here?" the girl questioned, "I thought we beat them."
"Geez, there's a lot you guys haven't been told," Buffy replied, "Guess you'll find out soon enough. Come on, let's get you home."
Buffy and Danielle began walking down the street. They were heading back to her apartment. Then Buffy had to talk to Giles. Just as the two entered the building, they heard a scream.
"I thought the First left town," Buffy mumbled to herself.
She took off running down the hall. That's when she realized that she forgot about something. She turned back to Danielle.
"Get inside!" Buffy order, "Lock the door and keep the others inside!"
She dashed down the hall. She turned the corner and saw Vi. Three Bringers were blocking her path. Buffy knew why she didn't turn and head back to the rooms. She didn't want to endanger the others.
She reached in her pocket and pulled out a dagger from before. She tossed it through the air. It landed in the chest of the Bringer in the middle. Vi turned around and saw Buffy.
"Thanks Buffy!" she called.
"Watch out!" Buffy shouted.
The Bringers used her distraction to their advantage. The raised their daggers above their head. Vi's slayer sense kicked in. She dove forward just as the blades came down. She kicked both Bringers in the chest, knocking them backwards. Vi rose to her feet and ran to Buffy.
"What are they doing here?" she asked, "I thought we beat the First."
"It's a long story," Buffy replied, "Get to your room, I'll handle them."
Vi took off down the hall to her room. Buffy heard the door lock behind her. Then she turned towards the Bringers. They were just rising to their feet, reclaiming their weapons.
"You guys are getting a little pathetic," Buffy said, "You can't even take these girls anymore."
She gave one a front kick to the chest. He stumbled backwards and she heard some ribs crack. The second lunged at her, slashing its daggers, trying to kill her. She dodged most of them attacks, but she got a few cuts across her chest and arms. She kicked it in the stomach, causing it to hobble over.
The first one regained its senses and reached for Buffy. It grabbed her and tossed her over its shoulder. She landed on her side and groaned in pain. She glanced up when she heard a door open. A familiar face appeared in the doorway.
"Buffy?" Xander questioned, looking down at her.
"Xander get back inside now!" Buffy ordered, trying to rise to her feet.
She couldn't get up though. She was too tired. She hadn't slept in days and now it was taking its toll on her. It was because she was so worried about everything that had been going on lately.
Xander looked down the hallway and saw why Buffy told him to get inside. He noticed that Buffy was still lying on her side. He realized that she must be hurt. He ran out to her and tried to help her up.
"Xander, go away!" Buffy yelled, "I can take care of myself."
"Not right now you can't," he replied, "You look exhausted."
He placed his arm around Buffy and pulled her to her feet. It was obvious that she was hurt now. She grunted in pain as he helped her up. He dragged her into his apartment.
"No Xander," Buffy said, "I need to go back out there. I have to protect the girls."
"Not like this you aren't," he said.
He left Buffy in a chair and walked out into the hallway. He picked up an axe on the way out. He closed the door behind him. The two Bringers were advancing towards him.
Xander's Apartment:
Buffy sat in a chair near the kitchen. Giles, Xander, and Willow stood around her. Xander and Willow had managed to fight off the two Bringers. Giles had arrived shortly with news to give to Willow when he noticed that something had happened. When he didn't find Willow in her apartment, he went to Xander's, where he found the three.
"What's going on?" Willow asked.
"It seems to me like the First is acting up again," Buffy replied, "I'm just not sure what it has to do with."
"Would somebody like to clue me in on all that has happened lately?" Xander asked.
"Oh, I forgot," Willow said, "You haven't really been around."
"Well, let's see," Buffy began, "An evil goddess was released from her prison. She's now here in Haynesville, messing with us. And now the First seems to be making some sort of comeback."
"Oh that's all very intriguing," Xander said.
"Giles, the First is going after the potentials again," Buffy informed, "I saved three of them tonight."
"I'm sorry to report this, but my associate over in England has reported that potential slayers around the world are once again being targeted. The First is up to its old gig again," Giles informed.
"It's attacking the slayer line again," Buffy added, "It wants to face me again. But then so does this goddess."
"Buffy, there is no way you can fight both of them," Willow pointed out.
"You know Buff maybe the First is working for this goddess. Maybe she wants the First to weaken you so that it can easily take you out," Xander added.
"Hmm…it does make sense," Giles began.
"No it does," Buffy interrupted, "The First hates this goddess. It wanted me all to itself. I'm guessing that it wants to take me out before the goddess does."
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. They now had two major problems on their hands.
"There is no one to tell the potentials of the world where we are," Giles informed, "They will all be hunted down, one-by-one."
"Well then," Buffy said, "We better protect the girl's that we've got here. They may be the only chance to save the slayer line. And we can't risk losing that."
Downtown Haynesville:
Buffy had asked Xander to walk her back to Axel's. Now the two were walking through the town. Neither said anything to anyone. But Buffy obviously knew that something was bothering him.
"Anya's dead," Xander said, breaking the silence.
"I'm sorry," Buffy replied solemnly.
"Don't tell me that you didn't know," Xander replied.
"I knew, but I wanted you to tell me yourself. How'd it happen?"
"Back in the basement, during the fight with the Bringers, she lost her weapon and they attacked her. Buffy, they saw her die. And I could do nothing about it."
Tears were now dripping down his face.
"Its okay, Xander."
"How? Buffy, when someone dies, it's not okay. It hurts, Buffy. It hurts!"
"Look, Xander, you have to let go. You can't just mope around for the rest of your life. You have to be strong."
"I…I just…I dunno. I've never dealt with the death of someone that I loved before."
"We've all dealt with them before. And I guess it was just your turn. You know, I lost Angel. Willow lost Tara and Giles lost Jenny."
"I know, Buffy. But it's just so hard to get through each day without her."
"It'll get better, Xand. I promise that it will get better."
Xander wrapped his arms around Buffy. She just held him and let her friend cry out all his pain.