AN: I hope you are all enjoying this, just wanted to answer a few things
from the reviews.
Brutal2003: I'm not totally sure where this is going either, lol but I do have an inkling.
Casix Thistlebane: I am trying to be original, hope it works.
Lesley, rma: Yes, that WAS Robin, sorry, but I just dont like him all that well.
Darklighter: Your close, hope you like what I am going to do after I do it.
***
Chapter 2: Gather Round
Alexander 'Xander' Harris gazed at the small village they had just arrived in as the jeep rattling to a stop in front of what he assumed was the chiefs hut. His guide, Zalani, a Masii tribes men, grinned at him, before jumping from his seat and moving to talk to a village elder. Getting out as well, Xander stretched,. trying to work out some of the kinks he had developed on the three day trip over dirt roads - the jeep definitely needed better shocks.
He had been in Africa for almost eight months now, searching for new Slayers, as well as trying to find a set of tablets reported to speak of a darkness overcome by a mystical warrior. That in itself was not unusual, but these tablets were said to be over three thousand years old and spoke of a wild woman who killed the beasts that walked the night.
Taking his hat off, he used it to beat some of the dust out of his clothes, the yellowish cloud matching the buff colored clothing he wore. Satisfied that he had at least gotten rid of some of the dirt, he looked at the people gathering around, trying to spot the girl he had come looking for. He just hoped that this time, they did not think he was looking to marry the youngster like the last tribe had. He had had to call Giles to get him out of that mess.
An hour later, Xander was well on his way to convincing the village Elders that the girl was not possessed, and that he was not looking for a new wife when he heard the sound of his satellite phone beeping from the jeep. Excusing himself, he made a beeline for it, grateful for the interruption in what was looking to be an all night talk.
"XanderHarris." He said as he answered the phone. "It's your ten dollars, go ahead." His tone cheerful.
Listening to the rapid fire voice on the other end of the line, his tanned face lost all color.
***
Pain. Liquid fire dancing over her skin. Her entire body felt as though it had been dipped in acid. Noise. Feet shuffling towards her. Something cold, unyielding being placed on her wrists and ankles, a weight dropping around her neck. Her head was yanked back, but it was to dark to see. Was she blind? Was she even awake? A pain as though fire was dripping onto her face. Welcome blackness.
"Make sure she is bound tight. The other one was able to break free. Prepare her the first ritual, the marking must be made first, before we use the binding spells. When she is ready, we will begin to break her, otherwise she is of no use to us."
Nodding its head, the shrouded form went about connecting the manacles to the enspelled chains
***
"Buffy, I'm going to go meet Julian for lunch." The eldest slayer heard her sister shout just before the door to their small apartment slammed, signaling the departure of the younger Summers girl.
With a sigh, Buffy grabbed her robe, heading for the bathroom, ready to take a relaxing soak in the marble tub. Adjusting the water temperature, she added some oils, removing her clothes as she waited for the tub to fill. She had a book and a glass of wine already set on the edge, just waiting for her to pick them both up and get lost in the world of Samuel and Roxanne's love entanglements.
She had only read three pages before she closed the book, tossing it aside, wondering how her own love life had turned into something out of a romance novel. Girl meets boy, girl sends boy to hell, boy comes back and leaves girl. Girl meets another boy, they try to kill each other, girl dies, girl is brought back, the have sex, and boy leaves to find soul. When boy and girl meet again, boy dies to save the world.
Closing her eye's, she momentarily toyed with the idea of writing a book about it, but as the heat from the water eased the tension from her body she started to drift off to sleep. Her mind wondered back to the last time she had seen Spike, his body ready to burst into flames as she rushed from the collapsing hellmouth and she could not help but wonder if she would ever find someone that she could spend the rest of her life with.
The ringing of the phone jarred her from her half slumber, and the water sloshed over the edge as she jumped from the tub, her mind not caught up with her body as she fell into a defensive stance. As the sound penetrated, she grabbed her robe, belting it around herself as she padded out to her room.
"This had better be important." She told the person on the other end as she held the receiver to her ear. Ten minutes later she had her bag packed and was out the door, having left her sister a message to call her as soon as she returned.
***
She was laid naked on a table of some kind, her body refusing to obey her. She knew she was awake, but she could not even open her eyes. Hearing someone approach, she soon realized that even though she could not move, she could still feel, as she felt someone touch her forehead.
'The runes are drawn. It is time to make them one with her.' The voice she thought went with the hand spoke above her.
As she tried to figure what that meant, she felt others touching her, one on each limb, and another on her chest. Soon she could think of nothing but the pain as what felt like needles pierced her skin.
***
Willow watched her lover from where she sat, the younger woman sprawled across their bed. With a small smile, she reached out, pulling the sheet up before she left the room, in search of some coffee to start her day.
They had come to Brazil to search for new Slayers and to seek the guidance of a wise woman who knew something of the mysterious Guardians like the one who had been killed by Caleb the last few days in Sunnydale. So far, the woman had not told them much, wanting them to prove their worthiness before delving into the reason the Guardians had been formed.
Moving out onto the verandah, Willow sat on a lounge chair, facing east watching as the sun rose over the mountains. This was one of her favorite times of the day, unspoiled by pollution, the air was crisp and clean, and the animals were just stirring in the forest around them, birds calling out to the rising sun.
As the sun cleared the mountain tops, she finished her drink, placing the empty cup on the low table beside her and she picked up the papers that lay their, waiting for her to translate them. As she leafed through them, she could hear her lover stir, knowing she would join her in a few minutes, her own cup clutched in her hands.
She could not help but smile as Kennedy stumbled out the door, the young woman's hair still tousled from sleep, a pair of old sweats and a long shirt her morning dress. She was so different from Tara, out going and full of energy where the witch had been quiet and serene. They had come to love each other, but still, they both knew that a part of Willow heart would always belong to her lost love.
Sitting down behind the redheaded witch, Kennedy drew her close, relishing in the contact, neither saying a word to the other, just enjoying the closeness. The quiet was broken by the sound of the phone, and with a wistful smile, Kennedy went to answer it.
***
She awoke once more to darkness, but her body was no longer wracked in pain. Once more, she felt the cold, hard weight of metal on her limbs and the pull of something heavy around her neck. Pushing her self up, she reached her hands up, remembering the burning sensation on her face, but was stopped when she felt the resistance and suddenly she could not breathe. Fighting against the panic, she tried to reach the chain that was choking her, but only succeeded making it worse, before she slumped once more to the cold stone under her.
"She will resist. These are not the same as the one we first made."
"They were sheep to men, easily controlled, that is why we chose as we did."
"She will submit in the end, she has no other choice."
"She could choose death."
"There is no death here unless we give it."
"We must weaken her first. It will make it easier for us to cast the spells of binding upon her."
"Very well. When she awakens, we will begin."
***
Giles paced the small waiting room, his eyes going to the arrival board every few minutes. He had returned a call from a small town in Nevada just over forty eight hours ago, and after he had seem the condition of the remains, he had made the calls that would bring the core group back together for the first time in over eight months. He just wished it was not for what he feared.
Hearing the call for the arrival of the plane from Vegas, he stood and watched the passengers disembark. He missed seeing the dark man exit, he had changed so much in the missing months, growing a beard and thinning out, until he saw the familiar grin looking at him.
'Xander." He said, a mist covering his eye's as he gave the man, son in all but name, a brief hug. "You look like things are going well."
"It has not been a walk in the park, but it is getting better." Came the reply, just before they were both tackled by a redheaded blur.
"When did your flight get in?" Giles asked, confused, a few minutes later after they had all greeted one another.
"At the same time as his, you must have missed the call." Kennedy told him as they all sat down to wait for the last member of the group. "So, you going to fill us in more?"
"I think I had best wait for Buffy to get here." The Englishman told them, removing his glasses and wiping them nervously.
He could still remember what the Sheriff had told him, the discover they had made in the desert. It had taken them a few weeks to identify the remains, and get in touch with the council. Things had been so busy in England, trying to dig through what remained of the old head quarters and ship it to the new building in New York, that he had not checked his mail. Now, he wished he had found the time, for it had been several months since the discovery had been made.
***
"If you want the pain to stop, all you have to do is submit."
"No." the hoarse voice of the bound woman forced it self out passed cracked, bleeding lips.
"Then so be it. You may continue."
She tried to remain standing, but as the electric blue of the magical whip struck once more, sending energy coursing through her again, she fell to her knees, her back arching as a soundless scream was forced from her already torn vocal cords. If she had had any tears left, they would have been forced out as well, but her body had none, as they had all be used up when her captures tried to force her to submit to them.
She fell forward onto her hands, jarring the still tender bones that had only just healed in her hands. She did not know how long she had been here. Perhaps days, weeks, months, it could have even been years. All ideas of time were long gone, beaten out of her between bouts of unconsciousness. She knew if it was not for Slayer healing, her body would be a mass of scars, the only marks she now bore were the twisting black lines that had been tattooed onto her skin.
A mad giggle forced it self out as she wondered if she would have the same mark around her throat as she did around her wrists and ankles, electric blue bands, from the spell infused chains. She had almost escaped once, using not her strength to remove her shackles, but her skills learned in a misspent youth. Now, every time she tried to break her bonds, the choker around her neck would tighten until she could no longer breathe and would finally pass out.
As the whip came down once more, she felt her mind retreat even farther into her mind; felt the primal being inside her trying to break free. Faith was being replaced, leaving only The Slayer.
***
Buffy stepped of the small charter plane onto the hot tarmac of a small airport, the heated wind sweeping across the open space, drying the sweat even as it formed. Shouldering her duffel bag, she made her way towards the small terminal, excited to see her friends once more, yet fearful of the reason they were gathering.
She had barely made it through the door before she was enveloped by two pairs of strong arms and one pair of smaller as Giles, Willow and Xander greeted her. For several long minutes none of them moved, offering and taking comfort from the others. Finally, they broke apart, not a dry eye in the group.
"So, what's the skinny?" Kennedy asked, breaking the silence.
"Robin is dead, and Faith is missing." Giles told them, looking directly at his Slayer. "The Sheriff suspects foul play."
"Do they think she did it?" Buffy asked him, something twisting in her gut at the thought.
"He does, but I fear it may be something else entirely." Was Giles response as he turned and led them outside to his waiting vehicle. "One of the researchers found something that might have to deal with this."
"If it's another 'I'm going to die' thing, I hope you told them they were wrong." Came Buffy's sarcastic retort.
"I wish I knew. They are sending me the Vasel prophesies. They were thought lost until a monastery sent us the original copies."
"And those are?" Xander prompted, opening the door for the women.
"They are like the Codex, except these have only been figured out after the events they tell of."
"Great, I just hate it when they publish the answers after the fact." Xander mumbled to himself.
***
"Submit!"
The only answer was a growl, coming from the bowed figure before him. Reaching out, he grabbed her chin roughly, jerking her head up, looking deep into the bloodshot brown eyes of his captive. Seeing what he was looking for, he nodded to the man behind her.
Grabbing the short chain that connected her feet, her yanked, knocking her to her stomach, pulling the chains tight so she could not move. With a knife in one hand, he pulled the loose garment that covered her up, slicing it up the back, letting the two halves fall away. Stepping back, he bowed to his master, leaving him to his work.
Living blue flames swirled around her body, following the dark marks already there. Her screams, raw, animalistic, inhuman, bounced once more off the rock walls as he claimed his tool once more.
***
Brutal2003: I'm not totally sure where this is going either, lol but I do have an inkling.
Casix Thistlebane: I am trying to be original, hope it works.
Lesley, rma: Yes, that WAS Robin, sorry, but I just dont like him all that well.
Darklighter: Your close, hope you like what I am going to do after I do it.
***
Chapter 2: Gather Round
Alexander 'Xander' Harris gazed at the small village they had just arrived in as the jeep rattling to a stop in front of what he assumed was the chiefs hut. His guide, Zalani, a Masii tribes men, grinned at him, before jumping from his seat and moving to talk to a village elder. Getting out as well, Xander stretched,. trying to work out some of the kinks he had developed on the three day trip over dirt roads - the jeep definitely needed better shocks.
He had been in Africa for almost eight months now, searching for new Slayers, as well as trying to find a set of tablets reported to speak of a darkness overcome by a mystical warrior. That in itself was not unusual, but these tablets were said to be over three thousand years old and spoke of a wild woman who killed the beasts that walked the night.
Taking his hat off, he used it to beat some of the dust out of his clothes, the yellowish cloud matching the buff colored clothing he wore. Satisfied that he had at least gotten rid of some of the dirt, he looked at the people gathering around, trying to spot the girl he had come looking for. He just hoped that this time, they did not think he was looking to marry the youngster like the last tribe had. He had had to call Giles to get him out of that mess.
An hour later, Xander was well on his way to convincing the village Elders that the girl was not possessed, and that he was not looking for a new wife when he heard the sound of his satellite phone beeping from the jeep. Excusing himself, he made a beeline for it, grateful for the interruption in what was looking to be an all night talk.
"XanderHarris." He said as he answered the phone. "It's your ten dollars, go ahead." His tone cheerful.
Listening to the rapid fire voice on the other end of the line, his tanned face lost all color.
***
Pain. Liquid fire dancing over her skin. Her entire body felt as though it had been dipped in acid. Noise. Feet shuffling towards her. Something cold, unyielding being placed on her wrists and ankles, a weight dropping around her neck. Her head was yanked back, but it was to dark to see. Was she blind? Was she even awake? A pain as though fire was dripping onto her face. Welcome blackness.
"Make sure she is bound tight. The other one was able to break free. Prepare her the first ritual, the marking must be made first, before we use the binding spells. When she is ready, we will begin to break her, otherwise she is of no use to us."
Nodding its head, the shrouded form went about connecting the manacles to the enspelled chains
***
"Buffy, I'm going to go meet Julian for lunch." The eldest slayer heard her sister shout just before the door to their small apartment slammed, signaling the departure of the younger Summers girl.
With a sigh, Buffy grabbed her robe, heading for the bathroom, ready to take a relaxing soak in the marble tub. Adjusting the water temperature, she added some oils, removing her clothes as she waited for the tub to fill. She had a book and a glass of wine already set on the edge, just waiting for her to pick them both up and get lost in the world of Samuel and Roxanne's love entanglements.
She had only read three pages before she closed the book, tossing it aside, wondering how her own love life had turned into something out of a romance novel. Girl meets boy, girl sends boy to hell, boy comes back and leaves girl. Girl meets another boy, they try to kill each other, girl dies, girl is brought back, the have sex, and boy leaves to find soul. When boy and girl meet again, boy dies to save the world.
Closing her eye's, she momentarily toyed with the idea of writing a book about it, but as the heat from the water eased the tension from her body she started to drift off to sleep. Her mind wondered back to the last time she had seen Spike, his body ready to burst into flames as she rushed from the collapsing hellmouth and she could not help but wonder if she would ever find someone that she could spend the rest of her life with.
The ringing of the phone jarred her from her half slumber, and the water sloshed over the edge as she jumped from the tub, her mind not caught up with her body as she fell into a defensive stance. As the sound penetrated, she grabbed her robe, belting it around herself as she padded out to her room.
"This had better be important." She told the person on the other end as she held the receiver to her ear. Ten minutes later she had her bag packed and was out the door, having left her sister a message to call her as soon as she returned.
***
She was laid naked on a table of some kind, her body refusing to obey her. She knew she was awake, but she could not even open her eyes. Hearing someone approach, she soon realized that even though she could not move, she could still feel, as she felt someone touch her forehead.
'The runes are drawn. It is time to make them one with her.' The voice she thought went with the hand spoke above her.
As she tried to figure what that meant, she felt others touching her, one on each limb, and another on her chest. Soon she could think of nothing but the pain as what felt like needles pierced her skin.
***
Willow watched her lover from where she sat, the younger woman sprawled across their bed. With a small smile, she reached out, pulling the sheet up before she left the room, in search of some coffee to start her day.
They had come to Brazil to search for new Slayers and to seek the guidance of a wise woman who knew something of the mysterious Guardians like the one who had been killed by Caleb the last few days in Sunnydale. So far, the woman had not told them much, wanting them to prove their worthiness before delving into the reason the Guardians had been formed.
Moving out onto the verandah, Willow sat on a lounge chair, facing east watching as the sun rose over the mountains. This was one of her favorite times of the day, unspoiled by pollution, the air was crisp and clean, and the animals were just stirring in the forest around them, birds calling out to the rising sun.
As the sun cleared the mountain tops, she finished her drink, placing the empty cup on the low table beside her and she picked up the papers that lay their, waiting for her to translate them. As she leafed through them, she could hear her lover stir, knowing she would join her in a few minutes, her own cup clutched in her hands.
She could not help but smile as Kennedy stumbled out the door, the young woman's hair still tousled from sleep, a pair of old sweats and a long shirt her morning dress. She was so different from Tara, out going and full of energy where the witch had been quiet and serene. They had come to love each other, but still, they both knew that a part of Willow heart would always belong to her lost love.
Sitting down behind the redheaded witch, Kennedy drew her close, relishing in the contact, neither saying a word to the other, just enjoying the closeness. The quiet was broken by the sound of the phone, and with a wistful smile, Kennedy went to answer it.
***
She awoke once more to darkness, but her body was no longer wracked in pain. Once more, she felt the cold, hard weight of metal on her limbs and the pull of something heavy around her neck. Pushing her self up, she reached her hands up, remembering the burning sensation on her face, but was stopped when she felt the resistance and suddenly she could not breathe. Fighting against the panic, she tried to reach the chain that was choking her, but only succeeded making it worse, before she slumped once more to the cold stone under her.
"She will resist. These are not the same as the one we first made."
"They were sheep to men, easily controlled, that is why we chose as we did."
"She will submit in the end, she has no other choice."
"She could choose death."
"There is no death here unless we give it."
"We must weaken her first. It will make it easier for us to cast the spells of binding upon her."
"Very well. When she awakens, we will begin."
***
Giles paced the small waiting room, his eyes going to the arrival board every few minutes. He had returned a call from a small town in Nevada just over forty eight hours ago, and after he had seem the condition of the remains, he had made the calls that would bring the core group back together for the first time in over eight months. He just wished it was not for what he feared.
Hearing the call for the arrival of the plane from Vegas, he stood and watched the passengers disembark. He missed seeing the dark man exit, he had changed so much in the missing months, growing a beard and thinning out, until he saw the familiar grin looking at him.
'Xander." He said, a mist covering his eye's as he gave the man, son in all but name, a brief hug. "You look like things are going well."
"It has not been a walk in the park, but it is getting better." Came the reply, just before they were both tackled by a redheaded blur.
"When did your flight get in?" Giles asked, confused, a few minutes later after they had all greeted one another.
"At the same time as his, you must have missed the call." Kennedy told him as they all sat down to wait for the last member of the group. "So, you going to fill us in more?"
"I think I had best wait for Buffy to get here." The Englishman told them, removing his glasses and wiping them nervously.
He could still remember what the Sheriff had told him, the discover they had made in the desert. It had taken them a few weeks to identify the remains, and get in touch with the council. Things had been so busy in England, trying to dig through what remained of the old head quarters and ship it to the new building in New York, that he had not checked his mail. Now, he wished he had found the time, for it had been several months since the discovery had been made.
***
"If you want the pain to stop, all you have to do is submit."
"No." the hoarse voice of the bound woman forced it self out passed cracked, bleeding lips.
"Then so be it. You may continue."
She tried to remain standing, but as the electric blue of the magical whip struck once more, sending energy coursing through her again, she fell to her knees, her back arching as a soundless scream was forced from her already torn vocal cords. If she had had any tears left, they would have been forced out as well, but her body had none, as they had all be used up when her captures tried to force her to submit to them.
She fell forward onto her hands, jarring the still tender bones that had only just healed in her hands. She did not know how long she had been here. Perhaps days, weeks, months, it could have even been years. All ideas of time were long gone, beaten out of her between bouts of unconsciousness. She knew if it was not for Slayer healing, her body would be a mass of scars, the only marks she now bore were the twisting black lines that had been tattooed onto her skin.
A mad giggle forced it self out as she wondered if she would have the same mark around her throat as she did around her wrists and ankles, electric blue bands, from the spell infused chains. She had almost escaped once, using not her strength to remove her shackles, but her skills learned in a misspent youth. Now, every time she tried to break her bonds, the choker around her neck would tighten until she could no longer breathe and would finally pass out.
As the whip came down once more, she felt her mind retreat even farther into her mind; felt the primal being inside her trying to break free. Faith was being replaced, leaving only The Slayer.
***
Buffy stepped of the small charter plane onto the hot tarmac of a small airport, the heated wind sweeping across the open space, drying the sweat even as it formed. Shouldering her duffel bag, she made her way towards the small terminal, excited to see her friends once more, yet fearful of the reason they were gathering.
She had barely made it through the door before she was enveloped by two pairs of strong arms and one pair of smaller as Giles, Willow and Xander greeted her. For several long minutes none of them moved, offering and taking comfort from the others. Finally, they broke apart, not a dry eye in the group.
"So, what's the skinny?" Kennedy asked, breaking the silence.
"Robin is dead, and Faith is missing." Giles told them, looking directly at his Slayer. "The Sheriff suspects foul play."
"Do they think she did it?" Buffy asked him, something twisting in her gut at the thought.
"He does, but I fear it may be something else entirely." Was Giles response as he turned and led them outside to his waiting vehicle. "One of the researchers found something that might have to deal with this."
"If it's another 'I'm going to die' thing, I hope you told them they were wrong." Came Buffy's sarcastic retort.
"I wish I knew. They are sending me the Vasel prophesies. They were thought lost until a monastery sent us the original copies."
"And those are?" Xander prompted, opening the door for the women.
"They are like the Codex, except these have only been figured out after the events they tell of."
"Great, I just hate it when they publish the answers after the fact." Xander mumbled to himself.
***
"Submit!"
The only answer was a growl, coming from the bowed figure before him. Reaching out, he grabbed her chin roughly, jerking her head up, looking deep into the bloodshot brown eyes of his captive. Seeing what he was looking for, he nodded to the man behind her.
Grabbing the short chain that connected her feet, her yanked, knocking her to her stomach, pulling the chains tight so she could not move. With a knife in one hand, he pulled the loose garment that covered her up, slicing it up the back, letting the two halves fall away. Stepping back, he bowed to his master, leaving him to his work.
Living blue flames swirled around her body, following the dark marks already there. Her screams, raw, animalistic, inhuman, bounced once more off the rock walls as he claimed his tool once more.
***