Just another reminder, mostly for the people out there like Thess who more then likely just read the synopsis and not the previous two stories leading up to this one or this finale.
As I posted at the start of Chapter 35 of the Middle Earth story...
Yes I have been told there were vampires in Middle Earth but decided since I know nothing about the LotR book series, the safest option would be to use Artistic Licence and completely ignore their existance. I know loyal LotR fans will be up in arms for me doing that, but I thought its best to not write about something I do not know than to hack my way through and possibly make a load of mistakes and upset people further. It would be nice to think people could respect my decision to do this and just read and enjoy this as a story, nothing more, then get all bent out of shape with me for totally ignoring what is a feature of the books.
Due to my life going to shit, I can't get online as much as I used to and will try to keep this story going as quickly as I can, but everyone knows...shit happens...just mostly to me it seems. However, thanks heaps for all the reviews and support I have been getting and for blackbeltchic, I have no idea what a plot bunny is. Someone used that phrase in a review once and I liked it so used it as a chapter title when I was stuck for one. I guess it could mean something like a twist that gives several options of where the story is going...several new ideas or directions...kinda like the "breeding like bunnies" thing. Its a cute term anyway and I like it. Maybe someone has another idea for its meaning. Also for blackbeltchic...I did a name meaning search for the meaning of Rosenberg and found that it did in fact mean "from the mountain of roses". A site that I just found now actually gives the meanings to the names of Buffy characters and if you are interested, the link is http://www26.brinkster.com/lozarin/namemeanings.html
I might not know a lot about the LotR world, but I do my research when its needed and don't just make things up to fit my story. I leave them out *wink*.
Anyway...on with the show lol.
~*~
Angelus perked up. "Make another one? Another ring?"
Richard nodded. "Its not as hard as you'd think," he said. "I know where and what is needed to make the ring, I just need to know the method he used."
"He?"
"Sauron. Lord of Mordor and rightly the whole of his Middle Earth, but he was cheated and destroyed when the ring was thrown back into the fire," Richard explained.
Mara looked at him, puzzled as to how he knew of these things when he was from this time and not from hers. "How do you..."
"...know these things?" Richard finished for her.
She nodded. "Yes."
Richard's grin grew. "A story, maybe you could call it a myth or legend, passed down through my family line. It seems I have an ancestor who was from your time my dear. The story of the ring has been part of the life of my family for as far back as I can remember. I have always known of the ring, of Sauron and of the story behind its destruction. And I also know the desire to possess it, to bring back the power of Sauron and to bring darkness back to this place that was once your Middle Earth and that is now my Sunnydale."
"An ancestor," Mara said softly. "From my time? Would I know of them?"
"I'm sure their name would be known to you," Richard said. "But at this time, I will keep their identity to myself."
"Why keep secrets?" Angelus cut in. "After all, what damage could this name do?"
"If what you have said is true," Richard said to the dark Vampire, "there are already other forces looking for the ring or looking to stop the creation of another one."
"But they do not know the ring was destroyed," Angelus replied. "Mara is the only one who knows that for sure due to being there when it was thrown back into the fires of Mardor..."
"Mordor," corrected Richard.
"Whatever," Angelus snapped. "As I was saying, Mara is the only one who knows of the ring's destruction. Faith took the ring from Boromir and took it back to this Middle Earth place along with Xander and the warrior who came for it, Aragorn I think was his name. It seems they didn't want the Elf back."
"Legolas is still here?" Mara asked. Her voice contained a touch of awe. Legolas was spoken of with such reverance and legends were beginning to spring up about him in her time before she changed and was banished from the world she knew. There had once been talk of a betrothal between herself and Legolas, but nothing ever came of it and she knew little of him, except for what she'd heard from Xander and others who had known him. It was curiosity tugging at her now, not anything else. She still had all her desires set on finding and destroying Xander. Revenge was her driving force now, not an old fantasy.
"He's still here," Angelus scowled. "With her."
"Yes her," chuckled Richard. "This 'slayer' I have been hearing about. Buffy? Well she'll be unable to stop me."
"That's what you think," Angelus shot back.
"Its what I know. Nothing and no-one can stop the ring this time."
~*~
"Willow, you look pale. Are you feeling alright?" her mother asked.
Willow gulped. She had a lot to think about. They had been searching for this 'Daughter of Fire' and the whole time, it had been her they were searching for. She looked at her mother and was once again surprised to see concern on her face. Her mother barely remembered she had a daughter most of the time, let alone spent time worrying about her.
"I'm fine," Willow lied. "I just have a headache coming on I think."
Her mother smiled. "Maybe you should lie down and get some rest. That always helps me."
"Yeah," Willow said as she fell back on her pillows.
"I'll let you rest," her mother said as she stood and walked towards the door.
"Mom..."
She paused in the doorway. "Yes dear?"
"Do you have any books or research on our family history?"
"Of course we have books. Your father spent months putting it all together last year. How could you forget that?" her mother replied.
"I've been...busy with school," Willow lied again. "Do you think he'd mind if I took a look at them?"
"Your father would be delighted to know you were finally interested in this. I'll bring them up after dinner."
Willow lay back and watched her mother leave her room. She was still troubled by the prophecy and knowledge that she was the one who would help Xander stop the 'ancient one' from reforging the ring. That part that kept puzzling her was what Xander had said about her being the last in the line of an ancient one. She had to read her father's family histories and find out once and for all if she was indeed the 'Daughter of Fire' that they had been searching for, or if she was just over-reacting. After all, with her red hair, she always seemed to be singled out for something. Maybe it was just her redhead's imagination running away with her again.
~*~
After what seemed like hours, Xander finally broke the silence.
"Maybe we should see what we can learn about this person we will be fighting."
"What do you know about him except for the fact that it is a he, and that he is descended from an ancient line?" Buffy asked.
"That's all I know," Xander replied sheepishly. "They didn't tell me anything."
"They?"
"The people who freed me. The ones who sent me back here to stop this."
"That doesn't tell us much," Giles said. "But its better than nothing."
Buffy smiled at her watcher. "You've found stuff with less to go on."
"Exactly," Xander exclaimed. "You're the super-watcher."
The look that everyone shot him shut Xander up. He was the First Vampire and they were treating him like he was the same old goofy Xander. But in a way he was. Everything he had been through in Middle Earth seemed like it happened to someone else a very long time ago. And in a way, it had. He was back in the time he knew, amongst the people he knew and his old self was breaking through again. But he was still aware of the darkness lurking inside him, just waiting to escape again and create more chaos. It was only his guilt holding him back. He could still hear Faith's soft gasps, see the light leaving her eyes and feel her body dying in his arms when he was alone with his thoughts. Maybe that was why he kept letting his old self out to play. Maybe if the goofy Xander was around and playing, the dark Vampire Xander was stuck deep inside him somewhere and would never be set free again.
"So..." he said finally. "Books?"
"Books? Oh yes," Giles stood up and walked back amongst the shelves. "Research."
"Research, goody," Buffy said rolling her eyes.
~*~
"Its almost time," a soft voice said through the darkness.
A pinprick of light broke through the black and shone onto her face. She covered her eyes and rolled over. It was peaceful here. The darkness had held her in its embrace for so long, she didn't want to leave it. It wasn't dark to her. She knew where she was. She was home and nothing was going to make her leave now.
Turning her back on the voice and the light, she walked slowly away, her fingers caressing the petals of the roses that grew all over, surrounding her.
As I posted at the start of Chapter 35 of the Middle Earth story...
Yes I have been told there were vampires in Middle Earth but decided since I know nothing about the LotR book series, the safest option would be to use Artistic Licence and completely ignore their existance. I know loyal LotR fans will be up in arms for me doing that, but I thought its best to not write about something I do not know than to hack my way through and possibly make a load of mistakes and upset people further. It would be nice to think people could respect my decision to do this and just read and enjoy this as a story, nothing more, then get all bent out of shape with me for totally ignoring what is a feature of the books.
Due to my life going to shit, I can't get online as much as I used to and will try to keep this story going as quickly as I can, but everyone knows...shit happens...just mostly to me it seems. However, thanks heaps for all the reviews and support I have been getting and for blackbeltchic, I have no idea what a plot bunny is. Someone used that phrase in a review once and I liked it so used it as a chapter title when I was stuck for one. I guess it could mean something like a twist that gives several options of where the story is going...several new ideas or directions...kinda like the "breeding like bunnies" thing. Its a cute term anyway and I like it. Maybe someone has another idea for its meaning. Also for blackbeltchic...I did a name meaning search for the meaning of Rosenberg and found that it did in fact mean "from the mountain of roses". A site that I just found now actually gives the meanings to the names of Buffy characters and if you are interested, the link is http://www26.brinkster.com/lozarin/namemeanings.html
I might not know a lot about the LotR world, but I do my research when its needed and don't just make things up to fit my story. I leave them out *wink*.
Anyway...on with the show lol.
~*~
Angelus perked up. "Make another one? Another ring?"
Richard nodded. "Its not as hard as you'd think," he said. "I know where and what is needed to make the ring, I just need to know the method he used."
"He?"
"Sauron. Lord of Mordor and rightly the whole of his Middle Earth, but he was cheated and destroyed when the ring was thrown back into the fire," Richard explained.
Mara looked at him, puzzled as to how he knew of these things when he was from this time and not from hers. "How do you..."
"...know these things?" Richard finished for her.
She nodded. "Yes."
Richard's grin grew. "A story, maybe you could call it a myth or legend, passed down through my family line. It seems I have an ancestor who was from your time my dear. The story of the ring has been part of the life of my family for as far back as I can remember. I have always known of the ring, of Sauron and of the story behind its destruction. And I also know the desire to possess it, to bring back the power of Sauron and to bring darkness back to this place that was once your Middle Earth and that is now my Sunnydale."
"An ancestor," Mara said softly. "From my time? Would I know of them?"
"I'm sure their name would be known to you," Richard said. "But at this time, I will keep their identity to myself."
"Why keep secrets?" Angelus cut in. "After all, what damage could this name do?"
"If what you have said is true," Richard said to the dark Vampire, "there are already other forces looking for the ring or looking to stop the creation of another one."
"But they do not know the ring was destroyed," Angelus replied. "Mara is the only one who knows that for sure due to being there when it was thrown back into the fires of Mardor..."
"Mordor," corrected Richard.
"Whatever," Angelus snapped. "As I was saying, Mara is the only one who knows of the ring's destruction. Faith took the ring from Boromir and took it back to this Middle Earth place along with Xander and the warrior who came for it, Aragorn I think was his name. It seems they didn't want the Elf back."
"Legolas is still here?" Mara asked. Her voice contained a touch of awe. Legolas was spoken of with such reverance and legends were beginning to spring up about him in her time before she changed and was banished from the world she knew. There had once been talk of a betrothal between herself and Legolas, but nothing ever came of it and she knew little of him, except for what she'd heard from Xander and others who had known him. It was curiosity tugging at her now, not anything else. She still had all her desires set on finding and destroying Xander. Revenge was her driving force now, not an old fantasy.
"He's still here," Angelus scowled. "With her."
"Yes her," chuckled Richard. "This 'slayer' I have been hearing about. Buffy? Well she'll be unable to stop me."
"That's what you think," Angelus shot back.
"Its what I know. Nothing and no-one can stop the ring this time."
~*~
"Willow, you look pale. Are you feeling alright?" her mother asked.
Willow gulped. She had a lot to think about. They had been searching for this 'Daughter of Fire' and the whole time, it had been her they were searching for. She looked at her mother and was once again surprised to see concern on her face. Her mother barely remembered she had a daughter most of the time, let alone spent time worrying about her.
"I'm fine," Willow lied. "I just have a headache coming on I think."
Her mother smiled. "Maybe you should lie down and get some rest. That always helps me."
"Yeah," Willow said as she fell back on her pillows.
"I'll let you rest," her mother said as she stood and walked towards the door.
"Mom..."
She paused in the doorway. "Yes dear?"
"Do you have any books or research on our family history?"
"Of course we have books. Your father spent months putting it all together last year. How could you forget that?" her mother replied.
"I've been...busy with school," Willow lied again. "Do you think he'd mind if I took a look at them?"
"Your father would be delighted to know you were finally interested in this. I'll bring them up after dinner."
Willow lay back and watched her mother leave her room. She was still troubled by the prophecy and knowledge that she was the one who would help Xander stop the 'ancient one' from reforging the ring. That part that kept puzzling her was what Xander had said about her being the last in the line of an ancient one. She had to read her father's family histories and find out once and for all if she was indeed the 'Daughter of Fire' that they had been searching for, or if she was just over-reacting. After all, with her red hair, she always seemed to be singled out for something. Maybe it was just her redhead's imagination running away with her again.
~*~
After what seemed like hours, Xander finally broke the silence.
"Maybe we should see what we can learn about this person we will be fighting."
"What do you know about him except for the fact that it is a he, and that he is descended from an ancient line?" Buffy asked.
"That's all I know," Xander replied sheepishly. "They didn't tell me anything."
"They?"
"The people who freed me. The ones who sent me back here to stop this."
"That doesn't tell us much," Giles said. "But its better than nothing."
Buffy smiled at her watcher. "You've found stuff with less to go on."
"Exactly," Xander exclaimed. "You're the super-watcher."
The look that everyone shot him shut Xander up. He was the First Vampire and they were treating him like he was the same old goofy Xander. But in a way he was. Everything he had been through in Middle Earth seemed like it happened to someone else a very long time ago. And in a way, it had. He was back in the time he knew, amongst the people he knew and his old self was breaking through again. But he was still aware of the darkness lurking inside him, just waiting to escape again and create more chaos. It was only his guilt holding him back. He could still hear Faith's soft gasps, see the light leaving her eyes and feel her body dying in his arms when he was alone with his thoughts. Maybe that was why he kept letting his old self out to play. Maybe if the goofy Xander was around and playing, the dark Vampire Xander was stuck deep inside him somewhere and would never be set free again.
"So..." he said finally. "Books?"
"Books? Oh yes," Giles stood up and walked back amongst the shelves. "Research."
"Research, goody," Buffy said rolling her eyes.
~*~
"Its almost time," a soft voice said through the darkness.
A pinprick of light broke through the black and shone onto her face. She covered her eyes and rolled over. It was peaceful here. The darkness had held her in its embrace for so long, she didn't want to leave it. It wasn't dark to her. She knew where she was. She was home and nothing was going to make her leave now.
Turning her back on the voice and the light, she walked slowly away, her fingers caressing the petals of the roses that grew all over, surrounding her.