Chapter Two: Mind Games
"You're all doing well girls," Buffy remarked with a smile. "Keep it up and you may just have an additional one hour break on tomorrow's training session."
The new Slayers all grinned weakly at her before returning to the large building that was now known as the Slayer Academy for some serious breakfast. Five hours of training could give a person a pretty large appetite. Especially if you're a Slayer.
The cool wind swept past her, and she automatically zipped up the jacket she was wearing. It would be a while until she'd be able to get used to the cold of Cleveland. She had, after all, spent most of her life under the glare of the California sun. A sad smile appeared on her face as she reminisced.So much had happened in one year.
After the big battle with the First, the Scooby Gang and their troop of Slayers sought refuge in Los Angeles. Specifically, at the Hyperion Hotel. This brought her back almost instantly...
FlashbackIt was late in the afternoon and the Hyperion Hotel was a mass of hysteria. So many of the Slayers had been wounded, including herself.
"You're hurt," Angel observed after he and Buffy had made sure that the others were given the medical attention they needed. The lobby of the hotel was filled with the injured and those who were unharmed were doing their best to help each other. They already lost a lot during the fight, they couldn't afford to lose more now.
"I know," Buffy said quietly, placing a hand on her abdomen where the vampire's sword had plunged through. Willow had bandaged it on the bus, but the blood was slowly starting to seep out. "What's new?"
Angel gazed at her concerned. She was acting strangely...and then it clicked. "Spike didn't make it?"
And that was when the tears started to fall.
"He saved us all...he died a hero..."
End Flashback
Buffy blinked away her tears. There's absolutely nothing I can do...he's really gone. She continued down the stone pathway that she knew led to a secluded spot behind the Academy. She reached the place she had dubbed her 'thinking spot' in record time. Behind the school was a small forest, and right on its very borders were large stones that were surprisingly very comfortable to sit on. The fresh silence that emanated from the forest encouraged her to reflect, or brood as what Willow loved to call it.
The Gang and the new Slayers had stayed for quite awhile in LA, until they all reached a decision of transferring to the next active Hellmouth which was in Cleveland. But they were faced with a pretty big problem, two problems to be specific. Where were they going to live? And who were going to train the new Slayers? The first main choice would've been Buffy, and the Gang, but even they weren't capable of training a hundred and plus girls.
Giles had solved these quickly with a very cool solution: He started a new Watcher's Council.
The new Watcher's Council or the NWC provided enough funds to build a school for the Slayers to train in, and a Watcher for every three or four girls since there weren't enough Watchers yet, but for Buffy, this was more than enough, and she was hugely grateful to Giles for that.
"Buffy."
Buffy sprang from her seat into a fighting stance, her gaze moving wildly around. She thought she heard someone call out her name...such a familiar voice...
She turned to look at the forest, but saw no one there.
She shook her head, knowing that it was just her mind playing tricks on her...
...or her past coming back to haunt her.
"Hey, B!"
Buffy shook her head in an attempt to clear it and turned around to see her sister Slayer jogging up towards her, the 'Chosen Two' as she had dubbed herself. Buffy stood up, and approached the panting Slayer. It seemed that she had ran all the way from – from wherever she had come from.
"Faith," Buffy greeted her. "What's up?"
"Just finished my session down at the gym," Faith said, running a hand through her dark hair which had become tangled from her run. "Giles called though, said he couldn't contact you which isn't much of a surprise considering your all the way out here," she raised up her mobile phone which had no dial tone.
"What'd he say?"
"Meeting slash breakfast at the dining hall," Faith replied with a hungry grin.
Buffy nodded her agreement. "You go ahead. I just need a few more minutes, alright?"
Faith cast her an understanding glance. "Sure, no prob."
Buffy watched her retreating figure before turning around to face the forest again, her eyes traveling into the grove of trees where the light was dim – where she had heard that voice. She looked deeper, and found...
Nothing.
...
The Domane Manor was a labyrinth of endless corridors and hidden passageways. The number of these were so great, that Lucas always found herself getting lost in the maze that was her home. Her family seemed to have a fondness for building dark, daunting mansions that were filled with clandestine rooms and secret chambers. A fondness that their only daughter didn't seem to appreciate.
Lucas strode down the lamp-lit hallway, her footsteps echoing through the dimness as she searched for the French-styled double doors that led to the library. She smiled in satisfaction as she found it just beyond the corner. (She had spent over two hours looking for this entranceway.) But the smile quickly withered as she picked the lock, remembering what she was here for.
Making sure that the doors were locked behind her, she made her way into the rather spacious room overflowing with ancient dust-covered books and squashy armchairs. Although her parents weren't around, having to attend a meeting with the Maistre and the other members of the Phalanx, she couldn't risk them finding her here. Sure, she was allowed in the library. The smaller one downstairs. But this library, she wasn't allowed in. Why? Because it contained some very classified information on the Dark Arts. An ancient magic that proved to be very dangerous.
In fact, Lucas had heard, or rather, eavesdropped on a few things about this certain 'magic' from her parents. Something about the last Maistre trying to raise an ancient evil.
Of course, she highly doubted that was true.
Lucas approached the bookshelf behind an office desk where all the 'Mythical Tales' were kept. Her silver-gray eyes thoroughly going through every title. Finally, they stopped at one: 'The Legend of the Slayer'.
She smiled bitterly before taking it down from it's spot on the shelf. Settling herself on one of the armchairs, she proceeded to read it, looking for the one thing that she had come here for.
How to give up her role of becoming a Chosen One.
She knew that when a Slayer was Chosen, she had no ways of turning back, having been already given a destiny to fight all evil, but Lucas could only hope that there was a way of turning away from her Calling. A Calling that would cause her to shame her family, the Phalanx.
She blinked back tears as her nightmare resurfaced.
She may not approve of the darkness that her family performed, in fact, she was highly against it. The thought of killing innocent people for the sake of mere sacrifices and even for the pleasure of it sickened her. But nevertheless, they were still her family.
And besides, if they found out that she was a Slayer.
The consequences of such as these are most severe...They would kill her.
A/N: Confused? Feel free to ask any questions. I'll try to answer them on my next update. :-) Review!
Sneak Peek for Chapter 3!
"Washington?" Dawn echoed. "That's awfully far from Cleveland."