Chapter Five: Temperature Drop

"Inflamora," she murmured under her breath, waving a hand at the marble fireplace. The wooden logs burst into dancing flames, and warmth radiated from the fire. Lucas leaned back against her armchair, gazing bitterly at her personal inferno.

Some people would've killed to possess this kind of magic. She thought sardonically. It was simple magic, but nevertheless, to be able to perform such as these was a talent. Well, in her case, it was inherited. She was not allowed to use black magic for mere entertainment. Her parents had told her that it was minimally for self-defense, unlike them and the Phalanx's top brass.

It had only been once that she had been able to perform the Dark Arts. That was a year ago. When a Phalanx turns fifteen, he or she must undergo a certain test to see if he or she is worthy enough for her Family.

Lucas shuddered as a wave of flashbacks hit her…

Flashback

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, raising her frightened gaze up to her male companion who had not spoken a word since he had ushered her out of her house and escorted her all the way here – an average-sized circular room that was filled to the brim with Phalanxes.

Her companion said nothing. Instead he lead her towards the center of the room where a smaller room with transparent glass walls was located. She shivered as she gazed around her audience. Everyone was looking at her with expectancy.

'This has to be my worst birthday ever' she thought grimly as her companion opened a sliding door and pushed her gently in. Lucas stared at him in alarm as he locked it – from the outside.

She was trapped inside a glass cage with no idea on what was occurring at all.

Instantaneously, a deep feminine voice spoke in a voice as clear as crystal. "Lucas Domane," she said with a red-lipped smile as she sauntered around the glass box, a predatory glint in her coal eyes. "Happy Birthday."

"Tha-thank you," Lucas stammered, feeling more than a bit perplexed, and more than a bit scared.

"Perhaps you have heard of The Test?"

Lucas visibly paled. Of course she had heard about it. Her parents had been training her for it ever since she was able to walk and talk. And ever since she had heard about it, she had been dreading it. "Ye-yes."

"Excellent!" The Maistre clasped her hands together, her cool smile broadening. "Shall we begin?"

A cheer rose from the crowd.

The glass door slammed shut, and she spun around to see a figure clad from head to toe in gray monk-like clothing. He was hooded, and his face was hidden in the shadows. Lucas took an involuntary step back, as she saw his hands.

Around his wrists, running in a circle, were bloody scars.

'A prisoner' Lucas thought, inhaling deeply. She knew that the Maistre had a dungeon here somewhere…where she imprisoned those who betrayed her. She had once asked her parents what would become of the 'traitors'.

Her mother had smiled cynically and had said. "They are fed to the wolves."

She hadn't understood back then. She had only been a child.

Now she did.

Now, she was the wolf.

"Kill him," the Maistre's voice reverberated through the coliseum. "Show us that you are indeed a true Phalanx."

The prisoner removed his hood, his first movement since entering the cage. Lucas gasped. He was young, a few years older than her. Eighteen, or nineteen maybe.

And on his forehead was an inky black mark shaped in the form of – a crescent moon. "The symbol of the Phalanx," she gasped softly.

He had once been a Phalanx.

But what had he done to be imprisoned?

Lucas blinked back tears of fear and confusion, knowing that if she didn't obey the Maistre, she too would soon end up in the dungeons. She must prove to them that she was indeed a true Phalanx. Something that she was still – uncertain of.

The man stepped forward, his eyes expressing pain, regret, and something she could not identify. She locked gazes with him, and for a moment she was lost in the swirl of hazel that was his eyes. It was as if he was trying to tell her something…silently pleading with her…

"Lucas," the Maistre's impatient voice interrupted her thoughts. "What are you afraid of?"

'That I may be killing the man who might be able to answer so many questions,' she answered in her head.

Lucas had then closed down her emotions, knowing that she would not be able to pull through with the task if she did not. And she had raised her hands to the man, unaware that she was levitating a few feet from the ground, her magic swirling around her in a mist of sparks, and whispered in a voice so soft that only the man could hear.

"Fortis Inflamora."

End Flashback

Fire had always been her specialty…her gift…her element…her weapon…

She had used it to burn the one person that had been trying to tell her that she had the potential to become Chosen. The one person that betrayed the Phalanx to become a Watcher.

She could still see the beseeching look on his face before he disappeared in a wisp of smoke.

She could still hear his voice echoing in her head amidst the cheers that emanated from outside the glass cage.

"Lucas…I'm your Watcher."

…

Before, you had someone to look after you…

Dawn fought back tears as she shut the bathroom door behind her, cautiously locking it. I can't believe that she didn't trust me all along. She thought miserably, slumping down to the tiled floor in a helpless heap, the angry, frustrated tears finally falling. I can't believe that the only reason that she did 'trust' me was because of Spike…

Spike…

She wrapped her arms around herself as she was crushed by bone-wracking sobs, rocking herself slowly. She dropped her head on her knees as she shut her eyes from everything…welcoming the blackness that drowned her.

Spike where are you? I need you so much…

Her whole body was trembling the minute her sobs had ceased, and it suddenly felt a whole lot colder inside the bathroom. But the temperature was the last on her thoughts…

Spike was gone from her mind – fleetingly replaced by her sister – Buffy. Before Sunnydale High had gone down…before the fight…she remembered what she had said to her… 'I love you Dawn, don't ever forget that.'

But do you love me enough to trust me?

She slowly stood up, her head whirling as she struggled to steady herself. She caught a glimpse of herself on the mirror as she leaned on the wall, trying to clear her head. Tear-stained cheeks, pale, clammy skin, tangled hair, and hazel-brown eyes that were filled with so much pain…

Is there anything left in this world for me? She asked in her head, waiting for the answers that she knew would never come.

And with trembling fingers, she took out a small razor blade from her pocket.

…

"Buffy!" Willow's voice hollered from driveway where a cab was waiting for them. Giles and Faith were already seated inside, their faces peering impatiently outside the car's windows.

"One second," Buffy mouthed to them before turning back to her best friend.

"Take care of yourself, alright?" Buffy said, giving Xander a hug. He smiled at her, a smile that was tinged with sadness. This made Buffy look at him questioningly.

"Try to settle things with Dawn, Buffy." Xander said, almost pleadingly. "She's still young, and she's going through a very rough stage right now. With her sister being the Slayer, and with her being surrounded by girls much powerful than her…" Xander squeezed her hand. "Being trusted is one of the things that she needs…" His solitary eye searched hers, and she shamefully looked away.

She knew what she said and did to Dawn was wrong. But with the things she was going through right now….with Spike being gone…with danger lurking from every single corner…it was hard to trust Dawn. She was still young. And unlike the other Slayers, she wasn't gifted with super strength and speed.

After losing Spike…the one person she had loved so much…the one person that had broken her heart into two pieces because of – of simply just dying…

If Dawn died too…

Her heart would become totally non-existent.

That was why she didn't trust Dawn to take care of herself.

Paranoia of losing her loved ones had overruled her trusting them.

Xander's voice shook her out of her deep thinking. "I know you're hurting, Buffy." He said softly. "Just like Dawn is. You both need each other."

Buffy nodded. "I know."

"Hey B!" Faith yelled. This time, it was accompanied by the cab's deafening horn. "You wanna miss the plane?"

Buffy gave Xander one last hug before whispering in his ear. "Take care of her for me."

"I will."

…

The sound of the front doors slamming reverberated through the house, snapping Lucas out of her reverie. Her eyes widened as she realized that her parents must've arrived.

And she was still inside the restricted library.

"Shit," she swore, and turned a panicked gaze on the still-blazing fireplace. She waved her hand at it, muttering under her breath: "Dissipato."

And with nonstandard speed, she flitted around the room putting things back in their proper places. She glanced around the library, making sure that nothing was amiss before exiting it soundlessly, locking the door behind her.

And just as her father's footsteps climbed up the marble staircase, she sunk into the shadows, hiding behind a large sculptor of Athena, the Roman goddess of wisdom and excellence. But who the statue was, was the last thing on her mind at the moment. She stiffened as her parents' footsteps came to a stop in front of their bedroom doors, which was just a few feet away from the library.

It was then that she realized that they were having a conversation.

A conversation that she knew was strictly not allowed to her ears.

And so, she eavesdropped.

But when she heard what her parents were talking about. She wished she hadn't.

…

Max strolled into the once-discarded Control Center (they had fixed it up) to find a crowd gathered around the area were the bank of televisions were situated. Alec was among the throng of people, and the second he saw her, he called out to her. "Hey Maxie, I think you'd better take a look at this."

Curiosity overwhelming her, she swept over to them in a blur.

The TV was set on Channel 5, the local news channel. A middle-aged man and woman with dishwater blonde hair were seated behind the desk, staring straight at the camera and delivering their latest news about…

"…The transgenics have killed over a hundred men during the genocide that took place in Seattle, Washington, proving the fact that they are indeed extremely dangerous criminals…"

"We prefer genetically empowered," Alec murmured sarcastically under his breath.

"Officer Thomas Carson, the sergeant in charge of the genocide, have informed us that they had planted a time bomb at the heart of Terminal City, when they realized that they were running short of weapons and men…"

"Desperate cowards," Mole spat out, chewing his cigar angrily.

"Unfortunately, a few witnesses had claimed that they had seen more than a few transgenics fleeing from Terminal City which had burst into flames." The reported chuckled dryly. "Or should we say…they were escaping from the fires of hell?"

Max's eyes narrowed, as the woman laughed.

"Hell is certainly where they belong, Rick." She said to her partner. "Anyway, we have received recent news that the military is doing their best to trace the whereabouts of the 'freaks'. And from what we've heard, they're doing a pretty good job."

"Right you are, Molly." Rick said with a sickening grin. "It won't be long until their hideout is found. And it won't be long until these deadly creatures will be put to sleep."

Molly smiled at the camera. "That ends our report on the famed transgenics…now, on to other news…"

Max shut off the TV with a worried frown. "What if they find us?"

Alec smiled wryly. "It'll be Genocide II this time."

…

Lucas sunk deeper into the shadows as she hung onto her parents' every word.

"The sacred rites will be performed on the next full moon," her mother said in cynical voice. "She had already passed the Test last year…she'll be more than ready this time."

Her father spoke up, a hint of pride in his voice. "Lucas will make us all proud…she had already proven to us that she is capable of handling her magic. We shall see if she is indeed worthy enough to be brought into the Inner Circle on the Examination."

Lucas covered her mouth to stifle a gasp just as their bedroom doors closed. The Inner Circle? Eyes wide, she sunk to the carpeted floor. The Inner Circle was composed of children between the ages of sixteen and nineteen, and no one but the purest of the Phalanx could be brought into the Circle. To know who is worthy enough to be brought in, a series of rituals and tests must be performed on the selected child.

She closed her eyes in despair. Every single inch of her body and soul would be examined.

This time, there was no doubting that they were going to discover that she was a Slayer.

…

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