Chapter Eight: New Arrivals

There is a fundamental rule of magic: whatever you do must be paid for. Every system of magic requires different sacrifices of its practitioners. Some cause physical or mental fatigue. Others require long, elaborate ceremonies and the use of arcane reagents. Still others require their wielders to speak odd languages. Some of these systems call on gods, others on demons, and many dispense with intermediaries and try to manipulate raw magic. These systems can differ wildly in their outlook and practice, but one underlying commonality unites them all: a price must be paid for manipulating reality. Some careless mages end up paying more than their spell is worth, or call upon an entity that they cannot satiate. A few risk giving themselves over to the forces that they seek to manipulate. By doing so, such mages endanger their very souls.

"Have you ever wondered why there isn't a bathroom in Clue?" Xander asked. "I mean, they've got ballrooms, libraries, halls, kitchens, and several secret passages, but no bathrooms."

Willow looked at him patiently. They were at Buffy's house, holding down the fort and killing time before they had to pick Dawn up from school. "Um, no sweetie, I haven't wondered, but why-"

"It's kinda strange, especially when you consider how many ways there are to kill somebody in a bathroom. You've got your nice, sharp razors you can cut someone with, a convenient bathtub you can drown somebody in, and a medicine cabinet filled with pills, and enough pills can kill a man. I mean Mr. Boddy isn't supposed to be Lurch, is he?"

"Xander…"

"They remembered it in the movie. You know, they also had an upstairs and a cellar in that movie. I wonder why they don't make a board with an upstairs and a cellar for Clue?"

"Xander!" Willow said impatiently. "Stop stalling, and stop talking Clue when we're playing Connect Four! Now connect one of your dots!"

"But no matter where I put it, you'll win!"

"I know."

"Why are we playing this again?"

"Because we don't have enough people for Clue, Monopoly, or Risk, you lent out your Nintendo, and I keep kicking your ass at Guess Who?"

"Oh yeah."

Willow, I'm sorry "Tara!" Willow screamed, jumping out of her chair.

"Will! What is it?"

She looked at him, and started trembling. "Tara needs me," she said, before turning and running out of the house, Xander right behind her.

Anya looked up at the sound of the door opening.

"Hello and welcome to the Magic-" She stopped when she saw Willow run in with a look of pure desperation on her face. Xander was right behind her.

"What happened?" Anya asked him.

"We were playing Connect Four and she suddenly yelled something about Tara."

Anya followed him down into the basement, where Willow was opening a chest and taking a book out from inside of it. "Hey, Willow, that's Giles' Darkest Magick tome!"

"I know what it is!" Willow snapped. "Tara needs me, now!" She opened the book and started flipping. "Oh mighty Hecate," she read. "I thy servant call upon thee for a boon." Anya gasped softly as she saw her friend's eyes turn black. "Rend me from this portion of reality and take me to where I wish to be! I call upon thee, goddess of the darkest moon, to answer my prayers and work my will!"

Anya felt the spell's effects before they manifested visually and audibly. It was like someone was tearing a hole in the fabric of reality. The air around Willow cracked with dark energy and a hole into blackness appeared. When it dissolved, Willow was gone. Anya knew that the hole was a portal and that Willow stepped through it, leaving her alone with Xander.

"What does this mean for Willow?" Xander asked.

"What?"

"She's been on the wagon for a couple months. The first spell she casts needs a boost from the evil book. What will that do to her?"

"It depends on what she does with it," Anya told him. Under other circumstances she would have snarked at him, but she knew he was concerned and Willow was a friend to them both. (Sort of.) "The spell she used was a teleportation spell, and even though it draws on darker energies she won't be hurting herself unless she hurts someone with a spell from it, or something."

She privately wondered why Willow went to that specific tome. There were several in the Magic Box that had some version of a teleportation spell, and Willow knew where they all were. Was it that Willow had used the book before like when she fought Glory, and wanted something she was familiar with? Or was it because some part of her wanted the dark power?

"Oracle," Nightwing signaled frantically as he tried to move the rubble of the warehouse, "I need you to send somebody to my location now! The warehouse has exploded, and as far as I know Batman and the others are still inside! Oracle, are you there?"

He heard a noise like something being torn. Looking in its direction, he saw a black hole open in the air a few feet from where he was standing. A cute redhead carrying a book in her arms stepped out.

"Tara!" she screamed when she saw the debris.

(Tara?) Nightwing looked at her. Batman's report mentioned that the Slayer had two witches on her side, one named Tara, and that he described them both as very powerful. (This must be Willow, the other one.)

Willow raised a hand and opened her mouth to speak. "ARISE!" she commanded in a powerful and unnaturally deep voice. Nightwing noticed that her eyes were solid black. The rubble beneath him began to shift. He barely had time to leap off of it before pieces shot into the air, leaving behind an impressive cloud of dust. Nightwing saw figures emerge out of the dust, and he had to stifle a relieved tremble.

Batman was in the centre. On either side of her were two girls that he had never seen before. Flanking them were Robin and Batgirl. "Geez, when I get pulled out of Blüdhaven I expect to get a little action," Nightwing joked. "You guys stole all my fun!" Batman, Robin, and Batgirl glared at him.

"If you want fun, then you can spar with me for nine rounds," Batman spat at him.

"It's a good thing I like getting my butt kicked, then," Nightwing grinned. He felt wonderful.

Buffy studied the new guy. (Damn, he looks fine.) He was on the tall side, but visibly shorter than Batman. His uniform, black except for a deep blue V in his upper torso, showed his body off. (He is fine.)

"Willow!" Tara suddenly yelled. Buffy looked up and saw her friend standing behind Nightwing, a book in her hand. Tara ran to Willow. Willow set the book down and ran to her girlfriend. They met, hugging and kissing.

"Lesbians," Buffy heard Robin breathe. Buffy rolled her eyes. The kid was damn competent and scary-intense back there. It was good to see that he was still your average horny teenage boy. She also noticed that Nightwing turned around to take a look. She would have called him on it but was distracted by the sight of his backside. (He's not fine, he's damn fine!) She realized that she was drooling. (Okay, nothing wrong with being horny) she conceded.

"Miss Rosenberg," Batman said, coming forward to break the moment, "I don't know how you knew to come here, but your presence is appreciated."

Behind his mask Nightwing's eyebrows rose. (Batman dispensing compliments? That's unusual.)

"Can teleport us all to Sunnydale?" Batman continued.

"No. Just getting myself here took a lot of juice, and then lifting the building off of you, well..."

"Understood." His hand went to his utility belt and withdrew three blindfolds and handed one to each Scooby. "We're going back to the Batcave. Put this on once you're in the Batmobile, Miss Rosenberg."

"How many of those do you have in there?" Buffy asked.

"As many as I need."

Willow bent down to pick up her book and went to the Batmobile with Buffy and Tara. All three blindfolded themselves once inside. They started talking, and Batman let himself pay attention.

"How did you know to come here, sweetie?" Tara asked.

"I felt you," Willow explained. "You told me you were sorry."

"I didn't mean to."

"Don't apologize! I wouldn't have known if you didn't!"

"How did you get here?"

"I got one of the more powerful books from the Magic Box and used to cast a teleportation spell," Willow explained. "I guess I was still charged enough to move all that debris."

Batman could feel the tension build up between his guests. There had to be a reason for it.

"Does this mean that you're going back to magic, Will?" Buffy asked her.

(Back to magic?) Batman thought. (Interesting…)

"Um- yeah. I think I- no. I am." He saw her turn to Tara, which was somewhat absurd as they were both wearing blindfolds. "I know you don't think I'm ready for that, but if I don't start actually being responsible with my magic I don't know how I'll learn."

(So Willow chose to stop using magic after being irresponsible.) Batman mentally filed that piece of information away.

"It's okay," Tara said after a few tense moments passed. "I get it. I do. I- I'm okay with it. Really. Just, uh, just don't do anything big unless you absolutely have to, and uh, take it one day at a time, I guess."

Tara did not sound convinced. Batman filed that away as well.

In the Batcave Alfred puttered around the even larger group that returned from the warehouse. He tended to their cuts and scrapes after he made them take a shower to clean up.

While that took place, Willow and Nightwing were seated at the table that Alfred still had set up. "This place is amazing," Willow breathed. She couldn't take her eyes off those computers. (Those have to be Crays. I have to come back here after all this is over.)

"I like it," Nightwing smiled. He leaned back in his chair. (The last time Alfred did anything like this was the last time that I had the Titans over for the weekend. I forgot how cool it could be.) He looked at Willow, who looked away blushing. His smile grew broader. He noticed Buffy looking at him, but Willow was a bit of a surprise. (She must be bi.)

Within minutes, the rest of the spots at the table were filled. "Alfred is filling the eight-seater Batplane," Batman said. "As soon as he's done, we're leaving for Sunnydale."

"So we're gonna be playing it my way now, right?" Buffy asked him.

Batman stifled a scowl as Robin, Batgirl, and Nightwing all looked at him. He had hoped not to have this discussion, but it was unavoidable now. He opened his mouth to speak when a flash of light took his attention away from what he was going to say. Everybody at the table turned to look at the light.

When it faded, it left behind a man. He was wearing a tweed suit and carrying a satchel. "Giles?" Buffy, Willow, and Tara asked in unison.

"Buffy?" he asked. "Willow? Tara?"

"Giles!"

Batman watched as the man was suddenly attacked by three young women intent on hugging him. It might have been amusing were it not for the fact that the man had teleported into the cave.

"We don't have much time," Giles told them after they were done hugging him. "We have to find the people who took the Ring of Undeath, the Sword of Veils, and the Chalice of Life."

"They're in Sunnydale," Buffy told him. "We'll be on our way in a few minutes."

Giles looked around. "Oh lord," Giles muttered as he took in his surroundings. "Is this- Buffy, do you mean to tell me that-"

Batman had had enough. "This is the Batcave," he rumbled as he went to join them "You have five seconds to explain yourself."

"Chill!" Buffy snapped. "Rupert Giles, this is Batman, Batgirl, Robin and Nightwing." She pointed to each in turn. Giles followed her gestures, but his gaze returned to Batman.

"I have befriended a coven in Devon," Giles explained. "Their seer warned me that my Slayer was in danger. The danger comes from a group of thieves who are stealing mystical artifacts and plan to use them to restore a dangerous vampire. If this resurrection succeeds, Buffy will be in great danger." He walked past Batman and went to the table. He opened his satchel and pulled out some pieces of paper. Everyone gathered around him to take a closer look.

"This is a Chalice of Life," Giles explained. His tone became dry, lecturing. "It's an ancient Druidic artifact. If water or wine is placed in it when the moon is full, it becomes a potion of healing. Under certain circumstances, some much rarer than others, it can bring back the dead. Tonight is a lunar eclipse, which is one of those circumstances."

He pointed at another sheet. "This is most commonly known as the Ring of Undeath. It is an ancient Mayan relic. When worn, it strengthens the necromantic energies that sustain the undead. If, for example, a vampire wore it, he or she would be augmented physically, and possess limited resistance to many things that would normally repel it. It could even walk in full daylight unharmed."

"You mean it's like the Gem of Amara?" Buffy asked.

"Legend states that the creators of the Gem made several flawed attempts before the perfected the process," Giles confirmed. "The Ring is held to be the direct forerunner to the Gem, but is less powerful."

He pointed at a third sheet. "This is a Japanese artifact called the Sword of Veils. Legend has it that the great master Murasame made it to pierce the barrier between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead. It can be used to facilitate resurrection rituals."

He gathered all three papers and returned them to his satchel. "They have different origins," he continued, "but they may be used in conjunction with each other. The Chalice can be used to bring someone back, and the presence of the Ring will make sure that that individual comes back as a member of the undead. The Sword will neutralize any conflicting magics, thus enabling the Ring and Chalice to work together. However, there is one complication."

"Explain," Batman told him.

"When the sword is used to resurrect someone, it requires that another individual be brought back, but not just any individual. It serves to keep a balance, you see, so for every individual returned from Hell another must be returned from Heaven, and vice versa. The thieves- who are they, anyway?"

"The Joker and a vamp named Dala," Buffy explained.

"The Dala?" Giles asked. "The one that blames- oh, I see. That explains that alliance. Anyway, they need the body of an individual whose spirit went to his or her idea of Heaven."

"They already have one," Batman said evenly.

"Yes, I agree," Giles nodded. "They wouldn't go to all this trouble without having everything. Now all they have to do is wait for the eclipse, which takes place in a few hours."

"Then I suggest we head for Sunnydale," Batman told them all. "Nightwing, you will be coming."

"Hell, the last time you went up against these people you almost got blown up," Nightwing snorted. "Count me in!"

They went to the hangars and were met by Alfred on the way. "Excuse me, Master Batman, but I've just finished fueling the jet. Is there- my word!" He noticed Giles.

"I'll explain later, Alfred," Batman told him.

"I see, sir."

Within minutes, they were back in the air, headed to Sunnydale in a race against time.