-1Thanks to all who have reviewed so far and thanks for all the kind words.
NotJana: Thanks for your very kind words, by the way you're right.
Chapter 3: What a difference a change makes
San Francisco, California
Present day
Midnight
Piper Halliwell turned to her sisters, "Better question, is what is he going to do?"
There was another clap of thunder and Champion reappeared before the group. He immediately saw the sisters and knelt before them.
"Thy Champion awaits thy command." he said solemnly
Wes stared at the man before him incredulously "I still can't believe it's you." he said remembering just months ago.
"It is me, Wesley Wyndam Price."
"It's Wes to my friends." he said holding out a hand "And you certainly qualify as a friend."
Piper, Leo, Paige and Phoebe stared in shock, a few minutes ago, Wesley didn't know this man from Adam. Now they were acting like old friends.
Champion took the offered hand, "Thank you Wes, it has been a long time since I have had a friend."
Angel looked at Wes, "You two know each other?" he asked confused as well
"Yes." Wes remarked "Don't you remember, two years ago. I told you about the man who dealt with that Holtz problem."
Angel looked surprised "That was you?"
"It was indeed." Champion told him
Shaking his hand, "Thank you, it was getting to the point where I didn't know what to do about that situation." Angel admitted, then added "I just couldn't get through to him…."
"I know." Champion agreed "I too tried to convince him to leave the thought of revenge behind, but he would not listen to reason." Sadly Champion patted his sword "Finally, this was all that he would listen to in the end.
"Angel honey…" A woman's voice called from upstairs
Smiling widely Angel looked up, "Yes, Cor?"
Cordelia Chase, carrying a toddler came down the stairs, the Halliwells all stared in shock at Cordelia as she stepped up to Angel with a toddler child, perhaps two years old.
"Connor is being fussy, he wants his daddy." Cordelia smiled kissing the top of her son's head.
"Come here son." Angel took the child into his arms
Cordelia turned to Piper, "Oh, I hope you don't mind. But the baby upstairs needed a change of diaper. So I just went ahead and did it."
Not knowing what else to say, Piper merely smiled weakly "No problem at all Cordelia. Thank you"
Cordelia smiled widely, "Please, if we are going to be friends, and I'm sure that we are. Just call me Cordy." Spotting Champion standing in the back ground Cordelia frowned "I see that tall dark and hairy is back."
Champion came forward and knelt before Cordelia, "Yes Princess Cordelia, what I set out to do, has been done."
Piper looked at Leo and nodded to Paige and Phoebe to follow.
"You guys make yourselves at home." Piper called out "We just want to talk to Champion."
"Sure." Cordelia turned to Angel "By the way, I just spoke to Lorne, Gunn and Fred, they say that everything is fine at home and to take our time.
"Great." Angel smile wickedly "That means we can spend the night at our hotel." he said kissing Cordelia deeply.
"Oh please get a room." Spike complained
"Really." Wesley agreed also tired of watching the love-birds.
"Gunn and Fred?" Phoebe asked as she closed the kitchen door, "Didn't Angel, and Wesley say that they were dead?"
"They were my lady." Champion agreed, "Now they are not."
"And Cordelia?" Piper asked "Now we know that she was dead. What the hell did you do Champion!" she demanded
"I righted some things that went wrong." he said simply
"What do you mean righted some things that went wrong?" Demanded Piper angrily
"Through the magic of Merlin and that of the first charmed ones." Champion began to explain, "I was given insight to what was to be."
Leo sat down at the table, "What did these glimpses show you?"
"Those who were to fight by my side on the day of Armageddon." Champion told them,
"Long have I watched them." He continued "And long have I watched the manipulations of our enemy. Slowly did they destroy the champions of light."
Phoebe listened carefully to what was being said, "So, Cordelia was not supposed to die?" she asked
"No, she was not and the princess will be a vital part of what is to come." Champion agreed "A man from Angel's past was resurrected by my enemies. A man who's family was destroyed by the dark vampire, before he turned to the light. Holtz, was his name, and he was bent on the destruction of the vampire with a soul. He did take the child Connor from his mother and father." Champions features darkened "This one act set forth many more acts that followed that were not meant to be. The death of princess Cordelia, the death of Lady Fred and the man known as Gunn. Destroyed it did the friendship, and brotherhood between Angel and Wesley. Thou saw with thine own eyes the condition of Angel. He would have not been prepared to face what is ahead, and fulfill prophecy."
Piper nodded in understanding, she didn't like it, how could they know if it was the truth or not.
"You said Champion's…Plural…How many?" she asked
Champion turned over his right shoulder again, "I know…" He began "I know their names, and I will thank thee to say out of this."
Turning Champion stared at the women, "There are too many to name all, the most important of the Champions are as follows, Angel, William known to thy good selves as Spike, Princess Cordelia, the lady Fred, Gunn, Lorne the demon, Lady Joyce mother to the slayer, Lady Buffy the Slayer, Lady Dawn, sister to the Slayer, Lady Willow the Witch, Xander the soldier, Giles the scholar, Lady Anya the ex-demon, Lady Tara beloved of Willow, Lady Faith another slayer. Of course thy good selves." Champion added "Only together can we defeat what is to come."
"And what is it that we are supposed to do?" Leo asked staring at the man, and seeing that obviously the man was not completely balanced mentally.
Champion smiled gleefully "Battle!" he said simply, then frowned "Go we must now." he told the women, "We must travel to the city of Lost Angels, to join with the others to train and prepare for the battle ahead. Then when the time is right, we must travel to where it all began. For prophecy says, that where it all began, is where it all will end, one way or
the other."
Piper stared at the man incredulously, "And you expect us to believe all of this?" she asked derisively
Champion frowned as he stared at the woman before him, "Does thou think that I would lie to thee?" he asked "Has though not read the prophecies for thy selves?"
Leo held up a hand as he saw the hurt expression on Champion's face, "No one thinks you are lying Champion. We have not read these particular prophecies."
Champion relaxed, "Good, I thought that thou might think me mad." He laughed good naturedly and turned once more "thou sees, I told thee." Turning again he added "The prophecies are written in the book of shadows. How is it that they have not been read?" he asked confused
Leo answered "The book was stolen, and only tonight was it placed back into the hands of the charmed ones. Until tonight, we did not even know of your existence."
An expression of anger and hurt appeared on the Champion's face
"Thou had forgotten about me?" He asked somberly, "Does thou think so little of me that thou would forget me? ME! Who has fought 982 battles for a thousand years, for the family Halliwell? Who has slain the enemies of thy family! I, Champion did these things. Long have I suffered, and all because thou forgot about me!" he demanded to know
They all stared at the ranting man, who was both angry and saddened at the same time. They didn't know what to say.
Champion fell heavily into a chair, "Forgotten." he said one last time, "As if I meant nothing. As if I were some stray dog, that thou plays with, when remembered." Turning to look over his shoulder once again.
"Thou were right." he began to talk to the shadow of himself "I had refused to believe it. That the family Halliwell was cruel and unforgiving. One little mistake…" He paused as if listening "Well I know that he died, how was I to know that he meant no harm." Champion asked reasonably "Did she not call for me? Did she not say that she was in danger? How was I to know that she was playing in jest."
The others stared at Champion, it was obvious to them that the man before them was definitely a bit crazy. Phoebe had to ask, she couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Is there someone there?" She asked "I mean someone that we can't see?"
Champion shrugged "My shadow." he told her simply "My only constant companion, my only friend." he admitted to them
Piper leaned forward, not liking the sound of what she was hearing, "What have you been doing all this time?"
"Waiting M'lady, waiting for thee to call me. Waiting for the call of battle." he said simply
Paige stared at the man in shock, "You have been waiting for five hundred years!"
"Aye, M'lady." Champion said softly "Long have I waited, my sword at the ready for thy defense."
"Alone?" Horrified Piper asked. No wonder, she thought, knowing that she herself would have gone crazy long before this.
"Just him." Champion pointed over his shoulder to his shadow. Staring at their faces, Champion knew, his shoulders sagged, "Thou think me mad? Perhaps I am." he said finally.
The kitchen door opened up and Cordelia poked her head in, "Sorry I don't mean to intrude…"
Standing quickly Champion fell to one knee and bowed his head forward.
"Thou can never intrude Princess. What is thy will?"
Cordelia blushed crimson, although secretly a part of her enjoyed this. No it was wrong.
"Please stand up." She told Champion
"Princess?" Piper asked Cordelia
Cordelia shook her head, "It's a long story." she told them "Actually, we just wanted to say goodbye. We don't want to intrude on your hospitality any longer." She smiled to them.
"Wait" Leo began "We need to talk, all of us. Champion has given us some information that concerns you as well."
"Really?" Cordelia asked staring at Champion, wondering what was going on
"Let's go into the living room." Piper suggested "Where we can all get comfortable, and let Champion explain all of it himself."
They all gathered in the living room and sat, all staring at Champion, waiting for him to begin.
Taking a deep breath, he began, "The time of Armageddon approaches." he warned "The war between Light and Dark is almost at hand. Long ago, when I was but a wee lad, no more than a babe, I was told of this. Merlin, the greatest sorcerer in the land told my father of this date, told my father that I would be expected to lead the battle. That I needed to be trained in the warrior arts. From far and wide, did my father hire the greatest warriors of the time, to come and to train me. Swords men from the Japans, fighters from the land of China and India, the Muslims, all manner of strange men. Since I could walk, these people trained me, prepared me for the coming battle…"
"When was this?" Wes asked him
"Twas the year of our lord 514." Champion told them all
"But, China, Japan and India weren't discovered until the 14 and 1500's." Wes exclaimed
Staring at the Halliwell sisters, he gave them a little dig, "Lost were the routes to these ancient lands. Lost when the dark times began." he explained
"The dark ages?" Wes muttered
Champion shrugged "If thou prefers that term. Twas after the fall of the white kingdom in 532, that I was told by Merlin the wizard that the time of Armageddon was a long time to come. With the aid of the witches of Avalon, who were the first charmed ones, did Merlin and the charmed ones open a pocket in time. I was to protect the line of the family Halliwell, until the day of Armageddon, until then I was to train myself, to prepare for that battle. Told was I, who was to be by my side on that day, Angel, Cordelia, William, Gunn, Fred, Wesley, Lorne, Buffy, Dawn, Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara, Joyce, Giles, Faith, the other awaked slayers. Together would we ride into battle, and face the evil that awaits us. Mordred and Morgana Lafey and their evil minions."
Wes stared at the man incredulously "Mordred? Morgana?" he said unable to believe it
Even Spike sat forward in his seat, "The white kingdom?"
Cordelia stared at the two brits, "So what have we learned?" she asked not understanding the importance of those words.
"Really." Agreed Paige just as lost
Spike stared at Cordelia "Luv, he is talking about the White Kingdom! Camelot!"
Wesley stared at Champion and quoted from the book of shadows, "A knight of the most noble blood!" Unable to believe the truth of it, he pointed to Champion "YOU, are a knight of the Round Table! You served King Arthur!"
Champion inclined his head "I once held that honor, and yes I served the great king."
Angel stared at the man a bit skeptical, "You mean Arthur, Excalibur, Camelot, all of that stuff?"
"Yes" Champion nodded
"But that's just a fairy tale…" Cordelia stated looking around "Isn't?"
Champion laughed heartily "Yes Princess, a fairy tale, like those told of vampires, and witches, and demons."
"Right" Cordelia shrugged, "Why not after all." she admitted, it was just weird enough to be true.
Champion looked at the gathered warriors of light, "Go, we must, to the city of Lost Angels. To gather the other warriors of light, we must prepare for battle!" he said gleefully, "To fulfill destiny, so that I can finally be at peace."
Angel stared at the unkempt man, "You want to go to Los Angeles?"
"Yes" Champion smiled "Prepare, we must, it is the will of God. To the Hyperion hotel, that is thy castle, is it not?"
"It's not a castle." Cordelia corrected him "It's a hotel."
Wesley still staring in awe of the man, "Which knight are you? Lancelot, Gawaine, Tristam?…"
Champion frowned behind his scruffy beard, "Nay, good sir, none of them am I, although good men they all were. My name is forgotten in history, it seems that is my lot in life, to be forgotten." he said sadly "Now I am only Champion, and shall ever be so, until I no longer serve the family Halliwell." Champion's eyes roamed the room, suddenly jumping up he ran to the television.
Smiling he pointed to it, "Tis the talking and moving picture box!" he ran his hands over it, "Long have I wanted to touch one, to see one up close." Looking at the others, "Xander, loves to watch this thing. How does it work? Is this more of thy magic?" he asked the charmed ones.
Spike smiled and moved to him, "No mate, here let me show you how to work it." Looking at his watch, "It's time for Passions anyway." he picked up the remote. Thinking all the while of when he was a boy, and he begged his mother over and over again to tell him tales of the valiant knights of Camelot and the round table.
"What does he mean, until he no longer serves our family?" Paige asked her sisters
Wesley answered the question, "Well, if he serves your family, then he takes orders from no one except your family. He is your protector, your servant, basically he is your slave. He will give no thought of dying to defend your family." Wes looked to Champion who was now smiling widely staring at an old Three Stooges movie. "How hard that must be for him. A lord of the old kingdom. A proud and noble Knight of the old kingdom, is now a slave."
Angel looked at his watch, then to the others, "Well there is no way that we can make it to LA before sunrise. We will have to wait until sundown tomorrow to start back."
"You believe him then?" Cordelia asked amazed, looking at the wild man who was now watching Passions with Spike.
"I do." Angel admitted, not quite understanding why he actually believed. "I don't know why, but I trust Champion. Maybe it's because he helped us with that Holtz problem. I just feel that it is the right thing to do, to trust him."
Piper patted the book of shadows, "Well, why don't we read the prophecies for ourselves and see what our ancestors had to say about the whole thing." Looking to Paige, "Where did you say that story of Champion was?" she asked
"Oh" Paige took the book and began to flip the pages, "It's right here." she pointed to the right page.
Cordelia looked up from the page horrified, "Crucified?", turning to Angel, "That does mean what I think it does, doesn't?"
Angel nodded sadly, "If you are thinking, being nailed to a wooden cross while you are still alive, then yes." he admitted.
Cordelia turned to look at Champion who was staring out the window at the night sky, his arms spread wide letting the late night winds hit his body. Cordelia could tell, but couldn't actually see the smile on the man's face.
Turning to the three sisters, Cordelia began, "Do you have scissors and a razor?"
Cordelia put down the razor and stared at the amount of hair that was now on the floor on top of the towels she had placed there.
Smiling she whipped the towel from around Champions neck.
"There you go Champion." Looking at the others she smiled at them "From tall dark and hairy too…." Cordelia turned back as Champion turned to her. Cordelia gasped "To tall, dark, and HOTTIE!" She said as she saw the handsome man standing before her.
His hair now cut very short and with the giant beard gone, Champion looked twenty years younger. Revealing himself to be in his early twenties, smooth skinned with a strong solid chin. Standing before the others, Champion began to wonder why they were staring at him.
Turning he spotted a mirror and looked into it. A face that he'd not seen in centuries stared back at him.
"By Merlin's beard." he laughed heartily, "Tis been a long time since I have seen myself clean shaven." Reaching up he touched his hair, "Does thou think my hair to short Princess?" he asked unsure "In my time, hair was always worn long."
Piper closed her mouth "No, it's perfect." she said, both Paige and Phoebe nodded slowly staring at the handsome man standing before them.
Cordelia had to agree, "Yes, times have changed. Few men wear their hair long now."
Champion shrugged "If thou sayest so. I shall believe thee."
Cordelia smiled at Champion, surprised but also pleased that the man seem to trust her implicitly. Then frowned as she took in his appearance.
"You know tomorrow morning we really need to do something about your wardrobe."
She tapped her chin, as she pictured him in different clothing, trying to decide what would look best on him.
"We need the whole wardrobe for you, socks, underwear, shoes, pants, shirts, jackets."
Piper agreed with Cordelia, but didn't like the sound of how much it was going to cost the sisters. Still, he was the Halliwell's champion, he had risked his life for their ancestors. Piper and her sisters might not be alive today, but for this man.
"Yeah, we can get him some stuff." she smiled
Champion looked at the others curiously, "Are gold and gems still valuable these days?" he asked
Cordelia nodded eagerly "Of course they are, I love gems." She added "You have some?"
"I have bought a few with me." Champion admitted as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a leather bag
"May I see?" Cordelia asked holding out a hand.
"Of course you may princess." Champion tilted the bag and let the diamonds and opals and gold coins tumble out into her hand.
Cordelia froze as she saw the size of the gems, "Oh my God, this is a small fortune!" she held up one stone and shone it into the light.
"Fifteen carat at least, color is perfect, nearly flawless, definitely a D class diamond."
Looking at Champion, "This one stone could by you a dozen wardrobes. All from Beverly Hills." The others all stared at Cordelia amazed at her knowledge.
"That is good?" Champion asked naively
"Very good, we'll find a place tomorrow that buys diamonds. Any diamond merchant worth his salt will buy this magnificent diamond from you." Cordelia gasped as she looked into her hand, "Is that a Blood opal?" Cordelia smiled at Champion, "You did say you were single right?"
Angel growled deep in his chest, "He may be single, but you aren't." He reminded her
Cordelia smiled at her husband, "Sorry honey, I forgot for a second there." she said as she tipped the gems back into the bag and handed it back to Champion.
Paige looked at her watch, "It's late guys, or should I say early!" Wondering where the time went. Then reminded herself that this was like no other night she could remember.
"You guys will never make it back to your hotel before sunrise." She said looking at the two vampires. "I think it best if you stay here until sundown, then we can pickup your stuff and head out to Los Angeles."
Phoebe looked at her own watch, "Five am already! We had all better get some sleep."
By six AM almost the entire house was asleep, except for Champion. He sat out on the grass in the backyard and stared in awe as the sun rose to begin the new day.
"I had forgotten how magnificent the rising sun could be." he whispered smiling "Praise be to God for such a glorious day."