Disclaimers
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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode Two – Forged in Fire
By
Celgress
Sunnydale Junior High School in California mid-May 2015, early evening
Principle Robert "Bob" Flutie removed his glasses rubbing his tired eyes. It was getting late. He should be home in bed by now. If not for the urgent need to fill several currently vacant staff positions by the next school year, three of which had remained vacant since the previous school year, he would be. While Principle Flutie loved being an educator he despised paper work. He absently wondered if Principle Snyder experienced these sort of problems over at Sunnydale High School.
Putting his glasses back on Flutie was startled to see a tall pale man with long red hair clad in a red robe standing in front of him. Principle Flutie blinked several times to make sure he was not seeing things. An occurrence which had happened more times than he cared to admit while pulling all nighters at the school.
"Excuse me, but who are you and how did you get in here?" Principle Flutie asked the stranger.
"I am known as Lothos to friends and foes alike. I gained entrance through a broken window." Lothos answered.
"What do you want?" Principle Flutie asked slowly. He was taken aback by the sheer audacity of the intruder.
"Information on one of your students, a Buffy Summers." Lothos said.
"I'm afraid student information is strictly confidential." Principle Flutie said his right hand inching towards the office phone on his desk.
"I was hoping as much." Lothos said his features morphed revealing his vampire nature. Lothos grabbed Principle Flutie by the neck with his left hand pulling the unlucky man over the desk which separated them. "Where are the student files?! You will tell me insect or you will die a slow painful death!"
"In the cab-cabinet over-over there," Principle Flutie croaked nodding his head towards a large filing cabinet. "Please, let me,,, go,,, you,,,, p-promised…."
"Promises are made to be broken." Lothos said sinking his fangs into Principle Flutie's neck. Draining the principle completely Lothos carelessly dropped the corpse on the floor.
Turning his attention to the cabinet Lothos tore one shelf out followed by another and another until he had what he wanted Buffy Summers' permanent record. The information within the folder told Lothos everything he needed to destroy his latest adversary. Every hero had a weak point or several and those weak points were usually called family and friends. Recalling with great satisfaction the last Slayer, a resourceful young woman from Hungary in the early 17th Century C.E, he had broken in such a fashion a smile painted itself across Lothos' demonic face. By the time he finished with her this Slayer would beg to die. Still grinning the ancient vampire left the ruined office with his prize.
Summers Residence the next day, early evening
"Can I help you sir?" Joyce asked opening the front door.
"Ah yes miss my automobile broke down. It is at the end of the street. May I and my associate please use your telephone to ring a garage? I forgot my cell phone at home I'm afraid." Lothos now dressed in a red silk suit with matching tie and black undershirt said. His long red hair was tied in a ponytail. He looked every bit the part of a suave businessman. Behind him stood another man dressed in a black leather jacket and blue jeans.
"Yes you may, please come in Mr.?" Joyce said.
"Lothos Miss, just call my Lothos." Lothos said. He took her hand in his own and gave its back a gentle kiss. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance Miss?"
"It's Mrs. actually, Mrs. Joyce Summers." Joyce said blushing."Aren't you the charmer."
"I cannot believe a woman so young is married. Is your husband around?" Lothos asked entering the Summers House. The other man remained outside but nodded politely.
"He's away with my own two daughters." Joyce said.
"I'll make that phone call now. Thank you for your hospitality." Lothos said with a warm smile.
Three days later, wee hours
Buffy yawned pulling the comforter over her body. It had been a wonderful week and now the weekend was here, yay for weekends! The hacker Willow and her equally hackey friends had easily solved Buffy's problem. The Queen Bee was back on social media with a vengeance. Although she still had to be careful her parents did not discover she was online, life was back more or less to normal. Speaking of her parents they were away with Dawn on some sort of Girl Scout thingy leaving Buffy on her own. Snuggling into her soft bed Buffy was confident she could handle anything life could throw at her. A few minutes later Buffy drifted off to sleep.
Buffy's eyes flew open. How long had she been asleep? What time was it? Glancing over at her digital alarm clock Buffy saw it was 3:30 am. Laying under her covers Buffy wondered why she had awakened so early and so suddenly? She did not feel sick, or the urge to use the bathroom. Why did she suddenly feel on edge? Trying to ignore her feelings Buffy pulled the covers more tightly around her. She started to fall back asleep when a sharp thump from somewhere in the house startled her. Listening closely she heard another. Jumping out of bed Buffy grabbed the mace he parents did not know she had and always kept hidden in her dresser drawers, a pretty girl can never be to careful. She cautiously made her way into the dark hall.
It took Buffy's eyes a few seconds to adjust to the darkness. Breathing a silent sigh of relief Buffy noted the hallway was empty. She admonished herself for being silly. Buffy gingerly walked towards the staircase while subconsciously relaxing her grip on the small can of mace. When Buffy reached the head of the staircase a large shadowy form, with eyes like yellow embers, blindsided her. Buffy felt a quick, but intense, stabbing pain in her back before she was knocked down the stairs. Buffy fell head over heels sliding all the way down the stairs. She landed in a heap in the living room below. Trying to get up she shook her head. Visually searching for her attacker Buffy saw him smiling at her from the top of the staircase. It was the crimson robed Lothos sporting his full vampire appearance.
Dragging herself to her feet Buffy locked eyes with her attacker. "W-What are you?" She slurred trying to clear her head following the tumble. Buffy used the banister to prop herself up.
"I am named Lothos. Think of me as a god my child and yourself as a sinner." Lothos said with smug satisfaction casually strolling down the stairs towards his injured prey.
"No," Buffy whispered her eyes growing wide with dread as she scrambled away across the floor.
"I think it is high time we disciplined this unruly brat my eh Amilyn." Lothos said now half way down the staircase.
"Good idea master." Lothos' chief minion Amilyn hissed from behind Buffy.
Whirling around the bewildered teen was confronted by another walking, talking nightmare with fangs, brow ridges and glowing amber eyes. "No, no, no, no, no," Buffy said losing what little composure she possessed. This could not be real. This was a nightmare, it had to be. She was still asleep, yeah she must be.
Amilyn clad in blue jeans and a leather jacket lunged towards the girl. More on instinct than anything else Buffy dodged the attack. "Why are you doing this? Who are you?"
"Show the Slayer your power Amilyn." Lothos urged from his position half way down the stairs. By way of reply Amilyn smiled up at his master then flashed his fangs at Buffy. "Destroy her!"
Amilyn lunged at Buffy again. This time Buffy was not quick enough and the two ended up locked in a mortal embrace. The pair pushed and pulled at each other stumbling around the room while Lothos watched approvingly. The pair bounced off one wall than another. No matter what Buffy tried she could not free herself from the vampire's grip. In fact as time wore on Buffy felt her strength steadily ebbing away. The frightened girl knew if she did not do something soon she would be dead. How she had survived this long she had no idea.
Continuing their struggle Buffy and Amilyn tumbled over the sofa knocking it in its side in the process. Buffy used the opportunity to put some distance between herself and the vampire In her desperation she spotted the faux fire place and its pure silver tipped ornamental accessories, a design her father fancied. Buffy crawled her way towards the fire place. Her progress was painfully slow. Inch by excruciating inch Buffy approached her quarry. Extending her arms as far as they would stretch she reached towards the fire place poker. She almost had it.
Amilyn jumped on Buffy's back. The vampire's clawed hands glommed at Buffy's neck. Twisting around with all her might Buffy faced her unwanted adversary. In vain Buffy attempted to push Amilyn off. The demon's hands encircled Buffy's neck. Cackling manically the demon began squeezing while on the stairs Lothos clapped his approval. Feeling the world around her grow dim Buffy knew she had no choice. Blindly reaching she grasped the fire poker in her right hand bringing it between them as she twisted around. She pushed it into the heart of the monster. The first blow was too weak, not penetrating far enough. Amilyn howled in surprised pain reeling back. Taking the opening Buffy slammed both her palms against the already embedded fire place poker. The pure silver proved as fatal as a wooden stake to the vampire Amilyn when it penetrated his dark heart. Amilyn gasped in shock before disintegrating. Much of his dusty remains feel on Buffy some of which got in her mouth, eyes & nose.
Rolling over on her hands and knees Buffy coughed trying to clear the dust from her eyes, mouth & nose. However, before she could Buffy felt the sickening impact of a foot with her torso. Lothos had come down off the stairs. He had then brutally kicked the prone teen in her side. The impact of the kick sent Buffy halfway across the room. Once more she got to her hands and knees only for Lothos to kick her again. This time she was sent spiralling into the into the home entertainment system that dominated the far corner of the living room.
"Amilyn was my favorite you filthy Slayer. We were together for nearly six centuries. You'll pay dearly for his demise." Lothos growled.
Buffy thought she had broken a rib maybe two. Aware she would not last much longer Buffy formed an impromptu plan. Playing possum among the wreckage Buffy waited until Lothos hoisted her high overhead by the front of her night shirt. Once she was only inches from the grinning demon Buffy smashed the remnants of the still plugged in Blu-ray player into her tormentor's face. Lothos roared with pain from the shock he received. He staggered back dropping the teen. Buffy used this opportunity to escape by throwing herself through the nearest window.
Hitting the grass at a run Buffy made her way up the street as fast as she could. Her body protested: her lungs burned, her sides ached, her eyes watered. Onward Buffy pushed herself. She had to escape. Remembering Willow's house was closest to her own Buffy decided that would be her destination. Normally she would have make her way to Cordelia's place who she knew better but distance made that not a viable option. Taking a number of shortcuts through several yards Buffy reached Willow's house in record time.
Buffy hoped the Rosenbergs were still up at this late hour. Stumbling to the door Buffy began frantically knocking. It wasn't long before Willow's father Ira, dressed in a night robe, answered the door.
"Hello Mr. Rosenberg, I'm Buffy Summers one of Willow's friends from school. May I come in there has been, an accident at my house." Buffy said composing herself as best she could.
Noting Buffy's disheveled appearance and the number of bruises on her arms the naturally compassionate Ira decided he could not leave the poor thing outside. "Please Miss Summers come inside. I'll get you something to drink and some ice for your bruises."
"Thank you so much Mr. Rosenberg." Buffy managed glancing around the street before passing over the threshold. There was no sign of Lothos or anyone else for that matter, at not yet.
"Who was that at the door?" Willow's mother Sheila Rosenberg asked rounding the corner, she too was clad in a night robe, a blurry eyed Willow in pajamas was behind her.
"It's one of Willow's friends, a Buffy Summers. She's apparently been involved in some sort of accident at her house." Ira explained.
"Oh dear," Sheila said catching sight of Buffy's appearance.
"Buffy are you all right? What happened?" Willow blurted out rushing to the other teen's side.
Just then there was a knock at the door. Ira opened it to reveal Lothos standing there in all his glory, now restored to his human appearance. Seeing Lothos again Buffy nearly crawled out of her skin.
"Excuse me, who are you?" Ira asked.
"He's one of the guys who attacked me!" Buffy wailed pointing her figure at Lothos accusingly. "Don't let him in whatever you do! Tell him to get out of here and then call the police!"
"There is no need for such theatrics. I merely wish to speak with you Buffy. We are old friends now, are we not Buffy?" Lothos said smiling, Buffy visibly cringed. "Now we can do this the hard way or the easy way, your choice."
"Whoever you are I don't appreciate your threats. I think you should leave. You're obviously upsetting Buffy." Ira said firmly.
"I see you have chosen the hard way, suit yourselves." Lothos said with a smile before Ira shut the door in his face.
"Thank you Mr. Rosenberg he's a bad man." Buffy said tears falling down her face.
"Perhaps you can tell us exactly what happened?" Ira asked turning his attention towards Buffy.
"That strange man hasn't left." Sheila announced peering out a window from behind the curtain. The others gathered around her to see. Sure enough Lothos was lingering near the house.
Prowling around the house Lothos settled on the front lawn. Buffy and the Rosenbergs watch with mounting horror as Lothos rooted around in the ground. Lothos pulled up a gas line. Rupturing the line Lothos removed a butane lighter from a hidden pocket of his red robe. Lothos touched the flickering flame against the ruined pipe dropping it then jumped away. A few moments later the left side of the Rosenberg House exploded onward in a massive fire ball.
"I do not require an invitation if there is no longer an intact house." Lothos chuckled slipping into game face.
The explosion had caught everyone inside off guard. The blast propelled two pieces of wood through Sheila Rosenberg's chest and abdomen, she died instantly. A shard of glass had become lodged in Willow's left leg just below the knee making it impossible for her to stand unaided. Buffy and Ira were relatively unharmed discounting minor contusions.
Extricating himself from the wreckage Ira wobbled on his feet. Soon he found his neck encircled by the iron grip of Lothos. Without a word Lothos drained Ira of life breaking the man's neck for good measure before discarding Ira's limp body like trash.
"Where were we?" Lothos mused walking towards Buffy. "Ah now I remember you and I were about to dance the final dance together Slayer, the dance of death." Lothos hoisted Buffy overhead for the second time that fateful night. "Any last words, or would you prefer I end your misery without further dramatic recourse?"
Buffy had stopped struggling. What was the use she thought. No matter what adults tell children monsters are real. She was staring into the face on one who would soon devour her world. More than anything in that moment Buffy wanted it to end. She was so tired she could not fight anymore. There was nothing left in the tank. Her will to survive was gone. She wondered what dying would feel like? Would it hurt? She hoped it would be quick.
Unexpectedly Lothos dropped her bellowing in pain. Willow somehow had managed to impale the ancient vampire in the back with a large wooden fragment. Lothos turned to the red headed teen.
"I was going to save you for later." Lothos snarled stalking towards Willow who leaned against the ruined fence of her former hone. Having used the last ounce of her strength in defence of her friend the she was now helpless. "Instead the Slayer can watch you die to!"
"I don't think so" Yelled a deep male voice.
Turning around Lothos beheld his latest challenger: a young brown haired young dressed in a long black coat. Lothos laughed. "Leave me alone I have no time to deal with your foolishness."
Pulling a stake out of his jacket pocket the young man assumed a fighting stance. "I have a better idea. If you leave I woon't have to use this."
"Are you threatening me?" Lothos growled his yellow eyes burned with furry. "If so you are most unwise."
"No one's ever accused me of being overly smart." The young man joked, "Last warning buddy get out of here or else."
Lothos sighed heavily and then turned his withering gaze fully on the young."Look into my eyes fool."
Lothos stretched out his hands beckoning the young man to come closer. The vampire did not know it but his thrall was having no effect on the young man other than a mild headache. The young man, however, played along shuffling closer. When Lothos reached for his neck the young man said. "You have terrible breath." The young man caught the speechless Lothos with a jab to the face followed by a series of body blows ending with a roundhouse kick. Lothos stumbled back several feet before falling over a piece of debris and landing on his back. The young swooped in for the kill but Lothos recovered faster than he could move.
Back on his feet Lothos slapped the young man away. His face contorted in fury. He stalked towards the young man who lay on debris strewn ground his stake nowhere to be seen.
Lothos picked up the young man by way of his neck. "I think I'll peel off each layer of your skin before I end your meaningless existence."
Silently Buffy grabbed the largest piece of wood she could find. A jagged edged chunk of floor beam. She charged forward with a primal yell.
The young man reached into his coat pocket. He removed a bottle of holy water that he smashed in Lothos' face. Lothos screamed in pain as his face burned. Lothos released the young man. The young man pushed Lothos backwards onto the large makeshift stake Buffy was wielding.
"It was not supposed to end this way." Lothos gasped looking down at the stake protruding from his chest before he slowly over the course of nearly twenty seconds crumbled into a large pile of smoldering black dust.
"Yeah well consider the script rewritten." The young man said. He helped Willow to her feet "C'mon girls I better get you someplace safe before this place is crawling with cops, firemen and paramedics. I doubt you'd like dealing with all the attention right now." Approaching sirens could be heard in the distance.
Buffy stood there shaking. The large jagged hunk of wood still held in her hands. Her world forever changed.
"He's gone." The young man assured her. "Look your friend needs medical attention and so do you I'd wager. We can't stay here." Buffy started at him dumbly. She glanced at her weapon then dropped it without a word.
"What are we going to do?" Willow cried now that the immediate threat had passed the enormity of the situation came crashing down on her. "I'm an orphan! I'm homeless! He was a monster! A real live monster!"
"Don't worry I'm here to help." The young man said though he had no idea how.
"Shouldn't Buffy and I go to a hospital?" Willow asked as the trio made their way down the street. Buffy remained eerily silent as she trailed behind the young man who carried Willow in his arms.
"There would be a lot of questions. Questions you guys can't truthfully answer." The young man said.
"Good point." Willow conceded.
Twenty torturous minutes later the battered trio reached a nondescript house. Upon seeing the state of the teens the heavyset man with the thick grey mustache who answered the door ushered them in at once. After treating Willow's and Buffy's injuries as best he could and hearing the collective story of the trio. The mustached man managed to calm Buffy and Willow down. Buffy thought he looked familiar but her troubled mind could not quite place where she had seen him before. Once the two were getting some much needed sleep the mustached man turned to their rescuer. At that instant another man with glasses entered the front room.
"This is Rupert Giles my nephew." Merrick said to the young man. "Rupert this is Angel. He's, an old friend." Merrick finished after struggling a bit for the proper words.
While Angel and Giles chatted about the events of the night Merrick glanced into his living room where the sleeping girls were located. He considered his best course of action. The one which immediately sprang to mind went against everything he had been taught as a watcher. He could not believe he was seriously entertaining it. However, it seemed like the best option. The Watchers Council certainly could provide the required financial resources and pull necessary legal strings, if they agreed with his plan of course.
The Sunken Church, twenty minutes earlier
The Master screamed in fury as he sensed the demise of his oldest surviving, until that point, child. The not even trained new Slayer had somehow vanquished Amilyn and then Lothos, unbelievable! He picked up a fist sized rock and crushed it into dust in his clawed left hand. His gathered minions shrank away least they be next to feel his wrath. The Slayer had taken his favorite son along with one of his favorite grandchildren from him. No one took things from him. Once freed, he would have great pleasure from teaching her that lesson.
To Be Continued