Chapter 19 The Warlock's Challenge

Buffy was rushing to her car. "This was a mistake." She was so confused. She wasn't shocked that much over Angel moving on and yet she was. She was shocked over Spike being alive but then she wasn't. Everything was moving to fast and it was confusing to her; all she wanted was just to get back home. She pressed the button to unlock her car when she stopped and jumped back in shock.

"Cordelia!" Buffy said terrified. Cordy was just standing there looking the way she did in her hospital bed.

"We're waiting." Cordy said and disappeared. Buffy looked around her and there was no sight of Cordy anywhere.

"Oh my god." Buffy looked down at her bag knowing where she had to go.

The fighting was depressing, while the battle was endless. It seemed there was no hope or escape.

"You either have the brain the size of a pea, or you are more of an idiot than you appear to be!" Shouted Kate.

"I'm the Watcher, you're the Slayer, and you are to listen to what I have to say." Alex shouted back.

"You're the watcher!? Act like one!"

"I can't handle this anymore." replied Alex raising his hands in the air.

"Oh, and I suppose you're telling me I can?" asked Kate, the two continued on bickering over Alex asking Kate what her favorite food was and how she was unsociable when she didn't have an answer; it somehow lead up to slayers, watchers, vampires, argument.

"And you brought me here because?" Lorne asked, sitting with Angel watching Alex and Kate argue, Spike trying hard to stop them.

"Can't you do something? It's been like this for weeks." Angel replied watching Kate push Alex.

"Angel-cakes, I'm in the singing business, not the argument business." Lorne replied. "Why don't you stop them, I see Spike's trying his best to."

"I tried ok." replied Angel, "I'm desperate! They're driving me insane. Instead of waiting for visions or just coming across a helpless victim, I'm out there looking for a fight. I feel like Spike when he had the chip in his head; and trust me it's not something I'm enjoying."

"Yes, I can see that." Lorne replied seeing how tensed Angel was getting. Spike suddenly came sliding on his back across the floor being stopped by Angel's seat.

"You alright there sunshine?" Lorne asked.

"I give up. Those two are like when you and Buffy were together, you never heard the end of it." Spike said getting up from the floor. "And don't call me sunshine!"

"Those two have some serious issues. Past relations." Lorne mentioned.

"Yeah we pretty much got that figured." Spike replied leaning against the wall.

"Well it's not exactly the kind you maybe thinking. It has nothing really to do with themselves, someone they both know." replied Lorne.

"What do you mean?" Angel asked.

"I'm saying something bad happened to them, and the only ones who know are each other."

"They're reminded." replied Angel.

"Reminded! Oh bugger! I know that feeling. I need a drink." Spike said heading towards the fridge, staying out of Kate and Alex's way.

"Spike!" Kate shouted grabbing him as he was walking by. "I feel like slaying, you and I are going out!" She said pulling Spike out the back.

"Is she always like this? Or is it only around me?" Alex asked aloud walking out the front door.

"Thank you." Angel mumbled lying back on the couch, enjoying the complete silence.

[Two weeks ago

"Welcome Francis." Trevor said echoing through the cavern. G stood there alone looking around the place. The fires light glimmering through the darkness.

"Why am I here?" G asks.

"Don't you know?" Trevor asks, standing in front of G.

"Becoming a warlock?" He asks sounding unsure.

Trevor begins to laugh harshly.

"What?" G asked, a bit irritated.

"Look at you; you're nothing of what I expected." Trevor replied.

G looked down at himself, "What did you expect?"

"A warrior."

"I am a warrior!"

"Working along side Angel and Spike is not considered to being a warrior." Trevor replied crossing his arms.

"If working along side Angel and Spike is not considered to being a warrior; then I don't want to join your little group. Because those two have shown me how to be a warrior more than any of you possibly could." G came inches away from Trevor's face showing how serious he was.

"You think you're a warrior?"

"I do."

"You'd never survive the trials."

"Do your worst."

"Gladly." Trevor disappears and G suddenly turns around to find a monster behind him.

[present

Kate lands flat on her back on top of grass. She looks up at the vampire that just threw her and sees him coming towards her. She quickly jumps to her feet and kicks him to where the vampire staggers back a few steps. She quickly pulls a stake out of her shirt and launches it at him. But he ducks behind a grave stone, as it flies past him. He stands back up and comes at her with a roundhouse kick. They start fighting hand to hand.

"Having fun?" Spike asks sitting down on a grave stone watching the two. The fight continues on without a word.

"Why do you ask?" She finally replied while jumping onto the vampire's back and knocking him to the ground.

"Don't know, maybe because you're taking your time in killing him." He replies, staking the Vampire himself.

"Hey, why'd you do that?" Kate asked aggravated following Spike after the Vampire burst into ashes under her.

"Because you were getting on bloody my nerves! Plus it was a bore watching you have all the fun." Spike replied stopping.

"Why don't you go kill your own?"

"I did." He said. "Remember? An hour ago, a few of them actually, while you were still havin' your moment with that one vampire." Kate punched Spike in the arm. "OW! What was that for?"

"Do you always have to be so obnoxious?" She asked beginning to walk again.

"Only around you tails!"

"So I'm thinking either she can't remember or she just doesn't want to." Alex said sitting against a wall outside. "What do you think?" He asks. No one seems to be sitting beside him but you could see he was getting patted on the shoulder from the movement. "Thanks Dennis." He said aloud, a couple walks by seeing Alex talking to himself. "Hi. Nice evening." He says with a smile and a nod. They continue walking looking at him oddly. "People! Is it so wrong seeing two grown men talking to each other?" Alex asks shaking his head.
"Ok, how about this." Angel began to say. "What is it now?" Angel asks, seeing Lorne's mind is wondering again.

"Why didn't you tell me about the visions?" Lorne asked.

"K, how'd you know about those, I didn't even hum. Did Spike tell you?"

"Actually Angel just a second ago, you more or less quickly hummed getting your vocals ready." Lorne replied. "But that's not the point, although I only got to see a minor glimpse of your so called nightmares you seem to have, I'm getting a vibe they're very important and you're not doing anything about it."

"When the time comes I'll handle it." Angel replied.

"When the time comes? Angel, are you saying you know when they're going to happen?" Lorne asked.

"A year; maybe two." He replied. "It's when it'll begin."

"You're telling me that the PTB are sending you harsh visions years in advance? And you're doing nothing about it?"

"Lorne."

"Hey, I'm just saying Angel-face, if its years in advance it's pretty important and they're trying to get you to stop it before it's too late."

"For the first time, this is one prophecy I don't want to stop." Angel replies.

"Prophecy? Angel what did you see?" Lorne asks. Angel looks away remembering certain images. Magic, death, a girl, and suddenly he sees himself staked through the heart and nothing. Lorne continued to stare at Angel who wouldn't say a word, but Lorne knew what he was thinking. "Angel, you have to let it go."

"Let what go?" he asked.

"Cordy. She gave you this to keep fighting, and you're giving it up."

"I would trade these visions in, any day, if it means getting her back!" Angel replied and walked away.

Spike was walking with Kate still in the graveyard; they just finished off a few others who decided to come out of their graves, but nothing more.

"Kate!" Shouted Alex, running towards her at the graveyard.

"Alex I'm not in the mood." Kate replied.

"Ok, look, we have two options here; one, you and I try our hardest to get along, because like it or not Kate we're related, we have a past, so we should just face it."

"What's the second option?" Kate asked.

"I head back home, you get sent a new watcher, and you never hear from me again." Alex replied. Kate stood there slightly amazed over not being able to choose quick enough. She looked over to Spike who looked down making sure she wouldn't bring him into this.

"Alright Alex we'll try." She said looking back at him. "I'll try to get along with you. But I just want you to know, this whole sociable thing; I'd like you to understand me more when it comes to that. Not that many people understand the whole Slayer crap except for the hundred year old vampires." Spike smiles a little over the compliment.

"Ok." Alex said and the two for the first time smiled at one another.

"Good to see you've come to your senses." She replied patting him on the shoulder and walking off with Spike. Leaving Alex a bit confused.

Later that night, miles away. G hurtles against a wall, groaning. He has a large bruise on his chest, and various other burns and injuries. He slumps down onto the ground, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. It's been two weeks and he so desperately wanted to soak in the power from the earth, but he controlled the urge to; this was the challenge, this was his gift. He knew this was the test; he had to learn to control and use only what was needed.

"You are weak Francis. Why not gain the strength you need." said a voice echoing through the cavern.

"I don't need it. I can be my own power, fight with my own strength." replied G panting.

"Yes you can." replied Trevor walking out from the shadow's with a clan of warlocks following. G slowly pulled himself up; all around him were Warlock's and Witches. Each in there own unique stance and G could only think about one thing, and he smiled.

"You have the power Francis, use It." said Amyl.

"No." He replied harshly. He suddenly became stronger and the cuts and bruises faded.

"The test is complete." Trevor stated.

"I am ready to become a Warlock." replied G, standing tall and proud of himself.

"No, you are not." G suddenly became confused. "You failed Francis."

"I didn't use any of my power. Only when it was needed." replied G.

"You just did." Trevor said floating down next to G. "You are dangerous to others including your friends." Placing his hand on G's shoulder.

"No, I'm not! I didn't use it." He replied, hanging his head.

"You are so powerful; you don't even realize when you are using."

"I didn't heal myself."

"You are truly a warrior Francis. But you must learn when you should use your power."

"No."

"If you truly believe this not to be so, retake the Warlock Challenge. Show us you are capable in controlling your powers." Trevor stood there waiting for a reply from G, but all Francis could give was a confused scared look.

"I'm dangerous." G replied facing him.