Title: When the Sun Falls
Author: Sk8erGurl24
Disclaimer:I own nothing. Everything belongs to the wonderful man known as Joss Whedon.
Summary:When Buffy gets mortally wounded and sick, it's up to the AI team and the Scoobies to save her. This is the second book in my Gealach Gorm series! BA, WO, XA
Note:Well, here it is! The second book of my Gealach Gorm series. I want to thank all my fabulous reviewers (Especially MacKenzie Creations, who reviewed all my chapters). Hopefully, this book will be as good (if not better) than the first. I don't want to be stuck in that 'First Book/Movie/Whatever is Good, but Sequel Sucks' thing. Please review. I want to know what you think!
***IMPORTANT TO KNOW: Buffy's hallucinations are in italics.***
Sorry this took so long. I MAJOR had writers block... Anyway, let's get on with the story (cross your fingers).
* * * * * *
"No. No, no, no." This couldn't be happening. Not to her, not to him. "Giles! Giles!" Angel waited a moment, and when nobody came, he yelled Giles' name once more, and ten times louder.
"Good Heavens. What is it?" The British man asked walking into the room.
"Buffy, it's Buffy. Something's wrong. She-she's not moving."
Horror struck Giles' face. "Is she breathing?"
Angel lowered his ear to her nose. "Yes."
"When did this happen?"
"I-I just found her. I'm not sure."
"Oh dear," Giles said when he processed her state.
"What? What is it?"
"I-I'm afraid Buffy may have fallen into a coma."
The vampire's eyes grew wide and terrified. His fears were coming true. "Coma?"
"Yes. It is most likely from whatever attacked her."
"Find it. You have to find it and we have to save her."
"I will, Angel. And we will help her."
Angel nodded. He couldn't believe he was being so calm. His reason to live, his sunlight in all the ways that mattered, had been put into a coma. How was he so collected? He looked at her laying there. Someone, or something, had done this to her. What, he wasn't sure. What he was sure of, though, was that as soon as Giles found it, he was going to kill it. The longer he stayed there thinking about it, the more rage built up inside him.
As soon as Giles left, Angel punched the solid concrete wall. Nobody came to check on him, they all understood what was going on. He bashed the wall again and again until his knuckles were bloody and raw. Then he slumped to the ground and let all his tears fall.
This was worse than her being sick and delusional, at least then there was hope. Now, as he sat alone on the floor weeping, he didn't believe in such a thing as hope. Shehad been his hope, his redemption, and his soul all rolled into one miraculous woman. But now she was in a coma, one step from death. He couldn't imagine life without her, it just didn't seem possible. Even when they had been apart after he left for LA, there had still been that light at the end of the tunnel telling him that one day they would be together. He had finally reached that light not even a month ago, and now everything was falling apart. Was this a new type of penalty for everything he had done as Angelus?
Angel wiped his eyes and stood up. He wasn't helping if all he was doing was sitting there crying. He walked over to wear she lay and kissed her forehead.
"They say people in comas can hear someone when they talk. I-I've never put it to the test, but if you can hear me, I just want to let you know that we're going to help you. Giles is looking for the thing that attacked you right now. You're going to get better. And I also want to make sure you know I love you. I always have, and I always will. There's nothing in this life, or the next, that could make me stop. The first time I told you, I also said that I tried not to. I don't try not to anymore. Loving you has been--" He stopped when he realized he was using past tense, and reworded his sentence. "Loving you isthe most amazing sensation I've ever experienced. Just hang in there, okay? You're going to be fine."
His hand trembled slightly as he reached out to brush a loose strand of hair from her face. Then he rested his palm against her cheek. It was warm, but not overheated like earlier. Was this a good thing? After a moment he pulled his hand away and with one last, loving glance at Buffy, walked into the kitchen.
"What do we have?" he asked.
"Nothing as of late. I believe Buffy's a-attacker is not well known," Giles informed him.
"Keep trying."
"We are," he assured the vampire.
Willow looked up at him with eyes full of sorrow. She could tell he'd been crying, his eyes were red and still moist around the edges. She was amazed at how well he was taking everything. Had it been Oz in there...well let's say it wouldn't have been pretty.
Angel sat down at the table and grabbed a book. If he kept busy, maybe he could keep his mind off Buffy...a little.
"What does this thing look like? Do we know? Did Buffy manage to get you a description before she..." He choked on the words 'went into a coma' and Giles completely understood.
The British man picked up a yellow legal pad and read, "It was freaky big, in a black cloaky thing, and had these weird yellow eyes. It's hands were all claw-like and the nails were sharp."
Angel rubbed his temples. "That narrows is down," he said sarcastically.
The four continued to look on through the day, still to no avail. It was when Xander went out to get burgers for everyone that Giles found something.
"Oh. Willow, Angel, come here," he called to them.
"What is it?" Willow asked.
"I-I believe I have something," He said.
This made Angel's head shoot right up.
"It occurred to me that instead of reading the Chronicles of Vierus, I should look into mythology."
"Mythology? Like dragons and stuff?" asked Willow.
"Like folklore, old legends, if you will."
"And?" Angel persisted.
"And I found this passage here. It mentions an old mineral called 'Polak'. I've heard of it before, and cross referenced it with the diaries of Latuvious."
"La-who?" Willow asked, confused.
"Latuvious. He was a sorcerer in the early thirteen hundreds. Polak was a very special mineral that came from polak stone back then. If ground into powder, it could put an enemy to sleep until an antidote was found. There's a tale of a knight called Blane, and I think it may help us." Giles reached for another book and skimmed over it before turning back to the two in front of him. "It says that Blane was the king of Europe's favorite night, he always sat at his right hand. One day, while out Blane stumbled across a vast field of grey stones. They were shiny and very sharp. This Blane fellow decided they would make fine spear tips and brought two back to the king. With his permission, Blane made two fine spears. With those spears, Blane conquered many civilizations in battle. As it turns out, the stones were otherworldly."
"Polak," Angel confirmed.
"Yes. That is how he defeated so many societies. Of course, once Blane discovered the secret behind the stone, he became hungry with power. He went back to the field and harvested all the minerals he could find, which was quite a few. This field stretched for miles. Blane worked through the day and into the wee hours of the morning for three months. Then, once his stones were collected, he took them to a flower mill and used the mill stones to ground the polak into powder. With this powder, Blane took over much of Europe, making people his slaves and threatening to put them into eternal sleep if they did not do as he asked.
"One day, though, Blane came across an old man. He was withered and limping, but had a spark about him. Blane tried to turn this man into a slave, as well, but the man rose up and became young and nimble. It was Latuvious. He said Blane was an unworthy beast who had gone mad with power. He told Blane that he would never again walk the earth as a man, but as a deformed creature that would make people run. He trapped him in an enchanted cloak after turning him into a demon. But there was a catch, as there is in any curse. Blane would keep two small bags of polak powder, and if he could ever take the life of a warrior, a champion, then he would once more become a man. A man with the power of the demon. The polak could be his only weapon, though, and he must make sure the warrior stayed at rest for forty-eight hours, two days, or he would continue his journey as a monster."
"A champion? Like someone who works for the side of good?" Angel asked.
"Yes."
"Buffy. She's a champion. What happens if she is down for two days?" He didn't want to know the answer, but he had to.
"She dies and Blane walks again as a man."
Angel sat back in his chair. He was paler than usual. "We have forty-eight hours to find a cure or she dies?"
"Yes."
"Then let's get looking."
When Xander returned, Willow filled him in on the new information and his eyes widened.
"Oh man."
"That's an understatement," she said.
* * * * * *
"What happened to Lutavac?" Xander asked, looking up from a tired old book.
"Latuvious," Giles corrected, then became thoughtful. "You know, Xander, I-I'm not quite sure what did happen to him. Very good question."
Giles grabbed another book and rifled through it. "It doesn't say, exactly, what happened to him. Just that he was ascended to a higher plane."
"A higher plane?" Angel asked.
"He doesn't walk in this dimension any more. Not unless he's summoned."
"Summoned? Like we could summon him? And he would help us?" Willow asked.
"Yes, in a way."
"Then do it! Summon him!" Angel said quickly.
"It's not that simple. There are...incantations much more advanced than anything Willow or I have ever done."
"Let me do it. I've been around awhile, I know how to handle different magics."
"Angel, it would simply be to dangerous."
"Then let me help him," Willow said. "Together, we can do it."
"Yeah," Xander said. "I may not be a witch--"
"Warlock," Willow corrected.
"Warlock, but I'll do anything to help Buff. You know that. Besides, if you pitch in a little, we should be able to summon a stuffy old sorcerer."
"Alright. I suppose we can try."
Willow made a small 'Yes!' noise under her breath and then went about researching summoning spells.
"I-I think I've got something!" Willow called out hours later.
Angel sat near by, a watch in hand, watching as the minutes ticked by, each one bringing Buffy closer and closer to death. Final death.
"What?" Xander asked, his head shooting up.
"A summoning spell, used by the ancient Romans to call upon 'the Knowing One', later known as Latuvious!"
"Let me see,"Angel said taking the book from the small redhead. He read it over, then asked, "French? Why french?"
"French was his native language," Giles supplied for him. "Though he speaks countless others, french was his first."
"So our wacky sorcerer is french...huh..." said Xander.
"It says we need blessed salt, three tri-colored candles, an oak tree's leaf, and sand of the moon. What's sand of the moon?"
"Sand from the moon?" Xander asked. "I don't know. You're the witch, you're supposed to know this stuff."
"Yeah, well I've never heard of sand of the moon."
"I suppose we'll just have to read up on it," Giles suggested.
Angel looked down at his watch. Thirty-six hours left. "We don't have enough time. We need to do this, or he's won, Blane's won and Buffy's dead. You guys take your time researching, fine, whatever, but I'm going to find a way to save her."
"Angel," Willow said gently. "This is the only way to save her. We have to do this."
"We don't have time," he repeated curtly. "She's dying in there right now while we're huddled around our crusty old books. I don't really care what you want to do, but I'm going to get this Latuvious guy one way or another."
"How?" Giles asked. "There's only one way."
"That we know of."
With that, he turned and headed for the phone.
"Angel Investigations: We hope you're help--"
"We help the helpless!" He heard Cordelia shout in the background.
"Doyle, it's me," Angel said, cutting Doyle off before he could start his spiel again.
"Oh, man, how's it going where you are."
"Buffy's in a coma and we've got thirty hours to summon a long forgotten sorcerer who may or may not help us to defeat an evil demon or she dies and he becomes human."
Doyle whistled. "Wow. So I take it you need something. If it's visions, sorry man, but I've been headache free."
"What's sand of the moon?"
There was a long pause. "Angel, buddy, that stuff's dangerous. You could lose a foot."
"What is it?" He repeated.
"Why do you want to know?"
Angel cursed under his breath. He was running low on patience. "To summon the sorcerer. We need sand of the moon, and nobody knows what it is. If we don't find it soon, Buffy's going to die. Now, again, what's sand of the moon?"
There was another pause before Doyle began talking in a hushed tone. "Okay. Sand of the moon's a very potent variety o' sand."
"It's actually sand?"
"Yes and no. It can only be found on the fifth full moon of every six years. When the waves pull it, they wash up a certain sand, it's yellow, and highly explosive if not handled right."
"When's the fifth full moon?"
Angel heard Doyle shuffle around for a calendar, and then he said, "Tonight."
"When was the last fifth full moon?"
"Six years ago."
"So we'll be able to get this stuff? Tonight?"
"Yeah, but man, you better hurry. Stoke o' midnight's when the stuff washes up. Stroke o' midnight."
"Right. Thanks, Doyle."
"Hey, no problem. Now, go save your girl."
Angel quickly walked back to where his friends were.
"Come on."
"What?" Xander asked.
"Come on. We have to get down to the beach before midnight. I called Doyle. Sand of the moon washes up every six years on the fifth full moon at the stoke of midnight. Now, come on."
"Are you sure?" questioned Willow. "He didn't lie to you?"
"No. Now, are you coming or not?"
"Someone should stay with Buffy," Xander said.
"I will," volunteered Giles. "I'd much prefer to research this spell than go gallivanting about the beach in search of a mystical sand."
"Okay. Good. Xander, Willow, come on. We can take my car."
* * * * * *
The three reached the beach eight minutes before midnight and stationed themselves down the shore. They weren't certain where it was going to be, and wanted to cover as much area as possible.
"Here it comes!" Angel shouted as a large wave came crashing to the shore.
Moments later, each person was scouring the beach's edge looking for a mystical yellow sand.
"I've got it!" Xander called. "No! Wait, sorry! It was a dead fish! Keep looking."
Angel was frantic as he ran along the border. They had to find it. They couldn't afford not to. His hands were shaking, he noticed. He'd never been so scared in his life. He couldn't help but feel like this was his fault. He hadn't been there to protect her when she needed it most. Instead, he'd been in LA brooding in his apartment while Buffy was being delivered the wound that would probably kill her. No! he scolded himself. Don't think that! She's not dead! She's not going to die! Still, he felt no better. He checked the watch. Thirty-four hours.
"Angel! Xander!" Willow's voice rang out above the surf. "Over here!"
The two men quickly rushed to her side.
"What? What is it?"
Willow didn't answer Xander, but instead pointed to a tiny patch of yellow sand.
"Sand of the moon?" Angel asked.
"The one and only."
The vampire quickly, and carefully, scooped all of it into a mason jar.
"Are you sure this is it?" He asked.
"One way to test it." She took a tiny pinch and tossed it to the ground a foot from them. It exploded, causing a small fire which she quickly stamped out. "That's it."
"Yeah," Xander agreed.
"We've got to get this back to Giles pronto," Willow said. "Come on!"
The three ran up the beach as fast as they could. The quicker they moved, the better chance Buffy had of living.
The drive home took longer than anyone would have liked. It was something about the full moon, it brought the crazies they eventually reached the apartment, Giles didn't look like he'd moved a fraction of an inch.
"Hey, G-Man! We got the magic sand!" Xander called, causing Giles to jump.
"You did?" He asked. "Are we sure."
"We're sure," the three said in unison.
"Alright. The spell seems pretty safe, if performed properly. If not, it's possible we could turn into a four headed horse, but let's not dwell on the negative, shall we?"
"When are we going to do it?" Angel asked.
"I assume now. Willow, do you have the other items?"
"Yup." She patted her bag. "Like a Boy Scout. Always prepared."
"Even the oak tree leaf?"
"Yeah. Well, I actually had to stop and pick it off an oak tree on the way home, but still. Prepared, that's me!"
"Good. I have the directions in this book," Giles said holding up a large black book and directed them to the center of the living room. "Make a large circle around a star with the salt and light the three candles in the center," he instructed.
Willow did as she was told, then stepped back when she finished.
"Now set the oak leaf in the flame of the blue candle. Good. And take the sand and sprinkle some in each flame."
As Willow did this, the flames lept high into the air. They glowed a frightening yellow and crackled fiercely.
"I-is it supposed to do that?" she asked.
"Yes. Now, read this. When you're done, pass it to Xander," he said handing her the book.
"Par la flamme de terre et de feuille de ciel, Nous demandons à vous à ouvrir notre oeil, Tout ce qui était et tout cela être, A une main dans la magie delt par vous," she read and then handed the book to Xander.
He read, "Une vie a été donnée, Une vie était a pris, Le ciel appelle sur nous comme il vous a fait, Répondez les besoins de chacun, Venez-nous."
Giles took the book from him and read, "Le ciel nocturne rougeoie avec la vie d'entre vous, Prêtez-nous une main quand nous sommes insuffisants, Apparaissez-nous tard dans la nuit, Rien plus ne vient quand la magie a fait, Rien plus ne peut jamais devenir."
Last of all, he handed Angel a piece of paper. "Read this."
"Né de l'obscurité, Le pain de lumière, Elle me donne la force, Elle me permet de lutter, Sans elle, le monde est un espace vide, Personne pour vous guider à travers l'espace, Un champion au coeur, Elle est tellement plus, Mais sans vous, nous échouerons, Venez-nous maintenant, Menez-nous en bas la piste juste!"
The flames doubled in size and the salt glowed red. A wave of energy knocked everyone flat on their backs, and through the blaze, an old man with long white hair in a ornate robe stepped into room. He waved his hand and the fire went out immediately. Angel, Giles, Willow, and Xander got to their feet and watched the man.
"Who hath summoned me?"
"We did, sir," Giles said and bowed slightly to the powerful sorceror.
"And what, fragile being, did you ever do that for?"
"We need your help, Latuvious," Willow said.
"Help. Help. What is wrong? Did your bride leave you?" He asked Giles, then turned to Willow. "Did your child die? What help do you need from me?"
"There's a woman, she's sick, and we need your help to defeat the one who caused it," Xander told him.
"A sick woman? It sounds more like a job for nature than more me. Let it run it's course, that's what they say now days, yes?"
"That's not the problem. It's this demon, he put her into a coma. You have to help us," Angel said.
"Have to? I have to do nothing for you. You, I can tell, are a demon. One who wears the face of a human. Vampire," he spat. "Lowly, mangy creature. Why would I help you?"
"Then don't do it for me. Do it for her." Angel stepped out of the way to reveal Buffy lying in their bed peacefully.
"She is nothing to me."
"Yes, she is. Whether you know it or not. A Slayer! She's a Slayer!"
"Slayer, hmmm? As I hear it, one dies another one is born. It should be of no heartbreak."
No heartbreak? Angel thought. This man clearly didn't have a clue. It would be the worst heartbreak of all. 'Heartbreak' didn't even cover it. There weren't words to describe how he would feel if Buffy was taken from him.
Latuvious turned to leave.
Now or never, thought Angel.
"Blane!" he called. "Blane did it! We have to stop him or he regains humanity!"
The sorcerer stopped.
"Blane?"
"Yes," Giles hurriedly put in. "He's the one who did this to her. With polak powder."
"Polak," he echoed. "I remember..."
"Yes! Yes! You remember! Please, you've got to help us," Willow pleaded.
"Fair is fair. If he regains his humanity, so be it. I gave him the chance, I will not take it away."
"Don't you know what he'll do? Enslave millions of people, take over everything he can. Do you seriously think that this has taught him anything other than time management? No! If he becomes human, it'll be the thirteen hundreds all over again! Don't you care?" Angel added and then echoed himself. "Don't you care?"
"Care? Care? How dare you question my methods. You of all people. You're nothing but a monster, evil to the core. Even the demons don't like you. Why do you care? She's a Slayer, you're a vampire."
"I love her!" Angel said. "More than anything. I'd do anything to keep her safe!"
"Love," Latuvious scoffed. "You aren't capable of such emotions."
"Yes, I am! My soul, it was restored a hundred years ago. I can love someone, and I do love her!"
"A vampire in love with a Slayer..." he said thoughtfully. "I do not believe you."
Angel gave him an exasperated look. "How can I prove it to you? Tell me, and I will."
"Come forth."
Angel took a step and Willow put her hand on his arm, silently asking if it was okay. He nodded and proceded to come before Latuvious.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Nothing. I'm going to access your memories."
The old sorcerer placed a hand on Angel's forehead and closed his eyes. Images and emotions swirled through his mind. Him telling Buffy he wasn't her friend, their first kiss, the first time she tried to kill him, how he felt when she died, how he felt when Xander managed to bring her back, how it felt to watch her dance with another man. Buffy telling him she didn't even notice his vampire face before she kissed him. Buffy taking care of him, the two kissing in a graveyard, the Claddagh ring, the first time he told her he loved her, the first time they slept together. When she killed him, when he came back, waking up with her in his arms, her mother telling him to leave, the Prom. Him leaving, him coming back, them fighting, them kissing. Him getting his soul bound. Them slaying Matratzas, Malibu beach, her moving in, and lastly, her falling ill.
Latuvious removed his hand.
"Don't you see?" Angel cried. "See how much I need her?"
"I see. And I am sorry. You are pure and good. I will help you."
"Thank you," Angel said softly. "Thank you."
To Be Continued...
A/N: So there it is. The long-awaited chapter two. Sorry it took so long. I was sick, then had major writers block for two weeks straight!!! Review and let me know what you think. Hopefully, chapter three will get up quicker. If you really want to know what the spell says, but it in a French to English translator.