Faith the Vampire Slayer:
The Master
4. The Anointed One
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
"I." Slash. "Am." Stomp. "So." Crunch. "Done." Smash. "With." Thwack. "Bugs!" Splatter!
Faith had to agree with Xander on that one. The baby demon mantises were swarming the biology classroom. Giles, Willow, and the new teacher stood protecting Amy so she could keep up the lure spell they'd modified for the mantises. They couldn't risk any of them getting away. Nearly two hundred of the six inch long white-green mantises had hatched in the school. Finally, the tide of insects slowed. Soon all that remained of the mantis threat was sticky goo mixed with carapace chunks.
"I am not cleaning that up," Amy panted.
The group broke down laughing.
When they finally stopped Mr. Verona asked, "Is there anything I can do to thank you all?"
"Not at all," Giles patted the chubby man on the arm.
"Actually," Xander piped up, "I wouldn't mind not having to do the midterm."
"Xander!" Willow gasped.
"Done! Done with bugs! Do you hear?!" the teen shot back. "Bring on the vampires, bring on the demons. I am done with bugs!"
"Xan, Ms. French wanted to mate with you and then eat you. Vampires and demons just want to eat you," Faith smirked.
"I do not find that comforting!" Xander shouted.
"Breathe," Willow rubbed his back.
"Breathe," he repeated. He took a deep breath and turned to the teacher, "Look Doc, I'm not asking for an A or anything. Something in the C range would be great. I think I can scrape enough mantis goo off my boots to warrant that at least."
Giles gave a small groan and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Later that night, Faith dodged a wild haymaker thrown by a newly risen vamp. She grabbed the vampire's arm and brought his elbow back against her forearm. Her efforts were rewarded with the slick pop of a dislocated joint. The vampire howled in pain. Faith capitalized on his distraction and stepped behind him, planting a boot on the back of his knee. As he went down she wrapped her arm around his head and, with his chin resting in the crook of her elbow, Faith wrenched his head backward. The sound his neck made as she broke it reminded her of wet celery snapping. Faith plunged her stake into his heart, "Another one bites the dust. Another one gone, another one gone. Another one bites the dust. Hey, I'm gonna get you too."
Giles stepped out from behind a crypt. Faith pulled her earbuds out as he was speaking, "…technique is improving. Prioritizing, sub-par. The execution was adequate, if a little gruesome."
"Don't grade my workout," Faith said with a frowned.
"W, workout?" the watcher echoed.
"Yeah, I can toss you and Xan around all day. If I wanna get my sweat on I need a more durable dance partner." At his disgruntled look, she added, "I need you to teach me the moves. I need the newbie vamps to practice on. If I gave you or Xander everything I've got, you'd spend the rest of your life drinking your meals through a straw."
"I see your point," Giles conceded. "However, your prioritization still needs work, even if you are using them as a sparring partner. Perhaps more so, considering."
Faith rolled her eyes, "You'll never get it, G. The idea was…" Faith stopped and bent over to examine the spot where her vampire had disintegrated. "What's this?"
Giles knelt, and lifted the object with his pen.
"Usually they don't leave, uh, stuff," Faith looked at the ring.
"I thought this was just a random vampire, but it may be something else," Giles murmured distractedly.
"The Order again, or something big?" the slayer asked.
"Not sure, I'll need to consult my books," the watcher replied.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
The next day found Giles flipping through his tomes. "You were right," He said to Faith, who looked up from her own book. The slayer was finishing her math homework. "The Order of Aurelius' mark is on the inside," he paused to show her the crude carving of a sun and three stars. "The symbol on the ring is, is the rune for fidelity. It is usual worn by neophytes."
"Neophytes?"
"New converts to the Order," the librarian clarified.
Before Giles could continue the double doors swung open. A tall boy with soft, dark eyes and a cleft chin walked in. His hair was short with frosted tips and he wore a charcoal gray t-shirt under a loose, v-necked, black sweater. The look confused Faith. He was built like an athlete – most likely basketball – but he dressed like a drama geek.
"Can I help you?" Giles asked, setting the tome on the table. It had been weeks since anyone other than Faith and her friends had come into the library.
"I lost my Emily. Dickinson. It's dumb, but I like her around," the boy half babbled. "Kind of a security blanket."
"Poetry is through the doors on the right," Faith pointed over her shoulder.
The boy nodded and headed into the stacks.
Giles pouted, "You didn't have to steal my thunder."
"Your thunder?" Faith asked amused. "He was asking for a book."
"Yes, exactly," Giles continued to pout.
"This is a school library. Students check out books," Faith said as she shrugged.
"I was beginning to suspect that was a myth," the librarian muttered.
The boy returned with his book, "I didn't think I'd find you here."
"Oh?" Faith barely glanced up at him. "Why not?"
"I, I didn't mean... I mean... I think you can read," he tripped over his own tongue. The teen hovered at the edge of the table like he wanted to sit down.
Faith grimaced, it was a cute act on some guys but stuttering nerd did not look good on this one. "Good…"
He rambled on, "But you don't seem book-wormy. The type of person to lock themselves in a dark room with a lotta musty old books."
Faith's grimace became a frown. Xander was dorky as well but it felt more natural on him. On this guy, it seemed more affected; like he was imitating a cross between Xander and Willow.
"Oh, and I've offended you," he stopped rambling.
"Plenty of light in here," she pointed at the skylight. "Though I am a little surprised you gave any thought to what I'm like."
"You shouldn't be," he replied warmly. "What's this?" he leaned over to read the thick book's spine.
"Homework," Faith said dryly.
Giles picked the book up, "This one is reference only." He took the teen's poetry book to the checkout station. "Emily Dickinson," the librarian sighed. "She's quite a good poet, I mean for a..."
"Girl?" Faith piped up.
"For an American," Giles grinned at her. He scanned the book.
"I'll, uh, see you in math," the boy called to Faith as he left. "If I open my eyes at some point."
"He seemed nice," Giles said as he made his way back to the study table.
"I have no idea who he is," Faith replied.
Giles returned to his book.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
"Owen Thurman," Willow supplied when Faith pointed the boy out in the cafeteria. "He hardly talks to anyone. He's solitary, mysterious... He can brood for forty minutes straight, I've clocked him."
"Feels fake," Faith told her.
"What did you guys have to talk about?" Willow pressed.
"I told him where the poetry section is. He's into Emily Dickinson," the slayer shrugged.
"He's sensitive, yet manly!" at Faith's confused look she asked, "You've never read her?"
Faith shook her head as they sat down with Xander and Amy.
"Has anybody given any thought to what this green stuff is?" Xander asked.
"I'm avoiding the subject," Amy poked it with her spork.
"The Soylent Green?" Faith asked. "It's people."
Amy let her plastic utensil drop, "Maybe I'll start bringing my own lunches too."
"It's kale," Willow patted her arm.
"How'd the sla… Ow!" Xander rubbed his shin where the slayer had kicked it. "How'd work go last night?"
"Fine, the Order is recruiting. Maybe something up," Faith stole a bite of the boy's kale. "Tastes like Brussel sprouts and asparagus had a baby."
"They should have sautéed it with butter and garlic," Willow commented.
"Nah covers up the flavor. It's pretty mild as is," Faith told her. Amy scooped her portion onto the lid of the slayer's sandwich Tupperware. "At least compared to mustard greens."
"Hey," Owen had come over to their table, Cordelia trailing behind him. "A bunch of us are loitering at the Bronze tonight. You there?"
"Yeah, I'll be there from four 'til nine picking up after you lot and complaining about how high school kids never tip with my coworkers," Faith grinned at how uncomfortable he looked all of a sudden.
"I'll go with you," Cordelia offered.
"Yes go, take Cordelia, go far away and take Cordelia with you," Faith turned back to her lunch.
"You don't have to be a bitch about it," the cheerleader snapped.
"No, I don't, but think about this: You're a bitch – let me finish," she said over the top of Cordelia's rebuttal. "No, you are queen bitch in charge. You don't have to be. You want to. You choose to. You're vice-captain of the cheerleads in your sophomore year, top of the social ladder. You've got seniors chomping at the bit to get into your panties. You work hard to be a bitch, the bitch," Faith smiled. "It's the same way for me: I don't have to be a bitch, I choose to be a bitch. But so we're clear, I'm not after your QBC throne. I'm an outsider rebel bitch."
Cordelia gaped for a second before gathering her wits and stomping off.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
"It's not a big deal," the slayer muttered as she dumped her trash.
"It's a very big deal!" Willow insisted.
"It's not!" Faith said sing-song. As the approached the library Giles joined the group.
"It is," the red head argued. She gestured to the older man, "Tell her!"
"I'm afraid it's very big," the Watcher said gravely.
Willow smiled at Faith "Thank you!" She turned back to Giles, "Wait, what?" the teens followed him into the library. "What are you talking about?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Boys!" the teens chorused. Willow added, "I still can't believe you blew him off like that."
"Yes, well, I'm talking about trouble. A violent and disturbing prophecy is about to be fulfilled," Giles said sternly.
"The Order of Aurelius," Faith asked, happy for a change in subject.
"I've looked at the writings of Aurelius himself, and he, he prophesied that the brethren of his order would come to the Master and bring him the Anointed," the Watcher told them.
"Who's that?" Willow asked.
"Well, I-I don't know exactly, a-a-a-a warrior, but, but it says he will rise from the ashes of the five on the evening of the thousandth day after the Advent of Septus."
"Well, we'll be ready whenever it is," Xander declared.
"Which is tonight," Giles said.
"Tonight, okay," Faith nodded. "Pick me up after work."
"Faith, I think this is a little more important than …"
She cut him off, saying, "I want, no, I need my own money. You can't buy everything for me."
"This is no ordinary vampire," he tried.
"Vibrator ," Faith crossed her arms.
"What?" Giles gaped at her.
"You heard me. Pick me up at nine or you get to make that purchase," Faith used her trump card. Beside her, Willow had turned bright red. Amy looked bemused and Xander looked as shocked as Giles.
"But we have to stop him before he reaches the Master," the Watcher pleaded. "The dark forces are aligning against us, and we have a chance to beat them back. Tonight we go into battle!"
"After work," the slayer put her foot down, "Unless…"
"Ni-nine will suffice."
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Xander had priced everything in advance. A large chicken parmesan pizza and two sodas at Napoli were twenty-five bucks and two tickets to the movies was as near as makes no difference another twenty. That would leave him fifteen dollars for snacks and popcorn.
He arrived at Willow's house promptly at seven. Willow answered the door. Xander immediately felt underdressed in his second-hand button up and slacks. She was wearing a red satin top and a knee length black skirt.
"Wow, Willow," Xander gasped. "You look, you look great."
"You clean up pretty respectably yourself," she shut the door behind her. "I've always liked that shirt. So, where to first?"
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Faith was not having a good day at work.
"Oops," Barbie doll said as she spilled her third soda. "Oh, busboy! Er, girl?"
Owen had shown up with Cordelia and the Cordettes. "Sorry," he apologized as Faith came over once again. "Knock it off, Harmony."
"It's fine," Faith said, "Getcha 'nother diet coke, Barbie?"
"Please, and less ice this time," the blonde smiled at her.
Faith mopped up the spill with a rag and went to the bar. "Refill for table eight."
"Diet right?" Tony asked.
"Nah, regular with a Sweet'N Low dumped in," the teen replied acerbically.
"Faith," the foppish bartender chided her laughingly.
"You pour 'em, I just do deliveries," she grinned.
"Thanks for covering for Lynette, by the way," Tony grinned back. "Tell you what, if you can keep from pissing off the blonde I'll split the tips with you."
"Oh, it ain't Barbie I've got issues with. It's the drama geek," she sighed. "He's got a thing for me, but I think he's so phony. Like, he acts like a dork around me, but he has this rep as mysterious." Before Tony could reply Faith felt the tingle of vampires in the back of her neck. "I'll drop this off then I gotta play bouncer."
He nodded. He didn't know why or how – truthfully he didn't care to – but he was grateful that the teen could take care of the fanged set. Tony smiled, "Go get 'em, tiger."
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Giles sat on the headstone next to Amy as the young witch practiced launching stakes with her magic. "Where did you learn, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Self-taught. Grandma left mom the house. It was full of weird books, dried herbs and the like. Mom got rid of most of it, but what she kept went into the attic. I'd sneak up there and read by candle light. Did my first real spell when I was eleven," Amy smiled as the stake hit the center of her makeshift target.
"It's very dangerous you know," his tone was serious.
"I can handle it," she brought the stakes back in a neat little line. "I never summon things; that was the first rule in grandma's grimoire. The second was to never make promises. Ever."
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
The atmosphere at Napoli was warm and inviting. Everyone was friendly. The food was excellent, even the soda was phenomenal. From their booth, they could see into the open kitchen. The pair enjoyed watching the pizza dough being toss in the air.
After their food arrived the two sat in silence. Until Xander noticed that Willow was fidgeting with her straw wrapper.
Quick brain, think of something to say! He thought. That's not working. Okay, mouth, just say something. Anything! "If you could live forever as a soda can, what flavor would you be?" I am dumb. Stupid question!
Willow stared at him blankly for a moment, "Diet Sunkist. You?"
"I'd like to think I'd be Dr. Pepper, but I'd probably end up as Mr. Pibb" They fell back into silence. "The pizza is really good," Xander tried again.
"Mm-hm, I love that they brush the crust with garlic butter," Willow agreed.
"Me too." They fell back into silence.
"So, the weather should be nice this weekend," Willow said after awhile.
"Yeah, I have to mow the lawn on Saturday," Xander griped. "What are your plans?"
"Amy's going to teach me how to make a scapular of protection," Willow smiled brightly.
"That's cool. Are shoulder blades generally better for protection than other bones?" the boy asked, hoping that this topic would last.
"Scapular, not Scapula," Willow giggled, "It's like a tiny bag. They're usually made out of wool. It's very low-key magic. But it could help us when things get… buggy."
Xander scrunched his nose at her. He was still a little sensitive about the topic of bugs. "So," he said.
"So," she repeated. Willow brightened, "Sew. As in sewing. Most of the work will just be sewing, not magic."
"Still, they sound useful," Xander encouraged.
"Yeah." They fell back into silence. "So, how's your training with Giles going?"
"Good," the teen nodded. "He has me jogging every morning and strength training three times a week. It's exhausting, but it should pay off in the long run."
"That's good," she hesitated, then lapsed into a proper silence.
The bell over the door chimed as it swung open. There was a moment before he saw who it was that Xander wished for a vampire. Alas, it was only Larry Blaisdell and his family. They sat on the opposite side of the restaurant.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Faith grinned as she tossed the gangly, wet dog and patchouli smelling vampire into the dumpster out back. He came back at her with his game face on. As he lunged at her, Faith shoulder rolled to the side and came to her feet behind him. The vampire rolled onto his back and attempted to kip-up. A black work boot met his face at the half way point. He slammed back onto the pavement with a groan. Faith slammed a stake into his chest.
The slayer stood and dusted herself off. She spotted Owen, Cordelia and the Cordettes crowded into the doorway. "Just takin' out the trash, girls, nothin' to see here," she smiled as she brushed passed them. "You need another refill, Barbie?"
The blonde shook her head mutely.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
"Goths," Amy sighed. "They're in my English class, so unless they got turned in the last six hours, not vampires."
"Damn," Giles spat. He leaned back against the headstone.
The trio of students sat at the foot of a grave. One of them laid out an Ouija board while the other two lit candles.
"They are not…" Giles started over to them.
"How cliché," Amy followed him.
"Do we call the corners?" the boy asked
"No, you just move the pointer in a figure-eight," she replied.
"You are not seriously…" Giles broke off mid-sentence as the two girls screamed. He looked over his shoulder to check for vampires. There were none.
Amy laughed. "Oh, my god. Tweed, you scared the crap out of them. That's hysterical."
"Hey, shut up!" the taller girl snapped.
"You cannot do spirit calling in a graveyard!" Giles snapped.
The boy tisked, "Not like it will work, Steph got the board at Toys R Us."
"It wouldn't matter if she wrote it out on a bloody napkin! The power is not in the board. It comes from the users," Giles lectured.
"Do you guys even know the rules?" Amy asked.
"Sure," the second girl began ticking them off on her fingers, "You never play alone. Never use the ouija board in your home. Always be serious. And always say goodbye at the end of each session."
"Never play in a graveyard. Balance the board upon your knees if possible, preferably between two people of opposite gender. Be specific about who you wish to communicate with. Be cordial to your spirit guests, although it is acceptable to ask them to leave if they are rude. Do not confuse the spirit with questions from too many people; assign one person in the room to ask questions. Do not allow the spirit to control the session. Do not accept all communications as fact, spirits and demons lie just as the living do," the watcher warned. "Everyone present must touch the planchette. And it's a good idea to use a protective circle around the group."
"Planchette?" the three teens asked.
"The pointer," Amy offered. "If you can get a hold of a real silver coin it helps ward off evil spirits if you put it on the center of the board.
"Wow," the boy said. "You two sure know a lot about this."
Amy shrugged, "My grandma was a witch. Tweed here is a librarian so he just knows a lot about a lot."
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Xander was happy that dinner was over. It was time for the movie. A movie meant no talking; so there would be no awkward conversations and no awkward lack of conversations. Xander waited while Willow chose the movie. There was no wrong answer here, as far as he was concerned. No big epics, but also no weepy dramas.
"I don't know that any of these are worth seeing in the theater," Willow pursed her lips. "A kids' movie, a rom-com, a cheap jump scare movie, a parody movie and a sci-fi flick that promises to be pretentious and heavy handed. None of them are epic."
"They're showing Pygmalion at the community theater," a college-age girl offered.
"Ooh!" Willow squeaked. She turned to Xander, "Can we?"
"Yeah, of course," he smiled. "It's about the same as a movie ticket right?" he asked the helpful girl.
"No, they're about twenty each," she replied. "I saw Caesar and Cleopatra there last month it was incredible."
Xander blanched. Willow grabbed his arm and dragged him away from the college girl. "It's okay, we can watch the rom-com, I guess."
"I'm five short if we don't need snacks or drinks," Xander offered.
"I didn't bring any," Willow dropped her eyes.
"Maybe, we'll do it next time," he reassured her. "Two for…"
"The double feature?" the girl behind the glass asked. "It's a promotion for the new Godzilla flick. You get to see that one and Final Wars, I think. Starts in ten, so you'll have to be quick at the concession stand."
Xander looked at Willow. The red head had a bright smile on her face. "Yeah," Xander grinned as well. The double feature tickets cut into the snack budget, but it was worth it.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Faith exited the Bronze at nine oh five. Giles and Amy were waiting for her in the Citroen. "So, any news on the anointed front?"
"Nah," Amy yawned. "We did break up a séance."
"It was three teens with an Ouija board," Giles complained. "That hardly counts." He drove back to the graveyard. He and Amy set up in their same spot as Faith roamed around. After a few hours, Giles said, "Perhaps I miscalculated."
"Yep," Amy smiled at him. "Good to know you can admit when you're wrong."
"Well, you know what they say. Ninety percent of the vampire slaying game is, is waiting," he defended.
"Or you could just check for fresh graves," Faith came up behind them.
The pair jumped. "Don't do that," Amy gasped.
"Well, we, we've certainly been here long enough," Giles groused.
"You're just mad 'cuz you didn't think to check for fresh graves," Faith grinned.
"I was sure it was tonight," the watcher sighed.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Xander walked Willow home after the movies. They talked about how cool Godzilla looked in the new one and how awesome he was in Final Wars. The boy was glad the awkwardness was over. The pair arrived at Willow's doorstep. Xander leaned in for the kiss. Their lips connected. Both teens burst out laughing. Willow gave an adorable little snort.
"Sorry," Xander apologized.
"It's okay," Willow grinned at him. "I feel the same way."
"A bit like kissing your sister?" he asked.
Willow nodded, "Exactly."
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
"It wasn't bad," Willow explained to the other girls the next day. Willow and Amy swapped books out of their lockers; Faith carried all of hers in her bag. "He was a perfect date. Kind, considerate, well mannered; Like the Stepford version of Xander. He even kissed me goodnight. It was…"
"Sparkless?" Amy offered.
Willow nodded, "I know he's cute, and charming in a dorky way – I even like a bit of dorky in my guy – but he's just so … Xander."
"Hey," Owen called out as he approached the group. "The way you handled that guy last night was awesome!"
"No sweat," Faith grinned at him. "Most guys are easy."
"How 'bout we go on a date tonight?" Owen asked. "If you're free?"
"Can't," Faith shrugged, "Got work."
"Tomorrow?"
"Study group," the slayer lied. "Besides, you and Cordelia were all over each other last night."
"I danced with her a couple of times," he said defensively. "She's kinda grabby."
"I can get pretty handsy myself," Faith pointed out.
"I'm free all week," he offered.
"Look," Faith turned toward him. "I tried letting you down easy, but I'm just not into you." Before he could say anything else, she turned and walked away. A few minutes later, Faith barged into the library. "How's it going," she asked as she sat across from Giles at the study table.
"Uh, alright," he rubbed the back of his neck. "Slowly. Prophecy is obscure and there are a few interpretations."
"So tonight's looking slow, right?" the slayer grinned.
He nodded.
"Good, I'm shadowing Paul tonight," She bounced out of the library with a smile on her face.
"She is the strangest girl."
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
"Faith?" Giles called up the stairs.
"Finished my homework!" the slayer called down.
"We need to talk," the watcher continued, "My calculations may not have been as far off as I thought.
"What? No! Bouncer training!" Faith whined as she stomped down the stairs.
He held up a newspaper.
"Five Die in Van Accident," she read the headline.
"Out of the ashes of five shall rise the one," the watcher recited.
"In a car crash," Faith pointed out. "Hardly a prophecy type death."
"I know it doesn't quite follow, but, but it's worth investigating. Look! Among the dead was Andrew Borba, whom the police sought for questioning in a double murder. Now, he may be the Anointed One. The, the bodies have been taken to, to Sunnydale Funeral Home, w-we can…" Giles said in a rush.
"If we hurry, I don't want to be late for work," Faith grabbed her jacket. "Shift starts at seven."
Giles opened the door to find Xander poised to ring the bell. Willow stood next to him with a casserole and Amy behind them with a potted plant.
"Is something going on?" Willow asked.
"Oh, uh, probably not. I, uh, I, we were just, uh, going to the funeral home in case, just see if anything comes up."
"We could pop the casserole in the fridge and come with," Willow suggested.
"Sure," Faith nodded. "The more the merrier."
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
As Giles got out of the Citroen he slung a bag over his shoulder. Faith pulled out a stake and pulled Willow behind her. The group went on alert, peering into the darkness for vampires. A dark figure stood between them and the funeral home.
"There's another one behind us," Faith whispered.
Giles spun bringing his crossbow to bear. "Damn!" he growled as the undead form ducked into the bushes.
Faith ran straight into the other vampire, tackling him to the ground. Gripping his shirt collar tightly the slayer unleashed a vicious salvo of blows on his skull. When he went limp she pushed her stake into his heart. Faith stood and headed over to Giles.
With a cross in one hand and a stake in the other Xander led Amy and Willow to the door. The witch tried the door and, finding it locked whispered, "Recludo! Abrir cerradura! Nihil obsaepiunt iter!" The lock popped. A bit of steam wafted off the frame. She pushed the door open.
"Wicked," Xander complimented her as the trio scooted inside. "Should we wait or start searching?"
"We wait," Willow answered. "Saves them having to look for us."
"Besides this place isn't that big; It won't take long," Amy added.
Giles reloaded his crossbow as Faith arrived to cover him. "I can't see well enough to hit him in the bushes," the watcher grumbled.
"I can," Faith took the crossbow. She rested the stock against her shoulder. She exhaled slowly as she squeezed the trigger. A soft thrum from the bow string was followed by a grunt and a shower of ash on the ground. "Let's go."
Inside and regrouped they found the door to the morgue unlocked. Faith started pulling the body drawers open. "Ewww, parts!"
"Keep looking, he must be here somewhere," Giles joined her.
The others did the same. Most of the draws were empty. Soon they had checked them all.
"Nothing," Xander sighed.
"The Anointed must be gone," Giles frowned.
"I guess. I mean, this is where they keep all the dead bodies, right?" Amy asked.
"Mm-hmm," Willow nodded. "But we could check the computer to see if anyone was cremated today."
"Yeah, maybe this Borba guy is already ashes!" Xander piped up.
Faith and Giles shared a meaningful look, "Out of the ashes of five shall rise the one."
The search for the office was frantic but short; Willow found it, "Over here, guys."
Faith broke the lock. When she opened the door the back of her neck tingled, "More of them."
Inside the office were a desk, computer and large heavy curtain. Faith ripped the curtain down. Behind the window it revealed was a body covered with a sheet. The body's hand moved, just a twitch, easily a trick of the eye. Again the hand moved. Then the hand reached up and pulled the sheet off.
Andrew Borba sat up and stared at them. His eyes were yellow and feral. His face was warped into a vampiric scowl. His teeth were all pointy and bared. He stood up, examined himself. He was broad with reaper and an angel tattooed on his chest. He flexed his hands. "I have been judged!" he shouted. Borba approached the window. Faith backed away, content to let the Anointed one come to her. He slammed his forehead into the glass, shattering it. "He is risen in me! He fills my head with song!" the madman laughed. He rested a hand on the frame and swung a leg over, unmindful of the broken glass.
Faith stepped forward and booted him in the gut. As he fell back Borba grabbed her foot. Faith hissed in pain as her back was dragged over the jagged glass. When she landed on top of him, he bellowed, "Pork and beans. Pork and beans!" The pair exchanged hard blows. Faith struck him in the nose. Borba's fist caught her in the temple. Her world went red. Then black.
Giles watched in horror as his slayer fell. The beast rose and stalked forward once more. "I can smell you," it called to them.
The watcher turned to the children, "Run!" He couldn't follow them, he had to hold this monster off.
"You're the chaff, unblessed. I'll suck the blood from your hearts, he says I may!" It spewed its insanity as it came ever closer. "Shall we gather at the river? The beautiful, the beautiful river?"
Giles fired his crossbow. The bolt went in too high. The monster chuckled at him as he frantically reloaded, and backed away. It pulled the bolt out. Giles backed into the cremation room. He fired again. This time his aim was true. The vampire caught the bolt and snapped it.
"Gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God," it sang. "They told me about you while I was sleeping."
Giles dropped the crossbow and held up a cross.
"Uh! Why does he hurt me?" it hissed and slapped Giles' hand away. The cross went flying.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
Xander found the singing at once useful and creepy as hell. He could tell that Giles was luring the vampire away from them. He led the girls to the door, only to find more vampires blocked the way. Willow screamed. Xander pulled her behind him. Amy grabbed her hand. The vampires shut the metal gate.
"That's weird," Amy said, pulling Willow back down the hall.
"Yeah," Xander agreed backing up slowly, never taking his eyes off the undead menace trapping them.
Another line of the song sent them skittering back into the morgue.
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
The vampire grabbed Giles and hurled him into the crematory controls. The fires in the open chamber ignited. The watcher slid down the wall, unconscious. Borba bent down to pick him up. He lifted the watcher above his head.
The impact was loud when Faith slammed a steel tray into the vampire's back. His knees buckled and he let go of Giles. Borba turned, grab Faith by the neck and growled as he moved in to bite. Giles staggered to his feet. Seeing his slayer alive, but in grave danger, he grabbed an urn from a rack and smashed it over the monster's head. The beast fell to the floor.
Giles ran to Faith's side. "Are you alright?"
The slayer didn't respond. She leaped at Borba as he rose once more. She struck blow after blow with such speed and ferocity that Giles very nearly thought her possessed. Borba grabbed the slayer by the hair. He flung her onto the gurney.
Borba lunged at her. Faith grabbed his shoulders and put a boot in his gut. The slayer used his momentum to launch him over the top of her. He flew into the open chamber.
Giles kicked the gurney away and slammed the crematory door shut. Borba's face appeared a moment later as he began to scream. Giles watched him burn through the small window. When he was satisfied he turned to Faith.
She was seated on the gurney gripping the side of her head. "Well, At least we stopped that prophecy thing from coming true."
"Handily. No more Anointed One. And I would imagine the Master, wherever he is, is having a fairly bad day himself," Giles agreed. "I think you may have to call in tonight."
She glared at him.
"Let me look at it," he huffed. "You were knocked out."
{FtVS}{FtVS}{FtVS}
"You're late, Lehane," Paul chided when Faith arrived. He looked up, "Christ, what happened to your face?"
"Roadhouse," the slayer replied.
"Whatever, Dalton," the Doorman rolled his eyes. "Let's get started."