Chapter 1

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Buffy and the others couldn't believe it. Giles, who had been a friend, mentor, or enemy to everyone in this room, was still alive. Or more accuruately, someone was impersonating him. It did make sense, on some level, that if there was really one great evil, the master of all evil, that there would be one great good, and that was what they were speaking to now.

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Buffy: So you're really the Fist Good?

Giles: I am.

Buffy: And the First Evil is your, brother?

Giles: Or sister, we don't really refer to ourselves in binary terms where gender is concerned.

Xander: So, which of you is older?

Giles: We are both older than either of you can imagine, we came into existence at the exact same moment. It might be easier for you to think of us as the Force. I am the light side, they are the dark side.

Xander: Got it.

Buffy: You said that one of you has been manipulating events, explain.

Giles: Of course. In the eight years before your wish changed everything, there was much fighting, much destruction for both good and evil. Both sides lost many. My sibling manipulated D'Hoffryn, and others. They needed a mortal to make the wish, to change the past. And there were those on my side who wanted to change it.

Buffy: Why would both sides want to change the past?

Giles: We were both arrogant enough to believe we could manipulate events to benefit our own side. You might have noticed that many warriors, good and evil, have survived when they otherwise perished. This is not a coincidence, it was behind the scenes intervention by both sides. And soon, there will be a great battle, a final battle.

Willow: How soon?

Giles: Today is May 24th 2005. The battle will occur on June 6th 2006, a little over a year from today.

Xander: June 6th 2006? As in, the 6th day, of the 6th month, of the 6th year? 666?

Giles: Yes. My sibling has used this date to rally certain groups. Those who serve evil, and those who deluded themselves into thinking that their God wishes them to destroy this sinful world. You will likely all need to work together if you are to defeat them. Those who believe in doing good for good's sake, and those who might do evil, but don't want the world to be destroyed.

Xander: So basically it will be a coalition of good and evil, fighting against a coalition of good and evil.

Giles: That's one way of looking at it. It will be a war between those who want to save the world, and those who want to destroy it. You have fought many groups and individuals dedicated to the destruction of all life. But the nature of evil often prevented them from working together. My sibling has learned from their mistakes, and now, many will come to work with the Master. The Sisterhood of Jhe, Vahrall demons, Lubber demons, Caleb, the Scourge.

Buffy: All because I made the wish.

Giles: This has been a long time coming. If not you, D'Hoffryn and the others would have found a different way.

D'Hoffryn: He's right, I did have other candidates for a wish of this magnitude.

Giles: Neither side has gotten everything that they wanted, although if the world is destroyed my sibling does win. In which case we will have to rebuild. We have long had an, understanding. From the moment life was created every living being has had some good and some evil inside of them. A little of me and a little of my sibling. Our agreement states that every soul, will eventually earn their spot in Paradise, what you might call Heaven. It might take thousands or even millions of lifetimes, but it will happen.

Willow: How exactly did you make it official?

Giles: That would be difficult to explain. My sibling would prefer you all suffer. If the universe is destroyed, you will have to start over.

Xander: So we'd have new lives?

Giles: Yes, if you don't mind losing everyone and everything you know.

Xander: Not ready for that yet.

Giles: I thought as much.

Buffy: So how do we stop them?

Giles: The slayer must fight the Master on the appointed day. I recommend you also obtain the Chalice of Life.

Buffy: What's that?

Jenny: I've heard of it. According to legend it has the power to save the universe, or destroy it. I've always wondered if it was real, I have no idea where it is.

D'Hoffryn: I have one of the pieces.

Buffy: One of?

D'Hoffryn: It was feared that such power was too dangerous for any one being to possess, so it was broken up into many pieces. It must be reassembled to be effective. It took me a long time to obtain one piece, I don't know where the others are.

Wesley: I believe the Watcher's Council might have one or two pieces, or at least clues as to where they are located.

Faith: The president has a lot of powerful and mystical artifacts. If he doesn't have any of this, I'm sure he can find a few pieces of this Chalice of Life. Do I need it to defeat the Master?

Giles: It is possible to defeat him without it, but I recommend it as a fail safe.

Faith: What does that mean?

Giles: I can't be more specific. There are rules, about how much my sibling and I can and cannot interfere.

Buffy: Really? Because I seem to remember your sibling interfering a lot and you apparently just sat back and watched.

Giles: What makes you think I wasn't interfering? Perhaps I was covertly inspiring others.

Xander: Maybe, or maybe you just amuse yourselves playing with us merely mortals.

Giles: In any event, I wish you all the best in finding the Chalice of Life, and the Sword of Veracity.

Buffy: Another mystical object I've never heard of.

Giles: Actually, you've held this sword in your hand.

Buffy: Really, is it a literal sword?

Giles: Yes. You remember Acathla?

Angel: He was the demon I tried to awaken when I was Angelus, the one who tried to suck the world into Hell.

Giles: Until a virtuous knight pierced him with a sword. This knight blessed another sword, the Sword of Veracity.

Buffy: The one I used to send Angel to Hell?

Giles: Yes. This knight was a member of the Knights of Byzantium, they probably have this sword. I realize you don't have good relations with them, now might be the time to mend fences.

Buffy: You're right, I barely beat the Master, once. If you're going to beat him Faith, that sword could probably help.

Faith: I'm not too proud to use a weapon.

Giles: Good. I suggest you get started.

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The First Good then dissapeared. This coalition knew they would have a lot of work to do if they were to stop the Master and his coalition from destroying all life. But first, they had to say goodbye to a friend.

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Wesley called Quentin Travers. Wesley was no longer a watcher, but he still maintained contact, acted as an informant and shared information. Quentin's sources had informed him that something was coming, they just didn't know what. Wesley's story did seem to make sense. Everything was falling into place, he rather wished they weren't. The Watcher's Council had a few pieces of the Chalice, and they had some leads on the others. Quentin was saddened to hear of Rupert Giles' death. They had their disagreements over the years, the truth was Giles was right most of the time. Quentin vowed to honor Giles' memory by stopping the Master. That was for tomorrow. Tonight, all he could do was drink a toast to his fallen friend.

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Faith reported to president Wilkins what she had seen.

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Wilkins: It seems our alliance with Buffy Summers and her friends will last at least another year. They don't want the world destroyed anymore than we do.

Faith: Do you have any pieces of the Chalice of Life?

Wilkins: One or two. My friends in the Circle of the Black Thorn, I suspect that some of them have other pieces. Hopefully they can be persuaded to hand them over. If not, I trust you can obtain them.

Faith: You got it. It was a shame about Giles dying, he was a good guy.

Wilkins: Indeed he was. He was a worthy foe, a true hero. They say that the Master needs the blood of the slayer to free himself and destroy the world.

Faith: Yeah, why?

Wilkins: If we can't find a way to destroy him before this, perhaps you should just avoid Sunnydale.

Faith: But what if he finds a different way to destroy the world?

Wilkins: I fail to see how, we just keep the blood of the slayer away from him.

Faith: I don't want to abandon my friends.

Wilkins: Very well. I know better than to argue with you when you set your mind to something. Just promise that you'll be careful.

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Rupert Giles was buried in Sunnydale. Faith and Ethan were allowed to attend, on the condition that they didn't cause any problems. They were on their best behavior, they legitimately wanted to say goodbye to their friend. Ben came to the funeral in his hospital scrubs, he had apparently dealt with an emergency at the hospital and came to the funeral immediately. He didn't say anything, and wasn't even certain why, but a part of him was relieved that he was gone. It was a somber moment, honoring this great man. Jenny had to say goodbye to her husband. Buffy, Dawn, Xander and Willow said goodbye to a surrogate father. Some said goodbye to a friend, some to an enemy, some to a man who had been both. The funeral was held at night. Denver was the priest who performed the benediction. Being a priest in Sunnydale, this was not the first time he saw a funeral performed at night, and he and Giles had worked together in performing the occasional exorcism. They had also been friends and fellow scholars. Buffy and Xander held hands, as did Conner and Dawn, Angel and Fred. At times like this, they needed to take what comfort they could. Quentin Travers was unable to come to the funeral himself, but he had a lot of work to do in order to try and find all of the pieces of the Chalice of Life. Indeed, they would all have to do much to save the world over the next year. Willow brought her baby to this funeral. Sadly, her daughter would not have any memories of Giles, she would only hear stories. And if they failed, she wouldn't get to even understand anything about Rupert Giles. Willow might have new duties as a vengeance demon, but she was determined to protect her baby, to make sure she had a chance to grow up. And Willow gave her daughter a name, the name of the best woman she had ever known. Willow named her daughter Buffy.