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summer_of_giles2017-06-02 12:08 pm
Fic: Magister 3, Ch 12 (FRM)
Ch. 12 – Night Terrors
“What should we look for first?” Dawn asked Ethan as she picked up a book. The Sorcerer gazed at her for a long moment with deep affection, and a touch of sadness, in his eyes. “What?” she couldn’t help the urge to squirm under his intense stare.
“How did I let you do this to me? I am meant to be a drifter, a meddler, even a villain, and the thought of you getting hurt makes me ready to fight the devil himself. I was resigned and, might I add, very happy being who I was. And now, well look what you’ve done.”
“I don’t know,” the girl blushed at the sincerity in his voice. “Maybe you weren’t as happy as you thought. Maybe this is who you’re really meant to be.”
Ethan’s small smile still held some sadness she didn’t understand. “I want you to have this.” He lifted a thin chain holding a crystal pendant from his own neck and placed it gently around hers. “It’s a protection charm. It’s brought me through some… let’s say questionable situations. Now I’d feel much better knowing it was watching over you.”
Dawn lifted the crystal to look at it. It was cut into a small polished disc shape, but the closer she looked the more and more tiny crystals seemed to appear inside. They reflected the colors of the rainbow, and what seemed to be a drab, ordinary surface was revealed to be complex and beautiful. “Thank you,” she whispered, unsure what else to say.
“Ethan, you’re here,” Willow broke the mood when she hurried into the room. “Did they tell you what happened? We need to find a way to shield him from the First.”
“Yes,” he nodded, reluctantly shifting his focus to Willow. “Dawn has filled me in on Ripper’s current predicament. And I think I have a solution.”
******
Wood came through the front door so hard it sounded like he might have wrenched it from its hinges. The room full of girls jumped as one. “Where’s Buffy?” he gasped for breath. They pointed toward the kitchen.
“Did you find him?” the Slayer asked, everyone in the house now drawn to the commotion.
The man was bent over, sucking in oxygen. He nodded in an attempt to answer before he could speak. “We… we were attacked. They took him.”
“Took Giles? Against his will?” Anya raised her eyebrow in astonishment. “Did they have a tank?”
“No. They just had us outnumbered and caught in a bottleneck. And I think the First knew It had your Watcher so frightened of himself he wouldn’t fight back.”
“He let them take him?” Buffy yelled indignantly.
“Buffy, he’s confused. For all he trusted his senses, they were a bunch of you coming to greet him.” Wood’s voice softened as he tried to defend the actions he could easily understand. For those of a certain size and strength, some fear of accidently causing harm is a necessary precaution. “When we found him, he wanted us to tell him who here he’d killed.”
“You told him we were fine, right?” Dawn asked worriedly when she entered the room.
“Of course. And we told him Willow was finding a cure. But that’s when the First showed up and said It couldn’t let that happen.”
Faith crossed her arms in frustrated anger. “Just tell me you followed them.”
Wood nodded. “The vineyard. If we didn’t know what they were keeping there before, we do now.”
“That’s final,” Buffy announced. “We go in at sunset.”
“Do you think he’s all right? They won’t…” Willow asked softly.
“There was plenty of chance to take all of us out,” Wood replied. “The First want’s him alive. Not that that’s a big comfort.”
Buffy clenched her jaw, remembering how she’d found the First’s last prisoner. “Where’s Spike? We’re gonna need him.”
“He promised he’d be there when you do.”
******
“You can’t bench me!” Kennedy stepped in front of Buffy, forcing her attention.
“First, yes I can. I’m the Slayer. And second, you have three cracked ribs. It’s stupid to go into a fight wounded.”
“Has that ever stopped you?” She glanced around at the other Scoobies preparing their weapons. “Any of you?”
“That’s different!” Buffy sighed in frustration. “There was no one but us. We had no choice.”
“I won’t need protecting. I’ve been kicked harder by a horse and climbed right back on. And you need me. You and Faith are going in with the first wave. You need someone back with the reinforcements. I’ve been training these girls for weeks. I know what they can do.”
“Dr. Pryce can…”
“…Will have her hands full at the time.”
“She’s right, Buffy,” the elder Watcher commented, stuffing bandages into her medical bag. “As a leader, you can’t be preoccupied with possible casualties, but a medic’s job on a battlefield is their only concern.”
“Fine,” the Slayer surrendered. “You keep back the less experienced girls and try to help the doctor. And Kennedy… keep Dawn back with you. She’s as bull-headed as you are.”
The oldest potential nodded. “I’ll tell her I need her help calming the younger girls.”
******
Buffy, Wood, and Faith ducked back into the rows of grape vines after scouting the perimeter of the warehouse. “All right,” she said as quietly as possible while still being heard by the large group gathered around her. “Looks like there’s only a couple of guards at the front doors. But we have to expect they know we’re coming. Stick to the plan, listen to your leaders. Your job is to distract the Bringers long enough for us to grab Giles and anyone else we find. Don’t let them separate you. If you get overwhelmed, retreat to Kennedy and the reinforcements to regroup. No one expects any of you to take down a mess of dagger-wielding freaks by yourselves.”
“Any orders for me?” Spike appeared at her side, as promised.
The Slayer smiled at him, showing her slight relief. “Just follow me in and do what you do.”
With his nod, they split up and moved out.
******
Giles’ head hung in front of him as he stood, his arms outstretched and secured tightly to a thick crossbeam behind him.
“Oh, cheer up,” Buffy chirped at him. “Aren’t you people happy being the good little martyr? I thought it was everything you Watchers always wanted. Wait, that’s right… You’re happiest turning young girls into martyrs.” The First waited for a reaction, but got nothing. “Geez, even Spike was more fun.”
Giles slowly lifted his head. “Are you going to dispose of me soon? Because as far as torture sessions go, you aren’t even making my top five. I’m a bit bored.”
“There’s that spirit I was afraid we might have lost. And how many times do I have to not kill you before you get that I don’t want you dead?”
“You should,” Giles said steadily. “I swear I will be instrumental in sending you back to the pit you crawled from.”
“You and what army,” the First teased in Buffy’s most childish voice. She cocked her head. “Oh, that one. Took ‘em long enough to come after you.”
“No,” Giles shook his head. “I trained Buffy better than that. They know better than to risk themselves coming here for me.”
“Ya’ think?”
“Whatever it is you’re trying to trick me into, it won’t work!”
The First laughed and vanished just as the doors across the length of the large warehouse burst open.
******
Buffy scanned the huge open space with an expert eye. She could see Giles bound up on a raised deck all the way on the far side, hung out as bait. There were scattered groups of Bringers between them, and more coming from hidden places to fill the warehouse. She heard the loud crack of a side entrance being breached by Faith’s team, and ordered her own forward.
The fight was chaotic, with both enemies and friends in constant motion all around. But, to a slayer, each encounter didn’t seem like much. The Bringers were attacking one by one and being defeated systematically. Yet there was always another to take his place. It all gave the effect of winning while, in reality, they were merely inching toward their prize.
Faith’s team wasn’t doing much better. Their opponents were fighting as a swarm and not a unit. Like hornets, easily dealt with one by one, but everywhere and coming from all directions. No one noticed when Ethan ducked behind a row of casks.
“It’s time,” Diedre appeared beside him, making him jump. “You are ready.”
“Yes,” Ethan hissed. “I mean, I know the spell. But the ingredients are so difficult…”
“Leave that to me. Just get yourself into position.”
“You’re making a mistake,” he looking seriously into the First’s eyes. “Ripper might come in his extremes, but he is always Ripper.”
“I’ll take my chances. What do you care, Sorcerer? You’re about to get all you ever wanted.”
“Just a friendly warning,” Ethan quipped.
Diedre’s eyes grew dark. “Just move, slave. And do as you’re told.”
The First disappeared and Ethan made his way to a hidden corner behind Giles. Bringers, eerily still and quiet, stepped aside to let him pass. Alone, in relative peace, he cleared his mind and focused his magicks.
“I call on the elements, darkness and dread. On the gods of pestilence, hunger, and pain. I call on the constants of rot and decay. Hear me. Hear me. Come to my aid…”
***
“Buffy!” Dawn rushed into the chaos of the warehouse. “They attacked from behind. Scattered us. The girls ran.”
“Stay with Xander,” her sister ordered. “We get Giles, then find everyone else.”
Dawn let out a blood-curdling scream as several Bringers converged on her.
The tide suddenly turned against them and a loud roar echoed through the building. Giles couldn’t watch everyone he loved attacked in front of him anymore. He strained and lunged forward in anger. An ear-splitting crack sounded when the beam holding him let go from its heavy fixtures. He swung it side to side, knocking eyeless priests down in great swaths.
Glaring at the ropes that bound him, he called out, “Exsolvo!”
The beam dropped from his back with a resounding thud and he waded forward into the large force rushing to stop him.
***
“With the fires of rage and bloodlust, a siren to guide you true,” Ethan continued, “I bring forth these offerings.”
Two Bringers came in dragging a young potential. Ethan shut his eyes as one lifted his dagger and drove it into her heart.
“The heart’s blood of the innocent.” He pressed his hands to her chest, her blood still warm as it spread to them. “The willing sacrifice of the hated foe.” He dipped his hands into the gaping wound of another provided body, a priest Giles had obviously just killed. “And the foul hands of the betrayer.”
Ethan stood, emerging from his hiding place and slowly approaching behind the dangerously raging Watcher.
“With the free-given power of evil most pure, I cast you from this vessel of flesh. I cast you into the well of darkness where no light shall penetrate. I cast you into the place most hidden where none shall search and none shall find. I cast you there. I cast you out!”
At that moment, he felt the First enter his body and more power than he had ever known possible flow through every inch of him. Ethan staggered a step, the rush almost overwhelming him, then lunged forward, pressing his blood-soaked palms to Giles’ back.
The Watcher’s scream of agony was visceral, seeming to shake the very foundations of the building. Tendrils of the blackest clouds shot in from every direction and whirled around him dispelling red lightning in their wakes. Dark, grasping hands emerged from them, lifting him into the air and tearing at him as he seized in pain. They forced their way in through his mouth, nose, and eyes as he screamed. When they had claimed their prize, the vampire was dropped to the floor in a crumpled heap. The darkness swept on, swirling once around Ethan, and evaporated into nothing.
The battle had halted. All silent and focused on the spectacle before them. Breaths held, they watched in awe and disbelief.
Then he stood.
He stood to his full, impressive height and wore the wide, delighted grin that only mad-men can achieve. His shining eyes scanned the battlefield before him with pure, lustful excitement.
“Get them out!” Faith called to Buffy and the others, the first to process and accept what had happened. She ran at him, hoping to buy time.
Magister laughed, joyfully watching the magick that gathered in his hand and casting it toward her, sweeping away any Bringers that might have impeded her progress. He held the same hand forth to catch her as she approached, pulling her into an intimate embrace. “I’ve missed you,” he rumbled against her.
“Yeah?” she purred as she swayed seductively against his body. “Been a while for me, too. Wanna fix that?”
“What are you doing?” the ghost of Justin appeared beside him. “She’s obviously trying to distract you. The rest are escaping. Do something, you big oaf!”
Magister rolled his head lazily to look at the First and smiled. “Patience,” he whispered. “Some things are too enjoyable to rush.” Turning his attention back to Faith, he took her in a kiss so aggressive it drew blood.
***
Ethan shook his head to clear it, the buzz of the powerful magick slowly fading. He glanced around and his gaze settled on Dawn, standing in the distance. The girl’s eyes were fixed on him, filled with only hatred and betrayal. His stomach twisted and lurched, but a tickle of immense power meandered through his being.
He couldn’t help a chuckle as he stood and stared down at the two pitiful armies squirming like insects before him. Ethan bent and picked up the huge beam, that had been Giles’ prison, with ease. He lifted the hundreds of pounds of wood and steel above his head and flicked his wrists, tossing it into the churning swarm of Bringers standing between him and his recent allies.
***
Wood barely dodged the beam as he was racing forward, trying to get to Faith.
“You still taste of fire, my dark beauty,” Magister rumbled to the girl still crushed against him.
“I am sorry about this, Mr. Giles,” both of their attentions were drawn to the murmur of the demon hunter. He stood about ten paces away, a crossbow raised in his right hand and ready to fire.
“Robin, no!” Faith tried to warn. “You don’t understand.”
Magister’s hand shot out as if he was grabbing at a throat. Wood was caught up by an invisible force, struggling to breathe as his feet lifted off the floor. He fought to re-aim the crossbow, determined to take the shot. With the slightest movement of the vampire’s head, he was forced to drop the weapon, his right arm snapping brutally in one place, then a second.
***
Spike glanced back at the agonized shriek. “Finish getting them all outta here,” he told Buffy, knocking another minion cold before sprinting across the warehouse.
***
“Hey,” Faith cooed, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice. “He’s not even a bug you need to swat. I’ve missed you, Baby. Don’t keep me waiting.” She made a show of unbuckling her belt.
“All in good time.” Magister let his arm slip from around her as he stepped toward his prey. “I remember you,” he purred, bemused. “You were going to mitigate the danger posed by… Mr. Giles. How do you think we’re doing with that?”
***
“You bastard!” Xander screamed at Ethan as he shoved the last of his potentials out the side entrance. “I knew it. I knew we could never trust you.”
The Sorcerer laughed loudly. “So, the boy who sees saw through me. Isn’t it sad that he’s too much a clown to be taken seriously by his friends?”
“I swear I’ll kill you for this!”
“Let’s see if they notice this?” he quipped. Ethan stepped forward, lightning leaping from him like a human Tesla coil, and mimed swinging a huge hammer at the ground. Cracks formed at the spot of impact, radiating out through the building. The ground shook violently.
Willow’s scream echoed through the rumble, “Xander, watch out!”
One of the wine casks perched high on a rack above him shook loose and began crashing down. Off balance, Xander couldn’t completely dodge the huge barrel and was clipped in the head. He fell to the floor in a heap, wood and liquid exploding around him.
“Kennedy, help me!” Willow called as she ran to get to her childhood friend. The potential responded, moving that way as quickly as possible.
***
Magister moved closer, looking the large man up and down with a smirk of amusement.
“You’re what he was afraid of,” Wood rasped, still struggling for air.
“Oh, he was afraid of so many things. It’s a wonder he ever got out of bed.” His attention was snapped away by Willow screaming the name of another. “But, what a delightful bed it is,” he murmured lecherously.
Using this moment of distraction, Wood plunged his left hand under his coat and pulled out a stake, readying it to strike. Before he could drive it forward the demon hunter’s second arm was as effortlessly mangled as his first.
“Wait,” Faith tried to wedge herself between them again. “He means nothing. Killing him won’t even be a second thought to the others.”
The vampire grabbed her by the throat and held her back tightly to his chest so she was staring at Wood. “Lying doesn’t suit you,” he hissed in her ear. “This one lusts for you. You’ve sensed it. You’ve returned it.”
“Slim pickin’s, Big Guy. You’re a hard act to follow.”
“Maybe next time you’ll remember that before you betray me.”
“I wasn’t even there…”
He tightened his grip on her throat, silencing her. “Same mind. Same memories. If he knew, I know. Stupid doesn’t suit you either.”
“Let her go,” Wood groaned.
“Has the lust grown to caring?” The vampire chuckled. His hand slid slowly down her body and into her loosened jeans. “For this baggage?” Her head fell back against him at the obvious physical pleasure he produced. “This worn station of so many comings and goings.”
“Please,” Faith breathed.
“Yes. I care,” her would-be suiter growled.
Magister glanced slightly to the side. “I wouldn’t try, Spike.”
The other vampire halted his approach from behind. “Oi. Poof may have let you scare the spine outta him. You were just lucky they didn’t call me in the first time.”
“You’re right, you might have added… something.” Magister made a point of turning his gaze back to his prisoners, letting Spike know he was not considered a threat.
The blond bristled at the plain insult. “I never wanted to hafta take you down. Grown fond of the Watcher. But he’d be the first to tell me…”
“Shut up!” Magister ordered. “You dare threaten me? You, the only vampire in history ever to castrate himself? Maybe you should run away like all the other helpless children.”
“Speaking of,” the First tried for some attention. “That’s exactly what you’re letting them do.”
“Vanish, Ghost!” It’s new champion barked. Justin huffed angrily and disappeared. “I’ll tell you what, Spike. I’ll let you choose.”
“Choose what?” Spike called, fighting his instinct to attack and trying to buy time until he could formulate a better plan.
“I’m hungry. Very hungry. You and he may settle for base subsistence on the blood of beasts… But my hunger runs so very deep.” He brought his hand back up the Slayer’s body and slipped two fingers into his mouth.
“Wait, what are you talking about?” Spike carefully maneuvered into a position to see both captives.
“Choose one to live and one to die.”
The blond vampire’s gaze shot back and forth between Faith and Wood.
“Me, Spike,” the dark Slayer bucked against the iron grip holding her. “He’s fed off me before. I’ll be all right.”
“I don’t think he’s bluffing, Luv.”
“No. I know his plan. He wants to keep me as his pet slayer. As long as he keeps me alive, no more can be called.”
“Aren’t we a smart little bitch?” Magister hissed, pressing his lips hard to her ear. “But things have changed. All those who might be called are gathered here. I can simply make my way through them one by one until a new slayer proves to be as… enjoyable as you were. Younger, unsoiled, more pliable.”
“The mission…” Wood ground out through his pain and breathlessness.
Spike knew the words were meant for him. He met the demon hunter’s eyes and saw the resolve in them. His own returned understanding and respect. It was strength they needed, and the strength of a slayer outweighed a mortal man, even a souled vampire. The mission… Protect the Slayer line. Protect the world.
“Him…” Spike’s announcement interrupted Magister’s teasing. “Take the man mountain over there. Just makes sense. More blood for you.”
The sparkling green gaze swung lazily over to him. “Who could have predicted?” He whispered in Faith’s ear, “Can you think of any reason Spike would choose to sacrifice your ‘friend’?”
“Because they’re both stupid. They think they need to protect me.” Faith flashed angry eyes at them. “I’m a Slayer! I can handle him. And he may be talking big, but he still wants more than to kill me.” She stretched her hand back and cupped the large bulge that had been pressing against her the whole time. Quickly turning her head to catch his lip in her teeth, she purred, “You know no little virgin girl is gonna treat you right like I can. Just send these distractions away so we can get started, Baby.”
Magister chuckled, extending her flirting into a full kiss as she continued to stimulate him. Pulling away only when she was left breathless, he looked deeply into her eyes and whispered, “You’re wrong.” Dropping her unceremoniously to the floor, he stepped toward Wood. “Besides, Spike has made his choice. He’s chosen to let this man die. Mr. Wood, mild-mannered principal of Sunnydale High School. Spike, a vampire who spread terror through history. A slayer of Slayers. One of whom was charged with the protection of New York, and who fell to Spike’s hand. A slayer named Nikki Wood. A slayer who left behind her small son, Robin, to be raised by her Watcher. A good man, the boy’s love and respect for him has extended to all Watchers. A sentiment that perhaps caused his fatal error tonight. When old enough, the Watcher trained this boy so he could devote his life to tracking down and destroying the monster that killed his mother. Funny how Spike’s choice conveniently eliminates a threat to himself. Is it not?”
Spike froze as Faith stared at him. “How?” Wood breathed. “I didn’t even tell Mr. Giles.”
“My alter did know how to do his research. He figured it out.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Faith accused.
“We made it square,” Spike swore. “It’s not why… You know what? Why don’t you take me, you pompous prat? You wanna kill someone who’ll make a statement, shake up the team? Here’s your bloke! You’ve already taken him outta this fight for good. Prolly never lift a stake again in his state. So, deal with someone who won’t rest until he sees you as dust.”
Magister’s laughter echoed off the walls. He turned a dark gaze on Spike. “But you forget. I’m hungry.”
“Spike!” Buffy called, holding back a wave of Bringers while the last of their group carried Xander away. “We have to get out of here.”
“Excellent idea,” Ethan chirped. With a sweep of his hand, both Spike and Faith flew into the air and across the building to crash through Buffy and out into the night.
The last thing they saw as they were expelled was Magister wrenching Wood from the energy that held him and savagely ripping into his throat with hungry fangs.
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Great to see some more chapters of this, though you are stopping there? There? Damnit. I'm going to need some resolution of this in the next two months or I'm taking names.
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Terrifying! I meant to say terrifying
.. 😐
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As for sexy vamp!Giles... how can he be anything else?
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I'm so glad you are enjoying. Thank you for letting me know.