Buffy and Death: God's chosen sisters?

11 CHURCH MATTERS

Kaim, Buffy and Veronica walked
on the path at the side of the church.
Veronica had said some vampires
were in there,
that some were still in there.
Looking about, they made sure no one
was reacting like they just appeared,
they made their way to the church doors.

At the doorway Kaim pointed to
the stone gargoyles on the roof gutters.
Buffy looked at them, “You’re right,
they have moved and recently,
from on the gutters to
above the archway, over the doors.”

As Buffy stepped over entrance to the
Church. The gargoyles roared at her.
“You ruddy idiot things,” she said.
Veronica looked to them.
“Quite a lot have been in here,
most of them left, there’s only a few
vampires that are in here now,
I wish I knew how many in all.”

Wishing Veronica well they said
she could return and see Georgie.”
Five choir boys rushed passed them
Father Lucas called for them to get
inside.
“What a horrible sound I would like
to know what is causing that”

“I could tell you why,” said Buffy.
“What is it,” asked Father Lucas.
“You won’t like to hear me say,
but there are some vampires here.”
Kaim moved to where Buffy stood.
Then she looked to Father Lucas.
“We heard the call of the gargoyles.”

Father Bryant walked to them.
“Hello, is everything alright here.”
Father Lucas pointed to his head
moving a finger in circular motions.
“Yes, I fear so, these young ladies
said it was gargoyles making the sound.”
“They did, gargoyles do not make
any sound, they’re made of stone.”

“Listen Father Bryant, they did,
do either of you know what it was
that caused the sound?” asked Buffy.
“The gargoyle roars a welcome to
one of those it protects,” said Kaim,
“And they protect the vampires.”

“I don’t believe that vampires exist
and if they did, how would they
get in, neither Father Bryant or I
would invite any,” said Father Lucas
“They were invited in, how else
could they get in, but if you say
you didn’t, then tell me, what did
they look like?”
Father Lucas looked at them.
“I, er.”

“Do you or Father Bryant know of
Allan the teacher of theologians?
Can you please take us to see him
at his bookstore?” asked Kaim.

Ten minutes later they were getting
into the Fathers Bryant’s car,
to go to the other side of town.
At Allan’s Bookstore Allan was
sitting at his table reading books
when they walked in, he looked up
at Father Bryant and Father Lucas.

“What do I owe for this visit.”
Various books lay in several piles,
several papers were in front of him.
“Good morning Allan, are you to busy
to see us, what are the books for?”

“Someone had a vision yesterday,
I was sent what they saw today
now I’m finding other mentions
that are similar, in various cultures.
Something they all thought important,
they tell of the same thing happening.
I’m waiting for a reply from my source.”
“What is it?” asked Father Bryant.

“If you knew of it you wouldn’t ask
this is old, a message about the past
and for the future, a future that is now.
How do I know it hasn’t happened yet?
Nothing has been said of it by anyone
no message of panic or revelation
it has been said of in stone carvings
from Mesopotamia and from Babylon,
on many of the Sumerian artifacts.

Even what were once said to be unknown
Egyptian hieroglyphics have been found.
The Dead Sea Scrolls had mention of this,
but in detail the same thing,
they all seem to say she will return.”
Allan looked at the Father.

“A prophecy, with date given.
It refers to only the most devout,
the writings says of her having
more power than God himself,
then it gets vague,
no one can decipher the rest of it.
“The prophecy is Slefilnayer..... ”
Father Bryant leans forward to him

“Do you mean that of Slefilayer 15:10.”
“Father, you know of it? Please tell me.”
Father Bryant sat back, he breathed in deep.
“A life taken, its fill has gone. When found
she will free it, returned not sent.”
Buffy and Kaim step from a bookshelf
they show themselves to Allan.

“Slefilayer 15:10, when a person dies and
that which fills the body, the soul, has gone.
When the souls of all dead are found, I
will free them, they will be returned to go
to where they were meant to be, not sent.
When life is returned, spell it backwards
What is left of Slefilayer is me, I am Buffy
The Vampire Slayer.”

“I’ve read of that name, somewhere, memory,
come on memory work. Yes, the first one,
of the Vampire Slayer, who she is now.
She is Death, a horseman,” stated Allan.
“A horseman? Is that all?” asked Father Lucas.
“One of the four horsemen of the apocalypse,”
said Allan, “She is one who will start the end.”

“That depends on who you believe,
on who you trust and you trust the son of
the devil,” said Kaim.
“No, I certainly do not,” said Allan.
“I believe in truth, that God decides when
the heaven on earth will start. Who will he
call to start his end? His four horsemen.

Those who he trusts, his friends, his son who
rides the white horse for he is known as
conquest, ask yourself this.
Conquest against who, could it be
the Devils Son? Does it mean he has to do
the conquest, or that the conquest is done?

When I have defeated the Devils son the
Seven Seals will be called to protect
the souls of the dead.
Then God can choose when
heaven on earth can begin.”

Stunned by what he was just told.
“Who exactly are you?” asked Allan. He
looked to Fathers Bryant and Lucas.
“Buffy is my name, Buffy is what I am
Sent here by God, I am his Vampire Slayer.”

“My name is Kaim, I am the General of
The Riders, one in his army the Two Swords.”
Allan looked to her.
“I think I’ve heard the name, there is some
missing of it, the ‘of Bouicendeni’.
I know of them, but not of you,
many years ago when I was in training
as a theologian I went to a place,
I saw a woman who I thought injured.

I went to offer my aid to her. She said she
had to return for, who you just said, and as
she left she told me her name, it was….”
“Tianara, the Goddess Tianara, she who
with another created the army for God.”
“I don’t understand why did you want
to go in the church?” asked Father Bryant,
“Is it for this? You said about vampires.”


To Be Continued
 
“Gargoyles protect vampires, vampires
protect the son of the Devil. The Two Swords
defeated the gargoyles now we seek to do
the same to the vampires, those in that church
are the start,” said Buffy.

“Allan, should God want to get a message
to you he will speak to the Goddess Tianara,
she will speak to me, I will put that message
in your mind. If you want to reply,
all you need do is go to a church and pray,
he will hear,” said Kaim.
“Allan, why go there?” asked Father Lucas

“I went to see if it was real Father Lucas,
a rare spectral event, that is in the sky
above Edge Hill, the first battle of the
English civil war fought between the
Roundheads and the Cavaliers,” said Allan.

“Allan, really, how could you? After
saying you helped her, I told you the
name of who you helped.
She returned up to the battle.
The spectral event was an early battle,
the Two Swords against the gargoyles.”
Father Bryant looked to Buffy.
“I am sorry for doubting you I…”

“Do not give it a second thought,
I need to go into the church I seek
a permission from you, I seek the
vampires in there, though I saw none.”

“Then try the catacombs, it is the cellar
of the church. What should we do if
any are there?” asked Father Bryant.
“I will see if they are down there, if
They are I’ll need to empty the church
of worshippers. Kaim, call Goddess
Claere, her help will be sought,”
said Buffy.

“We need to prepare, no one is to be
Near the church,” said Buffy.

Danny was out shopping with his wife
Janice they were looking for a gift for
their son’s birthday gift. They had
been in several shops, looking but
they had found nothing they agreed on.

Now they were looking at the menu in
the front window of the café, in a line
of shops opposite the church having
decided what they would get, about to
go into the shop they stopped, they
turned to the church.

Thirty people had been sat on the pews
a loud rustling was heard near the altar.
The Goddess Claere appeared as Buffy
had asked, that they be scared from the
church. The Goddess appeared as a
demon, twenty feet high, she raised her
arms to reveal sinewy glistening wings,
talons at the ends. She screamed aloud.

Danny and Janice heard what sounded
like distant screaming screaming.
Everyone on the footpath started to
look towards the church. The doors
were smashed open, worshippers
ran from the church,
their screams filled the air.

A hundred of the Two Swords appeared,
they were running to be behind them, as
they ran; clothes became the battle dress.
They formed a barrier between the
people and the church; ready to protect.

Motorists who’d been trying to argue
with the girls blocking the roads that
led to the church, began to hear the
screams. Then the girls suddenly
wore the battle dress, swords
withdrawn, behind them stood the
winged white unicorns.

A lone policeman stood on a bridge
over the towns river had stopped the
traffic from going to that part of town.
The motorists were getting restless,
they loudly asked him why.
Eight of the Two Swords appeared
in full battle dress, they withdrew
their swords, their winged white
unicorns flew down to be near them.

Janice and Danny stood near the café
Gasped. A hundred more of the army
Appeared, they ran into the church.
Janice and Danny stood and stared.
Holding each other, hearing the dying,
Of their screams that filled the air.
Then they saw the horror as vampires
ran from within the church, they burst
into flames as the sunlight touched them.

Buffy walked from the church behind
Them. As suddenly as the noise started,
it stopped. Those who’d been blocking
the roads. They vanished.
Janice and Danny looked about,
all was silent.

Kaim and Buffy appeared near Allan,
he was quietly sat the table.
“Is something wrong?” he asked as he
looked at them.
“That was to quick, to easy, I had
hoped for more,” said Buffy.

“Allan, do you know of any reports
of the strange that has been said, heard
or reported?”
Allan looked to Kaim.
“There is only one I’ve heard of,
a church that is said to be haunted.
“Is the church built to a new design,
or an old design,” asked Kaim.
Looking at her, Allan was puzzled,
curiously asking. “Does it matter?”

“Old churches were built properly, like
the early town meeting halls. Forget
the steeple, the main building was
designed as a trap, for demons.
If a demons flew to close, the altar
was like a magnet that pulled them in
and the demon was trapped,” said Kaim.

“Then the one that I know of, it could
be what you want,” said Allan,
“Strange scraping sounds and a loud
banging are heard from within the church
but no one has seen the problem, plus
small stones are thrown at all who visit.
Stones that come from nowhere.”

Later that day, Kaim and Buffy were stood
at the church gates looking in. Neither of
them saw a woman approaching, nor did
they hear her calling to them.
“Please wait, do not go in it isn’t safe,
Don’t try to open the gate.”
They looked to her. Kaim pointed.

“You care for the church, Mrs. Priestly?”
“Yes, I am but how did you know?”
“Could you please show me the side gate?”
Watching Buffy walk with her to the side
gate, when they’d gone out of sight, Kaim
went passed into the churchyard.
“You are here, thank you we sent a call
for help.” Two of the Two Swords appeared.
“I am Andrea and this is Juliesse, we have
tried to keep all others away.”

“I am not the help you seek, though I
will help, who was it that you called?”
The Goddesses Darla and Claere, a
Demon has been trapped in here, but
with no meeting hall near and no
warning bell to ring we had to stay
here and scare the people away.
The Goddesses Claere and Darla appear
“I am so sorry Andrea, we… Kaim,
why are you here I thought you were with
Buffy?” “I am, she is at the side gate.”

Mrs. Priestly was in her living room,
totally bemused. “Hello mum, I thought
you were going to the church?”
She looked at her daughter.
“I was at the church. How did I get here?”

Buffy walked to where Kaim waited,
she saw who was there.
“What is here?”
“There is a demon in the church, that
is why they are here,” said Andrea.
“And we are here as a coincidence.
I want to see the demon,” said Buffy.

They all appeared in the church, Andrea
and Juliesse created the Sphere of a
Rainbow to destroy the demon. Buffy
saw the demon flying to it, she stepped
in the way.
“Who are you, why are you here?”
The demon stopped it stood on the floor
“I am her protector, I protect Death.”


To Be Continued
 
“I knew I’d seen you before, where the
Pied Piper has been seen, but why are
you here, has Death been this way?”
“I want to find Death, but I think she
doesn’t me to find her, wherever I go she
has been. Yes she was where the Pied
Piper has been, where I saw you and Kaim
They were collecting those children who
could be werewolves, to help destroy the
vampires. Not long ago she came near
here, looking for where many more go.”

“Then know we have been fighting for
the same thing. The gargoyles were
those who protected vampires but they
are no more, we killed them,” said Kaim.
“And so much more, well done. To the
Goddesses and Buffy you killed him,
As the gargoyle leader, trapped in his
original form you killed him as well.”

“What do you mean?” asked Buffy.
“He who appeared as the leader of the
gargoyles, that was the son of the devil,
you have killed him.”
Buffy turned to the Goddesses
“I suggest Deaths protector be set free.”

“I agree,” said Goddess Claere, “but the
church will keep the demon trapped here,
I know what we will need.”
Appearing in her front room Claere
spoke to Mrs. Priestly, telling her
that the church would be destroyed
that night, but by daylight it would
be rebuilt.

The Goddess Claere returned to the church
she saw Kaim by herself. “What is it
where has Buffy gone?”
“She asked me to wait here until
Mrs. Priestly had been told, she said that
Willow was calling her, it sounded urgent.
Now if you’ll excuse me I’ll go as well.”

Buffy stood, leant on the doorframe.
“Hello Willow, what was it that Kal said?
Oh yes, that’s right, alone with Samuel I
see. And I see you’ve got a room.
Buffy grinned to her. “What is it that
would cause you to want to call me?”

Willow hugged her, “I am so glad to see
You though I should say I’m not too glad
to hear you. We just had a strange phone
call, a friend of a friend was out walking,
at the area known as Southern Downs.
She saw something in the trees, she
thought it was a…, suffice to say I
thought it best to call you.”

Buffy looked as Kaim appeared.
“Kaim, about the name of Southern
Downs? Do you think the name,
sounds right?”
“Maybe, it might be, right for us
anyway.”
Puzzled, Samuel looked to them.

“Buffy if that means what I think
it means, can you get your people
to search the grounds?”
“We’ll be able to help with the history
people we know, friends we learnt
from, I know of others that were
investigating the place before. They
would be willing to help,” said Samuel,
“Willow knows their address.”

“What do you think about them, I know
you said they will help but will their help
be more forthcoming if Buffy and Kaim
come with us as well?” asked Willow.
“It won’t hurt,” he said.
Samuel drove them to the house,
he parked outside the neighbours place.

They sat in the car waiting while Kaim
went to knock on the door. She tried to
pretend that she was lost, and she was
invited in to see a map of the way home.
“There is a map on the bookshelf.
I am Elspeth, and these two are my sisters
Rosanna and Granore.”

Granore looked at Kaim. “Who is this? I
don’t recognise her, where do you know
her from?” Elspeth looked to her sisters.
“I’m sorry, we’ve never met before,
though my instinct told me there is
something about her, I felt a trust in her,
she is good,” said Elspeth.

“If you like me you will trust my friends,
may I call then in?”
“I say yes,” said Elspeth, “though my sisters
will want to know more about them.”
“I could tell you first but instead I will ask you
What you know about Southern Downs.”
Elspeth looked to her sisters. “You invited
her in,” said Rosanna, “You say you
trust her, tell her she can invite her
friends in, then tell her all we know
about Southern Downs,”
Rosanna looked to Kaim. “Invite your
friends in.”
They hear knocking on the door.

“Please don’t make her wait outside.”
“As my sister said, “who exactly are you?”
Kaim looked to Granore. “I came to speak
to you all, to see if we could trust you, to
ask you about Southern Downs, and what
if anything you know about its history.
To find out if you are just ghost hunters
like Samuel of Swandar,” Kaim grinned,
“that makes him sound like Lord of the
Manor. To find out what you know of the
cave or if it’s a passage,” said Kaim.

“It was a passage once but not anymore
there is a mound at the other end, a
great Witch Hunter is buried there.”
“I know who you mean, though his
body was put there to stop creatures
getting out of the ground and onto the
earth.”

Entering the room Buffy sat down on
a chair she looked at each of sisters.
“I thought these girls were ghost hunters,
that is what I was told” said Buffy.
“Us no, we are not ghost hunters, we
will if we are asked to, but normally we
leave them alone,” said Elspeth.

The sisters glanced at each other, they
looked at Kaim, the trust they had
for her was starting to fade.
“They don’t know what is in ground
but they do know about the mound.
They are scared we don’t know what
about Southern Downs, you were there.
Did you see anything.”

“Nothing,” said Rosanna, “Why.”
Buffy grinned, “Did you know who is
in the mound? He was the witch
hunter Ignatius Winterborne, his body
was put there to stop the undead
moving on the earth,” said Kaim.
“What’s going on?” asked Elspeth.
“What does the name Southern
Downs mean to you?” asked Buffy.
“Nothing,” they replied.

Buffy looked to Kaim. “I will tell them,
in older times, when folk said about
Down South, more times than not they
meant who, as in the Devil.”
“That could be it,” said Rosanna, “The
lane that leads to the mound, it is Old
Hobs Lane, and Old Hob has long been
a nickname for the Devil.”

“But won’t be the Devil, though it could
have been his son,” said Buffy.
“A place for vampires or a coincidence,
and as I don’t believe in them,” said Kaim
Willow stood. “Then it could be that many
are there.” “Keep going Rosey, do you have
a plan for us to follow,” said Buffy.
“Yes, if you don’t mind, if the mound is
removed tonight, a small force of the
Riders in the field if there’s no sun tomorrow.
To have you and thirty or more soldiers
head to the us in the passages, well,
what do you think?”

“It sounds good to me Buffy, Buffy what
is it?” asked Kaim
“Sorry, someone was talking to me, he
is pleased that his children want to help.”
“His children? Who does she mean?”
asked Rosanna. “She means him up there,
God.”

At ten thirty the next day, Willow sought
Kaim. “Quick, build a church so we can
pray for the end of the rain.” Kaim grinned.
Come twelve thirty, waiting at the edge of
the field sat Willow, Samuel and the
sisters and two hundred Two Swords.
None expected to fight a vampire,
they waited to cheer Buffy.

Watching for movement from the hole
in the ground where the mound used to be.
Then a few vampires ran into the sunlight.
As Willow said to Elspeth. “Imagine
the fear they have of Buffy, that they
choose to go into the sunlight rather
than face her.”

At the next meeting of Swandar Ghost
Hunters Club Samuel put two large plates
of sandwiches in the centre of the table.
“You can thank the ladies of the CWA.”
He faced Willow. “The sisters mother is a
member of them,” he looked to the people
present for the meeting, he was glad all
the seats were in use.

“Right, if you are all ready, we’ll begin.
I hereby open this the twentieth meeting
of the Swandar Ghost Hunters Club.
Willow stood up. “Those present are Samuel,
myself, Susan and Adrian, Suzy and Jeff,
Buffy represents our Kal.”

The door opened, stood there was Kaim.
“What brings you here?” asked Samuel.
Kaim is surprised. “Do you need to ask.”
She turned to Buffy. “Tianara asked
that I tell you of a planned meeting,
something that happens very rarely
the last one nearly four hundred years
ago. So the chances are that from that
meeting tomorrow night we’ll at last
see the beginning of the end.”

To Be Continued
 
12 WAITING AT THE RUINS

Buffy watched as Kaim spoke with the
Goddess Claere. When she came back
Kaim was with another. “The Goddess
said she wanted her to help, she was the
one who became the first Rider.

Holly-Marie and Kaim stood by the door,
they walked across the police station floor
to see duty Sergeant Bertrand, he was at
the desk. He looked up hearing soft
footsteps, he wanted to see who it was.
Surprised at seeing the two young women
before him.
“What are you two wearing? Going to a
fancy dress party are you?”

“Our names are Kaim and Holly-Marie.
We are here to warn you of others who’ll
be at the castle ruins later tonight. We
want you to have all roads closed.”
“Who will be there?” he asked, “You really
should give me several days’ notice.”

“We are of the Two Swords, you have been
told what to do, do it or we will,” said Kaim.
“I’ll tell the senior officers here, it’s up to
them, they make to decisions here.”
“You’ll know when we are ready, the sky
will change colour many times, and should
they be here, the first trumpeter will sound.”

Another officer came to the desk, he looked
at what they wore. “I hope they are not real.”
Holly-Marie withdrew her sword, she
dropped it on the desk. Its bounce and
the reflections of the steel from the light
made Sgt. Bertrand stare.

“As you know now, this sword is real, not
what would be worn for a fancy dress do.”
Sgt. Bertrand looked. “Who are you people?”
“Two of the Riders of the Two Swords.”
Holly-Marie put her sword in its sheath,
turned and walked towards the door.
Sgt. Bertrand watched in disbelief as they
left. Then they vanished.

Forgetting any protocol he ran up the stairs,
pushing the door of the chief superintendents
room. A senior staff meeting was there.
They all glared at him, demanding to know
what he thought was so important.

“Two young women came to the station
they said they will be at the castle tonight
and many more will come, they want
some roads closed near the castles ruins.
I told them no, that we’d need more time
and we’d need to know the reason why.
One of them said there would be the first
trumpeter, if they get there.”

“Who were they?” asked the Chief
Superintendent. “One of them, Kaim
said they were of The Two swords.”
“I know that name,” said the chief
superintendent, “reports of people
burning in the sun, yes I remember
now, people who ran out of the
church, and those who appeared in
a battle dress, they were the Two
Swords of Bouciendeni.

Sergeant Bertrand, go to the castle
this evening, see if they are for real,
not some copy-cat people and take
four officers with you. If you say
they are who they say I will get the
roads will be closed.

I’d better call the surrounding towns
and get their riot squads here, just in case.”
“I believe they are real, when they left
as they crossed the floor to leave, they
vanished.”

Outside the ruins of the castles walls,
four officers and Sgt. Bertrand of the
Kenilworth police walked about, they
patiently waited with torches shining
into the darkness. Secretly Sgt. Bertrand
wanted to see them again. He looked
at his watch as an officer radioed the
station. “All’s quiet here, but it’s cold
and creepy.” “What the, who is that?”

The others flashed their torches around
But nothing could be seen.
“Oh, good it was just part of the ruins.
This is a real creepy place.”
“It’s the end of our shift in thirty minutes,”
said Sgt. Bertrand, “But I’ll probably stay,
I’d best do this it’ll keep the wife happy.”

He held his phone, about to take a
photograph of the castle wall where he
shone his torch.
“I would prefer if you didn’t do that.
I’d prefer not to kill you.”
He turned to where he heard the voice.

“It’s you,” he said, “I was sent here to
make sure you are who you said you
are. I knew you were but they had us
be here anyway.”
“The roads I wanted you to close,
they are still open, you’ve a few
minutes until they will get here.

If you haven’t closed by then we
will do it, and for any who cross the
line we will not offer many of them
a second chance,” said Kaim.
“We’re about ready to end our shift.
But the roads will be closed, they
told me so.”

“And I thank you, but understand me,
for what will happen here tonight a
promise is no good. The roads need
closing now, get them done.”
He pointed to the others thirty more
like Kaim who appeared walking
towards them. “Who are they?”

“Oh good it’s them, then you’ve got
less than ten minutes.”
“I’ve told the senior police at the
station, what else could I do,” he said.
“If your people don’t close the roads
now, our people will, that is the choice.”


To Be Continued
 
“Station,” said Sgt. Bertrand on his
radio, “Close the road now or they
will, I have just been told. And they
are beginning to appear all over the
place, out here.”

People on the streets turned to see
as police cars left the station, all
with lights flashing and their sirens
blaring.
The whole sky became a dark green.
“What did that?” asked Sgt. Bertrand

“Sorry, but that is the two minute
warning,” said Kaim,
“And that is for our people, when
and if the others do arrive you’d
better cover your ears to avoid
hearing the trumpeters first call.”

“Yeah you said that before, what
does it mean?” “You don’t know,
when the trumpeter sounds it is when
the Four horsemen appear, the first
time they appear that is the end of
the beginning,” said Kaim.

“Don’t you mean it the other way.”
“No, at the end of the beginning
starts the end.”
Sgt. Bertrand stared at her. “Oh.”
Police cars raced through the streets
to the ruins, they screeched to a halt,
blocking the roads.

An outside broadcast crew were first
in the line stopped by the road block.
Sgt. Bertrand looked at the barriers
being there he saw Kaim and
Holly-Marie in normal clothes.
“Are we in time?” he asked Kaim.

“Yes, you are in time, but you started
too late, our people are here, and more
will be but for now, none will be seen.
unless needs be,” said Kaim.
A drunk staggered towards them,
staggering on not seeing the scene. A
policeman told him not to pass.
“This road is closed, can’t you see.”

“I’ll do what I want,” slurred the drunk,
“I’ll go where I like, I live over there.”
Pushing, he moved the policemen aside,
Staggering about he passed their cars.
The whole sky grew bright, it glowed
yellow. “As I said before, if needs be,
and now the need is real.”

Kaim pointed to the drunk. “We will protect.”
The outside broadcast team sensed a story
and stood at the road barrier with a
camera, another of them asked.
“What is going on here?”
“What can go wrong next?” asked
Sgt. Bertrand. Kaim looked to him.
“Do you really want to know?”
asked Kaim, “Tell them the story
of the millennia might unfold.

The meeting tonight is for her
to have temporary control of Gods
army, also that they will be here
to announce the beginning of the
end, sorry.”
“The end, the end of what,” he asked.

“If Buffy and I cannot stop it. What
they will be announcing will not continue,”
seeing Sgt. Bertrand’s puzzled look,
“They, who the trumpeter will sound
for are the Four Horsemen of the
Apocalypse, the trumpeter will
announce the coming of the end.”

Three Riders of the Two Swords on
winged white unicorns appeared
around the drunk, one dismounted,
she freed her sword from its sheath.
“You are too close to the castle,
kneel or die.”
The drunk knelt,
they vanished.

On the main road out of the town
Donald Pargetter was locking his
shop door. His assistant stopped her
car near him. “Do you want a lift home?”
It had been a busy evening so he said
he did, looking at his photographic
shop. “Now for a nice quiet evening.”
Grateful, he got into Cathy’s car
“Here endeth yet another busy day.”

He laughed to himself and Cathy agreed
“There’s nothing like stating the obvious.”
Cathy was about to start the car as the sky
turned red. “What on earth was that?”
“I said before, the coloured sky,” said Cathy.
“I’m sorry, I thought they were just the
coloured lights of cars or the streetlights.”

Looking along the main street he saw
the light source, a glow at the castle.
“What power of torch are they
using to fill the sky in such a colour?”
“That’s no search light,” said Cathy,
“Such a light beam would slowly fan
out and the light around would fade
at the edges. Above the tree line
there is a dome of light, from that
there is a glow.”

“What could cause a dome so bright,
Wait, I’ll get a camera, we are going
there.”
At the roadblock Sgt. Bertrand looked
up. “What did that?” Kaim smiled.
“That was the Goddesses, that was
them giving honour to Buffy. Buffy
now holds the key it’s up to her for
now, she is Mankind’s last hope.”

Kaim looked to the sky.
“I wonder where they are.”
“Who is next,” asked Sgt. Bertrand.
A long blast of sound shook the
Ground they stood on.
“That is it, now all that is left is
time, the trumpeter has awoken,”
said Kaim.

Four horses were ridden towards the
castle they came down through the
clouds. “As I said to you,” said Kaim,
“They are from up there, they are not
coming up from the ground.”
“About this Buffy, she is like you
isn’t she, of God?” asked Sgt. Bertrand.

“Yes and no, she was from God, but
when she was sent here to earth, she
came with the power of God and of
the Devil, they knew what it was she
was going to have to do.”
“What was that?” asked Sgt. Bertrand.
“To kill the son of the devil, and that
she has done. The next thing she has
to do, she has to see his followers gone.

So far those who protected him are gone,
only one we know of remains. Though
that one has many followers. The
meeting here, it was for us to help her
to find them, to help battle them. If
those followers are combined, for her
to be able to call us, after that we
need to find and free the souls.

To be there at the end and stop the
trumpeters last call to arms.”
“What’s to happen then?” asked
Sgt. Bertrand.
“I don’t know,” said Kaim, she
spoke softly to him, I don’t think
anyone does. We need to stop the
end, to make the end our end.
So no one has made any plans
for what is next,” Kaim looked
pensively to Sgt. Bertrand, “Not yet.”

To Be Continued
 
13 THE SONS FOLLOWERS

As with the most Sunday afternoons,
the car parks in the town were full.
The churches that were near there
had the doors unlocked for anyone
who wanted to see inside them, to
roam amid the quiet of the walls,

to seek the peace, and the tranquility.
The week-end tourists were window
shopping, looking at highly polished
antiques. Gazing at the vases of
flowers that adorned the shops on the
streets around the car parks.
A child shouted, disturbing them.

“Mum, dad the stone steps around
this cross they are getting too hot
to sit on.” “Yes dear, you stay there
we can leave in a minute.”
The boy screamed, he jumped down.
“Dad look, it burnt my legs. They
are red, I’m not si….”

The cross exploded!
Cars, shops, houses, people dogs,
all were peppered with loads of
small fragments of burning hot rock
of the once stone cross. In a second,
the sound of bustling happy people
was gone now all that was heard
were the shop and car alarms.

The dead lay all around, many of
them still holding their dead dog’s
leash. Cars that were once going
somewhere, had crashed to the
side of the road the occupants now
dead, slumped in the seats.

Where the famous Cross once stood,
there perched an unforgettable figure
of what could have been a fit young
man but so much about him was
wrong. His skin looked like rain on
stone, the glistening sinewy ribbed
wings, the penetratingly cold icy stare
permeated from flame filled eyes
and he had such a horrific scream
that no one would want to hear.

With a flick of those wings he rose
into the sky, and flew against the
wind to the hill known as Old Hobs
Hill. It left the once beautiful postcard
town a bloodied burning wreck.

Twenty minutes passed before Buffy
Stood in the square, she gazed at the
scene then called for Kaim, together
they stood. “This is why I called the
meeting, I knew that this would
happen, but I didn’t know where or
when. for what has happened here
the army is of no use, call the
Goddesses Tianara to be here.

The one who rose here he was like a
best friend to the son if all his
followers are here, before the battles
begin tell her to call the horsemen
have the trumpeter sound again.
This could easily go wrong.

Tianara instantly appeared she
called her sisters to be there but to
appear without a glow. The five
silently surveying shattered dreams
“You’re being quiet Buffy what
are you thinking of?” asked Kaim.

“What to do first, to call the Two
Swords have them on the fields
north and west or, yes,” she turned
to Tianara, “the horsemen, have
them fly above the town northwest
to southeast that’d be best, and hold
the Riders I have plans for them.”

The four horsemen appeared filling
the air with the trumpeters call Buffy
was pleased. “The demonic forces
will have heard that, they will cheer,
They will believe they have won.
Kaim pointed to crowds of children
coming towards them. “Why are
they here,” asked Kaim.
Buffy greeted the thin wisp of a man
Who was leading them, she held his
hand and the wooden flute he held.
“Kaim, the Pied Piper doesn’t lead
Normal children, each is a werewolf.

Take them to the east, three deep and
have each change, now we might win.”
Buffy looked to the sky, waiting for a
sign. “We have time. Kaim go to the
south to the villages of the Comptons,
once was that those there’s ancestors
were witches, I hope the gene lived.

Have them prepare a protection barrier
no humans should be here this day. But
while they are in their kitchens, I want
to hear of a problem. Buffy heard that
they were ready, waiting in a towns
meeting hall. Many were preparing tea
and sandwiches for after the battle
but their fresh baked bread hadn’t risen
and all the milk had just gone sour,
the tv’s were losing reception, then
Buffy heard the news she’d been
waiting for, all electricity had stopped.

Buffy told Kaim to have them make
the protection barrier, four miles
from the centre of this town, then run
to the east, beside what was the old
salt road, though the salt has faded
and mixed in the ground, the power
is still there. Have the Riders behind
them but keep them from view.”

Buffy looked to the sky. “Come on,
be here now.”
Tianara had Buffy look to the east,
the darkened storm clouds gathered
they began to spread over the town.
Winged demons left the safety of
the hill and flew over the roads that
led into the town.


To Be Continued
 
Then the darkened skies began to
turn red. Buffy was happy.
“Now it begins.”
Any cars that were still being used
were attacked, the occupants killed;
hit by the flying demonic hordes
that destroyed anything that moved.

Police cars from surrounding towns
never reached the now afflicted town.
They screeched to a halt as a Rider
appeared just before the barrier.
Even the RAF had sent two jets, but
after trying to dispatch their missiles
they vanished from all radar.

Buffy knew that now the demons
thought the town now belonged to
them, the horsemen had done well.
Buffy and the Goddesses fled, and
waited for all the demons to rise so
they could raise a counter attack.

Buffy released a call, she told the
Goddesses “Now!”
Every stone circle across the country,
from each stone there grew a glow.
Many family’s out for the day, saw
the forgotten Two Swords rise from
the glow, their clothes changed to
the battle dress. To the centre of the
cirle they went and disappeared.

They continued the lines at the south
Buffy contacted Kaim. “The attack
has changed there are many more of
the Two Swords than I thought.
The demons are accumulating near
the east but only some will escape.

Have the Riders follow them, when
far enough away have them attack.
People began screaming in a field
Leering demons were chasing them
Kaim guided them to her, their safety.

As Buffy planned some demons broke
free they flew away, followed by the
invisible Riders. When far enough
away the demons turned to see the
Riders, they knew their seconds were
numbered; the Riders slammed home
the attack.

The side of the hill children had once
enjoyed riding their toboggans down
on the snow could now only echo
those screams of joy the deadly
winged demons, followers of the son
screamed their joy at their release.

Seeing a solitary girl standing in a
field the hordes flew at her, they
expected her to try to run. But she
didn’t, instead she began to smile
as the glowing Goddesses blocked
any escape. The solitary girl released
the power of God and the Devil.

The clouds became blackened streaks
of lightning covered the sky, they
disorientated winged demons who
turned about, one side to the other.
The clouds quickly faded as their
mass became all used.

Sunlight was allowed to beat down
On the demons, the ashes of their
bodies covered the field.

Only several days later was that
field of grass found though now it
was completely covered in ash, Not
knowing what the ash was, or why
was there no one ever got near.
A robot used to for defusing bombs
was used then left in the field, the
person who operated its controls
began to scream, he kept screaming

There was something about it, the
field held its secrets well even in the
years that followed. With a burning
heat from the sun it never caused the
grass to wilt nor did it give a shadow.
The driving rain didn’t touch the grass
nor howling winds stirred a blade.


To Be Continued
 
14 THE THREE HORSES INN

Willow, Linda and Giles were waiting
in the reception area of the
Three Horses Inn waiting for the tour
a haunted Inn to begin.
A few weeks before an actress of a
documentary had said about the place
to Linda, it was recommended to her.

They were waiting for the owner of
the Inn Miss Fischer to give them the
tour. None of them expected to see
a ghost, just a cold wind here or some
white smoke, or to be told a story
where a ghost was seen but they
were hopeful.

They had been waiting a several minutes,
bored, they’d browsed the old magazines
on display before being approached
by a silver haired man.
“Sorry to keep you, my wife is running
a bit late, so she asked me to do the tour,
so here I am.

My name is Mr. Robert Saunders.”
Willow was glad that the tour was
about to start at last.
“What can we expect?” she asked,
“the usual musty smells, or more?”
“That is hard for me to say, as ghosts
don’t do as people would like, but
you never know, many of the ghosts
here like making contact.”

He pointed through to the bar.
“In there is your first part of the tour,
in there might be what you want to
see. Your first encounter here could
be waiting. But it depends, some of
the ghosts here, they like to have fun,
another word is they are temperamental.

Sometimes all are seen by a tour it
could be that none are seen by a tour
and some tours see ghosts but only
one or two.”

Linda looked to him, needing to know.
“What do you want me to say, it
depends. It could be if the ghost likes
the guide, if they’re not here it might
be who is on the tour, the Queen might
be near and they want to wave to her.”
“So, about the ghosts who haunt the bar
how many do you know of,” asked Giles.

“Some, a few, it’s hard to say for sure.
There is Julish, now she is a beautiful
girl she is quite often seen serving
behind the bar, there is a gentleman
that sits at a table eating a meal, and
there are two men in heavy cloaks by
the door.”
“Is anything known of any of them, or
all of them?” asked Linda.

“Julish came here by stage coach,
but she didn’t have enough money
for a room. The landlady at the time
was nice, she said she could work
here to pay for the room. How she
died, or where she died no one knows,
but it is said she met her betrothed
and that they wed, although that was
after they died.

The gentleman who ate the food, he
died here, he choked on some gristle,
I think that funny because he was
a land owner, a farmer who sold his
animals to the towns butcher who
sold the animal meat here. Some say
an animal wanted to get its revenge.

As for the two hooded men, no one
knows. They could have been women
on the run one of them could have
been like Dick Turpin but no
highwayman was known to roam
these roads.”
Willow looked at the walls of the Inn.
“So tell me Mr. Saunders what can
you tell me about this place?”

“According to history, my great
grandmother was an owner, her kin
were smugglers, though they never
came here. She had a child and on
occasion you’ll hear a babies cries,
but there’s no proof that is her child,
but the pitiful cries can be distressing
to some.”

“Mr. Saunders, I feel that something
is here. Though it isn’t in here that it
calls to me, so do you know what part
of the Inn is it that we to go to next?”
“As for what part of the Inn you go
to next will depend on you, do you
want to see the scary stuff first or last?”

Willow thought about it, a smile lit
her eyes telling him that she’d prefer
something exciting.
“Then follow me, we should head
outside and go across the courtyard
from there to go into the old scullery,
that isn’t a scary place as such but it
can be. What is in there is, well it is
weird,” he said.

He opened a door to the courtyard
guiding them through, Willow was
last, she put her hand on the edge of
the door, she felt it get very cold,
she looked about but saw nothing
though she heard the voice of a
young woman.
“Please miss, say hello to Buffy and
Kaim for me, remember me to them.”

Willow felt the edge of the door warm
to room temperature again.
She looked to Mr. Saunders again
knowing it could be very weird down
there. Willow looked at the scullery
door locks, Mr. Saunders looked at her.
“That’s weird,” said Willow.

“Very weird and at times down-right
scary,” he unlocked the scullery door.
“The locks are here to protect the
innocent,” he declared. Giles was about
to step inside to look about.
Mr. Saunders put a hand on his
shoulder, “No, don’t go in, at least
not yet, listen to me there is a few
things I need to warn you of first.”

“Why he shouldn‘t go in?” asked Giles,
“What is in there is it as you say, so
scary?”
“I think we should listen to him, a
ghost just spoke to me at the door to
the bar, I won’t say what,” said Willow,
“But I will say I have a new, healthy
respect for what or who is here.”

Mr. Saunders told them that first they
should look at the wall outside the
room. He picked up a lovely yellow
fragrant rose.
“One for each one of us just in case
the ghost is here, you have to give
her a gift, something she likes, it will
help.” “Help, how would giving the
ghost a gift help,” asked Linda.

“Simple, give her a gift or you might
not get out, ever. I’m not saying that
she’ll kill you, no, it’s just that you’ll
never be seen of or heard of ever again.
So give her a gift at least then you will
know she’ll let you leave you,
alternatively don’t and say goodbye.”

He started to put one of the pots outside
the door.
“No, wait, while I’m not convinced,
I am not a gambler,” Linda put the
potted plant inside the door.
“This is dangerous, why is this allowed
as part of the tour?” asked Giles.

“It isn’t, did you notice all the locks on
the door, they were put there to keep
the unwary out, and believe me they
were very difficult locks to put on.
The right people had to be here because
the door doesn’t appear for everyone,”
he looked at Willow, “only a few.”
“Are you flirting with me,” she asked,
“Or being extra nice?”


To Be Continued
 
Smiling he motioned for Willow to
look behind. She turned and looked.
A lovely young woman with black
wavy locks that weaved their way
about her breasts, was watching her.
She was stood at the door to the bar.
Willow saw her tapping the edge of
the door. Mr. Saunders leant closer
to Willow.

“I think the barmaid wants to protect
you, her name is Julish. And that
makes me think there is more to you,
or you know who deserves respect.”
Willow smiled, raising her hand in
front, daintily waving to Julish.

“Now where was I, right, Giles we
are not allowed to open the door for
just anyone, only people in ghost
hunters clubs. Now for the warning,
it is best if you understand exactly
what is going to happen in there.
You’ll have no insurance of any kind
as you may not get out.

Mr. Saunders put a plant inside the
door for each of them except Willow.
“Take notice of this everyone,” he
held Willow’s hand, “Please if you
would step inside the door, if you
need help then pull yourself out.”
Willow, Linda and Giles looked
about, they heard the Inn itself sigh.

Willow did exactly as he said, she
was only in the scullery a moment
before all that she saw was a thick
oily black. Still holding her hand
he put two more pots inside the door
immediately she could see the
scullery. They all went to the bottom
of the steps.

“Now if you would please wait here,
to the left of you is the sink. As you
can see the sink is full of pots and pans.
And behind you where we came in
although the door is no longer there,”
said Mr. Saunders, “Also if you look
to the end of the room, on the back wall,
you can see another room, but there
isn’t, what actually is there is a brick
wall for the shop next door.

To the right into the preparation room,
it is the way out. As they go into the
room, wet blood is seen on the wall.
“There is no point to clean the walls,
but we do clean the window glass
every now and then.”
“I was hoping that this room would
have the way out but there isn’t a door
or even window on any of the walls,”
said Linda.
“And I agree with you, there isn’t,
not yet,” said Mr. Saunders,

“I’ll explain in a minute, this is another
strange room, where the animals were
killed hence it being the preparation
room, and what’s more. Linda if you
would move two steps to the wall.”
“Good grief,” said Linda. A window
and a door appeared. “But before
when we were outside I didn’t see
anything here.”

“I can’t explain it completely, only
that when one door and window exists
the other doesn’t, strange isn’t it.”
“Is any ghost known to haunt in here?”
asked Giles.

“Not that I know of,” Mr. Saunders
replied. A babies screams echoed
against the walls.
“I know that scream, the baby wants
attention,” said Mr. Saunders

“Hmm, okay,” said Willow, “Is that
all the ghosts here?” “Yes, as far as
I know,” said Mr. Saunders.
“I thought you’d say that, so who’s
that looking in the window?”
Mr. Saunders looked to the courtyard,
“I can’t see any ghost there.”
“Not that window,” said Willow,
“The window on the wall behind us.”

“Nice,” said Mr. Saunders, “that’s
another window that’s not there.
I’ve never seen that one before,
I’ve no idea who.”
As the babies screams faded so did
the ghost.
“Okay, she is another ghost to add
to the list, now I think it is time to
go into the courtyard.

“Oh wait, before we go can go, if
one of you will go into the scullery.”
Giles went into the room.
“What am I looking for?”
“What’s in the sink.”
“The sink is empty, why, oh.”

As soon as they stepped outside of
the preparation room a ghost was seen
to walk passed them.
“She was once the owner here, she
is my great grandmother.”
“Well that’s good, I’ve seen three
ghosts here, that is a lot better than
I thought, plus the Inn itself being a
ghost. Why do I think there was a
reason why?”

“Something I’d like to know, why
do a mornings tour,” asked Linda,
“Most of the places I’ve been to
want to do a tour at night.”
“Because that’s what I asked for,”
said Giles, “Tonight we’ll stay at
another hotel speaking of I’d best
give them a ring, I ought to confirm
the booking I have for the
Watersview Hotel.”

“I know of that place, it is a good one
and it’s only fifteen minutes away.
You’ll feel at home there, they had a
sighting the other day. Two people
saw a ghost in their room, they were
not impressed,” Mr. Saunders, went
to Willow

“There is something you should know,
what happened here. It was just me
having a bit of fun. I didn’t do it to
upset you, Honest.”
All was quiet. Giles looked around
for Mr. Saunders but he couldn’t see
him anywhere, Willow saw a middle
aged woman coming from the bar,
the woman called her. She walked
up to the Willow.

“I am so sorry that I am late, I am
Miss Fischer.”
“That is alright, your husband took
your place,” said Giles. The woman
looked to Willow.
“What, no I don’t want to know.
In case you didn’t notice it, my name
is Miss Fischer, I’m not married.

Though I do know of a Mr. Robert
Saunders, he is a character and a half.
He was married, to an owner here
who married him. She puts up with
a lot, for some unknown reason he
refers to her as his great grandmother.
He died in the cellar here though I
should add that was a hundred years
ago.”

To Be Continued
 
15 A SEAL AT THE WATERSVIEW

Giles steered the car to a parking bay
at the Watersview Hotel.
“I know what the name of this place
is but look at it, it’s a bit posh isn’t it?
Why are we here,” asked Willow.

She looked at all the hotels lights
“This place looks like a quality place.”
Giles got out of the car he went to
her door and opened it. Linda and
Willow smiled to each other.
“Trying to be a gentleman is he?”
asked Linda. Kaim opened her door.

She and Buffy got out, Buffy grinned
to Willow. “Well there’s a thing, he
takes us to a posh hotel and opens
the car door for you.”
Buffy licked her middle finger,
she held it up as if she testing the
direction of the wind, she looked to
Willow.

“That’s it, that is what I had to say,
Willow, please get a room you two.”
Willow blushed. “Buffy, how could
you? That is the same as Kal said.”
Giles looked at Buffy.
“Do you have the same memories
as Kal?”

“You could have stayed in the car,
you know, now my Sam will have
to pay for you two to,” said Willow
she poked the tip of her tongue to her.
Giles tried to hide, he wished he
wasn’t there.

“Come on,” shouted Linda, “Come
and get into the revolving door.”
She went around twice.
“Come on everyone this is so much
fun.” She was so happy, part of her
happiness was imagined especially
as they tried to pretend she wasn’t
with them.

Giles went to the reception desk
hoping to be seen quickly, a girl
did came to greet them, not soon
enough though.
“Good evening, welcome to The
Watersview Hotel, my name is
Antoinette, do you have a booking?”
“We did, but it was for three, these
two others decided to be early,”
said Giles.

“Does he mean us, oh well, are you
okay to share a room with me Kaim,
then if Linda has a room to herself
that’ll be three rooms we need, no
doubt,” said Buffy grinning to
Willow. Giles looked down his nose
at Buffy.

“The name is Swandar Ghost Hunters
Club.”
Antoinette leant forward, speaking
quietly. “Thank God you are here,
but can you keep any mentions
of ghosts quiet, we don’t want the
other customers to know, no doubt
some of them may get scared.”

“I think you have got us confused
with someone else, we were not told
of the ghost here until we took a tour
at the Three Horse Inn, although
that was a good tour the person who
gave us the tour, as it turned out
was a ghost himself.”

“What, that Mr. Saunders was a
ghost?” asked Linda.
“Yes, the owner was never married,
her name was Miss Fischer. She said
that he was married though that he
referred to his wife as his great
grandmother,” said Willow.
“I didn’t know that,” admitted Linda.

Willow looked at Kaim. “Oh I don’t
know, some people, you’ve got to
tell them everything,”
Antoinette leant forward to them again.
“That’s just a bit too loud, other
people are looking, all this talk about
ghosts. Now the one here was last
seen, about thirty minutes ago.”

“As long as we don’t have to face
stuff like the last place, a door and a
window that moved on the wall.”
Kaim looked to Buffy.
“Good thing they didn’t get to hear
the horses?”
Willow looked to her. “What horses?”

“Why do you think the Inn got the
name the Three Horses Inn, it wasn’t
because of a stagecoach,” said Kaim.
“Why was it then?” asked Willow.
Buffy smiled.
“Just think of Death and what the
others did while she couldn’t be found.”
“What? They met there?” asked Willow.

Antoinette tried to say that she was
sorry. “I thought our ghost was why
you were here.”
“Well it wasn’t, sorry,” said Kaim.
“Trouble is, we go to a hotel that
turns out to have a problem, a ghostly
problem, a coincidence?” asked Buffy.

“Coincidence, coinkidink, that might
be a good stripper name for me, better
than serendipity anyway,” said Willow.
Even Antoinette looked at her,
surprised. “Not that I’m like that,”
added Willow, “It isn’t and won’t be.
So about this ghost. Where is the ghost
from or why she is here.”
“No one knows,” replied Antoinette,
“If you’d care to follow me I’ll take
you there now.”

Antoinette led the way, she did her
best to ignore the gaggle of jokes
behind her. Though she was tempted
to speak to Giles once or twice
as he kept walking ahead.
Antoinette opened a door.
“This is the room that the ghost of a
young woman has been seen in.”
“Oh good, the ghost of a girl, that’s
unusual,” said Linda
Willow was happy again, then she
saw that Kaim was looking grim
“What is it?” she asked.

Kaim looked solemnly about the room.
“There is something or someone else.
I can feel another, it is not a dark
occult, but it is occult, and not a ghost.”
She looked out the window.
Willow looked to Antoinette.
“Why would a ghost want to be in
this room, has it been here long?”
Antoinette went to the coffee table and
picked up a brochure about the hotel.

“This brochure tells the story of the
extensions that have been added
recently. Of which rooms were added
and what was here before and just
in case any of you are conservationists
there was a forest nearby but the edge
was far enough away that no tree
had to be disturbed.”

Willow watched as Kaim and Buffy
as they paced the room as though
they were measuring it.
“There was six rooms added at each
end of the Hotel and when the work
was finished she was seen?” asked Kaim.
“After a month or so,” replied Antoinette.
“You said a forest near,” said Kal-na.
“There is a path but no one has
followed it yet.”


To Be Continued
 
Antoinette went to the door, turning
to them. “I’ll leave you to it then.”
“Before you go, can we talk to each
other for a minute or two.”

Kaim looked out of the window.
“Did a path pass through where this
room is, that might explain her being
here. Can you have a look in the
bathroom Willow?”
Willow went into the bathroom, she
heard the running of water. Realising
to late that someone was in the shower.
“Sorry,” said Willow, “I’ll come back
when you finished.”

About to leave the room a naked woman
stepped through the shower screen. As
her skin dried her clothes appeared.
She walked through the wall into the
bedroom, behind where Antoinette stood.
Willow went into the room, she
indicated the woman.
“Antoinette, what would you do if
you saw a ghost?” asked Giles, he
stood waiting for her reply.

“I don’t know, I’ve never seen one.”
She sat on the end of the bed.
“We did have medium here yesterday
he said that the ghost is a man, either a
smuggler or a pirate.”
“I’d suggest you don’t bother calling
that medium again, he really is bloody
useless,” said Buffy, “the ghost is a
woman and I can prove it, if you are
okay with seeing a ghost.”

“As long as I’m not here too much
more, I ought to get back to work.”
“You can see for yourself right now
if you want the ghost is behind you.”
Antoinette turned to face the ghost.
Willow invited the ghost to sit down,
Giles looked at the ghost.

“Mariatha, my name is Mariatha.”
She quietly looked about the room.
“How did you know I was about to
ask you that?” asked Giles.
“You were going to ask if I’m a
woman?” “Good point,” he said.
“Sorry, I am Kaim this is Willow,
Giles, Linda, Antoinette works here
and she is Buffy.

We were told that you’re a smuggler
or a pirate, I’d have said a smuggler.
But what is it, what would cause you
to come here are you by yourself.”
“A smuggler it is, but I am not alone
for my sister Julienne is also here.
We search the forest for our other
sister, who went missing near here
a long time ago.

We had just taken some small barrels
to a public house over the hill.”
Kaim looked to Mariatha.
“So this sister who is here, can you
call her please.” Mariatha smiled.
“Okay.”
Julienne appeared, she smiled to her.
“What is it why, call me here?”
She faced Kaim, she was surprised.

“Maraitha, why is a general of the
Two Swords here?”
“Like your sister said Julienne, I am
not alone, another like me is here.
And if you know me you know of her,
though why I don’t know,” said Kaim.
“The horses that run through the forest,
though there are only three of them, I
heard people on them; the horsemen
of the apocalypse, that is how I knew
of you, they told me.”

“Then they’ll have said of Buffy.”
“She is here? The Vampire Slayer
is here?” asked Julienne.
“Yes I am, though I doubt you will
see them again, the onewho they
searched for has returned,” said Buffy.
“Of course, yes,” Willow exclaimed,

“Now I see, Mariatha, Julienne, the
sister you seek, I know where she is
and I know she is a ghost, her husband
is there and her child as well, if you
want I can take you there now, with
some help.”
“Who do you mean?” asked Giles.

“Mr. Robert Saunders is the father.
Don’t you remember, Miss Fischer
said he is married, that his wife was
a smuggler, also when we heard the
baby crying, when the cries died away
the ghost I saw faded away, she was
the daughter.”

“But who is the mother, their sister?”
asked Giles.
“Mr. Saunders referred to his wife as
his great grandmother,” she explained,

“So, if you do go by yourselves give
my regards to Julish,” said Willow.
They left the room.
“Yet my feeling stays,” said Kaim.
“And that feeling has grown just a bit
stronger hasn’t it?” Kaim looked to Buffy.
“You know what it is, please tell me.”
Buffy stared into the eyes of Antoinette
“At such a time as this Kaim I’d suggest
you call Darla, Tianara and Claere here.
They will want to see as well.

Think of someone by her other name,
Faith.”
“Faith?” Kaim looked at Antoinette, she
dropped to her knees.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” she said.
“Umm, excuse me I am Antoinette,
why are you doing that?”
“Yes, why?” asked Willow, “She is just
Antoinette, the receptionist who works here.”

“Willow,” said Buffy, “Listen to me,
I am not wrong, though her name is
Antoinette here, now, at the beginning
of time her name was Faith, God
himself will be pleased she is found.”
Streaks of lightning flashed between
clouds, Linda ran to the window to see
night become as bright as day. All the
colours had gone, everything was white.

Tianara, Claere and Darla, appeared in
the room they touched Antoinette,
they all disappeared.
“Is that it?” asked Buffy, “I didn’t
expected that much, it’s not as if she
was the seventh,” said Buffy.
“She was the last one,” said Kaim,
“the other two are of the Two Swords,
you have already met one,” said Kaim.

“I have, who was it?” asked Buffy.
“Holly-Marie she was the leader of one
army who said yes, when those two
armies joined they became Two Swords,
the name Holly-Marie Eleope, remove
all but the first two and the last two
letters of her name. The other, Charity
helped the Goddess Tianara remove her
father from the sons hold, her name to
us is Saffron. So now the Seven Seals
are as one,” said Kaim.

“I don’t see how the four horsemen
can be part of them,” said Linda.
“It’s simple really,” said Buffy, “You
humans got it wrong. The trumpeter
sounds seven times to announce the end.
The end of what is and this is the
beginning, the end of this is when
Heaven on earth begins.”

“Okay, but the horsemen’s names.”
“Linda, conquest against who? Even
today many religions have that rider
as Gods son Jesus Christ. Death was a
Vampire Slayer, she helps the dead,”
Kaim turned to Buffy, “Speaking of
which we need to find the souls and
free them.”

To Be Continued
 
16 THE SOULS OF THE DEAD

Buffy thought of where to go to
look for them where the souls of
the dead would be.
Exhausted from four days of
thinking about nothing else.
“I keep thinking of the same place,
why, it might be because of what
and who was there,” said Buffy.

“There is nowhere else right now
so we should go, you never know.”
Buffy took Kaim’s advice they both
appeared near the canal. They walked
over the field to where the children
came from. Death appeared, she
stood next to them.

“I wondered how long it would take
you to get here. The side of the hill
opened for Kaim, Buffy and Death.
They went into the cave, it became
smaller and narrower, as they went
along the passage. Death opened
the doors at its end. Going in,
everywhere seemed black, as their
eyes forgot the dark they saw a
glimmer of light at its end.

Beginning to go to the light Death
said to go the other way. Seeing
nothing ahead they still did as
Death had said, they kept going.
“Now it’s near,” Death said only
Death held back.
Buffy held a hand in the darkness
in front of her eyes; an oily thick
impenetrable darkness.

“Now you need to beware. Stand still.
Where you are no has no rules that
apply to heaven, hell, or earth.”
Kaim turned a handle she tried to
open a door she couldn’t see, though
it let in light, it only went to the
darkness behind her, not there.

She held up her hand to the light.
“Is this light ahead of me false,
it is there but it isn’t here.”
“Go into the light,” said Death.
She led them into it.
“What do you see?” asked Death.
“A large field of grass,” said Buffy.
She watched as the long grass
moved with the wind, after
watching it for a while.

“The grass, it moves like water,”
said Buffy.
Death waved her hand in front of
her body; there lay a lake.
“Of everything that I thought I’d
see here, I never thought of a lake.”

Kaim looked to Death,
“I know it’s wrong of me to think this,
but I feel that you are smiling at me.”
Death lifted back the hood of her cloak,
uncovering her aging skull.
“Am I grinning at you or having a
laugh, and if so how could you know
if a skull was laughing?”

Nice thought though, but now, you
both need to stand firm, to hold
onto something that will help you
to stand tall.”
Death smiled watching them hold
onto each other.

“I’m glad you did that, touching
another person that is something I
cannot do. Now Kaim, I want you
to walk into the water, until you
are waist height.”
Kaim walked slowly into the water
she stopped when the water
reached her waist, she faced Death.

“Now what?”
Kaim looked about, curious as to
why she was there.
“In the lake,” said Death, “are the
souls of the dead. They were held
here, protected by the Two Swords.”
“I don’t know of anyone, why
wasn’t I told,” said Kaim.
Death faced Kaim. “It never was a
person or being that protected them
it was a thing. It is what you and
your kind have searched for, hoping
that one day one of you would find
it,” said Death,

“Now face the middle of the lake,
put your hand on the hilt of your
sword.” Kaim did as she was told.
“And look to the middle of the
lake.
Death called to the lake.
“Kaim, the General of the Riders,
of the Two Swords, she is in water.”

From the middle of the lake the tip
of a sword rose up until it all was
seen above the surface, the sword
floated towards Kaim then stopped,
Kaim stretched to reach the sword.

“Wait Kaim, lay your sword in front
of you, rest it on both your hands,
one at each end.”
Doing as she was told she felt the
wWeight of a sword in a sheath.
Still holding her sword with both
hands she put it in her sheath.
“Now you have two swords Kaim,”
said Death, “Call out to the water,
say that you now have the sword.”

Death looked to her.
“Now come back onto the land, to
stand between us.”
Kaim stood between them, she
smiled but felt a bit uncomfortable.
She was suddenly forced to step
back, as a breeze of warmth passed
through her.

The water on the lakes surface
began to churn. Many small gusts
of wind passed through them, for
several hours it continued.
Then all was quiet.
The surface of the water became
calm.
“What was that?” asked Kaim,
“I felt nice, very nice, but what
was it?”

“Now I want to laugh,” said Death.
“Those small breezes, the
movement on the water, they were
the souls of the dead going home.
The sword was their protection.
why do you think the son of the
devil never attacked in his own form?

All those souls were kept from him.
Now is the time I need to say
farewell. Buffy, my friend, I would
like to choose much more,” she
stared at her, “To know you as sister.

But for now the Seven Seals are to
protect those who come next. But
remember this, the trumpeter has
sounded twice.”
Death shrugged her shoulders and
was gone.
“I’ve done what they asked as well.”
And Buffy was gone.
Kaim felt alone, though she was
surprised this time she really did feel
that she saw Death smile.


To Be Continued
 
17 KAL’S RETURN

Buffy looked into Kal’s open coffin.
She smiled,
She looked at the cold body lying
there.
“Now you rest little one, soon, very
soon it will come to be.”
Buffy vanished.
Not long later that morning the
funeral homes attendant come into
the room.
He was to give Kal’s coffin a final
rub down and clean for the burial.
He looked at Kal’s body.
“I was told they waited for your
fractured arm to heal, but no one
ever knew why or who it was that
said that your body be kept alive.”
He looked at her eyes and closed
her eyelids.
“Pity really.”
Kal’s eyelids opened.
The attendant was stunned.
“What, the dead don’t do that.”
He looked into her eyes. He
watched her, her pupils moved.
He ran to his office, dialing the
phone. He rang the ward she
had come from.
“I am telling you, I saw her eyes
move, so I ran to my office and I
rang, am ringing you, to tell you
right away.”
He looked to the door.
“Oh good grief, she just walked
into my office, she is sitting
down. As I speak she is sat
opposite me. I’m glad, so glad
she wasn’t cremated.”

Kal stood, she grinned,
she turned to the doorway, about to
go out, she quietly said to herself.
“Who cares if I’m buried or cremated?
I am Kal,
in me is Buffy,
we cannot die.”

The End
 
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