Buffy Introduces Them To Death

[ILLYRIAN]

I was getting stuck with a story I am writing, so I thought I'd
re-write it as Buffy fan fic. It is a mix of a story that I posted here, and some concepts with some new ideas that I am trying to formulate.
And if you enjoy reading this, all the better.

All characters are from Buffy and Angel TV, they are copyright protected. This is for entertainment purposes only. No payment has been asked for, or offered.
Timeline:
A month after defeating the First, leaving Sunnydale in a hole, before they decided to go their separate ways.

Title: Buffy Introduces Them To Death

A meeting was planned to discuss what they were going to do.
30 minutes after the meeting was due to start, only Giles and Willow were sat in the room.
"Not a very good turn out is it," said Giles, "Where is everyone?"
"They've already gone," said Willow.
"Oh, that's great, bloody marvellous, well I just hope that nothing big is sat just over the horizon," said Giles.

"If there wasn't, there's bound to be now isn't there? Why did you say that? Tempting the fates isn't the best thing," said Willow.
Giles looked at Willow, he caste her a curt grin. "Look at the two of us, a meeting was planned for everyone, and only two of us bother to turn up. What if something does happen, what if we need them to return?" asked Giles.
"Giles, if there is a problem, and let's face it, after what you said, tempting the fates like that, something is bound to be brewing, so one phone call and they'll come running," said Willow.
"Lets hope," stated Giles.

"We might as well ring them now, "˜cos something big is bound to coming..... Willow's phone began to buzz surprising them both..
"What is that?" asked Giles several times as he looked around the room. It was as if he'd just woken up.
"That's my phone," explained Willow. She pressed the receive button.
"Buff, hi, hang on a mo' I'll just put you on speaker. Giles and I are in a room together, you know, for the meeting," said Willow.

"Well it wasn't me, I would never say that. It must have been Xander," said Buffy.
"Xanders said what? What are you on about?" asked Willow.
"You know, telling you two to get a room."
Willow looked at Giles, she was embarrassed.
"Miss Summers, you do realise that I can hear you, don't you?"
Willow whispered into the phone. "Buffy you do remember that he plays for the wrong team, don't you?"

"No he doesn't, he prefers girls, and so do you," said Buffy. Giles and Willow could hear Buffy trying to muffle her laughter.
Willow winked to Giles, pressing the tip of a finger to her lips.
"True, I hadn't thought of it like that, I mean, we both want to kiss you and lic.. "Hey! Stop that," shouted Buffy interrupting her. "So, about the room we are in, you know, for the meeting," said Giles.

"The meeting? Oh! The meeting, yes, good thing I rang! Great timing huh," said Buffy.
There was a long silence.
"I take it you were going to say something?" asked Giles.
"Yes, I had a dream last night, it was weird. Considering what some of my dreams have been like, that is saying something. Anyway, there were two giants lying on blue whales, in the Atlantic Ocean playing Draughts. I didn't understand that bit. Do you?"
"Carry on Buffy, with the dream, who were the giants," said Giles.

"As far as I could tell, they were God and the Devil."
"What! God and the Devil were chatting, playing Draughts?" asked Giles. "Well in my defence, I did say it was a weird dream. But it was what they were saying that made me think it was no ordinary dream. The Devil said that apart from those first few years he hadn't received any new souls, then God agreed with him."
"Hang on Buffy," said Giles, "I'm still having problems getting over God and the Devil playing draughts."
"How about this then, God is winning, he has won twenty five games to seventeen," said Buffy.
"That's worse. Should I be glad that God is winning or not, because of them having played forty two games?" said Giles.

"God suggested they send someone to find out why. The Devil agreed saying a new Debt Collector would be created. Then God said that he would send his top person. The Devil suggested that they combine the two into one person and send her back in time a month or so. Giles, I am worried," said Buffy.
"Why?" asked Giles.
"Well, God said who his top person is, a Vampire Slayer, he said my name! Then the Devil said how their person would be put into the world. That she would die on the top of a bus, that she could live as their person. Please Giles, when we left Sunnydale, say you looked at the top of the bus, is my body still there?"

"Buffy, it's Willow. We will get onto it, the both of us, we'll put the word out where ever we can think off. But until then, who are you looking for?"
"When life began, the Devil created himself a son. After many eons that son fought against the father for control of hell. The son lost but he was never killed, but those who sided with the son were and are being sought by the Devil. He created the Debt Collector to collect all who sided with the son. The original vampires sided with the son, now all vampires who have risen from them are to be collected," said Buffy.

"Buffy, Giles here, can you get back here, quick. The training I gave you, it was to let you know what you were capable of. Thing is, I was doing that on the idea that you were human. You might not be human, the point is you still need to know what you can do. Please Buffy, understand this, as a Vampire Slayer you were sent to kill the vampires, and now as a Debt Collector you are to do exactly the same. Just get here we have work to do."

Willow disconnected the phone call from Buffy, she looked to Giles. "What now?"
"Call everyone, get them back here now. If you have any contact with Wesley, can you ask if he knows anything about this Debt Collector. Also if he can ask Angel and Spike to get here, just say a Debt Collector is with us but don't say who it is," said Giles.

Willow walked to the door, she stopped, turning she faced Giles. "When Buffy gets back you need to find out what you can, I'll arrange a meeting so that we can say about her, in the mean time lets hope we can find out about what a Debt Collector does."
Willow had gone home, she was in her study when she received a phone call from Wesley.

"Willow, that question about a Debt Collector. The data base here has quite a bit about them. The person is always a girl, I can't find where or when she is from but I did find that there is a prophecy. The prophecy is REFILUC 1:01 When crowned she will return, she will lay waste to all.
Now I don't know what that refers to, as soon as I do I'll let you know. About Spike, he is on his way. Angel wants to know some details first."

"Okay Wesley," started Willow, "Refiluc 1:01 was the start. The crowned thing, that is a reference to the board game Draughts. Tell Angel he needs to get here fast. He can learn the details here, if he wants to see tomorrow that is."
"What else have you found out Willow?" asked Wesley.
"Nothing about the Debt Collector herself, however, if the people in charge of the place that you are in sided with the Son of the devil against the Devil I'd suggest you start running, now," said Willow.

For the meeting the next evening all the tables were placed together so that everyone could see everyone else. Giles opened the meeting.
"I think everyone here knows who used to be who. Willow, Dawn and I know a bit more, as does Buffy," said Giles. He motioned Buffy to go to Spike and Angel. She got up and walked to them, she glanced to them. "Damned vampires!"

"'Ere hang on, what's with that?" "Spike, you came here when you were asked," said Giles, "You helped Buffy in the Hellmouth. That may help you. Angel, you have helped Buffy when she asked, many times. That may help you both," said Giles.
"It will, but they have both wanted to kill me," said Buffy.
"Angel, Spike," said Willow, "I don't think you have formally been introduced, please meet Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Created by God as a Vampire Slayer, she was also created a Debt Collector by the Devil."

Angel stepped back from Buffy. "You, you are her?"
Spike leant forward in his chair, he looked at Buffy. "Bugger me!"
"In their defence Buffy, they do have souls," said Willow.
Buffy turned to Willow. "They all do."
"No, when a vampire is created the humans soul is taken," said Giles.
"Listen to me human," Buffy spat the words to him, "I am the Debt Collector. I know more about vampires than you will ever know. So listen, all vampires have soul, when created the part of the soul that cares and can be bothered to care it is taken, the rest remains."

Buffy stood behind Spike and Angel, she ran her fingers through Spike's hair. "These two have many parts of others souls. To take that part of a humans soul, the vampire has to have part of a soul, the part that doesn't care. These two now have a choice, give to me all those parts of souls."
"What if they don't?" asked Giles.
"Then I will take it all, and theirs," said Buffy.
"You can have whatever we have, but I don't know how," said Spike. "Yeas, what he said," said Angel.
"Good thing I do," said Buffy smiling.

"So, what happens to those parts of souls?" asked Dawn.
"They go back, to join with what they came from. The vampire cannot exist with a full soul and it will die, then the human will die as a human and my creators will get all those souls," said Buffy.
"Just a minute, that demon I saw, he put me through some Go... (he looks to Buffy)..... some bloody awful tests, then said I could have my soul back," said Spike.
Buffy smiled to him, slowly shaking her head. "He lied, naughty, huh? And those gypsy's Angel, they said you had it, so you felt it, others saw it because you weren't hiding it."

"Buffy, it sounds as though the Son of the devil is doing something to stop souls moving on. How do we get him?" asked Giles.
"We don't get him, not yet anyway. Firstly we need to find what is keeping him hidden. If it is the vampires who are doing that we have to find what is protecting them," said Buffy.
"What about the werewolves?" asked Xander.
"It won't be them, but that is a good idea, k you," said Buffy.
Gunn, Fred and Wesley appeared in the room. "You are humans, you now have my protection," Buffy looked straight at Fred, "And just in time."

The whole room began to appear to glow blue. Buffy smiled. "Good, she is nearly here, she might be able to help find the Devil's puppies, those werewolves."

The next instalment:

Question, are the werewolves for or against the vampires? She of the blue light, does she know?

Fred and Willow want an answer to their question. If captain Forehead's hair stands up, should he be called Spike? And if so, what should Spike be called?

 

[tec]

If you dont mind some hopefuly friendly critisim.
Its neat to see someone useing a simular writeing style as me what was hard for me is I had to go to the back of the sentance to see whos saying what it was hard to hear it in there voice otherwise as I read down.

Buffy: Well it wasn’t me, I would never say that. It must have been Xander.
Willow: Xanders said what? What are you on about?
Buffy: You know, telling you two to get a room.

Willow looked at Giles, she was embarrassed.

Giles: Miss Summers, you do realise that I can hear you, don’t you
Willow: Whispers into the phone. Buffy you do remember that he plays for the wrong team, don’t you?
Buffy: No he doesn’t, he prefers girls, and so do you Giles and Willow could hear Buffy trying to muffle her laughter.
Willow: Winked to Giles, pressing the tip of a finger to her lips. True, I hadn’t thought of it like that, I mean, we both want to kiss you and lic...
Buffy: Hey! Stop that! Buffy shouted interrupting her.

Hope you dont mind I really like this exchange and had to hear the timeing and cadance in my style it was good.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

I don't mind constructive criticism, but it is hard to understand the criticism if you don't use punctuation.
The way that you have written is akin to script and as such, it should be stated if a person is in the room or not. Using V.O. or O.S. is common depending what country format you use.
As for the cadence of the characters voice, the writer can use all the punctuation they want. Ultimately though, it is the reader who defines what pitch the character speaks in.
Another problem is how the lines appears on the site. If a line is put in the wrong place, it can spoil the timing effect. Had the line that had Giles and Willow hearing Buffy trying to muffle her laughter appeared on a separate line as written, the timing would have appeared right. As it is the line can be said too quickly, spoiling the timing.

 

[tec]

Valid points
Still found the exchage quite fun

 

[ILLYRIAN]

All characters are from Buffy and Angel TV, they are copyright protected. This is for entertainment purposes only. No payment has been asked for, or offered.

Timeline:
This story began a month after Buffy and the slayers had defeated the First, then left Sunnydale in a hole. This part is two days later.
Now read on, ......

Title: Buffy Introduces Them To Death (part 2)

Buffy waited, and waited. Tapping her foot, growing more impatient by the second. Shouting angrily at the blue glow.
“Well! Where the bloody hell are you?”
As she looked up the blue glow faded. “Damned Goddess. Great!” She looked at Spike and Angel. “Oh well, guess it’ll have to be you two,” she turned to the other three, “Hmm I suppose you’ll do. You two boys can stay here.” Buffy faced the table. “Come on then witch.”

They walked outside, Spike and Angel were standing at the kerb. “Hey hang on, where’s my ride gone?” asked Spike.
Buffy looked sideways at him. “Yeah, alright, his car.” he said pointing to Angel. Buffy rolled her eyes at him.
“Spike, they were never his cars, they belonged to the firm and the firm took their property back. Still, at least I know who they sided with.”
“Those rotten sods, fancy taking their cars back, the tight fisted gits,” stated Spike, “They‘ve been watching us.” Looking at Angel.

“Angel, those others, the ones in there, they seem to like you. More than they do for Spike anyway, stay here. And you, Fred, you seem to think Spike is worth saving.” Buffy looked at Spike, “Maybe so
Witch, we are going to need somewhere to work from.” Buffy held her hand palm up to Willow, a pile of money started to appear in her hand. “Get us a nice house, a big one. Just make sure you pay for the last three months.”

“Why three months?” asked Fred.
“If anyone does try to find us, we won’t be found in the new rentals list,” said Buffy, “Fred, when Willow has found a house, you are going to need a library of books, take a video of the best room. I know a guy who can get any book that we need.”
“Buffy, what are we going to do now? Daylight won’t start for another eight hours,” said Willow. “And what will we do when those two are gone?” asked Spike.
“Relax, kick back, take it easy, kill a vampire or two, I might even let you watch the domino effect this time. That is always fun,” Buffy smiled.

Wandering along the road Buffy glanced at Spike a few times, eventually, bored with what they were doing. “Where are we going?” she asked.
“The graveyard,” said Spike, “Home of my dreams.” He looked to Buffy. “It’s where I used to live.” He said as an explanation.
Buffy stopped. “So why go there? All that is there are vampire newbies. The slayer may have liked killing them but I prefer doing in the old ones,” her smile made Spike shiver, “The domino effect can be fun to watch.”
“One is better than none,” said Spike still going to the cemetery.
“At least let me dig them up,” said Buffy, “Saves having to wait for them to crawl out.”

Having stopped at a car yard and bought a car in the morning, (a four door convertible with a nice big trunk for Spike to stay in).
Willow and Fred were standing in the doorway of the house they’d rented when Buffy drove the car to the front.
“Do you want to inspect the place?” asked Willow when Buffy had gotten out of the car.
“I doubt that I’d need to, I trusted you before, that’s enough. You helped the slayers watcher most of the time, so you know what’s needed. And as long as there is somewhere to put Spike’s coffin it’ll do.”

“Spike doesn’t need a coffin,” added Fred.
“True, but he tried to break into song twice and both times it was his version of My Way,” said Buffy. “Beats White Wedding any day,” said Willow.
Buffy grinned as she walked into the house.
Fred stayed at the door, she pointed to the car. “Shouldn’t we let Spike out of the trunk?” “Yes,” replied Buffy but she kept walking in the house. Willow walked into the back room after Buffy. “The computer room,” announced Willow. “Good, first thing too find is where a lot of people have been found dead, or have gone missing,” said Buffy.

“What are we looking for?” asked Fred. Buffy went to the window
“One of my bosses pets are werewolves, a previous one of me found a colony of them once. That seems like a good place to start,” said Buffy.
“Where was that, when you say old colleague do you mean an old person?” asked Willow. “No, I have the combined memories of past Debt Collectors, hmm I wonder.”
“What?” asked Fred. “A load of children were found to have been taken by a vampire, maybe someone else was at play, Fred get hold of an old book on Fairy Tales,” said Buffy.

“Why Fairy Tales?” asked Willow.
Buffy looked to her. “The original stories were meant to be scary stories for the parents, maybe there is something else there, you’d best get Spike to help.”
“Don’t you want him with you?” asked Fred.
“No, werewolves see vampires as a delicacy. They love eating them,” said Buffy, “I‘ll take a look at that place, I‘ll be back just after it gets dark. See what you can find out about the gargoyles.”

As she said, it was only an hour or so after the darkness set in, Buffy walked into the room.
“Did you find anything of interest?” asked Spike.
“Yes, maybe, that Pied Piper character had taken quite a lot of people over the centuries, some of them were children; which he tried to keep secret. The ones he took they are all like him, werewolves. Did you find out much on the gargoyles,” said Buffy.
“Quite a bit, gargoyles were usually placed at the roof edges on old places. They were said to keep the evil at bay, as with churches.
Several original town meeting rooms had them as well,” said Fred.

“Well first things first, they don’t ward off evil, they announce when evil is near, that’s all. Did you find any mentions of churches being haunted, old ones though not new ones,” said Buffy.
“Why not new ones?” asked Fred.
“The old churches were built properly, like the early town meeting halls.”
“I don’t get the meaning,” stated Fred.
“Forget about the church steeple, the main building was designed to trap the early vampires that flew to close. They were trapped in the building.”

“The devil used to keep a few gargoyles himself, in case some of the vampire tried to be clever. That was in the days before the devil made himself a son.”
“So God knew about what gargoyles do? How?” asked Fred.
“Before the devil was caste of heaven the devil was the general of Gods Army. He was kicked out because he enjoyed the killing too much,” said Buffy, “The next bit might be a bit of a surprise for you.”
“What’s that?” asked Fred.

“The reason why vampires are afraid of all things church related. They never used to be, but when word spread of them getting trapped inside a church. The fear of all things church set in, and to that a couple of thousand years and the psychological fear is now a physical fear. It is a self imposed reaction to the cross and holy water,” said Buffy.
“Okay, I can see that, sort of. But why do they turn to dust?” asked Fred.
“We are already dead, when you get buried that blokey will say, ashes to ashes and dust to dust, as we are already dead. When we are killed again we become as we are already, dust,” said Spike.

Fred returned to the computer, looking through the pages and pages of hauntings. “Can you narrow the search for me?” asked Fred.
“Possibly,” said Buffy, “And I’m not saying this’ll work but you could try towns around what is known the great white horse in England.”
“What would a horse be involved?” asked Fred.
“For one it isn’t a horse, it is a depiction of a werewolf. Put on the hill top as a reminder that some of the early vampires are in the hill. It was first carved into the hilltop several thousand years ago, long before normal people could fly. It was a sign for those who could look down on it and see.”

Fred looked up at Buffy, averting her eyes from the computer screen. “Who could look down to see the hilltop?”
“A few of the original demons, back in the days when they still roamed the earth. It was for those that sided with the father, it was the first Debt Collector that knew five of them, two sided with the son and the other chose to live in the worlds seas. He is the only one who is spoken of these days,” said Buffy.
“You don’t mean King Neptune do you?”
“Yes Fred, he is the one.”

“I’ve got reports of four very old churches that are said to be haunted. I’m not sure about this, but a place that is said to be regularly haunted is at Glastonbury,” said Fred.
“That one could be what I am looking for, from memory, there is the remains of an old church on the mound. Christianity did that for some stupid reason, they built some of their churches on known pagan sites. Trying to steal the power of those places, if only they knew what power was there,” said Buffy.
“The latest reports are of all manner of strange creatures being seen on the hill. That the local residents won’t go near the place at night,” Fred looked to Buffy, “Do you know what’s there?”

“One of those eight giants, of the original demons. As far as I am aware, a mate of the first vampire demon is buried there. Those strange ghosts that are seen, some of the local peoples ancestors were guardians of the hill, werewolves that guard the tomb of many vampires,” said Buffy.
“So do you want me to concentrate on that area?” asked Fred.
“No need, if the ghosts of werewolves are seen there, the vampires must still be there. I’ll visit the place to let them know that they are still thought of,” said Buffy.
“Hey Buffy, you might want to look at these places,” said Willow.
Fred and Buffy went across the room to see which ones she had found.
“The old churches at Camelford, Tintagel and Basinney have reports of ghosts fighting,” said Willow.
“Well that might be good, but it could be monks that were put to death, although the monks were said to be herded into a glen near Tintagel. What is the other place?” asked Buffy.

“Near the town of Ballantrae on the west coast of Scotland. It has here, tales of about fifty cannibals with a thousand victims,” said Willow.
“Cannibals?” asked Fred.
“Even I think that a human eating a human is gross, what if the diagnosis five hundred years ago was wrong? That they weren’t cannibals at all, they were vampires?” said Buffy, “That makes it funny what they did the leader, I mean hanging and burying a vampire, they night as well have offered it a holiday.”

“What can you tell us about the witch hunts?” asked Willow.
“That witch hunt in Europe, they managed to get a few witches and one or two vampires,” said Buffy.
“They did, didn’t they burn them?” asked Willow.
“In America maybe, not in England though, burning was for heretics not witches, the French liked to burn witches, that’s how they got rid of Joan of Arc.”
“No, you are wrong Buffy, she wasn’t a witch,” said Willow.
“Of course she was, imagine a slip of a girl leading an army into battle, and she never got injured,” she was a witch alright. She screamed a lot when she was burnt, but it didn’t hurt her. Ever heard of the saying, the devil protects his own?”

 

[ILLYRIAN]

All characters are from Buffy and Angel TV, they are copyright protected. This is for entertainment purposes only. No payment has been asked for, or offered.

Timeline:
This story began a month after Buffy and the slayers had defeated the First, then left Sunnydale in a hole. This part is a bit more than a week later.
Now read on, ......

Title: Buffy Introduces Them To Death (part 3)

“So which one of those places will you be going to first?” asked Spike.
“I’m going to drop off and see those at Glastonbury, maybe I’ll have a look at that place near Ballantree before that place though. Thinking about it there isn’t much point. Chances are I’ll get some pointers at St. Michael’s mound, she turned to face Spike, “And you should take it that I mean we Spike, I am not going by myself.”
“You expect me to go there?“ asked Spike, “I’m not to comfy with what we might find at that place.”
“Expect? As long as you are with me, by that I mean that you’ll need to stand close to me, I’ll see you alright,” said Buffy

Spike looked to Willow. “That stuff you are doing on those things, teach me, and quick.”
“You mean computers, okay,” replied Willow, “What do you know about the internet?”
Willow looked at Spike, she became curious because of his indecision.
“You do know how to turn it on, don’t you?” asked Willow.
“Of course I do,” replied Spike, “You press the on button.”
“And where is the on button?” asked Willow.
“Is that it? Or is it that one? Willow please, she wants me to go to a place where there’s a mob of flaming werewolves,” said Spike.

“Ahh is Spikey afraid of a few little doggies?” asked Willow grinning to him.
“A few? A few of the little buggers? Didn’t you hear me? There’s a whole flaming mob of them, horrible looking sods. Bet none of them have been to a ruddy pets parlour, Willow? Willow, oh don’t tell me, she’s standing behind me isn’t she?”
“Yes Spike I am. And I didn’t say I want you to go with me, I said you will go with me.”
Spike looked pleadingly to Buffy. “Don’t look at me like that, I’m doing a favour here. These two asked me to.”
“A favour? For who?” asked Spike. Spike looked to Fred and Willow. “It was them?”

“Werewolves do like vampires, especially the internal stuff, in a vampire that stuff don’t work, so it’s easier to digest. And Will, man’s best friend is said to be a dog, the devil’s best friend is a werewolf. So Spike, you being with me will help him to accept you, he might even stop referring to you as finger licking good, you know, one day.”
Buffy went to Fred. “Have you got a blanket for Spike?”
Fred went up to one of the bedrooms, she came back into the room and tossed the blanket to Spike.
“What is that for?” asked Fred.
“In case it is sunny when we get there,” said Buffy nonchalantly. She held out her arm to Spike. “Hold my hand.”
Spike moved closer to Buffy, tentatively he touched her hand.

Willow and Fred stared at the spot where they had been standing.
Spike looked at where they were. “We are here? Glad it’s dark as well.”
“I knew it was,” said Buffy. “How?” asked Spike.
“I told me, I was here before I got here,” Buffy looked at Spike, “Debt Collector stuff.” “Meaning what?” asked Spike.
Buffy threw an arm around Spikes shoulders. “Put it like this, as a vampire you can heal yourself quickly, can’t you?”
“Yes, so?” asked Spike.
“Vampires have been out of touch with the boss, the Debt Collectors are his favourite, so if I chose to cut a finger off my body, my body wouldn’t be the only part of me to regenerate, both parts will regenerate.”

Spike stepped back in amazement. “Do you mean to say that the finger you cut off will regenerate?” asked Spike, “The finger you cut off regenerated, it was that other you who told you. If Freud had seen that he’d have quit on the spot. It was the other you who told you that it was dark here. I’m guessing the devil has given you that ability for a reason though.” Spike looked to her. “Well?”
“My total regeneration will take two minutes. If I need an army and I have a week to prepare, I can build an army of me, of about five thousand Debt Collectors. Then again,” Buffy held her hand to Spike, “I could cut each finger off, it’ll grow again so I could do five every two minutes, that’s over a hundred thousand strong army?” Spike began to realize what he was with.

“Then there is God’s gift.” Buffy held Spike’s hand and they appeared in a shopping mall.
People ran in all directions as Buffy and Spike appeared, on a table in the cafeteria.
“That was God’s gift?” asked Spike.
“No, not that, that was just me having fun. Have a look in the shop on the corner, there is a vampire there. When we get there look at my eyes, but not into them.”
Together they walked into the shop, Buffy went straight up to whom she said was a vampire. Spike saw her eyes became a maelstrom of fire. She held the vampire in a vice like grip so that he looked into her eyes.
“Santa wants to know if you’ve been a good boy?” said Buffy.

The vampire burst into flames. Buffy looked to Spike. “That meant no, in case you didn’t understand that bit,” Buffy laughed.
“It’s a long time since I heard you laugh like that, like the slayer used to do,” said Spike, “But what’s all that with the Santa stuff?”
“It’s really odd isn’t it, human’s and demons alike will accept that Santa exists, but they’ll argue about it if God exists or not,” said Buffy.
“What happens now?” asked Spike, “Do we hold hands again?”
“Not this time, you need to stand against me, there will be company there.”
Appearing under St. Michaels tower Spike saw thirty people, they instantaneously became werewolves, then they began to run at Spike. Buffy stepped in front of him. “NO!” she exclaimed.

They became people, looking to Spike suspiciously. “I am here, on earth, to kill all vampires, all of them except this one and his friend, hearing a mutter behind her Buffy turned to Spike. “Do you want to argue with me?” Spike muttered a bit more but Buffy turned away from him, she faced the people. “I need to know where the vampires are who protect the son?” Buffy looked to one of them, then at Spike. “Ok”
Spike appeared in front of the television in Giles’s apartment.
“Bloody typical!” exclaimed Gunn, “We don’t hear anything from him for ages then he pops up in front of the TV and they were about to make touchdown.”
“Sorry,” said Spike.

“So Spike, where were you, and when are you going back?” asked Angel.
“Hopefully never, I had thirty werewolves coming at me, big mothers as well, and fathers probably,” he allowed himself to smirk, “I’ll tell you this for free, them Debt Collectors are seriously bad news. Never argue with one, you’ll lose, yeah even.......”
Spike appeared next to Buffy. “Already, what did they say?”
“These nice people said that you can live, now sit,” ordered Buffy.
Nervously Spike sat down, he was joined by Buffy and two men.
“Don’t make them angry Spike, their bite is worse than their growl,” Buffy stared to Spike, “If you get my drift?”

Spike sat quietly, he listened as the men spoke of a thousand vampires trapped in the hill below them. “A ring of God’s water kept them there as the soil from a nearby hill was carried and placed about them, then over them, then there was a church, then there was us, now there is you, soon there will be others.”
Buffy looked to the man. “These others. Who are they?”
“They are not a who, they are a what, I can feel a colour though.”
He went silent.
“Go on then, what colour do you feel?” asked Spike.
“I don’t really feel the colour, it is more that I hear the colour, and this colour brings death, many tens of thousands will die, it is red.”

Spike looked to Buffy. “What do you know of that is red and brings death?”
“He can’t mean the Goddess, she orders others to kill. It could be the after effects of the deaths, as in the blood flows like a river, that sort of thing. And if tens of thousands die in one place that might make a small river, but they’d all have to die at once.”
“They won’t, some will die at one time others will die another time yet more will die at a later time.”
“What do you think of that Spike?” asked Buffy.
“Don’t sound like a war, unless it’s a nuclear war. But that isn’t your kind of war, I mean your kind of war is a face to face thing. And neither of those ways will give a river of blood,” said Spike.

“What else is there?” asked Buffy.
Spike stood up, stretching his legs he looked into the valley, then noticed all the werewolves on the mound. He turned about sharply going back to where Buffy sat, he sat very close to her. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“There’s a heck of a lot of werewolves out there.”
“But did you have time to think?” asked Buffy.
“Sort of, what he said, it doesn’t sound like a vampire war, nor a werewolf war. Neither of us let much blood get passed us. It isn’t your war. Is there a natural way of causing rivers of blood?”
“If there was a plague or... I wonder, he didn’t send his army. It could be that there is the biblical type of plagues,” said Buffy.

“The plagues? What’s that one?” asked Spike.
“The plagues, the ten in the bible, and if that is it, it’s already started,” said Buffy. “How?” asked Spike.
“That volcano in Iceland, that may have heralded it. That sort of thing would cause tens of thousands to die, the rivers would turn red.” “You mean, like the rivers of blood? He did say he felt it in his mind so it could be just the colour of the water. What would make the red water though?”
“The protein that is in the volanic ash, it would cause a toxic red algae bloom, that being so, it’d kill the fish, or anything in the water. Then with all the fish dead there’d be nothing to eat most the tadpoles.”

Buffy went into the moonlight. “When the tadpoles have eaten all the food for them and they start to die of hunger, the flies would gorge themselves on all the dead frogs. Some of those flies will bite, like horse flies. If enough of them bite and they leave open sores, those sores will look like boils. Also, if the ash cloud is big enough it might block the sun, bringing the darkness over the land and with the clouds there comes the heavy rains and the hail which would provide the right breeding conditions for masses of locusts.”

“I know this bit Buffy, if what little crops are left have the droppings from the locusts. With the crops being damp, that would make the toxins breed again and all who eat the bread from that crop will die, lucky us though, we don’t get the fire from the heavens,” said Spike.
“We might,” said Buffy, “If God sends a few fireballs to kill the vampires. That‘d sort of explain why his army didn‘t appear. I’d better have a look, I take it you’d like to go back to the house?”

As Spike was vanishing he saw Buffy rise into the sky on a winged black horse.



Part 4 to follow

 

[ILLYRIAN]

All characters are from Buffy and Angel TV, they are copyright protected. This is for entertainment purposes only. No payment has been asked for, or offered.

Timeline:
This story began a month after Buffy and the slayers had defeated the First, then left Sunnydale in a hole.
As it was in the beginning, on the eighth day, the angels themselves did cry, for tomorrow is when the war began.

Now read on, ......

Title: Buffy Introduces Them To Death (part 4)

Spike appeared in the doorway of the room that Willow and Fred were using as a research room, anything that would help Buffy.
“You two ought to have a rest, ‘cos when Buffy gets here she’ll want to do loads of stuff,” said Spike.
Willow looked up, to Spike.
“That isn’t surprising, look what Fred found,” said Willow.
Fred began quickly touching the keys on her keyboard, sitting back she turned the monitor to Spike.
“Well I can’t see it from ‘ere can I,” said Spike. Fred looked at Spike with a haunting come closer look, as he got closer he saw a picture of Death standing by a black horse, underneath were the words The Debt Collector.

“The first Debt Collector became Death, and forever will be. I never will,” said Buffy. They looked to her as she walked into the room.
“What happened at that place you two went?” asked Willow.
“Don’t look at me,’ said Spike, “Buffy’s mates wouldn’t talk when I was about.”
“Buffy?” asked Fred.
“Those werewolves said that some of their kind have several evil entities trapped, I am to go there,” she looked to Willow, “We are to go there, some of Gods army will be there.”
“What do you expect me to do?” asked Willow.
“Nothing brave, you will be there to listen, they will be forced to speak to tell us what we need to know. We go there now.” Willow had just enough time to cross the room and hold Buffy‘s hand.

Willow stood next to Buffy outside the church, still holding her hand. “We are going to have to stop meeting like this,” said Willow. Letting go of Buffy’s hand Willow looked at the lines of shops near them, at all the people going about chores.
“The ones you seek Buffy, where are they?” asked Willow
“Behind you, in the church.”
“What makes you think that?” Willow turned to face the church. She noticed that some of the gargoyles were on the roof over the main doors, they emitted a screaming growl at Buffy.

“Why are they making that noise?” asked Willow.
“As the werewolves told me, it is the gargoyles who protect the vampires.”
“They do? What will they do to us?” asked Willow.
Buffy looked confused. “Oh these ones? These ones won’t do anything, these ones, they are just stone effigies. If they were the real thing, now that would be a different story,” said Buffy.
Buffy looked about, she seemed to fix her stare on three women on the bridge. She went towards them.
“Stay close Will,” Buffy told her.

One of the women greeted Buffy. She looked at Willow. “Who is she, why bring her?” asked the woman.
“She is a witch, she can help us and she has met one of your people.”
“Yeah that’s right, your Willow entcha?”
Willow stepped back, puzzled, she looked to Buffy .
“Me names Molly, your Mr. Giles said I was one of them potentials.”
“Willow,” stated Buffy, “Let me introduce you, those here are Molly, who is an immortal, she is the general of the Riders in Gods army the Two Swords of the Bouicendeni. That other with her is Hope and the one who greeted me, she is one of the five leaders of the army, the Goddess Tianara.”

Willow leant close to Buffy. “She reminds me so much of... Buffy interrupted her. “Strange that,” then facing Willow, “The name even sounds similar.”
“About Molly, if they are in an army called the two swords why have they only got one?” asked Willow. Buffy smiled, “I know that one day they’ll be told where the other is, one day.”
Buffy turned to face Goddess Tianara. “Have any of your people gone into the church?”
“None, not yet, we have been trying to find out where the screaming growls are from,” said Hope.

“In an early battle in hell, when the son fought with the devil, it was the gargoyles who fought with the vampires, protected them. The gargoyles, these ones here may have come to life because vampires are hiding in the church. If they are, you will need to have your people ready to go in,” said Buffy.
Buffy began to walk towards the church. “Buffy,” said Willow, “Mind your back.”
Hope took Willow with her, away from the church. “But, I might be needed, Buffy said I was here to help.”
“And if you are required I will make sure you can be there to help, but for now I need you to get out of their way.”

Willow looked around.
“Whose way? I cannot see anyone, just the shoppers and, oh.” Three lines of young women walked onto each road that went by the church. Looking at them, Willow was confused.
“Who are they? They’re all wearing tatty jeans and work shirts.”
“Would we look any better if we wore new jeans and a denim shirt?“ asked Hope, “Or do we blend in the background?”
When they were a hundred yards from the church Hope stopped.
“This’ll do, now we wait for the signal,” stated Hope.

Buffy walked towards the steps leading into the church, she had to keep her laughter to herself as the gargoyles didn’t know how to react to her. Inside the church Buffy noted that the stained glass windows seemed bigger, that large flowers arrangements tried to give colour to the drab stone walls.
“Can I help you miss?”
Buffy faced him. “You what?”
“Can I help you miss?’ asked Father Hutchins.
“You probably can,” replied Buffy, “What is under this floor?”
The Father looked at the floor. “Under the floor?” he asked, “The catacombs, but why would you want to know that?”

“I thought so, then that is where they will be,” said Buffy.
“Who?” asked Father Hutchins.
“You need to start getting people out of here,” said Buffy.
“I you give me a good reason I will, but until then.”
“Father, believe me, there are at least three hundred vampires in your catacombs. I would prefer it if you and these people were not here when we attack them,” said Buffy.
“For one, this is God’s house, no evil can be in here, and for the second, well, who is going to attack them?” asked the Father.

“You had to ask, didn’t you? Oh well,” sighed Buffy, “For the first one, I saw you standing at the doors. You were greeting people, inviting them in. Ever heard the saying a vampire can’t go into a place unless he is invited?”
“God didn’t invite them I did,” said Father Hutchins.
“But your invite was enough, for the second, those who are outside those who are awaiting my signal, they are of Gods Armies.”

The Father looked at Buffy. “That reasoning is just a little to hard to believe, I’m sorry to upset your plans but.... “Don’t bother making anymore excuses. I told you, I warned you, you’ve shown me that you are willing to put these people lives in danger. I’m not. Oh, and a tip, you need to run, now.”
Buffy went to the end of the church, she called to everyone in the church to look at her. She began to rise into the air her winged black horse appeared beside her, Buffy’s eyes became the maelstroms of fire.

Janice Newton and Debra Walters were across the road from the church. They had just been to a department store, Janice had spent two hours choosing two gifts for her youngest. It was his tenth birthday in three days. She was worn out and Debra was starting to feel the pressure of trying to help her friend choose the right gift. They were looking at the menu in the front window and about to go into the cafe. Suddenly the faint sound of people screaming made them look to the church. Everyone on the footpath was starting to look towards the church as the doors were thrust open.

Terrified screams filled the air. People burst out of the church, running as fast as they could, screaming as loud as they could. Fifty girls seemed to appear from nowhere, running to behind them, their clothes changing to a battle dress, forming a barrier between the people and the church.

Some motorists were becoming argumentative towards the girls who were blocking a road that led to the shops opposite the church. A delivery truck was part way into the road as the girls blocked the road, he wanted to be able to finish the days deliveries on time. The screams from the church drew the peoples attention. About to abuse the girls again, they saw the girls were stood in their battle dress, each holding a sword half way out of its sheath. Then the winged white unicorns appeared behind them.

Janice and Debra could only gasp as two hundred more appeared running into the church. Janice and Debra held each other, they looked into the church as the screams and wails of the dying shocked them.
Thirty vampires ran out of the church, into the sunlight. Their bodies erupting in flames as they ran. Then as suddenly as the noise started, it stopped.
Molly and Buffy walked out onto the steps of the church as Willow and Hope joined them.

“I take it you didn’t need me,” said Willow.
“I don’t understand, why did that fight end so quick?” asked Hope.
“Yes, it was a bit to easy,” said Molly, “It feels as though we just destroyed a kindergarten for vampires.”
“Well it’s quieter out here now,” said Hope looking to the roof, “Where do you think they have they gone?”
Buffy looked up, she seemed to agree with herself. “Okay, you guys go after them, the gargoyles, I’ll see if I can find some more vampires.”

Coming soon, part 5

 

[ILLYRIAN]

All characters are from Buffy and Angel TV, they are copyright protected. This is for entertainment purposes only. No payment has been asked for, or offered.

Timeline:
This story began after Buffy and the slayers had defeated the First, then left in a yellow school bus, leaving Sunnydale behind them, in a hole.
But God and the Devil were aware that all was not well, they shared the same problem. It seemed right to them that to fix the problem they make a special one. God gave his best, he sent the Vampire Slayer. The Devil gave of his best, and together, made as one, she became Buffy the Debt Collector.
Now read on, ......

Title: Buffy Introduces Them To Death (part 5)

Buffy appeared in the room, Fred looked at her, to her outstretched arm, to where her hand should be, and Willow. “What’s happened?”
Buffy only smiled to her. “Willow likes being there, here and all places in between.” Willow appeared, she was beaming. “That was, I really liked that. Can I do it again?”
“Soon, for you and Fred, something you both should see, but only when the time is right. And that isn’t yet though, I need to find where some vampires are hidden first.”
She vanished.

Tianara watched as three men, Gavin, Brian and Graham took some photographs of a stone circle. She noticed that they were so enthusiastic about the altar stone, of taking photographs of it that they didn’t see the winged gargoyles flying down to earth, then landing around them and becoming as statues. When they did see them, the men acted as if they were statues and began to take photographs of them from different directions. The men even took time to changed the settings on their camera’s, several times.
One of the photographers, Graham went up to the ridge, he hoped to get a panoramic photo of the whole stone circle. About to change the settings on his camera he looked at what was behind him, and saw a 12 foot statue of a gargoyle. He called to his friends, telling them what could see.

Gavin and Brian ran to join him on the ridge, stopping quickly when they saw what he had found. The statue was the same as the other gargoyles, only it was much bigger.
They all started to take photographs of it. Turning to take more photographs of the smaller gargoyles, as they prepared the camera settings, altering the focus they saw the gargoyles start to move. Hopping and jumping and gliding towards them.
Gavin, Graham and Brian quickly put their camera’s and the accessories into their bags and ran away.
The gargoyles dropped to their knees as they started to worship the statue.

One of the small gargoyles looked around, seeing what all the other gargoyles were doing. Then it knelt to offer its praise to the statue.
Suddenly they all stopped, standing back they begin to jump for joy, offering their greetings to the statue. It smiled to them.
The worshippers all fly into the air, then as the statue began to breathe, the life it was allowed to be, and it rose into the air and joined them. They all started to fly across the land. One of the small winged gargoyles, it looked about and saw a small farm where the Goddess’s soldiers had gathered, and were searching the buildings nearby.
The soldiers were suddenly attacked by lots of the small gargoyles, the soldiers ran into a hut, seeking shelter from the rain of gargoyles.

Watching their attackers from inside the shelter, seeing the gargoyles charge at them with long sharp wooden poles, they were forced back onto the back wall of the shelter. Suddenly the gargoyles opened the door of the shelter. They grabbed one of the soldiers, they dragged her outside. Laughing to her, taunting her they soon plunged the wooden poles into her.
The big gargoyle was flying above them, it saw what they were doing. It flew down to be with them, laughing happily. Happy to be happy with them.
The small gargoyles pointed to the soldiers in the shelter; they wanted to show off the captives. Their new leader walked towards the shelter, pointing to the soldiers, it grinned at them.

The small gargoyles danced happily as their new leader threatened the soldiers. Several of the smaller gargoyles knelt to their leader and pointed to the soldiers. It stamped its feet onto the ground, making the earth shake. Some of the small gargoyles grabbed another soldier from the shelter they held her to their leader who wrapped it’s wings around the soldier making her overheat until she burst into flames. What was left of her body fell to the ground as ash.
The gargoyle attacked the shelter, pulling one of the walls out it crushed it. Screeching its joy for all to hear it began jumping onto the shelter.

Tianara would have stopped her soldiers from dying like that, but she chose not to knowing they would return as all immortals do. And that they would be in a safe place when they did.
Appearing next to her, the Goddess Darla saw what was happening.
“This has to stop, soon,” said Goddess Darla.
“We will call some more here, to replace these,” said the Goddess Tianara. Going into a quiet field, they stood arms out stretched, fifteen feet from each other. Large blocks of stone rose from the ground, three soldiers faced the Goddesses then stood around the middle of the stone circle. All the stones in the stone circle began to glow, and a soldier walked from each stone.

The soldiers ran to the outer edge of the stones, as the winged unicorns began to fly from the ground.
Goddess Darla created a vision of the gargoyles, then pointed to where they are. The soldiers move across the field, moving down a slope to where the shelter was, but the gargoyles had all gone.
They relayed their findings to the Goddess. Knowing that time was on their side Darla caused a pentagram to appear on the ground then raised her arms to the sky. Molly appeared, she went into the centre of the pentagram as the lines of it burst into flames.
“Let it tell me what I need to know,” said Goddess Darla.

A circular wall of light appeared around Molly, it slowly rose high into the sky. The higher it went the slower it became until it began to fall to the earth, hitting the ground with great speed and power, the sound echoing over the countryside. The Goddess Tianara joined them.
“What do you think of that sound? Was it enough?” asked Goddess Darla.
Tianara listened as the echoes rolled over the countryside, getting fainter. She began to smile. “The signs are there.”
The glow faded, the Goddesses and the soldiers vanished.

“Willow, Fred, soon it will be, this is what you should see,” said Buffy.
Clouds on the horizon move, the sunlight burst forth all the land is lit with the bright light. As the glare of the sunlight fades the gargoyles begin to seen thousands of them standing on the country side. The big gargoyle flew down to join them at the front of them. They readied themselves for battle.
“They’ll be here soon, if either of you read stories from the bible, did you hear about the chariot of fire seen in the sky? The balls of fire?” asked Buffy.
“I took that to mean something else, some people said it was Halley’s comet,” Fred stated.

“Take it from me, they were wrong. They did see a chariot, not like the Romans or the Egyptians used though. The chariots were being used by the Two Swords going to a battle. They have never lost a battle, losing for them isn’t an option. Those chariots, they hold many hundreds of thousands of the army. Watch the skies for the balls of fire,” said Buffy pointing towards the sun.
Fred and Willow looked to the sides. “Not that way,” said Buffy, “To where I pointed, the balls of fire will be seen after their chariots enter the sky, and darkness sweeps over the land.”
Hearing an unearthly sound Willow and Fred looked to the sun as the balls of fire made day become night.

Each of the balls were several miles wide, flames burnt fiercely at the edges. Then all was quiet. Willow saw them start to vanish, only they stayed where they were, becoming transparent.
“LOOK!” screamed Fred pointing to the side, there, covering all the land that they could see was the army of the Two Swords of Bouicendeni. Many, many millions of them. Then as one they slowly stepped forward.
“Put a finger in your ear hole, don’t worry you will still hear their battle cry,” said Buffy.

Willow watched them as they began to slap the leather skirts, each time was a group of three hard slaps. The Goddesses appeared in front of the soldiers, each of them glowing.
All the soldiers stopped. Fred pointed to the thick black lines rising above them.
“The sound waves caused by their battle cry.” said Goddess Tianara. The distorted sound waves were held by the Goddesses, they made the sound waves move towards the ground under the gargoyles feet.
The soldiers stopped moving as the ground under the gargoyles feet exploded, thrusting the gargoyles high into the atmosphere where there bodies exploded.

next is part 6

 

[ILLYRIAN]

All characters are from Buffy and Angel TV, they are copyright protected. This is for entertainment purposes only. No payment has been asked for, or offered.

Timeline:
This story began after Buffy and the slayers had defeated the First, then left in a yellow school bus, leaving Sunnydale behind them, in a hole.
Two weeks had passed, Buffy took Willow and Fred with her as she visited a friends grave, she found others there, then a demon told her that Death was on their side.

Now read on, ......

Title: Buffy Introduces Them To Death (part 6)

Willow Fred and Buffy stood at the gates of the graveyard. “Whose grave are we here to see?” asked Willow.
“A boy I knew when I was a child, his parents moved to this town. I only found that out a while ago, I was on my way to visit his grave when I died,” said Buffy.
“What do you think of this place?” asked Fred.
“Meaning?” enquired Buffy.
“It’s an old church, it looks like an old church. What do you think of the place?” asked Fred.
“Think of it what you like, but don’t try to go in.”
Willow turned to face him first. “Why not?”

“There’s something in there, until we can find someone to exorcise the place the door stays locked.”
“Who are you?” asked Willow.
“Colin’s the name, I’m the caretaker. I live over the road.”
“What you said earlier, about exorcising the place, why would you want to do that?” asked Buffy.
Colin looked at the church. “Strange things have happened in there, things started going bump, day and night. So we called in some people from the Catholic church to do an exorcism on the place,” said Colin.

“That sounds a bit bloody stupid,” said Buffy.
Buffy went to the side and looked through the window, she came back to them.
“I thought you would have one of those things in there, why didn’t you use it?” asked Buffy.
“What?” asked Colin.
“The altar, why don’t you use it?” asked Buffy, “You do know why the altar is in there?”
“What has the altar got to do with whatever is in the church?” asked Colin.

“Forget about the tall bit with the bells in, all churches were built to the same design as the old town halls. They were a place of refuge for the people, every meeting hall had an altar. The old buildings of that shape attract any nearby vampire demons, when the demon was caught in the building, then the altar was used. The top was opened and the demon was sucked into it, then down into the catacombs,” said Buffy.
She looked at the puzzled Colin. “Don’t tell me, you haven’t even got a catacomb here.”
“Buffy, just a thought. These places often have building restoration needs. Usually to repairs damaged windows or the roof,” said Willow.

“That’d be right,” said Buffy, “Any demon trapped in one of these places will want to get out. The places you said seem like the easiest places to try and get out.”
“Can we do anything to help these people?” asked Fred.
“I suppose, I’ll call in Tianara, see what she can suggest,” stated Buffy she began to laugh, “Colin? Have you got the key to the door?”
“At my house, you’re not going in, are you?” asked Colin.
“We are all going in, we have to, if you want to use the place again,” stated Buffy.
A few minutes later Colin returned with the key, after opening the door they all walked in. Buffy took the key from Colin and locked the door.

“Now we wait, hopefully Tianara will answer my call.”
“I am reminded of one thing, one of the people here, she said about one of her exercise paths. At the Southern Downs property near here, she said about something in the woods that made her blood run cold,” said Colin.
“Maybe this was a better place to come that I thought,” said Buffy.
“In what way?” asked Willow.
“Because of what he just said.”
Willow looked at Buffy, blankly.
“Southern Down, oh dear, you so called modern people have no idea about the old ways. Just suppose you were the earth, north is up, south is down. What else is said to be down?” asked Buffy.

Fred, Willow and Colin looked puzzled.
“The devil is said to live below us,” Buffy looked at Colin, “This Southern Downs place, it is a big place right? And the house stands where another house used to stand, and so on?”
“Yes, I think it is. Some of the land was sold but it is still a couple of hundred acres, but rumours are it once stretched to the coast.”
Buffy smiled. “A nice big place for those of a certain demonic nature to hide.”
“And if the demons are vampire, where they hid might be underground, wish we knew where to start looking,” added Willow.
“He did say,” said Fred, “In the woods.”
“Well done Fred,” said Buffy.

“There’s hope for..... Buffy looked about, “Notice how this place is getting lighter? They’ll be here soon.”
“Angels, do you mean Angels are about to be in this church?” asked Colin.
“Of course not, mind you. The ones coming here, they are not Angels they are some of Gods army, they will deal with the demon, and make this place safe for you again,” said Buffy.
Colin watched in amazement as figure after figure appeared in the church.
“Tianara, who are they?” asked Buffy.
“Buffy? Who are the people you are with?” asked Tianara, “So, where is this... oh no.”

Tianara knelt then bowed.
Willow whispered to Fred. “Who would a Goddess kneel to?”
“What is going on?” asked Buffy.
“The demon you called us to remove, he isn’t a demon, he is from our side, one of those who are special, one who rides with his son.”
Buffy turned, she faced.... nothing. “I cannot see you, you know why I am here, you know who I seek,” said Buffy.
“I am.. the walls shook, caused by the magnitude of his voice. They all fell to the floor covering their ears.
A figure began to appear, riding towards them on a horse.
“I know you!” exclaimed Fred, “You’re the Grim Reaper!”

“No he isn’t,” stated Tianara, “But why do you appear as him?”
“He is missing, I have been trying to find him. I felt as though he was near here, where Buffy has just been told of. I came to find him but I got caught by this.”
“Fred, he protects Death,” said Tianara.
He looked at Buffy, reading her mind.
“You don’t know? Death has been working with the one the humans know of as the Pied Piper. They have been seeking and collecting the werewolves. They plan to attack the vampires.”
“Do you know why they are doing that?” asked Buffy.

“We know of the blockage in the garden of purgatory, we know who has caused the blockage, it is the son of the devil. He is taking the souls of the dead so that he has the power to defeat his father. They, with The Lighthouse men have stopped him from getting those souls.”
“Tianara has ended the gargoyles, they protected the vampires. I was to be to help. I may know where some vampires are,” said Buffy.
Death’s protector grinned. “You seek only one, two fought a battle and killed each other on the west coast of Scotland. The one they fought over has changed her ways, she was bored with killing and know seeks only knowledge. One has gone to live in the seas, he is known as King Neptune. Three are contained at the mound at Glastonbury. So there is only one left to find.”

Tianara looked to Colin. “We need to release him, to do that this building will need to be destroyed. We will give you a new one, now everyone leave.”
Colin went to his house, he stood in the front garden looking to the church. His wife went to him asking what he was doing, before he could answer, Tianara appeared.
“Oh my God! Who are you?” asked Colin’s wife.
“Hello,” Tianara grinned, “Colin’s wife, Colin HE has agreed, the church will cease to exist soon so that the one in there can be released. Know this though, the church will be made anew, the altar will be made as it should be. And a catacomb will be underneath it, and later tonight three of the soldiers will visit you. They will tell you how to work the altar.”

Colin’s wife looked to him, she looked at where the woman stood, she returned her look to Colin. “What?”

next comes part 7
When Buffy goes on the hunt for a vampire.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

All characters are from Buffy and Angel TV, they are copyright protected. This is for entertainment purposes only. No payment has been asked for, or offered.

Timeline:
This story began after Buffy and the slayers had defeated the First, then left in a yellow school bus, leaving Sunnydale behind them, in a hole.
The passing of time was becoming important, Buffy didn’t know but the tunnel she entered would soon take her to a tunnel with a light at it’s end.
Now read on, ......

Title: Buffy Introduces Them To Death (part 7)

Buffy was thinking about what Colin had said, something in the woods that made a persons blood run cold. She considered that and with what was said about the name of the place.
Hearing movement behind her brought her mind back into the present, she turned to face the sound.
“Spike, what brings you out here?” asked Buffy.
Spike continued to look away from the house. “Sometimes, at the end of the day I can stand here in the shade and pretend I’m out there, in the sunlight. Sometimes I feel glad I’m a vampire, could you handle looking into a mirror and seeing someone so handsome grinning at you? Oh, sorry, Debt Collector, yeah I forgot about that bit.“

Buffy wasn’t to impressed. “Get in the house Spike, tell Fred and Willow to find out what they can about that Southern Downs. And even if crap is staring them in the face, I want to know about it.”
After a couple of hours Buffy took a couple of mugs of drinking chocolate for Fred and Willow.
“Do you want to know what we’ve found?” asked Fred.
“I was hopeful,” replied Buffy. Willow picked up several folders from the table the computer printer sat on.
“At first we didn’t find anything interesting about the place. Just the usual how old the place is where the lands were and how many acres there are now, and who the owners have been.

Then we had a look at the known haunted sites in the area, but it was Fred who found the juicy bits. Reports of flying demons, the last time was two weeks ago,” said Willow.
“And that was by the house?” asked Buffy.
“Near one of the boundaries of the land,” added Fred.
“I’ll put it on my list of places to visit, did it say anymore about that place?” asked Buffy. Fred looked at one of the folders.
“It says about a cave that becomes a tunnel, going down into the ground. That it levels out, but no one has ever found its end.”
“It might be just what I’m looking for, which way does it go?” asked Buffy. “South east.”

“Better and better, a tunnel that goes to the south, no end has ever been found. You know what that means don’t you?” asked Buffy.
Willow and Fred shrugged their shoulders. “I’ll show you on a map.” Spike got a map of the area from the bookcase, he opened it up for them to see what Buffy meant. “This is the house,” said Buffy pointing to the map, “And a few miles to the north is the cave, so the goes goes to the south, to Southern Downs.”
“On one of the web sites it mentioned about ghosts being active around the house, and that some people started to investigate the sightings. They stopped but no reason is given why they stopped,” said Willow. “Who are they?” asked Buffy.

“Always one for the awkward questions,” Willow said to Fred as she was looking at the folder. “Oh, that’s handy, three sisters that live not to far from here in a small village.”
Buffy thought a while, she looked to Spike. “Find out where they live, we go there this evening, just after dark.”
That evening, sat in the van, a few doors down from the house. “I’ll go in first, then call you in after,” said Buffy. Willow watched her go to the door.
“Hello, I’m glad you answered the door, my friends and I, we are lost and we were hoping you had a map,” said Buffy.
A young woman invited her into the front room. She sat opposite her, she invited Buffy to do the same. “You are not lost, state why you are here.”

Her sisters walked into the room, they both carried vials of holy water. “Who are you really,” the woman asked.
Buffy looked to them. “More witches, and vampire haters a that. There is hope for you yet,” said Buffy.
“My name is Rosanna, these are my sisters Elise and Edwina, who are you?”
“My name is Buffy, outside are.. they are my others friends, hmm, I suppose they are my friends, even the vampire. There’s a first, still, you three were looking into Southern Downs but you stopped. I want to know why.”
“And if we don’t want to tell you?” asked Rosanna.

“Oh you will tell me, this way there is a choice. Either tell me or I will make you tell me,” said Buffy.
“That’s nice we invite you into our house and you threaten us, there are politer ways of finding out what you want to know,” said Edwina.
“I didn’t threaten you, what I said is fact. I could be a bit more polite but I don’t have the luxury of time like two of them out there.”
“Okay, I can see we are at crossed paths here, if you tell us who you are we might tell you what you want to know,” said Rosanna.
“Crossed paths or not I need to know why you were at Southern Downs, was it because of the vampires or the demons?”

“A vampire, a demon, we don’t know anything about them,” said Elise. They Hear knocking at the front door. “Excuse me,” said Elise going to answer the door.
She came back into the room with Fred and Willow. Buffy looked to them.
“They are not telling me what I want to know, and I’m losing my patience so you ask them,” said Buffy.
“She is losing her patience, who does she think she is?” asked Elise.
“My name is Fred, the person you are talking about does not think who she might be, she knows who she is. A month ago she was the vampire slayer, then she died. While she was dead God and the Devil agreed to make her the Debt Collector.

Now, she thinks you are intentionally holding back information she needs. My advice to you, tell her everything,” said Fred, “And be quick.”
Rosanna stepped towards the fireplace. “We were not holding out on her, not intentionally, we just wanted to know who she was, is. Our coven was chosen to protect the burial site of the first owner of the house, Ignatius Winterborne, he died in the year thirteen forty six. We have people who make up tales of why we are there. We sacked the guy who made up that story. It created the kind of attention we didn‘t want.”
Willow handed Buffy a piece of paper, looking at it she thanked Willow.

“That year to this year does it mean anything to you?” Watching their reaction Buffy saw that it meant nothing, “That is how much it means to the Devil. Yet it has meaning for his son, it is 6,6,6, the sons seeks to be known as the beast.”
Molly and Hope appeared in the room.
Molly looks to the sisters. “They have news?”
“No, but they do carry news, from what I have heard, the ones seen near here, there may be meaning,” said Buffy.
“Can we leave it with you?” asked Molly.
“You can, but you might prefer that I don’t. Of two things that I know, there is a cave and a tunnel a few miles north, there have been sightings of odd creatures, and there’s the house,” said Buffy.

“What could that have to do with the house?” asked Elise.
“The house and this area was named Southern Downs after he died, so it follows that sightings of the demons came after he died. The devil nor his son would let the place be named like that, so it must be their followers. We know that the devils followers are elsewhere, and so it points to the followers of the son being here,” said Fred.
“And with the tunnels being so long an army might be being raised under the house,” said Buffy.
“What do you recommend?” asked Molly.
“I will enter the tunnels this end, but I will need you and your people to be at the other end. The devils army is ready, but you may not want an army of werewolves let loose,” said Buffy.

“Understood, when you are ready to enter the tunnels let me know. Twenty of us will be with you, in case there are several tunnels,” said Hope.
“There is no time like the present, maybe just before sunrise,” said Buffy.
“And what of the people here?” asked Molly.
“They will be safer at your end, will you care for them?” asked Buffy. Molly agreed. “Thank you, Willow, Fred and you three go with them. Willow, you’d better tell Spike it will be safer for him with Giles.” Buffy vanished.
Willow looked to Rosanna. “That was Buffy speak for, do as I say.”

Waiting at the end of the field next to the cave in the early hours they noticed the ground begin to vibrate, the vibration continued and soon it began to sound like continuous thunder. “Now you will see just how scared vampires are of the Debt Collector,” said Fred handing her the binoculars.
“We will, how?” asked Elise.
“That sound, that thunderous roar, that is the sound of vampires running,” continued Fred.
Rocks at the caves entry began to fall. “That’s a worry,” said Molly, “If too many rocks fall it will block the exit, then you won’t see us at our best.”
Suddenly three rows a mile wide of soldiers appeared in front of them. “The vampires must be getting close,” said Willow.

The soldiers began to walk towards the cave, increasing their speed they started running, raising their sword, they all began to charge at full speed screaming as they ran.
Several thousand Riders on their winged white unicorns glided overhead, firing their crossbows into the vampires.
“Molly?” asked Willow, “Shouldn’t you be up there.”
“Normally I would be, but I said you would be protected, and I intend to keep that promise,” she replied.
More vampires seemed to rise from the ground charging at the lines of the Bouicendeni.
“Aren’t they scared of the army?“ asked Edwina.
“Generally vampires don’t get scared, but they’d rather face millions of us than a Debt Collector,” said Fred.

“And thankfully Fred is right, because there is one thing I fear more than anything else,” said Molly.
“There is, what is that?” asked Rosanna.
“An army of Debt Collectors. A few things that you will not have been told. It is impossible to kill a Debt Collector, and if five Debt Collectors should attack one of us, we will die, and not just normally our immortality will die as well. They deserve the respect we give them,” stated Molly.
Willow looked questioningly at Molly “I remember when you were with us, as a potential. You always had respect for Buffy, is this why? And if it was, did you know of this?”
“I knew, one of the benefits of being a general in his army. Sometimes I know what will happen in the future,” said Molly.

Willow looked at the battle field as another line formed in front of them, a mile wide, a thousand strong. As soon as two more lines had formed they began to move forward.
The screams, shouts and cries of battle ominously echoed about them. Trees fell, bushes were crumbled under the weight of the bodies that fell on them. Watching in amazement they saw Angel and Spike place piles of arrows and swords ready for the fallen to re-use. Angel and Spike stopped, they looked to Willow and Fred
“As we told them. We can carry whatever they need, and carry it for longer and faster if need be,” said Angel.
Hour after hour the battle continued. Willow lost count of the number of times the rows appeared in front of her.

She knew the end of the battle was in sight when she saw Buffy standing at the exit of the cave. Many times she had witnessed one or more of the soldiers comments about being restocked by a vampire to fight vampires then without warning Spike began to remove the piles of swords. “The battle is over they won, we won, oh you know what I mean.”
Buffy stood next to them, she tried to look at where they were looking.
“Are we waiting for someone?”
“Not anymore,” said Willow
“And you are looking the wrong way Buffy, she is behind you,” said Spike. Buffy turned to see a horse looking at her. “I doubt that you are aware of this.”

Buffy stepped back, the person dismounted.
“In case you don’t recognise me,” the person removed the hood, to reveal her skull, “I am Death. It is not that you kill vampires because of the slayer in you, you eat their sins.”
“I eat the sins of the dead?” asked Buffy.
“Yes,” replied Death, “You can, and now that you know that, you can go to where those with sin go, into the garden of purgatory.”


The next instalment is the last.....

 

[ILLYRIAN]

All characters are from Buffy and Angel TV, they are copyright protected. This is for entertainment purposes only. No payment has been asked for, or offered.

Timeline:
They stood before a lake, rising from the middle of the waters was an arm, the hand held a sword. Now you see it Molly, your other sword was not lost, she has kept the sword safe.

Now read on, ......

Title: Buffy Introduces Them To Death (part 8)

Buffy, Willow and Fred appeared in the room near to Giles, he was taken aback. Looking to each of them one at a time, he waited for them to say something. After a minute or two he went to Wesley.
“Whatever they have just seen, they’ll tell us when they are ready,” said Giles.
“We could wait,” agreed Wesley, “The question is can they, do they have the time. I’ll speak to Fred.”
He turned, about to go to Fred, but Willow stood before him and Giles.
“We were told that she was one of these before. I’ve never heard of one, do you know anything about what a sin eater?” asked Willow.

“I’ve heard of them, but they don’t exist,” said Giles, “I couldn’t even say that they are a mythological being, why do you ask?” asked Giles.
“Because Death told Buffy that is what she is, it is how she kills. Thing is, I don’t think that Death was talking to the Debt Collector in her.”
Giles looked to Willow. “Do you mean that it is part of the vampire slayers armoury.”
“Not her armoury, more that it is part of who she is, a part of what she is. That the slayer takes a beings sins, with vampires that is almost all of them. I always wanted to know why a vampire turns to dust when it is killed, but that kind of explains it.”

“It does? In what way?” asked Wesley.
“When all the sin has gone, nothing remains save that what should have died, that is when time catches up with it and the body turns to dust.”
Giles went to his bookcase. “Just in case I forget, I’d better write it down now. Where are you going to next?”
Willow faced Buffy, she looked concerned. “Fred and I will not be going anywhere, Buffy brought us here for a reason.”
Buffy saw that they were looking at her, she saw the concern in Willow’s eyes. Keeping her attention as she walked to them.

“Don’t worry, I’m not. What I will do next is what I was created to do,” said Buffy.
“But to battle the son of the Devil? Will you survive?” asked Willow.
“Nothing was said about facing the Devil’s son, only foiling his plot, of stopping what he is doing,” said Fred.
“But even so.”
“Willow, think of what has been faced. Thousands of gargoyles, thousands of vampires all of which I might add ran from me,” said Buffy.
“Tell them where you are going, tell Giles why,” said Willow.

“Well?” asked Giles.
“How many times have you heard of people who have died, that they have travelled along the tunnel towards the light?” asked Buffy.
“Many times,” replied Giles.
“That is where I have to go, into the tunnel. I will need to go back, away from the light,” said Buffy, “She thinks that the son of the devil is keeping the dead there.”
“Who said that?” asked Wesley.
“Death told me,” said Buffy.

“And you believe Death?” asked Wesley.
“Why wouldn’t she believe me?” asked Death.
Eight figures appeared in the room.
“You won’t be alone in the tunnel Buffy, we will be with you,” said Death. Molly walked forward. “Allow me to introduce them, first, those on the horses are Conquest, War, Famine and Death together they are known as the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The three in battle dress are Faith, Hope and Charity. Together they are the Seven Seals, combined they are a very powerful force. And I am to be with you,” said Molly, “As you can see Willow, Buffy will not be alone.”

“I’ll be glad to go there again,” said Death, “It has been a long time.”
“You’ve been there before?” asked Giles.
“Just because we ride on dead horses, don’t think they would not like a rest. We live there,” said Death.
“Do you live in the tunnel?” asked Wesley.
“What he means is beyond the light,” said Molly, “When you go through the light into the garden of purgatory there is a house.”
“When we are home we are known as the Lighthousemen,” said Death, “I’m sure they are trying to cause me to have a complex about myself, calling a woman one of the Lighthousemen, and a horseman.”

“The house that is next to the garden, do the four of you live there
alone?” asked Giles. Molly chuckled a bit.
“No, Mary lives there, she will open the door, she may descend the steps but no further, she controls the garden, she tells you which archway to go, it will be Mary who opens the gates for you.”
“We may have to go beyond the light, which is why,” said Hope looking to Fred, Willow, Giles and Wesley, “No one else has been invited to be with us. Your friends Spike and Angel, if Conquest was to meet them, they wouldn’t exist for long.”
Fred went to stand by Giles as nine figures slowly vanished.

Buffy looked at the light, she went to stand near it. Hearing a horse trot up behind her she turned to face the rider.
“What do you think?” asked Conquest.
“That is a strange light, when we entered the tunnel the light seemed to glow,” said Buffy.
“Yet when you get closer to it, you see it doesn’t glow. Try holding your hand near the light, your hand will still be shrouded in the blackness of the tunnel,” said Conquest.
“But I can see the brightness of the light,” said Buffy.

“Think of it like this, those who are dead can walk towards it, facing the light, using it to guide their way. So it makes sense not to have a light that blinds you. Don’t think of the light as from a torch, for it is a light that is there and nowhere else. Those people who have had a near death experience, how many of them had said about a blinding light at the end of the tunnel?” asked Conquest.
Buffy turned to look into the black darkness.
“What can we expect to find that way?” she asked.
“Good question, I don’t know,” replied Conquest, “As far as I’m aware no one does.”

Calling to everyone they started to walk towards the bottom of the tunnel. The darkness being an inky black, soiled with the texture of well used oil. They kept walking.
“Can anyone hear me?” asked Buffy.
“I can, it sounds as though you are next to me,” said Molly.
“I wish I knew how far we will need to go,” said Buffy.
“Is that a problem? Because for all any of us can tell, we could be walking on a rotating conveyor belt,” Molly stopped, she called to the others to get behind her voice, “Of where we are, the rules of neither heaven nor hell, or earth for that apply here. So the door could be in front of us.”

Molly held her arm forward.
“I want to open the door.” Turning a handle she opened the doors, a light was hidden. she held up her hand.
“This light is false, I can see its light on my hand.”
They all walked into the light. What lay before them was a lake.
“Of all the things that I thought of, something I never thought of was a lake,” said Molly.
“I would not have thought of this either,” said Death, “But I do know what it is.”
“Then please, tell us,” said Hope.

Death faced Hope. “Will you smile?”
Hope Smiled. “Why did you want me to smile?” she asked.
Death uncovered her skull. “Look at me, how would you know if a skull was smiling?”
“Right, so you asked me to smile for you. Why did you want to smile though?” asked Hope.
“Molly, you should walk into the water, but go no further than waist height. I know this lake, this is the lake of a million peoples dreams. In this lake the souls of the dead are protected from the son of the devil. In this lake is the person who holds what you have searched for. Molly, watch the middle of the lake and put your hand on your sword.”

Death looked to the middle of the lake, she called to the lake.
“Molly of the Two Swords of Bouicendeni stands in the water.”
In the middle of the lake a sword began to rise from the water, then a woman holding the sword, she began to walk on the surface of the water towards Molly. Stopping in front of her, the woman knelt to her. She lay the sword across both hands, offering it to her.
“Tell him thank you.”
Molly touched the sword, and it was in her second sheath. A second sword appeared with Faith, Hope and Charity’s sheath.
The woman sank slowly beneath the waters surface

“Who was she, why did she have the sword?” asked Molly.
“That wasn’t was it?” asked Buffy.
“The Lady of The Lake? Why not, did you think the sword in the stone was any old sword, the story was that the person to pull it out would prove himself to God as being fit to be King? Now it is back in Gods hands,” Death looked to Molly, “As are you, Molly call to the lake, say that you have the sword.”
Molly did as was asked of her, stepping back as what she thought was a soft breeze passed her. In the lake the water seemed to burst up, several small areas at first then wider areas.

The waters surface began to churn, feeling like small gusts of wind began to pass them for several hours, then all was quiet, the surface of the water became calm.
“What just happened?” asked Charity.
“Those small breezes you felt, the movement on the water, that was the souls in the lake going home,” said Death.

Fred was holding a cup of tea with both hands, getting the warmth from the cup as three figures appeared in the room.
“You had just died, but God and the Devil took you, they created you as the Debt Collector. That part of you shall now be taken. As it is, you have helped them, they have agreed to return you to this life,” said Molly.
Fred put down the cup. “Before you go, this was said of Buffy, that she is a sin eater, what is one of them?” asked Fred.
Molly looked to Death. Death got down from her horse, she went to Buffy. “As a vampire slayer you eat the sins of the demons, it makes them easier to kill, for if a demon has no sin it has no reason to be,” said Death.

THE END

 

[ILLYRIAN]

A while ago I was writing a story, but I got stuck. So I rewrote it as
a Buffy fanfic, titled Buffy Introduces Then To Death.
I have since written it as an Epic poem, here are the
first few verses. I’m working on verse 58 today.

SMILE, HERE COMES DEATH

1
I hereby bring to order the eighteenth meeting of the Swandar Ghost
Hunters Club, said Giles. He looked at Willow, embarrassed that he
was calling the start of a meeting with only the two of them present.
Looking to the empty chairs he tabled the minutes of the last meeting.
Going through the motions, agreed for each meeting he faced Willow
Saying who was present, he then asked if she’d had any apologies?
Smiling as ever Willow suddenly stood up, causing her hair to bounce,
Giles nearly had a stroke, Willow loved overstated remarks and deeds
Yes, Suzy and Jeff are in town they’re getting her father a birthday gift,
Buffy was told an old friend had died, she’s gone to pay her respects.
Glenn is with Linda, they said they are going to do an exorcism tonight.

2
Giles asked about Susan and Adrian, have they spoken to you Willow?
Most nights, Susan and Adrian are at the library, they’re doing research
A documentary that they have to making for the course that they‘re on.
The lecturer at the university gave them a project, a ten minute show
To make it of a unique tourist feature near town in Northern California
Then to make it interesting with a scary aspect that’s part of the story.
So that is why they are not here, they’re finding tales of ghosts to use
Not made up tales like yesterday, of what they’re doing, it has a ghost
The ringing of the phone was loud, almost causing Giles to have a fit
Willow grabbed the phone, telling Giles to lower the sound of its ring
Hi there Buffy, said Willow, are you still going to your friends grave?

3
Yes, still going there. I’m just calling because of the meeting tonight.
The meeting’s cancelled due to lack of interest, it’s just Giles and me
Ooh Will, by yourselves at last? Clever girl. How did you plan that?
It, what was? What are you on about? She was unsure what she meant.
You know full well Will, me telling you that you need to get a room?
Willow blushed, she looked to Giles. Buffy, how could you think that?
Giles called from his chair, you realise I can hear, don’t you Buffy?
How far are you from here, and will you get any further?” he asked.
I’m on the coach, replied Buffy, and it’s going away from you, so yes.
Though maybe I shouldn’t have said that, as now I need your help.
Excuse me, after what you just said? asked Willow a smile on her lips

4
I think some serious grovelling is in order. So Kneel Bitch! she said.
Buffy laughed, taking the outburst in jest. I am, I am, she replied.
Buffy told them that she’d just woken from a dream a vivid dream.
I saw two giants playing Draughts. One was God, the other the Devil.
They were saying that they’re bored, that neither had received a soul
The Devil hadn’t any souls to torment, God said he had none to love.
In my dream, the devil was winning, twenty five games to seventeen.
I don’t know if they had been playing for a while, or just sometimes.
God suggested, the devil agreed they send someone to find out why.
Then I got worried, the Devil told God that a person was about to die,
And that the person would be named Buffy, the new Debt Collector.

5
Then the devil said that the person was about to die in a coach crash.
Thing is, what most people don’t know, is that I’m the vampire slayer.
I don’t understand, why am I being returned as the Debt Collector
I don’t think you need to worry, said Giles his words were cut short
Interrupted by screeching of coach tyres, then a crash it was repeated.
Willow gasped, looking to Giles, those tears of fear welled in her eyes.
Of Buffy’s dream, she prophesised a future that’s just minutes away
If it is true, what could she be feeling, and what is it that she can see?
Smiling, the man stood still, he standing in the road, facing the coach.
He grinned, as he heard the first screech of the tyres, then the screams
Those passengers who were asleep, were suddenly wrestled from rest.

6
Of the man who was standing on the road was hit, his body cast aside.
Lurching to it’s side the coach began to tip, sliding along the road
Dropping down on the hard shoulder, it smashed against some trees
Then loud crashes, breaking the quiet as it sliced into solid ground.
Bodies of people, bloodied corpses remained, lying on comfort seats
The driver lay broken on safety glass, he’d tried to steady the wheel
Halfway back, in the luggage rack there lay, a passengers remains
Buffy rose from her body, she looked down at her loss of blood.
She raised the bodies arm, letting it fall to her body’s side
You’ll not want me to do this, but you’ll thank me for doing this later.
Looking to the body, stepped on her arm, causing a break. That’ll do.

7
Wandering out the back of the broken coach. Buffy looked to the road.
Seeing the body of the man lying in the road she walked towards it
Kicking it to make it wake up. Damned vampire what were you doing?
It turned its head, looking side to side, he surveyed the wrecked coach.
Shame, all that blood, just wasted. Still I’ll get what’s left, and yours.
Buffy grinned, breathing in deep, accepting with glee what she’d do.
The vampire’s eyes lit up, it bared its teeth. Now I’m going to get you.
Buffy’s eyes began to glow. You? Scare me, I’m a Debt Collector.
Her eyes became fire, the flames from her eyes went into its body
enveloping vampire’s inner demons, then back to Buffy they flew.
The vampire itself began to fade, its body lying on the road as dust.

8
Willow was shocked, gazing towards Samuel, her eyes started to cry.
What if Buffy’s dream was right, she sobbed, and now she’s another?
Should we call the police, the hospital or the owners of the coach?
Giles thought hard and fast, wondering how they could explain
What is it that we know? What do we say, Buffy works for the devil?
Buffy stood, leaning on the doorframe, listening she laughed aloud.
I think that you’ll agree, that was what she’d call her weirdest dream.
Willow turned, walked to her, touched her. Giles, she’s not a ghost.
If I were her, then yes I agree, a ghost I would be. But now I’m another ,
For I am their latest and their first, I am now Buffy the Debt Collector.
Think not that I’m a demons sin eater, but I’ll kill any demon who sins.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

continued from my last post

9
What was a dream, is now all true, my memories are from all before.
Of what there is to do, what they'll have me do, I will do with pride.
To find why souls of the dead, are not going to where they should.
To find who caused it and why, and be judge, jury and executioner.
As from she, we know you are, so the two of us, we wish you well
Never feel alone, though we're human will others be there with you
Molly of the Riders, one of Gods people, she will be with me soon.
And from you my friends, of all who want to be, no, I'll not be alone.
Willow went to the computer, turning it on she went to the internet.
I'll see what I can find, about you who you are as a Debt Collector.
I'd be interested to know, all of what you find as well, said Giles.

10
Willow did as planned though what she found was just the one site,
a painting portrayed the first Debt Collector, now known as Death.
Also known as one of the horsemen of the Apocalypse, said Buffy.
Horseman or woman? How can you tell, just by looking at a skull?
The name does not depict the gender, as with mankind it means both
Buffy looked hard, said good point to Will, nothing else was there.
Buffy stopped talking, she closed her eyes. Then facing to the side,
she began to smile. Word from Molly, a presence has been found.
The Two Swords will soon make battle, for them and me, it's begun.
For now, you as I, we have to wait. On a search for sightings of them
Molly is with four more of them I'll know when this war has begun.

11
Molly called down, stone circles awoke, stone's began to glow bright
Not of stone was Molly reborn, for within the stone she was at rest.
Light flashed down like lightning, from Molly to stone's inner ground
The message heard, from within the circle a dome of light was formed
A Goddess came to be, when the light faded, then pointing to stone
Others to Molly they rose, to begin to find those, who'd hid the souls.
Molly waved them on, willing them look down at over flown ground
Silently, transparently they traversed the land, looking for even a sign
Where the enemy of all would begin, beginning to feel senses raised
A look now a stare, at blade of grass, grain of sand they waited to see
On barest of ground, as if emitting its sin, three photographers went.

12
Gary, Edmund and Brian walked across a field to the stone circle,
each carrying a camera tripod and their camera's in a shoulder bag.
Standing near, they inspect the altar stone, from various directions.
Setting his gear down, come on them, said Gary, this is what we do.
As if given permission they start to take photographs of that stone,
Moving tripod about, from here to here, that ideal of light they seek
Concentrating on photographs to take, becoming blind to all around
They don't see those many thousand winged gargoyles, that fly down
to the earth, near them, around the stone circle, then stay as statues
Four foot high, wings a sinewy glistening skin, each smiling its delight
trying to blend with the circle the ground, as if none wants to be seen.

13
Looking at the sun, to where a shadow will rest, Brian sees a gargoyle
Then sees the statues of gargoyles around. But I don't remember them
I must have walked right through them. He called to the others to see
Moving closer to them, adjusting settings on camera's full of glee
Taking stills upon stills and videos, their memory cards began to fill,
photographs of each they took. Unknown gargoyle, captions to read.
Guys I'm off to that ridge, called Edmund, I want to a panoramic view
Brian agreed a panoramic view of the circle and them, that'll be good.
Standing on the ridge, stunned at what he saw, he called to his friends.
Running onto the ridge, the statue of a giant winged gargoyle they saw.
In wonder they closed to Brian, waiting, wondering of what he'd seen.

14
Facing one more, though it was giant, it's wings so transparently wide,
ignoring those that are small, they began to see their photos in print.
Gary turned, wanting to compare the giant, with those that are small
If only he saw inside the giant, the devil's son, in one of his forms.
Realizing in horror, the damned things are moving, coming this way.
Quick grab your gear, shouted Gary. Brian, Edmund, be bloody quick!
As they ran, not turning, waiting until they found safety behind a wall.
Those gargoyles all began to hop, jump, glide towards the giant statue.
The gargoyles to the statue do go, they dance around it, they worship it.
One of the smaller gargoyles, knelt to the giant, then rose up to the sky.
All other gargoyles stop, they all stood back. Then beginning to smile.

15
They hopped for joy, they looked up, then the giant it started to smile,
then looking to them, screaming its glory, with its worshippers flew up.
Into the air it joined with them. And together they flew across the land.
Looking ahead at the countryside, to a distant hill, it lay on the horizon.
Molly's stood on that hill with eighteen more soldiers, looking around
looking for them, then hearing they're sound, they hid in the ground.
Molly ordered nine soldiers, see what is on the other side of the hill.
Looking to the sky, seeing gargoyles that are dropping, as if to land.
Going to where Molly said that the few gargoyles must have landed.
When Molly and the soldiers get closer, there are many more they see.
As more winged unicorns were flying overhead. They stared to them.

16
Molly said to creep, the gargoyles have landed near. Careful everyone,
The soldiers in groups of three, beginning to search in the field nearby.
Suddenly they were attacked, outnumbered and almost surrounded.
Seeking cover in a shelter she sent Anne to get help. We are trapped.
Molly saw gargoyles dancing, prancing happily through the bushes.
Seeking escape, she saw was an old wooden shelter, she led them there.
The gargoyles taunted them, poking them with their long wooden poles.
Several gargoyles rushed at them, they capture and drag away a soldier.
Hearing the soldiers screams, the giant flies down to gloat with them.
Now the others know where we are, help is on the way. Smiled Molly
The gargoyles pointed at the shelter, proudly showing off the captives.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

continued from the previous post

17
The giant gargoyle walked towards the soldiers trapped in the shelter.
They had to listen to the screams of the soldier the gargoyles captured.
The gargoyles danced happily near the shelter. Taunting the Riders
Then quiet, as the screams from the captured soldier suddenly ceased.
Standing back the giant gargoyle waved them to get another soldier.
The gargoyles come and grab another. She is felled near the shelter.
The giant jumps up high, then drops onto her, deliberately he kills her.
The gargoyles dance happily, the giant screams, signalling happy glee.
Molly bids them be ready. The soldiers crouch down, weapons loaded.
The giant gargoyle attacked the shelter, jumping on and wrecking it.
The soldiers rolled clear from the wreckage as Molly screamed NOW!

18
Raising up onto a knee, then they began firing rapidly at the gargoyles.
More soldiers appeared and joined them, laying the gargoyles to waste.
On a dragon Darla flew down, leading the soldiers to the stone circle.
Stay clear of the circle, surround the stones and be ready to protect.
Claire walked to the stone circle, standing in the middle of the circle.
Standing with her arms held out wide. Then slowly she turned around
Looking to each of the stones in the circle, then she began to glow.
With Darla glowing, the floating Goddesses move closer together.
Together they look to each other, happy to be as one, happy together.
A soldier in battle dress stepped forward, she appeared from a stone.
The Goddesses Claire and Darla, point her to the rest, where to protect

19
She stands outside the circle, dropping to a knee raising her crossbow
With Goddess Claire and Goddess Darla pointing to each of the stones.
From each stone, soldiers walk or run, and go to protect the rising new
More soldiers appear, joining those who stood ready awaiting the next.
Wave after wave of the soldiers run forth, as the army starts to be here.
A few mounted winged Unicorns from the ground rise up into the sky.
The soldiers on the winged unicorns, cross bows levelled in their sight
ready to defend those who are now pouring from the ground in style.
The Goddess Darla creates a vision of where the gargoyles they are,
Now you know where to go, I have shown you how do yourself proud.
They all move into a field, grouping together, moving down the slope.

20
More soldiers join them as they go down the slope to where others are
The army not stopped, slowly it moves letting more become as one.
Darla floats up, waving to the Riders, pointing for them the way to go.
Darla and Claire look to each other, smile, then go into the stone circle.
Then spreading their arms wide, rise from ground they slowly do turn.
Their feet not touching the ground, and now they both begin to glow.
Pointing down to the ground drawing a pentagram it begins to appear.
A dome of light forms, then fades to a glow, as the Goddess Tianara is,
Cold lines of the pentagram, they start to glow then they become flame.
A funnel of blue light flows up from pentagrams centre into the night.
And massed numbers of mounted winged unicorns rise from in ground.

21
Lazy clouds laying on horizons line, move aside, the sunlight bursts out.
Covering all the land and sky, the glare of the yellow light filled the air,
In passing time the glare of the sunlight began to fade. And all was seen
The gargoyles knowing they’d win though vied, their rightful conclusion.
The giant gargoyle flew down to lead them. Its landing shook the ground
With wings spread wide, talons dripping sin, it calls the battle to begin.
Gargoyles peer to the land opposite, then a line of soldiers did appear,
Then line after line after line covering the land that is seen to the horizon.
And in the sky, mounted winged unicorns appear, turning dawn to dusk.
The soldiers began to march, closing their ranks, the battle cry is made.
Now slapping their side; their battle cry. Distorted sound waves form.

22
The Goddesses appeared, six steps in the lead, each glowing with light
And sound waves become seen, visible in the dusty mornings light.
The soldiers stop. Short marching ceased, echoes of sound released
The Goddesses raised their arms towards the airborne sound waves.
Moving those sound waves forward and down towards the gargoyles.
With the sound waves thrown at the ground that bore gargoyles feet.
The ground exploded underneath them, surprise and horror to greeted.
Vast explosions in the ground thrust gargoyles up, to the atmosphere.
Only silence came forth, rolling clouds spread fast across the Dawn sky
Visual explosions peppered the light, the bright then darkness loomed
As the last gargoyles bodies explode. And Goddesses fade from sight.

23
Molly appeared next to Buffy. Even with nearly dying, that was fun.
Buffy laughed, looking to her, only Molly would greet her that way
I know that your side won, I felt the battle, how many did you find?
Yes we did, there was only ten thousand of them that stood against us.
Buffy grinned, even I know that’s a stupid thing. The foolish idiots.
Why did you say that? Calling them idiots like that? asked Samuel
Some of the Riders, a few thousand of us were there to protect the
skies, but only part of the Infantry was there, we were just millions.
That many! How big is the infantry, asked Giles, the whole army?
No one knows, said Molly, we are Gods army, we are all immortal.
The one I seek, was news of him found? asked Buffy, hope unfound.

24
The phone started to ring, Willow picked up the receiver. Listening.
Hey Giles, she called, it’s Adrian and Susan. They want some help.
They are just a bit hopeful aren’t they, not turning up for the meeting,
That project they were given from the uni. To make that documentary.
I said about the landmark they had chosen, and of a scary story to do
Well remember I said that they had uncovered about a ghost haunting
Why are you telling this to all of us? Is there a reason? asked Buffy
That scary story that they sought to include, it isn‘t just one it‘s many.
Many ghosts? asked Molly, I like that, it’s amazing what they can say
A ghost story? Yes Buffy, I wonder what we might learn, said Molly.
Buffy looked at Molly. Okay, Willow can you tell them we’ll be there.

to be continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

follows my last post

25
Willow stood with Molly and Buffy, waiting for Susan and Adrian
Coming along the track carrying shopping bags each, they waved.
Standing close, who is she? Willow faced Molly. She wants to join.
Welcome to the deep end, said Susan, there are several ghosts here.
Molly looked around. I'll fit in well, I like speaking to dead people
As I told Willow, the research we did we found many tales of ghosts,
and the work reports we found, giving lots of ghostly goings on, here.
To avoid getting bogged down, with the reports of ghosts and occult,
we decided to make our film, but when doing so we heard that ghost.
Heard? What do you mean? The ghost was talking or playing a tune?
Well done, you're good. We heard ghostly sounds of a pipers pipes.

26
Molly looked to Buffy. A piper? I wonder, might it be the Pied Piper?
Buffy whispered to Willow. Ask them if they'd play the documentary.
Adrian turned on the lap-top, playing the disc. We play this ourselves.
Sat on the ground, watching the screen, of all that had been filmed
Can you fast forward to the parts that have ghosts in? asked Willow.
What was that? asked Molly. Before getting to the haunted scenes,
yet they rewound the film, to watch the part that Molly asked for.
Something, said Molly, I saw it in the background. It had red eyes
Adrian looked to Susan, I don't think that I've ever seen that before
I haven"˜t either, replied Susan, I'm sure I'd have remembered if I had.
Willow increased the volume, behind the talking they heard the pipes.

27
A happy tune? The eyes and the pipes. Do they know about the other?
Molly, those eyes you saw, at what height were they at, asked Buffy
Looking again, she couldn't see them. Were they here or up higher,
Buffy looked, red eyes she saw, why is that here, that's a full demon,
Willow, Susan and Adrian looked to each other, but none understood
What's going on, asked Buffy, there's nothing here for such a demon,
Are you be so sure? asked Willow. Buffy thought of what she saw
I'd like to see it on a big screen first, before I say what that demon is.
Well when I was in the library, people who worked to build this said,
of strange things that happened, tools that vanished, horses that shied.
The next part of interest is the sound of a piper, much clearer though.

28
Watching the screen, Molly asked when people knew of the field
I do, replied Adrian, this area was settled the late eighteen seventies.
A girl walked through them and the tents, she pointed into the field.
Molly looked at her, how long have you had to keep walking here.
Then asked Willow, have you ever wanted to be friends with a ghost.
Willow stood up, she looked to Molly, about to follow on the track.
Watching the ghost walk away, Willow followed, but knowing where
I guess the jokes on you, said Willow pointing to the girl on the track
Willow walked towards her, but just as she was near, she vanished
Why vanish, called Willow, I followed you only to offer you my help
The ghost reappeared, he is here! The sound of pipes is what I hear.

29
Look! called Willow, in the field, I see children running in there!
And what looks like a man playing a flute, are children following.
The ghost looked to Willow, pitifully pleaded, you help my friends?
The girl vanished. Willow looked at Molly. I want to, can I help her.
Molly looked at Buffy. What do you think? Could we, should we?
If we do we'd need to know more, about them, and, about her
I'll call her here, said Susan she held an Ouija board, from her bag.
Is anyone there? Waiting for the pointer to move. Is anyone there?
Susan looked to them. Is there another here who wants to have a go?
I will, said Willow. I don't know who you are, we need your help.
The pointer didn't move. Well, asked Willow, what is the next plan?

30
Just a minute, I have had a thought. The pointer moved to Willow.
Looking at Susan, sat opposite her, she pointed to right behind her,
Don't turn quickly, you'll scare her, she's behind you, said Susan.
Willow slowly turned to see the little girl was looking right at her.
Hi, what's your name? Georgina Swift, or Georgie to my friends.
Odd, said Susan, you don't read or write? Yet you know name,
how do you know your name? Georgie looked then smiled too her
It was Molly. She looked at them. Don't you know who Molly is?
She stared at Molly. You're not here to help me, are you? she asked.
No, we are not, but I'm hoping by helping ourselves we'll help you.
Molly grinned, when we know why you are here, it might help us.

31
Georgie sighed, all I want is to find where my best friend was taken.
That won't help us, knowing where won't, but knowing why might.
If you can remember, do you recall of who it was who took her?
He didn't take her, exactly. It was more like she wanted to follow.
I don't know why, although I remember how the tune was played.
That's what could help, do you know how many others were taken?
Georgie pointed to the field. I've seen many groups of many taken.
I heard of that, many times through the centuries. Missing people,
if it is who I think it is, you have been a help. Groups have gone,
then missing, following him. The piper called them to follow him,
Have you seen? Who that the piper passed them to, asked Buffy.

32
I saw another, but once. Wearing a big black cloak, he rode a horse.
Buffy smiled, from what you say, you didn't see who it was, did you?
Not really, his cloak covered him from head to foot, said Georgina.
Who you saw, it wasn't a man but a girl, as all debt collectors are.
The piper and one like you, together, what could they were doing?
The one that's sat on the horse, is Death. An answer'll soon be ours
when we have found the answer, know that we will tell you Georgie.
Susan, do what you need for the story, but never go the other side,
I'm telling you, of the pipe keep back, the results much too scary,
Of what the piper is, and who those red eyes are, said Buffy, it is.
On the horse was Death? Before I know, I'll need to know more.

to be continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

follows from my previous post

33
Leaving them to ponder what could be happening beyond the pipe,
Molly and Buffy emerged walking around the corner of a church.
Making sure that no one saw, they went to the open church doors.
Above the doorway, those were the ones that we heard, said Molly.
Buffy looks to the three stone gargoyles. You are right, it looks as
though they have moved recently, to the archway above the doors.
The gargoyles roared to Buffy. Looking up at them, idiot creatures.
She looks to Molly, more were here, so I’ll need to know more first.
Standing in the doorway, the priest welcomes them. Please, come in.
Looking to Father Lucas. All this church, is it yours? asked Buffy.
No, but with Father Bryant we are in charge. In this house of God.

34
It might well be one of Gods houses. But this is not where he lives,
If he did, he would leave the doors open all night. You do not.
While Father Bryant and I are servants of God, we control this house.
Buffy began to smile, that was all she wanted to know, they had the
Right to invite people into the church, looking about she smiled to
Molly. This is the one. Molly moved to where Buffy waited for her.
Then she looked to Father Lucas. We heard the call of the gargoyles.
Father Bryant walked up to them. Father Lucas, is there a problem?
Pointing to his head in a circular motions. Yes, its these young ladies
they seem to think that the gargoyles are alive. They made the sound.
Father Bryant, can you say what animal sound it was, or explain it?

35
But do you really think that the gargoyles could make such sound?
A roar is a welcome to all that are evil ones they protect, said Buffy.
She looks about the church. I’m sure, those demons were in here.
And still they might. Know they could be here, in this house of God.
Molly looked to Buffy, even now? Buffy grins, or maybe in a while.
Tell me Father Lucas, why think that no evil could ever be in here?
Because we are men of God, and no evil we’d let into his house.
If the evil looked like me, how would you know not to invite it in?
There is evil within mankind and there is evil. Are you of that evil?
That one down there, he helped create me, so yes, I am of that evil,
but feel no fear, the other who created me, it was of him up there.

36
Father Bryant looked at her with distrust, “Why would you say that
Why would our God ever have occasion to join together with him?
It may be that the devils son is doing battle with his father, and God.
Father Lucas looked at her, he looked to Buffy then Father Bryant.
You say that as though we should believe it. Why, who are you?
I am Molly, General of the Riders of the Two Swords of God’s army
and this is Buffy a debt collector, created by the devil and by God.
If you choose not to believe, that is okay. But believe, for this I know
Many demons have been in here, your trust is sought for us to repel.
You know Allan, a friend? I would like it if you’d take us to see him.
Each of them gets into the Fathers car, and they go to the book-shop.

37
Allan is sat at the table, various books being open, in several piles,
newspapers are spread about in front of him. Good morning Allan,
you’re looking very busy today. He looks on the table, what’s that?
I was sent this yesterday, it’s of various cultures that seem to speak
of the same event. Something they all thought was quite important
It tells of a future, that hasn’t happened. And of she who does it.
How do I know it hasn’t? The carvings of stone walls of museums
in Mesopotamia and Babylon, on many Sumerian artefacts. Even
what were unknown Egyptian hieroglyphs, thousands of years apart.
The Dead Sea Scrolls gave mention, but in detail the same thing.
Allan looked at the Father. A prophecy, of one that no date is given.

38
What is said of this the prophecy? One that many nations have said
It is written in secret, that only the devout would see. It is Kalefilna.
Father Bryant interrupts him. Kalefilna 1:01 I learnt of that myself
You know it? Please tell me of it, I’ve tried, no one seems to know.
Buffy and Molly step from a bookshelf to show themselves to him.
Allan looked at them. I don’t think I know you, do I? Who are you?
My name is Molly, the General of the Riders, my friends is Buffy.
The Riders? Looking to Father Bryant then Molly. The Two Swords
Father Bryant stood still, he was amazed. Do you know of them?
Not of them, but I do know of the name the Two Swords.
In years past, researching spectral events. The battle at Edge Hill.

39
I was there for a battle of the civil war, Roundheads and Cavaliers.
It wasn’t them, it was two others that fought. Allan looks to Molly.
I found a woman who I thought about to die, the front of her body,
her skin had been ripped from her. I offered to her souls atonement.
He looked at Father Bryant, as I knelt next to her, her body repaired.
Within the minute I saw her walk again. She that I helped is Tianara
And the battle in the sky was the Two Swords against the gargoyles
The person you helped, her name is Tianara, she can be here soon.
She sends her greetings. We need the Father to accept and see us.
We are who we say we are. Know the gargoyles were battled again.
Molly and the Two Swords won, and they killed every one of them.

40
Allan fell backwards over his chair, he tried to get away from Buffy
He looked at her, I’ve heard of them, is she really a Debt Collector?
She went to help him to his feet. But,.... but? He looked at her hand.
Allan, Buffy’s the first of the kind, created by the devil and by God.
Allan looked to Molly then to Buffy, he is surprised. He cautiously
held his hand to hers. Buffy greets him, then helps him to his feet.
He faced Molly. She’s created by both, what could be so very wrong
First the devil’s son sought revenge, now it’s both God and the devil.
We need the Father to see us, and accept us. That is why we are here,
That he feels a comfort with you knowing us and sees a trust in you.
Buffy said there was evil in the church, the father needed to know.

to be continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

41
Should we leave till then, said Molly, could some be in there, now.
Though admittedly a gargoyle in the catacombs, it doesn’t seem real.
Buffy glanced at Molly, it was you who said of gargoyles not me,
I know that those that were heard, they couldn’t be in the catacombs.
Though it does make me wonder, if that what I felt was leaving?
I’ll go inside, I’ll look in the catacombs, then tell you what’s there
Though if they are there, I’ll need empty the church of worshippers.
So be ready, have some more of the Riders here ready to protect
Danny wanted to help Janice choose the birthday gift for their son.
Now, they were looking at the menu in the front window of the cafe,
Trying to decide what to get. The peoples screams made them turn.

42
Everyone on the footpath was starting to look towards the church
When the doors burst wide, worshippers ran their shouts filled the air
fifty of the Two Swords just appeared, running to be behind them,
As they ran their clothes began changing to their armies battle dress,
they formed a barrier between the people and the doors of the church
Motorists who’d been argumentative towards girls blocking the road
that led to the church, they began hearing the scared peoples screams.
And the girls in front of them, in battle dress, the swords withdrawn
But pointing to the ground, with their winged white unicorns behind.
Janice and Danny gasped, as two hundred more soldiers appeared
running into the church. Janice and Danny could only stand and stare

43
They held the other, looking at the church hearing the dying screams
that filled the air, shock became horror. As vampires ran from within
running from the church, into the sunlight they only burst into flames.
Then as suddenly as the noise started, it stopped. Those who’d been
blocking the road vanished. Janice and Danny looked at the silence.
Molly and Buffy appeared in Allan’s bookshop, quietly at the table.
That was to quick, to easy, I had hoped for more, Buffy was upset.
Allan, do you know of any reports of the strange that have been said,
Allan looked to Buffy. There is one, a church is said to be haunted.
Is the church built to a new design, or an old design, asked Molly
Looking at her Father Bryant and Allan were silent. Does it matter?

44
Old churches were built properly, like the early town meeting halls.
Forget the steeple, the main building was designed as a demon trap
Demons that flew to close, were pulled inside, then trapped within.
Then the one that I know of, could be just what you want, said Allan
Strange sounds being heard. Loud bangings were heard from within
But no one can see the problem, stones are thrown at all who visit.
Later that day saw Molly and Buffy, standing by the churches gates.
Looking at the church, they didn’t see the woman approaching them.
She was calling to them. Please tell me you are not going in, are you
there’s something in there that stops everyone going passed the gate
Buffy asked Mrs. Priestly, to show her the side gate to the church.

45
When they were out of sight, Molly went toward the main doors.
Two soldiers of the Two Sword appeared there to keep others away
Andrea and Judith said of a demon who was trapped in the church,
The Goddesses Darla and Claire, will soon help end the demon.
In the church the Goddesses appeared, Molly asked who was there.
Saying she was with Buffy who wants to know what demon’s here
Seeing a hand invite her in, Buffy told Mrs. Priestly to go home
that she’d be told when it was safe in the churchyard, to the church
My friend will be inside the church. And soon will I, she vanished
Standing amid the pews, Buffy looked to the demon, I know you
Molly said of those red eyes, those were where the Pied Piper was.

46
Buffy and Molly called to the demon, then watching it, it flew down
We saw your eyes near the pipe, where ghosts are and the Pied Piper
But that wasn’t why you were there, asked Buffy. The demon grins
She who I protect was there, just the trail of essence is all I can find
Who do you protect, and why are you so fraught. The demon grins
No souls of the dead have reached purgatory, it was the devil’s son.
That gargoyles protect the vampires, so the Pied Piper gets people
those that can be wolf, an army to battle vampire. I’m stuck in here
Then know I’m Buffy, they sent me to free those souls, and I will
They are of Two Swords, they did battle with the gargoyles and won.
You Debt Collectors. Together when apart, you’ll combine to save.

47
Why else are you here, asked Buffy, to tell Death the good news,
that the devil’s son took a wrong form, but I’m sure that you know,
you don’t know, he was a giant gargoyle. So it was the Two Swords,
Word shall be given to the piper, to release the army of the manwolf
Something’s still wrong, said Buffy, where are the souls of the dead,
The devils son took them, so why be a gargoyle, not non corporeal
If vampires know the son is dead and seek to finish the son’s work,
where are those souls, Buffy waved to Darla, to come and join them
Buffy introduced Death’s protector then said of the sons demise,
disguised as the leader of the gargoyles, Molly said you killed him.
Why the Piper has joined with Death. Please set the protector free.

48
Molly, we should go and tell Georgina not to fear for her friends
There is more for us to do, tell Mrs. Priestly that her. She stopped,
Molly can you do those things that I suggest, Willow is calling me.
Molly appeared in the front room of Mrs. Priestly, Darla is there
I didn’t feel you here, nor did I know that you’d be here, said Molly.
I chose not to surprise Mrs. Priestly, I came to here by the front door.
Who are you people, asked Mrs. Priestly, Buffy vanished before me,
now you appear from nothing. Who are you, what do you want here?
Darla stepped forward. Please Mrs. Priestly you have no need to fear
What we learnt in your church has helped, we offer to you thanks.
About the damage done to your church, know we need to do more

49
Tonight the church will be destroyed, but in the dark it’ll be rebuilt
by morning light it will safe, I need to go, God’s work is never done
The room filled with pure white light, the Goddess Darla was gone
Molly handed Mrs. Priestly a telephone number. If ever you feel that
the demons run free, ring these people they do know how to call me.
or there is another way. In the church, sit on your knees and pray.
Molly disappeared. Mrs. Priestly covered her mouth with her hand.
That was them, looking at the telephone number, putting on a coat
she ran to the church, she watch it destroyed and rebuilt, by no one.
Molly appeared with Buffy on the inspection trail by the pipeline,
calling Georgina, telling her all was good, that her friend is well.

50
Buffy stood, leant on the doorframe. Hello Willow, still alone with
Samuel I see. What is it that would cause you to want to call me?
Willow hugged her, glad to see her. We had a strange phone call,
A friend of a friend was out walking, at the area Southern Downs
she saw something walking, but it’s knees were bending backwards.
That is why I called you. Buffy looked to Willow as Molly appeared.
Molly, of Southern Downs? Do you think the name, sounds right?
maybe it might be. Samuel looked to them. Where who might be?
Buffy looked to Molly. If that is what I think it is there will have to
be another just like it, can you get your people to search the ground
find another place, or find more places and find out about the area.

51
We’ll be able to help with the history of the area, people we know
friends we learnt from them, they were investigating the place before
They’ll be willing to help, said Willow, Samuel knows their address.
Everyone waits not far from the house while Molly went to their door.
pretending that she was lost, they invited her in to see a route home.
Come in. I am Elspeth, these are my sisters Rosanne and Granore,
Who is she? asked Granore, and where is it that you know her from?
Elspeth looked to her sisters. I’m sorry, but we’ve never met before,
though I felt in her a trust, something in her, about her, she is good.
But as my sister said, who are you? Molly looked to Elspeth, I trust.
I came here to speak to you, to see if we could trust you, said Molly.

52
I know we can, looking about the room, with ease, Molly sat down,
Rosanne approached her. This we that you speak of, can we meet?
Soon you shall, replied Molly, for they are only two house down,
First tell me what you found at Southern Downs, say why you left.
The sisters glanced at each other, looking at Molly without any trust.
And say what of the mound, do you stop those who’d want in or out
we also need you to say of what you know, saw at Southern Downs
Molly smiled to them as Willow and Buffy walked into the room.
They know what might be there, but they are scared we don’t know
Buffy grins, of the thing that walks, with its knees bending back
a flying thing, a gargoyle for it protects. Vampires are in the tunnel

53
They did not make secret the help we sought, they meant no harm.
Then I’ll them everything we know, said Buffy so that they’ll know.
In the mound was the body of Ignatius Winterborne, a demon hunter
His body was put there to stop the un dead moving up into the world.
But as happens, if evil has time, the best of good was moved away
Now that the way is about clear into the world they want to appear
Not from Southern Downs for we’re here to end them all we shall.
Molly smiled to Elspeth, tell me, what do you know of the name?
Southern Downs, said Buffy. the direction is south it was that way,
but as southern, many years ago, was a term used for what is below,
Southern linked with Down; both mean the same. The devils home.

54
If it isn’t where the devil lives, why are we here protecting the world
Willow stood, Molly’s Riders will cover the land near the mound
as Buffy with twenty five of Molly’s riders go to Southern Downs
There they’ll enter the tunnel, and begin to push the vampires out.
Not now, no vampire will go into the sun, for it knows it will die.
Such is the fear they have for Buffy the Debt Collector, as they will.
Then so is Molly? She is a general of The Two Sword, said Willow
Together? asked Granore. Together, said Willow. Both kill vampires.
Buffy will kill any vampires she sees, the others will run, into the sun
should the sun’s way be blocked, Molly’s Riders will add to their fate.
Until Buffy and more Riders rise to the field, we’ll know all is done.

55
Samuel put two large plates of sandwiches in the centre of the table,
You can thank the CWA for them, just in case you think I make them
He looked at each of them, right then if you are all ready, we’ll begin
I hereby open the twentieth meeting of the Swandar Ghost Hunters
Club. Willow stood up. Those present are myself, Samuel, Willow
Buffy, Susan and Adrian, Suzy and Jeff. The door opens to Molly.
What brings you here? Molly is surprised, as if you need you ask
She turned to Buffy, Darla asked me to tell you, so now I’ll tell you.
There will be a meeting soon, something that happens very rarely
The last one was nearly four hundred years ago, this one’s for you,
so the chances are at the meeting tomorrow night you’ll get the go.

56
Molly looked to Buffy, you may not need it but, all our good luck.
Hope and Molly walked across the floor to the police station desk.
The duty sergeant casually looked up, to see who was in the station
What are you two wearing? Going to a fancy dress party are you?
Our names are Molly and Hope. We are here to warn you of others
They’ll be at the ruins tonight. We want you to have all roads closed
Who is going to be there? You should have given several days notice.
You have been told what to do, so do it or we will, said Molly.
You’ll know when we are ready, we will change the colour of the sky
An officer said of the weapons they wore. I hope that they are not real
Hope withdrew her sword and lay it on the counter with her cross bow.

to be continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

57
As you can see, they are real, not what’s worn for a fancy dress do?
The duty officer, Sgt. Bertrand looked at them. Who are you people?
Riders, and if we need many more thousand will be here tonight.
putting her crossbow in her shoulder harness, the sword in its sheath
Molly and Hope began a walk to the door, fading away as they went.
Running upstairs, pushing open the door of senior staff’s meeting
They glared at him, they demanded to know what was so important
Two women just told me that they want some roads closed tonight
I told them no, but they showed me their weapons, then vanished
They said they’d change the colour of the sky when they are ready
Senior Superintendent Barrett spoke. What were their weapons?

58
A sword and a crossbow, and they had an ancient leather battle dress
They vanished? Okay. Take a couple of officers tonight, have a look.
Report what you see, if all seems real, then we’ll decide what to do.
Outside the ruins, three officers wander about, with shining torches.
An officer radioed the station. All is quiet, but it’s cold and creepy.
He caught a glimpse, Who is that? The other policemen complied
shining torch lights around. Oh, just part of the ruins. Creepy place.
It’s the end of our shift, how to let the others know, how creepy it is.
Holding his phone, about to take a picture. I’d prefer it, if you didn’t.
They quickly turn to see who it is. Oh, you again, said Sgt. Bertrand.
The roads aren’t closed, you’ve got ten minutes, then they’ll be here.

59
And if the roads are not closed we’ll do it, and, you don’t want that.
Else parts of this town will be on the news programmes of the world.
We’re about ready to end our, he pointed to just in front of them
Thirty more like Molly were walking towards them. Who are they?
Ten minutes to go, said Molly, they’ll close the roads, if you don‘t.
I’ve told the senior police, what else could I do, said Sgt. Bertrand.
If you don’t close the roads, they will be here so it is your choice
Station, said Sgt. Bertrand on his radio, we’ve seven minutes to go
so close the road or they will. That is what I have just been told.
They are appearing all over the place, out here, stated Sgt. Bertrand.
As the sky became green. That’s a five minute warning, said Molly

60
Police cars raced through the streets to the ruins, blocking the roads.
An outside broadcast crew were the first stopped by the road block.
Sgt. Bertrand got to the road block just before Molly and Hope.
Are we in time? he asked Molly. You were, but you left it to late,
our people are here, and so they will be, fear not, none will be seen.
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, go where I like, I live over there, the drunk said.
He pushed, moved the policemen aside, staggering passed their cars.
More fool him, if the sky turns yellow, those we protect are here.
Seeing the broadcast crew ready to film, Sgt. Bertrand faced Molly

61
Oh no, what else could go wrong? If the sky turns yellow, said Molly.
Outside broadcast unit here, can someone tell us what is going on?
Sgt. Bertrand faced the reporter, then the camera. He turned to Molly.
I don’t know what to say. The dark sky began to change to yellow
And know you don’t need to, said Molly, that drunk will have to go.
Soldiers appeared and one on her unicorn, surrounding the drunk.
The Rider called to him, kneel or die! He knelt, then they vanished.
The whole sky turned red. Sgt. Bertrand looked up What did that?
Not what, that was a human, one that is a very highly regarded one.
In her is another, Buffy, she is to battle a follower of the devil’s son
Don’t repeat her name. Here’s a warning No good will come of it.

62
That Buffy then, she isn’t like you is she? he asked, she’s not of God
Yes and no, in that she was from God, but also she was of the devil
Sent to earth, she was, to save all the souls taken by the devil’s son
which she did. She wants to return, to stop more souls being taken
How will she do that, who could stop tomorrows souls being free?
It is said that a follower of the devils son could do it, said Molly,
She will do battle to end him. She’s that good, said Sgt. Bertrand
Yes, that good, aided by her special gift. Impervious, of you or I,
only from them, they both have to will it, without that she’ll not die,
she’ll kill, if it has or needs to be done. In that she’s good to them.
What you saw, a mere slip of a girl she’ll kill vampires and demons.

63
In the ruins, surrounded by old walls, they met without prying eyes
The Goddesses who brought the lights, waited for her with the news
Though not what is she here for. They gave light on what she will do
Sgt. Bertrand stood at the road closed sign that now blocked the road.
Hope opened a police car door, policemen ran, closed, looked to her.
Why? Molly didn’t want you to see, we did as told, for long enough.
What did happen, were these people in danger, asked Sgt. Bertrand.
The Goddesses were gathered on grass in the middle of the ruins.
They wait for another, though not a goddess, but she has respect.
Death appeared next to where she was, courteously greeted Buffy.
To all Goddesses, a follower is rising, and I Buffy I will need help.

64
But before you help I’ll practise, so vampires beware, I will be happy
some vampires who where were I was stood, I saw where they were
a group of them, they meet near there, the Riders and I will end them.
The best laid of plans came from a party, when they all made merry
The vampires would meet and make a plan for every flying attack.
Then going home a gathering they’d have before finally going back.
Knowing from where is their lair is good, get them after an attack
for killing is so much fun, when they to busy changing happy to sad
Through the following day, Buffy said plans of what they would do
As days last light began to fade, they went and waited by the house
They laid low, taking the time, watching birds at night; ornithology

65
Trying to remain quiet, the night wasted away, they waited for them
with their tools, and all geared up, by an old house soon to be used
but vampire baiting, can be a time wasting task, while laying in wait.
Then at last the beating of wings was heard, they all watched the sky
counting the bats as soon vampires they be, the Riders trap was set
Three crossbow arrows were sent to smash the windows of the house
the vampires looked close, seeing the windows were all smashed in.
Gathering in the garden on lawn, no one was seen who was attacking
Morphing into bats, all ready to fly on up, nets were thrown on them
The Riders took ease placing sturdy wire around the necks of the bats.
then waiting for vampires return, then the wire removed their heads.

66
Molly and Buffy moved the net aside, collecting ringlets of wire
Our numbers are wrong, more should be here, looking at each pile
there should have been more, said Molly, some didn’t come here
Buffy looked guilty. Bloody vampires, you just can’t trust them.
They won’t stay where they made the attack, they don’t hang about
they’d not go straight home, they’ll gather so that none are missing
if some saw us, we may have caused them to gather somewhere else
Another attack? With dwindled numbers, panic will enter the game
I’ll tell Darla, she’ll see what can be seen, and tell where they’ll be
Some vampires have the church surrounded near there, said Darla.
some you say, how many do you mean and are there any people?

67
There are fifteen vampires and twenty seven people in the church.
Buffy and Molly took a walk around the church their sight unseen
wanting to know what and how many would be expected and where
Only allowing them to be seen behind the wall of the churchyard.
Six vampires to the right and four to the left while two are in church.
Molly told Diane, you’re to take six hunters to the side that is left,
Buffy, you watch the church doors and make sure none get out
I will have ten Riders with me, at the side that is right, said Molly
There is only one way out. If you want Buffy I’ll send them to you
or you can take it easy and we’ll battle with those we know are there
I will guard the doors, and the way out. I can help the left and right

68
Diane and six Riders crept silently, watching the four vampires there,
Suddenly standing, the vampires were surprised, no sound was heard
Diane and her six fired their crossbows, only two vampires were hit
two of the Riders ran forward both wanting to end the two vampires
beginning to raise their swords as if they were about to strike a blow,
both vampires moved to block the swords, not seeing the other hand
an arrow head slammed into their necks, forgetting about the swords
then they grabbed at the arrow in their neck, the sword came down
they almost had time to know their mistake before dust blew away.
They went along the side then around the end to stand facing Molly
who saw them, then knew the vampires had no where to escape to.

69
Stay at the end and we’ll begin our attack, A few is all that I’ll want
Molly stood up, and firing at them, they knew they’d not last the day.
Keep a distance from each other, I don’t want you immortal just yet
Use your swords or arrows I don’t care of which, take no prisoners.
confronting two of the vampires, they were cut of from their friends,
Two more saw their friends die, they looked to each other, but to late
then more were caught by arrows, their dust scattered on the wind.
Buffy saw the last vampire end, she opened the doors to the church
A vampire stood facing her, but not for long. Others saw and knew
Calling to all the people to leave. The path outside is safe for you.
People looked outside seeing, they saw the Riders guarding the path

70
As with the most of the Sunday afternoons, the car parks in the town
were nearly full. Several churches had their doors unlocked to those
that wanted to roam amid the quiet of the walls. Week-end tourists
were window shopping, looking at highly polished antiques. Gazing
at the vases of lovely flowers that adorned the shops. A child shouted
The stone on this cross it is too hot to sit on! But no one believed him.
The cross exploded! Cars, shops, houses; were peppered with small
fragments of the heated rock of the stone cross. In a second, the only
sound to be heard were the car and shop alarms. Dead lay all around,
many dead people lying still on the path, held their dead dog’s leash.
Cars that were once going somewhere, had fallen to the roads side.

71
The occupants in those cars were now dead and slumped in the seats.
Where the once famous Cross once stood, it now catered in memory
There he was, looking like a young man of twenty nine all normal,
but with his skin like stone, his sinewy ribbed wings that shone,
and the icy cold stare from flame filled eyes slid into you like time.
He rose to the sky, then flew with the wind to the hill known as Hob
Leaving behind a once postcard picture town, now a restless wreck
He’d gone a few miles west passed a quiet village, into the green
Buffy stood proud, then casting an eye on the scene called Molly.
And together they stood. This is why I called the meeting in the ruin
I knew this would happen, it would come. He was a friend of the son

72
Call them Molly, let the Goddesses know, that he’s risen, tell them.
Call others like you, and more, many is a the field that’s their home.
If they are known to be here, friends of us will be as well, said Molly
If that is as you say, villages not far away, always was felt concern
Sending your people to the villages of Compton, help you may find.
There is another place you’ll see, known as the Great White Horse.
Not the one that is carved into chalk figure on the hill, asked Molly
I do, now the secret can now be told, for it was made for such a day
Who the Pied Piper took, then gave them to Death, some were here
For it never was a horse on a hill, it was carved by the first one of me
she who’s known as Death. The devil’s pet is a werewolf not a horse.

to be continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

73
If they do get the upper hand in this battle, and we need a lot of help
I will open the hill, inside the hill are many big caverns, said Kal-na.
In each cavern are those who can be the devil’s pets. Help is at hand.
When were the caverns built? asked Molly, I was never told of them
The caverns were never built, not built as such, more those in there
were kept secret, just in case the devil wanted his way, and he may.
How can you get in, or is that a secret that only a demon can use?
Kal-na smiled to Molly, here’s another secret for your kind to know,
what was known, in time was lost, all in Two Swords has demon.
How do you see in the dark? Kal’s dream, of the God and the Devil
playing a game of Draughts. Enemies or two who make a balance.

74
Before time when the Devil led God’s armies, when he liked killing
God made him God of the evil dead. But they still played Draughts
The Devil’s pet was the werewolf, his army could see in the dark
So the Two Swords have the essence of a werewolf? asked Molly.
At the end of the trailing leg was once a mound, just stand there
Call the hill to open, stay and stand where once demon was found,
that hill will open, know the hill be alive with a sound of music
Molly looked as Kal-na smiled, you wanted to know of a way in
I’ll leave you to get in touch with the witches in the Compton area
from what I’ve just heard demon’s affecting the houses by the hill.
Bread won’t rise and the milk just went sour, I’ll go to its start.

75
When Kal-na got to the cross, all the tv’s she could see in the shops
The sets lost all aerials reception, then all electricity power went off.
Holding a telephones receiver, Kal-na heard the phone the lines stop.
Looking up at the sky, it got darker as winged demons flew to town.
The sky turned dark red, any cars still used were hunted, left dead
no occupant stood a chance, against those flying demonic hordes.
When the evil moved to town, destroying anything that they wanted
The police from surrounding towns never reached the affected area,
their cars slammed into invisible walls on the roads. Even the RAF,
two jets flew to investigate, but those jets vanished from their radar
Kal-na knew, until they could raise an attack, the town was theirs.

76
All across the country, stone circle’s began to glow, all armies called
Goddesses now released all the Two Swords forces from their rest,
of tourists, out for a family day, to show their children of what was,
faced fear, of glowing stones, an army appeared, then disappeared.
Kal-na contacted Molly. The attack will be different than I thought,
There’s many more than I thought, so now they have to accumulate,
and I have found a battles wall, an old salt track east of the town.
All the witches to make walls of protection, at south of the town.
Your armies to seal in those demons in from the north and west,
when they’re contained I’ll go in, I’ll destroy any demon I can see.
Molly organised what Kal-na asked, then only screams were heard.

77
People had been caught and were being chased by leering demons
Calling to them she guided them to the salt track, and their safety
Kal-na stood there, smiling with pride, she had a very good day.
Some were called by the Goddesses to be in respectable clothes.
To face and see senior policemen and the outside broadcast crew,
Molly called that Tina Standish, as she knew of Kal-na and her.
It’ll be easier for all, if the people that meet are known by each,
get them here, I’ll call Kal-na to be here and say what is happening.
Make them see our viewpoint, say why you have requested them.
And if others are sent, if they send others then we’ll sit and wait,
We’ll tell them we are in charge, not them. They will do as we say.

78
Noticing their numbers reduce, she heard a legion of the damned
had escaped to another old place of battle, the sky over Edge Hill.
Feeling good, that many were old vampires, Kal-na called Molly
Saying she’d follow, smiling, she said it with a song in her heart
Molly said of some were going to where a ghost is said to ride
But Molly was sat on the roadside, waiting with a few like her,
as Kal-na joined them. Kal-na looked about, what ghost is here?
A ghost that has been said by those who are old, as old as Death,
It was said to haunt here in many a form, a horse, a wagon, a stage.
There have been tales of something always being there, said Molly
Only one sighting has been made and it happened during the day.

79
So we all have to sit and wait here until it comes along, said Kal-na.
Molly looked to the empty road, waiting for the ghost to appear
Molly grinned. A ghost that will vanishes when it’s in front of you,
it’d scare the crap out of you, or me. But how to get it to be here.
Kal-na began to smile. I know of this, and this is that sort of case,
it sounds as if the ghost is live, for it chooses the intended victim
So a good person it might leave, but a demon will cause it appear.
In you is only an essence of demon, that is neither here nor there
But not me though, for the Devil helped create me, I appear evil.
Come on the road and stand with me Molly, for me it will appear
No sooner than said, the truck sped to them. Waiting as it got close.

80
Kal-na jumped out of its way, Molly jumped up, turning as she did
sat on the passenger seat, the driver looked to her. What’s going on?
The ghost saw and stopped, getting out of the truck he faced Kal-na
Why were you with her? Looking at Molly, why allow her with you
We both seek the souls of the dead, said Kal-na. But what do you do?
In the back of this truck, I hold the secret of where souls are hidden
The first of you, she bade me kill all evil, or be seen by devil’s son
You won’t see him, I was with those who saw him killed, said Molly
I cannot tell you how, but know this Debt Collector, you’ll find them
He looked to Molly, when someone leads the way, know this Molly
Of what you have wanted to find, you will find your second Sword.

to be continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

(For the previous 8 verses, insert Buffy for Kal-na.)

81
Those that escaped you, I killed them here, shame there wasn't more
But those who were here, they tried to stop me, if I'd stop for them.
Though there is something you might want to know, said the driver
Look for signs, and seek the Seven Seals, they will help the future.
Returning to the town near the hill of Hob, they saw dark clouds go
The sun shone true again. The demons left there, had with no leader
Howling winds burst from the north, blowing demons up into the air.
Behind the winds was nothing, demons fell to earth, litter the ground.
Tina, being filmed by her camera crew, watched the demons in the air
then they dropped, their glistening bodies slamming into the ground
The cameraman, unwilling to move, had recorded the demons end.

82
Willow, Linda and Samuel were about to have a tour at a haunted Inn.
A few weeks before the actress of a documentary said about the place
Waiting in the reception area, for the guide, a Mr. Robert Saunders
They didn't expect to see a ghost, just a cold wind or white smoke,
or to be told this is where the ghost is seen, but they were hopeful.
They had only been there a few minutes before being approached.
Morning my wife is running a bit late, she asked me to do the tour.
What can we expect? asked Willow, the usual musty smells, or more?
That's hard to say, ghosts don't always do as we'd like, said the owner
but you never know, the ghosts here they tend to like making contact
He pointed through to the bar, your first experience here is that way.

83
The ghosts here? Are some of them seen by every tour or just a few?
Linda looked to him, waiting for an answer. I'm not sure how to reply
it really depends on if the ghost likes the guide, or those on the tour.
And how susceptible the people doing the tour are to seeing a ghost.
So, about the ghosts here, how many do you know of, asked Samuel.
Some, many it's hard to say for sure. They come and go as and when.
from what you are saying, that infers there's more than one ghost
Willow looked at the walls. What can you tell us about this place?
According to local history, my great grandmother was an owner, her
sisters were smugglers, she had a child and you"˜ll hear a babies cries,
but there's no proof that is her child, but the cries can be distressing.

84
Mr. Saunders, I feel as if there's something in what you say. Even so
it might not be what you think it is, I can feel that something is here.
What part of the Inn is it that we to go to first?" she asked, he smiled.
as for what part of the Inn you go to first, that will depend on you,
do you want 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, he said we should be heading towards the courtyard.
From there we can go into the old scullery, that isn't a scary place,
what is in there is, and it's weird." He opened a door to the courtyard
and it can be very weird down there, Willow looked at the door locks
Mr. Saunders looked at her, weird, very weird to down right scary!

85
As he unlocked the door, the locks are here to protect the innocent
Samuel went to look inside, Mr. Saunders put his hand on a shoulder,
No, don't go in yet, there is a few things I need to warn you of first.
why he shouldn"˜t go in? Mr. Saunders said we need to give this first
he looked at the wall outside the room, picking up a potted flower.
In case the ghost is here, you'll need to give her a gift, it will help
Help what, asked Linda. Give her a gift or you might not get out, ever
She'll kill us? No, you'll never be seen of or heard of ever again
give her a gift, she'll let you leave, don't give her a gift, say goodbye
Do you normally let just anyone into there? that sounds a bit much
we are not allowed to open the door for anyone, only ghost clubs

86
It is best if you understand exactly what is going to happen in there.
you'll have no insurance of any kind in there, as you may not get out.
Hold my hand Linda, if we do get in any danger, I'll call for Buffy
Who is this Buffy that you hold so revered? Is she your spirit guide
Buffy, she is a friend of a friend, she'll have no fear to go in there.
Well do as I say, it won't get to that, he puts a plant inside the door.
Notice that, one plant for each except you. He holds Willow's hand
Step inside the door, then I'll pull you out. Willow did as he said
With them again, when I was in there I could only see a thick black.
An oily black was once said, placing a potted flower inside the door
Now step inside again, no blackness you'll see only the scullery room

87
Going down the steps Mr. Saunders told them, note the washing up.
The door on the back wall, you can see it's to the kitchen, but it isn't
No room exists past the door, that's the wall twixt here and next door
To the right into the preparation room, where the animals were killed
and the room behaves strange. A room behaves strange? asked Linda
Windows that you can see out of even though there's none outside
and a door to the courtyard, but turn around and only a wall you'll see
Is there any ghosts in there, it's good that we can see or can't, but.
You want to see a ghost? She might be there, my great grandmother.
As they go into the room, wet blood is seen to run down the wall.
There is no point to clean the walls, but we do clean the window glass

88
What ghosts are there that go in the scullery and here, asked Willow
The one who causes the black, the scullery maid and someone else
Hmm, okay said Willow, who's that looking in the window up there
Mr. Saunders looked to the courtyard, I can't see any ghost there.
Not that window the window on the wall behind us, said Willow.
Nice, said Mr. Saunders, because that's another window not there.
I've no idea who the ghost could be, maybe you have found a ghost
or the ghost found you! makes you think, why would a ghost want to
Taking them back into the scullery he pointed out the sink to them
Odd that we didn't hear a sound of the pots and pans being cleaned?
Even while stepping to the courtyard Willow looked to an empty sink

89
Mr. Saunders smiled as he stepped outside, the sink will be full again.
Outside the scullery they all felt a chill go passed. That's a new one
Well, I have felt a chill before but there has always been a reason.
Two horses were heard to gallop to where they were, then stop.
Buffy? Molly? asked Willow, is it you? Mr. Saunders looked to her
That is twice that you've said her name, and now when no one's here
hearing a whisper he turned thinking it was Linda, but no one's there.
Now you've got me at it, only I'm hearing voices, no, I heard a voice
Samuel looked at Willow, two horses are heard then someone speaks?
I wonder what she wanted to say to you, or what it was she did say?
Molly was told you won't see up or down, just away from the light

90
They all just watched as Mr. Saunders great grandmother walked by.
Well, I've seen a ghost, so why do I think there was a reason why?
A coincidence? Something neither Molly or Buffy would believe
and if a coincidence isn't to be believed, then there is a reason why.
Something I'd like to know, why an afternoon tour, asked Linda.
Because that's what I asked for, tonight we'll stay at a haunted hotel
Speaking of, are you going to give them a ring, asked Mr. Saunders
The one you're going to is a good one that's fifteen minutes away
When you have gone I will let then know that you are on your way
That will keep them happy, said Mr. Saunders. They had a sighting
Two people saw a ghost in their room, they were not impressed.

91
Samuel steered the car into a parking bay at the Watersview Hotel.
Getting out of the car he opened the car door for Linda and Willow
Then Molly and Buffy got out as well. Samuel looked at them
You could have waited till we were in the room, now I'll have to pay.
They went in, then to the reception desk, a porter was waiting there.
Good evening, my name is Antoinette, do you have a booking?
We did, it was for three, but two others decided to be here early
The name is Swandar Ghost Hunters Club. Thank God you're here.
The ghost was seen, thirty minutes ago. We've enough rooms now.
Oh good, said Willow, seeing another ghost, that will make my day.
Willow was happy, then she saw that Buffy and Molly looked grim

92
What is it, she asked. Molly looked, something else is here, or things
Willow looked to Antoinette, I think you better show us the rooms.
Walking along corridors Antoinette led the way. Your in other rooms.
Antoinette said, she opened a door. This is where the ghost was seen.
But only of late, some rooms were added, now she's a regular visitor
Antoinette went to the door, turning to them, I'll leave you to it then
Before you do go, can you come back inside, just for a minute or two.
Molly motioned Willow to go into the bathroom, they stood by the bed
Willow went into the room, a woman was having a shower. Oh sorry.
Willow was about to leave, the woman got out of the shower, naked.
her body passed through the shower curtain, her clothes appeared.

93
She walked through the wall into the bedroom, behind Antoinette.
What would you do if you saw a ghost in this room, right now?
Samuel asked her, then he stood waiting for her reply. I don't know.
I've never seen one, but isn't a ghost is just a person who is dead.
Antoinette sat on the bed, she picked up one of the hotels brochures.
It states in the brochure, that this room is one of the new ones added
The police were notified, but I'm not expecting to much from them,
investigating ghosts is not what they do. Though they got a medium
who said that the ghost is a man who is either a smuggler or a pirate.
Then don't get that medium again, said Molly, the ghost is a woman
and if you want to see a ghost, turn about, you'll see her for yourself

94
Willow invited her to sit down, Samuel asked her what her name was.
Mariatha, quietly she looked about the room, studying each of them.
sorry, I'm Molly, this is Buffy, Samuel, Linda and Antoinette.
We've been told that you're a smuggler or a pirate, I'd say a smuggler.
Either way what would cause you to come here are you by yourself.
A smuggler it is, but I am not alone my sister Julienne, she is here.
We search the forest for our other sister, she went missing near here
We had just taken some small barrels to a public house over the hill.
Molly looked to Mariatha, call your sister, that time is getting near.
Julienne appeared, smiled to her sister. What is it why call me here?
She faced Molly. Sister why is a general of the Two Swords here

95
Like you, I am not alone, another is here. And as I feel she will know
she will be here soon, of that I'm sure. Of what I she has gone to seek.
She appeared, looking at the ghosts left wrists. You are right Molly
they are the same, it's off a Brandy barrel and on their cuff Julienne
Mariatha, Molly has found your sister, dead but a ghost like you.
Julienne smiled went to hug her but she stepped back. I don't do that
Molly grinned, this is my friend, she is Buffy, the Debt Collector.
Something or someone else is here? She sharply breathed in, it's you
Buffy dropped to her knees, in front of Antionette. Molly, kneel.
Why, what is it, she is Antoinette, the receptionist who works here
Your friend's right, I'm just Antoinette, I'm just the receptionist here.

96
Who is she Buffy, asked Molly. Buffy looked to Molly call Tianara
this is not what she says she is, she is of the Seven Seals, this is Faith.
Streaks of lightning flashed between clouds, Linda ran to the window
The night became as day, all was whiter than the suns yellow light
Tianara appeared, she touched Antoinette, they left, she and Faith.
Is that it? asked Molly, do we go now and if so do you know where
Back to where the sister is, something there speaks of coincidence.
Of the Three horses Inn, is there a reason for choosing that name
was it because of the ghosts horses you heard were they there before
Did the three meet there, while they were searching for the forth
The fourth what, asked Linda. The four horsemen of the apocalypse

to be continued