Dana's Journey to Being a Slayer

[ILLYRIAN]

Dana’s Journey to Being a Slayer Part 1

The Unforgotten

Having escaped the unforgiving world of the asylum Dana ventured to the only other place she had a memory of. Finding the commercial units she followed the smell of the molasses, once was she had hated that smell, not now though.

The smell allowed her to delve into the area of the factories she knew best, wandering down the steps increased her feeling of being home. In the dark dank and musty atmosphere she looked at where she had once been tied up, that enabled her to see where the needles had been.

Dana had no idea about what would become of her, her last memories were about a vampire trying to best her in a fight, l he had lost but she didn’t kill it. Luckily though that one came back Dana fought it and stuck the needles in him. She rendered it helpless.

Then another vampire appeared and tried to reason with her, not that she accepted his pleading and was about to end that one when a human who was in league with the vampires fired a couple of knockout drops into her.

She was carried out of the basement, her body put on a padded trolley and wheeled out to a waiting ambulance by more accomplices of the vampire. Dana expected the worst possible eventuality for herself as she saw the doors of the ambulance open.

That trip to the ambulance was suddenly stopped as a dozen or more girls like her blocked the way into the ambulance, Dana was grateful at being rescued and the girls took her to a waiting van. While being driven from there one of the girls spoke softly to her.

A man with them said, “Because of how you fought and of your mental health we will keep you sedated for the long journey to your new home.” The next thing Dana knew was being put on a plane. Three girls joined her on the plane and one of them introduced herself.

“My name is Faith and those with me will be looking after you, they are Vi and Rona, you can trust them as they want what is best for you.” After many hours they landed in Bristol UK, then flew on to Exeter then by car to a mansion near Totnes.

It took six days for Dana to be taught the brief history of the vampire slayer. It was thought that many details should be purposely left out due to Dana’s history but Faith quickly learnt that Dana could deal with the truth of the matter quite quickly.

Learning from the visions of passed slayers allowed her to dream of what was Dana kept them in the recesses of her memory. Dana was allowed to wander in the grounds though she had to keep near to the mansion.

Set on a hill overlooking the town Dana liked where the mansion was situated. The name of the mansion also appealed to her: Maidenscombe. There was something about the mansion that caused Dana to like being there,

Being driven along the road from Maidenscombe to one of the nearby castles with Vi and Rona, Dana was thankful to them. While Faith drove the car she directed to look at the landmarks until they stopped in the castles carpark.

Vi got out of the car then faced Dana and asked, “Do you feel anyone of anything here?” Dana began to nod her head. She did but when she looked about she said, “I do but there are so many here I do not know where to begin, many are ghosts of humans.”

“And how many other do you feel?” asked Rona. Dana looked about again, “There are so many evil beings here, some are what the humans refer to as evil entities though I cannot say for sure if they are vampires or not, how many other evil beings are there?” asked Dana.

Faith directed Dana, “Try and locate the ones you can feel are vampires, we will worry about the others later.” Dana inspected her thoughts, “There is one next to the muddy pathway around the northern side of the castle I see one is in the kitchen,

she keeps people lost if they do not bring her a potted blue flower. She can make the air inside the kitchen turn an oily black thick enough to stop a person seeing their own hand if it was held an inch in front of their nose,” continued Dana.

Faith called on Dana to help her and the others to get some evil beings in the woods near the castle. “What is it with them?” asked Dana. “They do not often reveal themselves now we have a chance to destroy them, they are successful Devil Worshippers,” said Faith.

Running into the forest Faith shouted they all have red eyes. Thankful the devils entities were no more than humans Faith, Vi, Rona and Dana were easily able to strike at them quickly discovering they needed to have their heads removed then destroyed.

Dana ran to the gardens glasshouse where she potted up a blue flower and took it to the kitchen in order to kill the demon that controlled the area. Once the evil presence was removed the smell of cooking permeated the kitchen.

Vi wanted to know how that the cooking of the ghost could be smelt? With the demons removed and the vampires destroyed Dana and Faith Vi and Rona began to treat each other as friends until Dana asked what is next then they started to get serious.

Going back to Maidenscombe the slayers wandered up to the attic. It was not how Dana imagined it to be. “I thought of a vast room the size of the house covered in cobwebs.” Rona flicked a switch that lit up the whole room.

The attic was better fashioned than any library could be. A bookcase along one wall only three shelves high was covered with books Vi looked at the titles of the books, “Each of these books is about ghostly behaviour at many sites around the country.”

Faith told Dana they only need concern themselves about the ghostly sighting in the lands of Devon, South Devon and Cornwall. “It is said that many are of sighting of the Devil. We know that many of them are the Devils warriors – vampires,” said Faith.

“We need to be careful as many reported cases are of demonic creatures and not just vampires, they are said to be a lot more powerful,” stated Vi. Rona picked a book from a shelf, it had written on its pages how the Devil had offered a man who wanted to join the game a hand.



To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Dana’s Journey to Being a Slayer Part 2


Vi said that in a book she was reading, about the ghosts of Dartmoor in England the village of Widdecombe-in-the-Moor (famed because of the tale of Uncle Tom Cobbley and all) had its name derived from Withy Combe and that name was generated from Willow Valley!

Faith suggested they contact Willow as there was a possibility her name meant something. Rona contacted Giles who had a message sent to Willow. The reply came quite quickly that Willow would soon be there.

Two days later Faith was handed a message saying that Willow would be at her door by the start of nightfall. Vi was able to tell Willow that the tale of Uncle Tom Cobbley was in fact true and that there was a possibility that other tales on Dartmoor were true.

Faith had Dana search for tales of demonic activity as that may have been derived from a form of vampiric behavior. Dana asked Willow to help her discover the truth about the devil giving a villager a helping hand at The Old Inn in Widecombe.

Willow searched through many books about the myths and legends about the many strange happenings in the village though there was no information to be found. The librarian saw what Willow had been searching for.

The librarian told Willow to search for the truth of the matter in non-fiction books that contained the knowledge that spoke of tales of actual known events. Willow found several accounts of when a stranger offered a helping hand to gamblers.

Dana passed on the information that Willow had found about the demonic source that was given to a villager; a helping hand in a game of poker. The helping hand was given to him in the form of a change of a hand.

That enabled him to win that round and ultimately allowed him to win a lot of money that night. Knowing he wanted to cheat the man at the bar he realized there might be a problem when he saw he was being followed home after a night at the Inn.

The man’s body was found just beyond his garden wall the next morning, his body was laid to rest three days later in the graveyard of the church. Though that night was a busy night for the village policeman.

He was called to investigate the figures that were seen in the graveyard though nothing of them was ever found. The police had considered them to be grave robbers though he soon changed his mind as nothing was found to be taken.

The figures seemed to have no intention of stealing from the dead, Dana discovered that the figures only wanted to take the body of the dead. Four times that night the policeman was called until eventually the body of the man was removed.

In the morning no evidence of where the body had been taken was found, footprints were found around the grave and a trail of the footprints led out of the graveyard though they vanished once they were clear of the churchyard.

When investigating about the man’s activities in the bar many people said they could remember the man had spoken to someone though no one could identify who had offered the helping hand. The barman said he heard two people talking though he only saw one man.

Only when other patrons were asked did the mention of another become spoken of. People who were in the card game spoke of the man’s good luck though none of them remembered the man mentioning his debt to anyone.

The only fact the police could find was that a girl had followed whoever it was who had followed the man home the police did not bother to find out about the girl as she had not been seen in the Inn. So Dana questioned the others if it was the Devil who was responsible.

Faith looked to Willow then nodded her head, “Yes it is possible but we do not think so.” There is no photographic proof of who it was though it is said the police have a confession of what one of the Devil’s vampires said. “It had proudly confessed it’s activities that evening.”

“Damned vampires so proud of what it had done, getting a human to trust it then making the human play a specific card. The human had sealed his own fate, the vampire knew the human would cheat his way out of repaying the debt.

That is what led to the vampire following the human and Dana following the vampire. The Devil had been impressed the vampire had followed the human to its home though the Devil lost all compassion for the vampire as it had allowed itself to be followed by a vampire slayer.

The only saving grace was that the vampire had not been recognized though that was about to change when Willow began to read Dana’s mind with a view to knowing who the vampire was. Seeking to protect the Devil’s human disguise the Devil killed the vampire.

Left without a lead to work on the slayers were about to leave Widdecombe-on-the-moor when Dana suggested a trip to the church. As she told the others, “I want to see the grave and to see inside the building.”

Admitting it was not a bad idea the group of slayers went among the pews, looking at the ornate carvings Willow pointed out the message to them from the Devil saying the Devil had killed the vampire responsible for giving the man a helping hand, no one could see the message.

The Devil knew the vampire had been followed by the vampire slayer and it was when the Devil knew about Willow’s involvement in knowing what the vampire had done that he the Devil had intervened, the Devil offered his congratulations to them.

Going back to their home from home the slayers congratulated Dana, none of them was aware of a vampire slayer who had been congratulated by the Devil before. Willow suggested that a message be sent to Buffy to tell her of Dana’s success.

Willow suggested that a few senior members of the present vampire slayers form a new band of watchers to help and guide the new potentials. “In the meantime I would like to stay here and battle against the forces of evil,” said Faith.


To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Dana’s Journey to Being a Slayer Part 3


Willow spent much of her time at the table in front of her Tarot cards, looking at them and waiting for the inspiration to come to her. It was not for the stated meanings of those cards but certain cards made her feel a specific way.

It was the way certain cards made her feel from the Rider Tarot Deck. The ten of cups caused her to value the sight that a family would present itself to her. The Queen of pentacles helped her to concentrate on what was in hand.

The nine of wands had her envisage make a fence that would hold her discovery where she wanted it. The nine of pentacles had her hold high her love for birds. The four of cups caused her to keep in sight that what she wanted.

The Devil card was there to remind her that even if what she wanted presented itself to her it might not be what it might not be what it said it was – to always seek the truth of the matter.

The one card that always had her laugh was the magician. Willow always saw him standing as though in a dancing competition of Saturday night fever. Willow faced the deck a line of four placed horizontally with the 4 of cups and the Devil vertically on the left hand side.

Concentrating on where a range of demons was forming an escape route from hell word began to form in Willow’s head of a column that once allowed the water to run down its narrow shaft then widening it the river began to run down like a waterfall.

The name of the river presented itself to her as the river styx. Automatically thinking of the Greek place of the Underworld she realised that the spelling of styx was placed in her mind as all lower case and therefore Willow thought of it as not the real one.

The only false river styx she knew of was in the catacomb of the Hellfire caves near West Wycombe UK. Passing her insight to the Slayers Faith, Vi, Rona and she who they had chosen to train, Dana the five of them prepared for the journey into Buckinghamshire.

A journey that took half of the day then time was spent settling in to rooms near the cave. The next morning the group wandered into the Hellfire Caves, though the distance to travel inside the cave was not very far they took their time.

Seeking their answers to their feelings, they continued to travel further into the cave. Doing so they felt the passing of several vampires. Willow led them to a seam of water that ran onto the ridge of a waterfall.

“It was once a lot greater so where has the feed of water gone?” asked Faith. Vi responded, she asked, “Could the climate controls affected the nearby grounds to have caused the water to go elsewhere.” Willow understood why they had changed.

Why the water going down only wore out a side of the shaft so that it was now passable for demons to move upwards out of Hell. Not seeing a way to block the tube Faith attempted to free large rocks from the top.

Dana suggested that they all sit and wait at the top of the passage down, to enable be made known by the vampires trying to enter the world. Should the slayers presence be recognised by the vampires so they might hasten up to them.

When a vampire presented itself at the top of the shaft they could end the life of that vampire causing its dust to fall into the shaft. As the dust mixed with the granules of smaller rocks and grains of the soil they began to form a blockage.

Rona wanted to know about the water that still fell into the shaft. Vi suggested that it might cause a blockage to be eventually released. The force of the released blockage would force any vampire back down into hell,

“It will not fix the problem but it will give us time to find a more permanent solution.” Dana wanted to prove herself capable so she volunteered to stay and watch for more possible escapees from the depths where time had no meaning.

During her time she asked Willow if the water that was called styx could be found then rerouted to another destination. “That would solve us needing to release the pressure and as such we could give a more permanent solution.

Dana envisaged covering the rock, the stones and the gravel with holy water.” Faith asked Willow to see if a vicar could be found who would be willing. Willow tried to realize an answer before Dana interjected, “There is a church near here.”

Finding time for the slayers to show themselves at the top of the tube Dana captured each vampire that showed itself, soaking its dust from wasted entity and mixing it with gravel and rocks to form a plug to fill the tube. That was soon made safe with many larger boulders.

Faith led the slayers onto the surface where the trail of vampires was soon found Faith took Dana while Vi and Rona searched the nearby grounds foe evidence of where the vampires had chosen the roam. It was in the church catacombs where the vampires were evident, not for long though.

Vampire Slayers doing naturally what they were chosen to do, knowing where the demonic creatures were, locating them then destroying them. Such was their glad tidings to each other that ridding the surface of them was but a joyous thing to do.

Then as Faith was apt to do they would dance on the dust like good girls. Leaving where they rested, the happy slayers traveled on the land to the mansion Maidenscombe and their rooms which were located on the hill that overlooked the town of Totnes.

Vi said to them of her promise to herself. “One day I will go to where the river flows to see the old style of wooden ship that bore named D’s Daughter, a ship that was made famous by the wondrous tales told by its crews in a time of battle.

Vi and Rona found where the styx flowed into the cave then altered it trajectory down a nearby hill. Faith sought out and called Willow to her, saying that Dana’s attitude made it quite clear her journey held her well on the way to slayerdom.



To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Dana’s Journey to Slayerdom Part 4


Faith had words with Aaron, a teacher of theologians from the city of Salisbury, he had been at the college of the towns churches, he taught those who wished to pass the word of the Protestant church. While Aaron was there he held a meeting.

For those of the Catholic church who sought to do exorcisms. Aaron had each one on the course read the Grand Grimoire so the men of the Catholic church would know the names of demons and what powers they possessed.

A time when Dana learnt the names of demon’s who featured in her dreams of slayers passed. Aaron invited the friends of Faith to witness an actual exorcism, from a distance as no harm was wanted to befall them.

Whilst teaching the priests how to confront the demons others of the demonic kind confronted Aaron. Scared for his friend and her accomplices Aaron wished them to leave for he was unsure who the new demons were.

Faith smiled, “Yes while it is true we are surprised to meet them though no of us are scared.” Aaron was glad yet he asked Faith why they were not scared so Faith told him that she as most of her friends were chosen vampire slayers they who were called to fight against so many demons.

As Willow suggested, the slayers would always need to know what other demons there were and what they could do. Aaron suggested they go to and be in the town of Evesham as there was a building there where monsters were said to haunt. “Demons?” asked Willow.

Needing to know more about the demons Vi asked, “What sort and how many do you expect us to face.” Aaron replied that he was unsure about what type they were as none had been caught or had successfully been bettered in battle.

Vi looked to Rona, Faith and Dana to see how interested they were. She was glad that the other slayers were interested in meeting the demons though only Dana could be said to be ‘chomping at the bit’ hoping she’d get to meet them.

Aaron had not expected any group would be so keen to confront the demon so he was unprepared about where to take the slayers, he had to find out for sure where the demon collected themselves and where they made plans to rid the world of their enemies.

Faith met Aaron and explained to him how she and the other slayers wanted to meet the demons, how they wanted to shake them by the hand and maybe to shake them by their heads, Aaron was taken aback by the way Faith smiled as she described how the slayers would treat the demons.

Yet Aaron wads still unsure where to take the slayers. “We will help you find them, in us is a guaranteed manner to find the demons,” said Faith. Taking a slayer with him when he went in search of them Aaron was amazed at each slayer.

He could not understand how they knew where not look and where to look. What amazed Aaron so much was how the slayer who was with him could say for certain where the demons were, even to the point of telling him the size of the group of demons there.

Rona found a group of demons activity had kept themselves under a large church central to the town. Willow told Aaron, “It would be best if he kept his distance from them as the slayers would begin to be expecting an attack by the demons.”

Willow was successful in convincing Aaron to step away from there with her. He wanted to look back at the church though Willow often changed the caricatures on the walls of a church from a gargoyle to a demonic creature.

He did not know how but began to see that if the slayers left Willow behind they really were so to leave such a powerful one out of the fights. Locating the places where the demons congregated the slayers managed to move them to a place of danger for them.

The slayers battled the demons then won the fight against each few of them that they discovered. With Willows help the catacomb under a church was lit by a light similar in power to that of the sun, even those demons who were trying to escape.

As they broke through broken windows they were trapped with the light like that of the sun on them. Wandering through the catacomb under that church the slayers checked every nook and crevice they could find where a demon could hide.

A group of slayers sought to rid that and any catacomb of any demon that might have hidden itself under the floor of any church. Even so Aaron was unsure if every demon he had seen had been destroyed by Faith’s slayers. To do their work right Willow had Aaron leave.

Managing where each slayer would go, the northern side of the town was checked and cleared. During a downtime Willow contacted Faith, Aaron had said about a college where some priests had been taught the Grand Grimoire.

Vi saw it right that one demon or maybe more could have hidden themselves deep in the cellar of where the college was. In order to find out if they had the right property the slayers kept a vigil up on the roof until a lone demon was spied on the grounds.

Knowing there was at least one demon there gave the slayers the will to battle any that could be found. During the next day with clear skies the slayers wandered to the cellar and entered the side that the sun shone from and forced the demons out into the sunlight.

Faith wanted to secure the future of each slayer by passing the word they had joined in the battles against the demonic forces all Faith needed was the visual proof that Dana had ended a vampire with another slayer willing to vouch for her.

Dana was adamant that she be accepted there and then but was happy at being able to destroy another vampire. Hoping another was under the college she requested that Faith be always at her side and was never going to look the wrong way.

Vi asked Dana not to worry, “In case you have not noticed, a vampire has the annoying ability to often turn up even when you are not expecting one. “Like an English double decker bus, there is never one about when you want one but they do keep appearing.”

The following day Faith announced that Dana was accepted into the Slayerdom though their next confrontation would be a battle like they had never faced before. Dana was unsure what to expect, her thoughts took a turn for the worst as Buffy and twenty more slayers joined them.


To Be Continued.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Dana’s Journey to Slayerdom Part 5


Aaron had heard that words had been directed to him about people being attacked during the evenings at a town approaching ten miles north of St. Albans. The attacks were noted to be in the town itself, yet there was no one place pinpointed as to where the attackers were coming from

plus no one was able to tell what had caused the attacks. The following day the slayers Faith, Vi, Rona, and Dana accompanied by Willow spent some time going to the town. Willow spent the time on the internet trying to find where the creatures who were thought to be vampires had

kept themselves hidden from publics scrutiny. The only visual knowledge of vampires was that they seemed to hide themselves somewhere just south of Luton. Willow made note of those vampires though it was thought they were different vampires.

Deciding to drive through the town just a few miles north from St. Albans the slayers soon discovered the enormity of what they needed to do. Dana felt as though she had failed to live up to her specifications as soon as she heard that Buffy and twenty slayers were about to meet them.

Sat on the dry lawn near a drinking hole Dana was confronted by a large group of slayers at just after two that day. “I’ve been hearing a lot of good thing about you from Willow and Faith, the young woman reached towards Dana as if to shake her hand. “No doubt you do not know me

My name is Buffy. Dana looked to her and felt embarrassed because she didn’t know where the vampires were, “So how many places have the people you are with narrowed in down to about where the vampires could be?” asked Buffy.

“There is a village west of here that has an infamous section of common land it is where a woman used to do hold ups a couple of hundred years ago. As far as history is concerned only one Highwaywomen used that land, there is now a golf course just south of the town. In the

center of the town there is an abandoned movie theatre, that is my suggestion of where the vampires could have hidden themselves,” said Dana. Buffy turned to face Willow, “Faith and you were right to tell me she has the ability to promote herself to be a slayer.”

That evening most of the slayers went to the common land to search for evidence of vampires being in the vicinity. Several of them went to the golf club though nothing was found of any relevance to vampire activity. They drove themselves to where Buffy waited.

“They are very proud to be here,” said Dana. “As I would expect them to be, a question was given to me about your knowledge of vampires and as far as I can tell you would pass any scrutiny directed against you,” said Buffy.

“I am glad about that, I must admit I did feel worried that you would not think I was capable to be a slayer,” said Dana. “I never doubted you, evidence has been spoken of you about your ability in the field, it is the girls who came with me who are the unknown factor,” said Buffy.

“Then I would suggest that they seek and destroy all the vampires in the old movie house of that town, from all I have felt there are no more than six vampires in town,” said Dana. “What about the place near the city of Luton?” asked Buffy.

“That is hard to tell, I felt a great resentment from the dead there, there might be as many as several thousand buried in that mass grave,” said Willow. Buffy was not aware of anywhere in Britain that may have had such a large grave, even from the victims of the blitz of world war 2.

Willow grimaced to Buffy, she viewed her friends knowledge of the trials England had to face was not up to date, it seemed Giles spoke to her more than he did to Buffy. “A great many people were said to have died, many were burnt beyond any recognition of who they were, some people

said that a vampire may have been buried in the grave then when awakened that vampire took pleasure in drinking from as many as it cared to. Thereby causing others to wake as vampires, and so began the legion of vampires and as soon as a way out of the mound was found the

vampires could search the countryside. So a mass grave that had been needed for all the urns that contained the ashes of people who had been burnt there.” That such a mass grave was from the plague in what was ground destined to be nowhere near any built up area.

Though now the mound is in land that is in ever nearing land from Luton city is a failure of planning by the city council, a failure of modern people to remember a time of what once was is now becoming a home to the ever increasing number of vampires.

“Though there had been no reports of the vampires feeding off the dead, that was due to the number of humans who escaped from there. Once it was the pressure the dead put on visitors to leave them be know it was the pressure of the ghosts to flee the vampires.

Though there were plenty of mice and rats there that could easily have sustained any vampire or a vampire plague. What was left became a source of entertainment for the slayers that Buffy and Faith had led there Willow promoted herself to talk with the dead.

Telling the hordes who had gone to meet them Willow told the dead that they knew about the legion of vampires, that the army of vampire slayers were there to force the lands to be free of them. Those of the dead looked to the vampire slayers with gratitude in their hearts.

Such was the admiration they felt, stepping away from that place they watched as the slayers strove forward and began to decimate the few of the legion who had sought to see who was encroaching on their land, by the time the vampires knew they had a fight on their hand

The band of vampire slayers had begun to slice their way into the multitude of vampires. With a smile on their faces the slayers did what they had been called on to do. None of them took rest until the view to the horizon was clear of the walking dead.




To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Dana’s Journey to Slayerdom Part 6


Realising there was not enough money to finance all of them getting a plane home Buffy asked Willow what she thought they had best do. Faith asked if there was any remnants of the Watcher Council funds held in storage anywhere. Willow was asked to try to locate it.

After searching the ruins of what the First failed to destroy of the Councils building Willow started to find the secret locations of The Watcher Councils funds. Buffy, Faith and Willow took what was needed to allow them to return to the Sunnydale area in comfort.

Willow and Faith spoke of moving through Europe to seek what might benefit all Slayerdom. While the search for other secrets continued Faith and Willow found records of the Watchers secrets, amongst them were the remains of where a large number of ghosts had been sighted.

One of those places was about a location that was from the first battle of England’s Civil War in a couple of the fields between Banbury and Warwick. The battle was memorable due to there being so few soldiers who died in the battle though there were many who lived in the area.

It was also remarkable because it had been witnessed as being recreated in the clouds over the battlefield in the sky. Not only was it seen a few days after the battle between the supporters of the Royalists cause those known as the Cavaliers.

They battled against the supporters of the parliamentarians cause, known as the Roundheads due to having closely shaved heads and the shape of the armour on their heads. The first battle of the Civil War was in the year 1642 in the area known as Edgehill.

What drew Willow’s attention was that the battle was witnessed to be fought a few days later during a heavy fog. Those present heard the sound of horses in distress, of the clashes of sword and other weapons being thrust against each other and saw the horses and soldiers in the sky.

Another section of the book drew Willow’s attention, it was about the tales by those witnesses who saw the battle was fought in the heavy clouds above Edgehill. Willow mentioned to Faith about the reports of unearthly creatures who attacked the people who watched the battle in the

sky Faith spoke of Willow’s findings to Buffy, she organized the slayers for the following day. They were woken early in the morning and taken to the battle was repeated from years before. The slayers hoped to see the battle being re-enacted but were disappointed by the clear skies.

Though they were impressed by the faint sounds of the metal on metal clanging of a battle that took place about three hundred and sixty six years prior. Not knowing where the vampires might be hidden the slayers wandered about and over where the battle had been.

Dana suggested it might not be on the battlefield though it could be near to it as the locals who were just reported as having gone missing though their bodies were never found. Vi agreed with Dana and suggested they go to look in the cellars of the locals houses.

After gaining access to the cellars of those houses the slayers searched each cellar of the houses though no evidence of any recent vampire activity only that which was probably from when the actual battle was being fought and that was a pile of dust in a corner, the dust of a vampire.

Vi said, “Maybe the vampires had turned a human then caused that bitten to die.” A trail had been left but only the Queen of slayers could follow. Buffy asked Willow who the Queen of the slayers was, she was surprised to learn that Faith is the Queen. “How?” Buffy asked Willow.

“The first time you died Buffy Kendra became the chosen, when she died Faith was the chosen one, even though she joined the side of the mayor. Because of your interaction with Angel she remained the chosen one, as such Faith is the Queen of the Vampire Slayers,” said Willow.

Buffy looked pensive though she kept quiet. “I doubt Faith would regard herself as the leader of the slayers she has a too high regard for you. She will want you to lead the slayers in the event that a leader was needed to be,” said Willow. “So what do we need to do?” asked Buffy.

“Organize the slayers to venture into the movie theatre that is in the town just north of St. Albans and about twenty miles south west of the mass grave south of Luton, it being the only place left to search. Being there in the afternoon should give us time before dark,” said Willow.

“If we do get there during before the afternoon we should have Dana lead the way several steps ahead of us to verify them being there and give us time to prepare a trap for them,” said Faith. As the light of day slipped away Dana led the vampire slayers into the under floor storage area,

as the vampires rose to leave the movie theatre the Vampire Slayers let loose a barrage of cross bow bolts dipped in Holy Water, the flashing of the metal swords that had been blessed to blind the vampires and wooden stakes were plunged to the chests of those who tried to escape.

Rather than have humans put themselves in any danger in the area of the theatre where the vampires were killed. And where the movie theater was set on fire when the last of the vampire slayers had left the building.


To Be Continued.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Dana’s Journey to Slayerdom Part 7

Buffy had hired a mini coach to take them to Heathrow airport though a stop at a transport café put paid to their plans. When mention was made to Buffy about a passage through a house that was reported as coming from the underworld, it being a passage for the dead.

Buffy and Willow took to searching through the largest of books to find where the passage was from, Dana joined them, she enquired what she had seen as passing through the house. Willow was reading of a reported accident on the track towards the house.

Dana was curious, so she ventured towards the building with Willow as they ventured beneath the house Buffy was taken aback, both Willow and Dana seemed to blend into the track. Buffy ran to where she had last seen them but there was no evidence of them.

Faith and Vi approached Buffy, Vi pointed to the track, at Willows and Dana footmarks on the crushed gravel and where they ceased to be. Willow and Dana continued beyond the house though Willow did stop, she had become aware of the chatter the slayers made no longer existed.

She directed Dana to listen towards the mini bus, to the sound the slayers had just made though now there was no evidence that such a sound had existed. Dana directed Willow’s attention to a man she saw standing by what she thought was no more than a five year old apple tree.

As Dana drew ever closer to the tree she saw there was no sign of life on the tree; no leaves, no flowers or buds and certainly no fruit. Without creeping to be beside him Dana stood beside the man, “Please tell me, why are you there?” asked Dana.

Willow was only a step or two behind Dana as the man turned to face her. He was surprised to see her stood so close to him, “To hear you speak to me, it is even though there was or had been any indication of friendship,” said Grenville.

Willow wandered to be adjacent to them, “Why is it that you are both stood out here, alone.” The man turned to face the tree, “Many years ago I lay my love here to rest near to where the tree should have spread its branches many years passed.”

“So why are you still coming here?” asked Willow. “I come here to offer my apologies to my dearest Julianna,” said Grenville. Dana faced Willow, “Something is wrong here and has been wrong for a long time, please tell us maybe we can help,” said Dana.

“Julianna was the love of my life, she came here so that we could marry though when she got here I was afraid I would lose my job. My Julianna was quite distraught at the predicament I had put her in and killed herself during a trip near here. I could not face what would happen to her.

She would have been buried at the junction of tracks so I took her body and dug her a grave beneath where the branches of the apple tree would be though for some unknown reason the tree stopped growing it is as you see it today,” said Grenville.

Dana faced Willow, “It seems to me that he is dead, from what other slayers have said you have had experience with speaking to the dead, will you converse with Grenville?” asked Dana, Willow smiled to Dana, “It seems that he like speaking to you, please continue?” asked Willow.

“Excuse me Grenville, my friend and I wish to help you and the help Julianna, if we can,” said Dana. “We will need to know what we can do though, we know nothing about your relationship apart from what you have just said,” said Willow.

“Then allow me the time to pass the truth unto thee,” said Julianna. Willow, Dana and Grenville looked about them, “Where are you?” asked Grenville. The spirit of Julianna rose up out of the ground near the tree. Grenville was aghast at the sight of Julianna.

“I am so sorry at my face, it has been that long since I saw you last.” Grenville told Julianne. Dana looked shocked at Grenville, “How long has it been since you saw her?” she asked. Grenville bowed his head, “Almost four centuries.”

“Then it has been that long since you saw her. And is the fruit tree that old?” Grenville stared at Dana and with tears in his eyes. “May someone offer me the will of how to speak to my beloved,” said Grenville. Dana nodded her head, “If you tell us how she died?” asked Dana.

“I do not know all of it, yet maybe the stage coach was being chased by robbers though how my Julianna finally died I am unaware. I must say it saddened me to consider that I may have at some point been responsible,” said Grenville.

“Allow me to tell you the truth that only I know. Inside the stage coach all was hectic then the front wheels hit a large pot-hole and I was flung forward where I hit my head on the base of the seat, that was how I died,” Julianna held Grenville.

“That explains why you have kept yourself to be a distance from me, though you had no need to. I want you to now accompany me to my friends your employers,” said Julianna. Grenville was surprised at Julianna for who she knew.

Willow stood surprised at the view of Julianna holding her hand out for Grenville to hold and when they did she wanted to know how they felt. Dana smiled as she said farewell to them. Buffy felt happy that the slayers had leant much of life, death and the realms in between.

After two days together Julianna and Grenville at last felt a growing happiness with each other, Willow directed Buffy and Dana to look at the fruit tree, leaves had sprouted and several buds had grown, one had flowered.



THE END