Return Of The Debt Collector

[ILLYRIAN]

All characters are from the Buffy and Angel TV serials and are
copyright protected. I do not hold nor do I intend to a start a
claim. This piece of fan-fic is a not for profit story.

RETURN OF THE DEBT COLLECTOR 1

(Most of this story was once part of The New Angel Investigations.
Chapter 40 They, The Illyrii. I changed it to suit this story.)

They had only been there for a minute before they were being
attacked.
"Who are these people that are they attacking us?" asked Craven.
Craven retaliated, stopping all that was sent against them. She
faced her friend Karith.

"I don't know, we'd only just got here before they started."
"Here's a bigger one! What are those things?" asked Craven.
"Do you think we should go somewhere else?" asked Karith.
"Not yet, lets give them a sound thrashing first."

"Ok, but how long should we stay here for? And look, there is
more of them. Reckon you can get rid of the newcomers?"
Craven increased her stare. Six of them became stone statues.
"That's better, now do the rest of them," suggested Karith.
Craven did as was suggested.

"You didn't leave any for me to play with, why not?"
"Thought you just wanted rid of them."
As the last of them turned to stone. "Sorry 'bout that," said
Craven as Karith directed her attention to above them.
"There is something else up there, lets go."

"You did want to stay in this time didn't you?" asked Craven.
Before Karith had a chance to reply another stood looking at them.
"I was watching the herd, now I'm here," she said looking very
puzzled, "I felt something, was that you?"

"I know that feeling, it has been a long time though, you are one
of us aren't you?" asked Craven.
"I don't know, I don't know who you are or where we are." She
looked at them, a long held memory began to sit on the end of
her tongue.
"My name is Petra, I live in the land was once known as Illyria."

Craven and Karith look to each other. "She is one of us!"
"Could it be that you are Craven? and that you are Karith?
Nothing has been said of you since the year two thousand six
hundred BC. Could it really be you?" asked Petra.

Craven, Karith and Petra vanished.

Carla and Buffy flew down to a scene of quiet. In the background
panic was beginning to raise its ugly head, more people with guns
hid from them, looking but not daring to be seen.
As one of them asked.
"What sort of human would fly on a winged horse, of any type?"

"Carla, I think we are being watched," said Buffy.
"We are, but this is more important, look at the ground, only two
were here," said Carla.
"Yet these bullets, tank shells they are just lying here, it is as if
they haven't hit anything," said Buffy.

"That is why we need to find them, who ever did this, he will
want to speak with them," stated Carla.
"I would hope he'd want to do a bit more than speak to them,
like chuck their dust in a pit," said Buffy.

Carla glanced to Buffy, "I don't think that is why he wants them,
if this is who I think it is." "Meaning?" asked Buffy.
"You have a saying, keep your friends close and your enemies
closer, but not him. His enemies he gets rid of, who-ever did this,
they are friends," said Carla.

Carla walked towards the stone statues, causing them to become
living humans again, but removing their guns. She touched the
head of each of the people after they returned to human form.
"You had better call your people, try and find them. If it is known
they are here, they will send a million demons to find them."

"That is ok," said Buffy, "We will kill them."
"It won't be, they won't go back. Then if those two do not go
into hell my boss will come out, with his entourage. You would
get that hell on earth people don't want."
"Point taken, I'll persuade my side to find them," said Buffy.

Craven looked to Karith, "Well, we do need to get organised, this
hopping through time is taking its toll on us."
"Some rest would be good," agreed Karith.
"Then let me help you, there are several hundred of us. Many

times they have fought against each other, but if I was to start
the call that you are here, they will unite to help you," said Petra.
"For us?" Karith and Craven were stunned, "After all this time?"
"There's an old house it is far from here, we could go there it
belongs to an old friend, he is another who will help you."

Again they stood on a new landscape.
"The plants, the animals, they are different here, where are we?"
Craven was bemused, she looked to Petra waiting for an answer.
"This area is known as Scotland, it is or was in Britain, that answer
depends on who you speak to here," said Petra.

"Is that? this place, could it be?" Craven flew up into the air,
she hovered a hundred feet above them then came back to them.
"I was right! Arran is near."
"You know him? how?" asked Petra.

"Him? what do you mean? him," asked Craven.
"The reason we came here, an old friend of mine lives here, his
name is Aaron, how do you know him?" asked Petra.
"Now I understand, you say it is a him, the Arran I know of is the
island, the Isle of Arran."

"My old friend he has a farm here, if you want to you could stay.
I will then call the others here," said Petra.
"Others? We are amazed others would know of us," said Craven.

"Many hundred, all will unite and do as you will," said Petra.
"Is it far to where he lives?" asked Karith.
"No, it's just over that rise," said Petra.
"Then we should walk there," said Craven.
"I am a bit fed up with where-ever Karith and I go, we always
get attacked."

"Then if peace and quiet is what you want, this is a good place
to be, it is near to important places but this place is not, you will
be able to stay under the radar."
"What is a radar?" asked Karith.
"A way of seeing what is nearby in the air," said Petra.

"What about those that attacked us?" asked Craven.
"They probably think you attacked them, the place you were in
was an army base. You were intruders, they will have notified all
their allies, you should keep a low profile. Either that or do an
occasional visit, but always in different places."

"That would keep them guessing," said Craven.
"Being at various places, even if you do nothing it may be enough
to stop them from trying to track you down," remarked Petra.
"Let's see what this friend of yours has to say," suggested Karith.

Walking along a hilltop Petra pointed to a group of buildings in the
vale. "He lives there."
As Petra guided them to one of the buildings they saw someone in
the garden. "That is him," said Petra.
Quietly they made their way to the garden.

"Hello stranger!"
"Petra! Good grief, I'd never have thought I'd see you today."
"Bet you didn't think you'd see these two either?"
"Who are they?" asked Aaron.

"You do know them, more from what you have read about them
though. These two are the fabled rulers, Karith and Craven."
"How? How could they be here? And why?" asked Aaron.
"I have not asked, I guess they wanted to be here," said Petra.

Looking at the land around them. "What did they expect to find?"
"Well, they want some peace and quiet, it isn't working very well
though, when they first arrived in this time they seem to have
appeared in an army camp."
"Not the quietest of places," said Aaron, "Many problems?"

"Yes and no, as you can imagine suddenly appearing in the middle
of an army base, and near a runway caused a few problems, they
were greeted as any terrorist would be. I knew it was them, then
when they travelled through space I was with them, and now we
are here for peace and quiet. And they would like to meet the
rest of us," said Petra.

"They can all stay here, it won't be comfortable. What they
could do is say they are going on a camping trip, just make sure
they have their passports," said Aaron.
"Why?"

"Moving country to country, if a few were to join a queue at
immigration, get their passports stamped, they could pass as
tourists."
"It is a strange world that you live in," said Craven.
"What are your plans?" asked Aaron.

"It maybe a problem, but it would be good if the others were here.
And they wouldn't be impressed with me for not telling them,"
said Petra.
"These places we would live in, what are they? Where are they?"
asked Karith.

Pointing to the farm sheds, "I have just had new ones built to
replace them, some are for storage, some are for keeping vehicles
in and repairing them. I used to keep animals here but I am
starting to grow flowers, that is a thought. Some of the girls
might want to move here, it being a change of scenery for them."

"Speaking of the girls I have been teaching all of them to be able
to use all the powers they have," said Petra, "Meeting you will
give them a bit more self-belief."
"Do you mean them being able to make use of the third eye, the
evil eye?" asked Krait. "And floating on water," said Petra smiling.

"That would be good, having them all here. You need to get them
here first though," said Aaron.
"That will leave us time to plan the diversions," remarked Craven.
The diversionary tactics agreed upon, two army bases were
visited by Karith and Craven each week.

Unknown to them Tianara had started to track them. Every time
that Karith and Craven moved through space the point of their
arrival was noted. People were on continual watch and their
return was documented, every time the net got smaller.

Very early one morning, before the sun rose over the horizon a
part of the Armed Forces lay in wait for them.
Aaron awoke and went to the window to see what the weather
was like, he wanted to start planting in several of his fields.

He had looked at his charts of planting my the moon, whilst it
was close it wasn't perfect, but then he had many willing hands
to help him. Thankful he had kept some horses, he had looked
into their mouths the day before, except those horses he had
been given.

Going to the other side of the house he looked across the vale
hoping to see which way the clouds were moving to, to his
surprise he saw a couple of hundred shapes moving in the early
morning light. Quickly grabbing his binoculars he looked again then
rang through to Petra.

"There is a small army up in the valleys, they aren't normal though,
these are dressed like, well like an army Karith and Craven would
have faced a few thousand years ago," said Aaron.
"We'll be up there as soon as we can," replied Petra.

The mornings light had started to warm the ground. The two
armies faced each other across the valley. The army of six
hundred and ten, half of which was Craven causing a mirage.
They stood with Craven, Karith and Petra at their head looked
across the valley to the three hundred that faced them.

Then the Armed Forces slowly marched forward over the hill
taking position alongside the army then more began to file in
behind them.
"That is a good tactic, build our hopes, thinking we outnumber
them, then let us see they far outnumber us," said Craven,

"Not that that is anything new to us."
"Look, in the middle, there is two of them walking towards us,"
said Petra.
"Ok, we will do the similar, Karith, Petra, let us go and meet
them," said Craven.

As they met in the flat of the valley. "We do not know who you
are or what this battle is about," said Tianara.
"I am Karith, this is Craven, we are of Illyria. All of this army are
of Illyria."

"You are of those of Illyria, did you ever meet the Goddess of
Illyria?" asked Tianara.
Karith looked suspiciously at her, "It was she who gave us our
powers, it was in her honour that we named the lands, Illyria."

Running to them, accidentally barging into Buffy and Tianara.
"Karith! Craven! I hoped it was you!" cried out Carla.
Buffy looked to Petra, they both faced Tianara, all had blank
looks. "Carla, what is it?" asked Buffy.

"Remember me saying about keeping your friends close? well
these two are my friends, they are his friends."
"Your friends? his friends? What is going on?" asked Petra.
"What she said," repeated Buffy.

"Petra, this is Carla. Carla is the Kuh-rotans Debt Collector, the
judge jury and executioner as well," said Karith.
"So, what is going on here?" asked Petra.
"Excuse me, not to use to fine a point here; my turn," said Buffy.

"Buffy, these two are Karith and Craven. They are like me but
they seek eight others."
"Make that five others Carla, three of them are here, I can see
them right now," said Karith.
"Who?" asked Tianara, "What have they done?"

"Nothing yet, we will ask them what they intend to do, and if
they know where the others are," said Karith.
"Who are they? Where are they?" asked Tianara.
"In the front line, she is one, Faith, then that one is Charity and
the other, there, is Hope," said Karith.

"What would!... oh my God, it is them again," stated Buffy.
"Excuse me, who are they?" asked Petra.
"They are Faith, Hope and Charity, THE Faith Hope and Charity.
Three of the seven seals," said Craven.

"The prophecy? they bring the days of judgement," said Tianara.
"Bring it, stop it? that is their choice," said Karith.
"Then they have chosen. Petra, I am an agent of who you may
see as the devil. Mention was made of them before, I wish I could

remember where," said Carla, "Oh well, I will remember soon.
Petra, my friend Buffy is an agent of him up there, she is the
vampire slayer these people that you see are of him, and that
includes those you can't see," said Carla.

"You said there are the other five you seek?" asked Tianara,
"Four of them are the four horsemen, who is the fifth?"
"The fifth goes to where they are, it is the fifth that we follow.
When we can we will send them back to hell, to the Kuh-rotan,
to answer for their treachery. The one we can follow is the
Reaper," said Karith.

Buffy smiled, "Everyone who is here wants to stop them."
"Petra, go to the others, there will be no battle. Unlikely as it is,
for now anyway, good and evil fight for the same thing."
Tianara turned to the lines on the hill.

"Gregor! we have found a truce, allow them to be seen, then
send them back," called Tianara.
Petra almost fell running to her people as four thousand winged
unicorns became visible, then flying forward began to disappear.
Gregor's voice boomed across the lands.
"They are all your friends, treat them as such."

At the top of the hill Petra saw many tens of thousands of soldiers.
"Where did they come from? How many more are there that can
appear from nothing?" asked Karith.
"It is over, we shall be as friends," said Craven, "mind you I am
glad, your army is very impressive."

"You out-numbered us by a many, I'm glad that we're going to be
friends," said Karith.
"What you see here is only a quarter of this army, the other part
of the army wasn't even called, the main army is ten times bigger
than this," stated Tianara.

"You don't like to lose do you?" asked Karith.
"I don't know, we've never lost," said Tianara.
"I hope you don't mind me asking but how many is your army?"
asked Craven.
Tianara looked to them, "No one knows, they are all immortal, if
all who are here died, they'd be replaced, these would return."

"It would seem that the colours are shorter on time than they
know," said Karith.
"What do you mean? The colours?" asked Buffy.
"The four horsemen, they are also known as the colours, red,
green, black and white, why?" asked Craven.

"I know this, Carla. I need to go back and see Willow and Giles, I
might be able to help," said Buffy.
"We will go, but first. He has asked that Karith and Craven go
and see him, he misses your company."

"There is something I hadn't even contemplated, the devil
wanting the company of his friends," remarked Buffy.
"Karith, Craven, when you meet tell him, tell him what is being
done to help, and who the assistance will come from," said Carla.

"That's it! I knew I would remember when I was thinking about
something else, the four horsemen, mention was made of them in
the tunnels under the town of Rugby," said Carla.
"Then lets go there, maybe something was missed before. I know

that Giles and Willow were deep into the research mode about
that place, if someone can get them? Hopefully they managed to
find what we missed, there might even be a clue about them."
So Carla and Buffy went to the tunnels, they waited in the joining

room, as it was they didn't have to wait long.
"These tunnels? If my memory serves me correctly the two side
tunnels are dead ends and the shorter one goes to the chapel,
what was at the end of the longer end?" asked Giles.

"These tunnels, they would look like an inverted cross, the longer
tunnel was the length of both of the sides. Didn't they go to a
house? that house, was there anything said about it?" asked
Willow, "Will it take long for us to march there?"

Carla inquisitively looked to Willow.
"No, just a coincidence," stated Carla.
"What is a coincidence?" asked Giles.
"What Willow said about the march, put the word frog with
march and it is four people carrying another face down. The

mention of four made me think, one at each limb. But I couldn't
see anything but a coincidence," said Carla, "Another coincidence
was the distance and of the house, thirty two."
"Don't get me wrong, but are we going to have to walk along the
passage?" asked Willow.

Carla looked to her smiling, the horse and the unicorn appeared.
"That better?" asked Carla.
"Thanks," replied Willow, "Much."
As their rides began to walk into the blackness Carla and Buffy
moved their hands close to each other..

Buffy's body began to glow, shedding light into the darkness of
the passage.
"The name of the area we are going to? What is it?" asked Giles.
Looking at them staring at him, "What?" he asked.

"Nothing Giles, only that here we are in a long dark quiet passage.
Not a word has been spoken for the last ten minutes, then you
clear your throat. I felt Willow grab hold of me to stop herself from
falling off this horse, my heart would have skipped a beat, well, if
it worked it would have done," said Carla.

"Now that I won't scare you, I'll keep talking. This tunnel, what
was the colour?"
"Green I think, why?" asked Willow.
"Green, that is death as far as I am aware, he kills with famine,"

said Giles, "Of the horsemen, he'd be the closest to the Reaper."
"I can hear your mind ticking over Mr. Giles, what is it?"
"I was just thinking Carla, just suppose we find out where the
four of them are, and we still need to find out what the number

thirty two means. Just because we do not know what that
number is, does it also mean that your boss doesn't know?"
"Never though'll ask him," said Carla.
Then all was quiet again.

They had been at the house for just a minute when Carla called
to Giles. "What is it?"
"I have just been told, the relevance of the number of this house,
my boss had to think about it."

"What is it?" asked Mr. Giles. Carla laughed for a second.
"Strange, but not obvious, obscure in the extreme. Not
something we would even have known, and that is that the
green is the thirty second.
That is the number of factions that tried to end the Kuh-rotan,

all that is left is the five and the vampires."
"Oh good," said Buffy.
"Nothing good about it," said Willow, "Craven and Karith exist to
track down the horsemen, you and Carla track down the vampires."

"So? what's wrong with that?" asked Buffy.
"I'm not thinking of me," said Willow, "I am concerned for Giles,
he is on your unicorn with you. Something your mum said, about
you being in control of a container ship, it sank right, and now
you are going to fly him back to America."

Giles stared at the floor, the grim realisation of the ordeal he was
about to face dawned on him. "Oh no!" he exclaimed.


To Be Continued.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

A Sleepy Egg

Buffy sat watching the TV, drinking a hot drinking chocolate.
Well, there was nothing else to do that night, she had done the
routine patrol and she had made a few more friends that night.
Easier to say she fancied them than to try and make them
believe in vampires.

On the TV was some program about trains, she watched the
footage of a train speeding down a hillside. She yawned, “Oh
good, I might get some sleep tonight...........................”

The train got closer to her. Then as it sped past her, she saw
the name of it, My California Queen. Looking down onto the top
of the train it became transparent. Buffy could see a woman
swimming where the engine should have been.

Slowly Buffy went backwards towards the back of the train.
Yet she was still looking to where the train was heading.
Looking forward inside the carriages she saw a soldier dressed in
an ancient uniform at the front of the front carriage who then
ran to the back of the carriage.

Hearing sounds behind her Buffy turned to see three more of the
uniformed soldiers flying on a winged unicorns. Walking to a
quarter distance from the front of each carriage, Buffy realised
she was doing the same as them.

Standing still, Buffy felt the train vibrate, then the sides of the
carriage grew darker. The light faded until darkness surrounded
her, suddenly light burst into her mind, wind rushed onto her
face, she had the sensation that she was flying.

Carefully opening her eyes to see what was happening. She was
flying!, the train had gone, disappeared. She was now flying on
a winged dragon. Buffy looked to where the dragon was going.
In between the clouds that resembled what Buffy thought were
the white feather below her, Buffy could see the changes in the
terrain.

The crops changing colour, of forests that became fields of
lettuces, slowly the evening penetrated the light of day. In the
distance Buffy saw a town, nearing the town the darkness filled
the sky. Becoming aware that another was flying alongside
Buffy looked to see who it was. Carla?

Their dragons dove towards the land at the end of a town, as
they seemed about to slam into the ground the dragons lifted
their heads, the momentum stopped as they gently placed their
feet on the ground. Buffy smiled to Carla.

There, rising in the night sky was a full moon, as it rose higher
into the sky it caused shadows to appear and change. Carla
motioned to Buffy to look at a young boy standing on the
roadside, looking to the moon.
“Why are we here Carla?” asked Buffy.

“It isn’t for me, this is all for you,” she replied.
Time seemed to slow for Buffy, the moon appeared to stand
still in the sky. Then Buffy noticed the boy growing, he was
changing into a man. Still watching him; he stood as a man, still
looking up at the new moon rising.

“You know, that man, he looks just like Spike,” said Buffy.
Carla looked to him, “No it isn’t Spike, there is no vampire in
that person.”
Movement on the far side of the town caught Buffy's attention.

Buffy and Carla mounted the dragons they rose into the sky,
flying towards the movement, as the dragons circled they saw
that some people were offering their praise to a tall statue of
some winged demonic creature. Horror gripped her being, Buffy
saw that the worshippers were carrying a struggling animal
towards an altar.

Tying it to the large flat rock Buffy saw a flash of something
dark heading to the ground, as she looked to see what it was
other flashes occurred, hundreds of fell through the sky to the
ground. Pointing to them Carla called to Buffy that they were
winged Gargoyles.

Buffy looked to them as they attacked the humans. After killing
some of them, they released the animal, one of the gargoyles
chased the animal, keeping back from it, it seemed to be scaring
the animal away, ensuring it the safety it deserved.

Still on a dragon Buffy followed the flight of one of the gargoyles.
Watching it as it veered towards a cloud which it vanished into.
Looking down to the ground.
“Isn’t that the man we just saw?” asked Carla.

Buffy recognised the person on the seat as the man she had
seen grow from a boy. Landing behind some trees they walked
toward the man who was sitting on a park bench. Carla looked
to the man, then realising who he was she carefully moved
Buffy towards him.

Walking back to the dragon she casually turned to see if Buffy
was near him. Smiling to herself, seeing Buffy walk hand in hand
with him, they seemed to be walking into the sunrise their
shadows looking like a sundial.

Feeling happy for them she watched as they began to walk
closer together. Carla looked towards the dragon, walking away
from them. Knowing that this was wrong, Buffy tried to look
away, she blinked a few times then looked again.

This time she saw Spike wake in the morning, she watched how
he went across his bedroom floor into the dining room. On the
table was a large crystal ball. Buffy looked into that crystal ball
as Carla sat beside her. Smiling she waved her hand bringing
the colours of a picture.

Smiling to Carla she slid both hands over the surface of the
crystal ball moving the clouds inside it aside so that she could
see Spikes face.
Curiously they both watched as the scene changed to three
men walk across a field together carrying cameras.

Puzzled they looked to each other. They watched as the men
walked towards a stone circle then gaze and take photographs
of the Ogham writing on the altar stone.
“I know where that is! It isn’t far from the town, we could be
there really quickly,” said Carla.

As Carla said, they were there quickly just in time to see the
few flashes occurring, coming from the clouds in the sky at
10,000 feet, then more flashes occurred, these were still unseen
by the photographers.

Buffy looked around the stone circle, she saw what the flashes
going down to earth were, they were winged gargoyles again,
only this time there was at least five thousand of them.
As the photographers had not looked up Buffy realised they had
not seen them.

Suddenly they did see them though and excitedly they began
taking photos of them. Yet the gargoyles did not move, they
appeared as statues. One of the photographers ran up to the
ridge, looking back to the gargoyles as he went. “I’ll be able to
get a better photo from up here,” he called.

Standing on the ridge he began shouting to his friends who ran
to join him. He pointing behind him. As the others got to where
he stood they all saw the fifteen foot tall statue just past the
ridge. Looking at the big statue then to the smaller gargoyle
statues, the photographers grew unsure of themselves.

The smaller gargoyles started to move, slowly at first then
getting faster. The photographers started to run away. The
gargoyles began to hop then jump up and glide towards them.
One of the photographers turned while he was running away to
see how close the gargoyles were.

Stopping as he saw them all kneeling and worshipping the big
statue. They stood, then they all started jumping for joy by the
big statue. As the photographer watched the big statue moved,
it smiled to them. Flexing its wings they all flew up into the sky.
They all rise up then fly across the land.

Sitting astride dragons above them Buffy and Carla watched as
the gargoyles flew over the countryside, their new leader veered
off, they watched as the Gargoyles fly onward. Noticing Spike
stood on a hill, seemingly looking over the quiet countryside
they saw him look up, as if he had just heard something.

He stared at the sky as if he were looking for the cosmic egg.
Buffy, confused at why he was staring at the clouds she soon
knew why, the clouds had formed to look like her face. Feeling
good within herself she grinned to Carla.

Spike continued to look to her face in the clouds. She was
distracted by Carla who pointed towards several of the soldiers
walking to earth on the air. One of the soldiers points to Buffy’s
face in the clouds. She smiles then sees Spike holding his arms
towards her. She felt a warmth inside her very being.

Quickly looking around to see where the soldiers were, just
in time to see them being captured by some of the gargoyles,
Buffy tried to catch up with them but they were to far away.
Guiding her dragon Buffy flies away, to be with her thoughts
and her dreams.

She goes down to a nearby town wanting to walk with her
thoughts. Not noticing where she was Buffy looked to see a
school in front of her, seeing a schoolgirl she waves the girl
over. Buffy asked the schoolgirl where she was.

The girl was somewhat surprised to speak to some one who was
that lost. Then her jaw dropped, in the sky above them flew a
winged dragon. The girl nearly fainted when the dragon flew
down to Buffy and bowed to her.

“Are you a cosmonaut, have you travelled to the far reaches
of the cosmos?” asked the girl, she stepped back, amazed at
what she was seeing. Then Buffy climbed on the dragon, flying
off into the sky. As they circled around the schoolyard Buffy
waves to the schoolgirl.

The girl, still amazed, watches them. She waves to Buffy. The
dragon flew higher into the sky, looking down she see’s
thousands of winged unicorns below her. Flying on a dragon
Carla joins her. Sat on the dragons fly high in the sky, above
the unicorns.

Carla soon guides her dragon to veer away. Flying on, Buffy
looks down to the unicorns. Heading down towards them as
more flying unicorns begin to join them. She looks behind again
to the mounted flying unicorns.

More of them have joined her, seeing each of them as a pilgrim
she calls two of them to catch up with her, telling them where
to be. Leaving them to continue she flies down. Seeing Spike
working in his garden she smiles.

Watching him she knows he has seen a picture of her in the
shapes and colours of the flowers. Now she began to know how
she felt, hoping he felt the same, hoping he would keep looking
at the vision of her with his eyes open.

Not seeing them, a few soldiers had been heading towards her.
Spike watched as Buffy walked away from him, he went towards
her, waving. Standing in front of her he smiles to her, then they
kiss. Arm in arm they walk together.

Three of the uniformed soldiers see Buffy, they run towards her.
Buffy leaves Spike, going to the soldiers. The soldiers talk to
Buffy, together they go away. Spike stood alone again.
Carla raced to be with Buffy as they went into the stone circle.

The soldiers stepped back from them.
Pointing to each one each of the stones in the Stone Circles it
began to glow. A soldier appeared, walking from the stone. The
soldier looks to the other stones walking around the circle then
he walks back around.

Several unicorns rose from the stones. Men and women in an
ancient uniform start to walk from the stones as if they had just
been walking up a flight of stairs.. The soldiers move into a field,
looking down a slope, one of the armed forces points to a
distant open field.

The soldiers move away, across the countryside. Spikes stands
still watching as Buffy walks away from him to Carla. Carla smiles
to Buffy, “How are you? He was why we are here. Are you and
he an item yet?”

“I think so, I hope so. I am not sure, I mean I do want him, I
love him, but, well?” asked Buffy.
Buffy with Carla and a few of the soldiers walk away. Buffy looks
to Spike smiling but he doesn’t see her, he had begun to have
his doubts. She seemed so distant, to him.

Buffy tells Carla and the soldiers to wait there for her. Buffy
knew she had to ask him. She walked on, towards a river.
Smiling to herself she knew Spike was following her. Standing by
the river she dove in, feeling him getting closer she waited until
he stood at the rivers bank then she got out of the river.

She smiled to Xander, dried herself then walked across a field.
He watched her walk away from him yet again. Deciding this
should not be the end of them he ran to catch up with her.
Walking side by side with her they smiled to each other.
Knowing this was the time Buffy knelt to him.

Breathless he looked to her.
Waiting until the spirit rose in her. She looked up to him.
“Please marry me.”
She stands and they hug each other. Holding hands they go
toward a ridge, she starts to lead him there.

Looking to each other they smile. Still leading the way she leads
him into a stone circle. Spreading her arms wide she slowly
turns around, calling to each of the stones. He is amazed,
looking at her he realises her feet not touching the ground.

He gasps as light erupts around her. He is transfixed, suddenly
bursting from the stone circle uniformed soldiers appear running
to surround the stone circle. Generals of the soldiers appear, all
of the are wearing the uniform, the mounted winged unicorns fill
the sky.

Dressed in white two figures appear by the altar stone, they
stand alone apart from Buffy and Spike. Calling to Carla to
witness it. Carla lay the cloth of the people over the hands of
Buffy and Spike. Buffy places the ring her mother gave her on
his finger.

Suddenly he saw his body start to glow. Looking to Buffy he
suddenly realised they were both floating a few feet of the
ground. All the soldiers knelt to them. The soldiers on the
winged unicorns above them bowed their heads, two of the
dragons to fly to them.

Spike and Buffy sat on them. Followed by a thousand winged
white unicorns they flew in a circle then to their special stone
circle, alighting from their dragons their raised their arms to
point towards the sky. Buffy smiled to Spike.

Again they raised their arms, a dome of white light appears over
the stone circle, it fades to a transparent glow. Then two more
Goddesses stood beside them covered in a blue light. Moving
equal distances from each other.

Straight lines appear on the ground in front of them, then
burning lines in a V appear around them connecting to what is
in front making a burning pentagram. A dome of light forms over
the stone circle, light from it radiates into the night sky.

From the circle thousands of winged unicorns start to fly from
inside the stone circle. Soldiers in the armies uniform walked
from the circle. The five Goddesses and the God vanish, the
glow around the circle disappears.

Light from the rising sun suddenly fills the land. As the light
slowly fades the gargoyles begin to appear standing on the
countryside, their leader standing proudly in front of them. The
gargoyles stand ready for battle, they cover the land that
could be seen.

Then soldiers began to appear, looking at them, they covered
the land to the horizon. The mounted winged unicorns appeared
hovering above them. Then the four Goddesses and the God
appeared, standing in front of the soldiers. Each of them glowing.

The soldiers started to walk towards them, each slapping their
leather uniform. The distorted sound waves soon become visible.
As soon as the soldiers were behind the Goddesses and the God,
all the soldiers stopped walking forward.

The Gods and Goddesses raise their arms towards the distorted
sound waves. Seemingly pulling them through the air, towards
the gargoyles. They direct the sound waves at the gargoyles
feet causing big explosions of the ground that thrusts the
gargoyles upwards into the air.

Shouting for joy, the joy that they had won, the soldiers took
their boots off. Throwing them at Buffy’s feet, the pile soon got
higher and higher.
“Help me!” Buffy screamed, “I’m drowning in footwear.”

“BUFFY! Buffy, wake up,” called Dawn.
“Huh, what?”
“Buffy! are you awake? Jeez you were screaming in your sleep!
Oh well at least it is official now, I have a seriously weird sister.
Drowning in footwear? Come on sis get up,” said Dawn.

Stunned, Shocked, Surprised Buffy looked around.
Spike was stood in front of her, glaring at her.
“OI! that’s my bloody dream! SOD OFF!”

Buffy rolled out of the bed, putting her hand to the floor.
“What are these?” she asked.
Buffy held up a pair of shoes, which had six inch stiletto heels.

“They are my shoes, little sister!” stated Dawn.
“If I ever meet some one called Joss, I’m telling,” said Buffy.


To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Buffy and Arin De-Avbiut

Carla looked up, seeing Spike sat at another table.
"You know, I've never sat and had a chat with one of them,"
said Carla thoughtfully.
Willow looked up from the book she was reading. "One of who?"

"Them, those, like Spike is."
"Oh, you mean vampires?" said Giles, he waved Spike over.
Spike stood across the table from Carla.
"What is it?" he asked.

"Carla was just saying to us that she's never spoken to a
vampire, so I waved you over," said Giles
Spike sat down, thought better of what he had just done.
Carla stared at him. "Do you mind me sitting here?" he asked.

"It isn't that, it is just that now that you are here, I haven't
got a clue what we could talk about," said Carla.
"Come on Spike, think of something interesting, something that
is so different all of us will want to listen to you," said Willow.

"Ok," he replied, "It was about fifteen years after Drusilla and I
got together, we had gone to Hyemstadt. There was something
curious that had not long happened, all the children under ten
years old had gone from the place, of course the townspeople
blamed vampires so we had to keep a low profile."

"Were vampires the cause?" asked Giles.
"According to Dru, yes, but she started going on about other
things. So I wasn't sure about what she meant," said Spike.
"What did she say?" asked Carla.

"She started going on about fairies being there."
"She was off with the fairies was she?" asked Giles.
Spike smiled then laughed
"That's what I said to Dru, but she didn't take to kindly to that,"
said Spike.

"These fairies?" asked Carla, "Which ones?"
"Now I do remember this, not sure why, I just do. Dru said he
was the protector of fairies," said Spike.
"The one that took the children, did she say who?" asked Carla

"Yes, not sure of the name though, I'm tempted to say the Ied
something or other."
"BUFFY! get ready to make a move," shouted Carla.
"What is it?" asked Willow.

"The Debt Collectors had been after him for many centuries,
and I mean before I became a Debt Collector. The tales of him
were changed by you humans, it was written as a fairy tale. He
was known as the Pied Piper of Hamelin. So Spike, you were

nearly right saying Ied, the townspeople were right as well. He
is Nills Von Stuern."
Buffy joined them at the table.
"So, some one going to tell me?" she asked.
"If I can get this one it'll be a feather in my cap," said Carla.

"This who?" asked Buffy
"How will you find where to start looking?" asked Willow.
"I'll ask someone who Spike said of," said Carla.
"I did," said Spike smiling, then he became bewildered, "Who?"

"You said of their protector, he is the Guardian fairy, you
humans would call those of his type the king. I can't see him
alone Buffy."
"I take it he is afraid of you?" asked Buffy.
"What him? I wish I had a tenth of the power he has.

Put it like this, ever heard the tales of Jesus being tempted by
the devil? how that ended with the devil simply going away. No,
it was because the Kuh-rotan saw the Guardian Fairy there,"
stated Carla, "He didn't want to leave, he knew he had to."

"So what happens now?" asked Buffy.
"Now we need to contact the Angelic Slayer, hopefully she will
tell us where to look. When he has been found I'll need you to
make first contact then invite me, I'll ask the questions."

In the quiet village of Parkerville, Tabatha and Tamara's mother
and just driven them home from their day at the local
kindergarten, their mother had invited Robyn and Lucinda to play
with the twins. Doing as they usually did, they sat near the fairy
ring on the lawn.

Tamara and Tabatha had asked their father to build a gate for
the fence they had built around the fairy circle. To keep it safe
for them, the girls would take it in turns to cut the grass around
the circle, with a pair of scissors.

They had asked their mother to put some coloured fairy lights
over the circle, so the fairies could be in the circle at night. As
she was stringing the line of lights over the branches of the
tree and the shrubs she told Tabatha and Tamara of a problem.

As they lived on a sloping block of land, some of the fairies might
have problems climbing up the hill to the circle.
"Mummy," said Tamara, "the slope is not that big."
"Not to us dear! but to many of the fairies it is a steep slope

and such a long way to walk. The rain is making the ground a
problem for them to walk on."
"Mummy? how do you know that?" asked Tabatha.
Looking about to make sure no one else was listening

"Keep it a secret, it was the fairy's that told me."
"I know what we can do," said Tamara, "We will make them
another place to have a fairy circle."
"Not like this circle, this is a special one," their mother smiled to
them, "They use this circle because you look after it for them."

"Really! Do many fairies come to this circle?" asked Tamara.
"Yes dear, they use this circle eight times a year, for special
occasions," said their mother.
The twins and their friends Robyn and Lucinda asked how the
path could be made safe.

"Your father and I know of a gardener," she looked around again,
"He believes in the fairy's, he will help."
The next day when the girls arrived home after the kindergarten,
they saw a stranger in the garden.

The twins looked, he was huge, even taller than their daddy.
"Who is he mummy?" asked Tamara.
"He is the gardener, I want you to be nice to him."
The twins went out to the edge of the slope to see him.

"Your mum tells me this is where they walk up."
"Yes," said Tabatha, "Is it very hard for them?"
"You do know how small the fairies are? What if I make the path
zig-zag up the slope?"

"Yes and a nice stone wall along the path," said Tamara.
"I will have to be careful what stones I use though. Imagine a
fairy walking up the path, looking at the stones and that fairy is
only ten centimetres tall."

Tabatha turned to look at Tamara.
"I'd never thought of it like that."
"Now then girls, can you remember a holiday when you saw
some big boulders, remember how magnificent they looked? That
is how I want the side of the path to look to the fairies. At the

top, a wall along the edge of the lawn for the fairies to sit on."
"How will they get over the wall?" asked Tamara.
"I will use several flat rocks, they can use them as steps, plus I
will make a special slope for the rest of them," said the gardener.

The gardener looked up, Tamara and Tabatha watched him, he
stayed looking up for a long time. When he stopped Tamara
asked him what he was doing. He smiled to them.
"Asking the trees to spread their branches, to protect the fairies
from the rain."

"You can talk to the trees?" asked an excited Tamara.
"Yes," said the gardener.
"That is fantastic," she stated.
The gardener smiled to Tamara.

"If you know some-one who does not believe me, just invite
them to ask the trees."
Their mother opened the door to the verandah, "I have some
tea and biscuits for all of you."

As they walked to the house neither Tabatha nor Tamara saw
the trees begin to move their branches.

The next day the gardener began to make a path that would go
from side to side of the slope, so that it would not be to steep
to walk up, he started to line the path with small rocks. Around
the lawn he made a wall, that would give the smaller people
somewhere to sit.

The following day, after the twins had been to the kindergarten,
they were given a ride home by Lucinda's and Robyn's mother
and father. The four girls ran excitedly into the garden, Tamara
became upset because she couldn't see the gardeners van.

Then she saw the gardener.
"How is the gardener here mummy? Where is his van?" her
mother smiled to her.
"He rang me yesterday evening and asked for a lift here today.
He had ordered some flowers that were being delivered."

"Ooh! Where! What are they?" asked Tabatha.
"Can we have a look?" asked her sister.
"You can go and see them but do not disturb the gardener. He
is making some seats for the protectors of the fairy's to sit on."

The gardener had just finished making four seats, he went to
do some more to the wall at the edge of the lawn. Seeing
Tamara and Tabatha with Lucinda and Robyn looking at the
flowers, he went to speak to them. He had just reached them as
their mother gave them their drinks.

"Good timing, I might get a drink now," said the gardener.
The twins mother said to the gardener.
"We ought to go, get ready, as tonight will be a big night here."
"Where are you going, mummy?" asked Tabatha.
"Your mother just told you," said the gardener,

"She will be coming here for one of our big nights."
"And our mummy and daddy to?" asked Lucinda.
"Yes, we all keep them safe, that is why they are here, we are
all goblins."
"But Goblins are nasty, and horrible," said Tamara.

The gardener smiled to her.
"That is the Hobgoblins, your mother and father asked me to
come here and make the garden beautiful to look at, and better
for us to use."
"US? What do you mean, us?" asked Tabatha.

The gardener revealed his wings to them.
"Tonight when we come here, we would like the protectors to
sit at the bottom of the slope? From there you will be able to
see us fly here. As we walk up the slope we will all carry a light
above our heads."

"Where can we sit?" asked Tamara.
"The table and chairs are for the four of you, our protectors."
"Your friends Robyn and Lucinda, they will be staying here
tonight, as their parents are goblins too."

"What about the Hobgoblins?" asked Tamara.
"There will be four goblins here, and the king, we will be safe."
The gardener suddenly called for them to hide,
"I feel the Debt Collector, she is near!"

Breaching the higher branches of the trees the winged unicorn
landed on the lawn. The gardener confronted her.
"I felt the Debt Collector? Yet you are here, what....."
"She is here, we are together, we help each other. She asked

me to come and ask if she could speak to you. Tell me, can you
speak to those that will guide me after I die?" asked Buffy.
She waited for him to reply.
"Ok, call her down," said the king.
Carla landed near them, she looked about.

"Thank you for allowing me to be here and to ask for your help,
considering what it is I need to ask it is right the little ones do
not hear this, it may cause a type of concern that isn't needed.
"Carla, these four, they are the children's parents," said Buffy.

"What didn't you want the children hear?" asked the king.
"The one I seek, with Buffy. The children know of him but as the
the Pied Piper," said Carla.
"That is what I thought, I was there once, but before I could
search for the children two other vampires appeared."

"It was one of those who led me to see you, the one known as
Spike. How-ever the one I seek is not the one known to be the
Pied Piper, hm, the vampires minion?" asked Carla.
"It also occurred in the twelfth century," said the king.

"The one known as Arin De-Avbiut! He may be the one behind
the children disappearing from the town of Hyemstadt."
"Is the minion known to you Carla?" asked Buffy.
"Yes," replied Carla, "He is Nills Von Stuern."

The king handed Buffy something small and round.
"Keep this with you, it is a compass that never points to where
you have been, it only points to where you should go, just think
of who you want," said the king.

Buffy thought of what was said, then looking to the compass.
"It would be best if I think of Nills Von Stuern first, we could
attack the vampire Arin De-Stuern but his minion would try to
help. From your reaction, this vampire's hard to get?"

"That is something neither of us know Buffy. Many times we
have nearly found him but he has always escaped," said Carla.
"The Debt Collector is right, I have my theories though. Many
times in the history of this world children have been taken, but

always an illness has been blamed. Tonight the real reason may
be known," said the king
"Then know that I will tell you," said Buffy.
"You won't need to," replied the king, "But I will know my kind
is everywhere.

This vampire may be as you say, he maybe as I think, that will
only be known when you face him."
"What is it that you think?" asked Carla.
"He feeds of children, those less than ten years old. He may be

weak, to weak to trouble a man, his killing children en masse
only seems to be bad," said the king, he faced Buffy.
"Look at these little children, if they were to be killed by a
demon. Would you think the demon was really evil or a weakling
that preyed on children."

Buffy looked to Tabatha, Tamara, Lucinda and Robyn. She then
returned the kings stare.
"Enough talking, what do we have to do to find him," said Buffy.
"The last I knew of him was at Hyemstadt, go there and you
might pick up on where he has gone," said the king.

"These tales of the Pied Piper are well known?" asked Carla.
"Yes," replied Buffy
"Then as it is we should run a few checks, find out if he has
been anywhere else. There may be a pattern," said Carla.

The king turned to the goblins, "We may need to hold the
festivities as long as we can, there may be more to celebrate."
After the checks had been done, they found that the town of
Hamelin had suffered the after effects of many of its children
having been taken.

Once in the 13th century, and once in the 16th century, the
nearby town of Hyemstadt in the 19th century.
Buffy approached the mother of Tabatha, asking her if they had
the internet. Saying she would connect her Buffy was led to the
computer.

"What do you want to do?"
"It's something the king mentioned," said Buffy, "About him only
being enough to drink the children. It's just that vampires keep
going, so accepting one of them is to weak; something is wrong.

In the fairy tale the Pied Piper led the rats out of town first,
after that the children were taken," said Buffy.
"I don't see where you are coming from."
"The saying, rats to a sinking ship," said Buffy.

"Oh so maybe the rats were for that Arin De-Avbiut, and that
the children were for the minion, because the same thing was
done over several centuries, maybe the minion was a vampire;
the children were for him."

"Even if that is the truth, how will going on the internet help?"
"It isn't for that, that was just me thinking it through, using
you as a sounding board," replied Buffy, "No, I want to see a
geo-physical survey of the area around Hamelin."

"Right, okay, looking for anywhere there could be a cave, or a
natural cavern."
"I was hoping to see several inter-connected caverns, where
one vampire could keep its secrets secret," said Buffy.

Looking at the web pages that were displayed for her.
"Thanks, that is exactly what I wanted to see," stated Buffy.
"Before you go, could you do an autograph in one of my
daughters books."

"I've never been asked that," said Buffy feeling the pride.
"In eighteen years time I want them to have something to
remind them of the day they met the king, the vampire slayer
and the Debt Collector, although I won't ask for her autograph."

"Maybe you don't know this, but Carla is one of my great grand
mothers. She is about five hundred years old. All this, it is
thanks to a vampire and Carla."
Buffy told Carla about her thoughts, as they were about to leave
they were asked to sign four books one each for the children.

Hovering high above the town of Hamelin, in Germany. Carla was
becoming curious about Buffy's behaviour.
"You keep looking down, then moving to another place, what are
you doing?" asked Carla.

"That web page I looked at, it showed what was in the sub-
surface, it showed the contour lines but there were no building,
I'm trying to find the right place to look at," said Buffy.
It was the next afternoon before they entered a cavern and
fifteen minutes later they emerged from the cavern.

"It's like one of the saying I heard, it isn't the end of the journey,
it is what happens on the way that counts," said Carla.
"Well they weren't wrong, mind you, I think we just re-defined
boring. That was an anti-climax, they didn't even try to put up
a fight," said Buffy.

"I now what you mean, if I am ever asked how it was done, I
will embellish the truth," said Carla.
"I doubt that'll even get a mention in my memoirs,"
acknowledged Buffy.


To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

THE DEBT COLLECTOR 4

When one of the Dracula's met the Debt Collector.....briefly

It was a few minutes after five in the morning that Damien
started to look through the reports from the day before. He
turned over the pile to read the oldest one. It stated that a
cargo plane was reported as going off the radar just after a
Mayday call was received from it, at ten past eleven at night.

Seeing who the aircraft was registered to, what freight was being
carried, and who the pilot and co-pilot were. Andrew Thompson
and Brian Green?
"Well they are competent in most situations." he said to himself
I'd best get some one to look at it."

Mr. Graham Flutie the air crash investigator was sat at his desk
finishing an air crash statement when he was handed the news
of the cargo plane having gone missing. He looked at the clock
then to the report again, deciding to take it with him.

Standing on the path looking to the building. Once again he
cursed his luck at having his job send him near the Canadian
border. Breathing in he went onto the school campus. Surprised
that no one asked him who he was he went into the school library.

"Hello, is anyone here?" he called.
"Yes, can I help?" asked Giles.
"I hope so an uncle of mine used to be the principal here."
"He was? Who was he?"
"Bob Flutie, I am Graham Flutie."

"My commiserations, what brings you here, now I mean."
"I was away on business when his service took place."
"Hmm, that isn't good. Look I was just about to make myself a
cup of tea, I'll make one for both of us."

Giles brought him the tea, putting it on the table then sitting.
"So, what is it that you do?" asked Giles.
"Aircraft crash investigator."
"Oh, that's different, if you don't mind me asking, what are you
working on at the moment?"

"A cargo has gone missing, on its way here," he looks in his
briefcase, "here it is. A twenty six year old plane bringing cargo
from Britain. Flight number BA1692."
"Oh dear, I was having some books sent here, they were on that
flight," said Giles.

Buffy and Carla walk into the library, hearing Giles say problems,
Buffy asked him what was wrong.
"This is Bob Flutie's nephew, he was just saying about a cargo
plane going missing, it was bringing me some of my books."

Buffy looks at Carla, "Have we got anything on at the moment?"
"You want to get his books back? It's not why I am here, but
okay," replied Carla.

Captain Andrew Thompson, the pilot was confused, he couldn't
understand why the plane had crashed.
"Did you get out a Mayday call?"
"Yes the distress call was made as soon as we started losing
height," said Brian Green.

"That is good, at least the rescue people know where we are
here," said Andrew.
"I gave our position when we were nearing a thousand feet, so
they should be able to locate us," replied Brian.

"Do we know where we are?" asked Andrew.
"Not yet, if the maps are ok it shouldn't take to long to find out."
Behind them, in the forward cargo hold. Something smiles.

Rising from his coffin, came Dracula, "Oh I can think of one thing
your not thinking of! Me."
As the Dracula walked away from the plane.
"Well I managed to get us down in one piece, which will be
helpful," said Andrew.

"How is that helpful?" asked Brian.
"We should still have quite a bit of fuel left in the wings."
"Oh right," said Brian, "To make a fire you mean, to make our
position a bit more obvious."

"I was thinking more about heat and light for us. A bit of rag in
the fuel, that should make it easy to start a fire," said Andrew.
"So, what do you reckon we should do first?"

"Go back in the plane, see what we are carrying. See if there is
anything that could help us," said Andrew.
"In my suitcase, as far as I remember, I have got a torch."
"Seeing at night could be hard without that, it'll help with what
needs to be done as well," said Andrew.

"I think we should stay on the plane tonight, the torch will come
in handy there as well," said Brian.
"What sort of torch is it?" asked Andrew.

"I asked my daughter to put the torch in my suitcase, hopefully
she put the big battery one. It is the six volt type, it has a big
spotlight, a straight beam. That is a thought, we should be able
to catch some food with it," said Brian.

"I have a couple of bars of chocolate."
"You have? good. One of the benefits of me not eating before a
flight, I have brought some snack food, should be enough for
tonight. So let's get on the plane."

Leaning against a tree; watching them was a Dracula he smiles to
himself, "I wouldn't say no if you want to get back on the plane."
After looking at the cargo Andrew inspected the internal structure
of the plane.

"The landing was better than I thought, these boxes are hardly
damaged," he said.
"Except for this one!," added Brian
"Any markings on it saying what's inside? I'll check the manifest."

"Yes and no, it is a coffin, it is open and it is empty. What does
the manifest say about it? and the sooner the better," said Brian.
There was an air of urgency in what he said.

"Why? what is the rush?" asked Andrew.
"Because of what is written on this plaque, it states: If this coffin
is found empty, then beware as Dracula will be watching you. If
he is no more please return this coffin to its rightful owner
The Vampire Demon Belac." Brian looks to Andrew.

"Oh good, they found my note. That should get their blood
pumping," stated Dracula..
A noise is heard outside the plane.
"And that is for fear factor one," said Dracula.

"About us staying on the plane tonight, I am not sure how long
the power will last without the engines running. You'd best get
your stuff together Brian, we had best stay outside. On the good
side it doesn't look like its rained for a while so we should be able
to get a decent fire going tonight," said Andrew.

"Ok as long as you are sure," agreed Brian.
"Another good thing, we could be stranded here for a year, so
what vampire is going to kill us straight away?"
Dracula was quietly sitting under the back of the plane, listening
and smiling at their comments.

"A thirsty me!"
He smiles, then shakes his head slowly, "Buckle up boys, it is
time for fear factor, number two."
Picking up a small rock, Dracula threw it onto the plane.

"What the hell was that!" they both exclaimed.
"Ooh a direct hit, now I wonder, will they feel safer on the plane
or outside it?"
Sitting by their fire that night, Brian said about the fire.

"Shouldn't we keep enough dry wood for the day as well, I was
thinking that if a plane does fly overhead and it is to high to see
us the smoke would help," said Brian.

"If the smoke is seen, that would be good," agreed Andrew, "The
thought of a quick rescue, I'm beginning to like the idea."
"Yes, but even if we get seen tomorrow, the reports of the fire
being seen, we might get rescued but it would still take a day or
two to get to us," stated Brian.

"So, a few days at the earliest then. Why so long?" asked Andrew.
"There is no a landing strip here, they'd have to check the ground
to make sure it is safe to land here. So they will need time to get
here and find us."

Dracula moves forward to stand in the light from the fire.
"There is one problem with that, will either of you be alive to be
rescued?"
He watched them as the fear in them rose.

"Oh and before you say it, if you do go back to the plane and
close the door, who is to say I would not be in there already?"
"Quick run to the plane now!" shouted Andrew.
While they were running.

"What do we do if he still gets in?" asked Brian.
"We can make crucifixes from the wooden crates, and it will be
better than staying outside!" replied Andrew.
As Andrew moved to go around a propeller Brian called to him

"Look out! behind you!"
Andrew turned to see Dracula about to bite him, dropping to the
ground he just managed to get away from Dracula, while the
vampire hit his head on a propeller blade, he reeled from the pain
looking to them, "I will be back."

Both Brian and Andrew stared at him. Then clambered onto the
plane closing any entrance they could think of. Taking it in turns
to sleep neither had more than half an hours sleep at a time.
When they saw the sun come up they were both very grateful.

Working until midday building wooden crosses, placing them at
the entry points to the plane, on the door to the plane, they
even thought about building the fire in the shape of a cross but
settled instead to put as many crosses in the ground as they
could make between the fire and the plane.

They were so caught up in what they were doing that neither of
they noticed Buffy and Carla watching them.
"It really doesn't do much for a girls ego, here we are a hundred
miles from anywhere and they ignore us," said Buffy.

"What! Were did you come from?" asked Andrew.
Buffy looked around, "Not sure which way it is, but it is Sunnydale,
not to far from LA."
"It's four hundred and fifty miles away," said Carla.

"They are still doing negative stuff to my ego," declared Buffy.
"I'm sorry, believe me, we are glad to see you. We are just a lot
put out by what happened last night," said Brian.
"Hmm, I noticed all the little crosses, do you have a vampire
problem?" asked Carla.

"You can say that again, I'm fairly certain that the vampire
Dracula is here," said Brian.
"He is? what makes you think that?" asked Carla.
"Not that we know what he looks like, but we saw him. He nearly
bit me, oh, and his coffin is in the plane," stated Andrew.

"What makes you think he is Dracula?" asked Carla.
"It was inside the coffin, about who was meant to be in it and to
return the coffin to this vampire demon Belac if found empty."
Buffy looks to Carla and sees her almost laughing.

"Carla? why do you find this amusing?"
Carla looks to Buffy, "Don't you know?"
"Just tell me what I don't know," said Buffy.

"Ok, well first of all the demon is the demon that first created a
vampire. The first time the demon drank human blood it became
the vampire demon, the next time it drank blood the demon took
the name of the person that was the vampire, making the name
the vampire demon, and the name of the person ie Belac."

"OK, what is amusing though?" asked Buffy.
"I know all this stuff ok, I have known it for the last four hundred
and fifty years. The coffin belongs to the vampire demon, not to
Belac. Now that is that, the next thing is even better.

Back in eighteen fifty five I began to track, this can be funny to
you, about me, in essence. So I followed this thing, which I
thought was just some demon or other. You can check on this if
you want to."

"Er Carla? check on what?" asked Buffy.
"I think it was in the newspaper The London Times, Feb sixteenth
in eighteen fifty five about a hundred miles of hoof prints that
happened overnight in the snow."
"So a horse can travel a hundred miles overnight," said Buffy.

"True, but a horse is a quadruped, its got four legs, but these
hoof prints were caused by a biped something with two legs. I
mean, I should have realised it but I was quite young then, a
mere three hundred and a bit. Anyway I picked up the trail again
in eighteen ninety nine.

Mind you I wasn't the only ones, the Lighthouse men were also
on the trail."
"I haven't heard of them before, who are they?" asked Buffy.
"I hope they are listening in, 'cos I'm feeding you information you
should know.

Right, The Lighthouse Men are not always men, they are a part
of the Armed Forces of Bouicendeni who are a part of the Armed
Forces of Byzantium. These lighthouse people are so called
because they live in the house of light, now I know you've heard
of the garden, it is Purgatory. Anyway, back to the story,

this is something you probably know, but here goes any way. I
was tracking the scent left by the vampire demon which was in
the form of Belac, I think the actual humans name was Lai-ith, an
Egyptian, about five thousand years old but that is besides the

point, I followed them following her. Then this Belac disappeared,
I later found out why, she had stayed the night with an Irish
person, in Whitby. He later wrote a novel that is very famous, the
central figure being Dracula."
"Do you mean Bram Stoker?" asked Buffy.

"Sort of, his was named Abraham, after his father, about that
time the vampire demon wanting to hide herself from peoples
knowledge of her created seven others of the same name, and
even if they do die because she created them they can return."

"So in effect this Dracula could be seen to never die," said Buffy.
"Right, and because the name is a created item, it does not exist,
" said Carla.
"You probably didn't realise it, but I did hear all that," said Brian,

"Not wishing to live the rest of my life in a mental institution, I
won't tell anyone. Carla right? this Dracula would seem to be
small fry, can you kill it?"
"If it gets to five feet of me it will die, if I see it and I want to I
could kill it at fifty feet," said Carla

"What happens now?" asked Brian.
"Buffy and I stay until your rescuers get here, then, if we haven't
done so already, we kill this Dracula, permanently. Now there's
the footprints, they were probably caused by my boss."

"Sorry, I missed that bit, who is your boss?" asked Brian.
"The Kuh-rotan, you know him as the devil."
"Carla, how do you know it was him?" asked Buffy.

"Some of the things he did, plus he was never seen. The old
style of hay huts, they were walked on but they were never
affected by the weight and where the prints crossed the estuary,
it is two miles wide there," said Carla

"I'll bet if he goes for a walk at night when there isn't any snow
we'd never now, no wonder it's known as the devilâcountry."
"Sort of Brian, it is known by that name because of the time his
coach was seen, it is pulled by two dogs the size of horses, the
wheel marks led into a lake and didn't come out."

That evening the four of then were sat by the fireside when the
Dracula appeared to them.
"What is this? not scared of me anymore," said the Dracula.
"Let me introduce you, this is Carla, she is the Debt Collector,
with her is Buffy, she is the vampire slayer.

So with them sitting next to me I'm not scared of you at all,"
said Brian.
The Dracula had just about enough time to show fear before its
body disappeared.

Next day the sun was barely above the horizon when the
distinctive sound of a helicopter was heard, getting nearer.


To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

THE DEBT COLLECTOR 5

Buffy and Carla go For a Rest..

Buffy sat at the dining table in her house reading history. Willow
peered over her shoulder, then quickly turned away.
"What's up Will?" asked Xander.
"Buffy's reading about the Salem Witch trials, I don't like that."

"Look at the bright side," added Carla.
"Bright side? What bright side? Women were accused of being
witches, horrible things were done to them, and why? Because
some people said they were witches? .... Sorry I get a bit carried
away when I think of that," said Willow.

"But they weren't witches though, were they," said Carla.
"Probably just women who had a limp or a birth mark that
couldn't be covered," agreed Willow.
Carla grinned to them. "Men, and women, from memory it was
mainly men who were killed."

"No it wasn't, it was women," said Willow.
"You do know what really happened, don't you?" asked Carla.
"At the Salem witch trials, sure," said Buffy, "People didn't like
witches, so they got rid of them. That's what's in this book."

"Excuse me! Who are you going to believe? Some book, or some
one who was there?"
"Some one who was there, why, were you there?" asked Giles.
"Yes I was there, there was another type of demon there, and a
vampire. But no witches, there were three trains of thought,

one was about the split in a religion a few years before, the main
group killing those that started a splinter group, the Salem stuff
was just a cover for them. And mainly men were killed Another
notion was how the catholic church was attempting to stem the

growing following that Jesus had been married and that he had
a child. Now there is also the thing that the witchcraft thing
didn't become as widespread as it did in Britain, I mean in Salem
it was what, a few years? In Britain it was several centuries.

And how many died at Salem? less than a hundred? In Britain
alone at least twenty thousand were killed. I know of cases
where three generations of a family were put to death.
"The others you said about, who were they?" asked Willow.

"There was a demon there, her kind were on our side, a
vengeance demon as far a I remember. The vampire though,
well she was different, but I was to late, she had already been
accused of being a witch so I left. As I found out later she

hadn't said she was a vampire. Must admit that was clever of
her. The idiots drowned her then buried her, it meant she only
stopped her for a day of two."
"Why she was there or what her name was?" asked Willow.

"Interesting this, she went there to see how her sisters grand
daughter was. That was the first I heard of that," said Carla.
"A first for what?" asked Buffy.
"This vampire had gone there to see her sisters grand daughter.

She found her accused of being a witch. Thing is, the vampire
saved the humans life, yet others she had befriended had a
seriously bad reputation. Her name... it was..." Carla thought for
a few more moments, "I'm fairly sure her name was Darla."

"Did Darla come from there?" asked Buffy.
"No, she was born not far from there though, never did find out
the name of the town," replied Carla, "She will tell me one day,
when I catch her."

"You won't, she is dead, Angel killed her," said Willow, "He did it
to protect Buffy."
"What a tangled web of intrigue that is your lives," said Carla.
"I suppose we have been there, and done that," agreed Xander.

Xander stood up, he wandered about the table, occasionally
looking to Carla then Willow. He glanced at Giles.
"You kept quieter than normal, why?" asked Xander, "What are
you reading?"

Giles casually showed him the front cover of the book.
"Ghosts and their Hauntings. That's different, why are you
looking at that?" asked Xander.
"One of the clubs I go to, there's a couple who want to buy a

house, but it seems some-one is there and won't leave, so I
foolishly said I'd look into it," said Giles.
"Why is that foolish?" asked Xander
"I thought it was vampires, but as it turns out, it is a ghost "

Buffy looked to Carla, "Seems nice and quiet here at the
moment, how about we go and find the ghost? It could be fun."
"There is just one thing, before we go, it would help if we knew
a bit about the people that want to buy the place," said Willow.

Giles looks at the others, then back to Willow.
"They all agree, so what do you want to know?" asked Giles.
"This club, what is it?" Willow smiled to him.
"Okay, it's a bit like a folk club. Every week some one does a
presentation for the group."

"What are you going to do?" asked Buffy.
"I'm taking an old song, it is known as a rock ballad. I'm going to
do it as a slow acoustic number, it's Freebird. I don't think you'll
know anything about it," said Giles.

"Oh Giles! That is hurtful! How could you, I know exactly what
you mean," said Buffy.
"Sorry Buffy, I didn't mean to..., er..., what?"
"Yes, I have no idea what Freebird is," said Buffy.

As they were going out of the door Carla walked next to Giles.
"I was in Stevenage that afternoon, I went to see Lynyrd
Skynyrd at the open air concert at Knebworth House. That
could have been embarrassing, I thought it was further away
than it was, so I flew

right over the audience. There was a hundred thousand people
who saw me, luckily most of them were off their heads."
"I was there, and I wasn't off my head, mind you I did think
seeing you was a dream. I could never think off a good reason

for a demon to go to a concert, but thanks, I am glad you told
me," said Giles.
"This haunted place, what is it? Is it far from here?" asked Carla.
"It's an old police station, I haven't seen it yet but they reckon
it could be done up easily," replied Giles.

As they stood looking at the building a young woman walked up
to them, saying she was the guide. Giles looked at her.
"I'm sorry, I thought you were older, what name is it?"
"It's Shvorn, now, being as most of you have never seen this
place, I'll show you around the outside first."

Leading them to the left first, she pointed to a line of sheds.
"Originally they were used for the constables horses. They were
used as a stores later on, when the police had cars. Here at the
back is where, er, customers were brought in from the courts."

Telling them to follow her she showed them where the sick
"˜customers' were buried. Whilst they stood looking at the graves
another woman walked up to them.
"I'm sorry I thought we arranged to meet at the front."
"Who are you?" asked Giles.

"I am the real estate agent, Mrs. Grymes, I spoke to you on the
phone, how did you get in here."
"Shvorn showed us around the place," he looked about, "I can't
see her right now, but, oh well. Who is she anyway?"

Mrs. Grymes pointed at a grave, "Nice headstone isn"˜t it?"
"Siobhan Kelder, no I don't know the name, who is it?"
"Her name is spelt like that but sometimes, it is pronounced as
Shvorn," said Mrs. Grymes.

He looked at the headstone again, "Oh my."
"That is the grave of Siobhan, she died in eighteen twenty three
at age twenty one, she worked here as a stable hand, and as
ghosts go, she is a nice person."

"Is the ghost inside as nice as Shvorn?" asked Giles.
"I wish, she can be a little temperamental at times," looking at
them, "It'd be best if three of us go in first," said Mrs. Grymes
"If it is ok, two of them and me. That way if Shvorn comes back,
you'll be there for the others," added Giles.

"When you are ready," said Mrs Grymes.
She opened the door. Carla, Buffy and Giles walked in.
"I hope I'll be okay, I've never seen a ghost before," said Buffy.
"Yes you have," added Carla nonchalantly, "You seemed alright
with Shvorn."

"And I was, so?" asked Buffy, a bit perplexed.
"Sorry, didn't you know? Shvorn's been dead a hundred and
seventy odd years," said Carla. Buffy just stared at her.
"GET OUT! LEAVE ME ALONE!"
The voice thundered through the room.


The voice was heard out-side the building, hearing the voice
they all stepped back. Xander turned to Willow
"I'm glad we are out here now," said Xander.
"I wish Shvorn was here to help," said Mrs. Grymes.

"I can ask her to be here if you want," said Willow.
"Where is she?" asked Xander looking around them.
Willow pointed at the grave.
"What?" asked Xander.

"Sorry, I didn't think. I reckoned you would have seen that
Shvorn is a ghost," said Willow.
"What was that?" asked Xander.
"When we came into this grave yard, you were hanging about in
the gateway, Shvorn walked through the fence."

"I missed that," admitted Xander.
"Can you contact here?" asked Mrs. Grymes.
"I'll speak to the headstone, but she could be anywhere."


"You had best stay in the back Buffy, at least until I can calm
her down," said Carla, "This will be a shock for her, so I will try
to get her to appear first. Just keep in the shadows Buffy, until I
tell her you are here and that it is safe for you."

"So, now you need to get her attention," said Giles.
"Yes, this could be scary. She will try to scare me, but I need
her to confront me," agreed Carla.
"You think she's scary?" asked Giles, "Oh dear."

"In the past when the time the demon realised who I am it was
too late. This ghost is very angry already, and she knows we are
here. So I'm warning you, this could be very scary."
Carla looks around the room. She calls out to the ghost.
"I am still here! I would like to speak with you!"

Giles faced Buffy, he cautiously looked about.
"I don't, this is wrong, there is something......"
Their attention was drawn to the curtains, they started moving.
"GO AWAY!"
The windows rattled in the frames.

"WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT GO AWAY?"
The curtain rails fell of the walls.
"GO AWAY!"
"Sorry, not going to happen!" exclaimed Carla.

The walls of the building could be seen to vibrate.
"Still here," called Carla.
A sound of chains being dragged on a concrete floor echoed
eerily through the room.
"Still here!"

Screams echoed, then howls threatened to raise the roof. All the
doors in the building opened, then slammed shut.
"I think you'd best leave Mr. Giles. Buffy come and stand next to
me. Carla stayed quiet

"AT LAST! SHE HAS GONE."
"No! I am still here," said Carla.
Tables and chairs rose into the air then hurtled about the room.
"Still here..."
Every window in the building shattered inward.


Outside, Siobhan appeared near Willow and Xander. Most of the
nearby shops had closed, the customers were getting closer,
staring and listening to the sounds coming from the building.
"Oh dear, she is in a bad mood," said Siobhan.

Inside Carla stood up.
"Still here," she said.


"The two girls that were here? Who are they "˜cos there was
something about them," said Siobhan.
"One of them is the Vampire Slayer," said Willow.
"Vampires? You are joking right?" asked Mrs. Grymes
"Wait till I say what Carla is," continued Willow looking at Xander.

"Why? who is she?" asked Siobhan.
Willow shrugged her shoulders to Xander.
"The Debt Collector," said Willow.
"Holy crap! Really," exclaimed Siobhan.



A large skull appears in the room, which then bursts into flames.
It flies towards Carla disappearing as it was about to touch her.
"Persistent little sod aren't you?, what will it take?"
"For you to confront me."

"That was good, but I am still here."
"LEAVE ME ALONE. GO AWAY !"
Sawdust fell from the ceiling, gently cascading to the floor.
"GO AWAY."

"Now I know," stated Carla, "Sorry Julish, that won"˜t happen."
Listening to the silence Carla knew she was winning
"WHY ARE YOU PER...... how do you know my name?"

"When I heard you, I could see you, now I know about you and
who you are," explained Carla.
There was silence for several seconds.
"Who are you?" asked Julish.

"Ah well, you will have to talk with me to know that. And when I
say talk with me, I mean face to face."
Julish immediately appeared in front of her.
"I was going to say persistent again, but that doesn't cover
what you are though," stated Julish.

"That is better," said Carla, "Now, should I wait until you ask
nicely?"
"Go on then? What do you know about me?" asked Julish.

"Why you came here, who you wanted to see." Carla turned to
the door to speak to Giles, "Can you go outside and ask the
ghost to come in."
He looked to Buffy then to Carla, "Ok."
"This will help," she added.

A little warily Siobhan peered around the door, "What is it?"
"Someone yon knew, a friend of yours, she will want to know
you again," said Carla.
Siobhan walks into the room, looks at Julish, "Do I know you?"

"It was about a hundred and twenty five years ago, Julish had
been working in the city, a kitchen helper. But she got told to
leave, she came here hoping to get direction to a friend of her
family. But she was very ill, you Shvorn gave her somewhere

warm and quiet for the night, but she was dead in the morning."
"I remember now, yes, thank you Shvorn," said Julish, "Shvorn?
can you ask the others to come in now."
Buffy suggested they all sit down.

":It'll look better when they come in."
Carla waited until they had come in and sat down.
"I was able to know why Julish came here just before she died,
she wanted to see a friend of her mothers. That friend has died,

obviously, but there are descendants. Would you like to meet
them Julish.
"Yes, I think so."
"Good, you know that people have been coming here recently,
looking at the place then leaving.

Well, Mrs Grymes is a real estate agent. It is her job to sell this
place."
Julish looks at Mrs. Grymes, "I hope they are nice people."
"I wish we had sat and talked before, I'd have liked to buy this
place."

Buffy stands up, walks around the table, turns to face them all
"Just a thought, but your friends Giles? if they buy the house
that Mrs. Grymes has, then she could buy this place, that
would be better. I mean, they seem to get on alright."

"And that could be even better soon," added Carla.
"How do you mean?" asked Willow.
"The people Julish came here to see, like I said they are dead
but a descendant is still here, its Mrs. Grymes."

Julish w up to her and hugged her.
"That was easier than I thought," said Carla.
Julish stood back from her, the glass of the shattered windows
lying on the floor flew back to the window frames. It looked as
though it had never been broken.

"Well it would be good if you had a look at my place, so that your
friends know what it is like. Agreeing with her they all got into
Giles's car and drove to Mrs. Grymes' house. As they stopped
she invited them all in. They went to Mrs. Grymes house to have
a drink and to say their goodbyes.

As they were leaving the town they stopped off at some shops
to get some food. Driving out of town they noticed Mrs. Grymes
stood outside the old police station waving to them, as they
neared her, Julish appeared, she waved to them as well.
"You were right you know Buffy, it was a bit of fun," said Julish.

"Now, I know I didn't do much but how about you doing another
one like this?" asked Willow.
"It would make a bit of a break," added Giles.
"As long as we keep our bosses happy, I don't see why not."


To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

RETURN OF THE DEBT COLLECTOR 6

As he was about to leave the store room the phone started to
ring, hesitating, thinking the answering machine would get it.
Giles was about to leave, as he opened the door he looked to
the phone,
"Oh sod it," he thought going to pick up the receiver.

"Hello who is it?" he asked.
"You probably don't remember me, we met a while ago, I went
on a date with Buffy, I met you at her house."
"Right, yes, you are Owen," said Giles

"You do remember me!, good. Thing is, well I know you are
into this sort of thing, at least I hope you are."
"What do you know?" asked Giles, prompting him for an answer.
"I was going to a friends house last night, on the way there I

noticed a road entry. When I met this friend, I asked her about
the road," said Owen.
"And."
"The name of the road is Old Hobbs End."

"So?" asked Giles.
"Alright, I don't know if its spelt with one B or two but, well,
you do know what it means don't you?" asked Owen.
"I should do, although I can't think of it right now," stated Giles

"Old Hob, when its spelt with one B, it is a nickname for the
devil, that and the roads full name is the End. I'm not sure if it
is the end though. There is a house on the road, strange
things are said about the house, it could be worth looking
into," said Owen.

"Leave it with me for a couple of days, then call me again."
Giles put the phone down, thought about what Owen had said.
He went into his office and started reading through his books.
As the time slowly passed he kept reading.

"See I told you he'd be here," said Buffy
"Buffy, Carla, good evening, how is every......what?"
"When did you last look out the window?" asked Buffy
"Why?" he looks out the window, "Oh it's daylight! I must have

been reading for longer than I thought, I think I'd best go
home. That is a thought Buffy, why are you here on a day
off?" asked Giles
"Today's a day off? What day is it Giles."
"Saturday, why?" he asked.

"Giles, it's Monday, what have you been doing?" asked Carla.
"Owen rang last, or a couple of nights ago, he thinks he is
onto something. I said I would look for some help," said Giles.
"Where is this place, what does he think it is?" asked Buffy.

"The name of the road is meant to mean something, I know
what it means roughly, but there could be another meaning
but the house and the land near it, that is very interesting,"
said Giles, "It may be your type of interesting Carla."

"Meaning?" asked Carla.
"There is a mound near the house, it is said that demons have
been seen flying around that mound."
Carla looked at Giles, she appeared almost uninterested.

Giles was about to question her about her demeanour, but he
stopped himself. Looking to her, she almost seemed to be
questioning herself. Quietly she went towards the mound.
Without turning she told Giles to leave her.

Doing as Carla said he motioned Buffy to stay close to him
"What us it?" Buffy asked.
"Not sure." he looks at Carla, "Carla said to leave, there is a
house near here, I think he said it is known as the house on
haunted hill."

"The house on haunted hill, in Old Hobbs End?" asked Buffy,
"What has the mound got that that we go to a haunted house?"
Unseen Carla had walked back to them.
"The mound has no demons, the ones that fly around it are of
your side Buffy."

"What are you saying?" asked Giles.
"The local talk has it that demons are said to fly around the
mound that is there. In the mound is a coffin that holds the
body of a warlock," Carla stops talking, she looks around,
then to Giles,

"Those that told you of this place, they should leave."
"Carla? What is it? Is there a significance here?" asked Giles
"He will be pleased with you."
Carla watched as the glow faded, seven figures stood before

her then six of them left.
"Carla, Buffy your Gods are smiling to you. We only knew the
mound covered the entrance to hell. No-one knew who the
entry was for, until now. Carla, as a Debt Collector you know

of certain demons to stop. What you now face is a God, a
Hell-God, worshipped for many millennium. Ten millennium ago
this God was called Ellra, in hieroglyphs he was Ra, known in
Greek Mythology as a woman, Hera. In the spoken tongue of

today's languages he is known as Ra. But Ra was male, and in
the ancient hieroglyphs their was no H."
"What does all that mean?" asked Giles.
"Before the Egyptian Gods, there was Hell."

"There lies the way, the way for her to return home," said the
Angelic Slayer.
"If this is an entrance to Hell, where is the exit?" asked Carla.
"Near here, but no-one knows where yet. Who is this?"

Giles and Buffy looked to who the Angelic Slayer spoke of,
seeing the visitor Giles said it was some-one who he had asked
about the roads name.
"Hello, Mr. Giles asked me about this area. I am from the local

church. I was looking through the oldest of records, older than
I would have imagined. Do you realised mention was made of
this area in the English Doomsday book of eleven fifty eight,
that hieroglyphs speak of here? That, in a country where
records should only be six hundred years at tops.

But I digress, I was told of a woman, a patron of a church near
here. She said of strange ghosts a few miles from here. Also I
have read about this parcel of land, it is owned by the church,
a condition of it is that the ground is never worked, even
planting a flower!"

About half an hour later Giles with Carla, Buffy and the Angelic
Slayer entered the property known as South Downs in the
town of Gabriel. The owner of the property came to meet
them, on the driveway.

She said that she had asked some other people to help her but
they left because the one ghost that was seen had progressed
to four ghosts. Carla gave a look of curiosity then asked where
the ghosts had been seen.

Giles went with Carla to see where the ghosts were. As they
were walking to the area Carla pushed Giles behind a tree. She
pointed along the track.
"There is one," she stated.

"Why make me hide behind a tree, is the ghost going to give
my position away?" asked Giles.
Carla put her finger to her lips.
"That is not a ghost, it is a demon."

Giles looked through the trees, he saw what Carla indicated.
Walking back to where the others were, Buffy looked at him.
"What is it Giles? you look like you've just seen a ghost."
"It wasn't a ghost that we saw, it was a demon," said Carla.

"Are you sure?" asked the Angelic Slayer.
"I think I know the difference between a ghost and a demon,"
replied Carla angrily.
"That is not what I meant, remember when I said your boss

was pleased with you? Well, he is very pleased. You have a list
of the hierarchy of vampires. What could be here is not a
vampire and is not on your list. It is above your list. What
Xander may refer to as an upper level demon, a Hell-God! Your

boss has unlocked the gates! That is why I am here. She
proclaimed it better for us to help, than for him to open the
gates," said the Angelic Slayer.
"I thought it was you that led us," said Giles.
"No," replied the Angelic Slayer, "I help the fallen slayers.

Buffy's boss is the ultimate leader, but the one who leads us to
fight wars in his name is Althamea, Goddess of Time."
"Carla?"
"Ok," she replied, "And thanks."

Carla looked up, she smelt the air. "Are you there?"
Blacken Blade and Twilight appeared.
"Oh he really likes you," said Blacken Blade looking at Carla,
"Your time with Buffy just got doubled."

"Him letting them fix one of his problems," added Twilight.
The ground under their feet seemed to glow, looking to each
other, the air grew warm. Then three women appeared. The
taller of the women looked at Carla, then smiled to Buffy.

"Now that was a honour," said the Angelic Slayer.
"Who was she?"
Buffy looked to Carla who shrugged her shoulders.
"I've never seen her before," stated Carla.

The two stepped forward.
"I am Tianara, this is Tiurnee."
"But, who are you? Who was she?" asked Buffy.
"We are leaders, that was our leader, the leader.
And to you she smiled."

They looked about,
"What do you want us here for?"
"Some demons have been seen here, could you identify them?"
"Where are we?" asked Tianara.

"This place is known as South Downs, in olden times it was
known as Southern Downs, this town is Gabriel," said Giles.
"Why did you just look at each other like that?" asked Buffy.
"Southern Downs, it is a common name for something else,"

said Tiurnee, "The direction south or what is southern is
commonly referred to what is below, when that is linked with
down; both mean the same thing. Many years ago that
innocuous name was given to a place that had multitudes of
demonic activity."

"We have done a quick search of the records of this area,
nothing was written that would suggest any abnormal activity,"
said Giles. Tiurnee faced her.
"Ok, you can remain here, how far back did you go?"

"I checked the records going back five, maybe six hundred
years." "Then you should have gone further, to when the fields
were first entered. Also, not far from here is an area known as
Old Hobbs End, the two places may well be related."

"No, there is a road by that name. It's not the area."
"That area, that was only referred to as Old Hobbs End
because of the warlock who is buried there. My question would
be what was that area known as before?" asked Tianara.

"The questions we asked were only for the time we wanted, I
did not think of looking any further back," said Giles.
"The records only went back to when he was buried there,"
said Carla.

"That may be so, that was all you were looking for. We are
concerned with the other end of evil."
"So from your way of seeing the name of the road, the end is
literally where the devil was killed."

"But I know the devil did not die," said Carla.
"That is because the end also refers to where he was seen
last. That coupled with the name South Downs, I see as a
place of evil.

Please understand this, this may only be the beginning if you
even think evil may be afoot call us, it is best to be wrong.
Now, show me those places as I search for news. This might
be where evil is rising, it may be a part of the evil rising.

Either way we will deal with it."
She looked directly at Giles.
"What is it? why are you looking at me like that?" he asked.
"I am reading your thoughts," said Tiurnee.

She looked at Carla, "This place has many things I have not
seen for a long time. Still, we are here. What you and Giles
saw may well have been one of her guards," said Tiurnee.
"Who will be sent in? the armed forces?" asked Carla.

"The Elite will be called, as no one knows what to expect."
Blacken Blade looked to her daughters.
"I know of them, they are guards themselves. Each Goddess
has six guards at all times, they are invisible until needed."

"Remember we are here to help," said Tiurnee, "I am looking
for knowledge of this place and why you were thinking .. .. now
I see what you were thinking."
Giles knew by the way she was looking at him that she was
searching through his memories.

"As I thought, Old Hobbs End is not about the warlock, nor
about the Kuh-rotan either. They are here as a result of her
trying to get in, the name Old Hobs End only refers to where
he was last seen. Wait, I am being told what is below. It is
not just an exit

it is a breeding ground for more demons."
Feeling the quiet between them Giles started to wonder what
Tiurnee meant, if a demon was seen walk the ground here and
this wasn't just an exit, or a passage.
It could hold a thousand demons.

Should a series of caverns be here. He made a note to ask
about the ground where the warlock was buried.
"Giles, should the passage be a series of cavern many could
be there, but not now. For us to help him he has ended them.

"Even so, the battles we face Giles we cannot afford to lose,
we won't lose. No matter how many fall."
Buffy looked concerned.
"Let me explain a few things to you. In war the humans can
win or lose, the vampires can lose as can the demons I face.

If there was to be a battle between us, neither would win,
ever. As we both can return, so both of us could win and lose.
So we don't fight. We do though kill our own kind and each
others kind. The unknown factor that separates good and evil

are the humans, they can go either way, at the present the
humans are moving our way. The odd thing is, it is because of
this thing called religion. The human have so many religions,
each thinking it is the one true religion. Therefore that

prospect of heaven on earth cannot happen while religion
exists. So there are the armies of good and the armies of bad
at stalemate. Yet we exist, and we do fight and we can win
our battles, but not the war."
"So we keep going, hoping for something to tip the scales.

Is there any end to it?" asked Buffy.
"If you want to go crazy, just think of the big picture, but for
now just think of the little picture. By defeating our enemies
one or one hundred at a time, we can both keep our bosses
happy," said Carla.

"Tiurnee, how long do we need to stay here?" asked Giles.
"Go now if you want to," was the reply.
"When the battle has ended."
"That has finished, I was listening to Carla and Buffy yakking
to each other."

Back amongst the books, Buffy told Willow all that had
happened, reliving each detail.
"Willow you don't look surprised at what I told you," said Buffy.
"Willow? why aren't you surprised?" asked Giles.

"Well, what we have done in the last few years, it was
important, so is this. Those books that Giles tries to hide from
me," Willow gave an apologetic grin to Giles, "Everything you
just said about, it is in his books, not word for word, not the
names, but it was in there."

Returning from the newspaper stand with two copies of the
local newspaper Xander gave one of them to Giles.
He sat back and relaxed.
"Anything of interest in yours Xander?" asked Giles.
"Not really."

Having been preparing an account of a case they were involved
with Willow looked up from the computer.
"What are you two on about?"
"We are just looking through the newspaper," said Xander.

"I can see that, but you are both looking at the same paper."
"And your point is?" asked Giles.
"You are asking him if there is anything worth looking at!"
"Yes, but he is reading the front half, I am reading the back
half," said Xander.

"And the logic is?" asked Willow.
Xander rolled his eyes.
"Will, surely it is obvious, when we get to the middle we swap
papers, that way we do not spoil half of the paper.

So we can put them back on the rack afterwards and we do
not hafor them." Xander smiled to her.
Willow was confused.
"But Xander, Giles, those newspapers are free any-way."

"Really? oh bugger!" exclaimed Xander, and he threw the paper
into the air.

"You are an idiot," declared Willow.
"Have you only just realised that?" asked Xander.
"No, I suppose I have known it for ages."
"So who is the biggest idiot here? me for trying to sound clever,

or you for trying to have an intelligent conversation with some-
one you know is an idiot?"
"I am going know," said Willow,
"I am going to get myself a bottle of water."

Giles watched her walk away, then smiling to Xander,
"That has got to be worth a high five."
Sitting back they smiled to themselves.


To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

THE DEBT COLLECTOR 7

"Buffy, I think Carla is trying to get your attention," said Willow.
Buffy looked up, then went over to the book shelves where Carla
was standing. She was holding a book, it was open.
"Yes Carla, what is it?"

Carla went towards her, still carrying the open book. Giles saw her,
watching from the comfort of his chair, he listened to them.
"I was having a read of the book titles, when I noticed this one."
"Anything special?" asked Buffy.

"Yes there is some bloke mentioned in this book. But the bloke
who wrote this got it all wrong."
"What is the book about Carla?"
"Someone known as Jack the Ripper."

"Speak to Giles, that's where he come from," said Buffy.
"I know a bit, what do you reckon is wrong?" asked Willow.
"It says here that this Jack killed four women, what do you
know about them?"

"Oh." murmured Willow, "Not much, they were street prostitutes."
"And this Jack, you do know who it was that sent him," said Carla.
"No one knows who he was, why? Did he get sent to kill those
poor women?" asked Willow.

"Giles! Are you there? Carla wants to know about Jack the Ripper."
"Buffy, I did not say that, I wanted to know if you knew who
sent him, what you know about his victims, and why they had
been chosen to be ritualistically killed," said Carla

"It was thought that he chose his victims, people who wouldn't be
missed. Are you saying there was another reason?" asked Giles.
"Yes, you are aware that the title of Jack The Ripper was
adapted from a letter, it couldn't have been his name, as he was

of Germanic origin but sent from Italy," stated Carla.
"No, I didn't know about the name, I am glad though," said Giles
"Why is he glad?" asked Buffy.
"In my younger days I was known as Ripper. That is another story,
something I hope you will never know about," said Giles.

"There have been many theories why those women were killed,
none of them were close to the real reason though, well, maybe
one. But that was could only be considered close, in that it used
the opposite reason for these people," said Carla, "The cover up
not withstanding."

"Cover up? What cover up?" asked Giles.
"The first five were the reason for his going there, the other nine
victims were only planned, to act as a cover. Just in case the
reason was discovered. In fact there was to be a second part to
this, but such

a big to do arose about the murders that the second part was
not even started," said Carla.
"What would that have been the second part."
"The witch trials."

"Which witch trials?" asked Willow
"Don't you know? Didn't Giles tell you?" asked Carla.
"Tell me what?"
"A secret, I thought I did, but maybe I didn't, can you keep a
secret?"

"Is it worth it? I mean yes, at least I think so, I don't know.
I won't know "˜til I find what it is, what it is that you are about to
tell me, it might, or might not be," said Willow.
"What?" asked Giles looking at her.

"It's simple really, if you are about to tell me something and that
is a thing that is helpful to me, then yes I can keep a secret.
Although if every one here knows about it then no, as it won't be
a secret. Who do you want me to keep this a secret from?"

She looked at each of them.
"I don't think I could keep a secret from Carla, even if I wanted
to, which I don't. Buffy is my best friend, so I won't keep a secret
there," said Willow.
She leant her head against Giles' chest fluttering her eye-lids,

"Now if it was you, that's a different story."
"I take it you've been reading one of my books," said Giles.
"Sorry! but hey, I put the magazines back where I found them."
"Oh, er yes, thank you Willow, what were we saying?"

"Maybe it was Buffy that I told," said Carla.
"Excuse me," said Willow, "This secret, it would be helpful to
know what it is. Before you tell me, unless I already know what it
is, because if I do know what it is already, then I could say yes."

"If Willow could say yes, you won't need to tell her," said Buffy.
"Thank you both, you have just confused Giles that much he
couldn't say it anyway. So I will," said Carla, "What happened at
Salem didn't, I mean it did, but it did not happen, the way they
said it did."

"I will have no problem keeping that a secret, of that I am sure.
You may have said what the secret was, but you were very
secretive with the saying of it. So as I didn't understand what
you said, your secret is good with me," replied Willow.

"Good, I think." she looked at Willow, "Now about the witch
trials in Europe, it is inferred that they were started by the
vatican after having a few specific women killed. There was an
ulterior motive however, and the second cover, after these
murders was to do the same again."

"Why? What did they need to cover?" asked Giles.
"Let me put it this way, one suggested reason for the killings was
that the Illuminati did them. Like I said before, that was close, it
was the vatican. Certain people found out that those women had
fallen on hard times, were all once married."

"Carry on Carla, it was said that they were divorced, or
separated from their husbands," said Giles.
"That's the thing really, this book says that they were all
estranged from their husbands but what was never disclosed
was who their husbands were, or what they did.

Or, and this is important, who their ancestors were."
"I don't think they, the police that is, thought it was a useful
subject. I would like to think that avenue was thought of bit
disregarded."
"Maybe so, but they missed vital reasons for the killings. The first

victim was Catharine Eddowes. Catherine spelt Catharine was a
tradition in a general of the Knights Templar's family. Catharine
was the keeper of secrets about the Templars. Which was a bit
misguided, as I know what those secrets are, and I will be
disclosing them soon," said Carla.

"Why would you do that?" asked Buffy.
"If you know that they are secrets, are they kept for a reason?"
"Like it has been said Giles, your God wants to win the war, my
God wants to win the war. Neither God wants the humans to win."

"And to stop us humans from winning there are two options. The
first is to cause every religion to cease to be, or to end the
human race," said Giles.
"Oh, which way have you decided on?" asked Buffy.

"My God; the Kuh-rotan. And your God are still trying to end the
vampires. That is why you and I are allowed to work together,
when our work is ended, they will have to agree whats next."
"Carla? are you suggesting they'd have to talk with each other?"

"Of course, just because they hate each other, that is no reason
to think they won't agree what is best," said Carla.
"Sorry, I just can't see my God entering into an agreement with
your God," added Buffy.

"They already have! Your God allowed his vampire slayer to join
with me, the devils Debt Collector to fight the vampires."
"You know, I had never thought of it like that before," said Buffy.
"Right in front of your nose, so to speak," observed Giles.
Carla and Buffy smiled to each other.

"So, of those first five women?" asked Giles
"Yes, okay, the other woman that was killed that night was Mary
Ann Nichols, she was a direct descendant of one of the high order
of the Illuminati. She knows where the great chest is," said Carla.

"What great chest? I haven't heard of a chest," said Willow.
"You have," said Giles, "Just not like that. It was said that the
Templars had a lot of riches that were never discovered."
"Oh, so, about what was in that chest? I won't ask where it is,

partly because I don't want to know. Also as I don't think you
would tell me," said Giles.
"I don't mind saying what is in the chest, it is the monies of the
Illuminati. Now it could be said it won't be worth anywhere near

as much as if it had been put in a bank. How ever, I know that
the coins that are in the chest are seriously valuable. As for me
telling you of its location, I could. But I do not want to, and
neither Buffy or Willow would want me to, because I'd have to
kill you for knowing.

You see there are some special secrets in the chest," said Carla.
"Then the cover up was those other women being murdered and
the cover up would have been to start another witch hunt type
of thing," said Willow.

"Something you said earlier, that these women were ritualistically
killed. Though there was nothing to suggest that they were
ritualistically killed," said Giles
"There is a tenuous variation with the various methods of a ritual

killing, there is also another meaning. It is the meaning of the
word that I am referring to. The person who did the killings was
sent by the vatican and as such had he been found out. Any
ritual killing would have caused a great furore. So that wasn't
done. There was a message

written on a wall that included an indication that the murders
may have been committed by a person of the Jewish faith. It
was the fact the killings were ordered by a religious order against
another religious order, that was the ritualistic part."

"I don't understand," said Buffy, "Why you don't let it be known
who did the killings."
"Timing," stated Carla, "I know what is in the chest, when the
chest is opened and the secrets are revealed that will cause an

upheaval, big enough to end several of the world"˜s religions."
"But not all of them?" asked Giles.
"No, the secret will lead to proof of who the current descendant
of Jesus is, and it is a woman. Now most of the churches are run

by men who try to maintain that man is the better, then there is
the other concept. That being that Jesus caused a child to be
born and that is the doozy as many a heated discussion will be
continued about Jesus being a human or part of the holy trinity."

"Isn't it true that the Illuminati thought Jesus married Mary
Magdalene, which in those days it was accepted that married
people intended to help promote the continuity of the human
race," said Giles
"What do you mean?" asked Willow.

"He means to have kids Will," said Buffy.
"According to what has been written, when Jesus was born some
one tried to have him killed by having all the first born children
killed. And in the case of the witch trials, as the descendant was

thought to be a girl, so all females that were known to have
secret meeting wero death, the cover being to call them
witches," said Giles.
"So how many were killed in Europe?" asked Willow.

"The figure varies, depending on who is asked but two hundred
thousand would be close," said Giles
"That many! How long did the witchhunt go for?" asked Buffy.

"Some say it all started in the latter half of the fourteen hundreds,
the last person being killed as a witch was in seventeen seventy
five in Scotland," said Giles.

"But the law wasn't changed until nineteen fifty two," said Carla,
"Allowing people to be able to belong to what ever religion or
belief they want to," stated Giles.

To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

All characters from the Buffy and Angel TV series are copyright
protected. I do not hold nor do I intend to a start a claim. This
piece of fan-fic is a not for profit story.
Included are Buffy, Carla, Willow, Xander, Giles, Althamea,
Tianara, Whistler. Honourable mentions are Angel, Spike,
the Kuh-rotan, Faith, Hope and Charity.
A Dis-honourable mention to Stewart.

THE GOOD DEMON

After they had finished their lunch, Giles took Buffy and Carla
aside. He wanted to show Buffy how to prepare herself for an
attack, yet also prime herself to attack. Carla watched with
interest.
"Never done that, they go to pieces when they get to near."

"Er, is that other one here, there is a weird looking bloke outside,
he's rummaging through the bins by the kitchen."
Willow looked around for Buffy but only saw Xander. As soon as
she turned back.

"Oh, where did she go? Xander, who was that?"
"Beats me, I've never seen her before."
"What? A girl? You haven't seen her before."
Willow looked to where the girl was standing

"That's odd," said Willow, deep in thought.
"It's alright Willow, Buffy and Carla were with me, they heard
what was said. They've gone to have a look see," said Giles.
Aware that Willow was staring at him, he asked her why.

"What you said, a look see? not exactly Queen's English is it?"
"I see what you mean, I have been neglecting my Shakespeare
recently, I'll go and have a quick read," replied Giles.

Seeing the person by the bins, Buffy suggested to Carla that
she stay back.
"I'd like to find out why he is here."
So Buffy walked towards him. Abruptly he faced her.

"You! you are the vampire slayer!"
"And before you get any ideas about running, that person behind
me, she is a Debt Collector."
"Thanks for the warning, thank you, but, why didn't you kill me?"
he asked.

"Why think that?, apart from you being a vampire?" asked Buffy.
"They said that you would," said Stewart.
"Who are they?" asked Hope.
"I don't know, just some that I met. Their place isn't to far from
here, don't you know about them?"

"Well we know that some are nearby, I can't think why neither
of us knew about them," said Carla.
"So we find them first, worry about the details later."
"So, Stewart, where exactly are they?" asked Buffy smiling.

"Oh, I don"˜t like that idea of going back there, just in case they
don't like me talking to you about them."
"The vampire does have a point," said Xander.
"Buffy and I should go a take a look at that place. Will you three
be alright to look after him?" asked Carla.

Carla and Buffy left before they got a response.
"I think that means we were going to say yes," said Giles.
Looking to the vampire.
"What did you do last night?"

"Nothing, I just watched. A lot of other vampires went there,
they split up into groups of thirteen then went into the woods.
I didn't like how they were dressed. Big cumbersome looking
brown robes, if I didn't know any better I'd say they were
witches, not good ones either."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Giles.
"They had inverted crosses around there necks and several
packets of blood, made me think of black magic."
"Vampires as black witches?, evil begetting evil," said Xander.

"Not being able to find our what was going on, which made me a
bit nervous. So when I saw an opportunity, I left," said Stewart.
"And now you are here, with us," said Giles.
"Hopefully Buffy and Carla get back soon," said Willow.

While Willow and Giles were contemplating the ways a vampire
could be entertained for the afternoon, Xander started a game of
draughts. When a way had been found by Giles and Willow they
went to the vampire, only to find he was enjoying the draughts.

It was four hours later before Carla and Buffy returned.
"Sorry we were longer than you'd have wanted, but we made
the most of our time. Carla killed about twenty three vampires
and there's still another five of them," said Buffy.

"Where are they?" asked Stewart.
"There is a fishery place, it's on the banks of the river," said Buffy
"I remember them, the others gave them a special welcome.
They could be the leaders," said Stewart.

Xander looked at Stewart, "If he stays here, we'll put the holy
water in spray bottles. That way we can go in at one end and
flush them out, you two can be there to pick up the pieces,"
said Xander.
Leaving it until the darkness had made it safe for the vampires.

At the fishery sheds, Carla and Buffy waited as Giles, Xander and
Willow walked casually around the shed, then they burst in,
waving the crosses about and throwing the holy water onto the
vampires. All the vampires just looked at them, and growled.

"Help us!," cried out Willow,
The three of them ran into the bushes.
Carla, puzzled by what they did, asked them
"Why didn't you follow their plan?"

"We did, we thrust the crosses at them and threw the holy
water onto two of them, but neither had any effect," said Xander.
"I haven't come across it before," said Giles, "What would cause
that, more importantly, how could we stop them?"

"Vive Le Difference, sorry, that was meant to sound French,"
said Willow.
"I didn't understand it! So I'll go along with it being French,"
said Xander.

"Being as how my religion is slightly different, yet it's about the
same being. What if those vampires were other than christian
when they were born?" asked Willow.
"Could be, the only other way I can think of, is if the cross and
the holy water were not blessed properly," said Xander.

"Could be," stated Carla, "If the person that blessed them wasn't
connected with the "˜official' church, then all of the blessing were
from him and not from your God. So maybe, as Xander said, the
holy water and those crosses had been blessed by a non official
of the church."

"There is a few other ways, they were accidentally missed or
they were deliberately missed," said Giles.
"So where do we get them from, let's get to the source of the
problem," said Willow.

Carla turned to Buffy, "Let them deal with finding who is
responsible, there is a few vampires that deserve our attention."
"So how could we do this?" asked Buffy.
"Well, I know how but my boss is not going to be pleased if I do

it, I'll tell you who to contact, but you'll have to do it. Once they
are here, I'll go and have a chat with them, or her," said Carla.
Looking about, "It might be best if I give them a call tonight, less
chance of me being disturbed. I realise not many people come in

here but the chances are, if I need quiet there's bound to be a
loads come in," said Buffy.
"As long as your mother agrees, it would be best. I can't help
thinking that we are missing something though."

As the evening progressed they went into Buffy's house, luckily
her mum was going out, so, waiting until she had gone out Buffy
went down into the basement. She had only been there for a
minute when she returned.

"That was a bit quick, why are you back so soon?" asked Willow.
"They were waiting for me, one of them had gone and got what
we would need. Oh, and Giles, they are both still down there.
One of them said she wants to see you."

"Okay, who are they, and who wants to see me?" he asked.
"I know," said Carla, "I thought it might be her, although now I
am sure. I take it that none of you realise what is happening."
"I know," said Buffy, "Carla is sat next to a vampire."

"I normally get within five foot of one and their body
automatically falls apart," stated Carla.
"Then I had best not keep her waiting," said Giles as he turned
to leave them.

"Who is it?" asked Xander.
"Tianara is down there."
"And Althamea," added Carla, "She is doing this, I don't know if it
is because she is here or if it's her will that is doing it."

"How does it feel to have some one that powerful keeping you
around?" asked Carla looking to Stewart.
"Nervous, I feel nervous," he replied, very nervous.
"And so you should."

The brightness in the room increased as Tianara and Althamea
appeared, Giles walked into the room from the basement.
"What I said about us missing something," said Giles.
"Vampire, do not even think of moving, or my will"˜ll, cease to help
you," said Althamea

"This vampire knew we were here, he came here to get Buffy to
attack them. Luckily none of them knew that Carla was here, so
thanks to Carla, Buffy is still alive," said Giles.
"She's here, not still alive though. Like Carla, Buffy should have

died a while ago," said Althamea, "Carla, can you wait outside
a minute?"
Waiting until she had closed the door behind her.
"When I dropped into the pool of water, I imagined myself going
along a tunnel, as I passed into the light, I felt myself being
pulled back," said Buffy.

"What pool?" asked Willow.
"The one when Xander gave me the kiss of life," answered Buffy,
"Who was it that pulled me back?"
"That was Faith, Hope and Charity. That was when they

declared their intentions, they are three of the seven seals,
Armageddon has been averted, one day I will be given to
trumpet to blow," said Althamea.
"When? anytime soon?" asked Xander.

"No, there is still a long time to go, but, well as you know, the
evil are not stupid. Not all of them anyway," said Tianara.
"What she means is, well like with vampires their blood doesn't
always lubricate their brains.

Except Angel maybe and Spike one day, in a few years. And the
Kuh-rotan? by allowing Carla to fight side by side with Buffy, he
allowed us to have the hope and the faith that one day we might
be able to offer him charity," said Althamea.

"One thing I am concerned about, the way that Carla can
destroy a vampire that gets to close. How does that work and
why doesn't Buffy have that power?" asked Giles.

Althamea went to the door, opening it for Carla to join them. As
Carla sat down.
"They would like to know some more about what causes a
vampire to stop existing, if they get to close to you."

"Okay, as far as I am aware, it's a bit like matter and anti-matter.
They can't exist near each other, me being dead but not dead
and them being un-dead," said Carla.
"Fair enough, so why can't Buffy do that?" asked Willow.

"She can, has been able to for, well ever since she became a
slayer. I stopped it, there were to many we don't want killed.
Like Angel, and Spike soon. There will be other vampires and
demons soon, Carla already knows one, Whistler," said Althamea.

"True, he is, he is a sort of double agent," said Carla.
"Like, as in the CIA?" asked Xander.
"A lot higher than them," said Carla, "When Buffy and I first got
together, he arranged it. You see, Whistler is in charge of me,
he is like a manager."

"So he reports to the Kuh-rotan and, oh." Giles looks to Tianara
and Althamea, "Your boss?, the boss?"
"Yes, so you see, it is in our best interest not to allow Buffy the
same power as Carla. We know that Whistlers boss won't stop
him, because of that bit of charity," said Tianara

"So what about these vampires, how should we deal with them?"
asked Giles.
Althamea looks to Buffy, "Do you want to tell him or do you want
me to."

"I will," said Buffy, "One of the reasons why I was gone so long,
I met Whistler, in your place Giles. A certain vampire is being
sent into hell, by me. Whistler will be taking care of these
vampires, as a thank you. I'd suggest we watch as some one as

high and well, I won't say mighty, but powerful. The outcome will
be worth watching," said Buffy.
Just then there was a knock at the door. As Giles went towards
it, Whistler walked through the door, in the room he took his hat
off to them, "Evening."

He quickly looked to Buffy.
"You'll never be a fashion victim will you?" asked Buffy.
"Don't think about him Buffy, look at Willow," said Carla.
Buffy did as Carla suggested, Willow was smiling.

"Oh no!, you think he's cute, don't you?"
"So? who wants to see me despatch these vampires?" asked
Whistler, grinning.
"All of us," said Giles.

Standing near the fishery shed, Whistler suggested that those
who needed to breathe stand well baWaiting until they were
far enough back he signalled to them to stop. Turning he moved
to the wooden shed, with a flick off his wrist the whole shed
vanished.

The vampires faced him, then saw the others.
Whistler, arms held wide brought them together as a clap. The
vampires bodies became a large black cloud, then, just like a
black hole, they imploded.

"All you had to do was make them vanish, you didn't have to be
so dramatic, did you?" asked Buffy.
Whistler put his arm around Buffy's shoulder, speaking to her.

"Just trying to impress some-one. Don't tell her this, but after
the trumpets have sounded, and after she has caused a lot of
wanna be's to actually be vampire slayers," he motioned towards
Willow, "She will be my new boss."

Buffy looked at him, then to her friend Willow, "Really!"

To Be Continued.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Return Of The Debt Collector 9

All characters from the Buffy and Angel TV series are copyright
protected. I do not hold nor do I intend to a start a claim. This
piece of fan-fic is a not for profit story.

A Debt Collector to the Pilgrims.

"What's this Xander? Are you taking an interest in the books? Or
do you just like looking at the pictures of scantily clad nymphs?"
asked Giles, "A tip though, if you ever say you are reading the
text, don't keep flicking the pages, best stop the smiles as well."

Giles wandered over to where the girls were sat.
"I am pleased to see you all reading. What book have you got
Buffy?" he asked.
"I thought I'd have a look at some poetry."

"Really! Hmm ok, who is it?" he asked.
"Angie Dickinson, you know, just in case I accidentally bump into
some one else who reads her stuff," said Buffy.
"What about you Willow? What have you got?"

"Oh, you wouldn't be interested in this."
"Alright," replied Giles, "Just one thing though Willow, when you
have finished with the book, can you please put it back in its
correct place, you know, with the other books in my office that I
don't let

you read," said Giles.
Willow looked up at him, apologetically smiling.
"And, er, try covering up the title with your fingers. The letters
Perg are a bit of a give-away."

He went to the other side of the table.
"What about you Carla?"
"Research, Buffy and I are going to join a ship soon."
"We are? What ship? Where?" asked Buffy.

"There's a ship doing a re-enactment of the Pilgrims crossing, if
it's anything like the first time, I will be needed there. Although
the last time I went there was after they had landed, by a few
months."

"What? There were vampires on the crossing? Anything else?"
asked Buffy.
"No, but if you want the anything else factor, you should have
seen what the Puritans got up to," said Carla.
"I thought they were all good, honest, nice people," said Willow.

"I'm with Carla on this one," declared Giles.
"You obviously haven't done much research about them.
Considering that they landed at Salem in Massachusetts, and
what the history of that place is. Would it surprise you that six of
the Puritans promoted the use of witchcraft?" asked Carla

"The Pilgrims didn't though, did they?" asked Buffy.
"No, what they did, they did by accident," said Carla
"Like what?" asked Xander.
"Well, when they were about to land, all they saw was a land

covered with trees. So, to make it easier for themselves they
asked the captain of the ship, if the ship's cannons could clear
an area for them to start building on."
"That's ok, unless there was some fluffy furry animals in the
area," said Xander.

"No, no fluffy animals. They had all been killed by the er, Native
Americans, some of whom just happened to be in the area at the
time the canons started firing," said Carla.
"About you going there, I was aware that an illness had wiped

out nearly half of them, within three months of landing. Was it
vampires that caused all those deaths?" asked Giles.
"From memory I think forty of them were killed by the vampires,
it was life on the ship that caused the deaths of the others. In

fact, I think it was Squanto and other Native Americans that were
responsible for the first harvest being successful," said Carla.
"That's right," added Giles, "And it was in eighteen sixty three
that that event, and Squanto was honoured with a national

holiday, Thanksgiving."
"So, about this ship, when are we going to go to it?" asked Buffy.
"Considering that you know about it, when ever you want."
"Ok Carla, I'll have to clear it with mum first. Have you got any
thing lined up for me Giles?" asked Buffy.

"No, I'm fairly sure this week should be ok, there's an apocalypse
due next week, but apart from that everything should be ok."
"Oh! Very droll! Xander? I need to know some swear words, so
teach me," said Buffy.

"What me? Sweet innocent little me? How would I know any
swear words?"
Buffy glared at him.
"Although I could probably think of a few," said Xander.

"Good, "˜cos if Giles tries to make any more funnies at my expense,
I may need them." Buffy looked to Giles, he avoided her glance by
smiling at Carla.
"How long will we need to stay on the ship?" asked Giles.

"That's up to Buffy, and the weather. It could be fun if we land
with them though," said Carla.
Xander was confused, "Why?" he asked.
"Think about it, there is a hundred and two people to represent

the Pilgrims and there are seventeen crew, that is a hundred and
nineteen people right, well imagine the concerned faces when a
hundred and twenty one people get off the ship."
"Oh yeah, hadn't thought of that," said Xander.

"When would be best for us to go?" asked Buffy.
"I'd say that any night would be best," said Willow, "Chances are
that seeing two people flying towards the ship, that may provoke
some extra usage of the radio."

"That is all well and good, but how about asking the principal, he
may want you to stay here," said Giles.
"Ooh, me! Me! I want to see old Snidey poos," shouted Carla.

Giles stared at her for a minute or so.
"I would never have entertained the thought of an agent of the
devil sticking her hand in the air, asking me to pick her."
"Well, it is that poison dwarf Snidey, Carla's on about," said Xander.

Acknowledging Xanders reply, Giles went to make himself a cup of
tea.
"I'd like to be a fly on the wall when she does see him," said Giles
He turned to look at them, noticing Carla looking straight at him.

"Did you hear me? But you are to far away."
"If you'd like to be a fly on the wall, I can do that," said Carla
"You're wasting your breath Carla, he might like the idea of it.
But he wouldn't go through with it," said Willow.

"Really? Why not?" asked Carla.
"Flies don't wear tweed," said Xander nonchalantly.
Giles wasn't impressed, especially as Willow and Buffy were rolling
about, on the floor, almost in hysterics.

Giles sternly looked to Xander after he said about the fly being
eaten by a young bird that was just out of the nest, and that
the bird had a lisp. Instead of saying tweet, tweet, the bird said
tweed, tweed.

That night, or the early hours of the morning, Carla and Buffy
were flying about forty feet above the water. Searching for the
ships sails Buffy scanned the horizon.
"Which direction should we be going in?" asked Buffy.

"Straight ahead, it'll just be another ten minutes as we fly,"
replied Carla, "Look, to the horizon. The sails, that is where we
are bound, like I said, another ten minutes should do it."
"What! it'll take longer than that."

"Follow me," called Carla. She flew her charge down to just above
the surface of the water. Buffy flew down to the same level.
"It's like this Buffy," Carla looked down to the water, "We are
about the right height, it's like this. If we stand six foot above the

water then the horizon is only three miles from us. So ten minutes
is right, best make that eight now."
"This'll bring back memories," said Carla becoming very serious,
"It'd be good to feel wood between my feet and the water."

Getting closer, the size of the ship grew larger by the minute,
then by the second. Silently gliding down, they landed on the
deck. Feeling the gentle sway of the ship beneath her legs,"
Carla smiled.

"My God! he was right, it's you."

Carla and Buffy faced him. "I am Captain Jack Strickland, ladies!
if you would care to step into my cabin."
In the cabin he asked them to sit down, pouring them a drink of
wine each, he sat down, then looked at them.

"One of my obsessions is the landing of the first Pilgrims, some
thing that has always been kept a secret, never revealed to the
public. Is the report by the native Americans of a being that flew
to earth and stopped the illness. So, seeing you two fly onto this

ship, will I be finding out about the secret?"
"You will get the answers, not that you can tell anyone, or that
you'd want to," said Buffy.
"From what I understand about you humans, no one would believe

you," added Carla.
"I think I already knew that, something to do with you flying onto
my ship. But tell me anyway, although there is one thing,
Squanto and his braves said of the sword the stranger carried."

Carla withdrew the sword from its scabbard.
"He gave me this, when I became his. Because of my wish he did
this," she pointed to the black just below the crossguard.
"The black of my mother," Carla smiled.

"In the time we have been together," said Buffy, "I don't think I
have ever seen you use the sword."
"I don't need to very often, strangely enough the last time I used
it was to help Squanto," said Carla.

"That's right, you cut down a tree with one cut. They wrote of
the blade. Can I see what is written?" asked the captain
Carla held the sword for him to read.
"The writing's the same, I'd love to know what is means," he said.

"This sword has been the weapon of the Debt Collector through
all time, except when there wasn't one of us. The other side used
it then, they made it even more famous. You two are the first to
see it for a thousand years, this sword is Excalibur.

Forged in the deepest fires of hell, from the most concentrated
rocks to make the a blade that knows no equal in strength.
Imbued with my masters will to stop the vampires, it is magical in
the extreme," stated Carla.

"That explains a lot, what do the words mean?" asked the captain
"Those words don't mean anything, only that he is the owner, "˜Of
the Kuh-rotan' on one side, and on the other, To the Kuh-rotan."
"Your master? the Kuh-rotan? who is he?" asked the captain.
"My master, my boss, you have spoken of him as the devil."

"The sword is stronger than any other, sort of gives credence to
the sword in the stone theory," said the captain.
"Wrong sword though, that one was just to make Arthur the King.
It was the Lady In The Lake that gave him this sword."

"Ok, I mean, it won't be something I can make a report about,
but it is good to know these things. You are a Debt Collector for
the Kuh-rotan, the devil, right? So who are you?" he faced Buffy.
"This will blow your mind," said Buffy.

"After what I've just been told, and I do believe what I have been
told, sure, it was strange. But there is that element that gives it
credibility and meeting Squanto's people will compound it."
"I am a vampire slayer, of one of your Gods armies. A bit like a

special deep undercover secret agent," said Buffy.
"You had to add the word special didn't you?" asked Carla.
"Makes it sound better," replied Buffy grinning.
"You are of God, and you are of the devil? Together? As friends?"

"More than that," Buffy told him, "Five hundred years before I
was born there was Carla, she is my eighteen times, or so, great
grandmother."
"I think you were right, that blew my mind. Two things more, why

are you here and what are you going to do. Has this anything to
do with the illness of the first settlers?" he asked.
"Only ten died from illness, the rest were killed by vampires. That
is why we are here, in case some vampires are here," said Carla.

"Ok, I take it that neither of you like vampires. Another thought,
about meeting the native Americans. This ship is due to pass by
the place that the landing happened, I can take you ashore then
the next day we can go into the main harbour for the official
reception," said the captain.

"Tonight, we make sure no vampires are here, we could leave
before the mornings light and meet you ashore," said Carla.
"Do you want me to go with you, on this ship?" he asked.
"Be a good idea, all those narrow passages," said Buffy.

Being shown the decks where people rested at night, Carla
suggested they start looking in the bottom of the ship. She was
right to, there were six vampires hidden by crates of food.
"Why are you people here?" asked the captain.

"Keep him close Buffy," said Carla.
"That's no good, we are not letting you go," said a vampire.
"You are why we came here," said Carla.
The taller of them stepped forward.

"Say goodbye, cos this is the last day any of you will ever see,"
said the vampire.
"Just keep moving this way," said Carla.
Buffy felt the captain step back from them. Turning to him.

"Considering what we told you earlier, is the best place to be
close to us or away from us?"
He moved closer to them.
"It makes no difference to us where you sta........."

The bones of his body fell to the wood.
"What the! How?" asked a vampire.
"That would be Carla that did that, you may have heard of her,
she is the Debt Collector," said Buffy.

Carla darted forward causing the other vampires to fall as bones.
Walking back she glared at Buffy.
"Didn't refer to me as special? Did you!"
"Didn't give me much time, I was just about to and you killed them

all," said Buffy.
"I think you are special," said the captain.
"Thank you!" Carla smiled to the captain, looked at Buffy again.
"Huh!" stated Carla as Buffy smiled her.

The following day Captain Jack Strickland rowed the small boat to
the shoreline, on the beach he met the descendants of Squanto
and that tribe, ushering them just past the tree line he
introduced them to Buffy and Carla.

"As the leader of the tribe I should be here, as the captain of the
ship you should be here. Why these two?"
"Carla is the person who stopped the illness at the first landing.
Your tales are of her," said the captain.

The men of the tribe slowly stepped back, only the medicine man
moved towards her.
"Of that we will need proof."
"At our camp then, follow."

The group made their way over the ridge into the camp.
"The people of this country asked us to put our tents in the same
area as before," said the medicine man.
Carla looked at the terrain, walking away from the tepees, to

another clearing.
"This is where you should be, by these trees, this is where Squanto
had his tepee," said Carla.
She withdrew her sword, slowly raising it until it was horizontal, a

few feet above the ground, then she began to sweep the area.
Stopping, she began to dig at the ground. Before long all the
tribes people were digging with her. Then they all stepped back.
"Cut from the tree that I cut down, a totem pole. A memory stick

of my visit. That wood will never rot or rust, it has been
empowered with the molten rock from the depths my sword came
from. Casting her sword along the relic, colours began to be seen.
The members of the tribe set it onto the ground. Allowing it the

pride of the land, overlooking where the Pilgrims first crops were
raised.
"This will never be moved, it cannot be moved. And should you
ever leavel know where to return."

Carla smiled to each of them.
"You know, being as you are from the devils side. I am really glad
you don't have any horns," said the captain.
"We've all got horns, the females anyway," replied Carla.

Buffy instinctively looked at herself, then felt her head.
"I haven't," she said.
"Of course you have, all women have, they are just known by
another name," Carla touched one of Buffy's breasts,

"What is it you call them now?"
"Oh my God! My breasts? They are my horns?" asked Buffy
incredulously.
"No, but you should have seen your face," said Carla, "Well worth
it, come on Buffy, I think it is time we left. Let them have their
celebrations."

The winged horse and the winged unicorn appeared by them,
mounting them, Buffy and Carla flew up into the air as the native
Americans and the captain stared at them.

To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

All characters from the Buffy and Angel TV series are copyright
protected. I do not hold nor do I intend to a start a claim. This
piece of fan-fic is a not for profit story.
And that could be a good thing, as who would pay for it?

Return Of The Debt Collector 10
IS THAT HORSE PALE GREEN?

Buffy was teaching Carla the basic facts of Rock, Paper, Scissors.
Carla was confused by its banal simplicity, Giles was looking on
with dismay, listening to Buffy trying not to get confused was
humourous, whilst was continuing Willow and Xander had started
betting on each outcome of each game.

Giles was the first to realise it, looking to the windows to see if a
cloud had just passed by the sun. Willow looked to him, she had
noticed it as well.
"Giles? What is it?"

The doors slammed shut, then locked themselves. The windows
became blackened. Giles looked to the other windows, they were
now blackened. They were, for all intents and purposes, invisible
to the outside world.

Giles quickly called them all to gather behind the counter, no
sooner than they were there that seven figures appeared.
One of the figures moved towards them. Althamea became
visible to them, Giles looked to her side.

"What is that?" he asked.
"That is the first quarter of the trumpet. When what it
represents first has been beaten, half of the trumpet will start to
become visible. See this as a warning to you all. Now I wish to
talk with Carla."

Carla went around the counter into the room, to stand facing her.
"What are they doing?" asked Xander.
"I'm not sure about this, but I'd suggest they are communicating
telepathically."

"Why do that?" asked Willow.
Althamea and Carla looked to Buffy, who went to join them.
The silence continued, they kept turning to face each other.
Each of them appeared to agree, Buffy walked back to the
counter, looking to them.

Nervously, Willow, Xander and Giles looked to each other.
"Soon it will begin, the word has been sent and all have agreed,
I may call on one or all of you from time to time, but as for now
this is not for humans," said Buffy.

Giles, Willow and Xander stood in the library, alone.
The brightness of the room had had gone, looking to the windows
Giles saw they were no longer black.
"Look at the clock, when we went behind the counter it was
fifteen minutes to ten. It is now ten thirty," said Giles.

"Forty five minutes? No way was that forty five minutes."
"You are right Xander, that didn't feel like that long, here. If we
were here," said Giles.
"What is it Will, what are you thinking of?" asked Xander.

"Giles, after the door locked, did you notice how all the windows
seemed to be blackened? What if they weren't, what if we were
somewhere that was total blackness?" asked Willow.
"Where would we have been?" asked Xander.

"Well, it wouldn't be in outer space, there is too much light out
there. We could have been on the dark side of the moon, but it
wasn"˜t cold in here," said Giles.
"There is only one place I can think off that no one knows of.

It could be where they come from, from the other side of a black
hole," said Willow, "It's meant to be devoid of light there."
The doors burst open, looking to the untidy heap on the floor.
Giles, Willow and Xander became aware they were alone.

"What the! Where? Have you been trying those illusions in your
magic books?" asked Snyder.
"Why?" asked Giles.
Xander muttered about swimming lessons in the Sahara.

"Is Miss Summers here, she isn't in her class, again."
"Well I think I can honestly say she isn't here," said Giles, "Have
a look for yourself."
"So where is she. Several other children here told me she was
seen entering this place," said Snyder.

"What do you want us to say? That she just disappeared? If
that is what you want, I'll say it," remarked Xander.
"Xander, none of that. Just because he looks stupid, there's no
need for you to cast dispersions on his intelligence," said Giles.

"Very funny." Snyder went towards the cage, stopped, then
faced Giles, "That was English humour wasn't it?"
As he looked towards them, Buffy appeared in the room.
"Guys have got to see this." They all vanished.

"What the?...... Where is.......," he looked about the empty room,
"Where is everyone? Oh great, now I'm talking to myself,"
commented Snyder. He went to his office muttering to himself
and occasionally looking around..

"What just happened? Where are we?" asked Xander looking at
the fields with hedges all around.
"Don't worry about that Xander, now just over that ridge, some
thing is going to happen soon. There is meant to be quite a bit
of ghostly activity soon, you really should see it," said Buffy.

"I know enough about this area to know we are in England, but
where, and why exactly are we here Buffy?" asked Giles.
"You should get a few answers at the top of that ridge, just try
not to get seen."

Looking to each other they went to the apex of the ridge, Giles
turned, looking to Buffy, just in time to see Carla appear next to
her, then they both vanished.
As they reached the top of the ridge they lay down.

"Who are they?" asked Xander. Looking at the trees and valleys.
"Why are we here? What are we trying to see?" asked Willow.
"Don't ask me, I am in the dark about this as well," said Giles.
"You shouldn't think of this as being here to see," said Buffy,

"You are here just to witness what will be."
Giles turned to face her, "Here to see what? where's Carla?"
"She isn't allowed to see this, to see where they will first appear,
just as I am not allowed to see what she is seeing," said Buffy.

Giles looked about, he thought of themselves. Four people, alone
in a field.
"What is it that we are waiting to look at? What is going to
happen that we should see?" asked Giles.

"To know we are not alone, to know that when push comes to
shove.....Wait, listen, it is starting." Buffy smiled.
They watched as he ramparts of a castle appeared, below it a
large pair of gates adorned with lots of what seemed to be shiny,
off white balls.

"What are they?" asked Xander. Willow looked to Buffy.
"No, they can't be, surely not," said Giles
"I need my hints a little more obvious," stated Xander.
"Grown from a grain of sand, that something so common could

become seen as a thing of beauty, said to hold and indeed be
the very essence of purity and innocence. And they give the
name of the gates," said Giles.
He looked to Buffy, about to ask her when a bright light

removed the gates from their sight, then a long covered cavern
grew from the ground.
"Normally that isn't seen, but that isn't why you are here. Oh
and Giles, this is something you should never write about."

The ground started to vibrate, the ripples underfoot seemed to
be getting stronger, then the sound began to accompany the
tremors. As into their sight, appearing from darkness, soldiers
began to appear continuing their march.

Willow faced Buffy, "You knew about this? Where they are
coming from, that is what is referred to as the tunnel isn't it?"
"It is," acknowledged Buffy.
"But people go into it, so how come they are coming from it?,
and where is Carla?" Willow shrieked,

she turned to face Giles. Suddenly her stare went near to Buffy.
"Oh! Hello, you knew about this, you told Buffy? Right?"
"Hello Willow," said Althamea, "Yes you are right and yes it is
the dead who normally enter that tunnel. Though now, as you
can see it is the dead who march from the tunnel."

"Then," said Willow, "They are his army?"
"And Carla? She knows of this? So why isn"˜t she here?" asked
Giles, "I would have expected to see more of her kind here."
"She is somewhere I am not allowed to see. She is showing the
way for her bosses forces," said Althamea.

"Wow, hang on. Is this it?" asked Xander. Willow and Giles
shrugged their shoulders.
"What?" they asked him.
"You don't know?"

He smiled as he realised what that meant.
"I guess that means the Xan man wasn't just looking at the
pretty pictures? huh? Carla is somewhere pointing the way for
her bosses forces. They are here marching from, well where

that is, but this is it people, this the final battle," said Xander.
"No," said Giles, "It can't be, the trumpet, only a quarter of it
can be seen."
He looked to Althamea, "What is happening?"

"This is the first of four battles major conflicts that need to
happen, before the trumpet is blown. We tried to do this once
before, hoping it would happen. This time though we are better
prepared."
"Why what has changed?" asked Willow.

"Three of them have chosen a side. Now they can be touched."
"Three of who?"
Appearing in the valleys and over the countryside were two vast
armies facing each other.

Slowly at first, they moved towards each other. In the no mans
land Giles saw a horse and rider. Without warning the two
armies charged forward, stopped then vanished.
"Ok, let me see if I understood that, that was an army of the
Kuh-rotan," said Giles.

"Correct," said Althamea.
"And an army, well, from your side?"
"Correct."
"No, I have still got nothing," said Giles.

"Willow, what we were talking about. Giles? will you tell them
what you saw?" asked Althamea.
"I thought I saw," he looked to Althamea, "I did see it? Ok, I
saw a horse and rider, it just appeared between the two armies."

"Who you saw is mentioned of, has been mentioned, feared. It
was as has been said of the rider of a pale green horse. That
was the fourth of the seven seals, one of the four horsemen of
the apocalypse. Down there in our army were three of the seven

seals Faith, Hope and Charity. Because of them, the other four
of the seven seals can be touched." Althamea was quiet,
"Sorry, there is only three horsemen now."
"The one that was there, that was death," said Buffy.

"Why was... Giles looked at where the battle was to be, I am
not sure why they were here," said Giles.
"The armies of both sides, they are all dead," said Willow, "He is
said to be death, could he be the controller of the dead? Could
he be the prophet for all that is to die?"

"He was here because he expected a great battle, the battle to
end all battles. The start of the end for all that is good and or
evil. Only it was a trick, Carla had told me he was with the
Kuh-rotans son, that he was on her list. He is on our list as well.
So we joined forces to end him," said Althamea.

"Considering what you planned to do, why would you want us
here?" asked Willow.
"To control your thoughts, to make your think of something other
than wanting to do your bit. Even if you had thought that you

wanted to help, you would then have beart of our army,
and as such all of our army would not all be dead, and as such
Death could not have been defeated."
Giles looked to Buffy.

"As Carla once told you, I am like her, dead."
"You could have just told us," said Xander, "Although, thinking
about it, if you had told us not to think about that, we would
have, even though none of us would have wanted to."

"Excuse me, Althamea, the trumpet, I can see nearly half of it
now," said Giles.
Althamea looked down to it.
"Good, then we do not have to wait to long for the next one."

To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Return Of The Debt Collector 11

In a time of War, there is a lack of Food.

Cordelia instinctively knew something was wrong, Xander had
spoken nicely, almost politely, to her. He had seemed distant, like
he was thinking about something else while he talked to her.
Feeling a bit inquisitive about what it could be she went along the

corridor, with him. Walking along side Xander she even
acknowledged the presence of a teacher. As she entered the
library, no one looked up or commented about her presence.
Wandering to where Xander was sitting she asked him why they
were all so engrossed in books.

"Trying to find out about the horsemen of the apocalypse,"
stated Willow.
"The four horsemen? what do you want to know?" asked Cordelia.
Willow looked up, "The three horsemen."

"Unless we are on about different ones, there is four of them."
"Cordy," said Xander, "There is only three of them now."
"He's right, we saw the death of the one that rode the pale
horse last week," said Willow, "That is why you are here, to help
us look for anything about the rest of them."

"Ok, what do you want to know?" asked Cordelia picking up a
book.
"We want to know where they go to relax, where they come from,
anything and everything. If you find something, let them know."

"Is there any time limit?" asked Cordelia.
Willow looked at Xander, "What do you think?"
Xander indicated the other table.
"Better ask them, they know more than we do," said Xander.

Cordelia looked at the other table, she knew three of the people
sat there. "Who is the other one?"
"That'd be Althamea, if you're going to be nice to anyone be nice
to her." Cordelia looked at Willow, uncertainty reigned, caused by
the tone in Willows voice.

Willow used her legs to push a chair out from under the table.
"Have a seat Cordelia, can you do the chair next to you as well."
"Ok," replied Cordelia, "Who's that for?"
Xander looked to her. "For Harmony."

"Harmony? Why is she coming here?"
"I'm not coming here, I am here. Willow asked me, she said you'd
be here," said Harmony.
"Oh and what are you here for?" asked Cordelia.

"Isn't it obvious? Oh? Why am I here Willow?"
"To help Buffy, and to help Cordelia."
"I am? that "˜s ok then, it is ok isn't it? Er, who are those two with
Buffy and Giles?"

Cordelia looked to the other table noting that another person was
sat at the table. Looking to the door then to the table again.
"Don't ask Cordy," said Xander, "Just accept it."
"Who are they?" asked Harmony.

"People you don't want to get on the wrong side of, or stare at.
You'd best sit down and start reading," said Xander.
Standing up suddenly, the wooden legs of the chair grated on
the floor.
"What? ok, Buffy, Carla, Tianara. Here we go," said Althamea.

Giles, suddenly seeing he was by himself, realising there wasn't
much point sitting at the table alone, moved towards the other
table.
"Good morning Harmony, how are you," he said as he sat down.
"Confused, bewildered. Who were they."

"The younger one, the one that looks a bit like Buffy, she and
Buffy are related, there's a few years between them though,"
said Giles.
"How many?"

"Her name is Carla and about twice as old as Angel. As for the
others? Well, you should add another nought, maybe two."
"Willow said that one of the horsemen of the apocalypse is dead.
Is that why we are here?" asked Cordelia.

"Sort of, it isn't about the one that died though, we're trying to
figure who out of the other three might be next."
"Next? Next to what?" asked Harmony.
"Next to die, stands to reason it'll be War," said Cordelia,

"In a war there is conflict, with the escalation in conflict there is
usually a food shortage that"˜s Famine."
"So, will a famine be next, or is Famine next?" asked Willow.
"Caused by War and Conflict, I"˜m not sure," added Giles.

"Do we know where this Famine will be?" asked Cordelia.
Above Sunnydale the sunlight faded, the skies all around became
dusty, a light brownish colour, the ground rumbled. Giles told
them to quickly stand in the door frames.

Listening, waiting for the rumbling to stop Giles looked to Xander
and Willow. As the minutes passed by the rumbling continued.
Looking to his watch, exasperated by the passing of time.
"Twenty two minutes? What is it? what's happening?" asked Giles.

"Excuse me, we were covering earthquakes and the tectonic
plates in Geography last week. I can help," said Harmony.

"What could cause that sound, and why would it keep going for
so long?" asked Giles.
"It could something to do with a volcano, but I'd be more inclined
to consider an earthquake, of sorts."

"What do you mean Harmony, of sorts?" asked Willow.
"The basics are that the tectonic plates are continually moving,
They don't noticeably move though, it's about the same speed
that a toe nail grows. Thing is, there is constant movement.

So what we experienced could have been two plates rubbing
together, producing just the ripple effect in the ground and
nothing more."
"When you say just the ripple effect, what else could happen?"
asked Giles.

"There could have been the vertical effect, that would be more
catastrophic, it could trigger a ripple effect which in unison would
cause the ground to open up like a cooked oyster."
Realising she was suddenly the centre of attention.

"Oysters aren't an aphrodisiac, they made me throw up."
"That isn't why they are looking Harm," said Cordelia, "And what
else do you know?"
"Oops! Um that could cause a movement of the ground, the

constant too-ing and fro-ing of the surface soil makes it become
a liquid form, a bit like quicksand only a thousand times worse, it
could have the effect of moving the surface. In extreme
conditions it could have sufficient movement to allow magma to

get near the surface, magma on the surface is then known as
lava, like in a volcano," said Harmony.
"I wonder," said Willow, "If the ripple effect was deliberately
caused, if the magma was allowed to close to the surface then

plants would die, thereby causing a famine."
"Oh my, I see what you mean, yes," stated Giles.
"You like that sort of thing do you Harm?" asked Xander.
"You do know a lot about it," said Cordelia.

"Sure, it's interesting," remarked Harmony.
"You'll be a star trekky soon," said Xander, "A Vulcanist."
"If that was funny, I'm sure I'll laugh, soon," commented Cordelia.
"I'm going to be an ist!" exclaimed Harmony
Cordelia laughed.

Giles stood, he went to look at the books on the shelves. Noting
the names of the books. Reluctantly he asked Willow to get four
books from his office. Willow looked to Cordelia, Xander and
Harmony.
"Only four books?"

"Two books for each of us, I have my doubts letting you read
them. But there is no way I'd consider letting them see their
content," said Giles.
Willow went into the office, normally she had to wait until Giles

was distracted, so being asked to get some of the books showed
how desperate he was getting. Sat at the table Giles waited.
"Mr. Giles, there's some one to see you," said Harmony.
Not expecting any visitors Giles looked to the doors.

"Good grief! Miss Harkness! what brings you here?"
"News has spread, a great battle is about to be fought, there are
many coming here. Ones I thought I'd never meet, let alone be
able to pool our powers with."

"I don't understand, why are you here?" asked Giles.
"This is where we have been told to come, not right here. Just
less than half an hours drive from here, a disused factory."
Willow walked into the room, handed Giles a couple of books.

"Hello Willow, good to meet you," said Miss Harkness, "Something
you said a while ago, about people not remembering what they
couldn't explain."
"What of it?" asked Giles.

"Our seer has spoken of a shadow in time, when the days of our
lives are fading," said Miss Harkness.
"What could that mean?" asked Giles.
"We know of today, but in the fullness of time today hasn't
existed and today is one of those days."

Giles watched her head towards the door, then she turned and
looked at them.
"I am here, I know I am here, yet when today is gone I will not
have been here."

Curiously he watched her leave.
"Can you help me, I can't get them all," said Willow.
"All? All of what?" asked Xander.
"We'd best get some chairs for them," said Willow.

"We had? For who?"
"She didn't say who, just that we'd need fourteen chairs."
Xander looked to Giles.
"What is she on about?"

"Didn't you hear her? As Miss Harkness was leaving, she said they
would be here soon," added Willow, "very soon."
"Who would?" asked Giles.
"She didn't say, only that we could all be back to normal by the

end of the week. Don't know what that I know means by that
either."
"You are right about that Will, she didn't say, she didn't speak,"
He looks to Giles, "Could that mean we shouldn't know."

"No, it's more likely that the room might be bugged or they think
it might be," said Giles.
"There is another possibility," stated Harmony, "If, according to
this book, the horsemen know what will happen. It does stand to

reason that they do, being able to for-see a death. They might
be able to hear what is being thought."
"That isn't it, is it Giles. Just because they can it doesn't mean
they will, only that they might, it is a possibility," said Xander

"That's right, good point Xander, they wouldn't worry about the
room being bugged and arrange to have a meeting here."
"Some one mind telling me what's is going on?" asked Harmony.
"Seems we've got some visitors coming," said Cordelia.

Harmony gazed at Giles.
"Why would anyone want to come here?"
"I'll have you know that this place is well liked by the important
people," stated Giles.

The doors were pushed open as Willow walked into the room.
"Hey Will where's the chairs?" asked Xander.
"I told Snyder that Carla wants them, I said to take it up with
her if there's any problem."

"He'll do that?" asked Harmony.
"He knows what Carla can do, he'll.. ..."
The doors opened, in walks Snyder carrying some chairs.
"I'll be back with the rest."

Willow grinned, for Harmony's benefit.
Looking at the book she was holding Harmony quickly become
engrossed in the contentious issues it raised.. She kept her
questions to herself. Only looked up when Cordelia prompted her
saw the room was full of people.

"You've had the first of the ground movements haven't you?"
asked General Gregor.
"It lasted for some twenty minutes," said Giles, "What do you
mean, the first?"

"There will be some more, as many as needed," said Carla.
"I told tried to tell them a bit about earthquakes, so they should
understand a bit," explained Harmony. Althamea looked to Giles.
"We wanted some one to help," he stated.

Looking accusingly at Harmony,
"Ok, I'll allow her to stay," said Carla.
"Why? What do you mean?" asked Xander.
"By this time next year she'll be like Angel," said Carla.

Cordelia turned to face her,
"Harmony! how could you! Being like Angel. What is your child-
hood drama?"
"What's wrong with Angel? asked Buffy.

"Nothing, really, it's just that ... , well, I hope she cuts her hair."
Buffy looked at Cordelia.
"What?"
"I can't stand long hair on a boy! it doesn"˜t look right."

"Hang on a minute, nope, sorry. I thought I was going to laugh,"
said Xander.
"So, what is going to happen?" asked Giles.
"It has already started, the ground moving, it wasn't as Harmony
would have told you," said Tianara.

"What else could it have been?" asked Harmony.
"Something your teacher wouldn't have told you. As this is a
special occasion, and special problems mean the unknown is
about to come into being," said Tianara.

"I want to ask you? But I doubt that you'd tell me," said Giles.
"As you see these, you will not remember them being sat before
you, so it does not matter what we tell you. Time will be reset so
as you won't remember this, ask away," said Althamea.

The ground started to rumble again.
"Carla?" asked Buffy. Carla listened intently to the grounds, the
groaning. "Not yet, the doors have been found, it isn't here. They
are in the town of Sharpsville."

"But I thought the Hellmouth was here," said Giles.
"It is, but it is only one of the mouths of hell."
Carla saw the confused look Giles had.
"Ok, continuing the terminology of the human body. Assume that

the appendix has been fixed but the stitches holding it together
have started to leak, it's contents are searching for a way out.
Now, alright there isn't one, so, in the search for a way out a
weak point is the new egress. When that weak point is found a

passage will be forced open then it's contents will be released.
Like Mt. Vesuvius "
"Ok, but, in this case what are the contents, what will happen?"
asked Giles.

"As we are about to end the three horsemen, we want the
circumstances to be right," Althamea looked to Giles, "We only
had a small section of our armies last time."
"What do you mean by your armies?" asked Xander.

"Our army has started to come onto the world, the other army is
of Carla's boss," said Althamea.
"Harmony, Carla's boss is the devil," said Cordelia.
"Even though you won't remember this, when you are a vampire

you will remember this. Because you are willing to be here, to
help, I will permit you to remain," said Carla.
"So, the analogy? What is coming out is all the devils forces,
from the bowels of, well, hell?" asked Harmony.

"That's it," agreed Tianara, "Sharpsville is where they will come
out, the rumbling you heard and felt, the extra heat on the soil is
causing all the plants to fail and die. Thereby a famine is started,
that'll bring the black horse, and then the red and white horses

to respond. As soon as thsurface they will be
tracked then the good and the evil will join to eradicate them,"
said Althamea
"What happens after that?" asked Willow.

"My trumpet will come into being, then I and my sisters will sound
the final battle."
"How long will that take?" asked Willow.
"There are some things us humans are not meant to know. Even

for you Willow, the humans here will think of you as a Goddess.
The ones who choose are the real ones," said Miss Harkness.
She turned to Althamea and Tianara.
"Will anyone remember this?" asked Xander.

"Angel will, Buffy and Harmony, and to a lesser degree Spike, oh
and Willow of course, when she joins us," said Althamea.
"I don't understand, Buffy, Harmony and Angel be alike?"
asked Giles.

"When they are vampires."
"Me? A vampire? Do they beat me?" asked Buffy.
"Yes, but not for long," replied Althamea.
"I wouldn't want it to be for long. I must admit, me being a
vampire, it is one of my worst dreams," said Buffy.

"I hear that," said Carla, "Although I'd say they might be those
dreams that are called nightmares."


To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Return Of The Debt Collector 12

Of The Seven Seals.

The skies began to darken, as the top of a hill near Sharpsville
violently exploded, pouring clouds of ash, molten rock and boiling
soil into the sky, like a massive atom bomb the mushroom cloud
soared high, towards the atmosphere.

Yet to those in the town, there was neither the pyroclastic
clouds or the lava flow, just masses of the molten rocks being
flung into the air as if they were thrown by super heated air that
was escaping from the bowels of the earth.

Starting to create its own weather patterns, aircraft were
immediately notified, then told to circle where they were, waiting
for the winds to push the ash cloud one way or another. Teams
of seismologists were immediately despatched to the area.

The co- pilot of a Jumbo jet was calling to a ground controller.
"Mayday, mayday, mayday. LA Tower this is flight BCA 352 we
have an emergency situation, all four engines have stopped, we
have just flown into the ash cloud from a volcano, requesting

emergency clearance. We are going to descend to three
thousand feet where I will try to restart the engines."
"This is LA tower, all emergency services are being alerted as
we speak."

"The air force have scrambled three F-18's to the area, as no
mountain's in the area are thought to be volcanic. Can you
describe what you are seeing?"
Automatically he started to say what was unveiling ahead.

If only he'd not said about what he'd witnessed. As there was
Carla on her winged horse of fire charging through the ash clouds.
Realising what he'd just admitted seeing, he was cursing his
statement as others began to report thousands of white unicorns.

Some of them flew through the planes. One of the cabin crew on
an aircraft had nearly finished reporting them being seen, as one
of them flew through the plane, just in front of her. Fainting, she
never finished her report, two other stewardesses caught her as
she slumped to the cabin floor.

Rapidly flying north, to south, south west of Sharpsville. The
pilots in their F-18's had been sent to get up to the second
information, their leader spoke of the massive statue that was
almost silhouetted against the white clouds pouring upwards.

Looking into the crater the lead pilot stuttered his report
"LA Tower, this Sgt. Bennett of the Black Knights, I've just made
a pass. The crater was empty, I'll need to make a second pass to
confirm this. You should be able to get a fix though, there was a
very big statue on the hill."

"Sgt. Bennett, tell me when you're about to make the next run."
"LA Tower, I am banking now, about to begin the second run.
Give me half a minute."
Waiting for the pilot's report, the time seemed to slow.

"LA Tower this is Sgt. Bennett, the column appears to be
slowing. I can confirm the crater is hollow, what the! Oh my god!
It was the statue, it was flying!"


Even though this was the middle of winter, a farmer, Jethro
Allen Fitzwilliam had been told the crops in the top field
appeared to be wilting. Knowing the winters rains should have
promoted life in his crops. He went to see his fields for himself.

Taken aback he was unsure of what to think. Nothing had grown,
even the evergreen trees had lost all life, even the weeds in the
soil were devoid of anything remotely green. Feeling the ground
he noted the warmth of the soil, looking up, he ran to his car

then drove to the next hilltop where he could see to the edge of
his eight thousand acre farm. The question of the condition of
the fields where his stock were grazing, paramount in his mind.
What he saw caused palpitations, tens, maybe hundreds of

thousands of an ancient army was walking towards his
neighbours property, nothing slowed them, they seemed to walk
through the fences. Seeing them head towards a rise Jethro got
back into his car, then drove along a lane, past the rise and to
the next valley.

Standing on the high point he could see three dots in the sky
getting bigger, he was about to drop to the ground as three
F-18's flew overhead, just before the sonic boom. The police in
Sharpsville had issued an emergency broadcast to the local
radio station.

The surrounding towns were ordered to close all roads leading to
Sharpsville. Standing outside the police station, they saw
something was wrong, biblically wrong. Dogs and cats were

running side by side, the streets were filled with spiders, all
manner of insects, rats and nice. Anyone seeing the road would
think it was a conveyor belt. In the fields the animals that
sought the human world for free food moved across the once
green pastures, not caring if they were seen.

Knowing what was about to happen they were leaving the town,
not expecting to return, not knowing if the could return.
If anyone bothered to look at the plume rising from the hill, they
would have seen it was stopping, thinking about it though, it was

just as well they hadn"˜t as all form of demonic creatures were
flying out of the hill, as the plume from the overheated rock
slowed and stopped, devilish animals with red eyes peered from
the rim of the crater. Laughing and rolling down the hillside they

intended to enjoy themselves, plus they knew this wasn't likely
to happen again. Settling to walking pace as they crossed into
the fields several of them did look back, then saw that Hell itself
was emptying, the ground itself looked as though it was moving.

Carla, her sister and her mother flew above them, guiding them
to follow the right way. As they neared the crest of a hill Carla
bade them stop. Peering through the remains of the falling ash
she could see the armed forces covering the next hillside.

Deep in the vale, three horses slowly strutted on, their riders
looking to the dead soil, inspecting the dying plants. Carla was
just able to see the colours of the three horses; black, red and
white. With a wave of her arm the armies of the Kuh-rotan
began to moved forward.

Althamea called upon the dead to rise from the ground and be
with them. As her call was answered the clothing of the dead
changed to the uniform chosen for them several thousand years
before, as made by Garet and Scherry.

The three horsemen of the apocalypse looked to each other as
Althamea and her sisters blew on the trumpets. Smiling the
three horsemen looked to each other.
Famine broke their silence.

"With all the dead we shall take their souls and get what was
kept from those thousands of years ago."
"And in one fell swoop the conflict become the war," said War
They smiled to each other.

"We should leave this place, and come back when the ground is
littered with the dead."
Moving towards the end of the valley they were confronted by
Carla, Twilight and Blacken Blade.

War was about to sneer an accusation of derision to them as
Buffy rose to stand with them.
"Wondering why we are standing together? What about these
three," called Buffy.

"I know who you are with, I can see them!" exclaimed Conflict.
"Oh no, I don't mean the Debt Collectors, I mean these three."
Faith, Hope and Charity emerged, "They have chosen to be with
Althamea's armed forces," said Buffy smiling.

"Remember how you sided with his son? Well have a look
around," stated Carla.
Surprised at not seeing what was just there, as on one slope
stood the six sisters of Althamea.

Looking to the other slope they saw the seventeen Kings of the
Demon lines.
"Now look along the valley floor," announced Buffy.
Knowing they were trapped, that all was not how it seemed they

faced the Kuh-rotan and Althamea as they walked, side by side.
Towards the horses. Before any of them could utter a sound
they felt the searing cold and heat of an attack, then it was
dark, all was gone.

"Who should have them?" asked The Kuh-rotan.
"We only knew of them, of you wanting them because of Carla.
You should take them, make statues of them if you wish," said
Althamea, "But I hope you won't be upset if I never want to visit."

Almost smiling to Althamea, the Kuh-rotan turned to the end of
the valley.
"Debt Collector, do you want to return to what you once were?"
Carla looked to Buffy, then to her mother and sister.

"There is still a few vampires I need to see, but I would like to lie
at rest with my family again."
Then quietly to Buffy, "And for some unknown reason I will enjoy
saying goodbye to Snyder."


Keeping a few paces behind Buffy, Carla wondered how she would
be greeted, being as she was wearing the brown leather battle
dress of the armed forces.
As Buffy strode into the school Carla just managed to stop the
door as it closed on her.

"What is this? Bit late isn't it? What are you going to do, it is
two thirty you know," said Snyder, "And that get up, brown
leather? Strange even for you."
"Oh," said Buffy, "You don't mind me wearing this do you?"

"Any thing to say if I do mind," Snyder sneered at Buffy.
"Me? Not really, but the person behind you might."
"It's that Carla isn't it?" asked Snyder.
"Old Snyder isn't as thick as I thought he was," said Carla,

"Don't worry though Snyds, I might be going home soon."
"Really?" asked Snyder, "Very far away is it?"
"My sister and my mum are buried on the Isle of Arran, in
Scotland, though I will go to see my boss first, that's only about
fifty miles from here. That way!"

Carla made a big gesture, pointing straight down.
"You will know my boss as the devil. But just in case you ever
think about being so nasty to Buffy again."
Carla's eyes flashed bright red to Snyder.

He almost fell over trying to get away from her.
"I think you were right Buffy, these contact lenses do react to
direct sunlight," said Carla as they went into the library
"Cor, bloody-ell!" exclaimed Xander

"What did you expect? Coming to school wearing thigh high
leather boots, a short leather pleated skirt and a leather jacket?
I mean, I nearly said something myself but I'm a bit.. ..." he looks
to Xander, "But I'm a lot more refined than he is," said Giles.

Willow grinned, "Good job his name isn't Jayne Cobb else he'd go
on about spending some time by himself."
"Thanks, I think. I wanted to show this of to you. As of today I
will always wear it, all those in the armed forces always wear the
battle dress. When they are not called,"
Buffy holds her hand forward.

Her clothes were what she normally wore.
"Speaking of which I need to speak to Spike and Angel before I
go for a rest," said Carla.
"You are going permanently?" asked Giles.
"Well, no, nothing is ever permanent. But I have seen done what
I came to do."

"The seven seals have all been accounted for," explained Buffy,
"Oh no, sorry, only the horsemen, the girls are with me. In the
armed forces."
"I'm not sure how long you will need to wait for Angel and Spike
though," said Giles.

Carla listened to the air.
"Another ten or fifteen seconds should do it."
The doors opened, in came Spike and Angel.
"Just to let you boys know I'll be going, but I should be back
this way."

"Understood," replied Angel.
"There only a few vampires left, there will be more no doubt, in
case I'm not back though. Angel? About your child."
Angel stepped back, "I'm a vampire, I can't have kids can I?"

"Normally, no, but you and a certain other vampire will. Thing is
I can't stop him your son from being a demon, but he will be
born with only the merest essence of a demon in him and ntwardly signs, ever," said Carla.

"Guys, it has been nice to meet you all, I will be taking my leave
of you now, strange isn't it?" asked Carla.
"You are going? now?" asked Buffy.
"Not yet, I want to say goodbye to your mum first."

"Okay, but if you are leaving why do you think that is strange?"
asked Spike.
"Me, going home, going to my grave, and here I am thinking it is
my graduation."

THE END