The Necromancer: Part One
by J Jericho Born
The inconspicuous school library of Sunnydale High had served a purpose its builders couldn't have begun to invision. It had been the "war room" in the fight against the current vampire, demon, or other threat to mankind that had been the concern of one Buffy Summers. She approached it with an odd sense of familiarity. It held a contrasting variety of emotions for her. Memories of friendship and camaraderie, but also the anguish of pain and loss.

She looked like a normal enough teenager as she paused at the door to the library, but she was chosen to be the Slayer. More responsibility then one would even begin to trust to a young woman her age rode on her shoulders. With a fresh breath of air she prepared herself to be told about yet another horror she would have to confront. She entered.

"Hey, Buff," was the simple greeting of a grinning Xander, always happy to see her. The sight of her assembled friends comforted her.

"What's a matter?" inquired Willow, concerned about Buffy's stoic demeanor.

"Nothing, just had my 'spider sense' tingle. Must've been a false alarm," explained Buffy even as she still had a nagging sense of worry.

"What are you guys up to?" casually asked Buffy. She observed her friends Willow and Xander busy sorting and arranging.

"We're helping Giles unpack a shipment of new books," excitedly answered Willow, "There's all kinds of interesting things in here."

One particular ancient looking tome attracted Buffy's eye with a bright glint. It was dark green with gold foil trim. Severely worn and stained, it certainly had no shortage of character. Buffy picked up the book, almost hypnotized by it. Gradually an intuitive understanding filled her mind. It told her that the foreboding feeling she had woken up with this morning somehow now stared back at her from her hand. Her eyes were drawn to the title.

"The Lost Art. . ." the title began. The gold foil had eroded away, but Buffy squinted to continue reading. "The Lost Art of Necromancy" was the full title. As the words of the title were realized a sudden rush of unintelligible thoughts, sounds, and pictures hit her like a dream in fast forward. Startled, Buffy dropped the book back down to the table.

"Be careful," chastised Giles as the always preoccupied librarian darted across the room. He continued, "Some of these books are priceless relics." Buffy looked on as Giles checked what was once the object of her interest.

"Luckily this particular book couldn't have been damaged further, it's almost illegible. Looks like it wasn't very well cared for over the years," diagnosed Giles. Willow shuffled over to see for herself.

"Oh, the school has some software for scanning blurry and damaged text. I've been wanting to try it out," suggested Willow as she peered into the book.

"What language is it in?" asked Willow.

"It appears to be an ancient language possibly. I can't recognize it," replied Giles with the standard dose of studder.

"I don't know if the program can handle it, but I'll see if I can get it to work," offered Willow.

"Right then. You can use the, uh, computer device later. Let's get back to tidying, shall we?" commissioned Giles as he returned to his beloved books.

"Do you care to lend a hand, Buffy?" inquired Giles.

"Oh, no thanks. It's not that I find sorting old, dusty books boring. But, I think I should save my energy for patrolling tonight," answered Buffy.

"Good one," commented Xander. He added, "I'll have to remember that line the next time Giles asks me for a favor. . . and I just also happen to be the Slayer." He shrugged and continued.

Cordelia entered with a casual step and made her way to an empty chair. Dropping her books on the table and sitting back, she made herself at home. Not bad progress for one who would have thumbed her nose at the current occupants of the library just a year earlier.

"I am sick of school already!" declared Cordelia. Her complaint went unacknowledged.

"I outta just do a Stacey and ditch this place," Cordelia said as she took a bite from an apple.

"A what?" inquired a perplexed Giles.

"She's referring to Matt and Stacey," clarified Willow.

"They only ran away yesterday and they're already a part of the school lexicon," added Xander.

"How are you so sure they left of their own volition and it isn't demons or other miscreants afoot?" questioned Giles.

"Paranoid much?" quipped Cordelia.

"Don't worry, this time it's definitely troubled teenagers and not death spawns from hell," comforted Xander.

"Matt and Stacey have been going out even though their parents have been such jerks about it," explained Buffy.

"Yeah, I mean they've been talking about running away for awhile," said Willow.

"Well it's suspicious considering the grave robbery last night," commented Giles.

A chorus of questioning looks followed Giles' statement.

"Ok, I'll bite. What grave robbery?" asked Buffy.

"Don't you ever read the morning paper?" returned Giles.

"Giles, you're in high school, not the McLaughlin Group," replied Xander.

Giles demeanor became slightly annoyed, but he continued, "Well, in any case, a large quantity of bodies were taken from the Sunnydale Graveyard last night. Buffy, I suggest you check up on it during your patrol later this evening."


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