The Wind Beyond the Walls of the Mind: Chapter 18 - Demons, pt 1
by Gaius Petronius
The Wind Beyond the Walls of the Mind

Chapter 18 - part 1
"Demons"
by Gaius Petronius

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all the characters that appear on the show are the exclusive property of Joss Whedon, the WB, Fox and Mutant Enemy, Inc. This story can be read on its own or as a sequel to H. P. Lovecraft's "The Haunter of the Dark" from which the Ancient Ones, the Shining Trapezohedron and the character of Robert Blake are derived.

The Wind Beyond the Walls of the Mind is set roughly in mid-season four shortly following the death of Doyle but before the creation of Adam and the death of Maggie Walsh.

Content Note: This part is rated PG-13 for a little raunchy language.

* * * * * * * * * *

It was unusually still for early evening in downtown Sunnydale. A car drove by, the noise of its engine piercing the silence for a few moments as it receded in the distance and finally faded away.

Anson MacDuffie stood alone in front of the New Age Curiosity Shop, his back to Xander's wall of floodlights. The shop keeper now wore a long loose fitting trench coat with the ancient sword strapped to the belt at his side. He stared off into the darkness as if gazing upon something that wasn't actually there.

"We're ready for you," he said quietly as if to the night itself that surrounded him.

At the same time, Faith lurked by the open window of her room in Sunnydale Convalescent. Her hands were firmly placed on her hips and the image of her face grew less distinct and more out of focus with each passing moment . Her red eyes glowed like beacons through the obscurity surrounding her face. All about the room, a faint tinge of crimson light illuminated the bed, tables and chairs. When Faith finally spoke, it was in answer to MacDuffie's challenge from blocks away. It was also not with her own voice but with the disembodied echo of the Ancient One.

"Not another Guardian . . ." the words rang sarcastically in the night.

MacDuffie stood silently and unmoving. Slowly a soft breeze rose and gently played with the tips of his long trench coat.

He could see the thing that was Faith grinning evilly as if she were standing directly in front of him.

"All those who dared oppose me before . . . are now dead," it said with the coldness of the Void ". . . as you will be, too."

"We both share that vision, yes," MacDuffie answered into the empty night in front of him, " . . . but unlike you, Ancient One, my gift allows me to see more."

"I see only one thing . . ." it answered as what little trace of Faith's face remaining dissolved away so that it took on the appearance of the three lobed burning eye of Nyarlethotep, "Where a Guardian stands, the Shining Trapezohedron is close by."

MacDuffie didn't reply. Rather he slowly drew the battered sword from its sheath, grasped the handle with both hands and held it out directly in front of him as if preparing to do battle. The weapon shone with a faint yellow light.

Outside the Convalescent Hospital, the small delivery truck with Xander at the wheel lurched up the driveway towards the entrance. Xander struggled to pull up to the curb and park but he ground the gears as he downshifted, bounced the right front wheel up onto the sidewalk as he popped the clutch, and brought the truck to a stop only inches from a fire hydrant.

The engine stalled with a clatter as Xander dropped out of the cab. For a moment he studied his botched parking job and the proximity of the hydrant.

"Cool. Missed it that time," he said.

Quickly, he turned and sauntered up to the front entrance.

* * * * * * * * *

Angel descended the steps of the crypt that led to the Master's Lair. Kate followed at his side. As he did, he casually kicked aside a small piece of rubble in his path. Cordelia waited for them at the clearing in front of the crypt.

"Will you two pick it up a little," she said impatiently, "This ain't 'Days of Our Lives' ya know."

"So, where to next?" the Los Angeles policewoman asked Angel as they stepped out onto the cemetery lawn.

"I . . . I don't know," Angel muttered as he shook his head.

"Angel, this isn't getting us anywhere," Kate answered now sharing Cordelia's impatience.

Angel didn't answer.

"Listen, maybe we better link back up with that Giles friend of yours," Kate continued exercising all the patience she could command, "If we're going to do anything to help your ex here, we gotta get our act together and work out a plan."

Still Angel stared off into the darkness. Exasperated, Kate faced Cordelia.

"You know this wuss-puss?" she snapped, "He ain't the guy I know from LA!"

Kate turned back to Angel and stepped up in front of him. As she had moments before, Lockley pushed her face directly in his and laced the vampire out.

"The Angel I know runs the show!" she said firmly, "He's got the answers no matter how tough they are! And just when you thought it was all over and you're ready to quit . . ."

Kate paused. She stood back from Angel as the stern look of a police interrogator left her face and was replaced by something softer. Cordelia instantly realized the LAPD detective had dropped her cool defensive front.

". . . he makes you see that there is a reason to go on. It might be crazier than hell but . . . you realize he's right . . . and maybe you can do it. . . . I like that guy. 'Cause he took some of the pain out of what's happened."

Kate gestured at Angel as if he were a total stranger.

"But you!. . . I don't know who the hell you are . . ."

"One problem, Kate . . .," Cordelia answered gently.

"Oh, yeah? Only one?" the policewoman snapped sarcastically, "We're making progress!"

"This is Sunnydale, not LA," Cordelia said in a tone that made Kate stop and stare at her. It took only a fraction of a second for Cordelia's meaning to sink in. Finally, Kate nodded her head in agreement.

"Point taken," she replied as she turned to face Angel. "Well, we're waiting," she said to the vampire.

"You're right, Kate," Angel signed, "Let's go find Giles."

"This is crazy," Kate announced as all three turned and started walking across the clearing in front of the crypt, "I really gotta meet this Buffy chick sometime."

Almost before Kate could finish her sentence, Buffy, returning from meeting with Riley by the North entrance to the Initiative, slipped out of the bushes surrounding the clearing. Distracted, she wasn't paying attention and was surprised by the sudden appearance of three figures in the dark. She jumped back and instantly drew out a small stake as she prepared to strike if any of the figures made a threatening move.

At the same time, Kate, spotting an unknown figure wielding a weapon, just as quickly leaped into a protective crouch in front of Angel and drew her service revolver from the shoulder holster concealed under her jacket and aimed it at Buffy.

"DROP IT, HONEY! NOW!" the policewoman shouted.

"What the Hell!?" Buffy shouted back in confusion.

"NO, Kate!" Angel yelled, adding his voice to the mounting chaos as he put a restraining hand on Kate's shoulder, "Buffy, it's me!"

"Angel?!" the Slayer replied in surprise as she lowered her fist clutching the stake.

"Hey, Buffy!" Cordelia sang out in a cheery voice that couldn't be mistaken.

"Cordelia?" Buffy answered with even greater amazement.

"It's okay, Kate," Angel said reassuringly as Kate stared up at him and rose back to her feet.

"Oh my God! You gotta be kidding me!" Kate smirked as she shook her head and slid her revolver back into its holster.

"Angel! What the Hell are you doing here!?" Buffy said now shaking with surprise and building anger as she pointed at Kate, "And who the Hell . . . is this!?"

"This is gonna be good!" Cordelia grinned broadly to herself as she relished the impending explosion.

"I, uh . . ." Angel stammered, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"So you spend the night stalking me?" Buffy shouted as her fury swelled, "Well, see, here I am! I'm fine!"

"Buffy, . . ." Angel struggled to explain, "Cordelia had a vision of this thing you're going up against. It even attacked us. And it's coming for you."

"Well, duh! Ya think?" Buffy snarled back.

"Ahhh . . . how I miss the classic Sunnydale repartee," Cordelia sighed to Kate, "The witty banter, the sophisticated give and take of . . ."

"Shut Up, Cordelia!" Buffy snapped.

"See what I mean?" Cordelia grinned at Kate.

"Buffy, please . . . we're just here to help," Angel said, realizing at the same time that his motives would only be seen by the Slayer as a sign of her own weakness.

Buffy, her anger almost overcoming her, sputtered for words to express herself. She finally turned to face Kate. The policewoman folded her arms across her chest and, with an icy smile, returned Buffy's glare.

The contrast between the two was striking. On the one hand, Kate, tall, full figured and her bright blond hair sweeping in a long flow across her shoulders, loomed beside Angel. Her appearance was that of a tough, mature woman, hardened by life's experiences. In front of her, Buffy, much shorter and lighter, fumed and struggled with emotions she still didn't fully understand.

"Angel!" She finally burst out, frustrated with her anger and inability to express herself, "Who the hell is this!?"

"Lieutenant Katherine Lockley, Detective, LAPD," Kate grinned with a touch of sarcasm in her voice, "You must be Buffy Summers . . . the Slayer."

With cool professionalism, Kate extended her hand in greeting to Buffy. Buffy's mouth dropped open and her eyes almost popped out of their sockets as she stared in shock at Kate. Unable to control herself, Cordelia broke out laughing.

"Cordelia . . . shut up," Angel said quietly.

Cordelia quickly controlled herself. She covered her mouth with her hand but couldn't totally suppress her glee at Buffy's discomfort. She let escape a little snorting giggle.

* * * * * * * *

In Giles' apartment, Spike still sat glued to the soap operas playing on the VCR. At the kitchen alcove table, Giles and Willow sat across from each other at the tiny breakfast table. Willow, her face streaked from crying, quietly sipped a cup of tea Giles had brought her.

"There. Feeling a little better?" he said soothingly.

"Yeah . . . I guess. But what are we gonna do, Giles?"

"Well, I am working on it now, but so much depends on Buffy herself when she confronts the Ancient Ones," Giles said as he fiddled with his glasses, a mannerism Willow understood to mean the Watcher really was at a loss.

"And Mr. MacDuffie?" she asked.

"I'm afraid that . . . 'problem' . . . may be out of hands," he answered after a pause.

Willow sighed with discouragement and set her teacup down.

". . . Willow . . ."

". . . yeah . . . ?"

"I'm going to need your help," Giles said and Willow immediately recognized it not as a request or even an order but rather a plea, "Buffy and Anson are going to need your help. Although the Slayer is the only one who can actually seal up the Ancient Ones in the Void, when the time comes, she's going to need all of us to keep Nyarlethotep distracted. Our job is to siphon off its powers fighting other challenges so that Buffy will be able to accomplish her task."

For the first time, Willow, with growing resolve and a light of hope in her eyes, looked up from her teacup at Giles.

"What do you need me to do?" she said as Giles sensed the well of untapped strength that lay behind her tone of voice.

"I want you to search through all your spells and find any pertaining to the channeling of light or the parting of darkness," he explained as if he for the first time was speaking with Willow as an equal, "Then, I want you to look into ways of combining them with magnification processes. Be careful, they can be very dangerous when the two are inter linked."

"Giles . . . it's the end of the world . . ." she smiled, "What harm's a little more danger?"

"Quite right . . ." he grinned in response, "I'll give you a few of my books on . . ."

The door to the apartment suddenly slammed open and Anya paraded in.

"What are you two doing?" she snapped, "Xander's not here yet?"

"I guess we do have to do something about this knocking thing," Willow said apologetically to Giles.

Giles only rolled his eyes in response as Anya sauntered over by Spike who was still glued to the television.

"The Soap Opera Channel?!" she announced as she stared at the screen, "You mean they run this crap twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week?"

"Oh yeah," he said without looking up, "And I can see a lot of the old ones I missed years ago cause I was busy . . .well, you know . . . feasting, slaughtering, doing all my 'grrr' type stuff."

Anya stared at the action for a few moments in silence.

"These shows are stupid!" she finally announced, "The acting's crummy, the situations are forced, it takes two years to advance the plot two hours, half the characters have evil twins and when somebody dies they never find the body."

"That's the part I like!" Spike smirked.

"Why do people watch this crap!?" she complained.

"Sshh! Jillian and Ryan are about to have sex!" he snapped back.

"Ooo!"

Anya settled in on the sofa in front of the VCR next to Spike. Neither could keep their eyes from the screen.

* * * * * * * * *

Xander swaggered across the lobby of the Sunnydale Convalescent Hospital and up to the receptionist desk. Behind the desk, a night nurse looked up at him. The two talked quietly as Xander asked for directions to Faith's room. After a moment, the nurse pointed down a hallway leading out of the lobby. Xander smiled, nodded and sauntered away from the desk and into the hallway.

In her room, Faith, her face now swathed in red and meshed with the image of the three lobed eye of Nyarlethotep, still stared out the window into the night. Suddenly she sensed something, grinned broadly in a hideous smile and turned away from the window back towards the door to the hallway. She spoke in the deep, echoing voice of the "Haunter of the Dark."

"Will you excuse me a moment, Guardian?" the voice announced, "I have . . . a visitor."

MacDuffie stood in the darkness on the edge of the sidewalk, his sword still drawn as if for battle. On hearing the words of the Ancient One, he slowly lowered his weapon, closed his eyes and spoke quietly but intensely.

". . . Alexandros . . ." his voice whispered in the night.

Xander walked quickly and confidently down the hallway leading to the closed door of Faith's room. Suddenly he stopped, frowned and looked nervously around. The hallway was silent with only one orderly at the far end pushing a large rolling cart full of bedding and towels bound for the laundry.

Xander scowled and suddenly his eyed widened.

". . . Alexandros . . . beware! . . ." MacDuffie whispered once more in the darkness.

Not sure exactly what he had heard, but with all his senses now on guard. Xander resumed walking slowly and carefully down the hallway. He cautiously eyed every open room. Finally he reached the junction of the two hallways by Faith's room. There, as he turned the corner, he saw leaking from the crack under the door a sharp beam of deep crimson light. He stopped and stood motionless.

* * * * * * * *

Riley and Hunter waited at the entrance to a caged chamber room deep in the storage areas of the the Initiative.

"The alpha packs are all fully charged, sir. We're ready," Hunter announced with a cool precision as he turned the key in the lock, securing the weapons storage area.

"Good. Overload suppressors all engaged?" Riley asked, triple checking the procedures over both with Hunter and in his own mind.

"You better believe it!" Hunter replied with a grin, "You wouldn't want one of these babies . . . 'boiling over' on ya in the middle of a fire fight!"

"I don't think so," Riley agreed, trying not to imagine the result.

* * * * * * *



This story archived at: The Slayer\'s Fanfic Archive
The Slayer\\\\\\\\'s FanFic Archive - http://www.slayerfanfic.com/viewstory.php?sid=3937