Deliverance
“I am very disappointed in you Amanda,” Gideon said sternly. “Not only did you give away the location of our base to someone we don’t even know, endangering all of our lives, but you also handed this… new Slayer over to him. You said yourself that the man’s brother was this Caleb that terrorized Sunnydale not so long ago!”
Amanda looked down, ashamed. Gideon was seething. “I thought it would be okay…” She started.
“You thought! You may be the Slayer here Amanda, but that does not give you the authority to make these kinds of decisions on a whim! What if he gives us to our enemies?” Gideon snapped. “Do you really care to be responsible for the lives of every man and woman in this Hotel? Because I sure am!”
They were sitting in the conference room in the Hotel. Amanda and Gideon were facing each other, Amanda sitting, Gideon standing, while Morgan sat by the side and watched. Amanda turned to Morgan with pleading eyes. Morgan returned her look with a “You-got-yourself-into-this-mess” look and Amanda frowned.
Gideon seemed to calm down a bit. “Look, you’re very powerful, and I respect your opinions, but you are just…” he stopped himself, took a breath, than continued “…too young. I’m sorry Amanda, it’s not fair, and it’s not your fault, but you are just too inexperienced to make these kinds of decisions. I don’t want you going on any more solo missions for a while”
“What! That’s…” Amanda stood, jabbing a finger at Gideon before Morgan interrupted.
“I think that’s fair.” She said silently, which made Amanda stop speaking and turn to her Watcher with her mouth open. “Either I, or you,” she turned to Gideon” or one of the more senior members of your group will accompany Amanda from now on.”
“Morgan?” Amanda said in disbelief.
“You brought this on yourself, child.” She said, shaking her head. “I know I haven’t wanted his help in the past, but Gideon has proven himself in my eyes, and I agree with his assessment. You will be chaperoned, at least until the current threat is dealt with.”
Amanda looked down, her face turning red with humiliation. “I understand Ms. Morgan.”
“Good,” Morgan said, nodding. “Now, I think I would like to go to the hospital and speak with Joshua.” Morgan said, rising.
“Need some company?” Gideon asked, turning from Amanda toward Morgan.
“I would be delighted to have you accompany me,” Morgan said with a warm smile. “Amanda, while we are gone, I would like you to train with Ryan and Amy. You can learn much from Ryan I think, and Amy still has much to learn.”
Amanda nodded angrily as Morgan and Gideon left.
“Wonder what Joshua’s doing…” Amanda wondered aloud.
He couldn’t see. His back hurt. His head hurt. And his neck hurt. It took him a few moments to realize his eyes were shut, which was the reason he couldn’t see. Joshua slowly opened them and realized he was lying on top of a broken stretcher. He groaned and forced himself to sit up. Last thing he remembered he was being lifted up by his neck.
He suddenly sat up straight and saw the tall blonde girl lumbering toward him. He must have blacked out. It felt like he had been out for hours but it had apparently only been a few seconds.
“Now hold on there girl…” Joshua said, dropping to his feet and holding out one hand while the other rubbed his sore back.
“What’s the matter preacher?” The possessed girl rasped. “Not so mighty now without your Slayer, are you?”
“I don’t need a Slayer, got me a God, but I’d rather not hurt the girl yer controlling.” Joshua said.
“So sweet, don’t wish to harm my vessel!” She/It laughed. “This girl is not worth saving preacher. In life, she was a whore; not worth your time. Not that it matters whether you plan to leave her alone or not, since I mean to kill you here and now!”
“Doesn’t matter who she is or where she came from, she’s still precious, and I will fight for her,” Joshua said calmly.
“How noble of you…” The possessed Claudia came into full view. Joshua noticed she was standing up straight and was surprised to see her leg was completely back to normal.
“Hey, what happened to your leg?” Joshua asked, trying to distract the demon while he tried to find a way to stop it.
“Ah, my powers greatly enhance this Slayer’s healing properties; she was no use to me crippled, so I sped up her healing process.” The demon said.
“That’s a neat trick.” Joshua said, leaping out of the way, calling a belt of fire into his hand, which he threw at Claudia’s legs. The flame bond wrapped tightly around her bare legs, causing her to stumble. “So’s this.” He said grimly.
Claudia struggled on the ground, now using her arms to drag her along toward Joshua. “I could have killed you any time fool priest!” She yelled.
“Then why didn’t you?” Joshua said, pulling out his flask of Holy Water. After unscrewing the cap, he sprinkled it onto her, then again, then again. “Now be silent spirit!”
Claudia gasped and hissed as her flesh started to burn. “I’ll never let her go! I’m more powerful than ever now!”
“Claudia, if you can hear me, fights this thing! The only way it will stay out is if you push it out!” Joshua said. “I’ll do what I can from out here, but in the end, it is up to you!”
Claudia didn’t answer, but instead she tore the bonds off her legs and leapt at Joshua. Joshua ducked as the girl went sailing over her and landed in a heap in the floor. She leapt right back to her feet as Joshua summoned a shield of flame to engulf his arm. “This won’t kill you girl, but it’ll hurt your demon…” Joshua said as the possessed Claudia studied the shield curiously. She reached out and touched it, then jerked her hand away quickly as it sizzled.
“Now get out of her!” Joshua commanded. Instead, Claudia turned and ran back through the room. She leapt through the glass window, shattering it while Joshua followed. He watched her fall and was surprised when she suddenly took flight for several feet before landing carefully to the ground.
“Whoa…” Joshua said, “Didn’t know they could do that when they were possessed…”
Joshua was curious why no one had come to check on Claudia when the struggle started and he got his answer almost immediately as he noticed the bodies of orderlies and patients all over the hospital floor. He sighed and stretches his aching back. “Suppose I better go after her.” He says to himself, desperately wanting to sleep off the pain. He scooped up his Bible and headed for the door…
…And nearly plowed into Morgan and Gideon.
“What happened here priest?!” Morgan rasped.
“Did you do this?” Gideon said.
“What! Of course not!” Joshua said. “The demon came back and possessed her again, then she flew out the window, we have to go after her!” He tried to push past them, but both of them grabbed his arm at either side.
“Not until we get some answers.” Gideon said.
“We’re taking you back to the hotel.” Morgan said.
Joshua sighed. “Fine, but we’re gonna lose the girl!”
“We’ll take your car,” Morgan said. “Gideon will take his. We will regroup at the hotel before heading out to look for the girl again.” She turned to Gideon, who nodded in agreement.
“And how do’ya expect to save her? You can’t cast the demon out yourself!” Joshua said.
“If it won’t come out, I’ll have to force it.” Gideon said.
“Don’t hurt her, she’s an innocent!” Joshua said, as Gideon released him and started down the stairs.
“We’ll see how things go,” Gideon said.
“Oh… crap.” Joshua mumbled.
Amanda swung her wooden staff around and clashed with Ryan’s own staff. The two stood locked for a moment before tearing apart. They swung fast, but not very hard, the sounds of wood striking wood filled the air every split second. Finally, Amanda disengaged from him and swung her weapon around to face Amy, who was watching.
“Come on Amy, just start slow,” she said, and the sheepish blonde girl slowly stepped forward, raising her staff. Amanda struck it first, and then Amy followed up with a blow, which Amanda easily deflected. They moved slower then faster and soon they were striking almost as fast as she had before with and Ryan.
“Good!” Amanda smiled. “Now try…”
“Hey, someone’s coming!” One of the kids yelled from above their training area. Amanda looked up and saw it was one of the lookouts.
“Well, who is it?” Amanda asked impatiently.
“Dunno, some girl, never seen her before.” The young man said.
“Hold on, I’m coming.” Amanda said, putting her staff back and running up the stairs.
As she crossed the catwalk leading back into the hotel she heard the sounds of struggling. Suddenly another lookout went sailing through the door, though not by his free will. Amanda caught him in midair and lowered him to the ground. She then charged past him and came face to face with Claudia Zander.
“Hello little Slayer, did you miss me?” The demon rasped through his Slayer host. Before Amanda could respond, Claudia slugged her across the face, sending her sailing across the catwalk and into the wall. She groaned and rubbed her head, then looked up where she had struck. There was a large dent in the concrete wall.
“I must thank you for not fully stopping me when you had the chance; I never imagined I could become this powerful!” She chuckled as Amanda dragged herself onto her feet. She stepped forward and started to bring her fist around when Claudia slammed another powerful fist into Amanda’s stomach. The tall, brunette Slayer gagged as the wind was knocked out of her and held her belly while trying to catch her breath.
A couple of gang members tried to rush Claudia but she dispatched them in less than a second, breaking the leg of one young man and throwing a young woman off the catwalk onto the hard, sewer ground. Amanda finally caught her breath and rushed toward Claudia in an attempt to catch her by surprise. Unfortunately, Amanda was the one caught by surprise, as Claudia turned, stepped to the side, causing Amanda to miss her by a few inches. Claudia laughed and grabbed Amanda from behind by her hair, pulling her out of her charge and bringing her up close.
“The Master wanted you Slayer,” Claudia said in a grim voice. “Wanted you to be his champion, but you didn’t want to go, so now he has chosen me.” Claudia laughed again as Amanda raised her foot and smashed it onto Claudia’s as hard as she could while at the same time she slammed the back of her elbow into Claudia’s belly. Claudia let out a grunt of surprise and her fingers slipped out of Amanda’s hair. Seizing the momentary opportunity, Amanda turned and decked Claudia across the face hard, sending the blonde Slayer up against the rail of the catwalk, almost sending her over.
Before Claudia could recover, Amanda stomped over to her and grabbed her around the throat, pushing her head back and arching her back over the rail. She held her other hand in a balled fist ready to strike. “What do you mean, he wanted me?”
“Master Armand,” The demon rasped through the girl’s lips as her eyes glowed red. “Wanted you to be his bride, his champion. That is why he spared your life, but now he has sent me to take it!” With that final word, Claudia slapped Amanda’s hand away and followed with a knee to her gut. Amanda grunted in pain, amazed at how fast the girl had reacted. That must be her aspect… Amanda thought bitterly she can move really fast, faster than any Slayer. As she finished this thought a judo chop took her in the neck, dropping her to her knees.
Groaning in pain, Amanda looked up one last time to see what looked like Claudia going in for the finishing blow. Gathering all her remaining strength, Amanda pushed herself off the ground and threw three quick punches that Claudia neatly evaded and followed with a roundhouse. Grinning, Claudia moved her head aside so the leg sailed harmlessly past her, than grabbed it with both hands. Amanda grimaced in pain as the other Slayer’s fingers dug into her limb. Claudia pressed harder and Amanda screamed in pain as she felt her bone breaking. After spending a few moments twisting the leg, shattering the bones within, Claudia appeared to grow bored and finished with swinging Amanda up by the leg, and tossing her over the catwalk.
Amanda let out another cry of pain, as she slammed hard into a sewer grating. She looked up weakly to see Claudia standing on the handrail, than leaping down in front of Amanda, laughing hysterically. “Armand was wrong to choose you girl, you’re nothing!” She said as her sadistically smiling face turned into an evil, unsmiling, glare. “I’m going to have a lot of fun killing you.” looked around and saw Ryan rushing over to strike Claudia with the staff he had been using to train. Amanda tried to shake her head to warn him to stop but he was too full of adrenaline to notice her warning. Claudia didn’t even look at Ryan as she grabbed his staff, held it in place with her Slayer strength, causing him to slam into it. He took several steps back, grabbing his gut with pain and Claudia followed up by striking him across the face with the staff, knocking him to the floor, unconscious.
Amanda could feel more pain in her leg as it seemed as if the bones were twisting together, causing hot pain to rush up her body. She grimaced and bit her lip, struggling not to scream. What’s going on in there??
Amanda saw Amy starting to come around to attack Claudia as the other gang members watched in horror. Amanda didn’t know if Amy could handle the pain like Ryan did. “Amy, no!” She called, well, screamed is more the word as her pent up pain shot through her with her words.
Claudia turned toward Amy as the younger girl obeyed Amanda’s command and backed off. Claudia chuckled. “Smart, now for you Slayer.” She turned to the wounded Amanda and pulled a deadly looking curbed knife from her belt. Amanda hadn’t noticed the blade before, but it looked very familiar.
“No! You don’t want her! You want… me?” Amanda could clearly remember Dawn’s voice in the classroom that fateful night nearly a year ago, when she found out that she was a potential Slayer. She remembered the Bringers grabbing her on both sides while a third raised a long sharp knife… before Dawn’s quick thinking saved her life.
It was the same kind of knife, Amanda was sure of it. Does Armand have some kind of connection with The First? Amanda wondered briefly as the knife started to come down…
Suddenly there was a flash of light and Claudia was thrown forward and over Amanda, skidding to a stop a few feet behind her. Amanda glanced toward the direction of the blast, and saw Joshua standing on the catwalk, hand outstretched while Gideon and Morgan made their way down the stairs.
Gideon cupped both hands to his lips. “EVERYBODY, OUT!!” He called across the meeting room. Almost immediately the gang members started racing down various escape tunnels. A few kids stopped and helped carry the wounded, like Ryan, before making their way toward their own escape.
By the time Claudia had gotten to her feet, Gideon, Joshua, and Morgan were standing around her cautiously. “Are you all right Amanda?” Morgan asked with deep concern in her voice.
“Yeah… I think I’m…” She started, than felt another bone click into place “…Okay.” She finished, standing, wobbling on her formerly injured leg. Claudia looked at her with a stunned expression.
“Wow, how did you manage that? Perhaps I underestimated you, Slayer,” She said with admiration in her voice. Amanda ignored her and joined the circle the three others had made around the possessed Slayer. Amanda plucked the wooden staff Ryan had left off the ground and twirled it in her hand as she started at Claudia. Morgan had her rapier drawn while Gideon had his axe out. Joshua’s hands were pulsing with flame.
“Come quietly girl, we don’t want to hurt you.” Joshua said.
The demon laughed at Joshua’s remark. “You think I care what you think you can do to me? As I told you before, Priest, I can accelerate this girl’s healing process, much like that Slayer you have over there,” she nodded toward Amanda.
“Claudia? Remember me? It’s Joshua, we talked some, remember?” He said calmly to the demon possessed girl.
Claudia seemed to struggle some, but finally the demon said, “Claudia doesn’t live here anymore, this is the home of Vasqiesh the Defiler.”
As Joshua tried to coax the girl back into talking, Amanda slowly made her way around Claudia, then quietly moved up to the girl while she had her back turned. Amanda started to raise the staff to swing it when Claudia responded with a back-kick, sending Amanda sailing through the air, dropping her staff. When Amanda recovered enough to look up, Claudia was already on her, beating her senseless. It’s all the speed! She’s no stronger than I am; her only advantage is her speed! Amanda thought as she was pounded mercilessly. There was no style to Claudia’s attacks, no pattern, just random, dirty street fighting.
Amanda finally got a good fist in; using a quick, surprising lunge that Morgan had taught her. This sent Claudia reeling back and Amanda leapt to her feet, swinging her leg around and striking Claudia across the face. Amanda briefly noticed that the other three members of her party had now encircled the area where Amanda and Claudia were fighting, following them as they moved.
Amanda glanced back just in time to notice a fist flying toward her jaw. She dodged it, but felt the wind rushing by her face from the near miss. Thinking fast, she grabbed Claudia’s arm, using the same maneuver the blonde had used on her so recently, twisted her arm around behind her back, and slamming her own foot behind her foe’s shin. She heard the sickening crack of bone breaking as Claudia fell to one knee. A scream exited Claudia’s lips, but it was not the demon, it was Claudia herself. The demon had let go of Claudia’s mind long enough for her to feel the pain Amanda had inflicted!
Wasting no time, Amanda grabbed her staff again, that had fallen to the side during the battle, and shoved it around Claudia’s neck and under her arms, trapping her in a very painful hold.
“Now Joshua!” She screamed as the demon took control again and tried desperately to get loose.
Joshua wasted no time walking up to Claudia while Morgan and Gideon stood by, and held a crucifix in one hand and a bottle of holy water in the other. He held the cross up to Claudia’s face, causing her to snarl and spit as her skin sizzled. “By the name of He who is on High, you must leave and never return to this girl.”
The demon started to weaken, but still put up a violent struggle. Amanda held tighter, but felt the staff start to break. Looking down, she noticed the girl’s leg had healed already, just like her own had.
“Save your breath preacher! This girl’s soul is delicious, I will never let go!!” The demon screamed.
“By the name of Jesus Christ, you are to release your hold on this girl and leave, NOW!” He commanded.
Claudia began to struggle even more violently, the staff beginning to show cracks. “Claudia, you need to fight, the demon is weakening but it won’t leave unless you fight!” Amanda said. Finally, Claudia’s head snapped up and her mouth opened, letting out a bloodcurdling, otherworldly scream as her body shook violently. Her eyes glowed and the scream died down as she fell limply in Amanda’s grasp once again. Her nose and mouth had trails of blood running down past her cheek and dripping down her chin.
Amanda gently laid Claudia to the ground once again before looking back up at Joshua. “I think we got it this time…” She started and a low rumble appeared behind her. She turned and saw a huge, red, winged demon standing only a few feet behind her. She held out her hand toward the other three. “Weapon please.”
“Here,” Gideon said, smirking “Try my axe; it was specially made for killing big things, such as this.”
Amanda was surprised that Gideon had handed her his personal weapon but she just shrugged in response and marched toward the demon, which was snarling viciously.
“You’ll pay for that girl!” He roared, and swung a fist at Amanda. Amanda ducked under the fist and swung hard above her, cutting its wrist open. It roared in anger and held its wrist with its other hand as black blood began to drip out. It turned quickly, sending its long leathery tail low, knocking Amanda down.
She grunted, but got back to her feet easily. Joshua stood by her side, throwing bolts of fire into the demon. It reeled back, trying to make as little of a target as possible, which was very difficult for a creature of its size. Amanda took advantage of the demon’s distraction and rushed toward its back, swinging her axe around and slamming it into the demon’s spine.
The demon roared in agony, falling to one knee. Amanda tore the axe out of the demon’s spine, and before walking over to the demon’s horned face. She swung the axe once again, embedding it into the demon’s skull. The monster let out another fierce growl and fell flat on its face. Amanda grabbed the axe again, and tore it out of the creature’s brain. Pinkish brain matter dripped off the axe and into a sewer drain. The demon’s body melted before her eyes, but a large, red, transparent being rose out of the body. Amanda swung the axe expertly but it went right through the apparition.
The ghostly figure moved straight through Amanda and headed back to Claudia’s unconscious form. But before it could arrive, Joshua came and stood right in front of it. “Don’t think so, she pushed you out, there’s no way I’m going to let you back in!” He held up both hands and the apparition seemed to struggle in mid-air.
“Release me!” It roared as an invisible force seemed to tie it up and fold it over.
“No, Vasqiesh the Defiler, you are going to the abyss.” He held one palm facing the demon and the other he waved to its side, and a large portal tore into the fabric of space as a swirling abyss appeared. It began to suck the demon in.
“I will return! You can count on that! I will be ba…” Its voice was cut off as it was pulled into the swirling abyss, which closed behind him.
“Yeah, that’s what they always say, though I have yet to see one come back.” He chuckled as he lowered his hands.
Amanda smirked and swung the axe back into Gideon’s hands, hilt first. “Okay, my leg really hurts.”
Joshua turned to her after checking on Claudia, who was sleeping peacefully. “What happened? When we got here it looked as if your leg was broken.”
“It was broken.” Amanda said. “I seem to be healing at a faster rate. But I could feel the bone growing back, though I think parts of the shattered bone are still in my leg.” She reached down and pulled up her pant leg. Sure enough, there were several large lumps poking through her skin. Morgan and Gideon grimaced while Joshua lifted Claudia into his arms.
“Yes dear, we should get you to a hospital and get those removed.” Morgan said, still grimacing. “How is she?” She asked, turning to Joshua.
“Think she’s all right,” he said, turning his attention to the unconscious blonde, “they typically slip into unconsciousness after a possession. She’ll probably be awake in a couple hours.”
“Good,” Amanda said, walking awkwardly due to the shattered bone.
Amanda turned to Morgan. “When she tried to kill me, she used a curved knife, exactly like the kind the Bringers in Sunnydale used when they came after me and the other potentials.”
“Are you sure Amanda?” Morgan asked with a concerned look on her face.
“I’m positive.” Amanda nodded. “I’d recognize those knives anywhere.”
“This bothers me Amanda, a lot. The knives the Bringers had were gifts from The First Evil. I wonder if Claudia had some sort of connection to them…”
“That’s what I was wondering. Though the demon said he had taken Claudia as a gift from Armand. Maybe Armand is a follower of The First?”
”Yes, that would make sense,” Morgan nodded. “Using a Slayer to kill Slayers and summoning those dark beings Slayer-hunter beings sounds like his/its handiwork.”
“So wait…” Gideon broke in, speaking for the first time as Joshua walked to a bedroom to lay the sleeping Claudia down. “What is this First?”
Amanda and Morgan turned to him. “The First Evil is the original evil, it lived before time began and will still be around when it ends. Several months ago it tried to destroy the Slayer legacy by opening the Hellmouth in Sunnydale.”
“That was the battle I was in before coming here.” Amanda said. “Buffy led us all down into the Hellmouth and Willow used a spell that made all of us potentials into full Slayers. We were then able to beat back The First’s army of Turok-Han.”
“Yes, and they won.” Morgan started as Joshua rejoined the group. “They managed to push the army back in time for it to be destroyed by a secret weapon. The First went into remission for a while, but now it looks like it’s starting up its plans again here in Brasepoint.”
“What could it be planning?” Amanda asked. “We beat it twice, once by destroying its army, and second by us all becoming Slayers.”
“What does that have to do with it?” Joshua asked.
“Well, The First’s plan was to kill all of the Potentials, then Faith, and then Buffy. Thereby destroying the Slayer line. Once that was finished it would be able to have its army raze the entire world, cover it in darkness, and become corporeal,” Amanda explained before Morgan got a chance.
“Wait, wait, this thing can’t even touch us!” Gideon said in surprise.
“No,” Morgan said. “But it can influence those around us, and even possess us if we give ourselves to it. It has very powerful minions, like your brother Caleb.” Morgan turned to Joshua, who nodded solemnly. “And of course the Bringers, and apparently now this Armand fellow.”
“So, how do we stop it?” Gideon asked, looking a bit nervous.
“I’m…” Morgan considered it for the moment. “… I’m not sure.” She finally said. “I will bring this before the Slayer Council right now, maybe they can help.”
“I will go retrieve the other members of our group from their hiding places.” Gideon said, turning and walking off, leaving Amanda and Joshua alone.
“So… what do you think?” Amanda asked Joshua.
“About this First business?” He asked and Amanda nodded. “Sounds like the devil to me, or possibly some very old high-ranking demon.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised there…” Amanda said. “It’s a sadistic thing. I saw it firsthand. It can turn into any dead person, it uses that to manipulate people to do its bidding.”
“Yes, but you beat it before, right?” Joshua said, and after she didn’t answer for a few moments, he repeated the word. “Right?”
“No,” Amanda said, looking down solemnly. “It killed me.” With that, she turned and wordlessly walked to her room.
Amanda flopped down on the bed, her leg still aching from the bone fragments, but she ignored the pain. She wept softly as she remembered the final battle, the fear she had, as well as the rush and bravery that overwhelmed that fear. She remembered killing and finally being struck down herself. She remembered the blood dripping down her face as she fell with her eyes still open wide onto the floor of the Hellmouth.
She remembered all her friends being picked off one by one, remembered the sinking feeling she got each time a Slayer or Potential died.
She continued to cry until she drifted off to sleep.
Pain again. The dreams were always clouded in pain. Amanda awoke and found herself once again standing in the middle of a large stage. The area around the stage seemed to stretch for miles before disappearing into a blue fog. Curious, Amanda looked around, trying to find out about as much the area as she could, since it had been a while since she had had one of these dreams.
“Where is this place?” She asked herself.
“It is what is known as a pocket dimension.” A familiar voice behind her said, she turned and saw the necromancer Armand standing right behind her with his arms folded in his red robes.
“Armand?” Amanda asked.
“Ah, you know my name now, do you?” Armand smiled. “That makes this meeting a bit shorter—”
“What are you?” Amanda demanded. “What’s your connection with The First, what are you planning?”
“In time my dear, in time. I am here to once again give you the offer I gave you once before.”
“You mean, before you sent that possessed Slayer to kill me?” Amanda asked, crossing her own arms.
“Ah, a test. I never thought my pet Slayer would defeat you, though it sure was close, wasn’t it?” Armand said, almost jokingly.
“You possessed that poor girl… to test me?” Amanda said, shocked.
“Something like that. I need a champion, Amanda, someone who will be my consort as well as lead my armies into battle. I want you, my dear Amanda.”
“Why?” She demanded. “Why me?”
“You have a good heart Amanda, in many ways you are still very innocent and Naïve. People like you always make the most delicious servants.”
“That’s…. disgusting!” Amanda shouted. “Is that the same offer you gave Claudia Zander?”
“So she thinks…” Armand chuckled. “Claudia was far too corrupted to make a decent servant, but she did serve to get the job done. I told her only what I wanted her to know, she was my champion, and she needed to destroy you, and she did exactly what I had planned for her to do.”
“I’ll never join you.” Amanda said softly.
“Come now, you will be my bride! Together we will rule the world and you will have everlasting life—”
“NO!!” Amanda screamed. “Get me out of here! We are through talking!”
“So be it… Slayer. Know when the day comes, you will feel my wrath as well as the wrath of my Master, and it shall be the last thing you feel!” Armand snapped, pointing an accusing finger at Amanda. He snapped his pointing finger with his thumb and Amanda woke up.
The first thing she noticed was the pain was gone in her leg. The next thing she noticed was she had slept with the sword scabbard still on her belt, causing new pain in her spine. She got up slowly and felt around her leg where the bone fragments had been pushing against her skin. Nothing. The bone fragments had disappeared while she had slept.
She checked the clock and realized that she had only been asleep for about fifteen minutes. She shrugged and lifted herself out of bed, removing then sword.
“Amanda? Are you in here?” Morgan said softly, knocking on the door. “I finished my report to the Council; we can take you to the hospital now.”
“It’s okay Morgan, the bone fragments are gone.” Amanda croaked as she went over to open the door.
“Really?” Morgan said, amazed. “How can that be?”
“I dunno, I just fell asleep and when I woke up, the pain was gone.” She shrugged.
“That’s incredible.” Morgan said. “Well, I’ll let you rest for now, you’ve earned it, Joshua may be a good asset to have after all, I mean, he knew the demon would be back and then helped destroy it.”
“Does this mean I don’t have to be chaperoned?!” Amanda asked excitedly.
“Not quite.” Morgan chuckled. “For the next two weeks, as punishment, you will be escorted to your assignments by myself, or Gideon.”
Amanda sighed. “Yes ma’am…” She said, and then fell back into bed as Morgan shut the door quietly. Amanda thought about sleeping, but then changed her mind and pulled out her diary.
“Dear Diary, she started.
“Well, I blew it. I led a practical stranger here, into the hotel, and Morgan and Gideon are really mad at me, but they calmed down a bit after I helped stop the Possessed Slayer. I’m not sure what’s going to happen with her, but I hope we can become friends! It’s been so lonely here, even though there are plenty of people around. Another Slayer I may be able to relate to.
“Morgan also showed me some cool new weapons. Especially the sword, which I called “Dawn of the West.” Ha-ha-ha, a little double meaning there. It shows that us on the West Coast aren’t all weak and defenseless, but that it’s our time to shine! Also the “Dawn” part was for Dawn Summers, who encouraged me and helped me realize my potential (pun intended). She was also the one who pushed me forward when I was too scared to fight, which led me to slay my first vampire! I don’t know where she is now, she probably thinks I’m dead, but this is to honor her!
“Anyway, it appears that Armand has some connection with The First, who we battled at the Hellmouth. This is getting scary; a new Culling may be coming up. What if there are dragons?
“The Slayer Council will know what to do, I’m sure of it! They’ll send help, and weapons. It might be cool if I got to use the Slayer Scythe! Yeah, that would show The First what we think of it!
“Anyway, I’m tired now, I think I’m going to take Morgan’s advice and get some sleep. Goodnight Diary.
“Amanda
“9-15.”
Amanda put the diary away, got dressed into her pajamas and finally laid down to get some sleep. For once, she had a completely dreamless night.
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