Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all the characters that appear on the show are the exclusive property of Joss Whedon, the WB and Mutant Enemy, Inc. The Ancient Ones, in particular the entity YogSothoth, as well as the character of Robert Blake first appeared in the Cthulhu mythos stories of the early twentieth century horror writer, H. P. Lovecraft.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part Six
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACT 3, Scene 4, INT. The Library. Evening.
Willow, Xander, Cordelia and Oz are all awaiting Buffy and Howard's return. Cordelia and Xander are in the stacks putting books back and stealing an occasional kiss. Willow and Oz are sitting side by side over near her computer terminal. Her attention, however, is not on the screen or even Oz. She continually stares at the table in the center of the room where the Res Profana lies by itself.
WILLOW
Oz, they should have been back by now.
OZ
Relax, Will, we're not going to start anything until Buffy and HP return.
In frustration, Willow shuts off her terminal. She can't take her eyes away from the book.
WILLOW
It's that thing, Oz! I can't stand being in the same room with it!
Sharp FOOTFALLS echo up the hallway into the Library. Relieved, Willow jumps up from her terminal and runs to the Library door.
WILLOW (cont'd)
Oh, thank God they're back! Guys, I thought you were never going to...
Willow stops in mid sentence as Angel bursts in through the door. He grabs her by the neck with one hand and pulls her close to him so she can not get away. Oz leaps to his feet. Xander jumps down from behind the stacks, runs over to the closet and pulls out his short sword.
OZ
(screaming)
Get away from her!
XANDER
(sword raised and approaching Angel)
Let her go or you're a dust bunny!
ANGEL
(tightening his grip on Willow's neck)
Hang on, guys! She's got a thin neck and I could slip real easy.
Xander stops, glaring at Angel.
ANGEL (cont'd)
Besides, I just want to check out a book.
XANDER
Yeah, right! Since when can you read!
OZ
Why don't you get your book and get outta here then.
ANGEL
'Cause I don't know where it is. Your new librarian's filing system sucks!
OZ
(stalling for time)
What book you looking for? Maybe we can find it for you.
ANGEL
(screaming and almost choking Willow who gasps)
You know damn well what book I want!
OZ
(not rising to the bait)
No, really, what's it called?
Angel is silent, his anger building.
OZ (cont'd)
(sarcastically, calling Angel's bluff)
I guess we'll just have to wait until the Librarian gets back... in order to get you what you want.
The doors to the Library suddenly burst open. Buffy dashes in followed by Howard who towers over the room, his trenchcoat sweeping out behind him. The glint of madness is in his eyes again. Buffy, her face set like cold steel, moves to take out Angel.
ANGEL
Stay back, Slayer! Or I'll separate her little red head and hand it to you on a plate!
Buffy stops only steps away from Angel and Willow.
BUFFY
All right! What do you want?
ANGEL
Geez! Why do I always have to repeat myself around here? The book!
Willow involuntarily stares at the Res Profana on the center table. Angel follows her glance and smiles.
ANGEL (cont'd)
Well, that was easy. Thanks, Willow. You always were my "pal."
With Willow still firmly in his grip, Angel slides over to the center table and flips open the black book. Outside the library windows, a wind begins rising. Tree branches sway in the building breeze.
HOWARD
(quietly)
Let her go, Angelus.
ANGEL
(flipping pages, not even looking up at Howard)
I still don't like you. So I'm really not going to do anything you say! Hmm, here's something interesting.
Angel stops turning pages. He reads awkwardly from the book.
ANGEL (cont'd)
"N'garthay kai 'hrachta, YogSothoth..."
HOWARD
STOP!
Howard's voice rings through the Library. It is more than just a spoken word but a spell of command. Everyone in the room, even Buffy, looks at Howard in shock. For a moment it seems the wind itself has held back. Angel glares at Howard, but there is uncertainty in his face.
HOWARD
You Will Release Her!
Involuntarily, Angel drops his hand from Willow's neck. She scrambles away to join Oz. Howard sweeps past Buffy and stands directly in front of Angel. Howard's eyes are blazing with power.
HOWARD (cont'd)
(to Angel with quiet command)
Leave. What you seek is not here. He can not give it to you.
Howard stares deep into Angel's eyes. Angel is now confused. He wants to turn away but can't.
HOWARD (cont'd)
It is not here. Leave. Your fate lies far distant from this place.
Angel backs away from Howard towards the library doors. Sensing an opportunity, Xander advances, sword raised, but Howard catches him by the arm.
HOWARD (cont'd)
(to Xander)
No! This is not his time.
Angel turns and scrambles out through the library doors. Down the darkened corridor, past the empty classrooms and out onto the front steps of Sunnydale High into the rising windstorm, Angel runs as if pursued by all the demons of the Hellmouth. Rapidly, he crosses the street and disappears into the cemetery. In the library, Howard looks up at the windows as the din from the intensifying winds rattles them in their casings.
HOWARD
(shouting)
All of you! Down here! Into the center of the room! Quick!
BUFFY
What is it, HP? We gotta know what's going on!
All gather around the center table as the winds outside intensify.
HOWARD
He has summoned YogSothoth! Ready or not, we must act now! Buffy, Willow, Oz! Do you all have the spells I gave you?
Buffy fumbles in her pockets and pulls hers out. Oz waves his in his hand and Willow pulls the piece of paper out of her bra. Oz looks surprised at her.
OZ
(to Willow)
Ooo! I learn something new every day!
WILLOW
(embarrassed)
Shut up, Oz!
Spinning to the table, Howard stands over the Res Profana, his eyes blazing again. He places one hand on the open pages in front of him, the other he raises over Buffy, Willow, Oz, Xander and Cordelia as if transfering power from the book into them. Their eyes are all fixed on Howard. He speaks in a language not heard since before the dawn of mankind.
HOWARD
N'gai l'gnarthis, kraktai l'gnarthis, hross grah l'gnarthis! Krantak grahragnah, l'gnarthis!
Suddenly, a vertical shimmering in the air, like the rippling surface on a dark pool of water, materializes not more than a dozen feet from where they are all standing. It is approximately eight feet tall by six feet wide. Around its edges is a frame of swirling light distortion spinning in colors of an unknown spectrum. Howard turns to face it. The others do the same.
XANDER
(quietly)
... oh... crap...
Howard quickly takes Willow and Xander by the shoulders. He ushers them before the distortion.
HOWARD
This is the portal back to where you must go! YogSothoth will follow you. Willow, when it appears, read your spell to put it down! Then wait for the time pathway to return. Do not hesitate! You will have little time!
Willow and Xander are both petrified. They stare at Howard, their eyes pleading for some way out. He senses their terror.
HOWARD (cont'd)
(holding Xander in front of him by the shoulders)
Xander, I send with you the cunning and lightning speed of your namesake! I charge you, this one last time, to defend Willow with all your heart, all your soul, and all the love you once held for her.
Xander looks up at Howard. His confidence returning, Xander nods his head, grits his teeth and clutches his sword more firmly. Howard turns to Willow.
HOWARD (cont'd)
(placing his hand on her head)
And Willow, I send with you all my knowledge and wisdom. Do not hold back but hurl it with all your strength at the evil you will confront. And I charge you to defend Xander with all your heart, all your soul, and all the love you once held for him. I send you both... in the name of the Guardians of the Gates of Dawn.
The panic melts away from Willow's face as she looks up at Howard. Her jaw is set and her brow furrows in determination.
WILLOW
(to Howard)
We won't let you down.
Howard quickly hugs both Willow and Xander.
HOWARD
(whispered, almost weeping)
Go... my Guardians... into the past... and God speed.
Willow and Xander step into the time pathway and disappear. Howard turns to Buffy. For once she is as frightened as Willow.
BUFFY
I don't know whether I can do this all by myself!
HOWARD
I promise you. You will not be alone.
BUFFY
But, HP! I'm not smart like Willow!
Howard holds Buffy by the shoulders as he did Xander.
HOWARD
(quietly)
Buffy, now is your time! Through there (he glances at the time distortion) you will finally lay all your demons to rest.
BUFFY
But HP! Where am I going? What am I supposed to look for?
HOWARD
Remember the poem that frightened you and yet... you thought it was beautiful?
Remember?
Howard's words, though spoken softly, pierce through the sound of the winds.
HOWARD (cont'd)
..."over the mountains of the moon...
... into the valley of the shadow...
... Ride! Boldly Ride!"
Howard pauses and looks deep into Buffy's eyes.
HOWARD (cont'd)
"...the shade replied...
...If you seek for Eldorado..."
Buffy returns Howard's intense gaze. She seems to draw strength from him as they stare at each other in silence. Outside, the winds roar against the library windows.
BUFFY
(firmly, almost relieved)
This is the path you've been travelling, isn't it.
HOWARD
From here, I can go no further. I must look to you, now... Guardian.
BUFFY
This is really it...
HOWARD
(nodding)
This is it... God speed, Buffy.
Buffy hugs Howard quickly.
BUFFY
Thanks ... HP... God speed to you, too.
Not taking her eyes from Howard, Buffy steps back towards the distortion. At the last minute she turns away from him, resolutely plunges into the time portal, and vanishes.
* * *
ACT 4, Scene 1, INT. The Basement storage chamber at the Sunnydale City Library. Night, the past.
The storage room is lit by only a single light from the ceiling. It is tidy with books stacked in shelves and boxes neatly tucked into corners. The Underwood typewriter, now brand new, sits on the desk with papers carefully piled beside it.
A shimmering appears in the air near the rear of the storage room. Suddenly the light distortion spreads out from a central point in mid air and the time pathway materializes. Xander and Willow step out of the pathway into the room. The distortion hovers for a moment after their arrival, then collapses upon itself and vanishes. Willow and Xander, trying to understand where they are, stare around the room.
WILLOW
Wow!
XANDER
You know, I never liked looking backwards out of a car. Made me sick!
Willow shakes her head at Xander.
WILLOW
This is that storage room at the city library. But it's all new.
Willow starts walking around the room, examining books and the desk.
WILLOW (cont'd)
It's all clean. There's no dust.
She stops and gazes down at the Underwood typewriter. She pecks at a couple of the keys.
WILLOW
This thing is brand new. Xander, I don't think it's today anymore.
XANDER
And we're not in Kansas, either.
Willow gives Xander another disgusted look. She examines the other items on the desk, stopping with a small open wall calendar. The dates are scratched off up to a certain point.
WILLOW
(afraid)
Xander... If I read this calendar right, it's March 23rd, 1937.
XANDER
Aw, man! How the hell are we gonna get outta here, Will?... Will?
Willow does not respond. She is staring at a small table halfway across the room. In the center of the table is an open brown paper parcel. Nested amidst the wrappings is a book bound in rough black leather. Xander follows Willow's gaze to the book.
XANDER (cont'd)
Ohh... shit! It's here, too...
Willow only nods.
XANDER (cont'd)
Well, look on the bright side. At least we're where we're supposed to be.
A SOUND OF RISING WIND filters in from beyond the storage room walls. Both Willow and Xander hear it and their eyes widen.
XANDER
(sing songy)
I think we're gonna be in trouble!
WILLOW
Duhh!! It's coming Xander!
XANDER
Willow, get behind me! Into the corner!
Xander pushes Willow behind him and both back away from the desk towards the corner of the storage room. Xander raises his sword but his hand is trembling.
XANDER (cont'd)
You got HP's spell?
Willow pulls the piece of paper out of her bra. Xander gives her a weird look.
WILLOW
Right here!
XANDER
I never knew you hid things there.
WILLOW
Shut Up!
Suddenly, the air begins to spin in a circle in the center of the room. The rushing air sucks up papers off the desk. Dust, then fragments of what appears to be body parts begin to appear inside the whirling center. Xander and Willow are frozen to the spot and stare in terror at the materializing entity.
|
|
|
|
Rave
Barbie Girl (Becca)
biscuit07
Filmtheory (Jim)
Malice (Jess)
MebbtheScribe (MichaelB)
Reset (Allie)
Shay (Marrisa)
somnambulist29 (Shea)
Stephanie Loss
Wendyness (Wendy)
Questions?Contact Us
|
|
All stories on this site have been archived with the authors' consent. Do not copy these stories for your own uses without the express consent of the author themselves. Buffy the Vampire Slayer TM and Angel TM are © UPN, WB, Fox and its related entities. All photos on the site are © UPN, Fox, Warner Bros, and/or their respective owners. No profits are being made by use of these images.
Powered with the assitance of eFiction.
|
|
|
