Strange Times, Part 5
Strange Times, Part 5
Disclaimer: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and all characters from the
show are the property of Joss Whedon. The Cthulhu Mythos material
is loosely based on the "Call of Cthulhu" role-playing game
(copyright Chaosium Inc.). Chris Zabuto is my invention.
Buffy felt strange as she walked into the school the next morning.
She couldn't quite believe that Snyder had relented. Something must
have scared him very badly. The thought wasn't particularly
reassuring. She saw Willow, Xander, Cordelia, and Oz gathered near
her locker. Buffy ran over to them, and gave Willow and Xander a big
hug and Oz and Cordelia a slightly smaller one. Willow smiled and
said, "I'm glad you're back. So are you going to be able to make our
meeting or are you grounded for life?"
Buffy shook her head, "Mom was more relieved than anything, when I talked
to her this morning. I don't think she completely accepts all of this
vampire slayer business but we seem to have a truce on that. Are you all
right? You were in a wheelchair just a few days ago."
Willow reassured her, "That was just a precaution. I'm fine now, mostly."
Then she grinned, "So how is Angel?"
Buffy replied, "He seems fine. I think I should keep him at a bit of a
distance until this is over."
Willow nodded, "I understand." Suddenly she realized the time, "I'd
better go. Giles said he wanted to talk to me before school started."
In the library that afternoon, Chris and Giles continued to pore over
books. Giles looked up and said in a brittle voice, "I may have
found a spell that has a reasonable chance of working. I...I think
we need Buffy and Angel to destroy the stone while we cast it. We
still don't know about this 'Servant of Cthulhu'."
"I've been thinking about that," Chris suggested, "quite a few Arabic
names were transliterated erroneously in medieval times. If 'Abd
al-Khadhulu' is another example, we should be looking for names that
sound somewhat similar."
Giles nodded and started writing down variations on 'Abd al-Khadhulu'.
Suddenly his eyes widened. He said softly, "Acathla. Al-Khadhulu could
have become Acathla."
Chris stared at him in surprise, "It sounds like a bit of a stretch
but... Which books provide background on Acathla?"
"Background? Yes, of course. I think they would be over here somewhere."
Giles replied as he started to head for the bookshelves.
A while later, Giles looked up again, "There isn't that much
background here. There's the story about the knight who stopped
Acathla. A passage about Acathla sending the earth into hell.
Another passage saying Acathla serves the 'forsaker'." Giles thought
for a moment and said in an alarmed tone, "The translation of
'forsaker' is 'Khadhulu'. Acathla IS the 'Servant of Cthulhu'. We
probably only have a day or two before Azathoth is summoned."
Buffy entered the library for Giles' meeting, with Xander and
Cordelia just behind her. Giles, Chris, Willow, and Oz were already
sitting at one of the tables. To Buffy's surprise, her mom was also
there, along with Amy. As Buffy, Xander, and Cordelia sat down,
Giles stood up and began speaking in a tightly controlled voice, "A
being known as Azathoth is about to be summoned to Earth. A
successful summoning will destroy our world. Our plan is the
following. Buffy and Angel will re-enter the tunnels and destroy the
circular stone. The rest of us will cast a spell of dismissal. We
cannot cast the spell from the library because there are too many
entrances to secure. We have to cast it from someplace defensible.
Buffy's house is conveniently located and can be secured better than
the library."
Joyce thought for a moment and said, "All right. You can use my
house to cast your spell."
Buffy protested, "Mom, it's too dangerous." Joyce gave her a look.
Buffy relented but glared at Giles.
Giles ignored the glare and resumed speaking, "I'll call Angel and tell
him to meet us here after sunset. Most of us will leave for Buffy's
house just before sunset to make preparations. Buffy will stay here.
I'll call the library when we're about to start the spell. Buffy, you
and Angel will wait 20 minutes after I call and then head for the
Master's old lair to destroy the stone. Willow, please bring the map of
the tunnels up again on the computer." Giles quickly left to telephone
Angel.
By the time Giles returned, Willow had already brought up the map of
the tunnels. She asked, "Giles, what were the creatures Buffy saw
last night?"
Giles answered sharply, "That is not important right now. We need to go
over the ritual while we wait."
Willow studied him carefully, "Giles, are you all right?"
Giles ignored her, picked up a small stack of papers and began to
distribute them to the group, "The sheet I am handing you contains the
details of the dismissal ritual."
Willow asked again, "Giles?"
Giles responded "I'm fine!"
Cordelia broke in, "No, you're not. What's wrong?"
Giles' control broke for a moment. He sounded almost terrified, "Please
trust me on this. I've told you all you really need to know right now.
When this is over I may be able to explain more. If we survive." He
regained his composure with an effort and continued, "Now, shall we
start going over the ritual?" The rest of the group considered for a
few moments. Then Willow nodded, followed by the others.
Buffy asked, "What should I do while you're studying the ritual?"
Xander suggested, "Order pizza?"
Giles glared at him and then answered, "Buffy, you can study the map of
the tunnels, especially the tunnel from the library to the master's lair.
Then you can draw me the layout of your house. Let me know when you're
finished."
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