Conner: I... I can't!!
*Drops his sword and falls to his knees.*
Angel and Buffy kill the last vampires and charge towards them Kalith picks up her
sword and Backhands Angel.
Kalith: Die, traitor!
Buffy: No!!!!
Kalith swings her sword to behead Angel. Conner snaps out of his daze at Buffy's
cry.
Conner: You won't destroy their love as ours was.
Conner grabs his sword parries Kalith's blow and then cuts off her head. Her body
dissolves leaving only her skeleton. Conner slowly reaches down and takes her
sword.
Conner:*whisper* and so it ends... or begins.
Buffy: We won!!!! I mean we won I never doubted it for a second.
Angel: But at such a price.
Conner: We won?! This has just started.
Just then Giles, Xander and Willow come out of the woods and greet them.
Conner: Watcher, I charge you with the duty of guarding these bones. The vampire that
escaped is a failsafe Morgoth devised to save his disciples if they died. The master was
to arrogant to use one and he died... forever.
Giles: Why should we keep these bones!? We should destroy them!
Conner: She is a demon she can come back after Morgoth is dead and choose her own
way.
Giles: You can't be serious?! Bring a vampire back!? On purpose?!
Angel: She was like me she had a conscience. We will look after her... remains and
bring her back.
Giles: I guess I should have expected this...very well.
Conner: Buffy you must come to Ireland. There you will face the third disciple.
Buffy: I can't just drop everything and head out to Ireland.
Conner: A way will be provided for you. If you do not come, I will die, Angel will die,
Giles will die and others will die.
Buffy: But how will I...Forget it! I guess I'll see you there.
Conner: Argon to me.
The nightmare walks out of the shadows and Conner hops onto it.
Conner: You will see others you know there as well. Angel the hunt is called off on
you, will you come to pay your respects at the graves of your family none will molest
you.
Angel: I believe I will.
Angel gets on the horse and they ride off into the mist over the water back from
where they came.
The next day at school. It turns out that there is going to be a 2 week school trip to
Ireland. The cost is surprisingly low do to fund raising.
Buffy: This really smacks of tampering.
Xander: You know I bet we have a government agency on are side.
Buffy: The men in brown right, saving the earth from the scum of the hellmouth.
Xander: You could be on to something there.
A person wearing a brown shirt and pants pumps into Xander and keeps on walking.
Xander turns to Buffy and Buffy turns to Xander.
Buffy and Xander: Nah.
Willow: Hi guys whats up?
Buffy points to the bulletin board announcing the trip.
Willow: Yes well, Thats coincidence. Um maybe--
Xander: Coincidence stretched to its limit maybe. Of course the fact that Giles is
heading the outing and the teachers volunteer at least two weeks ahead of time makes it
stretch waaaay beyond the limits of coincidence.
Buffy: Well now we know what Conner meant. I guess were going to Ireland.
Willow: I don't think so guys. It says here that its invitation only for the top students
and you guys are well, not right at the top.
Buffy: Right at the top? On that scale I'm lower then the soles of my shoes.
Mr. Snyder walks up behind them.
Mr. Snyder: If its not the three stooges.
He hands them all a sheet of paper.
Xander: What's this?
Mr. Snyder: My personal invitation for the field trip. I hope you have fun touring
museums, churches and whatever else Mr. Giles can think up to drag you students
through.
Mr. Snyder walks away humming contently to himself. Buffy, Xander and Willow
decide to go talk to Giles.
Buffy: So Giles any idea on how were going to get to Ireland.
Giles: The prophecy clearly says the slayer will be there so we'll get there one way or
another.
Buffy: Like through a school trip maybe. You've known about this a lot longer than
you've let on.
Giles: Yes, well, it's a watcher thing.
Buffy: A watcher thi-- oh forget it. When do we leave?
Giles: Day after tomorrow and don't worry everything will go smoothly you have the
next to days off to prepare. I suggest you start to pack.
Willow: How many other people are going?
Giles: None. It was for the three top students and one teacher. It gives the school a tax
break I believe thats why were being sent.
Xander: Leave it to Snyder to punish us and make money at the same time.
Giles: Punishment?
Xander: You know dragging us from museum to museum to whatever else.
Giles: Oh, I'm afraid that there will be no time for that. Sadly this is to be a business
trip.
Xander: Oh darn no museums and yet... life goes on.
Giles: I believe you three might want to start packing!
They all four arrive in Ireland at the airport. They go to the hotel. Giles by himself
Xander by himself and Willow and Buffy have one room together. Night falls and
they all go out and patrol. Buffy sees a vampire disappear into a forest near the side
of the road.
Buffy: I think I saw a vampire go into the forest I'm going to check it out.
Buffy goes to the edge of the forest and peers into it. Two vampires charge from
behind her.
Giles: Buffy, it's a trap!!
Out of nowwhere a figure jumps up and slashes one of the vampires it groans in
pain. Buffy spins aroung and plunges a stave into its heart. The other vampire
starts to run away. Buffy trips him, the vampire falls to the ground gets up and
starts to run. It runs full force into someone's kick. It looks up to see Conner swords
drawn standing over him. He charges and the scene switches to Buffy, Willow,
Xander and Angel(the other figure who slashed the first vampire) they see a head
fall to the ground and then turn to dust.
Angel: That's one for each of you. You two are going to stay tied forever.
Buffy: Angel!
Buffy runs over to Angel and kisses him. Conner swaggers over.
Conner:(To Willow) I wouldn't mind a reward like that myself.*winks*
Willow blushes.
Xander: Hey! Hey! Hey! We don't need any of that going on here.
Conner: Some other time then. Come on lets get to my place you can't stay in the hotel
its not secure enough.
Buffy: The vampires can't come in. What could possibly happen.
Conner: This isn't Downtown Sunnydale this is the country side of Ireland. Fantasy
world come to life. Vampires aren't the only thing to worry about. Morgoth controls
almost all the baddies around here. Normally there not much of a problem but if
Morgoths pulling their strings and coordinates them we'll have a lot of trouble.
Willow: What else is there? Other then vampires?
Conner: Ever read The Lord of the Rings?
Giles: Of course what illiterate fool hasn't?
Willow: Yeah
Xander: Nope
Buffy: Nope
Conner: Well just so you know. Orcs are a strain of demon they are almost exactly like
the ones from those books. They come from an alternate dimension. So theres orcs there
will be werewolves there will definetely be werewolves. We might come across a
protector and if worse comes to worse a- -
Giles: A protector I'm afraid I don't know what that is.
Conner: Not surprising they're so secret they make joining the Order of Toroca look
like signing up for a library card. They're from the dimension of the Orcdemons.
They're basically the same as the elves from Tolkiens world, he was a guy in the know
I'll tell you that. They come here only to hunt the Orcs that have made it to this world. If
we happen across one then were safe for quite a while. One protector is sent for every
100 Orcs that come to this world there power is unbelievable. Anyways as I was saying
if worst comes to worst we might meet a dragon. I've only seen one in my life but with
Morgoth you never really know.
Xander: As in dragon you mean very large lizard with fangs that breathes fire and stuff.
Conner: Some of them do. There is only about 5 left in the world though. Nessie from
Loch Ness. Cargath lives here in Ireland and is as evil as it gets.
Conner: Anyways the good one out number the evil ones at the moment and if the evil
ones rise so will the good ones. There hasn't been a rising of the dragons in over three
centuries.
Buffy: Oh this place is sooo weird. I'll just stick to vampires lets get to your place then.
Conner leads them off into the forest and then back onto the road a little ways on.
After about 2 minutes of walking they approach a large town house.
Conner: Wait here everyone why'll I go disable the alarms and traps.
Conner slips off into the night towards his town house. 10 minutes of uneventful
nothingness passes.
Buffy: Thats enough waiting lets go. I'm sure he's sitting at a window just laughing at
us for waiting out here.
Angel: Its not really a good idea to approach this house unless the traps are all gone.
Believe me there are traps.
Buffy: Nothing that could stop me lets go there probably all disabled by now anyways.
Buffy strides purposefully towards the house. Suddenly a twang sounds and Buffy
just manages to jump forward out of the way of a crossbow bolt.
Buffy: Conner is going to pay for that!!!!!
Suddenly several other bolts shoot forth from there concealment. Buffy has to flip
back and forth frantically to avoid being hit. She finally manages to get out of
range. The bolts stop shooting. Conner walks up out of some shadows.
Conner: I told you to wait. My defenses can stop a hoard of vampires.
Buffy: Come here, Conner.
Conner: I think just out of arms reach is better.
Xander walks past Conner and “accidentally” pushes him within reach of Buffy.
Buffy starts to strangle him and it takes the combined strength of everyone else to
get her to stop.
Conner: Well that was fun. Lets go before something else happens.
They all arrive inside the house and Conner shows them all to their rooms. They all
tag along to see where everyone else is staying. Everyone but Willow now has a
room.
Conner: I'm terribly sorry Willow but I don't have any more rooms left you'll have to
bunk with me tonight.
Willow stands there gaping and unbelieving
Willow: Um... well yeah but... Um--
Conner: Don't worry I don't bite. Anyway lighten up I'm just joking come on I'll show
you to your room then you guys can have the grand tour.
* * *
Back in Sunnydale in Spike's lair.
Vampire: The slayers gone. We've confirmed it. The city is ours.
Spike: She really went up against Morgoth?! This is amazing. That old man has been a
thorn in my side for long enough. Pack up your stuff boys were going to Ireland.
(mutters under his breath)To kill Morgoth and the slayer and the hunter definetly the
hunter.
* * *
Morgoth's castle.
Ivander: Master, she has come I went to the terrible ones place. I could smell them.
Morgoth: So the fools come to die. I am not yet ready to face them. The time for my
conquering is not yet right. Let the unnamed one go forth to do battle with them. Go my
faithful dog and bring him to me!
Ivander slowly turns more doglike and then into a full werewolf and lumbers off. In
the rafters hides a strikingly beautiful female vampire who quickly climbs out the
window and leaves once the conversation has ended.
* * *
Conner: So Buffy hows about a bit of sparring. I haven't had much practice since
Kalith...well how about it?
Buffy: If you feel like getting beat up who am I to argue?
Conner: *laughs* We'll see.
Everyone assembles in the sparing room to watch. Conner takes Buffy over to a
rack of weapons.
Conner: Choose your weapon.
Buffy: You mean two weapons you have two I want two.
Conner: If you'd like two then take two.
Buffy picks a pair of poles that are about three feet long one for each hand and are
metal tipped at the end. She then takes a crossbow with three bolts on it. They
stand on opposite sides of floor. Conner shouts whenever your ready. Buffy waits
calmly then suddenly jerks the crossbow into a fire position. Conner slips the two
daggers into his hands and throws them both at Buffy with a speed that is rather
amazing. Buffy calmly fires the crossbow twice and the bolts meet the daggers
halfway. All four missiles fall to the floor. During this that same female vampire
slips in through a window and watches the battle from the rafters. Buffy fires the
crossbow the third and last time directly at Conners heart. With a blur of motion he
draws his two katanas and one intercepts the bolt inches from his heart. Buffy pulls
out the strange sticks and walks toward the center of the room as does Conner.
Buffy: Nice work but far from good enough to beat me.
Conner: I must say your pretty accurate with a crossbow. Its over now though. No one
can beat a hunter in hand to hand combat.
Buffy: No one but me. If you do win we'll just have to go hand to hand tomorrow night
as in no weapons.
Conner: No one can beat a hunter in weapons combat just like no one can beat a slayer
in hand to hand right?
Buffy: Sounds right to me. Now that the boastings done with lets get it done.
Conner: Lets
Conner and Buffy charge towards each other. In a blur of thrusts and parries the
battle starts. No one watching can even really see individual thrusts in this dance.
Buffy is steadily losing ground though and after a while Conner disarms her and and
trips her to the ground. Suddenly the vampiress in the rafters jumps down and
attacks Conner. He falls to the ground totally surprised like everyone else, except
Angel. Everyone jumps up to his defense only to hear...
Conner: Nice entrance thanks for ruining my time for perfectly good gloating.
Morgana: You should always know that there is someone better then you know matter
how good you get.
Morgana helps Buffy and then Conner to their feet.
Conner: Everyone this is my-- how many greats would it be now? Are you sure you
don't want me to go get you a cane?
Morgana: Thats quite enough. My name is Morgana. I am Conner's ULTIMATE(looks
at Conner daring him to say something.) grandmother.
Buffy: Well I must say your looking good for a three thousand year old.
Morgana: Morgoth has sent for the unnamed one. He will be here within the week's
end.
Buffy: The third disciple. Now were getting somewhere after I kill him its on to
Morgoth.
Conner: No way I'm calling dibs on both of them!
Buffy: I'll flip you for them?
Morgana: Oh, dear.
Morgana moves away from Conner and Buffy who have lapsed into bickering.
Everyone but Giles is adding their thoughts to the argument. Morgana moves
toward Giles who is staring at her as would a deer stand before the headlights of a
car fast approaching.
Morgana: Hello Rupert, it's good to see you again.
Giles: Your Morgana!! All that time we knew each other I never thought you were a
vampire and you are... a vampire.
Morgana: Surely you didn't expect me to tell you at that time.
Giles: I most certainly did and do.
Morgana: Quiet, the argument has stopped we'll talk more later.
Giles: Agreed.
Morgana: We might as well all get some rest there will be important things to do
tomorow. Angel if you would be a dear and escort me to my room?
Angel takes her arm in his and they head down to the basement. Everyone goes to
there room Conner follows Willow to hers.
Willow: Were you planning on staying the night?
Conner: I just wanted to say. Be careful in here there are a lot of old things in this
room. It was hers you know.
Willow: Who's room was it?
Conner: Kalith's she spent several years here.
Willow: I see well I'll be quiet now.
Conner: No, its OK. It's hard you know very similar to what your going through with
Xander.
Willow: How did you know about that?! I mean what are you talking about?
Conner: The way you look at him when you think no one is watching it sort of gives you
away.
Willow: Oh well, you won't tell Xander will you?
Conner: Not if you want to keep it a secret. Buffy knows though and so does Angel and
Giles.
Willow: How does Angel know?
Conner: He's an observer. Like myself he could tell your mark on a test withing in 10%
if your thinking about it and so could I.
Willow: I really doubt that. Lets see you try. I'm thinking about my last test.
Conner: Well it wasn't good thats obvious from the start. But whats bad for you higher
then a C thats for sure. I'll say 78%.
Willow: Thats amazing how did you do that?!
Conner: You just have to look closely at a persons face and use logic. It also helps if
you were outside the classroom listening in on the conversation when the person got the
test back.
Willow: You were outside the classroom!
Conner: Naturally and I was just on the roof of the school when you and that
dark-haired friend of yours came out looking for me.
Willow: *laughs* What other times were you around?
Conner: Thats about it.
Conner leans forward and kissed Willow They both look at each other for a second
and then kiss again more deeply and longer. Morgana appears at the doorway.
Morgana: Conner, I need to talk to you.
Conner: Yes, ma'am.
Morgana: Go wait for me in my apartments.
Conner leaves the room quickly.
Morgana: I thought we could talk a bit, dear.
Willow: He must really love you to obey you like that.
Morgana: After his parents died I raised him and I also trained him that brings people
closer together.
Willow: What did you want to talk about?
Morgana: What I just saw.
Willow: With all do respect, I'm 16 and Conner is at least 20 I'm sure we can make are
own decisions.
Morgana looks a little surprised.
Willow: Well maybe we could.
Morgana: Perhaps, but there are some things you should consider first.
Willow: Like what?
Morgana: For one thing, Conner isn't thinking as rationally about women as he might.
He just had to kill his love. Also you said Conner was at least 20 he's twice that age.
Willow: What?!
Morgana: He has vampire blood in him. He'll live to be over 400 and won't age at all
anymore. He will look exactly as he does now all his life.
Willow: What does that have to do with anything? So he's older that should only make
him more wise and he'll know when to pull out all the stops.
Morgana: He has been taught by some of the greatest people in the world but he has no
practical experience. All he knows is this house and killing evil things. I suppose he is
competent with his Katanas as well.
Willow: You might be right at that then.
Morgana: I usually am, dear. I'll see you tomorrow get a good nights sleep you will
need it tomorrow will be a busy day. Oh, by the way I would prefer if you kept Conner's
age a secret it might unhinge some of them to realize that he's older then Mr. Giles.
Morgana gracefully walks out of the room. She walks down to her apartment.
About 5 minutes later everyone upstairs hears muffled yelling. After 10 minutes
Angel comes up from the basement with a haunted look on his face.
Angel: Do not go down there!
Buffy: What happened?!
Angel: Conner did something and it must have been bad because Morgana pitched a fit.
I wouldn't go back down there if I was offered back my humanity in return.
Buffy: What did he do?
Angel: I have no idea and I don't want to know.
Buffy: This is just to curious. I have to find out! Willow are you up for some snooping?
Willow: NO! I mean no thanks I'm a little tired right now. Just drop it Buffy.
Giles: Yes, Buffy I suggest you drop it.
Everyone leaves but Buffy and Angel, Buffy because she's still curious and Angel
because he has no where to sleep.
* * *
A riot and panic has started at the airport where several vampires including Spike
and Drusilla arrived on their night flight to Ireland.
* * *
Morgoth watches with joy as a vampire that looks almost exactly like the Master
breaks into the room through a trap door.
Morgoth: Your brother has been killed and his murderers are here. They intend to
attack this castle to destroy you as well. I am not yet ready for the confrontation. I will
depart my castle and its resources are yours to use as you will to destroy the slayer and
her companions.
* * *
Buffy wakes up in the middle of the night from a thumping sound coming from
Conners room right next door to hers. She quickly gets dressed and starts towards
Conners room.
Buffy: Conner are you OK. I heard some fighting or something.
Buffy gets no answer and so she just walks in to see Conner hitting a punching bag.
As he sees her his rage seems to grow and he starts hitting it even harder completely
destroying it. She notices that he keeps a golden locket with red trim on even when
he is “training”
Conner: Yes?
Buffy: You woke me up.
Conner: That's not why your here though.
Buffy: What ever are you talking about?
Conner: Your curious to know what happened between Morgana and I.
Buffy: OK I admit it. So I'm a little curious so I want to know, shoot me!
Conner: I need your help to much.
Buffy: I was joking. ... So?
Conner: Yes?
Buffy: What happened?
Conner: It doesn't involve you. It's private and I'd prefer to keep you out of it.
Buffy: Fine then. Don't ask me to share any of my secrets though.
Conner: You don't have any secrets.
Buffy: Well then goodbye.
Buffy walks out of the room and back to hers and goes to bed. Convincing herself
that everything worked out as she planned. She just went over there to stop the noise
anyway. Everyone wakes up the next morning and assembles in the sparring room.
Morgana: We have a lot of things to do today. Well actually just one but its going to
keep us very busy. We have a meeting with a Protector.
Conner: A protecter! That's amazing. I guess I shoudn't be surprised that you know
one. If you live a billion years you generally get to know a couple people.
Morgana: Thats enough, Conner. I never make any comments about that time with
Spike do I? How you were so cocky and Spike almost killed you. Do I ever bring that
up?
Spike: Oh how I've missed you and your witty verbal barbs Morgana.
Morgana: Spike?! What are you doing here??
Spike: I came to help of course. Surprisingly I found something I hate more then the
slayer.
Conner: Were supposed to trust you to help? I did that once, it sure as hell won't
happen again!
Spike: Such lack of faith. It's sad really. I'm nice enough to offer my services and I'm
not even given time to make a few suggestions.
Buffy: So tell us what you want and then leave.
Spike: My dear you're so cruel. Kicking me out when I've no where to go in this
strange new country.
Morgana: You lived here for more than a year. What is it that you want?
Spike: As I was saying I hate Morgoth even more than I hate all of you. So Dru
Drusilla steps out of the shadows
Spike: and I came to offer our services along with a bunch of my cronies who are
waiting outside. They were reluctant to make the journey in to the house you understand.
Morgana: Stay at this residence then and we'll call you when we need you.
Morgana hands Spike a key with an address on it.
Spike: Jolly-O I'll be leaving then. See you all at the big shibang.
Spike and Drusilla fade into the shadows and leave.
Buffy: This will be the second time Spike has helped us. This last week is getting
weirder and weirder.
Morgana: Let us depart then to meet the protector.
* * *
They have just returned home from the protectors secret base
Buffy: That guy just radiated power. Very impressive.
Conner: At least he gave us the map to get into Morgoths castle.
Angel: When do we attack?
Giles: Normally I'd suggest we do this during the day but the castle is in such thick
forests it won't matter. Also we will hopefully have the advantage of surprise.
Morgana: We go tonight then.
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