Joss and the WB own all that you know and love, while I merely own the plot, the creatures and characters from my twisted imagination and a mountain of student loans.
Author's Note:Happens way after "Becoming" and definitely after Angel gets back from Hell.
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Part Eleven
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"Damn it!" gritted Giles in frustration as he threw down the book that he was reading. Willow, startled by his minor scene of violence, looked at the Watcher with some concern. Giles had always been the calm one when something unusual was going on. It was not usual to see him this frustrated, but then, Buffy's disappearence was not a normal unusual event. It was part of a formula for a down-right unusual catastrophe.
"Damn it!"Giles cursed again.He looked at Willow with hope in his eyes."Willow, tell me that you found something."
Willow shook her head."Nothing's come up so far...I've tried every word that I know to find out more, but..."
"Damn, I wish to God that I knew what was going on,"Giles cursed. He looked at the ceiling, as if he could discern a message from the patterns of the tiles. Willow started to speak when she heard a car pull into the drive way.
"Maybe the others have found something,"she said as she bolted to the door with Giles right behind her. She flung open the door to greet Xander, Cordelia and Oz, to whom she gave a great hug. Then a beautiful and delicate-looking woman with black hair entered behind them. Willow looked at Oz, questioningly."Who's this?"
Xander made the introductions."Giles, Willow, this is Hlin or Guardian. We met her on the pier, where the girl's body was found. Hlin, this is Willow and Giles-"
"You are the Slayer's Watcher,"Hlin interrupted, her voice accusing. Startled, Giles nodded.
"I am,"Giles started. He stopped when Hlin took a menacing step towards him.
"You failed in your duty to the Slayer, Watcher,"she stated flatly."It is your fault that she has the Slayer."
Willow rallied to Giles's defense."Giles knew nothing that was going on! None of us knew! It was supposed to be a slow night! We didn't know that Buffy was going to be taken!"
Hlin looked at Willow, then at the others coldly before she settled her hard gaze at Giles once more."And you take into your confidence these civilians. You are most unusual, Watcher. They should have been kept away from the Slayer, just as her mother should have been."
"Hey! We're in this because Buffy's our friend!"Xander objected."And furthermore,lady-"
"Who are you?" Giles interrupted Xander's tirade. He had finally found his tounge after the woman's attack."Who are you to judge me on how I perform my duties?"
Hlin smiled coldly."I am Hlin, a Guardian, of the Ceres. Born of a Second daughter of the Mana-kai. That is what gives me the right to judge you, Watcher."
"What?"Giles whispered, stunned. Xander and Willow exchanged glances at the look on Gile's face.
"What? You're a cereal? And you're mom's what?"Cordelia interjected, confused. Hlin looked at her, annoyed.
"The Mana-kai are only legends,"Giles said,"Dead myths from past and in Slayer lore."
"So is the Slayer and Watchers,but you seem very much alive,"Hlin said wryly.
"I'm way bit into the confused,"Oz interjected."So tell us, who or what are you?"
"She's a Mana-kai. An Elemental. In whispered legends about the Slayer, the Mana-kai were the ones who guarded the the earth's realm. But most importantly, they were to obey and guard the Slayer with their very lives. The Watchers were supposed to guide the Slayer, until something happened to make the Elementals disappear. It was all thought to be wishful thinking of a past Slayer and Watcher. No references of the Elementals were found anywhere, so they were deemed to be nothing, but legends,"Giles answered as he kept looking at Hlin. She inclined her head at him.
"Until today,"she said. Giles agreed.
"Until today. If you existed, where have you been? Why are you not performing your duty of protecting the Slayer."
"We have been. We have always protected the Slayer,"Hlin said calmly. Willow narrowed her eyes.
"Bull-dinky!"she exclaimed."For the last few years, there has been none of you Elementals around!"
Hlin cocked a fine eyebrow at her."For every Slayer, there has always been more than two members of the Elementals that have died protecting her."
"Yeah, when?"challenged Cordelia."I mean, I've had my nails ripped and clothes torn more times than I care to count helping Buffy deafeat the baddies of the night. So where were you guys when Buffy was saving the world?"
"Dying for her,"Hlin said quietly. She looked at the dubious faces around her, and gave them a sad smile."Eight of the family perished as the protected the vampires from approaching the school when the Master was free. They had caused the fog that was deadly to them. Seven died trying to prevent the Harvest from releasing the Master by focusing their energy to strengthen the weakened mystical barrier of the Hellmouth from collapsing. Two died when Spike had performed that attack at the school. Shall I go on?"
"Those deaths,"Giles began slowly."I remember them, they were odd because the bodies were found..."
"As if they were by vampire attacks or cult suicide-pacts,"Hlin finished for him."But now you know better."
"What I'm not getting is why now? I mean, not that now is not a bad time for you Elementals to show yourselves, but why?"Willow asked. "I mean, what happened to you that you guys couldn't help the Slayer? And that you were made into legends?"
Hlin answered slowly."It is all very confusing. One that only the Children of the Mana-kai sons know what happened. I am only a child of the Second Daughter and we are all instructed to not contact the Slayer or the Watcher, on the pain of death. I am risking much to talk to you directly, Watcher."
Giles nodded."Understood."
"So, what does this all mean?"Xander asked."I mean, this means that you're here for a reason.Right? To help us find Buffy? To know who this Liliy the octopus character is that took Buffy?"
Giles looked at Xander in confusion."Liliy the octopus? What is that?"
"The werewolf had found the name of the demon that had taken the Slayer. Lilith,"Hlin explained. Willow's mouth opened like a wide fish.
"But she can't! Buffy's not a baby!" Everyone looked at Willow in confusion. "What?"
"You know the name, Willow?"asked Giles. Willow nodded her head.
Willow started to talk eagerly. Her fast tounge tripping over her words. "Lilith is a demon in Jewish legends. She was the first wife of Adam before Eve. It's said that she refused to submit to him on the basis that since she was made of the same earth as him, as well as the same time, so they were, in her mind, equal. She was punished by God at Adam's request and became a demon. Since she couldn't have any children, she got her revenge by taking babies and sucking the life from them. Some say that she was the first vampire on earth. But that was only a legend..."
"Until now..."Hlin finished for her. She looked at the Watcher."I do not know of the description of Lilith, but this does not seem to be the same demon. Also, there is a great influx of vampires that are coming into Sunnydale. The reason is yet uncertain, but if this Lilith is the cause of it..."
"Then Buffy will be where the vampires are gathering,"Giles finished.
"But why?"Cordelia asked."Why would the vamps want Buffy? Why go through the charade that Buffy's dead? Wouldn't they just rather kill her outright? With a slash at her throat? What?"
Hlin looked at the Watcher."Does this one always talk so..."
"Tactless? Yes,"Giles finished."Wait the prophecy! We found a prophecy in the Pergamon Codex. Faded but there. Where is it?"
"Here,"Willow said as she gave it to Hlin."It says, as far as we can make it out. 'Slayer once dead. Once a Slayer. Immortal. No set fate. and Destiny. That's all that we can make out.' Can you read any more, Hlin?"
"No, but I can try to get more information,"she saaid as she whipped out a cellular phone from her pocket. She looked at the surprised faces around her."What? You think that I would call help through mystical means?"
Xander gave a sheepish grin. Hlin looked at the windows as she made her call.
"Elder? Hlin. I need the Tiberius Manifesto, as well as the Neith Inscription. Hurry, the Slayer has disappeared, and there is trouble on the Sunnydale Hellmouth. Vampires are increasing, and there is a demon called Lilith here as well."
Hlin paused."I am with the Slayer's Watcher."
Hlin listen for a moment."I know the price, Elder. But there is something going on here, Elder. Blessings with thee."
She looked at the people surrounding her."The Tiberius Manifesto will be here in the morning, as well as the Neith Inscriptions."
"Neith Inscriptions? What are they?"Giles asked curiously.
"Writings about the Slayer, written by a dead prophet from the lost island of Atlantis,"Hlin said slowly as she looked at Giles."That is why you could not read some of the rest of the worn prophecy of the Codex. It was written in Atlanian."
Giles was about to say something when a car was heard pulling into the drive way.
"That's Ms. Summer's car!"Willow exclaimed excitedly."maybe they know some more things!"
"I hope so,"Xander said feverently as he went to open the door."This is turning to be confusing. Like a bad Woody Allen-Speilburg flick."
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