Prison of the Soul
Parts 1 and 2
by Tamara and Kimberly L.
Part One:
DISCLAIMER: You know the drill...Joss owns all...I own squat. Well, I do own any character I invent....but other than that....all hail Joss!!!
TIMELINE: This story takes place after “Graduation”, sometime in the middle
of the summer break.
SYNOPSIS: Garoth, the Soul Eater, roamed the earth for centuries, feeding
off the essence of the living. Then a group of ancient Druids create a crystal, called the Soul Gem, to entrap the demon,and imprison him there for all eternity. To prevent the unscrupulous from getting the gem and using it to free the demon, they placed a curse on the crystal...for anyone who dares to use it, will be imprisoned within the stone, as well. For hundreds of years, many have tried, and all have been failed, leaving the victim in a life long coma, never to be awakened.
When the crystal resurfaced, once more, on the doorstep of Joyce Summers, she thinks it’s the perfect addition to her “New Age” show at the gallery. Giles, thinks otherwise, and offers to take the crystal for research. But someone else had designs on the mysterious gem...and will stop at nothing to claim it for his own.
RATING: pg-14
Part one A
Five robed figures walked carefully through the dense underbrush of the forest. Although it was rough going most of the way, their determination and willpower pushed them on. When they finally reached the clearing, they knew their pain and suffering would soon end.
This was the place for their last stand.
Silently, as though they communicated with their thoughts alone, they began the preparations. They drew the pentagram....gathered the herbs...and lit the fire, as they moved as one. The time was drawing near. It would be either now....or never.
Off in the distance, they could hear it. Growling. Snarling. Moving closer to them. It was then that they began to chant...
“Oh God and Goddess of light, hear our prayers. Protect us from the darkness that tries to invade our lives, and banish him for all eternity!”
The demon began to forge through the forest with incredible speed, trying to reach the robbed men, before it was too late. Behind him lay a path of destruction; broken tree limbs, trounced bushes...and death...so much death. The forest dwellers that could not escape his wrath, quickly fell...their souls, ripped from them with brutal force.
“We call upon you, to end our long suffering, and commit this demon to stone!”
He reached the clearing, and towered over the five robbed men. They were standing in the five points of the pentagram, with a glowing crystal, the size of a man’s fist, in the center. Garoth, the Soul Eater, saw this as easy pickings. He would stop these meddlesome humans, once and for...
“O’ben estura rac’ture! Into the prison shall you be!”
Garoth froze.
He felt his body begin to lose form, and his essence, slip from him. And for the first time in his immortal life...he knew fear.
Then...he knew nothing...
*~*~*~*~*~*
“Buffy, will you get that.”
“Okay, Mom,” she called to her mother, who was still in the shower. The teen shook her head in bewilderment, “How does she do it? She’s in the shower, with the water on, and she can still hear the door bell? And they say I have super powers.”
She padded over to the front door, wrapping her bath robe tighter around her petite figure, and opened it. There standing with a look of surprise was the UPS guy. He gave a quick grin, content in the fact that early morning deliveries sometimes paid off. “Um,” he cleared his throat, “I have a package for a Ms. Joyce Summers.”
“She’s in the shower,” Buffy answered, “But I’m her daughter. Can I sign for it?”
He looked her up and down, not being about to focus on anything but this blonde beauty in front of him.
“Hello?” Buffy called out to him, waving her hand in front of his eyes, “Sign...paper... yes? Take package from you...now?” When he shook his head, and handed the clipboard over to her, she smiled, “Welcome back. I was getting worried.” She handed him back the clipboard and took the package, “Thanks.”
‘Well, that was abrupt,’ Buffy thought to herself, as she closed the door on his face, ‘And he was kinda cute too. Of course the ogling part is such a turn off...’
“So,” Joyce Summers asked, drying her hair with a towel, “Who was it?”
“Oh, just some, love struck delivery guy,” Buffy tossed her head.
“Gee,” Joyce frowned, noticing what her daughter was wearing, “I wonder why. You didn’t answer the door, dressed like that, did you?”
“What?” Buffy huffed, pulling at her robe, “it’s not like I was naked.”
Joyce sighed, and shook her head, “Dressing like that was probably worse than being naked. Leaves too much up the imagination...don’t you think?”
Buffy hadn’t really thought about that. The idea that she just made some young delivery guy’s day, made her laugh out loud, “Ooops. I guess you’re right. That could have been the reason why the guy’s clipboard was wet with drool. Sorry.”
“I’m sure he wasn’t,” Joyce smiled. She spied the package in her daughter’s hand and said, “So, let’s see what’s inside.”
“Probably more weird ‘New Age’ stuff.”
Joyce put her hands on her hips and gave a little mock pout, “It’s not weird. It’s art.”
Looking around at the dozens of crystals, and stones, and paintings, and other items for her mother’s gallery, she said, “It’s weird.”
Joyce opened the box and peered in at its contents. Inside were several more crystals and stones, and exotic incense. She carefully took them out one at a time, and placed them on the kitchen island. Some of the crystals where duplicates of what she had already had, but they were attractive none the less. There was a list of the items, along with descriptions of what each one was, and from what part of the globe it came from.
When she got to the bottom of the box, her hand brushed up against something hard and warm. Another crystal, she thought, as her hand wrapped around its firm structure. She pulled it out and looked at it curiously. It was irregular in shape, about the size of a man’s fist. Joyce looked at the onyx crystal, and was taken in by its simplistic beauty. She had never seen anything like it before. It was blacker than black, almost completely
sucking in all the light that hit it. She felt as though, by looking into the crystal, she could see the entire universe...
“Mom? Hello? Earth to Mom.”
“Oh, Buffy,” she said, shaking her head, and transferring her focus to the concerned expression on her daughter’s face, “I’m sorry. This is so beautiful.” She rummaged through the box, and found nothing else inside, “I wonder what this is?”
Buffy picked up the invoice and studied it carefully, “Mmmm...” she said thoughtfully, “I don’t see it on here.”
“Let me see,” Joyce said, taking the invoice from her daughter, “It has to be somewhere here.” After searching through the paper, confirmed Buffy’s first observation, she sighed, “I don’t understand. I mean, it was put down here at the bottom. That means, it was put here first, right. I guess they forgot to add it to the invoice.”
“Can you call the people who sent it?”
Joyce nodded, “Yeah. They have a phone number on the invoice. From England. There goes the long distance again.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After talking on the phone for about twenty minutes, Joyce hung up. She looked even more puzzled than she had been before. “This is strange.”
“What is?”
“Well,” she explained, “When I talked to Mr. Samuel Donavon, he had no idea where the crystal came from.”
“So, we have to send it back?”
“No.” she shook her head, “He said that since we already have it...it’s ours. But I still don’t know what it is.”
A light went on in Buffy’s head, “Hey! Maybe Giles has some books on weird, black crystals. I can borrow a few from him, and we can figure what this is together.”
“Like a mother and daughter thing?” Joyce gave a wiry smile, “Are you sure it won’t be too embarrassing.”
“Well, if you said, you wanted to go on a double date...” Buffy grinned back.
*~*~*~*~*~*
He watched the Slayer leave her house, and sighed with relief. This would be easier than he thought. Only her mother was inside, and he could con her easily...if she didn’t remember him from the last time they met.
Ethan Rayne stayed hidden in the bushes across the street until the utility vehicle, Buffy borrowed from her mom, was down at the end of the block. When he was sure it was safe, he stepped out and headed to the Summer’s home. He knew he had to play this just right, if he wanted to get the black crystal that was just delivered.
He was hired by Everett Daniels to retrieve the missing Gem, and would have had it sooner, if that damned woman in London didn’t catch on and send it away. Fortunately for him, it wasn’t too hard to track where it went. Of course, it would be his luck that the crystal was delivered to the mother of Buffy Summers, the Vampire Slayer. But that was
just a minor inconvenience, now that the Slayer was away.
So, mustering all of the charm he could, he began to walk up to the front door. This mouse was going to play.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Buffy?” Giles said, after he opened the door, “What are you doing here?”
“What, can’t a Slayer visit her Watcher?”
Giles sighed and let her in, “I’m not your Watcher anymore, remember?”
“Minor technicality,” Buffy shrugged, as she bounced in.
She looked around at the small apartment and shook her head. What was usually the epitome of neatness, and order, was in the grip of chaos. Boxes and boxes of books were strewn everywhere, taking up every available spot. This was to be expected, with the library being destroyed. But there was something else that concerned her even more...the
general feel of the place. Ever since Giles was fired, he had changed a bit. Actually, the more she thought about it...she could remember the change taking place when she came
back to Sunnydale last Summer. He seemed distant.
Of course, having your girlfriend murdered, and being tortured, by the man who killer her...who also happened to be the ex-demon/lover of your Slayer, would tend to do that, she figured.
And when he was sacked by the Council, she saw that bit of distance between them shrink, as he was no longer a Watcher, and more part of the Scooby Gang. But now...something wasn’t right. The distance between them not only grew, but it took on a life of it’s own. There where times in which Giles went out on extended trips, not telling anyone where he was going, for entire weekends. When Buffy inquired about it, he
told her it was personal and none of her business. But, he was her....okay, he was her
Ex-Watcher...but still, it WAS her business. Right?
Things were moving so fast lately. She graduated. She blew up the school. She was starting college in one month. And now Giles was going to be footloose and fancy free? Why couldn’t things be simple, like they were when she was just Buffy, the High School Vampire Slayer. So, okay...her life was never simple....but...
“What can I help you with?” Giles asked, interrupting her thoughts.
“Oh, sorry,” Buffy apologized, “Well, I was wondering if I can borrow a book on crystals and gems.”
Giles’ face brightened, as he gave a wry gri “Pardon me...did I hear you right? Did you want a book to read?”
Buffy placed her hands on her hips and squinted her eyes, “Oh, ha ha...very funny Giles. That would be sarcasm, right?”
Her mentor chuckled, reaching for his cup of tea “Sorry, couldn’t resist. Now, might I ask the reason behind your sudden interest in knowledge?”
“What? Can’t I be knowledge girl?”
Giles stared blankly at her.
“Okay,” she admitted, “You know my Mom is having a New Age exhibit at the Gallery?”
Giles nodded.
“Well, she got some new crystals and things today, and she got this crystal that didn’t come with instructions.”
“I wasn’t aware that crystals came with a set of instruction.”
Buffy looked at him indignantly, “You know what I mean. Everything else had an explanation with it. This one didn’t. And when we called the shipper...they had no idea where the crystal came from. So, are you gonna help me, or what?”
Giles chuckled at that. “Of course, I’ll help,” he said, moving to one of the piles of boxes, “Why don’t you describe this crystal to me, while I look for the books.” He looked at her apologetically, “This might take some time. I’m afraid in the haste of packing up the library, I failed to mark all of the boxes.”
“That’s okay,” Buffy said, sitting on his couch, “Okay....what does it look like...” she began, “Well, it’s about...hey Giles, make a fist.”He complied, “yeah, it’s about that big.”
“Really?” Giles said, pulling out book after dusty book, “What shape is it?”
Buffy though about it for a minute or two before she answered, “Well, it’s kinda weird shaped. With pieces jutting out everywhere. And it’s black....really, really black. Like looking into a...well, I’ve never looked into anything this black before.”
Giles froze. “Did I say something?”
“Blacker than coal?” Giles asked, opening a book.
“I’ve never really seen too much coal before...but, sure....I guess it would be darker than coal. Why?”
Giles said nothing. He turned around with the book in his hand, and for the first time, Buffy noticed he was white as a sheet.
“Jeeze, Giles,” she said nervously, “What is it?”
Giles showed her the book and asked, “Does it look something like this?”
She didn’t have to study the picture for very long, “That’s *exactly* what it looks like!”
“Damn.” “What?”
The Watcher sighed and sat down next to her, “The Soul Gem,” he began to read from the book, “was used by ancient Druids to entrap a very powerful Demon named Garoth, the Soul Eater...”
“Soul Eater?” Buffy gulped, “Why don’t I like the sound of that?”
”You shouldn’t,” he continued, “Garoth survived for thousands of years, feeding off the essence of the living...”
“Um, sounds like another demon we knew and loved,” Buffy quipped, “Remember the Judge?”
“Yes,” he agreed, “But the Judge fed off the life essence of humanity, leaving nothing behind. Garoth, fed only on thesoul...leaving the body and empty vessel...”
“Not very efficient was he?”
“Buffy,”Giles scolded, “this is no laughing matter Garoth was a very powerful demon...”
“...who is trapped in a crystal my Mom has.” Buffy finished. Then it hit home. “A CRYSTAL MY MOM HAS?!”
“Calm down,” Giles said, “Without the spell to activate the crystal, Garoth will remain inside the Gem.”
“You mean,” Buffy practically shouted, “there’s a spell to release him?! Why would anyone trap a demon, then make a spell to let him go?!”
“It’s not like that,” Giles tried to explain, reading from the book, “The spell to activate the Gem is not commonly known...but it has been used over the ages, so it is in existence. The Druids knew this, so they put a curse on the crystal. If anyone tried to activate the crystal after the Gem was sealed, it would entrap them as well.”
“So, no one would want to,” Buffy surmised, “right?”
“Well...”
Buffy rolled her eyes. Nothing was ever easy on the Hellmouth. Her Mom couldn’t have a simple, nice crystal delivered to her....nooooo. She had to have, demon, death crystal, and masked that raised the dead. Nope. Never boring here.
“Giles,” Buffy stood up, “I guessing this is NOT something we want her to have at the house....spell or no spell.”
Giles thought about it for a moment, then remembered Buffy’s welcome home, party from hell, “Oh, dear God...no.”
The two of them raced out of the house, in the hopes of averting any potential disasters that always seemed to follow the Summers’ women and strange artifacts.
Joyce had just finished unpacking the rest of the crystals when the doorbell rang. Well, it wasn’t Buffy, she thought, walking to the living room. Not unless she forgot her keys again. Perhaps it was another delivery. She was expecting a few statues, that hadn’t arrived yet. And who knows...maybe another mystery gem. She shook her head, as she
opened the door...mysteries were not things a person wanting to have in Sunnydale, as she had quickly found out over the past year.
When the door swung open, she didn’t see the expected UPS delivery man, but rather...
“I know you. You’re that man with the horrible candy, last year,” Joyce said, her eyes narrowed, “Ethan....Ethan...”
“Rayne,” he finished, trying to muster all of the charm he could, “Ethan Rayne. And you must be Joyce. Buffy’s mother. Well, you look just as attractive as the last time I saw you,” he admitted truthfully.
Joyce said, blocking the doorway, “What do you want?”
Ethan smile broadly, “I know you have no reason to like, or trust me...”
“No reason?!” Joyce practically shouted, “First you make this....this...cursed candy...”
“Aw come on,” he tried to soothe, “I didn’t even feel the slightest good being sixteen again?”
Joyce thought for a minute. She had to admit, she did have fun with Ripper...but... “That’s beside the point! It almost cost the lives of innocent children! Babies!!”
He raised his hands in surrender, “Now wait a minute. I had no idea Trick was going to do that. If I had...”
“You would have what?” Buffy said, coming up behind him, “Raised your fee?”
Ethan was surrounded! His gaze went from Joyce to Buffy, then to Giles, “Hello Buffy...Ripper,” he grinned nervously, “I know what this must look like...”
“Do you really?” Giles said coolly.
“Look,” he shifted uncomfortably, “could we finish this inside? Less prying eyes and all.”
“This is Sunnydale,” Buffy snipped, “the people around here have given up prying.” Then she sighed and pushed him through the door, “Fine...make it quick.”
Ethan tried to be calm and cool, but with the hard cold stares of Buffy and Giles pounding into him, it was difficult.
“Well,” he began, “I’m here to retrieve the Soul Gem.”
“Honesty,” Buffy snipped, “nice touch. This is becoming a habit with you.”
“The Gem was previously owned by a Mr. Daniels...”
“No one has ever ‘owned’ the Gem,” Giles interrupted.
“Fine,” Ethan amended, “was acquired by him...or I should rather say, his wife, about seven years ago. It was stolen from him...and he hired me to get it back.”
Buffy moved closer to him, “Now, why don’t I believe you?” Ethan was about to speak when she continued, “Ethan, this doesn’t sound like the type of job you would do. You’re more of a ‘let’s see what nasty spell I can cast’ kinda guy.”
“This Daniels,” Giles added, “wouldn’t want to open the crystal, would he?”
Joyce watched the exchange between the three. Then turning to her daughter she asked, “Buffy, what’s going on?”
Ethan hedged away slightly, looking down at his feet.
“He does!” Giles practically shouted, “Is he insane?!”
“Buffy?!” Joyce insisted.
“Not now Mom,” Buffy snapped. Then turning to Giles, she asked, “What would happen, if he did open the Gem, and the curse didn’t go off?”
“I don’t know,” Giles shook his head, “That’s never happened. Everyone who has tried, has gotten trapped within the Gem.” He stopped and eyed Ethan, “But, you know that...don’t you?”
“If he want’s to try his luck at it,” Ethan reasoned, “Who am I to stop him? He’s the fool, not I.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” A deep, male voice said. Standing in the doorway, was a tall man in his late forties, flanked by several younger men, with guns...all pointed at the
four in the room. Everett Daniels strode in with all the confidence of the rich tycoon, he
was. It was almost as though he believed he owned the place...and every individual there. His dark graying hair, was slicked back, making him look more like a Mafia shark than a businessman.
He looked at Ethan with cold eyes, “You know,” he sneered, “somehow I had a feeling that you couldn’t be trusted. And now I know why.”
“Mr. Daniels,” Ethan smiled, “I have found the Gem.” he plucked the crystal from the table and handed it to him, “So, I’ll just collect my fee....and be leaving now.”
“Not so fast,” Daniels motioned to his goons, “I still need your services.”
“But I...”
“I need your help in casting the spell.” He paused, and turned to the others, “In fact, I find this rather convenient that I have four volunteers for the spell.”
“Four?” Buffy asked.
“Oh dear,” Giles moaned, “The original spell was cast by five Druids, standing in a Pentagram. He needs four other people to help him cast the spell.”
She looked at Daniels and folded her arms, “Well, don’t count on us. You can find someone else. Cause we’re not saying a word.”
“I don’t need you to say anything,” Daniels explained, “All I need you to do is stand in the points of the pentagram, while I do the rest.” He then motioned for his henchmen to circle them, “And these good gentlemen will make sure you comply.”
“It won’t work,” Giles said, as they were ushered into the kitchen, “everyone who has tried to free Garoth has failed...”
“I’m not interested in freeing some trapped demon,” Daniels snapped, “All I want is my wife back. And you four are going to help me.”
“You can’t do this,” Giles continued, “You can’t just force us to sacrifice our lives for something that won’t work.”
“It will work!” he shouted. Then, regaining his composure, he added, “It has to work. Her body’s dying in a hospital in London. I have to reunite her soul with her body to save her. I’m *not* going to lose her.”
“Perhaps,” Giles tried to reason, “if we can do some research, we could figure out how to free the souls trapped inside...but it will take time...”
“Which is something she doesn’t have,” Daniels said, placing the Gem in the middle of the pentagram that was drawn on the floor,“Now, please get over to your respective points.” To emphasize his point,the four men, raised their guns, and cocked the triggers.
“Now. People. Time is a wasting.”
“Buffy,” Joyce sighed, standing in the point she was assigned, “This is the last time I accept anything strange and unusual....ever...again.”
“That would be and excellent idea,” Giles huffed,standing in the point next to her.
When all was ready, Daniels began the chant. It was in a language Buffy couldn’t understand, but somehow she knew this was a very bad spell to be casting. She glanced at Giles, who was watching Daniels closely, and wondered what he was planning.
Giles listened to the man cast the spell. He knew he didn’t have very much time, but if he didn’t do something soon, all those in the pentagram would be cast forever in the Gem. He also knew that in trying to break the spell, it would most likely result in his death. But Giles figured, as he poised to step outside the point, he didn’t want to be
responsible for the death of so many others.
“You move,” one of the henchmen said, pointing the gun at Giles’ head, “You die.”
Daniels continued to chant.
“You have to stop this,” Giles pleaded with the man, “he’s so distraught over his wife that he doesn’t see what he’s doing.”
“Listen to him,” Ethan agreed, “the spell will fail, and you’ll be unemployed.”
“Shut up!”
“Buffy,” Alarm filled Joyce’s voice, “I-I can’t move.”
It was then, that Giles realized they ran out of time.
The Soul Gem began to glow, casting an eerie light on the five within it’s grasp. The light reached out and penetrated their bodies, linking them all to the pulsating crystal. It was a pain, none of them had ever experienced before...a pain that touched their very souls. Giles could hear one of the men nervously back up away from the pentagram, and
drop his gun to the floor. Soon after, the other men, began to express their own fears.
“We gotta get outa here!” “What the Hell’s going on?” “That thing’s gonna kill us all!”
Then he heard the lead goon shout over the growing noise, “Stand your ground! Nobody moves!”
But, it did little good. As Giles fought to hold on to his soul, he watched the four men scatter and run out of the room. He managed to turn his head slightly, to see Joyce reaching for the hand of her daughter, and wished things would have been different. They didn’t deserve this.
If he only had more time.
The Gem pulsed for several more minutes, increasing in intensity with every passing moment, until it was all anyone could do not to scream.
Then it stopped....and their world exploded!
Part Two
The first thing that impressed upon his mind was the damp chill upon his cheek. Without conscious thought Rupert clenched his hands, digging his fingers down, into and through the loose sand and pebbles, drawing it into his fists. As if in a dream where everything is reduced to slow motion, he turned his face toward the movement and opened his eyes. The fog in his brain had not lifted enough for him to be sure it that was
his hand or someone else's scratching out a trench in the coarse rocky surface. Giles could see the motion and feel the grit rub against his fingers, but it was not connecting in his mind. He raised his hand and
let a fistful of sand pour downward. The colors... the colors were not right. Everything was in shades of gray, the sand, the rocks, the flesh of his hand.
Then it all came back to him with a vengeance.
"My God!" He lurched up onto his knees and stared around. Buffy, Joyce, Ethan and Everett still lay where they had fallen around him. Rupert went back down on his hands and knees and crawled between the two prone women.
"Buffy? Joyce?" He called to them as he reached out and shook each in turn. "Wake up! Oh dear God... wake up... please. Buffy's eyes shot open and in the same instant her fist made contact with whomever or whatever it was hovering over her. Rupert's glasses went flying as the force of the blow knocked him backward into the sand.
"Oh Giles! Oh, I'm sorry." Buffy began as she realized what she had done.
"Never mind me... ch-ch-heck on your mother." Giles sputtered as he worked his jaw back and forth. He reached over and retrieved his glasses and replaced them on his face.
"Mom, Mom?" Buffy whispered as she patted Joyce on the side of the face."Come on Mom..."
Joyce moaned and began to come around. "Buffy... Help me with her." Rupert said as he knelt down.
"Buffy? Rupert? What hap... where?" Joyce's voice faded out as her daughter and Giles pulled her into a sitting position. Rupert tossed his head toward the other two who were beginning to stir.
"We are now trapped within the Soul Gem and we have to get away fromthem before they awaken."
"You.. are.. not.. going anywhere." Everett spit out each word as he scrambled to his feet. He lurched over to a large boulder and leaned on it to steady himself. His hand went into his jacket and he pulled out a
handgun. "We are staying together, you are going to help me find my wife and then you are getting us all out of here."
"You're insane." Rupert snarled as he stood and took a step toward Daniels.
Ethan groaned and slowly pulled himself to his feet between the two. He blinked a couple of times and gave his head a hard shake to clear the cobwebs. His eyes darted back and forth as it began to register that he was in the line of fire - a spot he did not want to in.
"Put the gun down." Rupert ordered.
Ethan slid off to the side. "He's right Mr. Daniels.... please let's not do anything rash."
"Rash?" Joyce interjected. "I think we're past rash and into 'dead'!"Her voice cracked. "We're dead!"
Daniels shook his head. "We're not dead!"
"But we will be as soon as some one pulls the plug." Ethan noted with a nervous twitch. "Right now our bodies are laying on the living roomfloor. In a few days someone will find us and rush us to the hospital..."
"Shut up!" Daniels ordered.
"... where we will be hooked up to all the tubes and monitors, at least until the money runs out. Then we will be dropped into a nursing homewhere...."
"I SAID SHUT UP!"
"...we will atrophy with the minimum care given to charity cases until some one gets a court order to yank the feeding tube..."
Everett was now in Ethan's face screaming obscenities and waving the gun around, totally oblivious to the fact that Rupert and Buffy were coming up on his blind side. Emboldened by the approach of help Ethan poked his finger into Daniel's chest and raised his voice back at his employer."...which will be a BLESSING!"
"DANIELS!" Rupert shouted, almost in his target's ear. Everett whirled around and caught a handful of sand in his face and eyes. Giles and Ethan locked onto Daniels' right wrist and arm as Buffy pinned him from the left side.
"Just like old times, eah Ripper?" Ethan said with a gallows grin.
"Shut UP!" Rupert spit back as he twisted the gun free and pulled away from the clutch. He took a few running steps toward the shoreline and flung the weapon out into the water. Ethan and Buffy dragged Everett over to the boulder and smacked him face down over it. Ethan tossed his head toward their captive. "Ripper! Might be a good idea to pat him down."
"Yeah! Then let me knock him down!" Buffy snarled while giving the arm an extra twist.
Joyce breathed a ragged sigh as she came over to the others. The numbing shock over their plight was beginning to lessen and in its place she felt a rising panic. "Okay Joyce... don't go off the deep end... stay
calm.... nobody has time to deal with a basket case... we're going to be okay..." She soundlessly mouthed the words as she mentally regrouped. She bit her lip and stared at the colorless landscape. Black waves
folding onto an ashen beach; above them a sunless pewter sky glowed with an unnatural light that seemed to come from all directions, but yet... from nowhere. The narrow boulder strewn beach ended abruptly about seventy-five yards inland at the foot of what seemed to be an endless range of drab gray cliffs and bluffs.
Reaching down Joyce pulled the hem of her blouse up and stared at it. This was her dark green blouse... green not the charcoal color that now registered in her mind. She dropped the material and brought her hands up to her face. With a shudder she pegged the color of her skin – corpse gray.
"He's unarmed." Rupert said as he finished the pat down.
Buffy grinned wickedly. "Can I do the cavity search?"
"Find me a sharp stick and I'll do it." Joyce hissed.
"I see why you like these Summers women!" Rayne laughed.
"You're next Ethan." Giles said without a trace of humor.
Ethan's smile faded. "Now steady... I'm on your side now."
"Riiiight!" Buffy sniped.
"I hired you Rayne! I own you! You can kiss you fee..." Everett began rage and struggle.
"You can shove the money up your arse!" Ethan stopped and blinked at his words. "Never thought I'd hear myself say that!" He slid his right leg out toward Rupert. "Ripper... I have an ankle knife on me. You want to cut off a length of this bugger's pants or jacket so we can tie him up proper?"
Rupert suspiciously eyed his old friend for a moment. "If I ever get the first inkling that this is a ploy on your part...." He went silent, allowing his words to hang in midair until Ethan nodded his understanding of the unspoken threat. "Very well." Giles muttered as he knelt down and retrieved the knife. He reached around, pulled Everett's suit jacket free and began to slice along the bottom edge. Daniels quit struggling and twisted his head around to glare at Rupert. "Do you realize this jacket is worth more than you are?"
"I certainly hope so." Giles dryly responded as he carved away at the material until he had the improvised binding cut free and the jacket perfectly ruined. "Buffy... bring his wrist around here.... you also Ethan."
"We should tie one tight around his neck." Joyce sniped as Daniels lurched away from the boulder twisting his wrists to test the integrity of his bindings. After a few seconds of cursing he stopped and addressed
Rupert with a curled lip. "Well, since you are now in charge... what next?"
"I don't have a clue." Giles answered honestly. "All I know about Garoth and the Soul Gem is the basic facts. Consequently..."
"I did some research." Ethan interrupted. Rupert raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it."
"Not much to say..." Rayne stopped and rubbed his hand back through his hair. "... Not much at all. Besides the origin of the Gem and the curse, there's only four things known for sure - one: some people die right
away, some linger for years; two: nobody's ever come back out of the coma; three: after death the body sometimes does not decay for a very long time then suddenly 'poof' it goes to dust and four: no one has ever
been able to contact a shade that was pulled in here."
"Well of course not, you idiot. I could have told you all of that!" Daniels snapped. "I spent seven years contracting the best conjurers in the world and none of them could raise Laura. And not one of them had
the balls to go in after her!" His voice went to a snarl. "Then one of them stole the gem! Bastard! He said I should not keep it! Said it was too dangerous... that it should be dropped into middle of the ocean!"
"Duh!" Buffy snotted. "Oh Dear God...." Rupert mumbled under his breath.
Buffy shot Rupert a sidelong glance. "Ut-oh... You know Giles I hate it when you do that."
"I think we better get moving." "Why?" Joyce squeaked.
"I... ummm, just have a very bad feeling." Rupert said as he motioned for them to come along. "Some people die right away, it could be that they meet some terrible fate as soon as they get here."
"As in Garoth?" Ethan asked softly.
"Perhaps. Remember, he is also trapped in here." Giles half turned toward Everett. "Tell me, by what means did these sorcerers try to contact your wife?"
"I don't know! They drew things, they burned things, they mumbled." He gritted his teeth and hissed. "HELL! I was never into it! I'm a businessman not a damned wizard!"
Rupert laughed grimly. "If I may quote Miss Summers... 'duh'."
"So if you're not really into this... stuff. How did you get the spell?" Joyce asked. Everett shook his head.
"The lady asked you a valid question, and you are not in a position to annoy us." Giles' voice had a hard edge that said more than his words.
For a second Daniels considered remaining defiant, but the dark reality of the situation was beginning to sink in. "I found it in Laura's hands, she was holding it." His features went to a genuine sorrow. "I don't
know why she tried it... she had everything she wanted, anything she asked for I gave her. I thought this 'hobby' of hers was just foolish play acting.... not real, just a game. Then I found her, with her so called coven, laying like... like abandoned dolls out in the garden. Bonnie was dead when I found them. Janice died the next night and Cathleen passed away a year ago. My Laura and Jerrod have been in a coma
ever since." Daniels choked back a sob as the memory washed over him. "Why did it happen? H-h-how did it happen. I-it w-was... was j-just a game."
Ethan shivered as he watched Rupert's face harden. Giles drew in a deep breath between his clenched teeth. "A game?" He asked with mounting ire. "A.. 'game'? Tell me.. do you 'still' think this is A GOD-DAMNED GAME?!"
"I didn't mean.." Everett barely the third word out before Rupert's fist made contact. He spun around and fell face down to the ground with Giles coming in for a second hit. "RIPPER!" Ethan shouted as he grabbed Rupert around the waist and tried to pull him off Daniels. Joyce went down beside Everett and held her hand up for Giles to stop the attack. "Please! This is not helping!"
"It's not 'hurting' either!" Rupert snapped at her as he jabbed his elbows back into Ethan. "And you.. LET ME GO!"
"I wasn't going to bring you four with me." Everett said as he drew himself up into a kneeing position. "Believe me... I was going to take my four men. But you and Rayne seemed to know about this and..."
"And what about my daughter? And myself?” Everett bowed his head. "I'm sorry."
Joyce's response was to the point. "Go to hell." Giles tossed his hand down the beach. "Let's get moving."
******
"François? Wake... wake please..." "What is it my dear one?"
"More have been brought here. I heard the beast making ready the hunt." João stood and smoothed her skirt. "I will awaken Karl and Muhyi. I know better than to bother the new ones."
François Grilliot sat up on the edge of his rough cot and put his head in his hands. "Is it worth it?"
"We were greeted by those who are no more, now we must take the duty." João flashed a sad smile and went to the other side of the cavern where she gently called the others from their rest.
François shivered. "Another five lambs to the slaughter, when will it end?" He raised his head and stared lovingly at João. By appearance she seemed barely out of her teens, but in reality over 350 years old. She
had been a slave in colonial Brazil forced by her master to stand at a corner of the pentagram as he called for Garoth.
His gaze went to the man who has risen from his cot and was standing beside João. Karl Katterheinrich stood rigidly with his helmet in hand listening to João. Karl was another sacrificed to the soul gem by those
he once served. In the Great War to End All Wars his Captain had cast the spell to try and unleash Garoth upon the enemy, but instead of victory they found captivity.
Then there was Muhyi, who Grilliot considered his equal in the crimes of audacity and arrogance, for he had also tried to break the demon free... Cairo, 1880. Grilliot noticed him counting off the grouped lines which covered the wall, their calendar of sorts. A vertical line drawn each time the appointed one went to bed to count off what they considered the passing of a day in a place without night. Interspersed here and there were "X's" to announce the arrival of unfortunates and crosses to register their destruction.
Muhyi turned and caught his eye and he knew their thoughts were the same. "Not again, it's too soon." With a groan François stood and motioned for Muhyi to join him at the cave entrance. "So friend, once
again someone has been as foolish as we were." The Egyptian sadly acknowledged this statement with a heavy sigh. "We must hurry, if Allah wills we will be there in time."
"But we lost so many the last time." Grilliot countered. "And for what end? That we saved 'them'. Saved them and in return they acted as if it was our 'duty' to sacrifice." He tossed his head toward the rear of the
cavern. "They treat João like a servant, they look down their nose at you, they torment Karl with news of his homeland's defeat and division." François' eyes narrowed. "They are the kind that we sent to Madam
Guillotine by the cartfull."
"And your turn in the cart was coming." Muhyi pointed out.
“If I knew then as I know now I would have raced after the cart and jumped in." Grilliot made a slicing motion across his neck. "And kissed the executioner at the platform."
Karl walked up to them and held out to each a coil of rough, hand-fashioned rope. "Are we ready?"
Grilliot hesitated a moment as his eyes darted between the rope and the forest which lay outside. With a shrug he hoisted the coil over his shoulder. "Liberté, égalité, fraternité." He muttered as they left the
safety of their underground sanctuary.
******
The stranger's voice cut through the air freezing everyone in their tracks. "STOP! STOP NOW!"
What the..." Ethan stopped mid sentence and pointed to the top of the cliff. "Up there!"
Buffy's jaw dropped. "It's the Red Baron and Aladdin."
"Hardly." Rupert whispered. He took a few steps toward the cliff and strained to hear what was being said.
"Hurry! Hurry! You must get off the beach! Go back one hundred meters to the place where we can help you!"
"Who are you?" Giles called up to them.
Muhyi pointed a finger back down the beach and waved his other arm in a frantic 'hurry up' motion. "NO TIME! GO!"
"I don't like the sound of this." Joyce said nervously.
"Neither do I." Giles took the knife from his pocket and ordered Daniels to turn around. "This is against my better judgment, but it might be necessary for you to defend yourself." He said as he started to cut the
man free.
"What do you think is going on?" Everett asked. A howl echoed from up the beach sending everyone's hair up on the back of their necks.
"Perhaps it has something to do with that. Hold still damn it! Everyone else - RUN!" As Giles barked out the last word the knife sliced through the binding and Everett was off like a greyhound. Rupert allowed himself a quick look up the beach. "Oh God.... it's Garoth!"
Enraged that his quarry had been warned of the trap the demon had reveled his presence. It stood on a house size block of granite three hundred yards away screeching and snarling. A cold stab of fear rushed
through Rupert and he took off after the others. In their headlong scramble they almost ran past the place where the ropes had been dropped for them. Only Ethan heard Grilliot's yell for them to stop.
"I can't.. can't climb that!" Joyce gasped as Buffy pressed the end of a rope into her hand.
"Mom! You have to try! It's not that high!" "Buffy! It's at least sixty feet straight up!"
"Here! Here! Wrap it around your arm and one leg. Brace yourself on the outcroppings, just go!" Ethan said in a voice approaching panic.
"It's after us!" Rupert shouted as he caught up with them. He jerked Daniels away from a rope. "Buffy go on up! Ethan you too! If necessary the two of you can pull Joyce up!" He balled up a fist and faced off to
Everett. "Mr. Daniels and I will go last."
Ethan did not need to be told twice. He went up the first rope like a monkey. Buffy hesitated for a moment then followed suit. As she reached the top a pair of strong hands grabbed her by the arms and pulled her
up over the edge.
"Nice hat." She deadpanned as she took in Karl's spiked helmet. He grimaced at her comment and helped her to her feet. He pointed at the departing Ethan and João. "Follow them! Go!"
"Not until I get my Mom up here!" Buffy countered. She went over to Muhyi was straining with Joyce's rope and grabbed hold. Using her Slayer strength she brought the rope up hand over hand until Joyce appeared. Buffy pulled her to safety. "You can open your eyes now Mom."
"Yes, yes... Muhyi! Get them back to the cave." François ordered. Something in the man's face made both women not even consider arguing with the command.
Below, Rupert and Everett each grabbed a free rope and began to scramble up the cliff as the sound of Garoth's approach grew closer and closer. Both men made it to the top in the same instant that the creature
wrapped it's claws around their ropes and heaved itself upward. With a whip like snap, the lines wrenched free from François and Karl's hands leaving vicious friction burns across their fingertips and palms.
Rupert looked around the clearing. "Where's the others? Where are..."
François scooped up the remaining rope and pointed out a path. "With Muhyi and João! Come... come... hurry... this way."
Everett did not move. "Where's my wife?!" “I said she went with the others!"
"NOT HER! LAURA... WHERE'S LAURA?"
The sound of Garoth's talons rasping against the stone ended all further discussion. Karl started toward a second pathway. "The small haven is closer."
"Follow us or die!" Grilliot shouted as he swept past Rupert and Daniels. This was enough to send both newcomers on a dead run after their two rescuers. They ran through the gray pines in desperate race
for their existence as Garoth pulled an inch closer with each step. Rupert felt as if his heart was on the verge of bursting as the black entrance to a cave came into view. With a last surge of adrenaline they
made it... only twenty paces ahead of the demon... but they made it.
One by one each collapsed onto the floor as Garoth raged. After several minutes, François staggered over and sat down in front of Rupert and Everett. "I am François, that is Karl." He tossed his thumb toward the
demon. "That is Garoth, he fears only fire and cannot enter caves. I know how you came to be here, you know how we came to be here. Welcome to hell my friends... welcome to hell."
"There is much you will need to learn." Karl added. "But we have time. That is all we have here - time."
Rupert leaned forward a bit and extended his hand. "I am Rupert Giles." Grilliot accepted the handshake as did Karl.
"Now that the pleasantries are out of the way! Where is my wife? Where is Laura?" Everett snotted from his place against the wall.
"Laura?" François curled his lip as he said the name. "She is back at our main sanctuary... with her lover. You too, I now welcome to hell."