James’ scream of agony echoed throughout the mansion as the sharp blade that was lodged in the soft skin under his fingernail was pushed in further. He was sweating profusely, and the tears that were running down his cheeks went unchecked as he sobbed for Angelus to stop.
“Tell me, James. All this pain can stop if you’ll just tell me what the prophecy said.” Angelus spoke in a calm tone as he stroked the man’s face, cleaning the sweat and blood away.
“I don’t—AHHH!” Angelus smirked as wiggled the blade gently. His demon loved every minute of the man’s agony. Angelus knew James had no more information, as the man had broken within minutes of entering the mansion, but the opportunity to torture him was too good to pass up.
“Want to try that one more time?” Angelus said with a laughing tone in his voice.
“I DON’T KNOW! OH GOD, PLEASE! AHHHH!” Angelus laughed over the screaming as he continued to wiggle the blade.
“Fuck! I love that sound!” He yelled over the man’s screaming. “I could come from that sound alone.” His more faithful minions watched from the sidelines as their master tortured the mortal.
“PLEASE! I was sent here to watcher the Slayer! Nothing—AHH! Please! That’s all! I swear!” The scream that pierced the air as Angelus ripped the blade out again was bloodcurdling and the minions surrounding him shuddered, some with fear, others in awed respect at their master’s talent.
Angelus chuckled and leaned over the man. “You know what, James my boy? I believe you. I believe that you know absolutely NOTHING about what the Council has planned for my Slayer.” James sobbed in relief as Angelus moved out of his line of vision and away from the stone slab he was stretched out across.
It was short lived however, when the vampire appeared once more holding a pouch. He sprinkled some of the contents into his hands and showed it to the watcher.
“Do you know what this is?” Angelus asked in an overly sincere and kind tone. James’ eyes went wide. “It’s gunpowder. They didn’t even have this around when I last tortured someone. So guess what? You get to be my guinea pig. Tell me when it hurts.”
Angel sprinkled a trail of the black powder across the man’s bare chest and belly and smirked as he lit a match and set it on fire.
***
Drusilla took little pleasure in the screams that filled the air as she sauntered back into the mansion. Everything was wrong, twisted backwards. She watched from the shadows as her daddy painted pretty colours across the mortal’s chest with the exploding dust. If he wouldn’t pay her any attention, then she would make him notice.
She would find herself a new puppy with which to make him jealous, one that he wouldn’t dare ignore—one that he couldn’t. He would be arriving soon. She could almost taste the magicks in the air. Her daddy wouldn’t dare ignore her then.
***
“I don’t think Buffy should be the only one who gets to stay home. I mean, with the threat of Angelus we’re all put ourselves at risk coming to school everyday,” Xander said as he entered the library after a mind-numbing hour of chemistry.
“I think the fact that she glows was the deciding factor when they ruled school out,” Oz said as he sat down and pulled a giggling Willow into his lap.
“Well I for one would be more worried about the fact that Mrs. Summers is leaving Spike and Buffy alone all day at home. Do you have any idea what they could be doing? I have to sleep in that bed.” Cordelia’s comment was met with blank stares. “Oh come on. You can’t tell me you haven’t seen the way those two look at each other. Not to mention the WAY wigging suck fest they had going on in front of us a few nights back—.”
Giles cleared his throat loudly as he walked up behind the gossiping teens.
“G-man, so what’s the what? Find anything on why the Council wants in on our little group?” Xander pushed himself away from the table and the all too disturbing conversation eager for a change of subject.
“Yes, well, please don’ refer to me like that ever again.” Giles brought a very large book out and set it on the table. “It occurred to me today that the only reason the Council might have for the sudden interest in Buffy, besides them gaining the news of her physical changes, would be because of a prophecy.”
“This wouldn’t happen to be the same book as the one you found that dandy little prophecy about Buffy’s death in last year would it?” Xander asked warily. The older man’s silence was enough of an answer and an air of tension passed over the group as they realised what they were dealing with.
“It took me hours to go through, but eventually I came across this. I’ve done a quick translation as best as I could but I’ll have to look into it in far more depth back at the house.”
Willow picked up the notepad that had the rough translation on it.
Born of evil, yet of the light
Shantari shall arise once more
Power unmatched and untamed
Fatal in its magnitude, unless
Bound by mind and heart
Power shared, and swiftly tamed
Controlled by none,
Yet wielded though love.
Giles watched as Willow read it aloud, her brows furrowing in confusion.
“Huh?” When she finished, Willow looked up at Giles for an explanation.
“I’ll see your ‘huh’ and raise you a ‘what the?’” Xander said as he came around to stand behind Willow so he could have a look at it for himself.
“I would have overlooked it completely if it hadn’t been for the use of the word Shantari in second line.” Giles leaned over and pointed it out to the small group of teens. “Remember how I told you the name of the demon and that the magicks used to create the first slayer had been lost over time? What I had forgotten was that this name was later acquired as a term used when referring to the First Slayer and the demon used to create her. So when the prophecy says that ‘Shantari shall arise once more’ it is actually referring to the demon used to create the First Slayer—.”
“Which means it’s talking about Buffy!” Willow interrupted as she caught on to what Giles was saying. “Born of evil, yet of the light. Angelus is evil and he was the one to turn her, but Buffy is still good. Shantari shall arise once more refers to the first Slayer demon being awoken in Buffy once more.” Willow finished and looked at Giles for reassurance; she gave him a bright smile at his small nod.
“Exactly,” Giles said giving her a proud look.
“So what does the rest mean?” Oz queried as his hand rose unconsciously to run down the back of his girlfriend’s hair.
“I’m still working on it.” Giles glanced at the clock on the wall and noted the time. It was 4:00 p.m. “We should get going, it’s not wise to be out too close to dusk.”
***
“Travers here.” Quentin Travers said clearly as he picked up the phone.
“Sir? It seems we have a slight problem in Sunnydale.” Travers frowned as he put the papers he had been working on aside. Instead he picked up a translated copy of the prophecy.
“Oh?”
“It seems the vampire Angel has lost his soul and reverted back into the form of Angelus. He got one of our men, sir.” Quentin’s fingers ran over the first line of the prophecy. Born of evil... Angelus perhaps? His relationship with the Slayer would allow him the proximity needed for the accomplishment.
“And Miss Summers?” He inquired, trying to keep his voice neutral.
“No progress has been made. She has been sighted only once and nothing seemed ‘off’ about her, sir. All our surveillance shows nothing out of the ordinary occurring at any of the given locations.” Travers folded the file in front of him closed and placed it back in the top drawer of his desk.
“Keep watching. There has to be something you’re missing.”