London June 2008
William studied the buildings that passed by as the taxi zigzagged the busy lanes, desperately trying to recognize something - anything. To no avail…
“That’s Buckingham Palace,” Ana said and pointed at the building. “Beautiful isn’t it?”
“Yeah…”
“Is there anything that you recognize?” Ana turned in her seat to look at him. “Anything at all?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Nothing.”
“If you want,” Ana told him with a smile, “we can go by Piccadilly? It’s something worth seeing, believe me.”
The truth is, I like this world. You've got... dog racing, Manchester United, and you've got people. Billions of people walking around like Happy Meals with legs. It's all right here. But then someone comes along with a vision. With a real... passion for destruction. Angel could pull it off. Goodbye, Piccadilly. Farewell, Leicester bloody Square. You know what I'm saying?
“Hardly ever.” William muttered.
“What?” Ana studied him with a frown. “Did you say something?”
“No.” Another headshake. “And forget about Piccadilly.” Sigh. “I don’t need to see it.”
“Okay.” Ana turned her back against him and William could resume his contemplative silence, only disturbed by the inner ramblings from his inner self.
The elusive Angel obviously tried to end the world.
He tried to save the world!
Come again?
He wanted to make a difference.
Silence.
Are you telling me that you’re starting to remember things?
Vaguely.
Like what?
I remember dying… the first time.
Ah… the raven beauty.
Drusilla.
I remember her.
Me too.
That was a nice death. Not like the second one…
The one I don’t remember…
Only that it was painful.
Oh, how painful…
William blinked as the car came to a sudden stop in front of building that slightly resembled a museum.
“We are here,” Ana said over her shoulder and stepped out of the car.
Okay, here goes nothing…
William drew in a deep breath and followed Ana up the stairs and into the lion’s den.
~ ~ ~ ~
William sat in the uncomfortable chair and stared across the huge desk at the elder man that sat opposite him. The mysterious Rupert Giles.
Somehow William had expected him to be a little… older, perhaps. Certainly more grey-haired. And maybe… thicker.
Not this, distinguished man with glasses and a slim figure under a layer of pure Dolce.
William repressed the urge to snort.
Snob.
William selectively chose to forget that he himself was dressed in Armani.
“So, Spike…” Mr Giles said and cleaned his glasses while he cleared his breath.
“William.”
“William.” The other man nodded and put the glasses back on as he studied William with an air of calmness. “You say that you don’t remember anything from your past?”
“Yes.”
“Nothing at all?”
“Well,” he drawled and met the elder man’s gaze. “I think I’m beginning to. There are fragments…”
“Fragments?”
“Yes.” He drew in air. “I remember dying the first time. When I was sired I guess.” Blinking. “Then I remember someone called Angel.” Pause. “But just vaguely.”
“Anything more?” Mr Giles scrutinized him closely. “Do you remember Buffy?”
Who’s Buffy?
Beats me. And what kind’a name is that anyway?
Beats me.
“No.” William shook his head and could literally see this Rupert Giles relax in his chair.
“I see.”
Well, I don’t.
Yeah, who is this Buffy?
“Who’s Buffy?”
“She’s a slayer.”
“A slayer?” William frowned and scratched his nose. “Is there more than one?”
“Thousands actually,” the Watcher said and put his index fingers together, assuming a look that screamed contentment. “Buffy, the original slayer, empowered all the potentials and made them into slayers.”
“Aha.” Pause. “Why?”
“To create an army that could fight against the First Evil.” Rupert Giles pinned William with a steady gaze. “And here’s where you come in.”
“I do?” William asked and raised a eyebrow.
“Yes.” The other man hummed and let his eyes roam over the younger man’s tense figure. “You helped Buffy in the battle and in the end you sacrificed yourself to close the Sunnydale Hellmouth.”
After that shocking revilement the both men sank into silence, each of them pondering on the past; Giles on the amazing fact that Spike had actually done something so unremarkable and unselfish as to die so the world could exist – and William desperately trying to remember something of that which the other man talked about.
“I can’t remember,” William admitted with a deep sigh.
“Maybe this will spark your memory,” Rupert Giles said and picked up an item that had been hidden under a blue piece of cloth on the desk.
To the younger man’s surprise, William could see that the item was a amulet in the form of a huge diamond alike stone.
“What’s that?”
“It’s the amulet you wore in the Hellmouth. And it was through it the Hellmouth met its doom.” Mr Giles dangled the trinket in front of William. “Does it spark a memory?”
“No,” William shook his head and reached out a hand to touch the jewel. When he did a tiny spark was shortly seen between his finger and the stone. “Ouch…”
“Interesting,” the other man mumbled and let the amulet drop to the desk. “I knew that you were somehow linked to this amulet, but that the reaction would be so instant and palpable was a surprise.”
“I’m linked to that thing?” William stared down at the jewel and felt himself tense for some reason. Then he frowned and met the older man’s gaze with a start. “Wait. Didn’t you say that it killed me?”
“It was crucial in your demise,” Mr Giles admitted calmly. “But the amulet in itself is not evil. It’s an item of true value in the upcoming apocalypse.”
“The one that I am supposed to play a major part in.”
“Yes.”
William looked down at the trinket that looked innocent enough where it laid on the desk and as if driven by some invisible force, he reached out a hand and touched it once again. And like before a tiny spark was seen between his hand and the stone.
“What does this has to do with the apocalypse?”
“You will wear it.” Pause. “Again.”
“What?” William gaped at the other man, not really believing that head heard him right.
Neither did his inner self – and it protested quite violently.
I told you! I'm not wearing any amulets. No bracelets, brooches, beads, pendants, pins or rings. And that’s final!!
“You have to wear it again, William.” Rupert Giles said grimly. “The fate of man lies in your hands.”
“Let’s take this from the beginning,” William begged exasperated. “Tell me about the apocalypse.”
“Okay.”
And the story began…
~ ~ ~ ~
“There’s a prophecy, spanning across the eons, about a risen Warrior that will lead the humans to their greatest victory. It is said that the Warrior has lived for decades and died two times in the sake of the world. He would be a Champion in all its right and love is his guide light. Tough tortured by his past the Warrior will have atoned for his sins by his ultimate sacrifice for the sake of love, a golden warrior who brought him into the light.”
Rupert Giles leaned forward in his chair and gazed steadily on William.
“Legend tells it that this Warrior will have forgotten his past; that he would walk through life with some huge part missing – ‘til he’s reunited with the golden warrior that holds which is not hers. And when they finally meet, the true nature of the Warrior will be revealed and the beginning of the End of Time will take place. It’s foretold that these two warriors will fight side by side – as one, against the Wolf the Ram and the Hart and whatever assassins they’ve unleashed into this world.”
The Watcher indicated to the amulet lying on the desk.
“As it is said the Warrior will wear the amulet of Champions in order to bring his enemies to their doom. He will use its powers to open up a portal to the netherworld and thereby vanish the evil that plagues this Earth into its fiery depths.”
Pause.
“And if this should not occur; the Wold the Ram and the Hart will reign terror upon mankind, enslaving it and feast on its fears and pain. Winter and darkness will descend upon this land and all that was will simply cease to exist. It would be, in all matters of concern; the End of Time.”
Shocked silence.
Wow, he sure knows have to invoke someone with fear..
William blinked and released his death grip on the chair.
“And this Warrior…” He swallowed loudly.
“That would be you.” Rupert Giles said and cleaned his glasses.
“Right.” William stared at the amulet. “Me.”
“If you can’t deal with this,” the Watcher said coldly, “you should know that the fate of this Earth lies solemnly in your hands. You would be the one that caused all humans to suffer and die.”
“Lovely.” William bit back the wail that wanted to escape his lips and met the older man’s gaze head on. “And I’m dealing with it. Believe me.”
It’s no to late to take the plane back to the States, ya know. Forget this whole thing.
Right. And be responsible for the destruction of the world.
So?
Yeah… Not. Going. To. Happen.
As his inner self sulked in silence, William reached out a hand and picked up the amulet. He was uncomfortable aware that the other man followed his every move.
“Right.” He said and forced a smile. “What’s going to happen now?”
Rupert Giles studied the younger man wit such intensity that William started to literally squirm in his seat.
“We’re goin to meet her.”
“Meet who?”
Rupert Giles graced him with a thin smile.
“The girl of your dreams.”
N' taste the blame if the flavor should remind you of greed,
Of implication, insinuation and I'll will, till' you cannot lie still,
In all this turmoil, before red cape and foil closing in for a kill
Tbc…