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Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry this chapter took so long. It was hard to write. Special thanks to Xaphania for her absolutely exquisite banner!
Chapter 3

She was cold and her head was pounding, these were her first sensations as she swam toward consciousness. The ground underneath her was as smooth as glass and she could hear a woman’s voice humming in the distance. Why am I still alive? It was her first coherent thought.

“Because we wish it so, Chosen One,” a musical voice sang out from across the room.

Buffy’s eyes popped open, her body tensing, slayer senses going on alert. She was half asleep but she definitely knew that she hadn’t spoken out loud. Her vision was blurry and her head spun. She could only see a bright white light. It hurt her eyes and she sucked in a breath, preparing for the blow that she thought might be coming.

“We wish you no harm,” the voice sang again. “We are sorry. The trip can be quite unpleasant.”

As Buffy’s vision cleared, she looked upon a beautiful woman in a white glowing gown. The woman had long straight white hair and the most enchanting blue eyes Buffy had ever seen. Well, almost the most enchanting, Buffy thought with a sigh. As Buffy looked around her, she noticed she was in a large white marble room with high vaulted ceilings. There were two other figures, no less stunning than the woman in the room with her.

“Who are you?” Buffy asked in a cracked voice. Her throat was so dry, it felt like sand paper.

“I am Meridian.” The woman in white answered first. “I am the keeper of your power” she paused, looking left as the second figure approached her. He was tall and dark with straight midnight black hair and forest green eyes shot with silver and blue. “This is Alexander. He is the keeper of balance.” Alexander bowed politely to Buffy as the other being stepped forward.

“And I am Saraphina, the guardian of gateways.” the last being stated as she walked into Buffy’s line of sight. She had beautiful milky white skin, with long red hair and her eyes were an incredible chocolate brown. “We need your help.”

“Where am I?” Buffy asked, still confused and disoriented.

“This, young one, is the Hall of Champions,” Meridian answered. “We are sorry that we had to bring you here, but the retrieval has proved most difficult.

“What retrieval, what are you talking about?” Buffy asked.

“We are pulling your champion from hell. We would not ask for your help, unless we had something to give you in return.” Saraphina answered.

Buffy’s eyes widened with realization, “My champion, you mean Spike? He’s in hell? Why?”

Meridian looked astonished. “You didn’t know? He has not yet been redeemed for his evil deeds.”

“What!” Buffy shouted, “How could he not be redeemed?” Buffy’s fury skyrocketed at thought of Spike in hell.

“Calm down, Chosen One, it is why we are retrieving him for you. With the Souled One’s betrayal, William would never have gotten the chance to be redeemed. You see, some of the powers were so sure of the Souled One that they forgot to look upon the big picture. It would seem even higher beings can make mistakes. A champion, a real true champion is always selfless. They fight because it’s right and never for personal gain. Your champion learned this through you and the Souled One did not.”

“You mean Angel, what betrayal?” Buffy was getting angrier by the second and the riddles were not helping at all.

“He knew of the prophecy, Chosen One, we gave him everything he needed to help you. But fear of you learning of your champion’s survival, his vendetta for Wolfram and Hart, and his arrogance…” Saraphina said the last word with such disgust it made Buffy smile; “made him believe he was capable of defeating them himself.”

“How did Angel learn of the prophecy if only Giles and I had it?” Buffy asked through clenched teeth.

“We sent him a vision through his seer before she perished” Meridian answered. “You see there were two actual prophecies that tied together, the first being the one you and your watcher had. The second being a detailed description of what would happen between you and your champion thereafter and what your children would do and how they would bring peace to your world. You see your children were the Champion’s redemption.”

Buffy’s eyes filled with tears. She never really thought about children after Spike had died, she had only ever wanted to join him. To learn now that there was a prophecy saying she would have Spike’s children, and that Angel had taken that from her, was sickening, She couldn’t believe it, he had actually taken the only piece of normal she had ever been likely to get away from her. And he’d been the one to push so adamantly for normal. How could he have done this to her?

“Are you telling me that Angel, rather than help me, started an apocalypse to end the world because of what? Jealousy?” Buffy asked as her breathing became erratic.

“Yes, Chosen One. That is what we are saying.” Alexander finally spoke.

“And I am here because you need my help.”

“Yes,” Saraphina responded.

“Um…” Buffy blew a breath out that she had been holding. “Ok. What exactly do you want me to do?”

“I think first we should explain the complexity of the situation.” Meridian then spoke. “As you may know, your world has always been a gateway to others. It’s why you have Hellmouths, portals, and demons of every species and kind on your world; it was why having a Slayer in it was so important.

Saraphina spoke next taking the place of Meridian. “All worlds similar to yours have the ability to be a gateway world. It usually takes a great evil to open it. Such as The First did on yours.”

“And I’m assuming this is where I come in.” Buffy asked.

“No, actually,” Saraphina answered, “We are sending the Rogue Slayer, The Key, and the Red Witch instructions on how to close the gateways on your world.” She paused, looking at Buffy thoughtfully. “We need you to protect a family and a potential slayer.”

Buffy’s eyes widened. “You want me to travel to another dimension, but what about Dawn and my friends and Giles?”

“They will join you there when they have finished closing the gateways on your world.” Alexander spoke again. “We are sorry but there will be no saving your world. We did not see Angel’s plan until it was too late.”

Buffy nodded. She had already figured that out. “I understand. I do, but I have a few questions first. I get the protecting a potential thing, but what’s so special about the family?”

Meridian sighed. “They are a species of vampire. They are nothing like what you have encountered; they are neutral demons, much like the demon that resides in you.”

“Neutral? I don’t understand.”

“The slayer demon is neither good nor evil. Would you agree?” Saraphina asked.

When Buffy thought about it for a moment, she agreed. Faith had done evil as a slayer and Buffy had not. It really didn’t seem to matter where the power came from, it was who was wielding it or rather if the person had the strength to not let the power corrupt them. Buffy had learned through the years how easily people could be corrupted. Even Willow had let power corrupt her.

“It takes much strength to withstand corruption Chosen One, and there are few who can withstand temptation. This family happens to be some of the few,” Meridian explained. “Though these vampires are a neutral breed the demon is very strong. The bloodlust among their kind is extremely powerful, even painful at times. Yet, this family has chosen to only feed off the blood of animals rather than that of mortals. They are one of two families that have chosen to live this way. They are the potential slayer’s protectors.”

Buffy eyes were as big as saucers. “Vampires willingly helping a potential? Why?”

“Well her mate is part of the family, they are very loyal to each other and they do not know she is a potential, there hasn’t been a Slayer in their world for almost 1000 years. Slayers are called differently on this world for the only way to call a slayer is to turn her.”

“What?” Buffy was shocked being turned had always been one of her biggest fears. To think that a potential would have to go through that was mind boggling. “I mean wouldn’t turning a potential make a vampire not a slayer.”

“No, Chosen One, a Slayer cannot be turned on your world or on any other. For a demon already dwells inside her. The only possible outcome for a Slayer turned on your world is death, but on the world were sending you to it’s the way a slayer is called, the only way to awaken the demon which resides inside her.” Meridian answered.

“Ok… So if that’s all that needs to happen, then why hasn’t a slayer been called in 1000 years?” Buffy then asked.

“There are many answers to that question, the first being the blood lust the vampires on this world have is very strong as we have mentioned, once a vampire starts to drink it is very hard to stop. The second being a slayer’s blood is much sweeter and nourishing to them, as it is on your world, so the ability to stop and actually let the turning take place is near impossible. And the third is, as on your world a slayer is called once a generation, a slayer is born only once a generation, therefore the chances of a potential actually getting called is very rare.”

“Well… How are you so sure this potential will be called then?” Buffy interrupted.

“Because it is what she wants and the family has agreed. She wants to be with her mate forever and, though he has fought the idea, he has agreed.” Alexander answered.

“It’s inevitable then. What does she need protection from if she has a family of vampires watching out for her?” Buffy inquired further.

“Wolfram and Hart are sending assassins after her. They want this world as well and a slayer being called would be devastating to their plans. She must be protected at all costs.” All three powers closed their eyes as if in deep contemplation and then looked at Buffy at the same time. “Your champion has been retrieved. You must go now.” They all spoke at once.

“Wait, I don’t even know where to find her. How will I even know where to begin?” Buffy rushed out. She knew she didn’t have much time left and she didn’t know half of what she assumed she would need to know.

“They know of your arrival. They will be waiting for you. All other questions will be answered soon.” And with that Buffy felt herself being pulled toward a swirling green portal.

The next thing she knew, she was standing in what looked like a dense foggy forest.

“Well… we’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.” Buffy said to herself as she bit her lip and began to navigate through the trees and brush.


Chapter End Notes:
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