Episode 15 - Sacrifice
ACT ONE
EXT. MAGIC BOX - DAY (DAY TWO)
to establish.
INT. MAGIC BOX - DAY
ANGLE : BUFFY AND CHRISTOPHER
as they are busily setting up a projector and a white
screen near the round table in the centre of the
store.
We PAN over to see Dawn behind the counter and Anya
ushering some customers out the store. Anya has a
little notepad and a pencil in her hands. She finishes
scribbling something on it, tears the piece of paper
off and hands it to a customer. Anya moves down the
line to the last customer.
ANYA
(to customer)
I'm sorry we have to close early
today. You were looking at the book
on unicorns?
Customer nods. Anya starts scribbling on her pad.
ANYA
(sounding it out as she
writes)
Book.. on.. Unicorn.. Magic.. Box..
Buy.. Now.. Exclamation point.
Anya happily tears off the piece of paper and hands it
to the customer.
ANYA
(smiling)
Here. Just a little reminder so that
you can pick up where you left off
when we reopen.
Customer nods politely and exits the store. Anya takes
a step out the open door.
ANYA
(calling out to the
departing customers)
Don't forget to place your notes
somewhere visible. Remember, you
people have a moral obligation to
finish browsing.
Anya steps back into the store, closes the door but
continues to look at the departing customers. Dawn
comes up to Anya.
ANYA
(without turning away)
Well, there goes two crystal
placeholders, one book on the
mythology on unicorns and a furbie.
DAWN
A furbie?
ANYA
We're diversifying.
DAWN
Oh.. So, big impromptu Scooby get-
together. Do you know what's going
on?
Anya turns to look at Dawn and then back up at the
store.
REVERSE ANGLE : GILES AND MR SANDRING
through the doorway, in the training room. They are
talking but we are too far away to hear them.
DAWN
I mean, without lip-reading.
ANYA
Whatever it is, it's apparently
important enough to lock out our
lunchtime business. I tell you
little girl, there'd better be
hordes of wild, evil demons at our
doorstep, ready to chow down on
humanity.
Anya leaves, obviously a little miffed. Dawn looks a
little terrified, imagining the hordes.
ANGLE : BUFFY AND CHRISTOPHER
as Christopher finishes setting up the screen and
Buffy plugs in the projector.
BUFFY
So, what's with the slide show? Does
he like have some holiday snaps to
show us? You know..
(acting out the part)
My time in sunny California. Here I
am at Disneyworld, in my natty black
ensemble.. and here I am stalking
Mel Gibson.. in my natty black
ensemble.
CHRISTOPHER
We have some information about the
General.. and the amulet.
BUFFY
(suddenly serious)
Oh.. Wow. So the Watcher's Council
finally comes through.
CHRISTOPHER
Yes. It's almost like we're on the
same side.
Christopher turns back to the screen, adjusting the
height. Buffy thinks for a moment, then..
BUFFY
Listen. I know we haven't really
talked recently, but.. I just wanted
to say thanks.. you know, for saving
me.. again.
CHRISTOPHER
(turning back)
It's my job Buffy.
BUFFY
I realise that, but still.. it's
nice to know that someone's out
there watching my ass..
Buffy suddenly realises the phrasing of her last
remark.
BUFFY
(embarrassed, avoiding eye
contact)
Of course I don't mean that
literally.. cause.. you don't do
that.
(a beat, then looking up,
quietly)
Right?
Christopher gives Buffy a look.
BUFFY
(off the look)
Right. Let's move on. It's all good.
Christopher leaves, walking out of frame.
BUFFY
(to herself)
Again, not literally.
Buffy gets back to fiddling with the projector. We
DOLLY past Buffy and move into..
INT. MAGIC BOX/TRAINING ROOM - DAY
Where we see Mr Sandring, again all dressed in black,
wiping the sweat off his forehead with a white
handkerchief. He puts the handkerchief back into his
top coat pocket.
MR SANDRING
I tell you Mr Giles. I'll be glad
when I finally leave this place.
We see Giles standing behind Mr Sandring, appraising
him.
GILES
And you will be doing this soon?
MR SANDRING
(turning to face Giles)
Why Mr Giles. One could form the
impression that you were eager to
see me leave.
GILES
One would not be wrong.
MR SANDRING
Don't worry. I'll be tagging my bags
once this whole business with the
amulet is sorted out. Frightfully
bad form to leave without tying up
all the loose ends now isn't it?
(catching Giles' stare)
Don't you trust me Mr Giles?
GILES
Why don't you tell me? Should you be
trusted?
MR SANDRING
Probably not. But I don't really see
how you have a choice. You work for
us, remember?
GILES
There's more going on here than
what's on the surface. You don't
strike me as a person who would come
all the way to Sunnydale simply for
an evaluation. I don't know exactly
why you're here, Mr Sandring, but I
intend to find out.
MR SANDRING
Well, whatever your feelings are
about me and Christopher, I think
you can be big enough to put it
aside for the moment. After all, we
do have more important things to
consider. Speaking of which, why
haven't we started our meeting?
GILES
We're not all here yet.
MR SANDRING
Oh, that's right. I forgot about our
little cubbyhouse quorum.
GILES
We're a group. This is how we do
things.
We hear the doorbell ring off-screen. Buffy ducks in.
BUFFY
They're here.
MR SANDRING
(snarky)
Well then, the world is saved.
Mr Sandring heads out the door as Buffy and Giles
share a look.
INT. MAGIC BOX - DAY
We see the Scoobs at the table, with Willow and Tara
just sitting down. Dawn goes to sit next to Tara and
the two immediately begin to talk and giggle. Buffy
and Giles head over to the table. Buffy sits down
while Giles stands at the head of the table. In the
background, we see Mr Sandring and Christopher talking
in a corner. Giles regards them suspiciously.
XANDER
So, Giles. What's with the bat
signal? Wait. Let me guess. Gotham
city's in peril again?
WILLOW
Yeah. And what's with the screen? Is
this like a lunchtime movie matinee?
ANYA
(suddenly interested)
Oh, are there monkeys?
GILES
(ignoring Anya)
I'm afraid I didn't call the
meeting. Our venerable friend from
the Council has something to tell
us.
ANYA
Or chimps.. anything from that
family would be fine.
Mr Sandring heads over to the assembled group,
Christopher coming up behind him.
MR SANDRING
So, are we all here now?
(to Giles)
I gather we can proceed, unless you
wanted to wait for anybody else.
Exactly what time does pre-school
finish around here?
GILES
(not amused)
Please proceed.
Mr Sandring smiles. He faces the Scoobs seated around
the table.
MR SANDRING
So, tell me. What do you know about
the General? Why he's here?
Few looks exchanged among the Scoobs. No one speaks up
for a beat, then..
BUFFY
Well, we have like the Cliffs Notes
version.
XANDER
Yeah, Cliff the British worlock,
Cliff the traitorous vamp and, oh
yeah, Cliff the hygienically-
challenged rat.
BUFFY
All we know is that there was a big
bad army, led by a cadre of bigger
bads, intent on ruling the world and
all who live in it.
WILLOW
Only this vamp army was different.
They were stronger, faster, more
brutal than normal vamps.. you know,
if there's such a thing.
TARA
Yeah, and they used weapons and wore
armour.. totally unvampy.
MR SANDRING
What else?
BUFFY
Well, there was this big furry fight
between the vamps and some liquorice
demons all sorts. Vamps won but the
army somehow managed to pull a Poe
by getting themselves buried alive
right here in Sunnydale. The General
and his friends Rushdied the last
hundred years before suddenly
popping back up for a reunion tour
that I presume will wake the dead.
MR SANDRING
A passing grade Ms Summers. However,
you do lose marks for missing out on
some details.
BUFFY
Like?
CHRISTOPHER
Like the fact we now know that the
General had aligned himself with an
unknown group. Some dark and
powerful ally which gave the
General's army its power and
strength. They taught them to fight
and provided them with their
armoury.
BUFFY
So great, there's another group of
wannabe bads out there for us to
worry about?
MR SANDRING
Well let's worry about the General
for the moment shall we? The Council
will handle any secondary
objectives.
XANDER
Okay, I'm still kinda unclear about
one thing. If this vampy army is so
powerful and unstoppable, how did
they get from up here to down there?
MR SANDRING
After the General's army had quelled
the uprising, the demons had one
last trick up their sleeves. A
powerful demon sorcerer, who cast a
spell which opened up the earth and
swallowed the army up.
DAWN
And there they lie, undead and
buried.
MR SANDRING
Well buried and held by a magical
seal. Every one hundred years,
however, the seal weakens as it
recharges itself. And a hundred
years to the day the spell was first
cast, the seal is weak enough to be
broken.. and hell unleashed.
An ominous beat around the room.
ANYA
Well, that was a charming little
bedtime story. Does it come in a
pop-up picture book version?
MR SANDRING
You want a picture?
Mr Sandring walks over to the projector and inserts a
slide. He switches it on.
ANGLE ON : THE SCREEN
as a picture of a red amulet is projected upon the
screen.
MR SANDRING
This is the Amulet of Magas.
DAWN
Pretty.
MR SANDRING
(with some admiration)
It is quite the thing.
It is indestructible and is said to
have been forged from the blood of
demons and anointed by pure evil, no
doubt by the same people who gave
the General his army to begin with.
DAWN
Okay, not so pretty.
MR SANDRING
This, Ms Summers, is the thing that
will unlock all evil. This is what
the General will use to release his
army.
GILES
(to Sandring)
How did you come by this
information?
MR SANDRING
As it turns out, for many years, the
amulet had been safely locked away
in one of the Council's vaults back
in London.
BUFFY
Had? There's that dreaded past tense
again.
MR SANDRING
Unfortunately, it has recently been
stolen. It is out in the wild, no
doubt making its way to the General
as we speak. We've put tight checks
on all routes out of England, but
the possibility is certainly there
that it may already have slipped by.
GILES
If the Council had possession of the
amulet, why didn't they contact us
sooner.. when we inquired about it?
MR SANDRING
Few people knew about the existence
of the amulet Mr Giles. Only those
at the highest level of the Council
were privy to this information. It
was deemed to be safer this way.
BUFFY
Okay, so long, and creepy, story
short.. amulet with the General,
bad.. amulet with us, good.
ANYA
No, no. Amulet with us, bad. If we
have the amulet, the General's going
to come after us.
MR SANDRING
Don't worry. Once we have the
amulet, I will personally take it
back to the Council where, this
time, a proper job will be done. The
thing will be secretly buried, never
again to see the light of day.
BUFFY
So, we get the amulet before the
General does. We'll keep a lookout
for it, you know, keep our ears to
the ground.. tap all our demony
contacts.
MR SANDRING
Just remember Ms Summers. We're not
the only ones focused on the amulet.
They've waited a long time for this
moment and I suspect, they won't be
willing to wait another hundred
years for this chance again.
INT. GENERAL'S MANSION/HALLWAY - DAY
We see Solomon exiting a room. He takes one last
lingering look at the room and then carefully locks it
behind him.
SASHA (O.S.)
(playfully)
Romeo?
Solomon looks up, turning towards the voice.
SASHA (O.S.)
Romeo?
Solomon begins to track down the voice, walking down
the hallway towards it.
SASHA (O.S.)
O Romeo, Romeo. Wherefore art thou
Romeo?
Solomon turns a corner and enters a small chamber,
where we see Sasha, lounging casually on a chair,
sitting at a table. She plays idly with her knife as
she sees Solomon and smiles.
SASHA
But soft! What light through yonder
window breaks? It is the East, and
Juliet is the sun. Juliet is the
sun, and poor, poor Romeo is toast.
SOLOMON
Sasha.
SASHA
Been playing in your little room
again? Why don't you ever let me
play in there? Or is it just for
her?
SOLOMON
She will be mine.. tonight.
SASHA
Tonight?
SOLOMON
The night of the ritual is near. It
will be too late if I wait any
longer.
SASHA
Look at you. You're like a little
boy who can't wait to open his
Christmas present.
SOLOMON
It's more than that.
SASHA
It isn't. I see that now.
Sasha gets up, taking her knife with her. She circles
Solomon as she speaks, running her knife lightly over
Solomon as she does so.
SASHA
You don't really expect her to
change you.. not really. All these
girls that you've turned.. They're
just something to keep you going.
This one's no different, don't you
see? She's just an obsession to fuel
this endless existence of yours..
So, you will turn her, tire of her
and dispose her like you have the
others. Because that is all there is
left to your life.. obsessions. We
all need something to live for. This
is yours.
SOLOMON
You don't know..
SASHA
I do.
(smiling)
Don't worry. You should be happy.
It's certainly better than trying to
become one of them.. trying to hang
on to what is lost. That would
indeed be a hopeless cause.
Solomon breaks away from Sasha.
SOLOMON
Believe what you like. So long as I
have her.
Solomon leaves. Sasha looks on.
SASHA
Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Sasha leaves. From the shadows, around a corner, we
see Harmony step out into the light.
EXT. OUTSIDE SUNNYDALE LIBRARY - DAY
ANGLE ON : A SIGN ON A BUILDING
which reads "Sunnydale Public Library".
We TILT down from the sign to see Willow and Tara
exiting from the building. We TRACK them as they walk
down a busy street and talk. Willow has a small bag
slung over her shoulder.
TARA
Well that was fruitless. I guess
getting information on creepy
amulets from municipal institutions
isn't exactly in season.
WILLOW
That's why they call it a long shot
hon. I mean, I know the Sunnydale
library's getting better with their
range but.. please, they don't even
carry Tolkein yet.
TARA
I know. I just wish we can help.
WILLOW
(reading between the
lines)
Tara, you help. You're super-helpy.
You're like the Red Cross, the
Salvation Army and.. and.. Hamburger
Helper all rolled into one adorable
package.
TARA
(teasingly)
I'm a package?
WILLOW
(regretting her choice of
words)
An adorable one.
The two smile as they enter..
EXT. A PARK - DAY
A pretty park packed with people. There is a loud
blaring of a car horn off-screen. A group of actors
dressed in costumes and masks are noisily drumming up
business for a play, dancing and singing to people in
the park. The two turn briefly to look at them as they
walk by.
TARA
You know what I miss?
WILLOW
A girlfriend who can compliment you
without assigning you a tracking
number?
TARA
(smiling)
No.. I miss night.
WILLOW
Huh?
TARA
Not so much the actual physical
phenomenon itself but, you know, you
and me.. going out in it.. just
walking. I wish we still had that.
Willow takes Tara's hand as they continue to walk,
comforting her.
TARA
It's like the world stops shouting
for a little while. Everything isn't
so, I don't know.. harsh? At least,
that's what it used to mean to me.
Willow looks down at her feet, and then takes a few
quick looks up at Tara before looking back down again.
WILLOW
(quietly)
I'm sorry that I can't make it safe
for you.
Tara stops walking, pulling Willow to a stop as well.
She takes Willow's other hand into hers and takes a
look down at their joined hands. She thinks for a
beat, then looks up earnestly at Willow.
TARA
I am safe.
Tara raises their hands slightly to show her hands in
Willow's.
TARA
I'm home.
Willow smiles, appreciating the sentiment, but we also
see a lingering doubt in her expression. The two hold
the pose for a beat. We hear the sounds of laughing
and merriment off-screen. Willow looks over Tara's
shoulder to look.
REVERSE ANGLE : ACTORS IN COSTUMES
in a group, doing an impromptu performance for a small
crowd of people. Much dancing and playing of flutes.
Behind the main group of performers, we see a large
hulking figure, dressed in a black cape and hood and
wearing a black mask, a grotesque, comical smile
permanently affixed on its face. The figure seems to
be looking towards Willow and Tara.
ANGLE : WILLOW
looking concerned, staring at the figure in the mask.
REVERSE ANGLE : FIGURE IN BLACK
continuing to face Willow and Tara for a beat, then
turning to walk away.
Willow breaks free from Tara and starts to head
towards the figure.
TARA
Will. What?
WILLOW
Stay here.
Willow hurries through the crowd, chasing the figure
in black.
ANGLE : FIGURE IN COSTUME
from the back, as he continues to walk away from the
main crowd.
ANGLE : WILLOW
as she starts to speed up, pushing through the crowd.
We see her reach into a bag, pulling out a bottle of
holy water. She unscrews the cap as she closes in on
the figure.
ANGLE : TARA
chasing Willow through the crowd, looking a little
panicked.
TARA
Willow!
ANGLE : WILLOW
as she reaches the figure in black. She pulls him
around, pulls down the mask and angrily splashes the
holy water in his face.
ANGLE : FIGURE IN BLACK
as we see a startled, then angry guy staring at
Willow, water dripping from his face.
GUY IN COSTUME
Hey!
WILLOW
(realising her mistake,
apologetic)
Oh.. God.. sorry. I thought you were
someone else.
GUY IN COSTUME
You thought I was someone else you
wanted to drench?
Tara arrives. She examines the scene.
TARA
(to the guy)
She's really sorry.
Tara pulls Willow away from the guy. Willow turns
around to take one last look.
REVERSE ANGLE : GUY IN COSTUME
as he shakes his head, then puts the mask back on.
Again, we see the grotesque face, smiling creepily
back at Willow. The figure turns and dissapears into
the crowd.
ANGLE : WILLOW AND TARA
as Willow still looks at the departing figure in
black.
TARA
Will.
Willow isn't listening as she stares off to the side.
Tara tugs on her hand to get her attention. Willow
turns to Tara.
TARA
Will. What are you doing?
WILLOW
(making light of the
situation)
What? That? That was nothing.
Anyway, who wears something like
that in weather like this? If you
ask me, it's a cry for help, or at
the very least, a cry for a, you
know, drenching.
TARA
You're avoiding.
WILLOW
(more serious)
I'm not. I'm being careful. We have
to be careful.
TARA
But you can't just run off like
that. Will, this isn't going to work
if you..
WILLOW
If I what? What do you expect me to
do here? I get these visions of
these.. these.. things..
(searching for a word)
happening to you. Do you expect me
to sit back and let it happen?
TARA
You don't know.
WILLOW
I know. I know Tara. It's going to
happen unless I stop it. Don't you
see? These visions are a warning. I
can stop it from happening.
(almost to herself,
looking down)
I just have to work out what it all
means.
A concerned Tara looks at Willow for a beat. She
regathers her composure and takes Willow's hand.
Willow looks up.
TARA
(calm but strong)
Listen to me. Nothing's going to
happen to me.. but.. if anything
should.. I don't want you there.
Willow looks at Tara, slightly shocked.. almost hurt
like she has just been rejected.
WILLOW
Tara.. Of course I'm going to be
there. You're everything to me. This
is something that can't be helped.
The two stare earnestly at each other for a beat,
before Willow breaks off and slowly walks off-screen.
Tara looks on for a beat, her face a mixture of
concern and resignation. She follows Willow off-
screen.
INT. MAGIC BOX/TRAINING ROOM - DAY
We see Buffy by herself, angrily training with a pole.
She repeats different moves, striking the pole at the
practice dummy. Christopher enters. Buffy looks up for
a moment, distracted, then resumes hitting the dummy
with the pole.. harder. Christopher comes up to her
and watches her for a beat.
BUFFY
(angrily)
What?
CHRISTOPHER
Nothing.
Buffy gives Christopher an angry look and starts to
pummel the dummy again. The pole whooshing through the
air as she does so. After a beat, Buffy stops again.
BUFFY
If you're just going to stand there
and stare, I think I should at least
charge you for the show.
Christopher senses the bad vibes, turns and begins to
leave.
BUFFY
Giles told me that you're leaving?
CHRISTOPHER
(turning back to Buffy)
Yes.
BUFFY
So that's it? After everything,
you're just gonna bail?
CHRISTOPHER
It's not like I'm exactly wanted
here.
BUFFY
I know it's been a little prickly
here but.. we're just getting used
to you, maybe like a boil, but
still..
CHRISTOPHER
I'd be far more use to the the
Council if I was back at home. I
don't belong here Buffy. You know
that.
BUFFY
But.. we need you.
CHRISTOPHER
You're strong Buffy. Much more than
I thought you'd be. You don't need
anyone.
Buffy looks at Christopher, looks back down at her
feet and thinks for a moment, then looks back up.
BUFFY
(quietly)
Sure I do.
The two stare at each other for a beat before they are
distracted by a commotion from outside. Mr Sandring
charges into the training room, followed by Giles.
GILES
(to Mr Sandring)
We're not ready for this. She
doesn't need to know.
MR SANDRING
Of course she does.
BUFFY
Know what? What's going on?
MR SANDRING
It's the amulet. I've just received
word. It's arriving here.. tonight.
This is our chance.
Reaction shots : Buffy looking at Giles, then at
Christopher.
BLACKOUT
END OF ACT ONE
CONTINUE TO ACT TWO