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Slayerless 3/?
Author: Xander Magnet
Rating: PG-13 (for the moment, may get violent later)
Feedback: Yes please! FB is the only thing that keeps me writing!
(well that and the fact that the stories keep coming through my head!) Email
me!
Spoilers: post season three
A/N: Huge thanks to Bill for looking this over for me, and for
providing the spark to start writing it again!
The musty smell in the air was forcing her to take
shallow breaths through her mouth. Every time she came here she was
amazed to think that the Elders could live like this, it was so…
primitive. The torches flickering around the walls were a nice touch but
she knew for a fact there was a good supply of electricity to the area
which it would take all of an hour to tap into. And running water seemed
to be another concept by-passed these women somewhere along the
millennia. She sighed, maybe they were right, today’s world was too
centred on materialistic matters and because of that, the Old Ones were
being allowed to establish a foothold again.
She waited in the outer chamber as the ritual
concluded. They had been attempting this for days now with little
success. It was hardly surprising after all, the Slayer was a stubborn
one, as she herself knew intimately. A single clear note rang out as the
crystal bell was struck once to signal the end of the casting. She
composed herself, it was rare for an adept at her level to be summoned
to the presence of the Elders like this, and she was determined to
provide whatever help she could.
The dusty curtains parted and a regal looking
white-haired woman emerged from the inner sanctum.
“Daughter, welcome!” the warmth in her voice
was infectious and the younger woman found herself smiling.
“It’s my pleasure to be here, anything I can do
to help, you know I will without question.” She knelt down and kissed
the older woman’s proffered hand reverentially.
“Even if that would mean sacrificing your
child?”
A month ago the question would have floored her,
but now she had been privy to the secrets of this ancient order she had
come to accept that some things were more important. Still, she found it
hard to meet the Elder’s gaze.
“Yes. Even that.” She managed to get the words
out past the lump in her throat.
“Let us hope it doesn’t go that far then.”
She looked up into the gentle gaze of the woman and saw nothing but
understanding and compassion there. Everyone here was in the same boat
– every one of them was a mother and every one of them knew the
heartbreak of losing their children to the greater good.
“Rise child, we must work together to break this
stalemate. We must right the wrongs that have been done. Correct the
mistakes brought about by youth and misplaced love.” The Elder held
out her hand and the younger woman took it gratefully, laughing inwardly
as her joints creaked a little on standing, here she was thinking of the
other woman as old when she was no spring chicken herself!
Her smile faded as she realised where the Elder was
leading her. The curtains may have been a flimsy barrier but they
provided a definite separation between the outer realm and
the inner sanctum. Never before had she been invited inside, this
situation must indeed be special.
Allowing herself to be led down the smooth stone
steps she breathed in deeply realising the air was clearer here, lacking
the mustiness of the rooms above. A heavy scent of incense lingered
everywhere, she couldn’t quite identify it although she thought
perhaps frankincense played a major part. As the pair continued
downwards in silence, she became aware of a glow coming from below them,
accompanied by a low drone.
Drawing nearer the source she began to identify
individual words, although she had no hope of understanding them, they
were in a language almost as old as time. The ritual had not ended after
all; instead it had merely paused waiting for … what? Surely these
mages couldn’t be waiting for her?
When it had become clear that the current Slayer
was still dominated by her love for the vampire, the order had made
their move. Using magicks long thought to have died out, they had caused
painful muscle spasms within the girl, causing her to lose control of
the car she had been travelling in. For them to be able to remove the
compulsions from her, the girl had to be in the dreamworld, unconscious.
There had been no real threat to the girl; after
all she had accelerated healing abilities that should have had her on
her feet within the day. The order had intervened and were using magicks
to keep her from waking, it seemed that these magicks were beginning to
fail however and more direct action now had to be taken.
A robed figure approached the two of them slowly,
“Events are threatening to overtake us.” There
was no warmth in this woman’s voice, merely an ingrained sense of duty
and a no-nonsense approach. “Our attempts to restrain the Slayer
become increasingly difficult. She dwells in the shade between light and
dark but struggles ever closer. This is the crucial point, if we fail
she cannot be allowed to awaken.”
The younger woman couldn’t stop the strangled sob
from escaping. The speaker regarded her without compassion but Maia, the
one who had accompanied her to this place, turned to her and spoke
gently.
“Know this, we will not allow additional harm to
come to the girl if it can be avoided. However you know this infatuation
with the vampire cannot continue. This fascination she has for the
darkness within herself must be beaten back.”
She nodded slowly, and after taking a moment to
compose herself, Joyce drew herself up to her full height and faced the
head of the order.
“So what can I do?”
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