Eden
by Anat

"Argh... I forgot how much I hate flying..." Murmured Giles, taking out his handkerchief to clean the cold sweat from his forehead.

Hours and hours of flying above the ocean just didn't do good for his nervous system. Wesley seemed weary from the long flight as well.

The cab stopped in front of an old morbid castle, a few kilometers north of London. They walked pass the giant old iron gates.

"I see they haven't cut the bushes since I've last been here". He, referring to the bushes that grew wild without a care. "Who could ever imagine I'd found myself back here", Wesley looked up at the demonic statues made of stone that were placed in both sides of the gate. "I've always got a chill from this place".

Giles knocked on the heavy english oak door. Several minutes passed until the little porthole in the door was opened. And an old gloomy man looked at him.

"What do you want?" he asked bitterly in a heavy english

accent."Greetings. Rupert Giles, to see the council". Giles said and cleared his throat. "And Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, too". Wesley added.

"Wait here". The man ordered and shut the porthole close. Giles sighed.

"What a warm hospitality".

"Almost like the weather", Wesley agreed, tightening his coat around him.

"She said it was on the shelf, right?" asked Xander, walking inside Willow's room in the dorms, looking for Willow's transcription of the curse. "She said it was in that book whose name I forgot". Answered Anya, walking behind him.

"Great. That helps".

"Sorry".

"Look in that shelf. I'll keep looking over this one". Xander suggested.

"Not that I care, really. I want to bring that murderer down". "I think I've found it". Anya waved some papers that were attached to an old book.

"Great! Let's get to it right away!" Xander turned to walk out of the cage.

"Aren't you anxious to do the curse?" Asked Anya while they ran out of the building.

"I just want to get it over with. How can we walk the streets quietly when a vicious creature drawing a plan against us?"

They heard a loud noise and froze.

"What was that?" asked Anya, looking around.

Xander took out a cross. "I don't know, but it ain't no cat!"

A cat was running in front of them, mewing. A trash can was rolling on the ground.

"Or maybe it was a cat". Sighed Xander.

They kept walking, until they heard a growl. "A cat?" they exchanged looks.

A vampire was standing in front of them, growling.

"Good kitty". Said Xander, smiling nervously. Anya looked at him.

"What should we do?"

A Second vampire came, standing near the first one.

"I'd say... RUN!" Screamed Xander and they sprinted away.

Giles covered himself up from the cold. It seems like hours have passed until the old man opened the door.

"The councilors are waiting for you". He said coldly.

"Thank you". Giles and Wesley walked inside slowly. He knew the council still thought of him as a failure ever since he failed their test. They blamed him for having a fatherly love to the slayer.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Giles?" he saw the head-councilor, whom he knew when he first became a watcher. His father had just deceased, and it was his turn to become a watcher. It was 4 slayers before Buffy was called. He failed miserably in his first attempt to be a watcher. The slayer was merely 17 when she died. He decided to watch another man performs the job. Then, when Buffy's watcher was killed, just before she moved to Sunnydale, the head of the council called him and told him he's getting a second shot. He knew he wouldn't fail this time. But training Buffy for almost 3 years, and getting to know her as a person, was far beyond the comprehension of the council. He was fired and banned. Wesley took his place. Now Wesley was fired himself, there was just no need of watchers anymore, now that both slayers were out of control.

How would the council react when he will ask for help in finding a cure for a vampire they have been trying to eliminate for over a hundred years? And the fact he was still in contact with Buffy even though he was fired, didn't help much. Buffy has quit the council, which only made them hate him more. Blaming him for turning her against them.

"I need your help".

"We know you do".

"You know?"

"Yes. The mouth of hell is screaming for a prey. The dark ages are coming. A new slayer is being called".

Both Wesley and Giles glared at him. "A new slayer?"

"Yes. We've lost Faith".

"She's dead?"

"Worse. She's undead". The councilor eyed him.

Giles frowned. "Oh dear". He considered the situation for a moment, holding his hand to his forehead.

"I assume Buffy knows about the situation". he looked at the councilor.

"You shouldn't have come here".

Giles looked at him, worried. "I must... I must find..."

"The gypsies lost clan. We know".

"You do?"

"There's nothing that you do that we don't anticipate. However, Angelus must be brought down. By the slayer".

"I know. But we could try to save Angel. I'm not sure Buffy is capable of killing him".

The councilor gave him a stern look. "We are aware of that. However, Buffy is not necessarily the Slayer I was referring to".

Giles' eyes widened. "Angel cannot die. You got to help me find a cure".

"Faith is a strong vampire. Very powerful. The two slayers shall work together in order to bring her down".

"We'll deal with this problem better when we have Angel on our side again". Wesley said.

The councilor laughed. "You really think you could recruit the Romany into helping Angelus? The legends about him have passed on from father to son for generations. He is the nightmare which hunts their worst nights. Help you save Angel!" he sneered.

"We can try. You can at least give away their location. Don't you want to stop the chaos?" Wesley folded his arms.

"Everything that happens is meant to happen. If Buffy dies, so be it".

"Listen to me you obstinate mule!" Giles pulled out a dagger, making the old councilor step back.

Wesley looked at Giles in awe.

"I did not come all this exhausting irritating flight to England, only to be bloody renounced by arrogant group of ignorant old men who don't care enough to even try and do their duty for a change", Giles raved, moving closer to the old man. Wesley grabbed the old man from behind.

"Now if I have to threat you to give us the location, I will". Giles concluded.

Wesley nodded and tilted his head closer to the old councilor,

"And you better not try anything foolish. We will get the location out of you even if we-"

"*Galati", the old man said quickly.

"-Have to torture you all day long", Wesley continued talking, then fixed his glasses on his nose. "What did you say?"

"I know some elders of the tribe are housing in the area of *Galati, a few kilometers from the city".

Giles looked at Wesley and put the dagger down. "Then we're going to Romania".

Part Eight

Feedback to isegal@isdn.net.il

Go here for more of Anat's stories.

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page