Capítulo 20: Ch.19
A couple days after the incident in the library Buffy fought the telepathic demons and ended up infected with the aspect of the demon. From there she tried reading everyone's minds. When she found she couldn't read Alice's, mine or Faith's minds I told her about the mental shields we have against intruders.
She pouted. "No fair, how come Faith gets the whole mind blocking tricks?"
I sighed. "Those were a byproduct of the request she asked of me. If you want to know more ask her."
Faith chuckled. "Sorry B, it's a bit intense. I had to go down memory lane with him in my mind. It was very private and a little more than just personal. I had to share every memory I have with him, would you do the same for a mind block?"
Buffy looked a little uneasy. "How much is every memory?"
I snorted. "Everything from birth to the moment the process started. I know more about Faith then she knew about herself at the time. Leave it alone please, I don't do it for kicks or party tricks."
Giles seemed a little interested. "Care to give us an example?"
I turned to Alice and she spoke up. "I've seen every memory Ryan has, everything from the day he was born, to the day he slaughtered his village. Even the several thousand years in a cave in the forests. All the way up to and including his worst memories. I know for a fact that the best memories he has are this last century with me."
I took her hand and smiled lightly before turning back to the group. "It's very intimate and up close. I view your memories at the same time you do as you organize them and store them away. When you're done you're left with something close to an eidetic and photographic memory but like I said, there's a price to everything."
I turned to Faith and she nodded. "I had no secrets or barriers at that time. If he wanted he could've turned me into a vegetable and I'd be in a drooling mess on the floor."
The watchers flinched a little before Xander spoke up. "What are the perks then, other than the memory thing?"
Faith brightened and told them. "I got to experience all his school stuff and training so I'm basically a Doctor or something close to it. He didn't give me all of it as some things you just have to learn for yourself. I know everything up to a senior year college student in most of the academic areas."
Xander raised a hand. "Sign me up."
I shook my head. "I'm not sifting through a horny teenagers memories to help him get ahead in school."
I turned to the rest. "That goes for all of you. I've no desire to see your life's memories. The only reason I agreed to Faith's request was because Alice likes her enough to ask as well. So toss those thoughts out of your head."
They mostly seemed down except Buffy who asked. "What about helping me to control this demon aspect thingy?"
I shook my head. "Your mind is actively trying to make the connection, a barrier would do you no good and training it would take years to master. I'm actually surprised you haven't gone insane yet or have your head explode. Your mind shouldn't be equipped to handle that ability so you've no natural limiters. My brother Edward had that ability but he had to consciously look to read minds. Even then there were days he preferred not to be around people. Not to mention he's a vampire so he can't die from the strain."
Buffy paled and turned to Giles. "I don't want to die, Giles do something please!"
Giles cleaned his glasses and frowned with worry. "Buffy, the odds of that actually happening are quite slim."
I chuckled at his words. "And what are the odds that it will be Buffy who gets the short stick?"
Giles put his glasses back on. "Point taken. I need to do some research."
I sighed. "I recommend the Herbal Remedies for Demonic Illnesses by Mullen Millard. There's a section that speaks of demonic aspects and possible cures. It's theories mind you, but it's the only thing in your collection that has anything close to it. You'll need the demonic arcane and profound thoughts book by Fallon Hildridge as well to find the demon's unique parts you'll need for the remedy. It's in the cage area."
Giles nodded and got to work while Buffy spoke up. "Well, I'm hungry, anyone want to join me for lunch, I hear it's mystery meat Thursday."
I shook my head. "Pass, I can smell what mystery meat it is and it's nothing I'd willingly eat even as a wolf."
Alice smiled. "It's just some rat meat with a little horse in it."
Xander raised a hand. "Anyone else throw up in their mouths?"
Buffy and the rest raised their hands before she sighed. "I can use some jello and chocolate milk though."
I chuckled and she turned on me. "Don't ruin Jello for me!"
Alice smiled with me before saying. "I'll go with, it seems they'll be busy with the cure here."
I stood up. "I gotta go open the store. There's customers about to show up. Giles, be sure to send someone to get the second demon's heart, you'll need it for the cure. I recommend Angel as he already has a demon in him. Or I guess Oz, though I doubt he'd be able to win unless it's a full moon."
Oz shrugged. "That's fair."
Giles was a little wrapped up in his books to pay attention but Wesley heard clear enough even though he was drooling over Cordelia. Buffy made a face and left in a hurry.
I headed to the Magic Box and opened up just as the first customers of the day arrived. I sold a few fake wiccan things to some goth amateurs who wanted to pretend. For a while it was pretty busy as a few of the orders came through for my higher paying customers.
Mostly protection and cleansing spell ingredients and a few barrier spell items for long term uses. Nothing to be concerned with. After a while I decided to meditate when I realized they'd be the last customers of the day time shift.
I was busy trying to use the vines to dig deeper in my well of magic. For a while it didn't seem to wrk until I realized I had to put magic in them, then they consumed the bottom of the well at a slow pace. It grew six feet over the time it took Alice to get to the Magic Box with Faith.
They took over night shift since Xander needed the day off to move out of his parents basement. His last check was two grand so he decided to get an apartment of his own. The lease owner called for a recommendation and I gave him a glowing one.
It wasn't bad for a weeks work. It was mostly hazard pay as Xander volunteered to take the night shifts and deal with the supernatural persuasion so that Faith didn't kill the clients. That was actually why Alice was here with her as well.
I cashed out and reset the register for them before heading to the back to read up on magic and demons. I bought the unique copies for myself and learned to forgo buying every book as most of them were deceptively clever copies of the same books with different titles and the information rearranged.
It seems this worlds supernatural population had a copyright problem as most of the magic books were written that way unless they were original copies and or expensive grimoires. Giles has a pretty decent collection and with all I've picked up for myself, mine easily rivaled his. Although his was more on the rarer side as well as far more expensive.
I simply hadn't cultivated the connections needed to get my hands on the rarer stuff. I'm aware I could just go to Wolfram and Heart but that's not a connection I want to cultivate as it's more of a necessary evil for now. I had made some very serious inquiries through the magic shop and gained a reputation as a serious buyer when I dropped a million on a rare grimoire that I knew for a fact was legitimate.
I'd used my visions to pry into my future after buying it and found I'd be satisfied. I'd spent all of the liquid cash I'd earned from the stock market for the passed month on it. Alice wasn't too happy but she understood I needed to make such purchases to gain such a reputation.
It had earned me an invite to an estate sail of a warlock who passed away. It would take place a month after graduation. Giles mentioned thinking about going as well so I offered to drive us. Alice had bought me a jet black seventy-three Dodge Charger I had yet to take for a spin.
I decided I'd take it out for a spin on the day of the estate sale. For now though I was busy going through the magic books I'd managed to get my hands on. I learned a good deal about how it works and what to avoid when using it for the most part. There were deities you could pray to for extra power for spells you were unused to and even some that were simply worked into spells themselves.
In the expensive book I found the best estimate for gaging magic power and potency. By my estimates I was an above average warlock. The average having around fifty foot wells of power and those untrained like Wesley having around ten to fifteen. Once I pass the hundred foot mark things will get blurry as there wasn't a real way to tell unless you unleashed it all at once.
Beings like Cyvus Vail should have around five hundred foot deep wells with various channeling items they can call on. Beyond that are beings like Willow after she goes dark and higher beings like Jasmine that have taken human form. They have around a thousand foot deep wells and that's when the gage borders on deity level magic power.
From there things get wonky but suffice it to say no being I know of has attempted what I'm trying. As of right now Willow only has a taste for it with around a fifty foot deep magic well within her. Once she learns the harder stuff her own magic digs the well instinctively for her. That's where the talent comes from, magic itself is supposed to expand naturally in someone.
I however am a student of hard work an infinite patience when it comes to improving myself. When I learned this, I set the book down and focused the magic I had into my eyes. For a moment everything turned green. Then, it all cleared as I looked around.
Everything I saw had a faint glow around it that fluctuated every now and then. When I felt my reserves running low I released the magic at the last moment. My magic well was very close to being empty now. I'd managed to stop with just enough to stay conscious, but only barely.
My mind was foggy like a river bank on spring evening. I felt like I'd stopped a train with my head. Oh, hey, my nose is bleeding, so are my ears. Ow, and my eyes. Damn, magic exhaustion sucks.
I took an unsteady step towards the door and passed out. A black void of nothingness greeted me for a great few minutes. When I finally snapped out of it Alice was looking over my face with worry clearly on hers.
I smiled weakly and tried to speak but nothing came out. She made the connection with our minds and asked what I'd done. I let her riffle through my memories to see what I'd discovered and figured out.
She seemed relieved when she was done saying. "He's fine, it's just magic exhaustion and overuse. He's trying to forcefully increase his magic reserves without drawing from nature."
I actually did just that while she spoke and the air around us seemed to churn as I took it all in in much larger quantities than I needed. I whipped the taint from the hellmouth out of it before channeling it all into the vines while the well was almost empty. They came to life and moved much faster as they got to work tearing through foot after foot in mere moments, only stopping at the hundred foot mark.
They seemed to have hit a much harder substance, a barrier if you will. I wasn't about to be deterred though as I took in a massive amount of magic once again, this time nearly three times as much as before. After getting rid of the taint, I rammed it down the plants and they moved like tigers and dragons towards the base of the well slamming into the barrier.
For a moment it looked to be impervious but a crack gave way letting me know it was possible. I continued this routine another seven times before it gave under the assault. The magic induced plants continued unimpeded for another ten feet before it ran out. I felt a huge dizzy spell and almost passed out again.
I knew it was time to stop so the next batch of magic i cleansed went to filling the well. Towards the bottom of the well I felt a unique sensation as if it held a more concentrated amount of magic. Purer in a sense. After tossing it to the back of my mind I tried one last trick and used the extra magic I'd taken from the surroundings to try widening the well.
To my surprise it worked for a whole foot. Once the top was taken off the vines got to work sensing what needed to be done. Thinking to myself I wanted to curse. These vines were sentient enough to know what I wanted done yet the lazy bastards nearly let me melt my own mind before doing the easy work.
The quantity and quality of magic I now possessed was significantly increased by my perspective. I could even sense the little bit of magic Alice had learned inside her now. I'd helped her take the taint out of it when she'd collected it but it was definitely there.
I sat up and saw Faith was watching me with Alice. She asked. "What's with the air conditioning in here?"
I chuckled and got up with Alice's help. When I was fully standing again I answered the slayer. "I was taking magic from the environment and using it to fill my reserves so I don't keel over after standing. I just took to much to quickly making a sort of vacuum, absence of magic. It'll heat up in a few minutes."
One thing I knew for sure was that I most certainly wasn't doing that again until I absolutely had to. I still felt dizzy and weak just standing there. I called it a day for me and wobbled to the couch in the main room. As soon as I laid down I was out, returning to the black abyss of nothingness that was my sleep.
When I woke up again I felt right as rain. Faith and Alice were about to close up the shop so I joined them before heading home. Back at the house Alice cooked Faith's supper while I meditated and sorted out my magical spells list. I'd learned a great many spells that had been mentioned or used in the show while many others I'd learned were not even given a look at.
Most of it was protection magic like Tego and the force field incantation, which would create barriers and obstacles to protect the caster. I didn't find much in the way of battle magic yet but I have mastered several healing spells and even a spell that strengthens my body further, adding strength and power if needed.
Like all magic it was limited to circumstances though so it hardly mattered unless I was fighting something stupidly strong like an old one or a god. Strangely enough the spells I remembered from the show were real but I couldn't simply use them. I had to know how they worked to make them work for myself.
For that I needed more books and study materials. Hence my plans for tomorrow consisted of going to Giles and asking him to reach out to his contacts in Devon and introducing me to them. I could really use a vacation this summer and Alice needed a clean environment where she could practice safely without fear of the hellmouth taint.
We could go after the estate sale and learn all they had to teach us. Perhaps I'd even help them create mind scapes as a thank you for everything they teach us. Either way I got to work mentally practicing the invocations to the spells I knew and simply saying them in my mind to cast them.
I went through the full list that didn't require something like a cursed object or potion to cast successfully. When I finished I looked around the cavern that was our basement with a critical eye. It lacked something useful like a bunch of practice equipment or a demon in chains to practice on.
Sighing I got up and headed to the stairs and up to the bedroom to get some non exhaustion induced sleep. The next morning Giles and Angel had cured Buffy only now she was on a save the school from a mass murderer kick.
I mentioned. "It could simply be the lunch lady with poisoning the school food. They're under appreciated and deal with mass quantities of cleaning supplies and food."
She sighed. "Xander, you and Alice take the lunch lady. Any more bright ideas?"
I shook my head. "Perhaps a student survey or questionnaire would sort out the rest. Alice can see who screws up the moment they make the final decision. Assuming she knows the person in question."
Alice shrugged. "I'll let you know when I see it."
I turned to Giles. "Can I have a word, I need to talk to you in private."
He nodded. "Right this way."
He led me to his office and shut the door. Once inside I asked him. "Is there a chance I can get you to contact a coven or experienced warlock outside the hellmouth area to teach Alice and I stronger and more versatile magics? I've been learning all I can from books and that's helped out a lot but I've hit a barrier in the knowledge and experience department."
Giles took off his glasses to clean them before asking. "Are you certain you wish to continue down this road? Magic is a life long commitment and won't go away once you've delved into it thoroughly."
I nodded. "It's a primal force of nature, I get that now, but it's also a way to protect those I care about. I'd rather not recklessly proceed any further without guidance and like I said, Alice can't safely practice it near a hellmouth. The taint that accompanies using it here can accumulate and I don't want it anywhere near her."
He seemed to understand and sighed. "Very well. I'll contact some of my friends over seas. There's a coven in Devon that practices healing and protection Magic's, the pure stuff. I'll see about having them teach you what they wish. Understand that they may be adverse to teaching a vampire and what is essentially a child of an old one."
I sighed. "I know. Not a lot off people will understand or stop and wait for me to explain my existence. Heck, if it wasn't for the fear you first felt I doubt you'd have stopped and listened either."
Giles smiled weakly. "Yes, I guess we presented ourselves as a bit on the cautious side."
I chuckled. "You shot me in the ass with an arrow the moment I shifted after coming out of the hellmouth."
He fidgeted for a moment. "It was rather quite concerning seeing a werewolf shifting on a full moon from the mouth of hell."
I laughed. "Relax, I don't hold grudges for such minor things. It would take a thousand years of torture or hurting Alice for me to actually hate you."
He seemed relieved. "I'll make the necessary calls when we're out of this particular predicament. For now though let's focus on the mass murderer in our midst."
I held up my hand jokingly. "You caught me, I only murdered a village and slaughtered a bunch of vampires. I'll go quietly officer."
He smirked lightly. "Well, yes, let's get you in cuffs then."
I chuckled and walked out his office to the more serious looking group. We split up into teams and started interviews. Later in the day Alice caught the lunch lady red handed with the rat poison. Xander freaked out and caused a scene saving several students who were about to eat the rat poisoned jello.
Buffy and I found Johnathan in the clock tower of the school about to blow his own brains out. After Buffy talked him down I introduced myself to him. "I'm Ryan Masters. I transferred to Sunnydale high not long ago and I'm graduating with the senior class."
He shook my offered hand saying. "I'm Johnathan Levinson. I'm sorry about the whole suicide by him thing. I just saw no way out. I'm invisible."
I snorted. "Hardly. Don't sweat it. I know this girl who tends to act out as well. I'll introduce you to her. Perhaps you'll get along good enough."
We left the clock tower with the riffle in a suitcase. I took it to the library and handed it to Giles. "Get rid of this. It's not for school kids."
He looked at me questioningly and I shrugged. "He doesn't need it anymore."
Giles nodded and took it to his office. I led Johnathan to where the rest of the scoobies were gathered and introduced him. Alice frowned for a moment upon his introduction. I told Willow. "He's got magic potential."
Johnathan took off from there talking magic texts he's read. When Faith came back in from her own search I introduced her to him. He seemed afraid at first. She nodded politely and ignored his presence. It was not looking good for his prospects until I heard Alice whisper she'd had a vision of them two dancing together and having fun to Faith.
Faith frowned but shrugged then started talking with Johnathan. For the rest of the day I felt a buzzed feeling taking over until just before my shift ended at the magic shop. A vision slammed into me of my own future.
It was blurry at best but I could still make out slaughtering Trick and a large contingent of vampires during an eclipse and the school blowing up. I saw a night of passion with Alice and Faith. I saw Alice, Faith and I leaving for Devon for the summer.
My vision cleared and I picked myself up off the floor as I'd been mid step when it hit and fell over. I showed the visions to Alice and she sent an amused impression back to me. Still not completely understanding what amused her by it I set it aside and cleaned up the money and register drawer I was cashing out.
Xander and Faith took over for the night shift. Alice must've told Faith about the vision because when I passed the new till to her she seemed to look me over with a hungry expression.
I shivered instinctively and turned away. My only thought on the matter was that woman are crazy. I headed to the back and flipped through the new spell books finding them basically the same as the last few. I decided on meditation and clearing my mind of cluttering thoughts.
When I finished I took a breath of fresh air and stood up. I decided on my current plan of action so I went to enact it. Alice was there as backup in case things got weird at the shop so I left with a destination in mind.
I arrived at Angel's mansion on the outskirts of the northern most graveyard. I knocked on the door and waited for a few seconds. I could smell him inside and my brief vision I'd had of the place when I decided to come let me know he was here alone.
When he opened the door I introduced myself. "We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Ryan Masters, vampire/werewolf hybrid and bastard son of an old one."
I held out my hand to which he ignored while asking. "What are you doing here?"
I sighed and pulled my hand back before answering. "It's time we were introduced and talked on even grounds."
I stepped passed him into the mansion. He closed the door as the sun hadn't set yet. When he turned around I was already in the living room observing his unique garden gnome. The statue of Acathla with the sword sticking into its chest was rather unique.
Humming I walked over to it and circled it. Angel seemed rather twitchy when he saw me saying. "I wouldn't touch that if I were you."
I chuckled. "I'm well aware of what and who it is, don't worry, I've no intentions of freeing the demon so it may devour this world."
I held up a clawed hand and chanted the strengthening spell before bringing my shifted arm down, shattering the statue into dust particles. I picked up the blessed sword and wiped the dust off before tossing it to Angel who was stunned.
I chuckled. "A simple demon, not even a pure blooded one could never hope to stand up to my strength. Besides, with him dead, he no longer has the power to suck up the world. If you get the chance I'd suggest dumping his remains in the ocean or another dimension."
I dusted myself off and sat down on his couch waving a hand to indicate for him to sit. "Now I believe it's time for us to have that talk."
He still held the sword as he sat down. "What did you want to talk about?"
I sighed. "As I'm sure you're aware Alice and I are psychic. We can see visions of the future to varying degrees. One such vision was of you dumping Buffy before prom night. Dick move by the way."
He frowned. "I fail to see how this concerns you-"
I snorted. "She's our friend and Alice would be cross with me if I let it happen like that. Suffice it to say your relationship now effects mine in a way that makes me very uncomfortable if it goes bad like that."
He sighed. "Joyce came to see me earlier today about Buffy's future."
I nodded. "All I can ask is that you give her prom night. One last good memory before you tear her happiness away. She deserves that much at least. Prom is a night of celebration and the ending of childhood for mortals. Let her have a care free night and the next day, when you feel it's right, break the news to her."
He sighed before nodding. "I can do that."
I got up. "Good, because Alice would skin us both if you pulled that crap the night before prom."
Angel nodded solemnly before I left him there to think on his decisions. I drove over to the address I'd been shipping hellhound strengthening ingredients. It was a quite house from the outside so I slipped in the back door and down to the basement. No one seemed to be home at the moment so I struck.
I found the hellhounds and killed all four of them in their cages. They'd been watching prom movies over and over again. I took their bodies and wrapped them in plastic before stuffing them in my trunk.
I drove back to the magic box where I disassembled the bodies and added them to the magical ingredients I was selling. The next day the orders for hellhound strengthening ingredients was canceled. A week later we all gathered for prom night.
Alice wore her gothic black and gold dress while I wore a black silk and velvet tux she'd insisted was nice. Angel showed up with Buffy while Xander and Anya came together. Johnathan had manned up and asked Faith who said yes though kept looking at me and Alice when she told us.
Prom night went off without a hitch even though I had to step out and slaughter a demon some jackass summoned to scare everyone. It hadn't made it inside the school so no one noticed it.
Buffy received the class protector award from Johnathan and Wesley finally manned up to dance with Cordelia. The night was pretty significant for almost everyone there. The next day Buffy was dumped by Angel.
Shit hit the fan when Xander brought Anya to meet the group and explain the ascension. Buffy found an article in the newspaper about a dead vulcanologist who was drained of blood.
Her and Faith went to see what they could find out about it while Giles phoned Angel to meet them there. They came back with Angel riddled with bullets and poisoned. I took one sniff and instantly growled. Something inside the poison brought my senses on high alert.
I told the group. "Whatever it is, it's not healthy for vampires. It's definitely mystical in nature."
Angel was severely messed up right now. Buffy has Wesley contact the watchers council but they refused to help at all. They would not help a vampire no matter the circumstances was what they'd said. Buffy quit right then and there saying. "If the council won't help me save him then I've no use for a useless council. I quit. Willow, see what you can find."
Faith spoke up. "I'm right there with ya B, the council can go screw themselves."
I clicked my tongue as they'd heard them over the phone. When Wesley did hang up I told them. "They might not take this laying down. You'd better be sure of your course of actions."
Faith shrugged. "Let them come, I've been itching for a good fight."
Buffy crosses her arms. "We'll stand together, whatever they decide to do."
I chuckled. "Very well, just know that if it gets Alice hurt I won't hold back because they're humans. I don't care what species they are, I'll end anything that hurts her."
Alice patted my arm before saying. "The poison is curable. I saw both Faith and Buffy feeding Angel. I think the cure is slayer blood. But like, a lot of it. To much for one girl to safely give."
Buffy nodded. "They're trying to weaken us before the ascension tomorrow."
I nodded. "There's a solar eclipse scheduled for tomorrow. That's probably the celestial event needed to trigger the ascension. We need to be ready."
I shifted through the files while Alice and Faith set up blood taps for Buffy and herself. When I found the image of the demon I put it on the projection screen.
"It's beautiful isn't it?"
I drilled and we all turned to see the mayor standing in the doorway. He went on to say a few things about the ascension being a right of passage just like graduation before promising to eat each and every one of us.
Giles stabbed him with a fencing sword he'd been practicing with. The mayor pulled it out before wiping the blade and tossing it back saying. "I'll see you all a graduation."
When he left I sighed. "He's becoming a giant snake demon. Luckily we know fire kills it at least."
Buffy huffed. "Now we just need a million tons of lava to burry him under."
I grinned then laughed my ass off drawing everyone's attention. I'd seen how we were going to do it. "All we really need is an expert in chemistry who knows how to build bombs. While I can do it, I think soldier boy here has a better idea for the size of it."
I smacked Xander's shoulder and he looked deep in thought before saying. "We're going to blow up the school."
We got to work while Faith and Buffy fed Angel their blood through tubes. When he was back to one hundred percent Alice handed them fruit juice to help replenish themselves while she unhooked them.
Xander, Oz, Willow and I went around school informing the graduating class of tomorrow's battle plan. Oddly enough as soon as we mentioned blowing up the school they were all on board.
Giles provided the weapons while moving his book collection off school grounds. Xander, Alice, Faith and I built the explosives while Willow built homemade flamethrowers with Oz.
We worked throughout the night, occasionally taking breaks. By sun rise we were ready for war. We all got dressed in our cap and gowns while slipping weapons underneath the gowns and staged chairs. When they called for assembly we lined up and followed everyone else out.
It was rather anticlimactic as the bombs were already set and ready.
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