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The Circle Unbroken by DizzyB
Ch 3 - Catching Up
Special Author's Note: THANK YOU SO MUCH to all the fans who have taken the time to comment on this fic. The response has been incredible and way beyond what I expected when I first started posting this tale. I'll do my best to keep those updates coming quickly and frequently. (Big smile and a gleeful Snoopy Dance from DizzyB!)
Chapter Three
Catching Up
Although it was a lengthy trek over uneven ground, no one really noticed. Spike was too familiar with the territory for it to bother him and the Scoobies were too fascinated by his tale to pay that much attention.
“Well, to answer Buffy’s question first, I’m not exactly sure what’s going on with her ‘Slayerness’ as she put it.” A wink and a grin took the sting out of any teasing and Buffy blushed becomingly. “When I first got here and the sun didn’t affect me, I thought that maybe it was because of the Slayer blood I ingested before jumping into the portal. I didn’t take much, mind you; just enough to register in my veins so the portal would close. But I thought maybe that was what was protecting me. By the time a few days had passed, I was ready to accept that in this world the rules were different. I’m thinking that’s the case here. Either something happened upon your arrival that caused the Slayer spirit to jump ship, so to speak. Or just perhaps in this world, if there was a slayer…it would be male, and so that’s why she chose Xander. I’m just guessing, but it makes sense when you consider that she jumped into the nearest age-appropriate male rather than one of you other ladies. Guess that makes you a walking talking live hermaphrodite, huh, Harris?” Everyone laughed as Xander chased Spike around some nearby trees yelling for him to ‘take it back!’
By the time they got back onto the road, Spike was ready to get the tale back on track. “Anyway, that being said, Buffy, pet, you’ve got to realize that although you may not have Slayer strength at the moment, the agility and ability are still yours, eh? I mean, Xander didn’t develop natural fighting skill or grace just because of this change-up. Sorry, man, but it’s true, and I don’t mean anything bad by that. After all, I’m sure Buffy had to learn fighting techniques and style when she first got chosen, right?” Agreeing nods from both Buffy and Giles gave him the go-ahead to continue. “My point is that you shouldn’t let the loss of Slayer strength get you down, because that’s not all you have going for you and it never was. Just as Xander’s going to need some training to learn how to use what he’s been given, you’ve probably got all kinds of skills that you’ve never tapped into because being a Slayer took priority over everything else. That being said, there’s likely changes that all of you need to be prepared to make or might have already made and we just don’t know it yet. After all, if this world changed up the Slayer order, what effect might it have had on those of you who are magically inclined or on Anya as a former vengeance demon or on Dawn as the Key? But, hey, we can explore that more once we get to town and get settled in for a bit. For now, let me catch you up on this world and what’s going on currently.” And although they were all looking thoughtful about his suggestion, they shook it off and filed that away to be examined later on so they could hear more about this place they were in. Buffy, in particular, had a lot to process, and was more than happy to put in on the backburner for the moment.
“First of all, the battle between good and evil is a lot more clear-cut here than it was back on Earth. There were lots of little evils and some medium ones we had to deal with so to speak, yeah? Even Glory only affected those of us in Sunnydale on a day-to-day basis.” Giles nodded his head thoughtfully at that comment. “Here, the big evil is a nasty bloke by name of Sauron. He’s the Big Bad of the World, if you like. Supposedly he was defeated years and years ago, but he’s been biding his time, existing under other guises, and gathering power. Now he’s making his presence known again, and there will soon be a council called to decide how best to address this threat. In the meantime, there’s still evil that you encounter in the guise of noxious creatures such as orcs, trolls, and goblins, as well as the bad characters one meets on a daily basis. And…”
He was interrupted by an excited question from Giles. “I say, Spike, did you say Orcs? They’re real – not myth?”
A knowing smile accompanied his answer. “Actually, Giles, a lot of what you’ve only heard of in myth before now exists in reality here. Elves, goblins, dwarves, talking animals. Keep in mind though, at all times, that most of what you’ve learned about them is completely false. If you go by those stories, you’re likely to piss off the wrong bloke and end up on the business side of someone’s spear. Everyone got that?” Solemn nods reassured him that no one would unintentionally get them all killed that way. Of course, there were plenty of other ways to get there. Hmmm. “I’ve trekked all over this world during the past sixty years and have come across or dealt with most everything you lot might encounter here, so please, please, please ask questions of me before you speak or act unknowingly. Courtesy is taken very seriously by most civilized peoples and the observation of certain customs is a must if you want to be accepted or taken seriously or just not killed.” Spike felt like they all took that to heart and was ready to move on.
“When I showed up, it was right before a big historical battle that is now known as the Battle of the Five Armies. Back then they didn’t know how bad it was going to be. A great Dwarvish treasure was at stake after the defeat of this gigantic dragon…” Several gasps followed that comment, but no one said anything to interrupt. “Anyway, most everyone was being stubborn and speaking up for their own rights and needs and wants, because, after all, it was one freaking huge bloody treasure and everyone wanted more than just a piece of it. Well, I got sort of caught up in the hoopla and ended up in the center of things, quite by accident, mind you. So, I had a first row seat to the events that transpired. Fortunately, I met up with and was taken under the wing of a powerful and wise wizard named Gandalf. Hopefully you lot will get to meet him soon. Without him, no telling if I would have survived that damn battle or not, because what started out as a violent skirmish between elves and dwarves and men grew dangerously nasty when orcs and wolves set upon them. And that was just the start of things…giants, trolls, goblins, all manner of nasty vicious creatures were on the opposing side. So, the elves and men and dwarves saw the wisdom of joining forces and that’s when the battle commenced in all ferocity. And just when it looked to be hopeless, some unexpected allies showed up – eagles and Beorn.” Spike paused, caught up in his memories.
Xander interrupted his remembrance, “Umm, question! What effect would eagles have on anything and what the heck is a Beehorn?”
“Well, mate, these are no ordinary eagles, mind you. The smallest is at least fifteen feet across in wingspan, so when you picture that above you and imagine what size rocks that bird can drop… Or imagine them swooping in and blinding your larger enemies. You can see the damage they would do to the opposing side. And it’s Beorn, not Beehorn, and he’s a shape-shifter. The shape he usually dons is that of a large black bear. You remember that bear from Thanksgiving that time, pet? Well Beorn puts that one to shame, makes it look like a puppy by comparison. Beorn is a monster-sized man with a heart of gold for his friends and allies, and nothing but danger for his enemies. Let me tell you that the first time I saw him as a bear, I nearly shat myself.”
Dawn frowned and immediately said “But vampires don’t shit. Oh, shush, Buffy, you use that word all the time. And they don’t. So there!” and she stuck out her tongue at her older sister.
Spike laughed and tugged on a lock of his Bit’s hair. “You’re right. We don’t, but I nearly did that day. Suffice it to say that Beorn was someone whose bad side you didn’t want to be on, because that was the last side you’d ever see. And although he’s since passed on, his relatives are just as fierce today. Anyway, I digress. The battle lasted for several days and was fierce to behold. There were massive casualties on every side, and in the end the allies triumphed. The treasure was divvied up wisely and generously and everyone went their separate ways.” He paused a moment remembering his own choices after that.
“Don’t know what exactly I would have done had it not been for Gandalf. He invited me to come on a journey with him and find myself along the way. Just how he worded it too, and that intrigued me…that and I figured a wizard was my best bet if I ever wanted to get home again. So, I joined him and had many excellent adventures. And along the way I’ve made both friends and enemies alike, but my truest friends are the elves and the dunedain, or rangers as most folk call them. They are my family and we have walked a long and arduous path together. They’ve taught me much along the way, and I’ve helped them in return on more than one occasion. And while there’s a lot more to tell there, I believe that’s all I’m going to say about that subject for now.”
There was silence for a few minutes, and then Tara asked about the falcon. Spike had to smile when he informed them that his friend, Mithi, was the closest he’d ever had to a pet – dead or alive. “Falcons are part of a messaging system the dunedain use to communicate. Not like we have cell phones here, after all. Mithi is short for Mithril and he was named for a dwarvish metal that is sure and strong and a rare find. Mithi is that to me and he’s been with me for several years. He’s my eyes and ears most days. I sent him on ahead with two messages – the first for the people of the village to let them know I succeeded in slaying the trolls and I was on my way back, and the second for my brother in arms, Strider, who will meet us in the village as soon as he possibly can. Mithi will join me again when his errands are completed. And this beauty, who has graciously consented to pull this cart for me, is my pride and joy, Tindómë, which means twilight.” He smiled at the graceful beast who gave a soft knicker when she heard her name. So caught up was he that he didn’t quite hear what Dawn was asking at first and had to ask her to repeat her question.
“Bit, when I say that Tindómë has consented to pull the cart, I mean that quite literally. When you are dealing with one of the mighty and proud Mearas from the land of Rohan, you do so solely by his or her leave. You do not ride a Mearas. The Mearas consents to carry you or you will not manage to mount at all. Likely you’ll end up on your ass or trampled to death if you presume to mount without getting leave first. This particular Mearas was a most treasured gift to me after service to the King of Rohan. And Tindómë, like Mithril, is my friend and companion. While the elves and dunedain are my family, we cannot always be together due to the paths we follow. So, I count myself most fortunate to have these two trusted companions along for the journey.” As the group looked upon the black horse with a new appreciation, she in turn seemed to strut more proudly before them knowing that they were appraising her.
When Spike continued speaking, it was in a subdued voice. “Normally Tindómë would have been with me for the battle, but she had a task to perform for me earlier. I found Rosie’s body – what was left of her, that is – not far from the village and Tindómë consented to return her remains to the village for burial. After wrapping the body in a cloak and including instructions for the men to whom I sent her, I continued on foot tracking the trolls. I knew Tindómë would catch up with me soon enough and she kindly brought the cart so I could bring the spoils back with me. And you guys caught up with me not long after I found the trolls. So there you have it.”
They stopped for lunch and a brief rest by a stream. Before they started up again, Spike made it a point to inspect everyone’s feet, particularly the girls. Anya, in particular, was not wearing appropriate footwear for hiking. The girl had not complained, which was surprising when he saw the size of her blisters. A quick consult and Tindómë allowed Anya to be placed on her back for the remainder of their journey. The rest were okay for now, and Spike did a mental tally on what he would need to acquire for them once they reached the village. When Giles inquired what he was thinking about, he conveyed his concerns about helping the lot of them to acclimate. The two started talking about the village they were heading toward and everyone else paid attention, interested enough to do so quietly and getting tired enough not to interrupt by that point. The rest of their trek passed quickly as Spike educated them on what to expect and how best to conduct themselves with the local populace. They were all looking forward to sitting down for a hot meal and taking a bath by the time the village came into view. Spike’s description of a rural place with a medieval feel to it was right on the money, but the one thing he neglected to mention was the crowd of people gathered outside the gates waiting for them. He also hadn’t prepared them for the fact that these people literally went wild when they caught sight of Spike approaching. It was like being part of a parade that you didn’t know about. People were throwing things in the air and waving flags and banners. Although they were still too far away to make out what was on the banners, the words they were yelling were plain to hear. Shouts of “Spike!” and “William the Bloody!” were loud and clear, and it was a bemused group of Scoobies that accompanied the obvious hero of choice toward the village.
TBC
Catching Up
Although it was a lengthy trek over uneven ground, no one really noticed. Spike was too familiar with the territory for it to bother him and the Scoobies were too fascinated by his tale to pay that much attention.
“Well, to answer Buffy’s question first, I’m not exactly sure what’s going on with her ‘Slayerness’ as she put it.” A wink and a grin took the sting out of any teasing and Buffy blushed becomingly. “When I first got here and the sun didn’t affect me, I thought that maybe it was because of the Slayer blood I ingested before jumping into the portal. I didn’t take much, mind you; just enough to register in my veins so the portal would close. But I thought maybe that was what was protecting me. By the time a few days had passed, I was ready to accept that in this world the rules were different. I’m thinking that’s the case here. Either something happened upon your arrival that caused the Slayer spirit to jump ship, so to speak. Or just perhaps in this world, if there was a slayer…it would be male, and so that’s why she chose Xander. I’m just guessing, but it makes sense when you consider that she jumped into the nearest age-appropriate male rather than one of you other ladies. Guess that makes you a walking talking live hermaphrodite, huh, Harris?” Everyone laughed as Xander chased Spike around some nearby trees yelling for him to ‘take it back!’
By the time they got back onto the road, Spike was ready to get the tale back on track. “Anyway, that being said, Buffy, pet, you’ve got to realize that although you may not have Slayer strength at the moment, the agility and ability are still yours, eh? I mean, Xander didn’t develop natural fighting skill or grace just because of this change-up. Sorry, man, but it’s true, and I don’t mean anything bad by that. After all, I’m sure Buffy had to learn fighting techniques and style when she first got chosen, right?” Agreeing nods from both Buffy and Giles gave him the go-ahead to continue. “My point is that you shouldn’t let the loss of Slayer strength get you down, because that’s not all you have going for you and it never was. Just as Xander’s going to need some training to learn how to use what he’s been given, you’ve probably got all kinds of skills that you’ve never tapped into because being a Slayer took priority over everything else. That being said, there’s likely changes that all of you need to be prepared to make or might have already made and we just don’t know it yet. After all, if this world changed up the Slayer order, what effect might it have had on those of you who are magically inclined or on Anya as a former vengeance demon or on Dawn as the Key? But, hey, we can explore that more once we get to town and get settled in for a bit. For now, let me catch you up on this world and what’s going on currently.” And although they were all looking thoughtful about his suggestion, they shook it off and filed that away to be examined later on so they could hear more about this place they were in. Buffy, in particular, had a lot to process, and was more than happy to put in on the backburner for the moment.
“First of all, the battle between good and evil is a lot more clear-cut here than it was back on Earth. There were lots of little evils and some medium ones we had to deal with so to speak, yeah? Even Glory only affected those of us in Sunnydale on a day-to-day basis.” Giles nodded his head thoughtfully at that comment. “Here, the big evil is a nasty bloke by name of Sauron. He’s the Big Bad of the World, if you like. Supposedly he was defeated years and years ago, but he’s been biding his time, existing under other guises, and gathering power. Now he’s making his presence known again, and there will soon be a council called to decide how best to address this threat. In the meantime, there’s still evil that you encounter in the guise of noxious creatures such as orcs, trolls, and goblins, as well as the bad characters one meets on a daily basis. And…”
He was interrupted by an excited question from Giles. “I say, Spike, did you say Orcs? They’re real – not myth?”
A knowing smile accompanied his answer. “Actually, Giles, a lot of what you’ve only heard of in myth before now exists in reality here. Elves, goblins, dwarves, talking animals. Keep in mind though, at all times, that most of what you’ve learned about them is completely false. If you go by those stories, you’re likely to piss off the wrong bloke and end up on the business side of someone’s spear. Everyone got that?” Solemn nods reassured him that no one would unintentionally get them all killed that way. Of course, there were plenty of other ways to get there. Hmmm. “I’ve trekked all over this world during the past sixty years and have come across or dealt with most everything you lot might encounter here, so please, please, please ask questions of me before you speak or act unknowingly. Courtesy is taken very seriously by most civilized peoples and the observation of certain customs is a must if you want to be accepted or taken seriously or just not killed.” Spike felt like they all took that to heart and was ready to move on.
“When I showed up, it was right before a big historical battle that is now known as the Battle of the Five Armies. Back then they didn’t know how bad it was going to be. A great Dwarvish treasure was at stake after the defeat of this gigantic dragon…” Several gasps followed that comment, but no one said anything to interrupt. “Anyway, most everyone was being stubborn and speaking up for their own rights and needs and wants, because, after all, it was one freaking huge bloody treasure and everyone wanted more than just a piece of it. Well, I got sort of caught up in the hoopla and ended up in the center of things, quite by accident, mind you. So, I had a first row seat to the events that transpired. Fortunately, I met up with and was taken under the wing of a powerful and wise wizard named Gandalf. Hopefully you lot will get to meet him soon. Without him, no telling if I would have survived that damn battle or not, because what started out as a violent skirmish between elves and dwarves and men grew dangerously nasty when orcs and wolves set upon them. And that was just the start of things…giants, trolls, goblins, all manner of nasty vicious creatures were on the opposing side. So, the elves and men and dwarves saw the wisdom of joining forces and that’s when the battle commenced in all ferocity. And just when it looked to be hopeless, some unexpected allies showed up – eagles and Beorn.” Spike paused, caught up in his memories.
Xander interrupted his remembrance, “Umm, question! What effect would eagles have on anything and what the heck is a Beehorn?”
“Well, mate, these are no ordinary eagles, mind you. The smallest is at least fifteen feet across in wingspan, so when you picture that above you and imagine what size rocks that bird can drop… Or imagine them swooping in and blinding your larger enemies. You can see the damage they would do to the opposing side. And it’s Beorn, not Beehorn, and he’s a shape-shifter. The shape he usually dons is that of a large black bear. You remember that bear from Thanksgiving that time, pet? Well Beorn puts that one to shame, makes it look like a puppy by comparison. Beorn is a monster-sized man with a heart of gold for his friends and allies, and nothing but danger for his enemies. Let me tell you that the first time I saw him as a bear, I nearly shat myself.”
Dawn frowned and immediately said “But vampires don’t shit. Oh, shush, Buffy, you use that word all the time. And they don’t. So there!” and she stuck out her tongue at her older sister.
Spike laughed and tugged on a lock of his Bit’s hair. “You’re right. We don’t, but I nearly did that day. Suffice it to say that Beorn was someone whose bad side you didn’t want to be on, because that was the last side you’d ever see. And although he’s since passed on, his relatives are just as fierce today. Anyway, I digress. The battle lasted for several days and was fierce to behold. There were massive casualties on every side, and in the end the allies triumphed. The treasure was divvied up wisely and generously and everyone went their separate ways.” He paused a moment remembering his own choices after that.
“Don’t know what exactly I would have done had it not been for Gandalf. He invited me to come on a journey with him and find myself along the way. Just how he worded it too, and that intrigued me…that and I figured a wizard was my best bet if I ever wanted to get home again. So, I joined him and had many excellent adventures. And along the way I’ve made both friends and enemies alike, but my truest friends are the elves and the dunedain, or rangers as most folk call them. They are my family and we have walked a long and arduous path together. They’ve taught me much along the way, and I’ve helped them in return on more than one occasion. And while there’s a lot more to tell there, I believe that’s all I’m going to say about that subject for now.”
There was silence for a few minutes, and then Tara asked about the falcon. Spike had to smile when he informed them that his friend, Mithi, was the closest he’d ever had to a pet – dead or alive. “Falcons are part of a messaging system the dunedain use to communicate. Not like we have cell phones here, after all. Mithi is short for Mithril and he was named for a dwarvish metal that is sure and strong and a rare find. Mithi is that to me and he’s been with me for several years. He’s my eyes and ears most days. I sent him on ahead with two messages – the first for the people of the village to let them know I succeeded in slaying the trolls and I was on my way back, and the second for my brother in arms, Strider, who will meet us in the village as soon as he possibly can. Mithi will join me again when his errands are completed. And this beauty, who has graciously consented to pull this cart for me, is my pride and joy, Tindómë, which means twilight.” He smiled at the graceful beast who gave a soft knicker when she heard her name. So caught up was he that he didn’t quite hear what Dawn was asking at first and had to ask her to repeat her question.
“Bit, when I say that Tindómë has consented to pull the cart, I mean that quite literally. When you are dealing with one of the mighty and proud Mearas from the land of Rohan, you do so solely by his or her leave. You do not ride a Mearas. The Mearas consents to carry you or you will not manage to mount at all. Likely you’ll end up on your ass or trampled to death if you presume to mount without getting leave first. This particular Mearas was a most treasured gift to me after service to the King of Rohan. And Tindómë, like Mithril, is my friend and companion. While the elves and dunedain are my family, we cannot always be together due to the paths we follow. So, I count myself most fortunate to have these two trusted companions along for the journey.” As the group looked upon the black horse with a new appreciation, she in turn seemed to strut more proudly before them knowing that they were appraising her.
When Spike continued speaking, it was in a subdued voice. “Normally Tindómë would have been with me for the battle, but she had a task to perform for me earlier. I found Rosie’s body – what was left of her, that is – not far from the village and Tindómë consented to return her remains to the village for burial. After wrapping the body in a cloak and including instructions for the men to whom I sent her, I continued on foot tracking the trolls. I knew Tindómë would catch up with me soon enough and she kindly brought the cart so I could bring the spoils back with me. And you guys caught up with me not long after I found the trolls. So there you have it.”
They stopped for lunch and a brief rest by a stream. Before they started up again, Spike made it a point to inspect everyone’s feet, particularly the girls. Anya, in particular, was not wearing appropriate footwear for hiking. The girl had not complained, which was surprising when he saw the size of her blisters. A quick consult and Tindómë allowed Anya to be placed on her back for the remainder of their journey. The rest were okay for now, and Spike did a mental tally on what he would need to acquire for them once they reached the village. When Giles inquired what he was thinking about, he conveyed his concerns about helping the lot of them to acclimate. The two started talking about the village they were heading toward and everyone else paid attention, interested enough to do so quietly and getting tired enough not to interrupt by that point. The rest of their trek passed quickly as Spike educated them on what to expect and how best to conduct themselves with the local populace. They were all looking forward to sitting down for a hot meal and taking a bath by the time the village came into view. Spike’s description of a rural place with a medieval feel to it was right on the money, but the one thing he neglected to mention was the crowd of people gathered outside the gates waiting for them. He also hadn’t prepared them for the fact that these people literally went wild when they caught sight of Spike approaching. It was like being part of a parade that you didn’t know about. People were throwing things in the air and waving flags and banners. Although they were still too far away to make out what was on the banners, the words they were yelling were plain to hear. Shouts of “Spike!” and “William the Bloody!” were loud and clear, and it was a bemused group of Scoobies that accompanied the obvious hero of choice toward the village.
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