From: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com (buffyfic-digest) To: buffyfic-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: buffyfic-digest V2 #331 Reply-To: $SENDER Sender: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk buffyfic-digest Tuesday, September 22 1998 Volume 02 : Number 331 In this issue: BUFFYFIC: ADMIN: Free email policy BUFFYFIC: "The Necromancer" (00/31) BUFFYFIC: "The Necromancer" (01/31) BUFFYFIC: "The Necromancer" (02/31) BUFFYFIC: "The Necromancer" (03/31) BUFFYFIC: "The Necromancer" (04/31) See the end of the digest for information on (un)subscribing to the buffyfic or buffyfic-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 10:26:14 -0400 (EDT) From: sah Subject: BUFFYFIC: ADMIN: Free email policy Please read this. It's very important. Effective immediately, anyone who wishes to s*bscribe to any Buffy list on a "freemail" account (Geocities, Hotmail, etc.) will be required to provide us with a "permanent" e-mail address as a backup. We will under any circumstances reveal this permanent e-mail address to anyone. This is for our reference This new policy has become necessary because of the problems we've experienced with freemail accounts. They're too easy to set up and cancel, and there is so little recourse if the individual with the freemail account causes problems, that we have no choice but to enact this policy. The s*bscription information pages will be changed to reflect this policy. IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY S*BSCRIBED UNDER A FREEMAIL ADDRESS: as long as you stay s*bscribed, you do not need to provide us with this information. However, if you uns*b and want to res*b at some point, you will have to give us this information even if you were previously a s*bscriber through a freemail account. If we have to uns*b you for bouncing mail, again, you'll have to provide the information to res*b. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us offlist. Thanks. sah and Jill romana@mindspring.com and jtkirby@mcs.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 21:42:50 -0700 From: "J. Jericho Born" Subject: BUFFYFIC: "The Necromancer" (00/31) TITLE: "The Necromancer" (Part 00/31) AUTHOR: J. Jericho Born E-MAIL: traction@sirius.com FEEDBACK: I'd greatly appreciate any constructive criticisim. DISTRIBUTION: The author reserves rights on this story. Please do not distribute without expressed permission. RATING: PG-13 Contains violence and sexual implications. DESCRIPTION: My first BTVS fanfic with a new villian as the title character. This story is set after the end of the second season and after Buffy returns for the third season. It was written before the third season was broadcast and may not accurately reflect a third season setting. DISCLAIMER: The writer of this unauthorized fan fiction is not affiliated with any of the parties involved in the making of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The characters are the property of Joss Whedon and whomever else the lawyers may deem fit, they are used without permission. Technically that is not legal, but I'm not anticipating any law suits. This work, the plot line, and the characters introduced that are not already featured on Buffy the Vampire Slayer are the work of Joshua Jericho Born, Copyright 1998. SPOILERS: Spoilers to "Phases" and "Becoming". ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 21:45:18 -0700 From: "J. Jericho Born" Subject: BUFFYFIC: "The Necromancer" (01/31) TITLE: "The Necromancer" (Part 01/31) AUTHOR: J. Jericho Born E-MAIL: traction@sirius.com FEEDBACK: I'd greatly appreciate any constructive criticisim. DISTRIBUTION: The author reserves rights on this story. Please do not distribute without expressed permission. RATING: PG-13 Contains violence and sexual implications. DESCRIPTION: My first BTVS fanfic with a new villian as the title character. This story is set after the end of the second season and after Buffy returns for the third season. It was written before the third season was broadcast and may not accurately reflect a third season setting. DISCLAIMER: The writer of this unauthorized fan fiction is not affiliated with any of the parties involved in the making of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The characters are the property of Joss Whedon and whomever else the lawyers may deem fit, they are used without permission. Technically that is not legal, but I'm not anticipating any law suits. This work, the plot line, and the characters introduced that are not already featured on Buffy the Vampire Slayer are the work of Joshua Jericho Born, Copyright 1998. SPOILERS: Spoilers to "Phases" and "Becoming". ============== Opening "In every generation there is a chosen one. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer." Two teens embraced each other. They could've been any anonymous pair of forbidden lovers meeting secretly. In their minds they were Romeo and Juliet. The parking lot at the Sunnydale Quickie Burger was their Verona. They were oblivious to the world, with interest only in each other. All their worries, troubles, and pains were dissolved in the passion they felt for each other at that moment. In short, they were making out. It would have been a perfect scene of a tale that was too lovely to be accepted as true. Their lives alone were nothing. Together they gave each other a reason for being. But, this is the Hellmouth. Here good things get spoiled all too often. The male partner stopped discovering the inner reaches of his female companion's oral cavity to notice that they had an audience. The feminine of the two curiously turned to find out what had spoiled their moment of bliss. In the shadows loomed a figure, ominous fell short in its descriptive capability. "Go away, perv! Don't they have the Spice channel where you live?" was all the wit the girl could muster to send the unwanted intruder to any place but here. He did not answer, but instead took a step forward and revealed himself under the glow of an overhead light. His face was unnaturally pale and noticeably dry. Both of moisture and of expression. Not a hair grew from this face so devoid of warmth. He widened his eyes to reveal a pink hue where white should be, his eyes bloodshot in the worst extreme. The two companions froze in his awful glare. Fear hung over the scene like a wet blanket. The first motion was made by the masculine of the two lovers. It was of a protecting posture, one that has been replicated throughout the ages. This time it was in vain. A terrible odor came like a weapon. It smelled like the very stench of suffering. The intruder's mouth was open as if to talk, but nothing was said. In the stead of spoken word came an awful black gas. It seemed to come from every part of his being. Soon the intruder was enveloped in a cloud of this gas. It grew larger until it came within inches of the pair of disenchanted lovers. The man, or to be more accurate, boy continued his protective posture by pushing the girl behind him. He faced this black cloud with his young shoulders broad. His noble spirit was rewarded: angry, pink tentacles ripped the surface of the cloud and pulled him into his tortured death. Screams and cries of pain replaced his gesture of controlled protection. With only her imagination to tell her what fate lie her companion, the girl let out a scream of her own. The cloud threatened to engulf her as well. She turned to escape as quickly as reality let her. As suddenly as she began she halted and realized the inhuman face she had witnessed before loomed directly in what was to be her escape route. Yet again she turned, not knowing left from right, and ran with all her speed. Her attacker pursued her. Not with the vigor and energy she expended in her own run, but with a maliciously simple walk. He made a gesture that didn't give credence to the horror that he unleashed. Flames that seemed to be alive, but dying with cries of expressive sadness, came from him toward his victim. Before her foot hit the ground in her next hurried step the hellish fire was upon her. It seared her legs with a pain that was too great to be merely physical and she crashed to the ground. Crawling was the only means of flight left to her. She entertained it enthusiastically. Clinging to the filthy pavement of the parking lot as if hanging on to life. She crawled with every ounce of ability she had left. Who was her attacker? What happened to her companion? With what was she assaulted? None of it was of her concern. Her mind was preoccupied with one thought alone: survival. The solemn cadence of her attacker almost brought him upon her. She kept crawling in an increasingly vain attempt to survive. While still lost in the chaos of her suffering she sensed someone before her and looked up. There was another like her original attacker, but his face held more warmth and his eyes betrayed his menacing intentions. "Don't be afraid," were the quiet words he spoke. They brought her little comfort. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 21:46:40 -0700 From: "J. Jericho Born" Subject: BUFFYFIC: "The Necromancer" (02/31) TITLE: "The Necromancer" (Part 02/31) AUTHOR: J. Jericho Born E-MAIL: traction@sirius.com FEEDBACK: I'd greatly appreciate any constructive criticisim. DISTRIBUTION: The author reserves rights on this story. Please do not distribute without expressed permission. RATING: PG-13 Contains violence and sexual implications. DESCRIPTION: My first BTVS fanfic with a new villian as the title character. This story is set after the end of the second season and after Buffy returns for the third season. It was written before the third season was broadcast and may not accurately reflect a third season setting. DISCLAIMER: The writer of this unauthorized fan fiction is not affiliated with any of the parties involved in the making of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The characters are the property of Joss Whedon and whomever else the lawyers may deem fit, they are used without permission. Technically that is not legal, but I'm not anticipating any law suits. This work, the plot line, and the characters introduced that are not already featured on Buffy the Vampire Slayer are the work of Joshua Jericho Born, Copyright 1998. SPOILERS: Spoilers to "Phases" and "Becoming". ============== Scene 1 The inconspicuous school library of Sunnydale High had served a purpose its builders couldn't have begun to invision. It had been the "war room" in the fight against the current vampire, demon, or other threat to mankind that had been the concern of one Buffy Summers. She approached it with an odd sense of familiarity. It held a contrasting variety of emotions for her. Memories of friendship and camaraderie, but also the anguish of pain and loss. She looked like a normal enough teenager as she paused at the door to the library, but she was chosen to be the Slayer. More responsibility then one would even begin to trust to a young woman her age rode on her shoulders. With a fresh breath of air she prepared herself to be told about yet another horror she would have to confront. She entered. "Hey, Buff," was the simple greeting of a grinning Xander, always happy to see her. The sight of her assembled friends comforted her. "What's a matter?" inquired Willow, concerned about Buffy's stoic demeanor. "Nothing, just had my 'spider sense' tingle. Must've been a false alarm," explained Buffy even as she still had a nagging sense of worry. "What are you guys up to?" casually asked Buffy. She observed her friends Willow and Xander busy sorting and arranging. "We're helping Giles unpack a shipment of new books," excitedly answered Willow, "There's all kinds of interesting things in here." One particular ancient looking tome attracted Buffy's eye with a bright glint. It was dark green with gold foil trim. Severely worn and stained, it certainly had no shortage of character. Buffy picked up the book, almost hypnotized by it. Gradually an intuitive understanding filled her mind. It told her that the foreboding feeling she had woken up with this morning somehow now stared back at her from her hand. Her eyes were drawn to the title. "The Lost Art. . ." the title began. The gold foil had eroded away, but Buffy squinted to continue reading. "The Lost Art of Necromancy" was the full title. As the words of the title were realized a sudden rush of unintelligible thoughts, sounds, and pictures hit her like a dream in fast forward. Startled, Buffy dropped the book back down to the table. "Be careful," chastised Giles as the always preoccupied librarian darted across the room. He continued, "Some of these books are priceless relics." Buffy looked on as Giles checked what was once the object of her interest. "Luckily this particular book couldn't have been damaged further, it's almost illegible. Looks like it wasn't very well cared for over the years," diagnosed Giles. Willow shuffled over to see for herself. "Oh, the school has some software for scanning blurry and damaged text. I've been wanting to try it out," suggested Willow as she peered into the book. "What language is it in?" asked Willow. "It appears to be an ancient language possibly. I can't recognize it," replied Giles with the standard dose of studder. "I don't know if the program can handle it, but I'll see if I can get it to work," offered Willow. "Right then. You can use the, uh, computer device later. Let's get back to tidying, shall we?" commissioned Giles as he returned to his beloved books. "Do you care to lend a hand, Buffy?" inquired Giles. "Oh, no thanks. It's not that I find sorting old, dusty books boring. But, I think I should save my energy for patrolling tonight," answered Buffy. "Good one," commented Xander. He added, "I'll have to remember that line the next time Giles asks me for a favor. . . and I just also happen to be the Slayer." He shrugged and continued. Cordelia entered with a casual step and made her way to an empty chair. Dropping her books on the table and sitting back, she made herself at home. Not bad progress for one who would have thumbed her nose at the current occupants of the library just a year earlier. "I am sick of school already!" declared Cordelia. Her complaint went unacknowledged. "I outta just do a Stacey and ditch this place," Cordelia said as she took a bite from an apple. "A what?" inquired a perplexed Giles. "She's referring to Matt and Stacey," clarified Willow. "They only ran away yesterday and they're already a part of the school lexicon," added Xander. "How are you so sure they left of their own volition and it isn't demons or other miscreants afoot?" questioned Giles. "Paranoid much?" quipped Cordelia. "Don't worry, this time it's definitely troubled teenagers and not death spawns from hell," comforted Xander. "Matt and Stacey have been going out even though their parents have been such jerks about it," explained Buffy. "Yeah, I mean they've been talking about running away for awhile," said Willow. "Well it's suspicious considering the grave robbery last night," commented Giles. A chorus of questioning looks followed Giles' statement. "Ok, I'll bite. What grave robbery?" asked Buffy. "Don't you ever read the morning paper?" returned Giles. "Giles, you're in high school, not the McLaughlin Group," replied Xander. Giles demeanor became slightly annoyed, but he continued, "Well, in any case, a large quantity of bodies were taken from the Sunnydale Graveyard last night. Buffy, I suggest you check up on it during your patrol later this evening." ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 21:47:51 -0700 From: "J. Jericho Born" Subject: BUFFYFIC: "The Necromancer" (03/31) TITLE: "The Necromancer" (Part 03/31) AUTHOR: J. Jericho Born E-MAIL: traction@sirius.com FEEDBACK: I'd greatly appreciate any constructive criticisim. DISTRIBUTION: The author reserves rights on this story. Please do not distribute without expressed permission. RATING: PG-13 Contains violence and sexual implications. DESCRIPTION: My first BTVS fanfic with a new villian as the title character. This story is set after the end of the second season and after Buffy returns for the third season. It was written before the third season was broadcast and may not accurately reflect a third season setting. DISCLAIMER: The writer of this unauthorized fan fiction is not affiliated with any of the parties involved in the making of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The characters are the property of Joss Whedon and whomever else the lawyers may deem fit, they are used without permission. Technically that is not legal, but I'm not anticipating any law suits. This work, the plot line, and the characters introduced that are not already featured on Buffy the Vampire Slayer are the work of Joshua Jericho Born, Copyright 1998. SPOILERS: Spoilers to "Phases" and "Becoming". ============== Scene 2 The solitude of patrolling the quiet streets of Sunnydale brought with it a lulling sense of serenity. Often times this serenity would be punctuated by a brief encounter then requisite slaying of a vampire. So went many of Buffy's adolescent evenings. Evenings that could have been put to much more applicable uses like socializing, shopping, or even, gasp, homework. This particular night seemed to offer an extra dose of serenity with very little punctuation. Buffy's mind grew tired of the boredom of strolling the empty streets of the unwitting center of demonic activity that was Sunnydale. Heading home and retiring for the night was an increasingly seductive course of action. "Oh, the graveyard!" Buffy said aloud. How could she have made such an oversight? With a task to accomplish the boredom of idle wandering went quickly out of mind. Buffy renewed the spring in her step and made progress toward her morbid destination. A brisk jaunt later and the only thing between Buffy and the Sunnydale graveyard were two dark, shadowy figures. Buffy had quite a few experiences with such dark, shadowy figures and remained perfectly calm as she began to stalk her prey. As she ducked behind some convenient foliage she somehow knew that what was before her was not a brace of vampires, but something else. The two figures were soon complimented by another duet of late night prowlers. "Matt and Stacey?" Buffy whispered to herself as she realized the identity of the two additions. They weren't exactly as she remembered them. They staggered about like drunks and looked as if they had been run over by a tractor trailer one too many times. Buffy watched intently. "Your zombies are a disgrace to your calling," said the younger of the two strangers. As well as being shorter in the tooth this individual seemed to be more animated and present. "How so?" coldly barked the older figure. This stranger was more withdrawn, less animated, and stood as if he had a broomstick up his backside. "Oh, I don't know, let's see," sarcastically replied the youthful individual, "For one this is about the tenth time we've had to stop to let them catch up." "We're in no hurry," blankly interrupted his senior. "They walk as though they're rag dolls," added the more juvenile figure. "They ambulate sufficiently," factually stated the more matured of the two. "They are moaning for God's sakes!" said his youthful companion with exaggerated exclamation. The stranger of an earlier vintage stared back quietly at first and gave no reply. Finally he questioned, "God?" "It's a figure of speech," somberly explained the younger of the two as his eyes drifted onto the ground. After a brief pause he looked back up. "Why don't you release them and I'll animate them instead," he suggested. His counterpart appeared quite offended. "How dare you insult me, your tutor," chastised the older of the two. "The same way you dare irritate me, by far your superior," came back the juvenile. Proverbial chest thumping ensued as the two faced each other in a posturing match. As the older stranger's face grew more stern his younger comrade's fists clenched. His closed hands seemed to burn with fire and a terrible screeching, flaming noise came from them. "You wouldn't smite me down with the very hellfire I taught you to summon," obtusely said the elder stranger. "And I thought my family had issues," Buffy whispered to herself. "Wouldn't I?" said the adolescent mockingly while the look of his demeanor seemed to mimic the angry flames he held in his fists. The older one conceded by ending the posturing match and turning away. "Make no mistake, the only reason you were sent to this world was because of me your apprentice. I am the greatest necromancer alive, you are merely an old fart. As far as I am concerned I am the one in charge here," berated the younger of the two. His expressionless mentor looked straight ahead. Seemingly forgetting his original suggestion the more youthful stranger led the way toward the graveyard with the older individual and his stumbling zombies in tow. Buffy shadowed the late night expedition with peaked curiosity. As Buffy came within view of the graveyard proper, evidence of the robbery Giles had told of earlier was quite plain. A taped off section of the graveyard had every other grave or so missing its occupant. "How many more zombies do we need to complete the lair?" questioned the adolescent stranger as he tore apart the police tape in front of him. "At least two dozen if we are to finish the lair on time," replied the older of the two as if he was issuing a challenge. "Easily done," arrogantly stated the younger individual, "Watch very carefully. Perhaps you'll learn something." The other dark figure looked on with interest. That being said the juvenile stepped forward and stood as if he had owned the ground he tread on since birth. He let out a deep breath into the chill of the night's air and bowed his head quietly. With a full voice this stranger began to speak an incantation in a language that Buffy couldn't begin to identify. Gradually another voice accompanied the phrases he spoke. It was a powerful, booming roar that seemed to come upon the scene from all directions. Soon the young stranger's voice couldn't be heard as the unearthly cry dominated the scene instead. As the mysterious words continued to flow the young stranger's pale complexion heightened until his face was so white it glowed in the darkness. His eyes looked locked in an intense struggle to see what was not there. To Buffy's intrigue the stranger was suddenly engulfed in the same fire he had brought forth in his fists earlier. The flames seemed to mimic faces and people in contorted, painful expressions and positions. A horrible shriek of suffering emanated from the flames and dominated even the booming voice. When the hellish fire had expanded to what seemed to be the limit of its capacity it leapt from the stranger's body. The flames danced from grave to grave in a macabre fashion crying out as they went. Quickly the fire disappeared into the solemn earth and silence came upon the scene louder the grand noise before it. The youthful stranger stood motionless in a hunched posture. He breathed heavily as if he had just run a marathon. After a few moments of awkward quiet the older individual finally spoke. "Now what?" where his simple words. "Now I suggest you and your pathetic examples of the undead start digging up my new zombies," came the adolescent's reply. He turned to leave, but was stopped by the objection of his older companion. Buffy didn't bother to listen to the words of the complaint. She hurriedly made her way out of the immediate vicinity of the Sunnydale graveyard. There was always one person a Slayer could turn to when she needed explanations: her Watcher. She certainly had a story to tell. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 21:48:55 -0700 From: "J. Jericho Born" Subject: BUFFYFIC: "The Necromancer" (04/31) TITLE: "The Necromancer" (Part 04/31) AUTHOR: J. Jericho Born E-MAIL: traction@sirius.com FEEDBACK: I'd greatly appreciate any constructive criticisim. DISTRIBUTION: The author reserves rights on this story. Please do not distribute without expressed permission. RATING: PG-13 Contains violence and sexual implications. DESCRIPTION: My first BTVS fanfic with a new villian as the title character. This story is set after the end of the second season and after Buffy returns for the third season. It was written before the third season was broadcast and may not accurately reflect a third season setting. DISCLAIMER: The writer of this unauthorized fan fiction is not affiliated with any of the parties involved in the making of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The characters are the property of Joss Whedon and whomever else the lawyers may deem fit, they are used without permission. Technically that is not legal, but I'm not anticipating any law suits. This work, the plot line, and the characters introduced that are not already featured on Buffy the Vampire Slayer are the work of Joshua Jericho Born, Copyright 1998. SPOILERS: Spoilers to "Phases" and "Becoming". ============== Scene 3 "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear," said Giles as he took off his glasses and placed them on the high school cafeteria table he was seated at. "A triple 'oh dear', this must be trouble," wittingly said Xander as the group of Buffy, Willow, and Xander abandoned their lunches and leaned in closer. "What you have described to me sounds distinctly like two necromancers," diagnosed Giles. "Necromancers?" questioned Buffy. "You mean like in WarCraft?" blurted Xander. "Oh, yeah, and when you click on them too many times they get mad at you," said Willow as she and Xander shared a grin. "Anyway, back to reality here," snapped Buffy. "So what type of undead baddies are we talking about?" asked Buffy. "For all intents and purposes these individuals are both human and alive," corrected Giles. "I feel an explanation coming," predicted Xander. "Necromancers, put simply, are practitioners of the undead. You see, according to folklore it all originated back in a prosperous ancient civilization. There was a type of scientist fellow who was fascinated with death, more specifically how to avoid it. His research led way to a following of individuals dedicated to finding a means to circumvent death. Eventually this group of intellectuals was corrupted into the demon summoning craftsmen of undead we know as necromancers," explained Giles. He returned his glasses to his face and continued, "Soon these necromancers took over control of this prosperous civilization and conquered all the other nations they could find. Eventually they were overthrown somehow. Fearing another takeover, an agreement was made between nations that made practicing the art of necromancy punished by summary execution. A type of inquisition time followed and all necromancers and all of their materials were purged from the populace." "So if all necromancers were wiped out how can we have two here in Sunnydale?" inquired Willow. "I doubt these two alone could have laid low for several thousand years. Nor is it probable that they figured out the intricacies of necromancy on their own. Perhaps a small hand full of necromancers escaped to a place where no one could find them and established a community there," speculated Giles. "Wait a minute, who cares where they came from? I mean, Buffy has taken on worse. Why doesn't she just march down to whatever dung pile they call home and whoop them back to purgedville?" asked Xander. "Necromancers may not posses the brawn and fighting ability of the vampires we are used to, but we shouldn't underestimate them. In their dealings with death they have most certainly come up with a trick or two for avoiding it and inflicting it for that matter. From what Buffy tells us these two have a plan. We'd do best to collect as much information as we can and get an idea of how to deal with them," returned Giles. "So what do you suggest we do in the mean time?" inquired an impatient Buffy. She had heard this speech many times before. "I'd suggest you get to class," interrupted a snoopy Principal Snyder. Buffy glanced back over her shoulder to spy the brooding principal's face. "Right, off to class now," Giles affirmed in his most authoritative voice. He cleared his throat and added, "We can continue our discussion after school in the library." ------------------------------ End of buffyfic-digest V2 #331 ****************************** To subscribe to buffyfic or buffyfic-digest, send the command subscribe buffyfic-digest or subscribe buffy to majordomo@xmission.com. You will need to go through a confirmation process, and the listowners have to manually approve your subscription request, so it may take some time. To unsubscribe, send email to majordomo@xmission.com with unsubscribe buffyfic-digest or unsubscribe buffyfic in the body. Back issues of this digest can be found at: ftp://ftp.xmission.com/pub/lists/buffyfic/archive/ Dalton Spence has also provided an index of the buffyfic archive at: http://www.hwcn.org/~ag775/BUFFYFIC.HTM For help, contact Jill Kirby (jtkirby@mcs.com) or sah (romana@mindspring.com)