The dark elder nodded, seeming to catch her mood, "there are things you must know so you may be able to destroy the impending evil."
A few things clicked in Buffy's mind, things she would have guessed long before had she not been distracted. That bleached blond little shit, she thought irritably, ignoring her own status as a not-entirely-natural-blonde. He was in league with these people from the very start. "You're the ones who gave Spike the way to get Angel out of hell," she said with wonder.
The elders shared a knowing look, "she is brighter than she looks," one commented dryly. Buffy's hand fondled her stake gently.
"Yes," the dark elder, which seemed to be their leader confirmed, "the coming of the Evil One holds great threat to all our lives. We had no choice but to be involved."
"The Evil One?"
"You know her as Cirta, the one who existed before man." Buffy nodded and he went on. "She was also known as the mother of the demon race and she ruled them all with an iron fist."
Although she was basically familiar with the outline of the story, Buffy couldn't help but shudder. "What happened?" She found herself asking, a child drawn to her mother's bedtime story.
"In due time man came," the elder continued, his deep blue eyes dancing with amusement at her question. "And with them, as demon and human blood mingled, the lesser of the demon race. The vampires, the werewolves, half-demons, lesser monsters and nameless creatures which have become extinct over the ages. They were abhorrent in her eyes, an abomination. She made them into slaves, servants to her every whim, to be destroyed or spared at her wish. Eventually the humans and lesser demons rose up to destroy her."
The bitterness in his voice made Buffy tremble, "did you see it happen?"
This time his amusement couldn't be contained in his eyes, "ah, child," he laughed out loud, "how aged we must seem to you." He shook his head at the flustered Slayer, "this was long before our time. Long enough in fact to be forgotten by most races of man and demon."
Buffy inhaled deeply, trying to will away the flush that had spread across her face at the elder's ringing laughter. "I take it they weren't able to destroy her, seeing as she's still our problem," she said coldly. She was NOT about to make friends with a group of ancient vampires, no matter how nice they were to her.
He shook his head, "no. Even as a group they lacked the power. Instead they came together to lock her under the most powerful curse that had ever been used."
"So the lock broke?"
The elder seemed uncomfortable suddenly, "a series of events occurred, the hell-mouth breaking open, a righteous soul passing through. These events lessened the curse."
Buffy could feel the now-familiar guilt grab hold of her heart, "but she's not free yet."
"No, but she will be. With the single act of freeing the demon Angelus from hell all restraints have nearly been lifted."
Buffy shook her head, "I don't understand. Then why would you want to free Angel if that's what breaks the curse?"
The pale woman gently touched her dark companion's shoulder, "he must be the one to destroy her completely," she said softly, easing the young Slayer into the bitter truth. "Had we not broken her curse her minions alone would have torn the earth apart."
"How could they walk around while she's still," she floundered, "locked," she said lamely.
The dark elder spoke his blue eyes serious, "when Angelus was sent to hell a certain amount of her power returned, certain parts of the curse became void. Her minions are nothing but animated demon corpses without a brain between them. They have the power to live a single night with the strength of a lifetime. She has an endless number of them at her disposal and together they have the power to rend the fabric of our lives apart."
"Then how's Angel supposed to stop her once she's freed?"
The elders shared an uncomfortable look, wrenching a horrible suspicion into Buffy's mind. "She wants him, Buffy," the dark elder finally said. "She wants him as her own, as her equal," as her lover. "When she has him, that will free her completely.
"Well she can't have him," Buffy heard the hysteria hovering over the edges of her voice.
The elder ignored her, "when she has him," he said firmly, "only then will he be able to destroy her."
"She can't have him!" She yelled, her panic ringing true.
"She will have him when you lie to him." Buffy's breath caught in her throat. "When you tell him you don't love him, that you could never love him. It will tear him apart and then she shall have him."
Lie to him, betray him. But she had sworn never again. Righteous anger engulfed her, filled her with its familiar strength. "Who do you think you are?" She demanded, her voice trembling slightly. Her body moved unconsciously to her battle stance, although they hadn't threatened her. Her eyes flashed green fire, "who the hell do you think you are to tell me to do this?" She screamed, her rage an undeniable force.
A meaningful look passed between the elders, a question asked and answered, a decision made. "We are Watchers," the dark elder finally said.
