"Wait a minute." Buffy told Giles, "Are you saying that you have found the story of the very first Vampire Slayer?? The one who got me and a thousand other girls stuck with this oh so wonderful "fate"? That first Slayer?"

The gang was gathered in Giles' office at the bookstore. Buffy and Willow were sitting on the floor, Xander was bent over raiding Giles' office 'fridge, and Giles was sitting at his desk flipping pages in a very large, very old book. He raised to his head to answer Buffy's question.

"Um, well, yes. Though it wasn't actually I that found the volume. Wesley did, believe it or not." By the looks on the gangs' faces, they obviously choose not to believe. "He sent the volume to me with a letter stating that he found it....." Giles trailed off as he began searching his desk for the letter.

"Giles! We don't care about the letter! Tell us about the book!" Buffy's impatience was obviously affecting Willow as well.

"Yeah, G-man. Tell us about the first Slayerbabe." This from Xander, who ,having raided Giles' 'fridge of everything edible was, now rummaging through cabinets. The girls glared at him. "What?"

"Yes, well, the first Slayer. It is a very fascinating story." Giles picked up the book and turned back to the front. "It seems that it all began in Babylon in around the year 2000 BC......"

~~~~~~~~~~

"Sabir! You're home!" Siran came flying at me and caught me in a hug that was tight enough to break ribs. I didn't mind one bit. She was right, I was home. After five long years fighting other people's wars, I was finally home. I had been sent home becaus eof the loss of my arm. I considered myself ne of the lucky ones. Many men had gone home in boxes, or not at all. I had made it home alive and for that I would be eternally grateful.

As Siran led me into the house I noticed that much had changed. Not just Siran, who had grown from an awkward girl into a radient woman, but also in the house and surrounding buildings. My parents lived on a small farm on the outskirts of a seaside village. When I was young, my father had worked from dawn to dusk to keep it one of the best farms in the area. Now it looked run down and neglected. I asked Siran what had happened.

"Oh, well, you see, fahter is very sick. Me and the younger ones have tried to do as much as we could, but the place really does need a man to run it. Mother will be so glad that you are back!" with that she led the way into the house.

It wasn't until late that night that I was finally able to stop and think about everything. After Siran had led me into the house I had been over run by all the younglings. I even discovered that I had a new brother, though hardly new at 4 yrs old. Mother seemed glad to see me ,but her eyes lacked warmth. Maybe it was just the situation with Father.

Father. I couldn't believe it when I saw him. Where once he had been hail and hardy, now he was weak and emanciated. I almost cried at the sight. He did cry when he saw me. He cried that I was home and he cried that I had been injured. The warmth that had been lacking in Mother's eyes was more then made up for in his.

And then there was Siran. My sweet little Siran, the little girl who had followed me everywhere was now a woman grown ,and two years overdue to marry. She had explained ,without resentment, that her marriage had been postponed due to Father's illness. It had been felt that the family needed her during this time. "But now, with you returned, I will be free to marry Babel. He has been so patient. You will just love him. I know it!" This was while I was watching her clean up after diner.

"Tell me about him." I wanted to make sure that he was good enough for my baby sister.

"Well, he is tall and handsome. And he just takes my breath away!" Siran spun around the kitchen. It reassured me to see her this happy. I was anxious to meet this paragon of manhood and told her so.

It was at this point when my wandering thoughts were reigned in by a noice from outside the barn. I rose and cautiously went out to investigate. Across the yard I saw Mother supporting Father as they walked away from the house and out into the woods. Considering how sick Father was, I decided I had better follow in case they needed help.

I followed them deep into the woods, staying to the shadows so as not to intrude on what was obviously a private outing. After about a ten minute walk, the odd procession came to a clearing in the trees. As my parents entered the clearing, I hung back. I had vague thoughts of staying to see them home. In reality I was just curious as to what they were doing. Curiousity is not always a good thing.

As I watched, Mother laid Father against a log by the fire she must have prepared ahead of time, for it was already burning when we reached the clearing. On a flat rock beside the fire she had laid out several jars, some unkown packets, a very large knife, and a demon bowl.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Wait a second!"

"Yes Xander?" Giles let out a sigh as he set aside the book to answer Xander's question.

"Well," Xander seemed almost embarrassed, now that all eyes were on him. " I was just wondering what a demon bowl was. I mean, it sounded kinda....demony." he finished lamely.

"A Babylonian demon bowl was an earthenware bowl used in ancient magic rituals. It would usually have writng on the inside and would often be used to catch demons. Either to rid the household of the demon or to redirect a demon towards an enemy." Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them on a tissue from the box on his desk. He then looked over at Xander, "Any other questions?"

"Nah. That is all the lecture I can take for one day. Thanks for offering though." Xander grinned at Giles' scowl.

"Yes, well....back to the hystory, then" With that he replaced his glasses and began to read again.

~~~~~~~~~~

I stood there entralled as she opened one of the packets and took out what appeared to be a section of hair. She laid the hair in the demon bowl and poured the contents of one of the jars on top of it. I heard her chanting as she worked, but couldn't make out the words. After she had added the contents of several other jars and one of the packets, she picked up the knife and pricked her finger. She allowed the blood to drip into the bowl. It may have been my eyes, or a trick of the light, but I would swear that the bowl began to glow. After the glow died down, Mother sat back. She seemed very tired, as if the spell had taken a lot out of her. She moved back towards Father and began to wipe his brow and wisper softly to him. I had no idea what she was up to, but it was obvious that it was for Father. That is probably the only thing that kept me from stepping forward then. I should have done it anyway.

It was about a half hour later that I heard a horse comeing towards the clearing from the direction of the village. When it came into sight I could see that there was a man on it. He seemed to be well dressed and was obviously quite handsome. I would have judged his age to be around 23 summers. As he rode past where I was hiding I got a good look at his face. His eyes were completely vacant. Mother stood at his approach, but didn't seem nervous at all. In fact, it was as if she had been expecting him.

"Get down." I could hear her voice clearly now as she spoke to the stranger. To my surprise , he obeyed her without question. When he was down, Mother circled him. She appeared to be looking him over, much as you would a horse prior to purchasing it. "Yes, I think you will do nicely." I decided then that I really didn't want to know what he would do nicely for and started to turn away. But out of the corner of my eye I saw Mother pick up the knife that she had used earlier. As I turned back, she reached up and calmly slit the stranger's throat. She let him fall to the ground and then placed the demon bowl under his neck to catch his life's blood that was gushing from the gaping wound. When the bowl was ful she removed it and added the contents of the last packet. The brew in the bowl fashed briefly and then died down. I was horrified as I watched my mother, the woman who had raised me, force this man whm she had just murdered to drink his own blood.Then I heard her voice began to chant again, only louder this time.

"I consecrate this vessel unto you, Oh Dark Lord! That you might come into this world and that you might reward me for opening the way!" Each time she said it was louder then the last until finally she was screaming. As she continued the wind picked up until it was a howling inferno. I hid my face for fear of what was happening. When I thought she couldn't get any louder and that I could take it no more, everything stopped. A sudden cessation of sound that scared me more then the chanting had. I looked up and could not believe my eyes.

The stranger was standing again. He seemed whole and unharmed. That is, until I looked at his face. Where once there had been a very handsome face, now there was a demon visage. One with glowing yellow eyes.

to be continued.....