A few hours later, Faith and Giles had doubled back from the university grounds where they found nothing unusual. The problem was that there was no specific time or place for these signs to appear. Just a range of opportunity and educated guesswork based upon their research.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou up for a little caffeine?\u201d Faith asked as she caught him yawning.<\/p>\n
Giles admitted that he\u2019d been up late studying the relic. Though he rarely drank coffee, this seemed like a good time for an exception. \u201cI could use something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s hit the Palace,\u201d she suggested, \u201cthen we can hang out at the ice cream parlor for a few. There are some tables set up outside that have a pretty good view of this section of the street.\u201d<\/p>\n
Minutes later, they were seated outside on the iron-wrought chairs watching the thin crowd grow sparse. Giles looked at his watch. \u201cMidnight,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n
Just as he idly considered the fact that the first revelation had occurred at that hour the last customer emerged from the ice cream parlor carrying two double-scooped cones. Giles glanced over his should and saw the shop owner turning the latch on the door and flipping the hanging sign from Open to Closed. He sipped his coffee and returned his attention to the young man who was now waiting for a car to pass by before crossing the street. A young blonde, presumably his date, leaned against a small car.<\/p>\n
Giles recognized both of them from school. Tony Smithson and Karla Brewer were both seniors this year. He thought it strange that Buffy had not mentioned those two were dating. Whether he wanted it or not, Giles was privy to most of the school gossip.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you get the chocolate sprinkles?\u201d Karla called out from across the street.<\/p>\n
Tony laughed and answered, \u201cOf course I\u2014,\u201d just before he burst into flames in the middle of the street.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood God!\u201d Giles dropped his coffee and ripped off his coat. Faith was right beside him as he ran forward hoping to smother the fire. Karla\u2019s screams filled the night air accompanied by the sound of screeching tires and shouts of passersby.<\/p>\n
There was nothing but a charred corpse beneath the coat when Giles lifted it away, his own hands covered with reddened flesh and ash.<\/p>\n
Faith stared down at the sight. \u201cThat gives a whole new meaning to Rocky Road. What the hell was that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSpontaneous combustion,\u201d Giles answered. There were numerous documented cases and there had been an incident at the high school a couple of years ago. That one had been caused by magick. \u201cSweep the crowd. Look for anyone suspicious who might have cast a spell.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without another word, Faith darted off the street into the depths of the gathering crowd.<\/p>\n
Karla stumbled forward into the street, sobbing her boyfriend\u2019s name repeatedly. Since he had to do something, Giles dropped his charred coat back over what remained of the boy\u2019s body. Parts were only ash and scorched bone.<\/p>\n
Approaching sirens sounded in the distance. Giles knew that it would not take the police and fire departments long to get here. \u201cCome along, my dear,\u201d he helped Karla to her feet and assisted her to walk over to the opposite side of the street.<\/p>\n
He sat her down at one of the tables in front of the ice cream parlor, noting that the shopkeeper had his nose pressed against the front window, staring out at them. The rest of the crowd ignored them, focusing on staring at Tony\u2019s covered remains and talking about what they had seen or not seen.<\/p>\n
\u201cMist\u2014,\u201d Karla sobbed and gasped for air. \u201cMister Giles, omigod! Tony. He\u2026he\u2026 the fire came from inside him.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was no doubting this event to be anything other than the awaited sign. Giles recalled the specifics of the prophecy: By ice and fire shall the first sacrifice by known.<\/p>\n
That poor boy, thought Giles as he dealt with his own emotions, a sacrifice. These were dark magicks indeed and only the beginning. The scroll indicated the events leading up to the arrival of the demigod would only worsen.<\/p>\n
It pained him to question Karla when she was so distraught, but it was the only chance he was likely to get. He needed to know if Tony was involved with demon worship, dark magick or cult activity; anything that might suggest why he was targeted, if indeed he even was a target and this was not just some random force at work.<\/p>\n
\u201cN-no! No, Mister Giles,\u201d Karla wiped her nose on the handkerchief he had given her. \u201cTony\u2019s a good guy. WAS a good guy,\u201d she sobbed even harder at her own correction. She was clearly too upset to consider the reasons for such an odd line of questioning.<\/p>\n
Faith jogged up beside them just as a Sunnydale police car came to a halt nearby, its emergency lights flashing. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing, Mr. G.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVery well,\u201d he said resignedly and rose to his feet again.<\/p>\n
The police officer approached them immediately. Giles offered his eyewitness report and confirmed the identity of the victim. Backing off into the crowd again, Faith steered clear until the cop finished collecting information.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know where to reach you if there are any further questions,\u201d the cop told Giles.<\/p>\n
\u201cShall I be required to sign a statement at police headquarters?\u201d Giles had been in the unfortunate position of doing so on a number of occasions.<\/p>\n
The cop shook his head. \u201cNah. I think we\u2019ve got enough witnesses.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, Officer Clark,\u201d Giles peered at his name badge and shook his hand. \u201cI assume that you\u2019ll be seeing to it Karla gets home safely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nodding, the policeman assured Giles that he would take care of everything from there. \u201cDrive safe,\u201d Officer Clark winked as he left the school librarian behind. He ushered Karla Brewer into the back of his police vehicle just as two other cop cars were pulling up to the scene.<\/p>\n
He headed down Main Street and turned off into a dark alley then shut down both the lights and the engine. From the back seat, he heard his passenger\u2019s sobs turn to fearful whines. \u201cW-why are we stopping here?\u201d<\/p>\n
Karla screamed when Officer Clark turned around. What had appeared to be his face was melting away to reveal something else underneath, something clearly not human.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are the first of the Varstrae,\u201d his golden eyes glittered in the darkness. \u201cMy master will be pleased.\u201d<\/p>\n