The Dark Wolf of the Hellmouth

A loud banging upon the door of Rupert Giles echoed throughout the peaceful serenity of his house. Rousing the Englishman from his sleep. Tying on his robe Giles put on his glasses and headed for the door. It had been the night after Halloween and Giles had dealt with his old friend Ethan Rayne but the chaos mage had gotten away. The day went on normally enough, but without an appearance by Xander Harris. Buffy had said that she and Willow stopped by his house, but he had not shown up at all last night.

As soon as Giles opened the door he was staring into the eyes of Xander, yet his eyes were not his own. The eyes were amber colored like a wolf and the pupils were slits like a reptile. In his hand was a sheathed sword; at the tip of the pommel was a wolf's head. Around the boys neck was a silver pendant of a wolf's head same as his sword. His stance was completely different as well. Normally Xander's stance was usually calm and relaxed but now he stood ridged and alert. It seemed like he had switched the class clown with a seasoned warrior.

"Hey Giles," he told him with a hint of a smile, "You might be wondering why my eyes look like this?"

"Xander where have you been?" he finally said after a long pause, "everyone has been worried about you. And what the bloody hell has happened to your eyes?"

"We'll talk about that," he said walking past Giles and across the threshold, proving he was still among the living. "But right now I need you to promise me something. Because what I'm about to tell you is not to be taken lightly. If Buffy learns of what has happened to me she'll try to slay me and Willow will just freak."

"Of course," Giles said beginning to dread what the boy was going to tell him.

"Alright," Xander said as he sat on the couch and laid the sword on the coffee table. He gestured for Giles to sit on the chair which he did.

"Last night on Halloween, when everyone turned into their costumes, I became something that isn't completely human," Xander began, "the person I went as was named Geralt of Rivia, he was known as a Witcher."

"I'm sorry a what?" the Englishman asked.

"A Witcher, a type of warrior-monk who by forced evolution through magic is turned into a mutant. They become monster slayers, given powers to combat them. Witchers are stronger, faster and heal faster than a normal human, kind of like a Slayer. They are able to invoke a secret form of magic through use of signs. Their eyes give them the ability to see in the dark. They are master swordsmen. With this silver sword," Xander emphasized by holding up the sheathed sword he had brought, "the Witcher can kill any creature bound by magic and with a regular sword they would kill other evils. While in combat a Witcher can enter a trance like state in which they ignore all pain including serious injury. A Witcher is also a master alchemist, able to create potions and bombs which are both useful and deadly at the same time. These skills have now been imprinted into my brain because of last night."

Giles listened intently to Xander as the boy told his story. Just the day before yesterday Xander had been the joker and the donut guy. But now he was a Witcher not far from a slayer. He wanted to help Xander but curiosity won out in the end because he had more questions for Xander.

"The man you mentioned Xander," he began, "this Geralt, who was he?"

"He's a character from the imagination of a Polish writer named Andrzej Sapkowski ," Xander told him, "Geralt was the son of a sorceress named Visenna and a warrior called Korin. He went to the school of the Wolf in keep Kaer Morhen in the realm of Kaedwen. It was there he and a few others went through the numerous mutations called the Trial of the Grasses in which he gained his powers and only a few had survived the ordeal. After his Witcher training he became a monster slayer for hire. After lifting a curse for a man named Duny he invoked the Law of Surprise in which the savior can ask the person who he saved anything he wants. Geralt asked for the unborn child of Duny and his wife Princess Pavetta because he wanted an apprentice. But when he learned that she was a girl he didn't take her. But by fate or blind luck chance caused Geralt to cross paths with Ciri, the daughter of Duny and Pavetta. Three times they met and after the death of her grandmother, Queen Calanthe, Geralt ended up taking care of the girl and loving her as his own daughter. Throughout his adventures he met and befriended a bard named Dandelion and he met a sorceress who became the love of his life, Yennefer." Xander paused for a long moment his eyes distant.

"Xander?" Giles asked, "is something wrong?"

"No it's nothing," he waved off the concern, "it's just that I realized how similar Yennefer and Cordelia are in both looks and personality, it's horrifying."

"Well I see your sense of humor has remanded intact."

"Hey that is something no magic will ever take away."

Giles just sighed at the last comment. Why couldn't magic just do one thing right for him?

"When you mentioned the mutations that augmented your body does that also mean your eyes? Why are they that color? And why are they glowing?" Giles asked.

"Yeah," Xander answered pointing at his newly augmented eyes, "my eyes allow me to see in the dark as well as see different forms of magic which would be invisible to some. We done with 20 questions G-Man?"

"Well now that you mention it I was curious about the medallion that you are wearing does it symbolize something?"

"Yeah it does," Xander said as he fingered the wolf's head, "besides his monster slaying sword this is the most important piece of a Witchers arsenal besides his sword. This medallion represents the school a Witcher went to and it's sensitive to magic so when I'm around some the medallion will vibrate. It also does the same for danger."

"Also you said that a Witcher can use magic. What kind of magic do you do exactly?" he asked while polishing his glasses.

"They're called signs," the teen told him, "Witchers will always keep one of their hands free so they can use the other to shoot magic. The signs are known as Aard, Igni, Yrden, Quen, Heilotrop and Axii. The signs can launch kinetic energy or ignite fires or even control a person's mind."

"Would you mind demonstrating one of those signs?" Giles asked

Xander just smiled, got up and walked over to an ugly statue. Xander performed a few hand gestures and stuck his hand out. A large ball of energy shot out from his hand blasting the statue into pieces. Xander smirked and turned to a shocked Giles.

"That was Aard the weakest of the Witcher signs."

"That was a priceless artifact," Giles roared.

"Really it looked like something my mom bought from a swap meet."

"That's beside the point," Giles said as he took a deep calming breath.

"Hey, you wanted a demonstration."

"Well I believe I asked for that. I should've been more specific where you should've demonstrated. Now to the matter at hand, you don't have to fear about Buffy finding. I will not tell her but you are going to have to take precautions while you are around her."

"Yeah I know that already," Xander said, "I'll have to wear sunglasses around her until I get some colored eyed contacts. I wonder if I could pull of a Village of the Damned with these."

Giles just rolled his eyes at the Harris boy's comment.

"What?" the newly created Witcher said, "come on that was gold."

"Well if you are quite done making a mockery of a possible urgency then I suggest we call it a night."

"Alright G-Man," Xander said as picked up the sheathed sword from the coffee table, "hey Giles."

"Yes?"

"You wouldn't happen to have a spare sword lying around would you?" Xander asked,

"Why would need another?" Giles asked, "does that sword not work on vampires?"

"Oh it works, I tested it on a few on my way over here. I just need a regular sword in case I have to dispatch other forms of evil."

"By other forms of evil you mean humans?" Giles asked cautiously.

"Yeah, hate to admit it but there will come a time where I'll have to shed some human blood," Xander said solemnly, "just because a person has a soul doesn't always mean that they will be righteous. There are some people who won't give me the choice."

"No," Giles said, "I will not allow you to become a murderer. Xander even though you are not entirely human anymore does not mean you have to kill. There is good in you Xander."

"That has nothing to do with it," Xander shouted, "a Witcher will not extinguish any human life unless his hand is forced or he has no choice. A Witcher takes no pleasure in ending the life of man, elf or dwarf for he is the bane of all monsters. It's why I need another sword Giles." He unsheathed sword and the silver blade gleamed in the light showing the magic runes etched into the metal, "this sword is only allowed to slay monsters. It is forbidden for this blade to touch mortal blood."

Giles looked into his eyes, even with his new eyes he could see the determination and conviction in them. He sighed knowing that no matter how hard try he would not be able to convince the boy otherwise.

"Follow me," Giles told him,

Xander followed Giles down the hall to his study. Stepping inside Giles opened a trunk which held a vast array of medieval weaponry from swords, daggers and axes to crossbows and maces. Xander looked through the arsenal with careful eyes till his eyes stopped at a curved sword with a black hilt and a cross guard at the end of the pommel was an eagle's head with its beak opened. Xander picked up the sword and tested its weight and balance he even gave it a couple of test swipes.

"That is an interesting sword you picked," Giles told the boy,

"What kind of sword is this?" he asked,

"It's a kilij, a sword used by the Ottoman Empire," Giles explained, "It was said to be the favored sword of Vlad the Impaler. The slim blade has a weighted tip at the end, which allowed it to shear through bone."

"This is nice," he told him, "It will do."

Xander continued looking at the trunk and saw another weapon that caught his eye. Picking it up, he spun between his fingers.

"Is this a tomahawk?" Xander asked,

"Yes, it was a gift from an old friend," Giles said, "it was blessed by a shaman of the Navajo tribe. It is believed on a full moon it has the power destroy any evil no matter how great."

"I think I could use this."

"Go ahead and take it, it will serve you well."

Xander just smiled and was about to walk out of the room.

"Xander," Giles called out, "you wouldn't happened to have a copy of the book this character appeared in?"

"I thought you were going to ask," he told him as reached into jacket pocket and pull out three books, "there are only three books in English the rest are in Polish so they haven't been released in the states yet."

"Thank you, I will read these books over the weekend. Hopefully these will give me a better understanding to your new abilities."

"You do that G-Man," he said as he stifled a yawn, "I'm gonna head home and sleep in my bed for tonight.

"I'll see tomorrow at school," the Watcher told him as the boy left the house.

As soon as Giles heard the door close he went to the phone in his study and dialed a number he knew by heart. He waited for the other end to pick up and soon a smooth voice filled the other end of the line.

"Hello," the voice said from the receiver.

"Good evening Alyda, its Rupert," he answered, "is your husband up by any chance?"

"Oh hello Rupert," the women answered, "yes Carter is still up. He hardly ever sleeps these days. He has been studying those new volumes of the history of the fey people that the Watchers sent over."

Randolph and Alyda Carter were no strangers to the supernatural. They were both special consultants for the Watchers since they gave them the rare book, the 'Necronomicon', for safe keeping.

"Hello this is Randolph Carter," a voice said, from the other end.

"Randolph this is Rupert Giles."

"Well Giles, this is a surprise," Randolph said, "to what do I owe the honor of speaking to the mighty guardian of the Hellmouth? A little bit of knowledge to aid the Slayer in her battle against the supernatural perhaps?"

"Not tonight I'm calling because of an entirely different matter," Giles said as proceeded to tell him of the events that have happened in the evening.

"Hmmm now that is interesting," Randolph said as soon as Giles had finished, "a Witcher, a completely fictional character brought to our world. There has been a theory that all works of fiction are just other world in other realties. That every time a fictional writer or director was just gazing into a window when they came up with their stories. For a normal human to become a fictional creature is honestly one of the greatest discoveries since the discovery of the Necronomicon."

"Randolph I know this is exciting for you but I am more concerned on what is happening to his body. The forced evolution his body went through ….."

"Rupert," Randolph cried, "listen if it did any harm to his body then he would not have come to you tonight, his body has adapted to the mutations he has become a Witcher."

"You're right," Giles sighed, "it's just that now that he has this power I know what he will do with them."

"What do you mean?"

"He will hunt the demons who took what he considered to be his brother."

"Spike," a hauntingly eerie voice echoed through the room of the warehouse.

The vampire known for decades as William the Bloody, now known as Spike, turned to see his sire descending down the stairs. Drusilla came down wearing a 19th century sleeping gown and a porcelain doll with a gag around its mouth in hand. Her bare feet pitter patting as she walked down the steel steps, looking as a dream come to life. But with her true form that dream could easily become a nightmare.

"What is it luv," the blond vampire asked as he lit a cigarette.

"He comes for us," the insane seer spoke, "he has become a big bad wolf, a dark wolf."

"And who that be," Spike asked intrigued as she glided over to him, "come on talk to daddy?"

"Someone old and someone new. The Slayer knows him quite well, she is very close to him in fact."

"Angelus, that poof?"

"No, not daddy. The one she sees as kitten but in fact is a tiger at heart. He has become something so much more," she said with a dark giggle

Xander walked the streets of Sunnydale with determination set within his new eyes. Even if Buffy would never approve of what he was doing now he didn't care. He wouldn't stop, he'd never stop. Now that he had the power to kill those which would bring harm to others he would be what Geralt of Rivia had become, a monster hunter, a scourge upon the demons of the night, a crusader against the dark, a Witcher.