Chapter 27: The Digital Demon

Cyrus Knight walked into the Sunnydale High School library, where Giles was sorting through a stack of ancient texts. He had become accustomed to spending his free periods here, helping Giles with research and keeping an eye out for any supernatural threats. Today, however, his attention was drawn to the box of old books Giles was unpacking.

"What's in the box?" Cyrus asked, peering over Giles' shoulder.

Giles adjusted his glasses. "These are some old texts that were recently donated to the library. I'm planning to scan them into the computer system."

Cyrus picked up one of the books, its cover worn and dusty. "This one looks interesting," he said, noting the intricate, almost arcane symbols on the cover.

Giles nodded. "Ah, yes. That's 'Moloch the Corrupter.' It's about a demon who could bind himself to any written text. A rather nasty fellow, if I recall correctly."

Cyrus's eyes widened. "You're planning to scan this?"

Giles shrugged. "It's standard procedure to digitize our records."

An uneasy feeling settled in Cyrus's stomach. "Giles, maybe we should hold off on this one. I have a bad feeling about it."

Giles frowned but trusted Cyrus's instincts. "Very well, we'll keep it aside for now."

Cyrus slipped the book into his bag when Giles wasn't looking.

---

Later that night, Cyrus found himself at The Bronze, the usual haunt for Sunnydale High students. He was hoping to unwind after a day filled with supernatural paranoia. As he scanned the crowd, his eyes landed on Cordelia Chase, who was standing by the bar, looking as glamorous as ever.

Summoning his courage, Cyrus approached her. "Hey, Cordelia."

Cordelia turned, her expression brightening when she saw him. "Oh, hi, Cyrus. What brings you here tonight?"

"Same as everyone else, I guess. Trying to relax a bit," Cyrus replied with a smile. "Want to dance?"

Cordelia raised an eyebrow but then shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

As they moved to the dance floor, the music thumped around them, and they began to dance. Cyrus found himself getting lost in the moment, the worries of the day slipping away. Cordelia's presence was magnetic, and for once, he felt like a normal teenager.

After a few songs, they moved to a quieter corner of the club.

Cordelia laughed. "Well, obviously. So, Cyrus, what's your deal? You're always hanging out in the library. You some kind of nerd?"

Cyrus smiled, leaning in closer. "Maybe a little. But I like to think of myself as a mystery."

Cordelia rolled her eyes playfully. "Mystery, huh? That's one way to put it."

They spent the next hour talking, laughing, and learning more about each other. Cyrus was surprised at how easy it was to talk to Cordelia when she wasn't surrounded by her usual entourage. She was smart, funny, and surprisingly down-to-earth.

As the night wore on, Cyrus offered to walk Cordelia home. She accepted, and they left The Bronze, strolling through the quiet streets of Sunnydale.

"You know, I had a really good time tonight," Cordelia said, her tone sincere.

"Me too," Cyrus replied. "Maybe we could do this again sometime?"

Cordelia smiled. "I'd like that."

They reached Cordelia's house, and she turned to face him. "Goodnight, Cyrus."

"Goodnight, Cordelia," Cyrus said, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

Cordelia blushed slightly before heading inside. Cyrus watched her go, a smile on his face. Tonight had been a welcome distraction, but he knew he couldn't ignore the potential threat of Moloch the Corrupter.

---

The next day at school, Cyrus made his way to the library, where he found Giles deep in conversation with Willow, Buffy, and Xander. 

"Morning," Cyrus greeted as he joined them.

"Hey, Cyrus," Buffy replied. "We're just catching up on some new research Willow found online."

Willow nodded enthusiastically. "I've been scanning some of the old texts into the computer system, and there's so much information we can access now!"

Cyrus's heart sank. "Did you happen to scan a book called 'Moloch the Corrupter'?"

Willow looked confused. "No, I didn't see that one. Why?"

Cyrus quickly explained the significance of the book and why he had taken it home to investigate. "I had a feeling it could be dangerous if it got digitized."

Giles looked relieved. "Good instincts, Cyrus. That book contains the essence of Moloch, a demon known for causing chaos through any written text."

Buffy's eyes widened. "So, if it had been scanned..."

Cyrus nodded. "He would've been unleashed into the internet, free to wreak havoc."

Willow looked horrified. "That would've been catastrophic! Thanks for catching that, Cyrus."

Cyrus felt a sense of relief, but he knew they couldn't rest easy just yet. "We should destroy the book, make sure Moloch can't escape."

Giles agreed. "I'll take care of it."

---

That evening, as Cyrus was getting ready to head to The Bronze again, he received a text from Cordelia asking if he was going. He smiled and replied that he would be there.

Arriving at The Bronze, Cyrus spotted Cordelia almost immediately. She waved him over, her smile bright and welcoming.

"Hey, you made it!" Cordelia said as he approached.

"Wouldn't miss it," Cyrus replied, taking her hand.

They spent the evening much like the previous night, dancing and enjoying each other's company. Cyrus found himself more relaxed than he had been in a long time, and he could tell Cordelia was enjoying herself too.

After a few dances, they took a break and sat down at a table in the corner.

"So, what's the deal with you and the library?" Cordelia asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Cyrus took a deep breath. "Well, it's a long story. But basically, I'm involved in some... extracurricular activities that require a lot of research."

Cordelia smirked. "You mean like Buffy and her Slayer stuff?"

Cyrus's eyes widened in surprise. "You know about that?"

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Please, I'm not oblivious. I've seen enough weird stuff in this town to know something's up."

Cyrus chuckled. "Fair enough. Yeah, it's sort of like that. We deal with the supernatural, trying to keep Sunnydale safe."

Cordelia looked impressed. "Wow, I didn't know you were such a hero."

Cyrus shrugged, feeling a bit embarrassed. "It's not always glamorous, but it's important."

Cordelia reached across the table and took his hand. "Well, I think it's pretty cool."

They spent the next hour talking about their lives, their interests, and their dreams for the future. Cyrus was struck by how much they had in common, and he found himself opening up to Cordelia in a way he hadn't with anyone else.

As the night wore on, Cordelia suggested they go for a walk. Cyrus agreed, and they left The Bronze, strolling through the quiet streets of Sunnydale.

"I had another great time tonight," Cordelia said, leaning against Cyrus as they walked.

"Me too," Cyrus replied. "I'm glad we're getting to know each other better."

Cordelia smiled up at him. "So am I."

They reached Cordelia's house, and she turned to face him. "Goodnight, Cyrus."

"Goodnight, Cordelia," Cyrus said, leaning in to kiss her cheek again.

This time, Cordelia turned her head slightly, and their lips met in a soft, lingering kiss. When they finally pulled away, they were both smiling.

"See you tomorrow?" Cordelia asked.

"Definitely," Cyrus replied, his heart racing.

As he walked home, Cyrus couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness and contentment. Despite the dangers and challenges he faced daily, moments like these made it all worthwhile.

---

The next day at school, Cyrus was in high spirits. He met up with Buffy, Willow, and Xander in the library, where Giles was already busy with his research.

"Morning, guys," Cyrus greeted cheerfully.

"You're in a good mood," Buffy observed, raising an eyebrow.

Cyrus shrugged. "Had a great night. What's on the agenda today?"

Willow smiled. "We've got some new research to go through, but thanks to you, we don't have to deal with Moloch the Corrupter."

Cyrus felt a sense of pride. "Glad I could help."

As they settled into their research, Cyrus's mind occasionally drifted back to his time with Cordelia. He knew that balancing his responsibilities with his personal life would always be a challenge, but he was determined to make it work.

For now, he was content to focus on the task at hand, knowing that whatever the future held, he had the support of his friends and the promise of something special with Cordelia. Together, they would face whatever challenges came their way, one day at a time.