Part Two: The Return of Evil
Written by Tim Kennedy
"With your long blonde hair and your eyes of blue,
the only thing I ever got from you was sorrow."
- David Bowie
ETERNAL DARKNESS SAGA: "The Return of Evil"
It's been two days since Xander decided to end his life. Even though he was a vampire, we all still miss him. He was a true friend, a friend we will never forget. My only regret now is that I was too hard on him. I thought it was for his own good. I didn't want to see him get hurt. Most of the times, I had a hard enough time trying to steak the vampires myself. At any rate, life must go on.
Buffy Summers stood on the spot where she had killed Angel a long time ago, and now, the spot where Xander had died. A small tear formed under one of her eyes. She had gone through so much in her life. A normal person would have cracked under the pressure by now, but Buffy was an unusually strong woman. She felt a hand on her shoulder and could tell who it was off by heart.
"You okay?" Angel asked her.
"I'll get over it," she responded. "I hope."
"I tried to help him, Buffy, but he didn't want my help."
Buffy turned and faced Angel, who in return, wiped the tear off her face. "No, he just wanted to die."
"Come on," Angel spoke, "I'll walk you home."
To Angel's surprise, Buffy didn't move an inch. "That's okay, I think I just want to be alone for awhile."
Angel granted Buffy's wish and slipped back into the shadows in which he came. Buffy knelt down on the ground. I'm sorry, Xander, it's all my fault. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please come back, Xander. Please.
* * *
Giles, Faith, Willow, and Oz were all sitting at the large table in the library. Everyone had been extremely quiet the past few days, but Giles knew they would get over it. They had to, for there was work to be done.
Willow was the first to break the silence. "You know, I feel really bad for Buffy. She's blaming this all on herself."
Giles added his view. "Yes, well, I think it was partially all our faults."
"Must have been a real drag. I never thought that Xander would actually become a vampire voluntarily. He must have felt pretty bad." That from Oz.
"We'll just have to get over it, face the fact that he's gone," Faith said with no sympathy. No one answered her and it was pretty obvious why. Faith got up from her chair and made her way over to the doors. "Fine, you don't want me here, I'm gone." Faith fled out of the library like she had fled many times before in her life.
"You know," Oz added after Faith left, "she's right." Everyone looked at him oddly. "We can't forget she's the Slayer. If she doesn't come to terms with all of this, she might end up being vampire food."
Willow was the only one to notice Buffy slip in the door. "Oh, Buffy! Hi!" Willow shouted, trying to alert everyone.
Buffy slowly made her way over to the table where they all sat. "I guess I'm the topic of the day," Buffy added to their conversation. Giles came over and rested his hand on her shoulder.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Fine. Well, except for the part where one of my best friends died, I'm fine," she replied to Giles question. They all say there in silence for a moment. The school bell rang, signalling the beginning of the day's classes. "Speaking of feeling bad," Buffy said to Giles, "I've got an English test to take."
Buffy left for her class.
"You really think she'll get over this?" Willow asked Giles.
"I'm sure she will. Just as long as things remain quiet for awhile."
* * *
Angel was doing push-ups on the cold stone floor of his haven when he saw the figure moving around in the bushes outside. Slowly, he rose to his feet, walked over to the doorway, and looked out into the night. Even with his acute sense of sight, Angel saw nothing but bushes and darkness. It was about then when someone tackled him from behind. In one brief move, Angel grabbed his assailant and flipped him over his back and onto the ground.
"You," Angel barked.
Spike got up, brushing the dirt off his leather jacket. "You've still go it," Spike informed him.
Angel reached out and grabbed Spike by the neck and raised him up off the ground. "What are you doing here, Spike?"
"Come on, is this anyway to treat your brother?" Spike gargled. Angel gave in and set him back down again.
"I thought you and Drew were roaming the Earth with each other?" Angel asked. "Oh right, I forgot about that Chaos Demon thing. Not that I blame her. What are you back here for?"
"You know, it's funny. I always end up back here. I can't seem to stay away," Spike told him.
"I'm flattered," Angel replied. Suddenly, a wave of terror flooded their bodies. Both of them had to concentrate extra hard to stay on their feet, the emotion was almost overpowering.
"What was that?" Spike asked.
Angel turned to face the doorway. "I don't know, but it came from in there."
Stealthily, both of them found their way over and took up position in the doorway. Inside, their was a figure standing in the shadows at the back of the room. It wasn't Spike I saw outside earlier, Angel said to himself, it was this figure in the shadows. The figure's eyes flashed red and before they knew it, Angel and Spike were sent hurdling threw the air and landed back outside again. Both of them made a decision to charge the figure. The minute they got into the doorway, they were sent flying backwards again. Both of them turned and looked at each other.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Angel asked Spike.
"Run like hell? Don't mind if I do," Spike replied. They both ran like the wind off into the bushes and away from the unknown figure.
Inside the room, hidden in the shadows, the figure watched the two vampires leave. Finally, Xander stepped out into the moonlight.
"Don't worry, Angel, this will all be over real soon," Xander said with an evil grin. After looking around for a moment, Xander stepped back into the shadows and disappeared.
* * *
The main hall of Sunnydale High was so crowded when Buffy made her way through that she almost walked right into Willow and Oz. Fortunately, Buffy saw them in time and stopped. Oz nodded his head as a greeting.
"So, how'd that test go?" Willow asked, trying to keep away from the unwanted subject of Xander's death.
"If you consider an F passing, then I guess it when great," Buffy replied. They all stood there looking at each other for a second before Oz broke the silence.
"Will and I are dropping by the Bronze tonight, you feel like coming with?" he asked.
Buffy hesitated for a moment. She didn't really feel like going, but it might be for the better if she did.
Finally, for the first time in days, Buffy smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that." Oz and Willow smiled in return.
"Catch you later then?" Oz inquired.
"Sure," Buffy said back.
When Oz and Willow moved past her, the smile on Buffy's face suddenly vanished. Down at the end of the hall, Buffy sighted Xander standing at the doors watching her, his eyes locked in an evil stare with a matching grin. She quickly started to walk down the hall towards Xander. Someone bumped into Buffy and that made her drop the book she was carrying. After reaching down and grabbing it, Buffy looked up once more. This time, Xander was nowhere to be found. It was Xander, she thought. It had to be. Either that or I'm going crazy.
"Your time's almost up, Slayer," a voice whispered into her left ear. Buffy spun around and tried to figure out where the voice had came from. Buffy could tell it was Xander's voice, but once again, Xander wasn't there. In a wave of fear, Buffy pushed her way through the crowd and left the school.
* * *
That night, Buffy continued to write in her diary.
I saw Xander again today. I could swear that it was really him, but I think I might be going crazy. It's scares me though. Every time I see him, he whispers things to me. Bad things. He says he wants to kill me and that my time is almost up. I don't know who to turn to. If I go to Willow, Oz, or Giles, they'll probably lock me up. I think the best thing for me right now is to try and cope with it. After all, it probably is my conscience playing tricks on me. I'll just have to see what happens, that's all.
Placing her diary back under her bed, Buffy got up and left for the Bronze.
* * *
The bronze was packed, as usual, when Buffy arrived. The large crowd of young adults were dancing aimlessly to the music the band played, which really didn't appeal to Buffy at the moment. Buffy looked around for her friends. Willow flagged her down from one of the corner tables and Buffy weeded through the crowd over to the table. She sat down on the padded seat which circled around the table.
"So, Buffy," Willow piped up, "Oz and I were just discussing something and we need your expert opinion." Buffy remained silent. "Boxers or briefs?"
"I'll see you soon, Slayer," that voice whispered into her ear again. Buffy instantly rose up out of her seat and looked around. Once again, no Xander. Buffy sat back down again and noticed Oz and Willow had a puzzled look on their faces.
"I didn't know that question would offend you," Oz said.
Buffy knew that she had to tell them. Now, she was convinced that she wasn't going crazy. Xander was really stalking her.
"Guys," she addressed them, "I think Xander is still alive."
Oz and Willow gazed at each other for a moment. "What makes you say that?" Willow asked, just as surprised as Oz was. Actually, Willow was hoping the same thing.
Buffy hesitated before she responded. I can't tell them. Not now, not yet. "Nothing," she said. "I'm just wishing for the impossible."
Suddenly, Buffy noticed a change in the expression on Willow's face. It had gone from surprise to a look of horror.
"Oh...my...god," Willow muttered. Her stare was locked on someone coming up behind Buffy. Was it Xander? Buffy asked herself. Only one way to find out. Buffy turned around to face the chest of someone wearing a black leather jacket. With her reflexes kicking in, Buffy jumped up and grabbed Spike by the collar of his jacket.
"What the hell do you think you're doing in here?" she yelled at him.
"Buffy, don't," Angel's voice rang out. Looking over Spike's shoulder, she saw Angel walking up to them. "He's not here to cause any trouble."
"You should know me better than that, Slayer. I'd never cause you any trouble," Spike said sarcastically. Buffy's grip didn't loosen one bit. She looked over into Angel's eyes.
"Buffy, trust me," he pleaded with her. Buffy finally let her grip go and Spike took the opportunity to fix the collar of his jacket. "We've got some bad news," Angel informed her.
"Spike? Bad news? Never," she replied with some of her own sarcasm.
"Come on, Buffy, this is serious," Angel scorned her.
Buffy fixed her attention on Spike again. "Fine, but your lucky he was here to stop me."
Calmly, they all sat down at the table. Spike decided to sit beside Willow, much to her disapproval.
Spike smiled at her. "How's it going? I hope our last meeting didn't traumatize you too much."
When everyone was settled in, Angel started his explanation.
* * *
The streets of Sunnydale were darker than usual that night. Somewhere down one of those dark streets, two friends, Emma Richardson and Molly Drinkwalter were walking home. Emma was one of the most well known girls at Sunnydale High. Her long blonde hair and blue eyes made her the dream date for many of the guys going there. Both of them were laughing their way down the street.
"Now way, girl, Brad likes you," Emma told her friend.
"No, he likes you. That's why he's always hanging out around you," her friend replied back.
"At the bronze, but never at school," Emma commented.
Unfortunately, not one of the two noticed the vampire that was following them down the street. Before they figured it out, the vampire attacked. He was able to tackle Emma from behind. Molly ran off screaming, abandoning her friend. The vampire rolled Emma over on her back and looked down at her. She noticed it was the guy they were talking about, Brad Winters.
"Oh, and for the record," he said to her, "I like you." He brought his mouth down to her neck and was about to do the deed when he felt a hand around his throat. The hand squeezed harder and began to lift him up off the girl. When Brad was lifted to his feet, the hand let go of him.
"Big mistake!" he shouted as he turned around. When he spun around, he came face to face with Xander. Brad froze and looked deep into Xander's eyes. "It's you," he exclaimed. Xander nodded. "But, Master, we all thought the Slayer had killed you."
"She did," the reincarnation of the Master informed his servant. "But, now I'm back, better than ever. I need you to do a favour for me."
"Anything," Brad replied.
"Go and gather up all the vampires you can. I want to make the Slayer's last battle the biggest she's ever seen."
"As you wish." And with that, Brad went off to do his Master's bidding.
The Master smiled an evil grin. Yes, it was true, he was back. And now, Buffy was about to find her world turn upside down.
Coming Soon...
Eternal Darkness Saga, Part Three: Dark Nemesis