Tortured
A/N: This is a one shot about Angel's time in hell after Buffy sent him there. Based in between the season 2 finale and season 3 episode 4 when Angel returns. The story begins recapping the fight scene between Buffy and Angel in the season 2 finale of Buffy – Becoming Part 2.
Acathla the stone statue, which was also the gates to hell stood behind Angel. His blood was the key, the mouth of hell was opening and no-one could stop it.
Angel had just recieved his soul back after the spell Willow had cast from her location of being in Sunnydale hospital. "Buffy!" Angel said with sorrow and regret in his voice after instantly remembering all the terrible things he had done over the past few months as Angelus. Buffy looked at him, instantly knowing he had just recieved his soul back. Buffy and Angel shared a long, passionate kiss before she stabbed him in the stomach with a sword. Angel gasped in pain. He was sucked into hell through Acathla's mouth which had gradually been opening wider and wider behind him.
And just like that he was gone. Buffy sobbed in pain, she had just lost the love of her life. She turned around and slowly walked away her hands covering her face as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Angel's POV
I was falling for what felt like a decade. Falling through this never ending hole of fiery walls, my skin was burning at such a high temperature anyone else would've thought that it wasn't possible. I could see the ground getting closer and closer. I was falling at such a speed that if I hit the ground so soon I would definatley break all the bones in my body. I drew cloaser to the ground, if there was any time to pray, it would probably be know, but I wasn't going to, I would rather die. I felt hurt, betrayed, like someone had just stabbed me in the stomach. But I wasn't able to die. I was already dead and destined to spend an eternity in this hell dimension.
I was drawing closer to the ground; I was getting closer and closer. I closed my eyes preparing myself for the worst, this was about to be painful. I was about to hit the ground, when all of a sudden my body drew to a halt and stopped falling. I opened my eyes and saw that I was only a few inches away from the ground, my body suddenly dropped and hit the ground. I didn't know what was happening or who had control of my body but I didn't like the look of the place I was in. Hell. This is where I had been sent to be punished for the terrible things I had done to the people I cared for the most. I looked around my current position in this never ending tunnel of misery. The walls were a fiery red and as I looked closer I realised that it was molten rock, that explained why the flesh on my body was burning at such a high temperature it felt like my insides had been torched.
It was then that I realised I could hear the high pitched screams of the humans who were also doomed to be punished in an eternity in hell their screams were filled with pain and terror. I continued walking through this dark, hot tunnel of melted rock getting closer and closer to the where the humans were being tortured, I saw the end getting nearer to me and carefully edged towards the heated walls of rock. I shifted closely to the end and stuck my head out just enough to see what was going on. The hell beasts had wide eyes and sharp spikes almost dagger-like sticking out of their bodies, their flesh was only half attached to their bodies whilst the other half was hanging off looking as if it had just been ripped off their bodies viciously. Their teeth resembled vampire's fangs but approximately five times sharper. What I had heard about these beasts was true. They did carry pitchforks. Scary looking ones as well. These beasts stood over the humans that looked tiny in comparison to their 8 foot tall bodies and whipped them with all the force they could gather through their muscled arms, the whips left red burns and marks that cut deep into the flesh of these tortured souls. Somehow the thought of them being tortured made me want to throw up; it sickened me to watch this. Maybe this was an after effect of regaining my soul. I couldn't bring myself to watch anymore. I turned around and headed towards the other end of the tunnel in a sprint, desperately trying to get as far away from the hell beasts as possible.
The tunnel seemed to go on forever; I began to feel drowsy as if I hadn't slept in days. My throat was as dry as a bone, I longed for something to quench my thirst. But my train of thoughts was stopped. Something was heading towards me. I could faintly see shadows heading towards me around the bend in the tunnel; the shadows were displayed against the red walls which only made them seem more menacing. Suddenly a wave of terror went through me leaving me petrified. What was I mean to do? It was too far to go back to the other end of the tunnel from which I had just come, I would never make it there in time, and my mind went into a sudden state of panic paralyzing me from head to toe. The shadows drew nearer, they saw me. I was in plain sight. Only this time the shadows weren't hell beasts, they were the guards to hell. They had somehow been alerted to my presence. They walked towards me. One of the guards put their hand out and began pulling it back towards him suddenly this was causing me to move as well. He pulled me closer towards him, until I was a few inches from his face. He spoke the words "Angelus. We have been expecting you!" his voice was as deep and raspy. It sent chills down my spine. I was unable to respond. His signaled to his two henchmen who stood on either side of him. They put chains around my wrists and ankles, they were then told to take me to the main torture chamber. Together they dragged me towards the other end of the tunnel, towards the hell beats I thought I would manage to escape from. I struggled trying to set myself free, the guards restrained me and hit me on the head with a sharp implement that sent a sudden burst of red hot pain through my skull. Everything went black.
I gradually regained consciousness, but I kept my eyes closed as I knew what pain and terror was looming ahead. I lay as still as a statue, any movement caused me great pain. I could hear a roaring fire behind me; it was building up rage as each second passed. All of a sudden I felt myself being dragged towards it. My mind went into a state of panic; I was going to be thrown into a blazing fire! Would I survive? What injuries would I suffer? Will they heal? There had to be something I could do. I opened my eyes. The guards who were dragging me by pulling my arms didn't notice that I was awake. Using the guards who were holding me as an anchor, I lifted my feet off the ground and brought them over my head kicking the guards in the back off their heads; it was all I could do. All I had was the element of surprise. It worked. I had caught them off guard and sent them flying towards the fire; the fire engulfed them devouring all of their bodies' whole. I made a run for it trying to find my way out of this never ending maze.
I was running for my life. Running for what felt like a hundred years. A moment of realization hit me. I was in hell. My insides began to burn. I began hearing voices in my head. "There is no escape!" the voice was dark and sinister. "You're alone now. There is no-one who can help you." The voice continued getting louder and louder with each word. "Buffy has moved on as well. She never loved you anyway!" Those words were what hurt me. My heart felt as if it had been twisted and pulled out of my body.
Suddenly I was being beaten up by something in front of me. Something I couldn't even see. It must be some invisible creature which is destined to reside in hell. But only there were weapons involved. All I could see was a sword which was flying around in front of my eyes, it traveled at the speed of light making it impossible for me to dodge any forthcoming attacks. It stabbed me right under my heart, this was obviously deliberate. This monster's purpose was to brutally hurt and battle people and it relished at any chance of being able to cause pain.
The sword that was being used to injure me severely stabbed me going all the way through my body creating both an entrance and an exit wound. The sword was being used to create shallow cuts on my skin, allowing me to stay conscious and have to endure this brutality. How could Buffy have sent me here? After all we had been through together. The sharp piercing sword was gradually morphing into even more deadlier weapons. Was this torture or was it a long, gradual painful death.