Part Three: Dark Nemesis
Written by Tim Kennedy
ETERNAL DARKNESS SAGA: "Dark Nemesis"
The day of Xander's funeral was a rather miserable one. Not just for the fact that it was a funeral, but because the sun had decided to hide behind all the grey clouds, and there was a cold wind that blew through the very soul of everyone there.
Buffy wasn't really paying attention to the Minister but did hear the line, "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust," being said. At this moment in time, Buffy's mind was concentrating on a different matter. The previous night, Angel and Spike had told the rest of them about some sort of evil being that attacked them at Angel's haven. She remembered the conversation quite distinctly.
"When you're a vampire," Angel had said to her, "you can sense certain things that normal people can't. Not only can vampires see much better than normal humans, we can get vibes off people. Sometimes those vibes can be good, or sometimes they can be bad. The best thing about the vibes is that they have a distinct pattern for each person. That way, if we've seen a person a hundred times before, they give off the same vibe to us and we can tell who they are."
Angel finished off his conversation with his shocking revelation. "When Spike and I were standing in the doorway that night and I was looking at the figure in the darkness, I got one of those vibes, Buffy. It was a vibe from a person I knew very well. You see, Buffy, it was Xander's vibe. But that's not the only thing. I got another vibe from Xander, one that wasn't him, but one of pure evil."
Before Angel left, he warned them all that they were in grave danger. What else was knew? Buffy and her friends were always in grave danger, and quite frankly, Buffy was getting sick of it. Maybe she just wasn't cut out to be a vampire slayer. Maybe she would march right up to Giles and tell him that she chose not to slay anymore. Buffy chuckled when she thought of the face Giles would give her back.
Out of the corner of Buffy's eye, she saw a figure standing beside a tree watching them from a distance. Buffy could see it was Faith. She doesn't even have enough guts to come join us at the funeral. It's the least she could have done to show some respect.
* * *
Faith answered her door after Buffy's third knock. Faith wasn't surprised to see Buffy standing there.
"Can I come in? We've got to talk," Buffy informed her.
"I'm not really in the mood right now," Faith replied. She turned and tried to close the door behind her, but Buffy put her hand out and stopped it, eventually letting herself in. Buffy slammed the door behind her.
"You've got a real attitude problem, you know that?" Buffy barked at Faith. "Why do you keep acting like you're better than everyone else?"
Faith spun around in anger and responded. "Because I am. You of all people should know that. I mean, come on, B, we're slayers. We practically own everyone. We can let them live, or we can let them die."
Buffy was shocked. She had never thought she would hear Faith say something like that. Buffy stood there in for a moment, trying to think of something to say. "A slayer would never even think about letting people die," Buffy retorted. "You could have atleast came to the funeral like the rest of us. You need to show a little respect."
"Listen, B, don't just blame this incident on me. Xander didn't have to let any of this happen. It was all his decision, not mine. Now, if you don't mind, there's the door. You know how to use it."
And Buffy went to do just that. There was no sense talking to someone who wouldn't listen. Buffy was about to leave when Faith called out to her.
"See you later?" Faith asked with a grin.
Buffy turned and before she shut the door behind her, she gave Faith her reply. "Go to Hell."
* * *
I'm afraid we've lost Faith, Buffy wrote in her diary that night. When I look at her, I see more evil and recklessness than ever. She doesn't belong as a slayer anymore. I feel that she's going to make this Xander problem more difficult to handle. If it comes down to it, I'll just have to handle her, but I really don't want to do that. There may be some salvation for her yet.
* * *
Faith was out making her nightly rounds when she felt the presence approaching her. She couldn't pinpoint where it was since it felt like it was everywhere at once. A wave of confusion rocked her body when she saw Xander standing down the street looking at her. Faith stopped on the spot and stood there for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on. Xander started to walk towards her. Faith tried to move, but she was frozen in terror. Xander continued to move closer and closer. She could see the evil in his eyes, and despite all that, she still felt something drawing herself to him. Soon, he was so close, she could feel his breath. As Xander circled around her, he let his hand caress her neck. The sensation sent tingles down through Faith's body.
"I thought I'd never see you again," Xander whispered into her ear. "I'm assuming Buffy isn't to happy, am I right?"
Faith nodded. "How did you--"
Xander pressed his finger against her lips. "Shhh," he said to her, "there's no need for explanations. Just think of it as a miracle."
Xander moved in closer and soon the two were locked in a passionate embrace. As Faith felt his lips make contact with hers, she looked into Xander's dark eyes. She noticed he had no pupils, nothing. Xander's eyes were blacker than the black of night.
"We've got a common foe," Xander soon said to her. "We're both outcasts in Buffy's eyes. Unfortunately, she'll be a torn in both of our sides. Don't you wish we could be together in peace?" Xander asked Faith, continuing to stare her down. Still, Faith couldn't say anything, so she nodded. It was almost as if she was mesmerized by him.
"Good," Xander replied with another evil grin, "then help me get rid of her. It will be so much better that way. Then you and I can be together once again. Together today, tomorrow, and forever."
This isn't right, I have to tell Buffy, Faith said to herself. I have to warn them; tell them that Xander is pure evil. Suddenly, the thought popped Faith out of the trance. Faith chuckled for a moment. "Sorry, pal," she surprisingly responded to Xander. With a swift kick to the stomach, Xander went down. Looking up, Xander saw Faith moving away from him, trying to escape.
Behind her, Xander rose up off the ground. "Well," he called out to her, "you've forced me to choose plan B." Suddenly, Faith felt a wave of pain rock her body. She spun around to see beams of red energy coming out of Xander's eyes and making contact with her body. She screamed out in pain, but for some reason, the pain seemed to go away. It was only then she saw Xander in a whole new light. It was not the feeling she got from looking at her lover, it was a feeling of looking at her master.
The bright red light subsided and Faith was finally able to regain her normal vision once again. "Now," Xander continued, "where were we?"
Faith wandered back over to her new master. Now, she had everything she wanted all in one--a lover and her master.
* * *
Xander led Faith to his new hideout: a large crypt in the Sunnydale Cemetery. It was a cemetery that Faith and Buffy knew all too well. When they entered, a large crowd of vampires were there to greet them. From within the crowd, Brad Winters managed to push his way through over to them.
"You army, Master," Brad informed them.
Xander surveyed his new legion of Hell. The crowd consisted of atleast 30 well-built vampires that looked like they were ready to rip anything to shreds. Xander wanted more than 30 vampires, but it would have to do for now. He didn't expect to kill the Slayer in one shot, heck no, he wanted her to feel pain. Atleast he had spent enough time in hell to conjure up a sinister plan. At any rate, the Slayer would pay; that he knew for sure.
Xander and Faith made their way through to the middle of the crowd. "You all have been chosen," Xander explained to the horde of creatures. "You have been chosen to be on the front lines for the final battle between good and evil. Now I'm sure all of you have heard of the Slayer?" Grunts and growls were Xander's response from the vampires. "Then I'm also sure you're all ready to annihilate her." More growls, only louder this time. "Good," Xander replied, "then I think the time has come to take back a world that should belong to us, and we're starting with Sunnydale."
The crowd cheered on as Xander turned and kissed his new play-toy, Faith, once again.
* * *
Giles and Willow were in the library hard at work that night. They were trying to find some answers to what Buffy had told them about Xander still being alive. The closest idea they could think of was Demonic possession. But what demon could possible be inside Xander's body?
Suddenly, there was a startling noise from the back of the library. Willow and Giles looked up from the books they were reading to see what it was. Unfortunately, they couldn't see much, so Giles got up to investigate. Giles proceeded over to his bookshelves and disappeared behind them.
He was gone for about four or five minutes when Willow noticed a shadow coming up from behind her. Fearing the worst, Willow raised her book and turned around ready to strike.
"Whoa!" Giles shouted. "I come in peace."
Willow set the book back down again. "Sorry," she apologized. "Did you find anything back there?"
"Actually, yes," Giles replied. "An open window."
That was the last line Giles could say before they were jumped by a horde of vampires. There were atleast 10 vampires on Giles and Willow, making escape impossible. Both of them became more frightened when they saw Xander and Faith approaching them.
"Faith," Willow scowled, "how could you?"
Xander slapped Willow across the face, leaving a red mark. "Shut up," he barked, "or I might do something I'll regret."
"Xander, what's with you?" Willow asked, trying to hold back her tears. Xander came over to her and starred her down eye to eye.
"Look into these eyes," Xander replied. "Did you get a good look?" Willow nodded. "Did you see any Xander left in there?" Willow was silent. "Exactly. You see, I'm not Xander anymore, but I do have his memory."
Xander turned to Giles. "And what do you have to say about yourself, Old Man?"
Giles managed to mutter a phrase. "You're the Master. My God, I don't believe it."
Xander began to clap his hands. "Bravo! Bravo! You know, you figured that out quite quickly. Unfortunately," Xander went on, "you're not going to live long enough to tell anyone. It's nothing personal, I just want the Slayer, and I figured the best way to kill her was to kill off her friends, leaving her in a state of confusion."
Faith began to move towards them. "Let me kill one of them," she begged.
Xander smiled. "Eager to get right to it aren't you my love? For being so perfect, I'll let you kill one of them. But remember, only one. We need to other for bait."
"So," Faith started, "which one of you gets it?"
"Faith, don't do this," Giles pled.
"Bingo," she snapped, "you just volunteered." She moved closer to Giles and pulled out a long and extremely sharp knife. "Before I kill you, I just want to let you know that I never liked you in the first place."
Faith raised the knife above her head. "Faith, don't!" Giles shouted, but it was in vein. Faith let the knife come crashing down. Giles world went black.
* * *
The next morning, Buffy arrived at the library. She opened the door like usual and came waltzing in.
"Hello?" she called out. "Earth to Giles?" There was no response. "Willow? Giles? Anyone?" But there was no one. That was when Buffy saw Gile's body laying in the corner of the room. She ran over to him. "Giles!" she yelled out. When she rolled over his body, Buffy saw the cut across his throat. It was then the realization set in. Oh my God, he's dead, she said to herself. There was a note taped on to Gile's shirt, so Buffy pulled it off and read:
I'm Back.
- Your Friend Xander
Buffy suddenly tensed up.
"Hey, B, what's up?" a voice called out from behind Buffy. Buffy turned and saw Faith standing in the doorway. Buffy could almost swear Faith had an evil grin on her face.
Coming Soon...
Eternal Darkness Saga, Part Four: Descent into Darkness