Return to Pylea

by Magnus Parvus

This is a stand alone drama that fits near caveat perfectly back into regular continuity but features the dramatic and potential permanent return of the character Fred. I challenge Joss himself to come up with a better written story.

If you really have any interest in writing at all, you should read this. This is what good "fan" fiction writing is all about. Most fan fiction is just that fiction written by amateur writers who regularly take character continuity all in their own hands so that by the end of the story it can no longer fit in regular continuity. Good professional episodic fiction writers are able to create compelling dramas but wind up basically with the same characters at the end of a story as at the beginning, notwithstanding an overall season arc. This story is a great example of how to do both.

Although it is considered ill-mannered to be as openly egotistical as Illyria I must say that if you like the Illyria character and enjoy the show/ comic books then you owe it to yourself to read the linked story.

I challenge Joss himself to come up with a better written story. If one has the ability how can one not have an ego? Is it bragging or mere honestly to tell you it is among the best Angel stories ever written?

This is a stand alone drama that fits near (caveat) perfectly back into regular continuity but features the dramatic and potential permanent return of the character Fred.

This is not a dream, not an imaginary story…

This is…

Return to Pylea

Gunn lay in bed. His face was stitched and several of his limbs were set and bandaged. A ghostly form of a thin brown haired woman walked into the small room and sat beside him.

She reached out and took his hand. "Wake up Charles, wake up."

Gunn stirred, he peered up at the thin beautiful woman. "Fred?"

"Hey there," Fred reached out and stroked his face, suddenly the room began to shimmer and the world around them changed. "Sorry to disturb your nap but I had to speak with you."

Gunn sat up and looked around him. "Where? Where am I? Where is this?"

"This place..." Fred stood up and gestured to the curved stone walls decorated with various scribbling, mathematical formulas and doodles. "This is my cave on Pylea, but you're not here. You're in bed, all this is merely a dream you're having, or more to the point a dream I'm making you have."

"What? No that's impossible, I remember…" Gunn's eyes widened in horror. "Oh God… Angel. I killed… no… it's not possible."

"Anything is possible, you should know that by now."

"Despite what happened, what you've done, you're not a bad man Charles."

"Easy for you to say, you didn't see what I did... my god, I didn't think I was capable of such cruelty. What kind of man am I?"

"What kind of man? Well just like the rest of mankind, even you can be a vicious killer given the right circumstances. But that's the kind of man you can be not the kind of man you are. At heart you are a kind man."

"You would say that Fred, but you don't understand."

"Oh but I do. That's why I'm here, to show you who I really am, you've been comparing yourself against a girl who doesn't really exist. You see what you now know you're capable of doesn't compare to what I'm capable of, look..."

The ghostly form of Fred pointed down the way to where a young thin brown haired girl wearing ragged clothing worked shoveling.

"That's... that's you!"

"No, that was me."

Many years before…

Fred shoveled the dung into a rickety wheelbarrow. A young green demon boy of about 12 walked over to her. "Hey Fred, how are you?"

"Oh well you know, weak and starving, a slave in a strange land."

"Yeah I know, sucks to be you I guess." He looked up at her earnestly. "Um, you know how you encouraged me in my gifts, saying that there was merit to do what I was good at doing regardless of if it was proper in our laws or not?"

"Yes, you're a very talented magician…er musician, aberration, mutation, kinda thing, and there's no sense in following rules that make no sense…"

"Exactly." The young boy smiled… "Well I decided to run away to the academy."

" Wait... I thought your folks didn't want you to practice magic. They said you'd get in trouble with the priests. Norle they'd disown you if they knew you were still thinking about going to the underground academy."

"Look I'll never convince my father Numfar of the rightness of what I'm doing. For my folks the only suitable vocation for a member of the illustrious Deathwok clan is a warrior."

"It's just that if you go you'll be a hunted down as a criminal."

He turned away from her and looked toward the ground. "Anyway, I'm going to be leaving for the academy very shortly and I don't think I'll see you again after that."

"Huh?" Fred looked to him confused.

"Look I know you want your freedom and desperately want to get out of here."

"Well shoveling dung isn't exactly my favorite pastime, but humans can't be free. You know that."

"Yeah I do, that's why you're going to escape tonight."

"Escape?" Fred looked to him wide eyed.

"Shh! Keep your voice down. The last thing we want is for Nary to overhear you. Remember the last time you tried to escape that cow told on you. If they get wind of a second escape there won't be any second chances."

"Yeah I know." Fred gulped." If it wasn't for you, they probably would have killed me there and then."

"I assume that you altered your collar, made it non-functional?"

"Oh yeah. Being zapped is not fun. Are you sure it's a good idea?"

"I have it all planned out. You can sneak out tonight. Here's the key to the gate. After you use it, make sure you put it on my windowsill so I can put it back. They'll wonder how you got out of course but I very much doubt they'll know that I helped you; with them worrying about your escape I should be able to take one of the horses, and make it into town without being noticed. I've packed a bunch of supplies for you, it's not much but it should enable you to survive. I've even been able to get my hands on an old bow for you. I've stashed it by a big rock shaped like a fish near the draccon gully to the east of here. It's all alone in a clearing you won't miss it. There's a nifty cave that I used to play in when I was younger just to the south of that fish rock. It's isn't the most comfortable place to stay but it should get you out of the elements."

"Why?" Fred pleaded earnestly. "Why are you doing this for me?"

"Are you jesting?" The young boy looked up at her in a kind of loves ruck awe. "You've been like the best friend I've had here since my uncle Krevlorne threw himself into the pit. Besides you don't act like the other cows, you act like a demon."

"That's because I wasn't born into slavery, humans aren't that different from demons."

"Yes, you told me of the land you hail from, where slavery has been abolished. I used to think such a thing would not happen here in my lifetime. But you are right change must be willed. So now I will join the resistance of the Red Collars and learn the forbidden magic's with them."

The world around them started to shimmer and then the environment changed completely.

"Whoa! Where are we now?" Gunn looked around a darkened cave with no light save for the small fire that burned in the center. Fred was there wearing not only her ragged slave clothing but also a belt with a sheathed knife. She stood before a makeshift wooden cage. Inside was a rabbit like creature.

"This is my home, or it was my home for five years."

"Your cave on Pylea? I don't see no writing on the walls. Hell it's so dark in here I don't see no walls of any kind."

"I've only just discovered this place, or should I say Norle did. He told me about it."

"What's with the rabbit?"

"Shh! just listen." The ghostly Fred put a finger to her mouth.

Fred unsheathed the knife and pointed it at the large rabbit creature. "I guess I should be grateful Norle got you for me. The thing is you're supposed to be food for me, livestock."

She held the knife to the rabbit's throat. "But for that, I'd have to make you dead stock. I don't know if I can do it. "

She put down the knife. "I mean you're just like me in a way. I was practically kept as food for those demons, killing you would be almost the same thing as them killing me."

"Besides, you're cute and cuddly, just like Feigenbaum my stuffed rabbit." She held the rabbit close to her. She looked down at where she held the rabbit in disgust. "Looks like I'm going to have to get you a litter box though."

She stared down wide-eyed at the rabbit. "Um maybe a few litter boxes seeing as how you're having a litter, is that what they call it when rabbits have babies. Or is it a brood. A tangle? Oh well."

Fred's ghostly form left the cave with Gunn. The environment suddenly changed again they were outside. Far away, they could see Fred talking to Norle next to a large fish shaped rock sticking out of the ground. "This is where it happened, this is when it all changed."

"What do you mean?"

Again the environment changed, he saw a tearful Fred walk into her cave.

The ghostly form pointed. "This is what I mean, this happened shortly after my last meeting with Norle."

Fred approached the rabbit cage. Feigenbaum was huddled together with the litter.

Fred withdrew the knife from her belt and grabbed Feigenbaum.

Gunn looked on in disbelief. "My god what is she doing?"

She looked at the rabbit creature impassively as she held the knife to its throat.

Gunn looked on in bewilderment. "Wait! I thought you decided to keep Feigenbaum as a pet?"

"I did. But I changed my mind."

Fred slid the knife across Feigenbaum's throat. Blood streamed from it.

"Maybe it's closer to say my mind was changed."

"Forever changed…"

Gunn looked disbelievingly at the figure of Fred stringing up the carcass of the rabbit like creature. "I knew that Pylea was rough for you but I didn't think that…"

"Yeah, Pylea changed me profoundly. I wanted you to understand why I did what I did when we killed Professor Seidel. You see things happened recently that brought those old memories to life once again. Just like I came to life."

Gunn looked up at Fred. "You're alive?"

Fred turned and looked at Gunn earnestly. "Now when you wake up I want you to go talk to someone for me ok."

Gunn looked at her curiously. "When I wake up? You want me to talk to someone about a dream I'm having?"

"I told you that this is more a dream I'm making you have. Now listen…" Fred looked softly at Gunn's bandaged form as he lay in his bed.

Suddenly Gunn awoke and looked about the empty room. He pushed himself to his feet. "Got to tell Angel."

Before…

Fred's pale and wan figure slumped in Wesley's arms. She weakly gasped. "Please…Wesley… why can't I stay…?"

And then there was nothing.

Her world faded into blackness.

She suddenly opened her eyes.

She gazed before her at a fire burning within a stone hearth. A small pot was suspended above it.

Startled and confused Fred looked around but the light from the fire was insufficient to illuminate the surroundings outside its dim light. The small area where she lay was covered in fur and animal skins. "What? Where am I?"

She knelt by the fire. "It looks almost like my cave in Pylea? Why would I be here? It doesn't make sense."

She saw a darkened figure approach. "Wesley?"

"Wesley is not here." The bluish form of Illyria stepped into the light.

Fred looked at her open mouthed. "No this is… it… it's not possible…"

"Winifred Burkel… It is good to meet you at last."

"Who the hell are you? Why do you look like…?" Fred sneered at the woman who was nearly her mirror image.

"Like that…" Fred eyes narrowed in sudden realization.

Illyria smiled slyly at her. "Because you are the one who gave birth to me, in gratitude and recompense I give rebirth to you. We are each the other's mother."

Fred curled up her lip in confusion. "Huh?"

Angels Bedroom…

Angel awoke from his sleep to see Illyria standing over him. He looked toward her bleary eyed. "Wha? Fred?"

Shaking the cobwebs from his head Angel sat up in bed. "Illyria? What are you doing in my bedroom?"

"I am in need of you, I desire you to join me."

Angel looked up at her with a look of puzzlement. "Um, you want me to join you?"

"Together with me you will enter the hole I will give you access to."

"You're going to give me access to your hole?" Angel nervously drew away from her pulling the blankets tightly over him. "What exactly are you talking about? "

"It is simple, I shall crack open an expanse for you to enter."

"Expand your crack?" Angel furled his brow." You sure you're not smoking it?"

"I need you to come with me." She grabbed both his hands and pulled him toward her. "To pass into the area in between."

"Oh God." Angel turned slightly red. He pulled his hands away from her. "Um Illyria, I don't think that's a good idea, not that you're not attractive it's just that it's a not a good idea for us to get together like that."

"But it is what Fred desires." Illyria sat by the edge of his bed.

"Huh?" Angel grabbed the covers and scrabbled to the opposite side of the bed. "Fred?"

"Yes she will join us."

"Oh God, oh God, I'm not dreaming again am I?" Angel poked his head under the bed and called out. "Um, Darla you don't happen to be under there by any chance?"

"Are you prepared?"

"I'm never prepared, what I mean is it's not like I need carry them around in my wallet. Never mind that."

"It's just that I can't do it. er... not that I, ya know, can't do it physically and as a consequence I'm unprepared, not like there'll be any consequences…"

"Well there was that one time, but Conner was like an accident... so..."

"Look the point is, I can't Illyria, I'm sorry."

Illyria glared at him. "It is not a choice. I will take you, forcibly if necessary."

"What? You can't just make me." Angel looked to her with resolve. "Well that is if I think about baseball hard enough."

"Baseball?"

"Yeah, you know, baseball, where you swing a long hard wooden bat, hoping to hit a home run."

Angel bit his lower lip. "Um, on the other hand, don't think about baseball."

She waved her hand in the air. A swirling door appeared before her.

"Oh!" Angel gazed in surprise at the swirling portal before him. "It's a portal? You want me to follow you into a portal?"

Illyria narrowed her eyes. "Did I not just explain this?"

"Oh okay all right then. Heh, a portal easy."

"Yes then we will rescue Fred."

"Recue Fred?" Angel furled his brow.

Conner burst into the room. "Gunn is here he's says he's got to talk to you. It's about Fred..."

Conner frowned at form of Illyria beside Angel. "Um… dad what is she doing in?"

"Oh…" Conner's eyes widened.

"No it's not… both of you get out of here. I need to get dressed." Angel pulled the sheets up to cover him. "And maybe think about baseball. Just get out of here, ok."

"As you will vampire," The spiraling portal collapsed and Illyria opened instead the door to his room. "I await you in the main lobby; pray that you do not keep me waiting too long."

In the Lobby…

Gunn wheeled himself slightly backwards in his chair… Illyria stood aside him. Connor, Lorne and several others gathered about. They all seemed completely taken aback.

"So that's some mighty big news Chuck." Spike tilted his head.

"Um," Spike glared down at the wheelchair Gunn sat in. "Nice to see you're moving around well enough. I was in one of them bloody things myself once, my bloody coat kept getting snagged in the wheel."

Angel shook his head. "So you're saying that Fred is alive."

"Look I know that what I had was more than just some dream alright. It was her, it was Fred. I dunno how or why but it was her. Somehow she contacted me. It's like Illyria says she was in her cave on Pylea."

"So that's it." Angel waved his hands in emphasis. "We're supposed to go rushing off to Pylea all of a sudden."

Suddenly Groo burst into the room.

He stood before them in a state of desperation. "Angel, oh Angel and my friends you most come with me to Pylea."

"Jeez Groo what happened?" Angel squinted at him. "You dream about Fred too?"

Groo narrowed his eyes. "Dream about Winifred? While I must admit I did find her most comely, however my heart and my dreams belonged to milady. However I might long to reminisce over things long past, I can assure you that at present we do not have time to talk about them for I desperately need your help in my homeland. When I last retuned I found Pylea engulfed in a brutal war. A battle between the humans and the demon races."

"Angel they seek to kill them and me. They seek to kill all of demon blood. Please you must return with me to Pylea."

Pylea…

Lorne was the last to step through the portal, into the medieval world of Pylea. "You know I miss the car on trips like this."

"Well look the whole family together again." Lorne looked balefully at the band of Deathwok clan warriors. "What joy."

Lorne narrowed his eyes. "No, it can't be... nephew?"

A teenage boy looked back at him. "Uncle Lorne?"

He hugged Lorne. "Uncle Lorne? It's you!"

"Everybody, I'd like you to meet my nephew, one of the few relatives whom I actually like."

Norle smiled at the group. But when he saw Illyria a sudden questioning look came over him.

He was transfixed looking at her when Lorne put his arm around him and pulled him away. "Where were you last time I was here?"

"I went off to join the outlawed academy, I took up the red collar and found one of the rebel priests willing to teach our kind. I've gotten quite good. See those clouds overhead. I'll make them disappear."

He incanted in a singing voice. Then suddenly it grew dark, it started to rain and thunder.

"Um I'm still working out the kinks."

"No, no that was good, I can't do anything like that with my vocal talents, I told you, you had a gifted voice…"

"Yes, speaking of the singing, father is up ahead. He'll be wanting to talk to you."

"He will?" Lorne scowled in confusion.

A green skinned demon smiled and waved. "Lorne! Come dear brother."

"Numfar? We hate each other remember."

"Nonsense we despise each other, because you were never content to let well enough alone. You kept pushing the boundaries with your caterwauling."

"Caterwauling?" Lorne snorted.

"Oh I'm sorry that offends you. You call it experimental dance."

"And that's the problem with you Numfar, you always had so much potential but you never pushed it far enough. You were so blinded by your puritanical vision about things. So worried others would be offended by your, pushing the boundaries, as you call it."

Numfar's frown turned into a grin. "Well I'm sorry Krevlorne because you were right."

"Excuse me, who are you and what have you done with my brother Numfar."

"Look don't gloat we need your help. There is something in your theory's something that seems to work for you that doesn't work for others of our race. There is something there, just help me understand."

"What you said last time about having rhythm but no soul what did you mean by that?" Numfar asked.

"Well when you dance you move in repetitive motion." Lorne motioned to Numfar.

As if on cue Numfar began a simple dance.

Lorne looked on at the dance. "Now that's rhythm. And if I run a single note over that rhythm…"

Numfar kept the rhythm of the dance steady.

Lorne sang in a monotone voice. "Then you still seem to grasp."

But suddenly Lorne broke from his monotone pattern and sang the words in melody. "But when I switch notes and rhythm together."

Numfar crunched his hands over his ears and stumbled to his knees. "Argggh horrible."

"See rhythm, no soul."

"Yes I get it. Norle has said much the same. When he does as you do although he is much better then you, I could never stand the sound of your voice but Norle's is almost pleasant if nonetheless paralyzing."

Numfar guided Lorne down the path. "He is not confounded by 'the singing' and is able to understand it. It gives him special powers, like the ones you claim to possess."

"The human cows use of 'the singing' has been a terrible weapon used against us. The humans go into 'the singing' when they suspect those of our kind are hiding nearby.

"When we squeal in agony they come upon us as we lie prone and fire their thunder sticks."

"Thunder sticks?" Lorne stood confused for a moment.

Then his eyes widened. "They have firearms?"

The Demon Encampment…

Angel walked along the group of tents.

A saggy faced demon doctor worked on a wounded green demon soldier. He took a saw and cut off his leg. "I'm sorry, lad."

"It's ok it's only a leg, you can still live without a leg right?"

The doctor smiled and put a glass up to his lips.

A moment later the green skinned warrior slumped dead.

The doctor said. "Maybe thanks to you someone won't have to."

Angel sniffed at the cup the man had drunken from, and curled up his nose in disgust. "What you just killed him?"

"He was already dead it was only a matter of time."

He flipped up the sheet and Angel stared down in horror. "The leg of that man was the only thing I could've saved. "

"My god those are… that's a buckshot or shrapnel wound. "

Angel leaned in closer and sniffed. "Almost caustic like it's…"

A snap and sizzle emanated from the smoking body." Burning him."

Demon Headquarters…

Landoc handed Angel the crudely made and primitive gun.

Lorne raised a brow. "It may not be much but in a society without any firearms they give the humans a remarkable technological advantage."

Groo nooded. "That and the type of ammunition they are using. Demons are especially prone to it. Most wounds cause death if the infected limb is not amputated before the poison spreads and the whole body burns up. It is a most foul weapon Angel and there has not been anything we have found to defend against it."

Conner approached a group of humans wearing red collars.

Conner asked one of them. "I thought those collars were used for slaves? Why do you wear the slave collars?"

A good looking young redheaded girl came forward. "Outlander you do not know of what you speak. The red collar is the symbol of all those that would not be slaves."

Connor looked around and saw a number of demons with the red collar around their necks as well.

Lorne explained. "Back when the red priests of the Covenant controlled everything there was this guy, well demon really who got really wealthy from his slave run empire. A real bastard; worked his slaves to death in deplorable conditions, nobody really knows for sure why but overnight he undergoes a massive Ebenezer Scrooge style transformation. The first thing he does is his slaves free."

Lorne gestured to the red collar. "Well sort of. Under the old law any freed slave could legally be caught and put into service by another. So instead he gave them freedom under his ownership and symbolized that by designating them with the red collar. To demonstrate that they wouldn't be zapped by him he voluntarily wore one himself, so did all the members of his house. "

One of the red collared humans stepped forward to speak. "Runaway slaves used to vie to get to his lands where they would be granted red collar freedom. In truth it was a well-run demon human cooperative, a major thorn in the side to the absolute rule of the Covenant and was a prime model for the newly formed state after the overthrow of the Groosalugg's short lived monarchy."

"In the elected representative parliament the Red Collar party had a great deal of support. That is until the trouble started." A Red Collar explained.

"Trouble?"

"Rebel demon bands trying to bring about the reinstitution of slavery. They were a malevolent lot to be sure, but their numbers were small. In truth they weren't much of a true treat." Groo explained.

"But when the Twisted Skulls and their leader suddenly appeared from the north they had enough military power and therefore it took upon themselves to do what the central government was incapable of doing and brought these rebel demon bands to heel. It was all part of a campaign by the Twisted Skull Party to bring their leader political power."

"There is still much anger from the humans against their former demon masters. The twisted skulls used this. It was very politically expedient; the humans far outnumber the demons."

"The Twisted Skulls went for us, the Red Collar Party, most harshly of all calling us demon collaborators."

"You're saying they literally demonized you?" Lorne noted with a half-smile.

The man wearing the red collar furled his brow at Lorne but continued on. "And now they had a supposed reason to seek out terrorist demon cells. They abused their office and had many of us who held powerful positions within the government arrested."

"Then they had their election."

"Wait?" Angel questioned. "I thought Landoc said that this Twisted Skull guy took over the center government by force?"

"Oh he did. The force of idea. The 'Message of Hope' as he calls it. A Pylea without demons." Groo explained.

"You can't tell me ordinary people are buying into this mass genocide thing."

"The demons for all their individual might were always very scared of we so called cows. We outnumbered them immensely because we breed so much more quickly. They knew this and they were always afraid of letting our numbers grow too large." A red collared human explained.

"But they also knew the more slaves to work the land the greater the wealth of their society. They were too greedy and now as you would say, the foot is on the other shoe." Groo added.

"If you had lived all you days in fear of a wrathful master and someone comes along with both the message that your former masters mean to subjugate you again and that you should vanquish them before this happens…"

"And then furthermore offers you the means by which you might utterly destroy them while taking minimal risk yourself. Tell me truthfully that this as he names it "Message of Hope" would not appeal to you in the slightest."

"No I tell you, madness has come upon our world, and our people are feverish with hate. They mean to kill all of the races of so called demons. All of them." Groo looked ahead sternly.

"It's created such distrust here you'll need to put these on." One of the red collared humans handed up several red collars up to them.

"I don't get it what are these for?" Conner locked down at the red collar given to him.

"So that one of the demons doesn't kill you by accident." A pretty red haired girl wearing a red collar smiled at him. "Or one of us doesn't."

The Demon Encampment…

Angel stood before them. "Look there aren't many demon warriors left to fight off any attacks. I know that you people have been on the move constantly to keep from being attacked and surrounded, but I don't think we have much choice but to try and make some sort of stand and we can't do it out in the open like this."

"There's a small fort nearby that's lightly guarded at the moment, I think we can take it out. But it won't be easy. Our best bet is sneak attack which means humans only. I'll need some volunteers."

Angel walked down the line of humans. He stopped at a fairly young woman, the good looking redhead who had smiled at Conner. "My you're very good looking I'll take you."

He spotted another and pointed. "Oh and she's pretty her over there."

Conner bent over to speak to Angel. "You're picking out all the pretty girls to come with us?"

"Oh absolutely, they're the best kind. "

Conner looked at him questioningly.

"Pretty girls are the most distracting and most able to exploit an enemy army; in war you take advantage of whatever assets you have that will give you an advantage. And no smart assed comments from you Spike..."

"Hey!" Angel looked around in alarm. "There haven't been any smart assed comments from Spike…"

"Where the hell is he?"

Lorne shrugged. "I dunno. Last time I saw him he was with…"

He looked around. "Hey where's Illyria?"

The Forest…

Spike, crouched and stepping lightly, sneaked through the forest.

Far away Illyria followed behind him, doing her best to remain unseen.

Spike raised his head and closing his eyes deeply inhaled through his nostrils. His brow furled in confusion. "Something's off, doesn't smell quite right."

"I know you're here." Spike called out into the empty forest. "You might as well come out and speak to Spike."

Looking on at Spike from a distance, Illyria cocked an eyebrow at him.

"You are not supposed to be here." An unseen person voiced from the forest.

A group of armed men holding fire sticks appeared from hiding in the cover of the forest. "The professor has deemed that none shall gain access to the compound."

Spikes eyes narrowed. "Um, compound? What compound?"

A soldier whose elaborate armor indicated he was the leader of the group pointed behind Spike.

Spike turned to look behind him, to see he was standing at the edge of a cliff where the forest ended.

He looked down into the valley with wide eyes. "Oh that compound. Don't worry not really interested in that compound. I have no compound interest. You can, um, bank on it."

Below in a valley a large building could be seen. Various men and women milled about the compound working at their various jobs. Many strained greatly to lift wheelbarrows that seems relatively empty carrying only a small amount of stone material. All around they were guarded by soldiers carrying the fire sticks.

Spike stared down at the complex. "What in the world are they doing?"

"Why do you question? You know it is forbidden to query the designs of the professor. No one is to know what transpires within the weapons complex."

"Weapons complex? This where they make your complex weapons then?"

Spike looked down skeptically. "No, they can't be forging steel in there this whole place would reek of smoke. There's no complex weapons down there... unless..."

One of the wizards rushed over. "Beware, this creature may wear the mask of a man but inside he is a monster, a van-tal. Stop him."

The group leader commanded the soldiers. "Take him down."

Spike punched one of them in the face as he booted another away from him. "Better men then you have tried..."

With his back to the cliff Spike smirked at the group of warriors before him. "But no one's going to bring me..."

Spike accidentally stepped back over the edge of the cliff. "downnnnn..."

Spike dropped down slamming onto his back atop a section of the large stone wall that surrounded the complex.

Getting up he danced atop the wall, he placed his thumbs in his ears and waved his open hands at them mockingly, jumping all along it as the soldiers fired their primitive muzzle loading guns at him." Sorry blokes but it's bullshit tossing bullets at me. All those pistols are going to do is get me pissed... "

Bullets whizzed by him. "Missed me, missed me, now you gotta... Urk!"

One of the bullets hit Spike. "Oh bugger..."

He collapsed falling from the high wall to the rocks below. He lay on the ground bleeding profusely.

"That's no regular bullet." He twitched and consciousness fled from his eyes.

Fred's Cave…

Inside of a cave Spike lay sprawled on the floor.

Illyria hovered over him, cutting open the black tee shirt. Illyria held the knife in her trembling hands over Spikes wound.

Fred stood behind her patiently. "No need to be nervous just relax I'm sure you can do this."

"I am aware of that; moreover, I am not nervous."

"Then why are your hands shaking?"

"It... I wished to suppress these troublesome emotions they make it impossible for me to be who I was."

"What? Don't tell me you didn't have any feelings before?"

"Oh yes I felt, when entering combat I felt both anger and fury as well as the fear that comes when one is faced with death. I felt hunger for nourishment and the desire for lustful pursuits but these emotions were pure, if I desired something I simply took it. And now…"

"Now I no longer am a powerful ruler, with unquestioned authority, thus must consider whether what I desire is compatible with the desires of others or of a universe, over which I have so little control and thus…" She looked at the unconscious and sickly Spike helplessly.

"Huh? That's probably a good thing although it may not seem that way to you. In order to calm yourself first you need to focus on your breathing. Take slow deep breaths." Fred inhaled in demonstration.

"I do not require oxygen."

"Just do it."

Illyria sucked air into her lungs and closed her eyes. "I do move easier again."

"Good then let's get to it. We don't have much time."

Illyria cut into the wound.

"All right gently pry the incision apart. Do you see anything?"

"I cannot, there's far too much blood."

"Get a cloth and soak it up."

Illyria ripped the shirt Spike wore and pressed it into the cut.

She pushed her head forward looking deep into the area she had cut open. There inside was a small round ball all around it the blood and tissue bubbled and smoked.

"I see it! I see it!" Illyria smiled at her success.

"All right, all right. Pull it out."

Illyria reached into the wound and tried to grab the ball. She screamed loudly. "Arghh! It burns."

She withdrew her hand.

"What? What happened?" Fred looked on concerned.

Illyria concentrated on her hand, it turned completely blue. "I have hardened my epidermis it should not prove so difficult this time."

She reached in again and pulled out the small round ball.

She held it up. Her fingers began to smoke and crack where she held it. "Most unusual, it is a remarkably dense object."

"Dense? What do you mean?"

"Yeah babe." Spike stammered, in a state of semi consciousness. "You're not calling me stupid again."

Fred smiled broadly at having been able to revive him. "He's going to be ok."

"I do not refer to the dense object that you are Spike, I refer to this. It is quite heavy. Its atomic structure is quite complicated and rather unstable."

"Heavy you say? How heavy, heavier than lead?" Fred seemed very intrigued by this and looked down at the round bullet in Illyria's smoking fingers.

"Yes, I believe substantially. Do you wish me to examine it further?"

"Pease do."

Fred looked down at the semiconscious Spike. Illyria turned to her. "I am… in your debt."

"Oh, you're in my debt all right seeing as how you stole my body." Fred murmured.

Spike squinted up at Fred. "Illyria why do you look like…"

His eyes widened in recognition. "Fred?"

"Fred!" Spike sat up from where he was lying and tried to embrace Fred but staggered back.

"I thought I lost you. I can't bloody well believe I'm looking at your face again."

Illyria stared at him angrily.

Spike smiled wanly. "So to speak."

"So…" Fred cast her eyes toward Illyria. "I heard you've been together quite a bit with the body snatcher."

"Yeah I suppose. Can't say it's been easy. She's more than a bit rough around the edges but she's not all bad." Spike smiled at Fred. "She managed to find you after all."

Fred wandered around the cave as Illyria sat gazing at the fire's hearth. Spike lay resting, his wounds now bandaged and mended.

"In some ways I am almost grateful to my Qwa'ha Xahn for choosing you. Without Knox…"

"Knox? You mean Knox is the one who…?" Fred closed her eyes and shook her head. "Yeah of course it was… how did I not see it?"

"Wait a second of course I didn't see it, I didn't know, at the time I didn't know." Fred's face curled in anger. "I could kill him."

"No you cannot, Wesley has already done so. Wesley killed my Qwa'ha Xahn, Knox, in defiance of Angel. Yet I understand your anger at Knox."

"I don't mean Knox, although I could kill him too. I'm talking about Angel. He's the one at fault here."

"Um, are you sure you're all right Fred?" Spike leaned up to speak. "I mean, I understand wanting to kill Angel and all, that's normal for me. I'm not exactly sure why you would want to?"

"I don't want to kill him, not really. Still, I'm angry with him. Furious even. God I really wouldn't mind hurting him, quite painfully. I mean how could he?"

"How could he what, luv?"

Suddenly his face became grave. "Don't tell me Angel really was involved in killing you?"

"I don't think he meant it deliberately but yes he was. He messed with my head, stole my memories. He changed what I knew therefore changed who I was. If he hadn't I would never have even entertained the notion of dating Knox. I was already in love with…" She bit her lower lip. "Um, someone else."

"Moreover I would've known about Knox. Would've guessed what he was capable of."

"And you know this how?"

Fred clenched her teeth in anger. "Because he told me…"

Before…

Knox pulled the key from the door Fred looked around the room as she stepped inside." Wow, this really is a nice apartment."

"Here let me get your coat." Knox took her jacket and hung it on hanger.

Fred looked to a wall lined with fully stacked bookshelf. "Oh hey, I see you're a big reader too."

Fred looked at the bookshelf with furled brow. "Huh, I figured you to have a big ol' selection of science books but most of these look like they're related to the occult. I'd expect it from Wesley but not… "

She bent over looking at the bookshelf in puzzlement. "I think he has even more science books then you."

"Yeah I guess. " Knox stepped in front of her.

"Don't know much about a science book, don't know much about the French I took. " Knox smiled boyishly.

"Speaking of Wesley, anything happening with you and him? I get the feeling that I dunno…"

"What do you mean? Wesley and I are just friends."

"So you two never…?"

"No we weren't… I mean there have been times when things might have happened but… oh forget it."

"No, no, go on I'm curious."

"It's just that well, for some reason I can't fathom. He was seeing this evil tramp who used to work at Wolfram and Hart."

"Really? Anybody I might know?"

"Probably, she had Angel's job."

"Miss Morgan? Really? Wow, I would never have guessed that. He hardly seems like her type."

"Are you kidding me? That slut would do anybody breathing." Then Fred said softly under her breath. "Or even a few bodies that don't."

"Miss Morgan? The ice queen? You have to be kidding; I don't think there's a guy she hasn't shot down. Hell a lot of the guys figured she was a dyke."

"Huh? Maybe she just liked screwing with the good guys." Fred raised an eyebrow. "Anyway, Wesley after doing god knows what with that evil bitch has the nerve to repeatedly suggest that you're evil."

"He thinks I'm evil?" Knox looked at her fearfully.

Yet Fred was oblivious, her face curled down in anger. "Look I know that most of you men are complete dogs and would give it up for any old skank offering it freely but Wesley… I dunno I just figured he'd be above that sort of thing."

"Interesting, it sounds like you're a little jealous of her."

"I still don't understand why he hooked up with her in the first place. He knew what she was like, all the things she did. I mean how could he?" She gritted her teeth angrily. "Sorry it still makes me mad just thinking about it."

Knox wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sure I can take your mind off her."

Fred looked at the walls of the apartment, which was covered in pictures and posters. She stopped in front of the iconic image of Albert Einstein sticking out his tongue. "He is so cool. Do you know why he said he knew his theory of relativity was correct?"

Knox smiled at her. "Because it was beautiful in its simplicity. Kinda like you I guess."

Fred looked at him mildly offended. "You think I'm simple?"

"No, I think you're simply beautiful." Knox leaned in to kiss her.

They kissed briefly.

Fred pulled away from Knox and continued to look around the apartment. She stared at a large framed picture of a strange one-eyed octopus like creature standing before rows and rows of dark warriors. "Boy, that's kind of creepy, what is it?"

"Oh nothing much, it's just an illustration from one of my favorite stories."

"Really what's it about?"

"Well this powerful and mighty yet just king ruled a great kingdom surrounded by other kingdoms less just. The just king made pacts with the rulers of some of the surrounding kingdoms. This coalition waged war against each of the other surrounding kingdoms individually. Once a land was conquered, the people of those lands were assimilated and conscripted into this enormous army. Once they had conquered the last of these kingdoms, the just king knowing the others would betray it struck first and killed the other rulers. The great king then went about unifying the lands, bringing all the separate races together.

"How did he manage to do that? War isn't exactly the kind of thing that makes people get along."

"Simple, everything that these conquered people had ever created was destroyed, all the literature, music, art, sculpture, language, you name it."

"Oh my God, everything?" Fred looked at the picture horrified.

"Yup, everything from language to religion was replaced with a common standard."

"Just think if all the nations of the earth banded together under a single rule. There would no longer be any war."

"I guess, but still there's no way anyone would be able to conquer the world today, if you think about it the last time it was really possible was during WW2. Thank God it wasn't."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you actually want to be ruled by Nazis?"

"No, I mean, why wouldn't it be possible?"

"Well for starters, we have nuclear weapons, they are bound to be used in such a war, we'd have peace among nations only because all nations and people would be in pieces among pieces."

"Yeah well, humans are the problem. They pollute the earth and there are far too many of them on the planet as it is. It would be a good thing if most if not all of humanity were destroyed. "

"You're not serious are you?" Fred looked at Knox puzzled.

"Deadly serious." Knox beamed happily.

"Or seriously deadly." Fred said under her breath. "Listen Knox, it's been fun and all. I had a really good time."

She said under her breath again. "Up until the destruction of humankind."

"But, um, I should leave now."

"Now? But…" Knox chased after her as she snatched up her purse.

Fred yawned as she put on her coat. "(Yawn) Yup really tired, I'll, um, see you at work."

Fred's Cave…

Spike sat up from where he was recuperating while Fred and Illyria slumped together on the floor, reading from several files Illyria had brought with her.

"What's all this then. That's what was in that suspicious looking pouch you've been carrying?"

"These are Wesley's notes. Fred desired I bring them to her."

"Oh I see, so what does ol' Wes have to say then."

Fred began reading aloud. "This may very well be my last entry…" Fred glanced up at Spike with a look of concern.

Before…

Wes looked to Illyria concerned. "Is it better?"

Illyria held the poultice to her neck. "It is better."

Wesley turned to her as he opened the door to leave the room. "I'm going to grab a coffee, um, can I get you anything? Is there anything you desire?"

Illyria stared at him emotionlessly. "I had desired to rule this realm. To bring order to this chaotic existence you are doomed to live out, I had wished to retain my power instead of lowering myself. But now?"

She stared ahead blankly. "I do not know. I wonder what purpose is there in power ultimately, if all that can be created by even one so mighty as a god can and eventually will be destroyed? Things had been so bright and clear and now it is as if a shroud covers my eyes."

"I do not truly know what it is that I desire." She looked to Wesley pleadingly.

"Um that's not what I… I had forgotten you do not require food or drink. Oh well, see you soon."

"Wesley wait…"

Wes turned around.

"I shall accompany you. Perhaps I do desire... this coffee."

Wes and Illyria sat on opposite sides of the table.

Illyria gazed down at the cup in confusion. "Does it give you satisfaction? This coffee?"

"Well yes, I like it." He pushed the foam cup toward her. "Go ahead try it but be careful it's hot."

Illyria took a large gulp. Immediately she spewed it from her mouth.

"I said to be careful because it's hot."

"The heat is not what is unpleasant, this substance is quite…bitter. I do not understand why humans enjoy this."

"I like it but that's not to say that it's for everybody. Certain things have an acquired taste."

"Here," Wesley grabbed a sugar container from the table. "Put some cream and sugar in it will dull the bitterness."

Illyria, apprehensively, took another gulp. This time she tipped the cup back as she chugged it all down.

"You are correct, the taste is greatly improved, I do not understand however."

"It's simple really, sugar is especially pleasant tasting to people. It is the basic energy that human bodies need. From an evolutionary type of view, it makes sense that sweet things would be especially palatable."

Illyria tipped the sugar dispenser back as she poured the sugar directly into her mouth.

"Illyria stop! What are you doing?"

"If sugar is what makes coffee enjoyable why should one bother with the coffee at all." She chomped on the sugar. "Does it not make greater sense to consume that which tastes good rather than combining it with foods that do not." She took more sugar and poured it into her mouth.

"Illyria stop it please you'll make yourself sick." He looked at her queasily. "Or you'll make me sick."

"I do not understand it stands to reason that if a little of something is pleasurable then a lot of something should give greater pleasure."

"I know that sweet things are enjoyable, but excess of enjoyable things, things that delight the senses, is not good. It tends to deaden them. Just take another sip of coffee; you'll see what I mean."

She sipped the drink again, again spewing it from her mouth. "You are correct this substance tastes bitter once more."

"Your human body may be more primitive then your old form but in many ways, it is superior, more advanced. We humans may not be as powerful as the beings that walked the earth in your day but we are smarter in many ways."

Illyria furled her brow. "Yet it is the pleasures of the flesh that motivate your ambitions. You were desirous of Fred because of her sex. It is the reason you enjoy the sweetness of sugar, the sound of patterned notes to make music. The caress of one's hand upon your skin…"

Almost absently she reached up to the poultice on her neck. "The primitive motivates you. Why should one not simply partake in the pleasures of the flesh? Take what you desire when it is freely given?"

"I've told you why I won't, but I think it's important you understand why it isn't ultimately fulfilling just wallowing in desires. Love and lust aren't the same things and it can be very difficult to separate the two. Physical intimacy can quickly become emotional intimacy. Human emotions like those that you are developing are new to you. You have to be very careful or you might wind up getting very hurt, and this hurt won't go away with a poultice."

"Whatever else, I don't want to see you get hurt."

Illyria reached up and touched the poultice on her neck.

Fred's Cave…

Fred threw down the papers in exasperation. "I've been reading Wesley's notes on Illyria, they're…. They're strange. Normally he was so ordered, so meticulous. But these..." She held the folder in her hands. "They're all over the place; I mean I can kinda decipher them because I know Wesley but…"

"Sorry love but after you…um, left, he pretty well disintegrated. Don't get me wrong he was always a nice bloke. After Blue blew into town we worked together with her quite a bit. Honestly if you want to know what happened the best person to talk to is over there." Spike pointed to Illyria. "She spent more time with him than anyone."

Fred looked over at Illyria jealously.

"No, don't even think it. It wasn't like that luv."

Fred glared at Illyria standing in the corner. "Looking at her, seeing what she stole from me. I hate her, and she acts like she wants to be my friend."

"And the thing is I want to keep on hating her but when I read Wesley's deranged notes…" Fred sighed.

. "He believes that she can be a force for good and do you know why? Because of me…" Fred shook her head disbelievingly. "He thought that my memories, my influences would be enough to change her."

"He may be right."

"Spike, I'm not who you think I am. Everybody tends to think I'm a mousy little girl that couldn't harm a fly, but I'm not. Maybe I was a long time ago but I'm not that person anymore no matter how much I want to go back. Being here in Pylea all those years ago changed me, and once you lose that innocence its gone forever."

"I don't think you understand luv, when she first… arrived, she pretty well tried to conquer the world. Now I don't know what she wants or desires except for the fact that she wants to be like you. She may be a god but you're like a god to her."

"She doesn't act like it."

"Trust me when say she idolizes you." Spike narrowed his eyes. "The right person can turn someone's world completely around. Did I ever tell you about the reason I got my soul back?"

"Yeah, the demon trials, you told me."

"That's how I got it back, not why. The simple fact is that I fell in love."

"I fell in love with a good woman. I wanted to be with her, for her to love me so badly that everything else in the world really didn't matter."

"Then I got my soul back and I realized how much everything else in the world really did matter."

"When you died, I thought for sure that once Wesley got the opportunity he was going to kill…" Spike looked over at Illyria. "A certain someone."

"But instead…" Spike motioned to Wesley's notes that were strewn about.

"Angel was on his case but I told him to bloody well keep out of it. You'd figured he'd be able to figure people after being alive for a quarter millennia. For somebody as bright as he is he really doesn't have much of a clue."

"As long as Wes kept busy obsessing over Illyria, he was fine. "

"Fine? Spike, these notes... they're not like him. Not like Wesley at all. You can't tell me he was fine when he wrote these."

"Oh, he was off his bleeding rocker, but he was occupied, and seemed to have purpose at least."

Illyria who had been standing on the opposite side of the cave approached them. "You are wrong Spike. Wesley did not even deign look at me. However he showed great concern for Angel's welfare."

"Listen I know you're probably so used to the throngs bowing before you that you didn't realize the amount of time and attention Wes devoted to you was extreme, especially since he had every reason to want to see you dead. You did kill Fred after all."

"Yes but the victor in war is always hailed by those that have been conquered. " Illyria replied impassively.

"You still don't get it do you luv? Do you ever think Wes was trying to curry favor with you? You know what happened, that little stunt you pulled in channeling her snapped him out of it, or maybe it just snapped him. The moment he stopped obsessing over you is the moment he had made his mind up."

Fred looked at Spike with apprehension.

"What are you saying Spike? That Wesley just gave up. That he…"

"No, I'm not saying that." Spike looked up at Fred. "Look, none of us lead risk free lives, but despite living for 100 plus years, I've faced death far, far more times than the average person. Moreover, you and Wesley lived the same sort of lives, it's the law of averages luv, you can vanquish your foes 99% of the time but sooner or later, that 1% is bound to show up. When he left us that night, I knew by the look on his face that there was a good chance I wouldn't see him again."

"Once he knew Angel was all right I don't think he had a purpose anymore."

The Demon Encampment…

Angel stood before the assembled squads.

"Ok folks we have a purpose we stake our lives on tonight." Angel spoke to the group of red collared humans and green-skinned warriors.

"This is the plan. Conner, you Gwan…" Angel motioned to the pretty red headed girl as Connor smiled enthusiastically.

Conner lifted the trapdoor off the sewage access and peeked out into the corridor. "It looks and smells clear; At least clearer than in here."

They crawled up through the opening. Conner wedged the trapdoor back into place

"Conner and I will take care of the front gate and drawbridge." Angel turned to the two girls wearing uniforms with the Twisted Skull insignia on them. "Gwan, Loria I want you to head straight for the kitchen and cook up a little surprise."

Gwan slid the plug out of the wine barrels vent hole. She poured a vial of clear liquid into the it.

One of the officers in a Twisted Skull uniform approached her from behind. "Yes, that's a good idea."

Gwan turned around alarmed.

"Um, it is?" Gwan smiled apprehensively.

"Yes, we'll need to tap into another barrel of wine with all the new officers arriving today. They'll be tapped out in no time."

"Yes, that's the plan." Gwan smiled back at him.

Before…

A group of uniformed officers sat around a long rectangular table filled with food. The raised their goblets in unison." To victory!"

After…

Gwan and Loria walked in the banquet hall where the group of officers lay slumped in their chairs, one of them had fallen face forward into his plate of food.

Gwan grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up, she smiled. "Some people just can't hold their liquor."

Loria giggled in response.

Gwan approached one of them who had slumped underneath the table. "Huh looks like you literally drunk yourself under the table."

She reached down and grabbed a hoop of keys from his belt. "So I guess I'll have to take your keys from you."

Fred's Cave…

"Their leader, this human wizard, is being hailed as something of a messiah, something to do with a prophesy." Spike explained.

"A prophesy? Not again." Fred groaned. Then she looked up puzzled. "But you said the wizard is human? That's strange I thought humans wouldn't survive in the northern lands at all, even most demons were killed there."

"Well luv, apparently humans control the northern territories and always have. Real primitive cave man existence but they are there."

"This wizard shows up suddenly and gave the humans living in the north this modern technology. Formed them into an army."

"There's more to this technology." Spike winced as he sat up." It's what I was looking into when they shot me."

"No that's not possible…" Fred said looking quite pained. "All my time in Pylea I heard that the northern kingdom wasn't inhabited, nobody came back from there."

"Yeah well apparently that's the story the old Covenant blokes who used to run things here told everybody. They were afraid that their human cow slaves would try and flee to the north if they thought there was safe haven for them there, so they propagated this story about the north lands. Turns out the way through is passable, takes a while but it's possible."

"The thing is, this guy managed to bring an advancely armed army across.."

"Guns?" Fred raised her brow.

"Yeah, plus there's another weapons project that's been spearheaded by him. Very hush-hush. He took a group of priests of who had special training in some kind of math magic, and sequestered them to work on this weapons project. I wasn't able to find out much more than that before…" Spike rubbed the bandaged wound on his chest.

"Oh my god!" Fred stared straight ahead ashen faced. "This wizard, anything else you can tell me about him?"

"Not bleeding much except for this gaudy emblem." He held up the image of a twisted skull.

"Oh no! It is me! I did it. It's all my fault." Fred looked at the twisted skull patch in horror.

"Sounds like you've got a major case of the guilties. Hanging around with Angel must ready be rubbing off on you the wrong way. How can all this be your fault?"

"Because I know who he is, I'm the reason he's here."

Spike furled his brow. "You know the bloke?"

The Besieged Fort…

Conner, wearing a Twisted Skull uniform, punched one of the officers standing near the lowered drawbridge. The soldier cascaded headlong into the moat below.

Angel grabbed one of the gate guards from behind. He held him tightly around the neck.

The man struggled trying to pry Angels arm from his neck. "You're a human! Why are you helping these monsters?"

"Actually, I'm not quite human, still preventing genocide is the humane thing to do." Angel gripped the man more tightly around the throat. "Seems as if most of the officers are inside already, there's hardly any breathing room left. How many of your men are still outside the gates?"

"Urk! Can't breathe..."

"You didn't answer my question." Angel looked to the man sympathetically. "If you want to save your breath, then you'd better talk."

"Um, isn't that an oxymoron?"

"More like a lack of oxy- gen." Angel squeezed on his throat again. "Is there anyone else supposed to be coming in tonight?"

"Urk! Ye... yes, the professor, our great leader was supposed to have arrived."

"When? When is he coming?"

The man pointed across the drawbridge. "He is here now."

A man wearing fine robes and seating on a chair held aloft by others was preparing to cross the drawbridge into the castle.

"All right." Angel smiled. "Looks like we just might have won the war before it's even begun. ".

Connor looked out at the scene with apprehension. "I dunno, It looks like he's brought an entire garrison with him." Conner pointed to the column of troops marching behind the man held aloft.

"That's not so good we really haven't secured this place yet."

"You," Angel knocked the guard on the back of his head, he slumped unconscious to the ground. "Can take a breather."

Angel and Conner stood on either side of the gate as they watched the entourage approach.

Angel sniffed at the air. "Wait, that scent, I know that scent." Suddenly Angel's eyes widened as he stared at the man being carried on his thrown. The man's head was unnaturally crooked and bent sideways.

He whispered. "The Twisted Skull leader..., dear lord it's him, I thought he was dead but that's him."

"Him who?" Conner asked.

Fred's Cave…

Fred grasped her head in her hands. "It's Professor Seidel. My old physics professor."

"Huh?" Spike sneered cynically. "You mean a tweed wearing ponce is the big bad of these here parts?"

"He's not a tweed-wearing ponce, although he does wear tweed. Um by the way, what is a ponce actually?"

"You know, a dandy, a fop."

"Ohhh-kay that clears that up not at all, anyway he's the son of a bitch that sent me to Pylea. "

"I thought that it was Big Blue that did that..."

"No, I mean originally, I was trapped here for five years just because that bastard couldn't stand to compete with anyone smarter than himself."

"And he's here now because?"

"Well I kinda got even with him or tried to, because humans had gained their freedom in the south I figured I'd send him to northern Pylea the north is barren inhospitable wasteland cut off from the south. I thought it was impassible. I figured he'd end up an entree for some creature just like I almost was."

"I must say as revenge goes its bloody brilliant. This guy must've been pretty sick and twisted in the head, I'm assuming, I don't imagine you'd do that to just anybody."

"Yeah, his head got pretty twisted too just before he spiraled into Pylea."

"That explains these then don't it." Spike picked up the twisted skull emblem. "And the mass genocide for that matter."

The Besieged Fort…

Even though his head was twisted sideways, the professor turned his widened eyes to look forward at Angel. A glimmer of recognition crossed his face as he looked past Angel's officer uniform disguise. "It's him! He's here! Kill him!"

"Sir, it's a human, one of your officers."

"No it's not, he's a van-tal kill him."

Realizing his cover had been blown Angel rushed back inside. He was met with bullet fire as he did so.

Several shots were fired past them as they ducked in behind the stone wall. "Hurry, we've got to get the bridge up!"

Both of them struggled to pull on chains to lift the drawbridge.

The Castle Courtyard…

In a large open area inside the castle walls, several soldiers fired guns at targets, while others whacked at stuffed cloth dummies hanging from ropes

Landoc peeked out from behind a wall where he was concealed. "This is the castle courtyard where we used to train. However, we trained with honorable weapons such as the sword and bow. They now defile it with their corrupt devices. Their fire sticks."

"Looks like we can't take them by surprise. They have their weapons already in hand. We need a formidable warrior to vanquish them and with the Groosalugg injured and Spike and Illyria fled, it leaves us with few options."

Landoc drew his sword. "No matter I will meet my death in battle surrounded by the sound of the cries of my enemies."

"Ready charge." They rushed forward.

Then suddenly Landoc and the group he was leading dropped their swords and covered their ears as the noise assailed them.

"Your kisses lift me higher

Like the sweet song of a choir

You light my morning sky

With burning love…"

Up in the sky Lorne rode atop the dragon as it spilled fire from its jaws.

The dragon swooped down into the courtyard belching out a weak flame with a large amount of smoke.

Lorne continued to sing. "Burning love, ah, ah, burning love."

"I'm just a hunk, a hunk of burning loveeee."

The dragon plumbed a huddled mass of men in flame.

"Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love."

They began to scream as the flame seared into their flesh. "Arrghhhhhh!"

"Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love."

The soldiers in the courtyard started scrambling in every direction running in fear. Yet one of the soldiers managed to fire his gun at the menacing creature.

A spot on the creatures torso started to smoke and hiss as the dragon was struck. He ceased breathing fire as it roared in pain.

Then with a cruel expression, the dragon rained fire on the man who had shot him and all those nearby.

"Hey Cordy go easy on them." Lorne cautioned.

The dragon struck down many of the soldiers with his tail while using its talons to rip into the rest.

Landoc and the others charged from their position cutting off the escape of the rest of the fleeing soldiers. "You will lay down your weapons!"

One of the soldiers ignored Landoc and charged him with the bayonet of his fire stick. Landoc swung his sword at him.

The fire stick dropped to the ground still being gripped by the man's now severed limbs. "Or you will be forcibly disarmed."

Fred's Cave…

"No way! I don't care I won't do it." Spike folded his arms and looked away.

"My god Spike, are you loyal to anybody? " Fred threw her hands in the air.

"I guess I was loyal to mother, well until I killed her…I was loyal to Drusilla. Er, well, until she dumped me."

Spike snapped his fingers. "Oh I've got it, I was loyal to Buffy. Um, you know, when I wasn't trying to kill her. See I'm loyal."

"Hmm do you detect a pattern here?" Fred smirked.

"Um." Spike shrugged. "Not really."

"They are all of the female gender;" Illyria interrupted from behind them. "However, you have neglected to mention me."

"You? Listen love if you hadn't turned into helpless defenseless Fred at all the wrong times I wouldn't have bothered."

Illyria tilted her head. "So you are loyal to Fred, you would follow her?"

"Well yeah I guess if she were the type to bark orders at me like you, thing is she's not."

Fred smiled. "You'd follow me?"

"Around like a puppy dog waving my tail."

"Why? " Illyria interjected.

"Cuz I'd be more cute that way."

"No why would you follow her? What great attributes do you suppose someone so small and weak truly possesses. To look upon she retains little power. "

"Is that right? You're forgetting that enormous brain of hers. The only bloody reason I go along with any of Angel's schemes in the first place are that they are usually better than anything I could come up with on my own. I'd bet whatever plans Fred could come up with would be just as good as if not better then Angels. But Fred's not like you your highness, she desires no followers."

"Actually no I do. I need followers, of a sort. And I do have a plan. Go back with Illyria; go to Angel and tell him. Convince him. Trust me it's the only way."

"He won't like it."

"You'll convince him."

"What makes you so sure?"

Fred grabbed Spike and kissed him full on the mouth.

Fred pulled away from him as Spike stared at her half dazed.

"I convinced you didn't I." Fred grinned.

Spike smirked. "You did at that. Although somehow, I doubt using that same approach will work on Angel."

She shook her head. "Now hurry, go."

The Besieged Fort…

Conner and Angel heaved on the chains. Several of the soldiers ran at them jumping atop the rising drawbridge. "Hurry!" Angel yelled. A group of green skinned demons broke from the cover they had taken and now charged headlong for the gate that Connor and Angel had opened for them.

A pair of soldiers came at them, Angel let go of the chain to confront them. "Hold on, I'll take care of these guys."

Angel kicked one of them as he charged forward. His head flung to the side. The other leveled his gun at him.

The soldier Angel had kicked flew back into the other soldier firing his gun thus deflecting his shot wide.

Still a group of other soldiers now approached them. Conner struggled with the chain. "Help! Dad I can't hold it."

A group of the red collared fighters and demons fell from the steady gunfire leveled at them.

Then suddenly a group of soldiers that were advancing on them ready to fire at them were thrown forward onto the ground as they were hit from behind. Angel looked up in surprise.

Spike and Illyria stood before them in battle stance.

"Spike!" Angel glared at him angrily "Now you finally show, damn it I told you not to…"

Conner called out from behind. "Dad, hurry I'm losing my grip."

"Help the boy get a grip now, gripe at me later." Spike punched one of the soldiers coming over the drawbridge. "Then we need to talk."

"Oh you're damn right we do."

Inside the Castle Walls…

"We're pretty sure we've got most of our people in." Groo exclaimed. "We've managed to raise the bridge and beat them back and we're holding for now. But that is a very large force outside our gates and we will not be able to hold them back for long."

"What are you trying to pull here lady really?" Angel stood resolutely before Illyria.

"I am not lying vampire, this is what Fred desires."

"Come off of it do you really expect me to believe that Fred is really living in a cave in Pylea. Why didn't she come back with you?"

Spike shook his head. "She's not lying Angel, I was there. And she can't leave the cave yet, not until she talks to you."

"She give any good reason any of these shenanigans?"

"As a matter of fact she bloody well did. Honestly mate, she's bloody livid and she has every right to be. I've been thinking of a way to put it in perspective for you because I really don't think you get it. You've no idea how wrong a thing you've done. But it's nothing to do with me mate you'll have to take that up with Fred."

Spike pointed at the gate. "But before we get to her we got to take care of that mess outside our gates. And we all know that this is the best idea."

"Alright, alright." Angel threw up his hand relenting.

"Send him the message." Angel told one of the green demons. "And see if we can arrange a cease fire."

Angel turned back to Spike. "I still see no reason he should accept it."

"He will accept." Illyria half smiled. "Fred says his bloated yet fragile ego will ensure he accepts the terms."

Outside the Castle Gates…

The adjutant brought the red collared demon before the professor. "I have message from the van-tal who holds the castle. He is willing to surrender into your custody the one known as Winifred Burkel.

Seidel sneered. "Winifred? No, that can't be? That's too good to be true."

"Under the conditions that there be an immediate cease fire. He agrees to surrender her to you in three days."

"Three days? Why three days?"

The stern faced adjutant bowed slightly. "If I might point out that the rest of our supplies including certain essential military provisions will arrive within three days, and we would be in no shape to launch a full assault upon them until such time. Especially given the dragon which now suddenly fights with them."

The adjutant said earnestly. "It seems that these terms are most agreeable."

"Thank you Second, I concur; tell the men to stand down. I want to leave this fort untouched until the weapon arrives. And I want to see Fred when she doesn't have the power of the van-tal or the others behind her."

Seidel sneered. "She will snivel and beg before me, broken and weak just like all the others. Send a message across saying we agree to the terms. In three days…"

The Castle Courtyard…

Angel talked to Groo, Landoc and a group of other warriors. "Ok here's the drill all of us who can pass for human and even a few who can't are going to have to try and get behind enemy lines. We've got a special job to take care of. We've got a lot of work to do over the next few days people."

"This is the Alamo and we are about to be overrun." Lorne frowned in worry. "You know I used to feel bad about the whole situation with Gunn and Fred and her erstwhile professor."

He talked as Illyria sat there impassively. "Now I just wish they'd done a better job of killing him. He's a sociopathic murderer after all, although look who I'm talking to."

Illyria glared at him. "Although Fred might have been amused at your professed insights, I find your prattling oft annoying."

Lorne looked toward Illyria wearily. "Nice talking to you too."

Angel stepped back from the group on the courtyard as they continued their training.

"All right I've got a number of independent cells busting out of here tonight. Some of them are bound to get to the targets behind the lines and stall their advance."

"That's not going to buy us much time." Spike noted.

"It is all that shall be required." Illyria waved at them dismissively. "I shall do the rest."

Angel interrupted her. "About that, I haven't agreed to all this yet Illyria. I want to see Fred."

"You shall see Fred after this is complete but not before. You will cede to my will in this."

"Yeah well, we'll see about that."

Illyria jumped away and into the courtyard where the fighters were sparing.

Angel pulled Spike in to him. "Spike, are you sure that what you really saw was Fred?"

"I'm telling you Angel I was there in her cave. It was Fred in the flesh. Nice bit of flesh now that you mention it. But it was Fred."

"Are you sure it just wasn't Illyria pretending to be Fred. It's not like she hasn't done it before. Did it smell like Fred?"

"No, Illyria was there as well, they both were. And yes it smelled like Fred the Fred smell was all over the place, it was Fred. I'm telling you it was Fred. Fred said I'd have to convince you. "

"Are you sure you were smelling right? Seeing right? You were injured, dazed, confused… "

"Oh bloody hell, Lorne tell him." He lowered his voice to a deep baritone. "Love will tear us apart.. again."

"He's telling the truth Angel. He's absolutely convinced it's Fred. And frankly for all Spikes flaws, he's one hell of a judge of character. If he says it was Fred. It was probably Fred."

Lorne nudged Angel playfully. "C'mon big guy, why so skeptical? Why not accept the little ray of hope in the darkness.'

"There will be more than a ray of hope." Illyria looked out over the castle walls. "The light will be so bright it will strike some forever blind."

Angel glared at Illyria. "That's why."

Atop the Castle Wall…

Spike looked at the green skinned warriors that lined the top of the wall. "Do you really think it's a good idea for them to be on the front defensive lines considering their vulnerability to fire sticks?"

"It's the best place for them; the area is narrow enough so that the enemy won't be able to shoot without hitting their own soldiers." Lorne pointed out. "Besides, they have a great advantage in melee combat over humans."

"What? I thought they weren't any stronger than regular people."

Landoc approached Spike and Lorne. "True, our strength is not great yet we are quite formidable in combat. It is the reason we were able to subjugate the humans when they first appeared and tried to conquer our lands."

Spike turned to him. "Huh?"

"It is written a great sorcerer summoned our kind to be his army when the human pestilence arrived and laid waste to all the lands, until they were defeated by the priests of the Covenant."

Spike and Landoc looked on a pair of green-skinned warriors as they practiced sword fighting. They clashed their swords together.

Then one of the warriors sliced off the others head.

It rolled to the ground lying at the warrior's feet.

"What are you doing?" Landoc yelled. "You sliced his head off, this is only supposed to be practice."

The warrior picked up the horned head. "I will put it on Pike."

Spike winced. "That's barbaric."

The warrior put the head back on the decapitated body. "Here you are Pike."

The warrior twisted his head back into place.

"Ok." Spike gulped. "I see why you have a…um, head up on humans."

"Looks like you fellows got everything sorted here, but Lorne said you needed my help with something."

You could say that…" Lorne put his hand on Spike's shoulder. "See I'm not much of a fighter myself. Could you try and beat up Landoc for me."

Spike blinked he pointed at the green skinned warrior who had been showing him around. "Landoc? Your cousin Landoc?"

Landoc challenged him brazenly. "Go ahead strike me if you can."

"Alright." Spike assumed a fighting pose.

Spike swung at Landoc but Landoc sidestepped the blow.

"You're fast."

"Perhaps it is you that is slow."

"Spike's slow all right." Lorne winked.

Spike tried to hit him again, first with a kick that sailed in front of him as he leaned back.

Then Landoc jumped to avoid Spikes leg sweep.

"How did you do that? There shouldn't have been enough time for you to react?"

"Oh, I have ample time. You see you are about to throw a left hook."

Spikes left hand swept past him and Landoc ducked back again.

"Followed by a right uppercut."

Again, his right fist careened past Landoc's chin as Spike tried unsuccessfully to hit him.

"How the bloody hell are you doing that?"

"He's reading you."

"You've read me? Huh, I didn't fancy you as the type to read poetry."

"You really are slow. He's reading your aura numbskull, like I do when you sing. Understand?"

"Yeah, yeah I get it. Just didn't think it was possible that's all. It's not like I was singing anything."

Spike pumped his fists in a steady motion. "So it's the lyrics that's important not the music. Course my stuff has kind of a rhythmic quality to it anyway."

Lorne shook his head. "I use my gift differently than most of my kin. They are able to pick up primal feelings such as aggression. Thus in battle they're able to tell what a person is going to do the instant they conceive of doing it."

"Bugger, I guess that makes them nearly impossible to beat."

"Unless one is using firearms or doing this…"

Lorne turned his face to the sky. "Oh Danny boy…"

The demon soldiers grunted and fell to the ground reeling.

Spike looked to the fallen demons. "Oh I can see how that might be a problem."

"Yes well, you are going to help my brother Numfar and myself ..."

He looked over at the fallen Deathwok warriors. "And these forbearing volunteers on a method of combatting this problem."

"So what you're saying is that I get to fight these guys and sing at the same time? And this time it can be any tune I want, I can really rock out?"

"This time?" Lorne looked to Spike questioningly.

"Oh I like the sound of this." Spike smiled.

He turned to a group Deathwok warriors. "Do you think any one of these blokes plays electric guitar?"'

The Castle Courtyard…

Connor gazed up at Angel as they both watched Spike singing and fighting the Deathwok warriors in the courtyard. "So how did you learn how to fight? Is it something that just happened when you became a vampire?"

Angel smirked. "I always fought. I grew up fighting people. I didn't really have much of a choice in the matter. I grew up in 18th century Ireland, drinking and fighting were part of the culture. Probably still are. Still I got into a lot more brawls than most."

"Why? I thought you really didn't like fighting."

"I didn't, but you tend to be hit quite a bit when you hit on someone else's woman."

"And the fact that I usually soundly trounced the other fella, usually meant that I not only won the fight but the girl as well, at least for the night. I was always good at fighting Connor, well before I became a vampire, it was in my blood. It's probably why you're so good at it."

Connor nodded dejected as he watched Spike strum his air guitar as a Deathwok warrior crumbled to the ground before him, his hands covering his ears in agony.

Angel prodded him. "Hey what is it?"

'Spike says that I fold too easily that I gotta learn to take a hit."

"Yeah well Spike's an idiot; In this case doubly so. There's a difference in being able to take punishment and being able to take a boot to the head. You can condition yourself to shrug off fatigue and pain but the ability to take a head shot isn't something that can be learned by just anybody. It's kinda like musical aptitude or being good at math, or let's say a having a photographic memory. Either it's something you have a talent for or you don't."

"God knows that Spike can take a hit. He's able to take more punishment then… well anybody I know. Blows that would take most people's heads off he's able to just shrug off. One of my biggest assets as a fighter is that I hit really hard, Spike on the other hand is fast but his punches don't have a hell of a lot of power to them. It's that thick skull of his that makes him such a good fighter, it's the only reason I decided to teach him how to fight in the first place."

Long, long ago…

"I said my bloody name is William." Spike swung wildly at Angelus missing him completely, throwing himself off balance.

"Sure 'tis now Willy." Angelus nailed Spike in the jaw sending him flying backwards. "Are ye sure 'tis not just bloody Willy?"

Spike lay on the ground blood seeped from his mouth. "I said call me William the bloody."

Spike leapt to his feet and rushed at Angelus furiously. "Or I'll bloody well kill you."

Angelus spun around kicking Spike in the face. His head twisted sideways spraying blood off it. "Or maybe you'll be killed, well and bloody."

Spike rushed at Angel again. Again, Angel's fist met his face. Spike's head was thrown back. "I'm sorry Willy but yer too daft by far to live."

Angel looked to Spike's well-tailored yet somewhat frilly gentleman's attire. "And because yer wearing that getup I'll have to put you down."

Spikes face was covered in blood; his eye was bruised and swollen up.

"If you were even worth that." Angel turned his back and walked away.

Spike rushed at Angelus again. His face contorted in anger. He leapt upon Angelus back.

Drusilla clapped enthusiastically. "My Willy's back and barking on your back."

Angelus grabbed Spike off his back and threw him at the cross shaped tombstone.

Spikes skin hissed and smoked as he crashed into it.

Drusilla looked on excited. "Won't my Willy want to get up? Will he?"

She looked at Spike's collapsed form.

"Will he, my Willy?"

"There'll be no getting up from that Dru. Not that he'd be wantin' to."

Spike stood and smiled. "Oh, but I am "wantin'," being a wanton creature and all."

Spike rushed at Angelus again. This time Angelus grabbed Spike by the wrists to hold him off. "What is it with you? Do you enjoy being pummeled, William?"

"Yeah a bit I guess." He said nonchalantly.

Angelus gritted his teeth together in anger. He unleashed a savage head-butt at Spike, pulling his arms in to give the blow extra leverage. Blood along with several teeth flew out of Spike's twisted jaw.

Spike smiled a toothless grin. Angel looked at him dumbfounded

Spike pulled back his fist to ready to strike when Angelus grabbed Drusilla and pulled her in front of him.

Spike held his fist aloft and ready but Drusilla's form guarded Angelus.

Angelus held his hands on Drusilla's shoulders offering Drusilla to Spike as if in reward. "You've got a good tough melon on yeh, William the bloody. I just might yet make a warrior out of the poet."

The Present…

"Besides Spike doesn't have much of a brain to damage. You can't fight as recklessly as Spike does, don't even try." Angel said as they looked on at Spike striking another rock pose while another Deathwok warrior fell before him screaming.

"Spike gets in way over his head at times but is usually confident he'll win no matter what the odds. That confidence is something you have to have, if you think you're going to lose you probably will. Confidence is obligatory, it isn't all but it is key."

"Your problem is you don't protect your head enough, you are still relatively human and unlike Spike a good smack in the melon could mess you up but good."

Angel glanced up at Conner. "Oh and your chin, you keep it up too much."

"But you just said confidence is key?"

"No I mean you keep your actual chin too exposed." Angel placed his hand on Conner's lower jaw. "A hit directly to the chin pushes your lower jaw back partway into ear canal and brain, it at best it causes disorientation, most often it causes you to black out. "

"See." Angel shoved against Conner's jaw slightly.

Conner staggered unable to keep his balance bubbles seemed to cloud his head.

"Conner the key to winning or at least surviving any combat is control. You want to be able to control as many factors as you can. Do you know why I picked a dead end alleyway to make our stand against Wolfram and Hart's army?"

"Um, I dunno it didn't seem to make much sense to me; you had nowhere to retreat to."

"If I didn't choose that dead end, we might have ended up dead. First off, we didn't have to worry about being flanked, all attacks would have to come from the front. The alleys narrow width meant that their army's numerical advantage was irrelevant. They were forced to fight us near one on one. Not to mention we were protected from any missiles or projectiles by the ones we were fighting in front of us."

"The point is I controlled the terms of the fight. You have to force your opponent to play by your rules. You need to have control both of your environment and of yourself."

The Castle Courtyard…

Lorne and Numfar screamed at each other angrily.

"You expect me to hear things that aren't there. All it is, is noise, none of this "melody" as you call it."

"Of course you don't get it you didn't get anything our mother didn't beat into you, for you it was always bam, bam, bam over and over again. I almost think you enjoyed it with the way you kept messing up the simplest things." Lorne gasped exasperated. He then looked away guiltily.

"You did not have to bring that up, and anyway it was not I…" Numfar responded indignantly. "I was not the one who shamed her as you did."

"This is hopeless!" Lorne broke away. "Us expected to work together again? We used to fight like gruxlars when we were children, and now?"

Lorne shook his head. "I'm sorry I brought up mom. You didn't deserve that."

"Oh but I did, you always said the dancing was much better after my… dealings… with mother." Numfar smiled.

Lorne snickered and shook his head. "You sure got beat."

Lorne eyes widened. "The beat, the beat I get it now, I get it."

He arose excitedly and grabbed for a large blunt weapon.

"Here…" He handed Numfar the pole like weapon.

"Now beat it against the barrel in steady rhythm."

"Make the krufstick dance against the wood?"

"Exactly." Lorne smiled.

Numfar beat the wooden barrel loudly, a low boom, boom, boom echoed from it.

"Now don't pay attention to my voice at all, concentrate on the beat, pay attention to the beat." Lorne instructed.

Lorne began to sing. "You know it's up to you…"

"I think it's only fa a air."

Numfar winced slightly.

"The beat… the beat..." Lorne reminded his brother. "Pride can hurt you too…"

"Apologize to her er er."

"Because she loves you and you know that can't be bad."

Numfar winced again slightly but continued to beat the steady rhythm. "Wait, you're right, something's coming, something's coming in through the beat."

"She loves you and you know you should be glad… wooo…"

"She loves you yeah, yeah, yeah…"

"She loves you yeah… yeah… yeah..."

Suddenly Numfar dropped his stick

Lorne bent down concerned. "Numfar? Are you ok?"

"I am indeed ok." He smiled. "And I also had at least some good times when we practiced the dance together long ago."

Lorne furled his brow. "You just..."

"I just read your mind. It worked."

"That's great." Lorne gloated. "See, I told you I was right."

"As a matter of fact brother, your theory as you explained it was greatly flawed. There is no separation from the dance. This thing you call melody is not a whole unto itself. It is incomplete without a beat, without a dance. Even if not heard, it is present."

"Well, you got me there, no dancing around it, if you can admit you were wrong so can I. I guess we all need a good beating once in a while."

The Castle Gate…

"The sun is about to rise. The time has come. Open the gate." Illyria nodded to one of the green demon soldiers wearing a red collar.

A group of demons began yanking on a chain to lift the heavy gate.

Illyria closed her eyes and the blue began to drain from her face.

Spike grabbed the Fred faced Illyria by the shoulder. "You sure you want to do this?"

Illyria ignored Spike pulling away from him, as she walked out calmly to a group of men in Twisted Skull uniforms who all leveled their weapons at her.

Outside the Castle Gate…

They brought her before Seidel. He slumped in his chair, his neck crooked and misshapen. Two heavily armed men stood at either side of him.

"Ah Fred. How nice to see you again, we've got a lot of catching up to do. You said some unkind things to me last time."

"I trust you're here to say you're sorry about all that. Apologize for what you did to me. I assume you're here to beg me not to kill your friends in the castle. I have something really special in store for them. But first…"

Seidel got out of the chair and walked over to her awkwardly, with his neck looking slightly the wrong way. He towered over her and clenched his hands about her neck as if to twist it like his. "Beg, beg for your life." He gazed down into her deep-set brown eyes.

Suddenly her eyes began to change from that of the brown eyed girl he had known.

"Fred?" He said tentatively.

A steely blue eyed Illyria sneered back. "Oh. It is not I who will beg…"

With a swift motion she took the swords from the guards on either side of her and buried them in their chests.

She now stood over the processor, who pulled back in real fright and alarm. Her eyes slid to a brown color. "You heard her professor, beg…"

Her eyes slid back to icy blue again and she roared down at him. "Beg!"

He cowered before her in abject terror. In a trebling whispering voice he croaked. "Please, please don't kill me please. Oh please oh god. Please don't kill me."

Illyria held the professor before the group; she laid a dagger at his throat. "Tell them to all drop their weapons and bow before me."

"What?" He looked at her scared.

"Tell them."

"Do what she says."

"No worm!" She began to choke him. He gasped and wheezed.

Illyria smiled slyly at him. "You must submit to me now, you have no choice in this. But there are rewards for aiding me in my endeavors. You will bequeath this land to me. I am to rule here and in return I shall help you achieve the true prize you desire. The sovereignty over the land you hail from."

He looked up at her wanly. "You would help me Fred?"

"You cannot achieve success with my skills, you know this."

"Well I am having some trouble with the math, and I can't find anybody here to do it."

Seidel smirked. "You were always a genius with the numbers..."

He raised a brow. "Probably why you went crazy..."

"You will require my help to open the portals to your home world. Accept my sovereignty over you and I will give you what you seek. Refuse and I shall slice you in twain. Do we understand one another?"

"How do I know that you won't kill me?"

"Trust me little man, I shall not be the one who kills you."

Seidel looked at her questioningly. "All right we have a deal…"

Now Illyria stood before him. "I am their new king; tell them to sheath their arms."

Seidel looked out at his men anxiously. "All of you… all of you listen… you must…"

Illyria stared at him imperiously.

"All of you put away your weapons. We're not going to attack the fort…"

A group of soldiers looked toward one another anxiously, while some began shouldering their weapons.

Illyria looked at a crude looking electronic device nearby, she picked it up.

"Don't touch that, you don't know what…"

"Silence." She tightened her hand around his throat again.

"She is correct, for one so skilled in theory you clearly have no aptitude for any practical application of that knowledge. Your designs are primitive and crude. The great weapon you bring with you, how far away is it?"

Seidel looked up at her in terror. "How did…?"

One of his attendants bowed before her, "I'm afraid that the Prime Minister sent a large group of men to expedite the process a while ago but I'm afraid that they've only just arrived. The transport carrying the great weapon is still stuck in the wreckage of the crater from the surprise attack days ago. We have not been able to extract it."

Illyria turned to the man who had brought the message and then back to Seidel. "This man is your lieutenant?"

"He is my Second."

"Good, tell him that from now on he will plead his allegiance to me as you have done."

"Sir?" The attendant furled his brow in puzzlement.

Seidel smiled. "It's alright. She's on our side now."

"You forget yourself little man, it is not me now with you but rather you now with me."

Illyria glared at him imperiously. "You will soon see that you no longer have any power here. This is my domain."

She slapped the unsuspecting Seidel on the ground violently then laid her boot upon his chest. "I am Illyria God King of the Primorduim. A great ruler of the past, who comes to you at present to deliver a great future unto you."

"I shall be the great sovereign over all Pylea. Stand witness, all of you, to my glory." She depressed a button on the crude electronic devise.

Seidel cried out beneath her as he witnessed the act.

Suddenly on the horizon a giant light emanated causing those around to shield their eyes. Some cried out in awe.

Angel looked on in horror. "My god, that's… that's."

Before him in the distance he could see a mushroom cloud appear on the horizon.

Illyria stood on the platform before them her boot still resting atop the prone form of Seidel. "Now bow, knell all of you, and plant your faces in the earth. Bow before my power."

"Is she out of her mind?" Angel glared out angrily at her from atop the fort. He proceeded to jump down after her.

"No wait let her…" Spike tried unsuccessfully to stop Angel from going after Illyria.

Spike landed roughly on the ground as Angel walked toward her. "If you think I'm going to let her do any more grandstanding."

"All of you bow. Grovel before me." Illyria spoke to the bewildered soldiers before her. "For I shall send a great fury to sweep away all you dare to stand in the presence of my glory."

A lot of the soldiers looked to Illyria in fear, a great many of them had already prostrated themselves on the ground.

Angel strode up to where Illyria was standing over Seidel. Spike followed chasing after him.

"What the hell are you trying to pull here Illyria?"

"Down vampire. Grovel before me."

Angel glared at her. "Lady if you think…"

"Angel you bloody fool, get down." Spike latched onto him.

"Spike if you think for one second that I'm going to…"

Angel stopped and looked at a giant cloud of dust and debris that was being pushed their way by the power of the atomic blast.

"Oh crap." He said as he dove headlong into the earth.

Illyria stood in the mist of the mighty wind which tore at her long hair whipping it into frenzy. But she did not seek cover, she merely withstood the onslaught.

Outside Fred's Cave…

Angel shook his head." I don't trust this. We should have dealt with Seidel instead of just letting him go off like that."

Illyria waved him off. "He is not your concern. I will deal with him in time but now we have more pressing concerns. The cave is just up ahead."

Angel and the others stood outside the cave.

"Stay here." Illyria commanded them.

Illyria approached the cave; Fred's face could be seen in the mouth of the cave.

Then the two of them quickly disappeared back inside the cave. Illyria called behind her. "Angel? Fred wishes to speak with you. Alone. "

Angel turned from the group and walked into the blackness of the cave.

Angel stood before Fred. He looked at her closely. "Fred?"

He took a deep breath to sniff the air, and then smiled. "Fred!"

He reached out to embrace her but was suddenly slapped across the face.

"You son of a bitch. How could you do that?"

"This is about Connor, right?" Angel winced.

"To make me believe that he'd never been born. And by so doing robbing me of absolutely essential information do make informed judgments about the world around me and the people I trusted. And those I maybe shouldn't have…"

"I had no choice."

"Oh I understand about your son, that wasn't the issue. It should have been up to us. We should have been allowed to retrieve that memory after that fact if we wanted to but that choice wasn't given to us. Wesley had to sneak about to seek it out himself."

"Wesley, you remember Wesley? Whom you…" She stopped and smiled woefully. "Whom 'we' cast out, perhaps justly I might add, for his role in Connors abduction."

"And ultimately it was the best thing for Wesley to be tossed into the deep end, where he had to learn to lean upon no one, to be forced to make it on his own…"

She motioned to the cave around her. "As I was here in Pylea."

"But the reason I cast him aside shunned him was because he didn't share with me what he translated, he kept to himself something we all had a right to know…"

She pointed her finger at him in accusation. "And then you do something like this without telling any of us?"

"I should cast you out for a while and see how you like it."

"Fred, Fred stop. Please stop… you've been standing here yelling at me enough already." He reached out to embrace her.

With half smile and she threw her hands in the air and embraced him.

"I'm sorry, you're right, I'm sorry." Angel smiled. "I'm just so glad to see you're alive."

Angel shook his head. "How did it happen? How did you come back?"

Fred broke from his embrace and sat on the cave floor. "Oh, we'll get to that but before we go any further there are more pressing matters we need to discuss."

Fred's Cave…

"I cannot believe what I'm hearing." Angel looked at Fred in skepticism. "You have no problem whatsoever with her taking over Pylea?"

"Are you kidding?" Fred smiled. "There are going to be statues of me all over the place. My face is going on currency. I'll be the most famous face in all of Pylean history. And the best thing is I don't even have to decide what to wear."

"This is serious Fred."

"You think I wasn't being serious? I'm not completely without vanity you know. Look all Illyria really cares about insofar as Pylea is concerned is they accept her rule. She'll be a figurehead monarch; she has little interest in actually running the government."

"We talked it all over and agreed. I've read over her for lack of a better word "constitution", it's really well designed, when it comes to rule and establishing a just order she really knows what she's doing. Here you want to see for yourself?" Fred handed Angel a set of papers.

Angel reluctantly took the papers.

"Everything is supplied in it. I'm sure you'll be satisfied. I am. Look… you know history."

"I lived it."

"Exactly, you know what happens when societies go through turmoil and don't have a legitimate central authority to enforce order. Look what happened in France after the monarchy was toppled and the chaos of the revolution."

"Yeah look what happened… they got Napoleon. "

Fred waved him off dismissively. "She knows how to organize an efficient self-running bureaucracy that actually does most of the governing. She's given everyone equal protection under the law.'

Angel read from the paper. "Every citizen is required to serve a five year period of service to the state. She's conscripting citizens?"

"Army service."

"Oh compulsory army service? And you don't think building a massive Pylean army is problematic?"

"It's not compulsory, at least not the army part." Fred pointed at the document. "Read further…"

"Oh. So they don't have to join the army, if they take service in the infrastructure squads for civic improvements…" Angel looked up at her questioningly?

"Oh, those are for the statues of us, those are the best part. This place is going to be covered in them. We're going to make Lenin and Saddam look like pikers."

"Really statues?" Angel shook his head.

"And art!" She sneered at Angel disdainfully. "Come on, as if you had no vanity. Besides it's like Spike says if you're going to put up a statue you might as well put up a statue of a beautiful woman."

Angel huffed." I really don't care what Spike says…"

"Angel she's done this before you should talk with her a while about it before just writing her off."

"Why? So she can harangue me more about her good and beneficent rule."

Illyria strode up to him. "It is true vampire and those that would have it otherwise are traitors to the state."

"Traitors to the state?" Angel gazed at Illyria. "And how would you deal these traitors?"

"To take action against the king is to take action against the state and that is treason. The people will know this and of my good and beneficent rule and deal adroitly with the traitors. You will likely find that my administration should not require my direct ministrations."

"That's what I've been trying to tell Angel."

"Oh god Fred…"Angel slumped in exasperation. "Please tell why you don't have a problem with this; this is the woman that killed you."

"And she's the woman who brought me back. Illyria's right, a stable strong central government is exactly what these people need right now. And I honestly think she can provide them with it."

"Look put it this way. Imagine Illyria being the head overseer of the justice department, to make sure that even an elected president can't gain too much power. Which is exactly what happened here. She's absolutely right to take a position in this. Maybe that's what you should think of doing more often."

"Have no fear Angel, my subjects will love me. They will see in me all their dreams made whole. Our beauty will shine like a beacon across the land. They will look upon me with such adoration, with eyes that Wesley shone upon…"

She looked down on Fred. "Us."

"They will long to be within my embrace for all time. And so it shall be."

Illyria waved dismissively. "Enough of your objections half breed. It is my will, and so it is done. There has been enough talk. If you oppose me combat me now and let us be done with it. Else you will meet me at the capital where we will deal with Seidel and arrange my coronation."

Angel looked at Fred. "I'm telling you this is a bad idea…"

The Capital City…

Illyria strode up to Seidel confidently. "Is it prepared?"

"Yes I instructed my men to make preparations. Everyone's been called to the place of judgment."

"Place of judgment?" Angel frowned.

"You know the gallows? The hanging square?" Spike shook his head. "Don't tell me you've forgotten. Darla used to love executions she used to drag you to them all the time."

"You didn't like to watch executions?" Connor quizzed him.

"He hated them." Spike answered.

"Really I thought you were the baddest of the bad. What were you jealous of the hangman?" Lorne laughed, yet stopped dead when he saw Spike shake his head.

Lorne looked over at Angel.

But Angel turned away annoyed. "I don't want to talk about it."

Lorne raised his brow at Spike.

Spike answered. "You should have heard him go on afterwards, about how lousy they were. How if it had been up to him he'd of got a full confession from every innocent man who was sent to the gallows for stealing bread. He wouldn't stop going on about it."

"Oh like there was nothing to complain about, you know yourself they never ended up doing it right." Angel huffed under his breath in frustration. "Disgraceful amateurs, the lot of them."

"Oh nevermind." Angel walked on ahead.

"What do you think you're doing Illyria?" Angel stepped up to her.

"As you might have once done from what I hear. I understand your objections vampire. The entire purpose of public execution is to show the populous the folly of not adhering to the degrees laid in law by their ruler. To show that the state will punish all who oppose it. And for that the accused must be broken, confess their guilt and beg forgiveness for their transgressions before being dealt with. You understand this."

"Do you think I'm just going to let you kill people?"

"You wish to do the killing yourself? I do not think I can permit that. But have no fear for a lackluster amateurish performance. I shall accomplish this deed with the artistry of a master…" Illyria smiled slyly at Angel as she ascended the podium.

The Gallows Podium…

Seidel stood before the people. Illyria walked up to his side.

He leaned over to her. "Fred, is this really necessary?"

"I told you that I wish to rule over this land, if you want my help in your endeavors, you will continue to do as I have decreed. We both are aware that you lust for a far sweeter prize then this meager land."

Seidel addressed the crowd. "Citizens of Pylea. I your elected prime minister have drawn up a bill that was just passed by the assembly, in it I reestablished the monarchy."

A murmur came up from the crowd.

One of them asked. "Did I hear right? They're bringing back the crown?"

"I dunno how feel about that." Another answered skeptically. "Does this mean we'll still get to vote?"

Seidel continued on the platform. "May I present to you, your new ruler queen…"

"King!" Illyria yelled angrily.

"Huh?" Seidel shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well…King Illyria."

Illyria sat in a small thrown they had brought onto the platform.

"Now we have some executions to attend to…" Seidel rubbed his hands together and peered at Angel.

"Indeed we do. Second!" Illyria tuned to the man who served as Seidel's adjutant. "You are the deigned minister of justice correct?"

"Yes I suppose that is my official title. I've been so busy with the demon war that I haven't actually attended to my regular duties for a while."

"I have a charge for you. Arrest the prime minister on the charge of high treason."

Seidel looked up at Illyria confused and surprised.

"Um your majesty?" The Second questioned Illyria.

"According to the new law your own assembly just voted in there is a provision. Those whom threaten the life of the supreme ruler of Pylea, the great beneficent Illyria, are guilty of high treason and thus are able to be punished by death."

"Arrest him now and we will try his case directly before the people."

The Second nodded as if in admiration." Yes your majesty."

"You heard her." He nodded to his men. He quickly turned to Seidel and bound his hands behind his back.

"You can't do this." Seidel pleaded.

"I'm sorry. I am bound by the law in this Prime Minister."

"Fred? Illyria? Wait…" Seidel screamed as he was dragged away toward the gallows.

"Let us hear from a witness. You…" Illyria pointed to one of the soldiers in Seidel's army. "You fought in the demon war?"

"Yes, um, your majesty…" He took off his hat and bent his head low.

Illyria smiled at this. "Go on."

"We fought the demons; we wished to kill all of demon blood."

"And from whom did your orders come?"

"From our leader, from the prime minister."

"The evidence is set before you. The prime minister wished to kill all of demon blood."

"I your great and beneficent king under whose rule your realm will grow in strength and prosperity am of demon blood."

"This man sought to kill your king." Illyria pointed at the form of Seidel. "Although his guilt is self-evident, I bring it before my people, my noble subjects whom I cherish and will protect. Protect from barbaric civil wars that accomplish nothing but bloodshed, and protect from any from outside this realm whom might try to harm them."

Illyria stretched her arms generously before the crowd. "I will allow my beloved and loyal subjects to give voice to whether this man is guilty of high treason. Treasonous against your king and therefore treasonous against my subjects."

Angel looked out at the crowd that had been ambivalent toward Illyria; now start to gaze at her with a kind of reverence and awe. "Oh my god, look at em. She's actually won them over."

"Guilty. Guilty..." They began to shout one after another.

"Hang him. Hang the traitor."

Illyria stood and held out her hand with authority. "Silence."

"I am not prone to rash judgment, for only unwise rulers are as such."

"You shall have your verdict. But I will give the traitor a chance to speak."

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Illyria walked up to where Seidel was being held on his knees by the guards.

She waved to the men on either side of him. "I give you leave to rise, and stand before your judgment."

Seidel rose. Illyria approached, taking the gag out of his mouth.

"Speak." She commanded.

"Fred?" Seidel looked to her in exasperation. "We had a deal."

Illyria turned her head and cackled aloud at this. "You miserable creature, if it had been her choice you would have been long dead. It was I who said I would never kill you."

The blue drained away from her and her eyes returned to a shining brown.

"Fred on the other hand is another story." She withdrew a knife and held it to his throat. "Confess. Tell them all…"

The brown eyed goddess whispered to him threateningly. "Tell them what you did to me. Tell them how you tried to kill me."

"Fred?" Seidel looked at her guiltily.

"Tell them." Her brown eyes bored deep into him. Blood tickled from the knife held at his throat.

"It's true it's true. I did I tried to kill her. I'm sorry please. I confess. I confess. Just please, please Fred don't kill me."

The Fred faced Illyria backed away smiling, her eyes flicked again to the customary blue. "That will do."

She turned again to face the crowd. "You see my beloved subjects, he confesses to the crime of high treason."

Illyria stood solemnly before the crowd. "I have examined all the evidence given this subject of the realm a fair proceeding. He has confessed and as judge and executioner in all matters of high treason I now pronounce his sentence."

"Very well." She said absently to no one…

Suddenly her eyes flickered to brown as she raised her arms before the crowd. "Death!"

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Illyria turned to look at Seidel her brown eyes thrusting into him.

Seidel managed to say "You bitch." Just as the hood was being slipped over his head.

"Yes me bitch, that's why should never have messed with me." The brown eyed Illyria sneered.

"You don't mess with Texas." She nodded to the executioner who pulled the trapdoor on the scaffold sending Seidel below with a thunk, his neck now all sorts of twisted.

The Podium…

Norle bowed his head slightly as he held out the box filled with the slave collars, which he had painted blue. "You asked for these My Queen?" He smiled looked up at her expectantly.

Illyria ignored Norle and picked up a number of the blue collars and went over to where a twisted skull soldier was standing. She ripped the skull emblem from him.

Then she went over and ripped the red collar from another person.

She handed them both the blue slave collars. "I give this to you as your new symbol, a symbol of your liberation under my reign. Both Twisted Skulls and Red Collars will pay homage to me, and serve under my rule."

"There will be war no more in this land I now rule. Enough blood has been spilled, yet I will not hesitate to drain every drop from all those who would challenge me. Those who do so should expect to join the traitor hanging before you." She gestured to Seidel's dangling form.

The Capital City…

Angel turned in huff walking away from the platform where Illyria was playing to the crowd. "The ego on that woman."

Spike smiled at one of a group of young ladies who where looking on in adulation and envy at their new queen. "Why yes, I am a personal friend of her majesty…"

Angel frowned and went by him.

Lorne sidled up to him. "So what's the story Angel? Are we going back to get Fred now?"

Angel frowned angrily. "Hopefully, after this Illyria will have everything she says she needs. Although just why I should hand over the rule of a country capable of creating nuclear weapons in beyond me. But Fred promised me an answer when we got back, and I don't care how angry she might be at me she's…"

Fred's Cave…

Angel glared at Fred. "…got some explaining to do. This is enough, you've played enough games. Tell me how you're back, and why you seem not to want to leave this cave. Something about this whole setup here stinks."

Angel inhaled deeply and hit upon the answer. His eyes lit up in realization." Of course it stinks… "

"That's Fred's scent alright, it's unmistakable but it's too old. It must from bits of hair and what not she left behind here five years ago. You aren't really here are you Fred. This isn't really her."

The image of Fred swirled away to be replaced by George the telepathic fish.

"Yes Fred is here, you're looking at her." Illyria stood out in a remarkable combination displaying both of their features. One eye and the hair on one side of her head was blue while the other shone a deep brown.

"She's right in front of you buried somewhere in Illyria's head like she's always been." George said. "Fred is real! Illyria and I, together we've recreated her. Gave her a place to live until she's able to claw her way back into the world."

"Illyria let me use a part, a very small part, of her mind as a kind of isolated consciousness for Fred to inhabit."

The image of George remained but the image of Fred now stood alongside him.

She walked up to Angel. "I am Fred. Reborn. Just without, you know, a body."

"And it's not Illyria that wants the nuclear material it's me."

"You?" Angel looked at her incredulously. "You want nuclear material?"

"Well it's not strictly nuclear, more like nuclear evil."

Illyria held up the bullet she had extracted from Spike earlier. Again her fingers smoked and hissed.

Fred pointed. "What's now trying to burn through Illyria's demon core is some sort of derivation of an easily refineable and remarkably pliant uranium 235."

"But it's not just that, there's something else in there. Something that is able to enhance it, give the plutonium like end product several gigatons of power."

"Seidel already has a system of extraction and refining in place, but I'm going to need to improve it. I require a lot more ore for my purposes."

"Your purposes? Ok Fred now you're starting to scare me. What's going…"

Fred handed him a folder of notes...

"On." Angel took it and began to read.

Wesley's Final Notes…

Fred's soul was destroyed resurrecting Illyria. I accepted this as truth. It substantiated what I had seen with my own eyes, the woman I love being ravaged from the inside devoured until there was nothing left. Then in an unsuccessful attempt to get her back, I learned the truth of what I had done and who I had been, who I truly am.

For so long I had tried to deny the truth, lost in the illusions in my mind.

Then she returned to me just as she had been, and I knew that she was really gone.

But if she really is gone why am I still here? Why am I still hopeful when it's hopeless? As Fred herself would point out nothing in nature can be really created or destroyed according to the laws of physics, it merely changes form. Therefore Fred's soul may not have been destroyed just changed form. I hypothesize that this change in form, this consummation of her soul as it were, released a titanic amount of energy. Energy needed to give rebirth to Illyria.

If this is true then it's going to require an astonishing amount energy in order to undo that process, well energy of a sort, this is where I get bogged down. The problem is I have absolutely no idea where to go from this point.

After all, the concept of the soul is beyond physics. What is the soul if it is neither matter nor energy?

I've been studying Spike's amulet. It trapped his essence. All that he was, was stored inside that amulet, an amulet that would only work with someone ensouled. I've been going over Fred's notes on the amulet and Spikes ethereal form. I think she was very close to achieving something monumental. It seems like she has somehow been able to determine the true nature of the soul, and why a person cannot be complete without one.

I've been trying to continue her work but it's become far too complex for me to understand. Although I am sure I'd be able to get an adequate supply of this nuclear evil as it were, even if I have to obtain it from some dimension other than our own, I'm afraid I don't have the math. If I were able to find the formula for the soul equation, I believe I could bring her back.

Ironic that the only person I can think of that would be able to find or untangle the mathematical mechanics of the soul equation is Fred herself, I'm in far over my head.

Fred's Cave…

Angel scanned the paper in his hand. He smiled broadly. "Yes, yes, god I love you Wesley you're a genius."

He turned back to Illyria. "These notes, This is why you brought her back gave her a piece of your brain to use? So she could be able to work on the soul equation, find a way to come back into the world for real."

Illyria nodded. "Yes, that is partly my intent but I also wish to reanimate his shell. I believe, as did Wesley that it can be done."

Fred looked at her sadly. "I don't know if…he died a natural death. I don't…

"You must try." Illyria looked at her pleadingly. "Please…"

Outside Fred's Cave…

Angel came out of the cave and looked at the group.

"Oh boy…" Lorne nudged Spike. "I don't like the look of this."

"Fred's not in there."

"She's not?" Conner stepped forward.

"Well she is but she's not. George helped Illyria create a space within her mind, kind of hollowed out a sort of consciousness for Fred to inhabit. But without a body meant for that consciousness, well it's like she's living in a cave in utter isolation."

"That is untrue vampire." Illyria emerged from the cave behind him. "Fred has access to what I see and hear. I gave her a window on the world."

"How? " Lorne asked.

Fred's Cave…

Fred showed Lorne around her cave. This is a lot better than my old cave except for, you know, the exit. See I have books." She waved at a line of books on the walls.

"Books really how?" Lorne took one of the books and leafed through it. "Hey this book is half empty"

"Well they're all books I read before and that one probably got boring so I…"

"Never finished reading it."

"Ok I see, this is all just a reasonable facsimile."

"Better than nothing and look." Fred turned on the TV. In the picture was Illyria turning on the TV. "I'll pretty well be able to see and hear everything Illyria does."

Lorne looked at Fred disconcertingly. "You know you're not really Fred right."

"No you're wrong Lorne. I may not have her soul, but her full intellect and former sense of humanity are intact. They cannot be made whole without a soul, which is what I am seeking with my intellect, my skill with physics and mathematics. Look if you really have any reservations about this talk to Spike, he knows where I'm coming from with this, I'm sure he'll convince you. I'd invite him in but…"

"Yeah I know George has only enough ability to be able to communicate with one person at a time, no party in the cave."

Illyria stepped forward. "In truth even I cannot enter the cave and speak with Fred unless George is present to facilitate our interaction."

"Then how?"

Fred waved a bell clanging it. Illyria clutched her head annoyed. "Enough."

"I ring her if I really need to get her attention. Most of the time she's been visiting me."

"Oh really? That would be interesting to hear."

"Our conversations are often quite thought provoking." Illyria said bluntly.

"No I mean actually hear; you know you pair would make a really interesting vocal duet."

"A kind of Simon and Garfunkel using the exact same set of vocal cords."

Fred's Cave…

Angel looked at Fred. "Are you sure you want to live like this?"

"I mean look at this place, your cave in Pylea. Look at what you went through here."

Fred laughed. "I really must be crazy because I can't think of anything I'd rather do right now than this. It is math after all. And despite everything else about her Illyria has a very good intuitive sense, an ability to analyze the environment of basic physical properties. It's remarkably helpful."

"Illyria knows math?" Angel furled his brow.

"No more like she hears math, feels math. She's able to examine the structure of space-time like no one else. I feel like I've been given a remarkable opportunity as if to check my results with God to see if I'm the right track."

"God? Illyria whatever she may be, is not God."

"I wasn't referring to Illyria, I was talking, you know, big watchmaker in the sky God."

"Oh."

"You know I'm still mad you." Fred shook head. "You're lucky I don't have George make you forget all this and convince you I was some, I dunno, inter-mythic being pretending to be Fred, to keep my rebirth a secret from you. You'd deserve it after what you did to me."

"Well like I said Fred it's done. Can't do anything about it now I suggest you get over it."

"Oh I will." Fred sneered.

"Look you've got to be getting back, George is going to study the cave a bit more and get me a home to live in that is as real as possible until I get a soul. Oh and one more thing…"

Outside Fred's Cave…

"She wants to speak to somebody named Norle?" Angel looked about outside the cave. "Who the heck is Norle?"

Lorne stepped forward. "Norle is my nephew, I already introduced you…"

Angel looked at Lorne blankly.

Lorne furled his brow. "Why would Fred want to see my nephew?"

Norle stepped forward. "Fred? So it is her, your blue friend Illyria. She's the cow named Fred whom I helped escape all those years ago?"

"You helped Fred escape?" Lorne slapped him on the backside. "That gets me right in the heart.

Fred's Cave…

Norle slowly entered the cave, seeing all Fred's old living accruements assembled in the cave. "Wow, looks like you really made a home here after all."

Norle looked over to see Illyria and Fred standing together. "Fred?"

Illyria gazed down at him. "This is the one you spoke of."

"Yes this is Norle."

"He will be loyal?"

Norle bowed down in a kind on reverent awe, as he approached both of them. "For you I'd do anything. I'd of done anything for you from the moment I met you."

Fred smiled at the teenaged boy. "I always thought you had a crush on me."

"Do you know what this is? Who we are?" Illyria asked.

"I think I understand. You're a goddess who wanted to live life as a low suffering creature who was persecuted by others so that the people would know that their god loved them. Fred told a like tale from her world."

Fred curled up her nose. "Well not exactly but close enough, there's something I need you to do for us."

"What is it you desire My Queen?" Norle bowed before Illyria

"King." Illyria glared imperiously.

Norle took her hand bowing to one knee before her; he looked up and gave her a charming smile. "Forgive me My Queen, but I find it very hard to see a man when I look upon your face."

"I like this one." Illyria turned to Fred. "He defiantly flatters me, yet with grace. Very well, I give you special recompense. However, you alone may dub me as such, as a special favor of my reciprocal grace."

"Thank you My Queen."

Outside Fred's Cave…

Norle walked over to where Illyria, Angel and the others were gathered about.

"You're sure you can refine enough of a supply of this stuff." Angel asked Illyria as he held up an ore sample.

"We were lucky enough to trap that thing in the cave, but unless we can make enough of that magical nuclear energy to keep him trapped there's no telling what he'll do."

Norle looked up confused. "What's going on?"

Lorne put his arm around him. "What's going on is that I spoke too soon about a ray of hope. I should've known that thing wasn't really Fred."

Norle nodded apprehensively. "Oh?"

"Turns out it was just some inter-mythic being pretending to be Fred."

"Huh?" Norle furled his brow. "Um, why do you say that?"

Spike turned to Norle. "Well once it knew the jig was up and that thing realized I could see right through its cleverly crafted disguise, she basically admitted it. Fred turned all smokey and said in a spooky voice. 'I am the inter-mythic being only pretending to be Fred."

"Oh come off it Spike you never had a clue that thing was playing you until she came out and admitted it."

"Oh, um, but you stopped it right?" Norle quizzed them.

"Oh yeah, we've got it trapped good and proper." Spike folded his arms in satisfaction.

"It'll not be getting out of that a cave if we can help it." Angel said determined.

"So nephew what is it you wanted to see me about?"

"It's about Fred, tell your friends that if they want to know, um, more about Fred to, um, come talk to me."

"Oh that's right you knew Fred from before, when she first got trapped in Pylea. I dunno if they'd be all that interested in that but…"

Norle gave him a serious look. "Tell them, just don't tell Angel, I can't speak to him."

Lorne looked to him skeptically. "Why not Angel?"

"Just not him ok."

He looked at Norle in confusion. "All right."

Norle walked up to Illyria and nodded to both Illyria and George.

Illyria looked down at him expectantly.

"It is done My Queen."

Illyria's eyes flickered to brown. "Thanks, "She smiled at him sweetly and bent over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "You're a real sweetie pie you know that?"

She then backed away from Norle and stood more erect.

Her eyes flicked back to blue as she smiled triumphantly. "This will do…"

"This will do, indeed."

"Return to Pylea" Magnus Parvus

49