Note: This chapter contains dialogue from the episode, "Hero"
Players of Destiny
Chapter 1: "Setting It All In Motion"
"If you have tears, prepare to shed them now." -- Shakespeare
He looked like any ordinary human, he knew. Except for the infrequent showings of his demon side.
Most usually, he was the behind-the-scenes man. Only the guy who had the visions. The one who told the warrior where he could find his battle.
Angel the warrior stood beside him, ready to give up his life to save the world. To save the lives of anything with human blood. Angel was planning to leap up to the Beacon and disconnect the cables. In a word, suicide.
Suddenly, an idea sprang to mind. Now was HIS chance. It was his turn to fight. To not stand back and watch it unfold from the sidelines. It was his turn at playing hero.
Besides, Angel had more lives to help and save. Angel couldn't be so easily replaced.
He looked at Angel, then at Cordelia, and finally, up at the Beacon. Angel took a tentative step forward. Cordelia reached out to stop him.
"No!" Cordelia cried out.
Doyle, in turn, stopped Cordelia. He faced Angel, and they smiled sadly at each other.
"The good fight, yeah?"
Angel wrapped his arm around Doyle's neck and squeezed affectionately. Then, Angel looked away, towards the Beacon.
"You never know 'til you're tested." Doyle went on. "I get that now."
And before Angel could respond, Doyle punched him, knocking Angel off the platform to the ground below.
Having done that, Doyle marched over to a stunned Cordelia and kissed her. A mind-blowing, passionate, one of a kind kiss. All the thoughts and feelings that Doyle felt for Cordelia came pouring out of his lips.
On the ground, Angel jumped to his feet and raced towards the platform stairs. "No! Doyle!"
Doyle and Cordelia broke apart, Cordelia's eyes wide. He looked at her sorrowfully.
"Too bad we'll never know," He paused and shook his head, bringing on his demon face. He smiled wryly before finishing, "if this is a face you could learn to love."
Cordelia just stood there, unable to speak, unable to move, unable to do anything.
Doyle moved to the edge of the platform, as he heard Angel yell, "Doyle!"
Doyle ignored him and jumped over the abyss, and grabbed a hold of the cage that contained the Beacon. His human face returned as he struggled with the immense pain the Beacon was inflicting upon him. His flesh began to burn as he fought to disconnect the cables from the Beacon.
Cordelia closed her eyes and turned away. She couldn't watch this, as Angel reached the platform and ran past her.
"Doyle!" He yelled out once more.
The skin began to rip away from Doyle's body, exposing the muscles and bone beneath. A supernatural charge burst from the Beacon, crawling up Doyle's arm. Doyle releases a blood-curdling scream as it reached his head and chest, consuming his body. His flesh melted away, exposing his skeleton underneath, yet Doyle still held the cables in his grasp.
With one last ounce of strength before he took his last and final breath, Doyle managed to rip the cables from the Beacon.
And then, as quickly as Doyle had come into their lives, he was gone.
Players of Destiny
Chapter 1: "Setting It All In Motion"
"If you have tears, prepare to shed them now." -- Shakespeare
He looked like any ordinary human, he knew. Except for the infrequent showings of his demon side.
Most usually, he was the behind-the-scenes man. Only the guy who had the visions. The one who told the warrior where he could find his battle.
Angel the warrior stood beside him, ready to give up his life to save the world. To save the lives of anything with human blood. Angel was planning to leap up to the Beacon and disconnect the cables. In a word, suicide.
Suddenly, an idea sprang to mind. Now was HIS chance. It was his turn to fight. To not stand back and watch it unfold from the sidelines. It was his turn at playing hero.
Besides, Angel had more lives to help and save. Angel couldn't be so easily replaced.
He looked at Angel, then at Cordelia, and finally, up at the Beacon. Angel took a tentative step forward. Cordelia reached out to stop him.
"No!" Cordelia cried out.
Doyle, in turn, stopped Cordelia. He faced Angel, and they smiled sadly at each other.
"The good fight, yeah?"
Angel wrapped his arm around Doyle's neck and squeezed affectionately. Then, Angel looked away, towards the Beacon.
"You never know 'til you're tested." Doyle went on. "I get that now."
And before Angel could respond, Doyle punched him, knocking Angel off the platform to the ground below.
Having done that, Doyle marched over to a stunned Cordelia and kissed her. A mind-blowing, passionate, one of a kind kiss. All the thoughts and feelings that Doyle felt for Cordelia came pouring out of his lips.
On the ground, Angel jumped to his feet and raced towards the platform stairs. "No! Doyle!"
Doyle and Cordelia broke apart, Cordelia's eyes wide. He looked at her sorrowfully.
"Too bad we'll never know," He paused and shook his head, bringing on his demon face. He smiled wryly before finishing, "if this is a face you could learn to love."
Cordelia just stood there, unable to speak, unable to move, unable to do anything.
Doyle moved to the edge of the platform, as he heard Angel yell, "Doyle!"
Doyle ignored him and jumped over the abyss, and grabbed a hold of the cage that contained the Beacon. His human face returned as he struggled with the immense pain the Beacon was inflicting upon him. His flesh began to burn as he fought to disconnect the cables from the Beacon.
Cordelia closed her eyes and turned away. She couldn't watch this, as Angel reached the platform and ran past her.
"Doyle!" He yelled out once more.
The skin began to rip away from Doyle's body, exposing the muscles and bone beneath. A supernatural charge burst from the Beacon, crawling up Doyle's arm. Doyle releases a blood-curdling scream as it reached his head and chest, consuming his body. His flesh melted away, exposing his skeleton underneath, yet Doyle still held the cables in his grasp.
With one last ounce of strength before he took his last and final breath, Doyle managed to rip the cables from the Beacon.
And then, as quickly as Doyle had come into their lives, he was gone.
