Chapter 169
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Note: All the characters in this chapter are from "Buffy the vampire slayer."
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Following Joni's advice, Buffy and the others made it close to the Master's kingdom. They were close enough to observe, but hopefully not be seen. Many of the "citizens" of this kingdom still had vampire faces, others did not. Giles made some observations.
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Giles: Interesting how so many are still vampires. The humans are clearly afraid of them.
Faith: Our best intel says that they become vampires for this advantage. Mainly they get to do what they want to the humans. Murder, rape, feeding for fun.
Willow: Didn't you say that Darla rejected her old master?
Faith: That's what our spies said. Why?
Willow: Because she's in there.
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Willow loaned Faith her binoculars. Darla was indeed here, in rags, begging for scraps, not wearing her vampire face.
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Faith: Maybe his minions captured her.
Giles: That would make sense. Angel said that the Master favored Darla, he wouldn't take it well if she rejected him now. He'd make her suffer until she chose to become a vampire again.
Xander: That guy really needs to learn to let go.
Willow: Wasn't it Darla who turned Jessie into a vampire?
Xander: She seduced him, brouht him to the Master's lair. Hard to say who exactly turned him.
Buffy: But she might know where Jessie is now. Good a lead as any.
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The group snuck into this kingdom, they hd mixed emotions about approaching Darla for help. They knew she had become pregnant, sacrificed her life for her unborn child. Darla had found a form of redemption, but their best friend Jessie never got the chance for redemption. He had been their friend for 16 years, but in one day she turned him into an enemy and Xander dusted him. Perhaps Xander took a little perverted joy in helping to abduct her, and drag her into an alley. Still, this conversation had to be done covertly, away from vampiric ears. It took Darla a moment to recognize Buffy. She had never met Fath before, and just barely recognized Xander and Willow, but it was clear they were all friends of Buffy.
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Darla: Buffy, long time no see.
Buffy: Yeah, not since the night my boyfriend turned you into dust.
Darla: You and Angel are back together?
Buffy: It's complicated.
Xander: I don't supposse you remember turning my best friend into a vampire. It was just before the harvest, if that helps.
Darla: You mean Jessie?
Xander: You actually remember him?
Darla: Yes, we're both trapped in this little kingdom, protecting Colin.
Giles: Colin, why does that name sound familiar?
Darla: He was the child we turned into a vampire to become the annointed one.
Buffy: The one who's destiny was to lead me to Hell. He was literally just a guide, why was he neccessary?
Darla: The Master was a big believer in prophecy, he went to great lengths to follow it because he felt it would bring him victory.
Giles: Interesting, given that one prophecy said the harvest would free him, and then he just turns to this new one.
Darla: As long as one prophecy gave him his freedom. Anyway, Jessie, Colin, and me, all former vampires, are trying to do better. So far we've resisted turning back into vampires.
Willow: I'm a witch, I can open a portal to Earth. Take us to Jessie and Colin, and all three of you can come back with us.
Darla: Thank you.
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Darla took the six of them to her and Jessie's new house. Jessie was relieved and happy to see his old friends Xander and Willow again. The three hugged for the first time in decades. Jessie was happy and grateful to Darla for reuniting them all. He kissed her, passionately. This suprised the others.
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Xander: You do remember how she seduced you and brought you to the Master as food?
Jessie: Yeah, but it's not like she was given much of a choice in becoming a vampire. Besides, we're all in the same boat here.
Luke: Yes, you are.
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Buffy turned around and saw Luke, a particularly strong vampire and disciple of the Master. When Buffy and Luke fought in 1997 they both survived. Luke claimed this was the first time in 160 years when anyone survived an encounter with him. Buffy later dusted Luke, in part by deception. Luke now came with other vampires. They included Thomas, the first vampire Buffy dusted in Sunnydale, the preacher vampire known as Absolom, and a vampire who claimed to have witnessed the crucifixtion of Jesus Christ, but the fact that he could still pass for human cast serious doubt on that claim. Spike referred to this last vampire as "Big Ugly." Now it semed that all of these vampires were here for revenge against Buffy, who had dusted them all. Darla, Jessie, and Colin seemed just as suprised to see Luke and his friends here.
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Luke: You were right Thomas. We watch Darla long enough, and the slayer would find her.
Buffy: I guess in Hell you don't need an invitation to enter someone else's home.
Luke: We don't.
Buffy: Look, I don't know if you heard, but you don't have to serve the Master in this world.
Luke: Indeed, the weak ones did reject Evil. The strong ones like myself, we serve Evil, now and forever.
Darla: Then you're an idiot.
Luke: The Master has, a tiny amount, of human weakness. Therefore, he is willing to give you, and Colin, one last chance to return to his family.
Darla: Never.
Colin: Yeah.
Thomas: Good, it means he'll favor us more.
Absolom: Enough talk, for the glory of Evil itself, destroy the unbelievers!
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Luke led the attack, they focused primarily on Buffy and Faith. While they were distracted Willow and Giles opened the portal to Antarctica. Xander, Jessie, Darla, and Colin went through. Giles and Willow then used their last magick to violently throw Luke and the other vampires out. It wasn't much, but it was able to buy enough time for Buffy, Faith, Giles, and finally Willow to run through the portal just before it closed behind them.