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Thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for his help here.
Chapter 15- Battle against a Power
"So its you", Angel snarled at the Beastmaster, who just smirked calmly. "What are you?"
The Beastmaster paced around, her hands raised. "I am what you people call a 'Power That Be', or I used to be."
That came as a surprise as Matt asked. "You were a Power before?"
"I decided to leave those pitiful cowards and bring about peace on Earth", the Beastmaster revealed.
"They didn't like it and my power was reduced."
"Peace on Earth? And using the body of an innocent woman, unleashing a Beast and a rain of fire, unleashing Angelus, that's your idea of peace?" Tara asked, feeling anger and disgust at this thing, which was rare.
"That's all part of my plan for the greater good", the Beastmaster shrugged. "I first conquered a different Dimension as a rehearsal, they were pitiful and weak, and then I watched all of you for a long time, to use something to my advantage."
"And I'm guessing you found something", Willow realized as the Beastmaster smirked.
"I can have some minor influence even from here, one of my followers told Sahjhan about the prophecy that a child born of 2 Vampires shall be his head", the Beastmaster dropped a revelation.
"So that's how he knew", Angel realized. "Why? What did my son do to you?"
"He was part of my plan, but you ruined it", she turned to Matt, "when you brought him back, so I had to change some things, but you still ruined it."
"So, what is your plan now?" Faith asked her.
"As you can see, Cordelia's body has become a portal between my Dimension and Earth", the Beastmaster pointed out to them.
"Yeah, that's why trying to get into her mind brought us here", Tara noted grimly.
"So I shall use this Dimension's energy and flood Cordelia's body with it, destroying that and her soul, and that shall allow me to have a physical form in your Dimension, where my allure and mind control works, and then humanity shall fall before me, and we will have peace in our time."
All of them exchanged horrified looks at her plan as Angel, shaking in rage, sneered. "You…you used Cordy to do things she'd never even….you're going to pay."
"Who's going to do that? You lot? I may not be a Power anymore, but none of you can stand against me, and besides, you are in my world now", the Beastmaster shrugged as she fired a blast of magic but Willow deflected it in time, and her eyes glowed.
"Let's test that", Willow smirked as she fired a blast of magic and the Beastmaster put up a barrier to block, and both gritted their teeth, trying to overpower each other before there was a blast as both parties staggered back a little.
Matt growled, trying to transform, as some Hellfire erupted from him, but he failed to transform, to his shock.
"I thought you two had found your balance", Faith said in surprise.
"It's not him, its me, you're in my Dimension, you think I wouldn't take care to cut you off from your power if I brought you here?" The Beastmaster asked with a taunting smirk.
She fired a fireball but Tara conjured a white light of magic and hurled it back as the two balls destroyed each other.
"I'll handle her, go help Matt", Willow told Tara.
"You sure baby?" Tara asked her.
"She's not alone", Angel assured as he and Faith stepped up next to Willow.
"Go", Faith assured as Tara walked to Matt, grasping his shoulder, trying to read his aura to see what exactly she could do to coax Adam out of him here.
Angel then flipped at the Beastmaster, coming up in front of her, and threw two punches, which slightly affected her, but she was still a lot more powerful as she lifted Angel by the throat and threw him off.
Next moment, Faith slid up to her, kicking her feet as she staggered, then kicked Faith away as well, and in that moment, Willow fired a powerful blast of magic at her.
Angel and Faith had just been distractions.
The blast was powerful enough to hurl the Beastmaster away by many feet as she fell to the ground, groaning and growling, before getting back up, glaring at them all.
"Guess we can fight you", Willow shrugged.
"Same trick won't help you twice, insects", the Beastmaster snarled as she raised her hands, and then figures of darkness appeared all around them, snarling and staggering, and then they rushed at them all, their intent clear.
"Can you take on her alone?" Faith asked Willow.
"I can try", Willow assured.
"We'll deal with them, you deal with her", Angel said and Willow nodded.
With that, Angel backhanded one of the minions before kicking another back, and blocked a third's blow before decking his face and sending him off too, as Faith swept one's feet from under him and then spin kicked another away, and flipped a third one to the ground.
"Come on Adam, you're needed", Matt growled, trying to reach through to him.
Tara put her hands on either side of his head and tried to look for Adam. "He is inside, struggling to break out, you two need to be in phase, and then different Dimension won't be much of a problem."
"I'm trying", Matt assured as both of them continued trying.
In the meantime, Angel was grabbed in a chokehold by one minion but elbowed him away, then grabbing another, smashed him to the ground and slammed his head multiple times.
Faith slid behind one and kicked him away before doing a cartwheel to avoid the next, and kicked his feet, taking him down as well before elbowing another on the face in a spin motion.
The Beastmaster raised her hands as powerful winds blew all around, staggering them all away and she snarled. "Like I said, you're in my world, so here we play by my rules."
At Hyperion, Team Angel had laid the unconscious bodies of Willow, Tara, Matt, Faith, Angel and Cordelia on the ground of the lobby as Fred noted. "Wherever they are, it must not be very good."
"They are trying to battle the Beastmaster itself, good is not an option", Wesley sighed.
"So, what do we do till then?" Gunn wondered.
"I believe looking after their bodies is the best course of action until they succeed in taking down the Beastmaster", Groo suggested.
"Yeah, not much else we can do, we're not good enough at magic to go wherever they went", Lorne sighed. "At least we know how the big bad has been one step ahead of us this whole time."
"It was in Cordelia all along", Wesley sounded angry at how it had tried to use her. "Using her for it gain, Cordelia would never betray us like this. This Beastmaster, whoever it is, he needs to pay for what he has done to her."
"It's a she actually."
They turned to see a giant Demon in bronze armor suddenly appear in the lobby. "Skip, powerful Demon, at your service."
"Cordelia's guide", Wesley remembered the name. "You've been in on this from the start, haven't you?"
"Huh? Here I thought you were all dupes", Skip said before suddenly unsheathing a dagger from his wrist. "Too bad, you're all gonna be bloody goops."
He knocked Lorne away first, sending him to a corner before charging with his blade.
"Protect the bodies! And Fred, keep Connor away!" Wesley ordered as he, Gunn and Groo rolled away to avoid while Fred ran off to a corner with Connor in her arms.
Groo and Gunn then picked up a sword and ax respectively and charged but the weapons deflected off of Skip's armor as he knocked Gunn away and tried to strike Groo who dodged but struck again, only to be kicked away.
Wesley then took out a sword and struck but Skip was unaffected and knocked Wesley away as well. He then took out his gun and fired but Skip, instead of dodging, made a show of deflecting the bullets with his armor.
"Do those things ever work?" Skip asked before turning to the unconscious bodies, ready to kill all but Cordelia to help his master, when suddenly Groo rushed him and rammed into him with all of his strength, sending them both rolling away.
Groo was then top of Skip and punched him multiple times but Skip was barely phased and kicked Groo away.
"You know, you people are really annoying. Which is gonna make this even more fun", Skip snarled as he brought his dagger down on Groo but he rolled away to avoid, and he rolled away to avoid again before Gunn struck him from behind with his ax, though he was still not affected at all.
Skip turned to Gunn, annoyed, and lifted him up by the throat. "You know? I'm trying to work here."
He threw Gunn off and turned back to Groo who had stood up again, ready to face him.
The Beastmaster raised her hands as tendrils suddenly sprouted from everywhere and trapped Willow, tying her hands and feet and holding her up as she struggled to get free but failed.
"It doesn't need to be like this", the Beastmaster said as she marched to them. "The world can be at peace, some have to be sacrificed, but there will be no wars, not even any arguments, under me. Why are you destroying this chance?"
Angel and Faith were trying to fight off her minions but there were too many and they were getting overwhelmed slowly.
"You are all humans, you cannot rule yourselves, you make matters worse, let me guide you to Paradise", the Beastmaster offered. "And the world shall live happily ever after."
Willow struggled but failed when Tara took a break from helping Matt and called out to her. "Willow, don't use your head, use your heart!"
And so Willow did, flashing through many happy memories-
Willow hung out with Xander and Jesse as kids.
Buffy befriended Willow.
Buffy, Willow and Xander talked about how messed up their romantic lives were going to be.
Oz told Willow she kissed him back in his fantasy, and she fell in love with him in that moment.
Willow kissed Oz as they started their relationship.
Buffy and Willow jokingly traded insults after Buffy came back.
Willow and Oz got back together on Christmas.
Buffy, Angel, Willow, Xander, Cordelia, Oz, Giles and Wesley all together at the prom.
Willow slept with Oz.
Willow and Tara used their combined power to save themselves from the Gentlemen.
Tara told Willow she was hers.
Willow told Tara she was with the person she loved- Tara!
Willow and Tara played with Miss Kitty Fantastico.
The Scooby Gang drove Tara's abusive blood kin away after standing up for her.
Willow and Tara hover-danced together at the Bronze.
Wong trained Willow in using magic, helping her come to terms with it.
Willow reunited with Tara during the Battle of Earth.
Tara sang 'Under Your Spell' to Willow as they made love.
Buffy, Willow, Tara, Dawn, Spike, Matt, Peter, Giles, Faith, Xander and Anya at the latter two's wedding.
Willow now clutched her fists as the energy of the Power Stone flowed through her, and then some energy of the Space Stone emanated from her, spreading around the Dimension as the Beastmaster looked around in shock.
Glowing with purple energy of the Power Stone, Willow snarled. "You should not have taken over my friend's body and made her do things she would never even dream of."
And then her power destroyed the tendrils around as she flew at the Beastmaster, using her enhanced strength to grab her by the throat, and they rammed through a structure, with Willow roaring as she punched the Beastmaster's face with her glowing hand, destroying some portion and revealing her face was filthy and infested with maggots.
She then punched the Beastmaster again, ramming her into a structure, and pinned her there, hitting her a few more times.
Angel and Faith were slowly getting overwhelmed when Matt got an idea. "Faith!"
"Yeah?" Faith called out.
"The Beastmaster in Cordelia's body tried to kiss and have sex with me", Matt revealed, shocking both Faith and Angel.
"And that didn't tip you off?" Angel asked.
"I thought her mind was jumbled due to her memories just returning", Matt defended himself, and Angel realized he couldn't blame Matt there.
Matt then told Faith. "I rejected her of course, because I love you, but she did try to come onto me."
"The bitch", Faith snarled in rage, and punched one minion so hard he was sent flying off by many feet, and then kicked another away in a spin motion before grabbing another by the neck and snapping it.
As one more charged her, she spun, grabbed its arm, and flipped it over her shoulder at 3 more of them, taking them all out.
One more charged her but Faith leapt up and did a bicycle kick, sending it flying off into two more as they were all down while she landed.
"Well, they're dealt with", Tara shrugged about the minions.
Angel took Vamp face and punched another minion away before backhanding another in a spin motion, and leaping at one, jumped from that one and kicked another one away before taking that one out by snapping his neck.
Willow and the Beastmaster were still battling while flying around as Willow punched Beastmaster back, destroying another structure, and they continued struggling before Beastmaster managed to land one blow, sending Willow back too.
She punched again and Willow was sent to the ground as Beastmaster turned into dark energy to come at her when Willow fired Space Stone energy and it destroyed the Beastmaster's energy form, turning her back to normal as Willow flew at her and their airborne battle continued.
"It's coming", Matt said. "Keep going Tara."
Tara chanted as Matt's muscles expanded a little while his teeth started turning into fangs, and claws came out of his fingers, and his eyes and Hell-Mark glowed with the power as well.
Willow punched Beastmaster twice, and drawing this own Dimension's energy towards her, held out her hands as the shockwave sent the Beastmaster flying off and crashing to the ground.
"Using my own Dimension's energy…..you", Beastmaster roared angrily as she turned giant suddenly, to everyone's horror, and tried to stomp onto Willow, but she used the Power Stone's energy to enhance her physical strength and held up her hands, stopping the foot and holding it back while gritting her teeth, as the two struggled against each other.
"Come on Matt, it's close, just about to burst out", Tara told him as Matt continued growling.
Suddenly, Eldritch energy hit the Beastmaster from both sides, making her scream in pain as she staggered back, and then dark red metallic bands were conjured than grabbed her by the neck and pulled so hard she fell down, shaking the whole Dimension from the impact.
All looked up to see Stephen Strange had arrived, and he hovered down next to Willow.
"Strange!" Willow greeted him happily, and tried to hug him, but then went through him.
"This is just my astral form, Willow", Strange told her.
"What happened to your body?" Faith asked as she stomped the face of another minion with her boot.
"I am sure you all have been told that I was facing something called Nightmare", Strange reminded and they nodded. "Well, in a battle against it, I lost a lot of my power and now my astral form is going from Dimension to Dimension, trying to regain my power before I take Nightmare out."
"So, how strong are you right now?" Angel asked as he snapped another minion's neck while hurling it away into a corner.
"Well, at my full power, this Beastmaster is a joke, like her final goal", Strange quipped. "But as I am right now, I cannot defeat her by myself, all of must take her out together. Come on."
The Beastmaster, back to normal size, staggered up and snarled. "Sorcerer Supreme! I shall end you here so you do not interfere with my plans later."
"Even if it succeeds, it won't last, the Asgardians are immune to you, Thor Odinson will destroy you either way, and without any Mystics, Dormammu is free to come to Earth, and you don't stand much of a chance against him, some brains you have for a Higher Power. Oh wait, they're all dumb, and you're the dumbest of all", Strange shrugged as Beastmaster roared in anger and charged him.
Strange and Willow chanted together, pulling the Dimension's energy towards themselves with their powers before manipulating it into pure Eldritch energy, and hurled powerful blasts of magic at the Beastmaster together, making her scream in pain as she was sent flying back and crashing to the ground, and then rolling away.
Strange then flew to her and as she staggered up, he decked her face. "Other beings like you can still feel me even when I'm out of my body."
He then elbowed her in a spin motion before kicking her side, and she staggered away before grabbing his face and throwing him off, but Willow used the opportunity to hit her with Power Stone magic, sending her crashing away again.
As she staggered up, Willow used Space Stone magic to try to bind her as the Beastmaster screamed in pain from the agony this amount of power was causing her.
The Beastmaster eventually let out a scream and then another tendril appeared behind Willow, trying to hit her and she used her power to destroy it, but the Beastmaster used that opportunity to get free.
Groo kneed Skip in the gut but he was unaffected and sent Groo flying off, as Lorne woke up. "Good Lord, something in bronze hit me."
"It's there", Fred said as she pointed and Lorne watched in horror.
Gunn tried to hit with his ax again and was sent flying off, and then Wesley fired with his shotgun but Skip was still unaffected and he kicked Wesley away.
Then he walked to Matt, raising his dagger. "Goodbye Devil, even you couldn't stand against a Higher Power."
In that moment, Skip was sent flying off and crashed to the ground, then looked up and was shocked to see who was standing in front of him.
"Unfinished business, skullshit." Stick cracked his knuckles while Skip stood back up.
"Bring it on, gramps."
"Who are you?" Wesley asked Stick.
"Name's Stick."
"Matt's mentor?" Gunn asked.
"Attaboy."
Skip charged but Stick flipped up and getting behind him, used his energy in his kick to hurl Skip to the other side as he crashed again, and as he staggered up, Groo grabbed onto him, the two struggling before Skip threw him off.
"Oh you goddamn ghost I'm going to-"
Skip was cut off when Stick rammed into him again and he was sent down, groaning.
"Okay, you can continue hitting me, but in that form, it's impossible for you to kill me, you know that, right?" Skip asked Stick as he staggered back up.
"Well, let's see about that", Stick shrugged as Skip charged him but got an uppercut, and then a flip kick right to his chin which sent him hurling up into the air before crashing back down as Stick cracked his neck, then punched Skip away again as he staggered back up.
"For someone looking like that, you go down easy", Stick shrugged as Skip roared in anger and charged again but was sent back when Stick started fading away.
"Oh crap!" Stick groaned.
"Well, this is gonna go on forever with old Casper right there", Lorne quipped.
"As long as Skip is on the losing side, fine with it", Fred shrugged. "Though it looks like Stick is fading."
"What's happening?" Gunn asked Stick.
"The enchantment to protect me is weakened as Doc is in a cinch, I'm fading away", Stick said as Skip got back up, slowly marching to him.
"I have an idea", Wesley then spoke up.
"What is it, Watcher?" Stick asked.
"Possess me", Wesley said as Stick turned to him in surprise. "You are a skilled ghost. I am a skilled human. If you possess me, my strength will increase, you won't have the danger of fading, and we can together kill Skip, what do you say?"
"Give you all my years of kicking Demon ass", Stick muttered, and seeing he was fading, did not say another word and flew into Wesley, now possessing him as 'Wesley' cracked his neck and knuckles.
"What more do you have, skullshit?" 'Wesley' asked in a challenging tone as Skip charged him.
'Wesley' charged and leaping, gave Skip a flip kick which sent him crashing back, and then he got up, trying to strike with his dagger, but 'Wesley' side-stepped and grabbing the dagger, broke it off before slicing Skip's wrist, then his thighs, and then his abdomen very fast as Skip screamed in pain.
Then leaping up, 'Wesley' drove the dagger through the roof of Skip's mouth, and he bled before Wesley pulled the dagger out and jumped down, as the bronze armored giant Demon fell to the ground, making the building shake from the impact.
Skip was dead!
"You two did it", Groo said as Stick came out of Wesley, and Wesley staggered back, gasping, and then noticed Skip was dead.
Looking at Stick, the former Watcher said. "Thank you."
"I used to think you Watchers are blind bookworm cocksuckers", Stick quipped as he looked at Wesley. "You're not."
Looking at them all he said. "Time to go."
And with that, he disappeared from there as without Strange's enchantment protecting him, he couldn't stay at one place for too long.
"Well, the flunky is dead", Gunn sighed.
"And that'd leave the big bad Master", Lorne noted as they looked at the unconscious bodies.
Willow and Strange used their power to defend themselves from the Beastmaster, and then Willow blasted the Beastmaster back with her power.
As Beastmaster staggered up, Strange used an Eldritch whip, pulling her slowly to her knees before she used her powers to destroy it as Strange hovered in the air, knowing he and Willow just had to hold the Beastmaster back long enough for-
"It's done", Tara then said as Matt transformed into Adam in a tornado of Hellfire, and now all of the Beastmaster's minions froze in fear at the sight of him.
Taking advantage of their fear, Faith and Angel together beat down many more, killing most of them.
"Thanks, Tara", Adam thanked the Witch.
"You're welcome", Tara told him with a smile as Adam turned to the Beastmaster, whose eyes were now wide in horror.
Then, in a parallel to the Beast, Adam kneeled to the ground and slammed his fist. Only, instead of raining fire, the Dimension slowly turned into an actual Hellish Dimension, killing all the minions, horrifying the Beastmaster even more.
"No! NO!" She screamed. "This is impossible! This is supposed to be my Dimension! How could you-"
"There's always bigger fish", Strange shrugged to her. "In this case, its him."
Adam then grabbed the Beastmaster by the throat and with a roar, flew with her through Dimensions.
"Where did he go?" Faith asked Strange.
"To give her what she deserves", Strange said before he turned to the four of them. "Well, since she is taken out, its time for me to go."
"Thanks for the help", Willow told him gratefully as he nodded.
"Hope you get back in your body soon", Tara added.
"I will", Strange assured her.
"What about Cordy?" Angel inquired.
"I am sure you can bring her back", Strange assured Angel. "Not everything's about power, some things are about love."
And with that, he disappeared as all realized it was time to save Cordelia now.
"Abaddon, my boy! Oh how I have missed you! And you come home with a gift," Mephisto clutched the space where a human heart would be as Adam stood with the Beastmaster in his grip, "I'm getting that proud feeling again."
"Not Abaddon. Adam now." Adam told him as he threw the Beastmaster to his "father's" feet. She looked up at the infinitely more powerful Devil, whose usual malicious smirk turned even more dastardly before snapping his fingers, making her disappear.
"Meh, tomato, tomahto, you are still my son, no matter how much you or that human try to deny it."
"Human. Brother." Adam spread his wings and flew through dimensions.
Mephisto sighed disappointedly before turning to his latest torture edition, the Beastmaster, now chained to two pillars, making her limbs spread in an "X" shape.
"I at least have to give it to my boy, he does bring the most spectacular new victims. Now," Mephisto's smirk widened even further that it threatened to expose his true demonic appearance, and scared the immortal existence out of the Beastmaster. "Where shall I begin?"
And then the Beastmaster screamed in agony like she had experienced never before as her eternal torture in Mephisto's Dimension began, and since she was a former Power That Be, it was even sweeter for the Hell Lord.
Adam flew back into the Beastmaster's Dimension, turning back into Matt as Tara asked. "Beastmaster?"
"Mephisto's permanent guest", Matt shrugged as they sighed in relief.
"We did it", Faith smiled as she and Matt kissed.
"Yeah, we all did", Matt agreed as then they walked to where Cordelia was, still unaware of their presence as she hugged her knees and whispered fearfully to herself.
"Cordy. - Do you remember me?" Angel squatted down beside her. "Angel?"
Cordelia looked up and scrambled away from him on all fours. "No. I'm afraid."
Cordy went to cower in a corner. "I'm afraid. I'm afraid."
Angel slowly walked over to her "Shh. Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."
"I'm fine. Fine. One seven one. One seven one. You'll see. You'll see, one seven one. My head doesn't hurt." Cordelia held her head in her hands. "My head doesn't hurt. Now I'm warm. My head doesn't hurt."
"You don't remember me, do you?" Angel asked sadly.
"I was there. I wanted to die. But - but I was - was afraid to die. So afraid to die. One seven one." Cordelia repeated the number over and over.
"Shh, Cordy, it's okay. Everything is gonna be okay."
"It was my fault. I was there. I couldn't do anything. There was nothing I could do."
"Everything is gonna be okay."
Remembering Strange's cryptic advice, Angel leaned in and softly kissed Cordelia on the mouth, and that seemed to snap her out of it as she closed her eyes and kissed back, leaning into the kiss.
A bright light then surrounded them all.
Matt, Angel, Faith, Willow and Tara all woke up with gasps, and staggered up.
"What happened?" Wesley asked as he rushed to them first. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah", Angel assured. "We're good."
"The Beastmaster?" Fred asked.
"I say it again, permanent guest of Mephisto", Matt said with a shrug.
"Oh, well, fiery hell for the rain of fire, huh?" Lorne noted.
"What about Cordy?" Gunn asked as they turned to look at Cordelia who was still unconscious.
Matt kneeled near her and said. "She's alive."
"Her spirit is weakened from the possession, it will take time to repair itself", Tara sighed sadly as she read Cordelia's aura.
"But she's fine, right?" Angel asked.
"Yeah, I can't tell when she'll wake up, but she's fine", Tara assured him.
"Thank you", Angel said as he looked at the Witched, Devil, Slayer and his team gratefully. "We all did it, we defeated the Beastmaster."
"And your mentor showed up to help defeat her minion", Groo told Matt as he gestured to Skip's body nearby.
"Whoa! Who's bronze fellow there?" Faith asked.
"Skip, Cordelia's guide, but he was also manipulating her for his master", Angel realized.
"Thanks Stick", Matt said with a grateful smile that his mentor had helped out too.
"Well, the big threat on this side is over then", Willow noted. "All of us took it down."
A while later, the now comatose Cordelia had been put on bed as it was time for goodbyes now.
"I don't know how to thank any of you", Angel said as he looked at Matt, Faith, Willow and Tara.
"You don't have to, we're all friends", Willow assured as she and Angel shared a hug. "Besides, now we got a Slayer and the Devil out of the deal, so we're even steven."
"Well, once we take care of some stuff here, you'll have us too", Angel assured as he shared a hug with Tara then.
"Good luck and come soon", Tara wished as Angel smiled.
He then shared a hug with Matt. "We'll meet soon."
"I know", Matt said as Angel then hugged Faith.
"Thanks."
"Thanks."
Then they parted and Matt, Faith, Willow and Tara walked out of the Hyperion, waving to the whole team as they left.
"So, what now?" Wesley asked Angel.
"Well, take care of some stuff here and we go after them", Angel shrugged.
And this is done finally, thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for his help again.
So Jasmine and Skip are dead finally, and Angel Season 4 is over here, and hope Jasmine's new (now ruined) plan made sense here too.
Now Matt and Faith are both going to Sunnydale, and Team Angel shall join them shortly after dealing with some stuff first, guess what? *Winks*
Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.