Disclaimer: I do not own Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.
Guest: No problem. No I'm not using those games. I love them as games but they're licensed fanfiction. Now sure BFME II also takes a lot of liberties but I can justify those in the story due to the Partners' influence. Talion and Celebrimbor wouldn't make much sense.
Chapter 97- Soulless
Next morning, the Scoobies took their showers, ate their breakfasts, and returned to the viewing room in their usual positions.
Buffy picked up the remote and started the recording.
There was stack of newspapers on the street as a headline said- 'Crime Wave Shuts Down City'. Connor took the top bundle and used it to hit a Vamp when another punched him but he punched back. Two of them beat him up and swung him into high pressure gas cylinders, but he ripped the nozzle off one, blasting high pressure gas on their faces. He decked one and spin kicked another but the third slammed him into the wall of a nearby security booth as the other 2 grabbed his arms and immobilized him. They were out-of-towners.
"With the sun gone, all Vampires are gonna flock here", Buffy muttered grimly.
"And this is just the beginning, it will spread", Giles noted.
Connor kicked the Vamp hard in the face and broke free of the others. He triggered a spring-loaded stake on his wrist and quickly killed one of the vampires as the other one got to his feet and charged. Connor leapt onto the roof of the guard booth at the last instant. The vampire's momentum carried him headfirst through the booth's glass window, shattering it. He slid back out of the booth onto the ground, stunned. Connor dropped down next to it and dusted him. The last vampire charged Connor with an enraged snarl and knocked his stake free. Connor beat him back with a rapid flurry of punches, then lifted him up and hurls him 20 feet into the air where he slams into a billboard and dropped to the ground. Connor picked the stake up. "Welcome to L.A." He whipped the stake at the vampire and it struck its mark, dusting him. Connor looked down at the dusty remains and shook his head. "Tourists…" Then he looked up as a gang of five more vampires sauntered down the street toward him. He watched warily as three more dropped from the rooftops at the opposite end.
"So many are already here", Willow said as they groaned.
"News spreads fast", Summers shrugged.
At Hyperion, Cordelia held the receptacle with Angel's soul as Wesley set it inside a safe and locked it. Cordelia said they were doing the right thing, if risky as Wesley told them of Angelus' history, adding his only goal would be to get free and slaughter them. Cordelia added he'll want to make them suffer for being Angel's link to humanity. Wesley told them to watch the monitor and pay attention to everything. He'd prepared for this whole life but still wasn't ready, and Angelus was smarter so he'd do something Wesley wouldn't see coming. Angelus sang to himself in the cage with a smile.
"Angelus", Buffy sighed.
"Don't want to say it, but he's a better singer", Dawnster commented.
"Yeah, unfortunately", Rosenberg nodded.
"Only thing he's better at though", Maclay said.
Wesley walked downstairs with a crossbow, greeting Angelus, who quipped he was feeling the love due to Wesley and Wo-Pang bringing him. Wesley said Angel had made the choice but Angelus said Wesley was still the brains, while Wesley sat down on a chair, the crossbow on his lap. Wesley apologized for the accommodations, reminding him of terrorizing Sunnydale, to which he called the Slayer a pistol.
"Thanks, I guess", Buffy said, both horrified and flattered.
"He was impressed by us as a genuine opponent", Summers nodded.
"But you aren't the only Slayer who'll be a pistol", Harris smirked, and they knew who he talked of.
Wesley said he'd read everything about Angelus, so to be one-on-one with him was a high point as a former Watcher. Angelus agreed to play the game, offering to tell Wesley any sick details, so he agreed to start with Angelus' first nun, but Angelus told him to ask about the Beast, so he asked if he knew the Beast, before asking why Angel didn't remember, to which Angelus said maybe he didn't want to remember, then asked the deal with Angel and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
"The illusion", Xander realized. "It was like that film."
"I believe Angelus was not pleased with that", Giles commented.
"Definitely not", Buffy agreed.
Angelus talked about the fantasy, including fighting the Beast and commenting he couldn't be happy till the whole gang was. Angelus then told Wesley his agenda was to get info on the Beast and play hero, which he denied as Angelus now brought up Fred without naming her, saying Wesley wanted to impress her and make her love him. He slammed his hands against the bars as Wesley raised his crossbow, while Angelus said Wesley would bend her over the kitchen counter, even if she was too bony for his taste, but those were different strokes. He then taunted Wesley with Fred's and Gunn's relationship while Wesley looked at the camera, worried.
"Definitely didn't see that coming", Dawnster nodded.
"I did, considering what he said to me, it is not surprising he brought this up", Buffy told her.
"Yeah, he brings up stuff to attack your heart and mind", Rosenberg sighed, everyone disturbed by Angelus' brutal words, which were true, mixed with lies.
Fred told Gunn not to believe anything, Cordelia adding he mixed truth and lies. Fred said those were just words, while Wesley congratulated Angelus on exploiting a weakness, but they should move on. Angelus taunted they'd been looking for the Beast in the wrong place, but he wouldn't tell the right one since it wouldn't be sporting, though Wesley pointed out if they were adversaries, he'd do him a favor by ending the Beast. Angelus said Wesley was still the same loser in spite of his new looks, and eventually Wesley said he'd put Angel back inside if he didn't talk, to which Angelus called him a failure again. Angelus then mocked his stamina, saying that's why Fred was uninterested.
"You bastard", Xander snarled, clutching his fists in rage.
"It is difficult to tell what he wants with his adversaries, considering he kept Spike around", Summers commented.
"He is just one complicated enemy", Buffy sighed. "Hard to fight those."
"Wesley is holding his own, but I'm afraid it won't last", Giles noted grimly.
Wesley said he must hate Angel for fighting evil as Angelus said he must hate not being a champion, reminding him of his failures like Lilah sucking Lorne's brain and Faith, and then Connor's kidnapping, saying he couldn't understand the special bond between father and child since his father was ashamed of him. Wesley said Connor hated him so the Universe had maintained balance, and Angelus then mocked Cordelia. Gunn almost turned down the sound above till Cordelia stopped him as Angelus asked. "Which do you think is worse, Wes? Stealing my kid like you did or banging him… like Cordelia? All that bumpin' and grindin', fire raining in the sky… quite a picture. Well, more of a snapshot, 'cause Connor…" Fred and Gunn now realized the truth as Angelus asked for a drink, and Connor entered, bloody and beaten, noticing Fred and Gunn staring at him.
"They finally know", Dawnster commented.
"At least now they're bringing up the disgusting nature of the whole thing", Willow pointed out.
"Yeah, that's good", Tara agreed.
"It's pretty weird when Angelus is the one you agree with", Buffy said, sounding disturbed.
"I know right?" Rosenberg asked her.
Wesley arrived, saying Angelus wanted blood, so Fred and Gunn went to get it. Fred entered with a glass of blood and Gunn with a crossbow, as Angelus made a mocking comparison to Othello and Desdemona. Fred pushed a wheeled cart with a glass of blood as Angelus mocked them by saying how he listened to them during the night. Gunn said he couldn't ever get any, raising his crossbow as Angelus raised his hands and stepped backwards. Fred pushed the cart forward, past the red line. Angelus stared at her like a predator, then reached out and picked up the cup of blood. He held it with a smile, then viciously kicked the cart, sending it slamming into Fred's legs. She fell forward onto it and he pulled it back toward the cage. He seized her by the neck and held her against the bars in front of him. "Might get some now."
"Crap!" Xander screamed in horror.
"No!" Dawnster screamed at the same time.
"Oh no", Buffy sighed.
"Fred", Willow whispered, concerned for her friend.
"He got them", Tara muttered.
"Unfortunately", Giles nodded.
"Yeah, he knew how to play this just right", Summers nodded grimly.
Gunn dropped the crossbow and rushed forward, trying to freed Fred from Angelus when a dart hit his hand, Wesley standing on the stairs with a rifle as he loaded another one. Angelus' grip loosened as Gunn pulled Fred free while Wesley got Angelus in the chest, making him collapse as Wesley said Angelus was unpredictable so they'd played into his hands, then warned Gunn never to drop his weapon as he walked off, pausing to see Fred and Gunn embrace.
"Yeah, never drop your weapon when around Angelus", Dawn agreed with a nod.
"He let emotions get the better of him there", Maclay sighed.
"Not something they can afford right now", Giles told them.
"Yeah, he is dangerous when he manipulates emotions", Buffy agreed.
"At least he saved 'em", Harris pointed out.
Cordelia entered as Connor was changing and gave him a black shirt that belonged to Angel, which he took. She told him not to go back out but he said all still looked at him as if he was connected to the Beast, only for Cordelia to reveal Angelus had told everyone of their night together. Connor said if Angel didn't care, he shouldn't either but she said it wasn't Angel and asked him to rest, but he said she shouldn't tell him what to do, so she walked out.
"That's not Angel, and you better remember that", Buffy said to Connor.
"I'm still wondering why no one is bringing up how disgusting the thing between him and 'Cordelia' is", Rosenberg wondered.
"Yeah, the thing possessing her took advantage of him. Considering how he grew up, he wouldn't have the capability to say no even if he wanted to", Tara pointed out, and now the disgust increased as that hit them.
"Poor Connor", Xander muttered. "The spell theory makes sense now."
Wesley was trying to look for the fantasy sword as Fred thanked him for saving her, and assured there was nothing wrong with how he felt about her. Wesley then suddenly kissed Fred and she returned it, then broke off guiltily as Wesley turned back to the books while Gunn arrived, realizing he'd walked into something, as Wesley told him to leave Fred out of it. Gunn stalked over to Wesley furiously and he should leave Fred out of it.
"Okay, I supported Wesley and Fred over Fred and Gunn, but what they did here was wrong", Dawnster said, no one disagreeing.
"Yeah, I agree", Willow said, sharing a look with Xander, the two having been in this situation before.
"Yup, it's just gonna hurt Gunn, and not do much about them", Xander agreed.
"So Gunn has every right to be angry now", Buffy said grimly.
"Angelus is the one who spilled the beans, clearly, he wanted this", Giles said to them.
"And now he has it", Tara realized.
"Yup, the guy is an expert in mixing truth and lies, and instigating fights", Summers agreed, everyone watching the screen grimly.
"And now you're gonna see it first-hand", Harris said.
Gunn accused Fred of running off to Wesley since he wasn't good enough. He told Wesley to stay away from Fred as Angelus came to and listened below, laughing. "That was fast." Connor snuck into the basement door as Gunn lunged at Wesley but Fred pushed him out into the lobby. Gunn said Wesley took everything without caring who it belonged to, to which Wesley retorted Fred didn't come with a deed. Cordelia and Lorne were drawn by the shouting too as Gunn brought up Wesley's mess with Connor, to which he responded that Gunn was only good at throwing blame. He then told Gunn he couldn't give Fred what she needed.
"Shouldn't have said that", Xander said, everyone tensing now.
"Oh yeah", Dawn nodded.
Gunn decked Wesley, who then decked him back twice on the abdomen. Gunn held Wesley by the collar to the counter only for Wesley to free himself. Lorne tried to stop them as Gunn pushed him back, then hauled his fist back, accidentally getting Fred on the mouth as he decked Wesley. Cordelia and Lorne knelt next to Fred as Gunn turned and realized what he'd done. Cordelia looked up at Gunn, then noticed Connor approaching Angelus in the monitor.
"Hitting her was a mistake, but the whole thing went too far", Buffy said.
"None of them could keep any emotion in check, and let Angelus play them", Tara noted.
"They did, Fred and Wesley were wrong to kiss like that", Maclay said. "But then Wesley and Gunn escalating this into a physical fight at a time like this was also wrong."
"Definitely going to agree there", Rosenberg nodded.
Angelus noted his shirt on Connor and said it looked good on him, also calling him son. Connor brought up Cordelia as Angelus said she looked good on anyone. Connor told Angelus about Angel's warning as he stood up and said it was a nice speech, reminding him of the promise to kill him. Angelus then said that was unnecessary as with Connor's track record, Angelus would stake himself, since Darla had been sickened by Connor squirming inside her and staked herself, and Holtz had stabbed himself in the neck due to Connor disappointing him. Connor almost called Holtz his father angrily before saying he was a good man who'd wanted to punish Angelus, and now he'd be.
"Holtz was a good man once, not when he came to the present", Willow shook her head. "He became as bad as Angelus, if not worse."
"And he had a soul", Dawnster added.
"He is getting under Connor's skin", Buffy noted.
"Yeah, would have undone any progress with Connor, if there was any", Summers sighed.
Angelus then said the first woman Connor had boned was the closest thing he had to a mother, joking there should be a play.
"What was it?" Xander suddenly started thinking. "What was…? Right! Oedipus, he killed his dad and slept with his mom, right?"
"Yeah, that's the summary version", Willow noted, as the comparison now disturbed them all even more.
"When Angelus is calling something out as disgusting, you know how bad that is", Dawn told them.
"Yeah, I can see that", Buffy nodded, everyone uncomfortable.
Connor said Angel was his dad, not Angelus, but then said Angel was something he was forced to wear, so Angelus was his real father. Angelus asked Connor to get him, almost getting him to step across the red line but Cordelia stopped him and told him to go back upstairs, which he did reluctantly as Angelus taunted him.
"Oh, it was your lucky day, kid", Harris told him.
"Yes, I don't believe Angelus would hold back the way Angel did", Giles nodded.
"Oh he'd be disgusted that Connor made him feel so much love", Buffy said, speaking from experience.
Cordelia disconnected the camera and told Angelus they'd make a deal. He'd tell them all he knew about the Beast and in return, get her. Angelus was surprised but Cordelia assured this wasn't a game, rather an offer. Cordelia said as a champion, sacrifices had to be made. Angelus said he would love to do many things to her body but she was lying, to which she asked him to look into her eyes, both Angel and Angelus knew her better than anyone. He stared at her, considering.
"Okay, wow! And eww!" Dawnster said. "Did she really make that offer?"
"It does look like she did, but Cordy is possessed", Buffy pointed out.
"So the thing has something else in mind, right?" Willow asked.
"Oh yeah, it has a plan that will mess this up", Maclay told them.
"Considering she is possessed, I had a feeling that would happen", Tara sighed.
"You were right", Summers nodded.
"Well, sucks", Xander sighed.
"Tell me about it", Harris told him.
Cordelia later faced the team, saying Angelus would tell them, and assured she wasn't being manipulated, but refused to tell what she'd done.
"Because it's not in your favor", Rosenberg warned.
Wesley later sat in front of the cage as the rest watched from the monitor. Angelus said the year was 1789, Wesley realizing he'd been in Prussia due to his research. Angelus said he was taking a shortcut to Vienna but felt like someone was watching him. In 1789, Prussia, Angelus came across many corpses torn into pieces, littering his way. Angelus told Wesley there were many bodies but no drop to drink, so he'd followed the trail and found the Beast. In 1789, Angelus watched the Beast hold a man by the throat, then toss the body aside. "We had a lot in common." Angelus stepped up to the man and violently snapped his neck.
"So that's how they met", Buffy said, everyone watching in apprehension.
"Yep, 2 evil Titans", Dawn told them.
"Sounds rather accurate", Giles noted in a grim tone.
"Yeah", Willow sighed.
Angelus said the Beast had staged the carnage to impress him. Some Svea Priestesses wanted to banish the Beast, and he couldn't touch them due to some magic, however, a Vampire could. Angelus would kill the priestesses and the Beast would repay him someday down the line. In 1789, the Beast said. "You need not be my enemy. Join with me, Angelus." Angelus revealed he'd declined as the Beast's fist slammed into his face in 1979, making him collapse. Angelus said he wasn't big on teamwork.
"Oh yeah, Spike was pretty clear on that when he came to me", Buffy commented.
"No love lost between the baddies", Xander quipped.
"Sounds about right", Dawnster said.
"I think the Beast is going to be interrupted from killing Angelus", Willow noted.
"Right you are", Rosenberg nodded.
The Svea Priestesses appeared across the field, dressed in blue cloaks and carrying long staves topped with glowing crystals. Angelus revealed they'd banished the Beast then, but he hadn't noticed properly due to passing out.
"So that's the tale then", Tara commented.
"Yes, that's all of it, and Angelus remembers it, even if Angel doesn't", Maclay told them all.
"Hopefully, the info helps", Willow said. "Hopefully."
Later, all of them researched, Fred finding something- they were descendants of the powerful Nordic priestess Svea. Gunn tried to look over her shoulder at the book but she gave it Wesley while looking at him awkwardly, so he shook his head and went to office's other end as Gunn eventually said they were in Pacoima, so it'd take 25 minutes to get to them.
"Well, that's not too far", Dawnster said with a slight smile.
"But since the thing possessing Cordy knows, my hopes aren't high", Buffy added and they groaned.
"Yeah, that is horrible", Xander muttered.
Cordelia, Wesley and Connor arrived at a small house where a Svea Priestess lived. No one answered the doorbell and on turning the knob, Wesley realized it was open as they went inside, Connor seeing a family picture with a husband, wife and children. Cordelia then suddenly found something shocking in the living room and the other 2 followed her gaze to see the whole family slaughtered. Cordelia now wondered if the Beast was psychic and Connor said he may have been watching them. Wesley found one body of an 8 year old.
"Oh my God!" Dawnster gasped, covering her mouth as Tara held her for comfort, the others saddened and disturbed by the whole slaughter.
"It got them already", Buffy muttered, clutching her fists angrily.
"Yeah, the Beast already took them down", Summers said sadly.
"Bastard", Xander snarled.
"Yeah", Harris nodded.
"That poor family", Giles said in sympathy.
"More innocents slaughtered for no reason", Willow sighed in a sad tone.
Cordelia wondered if Angelus had sent the Beast some demonic Morse code message but Wesley said they'd been for a few days, even before Wo-Pang had removed Angel's soul. Wesley then found a piece of parchment that had the banishment incantation. Connor was unusually affected by the sight as he noticed a calendar in the kitchen with 'Daddy's birthday' marked on it, so he ran out to the streets, vomiting into the bushes as Cordelia arrived, noting the sun should be up, and realized it was different for him since these were humans.
"Yeah, first time he has seen humans slaughtered like that, and he was taught to believe they are better than Demons", Rosenberg pointed out to them all.
"Must have affected him", Tara sighed with a nod.
"Especially since it was an innocent family", Buffy said sadly, rubbing her head.
A Vampire suddenly leapt and attacked. Connor avoided his blow and beat him down when another leapt and decked Cordelia before Connor staked him. The first got up as he and Connor exchanged blows, then Connor punched him and grabbing his arm, tossed him away. An SUV slammed into him at full speed. It was Wesley, who opened the door, Cordelia and Connor getting in. 3 more Vamps arrived as Connor broke the grip of the Vamp who'd been slammed, and Wesley drove away.
They sighed in relief as Dawn commented. "Always get more of them at a time like this."
"Yeah, but they messed with the wrong people", Xander shrugged.
Angelus sang to himself as Lorne, Fred and Gunn monitored him and then Cordelia, Wesley and Connor returned, informing them of the developments, and it was decided since Angelus had told them all he knew, it was time to bring Angel back. Connor went upstairs as Cordelia met Angelus, telling him what had happened. Angelus called the slaughter fun stuff, jokingly asking for a souvenir, and now wanted Cordelia to honor her end of the deal, but she pointed out the world wasn't saved. Wesley spun the combination on the safe while Angelus was not pleased. Cordelia said they were returning his soul just in time for the apocalypse, which sucked for Angelus since he loved those. She said he was a disease and Angel couldn't wait to get rid of him as Angelus eventually reached out to grab her throat but it was off by an inch as Cordelia didn't even flinch. "Not even close."
The sudden movement had caught the past people slightly by surprise but only slightly.
Angelus' calm façade cracked for the first time as Cordelia walked off and he said he'd keep her alive longer if she pissed him off more, wondering if she was a screamer. Cordelia then walked into the office where the others were waiting, and they stared at her as Fred revealed. "Angel's soul….it's gone." Cordelia stared at the empty safe in shock as the screen went black.
"She took it, didn't she?" Buffy now asked. "I mean, the being."
"Yes, she took it", Summers nodded grimly. "That was her plan."
"Take Angel's soul, steal it, then let Angelus out", Willow summed up.
"Once again, she thought this through, since their plan was sound had Cordelia not been possessed", Tara pointed out.
"Yeah, and till the Beast is out there, they are not going to focus on her", Maclay sighed sadly.
"But you returned his soul, bet she didn't count on that", Dawnster said to Willow with a smile.
"Nope", Willow said, shaking her head with a smirk.
"That was a shock for her", Rosenberg nodded with her own smirk.
"Well, nice to shock that thing", Xander shrugged.
"Angelus is going to be let out now, isn't he?" Giles asked.
"Oh yeah, he is", Harris nodded.
"And his presence is going to increase the havoc by a lot", Dawn said grimly, everyone knowing it was about to get even worse than it already was.
"Let's watch it", Buffy said, picking up the remote.
The episode was directed by Sean Astin, who played Samwise Gamgee in 'The Lord of the Rings Trilogy', guess that's why it was so amazing, since I loved this episode a lot.
Angelus calling out all the bullshit was so much fun too.
Now I'm waiting for the episode after next one for obvious reasons. Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter. Stay safe from the coronavirus ya all!