Part VI
BLEYS
"Bleys, Brand is back."
I saw Buffy go pale as Fiona spoke, and I wasn't feeling much better about it. Giles saw the three of us were deeply distressed, and asked quietly, "Forgive me for asking, but the rest of us are in the dark here. . .who is Brand?" I explained quickly, with the others in the room looking visibly appalled at what Brand had tried to do. . .and almost accomplished. After I finished, Wesley looked puzzled, and asked, "Well, that certainly was an unpleasant story. . .but from what you've told us, Brand is very dead, thanks to the marksmanship of Caine. What's the problem?"
Xander snickered and commented, "Well, considering our history with demons you thought were dead. . ." only to be interrupted by a look from Buffy. He fell silent as Fiona nodded and replied, "Ordinarily, of course, you'd be correct, Wesley; however, Brand died under very unusual circumstances. He was in a state of greatly heightened power and was carrying the most potent object of power in the universe when he died. . .my observations indicate that he was able to project his life force into the Great Abyss of Chaos, where he waited and watched for an opportunity to manifest again. The Hellmouth, with its minor connection to the Logrus of Chaos, presented a perfect opportunity. He reached out with his mind and began manipulating the connection, making it stronger and stronger. The effects have been visible here for the last three years, your time."
I saw Buffy's face darken, and she whispered bitterly, "Yes, they have." Giles walked behind her and put his hand on her shoulder as Fiona continued, "When he grew powerful enough, he was able to influence creatures of Chaos and give them access to this shadow, in order to thwart any efforts to stop his plan. Unfortunately, it was only a few hours ago that his operations created such a disturbance that I was able to detect him in spite of his efforts to conceal himself: I was then able to work backwards and discern what he had done. . .and what he would do. Just before the connection is due to explode the shadow, he intends to appear here and absorb all of the energy. If he succeeds, he will be more powerful than he ever was."
I frowned and commented, "Well, we're ready to prevent that. . .and that will certainly cause him to try to interfere with us. Did your studies indicate how and when he would manifest himself?" Fiona nodded and replied, "By my calculations, if he uses all of his power to increase his strength rather than gather allies, he should be powerful enough to manifest in three hours; fortunately, he will be somewhat less powerful than he would be if he waited until the Hellmouth was ready to explode. Still, he will be quite formidable. There's more bad news. . .I've tried all of the others, but they're either incommunicado or engaged with serious crises of their own. I suspect Brand has manipulated matters to lessen the potential resistance to his re-emergence. According to what I've been able to make out, Brand will manifest as one of the most powerful beings of this shadow. . .the being with the most intimate connection to the Hellmouth itself."
I frowned and turned to the others. "Who would that be, Giles?" Abruptly I noticed that Buffy had gone pale again, and her expression briefly suggested primal fear before she squelched it. Concerned, I walked over to Buffy and noted that Giles' expression was grim. I looked at him and asked again, "Who is it, Giles?"
"The Master." The voice came from the stacks, and Angel appeared, walking down the stairs and coming over to me. Seeing that I still wasn't enlightened, he continued, "The vampire lord who tried to open the Hellmouth. . .the one who killed Buffy."
*****
FIONA
Buffy looked scared, though she tried hard to hide it, and Bleys was looking more than a little unhinged himself. Small wonder. . .to find a daughter unexpectedly, only to see her immediately exposed to mortal danger. I had picked the information out of his surface thoughts when I Trumped him. . .it would have been impossible to miss, as it was foremost there. Remarkable, the level of power she had manifested even without walking the Pattern. . .she would be a worthy addition to the family, if we all survived this crisis.
Faith chose this moment to comment, "Hell, B kicked his ass before, and she's got a lot more firepower backing her up this time. Right, B?" Buffy still looked shaken, but turned to Faith and snapped, "Damn right, Faith." She looked determined, and I hated to bring further bad news to challenge her resolve, but she deserved to know. "Buffy, it won't just be the creature you defeated. . .he'll also have a measure of Brand's own power to strengthen him . . .he will be undoubtedly the most formidable foe you have ever faced."
Buffy sighed and replied, "That should be the title of my autobiography, since I hear it like, once a month." She brightened and commented, "But there are two of you here, right? . . .you have him outnumbered." I met her determined gaze and replied, "Bleys will be needed to help Willow complete the ritual. . .and I will have to use all of my attention to neutralize Brand's most dangerous powers. . .and the others will have to hold off his Chaos allies. . .you will have to be the one who holds him off until the ritual is done. . .and I fear you may not be strong enough yet, Buffy. You have assumed far more of your true power than any of us did without walking the Pattern, but. . ." A dangerous thought entered my mind. . .* yes, it could work, there's still enough time. . .but should she risk it? * I turned to Bleys and met his gaze: he nodded, and I turned to Buffy. "Buffy, there is one thing that might do it, but it carries great risk." I took a deep breath, and told my niece something we all had heard at one time in our youth: "Buffy, you need to walk the Pattern."
BUFFY
I took a long moment to take that idea in. . . * wow, a day ago I'm a Slayer with a world full of hassles, and now I'm an ex-Slayer with the chance to do something that could make me a god. . .if I live through it. * I looked back at her and replied, "Given the alternative, I think I'm up for it. How do we get there?"
Wesley chose this moment to interrupt. "Wait just a minute! What is this Pattern, and what will happen to Buffy if she walks it?" Bleys replied, "The Great Pattern of Amber is the center of all order in the universe: it was what Brand tried to destroy to remake reality in his image. Its physical manifestation is a complex pattern of lines that rests within the lower levels of Castle. A member of the Royal Family of Amber who walks the design successfully gains the ability to consciously manipulate shadow and gains the full measure of an Amberite's physical abilities, though they still may improve those abilities further based on training and special aptitude."
Faith frowned, and asked, "What does that have to do with Buffy?" I was about to open my mouth to fill them in when Fiona interrupted, "My brother Bleys wandered this area of shadow many years ago and became. . .ah. . .involved with one of Buffy's female ancestors. He recognized some family traits when he met Buffy, and some magical tests confirmed the relation." I kept my mouth closed and stared at my aunt. * Wow. . .Bleys wasn't kidding about his relatives' ability to lie at will. * Wesley and Faith seemed satisfied with the explanation, but Giles asked, "Are there any risks involved?"
Bleys nodded and replied, "Once one steps on the Pattern, they must complete the walk or die. It has only happened once, but the effects are well known. That is why one of us always watches from nearby to offer advice when a young Amberite attempts their first Pattern walk." He turned to me and said, "I'll take you, Buffy. Fiona can handle the ritual here better than I can. . .and I have a feeling that she and Willow will work well together. There won't be any more attacks yet. . .Brand will conserve his forces for when he is ready to manifest."
Wesley frowned and commented, "Ordinarily, I'd be reluctant to risk sending a Slayer into such a dangerous situation without supervision. . .but given the stakes, I suppose we have no choice. You may proceed, Buffy."
I was annoyed, but suddenly I remembered something that caused me to grin broadly. I turned to Wesley and replied, "Oh, Wesley. . .apparently I ceased being the Slayer after the Master killed me. . .so, and I do mean this in the most rude and unpleasant way possible. . .you're fired." I turned to Faith and apologetically commented, "The little weasel's all yours, Faith. . .my sympathies." I looked around the rest of the room, and took great pleasure in the enjoyment my friends, particularly Giles, were taking in my nasty comment. Faith looked annoyed, and Wesley was looking to Giles for an explanation. . .I was sorry that I was going to miss that, but time was short. . .and I had a seriously nasty rite of passage to complete. I turned to my father and whispered, "Let's go."
BLEYS
I pulled out the Trump that I had drawn in the aftermath of Patternfall, when I realized that it was important to be able to reach the Pattern on short notice. I concentrated on the scene, and it quickly took on a semblance of reality. I took Buffy's hand and we walked forward. . .ending up in the dark cavern lit only by the glowing blue lines of the Pattern. We were standing but five feet from where the entry point was, and I could see Buffy staring at it with trepidation.
I motioned for Buffy to sit, and for the next ten minutes I told her what she would need to know regarding her ordeal. I told her of how the path would exert a drag on her as she walked, and that it would vary at times. I warned her of the sparks that would shoot up as she walked, and that they could not hurt her. I told her of the First and Second Veils, and how they would challenge her endurance as she moved through them, and her mind as old memories would be dredged up. I described the long, tedious path of the Grand Curve. Lastly, I told her of the Final Veil, and how it would be a formidable obstacle even as the final goal rested tantalizingly close. When I had finished, she looked at me and shook her head, commenting, "Couldn't you people have just come up with a bar mitzvah or something?" I laughed, and placed my hand on her shoulder. I took a deep breath, and replied, "Right now, I wish we had. But you've been a survivor long before you ever heard of Amber, and I have complete confidence in you. Good luck."
She met my gaze and nodded, then turned to the Pattern and walked right up to the starting point. I heard her take one more deep breath, then she stepped onto the line, her foot immediately being outlined in electric blue.
BUFFY
My foot went down onto the line, and I felt an odd buzzing feeling, like an electric charge, but not painful. I could feel the line tugging at my feet as I went along, but it was not enough to really slow me down, and I continued along the line as it curved along. After a few minutes, I felt the resistance increase, and sparks began to fly up around me. They were pretty. . .it was a shame that I couldn't stop and watch them. I also noticed that there seemed to be an aura of blue flame around me: it was a shame that no one could get some videos of this. . .I bet they would look cool.
As I struggled along, I began to see images from my past. . .my early childhood went by in a blur, then I saw my cousin die horribly at the hands of the Kindestod . . .then high school, where I was cool until Merrick showed up and gave me the whole destiny trip to deal with. . .burning down the gym and getting kicked out of school in LA. . .arriving in Sunnydale and meeting Giles, Willow and Xander. . .oh God, the Master grabbing me and leaning to bite. . .I staggered and almost fell. I could hear Bleys shout, "Buffy! Don't let the memories distract you!"
I straightened and shouted back, "Easy for you to say, Dad!" * Wow, I just called him "Dad". . .I guess I'm dealing with this, after all * I gritted my teeth and continued, as the memories continued to flow. After a moment, I took a deep breath, since I knew that the worst ones were approaching. But then the pressure ceased, and I realized that I had passed the First Veil. I was relieved, since the memories that I was re-living now were all I could bear: Angel turning evil after we made love. . .Jenny's death and my having to save Giles from Angel. . .facing Angel and, later, the Kindestod with a fever that had me in delirium. . .then, the whole Acathla mess, with Kendra dying and my having to ally with Spike to stop Angel. . .At this point, I felt the resistance increase. . .* oh God, I'm hitting the Second Veil and these memories are the worst of all. . .how can I make it? * As I struggled along against the resistance of the Second Veil, with sparks and blue flame everywhere, I focused on Angel's face. . .whatever he had gone through, he was back with us now. I kept that image throughout the whole horrible memory re-living of last June, and when it was done, so was the Second Veil. I painfully turned to the now distant figure of Bleys and nodded at him, then continued along the path.
I soon reached the Grand Curve, and the sparks and flames were more intense than ever. * I'd love to run into some demon looking like this. . .I'd scare them silly * The memories continued to flow, and they had just reached Angel's attempted suicide when I exited the Grand Curve.
I was almost exhausted, but the end was in sight and I was not going to give up. . .no way that was happening. The unpleasant memories of my Cruciamentum, the opening of the Hellmouth, Faith's problems, and the arrival of Evil Willow passed rather quickly, and as I began to feel the resistance that I knew had to be the Final Veil, my memories had taken me to the present. Could it be that it would just be a matter of toughing it out without distractions?. . .somehow I doubted it.
The pressure from the Final Veil was the worst so far, and my pace slowed to a crawl as I stared at the center of the Pattern, only a few yards ahead. So close. . .I drew on every last ounce of determination I had as I inched along. Suddenly, I began to hear a whispering voice. . ."you're not worthy of this. . .every time things get rough, you bail. . .why don't you just stop. . .rest here. . .it'll all be over and you won't have to deal with all of this crap any more. . .do you really think you can beat Brand?. . .you're just a pathetic child. . . what makes you think you can win?"
Rage blossomed within me, and I felt a new reserve of energy flow into me as I snarled, "Because I have to! And I just love proving people who underestimate me wrong. . .I guess you get to be the latest." Agony lanced through me as I took one, two, three steps. . .and fell into the center of the Pattern. My first instinct was to shout in triumph, but some debts were being called in, and I fell into darkness.
BLEYS
I saw her collapse, and I was briefly concerned before realizing that she had succeeded. . .but how long would she be unconscious? Time was of the essence now. I shouted her name, trying to get her attention. . .and after a few minutes, I saw her stir, then leap to her feet. She looked around and saw me standing there. I started clapping, just because it seemed right. She bowed, then called out, "Please tell me I'll never have to do that again."
I called back, "I can't promise that, but you won't have to do it again to claim your birthright, Buffy. . .you are an Amberite, with all that implies, as of now."
She seemed to contemplate that for a moment, then called out, "I can live with that, Bleys. . .all right, now how do I get out of here?"
I grinned and replied, "That's the great part of it, Buffy. Having completed the walk of the Pattern, you can use it to travel anywhere in the universe instantaneously. Just think of where you want to be, and you'll be there in an instant."
Buffy nodded, and I thought I saw her smile before she vanished. I took a moment to deal with a feeling of absolute pride before pulling out Fiona's Trump and concentrating on it.
BUFFY
I grinned and thought * So, anywhere I want, huh? * I concentrated for a moment, and the view changed instantly from the center of the Pattern to Angel's startled face. I grabbed him and pulled him down for a frantic kiss. He resisted for a moment, and made concerned noises when he realized that I was actually stronger than him now. I released him and looked up with a grin. He smiled grimly and commented, "I guess that I'm going to have to change tactics in our training sessions from now on."
I nodded and replied, "You're a clever man. . .I doubt that you'll be at a loss at how to deal with it." I looked around and saw the others staring at me. Faith seemed to have a seriously worried expression on her face before she managed to assume a poker face. The others seemed to be happy just to see me. I noticed Wesley was missing and asked Giles, "Where did the weasel go?"
Giles replied, "He was in a rather bad mood once you fired him, and the verbal abuse that followed convinced him that anywhere else would be a better place to be than here. I expect he's composing a report to the Council."
I grinned and commented, "Good, that will keep him out of our hair for a while." I saw Fiona extend her hand, then Bleys appeared, nodding to his sister. I looked around and was satisfied. No matter how nasty this Brand guy was, I was confident we could kick his ass. . .I had the best allies anyone could hope for.
As always, comments are welcomed and desired.
BLEYS
"Bleys, Brand is back."
I saw Buffy go pale as Fiona spoke, and I wasn't feeling much better about it. Giles saw the three of us were deeply distressed, and asked quietly, "Forgive me for asking, but the rest of us are in the dark here. . .who is Brand?" I explained quickly, with the others in the room looking visibly appalled at what Brand had tried to do. . .and almost accomplished. After I finished, Wesley looked puzzled, and asked, "Well, that certainly was an unpleasant story. . .but from what you've told us, Brand is very dead, thanks to the marksmanship of Caine. What's the problem?"
Xander snickered and commented, "Well, considering our history with demons you thought were dead. . ." only to be interrupted by a look from Buffy. He fell silent as Fiona nodded and replied, "Ordinarily, of course, you'd be correct, Wesley; however, Brand died under very unusual circumstances. He was in a state of greatly heightened power and was carrying the most potent object of power in the universe when he died. . .my observations indicate that he was able to project his life force into the Great Abyss of Chaos, where he waited and watched for an opportunity to manifest again. The Hellmouth, with its minor connection to the Logrus of Chaos, presented a perfect opportunity. He reached out with his mind and began manipulating the connection, making it stronger and stronger. The effects have been visible here for the last three years, your time."
I saw Buffy's face darken, and she whispered bitterly, "Yes, they have." Giles walked behind her and put his hand on her shoulder as Fiona continued, "When he grew powerful enough, he was able to influence creatures of Chaos and give them access to this shadow, in order to thwart any efforts to stop his plan. Unfortunately, it was only a few hours ago that his operations created such a disturbance that I was able to detect him in spite of his efforts to conceal himself: I was then able to work backwards and discern what he had done. . .and what he would do. Just before the connection is due to explode the shadow, he intends to appear here and absorb all of the energy. If he succeeds, he will be more powerful than he ever was."
I frowned and commented, "Well, we're ready to prevent that. . .and that will certainly cause him to try to interfere with us. Did your studies indicate how and when he would manifest himself?" Fiona nodded and replied, "By my calculations, if he uses all of his power to increase his strength rather than gather allies, he should be powerful enough to manifest in three hours; fortunately, he will be somewhat less powerful than he would be if he waited until the Hellmouth was ready to explode. Still, he will be quite formidable. There's more bad news. . .I've tried all of the others, but they're either incommunicado or engaged with serious crises of their own. I suspect Brand has manipulated matters to lessen the potential resistance to his re-emergence. According to what I've been able to make out, Brand will manifest as one of the most powerful beings of this shadow. . .the being with the most intimate connection to the Hellmouth itself."
I frowned and turned to the others. "Who would that be, Giles?" Abruptly I noticed that Buffy had gone pale again, and her expression briefly suggested primal fear before she squelched it. Concerned, I walked over to Buffy and noted that Giles' expression was grim. I looked at him and asked again, "Who is it, Giles?"
"The Master." The voice came from the stacks, and Angel appeared, walking down the stairs and coming over to me. Seeing that I still wasn't enlightened, he continued, "The vampire lord who tried to open the Hellmouth. . .the one who killed Buffy."
*****
FIONA
Buffy looked scared, though she tried hard to hide it, and Bleys was looking more than a little unhinged himself. Small wonder. . .to find a daughter unexpectedly, only to see her immediately exposed to mortal danger. I had picked the information out of his surface thoughts when I Trumped him. . .it would have been impossible to miss, as it was foremost there. Remarkable, the level of power she had manifested even without walking the Pattern. . .she would be a worthy addition to the family, if we all survived this crisis.
Faith chose this moment to comment, "Hell, B kicked his ass before, and she's got a lot more firepower backing her up this time. Right, B?" Buffy still looked shaken, but turned to Faith and snapped, "Damn right, Faith." She looked determined, and I hated to bring further bad news to challenge her resolve, but she deserved to know. "Buffy, it won't just be the creature you defeated. . .he'll also have a measure of Brand's own power to strengthen him . . .he will be undoubtedly the most formidable foe you have ever faced."
Buffy sighed and replied, "That should be the title of my autobiography, since I hear it like, once a month." She brightened and commented, "But there are two of you here, right? . . .you have him outnumbered." I met her determined gaze and replied, "Bleys will be needed to help Willow complete the ritual. . .and I will have to use all of my attention to neutralize Brand's most dangerous powers. . .and the others will have to hold off his Chaos allies. . .you will have to be the one who holds him off until the ritual is done. . .and I fear you may not be strong enough yet, Buffy. You have assumed far more of your true power than any of us did without walking the Pattern, but. . ." A dangerous thought entered my mind. . .* yes, it could work, there's still enough time. . .but should she risk it? * I turned to Bleys and met his gaze: he nodded, and I turned to Buffy. "Buffy, there is one thing that might do it, but it carries great risk." I took a deep breath, and told my niece something we all had heard at one time in our youth: "Buffy, you need to walk the Pattern."
BUFFY
I took a long moment to take that idea in. . . * wow, a day ago I'm a Slayer with a world full of hassles, and now I'm an ex-Slayer with the chance to do something that could make me a god. . .if I live through it. * I looked back at her and replied, "Given the alternative, I think I'm up for it. How do we get there?"
Wesley chose this moment to interrupt. "Wait just a minute! What is this Pattern, and what will happen to Buffy if she walks it?" Bleys replied, "The Great Pattern of Amber is the center of all order in the universe: it was what Brand tried to destroy to remake reality in his image. Its physical manifestation is a complex pattern of lines that rests within the lower levels of Castle. A member of the Royal Family of Amber who walks the design successfully gains the ability to consciously manipulate shadow and gains the full measure of an Amberite's physical abilities, though they still may improve those abilities further based on training and special aptitude."
Faith frowned, and asked, "What does that have to do with Buffy?" I was about to open my mouth to fill them in when Fiona interrupted, "My brother Bleys wandered this area of shadow many years ago and became. . .ah. . .involved with one of Buffy's female ancestors. He recognized some family traits when he met Buffy, and some magical tests confirmed the relation." I kept my mouth closed and stared at my aunt. * Wow. . .Bleys wasn't kidding about his relatives' ability to lie at will. * Wesley and Faith seemed satisfied with the explanation, but Giles asked, "Are there any risks involved?"
Bleys nodded and replied, "Once one steps on the Pattern, they must complete the walk or die. It has only happened once, but the effects are well known. That is why one of us always watches from nearby to offer advice when a young Amberite attempts their first Pattern walk." He turned to me and said, "I'll take you, Buffy. Fiona can handle the ritual here better than I can. . .and I have a feeling that she and Willow will work well together. There won't be any more attacks yet. . .Brand will conserve his forces for when he is ready to manifest."
Wesley frowned and commented, "Ordinarily, I'd be reluctant to risk sending a Slayer into such a dangerous situation without supervision. . .but given the stakes, I suppose we have no choice. You may proceed, Buffy."
I was annoyed, but suddenly I remembered something that caused me to grin broadly. I turned to Wesley and replied, "Oh, Wesley. . .apparently I ceased being the Slayer after the Master killed me. . .so, and I do mean this in the most rude and unpleasant way possible. . .you're fired." I turned to Faith and apologetically commented, "The little weasel's all yours, Faith. . .my sympathies." I looked around the rest of the room, and took great pleasure in the enjoyment my friends, particularly Giles, were taking in my nasty comment. Faith looked annoyed, and Wesley was looking to Giles for an explanation. . .I was sorry that I was going to miss that, but time was short. . .and I had a seriously nasty rite of passage to complete. I turned to my father and whispered, "Let's go."
BLEYS
I pulled out the Trump that I had drawn in the aftermath of Patternfall, when I realized that it was important to be able to reach the Pattern on short notice. I concentrated on the scene, and it quickly took on a semblance of reality. I took Buffy's hand and we walked forward. . .ending up in the dark cavern lit only by the glowing blue lines of the Pattern. We were standing but five feet from where the entry point was, and I could see Buffy staring at it with trepidation.
I motioned for Buffy to sit, and for the next ten minutes I told her what she would need to know regarding her ordeal. I told her of how the path would exert a drag on her as she walked, and that it would vary at times. I warned her of the sparks that would shoot up as she walked, and that they could not hurt her. I told her of the First and Second Veils, and how they would challenge her endurance as she moved through them, and her mind as old memories would be dredged up. I described the long, tedious path of the Grand Curve. Lastly, I told her of the Final Veil, and how it would be a formidable obstacle even as the final goal rested tantalizingly close. When I had finished, she looked at me and shook her head, commenting, "Couldn't you people have just come up with a bar mitzvah or something?" I laughed, and placed my hand on her shoulder. I took a deep breath, and replied, "Right now, I wish we had. But you've been a survivor long before you ever heard of Amber, and I have complete confidence in you. Good luck."
She met my gaze and nodded, then turned to the Pattern and walked right up to the starting point. I heard her take one more deep breath, then she stepped onto the line, her foot immediately being outlined in electric blue.
BUFFY
My foot went down onto the line, and I felt an odd buzzing feeling, like an electric charge, but not painful. I could feel the line tugging at my feet as I went along, but it was not enough to really slow me down, and I continued along the line as it curved along. After a few minutes, I felt the resistance increase, and sparks began to fly up around me. They were pretty. . .it was a shame that I couldn't stop and watch them. I also noticed that there seemed to be an aura of blue flame around me: it was a shame that no one could get some videos of this. . .I bet they would look cool.
As I struggled along, I began to see images from my past. . .my early childhood went by in a blur, then I saw my cousin die horribly at the hands of the Kindestod . . .then high school, where I was cool until Merrick showed up and gave me the whole destiny trip to deal with. . .burning down the gym and getting kicked out of school in LA. . .arriving in Sunnydale and meeting Giles, Willow and Xander. . .oh God, the Master grabbing me and leaning to bite. . .I staggered and almost fell. I could hear Bleys shout, "Buffy! Don't let the memories distract you!"
I straightened and shouted back, "Easy for you to say, Dad!" * Wow, I just called him "Dad". . .I guess I'm dealing with this, after all * I gritted my teeth and continued, as the memories continued to flow. After a moment, I took a deep breath, since I knew that the worst ones were approaching. But then the pressure ceased, and I realized that I had passed the First Veil. I was relieved, since the memories that I was re-living now were all I could bear: Angel turning evil after we made love. . .Jenny's death and my having to save Giles from Angel. . .facing Angel and, later, the Kindestod with a fever that had me in delirium. . .then, the whole Acathla mess, with Kendra dying and my having to ally with Spike to stop Angel. . .At this point, I felt the resistance increase. . .* oh God, I'm hitting the Second Veil and these memories are the worst of all. . .how can I make it? * As I struggled along against the resistance of the Second Veil, with sparks and blue flame everywhere, I focused on Angel's face. . .whatever he had gone through, he was back with us now. I kept that image throughout the whole horrible memory re-living of last June, and when it was done, so was the Second Veil. I painfully turned to the now distant figure of Bleys and nodded at him, then continued along the path.
I soon reached the Grand Curve, and the sparks and flames were more intense than ever. * I'd love to run into some demon looking like this. . .I'd scare them silly * The memories continued to flow, and they had just reached Angel's attempted suicide when I exited the Grand Curve.
I was almost exhausted, but the end was in sight and I was not going to give up. . .no way that was happening. The unpleasant memories of my Cruciamentum, the opening of the Hellmouth, Faith's problems, and the arrival of Evil Willow passed rather quickly, and as I began to feel the resistance that I knew had to be the Final Veil, my memories had taken me to the present. Could it be that it would just be a matter of toughing it out without distractions?. . .somehow I doubted it.
The pressure from the Final Veil was the worst so far, and my pace slowed to a crawl as I stared at the center of the Pattern, only a few yards ahead. So close. . .I drew on every last ounce of determination I had as I inched along. Suddenly, I began to hear a whispering voice. . ."you're not worthy of this. . .every time things get rough, you bail. . .why don't you just stop. . .rest here. . .it'll all be over and you won't have to deal with all of this crap any more. . .do you really think you can beat Brand?. . .you're just a pathetic child. . . what makes you think you can win?"
Rage blossomed within me, and I felt a new reserve of energy flow into me as I snarled, "Because I have to! And I just love proving people who underestimate me wrong. . .I guess you get to be the latest." Agony lanced through me as I took one, two, three steps. . .and fell into the center of the Pattern. My first instinct was to shout in triumph, but some debts were being called in, and I fell into darkness.
BLEYS
I saw her collapse, and I was briefly concerned before realizing that she had succeeded. . .but how long would she be unconscious? Time was of the essence now. I shouted her name, trying to get her attention. . .and after a few minutes, I saw her stir, then leap to her feet. She looked around and saw me standing there. I started clapping, just because it seemed right. She bowed, then called out, "Please tell me I'll never have to do that again."
I called back, "I can't promise that, but you won't have to do it again to claim your birthright, Buffy. . .you are an Amberite, with all that implies, as of now."
She seemed to contemplate that for a moment, then called out, "I can live with that, Bleys. . .all right, now how do I get out of here?"
I grinned and replied, "That's the great part of it, Buffy. Having completed the walk of the Pattern, you can use it to travel anywhere in the universe instantaneously. Just think of where you want to be, and you'll be there in an instant."
Buffy nodded, and I thought I saw her smile before she vanished. I took a moment to deal with a feeling of absolute pride before pulling out Fiona's Trump and concentrating on it.
BUFFY
I grinned and thought * So, anywhere I want, huh? * I concentrated for a moment, and the view changed instantly from the center of the Pattern to Angel's startled face. I grabbed him and pulled him down for a frantic kiss. He resisted for a moment, and made concerned noises when he realized that I was actually stronger than him now. I released him and looked up with a grin. He smiled grimly and commented, "I guess that I'm going to have to change tactics in our training sessions from now on."
I nodded and replied, "You're a clever man. . .I doubt that you'll be at a loss at how to deal with it." I looked around and saw the others staring at me. Faith seemed to have a seriously worried expression on her face before she managed to assume a poker face. The others seemed to be happy just to see me. I noticed Wesley was missing and asked Giles, "Where did the weasel go?"
Giles replied, "He was in a rather bad mood once you fired him, and the verbal abuse that followed convinced him that anywhere else would be a better place to be than here. I expect he's composing a report to the Council."
I grinned and commented, "Good, that will keep him out of our hair for a while." I saw Fiona extend her hand, then Bleys appeared, nodding to his sister. I looked around and was satisfied. No matter how nasty this Brand guy was, I was confident we could kick his ass. . .I had the best allies anyone could hope for.
As always, comments are welcomed and desired.