BUFFY
THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
INNER
LIGHT
Epilogue
In The
Dark
King
sat huddled in the corner of the pitch-black chamber, muttering incoherently to
himself as his body shook, wracked by the powerful spasms that ripped through
him. He'd given up fighting the poison. What was the point when you were going
to die anyway? Better to die fast in this place than to sit here and slowly
fade away. If it weren't for that slut who called herself the Slayer he
wouldn't be trapped down here like a rat in a hole. He would be out in the
world, able to at least face death with a little dignity rather than to simply
be left for dead down here. It was embarrassing more than anything else. Here
he was, a King among vampires, rightly feared by just about any other creature
of the night, being forced to live out his last remaining years in some dark
dank cave that had once housed his salvation. Such a defeatist attitude
normally wasn't his style but there seemed very little he could actually do in
this place to save himself. Down here he couldn't even see his hand in front of
his face let alone any possible way out. And it was all thanks to her.
"Slayer!"
he roared at the roof of the cave in pure fury. A powerful spasm shot through
him causing his legs to convulse wildly.
No
matter which direction his thoughts took they always came back to the Slayer.
And why shouldn't they? After all she was to blame for his incarceration here.
If only he could get his hands around her neck now he would delight in
snapping, or even better, choking the life out of her so that he could see the
fear in her eyes as she realised what was going to happen. Suddenly he noticed
something, a tiny pinprick of light throbbing steadily nearby that cast its
eerie glow around the whole chamber. Could it be a way out?
Slowly
he summoned up what little strength he had left to control his spasms and began
to crawl shakily across the floor towards the strange light. The nearer he got
the more he could tell this wasn't a way out. The light source did not get
bigger as he neared it. Then suddenly he recognised it. It was one of the
particles of light from the process of revival the temple triggered. It was so
small he wasn't sure if it would heal him but what the hell, it was worth a
try. Cautiously he reached out with his trembling hand and wrapped his long
pale fingers around the small pinprick glow. It seemed to soak into his palm
and as it did so the light began to expand and move through him.
Suddenly
the pain hit him, like someone was pouring acid through his veins. He roared in
agony and collapsed onto his back his limbs thrashing as the light burned
through him, scouring the poison from his veins. He brought his hands up to
cover his face and cried out again before the pain began to subside. Slowly his
thrashing limbs began to calm themselves and his hands left his face to reveal
his true vampire visage staring around the chamber with its feral yellow eyes.
He clambered steadily to his feet and held his hand out in front of him. It
didn't even twitch.
"I
feel," his lips peeled back into a cruel smile. "Better!"