Yet another cliff-hanger ended the last instalment. And it was short. But that's to be expected, I put it together in just under two hours. This will be longer, and hopefully finish the 'prologue' which is practically a story in its own right. Reviews are addictive. Again, thanks to all my reviewers. You're great. Enough blather, on with the story.
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*
Buffy was distraught. Giles had brushed her off at the hospital after Xander had left, and she wanted to know why. All her questions had been met with evasions or outright denials of knowledge. What was Xander up to? Where had Oz gone? Why did Angel leave me alive after he beat me? To toy with my mind again? All these questions and more were spinning through Buffy's head like a tornado.
Don't I owe Xander? After all he was helping me when I went into Angel's warehouse. No. I need to get my feelings for Angel sorted out before I can feel for someone else. Anyway, didn't I brush Xander off at the spring fling? How can he have feelings for me still after that?
Buffy was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Spike saunter out of a bar right in front of her. "Hey, Slayer, what are you doing in this neighbourhood alone?" asked Spike with a hint of a leer. "Right now, Spike, I'm not doing anything, but that can change if you care to volunteer as my new punching bag. My last one broke. I punched it too hard." Deadpanned Buffy. "I'm really not in the mood for vamp killing Spike, so get out of my sight." "OK, Slayer, I just thought maybe you might want to know that me an' Dru are heading out of Sunnydale. It's getting too hot here, what with your boyfriend bashing the place up." Replied Spike. The line about Drusilla made Buffy curious, "how do you intend to get Dru out of Sunnydale? She's so infatuated with Angel that you couldn't drag her away if she was dead," a hint of Buffy's old fun crept into her voice "oh, I forgot, she already is." "I'll choose to ignore that last comment Slayer, I've wised up since I got here. 'Don't go attacking apparently helpless little blonde girls, they turn out to be the Slayer, which hurts. A lot." Buffy grinned "anyway, I'm getting out of Sunnydale, with Dru, if I have to drag her kicking and screaming into the next state. See ya round, Slayer." With that, Spike walked off and quickly disappeared into the early morning darkness.
Buffy was left standing in the street, staring after Spike like an idiot.
*
Willow was getting frantic. None of her magic worked. The 'apparition' hadn't warned her about that. She had passing glimpses of the creatures that inhabited this planet, tall bipedal, they looked a bit like a chaos demon. Only blue. All looks had been from a distance, as something was blocking her presence from them, which she could only be thankful for. They appeared to hunt their food in huge packs, and when they found prey to kill they tore it apart in such a vicious display it reminded her of the way the raptors in Jurassic Park did just the same thing. Whatever those things are, I don't want to have a closer look. Realising she had stopped walking to think to herself, Willow started trudging toward the mountain range again.
*
Xander had been ambushed by groups of vamps as he tailed Angelus. Which didn't bother him particularly, but had taken its toll on his ammunition supply. He had run out of clips for the MP5 after the first attack, which had composed of more vampires than Xander had encountered for the past week solid. Xander had succeeded in taking them all down with only a slight physical losses, but reflected if there had been two more vamps, or one less clip, I'd now either be one of them, or a finished Happy Meal. As it is, they may have hurt me enough to make killing Angelus difficult if I have to go hand-to-hand. The first vamp, to try to take him by surprise had dived out of doorway, which just succeeded in letting the vamp meet the opposite wall as Xander rolled out of the way, but during the roll, Xander twisted his knee slightly, making him limp as he walked.
After that incident, Xander discarded the MP5. With no ammunition, it was just a dead weight.
The second and third groups had been much smaller, comprising of only two or three vamps apiece. Most seem to have been in the first wave, to take him down by sheer numbers.
Where the hell is this bastard going? Thought Xander. He seems to be heading back for the entrance…
…Oh, shit!
Xander increased his pace. Heading for the main entrance, while pulling his backpack off to remove the claymore. A little surprise for any vamp that wants to try blindsiding me. Xander sniggered. That would be a good light display. I wonder if Sunnydale P.D. would ever work it out? He asked himself sarcastically.
*
Willow had reached the first mountain path, she paused to look back at the place she had come from, and saw a couple of hundred of the blue creatures having a fight over something there. I hope none of my friends are here as well, she prayed silently.
Turning back to the mountain path, Willow jumped out of her skin when another white apparition appeared out of nowhere. This was not the same one, however. Short this time, with the same diaphanous robes and hair, and the white seemed to have darkened slightly, to a very pale grey. It was floating about two feet off the ground.
What is hate? Answer! The spirit projected angrily into her mind.
Huh? Thought Willow, what are you asking me?
The first spirit, the one that had appeared when she arrived at this God forsaken place now appeared before the questioner. This is the first trial, child. To pass you must answer. Be careful how you answer, however. You have unlimited time to answer, but only two tries. Use your heart that usually works.
Usually? Asked Willow sceptically. What if it doesn't?
Then you still have one answer left, replied the spirit, may luck and all the Gods watch over you child. I cannot come again, but once the spirit has been answered correctly, you may ask them that which you require. Goodbye. With that, it vanished, leaving Willow feeling like a friend had just disappeared.
What is hate? Answer! Restated the spirit irritably.
Willow searched her heart for the answer. Poison. Responded Willow. Hatred of another kills a little part of us every day.
Correct. Stated the spirit. What do you require?
What are those things out there? Replied Willow, waving her hand vaguely in the direction she had come from.
Is that all, child?
Yes. For now. Willow thought.
Very well, child. They are the ravagers, the cause of our fall. They came, and we were too interested in studying them to believe them any serious threat. They proved us wrong. They themselves were only interested in destroying anything they could not control. The planet was once rich and verdant, until they destroyed it. We have no further information about any of them. Now they fight each other to get the few remaining sources of food, yet you are somehow immune to them. You do not attract them the way every other form of life does.
I am not from this planet. Replied Willow as a possible explanation.
That may be the reason that they have not found you, child
I hope it is. I must continue now.
Very well child. The spirit said in her mind. Child! If you are not from this plane, your body is not real here. Your true body will remain in a state of deep trance, coma like, until you complete your tasks here.
What if I fail? Asked Willow carefully.
Simply, child, do not fail. Ended the spirit.
*
Buffy had just reached the drive of her home when her mother rushed out of the door to meet her. "What do you think you're doing, young lady, staying out until 3:30 in the morning?" Joyce exclaimed "you get inside right this minute before I… I… oh, Buffy! Why were you out so late?" "Giles and Willow are in the hospital mom." Said Buffy quietly, causing Joyce to gasp quietly and cover her mouth with her hand. "Some vamps decided to crash a research party we had going. Me and Xander weren't there. We were out looking for Angel." "The ex-boyfriend that's gone all psychotic stalker on you?" Joyce asked, "Why were you looking for him? He seems pretty good at finding you himself." "I know, mom…" started Buffy, but stopped when she noticed Angel running down the road toward her and her mother. "Mom, get inside. NOW." Buffy said forcefully, "Angel's coming!"
Buffy was right. Angel was running down Rovello Drive, in an attempt to get a very pissed Xander off his tail. Fear was a completely new emotion to Angelus, before; he had been the one inspiring fear in others. To have one whom he should be terrorising making him run like a frightened child was a new experience. It didn't help that Xander had survived four vamp ambushes that he had set up, and was stalking him how a wild animal would stalk its prey. Coupled with the cold precision a veteran soldier uses when angered, Angelus was more than a tad concerned that if it came to an out-and-out fight, he would lose…
…But not without taking Xander down with him.
When Angelus spotted Buffy standing on her front lawn with her mother, he quickly formulated a plan. I can use the animosity between Buffy and Xander about me to my advantage. Confuse Buffy. It's easily done at the best of times, but now it should be a complete walkover. Either get Xander fighting her, or use her as a distraction while I prepare to destroy Xander. Angelus put on his hurt face, and cried out in thanks as he neared Buffy. "Oh, Buffy, thank God I've found you. Xander's gone mad. Giles and Willow managed to cast the spell before Angelus' vamps got to the Library. I've got my soul back, but Xander won't believe me and is trying to kill me! He got all of Angelus' vampires and I only just escaped with my life, so to speak, help me!" "Oh, Angel!" cried Buffy rushing to him, "I'll talk some sense into Xander. Wait over by the house while I try to explain." Angelus fake limped over to the entrance of the house, watching Joyce to see if she saw past his deception. Buffy could almost be thought of as simple, thought Angelus. She's so blinded by love for a person she will never truly know that she is willing to throw away all her friends. Pitiful.
On cue, Xander ran around the curve in the road, limping slightly, but not enough to slow him down. Jeez, this guys a regular G.I Joe. Thought Angelus. Buffy ran forward to meet him in the street, and Angelus took that as the indication that it was time to leave.
The demon stopped him. See what your enemy is capable of. It whispered into his mind. If he can turn on his friends in an effort to reach a goal, he is truly a dangerous foe. Watch. Learn. You may need the knowledge in the future. So Angelus found a convenient tree and swung up into the branches to watch.
Xander was in full soldier mode as Buffy neared him. He nearly mistook her for another vamp and opened fire. Nearly. Raising the SOCOM pistol, Xander sighted down it at the head of the body and his finger started to tighten on the trigger. "Xander!" the exclamation from the blonde head shocked him out of hunting mode, as both the soldier and Hyena personalities called it and he focussed on the face. "Buffy?" asked Xander. "What are you doing? Get out of my way! I need to kill Angelus." "Xander, no! He's Angel again. Giles and Willow succeeded on the spell. He has his soul back. And is running scared because you've gone all psycho-soldier on him. I won't let you hurt him. I'll defend him myself if I must, and I won't be gentle."
Xander seemed to be thinking, tilting his head to the side, and looking into the distance. "Gee, Buff, you really have fallen for his shit, hook, line, sinker, rod and copy of 'Angling Times' haven't you? I've been hunting him for all of three hours, and not an hour ago he was rutting in the hay with his vamp flavour of the month, who he sacrificed because I got too close to his personal space. He's still the bad old Angelus who ran out on you."
At this point, Joyce had come up to the two teens, and having heard most of the conversation, as it was said rather loud. Joyce wondered if the neighbourhood would wake up, but then remembered that Sunnydale residents were rather good at ignoring any unusual sounds in the night. "Buffy, Xander, don't you think both of you are over reacting slightly? I mean, Buffy, you're willing to attack one of your best friends to protect someone who, frankly, I don't think is worth protecting. And Xander, you are decked out in enough military hardware to make Rambo jealous." Xander cut in, "you're right Mrs. S, but he got me really riled and I just wanted to go hunting." While saying this he was thinking, I'm saying this to shut you up, but I'm still gonna kill the bastard. Then Buffy cut in "I still won't let you hurt him Xander." To which, Xander responded only by shifting his stance, which clearly advertised 'you and what army, slayer?' Joyce noticed the subtle shift in body language from Xander, and was disturbed by this, quickly saying "Buffy, why don't you go inside now? Xander, I think you had better go home." Buffy looked about to argue, but a look from Joyce stopped her, and she headed in. "Sure, OK, Mrs. S," said Xander "I'd better go home now, too." But not before I find Angelus he finished in his mind. Xander took off at a loping trot, shifting into a sniper run after he was round the corner and spotted Angelus in the distance, heading to his mansion. That was the only building in that direction.
*
Continuing up the mountain path had been quite tiring for Willow, as she had never been one for physical activity, preferring books and study to gymnastics and running. As she reached a cave, another spirit arrived in front of her, asking her the next question.
What is pride? Answer!
Willow was unsure about this answer. She tried the first idea that came to her. Pride is that which again destroys a part of us if we entertain it. For inevitably, there will be someone to prove we are not the best, and with that proof will be our downfall.
Correct. Intoned the spirit. Remember: There Is Always Someone Stronger. The voice modulated slightly, the nature of the test changes from here, child. After each answer has been made, the path will test your truthfulness to the answer. Beware.
Thank you. Finished Willow and continued on. Soon the path narrowed, and then forked, to the right, and to the left. What does this have to do with the test? Thought Willow unless…
…the path to the right cannot be the correct one, as pride can come from being correct, or right. So I choose the left fork.
As soon as Willow put her foot on the left fork, the right shimmered, and disappeared to be replaced by a sheer drop down a cliff. It was not a small drop, at least 300 metres. She would have been killed the instant she landed. Whoa! Thought Willow looking down at the drop. These tests are deadly!
After walking about another two miles, Willow encountered another apparition.
What is Justice? Answer!
This one was easy. It was in a book she had read, and agreed with the comment whole-heartedly. Justice is a thing for which we will be forever thirsty, and will be forever parched. We content ourselves with Law. There will never be a thing such as true Natural Justice, good things will happen to bad people, and bad things will happen to good people, it's the way it has to be. Order toward entropy, not the other way around.
Correct. Continue.
Willow walked past the spirit, and continued as told along the path. After a short time, cresting the brow of the mountain, Willow looked down into a valley, which appeared completely annihilated. Taking a further step, Willow had to jump back at the sudden appearance of a jet-black spirit, so dark it appeared to suck the light out of the surrounding area. This spirit intoned:
The tests are over child, except one. Do you wish to take this final test? The penalty for failure is death.
I have no choice. Replied Willow.
You will forever have a choice if you pass this final test, the spirit answered, and if you fail, you will have little need for choice.
What is the question? Asked Willow irritably.
No question, little one, but a test of faith and trust in whichever Gods you believe in. Walk forward.
Willow did as told, praying to every God and Goddess she could name to protect her. None answered. But then, none ever did. As she walked, Willow noticed a rapid deterioration in the ground. Cracks growing, mud starting to bubble and seethe as she walked past, and looking back, as she had not been told not to, saw that about five steps behind her the path was being eaten by lava. She struggled not to speed up, to remain walking at a constant pace, to believe that the Gods would protect her. It was hard, however, Gods it was hard. Willow could feel the searing heat of the lava on her back, seemingly trying to make her lose her 'cool'. Up ahead she saw a widening of the path, into a circular area of ground in an ocean, it seemed, of lava. Reaching the middle of the disk, she turned to see that the path had stopped dissolving at the edge of the area.
The first two spirits she had talked to in the blackness reappeared in front of her. They appeared human, and solid. The first spoke, in that disconcerting double voice, and said, out loud. "Child, in this area we are safe from the ravagers. They will not enter. Shortly, you may leave this place to head back to your 'earth' yet to get home you must have help. We are the Powers That Be, those who watch, and occasionally get involved in the balance between good and evil." The second started talking and went off at a tangent "Although we do like to have servants in the realms of humanity, they are not always useful. As you have passed the tests in this forsaken place we call home, or used to at any rate, you are considered worthy. We wish to use you as our power on earth."
"What!" squeaked Willow "you mean, you want me to become some sort of servant?"
"No, not that. We just want to use your eyes to witness what will come. With Angelus stalking the earth again, the balance was shifted to evil, which made good compensate by calling your friend, Alexander, to battle. He had the knowledge and the skills, if not gained correctly. Good had to recruit him before he could be twisted to evil. He is closing on Angelus. Soon Angelus will die, and we want to see what evil picks to play as the King next."
"You're telling me that our lives are some cosmic game of Chess!" Willow said, "All of life is just some game!"
"Not quite, child. You have free will, but occasionally, the Gods interpose and push your life in a direction it would never have taken by itself. Not without very dire circumstances, at any rate."
The first cut in again "The forces of good always seem to think that the universe must inherently be good, and that life must strive for goodness. Evil thinks that all is against it, while what we truly seek is balance between the two. Not entirely good, nor entirely evil. Equilibrium."
"I'll be your eyes," said Willow, "but right now I just want to get back to my body."
"Very well child. To return, you must become more adept at magic than you are. If you will permit, allow us to add to your knowledge, and your power."
Willow just nodded mutely. The two powers surrounded her with their arms and started chanting.
*
Norse Roe was upset. After seeing the patient wake up, she left to get the doctor on duty, and spent nearly 20 minutes persuading him that, yes, the patient was awake, and, no, she wasn't hallucinating or on drugs. And then, when they arrived at the room, her charge was out like a light again, and had the brain wave patterns of someone in a very deep coma, but with the odd spike here or there, seemingly random, which imitated normal brain activity.
Then she proceeded to sit up again. Moaning and clutching her head, muttering something about 'if I'd known it was going to be that painful I would've stayed where I was' and then muttering a few curses to various Gods in several different languages, none of which Nurse Roe could understand. Then, to put the icing on the cake, after she sat up, she swung her legs over the side and stood up.
Willow looked quizzically at Nurse Roe, then smiled and said, "Where are my clothes? I'm getting out of here." Nurse Roe was so surprised she just pointed at the wardrobe where her clothes had been stored and watched dumbfounded as Willow put them on casually and strolled out of the room.
That was easy thought Willow I barely even tried to confuse her long enough to get out without argument, and she stood there like someone had kicked her puppy.
Willow headed home.
*
OK. That's the end of this chapter. The next will follow soon, probably tomorrow, and will concentrate on the Xander/Angelus fight that's been begging to happen. Willow doesn't find Xander. He wants to work solo for a while. Again thanks to my reviewers. Feedback fuels chapters.
Author's note2: With hindsight, I'm not very pleased with the way this chapter turned out. I've taken the characters in directions I'm not sure they will go properly. I've been rereading/writing this for about 5 days and I'm still not happy. I'll finish the prologue then analyse how it's going. I'm also going to edit the previous chapters and format them better. And my A-levels are coming up in a week. It may be a while until the next chapter.