The woman who had, for a while and only really to one person, been known as "the Dark Slayer" smiles at the witch and the soldier with just a trace of the old look about her.
"Yeah, course I am Dawnie. How else d'you think I'd stay looking like this."
"But… how did… how could" she is tense, looking almost ready to strikebut restrained by the knowledge that would probably be suicide even now. Perhaps especially now.
"You mean the soul thing? You even know what a soul is Dawnie?"
"More than you can know." And there is an edge of anger in her voice that Faith did not expect.
"Then you know its not you. It's a part of you. A real important part. But hey, when I had mine I killed a bunch of guys and went over to the big bad. A soul is, a soul is like B in the day. It's the little voice that says. 'You can't do that. It's wrong'. I don't need that any more, because I know already. I learned the hard way."
"But you're not… you're not even human any more."
"Y'know of all the people that could have said that to me Dawnie, I'd have thought you'd be the last."
"Can you stop calling me that."
"Sure D."
"Not changed a bit, have you? I mean apart from becoming a vampire and learning to wear clothes that aren't made of dead cow. You've got a demon in you and it's…"
"Just a demon, D. Never met a demon I couldn't take. Besides, half girl half demon, you saw the puppets, that's what a Slayer is"
"But… why? Why take the risk."
"Life, D. Your sister told me once that every Slayer had a death wish, she was right, more crazy messed up fast train to hell you are the better you'll be `cause you just won't care enough to hold back. That's why I was better than her, in the day – don't look at me like that you knew it and so did she – but I changed. After I came back to Sunnydale, after everything we did after we left, I had a place in the world and I didn't want to lose it, and I knew I would. I'd get old, I'd get slow and something would catch me and I'd be worm food."
"They never caught me."
"Luck, and things are different for you, you've got a choice. You can pull out when things get crazy. We can't. It's destiny."
"So you just… gave in and joined the ranks of the undead?"
"Seemed like the only thing to do. `Sides, you need me now, and I'm more use to you like this than, well than like you. Now come on, take me back to Scooby central, wherever that is these days, and fill me in on the details."
* * *
In a village in the Holy Land, the four strangers stand and survey the state of the kings of the world and the hearts of men. They were not, on the whole, pleased with what they saw but they were, they knew, uniquely well placed to reshape things such that they were more to their liking.
"I think," says the man in the veil, "that all our preparations are in place, insofar as they can be. Our armies are prepared, as are those of our until-recently-eternal foes and that we have delayed long enough. This being the case then, with of course the – haha - the word from my most esteemed sister Voice-of-Skies, then I suggest that we begin our offensive in earnest."
The silent woman smiles, and nods, and the man removes his veil, revealing a beauty beyond par or parallel, and throughout the village, wherever men but glanced outside and caught a glimpse of the Foretaste of Paradise, they died in joy.
* * *
It is some hours later, and two planes are winging their way to England. From the East a witch, a soldier and a vampire are making their way wearily back, the vampire lying under a blanket and pleading some form of nondescript headache whenever somebody asks precisely why she's sheltering like that. From the west meanwhile a man who has, for the best part of the decade, called himself "Alex" is flying with his second wife to what may be the final confrontation with a woman who, many years ago, he saved from herself. Both parties are riding somewhat lethargically to war, both sides driven by visions of a brave new world where nothing is left unchanged.
* * *
It was as good as tomorrow when the three women got back to the house where the witch lives in all senses but the official. The house, having been purchased originally as a staging post for Scooby meetings is reasonably well appointed with guest space. Faith, being used to living in an abandoned temple is happy to take the ersatz bed-cum-holding-pen in the cellar which had been designed more for less willing undead inhabitants. The witch of course has a room of her own, but is in her doubly jetlagged state a little shocked at first to find it inhabited by the girl Sarah who, she finally recalls, had been staying here to look after Giles while they have been away. She creeps downstairs to find sofa space, and finds the soldier in the kitchen eating cereal
"Why are you…?"
"I'm hungry, who says you can only eat cereal when you wake up? Why aren't you in bed?"
"Sarah. And don't look at me like that."
"I bet she looks cute. Everybody looks cute when they're asleep."
"I've just been to Istanbul and back, met an old boyfriend and an old enemy and found the one I thought would be on my side wasn't. I'm tired, and a little stinky, and I just want to sleep, so about now she's looking like an evil bitch monster who stole my nice comfy bed."
"Yeah, but a cute evil bitch monster who stole your nice comfy bed. You want me to pour you some cereal?"
"No thank you. I am going to pass out on the sofa, and tomorrow I am going to wake up and I am going to have a spectacular plan to save the world. I am confident I will succeed in at least one of these aims. Hopefully two."
The night passes without event. More precisely about five hours pass without event before the witch is awoken by clattering from the kitchen.
"Sorry Miss R. Didn't mean to wake you but Rupert really needs to be kept to his routine or it confuses him."
"Not a problem Sarah, not a problem at all I was… just planning on getting up"
"You're a terrible liar Miss R."
"Okay I was actually planning on sleeping until October, but since I'm up if you could make me a cup of tea I would love you until the end of time."
"Simple thank you will be enough Miss R. I've finished that article by the way if you're interested."
"Article?"
"My article. On the relevance of Gardenerian philosophy… sorry you've probably had more important things on your mind" there is just the faintest note of disappointment in her voice.
"Oh that article. Sorry it's early and I've been busy."
"I understand. Not back saving the world are you?"
"Umm… yes actually."
"Really? If you need any help in that whole… with… you know spells and things."
"No!" and the urgency and sharpness of her tone surprises even herself. "This sort of thing is dangerous. Really dangerous. It's not a game, it's not something you just get into for a while and give up and move on. Best-case scenario you die young in some pointless fight with a thing from another dimension, worst case you wind up like…"
"Like you, Miss R. I can think of worse ways to wind up. I mean I've always rather admired you…"
"And I can't stop you, but trust me you don't want to wind up like me, and you certainly don't want to…" the witch cuts herself short. I should not, she muses, be having this kind of conversation in this state of mind.
"Don't want to what?" the girl is bright, innocent and honest, and hanging on the witch's every word.
"to… wind up how I could have wound up. I've been lucky."
"You know Miss R you really are a bad liar" there is an almost mischievous glint in the young woman's eye.
"News!" cries the witch in a desperate effort to change the subject. "Should really check the news to see if there's any of that end of the world happening anywhere…"
So saying she switches the television on, and is greeted by a newscaster of sober demeanour.
"That's convenient."
"What is?"
"How you just turned on the TV and there just happened to be a news bulletin on."
"Yeah, happens a lot, I think it's a destiny thing. That or it's just News 24."
"…crews attempted to make contact with the village, but no word has been heard. Reports from the area suggest that the entire village has vanished from the face of the earth. Militant groups in the area have denied responsibility"
"Damn. Get Dawn – Mrs Charteris – and there's a woman in the basement – the cellar"
"I know what a basement is, I do watch TV Miss R. Umm… did you say there's a woman in the cellar."
"Yeah. Oh in case you're wondering…"
"It's okay Miss R, I've seen it before. I'm very open minded."
"It's for demons."
"As I say Miss R, you are a very bad liar. Anyway what should I tell them."
"That it's starting. Really starting."
* * *
Over a village now empty, the four strangers stand triumphant, it is a small start, but it is a start. The silent woman smiles to herself, as she often does, and nods to the black-cloaked figure. The cloak is cast back, to reveal a woman tall and dark and majestic, she rises into the air carried by six dark wings, she cries to the sky and her voice is judgement.