Author: Norwalker
Part 10 of ?
Summary: Faith asks, in Enemies, " Everybody asks why can't you be more like Buffy. But does anyone ask why Buffy can't be more like me?" So, what if , after season 3, Buffy became more like Faith?
Rating/ Category: Rated R Romance/Angst
Spoilers: Possible season 3 and after spoilers.
Time Line: Departs after season 3
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon , Mutant Enemy and Fox own them.
Warnings: Dark fiction. Character Death happens, please be aware of this. Strong language, sexual situations between members of the same sex. Violence. Possible racial/ethnic slurs that the author in no way supports or shares.
It's well past midnight in Sunnydale, yet Buffy is out patrolling.
At least that's the reason she is using to be out this late. But she isn't really doing much in the way of hunting. She is sitting on a headstone, thinking. She is thinking about tonight, what it'd all meant, what she's going to do now. Mostly, however, she's thinking about God. Or the powers that be, or whatever was supposed to be on the good side of the balance of the universe.
She wonders why He/She/ They hate her so. Why do they put all of this on her? Is this really her destiny, or is it just some cruel cosmic joke, because they got bored?
Hasn't my life gone to hell enough yet for them to be happy? What more do they want? I've lost my life, my family. Most of those people I called "friends" have walked away from me. I nearly committed suicide, but Faith saved me… the one little bright spot in my life is Faith. And I might lose her now. Because I can't figure out who I am. Or what I want, or any of it.
Are you laughing yet, Powers that Be? Guess that wasn't enough, huh?
Cuz now you're asking me for something more. Something that's killing me. Yeah, and I'm sure you're up there just having a giggle fest over it.
You took my mom from me. You took Angel from me. You took Xander from me. Now, the last of my friends, my best friend, you want her, too.
You want me to kill her!
Buffy thinks back on the conversation she had with Giles, Faith and Tara earlier this evening.
The were sitting in the Revello Drive house, Giles having come over after they called him. They told him what they'd learned, and he was still trying to process it all.
" I'm still not quite understanding what you're trying to tell me," Giles said, being almost deliberately obtuse. " What exactly are you trying to tell me?" Despite what the others had told him, Giles was still trying to understand what had provoked Willow to say such things about him. He'd always considered Willow more than just a part of the group; more than just a friend. Like Buffy, he considered her to be as close to a daughter as he would ever come. What they told him, what she'd said about him, cut deeply. He didn't want to believe it.
"Giles, isn't it obvious?" Buffy said, " We're not trying to vague it up here. Something's wrong with Will. This isn't like her, not at all."
" Yeah, G" Faith adds, " I'm not a big fan of Red, you know that. But this isn't like her, I gotta admit".
"Tara, tell Giles what you told us" Buffy said, trying to encourage the woman to speak up.
Tara told Giles about the auras. How Willow's had gradually been changing, and now was totally different from what it had been. She also spoke of how Will's energy, her natural flow, had changed. How it seemed to have fragmented, as if something were forced inside her being.
Then she told everyone about the headaches. How Willow had been having severe headaches for awhile. So severe at times to disable her, bring her to tears. How they'd suddenly stopped… and how she'd been… different after that.
Tara hesitated for a moment. She looked around the group, all eyes were on her. She felt conflicted about saying more. She knew Willow was in trouble. That she needed help. But it seemed like a betrayal, too. As if she, Tara, were airing their dirty laundry for the group to judge.
Buffy noted Tara's internal struggle. She reached over, and took Tara's hand, trying to reassure her. Telling her silently that they could be trusted, that they wouldn't judge.
"S-She's been so different" Tara started, still feeling uneasy." At first, it wasn't anything big. She was a little curt with me, and she seemed distant. But I thought that was just a result of the headaches. But it got worse. She started to be…" Tara hesitated, afraid to go on. She took a breath, and continued, " … harsh. Any little thing I did wrong, she'd get…" God, she hated this," … abusive. S-She stated to use words I'd never heard her say before. If I made a suggestion, or pointed out something that she did wrong, she'd either be dismissive, or she'd get angry… so angry sometimes I was scared she'd…" Tara stops. She can't finish. She looked so lost, so afraid that Faith impulsively hugged her. Buffy and Giles were both a bit opened-mouthed.
"S-She became demanding" Tara continued, beginning to feel safer, " she…she ordered me to do things. Not ask, ordered. It… it was so confusing. I… I didn't know how to say no… without making her angry. And…" Tara blushed, " She started wanting me to do strange things in our… lovemaking. It…was so… degrading… some of the things she wanted. If I refused her… she'd…" Tara stops, and rolls up the sleeves to her blouse. The others saw the bruises. There were more, but she's too modest to show them.
The three sit in stunned silence. This was beyond anything they'd imagined. Buffy and Faith knew that Willow had been acting weird, but this … was beyond scary. Giles looked as if someone had hit him with a board.
" She must be…" Giles tried to cope with the shock of what he'd heard, "She must be possessed by something…evil"
"The note, Tara, show G the note" Faith said. Tara gave Giles the note.
Giles looked up after reading the note. His face was grim, his eyes reflected his concern.
" This proves it then" He said, restating the obvious," Something is trying to take her over".
"Set, Giles" Buffy said, quietly." It has to be Set".
Giles nodded his agreement. " He needs a body to exist on this plane of existence. Those headaches must have been him attacking, and Willow subconsciously defending against the attack. When they ceased, he'd won," Giles mused. He turned to Tara and asked," How long has this been going on?".
"W-Willow had the headaches for months" Tara confesses, ashamed she hadn't done something sooner, " they stopped a couple of weeks ago".
"That would coincide with the … signs" Giles said, quietly, " things seemed be getting stranger in the last couple of weeks. More portents, and a reduction in demon activity".
"What about Will, Giles?" Buffy said, turning the subject back to her friend." From what Tara said, she's becoming less and less like herself".
Giles sighed, " It's obvious that Set is taking a stronger hold on her. If it continues like this…." Giles trailed off.
" What?" Buffy asked, concerned.
" It might not be possible to separate Willow from Set. Her core personality might be irrevocably altered. She won't be the Willow we know" Giles said, quietly.
" B-But that Willow… the one we know, is still there!" Tara insisted, " She wrote me that note, begging for help."
" But that Willow is growing weaker… and soon, may be gone altogether" Giles replied." Unless we act quickly, find some way to drive Set out of Willow's body… it might leave us no choice". Giles looked unhappy.
"What? What are you saying, Giles?" Buffy says, not wanting to hear what she already knew.
"Unless we can find a way to separate Set from Willow, and soon, the only way that we'll be able to stop Set…" Giles stopped. He was aware that the next statement was going to be difficult to hear," … is to kill Willow, too."
After that the meeting was over. Tara, who hardly ever expressed her emotions publicly, cried. She just covered her face, and broke down, not believing what she'd heard. Not wanting to deal with the reality of what had to be. Buffy and Faith did their best to try to comfort her, but the girl was devastated. She already feared it was too late, that she'd lost Willow, her soul mate, forever. No more discussion about what they were going to do was held . Tara was an integral part of anything they might plan, and right now, she wasn't able to deal.
Buffy and Faith offered to let Tara stay with them. They knew she was in danger, and they didn't want her to go home. But she insisted. She pulled herself together enough to realize that Willow, or that thing in Willow's body, would be suspicious if she didn't come home. She knew for their plans to work, she had to act as if nothing were wrong. For as long as she could, she had to keep up the fiction that she didn't know Willow was different. Tara might be shy; she might be afraid to venture an opinion afraid she'll hurt someone. But at the core, she was a brave young woman, and had the steel required to do what was necessary. Buffy and Faith walked her home, keeping her safe as long as they could. Both had to admire the girl. Faced with the same situation, neither was sure they could be as brave.
Walking home, both slayers were silent. Buffy finally spoke up, saying she wanted to take a final sweep before calling it a night. Faith offered to come along, but Buffy declined, saying that things had been pretty quiet, and that she could handle it by herself. Faith gave Buffy a puzzled look, but didn't push it. She could tell, even in the silence, that Buffy was struggling with something, and needed to work it out. She told Buffy she'd meet her back at the house; if Giles were still there, she'd see what else he knew about Set. They came to Revello drive, and Faith turned to Buffy, and put her hand on Buffy's shoulder.
" B, you know… no matter what, I'm with you, right?" Faith said, quietly.
"Yeah, Faith, I know" Buffy said, puzzled by Faith's words. Why was she telling her this now?
" Ok, B. Just so you know" Faith said, turning and heading towards the house. Buffy stood watching her, her expression unreadable. She finally started towards Restfield Cemetery, and her patrol.
So Buffy sits here, trying to figure it all out. It all comes back to: When it comes down to it, if she has to, can she kill Willow?
She knows, in her gut, that she'll be faced with that choice. Hesitating a second can be deadly for all of them. So she has to do this now. She has to face the possibility… no, the probability, that she'll have to destroy Set, and in doing so, condemn Willow to death. If they can't find some way of getting him out of her, before their personalities merge, she'll have to destroy Willow's body… and her soul.
When she'd been faced with this decision with Faith, she hadn't hesitated. It'd been so clear then. Faith was evil, she'd chosen to be evil( little did she know it wasn't that simple). She knew that Faith was responsible for Angel dying. So, when the cure for the poison was the blood of a slayer, it'd been an easy decision. Kill Faith, save Angel.
" I didn't realize how tough that would be" Buffy broods to herself, " not the act… the act was easy. It was what I felt at the moment I saw the knife plunge into her. The look on her face. The blood, flowing out of her wound, onto my hands. But most of all, her words " You really did it, B, you killed me". Those words haunt me to this day. At that moment, I tried to take a human life… something I hadn't done before. I became no better than she was…worse, because she killed her first victim accidentally. I meant to kill her, I planned on it. I know, given the chance, she would've killed me. So, I can rationalize it as self defense. But truth be told, it would've been murder… if I'd succeeded."
"Now, I've got to kill Will" Buffy thinks, " I don't even have the kill or be killed protection. Will is innocent. She didn't choose what became of her. But being innocent doesn't protect her. I have to do this. I have to… or the world suffers. I know my duty. But how can I do it?"
"How can I kill her?" Buffy cries out to no one in particular. " How do I kill my best friend? When I needed help, she was there. When I loved badly, when my heart was broken, she was there. This isn't fair. THIS ISN'T FAIR! She did nothing wrong. She only tried to do good, and now I have to murder her. YES, MURDER. It's nothing less than that. I have to destroy her life, to save the world. How many times am I going to have to give up those I love for the world? How many times?"
She sits, staring at the ground. She mumbles to herself, almost a mantra " It's for the greater good. It's for the greater good". Her expression hardens, she looks heavenwards, her eyes trying to pierce the distance, as if to look the Powers that Be straight in the eye. "What has the greater good ever done for me?" Buffy cries out, anguished.
"That's a good question, Buffy" A voice drifts to her from behind. She whirls, and sees Willow standing before her. Willow's expression is one of concern and worry.
"Hey, Buffy" Willow/Set says, solicitously." How're you doin'?"
"Hey, Will" Buffy replies, a little warily. She's more than a little freaked that Willow should appear just as all this is running through her head. "Whatcha doin' here, Will?"
" Looking for you, I guess" Willow/Set says." Strangest thing. Tara came home crying tonight. She tried to hide it, of course. But her eyes were red, and I could feel the waves of sadness rolling off her" Willow/Set gives Buffy a strange look, " She said she'd been with you and Faith. Not at first, of course. I had to kinda get it out of her. Like she was trying to hide it. What's that about?"
Buffy susses the situation quickly. She can try to lie to Willow/Set, but she suspects that won't work. She doesn't know what powers this god may have. So she decides to tell the truth… selectively.
" She's kinda worried about you, Will" Buffy says.
"Really? That's weird, huh?" Willow/Set says, " wonder what about. Got any idea?"
" She wasn't really clear about it," Buffy says," she sorta hinted at magic. Something about your use of magic. Maybe she's worried about that?"
"That's silly" Willow/Set says, seemingly relieved, " I mean, sure, I'm kinda more advanced. I've been studying the craft a lot. But I'm careful, Buffy. I've been focusing my craft. I don't go blooey nearly as much as I used to" Willow/Set grins.
Buffy shrugs, " Maybe you just need to talk to her. Let her know you're ok. That you're willing to listen. I know she really loves you, Will. I'm sure you can work this out" Buffy smiles.
"Yeah, you're right. I'll talk to her. I'm sure she's just blowing everything all outta proportion." Willow/Set says, " I'm glad we talked. I feel a whole lot better now, Buffy".
"Glad to hear it, Will" Buffy says, feeling a bit relieved. For now, at least, 'Willow' seems to be unaware that they know about her.
" Guess I'll get back to my sweetie" Willow/Set smiles. She starts off, then turns, a puzzled look on her face.
" Oh yeah, Buffy. Can I ask you something?" Willow/Set asks.
" Sure, Will , anything" Buffy says.
"Why do you want to kill me, Buffy?" Willow/Set asks casually, as if asking for the time.
Buffy looks shocked. Mentally, she's scrambling. What the hell … how did she know that? Oh hell, I think I just stepped into it, big time.
"What the hell? Willow, what're you talking about?" Buffy says, acting confused." That's crazy talk".
"Is it, Buffy?" Willow/Set says," I don't think so. I know you know about me, Buffy." Willow/Set's eyes turn red. " Tara told me everything. Not at first of course. She took some convincing. But in the end she told all."
"If you've hurt her in any way" Buffy says, advancing, her anger rising, " I'm gonna…" But Willow/Set interrupts her.
" You're gonna what, Buffy?" Willow/Set asks. She points at Buffy, and Buffy finds herself flying backwards 15 feet, landing hard on her back. She lies there, stunned.
Willow/Set walks over to her, looking down on the slayer. She reaches down to help Buffy up, but Buffy shakes off her hand, and gets up. Willow/Set sighs.
" Buffy, you know what I'm becoming," Willow/Set says, mildly." I'm not at full power yet, and still I can knock you off your feet. Kill you if I wanted to. But I don't want to."
" Did it occur to any of you… you, Giles, Faith, Tara or Angel… did it register that maybe I want this?" Willow/Set asks.
" Well, of course, you want this." Buffy says, sarcastically," but, does Willow want this? I doubt that!"
" You just don't get it, do you?" Willow/Set says, irritated," I can't just inhabit anyone. If I could, I'd probably have chosen one of you…Faith or you. Willow, despite her power, isn't all that interesting to me. But that's not the point. The point is, the vessel I inhabit, has to want me. That's right. There are rules, even for Gods. I can't inhabit a totally unwilling host. Whomever I inhabit has to have a desire for something I can give them. That's why I'm here. I've got something Willow desires, above all."
"What'd that be?" Buffy says, cynically." A really bad need for Visine?"
" Power, Buffy. Willow craves power. I can give her that. Make her inordinately powerful. More powerful than her wildest dreams" Willow/Set chuckles unpleasantly." That's weird, talking about myself in the third person".
"Maybe because, you're not Willow?" Buffy says, angrily, " Maybe because you've stolen her body, and are lying through your teeth…or her teeth".
"I'm Willow, Buffy. Don't fool yourself" Willow/Set says," sure, at first, she was resistant. She didn't realize what it entailed, to get the power. But we're becoming Buffy. Soon, Willow and I will merge, be one. And then I'll have my full powers".
"I'm so gonna stop you" Buffy says, advancing on Willow/Set, " I'm gonna get you out of her, and I'm gonna kick your godly ass back to whatever dimension you came from!"
Willow/Set, looking bored, raises her hand, and Buffy is suddenly 10 feet in the air, looking down at Willow/Set.
" You can't stop this, Buffy. This is her destiny, same as yours is being a slayer," Willow/Set says, lowering Buffy back to the ground. " Look, Buffy, I didn't come here to fight with you".
"Well, you could've fooled me" Buffy replies.
" It's strange, really. As we merge, I find…we find…we care about you, Buffy. A lot. We… don't want to see you hurt in the battle to come. Because, like it or not, there will be a battle to come". Willow/Set says." I'd rather have you with me, Buffy. At my side, fighting with me".
" Do you know what ' Fat chance in hell ' means?" Buffy replies, angrily, " I'm sorry. I thought you were just evil. Now I see your evil, and crazy too!"
"Buffy" Willow/Set changes, her eyes reverting to their normal green, her voice softening, " don't dismiss this out of hand." She approaches Buffy, who backs up. " No, Buffy, don't be afraid of me", Willow/Set says softly, seductively, " I don't have any desire to hurt you. I want to …" Willow/Set comes to Buffy, and takes her hand, " … help you, Buffy. I know you've suffered," she reaches out, and touches Buffy's face. Buffy is feeling very confused, very…strange. Willow/Set continues, " I want to make it better for you. I love you, Buffy" Willow/Set pulls Buffy closer. Buffy, feeling like the mouse being hunted by the cobra, feels helpless." I can do so much for you, Buffy, if you come to me." Willow/Set leans in, breathing softly into Buffy's ear." I'll make you rich, Buffy. Rich beyond you're wildest dreams." Willow/Set coos softly into Buffy's ear. " They'll adore you, Buffy. You'll be a hero to the people" Willow/Set whispers, " You'll be loved and adored , worshipped. I can make this happen for you, Buffy" Willow/Set licks Buffy's neck. Buffy feels a shiver down her spine, but it's not pleasant." All you have to do, my love, is love me. Worship me. Be mine." Willow/Set pulls her closer, enfolding Buffy in her arms." I know you love your friends, Buffy. I'll even spare them. I'll make them happy, and contented. No harm will come to them. All you have to do is say yes, Buffy. So easy. Just say yes".
Buffy, for the briefest moment, is tempted. She could make it all right again. Everybody would be happy. It'd be over. No more confusion, no more pain. She feels so tired. So tired. She just wants to stop fighting all the time. Be at peace. Let everything go…
" Do it, Buffy" Willow/Sets voice drones, hypnotic." Love me, worship me. Forget the others. Give up your destiny, and be with me. Renounce them, betray them Buffy, and I'll give you everything you want".
It was as if someone doused Buffy in ice cold water. Buffy shoves against the thing in Willow's body, and moves away from her.
"I. Want. Willow. Back!" Buffy says, menacingly." Give me that, creep!" Before Willow/Set can recover, Buffy kicks her, sending her flying back onto her butt. She's up instantly. The red eyes are back, her face a mask of fury.
" Idiot! I offered you everything, and you spurned me. Very well, then" Willow/Set raises her hand, and points at Buffy. " If you don't want what I can give you, then we fight. Or, I fight, you die!"
At that moment, Willow/Set goes flying, courtesy of a shovel aimed at her head.
" Ya know something? I really get pissed when someone makes the move on my girlfriend" Faith says, grinning, " Especially when she goes and threatens her after!"
"Faith" Buffy cries, running to her. She hugs Faith fiercely, kissing her. " God, I'm so glad to see you right now".
" Good thing I got nosey, and followed you, huh?" Faith grins. Suddenly, both slayers are flying apart. Willow/Set is back on her feet, looking pissed.
"You" she says, angrily, to Faith, " You ruined everything! I'm going to enjoy tearing you apart" She starts to advance on Faith, but her feet suddenly aren't on the ground. A tall dark figure lifts her, and tosses her like a rag doll. She lands against a tree, stunned.
"What is it about these apocalypse types, anyway?" Angel says, looking at the fallen Willow/Set, " it's all promises and threats. I really think they need new scriptwriters".
"Excuse me" Buffy says, brushing herself off, " is anyone else lurking around, following me?" She sounds the tiniest bit miffed.
Another figure emerges from the shadows. His platinum hair shines palely in the moonlight, He pulls out a lighter, and lights a cig.
" Just me, pet. In case the prince of poufs here couldn't get it done" Spike says, smirking.
" Listen, bleach boy. Time I need you to fight for me? I'm retiring!" Angel growls.
"Aw, isn't love sweet?" Faith mocks, and Buffy giggles. The two vampires glower at Faith.
Willow/Set, recovering, stands up. She looks around and isn't impressed with the odds. Her powers are still weak, and the four of them pose a small threat. She decides that leaving for now is the best recourse. She does a small spell, creating a fog.
" You screwed up, slayer" Willow/Set calls out, hidden by the fog, " You could've had it all, but you rejected me. Very well. Next time we meet, I'll kill you. But not before I kill you're friends, while you watch." She rages on, her anger rising, " I'm a god, you fools. You'll pay for your perfidy. Each one of you'll die a slow, horrible death. I prom…." Her voice seems choked off, as if someone grabbed her by the neck. For a brief moment there is silence, then her voice resumes. But it's not Set speaking. It's Willow, the true Willow.
" Buffy, I don't have much time" Willow calls out, sounding tired and weak, " Listen. Set is the king of liars. Whatever he says, is false. He's not all powerful. His strength lies in darkness…." The voice is choked off again. Again it's quiet, then the voice returns. Once again, Set is in control.
" Just remember this, slayer. She's part of me now. If I die, so does she!" Willow/Set disappears into the fog.
"Well, well. Red's become one nasty piece of work, hasn't she?" Spike says" Become a bit of a loon, too, from the sound of it."
Buffy, tired and discouraged, doesn't even bother to answer Spike. Faith speaks up.
" That's not Red, Spike" Faith says, irritated. " Didn't you get the memo? That's Set, taking over Red's body".
" Bleedin' hell. No wonder" Spike says, amazed." Never knew Red to be so bossy".
Buffy speaks up, her voice sounding like she's lost her last friend. In some ways, she feels that way.
" Spike, when we were talking earlier, you mentioned some stuff…Something about a sword of Horus, and the Eye of Isis. Supposed to be bad for Set."
" Right, luv. I remember" Spike replies." What about it?"
" We're gonna need them. Where can we get them?" Buffy says, her voice low.
" That's going to cost you, slayer" Spike says.
"Spike!" Angel chimes in, growling
" Listen, ponce. These things are rare, hard to come by," Spike says, " You can't exactly get them at the local Wal-Mart. A lot of palms have to be greased to get a hold of these toys".
" Just get them Spike" Buffy says, " make sure they're real. If you even try to scam me, I'll stake you myself". Buffy turns and begins to walk away.
" They'll be real alright" Spike calls out after her. " You just be sure you've got the cash. The blokes I got to deal with don't believe in credit!"
Buffy doesn't turn around. She just waves her hand as if she's dismissing him. She walks off, Faith following after.
" B! Wait up" Faith calls out to Buffy. Buffy stops, standing with her shoulders rounded. She looks for all the world like she's already defeated.
"Are you ok, B?" Faith asks, worried. Buffy seems so... crushed. Buffy turns to her, her face a blank mask. But her eyes say it all. They're dark, and haunted.
" No, Faith, I'm not ok" Buffy says, her voice remote." I'm so far from ok, I don't even remember what ok is".
" B, I promise. We'll figure this out. We'll find a way to defeat this creep, and save Red. I promise" Faith asserts, trying to bolster Buffy's flagging spirits.
Buffy turns to her, a grateful look in her eyes. God, I'm so lucky she's with me. Buffy hugs Faith.
" Faith, I love you" She says simply. She holds onto Faith, feeling the warmth from Faith's body. It feels so good, so right after the way that… thing held her.
Faith pulls her closer, letting Buffy rest her head on her shoulder. Buffy is quiet against her, no emotions, no crying. Her sadness is way beyond that. It cuts to her soul.
" I've gotta do it , Faith" Buffy says in a low, quiet voice." It's for the greater good".
" Do what, B?" Faith asks, puzzled. She looks into Buffy's face, but it's unreadable.
" I've got to kill her, Faith" Buffy says, her voice dispirited, " I've gotta murder Will. Before that thing takes over completely".
" Buffy, no!" Faith says, shocked ," we'll find another way. Some way to drive that bastard out of her!"
" There's no time, Faith" Buffy says, "She's already powerful enough to kill us. We can't wait for some oogah-boogah cure. If we wait, she'll just get stronger. She'll be too strong for us to defeat."
" B, think about this. It'll…change you" Faith says, speaking from experience." You can't go back, once it's done".
" Doesn't matter, Faith. It's got to be done." Buffy says, accepting the inevitable. She sighs, from her soul." I've gotta do this".
" Buffy" Faith says, " Let me do this. I've… I've already been there. I don't want you to go down this road. It's…horrible"
Buffy looks at Faith, and for the first time tonight, her eyes are shiny from tears.
" Faith, god, I love you so much." Buffy says, her heart breaking a little, " you'd do anything to protect me, I know that. But , I can't let you do this".
" I don't get it, B. Why not?" Faith asks, upset. Buffy hugs her.
" Because, Faith, I owe it to her." Buffy says, quietly, " Will hates this… I can tell. She hates what's happening to her. She knows, I know she does, that she's gonna die. I… I have to be the one to release her, Faith. I have to give her that."
Faith looks at Buffy. She knows she's made up her mind, there's no changing it. She wishes with all her soul she could spare her this. Faith knows what it's like to kill someone. She's done it a few times. You never get it off your hands. It's always there, right in front of you. The guilt eats at you, every day. She knows that once you go down this road, there's no going back. You're never the same again. She'd give anything not to have Buffy know what it's like. But there's no stopping her, once her mind is set. Faith feels her heart beating in her chest, and wishes right now she could just die. It hurts that much.
"What can I do B? How can I help?" Faith asks, sadly.
"Just hold me, Faith" Buffy pleads, " Don't let me go. I need to be held right now, baby"
Faith holds her tighter, wishing she could drive all the pain away. Her eyes begin to sting, but she doesn't care. If now's not a time to cry, when is?
" Hold me tight, Faith" Buffy says, feeling miserable, " I don't want to think anymore. I need to feel you. I need to remember what it's like not to be a murderer".
They prepare the space in darkness. The light is their enemy
They move about, chanting, placing the black candles around the sacred space. A pentagram marks the spot, and candles are put at each of its five tips. An acolyte lights each candle, muttering a sacred word at each point. At the top he says " Death" at the first tip to the right, " Chaos" at the next tip in the circle, " Destruction" at the next, " Discord" and at the final tip, " Desolation". He blows out the taper, and the celebrants gather around the circle. They begin the unholy ritual.
"Lord Set, God of Death and Chaos. Bringer of Death and Destruction. Lord of Desolation. We, your servants, beseech thee. Come forth, Mighty one, grant us your presence. Bless us with your divine power, and make our struggles worthy. We adore thee, Oh Dark one, we worship at your altar. We ask thee to bring the dark times, to blot the light from the world. Grant us, O Powerful one, the power to do thy bidding. We seek thy wisdom, we consecrate this place for thee. Come to us, and accept this, our humble sacrifice, to your glory."
One of the acolytes brings in the sacrifice. It's a human, unconscious and bound. They bring him to the center of the pentagram, and he is laid out for the ritual. He is stripped, and the cartouche for Set is painted in blood on his chest. The high priestess enters the room, carrying the ritual dirk. She stops over the sacrifice, and says a short prayer to Set. She kneels by the body, raising the dirk over her head. She plunges the knife through the cartouche of Set, and into the heart.
" Lord of Darkness, accept this our holy sacrifice. We implore thee to grant us boon, to appear before us. Drink, our lord, of the heart blood of his gift, that you may be empowered. Eat of the soul, so that you may be enriched. Oh Lord, grant our most humble desire to worship in your presence."
As if on cue, Willow Rosenberg walks into the room. She makes her way to the holy circle, the acolytes clearing before her, chanting " The vessel…the vessel". She stands in the center of the pentagram. A red light seems to encircle her body, almost as if an unholy fire consumed her. Before their eyes, her form changes, into that of Set, lord of Death and Chaos.
His head is like that of an Aardvark, yet somewhat wolf-like. His long snout is filled with sharp, razor teeth. His eyes are almond shaped, and red. His ears, square and pointed. His body is like that of a powerful man, except for his hands and feet, which are claws. He raises his clawed hands skyward, and speaks.
" My followers, my faithful. I bring thee joyous news. Soon our time will be at hand. Our enemies will be crushed beneath our feet, and our power will be unlimited. The time draws near when I will be complete, and I will bring forth the denizens of the Hellmouth. I accept your sacrifice in Joy, as it brings closer the time when all will be as it was foretold. Our world will live again. The plague that is humanity will be crushed, or will serve us. All our foes will be vanquished, and we will have hell on earth. Bow and pray, my faithful, worship me and be receiving of my bounty"
Set watches in glee as the celebration turns wild, his acolytes becoming more and more fervent. Soon the orgy begins, the disgusting acts and vileness filling him with power.
Soon, he would bring forth upon the world his power, his vision. He would rule this planet, taking as he wished, fulfilling his dark lusts.
Soon, his enemies would be destroyed, and he would release the hellmouth upon the earth.
Soon.
To be continued.