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The Account of Acathla
By Vinya
Acathla the demon came forth to swallow the world. He was killed by a virtuous knight, who pierced his heart before he could draw a breath to perform the act. Acathla turned to stone, as demons sometimes do, and was buried where neither man nor demon would ever want to look.
…Unless, of course, you're putting up low rent housing,
Angel to Spike, Season Two, 'Becoming'
Chapter 2
Xander could feel the swirling of winds around him, but he couldn't seem to get out of their way. It was everywhere, going in all directions, a thousand and one colours that he didn't even know existed, flowing with a sort of… natural instinct.
The winds decided where they would go on their own, flowing in different directions and heading to different people and places. It wasn't as if fate guided them, because he knew at first sight that this was fate.
He looked downwards at himself, flowing and floating through the mists, and could see a golden cloud of light coming from his own chest. He breathed the winds in, and the light became stronger. But it didn't flow like the others, it stayed still, creating a cloud in front of him. Encircling him. Shrouding him.
And then another cloud began to come, one that was a rich mahogany colour, massed with a dark forest green. They seemed to be entwined with the golden light flowing from his body, but he concentrated hard on them…
The three separated, and for the first time in an age he felt something lift from his shoulders. An anger and resentment that was there as long as he could remember. His mind felt more free then he could imagine, and as he looked at the cloud of green he could have sworn he saw a face in it.
He recognized it.
"Hey soldier-boy," he whispered into the mist, not expecting it to travel.
It didn't.
The green mist seemed to evaporate then, disappearing as it had been meant to do so many years ago at Halloween. And he knew then that the other mist, the brownish hazy wind that came from his chest, had to have been the Hyena.
When both had disappeared completely he continued to float about, not exactly going anywhere, watching the golden haze in front of him. Enjoying the peace of mind that came with being the only person in there. Something he didn't he know he missed.
"You were not meant to be here," a voice came from above, and below, and everywhere, "This is not a place for you."
"Not exactly a hell dimension," Xander laughed, truly happy with the Hyena and Soldier gone, "Better then I was expecting though."
"You've done something foolish," another voice came, "You made a choice that was not meant."
"Hey!" Xander said, not quite outraged but getting there, "I made my choice, and I meant it too!"
"He does…" the first voice said, "It is not as it was meant to be, but it is. That is the way of things."
"We must fix it," the second voice uttered, and Xander recognized it as a man, "This can not happen."
"But it has brother," the second voice came, not obvious to be a woman as Xander's mind cleared, "It has happened, whether planned or otherwise."
"He can go back."
"He won't."
"And you propose?"
"He's made his choice. Let him fulfil it."
"The other was the one chosen to walk this path, he can not. He must walk his own."
"And so we will let him."
With that the voice were gone, and Xander continued to float in place, not moving. It was calm, comfortable… "Quite the vacation spot," Xander sighed slowly, "But I don't think I want to live here."
And with that he began to move; nowhere in particular, but rather just where it felt right to go. Forward, up, spiral, turn.
His golden glow moved, and he followed it, twisting and turning through fate itself.
Until, with a bang, he landed on his butt.
"And you thought that were we to let him wander through fate on his own he would end of somewhere useful!" A sarcastic voice said as Xander struggled to open his eyes, "It is as I always say! Human's are not meant to wander about on their own, choosing their own fate and beyond! It's simply… far too confusing!"
"And that's what makes it interesting."
Xander slowly looked up, recognizing the fact that eh was sitting on his very painful butt, his legs spread out in front of him, and his broken wrist free of it's cast. "Where am I?" he asked, "What did you do?"
His voice was accusing, as was normal with one who had grown up the way he had. He was in a plain room, small but not overly so, with no doors or windows that he could see. Looking up it seemed to go on forever, but he knew that there had to be a ceiling… somewhere…
Two people stood in front of him, a man and a woman, both wearing toga's. The man was scowling as if he had done something wrong, but the woman smiled lightly.
"Of all the places to bring yourself…"
Xander screwed his face up in confusion, not knowing where any of this was coming from. He couldn't remember… his head hurt, his entire body hurt. The last thing…
Helping Giles to leave the building? Saying something?
The thoughts were lost in his mind, but at the same time it was as if he was missing something. He couldn't tell what, but there was something missing from his subconscious. He could feel it.
It felt better… but whatever it was that was gone had to have been his. And if somebody had messed with him…
"What did you do to me?" He asked as he pulled himself vertical, "What did you take?"
She turned back to her brother, not bothering to answer. "Do you hear that," she said to the man, almost excited, "He can feel them gone! Except for a few memories, neither had any lasting connection with him, and yet he can feel their lack of essence. It is extraordinary!"
"Yes," the man replied, his eyes going skyward as if to ask 'why me' to whoever was listening, "He's special. Now sister, he should leave."
"His soul found his way here on it's own," she replied hotly, "And it wouldn't have done that unless it had reason enough."
"Still-"
"Um, excuse me?" Xander interrupted, "Hate to be the third wheel and all, but I'm standing right here. It's rude to talk about somebody like their not in the room!"
"Then leave," the man said simply, and began talking to his sister again, only stopping when Xander put his face right up to his.
"There. Are. No. Doors." Xander said slowly, as if to somebody profoundly stupid.
"There were no doors when you came in," he replied, "And yet in you came! Leave the same way if you are so anxious. I for one, would be glad of it."
The woman watched this with a smile, her head bouncing back and forth as if at a tennis match.
"You're the one who brought me here," Xander snarled, "How the hell am I supposed to know how to leave again?"
"You brought yourself here," the girl replied, "We bring no one. People come to us."
"And just who are you then," Xander asked, sarcastic, confused and angry, "Who are you, that you exist only to be here?"
"She did not say that," the man replied, just as angry as Xander, "Only that we did not bring you here. The door opens when you choose to come, and when you are done it will open again. But first must be opened from the outside."
"What do you mean?" Xander said, taking a step back.
"We are the oracles," she said kindly, "We help those worthy to discover or change their fate. The door will only open when a worthy man wants to speak, and then will only come again for the same man. You have come through a different route- one we have yet to experience for ourselves. You must leave the same way, when you are ready."
Xander nodded, and shook his head, trying to remember what had happened last. He could get passed the memory of leading Giles outside now, to the part where he had picked up the bloody sword himself, ready to kill Angel.
"So…" he asked, "How, um, what I go about doing that?"
"That is something you must discover for yourself." she said simply, and took a step back.
And so, Xander closed his eyes, and simply let his mind… exists. There was no other words to explain what he did, or how he knew to do it. And then he was gone, leaving the oracles to bicker among themselves.
You think you understand
You think that you must know
But your mind, at this point
Is blank like new froze snow
