Chapter 2
Kurokami and Wahoshi
/Angel/
The door opened and the half vampire looked at the individual walking in. Her silver hairs were tied in a braid descending to her waist. She had a slim figure and attractive, if somewhat fox-like, features. Her eyes were of a brown so dark that it looked black.
"Who are you" Angel said, "or rather, what are you?"
She smiled and Angel was once again reminded of a fox.
"I am human Angelus, which is more then we can say about you." she replied.
"My name is Angel, not Angelus girl, if you know about him, you should know about me." he replied with a voice full of venom.
"I know, I was just curious. You are at a disadvantage in this form. If you let your anger dictate your conduct, Angelus will surface. Same thing with Spike, he will become William the bloody once more, just so you are warned, your guardian forgot to mention it." She replied in a gentle voice.
He stared at her for a few minutes before she spoke again.
"My name is Wahoshi, I am a warrior of the Powers That Be, trained since the cradle to fight evil." She said.
Angel snorted. A girl fighting evil? What did she think she was? A Slayer?
"You do not believe me do you? I thought this might happen. I will show you." she stated.
She lunged at hi with surprising speed and struck him in the chest. He stammered a few steps, surprise, both at her speed and her strength. He ducked the next blow and grabbed her arm. He twisted it behind her back and pull upward. Certain of his victory, he wasn'' ready for the kick she threw at him over her shoulder. He backed off a few steps and he stammered a few steps back again. Then she kicked him in the torso, sending in the wall. He was dazed for a few seconds. He barely dodged a punch that cracked the stone wall.
"Human uh? Tell me the truth girl."
She smiled and backed off a few steps.
"I am, I am blessed by The Powers That Be boy." she retort.
Angel got back on his feet and got ready for the next series of attacks. She came at him running. He blocked a punch and scored with one of his own. She pivoted and kicked him in the shoulder, sending him spiraling in the air. As Angel was getting back on his feet and she was about to attack him again, an old man, with the left side of his face scarred by cuts and burns walked in. He seemed wise, if cruel.
"Hoshi, Kurokami is here. He's already on level three," he said in a neutral voice.
Angel didn't know what to say, do or think. Who was he?
"Yes Father, I understand, make sure that Angel is alright . . ." she started.
"No," the old man said. " You are not ready to fight the black god. Go my child; see that he is safe. It was an honor being your mentor, and your father." he said in a sadden voice.
Angel saw the warrior woman's face change from resignation to fear.
"You cannot go father, he will kill you." she said in a terrified voice.
Angel understood why she was scared now. Not for herself, but for her father. She ran toward him but he turned and the door closed. Someone locked it, trapping them inside.
"Father" she said miserably, one hand on the door.
/Spike/
They stood by a hot-dog stand. Whistler bought a hot-dog and they kept on walking.
"Do you have to stop at every bloody hot-dog stand you see?" Spike asked irritated.
Whistler took a bite of the hot-dog without saying a word. Spike shook his head and they kept on walking. After a few minutes of walking in total silence, Spike turned toward Whistler.
"So what do I have to do to prove I deserve humanity more then he does?" Spike asked. "Work in a soup kitchen or something?"
"No Spike, nothing like that. It's quite simple really." he looked at Spike, the jovial quality of his face now serious. "You'll have to prove you have what it takes, tests, twelve of them," he continued, "have you heard of Hercules?"
Spike snorted.
" You've got to be kidding me mate, I have to do that kind of stuff to become human?" he asked doubtful.
"No, not the same things, different ones. But in the end, if you successfully manage to do the same amounts of tests, you'll have to fight it out between the two of you."
Spike stopped.
" So, if the both of us do the same amount of tests successfully, we fight to know who the winner's going to be?"
" Something like this yeah. Of course if this should happen . . . it's going to be to the death."
"You've got to be kidding. We'll have to prove who's the most deserving of being a human by killing our opponent? That's what demons and vampires do mate, not decent human beings."
"It was the first who design this rule. There's a lot of rules you have to follow."
"As?"
"You'll know when the time is right Spike, when the time is right."
" What if I . . ."
"It is time for your first test Spike."
Behind them, the sun was slowly setting, light losing the battle against darkness. The streets of L.A. were quieter then only a few moments ago.
"And what is that test?" Spike asked, curious.
"Before the night is over, you'll have to save someone who will make a difference for the best in the future, save his or her live, and insure she or he stays alive until the night is over." Whistler said.
"That should be easy" he started. "Nothing like finding someone to make a difference and protecting them. How do I know who it is," the former vampire asked.
"You'll know."
Spike was about to come with a witty remark when he heard a scream in the night.
"Bloody hell, we have a bloody screamer."
And with that he ran to the origin of the scream.
/Angel/
Wahoshi was dazed, from the unbelieving look in her eyes. Angel was growing impatient. He could hear the fighting above, the sound of flesh being ripped open, of bone being snapped as if it was dried wood. Angel was sure of one thing. A lot of innocent people were dying out there to make sure he could escape, and he was standing there like a lump, unable to do a thing to help them.
"We have to go," he said, his voice thick with frustration. "People are dying up here so we can run."
The warrior of the Power That Be looked at him before nodding. She did so without a sound before moving to the spot where Angel had been laying down a couple of minutes ago. She did something with it and the floor opened without a sound into a tunnel.
"We must go, the Black God will be here soon," she said in a perfectly neutral tone, betraying the inner turmoil she was prey too.
Angel didn't need to be told twice. Above, the noise was completely silent but for the steps of something big. Angel knew for a fact that he didn't want to face that thing alone. As the door closed behind them, he was plunged into darkness when Wahoshi kicked him in the windpipe. Not dead, but incapacitated for some time.
