The four would-be heroes moved forward together, Angel at the point with Illyria and Spike on either side. Gunn struggled and limped behind the three, but continued to hack and slash at anything that managed to get through the wall his friends formed in front of him. Illyria told him he wouldn't last ten minutes. He was starting to believe her. Every second his movements became slower, his breath harder to inhale. He could feel the drowsiness tugging at the back of his mind. He wanted so badly to simply rest. But he couldn't bring himself to stop moving forward. He would be damned if he was simply going to slump over and die. He was Charles Gunn. He didn't have the abnormal strength that his three friends possessed, but he'd be damned if he went down without a fight. He looked on with amazement as the three before him continued to plow head first into this massive army. There just might be hope for the world after all. Suddenly, a small demon that seemed to be covered in irregular spikes appeared behind Spike. Gunn didn't waste the opportunity. He lifted his axe and swung down at the little hellbeast. The blade simply glanced off what looked to be the demon's shoulder. Gunn looked on in disgust as the demon turned its attention back towards him. He grinned as he saw the demon swipe at him with its razor sharp claws and he felt the sting that meant he had been slashed. Slumping to his knees, Gunn looked down and saw nothing but dark blood oozing from his newest wound. He looked back towards the other three, smile never leaving his face.

"Give 'em hell," he whispered, so softly that he barely heard it himself. With that thought, he pitched forward and finally let the darkness take him in. Charles Gunn had fallen.

Amidst the battle cries and the shrieks of demons that had found his sword blade, Angel never thought he would hear something so faint. But he did, as if it was an explosion inside his own head. He glanced back and saw Gunn lying face down on the pavement, a puddle of freshly spilled blood slowly expanding around him. Rage took control once more, and Angel leveled his broadsword at the little demon who had taken his friend's life. With a war cry that would have chilled the Senior Partners themselves, Angel brought the blade down across the head of the demon with such force that it didn't glance off, but rather split the creatures head directly down the middle. Angel quickly turned back to others and continued to push forward. They had put up one hell of a fight so far, but Angel saw nothing but demons ahead, and he knew that the end was probably near.

Illyria battled on with a rage that surprised even her. She couldn't control the emotions that Wesley's death had caused, and they were doing nothing but fueling the fire. Pummeling demon after demon, she thought how pathetic they were. In her time, these beings would've been killed for mere entertainment, their cries and shrieks delighting her fancy until she grew tired and simply destroyed them all herself. She held little respect for Angel, but she had to admit that the half-breed had managed a very good battle plan. Fighting abreast allowed them keep their enemies in front of them while moving forward at the same time. But she soon found that the three were being isolated from another by sheer numbers. She cared little. She continued to pummel anything that stood before. She pressed forward, until she was face to face with a group of demons crouched on one knee.

"You... you are the Old One!" was the cry from one of the demons. "We have no desire to fight you! We wish only to serve!"

"You serve the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart! Their power does not even compare to mine! Rise and be destroyed!"

Illyria's booming demand had no effect. The demons remained stationary, most with their heads bowed, refusing to look her in the eye.

"We serve them because they have power. But indeed your power is much greater! Our numbers our great and our allegiance is to you Old One. Let us aid you. We can reshape this world in your image!"

Illyria looked on, stunned beyond words. Her power had been severely checked. She was much too strong for the shell that she inhabited. But as she looked on, she noticed that the small group that had once stood before had multiplied in almost an instant. Hundreds if not thousands of demons seemed to be hinged on her decision. A smile crept across her face.

"Then go! Wage war on those who serve the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart. Make sure that they will never forget whom they have come here to fight."

In an instant, the demons turned and began to attack the columns that filled the alley. Nothing short of chaos was to ensue. The demon who had first spoken to Illyria approached her, head still bowed.

"Old One, we will destroy the armies of the Wolf, Ram, and Hart. But we must also destroy the half-breed champions. They will not allow you to rule as you once did. They fear you. That is why they curbed your power. They have lied and deceived you. They sent your guide to die, to leave you vulnerable and beneath their heel."

Again, Illyria was strangely silent. She had entered this fight because of her resentment of the Wolf, Ram, and Hart. But she also knew that it was what Wesley wanted her to do. But Wesley was gone. Killed by a sorcerer that Angel knew no human could defeat. He had been sentenced to death. She recalled the change in her guide once the half-breed's memory spell had been broken. She still harbored a hatred for him because of it. But would Wesley approve? Angel had taken everything from him and then marched him off to die. She would not let his death be in vein.

"Very well. But bring them to me first. I want them to know the reason that they will die here today."

The demon turned and rejoined in the fighting. Illyria strode forward and continued as well. Her time had finally come. She relished the thought of exacting Wesley's revenge on Angel. He had manipulated and controlled his underlings very well. He indeed knew how wield power. But Illyria knew much more and was much more powerful. She would show him how to rule.

Angel and Spike had long since lost sight of Illyria. There were just too damned many demons. Both vampires were covered in blood, some was their own, but most was that of the demons they had cut down. Angel stared ahead grimly, continuing to slash away. But commotion to his left caught his eye. The once massive demon army now seemed to be in the midst of battling one another. Angel smiled. Perhaps this was finally the break that he had hoped for. He turned to Spike, and saw that the platinum-blonde too had noticed the shift in the battle. The two exchanged a smile, but the moment was cut short when a horde of demons surrounded them. Now they were in trouble. Amidst the hack, slash, move forward plan, both Angel and Spike found themselves surrounded on three sides by an endless number of demons and on the fourth by the wall of a nearby building. The two raised their swords, but the demons did not charge.

"Your time has come champions. You have been sentenced to death in the name of the Old One!"

Spike let out a laugh.

"In case you haven't noticed, Ol' Blue is fighting on our side."

The demon did not return the laugh.

"No half-breed. She has grown tired of your manipulations. She has joined us in hopes of remaking this world. We will destroy the Wolf, Ram, and Hart. And we will destroy you, along with any other being who dares stand in the way of Illyria!"

Spike's grin quickly faded. What the bloody hell was going on? It had to be some sort of trick. Illyria wouldn't simply switch sides. If for no other reason than because this was Wesley's side. He glanced at Angel, and noticed that his grand-sire's face was just as puzzled as he. He turned his attention back to the demon and raised his sword to charge. It was then that he saw the horde begin to part as Illyria, flanked on all sides by demons strode forward.

"What the bloody hell is going on Blue!" Spike roared.

"Silence half-breed! You two will pay for your actions. You have tried to keep under your thumb with lies and deceit. You stood by and allowed my guide in this world to be killed in your name. I have chosen to return the favor in his."

Angel had had enough. In the back of his mind, he always knew that Illyria would be a wild card. He had tried to have her killed, but Wesley wouldn't allow it. He never would let go of Fred, and now the consequences had arrived in spades.

"You know that Wesley wouldn't want it Illyria! He was a champion, just like me and Spike. He died fighting the good fight. If he were here, he wouldn't dare allow this!"

"You dare to lecture me on what my guide desired? You stripped him of his memories and altered his reality. Then you led him as a lamb to the slaughter. His blood is on your hands half-breed. You will pay for your betrayal."

Angel didn't give Illyria time to spout anymore rhetoric. He raised his sword and charged her, vowing to kill the twisted bitch. He never got there. Before Angel could blink, the horde of demons stormed both him and Spike. The two vampires put up a valiant fight. There was a moment where they actually began to the horde back. But they were doomed by numbers alone. Out of the corner of his eye, Angel saw the blade that severed Spike's head. It was dust before it hit the ground. Surrounded on all sides Angel began to hack wildly at anything that moved. This was it. He had come all this way and now, instead of giving the world one moment of light, he had doomed to a fate far worse than that of Wolfram and Hart. Continuing to slash, he never saw the blade from behind. He felt a slight sting and then there was nothing.

Illyria looked on pleased. She reached to the ground and picked up the blood covered broadsword that now lay in a mound of ashes. She had honored Wesley's name. Now, she would carry the fight to the Wolf, Ram, and Hart. She had no guide to this world any longer. She would now make this world her world.

One week earlier

Rome

Buffy and Jake arrived at the steps of her townhouse shortly after midnight. As she walked in she found Dawn, Andrew and Giles sitting around nervously. The three looked up and let out a collective sigh.

"Where the hell have you been? You had us worried sick!" immediately flew from Dawn's mouth.

Buffy gave her a cross look before moving aside and revealing the man that stood behind her. Dawn immediately looked stricken.

"Oh... uhh... I didn't... uhhh..."

"It's not like that Dawn. Everybody this is Jake. He helped me with a couple of vamps earlier tonight. Jake this is..."

"Dawn," was Jake's swift reply. His was stern eyes now seem to hold a bit of weariness in them. To a keen observer, one might call it despair.

"Why am I not surprised that you knew that. I suppose you know both Andrew and Giles as well?"

Jake nodded solemnly, acknowledging the two sitting at the table. The two looked a little unnerved as they stared at him. He was sure one of them had a weapon on their body, and any false move would find that weapon drawn on him.

"Well, seeing that you know all about me and my friends, why don't you tell us a little about yourself? Starting with how you know so much, then going to why you know so much, and ending with the big fight you claim needs us."

Jake let out a long sigh and his eyes traveled around the room. He had so long to prepare this speech, but now the words seemed inadequate. He knew this was going to be hard, but he also knew that he was the only one who could do it. That's why they had chosen him. He was the final hope... the ace in the hole. He turned his attention back to Buffy, who now had Dawn and Giles on either side of her. Andrew still sat nervously at the table.

"I've been here before. In this very house, in this very room. I've spoken to you very people."

Giles slowly slid his glasses off.

"I don't seem to recall..."

"You wouldn't," Jake cut in. "Because it hasn't happened yet. I meet you four for the first time twenty-five years from today. That meeting turned out to be the beginning of the end of this world. I've been sent with a message from the Powers That Be. This is our last shot to stop what is to happen. You denied us before, I can't allow you to deny us again."