Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt, except for those created by me.
Author's Note: This story takes place during the beginning of Angel's transition into Wolfram & Hart. I hope you all enjoy it and respond.
Summary: Angel and the others prepare to face the King of Demons who will bring with him a kingdom of hell on Earth.
Chapter I - Dream
WOLFRAM & HART L.A. BRANCH
He had the same dream over and over. The gritty, jagged demon clutched his hand around Angel's neck, squeezing with all its might. The blood flowed down Angel's throat, dripping like rain droplets at the first sign of a storm. He could feel his heart pace slowing down, each beat like everlasting seconds, counting the last minute of his life. At this point the demon always said something indistinctively, so low it seemed as if he just mouthed it. But Angel had the dream so much he deciphered that the demon was saying the same thing: "Goodbye…Angelus."
Angel awoke to find himself still in his office at Wolfram & Hart. His desk was stacked high with paperwork, and he wore the same attire he had been wearing the previous day. He hadn't been able to sleep comfortably through the entire night since he started his job at Wolfram & Hart. And the dream was becoming so clear, he began to feel it. Even more terrible, when he awoke in the mornings he felt as though a sharp hand had really grabbed hold of his throat. He never told anyone though, and he always managed to conceal the prints around his neck.
"…good you're awake," came the voice of Eve, Angel's own liaison to the Senior Partners. "And you look horrible."
"Worked through the night, trying to get some work done," he replied in a worn-out voice. He stood to his feet, came from behind the desk, and made sure the door was closed and locked. "Can you keep a secret?"
"Depends,"
"I've been having a dream lately. I was battling this…thing that drained me of my energy and strength whenever it touched me. And it was so rocky that when it was choking me at the end…it killed me,"
"So you say it was rocky and super strong? Yeah, real specific from all the other demons we've fought,"
"There's more detail to it. It led an army of demons, and he had sat in a throne with winged-dogs by his sides…I can't think of anything else,"
"I'll consult the Senior Partners, there's a place you and your friends can go to find more information,"
"Where?"
"His name's Sutan, he's an Endite Demon. They can―"
"Yeah, I've had my run-in with plenty of Endite Demons. They're like oracles. They can use dreams as a pathway to the future. But whether or not they can be trusted leaves a great deal of trust, Eve,"
"Sutan's a good Endite, and believe me you can trust him. But what you need to do is to tell your friends what you just told me," Eve turned to leave and then was stopped with a quick problem. "Wait! Why did you choose to tell me first? I thought I was the last person you could trust."
"Well, I figured you'd have a better chance of getting me the answers I need. Now…go get me the answers I need," replied Angel in a smooth voice.
Suddenly, there came a knock on the door. It was Wesley and the others. Eve departed the office, and left the others to enter without saying a word.
"What's with the 'tude?" asked Gunn looking back at Eve.
"Never mind her. What's up with you guys?" asked Angel.
"We found out some stuff on that case you asked us to…Angel?" said Fred changing the rate of her tone from fast to an ominous slow.
"Yeah?"
"What's wrong with your neck?"
"…Yeah, well there's something I need to tell you guys…" and with that Angel began explaining his situation with his dreams, and his forthcoming journey to see the Endite.
"But an Endite? What good will they do you?" asked Wesley.
"Yeah, you and I both know Endite's are traitorous bastards. They get hold of your dreams and sell 'em on the black market. Next thing you know, your future's sold to some bloody Fate―" said Spike before being interrupted by Angel.
"Spike! I get it okay. I know the potential dangers of letting an Endite see my future. But this is something I have to do. If this is a premonition, then the world's in great trouble," replied Angel.
"If there is anything we can do, just let us know," spoke Fred boldly on behalf of everyone else.
"Alright…then let's get to it. Wesley, I need you to find out as much as you can on this thing. Fred, get down to the lab and get some information there. Lorne and Gunn, you see if you can get some information from some of the workers. Me and Spike'll go to the Aisan Caverns to find Sutan," commanded Angel as he, and Spike turned to exit.
Before Angel could exit the door, Spike was stricken with intense images of the same demon from Angel's dream. He howled as he gripped his head in agony and fell to the floor. Angel rushed back to help Spike, but by that time the images had ended.
"Okay," said Gunn confused as to what had happened.
"What…in the bloody hell was that?" he asked huffing in exhaustion.
"That's what I wanna know," chuckled Lorne.
"It must be a connection. Angel, Lorne, and Spike are all demons. So far Angel and Spike have exemplified symptoms of a mental connection to the demon," replied Wesley.
"But what about Lorne?" asked Fred.
"Ah no sweetheart. I'm in no rush to have a mental breakdown," said Lorne.
"We've got no more time to spare. Obviously this thing is trying to make itself known. So the faster we get to see this Endite the better," Angel told Spike. Spike stood to his feet and departed the office.
AISAN CAVERNS
"So you've come to find your future?" said a robed figure.
"Yeah, I sort of need to get past 'Goodbye, Angelus.' You are Sutan aren't you?" asked Angel in a low voice.
"Yes. And my mind has too been assaulted with the images of the King of Demons," replied Sultan.
"King of Demons?" asked Spike.
"His name has never been spoken or heard. The tongues of mortals and immortals alike have never dared to speak it. They refer to him only as the King of Demons," said Sultan.
"Finally, some answers. Well, can you read my future?" asked Angel.
"Yes. But all third-party individuals must be exited from the caverns," hinted Sultan.
"Alright, I'm gone," said Spike as he left the cave to wait on the outside.
"Now let us begin…" said Sutan placing his hands on Angel's head. Sutan could now see the dream as if it were really happening in the present.
"Why do you not bow before your king?" asked the demon.
"Because you're not my king. You're some big stony freak who thought he could waltz into L.A. and create a hell on Earth. But, you submitted my mind with subliminal messages of your plan. Real smart move, Einstein," replied Angel.
"Your sarcasm will be the death of you. I will rip your tongue out and kill you with it before you would think to raise a finger," chortled the demon.
"Oh really? Cause now I'm thinking about raising a finger to kick your stony behind," said Angel. The demon reached out and grabbed Angel by the neck and lifted him high into the air.
Sutan was breathing hard, and his heart was beating at a tremendously rapid rate. He dropped his hands from Angel's head and wrapped them around his own neck.
"Oh no…Spike!" shouted Angel to Spike for help.
WOLFRAM & HART
"…and that's when I rushed in for assistance," told Spike to Fred and the others.
"Can it, Spike. So far my perspective of the battle is thus: me and the demon talk, exchange a few witty remarks, then he grabs me and kills me. If anything I've learned from my past experiences is that only I will determine my destiny. This thing wants to raise hell…we'll give it to him…" said Angel in an astonishing composition of words.