Chapter 4
"How is she alive?" Angel asked numbly. He sat, sprawled across a chair, staring at the Claddagh ring, heart facing in, on his right hand.
"I don't know, Angel. I would like to know for myself," Tala said, pacing. "I would like to know how that monster managed to escape death from my kin. They would have at least done that before giving up."
Angel looked up, his expression one of confusion. He asked, "Huh?"
Tala stopped pacing, and gazed at Angel. Her eyes were silver with unspoken emotion. She sighed, and said, "When I became a vampire, my kin went to war against the vampires. They did this in retaliation for what was done to me. The thing is this: my kin lost. Because of this loss, they chose another way to get even. The Slayer line was brought into focus, and the Watcher Council was created to guide the Slayers."
"That was when the prophecy of the Eternal Soulmates was made, wasn't it?"
"Yes," Tala answered in a whisper.
"How long ago was the prophecy made?"
"Six thousand years ago."
"So Talon is somewhere around six thousand years old."
"Actually, more like eight thousand. When he changed me he said that he had been hunting me for around a thousand years, and the war between my kin and the vampires went on for another thousand after that. I don't know how long he was alive before then."
Angel leaned further back in his chair, placed an arm over his eyes, and sighed. "We're going nowhere with this. I need to know how Buffy is alive."
"Well," Tala said brightly, "now you don't need to worry about how that prophecy is going to be fulfilled."
"I'm aware of that," Angel said dryly. "What I want to know is how, and why, she was brought back to life."
Tala began to pace again, stopped suddenly half a step into her pacing, then said, "Of course! Why didn't I think of that before!"
Tala quickly pulled her CCH out of a pocket in her coat, put it on her head, and said, after a moment's silence, "Mark, get me in touch with Jerit." Silence. "I don't care what he's doing, get my brother on this line!" A longer silence, in which Tala noticed Angel either sound asleep in a strange (almost boneless) position, or too deep in thought to notice what was going on. "Jerit, Tala. I need you at Blood-Hunter Enterprises, in half an hour." Silence. "You're kidding! Five minutes? Great! I'm in the first basement level. Meet you here."
Five minutes later, the door leading into the meeting-room opened. A tall man stepped through and closed the door. He wore dark blue jeans, a forest-green t-shirt, and brown, mid-calf, cowboy boots. His hair was long, as white as snow, and his eyes were silver.
The man looked at Tala, and said, "What's been going on, Sis? All the vampires are jumpy, and if Mark hadn't been there to identify me, I wouldn't have been let in."
Tala asked, "Jerit, remember the prophecy made when the Slayer line was focused towards slaying vampires?"
"Yes, how could I forget? The queen nearly died with the vision of that prophecy. Why?
"Well, it looks like it is about to be fulfilled." Tala turned towards Angel, who was still seemingly unaware of what was going on, and gestured to him. "Jerit, I would like you to meet the Souled One." Tala then touched the electronic wall panel. The lights went out as the image of Buffy tied to a chair appeared. "I would also like you to meet the Souled One's soulmate: the Slayer, Buffy Anne Summers, the most powerful Slayer to ever exist."
When the lights came on, the image disappeared. "There is a slight problem, though. Buffy is supposed to have been dead for about one thousand years. This is the reason I asked you here. We need to know how this Slayer was brought back to life.
"There is also another problem, and they are connected: the one who changed me still lives, and has the Souled One's soulmate."
Jerit became absolutely still, then snarled, nearly spitting with rage. "That monster still lives!"
"Yes. He does," Angel said quietly, "and it was because of him that vampires received their souls."
Jerit quietly turned towards Angel, as Angel slowly stood. Jerit gazed at Angel, saw the grace and power with which he moved, a world-weariness in the deep brown eyes, and a sense of constant pain and grief. It seemed to add to Angel's aura of mystery, and allure. No vampire should be like this, especially this young. I am in the presence of a true Warrior and Master. I am glad he is on the side of good, Jerit thought in awe.
Angel said quietly, "Around eight hundred years ago, Talon attempted to open the Hellmouth in Sunnydale. We stopped him, but at great cost. The Slayers of that time, as well as a good portion of the Warriors that fought against the darkness were lost. I alone survived what happened."
"How," asked Jerit.
"The Soul Restoration," Tala whispered, her voice faintly trembling.
Angel nodded grimly, then said, "Yes, the Soul Restoration. I alone, of all that were there to prevent what was happening, could get close enough to Talon to stop him. When the spell to open the Hellmouth was prematurely ended, the backlash of power moved through me--" Angel stopped suddenly, unneeded breath ragged in his throat, his eyes wide and wild with remembered sensation. He spoke again, his voice halting, as he tried to find words to describe what had happened, as he relived it. "T-the power moved through me an-and…bound my soul to me. As this…binding happened I felt all the…souls of all those who had become vampires…surround me…and…enter me.
"The power was overwhelming." Angel whispered hoarsely, then continued in a more normal tone of voice, as he regained control of his emotions. "As fast as the souls entered me, they were gone. Somehow, I knew the souls had returned to their bodies. The power was still with me, and I felt other changes happening to me. I felt the hunger of the demon within me lessen. I felt my strength and senses become even greater . . . and I felt an ability that I had only started to understand before then fully awaken."
"Shadow Walking," Tala said suddenly.
"Yes. Shadow Walking." Angel paused, his head bowed in thought, then said in a tense voice, "As much as I like remembering this, this is not something that will help us with figuring out how Buffy is alive."
"True," said Jerit, "but it did clear up some things that were not known for sure about the Soul Restoration. Especially since you alone survived, and were never willing to speak about it."
"I think," Tala said, frowning, "I can find out how Buffy is alive." She looked at Jerit. "That's why I asked for you." She paused, then quietly asked, "Can you get us in touch with the Oracles?"
"Yes, but you both will have to go with me, since it is your question."
Tala looked at Angel, an eyebrow raised, "Well?"
"I have no particular liking of the Oracles. In fact, every time I have had to go to them, I come out feeling worse than when I went in." Angel sighed, looking at Tala, determination in his eyes. "But if you think they will answer my question…then I will try.
"I hate this," Angel said quietly, his voice a fierce whisper.
"Quiet," said Jerit sharply. "Did you remember to bring the gift?"
"Yes," said Angel bitterly. "They should be quite happy with the sword that sent me to Hell!"
Angel, Jerit, and Tala stood in a small cement room, which had only an alter-like stone and an archway in it. Jerit stood before the stone, placing spell components into the bowl on top, while Tala and Angel stood by the arch. After a few mumbled words, Jerit pointed a small device at the bowl. The herbs burst into flame. As the archway suddenly opened, blinding white light streamed from it. Quietly, Angel and Tala entered.
Two black-robed personages, male and female, that had golden skin with strange blue markings on them, stood on a dais at the end of a Greek, temple-like room. The man moved forward, and asked, "What have you brought us?"
Angel took three steps, then raised the sword he carried, and said, "The sword that sent me to Hell, that was thrust into my heart by the one who loved me, for the sake of the world."
The sword lifted from Angel's hands, and floated to the man. The man studied it for a moment, then said, "An apt gift from one whose heart is torn."
The man handed the sword to the woman. She said, "The gift is accepted. Ask what you will, Souled One."
Angel was struck silent, as Tala drew in breath sharply. From all the records Angel had found on the Oracles, he knew that never did they give or say the name of the one who was there to ask a question. It was common for the Oracles to call a questioner "Lower Being". He also knew from personal experience, for the closest he had come to being called anything other that Lower Being was a demon with a soul.
It took him a moment to find his voice, then asked, "How is Buffy alive?"
The Oracles stared into space, as if listening to someone, then looked at Angel. It was the woman who spoke. "He who killed her, revived her."
"How," Angel asked angrily. "How was she brought back, since she has been dead for the last thousand years! I want straight answers, not riddles!"
Tala moved over to Angel, and placed her hand on his tense shoulder, hoping to calm him. The female Oracle raised a hand, palm out, and said, "Peace, Souled One." The Oracle lowered her arm, as Tala stepped away from Angel. "You have endured much in your life. Always there has been one to guide you. After the death of the Slayer you love, she was made your Guardian Angel. This was done by her request. It was she who made your soul permanent, and gave you the abilities you possess.
"One month past, in your time, the one who killed her, the one you know as Talon, found a spell to bring back the one you love. Not in the body that she possessed before death…but in a new body. A body that was the image of the old…and of her soul. The spell is permanent, but because she was a Guardian Angel, she is Immortal, unable to die."
"How," Angel whispered in shock.
The male Oracle pressed his lips together in displeasure, then said, "The one you love still has the abilities she possessed as a Guardian Angel. Those abilities make her Immortal."
The female spoke again. "The question is answered. What more do you wish to know?"
Angel closed his eyes, trying to think of what to ask, when Tala spoke. "Why has the Souled One's soulmate been brought back to life?"
The Oracles looked at each other, then the male Oracle said, "The one who you call Talon wishes vengeance on you and the Souled One. He will use the Slayer-turned-Guardian Angel and your company to get that vengeance."
"I know why he seeks vengeance on me," said Angel, then asked, "but why on Tala?"
"He seeks vengeance on the one he created," said the woman.
"Why?" Tala asked quietly.
"It was because of your changing that the Slayers were brought into focus. He believes this is your fault, and seeks compensation for it."
"I created the Slayers," Tala sputtered in indignation. "If it weren't for him, there would be no such thing as Vampire Slayers. There would only be Slayers that killed because it was their nature!"
Angel placed his hand on Tala's shoulder, and said, "Enough. We have what we came for." He looked at the Oracles, an eyebrow raised. "Unless you have something to tell us…like where to find Buffy and Talon?"
The Oracles shook their heads, and the woman said, "That you must seek on your own. We have answered all that we can. The Powers That Be will say no more."
Angel inclined his head in understanding, and softly said, "Thank you."
The man bowed, as the woman smiled faintly.
"Well," said Angel, "we have the how and why, but not the where."
Angel, Tala, and Jerit were once again at Blood-Hunter Enterprises, in Tala's office.
"Agreed," said Tala. "We need to figure out where Talon is keeping Buffy."
"At least we know that she can't die by his hand," Angel sighed. "But I don't want to think of what he can do to her."
"Then we must find her all the sooner." Tala said grimly. "I will not let a monster like that have control of a Slayer of such talent and skill."
"What do you mean by that," Angel asked darkly.
"She is the best of the best," Jerit replied. "There has never been a Slayer of such ability, or ever will be. She was, and is, what the Slayer line was meant to be."
"How do you know this?" asked Angel.
"I, my sister, and our grandmother: the Elven Queen created the Slayer line, as it is known today. What the Slayer Buffy Anne Summers was and is, is what we hoped for when the Slayer line was brought into focus. No Slayer has ever been able to match what we hoped for---"
"Except for Buffy," Angel interrupted. "I understand. When I did not possess my soul, I made it a hobby to…study Slayers, and destroy those that…annoyed me. Even with my soul, I knew Buffy would be an opponent I could not defeat, if I fought her. I was proven correct when I lost my soul for a while."
"You don't understand, Angel," Tala said softly. "She is far more than what we wanted. The Watchers meant to control her, but she was not meant for control. She answered to a higher order than them. The same order you are part of. Also, Buffy's style and capabilities went beyond what could be taught . . . it became instinct."
Angel gazed, stunned, by something he had known, but not understood, until then. He whispered, "No, it's not even instinct. It's something else. It's who and what she is. She is the embodiment of the Slayer, nothing could ever compare. She is beyond comparison."
A knock on the door of Tala's office startled everyone. Tala went to the door, and opened it. Mark stood in the hallway, holding a disk nervously in his hands.
"What is it, Mark," Tala asked quietly.
Mark handed the disk to Tala, and said, "This just arrived for you and Angel, Ms. Bloodmoon."
Tala nodded her understanding, as Mark bowed and left. Tala closed the door, turned to Angel, and said, "I don't need to even guess who this is from. Do you?"
"No," Angel said grimly, then gestured, in a strange almost hopeless way. "Go ahead and play it. Perhaps he will give us some clue as to where Buffy is."
Tala touched a panel, and inserted the disk. The room became dark, as the image of Talon took shape. The image looked around, spotted Angel and Tala, then said, "I have decided to forego a bargain, and just go for the threat.
"Elven Princess, I have made arrangements to have your company…exposed, should you not come to the place that I will mention in a moment.
"Souled One, unless you come, the Slayer you love will become a sacrifice to open the Hellmouth.
"The place where we will meet? Where else but the Hellmouth. You know where, Souled One. Make sure the Elven Princess accompanies you. I have special things planned for the both of you."
The image disappeared, and the light returned. Angel sat very still within his chair, then surged to his feet in barely-suppressed rage. He snarled, "He will not get away with this. Buffy will not again be sacrificed for the end of the world!"
Angel spun around, to face Tala and Jerit. He walked over to them, and took their arms, forcing them out of their seats. With a quick glance around the office, Angel noticed a dark shadow by the cabinet near the door. With quick steps, Angel pulled Tala and Jerit forcefully into the shadow.
The office was empty.