As they walked down the hall, Angel noticed the Watchers eyeing him wearily. He knew that they knew who he was...and his lineage, and that they did not like it. At the end of the hall stood a door with ancient carvings that represented images of olden times. Carvings of angels and demons arched toward the heavens and to hell.
Maeve took out an ancient key from her palm and went to unlock the giant door. It took four Watchers to pull open the door, which made a loud groan, as if it hadn't been opened in centuries.
There lay before them a spiral staircase leading downward. As if it was leading to the depths of hell. A smell like that of decaying martyrs and saints lay below.
Maeve motioned for a torch as they began their descent. In the flickering light, images could be seen: Angels and demons fighting. Massacres. Sacrifices.
As they descended lower, the images changed, becoming even more ancient. Celtic designs could now be seen interspersed between the angels and demons.
After what seemed like forever to those descending the spiral staircase, they at last reached the bottom. Before them was an ancient door. Upon that door, an image was carved. The image was that of a winged lion clutching a capitol A. It was an image that Angel knew well.
In the silence that fell, Angel stepped forward, drawn to the door. He unconsciously raised a hand to the door, but did not touch it.
All of a sudden he could feel a vibration coming from the door. Angel stepped back cautiously and the vibration stopped. He took an unneeded breath and put his hand on the door again. The vibration began to move through the whole room. The others looked on with fear in their eyes, all except Maeve.
Maeve looked at Angel, and said, "Angel, you are the only one who may open the door. On the inside you will see the crest of Kells in the center of the floor. Go to it and stand upon the crest and speak the words 'Bhaudra Sharack'. Then you will see the parchment on an altar. When you touch it, you will then face three tests: one of the heart, one of the mind, and one of the soul. Be prepared to bare all to your bloodline."
With a slight jerked-upward nod, Angel drew in a deep breath, then pressed his hand harder against the door, opening it. Within, all was dark. With cautious step, Angel entered the room, the only light being from the open doorway to guide him. His footsteps echoed eerily in the room, as he walked to the image that matched the one on his back.
Once standing on the crest, Angel said softly, "Bhaudra Sharack."
Instantly, fire flared from the torches placed in the four corners of the room. Angel jumped, then crouched down in a fighting position, his eyes wide.
After a moment of nothing happening, Angel slowly stood, as he ignored the faint giggle coming from the doorway. He looked in front of himself, and saw the alter. Upon it was a parchment. As Angel neared it, he saw that it was very old, and that the writings were in Gaelic. He reached out his hand, and touched the parchment. A feeling like a shock of electricity coursed through him, making him jerk back in reflex.
A wind that had no source filled the room, as the torches within the room blazed brighter, the flames nearly touching the ceiling. A low moan that had no emotion, no feeling, filled the room. The wind picked up speed, and surrounded Angel. The souled vampire was forcefully pressed by the wind to stand once again upon the crest of Kells. Once standing on the crest, his trenchcoat and shirt disappeared, as a set of chains appeared -- bolted to the ground -- and bound Angel, forcing him to his knees. The wind disappeared.
The low moan became a voice, saying, "Liam Kells. You bare the blood, the purest blood we have ever seen of this line...yet you are not clean. Darkness taints you. Explain."
From where he knelt on the ground, Angel closed his eyes, and whispered, "I am a vampire possessed by my human soul."
The wind returned, surrounding Angel, forcing him to lay on the ground. The voice boomed, "YOU DARE TO COME BEFORE US AS A VAMPIRE!"
With great effort, Angel struggled against the wind to his knees, and shouted, "I have no choice! My soulmate--YAHH!"
Angel's back arched as the mark on his back suddenly blazed with light, as did the crest on the ground.
"Your name as a vampire, Liam Kells. What is it?" the voice demanded.
"ANGELUS!" Light from the crest on the floor blazed upwards, touching and surrounding Angel. "AHH!"
"The name you use now!"
"ANGEL!" the souled vampire screamed in pain.
The light disappeared, as the wind vanished. In the silence that fell, the voice whispered, "Then the prophecy is almost complete."
Trembling, Angel fell to the ground. From the doorway, Giles could be heard whispering in awe, "Dear God."
"Are you prepared for the trials, Liam Kells," the voice asked to the still shaken vampire.
"Yes."
"Then let your heart be known."
The chains that bound Angel became tighter, binding his hands to the floor, making it impossible for him to move, let alone stand.
His heart swelled with extreme pain as he tried to clutch his heart. But the chains bound him from gripping it.
The pain was intense, bringing blood tears to his eyes as he gasped. He felt a presence before him. As he opened his eyes, he saw his beloved Buffy standing in front of him. He recognized the look on her face. It was the look she had given to many vampires before she staked them.
He bowed his head and gave in to the moment and spoke. "Beloved, if this is what has to be done to me...then so be it."
Buffy raised her hand with a stake firmly gripped within it, as Angel lifted up his head and bared his chest to her. The thrust of the stake went through his heart as he felt the searing pain radiate through his body.
Then it was gone. Angel collapsed upon the crest on his back, as the chains disappeared. Vaguely, the vampire heard the shouts of fear and shock from outside the room, as they called out to him.
"You have passed the test of heart. Are you ready for the test of mind?"
Angel -- with effort -- rolled over, and pushed himself up to his knees. In a ragged voice, he said, "Do I have a choice?"
"SILENCE! Are you ready for the test of the mind?"
"Yes, so let it be." Angel replied wearily, head bowed.
A cloaked figure, with raised hood, appeared before him. The figure asked, "What do you seek in this life?"
The voice was familiar and ancient to him. He hadn't heard it in centuries. He raised his head to look at the figure. He tried to see him clearly through the shaded hood. Angel asked weakly, "Father?"
"What do you seek!" the voice thundered.
With brow drawn down in confusion, Angel whispered the first thing that came to mind, "Forgiveness."
"Forgiveness from whom?"
After a moment of thought, Angel replied, "Those that I destroyed."
"Do you willingly face them?"
A pause, then, "Yes."
At that word, the figure disappeared, as images filled Angel's mind. Images of all he had killed and harmed in his soulless -- and souled -- state. Angel grabbed, then threw back his head, and screamed in agony under the onslaught of images.
"NOOOOOOOOO!"
Outside of the room, the others watched in stunned shock. Faith whimpered, as Angel's emotions intensified to such a point that she felt a faint trace of what the vampire was feeling.
Softly, she whispered, "I forgive you."
Within the room, Angel stopped screaming, and fell to the floor shaking, as the images left him.
The voice spoke again, but was gentle, a female's voice, "Forgiveness is granted by one you have harmed."
Trembling, Angel rose to his hands and knees, and whispered questioningly in a ragged voice, "Mother?"
There was no answer, expect for the return of the voice to its emotionless state, saying, "You have done well so far Liam, son of Kells. It is time for the final test. The test of the heart. Are you prepared?"
"As much as I can be... Yes."
As the final word left his lips he felt a tight grip on his chest and his body rising into the air. His back began to arch. He felt as if he was being crucified. His body was going through extreme torment. He could see all the souls that he had tormented, that haunted him, but yet encircled him. A light began to illuminate the room, and danced around Angel.
"This is your spirit. You must face your own spirit and the demon that possesses your inner being. For you to conquer the prophecy, you must conquer yourself, and what your spirit has in store for you."
The agony seemed ever increasing as he fought the pain as he had done all his life. A pain that seemed to have no end. "It hurts...make it stop!"
"It will not cease, unless you give into it. You are stronger than you think you are. Remember all that you do in this life, you do not have to do alone. The pain you feel in your heart is for the absence of your mate, and the anger of the demon within. Allow yourself to give in to your heart and accept the demon's place within you, and you will be in control of your own destiny."
What would be the key? Angel thought frantically. It came to him in a sudden shock, Love.
Angel began to think of Buffy. It was the one thing he knew he loved the most. The pain began to recede. Then he thought of the demon within... and felt the rage of the demon in its captivity. He knew he needed to come to a compromise.
"Why do you fight me, Angelus?"
"You have taken control," the demon hissed.
"It is the soul's body," came another voice within Angel's mind. A voice he knew well.
"Buffy?" Angel asked.
"Yes, my love. I am here, but I cannot stay long."
"Help me."
"I am." Buffy then directed her voice towards the demon. "Angelus, I know you well, and understand what you are saying. But you must remember this: the soul was here first. It was you who took over, thrusting the soul out. Once the soul returned and claimed its rightful place, you could no longer lay claim to what was not yours to begin with. You must accept what cannot be changed."
Angel's body arched in agony, as the demon roared out, "NEVER!"
The souled vampire screamed. A feeling of rage coming from Buffy caused him to stop suddenly in fear. Angel felt the power that Buffy possessed come over him and seize the demon in a vice-like grip.
"You will listen!" Buffy snarled within Angel's mind.
The demon shrank away from Buffy, but was then seized by the soul. In a harsh whisper -- which all outside of the room heard -- Angel said, "I may be in control of this body, Angelus. But it is alive -- as it were -- because of you. Accept your state of being within me, and let us exist in peace!"
The instant Angel finished speaking, the demon conceded defeat, and said, "So be it. You are the master here."
At those words, Angel felt Buffy's presence leaving him. "Beloved!" he cried out.
"I am sorry. I cannot stay longer. They are aware that I am awake." Buffy's voice grew faint, as she said one last thing. "I love you."
"Buffy!" Angel thought frantically, but she was gone.
"The tests are complete, though the results were unexpected," said the emotionless voice.
Angel's body began to slowly come down back to earth, until he rested upon the crest. Once again, he wore his shirt and coat.
"You have passed all three tests. You are the purest to take the Parchment of the Blood Moon of St. Vigeous. Step forward and take that which you came for, for we have found you worthy."
Angel lay still upon the crest of Kells, his mind, body, and soul numb, even the demon was silent. Time passed before a gut-wrenching sob escaped him. He curled into a fetal position as he at last allowed himself to truly feel and understand what he had done in his long life, what he had accomplished.
How long he wept, he did not know...but when he was at last emotionally spent, he lay on the ground -- at peace with himself. He had never felt so clean in his life. He at last understood his place. With a deep breath, Angel rose to his feet, and purposefully strode over to the scroll with his last remaining strength.
A faint blue light flashed as he broke the seal of the confines of the scroll. With extreme exhaustion he turned, and made his way back to those who had sent him on this quest.
Angel reached the entrance to the room, and leaned heavily against it. With great exhaustion, he said, "I hope this is all worth the trouble that it took to get."
With concern, Maeve motioned for two Watchers to help Angel. As they move towards him, he motioned them away, saying, "I can do this. This is for Buffy and those who are in need."
Maeve looked at her ninth great-grandfather, and realized that there was a change that had occurred within him. She smiled to herself, and started making her way to the prepared rooms above.
Angel slowly followed, every step he took an effort. Faith came up beside him, and said quietly, "Let me help you."
Angel shook his head, and said in a barely heard whisper, "No." At Faith's hurt look, he said, "Please, I must do this on my own."
A few moments later, Angel stopped suddenly as he swayed, his eyes rolling up in his head. Faith caught him before he collapsed to the ground unconscious.