It was only a matter of time before Galendil appeared once more causing Buffy to reluctantly pull away from Angel and turn to face the demon God.
"Human beings are so emotional." Galendil stated, with more curiosity in his tone than anything else. "You know what sorts of tragedies exist, know they are inevitable and yet you fight fiercely to stop them and allow yourself to feel the pain and agony when you fail. I don't understand why you don't just accept what cannot be changed and live your lives accordingly."
"Because," Buffy whispered, finally understanding something that had previously eluded her. "That's what it means to be human. To feel...it's the most important thing in the world. Win or lose, that's what makes us who we are."
"I wish I could find that touching." Galendil said with a mock sigh. "Unfortunately all I feel is the desire to witness some of that human suffering at work. Are you ready for your first trial?"
"Wait," Angel said urgently stepping forward, unable to allow Buffy to willingly go through with this. Pulling the demon God to the side so that Buffy couldn't here, he made one last desperate plea for Buffy's life. "Send her back. Please. Send her back and take my soul instead. I don't want this....I want her to be safe."
"And that is where I will prove even more the victor." Galendil said with a smile. "You think that I just want to physically hurt you? You are the most interesting specimen of all, for although you are technically a beast, you have the heart of a human being and therefore all of their silly emotions. And this wouldn't be hell unless you suffered. Now I have tortured you physically and mentally since you got here, but I know now that however much you suffer, I can never touch or hurt part of you until I hurt her. You would stay here and suffer bravely for all eternity, never knowing true pain if she were safe. And this wouldn't be any kind of hell dimension if you didn't experience true pain, now would it? To hurt you, I have to hurt her. You two are a package deal it seems, frustrating as that is."
"Fine, you want us both to suffer....I get that." Angel looked to where Buffy stood defiantly, refusing to believe her cause was hopeless, despite the sinking look of triumph on Galendil's face. "But why put her through a trial you know she can't win? Why not just cut straight to the torture, I mean you are capable of it...this is your hell dimension isn't it?"
"You want to get to hurting her quicker?" Galendil asked, clearly surprised by the request.
"I don't want this...this...ruse to go on longer than it has to, that's all." He replied with a world weary sigh. "We both know this trial thing isn't legitimate, that there's no way she can pass these tasks. You've won OK? Why do this?"
"Because hope is the thing that can crush a person the most," Galendil said menacingly. "Besides, what makes you think these trials cannot be passed? Nearly impossible, I'll grant you, but they are passable."
"You really expect me to believe you would keep your word even if she did pass them?" Angel's eyes narrowed and his voice lowered to an angry hiss.
"I am nothing if not honorable." Galendil said simply. "You can choose to believe that or not as you see fit, but I can guarantee if by some miracle she happens to pass my trials both of you will go home."
"Then it's you who have made the mistake." Angel said with a small smile. "If you really are telling the truth and these trials aren't impossible to pass, then you've already lost. If there's any possibility that Buffy can pass them, she will...because that's who she is."
"It's touching that you have so much faith in her." Galendil said with a laugh. "But I assure you she will fail. And when she does, my victory will be much sweeter."
"You sure talk a hell of a lot, don't you?" Buffy interrupted, her voice flat and laced with scorn. "Are we going to get to it or what?"
"Of course." Galendil said with mock politeness and a sweep of his arm. "Your vampire here just thought it necessary to give me a pep talk on your behalf. Seems he's confident that your victory is already in the bag. We'll see about that, won't we?"
"I suppose we will." She said, her voice steady. Turning back to Angel, she saw the fear and frustration in his eyes at the fact that there was nothing he could do to stop her from doing this. Touching his cheek gently she smiled, hoping to reassure him that this was the right thing to do.
"Buffy..." his voice was soft and broke before he could completely utter her name. "I believe in you."
"I know you do." She replied, a lump forming in her throat as she gazed into his dark eyes for what might be the last time. "Angel...if I lose..."
"Don't..." he pleaded, not wanting to hear any further. She placed her index finger on his lips, effectively silencing him. He stood and listened to her, paralyzed.
"If I lose Angel," her voice shuddered as she spoke, "I want you to know...it was worth it. OK? Don't blame yourself or regret what I did. Because I never will. Hold on to that. Hold on to me. Never let me go."
"Never," he echoed with a fierce shake of his head. Leaning forward, he kissed her one final time, fighting back the tears in his eyes and tasting the salt in hers. "I love you."
"I know." She said with a small, tearful smile. "And I love you. Hold on to that too. I'll see you soon OK?"
He nodded, not trusting his vocal chords any further and watched with a sinking heart as she walked away from him, perhaps to her doom. After she was out of eyesight he let out an inhuman cry of fear, anger, pain and anguish, thinking Buffy lost to him forever, and leaving him to wait, powerless to help her...unable to save her. It suddenly occurred to him that he was in hell.