"I don't think I've ever seen a vampire so perfectly resemble a caged animal." Galendil's tone was nonchalant as he observed Angel pacing to a fro inside his cell, wracked with guilt and worry for Buffy's well being. "She passed her first trial you know."

"And I'm supposed to be relieved by that?" He sneered back at the demon God. "I still don't know if I can trust you to keep your word, even if she manages to pass all three and come to that, she still has two to go."

"You're right, she does." Galendil agreed. "And she's about to commence the second one which will be significantly more difficult than the first."

"Why are you even telling me this?" Angel wondered, wishing that he could wrap his hands around the demon God's neck and choke the life out of him. "Either way I'm going to find out the outcome of your little game eventually so if you don't mind, I'd like to spend the remainder of the time waiting away from you and your comments."

"Sadly you are in no position to make such a request." Galendil said simply. "Anyway, I was coming here to offer you something but you are behaving very ungratefully as it is, so perhaps I won't even bother."

"The only thing I want from you is your horrible painful death and I don't see that happening any time soon unfortunately." Angel replied in a low, threatening tone.

"No, I don't foresee that either." Galendil said cheerfully. "But speaking of painful deaths, your girlfriend might just be about to meet hers in the second task. Aren't you even a little bit curious as to what's happening?"

"Would that make you feel better?" Angel growled.

"Seeing you in agony is pleasurable enough actually." Galendil replied in a sinister tone. "Which is why I'm going to give you something you only think you want and watch it tear you apart."

"What are you talking about?" Angel asked in trepidation.

"A window." The demon God said simply. He waved his hand to reveal what looked to be a large battle arena. "A window in which you can watch Buffy as she fights for her life in the second task. You can watch her fight and you can watch her die."

"She is not going to die." Angel hissed furiously. "If you think a physical challenge is the way to go let me tell you that you have lost already. She is the most powerful slayer that I have ever..."

"Slayer maybe." The demon God agreed. "But take those preternatural powers away and she is just a girl. A small, helpless girl who is about to be demon food. You see the challenge started ten minutes ago and she is already beginning to falter Angel. She has to last in there for three days in order to pass. Still think she can do it?"

"She's more than just slayer powers." Angel said firmly, ignoring the plummeting feeling in his stomach that kept whispering Buffy's doom. "Anyone who thinks differently is making a gross understatement."

"Well I guess I'll see about that." He gestured towards the window he had created in the wall of the cell that showed the battle that currently raged between Buffy and a demon that looked to be ten times her size and strength even with her slayer powers. "Personally I don't think she can last thirty minutes, let alone three days. I know that win or lose this is something you would want to see so I'll leave you to it. There's just one other thing."

"What's that?" Angel all but whispered, more afraid of the answer than he had ever been in his entire life.

"This demon she's fighting....there's a catch. You see he's a mirror demon. Even if she does manage to get an effective physical hit on him, he's only going to turn into her worst fear. He will take on the physical characteristics of someone close to her. If she kills him, she will think she's killing someone she loves. Her mother, her sister, her friends...you. Do you think she can handle that? Do you think that for three days she can stand to fight those closest to her? Do you think she can continue to kill those she loves?"

"She killed me once." Angel said with a humourless smile. "I don't doubt her ability to do it as many times as it takes. That's her greatest strength you see. It's not in her slayer powers, it's in her heart. A demon like you could never understand that."

"Maybe not." Galendil agreed. "But I can understand blood, and hers is staining the floor of that arena as we speak. That demon will keep rising until the three days is over no matter what. Your girl can only afford to die once. Think about that as you watch."
"I'm going to rip your throat out." Angel whispered, taken over completely with a murderous rage that he had never known, not even as Angelus. "I swear that somehow..."

"Strangely, not frightened." Galendil shrugged. He waved, and then disappeared. Angel turned back to watch in the mirror as Buffy continued to fight.