The gang had just returned from patrols with Annelise and Lisanne. On their way back from the cemeteries, they had picked up a couple of pizzas and were laughing with each other good naturedly. As they sat around the table, the two Watchers emerged from the stacks with grim looks on their faces.
"Whoa, what's with the end of the world faces?" Xander quipped.
Giles and Madeline looked at each other and Giles spoke, "That's because we have found what Madeline has been looking for. She knew from prophecies that something was going to happen in Sunnydale and soon. We have just located a reference to the Mortarum Scrolls."
"I'm guessing that we're fresh out of those." Xander replied.
"Shh. Xander, shut up so he can finish." Anya scolded him.
Giles sighed and paused, cleaning his glasses. Madeline continued. "The Mortarum Scrolls are required reading for any Watcher in training. They prophesize the vanquishing of the last true demon to walk the earth. There were several who were not sucked into the depths of hell as the Gates closed. The last would only be known in the scrolls as 'she who had no name'. When this happened, it would set off a chain of events that would lead to the end of the world as we know it."
The group sat in a stunned silence. They all knew that Glory was just an alias. And that she was gone, thanks to Dawn. Xander asked stubbornly, "So, did they happen to mention what this chain of events would be?"
Giles spoke up in a quiet voice, "Death, destruction, the usual."
Sunrise, Earlier that Day, Hyperion Hotel
She and Wesley had been waiting anxiously all night for any word, any news, anything. But, as the hours had gone by, they had resorted to skimming through the assorted magazines and newspapers that were lying around the foyer of the hotel. As the sun was rising, Wesley had fallen asleep over a fantasy novel he had purchased over the internet. Something about elves and archmages if Cordelia remembered correctly. Cordelia had been just about to doze off herself when she heard the familiar rumble of Angel's old convertible. She jumped up and threw open the front door.
"Buffy!" Cordelia exclaimed as she saw the Slayer trudge up the steps to the hotel, still covered in demon blood.
"Where is everyone?" she asked looking around for the kids, at least. She knew that Angel and Spike would have to stick to the sewers because of the unattractive burst into flames aspect of their natures.
Buffy stared at the ground for what seemed like an eternity and finally looked up at Cordelia. Cordelia was startled by what she saw in Buffy's eyes. She saw nothing at all. Cordelia began to panic. "Where are they?"
Buffy looked down once more and pushed past Cordelia and went up the stairs. As she passed she mumbled something that sounded to Cordelia like, "All gone."
As Cordelia stared up the stairs in desperation, she heard a rustling snort as Wesley woke. He looked at her sleepily and asked, "Was that Buffy?"
Later, after they had discussed why Buffy had returned alone and tried in vain to not believe that no one else would be returning, Wesley and Cordelia decided to look for Buffy and try to talk to her about what happened. They looked first in the room that she was sharing with Spike. When they didn't find her there, they noticed that the door to the adjoining room that William and Angela were to be sharing was open.
When they pushed the door open more, they looked inside to see Buffy lying on one of the beds, covered in the clothing that she had packed for her children for what was to be a weekend trip to Daddy's, staring dully at the wall in front of her. She was still wearing her blood spattered clothes and some of the blood had seeped into the children's. She gave no indication that she had seen them enter, except for the faintest flicker in her eyes, which could have been a blink for all anyone could see she was still blank faced.
Cordelia decided to give contact a try despite her overwhelming urge to leave this room and come back when she could believe the sight in front of her.
"Buffy?" Nothing.
"Buffy?" she said louder this time. Pain and grief.
"Buffy!" Finally, the liquid hazel eyes rolled from their straight ahead position and rested on her. Cordelia couldn't stand it. To say that Buffy's gaze was alarming was an understatement. Pain, grief, desolation, wretched sadness, and utter hopelessness were all there. And then it was gone again. Cordelia had never seen her like this. No matter what pain Buffy had suffered, she had always possessed a grim determination to go forward and make things right again, no matter what she had to do to do it. This empty shell was just a representation of Buffy. Nothing more.
"Buffy, what happened?" Wesley said gently as he kneeled beside the bed.
Buffy moved her empty stare from Cordelia to the ceiling. After a long silence, Buffy's lips cracked open. She said something and Wesley had to put his ear almost to her mouth to hear it. "They…they're all gone."
He reared his head back in shock not even thinking to doubt her words. "Gone!" he whispered harshly.
Buffy continued to stare at the ceiling. Everyone was gone. Angela. William. Angel. Spike. Her revenge had been swift, but hollow, for it couldn't bring any of them back. Reason told her she should count herself lucky that she wasn't gone too, but reason had been locked up by grief and silenced. Tears began to roll down the sides of her face, but they, like Wesley and Cordelia's exit were unheeded.
As she closed the door behind her, Cordelia turned to Wesley, "What are we going to do?"
"Well, that's hard to say. We could go to Wolfram & Hart and find out exactly what happened, but I doubt we'll get past the front doors before we are escorted out. We could wait till tonight -" he began.
Cordelia let out an exasperated sigh, "No, I meant what will we do about our jobs?"
Wesley opened his mouth to tell Cordelia exactly what he thought of her apathy when she grabbed her head and cried out in pain. She crashed to the floor, unable to bear the pain standing up. Minutes later, she opened her eyes to see Wesley's face about two inches from hers. "What did you see?"
Cordelia shook her head as if to clear it and struggled to sit up. "Buffy! We have to take her to the Oracles. Now!"
So, Wesley thought to himself as he helped her up and they made their way back to where Buffy lay, the prophecy had been fulfilled. They banged through the door to see that the Slayer had finally succumbed to slumber.
The Dreamscape
Buffy wandered through the hotel and as she walked, she became aware that there was someone walking with her. "Faith?"
The dead slayer smiled back at her and linked her arm through hers. "No. Not really. I'm just the face that your mind puts to what it is actually seeing."
Buffy nodded, comfortable with that knowledge, and let Faith lead her through the hotel. Finally they walked down the grand staircase and as they did, Faith turned to her and said, "The first of your kind had it all wrong. She had been cast out because of what I did to her. Her people did not understand that what I did was for the good of the world. She believed that she was meant to be alone."
Faith continued, "When the Watcher's Council and the tradition of a Slayer having a Watcher arose two thousand years ago, I believed that what I had truly intended was finally coming to pass. I was wrong."
"In ten thousand years, you are the only slayer to have discovered the true root of your strength. Not your physical ability, for that comes from me. Your strength, your heart, comes from those you love and love you."
Faith gestured around the foyer. There was a fire burning in the massive hearth. Her mom, Dawn, Xander, Willow, Tara, Anya, Giles, Cordelia, Wesley, Angela, William, Angel and Spike were all seated and smiling at her. Buffy turned to her and asked, "If my strength comes from love, then why do the people I love get taken from me?"
Night suddenly fell and the hotel was full of shadows, empty and silent. Faith was gone. In her place was a patch of black darker than the rest of the room. From it a voice spoke, "Things are not always what they seem, Buffy."
"Buffy."
"Buffy!"
Buffy's eyes flew open as Cordelia was shaking her and calling her name. "Buffy, you have to wake up, NOW!"
"I'm awake," she replied dimly. "Cordelia, what do you want?"
"I just had a vision. You have to see the Oracles."
Buffy looked at her dully. Realization dawned on her. They didn't just go away, they were taken by the Powers That Be to fulfill the prophecy.
"Angela? William? They're alright?" Buffy shrieked as she jumped from the bed nearly knocking over Cordelia.
Of course they're alright, Buffy thought as they left the room and she raced to change clothes. She was still wearing the demon muck soaked and caked clothing from the night before. Angela had said that she would see them again. She'd forgotten that after Angel disappeared in a ball of flame and Spike - -. Buffy's features crumpled as she thought of her lost love. Spike was still dust. She had never even gotten a chance to tell him that she loved him. He died thinking that she doubted him.
She rummaged around the room and in a drawer, she found Spike's silver cigarette case. It was empty, which was why he hadn't taken it with him last night. She took the coat that she wore last night and turned the pocket inside out over the case and let Spike's ashes funnel into the case. She sealed it and placed it in the inner pocket of her clean coat.
She remembered her strange dream. Things are not always what they seem, the darkness had told her. Allowing herself the briefest glimmer of hope, Buffy set out.
Evening, Just after Sunset
"I come before you to seek an audience…" Buffy mouthed the words that Cordelia taught her on the way to the site in her vision that would grant her passage to see the Oracles.
Buffy shielded her eyes from the bright white light. She looked around the dazzlingly light room, all cream and gold. It was different from how Cordelia had told her that Angel had described it. Where he had entered the presence of the Oracles immediately in their inner sanctum, she had arrived at the foot of a giant door. "Only the worthy may pass through the door unharmed," a voice boomed out at her.
Well, Buffy thought to herself as she pushed open the door, at least my children can't be killed like the previous Oracles had been. Shutting the door behind her, she found herself enveloped in a fierce embrace. Pulling away, she looked at her children, now fully grown. Their skin had a slight bluish tint, and they were dressed loosely draped white cloth, but otherwise they were just as she imagined they would look when they were grown. Looking at Angela, her daughter, was like looking into a mirror. Except that Angela wasn't sporting the faint creases that Buffy had found around her eyes before she left the hotel. Looking at William was very painful, because he looked exactly like Angel. He had his height, his soulful eyes, his smile. Everything but his name, which was Spike's.
The twins assembled themselves away from their mother reluctantly and took up their duty. "It is good to see you well, Mother." William began.
"We were worried for you." Angela continued.
"But, it is Father that we are more worried about," William concluded.
"Angel? He's alive? How? Where?"
Angela held up a hand to quiet her mother. "Sataaran has taken him to Asmodeus, into the greatest depth of Hell. He means to reopen the Hellmouth for good, ending this world. He needs Father's help for that."
"What can I do?" Buffy asked, confused. Why would Angel help to open the Hellmouth?
"Follow him to the Ninth Depth of Hell. You must defeat Asmodeus there to save this existence." William answered.
Angela cocked her head to the side, as if listening. "You were visited before you came to us mother. You must trust the darkness no matter what." Buffy nodded and felt herself being propelled towards the doors as Angela continued. "The Powers that Be will grant you a boon if you defeat Asmodeus. We will be watching, Mother. When you reach the Hellmouth, you and the other Slayers will be transported there. Good luck."
With that last word, a sense of rushing air passed by Buffy's ears and she was back in front of Cordelia. "Well? What did they say?" the brunette asked her as she walked purposefully out of the alleyway and towards the hotel.
"They told me to go to Hell!" Buffy called out over her shoulder.
Cordelia looked confused and took off after the Slayer.
Sunnydale, Later that Evening
After Buffy had described everything for both Wesley and Cordelia, she threw all of her belongings back into her mother's car and set off for Sunnydale. Cordelia jumped into Angel's car with Wesley and followed closely behind. After a brief stop at her home to fill her mother and Dawn in on what was going on and to stock up on weaponry, they headed for the magic shop.
Giles had just finished informing everyone of the end of the world when the door banged open to reveal Buffy suited up in black form fitting attire. Strapped to her back were a sword and small backpack that jangled with supplies. Behind her, Cordelia and Wesley quietly crept in.
"Buffy!" Xander stood and went to her. He was stopped halfway to her with a glance. Her face was hard and cold. "What happened?"
"I'll explain on the way. Annelise, Lisanne you're with me. Everyone else gather every weapon you can carry. Willow, Tara, Giles, spell stuff too. If we fail, we're going to need you to reseal the Hellmouth and for good."
Everyone cleared out of the room in search of what they needed They didn't even question Buffy. Giles lingered and went to Buffy who remained alone in the middle of the room. "What happened in LA?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
She looked up at him, all eyes. Her expression softened and she patted at the cigarette case that was hidden in her inside pocket. "Spike's gone. Angel's in Hell and the prophecy was fulfilled."
Giles stared at her with astonishment. "Buffy. Are you sure you can do this?"
"If I don't, it will be the end of the world. Permanently, this time." Buffy replied with steely determination. "I can do this, Giles."
The Ninth Depth of Hell
The ritual was almost complete. Asmodeus could feel the Slayer, gathering her friends. His attempt to keep the Oracles from fulfilling their destiny had been thwarted by the Powers. It was no matter. She would arrive, too late to stop him. He would add to his pleasure by killing her, but not before killing every person she loved first. It would be his finest hour. With Cetatari by his side, the world would be theirs.
The ritual required only one more ingredient. The ritual existed for eons as a mockery to all the inhabitants of Hell. For the last ingredient was something that had never existed up until a century ago.
Asmodeus cupped Angel's chin and stared at the unconscious vampire in fascination. He wondered if the gypsies had known what they were doing when they bestowed Angel's human soul upon him. If they had known what they had done would mean the end of the world. The curse was created only for Angel. It had never been performed before that, and it was never performed again on another vampire anywhere in the world.
The last component was the human soul that was housed in a vampire.
To be Concluded…..