Title: Manifest Darkness
Episode 16
Authors: Sovereign and Elizafan568
Rating: R - things get dark fast.
Notes: This story starts half way through season five of Angel in the episode "Damage." It goes AU from there with some cannon parts to it.
Summary: Victory is bittersweet as the coaltion comes to terms with the costs of war.
Feedback: Sovereign - xsovereignx@yahoo.com and Elizafan - elizfan568@yahoo.com
**
Illyria looked up the large snake creature that was her one time priest and servant, Olvican. Size may have been on his side, but the God King would not be put down so easily, and even as another fight had come to its fateful end, Illyria was ever more determined to still the beating heart of this traitor to her throne. The other creatures of the Earth might have the excuse of having forgotten, but Olvican should have deferred immediately, instead of using her abilities against her army and slaughtering them. The fight, however, was going against the blue haired entity, and a limp had become inevitable, despite all her abilities.
Olvican was not doing spectacular, but he had suffered much less debilitating abilities. He knew he had this won, for only Illyria's true form could overpower him, but she could not have it, there was no power strong enough to create it, even for a moment in time. He grinned as he looked down at her, readying himself to finish this fight.
Illyria sneered, her hands covered in Olvican's gore as she had attempted to rend the large serpent piece from piece. "You have grown arrogant Olvican, and you reek of false godhood. Is this all you could aspire to be? A large serpent and nothing more?"
"Come now, your highness. This form is the most fitting form to do battle and to devour hoards of nasty humans in need of punishment. Besides, it's quite becoming, don't you think?" Olvican said with a light laugh, his arrogance getting the better of him, feeling that the fight had already been decided as he slowly edged towards Illyria, backing her up into the corner of the corridor.
"I have come to understand humans Olvican. They can do things we had never dreamed of. Too bad you can not open your eyes to it, for they would make better subjects than meals." she felt a presence behind her, but unable to tear her eyes away from Olvican, she did not look.
"Now, now, my dear fallen God King. Just be quiet for a few moments and it'll all be over quick. I can assure you of that." Olvican snarled as he bared his teeth and slowly brought his head down towards Illyria, breathing his warm, rancid breath over Illyria.
Illyria felt the presence again, but before she could do anything other then stand still, she heard something muttered and a large surge of power entered her body. It felt like the power she had once truly held, when the Ancient Ones walked this plane of existence, and she ruled them all. Her mind seemed to detach from her body for what seemed like eons, but was in fact only a few moments. A massive pain racked her brain as her body seemed to shudder with horrible demonic pain. She felt herself ebb and flow as if caught in a river of time that could neither flow forward as it should, or backwards as it could not.
When the rush was over, she realized she was now looking down at Olvican. Her once human legs were now the blue-black scaled appendages she remembered them to be, ending in feet with six razored claws. Her body was now scaled with the intricate designs in the bright blue that had been her eye color in the human body, that spoke of her rank and privilege as God King. Her arms, all four of them, bore human hand design in that they had four fingers and a thumb but were matches for her feet. The claws just as sharp as obsidian razors.
Blue eyes were encompassed within a long narrow skull, one set of horns rose from the side of the eye sockets and curved upward, while a second set rose from above the eye sockets and went up without any curve at all. There seemed to be no nostrils at all, and at the end of the skull was a mouth that looked as though it could eat the world. A blue-black tongue flicked between two rows of needle sharp teeth that must have numbered in the hundreds. On its back were a huge pair of wings that could have wrapped the large snake around twice. A tail with an end that looked to be like a bone club at the end with spikes.
Illyria the God King's true form was fear inspiring, and for that one moment, every living creature of good and evil nature. Human and demonic, other worldly and indigenous, felt what true fear was.
Illyria looked down at her one time servant, relishing the power she had, though she knew it only temporary. "You spoke of me as being fallen..." her voice made the world shake and tremble as if in the middle of an earthquake.
Olvican stared up in awe at the God King in her full glory. He felt the terror that she had always inspired back then once again, here and now in the present and he knew that this battle was over. He had lost. *Well, my Princess. It seems our noble campaign to bring about order has failed. Don't worry though, looks like I'll be seeing you soon.* He thought to himself as he prepared to be slaughtered. "Well....Only one thing left to do." he said, before charging Illyria with all his might.
The horrid sounds of Olvican being torn to shreds by the God King and being tossed around the base in large and small chunks was enough to make anyone who saw it either vomit, curl up and start crying, or just plain go into catatonia. It took less than five minutes. When done, the large creature turned back and saw on the ground a tiny pale figure barely alive at all. Illyria gently scooped up the tiny body in her large clawed hands with a delicacy that should have been impossible. Illyria looked at the small being. Willow Rosenberg, the witch she felt had held great power, had given her back her true strength in a time of need. She neared the hand to her large mouth, and whispered, "You have the gratitude of a King." then took flight to get Willow cared for before the spell ended.
**
With fall of both the Empress and Olvican, the Project quickly fell to the wayside. Their deaths were felt throughout the complex and the battle quickly ended. Willow had bested Amy Madison in a clash of magical powers, ending with Amy being vaporized. Kennedy had met her end at the hands of a one Samara St. John in a battle of Slayer strength. The rest fell quickly as the battle came to a bloody close. Slowly, the surviving warriors made their way outside of the decadent base as head counts were taken to know who had survived and who had perished. Many lives had been lost, but thanks to them, many more had been saved.
The leaders of the rag tag coalition came to what would be their final official meeting as medical personnel tended to the wounded and the deceased. It seemed like total chaos but there was an order to the seeming madness. A obvious state of shock was overtaking everyone as it was difficult to come to terms with all that had transpired. A cold numbness was apparent on the faces and in the demeanor of all those present.
With a trembling gait, Faith reentered the tent, the suit still on, but seeming very still. She was followed by a oddly silent Illyria. Faith took several deep breaths, blinking her eyes a couple of times. "Is it over? Did we win?" in the back ground could still be heard some sporadic moments of fighting, but nothing more then a few seconds at any time.
"Clean up operations Faith. It's over." Angel replied, looking haggard and beaten up. "Riley is this over?"
"My troops are mopping up a few stragglers, but I think it's over. I've got some men setting charges on what's left of the base. We're going to level that place and leave nothing left. We don't need any reminders. Do we have confirmation of the deaths of the Empress and Olvican?" Riley asked the group at large. The deaths of those two were the most important targets of the campaign.
"Anyone can confirm the big snakes death.." Spike said. "Her majesty, here, put him across three states in bite size pieces." he lit up a cigarette, then gave Angel one who took it, no one else accepted.
"That is correct. Olvican shall not be bothering you or your world anymore. His remains will only serve to fertilize the earth. Everything is as it should be." Illyria looked over at Faith, then back at Riley, tilting her head slightly. "Or rather.. I kicked his ass."
Illyria's last comment caught odd glances from everyone. Words and speech extremely unlike her. Faith let out a low and dull laugh at that. She had come to feel close to the former God King and was glad to see her changing and growing and almost seeming to be like her. Always the odd ones that Faith made connections with it seemed. A vampire and now two Old Ones.
"And the Empress...Can anyone confirm the Empress' fate?" Riley asked again pointedly.
"She's dead Riley." Faith huffed out. "Buried the Scythe in her guts and... she died." Faith answered, not wanting to go into what else she saw. "I think that all the leadership got wasted."
"Well, I sure as shit got rid of Kennedy's psycho ho double. Damn, she had cropped hair and nasty tats all over her.. yick. Anyway, half way beheaded her. So that's a confirmed kill." Samara leaned on her arms on the table that they were around, weary and tired, but glad this was over.
"Well, seems a completely successful campaign then. I just ask that you guys stay here for a little while we wrap up things here and then you can all go on your own ways." Riley said, dismissing the meeting and getting back to wrapping things up with his men. Leveling the base and taking care of making sure the Project was truly finished.
"Wait, wait!" Jill said, running in at top speed and yelling at the top of her lungs. "What about Raven? Did anybody see Raven? Where is she? Is she alright?" she asked, looking back and forth between all those present, desperately wanting to know what had become of her close friend.
There was no response. No one had seen the odd eyed girl. Faith spoke, knowing her words would not be helpful and that they would be a lie. If Raven wanted and could come back, then she would be here now, and she wasn't. Raven had done what Faith herself had done once. "I saw her just before the fight with the Empress, I never saw her after. I think maybe she..." she shook her head, she wasn't sure if Raven Raines was dead or not, only that she was not being truthful about the scene she had witness part of between Raven and the dying leader of the Project.
"She has to be alive and I know she wants to come back. She just has to. She's too strong and....She has to be okay. She..."Jill started to sob in spite of herself and as quickly as she had entered the tent, she exited it. On top of everything else, the not knowing of Raven's fate was too much for her to bear at this time.
Samara walked over to her to put her arms around her, but stopped as the girl left. She turned her eyes toward the group. "Hey, you know Raven, if she's alive, she'll be back. If not, then you know she went down fighting. All we can do is wait to see if they find her one way or another. My bet is she's doing just fine." Samara looked at the others, seeming to age ten years in that moment.
Giles saw the expression and remembered it on Buffy's face after the Angelus incident. There was a dulling of the life in the eyes in the young girl that signified something was lost in that moment. "We should be ready to accept anymore wounded, keep our eyes open and see what else we can find. I'm sure Miss Raines will be just fine." he offered.
**
Angel slowly made his way outside of the tent, followed by Faith. Angel looked out over the battlefield, speaking both to Faith and to himself. "Just one more battlefield....So many lives lost and no one is going to be the wiser. We've lost so many people...Some who I still can't believe are gone. And the world as a whole will never know of these heroes." he said solemnly.
"Yeah, but those of us can not be forgetting anytime soon." she said, placing her hand on his shoulder, and realizing she was actually looking at her hand. She looked down and the suit seemed to melting away quietly, returning to the earth. It didn't hurt, and left only a slight feeling of loneliness in the brunette. "But they were there with us when we need them weren't they?" she asked watching the crimson fluid run stainlessly down her legs and down and over the cliff and along the rocks.
"You're right, Faith. As long as we remember, they can live forever. That's what matters. They went down fighting and accomplished a lot in their lives. Those of us left behind just continue to fight the good fight and one day, hopefully, we'll see them again." Angel said as he turned to face Faith. "Faith...the suit...you're you again. Well, you've still got the blue spots with the Old One blood but otherwise, you're you again." Angel said, stumbling over his words.
"Yeah. I think I was always me. I was just a lot of other people too." she watched as the blood soaked into the ground, then her eyes grew big and she clutched at Angel's sleeve and pointed. Where the blood had soaked the earth, small white flowers began to erupt, trailing down the rocks as the blood had. She smiled grandly. "The hope for tomorrow huh?" she asked, admiring the flowers.
Angel put his arm around Faith's shoulder. "I think so Faith. If it's one thing I've learned, its that there is always hope. Maybe more now than there has been before." he said with a small smile. "You planning on coming back to LA with us or do you have something else in mind?" he asked.
Faith took a deep breath. "I think I might try to start a family Angel. Find a decent guy and have me a couple of kids." she looked out over the horizon, sun was still several hours away. "I think I want to do that above all Angel. Its not wrong to want that is it?"
"No, Faith. Not at all. In fact, I don't think I could think of anything more right. Especially for you. I think you deserve it. If any of us deserve some R&R and to have a real life." he said with a warm smile, giving Faith a squeeze. They could not be more family than if they actually were.
Faith released a pent up breath. "With Buffy gone, and Raven...missing, I just thought maybe it was time to give it over to the younger generation ya know. I always held B as my own measuring stick after I got out of jail, figuring that if one day I could do that good, and be that sacrificing, then maybe.. hell I dunno.. maybe something I did would count. Now that she's gone I realize I just have to live the best I can, and hope its enough to count."
"And I thought I was supposed to be the old, wise one of the two of us. Man, Faith, you're starting to make me look bad." Angel said with a smile and a light laugh.
Faith smiled back. "Let's get this thing done so we can get back to the business of living." she turned, stopping a young solder, her red tresses sticking out form under her helmet. "You seen where Major Finn went?" the young girl pointed behind her at a large truck. "Thanks." Faith turned, beckoning Angel to follow.
Riley was dismissing a fire team leader when Faith and Angel approached. "Just got word, the Project base in no more than a pile of rubble down in the valley now. We've searched the area and cleared it. I can now officially say that the Project is now dead and buried. The case file can be closed on them." he said in a very militaristic tone.
"Did they find the body Riley? Raven or the Empress?" Faith asked, a bit focused in her demeanor when she asked.
Riley took a deep breathe before responding. "No, we found neither one of their bodies. We did find a huge pool of blood that tested positive for you, so I assume it was hers. As well as bloody footprints leading from it, outside the base. From what we could tell, it seemed like someone who was carrying a body, but with all that destruction, I doubt..."
"Announce her dead Riley, and let these girls grieve and know some peace." Faith turned and began to walk away, she called over her shoulder. "That's advice, not an order." she kept walking as the two men were left looking at walking away in the distance.
Angel stood silent for a second and then turned to Riley. "You heard the lady. Announce them both dead. No reason to drag it out any further. These girls need to get on with their lives. Most of them are still just kids after all. They deserve their peace." With that, Angel walked away to gather his people and prepare to return to LA and the belly of the beast that was Wolfram and Hart.
Riley thought about the events of the last few months, weeks, days, and hours and found Faith's advice to be for the best. The mystery of what actually happened to Raven Raines this day would just be that, a mystery. This war was over and it came time for the survivors to heal, and for the remaining members of the project, should any be found as having escaped to be properly captured and tired in a court. As he turned to begin proper announcements and clean up orders, he passed a row of trucks in numerical order on the side of the road numbers one through fifteen. The third one was pulling out as he walked by, and it made him think of how stupid war really was. It was a monster that only wanted to be fed, but was never satisfied. He shook his head and went about ending the final act of this war.
**
It took longer than everyone had thought it would to wrap things up at the battlefield. Five days later, and things had only just barely been wrapped up. The coalition leaders had been spending the past several days in a makeshift camp up on the cliff. It was not the most comfortable or homey set up, but it served its purpose well enough. The Renegades had their area, the Scoobies theirs, the Fang Gang theirs, and Faith and Illyria had their own little space for Faith had been in need of a lot of alone time and Illyria seemed to be the easiest for her to be around. Preparations had been underway for a memorial service for Buffy and the fallen warriors of the war. A somber tone was strongly had taken hold over the camp.
The seats at the final ceremony were very nice, and it hardly looked as though it had been a command center five days prior. Flowers and ornaments were hung respectably around the portable pews that had been installed. It was very nice, for a memorial. There would be a proper funeral later, but for now this was so they could be together now. At the head, was the stone that had been carved for all the heros of the cause, who had died to protect this world. That ceremony had been held, but this was something a little more private, for the other two smaller stones carved there. A young Chaplain stood at the head while he watched the heads of the organization come to honor their dead. The first one is was a young girl, aged about fifteen years, she signed the book on the side then went and sat on the left side. of the first row, saying nothing, and seeming rather calm.
One by one, they slowly and solemnly. Each pausing to sign the book and have a brief moment of silence for the fallen. Some more than others. Eventually, all those who were going to be present were present and dull calmness overtook them and the ceremony commenced. Some were in tears and some were simply silent in their own thoughts, their own worlds in some cases, and all that had transpired up till this point seemed to be a dream, or at least something more than surreal.
The young chaplain looked over to Riley, who nodded silently from his place on the right side of the pews, his dress greens in perfect order. He looked over and got a nod from a young man who seemed to serve as an usher. He cleared his throat. "We have gathered here in this ceremony to honor two very special people's lives and their sacrifice for the lives and freedoms of all in this world. Buffy Anne Summers and Raven Raines were two leaders who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for friends, family, and strangers alike. This world will be a much darker place without them. I am told that several of you would wish to speak on behalf of both of these magnificent women, so if you please..." he stepped away from the little altar like podium, gesturing for someone to come up.
Spike, surprisingly, was the first to walk up and stand at the podium. "Well...what can I say? Raven....well, I didn't know the bird too well but she seemed to be a pretty decent girl. I can't say whether she really turned or not but I don't think she did and doing the whole undercover thing. That was...really helpful and shows what kind of fighter she really was." Spike said, pausing to find just the right words to speak about Buffy.
"And Buffy. What can I say about her that hasn't already been said and much better then I can say it. She was one in a million. No one else like her. No one else ever will be and I'll miss her...miss her a lot. She deserved to still be here more than any of us I think, and that's....well, that's all I can really say." With that, Spike hurriedly made his way away from the podium and outside before he made a fool of himself.
There was a moment of silence before Samara St John went up there in all her tiny dignity. She shamelessly snagged a small booster box and stood on it to talk of her friends and mentors. "Buffy, was a great teacher. She was a good person. She was a pain in the ass. She nagged a bit much too. It's why I think we all loved her in our ways. Strong to a fault I guess, she really had a way to just keep you going when you wanted to quit. I'll keep what I learned from her, now that Im in a place like she was, I'll need it. Thanks Buffy." She paused to dab at her eyes for a moment
"Raven Raines. My friend and coach, I guess I'll never understand what her vision of the future was, my eyes match." she laughed lightly. "Seriously though, my world would have been nothing but worthless if Raven hadn't take time to teach me how to be a better person. I remember most of all when we were preparing to leave Buffy and the Slayers, she said she hated leaving Buffy's side and how she wished one day she could stand by her again. It looks like you made it Raven. Thank you for everything you did for me, for the Renegades, and for all of us who loved you." Samara gave a slight nod. "Yeah, that's bout it."
She quietly walked down and sat down next to the grief stricken Jill Bradford, who had been sitting next to Riley, weeping on his shoulder as quietly as she could.
Slowly but surely, Angel made his way up to the podium. His walk was very deliberate as he took his place and looked out over those gathered and took a low sigh, trying to find the right words to express how he felt. He knew that there really weren't any that could do it justice. "Well, what can I really say? I didn't know Raven all that well but from what I've been told and from what I observed on my own, she was a rare individual. She was unique within a group of unique people. She made her choice to do what she felt was necessary to right things. I can't say I agree with that choice but I understand it and I can say that without it, we may very well have lost." Angel paused before continuing.
"And, for Buffy....I really don't think I or anyone else can really do her justice. She was the best of us all and deserves to be remembered from this point forward. We all owe her several times over and she'll be missed more than even I can express" Angel looked up towards the sky, seeing through the tent and into the sky. "We'll always love you, Buffy and I hope, wherever you are, you've found that peace you've always deserved." With that, Angel solemnly walked back down in silence, deep in thought.
Rupert Giles stood up from his place next to Jenny Calendar. Grief and promise, hope and despair. He would take some time later to ponder why the two always seemed inexorably attached to each other. For now, however, he would say his piece for a fallen hero, and a lost family member. He realized now that he moved as though someone had added ten years to his age, and his demeanor seemed weaker than usual. He cared not, as he got to the podium, he cared only to do justice with his words.
"I will not repeat what has been said by Angel, Samara, and Spike, as what they have said is all well known and true. I would however, like to say what I feel and know to be true." he stopped and cleared his throat. "Raven Raines and Buffy Summers never agreed on the running of this new group of Slayers. Lord knows that dear Buffy could be damnably stubborn, and Raven was an excellent student of that trait. However, Raven Raines gave her life in the finest tradition of Slayers dating back as far as there have been records. She gave an excellent accounting of herself both in training, and as a Slayer, then on to a Renegade, before finally becoming an invaluable soldier in this rather dark affair." he paused to wipe at his eyes, then clear his throat and stand tall.
"I am honored to have known her, and hope that in the future more people would strive to be like her. I will remember the name Raven Raines with pride for the rest of my days. May she rest in peace." he stopped and again wiped at his face, trying to swallow the lump in his throat.
"Perhaps one of the grimmest things I was ever taught when learning to be a watcher, was that the day would come when I would have to bury my charge. However, I found that after I was assigned to be Buffy's watcher that there was something even more grim, and that was the day I would have to bury someone I looked upon as a daughter. She was preposterous, willful and one of the most insolent people I had ever met. However, when I got past that, I found a wonderful young woman with a generous heart and a caring compassionate nature. There is so much that she was that will be missed. I.. " the Englishman broke down, unable to continue and was aided back to his seat quietly by Jenny.
Lastly, the reluctant leader of the coalition and oldest and most experienced Slayer there was now, Faith, stepped up to the podium. She took a moment to look into the eyes of a few choice attendees. Angel.....A broken Jill....A solemn Willow and Xander. So many people who's lives that had been touched and changed by Buffy. She would be missed indeed and Faith could only hope they she could achieve one tenth of what Buffy had done in her life.
"I'm not much for words....and even less for speeches. Raven was what she was. I almost looked at her as a little sister at times cause she was so much like me in some ways that it was scary. Even more than I thought with the way things turned out. She touched the darkness just like I did, but for better reasons and with better results than I. She was the best of the new generation. I can't agree with her choice or methods in this, but at least I believe that she was doing it for the right reasons, or at least that's how she felt. We owe you a lot Raven and I'll miss you, you little odd eyed girl." Faith said with a smile, looking skyward.
Faith took several long, deliberate breathes, trying to find words and failing. So, she did what she usually did in such a situation, she went with her gut. "Buffy....I'm the last person to be talking about her and her life. I definitely don't deserve to be here and her not. It's backwards if you ask me but it is what it is and we've gotta make the best of it. There isn't a person here that doesn't owe their life to Buffy, including me. I know she and I never saw eye to eye and had a very rocky relationship, to say the least but....." Faith took another deep breathe, looking to Angel and company for support. "....but I always respected her, even if I didn't know it and I'll miss her more than I can express. I know we all will. Buffy, I hope to see you again someday, and bug you as only I can.
Tears flowed down Faith's cheeks and before she could breakdown completely she made her way down from the podium and out of the tent, satisfied that she had spoken her peace and done the fallen women as much justice as she could. It wasn't enough, she knew, but it was all she could do.
There were countless recounting of admiration from Slayers, Renegades, and others. It seemed to go on forever, but each was done respectfully and with warmth. When it was done, the young Chaplain came back, stopping at the two memorials. He snapped briskly to attention, then saluted flawlessly. He got to the podium, then nodded to the same young soldier that had been ushering at the beginning. "We hereby commend our sisters, Raven Raines and Buffy Anne Summers, to the ground, and their spirits to the afterlife, and know that though what was said here may be forgotten, let never be forgotten what was done here. Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, and dust to dust." he fell silent, and only the sounds of muffled sobs could be heard.
"That concludes our memorial service. There is food and beverages for those who would like some. Myself and several chaplains will be in the Chaplains tent if any of you should need to talk. Thank you." he nodded once, then quietly excused himself to go meet with the other Chaplains, and let the mourners organize themselves.
As the gathering dispersed, people went about doing things in their own way. Some sobbed uncontrollably while trying to be consoled by their friends. Other were silent, and still others seemed to be moving on and making preparations to leave this desolate battlefield and return to their "normal lives." Normal, however, was something that never really truly existed for these people, and would be even less possible now. It was, however, in their nature to try and make the best lives they could. For themselves and for all those around them. It's what warriors of good did.
Riley had entered the mess tent absent mindedly. It wasn't that he wanted to eat or anything of the sort. He, just like everyone else, just couldn't look at that damnable marker for his one time love. He had always been about dealing and moving, but it wasn't about that now, it was about the bitter taste of loss and how he was going to have to live with it. He looked around, seeing some the Renegades and Slayers mingling together, comforting each other. With Raven and Buffy both gone, he pondered a moment about the two groups futures. Would they stay separate, or would they merge again? Seeing the way the new leader of the Slayers, Kennedy and the leader elect of the Renegades, Samara, seemed to be as far from each other as possible, he figured not.
He saw Willow and Xander, quietly talking over two plates of untouched food. He knew that conversation was emotionally locked, and figured it was probably intense. He saw Giles, with the Project turncoat Dr. Jenny Calendar. He figured there would be lot to work out there, but figured he could keep her name off the list of Project survivors that were to be hunted down for trial. He saw Siren Trust, and her best pal Trinity, seated at a table by the door, talking heatedly about something that was bringing more tears to both sets of eyes. It was when he felt a hand on his shoulder he was surprised. For as he turned he saw Angel and Spike, looking as if they wanted something.
"Hey, uh, hey guys." he said. He hadn't liked either of them, possibly never really would. However, in this they were connected, by one tiny blonde. "Um.. something I can do for you?"
"Hey, um, Riley.." Angel stuttered not really knowing what to say, especially since the two of them had never really been on friendly terms. "You and your men going to be wrapping things up here soon. I've pretty much got my crew together and we'll be pulling out later tonight. Anything you need help with while were still here?" Angel asked while Spike lit up a cigarette and puffed away.
"No, we're just loading up, then well clear the area, leaving nothing but the memorials and the crater." he said looking at Spike then Angel. "I guess I want to say .. well.. I guess there really wasn't anything to say was there, at least nothing that wouldn't sound completely pointless and stupid."
Angel simply nodded in agreement. "Yeah, there isn't really anything to say." he responded.
"I think we get that there's nothing to say. We don't have to go on about that fact, do we?" Spike grumbled, his usual gruff and sarcastic demeanor seeming to return.
While this unorthodox conversation was going on, a seemingly lost and absent minded Jill Bradford walked up to the trio, seeming to want to say everything and nothing at once. Her youthful face showing age and emotions that no one her age should be force to bear. "Hey Riley, "She mumbled, stumbling over herself in a somber manner, "You guys are going to be leaving soon, right? So are we and I was maybe wondering, Am I.....Am I ever going to see you again?" she said through teary eyes.
Riley looked at the young girl, then at the two vampires, who looked on mildly interested in hearing his answer. He thought a moment, then realized that he did have to go on, and Buffy would want it that way. "Yeah, I was going to talk to you about that. Give me a quick sec." he turned and thought of offering a hand to shake to the two vamps, but decided it might not be taken the right way. "Happy to have worked with you both, despite the end. You both take care of yourselves." he nodded to the vampires in a respectful fashion.
"You too." Angel replied. "You know I never really got along with you but now at least I can say I respect you. You're one hell of a soldier. It was good to fight by you too." Angel said, giving a nod to Jill as he walked away.
"Yeah, soldier boy, guess you're not so bad after all. Take it easy and, don't take this the wrong way but I do hope I never see you again." Spike said as he turned and gave a wave over his shoulder while walking away after Angel.
Riley turned back to Jill. She looked so frail and delicate, despite the fact the could toss him twenty yards on a whim. "I'd like to say we could see each other again Jill, but don't you have to lead the Renegades?" he asked, looking over towards the figure of Samara eating greedily of the food she had on her plate.
"I'm not really the leader type. That's more of Samara's job." she replied, motioning to the girl still stuffing her face. "I make a good second in command I think, but I don't see where I'm all the important. She's more than capable to do it on her own if need be. Besides, I'm not really up to leading anyone right now. I"ve.....I've got a lot to work through."
Riley thought it over, then gave in to his first impulses. "You could be a conscript for the Initiative. Work for us, have a place to sleep, like one of the troops, except not actually be one of the troops. We could use the help of a Slayer, and.. uh.. well there's.. damn I was never good at this." he wiped his face. "Short version... I'd like it if you were around, if you wouldn't mind."
Jill blushed full and bright but quickly tried to hide it, hoping Riley had not seen it but know it had to have. "Really!? I mean...I wouldn't be a burden or anything, right?" she asked lowly.
"Officially you'd be listed as a conscript, meaning you worked for us, but not as a soldier. You'd be our ambassador of sorts to the Renegades and Slayers when we needed one. " he smiled slightly. "Unofficially.. well, we would have to see about that." he admired the flushed look of her face, thinking that she had to be very beautiful when not in the midst of a life or death battle. "If you think you'd want the job."
"Oh, I definitely want the job. A change of scenery would be great and getting the change to be around you on a regular basis that would be, well, that wouldn't be too bad at all." she said with a light laugh, blushing once again.
"Alright, just stay behind when the others go. I'll make sure you get to ride in my Hummer." he said "but its not-" the sentence was cut short as Illyria entered the door. Her attempt to sound urgent without sounding commanding was awkward, but the effort was appreciated.
"Faith requires your presence at the memorial." she whispered to Riley and Jill as she came near, then quietly ghosted away towards the other main leaders of the coalition. Riley looked at Jill, then gestured that they go in a hurry.
**
The coalition leaders quickly made their way to the memorial tent, not knowing what to expect as they approached. They found Faith standing midway in between the door and the stones, staring the direction of the memorial with a sort of stunned look on her face. "Faith, what is it? What's wrong?" Angel asked frantically as he was the first to reach her.
Faith pointed, unsure of what to make of the scene in front of her. As the others came from behind, spreading left and right of her, they were confronted by the same scene Faith was standing a gape at. "I was on the way to the tent to grab some food with Illyria, decided to stop in and say some things and .." she shook her head. "Is that.. what I think it is?"
"I bloody well hope someone is not trying to be funny tonight. I am not in the mood to be anything but extremely hostile." Spike added, furling his eye brows at the scene before them.
"For once I'd have to agree with Spike. If someone is trying to be a comedian, they picked a God awful time to practice their routines." Giles added as he clinched a hand slightly.
"This can't be...This just can't be, can it?" Jill mumbled over and over again, unsure of how to take what she was seeing. Even doubting that it was really there. She pinched herself to see if she was dreaming, but it was still there before everyone's eyes.
"Did anyone put that there? If so, own up to it now. This is no time for jokes." Angel commanded, quickly getting absent shakes of heads from all those there.
Riley went outside and questioned the two soldiers guarding the memorials, but both said that Faith had been the first one in since everyone left. "The guards say no one came in." All could clearly see that the sides of the tent were still firmly spiked to the ground and were not disturbed. He was about to say more when he was muscled out of the way by tiny Samara, who was forced to push her way to the front due to everyone being of equal or taller stature.
By the time she got through she was within arms length of the memorial in question. She gaped for a moment, then slowly reached her hand out, as it she would be punished for moving to fast. As gentle as a grandmothers touch, she picked an object atop the stone that was the cause of the commotion, then turned and held it out at full length for the others to see. She looked at it bewildered as the others, as she announced what it was, confirming the conclusion the others were coming to.
"It's a feather.... a raven's feather."
THE END~~?
