The Ymojoi Trilogy Book 3 - War and Pieces: The Sacrifices
by Simon Northwood
Angel was beginning to struggle as Ymojoi swarmed around him, he fought them off but the sight of Slayers being struck down at every moment.
Xander was doing his best to lead them into a proper attack force but they seemed to be doing as they pleased.
Angel turned to look at Lorne but couldn’t see him. Hear him would be more accurate.
Lorne let out a blood curdling note and Ymojoi who where next to him fell down in pain.
Many Slayers also fell but Angel had to let them.
Buffy called over the din to Angel, “Where’s the guns Angel?”
“They should be here,” Angel said, suddenly realising that they where missing.
Angel turned to look for them but instead saw Fred turn to look at Gunn’s dead body.
He also saw a Ymojoi drive a sword through her back.
Angel closed his eyes and said a silent remembrance for Fred, who had just died next to Gunn.


ANGEL ANGEL ANGEL

Lorne watched as Ymojoi fell around him, he held the note and began stabbing them.
From the lawyer’s offices a Wolfram and Hart Special Operative team came through, all dressed in black and all with fully loaded machine-guns.
Lorne continued to stab the Ymojoi and hold the note at the same time.
The Wolfram and Hart SO’s began to fire at the crowd.
Without aim the SO’s gunned down any Ymojoi or Slayer that got in the way.
Lorne continued to hold the note but also dived for cover.
Angel for God’s sake sort them out, he thought.

ANGEL ANGEL ANGEL

Angel dived for cover and bought Buffy with him, his own team where firing at his own team.
Angel tried to shout at them but he could barely hear himself above the noise of Lorne’s note and about fifteen madmen firing machine guns.
He saw Lorne dive out of the way and then heard the note cut off.
Angel hoped that Lorne himself had cut the note off rather than a crazed Ymojoi or SO.
“Angel,” Buffy said from beneath him, “the Ymojoi are going upstairs.”
Angel looked over and saw that they where indeed heading towards Angel’s office.
It was now up to Spike, Harmony and the Slayers to keep them away.
If we loose, Angel thought, then we loose in a big way.

ANGEL ANGEL ANGEL

The forces in Angel’s office where barely being kept in check, soon the chants would be completed and the power would be unleashed.
Willow looked at the others, “Are we ready?”
Cordelia nodded.
Wesley nodded.
Doyle nodded.
Willow’s hair went completely white:
DO IT … NOW

ANGEL ANGEL ANGEL

Harmony and Spike heard the noises first.
Spike turned to the Slayers, “They’re coming. Get ready to fight.”
The Slayers lifted their weapons so they where comfortable.
Everybody stared at the staircase.
They all breathed deeply, then screamed as a swarm of Ymojoi burst up as one.
Two Slayers fell down instantly.
Harmony used the sword and her vampiric strength to take out at least two demons before one turned and took her head off in one swing.
Spike turned in time to see Harmony explode into billions of dust particles.
“Harm,” he called but could do nothing.

ANGEL ANGEL ANGEL

The energy in the office was now pure uncontrollable power.
Willow seemed to speak as though disconnected from her body:
N O W !
The energy poured from the office.

ANGEL ANGEL ANGEL

In the lobby the Slayers where being picked off one-by-one, Spike stood helplessly and watched it all in pain.
We need help, he thought before inspiration stuck him, Willow.
Spike turned to Wesley’s office and saw a shot of purple energy beaming from it.
Spike let a smile creep across his face.
The energy hit and rebounded off of each and every Ymojoi killing them on the spot.
As the energy ran through them they shrivelled up, dropped their weapons and let out a silent scream.
“Now run downstairs,” Spike said out loud.
The energy did and the room was left full of dead demons.

ANGEL ANGEL ANGEL

Angel and Buffy kept themselves covered and watched as the Ymojoi where whipped around by the bullets.
As far as he was aware no more allies had fallen but the Ymojoi still kept coming, without a clear view of the main door he couldn’t even guess how many more demons where outside.
He didn’t want to.
“It’s not looking good,” Buffy whispered to him. “We could do with a miracle.”
“And here it comes,” a nearby Slayer said.
Buffy and Angel looked up and saw the torrent of purple energy flowing down towards them.
“What is that?” A Slayer asked.
Buffy smiled, “Willow.”

ANGEL ANGEL ANGEL

In Wesley’s office the four sat and their breathing began to speed up.
Willow looked up.
thank you
Another form of energy came through the room and one by one they began to fall.
Doyle was the first down and he smiled at Cordelia.
Then Cordelia collapsed and squeezed Wesley’s hand.
Wesley simply closed his eyes and fell backwards.
All three’s lives had come full circle.
Doyle was forever loyal, a hero.
Cordelia and Wesley died redeemed.
Then the energy turned on Willow.

ANGEL ANGEL ANGEL

In Angel’s office Spike and the Slayers watched as the beam of energy cleared the main lobby and surrounding areas of Ymojoi.
Spike was thrilled to see Buffy and Angel stand up.
The Slayers cheered as they saw many of their sisters’ stand.
Spike though realised that about a third of those who went down had stood back up.
He performed a silent prayer.

ANGEL ANGEL ANGEL

Angel, Buffy and the Slayers spread out to look for survivors.
One extremely young Slayer screamed.
Angel ran to her side. What could make her scream after a war?
Angel came to her side and saw exactly what had made her so scared.
Lorne was lying on the floor, he was alive but half of his mouth had been torn off.
Angel knelt at his side.
Lorne was struggling to breath and he had tears streaming down his face.
Angel looked up to the sky.
“Buffy,” he called, “get a paramedic team down here now.”
“They’re already on their way,” Xander cried.
Angel continued to cradle Lorne and waited for the paramedics to turn up.
When they did they took Lorne away to a distant part of the Wolfram and Hart building where the infirmary was positioned.
Angel stood and looked as Wolfram and Hart operatives, many of whom where the same people who had been firing the machine guns earlier, took the bodies of his friends away.
Fred and Gunn where the first bodies to be moved followed by Gwen and the Slayers.
Angel and Buffy walked up stairs to see what damaged had been caused on other floors.
In the main entrance lobby all that remained intact was the huge orange W&H centrepiece.

ANGEL ANGEL ANGEL

Angel, Buffy, Xander and the Slayers came back up the stairs and saw that his lobby the bodies strewn about where mostly that of Ymojoi.
Xander came over to Buffy, “I’m going to check on Willow.” He called over to Spike, “Hey Slimer, where’d Willow go?”
“Her and the others went into Wes’ office,” he hollered back.
Xander put a hand up in thanks and went over to the office.
He went inside and was almost sick at the sight that he was greeted with.
“Buffy,” he gagged.
Immediately Buffy, Spike and Angel ran over and they too reeled in horror.
Wesley, Doyle and Cordelia where dead on the floor, they looked peaceful but to those looking on they could only see their dead bodies.
Xander, Spike, Buffy and finally Angel walked further into the room and attempted to rapidly come to terms with their friend’s deaths.
A voice came from nowhere, “Wh-wh-what happened?” It was Willow.
Xander came down to her side.
“Willow,” he said, “are you okay?”
“I’m fine, did the spell work?” Willow said again.
Except she didn’t, it was Willow’s voice but her mouth did not move, nor did the rest of her body.
“Willow,” Buffy said, “how are you speaking?”
“What?” she asked, like it was the most stupid question in the world, “through my mouth and oh my God I’m not.”
Buffy came next to Xander and held Willow’s hand. “Willow,” she said, “you’re not moving.”
“I know, I can feel it,” Willow said, her voice quivering.
“What’s happening?” Buffy asked her.
“I-I don’t know, it might be the spell,” Willow sounded as if she was about to cry. “Buffy, Buffy help me, please.”
“I will Willow,” Buffy said, “I will.”
Buffy turned to Angel and they left the room.

ANGEL ANGEL ANGEL

Buffy and Angel stood outside of Wesley’s office. Ymojoi demons and dead Slayers lay scattered around their feet.
“Angel,” Buffy said, “if it’s okay with you I’d like to stay for a while.”
Angel stiffened up.
“At least until we work out what’s wrong with Willow.”
“What about Giles and everyone else in Europe?”
“They can cope for a while,” Buffy said simply, “besides, you need help to get this place up and running.”
“Buffy, you don’t have to,” Angel moved away from her. “This will all be sorted out before the night finishes.”
“How can you say that?” Buffy was outraged, “people died. Our friends died! This won’t just go away.”
Angel began to walk away.
“Yes it will.”
Angel smiled.



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