Carpe Diem part 4
CARPE DIEM - Part 4
by
Gaius Petronius
DISCLAIMER:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all the characters that appear on
the show are the exclusive property of Joss Whedon, the WB, Fox
and Mutant Enemy, Inc. GP only lays claim to the character of
Jonathan Martel, but Mutant Enemy can have him anytime they want
him. The Ancient One is loosely derived from the Cthulhu Mythos
stories of the classic 20th century horror writer, H. P. Lovecraft.
The poem in Chapter 12, Walk Me Into the Darkness is copyright
2004 by G. Petronius
This part is rated R for some real bad language.
Chapter 11 - "Love to be won and lost . . ."
All of them realized it was a trap. And still they followed
the Slayer. There was never any question.
The worn floorboards shivered under their feet as Buffy, Jonathan,
Giles, Xander, Willow, Cordelia and Oz wound their way across
the debris scattered about Warehouse Number Three. The ragtag
assault team, all bearing an outlandish collection of axes, clubs
and other uncatalogued weapons from Giles' collection, headed
for the doorway at the far end that descended to the chamber below.
The building itself shuddered as well from an ominous roaring
sound in the lower depths of the warehouse.
As they passed the vampires' banquet table, Cordelia glanced
nervously at the dangling corpse spinning gently with the vibrations
emanating from below. She huddled in closer behind Xander and
gripped her hatchet tightly. Xander wrapped his arm protectively
around her shoulder.
Buffy wouldn't acknowledge the gruesome calling card swinging
from the ceiling. Her eyes stayed riveted straight ahead as she
pushed forward around the abandoned machinery towards the doorway.
This was a frontal assault, pure and simple. No element of surprise,
no fancy maneuvering, just a head on collision of pure brute force
designed to stop the vampires from reanimating the Ancient One.
What would happen after that, neither Buffy nor any of the
other Scoobies could be certain. They probably could scatter the
nest of vampires Drusilla most likely had assembled. With Jonathan's
telekinetic powers at their command, they might even succeed in
putting down the Ancient One before it broke loose into this universe.
But the twist Drusilla had in store for them, that was what had
Buffy frightened as she struggled to banish the images from her
dream. All the Scoobies would have to be ready for whatever it
might be.
Buffy glared straight ahead as she plunged forward.
"Stay behind me until we find out what we're dealing with!"
she ordered. Willow's admonition from back in the library weighed
on her thoughts as well. She would protect him. She had promised
both Willow and herself. She swore she wasn't going to let the
dream win.
The Scoobies made their way through the doorway and descended
a metal staircase faintly lit by a torch burning at the bottom.
There they were confronted by a heavy locked door. A roaring rushing
sound, like the pounding of surf, came from the other side. For
a second Buffy studied the door. With a disrespectful sniff towards
the obstruction, she signaled to Giles holding a crowbar and Xander
nervously patting the steel head of his ax.
"Take it out, guys!" Buffy said curtly.
Weapons cut the air amidst the crunching of wood and metal
fittings as Xander and Giles smashed the lock and pried open the
door to the chamber room.
The Scoobies swept through the opening and burst out onto the
floor of the lower chamber but halted after just a few steps.
Across the length of the warehouse at the other end, Drusilla's
altar glowed with an unnatural iridescence. The command stone
was positioned in the middle and the antimorph symbol pointed
upwards.
But it was what was forming above the altar that made them
all stop dead in their tracks. Buffy gasped. Cordelia buried her
face in Xander's shoulder for a moment. Instinctively, Oz positioned
himself in front of Willow while Giles and Jonathan stared with
a dumbfounded and almost morbid curiosity.
Above the command stone a coalescing whirlpool of outlandish
body fragments, swirling and beginning to assemble into a creature
of multiple tentacles and eyes, swayed and surged in the hellish
illumination. The materializing entity reached up to the ceiling
of the chamber as a rush of wind spewed out from around the phenomenon.
It was a monstrosity, an ageless evil that none, not even Giles,
had ever lain eyes on, much less confronted in the depths of their
darkest imaginings.
The forming body, or more properly, the trunk sprouted greenish
blue hair and numerous tentacle shapes that formed a star like
center about its top. Smaller protrusions dangled with dozens
of eyes and innumerable mouths sporting sharp horn like beaks
appeared all up and down the entity's materializing form.
It was an Ancient One, something from beyond time and space,
the stuff of nightmares and drug induced visions of Hell. Giles
knew its name, something that was only preserved in the blackest
book of the dark arts, the Res Profana, the Damned Thing. Jonathan,
who also understood, dared speak it out loud and his voice trembled
in the winds as he did.
". . . Yogsothoth . . ."
Buffy shook her head in astonishment. As an afterthought she
mentally noted there were at least two dozen vampires massing
in a defensive line midway between them and the altar. To the
left of the materializing Ancient One, Drusilla stood with arms
upraised in mid incantation as if welcoming the entity and offering
it a big hug. Angelus and Spike in his wheelchair hovered nervously
just behind her, ready to bolt.
"What the f . . .!" Buffy started to exclaim.
Jonathan grabbed her by the arm.
"You have to get me to the altar!" he shouted over
the rushing roar.
"I could use a little help here!" she said in dismay
at both the horror at the other end of the chamber and the forces
lined up in their path.
Then, all at once, Buffy took a deep breath. If it were to
end here, she thought, then let it end here. This is what she
"had to do," what she was bred for, trained for. She
knew Jonathan at her side was the same. Maybe it wouldn't be so
bad going down together, she wondered, here where the world would
come to an end. The moment had arrived and in that instant, time
would have no meaning. Buffy dashed forward across the open floor
at the wall of snarling shapes.
Caught by surprise at her sudden charge, Jonathan leaped after
her and the two, like ancient warriors on the plain of battle,
slammed head on into the line of vampires before the altar.
"I think it's time we crashed this party!" Xander
shouted to Giles.
"Right!" the Watcher said dryly as he swiftly stowed
his glasses in his vest pocket.
"Cover our butts! Keep that door clear!" Xander yelled
over his shoulder to Cordelia, Oz and Willow.
Xander and Giles swept forward as well. Xander's ax cut the
air and a vampire neck. A rush of dust encircled him momentarily.
He couldn't pause to relish the momentary victory as undead surged
in front of him. At his side, Giles swung his crowbar repeatedly
with one hand and splashed holy water wildly around from a pint
flask just for good measure.
Buffy's fists flew over and over in lighting fast strikes against
the advancing line. It was one of those fights where every blow
lost its individuality as the fury of the battle dissolved into
a whirl of motion. She kicked furiously here, jabbed viciously
there as vampire after vampire sprang up in her path. And they
all seemed to be directing their charge not against her but rather
to get around her at Jonathan. Willow's admonition to protect
him rang silently amidst the roar of the struggle in her ears.
The telekinetic had none of Buffy's fighting skills. Rather
he relied on his ability to move objects, violently as he now
discovered, without having to grab them. He swung his arms in
an outward motion at the advancing vampires. Sometimes his action
stopped an attacker in its tracks, sending the vampire sprawling
backwards as if struck by an invisible force. Other times, the
telekinetic energy was merely a futile gesture as a vampire would
pass right through as if the force were merely a curtain of air.
Jonathan cursed under his breath both Telemon and himself for
not spending more time on his combat training. The Gift was powerful
but without more control, erratic and undependable. Suddenly Jonathan
had to resort to his fists, at which he was not very adept. There
was more profanity.
And still, the vampires returned in wave after wave. Despite
the onslaught, Buffy thought absentmindedly amidst the fury that
she was making progress. The center of the line seemed to be bending
inwards towards the altar when suddenly through the din she heard
the distinct voice of Xander shout out behind her.
"Don't get too far forward! They'll surround us!"
Buffy quickly glanced around as the line of vampires spread
out threatening to envelope the group. Out of the corner of her
eye she saw Jonathan wrestling with a vampire that had its arms
firmly clamped around his neck. Before she could come to his rescue,
Giles using a firm stroke with his crowbar, brained the attacker.
"Hold Back!" Xander exclaimed.
Six vampires broke off from the main group and swept along
the wall towards Willow, Oz and Cordelia. In an instant, they
too were fully engaged.
"Aim between the legs!" Cordelia shouted.
"Good plan!" Willow yelled back as she began lunging
forward with a small broad sword she had selected primarily because
it was about all that she could handle. A vampire doubled up howling.
"You two don't mess around!" Oz announced coolly
as he jumped in between the women, his scimitar like weapon whistling
as it swept through the air, "I feel safer now!"
"There's too many!" Buffy yelled as she backed up.
"If I fight them with the Gift, I won't have enough power
to put down the Ancient One!" Jonathan answered her.
"Let me rephrase that!" Buffy shouted as the line
of vampires pressed her further, "There's too many to break
through! We're supposed to be a team, remember!"
"But. . !" Jonathan was cut off after the first word.
Two vampires had slipped in on both sides of Buffy as she struck
blow after blow at a third before her that wouldn't go down.
"Now is good!" She screamed out.
"Buffy!" Xander shouted as he saw her almost ovewhelmed
by attackers.
Xander's ax swept through vampires in front of him as he broke
away from the group, trying to outflank the snarling forms moving
in from the side.
At the same time, Jonathan, his eyes now glowing, swung one
hand in an outward arching motion. The vampire to Buffy's left
that had seized her by the arm suddenly was lifted into the air
in a wild whirling motion that twisted its back with a sharp snap
and tossed the flailing shape into the line of other vampires.
Several of Drusilla's party streamers, torn loose by the rushing
wind from the maelstrom about the altar, fluttered down gaily
amidst the surging bodies.
Her arm free, Buffy struck at the vampire in front of her who
finally crumpled. Jonathan swung his palm up again, this time
at the attacker to Buffy's right. The invisible wave of force
snatched the vampire as it was about to sink its fangs into her
neck. Again the body writhed in mid air, the twisting ending with
a final loud snap as what remained landed on top of the line of
vampires.
Buffy quickly glanced back at Jonathan and gasped. His eyes
were wide, the pupils black and deep as if opening up into a pathway
that descended to depths she couldn't understand. The chill hit
her suddenly in the pit of the stomach. Those eyes held a darkness
she hadn't seen in him, nor realized he possessed much less would
use.
"I won't let the Ancient One hurt you," his words
rushed through her mind, "I'll use every power I have. I
can even draw on the forces of nature and concentrate them."
Now she understood what he meant.
Struck by flying bodies, the line of vampires pulled back,
regrouping as a wall just in front of the whirlwind about the
altar. Behind her, Buffy heard the sound of vampires exploding
into dust as Oz's scimitar swept through the air and Willow's
little broad sword jabbed ferociously, now at vampire hearts.
Even Cordelia swung wildly with her hatchet, driving off attackers
that slipped past Willow and Oz. The remaining vampires attempting
to seize control of the exit doorway, melted away and fled back
to join the main line.
Buffy glanced again at Jonathan. His eyes had returned to normal
once more but he was breathing hard and sweat poured from his
forehead. As she backed up and grabbed him by the arm, she felt
him trembling in her grip.
"Are you all right!?" she shouted, "The spell?"
"Holding!" he nodded to her but she could sense a
desperation entering his voice.
Suddenly, Drusilla slipped from between the line of vampires
and swirled out into the middle of the chamber floor as if it
were a nightmare ballroom. Cradled in her arms was the miniature
crossbow. Instantly she raised it and aimed at Buffy.
"Hello, Johannes my love. Miss me?" she sang out
as her finger eagerly caressed the trigger, "Glad you could
make my party."
His face blanching with horror, Jonathan, with his arms upraised,
stepped in front of Buffy shielding her. Buffy saw his eyes turn
black once more and she felt the energy around him change suddenly.
"No, no, no, Johannes" Drusilla cooed as she glanced
back at the forming Ancient One, "Pet here wants to play
with you, not with nasty Slayer."
Seeing the crossbow as well, Xander dashed forward.
Drusilla's bulging eyes quickly scanned the chamber and caught
the moving form of Xander.
"Buffy! GET DOWN!" he shouted.
"Ah, yes, you'll do. Surprise!" Drusilla exclaimed
as she spun, aiming the crossbow at Xander. The tiny dart streaked,
instantly striking him full in the chest, passing through and
embedding in the wall. Xander swayed for a second, dropped to
his knees with a round stain of red on his chest and fell onto
his back. A trickle of blood ran from his mouth as his eyes quickly
glassed over. His ax dropped uselessly to the floor with a clatter.
"XANDER!" Cordelia's scream echoed through the chamber
amidst the whirlwind and surviving party streamers.
She ran to Xander and dropped down by his side. Breaking formation,
Willow, Oz and Giles swept in around the fallen Xander as if setting
up a defensive perimeter.
"No!" Buffy shrieked as the entire enterprise spun
horrifically out of control.
"Nice shooting, love," Spike snickered from behind
the wall of vampires.
Drusilla covered her mouth like a naughty girl caught in the
act and giggled.
"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Jonathan howled, and Buffy imagined
the blackness in his eyes now opened a window onto fury born only
in Hell.
"My, that's not PG-13," Spike called out, "Your
ex has quite the temper. You better duck, darling."
In fury, Jonathan threw up both arms, releasing the invisible
force that swept forward towards the wall of vampires. It seemed
to move in slow motion down the length of the chamber, like a
massive wave rushing toward shore, picking up debris in its path
and tossing it in all directions.
Angelus snatched the giggling Drusilla and dragged her behind
the altar as the force blast missed them and slammed into the
rest of the vampires. With unaccustomed speed, Spike wheeled himself
behind the shelter of a supporting floor to ceiling column as
the wave struck. Like a line of ten pins, vampire bodies flew
in every direction.
"We've done what you wanted, Dru," Angelus snarled
as he pulled Drusilla towards the lower exit out onto the loading
docks, "Now let's get the hell out of here!"
"And now my dear Johannes," she murmured gleefully,
"You will do what you 'have to do!'"
Spike wheeled himself wildly after the retreating vampires.
"Angelus, next time, don't rent one of these old dumps!
The handicap access stinks!"
In the mounting chaos, vampires scrambled madly for the lower
exit.
Buffy stared in horror at the fallen body of Xander. She watched
motionless as Willow slowly knelt down beside her childhood best
bud, cradled his head in her lap and allowed the blood from his
mouth to stain her white blouse. In the skewed light of the chamber,
the red fluid seemed to match the color of her hair.
"Buffy!"
Buffy, in shock, didn't answer.
"Buffy!" Jonathan shouted again.
Buffy, her eyes pleading, turned to face him.
"The altar! The Ancient One! We have to turn the command
stone upside down!"
"But Xander . . .!" she sputtered.
"We must turn the stone!" he shouted over the din
of the coalescing Ancient One, "I don't have much power left!"
"Why? . . . " she said softly, "Xander's dead."
As she stared at his face, she realized his eyes were blue once
more.
"Because," he answered firmly as he took her shoulders
in his hands, "It's what we "have to do!"
Buffy nodded.
"All right," she replied, "Let's go!"
Together, they moved through the wreckage towards the altar.
As they approached nearer, Buffy noticed nervously that the eyes
in the Ancient One were following her. By now the body parts and
tentacles whirling about above the altar had almost come together.
Impulsively, Buffy darted towards the steps of the altar.
"NO!" Jonathan exclaimed.
Without warning, a tentacle lashed out of the maelstrom circling
over the command stone and wrapped around Buffy's ankles. Immediately,
she was pulled off her feet as a second tentacle swirled around
her mid section. Both lifted her up into the air as they began
to squeeze the breath out of her.
"Jonathan!" she screamed as she felt the air pouring
out of her lungs.
"BUFFY!" Giles cried out from the group around Xander.
In a headlong dash wielding Xander's ax, Buffy's Watcher flew
across the chamber. Giles never dreamed he could run like that.
"Buffy! Hang on!" Jonathan shouted as he desperately
struggled to marshal new reserves of strength. He closed his eyes
searching for the depths, clenched his fists and rapidly muttered
an incantation to channel the energy.
Giles raced up the steps of the altar, swinging the ax at the
tentacles holding Buffy up. The blade connected with one tentacle
but bounced off the Ancient One with no effect in a shower of
sparks. Again, Giles swung over and over, sparks raining down
on his head, until the handle finally shattered sending the axe
head skidding across the chamber floor.
Jonathan opened his eyes and aimed his hands at the tentacles
as if he were holding a pistol. A bolt of yellow streaking energy
like lightning leaped from his hands at the Ancient One. Thunder
rocked the chamber as the force stuck the tentacles in an explosion
of sparks. The tentacles sheared off near where they were wrapped
around Buffy. Instantly the Slayer dropped to the floor. For a
second, Jonathan, astonished at what he had just done, looked
at his clasped hands.
"HOLY SHIT!"
Immediately, he and Giles were by Buffy's side.
"Are you all right?" Jonathan exclaimed, at the same
time keeping his eyes on the swaying form of the Ancient One looming
over their heads.
"I'm okay!" Buffy gasped, quickly getting back her
wind, "I thought that thing didn't have any power yet!"
Suddenly Buffy looked up at Jonathan and their blue eyes met
as they had so often before.
"How the fucking hell did you do THAT!" she
shouted at him.
"No 'fucking' clue!" he exclaimed back.
"We're almost too late!" Giles broke in, "The
materialization into this universe is virtually complete!"
"You and Giles turn the stone while I distract it!"
Jonathan yelled.
"WHAT!?" Buffy protested.
"That's crazy!" Giles joined in, "You won't
have enough energy to put it down! You'll be torn to pieces if
you don't disintegrate first!"
"Giles, Shut UP!" Jonathan snapped as he turned to
face Buffy, "I'm showing off for my girlfriend!"
Buffy shook her head angrily, but, as usual, the words escaped
her.
"It's time to do something real stupid!" Jonathan
quipped and Buffy now saw the frightened look on his face. He
quickly leaned forward and kissed her. In that instant time stopped.
The roar of the winds around her vanished. The Ancient One no
longer swayed above them. In those seconds, in that final moment,
she took from him as much of his energy as she could and freely
gave back all she had.
"See, I keep my promises," he said softly as he pulled
away and rose to his feet.
"Jonathan! No! Please!" Buffy cried out in one final
plea.
He ignored her.
"'It's what we gotta do!'" he said as he ran out
to the far side of the altar.
Suddenly, the young telekinetic who should have died four hundred
years ago, was dancing wildly around in front of the swirling
nightmare on the verge of exploding forth in the New World. For
just a second, Buffy imagined this was what he must have looked
like as he tried to demoralize the Swedish armies before the walls
of the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. She couldn't help but
grin. Xander was right. He really did look like an idiot.
"Hey! Big Ugly!" he shouted as he bounded from foot
to foot.
The swirling eyes in the whirlpool turned towards Jonathan.
"Yeah, you with the nose drool!" he taunted, "We
haven't been introduced! I am Johannes Martel!"
With those words, Jonathan clenched his fist and fired off
a bolt of the same yellow energy at the Ancient One. It struck
the maelstrom which bent under the impact of the blast. The eyes
on the Ancient One now were all riveted on Jonathan, and multiple
mouths in the whirlwind opened revealing dozens of fangs dripping
green slime.
"You know my new friends here call me Johnno, the screaming
crazy man!" he shouted. Jumping from side to side, Jonathan
fired another bolt at the Ancient One. The swirling force around
the entity swayed again from the impact.
Giles crouched down with Buffy on the floor.
"It's now or never!" he whispered urgently, "We'll
approach from the back!"
"Right!" Buffy instantly agreed. She quickly stared
in horror at Jonathan as he moved wildly around trying to keep
the Ancient One distracted.
"Hey, we got rules for cleanliness here in the New World!"
Unseen by the Ancient One, Buffy and Giles crept around from
the back towards the altar and the command stone. Each second
brought the edge of the steps closer and closer. Quickly glancing
at the front of the altar, Buffy noted with alarm that Jonathan
was now gasping for breath while his forehead glowed with perspiration
in the dim light.
"Man! Green teeth! When was the last time you brushed!"
Jonathan shouted as Giles and Buffy reached the altar steps.
Suddenly, a tentacle lashed out of the Ancient One, but Jonathan
dodged its grasp and fired off another bolt. As the maelstrom
swayed from the impact, the eyes of the Ancient One blazed with
anger. Jonathan, seeing Buffy and Giles getting closer to the
stone, marched up the steps to the front of the altar and directly
challenged the Ancient One.
"But the Worst! The absolute worst is those pits! Didn't
your mother ever teach you to wash under your arms!"
Another tentacle swept wildly out of the maelstrom about the
coalescing Ancient One and wrapped around Jonathan's chest. He
grabbed the tentacle with both hands, stared up towards the ceiling,
closed his eyes and let out his breath.
Buffy and Giles leaped at the altar. Grabbing the stone by
each end, they quickly flipped it upside down and stumbled backwards.
Jonathan toppled forward at the altar, the tentacle still dragging
at his midsection, and slammed both hands on the reversed command
stone.
"GET BACK!" he screamed desperately and suddenly
shouted to the ceiling.
"Ad Infernos Descende Damnatus!
Ad Infernos Descende Damnatus!
AD INFERNOS NUNC DESCENDE DAMNATUS YOGSOTHOTH!"
A glowing yellow light emanated from his entire body, spreading
down his arms to the altar and the now upside down command stone.
From there it swept upward into the Ancient One, reversing the
rotation of the whirlwind above the altar. Instantly the entity
which had nearly assembled began to dismember. The whirlpool of
light steadily lost it's cohesion as the winds whipped backwards
and poured downwards into the command stone on the altar. The
tentacle wrapped around Jonathan disintegrated into dust, and
the Ancient One released a final bellow as the maelstrom vanished
away.
Scraps of party streamers drifted gently to the concrete floor.
And then there was silence except for a quiet sobbing somewhere
back across the chamber. The light around Jonathan disappeared.
The lower level was suddenly almost dark. In one final burst of
fury, Jonathan seized the command stone and toppled it to the
floor. The resounding crash as the stone broke into hundreds of
fragments echoed back down from the rafters.
Buffy sat motionless as Giles leaped to his feet and ran back
towards the group around Xander. Jonathan staggered down from
the altar and stood dazed and shaking. As he stared at his fingers,
he realized that he could faintly see the pattern in the concrete
floor through the transluscent flesh.
Suddenly Buffy too heard the weeping. She quickly rose and
ran after Giles, but before she could reach Xander, her Watcher
met her midway across the chamber floor.
"There's nothing we can do," he said blankly as he
held her back from the group, "He never knew what hit him."
Kneeling at Xander's side, Cordelia wept hysterically. Willow
still sat with Xander's head in her lap. She was silent but her
face streaked with tears. The small spot of blood on her blouse
had now spread. She tenderly brushed the hair off Xander's forehead
with her hand.
Buffy, restrained in Giles' arms, stared wildly as she imagined
the darkness closing in all around her.
"Jonathan, where are you?!" she cried out.
". . . it's over . . . it's over. . ." Jonathan muttered
in a daze as he swayed on his feet. He knew it was close and the
energy was fading away rapidly
"Jonathan, Help Me! Xander's dead! HELP ME!" Buffy's
cry rang in his ears. It was the call for help. He had to answer
it. That's how he was trained. Telemon had always told him nothing
else mattered more.
Buffy's desperate cry echoed through the chamber as the telekinetic
slowly turned and staggered towards the sound of her voice.
"We couldn't have foreseen what would happen here,"
Giles said trembling, "There's nothing to do but take Xander
to . . ."
"No . . . " Jonathan said as he appeared out of the
darkness surrounding Buffy and her Watcher, "There is something.
. ."
Buffy's stared at Jonathan, again her eyes pleading.
"You're right. . . " he answered her silent request,
"This is not the way it's supposed to end." His voice
descended to a virtual whisper.
"Come on, Buffy, . . . let's find his soul."
Jonathan gathered his fading strength and strode over to the
group around Xander. Giles and Buffy followed. The telekinetic
knelt down next to Willow, and brushed Xander's hair off his forehead
just as Willow had done.
"Iskander . . ." he said quietly to the body in Willow's
arms, "The legends claim you conquered even death."
He looked at the weeping Cordelia and slowly reached his hand
out to her face. Frightened, Cordelia quickly pulled back.
"No, Cordelia . . . don't be afraid," he said and
his voice was calming.
Jonathan extended his hand to her face and took several drops
of her tears on the tips of his fingers. Softly he brushed them
on Xander's cheek. He then held his tear stained hand out for
everyone to see.
"This is his soul . . . the tears of those that love him.
Willow . . ."
Jonathan reached out to Willow and wiped the wetness from her
cheeks, then brushed it against the other side of Xander's face.
"And you, Buffy . . ." he then said as his hand touched
beneath her eyes, sweeping up the wetness she never realized was
bathing her skin.
He then brushed it across Xander's forehead.
"Iskander, Revenite. . . those who love you are calling,"
he said quietly closing his eyes as his hands caressed Xander's
head.
"Revenite, Iskander. There's life to live,
Battles to fight,
Love to be won and lost.
Iskander . . . I call your soul back."
Then he reached his hand down and placed it palm first over
the wound on Xander's chest. A faint surge of yellow light passed
down Jonathan's arm and disappeared into Xander. Willow recognized
it immediately from that first night in the library.
Xander's stiffening form suddenly relaxed and gave a deep gasp
as he opened his eyes. In the gentle flash of light, his wound
vanished as color returned to his face. The gathered Scoobies
stood silently, unmoving.
Jonathan suddenly began trembling. Rapidly he rose to his feet,
stepping quickly away from the group so that Buffy couldn't see
the fading color in his hands. He hovered, swaying, in the corner
by the opposite wall. With all eyes on Xander, no one noticed
that he now had to lean against the stones for support
"Xander! Xander!" Cordelia cried out with happiness.
"Cordy? Cordy, what's going on?. . . " Xander muttered
weakly. He gazed up directly into Willow's face.
". . .Willow?"
"Hey, Xander," she replied sniffling.
"Welcome back, 'Iskander,'" Buffy announced with
relief.
"Buff? Where've I been?"
"Believe me, from one who's been there," she replied
sincerely, "You don't want to know. Let's just say, welcome
to the club."
"We'd better get you home," Giles fussed as he slipped
an arm under Xander's shoulder and boosted him into a sitting
position. Oz helped Willow to her feet.
"Will, I don't know whether I like these heavy dates or
not," he said in a dead pan voice, "Can we just watch
TV at your house from now on?"
Willow's smile spread from ear to ear.
* * * * * *
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