Chapter 19: A Little Knowledge Can Go A Long Way

After Shadow’s team walked away Angel began to speak but Spike silenced him by holding up his hand.

Exasperated and more than a little frustrated by the lack of response he was getting Angel snapped. “What now?”

After a few more minutes it was Illyria who answered. “He was waiting until they were all out of hearing range.”

“And of course he can sense that now.” Angel muttered sarcastically. “Spike, what is going on? What have you become?”

Angel refused to let them see how unsettled he was by the changes in his grandechilde. Yet every time Spike’s gaze landed on him he could feel his skin crawl. He wasn’t Family anymore. Angel couldn’t even begin to understand what he was now and that scared him.

“Actually, I’d like to know that m’self.” Spike said, with laughter in his voice. He turned to Illyria. “So you wanna share with the group, Blue? Explain exactly what you’ve made me into?”

If the sight of Spike with those blue eyes was frightening, the sight of Spike and Illyria staring at each other was down right terrifying.

“I could feel you, the pain and terror that was haunting your dreams.” Illyria began to explain.

“Were they just dreams?” Spike interrupted, the intensity in his voice made Angel wonder what went on in his dreams.

Illyria considered for a moment. “I do not know. I believe that only you can understand the origin of these visions. I do know that were you to relinquish life there, you would have dusted here as well.” She seemed to consider again. “I’m not sure how I know that, either.”

“So you decided to give me a little bit of a boost?” Spike asked her.

“I decided that given your limitations you would never be able to gain the respect of the Slayer, much less win back the vampire side of the one you are so obsessed with. I gave you some of the strength and power that resides within my kind.”

“Wasn’t that dangerous?” Angel asked, getting upset. “What if he lost himself? What if he became nothing more than an shell, just like Fred?”

“That was a risk, but I determined it to be a minor risk.”

“A minor risk? You determined it?” Angel advanced on Illyria. “How do we know that that wasn’t what you wanted the whole time? Maybe you are planning on recreating your army by turning others into hybrids like you?”

“All right, gramps.” Spike said, putting a hand on Angel’s arm to pull him back away from Illyria. “Let’s just calm down. I don’t think that’s what Blue had in mind.”

Spike noticed how easily he was able to yank Angel back and wondered exactly how strong he was now. He could feel Angel’s anxiety, but even still he couldn’t understand where it was coming from.

“ ‘Sides I may look a bit different, but I’m still the same vamp I was before. I just a have a little extra kick now.”

“No, Spike, you aren’t the same ‘vamp’. I don’t even think you are a vampire anymore. And you certainly aren’t Family anymore.” Angel turned and stormed off then, too upset to discuss it.

“Bloody hell, even when it has nothing to do with him, he finds something to brood about.”

“He’s alone again.” Mimoko’s voice startled Spike.

“What do you mean?” It was Illyria who answered.

“I’m sure it was difficult enough to be a souled vampire. Even though they never got along well, there was the connection of Family between the two. Angel wasn’t alone. If need be, he knew he could go to Spike and vice versa. Isn’t that how you came to be here? Angel came to you when he knew there was trouble and he needed your help?” Spike didn’t answer, he didn’t have to.

“Now, Angel has lost the Familial connection to you. Drusilla has been lost to him for a long time, his Sire has long since dusted, you were the last.”

“No, he is not.” Illyria told her. “He has family, much closer to him than Spike. He should reach out to that one instead.”

“I do not know about that, but is it so hard to understand he would be upset at this?” Mimoko persisted.

Spike sighed. “No, I guess not. Things around here are bad enough without alienating each other.” Spike started to head down the tunnel, but then stopped and turned back to Illyria.

“The soldiers, they were behind the Fyarl weren’t they?” He asked Illyria.

“They were.”

“They aren’t human anymore.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I sensed a darkness taking them over, but I wasn’t sure what it meant.” Illyria answered.

“It means we just got a whole lot more vulnerable.” Spike swore. “If they decide to attack there is no way the four of us will be able to hold them off. Even with my new strength I wouldn’t be able to handle Buffy and those soldiers.”

“At least now, you can sense Shadow.” Illyria said. “Before I was the only one who could tell when he was lurking near us.”

“Something tells me, when they decide to get rid of us they won’t bother with lurking. We need to come up with a plan.”

“You said these soldiers are filled with darkness?” Mimoko asked. “Do you think that will affect their strength and fighting abilities?”

“I’m willing to bet on it.”

“Then maybe we should concentrate on making a trap for the soldiers.” She said. “Do you think you can handle the Rogues if we take the soldiers out of the picture?”

“Probably. A Fyarl isn’t easy to take down, but I think Peaches could do it. I’m pretty certain I could hold my own with the Slayer now and Blue will be able to tell where the Shadow man is. How you plannin’ on trapping them?”

“If it came down to a battle we could set a trap in one of the tunnels. I could lead the soldiers away and once they are out of the way it should give you the edge you need.”

“Its worth a shot.” Spike thought a minute. “Why don’t you and Blue head out and find a good place for that. Also, try and figure out how we are going to make sure they take after you.”

“We can do this.” Illyria said to Mimoko.

“Yes, just let me go and collect some weapons in case we meet any adversaries on our way.”

After she headed off to their main camp Spike and Illyria didn’t speak for a while.

“I was not certain what I was doing was right.” Illyria finally said. “I have been on this plane for decades now and I feel I know as little today as I did when I first got here.” Spike didn’t say anything; he just waited for her to continue. “The humans, Angel, all of them, they do what they think is best because they care. That is what I did. And in doing so I encountered all sorts of new and complicated emotions. I still do not understand much of what I felt.”

Finally she looked up and met his eyes. “Did I do the right thing?” She asked.

The noise that came from Spike could have been a laugh or it could have been a short sigh. “You’re asking me?” He shook his head. “Was it right? I don’t even know what that is anymore. You saved my life, er unlife. She would have killed me if it weren’t for what you did.”

“So you are not angry with me?”

“No, I’m not angry. I’m a bit worried how this change is going to affect everything though. If Peaches doesn’t recognize me as Family, will she? Is she still my Mate? Although if she could ignore that before, maybe it doesn’t make a difference.”

“More questions without answers.” Illyria said with a small smile.

“Something tells me when we run out of those, we’ll all be dead.”



“Helena, wait.” Xander had finished securing the prisoner, when he saw Helena walk by. Making sure the man wasn’t going anywhere Xander ducked back out of the vehicle to try and fix things with her.

Helena seemed to have other ideas though, because she took off quickly, heading for the truck the monks had arrived in.

“HELENA!” Xander yelled, thinking maybe, just maybe she hadn’t heard him. She didn’t even slow her pace. Ignoring what little pride he had when it came to these sorts of things Xander ran after her and grabbed her arm.

“Would you just slow down a minute?” He said.

“Why? So you can try to convince me you won’t take me out as soon as I become a threat?”

“Listen Helena, Giles was right not to kill that guy. Who knows what kind of information can come from it? We don’t kill people, its not what we do.”

She snorted. “Really, but if someone has a drop of anything other than humanity in them they are expendable, right?”

“That may be true for some of us, but it isn’t true of all of us.” Xander told her seriously, looking deep into her eyes. When they didn’t soften in the slightest he let her go and sighed. “I guess I shouldn’t waste my time trying to convince you. You’ve already made up your mind about us.”

He turned to walk away.

“And if your leader told you I was threat and decided I had outlived my usefulness would you stand up for me?” She asked him.

“If you hadn’t done anything to deserve death then yes I would.” He answered without turning around. “We don’t just follow our ‘leaders’ blindly.” Then he walked away, went back to the prisoner he had so recently secured.

“Son of a bitch.” Helena said. Who it was directed at, if anyone was unclear.


“Why has it taken you so long to report? And why are you so unclear and distant?”

“Forgive me, Majesty.” Pixie spoke as loud as she could, for fear of someone hearing her. She had found herself a ring of trees with a small pool in the center. The magic to contact her Queen was not nearly as strong in the daylight hours as it was at night. Even though it was dusk, the moon was still hours from its strongest point. “I have been unable to get away from the others until now.”

“What do you have to report?”

”Nothing good, I am afraid. The vampire failed in his campaign to change the Slayer’s destiny and the groups have split up. I am fearful at this point whether we will be able to reach them in time.”

There was a long silence, Pixie waited fearfully.

“Would you care to explain, Little One, why you didn’t find some way to convey news of this urgency?”

“I was hoping…”

“Hoping?” The voice cut her off with a scornful laugh. “You are there to hope. You are there to interpret the situation and keep us advised.”

“I’m sorry, you’re Majesty.” She said.

“We aren’t about to help save their realm. When it is over we will ride forward and stop the Evil in its tracks. It will learn that we are not so easy to topple as the human realm.”

”But what about all the people alive on this realm? What about all the good people?”

“Why should fight to save a people that won’t even try to save themselves?” The Queen answered imperiously.

“They are trying….” Pixie tried to defend them.

“No they are too caught up in their own petty emotions, to do anything more than star in their own self created dramas.”

“But Majesty…”

”And I do believe you have learned their faults. I will deal with you when we cross over.” Pixie opened her mouth to try again, but the Queen just cut her off. “This conversation is at an end. I have much to do to protect my own people.”

With that Pixie was left staring at an empty pool.


Oz sat across from Willow and Giles with several of the highest monks in his order.

“Man, your lives sure haven’t been boring.” He commented lightly.

Willow blushed, shooting her a dry look Giles’ lips quirked in a slight smile. “Quite.”

“So do you think there is any chance of getting Buffy back to herself?” Oz asked.

“Spike means to try, even at the expense of the whole world. For all we know he could be an even greater danger than the Rogues or even the First.”

“He loves her.” Willow said as if that held all the answers.

“Destroying the world for love, how poetic.” Giles snapped.

“There was some sort of connection between the two of them even before I left.”

“Really?” Willow asked.

“Yeah.”

”How can you be sure?” Giles enquired.

“They could never kill each other.” Oz answered. “Plus, I could smell them when they got near each other. I’m kinda glad I missed the time when they were actually sleeping together.”

Willow and Giles both wrinkled their noses.

“Um, so do you think you can help us get into Bhutan and up to their fortress.” Willow asked trying to get over being flustered.

Oz gave her a smile. “That shouldn’t be too hard, my order’s monastery is located at the base of the mountains that house that fortress. We’ve had prophecies of this battle for centuries, that is what we have been preparing for.”

“Do you know about the Warrior of Stone?” Giles asked.

”Does it give any clues about the Rogues or Buffy?” Willow asked almost as urgently.

Oz looked back at one of the Monks, who answered. “All our prophecies say is that we must be ready for a great battle. We are to be the last line of defense before darkness overwhelms the world. We must hold out until the People arrive otherwise the Thunder Dragon will spread darkness over the world.”

Another Monk spoke. “The deep histories speak of the Thunder Dragon, its fortress and its reign. That is how we know where to place our monastery. We watch the mountains, and we map the tunnels.”

”You have maps of the tunnels?” Giles said excitedly.

“Yes, we do.”

”How long will it take us to reach your Monastery? How long till we can reach the others?” He asked.

“It will probably take another day or two. We are almost to the border now, but there aren’t too many paved roads there, plus there will be a lot of mountains to go over.” Oz again looked towards the older Monks. “From there it should only take another day to find the others.”

Willow and Giles both had looks of relief on their faces. “Maybe we won’t be too late after all.”


“What has happened? What has he become?” Shadow hissed at Buffy as they walked back to their area of the camp.

“I don’t know.”

”You don’t know? What the hell do you mean you don’t know?” Shadow almost growled at her.

She stopped short and stared at him coldly. “I DON’T KNOW.”

“I though he was your mate?” Simon’s voice rumbled between them.

Buffy searched inside herself. “Its still there, but very faint. I can barely feel him now.”

“Is he still a vampire?” Shadow had gained control of his anger by now.

“I believe so, but that is also very faint.”

“Is there anything else you can tell us?” Shadow asked tightly.

“No.”

“It would be a great help if you could tell us more.” He prodded her.

“I know it would, but I don’t know anymore.” She insisted. “Its obvious that Illyria’s blood did this. He’s like her now.”

No one spoke for a few minutes. “Maybe this is the Powers’ way of trying to restore the balance. Maybe they are trying to create a warrior to fight the vessel meant to hold the Thunder Dragon.” Simon spoke finally.

The look on Shadow’s face was ferocious.

“I better leave you to contact your employer.” Buffy said.

“What are you talking about?” Shadow said alarmed.

Her smile never reached her eyes. “I’m not stupid. I can tell these soldiers are no longer human. Did you forget I fought their kind before? I know what happened to them.”

Shadow opened his mouth to protest, but she talked right over him.

“I don’t care either way. I get to fight; I get to do what I do best. Nothing else matters to me.” She stepped close to him. “But don’t assume I’m an idiot and don’t believe you can use me in any of your games. I will kill you just as easily as anyone else. I won’t be anyone’s tool again.” Without another word, she turned and walked out into the tunnels.

“Is she a threat to the plan now?” Simon asked.

“I don’t think so. However, we should watch her carefully. If she figures out her role before we are ready, we may have a problem.”

“If she could sense a change in the soldiers do you think the others can as well?”

“I doubt it. Why would they agree to come here with us if they did? They would have to know it would mean their demise.”

“I still think they should be watched carefully.”

“I agree. I also think its time one of our new friends met up with our other friends.”

“Start picking them off?”

“Yes, next time we go out exploring I want the Hogosha removed by the Turok Han.”

“I’d rather we get the chance to shed her blood.” The soldier that used to be Thomas spoke up.

Shadow smiled at him. “I think that could be arranged.”



Back in Kathmandu, locked in a small chest Dawn cried to herself. She had no idea how long she had been locked up in here.

When she first woke up in total darkness, unable to move or stretch she assumed she had been turned. Then her memories returned.

That stupid little brat Jason.

He did this to her.

She started banging and yelling on the all of the sides of her dark cell. After a while she tired herself out and became aware of the need to go to the bathroom. She crossed her legs. She tried not to think about it, but resumed her banging and yelling. After a while she heard a door.

“You need to be quiet. No one is here to help you.” She heard Jason’s voice.

“Please I need to go to the bathroom.” She cried.

“Right. You don’t expect me to fall for that one. You aren’t a real person, you don’t have needs like that.” Then he left and shut the door behind him.

“Wait.” Dawn yelled and resumed her banging. “I am real. I am. Please, let me out of here!!”

He didn’t answer her. He didn’t come back.

A/N Short chapter, and mostly filler, but at least its an update.

Coming up next: Somebody’s going to die?

And a big thanks to Angelic Amy for nominating this story at the Fool For Love Awards.