tamingthemuse | Prompt 87-Dreams

Title: Magnum Opus of Valour (Chapter 5 )
Author: Tigerdust
Fandom/Pairing: Buffy/ mainly X/A, A/S, and R/O
Rating: M: for Mature: Use of occult, language, dark adult themes, and a wicked spin-off on Robin Hood

Summary: The PTB have given Cordy something to help save Angel from a mysterious ailment. The aftermath of the daydream (crystal enhanced) changes everything (in the following chapters, of course).
Disclaimer: I'm not the people of Buffy, or Oz, just the people of the fanfiction, who love to write and surmise new things for my various muses (looks at Xander, Angel, Jack, and Ianto variously-and Spike, who just won't go away). I was still also using italics to represent speech back then.
Disc. 2: I briefly toyed with using Spyke instead of Spike (for a sense of flair). I've fixed it in this chapter (in hindsight, it was a very unsuccessful experiment I now find incredibly strange). So, in say, chapter 3 you might find it there. Fair warning, so no undue flamage please!
Disc. 3: Submitted for tamingthemuse prompt #87-Dreams

Find the entire story (including the unfinished final chapter) here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3485946/1/Magnum_Opus_of_Valour

A part of Xander wasn’t sure how to feel about being the cause of Angel’s recent pain. He was entitled to feel a sense of responsibility for his past lives, he supposed, but what had he ever done to Angel? Wasn’t Dead boy incapable of that sort of fear? Hadn’t his reign of death on England and France made him immune to such a, what was the word, human shortcoming? To say Xander panicked would be a shortcoming. That’s how Cordy saw it in retrospect. Unexplainable is how most of the former Scoobies saw it. It was like seeing Giles or Ethan as mass murderers.

Had this all been planned? Xander ran hard. Ran for introspection; ran from the photo. From the news he could be the solution. He ran and switched through rows so as not to be followed. His feet gave out and he was sure Willow and Oz weren’t an incredible distance behind. Spike had wanted to jump through the screen as Xander bolted. His insides screamed out, where are you going! You have to save him somehow! Chris, the only non-invested member, was the calm one.

We need to give Xander some space and time. In the meantime, what do we do? What does this new information mean?

Secretly, Keller was pleased at the outcome. Even Xander was as imperfect as the rest of them. It pleased him to learn such information. He had never asked about the past of the others; he could have simply researched, but didn’t feel inclined to risk it so much. There was a risk of attachment involved that wasn’t much of a thrill to him. Angel was dying and Keller had no doubt Xander would come back soon. That’s what Xander did; run for air and then came back down to the depths of the demonic sea. Oz spoke up next.

Chris is right. Xander’s going to need just as much time and support as Angel. Plus, this gives us more time to plan something to try and snap Angel awake. Spike hated rationality sometimes, but the were beast was right. Oz moved behind Keller to show support and then turned to Willow.

In fifteen minutes, go and find Xander. If you need me I’ll help to track, but I have a feeling you won’t need me so much. Cordy, you go talk to the PTB and ask them about the situation between Angelus and Anorous. They should know the history. Knowing the past should help us in both the present and future. Huh, it works for things outside of high school. Anyways, Spike be prepared to move Angel if we can’t come to you because I’m sure this will involve something messy. Just be prepared for anything. Here at Am croft Row, we’ll keep things running with further research and see what we can find. Does two hours sound good to everyone?

Riley smiled as he looked up from his chair at his wolf; who had taken command in Xander’s absence. There was something to be said for instinct; for knowing the right time to speak the brilliance that moved the team along and yet for being filled with subdued sage as well. Riley had to suppress the urge to ruffle the wolf’s hair, and even a part of his smile. He always seemed to feel Willow glaring down at him as of recent. Xander only stopped running when he had lost track of his heartbeat. His legs were like the lead you feel in a marathon. He was sure he had escaped Angel; that he had made Cordy, Anya, and even buffy matter more than Angel. But here he was, confronted with the one beast that had gotten to places in his soul even he hadn’t seen. The way the cool skin had touched him. A hand on his shoulder; a bare chest on his back. Nights spent watching bad movies with worse popcorn. It could all be equated and then stuffed down into the messiness of adolescence.

But now, Xander held tight into himself. Tight into suppressed memories of the tossing and turning of Angel and Angelus. Tight into the Angel who had shown him into the field of battle, both of demonic varieties and otherwise. He had secretly learned sword fighting from Angel to be well-equipped; had studied herbs under advisement as well. Shattered, Xander looked into his own reflection in an oil stain and wished it were bigger. Big enough to take him face down. If Angel were to die, really die, Xander would be to blame. Alexander LaVelle Harris-murderer. The rest of the demon were just faces; this was so much more. But how could he help this man? Too many questions and not enough air for him to breath.

Xander slumped down and tried to find silent tears to cry in desperation, in this need for feeling. He had cried, begged for Angel for so long, and now he wanted it, but wanted to walk away just as badly. Vengeance is a sword of double-edges. Only a handful of others understood what it was like to love or admire Angel, for any side of him, and most of them were just as poisoned as Xander. There was no one to talk to or turn to. Xander turned toward the sky. He proclaimed to all the drifting clouds.

Now would be a good time for some intervention! Isn’t there anything out there that could help me! If you want me to believe; show me what to do!

I could help you. There was a cool breeze about the voice as Xander faced the shallow beach created by the docks. Of course, that is, if you want my help, truly want it. It was Buffy. A Buffy from long ago; radiating with a charisma and warmth Xander couldn’t remember. She had a light blue shadow floating around her; a protection for her aura.

Who are you? The words trembled to the surface of his lips.

Me? I’m Buffy. I was sent with a message; sent to be a guardian angel of sorts for you. The angelic host is worried about what’s going on just as much as you, Xander. All the players and there parts are very connected, and we want to help Angel just as much, if not more, than Spike or Cordy does. Those words stung.

You think I’d let him die?

I think it’s capable of your humanity, yes. What’s one more bloodsucker walking the earth? Put a face to it and you could theoretically kill anything.

I didn’t even know you were dead, Buffy. Wouldn’t Willow have known?

Willow gave up magic; gave up that intuition. She’s bright, but she’s not that good. What do the details matter? The point now is; do you want the message or not?

Will it change my life, Buffy?

It will change everything. The message is simple if you really want to hear it: Love changes all. Love heals all. Love brings all things full circle. Love conquers all. Think of this as your cosmic greeting card.

That sounds pretty vague; especially for someone as jaded as you or me, Buff.

Yeah, I know, but don’t kill the messenger and all that. Xander, this choice is yours. No one would blame you for putting Angel out of his misery, but think about it, isn’t it possible he’s been just as miserable as you these past years? Did you ever wonder how hard leaving was for him? Or maybe as to why he left?

Xander felt the guilt knowing under the questions he’d asked and all those bitter tears he’d regretted never crying. He’d never asked Angel why he left; even at him just being a phone call away. It had occurred to him, but the broodiness was this thick shell not even love had been able to penetrate. And there had been quite a bit of love and passion to go around.

Can you give me any hints at all?

Afraid not, Xan. The messenger is only allowed to know her message and to wish the receiver all the best. Xander, I do wish you the best. I hope you make the right choice and I pray you find solace in it. It’s a short and lonely road to Val Halla, my friend. I wasn’t lucky enough to hold him, and neither were you. But maybe love could still change everything. Were all romantics, which is why we fight crime; because we believe. What do you believe in, Xander Harris?

She caressed his cheek with her hand. Because, as she smoothed his hair, we all believe in something. We’re all watching and rooting for you, Xander. Good luck. He looked away as the dimming sun skimmed her eyes and filled the water with brightness. He found himself crouched and sitting as Willow came around the corner.

Xander, there you are. I can’t even imagine how tough this must be.

Tough, this is nothing. It’s just another vamp that needs to be dusted or another demon to be vanquished. It’s nothing new. But it’s Angel, Xan; Your Angel.

Xander gave her a look.

Xander, don’t be surprised, as she smoothed his hair and played with his bang a little, I knew what was under that layer of smoldering insights. You went from being an insecure boy to a somewhat less gawky heroic man. It was no mistake he entered our lives, and your heart followed. Here’s your chance to pay him back; to be his hero for once. Please think about it Xander.

I have thought about it. There’s not much to think about. Even as just a comrade; I would help him and expect the same kind of courtesy in return. She squeezed his arm as he began to walk back towards the building.

You sure about this?

Yeah. And even if it gets crazy, hey, that’s the Zeppo’s middle name! Xander could hear her mutter as he walked away, I thought your middle name was Francis. The night of searching for context and clues proved just as fruitful as the first day of actual research. Spike paced as Cordy consulted the PTB and was somewhat out of the picture. There was no information on the real doings of Robin Hood; although research also somewhat consisted of watching a Kevin Costner version of his life (which was as close to accurate research as there was to get on the subject).

Maybe someone should write a book after we’re done so others will have information.

Information on what? Riley asked. We’re not even sure what happened yet. Cordy had a knack for good timing. She returned semi-glowy from the chambers of the PTB hall with a clear stone. She cradled the stone like a child. Her smooth face was marred by worried lines.

What did they say, Cordy? Spike’s voice was down to a whisper of worry at this point. Angel was losing weight, mass, and sanity every second they wasted.

This clear gem, she began, is the last remain in a lineage; a line of leaf spirits that chased demons. Before Slayers were chosen, the male heirs to the kingdom were hunters of demons. They stood on the front lines. Many of the heirs later became Watchers to the original Slayers, but seldom made contact. Each demon connected now goes into these fits and apparently the history between Angelus’ demon and Xander’s past is a bit complicated.

The PTB wanted this to go away almost as badly as we do now. For this to work, a spell must be chanted in the room with the demon’s greatest love and greatest enemy in different points in the room. We’ll need you in LA as fast as an airplane can carry you. What about Buffy?

I asked, but apparently in the soul mate realm the two were never meant to be. This is good, because she wanted nothing to do with the deal at all. She’d rather see him dead then not be worried. Spike spat the information out.There were so many questions Riley needed answers to; So many holes drifting around in the atmosphere of this spell.

So, is this spell exclusive to the demon Angelus or to Angel and his soul?

We’re hoping and counting for an either and or, mainly because the PTB were unsure, but they were sure that both Spike and Xander were key.

Please, just come as quick as possible. Every second any of us waste is another second for him to fade. Please, don’t make me stake my sire.

Don’t worry, Spike, there’ll be no dust tonight. As the boys packed weapons and a change of clothes for spells, Willow leafed through transportation spells and anything referencing soul mates. Her bag was full of dusty, yellow-bound leather volumes by the time they entered the terminal. She explained between breaths as they ran to the plane; there was no way to mass transport and it would have taken all of Tara and her energies in the old day to transport one. Giving up evil had it’s downfall in this case.

But the airline was predictable and the flight safe; there were all manners of charms available for flight and even Keller had taken to a little patron saint statue; even in his extreme distaste for religion. That’s how much Angel meant to his “friends”; that gave him a lot of credibility to Keller. The bumps and the storm began appearing as the plane circled Utah. No explanations were given by the captain, but the group had right to be tense. Oz opened the window shade and there were things riding the bolts. Spyke recognized a brief glimpse of something out of the Fantastic Four with fangs, as he imagined Xander would say.

The left engines were the first to go. The plane plummeted downwards. The charm spells created a seal with the air and helped Willow to guide the plane downwards gently. The pilots’ heads had been sliced by glass and the other passengers had to be zapped with memory potions as the gang slid from their seats and exited to the nearest town. It was an eerily calm mining community featuring exactly one YMCA and exactly one movie theatre. Dinner was some sort of fried steak truckers eat; although even Riley had no appetite. Forces of the world were converging upon them all; could there be as much to this as an apocalypse.

Spike readied Angel for any sort of moment and gently zipped him in a cargo bag so he wouldn’t be zapped by anything and set around a wreath of incense to protect the darkened, fitted handicap van they had gotten for emergencies like these, although they had laughed while saying it, this was as ludicrous an emergency as ever. Tension filled the air as two vans drove in direction towards one another. Salvation lay over the mountains, Spike dreamt of having his Angel back.

Terror lay across this canyon; Willow thought as she incanted protection and readied herself to understand what the gem’s power would consist of. A useless wattage house across a rusty dam is where they met. Riddled with age and groaning with dust and cobwebs; it seemed perfect to culminate years of brewing emotion. Cordy hadn’t let go of the gem since receiving it. She couldn’t bear to. Spike had used half of his emotional strength just getting Angel to the building and Riley had to assist the feeble vampire. Angel lay gently on the cold floor; a disheveled mess in a canvas bag. Xander hadn’t seen the vamp in several years and his first reaction was to run to hold him. Willow couldn’t restrain him and was crying for the first time. Strong Angel; taken down by some mysterious force they were all fighting. Some mysterious enchantment making them all weak and helpless; Earth’s greatest fighting force indeed.

Oz and Chris had no right to be level-headed, but all this moping about wasn’t going to save Angel. Oz cleared his throat.

Please, I know it’s sad, but what can we do? If we want to save Angel; we have to bury these emotions for now otherwise none of us will be able to carry on. Xander knelt at Angel’s side. Why’d I ever let you go? He muttered to the vampire who couldn’t see a present or any sort of future. Xander wiped a spot of blood from his eye. Please, hold on, he begged the specter of his former love. Please, you must hold on.

Angel screamed as his head tilted and he recognized Xander, but only as his ancestor. Willow moved him away to somewhere just beyond Angel’s head. She ordered Spyke to a perch over by a window and Cordy came at Angel’s feet. The three made a conducted triangle. All the books that understand such ancient clear runes condone the use of the strongest weapon symbol, which is the triangle where poison and love are both concerned. Willow stood back and joined the others in the group as the clear gem began to glow.

Something must be working correctly, Cordy gasped. She shivered as she extended the glowing shard over Angel’s body. She cried and shook and the water fell onto Angel’s crumpled shirt. Willow, are there any words that need to be said?

Xander, none of the books can pronounce any of the incantations. But what seems to be clear is that the words come from the people connected. The words of his greatest enemy and greatest love will reveal these things. Your heart has to know these words. Spike felt a hate rise up in him.

You bastard, he spit venom from his lips, I’ve been chained to you for so many years. Most of the time it was spent lying in wait and learning your weakness, your fondness for altruism. In the early days, we shared blood and pain; torturing and preying on weak superstition. Seeing you like this; I know it can’t be you. There’s no sport or good coming from this. Wake up. You must breathe and eat. If you don’t live; I can’t live. Being on top of the food chain is horror without you Angel. A yellow beam extended from the top of Spike’s hair to the soul of his feet and fed into the pale white chasm of a beam. Cordy screamed as her hands begin to burn and she dropped the gem.

Spike’s words caused it to float as his skin began to melt and his bones began to crystallize. Wake up, you bastard, he began to chant as the gem sucked William inward. The air stilled in the abandoned place as Xander began to weep. How many lives? Xander began to burn blue through his eyes. Cordy grappled and push and her eyes flashed white. No, Xander!

She screamed as she pushed him out of the beam’s path. She wouldn’t lose any more people to this fever. Cordy began to melt as the gem began to cause Angel to breath and warmth spread to his body.

I wasn’t it, then? Xander’s knees buckled. All this time, and I wasn’t his greatest love? I should have known. Xander slammed face down next to Angel as Cordy melted into the oblivion of the sheer crystal. The ruin turned pale green as Angel’s eyes opened and the world changed before the remaining Scoobies. The rust and ancient metal was replaced by a lush, dark forest speeding by. What they saw was Angel darting about and a swift silver cloak chasing him. Arrows, sharp and merciless, spread around different points. Angel darted into a church graveyard and tripped. Anorous menaced upon him.

Demon called Angelus; you are charged with evil beyond all measure. Do you plead guilty of fear? Anorous had a booming voice of judgment that shook like peals of doom bouncing off the canyon. Have I made you fear your own existence finally, you killer and petty mercenary?

I’ve changed, Angel tried to howl, but was cut down by a striking arrow with four claws. Your kind never changes. The world is black and white Angelus. You shall not survive this night, creature of darkness.

Xander came upon the scene first, as a ghost of sorts. He stood, suspended in time and morbid fascination, as he killed Angel, the repentant tortured man he had loved. Xander touched the arrows as Anorous pulled back the string and then Xander reversed it. Love conquers all, Xander whispered, as the arrow shot Anorous. The wound bled the same sick green that Spike saw in Angel’s eyes. Four years, Anorous muttered, how could this happen now? Willow appeared alongside Anorous in a silver robe.

Brother? You are injured! This foul demon must pay for his treachery! All Anorous could do was grin as green blood began to flow down his chin and he fell. Willow saw the look in her eyes. Willow saw her hair turn as a bright as a flame. Willow stepped in front of the beam and broke the ancient clear rune containing poisonous memories, Spike, Cordy, and a flying incantation of despair. The first two words escaped her lips before Willow had had more than enough and inflicted pain upon herself, or rather the shadow of herself. She took the beam right through the middle as it bounced off of a gravestone all around Angel. She turned pale and collapsed on the other side of the Angel. The gem recollected the leafy territory and bounced onto Angel’s stomach where it rolled into a far crack and was flung down the mountainside. The triangle had been completed. Angel lay moaning in the center as he began crying sick green tears. Xander lay to his left, unconscious. And a pale Willow lay collapsed on his right.