Buffy, Angelus and FE-Jenny landed in the Hyperion lobby. "What are we doing here?" Angelus looked at the face of his mate. It was difficult to look at her and know that it wasn't Buffy.
Illyria sat him down. "We go to raise my temple."
"Mistress, I am here your humble servant. I hold the key to open the gateway to your kingdom." Knox stepped out of the shadows.
"Why does this water holder continue to follow me? You are not of my race; you are the dirt beneath my heel."
"But the key, you need the key to get back to your temple." He opened his shirt to show a jagged scar. "I hold it here for you so no one could find it."
Illyria walked over to Knox touching his stomach with her fingers. They ran up and down the scar. Knox's breath hitched and his eyes rolled back in his head. A moan escaped his lips. Angelus growled vamping out.
"Do not concern yourself with this Angelus; it is not a consort's touch I gift him with. Suddenly her fingers slide into Knox's stomach, her hand searched for the key. Knox screamed as she crushed any organ halting her search. She removed her hand allowing the man to crumple to the ground. He was alive but fading fast.
The group rushed down to the lab after realizing that the scythe was their best hope for a lead. They entered in time to watch it dissolve in front of their eyes. Anya walked over to the sarcophagus touching the place where the mystical weapon lay only seconds before.
"Yes," Wesley answered his phone. It was security alerting him that Angel was at the Hyperion. He told the others. "I don't know what we can do but I am going. Angel is my friend and I am not going to lose him again."
"Let's load 'em up, English."
Faith took his hand. "I go where you go stud."
"Oh, I have some new stuff that I've been working on. It might help; I know that it can get us there fast."
"You are not making sense," Anya snapped. "When people didn't understand what I said they would always tell me to shut up."
Fred blushed. "I've found a way to create small portals to go anywhere in LA. I have tested a few objects but I know that I can do this. We can portal to the Hyperion, come on." She ran to her office then stalked over to a clear place in the lab. Her lover shrugged and went to join her.
Lindsey looked at Anya then walked over as well. She knew all about portals but wasn't sure what this skinny human could know. She joined the others but refused to stand by the handsome lawyer. The others huddled close while Fred started to punch the buttons on the device that she retrieved.
Illyria bent down beside Knox. "In what manner did you acquire this?" She held up a strange looking device that resembled a puzzle box.
"Found it at W&H, stole it from them." He gasped while his hand held his held his bleeding stomach.
"What manner of fool do they think I am?" She stood up looking at the box then in a blink of an eye she opened a portal and walked through.
"Buffy!" Angelus ran across the room to where she stood a moment ago.
"Come on lover, you know that she isn't Buffy anymore. You will soon see what she is and what you have become."
"Shut up, my mate is in there somewhere. I can feel her. The bond is stronger almost a heartbeat in my head. Don't speak to me. Disappear, do whatever it is you do but go away."
"As you wish your royal consort." FE-Jenny disappeared in a bright flash of light.
The W&H security team burst through the front with guns raised ready to fire. They saw Angelus alone and lowered them but didn't put them away. "Sir, are you all right? We followed as quickly as possible."
"How did you know that I would be here?"
"It's our job sir; we monitor your movements at all times in the even that you should need our help."
"So, you and your little black rangers think that I would need help from you?" Angelus stormed over toward the men.
A portal opened in the lobby and Fred followed by everyone else stepped out. Each one carried a weapon of some kind, even Lorne. He held a long sword that was easily five foot long. Anya carried a gun in both hands.
In that exact moment, Illyria reappeared beside Angelus. She moved to stop him from attacking the security team. "Do not worry about these insignificant beings, my mate. They are nothing to us but the muck beneath our feet."
The security team aimed at Illyria and opened fire. She waived her hand causing a wave to move through the lobby. The bullets aimed at her stopped in mid-air. She looked at them with no comprehension but knew that they were a device of war. Illyria pushed out with both hands, a second stronger wave rushed through the lobby as time returned. The bullets continued on their path hitting their target. Screams echoed through the hotel and the security team lay on the floor. Their own bullets ripped their bodies apart.
"Say English how are supposed to get on with the rescuing if she keeps doing that?" Gunn pulled Fred next to him in a protective move.
"I'm not sure Gunn, we will just have to try and work around it."
"You followed us for what purpose?" Illyria looked at the humans and some not quite humans that stood staring at her.
"We came to rescue our friend."
"What is this that you speak of - friend?"
"You know someone you care for who isn't your family but to you they are," Fred tried to explain to the ancient goddess.
"My mate has no need for this friend, you speak of."
Illyria turned back to Angelus. She pulled him close to her as his jacket fell open. She moved until they were front to front. Looking into his face, she pulled his head down to her neck. "Drink," she ordered. The smell of her, so much like Buffy but with a subtle difference lying under the pulsing vein.
"Angel don't!" Wesley looked on in horror at the thought of Angel tasting this being.
They watched in shock as he bit into her neck and started drinking. Angelus' body seemed to go stiff as a statue. It appeared as if he was being electrocuted. He pulled back then threw his head roar causing the windows to rattle. Lorne's coat fell from his shoulders when his back arched leaving him nude. They watched in fascination as a suit similar to the one Illyria wore started to form on his body. It started at his feet forming boots then a suit of black body armor grew up his body. It finished at his hands, which held a gleaming sword much like the one Illyria carried.
"Man that makes you almost wish you were a vamp," Gunn looked at the sword with envy.
Illyria stepped over to the large star in the center of the lobby floor. "My servant return to me." The First Evil appeared holding the scythe. She bowed before Illyria holding up the weapon. The scythe was held firmly in her hand as she turned to Angelus. "Come stand beside me." He walked over to stand by Illyria's side.
"Angel, what are you doing?" Wesley looked from his friend then back to the others.
"Do not speak to my mate in this manner. He is no longer your concern." Illyria raised the scythe over her head bringing it down in the center of the star. It slid into the marble floor with ease. A bright light burst all around it. The star started to fold back on itself to show a large opening with stairs that led down. "Come we go to awaken my army."
Angelus looked at her; she still tasted like Buffy underneath her own powerful taste. If she still tastes of her, smells like her then Buffy is in there somewhere. I will get my mate out of there. He walked with her down the stairs while the FE dropped from sight.
Wesley looked at the opening starting to close in a snap decision, he ran toward it. Faith understood immediately and beat him to his destination. Connor pulled Harmony along with him before the opening could close. The others looked at each other then followed suit. A figure shot from the shadow just barely making it through in time.
They walked down the stairs onto what looked like a huge platform. Large statues flanked columns that were easily one hundred foot tall. They looked around trying to find Angel and Illyria. The figure that shadowed them kept back so that no one would know they were there. Moving forward cautiously, Gunn finally spotted them standing on the edge of the platform. They walked toward them trying to see what lay below.
Angelus looked out at the remains of hundreds of thousands of skeletons. He started laughing. "This is your army? They look dusty to me."
"You are my mate and my consort but I will not tolerate insolence from anyone." She glared at him.
"Well you killed my 'real' mate to bring me here for what? They are all dead Silver, so now what?"
"You know nothing of the power I hold in this shell. If it is my army, you wish to see then watch closely. The Wolf, the Ram and the Hart where mere bottom dwellers in my time. For them to assume they can remove me from this war is a vast mistake. I will enjoy the torture that I will levy on them."
"Still don't see an army Silver. You talk a lot for someone who is supposed to be all powerful."
"SILENCE!" Her voiced caused the chamber to shake. She turned toward the army of skeleton then sliced her wrist with the scythe. Raising her hands she forced her blood out over the floor below. When the blood hit the skeletons, they moved in synchronization. An army of skeletons stood as if they were one body, one unit. The blood touched each one of them causing skin to grow. It was like filling a glass; they grew from the bottom up.
An army of 'men' stood below. They all looked up at Illyria. "Illyria, goddess of war, Ancient One, your army returns to you." She looked at Angelus then slit her other wrist then again pushed it out over her army. Body armor started to grow on their skin until they were all covered and each soldier held a sword in their hand. They stomped their feet causing the temple to vibrate.
Angelus looked below at her army. She created them from her blood what did it do to me? "Now what? What do you have planned for me? I am not much of a follower."
"As my consort, you have the honor of leading my army by my side."
"I am no ones lackey. No way lady. I don't care how powerful you are." He glared at her. The nerve of this creature thinking that he would play second fiddle to anyone, especially the one responsible for taking Buffy away from him.
Illyria tilted her head looking him up and down. "Why are you not honored to be my consort?"
"Because you aren't her. You just look like her but you're not."
"Is that all that you require then? To see the shell Buffy's form." Illyria closed her eyes then morphed into Buffy.
She smiled at him, her eyes filled with warmth and lust. Angelus pulled her up to his face. "Buffy, Ioniin, I knew you were in there. Come out now! Fight her you can do it. Come back to me."
Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him to her waiting lips. Their lips met in a hungry kiss. He devoured her mouth. His fangs sliced into her tongue and he suckled on her rich blood. He stiffened when the blood rushed into his body. He knew that she was still there; he could taste Buffy underneath the heady power of Illyria.
Angelus pulled back to look at her eyes they were once again the deep green he knew so well. "Buffy, is it really you?"
"Angelus, where did I go? I went to get the scythe back and it was on that big rock thingy. I must have touched something because dust flew in my face. That is all I remember. What is going on?" Her bottom lip trembled, all she remembered was floating in darkness.
"Baby, you have to fight her. I know you are stronger than she is fight for us." He watched her brow crease in pain. Buffy's eyes clouded then slowly started to change from bright green back to silver.
Angelus shook her, screaming. "Buffy, don't go don't leave me!"
"Love you always." Her voice was a bare whisper that only he could hear. Buffy went limp in his arms. He expected Illyria to reappear but what happened next shocked him to his core.
Her body started to shake with convulsions. Her hair went from honey blonde to silver edged then one side of each. Angelus held her close not understanding what was going on.
FE-Jenny appeared beside them. "What have you done? You will pay for this if my master doesn't return to us."
Angelus didn't acknowledge her he just held Buffy's close to him to stop the tiny body from shaking.
The others crept forward to see what was happening. They saw Angelus holding Buffy's body. Faith and Connor looked at each other and ran toward the couple. The dark-haired Slayer slid next to the vampire on her knees. Connor put a hand on his father's shoulder.
Angelus knew that the others were there but he didn't care. All he could focus on was the tiny body in his arms.
Buffy found herself once again in the dark but this time she wasn't floating. Standing in front of her was someone in black body armor but she couldn't see their face. She saw blond hair framed with silver. When the other person lifted their head, she saw that the silver marked their forehead and matched their eyes. If she didn't know, better she would swear that it was the First.
"Who are you and why do you look like me?"
"I am an Old One. Your shell was changed for me so that I may return to resurrect my army."
"So not helping with the explanation. What do you mean that my shell was changed for you? Do I need to come over there and kick your ass to get some answers?" Buffy stomped over to Illyria.
"You are a mere shell. You have no power anymore. My mate will soon forget you ever existed."
"Your mate, your mate. Angelus is not your mate he is mine." Buffy swung at the 'woman' who looked like her.
Illyria moved her head but her face showed shock when the fist hit her. The ancient ruler swung back at the small blonde Slayer. The fight was on. They traded blow for blow. Each knew what the other would do before they could do it. Illyria tried to use her power to stop time but it wouldn't work her in this place of darkness. It reminded her of the well that she was entombed for millenniums. They finally stopped exhausted and realizing that they couldn't beat one another.
"Now what do you we do? I would appreciate you giving me my body back. I am kind of attached to it."
"That cannot happen warrior. I knew that you were special when my servant brought you to my attention all those years ago. Although I could not escape my tomb, my servant could still speak to me. The gatekeeper did not know of this. You are a fine warrior but I had to make sure that you would be able to hold all the power of an Ancient One."
"Do you know how to just spit out what is going on rather than all the cryptic talk? What is it with the bad guys that they all have to talk that way? You are worse than a prophecy." Buffy lay on her back in the darkness with her hand over her eyes.
Illyria looked at Buffy with her silver eyes sparkling with anger then she did something truly strange she laughed.
Buffy sat up to look at her then cracked a grin of her own. "Look we are going to have to figure something out here. What do you intend to do with my body? Maybe we can come to a compromise. I don't intend on floating around in the dark while you are out there doing whatever you are going to do."
"I am here to raise my Vahla ha'nesh and take back the control of this planet. It stinks of human offal. The ones who were once nothing in my kingdom have power here and this cannot be allowed to continue. You may know my name since I reside in your shell. I am Illyria." Illyria explained this as if it were the simplest thing in the world to understand.
Buffy looked at Illyria. "I can't let you hurt people Ly. That just isn't an option. So, you better think up something else or we are staying here for well a really long time."
Illyria stood in one smooth move to pace angrily in the space where she found herself locked in a power struggle with the shell. She stopped to look at the small blonde who glared at her with no fear. "You should not be able to fight me. This is not possible."
"That is me, Buffy Summers. Your servant didn't do a good job if they didn't tell you that I never do what I'm supposed to and the impossible should be my middle name. You talked about the ones who have power. Who are they? Are they evil? Err, I mean more evil then uh you or us?"
"The Wolf, the Ram and the Hart tried to kill us by planting a device in who they assumed was my servant. The fool thought he was my priest. I killed him and took the device back to their steel and glass structure. It is no longer standing. They are a mere annoyance." Illyria swatted her hand as if there were flies buzzing around her silver marked head.
"I know who W&H are and you are right they are evil. How about this we share this shell? We have to come up with a better word cuz that one is just dumb. I don't have a problem taking out W&H and other baddies but no humans deal." Buffy stood and put her hand out for the Ancient One to shake.
Illyria looked at it with confusion written on her face. Buffy took her hand and shook it up and down. "It is a human custom that means that we agree to do something and won't go back on our word. There are lots of bad guys that we can take out together."
"If I take us to other worlds then may I kill whom I please?" There was almost a whine in the silver haired woman's voice.
Buffy grinned. "We will have to make sure that they deserve to be slayed but otherwise I have no problem with that. What do we do about sharing my body? I have to tell you that I kind of like it and that I want to be with Angelus especially since we are finally together."
They looked at one another and the same thought came to their minds. Somehow, the merge gave them the ability to merge on a higher plane of understanding. They only had to get the struggle for dominance out of the way.
"How about when it come to annihilating demons with the army you take over? I will want my time alone with Angelus but we can do that in privacy where no one else will know about it. The rest of the time we just let each of us have half. We already know how to do that. Angelus will be the deciding factor but I think that he will be alright with it as long as I'm not gone forever." Buffy tried to think if she was missing anything but her brain was just too frazzled.
Buffy/Illyria stopped shaking and opened her eyes. They saw Angelus looking down at them with concern and love. Their hand went up to brush his cheek causing him to close his deep brown eyes.
Faith cried silently seeing that there was a hope to get her sister Slayer back. Connor watched in wonder. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Harmony looking at him with caring and concern. Connor knew that she didn't have a soul but she had something even more important - heart. The others slowly moved forward to look at the tiny body still clutched in Angelus' arms.
"You are mine and I won't let you go. We have agreed to share my body. I would do anything to be with you and she feels the same way. Can you live with this, with us?" Buffy looked at him with all the love in her eyes that she felt for the dark-haired vampire. "I am yours and you are mine. I will explain it all when we are alone. We need to deal with the army and your team." Buffy's voice was pitched low so that only he could hear her. She knew that Connor and Faith could hear but her main concern was her lover. Buffy's head whipped around to look into a dark corner. "We have someone here that I could have done without. I think that I will let Ly handle the sitch. Kiss me before I let her out."
Angelus kissed her tenderly. His dead heart would have clutched with joy if it were a possibility. "I want to be alone with you. Don't ever leave me again, Ioniin. I don't think that I could survive without you."
"I'm not going anywhere. I will always be there in the background even when Ly is in control."
He watched her turn back into Illyria. Angelus was caught by surprise when she pulled him back down into a heated kiss. It was different from kissing Buffy but his body responded none the less."
"I need you to let me go so that I might take care of our intruder." Her voice was once again that of a leader, a ruler, a god.
Angelus stood up with her still in his arms then sat her on her feet. He was reluctant to let her go but did so. He watched her regally walk over to a spot where no one should be. Everyone watched her stalk an unseen prey. Illyria's hand move in a blur of speed to haul out a struggling, screeching being.
"Let me go you freak. I am here to save Angel and nothing is going to stop me." Cordelia screeched at the silver haired woman.
Illyria held her up by the neck even though the brunette out weighed her at least thirty pounds. "You are not welcome here. Since you have trespassed where you do not belong, I will have to find a suitable punishment for you."
"Angel would never let you hurt me. Let me down right now."
Her screeching was ignored while Illyria walked with the struggling woman over to Angelus. "Do you care what happens to this creature? I will give her a choice. She can service my army or she can be a servant to us. Which do you choose?"
An evil grin spread across Angelus' lips. "I think that I would enjoy having the grand Queen C serving us. What do you think my love?"
Cordelia started to protest when Illyria shook her. "You will serve me and my mate or anyone else that I choose. If you protest then I will give you to my army."
The bleached blonde seer knew that she didn't have much of a choice. "I will serve you." The words struggled to come out of her mouth but eventually they did.
Illyria dropped the woman like she were contaminated. She looked at FE-Jenny. "Take her and have her properly dressed. She may wait outside of my chambers until I have need of her." Two soldiers appeared as if by magic and pulled Cordelia along behind them. The FE laughed at the seers struggles.
She walked back over to the edge of the platform to address her army once more. "Our enemies have tried to stop our return but they have failed. Is the time to take back that which was stolen from us." She put her hand out to Angelus who stepped up next to her. She was Illyria at this moment but he had no problem accepting her as part of his life. "This is my consort, Angelus. He holds all the privilege of that rank. His word is my word; to follow him is to follow me. He will be able to tell us of the other enemies in this world." She stopped while the army cheered shouting Angelus' name. Her head cocked to the side as if listening to an inner voice.
Illyria raised a hand and the army went still and silent. "The water holders have changed while I was imprisoned. We will leave them alone unless they cause us harm. My acolytes will serve us as they have in the past. Any who wish to serve us may do so."
The army stomped their feet roaring their approval. She turned her back to them and her appearance changed in the blink of an eye. She was equal parts Illyria and Buffy. It was eerie to look at her with one eye of green and one of silver. She pulled Angelus along with her over to the others who took a step back.
Buffy/Illyria gave them a small smile that was pure Buffy. "Hey guys, I'm glad that you're here rather than under a pile of rocks at W&H. They left a booby trap but Ly stamped return to sender."
They looked at her like she was an alien. Finally, Anya spoke up. "Buffy is that you? Why do you look like that?"
"Seems the First didn't explain to Ly that I'm not good at following the rules. We decided to share the bod after a little heart to heart."
Faith snorted causing Buffy/Illyria to look at her. "You mean that you tried to beat each others brains out and couldn't win."
"The warrior is a worthy opponent who I do not find sharing this shell with as repugnant." Illyria's voice took over the conversation. "We will share this world. I still see no reason for the water holders except as servants and food but she is most adamant about them."
"Well bless her little golden heart for that," Lorne exclaimed. The others muttered their agreement.
"You, this shell does not know where your alliance lies." She pointed at Lindsey. "Do you swear fealty to us or will you die along with the Wolf, the Ram and the Hart?"
The air was thick with his fear and he unconsciously took a step backward. Anya watched her sex partner closely, wondering what his answer would be. She would hate to lose him simply from a sex perspective but she heard all the stomping feet below and hoped that each set of feet came with a penis.
Lindsey knelt down in front of the Ancient One looking up at her with pale blue eyes. "I swear my fealty to you, Illyria - God King. Anything that is within my ability to do I will." He bowed his head and waited to see whether she would chop it off or accept his oath.
Once more, she morphed into Buffy startling her friends. Angelus pulled her close to his side. "You only get one chance lawyer boy. I don't take betrayal any better than Ly does and I won't have a problem letting her take you out." Her voice caused Lindsey to shiver. "Do you understand me? This is your one and only chance."
"I won't betray you, either of you. I thought that I was working for the most powerful people but after watching you in action, darlin." The term of endearment caused Angelus to growl. "No offense Angelus, I'm just a southern boy and that is how we talk to all the pretty women." He smiled showing his dimples.
"Why does everyone keep calling Angel, Angelus?" Fred looked from Buffy to Angel to Lindsey.
The master vampire grinned with glee. He could finally drop his bomb on all these people and stop the charade. "Because that is who I am. The Shaman didn't return my soul he just made you all think that I was soul boy."
"What!" They all screamed at once. Faith turned to look at Wesley not sure how to handle this latest news. None of them wanted a repeat of their experience with a un-souled Angel.
"Relax everyone, I already knew that he wasn't Angel and you shouldn't have a problem with it if I don't. We cannot only change things here but also in other dimensions. Think about it and we will talk later. Right now I want to have some alone time with my honey." Buffy pulled Angelus along with her down a different corridor than the one they entered. Cordelia crouched on the floor dressed in drab brown clothes. Her head was bowed not daring to look up when they stood before the room. Buffy waited while two servants opened the doors. They looked like Illyria in a strange way. Where her hair and eyes were silver, one of them was marked with green while the others was blue.
"Welcome back mistress," they spoke simultaneously.
"Angelus these are my hand maidens. This is Syria." She pointed to the one with the blue markings. "And this is Kyria." She pointed at the other one with green. "We want to be alone. I will call you when I need you."
They bowed again. "As you wish mistress."
Buffy and Angelus swept into a large room. It was done in shades of gold and silver. Along one wall was a fifty-foot long mural of a violent and bloody battle with Illyria at its center.
"That was a good day." Her voice changed back to Buffy's. "How about we make this one even better."
Angelus picked her up and carried her to the largest bed that he had ever seen. He dropped her on it causing her to laugh. They were soon wrapped around each other making it impossible to see where one body ended and the other started.