FIC: In the Path of Darkness (1-3/?)

["Shadow" <Shadowlander1@xxxxxxx>]

Carol and Sam, my two main partners in crime when I can't find Francie
and/or Bill that is... or even Alex, my ever elusive were-badger biker
bud... encouraged and flat out dared me to post this fic here, sighting the
need for the list to be fully exposed to my warped imagination as thoroughly
as possible. That and we were bored and couldn't find anything more
constructive to do. Really we tried but in the end this still seemed like
the most fun thing to do. : -D


Title: In the Path of Darkness (1-3/?)
Author: Shadowlander
Email: Shadowlander1@xxxxxxx
Pairing: Willow/Angelus/Spike
Rating: PG-17
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all associated characters are used
without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Spoilers: Everything up to the current season is fair game, but no actual
spoilers, just general background information. I think, if I'm wrong please
let me know.
Achieve: The usual places, everyone else ask first.
Notes: This story, like most of my stuff, is set in an alternate universe;
so don't be upset if you if everything is unrecognisable, it's just how my
mind works. :)

IN THE PATH OF DARKNESS (1-3/?)
{Part One of the Warlord Saga}

>From the journal of Robert Harrington Giles III; watcher
17 June 1889
Athens, Greece

I fear for mankind's survival. The translations of the so-called Atlantis
scrolls have been completed, but I fear that their warnings will go unheeded
by the Council. If the translation is accurate, and I believe that it is,
an ancient evil not spoken of in antiquity has made an unholy alliance with
the very creatures from the depths of hell we now fight. According to the
scrolls, that date back some six thousand years before our Lord Saviour, a
pagan demi-god once ruled the fabled continent of Atlantis with an iron
fist. It was during his rule that Atlantis achieved much of its mythical
advanced technology; apparently the continent was not as peacefully as Homer
had portrayed it to be. The scrolls tell of how this demi-god warrior king
came into conflict with the heroic Hercules of Greek legend. And how the
noble son of Zeus imprisoned the tyrant ruler of Atlantis with several
hundred of his most feared warriors in a titanic battle that shook the
heavens.

The scrolls go on to detail how Hercules cursed the doomed warriors to
forever walk the earth "without ever being able to stand in the direct light
of day or to crossover." I can only assume that the demi-god and his men
were turned into vampires. Further examination of the scrolls identifies
the demi-god warrior king to be a favoured son of the pagan war god, Ares.
The narration of the scrolls continues on, mentioning the rise of the
continent as the warrior king reclaims his throne and his revenge on the
hero Hercules. I can only assume that this means that the warrior king,
who is now a vampire, must somehow gain immortality, protecting him of the
usual weapons in the Slayer's arsenal.

My colleagues have dismissed the Atlantis scrolls as pure fantasy, they
believe that the authentication of the scrolls is misleading, perhaps the
product of some talented practical joker. I cannot dismiss the scrolls as
easily, my instincts say that these scrolls are authentic and that they do
tell of a prophecy that can have untold disastrous results for mankind if
ignored. I can only hope that I can convince the Council before it is too
late.

R.H. Giles

*************************
Sunnydale
September 1997

Angelus stood over the dust remains of Sunnydale's late 'master' and
silently regarded the vampires gathered before him. "This is my town," he
declared his game face firmly in place as he noted the varied reactions of
the minions assembled. "No one hunts without my permission. No one kills
without my permission. Do so and you will pray for death." He emphasized
each command with a random staking of a few of the minions. It was best not
to allow the old master's minions to become too comfortable with his rule.
While they did serve a purpose, mainly to keep the Slayer away from his
chosen minions, they were usually a bother. Old loyalties making them
trouble when one of them rediscovered their backbones and tried to replace
him as master. "Get them out of my site." He ordered absently, kicking
aside the dust at his feet as he turned sharply on his heel. "Iolaus!" He
called out in a booming voice slipping on his 'human' face with ease. He
had become bored with the night's little coup, the old master didn't put up
much a fight, being confined between dimensions like he had been, and the
great Angelus didn't take well to being bored.

"Master!" The vampire responded immediately, with a fist across his chest
in a salute, as he fell into step with his retreating leader. The warrior
minion had served with the other vampire long enough to know his master's
many moods, easily spotting the signs of restlessness in the dark vampire.
>From past experience Iolaus knew that there would be a lot more blood
spilled this night as Sunnydale's new master made his hold over the town
known to all.

"The Mayor, where is he?" Angelus questioned stalking his way through one
of the many underground tunnels that ran throughout the little town.

"Home," Iolaus replied his eyes searching the shadows for any hidden dangers
more out of instinct then anything else. It was doubtful that anything
would get near the master without one of the sentries, located throughout
the tunnels leading to the old lair, knowing about it. Well there always
was the Slayer, but she was still in Los Angeles, not due in town for
another couple of weeks at least. "Dinner party with a minor mage... a
Brit. named Ethan something or other." He reported, absently wondering why
he could never remember the name of the annoying pretender who fancied
himself a powerful magic-user. He had been around him enough times to know
he wasn't a real danger to anyone, unless he accidentally called up a chaos
demon or something with his conjuring. Iolaus had known real mages, who
could turn a person into a little puddle of bubbling goo with but a thought,
in his long existence that nothing Ethan did really impressed him.

"Ah yes, Ethan." Angelus purred an evil light entering his dark eyes, as he
paused for a moment to reflect upon this new development. "Keep an eye on
him. I want to know what he's doing here and more importantly who he speaks
to." He said after a moment before continuing onward once more. "I want
him picked up with the others during the sweep later this week. If he has
left town I want him followed and brought back to me, he is not to be
harmed... much." He allowed with a smirk as the two finally stepped out of
the tunnels and into the clear night air. Taking an unneeded breath he
takes time to look around the shadowy graveyard they had found themselves
standing in, once again cursing the existence he has found himself in for
the last century and a half. If it was even an existence, he fumed, hating
the thing he had become, trapped in the body of a vampire. 'Damn Hercules
and his tricks,' he growled to himself, knowing that the favoured son of
Zeus was behind the curse that bound him and a large number of his troops to
this un-life. But revenge would be his; of this he had little doubt as he
continued his search for his scattered army. Anything less would be
unthinkable, and then he would tear apart Hercules, in front of Zeus himself
if he had to, but he would have his revenge.

He was brought out of his silent musing by the arrival of one of the
troopers he had left with his lieutenant, who had been assigned the task of
destroying those minions belonging to the old master, who may prove
troublesome. Best to remove such threats before they had a chance to stir
up the weaker minions and cause any trouble.

"Master!" The minion called out sliding to a stop before his leader,
forgetting to properly greet his leader with a salute for the moment in his
excitement. "Spike says to bring you to the Bronze, we've found Alexia."
Came the excited report, the warrior knowing that his leader would be
pleased at the news.

"Show me!" Angelus grunted, his mind racing. 'Was it possible after so
many years that they had found his little one?' He questioned easily
keeping up with the messenger, Iolaus right behind him as they raced through
the night to the youth club. He had almost given up hope as he worked his
way across Europe, searching for his fragmented army, of ever reuniting with
the one being in the entire known world, who had managed to capture his once
mortal heart. If it was true and Alexia was here in Sunnydale, then she had
to be one of the old master's minions, no matter she would be welcomed back
with open arms among his warriors and, most importantly, to his side where
she belongs, he vowed, his mind going over several possible outcomes of the
impending reunion, all of them ending with his beloved naked in his bed as
they made up for a century and a half of separation.

Calming himself as he entered the youth club, Angelus slipped into the
shadows easily as he made his way to the upper level to join his trusted
lieutenant. Within seconds he finds his lieutenant intently studying the
crowded lower level near the railing. "Where is she?" Angelus demanded in
a low hiss, becoming impatient. He was not used to having to wait when it
came to anything regarding his Alexia, and he was not about to start now.

The vampire known as Spike merely grunted at his leader's demand, not at all
bothered by the annoyance clearly shining in the other vampire's eyes. "We
have a problem." He said softly, his clear blue eyes hardening with
resolve. He wasn't sure how his old friend and leader was going to take to
the unusual development facing them all. Most times it was only a simple
matter of confronting one of they own who had been trust into the body of a
vampire so long ago, but this time things were different. For the first
time in over a century, Spike realized that there was more to the curse than
any of them knew.

"What problem?" Angelus growled his game face flickering on for a spilt
second, before he regained control.

"She's human."

"What?!" Angelus growled certain he had misheard. The curse had condemned
him and his warriors to an eternity of suffering in the bodies of vampires.
Forever denied the ability to stand in the sunlight, to rule over his
kingdom, as he conquered the world, crushing his enemies before him in his
relentless march to take back what was his.

"She's human," Spike repeated with a jerk of his head toward a table on the
lower level surrounded by a group of teenagers. "See for yourself."

Looking in the direction Spike indicated, Angelus felt a mixture of hope and
anguish as his eyes settled on the small figure seated at the table, almost
hidden by the sea of bodies surrounding her. There before him set the
object of all his desires, aside from the ones involving torturing his
eternal enemy the 'not-so-noble' Hercules, waiting for him to claim her as
he did so long ago. So close and yet so far from his reach.

It was Iolaus' voice that brought him back to the present, his trusted
master-at-arms acting as a continuing source of logic. "If she is human,
how many others are also human?" Iolaus had questioned curiously more to
himself then to anyone else.

Pulling himself of a bit, Spike thought over the question, his mind racing
over the possibilities. "Perhaps this new development would prove to be a
valuable flaw in the curse, one that we could exploit to our advantage." He
reasoned, noting the thoughtful look his leader now had as he continued to
stare at small figure on the lower level.

******************************

Willow stiffed subconsciously in her seat, the hairs on the back of her neck
standing on end, as she fought the uncontrollable urge to look over her
shoulder. She had the feeling that she was being watched, but shook it off
as her overactive imagination. 'Who would be staring at her in the middle
of the Bronze with Cordelia Chase holding court not far away?' She wondered
with a shake of her head turning her attention back to the conversation at
the table.

******************************************

Angelus was not a happy vampire master; oh sure, he got to terrorize the
populace of Sunnydale on a nightly basis, torture a few of the old master's
minions during the day, when he couldn't sleep, in between plotting his
takeover of the city council. But something was missing. While these
activities should keep him occupied for hours, he was finding himself bored
out of his skull. With the town, with the weak-minded minions that served
to keep the Slayer out of his affairs... not even that annoying prick mayor
and his grand schemes of becoming a demon interested him, mainly due to the
fact the mayor was about to become Spike's new play toy.

The dark-haired vampire smiled faintly at the thought of his best friend,
who even now was preparing the "guest rooms" for the mayor and most of his
staff. Being stuck in the body of a vampire certainly didn't change his
personality any; Spike was still the same cold-blooded interrogator that
broke hundreds of Athens's finest warriors ten thousand years ago. If
anything, Spike gained a certain amount of maturity to his interrogations,
keeping his victims alive for weeks, sometimes months before letting them
crossover. It was truly a sight to behold, Angelus always did like to watch
a true master at his craft and there were none better then Spike. But even
thoughts of the brutality Spike had planned for the mayor wasn't enough to
lighten his mood for long, his mind kept returning to its bored state.
'Whom am I kidding, I know exactly what's wrong!' he growled to himself, he
missed Alexia. He still kicked himself for not claiming her that night when
he had taken over as master. It didn't matter that she was human, all she
would have had to do was see him, then the memories would unlock themselves
and she would remembered everything. They could have been together these
last few days, but no he had been indecisive when this new little twist to
that damned curse reared its ugly head.

Instead of following his instincts and claiming what was his, he remained
cautious, unsure of himself and the situation. 'Xena must be laughing her
ass off over this,' he thought with disgust. Dropping into his favourite
chair he stared accusingly at the fireplace, almost daring it to do
something so he could destroy it in a fit of rage. Mindless mayhem would be
better then just sitting here brooding in the dark like a ninny, feeling
sorry of himself. He was the son of Ares, he didn't brood, he destroyed and
conquered, placing his mark on all he touched, but never once did he brood.
"Enough!" he growled pushing himself to his feet, coming to a firm decision.
Alexia had been his ten thousand years ago; she still was his regardless of
the curse. She belonged at his side, not across town in some two-story
house and certainly not hanging out with that moronic dark-haired boy.
Angelus didn't know what it was about the boy that annoyed him, only that
the youth's continued presence got on the vampire's nerves. He was half
tempted to let some of his troops have him, either as dinner or as a 'pet'.
But even then he wasn't sure if the boy would give one of his warriors a
stomachache and he certainly wouldn't tolerate the youth as a slave living
in his lair. "Spike! Iolaus!" He called out as he stalked through the
lair, no more brooding or being bored. He was going to retrieve what was
his; soon Alexia would be at his side once more, where she belonged. They
would figure out things later, right now she was needed in his bed, where he
could keep an eye on her.

******************************************

Willow sat at a corner table of the Bronze with her back to the wall. For
several days she'd had the disturbing feeling that she was being watched,
especially at night. Once or twice she had been certain that someone had
been following her around town after dark. At first she really didn't think
much about it, probably Xander or Jesse trying to scare her, after her
little announcement last week of being able to take care of herself, but
that was before this afternoon at school, when she had run into, literally,
Cordelia in the hall. At first she was certain that May Queen was going to
make some rude comment, but all of a sudden she got this really weird look
on her face and took off down the hall.

At first she didn't know what to make of the Queen Bitch's reaction, and
then she got the headache. Willow wasn't sure what was happening, it felt
like the earth had suddenly shifted on its axis and she was seeing... she
wasn't sure what she was seeing, she just knew it was majorly weird,
squared. One minute she was in the hall, students walking right past her
while she tried to pick herself up off the floor, and the next she was
elsewhere. It was a market of some kind and there was a festival going on -
she didn't know how she knew that but she was certain there was a festival
taking place, an important one, she just couldn't remember what is was. She
remembered that she had been hungry, hadn't eaten in days, and the festival
had good pickings. So she spent the morning picking pockets, Cordelia had
been her latest victim when something happened. A tall man with high
cheekbones, the bluest eyes she had ever seen and almost white-hair had
caught her. Then everything had gone black, she was back in the hall, and
Giles had stopped to help her up and gather her books, his concern for her
clear in his eyes.

**************************

Cordelia Chase sat not far from the confused redhead, her own mind whirling
as she thought over the recent events. She had bumped into Willow in the
hall and was all ready to make a snide remark when, all of a sudden, her
world was turned upside down. She remembered being at the festival of
Demeter in ancient Athens when a thief tried to rob her. Before she could
draw her hidden dagger, Tobias had caught the dirty little cutpurse and
knocked her out. But she couldn't for the life of her recall ever knowing
anyone named Tobias, or Demeter, much less knowing what ancient Athens
looked like - and yet she did. Everything had been made so clear to her;
she had gone to the festival with her brothers, Angelus and Stavros. Which
was really wiggy because Cordelia was an only child and didn't have any
brothers and yet there she was attending a festival with two of them.

It had just gotten worse as the day progressed; she hadn't been able to
concentrate on schoolwork - as if she ever did before - but now she had a
really good excuse for not doing so. The memories or whatever they were
wouldn't leave her alone all day, like she was making up for all the lost
time. She remembered Tobias, the cute guy with high cheekbones and blue
eyes to die for, had taken the unconscious girl back to the villa they had
been staying in, back to her oldest brother, Angelus. He had been furious
that one of "those filthy Athenians" had dared touch his sister. He had
been about to kill the girl when Cordelia's other brother, Stavros, stopped
him. Her quiet, intense middle brother had suggested making the girl a
slave, to teach her another way. He had always been like that, looking into
people and seeing something else, at times it had been annoying, but in the
end she had been glad that he had stopped Angelus that day. Over the years
she and the girl had grown close to one another, becoming almost like
sisters at times as they followed Angelus and his army around getting into
all kinds of trouble here and there. They had so many good times together,
such great adventures that is when Cordelia started to feel a bit ashamed of
herself. She had always looked down at the redhead; little knowing that
this had been her best friend in another time and place. 'Why is this
happening now?' She questioned her dark eyes locked on Willow as she tried
yet again to sort everything out before she lost her mind.

*********************
Angelus entered the Bronze with determination, Spike and Iolaus not far
behind him. It had only taken a few minutes to find out where his Alexia
had gone that night. The "guards" he had placed on her easily keeping track
of her movements. It wouldn't do for one of those idiot minions of the old
master to go and drain her, not when he was this close to having her in his
arms once more. He easily spotted her sitting over in a corner table, it
really wasn't all that hard, two of his most trusted warriors sat not far
from her, keeping the more stupid of the Sunnydale's fledglings away. It
still amazed him at the lack of thought a vampire put into turning someone,
granted he never did it himself, he was more interested in getting his army
back together and tearing apart Hercules for that. But still, it got on his
nerves how useless most vampires were in the general scheme of things. As a
whole they never thought out anything, usually letting their hunger drive
them to mindless acts. Senseless acts of violence never did appeal to him,
that was probably why he never got a long with the Romans, they were too
eager for blood. While such a thing did appeal to his warrior self, he was
the son of Ares after all, it also irritated his monarch self, the one that
had an island nation to think about.

Pulling his thoughts away with memories of the past, he focussed on the here
and now, Alexia and their impending reunion. He had been making big plans
for celebrating her return to his side where she had belonged. She was his,
she had always been his; ever since that fateful day the young Athenian
cutpurse had tried to rob his beloved sister. He had enjoyed teaching her
over the first years; she had been so wild when she was first marked as his
personal property. First she had been taught to read and write, even the
poorest in his homeland could do such things and he saw no reason that his
slave shouldn't have the same education. And then there were the other
lessons she had learned, lessons he and Spike had personally taught her as
they watched with pride and lust as she blossomed into a beautiful young
woman. He could feel himself hardening as he remembered such times; he was
looking forward to reintroducing her to those very same lessons. Over the
last few days, Angelus had begun to piece together the confusing events
surrounding his Alexia. She was about the same age she had been so long
ago, when Spike had first brought her to him for punishment for trying to
steal from his sister.

Angelus had briefly thought about the fates of his half brother and sister,
could they, like Alexia, also be human? Could this be what that damned
Hercules meant when he said Angelus would always be separated from what he
loved most? 'No, I will not let Zeus' bastard son win, I will find a way to
keep Alexia with me and I will find my siblings,' he vowed hotly, coming to
a stop in front of Willow's corner table.

*******************

Getting the feeling she was being watched, Willow looked up from her long
forgotten drink and felt her stomach drop to her feet. There striding
toward her was... Angelus. With Tobias and Iolaus not far behind him, all
three heading right for her with determination. 'But how?' she thought to
herself, as other, more intimate memories pushed forward, clearing up that
fog that had descended on her earlier in the hall of the high school.
"Angelus?" she questioned in a choked voice rising from her seat in
disbelief.

********************

Angelus gave a wicked smile as he opened his arms to welcome his Alexia back
into his life... or whatever his existence now was. It really didn't
matter. She was back in his arms once again and together they would face
the future no matter what it would bring... only to have the happy reunion
interrupted by another voice, one he had not heard in thousands of years...
the voice of his beloved sister calling out his name in joy.

Turning his head to the right he finds himself looking at the tear-streaked
face of his youngest sibling. "Tyro?!"

End Parts 1 though 3.




Shadow --
Dir. of Pub. Safety of the SECoLGA and Chief Dungeon Keeper. Vampire Teddy
Bear and Flying Fox {Fruit Bat} of the Woods Outback. The Big Bad and
Little Comma. Mistress of Mischief, corruptor of the innocent, tormentor of
Quindolyn. Founding Member of the Get Willow and Buffy Naked Society.
{GWBN -- Hey, its a way of life.} Dark Mistress of Weirdness. Yang to
Alex's Yin. Charter Member of the Hand of Chaos, member of the Order of the
Silver Claw of the Highland Werewolves of Gaia. :[

AIM Screen Name: ShadowDrake
Yahoo Name: drakesshadow
MSN Messenger: Tankesly@xxxxxxxxxxx {Shadow}
ICQ# 120681212