Hero

Author: Koos van Winden <van_winden_koos[at]hotmail.com>

Rating: PG 13

Summery: Angel is the Hero


On a higher Plane of Existence

"He has fullfilled the prophecy," the balance demon said.

One of the PTB's growled. "He can't, the prophecy hasn't been written yet."

"Time? Time is irrelevant. He saved the world, more than once."

Angel listened carefully to the argument between the PTB's and Whisler. The balance demon had insisted that the broody vampire had deserved to get his humanity back.

The PTB's didn't even lower themselves for a simple laugh for this joke. "All what he has done was saving the dark Slayer's soul. Nothing more."

Wishler couldn't believe what he just heard. "He just saved humanity."

The PTB's stared at the lower being who was only their employee. "How dare you to continue this argument?"

"Because I am right!"

"Even when you're right. We still need him as the Champion."

"He can do his work as a human, if he wants . . ." he moved his head to Angel. Angel had been listening to this with high interest. This was about his future after all. Becoming a human again was his highest goal in his undead excistence. To be free from the curse, to be free from the torture of guilt that was haunting his soul. It was his dream. All he could do was nodding. That would give him the best chance.

"See! And with him at Buffy's side, he will be of a major asset to the world. Until he has lived his life and his soul can freely go to heaven."

"You are such a romantic. This is business. We need him for a very long time. We need his power, his vampire strength, his full dedication for the mission. He needs to lead, be an example to the others, who want to find their redemption."

"Redemption? Redemption my ass. Did you see Faith? She is already breaking under guilt," Angel growled as he couldn't stand by silent.

"Shut your mouth, vampire!" The male Arch Angel looked back to Whisler again. "He is important for maintaining the balance."

"We can't have the balance on the shoulder of one man."

The female laughed. This was funny. "And you just claimed it can be."

"That's another case. Even God himself aproved it."

The two looked at each other, frowning. "God!?"

Whisler chuckled inwardly. "Yes."

"Why do we not know?"

Suddenly an amazing bright white light appeared. The two Arch Angels backed away from it, in fear. Without a word, God let them knew that they had made a big mistake and therefor were fired.

"No! We don't deserve this! We have served you well. For centuries we stood by, protected the world. We don't deserve Hell."

In a flash God let them know what did all did wrong and what would happen if he had allowed them to go on with the plan. The vampire at the head of an evil law firm, trying to get the world save. As a spider in a web of corruption. Which would only lead to disaster. And one of his most loyal and dedicated companions would be doomed to live the rest of her life in coma after she would have given birth to an evil spawn.

But it didn't stop with this. It got worse.

The Hero, the legendary White Slayer, would betray her own friends and her own sister which had been left by God himself to her as a gift. A beautiful young woman which had been given a soul for her hard work and the life she offered to protect humanity. Wonderful memories of her and her past would be given to the White Slayer and her friends. She would betray her dearest friends and companions, the sweet, intelligent red Witch with a strong will of her own would become a mindless, selfish pion who blindly follows all her orders. Out of fear to become a nobody. And her own White Knight would suffur endless loniness and despair. His task would be reduced to protecting her own sister from herself.

Even the Watcher, a very intelligent and kind man and almost a father figure, would be forced to betray his own White Slayer. Hurt her in an attempt to stop an evil rising. A dedicated male warrior whose own mother had been killed by this same evil would also be betrayed by her and by this bring destruction to his closest friends. One of those victims would be the other Slayer - an once wonderful, enigmatic and strong girl, given to her as a companion who would understand her in every aspect and fight at her side - would become lony and lost again after her almost inhuman efforts to become a decent woman.

In the end her white soul would become black as the night as she would bring thousands of innocent lifes into a dark and never ending war. Thousands of scared girls, scattered around the world, will be infected by a demon without a single warning and would be forced to do her dirty work. Lead by her as an dictator.

The darkness of doom would concor the light.

The PTB's screamed in pain as they were swallowed by the burning images of horror which would rein the world. The First Evil would win. And those images would haunt the two forever as their punishment.

*****

A huge white flash appeared and Angel found himself at the place and time where he was before. He looked around and saw Faith still lying on the ground. He remembered the message he got from God himself and scanned for a mirror. He saw himself standing in the reflection, not believing that it was true. In his glorious moment of happiness he totally forgot about the Boston Bad.

He frowned. "I saved the world?" He looked at the two bodies on the ground. "How?"

With a lout groan Faith woke up. Liam's features changed instantly and ran forward. But not as fast as he was used to. Before he knew it the Dark Slayer had him pinned against the ground. Her body over him as she stared him in the face. "You!?" She growled. Then she looked around and back to him again. "You are human. How?"

"I redeemed myself, at least according to God. As a gift I would regain my humanity. He told me I had saved the world . . ."

"What?"

"And your soul."

The dark Slayer let him loose in surprise. He couldn't be lying as he was clearly human. Well, he wasn't lying about that aspect at least. And the soul saving thing she could understand too. "You saved the world?" she growled.

"Yes."

"How?"

Liam remembered Whisler's words clearly. "I saved his life . . ." he said pointing to a body lying on the ground.

"Xander?"

"Buffy's White Knight. He is about to save the world more times then any other creature has before."

"Buffy's what!?"

"White Knight. I called him that after he stopped me from a murder attempt on Buffy. I was just joking."

"You did what?"

Liam explained the whole situation and more. The more she listened the more she was ashamed of herself for what she was about to do.

"So he is a Hero?" she finally stated.

"According to Whisler he even saved us all at the night of the Apocalypse. Facing ten zombies who wanted to blow up the basement under the liberary at the moment we were closing the Hellmouth."

Faith blinked. She remembered that night well. How could she forget? "He never told us."

Liam looked from Xander to Faith and paused for a moment. "A true Hero never does . . "

Faith simply stared and then toward Xander in shock as she simply couldn't believe the truth.