| Subject: 6x14: Hindsight |
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by {mikeyG}
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Date Posted: 08:59:07 11/17/03 Mon
Author Host/IP: 62.252.0.6
In reply to:
by {mikeyG}
's message, "6x14: Hindsight" on 08:57:51 11/17/03 Mon
Act Three
INT – WILTON MANSION – EVENING
Willow, Fred and Wes stand around a closet, pulling out weapons and putting them into duffel bags. They are preparing for battle.
Willow (looking at a mace in her hand): This is going to be a rough one, isn’t it?
Wes: If what Liam said is true, it may be our roughest ever.
Fred: I don’t get it. It’s only one demon, right? So why exactly is this so bad, we’ve handled way tougher bad guys before.
Wes: Perhaps there’s an element to this Liam hasn’t told us about yet?
Willow: No, Angel…uh I mean Liam, he’d tell us if there was something else.
Fred: Then why the overkill? (raises her duffel bag full of weapons)
Wes: Maybe Liam is afraid he won’t be able to change things? He wants us to be better prepared if history repeats itself.
Fred (worried): What exactly happens then?
Wes (bluntly): The world ends and we all die.
Willow and Fred exchange a nervous look then turn back to the weapons closet, grabbing a few more weapons. The camera pulls back and turns to the side, showing us Liam practicing with a sword, swinging it gracefully in preparation. Angel stands behind him in silence, gauging his future self.
Angel: So I guess you heard them?
Liam (without losing concentration on his swordplay): Yeah. Still got good vampire hearing for someone almost half a millennium old.
Angel: Do you really think history will repeat itself?
Liam: I don’t know. None of this is the past I remember so I don’t know how things will turn out. If all goes well, we’ll stop Josten before his ritual and they will never need to use those weapons tonight. (stopping to give Angel a wry smile) But how often do things go well for us?
Angel: So there’s a chance we’ll all make it through this?
Liam finally stops practicing with the sword, hearing the fear in Angel’s voice. He knows now why Angel is so worried. Liam’s failures in the past may become Angel’s failures in the present.
Liam: You won’t become me. I came back to make sure you never have to experience what I have. The future isn’t set in stone, we don’t have to make the same mistakes over again.
Connor comes running up to Angel and Liam, a tense look of seriousness in his eyes. He looks at both of the vampires, both of them looking and smelling like the father he knows, deciding to just address them both.
Connor: There’s a demon on the phone. Says he has information on a demon fitting Josten’s description.
Angel (nodding): Thanks, I’ll get it.
Angel starts to walk away, but then turns back to Liam.
Angel: You’re dropping your right elbow.
Liam looks down at his arm, then nods to Angel. Angel returns the nod and leaves the room. Connor looks at Liam warily, then turns to leave the awkward silence. Liam decides to salvage the moment.
Liam: Connor, wait.
Connor stops, but doesn’t turn around, Liam shrugs figuring that’s still better than nothing.
Liam: Your relationship with Angel isn’t always perfect or easy, but I know he cares. I know because I care, too. I love you, Connor.
Connor stands still for a moment, completely quiet.
Connor: What happens when this is all over?
Liam: Well hopefully you all go back to everyday life, another apocalypse averted.
Connor (with his back still to Liam): No, you. What will happen to you?
Liam stops, completely dumbfounded. The entire time he had been so focused on everyone else’s survival that he had never considered what would happen to him when the battle was over.
Liam: I really don’t know.
Connor: Will you disappear? I mean if you come from that devastated future and we change the past, it won’t exist. So doesn’t that mean you won’t exist?
Liam: I think these things have a way of working themselves out.
Connor: What if you’re still here when the world doesn’t end? What are you going to do then?
Liam: I guess I’ll leave town. This city’s barely big enough for one Angel, it doesn’t need another one hanging around. There’s plenty of evil to fight in other places.
Connor nods, understanding why Liam would want to leave. This isn’t his home, he doesn’t belong here. Connor knows that Liam’s only purpose here is to ensure they all live to see another day. Liam has no plans for a future here because he’s sure he doesn’t have a future. Connor knows that Liam has no plans of returning from this fight.
Connor (sadly): Wherever you end up, be sure to send postcards.
Before Liam can reply, Connor walks away. Liam grimaces in sadness from Connor’s words, unable to see the matching look of sadness on Connor’s face.
Angel walks back into the room, a look of determination on his face. Everyone in the room turns their attention to him knowing what he has to tell them. It’s time to fight.
Angel: Josten is preparing for the ritual in a warehouse near the docks. Warehouse number 98. If Liam’s right we have less than an hour. Gear up, everybody, we leave now. When we get there we stop the ritual at all cost. If Josten finishes we’re all dead, so do whatever it takes.
Lorne (os): Kill or be killed, does that sum it up?
Lorne walks passed Angel, carrying two crossbows and a backpack filled with arrows, joining Willow, Fred, Wes and Connor by the door. Lorne stands firmly, ready to fight.
Angel (mildly amused by Lorne’s attitude): Yes, thank you, Lorne. (to everyone) Okay, let’s move.
The gang all begin heading towards the door, filing out in stern silence. Liam puts a hand on Angel’s shoulder, halting him.
Liam: Can we talk for a minute?
EXT – WILTON MANSION – EVENING
The gang all walk out into the evening air, crowding around the exit. Spike stands a few feet away, smoking in the shadows of the house. Fred looks around, noticing Angel and Liam’s absence.
Fred: Where’s Angel?
Connor: He’s talking with Liam. Probably last minute stuff.
Spike (throwing away cigarette): Probably comparing notes on how to be a complete wanker.
Wes (ignoring Spike): They need a few minutes to talk strategy.
The gang falls silent, everyone contemplating the battle to come. Willow begins to fidget nervously.
Willow: Really wishing I could use magic right now. I’m really not used to the sword thing. (beat) Stupid fluctuating energy.
Spike looks at Willow, sensing her fear at having to fight with one arm tied behind her back, so to speak. Everyone else had at least passing knowledge with weapons but the witch had relied on magic for years. Now she couldn’t use it for fear of having the spells backfire.
Spike: Just stay near me, Red. I’ll watch your back.
Willow (smiling gratefully): Thanks.
Spike (covering up): It don’t mean nothing. It’s only one demon, chances are he’ll skip right past you and go after the real power like Angel anyway. (pause) ‘Sides, chances are we’ll be too late and get slaughtered by hell’s warriors before we ever reach Josten.
Angel (os): Shut up, Spike.
Angel and Liam emerge from the house.
Angel: We’re all going to make it and we are not going to lose. There’s no reason to panic.
Connor (looking all around the group): You sure about that?
The gang all looks to see that a few dozen demons have them surrounded. All the demons are covered in fur and look like they mean business. It’s Ghalfor and his small army, all armed with curved blades and clubs.
Ghalfor: Greetings. I am Ghalfor.
Lorne (whispering to Fred): At least he’s politely evil.
Ghalfor: I know what it is you’re going to try to do. I’m afraid we cannot let you. Please turn back and give up your hope of stopping Josten.
Angel: Not going to happen.
Ghalfor looks saddened, as if he really expected Angel to give up so easily. Turning his head to his army, he nods. The demon warriors all raise their weapons, preparing to charge.
Ghalfor (resigned): Pity.
End Act Three
Act Four
EXT - WILTON MANSION – EVENING
The gang stands outside the mansion door, pulling back from the small army around them. Angel and Liam look to each other. Angel nods at Liam, who smiles sadly and nods in reply. Angel steps forward, Willow and Spike stepping aside to let him through to the front.
Angel: I don’t know who you are and I don’t care. All I know is that in less than an hour the world is going to end and I intend to stop it. And I will anyone who tries to stop me.
Ghalfor’s demons all move to strike, but a raised hand from Ghalfor stops them in their tracks. Ghalfor steps forward to speak to Angel.
Ghalfor: Then it would seem we are at an impasse because I know exactly who you are and I know that it is my duty to stop you. Josten’s ritual will go unhindered if I must give my life to make it so. As will any of my men.
Angel: Looks like they’ll get their chance.
Before Ghalfor could react, Angel swung his fist, catching Ghalfor in the chin and sending him flying back. Ghalfor’s army charged, the air filled with their guttural battle cry. Liam leapt past Willow, blocking a swing of a demon’s club meant for Willow with his sword. Swinging around, Liam gave the demon a brutal backhand, knocking it away from Willow. Liam moved forward, swinging his sword at demons as they came near him. Spike replaced him by Willow’s side, cracking the neck of the demon that attacked her.
Connor charged three demons, ducking their swings before slashing at one with his knife until it was dead. Dodging another club swing, Connor leapt onto the demon, stabbing it repeatedly in the neck as he knocked it to the ground. Picking up a discarded curved blade, Connor rolled off the dead demon, throwing the blade at a demon who was ready to strike Fred.
Fred nodded at Connor in thanks, then went back to trying to fix her crossbow, which had an arrow jammed in the firing mechanism. Wes stood beside her, shielding her from the brunt of the attacks with his axe. Fred slapped the side of the crossbow, trying to loosen the arrow.
Fred (frustrated): Stupid crossbow! (looking up towards Wes) This is more like it.
Dropping the broken crossbow, Fred reached into Wes’ coat, pulling out the handgun she knew he kept holstered for battle such as these. Holding the gun out, Fred noticed Liam was running towards the street, away from the battle. Seeing two of the demons chasing Liam, Fred fired, taking one down. Before she could shoot the second, an arrow in the back took the demon down. As Liam ran out of view, Fred turned back to see Lorne holding up one of his crossbows.
Lorne: Where’s Liam going?
Angel punched Ghalfor again, knocking the demon’s head off of the cobblestone walkway.
Angel (yelling to Lorne and Fred): He has to get to Josten before the ritual!
Spike (irritated): Bloody pillock could’ve helped out with a few more of these guys before he pissed off.
EXT – STREET – EVENING
Liam runs full tilt down the middle of the street, cars swerving around him. As he approaches a stop light, he notices a silver convertible, it’s driver on his cell phone while stopped at the red light.
Driver (on the phone): And I said “I don’t care if you move out, I don’t want you here anyway!” and she says –
Liam grabbed the driver by the neck, yanking him out of the car.
Liam: Sorry, I need the ride more than you.
Dropping the man onto the pavement, Liam jumps into the car and peels off towards the docks.
EXT - WILTON MANSION – EVENING
A demon swings its blade at Wes’ head, only to have it caught by Connor. Nodding his appreciation, Wes swung his axe down into the demon’s head. Connor grabs the blade, turning to swing at a demon stalking Lorne. The demon dodges the swing, only to be hit by one of Lorne’s arrows.
Connor: Who the hell are these guys!?
Wes: Krateran demons.
Lorne (reloading his crossbow): Let me guess: big on the apocalypse?
Willow: Well I’m pretty sure they aren’t all about flowers, puppies and hugging babies.
Willow turns back to give Lorne a lopsided grin, not noticing the Krateran running at her. The Krateran leaps forward, his club raised high in the air. Willow turns towards the noise and screams, falling backwards. She lands on her back, the Krateran on top of her. Willow frantically tries to get the demon off her, too panicked to realize it isn’t moving. Puzzled by the demon’s stillness, Willow stops and sees that her sword has impaled the demon, stuck through it as the demon fell onto her.
Willow (excited): I got one!!! Spike, I got one!!
Spike stops punching a Krateran to look at Willow. Rolling his eyes at her joy for actually killing one of the demons, Spike elbowed the demon he was fighting, moving back to Willow. Helping her up, Spike was pulled into a hug by an over-excited Willow. Pushing her off, Spike gestured to the fighting between the gang and the dwindling number of Kraterans.
Spike: That’s great, luv. (pause) Now why don’t you get up and help us with the rest of them.
Willow grinned, sheepishly then pulled her sword out of the demon, holding it up to show Spike she was ready.
Angel and Ghalfor rolled around, punching and kicking each other. Ghalfor rolls them over so he is on top, strangling Angel with his massive hands. Angel looks unconcerned amused with Ghalfor. Pulling up his legs, Angel kicks Ghalfor off and leaps to his feet in full gameface.
Angel: Strangling? Not gonna kill a vampire. (beat) I thought you did your homework?
Wes (os): Angel!
Angel turns to see Wes lop the head off of a Krateran with his axe, the dead demon’s body falling limply to the ground. Connor, Spike, Lorne, Fred and Willow crowd around Wes, all looking at Angel.
Wes: That was the last one.
Angel looks down at Ghalfor with a sneer.
Angel: Looks like we have an apocalypse to stop.
With one swift kick, Angel hits Ghalfor in the face, knocking him to the ground. Angel gestures for the others to follow him, it’s time to help Liam. As the gang sprint out of view, Ghalfor sits up, shaking the dizziness away. Looking around at his fallen comrades, he looks up to the sky and releases and unearthly howl that echoes all around.
INT – FACTORY – NIGHT
Josten sits on his carpet, the candles burning a bright blue. He has runic designs carved all over his body, glowing blood flowing all over him. He chants in a low tone, his eyes closed. Without warning, his door bursts open, Liam walking in.
Josten (calm): Can I help you? I don’t think you have an appointment.
Liam: Actually I do. I’ve been waiting for centuries.
Josten flicks his blue tongue out, sniffing the air.
Josten: I suppose that could be true, you being a vampire and all. So now I’m asking myself: what business does a vampire have with me?
Liam: You’re going to end the world. I have a few objections.
Josten: I’m not sure where you get your information, but that is not what this is all about. There was a group of Lubber demons a few warehouses over, why don’t you try them?
Liam: It’s you I’m after, Josten.
Josten (suddenly concerned): You’re the second demon to come to my door knowing my name. What’s this all about?
Liam: That ritual of yours? It’ll end the world.
Josten: That’s stupid! All that will happen is –
Liam: You’ll open a rift in the universe, bringing your dead family from whatever dimension their spirits are in to this one. And in the process you’ll open the doors for every demon in hell to unleash a terrifying war on this world.
Josten: Liar. You just want me to abandon the ritual so I can’t get back the family you stole from me!
Liam (shocked): Wait, I stole?
Josten: My other visitor told me that my family was murdered by a vampire and that he would return to kill me and make sure my family never returns.
Liam (realization): Ghalfor. He told you I killed your family. You can’t do this, Josten. You have no idea of the consequences.
Josten: End of the world, right? (pause) It would be worth it. If that’s what it takes to feel the cheek of my beautiful wife or see the smiles of my daughters, then so be it.
Liam: No, the cost is too great. I can’t let you do this.
Josten: What would you know (disdain), vampire? Vampires don’t have families.
Liam blinks, saddened from remembering that he had a family a long time ago, but Josten’s actions took them away from him.
Liam: I had a family once.
EXT – STREET – NIGHT
Angel leads the rest of the gang down the darkened street. The street is deserted aside from the odd parked car.
Fred (worried): What time is it?
Spike (sarcastically): Oh don’t worry, luv, still got at least ten minutes until Armageddon.
Wes: If Liam hasn’t already averted it on his own.
Lorne: Or maybe Liam was killed and we’re running out of time! Can we just get there and stop this guy already? (off a look from Willow and Fred) Sorry, apocalypse has me on edge.
Spike: Got a point, though. Angel here can barely handle a baby Satrano demon without help. Brooding Senior has two hundred years of sulking on him, he’s bound to be a little soft.
Angel (irritated with Spike): He can handle Josten. (beat) And that baby Satrano had really sharp teeth.
Ghalfor (os): Well, Angel, you did alright when our numbers were few.
The gang looks up to see Ghalfor on the roof of a building next to them. As he speaks, dozens of Kraterans pour out of alleys and out of buildings. They appear on rooftops all along the street. They have the gang surrounded.
Ghalfor: But now you see that the tables have turned. It appears things may not end up how you would have hoped.
Ghalfor jumps off the rooftop to the street below, followed by his warriors. As the demons rush the gang, Fred and Lorne fire upon them. Lorne takes two of them down and Fred hits one before her gun clicks from being empty.
Fred: Wes!
Wes reaches into his jacket without taking his eyes off the Kraterans, pulling out a gun and tossing it to Fred. Fred reaches out with both hands, bending forward to catch the gun. Standing back up to aim it, Fred is punched by a Krateran and knocked to the ground. The gun slides across the ground as Fred holds her face in pain.
Spike jumps forward, tackling two demons which in turn knocks down another three. Lorne raises his crossbows, shooting another two Katerans. As he bends down to reload, a demon attacks him from the side, knocking Lorne to the ground with its club. Connor stabs the demon for hurting Lorne, then stops to help his friend up.
Connor: You okay?
Lorne: Bruises fade, kiddo.
Connor smiles, but it fades when he is grabbed from behind by two Kraterans, who proceed to throw Connor roughly onto one of the parked cars. One holds him down as the other repeatedly hits Connor in the chest with his club.
Angel looks around after snapping the neck of a demon, then notices Connor in trouble.
Angel: Connor!
Angel moves to help his son, but a battered Ghalfor stands in his way.
Ghalfor: I told you we would not let you succeed in stopping Josten. I’ve invested too much into that scaled freak to let some vampire champion and his band of merry men step in at the eleventh hour and ruin everything.
Angel: What exactly is the plan, Ghalfor? Not that I really care, I’ll be killing you soon anyway.
Ghalfor: For years I’ve been awaiting the end of days, waiting for the right opportunity. It came along with Josten and his happy little family. It seems his species’ blood can be used to forge powerful jewels, jewels which can be used for all sorts of interesting things. Like, say, ending the world.
Angel punches Ghalfor, deciding to end things as fast as he can. With Ghalfor stumbling backwards from the force of the punch, Angel kicks another Krateran.
Angel (to Ghalfor): So Josten can use one of the jewels to end the world? Why him? Why couldn’t you do it yourself?
Ghalfor kicks Angel, following it up with a swift uppercut.
Ghalfor: The jewel can only be used for the most powerful rituals in conjunction with the blood and incantation of the demon that the jewel was forged from. He needs to do this on his own. All he needed was the proper push.
Ghalfor swings another punch at Angel, who quickly shoots out his hand to catch the punch. Angel throws Ghalfor’s fist away, backhanding the demon in the face.
Angel: Push?
Ghalfor looks up at Angel from the ground with a sneer.
Ghalfor (malicious): Seems he was really attached to his family.
Angel looks around to his friends. Lorne is trying to take one of the demons off Connor, getting an elbow to the face for trying. Wes is helping Fred to her feet as Kraterans move to swarm them. Willow is valiantly trying to help by swinging her sword, her awkward swings only angering the demons. Spike fights near the witch, trying to keep as many of them as possible away from her. Kraterans continued to surround them, still dozens of them outnumbering them. Angel’s friends were losing.
Angel (realization): Josten isn’t trying to end the world, he’s trying to get back what you took away from him.
Ghalfor (smiling): And there’s nothing you can do, Champion.
Angel: That’s what you think.
Angel grabs a Krateran near him, snapping its neck and stealing it’s blade. With a growl he swings it down at a scared Ghalfor, slicing off the demon’s head. Angel turns back to the other demons charging at them. Hacking his way to his friends, he killed any demon standing in his way. Angel would be damned before he’d fail his family like Liam did.
INT – FACTORY – NIGHT
Josten and Liam circle each other, each regarding the other with unease.
Josten (disbelief): You had a family?
Liam: Friends and a son.
Josten: So tell me: where is this family now?
Liam’s brow wrinkles as the memories flood back to him. The screen flashes with white light to show us Liam’s memories.
EXT – STREET – NIGHT
The gang are all on a street, wearing identical clothes to how they’re dressed right now. This is Liam’s memory of the night Josten caused the end of the world. The gang are walking down the street, looking in vain for the one who is going to cause the end of the world. Out of nowhere, several brilliant sunbursts of energy and light appear in midair over the street. Dropping from each one is a demon first seen in the Teaser. Long pincers for hands and twisted jaws with ferocious fangs. The gang is caught off guard by the sudden appearance of these new enemies.
Fred tries to fire her crossbow, but like before, it jams. Before anyone can get to her, one of the demons is right in front of her, its pincers swinging. Without even a scream, Fred is struck by the pincers, one impaling her in the shoulder and the other deep in her stomach. The gang rushes to Fred’s aid, Angel catching her lifeless body as everyone else attacks the demon. The camera slowly zooms in on Angel as he rocks Fred back and forth, her blood pooling both on herself and on Angel. Angel raises up a hand, horrified to see it coated in blood. Looking down at Fred in total desolation, Angel sees that her eyes are no longer moving, her chest no longer pulling in ragged breaths. Angel brushes a strand of hair off her face as he closes her eyes.
Gently, Angel puts Fred down on the ground and stands up. He looks to the fight raging all around him. The new demons are relentlessly attacking the gang, they have no hope. Wes is pulling back, shooting at demons to distract them.
Wes: Everyone pull back!
Angel watches vacantly as Spike hoists a sobbing Willow over his shoulder and quickly runs towards Wesley. Connor runs past Angel, motioning for him to hurry and escape. Lorne grabs Angel by the shoulders, shaking him.
Lorne (desperate): Come on, Angel, it’s time to go!
Angel looks down towards Fred.
Lorne: There’s nothing you can do for her now. Please, let’s –
Before Lorne can finish his plea, a demon’s pincer spears him through the chest. Lorne looks down in pain and looks back up to see the expression of panic and fear in Angel’s eyes. Connor and Spike run up behind Angel, forcefully pulling him away from Lorne, who has already been pounced on by two more demons. Angel reaches a hand out in Lorne’s direction in desperation.
Angel: Lorne!!
Flash.
EXT – ROOFTOP – NIGHT
It is raining and the gang is on top of a rooftop at some point within a few days of Josten’s ritual. Willow is sitting with her eyes closed, chanting under her breath. Around her, Angel, Connor, Spike and Wes are fighting the hell demons. Spike tackles one of the demons then turns to yell at Willow.
Spike: Might want to finish that mojo soon, luv. Time is a bit of an issue here.
Willow: I can do this. Give me one more minute and I’ll seal the rift and send these guys packing.
Spike nods but then is grabbed around the neck by the pincers of the demon he tackled. The demon raised Spike into the air, the blonde kicking it and struggling to free himself. The demon twists its pincers and we hear a sickening snap. As Spike goes limp, the demon flings him off the side of the roof. Angel freezes in the middle of a fight then charges the demon that killed Spike, his sword held high.
As Angel stabs the demon behind her out of rage, Willow continued to chant with her eyes closed. Around her, a pale mist began to form, her spell beginning to kick in. Behind her, several demons took notice of her and her chanting. We watch as one of the demons runs up behind Willow, it’s pincers swinging down at her head.
Flash
INT – WILTON MANSION – NIGHT
Angel, Wes and Connor stand in the middle of the living room, hell demons all around them. Angel seems to be on the verge of panicking, he’s barely keeping it together. Connor looks prepared to fight to the death, his face determined even with so little hope. Wes frowns as he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a grenade.
Wes: Connor, take your father and go.
Angel looks to Wes, wondering why he would say that. When he sees the grenade, his eyes go wide.
Angel (desperate): Wes, no, don’t…
Connor frowns at Wes.
Connor: You sure you want to do this?
Wes doesn’t answer, instead he pulls the pin on the grenade. Getting his answer, Connor grabs Angel by the arm, dragging his father away as he charges through the demons. Wes watches as Connor crashes through a window, pulling Angel out as he goes. Closing his eyes, Wes holds out his hand and lets the grenade fall to the floor.
EXT – WILTON MANSION – NIGHT
Connor runs as fast as he can away from the house, his grip on Angel pulling the vampire along. Angel pulls his hand free of Connor’s and turns back to the house.
Angel: We have to help him!
Before Angel can take three steps, the Wilton Mansion explodes. The force of the blast blows Angel and Connor to the ground, debris falling all around them. Angel sits up, his chest heaving in panicked sobs as he looks at the burning ruins of his home where he has just lost another member of his family.
Flash
EXT – PARK – NIGHT
Angel and Connor are running along a wooded path, several hell demons in close pursuit. Connor looks to his left, noticing a river at the bottom of a hill next to the path.
Connor: On three we jump down to the river!
Twenty feet ahead of them, more demons emerge from the woods. Angel and Connor stop dead in their tracks. Connor looks back and sees a demon charging right at Angel. Thinking fast, Connor grabs Angel and throws him down the hill. As Angel begins to roll, Connor jumps after him, only to have his foot caught by one of the demons. Throwing the boy to the ground, the demons pounce, viciously attacking a thrashing Connor.
Angel rolls down the hill, landing with a splash in the river. As the current pulls him downstream, he frantically searches the hill for his son.
Angel: Connor!!
Flash
INT – FACTORY – NIGHT
Liam blinks, his flashbacks over. Staring down Josten intently, he remembers why he has come. With a cry of pain and anger, Liam slashes out with his sword. Josten jumps back, grabbing his ornate knife off a table. Liam continues to swing the sword, Josten nimble enough to evade the sword’s sweeps. Josten ducks one of Liam’s slashes then Liam kicks the demon in the face, sending him crashing back onto his table.
Liam: My family died because of you. For two hundred years, I dreamed of changing that. Once you’re dead, I will have.
Josten stands, his blood-drenched body now glowing brighter along with the pendant around his neck. His ritual is beginning to take effect. With a snarl, Josten charges at Liam.
Flash to:
EXT – STREET – NIGHT
Angel grabs a Krateran demon, pulling it away from Connor, who lays battered on the hood of the car. Helping his son stand, Angel turns to see a bruised Lorne stand up beside him.
Angel: You okay?
Lorne: We’ll be fine. (looking over Angel’s shoulder) Go help Fred.
Angel turns to see Fred trying to reach her dropped gun, a Krateran pulling her back across the ground by her leg. Fred flips herself onto her back, kicking at the demon. The demon roars in frustration, raising a fist to put a stop to Fred’s struggling. Before it can swing it, however, Angel taps it on the shoulder. When the demon turns its head, Angel punches it hard, knocking the demon to the ground.
Angel (to Fred): You okay?
Fred grabs her gun and stands, her face tight with anger and determination.
Fred: Much better. Thanks.
As Angel and Fred turn back to the Kraterans, the camera pulls back to show Willow facing down a demon on her own. It knocks her down to the ground face-first. Willow groans in pain, hearing a howl behind her. A moment later, she sees the Krateran’s head rolling past her. With a sigh of relief, she slowly turns over.
Willow: Thanks, Spike. I thought I was a goner.
Turning over, Willow doesn’t see Spike, she sees a horrific demon. Long pincers instead of hands, an otherworldly face, it is one of the demons from Liam’s flashbacks. With a howl, it brings down its pincers at Willow, who rolls out of the way with a yelp.
Every Krateran demon stopped their advancement on the gang, turning their attention to the foreign demon. Spike lefts Willow to her feet, pushing her to stand behind him. Everyone looks to the sky, where five bursts of light and energy open up above them. Shaking his head, Angel knew what was happening.
Angel: Josten, the ritual, it’s happening. (beat) The end of the world.
INT – FACTORY – NIGHT
Josten continues to glow a bright blue, the craved runes on his skin pulsing with powerful energy. Josten and Liam charge at each other, stopping when they notice a pale white glow at the side of the room. Josten turns immediately, his eyes hopeful. A shadow appears in the glow, forming the shape of a humanoid. Liam can’t make out the details, but he’s sure it means Josten’s ritual is working. Josten steps towards the shadow.
Josten: Illyane?
Liam takes the opportunity to trip Josten, causing him to fall to his knees. Josten looks up at Liam, full of rage. Josten opens his mouth screaming, a beam of pure energy erupting from his mouth. Liam ducks the blast, watching it hit the wall, cutting a streak through it. A wooden post snaps, a short portion of it bending out from the wall. Liam turns back to Josten, who is crawling towards the figure.
Josten (reverently): Illyane, you’ve come home.
Flash to:
EXT – STREET – NIGHT
The gang huddle together, watching the half dozen intruders from behind a parked car. The Kraterans all put down their weapons, bowing down in respect to the new demons. Howling, the new demons begin to attack the Kraterans, ripping them all to shreds. The gang recoils in shock, not expecting to receive help from the new hellish demons.
Lorne: What the hell is going on?
Wes: It would seem these new demons are eradicating that Kraterans.
Lorne: Thanks for the recap, Wes, but why?
Wes shrugs. Spike looks over at them, then looks meaningfully to Willow.
Spike: The new baddies are going after the real power first.
Willow (horrified realization): They’re getting rid of their toughest competition first.
Everyone looks around, then over at the slaughter still raging on the street. Looking up, Angel notices dozens more of the bright rifts opening up in the sky overhead.
Angel: Oh God.
Flash to:
INT – FACTORY – NIGHT
Josten crawls towards the glow as three more figures appear. Josten gasps in happiness, his ritual is working. In a few more minutes his family will be returned to him. Liam stands in shock, then breaks into action. Standing behind Josten, he raises up his sword. Josten senses movement behind him and rolls over to see Liam preparing to kill him.
Josten: You would kill someone who is simply trying to reunite with his family?
Liam: You’ll kill billions of innocent lives in the process. Don’t you understand that?
Josten: I do. And I would sacrifice every life on Earth if that’s what it took. Wouldn’t you?
Liam (resolute): I don’t have to. I only need to sacrifice one.
Without blinking, Angel brings down his sword, piercing Josten’s chest and shattering the pendant. A massive pillar of energy is released, blowing Liam back all the way to the wall. Liam hits the wall with a grunt as the pillar smashes through the roof.
EXT – STREET – NIGHT
The gang prepares to fight as the new demons finish off the last Krateran. As the demons close in on them, a pillar of light and energy shoots into the sky in the distance. As it does, the rifts in the sky close and the demons on the street blink out of existence. Confused, the gang slowly relaxes.
Fred (confused): Does this mean we won?
Connor: Where did they go?
Willow: The rifts all closed, the dimensional breach must be sealed.
Wes: And all the demons were sent back to their world.
Lorne: So we win? (beat) Hell yeah!
Everyone looks at Lorne after his outburst, he blushes.
Lorne: Sorry, but we won!
Spike steps out into the sea of dead Kraterans.
Spike: Looks that way. (beat) Guess that means he did it after all.
Angel: Liam.
INT – FACTORY – NIGHT
Liam looks over at Josten, who has gone limp, the sword impaling his chest. The shattered jewel around his neck loses its glow, its power gone. The pillar of light fades, as do the glowing figure. Liam smiles, he’s done it. Feeling a pain in his chest, he looks down.
The broken beam is sticking through his chest, staking him. Liam looks back up, a look of pain becoming a smile. Liam’s smile fades as his skin darkens and flakes away as dust, repeating what we saw at the end of the Teaser. His hair dissolves away as the rest of his body turns to dust and floats away into the air. With Liam’s skin turned to dust, his skeleton falls away, turning to dust as well. As the last of Liam scatters on a breeze, the screen fades to black.
INT – WILTON MANSION, ANGEL’S ROOM – DAY
Angel sits, reading his book in silence. He hears a noise.
Angel: Come in, Wesley.
Wes enters, looking sad for upsetting Angel’s private silence. He sits in a chair across from Angel.
Wes: Connor and I checked the factory where Josten was hiding. All we found was Josten himself, dead.
Angel (vacantly): So no sign of him?
Wes: No, we couldn’t find any trace of Liam. Connor said his scent ended there so we don’t know where he may have gone.
Angel: He saved us?
Wes: Yes. Willow and I ran a few mystical tests, all the natural energies have returned to normal. Spells are working properly again, the Lytallos are back on their migratory track, and hell was not unleashed on Earth.
Angel: Then his future doesn’t exist, so he probably ceased to exist as well.
Wes: That may not be the case. If that were true, he wouldn’t have existed to return to save us at all. (off his own confused look) I think it’s best we just leave it at “he saved the world”.
Wes and Angel sit in silence for a moment. Wes stands.
Wes: I’m going to go. Spike and Connor are teaching Willow how to use a sword properly.
Angel (smirking): Should be good for a laugh. You go, I’ll be down in a minute.
Wes nods, leaving the room to Angel and his silence.
Liam (vo): Can we talk for a minute?
Angel blinks as we flash to:
INT – WILTON MANSION – EVENING
Liam pulls Angel away from the gang as they exit the house, preparing to find Josten. The two identical vampires stand alone inside the house.
Angel (concerned): What is it?
Liam: It’s me. (beat) I mean you. (beat) Us. You spend so much time on your own guilt and regret, you need to let go, even if it’s just a little. You have a family that needs you, that’s all that matters. For centuries, all I did was dwell on all my mistakes, wallowing in my guilt. I forgot what really mattered (nodding towards the door) them. No matter what happens tonight, try to let go of the past, you have a chance at a real future. (pause) Promise?
Angel looks shaken. We flash back to:
INT – WILTON MANSION, ANGEL’S ROOM – DAY
Angel stands, his eyes focused on the wall.
Angel (vo): I promise.
Angel smiles and seems to snap out of his daze. Heading to the door, he turns off the light. Looking back into his dark room from the bright hallway, Angel nods, still smiling slightly. Turning to join his family, Angel closes the door on the darkened room as we fade to black.
End.
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