The Confrontation

It was strange. She felt so strong, like it was flowing out of her, and yet she had to remain collected. The paper was placed on the ground and she nodded to Baal, signaling that she would take it. Stepping forward she did so with what could best be described as poise, leaning down to grab it, yet never taking her eyes off of the daemoness. As she had taken the scroll, she leaned back up and retreated to stand by Baal, opening the scroll to read through it while Elora kept explaining.
The name of her wretched sister made her grit her teeth. "And why would she help us? She had no problem with torturing me simply for being a fenix," she asked. While they could agree on the fact that Simeon needed to be gone for good, she wasn't sure how trustworthy this daemoness was. Sure, her brother had seemed to make himself useful up at the temples, but there would never be any action big enough to rectify the sins of the Aelius family.

Elora knew she would be met by distrust and with the last name she bore, it wasnt really that surprising to her. They had been bred to take over leadership for the race and everyone knew it. Looking down she shrugged. "She's my twin. I dont know how to explain it. Most of my life I have always known whose side she was on. It has always been Simeon's," she then said before she removed her hand from her bandage. "But she's different now. I dont know if she has met someone who has changed her mind or Simeon just isnt who she wished for him to be," she explained, swallowing hard before she shook her head. "She just had this look in her eyes.... when.... Nevermind," she stopped herself, because she realized that elaborating on Simeon's little circus would put all the siblings in a vulnerable light. "I just know," she then said in a sure tone, lifting her gaze to their feet which was sort of her way of looking into someone's eye, without having to harm them.

"I guess we'll have to take your word for it then ... But what do you gain from this? Besides the fact that your brother seizes to exist?" she asked, mostly because she was curious as to why and why now. She could just sense that the siblings had had something to do with this new body that was being described in the scroll, but she hoped they would find out soon enough. "Is there someone you have that needs protection or?"
It felt almost like the power dynamic had changed from the last time they had stood face to face. She still felt a cold shiver run down her back whenever she thought of what she had seen in the eyes of the daemoness. And she also wondered what type of twisted person could ever change the empusa as her sister claimed it had.

What was her gain? It was a pretty good question, because it had been something she had considered herself. Had she just gone mad and decided to stab her family in the back for all the bad shit she had gone through? Exhaling she shrugged. "No, I can protect my loved ones," she said, gesturing with her index to her remaining eye. She turned her eyes up to the sky, watching the darkness that seemed to eat the last lights of the day. Southern would probably lay completely in darkness at some point. "Peace," she then said, a small smile over her lips. "I just want peace, even if it means that the Aeliuses have to be removed from their place in power,"

Peace? Buffy found it hard to believe, but something in her made her move forward, handing the paper description to Baal. She stood in front of the turned daemoness, reaching out to place a hand under her chin. She turned her head towards her, "look at my eyes," such a soft voice, but also rather firm.
If the daemoness followed her orders, she would first inspect the bandages, and it was as if she just knew the cruelty that had went on. "I can't give you your eye back," she said calmly before she shifted her gaze to look directly in to her eye. She could feel pain in the back of her head, but she couldn't see any harmful visions. It felt like her body was burning away anything that tried to hurt her. "But ... Once all of this is over, I might be able to ease your burden," she said calmly, letting go of Elora and giving her space.
Returning to Baal once more she just nodded. "We should seek out the other twin," she said.

She noticed the fenix stepping closer and she frowned a little confused because Buffy had told her before to stay back. Now she was approaching her? She saw the hand and almost flinched but luckily stopped herself. Looking up she looked at the fenix with pain in her eyes. She was hurting bad from it all, everything that had gone on since the pillar came to be, since the Abyssus was opened. Shaking her head she sighed. "I dont care about the eye," she said, almost looking away as the fenix looked into her eye, but she was too slow and then she frowned. It hadnt been like it had when Raziela had kidnapped the woman, she wasnt reacting to the gaze at all. And her eyes were so different, she couldnt be a fenix anymore. "Ease my burden?" she mumbled a little confused, stepping back. She just felt a little taken aback by the approach and quickly gave them the address before she pulled up her hood and turned to walk off.

Baal had just let them talk, as it seemed that Buffy knew what she was doing. And the less he spoke, the more scary he probably seemed to the turned daemon. The daemon that had opened the portals to the Abyssus, that was a title that would probably haunt him forever. But hopefully it wouldnt feel as heavy as it did in the moment. As Buffy told her to look at her, Baal was about to intervene, but then it was too late. Seeing that Buffy didnt seem to react at all, just made him frown in contemplation while he remained quiet. Once the daemoness walked off, he looked at the love of his life. "That was quite the bet, looking into her eye the way you did," he said, where he usually would have sounded worried, there was more a curiosity in his tone. "Lets go," he said, reaching down to take her hand again.

Buffy didn't expect the daemoness to understand, but she hoped that she would seek her out later. Getting the address she just felt determined to find the other twin and figure out where Simeon was. Joining Baal, she looked at him, her head tilting slightly to the side as she listened to him sound so filled with curiosity. However he didn't seem to linger, and she took his hand as he reached for her. She wasn't going to deny that him being close felt better than ever. They always spoke about being each other's counterparts or like two puzzle pieces fitting together, but it was feeling better and better.
As they walked, she just held on to her daemon, but instead opted to wrap her arm around his, leaning her head against his upper arm as they walked. "I've always really wanted to do this," she confessed. Sure, they had been out and about before, but walking closely like a couple had been a dangerous move and not something they had done unless they just couldn't stop themselves. "Do you honestly think the empusa has changed?"

Quite frankly she was happy that there weren't going to confront the other sibling right now. She felt a little worn out, and she could feel whatever was changing her wasn't over just yet. Perhaps he could feel it too? Besides that they both needed to be at their best just in case. He then turned to look at her, and she just looked up at him with calm yet loving eyes. His question made her frown slightly, looking ahead. The old Buffy had tried to just forget it all happened, pushed it down and away, but right now she felt so much like she was on fire.
"I do," she finally replied. Because what Raziela had done had no logic behind it. It was all malice, and there was nothing to excuse. "She would've killed me, I can just feel it, and I would've died a rather meaningless death," she pondered. Maybe it wasn't the reply he had expected, but she felt like she could finally say it. "And no matter how we twist and turn it, I can't find a way to forgive her for what she put you through," she said, leaning her head back against his shoulder.

He let her think it out, because it was something that he needed to know. But it wasnt really a surprise that she did, especially after what she had been through. Her explanation was mostly what didnt make him question her but rather listened and nodded. "I wanted to kill her for what she did to you back then. I wanted them all to suffer for all the things they have done to you," he admitted himself before he looked at her. Shifting between her eyes he was quite serious in his words. "I am all my darkness now, so I'll leave the choice up for you to make," he just said, hoping she understood that he was telling he whether he should make the empusa pay or spare her. Otherwise he'd just do it without having a second thought or even a chance at feeling any kind of remorse.

Listening to him say something like that didn't seem to surprise her anymore. Buffy was usually a pacifist, she was not one to pick a fight, but something within her had changed. She could see the reason in this. "Killing her would be the easy thing to do," she pondered, looking at him with the thunderclouds looking rather calm, besides the lightning of course. "But I don't know what I'll do once we face her, and whatever is inside of me-" she said, placing a hand over her heart, "-might feel quite different about all of this." It wasn't really an easy answer. She despised the empusa and her summoner brother the most, the others just seemed like pawns in their game.
"Belial, there's something I want to do," she said, a smile creeping up on her face as her eyes softened. She stopped their walk. People on the street were already staring at them as they clearly seemed like an odd couple. Not to mention the fact that he was a summoner and she wasn't.
"Kiss me ... right now," she said. They had never even dared, and when they had they had snuck off in to some alley. It wasn't enough anymore. She wanted the world to see and she was tired of all of this hiding. "Show them that I belong to you."

For Baal life had turned into a kill or be killed situation which explained why he felt the way he did towards the empusa and her bloodline. But he didnt know what Buffy would do. If she would be inclined to eliminate threats if it was necessary. Or if she would stick to her old values.
He stopped with her and awaited her request. She seemed so happy and he wished that he could return it. It probably just was a bad time to be focusing on the love they shared, even if he loved her with all his heart. He had noticed everyone's eyes, but then again, his marks were still glowing as if they were alive under his skin and everyone knew what he was. He looked at her as she asked him to kiss her, lifting a hand to cup the side of her face as he looked at her. Looking at her lips, he gently touched her lower lip with his thumb but seemingly didnt have much emotion to display. But he did do as she asked, leaning down to connect their lips. He couldnt really feel much of it, but it was to be expected in the state he was currently in.

Life outside Churchill really hadnt been something for Amos. He had been keeping himself going on the thought that it was for Saoirse's best that they were far away from home but he missed it. Only seeing on the news everyday that it was worsening over there, he knew there was nothing really to return to. He had comfort in knowing she got to know her family, but there was nothing here for him. Nothing beside her.
"I thought they were going to close the portals down and end it all. What's all this bullshit?" he asked, frowning to himself as he shook his head and went outside rather than stick around for an answer. Running a hand through his hair, he was so worried about each and everyone. It was crazy how alike he was his father in the regards of worrying. "Can you give me a hand, son?" some guy asked. Amos looked at him and scoffed but went to get the cup that had fallen from the man's hands. He looked quite sickly. Amos couldnt figure out whether he was going to make it or not.

Saoirse had adjusted somewhat to living with her relatives, albeit they were a bit distant, they at least seemed warm and welcome. It was clear it was Conrad's family as they all put great emphasis on spending time together when it was dinner. But she knew Amos wasn't happy here, and she couldn't really blame him. All of his life and friends were back in Churchill. She felt bad for him doing this and as he seemed to ask a question before going outside, it was clear he was reaching his limits. Saoirse put down what she had been doing, reading a book for the third time this week, and joined him. Watching him interact with the old man, it was clear he felt the same unbalance as she did.
"We can go back to Churchill if you want to?" she said, even though it would go against their parents' orders. Breathing out she placed her forehead against his back, closing her eyes. It didn't help that they had to hide what they felt for one another when they were here. "I know it's stupid, but if they haven't closed the portals by now, something must be wrong," she mumbled against his back. She could just feel that something was off. This had supposed to be over in a matter of weeks, not months. Something just wasn't right, and she could feel it in her gut.

She knew all he wanted was for the two of them to be safe, but what if their father needed them? Or what if either of their mothers needed them? It was hard to think about, so she just stood there, listening to him say the worst outcome. If her father had died, then either her mother had fallen too, or she would be inconsolable. She wrapped her arms around Amos, hiding her face in his back as she tried to hold back her tears. She was always such a crybaby, and she had really tried just to get better at everything regarding emotions. But the sadness and hurt of knowing that something was wrong yet having no real power to change it was the worst. Her neck had healed pretty well, but beneath her white markings there were still scars from the bite of the hound.
Then the elderly man spoke, and Saoirse turned her head to look at him, letting go of Amos just to try and contain herself. "I don't know ... I have a feeling that whatever is going to happen isn't something we can really understand," she said to the old man, looking towards Amos with a frown. It was just hard being helpless. "It's your call," she told the daemon.

They stayed. She didn't know why, but she wanted to go back home. She missed just being herself and only worrying about school or Amos and Connor. Her heart made a small twist as she thought of the seraph. Even though she had made her choice, it was like her body refused to let her forget about him. She was still broken after he had just deserted her like that. Because she knew he had felt it and she knew he had ignored it for his own sake.
The old man asked for help, and as Amos pushed him, Saoirse offered to walk with them. She needed the fresh air. Her eyes moved out to the sea. If it wasn't because she was forced to stay here, she might've actually liked Aurvandil and it's beautiful nature. But the water felt more like a prison wall than an open door. The man spoke, and she felt herself a bit deep in her thoughts. "Our parents didn't like what was happening back home, so it was easier to send us away," she said, feeling herself a little bitter in her words. She regretted not making a bigger fuss about it all, but she had still been healing back then. "Is it really as bad as they say it is in the news?" she asked, cause the man seemed to know more than he led on.

Saoirse just looked down, not really knowing what to think. Had her father really done this on purpose? She felt like it didn't sound like the calm and collected dad she had come to know. But maybe Amos was right, maybe their father was growing dark. She tried not to think about it before Amos seemed to stop, and she noticed the blood. "You're bleeding," she said worried, knowing he was different in regards to when he hurt himself. The man offered to look at it, but Saoirse didn't know if they could trust the old man. Amos' blood wasn't like many others. His was pure and from the line of Bael. "Maybe we should just head home, get it cleaned up?" she said, not trying to insult the man, but she was picking up some weird vibes from him. She took Amos' hand, pulling him away from the man carefully as to not make a scene.

He looked at his finger and then shrugged at Saoirse's worried words. "It will heal, so dont worry about it" he just said but as the old man offered to look at it, Amos also felt a little reluctant. "I think I'll be fine," he said, feeling Saoirse's pull. The old man sighed and reached down into a pocket on his chair. He pulled out a small can and offered it. "It will keep it clean," he assured them, though he could tell they were both rather cautious about him. Amos looked at Saoirse, because she seemed to know whether they should accept it or not. "With everything going on, you'd not want to catch a disease for daemons," the old man then said which made Amos frown. He chuckled and shook his head, "Dont think an old devout can sense his creator's blood?" the old man said before he sighed and looked towards the pillar, "No the disease got to me and none of my prayers were heard, so here I am bound to a chair for eternity, dying of what humans think is old age"

Saoirse didn't really know what to say, feeling like they had to be cautious, but she also wondered if the man being sick was because of their father. She looked at the bottle, taking it carefully, but mostly because declining was a bad idea in her mind. She was unsure what to make of it, but the man was wise in his words. However as he said that he could sense Amos' blood she felt like they had to be extra cautious. She looked down at the bottle as the man went on to describe his ailment. "Thank you," she muttered, mostly because she wanted to be polite, but she just couldn't trust anyone but Amos right now. Her childhood naiveté was gone, and she was struggling to deal with everything going on. "Will you be alright from here?" she asked the old man, mostly because she wasn't just going to abandon him, but she also wanted to get away from him. It was quite the weird situation.
She reached down, grabbing on to Amos' shirt. She had done that so many times while here in Aurvandil because she couldn't just hold his hand. "I wanna go home ... I don't feel well," she muttered to him. It wasn't a complete lie, she felt like she was getting a strong headache, but she couldn't tell where from.

He looked at the bottle as Saoirse took it, to then look at the old man again. If he was really sick from something, then surely Amos didnt want any of that. The old man looked ahead as the trybrid asked if he would be fine, to then look at her and simply nod. "Thank you very much for your help," he told them before he started rolling off on his own.
Amos watched him go just as he felt Saoirse's grip on his shirt. Looking down at her he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, we can go," he said, wrapping his arm around her before he started walking back. He could at least excuse the closeness on her not feeling well, but he had been behaving quite a lot since it was her family they were around. "Do you really want to go back home?" Amos asked as they walked, frowning a little as he clearly wasnt happy about it.

The man went off, and she just stood there with one hand gripping Amos' shirt and the other holding the bottle. She was just confused. Or rather, she felt her mind was scattered, but that everything was slowly coming together for a bigger picture. He wrapped his arm around her, and she leaned her head against his chest as they were walking. Honestly she was surprised at how behaved he had been during all of this. But she did miss having him close.
"I don't know, I just feel like something's wrong, but I wouldn't really know how to help," she sighed, her own arm sneaking around his waist. Gods, she missed being this close to him. It always felt like she had to hide her emotions and check herself before she did anything. "I just miss our life before this," she said, but that wasn't so weird. She missed riding around town with Amos and Tyler. She missed dressing up with Tessa when they both had some time to spare. She missed cooking with her mom and going to the library with her aunt. There was just so much she couldn't put it all in to words before she might start crying. "I miss kissing you, and holding your hand when I feel like the world is too big and I'm too small," she said in a hushed whisper, because it felt like even saying it out loud was hurting her all over again. She even missed Connor, even though she hated to admit it. It was just something she couldn't control.