[KingofCretins]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Issue #17
“Time of Your Life, Part II”

Prologue Summary: Today thousands of Slayers populate the world – forming squadrons, fighting vampires, demons, and, more recently, the U.S. military. Buffy and Xander continue to train an elite force of Slayers in the highlands of Scotland where they prepare to duel their fiercest foe to date: Twilight.

Buffy’s fresh from another doomed relationship, and Xander has suffered another great loss. Now a mystical vision has directed Willow toward New York City and clues to the future of magic. And as for Dawn… she’s still experiencing some serious growing pains.

Start of Issue #17

The opening image is of Melaka Fray, the Vampire Slayer. She is crouching alertly, one hand touching a large metal surface. Smoke and air wisp past her. She is wearing a green shirt that doesn’t quite meet her matching cargo pants. Her fingersnails and lipstick match the same purple that blends into her otherwise indigo hair. She has tape around her hand and her elbows.

MEL: This is the place.

In a wider image, we see that the metal surface Mel is touching is the side of what looks like a flying cargo van. The van, marked “B-42”, is racing along through the flying traffic of Mel’s city, Haddyn. Mel herself is crouching on the sidecar of a blue, flying motorcycle. Driving the bike is a blond-haired woman – Melaka’s sister, ERIN.

ERIN: You’re sure?

MEL: I got ‘em nosed. This is the nest.

In close-up, we see Fray reach down with her right hand into the bike’s side car to retrieve a familiar weapon – her Scythe.

ERIN: (from out of the view) Without an ock I can’t spill a whole van –

MEL: I’m not gonna get you booted from the laws, sis.

The view reverses, and we see Fray turn to instruct her sister while holding the blade of her scythe toward the side of the van.

MEL: Just brake when I say.

The signal is given without us hearing, because the next image shows the blurring motion of bike braking, the van speeding ahead, and Mel’s Scythe peeling back the metal side of the cargo vehicle as they decelerate. The vampires – lurks – inside look surprised.

We see Melaka in close-up, her face cold and ready. Behind her, Erin looks amazed at the number of creatures in the van.

ERIN: There’s so many…

MEL: Can you lock in their router?

ERIN: take me a min.

MEL: A min?

And before Erin can protest, Mel launches herself forward of the sidecar across the gap to the van. She is smiling enthusiastically. One of the vampires is leaning through the hole in the van, ready to meet her.

MEL: I’m buying.

We see Melaka and the vampire tumble through the air as she tackles him – they are falling through the Haddyn traffic, Melaka taking advantage in the weightless fight, holding her Scythe like a spear.

In a close-up, we see Erin looking down after her baby sister, looking weary and worried.

ERIN: (to herself) Does she alwy have to do that?

In a wider view, Erin cuts her police bike across the backtrail of the van, using a beam of some kind to scan the vampires’ license plate.

ERIN: Okay. Router lock active…

Back with Melaka, she and the vamp are still falling, but there’s no sign Mel really notices. She has her legs coiled around the vampire and is screaming at him. For his part, he is surprised and has no idea what she’s talking about.

MEL: *Where is he*?

In an extreme close-up, we see Melaka’s eyes, one squinting, the other wide and almost crazy.

MEL: *Where is Harth*?

In the next image, we see the cargo van crash into a forcefield and explode with a *BWOOOOOM*. A router lock presumably being a way to direct a vehicle remotely. The forcefield covers a large stone statue of a bearded man holding a book in one hand and making what appears to be the “shocker” gesture with the other.

Next we see Fray and the vampire land on the roof of another traveling car. Mel has the vampire pinned under her feet as she drives it into the roof, shattering glass. Her Scythe is aimed stake down at his chest.

VAMP: This can’t hap! He promised us your world!

MEL: Spled for you. *Where*?

VAMP: He said the madwoman would save us!

From the vamp’s point of view, we see Mel casually holding the Scythe in both hands, ready to finish him.

MEL: What woman?

VAMP: The dark-haired one. She’s lived for centuries, speaks in riddles and strange voices… he calls her the black hope, says she has power greater even than his. Please don’t give me th’ poke…

In a close-up, we see Mel’s face scowl mercilessly. As she stakes the vampire with a *CHK*, he collapses into green dust with a *PFFT*.

MEL: Begging. Weak.

From above, we see Fray smiling as she vaults backwards off the flying car. Her sister waits to catch her on her police bike. Erin’s question in voiceover takes us into the next scene.

ERIN: (voiceover) “Do you know who she is?”

The scene shifts, and we see Melaka walking across the floor of a large library. It has a sky-roof, wood paneling, and a stone fireplace. She’s set up a hammock in the corner, but it’s clearly the same room she’s led to in “Tales of the Slayers”. Erin stands in the entrance way, looking dubious.

MEL: Not off top, but it sounds famil. Gotta scan the diaries again.

ERIN: This place… you know, I still have that extra room…

From behind, Melaka is poring over one of the shelves, looking for a book. She doesn’t turn when she answers.

MEL: This is my home. Place welcomes me. Got histry in it, in these diaries, and since Harth got my memories, I’ve need. ‘Sides…

Mel’s answer is cut off, and emphasized, when we see a six-limbed monkey with green glowing eyes leap onto Erin’s shoulders. The police woman is panicked as the creature babbles on her back.

MEL: (from out of the view) You really set to share a flat with Gates?

GATES: Mek mek!

ERIN: *Dahh*!

GATES: Mekrin-syppah!

Next we see a much calmer Erin easing the monkey demon off her shoulders while Melaka, behind her, finds her book.

ERIN: “Gates”?

MEL: The last great Watcher. Sacrificed himself at the Battle of Starbucks.

ERIN: “Starbucks.” Where’s that?

MEL: Dunno. I’m slow getting through these – even all the ones in old ‘merican.

In close-up, Melaka’s face is distracted by real curiousity as she turns slowly through one of the diaries.

MEL: But I read about a madwoman ‘fore.

The scene shifts, and we’re in a darkened room with a rounded opening that faces the uninvited Haddyn skyline. HARTH is in the room, as well as a woman in a flowing gown, excessively frilled. Her hair is dark, and we don’t see her face. Harth is bringing her a golden cup, with steam of some kind rising off of it.

HARTH: I remember fighting you.

In close-up, we see the woman accept the cup in her hands. It appears to be filled with water.

HARTH: (from out of the view) In the dream, you hurt me. Not just fighting – you’re connected to someone I love.

In a wide view, we see Harth step out through the rounded doorway and onto a balcony. He is overlooking what appears to be a shipping hard, and it’s full of vehicles like the cargo van Mel and Erin attacked.

HARTH: And that’s the one, the Slayer of Slayers. That’s who I am in the dream. That’s who’s coming.

The view shifts and we see the woman, cup still held in front of her, but we can’t see her face above her dark lips.

WOMAN: Tonight. The princess leaves her kingdom for the forest of the now.

The view reverses back to Harth, who’s eyes glow slightly as he stares back at her. He is resting one arm on the rail of his balcony, and seems uncertain of the woman’s idea.

HARTH: I haven’t asked why you want her here. Or why you want my sister to find her.

WOMAN: But you want to.

HARTH: Aren’t they more of a threat to us combined?

As the woman answers in voiceover, the view shifts to ground in the shipping yard. Harth’s vampires are pulling humans out of the vans. One has a young girl with pigtails over his shoulder, indifferent to her sobbing.

WOMAN: (voiceover) “Your schemes are ingenious. Keeping your force mobile, spreading the beloved infection throughout Noram… you gnaw at the root of your world.”

Back in the room, we see from over the woman’s shoulder that Harth is watching her hesitantly. She is raising the cup toward her face.

WOMAN: But there is nothing a Slayer cannot overcome.

HARTH: Then why call for another?

In extreme close-up, we see the woman’s lips nearly close enough to the cup to drink from it, a lone drop of water slipping over the rim.

WOMAN: Vampires gain strength from each other. Slayers, ultimately, don’t.

From above, we see the woman suddenly turn and walk briskly from the room, the cup almost forgotten in her hand. Her long, purple dress flows behind her, and Harth just leans against the rail, gripping it in bewilderment.

WOMAN: What happens in your time will cause your time to come, do you see?

HARTH: I…

In close-up, we see Harth’s confused face as the woman calls back to him.

WOMAN: (from out of the view) Ripples, child. Everything is ripples.

The scene shifts, and it goes back in time. We see Willow, looking down, unhappy, alone against a plain blue background.

WILLOW: This is my fault.

The view widens, and we see Willow is cradling Kennedy in front of her, while another Slayer reaches into a first-aid kit. They are still on the Manhattan rooftop. Two other Slayers guard, while the Exchange Demon stands still, captured in a green energy field that appears to have been Willow’s work.

KENNEDY: Nah, I zigged when I shoulda stabbed. I’ll heal up okay. Still, a considerate girlfriend would have *killed* that thing.

WILLOW: I have to figure some things out first.

The view reverses, and we see Willow has gotten up to move closer and look at the demon. Kennedy crouches behind her as the other Slayer is still tending her wound.

WILLOW: This wasn’t a transmogrification, which is a huge relief.

KENNEDY: Why?

WILLOW: Are you kidding? Buffy can’t handle a zit. In this body, she’d kill herself.

In close-up, we see Willow looking serious despite her joke.

WILLOW: I think our new friend is from the future. And I think Buffy took his place.

We see Kennedy holding her arms up with the other Slayer dresses her wound, wrapping gauze and tape around her waist.

KENNEDY: I thought this temporal event thingie was supposed to help us.

WILLOW: (from out of the view) so did I. Which means…

And we see Willow again in close-up, her eyes wide with self-doubt.

WILLOW: … this is my fault.

The scene shifts again, and into Scotland. We see a wood-frame door shatter under strain, and Xander bursting through it as he knocks it down. He’s inside the castle, which is filled with green flame after the attack in 8.16.

XANDER: *Gnaahh*!

From above, we see the scene in front of Xander. He is at the entrance of the command center itself. The tables and workstations are all smashed under collapsed masonry. The master view screen is blank and cracked. Green flames burst on all the wood surfaces as well as on scattered debris. The dais on the side of the room has an opening into the floor, steps that lead down out of the room. On that side of the room, two Slayers carry Leah toward that stairway. It’s unclear if Leah is unconscious or worse. Alone in the center of the room, at Xander’s usual post on the center platform, is Rowena, working intently over the controls.

XANDER: God…

We see Xander come up behind Rowena, touching her arm urgently. Rowena, rather than intense, looks almost resigned as she works the controls.

XANDER: *Rowena! Status*!

ROWENA: Got most of the squad out through the tunnels.

The view reverses, and we see Xander looking over her shoulder at the controls. When Rowena answers, she still seems affectless, lost in her own mind.

XANDER: “Most.”

ROWENA: West tower collapsed. At least seven.

XANDER: Do you know what his us?

From the same view, Rowena begins to break down. Her chin falls to her chest and she is wiping tears from her eyes as Xander tries to snap her out of it.

XANDER: Soldiers die, Rowena. (quietly) They do it all the time. (normal) This is fried. We’re not calling for help.

We see Xander take the younger girl by the shoulders, her body slack and her eyes full of tears.

XANDER: Whatever hit us was mystical, okay? Flames are not bright green.

In a close-up, we see over Rowena’s shoulder as Xander’s right eye widens at something he’s seen behind her.

XANDER: Also, interesting sidebar, flames are not medieval cobra-faced foot soldiers.

Behind Rowena, the very creatures Xander described are marching into the control center. They appear to be made of the green flame – muscular warriors with snake faces. The one closest carries maces made of green flame in either hand, and it crushes one of the few intact computers with a *WHCRASH!* of the mace hitting it. Xander still has Rowena by the arms, and pushes her behind him, toward the stairway escape.

XANDER: Tunnels! *Now*!

As Rowena stats down the steps, we see Xander taken in the shoulder be a green-flame arrow from one of the soldiers. He screams in pain as he falls.

XANDER: *Ahh*!

We see Rowena turn to head back up the stairs, barely able to see Xander’s face around the debris and fire.

ROWENA: *SIR*!!!

In a closer view, we see Xander on his side, propped on an elbow. A small line of fire separate him and Rowena as she tries to stay with him.

XANDER: Get the Slayers out.

ROWENA: Sir…

XANDER: Or, yeah, maybe we should discuss the pros and cons and put it up for a vote. *GO*!

As one of the green-flame soldiers stand over Xander, the man pulls the arrow from his shoulder, splashing some blood. Behind him, Rowena has escaped into the tunnels.

XANDER: Nnnaaaaokay… I just gotta… snakes… green… fire…

In an extreme close-up, Xander looks up to face what he might think is his last moment, since he’s defenseless.

XANDER: I can’t believe I don’t have a pun.

Before anything can attack him, the next image shows Dawn arriving – we see her use her powerful equine hind legs to drive the head of the soldier advancing on Xander into the stone walls of the command center. Xander looks up at her, astonished at his rescuer.

DAWN: *Taaahh*!

From Xander’s position on the floor, we see Dawn reach her hand down to help him to his feet.

XANDER: You shouldn’t be here!

DAWN: You’re welcome. Those things are forming all over the place.

Dawn looks over her shoulder to where Xander is standing again, but he’s leaning forward against her back.

DAWN: How bad?

XANDER: Unless I can fall down and *throw up* my way out of here, I got nothin’.

DAWN: Okay, okay.

We see Dawn looking resigned to the situation before she decides.

DAWN: You’re gonna have to… (quietly) … ride me…

We see her in close-up, looking down as she quietly answers Xander’s request for clarification. Her speech is shown as almost imperceptibly small.

XANDER: What?

DAWN: (very quietly) Ride me.

As Xander realizes what she’s saying, he reacts in alarm. Dawn, for her part, takes a second to look annoyed, either at his difficulty grasping the idea or at the idea itself.

XANDER: Ah! Ride you!

DAWN: Hennh…

XANDER: *Aagh*!

The next image shows them galloping across the grounds. Xander looks terrified as Dawn bucks and leaps around attack from more green-flame soldiers. Xander has two handfuls of Dawn’s long, dark hair.

DAWN: *You’re pulling my hair*!

XANDER: *I’m holding your mane*!

DAWN: *My mane is my hair!*

We see Dawn and Xander from behind as they speed away from the soldiers and escape into the forest. A question in voiceover by Erin Fray leads us into the next scene.

ERIN: (voiceover) “Are you cert this is a good idea?”

The scene shifts back to Melaka’s time, and Mel is hopping off Erin’s police bike onto a roof top, Scythe in hand. She’s now dressed as when we first saw her in 8.16.

MEL: Have I ever had one? The books talk about this place. The last girl came here and was transformed, they says.

Fray stands on the roof, Erin’s bike still hovering behind her, as she explains. Something appears to be watching from the shados.

MEL: They say the madwoman’s power reached through the ages and changed her. Sounds hokum, but worth a peek. I find troubles, I’ll pulse you.

Back in our present, we see Willow in close-up, talking to someone we can’t see.

WILLOW: This is how it goes down.

The next image is back on the rooftop with Melaka, but we still have Willow giving the voiceover as she explains what we’re watching. The exchange demon steps out to attack the future Slayer.

WILLOW: (voiceover) “Years from now, someone enlists our big ugly demon friend to take down the Slayer. I’m guessing this was meant to draw her out.”

We see Fray deliver a sharp side kick to the demon’s stomach, knocking it backwards. As it stumbles, a blue and white flash of light appears behind it – a portal opening.

WILLOW: (voiceover) “Then whoever summoned big ugly opened a temporal portal, sucked him right in. From what he said, that wasn’t in the recruitment ad.”

Back in the present, we see from behind Willow’s shoulder that she’s addressing a roomful of Slayers. Kennedy stands in the crowd of seven Slayers. Vi, their leader, listens at the front of the group with her hands on her hips.

WILLOW: Whoever did this has way more power than I do. And they made very sure word would get out. To the magic community, to my allies, to me. We were played. We’re all pasties.

VIOLET: Or possibly “patsies”?

Willow’s voiceover resumes as the scene takes us back to the rooftop with Melaka. Except now, instead of the demon, a very confused Buffy is standing in Fray’s path, and the future Slayer is charging her.

WILLOW: (voiceover) “Ooh! I suck at tough guy talk. But the point is, we don’t know anything about this person – or about this future Slayer, for that matter. So the question is, what’s waiting for Buffy in the future?

We see Buffy and Fray plummeting through the air as they were in 8.16, Fray’s hand around Buffy’s throat.

WILLOW: (voiceover) “And how do we get her back – before something bad happens?”

The action shifts fully into Melaka’s time and the voiceover drops away. We see Buffy drop onto the roof of a long flying car, landing high on her shoulders with a *THUND*. Her Scythe’s stake end drives into the roof of the car, sticking in place. Fray gracefully lands on her feet, Scythe still ready.

BUFFY: *Agck*!

In a close-up, we see Buffy on her back, helpless, holding her hands up defensively.

BUFFY: Okay. Okay. Stop. Please…

The view shifts and we see Mel is unimpressed. She swings her own Scythe down with a mighty chop that hits the roof of the car with a *CRACK!* Buffy narrowly rolls away from the attack, still trying to get the other Slayer’s attention.

BUFFY: *Stop slaying me*!

MEL: Ghaah!

Buffy is back on her feet quickly, and slips behind Melaka and locks the younger woman in a full nelson hold. Mel struggles against what she thinks is a demon attacking her.

MEL: *Offa me, shifter*!

BUFFY: *I am not shifty*!

MEL: *That’s spin! You think I’m a slack*!

BUFFY: *You are talking crazy-person talk.* Put your words in word places, *please*.

The two Slayers stand face to face, wary, but no longer fighting.

BUFFY: We both have Scythes. We both have awesome kung-fu movies. Turn-offs include smokers, insensitive men, and *vampires*. You with me?

MEL: It’s not poss.

We see the two Slayers from above, now calmly standing. At their feet, both of their Scythes are stuck in the roof of the car on which they are standing.

BUFFY: We’re standing on a flying car. “Poss” is a pretty sketchy concept right now. So, what: future? Alternate, much cooler universe?

From over Buffy’s shoulder, we see Melaka studying her face. She recognizes her, but looks uncertain.

MEL: Buffy Summers.

BUFFY: Present.

MEL: Buffy Summers is dead.

BUFFY: Occasionally. No, yeah, Willow gave that lecture – this is a future thing.

We see from behind Fray as she watches Buffy crouch down and grip her Scythe. Buffy looks over the edge of the flying car as she talks.

BUFFY: I’m all the time going off high buildings lately. (quietly, to herself) Boy, that just keeps going down, doesn’t it?

MEL: Buffy Summers is *long* dead. Two cen, maybe more.

Buffy looks back over her shoulder at the younger Slayer.

BUFFY: What’s your name?

MEL: Melaka.

BUFFY: Cute. I time-travelled.

MEL: Why?

BUFFY: Kinda hoping you were gonna tell me. Is there somewhere we can talk? Somewhere less motion-sicknessy?

MEL: Follow.

Without another word, we see a wide view of Melaka bounding off two other flying cars and landing on a Haddyn rooftop. Buffy watches and calls after her.

BUFFY: Okay, but I can’t –

We see the car even further away, Buffy still standing on it.

BUFFY: *I totally can’t do that jumpy thing*… hello?

Some time soon after, Buffy and Melaka are walking around Haddyn at street level. They are alone in an alley, and draw no attention despite both carrying their Scythes openly.

BUFFY: So am I still in Manhattan?

MEL: Haddyn.

BUFFY: So yeah, I guess. This is actually more like I imagined it than the one in my time.

In a closer view, Buffy excitedly leans over Mel’s shoulder, enthusiastic about what she might learn. Melaka for her part looks confused by Buffy’s speech, as confused as Buffy herself was when they first met.

BUFFY: And Willow said – she’s my best friend, you’ve probably read all about her – that this temporal event was gonna help us somehow, besides being a visual nifty, so maybe you’ve got the skinny on defeating Twilight!

MEL: Uh… ‘merican?

Fray stops to look at Buffy as the older Slayer asks her for more details on her time. The brick wall behind them is covered in fliers that say “THIS WARN YOU”.

BUFFY: In my time, the Slayers have just recently been called, so we’re kind of flying blind. At the least I’d like to know how you guys are organized…

MEL: “Guys”?

BUFFY: Okay. Sorry. Slow. How many are you? Worldwide, how many Slayers?

Melaka’s expression darkens slightly as we see her in close-up. If Buffy is kidding, she’s not amused.

MEL: One.

The view reverses and we see Buffy with a completely surprised reaction, disbelieving and confused as Melaka clarifies further.

MEL: (from out of the view) Half.

The next image shows them walking again, this time into the door of a run-down building.

MEL: For cen there was none. I’m the first called since your time.

BUFFY: And the “half” part?

MEL: I have a twin.

Inside the building, we see Buffy and Melaka standing in front of a glass wall looking out over the city, an elevator. Melaka shuts her eyes as she tells Buffy the story.

MEL: His name is Harth. He was born with my memories, my… connex to the Slayers. I got books, old Watchers’ journals, but he knows… more.

In a close-up, we see Melaka’s face reflected in the glass wall, looking down.

MEL: And he was turned. He’s a lurk. He has all my world in his head, and he’s using it to gather them. To kill us. My Harth.

In a wider view, we see the two of them together, and Buffy puts her hands tenderly on Melaka’s shoulders, moved by her story and her loss.

BUFFY: I’m sorry.

In the same view, Buffy tries delicately to ask for clarification.

BUFFY: What’s a lurk?

The scene shifts and we see Buffy and Fray standing in a well decorated room all lit in blue from the floor. While Buffy recaps the new language to herself, Melaka is looking down at the floor, yelling at something.

BUFFY: vampires are lurks. A spin is a lie. Toy is bad, but spled is good. Boy, the English language is just *losing* it. (to herself) I should have treated it better…

MEL: *Gunther! I can hear you down there! Turn on the rutting lights*!

From above, we see what Melaka was looking at – the floor is glass, and below it is a water tank. As the lights come on, we see a purple skinned creature inside, like a fish. It’s Gunther, Melaka’s sometime employer and information source. Buffy looks down at the creature swimming below her with understandable surprise.

GUNTHER: Mel*aaahhh*ka… you brought a friend.

We see Buffy alone from in the tank, suddenly pressing her legs together and the hem of her dress tightly against her thighs.

BUFFY: How long has he been down there?

GUNTHER: (from out of the view) Orange polka dots.

BUFFY: *Ack*! Mer-sleaze.

The view shifts and we see up at the Slayers from behind Gunther. Buffy is still aghast, protecting her modesty carefully. Melaka is crouching down to look Gunther in the eye.

MEL: Boss, this is Buffy. A Slayer, so don’t be an aquahog.

In close-up, Gunther smiles up at Melaka, seemingly impressed at the idea of two Slayers, or perhaps just at the view he’d gotten.

GUNTHER: Another Sssslayer?

MEL: (from out of the view) From the past. Time-faddle, don’t know the why.

The next image shows Buffy having dropped into a careful crouch, capturing the skirt of her dress behind her calves. Fray drops all the way to her knees while talking to Gunther.

GUNTHER: (from out of the view) I don’t trade in magicks, dear.

MEL: Haddyn don’t shake without your nod. Someone you know knows something I need.

In close-up, we see Melaka staring down intently as she gives the details of what she’s looking for.

MEL: Been chatter of a madwoman, strapping to Harth. If you haven’t heard it you will ‘fore long. Think maybe she’s the keycard to all this.

We see Gunther floating, sufficiently surprised at the idea.

In a closer view, he shrugs helplessly as he tries to protest.

GUNTHER: I turn a blind eye to your hobbies, love. But you can’t expect me –

MEL: You don’t have to lift a fun, Gunther. Just want the chatter.

The view moves focus on Buffy as Melaka and Gunther talk. Her eyes take on a very serious look.

GUNTHER: (from out of the view) I’ve heard a little. A woman, alive since ancient timessss…

MEL: Lurks don’t age. What’s her play.

BUFFY: (to herself) God.

We see Buffy in close-up, holding her hand to the side of her face. A realization is sinking in, and it’s not a pleasant one.

BUFFY: (to herself) This is really happening.

MEL: (from out of the view) Does she at least have a name?

The scene shifts before Gunther answers, and we see Harth looking down on the loading docks. Cargo vans are loading up with vampires. The madwoman speaks from behind him.

WOMAN: It’s starting.

HARTH: It’s going to be quite a battle.

WOMAN: No…

We see Harth turn his head slightly in close-up, and in the background, the woman starts to emerge from the shadows. Her hands are crossed delicately in front of her waist.

WOMAN: Buffy. She’s starting to feel the weight of it. Of the world’s loss. Of her failure.

The view shifts to Harth, who stares blankly at the woman. He seems concerned, but careful around around her.

HARTH: You sound sad.

WOMAN: (from out of the view) Does that surprise you?

HARTH: But this is a great day for us.

WOMAN: Why do you need to destroy your sister?

As he answers, Harth turns around and leans over the rail again, clearly thinking it through. The woman patiently watches from behind him.

HARTH: She’s the last thing I ever loved. We’re connected. Her pain is my joy. My… true love.

We see from behind the woman’s head as Harth smiles back at her. Her hair is just the darkest shade of red.

HARTH: And what in this world is stronger than love?

The last image reveals the woman’s face at last. Despite the dark gown, the long black fingernails, there is no mistaking her long, dark red hair, her black eyes, or the thin, visible dark veins on her forehead. It’s Willow, looking more like she did when she tried to destroy the world than she ever has since. Her face, though, is full of sadness as she answers Harth’s question.

WILLOW: Time. Only time.

To Be Continued…

End of Issue #17