The Devil Went Down to Sunnydale XI (Patreon)

Chapter XI: Hunter & Hunted III



– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –


"First of all, I'm me!" Xander shot back, anger flaring. He clenched his fists and scowled, stance defensive as he took a step forward. Above his head, the sky churned unnaturally, the purple half seeming to swirl and spread into the black starry sky, while beneath his feet, the encroaching tall grass in the alley shrunk ever so slightly.

"This is my body! And I'm not gonna let some weird were-wolf who stole my clothes tell me anything else!" Xander declared defiantly.

"Not wolf... hyenaaaa," the creature corrected with a mocking tone, its muzzle twisting into a sinister grin.

"Oh... so that's what smells like shit," Xander blinked.

The hyena-Xander let out a roar of laughter as it burst forward, the sound echoing through the twisted alleyway. The creature's movements were a blur, a frenzied dance of claws and teeth as it bounded across the alley.

The force of the first punch nearly sent Xander off his feet, the hyena-boy laughing maniacally as the demonic teen fought to keep his balance."Fuck!" The word tore from his throat, raw and harsh, as he was barely any more prepared for the second blow, dodging it with a hard lunge to the side that sent him careening into the wall, the brick scraping against his skin like sandpaper.

He saw a shot as the cackling hyena monster overextended, its claws slicing through empty air, and charged at it, launching his whole body at the thing in a full-bore shoulder tackle that sent them both tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs and snarls. They rolled around on the ground for a moment, the hyena cackling in Xander's ear as they wrestled, its breath hot and fetid against his skin, before a pair of powerful legs snapped up and caught Xander in the chest, sending him flying back with a force that knocked the wind from his lungs.

Barely catching himself, he managed to land on all fours, his fingers digging into the cracked asphalt, his head snapping up to see the hyena in the same position, its eyes glowing with a feral light. His eyes widened as the monster in front of him rushed forward, proving it was built for all fours as it tore across the ground in a blur, the alleyway around it seeming to warp and twist as it moved.

It took him half a second to jump to his feet, his muscles screaming in protest. That half second was all it needed to rush him, a swipe of a clawed hand raking across his torso and tearing through cloth and flesh like tissue paper. A pained scream burst out of his lips, one that was cut short as the hyena spun on its heels and slammed a powerful fist into his chest, the impact reverberating through his entire body. The sound of ribs creaking was all that filled his ears for an instant, before he rocketed back again, his head and back slamming into the alley floor as he tumbled head over heels.

Xander got to his feet, grunting and cradling his bleeding chest as the hyena laughed again, the sound like nails on a chalkboard to his ringing ears. "Is that all you got, Xander?" it taunted, its voice a guttural growl that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "No wonder your parents never wanted you. You're weak. Pathetic. A joke."

"Fuck this!" Xander snarled, anger and fear and pain all blending into a red haze that consumed his vision. He charged forward, his feet pounding against the ground, his fists clenched at his sides. The hyena charged too, its lips pulled back in a feral grin, its claws gleaming in the sickly light. They met in the middle, a clash of bodies and wills, the impact shuddering the air like an earthquake.

Xander threw a punch, his fist connecting with the hyena's jaw with a sickening crack, but the creature barely seemed to feel it, its head snapping back only to lunge forward again, its teeth snapping at Xander's face. He jerked back, narrowly avoiding having his nose bitten off, and lashed out with a kick that caught the hyena in the stomach, doubling it over for a moment.

But only for a moment. 

The creature straightened up, its eyes blazing with a fury that seemed almost human, and lunged at Xander again, its claws slashing at his face, his arms, his chest, a whirlwind of fury and savagery that left him reeling. He fought back desperately, his own blows landing with bone-crushing force, but the hyena just kept coming, laughing all the while.

"I'm literally a Devil and if you're me, you'd know that!" Xander yelled. He lunged forward with a powerful right hook aimed at the hyena-Xander's head, the air around his fist shimmering with a faint red energy that seemed to flicker and fade as he moved, at odds with its usual dark potency. The creature was quick, ducking under the blow with a grace that belied its grotesque form, its tail whipping aggressively as it maneuvered, the appendage leaving trails of sickly green light in its wake.

"I'm strong!" Xander yelled out, his voice cracking with desperation, with the need to believe his own words. "I kill vampires every day! I'm not weak, I'm not pathetic, I'm not—"

The were-hyena bared its yellow teeth in a malevolent grin, its eyes glinting with malice, with a dark joy that sent shivers down Xander's spine. "What? Needed to sell your soul to get strong? Makes sense for someone scared of being a weak sissy," it taunted, its voice a raspy echo of Xander's own, like a distorted reflection in a funhouse mirror. It lunged forward, claws extended, aiming a swipe at Xander's face, the air around its hands shimmering with that same sickly green light.

Xander dodged sideways, feeling the wind from the claws barely miss his cheek. He countered with a swift uppercut, connecting with the creature's jaw, the impact reverberating up his arm, solid and satisfying, but the hyena-Xander barely seemed phased, its head snapping back only to lunge forward again, its eyes blazing with a feral intensity.

"You're nothing, just a pathetic weakling pretending to be something more. Gonna end up a drunk like dear old dad, huh?" The hyena chuckled, jumping back and circling him, its movements fluid and predatory.

Xander gritted his teeth, anger boiling inside him and that familiar energy buzzing under his skin like a familiar heat, but it felt sluggish, slow, almost turgid compared to its usual napalm-like intensity. He threw a series of rapid punches, each one slower than the last, each one blocked or dodged by the hyena with an ease that was as infuriating as it was terrifying. "Shut up!" he shouted, his voice raw and ragged, tears stinging at the corners of his eyes. "You don't know anything about me!"

The were-hyena laughed, a sound that twisted in the air like a knife. "Hell, Buffy kinda likes you now and you can tell, you don't even care, because you're sick... the only thing that makes you feel safe is when the people you love hate you. Isn't that pathetic?"

Xander faltered for a moment, the words striking closer to home than he wanted to admit, than he could ever admit, even to himself. "That's not true!" he shouted back, the words tearing out of his throat as his vision blurred with tears and sweat and blood. "I'm not like that, I'm not sick, I'm not—"

The creature used his momentary distraction to its advantage, darting in close, its breath hot and fetid against Xander's face. "You can't even admit Willow likes you because you can only love women who hate you. You don't feel you deserve love," it sneered, slashing with its claws, the tips tearing through Xander's shirt, through his skin.

Xander blocked another strike with his forearm, feeling the sting of sharp claws against his skin, the warmth of his own blood trickling down his arm. He pushed forward, driving the hyena-Xander back with the sheer force of his rage, of his desperation, of his need to prove it wrong, to prove himself wrong. "I'm not like you!" he screamed, his voice raw and ragged. "I'm not weak, I'm not pathetic, I'm not—"

They grappled, strength against strength, the world around them warping and twisting like a fever dream, until the hyena-Xander managed to break free and whip its tail across Xander's face, throwing him off balance, sending him stumbling back, his feet slipping on the blood-slick ground. Seizing the moment, the creature kicked him in the chest, its foot connecting with his sternum with a sickening crack, sending him flying backwards with inhuman force

His body slammed into the side of a dumpster, the metal buckling and crumpling around him with the impact as it deformed around him, the sound of screeching metal filling his ears, the taste of blood filling his mouth. He gasped for breath, pain radiating through his body as he tried to regain his senses. The hyena-Xander stalked toward him, slow and menacing as its mouth remained open, cackling loud.

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

The halls of Sunnydale High were empty, save for the echoing footsteps of a few custodial staff, their movements a distant rhythm in the otherwise silent building. He was waiting in the hallway outside the Sunnydale High library, eyes closed and simply relaxing, leaned up against a set of lockers, the cool metal a contrast to the warmth of his skin.

The school was empty and quiet, as it was well after hours, the usual bustle of students and teachers replaced by an eerie stillness. With the chaos of the school's piglet mascot being eaten, not to mention the principal, it made perfect sense that no one would stick around, even for the usual afterschool nonsense.

Samuel Lucius Ash VI hummed quietly to himself, the antique headphones in his ears playing one of his favorite songs from the music player in his pockets, the melody a soothing balm to his troubled thoughts. An oldie but undoubtedly a goodie, it was the sort of song that he'd have constantly playing at the Rosen Queen if he wasn't worried about being too on the nose, the lyrics a little too apt for the current situation.

...the 90s, huh, he mused to himself, a slight smile playing on his lips, his eyes still closed as he let the music wash over him. There wasn't much to be said, but he did love this time period for what it was worth, the simplicity of it all, the potential for growth and change. I'm glad that most of these run behind, he thought, his smile almost fading as he recalled the first universe in this cluster he stepped into, that one apparently just experiencing the year 2019, for all the good and bad that entailed. 

Imagine having to relive 2020 over again, ugh. The thought alone was enough to make him shudder, the memories of that particular year still fresh in his mind, even if they technically hadn't happened yet.

He remained unmoving as the library doors opened and a redhead girl quickly scurried out, a look on her face and a tightness to her gait that screamed "bathroom emergency", her footsteps hurried and uneven on the polished floor. He cracked an eye open, the girl not even noticing him as she ran right past him on a beeline to the bathroom, her mind clearly elsewhere. The mischievous part of him considered locking the bathroom door with a twist of his will, a simple flex of his power that would have been child's play, but he pushed that down almost immediately, his lips twitching with barely restrained mirth. It was always funny how his more malicious Fiend impulses reared their head this close to a source of malefic energy so potent as the Hellmouth, making him act more like the teenage boy he actually was, hormones and all.

Enough, he thought, pushing himself off the lockers with a fluid grace, his hands sliding into the pockets of his basketball shorts along with his headphones. Pranks for later. 

After all, he was here for a reason.

The young man strode into the library, throwing both doors open as he walked through them, the action somehow both dramatic and casual.

His gaze was focused directly in front of him, his piercing blue eyes intense and unwavering as he took in the scene before him.

Inside, the library was deserted, the usual cacophony of student interactions replaced by a suffocating silence. The soft hum of the ventilation system and the distant sound of his own footsteps were the only noises that filled the space, echoing off the high ceilings and towering bookshelves.

His target was exactly where he expected him to be, the boy's presence a beacon in the otherwise empty room. Lying on a table at the far end of the library, Xander Harris appeared to be anything but comfortable, his body twitching and shuddering as if in the throes of a fever dream. Sweat drenched his brow, his hair plastered to his forehead in damp tendrils, his skin pale and clammy.

"You look like hell, Xander," Sam murmured as he approached the table, his voice low and smooth. He knew the boy couldn't hear him, lost as he was in whatever nightmare had claimed him, but he spoke anyway, more to hear the sound of his own voice than anything else.

Reaching the table, Sam leaned forward slightly, his hands braced on the wooden surface, the grain rough under his fingers. He observed the invisible energy roiling unseen beneath Xander's skin, frowning slightly at the sight of how chaotic it was, the patterns erratic and unpredictable, and not in the normal way.

Sweating like a pig in a sauna, the boy in front of him was running a temperature that would have cooked a normal person's brain in their skull, the subtle heat radiating off him in waves. And it didn't stop there, the signs of the possession were clear to anyone with eyes to see, at least eyes like his.

"... Devil blood's still young, isn't it?" Samuel mused, one hand coming up to rub at his chin thoughtfully, his red dreadlocks swaying with the motion. "Weak enough to be reduced to human under the light of day, no wonder a Primal spirit is causing him this much trouble."

As bad as this looked, there was a good chance that Xander would be fine; really, he had more than a coin flip's chance of coming out of it alive. As weak and young as Xander was only a month or so into his new life, a Fiend was not something to be ignored, their power and resilience far beyond that of a mere mortal. 

Even still, Samuel wasn't one to throw away an investment, especially one with such growth potential, the boy's latent abilities and untapped potential a tantalizing prospect. I also don't believe in leaving things up to chance, he mused, his lips curling into a slight smirk.

Ignoring that in a universe as attemptedly deterministic as this one, what was up to chance was often confusing and rarely as clear, especially in cases like this, the threads of fate and destiny tangled and knotted in ways that even he couldn't always unravel. The red-headed devil looked upwards, glancing past the ceiling with a frown, his gaze seeming to pierce through the layers of wood and plaster and insulation, through the very fabric of reality itself. Wouldn't put it past those bastards to remove one of my pieces from the board, he thought, his jaw clenching slightly, his eyes narrowing in a flash of anger that was gone as quickly as it had appeared. They never did like it when someone else started playing their game.

Glancing back down at his feverish lackey, the devil held up a single finger, the digit long and slender, the nail perfectly manicured and painted a deep, glossy black. A little pinprick of energy formed at the tip of his index, hovering just above it, the air around it shimmering and distorting like a heat haze. It was dark, so dark it was almost black and would have exuded no light at all, if it weren't for the blood red energy surrounding it, flickering like sparks as it outlined the darkness, casting an eerie glow across Xander's sweat-slicked face.

"Here's a little gift," Sam said, his voice low and smooth, a hint of amusement coloring his words as he lowered his finger to Xander's chest, the energy pulsing and writhing like a living thing, eager to be unleashed. "From your Lord and Master," he added, his smile widening.

The energy sunk into the boy's chest, disappearing beneath his skin like a drop of water into a sponge, and the young devil's chest rose, his entire body tensing as he seized in place, his back arching off the table, his mouth opening in a silent scream. For a moment, he hung there, suspended in a rictus of agony, before dropping back down to the table, still unconscious, his breathing labored and shallow.

"Give 'em hell, homie," Sam murmured, his voice almost fond, his hand hovering over Xander's forehead for a moment before he withdrew it, his fingers curling into a fist at his side. He turned on his heels, one hand reaching up to return his headphones to his ears as the other went to his pockets to press play on his red-and-black MP3 player. 

The opening notes of the song filled his ears, the melody bringing a smile to his face.

"Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name," he sang quietly as he walked through the library doors, the heavy wood swinging shut behind him with a soft thud. "But what's puzzlin' you is the nature of my game...”


– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –


"You think you're so strong?" the hyena-Xander hissed, its voice dripping with scorn as it advanced, claws ready, stalking forward with a predatory grace that sent shivers down Xander's spine. "You're not a man, you're not even human."

It cackled, the sound sharp and grating, like nails on a chalkboard, like the screech of metal on metal. "I'm gonna enjoy having my body back. And those girls..." A manic giggle spilled out of the hyena's drooling maw, its tongue lolling obscenely as it leered at Xander with a hungry gaze. "I'm gonna give Willow what you never could, every single inch of it."

His head and body hurt, aches and pains all over, the world spinning and tilting around him, but all of that vanished as those last few words hit his ears, the implication worse than a physical blow. Anger roared in his gut, a fire that burned hot as the sun. Red napalm roared in his veins as Xander reared to his feet, tearing his way free from the twisted metal of the dumpster, the jagged edges tearing at his skin, drawing blood that sizzled and smoked on contact with the air. "YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER!" he roared, fist slamming into the hyena's hunched torso with a force that would have shattered concrete, that would have pulverized bone.

The hyena-Xander recoiled, snarling, its eyes flashing with a feral light as it snapped its jaws inches from Xander's face, the stench of its breath washing over him like a wave of decay. "Give me a fucking break, like you were gonna do the job?!" it taunted, its voice a guttural rasp.

"ShutupshutupSHUTUP!" Xander interjected, the words spilling from his lips frantically, his mind a whirlwind of rage and fear and something else, something darker. He dodged a swipe of the creature's claws, the razor-sharp talons passing so close he could feel the air displacement, and threw a hook that grazed the hyena's ear, drawing a thin line of blood.

 He felt the burning power inside him spike with every punch, growing and roaring in his veins and muscles with every passing second, a fire that threatened to consume him, to burn him alive from the inside out. "You don't talk about her like that!"

The creature cackled, its laugh maddening in the echoing alley, bouncing off the walls. "But you can think about her that way?!" It feinted left, then struck hard with its tail, catching Xander off-guard and sending him stumbling back, his footing unsure on the blood-slick grass-covered concrete ground.

Xander stumbled but managed to catch himself, breathing heavily, his chest heaving with the effort, lungs burning with every breath. "I'll kill you!" he panted, dodging another lash of the tail and grabbing it, his fingers sinking into the flesh like knives, pulling the creature toward him with inhuman strength. "You fucking fake!"

The hyena-Xander struggled against his grip, its eyes wild, its muscles straining as it tried to pull away, to escape the iron grasp of Xander's fury. "But I'm real, Xander! Real as your fears of ending up alone, drunk, worthless—just like—"

"Shut up!" Xander cut him off, his voice a primal scream, a sound that tore at his throat like broken glass as he threw the creature over his shoulder, the motion fluid and effortless, as if the beast weighed nothing at all. It hit the ground with a thud, the impact shaking the alleyway, but swiftly rolled back to its feet, its eyes blazing with hate and hunger.

"Touchy, aren't we?" it taunted. Cackling, it lunged at Xander with claws outstretched, talons gleaming. "Can't handle the tru-"

Xander interrupted the monster with a roar, black and red energy surrounding his right arm as he pulled it back, the power inside him surging and pulsing like a living thing, like a separate entity that resided within his flesh. He shot forward, slamming into the hyena's face with a hard straight jab, knocking the beast back with a force that would have sent a man’s head flying.

The hyena whimpered from the blow, the sound pathetic and small, before snarling again, its green eyes glowing with a hatred that burned like acid.

Xander spun to dodge another claw strike, slamming a back fisted strike into the side of the hyena's jaw, the creature's head snapping to the side with a sickening crack, before following up with another hard jab, this one angled low into its chest, the blow driving the air from its lungs in a whoosh of rancid breath. "Get out of my head!" he screamed, his voice raw and ragged as he countered with a knee to the creature's abdomen, feeling it connect solidly.

"You know the girls see you, Xander, like everybody else," the hyena-Xander gasped, still managing to twist and claw at Xander's side, the talons tearing through his shirt, through his skin, drawing blood. "They see the loser—"

"SHUT UP!" Xander interrupted, grabbing the hyena-Xander by the shoulders and slamming it against the alley wall, the bricks cracking under the impact, the mortar crumbling to dust beneath his hands.

The hyena-Xander laughed, even as it struggled to free itself, its body writhing and twisting in Xander's grasp like a snake. "They already see the loser! What happens when they see the real you?"

The devil growled, a sound that was more animal than human, more beast than man, as he headbutted the creature like a man possessed, slamming his forehead over and over into its own, the impacts sending shockwaves through his skull, through his entire body.

The creature lunged in and bit down into his shoulder, its teeth sharp and digging in painfully, tearing at his flesh like knives. Xander didn't let go, simply gritting his teeth against the pain.

Black and red energy surrounded his arm as the other grabbed the monster's shoulder and he thrust forward hard. A squelching, cracking sound filled the air, as flesh gave way, as bone shattered beneath his grip.

The hyena slid back down Xander's arm as the glow faded, the boy stepping back as he shook gore from his sleeve, red fluid splattering against the alley walls like paint. The beast dropped to his knees, gore and viscera spilling from its fresh hole, blood pouring out onto the ground in a thick, dark pool.

"You're nothing!" the creature wheezed, blood pouring from its mouth, from its nose, from its eyes. "You know that?"

The grass beneath his feet disappeared, the oppressive heat shifting to a cool night as the purple alien sky overhead reigned supreme.

Xander stared down at it, his eyes cold and hard.

"At least I'm real."


– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –


Xander snapped awake, the cold surface of a table pressing against his cheek, the smooth wood a stark contrast to the fevered heat of his skin. He sat up abruptly, the room spinning slightly as he glanced around, trying to gather his bearings, his mind still fuzzy. Where am I? he thought, his brow furrowing in confusion as he took in the familiar shelves and stacks of books. The library? I’m awake!

"Hello, Xander."

The familiar voice made him turn, his head whipping around. Giles was sitting at a nearby table, looking as composed as ever behind his glasses, his hands folded neatly in front of him. 

"Giles?" Xander swung his legs over the side of the table, his movements hesitant as he stood on slightly shaky legs, balance still off from whatever had happened to him. "What... how..." He trailed off, mind racing with questions.

"You've been unconscious for over twelve hours, Xander," the librarian informed him, his tone even, his expression unreadable behind the glint of his glasses.

Xander's eyes widened, and he slumped back against the table, his legs suddenly feeling like jelly. "Twelve... what? How?" His mind raced. That dream didn’t feel that long!

"Possession," Giles stated simply, adjusting his glasses carefully, the action so familiar it was almost comforting. "By a hyena spirit. You recall the one from the zoo?" He nodded slowly, his face serious, his eyes boring into Xander's with an intensity that made the teenager want to squirm. "Thankfully, Buffy and I managed to return the spirit to where it belonged."

Possession? Xander shook his head, confused. Yeah, I guess that would make sense given the weird were-hyena in my head. "I..." He trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Willow has been by your side all day, making sure you are all right. Even assisting Buffy and I in research, attempting to help you," Giles continued.

"Where are they? I gotta... I gotta thank them," Xander stammered, feeling a surge of gratitude for his friends.

"They're at home, Xander. Long asleep, most likely. It's past midnight," Giles replied, glancing at his watch, the face glinting in the dim light of the library.

Oh. 

Giles continued, his voice growing more intense, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "I've been reading even after I sent the girls home. Trying to understand your condition, to find out how to help you..." He trailed off, his gaze fixed on Xander's face, as if searching for something.

Xander forced a goofy smile, an attempt to lighten the mood. "I mean, I'm fine now, right?" He spread his arms wide, as if to show off his perfectly healthy body, his perfectly normal, non-possessed self.

Giles stared at him in silence for a moment, his expression unreadable, eyes like ice behind his glasses. "Right," he finally said, though his tone suggested he was far from convinced. "I've spent hours researching centuries of animal possessions. Death is a potential side effect, painfully and rather gory ones, in fact. But simple illness?" Giles rose to his feet, steps measured and deliberate as he approached Xander. "Far from it."

The older man walked closer, his steps measured, his gaze never leaving Xander, as if he were a puzzle to be solved, a riddle to be unraveled. "None of the research explains your situation. At all." His voice was low, almost a whisper now.

"Which leaves me with only one question," he paused, standing now just a few feet from Xander, his presence almost overwhelming in the quiet of the library. 

"What exactly are you?"