Black Magic White Lies, chapter 20

[moscow_watcher]

Turns out, I'm leaving for Prague this Sunday (a friend just called and told me that our visas are finally ready). I won't be able to post the last chapter Monday, so I post it today.

Title: Black Magic White Lies
Chapter 20 - The Finale
Timeline: BtVS, alternate season 5
Genre: drama, mystery, action
Characters, pairing: general, Xander/Faith

Comments

[angearia]

This was beautiful. You made me tear up in two places - first when Xander realizes he's just killed another human being in order to destroy Glory, then in the final lines as he looks around and first holds Dawn, and you give her the name.

Beautiful, beautiful ending. Wonderful story! *applauds*

[moscow_watcher]

Thank you, Emmie! *bows*

The moment when Xander kills Ben was the hardest to write. Me and Lusciousxander - we were bouncing the text back and forth, trying to find the right balance between angsty and heroic. Lusciousxander insisted that I should delve into Xander's feelings and write another chapter where he ponders on what happened to him. I thought it would turn into "an ending after the ending" and it will take away from the intense finale.
In the end I decided to address these matters in the sequel. Poor Xan will have to face his demons at the most inappropriate moments! :)

[rebcake]

I love this conclusion, of course. But this:

She is so small and weird and… she's his.

completely rocked me. That is exactly how it was for me. Still is, in some ways.

*smek* Thanks for a very interesting story. Have fun!

[moscow_watcher]

Alas, I can't take credit for this line. It was lusciousxander who suggested it.

Thank you for reading and commenting! (And I'me definitely going to have fun today: it's my posting day at Seasonal_Spuffy :)

*smoochies*

[sarian71]

*claps hands* Thank you for this interesting and captivating story! :)

Xander killed a man, but at what cost? He's a profoundly changed man now, and I can't wait to see him and Faith and everybody else dealing with all of this on the sequel.

[moscow_watcher]

Thank you, honey!

In canon, Joss had always been protecting Xander from lose-lose choices. I'm more sadistic than Joss. :) So - yes, Xander is a changed man. And he has to deal with his new duties of a father and a husband in a not-quite-black-and-white world. Hopefully he'll deal. :)

[caira]

I'm just trying to work out how many other shows there are where someone killing a man he's not even sure is guilty counts as "boy-scoutish".

I suck at feedback. Seriously, this was awesome. Am trying to come up with a way of wishing you luck in getting rid of that writer's block which doesn't sound dirty.

[moscow_watcher]

By "boy-scoutish" I meant the scene where they hold hands and, later, when Xander manages to save the day twice within several minutes: first, he finds The Beast's soft spot, second, he kills Ben and prevents the apocalypse.

I asked myself if it would look too unrealistic - but, eventually went with it. I'm such a sucker for happy endings! :)

Thank you for feedback - I'm happy you liked my story.

[caira]

Hey, it's mostly Xander's story you've written here. He's the one who got put through the wringer the most, he's entitled to a little world-savage . . .

[brunettepet]

What a vivid, arresting ending. Glorificus hammering at Willow's insecurities while the others are all pleading with her to stand strong added to the mounting tension. Xander's knee jerk reaction with the powder was inspired, and then Spike immediately taking up the pleading for Xander to kill the vessel added even more drama. Xander not being able to remember the shift, wary of trusting Spike's wordsuntil the all to unfamiliar use of his first name somehow makes Spike more trustworthy was vividly drawn.

The weight of the sword, and the still warring emotions carried forward even after the act was committed. It was the right thing to do, but now Xander will have to live with his act. It's especially difficult on the heels of arguing against killing an innocent. The solid weight of his daughter in his arms might just lighten the guilt.

Excellent job with this one. The story was tightly written and never lost focus. It was a very entertaining read.

[moscow_watcher]

Thank you! I'm very happy you liked the story. Your detailed, thoughtful comments helped me along the way - they were encouraging me to go on and were giving me better perspective on the story.

I wanted to write an ambiguous ending, to show that Xander's ascention is also his downfall. He finally understands - the hard way - that sometimes life is unfair and ugly, and that a good man could be put into a "kill or be killed" situation. It's Xander's initiation to adulthood - or, if we regard him as a Campbellian hero, it's his crossing of the first threshold.

unfamiliar use of his first name somehow makes Spike more trustworthy was vividly drawn.

I'm so glad you say it. I tortured myself about the ultimate trigger for Xander's leap of faith. I knew his first name, uttered by Spike, could work in Russian. But I was unsure if it would work in English and I was afraid it would sound plain stupid. You took the weight of doubt off my shoulders.

The weight of the sword

Ohhh, what a great pun! *iz envious* :)