Mark sat in an opulent armchair next to a fireplace, across from Markus' fancy redwood table. He idly played with a glass of 20-year-old scotch in his left hand, alternating between repeatedly making it disappear and materialize -- the latest ritual gift, courtesy of Markus' generous sacrifice -- a personal hammer-space tied directly into the soul rather than the body. The personal dimension was a relatively recent innovation in soul magic, having been discovered in the 17th Century. While incredibly convenient, it was a bitch and a half to set up -- therefore, only the upper echelon of sorcerous society used them. He knew for a fact that his Grandfather, the Vane Family Patriarch, used one of those, as did his older sister -- the prodigious darling of the family and a witch of substantial power. Yet, their "inventories" were likely only a few cubic meters in volume. In contrast, his current body's host literally sacrificed his very soul to power the enhancement -- and the result was suitably impressive. Mark didn't know exactly how large his soul-space was, but supposed it was, at the very least, on the order of millions of cubic meters in volume. For what it was worth, he wouldn't be running out of personal storage space any time soon.
But, where did he go from here?
Mark took a deep breath and steadied himself, pushing back the waves of disorientation and nausea that came with the foreign memories of Marcus Vane. He had to think clearly, assess his situation, and figure out his next move. He idly took a sip of the scotch to calm his nerves.
According to the most recent memories, the current date was Saturday, July 20, 1996. He was more than 6 months away from the start of Season 1 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on March 10, 1997. This was a pivotal time, a period ripe with amazing opportunities and dangers.
His mind raced with possibilities. Thankfully, eidetic memory was part of Markus' enhancement spree -- which meant he now had access to extensive meta-knowledge. That knowledge about the Buffy/Angelverse could be a powerful tool, but it was also quite dangerous. Revealing too much too soon could make him a target. Wolfram & Hart was filled with scheming, ruthless individuals who wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate a perceived threat. And the higher powers, whether the PTB or the Senior Partners? All bets were off as to whether they were more likely to bribe him or tie him down and probe his mind (probably literally) for every last bit of valuable knowledge he possessed.
He needed to be careful. Strategic.
First, he had to decide what he wanted. Did he want to escape this hellish world and return to his own? Did he want to leverage his knowledge to gain power quickly and secure his position within Wolfram & Hart? Or perhaps he could find a way to do both.
Outright escape seemed unlikely for now. He was in a body that was known and reasonably respected, with no clear way back to his original world. He needed to gather information, build alliances, and ensure his safety before attempting anything drastic. Raw Power, on the other hand? That was within reach. With his knowledge of future events, he could position himself advantageously. But how to do it without arousing suspicion?
He considered the key players in the Buffyverse, understanding that his knowledge of future events could be a double-edged sword. The Slayer herself, Buffy Summers, was still living in Los Angeles, unaware of her destiny and the monumental role she would soon play. Her move to Sunnydale was imminent, and with it, the Hellmouth would become a beacon for all manner of supernatural activity. Actually... could he even interfere and get to the Slayer before she moved to the Hellmouth? If memory served, Buffy's parents referred her for a brief stay at a mental institution during the summer of 1996. With Wolfram & Heart's extensive resources, his own legal skills, and perhaps a bribe or two here and there, it would be fairly trivial to... liberate the young girl from that disgusting environment. A grateful Slayer, in a perfect position for manipulation, could go a long way to increasing Mark's chances of survival in this new world.
Then, we have Rupert Giles, Buffy's Watcher, and an essential figure. Giles would arrive in Sunnydale soon, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge about the occult and a steadfast commitment to guiding Buffy. Mark knew that Giles, despite his somewhat bumbling exterior, was quite a formidable person and a guardian of ancient secrets. Giles would not be subverted easily. The other watchers, however? Although Wesley Wyndam-Pryce would ultimately become a highly-competent individual, when he first arrived, Wesley was rather arrogant and naive -- qualities that could be readily exploited by the right person.
Then there was Angel, the "Vampire with a Soul." Mark recalled that Angel was likely currently in Los Angeles, struggling with his own demons and his desire for redemption. Angel would eventually move to Sunnydale to protect Buffy, but for now, he was still an isolated figure. There was a very real possibility of seeking out Angel, leveraging his knowledge of Angel’s quest for redemption to form a tentative alliance. Though Angel ultimately became driven by a desire to atone for his past sins, Mark knew he could manipulate their shared interests to his advantage. All that was needed was a nudge in the right direction... and the key target for manipulation by the Senior Partners could be under his influence. He just needed to be careful not to bite off more than he could chew and attract attention before he was ready for it.
He also had to consider other key players who would come into the fold as events unfolded. For instance, Willow Rosenberg, who would grow from a shy, bookish teenager into one of the most powerful witches in existence. If he could influence -- and, perhaps, even mentor -- Willow early on, he might gain access to a future powerhouse of unparalleled caliber. Xander Harris, though often overlooked, was undoubtedly a rare talent, as well as possessing unwavering loyalty—traits that could be valuable in forming a trustworthy network. The Trio -- Warren Mears, Jonathan Levinson, and Andrew Wells -- were all geniuses in their own right, and also possessed a moral flexibility that would make recruiting them quite straightforward. Perhaps summer internships at W&H could be arranged, with himself as their supervisor, of course...
Then, of course, we had Cordelia Chase, who would eventually join Angel in Los Angeles. She possessed hidden depths that could be nurtured for future alliances -- but was also a trouble magnet with the attention of several higher (or lower?) Powers and had an unpleasant and trying destiny. The best way to handle her was not immediately clear.
Mark’s thoughts also drifted to the wider universe, particularly Angel the Series and the graphic novels. After Buffy’s high school years, Angel would move to Los Angeles and establish Angel Investigations, a team dedicated to helping the helpless and fighting evil. Characters like Cordelia, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, Fred Burkle, and Gunn would eventually join him, each bringing unique skills and knowledge. Mark realized that these individuals, though not yet part of the main narrative, would eventually become key players in the world. Establishing connections with them, or at least being aware of their potential (and making sure his arrival didn't butterfly them away) could eventually provide him with useful resources.
The Hellmouth itself should be a central focus of his plans -- at least for the first couple of years. It would draw countless demons, vampires, and other supernatural entities to Sunnydale. Mark knew that controlling -- or at least influencing -- the Hellmouth could make him a pivotal figure in this world. For that to happen, he would have to eventually deal with the Mayor, either through violence or negotiation: likely not an easy task. The Mayor of Sunnydale, Richard Wilkins III, was an incredibly powerful Sorcerer with deep connections, and was not to be underestimated. Wilkins had a long-term plan for Ascension, that is, becoming an immortal, pure-blooded demon. Mark contemplated the possibility of either aligning with or subverting the Mayor’s plans to secure his own power base.
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With all these considerations, Mark’s strategy began to crystallize. He would keep his knowledge to himself for now, using it to guide his actions subtly. Direct confrontation with powerful players, or outwardly revealing too much, could make him a target. Instead, he would begin by further solidifying his position within Wolfram & Hart -- and by acquiring powerful artifacts.
Mark racked his brain for anything he remembered from the show that could give him an edge. The Gem of Amara immediately came to mind—an ancient vampire relic that granted invulnerability. Although it wouldn’t appear until Season 4, if he could locate it early, it could grant a significant advantage -- for its sheer research, sale, and unique gift value, if nothing else.
The thought of becoming a vampire to utilize the Gem’s powers did cross his mind, though normally such a drastic step would be completely out of the question. Buffyverse vampires were essentially soulless corpses, puppeteered by demonic parasites. They were also limited in their ability to cast many types of magic, including those involving life, soul, lightning, fire, light, and divine mana due to their inherent vulnerability to, or incompatibility with, such forces. However, Mark was no ordinary individual. With Marcus’s extensive expertise in soul magic, the idea of becoming a vampire and then immediately re-ensouling himself seemed a possible, albeit risky, option. After all, vampiric reinsoulment was a more than viable strategy in this universe, a fact that was convincingly demonstrated by the examples of Angel and, later, Spike. Marcus himself became quite the expert on soul magic in the course of developing the genius ritual that allowed for the repeated sacrifice of his alternate selves' souls. This expertise, combined with his inherited arcane library and the newly improved, though still somewhat lacking, magical power, made the prospect of immediately re-ensouling himself after becoming a vampire seem at least plausible. To do so, he would have to acquire expensive materials, and then perform a complex and precise ritual to ensure his soul could be safely extracted and reattached, granting him the benefits of vampiric invulnerability while retaining his access to his inventory/personal hammer space enhancement, which was tied to his soul rather than his body. On the other hand, the complete effects of vampirism on one's ability to perform magic were rather poorly documented and were not well understood. There was not a chance in hell Mark was ever giving up on magical powers unless he was in a literal life or death situation -- so, the self-vampirism option would have to firmly stay in the "dire emergency" category. On the other hand, the Gem was likely worth billions of dollars to the right buyer -- and, if it could be studied and reverse-engineered, well... the value and full potential of the Gem clearly weren't to be underestimated.
The Glove of Myhnegon, a spiked gauntlet that amplified the wearer’s power and granted even completely mundane humans a degree of electrokinesis that could probably make Emperor Palpatine jealous, also came to mind. Acquiring it this early in the timeline would be trivial -- Mark remembered the exact location of its resting place with crystal clarity. In theory, the Glove had significant drawbacks, primarily its permanence once worn. Walking around with a creepy medieval gauntlet that was permanently attached to one's arm was not practical in the modern world. However, the Glove was also quite ancient, and certain fields of magic have made great strides since its creation. Mark smiled coldly: a mere feature that bound the glove to the wearer was hardly something to be concerned about for a mage of his esteemed caliber. Indeed, the Glove was a low-hanging fruit that would serve him well in the short term. And then?
And then, he would start building relationships, both within the firm and with key figures in the supernatural world. But first, the night was still young... and he needed to take a little drive if he wanted to get started.
<2 hours later: Cemetery District of Sunnydale, CA>
Sunnydale was approximately a two-hour drive north from LA -- if you were planning on going the speed limit, that is. Markus' V12 Mercedes was more than capable of driving at over 140 mph when on an open highway, and a small illusion over the vehicle rendered it utterly invisible to nosy law enforcement. Navigating the massive sprawl of Sunnydale's cemetery district, however, was proving... challenging, as the relatively small city of just 38,500 inhabitants enjoyed the services of twelve graveyards.
The moon hung high in the sky, casting an eerie glow over Restfield Cemetery in Sunnydale. Shadows danced among the tombstones and mausoleums, creating an atmosphere thick with foreboding. Mark, still dressed in his silk ritual robe, stalked silently through the graves, his senses heightened. The chill of the night air bit at his skin, and the scent of damp earth filled his nostrils. His destination was clear: the crumbling mausoleum of Von Hauptman, where The Glove of Myhnegon was hidden.
Fortunately, his destination was rather distinctive, so the search for it was proving more annoying than particularly complex.
Unfortunately, the local nightlife didn't seem to be particularly conducive to midnight exploration. As he approached the mausoleum, the silence was shattered by the sound of footsteps crunching on gravel. Mark tensed, his eyes narrowing as three figures emerged from the darkness. Vampires. Their "game faces" were out: showing predatory yellow eyes glowing with hunger, and fangs that gleamed under the moonlight. They were dressed in rugged leather "biker" outfits, and didn't smell particularly pleasant -- their undead state and, likely, poor hygiene undoubtedly not helping the first impressions in the slightest.
“Well, what do we have here?” one of them sneered, stepping forward. His voice was rough, almost guttural. The other two beasts flanked him, grinning maliciously.
Mark's limps tightened in distaste. He didn't bother wasting time on idle chatting -- instead, his wrists snapped out, a quick sorcerous chant following an explosion of arcane might that saw several glowing chains being conjured from thin air. Before the extensive power and talent enhancements that required the sacrifices of multiple souls of his alternate selves, Marcus' meager powers couldn't do much more than light a campfire. Now, though? Now, the fire elements heeded his call like an eager puppy -- and the very atmosphere grew thick with hair-raising power almost instantly, even before he started chanting the actual incantation.
From the nightly air around him, fire began to coalesce, swirling and condensing into solid chains that glowed akin to molten steel. The temperature rapidly skyrocketed, and hints of sulfur and burned earth filled the air. The vampires' eyes had only a fraction of a second to widen, sensing the danger, but it was far too late. Like an Anaconda seeking to crush its prey, the chains shot forward with a hiss, wrapping around the closest vampire. He screamed as the searing heat burned into his flesh, the smell of charred skin and hair immediately mingling with the acrid scent of the Chains of Ak'A'at'oosh. The vampire struggled, but, the more he fought, the tighter the chains constricted, their fiery touch growing ever hotter.
The second vampire lunged at Mark, but another set of chains -- this one acting almost on its own -- quickly caught him mid-air and hit him center of mass. The chains burned through the flesh of the torso and the neck simultaneously, and the second bloodsucker turned to dust well before he had a chance to hit the ground.
The third vampire wisely tried to retreat, fear evident in his eyes. But, it was not to be. Holding back on the intensity, Mark sent the last set of chains after him, hog-tying him by the legs and torso. The vampire’s screams echoed through the cemetery as the chains burned through his clothing and into his flesh, smoke rising from his body. A new smell, not unlike that of slightly over-cooked bacon, now mixed in the air.
Mark stepped closer, his eyes cold and unfeeling. He focused on the first vampire, who was still writhing in pain. With a flick of his wrist, he increased the heat of the chains, watching as the vampire’s body convulsed, his screams becoming more desperate. The chains glowed brighter, and, with a final surge of power, the vampire burst into flames, turning to ash in seconds.
The remaining vampire’s eyes were wide with terror. Mark approached him, the chains still wrapped tightly around his torso and legs. “Where is Willy’s bar?” he demanded, his voice icy.
The vampire hesitated, his fear palpable. “It’s… it’s on Main Street, near the old theater,” he stammered, his voice trembling. "Aagh... Please! I'm sorry! Please let me go! I told you what you wanted.”
Mark nodded, his expression unchanging. “Thank you.”
Without another word, he turned up the heat on the chains. The vampire’s screams were cut short as he was engulfed in flames, his body disintegrating into ash. The bacon-like smell of burning flesh lingered in the air, mingling with the earthy scent of the cemetery.
The fight -- if you could even call it that -- was now over, but Mark felt no satisfaction. These vampires, after all, were a mere distraction: an annoyance rather than a goal -- and this was only the beginning. He turned back towards the mausoleum, his mind already focused on the next step. For now, he would retrieve The Glove of Myhnegon, and then head to Willy’s bar to gather more information.
An unfocused blast of arcane force reduced the entrance to the Mausoleum to dust, and Mark quickly stepped through. The night was far from over, and Mark had no intention of resting until his plans were properly set in motion. After all, he thought smiling, there was no rest for the wicked!