Everything went according to plan. After much cross-referencing, Giles managed to find the transcript for the incantation that matched the description Willow found. Willow and Tara managed to find an un-pure sage brush (and a set of candles because they were on offer), and Buffy returned with the Talisman. They were set to perform the ritual.
Willow laid the books out on Giles' table, with clear instructions on how to perform the ritual. "It says the ritual can get pretty tense" Willow said "so I'm gonna need one of you to be my anchor, and snap me out of it if I get too far into another plane." Tara stepped up and volunteered to help "I'll do it" Tara said "You can trust me." "Listen Will, I'm not gonna think for one minute that we can trust Spike" Buffy said "He could have told his buddies by now that we know about the ritual. I'm gonna stand by just in case" "But, it's daylight!" said Willow "The ritual isn't gonna take all that long." "I can't risk it Will" Buffy said "They can't send Vampires, but there's no saying what else they'll send." "Alright, but be careful" Willow said.
Buffy laid the Talisman on the table in front of Willow. She brushed Willow's arm as they glanced at each other, giving a half smile. Buffy grabbed her weapons and headed out the front door. Willow was ready to perform. She laid the sage brush across the top of the Talisman, and looked over at the others.
"I'm gonna need you to pace yourselves" Willow said "In case anything happens." Xander, Riley, Giles and Anya moved backwards, away from Willow. "I think I paced myself a long time ago" Xander said. "I think I'm ready to start, and I'm terrified, so there's no saying how this is gonna turn out!" Willow said.
Willow was so nervous she was shaking like a leaf. Several thoughts were going through her mind like a montage. What would happen if the text was wrong? What if The Desiderio wanted exactly this to happen? She could only trust her own judgement, which wasn't always right. Everyone was watching, everyone was counting on her. Her only option was to do the spell and hope for the best. She started the ritual; she convinced herself that she was confident enough to make it work. She began to read the first part of the Incantation:
Oh brothers of the Master, Slaves to the ruler, and friends of the earth. Come forth, and do what bidding I wish.
She picked up the sage brush, and began waving it in a zigzag motion over the Talisman. The ruby, diamond centre began to glow. She continued reading the text:
Take what power I give thee, and use it as I seek. Take of my thoughts, my spirit, my heart and mind, dispose of your own will and keep it behind. Make not your own Bread, or love to please, but make of mine, and notions like these. Come from the North, the East, the South and the West; come from your homes, your places of rest.
She changed her motion to a circular one, around the space that surrounded the Talisman. The centre of the Talisman lit up in multiple colours. It started red, and changed to purple and then to blue, and soon it was shifting to every colour in the spectrum in quick flashes. A visible force field appeared out of thin air, surrounding Willow and the ritual set-up on the table. Before long, a strong breeze flew across the room, sending papers and books flying. The others were struggling to stay upright, and we're holding on to anything they could find to try and fight the wind. Willow was protected by the force field set up around her. She came over in a panic as she began to feel light-headed, and found it hard to breathe. Tara could not get through the force field to get to Willow. Tara was beginning to panic also as she watched her girlfriend slowly go insane.
Willow's only option was to carry on with the ritual, and ignore everything else, even Tara. Willow was concentrating so much, that she hadn't even noticed the sudden darkness that filled the room. The sun went down in the sky, and night had thrown itself upon them. Willow continued to read the incantation, belting it out loud to drown out the sound of the wind that had grown even stronger.
See the darkness I create, ignore all love and all hate. See the world as it is, make it change, make it shine, make it mine.
The Talisman began to hover above the table, changing colour in the centre to a clear, bright, white beacon of light that filled the room and shone so brightly that that it lit up the entire street.
Meanwhile, as Willow's ritual brought darkness upon Sunnydale, the Desiderio began gathering in their masses. They knew that the ritual had already begun, and they knew exactly where it was taking place. From their hide-out, they had a clear view of the bright beam of light that burned in the distance. Each one took a weapon in hand, and headed off towards Giles' house. Every member of the Desiderio, armed, marching towards their precious gold, with their heads filled with despair and hate.
From Spike's crypt, the light could be seen. Spike knew well that Willow had started the ritual. He ran as fast as gravity could take him, with intentions of joining the others in battle. The whole town watched this one light grow larger and larger, as they stood and stared with eyes wide open. Buffy stood in a battle stance, ready for anything that came for her.
Buffy's perception was hazy. Her primary goal was to do justice to Mac, but she forgot that these creatures would stop at nothing to get what they wanted, and she was the only thing standing between them and the Talisman. The mob came into view, and suddenly, all Buffy could think of was the two dozen vampires that were running towards her.
Riley could see through Giles' window that the Desiderio were coming. Willow would be in danger if they got any closer, and so would the Talisman. The force field could only protect so much. Riley knew what he had to do. He forced himself forward, against the storm, pushing forward with his entire body, grabbing a weapon on his way to the front door. As he opened it, it swung forward, hitting him hard in the face. He fell to the ground, and struggled to get up again as the wind was so strong. As he stepped outside, he felt the wind die down. Looking back inside, the storm was still blowing in Giles' living room, and was becoming ever stronger. A purple mist circled the Talisman, as Willow read out the last line of the Incantation.
Together we can have the power, create the power and be the power. Turn this bright, light day into the darkest hour.
Riley closed the door behind him. In the distance, he made out the silhouette of Spike running along side the vampires. He grabbed one of them by the head, twisting until the head came clean off. Riley stood beside Buffy in a battle stance, as Spike joined them.
"Thought you might need a second pair of hands" Riley said. "Always a good thing to have" Buffy added, smiling at Riley. "I'm gonna see you two through this" Spike said "Even if we all get killed." "Way to look it at Spike" Buffy said, before realising that the battle had begun. Every vampire charged forward, weapons in hand. The three of them blocked every attack that was thrown at them and began to attack back.
Buffy, Spike and Riley engaged in duals with several vampires at once, killing each one individually whilst trying to fight off the others. A variety of slaying methods were used to kill the vampires off. Some were beheaded, some were staked, and some were sliced right across the chest. Buffy came face to face with a vampire who had come armed with a torch. Buffy kicked him in the stomach, grabbing his torch as it slipped out of his hand. She flipped the torch round and set the Vampire alight as he lay on the ground.
Spike engaged in battle with a vampire that had come un-armed. Spike was beaten to a bloody pulp, as he struggled to stay on his own two feet. Before the vampire could continue to beat Spike, Riley appeared from behind, and pushed a stake straight through the vampire's heart.
The battle was down to the last four vampires, but Buffy and her heroes were not giving up just yet. They stood in a line, parallel to the team of villains that stood opposite. They prepared to finish the battle once and for all.
Inside, the ritual was coming to an end. The purple mist dissolved, and sparks suddenly started flying from the Talisman. It flew across the room, as the force field and the bright light disappeared, and the wind dropped promptly. The Talisman hit the wall, and fell back down to the ground, as Willow, Xander, Anya and Giles fell to the ground also. Tara stood up as she became concerned about everyone else.
"Is everyone alright?" Tara asked. "Surprisingly, yes" Giles replied, standing up "Where's Buffy?" "I don't know" Willow replied, sitting on the floor "But, did the ritual work?" "How will we know if it worked?" Xander asked. "All the colour has drained from the Talisman" Giles said "It's powerless."
Everyone got up off the floor and cheered, as everything became brighter. The sun returned to the sky, and the whole town celebrated. Outside, the vampires, had just begun to charge forwards, as the sun beat down on them. They all shrieked loudly, as they crumbled into nothing but ash.
"We did it!" Buffy said, holding on tightly to Riley. Spike ran inside, using his coat to protect him from sunlight. "What did you do that for?" Spike shouted at Willow "I nearly bloody fried out there!" "Aww, wouldn't that have been a shame?" Xander said.
Buffy and Riley ran back inside, smiling. "Great job everybody" she said, hugging Willow, "You saved us Will!" "Yes" Giles said "We all did spectacularly." "Yeah" Spike said "Even I helped." "But Spike, you caused it" Buffy said. "Exactly" Spike replied "So that balances everything out right?" No one replied. Everyone ignored Spike and continued to tidy Giles' living room.
As everyone helped to put books, papers and ornaments back where they belonged, Riley picked up the shell of the Talisman from the ground. Every last bit of shine that the object once had was gone. The object looked dull, dark and dreary. It had been chipped from where it flew across the room and hit the wall. The Talisman could no longer even be used as a decoration.
"So what are we gonna do with this?" Riley asked, as everyone stopped. Buffy put her pile of books down on the table, and walked over to Riley, taking the Talisman from him. "I think we should take it back to its rightful owner."
Everyone looked at Buffy and smiled as she said this. Buffy never spared one moment for selfishness. She took the Talisman, and made her way outside. Everyone she came across in town was talking about what had just happened, completely confused.
Buffy approached Victoria Park, now no longer blocked off. She searched all over the park until she came to a deserted corner in the forest. There, a beam of sunshine shone through the trees, forming a sunny patch on the green grass. In that sunny patch lie Mac, completely peaceful.
Buffy crouched down next to his body, stroked his forehead once, and then grabbed his cold hands. She grieved for just a few minutes, before she took the Talisman from her bag, and tucked it under his arm.
She got up, looked at her friend one last time, and disappeared off into the distance, ready to face whatever fiend would cause trouble next.