As Buffy attacked the ghost of Glory, she realized that it was in vain. She
was tired, and sad and wanted to quit. But she knew that she was the
slayer, and that when she went down again, she wanted it to be while
fighting. It was just like Willow had said not too long ago, "I know you
Buffy. You're a warrior. You'll never give up." Of course Willow had been
trying to kill them all then, but it was different now. Everything was
different now. As Buffy tried to keep fighting, bringing up her hands to
attack, she suddenly felt a strange, light feeling, like she was walking on
air. A golden glow filled the grey. And then, Buffy saw Joyce again,
walking towards her in a white dress. She enfolded her daughter in a hug
that warmed Buffy all over.
"Buffy," she said slowly, "I will always love you. You're strong and you
know what to do."
And in the confines of her mind, Buffy smiled. She formed a weapon. Her
soul, her love, her strength, all the things that made her the slayer came
together to form something more powerful than she had ever held before. She
thrust up with it, breaking De Vincint's spell, and gained control of
herself and her fears.
As she became aware of the cavern again, Buffy's body went into overdrive. She whirled on De Vincint, slamming punches into his face. She heard a crack and hoped that it was his nose and not her fingers. He brought his knee up into her stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs. He then kicked her in the head, snapping her head back viscously. Through the pain, Buffy flipped up and blocked his punches. She drew up her leg and kicked him in the stomach, and brought her elbow down on his back as he doubled over. She fumbled in her waist band for a stake, but drew it too late. De Vincint knocked it out of her hands and it rolled to the edge of the big pit. She broke his ribs with a side kick, and dove for the stake. De Vincint met her halfway, and rammed into her, throwing her off course and knocking them both over the edge. They rolled, slamming into one another and landed in a heap on the floor of the pit. Buffy jumped up and smashed a heel into his head. He groped for her blindly, but she jumped out of reach. Running to the biggest pile of bones she saw, Buffy hefted one in her hand and ran at the vampire lord again. She smashed the bone into his skull. He jammed a fist into her kidney, and she fell back wards. Breathing hard, she tried to get up, but he ran and jumped on top of her. "Well, Slayer, I guess I'll have to devour you the old fashioned way." Buffy grimaced, and she wrestled with him with one arm, while the other snaked behind her back, groping for a second stake. As he lowered his teeth to her neck, Buffy brought the stake up, and he exploded in dust, covering her in it and making her cough.
In a daze, Buffy scrambled up the pit wall. Willow, Giles, and Spike were still fighting the other vampires. Buffy rushed to help them, seeing red and breathing dust. Soon, all of the vampires were dispatched, and the cavern returned to silence.
As she became aware of the cavern again, Buffy's body went into overdrive. She whirled on De Vincint, slamming punches into his face. She heard a crack and hoped that it was his nose and not her fingers. He brought his knee up into her stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs. He then kicked her in the head, snapping her head back viscously. Through the pain, Buffy flipped up and blocked his punches. She drew up her leg and kicked him in the stomach, and brought her elbow down on his back as he doubled over. She fumbled in her waist band for a stake, but drew it too late. De Vincint knocked it out of her hands and it rolled to the edge of the big pit. She broke his ribs with a side kick, and dove for the stake. De Vincint met her halfway, and rammed into her, throwing her off course and knocking them both over the edge. They rolled, slamming into one another and landed in a heap on the floor of the pit. Buffy jumped up and smashed a heel into his head. He groped for her blindly, but she jumped out of reach. Running to the biggest pile of bones she saw, Buffy hefted one in her hand and ran at the vampire lord again. She smashed the bone into his skull. He jammed a fist into her kidney, and she fell back wards. Breathing hard, she tried to get up, but he ran and jumped on top of her. "Well, Slayer, I guess I'll have to devour you the old fashioned way." Buffy grimaced, and she wrestled with him with one arm, while the other snaked behind her back, groping for a second stake. As he lowered his teeth to her neck, Buffy brought the stake up, and he exploded in dust, covering her in it and making her cough.
In a daze, Buffy scrambled up the pit wall. Willow, Giles, and Spike were still fighting the other vampires. Buffy rushed to help them, seeing red and breathing dust. Soon, all of the vampires were dispatched, and the cavern returned to silence.