The portal appears, at the center of the wheel in a vast, moonlit hall. Xander and Anya come tumbling out and onto the ground. They stand, and survey their surroundings. No one is here, but them in this long, tall hallway. Everything is smooth, in surface. The moonlight gives an eerie glow to the marble flooring and white stone columns all around them.

Xander, feigning disapointment "Aaww... what no more musical numbers?"
Anya rolls her eyes at him. "There you go again(againgaingain); making everything(thinginging) into a joke(jokejokeoke). We have no(nonoo) idea(ideaideadea) how to get out(outoutt) of this(thisthisis)..." She stops clutching at her ears as her echoing words overlap and become nearly deafening. Xander covers his ears until the noise starts to dissipate.

"Okay, so no more yelling. What's with this place?"
"What do you mean; everything here is strange."
"Yeah, but I mean, most of time this Illusia place has been bright and cheery. With all the music and the colors. But this place is dark. I think it's meant to scare us."
"What if you're wrong?"
"You have another theory?"
"You're asking me? Well, that's a first(firstfirstirst). I wouldn't think(thinkinkink) my opinion should matter(matterattertter) when you obviously know everything(thingthinging) already(readyreadyedy)."
"Well, maybe the reason no one ever asks(asksaskssks) you is because you never(neverneverever) understand anything(thingthinging). Always asking why(whywhyy)..." He stops, covering his ears again. The echoes blend and seem to change into a loud, rolling growl. "What's causing(causingcausingsing) this(thisthisis)?"
Anya, grasping her ears once again "We are(areareare). Or should I say(saysayay) you are(areareare)."
Xander glares at her "What(whatwhatat)? Why am I always(alwayswaysways) the one to blame(blameblameame) with you? Why is it never(nevereverever) you fault(faultfaultault)?"
Anya yells back to him "Because you always(alwaysalwaysways) screw everything(thingthinging) up(upupup)."
"Wait(waitwaitait)! I got it! It's the past(pastpastast)! Whenever we accuse(accuseaccuseuse) the other about the past(pastpastast), the echoes start(startstartart), and we can't hear each other(otherotherther)."
"So how do we stop(stopstopop) it(ititit)?"
"How do you feel(feelfeeleel)?"
"What?"
"Tell me how you feel(feelfeelel) right now. Don't mention the past(pastpastast), just right now(nownowow)!"
"I hurt inside!" The echoes stop and they bring their arms back down away from their ears. They stand in silence, looking at one another.
"Don't you?" Xander nods and tries to speak, but it comes out as a song.

"My heart is hurting beyond words.
The pain is tearing up my soul.
These days have seen my spirit die
My life propelled out of control"

Anya: "My heart is hurting beyond words.
The pain is tearing up my soul.
My wounds lie naked to the world,
my depth of suffering exposed.
Because of you this happened(happenedappenedened)!
Because of you my friend is dead(deaddeaded)! Her blood(bloodbloodod) is on your hands(handshandsands)!"

Xander: "It's you who should feel guilty(guiltyguiltyilty)! Because you could not stay away from that vengeful(vengefulfulful) way of life."

Anya: "If only you had never left me then."

Xander: "If only you could be not so cold."

Anya: "It's you who's to be blamed."

Xander: "And you should be ashamed!"

Anya: "This is your fault(faultfaultault)!"

Xander: No(nonoo), it's yours(yoursyoursours)!

Anya: "How could you(youyouyou)?!"

Xander: "How(howhowow) could you(youyouyou)?!"

Anya stops singing and screeches at Xander. "It's your(youryourour) fault(faultfaultault)!"
Xander shouts back. "It's your(youryourour) fault(faultfaultault)!" They continue blaming each other and the echoing grows louder with each accusation.

The echoes reach a high roar and the room starts begins to quake. The floor starts to shake, and the walls start to crumble. Pillars start to wobble and come crashing down all around them.

Behind them, the center of the wheel explodes. Fire roars from the wheel and turns into a blazing portal of fire. Anya pushes Xander behind a fallen pillar as the portal grows larger. She crouches beside Xander at the edge of the stone. Streams of fire jet out from the center of the portal. A large tentacle-like arm of fire shoots out to grab Anya's ankle sticking out from behind the broken end of the pillar. It tries to drag her away, but she grabs hold of the pillar.

"No! Xander, help!" She screams out as the stone breaks in her hand and the arm pulls her toward the portal.
"Anya!" He yells and jumps up to try and save her.
"No!" She strugles against the fire, but it does no good.
"I'm coming!" He runs to catch to catch up with her and grasps her arms.
"Pull, Xander!" Sweat starts to run down their palms as they get closer to the heat of the blaze.
"Hold on, tight." Her hands start to slip from his as the fire pulls harder. The fire's arm jerks again and pulls her from Xander's grasp.

Anya screams at Xander. "No! Don't let go! Don't let go! No! No, Xander! Help!" Xander grabs for her again and catches one hand. The fire gives a hard jerk and pulls them both through the fiery portal.