"How long is this spell going to take?" Buffy wondered as she paced back and forth, eager to be out fighting. It was only when she was fighting that she felt truly free of any problems, anxieties or pain in her life. She didn't like waiting.
"Shouldn't take too long." Fred replied as she absently gathered ingredients together. "Willow's instructions were pretty clear."
"I don't trust magic." Connor stated. He looked uncertainly at the spell ingredients. "I'm sure I could track this thing."
"The spell will get us there quicker." Angel told his son. Connor gave him an understanding nod, which surprised not only Angel, but everyone in the room as well, although they hid it better.
"Time is definitely of the essence here." Fred added. "According to my calculations tonight is the last night Adamson has before his window closes."
"Hurry then," Buffy encouraged nervously. "We don't have much time."
"How does the stone work?" Gunn wondered. "I mean, what do you have to do with it in order to kill the demon?"
"Well you have to...." Cordelia grimaced, "you have to shove it through the demon's head as hard as you can."
"Well that's pleasant!" Lorne exclaimed sarcastically. "Boy I wish I was an evil fighter like you guys!"
"It's messy, but it can be done." Buffy said grimly. "Story of my life anyway."
"Buffy, be careful OK?" Dawn's voice was nervous. "You get overconfident and then..."
"I'm not being overconfident," Buffy told Dawn with a small smile. "This is just a fight I can't afford to lose."
"Shadypines Rest home." Fred told them as the locator spell was completed. "The demon is on his way there. It's on the other end of town so you guys will have to hurry."
"We're on it." Buffy told her, heading towards the door, with Angel in tow.
"Hey," Connor called to them. Both Buffy and Angel turned, staring curiously at him. "Be careful OK?"
"I will." Angel said with a nod. He turned and followed Buffy out the door.
James Adamson followed Adamon from a safe distance as the demon headed towards the rest home had chosen to attack. Adamon didn't know it, but the moment he was finished with his task, Adamson planned to pay him and then drive the Falcrest stone through the demon's head before it could react. He did not intend to share the power Galendil would bestow on him tonight with anyone, least of all a lowly demon he had hired to do his dirty work.
He had attatched the stone to a long rod and managed to add some sharp spikes to it, so that the weapon almost resembled a mace. He wasn't the strongest of humans and driving a stone through a demon's head was definitely a job of strength. The spikes on the stone would make that easier to do before the demon fought back.
Staying far enough away, he watched as the demon burst into the home and smiled with pleasure as the resounding screams reached his ears. Soon he would have all the power he craved.
Checking his watch, he realized that if Galendil was to come to him and bestow said power before his window to this dimension was lost for another five hundred years he had best start the summoning ceremony now and hope that Adamon could finish his task and he could kill the demon before the demon God appeared.
Gathering his ingredients and preparing himself mentally for the spell, he took his concentration away from the rest home, not even noticing the two small figures entering the building, intent on turning the tide of the fight.