Buffy climbed the spiral stairs cautiously, careful with her every move. They were so old and rotten that one wrong step could end her life. The others followed behind in similar fashion, all but the Buffy-bot carrying looks of confusion. Dante walked by her side, exchanging glances with her.
"What is the purpose of this... place?" Buffy looked around confused. Every window she passed on the wall seeming to lead into a different, horrific reality, each more ghastly than the next. Each crack in the ancient walls of the tower seeping blood. Sounds of distorted screams and growls ringing through the air, which was extra heavy here. There was an unworldly glow emanating from the door at the top of the stairs, but they were still a few flights away. "Besides being a compilation of Stephen King's greatest hits..."
"This building was built from the spirits of all the demons you've slain. Every inch of it is evil, filled with utter hate for you. It is sort of the 'stone' to your 'sword,' the sword meaning the keyblade." Dante said without breaking concentration, still climbing the stairs. Spike picked up the pace and walked by Buffy when Dante forged ahead.
"Not much for the euphemisms, that one..." He smirked, looking over at Buffy, who shared a small smile with him.
"Yeah... couldn't just go with the 'bad building filled with care bears of doom' direction, could he..." Buffy smirked back. Before long they were at the door, and everyone stepped back.
"Only you can open this door." Dante said with a look. " 'S just part of the rules... serves no real purpose. More like a suggestion, like no white after labor day..." He shrugged.
"I s'pose I'm the only one who can go through it, too?" Buffy asked, stepping forward and running her finger along the contusions of the door.
"We will be able to continue on when the powers feel we are needed. But... yes. You are the only one." Dante leaned against the wall, looking at her. "I don't know what is beyond this door. Like each person who goes through the trials, it is... unique. Built from their fears and nightmares... sometimes meshing together with movies you've seen or stories you've read. It takes every part of your mind and puts it together in a big cosmic blender of sorts. That's why it's for you only... us going in there could mess with your psyche."
"So... big Buffy mindwalk." she said, nodding and brandishing her sword. "Keep your guard up... in case there are anymore zombie versions of the people I know. Or worse."
"Yes! Buffy is smart! We are very pretty." Buffy-bot giggled in agreeance. Buffy just quirked her eyebrow.
"And to that, an extreme see you later." She said, turning to the door and pushing it open, only to be met with blinding light. Buffy could only guess it was so that the others wouldn't see what was inside.
When Buffy came to, she was lying on the floor, sword at her side. The hallways were lit with fire burning brightly on torches that lined the walls at every couple feet. The room she was in was a mixture of rusted, bloody metal grating and cold, fragmented stone. Indeed, this was a Buffy party venue. Buffy got to her feet and dusted her pants off, picking up her sword. She walked along, listening to the strange sounds. The echoes of her footsteps. The scraping of her sword against the steel of the floor. The dripping of... what she hoped was water... in the distance.
A moan. A giggle. Or maybe just the wind. The sounds were playing tricks on her the deeper she went into the underbelly of this place. It reminded her of hell, or the hell she went to when she ran to L.A. senior year of high school. But circumstances were different then. She had just killed Angel, the one man who she truly loved, who would always have her heart, even if Riley and Spike had something else, some other part of her she was willing to give.
A shrill scrape, not unlike the ones heard in the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' films, just before Freddy Krueger killed someone. 'I could kick Freddy's ass...' Buffy smirked to herself, kinda hoping it was him. Because that would be cool...
Buffy entered a large room, which resembled some sort of a twisted chapel. Stained glass windows surrounded her on either side, glowing red with burning fire behind them. The crucifix in the center of the room, atop the stairs, was turned upside down. Much like in those horror films from the seventies about possessed children or houses or something. And a familiar cackling resonated from behind it. Buffy fastened her grip on her sword. She knew that laugh.
"Slayer..." A semi-lisped sinister voice moved closer as a balding man emerged from behind the cross.
"The Master... say, didn't I, oh... kick your ass already?" Buffy shot him a cocksure grin and rested the sword on her shoulder.
"On the human plane of existence maybe. But this..." He smiled, his leathery face wrinkling around his pointed canines. He outstretched his arms and looked at his surroundings. "This is just delicious. A new chance, a new start."
"You're a pawn. You're just too damn self-righteous to realize it." Buffy grimaced, looking up at the man that once terrified her. He was very real in this moment, but he was only being used as a tool by whatever was making her go through this literal hell, and she knew it.
"Oh slayer... I have but one word for you..." He grinned wide, looking like he was about to attack.
"Oh? And what is that?" Buffy quirked her eyebrow, making sure her grip on her sword was firm, so she could counter when he decided to make his move. But her eyes went wide as the Master's head rolled to the ground after a quick swipe from behind.
"Checkmate." A silver haired man stepped from the shadows, his long hair and black coat swaying in the sudden breeze that swept through the room. Buffy didn't know the man, but she knew he was trouble...
