Chapter 54: Chosen
Buffy, Faith and Dawn stepped out of a portal into the living room of the Summers' home.
"Did you find out anything about the scythe?" Willow asked when she saw her wife.
"Yeah," Buffy said. "We'll fill you in. And we got some files, might be helpful." She handed them to Willow. "And . . . this." She held out the amulet. "Supposed to be powerful, don't know much more."
"Where'd you get all this?" Xander wondered.
"Angel," she said.
Xander asked, "He's here?"
"We sent him back to L.A.," Faith said. "To prepare, if we fail."
Xander cocked a brow at her. "Operative word 'if.'"
Anya added, "Operative word 'fail.'"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy went downstairs to the basement. Spike was sitting in the moonlight, shirtless, looking off.
"So, where's Tall, Dark, and Forehead?" he asked her.
"Let me guess," Buffy said. "You can smell him."
"Yeah."
"He's gone," she told him. "We wanted a second front just in case."
"Probably a good idea," Spike agreed.
"He gave us this," Buffy said as she held up the medallion. "Supposed to be worn by someone with a soul, who's stronger than human, a champion."
He deflated . . . until she held it out to him, and he understood: She was calling him a champion.
"Been called a lot of things in my time," he said.
"I want you to be careful," she said gently.
He smirked with self-referential irony. "You're talking to the wrong guy." He felt it. "This is powerful."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
That night Buffy and Willow slept spoon style, Buffy was wrapped in Willow's arms, facing away from her wife. Willow slept; Buffy could not. She looked at Willow's hand, resting on the bed in front of her, running her hand along Willow's. After a moment, Willow rolled over, and Buffy took the chance to sit up. Got up, and crossed to the window, looked out on the world bathed in moonlight.
"Pretty, isn't it?" Caleb said from right beside her.
Buffy started, then recovered, reminding herself it was The First. "You're not him," she said.
"No, your sister sent him to a hell dimension where the demons there killed him right and proper," he answered. "Terrible loss." He pulled a sad face. "This man was my good right arm. 'Course, it doesn't pain me too much. Don't need an arm." He smiled broadly. "Got an army."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "An army of vampires. However, will I fight a bunch of . . . oh, right! I've been doing that for years!"
"Every day our numbers swell, he boasted. Then he sneered at her. "But then you do have an army of your own. Some thirty-odd pimply-faced girls who don't know the pointy end of a stake." He thought a moment. "Maybe I should call this off?"
Buffy asked, "Have you ever considered a cool name?" Since you're incorporeal and basically powerless you could call yourself 'The Taunter.' Strikes fear . . ."
"I will overrun this earth," The First proclaimed.
"You know how many people have said that to me?" Buffy shot back.
"I do," he assured her. "Since they all had a small part of me in them. Whereas I have all of me in me, so I like my chances somewhat better." His voice rose as if it were seeking the vulnerable, thin places in her soul to pour in his poison, and let it rot her from the inside out.
"And when my army outnumbers the humans on this earth, the scales will tip and I will be made flesh."
"Talk on," Buffy taunted. "I'm not afraid of you."
"Then why aren't you asleep in your wife's arms?"
His expression was cagey, his point . . . well taken . . . as she looked over at Willow and had no answer.
"'Cause she can't help you. Nor Faith, nor Dawn, nor Harry, nor your friends. Certainly not your little wannaslay brigade. None of those girlies will ever know real power unless Dawn's dead. You know the drill."
Then Caleb morphed into Buffy herself and came in close, as close as possible, voice carrying truth.
"Into every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl in the all the world. She alone will have the strength and skill to fight the . . . well, there's that word again. What you are. How you'll die. Alone."
Buffy took that in, said nothing for a moment, and then: "You're right."
The First was bemused. "Mmm. Not your best."
From across the room, Willow moved on the bed and cried out, "No, frogs." Her eyes flew open. She glanced at Buffy and said, "I hate those nightmares." When Buffy didn't reply, she frowned and said, "Baby? Is something wrong?"
"No," Buffy said, then, "Yes. I just realized something." She stared at her wife as the steadiest calm she had ever experienced mingled with her warrior's blood.
She was serene and highly charged at the same time.
Then she said, "We're going to win."
July 16, 2003
The sun had risen by the time the core group assembled in Buffy and Willow's bedroom. Buffy finished explaining her plan and said, "Well? What do you think?"
Xander went first, wading slowly as he said, "That depends." Then he said sincerely, "Are you kidding?"
Buffy frowned. "You don't think it's a good idea?"
"It's pretty radical, B," Faith concurred.
"It's a lot more than that," Dumbledore said. "What you are planning, Buffy. This requires magics even most witches and wizards are going to be unable to harness."
"So, who's doing it?" Dawn asked. "Me or Willow. Or both. After all we're supposed to be the most powerful witches…" She looked at Dumbledore. "That at least you know of, Professor."
"With both of you," Dumbledore said. "I believe it will work."
Anya said to Xander, "Come on. Let's go assemble the cannon fodder."
"We're not calling them that," Xander remonstrated her as he stood up. She gave him a "no kidding" look and said, "Not to their faces. What am I, insensitive?"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Later on, that morning, Buffy spoke to the assembled Potentials. "I hate this," she began. "I hate being here. I hate that you have to be here. I hate that there's evil, that it's growing, and I hate that I was Chosen to fight it. I wish, a whole lot of the time, that I hadn't been."
"But this isn't about wishes," she went on, looking at their faces, seeing how young they were, how frightened. "This is about choices. I never had one. I was Chosen. And I accept that. I'm not asking you to accept anything. I'm asking you to make your own choice. I believe we can beat this evil—not when it comes, not after its army is ready, but now. Tomorrow morning I'm opening the Seal. I'm going down into the Hellmouth and I'm going to finish it once and for all."
"I've got strong allies: witches, wizards, warriors, and I'll need them all. But I'll also need you. Every single one of you."
She looked at each one in turn. She memorized their faces. She read their hearts. "So now you're asking yourself, 'What makes this different? What makes us anything more than a bunch of girls getting picked off one by one?'
"It's true none of you has the power Dawn, Faith and I have. I think Dawn would have to die for a new Slayer to be called, and we can't even be sure that girl is in this room. That's the rule. So, here's the part where you make a choice."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The day flew by as Dawn and Willow labored over books and incantations.
From the doorway Sirius, Buffy and Harry watched as those they loved worked.
"I really wish you hadn't said that about me," Willow murmured as she looked up at her wife.
"It's true," Buffy said. "That's how much I love you."
Willow's eyes misted as she stood and walked over to Buffy. She pulled her wife into the room as she shooed Dawn, Harry and Sirius away. She closed the door and then they kissed.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
And the day had flown by for Dumbledore, who sat at the dining room table with Xander, books and plans strewn about.
"I've gotten turned around," Dumbledore said. "You're here."
"By the pillar, yeah," Xander told him. "I'm protecting this area."
"That puts me here." Dumbledore pointed. "By the door. Demons around the perimeter. Right. So, I open the door."
Andrew sat at the table as well. He was wearing his red DM cloak, hood up, consulting his GURPS and his personal notes from his many, many-many years of serious gaming.
"You go through the door," He told Dumbledore. "You are confronted by Trogdor the Burninator."
McGonagall stood watching smiling, she couldn't remember the last time she saw Dumbledore having this much fun.
In the living room Sirius was down on one knee before Faith, holding a ring he had conjured.
"Are you serious?" Faith asked.
"I am," Sirius replied.
Faith looked at Sirius and the ring. She had never dreamt of a Cinderella wedding like other girls had when they were younger. She had never thought of herself actually being capable of that kind of commitment to begin with. After all of her childhood she had been abused by her parents, then all throughout her adult life up till that moment and part of her teenage life was littered with one-night stands. As she looked at Sirius, she knew what her answer would be. "Yes," she said. "I would love to marry you."
Harry smiled from where he stood a few feet behind his godfather. He began clapping as Faith and Sirius and turned and looked at him.
"I will need a best man when the time comes," Sirius said looking at Harry.
"You have one," answered Harry.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Upstairs Dawn counted coup as she regaled the young Potentials with tales of hers and Buffy's lives. Some were in sleeping bags, and some where just hanging out at her feet; all were rapt.
She said, "And the Master grabbed Buffy from behind and bit her. She tried to move but he was too strong. He fed on her blood and he tossed her in the water, cackling insanely as the bubbles rose around her and she slowly drowned to death."
Vi was freaking. "Do you have any other stories?"
Dawn made a hold-on gesture and said, "I will be blunt. This is not one of my favorite memories. You see I was there. I saw it all. Saw the Master drink, saw Buffy drown. I pulled my sister out of the pool of water and turned her over, laying her head in my lap. I begged her to wake up. You know what happened next? Xander came, brought my sister back to me. And as a result, Buffy got up and then she saved the day. My sister always saves the day."
July 17, 2003
Sunnydale High School: the last stand, the last battle, the last day as the sun finally rose and rose too fast.
Robin led the girls into the empty corridors of the building. He stopped at the big space at the bottom of the stairs.
"Welcome to Sunnydale High," he told them in a booming voice. "There's no running in the halls, no yelling, and no gum. Apart from that, we have only one rule."
He stopped and turned.
"If they move, kill them."
Buffy began to move everyone into position as she announced, "Potentials are in the basement. Follow Spike."
As they began to leave, Xander called, "If you have to go to the bathroom, it's on the left. If you don't have to go to the bathroom, picture what you're about to face. Better to go now."
Robin turned to Dawn and Willow and said, "Dawn, Willow, my office is through there. It's right over the Seal. Okay, civilians." Robin gestured as he spoke. "The vampires get upstairs; we have three areas they could get through to another building and down into the sewers. Down the hall in the atrium; the north hall here; and the primary target, through the lounge to the science building. Odds are, most of them will head there. Easy to find, big, no sunlight."
"Albus, Minerva," Faith said. "You two and Robin should take the lounge."
"Harry, Sirius, Xander," Buffy said. "The atrium. "Remus, Anya and Andrew will take the north hall."
Andrew was peaking. "We will defend it with our very lives."
"Yes," Anya put in, "we'll defend it with his very life."
"Don't be afraid to use him as a human shield," Xander told her.
"Good. Yes. Thanks," Anya said.
"And I just want to say how proud I am to die for this really special cause with you guys," Andrew said. "There's some people I'd like to thank, both good and evil . . ."
He was holding a paper, which he now unfolded, and began to read. "A shout out to my brother, Tucker, who gave me the inspiration to summon demons, and also—"
"Nobody cares, ya little monkey," Anya said, not without affection, as she dragged him off followed by Lupin.
Robin, Dumbledore and Minerva left heading for the lounge.
Sirius and Harry started off toward the atrium.
"Sirius, Harry," Buffy and Dawn called after them.
"No," Harry said.
Sirius looked toward his godson knowing the worry Harry held in his heart.
Harry turned back, not waiting for his sisters to speak. In a choked voice, he said, "Anything you two will say is going to sound like goodbye." Resolutely, he turned back around, and left.
Dawn and Buffy silently watched him, working hard not to lose it, for if there was going to be a moment when they would falter, this was it.
"Buffy, Dawn," Sirius said as he pulled his goddaughters into his arms and held them. He released Buffy and Dawn who turned back to the rest of the group. He smiled at Faith who walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him.
"I love you," Faith whispered.
"And I love you, Faith," Sirius said. When Faith stepped back, he turned and followed Harry down the corridor.
"I'm going to go get us set up, Will," Dawn said as Willow nodded.
Buffy looked at Faith, Willow and Xander. In a way she wished Giles was there to see the end. But she had told him to leave and he had. "So," she said, taking on chipper. "What do you guys want to do tomorrow?"
Willow considered. "Nothing strenuous."
"Mini-golf is always the first thing that comes to mind," Xander said, weighing in.
"Well I need to start looking at wedding gowns," Faith said as they all looked at her. She held up her hand and they saw the engagement ring. "Sirius proposed yesterday."
"Congratulations, Faith," Buffy, Xander and Willow said in unison.
"I'm going to need bridesmaids," Faith said. "Buffy, Willow?"
"I think I speak for myself and Buffy when I say we would be happy to," Willow said.
"And Red would you ask Dawn for me?" Faith asked.
"I will," Willow said.
"And Xan, I would be happy if you would be the one to give me away," said Faith as she looked at Xander.
"I'd like that," said Xander as he smiled at Faith.
"So that means we're going to the new mall," Willow said excitedly as they started off.
They began to peel off from each other, Willow first, then Xander. As they headed toward the basement Buffy and Faith talked about Faith's upcoming wedding.
Then they were in the basement at the end of the hall, where Spike was waiting.
"Time to go to work," he said.
He gestured to the Potentials. Some were crowded outside the Seal chamber because there was not enough room inside. But they parted respectfully for Faith and Buffy. They moved into the room and stood beside the Seal.
"You're first, Buffy," Faith said as she pulled out a knife and held it out to Buffy.
Buffy took the knife, cut her hand, and let her blood drip onto the Seal.
Faith took the knife and said, "Pucker up, ladies. We're going to Hell."
Then she sliced her own palm with casual aplomb.
Then all the girls around the circle held out their hands . . .
The Seal started to open.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In Robin's office, Willow and Dawn sat on the floor, the scythe between them, an athame and bowl at their side.
"They should be in place," Willow said. "Before we start, Dawn, if something should…"
"Nothing is going to happen," Dawn interrupted. "But if something did, I would watch over Buffy for you. I promise, Will."
"Thanks, Dawn," said Willow. "Oh, and one last thing. Sirius proposed to Faith, she said yes. She wanted me to ask if you alongside me and Buffy would be her bridesmaid."
Dawn smiled. "I will let her know the answer is yes," she said.
Then they shut their eyes as they began to chant.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Down among the dead men, into the cavern, Buffy and Faith and a few of the girls went as more followed.
And Spike, with the amulet around his neck.
"Not to be a buzzkill," he said, "but my fabulous accessory isn't exactly tingling with power."
"I'm not worried," Buffy told him.
"I'm getting zero juice here," he went on. "And I look like Elizabeth Taylor."
"Cheer up, Liz," Faith said to him. "Dawn and Willow's big spell doesn't work, won't matter what you wear."
"I'm not worried," Buffy said again. She moved to the precipice into the exact spot that the Slayer spirit had shown her and she realized that the Slayer spirit had been showing her the future. For what she saw now was an exact mirror of what she had seen in the vision.
"Buffy?" Amanda asked shrilly.
Buffy closed her eyes. "Now baby, now Dawn."
"Buffy?" This time Amanda almost screamed.
"I'm not worried!" Buffy proclaimed. "As long as Willow and Dawn can work the spell before they . . . see us."
As one, the vamps caught sight of the girls. Screaming, they charged.
"Dawn, Willow," Buffy whispered.
The battle had begun.
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"Words to the Goddess, prayers to the Goddess, protector of woman of women, the power of the Goddess, Queen of the Moon, of the Earth, Air, Fire, Water, of the Angels, of Guardians, and of Slayers, of Slayers, of Slayers." Dawn and Willow chanted.
They could feel the power was building rapidly and they could tell that the spell was going to work.
"Words to the Goddess, prayers to the Goddess, protector of woman of women, the power of the Goddess, Queen of the Moon, of the Earth, Air, Fire, Water, of the Angels, of Guardians, and of Slayers, of Slayers, of Slayers, of SISTERS."
Dawn and Willow tensed up, eyes widening, as light began to fill the room, coursing through them, through everything.
"Oh, my Goddess!" Dawn and Willow cried.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"What if you could have that power? Now. All of you. In every generation one Slayer is born because a bunch of guys that died thousands of years ago made up that rule. They were powerful men."
And here Buffy had pointed to Dawn and Willow.
"These two women are more powerful than all of them combined. So, I say we change the rules. I say my power, Faith's power, Dawn's power should be our power. Tomorrow Willow and Dawn will use the essence of this scythe, that contains the energy and history of so many Slayers, to change our destiny."
"From now on, every girl in the world who might be a Slayer, will be a Slayer. Every girl who could have the power, will have the power. Who can stand up, will stand up?"
"Every one of you, and girls we've never known, and generations to come . . . they will have strength they never dreamed of, and more than that, they will have each other."
"Slayers. Every one of us."
"Make your choice."
"Are you ready to be strong?"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
As the Ubervamps swarmed to crush them, the Potentials were ready; the power was a rushing wind, a hammer blow, a slap and an embrace and true love and sure death. A fever dream . . . all, it was all, it was . . .
. . . happening everywhere;
In India, a girl fell to the floor as the power and knowledge coursed through her.
In an inner-city school, a young girl fell against her locker, dazed . . . and new.
In a trailer park, a young girl blocked the ham fist of her drunken, abusive father.
On a baseball diamond, standing at the plate . . . a little girl straightened, grinning a wicked happy grin.
In Japan, a girl backed away from the dinner table, changed utterly and forever, trying to take it all in.
In England, Ginny Weasley stumbled backwards against the wall of her bedroom. "Dawn," she said to herself. It was like she could feel her girlfriend standing next to her asking her if she was ready to be strong. "Yes," she answered. The power rushed through her, working its changes to her body. As knowledge seeped into her mind, she knew what had happened. That she was forever altered as result of whatever was happening in Sunnydale and that Dawn had been a part of it.
"Mum!" Ginny called out.
Mrs. Weasley came running to Ginny and looked at her daughter. "What is it?" she asked.
"Something has happened in Sunnydale," answered Ginny. "I felt like Dawn was standing beside me, asking if I was ready to be strong. I said yes and then the next thing I knew I felt stronger than I've ever felt before. I think I'm a Slayer now."
Mrs. Weasley's hand went to her mouth in shock.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Sweet fancy Moses," Amanda gasped.
Buffy and Faith beamed at each other.
"You feel that?" Faith asked Buffy.
"I really do," Buffy told Faith.
Faith looked ahead; the Slayers steeled themselves—dozens of them, ready and uncertain, pumped and hanging on, hanging in, hanging tough.
"Everybody, hold the line," Faith said.
"These guys are dead," Vi said coolly.
The first wave of vampires hit, frenzied evil spilling over the girls in a blur of teeth and axes and spears, talons and muscles and no fear of pain or dying.
They swarmed, enormous killing things . . .
. . . and the Slayers went into action.
Roundhouse kicks, uppercuts, sidekicks, leaps—punching and twirling in a jaw-dropping battle dance such as the world had never seen before. They were to the Power born. Each Slayer, cloaked and anointed in the Power, burning bright as they fought back the horde, slaying as if they had been doing it all their lives.
The Chosen, the valiant, heroes to a girl; the Champions of Good, beating them back.
Spike held off others, but there were so many—the army of darkness was endless. But he fought, waiting for the amulet to bestow power, not waiting to wade into the war and hold the line.
It was brutal and dark and bloody; it was why there were Slayers.
Why they were here, glimmering, shimmering with Power.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn like her sister and Faith felt the power rush through her and down into the cavern and out into the world calling the Chosen. For an instance she could have sworn she felt Ginny standing next to her saying, "Yes." She looked at her sister-in-law and gasped, "Willow?"
For Willow was more than Willow—she was the Power incarnate, blown by a force so powerful, so loving, that she was bathed in a pure white wind. Her hair was actually white, streaming out behind her, her smile a bowl to catch her tears.
Transcendent, forever altered . . . cleansed, forgiven, purified.
The loving wind sucked out of her and her appearance returned to normal.
Willow smiled at her sister-in-law as they stood up.
Dawn gazed at Willow for a moment. "Did you feel like Ginny was in the room with us?" she asked.
"Amongst many others all across the world, yes," said Willow. She picked up the scythe and tossed it Dawn. "Get this to Buffy."
Dawn nodded as she raced away.
Willow pulled out her wand and headed out and toward the atrium, toward some of her family. Toward Xander, her best friend. Toward Harry, her brother-in-law. Toward Sirius, who had come, like with Buffy and Dawn, to consider her as one of his goddaughters.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
On the precipice, the Pride Rock of Doom in the endless cavern . . .
Buffy hovered near the edge, fighting every vampire she could touch: She tossed a Turok-Han over the side, staked another, then took a couple of brutal hits. A fearless warrior jumped through the Seal opening: Dawn, shouting, "Buffy! Catch!"
She hurled the scythe at her; Buffy caught it in mid-fight, not even looking back, and dispatched two vamps immediately.
Dawn was attacked and jumped high, kicking hard—pummeling the enemy.
Spike fought as he had never before; Amanda, Vi . . . everyone was pumped and armed and filled with the power. War cries echoed over the frenzy: Faith, Dawn and Buffy, vamps and Slayers, leaping at each other above the heads of the warring crowd. A sprawling, brawling mob: Armageddon.
Having breached the line, some of the vampires saw the Seal opening and scurried up it. More followed.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Robin, Dumbledore and McGonagall heard them coming. Robin hoisted his sword while Dumbledore and McGonagall hoisted their wands.
They were ready.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"How did it go, Will?" Xander asked as Willow joined him, Harry and Sirius.
"We have an army of Slayers," Willow told them.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the north hall, Lupin, Andrew and Anya geared up for the fight.
"I think they're coming," Andrew said.
Anya nodded, swallowed. Her heart was pounding so hard she could barely hear her own voice.
"Oh, God," she said, "I'm terrified. I didn't think . . . I just figured you would be terrified and I would be sarcastic about it."
Terrified indeed, Andrew whispered, "Picture happy things. A lake. Candy canes. Bunnies."
Anya's eyes narrowed. "Bunnies. Floppy, hoppy bunnies," she said.
Her sword came up, all her fear gone.
Lupin looked at Anya as if he was wondering, 'Is she afraid of bunnies?' He raised his wand.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The Turok-Han made it up and through the Seal; they came barreling down the hall toward Dumbledore, McGonagall and Robin. Vampires to the right, vampires to the left.
Dumbledore and McGonagall both shouted, "Incendio!" Two of the Turok-Han caught fire and dusted before their eyes.
Robin scored a beheading.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the north hall Lupin was doing the same as Dumbledore and McGonagall, calling out Incendio and watching as the Turok-Han dusted.
Anya was a swordswoman.
Andrew was Jerry Lewis.
Out of the corner of Lupin's eye he saw five Bringers appear in the hall behind them, all armed with knives and swords. He spun and started firing off stunning charms.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the cavern, as Spike fought off in a corner, he was startled by a surge of power from the amulet on his chest.
"Uh, Buffy, Faith, Dawn?" he called, but they were in the heat of battle. "Whatever this thing does, I think it's . . . Ahhhhh!"
He dropped to his knees, stunned by pain.
Buffy watched a Turok-Han leap on a young Slayer, tear into her; the girl went down.
Dawn and Faith battled their way over to Buffy's side, and Faith said, "Think it's too late to talk this thing out?"
Buffy called out to the girls, "Keep the line together! Drive them to the edge! We can't let them—"
Buffy suddenly felt unbelievable pain. She looked down to see the point of a sword extend from her belly, then retract. She had been run through.
Dawn spun around and held up her wand, "Incendio," she shouted as the vampire that had just ran Buffy through exploded into flames and dusted. She ran to her sister as Buffy fell slowly to the ground, face first.
Faith too saw Buffy go down and joined the Potter sisters.
"Buffy?" Faith and Dawn said.
Buffy gazed up at them and rasped out, "Hold the line." She held out the scythe.
"Take it, Faith," Dawn said. "You're next in line."
Faith nodded as she took it. She stabbed the vampire behind her without looking at him.
Then she went crazy with battle frenzy, and started taking them out, one by one by one.
A vampire got her around the neck from behind; then more, dogpiling her. Her skin tore; the stench of the monsters assailed her. She tasted blood.
"Dawn!" Faith shouted and as she was buried beneath the vampires, she tossed the scythe to Dawn.
Dawn took it and stood up straight beside her sister attacking any vampire that came near them.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the atrium, Xander swung his sword as he was driven back by vamps. Sirius, Willow and Harry each yelled, "Incendio!" and three vampires were engulfed in flames and dusted.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Three Bringers rushed behind Dumbledore, McGonagall and Robin as the vampires pushed from the front. Dumbledore turned and started firing off stunning charms while McGonagall and Robin took care of the vampires.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Searing pain wracked Spike's body; he tossed away a vampire as confusion and pain contorted his body; he clutched his stomach.
He was burning from the inside out.
Amanda dropped right in front of Buffy; eyes wide. It was obvious to the blonde Slayer that Amanda was dead.
Two more Slayers fell; Kennedy was backed against the wall, her weapon knocked from her hand. She was steadying herself, preparing.
On the ground, her vision hazy with pain, Buffy looked up to see her own boots, her own legs . . . her own self . . .
But of course, it was The First.
"Oooh, ow, Mommy!" The First mocked her. "This mortal wound is all itchy!" She leaned in and said to Buffy, "You pulled a nice trick." She smiled pleasantly and added, "Hey, you came pretty close to smacking me down. What more do you want?"
Buffy pulled herself up on her hands, shaking with fury. She was not done, not yet.
"I want you . . . to get out of my face," Buffy told her.
Then she rose: Resurrection.
The First backed away, vanished.
Sweaty, bloodied, hair in her face, Buffy took a step forward; two, stumbling, hunched steps . . .
Dawn saw her, and threw her the scythe. Buffy caught it, and stood a little straighter.
She screamed, swinging the back of the weapon like a bat, knocking five vamps back and over the edge in one blow.
And as if her power communicated itself to Faith, the former Dark Slayer kicked her way out of the dogpile and rose as if from the dead—also bloodied, also unbroken.
The tide turned then: The Power surged in all the Slayers, and it used them to force the vamps back, many of them falling over the edge, and at least one Slayer going with them.
But they were on the offensive now; they were pushing and screaming as if reborn in the mighty throes of the Power, as they battled to save the world.
Spike staggered under the Seal opening, paused, and said, "Oh, bollocks."
Then energy shot up from within him, straight through, like a geyser, piercing the seal, and bursting through Robin Wood's office and out the through the roof of the building.
The sun hit him hard; and he was pinned, pain and something else building inside him . . . he called out, "Buffy, Faith, Dawn!"
Faith was the first to see him. She raced over. "Spike!" she shouted—and had to dive out of the way as a prismed ray of pure, soulful sunlight blasted out of the amulet and into the cavern.
In an instant, hundreds—thousands of vampires were incinerated. Then the teeming cavern began to tear apart, walls crumbling, rocks tumbling like bombs; the ground shook and the foundations roared.
"Everybody out! Now!" Dawn yelled.
The girls fought their way to the exit; everything was shaking.
Dawn, Faith and Buffy came to Spike. He remained pinned in place, energy still blasting from him.
"I can feel it," he murmured.
"What?" they asked.
"My soul." He gazed at them with wonder. "It's really there." Grinned faintly. "Kind of stings."
The Slayers ran out of the Seal room and through the halls, footfalls clattering, racing from the collapsing building, staying on course.
"Dawn," Buffy said. "Go, open a portal, get them to safety."
Dawn nodded as she ran out through the seal.
"Come on, Faith," Buffy said as she moved to follow her sister.
Outside Dawn opened a portal to the only place safe enough that she knew of, Grimmauld Place. "Everyone into the portal," she yelled. "And try not to wake the portrait in the hall!"
In the cavern Faith was still with Spike, "Go on then!" he said.
"You've done enough, you can still—" Faith said.
"No," he managed, burning, "you beat 'em back. It's for me to do the cleanup. Got to move, lamb. I think it's fair to say school's out for bloody forever."
The cavern was collapsing at the top and bottom, the actual school falling in on the vampires.
Faith looked at Spike. "I hated you for a while, for what you did. But now…"
"You don't have to say it, Faith," Spike replied. "You just go have a good life with that Sirius bloke."
"Promise," Faith said. "And if I ever have kids. I'm naming one of them after you." She kissed Spike on the cheek and then she bolted for her life.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn watched as Faith ran through the portal. "Anyone else?" she asked.
"I was the last one," Faith said.
Dawn decided to double check as she stuck her head through the portal. What she saw was the town falling into a sinkhole. "Bye, mom," she said wishing that she and Buffy had moved their mother's grave out of Sunnydale. She pulled her head back and closed the portal.
She turned and made her way through the house looking for her family. She passed Dumbledore who apparated in with Madam Pomfrey, who immediately went to work tending the wounded. She passed Xander and Anya. She smiled as she saw that Xander was down on one knee proposing to his former girlfriend. She was sure this time that the pair would make it down the aisle and would actually get married.
Dawn found Willow, Sirius, Harry, Faith and Buffy in one of the upstairs bedrooms embracing one another. She joined them.
"Well the Hellmouth is officially closed for business," Faith said.
"There are others around the world," Dumbledore said as he, Xander and Anya stepped into the room.
"We saved the world," Xander breathed.
"We changed the world," Willow corrected him. "I can feel them, baby."
"So, can I," Dawn added. "There are Slayers awakening everywhere."
"You will need to find them," Dumbledore suggested. "I know of a castle not far from Hogwarts. It could become a new training ground for Slayers."
Buffy thought about it and nodded. "Not just a training ground," she said. "A new headquarters, for Slayers. A new council should be created that gives all newly called girls the choice. The choice of whether they want to fight the forces of darkness or live normal lives away from the dark creatures that plague our world."