FLASHBACK:
"So here's the part where you make a choice:" Buffy declared, addressing a living room full of Potentials and her friends. "What if you could have that power... Now? In every generation, one slayer is born... Because a bunch of men who died thousands of years ago made up that rule. They were powerful men. This woman," She pointed at Willow, "is more powerful than all of them combined. So I say we change the rule. I say my power... Should be our power. Tomorrow, Willow will use the essence of the scythe 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. Can stand up, will stand up. Slayers... Every one of us. Make your choice. Are you ready to be strong?"
PRESENT:
Vi, Rona, and Amanda closed their eyes, inhaling sharply.
The Turok-Han charged towards their meagre army as they stood on the cliff's edge, waiting for battle.
Vi opened her eyes, her mouth twisting into a confident smirk and her eyes flashing with a ferocity she had never known before. "These guys are dust."
In one fluid motion, Hel flung off her hooded black cloak to reveal her favourite armour. A black leather vest was layered over her silvery grey tunic and snugly laced at the back. Strips of leather wrapped around her arms, from her shoulders to her wrists. Silver vambraces on her forearms. Fitted, black leather trousers and knee-high black leather boots. She'd inherited her father's taste in fashion, that's for sure.
Widening her knees into a defensive stance, Hel conjured her broadsword. Her knuckles paled as her grip on the golden hilt tightened. A cunning smirk accompanied the wicked glint in her eyes. "Hello, boys."
The Turok-Han army rushed forth. Buffy, Faith and Spike fought them off with kicks and punches, while the Potentials made use of their newfound strength. Vi jumped and swung a kick, felling a Turok-Han. Rona punched one in the face, knocking it down. Amanda impaled one through the heart with her stake. Vi beheaded another Turok-Han with her sword.
The swarm of primitive vampires began to out number them. Kennedy appeared at the entrance of the cavern, sprinting directly into the battle carrying the scythe. "Buffy! Catch!" She threw the scythe to Buffy.
Buffy caught it, now capable of slaying Turok-Han faster than before, dusting one after another in mere seconds.
A Turok-Han launched itself at Kennedy, but she fended it off with ease. "I could get used to this." She remarked, grinning.
The battle was going well, as they were able to keep up with the endless number of Turok-Han coming for them. As their numbers increased, some of the Turok-Han slipped past their line of defence and up into the school.
In the middle of fighting off Turok-Han alongside the others, Spike suddenly stumbled backward and stared down at the amulet resting against his chest. It was glowing a bright, golden yellow, its luminosity increasing with each passing second. He touched the crystal centre, but quickly withdrew his hand as it was consequently burned. "Buffy! Whatever this thing does, I think it's—" Spike broke off, wincing and moaning in pain.
Not hearing him, Buffy called out to the girls. "Keep the line together! Drive them to the edge! We can't let them do—" Suddenly, Buffy lowered her gaze to discover the end of a bloody blade protruding from her abdomen. She staggered forward and collapsed to the ground, face-first.
Noticing Buffy on the ground, Faith ran to her side. "Buffy!"
Leaning up on her elbows, Buffy met her eyes. "Hold the line." She ordered weakly, offering her the scythe.
Faith took the weapon from her, stood, and returned to the battle. Buffy remained prone on the floor, grunting in agony as blood seeped from her stomach.
In spite of the amulet burning painfully against his chest, Spike continued to fight with Faith and the others. After slaughtering yet another Turok-Han, he caught a glimpse of Hel that gave him pause.
She was basking in the carnage. The loose, tousled curls of her black hair swayed with every movement she made. Her milky-white skin was almost luminous under the yellowed glow of the cavern. Her pink pout was drawn into a sardonic smile and her bright eyes shone as she slaughtered any demon who dared to face her. Her darkly radiant beauty was blinding. But he knew better than to be fooled by her pretty face. She was a warrior, through and through, capable of killing on sight and without remorse.
A grouping of Turok-Han attacked Faith, and she whirled around, her determined eyes searching the battlefield. "Rona!" She tossed Rona the scythe.
Rona caught the handle effortlessly, slashing down a couple of Turok-Han with the blade.
The First materialized before Buffy, disguised as her, and looked down at the bleeding wound reflected on its body. "Oh no... Ow! Mommy, this mortal wound is all... Itchy." The First's face contorted into a cocky smirk as it gave up the act and crouched down in front of Buffy. "You pulled a nice trick. You came pretty close to smacking me down. What more do you want?"
Buffy glowered up at the First, her green eyes burning with murderous intent. "I want you..." She ground out through gritted teeth, dragging herself into a sitting position. "To get out of my face." She snarled, ignoring the pain as she rose to her feet.
Seeing Buffy standing, Rona threw her the scythe. Buffy snatched it from midair and swung it in a mighty arc, sending three Turok-Han flying off the cliff at once.
Faith felt a renewed rush of strength and kicked her assailants off of her. She then took out a few Turok-Han. Vi slew one after another after another, and Kennedy disarmed one and dusted another. Buffy tossed one off the cliff and slaughtered one with the scythe.
Gasping, Spike clutched at the amulet against his chest and stumbled away from the fight. He released the amulet hastily when it burned his hand for the second time. "Oh, bollocks."
A beam of electric blue light shot up from the crystal at the centre of the amulet. It blasted a hole in the ceiling and shone up through the floor of the Principal's office, past Willow and through to the open sky. The light transitioned into a warm, fiery orange.
"Hel!" Spike cried out.
At the sound of his voice, Hel whipped around. "Spike!"
Before she could go to his side, the amulet refracted its light out into the Hellmouth like rays of sunshine—but with the concentrated intensity of a laser. Hel stared at Spike, her lips parting in silent shock as the amulet's luminescence swept throughout the Hellmouth and dusted every Turok-Han in its path. The ground started to violently shake, the stone rumbling below their feet.
"Everybody out, now!" Faith called out to the others,
The Potentials rushed to the stairs in a panic, desperate to escape before its too late. Everyone except Hel, who rushed to Spike's side instead, and Buffy, who paused upon noticing that Hel was running in the opposite direction of everyone else.
Spike gazed out at the destruction, amazed. "I can feel it, Hel."
"What?"
He turned his head, his eyes locking onto hers. "My soul. It's really there. Kind of stings." Seeming to realize the danger she was putting herself in as the walls crumbled around them, he snapped out of his trance. "Go on, then."
She shook her head rigorously. "No. No, you've done enough. You could still—"
"No, they've been beat back." He interrupted. "It's for me to do the cleanup."
"Buffy, come on!" Faith called out from the mouth of the exit.
Reluctantly, Buffy left Hel with Spike and followed Faith up the steps.
"Gotta move, lamb." Spike insisted. "I think it's fair to say school's out for bloody summer."
Hel took an adamant step forward and stood her ground, stubborn as always. "I'm not going anywhere."
"I mean it! I gotta do this." He held out his hand to stop her from moving any closer, but she only reached forward and interlaced her fingers through his. Their joined hands burst into flame, tendrils of fire licking their entwined fingers.
Hel blinked back the tears that stung her eyes and threatened to overflow. "If this is to end in fire, then we shall burn together."
The ghost of a smirk flickered fleetingly on his lips. "Just this once, can you stop being so bloody stubborn?"
The corner of her mouth lifted into some semblance of a smile, but it failed to reach her watery eyes. "No." Her expression fell, her upper lip quivering. "William... I—"
He cut her off, shaking his head slightly. "Everything you're about to say, I already know. Don't do it now. We've already had enough bad timing."
"There has to be something I can do."
"Smile for me. Go on. One last time."
Her breath hitched in her throat as she struggled to compose herself. "How could I smile?"
He forced a smile for her benefit, attempting to comfort her. "It's okay. Don't you worry. I'll remember it."
Another earthquake shook the vast underground cavern, dust and chunks of rock raining down as the ceiling began to cave.
He untangled his fingers from hers, gave her hand one final squeeze, and released her. "Now go!"
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Hel backed away from him but kept her eyes on his face. At the very last second, when she could put it off no longer, she spun around and dashed up the steps.
Spike grinned to himself, admiring the demolition of the Hellmouth. "I wanna see how it ends."