As if Ring Day weren't enough to make Buffy Summers anxious (she can't
even afford one of the less expensive silver bands), the Slayer has her
hands full trying to figure out why an average split-level house in
Sunnydale has all the vampires spooked. When she arrives at the library
to discuss this new development with Giles, a package he's received
from an old folklorist in Russia reveals what's going on: The stars are
properly aligned for an attempt to resurrect Koschei the Deathless, a
long-dead evil sorcerer. So while her classmates are busy choosing
rings to demonstrate their school spirit, Buffy must figure out how to
keep someone from reviving Koschei and, should she need to resort to
plan B, how to kill him again.
A little investigating soon leads
Buffy and the gang to the necromancer who originally killed the
sorcerer, an immortal Russian sorceress named Yulia Dryanushkina, who
can control vampires (which explains their reluctance to pass by her
place of residence). When the crew pays Yulia a visit, she assures them
that with Willow's assistance, she would be able to kill the sorcerer
again should he be revived.
Neither Buffy nor Willow are
particularly comfortable with aligning themselves with the necromancer,
but they have no other choice when, twenty-four hours later, the
vampires start behaving strangely... and half the senior class goes
missing.
