At Giles's, Riley is flipping through a spell book, asking if the spells really work. Willow assures him that the spells do work, but that one must have concentration and training to implement them. "Right," says Xander, "you can't just go 'librum incinderae' and expect -- " and the book he is holding bursts into flames. He slams the book shut and Giles wearily says, "Xander, don't speak Latin in front of the books." Willow exclaims that she's found the mark, and that it is a part of an augmentation spell. The spell augments the recipient and turns him or her into a paragon, "the best of everything, everyone's ideal." She continues that the spell has a balancing clause, in that a force of evil is also created. The gang concludes that Jonathan created the monster and Xander, still blind in his hero worship, says, "He did a spell just to make us think he was cool? That is so cool!" Riley realizes that Buffy and Jonathan might be in danger from the monster, and Giles explains that if the monster dies, the spell will be broken and Jonathan will revert. Anya muses that Jonathan won't want Buffy to succeed in finding the monster.

Jonathan and Buffy walk slowly through a cave. They come to the edge of a deep, dark chasm and Buffy notes that the fall would kill you. As she looks around, Jonathan agrees in an ominous tone, "Yeah, don't want that to happen," and takes Buffy's hand. But instead of pushing her, he begins to lead her away from the edge. At that moment, the monster attacks them.