As the episode loaded, a strange chill settled over the room. On screen, Spike made his iconic debut, crashing his car into the "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign. But as Elena leaned closer, the audio began to distort. Spike’s snarky British accent shifted, layering into a whisper that seemed to come from the corner of her ceiling. "You’re watching a bit late, aren't you, pet?"

The screen flickered one last time, the Xrysoi logo pulsing like a heartbeat, before the room plunged into total darkness.

The flickering glow of the laptop screen was the only light in Elena’s room as the "Buffy" theme song—synonymous with the nostalgic Xrysoi era—began to play. She had finally reached Season 2, Episode 3: "School Hard."