Title - Dawn, The Key: The Reality of War Part 1
Author - Shane A. Hopkins (thesorcererbard@I-am-the-key.com)
Rating - PG
Disclaimer - What I don't own. Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox own Buffy the Vampire Slayer and everything related to them. The Ghost Roads, The Gatekeeper and The Gatehouse come from the Buffy, The Vampire Slayer novels The Gatekeeper Trilogy Books 1, 2 and 3 by Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder (Great set of books get em if you can) What I do own. Everything not owned by the above mentioned people / companies is owned by me but you may use any of it as long as you give me credit. There is one exception to this and that is Quinton Everett III, he is mine and you can't use him whatsoever.
Authors Note - To be introduced to Quinton Everett III please read one of my previous stories "Love's Energy"
Authors Note 2 - This story follows directly on from my previous one "Guardians of The Key"
Authors Note 3 - I know this is slightly shorter than my usual stories but that couldn't be helped sorry.
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The Reality of War - Part 1
"What am I?" Dawn asked The Gatekeeper.
The boy looked at her a second before answering, "You are Dawn, The Key."
"I destroyed thousands of lives with my own two hands, I killed and I liked it, what does that make me?" she said growing agitated.
"Dawn, stop, you can't blame yourself and you know it." said Quinton Everett III, practicing sorcerer and head Guardian of The Key, "What destroyed those people was purely the key, yes it shares your memories and your body but it wasn't you."
"I know, Quinn, but I remember killing all those people and I remember liking it, that scares me, what if I do something to Jason or James and Juliet." Dawn said standing up and facing Quinn, her fear was clear in her voice but Quinn heard something else in it, anger.
"Dawn, please stop it." her sister Buffy pleaded from the chair she sat in.
"NO!" Dawn's voice took on the sharp edge that had only appeared when her Key personality took over, That voice could cut flesh, literally. "No I . I have to . to do something, I have . have to find Jason." her voice had returned to normal but those in the room could hear that she was struggling to keep control of herself.
"You know we're doing all we can." Quinn answered, "Giles and Angel have contacts in Hell, and they'll find him."
"Do you think they can calm her down?" Tara asked her wife and wiccan partner, Willow.
"For once I really don't know." she answered as she reached out to Tara and drew her nearer. They were in their bed in the room in the Watcher's Council offices in London, England.
"I think they will, but if Jason is dead I think we'll lose her forever." Tara told her as she cuddled closer.
"I know." the worry was audible in her voice.
"Don't worry honey things will work out, they have to." Tara said as she moved towards Willow and kissed her firmly on the lips.
Willow broke the kiss first and said "That's why I love you, you always know how to clam me down"
With that she pulled Tara into an extremely passionate kiss, one that could only end in one way.
"Will they find him?" Anya asked her husband.
"Yes." Xander answered, "I have no doubt they can."
In truth Xander had no idea but he knew that Anya still required reassurance, she was still having problems adjusting to being human, despite loosing her powers over twenty years ago.
They were lying in their bed in the room next to Willow and Tara's and although the walls were relatively thick they could still hear the sounds of passion from them.
"Listen to them how can they do that with Jason missing and Dawn out of control?" Xander asked.
In response Anya pulled Xander into her and kissed him passionately. Xander
responded in kind.
"I found him." Christophenso The Bold, chaos demon and all round softie, told Angel and Giles over the phone's screen.
"Where?" Giles asked.
"You won't like it." Christophenso said, "He's in Paynetta."
"You're right I don't like it." Angel said.
"I've heard of Paynetta, it's exactly like the hell described in the Christian bible." Giles said looking between the screen and Angel.
"Yup, and there are a lot of demons there who would love to torture a human." Angel said.
"Yea well they must know who his wife is, coz their not going near him." Christophenso said with a small smile.
"You're kidding." Angel said in amazement.
"Nope, but you better hurry coz I don't think it'll last forever." Christophenso said, "So I'll leave you guys to it just call if you need any help."
"Will do Chris." Angel answered as he reached out and turned off the phone.
Less than half an hour later a gathering was under way in the war-room seated around the table in the middle of the room were Xander, Anya, Willow and Tara, Buffy and Quinn, The Gatekeeper, Dawn, Giles and his wife Marie. Angel was standing at the head of the table outlining the battle plan for rescuing Jason from hell.
". and with a bit of luck and a lot of skill we get out with few casualties on our part." he finished.
"How many people do we need?" Giles asked.
"As many as we can get." Angel answered.
"The Guardian's will be supplying the bulk of the forces led by Dawn and myself." Quinn said.
"The three main teams will consist of Dawn and Quinn, who will be looking for Jason, Buffy Willow, Tara and myself watching their back and The Gatekeeper, Xander, Anya and Giles, who will stay here and make sure this place is safe." Angel said.
"Lets go." Dawn said standing up.
"We should arm up first, shall we?" Buffy said standing and placing her hand on her sisters shoulder.
"Ok." Dawn answered placing her hand on top of Buffy's.
Half an hour later all six intrepid rescuers and their backup were armed to the teeth with guns, stakes, swords, knives, battle axes and crosses. Giles and Xander were preparing the Council buildings defences in case the Knights choose that moment to attack.
"Gatekeeper, can you open a door to Paynetta, please." Quinn asked.
"Certainly." The Gatekeeper said, he began to draw a circle in the air gradually going faster and faster until the circle glowed and became a solid disc which when The Gatekeeper touched it spiralled open. Inside the circle was a switch.
The Gatekeeper took the circle and handed it to Quinn, "This switch operates the portal to Paynetta, all you do to open the portal is flip the switch but remember the portal does not move with you, you will have to remember where you entered Paynetta."
"Got it, everyone ready to go?" Quinn said turning to the group.
The Guardians answered with a resounding, "Aye, Aye sir!"
Buffy and the rest of Quinn's friends just nodded. Quinn reached into the circle and flipped the switch.
"Right, half The Guardians in front and the other half bring up the rear, right now move out!" Quinn said.
Fifteen heavily armed warriors entered the portal that had opened behind Quinn who followed them, behind him was Dawn, then Buffy, Willow, Tara and Angel then the last fifteen warriors followed them and the portal closed behind the last one.
"Can they succeed?" Giles asked The Gatekeeper.
The boy looked up at him, a concerned look on his face, "I don't know."
To be continued.
Author - Shane A. Hopkins (thesorcererbard@I-am-the-key.com)
Rating - PG
Disclaimer - What I don't own. Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox own Buffy the Vampire Slayer and everything related to them. The Ghost Roads, The Gatekeeper and The Gatehouse come from the Buffy, The Vampire Slayer novels The Gatekeeper Trilogy Books 1, 2 and 3 by Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder (Great set of books get em if you can) What I do own. Everything not owned by the above mentioned people / companies is owned by me but you may use any of it as long as you give me credit. There is one exception to this and that is Quinton Everett III, he is mine and you can't use him whatsoever.
Authors Note - To be introduced to Quinton Everett III please read one of my previous stories "Love's Energy"
Authors Note 2 - This story follows directly on from my previous one "Guardians of The Key"
Authors Note 3 - I know this is slightly shorter than my usual stories but that couldn't be helped sorry.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
The Reality of War - Part 1
"What am I?" Dawn asked The Gatekeeper.
The boy looked at her a second before answering, "You are Dawn, The Key."
"I destroyed thousands of lives with my own two hands, I killed and I liked it, what does that make me?" she said growing agitated.
"Dawn, stop, you can't blame yourself and you know it." said Quinton Everett III, practicing sorcerer and head Guardian of The Key, "What destroyed those people was purely the key, yes it shares your memories and your body but it wasn't you."
"I know, Quinn, but I remember killing all those people and I remember liking it, that scares me, what if I do something to Jason or James and Juliet." Dawn said standing up and facing Quinn, her fear was clear in her voice but Quinn heard something else in it, anger.
"Dawn, please stop it." her sister Buffy pleaded from the chair she sat in.
"NO!" Dawn's voice took on the sharp edge that had only appeared when her Key personality took over, That voice could cut flesh, literally. "No I . I have to . to do something, I have . have to find Jason." her voice had returned to normal but those in the room could hear that she was struggling to keep control of herself.
"You know we're doing all we can." Quinn answered, "Giles and Angel have contacts in Hell, and they'll find him."
"Do you think they can calm her down?" Tara asked her wife and wiccan partner, Willow.
"For once I really don't know." she answered as she reached out to Tara and drew her nearer. They were in their bed in the room in the Watcher's Council offices in London, England.
"I think they will, but if Jason is dead I think we'll lose her forever." Tara told her as she cuddled closer.
"I know." the worry was audible in her voice.
"Don't worry honey things will work out, they have to." Tara said as she moved towards Willow and kissed her firmly on the lips.
Willow broke the kiss first and said "That's why I love you, you always know how to clam me down"
With that she pulled Tara into an extremely passionate kiss, one that could only end in one way.
"Will they find him?" Anya asked her husband.
"Yes." Xander answered, "I have no doubt they can."
In truth Xander had no idea but he knew that Anya still required reassurance, she was still having problems adjusting to being human, despite loosing her powers over twenty years ago.
They were lying in their bed in the room next to Willow and Tara's and although the walls were relatively thick they could still hear the sounds of passion from them.
"Listen to them how can they do that with Jason missing and Dawn out of control?" Xander asked.
In response Anya pulled Xander into her and kissed him passionately. Xander
responded in kind.
"I found him." Christophenso The Bold, chaos demon and all round softie, told Angel and Giles over the phone's screen.
"Where?" Giles asked.
"You won't like it." Christophenso said, "He's in Paynetta."
"You're right I don't like it." Angel said.
"I've heard of Paynetta, it's exactly like the hell described in the Christian bible." Giles said looking between the screen and Angel.
"Yup, and there are a lot of demons there who would love to torture a human." Angel said.
"Yea well they must know who his wife is, coz their not going near him." Christophenso said with a small smile.
"You're kidding." Angel said in amazement.
"Nope, but you better hurry coz I don't think it'll last forever." Christophenso said, "So I'll leave you guys to it just call if you need any help."
"Will do Chris." Angel answered as he reached out and turned off the phone.
Less than half an hour later a gathering was under way in the war-room seated around the table in the middle of the room were Xander, Anya, Willow and Tara, Buffy and Quinn, The Gatekeeper, Dawn, Giles and his wife Marie. Angel was standing at the head of the table outlining the battle plan for rescuing Jason from hell.
". and with a bit of luck and a lot of skill we get out with few casualties on our part." he finished.
"How many people do we need?" Giles asked.
"As many as we can get." Angel answered.
"The Guardian's will be supplying the bulk of the forces led by Dawn and myself." Quinn said.
"The three main teams will consist of Dawn and Quinn, who will be looking for Jason, Buffy Willow, Tara and myself watching their back and The Gatekeeper, Xander, Anya and Giles, who will stay here and make sure this place is safe." Angel said.
"Lets go." Dawn said standing up.
"We should arm up first, shall we?" Buffy said standing and placing her hand on her sisters shoulder.
"Ok." Dawn answered placing her hand on top of Buffy's.
Half an hour later all six intrepid rescuers and their backup were armed to the teeth with guns, stakes, swords, knives, battle axes and crosses. Giles and Xander were preparing the Council buildings defences in case the Knights choose that moment to attack.
"Gatekeeper, can you open a door to Paynetta, please." Quinn asked.
"Certainly." The Gatekeeper said, he began to draw a circle in the air gradually going faster and faster until the circle glowed and became a solid disc which when The Gatekeeper touched it spiralled open. Inside the circle was a switch.
The Gatekeeper took the circle and handed it to Quinn, "This switch operates the portal to Paynetta, all you do to open the portal is flip the switch but remember the portal does not move with you, you will have to remember where you entered Paynetta."
"Got it, everyone ready to go?" Quinn said turning to the group.
The Guardians answered with a resounding, "Aye, Aye sir!"
Buffy and the rest of Quinn's friends just nodded. Quinn reached into the circle and flipped the switch.
"Right, half The Guardians in front and the other half bring up the rear, right now move out!" Quinn said.
Fifteen heavily armed warriors entered the portal that had opened behind Quinn who followed them, behind him was Dawn, then Buffy, Willow, Tara and Angel then the last fifteen warriors followed them and the portal closed behind the last one.
"Can they succeed?" Giles asked The Gatekeeper.
The boy looked up at him, a concerned look on his face, "I don't know."
To be continued.