The Emperor's Key.

Chapter 5

Authors note:

I am well aware that this story is getting dangerously close to an "R" rating If you think I should change it Please review and tell me.

Brother Macaty stood up. It was his time to lead the almighty supplication to the God-Emperor of Mankind. Bowing to the height of the steps he dared to gaze upon the Emperor for the first time in two hundred and seventy five years of worship. 'Let the ever watchful justice of his will hear us.' He crocked out in his aged voice. The living God, forever sealed in a status field that kept him free from the effects of time and the outside world, sat immobile as ever. Brother Macaty bowed again and looked up. The Emperor blinked. The old monk simply died of shock.

Across the immaterial dimension know as "The Warp" the physic beacon that guided many of humanities warships flared. Only four beings noticed and they began to worry.

'So you three survived the Senior Partners wrath and decided to come here, to Rome, to tell us what happened.' Dawn summed up the end of the story. Somehow everything had settled down. Njal and his raven were watching over Buffy in the other room, two of Logan's Wolf Guard stood at the balcony, another at the door and the other two were looking out the windows, Ulrik was keeping his eye on Dawn in case some thing else went wrong while the Old Wolf himself listened in on Spike's story. Absently finishing Dawn's bottle, much to her annoyance.

'More or less.' Spike smiled creepily. While Spike lounged on the sofa Angel had the decency to look guilty. A couple of times he tried to defend himself but Spike ignored him. The third visitor merely looked around like some sort of half smurf trying to look imperious. Nothing compared to the true Emperor, Dawn truly doubted anyone would impress her after seeing him.

'Don't tell me you have another surprise!' she sat down. The cocktail of drugs and booze that kept her relatively sane and somehow sober was beginning to wear off and a very bad headache was coming.

'Dawnie look out the window.' Spike's smile stayed put

'Why? Its just the sun. Just the nice warm bright sun streaming through the window and hitting both you and Angel full in the face! What the Hell?!?' Dawn jumped to her feet and fought the urge to vomit again (twice in the bathroom had been quite enough in her opinion).

'Wesley made a mistake with his translation of the Shansu prophecy.' Angel started. 'The Shansu said that when the Vampire with a soul won in a pivotal battle that would stop the apocalypse he would become human. That's how Wesley translated it at least.'

'But the Head Boy couldn't translate for salt,' Spike continued. 'It actuality said "the Vampires with souls will grow and age like a normal humans." In other words space-man and me can walk in the sunlight, have kids and die of old age but we still have our vampire strength and that lot. Best of both worlds.'

'Wonderful! Going to get a nice tan are you? Or maybe a five course meal?' sarcasm dripped from every word. 'Because you never told us Buffy went out and met the Immortal. Do you know what he has done!' Dawn exploded.

'When the ponce here found out he was back we came here to stop him.'

Dawn was so shocked she had to remember to blink.

'Just over a hundred years ago now me, Dru, Darla and Angelus came down here to feed and see the sights. The basterd was here then, he had his minions chain me and him,' he jerked his thumb at Angel, 'to a rafter and spent a night and a day with both Dru and Darla.' Spike nudged Angel to carry on.

'When I found out he was seen with her I...'

Spike coughed.

'...we rushed over here to help her. Then Andrew told us how they were together and...'

'ANDREW KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE!!'

'Since Dana and the whole psycho Slayer situation.'

'When I'm sober enough I'm going to really stone HIM with real rocks!' Dawn was livid.

'Back to the point,' Angel started again. 'We came here and the Immortal kept us busy with the reincarnation of a decapitated head of a demon-mafia boss. Then we had all the problems with the Black Circle and stopping the apocalypse. What has happened and who are these guys?'

'If you want the long story ask the wolf-skull in black. The short of it is that four gods from the future what me so they can invade the material universe. They came from the future to stop them. Buffy isn't much good to any one at the moment because the Immortal worships one of the four gods and he used his mojo to control her.' Dawn grimaced at her choice of words.

'Can we see her?' Angel had heart in his eyes while Spike jumped up and dashed for Buffy's room making the point mute.

'I'll be there in a minute.' Dawn watched the tall half vampire (if there was such a thing) dash off after Spike with Smurfet in tow and turned to look at the old man 'Master Grimnar?'

For a moment he looked shocked only to smile scarily. 'Few people have ever called me that. Most know just to call me Old Wolf.'

'Sorry, while I was asleep I think I had a vision. A big guy with long teeth like yours but brown hair and a dark beard. He was huge. Well he had a pack of wolves, each as big as a donkey, following him around. He told me he was Leman Russ.' All of the Space Wolves were looking at her. 'We were in some sort of massive room and at the back was a flight of golden stairs. It was strange, there were so many steps but it didn't take very long to get to the top. When we got there the was this guy sitting there and he couldn't move. I don't think I've seen anything like it before. There was so much gold that it almost blinded me. You know how tacky that much gold looks? How full of your self you have to be just to stand there? The Emperor made it look pathetic. In the end a two headed wolf the size of a horse came from behind the throne, knelt down and really spoke! He said:- "I can not hold Him. He wishes to leave." Then I woke up.'

'A powerful vision. Do you know what it means?'

'Yes, I also know why you're really here, your primarch told me on the way up the stairs. I have to, but not yet. Can I wait 'till Buffy's better? I have to tell her every thing will be alright and that I don't blame her... please.' Dawn trailed off.

Ulrik walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. 'You are very strong, you got that from your sister. I have lived for over a thousand and twenty years and even now I feel the loss of a sister and a family I left before I truly became a man. Your bravery and courage matches that of the greatest in our legends. Sleep now we will wake you when your sister is better.'

'Alright but don't kill any of the locals please. If we can get out of this city quietly we might be able to lose Buffy, Spike and the rest of them.'

As Dawn got to sleep Ulrik looked to the Old Wolf. 'She will come with us. The word of Russ has been spoken.'

'Good. I feel for her. Will her sister recover?'

'No my Lord, you know that as well as I.'

'Then we must decide how to leave.'

'There are two web-way portals active. One is under heavy guard on the other continent. The only way is back trough the same portal that we arrived.'

'I still do not trust the Eldar, they are alien and often have their own motives,'

'True but we have no choice. Only they can truly navigate time and for now our goals and theirs are the same.'

Next chapter should be fun, look for it...

Review replies!!!

This is where I answer the reviewers who say I made mistakes... and fess up if I made them.

da5id:- "but its twenty chapters" Gahhh! There were twelve Primarchs and one Legion per Primarch. After the Horus Heresy there were only six or so left loyal to the Emperor and they were split into twenty chapters. This is called the Second Founding I would have mentioned it but it would just confuse the hell out of non 40K players. Especially because there have been at least 25 founding's since then!

huh?:- You make three points, so here you go, One Grimnar doesn't give a crap about the high lords of terra or the Inquisition! He (like all the space marine chapter leaders) answer only to the Emperor or his own Primarch and of all the chapters the Space wolves are the most unique and most willing to kick a Inquisitor in the groin and spit on him/her. Two Not all Space Wolves are werewolves, only a few are affected by "The curse of the Wulfen" and most who are die during the trials. However some can resist the curse and become berserkers and are worse than anything the Blood Angels (who happen to be vampires and not the best people to send) or the thrice dammed Dark Angels (who are famous glory hounds, traitors and cowards) could ever imagine. The 13th company was known as the Wulfen for their Wolf Lord (or sub-leader) was one of these berserkers and lead his company into the warp never to be seen again. Three Oops! I forgot about that. While plastisteel is strong a shotgun can damage it. But please remember that your saying that a shotgun thirty-eight thousand years in the future has the same power as a standard twelve gage. Buffy's punches should have done something and Ulrik should have flinched. Nothing more than that but there should have been more of a reaction. Sorry.

Keep reviewing I'm certain there are other mistakes that I can't defend (spelling and grammar not included, too easy.) or just tell me you like it, your choice.