The Emperor's Key
Chapter 10

Authors note

You will probably wonder what the hell is going on when you finish this chapter. Don't worry you should be able to understand after the epilogue that is coming next.
Oh in response to "Huh": No, the Grey Knights are not part of the Astartes as they and the Deathwatch are (or should I say were) part of the Inquisitions forces. But everyone else including the Black Templer Chapter were there.

Spike knelt beside Buffy, he wondered how much more his girl could take. She had finally stopped crying and the anguish on her face dissolved into determination. 'Willow open the portal, we're going after them.' She announced.

'I can't Buffy there's no way.'

'They just did it, so can you with the right supplies.'

'Sure, I'll call Giles and have him post me "time travel for dummies". Buffy the future they came from doesn't exist yet. No future exists, its all an abstract concept.'

'If it doesn't exist where did they go? What about predestination and the prophecies? If the future doesn't exist how can they be true?' Spike asked

Willow sighed 'It's difficult to explain but here goes. In alternate dimensions different choices are made, alternate dimensions are created by whatever choices we make. From this point forward we have an infinite amount of choices thus an infinite amount of possible futures. The further you want to go the more futures you eventually end up with. Tomorrow or forty thousand years makes no difference, time must move according to its own designs.

'However if you start off in the future we have a completely different set of rules. For the future tomorrow is yesterday and only one possibility has happened and has played out. While forward has infinite possibilities back only has one. From there you just need to be able to navigate time and you can go back. Prophecies are just communications from the future.'

Spike could swear non of that was English. 'Then where did the Bit go?'

'The future sent for her, the portal came from the future and was anchored to now and then. But now the portal is closed "Then" no longer exists.'

Buffy stared at Willow 'Dawn no longer exists?'

'No she exists, but only as a concept. Even if I somehow open this portal I can't get it to go where or when we want. When you start messing with time you mess with the fundamentals that bind the universe. If it opens into a conceived reality we'd be very, very lucky, if not we could open a door way into nothing, a nothing that would destroy everything. There is no way to get her back.'

'She's gone then.' Buffy was on the verge of breaking down again.

Willow simply nodded.

Buffy stood up straight with tears standing in her eyes. 'I couldn't save her?' it was somehow a question.

No one dared answer it.

It took some time to get out of the cave system, still no one spoke . The only sound Buffy could hear was her own ragged breath, she refused to cry anymore. She passed the time remembering Dawn, determined never to forget the tiniest thing. They finally clawed their way out of the labyrinth and she looked to the sky. It was a clear night and the stars shone brightly.

'There's that village we passed, we could find a hotel or something and find out just where in the alps we are.' Angel spoke quietly. Buffy could only nod.

Half way down the mountain that clear night changed. A deep red mist seeped out of the rocks at their feet and spiralled into a silent tornado. Without anyone saying anything they backed up, the red mist congealed and merged into a black hole.

What stepped out of that hole could only be described as a nightmare. A true demon that was over twenty foot tall and looked like Satan on steroids. Blood red skin and leather straps covering its chest. His tattered black leather wings flared wide as it stood to it's full height. 'Mr Angel, I can't tell you how good it is to see you again.' It said as it uncurled it's massive whip from around it's waist.

'Hamilton, didn't I kill you?' Angel stepped in front of the still retreating group, Buffy gawped at the thing and Angels' statement.

'Ha! As if something like you could stop me. I am a chosen of Khorne and greater daemon master of his armies. Prepare to die.' In one hand he held the whip and in his other a burning axe that looked too big, even for someone his size.

Spike jumped up with an almost insane smile. 'Wow, great for you mate! Work that system. We'll be over there... Running for our lives.' He grabbed Buffy's arm and headed for the caves.

Not far behind Kennedy said 'That's got to be the best idea I've ever heard!' The group ran as fast as they could. The winged killing machine toyed with them, flying after them and cracking the whip at their heals or just in front of them. The whip obliterated rock and trees with equal effort.

Hamilton realised where they were heading a moment to late and was just that thankful second too slow to stop them. 'Hell that was close.' Spike noted. As the demon reached into the cave with his arm, it was too small for his enormous bulk.

'You thought you killed that? How?' Spike could here the disbelief in his slayers words.

'He looked human when I broke his neck...' Angel said limply. A long roar came from outside before becoming a laugh.

Everyone looked to the cave mouth a handful of smaller red demons were gathered there. Each raised a pail black sword and charged.

The fight didn't last long, their numbers were the same but Spike knew that his side had the best skills. When the lesser demons lay on the cave floor Spike looked at the swords, what he first thought was decoration was actually moving. Faces of people screamed out unheard from the blade in agony. He heard Willow gasp, 'Don't touch them, the swords drain your soul as they kill you.'

'I believe that it is time to run again.' Illyria mentioned pointing to the entrance. A glance told Spike that was a good idea. More of the smaller things stood there, a lot more.

It had to be morning by now and Buffy was bone tired. She wouldn't admit it but her time with The Immortal had drained her and she wasn't up to full strength, Spike must have noticed but he had his hands too full to help. After running for their lives for the second time that night they had gotten lost yet again, fortunately this meant that the dozens of demons following them would have to spit up to find them. Unfortunately they had little food or sleep and not much chance to get any more of either. Twice more they came a cross a group of the sword welding demons and the chances of making a fatal mistake increased each time.

The sound of weapons clashing came from somewhere down the passage they were currently in. 'What the hell...' Buffy muttered before heading that way.

What she saw would probably stay with her for the rest of her life. Five of the red demons faced up against four big armoured men armed with medieval weapons. Three of the men had swords while the fourth had what looked to be a staff, one end was surmounted with a birds head the other with a large blade. The four took the phrase "dance of death" seriously. The swordsmen moved in flowing steps, their whole body carrying the strength they needed while the other used short violent moves to kill his opponent.

Spike was shocked but recognised the armour, it was the same type that the Old Wolf wore: Thick body with oversized shoulders and a large block over the back, it looked like they were hunched over. But these armoured behemoths were dark grey instead of the light blue grey of the wolves. There was a soft light coming from some where in the cave.

As they killed the demons Spike could see Buffy's face harden, as the last one was falling she strode up to the one with the halberd. 'I don't know who you are or where you come from but if you don't tell me in the next five minutes I will ram that thing up your ass, sideways.'

The large man looked down at the little lady and back at his weapon, The helmet twisting from one side to another. Up close they could see that it was the weapons that glowed with power, casting soft shadows over the walls. 'I do not know who you are.'

The warrior said with out a trace of emotion or malice.

'I don't care. Did you have anything to do with Dawn?'

The man took two steps closer to Buffy 'A mortal can never say that name, She is the holy teacher.' Both malice and emotion, mostly rage, coloured those words.

'She's my sister.' That one sentence had an amazing effect. The armoured men fell to their knees and bowed.

'Uncounted apologies your highness We did not know. Your order is ours to obey. I am Captain Blackwar, third in command of His imperial majesty's royal guard of Grey Knights.' He grovelled at Buffy's feet.

'Urm... Okay, Captain... How did you get here?'

'His majesty came back to return the blessed teacher to her own time.'

'Dawn? She's back? Take us to her.'

'Immediately.' As one the four stood and walked down one of the corridors.

Two passages later they were back in the cavern with the monolith. An army of the "Grey Knights" stood there.

'Hi sis, long time.' Dawn walked towards them with a smile on her face. She was wearing something very strange, a pail purple shoal over a white dress. A slightly darker purple belt came over it all and held what looked to be a pistol to one side and a short dagger to the other.

The most astounding change was that she looked a little older. Still not as old as Buffy but older. She briefly hugged Buffy and Spike before laughing. 'It's been a while.'

'How long?' Angel asked carefully.

'That's hard to say. Time doesn't work quite the same in the Warp and different worlds measure years differently. Close to five standard years, which means at least two here.'

Buffy did the math and realised she was now nineteen, 'You WILL tell me every thing that happened to you.'

Dawn's smile flickered 'No I won't. Some things you don't need to know. Others are unimportant and the rest would drastically effect what must be. If you're worried about me, nothing happened. I got older and a little wiser, nothing else.'

Before anyone reacted to that statement someone approached. Buffy had to force her mouth to stay closed, out of the corner of her eye she could see Spike struggling to remain standing. She looked around; Willow wilted, as if over come by the great force of the man. Illyria bowed deeply as Angel's jaw fell to sea level and then some.

Their guards fell to their knees and rose just as quickly at a quick, offhand, gesture.

The man himself was only a few inches taller than Dawn and looked about thirty, how long He had looked about thirty is another matter. His eyes showed Him to be a very old and strong man, however Buffy could see an obscure pain hiding there. His close cropped light brown/blond hair was smart and somehow matched the brilliant white of His gold inlayed armour. None of this had caused the amazement that they felt.

His very presence was more than a man it felt like even more than a God. After she found her voice again Buffy asked what was probably the dumbest question of her life, 'So you would be The Emperor right?'

After brief pause he answered, 'Yes Miss Summers I am.' The pain behind his eyes flared before he broke eye contact. 'Captain what happened to your men?'

'Bloodletters your majesty. They swarm the caves searching perhaps for these honoured persons.'

'Damn, I thought I felt something. Colonel Rightfort,' He turned to a highly decorated man who was hovering just behind his shoulder. 'Take all but Dawn's personal guard and clean the mountain.'

'At once your imperial majesty!' He bellowed before turning to the cave and giving orders. Buffy and the gang stepped out of the cave mouth and watched as the army quick marched down it.

Illyria took the opportunity to approach the God-Emperor. 'As a former ruler of this world I congratulate you. Your men fear and respect you, admirable.'

'Such a shame.' Was all He said.

'In what way?' she was very confused by his reaction.

'The life you now have belonged to someone else and you have no idea how to live it. Perhaps not through any choice of your own but you took a full life, a good life and you now exist only as a shadow. Talking of past glories and victories as if they some how insulate you from the passage of time. You have eternity ahead of you and so much potential. You have a gift you did not earn, the only way to honour that gift is to use it. You might not have the power you once had but you still have the knowledge.' The beings condescending tones cut deep into her. To have this stranger say her own fears in a way that struck so many notes worried her, was she so easy to read? After a brief pause he spoke again, 'I could tell you more but you know it all yourself. You have made a difference, for a glorious moment you did something with your existence. Work on that and honour the life you took.

'I could stand here all day and still not cover everything. Come, I believe that a certain Greater Daemon is awaiting you on the mountain side. I'd hate to disappoint the deluded fool.'

Buffy kept an eye on Illyria as the expanded group left the cavern, she was discreetly shaking. At first the darkness came back to the caves but then The Emperor looked around, from nowhere white light bathed the passage making it as light as day. Now able to see where they were going it didn't take long to get out of the mountain.

Just outside the big red demon sat, sharpening his axe with a boulder he had ripped from the ground. 'Ahh back so soon? No point in delaying the inevitable.' The giant demon strode closer before he noticed the extra people. 'What in the Warp?!'

The Emperor's grin was so familiar, Buffy couldn't place it but for some reason she looked to Spike, he just shrugged. Looking back she saw the God-Emperor reach into nothing and pull a large black broadsword out of thin air with a shimmering sound.

Hamilton roared before charging with his axe raised high. When to two weapons met you would expect a clashing sound but there was non, other than the song of the Emperor's black blade as it sliced through the war axe. Instantly the smaller man back-flipped high into the air, catching the much larger demon under the chin with both feet.

As The Emperor continued the flip, landing above the entrance with cat like agility, Hamilton was sent flying onto his back. Getting up the demon spat out several massive teeth and bellowed. The Emperor simply stood there as His opponent uncoiled its whip and lashed out with it.

Buffy decided at that point to never get the Emperor angry with her. In mid-strike the white armoured God caught the whip and pulled it tight with His left hand. The twenty foot demon master struggled, first with one arm but then with both, against the invincible grip. Then the Emperor tugged back. He pulled the demon, not only off its feet (well hoofs), but using the whip smashed it against the mountain side.

Lying, stunned, on the ground the greater demon tried to get up but the Emperor jumped down and landed on it. Hamilton screamed as He deftly carved a pentagon into the things chest before burying the sword to the hilt in the shapes precise centre.

The tortured screech of uncounted souls shook the trees and the demon imploded.

'That was impressive'

The Emperor ginned the familiar grin again. 'Why thank you Illyria. Your too kind.'

Buffy noticed Dawn tense when she saw that smile, being far from stupid she knew that something was going on but she couldn't guess what. 'So what happens next?' she asked.

'I must leave you. I have been gone too long and many things have happened.' The Emperor slid his sword back into nowhere.

'So that's it? You came, you saw, you banished?' Spike asked.

'What did you expect?'

Spike just shrugged and Buffy felt the same. As the Emperor gestured to his men to follow she decided to ask something. 'Where you come from is there nothing but war?'

The Emperor stopped mid stride, 'Only war.'

'Is there any way to stop it?'

He turned around and looked at her, the muscles on his jaw line wavered for a moment before he spoke. 'Yes there is. In a few thousand years Chaos will be ready to attack this world again. If you change the out come of that battle you will avoid my future.'

'Change the out come?'

'Yes. If you lose, my future will no longer exist.'

'Lose?!' Buffy was shocked at the implications

'Yes. Chaos will always attack and we will always have to fight it. My future is the result of winning every conflict. Yes my time is dark, filled with death and destruction for millions, nay billions, every day. It is perhaps the worst time for humanity, but it is still a time of humans.' He walked away taking Dawn's guard with him. 'And who knows, is it always darkest before the dawn?' He said before walking into the cave entrance. For a long moment they could here the echo of footfalls coming from the cave.

'What did that mean?' Angel asked in the silence that followed.

'With the Emperor awake He can bind the armies of the Imperium and smash Chaos out of this dimension before turning His attention to the Necrons banishing them. He was talking about bringing a new golden age to humanity.' Dawn said, Buffy was surprised to see she was crying and at a loss as to why.

End chapter 10

I'm sorry about the amount of time I have taken writing this chapter. Two bouts of writers block and several other things kept me distracted. If you have any questions I'll be answering them at the end of the next, final, chapter.