Dragon's Claws #29

"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
- Andy Warhol, 'The Philosophy of Andy Warhol,

Pen Dragon looked around, wondering where the hell he was and what had happened to Jessica and Elena. This appeared to be New York, but it was a New York that was alive, not devastated by the Martian assault and there was a multi-coloured sky above him.

"You're in the wrong part of town, amigo," said a voice and he turned to see a group of Mexicans standing behind him. They were dressed in gang colours and he knew this wasn't going to end well.

"You really don't want to start this," he warned them.

"But you're Pen Dragon," their leader said. "There's a pretty good reward for your capture."

Pen's eyes narrowed. Nobody should know he was here. "That reward good dead, or alive?"

"Dead, of course."

"Yeah," sighed Pen, thinking that was always the way. "Bring it then." Six rushed towards him, brandishing weapons ranging from knives to bars. No guns though, which would make this easier, because otherwise it'd have been a shooting war and he needed to make an example.

He grabbed the first one, slammed his knee in to his chest and turned him around to use him as a shield against an oncoming knife. He pushed the shield in to the knifeman, sending him to the floor, covered by the injured body of his friend. Now they were down to four and Dragon avoided the slashing motion of a broken bottle at either side of him. As one came, he grabbed the hand and turned the bottle on the other before throwing the captive over his shoulder, taking the bottle as he went. The other foe slashed at him and Pen slammed his fist in to the bottle, covering his eyes as shards flew everywhere, a stray piece of glass going in to the other's eye. Then he felt something slam across his back and the sheer force knocked him to the floor. That had hurt and he was lucky his spine wasn't broken. Then the other two started to kick him as he tried to stand, and then they were joined by a third. He tried to fight them off but to no effect and he knew he was going to have a problem unless he did something.

"Oh, bollocks to it," he said and fired his hot knives, taking them out and he slowly staggered to his feet. Pen stretched, knowing he was going ache in the morning and he went to where the other was covered by the body of his friend. He was pretty stunned and soaked in the blood of his comrade, and Pen knew he was going to get info out of him. He pulled the body off him, but the guy didn't seem to notice. He was in shock. "Who's after me?" Dragon said, but got no answer, so he shrugged and stepped on the person's chest, hearing the crack of ribs as he did so, but he didn't take his weight off him. "Let's try that again."

"I will tell you nothing," the man hissed in pain. He closed his eyes and his head exploded, almost as if someone had put a grenade in his mouth. The force of the explosion threw Pen clear, as well as giving him some sinew to wipe from his face.

"That's just great," he said, flinging the bits of bloodied grey matter to the floor. "Absolutely marvellous." He rifled the man's pockets, looking for some clues, but found a cigarette packet instead. He gave consolatory smile and a slight shrug. Not a total waste of time then, he mused as he lit up.

"Lord Dragon!" said a voice and he turned, hot knives at the ready, only to be greeted by a man on a winged horse, reminiscent of the Black Knight, but with a different face. The man dismounted and bowed low. "We've been expecting you, my Lord."

"Huh?" said Pen, the cigarette falling from his mouth. "Who are you?"

"My name is Damien," he said, rising. "We must go, it's not safe here."

"I didn't ask your name, I asked who are you?" Pen said, and Damien showed him his hand. There was a burned in scar in the shape an oval with jagged lines inside it, giving the impression of jagged teeth and it reminded Pen of something, as if it were something from a dream that he could just about recognise. "I did this to you," Dragon said, and Damien nodded.

"I am one of many, the Dragon's Claws." He bowed his head. "My Lord."

"Please stop that," Pen sighed. "Just when I thought things couldn't get any weirder, life slaps me upside the head again." He looked at Damien. "Let's go then."

The four titanium arms shot out, mentally guided by Doctor Otto Octavius, intent on destroying the two Spider-Women. Jessica and her counterpart moved quickly, the other woman moving with a speed and an agility better than that of Jessica. She also seemed to know almost where the tentacles would strike, leading Jessica to wonder if she was related to Spider-Man himself.

"He doesn't seem to have a fear of spiders these days," Jessica said as she passed by the young woman.

"I think he's an early version of him," came the reply. "Dad's told me all about him." Jessica knew then that her suspicions were confirmed and she noticed her costume had changed. It was no longer the red suit she wore as Spider-Woman, she was in a topless ceremonial garb, with long hair that barely covered her modesty.

"What the hell?" she said as she felt the cold. It was the same costume she had worn when Wolverine was about to sacrifice her, when he was in the thrall of the Cult of the Black Blade.

"Temporal phase shift," Spider-Girl said. "You're out of phase and it's trying to find the you that best fits."

"Great," said Jess. "If only there was a pattern to the way the tentacles moved, he's keeping us on the ropes here…"

"Follow me," the other woman said and Jess hoped she could keep up, and with a superb display of acrobatics, the two of them moved and shifted, both getting in close to Octavius. Spider-Girl struck first, staggering the man, but not dropping him, which surprised Jessica, but let her follow it up with a far stronger punch and Octavius was down for the count.

"Nothing like fighting for your life wearing sod all," she muttered, hoping the next time shift would give her some clothing.

"It'll pass."

"So you're Spider-Woman?" said Jessica.

"Spider-Girl," Spider-Girl answered. "And you are Queen Jessica, the Lady Pendragon."

Jessica looked at her. "Sorry?"

"Just not yet," Spider-Girl answered. "We must leave here, it isn't safe. Octavius was one of many who hunt in the Temporal Zone and serve the Bane."

"The Bane?" said Jessica, feeling the Pendragon legacy weighing on her once again. "The Bane is here?"

"Agents of the Bane, yes. The Bane itself cannot enter this realm, at least not yet. I'll explain it all when we arrive."

"Arrive where?" said Jessica. "Where are we heading?"

Spider-Girl took her hand. "Dragon's Lair. Hold on." She moved her middle fingers and tapped them on her palm, firing a web strand and Jessica held on as they swung up and away from the street below.

"Who are you?" Jessica asked. "You're not Mattie."

"Mattie Franklin gave up her identity a long time ago," the reply came. "I'm May Parker. Some people call me Mayday. I'm a Pendragon, but I also work for the Dragon's Claws, when they need help. There are close links between the two teams, where I'm from."

"What happened?" asked Jessica.

"I can't tell you much more," May replied. "Not without breaking the temporal directives we work with. He'll explain it when we get to the lair."

"And who is he?"

"Lord Pendragon of course." And who is that I wonder, Jessica thought.

Elena stood before the other members of the Axiom, trying to take in what they were telling her. They were all female in appearance, and all of them looked exactly like Elena. They were Chaos, Order, Justice, Balance, Faith and she was Truth and the one called Balance had explained the purpose of the Axiom. Chaos cannot exist without Order. There is no Justice without Truth. They give Balance and Balance allows Faith.

As she understood it, from what they had told her, the Axiom were the six principles of reality, with their standing arranged in a six figure star, Chaos and Truth on one side, Order and Justice on the other, all above Balance and Faith at the top. The four side principles were the common concepts of reality, that Chaos and Order were the two prime forces, with Truth and Justice the forces that came from and ensured Chaos and Order. They were divided by Balance and from these things came Faith. They were not cosmic forces, such as those contained in the Infinity Gems, or cosmic beings such as the Phoenix Force, or Death. They had been, they were, they would be again, immutable and unchangeable, beyond struggles of power and glory that occurred in the lower planes, but also causes of them because all things were bound by the Principles and the Principles were the Axiom.

"And I'm one of you," Elena said. "But how?"

"The Time Wars," Balance said. "The Time Wars will fragment and distort the Axiom, but we will rebuild and this is where we reunite. We have been waiting for you, Truth. Now you are here."

"You said this is the first battle of the Time Wars," Elena said, "but there have been others. James Braddock, James Jaspers, Necrom, Kang. How can this be the first?"

"They were battles for time, not battles in the Time War," Chaos said. "They are made possible because of events in the Time War, after effects of the greatest war ever fought."

"Time does not work on a linear format," Order answered. "Some things have yet to be before the things that have happened come to pass."

"Like what happened with Pen," said Elena, thinking of how he had come to this world from his own timeline, yet events in the past made it inevitable he would arrive for he had a part to play in history. "But what of Destiny?"

"Destiny and freewill play their part," Justice said. "However they are a part of the whole."

"The Time Wars are something that will happen then?"

"They will happen," Faith said. "They are happening. Time has little meaning in this, for Time itself is ravaged and unchecked. The time stream is damaged, damaged beyond any extent to be fixed and it will collapse in on itself. Past, present and future will collide, people and places can change to fit the era. New enemies will exploit it and many will try and take advantage from various points in history."

"I must warn my friends, let them know to prepare," Elena started and Faith placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You will," said Faith. "There will be a rebuilding of Earth to face the new threat, the world that you knew is changing with magic becoming prevalent over science and heroes will be there to fight the Time Wars, observed by the man who stands outside of time."

"Pen," said Elena. "His immunity to the temporal changes…"

"Your time as a mortal is coming to an end," Justice said. "The change is coming, and things will never be the same. However whether the Time Wars are won or lost is no concern of ours, simply we must be in place for them, ready to resume our role as Axiom when the current Axiom is destroyed."

"Head for the Dragon's Lair, say your farewells," said Faith. "We will bring you back when it is time." Elena knew they were telling her the truth, that she was not a part of the world and that her time was almost over and sorrow threatened to overtake her and Balance embraced her. "We know how hard this is, it was hard for us all, at first. When you return to us, you will see our true faces and then we will become Axiom."

"I know," Elena answered. "This is what was meant to be. I'm ready." She closed her eyes and opened them again, finding herself in the middle of a large room with a circular table. "Where is the place?" she said

"Dragon's Lair," came a voice. "Formerly known as New Camelot." Elena turned. "Hello, Elena, you're the first to arrive."

It was Etorian Kaine.

Damian and Pen Dragon landed on the ramparts of the castle at the heart of the Dragon's Lair and Pen had to admit he was surprised. He'd never expected to see New Camelot, not here and there was a sense of coming home. He'd lived here for so very, very long and he looked down the main street away from Castle Camelot, down past the old tavern to where a small dwelling was. His old house.

"Is this the actual New Camelot or just an incredible replica?" he asked.

"This is New Camelot," Damien answered. "It was transported here in the first great battle."

"Which we haven't had yet," Pen muttered. He really hated time travel. "So where we were, that was New York?"

"A chronal variant," Damien explained as he led the way down to the main chambers. "The New York you saw is akin to an echo, an image trapped in time that shifts and stirs. Within this little bubble is all the universe itself."

"How?" said Pen, then he remembered something. "This is dimensionally transcendental, isn't it?" Damien nodded and then they were there, were Elena was waiting. "Elena!" Pen called and she turned to see him and they gave each other an embrace. "Thought I'd lost you," he said.

"You did," she said. "I'll explain when Jessica arrives."

"Grandfather," said Kaine and Pen turned to see him, sitting behind the Round Table.

"I told you not to call me that," he said. "You're not the Eto we left on Earth, are you?"

"No," he said. "Right now I'm fighting the Martians as the Barrier falls and by the time you get back I'll have joined the Pendragons. There is a lot to do before you can go home."

"Isn't that always the way?" he said, with a sigh. "Is Rick here?"

"Yes, and no," said Kaine and Dragon shook his head. That was Otherworld logic, and he knew there wasn't going to be a straight answer. "I mean, you haven't rescued him from his Martian captors."

"There are Martians then?" Dragon said. "Good."

"This is the only place they can access the past from their future. All time travel is now routed through here, the last safe place in time and space."

"How is that possible?" said Jessica as she and May entered the room, her clothing now resembling the outfit she had worn in their recent trip to the past, complete with Caliburn at her side, and those within the main hall bowed as she appeared. "No, don't," she said and wandered to the others.

"You will find out, in time," said Kaine. "For now, I can only tell you this - you must do more than rescue Rick Jones, you must seal this timeline off from Martian future once and for all."

"But how?" asked Jessica.

"You'll know when the time is right," said Kaine, "however there is one other matter. Elena?"

"What happens here will determine the path of the Time Wars," she said. "There is a conflict coming, a conflict that will take everything you have to fight. The past, present and future will be your enemy and whoever wins will control the destiny of Time. If the Bane wins, Time will be fragmented and chaos will rule. If the Green succeeds, Time will heal and everything will be as it should be. This will mark the start of the Time Wars, and the two of you…"

"Hold it," said Pen. "What about you?"

"I can't come with you," she said, tears flowing. "I have a destiny of my own, and it is not with you."

"Explain it then," Pen snapped, hardly believing what he was hearing.

Elena looked at him. "I'm not sure I can. I'm not human, I'm part of something greater and I always have been, but I don't know how or why, but I will when the time is right, and I have to say goodbye to you." There was silence at the announcement and Pen had a sinking feeling. They'd lost Roberto, they would lose Jack and now they were losing Elena. Things were fragmenting and he couldn't stop it.

"What if we fail?" said Jessica, breaking the silence. "What if we can't?"

"Then none of this will happen," said Kaine, his hands clasped as he leant on the table, staring at them.

"We have to succeed then, because this is happening," said Pen.

"Time is in flux in here," said Jessica. "I keep changing."

"I don't," Pen disagreed, then he had a thought. "Because Merlyn altered me and made me immune…" He grimaced and shook his head. "He played me, again."

"Not totally," Kaine said as he stood up, and walked over. "There is an… opportunity, should you succeed. There would be a way to send you home. In fact the you I know is there now."

"Home?" Pen faltered a moment. "But it doesn't exist, my timeline was erased as it merged with another. I can't go home."

Kaine approached him and put his hand on the man's shoulder. "You can. You will. All you have to do is win."

"There's just the two of us," said Jessica, her voice echoing her uncertainty. "Two against an army…"

"Not quite," said another voice and they turned to see Brian Braddock standing there, garbed in a red costume, his eyes afire with energy.

"You're not King Britain, are you?" Pete said, recognising him from his early days with Excalibur.

"No," Brian replied. "They call me Britannic."