| The Pendragons # 3 |
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| Guest-Written by Travis Hiltz |
| The Pendragons # 3 |
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| Guest-Written by Travis Hiltz |
The various Pendragons were scattered about the castle meeting room.
Joe Chapman, the current Union Jack, was pacing, tensely. He still wore his street clothes. Wynter, the group's resident mystic sat, statue still, in one of the oversized oaken chairs that ringed the round meeting table.
"Zombies," Kate Mckellion muttered from her chair. " Are you sure, Wynter?"
She and her son, Cam sat across from the pale wizard. Both looked anxious. Kate had moved her family to the team's new island base, thinking it would be a safe haven. Now, she'd returned from a trip to the mainland to find that the safety had been violated and one of her team mates was missing.
"I know necromancy when I encounter it," Wynter replied tightly. " And as I've said, I can find Peter, but we need to move quickly."
"That's great," Joe snapped. " But, the lord and lady of the manor haven't bothered to show up yet."
"Stop it, Joe," Kate scolded. " Dane and Sersi must have a reason, and Jaquline is on her way. Let's focus on finding Peter."
"Agreed," Wynter murmured. " Though, I fear, finding him will be the easy part."
"What do you know about zombies, Joe?" Kate asked.
"Shoot a couple vampires and suddenly, I'm the expert." Joe replied. " In the movies you knock their heads off."
"I must go prepare," Wynter said, standing. " I suggest you all do the same."
He strode out of the room, silent as a breeze.
"Has any one else wondered," Kate asked, chin on fist. " how we trust him so much, yet don't know anything about him."
"You might trust him," Joe said. " I just try and keep an eye on him. I'm going to change into my working clothes."
"So, Mom," Cam asked. " When do you get a costume?"
"Oh please," Kate smirked. " I don't even wear spandex to the gym. You'll be okay here when we go?"
"I can handle it Mom," Cam replied in a tolerant tone. " I'll hang out and wait for Dane to show up. I just have to learn to live without cable. You guys are the ones fighting zombies."
"I know, but I'm a Mom. It's my job to worry. Come on, help me find my boots."
The tower room...
Wynter cleared a space on the floor, and drew a circle, with wax dripped from a large black candle. He then knelt in the center of the circle, and dipping his finger into the hot wax, scrawled arcane symbols along the inside curve.
His mind wandered the world, seeking out the thread that bound and linked all Pendragon. It was particularly strong between himself and Peter Hunter.
There! The thread was enveloped in a nimbus of shadow.
Retreating back to the shelter of his body, Wynter opened his eyes and shakily got to his feet.
Joe stood in the door. He'd changed into his Union Jack costume and seemed to be studying the pale wizard. How long he'd been there, Wynter was unsure of.
Since regathering, the Pendragons had been almost constantly on the move. The ravaging of Avalon, and the deaths of so many teammates had taken all their energy and thought to deal with.
Following the move to Lyonesse, there had been time to stop and think, and Wynter knew there would soon be questions.
"I know where Peter Hunter is," Wynter said. " If you would bring the others here." Union Jack nodded and left.
Cam stood outside the circle, his young brow wrinkled in thought. He'd once had dreams of what it would be like to have super powers. Then he'd gotten some, and realized, you should be careful what you wished for. The Pendragon power he'd had was passed on to Mr. Hunter, giving him back his Albion identity. Now, everyone said Cam was back to being a normal teenager again. Except for the dreams.
Kate stood in the circle with Joe and Wynter, and smiled at her son in what she hoped was a reassuring way. Joe was loading his pistols, while Wynter just stood there, peering at things only he seemed able to see. Cam knew he made the others uneasy, but it never bothered him, there was something almost familiar about the pale wizard.
"So," Cam said. " Anybody shows up, I just have them stand in the circle and say the magic word?" Wynter nodded.
"Here goes nothing," Union Jack muttered.
"Albion," Wynter said.
For Kate, reality blurred. She blinked and when her eyes refocused she saw that the familiar stone of Lyonesse castle had been replaced by...
"It's another bloody castle," she muttered.
"Ours is cleaner," Joe said looking around."Where are we?"
"Germany," Wynter replied.
"How do you know that?"
Wynter ignored the question and headed for a stone archway, leading to a dimly lit corridor.
"Be on guard," The pale wizard instructed.
Kate glanced wearily at Union Jack, who shrugged, unholstered his gun and followed.
Another room, an earlier time...
Consciousness swirled and stumbled around Peter Hunter's brain. He had a sneaking suspicion that opening his eyes would not improve the situation. He was right.
The silver haired school teacher was strapped down on a stone alter. At each corner was a staff of rough wood, topped with a fist sized globe of black glass.
"Errr..." Was all he could think of to say.
"Ah, good morning, Herr Hunt-teer," A voice drawled from the shadows. Peter felt a ball of ice form in his belly.
"Who...? I know that voice. Where are you? Who are you?"
A face moved into Peter's field of vision. It was thin, the skin stretched across the bone like wet cloth. He had a high forehead, and strands of limp white hair clung to the sides of his head. The chin was pointed, the eyes were grey, but burned with an inner light of madness.
"Nekros..." Peter mumbled thickly. " You..."
"Yes, old foe," Nekros hissed, amicably. " Something you wished to say?"
"You...you...don't look at all well."
Nekros smug expression faltered for a moment, then slid back into place.
"Quaint, right to the witty banter. I seem to recall, with particular distaste, your vast repartee of witticisms. So, little changes, at least on the inside."
Nekros studied the bound, elderly form on the stone, with an evil smirk.
"Yes...well, for a hundred and eight I think I'm holding up rather well," Peter mused. " You, on the other hand, could use a bit of sun."
"A..bit...of...sun," Nekros murmured, then casually reached out and touched a pale fingertip to the nearest black globe.
Peter felt razor blades slashing behind his eyes. He arched in agony, his teeth clenched so tight no whimper of pain could escape.
"Shall we try again?" Nekros asked, drawing his finger back. Peter flopped down on the stone, boneless as a rag doll.
"Wha...what...do...you want?"
"The same thing I've always wanted, Eternal life, and you are going to give it to me."
As the pain slowly faded from Peter's mind and body, it was replaced by a rising tide of memory.
It was the early days, of both the War and his days as Albion. He'd reached a point where he thought he'd seen all the horror the war could show him.
This was before he'd encountered the Bane. Investigating a remote german field hospital he'd had his first clash with a young Prussian medical student. Nekros had converted the hospital to his own private laboratory. He was the first of Albion's rather limited rouge's gallery. They'd clashed numerous times during the course of the war. Each grasp at immortality by Nekros resulted in newer and more horrible abominations of nature then the time before.
"H...help you?"Peter mumbled. " I don't...? "
"Yes, it seems like an unlikely turn of events, I know. Though being buried alive for three quarters of a century gives one ample time to think and plan."
Nekros began to pace around the stone alter. Peter strained to move his head to follow the pale necromancer's progress.
"As a plan formed in my mind," Nekros continued. " I was approached by an...interested party. We shared common goals: immortality and your demise."
"I see," Peter muttered weakly. " You dislike my banter, but feel free to rant like some pantomime villain." Nekros leaned in, his thin, pale face twisted into a smile.
"Quite right, we are both men of years. It is time for clear speaking and understanding. After our final battle, I sat, trapped beneath the ruins of my castle. No one but the shadows to talk to. Then, after a time, the shadows began talking back."
"The Parliament of the Dark." Peter breathed.
"Right in one," Nekros replied.
Now, in Castle Nekros...
"Talk about your fixer uppers," Union Jack muttered, stepping over yet another pile of rubble.
"Stay alert," Wynter instructed. " Once the necromancer is aware of our presence..."
"Should we split up?" Kate asked. " We'd cover more ground that way."
"Yeah, I've seen enough horror vids to know how well that works," Jack said.
" 'Til we know what we're up against, we stay together."
"You're the team's resident monster hunter," Kate replied.
"Not by choice."
"This way," Wynter said, turning down a side corridor.
"How do you know?" Kate asked.
"I know."
"Thanks for clearing that up," Union Jack muttered.
Kate tapped Joe on the shoulder, then pointed at the floor. In the dust and grit were footprints leading down the corridor Wynter had chosen. Union Jack shrugged.
"Did you hear something?" He asked. " Sounded like footsteps, coming from back there."
"Of course," Kate replied. " I've seen those movies too. The monster is always right behind you."
The walls on both sides of the corridor cracked and then burst, and a dozen patchwork monstrosities came lurching out at the heroes.
"Damn," Union Jack muttered, reaching for his back up gun. He held both guns out, one pointed at each wall and fired. The shambling creatures that had once been men, staggered, but kept on coming.
"Anybody with a plan," Jack shouted, above the roar of gunfire. " This would be the time to, bloody well, speak up!"
"Wynter?" Kate shouted. "Wynter...? "
The pale mystic was gone, having apparently continued down the corridor, undeterred by the mob of zombies.
"That pasty bastard bailed on us!" Jack snapped as the gun in his right hand clicked empty.
"Okay," Kate said. " My turn."
While, Union Jack reloaded, electricity, crackled at Kate's fingertips. Her hair fanned out around her head, like a staticy halo.
As the first of the zombies groped for her, Kate let loose.
Lightening crackled and flared as it arced across the corridor, striking out at zombie and stone work alike.
As zombies dropped to the ground smoldering and blackened, their malformed brethren moved in.
Union Jack clubbed one down with the butt of his gun, then shot two others through the knees.
"We need to get out of here," He said. "Find a place with more room to move!"
"We need to keep looking for Peter!'"
"Come on!" Jack shouted, and they started racing down the corridor. Jack struggled to reload as he ran.
Nekros paused in his rant on the quest for eternal life, and sat upon a stone block next to the alter. This put him on eye level with Peter. The old necromancer sat, head bowed, thin strands of hair obscuring his features.
And something in that moment , caused Peter to feel pity for his arch foe. All this Wagnerish railing against his own mortality, this desperate grasping born more of fear then any striving quest for new knowledge. This sad, pathetically weak old man.
"It doesn't have to be this way," Peter told him quietly.
Nekros raised his head, struggling to keep his pale, thin face neutral.
"This can't be the life you wanted," Peter continued. "You must know that the Parliament see you only as a means to an end. A tool at their disposal."
"They have promised me..."
"What? " Peter interrupted. " An eternal life spent scuttling around in the shadowy world they want to create?" Nekros leaned forwards, his grey eyes peering intently at Peter's face. He was seeking out the hidden trap in his arch foes words, the lie in Peter's look of pity.
He found neither.
Peter spent a hopeful moment, watching Nekros' pale features deep in thought.
Then the ancient necromancer stood and shook his thin head.
"Too little, too late," Nekros murmured. " While the sentiment is appreciated, old foe, I have been in the shadows...too long. I fear I could not stand the light."
"But...!" Peter protested, struggling against his bonds.
Nekros raised a bone thin, long taloned finger to his lips.
"Nein, we will speak of it no more. My choice was made long ago, and I have work to do. I would taste the fruit of my labors before another day has passed."
Nekros walked away, returning moments later with, what looked to Peter like a stewardess' drinks cart. Though he very much doubted Nekros was going to offer him a beverage or a packet of peanuts.
"The globes act as a conduit, " Nekros said, adopting a tone very similar to the one Peter used to lecture first years. " They will drain out this mystical energy of yours, then it will be transferred to me. The simplest plans are so often the best. Now all I need to begin is a word from you."
"What? What...word?"
"Albion, of course,"
Peter hadn't thought it was possible for his plight to get any worse. He'd held off saying the word that changed him into his more heroic looking identity. At first, he'd been waiting out the affects of whatever drug Nekros had used on him. Then he'd waited further to find out what his old enemy was up to.
Now, that he'd reached the part of the plan when he wanted to do nothing more then say the word, give Nekros a good thrashing and go home, that was no longer an option.
Not only would that not free him , it would activate the whole demented death trap.
He peered about the room, desperately searching for something, anything that could see him out of this.
The last thing he expected to see was Wynter strolling casually into the room. The way the young wizard was looking about, gave Peter the impression that he was a tourist, rather then a would-be rescuer.
"Um..." Peter began.
Wynter acknowledged Peter with a nod, then walked over till he and Nekros stood face to face, the stone alter between them.
"Necromancer," Wynter said quietly. " I have come for my team mate."
Nekros peered back at the pale, young wizard, taken aback by this new arrival's casual, yet commanding, manner.
"Have you?" He replied, his voice full of icy courtesy.
Wynter nodded.
"I see no need to resort to battle. It would serve little purpose. Will you see reason?"
"Oh sod," Peter muttered, shaking his head.
While Wynter had shown himself to be a powerful mystic, he also seemed to be connected to reality by only a slender thread.
Nekros made a casual arcane gesture then drew his hand into a tight fist.
The floor under Wynter's feet cracked and a dozen, mismatched hands, in various stages of decay, clutched at his feet and the hem of his white robe.
Wynter glanced down at the grasping zombie hands dragging him down, then back up at Nekros.
To Peter, he looked more annoyed, then frightened.
Then the hands began to drag him down.
"Anyone else?" Nekros asked peevishly.
Kate and Union Jack came skidding into the chamber, breathing heavily.
"What the Hell...?" Jack rasped, looking around.
"We never get bank robbers," Kate mused. " I'd settle for a super villain."
"Union Jack?" Nekros breathed, wide eyed. " It's like a reunion..."
Another gesture and the far wall developed a floor to ceiling crack, and more zombies emerged.
Just then the other zombies, that had been pursuing Kate and Jack, caught up with them.
"I think the phrase I'm looking for," Kate muttered, glancing around frantically.
" Rhymes with clucking bell."
"I've had just about enough of this," Union Jack said, slapping a new clip into his gun. " I'll hold this lot off, Kate, help Peter!"
"Be right back," Kate said, finger tips crackling.
By the time she jogged over to Wynter, the young wizard was chest deep in a hole full of zombies.
"Oh god," Kate breathed.
"Help Peter," Wynter said, glancing up at her. " Don't worry about me."
"Are you sure?"
"I've got them right where I want them. Peter first, no harm must befall any of the Ambrose shards."
"The...what?" Kate said, looking distractedly from Wynter, to Peter, to the bone thin man dressed in rags. He was making some gestures over Peter.
"Why me?" Kate asked.
Union Jack was thinking the very same thing.
"Come on! Fall you bastards!" He was on his last clip, and was missing the days when the Pendragon had granted him super human strength.
Kate watched in horror as Wynter was pulled down into the hole of grasping zombie limbs.
Then she looked up at Peter, and raised her hands, preparing a new blast of electrical energy.
"Kate...No!" Peter shouted, struggling with his bonds.
The lightening arced rushing towards Nekros, then stopped as though it had struck some unseen barrier. The energy then split four ways, each strand of Pendragon energy being absorbed into a glass globe.
Nekros smiled, his eyes still closed as he focused the spell. The energy flowed from the globes to his own elderly frame. The woman wasn't as powerful as Albion, but this mere taste of power was invigorating. An appetizer before the feast.
"Kate, stop," Peter urged " He wants to siphon off the Pendragon energy!"
"Kate struggled, trying to free herself from the hunger of the black globes. She staggered back, clutching at her hands.
Nekros smile widened. His gaunt form seemed sturdier, his skin less pale.
From the cart at his side, he drew two metallic rods, black,and decorated with runes, carved in silver.
Both Kate and Peter could feel the dark energy they contained.
"You've got to get me loose," Peter hissed at the woozy looking Kate.
" Before he finishes the ritual, but don't touch the globes!"
"Wha...what? How, Peter? I don't..."
"Come on Kate, I can't think of everything." Peter replied tensely.
"Okay, I'll try to...arrrgghh!"
Several of the zombies had gotten past Union Jack and had made a desperate lung for Kate. All three tumbled to the floor. She struggled, but for each one she pushed away, there was always another re-animated corpse to take it's place.
Fist clenched tightly , she let loose a blast of Pendragon energy.
When she got to her knees, she was now surrounded by a half dozen piles of ash and bone chips.
"Okay..." She muttered, dabbing at a split lip with her sleeve.
Then the floor underneath her split and she tumbled into dozens of waiting undead arms.
"Damnit, that hurts!" Union Jack bellowed, pistol whipping the zombie who'd hit him. The zombie's jaw, and nose fell off. A leg sweep caused the zombie's left leg to snap off and it tumbled to the floor in a heap. Joey raised his mask, and 'hukked' a blob of phlegm and blood.
He fixed his mask, and braced himself for the next attack. He was out of bullets, so was reduced to using his Webbly as a club. He'd lost his back up pistol in the struggle and held his knife in his other hand.
There was a jagged tear down the front of his costume and his breathing was labored. Joe quickly glanced around the room, but he saw no sign of his team mates, let alone the cavalry. Of course, he hadn't thought to look up.
The ceiling melted, then disappeared completely, and a trio of figures flew in. Two women, one a striking brunette dressed in green, and a silver haired woman who wore a yellow leotard with red boots, gloves, mask and cape. The third new arrival, dressed in chain mail and cape, rode a winged steed into the battle.
"Sersi," The Black Knight commanded. " Help Jack. Spitfire, look for the others, I'll free Peter!"
His sword blazed with white light and any zombies in it's path were reduced to ash.
His horse touched down next to the stone alter.
"I leave you guys alone for five minutes..." The Black Knight said, reaching for Peter.
"Dane, careful," Peter hissed, drowsily. " The globes..."
"Relax, Peter," The Knight said. " I'll have you free in a second."
He swung his enchanted sword at the nearest globe. When the blade touched the globe, The Black Knight faltered and froze, energy poured from his blade into the black glass.
"No...body....listens," Peter muttered weakly. Despite his resolve not to voice the word that would change him into Albion, Peter felt drained, his limbs were heavy and it took a supreme effort just to keep his eyes open. Nekros spell was taking effect.
Spitfire raced about the chamber at such speed that she left a trail of fire behind her. This scattered the hordes of zombies and she soon was able to join Sersi and Joey.
He was looking the worse for wear. Sersi stood nearby, it appeared she had used her Eternal powers to transform the zombies into trees.
"Joey, you look horrible," Spitfire said.
"Already had this conversation," Union Jack muttered, glancing over at Sersi. "Did you guys get Peter free?"
"Dane should have it...oh dear." Sersi said.
All three turned to see Dane crumple to his knees, energy flowing from his enchanted sword into the globe.
"It seems that the globes absorb magical energy," Spitfire mused, worriedly.
"...And since you've all been touched by the Pendragon energy..."Sersi finished, floating over to the Black Knight.
"I thought she was magic too," Jack said, leaning on Spitfire as they made there way through the zombie remains to the alter.
"Should I stop her?" Spitfire asked.
Before Jack could answer, or Sersi could touch any of the energy leeching globes, the entire chamber began to tremble.
Dust and bits of brick rained down on the heroes, and even more cracks began to appear in the few remaining undamaged areas.
"What now?" Spitfire muttered.
The floor in front of the alter shuddered, cracked and then belched out a geyser of dirt and dust.
Rising out of this, was Wynter, his robe somehow still pristine white, carrying a bedraggled Kate in his arms. He looked around with his usual air of being generally annoyed at the world .
"Why hasn't somebody freed Peter?" He asked.
"Remind me to slap him when we get home," Jack muttered.
"Get in line," Spitfire replied.
"We can't touch the globes," Kate murmured weakly, as Wynter set her on her feet. " They absorb Pendragon energy."
"I see," Wynter said. " Then I think..."
"Oh, enough," Jack snapped, switching his grip on his knife. With a flick of his wrist, it flew through the air and wound up buried, to the hilt, in Nekros shoulder.
"Arrgggh!" The necromancer yelled, dropping the rune sticks and staggering back.
"You've been practicing," Spitfire said.
"Not really,I was aiming for one of those globes.
Wynter sighed, picked up a severed arm and swung it like a baseball bat at the nearest globe. It shattered, and a vortex of mixed black and white mystical energy, swirled around the room. Dane got to his feet and held up his shield to absorb some of it. The rest Wynter scooped up into a crackling, shinning ball which he tossed two handed at Peter. Peter flinched, then looked over at the pale wizard and smiled, slightly.
"Albion," He muttered.
A flash and the elderly teacher was replaced by the youthful red and white clad defender of the realm.
It was but a moments effort to snap his bonds, then he strode over to the wounded necromancer. He grabbed Nekros by the front of his robes and lifted him up.
"At a later time," Albion said. " You and I are going to have a long talk. Once your wounds are tended to and your settled in a jail cell."
"A later time of my choosing, old foe," Nekros replied, wrenching the knife loose from his shoulder and lunging at Albion's chest.
The hero flinched back, and that was all the time Nekros needed. He dropped the knife and was gone, swallowed up by the shadows.
Albion peered at his now empty hand.
"I guess we call this one a draw," The Black Knight said.
"Or round one," Albion replied thoughtfully.
Sersi shook out her hair, and brushed at the dust clinging to her gloves.
"I don't suppose anyone will tell me what that was all about?" She asked.
Later...
Peter sat on the stone bench, bundled up in a sweater, a blanket draped over his knees.
Whoever had placed this stone bench here, on the west shore of Lyonesse island, had the right idea. As he watched the sun sink slowly down, coloring the ocean a sparkling orange, he felt the tension and aches drain away.
"Up to some company?"Kate asked, sitting down next to Peter.
"I always feel, a sunset is something to be appreciated in company," Peter replied.
" Can't fault the view," Joey said, coming up to stand next to the bench.
"And the neighbors are quiet," Kate added, smirking.
"How're you feeling, Peter?" Joey asked, coming around and sitting on the sand.
"Not a hundred percent," Peter shrugged. " But better. Wynter says it's the after effects of the leeching spell and whatever potion Nekros used to drug me. It should pass in a day or so."
"A touch of 24 hour necromancy?" Kate asked.
"Something like that," Peter chuckled. " So, we may be a bit short handed for a day or so."
"Especially now that the lord and lady have left," Joey muttered.
"You really need to deal with your class issues," Kate scolded.
"Yes," Peter added . " I don't think Dane and Sersi should be penalized for wanting to spend time together. Even normal couples do that, I'm told, from time to time."
"I know, I know," Joey protested. " Dane's a decent enough guy, it's just...he never seemed quite like ...one of us. I guess."
"While it's true, Dane is not a Pendragon, he is a dedicated hero with a calling. It is just has a deferent source then ours," Peter said. "He is also used to a different way of running a team."
"Different branch, same tree," Kate added.
"Something like that. Also, Dane worked with the Avengers and their like," Peter said. " We don't work quite that way."
"Good, because I refuse to wear spandex," Kate said.
"I'm not doing 'monitor duty' either." Joey smirked. " Though I wouldn't mind teaming up with She Hulk."
"Men," Kate muttered in mock disgust.
"If you children are finished," Peter said. " I meant what I said. We work on a smaller scale then other groups, and have a specific mission. Let the others save the world. For now, we need to focus on taking care of our own."
" Speaking of which,"Joey said. " I may be a bit busy myself. I want to keep an eye on Jackie. She's gotten obsessed with finding Kenneth,and I don't want her going it alone."
"We're here if you need us," Peter assured him.
"All right, enough Ômission statement Ô time," Kate said. " I'm hungry, lets raid the fridge."
"I could murder a curry, come to think of it," Joey said.
"Then I hope Dane stocked the kitchen with a spice rack. Living on an island is going to make ordering take-out difficult. Coming Peter?"
"In a moment."
He watched the others make their way up the beach to the castle they now called home.
In Pendragons # 4: Kate and Wynter loose in the big city!
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Sorry this took so long.
While the main part of this story is big and dramatic, I went for
a quieter ending and changing of the guard bit. That's just how
life is sometimes. And it's how I see this series going.
Thanks again to Barry for letting me play with his toys.
Travis Hiltz
You can reach me at hiltz@cheshire.net