The Pendragons # 6
Written by Barry Reese

"State of Grace"
or
"A Slight Changing of the Guard"

What Has Come Before: The robotic hero known as Gawain was restored to artificial life and reunited with the Pendragons, while Spitfire and Union Jack learned that Baron Blood was residing in Birmingham. Now, while Wynter accompanies Spitfire and Union Jack in their bid to end Blood's evil, the rest of the team braces against an almost unnatural storm that has begun to rage across all of England. Continuity Note: This issue takes place after the events of Ghost Rider U.K. # 4 & 5.

Birmingham, England

"Are you sure we're okay walking around like this?" Joey Chapman asked, for the umpteenth time.

Before the wizard known as Wynter could reply, Jacqueline Falsworth Crichton let out a loud, exasperated sigh. "Honestly, if I'd known you'd complain so, I would have left you on Lyonesse!"

Joey rolled his eyes, biting back the retort that formed on his lips. He would have liked to have pointed out that he'd been along for every leg of this particular adventure and wasn't about to back out now, but she already knew that. Together, he and Jackie had tracked down her son, Kenneth, in hopes that he could somehow be freed from the vampiric curse that had transformed him into Baron Blood. Kenneth had once been Joey's best mate, but their last few meetings had left a bitter taste in his mouth and he'd found himself plagued by nightmares featuring Kenneth as a blood-sucking ghoul.

Walking in-between the squabbling heroes known at times as Union Jack and Spitfire, the mysterious sorceror called Wynter kept his senses on full alert. It was mid-afternoon here, in one of the more posh districts of Birmingham, and the sidewalks were fairly crowded. If anyone took note of the three gaudily-clad heroes, however, none made mention of it. Wynter's glamour spell was working, shielding from the eyes of others that the Pendragons were dressed in their costumes. "There," Wynter murmured, coming to an abrupt halt. He raised one thin white hand and pointed at a large townhouse. A small fence surrounded it, with a wrought-iron gate. "I sense him within."

Joey grabbed hold of Jackie's arm before she could move. He had done it just in time, too, as she had begun to drop into a running stance. "Not yet! We're being discreet, remember?"

Spitfire looked petulant, but nodded. "Very well. But I could be in and out before--"

Joey placed a finger to her lips. He glanced around, watching as a middle-aged woman stepped around them. She looked curious, but not overly interested. Lowering his voice, Joey said "Look, luv, I know you think your superspeed is a cure-all, but it's not. Kenneth's a smart boy -- he's probably got defenses. It's not like we can just walk up and knock on the bloody door."

Jackie smiled softly, looking past Joey's shoulder. "You should have told him that."

Joey turned slowly, fearing what he would see. The wrought-iron gate stood open and Wynter, looking terribly out of place moving through the dark, overgrown yard, was ascending the stairs to the front door. "Well, bugger me...."

The mage made a fist and began knocking.

The Island of Lyonesse, Home of the Pendragons

Sersi flew over the rain-soaked deep woods, watching as tiny fairies flitted about, their nude bodies contorting into graceful acrobatic manuevers. They buzzed about her, tinkling laughter raining down on her ears. A smile born of pure happiness spread across her face as she dived amongst them, sharing in their joy. For the Eternal, these days were pleasing ones, shared with her Gann-Josin, Dane Whitman, and their friends in the Pendragons. It was enough to make her forget the troubles of the past, the dark days following her time with the Avengers and the all the madness that had plagued her hence.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Sersi looked downward to see her companions, Albion, Sir Gawain and the Black Knight standing in the center of the Cathedral of Owls. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of the birds lined every branch of every tree, with a small clearing in the center. Sersi landed, the fairies flitting away quickly, lest the owls see them as prey. "I love the rain. It makes everything feel alive, like it's renewing itself over and over."

Albion smiled softly. Here, in the center of the Cathedral, the rain did not fall. But outside it raged in a torrent that had lasted for far too long. "Normally, I might agree with you, but there's nothing natural about this storm. It began just after Dane was visited by Ghost Rider and John Blaze*, and I'd wager that there's some sort of connection. When Joey and Jackie encountered Ghost Rider**, he insinuated that a great evil had been unleashed. That confirms what Wynter and I have been suspecting."

(*In Ghost Rider U.K. # 4. ** In our last issue.)

"And what is that, friend Albion?" The robotic Gawain was removing his cloak, gallantly placing it about the wet shoulders of Sersi. She accepted it gracefully, though she could have used her powers to remove the raindrops from her clothing easily enough.

"That the recent spike in mystic occurences is part of someone's overall plan." Peter Hunter, dressed in the famous red-and-white of Albion, raised his hands skyward. A small, holographic sphere appeared above his fingers, dotted with small marks showing instances of sudden rises in ambient magic energy. In some areas, the countryside of England was unable to even be seen for all of the dots covering the map. "The rise of magic began quite some time ago, but seems to have accelerated greatly since the elections. Since then, we've seen the appearance of the Spirit of Vengeance, reports of vampiric activity country-wide, strange lights in the sky, storms that rage uncontrollably and, according to Dane's contacts in the Avengers, the sudden disappearance of many of the world's greatest mages. It should be noted that of the mages who are missing or comatose, not a single one of them is what could commonly be classified as a threat to the world's safety."

Dane rubbed his chin thoughtfully, nodding. "In other words, the ones who were attacked are ones who might oppose whoever's behind all of this. And don't forget that I got a warning of my own -- someone killed poor Sean Dolan and sent his head to me as a warning to leave England*."

(*In the classic Black Mass oneshot.)

Gawain shook his head sadly. "'Tis always a shame when a friend is struck down in the prime of life. Still my heart doth weep for my fallen comrades from the Knights of Pendragon."

"Actually, I think that there may be some hope in that regard," Albion said. "That's why I asked all of you to join me here, so that we may take a journey to find out the truth."

"Explain thyself, Albion!"

Albion dispatched the monitor globe and stepped into the exact center of the Cathedral. Whispering the word "Avalon," he heard the owls take flight. They dropped down by the hundreds, encircling the heroes and drowning out all their thoughts and words in a flurry of flapping wings.

When the owls parted, the group had been transported to the mystical realm of Avalon. For Dane Whitman, it was a strange feeling, being back in the realm which normally gave him such peace and tranquility. Since Modred's forces had ravaged it and left the Lady in the Lake comatose*, though, he'd avoided coming here. Now, it was quiet and slightly less beautiful than before.

(*In the "Avalon War" storyline, chronicled in Black Knight # 4-6.)

"I'm sorry, Dane," Sersi whispered, touching his shoulder lightly. She sensed his mood, which had been darkening ever since Sean's death. "At least the Lady still lives and can eventually be restored."

"True enough," he agreed. He stepped away, casting a glance at their surroundings. They had materialized somewhere other the Lady's abode. "Where are we?"

"The former abode of the Knights of Pendragon," Gawain replied. The android ran a hand over the curved stucture of a doorway arch. All around them were dusty bits of furniture, even a half-empty cup of tea. It gave ample evidence to how quickly the base had been abandoned.

Dane glanced back at Albion, who stood silently, apparently lost in thought. "I don't understand why we're here...."

Albion seemed to shake himself free of his reverie and Dane noted that the older hero had been staring at a photograph on the wall. It showed a feisty-looking brunette... Grace, Dane thought her name was. Albion's voice sounded tense, but he gradually lapsed into teacher-mode and grew more comfortable. "It occurred to me that perhaps the recent spate of events might be related to the Avalon War. I've yet to establish any direct link between them, but Wynter and I did notice an oddity while invesigating the deaths of the Knights. As we all know, poor Breeze was found murdered, as was Dai Thomas. Gawain's disappearance was explained when he recently reappeared on Lyonesse. Adam Crown was missing even before the Parliament of the Dark and Modred began their campaign*, so his disappearance was also explained. But that still left one unaccounted for."

(*In the final issue of Knights of Pendragon, vol. 2, Adam seemingly sacrificed himself to end the threat of the Bane. Whether or not he was truly dead was not revealed.)

"The Lady of Grace," Gawain replied.

"Yes. Beautiful, ferocious Francesca Lexley Grace. Former servant of the Bane, before renouncing her evil ways after recognizing the spark of the Pendragon within her. She became one of our most loyal members... and a good friend." Albion began walking through the abandoned headquarters, the others following in his wake. "Wynter was able to put a trace on all those bearing the spirit of the Green Knight and Avalon in their souls."

"And he found Grace, I take it?"

Albion nodded at the Black Knight's words. "Oh, yes. And much more than that." The hero paused outside a large oaken door, with a series of ancient runes carved on its surface. "Wynter sent an owl ahead to let them know we're coming. Hopefully it managed to get there. With any luck," he said, running his fingers carefully over the runes, outlining them one by one. With the completion of each touch, that rune lit up with a yellow glow. "We'll not only find out what happened to Grace, but possibly find powerful new allies, as well. Allies who might be able to tell us what it is we're facing."

As the last rune lit up, the door opened of its own accord. None of the Pendragons were surprised by this, as they knew that Avalon held doorways to many worlds and planes besides their own.

On the other side was a brightly shining sun, hanging high in the air. The ground below was covered with a fine green grass, with a cobblestone walkway leading up to a large castle. Albion gestured for the others to enter. "Pendragons, I give you the extradimensional realm of Otherworld!"

Back on Lyonesse

"Please, mum! How many times in my life can I expect to see Oasis in concert?"

Kate McClellan crossed her arms, staring at her teenaged son with a look of determination. "No, no and no. Peter tells me that your last theme was horribly written. If you won't take your studies seriously, then you'll just have to do without those tickets I got for you."

Cam's face took on a sullen expression, crossing his own arms in front of him. He was unconsciously mimicking his mother and Kate had to fight to keep a grin off her face. "It's so bloody boring! There's so many other things I'd rather be doing!"

"Well, you'd best find a way to make it interesting before I send you back off to boarding school."

"Mum!"

The shocked and outraged look on his face was too much for her and Kate burst out laughing. At first, Cam looked hurt but he soon joined her in laughing. She put her arms around him and hugged him tight. "Oh, luv, I sympathize, but you've got to get your education." Pulling back, she said "I tell you what. You and I will go see Liam and the boys on Friday, but you promise -- on your word, now! -- that you'll do better on your next assignment. Understand?"

Cam smiled, a look of triumph in his eyes. "I promise!"

Kate patted his hair, glancing past him at the monitor sphere that appeared in the air. A computerized voice that sounded somewhat like Wynter echoed out from the sphere. "I apologize for interrupting, Pendragons, but external sensors have detected a transpatial warp located just outside the castle. A group of beings possessing metahuman potential have exited the warp."

"Since when does that daft thing talk?" Cam inquired.

"Dane had some visitors the other night, so Peter and Wynter tweaked the security system. The voice is one of the new features." She moved past him, turning on one of the monitors. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the beings onscreen. "Cam... Go to your room and lock yourself in. Don't stand there gawking! Go!"

The boy complied with his mother's wishes, though he was shocked at the harsheness of her tone.

Kate's eyes sparkled with electricity, as she summoned forth her natural Pendragon abilities. Onscreen, she saw the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club: the Red King, his long hair tied back and strange tattoos covering his features; Margali, the Red Queen, sorceress of the highest order; and the deadly Ebony Knight, the Black King and wielder of the Ebony Blade. Margali, as if sensing Kate's prying eyes, waved a hand through the air.

The monitor screen went black and Kate felt her mouth go dry. With half the team away in Birmingham and the other half on Peter's mission, it was up to her to defend Lyonesse. "Saints preserve us," she whispered.

Otherworld

The Black Knight and his companions were met at the drawbridge to the castle by a familiar pair of faces -- Brian and Meggan Braddock, the couple once dubbed "England's Hottest Couple" by the Sun. Brian stepped forward, clasping Dane's arm in his own. "Welcome back, Dane!"

The Black Knight returned the gesture, hugging his old friend. Together, they'd shared numerous adventures and forged a bond as brothers. "How are you? Marriage seems to be treating you well."

"It's treating us both very well," Meggan said. The changeling girl was dressed in a long, flowing dress and looked every bit as beautiful as any fairy-tale princess. She greeted Sersi and Albion affectionately and giggled when Gawain kissed her hand.

Albion tried to avoid sounding impatient, but he felt like a schoolboy waiting for his date to come down the stairs. "Our companion, Grace... Is she here?"

Brian nodded, his smile fading. "Yes. Since I became the guardian of the Omniverse*, I've been very busy... Too busy to help out back on my old homeworld the way I should. But I saw glimpses of what was going on with Mordred and the Parliament of the Dark. I dispatched someone to rescue Grace when I saw that poor Breeze and Dai were already dead...." A haunted look passed over his eyes and all present -- save for Gawain, who had not seen it -- knew that he was visualizing Dai's crucified body.

(*In the Excalibur: Sword of Power limited series, published by Marvel and hereforth incorporated into our continuity.)

Albion placed a hand on Brian's shoulder. "Dai was a hero, though he frequently denied it."

"Yes," Brian said, a twinkle coming back into his eyes, "he was. And I've been watching snippets of events back in your England. The Pendragons seem to have picked up where Excalibur left off very well, though storm clouds are gathering."

"Do you know what's going on?" Sersi asked. She had transmuted her own costume into a dress matching Meggan's.

"Only that it's very powerful magic... and there are signs and portents of a great disaster coming." He ran a hand through his blonde hair, which was becoming quite long. "Meggan and I still feel the strongest affinity for our own Earth, so I wish we could help you, but there's a revolution on Earth-486 and a plague breaking out in--"

"We understand, Brian." Dane glanced over Albion, who forcibly remained stoic. He wondered just how close Peter and Grace had been... "Can we see Grace now?"

"There she comes now -- with someone I hope you'll accept into your ranks." Brian pointed to two figures coming closer, one of them garbed in a red-white-and-blue variant of the familiar Captain Britain uniform. This version was draped over a decidedly female figure and the armored form of Grace was carried easily in the Captain's arms.

The female Captain Britain landed gently nearby, allowing Grace to drop to the ground ahead of her. The warrior woman with the fierce, passionate eyes ran forward, straight into Peter's arms. "Peter! You daft old man, I've waited forever for you to come!"

Before Peter could respond, she'd kissed him hard. The other Pendragons, along with Brian and Meggan, hid their amusement, glancing away slyly. While the lovers were reunited, Brian led Dane aside by the arm. "Dane, I can't go into details on this... But you and Sersi should return alone from here. Do not go back to Lyonesse."

Dane's mouth dropped open. "But... Why?"

"Because sometimes I catch glimpses of things yet to come. If I didn't, I'd never be able to defend the Omniverse.And I can tell you that your destiny -- and Sersi's -- lies along a different path from the Pendragons. At least for now."

"They need me! I'm their leader!"

Brian sighed. "Trust me, Dane. And trust them. They're not amateurs. They can handle themselves. Besides, I'm offering up two able-bodied replacements."

Dane glanced over at his friends and felt a pang of jealousy. He'd come to enjoy being a Pendragon and to be told to drop it on a whim... No, not a whim, he told himself. Brian wouldn't do that. Hitching up his belt, Dane stepped towards the others. "Guys, Sersi and I aren't coming back with you."

Albion, his arms around Grace's waist, turned to look at him in surprise. "Any particular reasons for that?"

"None that I can give right now," Dane replied. He shot Sersi a "please do this for me" look. "But, if Grace is willing, I'm sure the Pendragons could use her. And Brian vouches for the new Captain Britain."

"That's nice to know," Captain Britain replied. She reached up and removed her mask, smiling at the looks on everyone's faces. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Albion blinked. "Betsy Braddock? But... You look very different."

Betsy nodded, shaking out her long hair. "Brian was able to undo the effects of the Siege Perilous. For the first time in ages, I'm myself again. Right now, I'm a happy little Brit who just can't wait to get back to London!"

"And you have all of Brian's powers?" Dane asked, remembering how easily she had carried Grace.

"Not quite," she said. "I still have my old telepathy abilities, of course, and the suit I'm wearing allows me to fly and augments my strength. Other than that, I'm afraid, I'm totally useless."

"Don't let her fool you," Grace said. "She may not be a ninja any longer, but she's still go the heart of a lion."

Gawain bowed low to the Black Knight and his lady. "Are you certain you wish to leave? I will stay by your side if you wish."

"No thanks, Gawain." Raising his voice, he said to all of them "Go back home. Sersi and I will catch up, eventually."

"Always a Pendragon, Dane."

The Black Knight smiled at Albion. "Always."

Birmingham, England

"Bloody hell..." Union Jack stepped over the smoking body of a vampire, its features twisted in a grimace of pain and anger. A silver-tipped stake had been driven through its chest and a tiny bit of sunlight, let in by the now open doorway, was burning the bit of flesh that it touched.

Wynter stood in the midst of the carnage, counting at least four dead vampires in the foyer of the house. Behind him stood the door through which he had passed after learning that it was unlocked. "It appears that someone has been here before us."

"Kenneth...!" With a burst of speed, Spitfire was past them, searching through room after room at superspeed. She felt a terrible dread overtaking her, one that spoke of promises broken and dreams unfulfilled. She'd tried so hard to be a good mother to Kenneth, never letting her reputation as one of England's greatest champions overshadow his own identity. But when he'd been torn from her, twisted into something dark and evil, she'd blamed herself nonetheless. Perhaps, she'd mused, if she'd been there only a little bit more... if she'd been less of a friend and more of a parent to him....

Room after room was filled with carnage. In some, there were no vampires, but there still bodies. Humans, servants to the vampires, had been struck down, most by some sort of blade. Severed limbs and blood had painted the floors in patterns of blood and it was enough to make Spitfire retch.

She came to a stop at an open doorway, with stairs leading downward into the basement. The feeling of horror intensified as she began taking the steps two at a time, hurrying below. Somehow, in that primitive recess of her mind that nurtured all of her maternal instincts, she realized that she had come too late for Kenneth.

Joey Chapman found her on the floor of the basement, cradling the body of her son against her bosom. A stake had been driven through him and now protruding from his back, still dripping gore. The mask of Baron Blood lay on the floor next to him and Kenneth's soft, almost feminine features looked peaceful now, as if he were at rest.

Joey halted, unsure of what to do. All the months of tracking down Kenneth, only to find him already dead... "Jackie?"

Spitfire looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. There was a look in her eyes now, one that Joey had never seen there before -- but it was one that he recognized all too well, having seen it reflected back to him from his own mirror too many times. Something sweet and pure had died within her, replaced by a fiery rage that would never be quenched. "Some bastard killed my son, Joey. They didn't even give me the chance to try and save him."

Joey knelt beside her, carefully pulling her away from Kenneth's body. He held her as her sobs began again, wracking her body in spasms of heartache. "Shh. It's okay, luv. Ken's been freed now... and I'll help you get through this. I promise."

From the top of the stairs, the man known as Wynter watched in silence. A part of him yearned to join them in their grief, but he knew that there more productive ways that he could help them. Moving away, he stepped into an adjoining room, his mystical senses guiding him. There was still a spark of life here, somewhere. Following it, he came at last to a young, sandy-haired girl on the floor. Her entrails lay open, spread out over her torso, but her eyes still flickered.

Kneeling, Wynter took her hand in his. He ignored the smells of death, focusing instead on making her exit from this world a peaceful one. Murmuring a spell of relaxation, he channelled feels of pleasure through her mind. It made her smile softly, her eyes beginning to glaze over. "Not yet, little one. Before you go, I have to ask you some questions."

The girl focused her eyes on him, a bit of blood bubbling up from her lips as she spoke, her voice nothing more than a harsh whisper. "Are you... God?"

Wynter brushed a strand of hair back, off her forehead. With his perfect, smooth skin, ancient eyes and long, flowing white hair, he looked like an angel to her. "No. I am only a friend. But I need your help... Who did this?"

Closing her eyes again, the girl murmured "He came in the night... he was so strong. He attacked us just as the Baron was rising. He didn't even bother coming during the day... he wanted a fight. He was brutal...."

"Do you know his name?"

The girl nodded, her spirit beginning to flicker, right before Wynter's eyes. "He called himself Blade."

Sensing that she was now too far gone to help, Wynter placed a hand over her face. "Dream in eternal peace," he said, helping her on her way.

When he rose and returned to the stairway, he met Jackie and Joey. The beautiful Spitfire looked haggard and lost, but Joey's face was now a grim mask of determination. "Find anything?" he asked.

Wynter nodded. "I have the name of the man who did this."

Spitfire stared into his eyes. "I want it."

The mage hesitated, uncertain of how far he should push this. He had known Spitfire for only a short time and he knew that she might not appreciate such words coming from a virtual stranger. Even so, he said "And what good will it do you? Your son is dead. The man who did this, for better or worse, freed your son's soul from its bondage in vampirism. You came here today determined to try and rescue him, but you knew that you might have to kill him...."

Spitfire's eyes flashed, but she slowly nodded. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I've let my life become an endless quest to find Kenneth... and now I'm just afraid of what to do next." She buried her face in Joey's neck and he held her tight, rubbing her back. "Oh, Joey... I don't know what I'd do if I lost you, too."

Lyonesse

"Watch yourselves," Margali warned. She was following the Red and Black Kings, allowing them to enter the castle first. Off in the distance, she could hear the hooting of owls and the rustle of leaves. All around her, magical energy seemed to permeate the air, creating an environment of utter peace and tranquility. It was if someone had torn a page from a comforting old fairy tale and crafted an island out of its meanings and dreams. It left a woman like Margali feeling uncertain and distracted, tantalizing her with things she'd long ago tossed aside in favor of power and wealth.

"I don't think we have much to fear... the Pendragons are obviously not at home," the Ebony Knight replied. He bore the cursed, enchanted blade that controlled him and it pulsed steadily with a dark hunger for souls.

A sudden spark of lightning struck the Ebony Knight hard in the chest, sending him flying back.

Before Margali and the Red King could respond, Kate was on them. She dropped from a window above, landing between them. She tried to remember the things Joey had taught her, but most of what she was doing was automatic -- inside that castle was her only son and she'd be damned if the Hellfire Club would have him. She backhanded Margali, sending blood spraying from the witch's broken nose, and discharged another electrical burst at the Red King, knocking his own blade from his smoking grip.

"Idiot girl," the Ebony Knight cursed. He swung the Ebony Blade at Kate's head, narrowly missing her as she ducked down. The edge of the blade chopped off a chunk of her hair, though, sending it flying into the air. Kate wished again that she hadn't lost some of her powers in the Avalon War -- she certainly could have used them now.

Kate felt a mystic grip seize her about the arms, binding them to her side. She saw Margali out of the corner of her eye, blood streaming down from her nose. Kate closed her eyes, channelling her powers downward, into the Earth itself. The lightning rushed along the ground, exploding upwards into her opponents, sending each of them reeling and removing the eldritch grip on Kate's own arms.

Margali blinked away the stars that blurred her vision, watching as the reporter, McClellan, dispatched the Red King with a final electrical burst to the face. The Red Queen could scarcely believe that one solitary Pendragon could cause this many problems... perhaps, she mused, we've underestimated them. "Ebony Knight! No more toying with her! We need to end this!"

Kate whirled at that, just in time to see the Ebony Knight bearing down on her once again. She took a step back, preparing to dive out of the way, and felt her foot strike a stray rock. The impact made her lose her footing and she fell flat on her back, arms raised up to try and fend off the attack which would, surely, end her life. She whispered a silent prayer that Cam would be okay and waited for the soul-sucking sword to strike.

Instead of feeling her life come to an end, however, Kate heard the Ebony Knight cry out in agony. She looked up to see his his sword drop from his fingers as both hands came up to grip either side of his head. A strange, butterfly-like shape shone over his eyes and Kate could have sworn she heard a soft female voice whisper "Why you don't take a little snooze, old chap?"

The Ebony Knight keeled over, like a puppet whose strings have been cut.

Kate heard Margali's gasp and she rolled into a kneeling position, a slow grin spreading over her own face.

The Pendragons, with Albion standing front and center, faced down the Red Queen. Kate took notice of the fact that Dane and Sersi were not present, instead replaced by some hovering girl in a modified Captain Britain costume and (wonder of wonders!) the Knight of Pendragon known as Grace.

"I suppose you have a good explanation for invading our home and attacking our teammate?" Albion asked.

Margali snarled "Your ends are coming! The prophecy has begun."

"What a sweet sentiment," Grace said. She raised her right arm, letting the blades located along the underside of her armor snap out into view. "Since the good Captain got to dispatch the dark-garbed swordsman, may I have the honor of this one...?"

Albion smiled. "Feel free, Grace."

The former agent of the Bane rushed forward, dodging a swipe of Margali's blade. Grace drove her own weapon hard against Margali's side in an uppercut that hit home. The Red Queen cried out, staggering. The next blow rendered her unconscious and left the fiercest of the Pendragons standing over her prone form.

"Peter...?" Kate asked, accepting Albion's assistance in standing.

Albion smiled reassuringly. "Kate... You remember Grace, I presume?" At the woman's nod, he turned to the landing form of Captain Britain. "And let me give you the pride of the English people, the symbol of our nation -- Captain Britain."

Kate laughed, already putting the trauma of the last few minutes behind her. "I know there's quite a story here... Do I get the exclusive?"

Captain Britain moved forward, nodding. "I wouldn't have it any other way." She glanced towards Albion, the same butterfly-shape that Kate had seen earlier now reappearing over the Captain Britain mask. "Shall I scan them?" With Albion's agreement, the telepath knelt and ran a hand along Margali's head. "Oh my God...."

"What is it, fair lady?" Gawain asked.

"There's a mental shield around portions of their mind, but some things are leaking through. Someone is orchestrating all of your recent problems -- and it's the Prime Minister!"

In Pendragons # 7: It's Christmas on Lyonesse and the Pendragons have one last chance for happiness before the events of "Isles of Magick." Join us for good friends, warm food and the answers to a few burning questions: Who gets caught under the mistletoe -- Peter and Grace, Kate and Wynter, Joey and Romany or even Joey and Jackie? Will we finally learn who the last "wayward shard" is? Check us out next month to find out!

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Hope you're enjoying things -- everytime I write a story with these characters, it's like dealing with old friends, as comforting as a nice cup of tea just before bed. The removal of the Black Knight and Sersi from the series will be explained in more detail once Black Knight: Destiny Walk returns to the group. In the meantime, it seemed the perfect time to bring in Grace and Captain Britain. You'll notice that I've restored Betsy to her original appearance -- this is because, quite frankly, turning her into an Elektra clone never sat well with me. Besides, having an Oriental ninja in the Captain Britain costume seemed a bit odd. :-)

For the longtime Marvel UK fan, you'll remember that this isn't the first time Betsy has operated as Captain Britain. Hopefully, this go-round will end happer than the last, eh?

You can reach me at aric_dacia@yahoo.com

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