Pendragon Comics - The Pendragons 12

The Pendragons

# 12

Brought together in defense of Avalon and the British Isles, the Pendragons are the officially-sanctioned heroes of Great Britain. Originally led by the Black Knight, the group is composed of the remnants of the old Knights of Pendragon group, as well as several other heroes. Willing to die for their beliefs, the Pendragons stand united as England's best defense against threats of a superhuman nature.

Written by Barry Reese

Betsy Braddock lay on the grass, enjoying the tranquil sounds of the forest. Her clothes lay in a heap next to her, hurriedly discarded so that she could enjoy this day to the fullest. She stretched lazily, soaking up her surroundings. Birds sang, faerie buzzed about happily singing their songs and the soft, bubbling brook rushing past. It felt so good to be back on Earth, in a body that so closely resembled her original, before the Siege Perilous had twisted and altered her into someone that she should never have been.

The sun beat down upon her nude body and Betsy wondered idly how her former lover, Warren Worthington, had reacted to the news of the Black Mass barrier. She'd sent him an email just the day before, telling him that she was back... but thanks to the barrier, she'd never received a reply.

It's a shame we never worked through all our problems, dear Warren. I just know you'd like to be here right now, enjoying a pleasant day on Lyonesse. And I bet you wouldn't mind a bit that I wanted to frolic in the buff a bit, would you? she thought, with a naughty smile. And with me planning to move back into the old estate, there would have been plenty of room for you to stretch your wings a bit and take me flying like we used t--

A sudden jab of pain ruined any further thoughts about carnal pleasure. The pain was all too familiar for her, a telepathic cry for help on the team's psi-link, which she had maintained ever since their battle with Blackheart. It took her a second to get her wits about her and focus in on who it was that was in danger. She sensed turmoil in the minds of Adam and his group, who had gone to Parliament to protect the Prime Minister... but they weren't the source of the telepathic cry. Neither were any of the Pendragons here on the island, though Wynter was anxious and about to call a team meeting.

No... the cry for help came from someone rather unexpected. With a heavy heart, she sent out a message to Kate McCllellan, who was currently with Wynter. "Kate -- Sorry to disturb you, but something's happened and I think you need to know."

Kate's mental 'voice' was strained with worry. "Betsy! Wynter wants us to assemble in the meeting room... He's so distressed, I've never seen the poor bloke look like this, not even when Albion died."

Betsy took a deep breath, deciding that her news could wait until they were face-to-face. "I'll pass it along to Grace and Miracleman. See you soon," she thought. Kate's mind was already pulling away from her and Betsy noticed that the team's resident reporter had been so concerned with her lover's problem that she had completely forgotten that Betsy had contacted her with dire news of her own. Kate's falling hard for our little magician, isn't she? I hope he's as willing to help her with this little problem as she is to help with his.

Thinking of the young Cam McClellan, she sent out a message of hope and concern. Hang in there, Cam. Your mum's gonna be on her way, soon. I promise.

Captain Englander tried to ignore the jabberings of his teammates, all the while studying the scene before him. Though much work had been done to repair the recent damage, much of London's political centre was still in tatters. "What happened here, I wonder... to cause so much misery."

Spring Heel Jack moved forward, eager to impress his leader by offering up useful information. Jack had once been the son of a dock worker, a commoner in every sense of the word. But he, like the the rest of the Emissaries, had been bathed in the glory that was the Parliament of the Dark. Now, he was anything but common. Dressed in a red body suit that left his feet bare, Spring Heel Jack was capable of jumping hundreds of feet in a single bound -- couple that with a savagery in battle tthat few could match, and you could easily see why Jack was one of the more feared Emissaries. "Black Marvel and I have been studying the telly. The bloody thing goes in and out, but we learned that someone named Blackheart placed the whole of Europe under that barrier we noticed. Now, they're all cut off from the rest o'the world."

"Interesting," Englander mused. "That bodes well for our time here, mates. Fewer heroes to run afoul of."

A silver streak and a brief gust of wind signaled the arrival of Lady Spitfire, the noblewoman whose silver attire and superspeed were infamous on her own world. "I've finished my reconnaissance."

Englander glanced over at Black Marvel, who stood silently nearby. The majestic being crackled with energy, letting tiny lightning bolts dance about his eyes. Marvel and the android Gawain had both warned Englander that Spitfire was growing untrustworthy and the team's leader had taken their words to heart. He turned back to Spitfire. "Go on."

"We've found our quarry -- Wynter is definitely here, on this Earth. He's part of a group called the Pendragons, some sort of spiritual successor to the disbanded Knights of Pendragon."

"No analogues to speak of. Aside from the Pendragons, the only serious opposition might come from a supernatural entity known as the Ghost Rider. Scary bloke with a flaming skull. Nobody knows much more than that, I'm afraid."

Englander rubbed his chin. "Strewth! This is it, then. We've found him at last... How long's it been, Marvel?"

The ebony-garbed man glanced skyward, his mind turning inward, searching his memories. "Subjective time, it has been four years, 12 days, 19 hours. We encountered him on Earth-901."

"And the little snake slithered away from us that time, mates. But not again -- You know where these Pendragons hide themselves?"

Spitfire nodded. "An island called Lyonesse. I don't think we'll have any difficulty in finding it."

Englander looked at his teammates and grinned. A tall, broad-shouldered man of upper-middle class heritage, Captain Englander had earned his leadership through intimidation and sheer power. The other Emissaries knew that, in his long career, Englander had only one blemish on an otherwise spotless career -- he had allowed the criminal known as Wynter to escape. They also knew that he would stop at nothing to avenge that loss. "Then let's go find our little fox... And teach him what it means to cross the Emissaries!"

"I have to go to him." Kate McClellan's voice was flat, almost emotionless. More than anything else, that worried Betsy Braddock.

"I've already contacted Adam and the others. They're much closer to the scene than we are."

Wynter, standing silently near the window, turned to face the others. With part of the team in London on other business, the only Pendragons on duty were Captain Britain, Kate, Miracleman, Grace and Wynter himself. "Go if you need to, Kate. There is no need to stay here on my behalf."

Kate's shoulders slumped and she let out a ragged sigh. Putting her fingertips to her forehead, she said "Do you have any idea what happened to him?"

"Only that a villain named Jack O'Lantern ambushed him outside a bookstore. But the others are heading to the scene now and if there's any evidence to be found...."

Kate glared at her. "What good is your bloody telepathy if it can't help you find my son??"

Betsy flinched, hurt not just by the words but by the emotional turmoil hitting her from Kate's mind. "I don't know Jack O'Lantern so I can't touch his mind unless I'm nearer to him... And Cam's unconscious, so--"

"How do you know he's not dead?" Kate whispered, giving voice to her deepest fear.

"If Cam were dead, I'm sure Betsy would have felt his death," Miracleman pointed out. The blonde man was beautiful and calming, his self-assured manner giving his words greater weight. "Instead, she felt him in pain... and pain means that he's alive. Once Cam wakes up, we'll know for sure where he is. Until then, though, we've got to trust our teammates and focus on Wynter's problem."

Grace, beginning to climb slowly back from the abyss into which she'd fallen after the death of Albion, placed a hand on Wynter's arm. The mage was showing more stress than she'd ever seen before and that concerned her -- for he was normally the most reserved of them. "Tell us again about these beings that are seeking you."

Wynter sighed, seeming weary beyond his years. "I was born in another world, beyond this one. The one known to you as Otherworld."

Grace blinked in surprise. "Otherworld... the realm ruled by Brian Braddock now*?"

Kate wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. "I thought that you were Merlin. Gawain seemed to think so. And there were other hints, too...."

Wynter smiled softly. "All will be explained. I am the son of an alien entity known as Merlyn. He has worn many different names over the years, and for a time he served alongside a great king known as Arthur. He is also the being who ruled over Otherworld for millenia of that world's time, fathering myself and my sister -- the goddess Roma."

Captain Britain pulled up a chair, sitting down. She and her brother Brian had had many dealings with Roma in the past... and they had never heard of her having a sibling. "Your father founded the Captain Britain Corps."

"Yes, and served as the mentor and spark for many other heroes, as well. My father was a master manipulator who believed that he served the greater good, that he was preparing the multiverse to defend itself from threats both great and small. To my eternal regret, my sister and I were frequently treated as pawns ourselves. Despite that, I followed my father to Arthur's realm and helped him face down Morgan Le Fay*... and I traveled with him to alternate Earth after alternate Earth, all in a vain attempt to win his love."

(*Explaining why Morgan recognized him during the Avalon War storyline in Black Knight: Destiny Walk.)

"And failed, I assume," Betsy murmured. "He was always a cold fish, even to Roma -- and she did everything possible to please him."

Wynter nodded, a faraway look in his eyes. "My father and I parted ways after he... lost interest in one of his servants. I found his attitude to be repellent and told him so. I was banished from Otherworld as a result. Roma, who had ever been jealous of my position in father's eyes, sought to take my place at his side... From what I understand, she has failed for the most part."

"But where do these Emissaries come in?" Grace asked. She was intrigued by this glimpse into Wynter's past. They had learned so little about him up to now....

Wynter felt Kate come up beside him and he saw a look of concern in her eyes. Even with her only son out there, facing possible harm, she still cared enough to feel Wynter's pain. Clearing his voice, the mage said "After being banished, I explored the multiverse. I would spend time on each world, trying to do what I felt was best... and I became a defender of Avalon, as a result. The realm of Avalon exists in all times, in all places... and it became a home away from home for me. That is why I appeared to defend it against Mordred's forces. I sensed the threat, even from afar." The wizard waved a hand through the air, mystically generating an image of London... but a London ravaged by years of superpowered horror. "But I can't afford the time to wander in my storytelling. I came to the world of the Emissaries and found that, there, the Parliament of the Dark had been far more devious than elsewhere. They had approached powerful men and women and seduced them, in a perverse mockery of the way that the Pendragon force selected champions on most worlds. These beings became the Emissaries of the Dark and they ruled over all."

The images shifted, showing Wynter himself floating above the ruins of London. He was struck down by a powerful energy blast and placed in shackles, to be tortured again and again. "The Emissaries found me intriguing -- Unlike them, I used my powers to benefit others. I refused to bow before their questioning and I think that I even inspired one or two of them to reconsider their paths. In fact, I was freed by the Goblin Queen -- an analogue of Meggan. She died, slain by her own lover, and I fled. But not before I sowed the seeds of a revolution, creating a spark amongst humanity there to challenge their overmasters. For those crimes and more, the Emissaries have pursued me over the years. They see my continued existence as an affront to everything they believe in."

"And they've come here for you?" Miracleman said. "They certainly are tenacious!"

"That's putting it mildly, I'm afraid." Wynter let out a long sigh. "These villains are bloodthirsty to the extreme. I shudder to think of the destruction they've left in their wake."

Almost in answer to Wynter's words, the floor rumbled as an explosion sound outside. Miracleman was the first to look outside, to see five colorfully garbed superhumans floating in the air. The one in front was dressed in a dark variant on the classic Captain Britain uniform. The four behind them were recognizable as distorted versions of the Pendragons' own Miracleman, Spitfire, Union Jack and even the late Gawain. Each was far more sinister than their heroic counterparts and were fairly glowing with glee at having found their arch-enemy. Captain Englander bellowed "Come out, Wynter! There's no need to hide anymore -- for the Emissaries have come for you!"

Spitfire rocketed through the entire block surrounding the Ancient Tomes bookstore and cafe, searching for any trace of Cam McClellan. It didn't take long to find it... in an alley just down the road, she found signs of a struggle -- and an overturned bag of books that matched those that Cam had come into town to buy. She felt a terrible sense of helplessness and anger, as if her own son had been kidnapped. She knew all too well how Kate must be feeling right now -- for her own dear Kenneth had been taken from her and altered into a vampiric entity known as Brother Blood. His recent, more permanent demise still troubled her. "I've found something, mates," she said, speaking into the team communicator she wore at her wrist. Rattling off the exact details of her surroundings, she waited for the rest of the group to catch up to her.

It didn't take long for them to do so, as both Adam Crown and the newest Pendragons, the Irish heroine known as Shamrock, shared her concern. Adam, bearing Excalibur at his side, knelt down to examine a spot of blood on the ground. "Poor lad... I bet he gave as good as he got."

Spitfire clenched a fist. "Why would a Yank supervillain like the Jack O'Lantern want Cam?"

Shamrock moved through the alley, kicking aside bits of debris. "The answers's obvious, I would think. Jack knows that Kate's one of ye and the villain wants to use Cam as a hostage. Such terrorism is commonplace in my native country."

Adam bit off a retort to that. He and Shamrock had differing views on British policy in Ireland, but he didn't want to strain their working relationship. "I've also heard that the current Jack O'Lantern might not be the same American as in the past."

Shamrock's eyes happened to catch a bit of orange amongst the refuse. It was a lucky break, as the item had been covered by leaves and trash, blown about by the wind. "Look 'ere! I found something."

Shamrock rolled her eyes at Adam's words, but did as she was told. She wasn't an amateur at this, but she knew that Adam liked being in control. She brushed away the debris that covered it, revealing a small carved jack o'lantern. "I think it's safe to say this was left by Cam's kidnapper."

"That's why we should be careful," Adam murmured. He pushed Shamrock to the side so that he could crouch over the jack o'lantern. "I'm wearing a bit of armor, so I'll be the one to touch it first. Stay back, ladies."

Shamrock crossed her arms, not bothering to point out that, despite the fact that Adam wore mystic armor and Spitfire was blessed with superhuman speed, it was actually she who was most likely to emerge unscathed from any explosion. Her own powers were subtle, but powerful -- allowing good luck to follow her everywhere.

Adam touched the jack o'lantern lightly and a bit of smoke sprang forth, shaping itself into the image of Jack O'Lantern, perched atop a floating platform with a coal-black cat wrapped around the villain's shoulders. "Strewth!" Adam exclaimed, his hand falling down to clutch at Excalibur's hilt.

The insubstantial image twisted and turned, speaking with a voice that sent chills down the spines of the Pendragons. "Congratulations! You've just passed stage one of our little game... If you'd like to try and get the boy back alive, you'll continue following the rules I'm about to set forth. Listening? Good. You'll come to the Whitelys shopping center in Bayswater, as soon as possible. Don't bother bringing any police with you -- This is between you and I, Pendragons. Let's keep it that way, shall we?"

As the smoky figure disappeared from view, Adam brought his boot down on the miniature jack o'lantern, crushing it beneath his heel. "We're going to teach that little piece of scum not to terrorize children."

Before Shamrock could comment, she felt a rush of nausea pass over her. For a second, her vision was obscured and she had to reach out to the nearby wall to stabilize herself. When her vision cleared, she saw that both Adam and Spitfire were similarly affected. "What in 'eaven's name was that?" she asked.

Spitfire coughed, muttering "That was feedback from our connection with Betsy. Something's happened to her."

Adam nodded, straightening his back. "I got a brief glimpse of it -- Lyonesse is under attack."

Adam paused before answering. His conflict was evident to behold. "No. We can't abandon Cam. Send out a message to Union Jack. Tell him to go wherever's closest for him -- Whitelys or Lyonesse. The others will have to hold their own until we get back."

Spitfire gave him a brief smile to let him know she agreed with his decision. "Then let's not waste any time, shall we? Jack O'Lantern is waiting."

Betsy Braddock felt like her head had just been slammed into a brick wall. The newest Captain Britain fell through the sky after being struck by Captain Englander, righting herself just in time to avoid smashing into the shore of Lyonesse. She flew back up, trying to get a firm grasp on this sudden turn of events. Only moments before, the Emissaries had arrived, launching an offensive as hard and fast as any she had ever witnessed before. They're like wild beasts, she thought, her every word being transmitted telepathically to her teammates. We're going to have to pull out all the stops if we're to stop them.

Around her, the rest of the Pendragons were coming to the same conclusion. Though each of them were firmly committed to defending their teammate Wynter, each had found themselves confronted by an analogue of a familiar hero -- just as powerful as the men and women the Pendragons knew, but far more cruel.

Kate McClellan, still troubled by thoughts of her son in mortal peril, was even now on her back, bleeding from a powerful blow to her lower lip. Her attacker, who looked so much like brave Gawain, who had befriended Cam before his sacrifice against Blackheart, stood over her. He smiled, looking so sadistic in that moment that it was easy to forget that he was an android. "I hate to strike a lady, but sometimes it is necessary -- to remind them of their proper place."

Kate narrowly rolled out of the way of another blow, one that send earth and rock flying as his fist punched into the soil. "You're nothing like the Gawain I knew! You're like some sick, lesser reflection of him!"

The evil Gawain laughed, a mirthless sound that imitated the more human emotions of those he had known. "I am his superior in every way, milady. For we have found no one in all the multiverse who can stand against us -- and surely that shows that the rest of you are mere shades, copies that have been degraded with each passing incarnation. I am the true Gawain. And I will not be denied!"

Even as the android lashed out again, Grace did battle with the man known as Spring Heel Jack. Though he resembled Joey Chapman in some ways, his manner was nothing like that of Grace's longtime friend. This villain bounced about like a jackrabbit, slashing out with powerful claws that threatened to pierce even Grace's battle armor.

Grace managed to slash through the tendons of Jack's left leg as he hurtled past her, sending the villain to the ground in thrashing agony. Moving forward with her arm-blades dripping blood, Grace jumped up into the air, narrowly avoiding a sweep of Jack's good leg, intended to drop her to the ground. "You'll have to do better than that, you little bastard."

Spring Heel Jack sprang back up to his feet, swaying unsteadily from his wound. "Feisty little bitch, aren't ye? I remember the Francesca Grace of our world... little harlot who spread her legs for anyone who inquired."

Grace sneered back at him, slashing outwards with her blades. "Think you'll set me off by acting like an ass? I've faced tougher gits in the board room than you. And sliced them up nice and fine, I assure you."

While Captain Britain resumed her clash with Englander, two titantic beings engaged one another over the sea. Miracleman and Black Marvel moved almost too quickly for the human eye to follow, pounding one another with blows so powerful that they echoed as far away as France. For Miracleman, it was like looking into a twisted, distorted mirror... answering the silent fear he'd always had. What if the old physicist who had given him his powers had chosen in error?

Miracleman was unused to such ferocity in battle and his blood ran freely from numerous wounds. "Why...? Why do all this? We've never even met before!"

Black Marvel hissed at his opposite number, his eyes sparkling with the fires of the sun. "Because I have seen the power and the glory of the Parliament of the Dark. Nothing else compares to that -- Join with me and you will share in that glory."

Miracleman looked at him with eyes that had seen the heavens themselves. "You can't believe that. There's so much more to life than just power... There's love and kindness. There's the feeling you get when you help someone less fortunate than you -- doesn't that matter at all to you?"

Miracleman cried out as Black Marvel backhanded him with such force that he rocketed away from Lyonesse and finally struck the Black Mass barrier that separated most of Europe from the rest of the world.

At the center of the conflict, the man known as Wynter watched as his friends risked their lives for him. The woman known as Lady Spitfire rocketed about him, attempting to generate a small tornado effect that would suck all the air from Wynter's lungs. He cast out with his magic, striking her with an eldritch blast. "I am disappointed in you, Jacqueline. When last we met, you seemed to have reconsidered your position as a tyrant."

Lady Spitfire looked up from her prone position, watching as Wynter approached. "It's not that simple... The Parliament is too powerful. I'd be killed!"

"Death as a free person is far preferable to life as a slave. You must choose what you believe in and fight for it, no matter what the personal cost may be. I chose the path I now walk and it cost me the respect of my father... but I would not deviate from it, for any reason. Because my path is right and just."

"I'm sorry, Wynter," she said, and he knew that she genuinely meant it. "But I'm in too deep." She zoomed forward, sprinting off the ground. Her blows were so quick that they melded into one, seemingly assaulting the mage from head to toe.

Above them, Captain Englander smiled. He'd been worried about Spitfire but the old girl was proving her loyalty now. He turned back to face the woman who had the audacity to dress like him. "Give it up, little bird. Act like a proper lady and I might not put you over my knee...."

"How gallant of you," she replied. In her uniform, she had augmented strength and the ability to fly, but her primary powers were still of the mind. Thus, she was unable to trade physical blows with Englander for any length of time. So she turned to other means to defeat him. "Your personal forcefield is quite strong, Englander. It even blocks some of my telepathic attacks... but let's see if it can block this!" A blade manifested itself around her right hand, generated by her powerful mental abilities. She wielded it just like a sword and drove it forward, between Englander's eyes. The psi-blade was a combination of her mental and physical strengths and it attacked Englander where he was most vulnerable.

He howled like a wounded dog, surprised that the woman had such power. As he sagged forward, unconscious, Captain Britain caught him in her arms. She broadcast a message to her teammates, proclaiming "They can be beaten, but we can't hold anything back! Disable them with your most powerful, most direct attacks!"

Down below, Kate took the message to heart. Her left arm was broken and she felt dizzy but she forced herself forward, leaping into Gawain's arms. The android wrapped his hands about her, squeezing, but she placed her hands on either side of his head and generated the most powerful electrical charge she could. The flare-up was blinding and short-circuited Gawain's systems, sending him to his ground, stiff as a board.

The tide of the entire battle seemed to turn at once, as Grace finally hit home with a blow to Spring Heel Jack's midsection. Blood splattered brightly on the sand.

Meanwhile, Miracleman sent himself flying into the midsection of the Black Marvel, their impact generating electricity and fire. Miracleman held on tightly, whispering the magic word that would transform him into his human form. "Kimota."

With that one simple word, energy encircled both of the men, for the Black Marvel was close enough to feel its effects as well. With both restored to their natural forms -- Miracleman to his human identity as teenaged Mickey Moran and Black Marvel to his mortal self as a lame young black man, the two began to fall, hurtling towards the ground at astonishing speed. Captain Britain took advantage of the situation to short out Black Marvel's mind with a well-timed psi-blast and Mickey uttered his magic word again, just in time to save himself from certain death.

Wynter, on the verge of unconsciousness, generated a mystic field about himself. It caught Lady Spitfire in its grasp, sending magical fire coursing through her body. She screamed, knowing that she had chosen wrongly once more.

One by one, the Pendragons came together. The area in which they had battle was blackened and torn, but Lyonesse would heal itself. It always did.

Grace, her blades still dripping blood, was the first to speak to the mage, who stood watching them all with a curious expression on his face. "What do you want to do with them, Wynter?"

"We should send them to Crossmoor, where they can be housed with the other superhuman criminals that we've faced recently." He reached out and took Kate's uninjured hand in his. "All of you have shown me more kindness than I ever expected -- or deserved."

"You're being a bit hard on yourself, Wynter," Kate said, smiling despite the pain. "From what you've told us, you were right to stand up to your father... and you did a good thing in opposing the Emissaries."

"But I put you all at risk -- and there is way to calculate the harm the Emissaries might have committed while trying to find me."

Wynter nodded slowly. "Perhaps you are right... It is not easy for me to say things of this nature, but I want you all to know that I consider you more than allies. We are friends."

Kate kissed him softly on the cheek. "If you keep this up, we're all going to start thinking of you as a big softie."

And somewhere, unseen by all, the woman known as Roma smiled down upon her brother and his friends. Despite their own problems in the past, she was glad he had found a home at last, amongst the men and women of the Pendragons.

Coming Up Next Issue: Bear witness to the first clash between Jack O'Lantern and the Pendragons! And both Betsy and Brian Braddock receive news that will alter their lives in very different ways! Plus: Nekros is back, with a horrific new scheme that will bring Grace's fury down upon him!

Wynter is an original character, created by me. That makes him, in the parlance of the fanfiction world, a "Mary Jane." A Mary Jane character is an original creation who appears alongside published, "real", characters. Frequently, creators of Mary Janes are accused of bolstering their own creations to the point where they're twice as cool as any established heroes. I've tried to avoid doing that with Wynter, while also trying to make him seem as integral as the heroes you're more familiar with. Hopefully, I've succeeded.

In days to come, I'm going to make a conscious effort, however, to focus on some of the other members of the group -- Wynter is an essential part of the team dynamic, but I think it's time we delved into the psyches of Miracleman, Shamrock, Adam Crown and Grace. Those four will receive heavy "air-play" as we move into the next few issues, though I promise not to ignore any of the others.