The Magic is Still There.... |
What's Been Happening: The Pendragons have recently found themselves serving as the pawns for Brian Braddock, who had engaged in a secret war against his own brother, Jamie. Though the war has ended with Jamie's defeat, there are still many wounds that need healing. A rift has formed between Captain Britain (Betsy Braddock) and her twin, leaving many in the team wondering if the Braddock clan has been sundered forever. Also, the group has swelled in size due to the formation of a "replacement" team of Pendragons during recent months -- Which has led to an inevitable membership shuffle in the offing....
Pendragons Castle, Lyonesse
Cam McClellan walked through the castle's halls, a cup of warm cocoa in his left hand. Cam had grown a lot over the past few years, not just physically but emotionally as well. He was nearing the end of his school days, which had coincided with his mother becoming a Knight of Pendragon and his own brushes with the supernatural. He had formed close ties to Gawain and Albion, only to watch as both perished in battle with the demon Blackheart... and he had stood by supportively as his mother had formed a group of replacement Pendragons at the request of the Prime Minister.
It could safely be said that Cam's life was far more unusual than was normal for a boy his age.
But nothing had seemed quite as bizarre as what he was witnessing today.
As he stepped into one of the large meeting rooms of the castle, he smiled warmly at Molly Fitzgerald, who was leaning against the nearest wall. The beautiful red-haired lass was arguably Ireland's greatest hero, but she was all too frequently thought of as a second-stringer because of her powers and demeanor.
Cam stepped over to her and held out the cocoa. "I brought you something."
Molly smiled wonderfully, accepting the offered beverage. "That's very sweet of you, Cam. How did you know I needed a pick-me-up?"
Cam glanced around the room, at the other twelve heroes who stood assembled in small groups of their own. "Oh, it was just a feeling. Nobody's started the meeting yet?"
"Not yet," she answered, taking a sip. "I think they're waiting on Betsy to kick things off. The group that went with her has annointed her team captain, I think."
Cam frowned slightly. His mother had been serving as the replacement group's leader, but she'd also expressed an interest in leaving superheroics entirely. "Mum's not putting up a fight, is she?"
"No. She bloody well wants to be rid of the responsibility. Not that I blame her."
Cam jumped when he felt Molly's fingers brush his hair. He turned to her with a flush rising in his cheeks.
"You're certainly growing up, Cam. Not that you were such a wee lad when I met you, but you've really hit your stride as of late."
Cam fought to control the sudden pounding of his heart. Here, right before him, was the girl of his dreams... and was she actually flirting with him?! Deliberately trying to keep his voice neutral, he said "Yeah. I've been working out a lot."
Molly nodded approvingly. "So I see. Maybe I can join you in the gym later."
Cam swallowed hard. "Sure...."
Betsy's voice seemed to slice through the buzz of voices in the room as easily as her psychic knife usually penetrated her opponents' defenses. "If I can have everyone's attention," she began, standing at the head of the meeting table, "We have a few issues on the docket and the sooner we get started, the sooner we can go about reclaiming our lives."
Cam sighed. Since returning from wherever Brian Braddock had sent them, Betsy's group of Pendragons had been adjusting to the fact that they'd been missing for over two months. It wasn't that long a time, really, but Cam understood that it had made a major impact on some of their lives, nonetheless.
He felt Molly move forward a bit, her arm brushing against his. The touch was simply marvelous. Cam hoped against hope that none of the telepaths were sensing his thoughts right now....
Up front, Captain Britain pressed on. Cam thought that Betsy looked unusually stressed -- and he wondered idly if the row with her brother was the cause, or if it was the long private conversation she'd had with Warren Worthington just prior to the meeting beginning. "During the time that some of us were away, Prime Minister Blair asked Kate and Molly to put together a new group of Pendragons. From all accounts, they did a smashing job. We're in your debt, as is all of England." Captain Britain paused as the trio of 'new' Pendragons who had joined Kate and Molly murmured their thanks. Tangerine, Thunderfist and Archangel obviously felt a bit out of place amongst the returned heroes, having been added to the roster while most of the Pendragons were lost in time and space. "Now that all of us are back, however, we now face a rather crowded living environment. We have thirteen heroes onboard... and I think it's rather obvious that we need to trim the ranks a bit. This should be made easier by the fact that some members have expressed an interest in possibly going on voluntary reserve...."
Cam glanced out the window, having lost interest in the proceedings already. He hoped his mother would choose to remain on the team, as he genuinely liked living with her on Lyonesse, but he'd given up hope for such a thing. His mom wanted him to grow up outside the sphere of "strangeness."
Cam.
The young man jumped, looking about to see who had spoken to him, but quickly realized that the contact had been a mental one. The team's resident telepaths -- Betsy, Tangerine and Dark Angel -- were all wrapped up in the meeting, and Wynter gave no sign that he had used his magic to contact Cam.
Cam, the strangely familiar voice repeated. Come to the Cathedral of Owls. It's time I gave you a parting gift.
A chill moved down the base of Cam's spine. The mental voice... He now recognized it.
Stepping out with only a furtive smile at Shamrock -- who looked wistful, as if she too could avoid the red tape of the meeting -- Cam hurried down the stairs and burst out into the sunshine. There, shimmering like a ghostly figure from a dream, stood a man whom Cam had given up all hope of ever seeing again. "Peter," Cam whispered.
The figure, clad in Albion's familiar red and white, gave him a reassuring smile before turning away and moving forward, into the forests of Lyonesse.
Feeling a strange lightness of spirit, young Cam followed quickly. Within seconds, he was lost in the dense undergrowth and well on his way towards a most momentous event.
Elsewhere
The gaunt man wheezed as he moved across his darkened laboratory. It had been over two months since he and his reanimates had retrieved the body of his oldest foe. Two months after they'd covered their deeds so well that no one in Highgate Cemetery had noticed. Two months in which he'd worked feverishly to try and enact his ultimate revenge on the man who'd bested him so many times.
And, it seemed, was about to best him once more.
Nekros, master of the unliving, leaned heavily over the corpse of Peter Hunter. As Albion, Hunter had stood in the way of Nekros for almost seventy years, until he'd perished at the hands of Blackheart. Nekros had been furious, feeling cheated out of a vengeance he'd craved with all his heart. "Damn you," he whispered. He ran a gnarled hand over Hunter's flesh, squeezing and caressing. "Why won't you turn? Why won't you rise and serve me?"
Albion's body lay quiet and unmoving on the laboratory table. Stitches encircled his neck and lined his abdomen, giving ample evidence of the atrocities that had been forced upon it. But none of the spells had worked to this point -- unlike all others, Albion had not risen as a zombie.
"Still up to your tinkering, old man?"
The taunting voice that came down the stairs towards Nekros made the necromancer's teeth grind together. He'd grown to truly hate this person, who had apparently made it her life's work to torment him. "This is hardly 'tinkering,' as you call it. I am engaging in important work."
The woman who stepped into view was breathtakingly beautiful, though a faint scent of danger seemed to cling to her every move. She wore a form-fitting bodysuit that showcased a trim and fight figure, with her pale face and neck exposed. A smile danced across her face as she studied Nekros, a glint of cold amusement in her eyes. "So you say. All I see is a man playing sick little games with a corpse." She leaned across Albion's corpse, locking her gaze onto the necromancer's. "He's gone. Whatever revenge you could have had has been lost. I think you should move on."
Nekros turned away, feeling a cold hatred burning in his heart. After so many years of being master of his domain, he was now reduced to being a prisoner in his own home -- a servant for the undead. "Baroness Blood, surely you must have something more productive you could be doing?"
The vampire laughed softly, enjoying his discomfort. Her child was playing upstairs, his happy laughter standing in stark contrast to the scenes of sadism and debauchery that surrounded the Baroness and Nekros. "You and I both have more productive things to do, Nekros. You and I are going to destroy the Pendragons... and then this land will be safe for my kind. And I can assure you that the Royal Necromancer will be well treated." To punctuate her last words, she placed a gloved hand on the older man's shoulder. "I can grant you immortality... Not as some shambling wreck like those zombies you so enjoy making. I can make you young and vital again."
"Then why don't you?" he asked, bitterness lacing his words. "Don't you think I could serve you better without this damned illness wracking my body?"
Baroness Blood kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Patience. Immortality is going to be your reward, not a means to an end. Help me destroy the Pendragons -- especially that damnable Union Jack and Spitfire. Then -- and only then -- will you be free of the pain and torment that comes with age."
Nekros watched her through narrowed eyes as she began to ascend the stairs. Once more, he was alone with the dead -- the only time he truly felt in control. He new the origins of Blood's distaste for the Pendragons -- after all, it had been through the machinations of both Jacqueline Crichton and Joey Chapman that the original Baron Blood had been lost forever. The Baroness had then transformed Kenneth Crichton, Spitfire's own son, into the second Baron Blood, partially in revenge for that earlier loss. He had fallen during the ceremony that had granted the Baroness immunity to sunlight, but had revived months later* -- only to once again be slain, this time by the vampire killer known as Blade**.
(*See the Union Jack: Werewolves of London limited series. **See issue six.)
And now, Nekros mused, the Baroness seeks to make me a pawn in her games. He looked down at Peter Hunter's face, which had managed to retain a peaceful countenance even after all this time. For some reason, a terrible sadness took hold of Nekros and he lowered his head at the first sting of tears.
Lyonesse
"So, aside from Kate, we have no one who wants to take a leave of absence from the team...." Betsy Braddock, slouched down in her chair, pursed her lips together in a thoughtful manner. The rest of the group was also taking a break from the meeting, which had mainly been devoted to catching up both sets of Pendragons on what the other had been up to -- and why Betsy and her group were not willing to believe Kate's assertions that Brian could be trusted. Even if the king of Otherworld -- and Betsy's twin brother -- had arrived in the nick of time to save everyone from Jamie and his insanity, the fact remained that the original Captain Britain had lied to them all.
The wizard known as Wynter, sitting to her left, regarded her evenly. "Perhaps we should look at this as a positive -- With the uncertainty throughout Europe as a result of the Barrier, we may need all the power we can muster. With this many heroes willing to fight at our side, even Doom would hesitate to face us."
"Maybe," Betsy agreed. She reached out and patted his hand. "You sure you're going to stay with us? I assumed you might leave with Kate."
The mage shifted somewhat uneasily. His mind was always difficult for her to read, but she could sense his discomfort. "I have considered that and am of two minds on the matter. She is leaving the Pendragons in order to escape this life -- And I fear that, wherever I go, it will always be a part of me. Perhaps I should leave her be, so that she may find her peace."
"Noble of you," Betsy replied with a smile. "But have you actually asked her what she would like?" Wynter sighed, giving Betsy all the answer she needed. "Go. Ask. We'll be here for you, one way or the other."
As Wynter began to rise, Betsy heard a voice from behind her say "That's the way it is with friends and family, isn't it? Even when one party has behaved like a bloody idiot?"
Betsy turned quickly, seeing her brother standing there. He was clothed in the dark blue and white that marked him as King of Otherworld, with the union jack symbol blazing over his eyes and face. "Brian?! What are you doing here?"
Union Jack stepped forward, clenching a fist. He shrugged off Spitfire's attempt to grab hold of his arm. "Have you come to apologize, Braddock? Or is that beneath you now?"
"Let the man speak, Chapman!" Adam Crown, holding the mighty sword Excalibur in one hand, moved to stand in front of King Brian, obviously with the intent of defending him.
Union Jack could scarcely believe his eyes. "Adam! What's gone wrong between your ears? That man could have sent us to our deaths!" And if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have killed a man, Joey thought, though he didn't have the nerve to voice that aspect of his anger.
Brian held up a hand, hoping for peace. "I didn't come here to fight. I came to apologize. What I did was wrong... I allowed the pressures of my new office to overwhelm me and I became... I became the sort of person that I always hated. A manipulator. I want to make amends."
"And why should we trust you, Brian?" Betsy's hurt was evident in her manner, as she stood at arm's length from her brother, arms crossed before her.
"Because I am sorry. I don't ask you to forget what I did... I just ask you to understand and forgive."
"I'm not sure I can do that."
"I can."
All eyes turned towards Miracleman, who stepped forward to meet Brian. Miracleman, with his blond hair and piercing blue eyes, seemed to be an angel given human form. The air crackled about him as he moved and his voice seemed to cut through all hurt and all pretensions. Miracleman held Brian's gaze for a long moment before turning towards Betsy. He touched her shoulders and smiled. "He's your brother. You know him so well... He's been a fool on many occasions, hasn't he?"
His words made Betsy laugh in spite of herself. "Definitely. Too many times to count."
"But you love him. Not because he's perfect, but because he's your brother and because you know, in his heart of hearts, that he wants to be a hero."
Betsy reflected on his words, seeing the truth in them. She could also sense Brian's guilt through their mental connection, but she was afraid to trust that. All those months that he'd been deceiving her, she'd never once sensed the deception. He'd blocked his thoughts, hidden them from her. From his own sister. That's what really hurts, Brian. You lied to me. Of all the people in the world, I never thought you would lie to me.
Brian stepped forward as Miracleman backed away. He took his sister in his arms, holding her tightly. He could hear her in his head, feel the pain in her soul. I need you, Betsy. You're my moral compass.
Miracleman felt a warm touch on his arm and he looked into the smiling face of Shevaun Haldane. Dark Angel was smiling at him and, before he could even prepare, she had leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. It was a fleeting thing, but enough to bring a blush of red to his cheeks. "You are so amazing, Micky. I've never met a man who seems as sincere as you do."
Miracleman leaned closer until his forehead rested against hers. "I was only telling her the truth."
Shevaun laughed. "I know. That's the whole point."
Brian cleared his throat, having stepped away from Betsy. They held hands, though, and even Joey had to admit that this particular crisis seemed to have passed.
"I can't help but notice that you have a lot of members at the moment," Brian said.
Thunderfist nudged Tangerine. "That's the kind of spot-on eye for detail that gets you a kingship."
"Hush," she replied with a chuckle.
Brian moved forward, his natural charisma having seized control of the moment. Betsy allowed him this, despite the fact that she'd been voted leader of the group just moments before Brian had arrived. She was curious why he'd chosen to come here, now, during the meeting and she was sure that he was about to announce something. "What have you got in mind, Brian?"
"Well, as you all know I've been trying to re-form the Captain Britain Corps with a small amount of success. The Corps is back up to around 35 at the present time, but I'd prefer to keep them as Earth-bound agents, with the specific tasks of protecting England and the world at large. But after conversations with a being called the Time Guardian, I've seen that there's a need for a group of agents dedicated to investigating anomalies in the omniversal timestream. Perhaps if they'd been there to detect Jamie's manipulations, we might have been able to stop his tamperings earlier. For a time, the Guardian had a group of agents called--"
"Dark Guard," Shevaun answered. "I was a part of it, alongside Killpower, Albion and a few others. We undertook a few missions on behalf of the Time Guardian before the group drifted apart. You're looking to reinstate it?"
"Yes," Brian agreed. "It would mean traveling to various timelines and universes. Plenty of adventure. And you'd be serving a greater good. Is there anyone interested?"
The Cathedral of Owls
Cam stepped into the Cathedral, the sounds of wings beating in his ears. The ring of trees seemed to press in on him and the sun was blotted out by the hundreds of owls who sat huddled together on every tree limb. Cam swallowed hard, feeling a strange sense of dreamlike peace settling over him.
He'd been here many times before, having explored almost every inch of the island, save those declared off-limits by Wynter and Albion. Dragons and other fell beasts lived in those regions and they didn't care to have their slumber disturbed by young boys, after all. But here, where the walls between Lyonesse and Avalon seemed at their weakest, Cam had found himself again and again in the weeks after Albion and Gawain's deaths. Here, he almost seemed to be with them again.
And now, he was.
Albion was waiting for him, a look of confidence etched on his strong British features. Though Peter Hunter himself had been a slight man, his alter ego had been the embodiment of masculinity, with a strongly defined chin and broad shoulders. "Thank you for coming, Cam. It took a bit of nerve, I know."
Cam felt an urge to rush to the man and embrace him, but he held himself back. What if this were some sort of trick?
"There's no trick here, lad. I promise you that."
"You read my mind!"
"Did I?" Albion asked, eyes wide. "Perhaps thoughts and actions are the same here...."
"Peter... Why did you want me to follow you? Are you really back? You'll have to tell Grace and--"
A shadow of pain passed over Albion's features. "No. Grace and I have said our goodbyes. Now it's time for her to try and move on. If she saw me again, like this... She's having enough problems accepting the fact that I'm dead."
"Dead." Cam let the word roll around on his tongue. "How can you be... dead? I mean, you're here." Panic began to swell at the edge of Cam's perceptions.
"Calm down -- You're not a goner yet, Cam. You've got plenty of years left in you. I've just come to give you back something."
"What do you mean?"
"Back when the Pendragon took you over, Cam, you weren't ready to handle it*. I took the power from you. It was that act that made me Albion again. Do you remember?"
(*See the original Knights of Pendragon series.)
"Of course I do! It was... so intense. Bloody terrifying! But it was... good, too."
Albion smiled. "The Pendragon spirit chose you, Cam. I was just holding onto to it for you, until you were ready. I think the time has come."
Cam's eyes opened wide. "You mean... You're giving it back to me?" He felt both excited and frightened, like he had before his first kiss.
Albion looked at him steadily, searching for any sign of hesitation on Cam's part. "Only if you want me to. It's a wonderful gift... But it means taking a hard stand and it's one your mother won't approve of. But if you're willing, then the power is yours by right."
Cam found himself saying the only thing that seemed right, the only thing that seemed appropriate. The words were more mature than one would expect from a teenaged boy, but they were words born of experience and loss. "In the name of Avalon, I give of myself."
And the man formerly known as Albion performed one final act of heroism.
In all, four Pendragons had elected to accept Brian's offer of new worlds and new adventures. The woman known as Tangerine, eager to escape the horrific fate of her own future, had decided to take Brian's offer because he'd assured her that he would do everything in his power to help her in her quest. She bid her goodbyes to her friends from the New Pendragons, but she couldn't hide her excitement over her new role in things.
For Grace, who had suffered much since the death of Albion, it was a chance for a new beginning. She hugged Betsy tightly against her, fighting off tears. "You take care of yourself, luv."
"You, too, Grace. And anytime you want to come home, you'll have a place to stay with me. Understand?"
Grace backed away, smiling. "I will. You've been too good a friend to me. I don't deserve you."
Elsewhere, Warren Worthington stood before Shamrock and Thunderfist, surprised registering on his handsome features. "Explain this to me again, guys -- Why?"
Robbie smiled, shrugging. "I've wanted to be a hero my whole life, Warren. And this... this sounds like the most smashing idea I've ever heard! Think of it, mate -- A new world every week! How can you pass that up?"
Warren shook his head, laughing. He embraced this man who'd become his friend before turning to Molly Fitzgerald. "And you're seeking an adventure-of-the-week, too?"
Shamrock shook her head. "It's not that, Warren. It's just... Well, I love being a Pendragon, but I never really felt like a true part of the group until the replacement team was formed. I was there from the ground up, then. And now, Tangerine and Robbie are both going with Brian, Kate's leaving altogether... I want to keep as much of the old team together as I can. Why don't you come with us?"
Warren glanced over at Betsy, who had caught his own eye. The winged mutant looked away, sighing. "No. There's still so much of my past that I don't remember. I want to get it all back... And I think running off to an alternate reality isn't the way to do that."
Molly nodded. "Well, we'll be in touch, laddie. Don't you worry." The red-haired girl looked about with disappointment. "I wanted to say goodbye to Cam. Will you do it for me, Warren? Tell him I looked for him."
"I will."
With a final wave, the four Pendragons took up positions near Brian Braddock. He nodded to his sister, promising himself that he would never again take her loyalty for granted. With a stately wave of his hand, the ruler of Otherworld and the new Dark Guard were gone.
Kate McClellan hugged herself tightly, feeling a sudden shivering in her bones. Wynter's hands moved about her from behind, drawing her against him. She smiled gratefully. "You know... You don't have to come with Cam and I."
Wynter nodded, bringing his lips close to her ear. "For many long years, I thought that love was something that was not meant for me. But I was wrong. You are all I thought about while I was away. And I don't plan to be apart from you again."
Kate turned to face him, her eyes wide. "I love you, too."
As they began to kiss, they heard Union Jack whisper "Bloody hell...."
Wynter and Kate both turned, watching with their teammates as a vision of the past descended from the air. Garbed in armor similar to that worn by Albion at one point in his career, the figure seemed to fairly glowing with the power of the Pendragon.
Spitfire stepped forward, but quickly deferred to Captain Britain, who was standing with fists clenched at the forefront of the team. Betsy's voice, with a steel edge to it, rang out. "Who are you? And I'll tell you up front that you better have a good explanation for wearing that armor...."
The figure touched down and remained standing for a brief moment before raising both hands and slowly removing the helmet that hid his features. "Sorry, Betsy. I guess the helmet inteferes with your ability to read my mind...."
At the sound of his voice, even muffled through the helmet, Kate McClellan let out a curse. "No. Please tell me that this is some sort of sick joke...."
And then the youth's features were clearly visible, his grin spreading wide. Cam McClellan held his arms outstretched. "I'm going to call myself Albion, of course, out of respect for--"
"The hell you are!" Kate fairly threw herself at her son, grabbing him by the arms. "Didn't you learn anything from Peter's death? This isn't a bloody game -- Now get that suit of armor off now before I--"
Cam shoved her hands away from him. "No. Avalon's chosen me, mother. Just like it did years ago. This is my destiny."
"Your destiny is to get your bum spanked if you don't--"
"I'm not a child!" he yelled. "Damnit, mum, I'm not dad. And I'm not Gawain or Peter. Whatever happens is going to happen -- But this is what I chose."
Kate's eyes took on a hard appearance. "Fine, then. Be a man. But don't expect to come crying to me when you get your heart thrown on the floor."
With that pronouncement, Kate spun on her heels and strode away. The Pendragons parted for her and Wynter followed after.
Captain Britain sighed. "Oh, Cam. What are we going to do with you?"
The young man put his helmet back into place, as much to hide his moist eyes as to signify the moment. "You can accept me as a Pendragon. I've earned it."
Union Jack was the first to speak in response. "If the Lady of the Lake and the Green Knight have marked him, who are we to say no?"
Dark Angel nodded. "I agree." She moved towards him, taking his hand. "Welcome to the group, Cam."
And, somewhere, the spirit of Peter Hunter exited this plane forever.
Next Issue: The slimmed-down Pendragons scatter in a few different directions, as Union Jack attempts to learn more about his alien costume, Miracleman is reunited with an old friend and Adam Crown begins a perilous journey to claim his birthright! Plus: Be on the lookout for Captain Britain: House Braddock # 1!
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Several letters this time around, so let's get started with one from Gary Dreslinski:
Best single issue you've ever written. A masterpiece. Every time I think I understand how good you are, you come out with something like this and blow me away all over again.
Wow -- Thanks for the praise. I really wasn't too sure how issue 18 turned out, so I'm glad to see you liked the big finale.
Next up is Gary Halpin:
It was one of the best things you've written, man. I loved the scene where Betsy stabbed Brian as well. It was very powerful.
I thought the Betsy/Brian interaction was nice, as well. I find the Braddock clan to be fascinating and I dearly wish Marvel would do something of interest with them. Ah, well. At least we have fanfic, eh?
And last up is Jason:
It's great! I love the addition of obscure characters like Thunder Fist, Miracleman, Tangerine and Shamrock! I'd heard of all of them, but had only read stories involving Miracleman and Shamrock. This is very cool! Also the use of the Venom costume is an interesting and inventive way to give our Mr. Chapman a power boost I liked that very much, and hope to see it cause the Pendragons problems in the near future! Thanks for the great stories Barry!
Glad to know you like the somewhat odd cast I've assembled for the series. Some of these folks are old favorites of mine and it's fun to share them with others -- especially since you won't find Shamrock or Tangerine at your local comics shop! :-)
Keep in touch everyone!
You can reach me at aric_dacia@yahoo.com
