The Pendragons # 18	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

Back on Earth, the British government hastily formed a replacement group of heroes, as the original Pendragons' disappearance began to stretch from days to weeks to months. This group consists of: Shamrock, Kate McClellan, the high-flying Archangel, the time-displaced Tangerine and the heir to a heroic legacy, Thunderfist! These five, armed with knowledge given them by Brian Braddock, journeyed to the 40th Century in pursuit of the supposed mastermind of this plot -- the Scarlet Centurion. Upon arrival, however, they discovered the Centurion dead -- and a group of so-called Assyrian Avengers serving as the honor guard of En Sabah Nur, the mutant known as Apocalypse!

And only the man known as Brian Braddock, formerly Captain Britain and now Ruler of Otherworld, knows the truth behind it all....

Jacqueline Falsworth Crichton felt a strange pounding in her head, one that threatened to eradicate any and all attempts at rational thought. She rolled over onto her side, feeling hard earth beneath her. Rocks were digging into her back to the point where she feared they must be drawing blood. Opening her eyes, she felt a wave of nausea come over her and she retched, vomiting up the contents of her stomach.

Forcing herself up onto her hands and knees, she took in her surroundings, recognizing them immediately. "Avalon," she whispered, though she was far from the abode of the Lady of the Lake, who generally greeted the Pendragons upon their arrival. Avalon itself was huge, with portions of its realm existing in numerous dimensions and worlds. Even for someone as fast as Spitfire, it would take many lifetimes to explore even the tiniest part of Avalon.

Jackie tried to put things back in perspective. She remembered watching as Galactus began to absorb the very essence of the Battleworld. She'd reached out and taken Joey's hand, whispering her love for him. She'd never heard his response, but she'd felt his hand squeeze her own.

Cold terror suddenly overtook her  and Jackie rocketed forward, ignoring the pain in her head and the uneasiness that still held sway over her intestines. "Joey! Betsy! Anyone?"

Her voice echoed through the forests of Avalon, finally reaching the ears of the man-god called Miracleman. He was soaring far above Avalon, having awoken in a similar state to Jackie. Now he descended, coming to a rest just in front of the scarlet and yellow blur that was Spitfire. "I'm here, Jackie."

Spitfire surprised him by hugging him tight. "Micky! You're such a welcome sight -- Have you seen Joey?"

"Not yet. I just woke up a few minutes ago. At first I thought... It sounds silly," he said, looking for all the world like the teenage boy lurking inside the godlike form or Miracleman was peeking out for just a moment, "but I thought I might be dead. Shevaun and I visited a place where dead superheroes sometimes end up...."

"That's not silly at all, mate. I wondered the same thing -- Only I hope that I don't go vomiting on my first day in heaven, when my number is finally punched!"

Miracleman smiled gratefully. Though he's spent most of his recent time with Dark Angel, he felt a special kinship with Spitfire that was difficult to explain. Perhaps it was because both of them were from an earlier era than their teammates. He cocked his head to the side, as listening to something that Jackie couldn't hear. "I think that the others have awakened. Or at least Joey has."

"You can hear him?"

Coloring slightly, Micky nodded. "Yes. He's swearing up a storm, in fact."

"Ah. That would be him. Point me in the right direction and I'll--"

"No need for that, Jackie. Brian's going to bring all of you to Otherworld in a moment."

Both Pendragons turned to see Meggan, the shapeshifting bride of Brian Braddock, hovering in the air above them. She was wearing her old Excalibur uniform, which accentuated all of her ample curves. It was enough, in fact, to render Micky rather speechless. Seeing that her companion was overcome, Spitfire stepped in front of him. "Meggan! I hope your husband is going to explain what's been going on -- it's been bloody madness!"

Meggan smiled, but Jackie thought she sensed an hesitation in the woman's demeanor. Meggan was very easy to read, as her emotions tended to play very openly. The shapeshifter touched her belly, which was beginning to grow round, and smiled. "I'm sure Brian will make it all clear to you. By the way, I'm going to be a mum! Isn't it wonderful?" Meggan's face took on  hopeful expression that failed to mask her anxiety.

Jackie glanced at Miracleman and the two exchanged a silent agreement that Meggan was trying to deliberately shift their line of conversation away from Brian. What are you playing at, Meggan? It's not like you or Brian to engage in games... But we'll do it your way for now. "Congratulations! I'm very happy for you!"

Meggan smiled, obviously relieved about something. "Oh, good! Well, I'm sure that Brian's going to summon us all at any minute."

Jackie nodded, keeping her thoughts to herself. She had a feeling at the base of her spine that had more than erased all thoughts of her headache or nausea. It was the sort of feeling that had helped keep her alive through battles with Nazis, the undead and demons from Hell. And it was telling her that, one way or another, she was not going to like what awaited her in Otherworld.

Elsewhere in Avalon

Betsy Braddock knew that her surroundings had changed, suddenly and without warning. One moment she'd been locked in mortal combat with Slaymaster, one of her lungs rapidly filling with blood, and the next she was here, on her back, in Avalon.

She forced herself to her feet, using every Ninja trick she'd ever learned to keep from blacking out. Reaching out with her telepathy, she could the presence of the other Pendragons but they were scattered throughout Avalon and she was far too weak to contact any of them. This is it, then. That bastard's done it to me again. Violated me and then left me for dead.

Captain Britain tried to summon her psychic knife, eager to cut into something -- anything -- as an outlet for her anger. But the energy that surrounded her right hand flickered dimly before disappearing entirely. There wasn't enough life left in her to maintain such a thing.

As she fell forward, she felt strong hands catch her in mid-air, preventing her from hitting the ground. Her eyes were closed now, unable to focus. "Warren...?"

"No, Betsy... It's me. Your brother."

Captain Britain lay her head on the shoulder of Brian Braddock, her twin and the man who'd taken the Captain Britain name and made it a household name throughout England. "Bri... I'm dying."

Warmth flooded through her injured frame, making Betsy moan as her torn flesh began to re-knit itself into a new whole. Healing was just one of the abilities that the former Captain Britain had gained upon ascending to the throne of Otherworld and it was sorely put to the test today, as his sister teetered on the brink between life and death.

Brian kissed her gently on the side of the face. "Not today, you aren't." He tilted her face up to his, seeing that she'd succumbed to her weariness and faded into unconsciousness. Confident that she could not hear him, Brian whispered "Though you'll might wish you had, if your friends in the 40th Century fail in their mission." And, if they do, it will be by my own folly that we've come to this. I hope you'll forgive me for all the lies and deceptions, Betsy. For I'm not sure I'll ever find the strength to forgive myself.

40th Century Earth, the Scarlet Centurion's Palace

Kate McClellan felt two of her ribs shatter, driving a shock of agony straight to the center of her brain. The Heliopolan God known as Horus strode confidently towards her, having just discharged an energy burst powerful enough to shred a tank in two. Had Kate not dodged at the last second, she had no doubt that she'd be dead right now, instead of coughing up blood on the floor.

How had it all gone so wrong? The new Pendragons -- Kate, Shamrock, Archangel, Tangerine and Thunderfist -- had come here at the behest of Brian Braddock, eager to defeat the man behind their teammates' disappearance. Only the 'evil mastermind' -- the Scarlet Centurion -- lay dead and rotting on his throne. And now these so-called Assyrian Avengers were rapidly mopping up the floor with the Pendragons.

Thunderfist had found himself completely outmatched by an Iron Man variant who seemed to have no qualms about unleashing a flurry of attacks designed not only to defeat his opponent, but leave him a smoking corpse, as well. At the moment, Thunderfist had managed to charge into Iron Man, grasping the armored Avenger tightly about the midsection with one arm while he pounded away with his other fist. Each blow reverberated loudly in the massive throne room, but Iron Man appeared unfazed by the assault.

Iron Man placed his gauntlets on either side of Thunderfist's head and unleashed a powerful repulsor blast that sent the neophyte hero into immediate unconsciousness. "You're a brave one, I'll give you that. But if you think that I haven't faced worse since becoming part of En Sabah Nur's royal guard, you're wrong!"

Elsewhere, Shamrock found her trademark good luck was not enough to avoid the powers of Sceptre -- the name given to the Monica Rambeau of this time and place. Molly didn't really know Monica, but she recognized her as the heroine Photon, capable of transforming and manipulating energy across many spectrums. With Sceptre's energy blasts finally hit home, Shamrock found her synapses overloaded and she hit the ground hard, landing right beside Kate, who was struggling back to her feet.

Warren Worthington, the high-flying Archangel, found himself engaged in an aerial battle with a woman who seemed very familiar to him. Had he not been suffering from the still-lingering effects of amnesia, he would have been even more torn to realize that he was battling Ororo Munro, the African beauty called Storm. As it was, he flew hard and fast through the tall-ceilinged throne room, seeking some sort of advantage.

Behind him, the weather witch hurled lightning bolts and manipulated the winds to try and force Warren from the air. "Stop your flight! You must see that fighting us is futile. We are the Assyrian Avengers and we have bested foes that would make you tremble in fear!"

Archangel ducked low below a sudden gust of air. He circled back quickly, coming up from below Storm and delivering a powerful uppercut. "Someone, somewhere, taught me to never give up! As long as I live and breathe, I have hope!"

Storm wiped her lip with the back of a hand, brushing away blood. She smiled cruelly. "Then that someone was a fool. Because you have no hope here -- None!"

Archangel howled as Horus struck him down from behind with a well-placed energy burst. The Heliopolan looked up at Storm and asked "Are you well, my wife?"

"The stranger did nothing more than bruise me."

Down below, the telepath known as Tangerine felt her teammate's mind go blank as Warren Worthington struck the ground. She and Kate were now the only Pendragons left -- and Kate was not on her feet by much. Tangerine backed up against a wall as the man known as Captain Assyria marched towards her. He held his shield to the side, his eyes holding hers. "Who sent you here? Answer me swiftly, girl!"

Tangerine reached out with her telepathic powers, trying to catch as much as she could from the minds of her opponents. She saw a plethora of bizarre images -- a woman possessed of a powerful artifact called the Ka Stone, ruling over the United States of Assyria; a group of young heroes called the New Warriors who valiantly helped restore a shattered timestream to its rightful shape and design; and an immortal mastermind called En Sabah Nur -- Apocalypse -- who sought out the Scarlet Centurion to revenge himself for some imagined slight*. Slaying his opponent in a great conflict, the mutant had scoured time and space for the perfect champions -- and found them in the form of the Assyrian Avengers.

(*Actually, it wasn't really an 'imagined' slight -- as it was quite real. The Scarlet Centurion, in his guise of Pharaoh Rama-Tut, was indirectly responsible for the death of En Sabah Nur's adopted father and the enslavement of Nur's people.)

"Listen to me," Tangerine began. "Something's not right here. My friends and I are from the 21st Century -- We came here to stop the Scarlet Centurion. But he's dead. And he can't be dead, because he has to go on and become Kang and Immortus... So that means that Brian never sent us into our future, not unless our future's more screwed up than even he knows."

Captain Assyria stood his ground for a long moment. When he finally spoke, it was with the sad tones of one who has just discovered that his favorite pet has to be put down. "You're insane. This world, this time, belongs to one man. And that man is not the Scarlet Centurion."

Before Tangerine could respond, Captain Assyria backhanded her hard across the face. The blow was more than enough to send her to the floor.

And then there was one.

Kate staggered to the center of the room, the Avengers now moving into a circle around her. It was Iron Man who offered her one final chance to surrender. "Your friends aren't dead yet. They might yet be spared by our lord, if they choose to accept his rule. You can do the same."

"Kiss my arse," Kate whispered. She was leaning to the side now, trying to take pressure off her ribs. Lightning flickered about her fingertips.

"You can't win," Captain Assyria replied. "You must know that."

Kate silently whispered a prayer to the Lady of the Lake, adding And if you're watching, Brian, we could use a save about now. Please.

"Give us your answer," Horus urged.

Kate saw an anxious look in all of them, as if they were eager for her to fight. She hated to give them the satisfaction, but she also had intentions of giving up easily. Without another word, she launched a full-out assault. Her lightning sent Sceptre screaming to her knees and drew blood from Captain Assyria.

And then the Avengers struck back.

Hard and without mercy.

Otherworld -- The Royal Gardens

Brian Braddock gave the Pendragons plenty of time to socialize, catching each other up on the harrowing final moments on Battleworld. The lovers -- Union Jack and Spitfire -- stood off to the side, whispering to one another. The alien costume that now called Joey Chapman its host was kind enough to retract away from his face, allowing Joey to bring his lips closer to Jackie's. Brian wondered idly if the costume enjoyed the strange new sensations it was feeling....

As for the injuries incurred by the heroes, such as Betsy's close brush with death, the powers of Otherworld had proven up to the task. When Roma gave me the sword Excalibur, Brian thought, glancing over at Adam Crown, who now bore the weapon with Brian's blessing, though the young man would never be able to tap into the sword's full power, she told me to use it not to hack, but to heal. And I've tried my best to do that, with the Warpies, with Betsy and Grace and so many times since. But not everyone can be healed, can they? Why didn't you tell me that, Roma?

As the small talk dwindled, it was Betsy who brought the subject back 'round to the topic. "Brian," she asked, accepting a small glass of wine offered her by an attendant. All of the Pendragons were still in costume, which made them look slightly out of place in the royal gardens, but Betsy had led the way in dispensing with her mask. "How did we manage to survive Galactus and his machines? Was it you we have to thank?"

"Yes... I managed to pull you from that timeline at the last second. You were all naturally pulled to Avalon first, as that's where your strongest allegiance lies." The King of the Omniverse fixed Dark Angel with a soft smile. The woman was not an official Pendragon, having joined them for the adventure after helping Miracleman with a personal problem. "Except for you, Shevaun. But I suppose you wanted to be with the rest of the team, in your heart of hearts, so there you ended up, as well."

"And how did we end up in that bloody situation in the first place?" Grace asked. She was hot-tempered by nature and had reacted to nearly dying in her usual manner -- she was furious.

"Yes. Meggan seemed very reticent to discuss it with Micky and I," Spitfire offered.

Brian rose from where he was seated, smoothing down the dark fabric that he wore. It was a slightly stylized version of the original Captain Britain uniform, worn by his father. The white lion emblazoned on the chest represented strength and integrity, though Brian felt neither at the moment. "I have made mistakes since ascending to the throne. I have found myself compromised in some ways, forced to take actions that might seem uncalled for on the surface, but which will serve a greater good. Do you understand?"

Betsy saw him looking beseechingly at her. "Not really, Brian. I understand that ruling the Omniverse isn't an easy task, however...."

"Roma told me to use my power to heal. This is supposedly what I was born for -- what my father was assigned to do: find a specific genetic match and breed with her, in hopes of creating the true king of Otherworld. Coming here, claiming both the Amulet of Right and the sword Excalibur -- those were my birthrights."

"I can't see as how this applies to us, old chap," Adam Crown murmured.

"After taking the throne," Brian continued, "I began to wonder over a few things. Mastermind -- the sentient computer who impersonated Roma and sought Otherworld for his own -- claimed that he had been awakened by some sort of associate. But who? My researches into the matter found that the being's fingerprints on the whole affair matched those of Kang the Conqueror*."

(*As was revealed on the last page of the Excalibur limited series a few years ago.)

"But why would Kang want to engineer your rise to the throne?" Union Jack inquired.

"Because, at the time, he was engaged in a war with his variant self, Immortus. Kang wanted to protect his universe so he placed a 'marker' in it -- me. What we've always thought of as the multiverse is actually just a small part in something much larger, something that defies description. Kang planned to return to this universe if he failed in the Forever War, projecting his consciousness into my own body and then rebuilding his base of power from here. Things conspired to prevent that from coming to pass, thankfully."

 "And so, I spent my first few months trying to set right all that had gone wrong in the multiverse, and that included healing those who had been allowed to suffer. I did it first with Betsy, restoring it to her true form and power. But there were others, as well. Others that I failed to help." Brian looked away, his eyes taking on a misty tint. "One of my failures fled Otherworld, vanishing into the timestream. He's been out there since, watching and waiting. I sensed him when Meggan first told me she was pregnant* and he's been spying on me off and on every since -- that's one reason for my recent deceptions. To make sure that he wasn't able to grasp my plans. He's the one who sent Slaymaster and the other members of your rogues gallery to the Battleworld in hopes of disrupting what I'd set in motion--"

(*There was, indeed, some watching over things at the time -- see issue 13.)

"So it was you that sent us to Battleworld? Is that you're saying??"

Brian looked over at his sister, seeing the shocked look on her face. "I needed all of you to be stronger, Bets. And that war seemed like a good way to do it. I had no way of knowing it would go so horribly wrong. One ripple sent more into motion and before I knew it, that event was changed irrevocably. Accidents happen in this line of work and--"

"Accidents?!" Betsy was standing now, moving dangerously close to her twin brother. "We could have been killed, Brian. I nearly was. I had to face that... that animal... again! And now, because of all this, that reality's X-Men, Avengers, Fantastic Four -- none of them are going home. They're dead. And you say it's an accident?"

"Recriminations will do us no good," Wynter pointed out. The brother of Roma and son of Merlyn, the mage knew all too well the dangers of ruling Otherworld. He had seen it blacken the souls of two family members, after all. "The most important thing at present is to understand why Brian felt all this was necessary."

Betsy held her tongue, but she continued to look at Brian with a fiery glare.

"I had hoped that the Battleworld experience would tighten you as a group, make you stronger and more deadly. It succeeded, Betsy. You faced the man of your nightmares and survived. Joey now possesses greater power than he could ever suspect. And the group as a whole is united more fully now -- Even now, all of you are bonded together by your distrust of me. That's necessary." Brian put his hands behind his back, taking a deep breath. "Kang's war with Immortus dealt with a device called the Forever Crystal, capable of creating permanent changes in the timestream. In the end, Captain America seemingly destroyed the crystal, but an object like that can't be unmade so easily. It disappeared outside of time, only to show up at a later date -- here, in the Pendragons' universe. The Crystal is a tool, a machine, but one with a rudimentary intelligence. Upon arriving here, it took certain steps to protect itself. It sealed our universe off behind an Iron Curtain of Time, preventing beings from other universes from entering. It also eradicated all variant forms of Kang and Immortus that it could find in our timestream. In the 40th Century, it destroyed the Scarlet Centurion. In ancient Egypt it found a variant of Rama-Tut and annihilated him. And so on."

Dark Angel shifted uncomfortably. "You know, that makes a bit of sense to me. My costume is composed of a portion of the fabric of the universe and it felt a twinge in the nature of reality. I'd come across a skull belonging to an alleged time traveler -- a sorcerer -- and had hooked it up to my computers to study it when Miracleman came to me for help*."

(*Back in issue 14.)

Brian nodded, pleased to see that someone was offering verification of his story. It was vitally important that, despite all that he had done, the Pendragons believed him on this. "Immortus -- the one who survived the Forever War -- was seeking a way to end his relationship with a group called the Time Keepers. To that end, he sought out the Prime Universe... and when he discovered ours, hidden behind the Iron Curtain, he grew curious. Unable to enter himself, he deposited an agent charged with chronal energy into our universe*. That agent eventually managed to open the doors to Immortus** but the timelord  spent only a moment here before fleeing as the Forever Crystal would have destroyed him otherwise."

(*See issue 15 of my Black Knight run for Marvel Volume One! **In Black Knight: Destiny Walk # 9.)

Spitfire let out a sigh. "Let me get this straight, Brian. Kang set you up on the throne, hoping to use you as some sort of psychic escape route in case he needed it. Then a device called the Forever Crystal ends up in our universe and blocks us off from the rest of the multiverse or whatever you bloody well like to call it, and it kills off any versions of Kang and Immortus that it can find here?"

"Exactly! And the Forever Crystal is now in the hands of the greatest threat we've ever faced. For months, I've agonized over this*, fearing the day when the war for control of this universe would begin. I rebuilt the Captain Britain Corps, choosing warriors from a dozen different worlds, and I've tried my best to sculpt the Pendragons into something that can defeat my enemy."

(*See issue 10 for an example of Brian's concern.)

"Stop it, Brian!" Betsy exclaimed. "Stop speaking in riddles! Who is your enemy? Who has you so damned frightened?"

Brian sighed. "I tried to cure Jamie. But I failed."

Betsy let out a gasp. Their elder brother had seemed so sauve and intelligent for so long, but then his madness and lust for sin had finally been revealed. Jamie Braddock had lied, stolen and cheated almost everyone he had ever met -- and had finally had his own metahuman ability of reality manipulation unleashed upon the galaxy. "Our brother... has the Forever Crystal?"

"Yes. And now his madness is made manifest throughout our universe. He's built an army in the 40th Century, luv. And he's planning to re-make reality, calling himself Infinitus. He's already begun." Brian looked at Miracleman. "Jamie took his favorite comic book character and made him real. Made him a part of our past. When he did, it altered history so that Roma never saved Young Miracleman from Earth-238, she took him from the Realm of Dead Superheroes, in our universe, instead*. Before my brother held the Crystal, Micky, you existed only in alternate universes and comic books. I'm sure he's made other changes, too -- subtle ones. We may never be able to recognize them all. The only thing that's saving us is that Jamie's too far gone to realize he could just undo us all from existence if he wanted -- he's still playing games."

(*As 'explained' last issue.)

Miracleman blinked in surprise, Brian's words finally sinking in. "I'm... not real?"

"Of course you're real. You've always been real, now that Jamie's remade time. But you weren't before."

Dark Angel touched Micky's shoulder. "He's right. Don't get caught up in could-have-beens. You're here, now."

Union Jack stepped forward, clenching his hands into fists. "Then we know what we have to do. If your daft brother is hiding in the 40th Century, that's where we'll go. And we can see if your bloody manipulations have made us strong enough to pull it off."

Brian shook his head. "No. For you, this little adventure is over for now."

Betsy narrowed her eyes. "Brian. Please tell me there isn't more."

"I've allied myself with the mutant known as Apocalypse. In the 40th Century, he seizes power using machines that once belonged to his old foe, the Scarlet Centurion. He's brought in a group of variant Avengers to serve as his honor guard and Apocalypse means to face down Jamie and defend his rule of that century. I've sent him aid that should, I hope, allow him to do that. But if they fail -- and there's every reason to think they might -- then I still have you in reserve. Growing stronger, day-by-day. I didn't want to send you into this situation, Betsy. It's a longshot for Apocalypse to win here, but if it goes well, at least Jamie will be slowed down some."

"And what sort of help did you send?"

"Kate and Shamrock formed a new group of Pendragons. I sent them to the 40th Century."

"And do they know the truth?" Betsy asked.

Hesitating, Brian said "No. I lied to them. It was the only way I could guarantee that they would be where I needed them to be -- and it kept Jamie from hearing what I--"

"But you're telling us now. Aren't you afraid he'll overhear?"

"The attack has already begun, Betsy."

Captain Britain's roar was terrifying in its ferocity. She channeled her psychic blade and it flared to life around her right hand. With dazzling speed, she slashed at her own twin, driving the blade deep into his heart. The ruler of Otherworld cried out, falling backwards in agony. The attendants and guards reacted with surprise, some of them moving forward to help their fallen monarch, but most unsure of what to do. The few who made threatening motions found themselves confronted with angry Pendragons.

Betsy looked down at Brian, who had fallen to his knees. "You'd best pray that Kate and the others come back to us, brother. Or I swear by all that is holy that I shall renounce you as my kin. Do you understand?"

"Hate me if you want, Betsy," Brian said, gasping for breath. He looked up to her with haunted eyes. "But if the others fail today, Jamie will come to the 21st Century. He will come and he will make the Earth into a place of incredible horrors. All that I ask is that--"

"You didn't ask, you silly little git! If you had, you might have found us more than willing to take part in this. But instead you're going down the same broken path that led Merlyn to shame." She raised her fist up next to her face, the psychic blade still shimmering. "Can you send us to help Kate and the others?"

Brian shook his head. "No. Jamie's using the Crystal to keep me out. He shut off access to that era the second the other Pendragons set foot there."

"Then send us home. Immediately." She looked away from him. "Because right now, looking at you makes me sick."

The former Captain Britain lowered his head, feeling the wrath she now held for him. It wasn't surprising, but it hurt. These things he had done... They were for a greater good that someone like Betsy couldn't understand. Brian now saw a larger picture than ever before and he suddenly felt a kinship with Merlyn and Roma. They alone, of all in the multiverse, knew the loneliness of absolute power.

Brian waved his hand through the air, dispatching the Pendragons back to the world of their birth. He remained on his knees for a long moment after, watching as Meggan slowly tiptoed over to him. She knelt at his side, her eyes large and wet. "Why, Brian? Why didn't you tell them everything?"

"Because what Dane did on his mission* is going to play an important part in other things later on, Meggan. To reveal it now would only widen the rift I've driven between myself and Betsy. And... I can't do that. Not now."

(*The Black Knight was sent on a secret mission in issue six.)

"That's not what I meant, my love. Why didn't you tell them that the other Pendragons aren't coming back? That's the real reason you sent Betsy away, wasn't it? So that Kate and Molly would form a new group that you could use in their place?"

Brian didn't reply. He didn't have to. With the feel of tears beginning to blur his vision, Brian Braddock lay his head on his wife's shoulder... and prayed for forgiveness.

40th Century Earth -- The World of Apocalypse

Molly Fitzgerald paced the length of her cell for the fifty-sixth time since awakening in this stark and barren prison. She'd hoped against hope that some guard would 'accidentally' drop a key or something, but so far her luck powers hadn't delivered her any easy means of escape. Instead, she remained alone in her cell, though she could see her teammates across the hall in cells of their own. Kate was still unconscious, her breathing labored and ragged from her injured ribs. The others, though, were awake and just as anxious to be free as Molly was.

Archangel stepped as close to the energy bars on his cage as he could. He could see guards, dressed in quasi-Egyptian style garb, at the end of the hall. The two men were chatting away about something and paying little attention to the Pendragons. Turning back to face Shamrock across the hall, he tried whispering to her but the hum from the bars droned out his words. Frustrated, he remembered that Molly had told him she was adept at sign language, an art that Warren also knew.

Catching her eye, he signed We have to get out of here.

Molly grinned lopsidedly at him. You think so?

Yes! Warren couldn't help smiling in return. Even now, with the team in dire straits, Molly was able to relieve tension. The girl was a godsend, Warren thought. Either Brian lied to us or he was wrong. What do you think?

I think... I don't know. I don't want to think about what it means if he lied to us.

Warren knew how she felt. Though his memories were scattered, he thought he knew Brian Braddock to be a man of high honor. If he'd turned against them....

Those thoughts were interrupted as Horus entered the prison area. He greeted the guards with a nod and strode down the hall, stopping just outside Shamrock's cell. The energy bars lowered in intensity, allowing them to hear one another through them. "Are you the leader of this group?"

Molly cast a glance over at Kate, who was struggling to rise. The poor woman looked like someone had used her as a punching bag -- one eye was swollen shut and her lips were puffy and bruised. "In light of current circumstances, I'll do," Molly answered. She folded her arms over her chest. "'Ave ye come to let us go?"

Horus smiled coldly. "If I had my way, you and your friends would be executed in the public square. The punishment for entering the tomb of the Centurion is death."

Shamrock winked. "Ah, but it's not your way we'll be 'aving, is it? So 'as your lord and master sent for us?"

Horus bristled at her words, but his smile never faltered. "En Sabah Nur has elected to show you mercy." Behind him, the guards had opened the door to Kate's cell and roughly pulled her to her feet. She reacted with a groan of pain.

"'Ey! Be careful with 'er!" Molly exclaimed.

Horus brought his face close to the energy bars, staring hard into Molly's eyes. "Her pain will be unimaginable if you resist. Come with us quietly and listen to the master. Once you hear the truth, you will know the things you must do."

All up and down the halls, the energy cells opened, releasing the captured Pendragons. Thunderfist staggered out, his gaze falling upon Horus. With a shout of anger, Robbie started to rush the Heliopolan God, but Molly's shout halted him in his tracks. "Thunderfist! No! I've promised to listen to what their leader wants." She cast a quicky glance over to Kate, who hung suspended between the two guards.

"Stand down like she says, Robbie," Tangerine whispered. "Play out cards right and we'll get another chance yet."

Seeing that they were resigned to this, Horus bellowed "Then march forward, mortals -- And prepare to see the blessed visage that is our master!"

The world of Apocalypse was a world of sand and war. The landscape, as far as the eye could see, was a desert, with cities and pyramids occasionally breaking on the horizon. It was like a science-fiction version of ancient Egypt, with ancient fashions and modes of living existing side-by-side with air-cars and energy weapons.

To the Pendragons, it was also a world gone mad. Tangerine felt through the minds of all they passed, transmitting what she found there to the others. She'd been too weak to link their minds up back in the prison, but now that she'd been fed and given water, she was strong enough to keep them appraised of each other's strengths. Apparently, this master of theirs is the mutant Apocalypse, is that right?

Warren's masculine mind thought in agreement. Unless there are two En Sabah Nurs, then yeah. I remember that he was really dangerous, but beyond that... Sorry. I'm not much help.

Don't worry, Warren, Kate replied, her own mind hazy with pain as she staggered forward, Everything little bit helps.

Tangerine nodded at that. In her own time, Apocalypse had been hunted down and destroyed, but she'd heard rumors of his power. Some of the people we're passing are fearful of a coming war. There have numerous skirmishes so far and they expect someone called the Infinitus to launch another assault at any moment.

No one replied to that, as their attentions were now directed towards the great open-air facility into which they had been led. Stone depictions of Apocalypse lined every wall and a large fountain in the center of the facility spewed blue-tinged water into the air. En Sabah Nur, flanked by the Assyrian Avengers, stood patiently beside the fountain, his stony face set impassively. "Welcome to my realm. You have my apologies for how you were greeted. I had given up hope of Braddock sending me the aid I required and thus did not expect you."

Archangel couldn't hide his surprise. "Help? Brian was sending us to help you...?"

Apocalypse grinned, his horrible face parting in a look of sublime pleasure. "My former Angel of Death. How fitting you should be here with me, at the end."

The villain's words struck Warren like a thunderbolt to his very soul. He remembered despair and pain -- remembered losing his wings and having them replaced by cruel metal replacements. His skin had changed hue and his spirit had darkened with it. He had become less than a man. He had become Death. "You... You bastard," he whispered. He sprang forward with a hiss, but was caught in midair by Thunderfist.

"Calm down, Warren! I'm supposed to be the resident hothead -- not you. Go switching roles with me, mate, and everybody'll get confused!"

"He's the one who took me when I was at my lowest and used me! He turned me into one of his horsemen!"

Tangerine reached out and touched Warren's cheek. She sent out calming thoughts, saying aloud "That's not the here and now. Wait." And I'll make sure you get your chance for vengeance, Warren.

Archangel stared at her, having heard her private communication. He relaxed, ceasing his struggles. "Alright, Apocalypse. Start talking. Before I forget I'm keeping my cool."

Kate, still struggling to breathe, nodded. "Get on with it, please. Why would Brian expect us to help you?"

"Because Infinitus is coming. He traveled to the end of time and is moving back to the era of his birth, enslaving all. Transforming all. With each step, the corridors of time are blocked to those moving from one era to another. I offered my knowledge of genetics to Brian Braddock, making sure that the child his bride carries within her will grow up healthy and strong, free of the madness which infected Braddock's brother. In return, he offered me the Pendragons -- to fight for me here, as my world ends."

A cold fear overtook Kate's heart at his words. "You're saying we're trapped here, aren't you? The corridors of time are blocked... You mean that once Infinitus comes here, this era's blocked off from the others!"

"Yes." Apocalypse looked back towards his Avengers, who stood at attention. Evidently, they knew what was coming and were prepared to face it. "I could have fled. To Otherworld. To the past. But I will not. I have come to rule this time and I will not flee in the face of the enemy. My Avengers, saved from their own timeline when it was dissolved, have elected to stand with me." He turned towards the Pendragons. "And you have come to do the same."

"That bastard," Thunderfist whispered. 'He played us for fools. He didn't want to sacrifice his precious Captain Britain Corps but a bunch of replacement Pendragons? We're cannon fodder."

"Do not judge him too harshly," Apocalypse replied. "Braddock is fighting a war of immense proportions, one that spans multiple Earths. He is confronted with the knowledge that at any moment his opponent might use the Crystal to its fullest and the battle would be lost. This moment, here in the 40th century, is no more than a skirmish in a greater affair. He sent you here in hopes that you could, against all odds, turn the tide. It is a show of faith in you."

"Right. And if I ever see him again, I have faith that I can plant my foot so far up his arse that it'll poke out of his mouth," Thunderfist muttered.

"Master! They come!"

All eyes turned skywards, where the woman known as Storm was hovering. She was pointing to a rift in the sky that was widening at an alarming rate. Lightning and stellar energy came pouring forth, before the rift suddenly vomited out its passengers: 40,000 soldiers, reanimated corpses all, many dressed in bizarre clothing that made them resemble a child's toys come to life. And at the head of the army, riding a great white steed which flew with massive wings, was the man known as Infinitus. The Forever Crystal hung around his neck from a golden chain and its unearthly light cast his features into a sinister countenance.

Jamie Braddock's voice, tinged with madness, seemed to come from everywhere at once.

"Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die!"

Otherworld

Brian Braddock stood on the balcony just outside his private quarters, watching as the citizens of Otherworld gathered below. The celebration in honor of Brian and Meggan's pregnancy was building in size and tone. The citizens of Otherworld, who labored hard under the sometimes difficult rules of Merlyn and Roma were coming to love their new king, whom they saw as honest and good.

"What a load of rubbish," Brian murmured. "I'm as bad as Merlyn ever was. I lied to my friends and my sister, all to hide the fact that my attempts to help my brother made him even more daft than before!"

"That's hardly the case."

Brian whirled about, surprised to see the lady Roma stepping towards him. She stood in his bed chamber, her beautiful features regarding him with pity. "Roma! How in Merlyn's name --"

Roma held up a hand to silence him. "Brian Braddock, you have made a most grave error. You have allowed yourself to become lost in the power of your office. I know," she added, moving up next to him, "For I did it myself. When I ascended to power here, I promised that I would never be like my father. I would never be cold or distant. I would never forget what was best for my people." She turned to him and Brian saw familiarity in her eyes. "But I became so caught up in the grand schemes of things that I did forget."

Brian clenched a fist and looked away. "I sent Kate and the others to their deaths."

"Did you?"

"Damn it, Roma!" he exclaimed. "I was supposed to be born for this. I was supposed to be... to be... "

"Perfect?" she asked?

"Yes!"

Roma touched his arm gently. "When I told you to heal, not to hack... What do you think I meant?"

"You wanted me to forget the use of force. It's always been my first inclination. You wanted me to think. To use my new powers to rebuilt and restore, rather than tear down."

"Yes, but I did not mean to turn you away from all uses of force. You have relied very heavily on your champions thus far... When, perhaps, you yourself should have taken up arms."

Brian looked at her. "What do you mean?"

Roma smiled. "Be a hero, Brian Braddock. That is what you are, at your core. Think like one. And, if necessary, cut yourself off from the full power that is yours to hold -- Wait until you have grown into the role of Omniversal Guardian. Be a man first. What does your heart tell you to do?"

Brian laughed. "It's telling me to put on my uniform and find a way into the 40th Century."

"Then do it."

"But I can't," Brian exclaimed. "The corridors are blocked!"

"You are the guardian of the Omniverse, Brian. No doors are blocked to you. Not if you seek to open with the key."

"What key, Roma? I don't understand what you're talking about!"

Roma placed her hand over Brian's heart and smiled. "Here. This is the key to your success or failure as ruler of Otherworld. Stop thinking and start feeling."

40th Century

The battle started poorly for the Pendragons and then got steadily worse. The forces of Infinitus were innumerable and their resurrected bodies seemed able to take ungodly amounts of damage. Even the might Assyrian Avengers found themselves mowed down before the horde, with Iron Man being the first -- but not the last -- to die in screaming agony.

The Pendragons, hesitant to fight at first, warmed to the subject admirably, forming a defensive circle around Kate, who was still too injured to successfully fight on her own. The horde of the undead came upon them, but Thunderfist's great strength allowed him to punch through many of them and both Tangerine and Shamrock were able to dispatch a dozen or so each, with their own unique skills. But it was Archangel who fought like a man possessed. He hovered in the air, using his power of flight to great advantage, but he suffered terrible wounds as the battle mounted. A spear jutted from his side and one large section of his left wing was torn and shredded.

And, even above the din of war, Kate heard the death-screams of Apocalypse and knew that, soon, Infinitus would turn his attention towards the Pendragons. Kate closed her eyes, thinking of poor Cam, who would never know how his mother died. Perhaps, she thought, that was the kinder way of doing it.

Kate's eyes opened as Shamrock cried out. The Irish heroine went flying through the air, a bloody gash in her stomach. The man who had delivered the blow was Infinitus himself, his mad eyes staring out at Kate from beneath a suit of medieval armor. Huge claws were attached to the gauntlets he wore and he slashed again with superhuman speed, cutting all the way through Tangerine. He lifted the telepath up into the before tossing her aside.

Kate shot forth a powerful burst of lightning, as much as she could generate in her weakened state. Jamie Braddock just laughed.

And then a silence came across the battle field and a light so bright that it threatened to overwhelm all who saw it seemed to come down from heaven.

And in the center of the glare there came a man. A man whose features were hidden beneath a blazing union jack that covered his eyes and upper face.

"Brian. The bugger actually came to help us," Kate breathed.

With a voice that sounded as strong and as confident as anything Kate ever imagined, Brian shouted "Jamie! This ends now."

The man that Kate knew only as Infinitus turned his face upwards, a grin spreading over his lips. "Little brother! Are you here to make me all better again?"

Brian shook his head. "Not this time. This time, I'm going to do whatever it takes to stop you."

"And what if I decide to just make you go away?" Jamie asked, his hand caressing the Crystal about his neck.

"You can try. But I don't think you'll succeed. Because somewhere, deep inside you, is still the brother who took care of me and Betsy when we were little. And that brother always stops himself before he really and truly harms me."

"Liar, Liar," Jamie whispered.

Brian flew downwards, propelling himself like a rocket until he impacted with his brother. The blow sent both men away from the Pendragons and they rolled atop one another before coming to a halt. Jamie backhanded Brian as soon as he got himself back upright and the two began trading vicious blows that left each man spraying blood with every strike.

For the men and women who had only moments ago been engaged in open warfare, it was a strange sight, indeed. The corpse warriors of Jamie Braddock crumbled as more and more of the madman's energies were directed at his brother... and the followers of En Sabah Nur were in awe of what they were witnessing.

Energies, both born of Otherworld and the Forever Crystal, filled the air. It made the clouds above crackle with static and down below Kate McClellan felt her senses come alive as never before.

Here, in the 40th Century of an Earth nearly dead, a secret war was fought.

It was not a war just between two brothers.

It was a war between different philosophies, different codes of conduct.

One, Jamie, sought to use his powers to impose his will onto others. To remake the world into a place of chaos and insanity. He had used women his whole life, even before he had powers. He had sought fame and fortune.

The other, Brian, sought to use his powers to bring about a lasting peace, one in which he and his family would no longer be called upon to sacrifice and make moral choices. He had craved knowledge, even before he had powers. He had sought companionship and family.

In the end, fear of what Jamie could do, what he would do, with the Crystal had almost made Brian forget who he was. He'd lied. He'd manipulated. And he'd hurt his own flesh and blood.

"I won't become like you, Jamie. I won't." With those words, Brian unleashed one final blow that rocked Jamie back on his heels.

Jamie Braddock fell onto his back, gasping. "Br... Brian," he said, in an almost lucid tone.

It was enough to make Brian pause. For the past few years, Jamie had been so insane, so filled with rage and hate, that Brian could scarcely remember what it meant to look into his brother's eyes and see lucidity. "Yes, Jamie?"

"Finish me."

Brian blinked, feeling himself sway on his feet. "I can't kill you."

"I'd... I'd kill you, Brian. I would."

"I know."

Brian fell down beside his brother, reaching out to clasp Jamie's hand. "But I'm not here to hack. I'm here to heal. And someday, I'm going to heal you. And maybe Betsy... Maybe Betsy will understand."

And, as a soft rain began to fall, this most secret of wars came to an end.

Epilogue

The man known as Slaymaster wrapped the stolen coat about his slender form and then helped himself to the man's hat. The corpse lay in the London alleyway, blood flowing from a precise wound to the neck.

Stepping out into the London nighttime, Slaymaster paused at a newstand and examined the headlines before him. So, it was true. He had, somehow, been caught up in whatever force had saved the Pendragons. He'd felt it, at the last moment, pulling him and Betsy free of that awful world. But where she had gone on to one place, he had gone to another.

2003.

A whole new time. A whole new world.

There was much to thank Allah for.

Next Issue: The Pendragons are re-assembled in the 21st Century, but there are many questions still left to answer. Who stays and who goes -- and will anyone ever be able to forgive Brian Braddock?

There you have it. A story I've had in various stages of planning since way back in issue six. There are a few things worth mentioning, I think:

1. Astute readers of Avengers Forever will recall that the Crystal seemed to appear before the Supreme Intelligence at the end of that story. Given the Intelligence's powers, I choose to believe that was just an illusion called forth so that he could imagine what he'd do with such a thing. A small cheat, I suppose, but there's nothing on that page that contradicts what I just said.

2. Brian mentioned that manipulating things in the Pendragons Universe was difficult -- this is true. Not because of something inherent to the universe itself, but because Jamie and the Crystal were making it difficult. What happens to the Crystal now? Stay tuned. But Jamie's manipulations (such as bringing in Miracleman) means that the history of our universe is now more fluid than that of the standard Marvel U. I won't use this much, I promise, but it allows me to bring in the 1950s Avengers into my continuity, if I wish, for example.

3. Dane's mission relates to something that will come to a head around issue 25, in a crossover with Black Knight: Destiny Walk, if everything works out as Gary Dreslinski and I are planning. It's safe to say that Brian wanted Dane out of the way for awhile, as well, given the fact that it was Dane who was serving as Immortus' agent in this plane.

4. Hope everything made sense. There was sooooo much stuff to deal with here that I'm fearful I forgot something. Let me know and I can address it in future issues!

5. Next issue brings the two groups of Pendragons together and results in a membership shuffle of major proportions. We also get to see Betsy and Brian hash things out as best they can.

You can reach me at aric_dacia@yahoo.com