#18 - Flashes of Light Amongst the Dark/Dark Amongst the Light

"Hugo Danner… Huge freaking Danner…" The American Marvel kept muttering to himself, violently shaking his head. Sersi wondered if she should go over and help, or perhaps ask him if there was a problem with the man he was so obviously upset with. Perhaps she would, later. There were quite a few things that she had to do later. Now though…

"Can I talk to you?" a woman asked. Sersi turned with a start. She had seen Asp arrive, with the others. But having Roma’s assurances that the woman was needed, and being able to trust the woman who kidnapped, poisoned and tormented you - those were completely different things.

Sersi’s eyes burned with flame, "The only things I want to say to you are followed by your screams."

"I just wanted to ask you… about Dane."

The flames died down. "Dane?"

"Yeah… I was just wondering. Why? After all you’ve gone through together. Why?"

"Why have I broken things off?"

Asp nodded.

"Because he is not the man that I love. He never was. I realize that now." Sersi stared at her for a moment, wondering why she never noticed that look in her eyes, "You will understand, in time."

"So why is it that I just can’t destroy the piece of the World Tree?" Roma stared at him blankly, "Have you tried?" "No." "I wouldn’t advise wasting your time. No one knows how much damage you did when you took that cutting. I wouldn’t want to even think about what could happen if you destroyed it."

"What’s that supposed to mean? What damage I did when I took the cutting…I took a piece of the tree." "The tree that is the foundation of the universe. It’s life itself. Why do you think Brian wanted it? He was willing to damage the fabric of reality for his own goals."

"I would like this a whole lot better if that wasn’t so easy to accept."

"During my father’s reign, these things became easy to accept too. Merlin was a brilliant man, brilliant but dangerous. I missed my father, but now that he is back, I will tell you honestly that it frightens me to know that he could be restored as well. When King Brian opened up the Chamber of Failures, releasing those unfit to wear the crown, the diseased and the mad, he lit a signal to the heavens of his intent. He sent his own sister and teammates to Battleworld to die. He formed a make-shift team of Pendragons and sent them into the future to carry out his bidding. Now he uses a force from them as his Dark Guard. Add that to the Pendragons and the Captain Britain Corp and you have to wonder…*"

(*All these events have taken place in the wonderful Pendragons and Captain Britain: House Braddock titles - read them!!! - GD)

"Who he’s planning on attacking…" Dane finished for her, his eyes getting larger, "With Jamie restored to sanity, under his brother’s control… and an army…"

"No one is safe. It doesn’t matter if he cures his brother or not good Knight. If he fails in his attempt, then he has potentially unleashed a madman with the powers to reshape what is and is not real. If he is successful, and brings the black sheep of the family to heal… the universe itself is next. He is the King of the gateway to the Omniverse after all."

"I knew it was a mistake letting him take up the crown."

"There was nothing to be done. My father made sure of that. The prophecy would be fulfilled. Brian was the right man for the job, but you know the pitfalls of power."

Dane thought about the Ebony Blade, and what it had done to him, "Yeah. I guess I do."

"Which is why you can not simply hide the wood. He is going to be calling for it soon, and you must deliver it to him as promised. Either result will be bad, the key is to keep him from using it."

Dane’e hand went to the chain around his neck. The amulet was warm to the touch, it was comforting, welcoming him home. "I understand," he said, "I need to do this for AVALON!".

He stood in the center of the maelstrom, watching glimpses of the world pass before his eyes. Soon, that world would be coming for him. He would be ready… Immortus would be ready.

Anthony Ludgate, Druid, stood apart from the others as they were briefed on what to expect. The first move seemed to involve taking out Braddock’s support structure, which made sense. With the Pendragons either taken out, or better yet, on their side, things had a better chance of working.

He felt out for the Black Mass Barrier. It was still there… it’s power continuing to flow into him. According to what Roma had told them, Braddock was partially responsible for the barrier, using it to protect the time-stream from interlopers. If that was true, then perhaps there was room for discourse on the subject if they happened to have a moment. Druid smiled to himself, vowing to make sure that they had a chance to discuss their shared interests.

If nothing else, the team that Roma had assembled would give him the chance to further his own agenda. A chance to truly show the world what he was capable of doing, of what he was capable of becoming.

He listened as Roma, Sersi and the Black Knight went down the list of current Pendragons, and the best way to deal with them. Honestly, he had no use for their strategy. He would do what was expected of him, and then, he would do that which needed to get… "what was that last one?" he asked, his head snapping back into place. "Miraclman." "You’re joking right? He’s… not real. Right?" The Black Knight shook his head, "I’ve met him before Druid. He’s a good guy. If we can talk him about what a threat Brian is, to all of us, maybe then we will be able to keep Brian from crushing us."

Druid did not reply, but he felt the smirk on his face growing by the minute. Miracleman was real. He was alive. And he was with the Pendragons. Oh yes, things were about to get interesting.

"Do you have the spell ready?" Roma nodded. Dane looked over his companions one last time. He still wasn’t sure if this was going to work, but it was worth a try. "And this is going to fool them?"

Roma nodded again, "They’re not going to know what hit them."

A smile crept over Dane’s unshaven countenance, he reached over to Sersi, pulling her close and kissing her. "For luck," he explained with a boyish grin, stepping into the portal that Roma formed for their transport, "Next stop - Lyonesse."