#6 - Crisis In The Ultraverse, Part Three

By Barry Reese

LAST ISSUE : While the Black Knight continued to grow ever closer to his once-love Sersi, Proctor prepared his Gatherers for a trip to the moon. The villain seeks to utilize the dormant Entity on the moon to seize power, unaware that he is being manipulated by Immortus. Elsewhere, Kang the Conqueror arrived in the Ultraverse, informing the Black Knight and his allies in Ultraforce about Immortus' scheme and warning them that "The Ultraverse Dies at Dawn!"

SCENE ONE : "Unlikely Allies"

"Well, ain't this just a big 'ol pile of doo-doo!" The shambling husk known as Ghoul stared up at the floating figure of Kang the Conqueror and felt a wave of nervousness overtake him. Since coming back from the dead he'd faced lots of dangers, but none seemed as real as this one. This guy was SERIOUS BUSINESS.

Prime stepped forward, the veins extending from his impossibly large forearms. "Nobody's going to die while Prime's around! Nobody!" The Ultraforce found leapt towards the armored figure, closing a fist with which to strike him.

The Black Knight held up a hand, screaming "Prime, no! You don't know who -- "

Kang the Conqueror, the man who had dispatched the Mighty Avengers themselves, merely laughed as the powerful figure of Prime flew towards him. "Pitiful child. Do you think I don't know your secret? A mere boy playing at being a man!" Kang raised a gauntlet and fired an energy blast that struck Prime full in the face. With a horrible splortch', Prime's head was blown away, leaving a melting pile of greenish glop that dripped from the wound. Prime's body fell flat on the Ultraforce meeting table.

Sersi snarled, her eyes flashing with all the power that only an Eternal could muster. "You beast! How dare you come here and ask for our help and then do this...!" She raised her hands, her matter transformation powers about to work on Kang when she felt Dane's hand on her shoulder.

"Sersi, no. Kang's a madman and we don't have the power to take him down. We have to listen to him. Besides," He looked over at Prime's body, "I've seen Prime come back from worse. Trust me."

Sersi stared into his eyes for a long moment before yielding. "I do trust you, Gann Josin."

Kang the Conqueror sighed loudly. "We have little enough time as it is without this prattling to delay us!" Hardcase looked up from the prone form of Mantra. The sorceress had screamed in agony a split second before Kang had arrived, rambling incoherently about some Entity. "What's wrong with her? What did you do?"

Kang snorted. "I merely made use of a powerful vessel. There are things happening here you can't begin to understand..."

The Black Knight raised the Sword of Light until its blade gleamed in the room's lighting. "Try us."

"Very well, Avenger. I shall tell you all there is to know about my elder self's scheme and your role in it. But not here. We must travel."

Before any of the heroes could act, Kang raised a hand in a sweeping arc. Bright light washed over them, wrapping them in a golden embrace.

A second later, everyone -- even the injured Prime and Mantra -- were gone.

SCENE TWO : "The Story According to Immortus"

The time lord Immortus watched as the Gatherers approached the cave of the Entity. He stood atop its shattered remains, the Entity's metallic skin crunching beneath his boots. The alien device had served a 'black box' of sorts for a crashed ship, sending out its beacon again and again, soundlessly begging for help for its long-dead passengers. That beacon had stimulated humanity's dormant potential, transforming them into Ultras. The Entity had eventually been destroyed by the heroes of earth, but not before it had sent back its information, to its long-lost home. Its duty had been fulfilled.

But Immortus planned to utilize the Entity in a wholly different manner...

"I don't like this stuff a'tall." Sandblast glanced about the barren surface of the moon with obvious concern. All of the Gatherers, including Proctor, were wearing space gear stolen from the collection of former Ultraforce member Contrary, and Sandblast tugged self-consciously at his facemask. "I'm ain't even sure how my sand powers will work up here..."

The water witch Naiad walked beside him, shrugging. "Who cares how your powers work? There's nobody around for us to fight..."

The hulking form of Tyrannosaurus grunted at that. The scaly villain was behind Naiad but he leaned forward. "That's what you think. But I'm betting our leader thinks different." He pointed a finger towards Proctor, who moved in the lead. "He's on guard. You can see it in his every move. He's expecting something."

Naiad frowned. "I don't like feeling that we're not being told everything..."

Tyrannosaurus cracked a grin. "I don't give a flying flip as long as I get paid and I get to kick some tail. I'm enjoying taking these Ultraheroes down a peg."

"Yeah, it's kinda sexy..." Naiad licked her lips and laughed. She made eye contact with Tyrannosaurus and started to say something else, when Proctor's voice interrupted her.

"There's someone here." The alternate-earth version of Dane Whitman stopped where he stood, drawing the Ebony Blade. Its corruption was his own as they were linked forever more. The Blade itself had been used to slay Proctor when his campaign to wipe out all the variant timelines had failed*, but Proctor's memory of his own death was vague...Still, holding the blade filled him with confidence. His red, glowing eyes were suffused with anger.

(*See Avengers # 375 for the soul-searing conclusion to the Gatherers storyline.)

Lord Pumpkin stepped towards Proctor. He wore a dapper suit with a ruffled shirt and his jack-o-lantern skull gleamed with green fire."Who is here, Proctor? Did you hear someone?"

Proctor glanced back at the sorcerer and sneered. "If I knew who was here, I wouldn't be so cautious, fool...But I can sense them. Use your own powers, feel outward with your magic. Even a simpleton like you should be able to sense them..."

Lord Pumpkin seethed at Proctor's words but he held his tongue, instead reaching out with his magic. He did feel something, something powerful indeed... "I've never felt its like before..."

Proctor nodded. "Neither have I." He strode forward, ahead of the group and raised his sword into the air. In a loud, clear voice he proclaimed, "I am Proctor, leader of the Gatherers and scourge of worlds! Identify yourself!"

And the man known as Immortus stepped from the shadowy cave. He walked with purpose towards the assembled group of villains.

"Who da hell?" Sandblast prepared himself for anything. Was this some new Ultra?

Immortus raised a hand and smiled enigmatically. "Lower your weapon, Dane Whitman. I mean you no harm. I am here only to safeguard this universe's existence. I am Immortus."

Proctor lowered his blade slightly and appeared ready to listen but when Immortus moved closer twin beams of ruby energy shot from Proctor's eyes. The energy struck Immortus in the chest but the time lord never faltered, instead moving closer still. Proctor's attack ceased, trails of energy leaking from his eyes. "You are formidable indeed. Explain yourself."

Immortus smiled. "Not long ago this universe was transformed, reborn thanks to the power of the Infinity Gems*. I have reset time, turning back the clock to this universe's earlier form..."

(*This occurred at the conclusion of the Avengers/Ultraforce crossover and the Black September storyline.)

Lord Pumpkin narrowed his eyes at the stranger's words. Somehow he knew they were truth...the universe had died and been reborn...

"I did this because the new reality was fragile and ill-formed. Its chronal energy was deteriorating. It was, in short, eating itself. A villain the likes the multiverse has rarely known by the name of Kang the Conqueror was in pursuit of me, seeking to become the one true lord of time. I knew that the bizarre chronal patterns in this universe would hide me from his gaze for a time while I formulated a plan."

Proctor raised his sword again. "Your words mean nothing to me. You see, I know of you. When I was a member of my world's Avengers we clashed with Kang often enough. You yourself are nothing more than a petty tyrant in my eyes. Now stand aside before we end your life."

Immortus smiled. "Ah, poor Dane. You don't understand the confluence of events that have led us here. When I fled...ahem, chose to leave...my castle in Limbo, I came here to the Infinity Gem-created reality. Its timeline was frayed beyond repair, as I said. So I gazed back into its past and saw the universe of old...I saw the Entity." Proctor stiffened at the mention and Immortus laughed. "I turned back time, eradicating that universe and restoring this one. But the wave of energy unleashed by that Ultraverse dying has created a wave of Nega-Time that is moving backwards through time...to this universe. It is wiping out all it touches, in a wave of anti-existence. I estimate that this universe will die sometime before earth's dawn." Immortus swept his cape dramatically and the air before the Gatherers parted.

They saw a white cloud of nothingness washing over the earth, literally erasing it. "The Nega-Time is coming and only we can prevent it. I saw that only someone with an abundance of chronal energy about themselves could enter the heart of the Nega-Time and destroy it. You, Dane Whitman, have a wealth of chronal energy within you, absorbed from your countless trips through the multiverse. I have built a machine out of bits of the Entity that can absorb the Nega-Time wave but you must in its center in order to use it."

Proctor snorted. "Why would I care about this universe? If it dies, so be it. I can move to another."

Immortus' eyes twinkled. "I brought you here, Proctor -- I saved you from the split second before you were absorbed forever by the Ebony Blade. I need you to do this and in exchange I shall wipe your hated Sersi from existence throughout the multiverse."

This time, Proctor paused. Ultimate vengeance...but could he trust Immortus?

SCENE THREE : "The Story According to Kang"

Ultraforce appeared on the moon, some several hundred yards away from the cave. Immortus and the Gatherers were over a large dune, hidden from view. A small bubble of energy surrounded the heroes, providing a breathable atmosphere.

The Black Knight had long ago lost his temper. "Damnit, Kang! No more games...tell us what's going on, in specifics. What are we doing on the moon?"

Sersi glanced over at Mantra, who was by now sitting up. The mage was clutching her head and groaning slightly. Sersi knelt beside her. "Are you alright? What happened?"

Mantra glanced over at Sersi and their eyes locked for a long moment. "I think that this Kang just dumped a whole lot of information into my head...schematics, knowledge of the universe..." Mantra gasped. "Our universe died."

Kang stood on the ground before the Black Knight and made no move to stop Dane Whitman when the Knight clutched Kang's vest and pulled him close. "Answer me, Kang. Now!"

Kang shoved the Black Knight away easily, tossing him into Hardcase's arms. "Don't get presumptuous with me, Whitman! Your hands weren't meant to touch the likes of Kang!"

Ghoul looked over at Nightman and rolled his eyes. "Ya know we're in trouble when the bad guys start speaking in the third person!"

Nightman ignored him. The urban vigilante slid back behind a dune, wrapping his cloak around himself. The others could listen to Kang to their heart's content. The Nightman would pursue information in his own way, for he alone could hear evil thoughts. And while Kang's mind was too heavily shielded to even begin to penetrate, there were those nearby whose minds were much simpler. Nightman moved stealthily, peering down at the Gatherers as they entered the cave. Interesting, he mused, it looks like we're not the only ones visiting the moon today...

Kang stepped into the center of the group, ignoring the schlorping sound of Prime's head regrowing. "As I told you, I recently attempted to rid the multiverse of the many counterparts I had spawned. I activated the Chrono-Neutralizer in hopes of destroying them all*. But one of my alternate selves, the preening fool known as Immortus, fled here to this universe."

(*This happened in the classic Avengers # 415-418.)

The Black Knight had moved closer to Sersi and Mantra. "Why? Why here?"

Kang grunted at the interruption. "Because this universe was in chronal turmoil. It had been rebooted by the Infinity Gems and was slowly dying. Immortus saw an opportunity to gain power and he took it. He destroyed the Ultraverse in an attempt to absorb its chronal energy -- he unleashed a wave of Nega-Time energy to wipe it from existence in hopes of becoming as powerful as I have in the wake of my victory. When the Nega-Time washed over that reality, he prepared to absorb the energy...To his surprise, he found that the Ultraverse he destroyed was only a simulacra built on top of the true Ultraverse...the original had only been overwritten, not recreated. I'm sure your primitive minds barely comprehend this..."

Dane raised a hand to stop him. "You're saying that when the Infinity Gems were used to restart reality that all it did was create a NEW Ultraverse. The old one still existed, just submerged on an atomic level, within the new?"

Kang chuckled. "Well, well, Whitman. Aren't you just the little scientist...You are essentially correct. Immortus realized that here he had a golden opportunity. He had yet to absorb the chronal energy and now he had a chance to absorb the death throes of a second timeline as well. So he let the wave continue its passage back through time to the original Ultraverse."

The Black Knight sighed. "So you're saying that this...Nega-Time wave is going to destroy the Ultraverse and Immortus is going to absorb its energies in order to battle you?" Dane shook his head. "I don't believe it. Why are you playing hero? Why help us at all -- can't you stop his plans on your own?"

"Because, Dane Whitman, Immortus has used your foe Proctor to organize pawns. They would distract me while I battle Immortus. Your Ultraforce shall keep them out of my way."

Sersi shook her head. "So it's coincidence that Proctor is here? Or did Immortus want him here for a reason?"

Kang smiled. "Good, good, Eternal. Sometimes you primitives impress me. Immortus has built a machine out of the remains of the alien Entity. He is going to use it to focus the chronal energy and direct it into himself. But the death wave of two universes is a potent thing. He needs the machine to be activated from inside the Nega-Time wave itself. Almost anyone would be killed instantly by contact with the wave but a person with sufficient chronal energy could survive for a time. Immortus doesn't want to risk himself so he's using Proctor to do it for him. And you, Dane Whitman, will enter the wave for me. I need you to halt your enemy before he grants Immortus victory. You are housing a large amount of chronal energy, picked up from your various jaunts through time."

Ghoul sat down next to Prime. "You understandin' any of this, Big Guy?"

Prime shrugged. "Not really. I'm just waiting for them to tell me who to hit."

"Yeah, me too."

Hardcase moved over to Dane. "What do you say, Knight? You know this Kang person better than any of us..."

The Black Knight sighed. "No choice really. We can't take the chance that Kang's telling the truth. I'm entering the Nega-Time wave."

Mantra nodded. "I agree. Kang filled my head with the schematics of the machine. You'll need to destroy it once you find it and Proctor. I can cast a telepathy spell that will help me guide you. The machine is strange -- I'll have to walk you through the procedure to deactivate it. A wrong move and we could still die."

"And time," Kang said, "is of the essence."

"Then we'd better start moving. The Gatherers -- and Immortus -- are inside the cave with the Entity now." Nightman stood atop a large rock, his cloak pulled tight around himself. "I've seen them."

The Black Knight glanced at Kang. "Let's do it. But if you're lying to me, I swear I'll hunt you down and kill you."

Kang nodded, a strange gleam in his eye. "I'll remember that, Knight."

SCENE FOUR : "War!"

Proctor held the oddly shaped machine in his hands. His eyes flashed. "And how do I know I can trust you? What proof can you give that Sersi will die?"

The Gatherers stood in the cave, watching in silence as their leader dealt with Immortus. None of them liked this a bit, but all of them knew that there was the chance that Immortus was telling the truth...that death was on the way. Only Deathwish seemed unfazed.

"We should not fight the coming peace of oblivion! Only in death can we transcend our mortal forms!"

Proctor turned back to look at Deathwish. "Shut up. If I have to tell you again, I'll make sure that you get the peace that you say you're seeking."

Immortus smiled. "You have a nice way of handling disputes, Proctor. As for my honesty...I can start by assuring you that the Sersi who slew you will die first. Today. Because, as you know, she is in this reality all ready."

Proctor looked back at the machine. "Once I'm inside, I activate the machine?"

"Yes."

A terrible whine filled the air, making the ground shake and groan. Naiad clutched onto Tyrannosaurus. "What's happening?!"

Immortus looked up. "It is the end of all that is. It is the Nega-Time wave." He looked at Proctor. "I shall send you forth. Good luck!"

Proctor shimmered and faded just as a shuriken buried itself deep in Naiad's shoulder. The sea witch howled.

Standing in the entrance to the cave was Ultraforce. Hardcase stood at the forefront, flanked by Mantra and Nightman. Prime and Sersi were in the air, prepared for battle. Energy crackled around Sersi's hands. Ghoul peered around Hardcase's shoulder. "Hi guys! We interrupt an Amway meeting or something?"

Lord Pumpkin exploded in rage. "Destroy them! This is our opportunity to destroy them all -- and remember, if we fail, we all die!"

Hardcase blinked at Pumpkin's words as the Gatherers moved forward. Was Immortus threatening them somehow? Didn't they realize that if Immortus succeeded they would all die?

His reverie was interrupted as Tyrannosaurus trudged towards him. "Well, well. Looks like me and you get to settle who's stronger after all..."

Hardcase smiled. "Shouldn't be much of a contest." He pounded a fist into Tyrannosaurus' face, sending the villain flying.

Sersi launched an energy blast at Deathwish. "What in the name of the Uni-Mind are you?"

Deathwish staggered. "I am the bringer of death! I am the thirst for oblivion within us all!"

Sersi laughed out loud. "You sound more like a braggart! Let's see how well you do against an Eternal...we're longer lived than most!"

Nightman squared off with old foe, Mangle. He dodged several clumsy attacks. "Not exactly your style, Mangle. You usually hang out with a slightly less affluent group of people."

Mangle raked claws across Nightman's chest, drawing blood. "Eat you up, Nightman! Going to taste your flesh tonight!"

Nightman brought a knee up into Mangle's groin. The villain squealed and Nightman followed with a chop to his neck. The battle was in full pitch now.

Ghoul stood in front of Naiad, his hands in the pocket of his coat. "So...um...you squirt water, right?"

Naiad smiled. "I control water and can project it from my body. I can utilize and enhance my body's natural moisture."

Ghoul scratched his head with a bony finger, sending flakes of rotting skin flying. "Hmm. That, um, well that sounds just so nasty that I can't even make a joke about that. *All* your body's moisture?"

Naiad frowned. "What are you, nuts? What's your power anyway?"

Ghoul looked at her in full seriousness. "I talk to dead people. Creepy, I know. But, hey, at least I can't make a tidal wave out of my piss, y'know?"

Naiad howled in fury, sending a powerful blast of water towards Ghoul.

Prime was literally punching holes through Sandblast. "Whatsamatter, kid? Can't hurt sand, can ya?"

Prime frowned. Why couldn't he have gotten Tyrannosaurus instead? His face suddenly lit up as he remembered an old Super Friends cartoon. He inhaled suddenly, using the massive lung power of his Prime body.

Sandblast's body began flying, sand particle by sand particle, into Prime's mouth and lungs. "Hey! Hey! Whatcha doin'? This is disgustin'! Quit that!"

Prime continued until all that was left of the villain was his space equipment. He then turned quickly flying out from the cave. He was mentally altering his Prime form as well, covering his nose and mouth to make it more suitable for space travel. While near Kang he had been okay but out here in space...

He flew up high above the moon and exhaled, sparing the villain into the weightless air. The particles drifted apart in every direction, unable to return to the villain's true form.

Mantra and Lord Pumpkin's battle was powerful and deadly as each threw powerful spells at one another. Terrible energies suffused the two as they battled both on the mortal plane and the astral.

Kang and Immortus were still there but their battle was taking place in nanoseconds, in the tiny cracks between reality. It appeared that they weren't moving, but for the twitching of their faces and expressions of pain.

Hardcase grunted. His nose was bleeding and one of his ribs was broken. But he had Tyrannosaurus on the ropes. The big villain was swaying on his feet. Hardcase reached up and brushed away the blood. "This is it. No more rematches. It ends here."

Tyrannosaurus grunted. One of his eyes was swollen shut. "Yeah. Once I finish you, it's over."

Both men swayed once more. They eyed each other with both respect and distaste. Tyrannosaurus lost his balance first, tumbling to the ground. Hardcase fell a moment later, the two big men both lying silent on the ground. But it was Hardcase who raised his hand and slowly came to his feet. "No rematches."

Deathwish was screaming. Sersi's energy was warping around him, slowing transforming his energy into a new form. "If it were up to me, I'd end your life, villain. But Dane wouldn't approve, I don't think...so your punishment is instead to be trapped, alive but not alive. Never finding the death you crave."

Deathwish shimmered and his form slowly shrank until only a small statue of himself remained. The eyes glinted with evil, but the figure did not move. Sersi picked up the statue and smiled. "Hmm. Might look nice on my mantle back home."

Nightman ducked a fist and drove his own hand deep into the villain's stomach. Mangle sprayed him with blood as he hacked up his insides. "Where are the other heroes? The ones you captured?"

Mangle wheezed. "I ate them. I ate them all slowly, for breakfast."

Nightman sighed. "You're insane." He swung a leg up, kicking Mangle hard on the side of the head. The villain fell forward, his eyes tightly closed.

Kang and Immortus suddenly broke into action, their battle having spilled over into real time. Immortus was bruised and bloody but Kang's armor was spraying sparks.

Immortus roared. "You won't win this time, Kang! You were a failure -- that's why I abandoned your identity...in the end, it is Immortus who rules."

Kang snarled, blasting his alternate self. "Never! You are all stands between me and ultimate victory!"

Immortus fell back. "Idiot! You can't win this way. Everytime you move through time, a new you is created. You may have destroyed all the others but you've made a dozen more since!"

Kang snarled. "You're lying. This time it all ends. This time you die."

The wave of Nega-Time was approaching. The galaxy was shrinking, being erased before the awful field of white. Prime was watching it approach. "Dane...I hope you're okay in there."

SCENE FIVE : "Knights Errant"

Dane Whitman felt nauseous. He was floating in a white void, having been sent into the time wave by the power of Kang. He still wasn't sure if he believed a word that Kang said, but he couldn't take the chance that he was right. Dane reached up and touched his medallion. "Avalon."

Strider, his winged horse, appeared in the void beside him. He patted the horse's flank. "Good to see you, boy." He threw himself into the saddle and peered into the distance. Nothing. Just pure, blinding white. "Can you hear me, Mantra?"

Mantra's voice filtered back to him, echoing in his mind. Strangely enough, her mental voice was very deep, like a man's*. "I hear you, Black Knight -- but I'm rather busy at the moment. Contact me when you've found the machine and not before."

(*Mantra is in fact a male warrior trapped in a female body.)

Dane grunted. Mantra could be very abrupt, but he supposed he could understand under the circumstances. He pressed Strider forward, the steed flying through the void. The silence was eerie but in an odd sort of way, very comforting. After the strain of the Kree-Shi'ar War, this Kang adventure was almost too much. And Sersi, too...

"I knew you'd come."

Proctor's voice brought Dane to a halt. He glanced around and saw his variant self standing nearby, a bizarre device in his hand. He held the Ebony Blade in the other hand and Dane felt a rush of hatred directed towards the blade. How many lives would the Ebony Blade destroy before it was finally taken care of?

"Proctor. I can't say it's good to see you again."

"Call me Dane. It's my name, same as yours. Did you really think that you and that witch could kill me? I'm on a holy mission, Dane, and I won't rest until Sersi is dead."

"Your Sersi is dead." The Black Knight dismounted, reaching up to take down his Shield of Knight. He settled it on his arm quietly and placed his other hand on the hilt of the Sword of Light. "And if you continue helping Immortus, we'll all join her."

Proctor smiled. "No, not all of us. You and I will probably die, true. And Immortus has promised to rid the multiverse of all the other Sersis...but the Ultraverse will live. This machine is even now absorbing the power of the Nega-Time wave, and dispersing it."

"Immortus has lied to you. That machine is absorbing the energy all right. When the wave washes over this universe and destroys it, that thing will transfer the energy to Immortus himself."

Proctor shrugged. "I don't care. Not as long as he keeps his end of the bargain. I was willing to destroy the multiverse once before to rid myself of her and I'm willing to do so again." He dropped the machine and it hung loosely in the air, as if suspended by some invisible force. "Let us do battle once more, Black Knight. And let the better Knight win."

The Black Knight didn't answer verbally. The time for talking was past and they both knew it. The Sword of Light and the Ebony Blade met with a ringing sound as the Dane Whitmans of two worlds clashed.

"You're nothing but a pitiful shade of me, Knight! And if you think that your Sersi will be any more true than mine, you're a fool!" Proctor made several deft thrusts with his blade, all of which the Black Knight parried.

"If there's any scrap of me inside you, Proctor, you can't go through with this...I'd never consider the wholesale slaughter of an entire universe -- nothing is worth that! Nothing and no one!" Dane pressed his own attack but again the battle was too evenly matched. If there was any advantage, it belonged to Proctor who had slain numerous other variants of himself in the past.

Proctor ducked a sword swipe and smiled. "You sound so pious, Dane. I suppose you think I'm mad, don't you? You can't face the fact that within you is the same person I am. When you're not sleeping with other men's wives or slaying alien leaders, what do you do think of yourself? That you're a good mad who's made mistakes? Or do you realize what a pompous, hypocritical laughingstock you really are?"

Dane felt his temper sliding away from him but he knew that it would be a mistake to give Proctor any kind of advantage. Instead, he ignored the man's words. He pretended he was in the Crusades again, going through the motions of killing without thought or compunction.

In the silence of white, the two men fought while the universe died around them.

Proctor finally pushed Dane away. "Enough. I'm tired of playing. I have abilities you don't and it's time to end this."

Dane threw up the Shield of Night just in time to block Proctor's energy blast. The impact rocked him, throwing him to his knees.

The Black Knight saw the machine humming along nearby, floating. He remembered Mantra's warning that the machine had to be disabled slowly and carefully, but he also saw that the machine's pinging had grown steadily louder. Who knew how much of the universe was gone already, erased from existence?

Proctor was moving closer, preparing for another blast. Dane hefted the Sword of Light and cradled it in his hand. Proctor stared at him. "What are you doing, Dane?"

The Black Knight did the only thing he could think of. He threw the Sword of Light. He knew that he could be dooming them all to a painful death, but he also knew that if that device finished its awful absorption it would mean that the Ultraverse was dead.

The blade struck the machine and shattered it, its awful chronal wave contents spilling out, washing over both Dane and Proctor.

Dane felt his life twisted inside out. He saw the entire history of the Ultraverse played out inside his head, saw his own earliest memories inside his mother's womb, saw Proctor's horrible transformation, he saw the formation of the Avengers, saw a world where Captain America was still frozen in ice and the world was a sadder place for it...he saw it all and the all exploded inside his mind. And in all the timelines that shot through his mind, he saw Kang. Different Kangs, some stupid, some brilliant. Throughout the multiverse.

And then it was all over.

EPILOGUE

Dane woke up with a start. His throat felt dry and he immediately noticed that he was nude. He saw that he was still floating in the void, a sea of white surrounding him.

"Are you well, Dane Whitman?"

Immortus strolled past, looking for all the world like a man out for world like a man out for an evening walk.

Dane frowned. "You're still here. Then you won? The universe was destroyed?"

Immortus frowned in return. "No. You succeeded in ruining my plans. But my true plans were hardly the ones Kang filled your head with. I lied to my own pawns, of course. The truth lies somewhere in the middle, as always."

"Then why am I here?"

"Because I want you to be."

Dane frowned. "Avalon." The armor flowed around him, protectively. "Why?"

"First, to offer my gratitude. Kang fled the battle after he saw the chronal images you unleashed. He knows the truth now. His very existence causes paradoxes to occur and that splinters the timelines, resulting in new Kangs. He was mistaken to think otherwise."

Dane closed his hand around the hilt of his blade, ready to draw it. "What's the other reason?"

Immortus smiled. He held out a hand and inside was an antique timepiece. "Take this, Dane Whitman, for when you need to contact me."

Dane didn't take it. "No thanks. Why would I want to contact you?"

"Because there will come a day when you'd give anything to turn back time. And I'll be waiting."

The Black Knight shook his head. "Send me back. The others are all okay?"

"They are well. I shall return you to them. When Mantra sends you back, Nightman will come along. He is seeking a new beginning, but he will find his new home as empty as the old. He will return here eventually."

"But first, Dane Whitman, I give this to you." The timepiece suddenly appeared in Dane's hand.

"I said I didn't want it."

"But you have it, nonetheless. Tell yourself you'll throw it away once you return home if you wish, Dane Whitman. But take it...just in case."

Dane started to issue an angry retort when he suddenly found himself back in Ultraforce headquarters.

Sersi ran to him. "Dane! We thought you'd been killed!"

Dane couldn't resist a grin as she threw her arms about him. The other members of Ultraforce circled around. "I'm fine, Sersi. Just fine. What about the other heroes?"

Hardcase smiled. "The Gatherers talked. We've sent Nightman to free them. It's all over. Did you bring back Proctor with you?"

Dane's smile faltered. Proctor... "No. I'm...not sure what happened to him."

Sersi's eyes flashed for a moment but then softened. "That's a concern for later, love. Tonight is a night for celebration." The beautiful Eternal kissed Dane full on the lips.

Written In Black

From TJ Burns :

Hey Barry! First off... IMMORTUS IS ALIVE! IMMORTUS IS ALIVE! YAY!!! I'm a big fan of the guy in the silly purple hat. Here's hoping he survives this whole mess. Secondly, 'm glad to see Dane and Sersi back together, even if it just lasts for a little while. I love your take on the Ultraforce. I wouldn't mind seeing them pop in and visit Dane every now and again after this story arc is over. The introduction of the Black Knight of 2099 was pretty cool as well. Altogether, I'm loving this series and keep me on the subscription list for a long time to come! Now for the requests:

Don't kill off Immortus! Can we get an appearance by Le Sabre anytime soon? He was Dane's first real solo enemy and he should be in Dane's neighborhood these days. Either way, keep up the great work!

Thanks for writing, TJ. Glad you like Immortus as much as I do -- Kang is my all-time favorite Avengers villain and I love all his variant selves as well. No plans for Le Sabre right now, but who knows? Keep reading!

Thanks for all the support, everyone. Next issue things quiet down a bit, I promise. I was worried that this arc got a little *too* big and lost its focus on Dane somewhat. Next issue will be a lot more of a character piece.

Barry Reese