#8 - For Avalon, I Give All

By Barry Reese

Dane Whitman knelt before the Lady of the Lake, his head bowed low. "You summoned me, my lady?"

The hauntingly beautiful figure before him nodded. She and the Black Knight were in the mystical realm of Avalon, which was still recovering from the difficult days in recent memory*. The Lady looked down sadly at her subject. "Your heart is heavy, Sir Knight. Did you not pay heed to my prophecy?"

(*See "AvalonQuest" in Crusaders # 11-13 and Crusaders Annual # 1.)

The Black Knight rose, nodding. "I remember every word, my lady. It has all come to pass, just as you said. 'Yourself You Have Faced Before, Yourself You Shall Face Again. A Sickly Love Will Be Offered Anew, A Treasured Heart Gone Forever. Gather Your Forces, For He Gathers His'. Those were your exact words. You were referring to Proctor and his Gatherers."

The Lady sighed. It was like a high reedy wind passing through the trees. "Is that all that I was referring to, Knight? I warned you of a sickly love as well..."

Dane frowned. "I beg your pardon, my lady, but I think you're wrong. I've had doubts about my relationship with Sersi -- I still have them, in fact -- but I would never call it a 'sickly' relationship. She cares for me and I care for her. And I think that my relationships are my own business and not yours," he added somewhat testily.

The Lady of the Lake rose higher into the air before him. A cool breeze washed over Dane, making him shiver. "I should be your only Lady, Dane Whitman. Forsake me for no other. You belong to Avalon. You are the Pendragon. There will be no discussion on this."

The Black Knight fought to reign in his temper. He loved the Lady of the Lake in a fashion, but how could that possibly conflict with his relationship with Sersi? "I don't understand why you're doing this. And I refuse to have my relationships dictated to me!"

The Lady nodded, slowly. When she spoke, her voice was tinged with sadness. "You answered as I knew you would. You shall learn to mark my words, Dane Whitman. In all things, I shall be your guide."

The Black Knight felt himself transported away from Avalon and he raised his hands in alarm. "My lady! I didn't mean to--"

He blinked. He was in Garrett Castle, in the large basement. He hadn't meant to speak so harshly to her...but he also couldn't abide someone telling him how to run his life. Besides, things were going well with Sersi. Very well, in fact. How anyone could call what they had 'sickly' was beyond him. "You're wrong this time, my Lady. I'll prove that to you eventually."

ELSEWHERE

"Avalon. The very name makes me feel ill. We should have destroyed it long ago -- it and all the Pendragons." Mordred lounged in his throne, stroking his short beard idly. He had one leg thrown over the arm of the chair and he reached over with a guantleted hand to pick up a grape. He chewed it slowly.

"Why don't you do something about it, nephew? Something besides simpering that is..." Morgan Le Fey slowly walked past, her voluptuous form poured into her tight green dress.

Mordred frowned as he swallowed the grape. He hated being taunted by Morgan, hated it with every bone in his body. "I *am* doing something about it. You don't have any idea of what I've been up to, Morgan. I've been consolidating my power."

Morgan couldn't resist a laugh at that. "Consolidating your power? What power, nephew? You live and die by my whim."

Mordred stood up quickly, knocking over the table and grapes. "I won't have you insulting me any more, Morgan! I mean it -- I've made plans to destroy both Avalon and its protector, the Black Knight. I'm very adept at killing Black Knights, remember*?"

(*Mordred killed the original Black Knight in the final battle for Camelot.)

Morgan merely smiled. "One moment of glory that you've never been able to forget. A pity you haven't done much in the centuries since, nephew."

Mordred ignored her. He moved to the center of the throne room and lit a brazier. The flames danced to life and cast eerie shadows on Mordred's features. "I've sent someone to London to deal with Whitman...Look, even now the Black Knight moves through the streets unawares!" Images in the flame flickered and jumped, finally settling down enough to show Dane Whitman walking the crowded streets of London. He wore a long overcoat and a suit beneath, his face drawn grim and tight. Mordred stared at the image with undisguised hate. "I wish we'd been able to eradicate everything related to Arthur and Camelot..."

Morgan stepped away from the flames. Mordred was a fool, with an addled brain. She wondered quite often how he could possibly be related to her. "Enjoy your games, Mordred. But be careful -- if the tables turn on you, don't look to me for help."

Mordred ignored her, instead watching the flickering images as his plan unfolded.

Dane stepped up to the front door of the Glade. The urban dance club had opened just a few days before to great success but it was hardly the sort of place that Dane would normally frequent. Sersi maybe, but not Dane.

In the overcast morning, the club was sealed up tight. Dane knocked on the club's entrance, sighing to himself. He wished that he was back in the Crusaders' lab. He'd been working on a few things, including analyzing the Sword of Nine Winters*, and he hated leaving projects unfinished.

(*The Crusaders took the sword from Raiod the Swordsman in the Crusaders Swap Book Special.)

A slender black man with a bald head answered the door. He gazed at the rather conservative-looking Dane Whitman and grunted. "We're closed."

"I received a call at the Millenium Tower from a woman named Abby Rose. Is she here?"

The man's eyes opened wide. "You're the yank superhero, aren't you? The Black Knight?" He stepped back quickly, opening the door. "Come on in. I'll fetch Abby for you."

Dane waited patiently inside, looking about at the darkened club. Most of the chairs were resting atop the tables and a few people were mopping the dance floor. His mind turned to Karla's problem...the girl had spilled the beans to him about her past. Which was to say, Dane's future. In the year 2099, she adopted the mantle of the Black Knight and fought against the likes of something called Alchemax and - Dane found this particularly distressing) - Dr. Doom. In one battle with Doom, she'd fled to the 20th Century using a Time Machine of Doom's creation. Now she felt sure that she was trapped here, a thousand years before her own time.

Dane had taken an immediate liking to the girl. She was shy and reserved, with a good head for science. Heck, her grasp of 20th century science made him feel like an idiot...Dane had told her that if and when she wanted to go home, he had no doubt he could get her there. Somehow.

"Mr. Whitman?"

Dane glanced up to see a striking young woman walking towards him. She wore her hair extremely short, giving her something of a tomboy look. Thin and somewhat pale, she was exactly the sort of person Dane expected to see in a place like this -- but he couldn't ignore a strong attraction. "That's me. You're Abby Rose?"

"Yes. Can I get you something to drink?"

Dane shook his head. "No thanks. Actually, I don't have much time -- I'm on my way to the lab. You left some interesting messages for me at the Millenium Tower..."

Abby moved over to the bar and poured herself a drink. "Well, you may not believe this -- but I'm a psychic..."

"I've met a few, don't worry." Dane stepped a bit closer.

"Well, I guess you first came into my life when my friend Henry and I examined the Ebony Blade*."

(*See Black Knight # 1.)

Dane frowned. "You had the Ebony Blade...? When?"

"Weeks ago. Henry had purchased it. But a creature...called Bloodwraith...rose up out of the sword and killed Henry."

Dane looked away. Sean, how could you? I can't keep putting this off...I've got to get you help..."I know who Bloodwraith is. He was a friend of mine once -- Sean Dolan. But the sword has a curse attached to it. I'm truly sorry about your friend."

Abby downed her drink. "Yeah, me too. Anyway...lately I've been having dreams about you. Bad ones. I think you're going to be in danger very soon."

"That's nothing unusual, I'm afraid."

Abby laughed bitterly at that. "Well, this time it's different. There's bad stuff coming..."

Dane noticed her voice trailing off and he looked at her again. "Is something wrong?"

"Not really. It's just that not all my dreams about you have been bad ones..." She paused and took a deep breath, her heart beating like a schoolgirl's..."I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime."

Dane was speechless. Had she invited him here just to ask him out? He wasn't sure if he felt flattered or annoyed. "Actually, I'm living with some--"

A knock at the door cut off his words. Abby looked surprised. "Who could that be?"

She moved towards the door and opened it slightly, while Dane paced behind her. Abby looked into the face of a tall, handsome man with shimmering silver hair. "I'm sorry," she began, "but we're closed. We open at 8 pm."

The man's eyes suddenly lit up with electricity, sparks flying. "My name's Trevon, my dear lady -- and I'm here to see Dane Whitman."

At the sound of his name, Dane glanced to the doorway. What he saw sent a shiver of fear down his spine. While at first glance he saw a normal man wearing a dark business suit, the longer he stared the more his mystical sight kicked in. He could see beyond the ordinary veil, past the illusion. He saw not a man standing there, but a dragon.

The blade descended, slicing through flesh and bone. Bloodwraith heard the screams but ignored them, instead enjoying the sense of power he gained as the Ebony Blade feasted on the poor man's soul.

Bloodwraith stood in an alley, over the body of a homeless man. The man had stopped twitching and Bloodwraith nudged him with his foot. "Perhaps in death you can do something productive."

Bloodwraith sheathed the Ebony Blade, his eyes glowing bright red. "My full strength has returned to me at last. Now there shall be no more skulking about in alleyways, no more hiding from my treacherous former friend...now the time has come for Bloodwraith to take that which is rightfully his!"

"Avalon." The mystical armor surrounded Dane Whitman even as he ran towards the door. He grabbed Abby Rose roughly, throwing her to the side just as the dragon revealed himself in his full glory, launching flame into the club's interior. Most of the blast struck the Shield of Night, which dissipated much of the attack. Dane staggered back from the impact.

Abby looked up in surprise. The man named Trevon was gone and in his place was a huge dragon -- like something out of a storybook. She could people out in the street screaming -- no doubt, the sudden appearance of a dragon had unnerved them.

Dane drew the Sword of Light. It hummed with the energy that the Shield of Night had drained. "What's the meaning of this? What do you want?"

The dragon smiled, revealing a massive row of sharp teeth. Smoke curled from the creature's nostrils. "I'm serving my master the best way that I can, Knight. He wants you dead and I intend to crunch your bones between my teeth!"

Trevon struck out at Dane, wrapping a massive clawed hand around the Black Knight. Dane pointed the Sword of Light at Trevon's face and fired all of the absorbed energy.

Trevon howled, tossing the Black Knight away. Dane went flying through the Glade, hitting the back wall hard. "Uff. Glad I was wearing armor or he would have killed me." He glanced at Abby and remembered where he was. I have to take this fight away from here...too many people could get hurt. "Strider...to me!"

From out of nowhere, the Black Knight's winged steed appeared. Dane launched himself into the saddle and Strider carried him out the door and into the air. Trevon was still snarling in the street, momentarily blinded. He glared up and saw the Black Knight. "Running from me, Knight? Not very brave of you!"

"I notice you're not pursuing, dragon. Do you fear the taste of my steel?"

The dragon roared, flying into the air. "I fear nothing and no one, Knight!" The dragon breathed more fire at the Black Knight, but Strider easily evaded the blast.

"Who sent you, dragon? Tell me or I'll cut your cut from your mouth!" The Black Knight flew underneath the dragon, slashing upwards with his blade. Unlike the heavily armored upper part of the dragon, the underside was far softer. Dragon's blood gushed into the air, falling in silver droplets.

Trevon howled. "My master's name is of no import, Knight! But know this -- when you are dead, he shall take Avalon for his own. He shall defile the Lady of the Lake and ensure that the Black Knight line ends here!"

Strider barely avoided a swipe of Trevon's claws. The winged horse was lightning fast, far faster than the large dragon could cope with. Dane leaned forward in his saddle and urged Strider forward, flying straight towards the dragon's mouth.

Trevon blinked. "Are you mad, Knight -- that you would rush to your death so easily?" The dragon opened his mouth, preparing a massive fireball.

Just as the fireball left the dragon's mouth, Dane stood in Strider's saddle and jumped. Strider flew downwards, evading the fireball, while the Black Knight lifted the Sword of Light high in the air. He landed on the dragon's face, driving the blade deep into the soft tissue of Trevon's eye. Blood and ichor spurted into the air, splattering on Dane's armor.

Trevon roared in agony, twisting and writhing in the air. The Black Knight was tossed off and he fell fast, hurtling towards the ground. Dane closed his eyes, hoping that Strider would --

The winged horse appeared beneath him, catching him easily. The impact knocked the wind from Dane's lungs but he managed to pull himself to a seating position. He glanced around for Trevon and saw the dragon landing on the ground.

The Black Knight and Strider landed nearby as the great dragon panted. "Surrender, Trevon. Don't continue this."

Trevon looked at the Black Knight, fury etched on his features. "Damn you, Knight -- damn you!!" The dragon shimmered and began to glow. His one good eye opened wide in fear. "No! Master! I have not failed yet...!" Mystic flames engulfed the dragon, totalling engulfing his form. The flames flared brighter and then faded, leaving nothing but dust in their wake.

The Black Knight patted Strider. He didn't like how this had gone -- someone with power enough to control and destroy dragons was after his head. And that meant that Dane would have to be extra careful in the days ahead...

Mordred seethed. He kicked over the brazier in anger. "Seven Hells! The dragon failed me...but next time, Black Knight, I shall handle things myself -- face-to-face. And like your ancestor before you, you'll die at the hands of Mordred the Evil!"

Written In Black

Randy Lander said :

Another solid issue, Barry. I'm really enjoying your take on Dane, and I still think your writing is some of the best in MV1...even when we disagree (sometimes violently) on parliamentary issues. ;)

I read this one at work, and just about blew my cover when I started chuckling at Dane's realization that he doesn't shave when Sersi's around. What a cool, amusing note on the Harras-era Black Knight!

Very intrigued by Karla Whitman, who reminds me somewhat of the more shy, rookie Dane that we saw in Stern's Avengers. And, speaking of Stern's Avengers, I'm glad to see Dane getting into the lab again and I was *thrilled* to see the confrontation/renewal of camaraderie between Dane and Cap at the end.

I have *no* idea where you're going with the Sersi/Dane thing, and that's exciting as well. And Bennet Du Paris...I know I recognize that name from somewhere, but I'll be damned if I can remember where.

Thanks for the kind words, Randy. The 'not-shaving' line was a favorite of mine too and seemed very appropriate. As for Bennet...well, he's a classic BK foe and after you read the next letter you should realize who he is. It was never meant to be a big mystery, though I was curious how many people would recognize him.

TJ Burns said :

Hey Barry! Well, the party issue was great! I liked Dane's talk with Captains UK and America a lot. They were great. The 2099 Black Knight's presence is going to be weird, but fun. Maybe you can toss in a time traveling Sir Raston (Not too hard, he does work for Kang.) and have the Black Knight of three different times. Exodus' appearance here was fantastic. I hope to see him around this book in the future. Keep up the good work Barry!

Thanks, TJ. No plans for Raston right now -- though I just finished re-reading the Avengers Annual that introduced him as part of the Anachronauts, so an idea has formed in my head for him. When we get around to dealing with the 'timepiece' given to Dane by Immortus back in issue 6, there's a chance that Raston might pop up. We'll see. By the way, kudos for recognizing Bennet's true identity!

Bob Gansler said :

Barry,

It seems like you're writing this series with you characteristic great speed and great style. I haven't followed all of Dane's trials and tribulations over the years, but I feel like I'm all caught up now. The use of the Ultraverse characters was quite inspired. The confrontation with Kang, Immortus, and Proctor was very entertaining. Keep of the usual excellent work.

Thanks, Bob! I've tried to recap most of Dane's recent tribulations but I'm never quite sure how successfully I've accomplished that until readers let me know. Glad to know you're enjoying the series.
Keep in touch, everyone!
Barry Reese