"Disgusting. The depths that the human mind can reach..." Lord Stephen Garrett turned the note over in his hands once more, his eyes focusing on the signature at the bottom -- 'From Hell.' An interesting way to end one's letters, but perhaps an apt sort of closing to a missive that had reached Scotland Yard in the company of a human liver.

"What do you think, Stephen? This the sort of thing the Black Knight could look into? The press is having a field day with this one -- the Ripper, they call him."

Stephen turned away for a moment, staring out his window at the sculpted gardens outside Garrett Castle. It was a cold, windy day and a light drizzle was falling. The inspector was standing quietly, awaiting Stephen's response -- but both of them already knew the answer. Prostitutes or not, there were women dying in London...

"I'll see what I can do, Inspector -- But I make no promises. My left hand is still paralyzed after that affair with Pneumatic Mary back in '86...I'd really hoped to put all the armor wearing and sword-slashing in the past."

The inspector nodded, fumbling with his hat. He always felt uncomfortable in Garrett's presence -- perhaps it was just the castle, with all its history, that made him feel so. But he didn't think so -- he was pretty sure that it was the man himself. Stephen Garrett was tall -- very tall, in fact -- and painfully thin. The inspector had once caught Garrett in the late hours of the night as the man was dressing for bed. Garrett's ribs had poked against his frail flesh, making him look emaciated and near-death. But when in the armor of the Black Knight, he seemed filled with an almost supernatural strength and he wielded the Ebony Blade like a master. "I know you had, sir -- but we could really use your help on this one. The commissioner is taking a lot of pressure...he may even be forced to resign if we don't catch this killer soon."

Stephen nodded absently, his mind already at work. He didn't notice as the inspector reluctantly left the castle...'From Hell'...The words stuck in his brain. Who or what was capable of such debauchery? A surgeon perhaps? That would explain the skill used by the killer...

"Black Knight."

The words sliced through the air like a knife, drawing Stephen's immediate attention. Before he had even realized it, he standing with a stainless steel letter opener in his hand. "Who's there?" He asked.

The room appeared empty, but a strange shimmering caught his eye. The wraith-like form of a man appeared, wrapped in a green cloak with the hood drawn up, obscuring his features. The man was tall and obviously lean, with eyes that glittered gold underneath the hood.

The figure in green held up a hand, as if asking for peace. "Please...there is no need for your weapon. I am here to help you."

A sudden roll of thunder brought a shuddering to the old walls of the castle, and a wine glass on Stephen's desk crashed to the floor. The wine was staining his expensive carpet, but he found himself far more interested in his strange guest. "What is your name, stranger?"

"I am Halcyon and in exactly 15 hours, 6 minutes, and 14.2 seconds your reality will end. Unless you help me."

The Black Knight gripped the letter opener tightly, his useless left hand hanging limp at his side. If only he had the Ebony Blade with him -- he could try and teleport the blade to him, but that took hours of concentration... "Your words have little meaning to me, Halcyon. How will my reality come to end?"

The figure glided forward, his feet several inches off the floor. "In a terrible crescendo of death and wailing, of course. That's the way all realities end." He held out a purple-gloved hand. "Take my hand, Stephen Garrett. You and the rest of your brood are all that stands between Immortus and ultimate victory. You have no reason to believe me, Black Knight -- but you must take the chance that I'm telling the truth. Otherwise, all is lost."

Stephen Garrett dropped the letter opener to the floor. He could hear a terrible certainty in the man's voice -- almost as if he already knew that some of what he said was a foregone conclusion. "I must have my armor and sword."

Halcyon nodded. "Of course. Fetch them quickly, for Time is of the essence."

#13 - The Eternity Factor, Part One

By Barry Reese

Karla Whitman swung her energy blade, barely parrying the thrust from Philip Jarvert's sword. The man known as the Swordsman was putting her through her paces and the halls of Garrett Castle rang out with the sounds of energy crackling. Sweat poured from Karla's neck and hair as the much more experienced Swordsman shoved her back.

The Swordsman brought his blade up from below, cuffing Karla's wrist with the flat of the blade. She let out a small yelp and dropped her energy blade. Philip placed the tip of his sword under her neck and whispered, "You're dead."

Karla let out a long sigh. "Why aren't I getting any better?! We've been doing this for weeks and you still humiliate me!"

Philip lowered his sword and walked over to a table where several towels lay. He wiped the back of his own neck and smiled. "You have to have patience. You're getting better -- if you weren't so hard on yourself, you'd improve quicker."

Dane Whitman -- the Black Knight -- spoke up from the doorway. "Philip's right. Just relax and pretend that the blade is an extension of yourself." Dane wore a lab coat, evidence that he'd pulled an all-nighter again. Dark rings under his eyes told Karla that he still wasn't sleeping well.

The Swordsman noticed, as well. "Are you feeling any better today, Dane?"

Dane shrugged, running a hand over the stubble that covered his chin. "I'm doing okay -- working hard and trying to recover from all the garbage the Crusaders have gone through lately..."

Karla bit her lower lip. It was hard to think of Dane as a real person -- he'd been a legend in her own time -- but here he was, obviously being eaten up inside by something. But what? "Anything you want to talk about?"

"No thanks -- though I appreciate the offer. I've just been thinking a lot, lately...about lost loves, I guess. I can't stop thinking of Sersi and wishing that she hadn't left so quickly after we fought Proctor*."

(*See Black Knight # 6 and 12 for the full low-down both on the battle with Proctor and Sersi's disappearance from Dane's life.)

Philip checked his watch. "Damnit, I'm late. I'm supposed to meet Magdalene at a concert this afternoon." The Swordsman sheathed his sword in the scabbard he wore at his side and stepped towards the door. "See you later, Dane -- and Karla, I'll see you at 1 p.m. tomorrow."

Dane made a move to follow, saying "I better head up and get showered. I want to go over to the Millenium Tower this evening." The Black Knight paused, glancing over his shoulder at Karla. "Speaking of which...if you don't have plans...Want to join me in the lab tonight?"

Karla's face brightened. "Would I? Definitely. I'll go shower, too."

Dane stepped up to his bedroom door, shaking his head. Karla was a nice girl -- cute in an intelligent sort of way -- and was obviously nursing a major crush. Maybe he should pursue it...After all, a descendant from a thousand years in the future -- that didn't qualify as incest in his book.

Dane froze in his tracks as the door opened, however. Standing within was an armored form that he didn't think he would ever have to see again. His uncle, the previous Black Knight...

"Uncle...?"

The armored figure reached up and removed his helmet, revealing the fortyish features of Nathan Garrett. His hair was unruly and drenched in sweat -- even his moustache, his pride and joy, was unkempt. "Dane... My nephew. Together you and I shall rewrite history."

Dane didn't hesitate. When confronted with the unexpected, he preferred to be well-armed. "Avalon." Immediately, his armor was around him, the Shield of Knight in his left hand and the Sword of Light in the other. "I think you should drop this charade -- you're not my uncle. He's dead. I saw him die."

Nathan's face dropped. "Dead? Halcyon never said..." He shook his head, as if to clear it. "No. No matter. This probably isn't even my timeline."

Dane raised his sword somewhat. "Answers. Now."

The evil Black Knight chuckled. "Ah...I'm glad to see that you didn't turn out to be a wimp, Dane. I told Halcyon we should have called upon you earlier -- but he's as much of a fool as Zemo, always citing his plans..."

Dane felt his temper slipping away from him and he pointed his blade towards his uncle's chest. "Tell me what's going on or I'll strike..."

Nathan smiled. "I'll do you better than that, nephew. Get the pocket watch and let's be off. I'll show you something the likes of which you've never imagined!"

The Black Knight lowered his blade. "The pocket watch*...You know about that?"

(*Given to the Black Knight by Immortus in BK # 6.)

"Yes -- Halcyon mentioned it. He wants it, Dane."

The Black Knight frowned. Immortus had said it could be used to contact him...Dane hadn't wanted it at the time, but Immortus had insisted. "Who is this Halcyon? I've never met him."

Nathan grunted. "You'll find out soon enough. Get the damn timepiece and let's be off!"

Dane started to refuse...but something in his uncle's manner brought him to a halt. A since of urgency...and sincerity. Besides, he mused -- anyone clever enough or powerful enough to create such a convincing deception bore investigation. "I'll get it -- and then you'll take me to this Halcyon. But if I don't like what he has to say... You'll both pay."

Nathan nodded approvingly. "That's my boy."

The Wasp lay in a bloody heap amidst the rubble. Her neck lay at an odd angle and Dane Whitman knew without checking that she was dead -- young Sharon Pym, cut down at the age of 16. "Damn you, you metal monster..." He clutched the Emerald Blade in his right hand, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his side. His chain mail was soaked in his own blood and spots flew before his eyes.

He turned his head to bark orders at the others, but he saw with surprising bitterness that they too had fallen. Ultron's last Nega-Bomb had wiped out the Avengers -- Nova's helmet was all that remained of the brave lad; Thunderstrike's scorched form twitched, his hand still clutching his hammer; the Vision's female form was split in two, her head a smoking crater; and Jubilee was impaled on an adamantium stake.

Rising from the debris, Ultron cackled. The robot's battleship-gray form was covered with ash but the fire in his eyes flared brightly. The treads upon which his upper body was mounted whirred as he moved forward. "Still you live, Black Knight? Good! I want at least one of you Avengers to live to see my victory -- I only wish that my father hadn't blown his brains out already. He would have appreciated this, I think."

"You're going down, Ultron. As long as I'm breathing you haven't won...And as soon as the Global Crusaders arrive from London you're finished. There's no way the Human Fly or the Whizzer will let you get away with this..."

Ultron roared with laughter. "They can't stop me -- not since I've merged with the Phalanx...I'm unstoppable!"

The Black Knight had no time to formulate a reply for in the next instant a dark rift appeared in the sky. Thunder rolled, making the ground shake. Terrible storms had blanketed the world in recent days, but the Avengers had been far too busy with Ultron and his Metal Works group to investigate.

From the shape flew a single figure. Completely black, with no features at all, the figure landed between the Black Knight and Ultron. It spoke with an ethereal voice that evoked memories of cold, wind-swept nights spent hidden beneath sheets, fear hammering at one's heart. "Scan complete. Composite age 10 trillion quadcins. Requisite age is not met. Summarized findings indicate that this is merely a tributary of the Main Timeline. Destruction is authorized."

The Black Knight was now ignoring Ultron...Whoever this figure was, he was obviously speaking to someone -- and authorizing destruction sounded very, very bad. He moved towards the ebony figure but he never made it more than step before reality folded in upon itself.

There was no pain as the universe died -- rather it happened with a horrible shriek of almost painful disappointment, as if Eternity itself was angry at this course of action. Then it was over and where there had been form, now there was nothing.

Another reality had ended.

Dane Whitman stood side-by-side with his dead uncle and blinked in amazement. They stood on the deck of a large, dark galleon that rocked on waves of the deepest azure. Around them, men who flickered in and out of time itself manned the vessel, checking the sails and sterring the vessel. The crewmen looked past the two Black Knights, their eyes seeing other places and other times.

"Where in hell are we?"

Nathan sneered arrogantly at his nephew. "Not in hell, my boy -- not yet, anyway. So tell me -- have you conquered the Avengers in your time? I admit, when Halcyon first told me that you had followed in my footsteps..."

Dane turned on him. "I didn't. On your deathbed you made me swear to make up for all of your crimes."

Nathan blinked. "You're joking."

Dane shrugged. "Think what you want. What is this place?"

"It's the Ship of Fools, can't you tell?" The snide voice sent a chill down Dane's spine, though it was utterly unfamiliar.

Dane turned to see a slender man wearing a variation of the Black Knight armor. It was very hi-tech and Dane recognized some of the technology. "You're from the 2090s, aren't you?"

The young man seemed surprised, but he recovered quickly. He had several piercings in each eyebrow and an Infinity symbol tattooed on his forehead. "2080s actually -- why?"

Dane frowned. Karla had mentioned something about her father once -- that he'd brought shame to the Black Knight title. Could this be him? "Just a guess, that's all. Your name's Corben?"

Corben Whitman stepped forward in surprise, "How did you--?"

A figure appeared suddenly before them, dressed in green and purple. Halcyon smiled beneath his hood. "Good. Another valiant warrior -- and this one is the illustrious Dane Whitman. Welcome. I am Halcyon."

"Good -- just who I wanted to see. What's going on?"

"You'll learn, Dane Whitman. Suffice to say that this ship carries the greatest fighting assemblage ever formed -- a veritable army of Black Knights. The rest are below, in their quarters. You'll meet them all in time."

Dane sighed. For some reason, this Halcyon character seemed annoyingly familiar. "And why are we here?"

Halcyon turned with a flourish, his eyes beckoning towards a city in the distance. Tall spires gleamed in the light of twin suns and alien craft flew over its towers, side-by-side with antique warplanes.

"Ah -- the reason I've assembled you, Dane Whitman? Because you and your fellow Knights are about to embark on the greatest quest of all time! And the first leg of our journey is a dangerous one, indeed..."

Dane grabbed Halcyon by his collar. "Stop teasing me and give me some clear, concise answers."

Halcyon nodded, his features still obscured by the shadows inside his hood. "Clear and concise? Very well -- tomorrow we lay siege to Chronopolis, home to Kang the Conqueror!"

Written In Black

First of all, welcome to the newest issue of the Black Knight! This issue kicks off a storyline that's been long in coming and I hope the payoff will be worth the wait. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Halcyon, check out Cosmic Powers Unlimited # 6 on the Cosmic Branch of MV1 for his debut. This storyline is obviously inspired by Kurt Busiek's incredible work on Avengers Forever, but you'll find that what happens here will eventually bear little resemblance to what's going on in Av4. I hope you'll my attempt at bringing a little of the Av4 magic into MV1 is successful. A tip of the hat is also given to Mark Waid's "Chain Lightning" storyline in DC's Flash series, where the Flash teams up with both his predecessors and descendants. As you'll see, Dane will do the same here. Now, on to the letters :

TJ Burns wrote :

Hey Barry! Well, just when I mentioned Samuel Holden, you deal with the issue I wanted to know about in the very next issue. Great job. Dane's upcoming battle with Immortus will definately be very cool. I can't wait to see how that culminates. Sersi's pregnancy is progressing nicely. I'm very glad to see her do something as drastic as she has done here in order to make sure that the next time she and Dane are together, it will be right. It just dawned on me that the prediction that the Lady in the Lake made concerning another woman could possible mean a daughter... Anyway, I can't wait to see how all of this turns out. Keep up the great work!

Thanks as always for the comments, TJ. I can assure you, however, that the Lady's words do not have anything to do with a possible daughter -- the Lady of the Lake has been a background figure as of late but around issue 20 or so she will come to dominate the book in a very shocking way...

Keep writing everyone!

Barry Reese