#15 - The Eternity Factor, FinaleBy Barry Reese
Dane Whitman, the hero known as the Black Knight, blinked in the bright glare. "Where am I?" The glare faded somewhat, allowing the hero to look about himself. Gone was the ship on which he'd been only moments before and gone were all the other Black Knights plucked from throughout history. In their place there stood only one figure -- Immortus. The castle in which he now stood was quite obviously located in limbo -- spectral wraiths of beings from all space and time floated outside the windows and eerie, almost-audible voices whispered in the air. Immortus, a slight smile on his face, spread his hands. "Welcome, Dane Whitman, to my home." The Black Knight drew the Sword of Light so quickly that it whistled through the air. "Where are the others? What happened in Chronopolis?" Immortus glanced away, looking strangely pensive. "Patience, Dane. I realize that such a thing is most unlike you, but you must exercise patience. Things are not what they seem -- nor have they been for some time." Dane hesitated, sensing a grain of truth in the Time Lord's words. He sheathed his blade and let out a long sigh. "I'm listening -- but I warn you, if I don't like what you have to say...." Immortus grunted. "Always so quick to violence,aren't you? Still, I was much the same once. It was only through time that I overcame my shortcomings." "I've always thought you still had shortcomings aplenty, Immortus." Dane's nerves felt frayed to the edge. All the recent problems with the Crusaders and now this... it was enough to drive a sane man to the brink of madness. "True. Too true. I am sometimes not as perfect as I would like to think... Still, when you've heard me out, all will be made clear." Immortus smiled again, a knowing grin that sent a chill down Dane Whitman's spine. "I do think, however, that you may not like the answers I give..." "Worlds within worlds, each a slightly a different path that destiny chose to take..." Immortus stood in the center of a large chamber whose walls slowly faded from view. In their place, both Immortus and the Black Knight could gaze off into infinity. A thousand different timelines burst into sight before fading away. Dane watched with awe as he saw a young group of heroes known as A-Next battling the Revengers. In another reality, he saw Sersi joining with a group of Eternals as some sort of superteam known as the New Eternals. On and on the visions of other lives passed on. "You... have access to all this?" Dane's voice was tinged with wonder. It was almost more breathtaking than Avalon itself. Immortus glanced at him. "All this and more. It is my sacred charge to protect it, in hopes of undoing all the evil I committed as Kang and Rama-Tut, among others." The Black Knight set his jaw, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "You've done more than enough evil on your own. The Avengers have never known whether you'll be a friend or foe when you show up. Even when you do help us, it's only to suit your own twisted ends." Immortus nodded. "My ends have never been as twisted as you think. I seek to control the time stream, to find that one pure reality that is the core of everything. From it, everything spins out into different paths or tracks. For instance, there are many Dane Whitmans throughout the multiverse -- in some realities, you and your beloved Sersi are married, in others you become a madman known as Proctor. Each of these different paths for an individual is called a Destiny Walk." Dane continued to watch the realities form around him. "What's the point of this, Immortus? What does this have to do with the assault on Chronopolis? Or the pocketwatch you gave me months ago? Or what Halcyon said about us being related?" Immortus raised a hand and silenced the maelstrom around them. The images became more distinct and sure. Dane found himself once more on the deck of Halcyon's ship, watching as he once again confronted Killraven. "Look, Dane Whitman. Do you not see yourself engaged in battle even now? The universe continues to turn, you continue to live and breath in this universe as you did before. What you see is an aspect of you from this reality, carrying through with your desires at the time you were pulled here. As for your questions -- What does this have to do with the assault on Chronopolis? Absolutely nothing. Halcyon, Kang and myself are but players on the stage. Halcyon knows how things will turn out, for he is another future incarnation of myself -- yet he is compelled to take part in order to assure his own eventual survival. The assault, like the revelation that you are part of our lineage, is in fact merely meant to delay and confuse. The heroes of this timeline, designated MV1 by the Time Keepers, are wily and resourceful. It is best to keep them busy, be it by keeping the Black Knights chasing their own tails or by manipulating the events that led to the Kree-Shi'ar War or the so-called 'Crossing', I have kept the heroes occupied." The Black Knight turned away from the scene, ignoring the other Dane Whitman who had defeated Killraven and was now leading his fellow Black Knights onto the shores of Chronopolis. "But why?!" "Because, in numerous timelines, humanity eventually heads into the stars, where they establish a dominion that threatens even the Time Keepers. Thus, the Time Keepers have decreed that such 'dangerous' realities are to be destroyed. I have managed to keep a number of them safe by taking precautions that will preclude those futures from coming to be. I have also begun my own search for the original, Prime Universe. It is the timeline from which all others spring. If I could command that one, I would gain power enough to break free from the bonds of the Time Keepers!" The Black Knight frowned. "So you're saying that, somehow, this attack on Chronopolis will, in some way, keep humanity from the stars? I find that hard to believe." "Have you never heard the story of a butterfly's wings in China causing an earthquake in San Francisco? Destiny is filled with small events that lead to bigger ones. The picture is obscured from your perspective, but it is clear enough from mine." Dane nodded, letting the concepts sink in. It was somewhat disconcerting to be chatting with Immortus like this and it had an eerie feeling of unreality to it all. How could he know if this were real at all or just another trick of Immortus's? "If you're telling the truth, then why share this with me? Why let me in on your little secret?" "Because, Dane Whitman, you are somewhat special to me. As you learned during my battle with Kang in the Ultraverse*, you are a carrier of a large amount of chronal energy. Your various trips through time and through realities have made you a conduit through which my plans may come to fruition..." (* See Black Knight # 6.)The Black Knight backed away, his eyes narrowed. "I won't be a pawn for you, Immortus." "Nor would I ask you to be. While my agents were exploring the time stream, searching for the true Prime timeline*, I became aware of a universe that is closed to me. It is hidden behind an Iron Curtain of Time... I have need of knowing what is waiting in that universe. Perhaps it is the Prime universe that I have been searching for. I want to send you forth, into that reality. This simulcra, this aspect of the true you, will remain behind in this reality while you explore." (*As seen in our last two issues.)The Black Knight shook his head. "And you expect me to go off and find the original timeline for you, so you can pervert it for your own sick desires? You're insane!" Immortus shook with rage. "I offer you a rare opportunity -- a chance to live not one, but two Destiny Walks!" "And I guess you'll be waiting to jump in the middle of things once I've determined whether or not that other timeline is the true one?" "Dane... if you accept, you shall become the Dane Whitman of that reality. In your mind, you shall have always been there, but in the depths of your subconscious, you'll remember all that transpired in this reality. When the time is right, and you shall know when that time has come, you shall use the pocketwatch I have given you, though you may have to find it anew once you arrive. It allows you to summon me from Limbo and, if used from within the Iron Curtain, I shall be able to pierce the barrier!" "Then why not strap the pocketwatch onto one of your Space Phantoms and send them through?" "Because they could not pierce the barrier, Dane! Only you can, with your unique mixture of chronal energy. I have tested this many times and I have come to this conclusion again and again! If the Time Keepers find the Prime Reality before I do, the consequences will be horrible. They will wipe out humanity from the timestream entirely!" Dane stared into the eyes of Immortus and what he saw there brought a halt to his doubts. He saw... fear... pure, naked fear. "Do this, Dane Whitman. Allow me to send you forth into this other reality. Take your Destiny Walk anew. Not for me, but for humanity." And, even surprising himself, Dane Whitman felt himself nod. GARRETT CASTLE, ENGLAND - DESTINY WALK UNIVERSE This scene is reprinted from Black Knight # 0 and is reworked from MV1's Black Knight # 1."So it's all mine again?" Dane stood in one of the castle's great rooms, staring out at the English countryside with unabashed glee. Miriam Ross, his personal attorney, smiled. "Yes indeed, Mr. Whitman. Your ancestral home was willed to you by the late Ms. Victoria Bentley. Upon her death, the castle - as well as a sizable settlement - was bequeathed to yourself. While her death is obviously a great tragedy, perhaps some good can come of it." Dane's heart dropped somewhat at her words. He was starting to think that no good could ever come from death. He'd seen too much of it in his lifetime - both in his stint during the Crusades and in the twentieth century as well. "Well, Victoria was a good friend. It's hard to accept that she's gone." He looked over at the attractive brunette and noticed that she was returning his glance with obvious enthusiasm. A smile began to spread once more over his features - no matter what the situation, Dane Whitman had always been popular with women. "Well, I am sorry for your loss. I'm also apologetic that it took so long to get into contact with you. You're a hard man to pin down. If someone at our firm hadn't had contacts with Oracle, we might never have discovered that you were working there." Dane nodded at that. "Well, I was...away for a time. But I'm no longer with Oracle, actually. We parted ways recently." "Ah. So you will be staying in England, then?" "Yes." He stepped towards her and offered his hand. As she stood close, he could smell her perfume. "Thank you for everything, Miss Ross. I appreciate all the work you've done for me. Now I've got to start moving my things inside. It's been years since I lived here." Miriam took his hand and squeezed. "I noticed quite a few large boxes and such...you're a scientist, aren't you?" "Amongst other things." Dane took a deep breath. He knew she was flirting but he really wasn't interested - despite her attractiveness. After everything that had happened with Crystal and then Sersi..."I've taken a position with Sycorp - I start tomorrow. Now, I really do need to get settled in..." Miriam's eyes shone with disappointment, but she nodded. "Of course - I'm sorry for having kept you. Enjoy your return home, Mr. Whitman. You have a full staff on the payroll so you should have plenty of help getting settled in. Good day." Dane watched her as she walked out, admiring the view but knowing he'd done the right thing. The last thing he needed right now was a romance. Not with all the changes in his life - becoming the defender of Avalon*, returning to England, and now moving back into the castle that had once belonged to his uncle Nathan.** * (see the recent Heroes For Hire series - Barry)
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