Chapter Twelve

"Nay, Bruce. This is my task and mine alone. Should I fail to return, then Avalon will need all her sons and daughters to stand ready to continue the battle." Richard stood quietly at ease in the warm circle of family and friends. He held Wayne's eyes steadily. "You said it yourself, Bruce . . . Like it or not, this is my legacy . . . and my responsibility."

"Nephew!" Queen Diana pleaded quietly. "Is there nothing we can say to stay your drinking from such a bitter cup?"

"Nay, Your Majesty. You of all people should know that to a Grayson, duty comes first." Richard smiled affectionately. "However, I *do* have one small request . . ?"

"Anything, Richard," she replied.

"My own dearly beloved mother is no longer here . . . therefore, I would ask, Your Majesty, if you would bestow upon me a mother's blessing before I embark on my journey?"

At his request, he saw his courageous, warrior-Princess cousin turn to Roy suddenly in tears. The Queen valiantly fought to maintain control of her own churning emotions. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Richard kneeled before his Queen and beloved aunt, and bowing his head, the young knight fought against his own tears.

Holding her hands tenderly above Richard's raven head, Diana intoned a mother's gentle blessing: "May the road you take be free of obstacles . . . May your journey be free from harm . . . May the Lord bless you and keep you safe always, free from all anxiety. In His name we pray . . . Amen."

Richard stood slowly.  It was time to bid his farewells to his loved ones. He hugged his aunt the Queen and then his cousin the Princess. He bade his uncle the King and his cousin the Crown Prince, adieu. He turned to his childhood companions and slapped them each on the shoulders. At last, he turned to face the man whom he had grown to love as a father.

"You don't *have* to look like all is lost, Bruce," he said with mock severity. "I *have* become quite proficient with this 'Emerald Warrior' mantle . . . well, I've become better, anyway. God's Blood! Bruce, one would think that you didn't have any faith in me--!"

"Enough!" Wayne said, making a single slashing motion. "You are the Chosen, and you are ready. Go, Richard. Fulfill your destiny . . . All of Avalon's hopes and dreams go with you." Wayne and Richard grasped each other's arms. "God speed, lad." Wayne held him a moment longer, then quickly released him.

Richard turned and mounted Nightwing in a single motion. Then without looking back, the Emerald Warrior began the final leg of his journey with destiny.

****

The army parted in subdued respect as Richard and Nightwing rode through the ranks. When they reached the forward lines, Richard spurred Nightwing to a light canter, then gently urged his gallant charger into a gallop. After they crossed the river Tweed, Richard communicated a need for even greater speed. Nightwing responded with a sudden burst that seemed to send horse and rider airborne.

Nightwing's gait was so smooth it seemed as if he was flying. Richard looked down, and to his astonishment he saw that they were indeed flying! With a grim wave at the Avalon Army, Richard urged Nightwing on to Melrose Abbey. He had to arrive before it was too late. A part of his mind was awestruck that he was flying; another part took it in stride. After all, it wasn't he who was doing the flying; it was the Emerald Eye.

Grimly, he urged Nightwing on. "Let's away, boy! Lady Barbara needs us!"

As the grounds of the old abbey came into view, Richard brought Nightwing in for a soft descent. The abbey seemed to be surrounded by a crimson-hued energy ring. Richard reached his hand out cautiously to it. He was instantly thrown back several feet. He lay where he'd fallen--stunned. Nightwing came up to him and nuzzled his master's face gently.

"Uh-h-h . . . what happened?" he groaned. Nightwing gave a snort and stamped his front hoofs in disapproval. "All right . . . it was a foolish move . . . no need to get saucy." Richard sat up and held his head, willing it to stop spinning. When he thought he could stand without falling down again, Richard looked up at Nightwing and grabbed one of his stirrups. He pulled himself to his feet using Nightwing as support. Taking several deep calming breaths, Richard eventually felt that the earth had stopped circling round him.

Taking stock of the situation, Richard studied the energy field encompassing the abbey. It seemed to pulsate and change hue every few seconds. Concentrating on the changing bands of rippling energy, Richard reached inside himself and began to analyze the bands. He discovered that they represented differing wavelengths of the light spectrum. The darker the hue, the broader the band.

Excited, Richard's keen intelligence began to absorb these new, and to him, arcane concepts. Quickly, he saw that the broader the band, the weaker the link, because the wider bands required a larger amount of energy to sustain them. Since the bands were ever changing . . . expanding and contracting . . . at incredible speeds, the photo-electric energies weren't being given sufficient time to reform a bond before they were broken again.

Richard might never have read about or heard of these ideas before, but he *did* know with quiet certainty that they behaved according to natural law and that if he should circumvent that law, then he'd be able to negate their flow. Closing his eyes and holding his arms straight out at his sides, Richard went into a place deep within his soul, a place that he had yet to tap and explore. Instinctively, he knew that here, in this quiet place, lay the source of all Romany power that was his by birthright to claim.

Richard saw and learned and remembered and forgot more images and concepts and abstractions than he had ever known of before or would again. An eternity later or a split-second . . . he could not be sure, his eyes fluttered opened. A wave of dizziness washed over him, passing quickly, and the Emerald Warrior was once again ready to do battle.

Richard drew his sword, stood back from the energy field, and took a battle stance. As he readied for action, he willed a giant energy sword, identical to his own Grayson family heirloom but for the size, to appear before and above him. As the green apparition instantly appeared, Richard drew back his saber as if to strike an enemy. In perfect sync, the giant sword drew back as well, mirroring his move.

Smiling ferally, Richard slashed down with his sword. The giant energy sword slashed down through the energy field, cutting through the bands of light, preventing them from reforming their delicate bonds. The energy field collapsed in a light rain of sparkling rubies.

"By the Guardians of Oa! Where was this power when Captain Gordon made quick work of my poor swordsmanship?" Awed at the energies at his command, a subdued Richard mounted Nightwing and spurred him on. Together, rider and horse tore like the wind across the abbey's grounds and rode on to the quadrangle.

When they arrived, he pulled Nightwing short. As Nightwing reared, Richard brandished his sword in defiance. His arrival caused a slight stir, but hardly enough to ruffle feathers. Mordant's crimson-robed followers remained standing at the foot of the sacrificial altar, holding burning torches.

Mordant looked out at his expected guest and clapped his hands in mock salute.

"Ah, finally! I was beginning to think the Emerald Warrior wouldn't make it to his own funeral! Well, I wish I could stay and chat, but I've got worlds to conquer and people to subjugate. So, if you'll excuse me--" Mordant gestured with his right hand, and the kindling underneath the sacrificial platform flared suddenly in spontaneous combustion. The children began screaming in mortal terror!

Mordant gestured a second time, and Richard found himself surrounded by a wall of fire.

Nightwing reared in panic almost throwing his rider. Richard sent Nightwing a mental note of reassurance. <Whoa, boy . . . Easy . . . the fire isn't real, boy . . . easy.> Then taking on the commanding timber of master to horse said, "Stand, Nightwing! Stand!" Nightwing immediately stood stock still, his flanks shivering in fear, but nonetheless obeying the familiar command. Richard sheathed his sword, and holding both hands up to the sky murmured the words that had been forbidden for an age.

The winds suddenly whipped . . . the clouds swirled in the gathering gloom . . . lightning crackled from sky to earth followed closely by its sister, thunder. Then the soothing rains came . . . First a light sprinkle, barely kissing Richard's upwardly turned cheeks, then a harder and faster storm, until they were under a full deluge. The unearthly fires encompassing him and the bound prisoners were quickly extinguished, as were the burning torches that Mordant's minions held in their hands.

Mordant's robes were being whipped around him. He shook his fist in anger at Richard then took out a dagger, and holding Timmy aloft made overt threatening gestures. Richard couldn't hear Mordant's words, but his hand gestures said it all. If Richard didn't stop the rains, he'd kill the child.

Richard quickly whispered a few words, then fully extending his arms out, he turned his hands palms down, then slowly lowered them to his sides. As he did so, the pouring deluge slowed to a shower, then to a light sprinkle, then stopped altogether. The clouds quickly dissipated and the late setting sun broke through.

"So foolish, Emerald Warrior. You see, I'm going to kill him anyway!" With that Mordant made as if to slit Timmy's throat.

"NO!!!" Richard cried out in righteous anger. As he yelled, he reached out both mentally and physically, and in the next instant, oversized green hands yanked Timmy out of Mordant's evil grasp and brought the boy safely into his arms. "You are a blasphemy to those who live in the light! I *will* send you back to whatever black hellhole you and your minions crawled from!"

"HA!! Listen to *you*!" Mordant taunted. "You learn a few parlor tricks and suddenly you think you're the high and mighty Emerald Warrior! Well, it'll take more than a little rain to stop me from advancing on Avalon!" He held out his arms, and began to utter the profane oaths that had brought the world to its knees all those generations ago.

As Mordant began his evil incantation, Barbara began to pray: "Our Father, who art in heaven . . . "

Richard began the Emerald Warrior's creed: "In brightest day, in blackest night . . . "

". . . thy kingdom come . . . " Meghan picked it up, reciting it with Barbara.

". . . no evil shall escape my sight . . . "

". . . thy will be done . . . " Another child joined them in prayer.

". . . Let those who worship evil's might . . . "

". . . but deliver us from evil . . . " And another.

". . . Beware my power . . . "

". . . For the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory are yours, now and forever!" Until all of the children who were still conscious finished the Lord's Prayer together.

". . . Green Lantern's Light!!!"

Several impossible conjurings began to coalesce at once.

Mordant's black spell awakened an even greater blackness that immediately began to make its displesure known at being disturbed from its eternal sleep . . .

Black storm clouds gathered above the abbey and began to turn counter-clockwise, slowly at first, but with increasing velocity, until at last, a swirling, black whirlpool began to open between the realm of light and dark . . .

Barbara felt the very earth beneath Melrose Abbey begin to rumble and shift as the creature started waking from deep below . . .

****

Orrin's forces watched in awe as the skies darkened and formed a black, swirling whirlpool above the abbey. Panic began to spread along the ranks. Wayne saw that the army was ready to break and run!

****

The whirlpool widened until it seemed to Richard that he could see into the very maw of Hell . . .

Nightwing reared on his hind legs as the ground beneath began to break apart . . . Mordant's panicking crimson-robed minions began scurrying for cover from the dark creature that was coming . . .

The screams of the damned could be heard, echoing from the swirling Hell-mouth that Richard opened . . .

The creature of the night emerged from its foul den beneath and reared its fetid head out into the light of the setting sun . . . Roaring in fury, it gaped its mouth open and struck out at anything that moved. A hapless follower of Mordant disappeared into its infinite gullet. Unsated, it looked around with its sightless eyes for another morsel . . .   

****

The Royal family and all the nobles on the field rode up and down the ranks spreading calm and order to the frightened masses; however, Wayne knew that so few couldn't be everywhere at once . . .

****

Barbara felt the whirlpool pulling at her . . . her hair was being whipped violently about her, stinging her eyes. Perversely, the only thing saving her, was the fact that she was bound to the stake. She felt the platform begin to creak as its foundations started to give way. Her mind called out to the other half of her soul . . .

"*Richard* . . !"

He heard her.

Barbara and the children were in trouble. They were safe for the moment, but not for long. Not with that giant . . . whatever that was . . . snacking on anything that moved. And the interdimensional gateway that he himself opened was ready to claim its first victims . . .

The crimson-robed toadies were first. As they ran, dodging the creature spawned from the bowels of Hell, they felt themselves being lifted bodily . . . losing connection with the natural forces that glued man to the earth. They went flying, helplessly into the waiting, swirling Hell-mouth.

Richard called out to the forces of nature that held that which was true and proper in its appropriate place within the seven spheres. He called Wind . . . Earth. . . Fire . . . Rain . . . the four elements of the known universe.

Feeling himself being pulled by the whirlpool, Mordant made warding signs conjuring a spell designed to act as an anchor to keep himself safely planted to the earth.

The Wind whipped up harder and harder, until a cyclone swirled about them and swept up the crimson robes in its wake as it was sucked into the gaping Hell Gate . . . It began to pull everything not bolted down . . . Old wagon wheels, loose window shutters . .  The platform! Several heavy planks came loose, and were finally yanked free. The kindling that was piled high, began flying, a hazard to the prisoners.

Richard called for a protective shield, one that like his family motto was "Constant and True." Richard's mind quickly formulated a near carbon copy of the one he'd destroyed; however, this one was sequenced to frequency-skip so rapidly, and at such random sequences, that the shield would not be able to discern when the changes occurred. The shield would seem to remain constant and true.

Before the shield settle over its precious charges, Richard sealed Timmy inside his own personal emerald cocoon and sent him flying through the air to a safe nook underneath the platform.

As soon as the protective bubble closed around them, it seemed to Barbara that she and children were inside the eye of the storm. For though chaos reigned outside the shield, inside they were insulated from all danger.

"Soul of my soul . . . " Richard whispered in her mind.

"Heart of my heart . . ." she replied.

Mordant's vile pet sensed Richard's presence, and turned its sightless eyes in his direction, opening its gaping mouth for the kill. As it struck, serpent-fast, Richard released his stirrups and jumped free from Nightwing. Rider and mount quickly ran in opposite directions in an oft-practiced move. The creature snapped at empty air.

As Richard rolled out of danger, he quickly got to his feet and began sprinting. He felt then saw a shadow descending rapidly upon him. Turning suddenly, Richard once again called forth his oversized sword, and using his powerful will to brandish it as easily as he could his own, Richard let it fly. The emerald sword flew true to its mark and struck the creature a mortal wound. Angry, in pain, and frightened, it began lashing out at anything that moved in lightning-quick strikes.

Richard murmured the old words, and suddenly the Earth cracked wide open, swallowing the obscenity that had been awakened by Mordant's necromancy, and returning it to its eternal sleep . . .

****

As the very earth moved and shifted underneath them, the Avalon army began to run. First one . . . then another . . . then it seemed as if all began screaming in panic. It appeared to them that the ground itself was preparing to swallow them all.

Wayne saw the pointlessness in trying to stop such a panicked flight, so he rode up down the lines urging them to retreat in an orderly manner.

"Remain calm . . ! Assemble in the Cheviots . . ! Remain calm . . !" His words were lost in the roars of thousands of throats crying in terror.

****

Angry Fire fell from the sky in the form of lightning, striking the black nothingness of the whirlpool with bolt after bolt of cleansing fire.

"Prepare to *die* Emerald Warrior! When I finally kill you after draining you of all your living energy, I'll do the same with that babe, you snatched from me. Then I'll simply take the Emerald Eye and have all of Avalon fall on her knees to me!"

With that threat hanging in the air, the evil sorcerer gestured casually. The very rocks themselves started rising and unmercifully pelting Richard seemingly of their own volition.

"Shield!" Richard cried. An emerald shield with his family motto emblazoned on it appeared immediately, blocking the missiles. Crouching behind it, Richard began to conduct a mental search for Mordant's anchor spell. He sent out energy tendrils in multiple directions seeking the definite arcane resonance that surround such alchemy. However, Richard kept being distracted by stones that somehow evaded his shield.

As he searched, Richard felt a tiny tendril reaching out for solace--Timmy! Who was beginning to feel frightened and alone! Richard sent out a comforting thought to him.

"Nay, fear not, little one," he said gently. "No harm will befall thee . . . this I promise."

He felt Timmy's answering burst of bright, happy sunshine!

"In heaven's name . . . what was that?" Richard said, stunned.

He reached out to Timmy once more. Again, Richard felt an incredible power resonating with the purity of a child's innocence as Timmy greeted him with happy familiarity.

"Such power in one so young . . ?" he whispered in awe. "How is it possible?"

"Aye, Emerald Warrior," said Mordant from behind him.

Richard spun in shock. He'd been so absorbed by Timmy he'd momentarily forgotten the battle. Unforgivable! He chastised himself; how could he have been so careless? Mordant grinned, greatly amused that he'd won yet again.

"Another eon, another Emerald Warrior. An evil necromancer's job is never done!" He paused for dramatic effect. "I think that this time, I'm going to be a little ostentatious. It is only fitting. After all, you have been a formidable enemy . . . one who almost defeated me. I'll have to preserve this moment for the fawning masses, so that they never forget what happens to those who seek to destroy me."

As Mordant spoke, Richard surreptitiously kept his feelers out for Mordant's anchor spell. Closing his eyes and hanging his head as if in defeat, Richard searched for and at last found the anchor. Concentrating intently on analyzing the anchor's energy sequences, Richard shut out Mordant's incessant talking . . .

As Mordant finally finished his crowing, Richard slowly opened his eyes. Mordant's own eyes narrowed. There was a new quality in Richard's eyes, a dangerous quality. Richard looked up at him, then smiled. Mordant's eyes widened. Richard uttered the counter spell, and Mordant found himself losing the safety lines that held him to this realm.

"No-oo-ooo! I was so close! *So close* . . !"

Mordant screams faded as the whirlpool claimed its final victim.   

Richard threw his arms up to the sky and commanded its fires to seal the Hell Gate for all eternity . . .

As he lowered his arms, a gentle Rain began to fall . . . caressing the earth, putting out the fires, bringing a cleansing breeze to carry away the sulfurous smells from Hell . . .

The world rested in solid quietude.

Epilogue

"What God has brought together, let no man tear asunder." Richard and Barbara gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. "You may kiss the bride, lad," Fra Haly whispered. Richard smiled brightly and did just that. Wallace, standing in as best man, slapped his friend between the shoulder blades. Meghan smiled happily for the young couple. Timmy yanked at Richard's sword impatiently. He'd done his part perfectly as ring bearer, now he wanted to be picked up.

Laughing, Richard bent down and picked up his newly adopted son. Timmy planted a big wet kiss on his new father's cheek. Richard looked bemusedly at his new son. Barbara looked upon them both with love.

They turned then and faced the gallery of friends and family, who were sitting happily in the newly restored and consecrated Melrose Abbey. Sir Richard Lord Grayson, his new bride, Lady Barbara Gordon Grayson, and their new son, Master Timothy Drake Grayson started walking down the aisle, as generations of Graysons before them had done. Husband and wife, walked arm in arm; Timmy clung proudly to his new father's neck.

It is said that the Lady Selina caught the bridal bouquet and within the year became Lady Wayne, much to the chagrin of the countless maidens who, broken-hearted over Sir Richard's nuptials had immediately set their caps on Lord Wayne.

Captain Sir James Gordon retired to his new lands, which had been awarded from a grateful lord for his years of loyal service and friendship, much to the delight of his daughter and new grandson.

Her Royal Highness, Princess Donna consented to becoming Sir Roy's wife, much to the chagrin of Their Majesties. It is said that their marriage was one of heated argument, numerous break-ups, and tearful reunions. Upon their deaths they'd been married almost seventy-five years and had had nine children and countless grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Sir Wallace returned with Sir Clark to serve on his staff with the Metropolis garrison and to act as Army liaison to the Royal Navy, thus ushering in a new era of cooperation between the two rival services. He married a common serving girl named Freyja, much to the delight of his aunt and uncle.

Prince Garth was eventually crowned King of Avalon and served his people long and faithfully. He still took an occasional swim when the mood struck him.

It is said that a bright emerald aura encompassed the young Lord Grayson and his family in a protective mantle, and that as long as he and his heirs lived and oversaw Clan Grayson, Dumfrieshire and Strathclyde, peace and prosperity reigned in the island Kingdom of Avalon, the jewel of the North Sea.

But that's just a legend.

The End

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