In his travels, Merlin discovered a quite distinct alternate reality, a kind of hourglass-bottom for the sands of evil which is put out elsewhere. Here, the legends of the multi-chromatic, quintcephalic dragon Tiamat are quite real, though its power seems set to undo, not begin, God's creation.

Bred to oppose this evil is a team of young heroes called The Travelers. Leading them is Ebeniel, The Stone Of God. At Tiamat's coming, his true parentage is revealed. He is the son of the Arthur and Guenevere native to this reality. Trained in fighting by the good Chinese trickster god called The Monkey King, he may unleash an awesome energy wave called the Tsu-Na-Mi-Ka-Me-Ka-Ze.

At 13, he was cast into Hell for ten years, emerging when he had slain every last demon. As his final test, he time-traveled and slew the Herod-summoned avatar of Pestilence as it bore down upon The Holy Family during their flight to Egypt. Ironically, as Tiamat approaches, so does Ebeniel's power increase. He also carries in his mind the spirits and place of the Heavenly City Of Jerusalem itself.

His wife is Cruxadia, a being unique to this reality, but with roots in the ones more known to Merlin. Betrayed by his elder half-brother Banwise, Lancelot became a prisoner of The Children Of Tiamat, on that world they deemed Cerebrus. Broken on the Cross, he was also rendered immobile and molested by a clone of Morgan, bred when she felt repulsed by the pure destruction caused by Tiamat's Children. Lancelot named the resulting daughter of that union for the one thing that had never betrayed him--The Cross itself. Returning with her to Benwick, Lancelot undertook to repress all memories of his violation. King Ban raised his granddaughter but withheld knowledge from her of their true relationship, fearing the shattering of Lancelot's sanity-saving denial. She shares Ebeniel's abilities to a lesser degree, though only she knows God's true plan for stopping Tiamat.

Also among their band is an Immortal version of the fallen company clerk of the Trojan H*O*R*S*E, Patroclus, trained by Gilgamesh and Enkidu. This was of course prior to Gilgamesh taking Enkidu's head, that their combined energies could bring low the evil warrior called Heaven's Bull. Achilles and Helen live on for many centuries, having been given a spore of Tiamat, and surviving its evil taint to achieve godlike status. Patroclus has taken as his protege' Claudia, a future girl from another disastrous realm, who claims she is descended from slain Enkidu.

Also joining the group are Jesse and Esther Canaan, the two youngest children of the legendary Space Family Canaan, who survived a ten-year journey aboard the Diaspora Two to reach Alpha Centauri sixty years ahead of most such realities. Their passage was not without complications, such as those caused by Doctor Veget Loki. Isolated and alone, the two found the prayers and faith their parents gave them not enough to resist mental and physical loneliness. As a result, they were spurned by the rest of their family, and have remained with the Travelers.

Rounding out the team is another alternate, this one of Oissin, son of the Irish shapeshifter Finn Macool. Trained in the art of time-walking by The Wee Folk, Oissin is highly valued by Ebeniel, and the two are best friends. Since Oissin lived Ebeniel's dream of a childhood aboard a Starship Exaclibur and service to boot, the champion is often frustrated that Oissin tends to put himself down, and underestimates his own worth. Oissin is also smitten with Cruxadia, who cares for him but nonetheless remains true to Ebeniel. Oissin also began their reality-trip to seek Tiamat's end, upset as he was that, in his reality, Lohengrin did not survive the destruction of The Excalibur-D. He is admiring, but unsure of whether he wishes to serve with the risen Arthur, now in Command of The Excalibur-E in his reality.

In 2286, Ebeniel adopts the family name of Pendragon, and Lancelot regains his strength to recognize Cruxadia. Jesse and Esther Canaan discover that they are adopted, and vow to confront their family over this, in time. Patroclus chose to live his life in a true linear fashion, and by then commands a starship with Gilgamesh's antediluvian ancestor Legend as his first officer. Oissin quit his reality altogether, feeling his father would always be unprepared to truly raise him. Ebeniel also learns that he was born when his parents were very, very young, after their defeat of Governor Vortigern on Tartarus Colony.

But their arrival at adulthood is ill-starred, as Tiamat attacks the known galaxy with full force. The Gaels, Saracens, Saxons and the other great powers, including the then-unknown powers that dominated the Saracens are summarily wiped away. British space seems next....

Again, Paul's site is at : http://members.iglou.com/scarfman