The Peregrine Omnibus Volume One (100 page)

Max blinked, letting the enormity of that settle in. “You… ate it?”

“Yes. And now I can do things like this.” The Warlike Manchu slashed at the air with his fingers, causing every vein in Max’s body to seize up. They could be seen, pressing blue and purple against his flesh, and Max felt like they were about to tear free of his body.

The Peregrine fell forward when the attack ceased, though every fiber of his being ached with pain. Max felt his heart hammering in his chest and he was barely able to stay conscious.

“Today is the last day of your life,” the Warlike Manchu said, walking slowly towards the Peregrine. “When I am done here, I will journey to America and find your wife and child. I wonder if I shall like the taste of your son’s meat when I eat him for supper.”

The Peregrine groaned as the villain came ever closer but he was quietly slipping a hand inside his trenchcoat, slipping free the glowing Knife of Elohim. The mystic blade had once been bathed in the blood of Christ, making it especially powerful against those empowered by evil.

When the Manchu was within striking range, the Peregrine yanked the blade free and drove it hard into the madman’s foot. It cut deep, sending up a geyser of blood. The wound sizzled as the mystical weapon worked into the Manchu’s skin.

The Manchu tried to use his newfound powers on the blade but found it strangely resistant to his abilities. Instead, he kicked the Peregrine in the face repeatedly with his other foot and finally managed to tear his injured appendage free of its painful hold.

The Peregrine threw himself forward, pushing off with his knees, and slammed hard into the Manchu’s midsection. The two men flew backwards, knocking over the throne.

The Manchu gripped the Peregrine’s coat and began transforming the clothing into a golden prison, much like the one that had trapped Jian. Max shrugged it off quickly but was then unprepared for a backhanded blow from the villain that knocked him off his feet. Max landed hard on his side but immediately kicked out with a foot, catching the Manchu behind his legs and yanking them out from under him.

The Manchu ended up sprawled on his back but he rolled out of the way when the Peregrine attempted to drive his knife into the villain’s torso. The Manchu slammed an elbow into the back of the Peregrine’s head, momentarily disorienting him.

Max felt the Manchu grip him by the ears, the villain moving to stand behind the Peregrine. “This is it, my former pupil. Today you pay the price for refusing to accept the honor of standing beside me.”

“Go back to hell,” the Peregrine hissed as the Manchu began to project a strange sort of heat directly into the vigilante’s skull. Max felt himself being lulled into a comatose state… awake but not unable to fully move.

The Manchu released his grip, allowing Max to slam to the floor. The villain then knelt beside his old foe and opened his mouth, revealing sharpened teeth. “In this way, at least, you will always be a part of me, Max.”

As the Manchu leaned in to take a bite of his enemy’s flesh, the Peregrine had a very clear image appear in his mind’s eye: of his wife and son, in danger from this monstrosity called the Warlike Manchu. Max had no doubt that the Manchu would live up to his word… he would hunt them down and he would, as unbelievable as it sounded, eat them alive.

The power of the Philosopher’s Stone seemed to weaken in the face of love and Max felt his body return to his own control. He whipped up the hand holding the Knife of Elohim and drove it straight into the villain’s open maw. The blade slammed through, protruding from the back of the man’s neck. The Warlike Manchu jumped back, clutching at the hilt of the blade but it was too late… the evil-destroying power of the Knife was at work, spreading its effects through the villain’s body.

The Manchu fell against the wall, his entire form hardening into an inert state. He looked like he was carved from lead, his body as quiet and still as if he had never lived at all.

The Peregrine moved towards him, knife still in hand. He wasn’t sure what to do with the unmoving corpse but the decision was quickly taken out of his hands. The sounds of sirens and men shouting reached his ears—obviously, the altercation had finally brought the authorities. Not wanting to be captured in the heart of Nazi Germany, the Peregrine bolted for the window and was on his way to freedom by the time the S.S. soldiers burst into the room.

The ranking officer of the group looked around in confusion, seeing nothing more than an oddly carved metal statue, so much like the one of pure gold they’d found downstairs… the Fuehrer would not be pleased.
Unless,
he thought to himself,
that statue piques his interest for some reason.
Hoping for the best, he shouted to his underlings. “Take the statutes… both of them. We will have the Reich’s best men study them. Perhaps they can be some use.”

While the Nazis took possession of the Manchu’s body, the Peregrine was on his way to find McKenzie. He felt a sense of relief that nearly overwhelmed him.

Once again, the Manchu had been thwarted and the world was safe for another day.

THE END

THE REESE UNLIMITED TIMELINE

Major Events specific to certain stories and novels are included in brackets. Some of this information contains
SPOILERS
for The Peregrine, Lazarus Gray, Gravedigger and other stories.

~ 800
Viking warrior Grimarr
dies
of disease but is resurrected as the Sword of Hel. He adventures for some time as Hel’s agent on Earth. [“Dogs of War” and “In the Name of Hel,”
Tales of the Norse Gods
].

1748
—Johann Adam Weishaupt is born.

1750
—Guan-Yin embarks on a quest to find her lost father, which takes her to Skull Island [
Guan-Yin and the Horrors of Skull Island
].

1776
—Johann Adam Weishaupt forms The Illuminati. He adopts the guise of the original Lazarus Gray in group meetings, reflecting his “rebirth” and the “moral ambiguity” of the group. In Sovereign City, a Hessian soldier dies in battle, his spirit resurrected as an headless warrior.

1793
—Mortimer Quinn comes to Sovereign City, investigating the tales of a Headless Horseman [
Gravedigger Volume One
]

1865
—Eobard Grace returns home from his actions in the American Civil War. Takes possession of the Book of Shadows from his uncle Frederick. [“The World of Shadow,”
The Family Grace: An Extraordinary History
]

1877
—Eobard Grace is summoned to the World of Shadows, where he battles Uris-Kor and fathers a son, Korben. [“The World of Shadow,”
The Family Grace: An Extraordinary History
]

1885
—Along with his niece Miriam and her paramour Ian Sinclair, Eobard returns to the World of Shadows to halt the merging of that world with Earth. [“The Flesh Wheel,”
The Family Grace: An Extraordinary History
]

1890
—Eobard fathers a second son, Leopold.

1895
—Felix Cole (the Bookbinder) is born.

1900
—Max Davies is born to publisher Warren Davies and his wife, heiress Margaret Davies.

1901
—Leonid Kaslov is born.

1905
—Richard Winthrop is born in San Francisco.

1908
—Warren Davies is murdered by Ted Grossett, a killer nicknamed “Death’s Head”. [“
Lucifer’s Cage
”,
The Peregrine Omnibus Volume One
, more details shown in “
Origins
,” the
Peregrine Volume One
] Hans Merkel kills his own father. [“
Blitzkrieg
,” the
Peregrine Volume One
]

1910
—Evelyn Gould is born.

1913
—Felix Cole meets the Cockroach Man and becomes part of The Great Work. [“The Great Work,”
The Family Grace: An Extraordinary History
]

1914
—Margaret Davies passes away in her sleep. Max is adopted by his uncle Reginald.

1915
—Felix Cole marries Charlotte Grace, Eobard Grace’s cousin.

1916
—Leonid Kaslov’s father Nikolai becomes involved in the plot to assassinate Rasputin.

1917
—Betsy Cole is born to Felix and Charlotte Grace Cole. Nikolai Kaslov is murdered.

1918
—Max Davies begins wandering the world. Richard Winthrop’s parents die in an accident.

1922
—Warlike Manchu tutors Max Davies in Kyoto.

1925
—Max Davies becomes the Peregrine, operating throughout Europe.

1926
—Charlotte Grace dies. Richard Winthrop has a brief romance with exchange student Sarah Dumas.

1927
—Richard Winthrop graduates from Yale. On the night of his graduation, he is recruited into The Illuminati. Max and Leopold Grace battle the Red Lord in Paris. Richard Winthrop meets Miya Shimada in Japan, where he purchases The McGuinness Obelisk for The Illuminati.

1928
—The Peregrine returns to Boston. Dexter van Melkebeek (later to be known as The Darkling) receives his training in Tibet from Tenzin.

1929
—Max Davies is one of the judges for the Miss Beantown contest [“The Miss Beantown Affair,”
The Peregrine Volume Three
]. Richard Winthrop destroys a coven of vampires in Mexico.

1930
—Richard Winthrop pursues The Devil’s Heart in Peru [“Eidolon,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Three
].

1932
—The Peregrine hunts down his father’s killer [“
Origins
,”
The Peregrine Volume One
]. The Darkling returns to the United States.

1933
—Jacob Trench uncovers Lucifer’s Cage. [“
Lucifer’s Cage
”,
The Peregrine Volume One
] The Peregrine battles Doctor York [
All-Star Pulp Comics # 1
] After a failed attempt at betraying The Illuminati, Richard Winthrop wakes up on the shores of Sovereign City with no memory of his name or past. He has only one clue to his past in his possession: a small medallion adorned with the words Lazarus Gray and the image of a naked man with the head of a lion. [“The Girl With the Phantom Eyes,”
Lazarus Gray Volume One
]

1934
—Now calling himself Lazarus Gray, Richard Winthrop forms Assistance Unlimited in Sovereign City. He recruits Samantha Grace, Morgan Watts and Eun Jiwon [“The Girl With the Phantom Eyes,”
Lazarus Gray Volume One
] Walther Lunt aids German scientists in unleashing the power Die Glocke, which in turn frees the demonic forces of Satan’s Circus [“Die Glocke,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Two
]. The entity who will become known as The Black Terror is created [“The Making of a Hero,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Two
].

1935
—Felix Cole and his daughter Betsy seek out the Book of Eibon. [“The Great Work,”
The Family Grace: An Extraordinary History
] Assistance Unlimited undertakes a number of missions, defeating the likes of Walther Lunt, Doc Pemberley, Malcolm Goodwill & Black Heart, Princess Femi & The Undying, Mr. Skull, The Axeman and The Yellow Claw [“The Girl With the Phantom Eyes,” “The Devil’s Bible,” “The Corpse Screams at Midnight,” “The Burning Skull,” “The Axeman of Sovereign City,” and “The God of Hate,”
Lazarus Gray Volume One
] The Peregrine journeys to Sovereign City and teams up with Assistance Unlimited to battle Devil Face. They also encounter a new hero—The Dark Gentleman. [“Darkness, Spreading Its Wings of Black,”
The Peregrine Volume Two
and
Lazarus Gray Volume One
)]. Lazarus Gray and Assistance Unlimited become embroiled in the search for Die Glocke [“Die Glocke,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Two
]

1936
—Assistance Unlimited completes their hunt for Die Glocke and confronts the threat of Jack-In-Irons. Abigail Cross and Jakob Sporrenberg join Assistance Unlimited [“Die Glocke,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Two
]. The Peregrine moves to Atlanta and recovers the Dagger of Elohim from Felix Darkholme. The Peregrine meets Evelyn Gould. The Peregrine battles Jacob Trench. [“
Lucifer’s Cage
”,
The Peregrine Volume One
]. Reed Barrows revives Camilla. [“
Kingdom of Blood
,”
The Peregrine Volume One
]. Kevin Atwill is abandoned in the Amazonian jungle by his friends, a victim of the Gorgon legacy. [“
The Gorgon Conspiracy
,”
The Peregrine Volume One
]. Nathaniel Caine’s lover is killed by Tweedledum while Dan Daring looks on [“
Catalyst
,”
The Peregrine Volume One
] Assistance Unlimited teams up with The Black Terror to battle Promethus and The Titan in South America [“The Making of a Hero,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Two
]. Doc Pemberley allies himself with Abraham Klee, Stanley Davis and Constance Majestros to form Murder Unlimited. Lazarus Gray is able to defeat this confederation of evil and Pemberley finds himself the victim of Doctor Satan’s machinations [“Murder Unlimited,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Three
]. Lazarus Gray is forced to compete with The Darkling for possession of a set of demonic bones. During the course of this, a member of Assistance Unlimited becomes Eidolon. [“Eidolon,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Three
]. Charity Grace dies and is reborn as the first female Gravedigger. [
Gravedigger Volume One
]. Dr. York attempts to revive Princess Femi so that she can aid him in battling The Peregrine [“The Peregrine Animated Script,”
The Peregrine Volume Three
]. The Dark Gentleman confronts The Shadow Court and brings them to justice. [“The Judgment of the Shadow Court,”
The Adventures of The Dark Gentleman Book One
]. A few weeks later, The Dark Gentleman learns the truth about Amadeus Crouch [“The Silver Room,”
The Adventures of The Dark Gentleman Book Two
].

1937
—Max and Evelyn marry. Camilla attempts to create Kingdom of Blood. World’s ancient vampires awaken and the Peregrine is ‘marked’ by Nyarlathotep. Gerhard Klempt’s experiments are halted. William McKenzie becomes Chief of Police in Atlanta. The Peregrine meets Benson, who clears his record with the police. [“
Kingdom of Blood
,”
The Peregrine Volume One
]. Lazarus Gray and Assistance Unlimited teams up with Thunder Jim Wade to confront the deadly threat of Leviathan (“Leviathan Rising”,
Lazarus Gray Volume Four
]. Hank Wilbon is murdered, leading to his eventual resurrection as the Reaper. [“
Kaslov’s Fire
,”
The Peregrine Volume One
]. The Peregrine and Evelyn become unwelcome guests of Baron Werner Prescott, eventually foiling his attempts to create an artificial island and a weather-controlling weapon for the Nazis [“The Killing Games,”
The Peregrine Volume Three
] Gravedigger confronts a series of terrible threats in Sovereign City, including Thanatos, a gender-swapping satanic cult and The Headless Horseman. Charity and Samantha Grace make peace about their status as half-sisters. [
Gravedigger Volume One
] Lazarus Gray teams with Eidolon and The Darkling to combat Doctor Satan [“Satan’s Circus,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Four
]. Lazarus Gray battles the forces of Wilson Brisk and Skyrider. The Three Sisters are unleashed upon Sovereign City [“The Felonious Financier,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Five
]. Gravedigger confronts the twin threats of Hiroshi Tamaki and the immortal known as Pandora [
Gravedigger Volume Two
]. Lazarus Gray travels to Cape Noire to investigate the mysterious vigilante known as Brother Bones [“Shadows and Phantoms,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Five
]. The villain known as The Basilisk attempts to seize control of Sovereign City’s underworld [“Stare of The Basilisk,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Five
]. The Three Sisters unite with Princess Femi to combat Assistance Unlimited. Sobek’s attempt to destroy Femi helps lead young Madison Montgomery into a role as Femi’s handmaiden. Lazarus gets engaged to Kelly Emerson [“Immortals,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Five
]. Lazarus and Kelly are married. [“Wedding Bells,”
Lazarus Gray Volume Five
].