There is an order to all things, even where it is not apparent it exists. There must also be a balance. There was a lot of chaos introduced into the world recently and it must be balanced. The Lords of Order look for someone in the world of men that might be an Agent of Order. Their gaze turns upon the Earth seeking such a champion and one of them finds someone who meets the criteria and pleases her rather odd sense of humor. Gervais Winthrop Evanston Nottingham, has just inherited the title of 21st Baron Nottingham and having so far spent all of his first summer since graduating from an all boys boarding school attending his father's funeral and then the ceremony that made him officially Baron in his father's place he is an unhappy young man who is hoping his life will now return to something approximating normal. He will be disappointed.

His twelve years in boarding school were not very happy as early on an upperclassman had seen his full name and in a burst of malicious brilliance coined his nickname (which he bore up under until graduation) from the acronym, G.W.E.N. As one can easily imagine being called Gwen in an all boys school was very hard on young Mr. Nottingham and his lack of proficiency at any sport except fencing did not help. Still he was very good at fencing and had developed a great sense of humor as well as having a keen mind whose fruits he was always willing to share. Gwen therefore did have friends and they were the sort that stay with you through thick and thin. They had postponed Holiday travel plans and been with him at his family's ancestral home during the funeral and investiture and, when he wasn't worrying about all the official business he would now need to take care of or at least oversee, he worried about how he could ever repay them.

They, of course, told him not to be silly. That they did not require any sort of repayment, "That's what friends are for" said one and all. Still he had decided on giving them something for their troubles and when Mr Newcombe came to visit he thought he might have the perfect way. A legal agent of his grandfather, a Mr. Newcombe, who was mostly retired but had been one of the trustees that were handled the reading of the will and the transfer of properties and goods. Except it seemed that not everything had been transferred yet.

"I'm sorry Mr. Newcombe but I'm not sure I'm following you. Are you saying that my grandfather instructed you to deliberately hide part of his inheritance from my father? Why should he have done so and why should you be telling me about this now?"

"Well there is a reason your grandfather decided not to bequeath this particular legacy to your father. You see, he didn't meet the criteria."

"And I do?" his Lordship asked skeptically.

"And you do," Robert Newcombe Esq. answered firmly.

"What would these criteria be?"

The solicitor, for that is how such men are called in England, fidgeted a little and then replied, "Well your Lordship I can't be specific because of an oath of secrecy I took. At least I can't unless you also take the same oath and agree to be the guardian of this inheritance until you find a worthy successor."

"Using these same mysterious criteria you can't be specific about?" Sarcasm positively dripped from this sentence. The new Lord Gervais had developed a biting wit as a means of defense and sharpened it daily for twelve years. His friends often said that you could etch metal at 20 paces with his tone when he really got going.

The lawyer fidgeted some more, "That is correct your Lordship."

"Well if you can't be specific then you will be general or you will leave both my house and any possibility of convincing me behind you. Is that clear?"

"Yes, your Lordship. If I may have a moment to collect my thoughts I'll endeavour to satisfy you without breaking any oaths." Robert Newcombe thought quickly, he truly wanted G.W.E.N. to agree as it was the hereditary duty of his family and his testing so highly at a time when ... perhaps that was it. "Well your Lordship the results of the DNA test that confirmed you were the son of the old Baron were also used to determine whether or not I'd make you this offer and also determined your father's unsuitability." There, hopefully that would satisfy him.

The new Baron's eyebrows rose, "There would have been considerable delay and expense doing that sort of test in my father's time and couldn't have been even a possibility of it in grandfather's. How did you pick him for this so-called guardianship?"

"Well your Lordship that was before my time but I assume the caretakers of the time used their best judgement. I myself initiated DNA testing when I came into my current office. I like to flatter myself that I move with the times."

"Hmph," snorted G.W.E.Nottingham, "And I suppose that if I should ask what the title of that 'current office' might be you'll say it's covered by that oath you spoke of so cryptically before?"

"Yes, your lordship."

The new Baron's curiosity was piqued. He would love to know just what this man was talking about but his suspicions were quite aroused as well. "How long do I have to decide?"

"Well, your Lordship I would really prefer an answer as soon as possible."

The Baron snorts, "Hmph, I dare say you would, but the question is 'How soon is it possible?' right?" He considers, "Nothing you have told contravenes your oath so far right?"

"True, your Lordship." The man looked a bit puzzled.

"And I've certainly taken no oaths," he continued.

"Also true your Lordship."

"Then I shall seek advice. Some of the friends any man could have are staying with me at this time." He stands and walks to an intercom and hits a call button then sits back down.

Soon a servant enters, "Yes, your Lordship?"

"Find Tommy, Ben, and Colin and ask them to meet me here in their are not busy," he told that worthy who bowed and retreated from the room.

Shortly three men enter in expensive but casual clothing. Ben was first, Benjamin Avery Wallace III officially, Colin was second, Colin Warrington Roderick Armitage to give him his full name, and Tommy came third, Thomas á³ Conchobhair to be more precise. His parents had changed it from O'Connor before he was born and he'd had more than his fair share of trouble at school because of it. The other three always backed him up in any fight however and the only real damaged that showed was his scarred and flattened knuckles.

Once they have been brought up to speed they go into a huddle and discuss things in quiet tones the solicitor cannot quite hear.
Eventually they break and his Lordship smiles, "Alright we'll go. Under two conditions."

Newcombe raises his eyebrows, "What conditions?"

"First, that they come along and second we'll be wearing swords. None of us learned to use a gun but we're all quite good with blades so we'll bring some with us." He smiled, "Just for our protection you understand."

"Well, it is highly irregular but I think I can make an exception for you. When shall we start?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"Very good your Lordship, I'll return to escort you then." He stood and bowed slightly before a servant was called to show him out.

The next morning all four of them were attired identically in Safari clothes with sabers at one side and long daggers on the other. They looked old fashioned but dangerous. Mr Newcombe picked them up in a limousine and took them out west into Wales. They drove for several hours and eventually came to an apparently ruined castle on a hill.

"The mysterious inheritance is stored here?" G.W.E.N. asked.

"Yes, your Lordship. It is here we'll ask you to take oath and here the inheritance will given to you." He exited the limousine and bowed, "If you'll all come with me?"

They got out of the vehicle and followed him into the old castle. The inside was considerably better taken care of than the exterior and it was obvious that it's apparent dilapidation was only a disguise. They were lead down two floors via new and well maintained stairs to a stone door that looked both old and strong. It was well taken care of, but it was still clearly centuries old. "It is dolomite. One of the toughest natural materials on the planet. We/ve considered replacing it but it's held up well for it's age," Mr. Newcombe said as he approached a keypad to the side. "This keypad, of course, is of more recent vintage. I had it installed myself actually." He entered a very long sequence of numbers and hit a large green button.

The new Baron Nottingham had noticed that the numbers were the first seventeen prime numbers but didn't see any need to comment on his knowledge. He did smile a bit smugly as he watched the middle aged lawyer slowly tug open the thick, heavy door. Inside on an imacculately polished floor were four armed men surround a very large metal safe. They wore uniforms with no rank insignia and their shoulder patches showed a Welsh dragon only.

Three of the men came to attention but the fourth gripped his rifle in both hands and said, "Halt! Give password or be fired upon!"

"There is an order to all things from greatest to least," Robert Newcombe Esq. replied calmly.

The soldier replied, "To defeat Chaos an Agent of Order is needed." He hadn't put down his rifle but he wasn't pointing it at them either.

"I come guiding one whose family is known. He may be the one we seek," Newcombe finished the traditional challenge and response.

The rifle was lowered, "You come in good time but with many, why is this?"

"He would not come without them and they would not be dissuaded. They also all refused to come unarmed for safety's sake."

One guard, nearly seven foot and with scarred face and hands rumbled a question in a deep bass voice, "Aye, I see that and I'd be the last one to say there aren't times when a good blade is the best weapon for the job but if it were me I'd have brought guns."

"Well for my part," Tommy said, "I never learned to use a firearm but I have a solid decade of experience with a sword."

"That's a good reason it, Aye!" The giant of a man rumbled a laugh. "It's to see a man who values his friendships like you do," he said smiling, "I've got no problem with all of ye being here."

The man who'd challenged them on entrance nodded, "If you're of a mind to bring them, I'm of a mind to allow it. Let us get the Oath of Secrecy done then we'll explain what all of this about." He gestures to the safe behind him as the soldiers step away and rack their weapons. Each steps forward and introduces himself by title and last name. The leader is Lt. Jones, the others are Sgts. Nash, Williams, and Edwards. After the introductions, lieutenant Jones spoke up, "Each of you please put your right hand on the safe."

The exact text of the oath may not be printed here but they all recited it and the safe glowed white as they finished. Afterwards all of them but one left the old castle and went to a nice Inn nearby and seated in comfort by a roaring fireplace and with a glass of good Islay scotch to hands of both the talkers and listeners a history unfolded. The three soldiers who came with them took turns telling it.

"Our group was started by Solomon the Wise thousands of years ago..." and as they sat and sipped and listened to the story unfold the four friends went from confused to skeptical to believing to awed. Eventually the story wound down to a close, "And so we have stood guard against all unnatural threats ever since then."

"What sort of unnatural threats?" Ben asked.

"Well primarily those sent by the Lords of Chaos. You see, there are many dualisms in this world; life and death, hard and soft, light and darkness, but the one that we are concerned with is Order and Chaos. There are other realms beyond the material, two of these are the Realm of the Lords of Order and the realm of Mordru, Lord of Chaos. Mordru defeated all the other lords of Chaos and now has his sights set on Earth. We fight him to keep Earth free and because even his failures leave destruction and sorrow in their wake. The earlier we stop him the less damage he can do. The Lords of Order do not interfere directly but they have loaned us some of there strength and taught us powerful magics. We have chosen sides in the war between Chaos and Order and our choice seems good to us. We have seen what chaos and its avatars do and we want no part of it."

"Avatars?" asked Colin. His Lordship G.W.E.Nottingham was silent but was paying close attention to this answer.

"Yes, both the Lords of Chaos and Order occasionally choose a human to house a goodly portion of their power and when one power does this the other is never far behind. As far as we know these avatars or agents are never given any actual orders, or direction. Apparently just being a focus of the power of Law or Entropy is enough to further the cause of one or the other."

"Are you saying you want us to join this group, this Order?" Gervais asked.

"Recently we received word that there is a new avatar of Chaos unleashed in the world. Apparently she was routed by the new heroes in Las Vegas but as long as she is a focus of chaos we'll need a focus of Order to keep the balance." Sgt. Williams looked at Gervais, "Your grandfather was an agent of Order and many of your ancestors were as well."

"So you want me to be the next avatar of Order?" Gervais asked wide-eyed. He'd just finished his third glass of fine single malt and it cushioned the shock a little but he was still stunned.

Jones nodded solemnly, "Mr. Newcombe has assured us that you are an eminently suitable candidate. Your grandfather was an excellent avatar." He smiled at Gervais, "It is a true shame you never knew him. He saved the Earth itself from several schemes of Mordru and other threats as well. He was good friends with the man who was Earth's Sorcerer Supreme at the time and together they routed all manner of evildoers. He wore the golden mask of Nabu and for more than twenty years was the scourge of all things evil." The smile dimmed and vanished, "He should have retired. He could have left on a high note but he still saw it as his duty and continued until the odds caught up with him. I'm sorry."

"We can't tell you it's safe but it is necessary," Newcombe states, "If I could do it instead I'd volunteer in a heartbeat." He looks sincere and intense as he continues, "I can and do promise that will back you up to the hilt. If you take up the mantle of Order anything you need you will have if it is within our power."

"Aye," the large Edwards rumbled in agreement, "we will that! Even if you pull Excalibur from the vault. You've my personal word on that too."

"What!" All four friends shouted, "Are you saying Excalibur is real?"

Jones chuckled, "Yes, and if you draw it there will soon be a new king on the throne of Britain but I doubt that will happen. You will need to pull one artifact from the vault. It will allow you access to the power and once you have used it you will have some abilities whether it is with you or not." He shrugged, "we can't say what abilities exactly sorry."

"What else is in the vault?" Gervais asks.

"Well, the Golden Mask of Nabu was lost with your grandfather but there is a copy of Newton's Principia in his own handwriting, a literal Shield of Law, a literal Scales of Justice, the original Magna Carta, Gae Bolg, spear of Cáºchulainn, and there is also Joyeuse. If you pull that tomorrow we'll all be getting on planes to Europe to help you create an Empire but I doubt that will happen either. There are various equations as written by famous chemist and physicists and a chinese puzzle box whose purpose has become lost. We are sure it belongs but no longer sure why." He yawned a few times as he spoke and when he finished he stood up and stretched, "Well today has been long for most of us and tomorrow bids fair to be as well so I'll be heading off to my bed and I'd advise you all to do the same. If you've got more questions, ask them in the morning please. WE'll be leaving at first light and hopefully we'll have his Lordship back at his manor by lunch. Good night all." He left the room and shortly a maid entered and showed each of them to a room. Gervais was the last one to leave and she stayed the night in his room gently and happily relieving him of his virginity.