A dark new era dawns for Excalibur! Meggan and Nightcrawler face despair as Captain Britain and Cerise are ripped from the team. Phoenix holds the key to Brian's return, but is the cost too high to bear? And what has Brian become? As Excalibur relocates to Muir Island, Nightcrawler learns a startling secret - and a Phalanx invasion introduces a strange new, or old, ally. Who or what is Douglock?! Wolfsbane, Colossus and the sardonic Pete Wisdom join the team as Excalibur faces a struggle for the Soulsword, a battle against the alien Uncreated and the threat of X-Man - but as Kitty finds romance in the most unlikely place, will Brian join the London Hellfire Club? Collecting EXCALIBUR (1988) #68-103 and ANNUAL #1-2, X-MEN UNLIMITED (1993) #4, X-FACTOR (1986) #106, X-FORCE (1991) #38, X-MAN #12, PRYDE AND WISDOM #1-3, and material from MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS (1988) #174 and MARVEL HOLIDAY SPECIAL 1996.