New Vindicators Academy of Europe #30: Allegory of Prudence (M&M 2E - IC)

[Flynnarrel]

Fluxx

When the older Martin blithely announced he was going to alter the clones, Fluxx was likewise on his feet to intercede. The flash of the astrolabe's power was both a blessing and a curse - it removed the biggest threat in the room, a casual body manipulator that no one could reign in with a God-complex, but Fluxx couldn't help but despair. It theoretically sent Martin Morel back to his dimension without him having learned anything - he seemed just as despotic and thoughtlessly oppressive as when he first arrived. Honestly, Fluxx was still harboring hopes they could get Martin's powers to Durendal. He'd never liked how that woman's situation played out. Had they missed their chance?

And of course Stephen Murphy would be seconds too late. Ironically, if he'd had even a smidge of the Murphy-clan's speed...

The second flash had Fluxx cautious. Had the Astrolabe realized it's mistake, that Martin Morel had not learned whatever lesson the thing intended? But no, a different set of people appeared and the scent of blood permeated the room. Fluxx was in motion before the call for a healer even came. A small part of his mind interjected that maybe the previous Astrolabe was protecting Its Drifter and her charge from a paradox - two of them being in the same place at the same time and inadvertently passing knowledge of future events. Maybe that was the reason for premature exfiltration? But those were thoughts for a different day as Fluxx reached out to explore the damage to this new Drifter. No sooner did he do so than the reality shifting runes appeared under their feet.

Here we go. he thought, and even to himself there was more stoic resignation than anything else to his tone.

[Arkrite]

Alex "Current" Murphy
HP: 0 CND: Normal


"Is it true?" Steven asked, hopefully. "I just heard that Martin can give people powers? Could he make me a Neo-Sapien?"

Lex just looks at Steven for a moment trying to figure out how to even start, "Everything I'm about to tell you is completely true, no matter how completely stupid it sounds I am not making any of this up."

"It was an alternate reality Martin, who apparently had a short temper and a flair for rearranging people's entire bodies, just 'cause. I'm not sure if he could give powers or not, and I can't ask because he just got dimension shifted out of here by Drifter-"

Lex grimaced as the room lit up with another appearance by Drifter.

He eyed the newcomers suspiciously, but just stood there calmly and deadpanned, "-Who is currently bleeding all over the floor."

"And he probably wouldn't tell me because I may have blasted him into next week when he tried to spread a deadly plague through the school. So he might be nursing a grudge. I don't know," Lex stood stock still for a moment then ran a hand through his hair, "My life is so weird."

A few moments later another flash and he was standing somewhere new.

"Aaaaaand now we're in another dimension," Lex jams his hands in his pockets, "Is it Tuesday today? It feels like a Tuesday."

[Shock]

Violet Lear
HP: 4

While nearly everyone else gawked or debated about the Tatjana clones, Violet fumed at herself. No news should have been good news but she couldn't get Black Ice out of her thoughts. And all she wanted was for the bitch to disappear from the universe. She breathed a sigh of relief when evil-Martin and the inter-dimensional busybody disappeared. Those were two more they didn't need hanging around.

Unfortunately, the reprieve was short-lived and Drifter was back - bringing more trouble with her. Several of the older students seemed to know who they were. From the sound of it, this one was going to be a major headache, which was only confirmed when they were all stolen away.

"Yeah. Just great, isn't it?"

[Michuru]

NEW VINDICATORS ACADEMY OF EUROPE #30: Allegory of Prudence

OUBLIETTE-1127 (Current, Fluxx, Greystone, Imago, Shiver, Taheka, Ursa; NPCs: Ashworth, Benson, The Drifter, Fach, Fiore, Gabrielle, Magnitude, Maze, Puck, Sidestep, Sophie, Stephen)
The light faded and the group found themselves in a simple cabin, dimly lit by a gas lantern and with windows covered in cardboard. It was cold. They could hear the wind howling beyond the walls. "What just happened?" Stephen asked, his breath visible as he turned in a slow circle to take in his new surroundings. "Where the hell are we?"

"We're in Hallstatt," Sophie said somberly, "home of the resistance. This cabin belongs to my ritter, Christian. It's where he grew up." She spotted Mister Benson moving to peel back the cardboard and shouted out a warning. "I'm sorry, it's just... we're doing everything we can to avoid anyone looking here. If anyone sees light coming from here?"

Magnitude shook his head. "If Elizabeth's injuries weren't evidence enough, it's obvious the situation here is dire. Exactly what do we face?"

The diminutive woman nodded. "First, I believe some introductions are in order. I beg your pardon that we're dispensing with formalities, but we find ourselves at war at the moment. Nonetheless, I am Queen Sophie von Hapsburg, Ruler of the Austrian Empire. This is Gabrielle Alvarez, Shahbanu of the Persian Empire."

"Charmed," Gabrielle said dryly.

"Alvarez?" asked Sidestep.

"It was Farouk," Gabrielle intoned. "I was married a few months ago."

"Not Chobanian?"

Gabrielle looked at him oddly. "Why would it be Chobanian?"

As Sidestep sputtered wordlessly, Magnitude moved to make introductions. "This is Abe, Martin, Tatjana, Ellen, Lex, Steven, Otso, Tamati, Dennis, Robyn, Otso, Violet, and Fiore."

Steven looked confused. "Dennis Rodman?"

Fiore sighed. "Dennis." He pointed to Imago. "Robyn." He pointed to Puck.

"Yeah," Steven sheepishly said, "that makes a lot more sense."

"These are two of our teachers," Magnitude continued. "Mister Ashworth and Mister Benson."

Ashworth looked dumbfounded. The man was turning in slow circles, looking up at the ceiling. Benson looked anxious and had not taken his eyes off of the Drifter, who was noticably quiet. "I do understand the urgency at hand, Your Majesty, but this..." Magnitude sighed, "may be jarring to a lot of our companions. First time traversing time and space and all.

"I trust you're all familiar with who the Drifter is. She is in possession of a magical artifact known as the Astrolabe. It takes her to dimensions to recruit those who can help save other worlds. Some of us... Myself and Jack have been here before, along with some of our other classmates. Essentially, this is a world where our kind are not only accepted, we are the ruling class. As I understand it, World War I was subverted and the royals began breeding Neo-Sapiens into the families. Noble houses strive for heirs with as many different powers as they can. We helped prevent a war the last time we were here, but it sounds as though another has erupted?"

Queen Sophie nodded. "It's been some time since we'd last seen each other, Kas," she said as she continued to lead them onward. "Let me catch you up: after you lot left, I had my coronation. I was set to marry a man from a small house in France. We didn't quite make it to the altar. Out of nowhere, this new man shows up, carrying this dead woman's body and saying he's a friend of my brother's. It doesn't really win him my favor by dropping my brother's name, but then he said he knew you, Jack. From your days in the Armada, or something? He says he came looking for Gabriel Farouk--needs him to help bring this woman he's got back from the dead. I'll admit, I was perplexed. How is it he knows you and my brother? Last I'd seen of my brother, Christian was shunting him off to that prison world the Drifter mentioned.

"Well, I informed him that I can contact the Farouks and offer to put him up. I figure maybe he'll slip up while he waits and explain more. He ends up telling us how Herzog Kasamir, my brother, and their ritter ended up joining this army with you. He tells us that you've been jumping from world to world, saving everyone from some sort of evil scourge named Argus? It sounded like some sort of... League of Drifters to me, and that you had involved yourself lent it some credibility. He said one of his companions had been killed, but you lot told him of a world with someone who could bring her back: this world. Our Gabriel Farouk."

"I brought my brother here and he was able to restore the woman--Carolien." Gabrielle made a face like she had just tasted something sour. "He told us he was unable to return to the rest of you. His ship only had the energy for a one-way journey. To thank us for all we had done, the two pledged themselves to us as aswar."

"Ass what?" Steven asked.

"Aswar," explained Benson, "are horsemen. Think of the Aswaran as... Arabian knights--a sort of Persian cavalry."

"The English have their knights," Gabrielle said, "and the Austrians have their ritter. We have aswar. It's typically for a being who possesses super-human abilities but no noble lineage. It allows them a place to attract a suitor and perhaps marry into a noble line."

"And they did," Sophie explained. "Carlos and Carolien proved themselves and a marriage was announced between them and the Farouks."

"My brother and I wed them in a double ceremony," Gabrielle said. "Almost instantly, the killing began."

"We believe Carlos and Carolien have been systematically killing anyone who stands between them and the throne. They succeeded."

"Three months ago, I was crowned Shahbanu and Carlos, my Shah. Almost instantly, he set about to using the treasury to hire as many statesmen as he could. He commands an army of mercenaries now. Carolien has taken a large faction into the Ottoman Empire. I've heard him talking to her. They have plans to advance a legion into Romanov."

"Shahbanu, Statesman, Romanov..." Steven looked positively lost. "This is a lot of take in so fast."

"Shahbanu is Persian for 'queen'," offered Benson. "The rest... I'm a bit lost on as well."

"Statesmen are people from the States," Sophie explained. "Super-powered mercenaries who come over, looking to become a ritter or aswar or something. Romanov is an empire."

"Russia," Ashworth said, finally snapping out of his reverie. "It's... sort of uncanny. I'm using my powers to copy what they've learned and I'm able to sort of cross-reference it against the world as we know it. Romanov is what we know as Russia, except that the Romanov dynasty wasn't wiped out. They bred Neo-Sapiens into their lines and..." He trailed off. "Russia. It's Russia.

"Fascinating," he muttered to himself. He appeared to be musing over all he had just learned about their history.

"Long story short," Sophie said, "Gabrielle came to me and told me what she was seeing."

"That's when I showed up," the Drifter said meekly. "Locus and Anansi are attacking neighboring kingdoms. They're spreading outward. We thought to unite the other leaders against them--snuff this threat out before it gained too much strength. We went to warn Tsar Vladimir, but Locus has eyes and ears close to him. As soon as we appeared there, we were attacked. Worse, we think Locus was able to take out the Tsar and blame it on us.

"We rallied back at the palace. The queen dispatched her ritter as an envoy to the other royals. Not long after, the Romanovs attacked the palace. They knew about me. They were told to kill me--to stop me from bringing in help from another world. I was nearly eviscerated and the Astrolabe got us out of there--took us to your world."

She looked them all over. "I'm sorry, I... I don't even know from what part of your history you're all from." She pulled a journal from her bag and Ashworth's eyes went to her. Suddenly, he grabbed his head and collapsed to the floor.

I apologize for how much of that is pure chunks of exposition. Feel free to react to whatever and I will be splicing things in.

[Flynnarrel]

Fluxx

Fluxx had just finished atomizing Drifter's blood from people's clothes, if they were going to try to 'blend in' the carnage would be an obvious giveaway, when the skill mimic collapsed. Fluxx was there a moment later checking for injuries. Even as his substance probed for damage tissue, Fluxx spoke, "Do not try to pull from Drifter, Mr. Ashford. She 'as many zousands of worlds of experience. I imagine it would overwhelm anyone."

[Michuru]

While Martin is not capable of placing exactly where in her timeline this Drifter is from, he can estimate it is likely before the pregnant one they previously encountered, as healing her would let him pick up on her being pregnant, despite not showing it.

I'll admit to being fairly ignorant to how much more Martin could gleam from this. I feel that Martin could, bare minimum, detect if someone is pregnant through a number of means. Whether or not he can discern how far along a pregnancy is, gender of the child, potential birth defects, ect. is outside of my wheelhouse. I imagine he could determine paternity, but don't know how far along the pregnancy would have to be before he could make that determination. If anyone has a better idea of how much information Martin could gather from this, I'll likely yield to them.

[Arkrite]

Alex "Current" Murphy
HP: 1 CND: Normal

"Yeah," Steven sheepishly said, "that makes a lot more sense."

Lex was mostly just surprised to discover that Dennis actually had a real name.

"Dennis Rodman is a neo, right?" Lex quietly asks Steven, "I mean, no way that guy's normal."

"Ass what?" Steven asked.

"Aswar," explained Benson.

Lex fought back a snicker.

"Shahbanu, Statesman, Romanov..." Steven looked positively lost. "This is a lot of take in so fast."

"Yeah, I kind tuned out ages ago. What I got was: Super criminals pretend to be good guys, marry and murder their way into power, and are now trying to take over the world while killing everybody else by using super powered mercenaries," he says to Steven, "Oh, and everybody wants to kill us."

"I'm guessing on that last one, but I'm usually right," Lex looks around and grunts when he doesn't see his girlfriend, "Oooh man, Kirstie is going to be super pissed I got sucked into another dimension. Again."

[EnigmaticOne]

Imago
HP: 3

Magnitude's description of the world accorded with vague recollections Dennis had from a conversation with Jack. A world with Neo-Sapien royalty admittedly bugged him in some indefinable way. Maybe it was a vestige of Swiss patriotism protesting royal rule being bolstered by super-powers. And the Lord High Everything Elses.

Queen Sophie nodded. "It's been some time since we'd last seen each other, Kas," she said as she continued to lead them onward. "Let me catch you up: after you lot left, I had my coronation. I was set to marry a man from a small house in France. We didn't quite make it to the altar. Out of nowhere, this new man shows up, carrying this dead woman's body and saying he's a friend of my brother's. It doesn't really win him my favor by dropping my brother's name, but then he said he knew you, Jack. From your days in the Armada, or something? He says he came looking for Gabriel Farouk--needs him to help bring this woman he's got back from the dead. I'll admit, I was perplexed. How is it he knows you and my brother? Last I'd seen of my brother, Christian was shunting him off to that prison world the Drifter mentioned.

"Well, I informed him that I can contact the Farouks and offer to put him up. I figure maybe he'll slip up while he waits and explain more. He ends up telling us how Herzog Kasamir, my brother, and their ritter ended up joining this army with you. He tells us that you've been jumping from world to world, saving everyone from some sort of evil scourge named Argus? It sounded like some sort of... League of Drifters to me, and that you had involved yourself lent it some credibility. He said one of his companions had been killed, but you lot told him of a world with someone who could bring her back: this world. Our Gabriel Farouk."

The most audacious of lies, mixed with just a tiny bit of truth. Dennis was a bit impressed, to be honest. Not as if the royals would be able to prove otherwise. Sophie was addressing Jack, so he could explain the nasty reality.

"That's when I showed up," the Drifter said meekly. "Locus and Anansi are attacking neighboring kingdoms. They're spreading outward. We thought to unite the other leaders against them--snuff this threat out before it gained too much strength. We went to warn Tsar Vladimir, but Locus has eyes and ears close to him. As soon as we appeared there, we were attacked. Worse, we think Locus was able to take out the Tsar and blame it on us.

"We rallied back at the palace. The queen dispatched her ritter as an envoy to the other royals. Not long after, the Romanovs attacked the palace. They knew about me. They were told to kill me--to stop me from bringing in help from another world. I was nearly eviscerated and the Astrolabe got us out of there--took us to your world."

She looked them all over. "I'm sorry, I... I don't even know from what part of your history you're all from." She pulled a journal from her bag and Ashworth's eyes went to her. Suddenly, he grabbed his head and collapsed to the floor.

"All right. So we understand properly, the only combatants in this war are super-powered? We're not going to be of much help against conventional armies."

[Shock]

Violet Lear
HP: 1

"Well, sorry to be cold, but what's it got to do with us?" Violet didn't see why they had to be dragged in. And given recent events, she wasn't interested in possibly finding another alternate version of herself.

[Gilliam]

Tamati "Taheka" Stevens
HP: 2
Condition: Normal

Trying to give the impression that this was all blase, Tamati was still a little wide-eyed looking round at their new location, the names and countries just went through one ear and out the other but he did like the sound of being a knight.

One thing did register though

"Dennis Rodman? You mean like the american basketball player who became the official ambassador to the world for North Korea."

"Sorry that was back home."

But then his focus turned to the sight of the Drifter bleeding out and the little that he understood meant that if she died then they would be stuck here and there would be no way he could get back home, well either of the 2 dimensions he called home now.

"Anything I can do to help?" Tamati asked "My water powers might be able to replace the blood she has lost?"

Thanking of spending 1 or 2 HPs to stunt "control blood" off his "water control" powers as it is another form of liquid.

[Tattooedman]

Greystone:
[Jack Rexroth]
HP: 1
LP: 2

Queen Sophie nodded. "It's been some time since we'd last seen each other, Kas," she said as she continued to lead them onward. "Let me catch you up: after you lot left, I had my coronation. I was set to marry a man from a small house in France. We didn't quite make it to the altar. Out of nowhere, this new man shows up, carrying this dead woman's body and saying he's a friend of my brother's. It doesn't really win him my favor by dropping my brother's name, but then he said he knew you, Jack. From your days in the Armada, or something? He says he came looking for Gabriel Farouk--needs him to help bring this woman he's got back from the dead. I'll admit, I was perplexed. How is it he knows you and my brother? Last I'd seen of my brother, Christian was shunting him off to that prison world the Drifter mentioned.

Jack frowned as he mentally cursed in his head, because he had a very good idea of who this guy was but he let Sophie continue without interruption.

"Well, I informed him that I can contact the Farouks and offer to put him up. I figure maybe he'll slip up while he waits and explain more. He ends up telling us how Herzog Kasamir, my brother, and their ritter ended up joining this army with you. He tells us that you've been jumping from world to world, saving everyone from some sort of evil scourge named Argus? It sounded like some sort of... League of Drifters to me, and that you had involved yourself lent it some credibility. He said one of his companions had been killed, but you lot told him of a world with someone who could bring her back: this world. Our Gabriel Farouk."

Yep, the American was even further convinced he knew the identity of the visitor Sophie was talking about. However, before he could speak up the Drifter did.

"That's when I showed up," the Drifter said meekly. "Locus and Anansi are attacking neighboring kingdoms. They're spreading outward. We thought to unite the other leaders against them--snuff this threat out before it gained too much strength. We went to warn Tsar Vladimir, but Locus has eyes and ears close to him. As soon as we appeared there, we were attacked. Worse, we think Locus was able to take out the Tsar and blame it on us.

Jack bit his upper lip at the confirmation it was Locus and Anasi who had came to Sophie's world. And of course after Anansi had been "healed" by Farouk the pair went back to what they did best - look out for themselves.

"We rallied back at the palace. The queen dispatched her ritter as an envoy to the other royals. Not long after, the Romanovs attacked the palace. They knew about me. They were told to kill me--to stop me from bringing in help from another world. I was nearly eviscerated and the Astrolabe got us out of there--took us to your world."

She looked them all over. "I'm sorry, I... I don't even know from what part of your history you're all from."

"We'd just gotten "helped" by a very powerful otherworld Fluxx who had issues with perfection and took back several of Entier's hidden labs."

She pulled a journal from her bag and Ashworth's eyes went to her. Suddenly, he grabbed his head and collapsed to the floor.

Jack moved over to the fallen teacher, quickly check to make sure the man was alright.

[Flynnarrel]

Fluxx
HP 1

"Anything I can do to help?" Tamati asked "My water powers might be able to replace the blood she has lost?"

"I was able to syzesize plasma and platelettes from elements in ze air and ze blood she previously lost. I will keep you in mind if I need a source of Oxygen and 'Ydrogen in ze future." Martin says with a nod of thanks.

"Shahbanu, you married Carlos, was it solely in effort to get 'is powers for your offspring or was zere emotion zere? Similarly, your brozer's marriage to Carolien, is 'e in love wiz 'er? Such would... dictate ze ways in which we might assist. Likewise, ze power of rulership is wiz you, can you not simply order zis over? Declare an annulment? Renounce ze traitors?" Martin asks.

"And also, Ze Tzar you mention, Vladimir, does 'e possess power to generate and shape sucrose? If so, 'is counterpart in our world possessed a glaring weakness; I would wonder if your Vlad possesses ze same." The French teen speculates.

"Queen Sofie, your fiance in France, what powers do 'e or she possess and can zey be of assistance 'ere?" Martin had a vague curiosity if it was this world's of.... anyone he knew.

[Gilliam]

Tamati "Taheka" Stevens
HP: 2
Condition: Normal


"Sweet as mate" Tamati replied to the older boy before standing back to soak up as much about this new place as he could.

[Michuru]

OUBLIETTE-1127 (Current, Fluxx, Greystone, Imago, Shiver, Taheka, Ursa; NPCs: Ashworth, Benson, The Drifter, Fach, Fiore, Gabrielle, Magnitude, Maze, Puck, Sidestep, Sophie, Stephen)
She looked them all over. "I'm sorry, I... I don't even know from what part of your history you're all from." She pulled a journal from her bag and Ashworth's eyes went to her. Suddenly, he grabbed his head and collapsed to the floor.

Fluxx moved to try and help the educator. "Do not try to pull from Drifter, Mr. Ashford. She 'as many zousands of worlds of experience. I imagine it would overwhelm anyone."

"We'd just gotten 'helped' by a very powerful otherworld Fluxx who had issues with perfection and took back several of Entier's hidden labs."

The Drifter nodded to Greystone and flipped through her journal, scribbling something into one of the margins. Stephen rocked forward to stand a bit on his tiptoes, looking over her shoulder as she wrote. "What the hell is the Church of Ashes?" he asked his brother.

Ever the pragmatist, Imago opted to ignored all of this and focused on the issue at hand: "All right. So we understand properly, the only combatants in this war are super-powered? We're not going to be of much help against conventional armies."

Queen Sophie shook her head. "Infantry are a thing of the past. When you have a single ritter who can send out waves of immolating fire, sending normal men and women into battle makes no sense. There hasn't been a true war in ages--small conflicts that are quickly resolved, yes, but not a full-on war. Those we have always managed to avert simply through fear of what the others could do."

Everyone understood it in a way: they were reminded of the Cold War in their own world.

"Well, sorry to be cold," said Shiver, ignoring Stephen's miming a rimshot, "but what's it got to do with us?"

"That remains to be seen," said the Drifter. "We needed help and the Astrolabe reacted. It apparently thought that something about this assortment of you would do the trick."

As she stumbled slightly, Taheka moved to catch her. "Anything I can do to help?" he asked. "My water powers might be able to replace the blood she has lost?"

"I was able to syzesize plasma and platelettes from elements in ze air and ze blood she previously lost. I will keep you in mind if I need a source of Oxygen and 'Ydrogen in ze future." Fluxx nodded in thanks to the young refugee.

"I'm fine," the Drifter said, "just... I've been having dizzy spells lately. At least I didn't throw up this time." She smiled coyly. "You're all welcome."

Everything was clicking for Fluxx: the Drifter was pregnant and very likely didn't know it yet.

"More to the point, I've been theorizing some things about the Astrolabe lately... It could take me to any place and time in the multiverse, but it chooses specific moments for a reason. I think it looks for the perfect combination of individuals and takes me to that specific moment. I could have shown up the next day for you--get you all after a good night's rest and a good breakfast--but then maybe Jack isn't there? Or Kas? It chose that moment because it needed this group. I don't know what role each of you has to play here, but you each have a role to play."

Ursa, Fiore, and Benson looked to Stephen. "What?" he asked, turning and looking behind him.

"God help this world," Magnitude muttered as Maze laughed.

"All hail Stephen the Savior!" she bellowed.

Stephen glared at them. "Screw all of you," he growled. "Maybe there's a Frenchie on this world who can give me powers."

Fluxx was ready to join Imago and Shiver in getting down to business: "Shahbanu," he said, moving to change the subject, "you married Carlos, was it solely in effort to get 'is powers for your offspring or was zere emotion zere? Similarly, your brozer's marriage to Carolien, is 'e in love wiz 'er? Such would... dictate ze ways in which we might assist. Likewise, ze power of rulership is wiz you, can you not simply order zis over? Declare an annulment? Renounce ze traitors?" 

"It's complicated," she said slowly. "There is no love between my husband and I, nor my brother and his bride. I can't speak to them, but Carlos and I have not even consummated our marriage yet." Sidestep gagged. "To be honest, I have long considered that Carlos and Carolien have romantic feelings for each other.

"Unfortunately, my homeland's laws are much different than, say, Queen Sophie's. A woman cannot rule. She is considered beneath her husband. I'm afraid that despite his background, he outranks me, simply because of his gender.

"To that, a woman cannot annul their marriage. Only the man has the authority to do that."

Fluxx nodded along, taking in the information. "And also, Ze Tzar you mention, Vladimir, does 'e possess power to generate and shape sucrose? If so, 'is counterpart in our world possessed a glaring weakness; I would wonder if your Vlad possesses ze same." 

"I'm afraid not," Queen Sophie said. "Tsar Volkov has many abilities. He can transform his flesh to metal. He is capable of leaping great distances. He can exude radiation."

"Don't forget about his laser eyes," said the Shahbanu.

"The hell is this world?" railed Stephen. "One power," he muttered. "Just one little power. That's all I wanted. This guy is the love child between Cyclops and Colossus who spent too much time in a X-ray machine and drank Gummi Berry juice?"

"Queen Sofie, your fiance in France, what powers do 'e or she possess and can zey be of assistance 'ere?" 

"Unfortunately," the queen casually said, "he is no longer with us. The Romanovs killed him when we moved to warn the Tsar."

[Arkrite]

Alex "Current" Murphy
HP: 1 CND: Normal

"What the hell is the Church of Ashes?" he asked his brother.

"Beats me," Lex says with a shrug, "Sounds like some kind of emo-post apocalyptic death cult. Or a metal band's new CD."