A great gleaming wire of gold, iron, and crystal sprawls beneath you.  A Keystone Kops police truck driven by Smurfs races alongside you as you try to outdo it in your rocket powered shopping cart.

Suddenly, a rock troll pops out of the ground.

Your carts tips.

You fly.

You land in soft mud. A scent of coal smoke is in the air.  A bird chirps in the quiet air.  Soft mud is still under your hands, and you realize you're awake again after having your neck broken by the thug.

PT

Hadrian's hand instinctively went up to the lower part of his neck. The fact that he could move his hand at all told him that at least his neck wasn't broken anymore, although he had a sneaky suspicion even before he checked that he would be fine.

"So that woman I saw when I died in the Tower of Rhodes was telling the truth. I am immortal, so to speak. I die, but I don't."

Hadrian sat up and put his hand into his inner jacket pocket to check for his pez dispenser, his savior whenever he felt like the world was revolving in the wrong direction. He wasn't expecting to find it seeing as he left it with his other things back at Henry's house. To his surprise it was there. He quickly checked the other pockets and found that every item he owned was where it was supposed to be.

"That is the oddest thing..."

He pushed the thought away and instead concentrated on his surroundings, figuring that he could contemplate the mystery of his new life when he was no longer sitting in the mud.

You take your Pez, and suck on it, and it relaxes you.  You stand. You're in an alleyway of wet earth, and long brick buildings of one and two stories on either side of you.

You hear a faint booming noise.

PT

Feeling rather curious about where he was Hadrian decided to figure out where exactly he was and what the booming noise was. He got to his feet and tried to discern which direction sloped most upward. Once he had decided he set off to find an elevated point from where he could get his bearings, all the while looking about him to learn as much about his new surroundings as possible.

With a sense of deja vu', you look downhill toward the noise, and see a quaint town with coal smoke ascending into the air, and then a parade starts to go by in the distance with men drumming....

Its just like before.

PT

Hadrian was a bit startled by what he saw. He thought he had had the pattern figured out, but apparently he was wrong.

"I stand corrected. THAT is the oddest thing."

His thoughts were immediately sent in the direction of Henry and Elizabeth. Seeing the parade in the distance he wondered if they were down there, like before. Questions that he knew had no answer forced themselves upon him. Would they remember him? Would they even be there? Would HE be there? Hadrian shuddered as he considered the implications if he somehow met himself down there; like the plot of some bad science fiction film.

"I am not going to get any answers standing around here."

He took a deep breath and blew himself a few sizes larger, to look more intimidating. As he walked toward the parade he also put on a stern and unbending facial expression, remembering all-too-keenly what an easy mark he had been before.

Arriving there not long after he remembered what had happened the first time, especially concerning the man who had found himself on the wrong end of a whip. Hadrian summoned an image of his deceased father, a man he had loved very much, and felt tears forming in the corner of his eye. Satisfied with the theatrical effect he joined the watching crowd and started looking for Elizabeth as inconspicuously as he could.

You come up behind Elizabeth, and note she is dressed slightly differently.  She is holding a hankerchief to her eyes, and is crying softly as the booms of the drum reaches you.

She smiles faintly at you, and hands you a hankerchief.

"If you're manly enough to not be bothered by a female's lace-ridden hankerchief."

There is no onion in it, but her smile has a taunt in it all the same.

The procession comes up to you, and you see hard-faced men in front carrying not whips of metal but naked blades-cavalry sabres.

No one is beaten.

The parade passes.

"Hello." Miss Elizabeth says.

PT

Hadrian took the hankerchief without hesitation, keeping his eyes unblinking on Elizabeth as he tapped it underneath his eyes to wipe away the excess tears before they ran down his cheek. As he had it so close to his face he smelled it swiftly, trying to match it to the smell he remembered from Elizabeth. He gave it back with a small secret smile; a smile of familiarity.

The fact that things around him were so alike what he had experienced before, but yet at the same time so subtly different, caused tiny alarms to go off within him. He nodded acknowledging toward Elizabeth and decided that it was better off to find out if this place was the same before he revealed that he knew Elizabeth. Even as he considered it he wondered if he could ever reveal that to Elizabeth, seeing as in her mind they might never have met before.

"Greetings my lady. Have we met before?"

The smell is familar. She gives you a curious tilt of her chin at your look.

At your question, she smiles faintly, studies you from waist to the top of your scalp with an intense look, and then shakes her head slightly.

"Sirrah, I do think I would remember you. And I don't. Perhaps you've met one of my sisters."

PT

Hadrian smiled briefly as he considered the situation.

"That might be. Do you have a sister named Elizabeth?"

She smiles perplexed, but intrigued.

"No, that would be me. My sisters are Celestia, Diana, and little Rhonda."  She pauses. "Now you simply must tell me who pointed me out to you. And if you're going to talk to a strange lady in the street, the least you can do is take her to a teahouse."  She grins. "I know one nearby. We can wait out the thick crowds, and then get to the cemetery in time for the real beginning of the sermon."

PT

A bit dissappointed that she wasn't, by some strange coincidence, Elizabeth's twin sister, Hadrian wondered what to do next. For now he decided that he would go with Elizabeth, but try to stay as passive as possible. If things were different here it might not be wise to use knowledge he had from before.

"I am sorry miss Elizabeth, but no one pointed you out to me. However, I will be delighted to accept your offer to let me take you to the teahouse."

They start walking.

"I must warn you though. I am poorer than a street urchin. My peculiar proffesion often makes it difficult for me to earn money."

She wrinkles her nose.

"A mighty peculiar profession that doesn't let you...," A burst of enlightenment appears on her face with a bright smile. "You're an inventor! You should meet my father, and some of my friends."

You walk into the teahouse, past the windchimes of tin 'arrows', and have a seat. The lady of the house bustles over while her husband sweats behind the counter as he pours large vats of tea.

"A new tea, Martha, for me and my friend." Elizabeth says.

"Och, an inventor is he? Well, I'm sorry to say we have nothing new since last week. But the Darjeeling is fresh, my lord and master just made up a fresh pot."

Around you about two dozen people are sitting at small tables. Most have long faces, and a few are discreetly weeping. Others are discussing the events of the day and what it means for the provinces.

PT

Hadrian thought the sombre setting surrounding him was a bit odd considering the stern-faced men and women he had come to expect of this world. He discretely looked about him to see if the men were as muscled and imposing as they had been before.

He looked up at Martha and nodded.

"I am sure the Darjeeling will do just fine."

Once she had left he turned his attention over to Elizabeth and said, "You are interested in technology miss Elizabeth? Which fields do you find most fascinating?"

The men are, if anything more imposing, but their beards are neater, and their clothing is perhaps slightly less flashy. And the door opens, and a man holds the door for a lady as she enters.

No one seems to find this odd, but you know it simply would not have happened in your prior...world.

Miss Elizabeth claps her hands together in excitement, and then suppresses herself.

"I particularly like the steam engine with the railroad. But the airship is very nice as well. To float in the sky would be grand. But truly, I am interested in all things that are Technical. What field of invention do you pursue, sir?"

He turned his eyes away from the scene at the door, still trying to sort out the puzzle that was being unveiled to him.

He smiled and answered as cryptically as he could.

"I dabble in every field miss Elizabeth. You might call me somewhat of a Jack of all Trades."

There was a short silence before he continued.

"But then again being an inventor is not my primary proffesion. Miss Elizabeth, what can you tell me of this towns priesthood and faith."

"Oh, well then do you have any experience with railroads. For I know someon in the railroad office, and they always need Technical men."

She scrunches up her face in puzzlement.

"Most people worship Athena, the Gray-eyed Goddess, of course. And the priesthood, such a strange term. There are priestesses, and oh, perhaps you mean the Hands of Athena, that is the men helpers? Where do you come from that you don't know this?"

PT

Hadrian ran his hand through his hair, thinking.

"In a way, yes. However the steam engines I am used to work with do not run on tracks. My primary fields of expertise is electrical technology, aviation, combustion, chemicals and weaponry. If you still feel I am the kind of man the railroad office is in need of, I will be happy to have a chat with them," he said at length.

Outwardly Hadrian smiles apologetic. On the inside he is suddenly perplexed.

"Athena as the primary deity? This place has either changed considerably since I was killed, or this isn't the same place at all. In any case I have no choice but to test my luck and try to reestablish my friendship with Elizabeth and Henry."

"You might say that I am a traveller. I go where I am needed, and now I have, quite literally, landed here. In the last place I visited a war God was the primary deity, and Athena was not as present in the community as she is here. I make it a rule to find out which Gods people worship, so that I don't step on any toes. Also, have you heard of a God named the Tester?"

After hearing Elizabeth's reply Hadrian shot in, "Do you know a man named Henry? He is also an inventor I believe."

"Oh, you mean you're used to working with mining pumps. I'm afraid you have the advantage over me, sir, as I don't know the meaning of several of those words."

She smiles, and looks curious.

"Oh, well some people make that mistake. Athena is a war goddess as well as goddess of crafts and wisdom and archery." She points to the silver arrows hanging from the wind charm outside the shoppe. "Athena's arrows," she furrows up her face. "Tester...ah...yes...there is a couple references in the Books of Wisdom. Something about a trial between her and Lord Ares. I think, no, I'm not sure if I've heard of anyone worshipping the Tester, and there are a few who worship Ares, but, they are not the sort of people a respectable woman knows, or would want to know."

Taking a sip of her tea, she leans back.

"You're making me think more in ten minutes than my teachers do in an afternoon. Yes, I know a Henry, a bicycle manufacturer, and an inventor.  But if you don't know me, then how would you know that I know him? Who put you up to this? Did one of my girlfriends send you over to meet me? Who?"

PT

Hadrian smiled and shook his head softly.

"None of your girlfriends put me up to this I can assure you," he said as he leaned in closer.

"I want to tell you a secret miss Elizabeth, because I feel that you are the kind of person who knows the value of information.

Hadrian glanced briefly to the side, a dramatic effect, and then looked Elizabeth straight in the eyes with a gaze riddled with mystery.

"My name is Hadrian and I am a priest. A living voice and hand of the Tester. And as a priest I know more than an ordinary man. This is how I knew who you were, and that is how I know of your friendship with Henry."

Hadrian finished by smiling gently and leaning back in his seat. He sipped his tea with great care before speaking again.

"If you are even remotely interested I would very much like to tell you more after the funeral. About the Tester, about myself and about the reason I approached you."

Her eyes sparkling, she leans forward as you impart your secret.

She gulps.

"Then its the End of Days when the Tester chooses between Athena and Ares?"

Her voice quavers. She nods, and then opens a small metal case after retrieving it from her purse.  Pulling out a cream-colored and rose scented card, she presents it to you.

"Come visit my father's house for afternoon tea."

She gets up, and gives you a troubled look even as she puts a small handful of coins on the table.

"I really must go, it would not do to be late, such a fine man he was."

PT

"Nothing nearly as dramatic, I can assure you," Hadrian said and smiled disarmingly.

He accepted the card and looked at it.

"You do not have to worry yourself, I will explain more this afternoon."

He politely got up as she did, feeling a bit helpless with no money of his own to pay with. Ignoring that fact Hadrian did not waste time in extending his hand invitingly to Elizabeth.

"May I escort you to the funeral, or would that be overstepping my bounds?"

"I will be meeting my sisters...and another friend, at the funeral." She curtseys slightly. "Until this afternoon." And she walks away.  Most of the others are getting up as well from their slight refreshment before they walk to the funeral as well.

You hear slight bits of conversations about 'making it in time.', and 'such a sad day', and the like.

You feel a pat on your arm, and its the lady who served you.

"There, there lad. She liked you, I can tell." But then she grins. "However, there more than a fair bit of competition as many a young man likes Miss Elizabeth. Have courage and the wit of Athena, and you'll see off the rest of those scurvy dogs, and win the lady's smile."

PT

Hadrian turned around and faced the teahouse lady.

"Call me conceited but I am not worried at all about competition. However, I fear I may have been too honest with her. Tell me madam, do you reckon truth is important?"

He kept a stern face and arched his brow ever so slightly as he asked the question, giving him a miniscule air of wisdom.

"Well, lackaday, aren't you just the bee's knees?" She giggles girlishly. "Wait until you see some of her other suitors, and you may change your tune. And then again, you may not."  She pauses considering. "And now you are getting all philosophical on me. Truth is important, but a wise man keeps his own counsel. As my mother used to say 'it does a fool no good to hear deep mysteries, so just let them continue in their foolishness. You find yourself a good man who's strong and clever.'  Are you strong and clever like my Humphrey?"

She turns to smile at her husband who growls, but with a twinkle in his eye from behind the counter.

"Quit flirting with the customers, woman. We have dishes to wash before the lunch rush. And sir, ask yourself this. Is she still curious? Women are as curious as cats. Get them wondering, and you've half won."

PT

Her laugh made Hadrian smile, and her words made him thoughtful. When she was finished he shrugged and said, "I am both strong and clever; though mostly clever."

He turned briefly toward Humphrey.

"I will remember that sir. If it is at all true then you have just lifted a world of worry off of my shoulders, because I think I just made miss Elizabeth more curious than she has ever been before. Thank you for the wonderful tea, and the even better service," Hadrian said with a nod before he left.

Once he was out on the street he produced the card Elizabeth had given him. He read over the contents on it and memorized the address. It was put gently back in his pocket before he started walking calmly down the street. As he walked Hadrian kept window shopping as he passed stores. From the outside he didn't appear to be looking for anything, but in truth he was looking for any kind of place where he could get information; a bookstore, a library or a newspaper store.

You see a sign hanging from a metal flower bedecked pole.

"Springfield Times-Picahuyne."

And in small script beneath it..."Will print special orders."

You can smell hot ink, and hear the ferocious chatter of metal from the other side of the wooden door in the brick wall. A boy, perhaps ten, darts out of the door, and is at a full sprint inside three steps.  He's carrying an armful of newspapers.

PT

Hadrian grinned mentally while keeping his demeanor unchanging. He walked steadily up to the door of the establishment and looked in. Assuming he saw someone Hadrian walked in like he had business and cleared his throat loudly to gather attention.

"Excuse me good sirs," he said with a voice of importance as he briefly held up his hand to reveal the card Elizabeth had given him. Just long enough for them to see it, but not long enough for any of the to read it. "My name is Hadrian Superbia. Quality and contents inspector. I've come to inspect the quality of paper this establishment uses. I will need your most recent product to assess! Quickly now if you don't mind!"

They give you looks of distrust, and confusion, but then one man with muttonchop whiskers gets up, and snags a paper.  He walks over to you with the hot paper, and hands it to you.

"Careful, sir. Just grab it near the edges. Its hot off the presses, and hasn't had time to really dry yet."

Its today's newspaper, and deals naturally enough with Viceroy Lincoln's funeral parade, and entombment.

PT

Hadrian looked at it briefly and nodded.

"Thank you kindly," he said. "I will take this back to the office to perform a proper analysis. A copy of my report will be sent to you sometime tomorrow. Good day."

He spun around on his heels and marched out just as he had marched in, like he owned the place. Once outside and out of sight Hadrian briskly scurried down the street and down another street to put some distance between himself and the shop. Confident he wouldn't be bothered Hadrian found a place to sit down and started to read the paper which had cooled down a bit by now. In addition to trying to find out which events and topics the newspaper dealt with he also looked at how it was written. Did the articles have a positive tone or negative tone, were there accurate descriptions of events and did it in any way try to change the opinions of the reader. Things like that.

The ink still smears a bit as you sit down on a bench underneath a weeping willow tree.  The dust of the side road you are on floats up as people walk by. The white picket fence at your back looks freshly painted.

The lead story naturally is the Viceroy's funeral. A short bit on the front page suggests that next year, the Queen Mother will visit the American Colonies with special emphases on the areas which had joined Davis' Rebellion. There is a report on the construction of the Erie Canal which is aided by the invention of Samuel Hatter who made the Steamhat to dry out overly wet soil.  There is a report on reevaluation of properties in the city to pay for a new aqueduct to guarantee pure water to the growing city.

The tone of the first is maudlin, and a bit elegiac. The second is concilliatory, but triumphant. "While the rebellion, by Athena's grace, was put down, it is neccessary to remember that some of the points of the Rebels were not without merit." The next piece is strongly enthusiastic on the glories of technology, and the benefits of infrastructure.  The last is an attempt to sell skeptical taxpayers on the benefits of a new city project, and verges into hysteria. "There are those who do not see the benefit of clean water, who think that drinking from a sewer is fine, who no doubt roll in muck to clean themselves, but we think the citizens of this fair town will renounce these idiots, and approve this fine new aqueduct."

It does tend toward accurate descriptios of events, but its definitely a fan for Progress!! and for Betterment!! and Civic Improvement!! and Moral Upbringing and Life!! In other words, its quite Victorian.  But a strong tendency toward a factual base, and a rigor of logic makes it perhaps more sound than many of your first universe's news outlets.  You get the feeling that while they would quite happily revile an enemy, they would not lie about him, at least not lightly.

Hadrian folded the paper and put it down on his lap. He looked up at the sky and felt a bit of regret that he was not attending the funeral. He had not paid it much attention the first time he saw it, and this time around it seemed as if the people attending actually mourned Lincoln's death.

He thought about Elizabeth and remembered how she had cried for him when he died. Back when she knew who he was. Before everything happened again with details slightly altered.

Having to think of what had been future events in past tense and variables made Hadrian's head spin.

He considered his new course of action, convince Elizabeth and Henry that he was a priest of an obscure faith to earn both their friendship and their cooperation. Hadrian really liked Henry, and he honestly wanted Henry to have the plans for the electrical inventions, even if Hadrian had to give them to him a second time. He liked Elizabeth as well, and he wanted her to be happy. If he could find out what it would take to do that he would try to help her as well.

He let his mind wander as the people went by. He thought of how nice it would be to get to know Elizabeth properly. Of how he could perhaps build upon the faith he was slowly making up in his head and make something of himself. The last time this happened he wanted to make things better, but now things seemed to have improved. Ares was out of the picture. Inventors weren't frowned upon anymore. Hadrian wondered if maybe he had in some way succeeded. If that was what all this was.

Hadrian looked up again and noticed that a lot of time had gone by. He produced Elizabeth's card again and got up. The first friendly-looking face he saw he stopped and asked for directions to the address on the card.

A man in a long overcoat, and tophat nods to you courteously as he walks by. You decide he looks friendly, and wave him down.

He stops, and puts his cane on his forearm, and reaches for his wallet.

"Would a dollar help...?"

"Just directions, sir." You say, and he nods with a relieved look, and takes your card. He starts to explain, and then frowns.

"My wife says I'm terrible with directions, and its the truth. I draw birds, and tramp the woods, but only with a guide else I'd be found a skeleton picked over by birds. Follow me."

He begins to walk briskly toward the funeral grounds, and then after ten blocks, he points to your left.

"Straight up that way. On the...." He pauses as he looks at his hands befuddled. "On the right, yes, the right."

PT

OOC: I thought I posted a reply already, but RPOL seems to have consumed it.

Hadrian nodded and touched the brim of his hat to tip it slightly.

"I thank you for helping me. You have just saved me from countless hours of stumbling around on my own."

He took the card back from the man and started walking down the road. After a few steps he stopped and turned around to face the man.

"I wish you the best of luck with your drawings good sir," Hadrian said with a smile. He then continued on his way untill he reached the address on the card. Standing in front of the house he took a quick look at it before walking calmly up to the front door and knocking twice.

OOC: By the way, I have two questions. 1) Do I still have the sword cane that Henry gave me? 2) Can I add dancing, cooking and teaching as new skills? I realized that I didn´t have any social skills in Hadrian´s list. I have taken a few classes in dancing, but it is all fairly standard and nothing advanced. I am also a good allround cook, with desserts as my primary field of interest. When it comes to teaching I have some experience as a private tutor. I wouldn´t rate myself on the same level as an educated teacher, but I have applied to several substitute teacher positions. Mostly concerning English.

"Well, I'm publishing a sketch book next week. Goddess' grace to you as well."

He nods back, and walks on.

You walk past a few children playing with a hoop and stick in the street, although they seemed subdued.

At the crest of the hill, you turn, walk into a rose garden, and thump the brass knocker.

A ten-year old girl, who has Elizabeth's eyes, greets you at the door.

"Ah, uh, um...Whom shall I say is calling, sir?" She says formally, but her eyes dance.

PT

Hadrian crouched down a bit to get down to the girl's level. He looked straight at her and smiled, both with his eyes and with his mouth.

"Greetings young miss. My name is Hadrian. I am an associate of miss Elizabeth. I believe she is expecting me," he said with a friendly tone. He got back up to his full height and waited patiently to be let into the house.

"Well, then, come into the parlor." She giggles, and takes you in through the entrance hallway and to the left which is a sitting room with every couch and chair and ottoman in its place.  She leaves, and comes back a few minutes later with milk and cookies.

"I'm afraid my mother has eccentric ideas as to what is proper to feed a gentleman caller." She says, her cheeks red. "Elizabeth is at the funeral. She should be back in an hour. You may wait if you wish, or come back for father's tea.  He's ever so popular. Such crazy ideas."

PT

"Milk builds a strong body," Hadrian said reassuringly to the girl, "and cookies work miracles on ones mood. I would say milk and cookies are an excellent meal for a gentleman caller."

He accepted the snack and ate a cookie.

"I think I'll wait. I have nowhere else to be right now," said Hadrian and drank a sip of milk.

"Can you tell me about your father and his ideas?"

She sits down on a suttee across from you, and laughs.

"Lesseee...do you want to hear about....the submarine tunnel for the Northwest Passage....the Bridge over the Straits of Gibraltar.....Steam powered arrows to fire from England to France....Clockwork men...the End War between Ares and Athena...Making battleships out of icebergs.....the meaning of the Seven Riddles of Wisdom..."  She stops to take a breath. "He has a hundred ideas, but my mother tolerates its because the one that paid off, paid for this house. Besides, he's such fun!"

PT

Hadrian beamed a smile back at her.

Your father sounds like a very imaginative and clever man. I think I will get along with him very well. If you don't mind I'd like to know more about the End War, and what your father says about the Seven Riddles of Wisdom; and of course the one idea that paid off, Hadrian said with a laugh.

"Well..." She flounces up, and makes herself comfortable, and you can see she's quite pleased to be telling a story even as she tries to hide it. "The mechanical reaper is the idea that succeeded. It cuts wheat, not so good with corn. At first, all the Eastern farmers wanted it for corn, and thus they did not like it, and chose other inventor's reapers.  But then Daddy brought it out west, and the wheat farmers loved it. So that's why we live here in Illinois rather than in Maryland."

Getting another cookie, while she takes another sip of milk she then plunges forward.

"The End War...when Athena and Ares lead their forces down the Spindle of Iron, Gold and Crystal to fight for the sake of the two worlds. Athena wins naturally because she's so much smarter than Ares. And I love the Seven Riddles....Its like a party game in ways, even though its serious too. You can learn about people with them. Everyone knows the answer to the first one....If given one wish, what would you want? Wisdom, of course. Although Daddy always bothers people because he answers Strength. It makes them think he's an Ares worshipper..."

PT

Hadrian leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees and listened.

As he listened Hadrian began to think: "Ares.... Athena..... Two worlds? I feel like I'm getting in over my head here, but at least the philosophy I can comprehend."

"You know," he said, "the real answer to the seven riddles is that there are no correct answers. If you know this, then every answer to every riddle becomes something more than just words. They become open books for you to read. So if your father answers strength then there is nothing wrong with that, no matter how many people tell you so."

He folded his hands and shifted in his seat, as if he was getting ready for something.

"Just for fun, would you like to ask me the Seven Riddles right now?" he said.

She listens attentively, and frowns a bit as she studies your answer.

"I will ask you the second riddle. Which is better, a man or a woman?"

Elizabeth comes in at that time, and smiles as she dons her hat.

"Ah, the Riddle Game."

PT

They freeze in place. Noise of horse harness' creaking and the snap of whips stops.

A man with red hair and a charming smile stands in the room. A woman sits on the couch next to him.

"The woman." He says.
"The man." She says. She seems to fit in with her clothing, while his is out of place.

"I'm Christophe, this is Annie. We're fellow versers like you as you can tell, and I'm recruiting to help with a problem. I'll return you to this exact location in space/time at the end of it.  That is, if you're willing. Or I can let you continue the interrupted social visit, and get out of your hair."

He holds out his hand in invitation.

PT
OOC: This is your chance to join Krillis' temporary gather. I'm going to be taking a two week vacation.

Hadrian, obviously taken back by the sudden appearance of the two strangers, decided that instead of reacting like his body desperately wanted, with shock, he would react in the exact opposite manner. His human sensibilities struggled with the notion of someone just appearing and freezing time, but he had seen too much lately to ignore it. He therefore decided to go along with it.

"I'd say neither, Hadrian told the two, who he somehow recognized as versers; although he had not yet come to terms with what being one meant. He listened to him, and suddenly Hadrian could see a window of opportunity for himself. A chance to finally start figuring things out.

"My name is Hadrian, and I accept."

His heart skipped a beat as he said it, and something in the back of his conscious mind told him he was about to embark on his greatest adventure yet.

Christophe smiles, realizing your eagerness for information.

"One thing before you're off.  Seek the shade of a great oak if you feel the light too great to bear."

You take his hand and the world around you wavers...