Merchants of Death

Chapter 15



In her centuries of life the necromancer Chrissy Lera had seen many things to make her angry. All too often circumstances and people would defy what Chrissy saw as the proper order of things (which usually involved defying the sorceress personally in some way).



But none of these acts of defiance had ever made the elf woman as enraged as seeing her beloved friend Marian Casta wreathed in flames. The horrible sight drove the drow mad with fury.



“DAMN YOU” Chrissy shrieked as she thrust out her arms, bolts of lightning flying from her black fingers to her target, the powerful electrical attack instantly hitting the form of The Phoenix.



But the lightning bolts seemed to just harmlessly bounce off Jean Grey, doing more damage to the surrounding area than the host of the Phoenix Force. Jean did not even look in Chrissy’s direction, her gaze locked on Marian and the other vampires.



Being ignored simply enraged the proud dark elf all the more, and the necromancer impulsively decided to use her most lethal spell.



“Die” Chrissy said venomously as she pointed a finger in Jean’s direction, the word both a command and a powerful spell.



However, to Chrissy’s disbelief the spell did not kill The Phoenix; it did not appear to hurt her at all. The death spell did succeed in getting Jean’s attention though.



The Phoenix turned her head to regard the female dark elf, taking in Chrissy’s delicate features, black skin, willowy figure, and elaborate white clothes. The necromancer’s appearance reminding Jean of the male dark elf she had briefly glimpsed several times over the past few days.



Deciding to learn more, The Phoenix telepathically reached for her attacker’s mind. The numerous strong spells Chrissy had cast to protect her consciousness doing virtually nothing to slow down the overwhelming psychic onslaught.



To Lera it felt as though someone had hit her mind with the psychic equivalent of a sledgehammer. Not even Dakar or Selene had ever struck her mind with such a powerful attack.



If Jean had focused her telepathic probe at all she probably could have left Chrissy Lera utterly helpless while leisurely exploring her mind. But the mighty telepath had not bothered, so Chrissy was able to launch another attack.



The black skinned sorceress could barely concentrate, but she was still coherent enough to cast one more spell. Recognizing that direct attacks against the crimson haired human were not working she turned the ground beneath the redhead to mud.



The Phoenix broke off her telepathic probing of Chrissy’s mind as she started to sink into the ground. Scowling as her nude body was covered in mud.



The former ruler of Iberia breathed a sigh of relief as she stood up straight. Her shield of souls forming around her as the necromancer tried to get ready for the next stage of battle.



Then The Phoenix telekinetically punched Chrissy.



Without her protective spirits the powerful blow would have surely killed Lera. Even with their protection it still knocked Chrissy through the air and into a tree with enough force to damage her spine.



Adara the Halfling had been largely ignored throughout the whole battle. Something the little thief heartily approved of, having no wish to get involved in a fight between such powerful opponents. Unfortunately for the Halfling, Chrissy landed almost right next to her after hitting the tree.



The dark elf was in bad shape, tears of pain ran down her dark cheeks as she gasped and wheezed, her crimson eyes seemed to have trouble focusing, and her arms and legs trembled. As Adara watched Chrissy’s artificial spirits faded away, for the necromancer no longer had the strength to maintain them.



But despite her injuries Chrissy was still trying to get up and continue the fight, too stubborn and proud to admit defeat.



“Are you crazy!…stop fighting or she’ll kill you!” Adara exclaimed.



Adara heard the sound of an explosion and turned around to watch The Phoenix rising majestically out of the ground. The mud covering her body burning away as a fiery aura in the shape of a bird began to take shape around her.



The sight terrified Adara and spurred the self centered little thief into action. Deciding that being on Chrissy’s side was a very unsafe place to be at the moment; Adara picked up a stick and struck the struggling elf on the head as hard as she could.

Though not physically strong, Chrissy was very strong willed and withstood the first blow, but the second strike on the head Adara gave her was simply more than Lera’s battered body could stand.



Adara looked down at Chrissy’s unconscious body, trying to figure out the strength of her own position in light of what had just happened.



Then the Halfling stared at the god-woman, watching in relief as her fiery aura dissipated, the battle apparently over. Feeling a little more secure, Adara glanced at the fallen vampires, gasping in shock at what she saw.



Though they seemed to be unconscious, the members of the Crimson Legion appeared unharmed. Marian Casta actually looked better than she had before the power of The Phoenix had engulfed her, the blonde’s skin unscarred and smooth, with no trace of the injuries Angelus had inflicted on her. Even Marian’s hair had been restored, although it now reached down to her shoulders.



~So she’s not as homicidal as I thought…that’s good~ Adara thought.



“Adara” The Phoenix said aloud as she sorted through the memories and images she had taken from Chrissy Lera’s mind.



The Halfling turned her head to stare at the god-woman again. Uncomfortably aware that she might very well be the most deadly person the thief had ever met.



~Time to make a new friend~ Adara told herself.



“Thank you for rescuing me warrior…I have SO MUCH to tell you” Adara said in her ‘con artist’ voice.



*****



Mystique and Sage were not friends. The cyberpath and the shapeshifter were too untrusting, hardened, and calculating to make friends easily with anyone, let alone people so like themselves.



Both of them had acted as spies in the past, living double lives and lying with their faces, voices, bodies, and sometimes even their minds. This had made the women jaded, manipulative, and more than a little paranoid.



But it had also stripped Sage and Mystique of most of the illusions and inhibitions that normal people have.



The mutant women might not trust each other to never betray the group, but they had enough respect for each other’s cunning, ruthlessness, and toughness to know that they could count on one another to make the hard decisions.



Most of the truly ruthless and underhanded things that the universal travelers had done since beginning their quest to find their missing comrades had been plotted by Sage and Mystique beforehand. Now it was time for them to decide just how ruthless the group needed to be again.



Sage and Mystique were meeting in the palace guest room that the cyberpath was using. Alone except for Sage’s silent servants, the Terminators, whose watchful gaze let Mystique know they considered her a threat.



If the measuring stare of her companion’s killing machines bothered the shapeshifter she refused to let it show. Mystique had more important things to talk about.



“Alustriel claims that she will do anything within reason to help us finish our business on this world…she asks only that we take The Phoenix with us when we leave” Mystique explained.



Sage thought about what her companion had just said, particularly the ‘within reason’ comment. But that was not the most important factor.



“What if Jean Grey refuses to leave?...or simply goes on a rampage before our business on this world is finished?”



“Then the High Mage will use her FULL resources to help us neutralize the threat” Mystique replied grimly.



“You do not seem happy to have another ally on our side in the event that The Phoenix becomes hostile” Sage observed.



“I don’t want to fight HER at all…and Cyclops and Storm are formidable in their own right…those variables do not change regardless of how many allies we have” Mystique shot back angrily.



“True…Storm’s loyalty to the Summers and power over the elements make her particularly dangerous…but I believe that Alustriel and her followers can neutralize Scott and Ororo if necessary” Sage calmly answered, though inside she felt sick at the idea of fighting and all too likely killing the woman who had saved her from torture and death.



~Why couldn’t you have simply stayed dead this time Jean?~ Sage thought bitterly, but as usual no trace of the cyberpath’s inner struggle showed on her face.



Staring at Sage’s apparently emotionless form, Mystique said “you are one stone cold bitch Sage” though her tone of voice made it sound more like a compliment than an insult.



“As are you Darkholme…that is why we can deal with these matters together realistically” Sage coldly replied.



“Does anyone else know about this?” the cyberpath continued in that same emotionless tone.



“Frost and her daughters were there…and they have already agreed to accept Alustriel’s help” Mystique explained.



Sage repressed a sigh of annoyance, she had hoped that things would change now that neither of them were members of the Hellfire Club, but the schemes of Emma Frost continued to complicate her life.



“Then we MUST accept Lady Alustriel’s offer…we cannot afford to oppose The Phoenix AND the Five-in-One” Sage replied.



Mystique nodded, she had reached a similar conclusion. While Sage wondered what other complications Emma would add before this crisis was dealt with.



*****



One moment Adara the Halfling was talking to Jean Grey Summers beside the road where Jean and Chrissy had battled, the next the little thief was standing in the guest room of the High Palace that The Phoenix and her lovers were using.



~That was…weird…it didn’t feel like a regular teleportation spell~ Adara thought as she tried to get over the particular feeling of being transported by The Phoenix.

Scott Summers and Ororo Munroe were still asleep on the bed, and as the thief caught sight of their nude forms she found herself wondering if they were spouses, lovers, or simply slaves of the flame haired powerhouse. Hoping that she had not been teleported to some sort of brothel or harem.



“Where am I?” the Halfling muttered to herself.



“The High Palace in Silverymoon” Jean answered.



Adara had never been to Silverymoon before, but she had heard of the great city and its famous ruler, and immediately leapt to the obvious conclusion.



“Are you Lady Alustriel Silverhand?”



The Phoenix did not match the descriptions of the High Mage that Adara had heard, but as a spinner of tall tales herself she knew how little truth they often held.



“No…as I told you my name is Jean Grey Summers…though the woman is an acquaintance of mine” Jean mildly replied.



“Oh…right” Adara said in embarrassment, glad that the powerful woman was not taking offense.



Then the thief noticed that Chrissy and the vampires had been teleported along with them, piled on the floor as though someone had made a careless attempt to stack them on top of one another.



Curious as to what her new ‘friend’ had done to them the Halfling walked over for a closer look. Staring in shock when she saw that all the non-elves except Marian now had two small red horns jutting out of their forehead, but what was even more disturbing was that all the ‘vampires’ seemed to be…breathing.



“What did you do?” Adara whispered in wonder.



“I healed them…except for the dark elf…her problems are not physical but mental and spiritual…but I think I know enough to fix her now” Jean said calmly, speaking casually about profoundly altering the minds and bodies of others.



“No…you can’t just casually FIX the minds of people…its not right” Adara protested, surprised to find herself defending the elf woman who had treated her so badly, but still appalled at the idea that the woman before her was going to alter people’s minds to make them ‘better.’



Jean stared at Adara hard, Phoenix fire in her eyes, and the thief grew afraid, worried that she had overstepped herself somehow. But then the fire faded from Jean’s eyes, and she said in a thoughtful tone “perhaps you have a point…after all if I fixed Chrissy without her permission I would be operating under the same philosophy that she did when she altered you.”



Adara simply nodded in relief, glad that she had not upset the

god-woman, then The Phoenix’s actual words registered, and the thief said in shock “Chrissy altered me.”



*****



Lady Alustriel Silverhand was in a meeting with her advisors, dealing with some of the mundane issues involved in running any large city, wondering how many of the problems actually warranted her attention and how many should have been handled at a level beneath the High Mage, when she felt the distinctive presence of Tieflings and the aura of a powerful necromancer.

Telling the ruler that such creatures had somehow entered her palace, despite all the wards and other magic that would have normally prevented such a thing (or at least alerted Alustriel to an intrusion by such forbidden beings beforehand).



The High Mage ended the meeting with her advisors and summoned the guards, ordering the well armed and magically protected soldiers to accompany her to the source of the disturbance. Hoping that she would not have to battle within the very halls of her own home.



*****



Adara listened in a kind of fascinated horror as The Phoenix told her how Chrissy Lera had altered her mind. The necromancer’s magic meant to render Adara more compliant and nonthreatening, and keep the Halfling from doing anything to harm Chrissy and the dark elf’s group.



But Jean had stripped away those controlling spells at the same time that she had ‘healed’ the vampires, otherwise Adara would not have been able to beat the wounded Chrissy.



However, the revelations just made Adara feel angry and humiliated. The thief had thought that SHE was the one using and manipulating the elf woman, but it was now obvious that the necromancer had been humoring the Halfling at best.



The sound of the human woman and female Halfling talking awoke Storm and Cyclops, and the naked lovers hurriedly covered themselves as they realized that they were not alone.



Jean simply smiled at the act of modesty, she had seemingly lost many of her inhibitions inside the Cube and now that she was free of the mystical prison she did not miss them. The Phoenix found her lovers desire to conceal their naked flesh more ‘cute’ than anything else.



Before Ororo and Scott could react in a more meaningful way to the unexpected visitors, palace guards rushed into the bedroom. Their fine armor gleaming and weapons upraised as they prepared for the arrival of their Lady.



“What is the meaning of this?” Storm demanded to know as she got dressed, upset at being so rudely awoken.



“That is what I would like to know” Lady Alustriel said as she entered the room, her aura of charisma making her anger seem all the more intimidating.



For all their experiences Storm and Cyclops could barely resist flinching, their minds having little defense against magic like Alustriel’s. The Phoenix noticed as much and used her power to shield her lovers from the High Mage’s charisma, offended that someone else would manipulate those she cared about in such a manner.



Jean’s husband and the weather witch breathed sighs of relief now that they could see the sorceress as no more than a woman again, barely noticing the way that Adara cowered beside them.



“I assume you are responsible for their presence?” Alustriel addressed Jean as she gestured towards the dark elf and former vampires, while mentally preparing her best defensive spells in case The Phoenix became violent.



“Yes” Jean said simply, making no attempt to justify or explain her actions.



Alustriel noticed as much and wished that she could just banish the troublesome woman from her realm. But that would that be bad diplomacy, and more importantly Alustriel simply didn’t know if she had the power to enforce such a ruling.



“I must remind you madam Summers that you are a guest in the High Palace…and guests cannot simply let whoever they want in the palace” Alustriel imperially stated.



Everyone conscious in the room waited breathlessly for The Phoenix’s reaction, wondering if she would take offense and battle would erupt. However, Jean seemed mild as she replied “understood…I will ask next time.”



Assuming that that was the best she was going to get from The Phoenix at the moment, Lady Alustriel changed the subject.



“Are these folk friends of yours?” the Chosen of Mystra asked as she pointed at Chrissy and her group.



“No…do as you like with them” Jean said indifferently, having apparently lost interest in the necromancer and her followers.



“Take them to the dungeon but do not mistreatment them in any way…I shall speak to them when they wake up” the High Mage ordered her guards.



The soldiers rapidly carried the elf woman and her followers out of the room, once they finished Lady Alustriel went too, leaving Jean and her lovers in relative privacy.



“There’s one thing I really need to know Jean” Cyclops said seriously.



“What is that Scott?” Jean replied affectionately.



“Who is that?” Scott went on as he pointed to something behind Storm.



Storm had been too distracted to notice it before, but Adara was hiding behind the bigger woman. Reacting with instincts that had been forged in countless battles the wind rider knocked the Halfling to the floor, using her greater size and strength to immobilize the little thief.



“Who are you?” the former African goddess imperiously demanded.



~The gods must really have it out for me~ Adara thought as she tried to catch her breathe. Wondering how she kept ending up in situations like this.



*****



“Get your filthy hands off me!” Chrissy Lera swore in French, hitting the guard carrying her with a small lightning bolt between the legs when he did not immediately let go.



The soldier dropped the drow as he clutched his crotch, only retaining his manhood thanks to the magically reinforced piece of armor covering his groin.



His comrades dropped the Tieflings they were carrying and rushed to the wounded soldier’s aid, but were shoved against the walls by a violent burst of magical power.



Chrissy stood in the middle of the fallen guards, her black skin glistening with sweat and crimson eyes glowing with mystical power, an expression of fury upon her pretty face.



“Where I am?” Chrissy said imperiously as her ghostlike protectors began to form around her, their transparent forms making the elfin female seem even more unearthly and intimidating to the human guards she had just so casually defeated.



But the necromancer lost all interest in the guards when she noticed her lover Marian lying upon the floor (where a guard had put her down), unharmed and apparently…alive.



The dark elf rushed to her friend’s side, running gentle hands over the woman’s body, feeling the warmth of her flesh and the strength of her pulse, finding no trace of the negative energy that had once permeated Marian’s form.



“She’s alive” Chrissy murmured in confusion, amazed by the fact that Marian Casta was no longer a vampire. Not sure what it meant in the grand scheme of things yet.



“Of course…I told my guards not to harm you and your companions…but you injured them anyway.”



Lady Alustriel had not gone far when Chrissy woke up and attacked, so she had heard the commotion and immediately headed back. Arriving just in time to witness the necromancer kneeling by her unconscious friend, the concern on her dark features obvious.



The dark elf was not attacking at the moment, and the ghostly creatures swirling around her disturbed Alustriel, for the High Mage had never seen a display of necromancy quite like it. So the Lady of Silverymoon decided to try diplomacy first.



Unfortunately the elf woman sounded anything but diplomatic as she replied “the lecherous PIG was fondling my butt without permission…when he wouldn’t stop I merely defended myself.”



The High Mage looked around at her battered and bruised guards, who were slowly trying to get back on their feet, sounding doubtful as she said “they were all fondling you?”



Chrissy felt perfectly justified in her actions, but she was in an unfamiliar place with few allies, moreover she could feel tremendous power emanating from the woman speaking to her, perhaps even greater power than her own (though Chrissy’s arrogance made it difficult for her to accept such a thing). Therefore Chrissy decided to be more diplomatic than usual, saying graciously “no…but I thought they were attacking me…I apologize for overreacting.”



Lady Alustriel doubted the necromancer’s sincerity, but that was not a good enough reason to start a mages duel within the halls of her own palace.



“Who are you?” Alustriel asked, wondering why The Phoenix had brought a person like this to her realm.



Chrissy Lera drew away from Marian as she got to her feet. Making sure that Alustriel got a good look at her face, slender form, and surprising voluptuous (for an elf) figure before proudly stating “I am Chrissy Lera rightful ruler of Iberia.”



“Iberia is your nation?” Alustriel guessed.



“Yes…Iberia is a small but thriving country…or at least it was until treachery brought down my regime” Chrissy replied bitterly, then immediately regretted confessing such weakness to a stranger.



But the former dictator was not the sort of person to dwell on her own failings, and besides Chrissy had more pressing concerns.



“Who are you?...what is this place?” the drow demanded to know.



“I am Alustriel Silverhand High Mage of Silverymoon…and this is my palace” Alustriel explained as she closely watched the elfin sorceress.



But her answers didn’t satisfy the imperious Chrissy.



“How did I get here?”



“I believe that the…priestess Jean Summers brought you and your companions here…though I do not know why” Alustriel patiently stated, although she did not appreciate the dark elf’s tone.



Deciding to take back control of the conversation the High Mage asked “who overthrew your regime?...is that what brought you to my realm?”



The former ruler of Iberia hesitated before replying. If the High Mage was an ally or simply a customer of Imperious Dakar admitting that he was her enemy could put Chrissy and her people in terrible danger.



But based on what Chrissy had seen of the computer database at the portal facility Dakar had on this world the necromancer doubted it, besides Chrissy was sick of running and hiding.



“A merchant group known as Imperious Industries…though I doubt the name means anything to anyone here.”



But the name meant a great deal to the High Mage, and she thought she understood why The Phoenix had brought the powerful necromancer here now.



At that point Alustriel looked past Chrissy and saw four familiar figures at the end of the hallway where the necromancer had awoken and knocked around the palace guards. It was The Phoenix, Storm, Cyclops, and Adara, who had been drawn to all the noise Chrissy was making, eavesdropping on most of the necromancer and High Mage’s conversation.



Deciding that there was no point in trying to keep any of it secret at this point the Lady of Silverymoon turned to her guards (who had finally gotten to their feet and were looking eager for a fight) and ordered “summon those four and their companions to the throne room…leave the dark elf woman alone…I will handle her and her people myself.”



Then the High Mage addressed Chrissy herself “I believe you and I have a great deal to discuss your Majesty.”



*****



When The Phoenix had transformed Marian Casta she had simply made the blonde woman human again, but the other vampires in the Crimson Legion had undergone a more radical change.



Unlike Marian they no longer had human souls, their undead bodies animated and preserved by demon spirits. Once Jean Grey had brought their undead forms back to life it had fused their demonic energies and human bodies together in a new way, essentially turning them into mortals with a trace of demonic features and power.



On Toril such creatures were called Tieflings, though they usually came about as a result of breeding between humans and fiends, instead of the intervention of powerful beings like The Phoenix.



Chrissy Lera figured out much of this as she examined her remaining followers, who had come to the throne room with her after the necromancer’s conversation with Lady Alustriel. Now that they had woken up all of the former vampires were shocked at the transformation they had undergone. Marian seemed the most traumatized, for she had been undead much longer than any of the others.



“You are still you Mary…it will be all right” Chrissy consoled her friend, though the arrogant elf was actually feeling unusually doubtful and worried.



“My power my immortality…its all gone…without that what am I?” Marian replied in a dead monotone, her blue eyes seemingly locked on a vision of horror that only she could see.



“When I fell in love with you Mary you were a human woman…now you are just a woman who…happens to be human again” Chrissy said in an attempt to reassure her lover, but the words sounded inadequate even to herself.



Marian Casta had not wanted to become a vampire, it had taken her years to get over the shock of becoming an undead predator, and decades to really make peace with her situation. But since that time she had come to take her agelessness and power for granted.



Marian had also watched many friends, lovers, and acquaintances grow old and die since becoming a vampire. The thought of that happening to herself was terrifying.



However, there were other viewpoints to consider too.



“What will happen when I get old and ugly Chrissy…how can I expect you to want something like that?” Marian tearfully asked.



Chrissy engulfed the woman in a hug as Marian started to sob, whispering into her ear “No matter what you look like Mary I will always love you…you’re the other half of my soul.”



But the former vampire seemed inconsolable, continuing to cry on her friend’s shoulder. So the sorceress sang a spell into her ear like a lullaby, a spell to put her to sleep and give her pleasant dreams.



Gently lowering Casta’s sleeping body to the floor, becoming aware of all the stares directed her way as she stood up.



Lady Alustriel was watching of course, but was polite enough to pretend to be engrossed in conversation with one of her guards. The Halfling Adara averted her eyes when she caught the necromancer’s gaze, having no desire to provoke a confrontation. She-Hulk and Storm looked openly, though their expressions seemed sympathetic, The Phoenix and Cyclops were harder to read, but at least the married couple didn’t appear openly hostile. While the Terminators, Mystique and Sage simply gazed at Chrissy and her group impassively, no trace of emotion on their faces. Emma Frost and her daughters looked at Chrissy Lera, Marian Casta, and the Tieflings with obvious calculation, wondering if they could use this to their advantage.



Of course the servants and soldiers of the High Mage in the throne room noticed what was going on too, but they were professional enough (especially in the presence of Alustriel) to pretend that that didn’t.



Many women would be mortified (or at least embarrassed) to be caught in such a tender and intimate moment and find themselves the center of attention (especially among strangers). But not Chrissy Lera, she was too proud for that. The dark elf simply glared defiantly at all the on-lookers, silently daring one of them to say something.



The awkward moment was ended by Lady Alustriel, who felt that as the host of this little gathering it was her job to act as peacemaker.



“We are all here because we have a common enemy…the group known as Imperious Industries.”



The Phoenix knew of Imperious Industries thanks to what she had taken from Chrissy’s mind, and she had already shared some of that knowledge with Storm and Cyclops. But the name meant virtually nothing to the rest of the universal travelers, and Emma Frost spoke for all of them when she asked “and who are Imperious Industries?”



“They are a merchant company that sells weapons…powerful technological weapons such as guns, tanks, robots, and even nuclear bombs” Alustriel explained, saying the unfamiliar names with care.



“They have sold these weapons to bandits that have hurt our city’s trade and killed many goodly folk…but what is even more disturbing is that they have also supplied these weapons to rival kingdoms” the High Mage continued, keeping the worry and outrage she felt over the situation out of her voice.



“That is unfortunate…but how does it directly concern us?” Sage asked.



“Imperious Industries took your friend Wolverine captive and their newest member a witch named Selene killed him…I believe you have a history with her.”



All the universal travelers appeared shocked, even the ones that had not liked Logan had respected his durability and toughness. The Canadian mutant had seemed like the ultimate survivor, finding out that he could die like anyone else was a jolt.



“Are you certain that he is dead?” Sage inquired, remaining skeptical about Logan’s death since there was so little apparent evidence.



“I come by this information secondhand but my source seemed very sure of himself” Alustriel explained.



“Do you know anything about what happened to my daughter Esme Cuckoo?” Emma asked urgently, a question that had gnawed at her mind for what seemed like forever.



“She is with Selene…though I cannot say if she is by the witch’s side willingly or not” because Safi had not been able to tell the High Mage.



“What does she have to do with all this?” said Mystique as she pointed at Chrissy.



“My government was a customer of Imperious Industries…until traitors within my own ranks gave it a better offer and it helped them lead a coup d’état against me…forcing me and a few of my loyal followers to flee our country” Chrissy said angrily, though she was careful to leave a few critical details out. Such as how few loyal followers she had left.



“Are Selene and Esme on this world?” Emma asked, trying to steer the conversation back in her direction.



“No…but there is an Imperious Industries weapons depot in the Silver Marches…capturing it would probably lead to the answers you seek” the High Mage replied.



“So you want our help capturing it?” She-Hulk guessed aloud.



“Of course…this is a beast we all need to see vanquished.”



For Chrissy Lera there was no question of refusing. Her concern for her family and the people of Iberia, long term goals, need for vengeance, and of course enormous pride would not allow her to tolerate the loss of her kingdom or accept the reality of her betrayers reign in Iberia. The necromancer would grasp any advantage or ally that could help her regain power in Iberia and destroy her enemies.



Things were more complicated for the universal travelers.



They were still not sure how much they could trust the beautiful and all too charming High Mage. Moreover the arrival of The Phoenix had taken already existing divisions within the group and made them sharper and bitterer.



The dimensional outsiders spent a long moment huddled together discussing and arguing over the issue.



But in the end they could not deny that Wolverine had been their comrade and Esme was their responsibility. And that any ally of Selene was almost by definition an enemy of theirs.



It was Cyclops who gave the group’s answer to Lady Alustriel. Taking a leadership role he was rarely able to assume anymore.



“On behalf of us all I accept your offer.”



The diverse group of new allies immediately started to plan their assault on Imperious Industries. Eagerly discussing details and speculating about their enemies’ strengths and weaknesses.



Of course Chrissy Lera knew the most about Imperious Industries and used her special knowledge to assume a kind of superior position in the debate that she felt she was entitled to. But in spite of her superior attitude the elf woman was able to get along with everyone unusually well.



Of course there were arguments, disagreements, and some rude exchanges during the meeting, nevertheless all the participants were united by a common enemy and managed to stay focused on that. The High Mage even had food, drink, and other refreshments brought in, giving the meeting a certain party like atmosphere.



The only one particularly troubled by the proceedings was the dark elf ranger who had hidden in the shadows throughout the whole meeting (in case his friend Alustriel needed him).



No one had said straight out what they were doing but Drizzt Do’Urden’s experiences in battle and warrior instincts told him the truth. A hard truth that the usually peace promoting Lady Alustriel seemed reluctant to speak aloud.



They were going to war.