Early — 20TH Century

IIn the palace of Russian tsar Nicolai Romanov, a man considered a wizard became increasingly famous due to his healing powers. It was also widely said all over Europe that that man could dominate human minds by using hypnotic methods. That man held a very important position within the royal family as a Counselor. It didn't take long before someone often thirsty for capturing powerful wizards to drain their energy heard of him.

Klaus was having a drink in his favorite tavern, as he used to do every Sunday, when he heard a man at the next table saying things about some man known as Rasputin.

"Pardon my intrusion, gentlemen. I heard you mentioning something about a wizard who is living with the Romanov family. What else do you know about him that you could share with me?" Even though Klaus was not often keen to politeness, it seemed that this time he was overly cordial.

"It's no problem at all! Rasputin is the talk of the day in every household and public space in Europe. As you know, Russia joined forces with Great Britain and France to beat Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. While the czar is away risking his life, Rasputin has been trusted to look after all of Romanov's affairs," said one of the men. "The man is living inside the royal palace. I would never allow a man to live under the same roof my wife is, especially if I'm risking my life at battle. I wouldn't trust a man that much, wizard or not!"

Everyone in the tavern laughed at the man's comment.

"Some say that he's having an affair with the czar's wife. Also, that he has healing powers... Partially because Rasputin has successfully prevented the progression of the czar's son's disease," someone else added.

"Quite interesting... So, in addition to having magical powers, the so-called Rasputin also holds a prominent position in politics... He's quite an interesting man, no doubt about it." Klaus' curiosity was increasingly high.

The bench on Klaus's side moved slightly. Everyone around looked at Klaus with fear. After all, they were talking about witchcraft, and then out of the blue the bench moved, even though there's no one sitting on it. Only Klaus knew the reason.

He opened some space for Fratello. The Doppelgänger was also in the tavern, though invisible. And he also wanted to be updated on the latest news.

"Please go on gentlemen," the warlock said. "Let me offer you another round of beer, my treat." Klaus wanted to make everyone drunk, so that they would say everything they knew about Rasputin.

Soon, this strategy proved to be unnecessary. Whenever Fernando, Augusto and Dicesari were together, they would gossip about everyone's lives unstoppably.

"I heard that the mad monk enjoys organizing orgies. He convinces women to take part on them by promising divine forgiveness." Fernando laughed, and so did his friends.

"He is a smart fellow, isn't he? He knows very well that there's no living soul without sins. He has a very cunning way to get what he wants with women," said Klaus, with a smile.

Klaus looked at Fratello, who was already showing his teeth in a large smile. The creature's thoughts were totally in sync with his master's. After a lot of chatting, Klaus learned several details about the life of his next victim.

A few days after, Klaus and Fratello went on a trip. Klaus took his usual baggage: the bottle of rum, the leather boots and the bag where he carried his belongings. The warlock opened a portal in his chamber. He entered it, then was followed by Fratello.

"Let's check out if Rasputin is as powerful as everyone says he is. If that's true, then I'll drain all his magic."

As soon as Klaus and Fratello stepped on the other side of the portal, they were in St. Petersburg, near the royal family's palace. The warlock decided to book themselves in a nearby hotel. After all the stealing he did throughout the centuries, he was richer than ever.

"For as long as we stay in this country, we shall live in this hotel. We have to gather more information about Rasputin."

"I'll mingle with the locals as an ordinary person. I'll make sure to dig all the necessary information that'll help you finish him off, master."'

After that, the creature turned into smoke and disappeared. The glacial cold in the city did not scare Fratello at all. His ethereal form was an advantage. Near the river next to the royal palace, Fratello materialized into human shape again. The smoke became a well-dressed man, in a black overcoat, a hat and with a cane. He began his investigation right in front the Romanovs' residence. Fratello asked the people passing by questions about the royal family. By doing this, he learned that Grigori Rasputin treated Alexei's hemophilia, Nicholas II's only male heir.

In his favorite pub, Klaus was having some drinks and talking to the regulars in order to learn more about Rasputin.

He had a newspaper photo of the royal family's wizard, so he already knew what he looked like.

Rasputin had a long beard that mended with his long hair, which was quite frizzed. Since the Czar was away at war, all court's decisions had to be submitted to Rasputin. He had a significant influence on the Czar's wife. Perhaps it came from the fact that he had the power to heal her son, which made her believe in his divine touch. It was the king's deepest desire that the young prince healed from his disease, so one day he would be able to inherit the throne. For this reason, the Czar accepted so mildly the advisor's demands.

But Klaus was not the only one planning to kill the monk. Despite all of Rasputin's influence, someone else wanted to get rid of him as well, which put him in double danger. A certain member of the king's family seemed to resent the monk's power for it put him aside when it came to his ascension to the throne. This royal member, a prince, joined forces with other royals that dreaded Rasputin's existence as much as he did. They were strongly determined to put an end on his influence over the country's politics. Those royals were helped by English agents whose mission was to keep Russia in the war.

A few hours later, Klaus and his shadow gathered at the hotel.

"Apparently, Rasputin has many enemies. I believe I'll do the Russians a favor by ending his life. I think I should be paid for it. But the energy that will emanate from his soul is enough for me as a reward."

"I wish I had as much power as you, master."

"You don't need that, Fratello. If you stick with me, at the appropriate time I'll try to find some magical ritual that transforms you into a human being. Isn't that what you want? To enjoy the pleasures of life in a human body?"

"Yes, master. I don't want to live trapped I this form for eternity."

"Fair enough. I'll see what I can do."

For the first time, the Doppelgänger thought he could express his feelings to Klaus. But deep down he knew that the warlock would never give him what he asked for. Either way, the creature had no choice. Which meant that the warlock would use him at his will for his despicable works.

"I'll get some rest. Tomorrow we will execute the plan."

After a night's sleep, the Doppelgänger and the warlock left the hotel to search the monk considered mad by society and hated by those with political interests. On the way, the creature, always disguised, told his master what he heard people say about Rasputin.

"Master, I heard that this man is a dissolute. They say that in exchange to joining his orgies, he promises spiritual rewards to women."

"Fratello, his own name means depraved in Russian, which says pretty much about him. We already know the essentials about him. If his influence is so great, he must have great magic. I know he was invited to the home of a prince, the czar's cousin. I don't know the purpose of the invitation, but we'll get him there. I have the address here with me."

They headed to a fountain located in the middle of a square. From there, they went to an alley where Klaus opened a portal through which they both entered. Within seconds, Klaus and Fratello arrived in a room in the Moika palace, where prince Felix Yussupov lived with his wife. He had invited Rasputin over to introduce the monk to his wife. Surprising as it may seem, it was quite common that men from the nobility offered their wives to the monk in exchange for influence over the royalty.

Klaus and the creature kept themselves invisible as they witnessed the monk being pampered by a lavish supper where the finest wines and pies were served to meet the mage's exquisite taste. The banquet was going well when Klaus and Fratello watched potassium cyanide being poured on Rasputin's wine. It was enough to kill about five men.

"Look, Fratello! That's exactly how I killed the warlocks in the Castle of the Absents. Feels like home watching his death by my own methods."

"We're being saved from the job, master."

"I overheard the conspirators' conversation upstairs. They are afraid that Rasputin will manipulate the Czar to ally with Germany and leave the alliance with the United Kingdom and France. Some English spies are here now."

"How interesting! I'm truly amazed that that simple-looking man has so much power"

"Looks can be deceiving, Fratello!"

While Klaus and Fratello talked from above, attentive to all the facts that would alter the future of the world, Rasputin drank all the poisoned wine.

"If he was truly a wizard, wouldn't he be able to see us up here, master? And wouldn't he detect the poison in his wine?"

"Our magic is strong, so I think he is not able to sense our presence. It seems that his destiny has been sealed. He's been trapped. Which pretty much means that anyone can be betrayed, my friend. Betrayal is a snake full of venom."

As they laughed, Rasputin, full of cyanide in his veins, looked up as if he had seen Klaus and Fratello celebrating his death.

Meanwhile, the prince hoped to see his opponent's soul drained away as soon as possible, so that he could finally celebrate victory. However, hours passed by, and nothing happened. The English agents and the Russian nobles were getting upset.

How could a man survive such an amount of poison?

Klaus and his servant were also looking at each other with curiosity. However, they decided not to intervene. Considering the unusual sequence of the facts, they wanted to see the outcome of it all. Then they would collect the leftovers.

With no patience to wait any longer, one of the conspirators decided he had had enough of seeing Rasputin reveling himself at the banquet. He decided to shoot the guest in the back and finish it all. After the shot, Rasputin fell on the ground. Although he looked lifeless, he surprised everyone in the house when he grabbed Felix's neck and didn't let it go for anything in the world. Immediately the other conspirators showed up. They began to shoot and stab the man. When Rasputin was finally killed, they put his body in a rug and then rolled it up to throw it into the river Neva.

Klaus and Fratello immediately went to the windowsill to watch the body sink. As soon as it had submerged, Klaus ordered the Doppelgänger to bring the victim up to the surface. The man was still alive! The creature put his ear on the monk's face. He could feel Rasputin breathing as well as his fetid breath.

It was dark already.

"How is it possible? We saw this man being killed in every possible way, and he's still alive. Finish him off, Fratello!"

At that moment, Rasputin opened his bulging eyes as he received his last blow. Fratello pierced his claws into the monk's neck. His eyes finally rolled.

"Now the job is done!" Fratello celebrated the monk's death.

"No doubt about it. Now it's time for me to drain his energy."

The warlock looked up at the sky, and it became cloudy. The Moon could not be seen anymore. Klaus took a deep breath and then put his hand on the victim's chest in order to drain for himself the Russian monk's powers. At some point, Klaus had goosebumps due to the load of energy he had received. He noticed something different; a cold air was inflating his lungs. The head that rested on the floor looked at him with very open eyes, and then prophesized.

"Someone more powerful than you will end up with your existence. I'm looking forward to meeting you all on the other side, you and those who have plotted to kill me. The Russian Empire will fall soon. You shall remember my words."

His lips sealed as his eyes closed. He seemed to be resting at last. Klaus and the Doppelgänger looked astonished at each other.

"What a strange wizard! I don't believe in a word he said. Anyway, I feel good, maybe even stronger. Time to get out of here, Fratello."

Feeling fine, Klaus returned to the hotel holding within himself the energy of another victim. But this time he felt that whether it was in the world of men or the world of spirits, there were things that could not be explained...

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