Cloisterham, Christmas Eve: 1870

To the average Englishman, Christmas Eve was always wet and dreary. The United Kingdom was not used to having a so-called "White Christmas", with it being an Island Empire and all, but Edwin Drood could not deny that he had no memories of such a storm before in his life.

Edwin Drood considered himself to be a rather respectable member of society. Whenever he strutted into town, he was always wearing some assorted garment of a black suit, tie, and top hat. The only thing that contrasted to this was his naturally blond hair; most days he almost never bother to keep it slicked. Coming from an orphaned young age, he grew up to become close to his only living relative, the choirmaster of Cloisterham cathedral, and his uncle: John Jasper, or "Uncle Jack". Edwin was not used to going to church, but his uncle being the choirmaster, he always felt it a delight to hear him singing so to the heavens.

Apart from being the choirmaster, John Jasper was also the only music teacher in town, and most of his days were spent doing one-on-one sittings with his students, and his favorite undoubtedly being the beautiful Rosa Bud.

...Rosa.

Edwin became solace for a moment. He was in a church after all; it was the only place in town where he could freely express his solemn nature without fear of being ridiculed.

His hand clasped on the little object that was strapped to his jacket: being a golden-stemmed rosebud, given to him from Rosa who, like him, was orphaned. Yet she had kept it as a memory, and given it to him as a bond of everlasting...friendship.

He sighed. It's better this way for the both of us, he thought. Had their marriage not been assured since birth, perhaps they could have had ample time to better love each other.

He also was not alone on this night. Also with him inside the church was Neville Landless: one of the Reverend Crisparkle's charges from Ceylon, not that he knew where that was. After all, his business was set in Egypt.

John Jasper had brought them together for a little, reintroduction wine dinner. Admittedly, both of them had immediately disliked the other the moment they met, but the dinner seemed to have calmed the tension between the two. Right now, the two of them were inside the church sanctity, discussing matters.

"What was your father like, Mr. Drood?" Neville calmly asked.

"I never knew my father...Neville. Nor my mother," Edwin replied. "I've been an orphan as long as I can remember."

"I never knew my father either. I far as I can remember, my sister and I were under the...care of that brute who called himself our stepfather. I can still picture his smug grin whenever he but looked at Helena, and when he shouted as he ruthlessly-"

"Neville, my friend," Edwin calmed. "Please, this is sanctuary."

Edwin looked into his companion's eyes, praying that he would calm his hot-temper.

Neville backed down.

"My apologies, Mr. Drood. I did not mean to shout in your presence. I take it this is the spot where you and Miss Bud are to be wedded?"

Edwin sighed, trying his best to keep his own temper in. The matter was bound to come up sooner or later.

"Neville, I have a confession to make."

"Something on your mind?"

Edwin swallowed before he continued. "Rosa and I...are no longer to be wedded."

He looked to his companion, expecting some rousing shout or scream, and only received a raised eyebrow. Realistically, he should have realized that his confession would be a lot more to sink in than on the surface, if that made any sense.

"You...uh, I uh, I don't know what to say."

"I understand it comes as a great shock to you Neville, but the truth is: Rosa and I would not have benefitted from the betrothal. You see, both of our bygone fathers have good as married us in their wills, so...I'm sorry, Neville."

Neville looked confused. "Sorry for what?"

"For everything: for how I've acted towards you, for how protective of Rosa I was because, and...mostly for how untrusting I was because you were...different than I was. But now, I see that you and I are not so different underneath the skin, so now I wish for us to part in friendship."

Edwin then outstretched his hand, rather pleading to Neville, who was still skeptical of his true motivations. He watched as Neville's eyes from his face, then back to his hand, and for a moment Edwin thought that for a moment he would not accept it.

Neville then shook his hand, smiling.

"I accept your apology, Mr. Drood, and I too apologize for my brash behavior. You must understand that I too am in love with Miss Bud."

"I do understand, my friend. I trust that you will take good care of her for me. And please, call me Edwin."

Neville nodded as he took his hand back and began taking his leave of the church, hearing that the storm had finally settled. "Edwin," he said, turning back, "are you not coming?"

"No," Edwin replied. "I need some time alone, with my sins. You may leave without me."

Neville stuttered in his step for a moment, and then he slowly turned and made his leave, leaving behind an echoing bang that reverberated off and around the Cathedral's walls.

Edwin Drood was now left to himself, shared only by the sounds of the rainstorm raping against the roof.

"Dear God, our lord in heaven," he prayed, "I pray to you that you will watch over my friends' souls as they go about under your skies. I pray for my uncle, I pray for Neville, and I pray for Rosa. May your heavens bring them good fortune. In your name I pray, amen."

He then got up and strolled over to where he hung his coat and hat. He looked up to the circular stained glass window, staring intently into the glow emitting from the moonlight shining through the dark-blue stained colors.

What am I supposed to do now? he asked himself. "I could probably take the next boat to Egypt," he said, "but then I would have to make my rounds and say goodbye, and probably never return to here."

Perhaps it would be best that he leave that very night, and leave out the emotional nonsense. He would leave to pack his luggage, and hike away into the night. While he was still caring for everyone he knew in old Cloisterham, the town being where he grew up, he felt like the town would work itself better without him. Maybe Neville would be much better for Rosa than him. Still, he would keep her mother's clasp as token reminder of her beautiful nature, and how never-endingly kind she was to him always.

Suddenly he stopped, stopped before he could put on his coat, as their was a change in the wind. Wind, in the church?

Edwin put down his coat, letting it droop unceremoniously over the banister. He then carefully walked over to where he figured the wind source was, hearing only the sounds of his clicking shoes just above the sound of the wind. The sound of the wind was barely above a whistle, he only knew it was wind from how it felt against his coat, and from a few scraps of papers being blown in his direction. There was something unnatural about the wind, he could feel it.

Soon enough, when the wind began to pick up force, he came across a room with a bright blue glow, and from the scraps of paper being blown clear through the doorway, it seemed to be the very source of the wind.

"What is going is going on here?"

Edwin took a few cautious steps forward until he peeked into the room, and was not only surprised by the sight, but also horrified.

The desks had been moved from where they were supposed to be stood, the books were strewn from their shelves, and there was an unfortunate cross that had been dumped from its post. It was from what dumped it that was the center of the room:

A large swirling vortex emitting all shades of blue, with only a few streaks of yellow, purple, and even green.

In an instant, it was like Edwin had become entranced by its sight, and yet he feared it as well, considering that it was a giant swirling vortex in the middle of a church for God's sake.

"What in God's name are you?" he said, now stretching out his opened hand as his feet were now bringing his body ever so closer to the anomaly. It was a horrifying sight to be sure, but also beautiful. And it felt like it was calling out to him, drawing him in, like it was wanting him.

One step further...

...the darkness enveloped the church the moment the portal collapsed, and was replaced with the horrified screams of a new voice: one who had just discovered the coat of Edwin Drood, whom he had borrowed from his uncle, who was now intoxicated with his own drug.

"NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!"


"Hmm...not exactly what I expected, but I suppose he will suffice. Too bad I could not obtain the Foundation Element in the way I predicted. Wherever he may fare, till the wings die and shrivel into the dust and ash of the Earth. Oh well, I guess that means I am going to need assistance. But who to choose from, that is the question.

"Tch, tch, tch; iconic, but so, so dated.

"The eye is definitely intimidating, but I have no room to fit an entire spaceship.

"All that from a small fat kid? What were his parents teaching him?

"The robots are intimidating enough, but why go so overpowered when one is sufficient enough?"

"Jesus, just did Mark Twain have against Half-Native Americans?

"No way, José, I am not going up against copyright infringement in a civil court.

"Wait a minute...wait a minute. Is that not something? Hmm...not a bad combination either, I can see use for these fellows.

"The only question is: who should I send out to get what first?

"...light bulb!"