The Sarcee Reserve Hospital

Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen was in his office at the hospital, saying his good-byes to his two daughters, Elizabeth Twoyoungmen and Narya Mackensie. These two young women were also Alphans with the super powers and names of Talisman and Snowbird. Of recent years, they both have been very tired of their roles as members of Alpha Flight. They wanted a normal life or a semblance of one.

"With the thought of the triple mystic threat of Llan, the Sorcerer, Pestilence, and the Dream Queen coming back for what seems to be for good this time," Elizabeth said, while Narya nodded. "I don't know if I'm prepared for it. I would like to aid in the fight but I can't."

"Why is that, daughter?" Shaman asked.

"Because I nearly died fighting Llan the first time around. I just don't think that I and I alone could face all three mystics. I would need help but-"

"But you would rather I deal with it, yes, my first-born?" Shaman said.

"Elizabeth speaks for us both, Shaman." This next comment originated from Snowbird. Both women and Shaman were attired in their casual clothing because they did not want to arouse suspicion to themselves and the ones around them.

"You two, Narya, the daughter that I myself delivered," Shaman commented. "I understand both of your feelings. I think that I am well-equipped to deal with this triple threat. Llan is gathering his army and I must be ready."

Shaman hugged both women and they soon took their leave, promising to write.

CRACK!

A swift blow to the back of Shaman's head made him fall to the white- tiled antiseptic floor below. If not for his super powers and his other identity as Shaman, Michael Twoyoungmen would have fallen into unconsciousness immediately.

Shaman rubbed the back of his head near his neck where the blow was most felt. "Who? What happened?!"

His vision was blurry for a moment and then the vision cleared until he saw his foe, dressed in a three piece business suit, cackling over his triumph. It was the demon Pestilence, he recognized from his distorted, disfigured face.

"Hello, Shaman. Good-bye, Shaman."

That was the last thing that Shaman heard from the being called Pestilence until Shaman was transported to a nether dimension that he didn't recognize.

London, Canada

Kamikaze was back in the super hero game. It had been a short reprieve that he had been given since the end of AIM as Alpha Flight saw it. There was one loose end. And that was the acquisition of Brainwave, their lost operative.

He walked through the forestry area of London, Canada. It was a bright, sunny day and there were hardly any people in sight. Kamikaze was ready for battle. He saw himself as a twisted version of Jackie Chan, Jet Li, or even Bruce Lee. But the last one was dating himself.

He soon arrived at the old AIM HQ within the forest of London. This was the most logical place where Brainwave would be. He finished minutes ago asking people within the town proper as to strange activities that fit Brainwave's description. No one heard of him or were too scared to give the right answers he sought. He dismissed the former and welcomed the latter.

His thoughts should have been on his mission, as he approached the old HQ, but he couldn't keep himself from thinking about Diamond Lil or as he liked to call her by her proper first name.

Lillian.

There was an attraction between the two of them so much so that he felt that one day they could be the best of friends. Not romantically because Madison would always be in the way. Madison and Lil were very much in love and love triangles like that were messy. Anyway, he got the impression that Madison hated Kamikaze's guts. It was hard to be a member of Alpha Flight when he was considered an enemy by them and hated by almost every member of the team.

"You do like to brood, now, don't you?" a voice was heard from his direct path of vision.

Kamikaze turned to the source of the voice and saw who the voice belonged to.

"Brainwave..." he breathed.

Their reunion of fisticuffs suddenly began.

The Alpha Complex

Weeks before.

"How do we know you're the real Marrina?" Mac Hudson accused the mer-woman, as she sat down at the circular bureau at the meeting room. "Because, for all intents and purposes, you are supposed to be among the dead."

"Oh, c'mon, Mac," she said, smiling a bit. "Can't you tell the real thing when you see it? I mean, you died a couple of times, according to Alphanex, and you yourself recruited for your merry band of Canadians."

"Don't try to be coy with me, missie," Guardian continued to say. "There must be some way for you to prove that you're you."

"I guess that's where I come in," Talisman said, stepping forward to where Marrina was sitting. "Stand up, Marrina, a simple mystical probe is what all it'll take."

"If I can't trust you, Elizabeth, then who can I trust?" Marrina purred.

Marrina then stood up and Talisman gestured wildly, madly. Mystical waves of pure energy and force engulfed her completely, probing and prodding into her inner being until she felt that she couldn't take it anymore. It was akin to being frisked in broad daylight.

"Amazing," Talisman said, when finished, and the wave of energy subsided. "She is who she claims to be. She is part amphibian, part human, all Marrina. She is derived from the Plodex race but adapted to the first thing she saw when Gladys Smallwood broke open her egg shell, so she became a mostly human being. There are no words to describe it."

"See? I told you I'm me," Marrina said.

At that moment, all of the increasing number of Alpha Flight walked over to where Marrina was now standing beside the novice Talisman and greeted as a new member of the team. This was mere minutes after Guardian announced her induction into the new Alpha Flight. Persuasion had just said her good-byes to the Beta Flight team because she said she wanted to finish school in Etobicoke. It looked like Guardian's new plan of splitting the team in twain was falling to pieces.

"I wish I could be receptive to your enthusiasm but I feel, like Kara, I will be leaving the team, too, because I want to be near my husband, Namor. In Alphanex, it says that he has a new son called Maaken ruling beside him. That is my son and I want to be near him." Marrina saw that one member of the team wasn't saying good-bye to her. "Puck, aren't you going to wish a fond farewell?"

The whole time, Puck, the dwarf named Eugene Milton Judd, had his back turned to the mer-woman that he once fell in love with. "You know me, not good at good-byes. You write, y'hear?"

Then, he walked out of the meeting room and slammed the door shut.

"What was that all about?" Marrina asked.

Puck's Quarters

Judd didn't look back when the rest of the Alpha Flight tried to fill in Marrina about what was bothering him. He just couldn't bear to see Marrina back from the dead. He had just gotten over her loss, at the hands of the Sub-mariner wielding the Black Knight's ebony blade when she had turned into a horrific sea monster.

Over the years the man called Puck had many loves; the love of being a costumed adventurer based in Canada, Heather Hudson, and a friend named Marrina Smallwood. Any hope of their friendship blossoming into love was shattered when she first saw the Sub-mariner, Namor the First.

There was a knock on the door that broke Judd out of his reverie.

"Go away!" he shouted.

"Judd, it's Marrina."

He unlatched the lock and opened the door. Marrina was there in all her beauty, attired in her swimsuit costume. If he had never fallen in love with her before, he would now just by the sight of her.

But he still turned his back to her and led her into his humble abode. "What do you want, eh?" he asked.

"It would help if you would look me in the eyes, Pu... Judd."

He was silent.

Marrina grabbed onto his shoulders and with all of her superhuman strength, she turned him around, forcing him to face her. "Please, Judd, you're the only one I have on this team and you have to understand that I have to leave. This team can't survive with so many members. It's just too massive."

"I guess that's why Sasquatch and Aurora are taking a leave of absence to work on their romance and you know wherever Aurora goes, Northstar isn't far behind, eh?"

"They'll return in time, you know that, Juddsy."

"I always hated nicknames."

They both laughed and a smile did creep on Judd's face. The tension was broken.

"Can I at least get a hug before I leave?" Marrina asked, putting her arms out. "I'll bring the Sub-mariner and my son to the surface soon so we can visit. Howabout that?"

"I guess it'll have to do for now."

The two old friends embraced as only friends could.

Elsewhere and Now

Slowly, Shaman opened his eyes, one at a time, and realized he was not in Canada or a place even remotely resembling Earth. He didn't recognize this dimension or who may have once inhabited it. It looked almost deserted besides himself.

He stood up and decided to go exploring. Since his rest, the bump on his head seemed to have subsided. Someone must live here, wherever here is. He barely remembered his attacker. Vague images of past events. Yes, it was him-Pestilence! It seemed whatever master plan Llan the Sorcerer wanted was put into action through the acquisition of Shaman.

This world was weird indeed. It was a barren city, no one seemed to inhabit it or may have a long time ago. Waitaminute. He recognized this world now. This was-

There was a blast of energy at his feet and he nearly toppled to the ground below. As he righted himself back on his feet again, reasserting his balance, there were a succession of energy blasts at the ground all around him.

The blasts were familiar. Somehow, it was her.

Off in the distance, a woman dressed in spandex and a long ripped cape followed his retreat. She seemed to be cackling like the villainess she was. The old enemy that inhabited this world and threatened to destroy his first-born daughter, Talisman, many moons ago.

"Welcome to my LiveWorld," the Dream Queen said, approaching fast. "Welcome to your death, Shaman!"