Excalibur.

Take Me Up. Cast Me Away.

"Hello world. This is first, and only, public address."

Ivana stood in her matte black armor on a tall rock that stood in front of the deep blue of the Atlantic ocean. Her crimson cape fluttered in the breeze and her helm was tucked under her left arm. In her right fist she held a long knife with a silver blade.

"On 24th of December, 2014 I took the throne with a knife throw." She held up the plain silver knife, taken from the corpse of the former leader. "Since this day I am ruler of Venezuela. Dictator. Ultimate power."

"Power is like.. greatest drug in world. But like drug, the more you have, the more you want. Then need. And is never enough."

"Now. Let me tell you two stories."

"In history many empire rise. And fall. Problem with empire is not empire; it is Emperor. Absolute power corrupt absolutely."

"Emperor of Rome, they most powerful man in world. But they want more. Need more. At their will Legions make war in a hundred lands. They conquer. But is never enough."

"And so Rome die just as every empire die; destroyed by Emperor. Maybe not first Emperor. Maybe not second. But eventually, Emperor play fiddle while city burn. Rome fall. This is first story."

"Let me tell you second story."

"Once there is man named Arthur. He find sword in stone, called Excalibur. On one side of blade runes say 'Take me up'. On other side runes say 'Cast me away'."

"He draw sword from stone and become king."

"Take me up."

"On his deathbed he gives sword to Griflet and tells him to throw the sword into the sea. Twice he tell Griflet this. Twice Griflet return with sword. Third and final time Arthur give his last command and Griflet throw his sword into the sea. Then Arthur sail across the sea, never to return until Kingdom's darkest day. England still exist."

"Cast me away. This is second story."

"Power corrupt. It corrupt everyone. It corrupt me. If I stay, I become.. not me. Lazy. Greedy. Hungry for more power, like addict desperate for fix. I take shortcuts. I abuse my people. Just a little.. at first. Slowly, as years pass, I become Tyrant. Mutant hope now mutant horror. Place to escape too become place to escape from. Excalibur become executioners blade. Conquering king become fat tyrant."

"This cannot be. I must remain pure. Own nothing I cannot carry. Sleep on pallet on floor. Train eight, twelve, hour a day. Hunt. Kill. Hate and be hated."

"I am legend. I am greatest. But if you stop living like legend, you stop being legend. To stay greatest, you must live hardest life. Flattery of diplomat, love of the people, worship of acolytes, all things money can buy at fingertips.. these things like worms in wood. They small, unnoticed.. but they eat and eat and eat until you are weak. Corrupt."

"And corrupt leader destroy people too. It take away their spirit. People become.. accustomed.. to being ruled. They accept rulers."

"Alexander conquered the world but the Greeks never rose again. He ruled, and they became accustomed to being ruled."

"I could destroy myself and my people too. Is easy. All I must do is nothing. Tell myself I am good protector. That 'Shogun' still needed. Believe the happy lies. Is easy. They are such little lies."

"No. I will stay pure. My people will not be ruled when it is not required by desperate times."

"In thirty days I will abdicate throne. There will be election for President of the Republic of Venezuela. I will go back into the shadows, from which I came."

"But when my people need me I will return."

And she threw the knife into the sea.

Nah but seriously, well done.

I am both thrilled and pissed.

And, in a way, perhaps revitalised! I don't know what this means. But I feel...something.

Still wanna hurt her though.

And she threw the knife into the sea.

My favorite part, that was really cool.

@pyrogram: Thank you :-)

@arquitenens: Mixed feelings I see!

@thisisgonnahurt: I appreciate that!

@the_shogun:What else is new?

I have plans now. Some minor.

Holy shit. Somebody post the shocked car gif for me. I'm on mobile and can't.

@nikoleta_strix:

@jungala: :-)

@maverick_6: I'd say that would have happened too, with any of my other characters. But Ivana is uniquely self aware.

@maverick_6 said:

I think this is very interesting.

I was wondering about what exactly she'd do in the future and more so, how long it'd be until she does something that people wouldn't like. This part in particular is what I was thinking would actually happen given how Venezuela is rapidly expanding. And her nature lead me to think she was gonna go down this path eventually.

"Emperor of Rome, they most powerful man in world. But they want more. Need more. At their will Legions make war in a hundred lands. They conquer. But is never enough."

Particularly with her ambition to "better" mutant kind. Was always curious as to basically how she'd react to X and how he's going to treat Venezuela.

Looking forward to what happens next!

This was supposed to be me. v_v [In a sense.]

Holy crap!!!

Diplomatic immunity gone.

Hm

@tyrus_:

@dreadpool10: Hehe.

@the_shogun: Loved it. Good work, awesome twist.

So does this mean Strigidae_23 will return?

@dreadpool10: Maybe! Or just a new account all together.

@the_shogun: Strigidae...22, perhaps?

Thats boss. Go out undefeated.

That knife is being sought out, just a heads up for any interested/opposing