Far Pangaea 49: Core Sample

Pummeled non stop Verago was becoming more and more enraged at Malcolm's jarring blows. Distracted by brewing sensations of dread Verago feels his belly on fire. Something had just occurred. His connection to Lilith had been severed. The loss of his Mate stabbed at his soul. Cameron Scott's soul. Knowing he still had the Man's body and soul locked inside him gave him a sense of strength. The souls of the Children of Adam imprisoned only intensified his lust for victory. With or without his Mate.

Evading Mal's next punch the Fallen Angel hugs the man like teetering Redwoods in a tornado. With each passing breath he felt more and more troubled. Even in darkness he could tell the Vampires were either dying off or taking flight into the night. With Mother Lilith obviously lost to them the Children of their Maker took their own destiny into their hands. Abandoning him long before the dawn. The war throughout the night into it's sixth hour Verago knew he needed a change of tactics.

With controlled thought Verago shrank out of Mal's grasp. Attempting to bypass the growth rune in favor of another. Just before his downsizing he palmed Malcolm's right temple. The rune upon it adapting to the Nordic personification of Ymir. Frost Giant. However not quite so Giant.

In escaping Mal's clutches Verago's body encased in ice. Reaching to the Heavens to challenge the rain into a blizzard of ice daggers. The frost quickly covering Eden in it's growth. Plant life dying out as fast as it could thrive. A new Ice Age would terrorize this sacred place.

Verago develops a construct similar to an iceberg around Malcolm from his waist down. Mal was frozen in step. To decrease his size might harm his body. He would remain stuck there until help arrived. Unless?

"Left temple." Mal palms his left profile in thought. After a moment his entire body bursts into a flaming inferno. Ice melting and shedding away in avalanches of chunks. The surrounding area becoming slush as fast as the snowfall accumulated.

Below on the ground Jack Ramse and Elle Franklin were in awe of their friends usage of power. Not too mention Verago's surprise attack. Not only that they had their hands full with a shivering T-Rex. In the cold weather the beast had slowed down. Drones were being eaten right out of the air and destroyed. This made their battle all that much harder. Even without fending off Vampires.

"Christ Jack. This shit is over our heads." Elle calls out from thirty feet away. Both of them darting about to confuse Jurassic Junior. Greta joining them from the lizards left side. Moving in and out of invisibility. Seeing her one second then not the next boggled the beast. She was a big help. Until she slipped on ice. Crying out in pain made Jack move in with firepower to her rescue. Hovering over her he called down at Kansas in the slush.

"You have to get up. Head for safety. I'll draw him away."

"I think I twisted my ankle Jack. I can't put weight on it." Greta whined with excruciating pain.

"ELLE?" Jack garnered her attention, "Light Dino up."

"Not much solar left in me Jack. I'll do what I can."

Firing through her diamond eyes Elle zeroed in on the T-Rex. Striking his chest to neck vicinity. Like a laser it cut into it but not enough to severely harm it. Remaining drones circled its head until the beast lashed out and devoured more of them. There were not many drones left flying. Jurassic Junior's teeth destroying the robotic gravitons.

"We keep this up I won't be able to recite that spell against Verago. I need a drone programmed to speak it for us."

"Will it have the same effect if it comes out robotic sounding?" Elle questioned hurling a retractable spear into the dinosaurs gullet.

Jack shrugs, "Who knows. We try and live with the after effects. If we recite it whoever speaks it gets cursed somehow. Hard telling what that means. I don't want to risk any of us. Bad enough we're battling to stay alive."

"Malcolm's glowing white hot. This might go south anyway." Elle panics.

Greta had crawled to her feet and hooked up with Jack. His arm around her for support while his right hand kept firing Ion streams. They just weren't enough to disable the T-Rex.

Above them Verago switches tactics yet again. Reaching through the open flames around Malcolm his hand collides with the rune upon Mal's stomach. Adapting its influence Verago goes camo. Full on Chameleon to the surroundings. There he became evasive and moved behind Malcolm. Gripping Mal by his right leg he lifts and forces Mal's weight to be unbalanced. The mighty Malcolm Brand crashed backwards. Right between Jack and Jurassic Junior. In the blazes the dinosaur teetered about. Uncertain what to make of the situation.

Again, adapting to both influences Verago grips Malcolm's penis rune and grows even larger. Even with Jack firing up at Verago's position. His footprints giving him away the Ion's were useless.

Maddening laughter Verago raises a colossal foot and slams it on to Malcolm's torso. Time and time again until the flames of Ymir expire. Malcolm was in pain. His roars heard for miles. Vamps in the distance sought shelter.

"He's going to kill Malcolm." Greta frets.

"Dammit!" Jack snarls handing her the rifle with a quick lesson, "Keep the lizard distracted. I'm going in."

"Are you bonkers?" Greta tried to stop him. He just pulled away from her aggressively. Feeling the sword on his back throbbing he felt now might be the time to try using it. He had no other options. Before removing Soultaker from its sheath he uses his tiny remote to call in the last few drones to follow his lead.

The weather was too unkind to be much help. Having to watch Malcolm's battered reactions to each footfall Jack heard loud cracking. He knew the sounds of bone well. Dreading his thoughts he pressed on. His biggest worry was whether this measly sword could even pierce the hide of Verago. Sending the drones upward to calculate and circle Verago's head was near impossible in its chameleon state. Heat signatures were weak in his guise including the coolness in the air. Top that off with the distraction of Malcolm's flaming features still ignited it was troublesome.

Racing in toward a large footprint creasing the ground with ripples of mud Jack stabbed Soultaker dead on at the mighty foot. Nothing. The sword was useless at this time. In this manner. He would have to reserve Soultaker for a more appropriate battle. All he could do was try a different tactic. From his bandolier he unclicks a round of grenades.

Ultraviolet combined with explosive. Jack then risked planting them between Verago's toes. Pins pulled he darts out of range.

Before any explosion could be heard Jack and the crew heard a loud sonic cry. This not from the collar access of Jack's present from James Ian. This from a rising Madigan Ridge from the hull of the ship. In her returned ghostly form she witnesses Malcolm's agony. The last impact forcing a glow from within Mal's gigantic body. His interior gave way to the devastation of Verago's stomps. While his impacting foot raised higher the grenades detonated. The pain of their rupture led to Verago losing his balance.

Falling back just as something rose up out of Malcolm's belly they heard Verago roar, "There it is. The fruit of Eden. The soul of God. The--" His topple backwards led to a loud crash of rising permafrost. Just as Madigan flew through screaming to check on Malcolm.

Approaching his face Maddy examines Malcolm's painful expression.

"Malcolm? Don't give up. I need you. We need you."

With draining energy Malcolm begins to shift in size. His apple rose into the air as if called upward and away. Without warning Verago's good leg kicks long and collides with the apple sending it out into Eden. Everyone literally followed the fruits flight. Right to the worst possible place.

"Aww! Hell! Please don't eat it." Elle cringed.

A towering T-Rex glares down at the apple and sizes it up as one of the drones. Preparing to bend forward another loud cry is heard. This incoming.

"Is that Cameron?" Greta points to the sky amid the darkness. The Moon and flames offering enough sight to witness.

"That's no Vamp. Looks more like an Angel." Elle squinted.

Diving in with black wings upon his back Cameron Scott swoops in to gather the apple. In triumph he rears back skyward with a resounding, "Maverick for the Win."

Even Jack Ramse had to smile. Cameron Scott had cheated death. Somehow. He was just glad he did. Watching his flight progression Jack felt uneasy. Straight up from Jurassic Junior might prove a mistake. Groaning at his dread the worst indeed happened. Cam holds the apple before him mesmerized by its glow. The distraction proving fatal. He never saw the jaws of death surround him. In a single mighty gulp and gnash of incisors Cameron Scott died once more. He and the apple swallowed whole. Jurassic Junior took the Win away.

"Dear God." Greta Winston takes the time to fire the Ion rifle directly into the belly of the T-Rex. Glowing fiercely the beast felt a change coming over it. Too the point that everyone took the opportunity to marvel at the evolution.

"Great. Now we get Godzilla." Jack grumbles.

Verago could not stop laughing. He had not laughed so hard in centuries. Millennia to be more precise.

Within the Tanker Sabbath Black returned to Gaea. Noting her sister Lillian looking pale. Ailing. The vision made Sabbath worry of Gaea's intentions. Now that she was free of Lilith's despicable prison her motives seemed to change.

"Lily?" Sabbath blurs to her side. Eying her sister's weakness she frets. True tears non vampirism grace her face for the first time since her Maker took her. This new body giving in to a more intimate pleasure of emotion.

"Something is wrong Sabbath. Gaea is lying. I am being purged."

"What? Why would she?" Haunted by a looming shadow Sabbath finds branches swarming her. Long deadly looking vines with thorns protruding lash out and encircle Sabbath Black. The thorns sinking deep into her flesh. Not even the parasitic cells that gave her tougher skin could stop their punctures. Blood was being withdrawn.

A new body for Lilith was being designed to their left. As if a mixture of chlorophyll and blood. Too their right a slash of mystic energy rips open a gap in reality. Darkness within the energy acts as if a vacuum. Sucking up something.

"No! Mother returns." Sabbath expresses terror. Her heart suddenly sensing the passing of Cameron Scott. Yet again.

From the mystic tear Sabbath and Lily witness Lilith's ashes floating until all of them were accumulated. Then, the mystical energy draws the hovering ash cloud toward the redesigning body. Connective tissues of Plant, Ash, Human and Vampire blood mixing. The twin girls hold hands and fear the worst.

Lilith had been reborn.

Back at the Ganthorian Hilton

Ruby still frightened by her earlier journey sat in a fetal position. The Bridge of the ship on looking the distance. Luckily in the western angle of the horizon. To her right lay Xander the dog belonging to James Ian Pryce. His Master ordering that he stay close to Ruby to monitor her stress level while he took to designing something for the future of his group.

Holding her stomach without realizing it she feels a warmth against her left palm. It was comforting. A faint smile relaxes her. It didn't last. The outside horizon lit up like a storm. This led Ruby to stand up and leer out into the night.

"God be with them." She whimpers.

Her stomach suddenly felt on fire. Reacting to it she lifts her tank top up to bear witness to a shocking development. Lit up across her lower belly were the letters "M A".

"What in the?"

Xander looks up to see the letters. Immediately his vision shows up on his Master's end of the telepathic reaction. From James Ian's lab the boy stops his tinkering and cringes. His response the same as Ruby's, "What in the?"

A lone rabbit fidgets in the darkness.

Below the disaster brewing all around her Sophia Ridge stood above the Foundation Stone. Listening to her tiny microbial friends singing an anthem inside her mind.

"Who needs an IPod. I have an IBod." She sighs, "What am I even doing here? What is this glowing rock? As if I'm a genius at puzzles."

Her last thought halts her ramble. Spotting a missing chunk on the exterior of the Stone she realizes something. It was in the shape of the Amulet's ruby. Puzzle piece indeed. Moving closer she feels the rock throbbing harder. Echoes over her body. Almost a tugging sensation. With each step her body trembles. Her tiny friends now offering a rendition of the theme to the movie Jaws.

"Knock it off already. I get the idea. Bad news."

Her friends changing tune to the original song of Rock of Ages. The Church version. It made Sophia relax. Her friends encouraging her forward. Finally, Sophia gives in with a..."What have I got to lose? We're probably all going to die here anyways. No better grave right?"

Her left hand extends to the missing section of rock and feels it's yearning. Upon a final caress Sophia feels her body light up bright. The red crystals easing through her body like blood pumping. From her toes upward her body evicts the red and assumes its original golden gloss. Red leading upward and out through her palm. In moments she was drained of the Amulet's influence. Light headed by the experience she feels faint. Looking up she see's a light.

"This must be the end." She mumbles.

The stone having absorbed the Ruby Amulet now reformed to occupy its original home. The stone was complete once more. The heartbeat throbbed even harder. It was heard everywhere. Like an earthquake in the earliest stages.

"Pretty light. I think I'll go into it." Sophia's eyes flutter.

Her delusion lost as she realizes the light itself was coming for her. It made her sigh. She felt privileged that it was saving her the walk. Then, with a loud cry she hears a familiar voice.

"Step away Friend Sophia."

A falling Roman Centurion waving his sword of light as a beacon to avoid his crash. Antonaeus Gaicazar would not leave his friend to die alone.

"He's so sweet." Sophia felt loopy, "I might have to fuck him."

Gaicazar lands awkwardly, the fall from such heights fatal to most. Gaicazar however was immortal. He had bones and muscle amplified by the armor given to him by the Life Fiber and Malcolm's rune. Still, the armor was fading away. This gave Antonaeus concern that not all was going well for Malcolm. It was not.

Hurrying to Sophia's side he realizes the Amulet's abandonment upon her succulent flesh. Even a Roman had to turn his cheek to avoid his lust. Instead choosing to track the Amulet. It wasn't hard to find. The glowing rock lit up the Ruby like a flashlight. Pulsing. Beating.

Then, Gaicazar notes something calling out to him. A thin straight line across the stone lit up bright white in color. Eyes narrowed he looks at the line then at his blade. It had the same width and dimension as his heavenly sword. The closer he grew to the rock his blade grew brighter. What could it mean?

"Sword in the Stone." Sophia giggles as if high, "Put the sword back my friends say. Maybe you're really King Arthur. His soul I mean."

Gaicazar had heard of such a Warrior in Myth. Could such a remark border on fact? Surely not.

"Aye!" Gaicazar plunges his blades tip into the stone. The throbbing halts instantly. For a moment no breath was heard. As if Sophia had to breath anyway. The Roman awaited his outcome. Better or worse. His faith was in God.

"Hey! I love this song." Sophia breaks the silence, "Blinded by the Light. By Manfred Mann."

Blinded indeed. Light so intense the world vanished for both of them.

Out like a light that never failed.

Up above, the T-Rex fueled by the ancient apple and the arcane magic of a Vampire Child towers 350 feet in height. Anyone below his sight line suddenly ignored the beast eyes a wavering Verago. Regaining his composure from his fall he was rising. Not enough to avoid Jurassic Junior's hunger lunge. Mighty jaws surround Verago's upraised forearm, used to block it's advance.

"What nuisance is this?" Verago roars. Aggravated by the beast. It's chest blinking from the power within. Runes slowly flickering into existence. Those gave Verago options. Besides the giant below was dead. His attention could be turned.

Below the battle the group had to wait for Malcolm to reduce to a helpful size. His body collapsed within fire swirls and ice chunks. His body inhabiting a twelve foot deep crater where his gigantic form had impressed.

Elle and Jack immediately raced to Malcolm's side. Their abilities easily making the twelve foot drop with no effort. Greta merely stood at the edge praying the giant battle above didn't interfere in the rescue.

Maddy was already there cradling Malcolm's head in her now tangible lap. Her tears rambling her words.

"Please Malcolm. Stay with me."

"I--here!" Mal whispers as they're joined by Jack and Elle. Elle immediately retracting her diamond arm in favor of her healing ability. Her palm plunging into the opened wounds of his belly. Luckily his blood flow was totally altered in his gigantic form. It took awhile to return to normal once he assumed his 6 foot stature.

"Can he survive without his apple?" Jack darted his gaze between events.

"Who knows. I'm trying to heal his organs and arteries. Let's hope they heal fast enough. Not much blood loss in or out. We might have gotten to him in time." Elle reports.

"M-Maddy?"

"Yes Malcolm?"

"Go get my apple."

"What?" Madigan's neck turns to the dinosaur above.

"I'll do what I can. Stay alive. For me." Maddy lowers his head away then stands tall. Her body ethereal at will. Gliding skyward she enters the fray of war. Verago having more trouble than he predicted in just reaching any rune upon the Tyrannosaurus' body. The beast was more formidable than imagined.

Phasing inside the Dinosaur's glowing underside Maddy locates the apple. Along with an unexpected sight. Cradled and holding the apple was Cameron Scott. He had eaten chunks of apple himself. Smiling at her arrival he grins amid amino acids.

"Took you long enough. Thought I'd keep Malcolm's soul alive."

"Malcolm's soul?"

"Yeah! The apple merged with his soul. Seeing as I don't really have a soul at the moment I figured I'd compensate until I got my own back. Just realized it's not just Malcolm's soul in this apple. There's someone else's soul in it too."

"Who's?" Maddy is repulsed by their discussion amid the gross nature of muscle tissue and organ reaction to Cam's body.

"Big Daddy."

"Verago?"

"Think Bigger." Cam chuckles.

"God?"

"Ding! Ding! Ding!" Cam winks, "Now get us out of Barney already."

Grabbing his arm by turning tangible just long enough to obtain them she phases both Cameron and the apple out into the warzone. The second they escape Cameron pulls away and takes flight with the apple. Racing down to Malcolm's resting body.

In response to his wingspan Jack and Elle are forced away. Cam crouching down beside Malcolm. Showing his friend the golden apple.

"Are--you--the Angel of Death?" Mal murmurs.

"Come on Buddy. All that talk of Zombies and stuff that used to freak us out? Long gone. We're better than that. Angel of Death? Maybe. Angel of Life? Right this second I am. Get well card coming right up."

Nestling the apple inside Malcolm's wounds the fruit bonds quickly. Healing Malcolm Brand within minutes. A good thing.

Above, the T-Rex was reverting to normal size. Verago observes the change and growls. His chance at the glowing runes upon its body lost. Jaws still chomping at Verago's arm the Fallen Angel merely smirks. Shaking his arm behind him he casts the Dinosaur away like a fly.