Far Pangaea 47: God Forbid

"Dear God!"

It was not only Jack Ramse and Elle Franklin to respond this way. They were merely the first to recite it out loud. Madigan voiced her shock. High above them Malcolm thought it as he leered down from the Heavens. Even Greta Winston who stood along side the Elder Seth in his floating Greenhouse.

"Seth? The dark sand...it's turning normal. Grass is growin'. How?" Greta darted her gaze about. Informing the blind man of what he might be missing. Of course he already knew. His plants had given him the good news.

"Eden is returning. God has spoken. Praise be to our Creator."

Greta wasn't so certain it was God. She had seen the Roman Centurion apply his blade to the ground. In front of Sabbath Black of all people. A Vampire who should have perished the second the Sun shone upon her alabaster flesh. Yet, there she stood pretty as she pleased. In all of her naked glory. Her body shimmering as if crystalized.

"Yeah. Praise be." She trails her voice off with a glint of worry.

Down below Gaicazar continues to praise Eve for her sudden reappearance. If not in physical form. The others could only acknowledge the possibility it was really her.

"Rise Warrior. I know thee not. Still, I know a man of God. Your blade is surely gifted by God's hand."

"He and his son. I have heard stories of this land. Of you and your mate." The Roman remains upon his knee, eyes lowered.

"Her Mate is here as well. Given voice through this Maiden of Purity. Although violated of body through dark magic. She resists. We honor her for her devotion." Sabbath's voice turns masculine.

"Adam?" Jack shakes off his nerves.

"As I am known. As God has deemed me."

"It is an honor to meet both of you." Jack steps up, "We are here to save our friend Cameron. He's in there with you and Sabbath."

"Yes. The talkative one. One of many talkative voices."

"The parasites. They've been a big help it appears. How can we rescue Gaea and your children? The Vampires we can rid you of. Sunlight will destroy them."

"Sun's going down Jack." Elle reminds him.

The Colonel eyes the horizon. They had less than two hours at best before nightfall. Once the sun vanished the chances they have to end this was going to get ugly.

"Right. Adam? Eve? Forgive me but we need to work on exterminating the Vampires. Will our war harm Gaea and the Children?"

"We are uncertain. The prison they are held within has a dark magic. It's walls coated in something preventing their escape."

"The Dark liquid?" Elle points out, "The oil?"

"I don't think it's the oil Eleanor." Madigan responds considering what she noticed in the Meat Locker, "I know what smeared oil looks like. What I saw looked more like paint. But, not paint. A dark non reflective coat. I think the interior of that Meat Locker was designed to keep reflections away."

"Vamps can't see their reflection can they?" Jack guesses, knowing a bit about Vampire lore through movies. He used to love Nosferatu before encountering the real thing.

"Not for the Vampires. I think the souls might see their true bodies and might be able to..." Maddy gets cut off.

"Be reborn." Adam poses through Sabbath.

"How could they be reborn if their bodies no longer exist?" Elle winces.

"Whatever reflection they bear witness too can be taken over." Eve invites herself out to speak.

Gaicazar rises to his feet. Moving closer to Sabbath. Leering down upon her he wills his life fiber suit to go from a deep shade of blue into a chrome like state.

"I give my body up to you in God's name."

Jack and Elle widen their eyes at his decision. This could go bad. It could be remarkable. Through Sabbath's gaze he could witness a swirling fire within her eyes. Almost hypnotic.

"We thank you Warrior. Yet, we cannot abandon this child. We were reborn inside her. Our children within that vessel have not been reborn. Only Mother Gaea. It was she that was manipulated by Lilith to inhabit the form of Lillian Black. A Mother's love even for her lost child unwavering. Lilith has deceived her Mother." Adam shows them a bit more knowledge.

"So, is Gaea and Lillian lost to us? Can we do anything to save them?"

Sabbath takes her persona back, "I believe I know how."

"I'm listening." Jack took investment.

"The Foundation Stone."

Sabbath points toward the ground.

Glares around the group bring more questions.

Madigan looks back at Jack, "Indiana Jones time. Be back soon."

Phasing through the soil Madigan Ridge went exploring.

Within the Tanker the Fallen Angel Verago loses his temper. As much as his hand attempted to clutch the Light he could only grip a hold over Lillian Black. Yet, try as he might he could not remove her from the Meat Locker's threshold. An unseen force barring his retrieval.

"I must devour this light. Why can I not claim your souls?" He roars. His hand searing at Lillian's touch. The Light was burning his flesh. It was then that he realized the parasites had abandoned him. He was no longer invincible to harm. Save for his siphoned bit of Immortality to keep him from suffering.

"My Mate has forbidden you from all things associated to the Holiest of Realms." Lillian speaks with Gaea's voice, "You who have Fallen from grace. You who are lost and shall always remain so. You who have not seen your errors."

"I will not give in. Heaven shall be mine. Here on this world. I sense you now Mother of Mothers. My Mother."

"I do not claim you. Release me."

He sneers and lets go. His grip retreating outside the chamber. Something she had just said giving him pause to think. All around him screeching Vampires who were giving up their slumber to witness things for their Mother Lilith. In what is interpreted as weakness Verago turns and steps away. Reaching an area of dozens of Lilith's children. With an unexpected fury Verago lashes out and grabs six children in one hand, four in the other crushing them in a mass of blood and pulp. Returning to the opened door to the Locker he reaches in and mashes their blood along the interior walls. Coating the substance along the sides. In doing so the light reflects against the disgusting interior décor.

"See me." He spatters the back walls with blood. His refection faint yet enough. Gaea screams as her children abandon her. In a maddening frenzy of Light the six souls of Adam and Eve's offspring vanish into Verago's body. His hand clenching at their arrival. Glowing. Accepting them. They forced to embrace his evil.

"Ahhh! Cain! Brother killer. Welcome. I trust you will keep your siblings in check."

Deep within their screams go unheard. Gaea was alone. Save for Lillian. She would talk to herself. Even with blood masking the darkness of the walls Her light was so much stronger. Verago forced to salvage his feast. Savor in its Heavenly taste. Regardless, they were only morsels. Indigestion at best.

Deep below in the Nest of Lilith, Mother of Vampires her fears grow. She had felt her children perish. The second they were crushed into bloody dessert. If not for the power of the Light and the walls painted by human slaves long before they were turned, they might have survived. The Light of Gaea reducing them to ash.

Her sorrow bordering on vengeance she realizes her own errors. She had believed Verago would follow her out of love. She should have known her own treachery would never keep him in check. Perhaps his true born Child she was carrying might hold him at bay. In mere hours her child had grown. What was predicted days before birth might be hours away. This being the offspring of Angel's fallen or not had intentions of stepping away from his Mother. Never had she expected a birth to be so fast in its approach.

As she rubs her belly smiling Lilith fails to notice Madigan Ridge drift in the shadows. Moving past her and her slumbering children of darkness. No scent. No noise. No body for sonar to pick up. No blood flow to sense life. Only death. Even if temporally.

Maddy flows deeper into the caverns. The path leading as it did Verago to the meteor. It glows upon her approach. She realizes this must be the Foundation Stone. It's tender pulse felt even in her spectral form. There was life here. The beginning of all that is.

"Are you God?"

Outside Jack made the call as Cam's persona claimed Sabbath. Convinced that if they were going to succeed then the Light needed to enter their house now. Not a second longer.

"ROCK THE BOAT BABY!" Cam yells up at Malcolm in his mountainous size. Malcolm was really glad to hear his buddies voice. Even if it was coming out of the hottest body in sight. Well, save for Sophia. Mal needed to get his mind out of the gutter.

Leaning over Malcolm grips the base of the hull and strains his rocklike body. Sinew rippling even in its hardened state his runes pulse with pride. Snarling in a roar of thunder he lifts. The Tanker tipping ever so slowly until it topples on to its side. The crater below it a chasm that dropped hundreds of feet into the Earth. Screeching led to fire. Fire extinguished to ash. Hundreds of Vampires lost their ill attempt at survival.

Within the Tanker Verago himself lost his footing. Glaring up at the port side of the hulls interior. Enraged by the interruption in his quest to steal Gaea as well, Verago turns toward the Light upon him.

"I shall return for you Mother of Mothers."

Abusing the souls of the First Families progeny he eradicates the Vampire cells within him. With six souls combined with that of Cameron Scott's he fuels his body with enough energy to fight. Ripping his way through debris Verago shreds open the port side hull beneath Malcolm's underside. Examining the rocky definition of Malcolm in his colossal form Verago spots the glowing runes. His eyes narrowing at their meaning. He knew of these cryptic writings. Though Nordic in nature they were ancient. Beginnings of life in primordial existence.

"Power." Verago smiles, "Power to vanquish them all."

In a huge mistake Malcolm Brand feels a hand upon the worst place possible. Verago had touched his penis. Looking down with a glint of horror Malcolm saw Verago growing. Ripping the hull wider in his exit. In a matter of minutes Verago had enlarged to match Malcolm's 350 foot size.

Mighty feet crush the hull under his weight. The Tanker being demolished as his battle stance engages. Malcolm had no choice but to wrestle with his own demons. Inside and out.

As the battle begins Jack orders everyone back to a safe distance. All obey except for Gaicazar. The Roman seeing his chance to wage his own war on Lilith dives headlong into the chasm below. Vanishing into the shadows.

"Dammit!" Jack grumbles again feeling the sword Soultaker vibrating along his back. Ignoring it he and Elle raced to safety. The battle around them could easily trample each and every one of them. In his run Jack uses the drones remote to guide the Greenhouse further out to safety. Lowering it closer to the ground just in case the drones lost power. He needed to be certain Greta and Seth were safe.

Sabbath Black darted about as the sun lowered ever closer to the horizon. She knew the Children of Lilith would take flight the second darkness ruled the land. That and for some reason she was feeling her body ache. Ignoring her own fears she races about the battle between giants. Her sister was still in the Locker. She would not let her perish.

"I'm with you Beautiful. Let's save Lily."

"Thank you Cameron. Bless you for your concern."

"Our concern. I'm a part of you. You're a part of me. Hey, maybe we can be the new Adam and Eve?"

They both hear the affirmation of the First Family within them. They would be honored to share their lives. Suddenly, Cameron gave up on his dirty thoughts. It was Sin right? Bad timing.

Elle observed the battle from the distance. Now joined by Sophia in an uncertain need. Sophia worried about the Amulet. She wanted to join the battle but was afraid she would hurt her friends in the process. Her expressions bothered Elle Franklin.

"Two options Sophia. Drop down that crater and help Gaicazar take out Big Momma, or we take dance lessons from Godzilla and Rodan."

"I'll go south and help Romeo. You stay up here and help Jack. The Vamps are bound to wake up here in about thirty minutes. He might need your solar abilities. James gave you Ultraviolet so you watch our Leader's back."

"Be careful. Don't eat anyone important."

"I'll try not to."

Sophia bolts away and as Gaicazar did earlier takes a swan dive into the unknown. Lighting her body up on the way down. Screeching continued to be heard loudly. The night light was now plugged in.

Within the Tanker's abused shell Sabbath Black led her inhabitants in a topsy turvy sprint into the distorted bowels below. In the carnage it became harder to locate where she was. They were. Only her mental connection to her sister led her like a compass.

"Lillian?" Sabbath cries out. Debris to her left revealing a glow. This led Sabbath to begin tearing away chunks of metal and wood away from the section. The Meat Locker damaged by Verago's increased size. Walls were the only thing keeping Lillian and Gaea contained. They had collapsed all around them in a blood soaked cocoon.

"I am here." Lillian calls back, "Stay back Sister. The walls can be deadly to your Vampire form. Not even you could survive this. Only I survive due to Gaea."

"What the heck is lining these walls Sabbath?" Cam wonders.

"I am not certain."

Adam enters the persona, "The blood of the Creator."

"God's blood?" Cam sounds surprised.

"No. Yes. The Foundation Stone seeps blood. A dark blood. It is the Creator of the Creator."

"Say what?" Cam acknowledges confusion.

Before more could be explained Verago's mighty foot crumbles the hull. A massive cave in pins Sabbath under the weight of steel tonnage. Even with her Vampire strength and the assist of the parasites invulnerability she could not move.

Darkness had come. Inside and out.

Feeling strange Sabbath curls up under the wreckage. Her body steaming slightly. "What is happening to me Cameron?"

"Not sure. Sun didn't kill you. Delayed effect maybe?"

Lillian weeps from below, "It is a reversal. The moon is now your curse."

"Roofs wide open too." Cam looks up through Sabbath's eyes, "Soon as the Moon pops into view we're all toast."

"I do not want to die again. Please Cameron. Please Adam."

"We are forbidden in Eden. This has cursed your body. Each time you wandered away from your sister and Gaea our souls rekindled. Returning to Eden for any length of time we wane. Forgive us Host. I fear it is we that destroy you."

"Great!"

Cam was out of ideas.

The wrestling match above led to Verago toppling Malcolm over on to his back in an impact that shook the entire area. Down below cave walls were crumbling in on Vampires hugging the sides to avoid the last bit of sunlight.

Gaicazar ahead of Sophia utilized his sword to create light of his own. It's heavenly glare forcing Vamps to retreat. Mother Lilith was not happy. The closer the Roman got to her nest the more her baby stirred.

"Do not be frightened." Mother calms her baby within the womb. In turn her mental call goes out to her taken children, "Protect your Mother. Protect her true Angel."

By the thousands, Vampires take flight. Some sacrificed in swarming the Roman. Others in escaping past Sophia. Her bodies ultraviolet light taking out dozens. The night would be a bloody one.

Each roll upon the ground of the battle between Malcolm and Verago shaking the landscape.

Bats storm the now night sky. The Moon rising quickly. Jack and Elle stood back to back. Ion rifle firing. Solar induced lasers from Elle's eyes carving a devastating swath. Her diamond exterior lighting up the night as if flood lights across a football field.

"If we don't survive this Jack. Just know I loved serving under you in this Godforsaken land. Short of a tour of duty as it was."

"We're not dying here Franklin. Keep at it. All we can do is keep fighting until dawn." "Sure. Only eight hours. We got this in the bag. Body bag."

"Ye of little faith. Everyone has a mission. Eden is coming to life again. Thanks to us."

"True dat!" Elle smiles, "No Biggy right?"

"Right." He continues firing and severing limbs, wings, and heads in a glorious light show of Ionic energy.

Screeching increases in volume. Something was spooking the Vamps. Jack and Elle maintain their resistance until something loud accompanies both the shrill and the struggle of colliding Giants. It was the roar of something big. Something not as big as Mal and Verago. Haunted Elle looks to her left and raises an arm well lit.

"Shit! We forgot the dinosaur." Elle whines.

"T-REX! Wonderful."

Elle sighs, "You know it's sad when Godzilla is smaller than our WWE boys."

"Why do you always get in the last word?"

"I didn't. You did. Guess you're right."

Jack continued the good fight.

Elle continued the good light.