Episode Ten- The Return

The Monster Within

Within everyone and everything good lies a root of evil, the will to be the strongest, cruelest and most blood thirsty. Just as within everyone and everything evil lies the stone to be good. But for either side… it only takes the right push to knock us over the line.

At the Hidden city Patient Zero, and Inferno sit in Sevenfold Labs circled around Ana Mortis whom has awaken from being knocked out by a force unknown. She sits in a folding chair as Inferno and Zero sit in front of her (Zero standing and Inferno sitting in another chair) dizzy and in slight head pain.

Mortis: Fuck… anyone get the number of that bus… (saying as she sits up). Wow, I pass out and you all stick me in a chair… feeling the love…

Inferno: Running a little short on beds…

Zero: What happen?

Mortis: Would it kill ya to ask if I’m alright, human?

Zero: It just might.

Inferno: What happen?

Mortis: Ugh…Can I get a little something? A shot or a sip of blood maybe? I am feelin a little dizzy… specially since I was trying to help… fuck, might have a concussion…

Zero: Vampires don’t get concussions…

Inferno: Zero… (saying as he looks at him then back at Mortis) its been almost a day since you were awake…

Zero: Yea, figured as a vampire you should have popped back up right after being knocked out…. Whatever knocked you on your ass must be something massive about it… or you were just putting on an elaborate show.

Lament then enters with a blood pack from the opposite room.

Lament: Knock it off you too… we’re good… I got rid of the Head Master’s trio. But we’re running out of time… he won’t hold off on not knowing what’s going on for far too long, we need to tell him something before it’s too late.

Inferno: How is it directly on us again?

Zero: When Athame’ volunteered to be head of the DOWP, the Head Master claimed anything or any one associated with her is part of it, including any outside disturbances or unexplained phenomenon’s.

Inferno: So that means?

Zero: Me, you, her, Bran, Lament, Jack… even the vamp here… are all responsible for the cities invasion… (looking over at Lament) what are you doing Lament?

Lament: She needs nourishment if we’re going to get answers.

Zero: (Walking toward Lament) you don’t actually plan to feed this thing are you?

Lament: …

Zero: Lament, come on think about this (saying as she walks to Mortis with a blood pack).

Lament then hand the pack over to Mortis and hands it to her.

Mortis: Can’t get a glass or something?

Lament continues to hold the blood pack out toward Mortis who then takes it, turns around (so no one can see her drink) and bites into it. After a couple seconds Mortis spits it out in disgust.

Mortis: What the hell is this pee water?!

Lament: It’s synthetic… smells, looks but taste slightly different from the real thing… but still nourishing. You’re not the only blood consumer alive you know…

Mortis looks at Lament with slight annoyance.

Lament: There’s a place for you here too Ms. Mortis if you ever wished.

Mortis: No thanks honey… I prefer my world than this… you know what they say about ruling in hell (saying as she continues to drink from the blood pack).

Zero: Ms. Mortis? When did we get on a formal level with the blood sucker? Yet alone put out the fuckin’ welcome mat?

Lament then walks out the room into the room where Jack and Athame’ lie in separate coma’s, with Inferno, Zero, and Mortis walking behind her.

Lament: Because Zero’ I don’t know what she did… but look (the lights go out and Jack’s neural spike patterns come on a holographic screen in front of them) This is what Jack’s patterns looked yesterday before Mortis tried to heal him (shown spiked all over the place) This is them now (spikes are shown more in sequenced).

Inferno: So that means he’s getting better?

Lament: A lot better than before… but something I still can’t figure out..

Zero: What? He’s less smart?

Lament: No I’ve seen them before… (get interrupted by Inferno who is comforting Athame’)

Inferno: How is Athame’?

Lament: Still no difference…

Elsewhere Athame’ sits in a mystic like place talking to a manifestation of Jean, the birth mother of Brandis. Her aura sight gone (seeing normally) and communicating with Jean, whom communicates the same way as Athame’ is forced to, without the use of her mouth and only her mind.

Athame’: Jean… what… you’re hear… where… where are we?

Jean: Being a being of high intelligence and magical skill I am surprised… mystic haze, energy, natural light… communication through mental capabilities...

Athame’: The spirit plane gate way between life and death…

Jean: Very good.

Athame’: But I thought this plane and others were lost during the fall?

Jean: Nature has been trying to mend itself since such event. Starting with separating all the planes of existence… in time with great effort… it shall mend the world that has been forcefully destroyed…

Athame’: Then why am I here? Why are you here? Am I dead… or… dying?

Jean: You were brought here because you desired answers no other could give… fate has brought you to me young one… you… are far from death.

Athame’: Brandis… what is after him? What’s happening to him?

Jean: … As mentioned nature will mend itself for all living things… but for this to come you must stop… him…

Athame’: Who? Bran?

Jean: ….

Back at the Hidden City.

Inferno: So we are back at square A… No idea who or what took Bran, nor who or what the Sphinx is working for. I suggest we find out what this new evil is coming?

Lament: New evil?

Zero: Something we figured out while the vampire was snoozing. Think about it so much shit has gone wrong… too coincidental… and that thing (pointing in the direction of Cold Fusion’s cell) is not it… she may be working for it but she is not it… it’s bigger… always something bigger…

Lament: So what then?

Inferno: We head back to Draco Mountain… I mean who ever it is need Bran for something… got to talk to his family… they may know something we don’t.

Zero: Not a good idea… ya saw what happen when we visited last time.

Inferno: I know and I can’t fly both of us there and back. Alone I can do it in a matter of minutes… there’s no way I’m carrying you there… I’m not a cargo plane.

Lament then walks up to another viewing screen as she shuts off Nightmare’s neural patterns.

Lament: You won’t have to… last time we were there we got the latitude and longitude of the mountain… few key strokes and coordinates… should be able to teleport you both there in seconds.

Zero: You can do that?

Saying as she begins logging in the coordinates.

Lament: Yes.

Zero: Why are we first hearing about this now? My teams have been going back and forward via transport crafts risking our neck. This entire time you’ve had the tech to teleport anyone from one place to another?

Lament: It’s not perfected yet… right now it can only displace living particles one at a time and non-organic objects will not transport..

Zero: English?

Lament: It can only transport one person at a time naked… plus there is a matter of your arm. Though it is organic metal, there are inorganic materials needed for its function. If you went there is a slight chance of malfunction in certain systems.

Zero: …

Inferno: Well it’s better than nothing…

Saying as she looks at the computer confused.

Lament: oh… it’s… it’s gone…

Zero: Bran did say the continent shifts a lot…

Inferno: Damn…

Lament: Well… I still have the lands mass and matter of the entire content… I can tell the computer alert and lock on to the new location when it resurfaces..

Inferno: Good… well we… should get some sleep… maybe it will be there in the morning…

Mortis: Can I at least get a ride home?

Inferno: Zero… watch the vampire…. Keep her in a nice cell.

Mortis: What the…?

Lament: She’s good to stay here… theres an extra bed in the office… Jack Keeps it there in case he works late…

Zero: So ya want me to leave you alone with the vampire? Looks like time on the outside didn’t affect you any.

Lament: I can take care of myself… besides…if you feel better you can bunk with her… your apartment is across the city any way.

Zero: Not a bad idea… detention cuffs with her sleeping attire… only I will get the bed, it can have the floor.

Mortis looks with irritation as she drops the empty blood pack and Zero places her in cuffs, luring her from the room as the door closes behind them. Inferno then pulls up a chair next to Athame.’

Lament: Inferno… you don’t have to stay here with her… you can go home… rest…

Inferno: I’ll rest right here next to her…

Lament: You have lots of love for her don’t you…

Inferno: She has been there for me more than once… every since I got here. I will not turn my back on her now when she needs me most.

Lament: … Like Jack… know how you feel. ( saying as she drapes her arms around Inferno)

Elsewhere on the astral plane.

Athame’: Is it Bran?

Jean: Thousands of years ago I fell for a young warrior in the ancient of city of Greece. Strong, agile, more than skillful in the art of combat and loyal beyond normal. You see we Drake’s only choose those of great will and strength to fall for so that we may mate and make life just as strong and will-full.

Athame’: …

Jean: It’s true we choose humans with such will and strength… sometimes even more than human. Brandis’ father was definitely more than such. He was strong… fast… resilient… more so than regular warriors in his time. I didn’t know it until a time later but he was a man with great power. He some how was able to channel the energy around him from other living things to create and use the energy to be boundless. He was even able to heal non fatal wounds in mere moments. He fought many battles and conquered more.

Athame’: I’m sorry… but you haven’t answered…

Jean continues.

Jean: In time I became granted with life… and once again he was called into battle. This battle was different from many others… I remember it more because it was when I lost my lover and husband. I begged him not to go for sense of the worse… but loyal to the very end to his king he went on. He kissed me and his unborn son good bye. Months passed until he returned… but different… darker. He had changed and thought me to not know of it, but I did. I too had my gifts as a drake and more (Jean is empathic, she can sense danger with those she care about most as well as feel the emotions of those around her). It took time, but by great means I discovered my husband made a pact with a demon. (Jean would catch her husband and the demon conversing in reflections) Some time during the battle, of which he was gone for month, he suffered a fatal blow from this same demon, unhealable with his gift. He’d beaten the demon but at a great cost of his own life. As a last chance the demon bargained a pact to save its and my husbands life; a pact not for wealth, money or power but to see his family again.

Athame’: He allowed the demon to bond with his flesh… but I don’t see…

Jean: When Bran was 21 dragon years old he had a best friend… a Kat… she had a litter of babies… nine kats.

Athame’: So that’s where Bran… wait but…

Jean: Unknown to my son… something happened with he and his best friend… they were attacked… and from the attack something manifested in my son that I had hoped would never do so…

Athame’: His powers… like the ones he’s been having…

Jean: Not his powers… ITS powers…

Athame’: It? You mean…

Jean: … My nature was unknown to my husband. The demon had taken on all the memories he possessed but when IT discovered what I was it tried to kill me… as a protector… a drake I am bound to do what I have to save and protect even at the cost of my life… but would never sacrifice my child.

Athame’: You hexed the demon…

Jean: Yes.,, I stripped him of his powers and ceiled them within my son up on his birth. Leaving it trapped in a dead body… powerless. It is because of my husband’s power the demon made the deal so that it may absorb more power for its self for unknown means. It prayed on my husband’s one weakness, the love of his family and kingdom. Stripping him of not only my husbands powers but its own, I had stopped the demon… but cursed my boy in returned. All was well and unknown to my son until the fateful day he killed his friend after it’s powers manifested within him… until this day he is unknown to the truth. That of his friend dying at his hand… and the power within him.

Athame’: But why… why would you do that?

Jean: With the demon stopped it could wither, die and turn to dust as most ancient ones do in time… I found away to ceil the power within Brandis with out them manifesting… ceils of the flesh sketched in the blood of the dragons.

Athame’: The tattoo’s on his body?

Jean: Yes… I had hoped in time I would be able to teach him to wield the powers for good… but the festering power of evil corrupts in time if not nourish sufficiently and fast… and old ceils break the older ceils. New ceils must be created upon every manifestation or the essence of the demon will slowly taint his mind and his soul will follow. The darkness within him will pray on his fear… pain… doubt… loss… if not stopped he will rise and presume to be the new weapon of evil… as the demon before him once was.

Athame’: …How… do I stop him?

Back in the hidden city.

A small alert awakens Inferno from a small slumber. He see’s Lament passed out at her desk, Athame’ still unconscious in front of him, and Nightmare across in the distance from her. He then looks at the viewing screen to see the alert pointing out the location of Draco Mountain. After glancing at the screen, Inferno goes to try to teleport himself to the location. But unaware to how the machine works he changes his min. Inferno then opens the window, looks at everyone in the room then flies out and off into the distance.

Back in the lab the next morning Lament is awaken by another alarm coming from the machines measure the life of Nightmare, whom has begun to go into cardiac arrest.

Saying in an alarmed voice.

Inferno: Oh no no no no… Infer… (looking around) Inferno?! Damn it…

Lament then begins to do what’s need on her own to revive her brother. Accompanied by her telekinesis, which she uses to pull, push, and hover medical supplies to herself. Begins to worry more, she is soon joined by Inferno whom flies back through the window (after being gone for hours).

Inferno: What’s happening?!

Lament: Help!!

Seconds go by and the two soon manage to revive nightmare, with great relief.

Inferno: What happen?

Hitting and slapping Inferno Lament bust into tears over the almost lost of her brother. Inferno soon calms her down by consoling her. Soon Zero joins with Ana Mortis still confined to her detention cuffs as she sits her in a chair and walks over to find Lament drying her tears and leaving Inferno’s arms.

Zero: Wh… what happen?

Inferno: We… we almost lost Jack….

Zero: What? Is he ok?!

Lament: Yes… he’s alright.

Zero: Well what happen…

Lament: I don’t know… (saying as she begins to look at all over Nightmare’s results)

Inferno: Was my fault… I should’ve been here…

Mortis: And where were ya hot shot?

Inferno glances hard at Mortis whom then goes silent as she turns away quickly.

Zero: She’s gotta point… were’nt you suppose to be here…

Inferno: I was… I stepped out to go to draco mountain and speak to Bran’s family.

Mortis: Hahaha… figured… lone hero to the end.

Zero: Shut up vampire… what the hell were you thinking? Think ya can go away for a year and become a kamikaze?

Inferno: Wasn’t… wasn’t anything like that…

Zero: Well… did you at least find out anything?

Inferno: No… nothing at all… more so than humans… dragons are a very bold and arrogant race…

Lament walks over to check Jack’s vitals.

Lament: Jack’s fine… should be for a while… though his brain activity is still…

Zero: Still what?

Lament: Better if I show you…

Elsewhere.

Athame’: Tell me… please… how do I stop it?

Jean: Only with that of our blood and unconditional love can you ceil and aide that which lie within him.

Athame’: Another ceil?

Jean: …

Athame’: But…

Cutting her off.

Jean: Trust when I say young one… my son is more fragile than he seems. He will need your help and your love or all that will be will end at the hand of his ascension. If you can not save him… you will have to stop him.

Athame’: …

Back at the lab lament pulls up a multiple holographic screens with various neural brain patterns. Mortis sits off on a wall in a chair, while Zero and Inferno stand on either side of her. Nightmare and Athame’ lie in another room.

Lament: Ok… this is a normal human being neural pattern. (showing neural spike in blue) and this is the pattern of someone whom has evolved, rather it be naturally or engineered or even mutated (showing a second set of spikes in orange closely more tight together). These are Jack’s (showing yellow spikes similar to blue and orange).

Zero: Sooo… Jack’s evolving?

Lament: More like he’s de-evolving and evolving. You were right Zero… the outside world had an effect on him, possibly the radiation… I don’t know… have to run more test. But if I had to guess… he’s been evolving for years… just under our cities artificial sun he has been at normal rate. Exposure to the radiation outside of here has progressed his evolution to a very fast rate.

Zero: … (staying silent as he walks over to the open window)

Inferno: So this is good right?

Lament: No… I mean if I am right… this is good but just as bad.

Inferno: How so?

Lament: The evolution is so rapid his body is trying to reject the process, treating it like a virus… if it doesn’t stabilize I will have to transfer him to the mystic center to prevent him from going into cardiac arrest again… another one will kill him.

Mortis: Don’t have the capabilities to give new life? Tsk tsk…

Lament looks at Mortis with annoyed look.

Lament: We do not alter the order of things.

Zero: Well… if that’s so… it better be either THEM or us doing it…

Lament: What?

Mortis: (laughing hysterically) He said it… not me. (saying as she adjust her self in the chair)

Inferno: That was… (listening to distant waling from a horn) What’s that…? (saying as he looks out the window with Zero and into a shocked face)

Lament then follows to see what Zero and Inferno see out the window and becomes shocked at the sight in front of them. A large army of monsters, demons and various creatures of the deep of all shapes, sizes, and origins have made their way into the city. Another invasion has come once again only this time lead by a crazed monster covered in black veins and various tattoos. Medieval black armor covered in silver spikes with a war skirt, one inch talons and black as night eyes. His animalistic fangs are revealed through the clouded sky as they soon reveal the identity of the leader of the invasion.

Lament: No…

Inferno: …

Zero: Yea… it’s Brandis.