The Spark of the Flame
The hidden city of Atlantis has risen above the scorched clouds for the first time ever with natural sunlight instead of the artificial mystic light that once showered the city. But to the new way also comes sorrow and grief. Half the city is in ruins, many are dead and few are injured. Those able are mending the injured, others burying the dead. The cities biggest hospital is over run with injured so much that Sevenfold Labs has to take in patients. Nightmare is moved to special ward in Sevenfold labs along with Zero who is in critical condition, bleeding out from a severed arm.
With lots of commotion filling the hospital and labs, Athame’ helps keep order in the labs along side Lament. Soon the two are visited by the Headmaster of the city whom is very upset with the unfortunate events that have fallen.
Meeting the two in Nightmares office with two personal guards. Both stand in front of the headmaster with their heads down.
Headmaster: 9,102 injured and counting… 2,813 deceased… and counting! Two thousand… two thousand years this city has been hidden... unseen by any form of evil of all kinds… and yet some how you manage to destroy it in a matter of hours. Explain?
Athame'’: The former champion of the city… has gone rogue…
Lament: The instructor Brandis… has joined him…
Athame'’: The vampire in our custody was a…
Headmaster: You know, never mind! I don’t want to hear it. I blame myself… I should have closed this unit when after my predecessors life force had ceased.
Athame'’: Sir it is my fault… I sought to expose and control and danger that proved harmful to the city. I should have used better judgment. I do plan to rectify any mistakes I have made..
Headmaster: No…You will do no such thing. The city has proven safe in the natural light. Away from evil… instead Athame'’ you and your team are confined to these labs until I see fit as to what to do with you.
Athame'’: But sir!
Headmaster: Be well that I don’t do worse… you are confined to these labs continuing as you are, pending consequences for your actions by my self which you will receive in due time.
The headmaster leaves the room.
Lament: This is bad… Very bad…
Athame'’: No shit…
Lament: Athame'’?!
Athame': I know… excuse my language but I DID just find out my best friend is the ultimate evil that destroyed my home using my lover as a puppet to its demise.
Lament: …
Athame': What’s Zero and Nightmare status…
Lament walks over to the monitors in the office linked to Zero and Nightmare and reads them to Athame'’.
Lament: Nightmare is showing some advanced brain activity that’s progressing slowly- could take days for him to awaken but he will. His development into what ever powers will only be determined through a series of test… which can’t be done until he wakes up.
Athame'’: And Zero?
Lament: Zero has finally been stabilized… he’s on stand by for the O.R. in the advanced synthetic and cybernetics division but he’s at the bottom of a long list since the attack. We have every doctor, droid, and medic working over time to attend to as many patients as we can.
Rynth then emerges into the room from the shadows drawing attention from Athame'’ and Lament.
Athame': You… why are you still here?
Lament: How are you here is the question… I saw Brandis…
Rynth: Your friend… Brandis… he saved me from my old life… I owe to him what you may call… a life debt…
Athame': Well I’m not sure if you realize but Bran is kind of tide up with evil at the moment… so life debt paid.
Rynth: Such a can be paid even if it means saving the person from themselves…
Lament: I’m not sure you heard but we are kind of under lock and key. Guards are being post through out the lab as we speak. (saying as she turns on the holographic hospital security camera) Even escaping to take action is becoming unlikely.
Athame': Not actually Lam… Rynth is it? How did you get in this room?
Rynth: My gift allows me to move through shadows, bringing me any and where ever I choose.
Athame': Could you take others with you? Or even a carrying vessel like a ship?
Rynth: Theoretically yes… I can take people. Two… maybe three at once, I’ve never tried it, but a ship would prove most difficult due to its size and weight.
Athame': Well we have a possible plan of escape.
Lament: No.
Athame'’: No?
Lament: Yes, no. You’re acting on pure emotion here! We’ve been placed under strict orders from the head master to stay put. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I’m not risking my family just so you can get your boyfriend back!
Athame's blind eyes glow red as she looks up at Lament with a glowing hand of magic. Seeing the horror look on Lament’s face she calms down.
Lament: What’s happening to you?
Athame'’: N… nothing…listen… I just believe it’s possible to get Bran and Inferno back… you don’t understand… it’s not something Bran was born with... it’s something that was done to him… being evil is not in his nature… I know it. Please… you were willing to protect your family from anything… well help me protect mine…
Lament: Well… if we are going to get them back we need to know what we are dealing with first. Can’t be flying with only part of a plan.
Athame'’: What do you suggest?
Lament: What do we know exactly about Inferno, first of all? (saying as she brings up Inferno’s personal file for the city)
Athame'’: Trophies… rewards…. Jobs… achievements… titles… powers of pyrokinesis… back ground and biography?
Lament: Says here he suffers from amnesia…
Athame'’: Yea… he has no memory of his life before he came to the city. But he said he had found who he was when he went on his quest… if we could find out what he did maybe that will bring us answers?
Lament: Possibly but who do we know that would know such? Also how would we bring him and Bran back from the dark side…
Athame': When I was talking to Bran’s mother she was trying to tell me how to save him… before she… crossed over…
Lament: So what you’re going to journey to the other side to find her?
Athame'’: Can’t, there’s no way of telling what plain of existence she went into… would take months… we don’t have months…
Rynth: The one you called… Inferno, said the world was once his, so he must be older than time at most… possibly at least… older than man.
Athame'’: Older than man? (with puzzled look on her face)
Lament: What?
Athame'’: I know who we need to talk to…
Meanwhile back at Inferno’s command room Brandis, Mortis, and Cold fusion kneel before Inferno as he stands before them.
Inferno: Unfortunate… I was hoping to keep my charade as “hero” going until the right moment. Ya know… the art of humiliation and all… but a small plan compared to the big one at hand. I underestimated the wit of my once best friend. No matter… the true end of days is near… Fusion (saying as she looks up) Mortis (saying as she looks up) I require… substance… fuel for the up coming ritual.
Mortis: My people have boundless resources in food, wine, whatever you wish my lord… I will inform them right away.
Inferno: No… well yes… for later perhaps. But for this I need power… warriors… soldiers… for the upcoming ritual.
Cold Fusion: For you my lord?
Inferno: Hehehe for me? No… just do as I command and ask nothing… go now.
Cold Fusion and Ana Mortis began to leave to retrieve being of “power” for Inferno, until Inferno stops Mortis.
Inferno: Um… Mortis wait a second…
Mortis: Yes, my lord? (with a nervous look on her face)
Inferno: Come here… (she walks closer and kneels) no stand. (she stands) I find it coincidence that my secret was expose prematurely during the attack… you didn’t have anything to do with it did you?
Mortis: N..no sire… I was surprised just as much as you.
Inferno: Really?
Mortis: Yes…
Inferno: I believe you… no vampire would be so sly as to do such a thing… especially one of your status. One who fears to lose everything she’s worked for in her hundreds of years… wealth… infamy…
Mortis: Yes my lord.
Inferno looks close to Mortis, picks her head up and looks in her eyes with a smile on his face.
Inferno: Brandis…
Brandis: Yes m’lord. (still kneeling)
Inferno: Come here.
Brandis walks over to Inferno and Mortis.
Inferno: Do you believe I can trust this vampire?
Brandis looks at Mortis, then lets out a ferocious dragon growl strong enough to push back her hair, causing Mortis to flinch slightly.
Brandis: Yes m’lord… she fears wrongin’ or displeasin ya. Which is leashin’ her t’ ya side wit loyalty.
Inferno: Brilliant… off you go vampire.
Mortis: Yes lord… is there anything else you need?
Inferno: Not from you.. not now at least.
Mortis begins to leave the room as Inferno and Brandis share a look of trust.
Inferno: Oh vampire…I almost forgot there is one thing (saying as Mortis stops to turn around)
Mortis: Ye… AHHHHHHH!!!!!! (screaming as Brandis grabs her from the side and savagely bites into her neck)
Inferno: I need you power for the pool…
Mortis continues to scream in pain as her voice echoes through the castle.
Back at the city Athame’, Lament and Rynth put their plan to leave the lab into action.
Lament: Are you sure about this?
Athame'’: I have to be…
Pulling up the holographic star map.
Lament: Well the Star map is not able to locate angels… It does however show a large power surge in this area…
Athame': … Inferno and Brandis… No doubt. Well we are in the clouds; if I can get to the Deathbat I may be able to use its tracking systems, along with my aura sense to find them…
Entering the room in a remote wheel chair.
Nightmare: Or you can enlist in my help.
Lament: Jack! (saying as she runs to hug him)
Nightmare: Oh oh oh .. easy… still a little sore.
Lament: Sorry… just really happy to see you’re ok…
Nightmare: I know… touch and go there for a bit how’s my little niece in there?
Lament: She’s good, happy to see her uncle is alright (saying as she smiles).
Athame'’: I’m sorry… but can we get back to the matter at hand? You said you can help Jack?
Nightmare: Yea… um ancient Greeks…
Athame': What?
Nightmare: Ancient Greeks…
Athame': What do they have to do to with anything?
Nightmare: The Greeks use to worship the gods of Olympus who were said to live on the top of mount Olympus. Of course as years passed gods gave birth to one god and angels… I’ve always theorized that they were one in the same…
Athame': So you think where ever mount Olympus was it where the angels actually are?
Nightmare: Yes.. if I am correct the coordinates of Mt. Olympus is….here (showing on the star map.)
Athame': Good… lets go then…
Lament: I can’t leave you… not that you’re awake now…
Nightmare: I’ll be fine big sister… go… just take care of my niece and your self… don’t try ot be a hero.
Lament: Trust me I won’t.
Nightmare: I’ll get you all the clearance to leave to docking bay. The sinister jet systems are online to take you where you are going.
Rynth, Athame'’ and Lament begin to leave through shadow Rynth created. The three shift through shadows making them easily undetected by security, placing them at the entrance to the jet. With the engines already warmed up for take off the three sneak on board and take off with little to no interference from the security as they believe the ship malfunctioned along with a other ships systems who had done so since the attack.
While on board Athame'’ sits puzzled by the events that have happen ignoring the real moon unseen for years, that has captured the attention of Lament and Rynth.
Lament: Say what you will… being up here is peaceful, probably the only good thing to come of this entire ordeal.
Athame'’: If it last…
Lament: What do you mean?
Athame': I just have a feeling something bad is about to happen… even if we find Inferno and Bran… how will we turn them back…
Lament: … When you saw Bran’s mom… did she mention anything else that could help?
Athame'’: Her last words do have me puzzled… she said “penetration of the flesh with me…” what did that mean?
Lament: Metal?
Athame': No…
Lament: Well would make logical sense… in all dragon tales… the dragon dies when the night pierces its heart with a blade… Bran, is a drake… a dragon of sorts.
Athame': So you’re telling me that Brandis’ mother wants me to kill him…
Lament: Maybe…
Athame': I don’t believe that.
Lament: Don’t have to… but if she did meant that… are you prepared to do such?
Athame'’ looks on through the window.
The next morning Rynth, Lament and Athame'’ awake to severe turbulence in the ship.
Athame'’: What is it?!
Lament: I don’t know! Turbulance maybe?! Looks like a storm is coming up on us.
Athame'’: Can you fly us out of it?!
Lament: I can try! But it won’t be easy!
As Lament sits in the pilot seat to take off Athame'’ stops her.
Athame': Wait! Look…
The clouds form and move into the shape of a familiar face, which soon greets them with a loud voice.
Voice: Greetings my friends…
Athame': oh my… LD?