Loa Blood

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Monolith

Leaping from the park, I swiftly made my way toward the Coda building. I was almost at the building when I heard Paige's voice screaming, then The Crusher's guttural snarl, and finally my ear piece went dead.
I landed before the building, pavement cracking under me as I crashed down before the doors leading inside. Going up the stairs would be too slow. I knew the buildings layout, so I began circling it until I found the window I wanted. Looking behind me I noticed that the buildings Aralian garden was behind me, with it's natural rock formations. I needed a boost to get me where I wanted to go, and The Mother would provide. I laid my hand on the center stone, a piece of gold-flaked granite, and reached out to the earth, beseeching her for more power, and she answered. I felt the power flow through me and cried out as I grew, doubling my height and weight. I could feel the power surging through my body, enhancing my strength to heights I had never felt. I instinctively knew that as soon as I left the contact of the stone, it would bleed off, but it would be enough to get me where I wanted to go.
I leaped from the garden, up to the twenty first floor, and through the wall! I was still fifteen feet tall and over half a ton in weight when I slammed through the bulletproof glass wall, and into the control center. I stood up among the sparking computers and lighting fixtures, looking at my enemy.
" I believe we have unfinished business. Come play, little man!"
At that, I rushed the beast, slamming into it and bringing us through the Wall and into the next room. The fight was on, and this time there would be no holding back!

 

[Morgoth]

Grinning madly as the stone giant slammed them both through the wall, the Crusher grabbed the top of this newcomer's head. Then, still in the air, he used his levitation to stop them both. He slammed Monolith into the floor, jumped to the roof and leapt back into Monolith's midriff, tearing through the floor. Dust and debris rocketed up around them as Monolith tore through the floors, finally smashed into the first floor. Before he had a chance to even get up, however, the Crusher slammed his knees on the back of Monolith's head. Then, he grabbed the head again, gripping so hard that stone chipped off. He brought his face near. "I've also got some upgrades", he whispered, grinning. Then, he hurled Monolith from the building, watching in delight as he tore through the doors and crashed into the plaza, the force propelling him for 20 feet as he tore up massive gouts of pavement and earth.

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Monolith

SHIT!!!! This thing got stronger and smarter! He pounded on me pretty good, but he made one mistake. We were outside now, and I didn't have to worry about collateral civilian casualties. I picked up a medium sized boulder and launched it at the beast as it came through the wall, blasting it back inside with a roar of anger.
"Come and get me. It's time we finished playing and get this on for real! I shouted at the monster as it exploded from the building.
I leaped from the parking lot and headed north, going as fast as I could. Looking back I noticed The Crusher following me. Good! I kept moving, staying barely ahead of the beast until finally he caught up with me and we both crashed down into the ground, right where I had planned for us to be. I stood up as the dust settled around me and faced the monster, the walls of the Rock Quarry surrounding us like the stands of a ancient Colosseum.

 

[Maka]

Michael felt lost. He felt the need to confide in someone, but residual paranoia kept him wary. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a man in a grey suit, watching him. Was this girl one of them? Was talking to her the next stage in their plan for him?

He decided on a compromise, uneasy with full disclosure but unwilling to just walk away. His head was pounding, probably affecting his judgement.

"My name is Michael", he said slowly, "I worked for a corporation once. A big corporation. You'd have heard of them. I was a person once"

He hesitated, unable, now it came down to it, to articulate exactly what had happened to him.

"I changed", he said eventually, "I think they've changed me"

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Faiths mouth twisted.

"I was a person once too. Different than who I am today." She drew patterns in the remnants of split coffee. "Happy home, family who were smart and funny and big..." She grins again. "You know how big families are...always bickering but always there for you. But now..." She looked up to him, sadness in her eyes. "I'm from Locir, and I can't go back. I'm black listed there, my family under watch."

She shrugged. "So, I'm not that person anymore, and I discovered..." She paused and searched for the right words. "I discovered that people change depending on their environment, but the core...the core stays the same. Who you really are is always there, even if they try to bury it or take it away. Who ever your personal they might be."

She tapped her notebook. "Like the story I'm working on now. A woman who wanted to help others in the beginning, driven mad, but still trying. Just in a sick twisted way that the rest of us can't understand."

She put her notebook away, slipping her camera to take a quick shot of Micheal with the man he was trying to keep an eye on in the background, hoping that what ever flux field she was in didn't affect the film. Gotta love silent tech!

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

It sounded as if there was a war in progress downstairs, underneath her desk seemed like the best place for Jen to be right now.

She wrapped her arms around her knees and put her head down, her back firmly against the back of the desk.

What could be going on down there? Terrorists? Industrial sabotage? Gifted?

She thought of that last possibility with a little more curiosity than the others, she had never met another "Gifted", those rare folk who like her, had been changed by contact with the Loa blood. The psychiatric agent Coda had assigned her to, Dr. Brewster came close though. Their sessions were done within her mind and she knew his mental fortitude was indomitable.

Footsteps!

Then it came to her, it was possible that whoever it was could be after her! Coda had used her powers towards great profits, what if someone else wanted their piece of the pie?

Her door opened and she could see a shadowy figure coming towards her desk, she was frightened but prepared to trap the intruder in a mind maze until security came to her rescue.

"Please come out from under there Jen, we have work to do."

"Dr.Brewster!"

Jen got up from under the desk, Dr.Brewster regarded her cooly.

"Mmmyes, we are going to put your abilities to the test today Jen. There's a very dangerous Gifted that we need you to trap."

He held his hand outward, directing her to the elevators.

 

[Morgoth]

The Crusher laughed once they had reached the quarry. "Do you really think I'm so stupid as to fight you here? What do you think I am? Some sort of normal street punk?" He lifted into the air, flying forward and gripping Monolith in a tight bearhug. Then, they lifted into the air. "I'm gonna take you to a place I know... Woo woo woo... There's plenty of people there... Woo woo woo", said the Crusher, quoting the once-popular song. Then, he sighted his destination. With another laugh, he turned upside-down and began rocketing towards it, using his power to accelerate them. Below, people looked up in horror as they saw the two behemoths come rocketing at them. Screams came up towards the Crusher as the people turned to run. The Crusher chose a targte and suddenly released Monolith, throwing him at the same time. The stone giant hit the woman where her stomach was. With a sickening noise, he tore through her like butter, taking out her chest and most of her abdomen as well. After he had passed through her, he slammed into a massive flag pole, ripping through that as well. Finally, he went facefirst into the ground, the side of it tearing up pavement and dirt as his body went into the air. He skidded like this for 15 feet, finally coming to a halt. Blood, dirt, and part of the woman's intestines covered him as he lay there. Behind him the Crusher picked up a teenage boy, waiting for Monolith. As Monolith stood, the Crusher, grinning madly, took a claw, bringing it to the boy's chest. With a chuckle, he flayed him. Then, he hurled the child at Monolith. He laughed again. The giant would be forced to choose: Either swat him away and kill him or take the hit and kill him. If he attempted to catch the boy, the Crusher would just incinerate the duo.

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

A sleek white sedan, emblazoned with the CODA logo pulls up to the scene of the battle and four people emerge from within. The first two are generic corperate lackeys, well groomed Argonian men in their late twenties with bulges in their coats where their guns are barely concealed. The other two are strikingly different, both from the two young men and each other. The first is an Argonian of advanced years, his back stooped, supporting himself with a cane. The fourth member of this group is a beautiful woman of Phrygian descent, she is dressed in power clothes and her long black hair is held up in a bun.

The old man and the young woman sit on the ground, assuming meditative positions, the old man nods towards the two men. They draw their guns and fire two rounds at Crusher. His rapt attention is soon drawn and the Crusher sizes up the latest entrants on the field of his rampage. It is then when he is trapped, his eyes meet with the woman's for just an instant and the world goes blue.

The Crusher finds himself in an endless field of blue, standing several yards away from him are the old man and the woman.

"Very good Jen. Between the two of us we can keep your erstwhile 'cousin' in place. Now, do just as I tought you."

"As you command Dr.Brewster."

The vast blue field faded out and the Crusher soon found himself with his back to a wall and a vast corridor stretching out before him. THe walls, ceiling, and floor were white and metallic, seemingly unbreakable, lit from an unseen source. He would soon discover that he was in a vast maze.

 

[Morgoth]

He stared at the walls before him, seemingly unbreakable. The other wills floated up within him. The Crusher began blabbering unintelligebly. The nameless one was screaming. Screaming ever so loud. Mel was the only intelligeble one, attempting to enforce non-lethal methods. "Damnit! How many times must I beat you back?!" demanded Dan Williams, fortifying his will, crushing the others back. He turned to the wall before him. He roared and threw a fist forward. His fist collided with the wall, merely denting it. He cursed loudly and blasted the wall with heat. The heat melted only the first centimeter of metal. He growled, quickly becoming annoyed. "You pathetic mortals don't even have the guts to fight me?! Fight me like the worms you are!" he roared. He walked forward. Theories formulated quickly in his intelligent brain.

Perhaps this is a new reality? No. Perhaps this is a dream? No. Perhaps this is all some sort of illusion? N... Maybe. But how to beat it back?

He thought to himself as he moved through the maze. He chuckled. "Just wait until I get out of here. We'll have some fun then..." He cackled loudly as more theories circled through his mind.

 

[SwampThing]

Dugan's mobile lab

"What did you call my ass?" Nia asks.

Dr. dugan looks at the hole in her pants. "Gifted. At least from what I've seen so far. It means you've been altered by exposure to Loa Blood. Are you from Dracon Island?" The doctor rummages around his cluttered lab, and hands Nia a labcoat, camouflage pants and a "no fat chicks" T-shirt.

Just then, the vehicle rocks suddenly. Beer cans and instruments clatter to the floor.

"Beatrice! What the fuck?"

"This area has become unstable, doctor. The road has collapsed, the surrounding buildings are on fire, and rioting civilians are blocking our route to the Embassy. Quantum signatures indicate the Crusher and Monolith on the scene."

"About time the big guy showed up. Beatrice, find cover." Dugan turns to Nia again. "Look, whoever you are, I'm not sure, but I have a device that might neutralize the Crusher at the Embassy HoverCarrier. I just need to keep him in one place long enough to do it. You may be the only person other than Monolith who can stand up to that monster physically. Will you help him? Help buy me the time I need?"

 

[cats]

Nia

IC: 'Gifted. At least from what I've seen so far. It means you've been altered by exposure to Loa Blood. Are you from Dracon Island?' I placed a hand over the hole, feeling quite sure this was a horny old man. I nodded in response to his question as well but I doubt he noticed. Why does Dracon island matter?

He reached behind himself and grabbed a lab coat, and I took it from his hands as he offered it to me. He then reached down onto the ground and amongst all the garbage grabbed camouflaged pants and handed them to me as well. The pants had a few grease stains on them from use but the lab coat had a brown patch caused by a silver nitrate spill from some time ago. He then grabbed a perfectly clean teach shirt saying no fat chicks. Out of all the clothing I was questioning the t-shirt more then anything else, reluctantly I took the shirt as well.

The car stops and the doctor turns to speak to the driver threw the intercom. I quickly decided to use that moment to take off my pants and place on the new pair, the second new pair of pants that day. Once I had the pants on the doctor had almost finished talking to the driver I could tell by how the conversation was going. I was impressed with the doctors skill, he controlled this driver as if it was a machine, he must maintain a highly well trained crew.

The doctors attention returned to me. 'Look, whoever you are, I'm not sure, but I have a device that might neutralize the Crusher at the Embassy Hover Carrier. I just need to keep him in one place long enough to do it. You may be the only person other than Monolith who can stand up to that monster physically. Will you help him? Help buy me the time I need?' I had to make a decision and quickly. I survived one fight with that creature by luck, I'm not sure if I could do it again. In the back of my mind the dreams from before echoed into my conscience thoughts and I nodded out of fear of deaths wrath more then anything else. I would use the crusher to gamble on which fate death would deal me: to be alone or to simply end now.

I pulled the t-shirt over my head and firmly onto my body. I then reached under it and pulled out the remains of the last shirt I wore. I took the lab coat and pulled one arm threw and then the next. "I'm ready." I was now dressed and perhaps physically ready but mentally I wasn't sure of what I was doing.

I jumped out of the back door of the vehicle and looked back to the doctor for last minute instructions. My last words to him were "How long do I have to stall him?"

 

[Morgoth]

He stopped and sat. His mind retreated in. He sat for long moments, contemplating. He looked not only at his current situation but also at his entire existence within this form. He looked to his arm. It was regenerating, bu the slowness of it greatly enraged its owner. He calmed, dispersing emotion. The other wills floated to him, pestering him and annyoying him. Then, it occured to him. This new power could only be draped over a mind. Well, if there wasn't a mind in...

He laughed, exerting his influence over all wills other than the Crusher. Next, he himself ceded control , but kept dominating the others. The Crusher leapt at the chance. It instantly took control, and as its idiotic rationale took control, the maze faded. Once more, he stood on pavement, Monolith before him and the humans to the other side.

Dan Williams waited impatiently within. He seethed at needing this stupid beast. Well, after the first anything was thrown at it, he would once more be in control. Then, he would deal with those who had dared interfere. Next, he would grind the stone giant into sand. Finally, he would raze this god-bedamned city and spill Loa Blood all over the planet.

The men instantly pulled out their pistols, shooting at the roaring Crusher. It turned its glowing red eyes to them, irrationality and insanity clear in them. Then, as if it was some simple nightmare, rationality was restored. It did not stop the beast from raising a powerful hand, and the men leapt in front of Dr. Brewster and Jen as the heat blasted forth, incinerating the human shields. He walked to Jen, averting his gaze from her eyes, then lifted her by the throat, turning her face away from his, so he could look straight at her.

"I don't appreciate that, little bitch. I should snap you in two right here. But, I won't. I'll let you watch as I kill the other one. But worry not. You'll be next", he said, grinning maliciously, and threw her to the ground, breaking ribs. He growled, looking to Monolith. "Let's dance, big man", he laughed.

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Monolith

I managed to catch the body that The Crusher threw at me. He may have been alive when he was thrown, but shock and terror had killed him. By the time I had lain down the body, the Crusher was standing still, as if in shock or outrage. To the side some people, were standing, one girl in particular focusing intently on the beast.
GET OUT OF HERE!!!!! I screamed at them. I then began to reach out again. If I was to beat this creature I would need more power, and it had conviently drove me down into the bedrock, so power was offered, and freely taken. Once more I grew, feeling the strain on my body this time as I was not used to changing my form. I looked at the Crusher, where he had killed once more.
"Yes Kanda-Ra, we will finish this." I braced myself as the beast came at me, roaring in anger and madness.

OOC: Kanda-Ra is a old god of death & destruction from Svetla mythology

 

[Morgoth]

Thr Crusher drove a shoulder into Monolith's face, grabbed him in mid-air and body-slammed him into the pavement. "You have no idea what fun this is. I would've preffered you to be alive, of course. But since that little option isn't afforded to me, I might as well enjoy tearing you limb from limb", he said, staring down at the body. Then, he raised the claws and plunged them into Monolith's back, hard stone giving way to harder metal. The Crusher lifted Monolith up by his back and sent flame roaring forth, enveloping the figure still on his claws, the concussion blasting the stone giant off and into a wall.

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

Crusher saw exactly what Jen needed him to see, as the network administrator she had detected the anomoly forming within her own maze and decided to alternate the mental pattern weave. She had no further need for eye contact, having established the link so she let the Crusher play out his perverse slaughter in her mind. He woke up just as he spoke to Monolith, he would not likely notice that the white car and the four people were gone.

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Monolith

As strong and powerful as the beast was, it did not reckon on the power I gained from The Mother. I felt the claws sink into me, and could feel the heat from the fire, but it barely touched me. I picked myself up and launched myself at the beast, my fist striking it's face, fracturing it's jaw and sending metal and pieces of skin flying from its head. I continued my assault, but the power was fading again, and my blows were not enough. Ribs broken, jaw shattered, the beast still possessed enough strength to slam it's good arm into me, propelling me completely through one building and into another, bringing both buildings down. I could hear the beast's rage, but until I dug my way out of the rubble, I did not know where it would strike next.

 

[Morgoth]

Heat. Heat in his jaw. As it fractured, the heat that developed there enraged him. After he had knocked Monolith through the buildings, he roared and released amssive wave of heat. It was enough to instantly liquefied the rubble and debris, enveloping the buildings and utterly destroying what was left of them. He walked through the sclading hot liquid, unaware of it, and lifted Monolith. "Let's try this again! I do this", he said, once more plunging his claws into Monolith's back. "You do that", he said as Monolith screamed. "Then, I do this", he stated as he blasted heat forth, enveloping Monolith and throwing him forward once more. This time, the growth was not there to protect him and he took the full of the blast. "And you do that!" he screamed as Monolith slammed into another building.

 

[cats]

Nia

IC: I picked up a piece of re-bar from a damaged building. One end of the bar was sharp and could easily pierce flash the other had a large piece of concrete still attached. I lifted the bar above my head and slammed the stone against the ground, the cheap mortar broke off leaving the re-bar with only a pound or so of the Stone on one end.

The wind blew the open tail of my lab coat and my hair to the right. I stared straight at the crusher with little fear. I had a weapon and the crusher had damaged armor and a bad arm. While my chances of killing or even disabling it are only slightly better then before, my chances of wining are almost infinitely better.

The stone giant which I assumed was monolith was thrown back by the force of heat. The wave reached out and touched me. I wasn't sweating but in all right would be if I was human. I moved my weight onto my left foot first and then my right as I quickly ran toward the crusher and his exposed side. The metal was gone after the missile strike, the flesh still healing. The simple fact the crusher could heal was alarming but my healing was simply faster. My entire body was already healed but still ached as if I had a bruise across the areas where the skin had peeled away.

The crusher either hadn't noticed me yet or hadn't cared. I was now with in arms reach my hands were both on the re-bar. With one thrust forward the re-bar was thursted into the vulnerable flesh exposed from the missile attack. Half a foot was in the crushers side and with one flex of his arm I was thrown back and slammed into the side of a wall. My back hit the wall first and as my body bounced forward off of it my limbs continued back into the wall before I fell to the ground.

The crusher pulled the metal bar out of his side and threw it to the ground. I had made myself noticed and now the crusher would care about my peresents. I forced myself up and while my back was sore I hunched over forward, but then stood straight up moving into an aggressive stance. "Monolith, if you don't want to risk your life now is the time to escape."

 

[Morgoth]

"Please. How pathetic. Oh... It's you. The one from before. You survived the missiles. But can you survive me?" he chuckled. He charged Nia, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her into the wall again. His face was close to hers, and smell unlike anything he had ever experienced hit him. He sighed, partaking in it. "Delicious! I could just eat you up!" he whispered to her. She punched him in the face, going for his eye, but the eyelid shut before she had gotten to it. He stepped back, still holding her, and slammed her into the wall again. Then, he brought up a heavy knee, slamming it into her stomach. As she doubled over, his hands came together as one above his head. They rocketed down, landing heavily on her back, driving her down. He continued until he had had his fill. He lifted her again, and licked some blood from her face. "So delicious!" he sighed. A large bulge appeared below his waist, the metal forming to it.

 

[SwampThing]

Jen's Coda car doesn't make it far on the torn and ruptured pavement. Ahead, the road is blocked by a fallen apartment building, a few survivors sreaming or struggling out of the windows. The city's Emergency Services crews are spread too thin, with no chance of keeping up to the Crusher's rampage. Whatever the outcome of this day, Bay City itself will be no more.

The two Coda agents get out of the car and assist the aging Dr. Brewster.

"Come on," says agent Feynes, "The GAIA Embassy isn't far from here. It's well armoured, and they'll have emergency vehicles there."

The small group staggers and climbs over hot rubble, past hordes of wounded and dying. Dr. Brewster struggles along with his cane, leaning heavily on agent Feynes' arm.

The GAIA Embassy sits atop a grassy hill in a large park. It is surrounded by a teeming crowd of Bay City residents, many wounded or carrying small children, some trampling each other, screaming to be let into the Embassy. All are searching the same things as Jen's group. Shelter, and evacuation.

"I radioed our base for a chopper evac ten minutes ago," says Feynes, "There's no answer at control. What do we do now?"

 

[SwampThing]

Faith and Michael see people running in the street outside the cafe. They hear distant explosions, crashes, screams, and sirens. Emergency vehicles stream past from the nearby police station. The other patrons in the cafe cluster toward the windows, wondering what's going on. Then John Price bursts through the door, cigarette in clenched fist, trenchcoat flapping behind him.

"Faith! Thank the Wheel." The detective pulls Faith to him and holds her tightly for a moment. He looks at Michael, silently questioning. Then he addresses the room as a whole.

"Police! Everyone please remain calm, and proceed into the basement. Aren't there any radios working in here? The Crusher is destroying the city, we have to take cover." Someone screams something about having to get to their family. "Please! The authorities are doing all they can for your families, and Monolith is dealing with the Crusher as we speak. We need to find shelter, now."

As the cafe staff and patrons begin filing down into the darkened basement, Price whispers to Faith. "I've been trying to reach you on your cellphone, but the line's been dead. What happened? I was so worried about you!"

Beneath them, the first waitress down the basement stairs slips, falls, and breaks her leg.

 

[Morgoth]

With another grin, the Crusher forced Nia to the ground woth one heavy hand. With the other, he tore her clothes from her body. The metal below parted, revealing him. He licked her face, kissing her heavily. Then, with a grunt, he sunk into her. The feeling that flooded him sent his knees quivering. Below him, Nia began crying as he brutally raped her. After a bit, it was over. The Crusher fell to the ground, spent, the metal moving to cover him. After a little rest, he stood. Then, with a savage kick, he sent Nia flyin away into the wall. "No! This is weakness! This is unnactepable! I feel so drained. So pathetic. Gah! How could I let my perfection be destroyed? Damn!" he cursed, spitting. He stood, tired and weakened, waiting for Monolith, knowing that he no longer stood a chance.

 

[DarkThoughts01]

Fumbling through his pockets,Symphony stood,shaking out ash from his half-destroyed clothes."So,what should i do?"He asked,shaking his hea da bit to get rid of the vertigo.HE smiled crookedly at the doctor and fumble din the only unburnt pocket of his trenchoat,pulling out a tiny black box."huh,only one left,and the worst luck,its only my silencer"he says and shrugs,slipping it abck in his pocket.

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Monolith

Have to move through the pain. Pain is your body telling you that something is wrong. Well, I know whats wrong. Their is a Wheel-cursed monster eating people on the street and I'm laying here under the slagged remains of a building. Time to get up and do your duty! You wanted to be a here, so BE one!
Rubble cracked and popped, then slowly the pile shifted, cracks appearing in the melted mass of debris. Then with a crack like a gunshot, pieces of concrete and steel flew out as I exploded out of the tomb the Crusher had sealed me in. Looking around I saw the devastation the battle had caused, and I found that I could weep, as silicon tears stained my face. Soon sadness turned to rage, and I began to seek out the beast that had caused this misery. This time there would be no failing. This time the beast was going DOWN!

I found the Crushe a few blocks away from the wreckage of the building it had buried me in. What I saw shocked me, then all I felt was rage! It wasn't enough that the beast was murdering and mutilating the population of Bay City, now it was raping the women. I reached over and grasped a light pole and yanked it out of the earth. Breaking the tip off, I squeezed it in my hand and formed a crude but serviceable spear out of it. then, I reared back and with all the pain and rage in me I let fly! In slow motion too my eyes I saw the spear leap from my hands and propel itself through the beasts back, punching out through it's shoulder with a explosion of blood, tissue, and metal. The creature screamed in rage and spun around, but I was already in the air and coming down on it. The Crusher let loose a gigantic blast of flame, which started cracking my stone skin, but I fought through the pain and landed a heavy blow on it's injured shoulder, cracking the bone and causing to loose concentration, which extinguished the fire.
I rained blows down on the Crushed, and it returned the favor, cracking my skin in a dozen places with blows from fist and tooth, but I would not go down. We struggled across the city blocks, hurling each other through buildings and over the blasted rubble of what was the city, until finally we ended up where my fight had started, the Coda building. Both of us were battered and bleeding. My blood translucent and glowing, his black, thick, and oozing out of the cuts and gashes in his flesh and metal form. We looked at each other, eyes meeting, and knew that this was the end.
With a roar from two throats, two giants met, with a thunderclap, and when the dust settled, two giants were joined by a crude metal spear, piercing the Crushed through the chest, and Monolith through his. Hands locked around throats, and teeth buried in stone, both combatants had given there last ounce of energy to defeat their foe, and both had won. Monolith lay still as the stone he resembled, and The Crushed lay in his embrace, breathing shallowly, his accelerated healing finally worn out, but slowly recovering. Both giants lay quiet, but which would wake first?

 

[SwampThing]

Dr. Dugan sits on the operating table vacated by Nia. "Ah, you're awake. Hold tight there, man, you don't regenerate like the skirt, so you're as soft and squishy and killable as I am. I suggest you stay here with me. Unless, of course, you've got any other tricks up your sleeve. What's your story, anyway? I took a look at that device you blasted the Crusher with, and it didn't create that sound wave all on it's own. So I'm guessing you helped it. You Gifted?"

"Doctor," Beatrice's computerized voice comes over the lab's intercom. "The Embassy is surrounded by civilians. We cannot advance without harming them."

"Ash." The Amunet doctor climbs into the vehicle's command seat and speaks into a microphone. Outside the armored lab, the mob turns to listen to Dugan's amplified voice.

"Oi! Everyone please move away from the Embassy, and let this science vessel pass. GAIA is committed to saving your lives and your city in any way possible, but our only hope of stopping the Crusher is for us to reach the Embassy."

Slowly, the crowd parts, and the mobile lab makes it's way towards the building. Dugan sees that the vehicle bay doors are already open, the garage overflowing with wounded laying on cots and blankets, the small staff of the GAIA Embassy doing the best they can for their injuries. The doctor turns to Symphony.

"Can you move? Then follow me"

The two men leave the mobile lab parked on the Embassy lawn. Two white-suited GAIA workers run out to it, and start picking people from the crowd to treat inside the vehicle. Dugan leads Symphony into the crowded Embassy, and upstairs. Every room is the same as the garage, overcrowded with wounded. On the 4th floor of the building, they find a large hangar, roof open to the sky. The bay has two HoverCarrier bays, one empty, the other holding a metal craft something like a ship, and something like a truck. The HoverCarrier is white, with the green GAIA circle painted on it's underbelly.

"They must have used the other Carrier to ferry as many wounded as the could to the airport," says Dugan. "But this one has what we need."

Inside the Carrier's cockpit, Dugan shows Symphony into one command chair, and takes the other himself.

"Beatrice?"

"Online, Dr. Dugan."

"Take us up, and then set course for the Crusher's location. If you can't get a quantum reading, follow the Coda beacon implanted in Monolith."

The Carrier lifts off, and makes it's slow, clumsy way across the city. Symphony can see the extent of the destruction spread out below them, the fires still raging. At the foot of the ruined Coda building, he sees Monolith and the Crusher, both laying still and bloody in each others' arms.

Dugan asks for Symphony's help in unloading some equipment from the back of the Carrier down onto the ground. The street is eerily quiet in the aftermath of the battle.

With his bizarre devices arrayed around the Crusher, Dugan has the Carrier's crane arms lift Monolith up and away from the unconscious monster.

"We'll leave him for Coda. It's the Crusher I'm here for."

A sphere of shimmering grey energy forms around the Crusher, slowly at first and then growing more solid. Dugan takes a swig from his hip flask and passes it to Symphony.

"It's a force field generator. Don't know how long it'll hold him for, this is the first field test. Now we take him back to Dracon Island. You still with me?"