Over the edge

[Prophet]

He was extremely weakened but he was awake, and he had what probably DIDN'T register as a smile on his face, but it was there. Sharon had left Haleigh alive and for the most part well. It was a powerful moment, but it made Cameron very happy to see, even if for a moment, the Sharon Kelly he knew before resurfacing. His happiness was short lived as Silver Swan is knocked FAR and away by the arm of NEMESIS.

"Told ya'll we should have made sure that thing was dead. This is the LAST thing we need!"

Cameron kept his thoughts to himself, and watched as Ava and Delilah ignite an AMAZING energy attack at the beast, just as it was lunging towards Dominique. It appeared to be dead, but it did last time as well, so keeping a close eye on it was a must in this situation.

Delilah: We need to get there! Time to end this bastard, now!

"I couldn't agree more...[coughs]"

And though he was extremely battle worn and weak, He stood to his feet, ready to do whatever was necessary, because THIS had been what he was talking about all along, THIS had been what he was trying to show Sharon. No matter WHAT the circumstance, no matter the BITTER and DEEP hatred some may have had for each other. When the chips are down, the Six ante up. They throw it all to the side, they do what they have to do, and as shown throughout this entire caper, they work extremely well together. THIS was family. THIS was how they paid the piper, and moments like this were the kind that showed them that what they did MATTERED.

In a blur, Delilah was upon the platform, attacking Jessica dead on. He would have to let Ava and Delilah do their work for now, they had the most fire power, but there was still the VERY real matter of the progenitor virus being released into the atmosphere. It had to be stopped, he HAD to think of something..

CRASH!

During the rumble with Jessica and Delilah the platform was shaken to the core as part of it came TOPPLING down on Ava and Cameron. Mustering the strength he had left, with a squint of his eyes, the wreckage halted a mere few feets above their head before hovering a safe distance away and crumbling to the ground. Trying to think on his feet, he looked at the telescopic device. Maybe if he could unhinge it, veer it way off course, they could escape an impending apocalypse. He wouldn't be able to do it just telekinetically, he would have to have access to the control panel, and he was afraid that if actually REACHED out telekinetically at the virus itself, he would risk exposure.

From beneath him and Ava, a telekinetic construct in the shape of a rectangle lifted them both up into the air and on the level of the platform, as a secondary telekinetic "net" scoops up Delilah before she hits the ground and delivers her back to the platform as well, unscathed . Cameron looked at Ava and Delilah.

"You two keep her on her toes and I will see what I can do..."

Making his way to the control panel, he took a seat, trying to acclimate himself with the technology. He was savvy, but nowhere close the way that say Haleigh or even Nicolas was, but he was doing his best, as he slowly began moving the telescope in the opposite direction of it's intended course, his ultimate goal was to catapult it out of the atmosphere of Earth. He watched as the coordinates rapidly began to change with his movements and he prayed to God he was doing more good than harm.

 

[Persephone]

Nemesis was down for the count...at least for the time being. It gave the rest of them a chance to finally turn their attention to Viper. Delilah sent a powerful blast of light followed by a photon blast in an effort to disorient and injure Viper, however she managed to evade it. The photon blast instead hit a portion of the platform sending it crumbling down on top of them. Cameron quickly stepped in an prevented the platform from squashing everyone, and quickly made a"platform" of his own underneath herself and Delilah allowing them to float up to where Viper was.

Once reaching the same level as Viper, Persephone's eyes darkened seeing the woman up close and within reaching distance. She was going to murder her. Send her to the deepest depths of hell where even the evilest of creatures would fear for their lives. With her eyes locked onto Viper, this was PERSONAL. Within a split second, Ava's transfiguring whip snapped around Vipers neck like a tight collar.

"You used my sister as a pawn in your little games...."

Yanking Viper toward her, charges of electrical pulses flowed from Ava's hand, through the whip, and into Viper's neck. As she became within reaching distance, Viper was met with a hard palm to the chest anchored by a blast of wind, sending her flying OVER the platform with enough force to literally break her neck.

"Now you'll be USED BY ME!"

Hanging by her neck 100 feet above the ground, the leather whip melted into thick spikes, digging their way deep into Viper's skin like butter, threatening to tear her head from her body as each second passed.

Looking down, over the edge at Viper.

"BLEED DRY you worthless piece of SHIT!"

 

[Viper]

round one

and now there's NOTHING you can do to stop the process! in less than 15, the beginning of the END will come upon this mudball, the cries of a NEW race being born under MY RULE will be heard across the globe!

Viper licked her green lipstick covered lips as she blinked her apple gree eyes a few times and soon her sight was returning. in time for an up close visit from none other than Persephone!

Oh PLEASE you potted plant....

But then she brings out her OWN toy, a whip! it snaps across and wraps around Viper's neck, jolting her with violent electrical charges

you think....this .....can HURT me....

the haunting resonance in her voice seemed to vibrate as she was assaulted. Persephone, displaying that killer instinct she strived to be known for, pulls Viper toward her with the whip and then blasts her off her feet and over the edge with a powerfull gust of wind! for a moment Viper HANGS. her legs dangle and shake.

"BLEED DRY you worthless piece of SHIT!"

Viper DOES indeed cough....and LAUGH.

For one thing, Persephone forgets that she can FLY and her first order of business is to HOVER and immediately end the tension from her hanging by the whip. her NEXT move is to grab hold of the whip and SNAP it back toward Persephone using her full measure of super strength (25 -50 tons) the shockwave is enough to throw Persephone off balace as Viper takes off, FLYING into the air and YANKING Persephone off the platform with her courtesy of her own whip.

coughing and gagging in a most awful sound

that wasnt....very nice. you walking coral reef!

Viper hisses as she takes aim, in mid air and FIRES a FULL POWERED Venom Blast at Persephone. her venom blasts were similar to Persephone's powerfull lightning bolts, but against MOST beings, super powered or not, the venom blast would often destroy their body with a LETHAL combination of venom off the scale AND bio electric energy. With Persephone being IMMUNE to all poisons, including hemlock the venom blast would not kill her, but it WOULD be like she just got hit by one HELL of a powerfull concussive blast.

If Persephone couldnt keep herself aloft after Viper yanking her off the platform, the venom blast would almost certainly spell doom for her sending her flying into a wall of the dome or hurtling back down to the floor below.

coughing.... I....don't LIKE when people try to RUIN my PERFECT body! so JEALOUS! just like Daddy said.....just JEALOUS!

Viper was about to fire upon Persephone AGAIN with another full powered blast. even if she was immune to the VENOM, she COULD eventually be taken down by the other aspects of the blasts.

But Viper kept coughing as she now hovered in the air. Something was wrong. The wounds in her neck, while not LETHAL to someone of HER physical constitution had caused the most extreme trauma to her body ever before OR after her emergence from suspended animation. and the electrical blasts...they ruptured the harmony within her body as well.

UGH....

Viper hovers...but doubles over....CONVULSING as she exclaims with surprise and agitation! and then something UNEXPECTED began to happen as her body trembles and GLOWS. Viper's body spasms, throwing her into an upright position as she hovers, now with her hands over her face as she transforms....more like MUTATES. In her original form, Viper was indeed the perfect physical speciman, she was a beautifull woman and a GENIUS like her father even if she had the aspect of a derranged child. she was the ULTIMATE weapon...testimony of Mystech's legacy but NOW? she was becoming something else.

Her skin takes on a golden, transluscent appearence, she sprouts large dragon fly like wings from her back and antannae from her forehead, and her hair now flows upward in a flame like form.

NOW look what you did!? you made me lose my PERFECT BODY! you jealous BITCH


The key to the virus was to AVOID extreme physical trauma that was where so many other test subjects had failed. Jessica and her father had the forsight to keep her in suspended animation for 20 years which gave her a tremendous advantage but now? the one thing she underestimated the Six (and Sisterhood) on was their ability to CHANGE the game at the last moment.

Still, in her new form, Viper was QUITE powerfull and MORE dangerous, she had a more insect like appearence, although still having a humanoid feminine form and her venom blasts now took on the form of powerfull flame like bolts that could incinerate nearly ANYTHING they hit. as her wings created a humming sound from flapping so fast, Persephone was greeted by a SWARM of MEAT EATING dragon flies that came SURGING in from the hole in the top of the dome. Viper also had a telepathic rapport with draggon flies and other mutated insects on the island in her current form.

 

[Seer]

and so

<< Persephone was not one to be intimidated, but in light of all that was happeneing, even she might have briefly entertained the possibility that she'd just bitten off more than she could chew. Viper had now mutated, due in large part to the damage Persephone had inflicted upon her but the woman was FAR from finished as she now unleashed a swarm of mutated dragon flies upon the goddess and then flew in herself and unleashed a blast of acid flame.>>

<< the battle was personal and FAR from finished and Persephone had just placed herself between those still able to fight and Viper's wrath, which like any child with a tantrum, can be completely over the top!>>

<< Meanwhile>>

<< After saving MorningStar from her fall, Prophet seeks to stop or at least DELAY the process by which Viper will end ALL life on earth in the next few minutes. It's a TREMENDOUS stretch for the mentat, but he must try. He knows that his sister, Harbinger would do no less herself.>>

<< he discovered that his BEST bet would be to dismantle the function of the telescopic device and HALT its course. He couldnt STOP the virus that had already been released into the air and would soon be carried aloft by the wind, clouds and ocean currents BUT he could prevent the virus from being released in the FULL dispersal PATTERN that had been programmed into the device. It was a new attempt for the mutant, using his mental powers to effect machinery in someway. Telepathy was useless but Telekinesis, if applied with enough precision and discipline by a strong enough mind, could help. Harbinger had done it when facing Sentinels years ago and now it was his turn to try...the world's IMMEDIATE fate rested on his ability.>>

<< and so, as Viper and Persephone squared off, Prophet has a precious few moments to do what he can. and soon, he begins to FEEL progress.>>

<< the telescopic device begins to groan as gears grind and systems start to fluxuate and fail. the telescope itself STOPS its slow revolving and begins to turn BACK.>>

 

[Persephone]

Viper began to hover, taking the tension off her neck from the spike covered whip. However the damage was done. Viper's neck/shoulder area was covered in 3rd degree burns and deep stab wounds. However it was going to take more than that to knock this bitch out. Viper grabbed Persephone's whip and snapped it back at her, her enhanced strength causing the goddess to stumble back, stunned. Only seconds passed before Viper took off flying, dragging Ava off the platform and into mid air . Hanging by the whip's handle, she wasn't about to let Viper have the upper hand by keeping Ava suspended in mid air 100's of feet above the ground. A gust of wind soon circled around the goddess, keeping her body suspended in the air as well. Letting go of the whip, Ava flew backwards, keeping her eyes trained onto Viper.

Viper: that wasnt....very nice. you walking coral reef!

"I was never a very nice person."

And with that Viper sent a powerful venom blast directly at Ava. Quickly flying out of the blasts direct path, she managed to avoid the brunt of the attack, however she was still hit by it. Crying out, it BURNED like hell. The venom had no effect on her body but it still felt like she was hit in the shoulder by a flaming sledgehammer. Ava "tumbled" through the air before hitting the dome wall. The wind continually flowed around her body, keeping her from falling to her death.

Viper: coughing.... I....don't LIKE when people try to RUIN my PERFECT body! so JEALOUS! just like Daddy said.....just JEALOUS!

With her hand babying her shoulder, Ava grimaced feeling that the 3rd degree burns ate away her flesh.

"It sounds like your father had a SICK obsession over you. Although it wouldn't surprise me if he had you on the side as well. My father always said Marcus was filth on the most severe level."

Baiting Viper in a way she knew would effect her, Ava was hoping to by time to recoop. However she didn't need it....Viper began to convulse; the wounds she sustained from Ava's earlier attack affecting her more severely than first anticipated. But as Ava watched, she realized this was definitely not a good convulsion....not the kind that lead to death. No, Viper was CHANGING, into something not human. She looked like a giant BUG!

"What the.....honey, no one's jealous of you now."

Soon the dome filled with a humming sound, and suddenly mutated dragonflies were upon Ava in seconds. They began to pick her flesh like piranha. However stupidly each time they touched her acidic blood, the dragonflies would "scream" and burn up, falling to their deaths.

"You're not the only poisonous bitch around here, Viper."

Ava took off in hurricane-like speeds, flying upon Viper in seconds. Tackling her mid-air, both woman tumbled through the air; Ava clawing and punching the mutated woman with her own enhanced strength as if they were fighting on solid ground. Grabbing the woman in a vice grip by the neck, Ava growled.

"Tell me something.....how do you fair in the cold...?"

Pushing her away, suddenly the temperature around the dome began to descend instantly. As each second passed, 5 degrees would drop with it. Soon it was a bone chilling 40 below freezing. Like any bug or reptile [as Viper seemed to be now], the cold was their ultimate Achilles heel. Extending her hands out, frozen particles of ice and wind collected in front of Ava before blasting directly into Viper, sending her flying back and SLAMMING into the frosty dome wall.

 

[Prophet]

Cameron was trying his damndest to halt this thing from infecting the entire world, but it was far from easy. He had basic tech classes as had the rest of the Six, mostly thanks to Haleigh. She had trained them all in the basics of hacking and interfaces in the event that she was...incapacitated. Beads of sweat drip down his face.

"You've got to try something, Cameron. ANYTHING..."

He could FEEL the intense energy radiating from Jessica and Ava, and he knew they were going at it. From the corner of his eyes, he saw what Viper had mutated into, and it was absolutely terrifying, but it was something that he suspected. He knew they were wearing her down, slowly but surely. And now, he had to remove his focus from them completely and focus on the task at hand. He hoped Ava and Delilah could ward off Jessica long enough for Cameron to pull off what he was about to try for the first time.

In his time away, he had definitely focused and TRAINED his mind. He meditated extensively, he honed his powers in ways he never thought possible. He himself was stronger, and now that was about to be put to the test. The only way he could think to stop this machine from doing further damage was to dismantle the function of the device, hopefully altering it's course. Some of the virus had been released into the atmosphere, and THAT he couldn't stop, but if he could veer the virus the device off course enough that it didn't release in the most important areas, the WORLD might have a chance, and he would have to do that with his telekinesis.

"Focus. FOCUS."

Prophet was battle worn and TIRED as hell, but his strength of will, through the things he had gone through was UNCANNY, and he knew he could count on that.

He is able to find an online blueprint of the device as he closes his eyes, mentally molding the blueprints to what the actual device mechanisms would look like all in his mind. He can see them spinning, he can see them whirling all very fast, and with his next thought, he begans to telekinetically grab HOLD of this device, of this image in his mind and do his work. As he begins to jam the device, he can FEEL and HEAR his work being done. The machine begins to make very loud noises as the gears and sprockets began to jam and fail, some parts stopping completely.

"ALMOST...GOT...IT..."

The telescopic devices begins to stop revolving out and begins to retract and begins to turn BACK, AWAY from it's path of destruction before FINALLY reaching it's starting point, completely still and utterly OUT of commission. He had done it. Cameron was actually quite amazed with himself. This was something he had never done, and the fact that he had mentally attacked and effected objects he couldn't necessarily SEE made him feel... a little like his sister. He hid his excitement as he turned back to the computer system. Though the device was halted for now, he figured it was best to try and find some kind of override command that would take the device offline indefinitely. He was not done just yet.

 

[Viper]

in the obsevatory

Though mutated, Viper STILL maintained her human awareness and intelligence and the ability to communicate. Her swarm of dragon flies brings pain to the goddess but her own physiology continues to make her the best suited member of the six to stand against Viper.

Still, like any jealous, spoiled child, Viper is VERY competitive and will not be beaten so easily.

"You're not the only poisonous bitch around here, Viper."

Ava took off in hurricane-like speeds, flying upon Viper in seconds. Tackling her mid-air, both woman tumbled through the air; Ava clawing and punching the mutated woman with her own enhanced strength as if they were fighting on solid ground. Grabbing the woman in a vice grip by the neck, Ava growled.

Persephone barrels into her and attacks. Strong as she is, Viper does not fall as she attempts to retaliate.

you're going to REGRET this!

as they struggle in mid air.

"Tell me something.....how do you fair in the cold...?"

Pushing her away, suddenly the temperature around the dome began to descend instantly. As each second passed, 5 degrees would drop with it. Soon it was a bone chilling 40 below freezing. Like any bug or reptile [as Viper seemed to be now], the cold was their ultimate Achilles heel. Extending her hands out, frozen particles of ice and wind collected in front of Ava before blasting directly into Viper, sending her flying back and SLAMMING into the frosty dome wall.

Viper seems to seize up from the freeze effect as she its the wall. a well thought out move indeed, but James Marcus was a genius and his experiments with the progenitor virus on leeches and insects yieled many fascinating results and mutations.

zooming in on Viper's now golden skin, THROUGH it and now inside her body we find a system unlike any human, mutant or otherwise. moving through the body's system as if we are a cell in the "blood flow" we find antifreeze compounds, called cryoprotectants, to supercool body fluids and tissues above their freezing point. Ethylene glycol, the same compound found in antifreeze for cars, is the most common cryoprotectant. a property found in insects that are FREEZE TOLERANT, enhanced by the virus, it makes the extreme cold a mere incovinience rather a death sentence! ZOOMING out of her system and body, and back to the struggle at hand.

Viper smiles...and then looks absolutely PISSED.

I am NOT so easily....beaten!

launching herself from the wall she flies forward and with each passing moment, her own body continues to repel the effects of the freeze effect as she reaches Persephone and "chops" her in the neck on BOTH sides with her hands before slamming an open handed fist into Persephone's face.

and I'M the goddess now, you old WEED from a garden long forgotten!

thrusting her hands out, palms forward, she unleashes a powerfull blast of acid flame against Persephone which will cancel out any further freeze/frost based attacks and will cause painfull burns and consume anything it touches.

Viper's body survives the latest attack, but its gone into OVERDRIVE as it repelled the effects of Persephone's freeze effect.

 

[Persephone]

Viper slammed into the dome wall, looking as if she was being effected by Persephone's freeze attack. But something was off....she seemed to be adapting to it--becoming IMMUNE to the cold. It must have been because of the progenitor virus because under any other circumstances Viper would have been rendered inert due to her physiology.

Viper: I am NOT so easily....beaten!

Ava watched as Viper came flying toward her, attacking her with karate chops to the neck and a palm to the face. Flying backward with a yelp, she could feel blood trickling down her nose and coat her lips. She had little time to react to Viper's next attack--acid flames. Thrusting her own hands out toward Viper, the frozen air that filled the dome collected in front of her into a stream of frost and ice. The frosty mixture slammed into the acid flames [think Pyro and Iceman in X-Men 3] preventing it from hitting Persephone, however Viper's acidic flame attack was much more durable than her own. She could feel the push and strain of the flame stream coming closer to her, threatening to burn her. Doubling her efforts Persephone pushed forward, increasing her frost attack and pushing the stream back a few feet....but it was becoming too much for the goddess to handle. Gritting her teeth, the flames began "half circle" around her, coming dangerously close to enveloping her. Crying out, it was uncertain if it was tears or sweat falling down her cheeks as the heat around her body increased due to the flames closing in. She needed to do something quick....she had to stop her defensive attack and hit Viper with one of her most powerful offensive ones; a lightning bolt. But she knew the second she stopped her frost stream, she would be hit badly.

Shutting her eyes tightly, Ava screamed out. The frost stream dissipated and was immediately replaced by a powerful lightning bolt that went THROUGH the acid flames, slamming into Viper with enough voltage and intensity to melt steel. However as Ava's attack hit Viper, Viper's attack hit Ava, sending her flying back into the dome wall. The majority of her body was burned badly, and her strength was gone. She was too weak to continue the wind flow that helped keep her body afloat in the air....so as she hit the wall, she then began to fall 100's of feet through the air, approaching the ground rapidly. She only hoped Viper was as fucked as she was.

 

[Viper]

a standoff indeed! With both women high in the air, With Viper now GLEEFULLY pouring on her attack via acid flame blast and Persephone blocking it with her ice beam as best she could.

"split screen effect" as we focus on Viper and Persephone. Viper's WILD abandon and Persephone's GRIM defiance. then the same effect is shown as we see their power signature's colliding! Viper's red/violet hued acid flame blast against Persephone's sparkling blue/white ice beam. the collision creates a MASSIVE amount of elemental feedback causing the temperature to sky rocket for everyone below, including an already straining Prophet. as well as an impressive light show about the observatory. the steam that billows out from the collision of powers is painfull to the feel.

You can't beat me! you can't! NO ONE CAN! I'm THE BEST! DADDY SAID SO! I'll PROOVE I'M PERFECT! I'll SUCCEED WHERE HE FAILED! NO ONE GETS IN MY WAY!

she shouts above the din of power as she smiles and LAUGHS with glee!

each woman pushes back against the other, but Viper begins to slowly but surely GAIN ground on her attack until finally, at the LAST possible moment, Persephone let's go of her ice beam and instead serves up a MASSIVE LIGHTNING attack!

The lightning charges for Viper and hits her in the twinkling of an eye just as The acid flame blast finally hits Persephone. Viper's head snaps back...as she makes an odd INSECT like sound rather than screaming. The sight of her is LOST in the white out from the lightning strike.

She is soon seen falling, spiraling down from where she once was, not moving. her body still glowing and sparks popping off of it. she can be heard gurgling...and making odd sounds as she curls up into a ball ...convulsing violently as her body begins to mutate AGAIN.


but before she can FULLY mutate...she its the ground with a THUD.

 

[Isis]

[ Isis kept watch over the fallen Malice and the k.o.'ed, bound Black Widow. while MorningStar and Persephone checked the Nemesis, she was able to locate and teleport Sharon BACK into view and with the group. The fact that Nemesis could K.O. someone as invulnerable as Silver Swan was a terrifying indication of the power and agression the creature posessed. She was secretly gratefull that those other two had assisted her, though she was prepared to defend herself and her charges from the Nemesis, she had the idea it would have been a PAINFULL and BRUTAL confrontation.]

[ lifting her gloved hand up, she squints her eyes as the battle between Viper and Persephone rages on. This certainly the Persephone of estabilished antiquity. ]

not bad...

[Dominique lightly thought in her head. Soon the battle takes a decidedly VIOLENT turn as Viper MUTATES and soon as the two battle once more, the temperature goes hay wire in the room and hot steam begins to fill the area even down where they are.]

ugh....

[ it was very unpleasant but that was the nature of battle. it was not quite as bad compared to the hot desert sun she endured when she wandered aimlessly after leaving her village all those years ago.]

[ Prophet was trying his best to gain control, or damage the telescopic device that would spell doom for the world while MorningStar watched his back. ]

[ Isis saw things getting more pitched, more extreme...]

Persephone is playing a deadly game of chicken...which she might not win!

[ she speaks loudly. and as she watches, it happens, Persephone has to choose between repelling Viper's blast and trying to check her. She makes her choice...and its met with deadly consequences for BOTH women. Isis' face contorts with dismay as the feedback from the standoff produces a sharp and blinding light show.]

shards....

[ she groans as she rubs her eyes and then looks to see Viper falling from the sky and Persephone badly hurt.]

I hardly think she's finished....her body is showing signs of MUTATING again...it must be the virus.

MorningStar, I'll use my magick to help Persephone. Keep an eye on Viper in case she....

[ looking at the fallen woman]

makes another pass.

[ and so, once more, the avatar lifts her halo encircled hands and channels the power of the egyptian goddess of rebirth and magick as bestowed upon her. Mystic energy sounds off and She NOTICEABLY handles Persephone with "care" this time around as she immediately restores the goddess' health and energy to their normal levels and HEALS her wounds. However, she made it a point to do all of this from a DISTANCE, it was a testimony to her own skill and power as well as the fact that while she'd indeed honor her promise to her nephew to assist them, she would not become OVERLY emotional or "conerned" about them. they were STILL her enemy, just an enemy with a common threat they shared.]

Persephone is RESTORED...but LOOK!

[ she points to Viper's body!]

 

[Seer]

Viper's final form

<< Isis fullfills her promise to Nicolas but try to her rather lofty presentation she continues to keep herself in a "support" role rather than stepping to help. She will "help" but no more than she has to. Persephone is healed and restored and not a moment too soon, as VIPER shows no signs of being dead, but rather mutating once again!>>

<< but this time, as she has sustained HEAVY damage from her battle with Persephone that would have KILLED a number of others in her position, the virus takes yet another wild turn in her physical form as her body appears to tremble and then RIPPLE before she grows in size and volume, still retaining a feminine form with golden skin but now a MASSIVE hulking creature, with 4 glowing tentacles sprouting from her back. her "hair" continues to manifest as a flaming corona energy effect about her head and her giant hands now clawed as well. a massive "tree/vine" like effect spirals down her body in an a symettrical pattern starting from her neck and end around the ankle of one of her legs. She rivals the NEMESIS in size, STRENGTH, SPEED and POWER. Her tentacles were in PERFECT synch with her mentality and functioned as living weapons as well, capable of DRAINING their targets of their very life force OR they could strike with WHIP LIKE prescision and CUT flesh and induce IMMEDIATE infection of ANY of the viruses they k new of created by Mystech.>>

<< she roars with ANGER as she now stands up...TOWERING above them all and casting her massive shadow across the group of them. >>

<< Prophet is now the most vulnerable, as he is focused on the telescoping device. MorningStar, Persephone and Isis will have to fight her TOGETHER if they hope to beat her. Without Silver Swan, Rampage or Malice to even REMOTELY even the odds against them with Viper's physical power...it will take all three women...an idea that is easier to say than it will be to guess if it actually HAPPENS or not, given Isis' reluctance to do MORE than she "has to".>>

Flash<< the ORIGINAL Arklay Mansion- the underground, sand filled, battle arena. Persephone, Harbinger and Spellbinder face an ANGRY "Kyle Kelly"...a massive MONSTER, hardly the boy his mother or anyone once knew.>>Flash

<< Persephone REMEMBERED that confrontation all too well, and she knew that now was not the time for Isis to operate on "team lines" now. They despised each other but only TOGETHER could they survive.>>

meanwhile

<< Prophet pushes himself to his uppermost limit. His BODY trembles with his enerst effort and where his body begins to fail, his determination, his force of WILL seems to take over. His torture at the hands of Malice had allowed him to know what it was to journey to the EDGE and even fall over, but his time with Ororo taught him that just about ANYONE could COME BACK from the edge of exhaustion, mental fatigue or even DEATH. He had something so precious now depending on him....and if he could just DERAIL the device long enough...then the others, namely Persephone and Isis could do something about the virus that was now already outside the dome and in the sky.>>

<< he couldnt be distracted, he couldnt waver, not even NOW with VIPER in her MONSTSROUS form looming over them all and only Morningstar and perhaps Isis prepared to cover him.>>

 

[MorningStar]

Delilah felt the crunch of her jaw breaking, then the impact as she was thrown from the platform, and falling…

…and then suddenly she was rising, Prophet having caught her and returned her to the platform. She lay there, broken, as Persephone battled Viper. The goddess’ bloodthirsty nature resurfaced, her attacks brutal, but they weren’t enough. Viper continued to mutate before their eyes.

Just where did I leave my bug spray…

Persephone countered, her attacks vicious. Viper was badly damaged, though still mutating.

Prophet desperately tried to stop Jessica’s doomsday machine.

You can do it Cameron…

Isis thankfully restored Persephone’s health, but before their eyes, Jessica mutated once more. She had become something worse than the Nemesis

a MASSIVE hulking creature, with 4 glowing tentacles sprouting from her back

Persephone’s attack had kept Viper’s attention from her, and she was counting on the element of surprise to help her handicap Viper’s attack prowess.

Moving herself at the speed of light, she would appear behind Viper, and with a sweep of her arms unleashed a focused beam of laser light, slicing at the tentacles where they met Jessica’s back. If she could keep Viper from using those, Persephone and Isis would have a fighting chance.

 

[Prophet]

His focus was strong, his breathing intentional. The strain on his body bothered him no longer. He was literally in too much pain to FEEL any of it. He was running on sheer WILL. His control over the device was strengthening as he was gaining a little more finesse over what he was doing, and in the back of his mind, he was applying a focus/grounding technique taught to him by Ororo during his time in Limbo.

The beautiful technicolor tree in Ororo's Garden, a testament to Ororo's power, was the focal point. She had taught him about trees. They were giant, and sometimes towering organisms, but they were solid. They were firm, still. But most importantly, they were rooted deeply within the Earth, within the landscape, so much so that they became a part of it. Ororo taught Cameron that in times where great focus was needed, where great concentration was a must, to act like her tree. Stand tall, be still, be silent, and root yourself to your surroundings, become your surroundings. Prophet pictured himself taking root, his roots reaching FAR down into the Earth, anchoring him there. He breathed in and out in a poetic motion. He was absolutely still, so much so that it was if he was literally blending in with the device, as if he were apart of it, cloaked as just another sprocket or lever. This kept him going. This kept him calm, and this gave him the center that he needed.

The device began to derail at a greater speed than before, showing his gained control as it suddenly became a little easier. Now, he just had to wait out Jessica and HOPE that the others could protect him. He wanted to ask for Dominique's help in cloaking him, keeping him concealed to do his work, but he did not have access to her mind, and he couldn't very well shout it loud. He knew Jessica was just plain bloodthirsty at this time, but she was also a genius, he couldn't bank on her not paying attention for very long, and SO, without the use of magic or his own abilities, he applied the practical techniques taught to him by Ororo, hoping to prove that sometimes, one doesn't need to rely on magick, on extraordinary abilities to survive. He hoped his work would pay off. He didn't know how much longer he had before his body absolutely gave out, he just hoped it was long enough to see Jessica DEAD on the floor and this virus HAULTED!

 

[Persephone]

Falling....it felt like she had been falling for hours. The force of the wind made her body tumble elegantly in the air, giving her an occasional view of the approaching ground. She was still conscious--weak, but conscious. She couldn't do anything but just fall, and hope that by some fates that she wouldn't die by the impact. But as Ava approached the ground, her body slowed in mid air before stopping all together feet above the dome floor. Her body was then carefully lowered to the ground; though the pain was immense as pressure was put on her wounds. Lifting her eyes weakly, she could see Isis from afar, still protecting Sharon, Alycia, Haleigh, and Diana. However it was clear that she was working her healing magick on Ava as well. The golden hued stream of light flowed around her body until all the broken bones and burned skin was completely healed, giving Ava a renewed sense of energy and power. Climbing to her feet, she nodded a very greatful "thank you" to Dominique before turning her attention onto a mutating Viper.

[with a grumbled sigh] "Doesn't this bitch ever DIE?!"

Viper had now transformed into another version of herself, this time reminiscent of Nemesis and Kyle Kelley. This situation was all too familiar with her....she could picture the stand off between herself, the six, and Kyle Kelly at the Arklay Mansion's dome. He was beastly and extremely powerful. It took a lot to take him out....but it COULD be done.

Delilah immediately attacked, sending a powerful laser beam of light at the large tentacles behind Viper's back. As Viper was being distracted, Ava jogged over to Dominique, knowing very well that she was only doing as much as she needed to in this entire situation.

"We need your help. We don't like each other, but we can't survive if we DON'T work with each other."

That was about as far as Persephone's "pleading" would go. She couldn't and WOULDN'T force Isis to fight along side of her and Delilah, but if the woman valued her life and the life of Malice, she would find a way to.

Moving away from Dominique, Ava decided to mimic the attack she did on Kyle Kelly while in the Arklay dome. While Kyle managed to barely escape it, Ava hoped with Delilah's help in waring Viper down, it would stick this time.

The dome began to quake; shaking violently enough to make everyone--including Viper--to stumble. Suddenly a large crack began to form from one side of the dome to the other, racing across the length of the structure, dividing it into two. The crack then erupted open, splitting into two halves and pulling the whole dome structure apart. The large crater in the earth revealed an intense lava flow hundreds and hundreds of feet down into the Earth's core. The steam alone was enough to seer someone's skin if they placed their hand over the crater.

Ava, Delilah, and Viper were on one side of the split dome, while the injured, Isis, and Propet were left on the other [as a means to protect those who had fallen]. In a play to back up Delilah's, Ava extended her hand out toward Viper commanding a large stream of lava to flow out from the crater and slam directly into the mutated woman.

[Delilah] "We need to wear her down and knock her into the crater! I'll close it up behind her!"

Ava shouted above the chaos.

 

[Viper]

savage instinct

With a newly mutated body and now the physical power and speed that would give Silver Swan or even Rampage trouble, VIPER raged with primal agression. Apparently no longer capable of verbalizing in an intelligent way, she now displayed the agression previously seen in Kyle Kelly and most recently the Nemesis.

The shock, the sudden change...the ANGER, she KNEW she had become something else...and she knew who was responsible! she would BREAK Persephone!

After the sudden shock and disorientation wore off, Viper was about to ATTACK MorningStar and Isis head on with BRUTE force but MorningStar speeds behind Viper at light speed and uses her LASER, SLICING off the four tentacles before she can use them.

But the mutant outdoes herself as the "blood" that BLASTS forth from the wounds she created is LETHAL, and can burn through STEEL. it SPRAYS out toward MorningStar, and if she DOESNT protect herself she will find her head, face and any other part that it touches completely VAPORIZED.

Viper's head snaps back and she roars with anger , about to turn around and SLAM her fist down on Delilah like a pile driver.

 

[Isis]

[ Isis kept her disdainful facial expression as much as she could, but many things over this whole caper had tested her limits and now THIS...this was about as unsettling, as unnerving as the first night SET appeared in her village! But the difference between then and now was that she had the power to DEFEND herself and her ally, Malice, even the Six. Isis was about LIFE, REBIRTH...not the perversion of it which was what Mystech was all about!]

[ she kept her charges, Malice, Black Widow, Silver Swan and Alycia safe thus far and aided the others with healing, but the fact was...she could not stand back any longer. For HER sake as well as theirs and the world over, this creature before them HAD to be dealt with, PERMANENTLY.]

FlashIsis' sapphire blue eyes narrow, her brow frowns with intense emotionFlash

We need your help. We don't like each other, but we can't survive if we DON'T work with each other."

[whatever else Isis thought of the renegade goddess, at this moment, she couldnt do anything but agree with her.]

Yes. This must END.

[ Isis said with cold agreement.]

[ and with the last of her reluctance fading, she cast a circle of protection around those who were fallen, NOTHING could breach the mystic barrier. She takes several slow but deliberate steps forward ]

I must help to correct the gross ERROR that this abomination before us represents. Mystech PERVERTS life, has no respect for it. That is NOT the way of the goddess [Isis].

 

[Seer]

and so

<< and so, with Isis now joining in, the last and perhaps most DISTANT member from the sins of Mystech's past now haunting the Six and Sisterhood, the possibility of survival seems less like a cruel joke and more like an ernest, secret HOPE among those still standing.>>

<< Prophet buys the world precious time that it will never know it owes him and now, Morningstar, Persephone and Isis stand against a monstrous Viper, who is almost too POWERFULL to live in her current form. She is beyond communication on any known level now save perhaps Malice's telepathy and the white queen is still out sight, out of mind.>>

<< MorningStar moves first, perhaps TOO thoroughly as her laser seperates the tentacles from Viper. the wounds GUSH a LETHAL venom blood until, much to the women's horror, they begin to REGENERATE! Another property of the progenitor virus that came about during Marcus' earliest testing on leeches. a property that carried over into SOME creatures that carried the T Virus as well. with the tentacles renewed and VIper now closing in on MorningStar about to SMASH her down with her fist, Persephone quickly takes action, calling on her elemental powers to tear the obervatory floor in two with a massive earth quake that cracks the ground down to the earthen surface and below and she brings forth the LAVA that flows beneath the island all the up through the earth and the mansion, up to the observatory in a massive eruption hoping to catch Viper as she did Kyle Kelly in that death trap.>>

<< but she too may have outdone herself as PROPHET is now shaken off balance by the massive quake and his hold on the telescopic device is BROKEN, the ffed back from his mental investment is painfull and knocks him off his feet. He will not be able to try it again, all he can hope NOW is that he's done ENOUGH. he is near Isis, and though it may pain him to do so, he must stay by her for protection. >>

<< the telescopic device seems to be definately malfunctioning...but is it ENOUGH? >>


zooming in on the walls and then THROUGH the walls, down several floors to various points of the Arklay Mansion replica itself , we see the TREMENDOUS stress placed on the structure by Persephone's latest attack even the mansion begans to tremble, objects tople, creatures fall, unable to comprehend what is happening...the island itself seems to groan with agitation


back in the observatory

 

[Viper]

violent path

All she sees now is RED. All she feels is RAGE but yet, somewhere deep inside, there is a method to the madness, a sense of what she was originally there for. It both drives her further and enrages her. THEY made her change into this! THEY got in her way! They took away her PERFECT BEAUTY and her INTELLIGENCE! She was now closer to being "just a nother bio hazard" and THAT pissed her off to NO END!

First MORNINGSTAR!

She raises her massive arm and brings her fist down, intending to PULP MorningStar beyond hope of recovery or even recognition!

At the same time, her TENTACLES lash out at Persephone, first SLAPPING and BEATING her with the force of a razor precision WHIP before they GRAB HER UP and begin to DRAIN her of her ENERGY.

but then she loses her footing before she can make contact with Delilah because of the tremendous quake. Her tentacles DROP Persephone [leaving the woman weakened and short of breath as well as bruised over her body] she SLAMS the ground in front of Delilah instead but the FORCE of that impact blows Delilah off her feet and sends her sprawling back a few feet across the now shaking floor.

Viper doesnt fall but she IS staggered by the quake and soon, the GROUND opens beneath her feet. She's about to leap up into the air but the fissure beneath her feet opens too wide too soon she NARROWLY manages to gain a foot hold on the side closes to her. If she regains total ground, shell attack again in ERNEST.

 

[Isis]

plan of action

[ Isis struggled to keep her balance as Persephone nearly tore the place apart with her powers in an attempt to swallow Viper into the unforgiving lava of the earth itself. But it wasnt enough, not YET! Viper knocks MorningStar off her feet and has savaged Persephone with her tentacles. Just as Isis was about to use her magick to effect Persephone's escape from the energy draining tentacles, she was freed as Viper began to stumble ]

[ as she had watched all of this, she thought about what she would have to do to have any effect on the creature at this stage in her mutation and it occurred to her.]

Whatever form the takes...she's still a LIFE form. And because at her core she was a MUTANT, she has MANA [unique energy associated with super powered beings] within her. Her's is STRONG....TOO STRONG for her now. her body is so UNSTABLE. I can weave a pattern of power strong enough to turn her own energy AGAINST her!

[ as she said as she makes her way closer to ground zero and stands as firmly as she can, lifting her hands and directing them toward the massive creature as she quickly ignites her magick and utters an incantation in her native tongue. golden halos form around her hands and sparkling shards emit from those halos as she gestures quickly and soon weaves a visible pattern of golden patten around Viper.]

[using the creature's own POWER against it...]

[ Isis can be heard uttering the last of her incantation in her native tongue quite loudly as she fully actives the spell and attacks in ernest now. ]

 

[Persephone]

Persephone's attack was massive, enough so to literally destroy Viper's island in the process. A lesson to how powerful the goddess truly was. But her attack was only half the battle. She needed Isis and Morningstar's help to see it through. Delilah took the initiative to slice Viper's tentacles off her back, however the venomous blood that sprayed out of the wound could literally burn the flesh off of any one of them.

"Watch out!"

Ava shouted, warning both Delilah and Dominique. It was actually slightly disturbing how similar Viper and Persephone's physiology was....until, that was, Ava watched as the tentacles regenerated back to their previous state. Definitely not an ability SHE had. Viper began to attack Delilah while simultaneously attacking her! The tentacle came crashing down on her torso, literally knocking the wind out of her. Gasping, it hit her again before grabbing her and lifting her into the air. Trying to fight the grip of the tentacle, it was impossible. As each second passed Ava grew weaker and weaker; the tentacles draining her life energy. She could feel her eyes growing heavier and her limbs start to go numb. But before she was totally drained of all energy, the quake of her previous attack finally knocked Viper off balance, causing her to drop Ava.

Coughing out, the goddess gasped for air. Barely able to lift her head up, she laid on the cracked foundation of the dome, looking toward Viper as she began to stumble, loosing her balance dangerously close to the crater's edge. This was Isis and Morningstar's chance. Ava did all she could....if she used anymore energy up she wouldn't have enough strength to close the crater up behind Viper. It was all up to them now.

Isis initiated her attack, using Viper's own powers against her. It was working!

[to Delilah] "KNOCK HER BACK!!! HURRY!!"

Ava shouted with as much energy and conviction as she could muster up.