The Raven Part 4: Devil of the Falls

Chapter 9

Jake rolled his neck from his bound position. The taste of copper was strong in his mouth, and his jaw hurt from his most recent beating. Abigail had given Beth a much needed break after his little outburst. He honestly wasn't sure if she'd hit him too hard or if he was finally losing it, but he swore he felt a familiar cold hand on his shoulders. He looked up to see Ashley standing beside him with a concerned look on her face. "She's afraid," she remarked, "She knows she's out of her depth, and that Pamela will be here soon."

"What are you smiling at, you miserable little shit?!" Abigail screamed.

"Just thinking about old friends," he breathed, "People stronger, smarter, and deadlier than you. That's a long list, though, but I'm also thinking about what Pam is gonna do to you when she gets here."

"There won't be anything left of either of you to see by the time she gets here!" Abigail roared.

He laughed and looked at Ashley, "You're right, she is terrified," he said, "You're not going to kill us before she gets here."

"You think I won't?!" Abigail demanded, "And who the hell are you talking to?!"

"No, I know you won't," he corrected, "You're not strong enough to beat her on your own, and you know what's going to happen if you lose your only bargaining chips. Oh you'll beat us senseless, that much is a given, but the two of will still be here to watch her torture you. You lost, Abigail, you should have given up when I told you to. Pam is very protective of Beth, and you...you're nothing to her. She's going to make you suffer in ways you can't even imagine."

"Shut up!" Abigail roared as she threw a wild punch at his face, "I've heard enough of your heresy!"

"You should really stop talking, love," Ashley said to him, "Nice as it would be to have you by my side again, there is no sense in rushing it."

"Why not?" he asked aloud, "You and I both know she isn't going to throw away her only chance at survival. That's what cockroaches do, they feed off the scraps of others and endure."

Abigail snarled and turned around. This was getting out of hand, and Jake's behavior was beginning to unnerve her. He'd been talking to himself, seemingly having a conversation with someone, for the last ten minutes. It was infuriating and disturbing at the same time. The harder she hit him, the more unhinged he seemed to become. She had thought that Beth would be the one to give her trouble, but clearly she had been mistaken. What the hell had this boy been through since the last time she saw him?

"Don't get quiet on me now, Abby," he taunted, "I know you're scared, but that's no reason to be rude to your guests."

"Jake, you're going to push her too far," Ashley warned, "She may not kill you, but she can still hurt you. Be quiet and enjoy the show, my love. Not much longer now."

"Fine," he sighed.

"Who the hell are you talking to?!" Abigail demanded as she reeled on him, "You've been prattling on for the last ten minutes to nobody! You're alone, Jake, your pathetic friend is broken, and your little witch will join you two soon enough. You would do well to keep your mouth shut before I cut your tongue out!"

"I told you," Ashley remarked, "Her fear is making her irrational. She does need you alive, but there are a myriad of ways to inflict pain on someone without killing them."

"You're right," he said, not looking at Abigail, "It's better to just sit quietly and watch her unravel."

"Go to hell," Abigail spat.

"Not before you," Jake replied.

"Ugh, take them to the cellar!" Abigail ordered a group of her men, "Leave them untouched, and go kill that worthless vermin pretending to be some kind of Goddess!"

He resisted the urge to comment on his tormentress' words, and let the men drag him and his chair away. There wasn't much he could do to resist anyway. Despite his mocking attitude, his entire body was aching from the punishment he'd been put through. He was dragged alongside Beth towards the lowest levels of the small chapel. Beth coughed as she asked, "What the fuck is wrong with you? Seriously, who were you talking to?"

He gave his friend a concerned look before watching as Ashley's image faded away, "I'm not even sure anymore," he admitted, "I'm either losing my mind, or I've been talking to a guardian angel."

"You're an idiot," Beth breathed.

Pam looked around the gore covered room. Her energy had finally stabilized, but she was honestly surprised at the amount of damage she had done in such a short time. She'd never anticipated achieving this level of power without Rebecca's tome. She looked at her hand, and watched as her aura continued to flow outward. A small glimmer of light reflecting off of something in the bloody mess caught her eye. She walked through the puddles of blood to where the colossal maniac had previously stood. There, amongst his tattered remains, was a large key embroidery with the symbol of Abigail's family. She bent down, picked it up, and slid it into her pocket.

Now she just needed to get out of here, but she felt a nagging sensation in the back of her mind. She'd told The Wanderer that she would retrieve some gemstone for him. She stepped out of the room, and considered forgoing it when a loud noise caught her attention. Looking up, she noticed the ceiling dropping down at an alarmingly rapid rate. Spikes lined the tiles, and they fell one by one. She cursed herself for not noticing them sooner, but she now had nowhere else to go but further into the bowels of this sordid cavern. She took off running without a second thought deeper into the darkness.

With death trailing behind her, she ran at an unprecedented pace. Her legs burned from the continued physical exertion, and her body cried out from the massive surge of power. She trusted her reserves, however, and relied heavily on her training with Beth to get her through. She only wished that she knew exactly where she was going. One wrong move would spell certain doom for her and thwart her hopes of saving her beloved. Deeper, darker, and further down the path went with the sound of steel slamming against stone echoing behind her. She wondered if this was Abigail's design or if this was installed by the mysterious Brunswick corporation. If it weren't for the threat of death, she would have taken a moment to examine the diabolical traps.

She felt her pant leg snag on something, and she nearly fell. She stopped to glare down at whatever it was that had caught her, and felt a wave of frustration and nausea when she saw one of the Defects gripping at her leg. She didn't have time to deal with the creature, nor did she have time to cast any protection spells. Thinking quickly and working with what she had, she snatched Jake's staff from her back, extended it, pressed the switches, and slammed the weapon into the creature's head. It released her leg, and howled in pain in response. She seized the opportunity, and resumed her sprint. She heard the ceiling continue to drop, and she saw a drop off up ahead. More of those things continued climbing out of the ground as she ran. Not seeing any other option, she dove forward as she neared the ledge.

She flew through the air, and tucked her body into a roll. The sound of distorted cries along with those awful spikes embedding themselves into the rock rang out behind her. She kept her head on a swivel as she flew through the air. As far as she could tell, there were no more ceiling traps. She may have been safe from those death traps, but there was another issue present. She couldn't see anything around her. She was freefalling into a darker area, and she tried to formulate a plan. She remembered Jake and Beth's favored means of transportation, and she began digging through the belt's many compartments. It was a gamble, and she was beginning to panic as she continued plummeting to whatever lurked in the dark below. Just as she was about to give up hope, she found the small grappling gun. She took blind aim, fired it into the darkness, and hoped that the hook would catch something solid. She felt the cable pull taunt, and her descent was halted with a slight jerk.

Feeling safe for the moment, she summoned a large ball of light in the palm of her hand. She threw it up towards the roof of the cave. The orb exploded in a shower of light that dimly illuminated the expansive area. She looked around as she slowly swung back and forth. This was a much more massive chamber than the ones she had been in so far. There was a reflective expanse below her, part of the lake perhaps or maybe a spring? She must have been roughly twenty to thirty feet in the air, dangling above the body of water. The cavern walls seemed to glisten and reflect the glow of her spell, but she wasn't entirely sure that it was just moisture causing rhe reflection. There was a musty scent in the air and, although not as pungent as Abigail's fungus, it was far from pleasant and carried a strange weight to it. This place looked to be almost untouched by the wicked woman and her townsfolk, but that left the question as to just what this place was.

She fumbled for the switch on Beth's grappling gun, and began lowering herself downward. She could see the appeal of these little toys, and made a note to request one from Jake once they were safely back in Metropolis. The cable reached its end, and she was still ten feet from the surface of the water. Not wanting to go for a swim, she channeled her energy inward and summoned one of her own chains which she hurled into the opposing wall. After a moment of searching, she found the switch to detach the hook and retract the cable. With it now free, she pulled herself over to the shoreline and dropped to the ground. She walked over to the water, basking in the eerie and somewhat serene sound of it lapping against the bed of rock. She held out a hand to try to sense anything in it, but there was nothing but a void before her.

Satisfied that she was safe and alone for the moment, she left the shores to explore the rest of the area. The place was barren and devoid of all life. "What is this place?" she wondered aloud.

There was something else in the air, something familiar. The distinct feeling of magic, faint though it was, lingered in the air like a distant smoke. It wasn't the tome they'd come here for, so that begged the question as to just what it was. She followed the faint signal to one of the far walls. An old make-shift desk sat against the wall, a strange candle sat on it, jars with odd and some moving substances inside, and a small notebook sat in the center. Closer inspection revealed that the magical aura was coming from the candle. Some sort of ritualistic enchantment was on the candle, but to what end she could only guess. She didn't have time to figure out the purpose of the candle, but she decided to examine the notebook. Elegant and unfamiliar handwriting filled the pages, and she decided to read through some of the more recent entries.

Day 183,

The equipment was delivered to the Ravenfalls' matriarch today. The foolish woman was full of questions, but as I suspected they were the wrong ones. She was more concerned with the capabilities of the surveillance equipment than whether or not they were one way. She'll be none the wiser to our observations. I must say, for such an impulsive imbecile, that woman has made remarkable strides with a long abandoned project...Emily gave up on the idea much too soon, but I still standby Project S.T.A.T.I.C. and the dream of a better world, perfect world without wars. Who would have guessed that the key to its success would lie in the hands of a sadistic, teenage, burnout?

Day 223,

Abigail has truly outdone herself this time. The vile woman has created a new breed of organisms. They are repulsive and moronic, but they are a step in the next direction. For someone with literally no scientific background, she's stumbled upon a sort of breakthrough with the fungal reduction. Through her failed experiments and attempts, I've learned more from those than I ever could have dreamed! With the footage, her notes, and some reverse engineering I should be able to create something truly magnificent once this is all said and done. I merely need to remain here, undetected and undeterred from my goal. I will achieve my goal, no matter the cost to these pathetic pawns.

Day, 301

That stupid woman! Abigail sent her brainwashed followers to Citiville to retrieve a relic from the deposed Goth Goddess herself, and of course that has drawn the attention of her followers. What's worse is that she seemed to be counting on it! Did she steal the book to obtain more power, or was this some idiotic ploy to get those wretched heroes here? All for some pathetic money grab! If that idiot would have just reached out to our contacts then we would have backed her progress. It's not like we wouldn't eventually earn the money back, but now we have to worry about Metropolis' own heroes ruining our plans. The duo has changed quite a bit since the fall of Goth, but there is a new player among them that I do not trust. I cannot risk involving and exposing myself, however, so hopefully Abigail will have her fun and I won't have to worry about these three any longer.

Day 305,

That blasted Pamela woman is a witch! She's retained her powers despite the absence of the Goth Goddess. She's developed a sort of attachment to Beth, though, and she's managed to get loose. The wards we provided for Abigail will only hold for so long. That woman is practically bursting with power. She's already eviscerated several of Abigail's little family, and at this rate the fool will be dead before dawn. I cannot stay here any longer, but I'll maintain the link to the surveillance equipment to see how this unfolds. I've already felt the aftershocks of her explosions, even from the deep recesses of my outpost. Perhaps she should be our next subject to study...I'll have to mention it to Emily later. I'll send a team after the samples once everything dies down. We will have to keep a close eye on these three. Unless, by some miracle, that backwoods idiot actually manages to dispose of them.

She closed the book, and looked over the cover. There were no identifying markings on it. It was just a simple notebook, but who had left it here and what were they planning? A familiar voice caught her attention, "Interesting read, eh? I was beginning to think the traps had done ya in, but I see now that I was wrong for doubting you."

She transferred the notebook into her holding gem before turning to face the robed figure, "How did you get here?" she asked.

The Wanderer stood a fair distance away from her. She could feel a bi lt of unease behind his calm demeanor. He was afraid she was going to attack him. "I may not have the fancy tricks that you and your former mentor have, but I have my ways all the same," he replied, "Your friends are being held in a ceremonial chamber down that hallway, but I trust you have my fee."

"I haven't found your stupid gem," she spat, "In case you haven't noticed, I've been a little occupied by Abigail's horror-show."

"The candle, if you would, stranger," he said, holding out a hand.

She looked down at the candle before grabbing it. Curious, she channeled heat into her palm and melted it. The wax disintegrated and revealed a long ruby with a distinct aura of magic radiating from it. "What is this and why do you want it?" she asked.

"I don't want it, stranger, I need it," he answered, "Please, hand it over."

"If you could get here so easily, then why did you need to get this for you?" she asked, clutching the magical ruby tightly.

"I could lie and say I needed the way cleared, but the truth is this is where you needed to end up," he answered, "Give me the stone, and I'll answer any questions you have, stranger, but please there isn't much time left."

There was a strong sense of sincerity coming from him. Deciding to trust him, at least for now, she handed the stone over to him. He quickly approached and snatched it from her. She watched as he took a step back, and held the ruby up in the palm of his hand. He reached up and removed his face wrappings. Her eyes widened upon seeing the mangled face of a man she'd known for years, but had never actually spoken with. Jason, the boy who Rebecca had stolen for herself when Jake rejected her. She'd cast him out when Jake had accepted his place as her Raven, but she'd never known just what exactly happened to him. He'd disappeared within the bowels of the castle, and rumor had it that Auora had taken him for herself. How he was here, and how he seemed to have some sort of control over himself was a mystery to her.

The ruby began glowing brightly and cast his features in an ominous light for a moment. A surge of energy shot out of the stone and into the air. It swirled around him for a few seconds before funneling into his open mouth. She could feel the magic draining from the stone and flowed into him. She was quickly becoming more confused by the situation at hand. She waited for him to finish draining the stone before speaking up, "Jason...how-I mean, what happened to you?"

He took a deep breath before dropping the now black stone to the ground, and rewrapping his face, "Think we both know the answer to that, Pamela," he said, bitterly, "What was it you used to say? The will of the Goddess. By her will, my life was stolen from me. My life, my mind, my very being was nothing more than a toy for her own amusement. Then, when she finally got what she wanted, I was thrown away like the broken toy I was. Lost, alone, and knowing only blind devotion and fear, I was given to Aurora who quickly ended what little life I had left."

"Black hells," Pam breathed, "Jason, I had no idea...how are you here?"

"Jason is gone, Pamela," he spat, "He died in that monster Aurora's chambers, and all I knew was the damned void between this world and the next. Even in death, however, I could not find peace. I was stolen from the afterlife, and they tried to use me for their own twisted games. Experimented on, twisted, and turned into a version of myself that I could no longer recognize. I should thank you, Goth, and everyone else from that hellish time in my life. If it weren't for everything I went through then, I doubt I would have been able to break away from this new regime."

"Jason, do not rope me in with the rest of them," she said, sternly, "I was a poor girl one day away from being homeless when she found me. It was serve her or die."

"Yet you took to it like a fish to water, didn't you?" he asked, "You have no idea what it's like! Seeing, feeling, hearing everything without having an ounce of control over your own body! Years of my life stolen, and for what?! So that I could be a pawn in a game of God's!"

"Jason!" Pam snapped, having heard enough, "I did what I had to in order to survive and avoid your fate. I was a young and naive girl who wanted something more out of life, and Rebecca was that something for the longest time. I never agreed with the way she treated you, or Jake for that matter, what was I supposed to do?! It was until Beth that I-"

"I know," he said, placing a hand to his head and seeming to regain some of his calm, "Beth Thompsan was the biggest reason I helped you. Out of the three of you, she's the only one who actively tried to save me whenever possible. You asked me why I sent you here instead of coming myself. The answer is simple, I needed to know for sure you were serious about saving then. Everything that I saw you do, everything that I was put through, there was still part of me that expected you to grab the book and abandon them."

"I would never leave them, especially not after everything they've done for me," she said.

"The hotel," he said, "I'm familiar with the events of that fateful evening. I'm glad to see that I was wrong about you, Pamela."

"If I am being honest, I'm a little relieved," she said, "Seeing what everyone became, and what their actions did to Beth and Jake...I couldn't...I never realized how close to becoming a monster I was."

"Monsters are indeed real, Pamela, and there is more than one in this world," he said, "Goth may have been the most prevalent back then, but there are still more skulking in the shadows. They lurk in the shadows, biding their time and corrupting more while amassing power. Most who follow them do so of their own volition, and seldom do they realize how dark the path they're on is. They are a cancer, and your girlfriend is right to cut them from this world. It is, however, an endless fight. Whenever one falls, another shall rise in their place. Tell me something, if you're so against Goth and her practices then why are you helping her to regain her power? Surely you know what will happen if she obtains her strength."

It was a fair question, especially considering everything the poor boy had been through. "One way or another she'll take back what she believes is hers, Jason," she replied.

"But why must you play a part in it?" he asked, "Aren't you tired of being a pawn in her game?"

"I would think that you of all people would know how deep her influence goes, Jason," she replied bitterly, "Try as I might, and as much as I hate it, it's almost impossible to break away from her completely. She took me in, trained me, and taught me everything I know. You weren't the only one made to serve her in demeaning ways, and I was one of the few girls to survive the initiation rituals."

"Everything you know," he repeated, "Forgive me for not believing that. She may have started your development, but your time with Beth has made you stronger than Goth ever would have allowed. Destroy the book, Pamela, sever your ties to her once and for all. If not for yourself then for the woman you claim to love."

"I do love her," she corrected, "Everything I've done has been for her."

"Then do not hand that book over to Goth," he said, "The world is better off without another pretender to godhood."

"I need it," she whispered, "I know that even without my help Rebecca will find a way to reclaim her powers. At least this way I stand a chance at protecting them, and making sure she doesn't hurt anyone the way she's hurt you or Jake."

"Jake," he scoffed, "That poor fool didn't even realize what he was getting into. You don't need some ancient tome to be strong for them, Pamela, you merely need to accept that you are your own person."

It was her turn to scoff, "Is this the part where a rainbow appears, and I'm supposed to feel all warm and fuzzy inside? Don't patronize me, Jason, this world is cold and the only way to protect anything is with power."

"Power that you already have," he corrected, "Believe what you will, but deep down you know I'm right. I've felt the tremors from your sudden bursts of power, and I know that you've been surprised by it. Your empathy is more attuned to your powers than you were led to believe."

"Since when did you become an expert on the arcane?" she asked.

"I spent years watching Goth, Aurora, and you work," he said, "I was trapped in a hollow shell of myself, but behind that shell was a man who paid close attention to everything. When I was brought back to this world, I was tethered to it by magic. I am no magician like the rest of you, but my body is dependant on a steady flow of residual magic. As such, I've learned a thing or two about detecting it so that I may survive. I may not be able to cast, but one doesn't need to be able to to understand."

"Is that what you did to the stone?" she asked, glancing down at the black Rock at his feet, "You siphoned the power within to keep yourself going. Jason, I'm sorry that all of this happened to you."

She stepped forward to try to comfort him, but he pulled away, "I'm a man out of time, Pamela," he said, "I'm not through in this world, though, not yet anyways. I have to see this through, whatever the cost. I won't leave this world in the hands of people like Abigail or Goth. Not until I know that there are others out there who can and will stand against them."

"We're here, Jason," she said, "I will save them, and I will stand with them to ensure that no one has to endure what any of us have been through."

"Funny, you actually sound like a hero," he laughed.

"I'm no hero, just a girl trying to stave off the monsters she helped to create," she said, grimly.

"As I said, believe what you will," he said, "I've heard heroes and villains speak, and your conviction is in line with a hero. Abigail has set more traps for you, and she's released some of her oldest followers to stop you. The path is down there, go and save them both."

"Will I see you again?" she asked.

"Our paths are destined to cross again," he said as he unzipped a large bag, "Remember, you don't need a book to achieve power. Take these and give them to Beth once the three of you get out of here."

He produced a large rifle and a smaller handgun. She walked over and took then from him, "New toys for my pet," she said with a smile, "She'll be overjoyed to have them. I'm...I'm sorry for not acting sooner and saving you."

"All things that have come to pass were meant to happen," he said, "You wouldn't be here if things had played out differently. Go, they need you."

"Thank you, Jason, for everything," she said.

"Go," he said, "The men waiting for you are the only semi-successful experiments with Abigail's new breed of soldiers. Try to save your powers for dealing with her, if you can. She's going to throw everything she can at you, and she is hoping that these men will exhaust your reserves."

"I've got more than one trick up my sleeve," she said, storing the guns in her holding gem, "Beth has given me more than just a simple change of heart. I'll deal with them, and then I'll make that bitch pay."

She could feel him smiling beneath his wrappings, and it made her feel good to know that someone believed in her. The three of them weren't alone in this fight, or at least not as alone as they had previously thought. She walked past him and heard him whisper, "Good luck, Pamela."

"Can we please just kill him?" Will asked, "All he's done is talk nonsense, laugh, and mock us! I expected it from this little bitch, but this little fucker is on my last nerve!"

"No," Josh, "Our Goddess wants to make them watch while we kill the witch. Did you manage to wake Ripper?"

"Your Goddess wants to use us as a way to save her skin," Jake cut in.

"Shut the fuck up!" Will yelled, punching Jake in the mouth, "Your little witch friend is going to suffer, and I am going to take so much pleasure in knowing that it's going to be the last thing that breaks your stupid spirit!"

Jake felt one of his teeth come loose, and he rolled it around his mouth for a second. He looked up at Will and spit it in his direction, "My friend is going to turn you fucks inside out. Your Goddess is dumber than either of you for showing Beth to her. You're both going to your deaths, and what's funny is you actually believe Abigail gives a shit about you! You're nothing more than an obstacle to slow Pam down, and not a good one at that."

"Jake, shut the hell up," Beth whispered, "I'd rather not go another round with those two...I still hurt from the last time."

"Listen to your friend, boy," Josh said, "Otherwise we might be able to squeeze in another bit of fun."

Jake glared at the two of them. He was about to say something when he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder, "She's scared, Jake, and you're not helping her with your antagonizing," Ashley said, "Beth is barely hanging onto the hope that Pam is coming, but if you're not careful you'll force these brutes hands and break what little is left of her. She needs you to be strong for her until Pam arrives."

He bit his tongue, and nodded to the ethereal redhead. Josh grinned at him, thinking that he'd finally managed to scare some sense into him, "See, Will, you just gotta know the right buttons to press to get the results. Now, did you wake Ripper?"

"Yeah," Will replied, "He's in the tunnels waiting for us. Dude is itching for some fun."

"Best to let him have it," Josh said, "We help him break the girl, but then she's his."

"How are my two favorite boys doing?" Abigail asked, emerging from a set of stone doors, "I trust you haven't damaged my merchandise, and are eager to deal with our rat problem."

"Of course, mistress," Josh said, "The boy was a little mouthy, but I managed to get him quiet without taking any of your fun."

"Good, good," Abigail priased, "The chamber is ready for them, and our guest, should she survive the trek, should be arriving soon. I have something for you boys. Come here and kneel before me."

The pair of them scrambled over to her, and fell to their knees in front of her, "Another meal, mistress?" Will asked.

"A very special treat for the two of you," she answered, "You two have been my most faithful servants, and I want to reward you both. Eat, children, and bask in the power of this world's new God!"

She slipped out of her shoes, and both men began lapping at her feet. They scarfed down the repulsive gunk forming between her toes. They ate as though it were precious ambrosia, and stopped only once her toes had been cleaned. Their bodies began convulsing as a new feeling filled their beings. They hunched over, and the sound of bones cracking filled the room. She stepped back as both men began vomiting up a thick black substance. Abigail smiled down at them wickedly as they did. Jake and Beth looked on in horror as their bodies swelled, their arms turned a sickly blackish green, and their eyes rolled into the back of their heads. Suddenly, their backs split open and tendrils shot out. They whipped around violently, and their arms began to excrete a viscous substance. Abigail held out a hand, and the tendrils switched to a gentle swaying before retracting into their backs. Both men slowly stood up and stretched. Their arms maintained their sickly color and continued dripping the revolting sludge.

"Go, my children," she ordered, "Make that woman pay for defying the will of a God. Bring her battered body to me so that I can show these two just how hopeless they truly are!"

"Yes, mistress," they said in unison as they walked down into the chamber.

"What did you do to them?" Beth asked.

"Your little girlfriend pushed me to a new extreme, Beth," Abigail answered, "I've consumed the blood of those that have fallen in her wake, and through their blood I've gained new strength. Will and Josh are the first of a new generation of followers, with Ripper being the exemplary exception. He has no more need other than to satisfy his own lustful cravings."

"You're a monster!" Beth yelled, "Those two followed you, looked up to you, and you turned them into something inhuman!"

"What is more human than to strive for purpose?" Abigail asked, "I've given them what they need most in the world: a firm and loving guiding hand."

"You knew they would die, so you made a final attempt to succeed," Jake said, "You're more desperate than I've ever seen you, Abby."

"That's enough out of you," she said, summoning large tendrils of her fungus to pull them towards the stone doors, "Neither of you will survive until dawn. Being the merciful God that I am, I'll allow you to look upon Ms. Lavely's corpse before ending your miserable lives. Once that's done, you two will witness the birth of a new world! I want you two to see just what happens to those who fuck with my plans!"

Jake and Beth were being dragged into the darkness, but Jake called out one final taunt that caused her blood to run cold, "I've seen what happens to those who try to become Gods, Abby, and your fate won't be as kind as Goth's! She's coming for you, and before this night is through she'll show you what true power is!"

She had a trust that her new breed of children, along with Ripper, would be enough to put a stop to Pam. At the very least, she hoped that they would exhaust her. She'd taken a risk, and injected herself with a new compound she'd developed. She could feel the gelatinous sludge that once resided between her toes coursing through her veins. She looked down at her hands, and watched as something crawled beneath the skin. She was the catalyst for a new generation, and truthfully she was slightly worried about the effects. She'd been strong enough to control this power all those years ago, and she hoped that she was still strong enough now. This world would soon have its new God, with or without Goth's magic.