Far Pangaea 81 : cHORUS line

"So, other Me, I thought you were going away for good."

Cameron Scott of the new nickname Lightmare leaned on the massive dining table facing his opposing self, the Dark Angel with vampire DNA that was reborn in his image. Two Cameron's for the price of one. Both essentially good yet the Angel had his devious moments. His ideas his own. yet filled with a heart. A consistent tug of war within.

"Other Me? That is just plain confusing."

"True dat. James Ian nicknamed me Lightmare. Maybe we should give you a nickname so we can talk to each other without answering ourselves back."

"What do you suggest? As if I didn't know."

"Hey, you're the one wearing that leather Falcon hoodie. Might as well call yourself Horus."

"Sounds like I might be the guy anyway. At least that's what Dad is insinuating. Lightmare or Ra. Do we buy into this reincarnation crap?"

"I don't feel reincarnated. Even though I think we both died and came back."

"Same thing you moron."

"Takes one to know one."

"Are we really that ignorant?"

"No. We both know what's going down here I think. We're prisoners to a guy who seems to thing he's a God."

"I AM A GOD MY SONS. AS ARE THEE." They hear a voice in their heads like thunder. Both men wince at the decibel level.

"So why are we held hostage here Pops?" Lightmare calls out to open air looking upward at the strange looking ceiling. Gold architecture was everywhere. If he had any reason to spend gold he might steal some.

"YOU ARE NOT A PRISONER. THIS IS YOUR HOME. WE AWAIT THE REST OF OUR FAMILY."

"Rest of them? Who might that be in this dead zone of a desert?" Horus sighs and leans forward on muscular arms.

Lightmare nods his agreement then suddenly loses his expression. Knowing telepathy between the two of them would be detected by this Entity he chooses to do his best to control his thoughts. Switching over to writing names in the dust of the table slowly. By doing this he could say a different name but write the correct one. Horus took note of the name Ruby and James then a scribbled Ixnay. He too grew grim. How many others were in the immediate vicinity?

"So Daddio? I'm confused, "Horus runs interference, "How can we be your children when the crypts we were in had their original bodies? Not much left of them at that. Our regards for your losses."

"LIFE FORCES ARE STRONG ON THIS WORLD. AS YOU HAVE NOTICED MY DAUGHTER BASTIA IS MISSING. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT SHE SOMEHOW SURVIVED. PERHAPS ABANDONING US THINKING WE HAD NOT. SHE WILL BE PUNISHED FOR HER ERR IN JUDGMENT."

"Bastia? The Cat Goddess. Maybe she really does have nine lives." Lightmare switches back to joining the conversation, "How could she have known if the rest of you had lived? I mean the two bodies we found were definitely dead."

"YET LIVE WITHIN YOU BOTH."

"How is that? My Father was a Dark Angel tossed out of Heaven. My Mom a sadistic Vampire Queen. How could that possibly make me your son Horus?"

"Right. I was born in Butte, Montana. Far cry from where we are now. My parents were Wayne and Regina Scott. Dad was a Pilot like me. Mom a CNA at Sunny Acres retirement home."

Horus suddenly pictures his true DNA in the form of his human parents. His eyes flare up at the images. He had not once pictured them since his conception. His human part dormant in his newborn heritage. Perhaps he needed to explore his humanity further.

"VESSELS ALL. YOUR LINEAGE RESIDES WITHIN MY BLOOD. CENTURIES PASS. MORE THAN CENTURIES. A TRUE FATHER TOO MANY CHILDREN. AS IS THE OSIRIAN WAY. FEAR NOT...YOU ARE MY CHILDREN."

Both Cameron Scott's swallow and realize that just maybe he might be speaking the truth. The real Cameron Scott did know bloodlines carried forth were found everywhere in the world. Children least suspecting their genealogy had markings from unexpected sources. Although not their real Father, in a sense he might have began their ascension.

"Okay. I think I understand where you're going with this...Osiris correct?"

"YES. I AM GLAD YOU COMPREHEND. ONCE YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARRIVE WE WILL REJOICE TOGETHER AND BEGIN A NEW LIFE HERE ON THIS WORLD. RESHAPING IT IN MY IMAGE."

"My? If we're Royalty like you do we get our own kingdoms?" Horus winks at Lightmare. After a silence Osiris responds, "PERHAPS."

His hesitation made both men feel a bad omen in the air.

"What about Bastia?" Lightmare wonders, "Will she return to us?"

"IF NOT WE...I SHALL FIND AND PUNISH HER. I MUST REST. ENJOY WHAT MY HOME HAS TO OFFER YOU MY SONS. WHILE REVIVING IN POWER IT STILL HAS ENOUGH TO SATISFY YOUR NEEDS. I SHALL RETURN SOON."

"Night John boy." Lightmare whispers. Horus suddenly seeing the images of Walton Mountain. So confusing. After ten minutes of sitting bored Horus rises to his feet. The food upon the table was tasteless. Not even real food. It just looked fit for a King. Simulations. He needed more.

"We need strippers." Horus circles in a ten foot stride looking about. Lightmare less interested in women. He had his sights on one they had fought over already. Sharing thoughts Horus halts and peers over his shoulder, "You would think of Sabbath Black. A woman that chose me over yourself."

"Again, you are me. It was best we both let her go."

"I could have kept her. I chose to offer her freedom."

"You tried to make her an Angel like you. She devolved into a monkey Dude. So not cool."

"My powers were merely learning. In time she would have been perfected. Not the Vampire she is now."

"Keep your voice down." Lightmare points at the surroundings. Osiris might hear them. Uncaring Horus was becoming irritable, "She would still be mine if I demanded it." In his moment of anger mighty wings erupt from his back and flare wide. A dark shadowy armor similar to his others Light shell encases his body like an exterior skeleton. The Hawk hat turning black and menacing.

"Whoa! Slow down Bro. Not looking to pick a fight. Water under the bridge. Sabbath doesn't want either of us." Lightmare observes a shadow sword extend from the Angel's palm. In response Cam leaps to his own feet and sparks his own armor to fire up in a blinding lightshow. The light forming his own armor. He had forgotten the amulet he had found in the tomb of the real Ra. Around his neck the necklace responded to his powers and slammed hard against his chest. Fusing itself to his flesh. With no further need for its suspending chain the chinks melt away and vanish. The sudden fusion made Cam breathless, clutching his chest to examine the new addition. It felt right. As if it were a living breathing part of his organs. Smiling Lightmare ignited his own light sword and circled his opposing self.

"It's on Buddy. It is so on."

Horus could not agree more, "Like Konky Dong."

Many miles distant in the Garden of Eden.

"Welcome Travelers." Gaea in the form of Lillian Black awaited at a predicted entry point. Plant life shrouding her nudity in a well concealed modesty. She chose to hide her attributes from these strangers. Those given refuge. In the lead were the T-Rex, Adam, along with his wife Eve, her soul within the body of a massive Komodo Dragon. One that even coughed up fire defensively should she require it. Her children in procession beside her. Careful not to be trampled by either Great Beasts.

Trailing behind them was a Caravan of a single covered wagon pulled by a Clydesdale horse. Behind the reins was a midget bald man with more hair than any of the others. Bogart Ross to his friends. To his right sat a little girl with light brown hair named Abigail. Peering out from behind them was another man wearing a handkerchief over his head. Clean shaven except for a very thin moustache. His name Stefan.

From a safe distance followed a Panzer tank as helmed by a German Mechanic named Franz. Riding on top of the tank was an American Indian from the Old west. Chokote. Tailing the others was a herd of cattle as coaxed along by a lone Cowboy. Marshal Lionel Warjorj. A man of many talents. Today merely a Shepard. As the Caravan slowed to a halt Lionel chose to trot ahead of the cows that immediately took interest in the foliage for food and coolness against the harsh sun. They were home.

Navigating Quiver, the horse given to Lionel by Greta Winston, the Marshal approached Gaea. He was caught off guard by her human appearance. Posing in his saddle he tips his hat, "Afternoon Ma'am. We was offered safe passage to live here by a Miss Gaea."

"I am Gaea." He cocks an eye brow at her beauty. She merely smiled. Not expecting a human host.

"Forgive an old Cowboy, Ma'am. You certainly are more than any whirlwind of grain. A mite pretty lady if I may say so."

"You may." Lillian blushes hearing a whisper in the back of her mind. Careful not to spook her new tenants she responds with, "I am not flirting. You hush Sister."

"Ma'am?" He notes her distant demeanor.

"My apologizes. I am careful to monitor my home. The Garden speaks to me. Please feel free to find a spot to settle. A lake is just over there. For bathing. The waters I keep crisp and clear. Free of all pollutants."

"Fish in it?" She hears Bogart Ross call out in curiosity.

"I am afraid not. While I may grant life in plant form I do not in living organisms. I myself have no need to eat. Therefore I have had no reason to stock the lake." Gaea chooses to commune with her sister once again, "We should have considered that Sabbath. Your friends have an underground link to the outer seas. They could have offered us fish to give these people life."

"I'll look into that. I'm just not ready to face anybody yet. Cameron...has haunted me."

"Understood Sister. There is plenty of vegetation to continue survival."

"Ma'am?" Warjorj growls once again. He could sense her inner thoughts and worried that she might be sick in the head.

"Yes? Forgive me. I have a sister that communicates with me in thought. We have been considering the fish population. Greta Winston's friends might help us with that dilemma. For now I can only offer you refuge and the prosperous land to feed you. Please make yourselves at home. I will return toward nightfall."

Marshal Warjorj nods as she turns away. Her disguise of vines and leaves departing her body with each step. While other fertile plant life forms take their place. There was certainly no mistaking her nudity. Lionel had to smirk. The Goddess had a mighty fine backside. Lillian Black picking up on his thoughts smiles. A wiggle and a quick reveal of her entirety made her giggle. It had been a long time since she felt the need to flaunt herself. Unbecoming of a Goddess. She would pray for her reactions. Even she had a Father. More than one at that.

Once out of sight Bogart Ross removes his hand from Abigail's eyes, "Don't you get any ideas, Youngun. Land of the Free don't mean that much freedom." He was being Fatherly.

Abigail could only roll her eyes.

Outside the Great Pyramid of Osiris.

"Sands are slipping away fast." Elle Franklin acknowledges as her Technoride circles the vicinity. Her lover Animahni alias Anemone hugging her tightly from behind.

"I do not recall seeing this structure earlier." The red skinned beauty examines what lie before her.

Over a headset they hear Malcolm Brand add input, "The engines of the X'Orr probably knocked the sand loose. Started an avalanche. Wonder why Cameron felt the need to check this out?"

"Question is how did he get inside? If he did go inside." Elle buzzed about searching for an entry point, "He phase through it like he did the hull of the X'Orr?"

"Could be." Malcolm Brand ponders no other way in, "Probably a hidden door somewhere. But, yeah that would be my guess too." Both of them were wrong.

Hovering at the pinnacle of the structure the Ganthorian named Mav'Ryk examines the gold crest. Noticing delicate engravings upon the shimmering gold. Using a hand held scanner he shines a narrow beam from it toward the panels. The distance meaning nothing in its portrayal of past events. Like Harpea had used earlier at the X'Hal to find traces of Young James Ian and the primitive friend Moe. This same device allowed Mav'Ryk to ascertain any recent activity surrounding it. Sure enough he is shown that two separate sets of hands had touched the gold. Further study he realizes they have the very same fingerprints.

"I detect two visitors. Strangely their DNA are quite similar." Mav'Ryk reports.

Elle processes his comment, "Two?"

"Might be both versions of Cameron." Malcolm chimes in, "Same DNA but two individual bodies. Do you see how they got inside Mav?"

"I do not. I do however acknowledge which characters were touched. Perhaps a sequencing system will open a hidden portal. I am attempting to recreate their unique heat signatures into actual images. There. If you will hover next to me I shall enlighten you."

Carefully lowering to idle on both sides of Mav'Ryk they are treated to a movie. A very dimly exposed movie due to the golds reflection of the sun. Still, they witness first the winged Cameron now known as Horus discover the Falcon symbol, in turn opening a doorway that essentially evaporates then reforms after entry. A second image of Cameron as Lightmare doing the same. Except that his key character was the Sun image.

"So, the buttons if you want to call them that are reacting to the closest thing that relates to their characteristics." Elle leans over her handlebars with a curious squint. Trying to relate to any of the other keys. Nothing remotely resembling a diamond. Unless her solar absorption powers also associated herself as a Sun. Of course this whole theory might not even work for her. Until she heard the voice in her head again.

"COME HOME!"

"You guys hear that? Or is it just in my head?" She reels back in her seat to rest against Anemone's chest. Her lover trembling at Elle's statement.

"Not I." Anemone whispers, her hair brushing against Elle's cheek.

"Hear what?" Malcolm winced her direction.

"Nothing. Crazy I guess."

Mav'Ryk sighs, "I believe I too heard the term Come Home."

Elle looks over with a glimmer of shock, "You did?"

"Yes. You did not Malcolm Brand?"

"Not a word. What does Come Home mean? Is James Ian back and calling you two?"

"I think not. The decibels are quite loud and are not of your young Anomaly's tone. Perhaps we should land and examine this more closely." Mav'Ryk suggests.

"Already up here. Animahni my Sweet? Care to learn how to drive?"

The Hybrid beauty smiles nervously, "In my former life as Micah Kinolan I knew how to drive a car. It is also not so unlike navigating the currents of the ocean."

"Sweetie? Don't wreck my ride." Elle pats her cheek from behind. She then unharnesses her waist from the seat and carefully sets auto pilot. Just in case. Lifting the enclosing cockpit visor Elle grabs her knapsack and throws it over her shoulder, "Once I leap over to that gold plating and get a solid foot hold toss me my gun." She knew leaping over with too much in hand she might slip and fall.

Mav'Ryk was ready, "A gravity hoist will keep you from freefall." He then activates his bikes frontal ports. As if a headlight coming on he instructs Elle to jump in front of it. Risk taken she leaps into the beam and finds herself frozen in the air but nurtured forward by Mav'Ryk. Touching the steeple she holds on with her left hand and extends her right out. Anemone then tossed her the Ion rifle. The gravity port maintained her balance quite easily.

"Alright. Let's try the sun character that Cameron did." She calls out.

"Careful Eleanor." Malcolm sweats. The unknown always haunted him. Even though he could grow to astronomical heights he still had a penchant for fear.

"I got this Brother Brand." Elle was fearless. Anemone quite different in her demeanor. She had just gotten attached to Elle. Losing her would crush her spirit. Watching intently she spies Elle's fingers touching the sun hieroglyph. Nothing happened. Fidgeting Elle Franklin examines every character there. Nothing really related to her. Humming to herself she decides to just start touching glyph after glyph. Upon caressing a symbol known in Egyptian text as Tiet the door magically opens. Jaws drop all around her as Elle looks back stunned by her sudden success.

"You going in?" Malcolm grew leery.

"Not gonna find Cam out here. I'll step inside then send my drones in for a better look."

"Let me come with you." Anemone shared a concerned look. Elle melted at her gaze. Finally frowning she shakes her head no. Anemone pouted to no avail.

"Stay out here with the others. Humor me Beautiful."

"As you wish. Please be careful."

"I'll be back Fish stick. You just be ready with puckered lips."

"Which ones?" Anemone had no clue that her words would be taken out of context. Malcolm clears his throat, "TMI. Keep your talky on. We'll monitor you. Go full on diamond too. Might be scorpions or something in there."

"Relax Mal. I have healing abilities remember? But, yeah I think I will go in crystal." She starts to enter when both she and Mav'Ryk once again hear the bellowing COME HOME. Hesitating she looks back at the Ganthorian, "Hear it that time?"

"Quite loudly. Perhaps I should join you."

Nodding her affirmation she agreed, "Need a good Scientist in case there's anything high tech in here. Don't be mad Animahni. Two go in two stay outside. Backup. In case we need reinforcements." A blown kiss toward Anemone leads to a heartfelt gasp. She could sense something bad.

Mav'Ryk sets his Technoride to land once his gravity bridge allowed him to join Elle who had already stepped inside opening her bag. Releasing two drones into the darkness she awaits Mav'Ryk. Holding her hand out for his he accepts her invitation. Suddenly the door closes around her arm. Still on the outside as if normal. Mav'Ryk eyed her enclosed arm. She should by all rights have lost her arm. Severed by the gold doorway as it materialized. Yet. her fingers still clutched his hand as if perfectly fine.

"Intriguing. I believe the doorway wishes me to subject myself by touching a hieroglyph before allowing me to join her."

"Give it a shot Mav. Before your gravity bridge fades out." Malcolm points.

A swift examination it made perfect sense that he touch the glyph of a serpent. Instantly the door reopens. Elle yanking him inside before the door sealed once more. In seconds it did indeed close. Both were trapped within.

Mav'Ryk's Technoride lowered between Mal and Anemone, carefully guiding itself into a landing upon the dune below. Malcolm taps his headset, "See anything in there Sarge?"

"Darkness. Lighting up a fist now." He hears Elle. Her voice garbled but heard. He just knew that would change, "Tunnels going down. Sit tight I'll report in every ten minutes. Hot Chocolate out."

Malcolm huffed his cheeks looking over at Animahni, "Let's park these bikes and kick back. Nothing we can do at this point but monitor their positions." Following Malcolm down they rest side by side in the sand. He could tell how deeply fearful Anemone was. Stepping from his bike he joins her on her seat. A hand on her shoulder for comfort.

"Stay strong Annie."

She did her best.

A battle raged in the bowels of the Pyramid. Cam versus Cam. Light versus shadow. Blades of both substances creating loud vibrations upon impact. Shields were now developed to deflect the others blows. It was like a scene out of the movie 300. Two Spartans in mortal combat. Immortal perhaps. Antonaeus Gaicazar himself might be proud of their improvised skills. Neither had ever really fought this way. Clumsy yet natural.

"Back off Fangboy. Before I clip those wings right off of your back."

"As if Sunblock. I've pushed you back with every advance. All you have left is...hey where did the wall go? It was right behind you. Now it's gone."