A/N: Final confrontation guys! Huge thanks to gogobolo.
Chapter 26 Order's Champion
Bo pulled up in her Camaro, and watched Lauren through the windshield. The blonde automatically turned her body to face the car, and smiled brilliantly waiting for Bo to step out. Bo cut the ignition, and smiled to herself. Their bodies were like two opposing poles of a magnet. Always searching and orienting themselves around the other. It didn't matter whether it was in the privacy of their bed, or in a crowded room. Bo would always stand just behind Lauren. And the doctor would always find a way to seat herself opposite Bo. And in bed, even that smallest of distances would be banished. One of them was always curled around the other. Not even air was allowed to come between them.
Opening the door, Bo shot Lauren a brilliant grin and walked towards her quickly. The doctor felt her heartbeat escalate at the sight of the mischievous twinkle in Bo's eyes.
Smiling widely as she saw the blonde's aura flare up, Bo quickly closed the distance and grabbed Lauren in a deep kiss that left her breathless.
Pulling back, Bo licked her lips with her eyes still closed. She hummed happily "Mmmmm…Bonus!"
Taking in Lauren's confused expression, Bo laughed and said "I didn't think I would get to do that, until much later tonight"
Grinning, Lauren gently ran her thumb over Bo's lower lip "You look happy. Productive day so far?"
Bo smiled at Lauren, happy that she finally had a way to save the doctor thanks to Iris and Nik. She grabbed Lauren's hand. Spotting a fallen log on the edge of the field, Bo made her way to it, hauling Lauren with her "C'mon! Let's sit for a while, and I'll tell you all about it"
Bo sat down and dusted a space next to her. She grinned up cheekily at Lauren, who was eyeing the surface of the log with a thoroughly distrustful look. Bo waved her hands over the spot in an exaggerated manner, making Lauren at once turn up her nose, and sit down gingerly on the log.
Grinning at her girlfriend, Bo grabbed Lauren's jaw, and pressed a slow moist kiss onto Lauren's cheek. She grazed her nose against Lauren's cheek, and whispered a low sexy thank you in Lauren's ear.
Lauren didn't even realise that she had been holding her breath, until Bo pulled back. She looked skyward and let her breath whoosh out, waiting for her libido to level once again. When she felt more in control of herself, Lauren threw Bo a sideways glance filled with wry amusement. Bo grinned back saucily, thoroughly enjoying watching the doctor attempt to compose herself, after Bo's complete success in keying up the doctor.
Placing a hand on the doctors thigh, Bo sighed and stroked gently. There would be a time when she would make love to Lauren underneath the stars again. But this was not it. The next time she touched Lauren, she wanted it to be after they had evicted the unwanted guests in their bodies. Bo's mind wandered a bit, dreaming of making love to Lauren, when she was wearing nothing but the ring Bo had given her. Bo shook her head trying to focus. Her heart was leaping way ahead of her mind. They had other important things that needed to be discussed first. Recollecting the first momentous happening of the day, Bo said " I met my grandmother's sister today."
Lauren's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?! Your grandmother had a sister? She's still alive? That's great Bo!" Then looking worried as she recollected Bo's homicidal father, and controlling grandfather, she amended her statement worriedly "It is great, isn't it? I mean, she's not evil or anything, is she?"
Chuckling at Lauren's concern, Bo brushed Lauren's hair out of her face "Relax babe. She's great! And so cool. You'll never guess who she is, by the way. It's someone whom you have heard of"
Surprised by this new information, Lauren looked back curiously at Bo "Who is it?"
Deciding against teasing her anxious girlfriend by prolonging her reveal, Bo smiled into Lauren's eyes and said "Its Nik, the succubus. The magi queen's wife"
Lauren gasped at this news, and physically recoiled "Are you serious? That is so amazing! I knew that there must be someone awesome in your family! I knew that you must have inherited that big heart from somewhere!"
Swatting Lauren lightly, Bo exclaimed "Hey Tricks not that bad! He does go a little overboard where I am concerned. But he means well. He's still not over my grandmom, you know? I think he really misses her"
Looking sympathetic, Lauren rubbed Bo's arm soothingly. Bo looked back and smiled at Lauren "Anyways we have a standing invitation to meet Akira and Nik, for drinks after all this craziness is behind us. But that's not the only reason why Nik came to pay me a visit. She says she knew Athena, back in the days when she still had a body, and wasn't a creepy spirit"
Lauren felt Athena's interest perk up, at this turn in their conversation. Curious herself, Lauren asked "What did she say?"
Bo held Lauren's hand in her own, getting momentarily distracted by the beauty of the doctor's long. elegant and strong fingers. Running her thumb in circles against the back of Lauren's hand, Bo looked up to see the gold in Lauren's eye flare up. "She says that Athena was a good woman back then. Someone who was committed to order and civilisation. And get this..she says that Athena is Nyx's mortal enemy."
Frowning at this new piece of information, Lauren silently questioned Athena. "Is that true?" When she didn't receive an answer, Lauren looked internally within herself, searching for the signature pattern of the Ancient Fae's thoughts. She had become so attuned to Athena's presence that reading the tone of her thoughts, had by now become second nature to her. Which is why, what she saw in those thoughts currently, greatly surprised her. She detected nostalgia and a sense of longing in Athena's thoughts.
Athena replied in a quiet voice "I have missed Nik. She was a great ally, and perhaps the most resourceful woman i have ever met. Nik could easily build monuments out of nothing. She is unusual for a succubus, because she is a woman who despises her body's needs, and chooses instead to dwell on ways to enhance her natural intellect. She is a great inventor, and one of the first to successfully discover, how to imbibe objects with magic."
Lauren listened spellbound to Athena's praise of the ancient succubus. Considering that compliments did not roll trippingly off Athena's figurative tongue, her commendation of Nik was truly astonishing!
Recovering, Lauren quickly relayed to Bo, the gist of what Athena had just told her. Scowling in annoyance at this reminder that Lauren still had Athena within her, Bo glared stonily at Lauren's forehead. As if she imagined that was where, Athena was currently situated on Lauren's body.
Correctly interpreting her girlfriends ill humour, Lauren quickly changed the subject to a more pleasant topic "Soooo..How was the rest of your day?"
Bo smiled and threw Lauren, a meaningful glance "I made significant progress today". She didn't say anything more, not wanting to clue Lauren or Athena, in further.
Lauren smiled back at her, and matched Bo's meaningful glance with one of her own. She said quietly "Me too."
The two women smiled at each other, happy at the hope they saw shining in each other's eyes. It looked like the storm clouds, which had loomed so threateningly over their lives, were finally about to be blown away.
Their shared moment was interrupted by the quiet purr of a car coming down the road. Both women turned to see a sleek silver European car, roll down he driveway.
Bo looked at Lauren, and said reassuringly "That must be Akira and Nik. I called my grandmother and asked her if she would like to be our back up. I don't think its Dyson, Tamsin or Trick. That car looks unfamiliar and way too expensive"
Lauren smiled and squeezed Bo's hand gently. "I can't wait for you to meet Akira. She's great!"
Bo looked down at Lauren and smiled back "And I can't wait for you to meet Nik"
xx—xx-xxx-xxx
Bo walked forwards with a welcoming smile on her face, trying to peer in through the dark tinted glass of the car's windshield. The car door opened, and an elegant bare calf in high heels came into view. Bo's eyes trailed up slowly as the woman stood, and stepped up from behind the car's door.
She gasped as her eyes met with those of the lightening god, Z. In a voice choked with trepidation she said "How did you find us?"
Z smirked, and shot Bo a gleefully malicious look "Iris bugged you. Not in the sense that she was annoying. Which is something everyone knows.. But more in the sense, that she planted a tracker on you"
Heratio made his way over to them slowly, with a determinedly nonchalant walk. "I had no idea that my daughter was so clever. Or that she even liked us that much to want to actually help us! I must be a great dad!"
Bo thought back to their meeting, wondering, when Iris would have possibly had a chance to plant a bug on her, until it finally clicked. She took out the tube containing water from the Styx, and examined it carefully. And sure enough, there was a small dot on the lid, which looked as innocuous as an ornamental artifact, but was in fact, a bug.
As she was trying to get a closer look at the dot, she heard Lauren cry out a warning from behind her "Booo!"
She looked up to see, Z flicking a lightening charge of pure electricity at her. Flinging her hand up in protection, she felt the electricity surge through her hands, and her palm. And from her palm the electric arc, skipped to the tube clenched in her protective grasp, shattering it into a million shards. And with it her hope of saving Lauren.
Bo felt suspended in a moment of disbelief, as she saw the liquid death contained in the tube, drop on to the grass and turn it completely black. Then her heart broke, as her mind finally comprehended that she had lost her best chance to save Lauren from Athena. How was she going to extinguish Aladdin's lamp without the water from Styx? How would she ever make Athena go dormant now?
Without any conscious thought, an animalistic wail tore through Bo's lips, from the very depths of her abdomen. She felt her legs give way, and she slowly sank down to her knees. Somewhere in the edges of her consciousness, she heard herself shouting a desperate "Nooo" before Nyx rose in triumph, and gleefully began wrestling for control with Bo.
Rushing to Bo's side, when she saw the succubus sink down to the grass below, Lauren quickly grabbed Bo and pulled her into a side hug. Watching the ancients out of the corner of her eyes, she said "Honey! Its okay! Its okay. Whatever it is. Just trust me. Its okay!"
Bo looked at her, with tears cascading down her cheeks. Lauren just shook her head, silently begging Bo to not give in to her despair.
Z circled them slowly, enjoying the sight of both of them kneeling prostrate on the ground before her. She chuckled derisively and said "Okay? No doctor. Everything's not going to be okay. Because i just destroyed Bo's only chance of ridding you of Athena"
Crouching forwards, she grabbed Lauren's jaw as though she was about to kiss her. Bo snarled at Z helplessly, trying desperately to win her own internal battle against Nyx, so she could protect Lauren. But it seemed that Nyx was more anxious and more determined than ever, because she sensed Z and Hera's presence. She went down slowly, making every inch that Bo gained, a battle in itself.
Z peered coldly into Lauren's eyes. "I now speak directly to you, Athena…my favourite daughter! I know you are in there, thanks to your sister Iris, who loves to babble. Consider my breaking this vial containing Styx's water, a sign of my goodwill. The succubus can no longer douse the flame on Aladdins lamp, and make you go dormant."
Lauren felt Athena stiffen rigidly, poised for an attack. Like a cobra goes completely still before it springs forward. Athena spoke to Lauren quietly "I need to take over now for sometime. Let me. It will be less painful for you"
Surprised, Lauren said "You are actually asking me?"
Scoffing, Athena said "I am actually being nice for once. Can't you just appreciate that? Besides I need you to trust me"
Lauren mutely agreed, resolved to do her utmost if the Athena proved duplicitous. The goddess of wisdom, smoothly took control, with all the ease of a practiced surgeon sinking a needle painlessly beneath flesh. All Lauren felt was the tiniest of pricks. Briefly in the back of her mind, Lauren wondered if Athena found it this easy to take over, why hadn't she done so before? Why had she let Lauren sit on the drivers seat. Hadn't all the other ancients killed their hosts without exception? Both Z and Heratio had made short work of their human vessels. So why was Athena still keeping her alive? Lauren had already solved Nyx's problem for her. What did Athena stand to gain by still cohabiting her body with her?
Athena commandeered Lauren's voice, and spoke "Speak, my mighty father! Or should I say, my mighty mother?"
Z pursed her lips in annoyance "Z will do. For now..My daughter, I am here because I need you, once again by my side. I need you to guarantee my victory, like only you can"
Speaking dispassionately, Athena said "And why must I help you?"
Used to the lack of emotion from Athena, Z said "Come come Athena! With Hades safely back in his box, and in Tartarus, which is something we can thank this succubus's faithful lap dog for…it is time for the original pantheon to rise again! It is time for us to usher in, a second era of prosperity and civilisation. An era where order reigns supreme once more! Is that not what you want?"
Athena nodded silently.
Z spoke triumphantly "Then come! Let us not waste any more time! We can together, subdue Nyx and control her, to use as we please. With her infinite power, we will rule supreme over this earth once again! Our reign will be even stronger than the last, for who will dare challenge those, who have chaos at their disposal? Will this not be your finest triumph? Order finally controlling chaos?"
Addressing Lauren, Athena spoke quietly "Z is a fool, if she believes chaos can be controlled. Someone needs to get her a dictionary. Chaos means that which cannot be controlled."
Sensing that Athena was distracted, Z spoke condescendingly "Having trouble with your human host? Surely someone as logical as yourself has realised by now, that killing your host is the most efficient way to function?"
Athena nodded and said "You are right. That does sound logical, Z"
On hearing these words, Bo felt her heart seize in alarm. Absolutely resolute, Bo thought furiously of the ring in her pocket and pushed Nyx down unceremoniously, using every ounce of her will power and love for Lauren.
Standing up, she looked directly into Athena's eyes "Let go off my girlfriend, you bitch!"
Displeased with the interruption, Z waggled her finger at Bo "Tsk, Tsk. Such bad manners. Children should not interrupt grown ups when they are talking" She shot a powerful concentrated blast at the bracelet on Bo's hand. The bracelet that Athena had forged to hold back Nyx. The very same bracelet, which had been the bargaining chip Athena had use, to get Lauren to fuse with her. And which was the only thing that had kept Nyx tamed and manageable within Bo.
And that was all it took, with the bracelet gone, Nyx rose unshackled, The ice of her malice shot through Bo's veins like poison from a snake. Bo doubled over in agony, which only increased exponentially when she saw, Lauren also sink to her knees, clutching desperately at her head.
Athena's voice whispered quietly in Lauren's mind "Lauren. Clutch your head as though in pain, and sink down to your knees. Act like I am taking over you"
With these words Athena ceded control back to Lauren. Inwardly surprised, Lauren did as she was told "Why? Why did you do that? You have the solution. What do you need me for anymore?"
Smirking wryly, Athena said "Don't tempt me. Like I told you, I need you to trust me. Just know that I could have easily killed you, but chose not to. Now quick! Roll over the ground as though you are in agony! Z must be watching us curiously"
Lauren again did as she was told, and thought furiously "What is your plan?"
Athena replied wryly "I need you now to fuse your soul with me"
Reeling, Lauren said "Great! How is that different from killing me? I have no wish to live the rest of my life with you. I would much rather die"
Athena snarled. "No you fool! Fusing with my soul, will kill me. Not you."
Lauren quieted her thoughts, and probed Athena's consciousness. Athena stood proud and regal and open, as she waited for Lauren to finish. The doctor did not detect even the slightest trace of dishonesty or concealment in Athena's thoughts.
Lauren thought quietly "I don't understand"
Athena retorted impatiently "I don't have time for this."
Lauren snarled back "Then explain quickly!"
Scowling, Athena said "My identity is linked completely to my spirit. As long as my spirit remains whole, I remain separate. The minute my spirit fuses with yours, is the minute I lose my identity. If you fuse with me, I will go dormant forever, never to be revived again in this mortal plane. But you! You doctor..you are whole..your identity is spread across your body, mind and spirit. Your body reminds you of your unique needs, your unique appetite, the distinct way you walk, and every mannerism that can be attributed to the mechanics of your muscles. Your mind holds all your memories, the collective summation of all your experiences that have made you who you are today..and your spirit? It defines who you are underneath it all. Your unique thirst for knowledge, your compassion, and your love for Bo. But unlike you, my entire identity is tied to my spirit alone. Because that is all i am. A spirit. Quick, lie still now. As though you are dead. I sense Z will approach soon to check on us"
Going still, Lauren closed her eyes and laid face down. She could not even bear to think about how much pain, she must be putting Bo through right now. But at the moment, it seemed like Athena was her only chance at their survival. Her heart tore, as she registered the sound of Bo wailing, crying out her name brokenly. Over and over again. Her fingers twitched involuntarily, wanting to comfort her lover. But her mind made her body go completely limp
Athena spoke urgently now, as though sensing that Lauren's strength and determination were flagging "Fuse now, child! Do it"
Feeling for the very first time, concern for the ancient Fae within her she said "Was this your plan all along? You were going to die? I can't let you do that!"
Chuckling morosely, Athena said "Don't tell me that you are growing fond of me doctor. Besides it was foretold long ago, that there would one day be a battle between order's greatest champion, and chaos itself. It was also foretold that this champion would finally taste defeat. But it would be a defeat, that still held a victory. For chaos shall, on that day, finally be suppressed."
Lauren felt her mind go blank at the implications of this prophecy. Athena spoke quickly "I am not afraid of death. I am a warrior. My sole purpose is to keep Nyx at bay. To those who have fulfilled their life's duty, death is but a sweet release. Do not hesitate child. This is the best way. If you don't fuse with me, the first thing Nyx will do when she is released from Bo, is to rip me apart from your body. Once she does, she will destroy me anyway. Our best chance to defeat her, is for you to bond with me. Once you do, you will inherit all my skill sets: My superior intelligence, strategy and wisdom. Use them to defeat Nyx forever. The road ends for me here, today either way, irrespective of whether or not, you choose to fuse with me. Don't hesitate. Only if you fuse with me, will Z believe that you are dead. Your eyes will glow as brilliantly gold as mine once did. And they will think that I have successfully killed you. Do it Lauren. NOW! Z approaches! Z comes!"
Lauren felt her heart rip in two. Bo needed her. She had no choice but to let Athena go. She felt Z turn her over slowly. A cold wrist encircled her pulse, checking for signs of life.
She murmured a quiet "I'll miss you, my greatest friend!"
Athena smiled and said "Open your mind and heart, Lauren. May good fortune always be yours"
Lauren felt a great presence move to her heart, and enter it, like a surge of floodwater spilling over on to the banks of a river. And just like the water dissolves into the sand in a marsh, Athena's essence slowly made its way and permeated into Lauren's being. An abrupt sense of calm and clarity washed over her. Lauren had always been a woman who could keep her passions at bay. But as Athena bonded with her, she felt her self-control increase exponentially. Somewhere in her arms, a foreign sense of unyielding strength settled in. In an instant, Lauren felt a thousand new facets added to her personality. Facets she did not have time to explore and understand, because Bo needed her. And because Z was now trying to pry her eyes open.
The doctor opened her eyes to her new life gradually. Athena's power washing over her, like wave upon wave of a stormy sea, cascading relentlessly over a stubborn rock. She saw Z's triumphant eyes stare back at her. She rose up sinuously, and her gaze immediately found Bo's.
The anguish reflecting in Bo's face, made Lauren almost lose control of her dispassionate mask. She held on to her composure, as desperately as a man hanging from a narrow ledge with his finger tips
She addressed Bo, without a trace of emotion "Expel Nyx. Now!"
Bo wondered how she was even able to retain conscious thought, right now. Lauren was dead. She was gone! Why was Bo holding on? Why not succumb to Nyx? Maybe she would see Lauren again in Valhalla. She could be with her forever.
Then she heard the coldness of Lauren's familiar warm voice wash over her. Bo felt a rage, unlike no anger she had ever felt before. In that second,she understood her mother's madness and anger that was reserved solely for her father. He had taken Bo, the one thing her mother held most dear. And that act, had pushed her mother over the edge. And now this Fae, this unfeeling monster, Athena.. had taken that which was most precious to Bo - Lauren. Athena would pay! If it was the last thing Bo did, Athena WOULD pay.
In that instant, Bo's determination and thirst for revenge was so intense, that Nyx and dark Bo, both shrank back in fear. Bo stood up, her face a cold mask of rage.
Lauren flinched inwardly, as she saw brown eyes, that were always filled with love and happiness when directed at her, brim over with hate and fury. A rage so foreign on Bo, because it was so cold and contained.
Bo addressed her quietly "You killed the only woman i have ever loved. You have destroyed my reason for living. No..no you haven't. You have given me a new purpose. I will hunt you down and kill you slowly, every minute of every day. Just so you can feel the pain, I am feeling right now. I will hurt you, and maul you, until only a sliver of life remains in your pathetic body. Then I will revive you again, only to beat you, and tear you again down slowly. Painfully inch by inch, so you can feel every bit of your precious life slipping away from you..So tell me..why must I do anything you say, Athena?
Swallowing at the darkness of Bo's words, Lauren struggled to keep her voice even "So you can have your revenge. Once Nyx is dealt with, you will be more at ease to fight me, little succubus"
Bo smiled eerily, her hate for Athena, contorting her open and warm face into a grotesque mask. She said quietly "Sounds like a plan"
And then in one breath, she expelled Nyx, as easily as a child blows out a birthday candle. The strength of her grief, and her madness for revenge, making the gargantuan task, seem utterly simple. Lauren stood watching Bo with a cold look plastered on to her face. But on the inside, Lauren had never felt so much in awe of Bo's power as in that moment.
Nyx stood suspended, a shapeless black gassy mass, which rumbled and roiled within itself. Trying in vain to find a shape which she could use to combat the deadly foes arrayed in front of her.
Lauren looked away from Bo and concentrated on Nyx. The doctor could still feel Athena in her, the fae's essence was so vast and unending that the fusion had still not completed. The ancient Greek was truly powerful. She was now leaving behind a vivid set of images, a blueprint of what needed to be done next. Those plans, made Lauren understand why Athena was always depicted with the bird, victory. Athena was always ten steps ahead. She could and would never be defeated. Even in death.
Addressing Z and Hera, she said "I have a solution here." She displayed the injection pen that she had specially prepared, and then bluffed with a cool indifferent face "It will help contain Nyx. But first use your powers on her. Wear Nyx down to something manageable."
Smirking in victory, Z said "With pleasure" The mistress of the sky then started gleefully hurling lightning and thunder and rain, on Nyx unrestrainedly. Heratio unleashed a lethal swarm of locusts into the inky mass.
The black cloud that was Nyx, froze for a moment and stayed still. As though trying to decide on what to do. And then abruptly the gassy mass exploded outwards and swallowed Heratio in one quick lunge.
Lauren watched spell bound as the chi in Heratio's body shone a bright orange, before being forcibly extracted into Nyx. His body then disintegrated into nothingness in an instant. All of his skin, muscle and bone, pulverized into a fine dust, which the wind carried away.
With mouth agape, Z watched her husband die. She shrieked in defiance and rained her entire power on Nyx. The black cloud flared upwards, as the mistress of the sky emptied all of her prodigious power into the cloud. Z yelled shrilly at Athena "Why isn't it working? Do something!"
The black cloud rumbled loudly, like two tectonic plates clashing with one another. Then the cloud swelled forwards, spilling like water from a dam, and engulfed Z completely.
Lauren shrank back and ran over to Bo in alarm, who stood dispassionately as she watched Z and Hera die at Nyx's hands.
When Lauren reached Bo, the succubus gave her a half smile, and said "Don't worry. I won't let Nyx kill you. That pleasure belongs to me alone."
She grabbed Lauren in a choke hold and lifted her up by the neck. Bo began extracting chi from Lauren mercilessly. The doctor watched helplessly as she felt her life force drain away quickly. She saw Bo's eyes flash a cold victorious blue, before the taste of Lauren's chi registered in Bo's senses. The unique taste of Lauren's love spilled over and soaked Bo's palate. To a succubus the taste of her Chi was like recognizing Lauren's unique finger print.
Bo dropped Lauren immediately, with hope desperately trying to break through her eyes, and exclaimed disbelievingly "Lauren?"
Struggling to speak through her constricted throat, she gasped out "Yeah..its me"
Bo cupped Lauren's face and pulled her into a deep kiss that left Lauren even more breathless. She let the succubus kiss her for however long she wanted, letting her take all the relief she needed. When breathing became a necessity she couldn't ignore any longer, Lauren pulled back and whispered "Bo. Athena sacrificed herself. I'll tell you why later. But right now, we have got to let Nyx think that I am Athena"
Bo nodded resolutely at Lauren, signalling that she understood the gravity of their situation.
The black cloud shot up abruptly, shaped like a mushroom as the last of Z's essence became absorbed. Lauren wondered if the people in Toronto would look at it, and think there had been a nuclear explosion. And then the cloud slowly retracted in itself. Shrinking and coiling within itself, until it took on a humanoid figure.
White eyes shone brightly through a black face that shifted incessantly. The nose of the creature changed, becoming short, and then long. Her mouth was a white slit. And her body kept reshaping itself. Nyx was a slender tall woman in one instant, and a short fat woman in the next. Where there should have been hair, was an inky gassy plume that extended towards the sky. A smoky trail, wavered like the flame of a candle. But the creature did not have skin or any mass. It still subsisted entirely of smoke and evil. Nyx had finally become corporeal. She now had a body.
Aiming an evil smile in Lauren's direction, the creature hissed "You alone knew that their powers only feed me. Just like the heraclids energy fed Zeus. You knew that I would grow more powerful, if I was fed by chi from my progeny. Why then, did you allow it? Has the guardian of order, the mighty Athena, then finally realised that chaos is inevitable?"
Lauren felt her brain cells fry, trying to get a lock on Nyx's rapidly shifting appearance and her sibilant multi-tonal hiss. But everything about Nyx was chaotic. Everything about Nyx was meant to keep Lauren's thoughts unfocussed. Finding her inner resolve, Lauren said quietly "Yes. Chaos is inevitable"
Bo looked at Lauren in disbelief. The doctor smiled, before shouting. "But it can be suppressed" She hurled her injection pen into Nyx, and pressed a button on her remote.
She watched breathlessly, as Nyx caught the pen, with a wry smile of amusement. She watched anxiously, as she waited for the starter solution containing her special batch of free radicals, slowly mix with the pure chi of love. She watched triumphantly, as Nyx was soon swallowed in a huge explosion of silent light.
Howling in despair, drowning in her own medicine, Nyx lost her corporeal form. She once again assumed her full size of a black mushroom cloud. But it was too late. Lauren's formula had created a new sun made entirely of pure chi,within her. Bo reached for Lauren's hand and clenched it tightly, as they both saw the sun grow larger and larger, and begin to suck Nyx into it. It was like watching the big bang, with a single point of light beginning to grow and explode exponentially, pushing the darkness shrouding the universe, to the very fringe.
And then abruptly, the tides changed. The sun began to flicker at the edges, like a tube light about to burst. Nyx gained the upper hand and began beating the sun down, pushing it back into nothingness. The sun began to shrink slowly around the edges.
Athena spoke in Lauren's mind. A last conscious thought entering Lauren's brain before Athena faded out completely.
The moment when Akira, the magi queen, had dissolved her entire body to save her people, flashed in Lauren's mind. Understanding what needed to be done, she released Bo's hand and kicked her hard in the shins. Attempting to make a break and run at Nyx.
But Bo was too quick! Years spent chasing after criminals had given her an edge. She caught Lauren quickly around the waist and pulled her back tightly against her body, and said "What are you doing?"
Lauren struggled uselessly against Bo's grip. She may be strong now, but Bo still outweighed her, and she had taken a good amount of Lauren's chi. Lauren wouldn't be able to physically overcome Bo. Trying to sway Bo using reason, Lauren said "Bo. Let me go. The starter solution needs more chi."
Bo refused to let go. She said quietly "But it needs to be chi from love, right? That's what you had me breathe into the necklace?"
Lauren nodded impatiently "Let me go Bo. I have to do this."
Bo kissed Lauren firmly "You know that it's not gonna work. We both need to go. It takes two to tango, Lauren"
Lauren looked at Bo and choked out a heartbroken "NOOOO! You have to live!"
Bo smiled wryly at her "What's the point in me living without you. In case you didn't notice, I kinda go bat shit crazy at the mere thought of you dead"
Lauren sighed and looked down. Shaking her head sadly, she looked back at Bo and said "I really didn't think it would end like this"
Bo smiled softly and kissed Lauren's forehead "I couldn't think of a better way to go, than with you. C'mon"
She took Lauren's hand and led her inside the black cloud. Nyx roared in triumph and began sucking out their chi, delighted at having a chance at retribution.
Bo stood in the center of the maelstrom, and took Lauren in her arms. The two lovers smiled into each others eyes, before they kissed, one last time. Bo slowly began to draw Lauren's chi into her own body. When she felt Lauren sag limply in her arms, Bo pulled back and released their combined chi into the blackness around her. Both women sank down on their knees, lacking the energy to remain upright. At the same time, Lauren used the last reserves of her energy to break the tube containing her starter solution.
Before everything went dark, she heard distant shouts. Was that Dyson's voice crying out her name? Was that rustle she heard, the sound of the black wings of a valkyrie? Was that Tamsin? And then there were two other voices. One sounded familiar. Aah..the magi queen. But to whom did the other voice belong? The sensuality of that voice somehow reminded her of Bo.
Nyx was wailing now, knowing that her end was at hand. The starter solution was about to make contact with their chi. Bo looked at her and smiled one last time, before her eyes closed sleepily. Lauren followed her peacefully into blissful oblivion. This was it. This was the end of their lives. And then the world went completely dark.