Impossible Creatures: Epilogue

Isla Undisonus

July 29th, 1937

It had been a long journey, though it had seemed faster now that their stops were unhindered by the need to locate and destroy enemy bases. Rex had been very quiet, and Lucy had given him what space she could. He often sought her out, though he spoke little. He would stand at her side as she steered, or sit beside her at their evening campfire. Sometimes when he seemed particularly lost she would reach for one of his large, calloused hands, and he would close his fingers around her smaller ones.

There was little left to be said, anyway.

When they trekked over the snowy ground to the silent laboratory building that had belonged to Rex's father, both of them missed the familiar sound of light pawsteps at their side. Wolf's absence was like a wound that refused to heal over.

The took several of Dr Chanikov's possessions into their lab. He had kept extensive journals, something he seemed to have in common with his son. They kept the personal ones, while Lucy sadly left the scientific research ones behind.

There was a black and white photograph of Rex as a baby in his mother's arms, his father smiling over them both, that Rex treasured. Then there were some beautiful and detailed books on wild animals Lucy insisted they keep.

After they were done, Lucy sabotaged the power supply of the building. They returned to the lab, parked a safe distance away - not too far from Dr. Chanikov's grave. A fire sprang up inside the lab. They waited as it caught, and a muffled explosion sounded from inside.

The Sigma Technology had been destroyed. Rex felt his heart skip painfully. He couldn't think of the hundreds of creatures who had brought him to his point, but the misery clawed up his heart and soul.

Then Lucy was beside him, pulling him into a gentle hug. He clung to her, his last lifeline. The only other survivor of the whole Sigma Adventure.

"Rex, oh Rex. It'll be all right." Lucy whispered, smoothing down his dark hair. She could feel his shoulders shaking. "Will it, Lucy?" He choked.

"In time, Rex. It'll all be all right, given time."

On an island at the opposite end of the Isla Variatis, Lucy's words had been proven true, though neither she nor Rex knew it.

With the explosion of the final laboratory housing Sigma technology, over fifteen islands, creatures faded into nothingness without the power behind the technology to maintain them. Yet, Rex had overlooked one very important thing. A suspicion his father had harboured about him, a suspicion that had been reflected when his eyes had shone white.

"I have reason to believe that he is the very essence of Sigma..."

Sitting atop a small hillside on Isla Tantus, a grey and tawny creature surveyed the land around him, ears perked, white eyes keen. There were human footprints remaining in the sand above where the tideline reached. In the spot the lab had been parked, the two komodo-tigers were curled together. Five Eeri stood head-to-tail close by, grunting faintly to one another.

These eight were all that remained of the final army of Rex Chance. Upon every island, similar small groups would remain, sustained by the man who had fought beside them. He would never know it - he and Lucy had left the Isla Variatis for good.

Like a faithful sentinel, the rangy canine-feline hybrid remained at his post. Night was falling under cover of another brilliant sunset. Lifting his muzzle, he let out out a long, sweet howl.

Endings were never truly the end.

Final A/Ns

So there you have it. It's complete.

I dedicate it to my good friend Changer, who has been my muse throughout this story, and the one to encourage me to continue it.

There's sequels already in the planning stages... but if you want them, you'll have to review!

I hope you all enjoyed it.