While wandering the plateau, Roxton is attacked by a young man, who bites him during the struggle. Roxton's infected with a disease whose symptoms are slightly bizarre ~ intense craving for blood, pain when exposed to sunlight, a powerful feeling of kinship with nature and "creatures of the night" - he is as a vampire. He runs mad and into the gothic mansion of Calista, a beautiful woman with the same disease. Back at the treehouse, a young native man, Niko, comes forward, declaring his love for Veronica. He and Malone argue and decide to fight to the death for her; she is not pleased! Outside the treehouse, Malone and Niko do start to fight, but quickly stop when Veronica tells them she will kill herself to stop them, and has a knife at her stomach to prove it.

The aged guide who brought Veronica's parents to the Lost World dies in Challenger and Veronica's arms, humming "Ode to Joy", leading the explorers to seek out a hidden paradise, where Veronica suspects her parents might be.