Zack had inspected the room with little to find Lyand had simply disappeared through the wall he rooted round the room the blue giant had not struggled if he had been taken and it was hard to tell whether Lyand could have punched the whole through the wall. The debris seemed to have gathered outside and inside the wall had simply been ‘removed’. Zack could feel a slight burning sensation on his face the sunlight touching it. Zack looked up seeing the silhouette of a man walking towards them Zack stepped through the whole the direct sun beating on his face he began to sweat his skin pricking he felt he was being burned he knew it would be a while before he started to steam. “Lyand seems to have been taken by something part animal could be one of the Doc’s men but first we have a visitor.”

Began to walk toward the man pushing the goggle like sunglasses flush with his face being a deep crimson colour stopping any sunlight getting to his eyes. Zack continued to walk forwards his hands at his side being as unthreatening as he could he did not look back to see if Kaelan had followed him the two stood apart a good distance. “Excuse me you seem to be a little lost being all the way out here?” Zack had to be cautious few people would bother to come out this far just for a motel unless he was a stranded adventurer.

Kaelan watched as Zack headed out to meet the stranger, knowing that the sun would cause him discomfort if not pain. She didn't like this....not one bit. She knew that Zack could pretty much take care of himself, but the sun....the sun could be his downfall. Looking around the room, she saw nothing that would help him and feeling frustrated a loud growl escaped her lips. Lyand had disappeared and Zack was out in the sun. What was next.....an attack from below ground? Or worse?

Leaving the room, Kaelan went back out to the lobby, rummaging quickly behind the desk for anything that would help Zack. Still, she found nothing. Sighing, she grabbed the bag of food and sodas from the reception desk and headed for the door to join Zack, looking around cautiously as she stepped outside.

As she walked towards Zack and the stranger she felt eyes upon her and stopped, looking around her. Looking up, she saw what looked like an upright......hyena? At least, it resembled a hyena, on two legs standing on the roof of the overhang. The thing had a large, oblong head with a wide mouth, strong jaws, and pointed teeth. It's upper body was massive and a little hunched, the shoulders broad, the arms long and muscular. It's legs were shorter than it's arms, and she watched as it bent over, laying it's hands down, showing that it could run using it's arms and legs if needed. It turned it's head slowly, it's reddish/gold eyes resting on her. Lifting it's massive head, it sniffed the air, then looked back at her....a sickening grin crossing it's face, showing it's pointed teeth.

"Escaped pet......catch and return....get reward."

It's voice was growly, but what it said told her everything. This thing was going to capture and take her back to it's master. Her eyes going wide, she dropped the pack and began to back up, keeping her gaze on the hyena-man, because she could see now that it was clearly a male. One step back....two.....three. That was all she got when she saw it bunch it's muscles to leap. Turning, she ran for Zack calling on the dna of the cheetah to give her speed but she was too late or too slow, she didn't know which.

"ZAAAAAACK!!!! OOOOMPH!!!"

The wind was knocked out of her as the beast tackled her to the ground, her head hitting the hard surface, causing her to see stars. A massive, clawed hand grabbed her by the arms, making deep puncture wounds as it hauled her to her feet, holding her in front of him, her feet dangling off of the ground.

"You come....we play on the way.....I get reward."

The hyena-man looked over to Zack, grinning lewdly at him.

"MY PET, NOW!! DOCTOR REWARD!! GIVE PET TO HIM!!!"

Kaelan kicked out with her booted feet, catching the beast in his privates multiple times as his head turned, pain-filled eyes peering at her before she found herself being thrown to the ground as he howled his agony before grabbing his private area, glaring at her. Walking over to her, he picked her up by her still tender throat and hit her with his beefy fist. Kaelan fought against the darkness that threatened to swallow her, as she tried to breathe through the massive hand squeezing her throat. This couldn't be happening!!! They had to find Lyand, not fight this idiot!! She couldn't believe what was happening, even as she began to black out. The last thing she knew was being slung over it's shoulder as it began to run around the motel, opposite of where Zack and the stranger were standing.

The approaching figure was nothing more than blurred image, obscured by the dust kicked up by steady gusts, but as the man drew nearer the details of his form became clear. Long black hair fluttered like a tattered flag and his old grey tunic billowed in the wind. Drawing closer yet they could see that his features were Asian and on his belt was sheathed sword that appeared to look more like a gnarled wooden rod, engraved with many symbols and Chinese characters.

When Zack spoke, the man looked up with narrowed eyes, squinting against the blowing dust and sand. He had only looked into the face of the tall man briefly before he lowered his head again, then looked beyond him, glancing at the woman who was approaching them.

The stranger, like Zack was cautious. He was studying them and when his eyes caught sight of the large, bipedal hyena emerging from a cloud of red dust, he lowered himself into a fighting stance and watched. Even as the tall warrior reacted, the wanderer did not move nor reach for his sword. He focused on the creature that was attacking, Kaelen and it seemed as if he was expecting the creature to be something else. He immediately turned his head toward the hole in the wall ignoring the bounty hunting animal mutant as he tried to claim his prize. The stranger anxiously approached, Lyand's room and seemed to focus on nothing else, as if he were oblivious to the fight occurring only ten meters away.

The stranger could have helped but he had traveled too far to pass up such an opportunity. He was close! He could feel it! Unfortunately it would seem that he had another unexpected problem. One that he had not foreseen in the large man that had greeted him but he would cross that bridge when and if the time came.

As he walked toward the destroyed room that had been Lyand's, the stranger held out his tattooed hand before him, the palm of which had a black astrological sigil imprinted upon it among other symbols. He reached into his tunic, and pulled out a medallion, gripping it in his other hand while quietly chanting in his native tongue. Only once did he break his concentration and look over his shoulder, but whatever would come to be he could not forsake his quest and his vengeance for one woman.

Kaelan's fear had turned into anger in a matter of minutes. Her blue eyes turning to ice, she called on the dna of the tiger and stayed still as stripes formed in her hair and her strength intensified as well as her incisors becoming longer and her eyes becoming the golden/green color of the big cat. Her nails formed into claws, something that hadn't happened before, but she would dwell on it later. Draped over the shoulder of the creature, she drew back and swung with her hand, slicing open the back of the beast's thigh. Howling in pain, he stumbled but didn't fall as Kaelan sliced again, this time on the other leg.

The creature dropped to his knees, throwing Kaelan away from him, rage glowing in his eyes. Kaelan landed gracefully, rolling to her feet, coming up to a crouch. Baring her now 1 inch long incisors, her golden/green eyes cast a red glow as she prepared to defend herself.

"First Dravesh and now you!! What is it you assholes want with me?!!"

The hyena beast didn't answer, as she didn't think he would. Instead, he got to his feet, blood dripping to the ground behind him as he stalked her.

"I find lost pets....I know their scents.....I bring them to father......father give me reward. Sometimes he let me play with his pets. I want to play with you....you a pretty pet. I take you back now....but first....you learn not to hurt Boris."

Kaelan watched as 'Boris' approached her catiously, the way a predator stalked prey. She still couldn't figure out why this 'father' wanted her back so badly, but she wasn't about ready to find out. When Boris leaped at her, his sharp teeth bared, she watched and waited and just as he was on her she bolted to the side. Boris slammed into the ground quickly regaining his feet and charging her again. Staying in a crouch, Kaelan let out a loud hiss as she lashed out with her claws, slicing Boris' chest open as his fist slammed into her shoulder. She toppled to the ground, a little slower getting to her feet this time, but she made it as Boris wiped the blood from his chest. Now snarling, she could see that all she succeeded in doing was angering the creature and knew now that she would have to kill him if she was going to get back to Zack.

Boris charged her again, an eerie laugh coming from his large mouth as he dropped to all fours, running at her. Kaelan once again watched and waited until the last second, leaping into the air just before he slammed into her. As he came to a skidding halt, Kaelan was already leaping again, landing on his back, her arms wrapping around his broad chest, claws digging into the muscles of his chest. Opening her mouth, she bit into the back of his neck, the tiger's strength pouring into her jaws as she tried to snap his spinal column at the base of his neck, but she was too small to do so. Instead, she hung on as he tried to grab her and pull her off of his back, his long arms tearing at hers. Releasing the back of his neck, Kaelan started to go for the side of his neck when Boris swung his head back, cracking her in the forehead. Her hold loosened enough for him to untangle her from his back and throw her away from him. She crashed to the ground, rolling. Breathing heavily, she slowly regained her feet, looking at Boris through the blood streaming into her eyes from the split skin on her forehead. She was losing the tiger's strength now and knew that she had to finish this and quickly. Boris let out a howl of pure rage, blood streaming down his chest and back as he charged now in a frenzy. Just as he was withing a few yards of Kaelan she leapt, meeting him with a sounding crash of bodies. Quickly, she closed her teeth over his jugular and tore, warm blood squirting into her mouth.

She leapt away from him, blood running down her chin, her eyes casting a red glow as she watched him sway, blood running from the gaping hole in the side of his neck. His eyes became dull and lifeless as he crumpled to the ground. Kaelan stayed in a cat like crouch, staring at the body, the taste of his blood on her tongue. Her tiger seemed to be renewed as well as the other predator's dnas she carried. Her eyes took on an eerie glow as she fought the urge to rip into the body. Just as suddenly as it had begun it ended and Kaelan slumped to the ground, suddenly exhausted and sick to her stomach at what she'd done and almost done. Throwing up what little she'd eaten that morning, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand once she was finished, looked over at the body and the pool of blood that was now around the head and neck and almost retched again. Getting shakily to her feet, she began the walk back to where Zack and the stranger were. She had questions for Zack and she wanted answers. Why did this doctor want her and others like her back so badly? What happened to her when she tasted the beast's blood? She felt.....crazed almost. Zack would have the answers...at least she hoped he would.

Zack tried to concentrate on the figure finding few details on the man he recognized the man to be Chinese Zack disregarded the man turning slowly he thought he had heard his name yelled into the air his skin was prickling. His irritation causing him to not be as awake as usual he could only watch in shock his skin lifted his gloved hand to his face trying to stop the rays falling upon his face. He looked down seeing the hyena he tried to step forward he was getting drained by the sunlight he hadn’t felt this weak in sunlight in ages he tried to run after Kaelan falling to one knee he took a deep breath forcing himself upright as the Hyena took Kaelan round the corner. He pushed himself upright his hands going to a dagger he continued to walk in dogged steps his eyes blazing as he continued to walk a small part of steam leaked from his collar as the flesh seemed to issue steam from the seams of his coat collar. Zack took deep breaths forcing himself upright the claymore on his back weighing every pound of metal it really was pressing down on his back. “Must save Kaelan!” Zack’s efforts were meaningless as he reached the corner he heard deep thuds but could walk no further like a wounded man he collapsed in the sand face first trying to breath as his skin continued to feel like red hot iron needles shoved into its pores releasing steam from his skin.

He heard the sand being crunched underfoot he lifted his head finding only the sun then he heard the steps come round the corner he half expected the Hyena to come back with a leg in its mouth but to his relief it was Kaelan. “Hi again.” His voice no more than a whisper he tried to stand himself back up his embarrassment obvious as he could not even cope with sunlight beating down on him. He sat up sweat boiling on his skin the reason for the steam erupting from his face and neck seeming to just rise from the insides of his coat. “Let’s go inside, bring the stranger in if you can, I’m gonna go find a hat." Using the wall to support him he pushed himself up into a standing position walking with his shoulder against it.

Leaning over the strange cloven hoof tracks that lead away from Lyand's room, Yuèqiu looked up and watched the large man as he succumbed to what he believed was the sunlight. The man had fallen fast, far quicker than normal and he knew why. The wanderer rubbed his talisman in thought then tucked back into his tunic, there were very few creatures in this world that would have reacted to it the way the warrior had and Yuèqiu was now certain what this stranger was. The woman too had revealed some strange attributes, but he knew straight away that she was product of science, there was nothing mystical about her, not like the man.

Yuèqiu watched the tall man lying prone in the street and saw his opportunity. The woman-creature had depleted her ability and would hardly offer a challenge and in his weakened state the warrior would not be able to withstand his attack, but that was not his way. He hunted, but he was not a hunter and these people had not wronged him, not like the one before. Even though the man's blood was tainted, Yuèqiu would not define him by that alone as so many others of his kind would. A mistake? Maybe, but one he would he would live or die with knowing that he had not compromised his honour.

Watching the small women struggle under the warriors immense weight, Yuèqiu approached and took the other arm. He tossed it across his shoulder and together he and Kaelen dragged Zack back into the lobby of the motel.

Once inside the wanderer moved away and stood by the old front desk, folding his arms across his chest and tucking his hands into his large billowing sleeves. He said nothing, but his eyes remained fixed on Zack.

Kaelan's gaze was worried as she came upon Zack laying on the ground. Her body battered and bruised...again, she still smiled gently at the face she saw looking up at her. At his 'Hi again', she shook her head and helped him to his feet, his size crushing down on her when he was suddenly lighter. Looking over, she saw the stranger taking his other arm and helping her get Zack into the motel lobby. Laying Zack on the tattered couch inside, she stroked his hair back away from his face then looked up to see the stranger staring at Zack. Her eyes narrowing, she stands and walks to him, stopping a few yards in front of him.

"Why do you look at Zack like you do? What do you want with him?"

Even though she was exhausted, bloodied and bruised she still took a defensive stance in between the stranger and Zack, like a tigress protecting it's cub or mate her eyes going back and forth between their natural light blue and the golden/green of a tiger's as she tried to pull the tiger's dna again, but she was too drained.

"I won't let you hurt him. Do you hear me? I won't let you hurt him."

Kaelan didn't know what the stranger wanted, but she didn't like the way he was fixed on Zack.

Yuèqiu stared right through the woman when she became defensive. Had he somehow hinted any malicious intentions? The woman seemed to react with a paranoia that the wanderer found disconcerting, she was definitely protective of the man, although he hardly felt he needed it.

When she was done speaking, he spoke, "It is difficult for one to see clearly with an unsettled mind. Have I done anything that has threatened your friend or you? " He paused for a moment, allowing Kaelen to ponder his words then he once more looked beyond at Zack.

"How are you feeling?", he asked the warrior.

Kaelan gave the man a quizzical look, his words sinking in. No, he hadn't done anything that indicated a threat. She was being overly cautious and that could be just as dangerous as not being cautious enough. When he directed his next question to Zack, regarding his health, she relaxed.

"I apologize. I over-reacted and that is not like me. Please, forgive me."

Turning, she walked away from him and Zack both to give them time to talk if that is what was needed. She settled into a plush chair, tattered and torn that it was it was still somewhere to sit. She knew she looked like a wreck but she no longer cared, she was too tired. Never had she used the animal dna that ran through her body so much in such a short period of time. And she could still tasted the blood of the hyena creature in her mouth. What scared her was that she wanted to taste it again. She wanted to rip and tear away at flesh and the claws.......never had she had claws before...not like the ones she had when battling that beast. Curling up, she rested her head on the back of the chair staring at a picture on the wall.

Zack had been sitting in the recliner in the lobby again his head throbbing he felt ill that was for sure a pounding headache just from the sun...Zack looked to the Chinese man the guy had helped that was for sure but why? “I’m fine thanks, just sunstroke haven’t been feeling well recently.” Something in his gut telling him not to talk about his affinity to sunlight but Zack felt this man knew more probably about what Kade was compared to him. Zack stretched in the recliner he used his hands to make his neck click to the left then to the right... “What are you doing all the way this way west and north?” Zack was interested in what would bring a man this far out and Zack hadn’t been blind to not notice that the Chinese had recognized the tracks of the cloven hoofs. He attempted to heave himself out of his seat with shaking arms he finally stood up. “I know it’s a little insulting but would by any chance have some sake on you or at least some type of alcohol beverage? Usually helps me keep my feet on the ground.”

As Yuèqiu and the tall warrior conversed it became quite apparent that neither of them was fooling the other, he even suspected that this 'creature' had a sense of what he was. In this part of the world, mysticism and magic still contended with science, but he could feel the forgotten world of magic stirring in the desolate wastelands. Every passing day it grew, and if there were not more creatures like the tall warrior walking the lands, there soon would be, and eventually no one would differentiate the aberrations of science from enchantment.

When Zack requested some alcohol, the wanderer removed his satchel from around his torso and walked toward the man. He unstrapped the cover and without needing to look dug his hand in and produced a tarnished metal flask. "It is strong." he warned as he passed it to Zack.

Yuèqiu then looked to the girl out of the corner of his eye then back to the warrior. He began to speak once more but the words he uttered were different. A tongue that Kaelen would find familiar only because it was a romantic language, but would have no understanding of it. A dead language that, Zack would recognize as Latin.

"I have traveled far night dweller." he said in the ancient language, his pronunciations of some of the words effected by his Mandarin accent.

Yuèqiu knew the warrior could understand him, most like him could. He continued in the language then, out of respect for the old ways and also because he did not trust to reveal anything of his ways before those not of mystical world.

"Before I tell thee of my quest, know that I have no quarrel with thee, even though I know what stirs in thy blood... daemon. My fight is with another."

Yuèqiu was unmoving and stolid as he spoke in the ancient tongue. "How old are thee? From what time are thou?" he curiously asked.

Before the daemon's response he reverted back to English and humbly introduced himself, "I am Yuèqiu, a traveler like yourselves, but I also seek something and I believe it may be here. In your language my name means, Moon and I would not be offended to be called so if you wish."

Yuèqiu bowed deeply before the tall warrior and the woman, then closed up his satchel and looped it back across his body. "Please keep." he said to Zack, raising his hand to the flask.

Zack took the flask sniffing the contents seeming to find satisfaction in that then taking a swig it brought a smile to his face the feel of the strong burning sensation of alcohol running down his internals. “Defiantly good stuff this.” Zack looked to the man with a serious look to the Chinese man as he produced Latin well spoken but the accent was wrong due to his preferred language. “Nice thing to hear the old language no one really knows it not even the supposed priests who used it.” Speaking Latin as if it was his first language the words easily formed from his lips he respected the man they had both established they weren’t ordinary that was for sure so Zack listened to this...monk was a good word he could think of for the traveller hearing his questions and greetings.

Zack answered the question as good as he could finding difficulty in that time was difficult to keep track of looking for maybe a historical event the monk may know then deciding carefully he continued in Latin. “Queen Victoria... I became a demon almost 3 years before she was appointed queen my sister ....” Zack stopped reverting back to English. “There is no need for more of that I’m glad to meet you Moon and thank you for the flask my name is Zack.” The tall man taking a bow to respond to Moon’s own bow straightening up he took another swig turning to Kaelan. “Are you all right?” moving closer to her he crouched low his head level with hers when he was stooped down he reached out rubbing at a stain at the corner of her mouth. “You should clean this off and cares for your appearance don’t want to look like some mad raving person do you? We need to go looking for Lyand soon he was taken by whatever the monk is looking for unless Lyand is the problem..." He smiled to her taking her hand he helped her up taking her down the corridor they had already explored taking her to the bathroom he remembered not smelling as badly as the others leaving the monk to his own devices. "I'll go give this flask back and see if I can get some answers out of him." Leaving her to clean herself he walked back to moon in the Lobby the two of them Zack pulled the flask out holding it out to the monk. "Thanks but I don't want to be drink anymore strong stuff for sure."

Kaelan allowed Zack to lead her to a semi-clean bathroom to clean up, still in somewhat of a shock over what had happened to her when she'd fought Boris. She walked as if in a trance and didn't say anything to him when he left her to her own devices to clean up.

Turning on the water, she was pleasantly surprised to find it trickled a thin stream of luke warm water. Not knowing how long the water would last, she looked around for a rag to wet and clean herself up with. Finding a dingy colored on hanging on a lop-sided towel bar, she took it wetting it under the thin stream of water. Standing straight, she looked into the mirror above the sink and stared at her reflection. She was stricken to see the dark circles under her expressive blue eyes. Shaking her head, she proceeded to wipe off her face then undressed to wipe off the rest of her body, grimacing as she rubbed along sore ribs and her bruised torso. God, but she ached. Once finished, she redressed and headed out of the bathroom to go back to where Zack and this 'Moon' were talking.

Entering the lobby area, Kaelan looked back and forth between the monk and Zack. She instinctively knew that the monk was different but not different like she was. She couldn't figure it out....yet, she just knew that he was different and something told her that he knew she was different as well. She simply hoped that he wasn't someone else who wanted to take her back to this doctor who had created her. She winced, thinking about the fact that she had been created instead of simply born. She'd always known that she was different after Bea had taken her from the labs, but she'd never dreamed that she'd been created.......that she was.....a freak like Dravesh.

She saw Zack look at her and give her a smile, his eyes warming. She smiled back to him, but hers was forced as these thoughts troubled her. She headed over to the two men, standing just on the left side of Zack. She glanced at Moon and gave him a tentative smile before turning her attention back to Zack.

"I am ready to search for our friend whenever you are, but I would like time to speak with you at the first opportunity......privately."

Kaelan turned and headed back to the chair she'd been sitting in earlier, curling up into the plush cushion as she rested her head on the back, her arms crossed over her as if she were chilled. A few moments later, she raised a hand without thinking about it and looked at the tips of her fingers, wondering about the claws that had grown from the nails.

Yuèqiu searched his memories for a reference to a queen named Victoria while, Zack saw to his companion and who she was only dawned on him by his return.

"You are very old." Yuèqiu stated as he gently took back the flask of alcohol from the warrior and carefully tucked it into his bag. "I have only known a few that have lived as long as you." he said as he patiently synched the straps on his satchel, "One had been driven mad by his own longevity and begged me end his suffering. It is what I do... Zack, but the one I seek, he does wish to die. He lives to inflict pain and suffering upon all others and so I have sworn to end his life and avenge those whom he has wronged."

Yuèqiu's eyes were drawn to the washroom door as the handle turned. Before it opened and Kaelen emerged he whispered to Zack, "She is a creature of science. They are dangerous." He then grew silent and continued closing up his final buckle as she entered the lobby. He did not speak or even move until she mentioned to Zack that they should resume searching for their friend when he was ready.

"This friend of yours. Was he in the room with hole in the wall?" Yuèqiu asked curiously.

When she heard Moon mention Lyand and the room he had been in, Kaelan looked over to him then to Zack. She stood and walked back over to the two men, standing next to Zack. Before she answered she introduced herself.

"I am Kaelan and yes, our friend was in the room that now has a large hole in the wall. He is our travelling companion and friend and we would both like to find him......alive if at all possible."

She cocked her head to the side, studying Moon her blue eyes inquisitive.

"I have seen others like you....passing by the cabin where Beatrice and I lived. She was the woman who raised me after she......she raised me. They would always speak to her but not to me....I think because I was a child then. There was one though, who always returned. The one that was like you who visited me and Bea at our cabin was kind to us, teaching me different types of games to play."

Memories surfaced of the mond who would visit her and Bea and her brows furrowed together as she remembered him. He had spoken to her occassionally of the dna she carried and would tell her that she must retain control when she used the different animals that lived inside of her. She was beginning to understand what he'd meant, especially after what happened during her fight with the hyena beast. She pushed the memory to the back of her mind as she turned to Zack.

"We should go before the trail gets cold. I can call on my wolf dna and try to follow the scent if you wish. I don't know how long I will be able to hold it, though."

Kaelan was still tired from her previous battle with Boris and her body was still healing itself, but she would do the best she could for their friend.

"Will you be coming with us, Moon?"