Sorry about not updating sooner. I got sick and then I had vacation, and then I had to so something else and…eh, it all just piled up. Enjoy:

-Jack-

Chase had bandaged up the wounds as well as he could. But I was still worried. Never in my life had I seen something so…unrealistic. It didn't even seem possible. Or even plausible!

"We need to suck the poison out of these scars." Chase told me.

"But they're already closed. How can you such poison out of closed wound? And what poison are you talking about it?" I asked scared.

"It has to be done by magic. The shadow beast, the thing that attacked us, its cuts leave poison. Very toxic poison. It is rumored that it eats away at your organs and bones. That it paralyzes you slowly then eventually stops your pulse and breathing, if it hasn't already eaten you alive from the inside." My stomach started turning and lurching at that.

"Okay…so are you going to do magic to get it out?" I asked the heylin warrior.

"No. I don't know nearly enough magic to do this. We will need Wuya's help, and we will need the monks help." Chase explained. "Can you walk?"

I got to my feet and took a few steps before tumbling to the ground. It was like mmy muscles and movement weren't my own.

"I thought not." Chase noted. "It is beginning to come into effect quickly. We'll have to treat you fast before the beast's master claims you."

"Before the who does what?" I said confused.

Chase grimaced. "When the poison kills someone, moments after death it brings them back to life. But not as they were. They become another shadow beast and are under control of the previous beasts' master." He explained. "Since you cannot walk I will have to carry you. Since Wuya did not come to our aide earlier, I can only assume she escaped on her own and fled somewhere safe. Let us hope we find her on the trail."

Chase picked me up bridal style before I could protest. I wanted very badly to walk. The way he carried me seemed so awkward. And as scared as I was that Lisa was missing, I was happy she wasn't here to see Chase holding me.

We started down the trail to the monk's temple. Normally for Chase this would be quick. He could just teleport. But he had to walk and carry me so this wasn't going to be fast.

The black scars seemed to throb and pulse like they had a mind of their own. And I could feel them siphoning my energy, trying to seize control of my body. The pain was spread all over. And there was weird sensation all throughout my body. I can't explain it. But if I had to try then I'd say it was like how Chase explained; it eats away at your innards.

I needed something to distract myself from the pain.

"Tell me more about these shadows beasts." I commanded Chase.

"They are a horrible ancient creature. In the old days they roamed freely. Killing as the wished and doing what they wanted." He closed his eyes as if in deep concentration, but continued to walk. "They used to terrorize villages. Mine included. The monks would fight them off best as they could. But entire civilizations were sometimes left devastated."

"Wow…"

He re-opened his eyes. "No one is quite sure where the originated from. But since they can disappear into shadows, hence the name, it is a popular theory that the first one was born from the very first shadow, ever to creep the Earth. They have magical abilities as well as disappearing powers. But it seems to differ from beast to beast. Some seemed to have fire attacks, some had super speed, it varied greatly and some had more than one ability. And they came in different forms, too. But back when, they weren't human-like like the one that attacked us was. They all resembled animals of some sort. Some were small like bunnies, others were like bears or lions. Many of the ones that attacked my village were like snakes."

"Why did they come in so many different shapes and sizes?" I asked curiously.

"As the case may come with you, whenever a shadows beast attacks or kills something, they become one themselves. Since the beasts were 'animals' whatever they preyed on usually became another beast. Which is why there were so many kinds."

"Were there human beasts too?"

"Not at first." He seemed to be remembering his past again. "Once they started their quest for domination and power they soon figured out that they could attack humans, and convert them. Their ranks were nearly tripled with the addition of humans."

"That's horrible." I commented. "Are there any left? Besides, this one, that is."

He smiled slightly. "Until this one I didn't think so. A very smart sorcerer figured out a way to kill the shadows beasts. It was a potion. The same potion that can cure you becoming one." He started to frown. "But it had its drawbacks. Quite by accident after making the cure, the man that made it, an alchemist you might say, was trying to make another batch of the potion. He had done everything right but accidentally did something different. I am not sure what. But something wasn't done the same way, something was a little off."

"What happened?"

"It created the opposite of what he hoped for. By making a nearly identical potion to the one that kills shadows beasts, he had made a potion that would create them. Through some process involving it, one could turn any human or animal into the savage shadow beasts. And the one who did that, would have complete control over their body, soul, mind, and powers. They were called 'the masters'."

"Just like science." I thought out loud. "Every action has an equal or opposite reaction."

"Yes, exactly like that." Chase said, though I was unsure that he even understood science that much. "The council, the government at the time, sought to stop or kill anyone who practiced this experiment. And eventually, all masters and shadow beasts were put to death."

"But…they're still around…?"

"Somehow the practice of converting someone to a beast was preserved. It must have been passed down from generation to generation. But how has it survived so long…and how has someone found it again…" Chase grew stern and angry. "And now whoever has made this foul potion used it on her! She was defenseless! Who could have done such a horrible crime against her?"

"Against who?" I asked confused. "Who is 'her'?"

Chase blinked in confusion and stopped walking. "What do you mean who is her? Did you not get a decent look at our attacker?"

"Um…no."

"Our assailant, the shadow beast who went after us…you are to tell me you did not see who it was?

"No, I didn't! I was pinned down and I didn't get a good look at it before that. Who are you talking about?"

"Jack, the shadow beast… was… Lisa…"

Can't think of anything else to say other than I AM SO HAPPY MORE PEOPLE ARE FINALLY READING THIS! I LOVE YOU ALL! Ahem, thanks so much though. Well, I hope this chapter gave some valuable information. Now get to that reviewing!