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"What do you know of the endless pup?"

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[Kayos Adren Prime]

A dark tent-covered cage sat in the Hall room beneath the castle. There was no light in any crevices except the candles that were carried by six of Vaelns men, who guarded the cage on all four sides, standing as still as statues.

My ears stretched noting that whatever creature that was trapped here was so silent, it could not be breathing. It must be dead, for it had no heartbeat either.

Master Gregory stood a little ways behind us, and Mother stood beside me, whilst Vaeln approached the cage. It was large I registered, judging by the size of the cage, big enough for a Full-grown wolf to roam freely.

- An Alpha wolf to be exact.

My ears sharpened at the sound of a hiss and grunt from the depths of the covered cage. It was alive.

No heartbeat, no breath- but alive. Either it could mask these things or it simply was something diabolical.

Scratching sounds followed, rough and hard against the silver bars.

"I will warn you," Vaeln huffed, before turning to one of the guards and nodding his head, "it is hideous."

The guards moved forward, each grabbing an end and drawing the tent off with a quick tug.  I watched, noticing that the hisses, grunts, growls, and scratches of the creature had suddenly ceased, as if now aware that the tent that covered it was being lifted.

As the tent came off, my senses sharpened and I fished for a heartbeat once again, and that could be hidden within the shadows of the cage- I had to be sure...

there was none.

My gaze narrowed within the shadows, noting this creature was of darkness, so much so, I could only see its shape.

I realized it was simply because there was no color to see, this creature had wrapped itself in darkness, making it blend seamlessly, but I could still see its edges, sharp, humanoid but somehow wild and large-

"I can not see it, I can not see anything-" Mother began.

Her eyesight was not as good as one of an Arc.

Vaeln moved closer, his hands forming a ball of light, which he sent floating high above the cage and the creature screeched as the light dimmed slightly, but bright enough to see its hideous facade.

Mother gasped behind me, clutching a hand over her heart.  I was enamored with the sight of it. I stared for a moment then edged on toward the cage curiously.

I could also hear a spike in Gregory's heartbeat with every step I drew closer.

"Sure, perhaps that is close enough."

I paid his statement no heed walking right up to the bars.

Something was calling out to me from the darkness.

"It is most sensitive to light. We found it hovered in the darkest corners of the wrecked ship, below deck," Vaeln explained, as I studied the creature through the bars.

The creature was humanoid but larger than any ordinary wolf.

Its skin was dry like ash, dark as night, its eyes, red as blood and in them I could see the most familiar element.

One I carried within me this very moment- Chaos.

It sauntered hunched on its shoulders, on all fours as if truly more animal than humanoid. It barred its fangs at me-

My head tilted slightly, taking in its most exquisite features, the most feral hate in its eyes, eyes that never left mine.

"It is from the endless..." I stated.

"Yes." Vaeln nodded.

I could feel his eyes steady on me as I circled the cage studying the creature. Its eyes turned with me.

"I could feel it from the moment I set eyes on it." Vaeln continued.

"What?" Mother echoed, her worried gaze shifted from the creature to me, "From the endless? Did you create this Kayos?" She asked, her voice echoing in disgust, and fear.

I did not pay it much mind.

"I do not have the power to create a being this close to mimic life, Mother- it is not within my power." I stated, studying the figure of the creature, the sharp fangs it sprouted, sharper than most wolves, differently molded too, "At least it has never been done, and if it has, I have no knowledge of it."

"I know that to be true," Vaeln spoke, my gaze shooting to him for a moment-

"Is that disappointment I hear?" I scoffed.

Vaeln rolled his eyes.

"No- I am not here to accuse you of summoning this thing from the bowels of the endless," He continued, "I know you have nothing to do with it. I know your shadows- this one is not one of them. But you are the only being in this realm connected to that godforsaken place, the endless.." he huffed, the only being that truly understands it. You are the only one who could explain to us what this is."

I paused for a moment, silence looming among us. Mother opted to speak but I raised a hand silencing her-

A minute passed and I looked at Vaeln- "you see that it does not breathe?"

Vaeln paused at this for a moment, then nodded, "It has no heartbeat either."

"Which simply means it is not alive," I stated.

"Then it is a shadow? Like the ones you summon?" Mother asked.

I shook my head, "This creature can not de-form, for if it could, these bars could not have held it," I muttered, looking at the large silver cage.

My shadows changed forms, forming and deforming. This was certainly not one of them.

"My shadows do not have fangs, neither do they have limbs formed like rotting flesh and they do not have eyes that mimic ours, and some can even pass freely through solid walls. None of which this creature is capable."

Silence loomed once more and I moved to the farthest corner of the cage, the eyes of the creature following me, death spelled in its gaze.

I used one of my claws to cut my palm open, and the moment my blood spilled, the cage rattled immensely. A loud growl erupted as the creature lunged in my direction, my mother gasping behind me.

Vaeln stared wide-eyed as the creature clawed to reach me through the bars-standing on its two feet and stretching out....but I was unnerved, but quite intrigued, my bleeding palm just a breath out of reach watching the psychotic behavior of the creature before me.

I noticed its pointed ears, tall and powerful physic, slender but agile, yearning for my blood until the wound was closed by my wolf.

My palm lowered as its growls subsided.

"It feeds on blood," I stated, shaking my head, my gaze dropping to the stain of blood on my palm, wiping it off.

"Blood?" Vaeln echoed.

"Yes. Which is- quite unfortunate." I mumbled, rolling my eyes for a moment.

It seems there would be no peace in this territory for a good while. I would not be able to focus on the one thing I wished to focus on now more than ever.

It was just like Selene to do this.

To hand me this thing- I glanced at it with irritation.

This thing occupies me so I may delay in my quest to find my mate. My thoughts trailed to my sanctuary- Shade- this would keep me from her for a while...

"Will you leave the sentence hanging like grapefruit?!" Vaeln huffed, snapping his fingers, forcing my gaze to snap at him in annoyance

"Goodness, where did you go?" Mother huffed, folding her arms in disbelief-

My gaze snapped between the two of them. Then trailed to Master Gregory who seemed to be staring thoughtfully-

Vaeln rolled his eyes, "What do you mean by "it is quite unfortunate?" He huffed in desperation.

I turned to the cage with an annoyed grunt, "If this being did come from the shadow realm, it would care not about flesh and blood. It would hunt souls. For that's what the endless desires." I stated, "But it hunts for blood, which means it desires life."

I glanced amongst the three of them and they stared on as if unable to comprehend my simple lines.

I took out a calming breath, "The being before us is not from the endless, but created of it."

They stared at me blankly, and I shook my head, "someone is wielding Adzar, and raising the dead."

"Adzar? That is forbidden! It was long, long gone, long forgotten." Mother stated.

"The Elves kept that magic far from mortal hands, protected it with their life. The old secrets died with them," Gregory added, "It is well known."

"Yes, we've all read the stories .... yet here the creature is. " I started watching the red eyes glimmer in the cage.

I turned to it for a moment, studying its eyes. It seemed to be watching us too. Listening-

"it would explain why the forests are dying, Adzar burns life to keep the dead alive-" Gregory stated.

I let this linger for a moment, "It burns in light, does it not?"

I don't look at Vaeln but he answers, "Yes and I believe Fire will also do the trick. The creature burns in sunlight, hence why we had to carry the darkest tent over it."

I glanced at the tent, "Then it also hunts at night."

I turned away from the cage, my gaze trailing around the group, noting Gregory stared at the creature with a mix of intrigue and fear although his stoic look revealed nothing to the public.

I paused, remembering something-and I turned to Vaeln, "You said you retrieved two things...."

His gaze shifted to mine and nodded.

"What is the other?"

Vaeln paused for a moment, then turned slightly to the right, nodding to a guard. He saluted and left for a moment.

"We found her near the wreckage." He began, "seemed to be the only survivor, but she refuses to speak- I do not believe she can speak."

My gaze sparkled in intrigue, "she?"

The doors opened and I turned to look.

Ah...

A human.