"Maybe so. I've only heard of a vessel that contains and unleashes monsters if it gets into the wrong hands_""It's a malevolent flavour of a Jackass Genie, Victor, try to keep up." Maks said speedily. "Except this one's controlled. It's dead. The end.""Is it?" Irma added. "If Ping releases that jinn the third time...I don't know." Irma touched her head. "That's your department.""You know, you're onto something..." Maks said."Goodluck."He winced when she closed the door. "Dude, you blew it."... "In the legends, the Zaipei dou were interpreted by dozens as strangely colored legumes that were 'chewy' and 'sweet'. I have no doubt that they were ahead of their time. Until now. Don't you agree bat-face?"The demon mumbled in flight."I'll take that as a yes." He took out the blue one and scrutinized it carefully. What would a little ice hurt? He took it and coughed. "Nothing's happening." He gasped at Maks flapping after them. His expression grew harsher."Chew on this!" He kicked hi

In the wake of night, when a few people lurked on the city's streets. Maks found him and couched on the building watching him with trained eyes. He spotted Hu moaning by a hot dog cart under the streetlight. He could see a red substance coming from underneath the cart. Maks wished it was ketchup. Hu scraped the metallic cart, bemoaning his lost eye and Maks snuck up to the edge and dived. The way his head cocked showed that he had felt him. Hu broke his fall smashing him against the streetlight, he dropped and felt at the blood on his nose.Hu hovered around on a trail of smoke like a phantom. He materialized and scanned him. Maks felt chillier than he was with Ping. Hu's face was like a haggard but lumpy brown skull, tufts of white hair hung down his face, his amber eye was ghastly, the second eye was shut, he was breathing like a rabid boxer, his gold robe was a perfect fit, there were thread designs on his neckline, loose sleeves that he could fold up and fresh splints were tied a

Artemis drove an old car with the headlights on toward the beast."What is she doing?" She lost colour when it spotted her and snaked into the ground. The ground bulged as it came toward her in a straight line like a locomotive. "No!" Julie cried out when the chains disappeared into the ground with it. Running through the field. Artemis kept driving on the rough terrain, eyes wide and searching in the darkness, and she gasped when it sprouted up from the ground to swallow her vehicle up. She jumped out and rolled over the soil. Julie entangled the farthest tree with a rope and yanked it. She whistled and swung. Artemis ran looking back to the beast while it swallowed her car. "Sheesh_oop."She felt the motions when Julie swooped in to clutch her."What do you think you're doing!?" Julie asked."Saving your life?" Artemis said."Get ready to jump." Julie growled avoiding obstacles. She let go of the rope and. Artemis landed on her face, she spat out grass. "That was close_"Julie

He was sent to the clinic, treated and asked to stay in the boys' bathroom until his stomach cleared. He held the toilet bowl and pushed up. He washed his face and mouth at the sink."That's impossible, I can't be sick." It was too sudden. He was starting to feel like he was going to have a low-grade fever. His hands shivered and he limped to the door. It flailed open and Dom entered and smiled."Oh, I see that dweeb never passed across my message." He cracked his knuckles."What message?" He said with red eyes. "This one." He punched him and he fell on his stomach and curled up. He was a bit concussed from hitting his head on the toilet bowl too hard. He groaned and Dom's face came into his view, nostrils flaring."The next time you embarrass me in front of those people again. You're dead!" He kicked him in the gut and took a bathroom break. Maks cringed and Dom dropped toilet paper on his face. Maks stirred and his leg stretched. Dom's ankle caught on his foot and he crashed outsi

Maks wrestled with her. "Give it!" "Oh, don't tell me you were that infuriating bird ruining our dance_"He turned pink and his lips pursed."I'm just asking for help." Her eyes tilted when he crumpled it. "Please." She passed him a photo and he folded his arms gazing at them. She was in the midst of at least twenty of them on a field without tails. With a big grin on her face. "You honestly want me to believe that these girls..." He snorted. "Are Hulijing?""Yes! They don't go on expeditions for more than a week. They come back even if they're empty-handed. This one's different_""Oh, they hunt too." He said sceptically."Yes. Regular hunting to be clear and they're after this lady who they think wants them gone. A soil serpent killed 13 of them." "Not clear enough."Maks flipped the snapshot. He wondered if she meant dragon. "Hmm. And do you have any idea where they went?""I have no idea. But we can start digging."... He groaned and shoved his hands into his hunter-green cargo