Zen tumbles onto his car. Everything hurt and his mind is a mess. That had not been what he had expected. And not just because he had walked into a trap for the first time in years. He can feel his creature side trying to take control. This couldn’t be worse time for this to happen. Fighting to maintain control is draining the last of his energy.

Willing his memories to work, Zen tries to remember if his book mentioned something like this happening before. He can’t remember. Heck, he can’t remember anything even close to this has happened before. It’s as if something inside the Abyss itself is reacting to something. But who and where? It’s probably something close by. To find out what, he is going to need help from other Death Walkers.

As the car slides back down the mountain Zen fights to keep his eyes open. If this keeps up he is going to fall apart. Mentally and physically. Even with the creatures escaping and the entrance to the Abyss exploding, somehow the seal is still up. The same could not be said for other objects around the seal. The statue that held him is destroyed. He brings the part of it showing the spirit symbol as proof to show the elders.

Unfortunately, the creatures do not fare as well as he does. A half dozen or so have not survived the blast from the Abyss, and the others he remembers seeing are gone. Hopefully they are in the Abyss and not wandering towards Solace. Zen knows he should check on Solace, make sure it isn’t affected, but he’s too tired. Besides, whatever the creatures are responding to will still be there in a few hours after he can get some rest.

The house comes into view. Zen never thought he would be happy to see this rundown building. He stumbles into the house wondering what to tell the elders. They are going to want answers, to know what exactly went wrong, and that isn’t something he is sure of himself. Back in the house the whole thing seems surreal. Just a horrible nightmare. The piece of the statue reminds him that it really happened. Now is the time to figure out what the creatures want. What has changed over the last few weeks? His legs go weak. The old house outside of Solace. He has almost forgotten that it sold and is supposed to have a new family coming in. Could one of them be an Astro? It shouldn’t be possible. Var keeps tabs on all Astro bloodlines.

He needs to file a report and to ask for help. If the elders at Var know what is going on it might be possible for them to send another Death Walker out. Or at least get a Psyren out here to repair this seal. He doesn’t care about the schedule anymore. He needs a Psyren here now. The weaker creatures are already escaping at an alarming rate, if one of the more powerful creatures escapes it is game over. Solace has something the creatures desperately want and they are willing to destroy themselves to get it. It’s that very desperation that frightens Zen. He knows the stories well of what happens when the creatures are able to steal the powers of the humans.

He makes it to the living room and melts into the couch. Zen pulls the laptop over, needing to type the report. To make contact with the elders. As he begins to type, something makes sharp raps on one of the windows. Zen freezes, listening to the sound. If the creatures are here to attack, it’s all over. He can’t even remember if he picked up his weapons before fleeing the cemetery. He slides the laptop off his lap, trying to decide where the noise is coming from.

Zen balances himself on the balls of his feet as he sneaks towards the back of the house following the noise. He pauses every few feet making sure the noise is still getting louder. It sounds like it is coming from the sun room. Maybe it’s just a tree hitting the window. He flings the door open excepting to see another gang of creatures. Nothing is there.

Not willing to give up Zen peers out all the windows looking into the backyard. It’s empty. No trees and no windows. Is he finally losing it? His legs give out. The adrenaline from the last few hours is wearing off. He tries to stand and can’t. Sitting on the floor he feels himself dozing off. He can’t fall asleep - he needs to keep going. To figure out what is going on here. He sees the young girl, creature, that he ran over earlier in the day, peering into the room at him as he doses off.