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“No man knows till he has suffered from the night
how sweet and dear to his heart and eye the morning can be.”
― Jonathan Harker
Below, you will find an extensive collection of lore considered canon to my roleplay story and world. It is influenced by, inspired by, and taken from various works of fiction as well as real life, including history and current events etc. It is continuously being worked on, updated and refined, containing a compendium of the World of Vampires as a whole and even beyond, including: Characters, History, Politics, Culture, Wars -- and more.
The corruption of the Night awaits, and you are more than welcome to partake in it... or become part of it.
VAMPIRE CHARACTERS
The Brides│Virgiliu Dracula│Mircea Dracula│Erzsébet Báthory│Bruno Ikarov││Petar Blagojević│Lady Eleanor│Kakistos
Robin Harker│Jayden Thornley│Countess Dolingen│Maria Goodwin│Robert Hensworth│Karl Lueger│Max│Lord Ezekiel
Agmundr│Camilla Romanescu│Marie Anette Carlisle│Nicholas Carlisle│Javier Crueza│Pavel Marlow │Andrei Ambrožič│
Mama Elaganza││Deiderich Kraus│Nathaniel Renwick│Jelena Santiago│Bahir Pasha│Caelan│Barnabáš│The Father│
Érebos││Frank the vagabond│Balthazar│Katarina Dufwa││
HUMAN CHARACTERS
Abraham Van Helsing│Jonathan Harker│Mina Harker│Lucy Westenra│Quincey P. Morris│Arthur Holmwood│Dr John Seward
R.M. Renfield│Steiner Leichtenberg│Ralph the taxi driver│Giovanni Agosti│Anderson│Rebecca Harris││Maddox
Romenduz Tavala│Doomsayer│Valeri Dojstov│Abraham Sullivan│David Sullivan│Blair O'Connor│Mother Anna│
Heliga Birgitta│
OTHER CHARACTERS
The Dread Doctors│Zoltan│The Wendigo of Castle Dracula│La bête du Gévaudan│Oliver Harker│Synova│Timothy Holmes│
Anna Darvolya││
LOCATIONS WITHIN THE WORLD - VAMPIRE, HUMAN, OTHER SUPERNATURAL
Castle Dracula│The Carpathian Mountains│The Village│Carfax Abbey│Seward's Sanitarium││
The Tavala Village││The City of Enoch││Tomb of Thanatos
Abandoned Building│ │Virgil's mansion │Robin's house│Dracula's Mansions
المدينة الغارقة (almadinat alghariqa, or The Sunken City │
│││
THE WORLD OF VAMPIRES
The Traditions│The Vampire Hierarchy│The Masquerade│Domains│Hunting Grounds│Communication amongst the Undead│
Pax Inmortuae│The War of Ages│Lexicon of the Dead│The Modern Night│The Ancients│The Generation Theory
The Embrace│The Beast Within│Final Death│Blood Bond │Blights│Thrall│Vampire Hunters
Humans loyal to Dracula│The Demeter │The Ichor│Foul Rituals and Dark Beginnings│Romanian Treasure│Antediluvian│
VAMPIRE ORGANISATIONS
The Societas Immortalium│The Sabbat│The Anarch Movement│Malakut│
Children of Caine│The Eye││ │││The Order││
The Night Children││││
THE WORLD OF HUMANS
Humanity and the Supernatural││Vampire Hunters│Faith│True Faith│The Second Inquisition││
HUMAN ORGANISATIONS
The Department of Paranormal Activities│The Holy Order of Saint Michael 'The Inquisition'│The Van Helsing Association│
The Arthur Initiative│The Coalition against Dracula│The Holmwood Family│The Harker Family
The Company of Three│The Church of Father's Glory│ The Hunter Society│The Order of the Dragon│
THE WORLD OF THE SUPERNATURAL
OTHER SUPERNATURAL ORGANISATIONS
The Vampires of the East 'Jiangshi'││
EVENTS IN THE WORLD - VAMPIRE, HUMAN, AND OTHER SUPERNATURAL
Concordia Immortalium│Failed London Takeover│The Blood Feud
Dracula's absence │The hunt for the Heartstone
OBJECTS -VAMPIRE, HUMAN, AND OTHER SUPERNATURAL
The sword of Dracul│Dragon key│The Dracul family ring│De Dödas Huvudbonad (Crown of the Dead)│
Quincey's kukri knife│Staff of Ra│Heart Stone│Mysterious box│Seal of Dracul│Bram Stoker's Dracula novel│ │
│Love letter to Timothy│Robin's gun│Malum Praesidium││
MISCELLANEOUS LORE
Comments
Timothy's abrupt stop on the staircase has his wrist slipping from Zach's grasp as the large man descends to the following platform before turning to look at him. He does not argue with Timothy's logic, nor does he bother to defend himself and his sincerity. Zach nods and chooses to understand this from the other's perspective. Surely this is all a shock to Timothy. Shock continues to thrum adrenaline through Zach's being and yet he is not the one sporting reptilian features and blood beneath his claws. It's nothing short of a strange tale where men become beasts and beasts become men.
"I know," he eventually says, his voice even and calm. "It's okay, Tim. We'll fix this somehow." The details of how and when are to be determined at a later date, but this is a promise Zach keeps close to his heart. When questioned why he cares so much, Zach simply frowns; unable to understand. "Because I do," he offers. Straught-forward and simple. Then, he shakes his head and makes a quick gesture with his hand to urge Timothy to continue down the stairs. "Hurry up, let's talk later. We can't stand around here."
Continuing with the descent, they finally make it to the final floor. The door is left wide open from when Zach had plowed through it earlier and broke the hinges. Out in the entranceway, Zach can see the body from earlier that had been left near the elevator. He pulls in a breath and dares to poke his head out the hallway. Tilts his head when he confirms he can no longer hear the sound of a helicopter. It is quiet.
There was no offense taken to the redacted piece of information given. In fact, he would have been very unsettled if people around him were suddenly too trusting, it would feel so foreign in a place like this where even the walls had ears and eyes. For now, all the other details seemed to suffice, just enough to keep him thinking, just enough to calm a set of tattered nerves that evening. There were questions, but when did they ever end? When was the curious ever satisfied?
David was able to push all that aside, more than happy to be in less volatile company for the rest of the night. Mr. Harker – Robin seemed to be a decent man by far, a presence that he found rather friendly after a while of deducing, which will definitely reward with earnest accounts that he felt safe to put out.
As the evening ran deeper where they both needed to retire, no amount of reassurance could chase away all the bizarre things that haunted him for the rest of the night, and the others to follow. He doubted that this confectionary-loving vampire can do anything about that.
Through the days and the daylight he spent running around without much time to spare, a corner of his quarters already transformed into a tidy nook of paperwork. An old, slightly yellowed map was laid out on the stone wall, most likely fished from the crannies of the library that he has been scurrying around in, with all details carefully attached to the specific places enumerated to him. Starting from Brasov, following through a trail of places, there was no shortage of information accumulated and rewritten in a short time. There was a growing pile of books borrowed, though some were often switched to new ones.
It stops in Baghdad.
For now.
. . .
Maybe Robin’s reappearance was completely unexpected. Or maybe he was just way too preoccupied, trying to cram all sorts of information in a space of a few days. It was an effort to keep a straight face– what supernal senses won’t miss, however, was the way that the book jumped in David’s hands, the shadows that briefly flickered upon his feet, or how he held back a breath as he took a moment to look up at him, lips slightly parted in awe.
No burst of fire, or even a puff of ash. Oh, no, that would have been very, very bad.
Perhaps daywalkers here are more common than he thought.
“Does everything and everyone in this castle just jump out of thin air?” that came out in a hitched breath, faintly a pitch higher than usual. “I was just about to look for you. Please don’t tell me you can read minds, too.” Even so, relief was apparent in his voice as David finally grinned, turning the shabby article in his hands. “I do like reading, yes, but a few days won’t be enough to go through what the library has.”
The one on his hands was a frayed textbook of Mesopotamian Arabic, which he didn’t really hesitate to show at all. “I felt like brushing up on what I remember with the language would be a good idea. I could be outdated– Iraq hasn’t been in the places I’ve been for a very long while back, but it’s something than nothing at all. The others… uh, well -” He glanced down at what he was holding. The handwritten notes in a uniform script, a thicker book about Romania’s current geographical layout, and some bits and pieces about the language– perhaps the only thing that looked out of place was an outdated record from Latvia. “Do you think Lord Dracula will mind if I borrowed a few books for the trip? I’ll try not to take too much.”
It didn’t take him long to tidy up his things, papers carefully pressed in between old pages for later. David did seem to be the organized type, refusing to leave any mess behind wherever he went. Whether it was out of habit or just courtesy as a guest, it would be hard to discern. Within moments he was up, dusting himself off with the bits of fleecy snow that stuck through his coat.
“I have a few things that the people have kindly provided through request. The hired hands here have been very kind.” The initial language barrier was no easy feat, but he managed. He was no stranger to that, it seemed. For a moment, David was quiet, as if carefully picking through his words, but found no other way to do so. “I need to enchant them, however. Nothing too fancy, just enough to be useful. It wouldn’t take much time, and it’s something I can handle, but I would need a contained space to work.”
The thing was, he knew he could have easily just followed the voices, slipped in and out through places, but didn’t out of better judgment. They beckon the strongest during the night, squirming and writhing through the cracks at every chance it gets. Begging to be heard… begging to be used? “I hope this request isn’t too outrageous, but I was wondering if you could lead me to the crypts? The dungeons, or anything of that sort? It would be a good place to start.”
Becca slips from between Zach's fingertips and it hollows out an empty space in his chest. Her resignation to the consequences of her actions weighs heavily on his heart. This may not be his responsibility to bear, but he feels it all the same. Resisting the urge to drag her back to her feet, Zach bites the inside of his cheek and gazes at her form as she crumbles to the floor. Blades cut through the air, sending the distinct sound of approaching helicopters through the hospital building. Just like Becca had, time is slipping through his fingertips.
"Let's go," he pulls Timothy's wrist again as he twists to exit the room. Together they wade through flickering lights and the bodies left behind; collateral of Timothy and Becca. There is no time to mourn, consider, or dwell on the weightiness of guilty consciousness. Forgoing the elevator, Zach leads them both to the stairway he had used on the way up here. Not much of a clear thought process has been put into their escape, only that they must keep moving if they want to stand a chance.
"Are you okay?" Zach asks part-way down another flight of stairs. He skips down two to three steps at a time, only ever slowing down should Timothy struggle to keep up with his pace. Once on the following platform, he gazes over his shoulder to rake his eyes over the other man. Steady amber eyes scrutinize Timothy in suspicion from the ends of his hair to the tips of his toes as if his word alone may not alleviate his concern. He must be absolutely sure Timothy is not hurt.
What had he been expecting to find here, lost in the dark? An answer? A saviour? Or simply some form of closure? But alas, the scene playing out in front of his twisted face, made even him feel sick, his throat convulsing involuntarily. He had seen death before, but this... This was beyond even death. This was beyond a simple corpse. This was... pathetic. How could this possibly be the beast that his father had told him about? The beast so terrible that the mighty Dracula had been forced to take it upon himself to destroy it - it simply could not be. He needed a weapon, not a heap of decrepit remains. Not this.
The whole ordeal only fuelled the boy's frustration and anger, wrath causing his eyes to burn with near madness. His anger morphing into fear, dread even, as he felt his whole world crumble like the despicable wretch before him. He reached for the wall behind him with his clawed fingers, backing away slowly trying to get away from the scene. He wanted nothing to do with this, he'd made a mistake. Again. As he always does. But no matter. It was too late to change what has already been done. Too late for regret. Too late to back out. His father would never forgive this transgression, so he had no choice but to make the best of this unfortunate situation.
His expression changed, a frown creeping upon his face as he observed the frail figure crawl and regurgitate. Was it actually managing to become somewhat coherent in its actions? It seemed so as Virgil watched the creature crawl towards the coffin wall and even manage a weak sentence. Thanatos, Dracula's now-notorious disappointment. A failure or an opportunity? "Thanatos..." he began- "Son of the Dragon. Lost child of Wallachia. I am you, you are me. We are both children of Dracul. You may call me Virgiliu, and I have released you from the torment our father bestowed upon you as payment for your ambition. I hope you trust that I am here to help" he continued, taking one gentle step forward after the other making sure not to startle the wretched creature. His hands once hidden now gently reaching forward into a noble bow. This was it. The moment Virgil's undead life would forever be changed. A new start. A blank slate. Perhaps, even freedom.
The blood spraying across the room is such a brilliant display that Zach fleeting recalls a tale - The Massacre of the Innocents. He blinks slowly, frozen in place with warm blood dripping down his face and the front of his shirt. Something within him grows deadly silent as he left to witness the horror in hypervigilance. It all feels so unreal as if he were watching television in slow motion. When he manages to look down at the jaw which had been torn from David's face, it strikes him that he was too late. Zach hadn't saved anybody at all.
Once Timothy is a little more recognizable, Zach regards him not with his usual smile, but with a stern and stoic look. Timothy's pleading snaps Zach out of his daze. He quickly turns on his heel and advances toward Rebecca. Two of his fists grab at the front of her shirt unkindly and drag her the rest of the way against him. "What have you done?!" He hears his own voice break with a minuscule amount of hesitation that slips through his anger. Even so, Zach shakes Rebecca. "Why didn't you come with me?! He's dead! He's dead and you killed him and he's never coming back! You can't undo this." Frustrated, Zach shoves the woman out of her personal space and steps away.
Logically, he knows it makes no sense to blame her for her actions. If Zach were honest with himself he would admit he is mostly angry with himself than anybody else in this room. But it is easier to lash out. Anger is swelling in his chest and heating his face. He turns to face Timothy but pauses in a mirror where he sees himself. Zach's fists are clenched and his brows are narrowed above fierce eyes. He does not see himself in that reflection but as his own father. It is enough to melt away the anger.
"I'm sorry," he says, voice still rough with annoyance. "Fuck, we can't stand here - we can't - we need to get out of here. Tim, Becca, can you run?" Not interested in wasting more time, Zach is rounding the jaw on the floor and picks up Timothy's wrist. With an encouraging tug, he pulls the man back across the room where Rebecca stands. "Please, let's go. Come with me." It might be a big ask following his sudden outburst, but what other choice have the three of them got left?
That seemed reasonable enough to him. While David was no stranger to questionable acts, he himself had an arsenal of artifacts in a spectrum that he would hate to be taken. Had. Where some of them were now, he had no idea, the thought only now started to resurface at the talk of items getting stolen. So many things left behind– threatening to overwhelm an already dazed head, begging for an inventory check. The young man merely nodded to Robin as he drew close– he wouldn’t deny that it feels better to have some company before that enormous table even if his expression looked guarded.
There were parting words to be said, equal parts threatening, countered with suspicious warmth when it was directed to him. David stood up in return with a slight bow, quietly thanking him as he left. His shoulders only slacked the moment the vampire lord was out of sight, even more so when he can’t perceive any presence beyond the doors, and that was the only time he finally sat back down, reaching for water.
Does he always leave in a hurry? To where? But David knew better than to protest, his host was a very unpredictable lord and he almost thought this newcomer will be shredded on the spot for merely existing in the same room. The entire dining hall did seem a whole lot more relaxed now, even the warmth genuinely seeped back into the roaring furnace. At least his food was still there, waiting so patiently to be had.
That small interruption from Robin did something to break through that, at least, keeping him preoccupied for the time being. His eyes swept around the dazzling array of food and sweets, finally finding something nestled amongst the assortment of desserts. Even he seemed impressed that he was able to point that out so quickly, and without missing a beat, David passed the entire tray of confectionery in the man’s direction. “Here you go. Please, Mr. Harker, help yourself.” The collection demanded more than a mere glance, and each piece does look good – perhaps even better and more curated than how he remembered how they were supposed to look.
Never mind if he glimpsed those fangs earlier, or if he was reeling with more questions if certain lineages of vampires can even eat such. That felt like the most mundane thing that he has in his mind at the moment, the first in the past few hours. The only thing that mattered to him at this point is that this man doesn’t seem to be so intent on devouring him like this entire hall was the plate or having ulterior motives beneath perceived hospitality. At least, not yet. David pressed both hands against his face, suppressing a groan. “Of course, I absolutely forgot to ask if there’s a date due for that. Or if I needed to bring or formulate anything beforehand. Who else is involved? Where will I even begin?” While every sorcerer was different in their own right, at that moment, perhaps the young man simply shared the plights of many – typically worried, introspective, susceptible to overthinking like most scholars were.
For a brief moment, David looked at the man– Robin, as if he was the solution and the answer to all these little problems. Dracula did state that he will elaborate on the details further in time. Shaking his head, he turned back to his plate, taking his time to modestly chew his food. “I’m being quite brazen, I truly apologize.” That came out quieter than expected. “Though earlier, I was worried that I would have to dine alone. The storm has been raging outside earlier, I hope you didn’t encounter any trouble on the way here.”
. . .
A day or two has passed since the night that he settled in the castle and closed in on that agreement. David hasn’t heard much from Lord Dracula since he disappeared, though the handful of staff he came across while roaming and almost getting lost around the halls seemed decently kind enough to lead him along. From his room to the library (which impressed the giddy sorcerer to no end), from the library to the kitchen– from the kitchen to the cold outdoors, the young man won’t be seen far away from a journal or scraps of paper, diligently mapping and drawing out the places he has been to completely etch it in memory.
But, remember that the doors of certain rooms are locked.
Therefore it stands to reason that you should not be able to enter these rooms, and should not try.
He was doing well in following that so far, fortunately.
The weather has been calmer since except for the bursts and swirls of wind and snow during the night. The whispers never ceased– there were spaces where they were deafeningly louder and yet the mind has a way of adjusting. The nightmares had a way of worming in his sleep, a pesky thing that he still need to find a way to work around with. Save for the periodic headaches and fatigue that rest and food can quell, in between scripted handwriting, notes of what he clearly remembered, coupled with highly detailed sketches, David has a way of making himself busy even in recovery. Certain spells returned to him like it was the most natural thing, to his relief. He was expecting that more will find their way home in time.
It felt absurd. He hasn’t felt like this in a long time. Something still felt amiss, but it was something that he can still ignore.
The early afternoon found David outside in the courtyard. Snow has laden the place, blanketing the grounds with white. He wasn’t lost this time, at least, physically. His head, however, was just another story.
Maybe seeing how Robin was doing would help with that. After all, he still has so many things to ask.
"I've survived far worse."
There was no hesitation in climbing into his front passenger seat, quickly rolling down a window and readying his stolen assault in advance. "Dear gods, that smell! Drive!" Now wincing from that ruined mayo, he draped the collar of his shirt over his own nose as they pulled out of said parking lot.
"Oh for God's sake, just run me to an ATM after this! Robin first, money later!" Being rightfully more concerned about rescuing his savior, the brunette demanded to focus on their objective in a rather bitter manner. It was often rare Abraham got a little snippy with someone, with this being one of those cases since he tended to avoid such. At least he gave his word about payment once the whole ordeal was done.
"If he really is a vampire, no wonder he survived all those shots." He'd comment quietly, just loud enough for Ralph to hear while staring down at the console until a thought occurred to him. "Hey, when we get him back, I know a place we can run to in case those men have friends or survive this. A close friend of mine has an estate just a few minutes from here, I'll give directions when we're ready."
Strangely enough, Abraham didn't inquire about the deaths Robin was said to have committed, and most of him didn't want to believe that the very man who saved him was a questionable character. It did make him wonder just how old said being was, or if he was around during the Great War as they knew it back then, though part of him suspected he was a second war veteran mostly due to Hitler being mentioned.
. . .
"Get me close." Was all that was said as they crept up behind their target vehicle, most likely without the goons' knowledge since the windshield would make it hard to see. The young veteran disabled the safety of his assault rifle and unstrapped his seatbelt, planting one foot on it.
Should one of those unsuspecting men glance at a rearview mirror… They'd see a disturbingly familiar figure rising up from the passenger window in a vehicle behind them, this time armed with a stolen weapon looted from a certain someone. Not good.
By aiming down sights, the brunette pulled its trigger multiple times, several lead projectiles having audibly shattered through glass and zipping through, one of which struck somebody’s drink in their cup holder and splashed everywhere without hitting someone, yet. Does this man ever give up?!
Since this wasn't working, Abe decided to try something different. Soon lowering the barrel, he'd aim for their rear tires and unload much of the clip into them in hopes of popping one, many of which put quite a few holes in the bumper. Should there be any return fire, the young man would immediately duck back into his seat to avoid it and hunker. "If a tire bursts and they crash, I'll handle them! Just sit back if they do!" He hollered to Ralph, eventually swapping magazines on his weapon.
Things were about to get a whole lot more interesting.
Each choice will bring a consequence; Zach knows this.
A quiet voice in his mind asks why he can never live a normal life. Even if separating himself from the shadow that looms over his shoulder is an impossible feat, he tries his best to live as ordinarily as he can. Zach goes to school, he tries his best, and he cares for his friends just as they care for him. So why do these awful events continue to occur around him? First, the inky entity at his side every second of every day. Then the wendigos that plagued his dreams months after the fact. Now, this. it would be fair for him to turn the other way.
Yet, Zach thinks of himself when he was alone and hurt. All those times he craved a hand to reach out and pull him out of the dark flash behind his eyes. At this moment, he sees that younger version of himself in Becky. She is tormented by the harm unjustly laid upon her and now feels tainted and angry. Zach understands how broken she must feel and how hopeless it all seems. And that is exactly why, against his better judgment, he ignores Becky's warning and runs to the room.
He shoves the door open with a heavy hand and steps through the frame before giving his eyes a chance to process the scene before him. But it is okay if he is in danger right now, none of that matters right now. Not when a seven-foot-tall presence stalks after him. Most cannot see the humanoid figure, in fact, nobody but Zach himself has ever witnessed the creature. The organization had seen glimpses of it, sure, but only through specialized technology that failed to capture the ash-like material that made up the menacing entity. It has long, thin limbs and indistinguishable features that when stared at long enough would feel a little like trying to make any sense out of static on a screen.
This shadow, Alex, is why Zach does not fear for his safety. Instead, he throws himself in amongst the action in any way that will potentially save David's life. It's not the man himself he is so concerned about. He deserved to be punished for what he has done. But he fears that if Becky really does go through with this, she will never be the same again. Zach will never forgive himself if he didn't at least try to save her from her own mistakes. David isn't worth it.
"Becky," he calls gently. "I'm so sorry." And now Zach does close that space he'd granted her earlier. Despite the truth of the matter turned out to be such an ugly truth, he wants to comfort her. Attempted murder or not, he cannot say with certainty he would not have done the same. So, his fingertips card through her hair and curl around to the back of her head where he pulls her toward himself. Zach cradles her into his chest and his chin dips to the top of her head. "You're okay, you're safe."
As he holds the woman, his head tips to gaze at the beast - no, Timothy - in consideration. Assuming what Becky says is true, Timothy is not evil in this scenario. This only gives Zach more questions than answers. What exactly is Timothy? Why is he heeding every beck and call from Becky? What happened to David - is he still alive? More importantly, what the Hell does Zach do now?
Zach untangles himself from Becky once more and holds her biceps to keep her within arm's length. "Let's get out of here. I'll take you and," he briefly glances toward Timothy, hesitating, "... him somewhere else where we can sit and think about all of this. You're upset, I get it. But, please, come with me." He knows he is pleading with her here, but he fears that escalating the situation will only do more harm than good. There's no doubt in his mind that somebody else has alerted the authorities. The police will arrive shortly and, perhaps even worse than that, the DPA.
Asking for David's whereabouts has triggered a visceral reaction in Becky. Zach flinches as shrieks out the name and takes a cautious step back to allow the space he guesses she needs. Calming her down feels to have been for naught, but the cause for her outburst only further confuses Zach. He wishes to ease her panic - even considers wrapping her back into his arms, but thinks better of it once she stumbles further back. On impulse, he extends a hand toward her, but simply leaves it hanging in the air like an unspoken offer.
“Please…don’t touch me. Don’t let him. Ever again”
"Okay, okay," Zach soothes, voice low and quiet beneath her hurried and panicked repetitions. He does not dare approach her as he can have the sense to see that space is more comforting to her at this moment. So, he keeps his ground and continues to hold his hand extended in what he hopes seems like a reassuring gesture.
As Becky points toward Zach's obliviousness in all of this, he shakes his head at her to confirm her suspicions. He does not have a clue what has happened here. Pretending to know will not make anything better, but he wants to help in any way that he can. People are hurt and Becky is shaken up. Thinking that involving the police would be beneficial for everyone, Zach dips his other hand into the pocket of his jeans. He feels the shape of his phone but pauses upon the word demon leaving Becky. Zach blinks in confusion.
Before he is given a chance to absorb all the craziness of this, a large imposing figure emerges from around the corner. Zach releases his phone and abandons it in his pocket as he gazes at the creature with what could only be described as shock. He pulls in an uneasy breath and takes a cautious step back before freezing altogether. There's a voice in the back of his head telling him to not move - it'll see you if you move. But this situation is not the same as then. "Tim?" Zach calls softly. "Becky," he then adds, eyes not daring to look away from the reptilian creature, "what the Hell is going on?"