As time passes into the night, small noises can be heard from the trees in the distance. Both Hiero and Phantom are in deep sleep, unaware of what goes on around them.
Numen however was awake and correctly sensed exactly what was approaching the group. He recognized the power reading from any where..
"No.. How.. How did he find us?.." The monk says quietly with slight anxiety heard in his voice. He notices that Frost is no where to be found either, leaving the rest of the heroes in danger. Numen teleports away, in search of the winter wolf.
Xulu approaches the camp with a very serious expression on his face. He was in a battle stance as runs into the enclave base of the heroes. Hiero would hear this noise by now and wake up, climbing fast to awake the young mink above him.
"Phantom, Phantom!" He says loudly as he pressures her to wake up. "We've got company!" He reminds her. Soon following him waking her up, the mink slaps the hawk across his face making him grunt but he had no time to argue over the situation. He then does a flip off the side of the tree to land on the ground.
"Show yourself!" Hiero says agitated as he grips his sword.
Xulu would appear to the side of the hawk and kick the sword out of his hands. Next to him was a corrupted salamander with the same bloodied eyes as previous victims, although there was a slight difference with this one. The eyes weren't as darkly colored or blood red as the other island inhabitants and he did not leak oil from his eyes and or mouth. Perhaps he was not a complete slave to Xulu.
Hiero dodge rolls back to recapture his fallen sword. "What do you want from here? Who are you?" The hawk asks demandingly.
"I don't answer to you pesky bird. I'm looking for the mink from earlier, I smell her. I know your mindless attitude will not reveal information I so rightly need. Stand aside or die by my heel, you choose your fate." Xulu says callously.
Hiero squints at Xulu, but even he realizes he is out numbered and watches the group carefully instead of attacking. "What do you want with her?.." Hiero says hesitantly, realizing he had screwed up by revealing the fact that he knows the mink.
Xulu smiles. "Oh, so you do know her? You are just as inept as I had thought. Coda, get him to give me the answers I require."
The shadowy avian snaps his fingers to command the salamander to get answers out of the hawk.
"Damn it.." mutters Hiero as he holds his sword.