CHAPTER 18-SCENE

Lexi stared at Kian in utter shock at his sudden swiftness. Wasn't not a few moments ago that they were being intimate and within the blink of an eye he was very serious. She didnt have any words to describe how she felt.

But when she looked around them, her eyes widened. When did they get here? She thought. She stared with wide eyes at the spectacle before them. She could feel Kian's expression darken after spotting patches of blood on the bushes covered in snow.

They soon reached an open area which seemed to have been a camp site. But at the moment it was deserted. Kian teleported Lexi back to the skimmer and drove to the place again. They got off the skimmer and Kian brought out some analysing equipment.

He scanned the area and got some results. There seemed to have been dead bodies around but they had been cleared from the surrounding area. All that was left behind were disturbing blood stains preserved by the cold. " Stay close to me Lexi" Kian said , walking ahead.

" See this?" Kian asked Lexi as he bent and pointed at some tracks on the snow covered ground." They look like some kind of cattle prints"" Yes, the tauricus " Kian replied. Then there were sudden movements heard a few metres away from them. Kian's eyes went blood red and Lexi who saw this frizeblike she'd been struck by lightening. " Is this another side of him or something? How many eye colours dies he have?" She thought to herself as she was still frozen in shock.

" Stay behind me Lexi" his voice vibrated in her ears and that seemed to bring her back to herself although she felt a shiver at the time of his voice. To both their surprise, it was a man who appeared in the next moment in front of them." Xenon " " Kian " both men said to each other and Lexi only watched in awe as they exchanged greetings.

" I'm glad you got my message" Xenon said ." I'd do any thing for a friendin need" Kian said with a genuine smile." How bad was it?" Kian then asked cutting straight to the point ." Very bad. My crew were suppose to set camp here and explore the ice plants for ingredients we could use for vaccines. They'd been here only two days when out of nowhere thus giant tauricus came attacking.

Surprisingly, it didn't touch any of the equipment but was focused on every living being. I was here to inspect and the moment I left, it attacked. It was like an assassination spree. Those who had escaped quickly notified me and I rushed here" Xenon ended.

" So you believe someone was controlling the creature?" " It's likely. If it was a corrupted tauricus like the originals, it would have destroyed everything in its way, regardless what it was. But this one was a bit too specific. And it's a machine after all. Someone had to be behind this . The possibility ofbit being a corrupt one is quite low." Xenon said.

" Wait....so the ones that went corrupt, how did it happen?" Lexi cut in. She stared at Kian and Xenon too looked his way." The corrupt tauricus came about through a virus programmed by someone and installed in the board chip of the tauricus." Kian explained.

Xenon nodded at Kian's explanation but soon he stared back at Lexi who was still a stranger to him. Kian noticed this and immediately began with the introductions.'Ah Yes, Xenon, meet my wife Lexi. Lexi , this is Xenon, the Sinuan clan head and a very good friend of mine" Kian said.

Lexi placed her hand on her chest and bowed slightly , greeting him the Galien way." It is a pleasure to meet you " she said. Xenon repeated what she did also in response. " I'm honoured Mrs Zuke " he said." Please, call me Lezi" she said politely and Xenon gave her a quick nod before turning to show then the way.

Kian and Lexi got back on the skimmer and Lexi was about to ask if Xenon would join them when saw him transform into a large golden eagle." He can shapeshift?" She said in amazement." Only into an eagle. The Sinuan clans are differentiated by their totems . His is the eagle but he is also the head of the whole Sinuan clans. " Kian said.

Lexi formed an 'o' with her mouth. He started the skimmer and they proceeded. Lezi just stared at the large eagle in the sky and how he flew so fluidly. " I could change to one but my flying skills are rusty. " Lexi started." I remember once my eldest brother angered me when he said I was like a twig that he could snap in two. So I changed into an eagle and tried to fly away but I was caught in a blizzard and got buried under the snow.

If not for a tracker in my hairpin, I would have frozen to death." Lexi said with a sad smile. Kian didn't say anything and just continues to look on the road." Can you shapeshift Kian?" She asked, changing the topic to him. She saw him freeze for a moment as if he was expecting such a question. And she really was curious to know if he could do so.

Since he was the time stellar, she figured it was something he could do considering how powerful he was." No" Kian briefly replied." I can can morph into Venomica if you consider it shifting" he added and Lexi's gaze sharpened."Venomica? What is that? My father mentioned it once but told me it was too scary for someone my age to know" Lexi said." It's said to be a myth but fortunately for me, I can transforn into it , Well, my darkness can." Kian said and let out a soft chuckle at the confusion written over Lexi's face.

" Kian, please. I'm so confused. So how many sides do you have? What kind of power do they hold and what is this Venomica myth thing?" She said breathlessly , totally giving up. Kian simply sighed and started" Legend has it that about thirty thousand years ago, a mysterious alien came from space . It took over the body of a man since it needed a vessel in order to survive.

With that, he started to fight crime. It is said that he had a permanent smile plastered on his face. People described it as a killer watt smile beacuse it could shock people to death. It wasnt long before his vessel died of old age and he was never seen again. But on rare occasions he would appear out of nowhere and threaten to take the body of anyone who tried venturing to where his old vessel's house was. The people living in the area named him Venomica because he killed with a smile.( in ancient language the word Venomica meant smiling death bearer).

The atmosphere suddenly became extra chilly as Lexi realised why her father had refused to tell her about it years ago.