Out Of Time

This hadn't been one of Leniya's better ideas.

Going after some would be thugs that had kidnapped Milana into some unknown world she knew only about through stories wasn't the smartest idea but she couldn't just stand there and do absolutely nothing. Tala and the others were going to kill her for being impulsive but she wasn't just going to stand there while her family was in trouble. They luckily hadn't regarded her as Any kind of threat which is why she was still alive and not passed from this world.

Worse still, she didn't know how to Shadow Walk extreme distances like this safely so even if she did get Milana she'd be unable to go back the way she came.

Her breathing was starting to get heavy again and she quickly fumbled with her bag for her inhaler. She hated this right now, and she was no closer to finding her scared niece, who knew what those jerks had planned. Her eyes teared up slightly but she furiously wiped them away; now wasn't the time.

"Miss you all right?" Someone who passed by asked concerned.

"I-I'm fine, thank you." She said as calmly as she could. They didn't look convinced but they let her be.

What am I going to do? I have no idea where she is, I don't have much money and I don't know as much about earth as I should. Calm down..calm down Leniya. You can do this, Milana needs you right now. I don't want to be in this strange place but I have to make do..

It was no use to panic but she was understandably stressed at the moment, she found a bench to sit down and catch her breath. All that running had tired her out, it shouldn't but her health problems got in the way. Having a mental break down wouldn't be good either for her health, Milana or anyone else. That was why she needed to focus to regain her bearings. Hopefully earth wasn't as scary as some others made it out to be.

There were kids using holograms and cards to play a strange game. Most no one payed them any ind, so thins of this nature must be normal around here. So far, everything seemed normal enough. Aside from this cities odd obsession with this 'Duel Monsters' game.

"Greetings...Child of Darkness..." someone growls. Standing before her, was some kind of Demonic Man with dull glowing orange/red fiery eyes, shadowed by a ball cap "You seem...lost. In more ways...than one..." he growls again.

It seemed as soon as she uttered the words mentally that earth she hoped earth wasn't so scary with a bunch of super powered people, she just ran into one possibly.

 She really shouldn't judge as she didn't know the guy though, but he was giving off all the wrong vibes and his entrance choice of words hadn't exactly inspired confidence. In fact, pretty much all her instincs were telling her to go screaming in the opposite direction.

"Hah..I guess I probably look it. I'm not lost, lost. Just looking for someone." While she didn't exactly trust him, he hadn't done anything thus far. She'd still keep a eye on them, though.

Mad's burning eyes seem to be searing into Leniya's very soul, as if looking for answers "Very well..." he snarls, then turns and heads back into the darkness, where he feels most at home and terrified at the sametimem leaving Leniya to whatever the fates have in store for her in this strange and often dangerous land.

Leniya got up, a bit unsteadily but otherwise she was fine as she got to looking around. She asked people as she went if they had seen the little girl in the picture, but as expected no one did. She knew she wouldn't be that lucky but she didn't have that many options.

If it weren't for the dire situation, Leniya would have loved it here. The holograms, cards and comics were Right up her alley. Sadly she wouldn't have been able to stay anyway, since Noreal had no ties and visa versa, there was no way she could legally stay here.

Mad watches the curious young woman from the shadows a bit longer. She Said she wasn't lost, but everything abou her body language screamed that she was lost. She seemed to be trying to not panic over every little unfamiliar sound,but her shifty behaviour made her seem suspicious and would draw unwanted attention to herself.

It was none of Mad's concern. She was one of those Vampire creatures he had seen wandering around like they owed the place *Kill her...* something whispers in Mad's mind. He knew exactly what it was. It was the Darkness. It often tried to influence him to do terrible things, but since he had gotten those guns, it had lost it's hold over him.

*She is weak and sick. We should help ease her suffering...* the Darkness hisses. Mad usually ignores it *Be silent...* he demands *Kill her...her heart...will make us much stronger...* the Darkness hisses again.he Darkness knew that Mad covets strength over most everything else

Mad turns and starts off, leaving the lost young woman to her uncertain future. The Darkness ma know what motivates Mad, but it's used the lure of power once before. Mad now sees past all it's lies and tricks. He has no more interest in a sick Vampire, than she had in a possessed Human.

((Mad's out I guess))

Maybe she should of asked that man if he had seen anyone, bad feelings aside she didn't Know them. For all she knew, he could be quite opposite from first impression she got. Maybe she had been a bit unfair, goodness knows ignorant people had things to say about her people without knowing how they actually were.

Her stomach grumbled a bit; another issue. Man I can't catch a break.

She had limited funds so she had to be careful and she was raised better then be stealing.She wished her brother or any of her other family members were here with her.

* *

Jaiden wasn't an easy person to anger but messing with his family was one of those things that got to him. What's worse is whatever cowards had done it had taken to hiding on earth somewhere. But more worrying then that if they even stayed here instead of going somewhere else but he couldn't think of that.

Once he found Leniya, he'd have to metaphorically kill his sister for worrying him as well. He had only recently found out she was missing as well, but Tala hadn't; he supposed it was a good thing as it wouldn't stress the widowed mother more then she had. He knew how close the two were.

There was the sound of a battle, an Actual one, not too far by, in an ally. It sounded like two people were trying to beat he Holy living Hell out of each other and one goes flying back out of he ally and lands painfully on his back, which has a sword strapped to it and he landed Right on top of it.

The Young Man painfully gets to his feet "Dammit Mad! I Just want to talk! You're blowing this Completely outta proportion!" the young man says, as if he Hadn't just flown twenty feet out of an ally and landed on his back.

In the ally, was the same man from before only this time, he was cloaked in darkness, like wearing an overcoat made of shadows, with two snake-like creatures hanging over his shoulders, his skin was completely shadowed and his veins were glowing red, as were his eyes. He was holding two Strange Guns

Abraxus didn't bother drawing his sword, because Mad wasn't his enemy "Look, I know how you like to fight strong opponents, right? Well, this guy is really strong. I got my ass handed to me when I tried to take him on myself and you're one of the strongest people I know. Help me out here and I'll owe ya one." he points out.

He knew Mad would object to helping him on a bounty, but this was starting to get out of hand. If he didn't wrap this up soon, someone might get hurt and he would have to use his transformed state to stop Mad, which was something he Really didn't like using

Mad was like a statue, then the darkness surrounding him fades and he puts his guns away "Very well...I shall...help you..." he snarls. Abraxus flinches internally. He had forgotten Mad talked like that.

The way that stranger had moved into the shadows reminded Leniya of her kind but they definitely weren't. It might have been darkness but it wasn't the same it felt..wrong somehow. Corrupted in some way, she really didn't know how else to really explain it.

What's going on?

Leniya picked up the sounds of fighting, maybe there was some sort of street fight going on. She should probably go to avoid it if she could. Unfourtnately it seemed chance had other plans because a rather handsome young man was launched from the alley literally ten feet away at the most. Followed by that scary man from before, except he was using darkness powers in full, except again, it was different.

She didn't know the details but she didn't want to see anyone get butchered. This was before it seemed to calm down, still she cautiously approached. It was her heart doing the thinking, which got her into trouble at times. "Everything okay?" She was more asking the

Abraxus was about to tell whomever it was to bugger off and mind their own business, but when he turns to address them, he sees the most drop dead gorgeous young woman he had ever seen in his life and considering who he had worked within the past, that was saying something.

Abraxus didn't want to seem like a perv for leering at the young ladies long legs and round bosom, so clears his throat, averting his eyes in the process "Yes. Everything is fine here. No need to get concerned." he says, lashing his bounty hunter badge "I'm a bounty hunter and this man is a close ally of mine. We were just negotiating the terms of a partnership." he explains.

Mad's eyes fall on the young Nosferatu "Still...not lost...I take it?" he growls, his blazing eyes borrowing into her soul.

Abraxus frowns slightly "You two know each other?" he asks, both Mad and the young woman

Leniya gaze turned away from Mad after a moment after his starring. "..Okay I admit I'm lost. We met, briefly." She explained at the end to the demi Devil's question he had asked.

At this point she didn't have much really to lose so she pulled out a picture of a little girl with silver hair and red eyes. "Have you seen a little girl that looks like this? She's about five years old and my niece before she was taken from her family."

The hair and eye color were a bit different, but the general spirit of the young girl in the picture strongly reminded Abraxus of his little sister, wo had brutally murdered by the psychotic killer, Cedrick: The Unsouled.

He made up his mind to help this young woman find this lost child. His bounty could wait. After all, if he found him once, he could do so again. Besides, his 'People Tracking' skills might be better used in this endeavor.

He shakes his head as he pulls out a note pad "Tell me what you know and I'll get my people working on the case." he says. After all, a missing child was a serious matter. The Hunter Alliance would post an Amber Alert and an APB on the kidnappers, if they got any useable intell.

Leniya perked up ever so slightly, this meant she possibly be that much closer to finding her niece. If she wasn't in the situation she was in and looking for Milana, she would have noticed the young man good looks a bit more, but now really wasn't the time and her focus was elsewhere.

"Thank you. My name is Leniya Holander. As for what happened.." She was trying to think back, and more importantly what Marius had about being through with things like this. The structure and politics may have been different but the information giving to a investigation shouldn't be.

"I was with my niece Milana walking her to school, we took a shorter route this time. Nothing out of the ordinary happened at first, then a few men came and took Milana into a portal. I tried to stop them, but I wasn't much of a fighter so I just got knocked aside." She said, sounding ashamed. "They didn't bother to kill me even though they could have easily, I think it was more of being in a hurry and me not being worth the time then anything though."

"I followed them here, hence why I'm lost. The only other thing I noticed about them is their presence. It was Holy, like unaturally so. But it also felt wrong for lack of a better word. Not words that normally go together but not sure how else to describe it. You know how some people give off a strong presence even to those who normally can't sense stuff? It's like that."

Leniya shifted her feet. "Um..do you sketch well or know someone who does? It might help if I gave what I knew in their looks to have something to look for even if not completely accurate."

Abraxus was taking down everything that Leniya was saying and when the young Nosferatu finished Abraxus t was time for some questions "I have a few questions that will help us in our search. If you wouldn't mind answering them." he says "For starters, is your niece like you, in terms of race? Also, did yu notice and distinctive marking or symbols on your assailants?" he asks.

Mad was deathly silent throughout Leniya's story. He had a good idea about who might have taken the young one : Paladins. He had run into them before. They were self-righteous, 'Holier than thou', right winged extremist, who would think nothing of using innocents to accomplish their goals. Even if the innocent died in the act. They only saw it as 'For the cause'.

Those kind of people made Mad sick wit their hypocrisy. He growls a low, fierce sound He, of course, wouldn't say anything on the subject, because he had no proof that it Was Paladins, but he was sure to check them out. They had learned their lesson about messing wth him, if need be, he would teach it to them again.

She couldn't recall anything too specific as she would of liked, but she did remember a bit of their symbols. It was a haze though. "They had a circle, it was pure white with a star in the middle and black around the edges. That was their symbol but they also wore armor. It was more like..medivalish I guess? For lack of a better word."

"Milana is but she isn't. I mean by that she's a half breed, she's half Nosferartu which is on my families side and Draner, which she gets from her mother and her side." She frowned more. "But I can't think of a motive or goal behind it. My older brother was part of something similar to the Hunters so it makes sense to have enemies. Even then, he's passed on so I don't know."

Maybe they needed them for some key to something, but still didn't make sense to her.

Abraxus frown at this new information "It sounds ike it was a spur of the moment thing. Otherwise they wouldn't have had any distinguishing characteristics showing. Or it could be that they were trying to set a different up to Think they were responsible for the kidnapping." he says, thinking over the options.

He looks to Mad "Any of this found familiar to you?" he asks. Mad had been traveling the world longer then Abraxus had, and had seen many strange things. Indeed, Mad often goes Looking for strange things,so there was a chance that he might have stumbled upon this as well.

Mad shakes his head, shooting down Abraxus's hopes for a quick resolution "No...I have not..." he says in a low growl "I had thought...it was...the Pure Light Paladins..." he snarls "But now...it's sounding like...the Dark Star Paladins..." he growls.

Abraxus h ad Heard of Paladins, but had never encountered them. It seems like Mad has, though. He nods "It's worth checking both out, if nothing else. I'll contact the Hunter Alliance in this area and see..." he pauses as some Scanner Police start towards them.

Abraxus wanders over to them to let them know that this was official Hunter business. Mad turns his burning eyes back towards Leniya "You should not...put your faith...in the Hunters..." he snarls softly "They are not...what they once were...." he growls.

Leniya frowned a bit at the end "I see. Honestly don't know what to make of them since the only thing I know about them is just second hand information.." She was trying to think of who else could have taken Milana. She really didn't think the Xaron. If they were, they probably would have 'purified' them both and besides the Holy elementals were pretty much gone besides scattered members after their pocket realm collapsed.

It also of course could be these Paladins. "So..what exactly is a Paladin? I have a feeling it means different things from where I'm from and here."

Abraxus had caught Leniya's question as he was finishing up with the Scanners and figured it was best he answer it, rather than Mad. Otherwise they would be here all day. "A Paladin is normally suppose to be a warrior for the Gods of which ever religion you believe in." he starts.

"They fight the forces of evil where ever they normally encounter them and are generally a good and compassionate group. But there Are some out there who take fighting evil to the extreme." he says "They fight not only evil, but those who have Any association with evil, whether it's by their choice or not and they fight those they Believe are evil, even if they're not." he explains.

"Like you...me...and Abraxus..." Mad says in a snarl

Abraxus nods "We generally call them 'Dark Paladins' and they're numbers have been on he rise since the Paladins had disbanded some centuries ago" he finishes.

"And with no...Real Paladins around...people have taken...to calling them...Just Paladins..." Mad growls.

Abraxus nods "And while they're not Too dangerous to someone like myself or Mad, for someone like you or your niece, they could be deadly." he points out "Which is why I'm going to do what I can to help you find her." he assures Leniya.

Leniya gave Abraxus  grateful faint smile at that, a bit relieved. "Thank you. I'm still not sure what Paladins would want with Milana. They're risking so much with what they did going into hostile terrirtory and gaining the ire of Milana's dragon side of the family isn't too smart. Then again, I guess it is smart to go to a place where they can't transform anyway without drawing too much attention."

"Can Paladins sense or see someone's race normally?" If her older brother was still alive, Paladins or not(assuming that's they were) they would have been sorry trying that mess with him around. Or worse her grandfather Darsmith, technically he wasn't but it was what she took to calling him since she was tiny and it stuck.

Mad nods to Leniya's question "They have...there ways...of finding...Nonhumans..." he says carefully.

Abraxus nods as well "It's rumored that those with a God's blessing can use a Paladin's helmet to detect Inhumans, as we're now being called." he explains.

Mad takes notice of the crowd that was starting to gather in the park. Fortunately it wasn't because of them. There was some big dueling event about to take place "We...should go..." he says in a low growl.

Abraxus nods "I agree. he looks over to Leniya"Do you have some place to stay for the night?" he asks.

Leniya shook her head slightly. "No, sorry. I don't have a place right now so we'll have to find one or get a hotel. One second." A strange ringing was heard and the young woman looked down before pulling out a cell phone. It was different from the norm for sure. "Hello? No, I'm fine. Really. I think so but not sure. Where are you? Jaiden?"

Two moments later a female automatic voice called. 'We're sorry, your service has been discontinued due lack of payment. If you like to hear options, press one. If you like to hear more options, press 2. If you like none of these-'

Leniya mumbled as she cut it off. "You have to be kidding me." She shook her head. "We'll, my older brother is in the city but I have no idea where because I'm a broke college student. I guess it'll have to wait. No sense in going blind and they can take of themselves a lot better then I can." Her relatives on both sides were well off enough, but she Hated asking for money. It was bad enough she was living rent free and such off of Tala.

Abraxus was surprised that alien devices still worked on Earth and that they were, apparently, compatible with Earth satellites "Who's Jaiden? Are they someone you need me to find?" he asks.

Mad was slightly annoyed, but only slightly. They didn't have time for this kind of distraction. They had a mission to take care of. Whoever this Jaiden fellow was, he could wait.

"Jaiden is my older brother, that's who I was talking about. He's in the city looking for Milana to but like I said I don't know exactly where because the phone cut off. Don't worry about it, if anything he'll find us." Leniya said confidently.

Mad rather doubted that this Jaiden fellow would find them, if Leniya was any indication of how lost a person could get in a setting they didn't fully understand. Besides, Abraxus seems to fancy the young woman.

Mad snarls something about finding him and disappears into the shadows to hunt down Leniya's brother. Abraxus knew that if anyone could find someone they had no clue what they looked like, it was Mad. He seemed to have a freaky knowledge about things.

Abraxus pulls out his phone and hols it out to Leniya "I'm not sure if it'll work or not, you know, with your brother's phone, but you can use it to try and contact him." he offers.

Abraxus knew he shouldn't get too attached to Leniya, because after they found Milana she would likely be heading home.

"Thank you." Leniya said gratefully to Abraxus as she took the cell phone, she had no idea if it would work or but it was worth a shot at the least. When she did give it a try, nothing happened which was a bit of a let down.

She gave a slight sigh before handing it back. "Thank you anyway, I guess that would have been too convient." She went a bit quite after that. "So..how long have you been doing the bounty hunter thing for? If you don't mind me asking."

* *

Jaiden felt a bit frustrated, if the phone had held out just a bit longer he might of been able to track down Leniya proper. Now things were going to be harder.