The Beast caught the new scent as it moved along the highway. It was a surprised, this was something new yet familiar. The aroma of the Angel had dispersed and this confused it at first until the new smell became stronger and enveloped the creature. The Beast left the highway, entering the woods in pursuit of this new enemy. Nothing would stop it until it again felt the life of its nemesis drain into oblivion. It quickened its pace in anticipation of the forthcoming slaughter.

Albert found Doc Crosby sitting in his office waiting for the remains. On his desk were the dental records of all the suspected victims of the attack on the vigilante hunting party. The dentist stood and held out his hand in greeting. Albert felt his teeth hurt as he shook the old man's hand.

"Have you got the remains in that cooler?" Doc asked.

"I'm afraid so," Albert answered.

"Horrible thing, horrible," the dentist began, as he lifted the lid and looked inside, "not much here, is there?"

"It doesn't seem so, but it's all they found, there wasn't much left. Is it enough for you to identify?

The dentist smiled, "Plenty, I have all their x-rays. Each filling and implant is unique. It shouldn't take very long at all. I drilled all these poor boy's cavities."

I'll bet you did, you sadistic bastard, Albert thought. "That's great Doc. I'll just go sit in the waiting room while you work."

"You are welcome to stay in here if you care to watch," Doc offered.

"No, this all makes me pretty queasy. I'll wait outside."

"Suit yourself. I'll let you know when I'm done."

Albert sat in the waiting room doing his best to keep his mind occupied. He checked the small stack of magazines on the coffee table and couldn't help but smile at the age of the publications. There were a few women's publications over a decade old and sport magazines from two Olympics earlier.

He had just settled in when a loud crash of breaking glass came from the dentist's office. Two horrifying screams of pain echoed shortly thereafter, then silence. Albert stood and tried to run to the exit as the door to Crosby's office shattered. Albert covered his face desperately and when he uncovered his eyes, the Beast's frightening visage was staring out at him through the doorway.

Albert was frozen in horror, unable to speak. The Beast was crouched, unable to stand fully in the low-ceilinged room. It looked at Albert and let out a terrifying laugh.

"You are what I have been pursuing? You, you little insignificant slug, are my prey? How disappointing," it spat out in contempt.

"You speak English?" Albert asked, snapped back to reality by the creature's harsh insults.

The look on the Beast's face changed from contempt to rage. It smashed an arm through the wall next to the door, causing Albert to stumble back against the wall.

"I have existed as long as mankind, I speak all your pathetic languages," it answered angrily, "how is it you smell of Angel? Where is he, answer and I will make your death painless."

Albert was not a particularly brave man, but he was not a coward either and was surprised that he could think straight in this perilous situation. He knew his life depended on being both calm and smart. He steeled his nerve and took a step toward the monster, forcing a smile.

"I smell of Angel because I killed him, I am the champion. I am your adversary." Albert tried to maintain eye contact and fought every instinct telling him to flee.

"You? You are no champion, you are a toad. I will kill you slowly."

"Coward!" Albert screamed.

The Beast actually seemed taken aback, "How dare you call me coward! I am a warrior of Abaddon!"

"Then why do you fear facing me when I am armed. Do you not covet my sword?" Albert's speech pattern mimicked countless bad fantasy movies he'd watched. He hoped he wasn't overplaying his hand.

The Beast's eyes widened at mention of the sword, "Where is it? Where is the sword?"

"Not here, but you must know that, that is why you choose to confront me now, without the sword," Albert had an idea, but hoped he was right in his next attempt to play on the Beast's ego, "but we in Empyrean Realm all know your reputation for failure, even the Wellspring finds it amusing."

"The Wellspring laughs at me?" The Beast hissed through clenched teeth, "what failure? How have I failed, you insignificant worm?"

Albert took a deep breath, hoping the story Rosamund had related to him was at least partially factual.

"You let yourself be beaten by a band of vagabonds, didn't you? They beat you, trapped you, and imprisoned you for nearly two hundred years. It certainly sounds like a failure to me." Albert forced himself to smirk.

"The Gypsies!!!" The Beast roared so violently that Albert almost pissed in his pants, "I shall find their progeny when I have finished with you."

"I say again, Coward! Afraid to meet me in fair combat." Albert was barely maintaining his facade. All he wanted now was to live long enough to flee anywhere.

The Beast became suddenly calm. An evil smile crossed his lips, "Very well, champion, retrieve your weapon. I will face you tomorrow, here, when the sun is highest. Till then, I have things which need to be done."

Albert was confused, "What things?"

The Beast flared his nostrils and inhaled, "I smell them near, those filthy Gypsies. I will take my revenge, then I shall eat every bit of you tomorrow and take the sword as my own. You cannot run, I will find you wherever you go and destroy everything in my path. I will enjoy our battle, short though it may be. You will regret your boasts, worm."

The Beast turned and disappeared into the dentist's office. Albert could hear him climbing back out the window and ran into the room to see him fully.

There, outside in the parking lot, beneath the streetlamps, he saw it. The creature was dragging the dentist's bloody body behind it. It held the corpse by the wrist nonchalantly and the scene reminded Albert, in a most disturbing way, of the drawings of Christopher Robin dragging his stuffed Winnie the Pooh behind him. He shivered.

He was alive, but he had unintentionally put the Travelers at risk. He scolded himself and then sobbed briefly, realizing he would almost certainly be eaten sometime tomorrow. It was not the way he had expected to die.