Drake scanned the town, looking for more. He didn't see any. "The quest says there were 50. One of them is already dead. That leaves 49 more. We need to find them," Drake said, letting his eyes glow brighter as he looked for the gargoyle's energy signatures. "Remember that they have gray energy signatures."

His friends nodded as Renn and Ruby leaped off Drake's shoulder and transformed into their large beast forms.

"Stay close to us," Drake told his familiars. "I don't trust that the townspeople won't attack you."

Understanding Drake's words, the two familiars moved toward the three boys.

They walked down the town's stone road, scanning their surroundings, looking for gargoyles. They found three hiding in a nearby shop.

Drake, with his friends flanking him, stood in front of the shop, waiting for the three gargoyles to exit. They didn't. They just stood there, facing them. "Damit?" Drake hissed. "We have to go in. Try not to destroy the shop." Drake said after waiting for nearly five minutes.

"I'll stay out here and watch for more approaching," Chad whispered. "This shop might be another trap. Be careful."

"Wait, don't move," Drake whispered to his friends.

After checking the system for signs of another trap, he found that Chad had been right. There was one. It would trap them further inside the shop. It was identical to the last one they used. In the last one, the power source drained the humans inside to work. If they went in, it would kill the townsfolk. "You're right; it's like the throne room. We have to ignore them and get them last. We enter no building. They are all probably like that."

Chad stared at the shop, then lifted his bow. After forming the strongest energy arrow that he could, he shot toward the gray energy signatures. The arrow flew through the glass and slammed into one gargoyle. It was the one in the center. The gargoyle immediately burst into light particles.

{A member of your cohort has killed a gargoyle 2/50}

Seeing that his plan worked, he shot two more, taking out the other two.

{A member of your cohort has killed a gargoyle 3/50}

{A member of your cohort has killed a gargoyle 4/50}

Chad smiled. "Four down…"

As one, they scanned the area. "I don't see any," Drake frowned. "I bet they're all waiting in buildings that are set up as traps."

Drake coiled his whip around his wrist and took out his own bow. Chad looked over at his friend. "Doesn't the energy whip go through like an energy arrow?"

"I'll have to test it." Drake placed his bow over one shoulder and uncoiled his whip again. He filled it with energy. "Let me test it out on the next one that's hiding inside."

"There," Mike pointed. "There are three more hiding in that shop."

When they reached the shop in question, Drake studied where the gargoyles were standing. They were near the large window that displayed the wares the shop sold. Drake slashed his whip, aiming for the three gargoyles. As always, the energy whip slashed out first, then the metallic whip. The energy whip slammed into the window, hitting two of the gargoyles. Chad, behind him, shot at the remaining one, not giving it time to move.

{You have killed a gargoyle 5/50}

{You have killed a gargoyle 6/50}

{A member of your cohort has killed a gargoyle 7/50}

Drake grinned. "That's 7."

Around them, the people of Storm Town continued to rush around. Drake noticed that they were all avoiding going inside the shops. He wasn't the only one who noticed.

"They know about the traps," Mike observed. "They're not going into the buildings either; they're just running around, not really going anywhere."

"The mayor didn't lie. My lie detection in my system would have warned me," Drake countered. "Keep looking for gargoyles. Regardless of whether the people here are involved or not, our quest is to eliminate the 50 gargoyles in town to take down their trap."

"I'm kind of disappointed in your town, Mike," Chad said, scanning the area for gargoyles. They couldn't find any more. They had only killed 7. They still needed to locate the other forty-three.

Drake stopped in the middle of the cobbled road and let his eyes glow even brighter. He turned in a circle so he could see in all directions. Far in the distance, he could see a group of gray energy signatures. He frowned. "I found them. They're in the throne room again. Damit." He counted them first. "Not all of them are in there. We need to find the others hiding in town."

With no luck as they walked through the square, Drake turned down one of the many alleys. His friends flanked him, scanning the area.

Mike pointed. "That building has six inside."

Looking in the direction Mike was pointing, Drake studied the area. There were twice as many humans huddled together in the center. It's another trap. They're using the humans as an energy source."

"The energy weapons can't go through the wood and stone. We need to find a window," Drake said, pulling out his bow and drawing an energy arrow.

Chad did the same as they circled the building, looking for a way to shoot them where they were standing. It turned out to be a building resembling a warehouse. Warehouses normally didn't have windows, and this one was no different. They couldn't find any. "Now what?" Chad asked.

Renn and Ruby shrank down, transforming into their small beast forms. With Renn in the lead, they snuck through a crack in the wood.

Drake's eyes glowed even brighter as he took in what was happening. The energy of the trap did not elevate. It seemed the familiars did not affect the trap. He kept a close watch on the humans inside. There was no change in them either. When checking his system, he found the trap had been designed to trap the heirs, not beasts. His familiars were both beasts, so it was easy for them to enter without setting the trap.

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