Shang-qing did nothing to stop either Zame nor Isabel from going off on their own explorations. It was turning to night with surprising haste here on the edge of all reality, and the moon was perhaps larger in the sky here than it was in any other realm, casting a great deal of soothing light over the God of Balance's temple and the surrounding pagodas. It would be an impressive and beautiful view for Zame as he went into the forest, Giselle as she sat alongside the pond, and Isabel as she made her way back across the walkways between the structures. Out of daylight, the Keep seemed even more silent than usual, not a single voice or disturbance to be heard...at first. As Isabel reached the intersection between two wooden walkways, suspended above a dark hole in the mountain, she would hear a heavy thunking sound, like a knife or arrow being driven into a thick wooden surface. The sound would happen just once or twice at first, but then would come a bit faster and a bit louder, sounding for a few brief moments as if it was directly under feet before it passed further away again. If she followed the noise with her eyes, she would witness as a creature (http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20081018184814/finalfantasy/images/3/3b/Machea.jpg) something like a lizard with blades for legs crawled up onto the walkway from underneath, landing right side-up on the platform with a heavy thud, its bladed feet sinking slightly into the wood. A few clicking sounds came from its throat as it eyed the woman up, then released a faint but intimidating hissing sound. If one monster wasn't bad enough, a glance around herself would let the warrior know that three more of these creatures had popped up, one on each of the pathways surrounding her, each clicking and stepping back and forth on their bladed feet, ready to strike.