The Chameleon Loop

Chapter Stagnant cures and rebuilt bodies.

Ruby-Mae made curing cancer look easy. A stark contrast to Nox who was starting to wonder if dying from mana cancer would be the gentler option. Dozens of silver mana crystals lay around Ruby, fist thick loaves of baked power. While Nox’s silver crystals looked more like metallic turds, malformed, lumpy, and broken at odd angles.

Three days had passed since the hunter’s defeat, time that Nox had used every second of for meditation and manipulating his mana. With meditation being his primary form of manipulation, followed closely by physical alterations with his shapeshifting ability. Which now sat at [mana manipulation 8/100] and [shapeshifting 25/100].

There could be no question regarding his physical humanity, for it was gone entirely. Bones were twice as dense and larger, giving Nox an extra six inches where it mattered most, everywhere. His ribs had been reinforced twice, and were now as strong as metal breastplates, while his belly fat had provided the raw biological mass to create extensive muscles. The same went for his hair, which no longer grew on any part of his body, save for the ears and a few nose hairs. Since they helped protect his already sensitive senses.

Meanwhile, Ashley learned to master her new fire talents, working in tandem with Shakko to master their –unified– new body. A feat they flaunted in front of Nox by producing silver mana crystals from their middle dan tian on the second day of meditation and a four foot crystal javelin on the third. Though her efforts were aided by Shakko’s ability to liquify and absorb mana crystals, a talent that Ashley spent many hours experimenting with.

Of all the damned things to wish for, why can’t I have my own fox spirit to teach me this nonsense! They’re making it look effortless! Thought Nox, shifting his body to let another silver turd drop from his chest.

Ruby retrieved the silver rod and chuckled. “This is the ugliest set of anal beads I’ve ever seen. Good job.” She said, rotating the rod with three evenly spaced spherical bulges and one oddly diminutive ball at the end.

“Oh? I didn’t realize Ruby was a connoisseur of– Ow!” Said Nox, interrupted by a punch from Ashley.

“No. We are not talking about any assholes!” Snapped Ashley.

Liam glared at her, wanting to hit her back. But once her words set in his scowl softened into laughter. Echoed through the crevice by Ashley and Ruby-mae. Many moments later Ashley’s face fell serious.

“I scanned the dungeon again… You didn’t tell me Taylor was caught… And is still alive.” She said.

“There is a way for him to feed me power…” Said Nox, thinking of the souls Taylor had unlocked recently.

Each soul must have cost him every ounce of mana he had, but Nox refused to acknowledge the bait. They were already dead, and he wouldn’t be able to take anyone into the next life with him.

“And because you would have tried to rescue him.” Finished Nox.

“Of course I would have! Why aren’t you leading the way! When were you going to tell me Nox?!” Shouted Ashley.

“Hey, I knew about Taylor as well.” Said Mae, diverting Ashley’s wrath.

“What? Why not- How long?” Stammered Ashley.

“Since the beginning. You don’t get it Ashley, the plan isn’t to win, it’s to kill enough of the enemies and then die so Nox can give us all a second chance. I’m not training him to win this fight, I’m training him to not give up. To keep dying and fighting until the twelfth or hundredth battle.” Said Ruby-mae.

Her tone was condescending yet irrevocably honest. Like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s physique. They were trapped in a marble cage, and their execution stood in front of an open door.

“Taylor has always been a jerk, but this is wrong! Nox, what happened to you? How can you just leave a teammate to be tortured for three days?!” Asked Ashley, tears of helpless sorrow streaming down her cheeks.

“Tried dying a few times. Found out that it really hurts. Which is why I’m trying to avoid your death Ash. If you’re making me pick between Taylor and you… It’s not a choice… Sorry.” Said Nox, wishing Mae hadn’t been so blunt.

Ashley shivered, her entire body shuddering. Then her eyes dulled, fading to a dull gaze before glowing red eyes took over completely. As if he was the only consciousness inside her body.

“Hmm, as you wish Ashley.” Muttered Ashley’s own lips.

She stood, glancing past Nox to look at Mae, who nodded.

“Let’s go. Follow the plan.” Said Ruby, collecting Nox’s turd crystals and manipulating them into the shape of an Mbar.

They prepared quickly, mostly because there wasn’t much to prepare. Their few remaining weapons were Mbars or looted swords, and Taylor’s special blade. This coming battle would be mages against a horde, with no AOE farming. In simpler terms, a trek uphill, in the snow, with a weight vest on.

Daylight greeted the three remaining Venators as they advanced on the ziggurat, marching directly down the offered highway. No traps were in sight, nor were any creatures. Unsurprising given the openness of the corridor. There was no cover or concealment, no opportunity to gain an advantage over a foe and no escape. These facts were understood by the dungeon’s natives and the Venators approached the ziggurats outer walls with record speed. Only faltering when the surrounding maze opened up. Many wall segments remained, but there were zero dead ends, creating a perforated maze of concentric rectangles that extended for a mile in every direction around the ziggurat.

Ruby led the way, altering her hands and face to her native demonic form, with a toothy snout and savage claws. Behind her was Nox, a steel shod spear in hand and finally came Ashley. Whose purpose was to divine ahead of them and warn of any approaching enemies.

“Six goblins ahead.” Said Ashley, “They’re waiting just around the corner to ambush us.”

A smile crossed Mae’s face, sending her sprinting down the corridor at full speed. Her footsteps echoed in the otherwise silent corridor and Nox wanted to scream at her. What the hell are you doing Ruby? But that would only alert the enemy. Trapped by her impulsiveness, he chased after her, Ashley in tow. Which is when the goblin’s plan became apparent. They had reactivated one of the many tripwires, creating a golden line for all with the ziggurat’s blessing to see.

Ruby could have avoided the tripwire, instead she built up speed, flying through the corridor fast enough to cause her air wake to whistle. Then she leapt onto the wall, running alongside it for three steps to clear the tripwire and ambushing goblins. Grunts of surprise dripped from the green midget’s mouths, the last noise half of them would ever make. Ruby-mae’s claws decapitated the first, third, and final goblins, spraying blood into Nox’s path. He swung wide, avoiding the blood but accidentally kneeing the goblin’s head. It’s nose squirted black boogers across Nox’s pant leg, one last gift before it sailed over the walls.

Liam hooked his own claws around the second goblin’s neck, intending to use them like a shepherd’s hook and launch the goblin, only to be pleasantly disappointed when his claws slid through the goblin’s throat, hooking on the spine before slashing through that as well. Suddenly freed he stumbled past the fourth goblin, planting his feet and pivoting his hips to deliver a haymaker to the filthy creature, his knuckles encountered the goblin’s temple and plowed through it, shattering the skull and splashing brains across the marble walls. While a firebolt from Ashley engulfed the final living goblin and Nox

[Weak fungal soul +1] appeared in his mind six times, all of which were quickly unlocked by Taylor. He’s calling for aid, and he knows I'm coming for him. Please Taylor, for once in your life, keep your mouth shut. Don’t tip off Theseus! Prayed Nox.

Each unlocked soul granted trivial bonuses, to the point Nox detected no changes.

“That was too easy…” Said Nox, looting a goblin shortsword, complete with sheath and stuffing it into his backpack.

“Easy? What? They’re only goblins. I’m more worried about that hydra, she’ll be trouble even if Shakko lands his shots.” Said Ruby, taking a moment to slash each goblin’s throat.

They continued patrolling the labyrinth, working in a circular shrinking search pattern. Designed to kill as much fodder and empower Nox before the inevitable fight to the death occurred. This methodical butchery resulted in forty eight goblins dying, seventy seven kobolds being shredded by Nox’s claws, and twenty four of the odd dopples being slain. Fuel for my shapeshifting… Thought Nox, opting to unlock a single dopple soul each time his mana reached 100%. But now, they were faced with no other options.

In front of the kill team lay the four headed hydra, and behind them prowled the tainted brothers and sisters of Shakko.

“I wish we could get them to fight each other.” Said Nox, getting a chuckle from Ashley-Shakko.

“With Mae and I out in the open? Haha, they’ll come for us even if Loki himself were trying to murder-” began Ashley, her voice cutting off as her divination magic detected something.

“They’re coordinating, the hydra just saw them but turned away to block our escape. She’s sitting down at a crossroads that way.” Said Ashley, pointing her hand down the corridor.

Sure enough, two lernean heads, one atop the wall, and one nestled against its base were watching them, roughly a half mile away. And Ashley wasn’t finished.

“Tainted ones are coming for us, running! Get ready!” Hissed Ashley, casting a protection spell over herself.

Steel shadows slithered around a marble corner. Four Half bone half tooth foxes swam towards the kill team, and for the first time, Nox witnessed Mae’s true fury. Mable splintered beneath her feet, crunching as she surged forward with more force than she had ever exerted before. Silver dust clouded her hand, residue from a mana crystal that gathered into a green orb within her palm before extruding into a giant katana that was easily over five feet in length.

The endless blade slashed through air and stone, halting the tainted souls in their footsteps. Except for the lead fox who darted forward, intent on ripping out Ruby’s throat once her sword’s point passed his throat. A goal he would have accomplished, had the sword remained constant. But the barrier blade was created from mana, and was capable of many things steel was not. Such as lengthening. The blade grew, extending another foot mid-slash to slash across the tainted fox’s throat, opening it and causing a cascade of sparks as the barrier blade encountered stolen wyvern scales.

Liam chased after Ruby, his weak heart wishing for a loaded MP-7 or another easy weapon to slay one of the tainted children. I shouldn’t even be wishing for them! Theseus isn’t going to give me ammo, I need strength that won’t run dry. I need my own prowess. Wait, these aren’t just children, they’re Mae’s children! Man, I wonder how dark of an abyss you have to fall into for a mother to murder her kids. If mom fell into a dungeon… Well, she’d probably die trying to protect us… What twisted you? Thought Nox.

A firebolt reflected in the evil spirit’s eyes, confirmation that Ashley had shot away from them. Towards the hydra. It's coming, and we’ll be surrounded. Thought Nox.

Understanding the danger he lunged forward, dropping to one knee and sliding under Ruby’s flashing katana. Which was as impressive as it was ineffective against the spirit’s scales and stolen hides.

They’ve prepared for decades, maybe centuries if Mae’s story is to be believed. So Nox attacked in a way Mae wouldn’t. With allies and claws, and kicks. His foot impacted the middle leg of the leftmost tainted, bending it backwards while his claws found the front most leg and sank into them.