It was dusk and the last of the suns rays were casting long shadows all around the château. Deep within the grand building, in a dark room with walls painted in exotic and horrific scenes, sat a man with an air of harnessed power. He was considered important and he was, as he could influence kings and nobles alike with a simple gesture. But he had a secret, one that was darker than the room her currently sat in.

Lord Nixus was a magic user or wizard, not like those in fairie tails with long white beards and large pointy hats. No, he was a handsome, silver tongued and dark man that had a mission. But as of late his mission had been hindered by some unseen events. Namely someone had killed nearly all his cursed pets. He really hated making new ones all at once, as that meant training them and having to deal with unruly attitudes.

Sighing the dark Lord stood from his large leather chair before walking over to two large glass doors with heavy drapes. He opened the doors with moving his arms. He walked out onto the balcony and smirked as he looked over his estate, he snapped his fingers and like clockwork his loyal servant Victoria came to his side with his staff. Taking it from her he tapped it twice on the ground and watched as small ripples formed in the air.

He knew his pets would respond and come back to him, they had no choice. He was happy with his selection this time around, mostly females. In years pasted he mostly had males, but this was a good change, he couldn't wait to "test their abilities".

"When they come back, make sure they stay in the dungeons until I come down." Lord Nixus said in a cold deep tone as he looked at Victoria, but he kissed her "cheek" before sending her on her way. He walked back into his office again, taking a glass of wine that his servant had poured for him, he drank the red liquid.

---

Mariah could barely remember the two days after being cursed, all she could remember the need to change and the intense pleasure she got from it. But now she was terrified of the change realizing that it was addicting. She just wanted to go home and too her surprise Lord Nixus allowed it. She remembered wanting to get home so bad and how she wanted to get away and tell her brothers what had happened to her.

But then the cold realization hit her, she couldn't tell her brothers what had happened or even show them as one, she didn't trust her monster side and two her brothers would most likely kill her. She cried the whole ride home knowing that this maybe the last time she would see her family. What made this realization worse was how her body wanted to change.

Her father was the first to great her, then her brothers, her mother was painting with another lady and her father wished for to join the other women. Mariah agreed at first but as she went to change she noticed that she was constantly looking out her window that faced the same direction as Lord Nixus's château. No, he said I could leave.... he said.... Her thoughts drifted as she looked into her mirror and stared at herself.

I'm normal, I'm normal.....I'm.... She thought as she continued to look in the mirror and noticed that her eyes had changed and that she grew slight fangs. "NO!" She screamed and looked away.

Her brother, Charles, came into the with a worried look on his face. "Are you okay, Miri?" He asked as he looked at her. Mariah smiled weakly and nodded before straightening her dress. "Yes, yes I'm fine. The dress was bunching up and it was looking horrible. But it's fine now." She said in calm but slightly trembling voice, which got her a smile from her brother. Charles escorted her to the garden where their mother and the other lady sat painting.

As the days passed she began to notice her temper was a little out of character for her. She also wished to go back to Nixus, which was a terrifying thought. Plus she felt the need to change into the snake thing and to feel the power of the change.

"I think I'm going to go to the northern country, spend some time there." She said one afternoon while having tea with her mother and her two brothers, Henry and Gabriel. They all gave her an odd look, but she quickly explained that she wished to be alone for a while and to think what she wished for her life. This didn't go without protest and she was basically under house arrest.

It was during this time that she suddenly felt Lord Nixus call for her to return. At first she ignored it, but as the hours passed she felt the need to return to him. She couldn't stay that was becoming painfully clear. So when night came she left the childhood home knowing that she would never return unless she found a cure.

Now she was in the château's vast dungeons waiting for her master to come down, and for the other to return as well.

She felt very alone and ....... hungry. For what she had no idea.

Elsewhere, in the Carlisle family Mansion...

"My lord, would you please calm down? There's no reason for such behavior."

Lord Cheswen stared at Edwyn Carlisle, seemingly stupefied by his calm and serene air. He was a small, fat noble, at least a foot shorter than the young Earl of Trethclyde, even though he was older by a good twenty years. If he had been angry before, now he was in a rage. His pudgy face was swept by a wave of crimson as he puffed in anger. "Such behavior? Such behavior? You have no right to talk to me like that, boy! I'll have you in chains! No more words, no more polite dismissals, I will have my money back, and I will have it NOW!"

Edwyn sighed and shook his head, feigning a good-humored patience he did not feel. This was beginning to grind his nerves. His dear old Uncle, whose skill at drinking himself to a stupor wasn't matched by his financial acumen, had taken out a great deal of money indeed from Lord Cheswen while the former was managing the Carlisle estate. Naturally, Uncle Andrew never paid the man back, leaving the mess on Edwyn's shoulders. He had managed to deflect the nobles pressuring until the fool had stormed in the Carlisle manse and demanded that either the Carliles cover their kin's debt, or Uncle Andrew be turned over to the courts.

"Lord Cheswen, I will look into this personally, I assure you, but it would be unwise for you to see him at this moment. I will speak to my Uncle on your behalf-"

"None of that!" Cheswen cut in harshly. "I will see the man MYSELF, NOW!"

The Earl pursed his lips, and raised his hand in the air in a motion that cried, "I give up". "If it will get you to stop pestering me like this, then I suppose I must." He gave Cheswen a smirk, hoping to set the man at ease, and gestured towards the manse's staircase. "My uncle is, ah, recovering from merriment in our vault, where he does not risk tripping anyone."

Lord Cheswen seemed relieved, perhaps glad he did not have to follow through with the many threats he had uttered. "The vault? Yes, I see. Naturally. Will you, ah, lead the way?"

"Of course, my good lord." Edwyn smiled again.



They arrived at the vault after a short walk, taking a complex route through the manse's labyrinthine of corridors. "It stores our collective fortune," he explained to a puzzled Cheswen. "We cannot have a common vagabond steal his way in and find the vault."

"Yes, of course," Lord Cheswen said nervously, clearly intimidated by the unknown surroundings. Finally, they came upon a dead-end, blocked by a massive iron door a foot thick, with the Carlisle sigil on it. "This would be the vault," Edwyn explained.

"How does it open?" Cheswen asked.

"Easily enough. You forget, my family was sponsoring machinery science since its very dawn." Taking hold of a lever on the wall, he brought it down with a slam, and suddenly a symphony of creaking noises could be heard. The two sides of the door began to split apart, revealing a dank dark chamber within as they parted.

"Andrew Carlisle is in there?" Lord Cheswen asked skeptically.

"Oh, yes," Edwyn replied, flicking a small switch near the entrance of the vault, lighting a lamp system that illuminated the chamber. The wall safes, where the Carlisle family fortune once resided, were open and empty, without so much as a coin in the entire room. On the ground was the motionless figure of Andrew Carlisle.

"There you are, you miserable lout!" Lord Cheswen said, regaining his offended anger. He marched forward as Edwyn hung back. The lord overturned the body, and let out a muffled cry: Andrew had no more flesh, only his skeleton remaining. Only then did Cheswen notice the red stain on the room's floor, a legacy of old congealed blood.

"Wha... What the hell happened to him?" the fat lord exclaimed, in a shrill voice, still facing the corpse in front of him.

"He bored me," Edwyn replied nonchalantly. "Much in the same way as you do." Stepping forward, he slipped an ornatate knife out of his belt, and planted it sideways into the man's fat neck. Lord Cheswen made a lordly gurgle as his hands found his throat, pawing at the dagger, trying to grab it, before he collapsed on the floor, blood pulsing from the open artery. "I did warn you seeing him would be unwise," the Earl chastised the dying man, and turned to leave.

Suddenly, he felt a pinprick in his head, a kind of whistling that had grown louder and louder without him noticing it. Somehow, he knew what it meant: Lord Nixus had summoned him, and at such an inconvenient time, too. He looked down at his blouse, frowning at the stained mess the good Lord Cheswen had caused. How unfortunate; he couldn't present himself before Lord Nixus like this. He'd have to change. And get rid of the blouse. He shut the vault's door, locking the corpses within, and set himself to find something cleaner.

Edwyn made a silent wish that Nixus would have something interesting in store, because his day had been sadly unsatisfactory so far.

Goram had immediately returned to his workshop as soon as physically possible, unable to recall anything of Lord Nixus' party. It was all a haze, a blur that could not be focused. Had he drank too much that night? No, he was never a drinker, and he doubted the esteemed Lord's party would change that. Something must have happened to him, but he couldn't recall it. It wasn't till the next day that things began to clear. As he awoke from his sturdy and oversized bed, descending the stairs down into the workshop, in the back of his mind was this strange feeling, as if something else was inside his body...

And it wanted out.

As he worked the forge most of the morning, hammering away at the various metal components for a certain Lord's kitchen furnace, the strange feeling continued to surge, getting stronger and stronger. Eventually, he realised would never be able to work efficiently in his condition, and so he closed up the shop and headed back upstairs. Heading in to the bathroom, he swung the door closed behind him, only to hear a deafening crash; turning around quickly, his face dropped in horror as he saw the shattered remains of his bathroom door out into the hallway. "I don't know my own strength, apparently."

Waving it off dismissively, he turned back towards the sink across the room, the mirror propped up on the wall above it. Wandering over, he turned on the tap, lowering his head and collecting a decent amount of water in his hands before splashing it quickly into his face. He felt slightly calmed, though he could still sense the nagging desire to change in the back of his mind, like a calming breeze brushing against the back of his skull.

When he lifted his head, he shouted in shock and horror as his face had suddenly changed. Where he once had skin, his neck and cheeks were slowly becoming a dark brown, brittle bark. Lifting his hand up to his face, he touched where his skin had been, but he was surprised to find that it felt more like he was touching a tree's trunk. "What is happening to me...?"

As if in answer, the rest of his body slowly began to change, his arms and hands slowly going from skin to bark; as he backed away from the mirror, his hands started to slowly grow in size, and his fingers fused together into solid cylindrical tree trunks. But worst of all, though the sight was terrifying, he couldn't help but realise... he was enjoying this transformation, as if like a drug that he couldn't stop. Continuing to fumble backwards, he tripped on the broken remains of his door, falling to the floor with a roaring crash, and then black.



Waking up a few days later, Goram found himself covered in bits of broken wooden door, his hands slightly bloodied, with various splinters sticking out of his arms. Slowly clambering to his feet, he heard himself growl in pain as he felt the splinters shift. Eventually making his way back into the bathroom, he began the slow process of cleaning himself up, removing the splinters and cleaning out the blood. It was at this moment that Goram remembered what had happened, that night at Nixus' estate.

Realising what he had become, Goram took a deep breath in and out, feeling the urge to change creeping back to him as he exited the bathroom. Opening a cupboard along the hallway, he took a ragged broom and began sweeping the bits of door left on the floor into a neat and easy to clean pile, trying to take his mind off of what was going on.

And then, the ringing, different from before. Lord Nixus. Goram was being summoned, he knew it. He tried to resist, as he did the commanding desire to change, but this was stronger, deeper. Finally, unable to resist the call, Goram released a heavy, deep sigh, dropping the broom to the floor and moving to his room. Changing into a clean set of clothes, he descended the stairs back into the workshop, grabbing the sign and placing out front indicating that he was closed until further notice. Once all that was done, he set off back to Lord Nixus' estate.



Descending down into the dungeons of the estate, Goram wondered curiously what was in store for him down in the darkness. His gentle mind was unable to sense the true danger of heeding the Lord's call, so he seemed less frightened than he should probably have been. As he made his way into the dungeons, he spied someone from afar, a woman. Slowly but surely, he approached the young maiden, looking around to see if anyone else was around, particularly Lord Nixus. "Hello there," he called to the stranger, his voice deep and heavy, in stark contrast to his gentle words. He continued to approach her, giving a light wave in greeting before asking, "You got the call too then?"

Stumbling across the alleyway, Telion slowly make his way back to his house, disturbed and heavily spooked by the events that happened a few nights before.Everything just seem like a blur after that maiden took him to that man and ever since then he could not stop thinking about him, even taking every shred of his will to not turn back and go to that man's abode again.Telion has no idea how he survived a week without food and water but his body still seem fine albeit sore.

Resting his palm, he crumbled onto the ground in fatigue and crawl his way towards a wall to pick himself up.

"At this rate, I'll never make it back to the house" Telion thought to himself.

Then out of nowhere, a group of burly men stepped out of the shadows and covered Telion in their own.

"Well well, look what ave we ere fellas, a nobler!" the largest and ugliest one said to his friends as they chuckled in unison.

Telion got himself to a sitting position as he try to make out the face of the brute. The large brute has a face resembling a rock that has sprouted eyes and nose, his skull disfigured and scars running across his face like cracks among rocks.

"Hey there, stop looking at me face or I might even blush!" he remarked sarcastically as his group chuckled again, this time harder.

"Now how bout you pay us all you have in yer pockets and we'll let you off with your underwear instead of not having any ey?" the brute offered.

Telion had no strength to even crawl, let alone speak. However just at that moment, a ringing A to C major sound echoed throughout his brain and he screamed in pain as he clutches his skull with both hands."Hey now, we haven't even laid a finger on yer yet and you've gone and scream, you're a baby are ye-" he said as he stared wide eyed at the monstrosity transforming before his every eyes. Telion first shred of humanity went together wuth his skin as it turns a shade black before rearranging the bones beneath it until his lower body turn into something resembling a horse, all the while Telion screamed in pain. His face popped as his can feel his own eyes shutting and 4 new ones slowly replace the mortal ones. The group whimpered and tried to run away but they were too late, they stared at Telion throughout his transformation and thus has been affected by his Nightmare Presence.

Telion, being the hollow shell he is right now, raise his hands to his 4 glassy eyes and he slowly admire his morbid form. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the group of petrified men and they all simultaneously "wet their buckets".He slowly walk towards them, taking each careful step with his new four powerful legs until he was in full view in front of them. He raised himself in his full height until his 2 front legs were in the air and brought them down in a fiery smash that brought rock face smashing towards the ground as it splatters his brain fluids in very possible direction and set fire to it.The group stared at the horrific sight and was still rooted to the ground, all hope left their eyes as they stared at their nightmare. Telion morbidly stare at the man who he had just killed and slowly look from it towards the group. With a loud bellow he raised his hands and dark purple circles enshroud the group and lift them high above the air. Screaming, they were sent as a high speed towards the deadend of the alley when one of the man of the group shouted his last words "WAIT WAIT NOO--"

Some time later....

Blinking, Telion opened his eyes, which felt strangely itchy as if something was grown out of it. Ignoring the sensation, he realise he feels rejuvenated as if he somehow just rested for a full week with food and water.Even stranger, he was fully naked which was odd since he dosen't remember anything at all save for the group of men who were mugging him."Did they knock me out and took my clothes?" he thought. Shaking his head and appreciating the fact that he's still alive, he raise himself form his fetal position when he hands touched something wet and slimy. Upon inspecting his hand he found in covered in red and pink, looking at the place he hand touched, he saw the puddle and his mouth opened agape in shock. A puddle of red and pink connected to a man's body was lying in front of Telion and as he slowly shift his eyes towards the end of the alleyway, a sickening sight awaited him as he slowly consume the forbidden knowledge lying before him. A mass gathering of red and pink mass was at the far end of the alley and that pushed all the bile inside of him to push out.Fatigued,shocked and disgust filled his body as he lie processing the information before him."What ungodly thing happened to them?"He asked in shock of himself. Scared, he quickly ran away, clothes or no clothes he wasn't going to stay at that place a moment longer.


Velkfur's Mansion

He banged his hands against the cold iron gate of his house and shouted"Open the gates, open the gates!".

Luckily, no one was near the street of the Velkfur's residence to see Telion butt naked banging the gates of his own house but nothing mattered to Telion anymore. All he wanted was to go home, have a nice hot water bottle at his bed and sleep till he never ever remembers about that horrific mess he saw. The door of the mansion then suddenly opened and a butler stepped out and was shocked to see his young master outside the gates along with Alk Velkfur. Despite he untrustness to his father, at that moment he just felt so happy to see them that tears formed around his eyes until he saw the smirking face of his father.

"Father? father open the gates and let me in"Telion said as his voice shakes.

Alk however made no movement towards the gate as he stood against the doors and said mockingly

"So, the young hero thought it would be amusing to leave the ball and just left me there as I try to arrange a marriage proposal towards one of the richest nobles and my son was nowhere to be found? Well then tell me "hero" ,he said mockingly again, have you seen my brat of a son? Telion couldn't believe his ears as he stood there his arms not working and his brain just shut down and melted like the puddle he touched at the alleyway, his voice completely left him.

A figure, pretty but weary eyed appeared beside Alk and she gasped at the sight before her.

"Telion?" she whispered before shouting to the butler "What are you doing? Open the gate at this instant!" Before the butler could move however, Alk interrupted "Telion? The person standing before is not Telion. In fact..." Alk slowly says as he turns his head towards Telion before saying the words that will forever break the remnants of his heart to the day he dies "....we don't have a son." He could hear it now, the sound in his head again, the sound that he now fully understood. The meaning behind it, the person who was responsible for the horrific acts at the alley. He could not stop himself now, at that moment, he let his anger show through. He was no longer Telion Velkfur, the innocent boy of a tailor family.

Crying, he clutched the body of his mother.His tears mixed together with her blood as his tears make it form a puddle around him. He could not resist it any longer. Standing up, he wiped his face and took what's left of his belongings, his clothes, his stolen books and nothing else. He will never ever want to hear anything of his family ever again. Taking one last look at his home he set his pace towards his itch now. He finally found his calling, no matter how he denies it to himself. He leaves his home of blood and that very home will be known throughout the city's/town's history as the very house where all the family members of the Velkfur line were killed and nothing could be traced to Telion because of the riddled, unrecognised pile and puddle that left all of the police officers to immediately leave the scene and throw up. Strangely only the mother's body was left intact and she looked like she had died peacefully in that house of horrors. Nothing mattered to Telion Velkfur, no just Telion now, however, as he makes his path towards the one name he now soughts "Nixus". That name will forever be etched into his mind until he dies and he will still keep on remembering that name even after then. He's no longer Telion Velkfur. He's just nothing now.

Lizbeth clung to her knees in a dark corner of the dungeons deep within the Nixus estate. She had only lasted a day before finding her way back to the only place her twisted mind found solace. Her mind reeled in agony though her form remained motionless as she sat in her solemn corner of exile. Thoughts of that night alone plagued her to the core, sending shrill aches down to her center and from it radiating a nauseating pulse. The images were a blur but clear enough to set her teeth on edge; forcing her to squeeze her legs to her chest as if that were going to alleviate the pain.

--few days earlier.

Her body was hot as she walked the dark streets of the ghetto. Her arms clasped around her stomach as they tried to restrain the bizarre urge that permeated into her bones. It wasn't a dull ache but a wildfire of desire that gave her a cold sweat; thanking whatever God was out there when he granted a cool breeze to rush past her. The road was dimly lit and hardly any life on the street as she stumbled her way through. But it wasn't long before some poor, unlucky bastard poked his nose into a trap he did not see. A door opened off to the girls left, an older man with slight graying hairs stepping out from behind it with a soft, concerned look across his face. "Oh dear. Come in side child, you look terrible." He cooed sincerely as he beckoned her with his hand.

From the door wafted a scent unlike any; like a mix of rose and vanilla, screaming an odd sense of relief to her nerves that she desperately craved more of. Her body tried to resist but the pull nearly knocked her off her feet. She shambled across the street and entered the home, her strained eyes glancing at him as she passed. He closed the door behind her and ushered her innocently to the couch, helping her sit without falling. He crouched before Lizbeth and placed a soft hand to her head and sighed. "You're burning up dear, let me get something for you." he offered and left before Lizbeth could protest.

Before she knew it the man had returned with a cool damp rag and a strangely colored syrup. He placed and held the cool rag to Lizbeth's forehead and offered the syrup with the other hand. "Here, drink this. It'll help with the cold." he insisted. Thinking the man was right and it was only a cold she took the small cup and down the liquid, wincing and gagging at the foul taste; though the man got a laugh out of it. "I know it tastes bad, but it'll help." He smiled. A smile so genuine and kind that it was almost heavenly. Why couldn't it have been someone else...

The medicine didn't make anything better. Her body only ached more and more as the tireless seconds droned on. But that sweet smell of rose and vanilla pulled at her still. She looked around curiously as she tried to find the source that she was so drawn to but her eyes kept falling back to the man crouched before her. She dismissed it though, why would her senses be drawn so strongly to this stranger. Her cravings weren't of affection or romance, it was hunger. A type of hunger that could cripple a man. A hunger that pulled at your very essence until you succumb to it. And Lizbeth was slowly losing that battle with hunger. Why couldn't it have been someone else...

It wasn't long before Lizbeth lost that battle within herself. Lunging from the couch and taking the man with her, slamming him into the far wall and pinning him there with a strength she didn't realize that she had. That smile washed away into a look of terror, her hand around his throat and leaving him without a voice. She didn't know if the man was cowering or what though she was beginning to look down at the man as if he were beginning to slouch but he seemed to be standing straight up. She dismissed the thought. She didn't care enough to investigate. She suddenly then stole a kiss from his lips. It was only a moment before this strange, soothing heat burst through her veins. Sparks ignited under her skin so tantalizing that it caused her to groan passionately against the mans lips. Why couldn't it have been someone else...

Her consciousness soon left her in a haze until she awoke the next morning, curling up in a ball in the center of the living room; broken pieces of glass and wood scattered across the oak floor. She groaned as she began to regain consciousness, rubbing her head as it ached like a bad hang over though strangely her body felt more alive than it ever had. She opened her eyes to a blur of sleep, though a few blinks began to crystallize her view. Her heart sank into her gut at the vision before her. There the man sat against the wall, his flesh sucked in like a mummy without any semblance of life left in his sunken eyes. The shock quickly faded before it was filled with an overwhelming sense of nausea. She heaved dry air though no substance was found in her stomach to evacuate. The heaves tore at her throat but she couldn't stop, the image so traumatizing and horrific that it was the only thing she could do to try and rid the disgust. Why couldn't it have been someone else...

It had been several hours before the traumatized Lizbeth finally stopped staring at the corpse and pushed herself up off the floor. Her body ached for comfort. She didn't care what. She soon found that her feet had carried her all the way back to the Nixus estate. She was greeted warmly, a prized pet had found its way back to the nest. She didn't care. Her mind was too plagued with horrifying thoughts to have any space left for caring. So she followed along down to the dungeon where she was to be kept; a place she found fitting for what she had become. So there she sat in her dark corner for the following days without touching any of her food. Simply clinging her knees to her chest as images shuffled through her mind of the mans kind, warm smile and how she had twisted that face into a husk.

Backstage at the Marsden Theater House

Adelia sat complacently in a velvet lined chair as a servant girl evened out her hair with a pair of shears. Standing for a long time she had kept her hair a constant length for all her performances, but now she was considering letting it grow out. Still, what was started needed to be finished. Especially in regards to her hair. So she remained seated and made a mental note to call off all future haircuts until she felt differently. She clacked her fingers against the counter before her impatiently. All the while she fidgeted making her hair stylist's job much more difficult. Her eyes kept drifting to the ornate bathtub she had demanded be installed only a few days ago. It was always kept full of cool water salted with the finest mineral salt.

While her servant barber was making a side pass along her locks she turned her head completely and abruptly to the side to face the tub. She took a deep breath wafting in the pseudo ocean smell of the brine bath. Shortly after she heard something drop to the floor, then the smell of iron permeated the air. She turned around to see her stylist clutching her left hand with her right. Crimson droplets leaked out from beneath the skin to skin seal and began to form a small pool beneath the fallen scissors.

Even in human form Adelia’s mouth began to water, and she felt her teeth begin to elongate like needles. “M-madam, m-may I-I-” The servant’s trembling words were cut off when Adelia suddenly lunged forward and sunk her pointed incisors into the flesh of her forearm. In stunned horror the sirens latest victim stood too stunned to even scream from the pain.

As her taste for blood was sated Adelia’s eyes went from those of a frenzied shark to that of a playful dolphin. Slowly she released the girls arm and she began to back away opening her throat to cry out for help. In response Adelia swiftly dipped her arm in the tub beside her and levitated it’s entire contents of water. It then gushed forth and engulfed her former barbers body where she stood. Try as she might to cry out all she could do was waste her breath and speed the water entering her lungs. Struggle as she might she was going nowhere so long as trapped in the prison of water. The last thing she saw before blacking out was Adelia’s toothy grin blurred through the saline solution.

Once her victim's eyes closed, her body fell out of the water and dropped unceremoniously to the floor. Adelia promptly returned the water to her tub, then spat out the patch of skin and flesh she’d bitten off into the nearest waste receptacle. From the folds of her dress she produced a fishbone, with which she used to pick her teeth before the scrutiny of the mirror. When she was satisfied she pressed the call button to fetch some of her family's hired muscle. Seconds later there was loud knock on her door accompanied by a gruff voice. “Is everything alright in there Madam Marsden?”

“Quite so, please come in.” Adelia was absentmindedly filing her nails when the pair of guards entered. They both paused in the doorway and looked on at the drenched and wounded servant. By now she was beginning to cough and sputter. Without turning to face them she instructed them as to what she’d have done. “You two found her in the alley behind the theater shortly after she got attacked by a stray mutt. Dry her off and take her to the nearest doctor.” It didn't even phase her that she was comparing herself to a mangy animal. It was the best she cared to come up with. After all, the alternative was she finished what she started and ended the girls life. This was both an act of mercy, and a way of being conspicuous with her newfound eating habits. There was no reason to make a mess in her changing room if she could help it.

The younger of the two men started to open his mouth, but he was cut short when the other shot him a hard look. Without a word they hoisted her up and draped her arms across their shoulders. As the turned to leave Adelia stopped them on a final note. “After such a traumatic incident I’d take anything she has to say with a grain of salt. Make sure the doctor does the same.” With that they departed and Adelia was left alone with her grooming. Her next performance was barely an hour away and she had to look her very best.

She stood up and let her hair swing from side to side so she could check it’s evenness. Much to her delight it was, and since she hadn't let her stylist start on her sides they were was well. Though they were longer than she usually kept them.

Adelia passed the time readying herself rather than risking another incident with a servant. She had to admit that there was something satisfying about doing her own makeup from time to time.

Right when she heard the applause well up inviting her to the stage she felt Nixus’s call. “Just great…” She mumbled to herself. All that preparation had been for naught. There was no way she was going to be able to give a quality performance with her Lord’s beckon nagging inside her.

Well, maybe it was not a waste getting prettied up. She thought to herself. Adelia had used to adore the name Nixus, and even now that she was one of his lackeys she still clung to the hope that she might impress him and elevate her status. A cage in the dungeon was unbefitting for one of her stature. Surely the lord would recognize this soon enough.

As she casually abandoned her performance and strolled across town towards the château all she could think was whether her extravagant garments would win any favor with the master. Her poor stylists fate, or how they were going to cope with her disappearance at the theater couldn't have been further from her mind.

“Don’t tell me to calm down, Thompson! I just ate a fucking chair! That isn’t a normal thing to do! Go away, GET OUT.”

Beyond rage, a trembling Kipling seemed to glow red like hottest ember of a roaring fire as he stared wide-eyed at an empty space where a small wooden chair once called home. Just moments before he had devoured the poor object in front of one of his workers. Although, his original intention had been to eat the man. It took an act of pure willpower to be able to redirect his cannibalistic urge onto the surrounding furniture instead. Too close.

Panting softly, his mind raced and his world felt desperate as he recalled the night prior and cringed at the memory of gorging himself on an uncooked brisket and bucket of raw intestines--the guts that were meant for the dogs. For several nights now, his need for food was growing more frequent and in larger quantities that seemed unnatural and impossible for his small frame to hold. It started with requesting thirds and fourths from his meal plates, but by the third day, the young master continuously found himself standing dumbstruck at the butcher shop window. Sometimes no memory of how he got there, but always waking up to see hanging slabs of meat--mouth agape and drool dripping down the front of his shirt.

There were other hours in his day that were missing as well. The only proof they ever existed captured in strange dreams where Kipling vaguely remembered being aware of himself. The more lucid dreams included feasting on livestock and the most horrific of them being the messy scene of a dirty vagrant being ripped apart.

However, the nightmares were splendid euphoric events that left him obsessing over when the next one would occur. His body needed it like the sweet release of an orgasm. He could feel the stuff beneath his skin crawl with excitement whenever he thought about it and found himself trying to force the dreams. Countless failed attempts did nothing except cause anger from the frustration of not having control over the transitions.

Kipling placed his agitated figure into the over-sized arm chair that sat behind his equally massive desk to collect his thoughts. Pressing his fingertips together ahead of his lips, he glared into the distance of his expansive office while he ground his teeth--the taste of wood still on his tongue. He knew where to find answers and guidance, but the idea of returning to that wretched manor was enough to make him lose his appetite. Not that he wasn’t itching to see Lord Nixus again… No! That over-stuffed jerk with his rippling muscles and broad shoulders could take a flying leap off a cliff!

Slamming both fists atop his desk, the young Baye cursed aloud and knew all too well that going back couldn’t be avoided. The thought had been in the back of his mind the same instant he had left the manor after the party. He had tasted the strange power and he needed more, plus he couldn’t afford to keep eating chairs. The last one felt like it left splinters behind.



Forty minutes of arguing with the valet got him nowhere and Kipling was forced to watch the majority of his luggage ride away since apparently there was some goddamn rule on the amount of personal belongings. He could have cried as the tenth carriage disappeared out of view and took away his precious whatnots. No amount of sweet talk from any staff was going to pull him out of this foul mood. There was Hell to pay. Or, not. The girl that came to greet him was beyond the meaning of repulsive and he couldn’t bring himself to speak without the threat of vomiting until she began to lead him through the home.

“Where are we going? Guest quarters are supposed to be upstairs. Ah, it stinks! This doesn’t look right. Is this a dungeon? This looks like a dungeon. You took me to a fucking dungeon! Are you stupid? Do you know who I am?! You can’t leave me here!! I’m not an animal!”

A furious Kipling threw the whole of his body up against his new cage--a small dark room with iron bars closed in by a thick wall of perforated glass. It was perfect for keeping small things in. Small things that liked the taste of a human face.

“LET ME OUT.”

He would kick and scream until his body and voice finally gave out, but there was no way he was going to be forgotten down in the dank disgusting dungeon. However, not too soon later, he was pushing exhaustion as the apparent lack of food began to take its toll and a defeated Kipling was now lying on the floor curled in the fetal position. He had already tried to chew through the glass to no avail and even discovered if he concentrated hard enough he could manifest into the tiny winged creatures from his nightmares, if only for several seconds. It was useless though. This prison was purposely designed to keep someone like him trapped and hungry.

One did not just walk into the shadows and let them guide your path. The shadows watched, they waited, they stood fast and patiently held their ground until you showed them that you were worth their time. Elia didn't remember much from the party but she did remember searing pain. Then more pain; a lot more pain.

Someone had drugged her? It was the only logical explanation - nothing else could explain the fact that she threw up half a lung and something much darker looking. She remembered stumbling into an alleyway close to Nixus' estate. It was dark and death clung to it like a moth to a flame but strangely, it seemed a suitable place. Elia had never been afraid of the dark nor the impending reality of death. Maybe that's why she survived that night? Whatever it was disappeared with the serenity of her dreams as two voices dragged her back to the world of the living.

"I'm telling ya now, I found 'er down 'ere, sleeping with the rats! Looks like some bloke cut 'er up. Real sad, I am, she got some fine tits on 'er! Blood all over the place, there was. And this black stuff but I didn't touch it! You remember what 'appened last time they began spitting black! 'Alf the bloody city did it then 'alf the bloody city all fell down."

Her form lay paralyzed, curled against the dew-soaked cobbles of the alley, finding a strange solace in the shadows where only threats lay. Warmth ignited into her bones and forgot the usurping of the night before - for all intents and purposes, she was still very much alive and still very much Elia.

"Shut yer mouth, Butcher! Probably some 'ol dog it was! We all know you don't have a good eye for tits. Ya think ya'd be with that wife of yers then? I've seen goats with bigger tits!"

They bickered on, moving deeper into the alley, allowing the darkness to consume them. Suddenly, she was aware of everything. The first one was fat, not an inch above five feet. The second one was taller, broader - the muscle. The alley wasn't too wide so it would be difficult to slip by in her current state. Finally, their conversation ended rather abruptly as she pushed herself off the ground, shakily rising to her feet and exposing her clothes which were drenched in her own blood. Her frown creased her features as she inspected herself, completely silent as she finally raised her eyes to dart between the two, uncaring.

They were not so placid as they watched her, flabbergasted. As she blinked idly, her blood-red eyes were exposed. They should have ended it there and cut the bother. Almost as if nothing happened, she casually began to walk towards them, not bothered by the fact that they blocked her exit.

Little lady, I don't thi-" One of them, the larger one, began before the breath was stolen from his lungs. Her hand had disappeared, replaced by a flickering veil of shadows that seemed eager to envelop all of her. Elia didn't even seem bothered by this as she reached forward. Her hand simply slid through him as their gazes locked and he began to shiver uncontrollably. She eventually found his heart and let the brush of darkness softly massage the excited muscle. He collapsed against the wall after that; not dead but not overly far from it.

Taking a slow step over his writhing form, she brushed past the other who was too scared to even scream out and began the long walk back to her Workshop.



Dragging in a deep breath, she bolted upright only to realise that she was in her bed. Unusually, she was stark naked but she much preferred that than the memory of her blood-soaked regalia. Calming her breath down to appropriate levels led to her climbing from bed, finding a spare set of clothes and making her descent down into the humid belly of the beast. Breakfast was a lump of dry bread and some cheese - not a lot but she gorged herself on it. Why couldn't she remember much and more importantly, why did she suddenly feel a lot more comfortable in the dark of her Workshop?

Hear their cries...

"Who's there!? If that's one of those Baye dogs, I swear...

Inhaling deeply, she did a quick investigation of the Workshop only to discover it was devoid of all life. Yet still, she couldn't ignore the nagging in the back of her head that something was trying to reach her but couldn't do so.

The shadows hide no lies...

There it was again! Maybe it wasn't a Baye dog? Maybe if was a Hohyener dog? That was probably even worse but all she had to do was scream and someone would come run in to her aid... hopefully.

The hour draws nigh...

By that point, she could tell its origins weren't human but she wasn't getting voices in her head just yet - she had at least another ten years before they started kicking in. Groaning in frustration, she ignored the melodramatic thing and set about to business as usual, ignoring the dull aching in the pit of her stomach. It had been there all morning but as time went on, it only seemed to increase before it finally became unbearably - she needed to know what the hell it was that spoke to her.

Finding her willpower, she faced what she thought was the origin of the voice, the dark corner of the Workshop and spoke. "What do you want? What are you? Who are you?" She had to momentarily remind herself that asking what it was was a stupid question.

Suddenly, the pain of the night before reignited in her veins and she squealed out in pure terror, covering her ears and sinking to the floor as a familiar sound etched itself into her mind. It ended almost as quickly as it started but it left her wheezing on the ground, curled in on herself for protection. Out of the corner of her eye, she finally noticed something float from the shadows of the Workshop. It was a small, wispy thing, barely even resembling a living being as it drew closer to her. Normally, she would be terrified, horrified or a strange mix of both but she reached out her arm to it.

It responded in an approving buzz before drawing closer and fitting itself into her palm. Suddenly, she saw everything. Her enemies were in the Workshop the night before - they appeared to be armed but she casually brushed that away; she had more pressing matters. "You can show me how to use this... curse, correct? Surely you can help me find some answers..." It gave another gentle buzz which she took to be a yes. Looks like she needed to change again.



Along the way, it fed her the images needed to understand what it was she needed to do to get her answers from Nixus. She understood it was dangerous, returning to his mansion, but technically he had already called her back because as she drew closer, she felt the dull ache in her stomach lessening.

Avoiding the main entrance, she snuck around the back of the massive manor house and took note of all the available entrances. Not afraid to be a little daring, she climbed to an open balcony and slipped inside, keeping a keen eye on the happenings of the house. Everything seemed much too silent but she slipped onward and before leaving the room she entered, she heeded the wisp's advice and allowed her body to become completely enveloped by the shadows.

It was an odd feeling, having to choose to interact with the floor instead of slipping through it but as she pressed on, the old paintings revealed secrets to her that she never would have believed. Finally, she drew close to Nixus' private bedroom and summoning all her courage, she slipped through the door, casting her darkened vision around the room to try and catch him.

This was not going to be fun.

"Some are in their cages, my Lord." Victoria said in a meek unassuming voice, you would of never of guessed that she was a zombie. And indeed most of her appearance looked normal, though there were parts of her that betrayed what she really was. She was a tough one when he first turned her. She fought him and wanted to find a cure, but she soon gave into the addicting power of the change. She was powerful at first, but Nixus was noticing that she was getting weaker. He wasn't sure why, as all his other pets grew stronger with age.

But he didn't fret about it as he now had a good selection of young women to replace her with. Plus he was sure that the others wouldn't be a failure like her. Sure he loved her once, but he was growing bored and wanted something new. "Thank you Victoria. Now make sure Draned doesn't take his frustration out on any of my new pets. I would hate to have to deal with his attitude later." Nixus said in a cold and uncaring tone.

He would check on his pets soon and give them their first assignment, it would be a simple one. Though he knew that all his new pets had huge ego's and attitudes. He was going to have to break some of them, but one at a time. He sighed, thinking who he would make his favorite toy first. He would look them over then decide.

He could feel the darkness of the room move and shift, as if someone stole into his room.Oh what silliness! Do they think I would not feel them or know they are close? he thought as he knew when each one arrived or came back to his château. He waited for his pet to make the first move. This should be interesting.

---

The minutes seemed to pass slowly and it felt like hours, and Mariah saw no one for what seemed like forever. This dungeon was odd as she could see some cells were made of glass, others the normal iron, while others were of gold, silver, copper, and some she had no idea what they were made of.

But she did notice was that it was chilly and that she was growing tired. She had no idea why she was becoming tired as she was well rested before she came here.

As her thoughts drifted to wanting to lay down she heard the footsteps of someone large coming down the dungeon stairs. She turned slightly to face the new comer. Her head slightly tilted to the side as she looked at the man, she wondered who he was as she didn't recognize him. He was possibly from another part of the kingdom, as she was sure she knew most of the nobles from where she was from.

When he spoke, Mariah couldn't help but notice how deep his voice was. She always had a weakness for men with deep voices. Now is not the time to be thinking about stuff like that! She scolded herself as she smiled politely and bowed slightly. "Hello, yes I heard the call as well." She said once the large man was a few feet away from her.

She was afraid to ask, what horror he could turn into as it wasn’t a polite thing to ask. Or at least she thought so, but she was unsure. "I'm Lady Mariah Amor. I would say a pleasure to meet you, but considering why we are here......" She trailed off as she blushed and looked down at her hands before looking up again with sad eyes.

She was suddenly distracted when the young woman who led her down here, was escorting another young woman to a dark corner cage, though she didn't lock the other girl inside. The woman came back down shortly after escorting a young man who Mariah knew. He was complaining the entire time but made no move to leave his escort. And some called her stupid, if stupid had a picture it would be of young Kipling at that moment. For some reason he was locked up in a glass cage

She couldn't help but smirk as he tried to escape, but to no avail. She turned back to the large man, but didn't know what else to say as the cold was getting to her. She needed to warm up and soon before she dozes off.

Telion finally reached the foreboding estate of Nixus. Though he was sure he never walk past this part of town, his 'itch' guided him here and he was sure he found the right place. Suddenly he felt a prick on his neck and before he could turn around to confront the culprit, his vision suddenly blurred, and the last thing he saw before he passed out was the face of a woman whom he was quite certain, not human.

---

Telion once again opened his eyes into unknown territory and he immediately shut them back. Apparently his cage was filled with blinding light for some reason. Strangely, he felt his rejuvenated strength sapped as if the light was somehow sucking his energy. Groaning, he stood up and discovered that the cage was made out of glass. Out of instinct, he put a lot of force into a single punch into the glass and brought it down. His knuckles connected and he gasped in pain. He wasn't going to escape by breaking his hand against the glass. Looking around, he could also see several similar looking cages, though none of them was filled with as much light as his.

Inside of those cages, he could make out a woman, looked to be around her early 20s, and a large man, both of them seem to be conversing. "Hey can you hear me?" he shouted to them, not sure if the glass was preventing him from speaking to the outer layer of the cage.

"C'mere boy," Hoska spoke, motioning for young Goram to approach him as he worked the forge, his large hammer weighted down in his grip. Goram had been staring out at the bustling streets when he was brought from his reverie by his father's voice, turning back to look at the rest of the workshop.

If it wasn't for the sweltering heat, and constant sound of metal on metal, the workshop would have been a pleasant place to spend the day. Hesitant at first to go near a man with a large hammer in his hand, Goram slowly wandered over to the forge. "Now, Goram, see the glow as the metal heats?" Hoska pulled the metal onto the anvil quickly with his gloved hand. "Gotta be quick, son; reheating metal never ends well."



Goram observed the strange woman as her appearance became clearer in the torchlight, though it was hard to make out anything distinct with the dark of the dungeon still creeping in, the edges of the torch's glare like flimsy barriers, waiting to collapse. Lady Mariah Amor, she said her name was, a familiar name the Goram knew well. He had seen her on occasion as he made his rounds with the noble families, but had never spoken to her before now. He noticed the sadness in her eyes as she finished, commenting on the situation they were in.

"Indeed... But, despite the circumstances," he began his reply, curling his lips into as gentle a smile as he could. "I still think it is a pleasure to meet you, miss Amor." Goram was never normally one for pleasantries and courting, but he would never forgive himself he didn't at least try and cheer her up; even if they're current predicament was far less than satisfactory. "I'm Goram Dorr; most nobles know me as the Master Blacksmith, but, you're welcome to just call me Goram."

Goram heard footsteps nearby, and so turned to see the source. The young woman who had directed him to the dungeon was now leading others down as well, more victims of the venerated Lord Nixus. The first was a maiden, familiar in face and yet unrecognisable... Something dreadful must have happened to her, Goram thought to himself. But then, this wasn't the kind of place for happy people to frequent.

A short time later, a young man was being escorted down into the dark. Goram thought he recognised Kipling Baye, though he couldn't tell, as he had only dealt with his workers, and not the man himself. Whoever he was, however, he was kicking up quite the fuss; the dungeon was quickly filled with his screams of protest and aggressive behaviour as he attempted to escape his cage, but to no avail.

After the man had gone deafly silent, another was brought in, though he appeared to be unconscious; whether he had fainted or had been drugged, Goram couldn't tell. He was placed inside one of the other cages, the prison emitting a substantial amount of light compared to the others alongside it. Seeing the unconscious man slowly awaken, he watched as he attempted to break the glass cage, though his attempts were just as futile as the last man who tried. He was surprised to hear him shout, though his cage was a fair distance away, and he couldn't quite make out what he was trying to say.

Turning back to Mariah, he could feel the silence as the two of them had nothing more to say. Feeling a slight draft, Goram began to notice her shivering, reacting much more to the cold temperature. Moving closer, he gently moved her towards the nearby torch, so as to help her keep warm. "You don't seem to like the cold," he spoke, looking up at the dancing flames, a strange tinge of fear sparking in the back of his mind. Standing beneath the dim light of the torch, he stared out at the rest of the dungeon, anticipating the arrival of the others.

The eyes of passersby looked upon Adelia in awe as she nonchalantly entered the grounds of the château. She soaked it all in, this is what she lived for. The chances were they knew who she was too, that’d hopefully start the rumor mill turning in her favor. Not only was she an esteemed performer and heir to the Marsden trading company, now she also had the eye of Nixus. Of course being bound to him as a monstrous slave wasn’t exactly what she originally had in mind, but the townsfolk were oblivious to such things. It was hard to believe that she herself had be naive before receiving the lord's brand.

She traced her steps from the days prior as she descended into the bowels of the estate. It became dark and damp the further down she went. Something she had grown to appreciate since becoming a siren. As the base of the stairwell grew nearer Adelia could make out the voices of her fellows. Somehow they managed to make it here before me. No matter. Knowing the master he’s still likely a few minutes off.

“I personally find it quite pleasant.” Adelia remarked at a large man's observation of a woman who appeared to be quite downtrodden. Then she kept on walking, even though she just barged into their conversation. She didn’t think anything of it, she was entitled to say whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. In any case her own cage wasn’t far off from theirs. Looking around she didn’t recognize any of the others. In her mind a good indication that their status paled before her own. That or she simply forgot. The number of dignitaries she dealt with on a regular basis was overwhelming.

When she reached her cell, Adelia stood in front of it and crossed her arms indignantly. She was going to need more convincing before she ruined her outfit for no good reason. Her confinement was standard looking among the rest, with one exception. Rather than being fastened flat to the dungeon floor there was instead a basin dug down a few feet beneath the cage. A steady stream of water trickled down from a pipe in the ceiling creating a crude tub. Surprisingly her defiance truly was for the sake of her attire. She actually didn’t have many reservations about her accommodations. If only it was a little bigger... and stocked with fish. Adelia thought to herself.

Left unchallenged she would be content to wait until Nixus arrived. From her standing it wasn’t really a problem since she had nowhere else to be. Well, not anymore. For the first time since departing her mind drifted back to the theater house. She could see the angry masses filling out because the main act had left on a whim. If only I could see the looks on the follow up performers faces when they are told to clean up hours of preparation and head home. They should be happy that they even have jobs.

Even with others around to talk to, Adelia was much more content absorbed in her own thoughts. She really hoped that she wouldn't be forced to work with anyone. Especially the imbeciles trying to break the glass that made up their cells. The blonde pretty boy didn’t seem much better. Nobody present seemed her type at all, though if she had to say who was the most promising it would be the giant comforting the other woman. He clearly had some kindness in his heart to be consoling another when everyone else was doing there own thing.

All she had to do was confirm that this was indeed the case, then find a way to exploit his good nature. With any luck his monster form was as formidable as he was. There wasn’t anything quite like having powerful man under her thumb. Adelia caught herself before she got too carried away. The last thing she wanted to do was waste time counting her chickens before they hatched. For now all she could do was wait.

--- Collab between Potato and Lalia! Don't touch >.> ---

Her eyes slowly readjusted to the light, allowing her to peek around the richly decorated room that seemed much too egotistic for Elia's own liking. Forgetting about the furniture, she focused her attention on actually trying to find Nixus.

Slowing her breathing, she finally caught sight of the tall man and breathed in a sigh of relief which didn't seem welcome, considering that she was already trapped in the spider's web. Elia knew that sooner or later she would have to heed the call of her new master so she was willing to use the small amount of time that she had to try and get some answers out of the bastard.

He didn't seem to even pick up on her as she slowly closed the distance between the two. He was standing directly in front of the fire, casting a long shadow back across the room. It was this shadow that she stepped into and thanked whoever was guiding her steps that it was present. Her breathing patterns only fluctuated but it seemed that shadows were incapable of making noise as she reached the man without any apparent incident. Now was the tricky part - she had no idea if she could even touch him; she was a shadow, after all.

He is not what you think he is...

The whispers returned but this time, they proved to be a tad useful. Strengthening her resolve, she took a slow step forward, reaching out, hoping to use the element of surprise. When her veiled hand actually made contact, she was probably more surprised than he was but nonetheless, she acted immediately and pulled him backwards, hoping to upset his balance.

Her hand was cold on his shoulder and one he wasn't expecting. His last shadow couldn't make contact, not like this one could. He smiled inwardly as she pulled him back, he pretended to lose his balance and stumbled so that he had to catch himself. He looked up at the shadow from his knees as he tried to right himself. He reached out and tried to pull or push the shadow but his hand felt nothing. He expected as much, but he gave a look of surprise as he came to his feet.

Silly girl, but I will play along. He thought as he gave a look of bewilderment, though on he inside he was enjoying this. He loved testing his new pets, and so far she was a promising one. The girl rushed at him, pushing him hard in the chest and causing him to "lose" his balance again. He fell backwards with a rather convincing thump as he hit the floor. He was going to feel that later, but that didn't matter, not at the moment anyway.

"Ahh...." He moaned as he brought his hand to his back as if in pain. He pretended to not pay attention to the shadow as he focused on his back. Come girl, show me what you got. I know you are more powerful than this! He thought as a hunger grew within him, but he let that show later. Right now he had to convince the girl he was weak.

Elia found herself in the oddest of predicaments. Just like the wisp told her to, she had successfully grounded Nixus but now she had a choice. She could more than likely get the answers that she needed but she suddenly felt a hunger grow inside of her as she watched him groan in pain. It was a new feeling and she realised that if she continued, it would only grow stronger. Her brand gave an abnormal kick.

She seemed trapped between her two decisions before finally conceding to her lust for understanding. Sinking down, she straddled his stomach, feeling the odd sensation rise before she locked her feet to his side, placing both her hands against his chest. The force emanating from her hands was massive but it only served to hold him down, preventing all movement. When the chaos of the scene finally lessened, it seemed that the veil of shadows covering her body became less chaotic, exposing more of her actual figure instead of just random stabs of shadows. When she finally opened her mouth to speak, however, it was anything but human. It was like the souls of the damned were clawing at him, trying to drag him down with their soulless eyes.

"How do I break the curse!?

Nixus allowed his eyes to grow wide when the shadow lowered itself on his stomach. It felt cold as ice, but the best part was when she used some of her power to keep him down. He allowed it, as it would make the girl feel more in control. He looked up at her blackened face and watched as she tried to form words.

Amazing! He thought as he could feel the influence of her voice crawl across his skin. He rather enjoyed the sensation, but he was going to save such thoughts for later. "My dear girl, do you really think I would tell you?" He said in a cool deep voice, that would of been soothing if he was anyone else.

With little warning he lifted his hand and grabbed the shadows arm and uttered words that only he could understand. The girls shadowy form dissolved and was replaced with her fleshy one.

The force pressing him against the ground, holding him in place suddenly disappeared alongside the shadows that she had been doused with. Watching as her living cloak dissapated from where he touched, she suddenly realised that her clothes had vanished somewhere along her journey to his room. Allowing her eyes to go wide, she stifled a startled gasp as her hands suddenly flew to her chest. Poor Elia never had to do this before so it took her a few seconds to readjust so everything was covered.

The situation was very far from defused, however. She was stark naked and straddling the man who dragged her from her shadow form. If he could do that then there was admittedly nothing she could do.

"Please..." The melody of the damned was replaced suddenly by the quiet and clearly terrified voice of Elia, the young genius who was in no position to dig herself out of this.

The girls reaction was slow as it took her a moment to realize that she naked. So he got a good view of her chest, not that he cared too much as he had seen many breasts before hers. Though he would admit that her's looked nice. Once she covered herself, well most of herself, she gave him a terrified look while saying please.

Nixus sat up slightly, which made the girl slide down slightly to his hips. A dark smile came across his lips as he looked at the girl. "Please?!" He said in a mocking tone. "Oh my dear, a time for such politeness has passed. Surely you knew that when you stole into my room." He Said, his voice soft and soothing. But there was a hidden edge to it, one that was demanding. He gently pushed some hair from the girls face, though his eyes began to glow. His hunger was growing though he was going to have to satisfy it on someone else.

"Time to meet the others I think." He said as he lifted the girl off his pelvis in one fluid motion and stood up towering over her. "Follow me." He knew that she would have no choice but to follow regardless of her nakedness.

She stood, frozen by his words and his movements but mainly his words. He wasn't even going to let her go fetch her clothes? She wasn't going to kill him and if anything, it just proved that he was expecting something like this to occur if he had counter-measures to it. Anger rose inside of her like a fireball, searing all that it passed. If he knew that she was there then surely he had just lured her into a trap of his own engineering? How could he blame her then?

He must have walked a few feet before he finally stopped, looking back as she stood paralysed with fear. "May I have something to cover my nudity, please?" She whispered, her cheeks burning red-hot as her gaze fell to the floor, her body naturally shivering despite the close presence of the fire.

He lifted an eyebrow when he looked back at the girl. All the power she had just moments before was gone, now she stood there like a terrified lamb. He was the wolf, that much he knew, who feasted on the lambs that he brought in, and they all tasted divine.

"Every action, every thought you have has a price. What are you willing you pay for the luxury of clothing?" He asked as he took a step towards her. He lifted her chin with his curved index finger and looked into her eyes. "What are you willing to pay?" He said slowly as to let his words sink in. He would take anything, well almost anything, that she was willing to give. Even a simple kiss would be enough, there was always a side effect when he kissed someone though. Either it be him or the one he kissed, he never knew who would get it until it happened.

Much like a deer in the headlights, her innocent eyes went wide, betraying her thoughts on his question as she suddenly quivered. Elia knew that others had been cursed like her and although she wasn't too sure, she had heard of quite a few of them. The mere thought of arriving down naked and on Nixus' arm like some whore made her frown and think through her actions. "That depends on what you're willing to take..." She whispered, her red eyes rising to meet his.

A smirk played on his lips as he lowered his lips to hers. It was more than a simple peck but not an intense kiss either. "I can take whatever I want from you, but I will settle for this....for now. " He said before Looking down at her body.

"Those fit you nicely." Clothes had suddenly appeared on the girl, they were modest, which was most likely to her liking. "Now follow me." His words were a little harsh and he turned and walked like he was angry. But he was just feeling the side effects of the kiss, though he wished the girl got them and not him.

The anger inside her stirred for a second, reaching its highpoint before diving downwards. Although she never pressed her lips against his, she found herself wanting to. Her brand burned once more and she couldn't help but think that he was a lot more powerful than she thought he was - Elia was never usually so... willing.

As soon as she felt the familiar warmth of clothes, her paralysis disappeared and she eagerly followed him, fearing what would happen if she didn't. Although fear guided her steps, it didn't hold sway over her thoughts. She was more than pissed off at him but Elia was smart and kept her silence. She learned something valuable that day and although it wasn't as great as a cure, it was important - Nixus was extremely powerful and he wasn't above taking what was not rightfully his.

Taking his time, Nixus walked down the many halls of his château with his pretty little shadow in tow behind. He was rather impressed with her ability and he hoped the others were just as impressive. If they weren't, he would be greatly disappointed and if they were not at all what he wanted he wouldn't think twice about ending them.

The Shadow should be happy that she was impressive enough to have him let her live. He would of killed her when he stole into his room, but he was curious and his hunger kept him from his usual reaction. He had to wonder if she wasn't female would he have killed her. He wasn't sure as he took what ever he wanted and had no preference for genders.

He glanced over his shoulder at the female and felt his body tense. He was still feeling the affects of earlier, this caused him to wrinkle his nose in anger. He was going to need Victoria later.

"Here we are." He said in a smooth voice as he tapped a the wall that looked all the rest. Painted in a horrifying scene of a centaur ravaging a young woman, as soon as he tapped the wall it came alive. The beast threw the girl on the ground before taking a knife and reached out of the painting for Nixus to pick his finger. Once the blood touched the knife the wall opened and the centaur went back to ravaging the woman.

He looked at the Shadow to see how she would react. Most were wide eyed as it was a horrific scene and one wouldn't expect a painting to move. But before he could see her, Victoria appeared on the steps. She looked worse than the last time he saw her, which was saying a lot. He still wondered why she was wasting away, but he would worry about it later. "Are they all here?" He asked as he passed her going down the stone steps. His staff giving a faint red glow which was unnecessary, since he could see perfectly in the darkness.

"Most are here Master, only a few are yet to come." Victoria said in a rather odd voice, as if her jaw wasn't working the way it should. Nixus waved it off, if Victoria became useless he would replace her like he did with the one that came before her.

"Good, I will look at the ones here."

---

Mariah smiled as she looked down at her feet when Goram said that it was still a pleasure to meet her. She was rather surprised by his kindness, in a place like this she expected everyone to only care about themselves. That was her first thought when she arrived, but now that she was talking with Goram her perspective changed.

When they both stopped talking she watched as others were brought down into the dungeons. But it looked like that maybe it for now, though she couldn't be sure as she was alone for about an hour before others arrived. She shivered again before she felt Goram's large gentle hand guide her over to one of the few torches that were burning.

She smiled at Goram and nodded at his words, "Yes, ever since the party I have been very intolerant of the cold." She said with as slight shiver in her voice before she paused. "Thank you." She said softly as she smiled at him again.

“I personally find it quite pleasant.”

Mariah looked at the woman who said those words and gave a look of disgust. It was like she could smell fish and it made her stomach turn. Plus she didn't like rude people,and she got the vibe that the other woman thought all should bow to her whims.

She was about to say something about the woman when she heard a deep voice. It scratched at her head and brand, it wanted her attention. But not only hers but everyone's.
She heard the voice again but she couldn't understand the words. She placed her hands over her ears and fellow to her knees as she the sound made her want to scream. She could feel something inside her suddenly wanting out. No..... no, no, no, NO! I won't! She thought desperately as she tried to keep the monster in.

But the voice wanted the monster out and he wanted it out now. She fought the command for as long as she could manage before letting out a scream as the change took over. She felt her legs suddenly fuse together and her body change. In the mist of all this she suddenly felt a surge of pleasure that caused her to moan as she laid on the stone floor.

---

Upon reaching the dungeon proper, he took hold of the Shadows arm. He already seen her in her monster form plus he knew that she would lose her clothes if she went into that form. Uttering a few words light appeared in all the dungeon, uttering more words he caused those that were new to change into their other forms as he wanted to look at them.

He noticed that some resisted the first time he spoke the words so he spoke them again only with more power. Finally those the resisted shifted, only his Shadow didn't. "Ah my beauties! All so wonderful and powerful, what plans I have for you. But first some rules." Nixus said as he walked into the middle of the dungeon with his Shadow still in hand.

"I will be sending you on errands, but first you should know that.... there is No cure to the spell I placed upon you." He said slowly as he looked around at his pets. "Second, you can't harm me. Oh you can try but it will only cause you pain ....... or embarrassment." He said the last part looking down at the young woman with a smirk on his lips.

"I am your master and you will do as I say, your will is mine and there is nothing you can do about it!" He said with a note of authority which he knew would cause some to test him but he wasn't worried about that.

"Once you learn to play nice you will no longer be locked up in the cages. But do anything I disapprove of I cannot promise you that you will be sane once I finish your punishment." He said with a rather sadistic smile. He had some that went insane with his torture, before either ending themselves or giving in completely to the monster.

"Now...... there is a village about half a day away, not many now it. But they have an artifact that I want, you all are to go there get it for me....... leave no survivors...... Now good luck and make me proud, whoever does well on this mission will get special audience with me." He said with a smirk before kissing the Shadow on the cheek and suddenly disappearing.

All the cage doors flew open and all those within them were back in their human form.

"And who is this young fellow?" Goram had been working the forge, as his father showed the new customer around the shop, explaining the great benefit of starting a business with the Dorr workshop. "Ah, this be mah son, Goram. Say hello, boy," Hoska spoke, gesturing for Goram to speak. Setting down his hammer, Goram turned and bowed towards the stranger, giving him a gentle smile before taking the man's outstretched hand and shaking it. Once done, he returned to work at the forge, though not without hearing, "He's a simple one, always smiling..."



Goram continued to smile as best as he could, not wanting Mariah to become saddened again by her predicament. In this day and age, most of the nobility saw kindness as a weakness, or a tool to be used to manipulate others. Goram never understood that, never grasped it completely. He would always greet them with a smile, only to be confused as they watched him with eyes filled with disgust or suspicion. But it never stopped him, big ol' Goram. He just kept giving them that smile.

No doubt more people were slowly entering the dungeon behind him, he couldn't tell. The only thing he could sense was the sound of footsteps, varying in nature. The dark and light continued to fight as the torch flickered above them. Goram lifted his head slightly, picking out the abnormal height of the dungeon ceiling. Something tells me that's for a reason.

His head lowered back down to Mariah as she spoke of her dilemma, the cold still visibly affecting her. "Perhaps Nixus knows why," he mumbled in response, before bobbing his head in a nod and muttering, "You're welcome." It was then that he heard the new voice, his head turning to look over his shoulder at the woman who had spoken. Recognising her slightly, he gave her a small wave in welcome and of course a gentle smile, before turning back to Mariah and crossing his arms over his burly, muscular chest.

Abruptly, Mariah began screaming in pain, Goram's face dropping as he watched her fall to her knees in agony. Moving to help her, he was caught off guard when that strange feeling came back, but this time with a vengeance. The ringing, the voices, the pain, it all hit him dead on, causing him to double back away from Mariah as he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He could feel the change taking place, as it almost did in his bathroom back at the workshop. This time, however, he had full consciousness to witness the horror of his transformation.

First, his skin slowly became the tight, strong bark-like structure that it had been before. His arms, his legs, his face and neck. But then, he began to grow, began to expand. His body exploded out into a larger hulking mass, causing him to fall forward onto his hands and knees. His hair receded, only to be replaced by large vines growing out of his back, causing his clothes to rip into shreds, the pieces falling to the floor.

When the pain finally stopped, he was there, a towering beast of bark and wood, the vines on his back scraping across the dungeon ceiling as his height had jumped to just over 8"; and that's on all fours. His arms and legs were now thick tree trunks, the weight of them causing the dungeon floor to crack slightly, unable to handle the change in pressure.

At an excruciatingly slow pace, he began to move forward, his size taking up a lot of space in the dungeon, with only a small gap either side for people to pass around him, though they could easily walk beneath him if they lowered their head slightly. He could hear the creaking of his new bark skin as he turned his head to look over at the newly transformed Mariah, now understanding her weakness to cold, before turning back to hear Lord Nixus' words.

Village. No survivors. Artifact. For some reason, Goram understood; or what was left of Goram anyway. He was the monster now, and he had orders, as horrible as they were. Even Goram, who saw the good in everyone he met, could see the danger behind the man that is Lord Nixus. He just hoped there would be a way to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, but deep down he knew that if Nixus wanted death, he would get it.

Wishing mainly to escape the confines of the dungeon, Goram began moving once more after Nixus disappeared, and very slowly made his way out of the dungeon, as difficult as it was, what with his new-found size.