෴Raz෴

෴Hex෴

Another soft click from it’s mouth reached Raz’s ears. “What tipped you off?” It asked in a new voice unfamiliar to Raz.

Could it actually be unaware of that ridiculous tongue clicking habit?

Raz said nothing. Hex’s eyes widened in recognition. She started to raise her rifles then hesitated.

The thing that had been Krystah leisurely shrugged its shoulders and stretched its arms out. Its features melting and flowing like warm wax, then reforming as though growing under extreme time-lapse. “Well, I guess if my secret’s out, there’s not much point keeping up this little act of mine.”

The heavyset woman’s body became loose and flowing. Flesh and bone flopped and wriggled as new tissue formed before their eyes.

“That guy is a shapeshifter!” he whispered to her urgently.

She clenched her jaw and nodded. “Yeah, we’ve met.” Next to her the other aspects silently vanished.

The thing in front of the door chuckled, the sound high pitched and grating. “Your girl there is leaving you behind, she knows what’s next. Me and her, we’ve danced before.” The clicking sound following its words reminded Raz of someone knocking on a dried skull.

Its forearms elongated, jagged bone blades burst forth where hands should have been. “I’m going to—”

Raz cut him off by drawing his pistol and emptying the magazine into the creature’s chest and head. It staggered and grabbed the wall with a claw for support. The bone and chitin spikes carved ragged lines into the office wall. Raz grabbed his second magazine and reloaded the big pistol.

Hex shook her head. “Guns won’t do it with this guy.”

It staggered back to its feet. “That was rude. I didn’t say it was time to start! Besides, your girl there is—”

Raz emptied the second magazine into his head, and where he hoped the spine was. It twitched, then fell down and lay still.

He reloaded again and aimed at the twitching form.

“That won't work! It’s going to get back up. We need to go!” Hex insisted.

Raz nodded at her, “Ok lets go.”

They carefully stepped over the twitching prone form and hurried from the room as the misshapen lump of flesh began to flow and move again.

They were hurrying to finish off another small chimera drawn by the sound and blood scent when a furious roar sounded back where they’d come from.

They broke into a run. Without speaking, they switched tactics and started sprinting back toward the door to the storage bay. Raz landed stunning blows on several chimera’s that popped up in their path. Each time he felt the drain on his energy and just kept running with Hex.

Another angry cry sounded out. It was much closer now.

Hex was further ahead, so she spotted the door first. "We’re here! Get in here!” She turned and fired several rounds into the pack of chimeras closing in behind Raz.

She slammed the door shut the moment Raz made it through. The two of them barely held it in place long enough to lock it.

“Those things are going to lead it right to us!” she noted.

Raz looked at the door, his sensoria focused on the chimera infested hallway outside. “Yes, that’s what I’m counting on.”

The chimera’s milled around. He could almost see them. He waved Hex over to him. “There are six of them out there. The big one has a few wounds. The second biggest is moving around like it wants to attack. I don’t sense that shapeshifter out there.”

Push my senses harder. Focus everything on what’s out in the hallway. I need to know when he’s out there.

His energy level ticked downward at an alarming rate. The sensory images of the chimera’s in the hall improved until he could almost see them for real.

Hex slung her rifle, gently squeezed his forearm, and then drew both of her combat knives. The long blades glinted in the dim light.

He raised an eyebrow. “Where are your other aspects? Also, a knife, seriously?”.

She shrugged. “Busy. Had to get ready.” She hefted the blade. “Besides, I’ve already tried bullets. Got a better idea?”

He closed down his active sensoria and activated his energy regen procedural chain. “That door won't hold up against that thing. We need to be ready.”

They took up positions on either side of the door.

A sound so soft it almost wasn’t there came from behind them. Raz whirled around, his pistol already coming up on target. Hex blurred in place, instantly facing the other way with her knives in a guard position.

“Ready for what?” it said in Hutch’s voice. The creature’s transformation appeared complete. What had looked like an overweight young woman had become a broad, powerfully built semi-reptilian monstrosity. Thick legs crouched beneath it like an unholy mixture of kangaroo and coiled snake. Its heavily muscled shoulders led to long corded arms with hands like a fistful of knives. A slender tail moved with serpentine grace behind it, the gentle swaying motion belying the large bone spike adorning the tip of the tail.

Krystah’s face emerged from the scaled belly. Her expression was one of mute twisted terror. She appeared to be screaming with no voice.

Hex leaned over toward Raz. “When I distract it, you get that switch, and when you get the chance, you hit it. No hesitation!” she whispered in a low tone. She unclipped her sling and handed the rifle and magazine carrier over to him.

“You got it, I’ll back your play.” he replied.

[Vocal patterns indicate fear, resignation, determination.]

No shit. Got anything useful on the monster?

[Observed performance indicates effective rank three regeneration.]

[Bullets and knives alone have almost no chance to kill something this big with regeneration.]

[Execute active scan or increase host perceptual abilities to learn more.]

Raz raised the rifle and sidestepped away from Hex.

Well, what would kill something like this?

Krystah’s panicked face melded back into the scaled belly. “So you do want to play. Lovely.” it muttered in a close imitation of Braithwaite’s voice.

[Most expedient methods include: Instant massive trauma, incineration, immersion in strong acid. High energy disruptive attacks. Abilities that disrupt regeneration.]

Not helpful, anything that we could actually do to it?

[It is possible that cutting limbs off of the core might eventually kill it once it runs out of resources.]

Yeah, I forgot my lightsaber at home.

[Provided that you do not allow it to reabsorb the severed flesh.]

Raz wondered if Remote Access could help.

[Scanning.]

[Distributed consciousness: Hex found, one node of unknown.]

[Three non sentient non interfaced consciousnesses detected.]

[One non standard consciousness detected, Note, possible corruption detected.]

Raz carefully sidestepped away from Hex.

Let me guess, you’re about to tell me Remote Access doesn’t work on non-standard consciousnesses.

[No, it’s included because it’s useful information.]

Designate nonstandard as Hutch, also as opponent.

This better be useful.

“Hey!” Raz shouted, drawing an irritated look from Hex and an amused look from the reptilian monster.

Hex muttered, “Thought he was gonna back my play.” so softly he almost missed it.

“I thought you were alright when I met you. Are you really the same guy who talked to me in that room?” Raz tried to sound sincere and uncertain.

It laughed. “Yes, that was me.” it answered in a gravelly tone.

[Remote Access achieved.]

Hex pointed one of her knives at the creature. “Hey bitch, before you and him hug it out you have a problem with me! You killed my friend. We have unfinished business, let’s go.”

The Hutch-creature laughed at Hex. “You want to distract me so he can shoot me some more? You can’t actually hurt me with your guns. Haven’t you learned your lesson?”

She sneered at the monstrosity. “The only thing I recall of you is oozing away like a scared little bitty blob after my friends and I fucked you up.”

It laughed, but Raz clearly heard the anger it was struggling to control.

“You think you won? I let you live!” it shouted. “I’d already gotten my job done, nothing you could have done mattered. Did you think I was there by accident? Who do you think cut that truck’s brake lines?”

Hex faltered, but then caught herself. “That’s funny. All I recall is you pulling a sucker punch, and then slinking away like a little bitch!”

It leaped at her with an incoherent roar.

The next few seconds were a blur of motion. Raz scrambled to cross the room and search the stacked and disarrayed pallets.

Where the fuck is it?!

[Visual Scanning]

While he searched, he couldn't help but steal glances at the melee. The bladed hands swiped at the young lady. Then she wasn’t there. An instant later one or more lithe forms would appear and then slash or stab at the creature. Each hit, each coordinated attack by multiple aspects should have been lethal or disabling hits. The shapeshifter seemed to lose some cohesion when major strikes landed, but it wasn’t slowing down.

What can I do with Remote Access to help? Stun or freeze it?

[Sending broad spectrum cognitive disruption.]

The monstrosity ground to a halt. It stood there staring at the wall for a fraction of a second before Hex reappeared and slashed it across the throat.

Mental note, she was totally right. She absolutely could have stopped me and kicked my ass if she pulled this kind of fighting.

It roared in pain and seemed to shake off the stupor. Seeing the source of pain, it lashed out in wild furious motions.

[Remote Access connection lost.]

Shit!

Raz went back to scrambling through the pallets searching for the clacker.

Fucking bullshit ability.

The creature missed another lunging punch, embedding its bladed fist into the wall. In the instant of hesitation as it tried to free its stuck arm, a shimmer of appearing female forms flickered into and back out of view. The tree-trunk-like arm fell to the floor, not so much neatly severed, as hacked off by a thousand cuts.

Hot blood from the stump sprayed across her face as she appeared and lunged in to stab it on its undefended side. The other fist managed to rake across her back before she vanished with a cut off yelp.

[There!] the HUD highlighted the object of his search.

Hex circled across from the already healed monster. Raz waited for his moment. It had to come soon. Hex was breathing hard, she flicked a bead of sweat off her forehead. Her flickering teleportation based martial art had been reduced down to evasion teleports only. She found herself backed up against the door to the hallway. She made eye contact with Raz and nodded almost imperceptibly.

Raz ducked under the rollup door.

Damnit. She wants me to blow it with her there!

[Given her ability set, there is no reason to see that as a significant threat to her overall well being.]

Raz emptied the magazine into the Hutch’s back. The shapeshifter didn’t even appear to notice. He dropped the empty magazine and fumbled the reload. The magazine went sliding off on the floor.

The shapeshifter opened its mouth, allowing his jaw to fall open and reveal a mouth overstuffed with rows of sharp jagged teeth. “Getting tired, girly? I love the taste of adrenaline. Come on. I know you must have a little more in the tank. You can’t be dumb enough to think I’ll break that door and interrupt our dance by bringing all those tasty critters in here.”

Raz pulled the last magazine off the carrier, barely noticing the white-colored cartridge tips before shoving the magazine into place and releasing the bolt.

It feinted, trying to draw her into another teleport. It took another step toward the woman.

Is it avoiding that spot?

He took aim and fired several rounds at the fleshy mass. These bullets left fiery smoke trails in the air. Each hit leaked smoke and left a visible burning hole in the thing’s back.

Hutch finally took notice. It looked back at Raz, then screamed incoherently and lunged at Hex.

A small notification popped up. Raz brushed it away instantly. He followed the procedure she’d walked him through. Pulled the switch all the way open and let it go. Nothing happened. He tried it again.

The massive shapeshifter whipped its tail at Hex. She flickered away, just far enough to evade the attack.

“Any time you want to help would be great,” Hex called out as she dodged the shapeshifter’s grasp.

Raz tried to close the switch again, with no results. He looked away from the fight to examine the switch. The metal support wire meant to hold it open had bent, jamming itself into the switch.

Pulling on the wire popped most of it loose, leaving just the part jamming up the mechanism wedged into place.

Damnit! That looks bad.

In a flash of inspiration, he pulled the switch back open, and set it on the ground.

If this doesn’t work we’re screwed. Send message to Hex “NOW!”

He pulled in, and then released energy, and fell to a knee as he slammed his fist down at the military detonator.

[Energy: 95/100]

His gauntleted fist blurred and smashed into the heavy switch. The force sheared through the bent hold-open wire and blasted the piezoelectric activator home with a loud clacking sound.

The shockwave slapped him to the ground instantly.

[Temporary minor hearing and balance impairment. Time to restoration: Approximately 30 seconds.]

He lay there dazed for a moment before struggling to sit up. The movement nearly caused him to vomit. A few feet away Hex lay on her side facing him. She looked like she was groaning in pain.

[Sensory restoration 60%]

Raz shook his head to clear it while he looked around for any sign the monstrosity had survived. His mouth felt stuffed with gunpowder, metal, and drywall. He coughed and then spat out a mouthful of gritty dark saliva.

[Sensory restoration 90%]

Raz mentally brushed the message away with the intent to suppress this particular series of updates.

Hex looked at him and then closed her eyes. “That was too damn close. Feels like I just got tuned up by a giant,” she groaned again, “My back is killing me.”

She rolled onto her front side, revealing the cleanly severed stump of the bone tail spike embedded deep in her back next to her spine.

“Babe, don’t move too much, you’re hurt. Can you fix yourself by teleporting?”

[Distributed Hex node detected, one node of unknown. Energy 0/unknown]

She shook her head. “Too tired. I can’t make it happen. I’m trying. Maybe after a rest. I’m so tired.”

Raz sat up, his head spun. “No! You can’t go to sleep! You need to release this body, or teleport to fix it! You told me you can’t wait too long.” He unbuckled and ripped off both gauntlets.

Raz put a hand on her forehead and grasped the hand not still holding a knife. He imagined the energy refill process and engaged it.

[Energy: 90/100]

[Energy: 100/100]

Why do I feel like this is going to hurt?

He tweaked the process just enough to thrust that energy out of his hands into her. Nausea gripped him as he felt something inside him begin to churn.

[Warning: This is an uns—]

Raz pushed the alert away.

Shut up.

[Energy 80/100]

[Target: Hex: Energy: 0/unknown]

Damnit, work!!

[Critical Warning! Th—]

Find a way to help me or shut the fuck up!

A deep crackling, buzzing sound that was more of a feeling than a sound enveloped him.

Raz pushed harder, something inside him shifted ominously. Something started irritating his eyes. He blinked and crimson drops appeared on the back of his hand resting on her forehead.

[Energy 50/100]

[Target: Hex: Energy: 2/unknown]

She opened bleary unfocussed eyes and looked at him. “I’ll...be… … —oon.” she mumbled with what might have been a nod, or just her head sagging. A moment later her bloody form vanished in a burst of warmth and light. The bone tail spike fell to the ground.

He raised his hand and blinked rapidly while rubbing at his eyes to clear what felt like gritty tears. His fingertips came away red. He reached for the bone spike but then thought better of touching it and pulled and buckled the gauntlets back on.

For the first time, the gauntlets felt noticeably heavy on his hands. He stood up and realized it wasn’t just the gauntlets. Everything felt heavy.

Wow, I need a nap now.

[Situation analysis indicates a 100% chance of death if you lose consciousness now.]

No shit, didn’t say I’m gonna take one. By the way, I thought you’d be able to communicate better. This still feels like you’re the same.

Raz picked up the spike and dropped it into his magazine dump pouch as he looked around the courtyard. A notification flashed dimly at the edge of his view. The courtyard looked empty and calm. He could almost imagine there hadn’t just been a fight that ended with a bomb just moments ago.

[If you fall asleep now, you’re gonna die.]

[Better?]

Something caught his ear near the detonation site. He peered through the dark smoke and dust in time to see something shifting in the darkness.

The door to the hallway fell into the room with a muted thump. The second biggest chimera Raz had ever seen, came through the opening, hesitant, sniffing the air, cautious but clearly curious.

Shit, where’s the carbine?

The weapon was instantly highlighted a few feet away, back by the roll up door. It looked intact.

That thing’d be eating my face before I could get to the carbine and get it into action.

The chimera didn’t seem to have noticed him yet, but as soon as he moved he thought it would.

It sniffed and then started to chew at something by the door. Raz drew his pistol, cursing the way the long suppressor complicated the draw. Even the pistol felt alarmingly heavy.

Another chimera, this one much smaller, slipped into the room.

Well, that’s not good.

The first chimera snarled at the newcomer and returned to eating. The smaller chimera found something near the door to eat and began crunch on the flesh and bone.

Raz checked his belt.

Last magazine, I got spoiled by her free mag refills way too fast, one magazine vs two chimeras. That’s bad odds, even if one of them wasn’t huge.

He crept toward the rifle. The chimeras near the door didn’t seem to notice.

As he was about to pick up the rifle, the smaller one squealed. Raz jumped at the sound, raising his pistol.

Neither chimera was looking at him. The small one was twitching and writhing on the ground. The larger chimera glanced at it, then continued to eat.

The smaller chimera began to swell like a balloon being overinflated. It let out another agonized sound. Blood began to drip and then pour from its eyes and mouth. Raz carefully holstered the large pistol then picked up the AR pistol without looking away from the disgusting sight.

A long tendril of pallid grey flesh emerged from the chimera’s rear. It curved back to point at the chimera’s body as a slender blade of gleaming chitin or bone formed at the end of the gnarled column of flesh.

Raz shook himself away from the mesmerizing scene. He looked around and spotted the other unconcealed door in the courtyard. It sat slightly ajar.

He glanced back in time to see the bladed tentacle pop the smaller chimera like a bloody water balloon.

A mass of writhing fleshy tentacles with toothy mouths remained where most of its body had been. The remaining chimera squealed and began to thrash.

Oh shit, that Hutch-thing is still alive. It is time to go!

Raz abandoned his efforts at stealth and ran across the courtyard to the other door. His efforts at running looked more like a moving stumble. The knob was locked, but the door hadn’t latched shut. The room was very dark compared to the lit courtyard. He turned on the rifle’s weapon light and looked inside. The room inside was very much like the one he’d just blown up, including the scattered pallets. A few seconds later his eyes had adjusted and he turned the weapon light back off.

Another hollow popping accompanied by a wet splashing sound came from behind.

More tentacles. I’ve seen this anime, it doesn’t end well for me.

He clenched his sphincter and firmly closed the door behind him. The door to the hallway was also sitting open. A peek into the hall looked clear. The blown out door to the other storage dock was far too close. He could hear the sound of something rustling and moving around in there.

Ok, not going that way. Further in it is. She was so right. This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t be here.

Raz moved as fast as he could manage while keeping his steps quiet and sweeping his eyes and head around for threats.

The incoming message startled him so badly he almost opened fire when his phone vibrated against his thigh.

The screen was in bad shape, barely readable.

They say bombproof, but I don’t think they mean it literally.

The phone buzzed again. He crouched down against the wall and answered it.

She didn’t let him get a word in. “Are you ok? I’m almost ready to come back.”

He winced at how loud the tiny phone speaker seemed in the nearly silent hall. “I’m fine. But don’t go back where we were. Something is there, it’s—”

“What do you mean something?” She interjected.

“It’s big, and it’s eating the chimeras that were eating it. I think the shapeshifter is still kicking. I am going to try and make it out that big open hole we saw at the front of the building.”

The phone made a buzzing sound and went dead.

Damnit. I wonder how much she got.

Bee, how am I doing right now? I could really use some good news right now.

[Current conditions:]

[Flush of Victory level 4 +4 energy regen, ability efficacy, combat power.]

[Warriors Spirit level 4 +4 capacity gains, aggression, damage resistance, -8 fear, pain sensitivity]

[Fatigued (physical) level 60 (-24 stamina regen)]

[Overload level 8 (energy costs increased ~80%, energy gain unavailable.)

So Overprovisioned is finally gone for real. I was starting to think it would never be gone, even at 0% it just kept hanging around. Finally.

Oh shit, overload looks bad. Energy regen unavailable?

[Overload is bad. Overload level 10 is generally fatal.]

[Energy: 50/100]

Raz tried to activate the energy regen procedural memory. A shock of pain slammed through his chest, radiating outward through his body. He dropped the process immediately, but the pain continued to echo through him for several seconds afterwards.

[Energy: 45/100]

Ok, that was a bad idea.

[The good news is, after parsing recent combat data and data analysis, you are no longer overprovisioned.]

[The bad news is, if we don’t get out of here soon, we’re gonna die.]

Raz resumed sneaking down the hallway toward the labs.

Maybe I can get into one of the labs and hunker down for a while to rest. What is the best ability I can get unlocked right now?

[None.]

That’s not helpful. Why none?

[Your onboard catalyst stores are depleted.]

I have a capacity unit and some fractional reserves!

[You did. Now you have no reserves at all.]

[More good news! I think I know why you can store catalyst now.]

[Look at it this way, even if you could afford a new ability, the most probable result of attempting to unlock a new ability in a hostile area is your death.]

[Depending on ability type, some time spent incapacitated is normal.]

[We still do not wish to die.]

I cannot catch a break.

[That is not true. We have not run into a single chimera since returning to the main hallway.]

Raz carefully peeked around a corner, sure that Bee having said that would guarantee there would be an entire pack of chimeras right around the next bend.

The hallway was empty and still.

I’m glad we haven’t seen any more. One mag in my pistol and whatever’s left in this AR. No Hex delivery service to just pop in with more ammo.

He let the rifle rest on its sling and wiped his grimy gauntlets on his filthy sweatpants.

Of course, if all the chimera’s we passed earlier aren’t here. Where do you think they are?

Another squealing sound arose from behind.

Ugh. I had to ask.

The sound of popping and crunching was just audible to his enhanced hearing.

Do you think he’s eating them?

[Based on earlier scans, and his own words, I think he is, and has been eating them for a while.]

Raz let out a sigh of relief when he spotted the door he’d been looking for.

Is eating them as bad as analysing them?

[Probably worse.]