She pushes from her feet dashing towards me as I shoot off towards the side slicing diagonally with two tails as my feet slide. She parries my attacks before I activate my obelisk generating two swords comprised of steel using trace minerals I've stored. I slice towards her using my upper and lowest four tails for slicing a spiral ex through her congealed barrier.

Even though she hardened the obstacle, my impromptu drill tears through her coagulating shield as I slice downwards with my left hand, but she blocks using her own crossed swords overhead. The power of my charge drives her feet into the floor beneath us before she pivots the sword in her right downwards while she lifts her left arm flinging my swords sideway while her left sword slices upwards grinding against my own blade.

I planned for her attack as I had brandished my right handed sword with the blade facing away from my thumb rather than towards it. This allows me to lift my right hand like throwing an uppercut blocking the sword at an angle to divert her blow from reaching me.

After her arms oustretch, I force my right arm backwards elbowing towards my right with all my strength diagonally downwards. This drags the sword towards her sealing her fate. Unfortunately, she pushes her arms together as she leans backwards, so the tip of my blade only scrapes down her chest.

Her blades crisscross over my throat slicing my jugulars as I fall to my knees. Blood spews from my neck before I wrap a tail around the appendage using my obelisk to heal the injuries. She dashes towards me using her liquid for preoccupying my five free tails before she slices downwards towards me using her right arm while swinging her left arm backwards and pivoting her feet.

This puts enough force into her blow that I can no longer block by normal means, but I I slam my swords into the ground diverting her strike using the ground as a supporting figure before she pivots her leg with her strike covering the limb with the thick, red glob.

I swing my other sword towards the limb, but the blow only sinks 4 inches into her globular shield before I sigh as she halts the strike an inch from my face. My wounds heal as she says, "That was an excellent adaptation from your earlier form. You injured me this time."

I shrug my shoulders as I stand up wiping myself off with my tails saying, "You sliced my neck open. If it wasn't for my mutation, I would be dead right now."

the inkling of a smile forms before she says, "This is the first time I've been injured in over five years in a spar however. You should take pride in that."

My expression sours as I say, "This is the 80th time I would've died in a spar in the past three weeks. It's rather...humbling."

She sheaths her swords as she says, "You've become far better at utilizing your new limbs since coming here, and your raw strength rivals my own."

I purse my lips as I say, "Only after I fuse with Allure. My control over ice may turn the tides against you, but I doubt my ability after having seen the abilities you have."

She nods as she says, "Then you've matched my strength after training for only several weeks. That i s a feat in and off itself."

She places a hand on her left hip before she leans onto her left leg while she raises her right arm saying, "Pyrex...would you mind representing us as some diplomatic agent between our races. I despise killing so many humans without any meaning behind their deaths."

I grimace as I say, "I doubt many humans will enjoy the prospect of ceding the territories you have control over."

Her eyes harden as she squints at me saying, "It isn't a negotiation. Think of yourself as an informer."

After hearing her story, I can't side with the Melotic Empire any longer. Whatever they achieved may be bathed in the blood of millions I know nothing of, and after learning of the specific operations of The Fog, I realize they aren't evil anymore. The transformation process leaves humans...alive. Somehow.

I had to watch the event. It contained the same horror as before, and the victim screamed in torment, yet they stood up afterwards. The beetles don't consume the flesh of their victims. They coat them in a cocoon of healing sinews that regenerate the missing skin while absorbing moistures from the surrounding air to replenish their blood.

The process leaves them deformed if they squirm during the process, but as evidenced by the orange guy who I still don't know the name of, allowing the process to occur leaves the victims mind far more intact while leaving them with near attractive features.

Gorge's ferocity combined with the Empire's misunderstandings created a situation of dire consequences, and the heart of the issue stems from miscommunication and past wrongs. It's hard to rationalize the situation or pick sides, but helping Gorge settle these misunderstandings presents a cause worth pursuing, so I say, "I'll try. I'm not the best speaker however."

She smirks as she says,"Your better than me. I tend to crush first and question the pulp after."

I chuckle as I say, "I think I share the same disposition. I just hope I can stem it before it becomes a glaring issue."

She rolls her eyes as she says, "Maybe if you could beat me in a single spar then you could worry about crushing people."

I frown as I say, "You've been fighting for 700 years. It's hard to beat that experience."

She turns floating away as she says, "800. Try not to be too jealous of Allure and Teralla's blossoming love."

My frown turns into a scowl as I say, "I would be more worried if I were you. Teralla seems to be swapping her affections."

Gorge's movements pause for a moment before she continues onward without saying a word. I grin as I snicker at her meager displays of discomfort. Everyone has a little evil in them, and mine comes out whenever someone tries teasing me.

I pace through several hallways noticing the increased production of yellow light from the phosphorescent sacks lining the walls. They also smoothed with a greater attention for detail than before. The atmospheres of the place...lightened since our coming here. Gorge seems less brooding.

It's a pleasant change regardless. After reaching through the bizarre heart room, I pace into the corridor lining the walls as a slight noise pierces the fleshy wall. As I reach right beside the doorway towards the pool room, a moaning hits my ears. My stomach sinks as the worst possible conclusions fly through my mind.

Is Allure cheating on me? I shake my head as I open the door, and all my questions become clear.

Author's note:

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