[31] Emotional Rollercoaster
Everyone in the camp was looking at Bjorn, his form shaking violently on the ground. Black wisps of maya escaped from three heads. Tanisha had to do a double take and count, one, two... three? His blue scales were shedding quickly only to be replaced by new dark green ones. His body seemed to be elongating, growing sturdier and bigger.
His skin was splitting along his back and necks as sharp-looking spines protruded outward. Webbed skin connected each spike all the way down to his tail, which ended in a small, four spiked thagomizer. Antlers started to grow from his heads, each one creating what wendigo would consider a beautiful crown. There was little blood in the transformation, but the convulsions looked painful and didn’t stop.
“Bjorn, what's wrong with him? Bjorn, Bjorn?” Tanisha panicked but couldn’t move. “I thought you said nothing would happen. Bjorn, I’m here.”
She tried with all her might to shift her body to reach her familiar. Through the bond she felt he was afraid, no, terrified, his emotions were all over the place. She couldn’t even lift her arms; her body felt like she had run a few marathons and wouldn’t respond.
“Stop moving, Tanisha.” Joha said with force. “Your core is unstable right now, if you move too much it may cause more issues.”
Bjorn continued to grow, going from about the height of a medium sized dog to the point where his shoulders would reach half of Tanisha’s hips. From snout to the tip of his tail he was nine feet long. He shed more scales as he grew, only for those to be replaced with fewer larger and stronger-looking ones. The black mist maya he exhaled was absorbed by the new scales, darkening them to a greenish-gray.
It kept going for a few minutes; he lost claws only for them to come back larger and stronger, he lost his baby teeth and fangs for new terrifyingly sharp rows of teeth to replace them. As time went on the black maya subsided and Bjorn continued to lay there, unconscious. His emotions calmed as did his breathing.
“What the fuck was that?” Tanisha screamed. “You said... I thought he would be unaffected.”
Joha nodded and took his hand from her heart. “This should not have happened. Do not move, the maya is still settling in your lungs. I will check on...”
“Don’t you fucking touch him!” Tanisha yelled, blue maya escaped her mouth as she did. “Not until you tell me what happened.”
“I think everyone should calm down,” Helina said. “Tanisha, you really shouldn’t move much right now.”
“He lied,” Tanisha stated.
“I miscalculated,” Joha said.
“You think? You’re a bit calm for someone that almost killed my familiar.” Tanisha shook her head in disbelief. “You know what he is don’t you? This was a possibility wasn’t it?”
“He is a hydra, the Killer of Serpents, the Poisoner of Worlds, the Consumer of Dragons.” Joha took a deep breath. “I thought he might be a lesser hydra. They have no connection to the Higher Planes, like any other beast of this world. Now that I have seen this, I believe he may be a son of the Lernaean Hydra. The True Hydra and Queen of a Thousand Heads.”
“So, Bjorn is a True?” Tanisha asked, her eyes narrowed on the tiger demon.
“Did you break the Pedagogue Demonic Pact?” Joha asked, and watched as Tanisha shook her head. “How, did? What?”
Tanisha decided to open her status to see what Joha was talking about.
Status Menu
Name: Tanisha Scalebound
Species: Lernaean-Wendigo
Level: 10
Vitality: 10
Restoration: 4
Constitution: 2
Willpower: 8
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 4
Stamina: 8
Maya: 3
Magic: 24
Magic Regeneration: 25 (+100 from bond)
Page 1 of 2
She had leveled up again, but what took center stage in her mind was her race. Her eyes opened wide at that change. Lernaean-Wendigo, how did she become that? She quickly looked at the second page to see what changes were made.
Skills Analysis
Pact of the Lernaean Hydra
You are under the direct protection of a Lernaean Hydra. You are now connected to the Infernal Planes through your new Patron. Maya is yours to command as long as your patron deems you fit to wield this infernal power.
Delta Familiar Contract
You are bonded with a delta class familiar. You gain +100 to magic regeneration. Your bond has grown, allowing you to convey emotions though your bond. Your bond is resilient against outside influences and can not be forcibly severed by outside parties. Your familiar’s life expectancy is extended by five years.
Mystic Wind Hands
Magic cost: 3
Speak the words of power and call forth the mystic hands created from the wind. These hands can interact with the world and act out the caster’s will. (II) Infernal Hands, Maya cost: 1, Infuse mystic wind hands with the breath of the Infernal Planes. These hands will burn any that oppose you.
Mana Manipulation
Magic cost: Variable
Manipulate the pure mana inside and around your body. Allows you to circulate your mana and use mana dependent tools.
Mana Muscle Saturation
Magic cost: 1
Push mana into your muscles and bones to temporarily increase your physical attributes.
Page 2 of 2
“Pact of the Lernaean Hydra,” Tanisha said in a whisper when she read the change. “Bjorn is my patron now? Well, either him or his mom, I guess.”
Unassigned Cultivation Points Distribution
You have leveled up 1 time(s) before assigning your UCP.
You have 10 UCP
Please assign all UCP within 7 day(s) or UCP will be automatically assigned.
Assign [yes/no]
Tanisha dismissed the window because she didn’t want to think about where to place the points just yet. Between the exercise, the emotional rollercoaster and the maya, she was totally spent. Her eyes felt heavy, and she fainted.