Underworld - Book 2 - Chapter 29

Author's Note: 

So, this chapter wasn't planned, but like the Marvel movies, I like little hints about was is going to happen in the next installment. This is my version of that.

Chapter 29

Later that night, I found myself restless and sleep would not come. There was no doubt that I was still wound up from almost dying numerous times the last couple days. I had possibly healed myself too recently to be exhausted enough as well, but that was not all. There was another thing that kept nagging at me in the back of my mind. I was trying to put the others first, but this was an itch that just would go away. Finally, I had given up.

Mel was at watch when I entered the Master’s Chamber. He didn’t seem surprised to see me. At the mention that there was something I had to test and that I was heading to the rooms of the Outer Perimeter, he confirmed there weren’t any creatures in the Dungeon, so I shouldn’t be interruptions. I nodded my thanks.

I made my way through the Inner Perimeter and into the Bridge. Exiting into the Outer Perimeter, I kept going for a number of rooms until I was a good distance away, so hopefully no one would feel what I was about to do.

I brought up my Shapeshifting menu and found the form that just wouldn’t leave my mind, Primordial Cat. It took an extreme amount of mana and would drain me in approximately 10 seconds. Still, if I could find a way to level up this form to a more manageable mana cost, it might be the kind of thing that could give us a chance against Mistress Nava’s Captain. Maybe even Mistress Nava herself.

With full mana, and without any immediate danger, now was the perfect time to test it. If things didn’t get too out of hand, I could cast it, let it drain my mana, meditate, then do it all over again.

Closing my eyes, I took deep breaths as I tried to calm my nerves. Not exactly sure where to direct my mana, I gave up trying to anticipate how the spell would work and cast Shapeshifting, Primordial Cat Form.

I felt the mana inside me start to push against the shell of my skin. Then power inside me began to churn faster and faster until I started to heat up. It didn’t burn, but I could feel the temperature of my skin skyrocketing.

Looking down at my empty hands, the pink of my skin hardened into a crust like substance until it was black as coal. I clenched them into fists and felt strength welling up inside me. Then, I started to grow.