Changeling

  Human (Basic)

  Dwarf (Mountain)

  Elf (High) (Wood)

  Half-Elf (Wood)

  Beastkin (Ferret); (Quokka); (Goat); (Otter); (Piscivorous Viper)

  Elementalkin Tera

  I picked one, my newest form, and triggered the skill with a thought.

  Pain washed over me, but it was nothing like the first few transformations. My skin rippled, the tan human skin becoming harder, like stone, with swirling lines of black and grey.

  My clothing strained against the increased bulk. I felt my body absorbing magic from my mana pool, which it converted into additional mass.

  My mana point, already depleted from creating the new song, dropped by another six points. I grew taller, thicker. I felt stronger, tougher, but also slower, both in body and mind.

  Katarina and Abernathy gasped.

  “Does it hurt?” Abernathy asked.

  “It does, but not as much as it used to.” My gravely voice surprised me.

  “That is crazy,” Katarina breathed. “How many races do you know?”

  I did a quick count. “Eleven, twelve counting changeling.”

  Katarina whistled.

  I shifted form again, this time taking the same race as Abernathy, a Quokka Beastkin. The excess mass dissipated as I shrank, returning to my mana pool, but I was only refunded four mana points back. It seemed some mana was lost in the transformation, maybe dispersed in the air or something. I wasn’t sure.

  “G’day mate!”

  “Oh fuck off with that!” Abernathy’s serious tone broke with laughter. Katarina and I joined in the laughter.

  “So it takes you a few seconds to transform,” Abernathy continued, “does it take the same amount each time?”

  I transformed from the Quokka form to a Wood Elf.

  “I can change faster now than I could at first. I think leveling the skill increases the speed and lessens the pain of the transformation.”

  “Wait you can level it up like a skill?” Abernathy asked.

  “You should be practicing it more!” Katarina exclaimed.

  “I’m just afraid to practice it anywhere an NPC might see. Changelings are hunted. A human NPC tried to kill me when I spawned in the game.”

  “Ah yeah, I remember you telling us about that,” Abernathy fidgeted, still turning the small cog over in his hands as he spoke. “I wonder why that is? Why are changelings so hunted?”

  “Likely the same reason the Kitsiho were hunted to near extinction. Fear of the unknown. How can you trust something that can change its appearance on a whim?” Encore supplied.

  “Speaking of appearance,” Katarina tapped her lip as she spoke, “are you able to change your face? You've shifted forms a few times now, but you always generally look like.. you? Like an elven version of you, or stone person, whatever they are called—”

  “Elementalkin Tera,” I cut in.

  “Yeah yeah, whatever, beside the point.”

  “I don’t think I can. I don’t really have the option to specify beyond choosing the race and enacting the skill. Let me try focusing on that when I transform. It’s pretty intuitive.”

  I transformed into the high elf form, picturing Kleyn’s smug face as I did and willing myself to look like him.

  Error. Insufficient skill to adapt transformation. Reverting to base structure for race selected.

  “I guess not,” Katarina was trying not to laugh at my facial expression, “you still look like yourself just… snootier.”

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Snootier?” I asked, laughing, “is that even a word?”

  “Yeah, you know, like high and mighty or what have you.”

  I laughed again. “Yeah, I know what you mean. I got a notification when I tried, so it does seem possible, I just need a higher skill to do it.”

  “Wow, that explains why everyone wants you dead,” Abernathy said. “Can you imagine a whole race of people that can look like whoever they want? Mystique from the X-Men, but a whole people? That’s terrifying.”

  “Yeah, I guess so,” I replied.

  Abernathy shook his hands. “That came out wrong, I’m not condoning what happened to changelings! Or how they are treated! It just… makes more sense now.”

  “It’s alright, I know what you meant. And it does seem really strong. I even get stat bonuses depending on which race I am.”

  I looked down at Encore. “I heard that kitsiho are also shapeshifters, is that right?”

  “Yes, though it is different than what you are doing.” He stood and concentrated. His nine tails merged together into one. His wings sank and were absorbed into his body, which got slightly larger.

  “I am also able to transform my vocal chords, it is how I can copy some aspects of your song.” He modulated his voice up and down a few octaves while he spoke.

  “That could be really handy. How well can you mimic sounds?” I asked.

  “How well can you mimic sounds?” he repeated. It sounded off to me, but Abernathy and Katarina laughed.

  “That was spot on!” Abernathy said.

  “Oh my god, do it again! Please!” Katarina choked between bursts of laughter.

  “Oh my god, do it again! Please!” Encore repeated, in Katarina’s voice. She laughed harder and I joined in.

  “Can you also copy instruments?” I asked after a few laughs, pulling my lute up.

  I performed Radiant Winds. I felt something, a connection with Encore, through the song. He stretched forward and two narrow slits appeared on his back — where his wings would sprout normally.

  The slits opened up like a pair of subwoofers covered in fine, white fur, and a deep bass resonated from within the kitsiho.

  Bwah-wah-wah-wah

  The bass amplified Radiant Winds, which I completed at 79% despite the very distracting fox. More than a dozen orbs appeared.

  The orbs were also larger than any I had created in the past. I sent them in spiral patterns for a second before absorbing the song into my lute’s storage.

  New Companion Skill!

  Harmonic Concordance

  Allows companion to sync with bardic performance, providing a boost to song strength. Changes based on song performed. Increases in strength as Companion Bond increases. This is a ritual and requires successful performance of bardic song to apply, no mana required.

  “No fucking way,” Katarina shouted, jumping up and down in excitement. “NO FUCKING WAY! ARE YOU A RAVE FOX?!”

  “I don’t know what that means.” Encore replied.

  “Can you do that again? Please oh please?” Katarina begged.

  “I need to enchant another object with Kinetic Overload, want to see if you can boost that song as well?” I asked.

  “Forget what I said about changelings,” Abernathy intoned, “an empowered Kinetic Overload is terrifying. Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  I shrugged. “I mean, if you’re going to blow something up, might as well make it a big boom.”

  Abernathy visibly shivered in response.

  Katarina spoke up, her eyes hungry. “Actually, I wanted to ask. I’ve been wanting to ask. Can you enchant people with that song?”

  “I... I don’t think so,” I responded, “I think it has to be an item but… who would be crazy enough to want to make a part of their body explode?”

  Katarina smiled, a dangerous smile.

  “Are you trying to lose another leg?” Abernathy asked, voice thick with consternation.

  “No, but I’ve been thinking about the song… a lot… why would the game give you four charges if you are just meant to enchant something, throw it, and blow the whole load every time? It seems like.. I dunno, a waste?”

  Abernathy and I exchanged surprised glances.

  “That, that’s actually a good point,” I said. “I’ve never used just one charge of the ability. But Abernathy also has a good point. Is it worth possibly losing a limb over?”

  Katarina’s smile didn’t falter. “Abe can just build me another leg, right?” She laughed at the looks of shock on both of our faces. “I’m kidding! I don’t really think it’ll blow me up. But I want to try. Please?”

  “I don’t think… well, not here, not now. Let’s sleep on it. If you still want to try it out in the morning, then we can.” I was suddenly exhausted. The prospect of potentially exploding Katarina’s other leg — or worse— drained all the excitement.

  “Can you play the Requiem one more time before we sleep, please?” Abernathy asked.

  I looked down at Encore. “Think you can add more than that knock this time?”

  “I’m willing to try,” Encore replied, extending into the stretch and forming the subwoofers from his back as I began the song.

  Encore added a subtle, deep, vibrating undertone to the music that rose, lowered, and shifted to match the melody, as well as the knock from before. The knock changed, distorted by the subwoofers on his back into a pulsing beat. Our music resonated, building upon and supporting each other. I poured my remaining mana points into the performance.

  The emotions the song stirred within me surged, shaking me to my core and nearly causing me to falter in the performance. I pushed through.

  By the end, all three of us were ugly crying, waterworks on full blast. It wasn’t sadness, though; it was an appreciation of life, companionship, what we had, and what we lost.

  There were so many overlapping emotions that it was difficult to categorize them. We fell asleep shortly after the performance, exhausted. Sleep came quickly, a deep, restorative sleep.

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