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Several days had passed since Nigel had traveled to the offices of SanCroix, and though his death appeared briefly on the news it was quickly passed over as they merely said that the investigation was ongoing. The first few nights after the incident the hybrid was hyper aware of his surroundings, jumping at every sound and looking wearily around even when he was in bed. It appeared their tracks were well-covered however and it allowed him to keep working on the forged bracelets that he was attempting to work on in the club. When he had a look at the collar that the latex prisoners were wearing he was able to sense the magic at work, and with that basis he could replicate the power with his skills as an artificer.

But man, why did it have to be latex... Nigel thought as he tried to keep his mind focused, only to go back to those three. Even though they had been found in essentially a casket seeing them wiggling like that, simulated by the shiny material that hugged every contour of their body, it made him shiver a little. What made it worse was that Natalya said their next move was to infiltrate the club itself and that meant that soon he was going to be confronted by his secret desire in order to stop whatever was going on. As he sat in his shop he could feel his anxiety starting to build as he sat in his workshop, using his artificer tools to put the finishing touch on the counterfeit bracelet for the club.

Suddenly he heard the back door open and he felt his nerves jump as he attempted to cover up his work. "Alisha, I told you that I can't be-" when the hybrid looked up he saw that it wasn't the lizardfolk at the door, instead Simon gave him a small smile as he walked it. "Oh, Simon, sorry... I have to expect I wasn't thinking you would be showing up at my shop anytime soon."

"Natalya wanted me to come over because I didn't have any experience with latex stuff," the cheetah replied. "She said that you would be the one to talk to about it and maybe get some gear because she might have an in for us to get into The Gates."

Nigel found himself a bit flustered as he realized that Natalya basically just gave him up to Simon that he was into it... at this point he may as well hang up a banner, he thought to himself as he nodded and closed up the shop before leading the cheetah upstairs to his room. He felt strange leading someone up to get dressed up in latex, something he definitely didn't think he would be doing anytime in the near future. But with what they seen together it wasn't that he didn't trust him, considering everything that they had gone through it would be strange not to, but this was the first time that a job he has done had gone so close to home. Plus... he had kind of hoped that it was Natalya that had given him a visit before the end of this mission as he told the cheetah to have a seat on the bed.

Once he had closed the door behind him the hybrid opened the secret door in his closet and took out a few latex garments. He gave a couple to the cheetah and said that he could go to the bathroom in order to change, and when Simon asked why he explained that he had to make sure that they fit him. Even though they had a somewhat similar body type and latex was quite stretchy he wanted to make sure that they didn't have an issues. Since club was huge on being properly attired and especially after seeing those gimps in the office they knew that ill-fitting garments could possibly blow the entire mission. Though the feline seemed to understand Nigel could see that Simon was nervous, though he chalked it up to getting ready to walk right into the lion's den.

As Nigel waited for the cheetah to get back he decided to get into a few pieces himself so that it wouldn't be too awkward... and because it was an excuse to get into the shiny material. He also needed to pick out his outfit too as he pulled out some longer pants and a long-sleeved latex shirt. Though it was more coverage then he had given to Simon he wondered if it was going to be enough. Some of the files that Natalya had already decrypted mentioned a place that he didn't see on the cameras during his first incursion, which meant there was a secret area that was completely off of the grid.

More than a few minutes passed and Nigel sat there on the bed in his rubber gear, trying not to get himself too stimulated. Last thing he needed was to sport a bulge while it was clear that Simon was having a bit of an issue with the clothing options that was being given to him. Even as he waited he wondered if he should go and check in on him to see if he was doing alright, only to have the bedroom door open. As the cheetah stepped timidly into the door frame Nigel tried to remain passive but what he saw caused his eyes to widen slightly.

"Oh... I didn't realize..." Nigel said as he looked over the masculine form of the feline only to see that there was something that definitely wasn't between his legs, the latex shorts he was wearing hugging around the smooth groin of the other furred one that highlighted his feminine folds. "You're an intersex male?"

"Thank you for calling it that," Simon replied with a slight sigh as he walked over towards the bed with Nigel watching the curves of his body now in a new light, especially with the shiny material clinging against his body. "I've definitely heard far less flattering things, but basically yeah. It was part of the reason that I've been anxious about going into this club, this is a part of me that I really don't prefer to show to others."

Nigel nodded slightly, finding himself between trying not to look and glancing up and down. "I think you look stunning actually," the dog-fox stated, causing the cheetah to look away bashfully. "Now... I don't want to be too invasive, but uh... I have to check and make sure that everything is adjusted correctly. It's going to involve touching, but I promise I won't go anywhere, you know..."

"I have no problems with that actually," Simon replied with a shrug. "I figure that we're probably going to get groped at the very least, so you touching me isn't going to be a big deal. I want to bring these bastards down for what they did those three in the tower, as well as the one they killed, and all their other vict- ah!"

Nigel suddenly pulled back as the cheetah jumped slightly when his hands went to his hips in order to smooth out a few wrinkles on the outside. "Sorry about that," the hybrid said sheepishly. "One of the nice things about latex is that it can be very... stimulating in certain areas?"

"Oh, is that so?" Simon replied as his look of surprised turned into a smirk. "So I suppose something like this would definitely increase your sensitivity." Before Nigel could even ask what the cheetah was talking about he felt his hand slip over his inner thigh, causing him to shudder in the bed from the feel of his latex-covered body being rubbed. "I see your point, definitely got a reaction out of that."

"Of course you would," Nigel replied, panting slightly as he took his own hand and slid it up the cheetah's chest, causing him to let out a small moan. "I told you that this stuff definitely increases the-" Nigel didn't have the chance to say anything else as he suddenly found the cheetah's lips pressed against his own, the two furred ones turning their playful groping into something more as both creatures closed their eyes while the kiss continued. Nigel suddenly found himself leaning forward, their latex-covered bodies sliding against one another as they continued to make out.

While Simon's suit was made for a male in mind when it came to the zipper on his groin Nigel was thinking of ways they could make it work for the intersex cheetah, though just as they started really getting into one another the pocket of Simon's pants began to ring that caused him to stop. "That's her ringtone," the cheetah said breathlessly. "Natalya told me to pick up whenever she called in case it was urgent."

Nigel couldn't help but sigh as he nodded, getting off of Simon but letting their bodies caress against one another one last time. He could help but continue to stare at his latex-clad rear as he bent over, spreading his legs somewhat intentionally, before pulling out the phone and answering it. As he started talking the lustful look on the cheetah's face suddenly turned to a mixture of anxiety of fear as he held up a finger to Nigel and went over to the other side of the room to talk. Though the feline wasn't making any attempt to obfuscate his conversation it was hard to hear what Simon was saying with only listening in on his side of the call.

It only lasted a few minutes but when it was over the entire demeanor changed of the feline as he told Nigel that the elven detective had managed to get them into The Gates of Emessu, but that the offer only was valid for today. Though he would have wanted to continue with Simon the hybrid knew that this was more important then what might have been about to happen... though he couldn't help continuing to fantasize about it a little bit as they went down to his workshop to get the counterfeit bracelets off the table. Once they were completely equipped they went out of Nigel's shop where they saw Natalya's car waiting for them to enter.

Once they were inside the vehicle and it had started to speed off Natalya went over the plan with the other two on what they were going to do. Natalya was going to get the two further down into the club where the potential black box security might be, and once they were inside they would see what they could find out about something that was happening tonight. Though her data techs were still sifting through a lot of information that they had downloaded there were several files mentioning something called Kalash'torim, referencing some ancient creature that was long ago worshiped by several cults. It wasn't unsurprising to hear that some mages or rich people have attempted to expand their reach with some sort of daemonic pact, but what made this someone disturbing was the reach that this cult had and how fervent they appeared to be.

"Once we're inside we're going to be on our own," Natalya stated. "The problem their little dress code is that you can't sneak anything in... however I may have found a solution to that problem to smuggle in some equipment. In casing the place we found an air vent for some sort of subterranean structure, it's big enough we should be able to get you the equipment you need to help take these people down. Of course it all depends on our how well our dog-fox did his job."

"The bracelets are going to reflect the active magic that we found in the collar," Nigel explained as he held up the one for him. "Now it's going to pass any passive inspection but if someone, particularly someone of a magical nature, does an arcane inspection on it we're going to be in trouble. I don't think that should be a problem though as long as we don't arouse any suspicion. Did the people smuggling in our stuff add in the extra item that I wanted?"

"Of course," Natalya said with a light laugh. "I wouldn't dream of leaving you in the lurch. Hopefully you don't need to use them though..."

The three continued to strategize for the duration of the car ride to the club, eventually pulling right up to the front of the door with the bouncer outside. The three of them looked at one another and gave a nod of encouragement before Nate left the car, followed by Simon. It felt strange to the dog-fox being out in the open wearing his latex gear, something he swore he would never do. His fingers fiddled with the bracelet on his wrist as the two of them went up to the bouncer and then turned back, waiting for their third to arrive.

For the first time since they had met Nigel saw Natalya exposed, her latex dress fitting over her feminine form as she took her rain coat and left it inside the car. Unlike the traditional black that Nigel and Simon had on her elven form was clad in a shimmering green latex with white vines around it, curling around and accentuating all aspects of her body as the walked up towards the bouncer. Nigel made a mental note to ask where she got such stylized latex as she presented the orc with something, the cybernetically enhanced creature looking over it before nodding to her. He stepped aside and, after giving them all a scan with his mechanical eye, opened the door to allow them entry.

The club itself was nothing terribly special; everyone being in some form of latex was the only real standout from a typical dance club or something of that nature. It was clearly not something that the elite of this world would bother venturing down to the world beneath their towers to visit, which meant that it was definitely a front for drawing people in. As they began to go in to mingle while scouting the place Nigel felt a tingle in his bracelet as whatever wards in the room were reacting to it. He couldn't help but be nervous as he knew the consequences if these items failed, his mind thinking back to the picture of the dead club goer as they went and got drinks.

As they continued to move about Nigel was hard pressed to find anything that he could really do in order to entertain himself. One of the rules was that there could be no magical or electronic devices could be allowed into the club, which meant other than the music that was playing there was nothing for him to occupy himself with. All he could do was sit there with his own thoughts, which seemed to turn towards who this Kalash'torim could possibly be... probably subjugate the metahuman race like most ancient horrors. He could almost imagine having to serve some eldritch horror, standing there in his latex suit as he waited to serve, thinking of the pleasure he would get from doing so...

Suddenly Nigel realized what he was thinking and shook his head, wondering where that could have possibly come from. He didn't even know what this thing looked like and knew that from what Natalya said that most of those who worshipped him were considered very evil, yet he could still get a mental image of being on his knees in latex... and once again the hybrid found himself doing it again as he went over to the bar to get a drink. As he reached over to pay with his card his eyes landed on the bracelet and something clicked into place in his mind. The bracelets and other jewelry, the collars, the full latex gear... it was all to breed subservience into the club goers, which meant that whomever was behind this definitely had some nefarious intentions in mind as Nigel attempted to steady his mind against the psychic buzz being created.

After about an hour or so the three reconvened after having split up, sharing their information on the club itself. They had seen the door that likely held the black box security footage inside of it, as well as an office area that probably belonged to the higher-ups. When Nigel stated that it would probably be locked Natalya looked around for a second before pulling out a lockpick from her hair, letting the strands fall down around her shoulders before handing it to him. The fox-dog hybrid took the thin piece of metal and carefully hid it up his sleeve while not trying to rip the latex before they separated once more.

The plan at this point was simple; while Natalya made her way over and distracted the guards that were at the security station he and Simon would go to the office area and try to get in there. As the two took another set of drinks and began to causally make their way to the locked door they suddenly jumped, along with several others, as they heard the elf shouting at one of the guards demanding to be let into the VIP room. "She can certainly make one hell of a scene," Simon whispered to Nigel as they increased their pace towards the door now that all eyes were on her. "Let's hurry before they decide to tase her or something."

"That would certainly be interesting to see," Nigel whispered back, the two stifling a chuckle as they went to the door. Even with all eyes on the scene that was unfolding as the guard attempted to tell the hysterical elf that she was at the wrong door they were careful to cover themselves as the hybrid picked the lock. It was surprising that they just had a normal lock to guard the place he reasoned that it was probably just to keep up appearances, though he hoped that it wasn't because there was nothing back there. If what Natalya said was true something was going down tonight... and if they didn't stop it then they might find themselves caught up in whatever evil scheme was coming to fruition.

The door opened with a click and the two quickly darted inside and closed it behind them, then took a look around. Though they had gone in blind it appeared their risk was worth it as the room was devoid of other people, the two moving past the plush carpet to the desk where a laptop sat. Without his own computer module Nigel was going to have to hack it old school, cracking his fingers before booting up the device. As soon as it booted up he found himself staring at the desktop screen, which made things a lot easier for him as he began to look for anything that could represent a black box network.

"How long until you're in?" Simon asked as he continued to stand at the door to listen in case anyone approached.

"Already there," Nigel replied as he typed in various search commands. "Whoever's office this is must think that no one would be crazy enough to break in here while the club is open. Just give me a few minutes and I think that I'll find what I need."

As the fox-dog clicked into the network he could feel the stare of the cheetah on him and when he looked up to confirm it he asked what was wrong. "Doesn't this feel... I don't know," the cheetah said as he moved over towards the desk. "A little too easy? Especially on the night they're summoning this abomination they would let someone just walk in and find the evidence to their scheme?"

"It wasn't exactly easy getting past those guards and picking our way into here," Nigel replied. "But if you think we should go maybe we just take this whole thing with us, though without a network connection to the black box area we'd be stealing it just to play-... wait a second, I found something." Both feline and hybrid looked down at the screen as it appeared to patch into a feed of a camera in a room that neither had seen before. "Whoa... look at that..."

In the image the two saw what appeared to be an orc dressed head to toe in a latex outfit just like the ones that were in the high-rise office, although with the collar he also had some sort of coin or pendant on his head, along with an elf, a human, and two darkbloods that were surrounding it. Though Nigel had no idea who they were Simon covered his mouth in surprise, then stated that he knew at least two of them as leading executives in major corporations. This had to be the feed that they wanted, Nigel thought to himself as they saw them saying something, but what confused them was exactly what they were looking at. There was no sound on the footage but Simon quickly told him to move and stated he could read lips as he settled into the chair.

"They're talking about how the time is close at hand," Simon summarized as he watched the two talking. "Soon all will bow down to them, so on so forth, how Kalash'torim is going to take the entire city of Apocrypha and they'll be the most powerful people with his blessings. All your typical stuff... oh wait, they've switched to some other language or something, I can't understand what they are saying or they're speaking gibberish."

As Nigel continued to glance back at the door the cheetah suddenly gasped, bringing his attention back towards the screen as he saw the four had formed into a circle around the orc on the stone dais that he was lying on. The rubber covered creature suddenly stopped as he could see magic starting to fill the air, the camera feed growing fuzzy as something began happening to the creature. At first he thought that they were hurting him, but as they continued to stare they saw that it looked like the orc was... mutating... it started with his hands fingers twitching and spasming before they started to stretch like he was actually made of rubber as they became more tentacle-like in nature. At the same time the head that had been made featureless by the rubber had suddenly started to bulge and swell, forming into a monstrous muzzle as the shiny material sucked into the growing maw.

Both Nigel and Simon could only watch in horror as the creature continued to transform, growing bigger as it absorbed the energies being summoned by the four casters from their unholy patron. Just as it was looking truly monstrous the four stopped and the creature began to revert like someone letting out the air from an inflatable. Simon began to see them discuss something else but before they could they suddenly heard someone attempting to unlock the door, causing the cheetah to quickly close the laptop. The two looked around for some place to hide but the sparse nature of the room meant that the only place they could go was behind the desk, which was too small for the two of them as the door opened and a male elf walked inside.

For a second the three froze as they made eye contact with one another, Nigel feeling his heart pounding in his chest as the elf's face suddenly turned up in a smile. "Oh, you must be here for the private pass?" he said as he looked at the small phone in his hand. "I thought that we had gotten everyone who was interested in coming down. Who let you in?"

"Oh, that would be the... security guys over next to this place," Simon said. "We told them about the private pass but some elf lady suddenly started screaming so they just told us to go in and we found the door unlocked."

"Hmmm, curious," the elf replied with a shrug. "We are on a bit of a time crunch but I suppose you came in just under the wire. Did you get provided your suits yet?"

Nigel felt his stomach turn as he realized exactly what the elf was talking about, essentially being put into the same situation as the orc that they had just saw. But... they had to somehow explain why they were in this office, and it might get them down into the lower levels so they didn't have to hack into security. Slowly the hybrid found himself saying that they hadn't gotten their suits yet, and when the cheetah looked up and saw him doing so he quickly jumped on board. The elf just shook his head and told them to take off their bracelets and that he would get them into suit once they got downstairs.

For once Nigel was more than happy to get a magical artifact off of his wrist as he put it down on the desk, setting it next to Simon's before they began to move towards the door. "Oh, we still need to get you one thing..." the elf said, moving over to the nearby bookshelf and pulling out two boxes that he gave to them. "You're going to need these if you want to get to the lower level."

Nigel looked at the cheetah before glancing down at his own jewelry box and opening it up, his eyes widening at what he saw. It was the same pendant that was on the head of the orc and as he stared down at it he could feel the eldritch energy that radiated from the metal. This... this was what had allowed them to change the orc, enchanted with energy from the very plane they were trying to summon. With this he could go to the mage investigation unit and-

Click.

The elf had been so quick Nigel didn't even realize that a collar had been put onto his neck until he felt the weight of it on his shoulders. When he turned to Simon he saw that a similar one had been put on his neck as well, his mouth open in a silent gasp as almost immediately they could feel something alien pushing its way into their minds. "Do you honestly think that Kalash'torim wasn't ready for you?" the elf said with a sneer as he dropped the act. "The second you two entered into the field of vision of those under his control he saw you... and he knew it would only be a matter of time before you came here. Don't worry, you two and the elf you came in with will see our plans soon enough for yourself as you become a part of them."

The elf let out a low chuckle as he told the two to follow, and though that was the last thing Nigel wanted to do he felt a surge of magic from the collar and his body began to move along with Simon. His vision began to get blurry as he found himself unable to focus on anything, the creature that had taken his will not allowing him too as the world faded in and out around him. The corruptive magic was doing what the club had been attempting, except the collars were providing a direct conduit into Kalash'torim's realm. As he tried to maintain some part of himself through the thickening mental fog he became vaguely aware of being dressed in something that completely encased him before being laid down.

No one was coming to help them, Nigel's mind raced as he struggled to keep above the presence attempting to suck him completely into the darkness. He was about to be turned into whatever horror they were witnessing them experimenting with, along with Simon and Natalya, and they would soon be in service to the god-king... no, Nigel thought, he was an artificer, all magical items had a weakness. As he felt himself get laid down he tried to think of what to do, even as something was placed on his forehead that caused the power of the entity to flow through him like a river and threaten to wash him away.

Collars, psychomancy, eldritch magic... the creature was still in its home plane, Nigel thought. The power was using his body as the conduit, which meant... there was another side to this. It was an old artificer trick, pushing through the power and coming out where the enchantment wasn't expecting. He hadn't done something like this in a long while, but he could also feel the power of Kalash'torim building and if he didn't finish by the time he was summoned he would be lost with everyone else.

The furred one took one last mental breath and then plunged himself into the magic, feeling his psyche being pushed to serve as visions of creatures unlike anything he could ever imagine pass through his mind's eyes. These were what they were going to turn them into... servants of the eldritch horror in compete servitude to their new master. Already the concept was rewarded with blissful sensations, but it immediately turned back to soul-crushing weight as he attempted to bypass all of that. But the enchantment hadn't been ready for him to completely give in, like most psychomancy it was ready to erode away in a mental struggle and that was what Nigel was using as he attempted to sling his psyche back to the material plane...

Nigel suddenly bolted up with a gasp and heard the sound of metal falling to the ground. When he put his hands to his face and neck he could feel that he had been completely covered in latex that smoothed his features... but the collar and the amulet had fallen off. He breathed a sigh of relief and attempted to try and find the seem to take off the suit, but like the others he found no zipper or seam. There did appear to be tiny holes in front of his eyes that allowed him to see, able to discern other entirely latex clad shapes around him. As he looked around him he was able to see the large room had at least three dozen others in it, though with the rubber covering them it was hard to discern who was who aside from species and gender.

One in particular was somewhat easy to find, the rare mix of furred one and intersex male allowing Nigel to find and release Simon from the bindings as well. At first he thought that it might be too late and he was comatose like the others, but as soon as the collar was taken off he sprung up. "Ah, damnit!" he shouted before Nigel pressed a hand against him and whispered it was him and where they were. "I guess that's one way to get down here... did you find Natalya?"

"There's at least six female elves down here," Nigel explained as he helped the other furred one off the stone slab. "And the ritual is about to start, if we don't stop it now then it's not going to matter because everyone is going to be turned into monsters. It's just you and me... let's go."

The two crept their way through the catacombs and found that this room was not the only one with others in latex suits; Simon speculated there must be hundreds down here, all likely taken during the time the club was open. Though the place was a maze they eventually found the air vent that Natalya talked about and banged on it several times in quick order, the two waiting nervously until a pouch suddenly slid down and hit the floor in front of them. With their tools in hand they made their way towards where the ritual chamber would probably be, carefully treading to make sure they weren't seen. It appeared that security here was almost non-existent, likely not thinking any of their victims would find a way out as they approached a rune-inscribed door that they opened with Nigel's artificer tools.

What they found on the other side was incredible; the entire cavern was massive and in the middle of it was a stone outcropping suspended in the darkness where over a dozen in cloaks stood on markings engraved into it. "Looks like a den of evil wizards to me," Simon stated as he took out the camera he had gotten in their care package and began to snap the faces of those down below.

"Nah, only two or three are actual arcanists," Nigel explained as he attempted to quickly decipher the magic they were using. "The rest are along for the ride. Looks like the ritual has already started... I can feel the energy coming out of that thing. Those six obelisks around it are all pointed out in order to radiate the magic coming from the portal they're creating in order to turn those they captured into monsters... permanently."

"How do we stop it?" Simon asked. "Can we even stop it?"

Nigel nodded and pointed to the stone obelisks that circled the outcropping, mainly at the bases as the runes on them began to glow. "They were smart about their construction," he stated as he looked at the platforms the pillars were on. "If Kalash'torim turned out to be something they couldn't handle they could just rotate the platforms and break the portal... it's a great failsafe, and one that we're going to use to stop them. There has to be some sort of control room..."

The two crept along the walls of the cave as they heard the chanting of those in the circle begin to resonate, the air growing heavy as the magic began to gather in their attuned area. Nigel knew that they were getting close to releasing the power of the creature, and if that happened then even if they break the portal those inside those catacombs would be monsters forever. It also appeared the effects wouldn't be limited to them as Simon suddenly stumbled, both of them looking down to see that his foot had begun to lengthen. That was not good, Nigel thought to himself as he began to feel his own muscles twitch and his body begin to expand, they were still connected enough that they would transform too if Kalash'torim was released.

Eventually they found a room set closer to where the summoners had likely come out of, the two crouching down and trying not to make a noise even as they felt their own skins begin to swell and shift unnaturally under the latex. When they looked inside they saw only one person inside, but likely a mage as well watching over the summoning. "Looks like I brought this for a reason after all," Nigel said, his words stumbling over his thickening tongue as he pulled out a cylinder and pushed both buttons on the ends of it. "I just hope it works..."

The mage inside the control room was watching the ritual intently, his hand hovering over the abort switch in case anything should go wrong. He was so focused he didn't hear the clink of something metal hit the ground, though what did cause him to turn his head was the device whirring to life. Just as he turned around to investigate the noise the air around him seemed to crystalize, everything going still for a moment as it looked like the entire room filled with gemstone before shattering. When the two looked inside after Nigel deemed it safe they saw that the mage was completely gone as they slipped inside.

"What happened to him?" Simon asked. "Did you disintegrate him?"

"Shunted him to another plane of existence," Nigel replied. "Part of a pet project I was working on, though obviously that's not the intended result I want. Still... with extra-planer entities showing up I figured it might be useful."

Simon nodded, but as he did so his hand went to his stomach and he suddenly pressed his shoulder against the side of the wall. "Oh... Nigel..." he started to say, though it was getting harder and harder to hear him as his rubber-clad muzzle began to push out. "I don't feel... so... rigghhhrrrr..."

Nigel could feel it himself, the alien presence rooting in his mind and several tentacle-like appendages began to push their way out of his back while Simon's fingers lengthened. The ritual was almost complete, he thought to himself, and master... and Kalash'torim was about to breach into their plane. As he went over to the control panel he had to practically drag himself as his legs seemed to lose their structure. Eventually he managed to pull himself up... but as he hovered over the button he found himself pausing. An idea had formed in his mind, potentially corrupted by the entity changing him but as he looked over at the other controls his expanding muzzle broke into a smile...

Meanwhile on the platform those performing the ritual suddenly stopped dead in their tracks as they heard a screeching noise, followed by the sound of metal shifting as they looked to see the magically charged obelisks rotating. "What is that fool doing?" one of them shouted. "Everything was working perfectly, why is he aborting? We'll never get them properly aligned again in time!"

"Uh... sir..." a half-elf said as the others watched the giant stones continue to move even past the abort point, the runes that had been directing the magic inwards suddenly coming to face them. "They're not stopping..."

The others watched in horror and confusion as all the magical energy they had focused into them was now cascading back into their own forms, the power of Kalash'torim flowing through them as their bodies began to mutate. The sound of robes tearing and people shouting filled the air as they transformed, pushing past the limits even of those that they were about to change themselves into their slaves. As they did two figures looked on from the room where they had shifted the pillars inward, the two furred ones finally able to pull the rubber hoods off of one another's bodies after their forms had settled back to normal.

"I can't think of a more fitting punishment for them," Nigel said as the magic in the air finally dissipated, the creatures that had been standing on the platform a mutated mass of writhing merged flesh.

"Is it permanent?" Simon asked.

"For their sakes, I hope so..." Nigel replied before motioning to the cheetah. "C'mon, the others should be waking up, let's find Natalya and get back to the world above. Hopefully she didn't turn into a monster too, not sure how I'm going to get paid if she did..."