Syn

This one has known pain before. This one was one of many trapped under a large stone that fell during an earth shivering, thankfully I was considered useful still...unlike others of this ones hive. It was then that this one started to feel things, emotions. It was then that I started to be an individual... This one hasn’t felt pain like it since, but this one is feeling pain now. Still not like the stone but its more deep... its more but less?

I am so very confused... I? This one has never referred to this one as “I”. The only one in my hive that does so is the queen. This one’s head hurts, but this one’s mind feel empty, alone. Did the contract from “Leon” separate me from the hive-mind? Why would it do so? Could it even do so or was it “Leon” that did it? This one is so very confused. And hungry as well.

“Leon” is starting to awaken so I can ask him then. But where did that object  on his chest come from? Its rectangular and brown with several strange markings on a stone-like plate.

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Ok mental check, all my limbs are here and I can move them, and that's about it actually. I can feel the changeling’s contract so thats good. Oh hey, I got a name for what my new friend is, so that's good. But that seems to be about it, that’s not so good. Usually I get about every thing I need to know in order to fulfill my side of the contract, especially  for contracts that call for providing care to the other. I mean I should have thought this through a little more, but hey its understandable with how freaked I was.

Opening my eyes and sitting up I felt something hard hit my leg and slide off. It was a book. How or why was there a book here? And why exactly do I feel it connected to the contract? Wait...don’t tell me that THAT is where the rest of the information I was supposed to get went to. A quick peek and yup it is... lovely. I hate reading.

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Leon and the still unnamed changeling stood up and shook themselves free of the loose dirt and crystal fragments that clung to them from their trip to unconsciousness before looking at each other. Leon spoke softly as he checked around him. “So...changeling...can you show the way out of here? And where the rest of my clothes are? Preferably the clothes first.”

“Though this one is no longer connected to the hive-mind I do remember most of the way. “Leon”s armor is located outside this dungeon’s door on the ground. This one must ask though, why is this one no longer connected to my hive’s hive-mind? And what is that object?”

Leon gave a quiet sigh of joy as he looked outside the door and there as the changeling said was his armor. That is if he could even call it armor. The ”armor” consisted of a pair of black bulky shoes, a pair of black pants that was modified to have angular armor at the knees and a black long sleeve shirt with a pair of angular shoulder pauldrons, a small chest plate that rested just above his abdomen and came up to an inch or so below his collar bone and stretched out to rest an inch from the inside of his shoulder joints. as well as a strange little piece that rested at the base of his neck seeming only for appearance. All of it was done in a matte black with grey and red highlights. Quickly Leon got dressed in his armor and nodded to the changeling that he was ready.

“Well first this is called a book-" he held up said book "- and second I've never made a contract with a being that has a hive-mind, I never really had a chance to actually, so all my knowledge on the subject is only second hand. From what I’ve heard and what you’ve said though, I can hopefully guess what happened. Generally when a contractor makes a contract with a with a hive the contract views the entire hive as a single entity, as one soul. So making one contract connects them all.”

Looking around the violet crystal cavern they were in Leon motioned for a small rest as he continued where he left off. “There were a few cases like ours from what I heard back home but those were due to the contract being made with a member of the royal line of the hive, like a future queen or a possible queen.I don’t know if that really applies here though right?”

“Indeed I am not of this one’s queen’s personal brood. I was a worker drone, the lowest of the drones... Could it perhaps be due to my being able to hide this one’s thoughts and feelings from the hive-mind? Would that cause “Leon” to see this one as a separate entity? Why does “”Leon” speak of the contract like it is a living thing?”

Leon paused with the changeling outside one of the numerous tunnels giving what it said some thought. “...Its not that the contract is living,  but it is aware. I mean it is formed from two souls after all. Not really true sentience but it can think somewhat in order to determine the best way to help those in the the contract. Its because of that the contract can grow stronger. And what you said isn’t impossible I guess but the contract wouldn’t have cut your connect it would have formed only for you...unless...unless it saw the hive-mind as a threat to one or both of us. If it did then that would explain the pain that I felt, it forced more of my Syn than I was giving it to go through it into you so it could safely separate you from the hive-mind. But that still doesn’t explain why we blacked out though. Wait... did you have that on your head before?”

There, in front of the changeling’s horn, was a something that wasn’t there before the contract formed. It was a small growth that even as Leon looked at it grew. Taking a closer look at the changeling, which startled the changeling, he could see other changes on it. The blue of its exoskeleton seemed to shift ever so slightly to a more vibrant color. It’s wings grew larger and it looked like the changeling was starting to grow hair along its head and neck as well.

“I think that you’re changing into a queen... You know I’ve been meaning to ask but do you have a name? Calling you changeling all the time is gonna get old real quick.”

The changeling tilted its head to the side causing the still growing mane to sway slightly as it closed its eyes. “This one does not have a name for if I spoke of it on accident then this one would have been eliminated. And it is impossible for this one to change into a queen. I am only a drone... A drone that is no longer apart of a hive. Even if this one could become a queen it would have only been possible by mixing the ichor of my queen and my own. As I am not apart of this one’s old hive then I can never become a queen. I can never form a hive...”

The pure emotion in the changeling’s voice, so full of sorrow, tore at Leon’s heart. He could only stare at the changeling as it looked down still unaware of the changes happening to it. As he looked away unable to take the site of the depressing changeling any longer he saw a glint farther along the tunnel they were in. True there were glints all around them from the crystals but this one bright, brighter than all of the reflections from the crystals. And just like that he was struck by an idea. If the changeling could see what was happening to it them maybe it would believe Leon. But just where would he get something that could give a nice clear reflection of it.  And with that he hit his forehead. Its was a long shot but he might still be able to access his D.D.I. or Dimensionally Displaced Inventory. It was expensive and it hurt but if he could get to it...

Leon reached over his shoulder to get at the strange armor piece that was at the base of his neck before pulling it off revealing the underneath held nothing but a small series of strange markings was somehow holding it onto the shirt. Placing the piece of armor in front of him, Leon took a breath and exhaled before the armor piece was covered in a dark rolling shadow. Leon stared at the shadow covered piece as slowly the shadow covering it seemed to be absorbed into it.

When that last bit of shadow was absorbed Leon slowly moved the armor piece in a small circle almost the same size as his upper body. In its wake there was a small line of shadow hanging in the air following the exact path of Leon’s armor piece. The changeling watched wide-eyed as steadily the circle was completed and Leon, moving the armor piece in the same slow and steady motion pulled the piece from where it connected the shadow circle together to the middle of it still leaving a line of shadow. When he did reach the middle he stopped and watched with baited breath as the the outer line of shadow seemed to quiver and start to fill the circle, slowly at first but quickly gain speed before the entire circle was filled.

Completely filled, the circle looked like a shadowy portal. Leon pulled the armor piece away from the portal and it almost looked like it was pulled along before it was too much and snapped off from the piece. Leon took a loud gulp as he put the armor back on the base of his neck somehow defying gravity to stay there. The changeling watched as he reached towards the portal with his hand and hesitate just centimeters from touching it. Leon seemed to waiver slightly, his hand shaking slightly before it steadied and he shoved his hand into the portal, eyes closed tightly.

Nothing happened. Or at least nothing visible happened. Leon, when he reached his hand through felt an ice cold shiver work its way from the hand that was in the portal up his arm across his shoulder and down his spine. When this actually registered to Leon he yelped from the sudden ice cold feeling.

The changeling, wide-eyed and unconsciously leaning forward, yelled out in fright before falling back hitting an oddly stacked pile of crystals. This knocked them over falling down a hill the knocked others loose. This continued  as more and more loose or fragile crystals were hit and fell each one becoming bigger and bigger as it happened. What started as a small pile the size of golf balls quickly grew to the size of boulders causing a large amount of loud sound. This all ended in a resounding crash and bang at the bottom that echoed through out the caverns and tunnels.

Leon and the changeling looked at each other, both wide-eyed, before Leon summed up both their thoughts.

“Oops...”