Day 7 breaches, and I feel a Lurch in my chest.

Pain.

Not the dull ache that once was there, Imagine your heart but it spontaneously was three to four times bigger and was HARD.

I was awake before the sun had hit my face, screaming, tearing at my chest, I felt no appreciable pain from tearing at my ribcage.

To my horror My flesh... It sewed itself back together as I tore at it.

Staggering out of my hole, I screamed, as the thumping painful THING was in my chest.

Even tearing faster, I grab my hand axe, And slam it into my chest.

sharp cracking noises fill my ears, and soon a hollow and wet Pop, as the bones realign themselves against me.

I was quickly exhausted by my rabid attempts to tear out my own heart.

My head span, My breathing ragged, and apparently I was too close to the edge of the cliffside.

A almost unperceivable shifting as I fall down the cliff, catching myself last second...

For but a second.

thrashing, Hitting several things before the rebound puts me back together.

One thing burns more than my chest.

My lungs.

Time spirals out of focus as I get a breath, get submerged and continue to be washed down the river.

At one point I thought I had finally died, Only for the sensation to die as quickly as I thought I had.

At a certain point, I'm not sure, I decided that breathing was a pain.

When I awoke, I was already vomiting up 2-3 buckets of water.

My chest prevented the usual satisfaction of survival, mere agonising pain racked my chest.

Growing.

I stumbled into the forest, Racking my brains for anything that could help me with the pain, or perhaps a large enough rock to kill me.

Unfortunately, my death would be so nice.

I barely registered a creature on my periphery, when

Slap I was batted away, At this point I hoped I was dead.

But It seemed that fate had finally had it out for me.

I felt my ribs deform, and the hard thing in my chest writhe, and wriggle against my supernaturally durable bones, they were so dedicated to keeping it in that When I got back up, to the beast's surprise, I broke my own ribs, tearing them out.

The Thing came out with a thud and the dripping from my body, I sank, As if I just ripped out my own heart.

My body, was unresponsive, the Impossible healing from earlier sinking to a sedate pace, where I saw my chest cavity empty, aside from the pooling blood.

I thought it pretty, the sun reflected of the blood in a pearlescent display, the chromatic radiance, highlighting colour never seen before.

I will admit, the rest is pretty fuzzy, If I really think, I was hearing something like a fight happening in the background, as I saw my blood, the opalescent light-energy, stimulating the nearby patches of flesh.

When I awoke again, I was victim to a scene of brutality, and terror.

A tall, pale, clearly feminine creature of the humanoid bent, was elbow deep in my chest as a beast behind her had a prominent whole in its chest.

And I could DEFINITELY feel a stronger Pulse every few seconds.

The deep red eyes of this... Person, portrayed both elation and hunger... I think.

then she spoke "Ah flesh-bag, Your meat-prison was no match for me!"

She then put a finger on my... Collarbone? not sure couldn't feel it.

"Now YOU get to experience what it feels to be imprisoned in MEAT!" She screeched as she strode over to the large creature.

It was more accurate to call it a walking boulder.

Maybe hill.

Not the point.

She quickly took bones out of it and fashioned them into something vaguely resembling a human figure, but double.

She then took this.. Bone cage? and put it around me as I was unable to resist and with quick movements, snapped my limbs at bad angles.

Dull to pain after the Thing in my chest, I barely made a noise.

Perhaps seeing the dullness in my eyes, she quickly bites her thumb and kisses me.

Clarity filled my previously hazed mind as I restrained a cry of pain.

New agony flared up my broken limbs as I felt my body attempt to repair itself, under some compulsion to use the energy it had.

Unable to restrain myself after seconds I let out a mewling low cry as my face stung.

the creature chuckled.

"Yes, You shall suffer before becoming my toy." it said.

I could say nothing as I was hoisted by broken arms onto it's back, my mind slipping.

---- Day 8, not that Roland knew -----

I awoke, some kind of cave, Trying to recall how I got her, I was drawing blanks, Tried moving my limbs.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-" My cry of pain was interrupted by a sharp hand gouging out my throat.

My cry spluttered out into a choked gurgle as tears rolled from my eyes.

I remembered what happened, and really didn't want to know what the creature fate sent to torment me was.

"Shhhhh, Your energy quivers at your voice, Quiet, calm, the pain makes this easy." The creature said as a red mist formed around my body that she inhaled deeply, her pale complexion turning a lively peach.

"Ahhhh, Much better my little flesh bag."

"I must say, Trapping me inside yourself was your worst mistake ever!!" She said, slamming a heavy hand into my sternum, bones cracking as she did.

Unable to cry out due to lacking the vocal cords to do so, A whimpering moan escaped me.

Rubbing her fist, the creature turned to a magic circle drawn in my blood.

I didn't recognise most of the circle, but it's intent, I could never forget.

It was a fleshwarping spell.

As one might imagine if they were to think a little too hard, the Humanoid shape was completely unclothed.

Not that I was in a position to admire the feminine curves from my position of torture.

The only assumption was that it was going to warp me into clothing for itself.

Unable to do anything but cry, I attempted to rock back and fourth, In a vain attempt at anything.

"Oh fleshling, don't worry, you will be the finest garment for me, After I have a living dress to defend me and learn your pesky methods, we will accomplish many things together," Blackened nails grasped my shoulder which shuddered at the gentle touch.

My eyes seemed to ask for mercy as the fiendish creature continued to make the formation.

-At bala's academy -

"Well, to be fair this was kind of expected, Even those sacred flame fools got turned into mulch quickly." Said the taller earth mage.

"To be fair, he isn't going to be dead, and such a talented core will be a valuable member of staff, even if Roland is utterly insane, unable to communicate outside of energy formations and such," The female necromancer added.

"twas the fate of one who lost his way and never recovered." another mage said as he had a bowl of soup.

Only the headmaster seemed to have any empathy for the boy.

"Bala don't tell us you mean to spare the boy?" a trench coat wearing mage asked.

"It was my judgement that brought the boy into bala's- My academy." he said

"It feels distasteful even as a demon, to have such a life wasted because I never doubted my ability," He continued in a low tone.

The rest of his members laughed at bala, furthering his feelings of guilt.

"Bala, not only is this not your problem, you have already repaid Roland for everything, both family and education, You also know that interfering is utterly forbidden." The giant of a human said.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Yes, I merely didn't want to see such an innocent soul to be flayed so quickly, after all he did everything he could to learn after all." Bala reasoned.

This did give the mages present a pause.

Investigations into Roland's activities during his stay in bala's academy was performed.

And significant divination led to a conclusion, He didn't know how to manipulate his energy.

When he prepared rituals, it was the power in the regents that was amplified instead of used as a catalyst.

Honestly, they were unprepared for someone like Roland.

But his death was a foregone conclusion.

And bala couldn't do anything.

---- Roland's Perspective, Day 9 ----

the creature spoke to me frequently, Often citing its form born from my flesh as the reason.

"Hmm, little fleshling, Anything you wish to say before I wear you?" She asked sardonically

For the first time in three days Roland's throat wasn't torn out,

"Am I to still live, through becoming whatever horrific garb you transmute me into?" He asked.

She answered "Why Yes, you will live and breathe as a Living magical artefact, closely hugging the bodice that your primitive cravings yearns for." she finished.

Even Roland, in a position of agony couldn't restrain his overactive imagination, and the creature seemed rather amused by his reflex action.

Whatever the creature was, It wasn't human, Several orifices missing, no nipples.

Like a doll.

Still had a mouth.

That was rather obvious though.

so the day passed as the creature altered the circle, before moving Me into the circle, and asking.

"anything to say about the circle, fleshling? You may wish to divulge your knowledge if you don't want to irreparably warp." its feminine tone making my blood restless.

I looked at the circle, both checking for the intent and the actual symbols.

After taking in what he could see he spoke, "I can't see all of it from here, Aside from that, I would prefer if you didn't use symbols for rebirth, I would prefer symbols for change." I answered with little hope for change.

The creature seemed to focus onto the symbols as mentioned, Put me down, walked over, taking a skull filled with water and his blood, the colour was very wrong however, a deep black, as a portion of the blood was the creature's from what I could remember.

It dipped a pointer finger, with a black nail into it, and the fluid level dipped, Pointing down at the formation, a black stream of particles flowed from the finger as the circle was minorly altered.

Symbols of rebirth slowly warped into symbols of change, not of new lives, but of life continued in a different form.

The creature finished and wiped beaded sweat off it's forehead, skin returned to a pale hue.

It noticed as he did and grinned at him as he put up no resistance to the drain that manifested the crimson cloud and pale skin returned to lively hue.

"Ready fleshling? Oh and what should I call you, when you are mine?" It said with a sickening sweetness, like a social predator.

"Hmm, I imagine you care not the context of the name?" I asked and was answered with silence

"Thaos'vahti, Dress of one of the more prominent death gods." I said on a whim, not expecting to be answered

"Hmm, Acceptable, Ready Thaos?" the creature said.

I was despondent answering with what little was left of my will "Sure, but what do I call you?"

Again the creature sat in contemplations.

"What is a decorative word for Red?" it asked to my surprise

slotting back into my habits at Bala's I replied mechanically

"crimson, scarlet, Vermillion, Ruby, Carmine.. I think those are the usual ones." I finished realising my misstep But optimistic that I wouldn't be harmed.

"Then I shall be Scarlet Vahti!" the creature declared

I snorted, with a little pain, "what so are you to be called scarlet? also why add Vaht-" I was cut off.

"Enough pleasantries, it is time Thaos, Your form is to be set and ritual performed, You may wish to add your own efforts to the ritual, but that is up to you." She had said coldly.

The ritual began at the rise of the moon, First time I saw it in this world.

The arcane utterances from scarlet first caused my arms to flop as the bones melted, and hollow out.

Then my legs fused together, bones also melting, before my flaps belled out.

Then my head, at this my vision darkened until I saw every direction around me.

I was a macabre black dress at this point.

My bones had been moved to structural positions across the dress.

Surprisingly stylish, And the weirdest part.

I didn't feel a damn thing, well almost nothing.

I felt several, fleshy-things inside the dress, interlocking across the inner surface, and If I wasn't mistaken, suction cups.

I figured that this was the way I was to hold onto scarlet.

"fleshl-Thaos do you feel the potential of your new form?" Scarlet asked, pacing up to me on the floor.

I felt very little, until I thought, The energy within, My... body? thudded, Pulsed, Beat.

My body turned a vibrant crimson, that of blood, quite pretty, Until one noticed the many eyes all over me, My eyes.

Stationary and unblinking, but I felt a pulse, My heart, turns out was that of a giant creature that I ran into before Scarlet burst from my chest.

Energy flowed across my skin, Red blossomed all over, with the blacks and whites of bone relegated to the bone arches.

That and given that I could sort of control my dress portion, I had intuitively realised that I could, when worn, turn into a full body suit rather than a dress.

-I do feel in a certain sense more powerful, but can you even hear me?- I thought.

"Of course I can hear your thoughts Thaos, I made you into your new self, do you think I would neglect to make a way to communicate?" Scarlet said, approaching me and picking me up.

I flopped, crease lines appearing along my ridges of bone.

"Shall we go, there is much to do, Thaos." Scarlet said, putting me on.

My tendrils wove themselves around her flesh, suckers fixing me to her body in a way that probably would have made me get flustered and erect.

Fortunately or not I apparently had no such ability anymore.

Scarlet for whatever reason, chuckled demurely before saying "Ah you hold onto me so tight, If you do this too much I might have to tear you off~" She said as my folds and creases finally finished aligning themselves to her body.

And now I am a dress.

Her flesh was no longer paling constantly, likely since I was constantly feeding her his energy while worn.

And surprisingly I required sustenance, Scarlet was surprisingly cute when she didn't understand human physiology

The question we both had was answered as I felt my hunger spike... literally, as my suction caps produced spikes that entered scarlet's body, and at least by her feelings of it, removed the useless material.

The feeling of being drained physically was apparently pleasing.

Well if I wasn't a gentle-dress-thing, I would say that this is positively shameless.

So, the tales of Roland of bala, end.

Now the tale follows, Thaos'Vahti, and Scarlet Vahti, In their attempts to live within the savage worlds.

- Day 10 of 730 -