Published at 24th of February 2026 6:59 am

Chapter Interlude Choices II

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The beastial part of me is extremely interested in pursuing The Still One. Hell, its practically foaming at the mouth in anticipation. It's primal, the urge to hunt against the strongest possible prey. It exists deep within my brain, the brain of a monster. My mind remains human, even if the rest of me isn't. There's a thrumming in my chest, an excitement at the prospect of such a worthy challenge. My multiple sets of eyes narrow, and my tongue dances across my teeth. I'm salivating at the possibility of the hunt, of what kind of person or creature can capture moments in time and freeze them forever. What kind of power is capable of doing something like that? Who is capable of doing something like that? The hunt would be glorious, but there's no guarantee I ever find them.

The Still One is Worthy, but I might never find them to fight. I need a monster that I can hunt down and put an end to right now. Who else is on your list?

That would be Ouroboros, the Chilean Kaiju, Elaine responded.

Ouroboros?

The name sounds familiar. An image of some sort of symbol comes to mind, a great spiked serpent devouring its own tail. Cloudy memories of people in an odd uniform surface but disappear like dust in the wind.

Are you already familiar with it? Elaine asked.

No, I thought I was, but I must be mistaken. Who is this Ouroboros?

Ouroboros is something entirely different from the rest of the people I have recommended so far. Ouroboros is a monster, and I don't use the term lightly. Neuvohuman powers have a way of fudging the numbers when it comes to a lot of the previously agreed-upon laws of physics. Still, the sheer size of the snake bewilders any possible explanation. It's unknown whether Ouroboros is a Shifter or the result of a Tinkertech experiment gone wrong. Its as large as a skyscraper; it is the largest living creature the planet has ever had, Elaine explained.

Im having a hard time trying to comprehend the size of this snake shes describing. Like, I know how big a skyscraper is meant to be, and how large I am, but how would something that large even exist? Its hunger must be unbearable. I can barely sustain myself with what exists in the ocean surrounding this island; Ive had to go further and further out to not wipe out the ecosystem here. What does it eat? How hasnt it starved to death? I doubt its immortal like I am. If I can kill it, that could handle my food situation for a year, maybe more if I get Elaine to help me portion and preserve it.

Its tough. Bullets, surface-to-air missiles, dozens of different Caster abilities, chemical bombs; none of it has worked, Elaine continued. Its saliva and blood are highly corrosive, able to eat through metric tons of materials in fractions of seconds. It also has a Mentalist ability to attack peoples minds, causing incredible anguish to them. Unfortunately, all I have are short, blurry clips of the attack. There hasnt been a single body recovered to check whether the subjects brain has actually sustained damage or if it is a psychosomatic response in the amygdala to an unfathomable predator. Ouroboros is responsible for destroying any hope for Chile to ever recover from the aftermath of the destruction of the Warlord Wars.

That settles it.

That one. I will hunt the snake. It is Worthy of being hunted and devoured. I would like a trade with you.

Oh yeah? Whatd you have in mind, little guy?

You help me keep the corpse fresh, and you can have pieces for study.

Hmmm. That isnt what I thought youd offer, but sure, I could take a break. If you can manage to kill Ouroboros, Ill help you keep your meal fresh. When do you want to go?

Dont you need to prepare?

No, if all you need is for me to stop a corpse from rotting, I have the tech lying around already. Im just excited to see whether you can truly kill it, and then I can take my share of the spoils. I just know Max will pay anything to get samples of the skin and organs; Im going to rinse that kid for all hes worth, Elaine laughed maniacally.

Is she okay? Reading her face is hard; it stays perfectly still regardless of her tone. Spending time with her to force myself to conversate and acclimate to humans might be counterproductive. She isnt like other humans; shes a detached immortal scientist. Shes a hermit, avoiding society and responsibility. I wont ever be like her. No matter what it takes, Ill retain my humanity.

Lets leave now. Do I need to carry you?

While the idea of riding around on you like a horsie is tempting, Ill save that experience for when we actually arrive in Chile. I have plenty of Tinkertech based around locomotion, and I havent really had the chance to use them. I have a few things to get done before we head out. Im going to see if I cant narrow down a more precise location on Ouroboros and do an inventory search for the items well need to make a big fridge for the beastie, Elaine said happily, running out of the room shortly after.

Elaine confuses me. She is Worthy, but she isnt Worthy. She is prey-like, scurrying around as the weak do. She lives safely behind her walls with her powerful weapons ready to strike anyone who dares encroach on her territory. But she defeated me so completely, and no matter what I try, I cant do anything to harm her. My claws, fangs, pointed insectoid appendages, tails, and even my abilities cannot do anything against her. We may both be immortal, but only she is invulnerable.

Elaine leads me down another cramped tunnel that requires me to become intangible just to navigate through it. She came back with a rolling steel chest. It's irritating having to contort myself just to get through doorways while listening to the wheels humming against the floor. She should just make these halls bigger and more accommodating. I watch her walking, floating along behind her like a specter, and again feel my bloodlust spiking when I'm around her. I'm not a puppy, but she treats me like a pet. I don't bother trying to suppress my rage and hunger; I can't do anything to her.

The hallway leads us through a set of hydraulic doors, steam hissing from the pistons as they slowly open. The sun's glowing rays rush through the gap like a sprinter in a relay race. One of the benefits of my monstrous form is that multiple compound eyes of mine aren't affected by light levels at all. The sudden change from artificial light to natural sunshine would take a regular person a minute just to acclimate. Once we're both outside, I turn back to corporeal, putting my paws on solid ground and stretching out all my limbs. A couple of good shakes really help fix a crick in my neck. Being out here, beneath the sun with a cool ocean breeze dancing across my body like tiny finger taps, does wonders for my mental state. It's almost enough to forget what I am, what he did to me.

The man in black, that shadowy motherfucker who turned me into this terrifying, hideous form. I can feel my hackles rising as I think about him, a low growl involuntarily slipping out. He's the reason I have a preference for which part of a human I like to eat. Crafted to be his apocalyptic beast, a monster harbinger of the end times, he wants to create. He's a sick fuck, and I can't wait for the day I can swallow him whole.

Hey, lil guy, you good? Elaine asked, staring back at me expectantly.

I must've stopped moving while thinking about him.

Sorry. What did you say?

I was asking if you had any other questions before we leave, she stated.

Why hasn't anyone done anything about Ouroboros? If the snake has been a terror for so long, why hasn't anyone tried to stop it? Chiles government should have stopped it long ago. I know you said that it's basically immune to conventional weaons, but they could have requested assistance from the BNA. Chile should have Capes and Cowls as well. Why haven't they stepped in?

They tried. Supposedly. The BNA sent in their forces: jets, tanks, and hundreds of Special Agents from all over the planet, all outfitted in an array of Tinkertech. Less than twenty Special Agents survived, and they only left a small scratch on it. The Heroes Union sent squads, but they were just feeding them into the meat grinder. Local Capes and Cowls died in droves, delivered into the belly of the beast. Ouroboros has never even travelled close to the border, so they did predictive cost analysis, and the BNA made the difficult, but correct, decision to stop wasting resources pointlessly. The Heroes Union followed suit shortly after. At that point, no one wanted to risk sending any of their high-value assets if there was a chance theyd just die, Elaine said, matter-of-factly.

Monster. Elaine walks along carefree, leading me toward our destination as if she hadnt just applauded the BNAs decision. It angers me that the BNA wrote off so many innocent people. That ice-wielding Special Agent was Worthy, and she fought with a tenacity and ferocity that shows she would never have willingly left a country of people to die. She wouldve stayed and fought to the bitter end. She sacrificed an arm just for the chance to kill me. How many others wanted to stay but were forced to leave due to their leaders? The strong lead; they reign above the weak cattle, the prey who exist to be fed on. These thoughts arent those of a civilized person; they dont belong to someone who can be a productive member of society. But I find myself not agreeing, but understanding the beasts urge.

Cowards. The Worthy do not hide from the possibility of death, I snarled.

Then I guess they werent Worthy. It isnt selfish to decide not to put your own life above those of strangers in another country. Not everyone is immortal like us, she joked.

My barbed limb stabs forward, straight for Elaine. I know what the outcome of my attack will be. And I know that Im acting impulsively, but her words, the way she so casually speaks about people dying as if it means nothing, infuriate me. It reminds me of him. The disregard for others, the detached manner of speaking. I hate it. I cant believe I didnt notice it sooner. The similarities between them are numerous. The chitinous tip strikes her in the back of her neck, the impact sending her flying forward into the trunk of a tree. Her rolling steel chest soars with her, bouncing off the ground. The attack did nothing; her skin is impervious to harm, and I already knew that before I did it. I did it because it felt good.

Now, why did you go and do that, lil guy? Elaine asked me, brushing the dirt off her lab coat.

Because it felt good. And because I dont like the way you speak about people.

Both answers are true. Attacking her did satiate the beasts need for violence, and the way she speaks does bother me. It could be a remnant from whoever I was before he transformed me. I mustve been kind-hearted, someone who cared for others. Was I the type to always try to do the right thing? Someone who couldnt stand by while wrongs were being committed. Or is this a new development, a response to what was done to me?

You have to work on your impulse control; not everyone is as understanding as I am. That being said, I did warn you what would happen if you couldnt behave yourself, Elaine said coldly.

Theres a very high chance that she will put me back inside that prison for what I just did. Her face is expressionless, not angry or even disappointed in what I did. She doesnt even seem annoyed. She approaches me, stopping to grab her case, which doesnt have a single scratch or dent. The immortal woman reaches into her coats right pocket to grab something. I dont move; whatever punishment she decides on, Ill take. Its like she said before, time means nothing to beings like us. Elaine pulls out a gun, but not a normal one. It is a dull matte gray color, and the barrel is a blocky cylinder. Thick rubber wiring comes out of the handle and connects to the bottom of the barrel. Theres a switch on the side of it, but nothing to explain what it does. What does that gun do?

I remember, I do not regret my action.

Good, then follow me, she responded.

To where?

To Chile, of course.

She turns her back to me again and starts leading me through the dense jungle that surrounds her base. Shes still holding the gun, but it seems my punishment has been stayed for now. Shes having a tough time navigating over the rocks, exposed roots, and otherwise uneven land with her case. This environment isnt a problem for me. I am dextrous and lithe as I move in between the curves of the trees, contorting myself to squeeze through cramped spaces and over obstacles. I could help her by carrying it, but Im still angry. Gradually, the jungle transitions into a copse, where the rocks are mere pebbles, and the dirt becomes sand. Theres a large domed building with a long cylinder jutting out of it. Why are we going to an observatory? As we get closer, I realize this place is much bigger than I originally thought it was.

Sliding steel doors open for us, large enough for me to fit in without even having to duck down. In the center is a raised circular platform with a computer terminal next to it, located below the tube I thought was a telescope. This place is not an observatory; this is more like an airplane hangar crossed with the secret lab the BNA had me in. True to my assumption, there are several vehicles inside. There are sleek planes composed of razor-sharp angles camouflaged to look like clouds. Theres even a hovercraft truck, with monster truck-sized all-terrain wheels and a hexagonal assembly of thrust propellers on the back. Despite how cool these all look, all of them are far too small for me to fit in. How are we getting there?

Stand on the platform. Ill get it ready, Elaine ordered.

Theres that dismissive tone again. I follow her instructions as she starts typing on the terminal. The building's high ceilings cause the clacking of the keys to echo through the air. Im antsy and anxious just standing here waiting. Am I going back in the sphere jail? What does the gun do? How are we getting to South America? Elaine finishes up what shes doing and joins me on the platform. Crouching down, she undoes the clasps on her mysterious luggage. Foam padding and straps are holding a bunch of different items securely inside. She pulls out a leather harness with a bright red plate covered in white circuit lines attached to the front of it. Silently, she straps it over her shoulders, around her waist, and over her groin. She closes up the case and then checks the display on her watch. With all my eyes, I can see exactly what shes looking at with perfect clarity, but I dont understand what Im seeing. There are just a bunch of graphs and numbers on it.

All right. Looks like were all set for takeoff.

What?

The platform rotates around, raising up toward the tube. Gears groan as the floor shifts, and above the tube is moving. The end of it opens, and I can see the blue sky and white clouds. I have a bad feeling about this. The platform and tunnel both suddenly stop, and theres less than a second where everything is still and silent. Then my body is smashed to the ground, my limbs splayed out, and my body too heavy to move. I cant even open my eyes as the pressure crushes me. My fur is pressed against me, my jaws slam shut, and then a blistering whistle fills my ears. Then all of it vanishes like it was never there. It was less than a minute, but the powerlessness I felt was awful. Gaining control of my body back, I look around to see a blur of white and blue surrounding me. Elaine is checking something on her watch, looking utterly uninterested in whatever phenomena we find ourselves in.

What happened? Where re we?

I used an invention of mine to launch us to our destination. Well be there in less than a minute. Your punishment begins now, by the way, Elaine answered.

She does something on her watch, and the blurring colors start to close in on us. No, theyre getting closer to me, but not her. One of my insectoid appendages is the first thing to touch the blur, and its ripped out of my body. I let out a growl in pain. The brief sensation I had before my limb was sliced off was a deep chill and a strong pulling force. The white begins to fade as I am gradually leaving the safety of whatever Elaine is doing. I realize whats happening too late to do anything about it. Not that I could possibly stop myself now. The rapidly approaching browns and greens occupy my vision for a moment before my body impacts the mountain, exploding on contact as everything goes black.

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