The LEVELER King ✔

BOOK 2 - CHAPTER 2

Idrus awoke with something clenched in his grip. He couldn't say for sure what it was. His bulky body, whole once more, was a comfort as he never felt truly at ease without body-armor.

Cloudy memories came back to him, and he let out a screech. "Nala!"

"I'm here, Mana," a muffled voice called back with a wince.

Idrus rolled over, gathering Nala up. A strong stench forced him to recoil. That's when he noticed that they weren't alone.

Surrounded by Leveler's as far as the eye could see, Idrus turned until he almost lay on his back.

Each sharp intake of breath from Nala made him curious. The robe still in his grip, Idrus tried to sit up. He couldn't move. Something held him at the waist.

He twisted his hips, and Nala cried out, "No. Please do not move. The spikes reach into my very flesh. Do not move. I beg."

Flesh...? Though it caused Nala pain somehow, Idrus eased away. They were still connected at the hip.

Idrus had never awoken still attached. In fact, he feared it because a female's body donned a secretion in her spikes to ward off predators when with child.

He'd seen a body reject him a time or two. Nala hadn't changed back to the first stage. That must have been why they were still connected. But Idrus was whole once more. He must have spent his entire seed to return to the first stage so easily. That explained the stench; he'd released every drop of his essence here.

It'd be best to move quickly in separating, however.

Idrus knew of one sure way to facilitate it and they were fortunate that it was still dawn.

"Solvent. Bring us solvent now," he screeched.

"There is no clean water here," a Leveler informed him.

"Best to risk sickness than to allow my skeleton to solidify when the sun dries it! Bring us solvent!"

His bellow was answered with a series of clicks which chorused, "Yes, Jaga."

Gourd after gourd of water pelted them. With each douse, Idrus shifted his hips. He paused a time or two when it became too much for Nala.

Idrus cursed Nala for not simply falling to her first stage so that her body would widen.

In the distance, the suns threatened to rise. Letting out a sigh, Idrus resolved to do things the hard way. It might cause injury but injuries could heal.

"Nala, you must move with me. On the next batch of water," Idrus said.

The fear that greeted him was understandable but he himself was equally terrified.

"You must."

"No," Nala said. "No, you cannot—"

Before she could finish her protest, Idrus called for the next gourd of water. His body didn't shrink down as well as he'd liked, but it was something. Holding onto Nala's waist, Idrus shoved her off. A guttural cry came with it.

Turned onto her belly, Nala shivered.

Idrus tossed the robe aside as he fell to his knees and waited. He rubbed Nala's back, crooning.

"Let the change come. It will heal you. Let the change come. Let it come."

But Nala didn't change. A series of gasps and pauses reminded Idrus all too well that Nala's bare back, and her sheared tail was up for public view. Still, he waited for the transformation to come.