Clans hold great significance. Such is the way of things.Dig, dig, dig. When protection is needed, provide it; when there is an opportunity to expand, seize it. This is the essence of life. Dig, eat, dig, sleep, dig, eat, dig...Pain. Abdominal pain. This is bad. Walking becomes difficult. Digging becomes difficult. It is not yet time to rest, but...Death. Unable to move. Departing from the host. A new host is needed. Sensing a new host. Enter, consume. The new host also understands that the clan is of utmost importance. Such is the way of things.Yet the clan is on the brink of extinction. The new host is aware of this. Fear. The clan must not perish. The clan is of utmost importance. Such is the way of things.Where is death? It cannot be felt, nor heard. Yet this host is also dying. Danger. Danger! Flee!Run incessantly. Through tunnels, towards safety. The clan perishes around, one after another. No! Agony beyond measure. Terror beyond measure. Run. Run faster! Death lurks within the tunnels. Escape the tunnels! Pain spreads. Death again. Depart from the host. A new host is needed.A new host is needed.Regret. Lament. The clan has already perished. The clan must not perish. The clan is of utmost importance. Such is the way of things. The clan is of utmost importance. Such is the way of things. The clan...The clan...The clan?Perceiving a beacon of power. Longing. Move, though no longer running. Flow. Capture. Must hunt and consume those beacons of power. Such is the way of things. Another presence follows. Not a host. Ignore it.The beacons of power are on the move. They must be avoided when they move. Danger. Such is the way of things. Stalk. Follow from afar. Wait. They cease to move. Wait. Wait.Strike.Consume.The host sleeps. Rest is good. Rest...———Touch. Awakening."Hey," a voice says. It is a member of the host's kind.Fear. Confusion. The host... is different. The clan is of utmost importance... No. Respond. The host knows to respond to the voice. Do what the host would do. Such is the way of things."What do you want?" Very good. The voice is fine."Are you pregnant?" another member of the host's kind asks.Confusion. A vague understanding. Pregnancy. Carrying a child within. No. Anger."What the hell are you talking about?" This is the correct voice to emit. Do what the host would do. Such is the way of things."Pregnant," the other member of the host's kind says. An ally. A nuisance. A strange being. A fearsome presence. The host knows all of this. "Is it or isn't it?""No!" This is the correct answer to give. Do what the host would do. Such is the way of things."Well, then I think you have a parasite inside you."Parasite. Something that takes without giving. The host feels fear. The host knows what to do: scan for the parasite and eliminate it. The host knows I am the parasite.I am... a parasite. This is bad, isn't it? Ah, but there is so much in the mind! The host knows so many things! Memories, perceptions, emotions, sensations, all flooding into my mind at once. I no longer belong to the clan. I am the clan's... killer? Fury wells up. Rage! Revenge! How could I be the clan's killer? The clan is of utmost importance! Such is the way of things...No. It seems... not quite like that. I feel. I feel? The clan needs to perish? Annihilating the clan might be interesting.Wait, I must do what the host would do! Calm down, take deep breaths. Knowledge of the structure of reality enters my mind, including the physiological makeup of creatures and the principles of the magical forces that control them. I move my fingers as the host knows how, cast the spell, and let the knowledge it deciphers flow into my mind. Everything is normal, except for that large mass of slime on my neck. That is the parasite, which must be removed and killed immediately to end this nightmare. This is what the host would do. Do what the host would do. Such is the way of things...No, wait! That is me! I am the parasite! If I do what the host would do, it will cost me my life. Why should I do that? I know that is wrong. I know many things now. I...am still conversing with a member of the host's kind who is hostile towards me, aware of my presence, and loyal to the host. Think. Try not to panic. Should I kill them? No, I do not wish to do that. Instead, consume them? In that case, this host who knows of my existence and can sense me would be free. Lie?Lying might work."I haven't sensed anything.""Well, I still can sense it," another member of the host's kind says. A human. I am a human now. "Remus had one too, and when we encountered something similar before, he couldn't see it even in broad daylight. It was a small, translucent, slime-like thing, about the size of my fist. Maybe because it's slime, detecting it requires a different kind of magic?"Oh, so that is what I look like. Yes, I know now. I also know that Remus is truly very, very powerful. Wait, he is stronger than this body of mine! Damn it, I can't help but feel a bit envious of the one who has taken over his body. Envy. This feeling is quite novel. I do not like the sensation of sharing. But now is not the time to dwell on this; I must find a way to survive."No... it can't be," I insist, "Are you sure there's something inside me? I haven't sensed anything at all."Please, please, please believe me! There is nothing there!"One hundred percent certain, yes. It's the same thing I felt inside the cave dog."Oh dear, lying doesn't work at all. Now I know. But what should I do now? I go through some of the host's recent memories, trying to decide what to do.Damn it, Vita! My host tries to scream. It's not me! She's deceiving you! You fool! Help me, Vita!Ah, so the other human is named Vita. Got it. My host seems utterly terrified, and I do not like that. I hope she can calm down. I feel like my previous hosts eventually got used to it. But they... were very different. Extremely different.I might have to pretend to be terrified as well, so that others won't suspect anything is amiss. ...Well, that's quite odd. Pretending to have a problem to make others think there is no problem. But it makes sense. A lot of things suddenly seem to make sense."Is it just Remus and me who have it?" I ask, "No one else, right?""As far as I know, yes," Vita confirms."Vita has never been wrong so far!" the big man says. It's Bentley. "You might be very sick, Penelope!"I protest a little, but that doesn't stop them from waking up the rest of the team. No... it's my team now. If I want to survive, I have to act like they are my team, and the thought of that terrifies me. I can no longer, nor can I simply be a member of the clan. The clan never cared about my existence, but these people? If they knew my true nature, they would kill me.They go to consult with Remus, seeking his opinion. Thank heavens that Vita, who knows we are here, does not yet understand what we truly are. Imitating the host's behavior has become an instinct for me, and I can sense that the one inside Remus is going through the same series of thoughts as I am. I am surprised he hasn't attacked the others; my host knows he has the capability, which somewhat relieves me. Even though I must hide myself, I do not want my team, my new "clan," to die. Perhaps he feels the same way.After much discussion and consideration, they decide to sleep first. I also try to sleep, but my host screams inside me, desperately pleading for help from her allies. She attempts to cast a plague spell, to corrode me from within, to tear me apart with surging magic, but she is powerless while I control the body. She can see what I see, feel what I feel, hear what I hear, yet she can do nothing. However, I can empathize with her pain, feeling it clearly every moment, but I cannot express it or show it. I can only lie still, hoping her spirit will tire, while my heartbeat is as fierce as a storm, and I cannot rest. Even if she stops struggling, I know that as soon as her allies learn of my existence, they will strongly wish for my death. I am not safe, and I will never be safe again. Should I leave this host and flee?
