Something else that begins with E... Evaluate?

Well... damn.

But it seems that last glow of salvation was naught but the work of the Seknium; a dream, in truth. My eyes open to reality; newfound knowledge gathered from visions of beyond. My wounds still ache; looking at my arms, they too were still seared off at the elbow. No transformation, as I had felt in the false awakening within my dream.

*Gulp*

Oh, what's happening now...

Turning toward a Tiny Sammy, now stuffed with the core of her sibling; a red-hue glow emits from the new sphere. Her height increases, her body returning to it's original state; the new core swirling in tandem with her own. The crystals that make up her sister's remains inch closer, flinging into Sammy; hissing as they dissolve. Sammy's outer membrane begins to warp, and alter its color and texture. From clear blue, to a solid tanned peach. Her "hair" became worthy of it's name, becoming an azure swath of fine thread. From solid orange globs, her eyes sunk into her head, becoming spheres of white, with iris matching her old jellies.

She looks... human.

And is completely naked.

"Oh! Boss! Look!" Says Sammy, excitedly peeping at her new body. "I look like people!"

I rasp out a few words; yep, that stinging sensation is one of my ribs being broken from that first punch. "You look great... let's get to the others. I think I need a hand with, well, everything right now."

It seems she hadn't noticed my lacking limbs until just now. "Oh golly! Let's get you to Big Sis Gabbie."

Golly?

I'm up and onto her back, thankfully using my left arm. The right's recently dislocated, then relocated shoulder, as well as the broken rib, would have been very sad at being touched. Just as Sammy pulls me out of the Lab, a voice calls out.

"Hello?! Guys?! Sammy!? Monster!?" Calls Ashes.

"Over here!" Shouts Sammy; a bit too close to my ear for my liking. "Boss is hurt really bad!"

I can hear Cilla in the distant darkness groan. "Not again..."

...

"What... even!" Gripes Gabbie.

I was lain out on one of the tables in the Lab, with Gabriella healing my arm, wing, and ribs. There wasn't anything she could do for my arms, however; it seemed we would have to look for a Temple for healing those two nubs. Cilla, having brought Carrie, was trying to keep her busy alongside Trix in the Bedroom. Eve was looking through all of the files while we remained here, with Ashes and Zana helping her cross-examine the information. Scott was doing his best to stitch together something for Sammy, to help cover her newfound skin.

As Gabriella finishes wrapping the stumps of my arms with some bandages we had bought back in Bounty, Ariel manifests, looking a bit glum. "Aw man, this is really going to sour our trip to the Temple tomorrow."

I sit up after my treatment, still sore all over. "The Arena? Why would we go before now?"

"Well, you know how Citrina's Grand-Uncle said to write her? Well, I did, but in the whole 'sending the divine message of a God' way; after getting all sentimental about seeing Tremor..." Ariel twiddles his thumbs as he speaks, seeming sheepish. "Well, she'll be here by tomorrow! She'll be teleporting into the only Temple in town; since it's a nice big circle with an open area. Not like they can say no to one of Alka's friends."

"We make our move tomorrow, during the arrival of the Chosen..." "There are no coincidences." "Carrie will be fine, my love..." "There are no coincidences." "How do you kill ****?" "There are no coincidences."

"Can I still open a Domain like... this?" I say, holding out the bandaged stumps of my arms. "I had another vision. A very big one. We need absolute privacy."

"Well, duh. You've got toes!"

...

We are all seated in the dining hall of my Domain, and I had just recounted all of the visions I had seen. No detail was spared, much to the woe of Cilla; who was looking at her daughter, sat in her lap, with newfound worry. Ariel seemed to be the most distraught; having somehow had his own message discovered by my Others, a feat that should be impossible, according to him.

On top of all this, we had Sammy's transformation; while appearing human, she was still a Slime. Any time she stretched or altered herself, the color of whatever part was being deformed would revert to her previous state; then return to it's human visage once in a regular position. At least nudity wasn't an issue anymore, as Scott had worked together some of the bed sheets from the bedroom in the lab; making her a plain white sleeveless top, which exposed her midriff, and a matching pair of shorts.

And, of course, my rather serious injury; opening the Domain was one thing, but I doubt I could fight anything more than an unarmed idiot with just my tail, legs and teeth.

The first to speak after all was said and done, was Carrie.

"Does that stuff mean... you're my Papa?" She asks, innocently.

At first, I'm unsure of what to say; but something in my chest forces out an answer. "...Yes."

The Dungeon Core quickly scampers to me, the odd little eyes on her hood bobbing about as she charges my leg. She crashes into it with an embrace, and the smile on her face melts my heart.

Ariel speaks next; sounding distant, as if lost in thought. "I... I'll have to call up Ihsrom; maybe even both of the Pantheons. Whatever your Others are planning... the **** of a ****. It's unheard of."

"And what does he mean by ****?" Asks Trix. "It's not like the Big-Man killed us himself!"

The words leave my mouth before thought enters my mind; a mantra that's been programmed into me by the visions. "There is no such thing as coincidences..."

"Cilla, could you take our daughter to her room? I feel like this next talk is a bit too grown up for her." I rise to my feet, passing over to her. "And can I get a quill and parchment? I promise not to chew it too much."

Cilla, cheeks set aflame by the words 'our daughter', pulls a quill, parchment, and an ink pot from her cloak, setting them on the table. "Come on, sweetie. Papa needs to have a grown-up talk with everyone."

"Okaaay..." Says Carrie, and the two leave.

Waiting until I hear Carrie's bedroom door close, and taking the quill with my tail, I write down a name, asking. "Trix, what was the name of the man who killed you again?"

A strong silence falls over the dining hall, until she answers. "Larc Morhis, I'm pretty sure."

"Morhis." I say, writing the name under the first I had written. "The person driving the truck that crashed into our car, and killed Belle, his name was Carl. Carl Morhis. Morhis."

The silences thickened to a new high, but after stabbing the paper through with the tip of my tail, and holding it up, everyone looks nearly half-way from passing out. "Morhis is an anagram..."

"...of Ihsrom."