"Goodness me, James, look at you!"

The individual in question glanced up from admiring his new physique. His eyes - the same dark brown as before - crinkled into a smile. "Evelyn! My, you look amazing." I felt my face redden as I smiled back.

"Have the others come out yet?" I queried, finally averting my eyes.

"No, not yet." The corners of his lips dipped into a frown. "I daren't wonder what's taking them so long."

"I dare say they want to come out looking like that." I gestured towards him. "Or this." I posed, and grinned wickedly.

A clatter of footsteps broke our reverie, one far heavier than the other. A distant voice called our names. We turned as one.

A palest hand blew a whispered kiss our way as our third emerged, taller than I recalled. A pair of pointed ears flickered on an elaborate hairstyle over an inhumanly gorgeous face, smooth as a mirror and gleaming with light.

"Ruth!?" James's voice startled me out of my staring. Pushing my jaw back into place, I beheld our friend. Slender and elegant, a forest elf.

"And me!" We started, then looked down towards the voice. Cameron, I recognised from the eyes. Far shorter, and gruffer, with a beard worthy of a god, hefting a mighty axe.

"Where did you even get that?" I asked. "I thought we weren't supposed to get our gear until after all five of us were out."

Cam laughed heartily. "We aren't! But I asked our benefactor for an advance." I rolled my eyes. Always hasty, that Cameron.

Morning turned to midday, and then to afternoon. By then, we'd exhausted a dozen topics of discussion. We'd explored the building a dozen times. We'd 'borrowed' a few weapons, and started sparring. Ten training dummies met their ends that day, by sword and flame and bow and axe.

I was just about ready to ask the god directions to the nearest inn when a rumbling overtook his domain. Fearful, I steadied myself. The doorway shook, then opened with a thump.

A coiling, sinuous form. A tree-bark carapace, segmented and moving, fifteen feet long and covered with moss. A mouth of chelicerae, dripping with glimmering sap. Uncountable rigid legs scraped across the floor, as a branch-like arm raised itself, its three fellows brandishing vicious swords. Six eyes. Familiar eyes.

"...what the hell, Vince?" I finally found my voice. A final thump sounded - turning, I saw Ruth passed out on the floor.

THIS FORM IS SUITABLE FOR OUR PURPOSES.

"You couldn't have picked something... less... uh..."

I SEE NO ISSUE. THIS FORM IS MOST EFFICIENT AT FINDING AND DESTROYING OUR TARGETS.

"...let's just go."