Though Vera might not feel it right away - if ever - the talisman, once donned, began to draw a very small amount of power from her. The slow leech would continue for about 24 hours at which time the talisman would be 'full' and become completely active. The whole process should be relatively insignificant, as long as she didn't try anything too taxing with her magical abilities.

Once Spectre was satisfied Vera had accepted its gift and would keep it with her, it turned its attention to other business. Several days would pass for the young woman before the Thing made its next move.

****

In the meantime, Spectre pushed its way into the reality of Nebtrhaxus' lab. It dumped Doppelganger's quivering remains on the ground amidst the piles of books and strange apparatuses. The ancient alchemist, almost a reflection of Spectre's manifestation in his own hooded robe looked up from the strange box he was working on.

"Regenerate this thing again," Spectre commanded. "And this time, try to give it some brains!"

The Being's manifestation shrank into nothing, leaving Nebthraxus alone in his cluttered cave once more. "Brains . . ." he mused softly to himself, absently scratching his hooded and cloth-covered head.

Vera left the trinket alone for the most part, wearing it to class and only checking one other time with her mana sight. Though practicing magic, she did not really have the tools to do any sort of in depth analysis of magical trinkets. No real surprise to that as the silver hair woman did not expect to get her hands on such items and any item of potential would no doubt be taken by NICE labs for further study.

The Head Girl continued with her usual routine with little issue. She knew about the monsters of the island so odd encounters were just another day for her. Once the initial shock and fear passed and she recovered, the woman merely went on her business. Though not protected entirely by the island's guests, wearing the sash did give her some amount of comfort in knowing she was not doomed to be sold off into slavery.

After her classes, she had set aside some time to herself to relax and exercise a little. The silver haired woman headed for the indoor pool. Vera was already in her one piece swimsuit. Thankfully, Shokushu had decided against making the required swimwear be too ridiculous. Still, the swimsuit hugged her features and pushed against her breasts though. She found a table and chair to set her belongings. About to dip into the cool waters, she had removed the necklace and left it in her bag. The pool was open to anyone at this hour though who will stay in the presence of a Head Girl as she swam was another issue.

Done with it's errands, Spectre returned its attention to Vera. It bided its time, watching as she resumed her routine. Several days had passed when the Head Girl payed her visit to the pool. The Being determined the timing was right for its next move - it just had to wait for her to be alone.

Once any other potential swimmers had left, Spectre quietly manifested near the door, out of sight of the swimming magic user. The front of its cloak flared as it released the Magivore into the room. The boiling, writhing mass of light blue tentacles was increadibly stealthy despite its constant motion.

"Go, Feed!" Spectre said so that only the tentacled horror could hear. Then it quietly locked the doors and retreated to the Beyond.

Magivore's primary trunks swivelled to take in the area. It quickly detected the mana of a skilled, if novice, magic user and locked on to the target. It slowly closed on her position, navigating the short curved hall from the foyer to the pool room in virtual silence.

The silver haired woman continued to swim as students took their leave or fled from her presence. The cool waters were refreshing as she soaked in the pool. She swam slow laps back and forth, unaware of the being now spying on her and the creature approaching the pool. The Head Girl would have been caught completely by surprise if it were not for the sudden glow of the pendant coming from her bag. Vera stopped and climbed out of the pool while the Magivore continued to make its way into the room.

Still have not heard the creature, her eyes narrow at the now illuminated trinket. She picked it up and examined it some, uncertain what it meant at all. She had this gift for several days now and never noticed it reacting like this before. Turning around, she froze upon seeing the large mass of tendrils swarming the room. It was no creature she had seen before but she was not going to stay around to find out more about it. Vera grabbed her bag while still holding the trinket and made a break for the double doors. Her wet footsteps pad lightly across the concrete floor.

Sensing it had been detected, the Magivore abandoned stealth. It surged forward with frightening speed as it moved to intercept its prey. Taking the most direct route, the creature splashed into the pool. But that slowed it down only slightly. The horror's many limbs allowed it to swim with great alacrity and it closed in on the running Head Girl quickly. The monster's trajectory would bring it the the edge of the pool slightly in front of Vera, allowing it to cut off her escape. Four of its lesser tentacles were already reaching toward her in anticipation, ready to grab at her arms and legs as soon as she came into range.

The thing moved fast despite its size, rushing straight for the door. It splashed into the pool causing the water to slosh and flood over the sides. Vera stopped, her escape route blocked. She leapt back to avoid the reaching tendrils. With it blocking the exit, the Head Girl ran the other way. She would try to go around the pool and head towards the locker rooms and showers. There was another way out that side. But would she be fast enough to make it before the monster cuts her off again?

The Magivore hardly paused, boiling up onto the pool deck as Vera turned to run back the other way. It followed closely behind her, its tentacles reaching for her. It was close enough now that the empathic woman could feel its hunger for her beating at her mind as though it was trying to devour her very consciousness.

The strange creature's writhing, thrashing motions produced formidable speed. It quickly closed the gap with the fleeing Head Girl. The monster grabbed for Vera again. A swarm of tentacles burst forth, scything in from either side of her lithe form at varying heights.

Vera's empathic abilities generally did not work on non humans but it did not take special abilities to notice the creature's 'interest' in the fleeing student. The creature chased after the Head Girl rather than cutting her off again. She did not look back, trying to run as quickly as her legs could carry her. But it was simply not enough to escape the hungry monster rushing after her. Tendrils lashed out and collided with the silver haired woman's sides. "Ahhn!" she gasped in pain as the mass of flesh slammed into her, sending her stumbling onto the unfeeling concrete. "Uhhnn.." she turned to see the thing looming over her, ready to envelope her entirely. She chanted a few quick words and sent long wisps of light to try and bind the being though it was doubtful that it would hinder something of such mass.

The Magivore reacted immediately to Vera's casting. One of its major trunks opened wide, showing row after row of 'teeth'. The light she summoned veered into this gaping maw as the creature devoured the spell. But the worst was still to come as it began to siphon off the mage's mana reserves through the conduit she had opened, making it difficult for her to shut off the flow.

Perhaps unnoticed in the Head Girl's hand, the talisman she still held turned blue as it readied itself to shield her from the coming onslaught. It could not protect her larger pool of mana, but it would keep the beast from eating her magical potential - that mystic 'muscle' that she used to manipulate the energies she channeled. Provided, of course, she managed to hold onto it through the assault . . .

Devouring a spell and sucking up mana took almost no effort on the part of the tentacled horror. Like a sponge soaking up water, that was simply part of its nature. Thus it's attack was hardly slowed. Many of Magivore's lesser tentacles grabbed at Vera's supple limbs, attempting to entwine and immobilize them as its squirming mass crashed like a wave over her prone form.

"Ngh!" Just like that, her spell was simply snuffed out and she felt herself growing weaker. Several tentacles wrapped around Vera's arms and legs, effectively binding the creature's prey. She was still holding onto the trinket for what good that will do. It was reacting to the creature. For all she knew, it was what attracted this thing in the first place. Protection? Yeah right. The Head Girl certainly did not feel protected. Vera kicked her legs but she could hardly move as the giant creature piled on top of her form. She screamed though it was unknown how much sound was making its way through the mass.

Sensing an opening, the Magivore speared one of its intermediate tentacles toward Vera's open mouth. The attack was not meant to stop her screams so much as gain entry to the orifice so that the monster prepare to release some of its horrid slime.

Eventually the flow of mana slowed then stopped as even a moderately skilled caster such as Vera could not be completely drained without her consent . . . or the proper stimulation. To that end, the horror's swarming tentacles moved to divest the captive woman of her swimsuit. Thin, finger-like tendrils squirmed under the still wet garment, writhing against bare skin as they sought out weak points in the fabric.

Now that it was in direct physical contact, the Magivore's hunger was even more apparent. Like the spell and the mana used to power it, the monster seemed to be trying to eat that part of the empath's mind responsible for her sensitivity.

Meanwhile, the pale blue glow of the talisman began to spread over Vera's fingers, slowly creeping onto the hand holding the jewel. The Magivore completely ignored the phenomenon and the talisman itself, almost as though it couldn't sense the magic stone.

"Mmph!" The Head Girl's throat was filled with the vile tendril while the others began to swarm under her swimsuit. She tried to bite down but it did little to help her and there was no way to spit the thing out. The tight fabric bulged, revealing the passage of the many monsterous appendages. They felt slimey, sending shivers of disgust through the woman. She could feel the thing's desire to feed. It apparently fed on magic and was not the first creature to have interest in gifted students on this island. Vera squirmed helplessly, barely able to move a muscle as she was held tight. All she had to fight with was a trinket that was now glowing blue but she had no clue the item's purpose or even how to properly use it. The tendrils continued to pull at her swimsuit, threatening to tear it off at any moment.

The Magivore's leathery flesh shrugged off Vera's bite and despite the attack the monster began to shaft her mouth. The creature felt neither pain nor pleasure and simply acted on programmed instincts. A program designed to degrade its victim as well as stimulate her.

The tentacles swarming under the Head Girl's suit began to gather at the seams of the garment, pressing outward with continually increasing strength until they finally burst through, splitting it down both sides. Larger tentacles pushed the scraps aside, exposing Vera's breasts and sex to the sightless monster.

As soon as they were uncovered, the young woman's lovely tits were descended upon by two of the creature's greater maws. The trunks fully engulfed their targets, sucking them up inside the circular orifices. The rows and rows of blunt rubbery 'teeth' inside acted like fingers, working the lovely mounds and grinding against her nipples.

The glow from the pendant slowly crept further over Vera's hand, spreading to her wrist. If it had been worn, the effect would be spreading directly over one of her major energy centers. Held in the hand as it was, it would take it some time to stretch over the necessary areas.

Vera trembled as the tendril began to fuck her mouth. She shook her head but that did not seem to hinder the creature. Her suit easily tore apart and was quickly tossed away from the now exposed Head Girl. Two large maws engulfed her large breasts. Several solid teeth stroked the tender flesh while the maws themselves sucked deeply on luscious mounds. "Mmph!" her body arched from the unrelenting suction, causing more blood to engorge the tender flesh and swollen peaks. Like most monsters, this thing was apparently trying to stimulate her though she was uncertain the full purpose. Vera shuts her eyes while she clinged to the necklace. Choked groans occasionally escaped her throat as the monster continued to violate her exposed form.

Thin, writhing tendrils spread out over Vera's body again, seeking out her secondary erogenous zones. Her neck, her sides, her back, her wrists and inner thighs - everywhere she was sensitive became a target for the beast's minor tentacles to rub and tease. The trunks assaulting her chest worked her breasts mercilessly, slowly cycling through patterns as it searched for the most effective one. In her mouth, the tentacle's veiny surface ground against her tongue as it plunged deeper and deeper.

The Magivore constantly tested its captive's control over her mana flow, attempting to draw the energy out of her despite her innate resistance. The intense stimulation it forced upon her was designed to disrupt that resistance. Soon, she would find herself having to concentrate to keep from feeding the beast. Of course, that would only make it work harder to break through that concentration.

And the trinket's shielding crept slowly along its holder's arm . . .