Parasite

A parasite is a cunning and insidious organism that thrives by merging with a host, altering its body to ensure its own survival. Whether fungal, carnivorous, or insectoid in nature, all parasites share one grim truth—eventually, their host will perish, leaving the parasite to seek out a new body to infest.

Types of Parasites

Fungal Parasites

Fungal parasites spread through spores, infecting a host’s bloodstream or nervous system. As the infection progresses, the host’s body becomes overgrown with mycelium, enhancing physical strength and endurance while slowly hollowing out the mind. Some fungal parasites form grotesque fruiting bodies on their host, releasing spores upon death to seek out fresh victims.

Carnivorous Parasites

These entities latch onto a host and modify their physiology, often fusing with muscle and bone to create a more efficient predator. Some form external appendages—claws, tendrils, or even additional jaws—while others mutate internal organs, reinforcing bones and thickening flesh. The host’s lifespan is prolonged as long as it remains useful, but once it weakens, the parasite abandons the husk and moves on.

Insectoid Parasites

Insectoid parasites typically enter through wounds, the mouth, or even burrowing into flesh, spreading through their host’s body like a living hive. Some implant eggs that hatch within the host, slowly devouring them from the inside. Others take direct control, wrapping nerves in chitinous tendrils to puppet the host while feeding off its life force.

Effects on the Host

1. Physical Augmentations: Parasites may grant their host unnatural strength, speed, or resilience. These enhancements are often grotesque, featuring chitinous plating, fungal armor, or additional limbs.

2. Mutations: As the parasite grows, the host may develop additional eyes, warped limbs, or unnatural sensory organs, all tailored to the parasite’s survival.

3. Healing Properties: Some parasites prolong their host’s usefulness by rapidly healing injuries, reinforcing bones, or preventing blood loss—though this only delays the inevitable.

4. Mental Degradation: Many parasites manipulate or override the host’s mind, eroding their will until they become little more than a vessel for the parasite’s instincts.

The Cycle of Survival

A parasite’s relationship with its host is one of necessity, not mercy. The host’s body will eventually break down, at which point the parasite abandons it, either spreading through spores, laying eggs in new victims, or simply leaping to another body. This relentless cycle ensures the parasite’s survival, leaving a trail of broken and mutated corpses in its wake.

To those unfortunate enough to encounter such creatures, the only true escape is death… or worse, becoming the next host.