The thorned tentacles took on a new shape. Tangling together into a complicated form,
it seemed somehow to resemble a person.
Like a knight, holding a thorned blade. It appeared the monster within the 'box' had
decided this was the most effective way to fight us. Though perhaps thinking of it as
'thinking' was already a mistake. After all, it was a foreign being, beyond the
understanding of humans, relying on otherworldly instincts.
Ignoring the change, I charged in again.
With a shout, I drove the blade of my scythe into the creature. This time, however, I
failed to cut through the denser collection of thorns.
With a gurgle, the creature's body began to rotate.
(-w-what?!)
Reacting entirely on instinct, I caught the diagonal slash with my own weapon.
It moved the same way I did.
After only a few minutes of fighting, it had perfectly replicated my style of fighting.
But the thorned monster wasn't restricted to a single body, it seemed.
Wrapping around each other again, the thorned tentacles attempted to create another
familiar.
The thorned blade swung again, taking strands of my hair with it.
Had it not been for Volumen Hydrargyrum acting as my armor, it likely would have
taken my carotid artery as well.

The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II, Volume 3, Chapter 3, Part 5