Mark crossed the short distance to Luke's bed, where all of the other rings were laid out. He took one of the blank note cards and wrote down the effect of the silvery metallic ring, "Norse Myth Transformation". He then placed the ring and its card in the same column of the other supposed mythical rings. "I'm going to try this one." Mark said as he grabbed the obsidian ring with the large, dark-purple, and oval shaped gem.
Before he had a chance to slip it on his finger, Max yelled, "Not that ring!". He snatched it from Mark's hand. "For one..." He raised his pointer finger, "Your clothes are going to be shredded." He raised a second finger, "And two, you might just turn into the cat-reptile thing that I was."
"The Serpopard." Mark stated.
"Yeah, the Serpopard." Max nodded his head. "I was just guessing that it is based on personality. It could be based on DNA for all we know, and since we're twins..."
"We might turn into the same thing." Mark finished his brother's thought. He raised his hands, palms out again. "Fine, fine." Mark took back the ring and placed it by its card. After looking through the other options, he decided, "I've always like the Greek myths." Without having to be asked, the other boys turned around and gave Mark some extra space. Though, Zach and Jack stilled needed help to move away.
Mark quickly removed his clothes and kicked them to the side. The golden ring with the white gem gleamed as it caught the light from the setting sun. He slipped the ring onto his finger. Within moments, Mark could feel the strange energy flow from his hand, to his torso, and throughout his body.
His bones began to crack and reshape, forcing him onto all fours. He felt a burning-like sensation throughout his body as his muscles thickened. Metallic-like, golden fur began to sprout from his skin. The hair seemed to grow in the thickest and longest around his neck and head. Mark watched in amazement as his nails grew into silvery claws. His face seemed to stretch outward as his teeth became longer and sharper. Finally, the changes appeared to end.
"Wow!" Zack and Jack explained in concert. "Your like a metal lion."
Luke stood by Zack and Jack, staring in amazement. Max carefully walked around. "Yeah, they are right. You look just like a lion, but your fur is glittering like actual gold. Max struggled to comb his fingers through his brothers thick mane of gold neck fur. "Its weird. It feels soft, but at the same time, it is thick and dense.
Luke noted, "And your fangs, they gleam like stainless steel."
"Uh... thanks." Mark felt self-conscious as the Luke and Max walked around him. Zack and Jack, slowly approached his face and each raised their hand to softly pat his face. It was strange for him to see two of his younger brother. They were more identical than he and Max, which his logical side knew made since as Zack and Jack were essentially the same person. A thought then occurred to him about the ring Zack still wore, but he decided to hold off on sharing it until after his transformation ended. "So, there is only one lion I know from Greek Myth..."
"The Nemean Lion." He and Max both finished at the same time. Max walked to his brother's front so he could see him. "So basically, your fur is impervious to damage."
"Bullet-proof fur?" Jack asked.
"And then some." Max nodded his head in agreement.
Luke also returned to Mark's front. "That answers one question right. Those rings cause transformations into mythical creatures."
Mark nodded his enormous head, almost knocking Zack and Jack off their feet. "Which is kind of cool. Everyone who wears it could be a different creature. Except for maybe Max and I."
"And Jack and I." Zack piped up, and his other head nodded in agreement.
Mark peered down at his younger brothers with a smile. "Yeah, I guess you guys too. Though, you guys have no choice but to be the same creature since you only have one body." He paused, wondering what they would turn into if they wore another of the mythical rings. Would they turn into creature from myth that had multiple heads, or would they turn into a, typically one-headed, creature that now sprouted two separate heads. Changing the subject, Mark then said, "Alright, can you guys turn around so I can change back."
Within a few minutes, Mark was back to himself and dressed. The golden ring he used was placed back on the bed, and all of the cards naming the rings in that column were changed to better describe the effect. The 'Treant" ring card was erased and re-written as, 'Myth ?' as no one was sure which myth it drew its power from. The grew seemed satisfied that they understood at least some of the rings better.
Mark then turned to his younger brothers, "Zack and Jack... Are you guys sure that your ring only duplicates heads?"
Both of the younger teens were taken aback by the question. They shared a glance before shrugging their shoulders. "I thought that was all it did." Zack finally answered. "Why?"
Luke and Max were also curious and looked at Mark expectantly. He answered, "Well that ring seems superfluous considering there is the two-in-one and duplication rings. Someone could just combine their effects to have the same result." He motioned to his younger brothers as he said 'result'. Zack and Jack shared another glance. "What if..." Mark continued, "that ring was meant to duplicate limbs and stuff. That obviously seems to include the head, but Zack, you should also be able to duplicate your arms and stuff too."
"Huh? I just assumed... I guess I never did try that." Zack said as he looked at the silver ring with the blue gem on his right hand. Within moments, another right arm below the original. It seemed to almost grow out of his side and through a newly made sleeve. "Wow! You were right!" Zack exclaimed as he waved both arms in front of himself.
"Now we look... off." Jack complained.
"Not a problem." Zack smiled at his other half. But after a few moments of waiting, nothing happened. Zack's face contorted as he seemed to concentrated harder. Finally giving up, "What gives? I grew another right arm just by thinking about it."
"But you grew another arm for yourself. What if I have to grow another arm myself..." As Jack spoke, a left arm formed beneath his orginal. He and Zack then shared triumphant smiles and high-fived all four of their hands together.
"I guess I was right about how that ring really works." Mark smiled at his younger brothers. He then turned and shared an intrigued look with his twin. Whispering into his ear, he said, "But THAT just brought up more questions. Jack and Zack seem to be more like... individuals than we all thought, like Jack really is his own person and not just an extension or copy of Zack."
Max nodded his head, and commented, "Even though Zack is the original, he could only grow an extra arm for himself." Mark watched as his twin stared intently at their younger brothers, who had now each grown an extra pair of legs. "Jack also benefits from the ring's effects yet Zack is technically the one wearing it."
Mark smiled, "That makes me curious about us using the two-in-one ring and one of the others."
Max matched Mark's grin. "Why not. On my nect turn, we can use the fusion ring again and one of the others. But I get to choose which one."
"Fare enough." Mark nodded.
"What are you two brainiacs doing?" Luke questioned. "Let's get this thing moving again. Zack, Jack, it your turn."
Zack and Jack, who now sported multiple arms and legs, smiled and rubbed their hands together in a mock menacing way. They looked and each other, and almost at once, all of the extra arms and legs vanished, leaving them with a single, normal body aside from their two heads. Both of the younger teens pointed at their individual heads and said in tandem, "Its my turn now."