The Change

The Change is an amorphous parasite that merges with the host and alters them. It has a small mass the size of a golf ball, and tend to swarm their host in groups of twelve where each aims to enter through the closest orifice. The majority of the Change's mass consists of an unknown substance with a red, gelatin-like consistency that has yellow veins running through it. The parasite carries a mixture of muscle-relaxing compounds to sedate their victim, immune-suppressive drugs to avoid detection once it enters the bloodstream, and DNA-altering chemicals we will refer to as the Refine Virus from now on.

Stages
The host goes through a set of stages, but only if the antibodies don't pick up on it first. When such is the case, the body will fight the infection, and the host will suffer a high fever that can last for twenty-four (24) hours. The parasite leaves the body from the sweat glands, giving the host a jaundiced hue as long as perspiration is in effect.

During the first stage—which lasts for approximately forty (40) hours—the parasite settles in the host's abdomen area between the organs, distending the host's stomach area and giving it a faint, yellow hue. Gradually, the Change enters the bloodstream and the swell lessens, causing the blood to thicken and adapt a sickly yellow color. It attaches itself to the stem cells throughout the body, making yellow veins stand out through the skin. Once it has dispersed, the second stage will start.

The Refine Virus mutates the host's DNA throughout the course of twelve (12) hours. The host suffers immense pain as the body alters, because the parasite doesn't carry any aesthetics to lessen the painful mutations. Most of the changes are internal, but it's not unheard of that the host grows other extremities and/or outer organs during the transformation. During the last stage, the host has been completely altered by the Refine Virus, and the parasite leaves through numerous orifices to seek out their next host(s). Right before extrusion, the parasites reform in the host's abdomen area and distends it a second time.

People infected have shown signs of extreme hostility during, and after the mutation has taken place. It's unknown why these people suffer bouts of aggression, or even insanity, because neither parasite nor the disease are products made by nature. There's speculation that the heightening of blood-pressure speeds up the mutations.

Another oddity is that the host seems to be in full control of newly acquired extremities and organs. Some have even been seen capable of utilizing magic (to an extend) after the Refine Virus has done its course.

There's been cases where victims of the virus have transferred the parasite through blood. When the infected blood—which carries the diluted parasite within—gets ingested, the disease spreads through that person as well, skipping stage one (1) in the process for said host.

Antidote
The antidote is a thick, black-tinted compound comprised of antigens cultivated from cells immune to the Refine Virus, manufactured by Louis. The antigens, upon injection into the blood stream, begin to multiply and attach themselves to the host's own local cells. This will cause a natural immune response. Symptoms include—but are not limited to—inflammation, nausea, and pain after first inoculation.

Luckily the antigens reproduce rapidly, allowing them time to prepare even if the victim is already infected with the parasite. The antidote will only work when the host is within stage one (1) of the parasitic infection. As the body's defences attempt to attack the antigens, some of them will break off from the protected cell and literally hijack their attacker, mutating it from the inside and turning it into a 'lymphocyte' designed specifically to target and attack the Refine Virus itself.

This is an aggressive biological battle, and the host will experience weakness and pain; possible discolouring of the skin and the prominence of black veins protruding beneath the flesh. Antigens that do not become lymphocytes remain attached to their cells, offering a kind of defence against any viral bodies that attempt to enter and mutate their DNA.

When traces of the Refine Virus are no longer present, the lingering cells release a chemical which causes the remaining antigens and lymphocytes to de-attach themselves and head to the host's immune system.

Once there they allow themselves to be absorbed, becoming the body's own natural antibodies against further infection.

Trivia

 * The Change is no longer present within the streets of LA. Only Kenta seems capable of exuding the virus from one of his tentacles, and infect people with the Change.