Proteus is a sea‑dweller who could change his shape at will. Some call him the son of Poseidon, others describe him more as a servant or keeper of the changeable sea. He was also a seer, though one who revealed the future only when held fast.

I can add colours to the chameleon,
Change shapes with Proteus for advantages,
And set the murderous Machiavel to school.

Almost everything here is hidden beneath a black cover — not background, but a deliberate act of erasure. What breaks through does so with pressure, like light forcing its way past something meant to contain it.

A few more with yesterday's theme follow.