[Lord T Hawkeye]

Don't anybody ask where I get this stuff from. It just sorta comes to me and demands that I write it...

Maybe I'm possessed...
.......................................

Chapter 5: A Fight for Freedom

More challengers would come and I would always be driven to consume them much as it disgusted me. Even if they were evil, even if I was only doing it in self defense and at the whim of my controller, I disliked causing harm to others. It was against everything I believed in. My only relief came when it was time for the neogi company to move on, having wheeled and dealed all the gold and valuables the orc village was willing to give up. The ship was packed up and took flight once again. As I was led back to Rex'tor's quarters, I noted a few new slaves in the pen, many appeared to be orcs themselves from the village. It was the way of the neogi, take whatever you can by any means. There was truly nothing to admire about their culture. To call them amoral would be doing a disservice to thieves and swindlers all over the world.

I grew nervous as we walked to Rex'tor's quarters. I received many sneers and angered looks from other neogi we passed.

?Don't mind them my pet,? Rex'tor said, ?They simply begrudge me for my cleverness and their own losses incurred. They dare not try to attack us for they've seen what you're capable of.?

To be feared is something many aspire to. It was a pity I wasn't among them.

The ship was in the air for maybe a week or so before finding a new place to land. This time it was a clearing in a thick forest where an entrance to the underdark lay. Eager to do business with the many depraved races from that forbodding place, the neogi spent the day setting up in preparation for nightfall when they would emerge, eager for anything to help them in their petty conquests. The night would bring drow who sought weapons to aid them in their wars with neighboring communities as well as each other. Duergar came also for weapons and possible any devices to aid in their toils. The illithids were a favored customer for they dealt in slaves most of all which was the neogi's specialty. I could only watch helplessly as I saw many people I recognized taken away to a fate many described to be worse than death.

After one drow man had challenged me obviously to earn the respect of a woman he longed for only to meet a swift end, I began to draw the eyes of near all the customers who wandered the stand. I had power that they all longed for. I would gladly give it up if only I could. Many illithids' eyes especially were drawn to me and Rex'tor received many very generous offers for me. All were rebuked for Rex'tor made too much money from me to consider giving me up. I supposed I should be relieved for I dreaded the thought of being taken to an illithid city and surely being put under the scalpel to satisfy their grim curiosity, much less being a slave to the likes of them where I would be forced to do even fouler deeds than what I did now. But as the offers grew more tempting, I began to see Rex'tor starting to consider them. Would it only be a matter of time before I was the property of the illithids? I just sat in the cage miserably until a voice came to my mind that wasn't Rex'tor's.

?How wasteful,? the voice said.

?What? Who's there?? I said nervously.

?One of your power, you serve this being obviously not of your own free will,? the voice continued.

?N-no...I don't...I don't want to either!? I said hoping the source of the voice intended to offer relief.

?You desire freedom? That can be arranged you know.?

?How? Please! I'll do anything to escape from here!? I pleaded. I didn't care about the consequences. I couldn't bear this any longer.

?I am not far from you. I cannot free you directly for you would be set upon me. I can however offer you the tool you need to free yourself. In a moment, I will bring a challenger before you. Inside it's mind is a seed that you must consume. If you do this, you will become far beyond their means to retain control of you,? the voice explained before going silent.

?Well, that is a generous offer. Maybe I'll...hmm?? Rex'tor was in the midst of haggling with an illithid who seemed willing to pay whatever it took to claim me when a lone figure in black came up the stairs. Clad in rubbery wrappings from head to toe, he had the frame of a really skinny human with boneless tendrils for fingers.

?I wish to take up the challenge. Rather, my servant will fight her,? the creature said as he indicated the bizarre creature that followed behind him. It was a huge four legged creature that moved as though boneless. Instead of a head, it had four stalks ending in eyes surrounding a maw like that of a lamprey. ?Should my servant lose, I will pay you the equivalent of your winning fee.?

?All right, it's a bet then,? Rex'tor said as he turned to the illithid, ?Please excuse us, we'll return to negotiations afterwards, I assure you.? The illithid looked annoyed at this interruption but stood aside patiently as he gazed unflinchingly at me. I shuddered and turned away from him.

Rex'tor announced another fight as many came to watch. At the command of the black figure, the strange creature climbed onto the roof where it was dropped into the cage and the fight began. The creature walked sideways to circle me as I readied my wrist blades and tentacles to engage it. If the voice spoke the truth, this was my chance to be free and escape a life even more wretched than this one. I was determined this time.

The creature lunged at me as I rolled away, my tentacles lashing out at even as I was still rising. The entwined around the creature's body as it struggled to free itself. Acting quickly, I slashed at it's legs to cripple it only to see a very familiar sight. The legs would turn to a mass of tendrils that would simply reform the severed limb.

?Remember, you must consume it's mind,? the voice said to me.

Nodding, I could only ponder where it's brain would be given it's lack of a discernible head. It seemed there again was no choice but to eat it all to be sure. The creature lacked intelligence and didn't even seem terribly strong. Indeed, it seemed as though I was fully intended to win this fight. Not wanting to delay my freedom any longer, I lengthened my back tentacles as they all converged on the ground and wrapped around it completely. In no time at all, they retracted and left nothing behind.

?It looks like she remains undefeated folks!? Rex'tor said as he turned to find only the money he was owed left behind. His mysterious customer was gone. Shrugging, he continued his dealing, unseeing of what was about to transpire.

?Ugh...what was that...rgh! I feel so hot!? I said as I cringed on the floor of the cage. There was something in that creature. No sooner had I consumed it did I start feeling strangely hot as the movement inside my body began to quicken and agitate. My harness was quickly absorbed into my mass as I began to feel myself grow larger. My figure began to elongate and my muscles bulged with power. My hair retained the pigtailed style but also began to lengthen and move on it's own accord. Finally, my feet grew long, talons that dug into the ground as I was overcome with a terrible rage.

?Morah? What are...you...? was the last I heard before the voice in my head went silent, indicating the mental link had been severed. I was free! I pushed against the roof of the cage that I could now reach unlike before and tore off with ease. It was surprising to now look down at the neogi who once stood at my own height and even the drow and illithids looked up at me with fear. I must have been at least 8 feet tall, the size of a troll.

?She's broken loose!? Rex'tor said panicking.

?Restrain her!? another neogi called out.

?I'm trying! I can't!!? was the last thing he said before I angrily lept at my former master and impaled him on one of my wrist blades. He fell limp as my hand quickly surrounded him with tendrils to consume his body. The illithid behind me quickly set about trying to dominate me with his own psychic abilities only to watch in horror as my other wrist blade lengthened, running him through at the neck.

Seeing this display of power, the customers all fled as the neogi sicked their servants on me. They meanwhile retreated into the ship and closed the hatch gates, obviously intending to escape. The remaining slaves on display took this opportunity to flee as the umber hulk slaves valiantly tried to overpower me. Despite their own great size and strength, they found themselves unable to match me. My claws and tentacles tore them asunder as I eyed the neogi ship beginning to take off. I felt nothing but rage and desire for revenge in my mind as I lept and latched onto the side as it took to the skies. My tentacles latched onto the hull, I cut at the hatch until it was finally breached. It's hard to remember all this, my mind was slowly turning more and more feral as it all happened. All I remember after that was I lay in the middle of a burning wreckage surrounded by dozens of mutilated neogi corpses...