Do No Harm (story, far realm tentacle transformation)

[Lord T Hawkeye]

Go easy on me, this is the first time I've bothered to submit anything. I really don't know who's into what around here. Anywho...

Many of my past stories happened to have some transformations and such here or there but they didn't focus on them enough that I felt they merited posting. This one may be different though the transformation in question is...unusual. Like the title says, far realm, tentacle style transformation is what you'll find in abundance here. Yeah, I'm a DnD fan and it shows so DnD fans should get a kick out of this too. Three chapters done so far, more to come.

So without further ado, enjoy...

Warning: Some may consider some of the material in this story on the gruesome side so be warned. (far realm ain't a pretty place don'cha know?)

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Chapter 1: A Gift from Beyond

Do no harm.

That was my vow as a doctor, to do no harm. I followed it for much of my life and I never questioned it. I never really thought about what exactly constituted “harm.” At least I didn't until the power to do great harm or healing at my whim was bestowed upon me. But now I'm getting ahead of myself aren't I?

I guess it all started on one my usual days of doing what do best, taking care of sick people.

“Okay, let's take a look at that leg now dearie,” I said getting up on my stool and removing the bandages on a small boy's leg.

“Sigh...I really wish you would stop climbing every tree you see Jeros. You're really going to hurt yourself one of these days,” his mother scolded him for what seemed the dozenth time since they had arrived.

“Hee hee! Oh, don't be hard on him Mrs. Smyth. You know how kids are,” I said cheerfully as I examined his cut to ensure it was properly closed up.

“Did you like to climb trees when you were a girl Dr Morah?” Jeros asked.

“Me? Oh no, we gnomes are scared to death of heights. That's why we don't grow very tall,” I joked as Jeros laughed in response.

“So is it okay now?” Mrs Smyth asked with concern despite my attempts to brighten up the mood.

“Yes, it looks like it's closing up nicely. A few more days and I can remove the stitches. Just make sure he isn't rough with it until then,” I advised as I jotted down in my note book.

“That's easy for you to say, come along Jeros. We're all done here,” she replied as Jeros hopped off the table they continued on their way.

“Bye Dr Morah!” Jeros called out as they headed out the door.

I waved good by until they were out of sight and then suddenly cringed in pain as I clutched my leg.

“Dr Morah? Are you ready for the next patient?” called out Mikata, my assistant.

“Um...I'll be ready in a minute,” I replied as I turned to my medicine cabinet and pulled out an already prepared syringe that I injected myself in the leg with.

“Doctor?” Mikata called out again, poking his head into the room concerned.

“Sorry, I just had to look over my notes, send the next person in,” I said discretely putting the syringe back.

“Okay...” he replied, sounding somewhat less than convinced by my facade.

And thus the day wore on as I happily saw the rest of my patients. I would greet them with a bright smile and sooth whatever ailed them. I loved my job for I couldn't stand to see any creature suffer no matter who it might have been. Anyone who needed medical help could find it here and I took great pride in that. Perhaps too much though for as was evident, I was hiding my own pain the whole time.

Once my doors were closed up for the day, I set about putting away all my equipment. I was grateful to have Mikata helping me. It's nice having a human like him around to help me reach the higher shelves. Since people of all kinds came to my home for treatment, my office unfortunately couldn't be gnome sized for me. I was nearly finished my clean up when the pain in my limbs began to manifest again. I made at once for my medicine cabinet to calm them. I had barely gotten the syringe back into the box when Mikata suddenly touched me on the shoulder.

“Yike! Mikata, don't sneak on me like that!” I said surprised.

“Sorry, it's just... are you all right Morah?” he asked.

“Me? Hee hee! Of course I am!” I answered.

“Morah...you always do that silly giggle whenever you're not telling the truth. I've worked for you for the last 4 years. I can tell. I also saw you injecting yourself. What's going on?”

“Um...well, can we go in the waiting room?” I asked simply because I really needed to rest my sore legs. When we made ourselves comfortable, I continued.

“It's...it's vile rigidity...” I said lowering my head.

“What? Are you sure?” Mikata asked now more worried than ever.

“Yes, at first it was just stiffness but now it's becoming painful to move as my muscles begin to harden. Pretty soon...it will paralyze me...and kill me...” I said as I started to cry.

“No! That can't be true!” Mikata said coming up closer to put his arm over me.

“It is Mikata... I'm sorry I didn't tell you... I just didn't know how. But...what's going to happen to my patients? They've got nowhere else to go!”

“Morah, don't worry about them. You need to worry about yourself right now. Is there nothing you can do to stop it?”

“I've been spending years trying to find a cure in my lab ever since I realized I was ill,” I answered, “I've been able to slow it's progress a little but it adapts and resists my medicines. I don't know what else to do...”

“Here, why don't you just go to bed. I'll finish cleaning up and lock up for you,” Mikata said.

“Thank you Mikata, you've helped me so much all these years,” I said as I hopped off the couch and headed back into my living area.

“Don't worry about it, you saved me from a life on the streets after all,” Mikata said nodding as I went off the get some rest.

I lay awake for most of the night as I often did for the past few weeks. I had never been so frightened in my life. I had delayed the disease for the past few years with my medication but it had been slowly been growing less and less effective. At first, it only took one injection a month to hold it off. Now I was using them repeatedly every day. I feared the day would come very soon when it wouldn't work at all and I would be at the mercy of this horrible disease. I would lose everything, my ability to be a doctor, my mobility and eventually my life. For once, I was happy that my office would be closed the next day.

Sleep had helped make me feel better somewhat so I took that opportunity to take a walk through the woods near my home. Just as I picked up my walking stick and jacket to go outside, I saw Mikata come to my door.

“Mikata?” I said peeking out the door, “What are you doing here? It's your day off isn't it?”

“Oh I know, I brought something that might cheer you up. I know you love a medical puzzle,” he said as he pulled out a sealed glass vial containing a strange, shifting purple form.

“What is this? Where did you get it?” I asked, curiously peering at it and pulling away when I thought for a moment I saw a toothy maw appear for a split second.

“Some adventurer back in the tavern asked me to leave it with you. He said he found it in some old wizard's lab. He was going to sell it but said it gave him the creeps so I took off his hands. You always like getting strange tissue samples for your experiments and they don't come much stranger than this,” he explained as he handed it to me.

“Wow, they certainly don't. I can tell I'm gonna have a sleepless night examining this. Thank you Mikata!” I said gratefully.

“There, now that's the cheerful Dr Morah I know. I like it much better when you're happy and so does everyone else,” Mikata said.

“I know. I try to be. Don't worry about me Mikata. I'm not gonna let this get to me! Not me! Ha ha!”

“Well enjoy your walk, I got some errands to run,” Mikata said as he walked off down the hill to the village as I went the other way into the woods.

My walk was uneventful though certainly mind clearing. It was true, while I loved being a doctor, I was also a scientist who was maybe a little bit obsessed with unlocking the secrets of life. Many adventurers who came seeking to have their injuries patched up offered me samples of the many strange creatures they had slain and I always happily accepted them. I had read stories of ancient races who had mastered the art of grafting features from one race to another in order to augment them. Oh don't get nervous, I was no mad scientist. I maintained a respect for life that forbid doing such experiments on people. Still, I was certain that the study of how other creatures function could be the key to curing the many terrible diseases that eluded even magical healing. If there was a way to beat them, I swore I would find it!

I finished my walk rather hastily for I was eager to get to work on this new sample. I took it down to my lab in the basement and lit the lantern as I began the slow task of studying and probing the purple form that seemed to still twitch with life inside. At first I thought it to be an ooze but close examination revealed it to be made of flesh rather than simply protoplasm. I would later find that I wasn't imagining things when I thought I saw a mouth appear on it's surface only to vanish a second later. I also saw eyes and tendrils also appear and disappear on it's surface at random intervals. I truly had never seen anything like it. I could only wonder where it had come from. Perhaps the wizard was also as interested in biology as I was and had somehow created this. I had to learn more so I set about performing a more detailed look with my magical lens. It was a special arcane device resembling an ornate microscope which a wizard had made for me in thanks for helping his wife when she was sick. I set it up and aimed the crystal eye of the device over the flesh sample so as to analyze it to the very core. Once I got on the other side to set it correctly, I began the scan, watching the results eagerly only to raise an eyebrow at what I saw.

“Eh? These readings don't make any sense...” I said as I looked around the microscope to see a rat that must have wandered in, lured by the scent of fresh meat. The rat was climbing over the glass jar, attempting to reach in.

“No! Get away from there!” I yelled out panicking at the thought of losing my sample as I chased the rat away. I was so panicked however that I tripped over my stool and hit the side of the table and caused the jar to fall and break. I frantically tried to save the sample with my bare hands, neglecting to take the proper precautions I normally would were I not in such a state. But by the time I realized my mistake, it was too late. As I picked up the strange flesh, it immediately seemed to liquefy and coat my hands. As I pulled my hands apart and tried to shake it off, I watched in horror as it began to spread up my arms. The feeling in my hands faded away as I saw the flesh leave no trace of them behind as they worked up my arms. I screamed for help even though I knew it was useless. My attempts to flee were quickly thwarted as my legs were overtaken and removed. All went dark as the violet flesh obscured my vision...


Chapter 2: The key to a cure

For a while, all was darkness. It was so much that it took me a moment to realize I was still aware. For a while, I wondered if I was dead and left to dream forever but then sensations came to me. I felt the draft from the open window of my laboratory. I felt the faint warmth of the lantern on the table. I then began to feel the cool stone floor. I was alive, but was I whole? I had to see. No sooner had I pondered that did images begin to come to me. It was blurry at first but I began to see. As it cleared though, my mind was assaulted by dozens of views at the same time. It was as though I was seeing in all directions at once. I had to focus somehow so I could make sense of all this. I tried keeping my focus on only one single view, just like how one would focus on a particular object in their field of vision. It worked as I began to bring things to clarity only to lose it in a blind panic when I did. I caught sight of the horrifying image of a mass of purple tentacles coming from behind my sight and not only that, they bore a mass of tooth lined mouths and red bestial eyes all over them.

“What's going on?! What happened to me?!” I yelled out only to surprise myself as my voice, though still my own, was loud and echoed as though dozens of me were speaking at once.

The mouths...were they all mine? Were they all speaking at once at my command? I focused myself on a single tentacle and brought it in front of my vision. It responded, indicating it was indeed my own body. What was I? Did I dare make my way to the reflective surface of the cabinet nearby and see for myself? I saw I would have to face it eventually so began to manipulate whatever part of me touched the floor to try and move. I found myself slithering on a mass of tentacles with ease eventually. I came to the cabinet and prepared myself. There lay what simply looked like something from the nightmares of the insane. It was a mass of violet tentacles covered in mouthes and eyes and nothing more.

“No!” I cried out, “That can't be me! Where's my face?!”

As though in response, some of the tentacles began to entwine and warp until they formed the shape of my old face, a pair of red eyes even put into place of my own.

“Wait...does that mean I can...” I pondered as I moved a tentacle in front of me and concentrated on what I remembered my hand looked like. The tentacle split into five tendrils that began to swell up and reshape themselves into fingers, the rest becoming a hand and the start of an arm.

“I can control the shape!” I said with relief, “Okay, concentrate on how the rest of me looked...”

I brought the image of my old body to mind and focused hard. Most of the tentacles withdrew into my mass while others joined together and reshaped themselves to form my old body. When I finally found myself sitting before myself again, I was ecstatic!

“Yes! I'm me again...well...almost...” I said as I looked to find my skin was still the same violet color and my eyes were slit and as red as my hair was. “Oh, that's right, my hair!” I said as I concentrated and watched it emerge from my head. It even restyled itself in the fat pigtails I used to always wear it in. Relieved at least to still be recognizable, I stood up to hopefully bring light to my transformation. At least I tried to stand up only to have my legs fold out from under me.

“Oh...heh heh...no skeleton,” I said as I looked at my arm's ability to bend in all directions, “This is going to take some getting used to.”

Maybe an hour of practicing later, I finally found myself standing on my own two feet and looking more or less like myself save for the color. I looked down the remains of the accident and saw shreds of the coat I wore.

“Aw!” I said, “That was my favorite coat.”

No sooner had that thought come to mind did more mouths open up all over me and began to ooze a strange black substance from them that began to trickle all over me.

“Ew! What's going on now?!” I said in horror but then I saw what was happening. This substance began to take shape and solidify over me, forming the coat and pants I wore. The substance was reminiscent of black rubber but it fit me perfectly and felt as comfortable as a second skin.

Now that I felt more in control of everything, I began to ponder this transformation. I was the same violet color as the flesh sample. It seemed that it had somehow consumed my body and replaced it with it's own mass. Lacking a mind of it's own, it adopted mine, leaving me in control of it. I still needed to analyze a sample so it seemed I would have to use one from my new body. I took a glass dish and cut my finger with a scalpel to take a blood sample. I watched in surprise as not a drop fell. The cut simply resealed itself instantly as though it never existed.

“Fascinating...I wonder if...” I muttered as I put the scalpel to my wrist. I closed my eyes as I ran it across. Rather than a stream of blood as one would expect, I only got the same result.

“Do...I even bleed anymore?” I said as I put my hands to my chest and felt. I could feel movement inside but it wasn't the beat of my heart. It wasn't the rise and fall of my lungs. It wasn't the rumbling of my stomach.

Curiosity gripped me as I put down the scalpel and drew the longer one and looked at it for a moment before looking down at my torso. Did I dare go this far? The cut to my wrist didn't even hurt. I felt it but there was no pain. I pointed the scalpel at my navel, or at least where my navel would have been on my own body, and pushed it slightly in, through my makeshift coat and slightly into my flesh. I felt it penetrate but there was still no pain. Cringing, I pushed it through, feeling it come out of my back.

“Curiouser and curiouser...” I mumbled as I brought the scalpel upwards until I reached between the breasts, cutting a massive hole in my torso. Now confident I was in no danger of dying, I put down the scalpel and pulled the hole apart with my hands. Looking at my reflection, I was greeted to a writing mass of tendrils, eyes and mouths rolling in a sea of flesh that was between liquid and solid. Repulsed by the image, I released my grip and the hole closed itself in seconds. Even my clothing repaired itself immediately after.

Whatever I had been transformed into, it was unlike anything I had ever seen and that's saying a lot from someone who wrote one of the most comprehensive books on anatomy you could find in the land, not that I'm one to brag mind you. This certainly bore more study but then something occurred to me. I was so engrossed by my body that I didn't even realize how weak from hunger I was.

I decided to make my way down to the village and enjoy a meal at my favorite inn. As I walked down the hill to the area below, I realized the pain of my disease was long gone. Other than my nagging hunger, I felt perfect. I received the usual friendly greetings from people I passed by. Any inquiries about my skin were waived off with “Oh...just a lab accident. It's no big deal.”

“Morah! How nice of you to stop by? How's business,” asked Tikron, the innkeeper. One of the reasons I liked eating here was he always gave me good deals for helping him with his back. He was getting up in years but he was still a very solid fellow.

“Oh, it's the same as always. How about you?” I responded.

“Adventurers came by, always good for business but now it'll probably be slow for the coming months,” he answered, “So, your usual then?”

“Yes...uh...can you make it double...no triple portioned this time?” I asked shyly.

“Triple portioned?” he replied surprised, “Are you expecting someone?”

“No...just me,” I said, trying to hide my hunger's impatience.

“Heh heh, a little girl like you eat all that? Now that's something I'd like to see!” he laughed.

“Hey! I'm no girl...even though I have to sit on a pile of books...but that's only because you make these tables too big,” I said laughing at his usual teasing me for my size.

“Whatever you say Doc, I'll have it all ready for you in no time,” Tirkon called out.

In a few minutes, platers of roast and boiled vegetables were brought out and placed all over the table. Many other patrons turned their attention to the odd sight of a little gnome woman starting into a meal that would daunt an ogre. It was difficult to resist the strong urge I felt to simply dive in voraciously like an animal but I didn't want to draw any more attention than I already was so I stuck with regular table etiquette. In no time at all I sat back feeling in ecstasy as I was finally full. Strangely enough, I wasn't bloated in the least from my little gorge. What I did feel was as energetic as a little girl. I thanked Tirkon as I left money on the table and headed out. The sight of an annoyed patron giving a handful of coins to another laughing patron made me giggle as I exited.

My feeling of contentment was cut short as a frantic scream caught my ear. It was Mrs Smyth I had seen yesterday carrying little Jeros in her arms.

“Dr Morah! Oh thank goodness you're here!” she cried.

“What is it? What happened?” I asked.

“Jeros, he fell onto and old log and...” she couldn't bear to say it as she showed Jeros with a tree branch impaled through his chest.

“Oh no!” I said now trying not to panic myself, “We need to get to my clinic, whatever you do, do not touch that branch!”

She along with several concerned bystanders followed. When we got to my clinic, I had Jeros put on my table as I ordered everyone out of the room so I could examine him. As I pulled away his shirt so as to better inspect the wound, a horrible feeling overcame me as I looked and saw in the precise position of his heart. I would never be able to stop the bleeding. It looked like I would be faced with the grimmest moment anyone in my profession could face: having to tell a heartbroken parent that you couldn't save their child. I didn't want to face that again, I had been forced to do it so many times before and it never got easier. But then, that was when something dawned on me. I walked over to the ajar door and looked to see Mrs Smyth being comforted by those sitting besides her.

“Is he going to be...” she asked.

I raised my head, “I think I can help him...but I must not be disturbed. No matter what, nobody is to enter!”

Everyone nodded as I closed the door behind me and walked over to Jeros who's breathing began to grow weak.

“All right...if this body can heal itself...can it do the same for you?” I said as I began to let my hand separate into a mass of tendrils that I placed over the wound. Closing my eyes, I began to concentrate and then I began to see through the tendrils. I could see Jeros's blood stream, his muscles, his damaged heart. Working in unison and my concentration unyielding, the tendrils began to devour the foreign object as they set about repairing and reattaching the bone and tissues. In mere seconds, the wound closed and was sealed as I withdrew my hand and restored it's former shape.

“I did it...I did it!” I cried out in triumph.

I let Jeros rest for a while before I emerged from the room to give his mother the good news that his son would live to climb many more trees to come. I didn't want to arouse suspicion after all. As everyone praised my skill and left back to their homes I was left with my mind conflicted. What had I done? I saved a life that I couldn't have otherwise saved. But I used an unknown and untested technique to do it that even I barely understood. Was it without unintended consequences? What would people think if they knew what I had become? Even I didn't know exactly what I had become. I wondered if I dared confide this in anyone. Would Mikata understand? I supposed I would find out tomorrow when he came to work but until then, all I wanted was to rest my weary mind. It had been through so much today after all.


Chapter 3: The Interlopers

They say some people choose heroism and some find themselves forced to become heroes. I was definitely one of the latter. Adventurers, I met a lot of them in my time. After all, they had a dangerous life style and often had to come to people like me to treat their injuries. I heard many a strange tale when I asked where they had acquired whatever ailed them. They were interesting to listen to but I never got all starry eyed about the idea of going on adventures of my own. No, I liked my job and would rather have simply lived my peaceful life. It was already obvious the powers that be weren't going to make it that easy for me.

I woke up as a mass of tentacles again and had to reform my body anew though it was much easier this time. It seemed practice made perfect. It was still early. It would be maybe an hour before Mikata arrived and we would get ready to open so I decided to clear my head and take a walk before he arrived.

“I wonder what he'll think of the new me,” I pondered as I headed out the door.

I walked alongside the river as I was fond of doing. The trickle of the water always had a soothing effect on me and it still did. At least it did until the same agonizing pain of hunger began to make itself known to me again. It was strange indeed. Cutting a hole in myself didn't even cause me discomfort. It seemed hunger was the only true pain I felt in this body. I dropped to my knees, trying to bear it for I knew I wouldn't find food at any immediate time. At least that's what I thought until I felt movement in my hand as it rested atop a moss covered stump. I lifted my hand away to reveal a fresh hole in the moss where my hand stood. An examination found a toothy mouth on my palm happily gnawing at ground vegetable matter.

“I can eat this?” I said looking at the moss rather repulsed. But then I felt just a twinge of relief from the pain of the hunger. Without giving it another thought, I let my arms split off into tentacles and surround the stump. When I pulled them away seconds later, the moss and even the stump itself was gone. I could feel renewal flow through me. It seemed I could sustain myself on any organic material. To round out my “diet,” I took to spearing several passing fish in the river and eating them whole. With more experimenting, I found I truly could eat any organic matter regardless of freshness or source. I was hesitant to test this on rotten food but I found even it was appetizing to this alien form though less nourishing. With the pain gone and replaced with energy, I ran for home in a sprint unlike I had done in a long time. I arrived just in time to see Mikata coming up the hill.

“Oh dear, I still don't know what I'm going to say...” I said as I ducked inside and decided not to try to lie to him. I knew it would do no good anyway.

“Morah!” he said as he came in, “I heard you saved that kid's life the other day.”

“Oh Jeros? Yeah, he was hurt pretty badly but I managed to fix him up,” I said.

“That's great Morah! You really are...” he trailed off as he closed the door behind him and I let him look at me, “Morah? What happened to you? Why are you all purple?”

“Heh...well that's an interesting story but it doesn't stop with the skin,” I said as I looked up at him and let him see my reddened eyes.

“Ack!” Mikata said in surprise as he backed away.

“It's okay! It's really me Mikata. Remember that sample you brought?”

“Yeah...what? Did it do this to you?”

“Mmm hmm, I touched it by mistake and next thing I know...I look like the monster under the bed I used to be afraid of as a child,” I explained as I put my fingers to my stomach, “Prepare yourself...”

I pulled open my torso, revealing the gruesome mass inside. I closed it again when I saw I was making Mikata sick.

“Ugh...” he groaned, “That's horrible.”

“There is a bright side. I'm not sick anymore. In fact, I think this body can't get infections or even injuries. I tried cutting myself and it just heals again. I can even eat things I normally couldn't. But the important thing is, this might be a blessing no matter how grotesque it might be.”

“What do you mean?” Mikata asked.

“Jeros the other day...his heart was pierced by his injuries. Under normal circumstances, he would be dead by now.”

“What? Then you mean...” Mikata began.

“Yes, I healed him using this body's strange abilities. I'm just afraid of what people will think if they know about this. I'm also afraid there could be more to this transformation than I know...” I trailed off.

“Well, maybe try and ease them into the idea. Show them what it can do without showing them exactly what it is. Maybe that's the best idea,” Mikata suggested.

“Sounds like a plan! Hey! If I can truly treat any injury or sickness, this could be a medical breakthrough,” I said now getting excited.

“Well, let's take small steps, it's about time to open,” Mikata said as we got to work setting up. We had only opened for a few minutes when who should arrive but Tikron from the inn.

“Ah, Tikron, good morning!” I said cheerfully.

“Not so good Doc,” he said groaning, “Woke up this morning and my back was killing me. You got any more of that painkiller? I can't stay in bed when there's work to be done at the inn.”

This was my chance, “I may have something even better Tikron. I have a...new procedure I've been researching that could put a stop to your back problems for good if it works. What do you think? Wanna be my test subject?”

“I'll try anything once,” Tikron said as I led him into my examination room and laid him face down on the table.

“Now,” I said nervously, “Just try to relax. This might feel a bit strange.”

I looked him over as I pulled his shirt upwards and let my hands split up into tendrils so fine they almost looked like hairs. Starting slowly, I began at the base of his spine, inserting the tendrils so that they could repair and reinforce the bone and muscle. At first, I was afraid this would cause him pain and he would look up to see what I was doing but I was surprised to see him almost falling asleep. I then noticed my tentacles were secreting anesthetic mucus that ensured his experience was comfortable and painless. Was there no whim of mine this body couldn't adhere to? Keeping my mind on my work, I slowly worked up his spine until I reached his neck and withdrew. Reforming my hands, I walked up to my patient.

“Tikron? Are you all right? How do you feel?” I asked only to be greeted by snoring.

“Oh dear, maybe a little too much of that anesthetic...” I said as I reached up and tapped him on the head.

“Mmm...what? What happened?” Tikron said bolting awake.

“You fell asleep. How do you feel?” I asked, eager to hear the results.

“Well...” he stood up and froze for a moment, “Wait...it can't be! It's gone!” He turned back and forth to make sure. “The pain, the stiffness, it's all gone. All these years and now it's like it never existed. Doc, that was amazing! How did you do it?”

“Oh well...” I stammered, “It's really technical. It would take me all day to explain it and you wouldn't understand anyway.”

“Well that's fine with me. Come down to the inn any time. You can have whatever you want on the house!” he said as he bid me farewell and ran back down the hill as though he were a young man again.

“Looks like it is a medical breakthrough Morah. I'm so happy for you!” Mikata said excited.

“Me too. I don't know where this came from but this is a gift I'll treasure,” I said looking at my hands in fascination.

Well, I had always heard that word travels fast but nothing could have prepared me for what ensued. Word of my miraculous healing spread across the village and I spend much of the coming days healing them all. Not only that, adventurers who visited the inn also heard of my new talents and sought out to be treated for what ailments their foes had laid upon them. This went on for many months. In time, I practiced and learn to not only heal but actually improve. I could reinforce the nerves, bones and tendons to improve physical strength and performance and this further spread word of my abilities. It was my dream come true, I had the power to improve the quality of life of anyone in need of it.

I feel so naive now looking back. They say power corrupts and that's very true. The only time it doesn't is when you don't really realize what kind of power you truly have. I would have been happy never knowing, but I would soon learn power also dislikes complacency.

It happened late one night. My sleep was disturbed by the sound of rustling in the other room. It couldn't have been Mikata. He went home hours ago. Fearing the worse, I reassembled myself before slowly sneaking out to investigate. As I got to the door of my examination room, I listened to hear the source of the noise was indeed coming from there. I may not have been a fighter but I hoped at the very least I could scare the burglar away, especially if I were to assume my tentacled form. Swallowing, I swiftly opened the door to see a figure quickly run out with a sack in hand. The sound of glass jars inside alerted me that he had stolen herbs or even specimen samples from my lab. Not about to stand for such thievery, I chased after him. As I emerged from the house and looked around for the culprit, my shoulder was suddenly impaled by a crossbow bolt with a dripping green slime coating the end. I deftly pulled it out and looked up at the source as the wound swiftly closed. There, perched on my roof was a creature with a long neck atop a spidery body. It looked taken aback by the result of it's attack.

“Odd...that should have been enough to knock out an ogre...”

“Well I'm no ogre,” I said smugly, trying to hide my quivering in fear.

“Clearly...” the creature said as it seemed to be sizing me up, “But in a moment, you're going to wish you had succumbed to that bolt.”

The creature tapped it's claws together as a massive beast came out from behind my house. It was bipedal though it's hunched posture and massive claws that nearly dragged on the ground gave it the appearance of a gorilla. At least it would were it not covered in chitinous plates with insect like eyes and mandibles.

“I don't want to fight,” I said reluctantly.

“Well you can just give yourself up then and make it easy if you wish,” the creature said as he directed his servant to attack.

I had heard stories of umber hulks like this one, huge beasts capable of rending the strongest knights with their claws but stories could never prepare me for being faced with one in person. I backed away terrified as the hulking creature slowly advanced, towering over my small frame. I tripped and fell on my back as I struggled to crawl away. Alas, my panicked state allowed me no chance at making a rational escape. The creature snared me with it's claw around my entire body. I was nothing but a doll to it.

“Good work Tel'rek,” the hulk's master said as it skittered down the side of my house so as to get a better look, “It's a small one but judging by the items in there, obviously one with talents. She should fetch a good price.”

“No!” I said realizing what I faced, “I won't be a slave to you! Let go of me!”

I struggled mightily though I knew it was pointless. I couldn't break the grip of such a creature. At least I thought I couldn't. The hulk's hand began to tense up for a moment when four tentacles tipped with black spikes burst out from the back of it's hand causing the beast to roar in pain as it dropped me to the ground. I looked up to see the tentacles protruding from my back. Hoping to intimidate the intruder into fleeing, I got up tried to feign courage as I walked towards him with the tentacles arced forward in a menacing fashion.

“What? What are you?” the creature said now losing his arrogant demeanor.

“Leave here at once!” I commanded, hiding the nervous stutter in my voice.

“Now that I know there's more to you than meets the eye? I'm not letting this opportunity slip past me!” the creature said as he produced a metal ball from the pouch it wore below it's neck and hurled it at me. It broke into three metal bands that encircled me and pinned my arms and tentacles. I quickly proceeded to slip out of them by shifting to my tentacle form and reforming again once I was free.

“I warned you!” I said now finding myself growing angry despite how unlike me it was. I lunged at the creature, tentacles ready to strike. The creature looked panicked for a moment as I closed in but it began to concentrate. My head then suddenly began to spin and my rage quickly subsided. I then began to hear the creature's voice speak inside my mind.

“Phew, that was close!” the creature said as it backed away from me as I stood unable to move, “I don't know what you are but I think I may have just hit the jackpot.”

The creature began to scuttle towards the village as it directed it's umber hulk slave to follow. When he gestured me to come as well, I could only watch helplessly as my body moved on it's own accord and complied. We came down the hill and I was witness to a horrible sight. The village was in flames as more creatures with umber hulk slaves attacked and snatched up villagers. Some who showed signs of trying to fight lay dead on the ground. One of the creatures who wore a decorate cloak waved as all of us were gathered together in the town center with the umber hulks surrounding us.

“Hmm...not a bad raid,” he said looking us over, “As for the lot of you, you may consider yourselves the property of the neogi. Comply and you have little to fear. Any resistance will be a waste of your lives. Understood?”

Everyone nodded nervously.

“Good, load them onto the ship along with anything of value in this village,” the leader ordered as several umber hulks herded us towards a clearing a short distance away. There stood a sight that left all of us in awe despite our unenviable situation. It was a massive ship shaped like a spider made of bronze and glass. A hatch in the bottom opened as we were directed to board. I looked back as I walked on, powerless to resist commands. That would be the last time I would ever see the place I called home, now burning to ashes and plundered by the vile neogi.