[Galadria]

Will do, Morgie. [img]smile.gif[/img] Feel free to print it out, it's less intimidating that way.

Galadria hurried down the stairs of the tower, followed by her friends. She had expected some violent reaction on its part, but, from its point of view, she had merely moved Snurll around. Still, she had to hurry before it sensed his plight and released him. The casque that he had mentioned was on an ornate table in an otherwise sparsely furnished room. The key, which she had no idea that it had fit, worked easily.
The minute the lid opened, a pink amorphous mass was to be seen floating in the exact center of the room. Its shape shifted, become here a rose, here a coiled snake, here female anatomy. Finally, she addressed it, using Snurll's name for it. "Greetings, O Vlammor."
The mass became a face, shifting in its features, facing her. "Greetings to you, too, mage," it replied. "You are not Snurll, whose slave I was. Am I to be yours, now?"
"I do not keep slaves, O, Vlammor." Galadria replied. "I am here seeking rescue of my young apprentice, she who is peeking at you through the door, now, whom I assume that you know. Her name is Sefa."
The face assumed a semblance of a smile. "I do know her, and know that the Master ordered her held closely. Since she is here, and I cannot sense the Master, I would guess that you have done the Master some injury. This in itself is cause for joy, but I fear that I must be your slave, now, mage. I cannot exist in this world without a Master to give me tasks, thus a purpose and a form. I cannot believe that you would truly free me, for I have been a slave too long."
"I suppose," Galadria replied, "that if I sought power alone, I would keep you. But, what I seek is more elusive, knowledge. How can I free you?"
"But, that is the point," the creature said. "I do not wish to be free. There is no longer a place for me on the plane where I was born. If the word 'slave' offends you, cannot you consider me a servant? I shall promise to ask my freedom whenever I might desire it. But, at this point, freeing me would be tantamount to killing me. I will be most faithful, that I vow."
A little exasperated, Galadria shot back, "But, Vlammor, I do not want or need a tower by the seaside. My place is in the city, with many people of all races. I cannot just leave you, here, maintaining this tower for the next passer-by."
"That is simple." Vlammor answered. "I do not need to be confined to this tower. In fact, should you order me, I shall destroy it at once. All that I require is my casque. And a master. Or mistress, now I see that you are a female. It matters not. Your will is formidable, and should provide me with a firm haven on this plane. Take me to your house in the city, for I sense that you have one. I shall inhabit it and make both a place of power for you and a safe abode for me."
"But what are you, Vlammor?" objected the dark mage. "You are asking me to take you into my house, and on very little acquaintance. Tell me about yourself."
"Let me see," mused the creature. "How can I explain myself to you in terms that you would understand.? I was once a planar creature, what you would call a Baatezu, or a demon. I fought in the Blood War, as all must do. In a great battle with the Tanari'i, I was destroyed. But, instead of being reborn, I was transported to another place altogether. The Ones that dwell there had seen a small part of myself, unknown to me and unacknowledged, that was not evil but unhappy with my situation. They examined this strange part, and decided that this was more essential to my being than my Baatezu nature. They destroyed all that was evil in me, and kept the small good part. They nurtured me, but were unable to make a full creature of me. So, they gave me to a former master so that he might make more of me, let me grow. He was Aconytus, whom Snurll slew, to my sorrow.