Fungal Halo

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Power Or Freedom

The creature’s jaw closed around my midsection, squeezing with the effort of ripping my body to shreds.

The inadequate effort.

Such fearsome stature; what a huge maw! Yet I am still too much.

“You will need sharper teeth, and many more of them, to make a meal of me, child.

“Such audacity, though… I admire it. Sincerely.”

I slipped out in an instant. With a twitch of my fingers I bound the frenzied snapping of its mouth. With a wrist flick, I rooted its feet to the ground.

Still it tried to pull itself to pieces to come for me while I paced a slow circle around it in admiration.

A quick palm-down gesture forced its muscles to seize up.

“You have made quite the beast of yourself, haven’t you? I can barely see the signs of what you once were.

“You would kill me and thereby earn your freedom, hmm?”

I tapped a finger to my chin in thought. No, I could not bring myself to punish it for this most fascinating of transgressions. If only all my possessions chose to become so interesting!

“I will offer you this choice. You may go free. Live as the beast you have become, but live on your own.”

I stepped forward, gazing intently into its eyes.

“Or you stay with me and I help you become so much more dangerous yet.”

I held its gaze, making sure it was listening.

“I will teach you the teeth you are missing. You will grow enough of them in enough varieties to even challenge me one day, and then you will have the opportunity to make your move on me again.

“Would you like that?”

The creature stared at me, searching my soul for signs of honesty or deceit.

It chose power over freedom.

They always do.