Shackled City: Ruce Blackwind; Urban Ranger 3: Entry 8

Call us a monster. Call us uncivilized. I dare you.

His hand and the hand hand of the orc he had been bizarrely melded to both gripped the cursed war ax: waiting for something to slice. His head turned to look at the elf, who was of course giving him/them a look somewhere between disgust and curiosity, like he couldn't wait to dissect him/them.

I dare….

Ruce's head frowned to himself/themself in confusion. He wanted to blame the elf, or at least take out his frustrations on the elf - on any elf - but for some reason the dislike of that race was subdued: performed out of habit more than from any feelings he/they had. Why was it he should dislike Osiris again?

Hmmmm.

One thing he DID feel now though. POWER! Growing up as an orphan, he had absolutely none. Later as a virtual slave in the wizard's school he had practically none - physical or otherwise. Even living on the streets and slums, he had some ability to affect his own life, but no "power." No power over others. No power to enforce his will!

This orc body he  had been melted into - this two headed abomination - it held strength he had never remotely experienced or even dreamed of! Twice the attacks and twice the movement! Dare he say it? Twice the health!

With the body however came also an odd…. clarity. An expanding of his world view. A re-shifting of not just how he saw himself/themself, but how he was viewing the proper order of the world. With his physical power came also thoughts of order, of the sanctity of life and the importance of the greater good.

Did he buy all of it? hardly… but … maybe… enough of it… he felt his spiritual center wavering. Maybe it wasn't always about just holding on to what is yours.

Not much choice of that at the moment anyway. I feel like a stranger in my own skin.

Ruce's displaced head looked around the room at the party performing their normal morning routines. He fingered the ax more nervously, one other thought troubling his mind.

Why doesn't anyone seem to notice?