The next two days were spent exploring the second of my main abilities.

This seemed to be a gift gained from Sabazios himself. After my immortality I did not imagine something could be as powerful, but I was duly shown my belief was based on falsehood. Vindrexis took me to where I had been 'killed' - we agreed then to call my deaths 'incapacitation' for that seemed a better description - and showed me the remains of the spear that I had cleaved in two.

Where my claws had touched the wood there was a strange dark colour to where it had snapped. As I looked closer I saw that in fact the wood had aged, and appeared weaker there, as if rot was setting in. Confused, I frowned as I stared at it, not remembering any sort of magic from that fight that could account for this. All I remembered was intense pain that had been caused and had rippled over my body when I had touched it. I had presumed that to be my wounds.

"You see," Vindrexis said, "Your hands ... Perhaps just your claws, caused this."

I shook my head in confusion. "My lord this is ... I only remember pain when this happened."

The half-god seemed thoughtful until he nodded. "It may be a side effect."

"I cannot have caused this," I refused the suggestion.

"Do you doubt me?" came the question.

And I stopped, alarmed. Of course I did not doubt him. He had created me and I had dedicated my existence to him. Of all people I knew he had to tell the truth, for what purpose had he to lie? He was the son of a true god, and had told me the truth of how mortals and deities were in relation. Something I had not known before, but had to be real.

"Never my lord," I said determinedly.

Vindrexis smiled, white teeth showing, and eyes gleaming. "Good," he replied. "I am pleased."

Which was a good thing. I lived (un-lived?) to please him now. I felt satisfaction come into my body and mind.

"So. You touched this, and it began to age."

Slowly I nodded, beginning to understand. "Yes, my lord."

"I want to experiment on other materials," he told me. "Alive vegetation, metals, even flesh. We will take it slowly, but I believe this will make you worth more to me."

Any opportunity to make his will so was now my goal. With him as my lord, my Shogun, my master, I felt the drive to want to please him. Thus I let him experiment.