Reporters rushed forward, trying to get a word with the newest and greatest name in the Neopian Battledome.

Razor_Attack the fire Eyrie strutted through the doors, proudly holding his head up, as he strode between the throngs of adoring fans.

The reporters pushed through the crowds, eagerly yelling questions. "Do you have any comments on your 500th straight victory?" shouted a Cybunny.

"How does it feel being the youngest pet to compete for the Battledome Cup?" yelled out an Aisha.

"What's it like being the most popular pet in Neopia?" The questions went on endlessly until Razor stopped and cleared his throat.

"Thank you everyone," Razor said, as he flashed a confident smile, "for coming to witness my 500th victory. I am greatly looking forward to next week's tournament for the Battledome Cup. I'd like to thank all my adoring fans for their support!" he finished, winking at some of the pets nearly swooning for him.

Another reporter pushed forward. The suited Techo asked loudly, "How is it Razor, that a pet with your strength seems to have come out of nowhere? It takes years of training for a pet to achieve such a high level, but you were an unknown until just a month ago. What's your secret?"

Razor's eyes widened at the question. "Um, well, thank you all for coming! I'm really tired... from the fight, you know... so I really should be getting home to prepare for next match!" Razor hurried to catch his ride, waiting to take him home. He quickly got in, and breathed a sigh of relief as it pulled away from the mob of fans.

Razor nervously touched the medallion on his chest...

As the vehicle wound up the windy path toward Razor's gigantic NeoHome, it hit an especially sharp turn. Razor (foolishly not wearing his seat belt) was flung to the other side of the vehicle. "Watch the road, you dang fool!!" he shouted as he rubbed his head.

"I am sorry, Mr. Razor, but--"

Razor's eyes turned red. "NO BUTS! Just... drive better." Razor rubbed the medallion through his palms.

Back home in his manor, Razor snuck through the hall. He stopped at the grand staircase, made of fabulous oak wood. Walking around to the side, he was only a couple of feet from the wall. Any smaller and he wouldn't be able to fit. Razor walked along until he reached the panel he was looking for, the spiral border in the polished wood. He ran his hand over it, then clutched the medallion.

Just as he began to push the panel, the cook's voice rang throughout the corridor. "Mr. Razor? Mr. Razor?" Razor felt a stab of fear. He quickly rushed back into the hallway, trying to look calm.

"Yes?" he said in his best cool, calm, and collected voice.

"Ah, I found you," the cook sputtered. "Dinner is ready," he said, motioning towards the dining hall. I'll have to do it in the morning. First thing. Razor thought to himself. With that, he went to enjoy his dinner.

That night Razor had the worst dream of his life. Memories of when he was just a kid. His classmates at school picked on him, since he was so scrawny, his father yelling about how he would never amount to anything. Plus his mother was gone... forever. Razor woke up in a dead sweat. The clock read 2:00 a.m. Razor jumped out of bed and ran to the stairs. Halfway down the Eyrie tripped over himself, but he didn't care. Razor continued on, running towards the panel.

He wrenched it open, and dim hazy light spilled out onto the stone floor. All of a sudden, two purple eyes appeared. "I've been waiting," was all that Jhudora said...

Jhudora glared at the fire Eyrie as she sneaked forward. "You will have plenty of time to rest--as soon as you finish your flight!"

The once-confident Eyrie looked up fearfully as his eyes met Jhudora's fierce gaze. "Please... not again."

Jhudora's eyes turned icy. "What did you say?!?"

"Nothing, it's just," Razor said, whimpering. "Why must I keep doing this? It's not right!"

"Hmph. You should have thought of that before you came crying to me years ago! 'Oh, please Jhudora! Make me strong!'" she said in a mocking tone. "'I want nothing more but to be the best fighter in all of Neopia. I'll do anything for it! Anything!'"

Razor glanced down at his feet sadly. "I know, but..."

"I will hear no more excuses!" snapped Jhudora. "We had a deal! I would give you strength and agility beyond your wildest dreams, if you would become my slave! If you still wish to be the best, then you will do what I say!"

Razor felt his eyes brimming with tears. "Y-yes, my queen."

Jhudora smiled as she raised her hands and shot magic rays at Razor, causing his medallion to glow brightly. The very same object that gave him his strenght was also his weakness. Right before her eyes, Razor screeched in pain as he began to transform. His fur turned a shade of grey and black, his eyes were glowing red, and his claws became deadly and sharp. He had transformed into a mutant Eyrie. He was now completely in Jhudora's power, and was nothing more than a puppet.

"Now then," said Jhudora. "Go out, my pet, and terrorize every creature you see. Don't forget to come back before sunrise!"

Razor let out a piercing screech and leapt from the window, flying out into the night to fulfill his duty. Jhudora smiled wickedly. Lovely, she thought. It's all going just the way I planned...

Razor shook his head to clear it of the unwanted images, clutching his medallion. "Sir?" a small Kacheek popped his head in from the doorway, "You have a fight scheduled for nine this morning and then an interview with the Neopian Times. Then, at two, you have another fight and... are you alright, sir?" The Kacheek stopped his long list of the day's schedule and tilted his head curiously at Razor.

"What? Oh, of course, of course." Razor_Attack smiled thinly, trying to look his best. "I'm fine. Now leave me, I have to get ready for the fight."

With the Kacheek gone, Razor strutted past his mirror. He was in fine form today, and sure to win all his fights. His gloomy face lit up as he imagined the trophies piling up... and didn't that Kacheek say something about the Neopian Times? Razor_Attack was going to be famous!

He preened his fur and admired the way it glistened; he was so handsome. There is no other Eyrie like me, he thought, there is no one else like me at all.

Suddenly, he noticed something in the mirror. Something not quite right. A thin frown appeared on his face as he leaned in to get a closer look. There! Right there on his left shoulder was a... gray patch of fur! And there! Another one... and another! In horror, Razor combed through his fur from nose to tail. Six patches in all! Each one a dirty grayish color, a color that was vaguely familiar, a color that haunted his dreams.

Frightened, Razor gasped. "Oh no! I'm changing into a...

"Oh no, it can't be true," Razor said to himself, "It's just a very, very bad dream. Now look at yourself in the mirror again and it will be alright, alright..." he tried really hard to lie to himself, but when he looked into the mirror again he noticed something even worse...

He trotted through a jungle full of mutant Kougras, Zafaras, Lupes, Myncis and other mutant Neopets. Even the jungle itself seemed to be mutant. The trees were all dead, and the ground he was standing on was covered with mud and dead tree roots. He saw a bunch of kids pointing at him and laughing, his dad growling and yelling at him for being so weak and stupid... he saw his mum's gravestone under the familliar shape of a certain evil Faerie... "Nooooo!"

"Sir! Sir! Wake up, Sir! Your fight starts at nine, and it's already eight! Sir!"

Razor_Attack found himself lying on the polished floor of his room. The mutant jungle was just an evil dream... or? "Are you okay, sir?" the little Kacheek asked carefully.

"Yes, I'm..." Razor tried to lie, but then he saw himself in the mirror again. The gray patches were not especially easy to see, but the thought of what they might represent horrified him.

"I'm... not alright. I will have to withdraw from all my fights and the interview with the Neopian Times today."

"Are you sure about that, sir?"

Razor lost his patience and growled: "Yes, I'm sure! I am always sure about my decisions!"

"Yes sir... I will call them at once, sir..." the Kacheek said, sounding like he didn't really believe him. After the Kacheek left, Razor opened his window and stuck out his head as long as he could.

"Why? Why me?" he asked himself, "Why is this happening? How did this..."

"I thought it was easy to find out," said a cruel voice, "that it was me." Razor saw the shape of Jhudora floating down to him, sitting on a small cloud of dark purple.

"Jhudora... my queen," he hastily added.

"Have you noticed that your power grows a little bit every day? Your power doesn't come from the medallion alone. It's coming from your mutant shape as well. It means that when your levels and powers are growing, so is the strength of your mutant shape. Someday, it will take you over completely, and then you will be an ugly, evil, mutant to serve me forever!"

"Nooooooooooo!" Razor screeched, as he heard Jhudora's evil laughter...

"Don't even think about it," warned Jhudora. "If you even think about taking off that medallion again, all of your friends, family and everyone you hold dear will suffer the same fate as your mother."

"Take that back!" screamed Razor as he leaped at Jhudora... but she suddenly vanished. Razor hit the wall hard and landed on the ground.

"Razor! Razor! Sir, are you OK?" asked the little Kacheek as he ran back into the room. He saw Razor on the ground and nudged him hard.

"Huh?" asked Razor dumbly as he woke up.

"Sir, are you OK?" asked the Kacheek again. Razor stood up and blinked a couple of times.

"Yes, I'm fine. Have you called the Neopian Times and the Battledome yet?" asked Razor.

"No, I was just about to when I heard you hitting the wall. Are you sure you want me to?" he questioned. Razor suddenly saw Jhudora appear behind the Kacheek. She shook her head and slowly moved her arm closer to the Kacheek's neck.

"Don't do it!" exclaimed Razor.

"Don't do what?" asked the Kacheek, fully unaware of Jhudora's presence.

"I mean... don't cancel the match. I've changed my mind, I can fight," said Razor. Jhudora nodded her head and vanished again as the Kacheek turned back around.

The hour seemed to tick away, and Razor soon found himself in the Battledome. Would this be the match? Was this to be the match that would turn him into a mutant forever? There was only one way to find out...

Razor could hear the waiting crowd of admiring fans chanting outside, in the bleachers of the Battledome-- "Razor! Razor!"

He hung his flamed head and drooped his smokey wings, "If they only knew what I really was... they wouldn't be cheering from me." Razor sighed, wondering why he had ever been foolish enough to strike a deal with a Dark Faerie.

"I'm a monster!" he cried, "A monster!" Suddenly Razor was overcome with rage, "Monster!" he screamed at his own reflection in the mirror, shattering it to smithereens with one clean swipe of his paw.

Razor watched in horror as a reflection appeared in the broken bits of reflective glass. Jhudora, cackling evily, mocked Razor. "That's right! Jhudora gloated inside his head, a monster! Forever!"

Razor shrieked and scattered the jagged pieces of glass across the room; the evil laughter faded into a sinister crescendo.

"Sir, your match!" the small Kacheek popped his head in the dressing room, addressing Razor. "Sir-", the Kacheek stopped himself as he started to say something, staring strangely at the shattered glass spread over the carpet, but left quietly.

Razor strutted down the aisle, past rows of adoring fans screaming for autographs. He forced himself to hold his head high and tried his best to look fearsome.

Razor puffed his chest and leaped into the ring with one mighty bound, gliding down with his strong wings.

Just as he was about to let out a fierce battle cry, Razor caught sight of his opponent on the other side of the ring, and let out a gasp...

Razor gasped silently, "No, not you!" he said, but his voice was weak and inaudible, wrapped in fear.

The commentator's voice boomed in the Battledome, "...and tonight we have the most awaited match in history, the undefeatable Razor, against the Dark Faerie, Jhudora!" he said in a deep and cheerful voice.

The public cheered loudly, clapping and whistling, all yelling Razor's name, and all ignoring his sweaty body and horrified face.

Jhudora laughed with an evil smile spreading through her lips, "What's wrong, Razor? Afraid of me?" she hissed loud enough so only Razor could hear her.

Razor growled and leapt forward, claws out and ready to slash. He was giving in to anger and frustration, and the magical Faerie quickly dodged his attacks, evading him easily. Jhudora smiled to herself, knowing well the outcome of the battle. She was acting with strategy, and was getting the result she wanted.

Razor collapsed on the floor, exhausted but feeling the anger still burning deep within himself. Jhudora glided towards him, "Tired? Well, what a pity, I expected a long and formidable match. Looks like I was wrong, though... you're nothing but a little showoff cub." Jhudora snarled.

Razor felt hatred flow through himself. He felt angry, furious, and it was this same sensation that was burning deep within him. Suddenly, his eyes widened with both fear and surprise, and a wave of pain jolted through his body like an electric current.

Jhudora lifted her hand into the air, and with that motion, Razor was launched mercilessly, slamming against the ceiling of the Battledome. With a down motion of her hand, the Eyrie was brought down again, crashing into the floor with bone-crushing speed.

In agony, Razor got up. He had to win, or this would be the end of him. It confused him that after all her help to strengthen him, she would then try to possibly destroy him. He reached back a paw to swipe at her, but suddenly his body froze, and Jhudora's voice entered his mind. You're mine now, SLAVE! The medallion that linked Razor to her was giving Jhudora the power to control and fling him around like a rag doll.

With more flourishes of her hands, the Eyrie was slammed ruthlessly around the arena. Finally the beating stopped, as Razor lay nearly unconscious on the arena floor. Jhudora walked over and victoriously grabbed him by the scruff, then turned to the audience.

"Citizens of Neopia! You worthless fools! See what I can do to the strongest of you?" pointing at the beaten Eyrie. "You will all bow down to me, or suffer his fate!" The audience gasped in collective horror.

So that was her plan all along, thought Razor dully. All the other pets will think she can do this to anyone, but in truth she can only do it to me because I wear this amulet. He desperately wanted to warn the audience, but Jhudora's power over him kept his beak sealed...

Jhudora's attention was all devoted to the crowd, telling them of the horrid slavery and cruelty they would have to endure. Razor realised his opportunity, and raised his sealed beak to strike Jhudora on the hand and stuck Jhudora on the hand which was supporting him.

The Faerie howled with pain, and dropped the Eyrie to the ground. Just as she did, Razor used used whatever strength he had left in his mangled, beaten body, and tore off his prided medallion.

"How DARE you?!? You insolent slave!" Jhudora scowled, eyes narrowed. The crowd became confused as they watched in amazement, as the once strong and handsome looking Razor changed into a scrawny and rather puny Eyrie.

"See! See! Look what you are without my help and my magic! You are nothing!" Jhudora mocked.

"NO I'M NOT!" shouted Razor with all the memories of his life racing through his head...

He ran at Jhudora with all his might and rammed her into the ground, continuously repeating the words, "NO I'M NOT! NO I'M NOT!"

The crowd gasped in confusion...

"FOOL! Don't you understand?" Jhudora snapped with rage. "You are worthless without me!!"

"That's the last straw, Jhudora!" Razor screamed, and pounced on Jhudora.

"I don't need your powers! I have my own power inside! You don't have to have powers to be strong! I made a big mistake ever making that deal with you! Now Jhudora, you're going down!" Razor said with angered eyes.

Razor struck Jhudora with his wing, and Jhudora collapsed backwards.

"You made a big mistake Razor! I'm a Faerie, and you're just a weak Eyrie! How can you defeat me?" Jhudora said.

"Watch me!" Razor jumped on top of Jhudora's head, pouncing and slamming her to the Battledome floor.

"ARRRGH!" Jhudora groaned as she shot purple lightning bolts at Razor. Razor cried in agony.

"Come on Razor! You can do it! Don't let that Faerie take advantage of you!" someone from the crowd shouted. More shouts followed, urging Razor on. Even though they know the truth about me, they're still cheering? Razor thought incrediciously. Encouraged by the fans, he finally gathered the last of his strength and struck Jhudora with his body.

Jhudora laid there motionless for a minute, then slowly stood up. "You'll pay for that Razor! I'll destroy all you hold dear!" Jhudora screamed as she raised her hands menacingly, only to get a piece of rotten fruit thrown into her face.

"Leave him alone, you big bully!" shouted a member of the audience.

"Yeah!" said another. "We're not afraid of you! If Razor can stand up to you, so can WE!"

The pets began throwing every rotten junk item they could find at the baffled Jhudora, chasing her out of the Battledome in shame, covered in rotten fruit.

The crowd then turned back to Razor and roared with applause and happiness. Razor stood there speechless. He was finally rid of Jhudora, and even better, his fans respected and adored him, even in his normal, weak state.

I knew I didn't need false power to defeat her! The power's all inside! Razor thought, and smiled as he joined the crowd to celebrate his new found freedom and peace of mind.

The End