Chapter Text
“You fools!” — Zarastros, the evil sorcerer and would-be world-conqueror, bellowed, his purple robes rippling despite the lack of wind. — “You dare challenge me in my own domain?”
We dared. For there was no other choice. Zarastros’s foul magic empowered every creature serving him, and seized control of their mind to make them unquestionably loyal. No army was powerful enough to crush his, and every defeated army turned to serve him, either brainwashed or risen with necromancy.
So we stood here. Just four, a small strike group to infiltrate the sorcerer’s very citadel and end his reign at the root.
Taven, the half-orc, our leader. Many a foe looked at his green skin, his mighty brawn and his two axes, and thought they could outsmart him — with deadly consequences.
Magnolia, the slender elf with a visage of a princess and an eye of an eagle.
Zaree, a goblin with a talent for stealth and bawdy songs. Even now they skulked in the shadows, searching for weak spots and valuables.
And me, an artificer and a potionmaker, with just enough knowledge of magic to detect and neutralize Zarastros’s traps, but not enough for him to detect.
And now, it all has come to this. Us against him, victory or death with everything on the scales.
“I could kill you all with a raise of my finger!” — the evil sorcerer cackled. — “But I think I’ll do you all one better. You fools. You — you — asses!”
His staff glowed purple and, in a moment, I have been thrown to the ground. The curse was strong and disorienting. I could barely raise my head, and what I saw, was horrifying.
Taven on his knees, his ears misshapen and long, covered by gray fur. His axes lay uselessly on the ground, as he scrambles for them with black hooves that replaced his hands.
Magnolia bawling as she feels her own ears grow, her nose pushing out into a snout, her beautiful golden hair changing into rough black mane of an equine, her cherished beauty slowly wiped away.
Zaree lying on their side, rubbing her distending furry belly. Despite being out of sight, they were not spared by the spell.
And I felt burning everywhere, in my ears, my feet, my chest. My body surged and swelled, my humble robes creaking and snapping.
“WHAAAWWWt are you doing to us?” — Taven’s voice was barely recognizable with brays.
“No! NHAAAWWWW you mHAWWWWnster!” — Magnolia’s distress was obvious even as her singsong voice was twisted with asinine calls.
I could hear, just barely, Zaree whimpering and crying, letting soft brays slip out.
Even with the fog settling in my head, I managed to scramble on my feet. I felt my long, flicking ears, the hard hooves on my legs. The pressure on my spine threatened to push me down on all fours, but I knew what I had to do. My body was unfamiliar and heavy, but it was definitely strong.
I rushed Zarastros, tacking him with my furred shoulder, sending us both on the ground. His body, though not feeble, couldn’t match my asinine strength as I wrestled the staff off of him and, with a swift move, swung it against the stone floor.
And everything went white and quiet.