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More from Arito - PhyrexianRevoker
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[Mind Change] [Permanent] [Unwilling] [Humalos TF] [6,000 words]
This was a commission done for Laupin
Thank you for supporting me! ^^
Commission journal:
https://www.deviantart.com/phyrexianrevoker/journal/COMMISSION-AUCTION-OPEN-889915891
This is part of a story sequence.
Read past chapters below:
1. https://www.furaffinity.net/view/44184232/
2. https://www.furaffinity.net/view/45828633/
3. https://www.furaffinity.net/view/48140462/
[Mind Change] [Permanent] [Unwilling] [Humalos TF] [6,000 words]
“Hello! Chafine here! I’m probably busy at the moment…” Said the recording. “Please, leave a message after the beep!”
After hearing that message for the tenth time, Eranor was starting to get irritated and equally afraid. Chafine usually took less than an hour to reply to her text messages or calls, yet she hadn't received a single notice from her friend since yesterday, when they were going to a concert…
She hadn’t heard of any accident or burglary in the news, so those options were already off. Still, fearing that something bad was going on, she decided to use her spare key to "trespass" into Chafine's apartment. What if she was sick and didn’t have any strength to call an ambulance?
"Chafine?" Eranor peeked her head through the door. "Are you home?"
Nobody replied.
The apartment was pretty small, with no place to hide. After checking the kitchen and living room for signs of life, Eranor saw light shining from beneath the bedroom’s door. She came closer and knocked.
“You in there, Chafine? The girls told me you didn’t want to go to the concert with them… Are you okay?” She sighed, once again with no response. “Alright, I’m coming in...” She turned the knob and pushed it open, expecting to find her friend either lying sick on the bed or unconscious on the floor. She expected something bad, but what she saw was beyond preparing for…
Eranor gasped and took a step back. The floor was muddled with green slime, each puddle with small patches of grass, mushrooms, moss and flowers growing from it. The same ooze had also painted some spots on the walls, featuring orchids and bromeliads. It felt like “modern art” mixing a room with a tropical forest.
Eranor couldn't believe her eyes. She had just been there two days ago, and there was nothing like that to be seen then! Golden spores floated through the air, sparkling with a light of their own. Rainbow-colored butterflies fluttered about, some of them leaving the room after the door had been opened. Luminescent ants crawled over the furniture and tended to a few miniature castles of sand built over the shelves. The singing of birds came from all directions despite Eranor not seeing a single one of them. Chafine’s bed was halfway consumed by thorny ivy, as if months had passed in pure isolation. The whole scene was reminiscent of a fairy tale… A very messy fairy tale.
“H-hello?”
Although the windows were closed and there was no breeze, the flowers seemed to sway as if pushed by a gentle wind. Upon closer inspection, Eranor noticed that each flower had a tiny eye in its center, and that indeed they were “dancing” a synchronized choreography. Was Chafine secretly a witch?
Eranor carefully walked around, trying not to step on anything alive. She bit her lips and kept both hands close to the chest, her expression a mix of awe and wariness. Her heart was pounding and her breath was fast, inhaling the perfume of morning dew paired with sweet nectar. Was she dreaming?
In the center of the room, a circle of glowing runes spiraled out for almost a meter. The inscriptions pulsed with a faint neon light, glowing brighter the closer Eranor got to it, as if responding to her presence. The bird’s singing and the sound of fluttering leaves all came from that alien writing. Fear and curiosity fought inside her head, and the girl struggled to decide what to do.
“Wh-what is this thing?”
And then… and voice came from the circle:
“I wasn’t expecting another one to show up.” It sounded childish, yet devoid of emotion. “I guess I should've cleaned my mess sooner…”
The circle of runes lifted from the ground and spun in the air, perpendicular to the ground. The inscriptions began to rotate faster and faster around its axis like a DVD, crackling with green sparks until they better resembled a solid emerald-colored ring.
“Chafine?” She stepped back. “is th-that y-you? You are scaring me…”
The air inside the ring was pulled apart, as if the curtains of a theater were being roughly tugged open. The bird’s singing got louder, and a warm summer breeze came straight at her face, basking the girl with the light of a midday sun. She almost tumbled from the sudden blinding.
As she rubbed her eyes, and the spots began to go away, she saw a blurry figure standing in front of the newly opened portal. The world had warped around that wormhole… she could see sprawling, open fields on the opposite side of.
The tall figure extended its hand towards Eranor and a shock almost numbed the girl’s senses. She turned around to run from the silhouette, only to get her foot tripped on a mossy root.. Her world spun as she braced herself for the impact.
But the impact didn’t come…
Eranor simply floated inches from the floor, belly facing down, held in suspension as if the air had turned into water. She felt much lighter than usual; yet moving her fingers was near impossible. The sound of dozens of tiny wings flapping caught her attention, along with the sensation of her clothes being pulled like strings. At first she couldn’t believe it, but all the butterflies were literally holding her afloat! How was that possible?
“Going out already?” The creature chuckled. “Don’t you want to play?”
Eranor tried to reply, but had no voice. No matter how hard she tried, her entire body was paralyzed. That was exactly like one of those nightmares where the person can’t escape from a pursuer… However, it was happening in real life!
“I had no plans to collect another specimen, but I won’t turn up the opportunity when a lifeform so willingly offers itself to me.” The unknown figure approached from behind, outside of Eranor’s view. “Let me take a good look at you!”
Eranor’s body was hoisted and rotated, changing from a lying position into a straight posture. The butterflies maneuvered the girl like a ragdoll, turning her around until she could finally take a good look at the other creature… which clearly wasn’t Chafine, much less human!
Her features were female and delicate. Her skin was blue and she wore a long purple dress. One curved, dark-green horn grew from her head forming an arc. The creature’s hair was long and also green, flowing down its shoulders in a primitive, plant-like way. To top it off, she also displayed a long tail resembling that of a Chinese dragon, which swayed left and right slowly.
"I think you'll come in handy for what I have in mind…" The blue humanoid grinned, then touched the girl's belly. "But first, let's have some fun!"
Eranor's insides churned; her blood went cold; her muscles felt like noodles; her skin became pale; her hair changed into black yarn; and her clothes fused with her body, giving the girl a doll's appearance. But that wasn't all…
The room's size increased as Eranor's body shrank. The bed was as big as a pool; the mushrooms as big as hats, and the butterflies seemed like winged cats, requiring only three of them to keep Eranor afloat. Towering in front of her, the blue creature seemed pleased at the sign of a helpless human, kneeling down just so that their eyes could meet.
"You are cuter than the last human I've found!" She smiled. "You deserve special treatment."
Other human? Was she talking about Chafine? Did that damn witch also kidnap her loved one!? She better not have!
"By the way, my name is Baleina!" She patted the girl’s head. "I'm your new owner, so you better treasure my name."
Baleina pointed her finger to the left, and the butterflies flew Eranor to that direction. Bakeina pointed to the right, and the butterflies obeyed. She moved her finger wildly, like a maestro conducting a cacophony, and the poor human-doll was tossed and turned in the air, her head spinning. At some point they even dropped her, and caught her by the legs.
Once Baleina was done with her nonsense, she ordered the butterflies to bring Eranor closer and release her. The witch grabbed her by the armpits and kissed the doll's head, causing a sudden lightheadedness to take. All of a sudden, her mental cries of “That evil witch is going to pay for this!” were pushed away…
Her owner's lips were warm…
Her owner's hands were gentle…
Her owner's skin was soft…
Her owner's…
…
It took her a few seconds to force those thoughts aside, horrified to even have them in her head. That monster had reduced her to a stuffing-filled toy, and stolen her friend! She had to find Chafine and save her! That should be her first thought! Not falling in love with a witch!
"No need to fight, my cutie." Those words slowed down Eranor’s panicked thoughts like a cozy blanket on a cold night. "Now you’ll have a purpose! You are so lucky!"
The next kiss numbed her mind and almost made Eranor faint. Somewhere inside she knew that that was terrifying and horrible, but Baleina's touch somehow made her feel… good? Relaxed? No, she had to resist it! She wouldn’t be mind controlled by-
A third kiss made her view blurry and thoughts sleepy. The fourth brought a wave of bliss. The fifth was like heaven… Eranor's eyes closed just as Baleina crossed the portal into the world of fairy tales, carrying her new doll by its hand.
When Eranor opened her eyes, she was in a new room. The giant house had rustic wooden walls covered with vines, furniture with a rough finish, and a ceiling made of hay. Her still plushie-fied body rested atop a pillow that could easily be mistaken for a bed given its size. The girl still couldn’t move thanks to having her muscles turned into foam.
She wanted her owner to come back! Eranor needed someone to come and play with her! To pull the string on her back! Nothing could be more urgent than allowing her to speak all the lovely phrases recorded in her mind!
Since when did she have a string?
Since always! Of course!
She was a doll, after all!
Eranor’s head was still warm from Baleina’s kisses. A faint, green mark had been left by the tender lips of her loving owner, instilling her with warmth. She tried to think about anything that had occured before that kiss, but nothing popped up! That must have been the start of her happy life as her owner’s toy!
How did she get there?
She had just been crafted, of course!
She was a creation of a very skilled artist!
Around Eranor, the table was full of needles, scissors, balls of yarn, pieces of fabric, plastic buttons, paints, glitter, colorful glue and brushes… every conceivable tool necessary to create beautiful plushies like herself! Oh, her owner was so brilliant!
However, she wasn’t the only toy. There was also a small, gray pony-plushie! The animal’s surface was made of faux-fur; its eyes were a pair of expressionless blue buttons; its black mane and tail resembled a broom; and it also had big wings like an angel! It walked up to Eranor, with its soft hooves making squeaky sounds, and stared down at her.
How was that other toy moving?
Because her owner was holding it, of course!
“Is my new friend ready to be completed?” Asked Baleina in a playful tone, gripping the pony’s flank and moving it up and down to pretend that it was the one speaking. “The great and powerful Baleina told me you’d be the one to become the second Humalos!”
What was a Humalos?
Knowing her owner, it was something great, magical and beautiful, of course!
Baleina left the other toy standing on the table and picked Eranor up. She held the plushie-girl by the waist and pulled the long string on her back…
“Hello my pony friend!” Eranor said, as if reading a memorized script. “I’m ready to become one with you!”
“Just what I wanted to hear!” Baleina smiled and gave her toy another warm kiss.
She was comfortably placed on the pony’s back. Baleina maneuvered both of them across the table, pretending that they were galloping. The equine and its rider went over the plains of cotton, the mountains of pillows, the jungle of yarns, the shiny desert of glitter, and so many more adventures!
At first, she was affected by every bump of the ride, almost falling off; but the more they galloped, the more firm she became on the animal’s back. They began to move as one, until… Eranor could feel the four legs of the creature as if those were her own. She was the one running across the table! She could feel the long tail tickling her butt as if it belonged to her. Although, there was one thing the girl couldn’t find: her original human legs!
“Almost done!” Said Baleina.
What is almost done?
The transformation, of course!
When Eranor was brought back to her senses, she realized most of the galloping had been happening in her imagination. While she had been distracted, Baleina had cut off her legs with a pair of scissors and sewn her torso right onto the back of the pony. All done without a single painful pinch! Her owner was such a skilled toymaker!
“For the final touch…” Baleina carefully pulled Eranor’s string. “Let me connect your minds.”
Rather than words, the doll-girl released a loud, squeaky neigh. Alien thoughts flooded her head, messing everything up like a bull in a crystal shop. The word “walking” became “trotting” and the word “running” became “galloping”. Her favorite dish became “apple muffin” and, for some reason, she wanted to wear a saddle that had frills like the skirt of a maid!
As if listening to her desires, Baleina crafted a black maid’s outfit and carefully sewed it onto Eranor’s body, complete with the apron, necklace, handwear, petticoat and everything else. She was born to serve!
She remembered the good old times when she used to role-play as Chafine’s maid and…
Who was Chafine?
Did she know somebody by that name?
Did you mean “Baleina”?
Of course you did!
There is nobody called Chafine here!
Of course!
Of course!
“Let’s bring you to life now!” Her owner said
Green light circled Eranor and an intense heat came from within. Her fibers and foam turned into muscles and bones; the silky surface that wrapped her soft interior became a thick layer of skin and fat; her eyes sparked and her hair waved down naturally. Her scale went up drastically, until she was tall enough to open doors, reach the high shelves, or even play with her owner’s plushies! All of that sudden height was amazing! She actually seemed to be a bit taller than her owner!
Looking down at her new features, Eranor smiled at the big, equine body that was now part of her: The four strong hooves; the long black tail; the dazzling mane; the angelic wings; and the adorable pony head. Just as she contemplated that last region, it looked back at her, and their thoughts connected. She could see through that second set of eyes! She was one with that pony! But, more importantly, she could finally move and express her emotions to her owner!
“You definitely look like an upgrade! The last humalos didn’t turn as good as you!” Baleina smiled while brushing her equine neck. “Would you like to meet your sister?”
“Of course, master!” She replied in the most polite way.
Baleina gently pushed her through the door and into the gardens, allowing her to see that beautiful world for the first time. The blue summer skies, the endless plains of flowers and the trees full of unimaginable fruits combined to create what could only be described as an enchantress’ glade, where magic was always in the air.
Resting under the canopy of a wide tree, she saw another humalos. That one had light blue hair, and a green equine torso, but its head was that of a serpent. There was something familiar about her…
“Cha… Cha… Chaf…” She tried to form a name. “Chaf… Chaaaaa…”
“Eranor!” The other humalos shouted, and came trotting towards her. “I thought I would never see you again!”
“See me again?” Eranor’s head began to hurt. “Chaf… Chafi…”
Before the humalos could reunite, Baleina summoned a tall wall of plants around the second one. It was so thick that no sound could cross it. As that strangely familiar creature was taken out of sight, her name also vanished. Instead she just stared at the barrier as a reminder of how amazing her owner was…
“I guess you two are not ready to meet.” Baleina chuckled. “She probably mistook you for someone else.”
“I liked her…” Eranor said. “She was pretty.”
“You’ll see her again, eventually.” The blue witch dismissed her. “As for now, I have some tasks for you to do. How about that?”
“I was born to serve, my master.”
“Great!” She scratched behind the pony’s ears. “Follow me.”
She obediently followed Baleina, but looked back one last time towards that tower of plants, thinking about the other humalos trapped inside it.
Why did she feel something special about her?
Because you two are both adorable creatures, of course!
…
Meanwhile, hidden in the bushes near the house, a bunny and a pink bird watched everything, carefully planning their next move.
Baleina opened the rift to the human world, leading Eranor to a bedroom covered in moss and butterflies, then instructed her to clean all the mess in there. She was tasked with drawing a complicated pattern of runes on the floor, which would cause everything in the bedroom to turn into ashes so that nobody else would be able to find their way to Erithia.
Eranor happily sang alone, as she used her hooves to draw on the wooden floor. Although her master could easily do it herself, the ritual would take a long time, and she had better things to do. Eranor was so happy to be useful! What purpose could be better than making her creator happy?
The butterflies, fluffy bugs, mushrooms and plants didn’t even realize they were about to be turned to ashes. But Eranor didn't care, because she was a perfect creation, and those animals were imperfect creatures. They were full of natural randomness, while she was created with precision! Those freaks were more useful for Baleina as raw material than actual living organisms.
The portal behind her slowly closed, keeping Eranor in that place until her owner would come back later… to fetch her and grant the girl with a reward!
The humalos-maid had already finished half of the magical circle when she noticed a duo staring at her from atop the bed… a bunny and a pink bird. There was something special about the two, as if their forms had been enhanced by a spell. They weren't as special as Eranor, of course, because only Baleina could create artworks such as her.
"You two shouldn't be here, cutie." Eranor giggled, still working at the inscriptions. "I'm about to destroy this place."
"Do you know that other imprisoned girl?" Asked the pink bird. "The one that called you by your name!"
"She's not imprisoned, silly!" Eranor rolled her eyes. "She's a pet, just like everything else in the world! And Baleina takes good care of-"
"You are not a pet!" The bunny shouted. "You two are prisoners! The green haired witch captured you both!"
"Nonsense! You shouldn’t say those things about our owner!" Eranor frowned, quite annoyed at their baseless assumptions. "You two are jealous because you are not as perfect as me!"
"How do you explain that picture there?" The bunny pointed to a frame resting at the top of a desk.
It portrayed two human girls, one that looked like Eranor, and the other like the girl she had seen at the other side of the portal. At first, she thought she was just mistaking someone else for herself, but it perfectly matched every feature of her face! How was that possible? She had just been given life a few hours ago!
She squinted her eyes, and more details became clear. That picture was taken a few months ago, when she and Chafine were setting up their bakery. They had always wanted to prepare cakes, bread, muffins and all sorts of things, and after so many years, their dream was actually within sight. The two had just designed the layout and…
No…
This isn't you!
Eranor shook her head…
And the memories were scattered in the air…
Nothing to worry about…
Life was perfect, of course!
"You two are very annoying." She swung her hooves at the critters, trying to shoo them. "I have an important mess to clean here!"
"Then, how about this diary?" The pink bird dropped an open notebook in front of her.
The page had been written by two people, with different colors, sometimes completing each other's sentences. The words referred to a day almost one year ago, when Chafine and Eranor had just learned how to bake a special double-chocolate-cookie-cupcake, after buying an old book from the flea shop at christmas… They had so many plans for the bakery, and so many sweets they would be crafting…
She did remember that day…
She wanted to live that day again…
She had to see Chafine again…
No!
That wasn’t her!
She was imagining things, of course!
Once again, she shook her head. This time she wasn't mad at the two critters, but scared that they might destroy the perfect story that had been so carefully crafted around her senses. She was happy as Baleina's pet! She was happy to be owned by a sorceress! It’s not like there was anything else worthwhile!
The bunny opened the wardrobe and revealed a gorgeous maid outfit hanging from a hook. It had many flowers and hearts sewn into it by hand. The name Eranor was on the pocket, and it was much much prettier than the thoughtlessly-summoned clothes she was currently wearing.
She used to wear that maid's outfit…
She used to pretend to be Chafine's maid…
It was so fun…
She loved it…
That was her…
Eranor shook her head and all the illusions cast by Baleina turned into ephemeral butterflies that slowly dissipated on the air. Her mind returned to her, much like her memories. And just as she looked down at herself and realized that her legs were gone, replaced with the body of a pony, her skin turned pale and wanted to scream…
The bunny and the bird hopped onto the horse's back, getting close to Eranor for a talk. The poor girl was about to cry.
"Calm down, friend." Said the bird. "We used to be humans too, much like you."
"Now we are trying to help others." Said the bunny. "We need to rescue all of the witcher's prisoners and make sure to close the connection between Earth and Erithia, so nobody will ever be dragged there again."
"We've seen that the other pony-girl is your friend, right?" The bird looked into her eyes. "Would you like to help save her?"
Eranor nodded weakly, then leaned forward to bury her face in the mane of her pony half… and started to cry. The bunny and the bird caressed her head, patiently waiting till she was done absorbing everything that had just happened to her.
“We gotta rescue Chafine!” Eranor said as soon as she recomposed herself, both physically with her new hooves, and spiritually. “We can cross the portal and bring her back to Earth!”
“Not so soon,” said John, the bunny. “Your friend is Baleina’s first Humalos, and she is very protective of her art. Chafine has a magical seal branded on her that prevents your friend from moving too far… It’s like an invisible chain.”
“We’ve tried to rescue her before. Trust us.” Said Abda, the pink avian. “The other Jenistas are still trying to create an inscription that would nullify it. Give us some time.”
“What should we do then?” Eranor bit her nails, while the pony-half bit its own hoof, mimicking her emotions. “We can’t just leave her to suffer!”
“For now...” John sighed. “We don’t have another option.”
“And what about me?” She gulped, staring at her weird new body. “I c-can’t go back to my old life looking like this!”
“We should probably return to Erithia.” Said Abda. “Earth is not meant for things like us.”
“I’m not returning to that witch’s realm!” Eranor stomped her front hooves. “Not unless it’s to bring Chafine home with me!”
“You can stay with us at the Jenistas hideout. It is safer there, you’ll be able to live with other former-humans like us.”
“Stay with former-humans? I don’t want to be a ‘former-human’!” The girl’s eyes got teary. “Isn't there a way to fix me?”
The two critters looked away, speechless…
“Are we gonna be like this forever?” She closed her fists. “Living in a weird fairy tale world with crazy witches who turn people into animals? I still can’t even believe any of this is real! If you told me magic existed this morning, I would’ve called you insane! I just want this bad dream to end… I can’t be a weird pony girl!”
“Well… I don’t wanna get your hopes up, but…” Abda paused. “We’ve heard about another wizard in Erithia that has the power to shapeshift and combine species. But he seems to be friends with Baleina, so I wouldn’t risk asking for his help until we understand more about him.”
“So, there is a chance!?” Eranor’s eyes widened.
“There MIGHT be a chance.” Abda shook her wings. “Again. Don’t get your hopes up. Me and John have been stuck in our animal bodies for more than a year!
“Oh…” Eranor looked down. “Okay.”
“Anyways, girl… I think I have a plan.” John sat up and crossed his arms in a pondering way. “Since Baleina thinks you are still brainwashed, she probably won’t bother sealing you to her property. I think we can help you escape and then make it seem like you were captured by a rival wizard.”
“That’s a great plan!” Abda wagged her tail feather.
“Tell me more.” Eranor bit her lips, still dizzy with the whole experience of discovering that magic and other worlds existed. “How is that going to help us?”
“If we leave behind a letter without signing any names to it, Baleina will assume it is from an enemy of hers.” John explained. “She’ll likely go after this enemy and I’ll follow her in the shadows. Whoever's her first guess might prove to be a potential ally for us.”
“And what if Baleina discovers I’m no longer brainwashed?”
“You know how to act, right?” Abda asked. “Chafine’s diary said that you liked to roleplay as her maid.”
“Y-yes…” Her face turned red.
“Can you pretend to be Baleina’s obedient maid until she lowers her guard?”
“M-maybe… b-but… I mean…” She had played pretend with Chafine on many occasions, yes, but she had no drive to do the same with the maniac who kidnapped her.
“Alright, then.” Said John, ignoring her hesitation. “Baleina sent you here to draw an incineration circle and clean her mess. So you better finish your task, like a good maid, otherwise she’ll get suspicious. Once she comes to fetch you, we’ll hide under your dress and return to Erithia with you. Understood?”
“I d-don’t remember how to complete the circle.” She gulped.
“Well…” Abda also gulped. “Try to complete it anyways, even if it fails. And then, put up a very, very good act to convince Baleina it was an honest mistake.”
The three animals felt their bodies getting cold with fear…
After drawing a faulty circle, nothing happened, as expected. So Eranor crossed her fingers and waited for the portal to open and Baleina to show up again. She could feel the bunny and the jenista shaking under her clothes.
Neither of them had any idea of what that witch would do to them if she got angry. If turning people into mystic animals was how she “rewarded” her victims… imagine what a punishment would be.
Minutes passed and the green portal to Erithia eventually cracked open in the middle of the bedroom. From the other side came the happy chirping of birds, the gentle whisper of the winds, the warm sunlight and… a tall, horned figure with green hair, a long tail and a twisted personality.
“How is my cute new pet doing?” She smiled after looking at the still messed up room. “Did you have trouble completing your simple task?”
Eranor took a deep breath, closed her eyes and pretended that the evil creature in front of her was Chafine instead.
“I’m very, very s-sorry, my dear!” She covered her face. “I think I-I’ve drawn a wrong symbol while doing the magic. I’m n-not as powerful and knowledgeable as you, so I ended up messing it up. I’m sorry for being so useless!”
“Easy… easy…” Baleina laughed. “I guess I’ve expected too much from you. Maybe connecting the mind of a human and a pony was a bad idea - two creatures with far too simple minds.” She scratched her chin, kind of talking to herself. “My next Humalos will need to be created in another way, since you still aren't perfect.”
“I’m s-sorry I wasn’t able to p-please you.” Her body was shaking. “Is there something I c-can do to make up for this clumsy m-mistake?”
“Indeed… indeed…” Baleina smiled and pointed to the open portal. “I’ll finish this cleaning myself. You can go back to my house and prepare tea for me while I’m busy.” She then paused. “You know how to make tea, right?”
“I do!”
“Great!” She walked up to the girl and scratched behind her pony ears as if she was a domestic animal. “Don’t mess up again, or I’ll have to rebuild you.”
“I w-w-w-on’t m-mess u-up again I p-p-promisse…”
“Good girl!” Baleina gently slapped her pony-flank. “I left a bowl of cookies for you on the table.”
She took her leave and quickly returned to the witch's den...
The portal closed behind her…
Eranor finally released her breath and almost tumbled down as her legs got weak…
That was a close one…
“Go say goodbye to Chafine. We’ll take care of the fake letter.” John jumped off Eranor, followed by Abda, and hopped towards a wooden desk with some ink and paper. “I’m not sure how much time we have.”
While the two critters continued with their plan, Eranor burst open the front door and galloped outside as fast as she could towards her friend, wanting to use every available second to stay with Chafine.
“Chafine!” She shouted, with tears in her eyes, as she searched for her fellow human..
“Eranor!” The other one replied, no longer trapped inside the wall of vines.
Their strange backwards-centaur bodies didn’t allow them to properly hug, so they had to stand side by side and awkwardly try to wrap their arms around one another.
“I’m so sorry!” Eranor said.
“I thought I had lost you!” Chafine kissed her cheeks.
“I’m sorry we can’t escape together!” Eranor kissed her back. “I promise I’ll come back. I promise! I promise! I promise!”
“It’s okay.” Chafine gave her a weak smile. “John and Abda have already talked with me. They promised to help break my seal. I’m just happy that at least you are free to go… But I’m terribly sorry that you got dragged into here. You didn’t deserve such a fate.”
“If I hadn’t been taken here, I would probably never see you again!” Eranor cried. “You’d be here all alone. At least I got to see you… At least I know where you are… And I don’t care if we have to live the rest of our lives as a pair of weird horses as long as I can be with you!”
“Me too. Let’s have hope.” Chafine put her arm around Eranor and urged the maid girl to rest her head on her shoulder. “I trust you.”
They exchanged a few more tender moments before John and Abda finally returned - panting, with their fur and feathers all messed up. They ushered Eranor to say goodbye before Baleina returned. They couldn’t risk being around any longer.
“If Baleina asks you anything…” John looked at Chafine. “Tell her you saw a cloaked figure get into the house, kidnap Eranor, then ride her into the woods!”
“Don’t give too many details…” Abda completed. “Keep the lie simple and, if she asks for more stuff, tell her that you tried to chase them, but the seal on your flank prevented you from going far.”
The two lovers gave each other a final kiss, promised that they would see each other again, then Eranor departed with Abda, guiding her to the Jenistas hideout. Meanwhile John stayed hidden in the bushes, waiting to see Baleina’s reaction to the letter.
Life was such a crazy thing…
One day you are running a bakery with the love of your life…
The next day you are fighting witches in a magical world…
Eranor hadn’t signed up for any of that, but she would be with Chafine no matter where she went… Be it Earth, Erithia or hell itself.
Cassandre was just a regular journalist for a local magazine, not a detective, but a series of disappearances throughout the world had sparked her interest. All the information she had was on a small website where journalists posted inconclusive stories, asking their peers to help them piece it together.
The thread’s first post was about a disappearance in Missouri, United States. A widow used to live completely alone on her farm, save for her adult daughters on weekends. During one of these visits, her family members found no sign of the woman… And what made the situation very strange was that her bedroom was covered in tropical vegetation, resembling the kinds of rainforest that weren’t meant to exist in that region. After months of searching, the case was closed.
The second post was about a man who lived alone in Beijing, China. He worked with IT in his home office and everything seemed to be alright, until he stopped responding to messages from his coworkers. When the police broke into his house, the man was gone, and the same outwordly vegetation was present in his bedroom… But they also found inscriptions on the floor, which didn’t match any of the Chinese ideograms. After months of searching, the case was closed and the reports were: “Programmer goes insane, writes faux magic symbols on the floor and flees the city… Possibly to a local farming village”.
The third was in São Paulo, Brazil. A student from a local university had decided to spend the night alone in her dorm, studying for a test. The next day, her friends got worried that she wasn’t showing up, so they broke into her room through the window and, to their surprise, found colorful butterflies everywhere… but no sign of the girl. The case was reported as a kidnapping, but no corpse nor rescue letter had been found to that very day.
The thread continued with almost two dozen similar posts. Someone would disappear while alone, and otherworldly fauna and flora would be discovered in their rooms, such as non-local plants, uncatalogued insects, and so on. Sometimes glyphs of no discernable language would be etched into the walls and floor…
The theories ranged from alien abduction, satanic rituals, people going insane, spontaneous combustion, and much more.
Cassandre had scheduled a meeting with a bakery owner named Chafine a few days ago, but the girl wouldn’t return her calls. When she tried the backup number, from her friend Eranor, she also didn’t pick up the phone…
What if the two had also been abducted?
“Don’t be silly.” She giggled. “I’m reading too many conspiracy theories.”
She went to Chafine’s apartment, above the bakery, hoping she would just knock on the door and be able to clear the misunderstanding. Maybe her phone had broken? Or she had forgotten about their meeting? Or did she have better plans for that night?
She entered the building through the stairs and walked up to the second floor, where Chafine lived in the only occupied apartment on that corridor (the rest all had “for rent” signs). To her surprise, the front door was open… and the lights were on…
“Hello?” She called, but nobody answered.
Cassandre identified some smoke in the air. Worried, she ran towards the source and her jaws opened. Although the bedroom was completely intact, a thin layer of ashes covered the floor. The walls and furniture were completely fine, though, with no signs or marks of a random kitchen fire that could explain the ashes. It was as if someone had simply dumped a cart full of cinders there.
She walked around, kicking the dust with her shoes, until she uncovered something scratched into the floor underneath. Cassandre brushed more of the dust aside, like a hasty archeologist, making more of the inscriptions visible…
There was a circle written onto the wood, containing symbols that were very similar to the ones from the online pictures…
She was ready to post the photos as soon as she finished snapping them!
But then…
She heard birds singing…
The whispers of the winds…
And cracking of old wood…
In front of her, a green portal opened in the air, like a rift to another dimension!
The light coming from it was so strong that it blinded her for a while.
She couldn’t stop thinking about the headlines she would make!
This was a commission done for Laupin
Thank you for supporting me! ^^
Commission journal:
https://www.deviantart.com/phyrexianrevoker/journal/COMMISSION-AUCTION-OPEN-889915891
This is part of a story sequence.
Read past chapters below:
1. https://www.furaffinity.net/view/44184232/
2. https://www.furaffinity.net/view/45828633/
3. https://www.furaffinity.net/view/48140462/
[Mind Change] [Permanent] [Unwilling] [Humalos TF] [6,000 words]
“Hello! Chafine here! I’m probably busy at the moment…” Said the recording. “Please, leave a message after the beep!”
After hearing that message for the tenth time, Eranor was starting to get irritated and equally afraid. Chafine usually took less than an hour to reply to her text messages or calls, yet she hadn't received a single notice from her friend since yesterday, when they were going to a concert…
She hadn’t heard of any accident or burglary in the news, so those options were already off. Still, fearing that something bad was going on, she decided to use her spare key to "trespass" into Chafine's apartment. What if she was sick and didn’t have any strength to call an ambulance?
"Chafine?" Eranor peeked her head through the door. "Are you home?"
Nobody replied.
The apartment was pretty small, with no place to hide. After checking the kitchen and living room for signs of life, Eranor saw light shining from beneath the bedroom’s door. She came closer and knocked.
“You in there, Chafine? The girls told me you didn’t want to go to the concert with them… Are you okay?” She sighed, once again with no response. “Alright, I’m coming in...” She turned the knob and pushed it open, expecting to find her friend either lying sick on the bed or unconscious on the floor. She expected something bad, but what she saw was beyond preparing for…
Eranor gasped and took a step back. The floor was muddled with green slime, each puddle with small patches of grass, mushrooms, moss and flowers growing from it. The same ooze had also painted some spots on the walls, featuring orchids and bromeliads. It felt like “modern art” mixing a room with a tropical forest.
Eranor couldn't believe her eyes. She had just been there two days ago, and there was nothing like that to be seen then! Golden spores floated through the air, sparkling with a light of their own. Rainbow-colored butterflies fluttered about, some of them leaving the room after the door had been opened. Luminescent ants crawled over the furniture and tended to a few miniature castles of sand built over the shelves. The singing of birds came from all directions despite Eranor not seeing a single one of them. Chafine’s bed was halfway consumed by thorny ivy, as if months had passed in pure isolation. The whole scene was reminiscent of a fairy tale… A very messy fairy tale.
“H-hello?”
Although the windows were closed and there was no breeze, the flowers seemed to sway as if pushed by a gentle wind. Upon closer inspection, Eranor noticed that each flower had a tiny eye in its center, and that indeed they were “dancing” a synchronized choreography. Was Chafine secretly a witch?
Eranor carefully walked around, trying not to step on anything alive. She bit her lips and kept both hands close to the chest, her expression a mix of awe and wariness. Her heart was pounding and her breath was fast, inhaling the perfume of morning dew paired with sweet nectar. Was she dreaming?
In the center of the room, a circle of glowing runes spiraled out for almost a meter. The inscriptions pulsed with a faint neon light, glowing brighter the closer Eranor got to it, as if responding to her presence. The bird’s singing and the sound of fluttering leaves all came from that alien writing. Fear and curiosity fought inside her head, and the girl struggled to decide what to do.
“Wh-what is this thing?”
And then… and voice came from the circle:
“I wasn’t expecting another one to show up.” It sounded childish, yet devoid of emotion. “I guess I should've cleaned my mess sooner…”
The circle of runes lifted from the ground and spun in the air, perpendicular to the ground. The inscriptions began to rotate faster and faster around its axis like a DVD, crackling with green sparks until they better resembled a solid emerald-colored ring.
“Chafine?” She stepped back. “is th-that y-you? You are scaring me…”
The air inside the ring was pulled apart, as if the curtains of a theater were being roughly tugged open. The bird’s singing got louder, and a warm summer breeze came straight at her face, basking the girl with the light of a midday sun. She almost tumbled from the sudden blinding.
As she rubbed her eyes, and the spots began to go away, she saw a blurry figure standing in front of the newly opened portal. The world had warped around that wormhole… she could see sprawling, open fields on the opposite side of.
The tall figure extended its hand towards Eranor and a shock almost numbed the girl’s senses. She turned around to run from the silhouette, only to get her foot tripped on a mossy root.. Her world spun as she braced herself for the impact.
But the impact didn’t come…
Eranor simply floated inches from the floor, belly facing down, held in suspension as if the air had turned into water. She felt much lighter than usual; yet moving her fingers was near impossible. The sound of dozens of tiny wings flapping caught her attention, along with the sensation of her clothes being pulled like strings. At first she couldn’t believe it, but all the butterflies were literally holding her afloat! How was that possible?
“Going out already?” The creature chuckled. “Don’t you want to play?”
Eranor tried to reply, but had no voice. No matter how hard she tried, her entire body was paralyzed. That was exactly like one of those nightmares where the person can’t escape from a pursuer… However, it was happening in real life!
“I had no plans to collect another specimen, but I won’t turn up the opportunity when a lifeform so willingly offers itself to me.” The unknown figure approached from behind, outside of Eranor’s view. “Let me take a good look at you!”
Eranor’s body was hoisted and rotated, changing from a lying position into a straight posture. The butterflies maneuvered the girl like a ragdoll, turning her around until she could finally take a good look at the other creature… which clearly wasn’t Chafine, much less human!
Her features were female and delicate. Her skin was blue and she wore a long purple dress. One curved, dark-green horn grew from her head forming an arc. The creature’s hair was long and also green, flowing down its shoulders in a primitive, plant-like way. To top it off, she also displayed a long tail resembling that of a Chinese dragon, which swayed left and right slowly.
"I think you'll come in handy for what I have in mind…" The blue humanoid grinned, then touched the girl's belly. "But first, let's have some fun!"
Eranor's insides churned; her blood went cold; her muscles felt like noodles; her skin became pale; her hair changed into black yarn; and her clothes fused with her body, giving the girl a doll's appearance. But that wasn't all…
The room's size increased as Eranor's body shrank. The bed was as big as a pool; the mushrooms as big as hats, and the butterflies seemed like winged cats, requiring only three of them to keep Eranor afloat. Towering in front of her, the blue creature seemed pleased at the sign of a helpless human, kneeling down just so that their eyes could meet.
"You are cuter than the last human I've found!" She smiled. "You deserve special treatment."
Other human? Was she talking about Chafine? Did that damn witch also kidnap her loved one!? She better not have!
"By the way, my name is Baleina!" She patted the girl’s head. "I'm your new owner, so you better treasure my name."
Baleina pointed her finger to the left, and the butterflies flew Eranor to that direction. Bakeina pointed to the right, and the butterflies obeyed. She moved her finger wildly, like a maestro conducting a cacophony, and the poor human-doll was tossed and turned in the air, her head spinning. At some point they even dropped her, and caught her by the legs.
Once Baleina was done with her nonsense, she ordered the butterflies to bring Eranor closer and release her. The witch grabbed her by the armpits and kissed the doll's head, causing a sudden lightheadedness to take. All of a sudden, her mental cries of “That evil witch is going to pay for this!” were pushed away…
Her owner's lips were warm…
Her owner's hands were gentle…
Her owner's skin was soft…
Her owner's…
…
It took her a few seconds to force those thoughts aside, horrified to even have them in her head. That monster had reduced her to a stuffing-filled toy, and stolen her friend! She had to find Chafine and save her! That should be her first thought! Not falling in love with a witch!
"No need to fight, my cutie." Those words slowed down Eranor’s panicked thoughts like a cozy blanket on a cold night. "Now you’ll have a purpose! You are so lucky!"
The next kiss numbed her mind and almost made Eranor faint. Somewhere inside she knew that that was terrifying and horrible, but Baleina's touch somehow made her feel… good? Relaxed? No, she had to resist it! She wouldn’t be mind controlled by-
A third kiss made her view blurry and thoughts sleepy. The fourth brought a wave of bliss. The fifth was like heaven… Eranor's eyes closed just as Baleina crossed the portal into the world of fairy tales, carrying her new doll by its hand.
When Eranor opened her eyes, she was in a new room. The giant house had rustic wooden walls covered with vines, furniture with a rough finish, and a ceiling made of hay. Her still plushie-fied body rested atop a pillow that could easily be mistaken for a bed given its size. The girl still couldn’t move thanks to having her muscles turned into foam.
She wanted her owner to come back! Eranor needed someone to come and play with her! To pull the string on her back! Nothing could be more urgent than allowing her to speak all the lovely phrases recorded in her mind!
Since when did she have a string?
Since always! Of course!
She was a doll, after all!
Eranor’s head was still warm from Baleina’s kisses. A faint, green mark had been left by the tender lips of her loving owner, instilling her with warmth. She tried to think about anything that had occured before that kiss, but nothing popped up! That must have been the start of her happy life as her owner’s toy!
How did she get there?
She had just been crafted, of course!
She was a creation of a very skilled artist!
Around Eranor, the table was full of needles, scissors, balls of yarn, pieces of fabric, plastic buttons, paints, glitter, colorful glue and brushes… every conceivable tool necessary to create beautiful plushies like herself! Oh, her owner was so brilliant!
However, she wasn’t the only toy. There was also a small, gray pony-plushie! The animal’s surface was made of faux-fur; its eyes were a pair of expressionless blue buttons; its black mane and tail resembled a broom; and it also had big wings like an angel! It walked up to Eranor, with its soft hooves making squeaky sounds, and stared down at her.
How was that other toy moving?
Because her owner was holding it, of course!
“Is my new friend ready to be completed?” Asked Baleina in a playful tone, gripping the pony’s flank and moving it up and down to pretend that it was the one speaking. “The great and powerful Baleina told me you’d be the one to become the second Humalos!”
What was a Humalos?
Knowing her owner, it was something great, magical and beautiful, of course!
Baleina left the other toy standing on the table and picked Eranor up. She held the plushie-girl by the waist and pulled the long string on her back…
“Hello my pony friend!” Eranor said, as if reading a memorized script. “I’m ready to become one with you!”
“Just what I wanted to hear!” Baleina smiled and gave her toy another warm kiss.
She was comfortably placed on the pony’s back. Baleina maneuvered both of them across the table, pretending that they were galloping. The equine and its rider went over the plains of cotton, the mountains of pillows, the jungle of yarns, the shiny desert of glitter, and so many more adventures!
At first, she was affected by every bump of the ride, almost falling off; but the more they galloped, the more firm she became on the animal’s back. They began to move as one, until… Eranor could feel the four legs of the creature as if those were her own. She was the one running across the table! She could feel the long tail tickling her butt as if it belonged to her. Although, there was one thing the girl couldn’t find: her original human legs!
“Almost done!” Said Baleina.
What is almost done?
The transformation, of course!
When Eranor was brought back to her senses, she realized most of the galloping had been happening in her imagination. While she had been distracted, Baleina had cut off her legs with a pair of scissors and sewn her torso right onto the back of the pony. All done without a single painful pinch! Her owner was such a skilled toymaker!
“For the final touch…” Baleina carefully pulled Eranor’s string. “Let me connect your minds.”
Rather than words, the doll-girl released a loud, squeaky neigh. Alien thoughts flooded her head, messing everything up like a bull in a crystal shop. The word “walking” became “trotting” and the word “running” became “galloping”. Her favorite dish became “apple muffin” and, for some reason, she wanted to wear a saddle that had frills like the skirt of a maid!
As if listening to her desires, Baleina crafted a black maid’s outfit and carefully sewed it onto Eranor’s body, complete with the apron, necklace, handwear, petticoat and everything else. She was born to serve!
She remembered the good old times when she used to role-play as Chafine’s maid and…
Who was Chafine?
Did she know somebody by that name?
Did you mean “Baleina”?
Of course you did!
There is nobody called Chafine here!
Of course!
Of course!
“Let’s bring you to life now!” Her owner said
Green light circled Eranor and an intense heat came from within. Her fibers and foam turned into muscles and bones; the silky surface that wrapped her soft interior became a thick layer of skin and fat; her eyes sparked and her hair waved down naturally. Her scale went up drastically, until she was tall enough to open doors, reach the high shelves, or even play with her owner’s plushies! All of that sudden height was amazing! She actually seemed to be a bit taller than her owner!
Looking down at her new features, Eranor smiled at the big, equine body that was now part of her: The four strong hooves; the long black tail; the dazzling mane; the angelic wings; and the adorable pony head. Just as she contemplated that last region, it looked back at her, and their thoughts connected. She could see through that second set of eyes! She was one with that pony! But, more importantly, she could finally move and express her emotions to her owner!
“You definitely look like an upgrade! The last humalos didn’t turn as good as you!” Baleina smiled while brushing her equine neck. “Would you like to meet your sister?”
“Of course, master!” She replied in the most polite way.
Baleina gently pushed her through the door and into the gardens, allowing her to see that beautiful world for the first time. The blue summer skies, the endless plains of flowers and the trees full of unimaginable fruits combined to create what could only be described as an enchantress’ glade, where magic was always in the air.
Resting under the canopy of a wide tree, she saw another humalos. That one had light blue hair, and a green equine torso, but its head was that of a serpent. There was something familiar about her…
“Cha… Cha… Chaf…” She tried to form a name. “Chaf… Chaaaaa…”
“Eranor!” The other humalos shouted, and came trotting towards her. “I thought I would never see you again!”
“See me again?” Eranor’s head began to hurt. “Chaf… Chafi…”
Before the humalos could reunite, Baleina summoned a tall wall of plants around the second one. It was so thick that no sound could cross it. As that strangely familiar creature was taken out of sight, her name also vanished. Instead she just stared at the barrier as a reminder of how amazing her owner was…
“I guess you two are not ready to meet.” Baleina chuckled. “She probably mistook you for someone else.”
“I liked her…” Eranor said. “She was pretty.”
“You’ll see her again, eventually.” The blue witch dismissed her. “As for now, I have some tasks for you to do. How about that?”
“I was born to serve, my master.”
“Great!” She scratched behind the pony’s ears. “Follow me.”
She obediently followed Baleina, but looked back one last time towards that tower of plants, thinking about the other humalos trapped inside it.
Why did she feel something special about her?
Because you two are both adorable creatures, of course!
…
Meanwhile, hidden in the bushes near the house, a bunny and a pink bird watched everything, carefully planning their next move.
Baleina opened the rift to the human world, leading Eranor to a bedroom covered in moss and butterflies, then instructed her to clean all the mess in there. She was tasked with drawing a complicated pattern of runes on the floor, which would cause everything in the bedroom to turn into ashes so that nobody else would be able to find their way to Erithia.
Eranor happily sang alone, as she used her hooves to draw on the wooden floor. Although her master could easily do it herself, the ritual would take a long time, and she had better things to do. Eranor was so happy to be useful! What purpose could be better than making her creator happy?
The butterflies, fluffy bugs, mushrooms and plants didn’t even realize they were about to be turned to ashes. But Eranor didn't care, because she was a perfect creation, and those animals were imperfect creatures. They were full of natural randomness, while she was created with precision! Those freaks were more useful for Baleina as raw material than actual living organisms.
The portal behind her slowly closed, keeping Eranor in that place until her owner would come back later… to fetch her and grant the girl with a reward!
The humalos-maid had already finished half of the magical circle when she noticed a duo staring at her from atop the bed… a bunny and a pink bird. There was something special about the two, as if their forms had been enhanced by a spell. They weren't as special as Eranor, of course, because only Baleina could create artworks such as her.
"You two shouldn't be here, cutie." Eranor giggled, still working at the inscriptions. "I'm about to destroy this place."
"Do you know that other imprisoned girl?" Asked the pink bird. "The one that called you by your name!"
"She's not imprisoned, silly!" Eranor rolled her eyes. "She's a pet, just like everything else in the world! And Baleina takes good care of-"
"You are not a pet!" The bunny shouted. "You two are prisoners! The green haired witch captured you both!"
"Nonsense! You shouldn’t say those things about our owner!" Eranor frowned, quite annoyed at their baseless assumptions. "You two are jealous because you are not as perfect as me!"
"How do you explain that picture there?" The bunny pointed to a frame resting at the top of a desk.
It portrayed two human girls, one that looked like Eranor, and the other like the girl she had seen at the other side of the portal. At first, she thought she was just mistaking someone else for herself, but it perfectly matched every feature of her face! How was that possible? She had just been given life a few hours ago!
She squinted her eyes, and more details became clear. That picture was taken a few months ago, when she and Chafine were setting up their bakery. They had always wanted to prepare cakes, bread, muffins and all sorts of things, and after so many years, their dream was actually within sight. The two had just designed the layout and…
No…
This isn't you!
Eranor shook her head…
And the memories were scattered in the air…
Nothing to worry about…
Life was perfect, of course!
"You two are very annoying." She swung her hooves at the critters, trying to shoo them. "I have an important mess to clean here!"
"Then, how about this diary?" The pink bird dropped an open notebook in front of her.
The page had been written by two people, with different colors, sometimes completing each other's sentences. The words referred to a day almost one year ago, when Chafine and Eranor had just learned how to bake a special double-chocolate-cookie-cupcake, after buying an old book from the flea shop at christmas… They had so many plans for the bakery, and so many sweets they would be crafting…
She did remember that day…
She wanted to live that day again…
She had to see Chafine again…
No!
That wasn’t her!
She was imagining things, of course!
Once again, she shook her head. This time she wasn't mad at the two critters, but scared that they might destroy the perfect story that had been so carefully crafted around her senses. She was happy as Baleina's pet! She was happy to be owned by a sorceress! It’s not like there was anything else worthwhile!
The bunny opened the wardrobe and revealed a gorgeous maid outfit hanging from a hook. It had many flowers and hearts sewn into it by hand. The name Eranor was on the pocket, and it was much much prettier than the thoughtlessly-summoned clothes she was currently wearing.
She used to wear that maid's outfit…
She used to pretend to be Chafine's maid…
It was so fun…
She loved it…
That was her…
Eranor shook her head and all the illusions cast by Baleina turned into ephemeral butterflies that slowly dissipated on the air. Her mind returned to her, much like her memories. And just as she looked down at herself and realized that her legs were gone, replaced with the body of a pony, her skin turned pale and wanted to scream…
The bunny and the bird hopped onto the horse's back, getting close to Eranor for a talk. The poor girl was about to cry.
"Calm down, friend." Said the bird. "We used to be humans too, much like you."
"Now we are trying to help others." Said the bunny. "We need to rescue all of the witcher's prisoners and make sure to close the connection between Earth and Erithia, so nobody will ever be dragged there again."
"We've seen that the other pony-girl is your friend, right?" The bird looked into her eyes. "Would you like to help save her?"
Eranor nodded weakly, then leaned forward to bury her face in the mane of her pony half… and started to cry. The bunny and the bird caressed her head, patiently waiting till she was done absorbing everything that had just happened to her.
“We gotta rescue Chafine!” Eranor said as soon as she recomposed herself, both physically with her new hooves, and spiritually. “We can cross the portal and bring her back to Earth!”
“Not so soon,” said John, the bunny. “Your friend is Baleina’s first Humalos, and she is very protective of her art. Chafine has a magical seal branded on her that prevents your friend from moving too far… It’s like an invisible chain.”
“We’ve tried to rescue her before. Trust us.” Said Abda, the pink avian. “The other Jenistas are still trying to create an inscription that would nullify it. Give us some time.”
“What should we do then?” Eranor bit her nails, while the pony-half bit its own hoof, mimicking her emotions. “We can’t just leave her to suffer!”
“For now...” John sighed. “We don’t have another option.”
“And what about me?” She gulped, staring at her weird new body. “I c-can’t go back to my old life looking like this!”
“We should probably return to Erithia.” Said Abda. “Earth is not meant for things like us.”
“I’m not returning to that witch’s realm!” Eranor stomped her front hooves. “Not unless it’s to bring Chafine home with me!”
“You can stay with us at the Jenistas hideout. It is safer there, you’ll be able to live with other former-humans like us.”
“Stay with former-humans? I don’t want to be a ‘former-human’!” The girl’s eyes got teary. “Isn't there a way to fix me?”
The two critters looked away, speechless…
“Are we gonna be like this forever?” She closed her fists. “Living in a weird fairy tale world with crazy witches who turn people into animals? I still can’t even believe any of this is real! If you told me magic existed this morning, I would’ve called you insane! I just want this bad dream to end… I can’t be a weird pony girl!”
“Well… I don’t wanna get your hopes up, but…” Abda paused. “We’ve heard about another wizard in Erithia that has the power to shapeshift and combine species. But he seems to be friends with Baleina, so I wouldn’t risk asking for his help until we understand more about him.”
“So, there is a chance!?” Eranor’s eyes widened.
“There MIGHT be a chance.” Abda shook her wings. “Again. Don’t get your hopes up. Me and John have been stuck in our animal bodies for more than a year!
“Oh…” Eranor looked down. “Okay.”
“Anyways, girl… I think I have a plan.” John sat up and crossed his arms in a pondering way. “Since Baleina thinks you are still brainwashed, she probably won’t bother sealing you to her property. I think we can help you escape and then make it seem like you were captured by a rival wizard.”
“That’s a great plan!” Abda wagged her tail feather.
“Tell me more.” Eranor bit her lips, still dizzy with the whole experience of discovering that magic and other worlds existed. “How is that going to help us?”
“If we leave behind a letter without signing any names to it, Baleina will assume it is from an enemy of hers.” John explained. “She’ll likely go after this enemy and I’ll follow her in the shadows. Whoever's her first guess might prove to be a potential ally for us.”
“And what if Baleina discovers I’m no longer brainwashed?”
“You know how to act, right?” Abda asked. “Chafine’s diary said that you liked to roleplay as her maid.”
“Y-yes…” Her face turned red.
“Can you pretend to be Baleina’s obedient maid until she lowers her guard?”
“M-maybe… b-but… I mean…” She had played pretend with Chafine on many occasions, yes, but she had no drive to do the same with the maniac who kidnapped her.
“Alright, then.” Said John, ignoring her hesitation. “Baleina sent you here to draw an incineration circle and clean her mess. So you better finish your task, like a good maid, otherwise she’ll get suspicious. Once she comes to fetch you, we’ll hide under your dress and return to Erithia with you. Understood?”
“I d-don’t remember how to complete the circle.” She gulped.
“Well…” Abda also gulped. “Try to complete it anyways, even if it fails. And then, put up a very, very good act to convince Baleina it was an honest mistake.”
The three animals felt their bodies getting cold with fear…
After drawing a faulty circle, nothing happened, as expected. So Eranor crossed her fingers and waited for the portal to open and Baleina to show up again. She could feel the bunny and the jenista shaking under her clothes.
Neither of them had any idea of what that witch would do to them if she got angry. If turning people into mystic animals was how she “rewarded” her victims… imagine what a punishment would be.
Minutes passed and the green portal to Erithia eventually cracked open in the middle of the bedroom. From the other side came the happy chirping of birds, the gentle whisper of the winds, the warm sunlight and… a tall, horned figure with green hair, a long tail and a twisted personality.
“How is my cute new pet doing?” She smiled after looking at the still messed up room. “Did you have trouble completing your simple task?”
Eranor took a deep breath, closed her eyes and pretended that the evil creature in front of her was Chafine instead.
“I’m very, very s-sorry, my dear!” She covered her face. “I think I-I’ve drawn a wrong symbol while doing the magic. I’m n-not as powerful and knowledgeable as you, so I ended up messing it up. I’m sorry for being so useless!”
“Easy… easy…” Baleina laughed. “I guess I’ve expected too much from you. Maybe connecting the mind of a human and a pony was a bad idea - two creatures with far too simple minds.” She scratched her chin, kind of talking to herself. “My next Humalos will need to be created in another way, since you still aren't perfect.”
“I’m s-sorry I wasn’t able to p-please you.” Her body was shaking. “Is there something I c-can do to make up for this clumsy m-mistake?”
“Indeed… indeed…” Baleina smiled and pointed to the open portal. “I’ll finish this cleaning myself. You can go back to my house and prepare tea for me while I’m busy.” She then paused. “You know how to make tea, right?”
“I do!”
“Great!” She walked up to the girl and scratched behind her pony ears as if she was a domestic animal. “Don’t mess up again, or I’ll have to rebuild you.”
“I w-w-w-on’t m-mess u-up again I p-p-promisse…”
“Good girl!” Baleina gently slapped her pony-flank. “I left a bowl of cookies for you on the table.”
She took her leave and quickly returned to the witch's den...
The portal closed behind her…
Eranor finally released her breath and almost tumbled down as her legs got weak…
That was a close one…
“Go say goodbye to Chafine. We’ll take care of the fake letter.” John jumped off Eranor, followed by Abda, and hopped towards a wooden desk with some ink and paper. “I’m not sure how much time we have.”
While the two critters continued with their plan, Eranor burst open the front door and galloped outside as fast as she could towards her friend, wanting to use every available second to stay with Chafine.
“Chafine!” She shouted, with tears in her eyes, as she searched for her fellow human..
“Eranor!” The other one replied, no longer trapped inside the wall of vines.
Their strange backwards-centaur bodies didn’t allow them to properly hug, so they had to stand side by side and awkwardly try to wrap their arms around one another.
“I’m so sorry!” Eranor said.
“I thought I had lost you!” Chafine kissed her cheeks.
“I’m sorry we can’t escape together!” Eranor kissed her back. “I promise I’ll come back. I promise! I promise! I promise!”
“It’s okay.” Chafine gave her a weak smile. “John and Abda have already talked with me. They promised to help break my seal. I’m just happy that at least you are free to go… But I’m terribly sorry that you got dragged into here. You didn’t deserve such a fate.”
“If I hadn’t been taken here, I would probably never see you again!” Eranor cried. “You’d be here all alone. At least I got to see you… At least I know where you are… And I don’t care if we have to live the rest of our lives as a pair of weird horses as long as I can be with you!”
“Me too. Let’s have hope.” Chafine put her arm around Eranor and urged the maid girl to rest her head on her shoulder. “I trust you.”
They exchanged a few more tender moments before John and Abda finally returned - panting, with their fur and feathers all messed up. They ushered Eranor to say goodbye before Baleina returned. They couldn’t risk being around any longer.
“If Baleina asks you anything…” John looked at Chafine. “Tell her you saw a cloaked figure get into the house, kidnap Eranor, then ride her into the woods!”
“Don’t give too many details…” Abda completed. “Keep the lie simple and, if she asks for more stuff, tell her that you tried to chase them, but the seal on your flank prevented you from going far.”
The two lovers gave each other a final kiss, promised that they would see each other again, then Eranor departed with Abda, guiding her to the Jenistas hideout. Meanwhile John stayed hidden in the bushes, waiting to see Baleina’s reaction to the letter.
Life was such a crazy thing…
One day you are running a bakery with the love of your life…
The next day you are fighting witches in a magical world…
Eranor hadn’t signed up for any of that, but she would be with Chafine no matter where she went… Be it Earth, Erithia or hell itself.
Cassandre was just a regular journalist for a local magazine, not a detective, but a series of disappearances throughout the world had sparked her interest. All the information she had was on a small website where journalists posted inconclusive stories, asking their peers to help them piece it together.
The thread’s first post was about a disappearance in Missouri, United States. A widow used to live completely alone on her farm, save for her adult daughters on weekends. During one of these visits, her family members found no sign of the woman… And what made the situation very strange was that her bedroom was covered in tropical vegetation, resembling the kinds of rainforest that weren’t meant to exist in that region. After months of searching, the case was closed.
The second post was about a man who lived alone in Beijing, China. He worked with IT in his home office and everything seemed to be alright, until he stopped responding to messages from his coworkers. When the police broke into his house, the man was gone, and the same outwordly vegetation was present in his bedroom… But they also found inscriptions on the floor, which didn’t match any of the Chinese ideograms. After months of searching, the case was closed and the reports were: “Programmer goes insane, writes faux magic symbols on the floor and flees the city… Possibly to a local farming village”.
The third was in São Paulo, Brazil. A student from a local university had decided to spend the night alone in her dorm, studying for a test. The next day, her friends got worried that she wasn’t showing up, so they broke into her room through the window and, to their surprise, found colorful butterflies everywhere… but no sign of the girl. The case was reported as a kidnapping, but no corpse nor rescue letter had been found to that very day.
The thread continued with almost two dozen similar posts. Someone would disappear while alone, and otherworldly fauna and flora would be discovered in their rooms, such as non-local plants, uncatalogued insects, and so on. Sometimes glyphs of no discernable language would be etched into the walls and floor…
The theories ranged from alien abduction, satanic rituals, people going insane, spontaneous combustion, and much more.
Cassandre had scheduled a meeting with a bakery owner named Chafine a few days ago, but the girl wouldn’t return her calls. When she tried the backup number, from her friend Eranor, she also didn’t pick up the phone…
What if the two had also been abducted?
“Don’t be silly.” She giggled. “I’m reading too many conspiracy theories.”
She went to Chafine’s apartment, above the bakery, hoping she would just knock on the door and be able to clear the misunderstanding. Maybe her phone had broken? Or she had forgotten about their meeting? Or did she have better plans for that night?
She entered the building through the stairs and walked up to the second floor, where Chafine lived in the only occupied apartment on that corridor (the rest all had “for rent” signs). To her surprise, the front door was open… and the lights were on…
“Hello?” She called, but nobody answered.
Cassandre identified some smoke in the air. Worried, she ran towards the source and her jaws opened. Although the bedroom was completely intact, a thin layer of ashes covered the floor. The walls and furniture were completely fine, though, with no signs or marks of a random kitchen fire that could explain the ashes. It was as if someone had simply dumped a cart full of cinders there.
She walked around, kicking the dust with her shoes, until she uncovered something scratched into the floor underneath. Cassandre brushed more of the dust aside, like a hasty archeologist, making more of the inscriptions visible…
There was a circle written onto the wood, containing symbols that were very similar to the ones from the online pictures…
She was ready to post the photos as soon as she finished snapping them!
But then…
She heard birds singing…
The whispers of the winds…
And cracking of old wood…
In front of her, a green portal opened in the air, like a rift to another dimension!
The light coming from it was so strong that it blinded her for a while.
She couldn’t stop thinking about the headlines she would make!
Category Artwork (Digital) / Transformation
Species Centaur
Size 2000 x 1250px
File Size 754.4 kB
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