When Mika opened his eyes, he found himself staring at a different group of people. “Hm, that turned out better than expected,” remarked a tall man in wizard’s robes where Ander had been. Turning to the person next to him, a lass of no more than fifteen or so wearing similar robes, he chuckled, “Glad to see you well, young apprentice.”
The former Luka, looked herself over and sighed. “Well, it was fun being the older one while it lasted. Still, it is good to be back.”
Mika’s attention moved over to a lithe elf maiden inspecting two curved daggers the length of her forearm. Standing at only four feet high, even shorter than her height as Jak, she was nonetheless beautifully proportioned, with waifish curves, long limbs, and smooth, dusky skin typical of wood elves. Her long, knife-like ears poked out from her flowing black hair, and her large, amber colored eyes glittered with wild intelligence. Sheathing her daggers with a satisfied click, she turned to the last person in the lineup. “Well, your Highness, I never imagined I would finally get to encounter you under such circumstances.” She bowed gracefully. “I am Jadera of the Southern Grove. My blades and my magic are at your service, Princess Teola Brienne. If I may ask, what brings you here so far from your homeland?”
The person addressed looked nothing like what Mika would have envisioned based on her title. While lovely enough with her stunning blue eyes and rosebud lips, the thin scar running down her delicate jaw-line and the sturdy sword at her hip suggested a lifestyle that reached beyond a typical royal court. In fact, with her blonde hair pulled back in a practical braid and the mud stains on her heavy boots, she looked like any other female adventurer seeking her fortune on the open road. Perhaps this was deliberate, judging by the way she reddened with embarrassment at the elf’s gesture. “Please, not here. And just call me Tobi like before. It’s less, well, everything. As for your question, I imagine I’m here for the same reason as you: to find and secure the magic stone responsible for so many suspicious disappearances over the last few years.”
“And like me, you also fell victim to a trap,” Jadera said with a grimace.
“Yes. But if you ever happen to meet my father, don’t tell him. He already disapproves of my adventuring.”
“My lips are sealed, your H- I mean, Tobi.” Jadera felt eyes boring into her back and whirled around with a mischievous smile. “May I help you, Sebastian?”
The only one left unchanged, the farm boy gulped. “J-Jak, uh, Jadera, I never knew you were…um.”
“An elf?”
“A girl.”
“Yes, well, why make things awkward between us? I am still the same Jak you know, and I remember you were always kind to me.” She went up on tip-toes to give his cheek a kiss before patting his shoulder. “You will get used to it.”
As this exchange was taking place, Mika realized that his perusal had left out one person. Turning his head to locate his partner, he said, “Audrey, you did it! You…”
His words trailed off as he noticed two things. First, his voiced sounded wrong. Second, Audrey wasn’t Audrey, at least, not in body. Taking a look at himself and the mercenary, he was surprised to find…