“I have decided that I want to be the warhorse.” Mike looked at the wizard and boy. “But I want the change to be slow so I can experience the transformation, not a ‘poof’ thing, and way slower than when Tye made me like this. It sounds like I might not get another chance.”
Llandros nodded. “That is true. Whatever we do to you here will be your reality for the rest of the time you are part of this world. And when and if you return to your own world, I expect any change will be… as you call it.. ‘poof!”
“As long as I don’t forget I was human.” Mike was a little concerned, but it as hard to keep focused on how serious this could be. After all, he was in a dungeons and dragons world with magic wizards and little kids who used to be fighters! In any case, he was already mostly horse, which was weird enough on its own. “I guess you’ll add stuff so that I remember two lives?”
“After the physical change is complete. We’ll take it in stages. Since you want to experience as much as you can, I suggest we make you a Shire-based centaur, then a Shire, and finally make the mental changes. The horse mind may not be able to comprehend all of the subtle aspects of transformation.”
“Well, make him a horse!” Aaron stomped his foot angrily, falling back into the five year-old mindset.
“Not yet.” Llandros concentrated on his staff and then pointed it at the boy. A soft glow enveloped the child, and his eyes widened as he started to mature. Seven, nine, eleven – the child stretched up as he aged, entering his teens with a rapid growth spurt that provided substantial sexual parts. The growth slowed as he approached his mid-teens, and finally stopped when Aaron was a lean, muscular young man of about 20. The mirror image Llandros had shown before.
Still naked, Aaron looked down and then examined his arms. “Can’t you get the rest of my muscles back? It took years to build up that body!”
Llandros shook his head. “This is you – and even this is only going to stick if we finish changing the centaur into your warhorse.”
The young man sighed and turned to Mike. “I will owe you a great debt, centaur. I promise to protect you with my life, and to make sure whatever your fate, that you are well cared for.”
Mike felt a twinge of unease. Whatever his fate? Well, there were going to be risks in this world. Centaurs were big targets for attack. In truth, he’d be much safer as a warhorse. “I guess I’m ready to get started.”
“We’ll make you big, first. I’d guess you are based on an Arabian right now – better maneuverability and speed for your centaur form, but too small to carry much and lacking in endurance.” LLandros smiled. “Since you will be Aaron’s horse, I’ll have him make the changes. That will strengthen your bond. And I am sure you will enjoy the transformation.”
The young wizard went into a stall and emerged with a bucket of grooming tools, which he handed to Aaron. He frowned a moment, then looked up at Mike. “I hadn’t thought to ask before, but there is no reason Aaron’s warhorse couldn’t be a mare. Or even a gelding. As a stallion, you may get distracted and possibly have more trouble maintaining your human identity. A mare could get pregnant, which would leave you stuck until any foal was born and weaned. A gelding won’t have the distractions, but also won’t have the occasional pleasures of sex. Which do you want to be?”