Impatience boiled within Alice as she sat alongside Nat's unconscious form.
Boredom flooded her mind as she continued to sift and observe the dreams of the girl. As much as she wanted to end it and awaken her, a voice prodded at the back of the observer's mind. It told her to wait. To have patience.
Why did she heed the voice? Was her own subconscious telling her that there was something important in this girl's subconsciousness?
With a defeated sigh, Alice reached over to her side and gently picked up the Oracle Hand Mirror, her gaze piercing into its reflective surface.
Instantly, events that had transpired in the mansion flashed through her mind, documenting all that occurred since the paladin, Isaac had entered the mansion.
Involuntary, her eyes twitched as they processed the memories replayed before them.
The visions screamed for her attention, yet her subconscious cried for her to continue to watch the girl's fleeting dreams.
Alice's eyes flashed as an idea came upon her. Usually, doing both actions at once would be tiring, yet a grin crosses her lips.
An ominous chanting spilling from her mouth, her fingers lightly graced the tip of Nat's forehead. As her hand retreated, runes etched themselves into the girl's skin before fading from the naked eye, becoming invisible. With this spell in place she'd be able to scry into the girl's memories without the need for physical contact.
The temporary obstacle free of her path, Alice stood up, slugging the unconscious form of Nat over her surprisingly strong shoulders. The mirror in her hand, the woman's eyes flashed.
Within a moment, where there once stood the form of an old woman with an unconscious girl across her back, stood nothing but the thick misty air of the woodland.
...
Relief passed through Isaac as he and his small group's detour through the mansion had neared its finale. With the conclusion of the detour, they could finally, finally begin their journey to the mountains. The sooner this kingdom's problems were solved, the sooner he could return to the crypt and solve his own kingdom's problems.
Glancing back at the struggling form of Mary, the relief on his face trickled away as pity replaced it. The former cloudfolk had struggled to walk correctly even as her new human form possessed a similar shape to the shape of her original body. The similarities in body shape could probably not be said for the weight difference between both species, as it seemed the balance of a human was significantly different compared to that of a cloudfolk, or so Isaac deduced as he observed Mary's struggles.
Slar, who had been helping Mary walk with her increased weight and used himself for Mary to balance herself on, simultaneously aimed his weapon at Isaac's head, a cold fire within his eyes as his lips twisted into a displeased scowl.
No matter how much pity he felt, he could do nothing to help her. Slar wouldn't let him get an inch closer with the weapon pointed towards his head. Isaac himself was unsure if the mystery substance would ever truly wear off and revert Mary to her original form.
What if it didn't wear off?
Could another method be found to change her back?
The slight anxiety grew within Isaac as another dire problem crossed his mind. Due to Mary being a human, what exactly would she eat? The only "food" that existed in the plains were made of clouds, clouds that would no doubt barely appease the appetite of a human.
Pondering, Isaac's gaze fell down to his viney body.
His eyes closed as he shook his head.
While his body was capable of growing fruits, it was also heavily corrupted. There'd be no telling what effects the corrupt fruits would have on Mary's vulnerable human state.
Rubbing his eyes tiredly, Isaac resolved to reach a solution later. The only solution that mattered right now was leaving this place.
As the trio collectively reached the exit of the lab, a loud, unnatural and ear-splitting voice pierced through the hall and their minds.
INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! INITIATING LOCKDOWN SEQUENCE!
Spinning around, dread filled Isaac's expression as thick metal doors slid down around him and his cohorts, blocking off walls and various entry ways. His vision darted from the ceiling above and floor beneath his feet as the soft clouds up and below were now made out of an impenetrable metal. It was unfathomable.
The trio froze as the loud sound of clapping echoed, ricocheting across the thick walls of metal. Facing to meet the source, a shiver ran down Isaac's spine as a figure stepped out from behind a lab instrument, footsteps adding to the clapping.
"Bravo! Braaavooo!" An elderly woman shouted as she stepped out from behind the contraption, her tone of voice dripping with sarcasm. Isaac's eyes widened as the familiar form of Nat lay over the woman's shoulder, unmoving.
Slar grit his teeth in frustration, he was closest to this old woman, and quite frankly; he was sick of surprises. Without any thought, his gun aimed for the head of the old lady, his finger threatening to put the trigger.
"Slar wait--" Isaac shouted, his words falling upon deaf ears.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Spinning the opposite direction without a further glance, Slar shouted for Isaac to follow as he lifted up Mary's rather heavy body with relative ease, breaking for an exit.
Isaac could only stare in horror as the smoke subsided. Turning around to tell at him, Slar's face scrunched up while suprise washed across Mary. The old woman stood unfazed, the bullets from Slar's gun laying at her feet.
"Nat!" Mary cried as she attempted to slip free of Slar's grip and run to her captured friend. Yet as she tried, a gasp halted in her throat as an unknown, unfathomable force froze the movements of her, Isaac, and Slar. It was as if time had stopped, although she could still move her head.
"Now, now. There's no need to resort to such useless and unnecessary actions. I believe a rational conversation would be of more meaning." The expressions of the group all turned sour at the elderly woman's scolding nature. Her tone of voice exerted that she was not one to fool with, however.
She grunted with slight effort as she gently lay Nat's body against the ground. Relief crossed Mary's face as it appeared she was unharmed from Slar's carelessness.
Looking over to Isaac, the paladin shuddered as he locked eyes with the woman. Her head tilting, the old woman spoke up. "This is your friend, correct?"
Isaac's silence causes the woman's expression to turn sour. "Answer the question, boy." She ordered, her tone assertive. Isaac quickly nodded in response, quietly muttering a "yes."
"I already know that." She quipped in response, causing Isaac to glance on in confusion as her finger pointed to Slar's form. "I meant him, the boy with the gun." She whispered, an unamused scowl crossing her lips.
The thought of referring to Slar as a friend crossed Isaac's mind, albeit only to protect him. But it was too late to do so as his honestly on behalf of his paladin training caused his mouth to move. "He's more of an acquaintance, to say the least."
A smile crossed the woman's face.
"Good."
Chills ran down Slar's spine as the rumored owner of the mansion walked towards him, her every step causing his breaths to quicken. If she was a cloudfolk, then so be it, but absolutely had to be human! If she were it'd only make the tales all the more believable!
The woman stroked her chin in thought as she gazed upon the still form of Slar. "You're quite the lost cause…" She muttered, analyzing him.
Without a word, one of her hands went to his forehead. His fear of memory wipe caused him to remain deathly still, even with the magic binding him. Beads of sweat dripped down his brow.
Seconds seemed like hours to Slar, until the woman's hand retreated from his face. He exhaled, having instinctively been holding his breath before.
"...Huh?" Slar's face twisted into a mix of bewilderment and relief. He didn't feel different, and he could still recall the events prior that had lead to this very moment. His shocked eyes glanced over to the old woman, his jaw open.
"You'll find out when the time is right." A devious yet cold grin formed across the woman's face as Slar's eyes widened.
"D-Did she just read my mind?!"
Figuring he'd try to divert the woman's anger, Isaac spoke. "We apologize dearly for intruding on your mansion. We were just about to leave, as you wanted." Turning to face him, the woman's face remained stern and stoic.
Taking Isaac's hint, Mary added in. "It's as he says. It wasn't my intention to enter your home." She paused, her mouth twisted into a nervous smile. "...And further apologies for camping on your front porch. There was a heavy rainstorm last night, so we slept there for shelter."
Glancing at Slar while Mary apologized, Isaac tilted his head pleadingly. Slow but having caught on, Slar decided to utilize his amazing skills concerning linguistics and arts of persuasion to salvage the situation! "Er… Yes! My deepest condolences for shooting at you. Y-You know how it is out there! The world is dark and filled with horrors, so I tend to get a bit trigger happy!"
Slar's valiant attempts at sounding convincing filled Isaac with despair. Tense silence followed moments later, the tension so thick it could strangle him.
Slowly the old woman began to chuckle, before a chorus of booming laughter resounded from her. The trio, their body's already frozen, now had their expressions match their stilled forms.
Wiping a stray tear from her eye, the old woman's laughter ended with an amused chuckle and a deep sigh. An unusual smile formed from both bemusement and calmness stared back at the frozen group of three. "There was no need for apologies, but I'll accept them nonetheless!"
Even with this reassurance their expressions remained unchanging.
The silence that followed was quickly broken by the old woman's voice, a devious smile plastered on her face. "I suppose this is what I meant when I said to make things as amusing as possible!"
Her expression turned flat as she earned no response from the group. Although with his face twisting, Isaac finally broke it.
"... I'm glad you were entertained. Are we free to leave now?" She remained silent, her face unmoved by his formal question.
Instead, she casually lifted and examined the arm Issac had torn off himself mere moments ago. Her eyes analyzed the torn limb, not bothering to glance to the paladin as she answered his question with a flat tone.
"No."
The trio's bodies collectively stiffened, Slar the only one to vocalize his panic.
"What the hell do you mean by 'no?!'"
The panic quickly spread to Isaac. "I did exactly as you said! I was getting Mary and Slar out of your mansion!"
"Oh yes, you did just that! But," The old woman gestured to the wreckage and debris strewn around the lab, "your punishments are due to a completely different matter." Her message was easily received through the group.
"Some things are easily replaced with magic; others are not. Some of the items lost took me years to obtain. They were irreplaceable artifacts…"
As the woman monologued the trio shared uneasy glances.
"If you lot hadn't made a mess of my lab, I would have let you go without anymore trouble. Unfortunately, this mess simply is not amusing."
Slar desperately tried to pull the trigger of his weapon, yet it rendered futile from his frozen form. The woman merely gave him a glance, before shifting her gaze to the others as if she awaited a response.
Mary's face grew weary. "Are you going to kill us?"
Such a statement caused the eccentric woman to wave her hands dismissively. "Oh please! Nothing as permanent as that! It's unnecessary and causes even more of a mess. You can't redeem yourselves if you're dead either!"
Isaac himself was steadily growing impatient, struggling to keep his tone formal and diplomatic. "Then why can't we leave?"
The old woman merely began to pace in response, focusing her attention on the group. "It's simple really. You haven't bothered to take notice that all of you are doused in my lab samples?"
At these words the trio examined each other, taking in the sight of being covered in all types of unknown substances.
"I'll have you know, a lot of those concoctions container heavy transformative properties. The effects they'll have on your bodies is unpredictable, and changing species is the last thing you'll have to worry about if left unchecked!"
Isaac's tone broke, his annoyance and impatience obvious. "Can we leave now? We'll find a cure and endure the effects in the meantime."
The woman raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Oh? Really?" Her expression turned sour. "Tell me then, just how exactly do you plan on finding that cure? I have no doubt you'd eventually come across an individual who could treat some of those substances, but with the sheer amount on you, there's a very low chance they could fully rid you of them."
Isaac's eyes shone with persistence. "I'll find a way."
The mansion owner merely spat, folding her arms across her chest. "Pah! Don't make me laugh! You'll 'find a way?' It seems you require evaluation my dearest Paladin."
Isaac's gaze remained strong as steel, yet so did Alicia's.
"Your corruption, it runs so deep and is mixed and meshed up with so many clashing and differing essences it's doubtful even I could restore you to your human self! At this point the closest species you can even be classified as is a chimera!"
The paladin merely scoffed in response. "I accepted long ago that I may never attain my humanity."
Alicia gestured to Mary, pointing out her human form. "You may have accepted your new form, but what about your companion? Changing species is an incredibly difficult transition that may cause irreversible mental damage; not all are willing to accept such heavy changes. You didn't even try to treat your corruption when you had the chance! If you can't even put effort into helping yourself, then how could you possibly help them?"
The old woman's ranting unfazed Isaac, although he listened intently.
"You more than anyone should know how deeply rooted mixed essences can go. Your cohorts are lucky they were struck by diluted essences in liquid form, unlike the more… personal exposure you received. I can help them, unlike you. For all I know you probably wouldn't even prioritize their treatment!"
"I didn't try to treat my corruption when I had the chance?! You told me to treat it I had to change into a woman!
Isaac mentally groaned at her rant, choosing to keep the thoughts to himself.
Admittedly, Isaac had kept his member for two reasons. Had he changed into a woman, he would've become only more vulnerable to the corruption. No matter how corrupted he'd become, staying male allowed him to hold onto whatever self identity remained alongside his personality...
Both Slar and Mary cast looks consisting of suspicion and annoyance respectively.
After a moment of silence, Isaac returned his attention to the mansion owner. "Do you want us to stay here so you can treat us?"
The witch returned his question with a devious expression mixed with annoyance. "All three of you require treatment as soon as possible… But why should I owe favors to those who vandalize my equipment? Your little fight was amusing, but in the process you cost me precious samples. Consider me not punishing you as a favor for your formerly entertaining performance." The woman's arm remain crossed, although her expression twisted. "If you want another favor from me, then you'll have to do more than merely amuse me."
Isaac tiredly sighed as he caught on to her implications. "You want us to do you another favor before treating us?"
Her mouth curved into a smile. "More of a job actually…"
Her arms gestured to the empty pedestal that had caught Slar's attention moments ago, the groups eyes following. "Take notice of that pedestal. It used to hold an accursed tome. About a week ago, it was stolen by some thief." Her arm shifted, index finger pointing at Isaac. The paladin's face remained stone even with her stern expression. "The job is simple; retrieve that tome, and I'll treat you in return."
"And if we don't?" Slar's voice cracked with fear, even as he tried to hide it behind a scowl.
The old woman returned a smile in response, her expression filled with dissonant serenity. "Then you're free to go. I just won't treat you; simple as that."
Yet her eyes quickly became knives as they narrowed. "But you best be warned. Some of my samples are capable of altering both your mind and bodies to such extent you'll deteriorate into mindless beasts. If by any means you start becoming a danger to the world around you…" The old woman's voice trailed off, her eyes closing.
Which immediately shot open, her voice piercing through the trio's minds, tone oozing with venom. "Then I will personally send you to my basement where I imprison all who dare threaten the planes."
"Understand?" She quipped, her mouth curled into a cheeky smile.
The trio exchanged concerned looks. Isaac remained uncaring to the hatred present in Slar's expression.
Turning back to the mansion owner, Isaac nodded. “We understand. But if we do decide to retrieve this tome, you must give us every ounce of information about this thief.”
She returned the nod. “Oh yes, of course. But before I do so, you have to accept it first.”
The trio shot each other a glance, forced to make a consensus.