Jet trotted along at his master’s side as the two walked down the busy street. He could tell by the tone of the light that the day was coming to its end, and he was eager to go home and rest. He felt exhausted, his muscles ached, and his stomach felt empty. Jet could smell food in the air as they walked, cooked meat and fresh bread, not to mention the many enticing aromas coming from the various corners of refuse and rubbish.
“Don’t worry, boy,” his master said when he noticed Jet’s panting. “We can eat at the pub. I’ve got to meet up with an old friend before we return home.”
The mage and his dog emerged from the alley onto a more quiet street; not many shops to speak of and only a few passerby. Jet followed the mage down the street as they approached a small, quaint-looking pub parked on a quiet street corner. Through the large, plate-glass window in the front of the pub Jet could see a small crowd of men conversing and carousing over pints. When his master opened the heavy oak door, Jet was greeted with the smell of beer and food and men. The mage wended his way through the tables over to the corner of the room, where a heavy-set and jovial-looking old man was parked in a little booth.
The man looked up from his glass as he was about to take a drink when he noticed the mage approaching him, and his broad, bearded face split into a toothy grin. “Amos, glad you made it. Sit, I just opened a fresh bottle.” The big man gestured to the empty seat opposite him.
“Good to see you, Pascal.” The mage said as he sat down. Jet sat back on his haunches and examined the strange man. He was a big man, with a heavy gut the belied a life of leisure and good times. His hair was long and peppered with grey, as was the coarse beard that flowed down to his meaty chest. He had bright, cheerful demeanor, and jet could smell incense, liquor, and a woodsy scent that made him pant.
Pascal poured a glass for Amos before pouring one for himself. “To my worst apprentice,” he joked, raising his glass.
“To my bastard of a mentor,” Amos countered with a smile before both men tossed back their drink.
“So,” said Pascal, pouring himself another, “Who’s your new friend here?”
Amos leaned back in his seat. “A pour unfortunate soul who found himself on the wrong side of a slaver’s auction. Luckily for him, the slaver had no idea of the value of what he was selling.”
“He doesn’t look special to me,” Pascal said, giving Jet a sidelong glance. But Jet felt like he was being examined by more than just those glinting green eyes.
“I think he may be an out-worlder,” Amos said in a hushed tone.
Pascal raised his bushy eyebrows. “Now there’s a thought…” the man turned to stare down at Jet. “If that’s true, you get turn him over to the Archmage. Maybe get a promotion out of it.”
Amos scoffed. “I wouldn’t ask him to piss on me if I were on fire,” he poured himself another glass of liquor. “But I have been wondering why he’s been so interested in finding out-worlders lately.” He looked up at his mentor.
“He has us looking for all kinds of strange shit lately,” Pascal sighed. “Ancient artifacts, people from other worlds. Those old wizard’s toys are easy enough to find. But the out-worlders? Most of them don’t survive, or if they do, they rarely remain human.” He gestured at Jet. “Case in point.”
Amos laughed and reached over to scratch behind Jet’s ears. “You know I like dogs. And he seemed scared. I thought I’d ease his mind a bit. Just for a little while.”
“Well, if you aren’t going to trade him in to the Archmage, what are you going to do with him?” Pascal asked. “You need a guinea pig to practice your magic on? Or do you just miss getting knotted like we used to?” he leered.
Amos shook his head and laughed. “Dirty bastard. Maybe I can make an apprentice out of him. We’ll see how he fares under my command for now. I’ve got a lot of chores and errands for him come tomorrow.”
“You think you’re ready to take on an apprentice? You only left my service seven years ago yourself.”
“One way or another, I’ll make use of him. But I’m not giving him up until I know what the Archmage wants with the out-worlders.” Amos said, resolute.
“Which reminds me,” Pascal leaned in close and gestured for Amos to do the same. “I found it.” Amos’s eyes widened, “and you’re not going to like where it is.”
Amos grimaced. “Then I think I already know. The usual suspects?”
“Yup, though it seems he’s lost some familiar faces. Might make the job easier.”
Amos forgot the glass and reached straight for the bottle, taking a long swig before setting it down. “Thank you, my friend.” He said after a moment. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”
Pascal nodded. “Anyway, I best be going…”
“Getting tired, old man?” Amos said, his face brightening again.
Pascal huffed, “Boy, this old man never slows down. You’d know that if you stopped to visit every once in a while.”
Amos laughed. “Take it easy, old man.” He drained the last of the bottle into his own glass and raised it to his mentor as the man stood up from his chair. Jet jumped to all fours and back away from the table as Pascal stepped out.
“Be good, boy,” he said, rubbing Jet’s head with a big calloused hand. “Keep your master out of trouble.” He chuckled before sauntering towards the door.
Jet looked away from the departing man and back to his master, who was looking down at him expectantly. “Feeling hungry?” he asked. Jet licked his chops. “Well, let’s eat. And then I’ll show you your new home.”
After putting in an order for a plate of food at the bar, Amos led Jet down a narrow and empty hallway, away from the crowd. Jet thought he was looking for a bathroom, but the mage stopped and opened up his bag, rummaging around in it before extracting a black cloth robe.
“Sit.” He ordered, and Jet sat, his ears perked. The mage raised his hand and muttered again in his strange language. Jet jerked and whined as a cramping sensation seemed to overtake the muscles of his whole body before he felt himself suddenly relax. He let out a deep breath, watching in awe as the muzzle that split his vision quickly receded into his skull. He looked down at his paws, now rapidly becoming hands as the fur receded into his skin. A sharp, but not uncomfortable sensation struck his bottom as his tail receded, and his hind legs adjusted themselves back to their bipedal architecture. The first transformation had been jarring and uncomfortable, but changing back into a human felt natural, like releasing a tensed muscle. The good dog Jet slipped away into the corners of his mind as Alex’s awareness returned. He was human again! His hands shook as he examined them, pink and uncalloused and without fur. He started when he felt something warm and soft drape over his back.
“Good, you’re taking to the magic nicely.” He heard Amos say as the man covered Alex with the cloak. “Now, come. Lets have dinner and we’ll talk.” He helped Alex rise to his two feet. Alex clutched the robe together and cinched it about his waist as he examined himself. It was a nice cut, with decorative thread around the hems; clearly something that one would wear on the street. Alex felt like he was wearing a bathrobe, however.
Alex cleared his throat before asking, “Why’d you change me back?” he winced when a jolt of pain coursed through him, radiating from his nipple.
Amos also winced a bit when he saw Alex’s pain. “Looks like the obedience magic in those rings runs deep. You might want to address me as Master until we can find something less…draconian.” He beckoned to Alex. “Now, come. Dinner’s probably getting cold.”
Alex followed his master back to their table. The bar had emptied a bit; a large group of men sat around a table playing some game of skill, and there was a lone patron seated at the bar. Sure enough, a tray of food had been left at their table. A roast chicken, a pot of soup, some blackened vegetables and a loaf of dark bread. Amos took a seat, with Alex sitting opposite him. Amos grabbed a plate and began serving himself before he noticed Alex sitting there with his hands in his lap.
“Go ahead, help yourself. Gods know I won’t.”
Alex eagerly grabbed a plate and helped himself to some food. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Alex eating and pretending not to notice the way his master examined his body. Alex still felt nude and exposed, despite the robe. After a few more pensive moments, Alex finally broke the silence.
“Why did you change me back, Master?” Alex asked, the word strange on his tongue.
Amos shrugged. “I wanted to have a conversation. I confess, I don’t like eating alone in public.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” he said, despite himself. “Sir,” he added.
“So, did you at least enjoy it?” Amos asked.
Alex took another bite of chicken and thought about it while he chewed. “I kind of did, Master,” he admitted. “It was scary at first. But when I let Jet take over, it was like a whole new world. The smells and the sounds…”
“Speaking of a new world, tell me about what brought you here. And be honest.” His master commanded.
Alex sat up straight and answered him. “Honestly, Master, I don’t know. Yesterday I fell asleep in my home, in my own bed, not a slave,” he emphasized. “And then I wake up in a forest clearing in the middle of the night, alone and with no clothes. I found a road and was about to try and find some help when I got…darted by that asshole slaver. He took us here to sell us, and that’s when you showed up and bought me like meat.” Alex finished. Amos just looked at him. “You said to be honest, master.” Alex supplied.
Amos only stared at him for another moment before saying, “Fascinating. So, you really aren’t from this world, then?”
Alex shook his head. “No, Master. I’m from Earth.”
“Earth?” Amos looked incredulous. “Not much of a name. And is this world of yours much different from our own?” he asked with genuine curiosity.
Alex guffawed. “Yessir. Where I’m from, we don’t have magic, or minotaurs or any of the other strange things I’ve seen so far. And not that I’m complaining, but where are all the women?”
At this, thee wizard was stumped. “The what?”
“Women, female humans?”
Amos shook his head. “I’m not familiar with this tribe of men.”
“No, Master. They’re not men…” Alex explained the differences, to which Amos responded with a horrified look.
“They don’t have cocks? How do they conceive children?”
Alex groaned. “No, that’s what the men are for—”
“But if there are men, then why do you need these…females…in order to breed?”
“Master, now I’m confused.” Alex huffed.
“We’re getting off topic.” Amos waved his hand to signal for another bottle. “If there’s no magic in your world, and if whatever alternative technology your reality might possess is not sufficiently advanced to permit travel between worlds, then that means you were taken from your world by someone on our side of the veil.”
“Like who, Master? A wizard?” Alex asked, hoping this man could maybe give him answers.
Amos frowned. “Perhaps, but if another wizard had brought you over, you would have appeared before the wizard who summoned you. And probably in his home, not out in the middle of the forest.” A ruddy-faced teenager came by the table to drop off another bottle of liquor. “I think this is the work of gods.” He said, when the boy left.
Alex snorted, but looked at the bottle of liquor with longing. After all he’d been through, he could really use a drink. “Master, may I please have a glass?”
Amos considered him for a moment before shrugging and reaching over to pour some of the white liquor into the second glass. “Thank you, Master. Seriously,” Alex said before taking the glass and draining it in one shot. It burned good and hot as it ran down his throat, reminding Alex of tequila.
“We’ll talk more about the circumstances of your being here later.” Amos said, pouring himself and Alex another glass. “1Now, lets talk about the circumstances of our…business arrangement.”
“The one where you bought me?” Alex clarified, adding, “Master?”
Amos frowned. “I propose a different arrangement. I don’t really need a slave. But what I do need is a familiar; a man to act as a medium to concentrate and hone my magical power, as well as assist in my research.”
“So, like your friend said, I’d be your guinea pig?” Alex folded his arms over his chest.
“Not exactly,” Amos raised his eyebrows and looked down at the table. “Though I confess, you’d be on the receiving end of a lot of different kinds of magical theory. You won’t be human as you often as you may prefer, but you will have a lot more agency and freedom. You may also gain some power of your own.”
Alex thought about it. It sounded…enticing. But this wasn’t a job offer. Alex didn’t want magical servitude, he wanted to get back home.
“And if I refuse? If I want to try and find way back to my world?” he asked, uncertain of the answer.
Amos stared back at him, his face stony. “That’s not an option. The Archmage has hedge-wizards and bounty-hunters scouring the continent for out-worlders like you. I don’t know why, but I do know I don’t trust him. Until I know what he’s up to, I can’t allow you to wander off or fall into his hands. Possibly even for your own safety.”
“Not like I can just walk away anyway,” Alex said, running his hand over the cold ring embedded in his nipple.
“No, you can’t.” His master agreed. “So become my familiar. I’ve got a lot of good irons in the fire, and I could use good help.”
“You really think I can help you?” Alex asked, unfolding his arms.
“You’re more than you look, Alex. Getting lost in this world might not be the curse you think it is.” He raised his glass. “So, what do you say? Shall we ditch these slaver’s bands for a more professional and rewarding relationship?” He offered.
Alex chewed his tongue for a moment before shaking his head. “Fine, fuck it. I’ll be your…familiar. Its better than being a slave, I guess….”
“Excellent,” Amos grinned. “Shall we drink to it then?” he raised his glass, and Alex raised his own. “To a new beginning,” Alex’s new master intoned before swallowing the last of his drink.
Alex followed suit, his eyes streaming as the liquor burned its way down his throat. “Yeah, but if you want me to be your familiar, then we’re gonna have some ground rules. To whit—”
His master cut him off. “And we can talk all about that when we get home.” He deposited a stack of silver coins on the table before climbing out from the booth. “Let’s go, its not far from here.”
Alex stood up to follow him, noticing that the pub had become almost empty save for the lone patron still in his cups at the bar. They quietly crossed the empty dining room and made their exit.
“Oof, its cold out here,” Alex said when they stepped outside.
“Don’t worry, you won’t be for long,” Amos said, smiling at him.
Alex had only a moment to wonder what he meant before he felt his legs cramp and buckle underneath him. The sensation forced his upper body forward, and when he landed, it was on paws instead of hands. Alex blinked in shock; it had been almost instant, and with no pain at all. He looked up to his Master, who was smiling down at him in appreciation.
“The magic is really taking to you. Good. Once you’ve bound yourself to me as my familiar, you will be able to shift into this form whenever you choose.” He reached down to scratch behind Alex’s ears. “Come on, Jet. Lets go home; we’ve still got lots to talk about.” Amos set off down the deserted street with Jet walking faithfully beside him.