“No.”
A heavy weight is lifted off your shoulders as you let out the deep breath you inhaled. You place your meaty hands in between your massive pecs, checking your heartbeat, feeling it returning to normal.
“Our world always provides a method in breaking an enchantment.” The wizard explains, relived to see you calmed down. “The only problem is learning it. Since humans rarely enter our realm, the answer to breaking this enchantment isn’t very well known.”
“So how do I learn to break it?” you ask desperately.
“I assume only Agexius, the head wizard of Castrumiel, would know. Not only is he considerate and understanding but he’s also the most experienced and knowledgeable wizard in the area. If anyone knows how to break it, he will.”
You’re lost in thought as you stroke your chin and are surprised to feel some facial hair. Now that you think about it… you still haven’t seen your reflection. Was there a mirror nearby?
Wait that didn’t matter!
You focus back on the topic and ask the wizard how you can meet him.
“I’m afraid only wizards can meet with him,” he replies, “Besides that, he’s a very busy sorcerer and is constantly working on jobs. Finding a chance for a apprentice like me to meet up with him is close to nonexistent.”
You look down to the ground glumly. Here you finally had a hope of returning home only for it to be unobtainable.
“However, I have quite a few connections. I’ll try to see if anyone can get me into contact with Agexius. All I need is for you to do one thing.”
You lift your head up. “What? What is it?”
“I know this is a big favor to ask of you but I need you to stay here and blend in with this orc tribe.” He says, an expression of remorse on his face. “We can’t let any wizards besides Agexius learn about my mistake. If they learn about it, not only will I be punished severely and stripped of my magic abilities but I believe they’ll simply erase your human memories to solve the issue.”
You grimace at his words, not sounding too keen on what he asked of you nor the actions the wizards would take on you if they learn the truth.
“Can’t I just leave and hide out on my own?”
“Leaving will only draw massive attention to you. Orcs don’t tend to travel alone and you’ll stick out anywhere you go. Besides, I don’t think you’re well informed on my world to live by yourself. I don’t want you to starve to death or be killed before atoning for my mistake.”
You’re surprised at his sudden nobility but find no faults in his reasoning. It’s true. You couldn’t risk venturing on your own. It was too risky and endangered you. You’d never been too fond of the outdoors and hardly knew how to survive in your own woods let alone the woods of another world.
Letting out a sigh you abide. “Fine. But how will I meet up with you after?”
The teen pulls out a rings from his robe (How did he keep so much stuff in there?) and hands it to you. It’s a white stone attached to a metal base, big enough to fit on your wider fingers.
“Let’s make this temple our meeting place. Whenever I seek you, your stone will turn red. Meet me here after it changes, if you run into any trouble on the way here, squeeze your ring in your palm five times. It’ll let me know. If you just want to meet with me, squeeze your ring three times and squeeze it four times if it’s an emergency.”
You put the ring on and watch it contrast against your green skin. It looked very inconspicuous you would say at least you hoped so.
“I just have one question. How did you know I was an orc and needed help?” you ask him.
“Well I’m not completely brainless.” The teen wizard says smugly. “I left a surveillance spell on the premises to alert me if anyone entered. Once I was alerted and teleported back to town, it didn’t take long to learn about the sudden appearance of an orc and connect it to you. Afterwards, I used a tracking spell to find you.”
“Sorry it took me so long to get here and help,” he continues, “I had to report in for guard duty in the morning and come up with a lie about practicing illusions as a jest to explain your sudden appearance. I got a slight punishment for it but nothing too severe. Then I simply made my way here, invisible, after teleporting. I saw everything that happened to you and quickly made a loincloth using magic. Another teleportation spell later and I was right behind you.”
“Oh. Okay. I guess that explains everything.”
“I would like to talk some more but it looks like the spell is about to wear off in three… two… one!” the wizard states as you feel the similar sensation from before spreading out as it breaks the world from the stopped time spell. You hear familiar noises and voices emulating from outside as everything returns to normal. At least time wise.
“I suggest you put that on before the third bell rings and make your way to the Great Hall.” The wizard points to the loincloth on the table and you look down and find that you’re still naked.
Had you been naked this whole time you were talking? You feel a slight rush of warmth to your face, embarrassed, and cover yourself. Your green skin probably hid your blushing… right?
The wizard laughs before speaking. “Meet me back here tonight. In the meantime, I’ll try to do some research on orcs to help you.”
“Thanks for your help… uh…” you stammer. You never learned his name.
“Ozeviath. But I just go by Oz.”
You bid him farewell before he teleports and vanishes.
Grabbing the loincloth, you hastily put it on and find that although it helps cover you somewhat, you still feel exposed. You make your way out of the temple, the floorboards groaning under your weight, and step outside into your new, hopefully temporary, life.