Carl’s heart raced, trapped in his frozen state, unable to move as Lord Skullface's sinister presence filled the room. The sorcerer’s voice slithered out from the shadows, dripping with malice and mockery.
“Ah, Carl,” Lord Skullface began, his skeletal fingers waving through the air. “You’ve tasted power, but now you’ll feel its true weight. A child should never play with forces beyond his grasp.”
Carl’s breath hitched as the sorcerer raised his hand, dark magic swirling around his fingertips like smoke. He tried to speak, to yell, but his voice was caught in his throat. Then Lord Skullface began to chant, his voice rhythmic, almost hypnotic:
"By the power deep and old,
Let this boy lose all control,
From teen to child, small and weak,
Make him youthful, innocent, meek.
And as for his friend, so bold and bright,
Turn him to cloth, light and tight.
Matching pair they now shall be,
Powerless, young, and filled with glee."
A wave of dark energy shot from Lord Skullface’s hand, crashing into Carl like a tidal wave. The moment the spell hit him, Carl’s body began to tingle with an intense warmth that spread through his limbs. His skin prickled as if tiny electric sparks danced over his surface, making every hair on his body stand on end. His legs felt like jelly, and he collapsed to the floor, unable to stay standing as the transformation took hold.
His hands shrank first, the skin tightening as his fingers became chubby and small. He watched in shock as his arms shortened, the lean muscle of his 17-year-old body fading away. The ground seemed farther and farther away as his perspective shifted, his entire body rapidly regressing.
“What’s happening? No… stop!” Carl tried to cry out, but his voice cracked, becoming soft and high-pitched, a childlike squeak.
His limbs dwindled into those of a little boy. His face tingled, feeling rounder and softer as his features transformed, his jawline disappearing into the softness of a child’s face. His dark, messy hair became unruly on his now eight-year-old head.
He looked at his reflection, his wide, innocent eyes staring back at him in disbelief. He had become a little boy—small, helpless, and completely vulnerable. His underwear--Alex--was now comically oversized, hanging off his smooth, fragile frame.
And then he heard it—Alex’s voice in his mind, frantic and confused. Carl! What’s happening? Why can’t I—
Carl’s eyes darted downward just in time to witness the horror. Alex, who had been the pair of red briefs wrapped snugly around Carl’s waist, began to shift and change as well. The once vibrant fabric dulled, the color fading to a childish white and red with a cartoonish caricature of the Red Cyber Warrior on the front. The waistband shrank to match Carl’s new size, and the material became thinner, more delicate—perfectly fitting for a little boy. Alex had transformed again, but this time, he was no longer the bright, bold briefs of a teenage boy; now, he was nothing more than a pair of little boy’s briefs, matching Carl’s new juvenile appearance.
No, no! I can’t be—this is humiliating! Alex’s thoughts screamed through the transmitter.
Carl’s cheeks flushed with heat as he pulled the elastic waistband of the childish briefs away from his skin, feeling the soft cotton brushing against him. The sensation was oddly comfortable, but the reality of the situation was sinking in like a weight pressing down on his chest. His best friend was now reduced to nothing more than a flimsy pair of underwear, wrapping snugly around his eight-year-old body.
Lord Skullface let out a sinister laugh, watching the transformation unfold with wicked delight. “Ah, what a precious sight. Two friends, reduced to their most helpless, childish forms. Look at you now, Carl! A little boy, dressed in nothing more than his favorite pair of briefs—his best friend!”
Carl's tiny body shuddered at the words. The fabric of Alex’s new form hugged him closely, and Carl could feel the warmth of the cotton brushing against his skin with every slight movement, a constant reminder of just how deeply their bond had been twisted by this spell.
“Tell me, Carl,” Lord Skullface continued, his voice dripping with mockery, “how does it feel to be so small? So immature? You were once a strong, confident teenager, but now look at you. You’re nothing more than a helpless little boy, relying on your ‘best friend’ for protection—though I’d say Alex is even more powerless than you.”
Carl's breath quickened as the weight of the transformation sank in. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, at the oversized t-shirt that draped over his scrawny shoulders, the childlike briefs peeking out from beneath the hem. His hands, once strong and capable, were now small and soft, incapable of gripping the invention that had started all this. His heart raced, the feeling of Alex pressed tightly against him becoming even more overwhelming.
Carl… this can’t be happening. You have to fix this! Alex’s thoughts pleaded, the sound of his distress echoing in Carl’s mind.
But Carl could barely respond, his throat tightening as he realized how powerless they had both become. He was just a little boy now, nothing more, and Alex—his best friend—was reduced to a mere article of clothing, trapped in a form that was humiliating and helpless.
Lord Skullface leaned in closer, his skeletal face mere inches from Carl’s reflection. “Don’t worry, boys,” he whispered, his voice sending a chill down Carl’s spine. “This is only the beginning of your new life. Helpless, powerless, and completely immature. You’re mine now.”
Carl’s tiny body trembled, and for the first time since this bizarre journey had started, he felt the crushing weight of his own vulnerability. And with Alex wrapped tightly around him, equally powerless, Carl couldn’t help but feel the cold realization sink in: they were truly stuck in this nightmare.