"Hardly," Mr Amiacing looks worried. "You're HIV-positive, and I sense that you've been so before you came to the island!"
Dick looks gobsmacked. Then his eyes go wide, as the implications sink in.
"It can't be," Dick protested, "I'm immortal."
"Immortal," Mr. Amiacing counters, "but not invincible. There are many things that can kill a mythical creature."
"But Master Cedius told me ..."
"Cedius is an idiot!" Mr. Amiacing interrupts.
You stifle a laugh at the comment. You like this guy more and more with each second.
"He’s recent convert himself, with less sense or appreciation for the gift that he's been given than a full buck goat.
"Many mythicals die in battle as a matter of course. Accidents happen from time to time," Mr. Amiacing continues. "You had a disease before you were taken by the satyrs. It was one not known when they last walked the Earth. Given it's pernicious nature, there is little doubt it stayed with you even though your body was changed."
Dick slumps into his chair at the news.
"But what about me!" Marina shouts.
Mr. Amiacing strokes his chin as he considers the demi-satyress.
"Yes, well this does present a problem. Usually even those taken against their will are ultimately completed. The drives inherent in their new nature overcome any aversion to the change.
"You're a first, my dear,” Mr. Amiacing says proudly, “ Protesting as you have, I am bound to intercede."
His eyes narrow as he studies Marina carefully.
"He,” Amiacing says as he looks down at Dick, “didn’t achieve a climax with you, did he?”
Marina shakes her head.
Amiacing smiles, “You are untouched by his disease."
"Well. that's good news," Marina says as she breathes a sigh of relief, "but what about these." She raises her feet into the air pointing to her merged toes and thickened nails that would - if unchecked - develop into cloven hooves, "and this." Marina pulls her hair back to show her pointed ears and burgeoning horns.
"Hummm, yes," Mr. Amiacing says. "Well I'm afraid I can't overcome the magick of the satyr wine."
Marina begins to cry, and Rachel rushes to her side to comfort her.
“I’m a freak!” she wails. “Why did you do this to me? Why did you do this you bastard?”
Dick sinks lower in his chair.
“I thought….,” he begins.
“You didn’t think at all!” Rachel shouts back at him. “I swear I could just ….”
Rachel raises her hand to strike Dick, but Mr. Amicing intercedes, standing between them and holding Rachel by the wrist.
“I said I could not overcome the magick of the satyr wine.” He lowers Rachel’s arm to her side as he continues. “ That does not mean that someone else can’t.”
“Who?” Marina asks, hopefully.
“There are many in our realm that would have the skill with herbs and incantations to alter the magick.”
“So I can be human again?” Marina asks.
Amiacing frowns and shakes his head. “That is highly doubtful. This magick is strong. I am not certain that even the most skilled in herb lore would be able to concoct a counter spell.”
“But it is possible?” Rachel asks.
“I suppose,” Amiacing concedes.
“But were would we find an herb .. lore ... person?” Marina asks, stumbling over the description of an expert she has never dreamed would exist.
Her question rings in your ears. Where have you heard that term before? Who said it? It sounds so familiar.
Stephen, of course, “Themis,” you shout. Everyone in the room looks at you in surprise.
“What did you say?” Harry asks.
“Themis,” you continue, “she’s a centauress that Rachel and I met. Her husband told us that she’s an expert in herbs.”
“Centuaress?” Deirdre chimes in.
“Yeah,” Rachel answers, human and …uhmm ... horse to … together.”
“You don’t think the centaurs would try to … you know, change us, like the satyrs did?” Deirdre asks.
“Absolutely not,” Rachel responds. “They rescued Ben and me from the satyrs and showed us how to get back here safely.”
“So you can get me there without running into the satyrs?” Marina asks.
Rachel smiles and takes your hand, “I think we remember the way.”
“Well, then,” Mr. Amiacing says, “I’ll just be off then.”
“Wait a minute,” you shout, grabbing him by the collar. “What about Dick?”
“And Krista?” Rachel finishes your sentence. She glances down at the hotel bill and nods to you to indicate that Krista’s name is still there.
“I’m afraid I can offer no help for your friend Krista. She is within the mythical realm. My powers do not extend there.
“As for him,” Amicing looks at Dick with distain. “He has been completed. There is no going back, but if this herbalist friend of yours has any skill, she may be able to help him with his … condition.”
At that, Mr. Amaicing wrestles out of your grasp. He mutters some non-sensical phrase and there is a brilliant flash of light as he disappears.
“Looks like we’re on our own, again,” you say. “We’ll take Marina and Dick to the centaurs. The rest of you try to find Krista.”