"Hello?" A vaguely familiar voice came from the front of the stable, but Mike couldn't tear his attention from the continuing transformation. The Wizard frowned and told Aaron to continue while he got rid of the intruder.
Mike heard scraps of the conversation - the soft-voiced visitor was asking about a Wiaard and something about a quest. That was enough to get him to look back. The young wizard was talking to what looked like a boy of 11 or 12 dressed up as an explorer. It took a minute for Mike's slightly muddled memory to click. "Brian!"
His freind seemed to jump, and walked towards him with a bewildered expression. "How...?" Then he stopped and stared up at Mike in obvious awe. "Wow! A centaur! I was hoping I'd see some mythical creatures!"
Mike was puzzled, but then realized he must look a lot different with the changes already done. "It's me, Brian. Mike! My master is turning me into his warhorse. It's going to be really cool! Way more different than being a centaur."
"Your master?" Brian looked even more confused. "And you are letting him turn you into a horse? I guess that's your business. But how do you know my name? I just got here."
"Well, Duh!" Mike grinned. "We all just got here. But I decided to try something really new instead of just being the centaur Tye changed me into. And the Wizard is going to help you guys with the quest!"
Brian stared at him and then at the young Wizard. "You know about Tye? And..." He frowned. "Is this some sort of test? You sure don't look like a wizard, and I never saw that..." He gestured towards Mike. "...centaur or horse or whatever before in my life."
Now it was Mike's turn to stare. He and Brian had been freinds since grade school! Even if Mike looked a lot different, how could Brain have already forgotten Mike becoming a centaur and coming into town? Then it hit him. "The reality change! It made him forget me as a centaur!"
The wizard smiled and nodded. "Exactly. An 8-year-old Shire stallion can't also be a teenage human from another world. Though I am afraid this discovery complicates things a bit."
Brian scowled. "OK, this is getting really weird. You changed reality? And this, uh, horse-thing used to be someone I know? But now I don't remember him?"
"But he's from my world, not this one!" Mike was alarmed. "I thought this would only affect the game stuff!"
The wizard sighed. "Ah, yes. A detail I forgot to mention. As I just mentioned, an 8-year-old Shire stallion can't also be a teenage human from another world. And since I need a stallion, the boy no longer exists."
"What!?" Mike felt sudden fear. "I don't exist!? My whole life has been erased?"
Brian was staring wide-eyed, but started backing slowly towards the stable doors. The wizard saw the movement and made a quick gesture. All of the elf's clothing and belongings vanished, leaving him naked and no longer disguised as a human boy. Another gesture caused a heavy bolt to appear, effectively locking them all inside and prevening anyone else from entering.
The Wizard turned back to Mike, ignoring the naked elf. "It has not been erased, just replaced. And you agreed to it all."