The village was a small and rustic place. It got few travelers so far on the fringes of civilization. The unpaved streets were filled with naked children, pigs, and chickens. The alchemist lingered at the bar, reading, after Audrey stumbled up to her room. His back ached from the transformation. Being a pack mule all day probably didn’t help either. But Mika wanted to savor being human. As the bar emptied out the innkeep approached him.
“I saw you work your spell as you were coming up the road, boy, I’m impressed.”
“Oh? Thank you,” Mika replied distractedly. He couldn’t relate to common-folk much having spent most of his childhood learning the ins and outs of sorcery.
“Yeah. There’s a good market for men-turned-beasts. Once you break ‘em in they’re hardier, smarter, and live longer. Real good money. A man could use magic like that.”
The barkeep wasn’t very subtle. What he was suggesting was essentially slavery. “I don’t think I’d want to get involved with that sort of thing,” Mika replied darkly.
The barkeep smirked. Suddenly, a wave of vertigo shook Mika. Was he drugged? No. It was a spell! He tried to get up and counter it - to light the innkeeper on fire – anything – but he felt weak and sluggish. He could barely cry out above a whimper.
The room grew as Mika shrank. His lithe body became scrawny and childish. The young man felt a wave of goosepimples as his body hair receded; his skin became pale and freckled. Mika’s neatly combed, blonde hair turned a deep russet and grew out into a ragged mop. Even his mouth felt off. Mika’s pearly white, magically straightened teeth turned crooked and dirty. A few gaps remained where adult teeth hadn’t pushed through.
The clean-cut wizard was replaced with a dirty, homely stableboy, no more than ten. He was naked but for a loin cloth to preserve his modesty.
“Wha? What’d ya do to me?” Mika stammered. He tried to think of a spell to fight back and put himself right. It was hard to think.
“You’ve got two choices, kid. You can spend your days playing in the mud like a little shit, or you can put your magic to use for me.”