After escaping from the acolytes at the barn, Mika and the others took refuge in a small patch of woods beside the village.
“Isn’t it about time you turned me back into a wizard?” Ander repeated in an insistent tone.
Mika looked uncertainly at the little boy. If Ander really was an experienced wizard, he could be more powerful than himself. And what if had… other intentions? He glanced over at Sebastian, the Master of the World wannabe, currently nibbling at a bush and seemingly content with his new career as a molly mule. Ander won’t be so easy to pacify if things went badly, Mika thought to himself. Better play it safe.
Mika walked casually up to the little boy, and in a swift motion, conjured up a leather collar and fastened it around Ander’s neck. “HEY!!” Ander cried out as he tried to remove the collar, but it seemed fused to his flesh. “Just WHAT are you up to? Are you going to turn me into a puppy dog?”
“No, no, of course not! That just allows me to… erm… control you … just in case...”
“In case of WHAT?” Ander shouted angrily. “Are you trying to make me your slave?”
“No, NO! It’s just that … I mean if you turn out to be, well, evil like Sebastian…”
“You take that humiliating thing off Ander THIS MINUTE.” Tobi thundered. “If he hadn’t knocked out Sebastian earlier, you’ll still be a naked little stableboy shoveling manure in god-knows-where. How could you be so ungrateful?”
Mika turned desperately to Audrey for support, but she just looked away. “Are you trying to prove to everyone that you’re as incompetent at judging people as you are at spell casting?” she sniped.
Relenting, Mika turned and removed the collar from the boy’s neck. “I’m… really sorry.” he stammered awkwardly. Ander continued to glare at him for a few moments, then shook his head, looking slightly hurt. “Whatever. It’s okay now, just turn me back alright?”
Mika pulled out the stone and pointed. The little boy rapidly grew into a lanky wizard, with chestnut hair and a shaggy beard, clad in dark, weather-beaten robes. “Thanks.” he said graciously to Mika. “Oh, and if you’re still worried, I have absolutely no interest in becoming Master of the World.” he broke into an almost indiscernible smile. “You should turn Luka and Jak back too. There’s a small army of very angry acolytes hunting for us now, the more help we can get, the better.”
Suddenly, Tobi let out a sharp cry and collapsed to the ground. Mika dashed towards her as she started convulsing uncontrollably. Audrey cursed, belatedly discovering that they had forgotten about someone in their haste to escape from the barn.
+++++++++++++
Esmeralda clambered up the stairs of the inn to her room, panting hard. At least her little girl body was swift enough to carry her away unnoticed from the barn, but it sure didn’t have much stamina. But that didn’t matter now, as she pulled out her potions book and concocted a brew to reverse the body swap with Tobi. Imbibing it, she convulsed violently for a few moments, and her body restored, smiled triumphantly.
Peals of laughter rang out from the direction of the stables. “More acolytes!” Esmeralda thought silently to herself. “I have to be careful, they may lack brute strength and pointed weapons, but they’re resistant to many of my spells.” She cast a concealment charm on herself, making it difficult for her foes to spot her, and then made her way stealthily towards the stables. From a distance, she saw a pair of veteran acolytes interrogating a little boy, who looked very much like the innkeeper. Right behind them, the barmaid lay tied up & struggling in her bindings.