Tobi took a few steps back in surprise at the sight of the massive orge kneeling before her. “Jak, why did you just call me your lady? We’re not… engaged or anything like that, are we?” she looked worriedly at Mika.
“Your house has protected my clan for generations. In return, we’ve sworn our allegiance to you.” Jak replied solemnly.
“My…. house?” Tobi looked blankly at Jak and turned over to Mika. “Are there like, giant magical houses that sprout legs and run around defending ogres?”
“Erm… no. But royal houses do that sometimes.”
“ROYAL houses?” Tobi looked at him enquiringly.
“Heeeelp!” A few acolytes had snuck up from behind and seized Luka, who was now squirming helplessly in their arms. “Our priestess has many questions for you about all these transformations going on here in Lavenguard. Come quietly with us, unless you’ll like your son to join our temple choir. We’re looking for a new castrato…” she looked menacingly at the little boy.
“But, but… I’m tone deaf! I can’t even sing…” Luka cried out in alarm.
“My… SON?” Mika sputtered, wondering where the family resemblance began.
“Go rescue him, Jak!” Tobi ordered. The orge roared, baring his teeth and charged headlong at the acolytes.
“So predictable…” one of the acolytes threw a potion vial at the approaching ogre, which shattered on his body, spraying him with its contents. Immediately, the huge ogre starting shrinking rapidly, and was soon reduced to the size of a little mouse.
“Jak!” Tobi cried out in dismay, and dashed forward to pick him up….
++++++++++++++++++
Esmeralda carefully watched from a safe distance as the two acolytes battled the beasts she had created. “Now which one of them has the stone? Surely she would try to use it on her opponent?” the witch thought silently to herself.
She heard the patter of footsteps and turned to see Audrey rapidly approaching from a distance. Her temper flared as she recounted her recent humiliation, and she readied the nastiest spell she could muster and aimed it at the warrior. But before she released, she noticed a shaggy wizard struggling to keep up with the sprinting warrior.
“That’s not the same wizard I fought before.” she thought. “This one looks much more experienced, and I have no idea what he can do.” Esmeralda was a veteran of hundreds of battles, and had not survived this long by being careless at estimating her odds. It definitely wasn’t smart to take on four foes at once, she decided. Suppressing her anger, she focused her magical energies and teleported away.
Arriving at the scene of the battle, Audrey immediately joined Yvana in battling the ferocious ape, quickly overwhelming the creature and knocking it senseless. Meanwhile, the wolf had managed to pounce on Lyra and swipe at her chest, scratching her protective charm. Asserting all her strength, Lyra managed to kick it off, whereupon Ander conjured up a magical net and dropped it on the snarling beast, trapping and immobilizing it.
“Thank you so much for your help!” Lyra panted as she stood up and dusted herself off.
“Where’s the witch?” Audrey asked.
“The WITCH? Is she here?” the acolytes looked around furiously.
“Not any more.” Ander shook his head. “She just teleported away again. It’ll take me a while to pick up her trail. In the meantime, we should ask Mika to come and turn these people back to normal. That stable is full of transformed travelers.”
Lyra and Yvana looked at each other uneasily as they stole a glance at their former commander, still merrily shoveling away in the stable as a naked little stableboy.