"Well" said Marge "I've always thought that musclebound lunkheads like these should get a second chance as seven-year-old girly girls."
Atelia smiled. "I like the way you think, Amazon. But I'm going to go in a slightly different direction." She waved her hands and muttered a spell.
The paralyzed troopers shrank while their practical armor turned into revealing silks in bright, primary colors. Their outlines softened while their forms grew more graceful and rounded. Their hair grew out. Where the troopers had been were now six colorfully clad, beautiful dancing girls.
Atelia licked her lips. "When this is over" she breathed. "I'm going to have such fun teaching these new girls all about their new bodies!"
Marge remembered the rumors she had heard about Atelia's tastes. Apparently, the rumors had been correct.
Atelia turned to Marge with a stern expression on her face. "I know you're an intelligent woman, but just in case you were wondering, that cute little rock won't work on me, and if you try to use it on me, you will regret it very profoundly for a very long time. Are we clear?"
"Yes, my lady." Marge had decided to throw in with Atelia. Under her protection, she thought, she would have little to fear from lesser wizards, let alone warriors. "Uh, just so it's not a surprise, most powerful and exalted lady, there are some people who are interested in the rock who may be showing up in the not too distant future."
"Good" said Atelia. "More future soldiers for me. Now let us await them in the fortress." She grinned. "I'm sure some of the servants there will be delighted to learn of their former master's new condition."
++++++++++++++++
"Alright" said Lyra. "This shouldn't be too difficult. Luka, you and Mika are immune to all transformation, so you can take point." She knew the pride of the barbarian warrior would not allow him to take any other position, but best to present in a way that subordinated pride to tactical intelligence. "Audrey and I will follow. We both have protective amulets. Mika will provide magical support near the front, and the rest of the acolytes will follow wearing their amulets. Ander, you're unprotected, so you will move to the back once we get near the confrontation point. Jak, when that happens you cover Ander along with Tobi and Shari."
The ogre nodded.
"Uh," said Audrey. "I agree with all that, but I think we have a problem."
"What?"
"We're headed for the lands of Duke Nicholaus."
"So?"
"Which are actually the lands of Lady Atelia."
"Uh-oh." said Lyra. "That does complicate matters if she's going to take refuge with that sorceress bitch."
+++++++++++++++
Amber rolled the memory orb she had taken from Erik the rabbit in her palm and looked at his adoring visage with scorn.
"See this water here?" she said. "You know what it is. The same thing I gave Esmeralda. It will take away all of those annoying human thoughts and make you mentally the rabbit you already are physically. Won't that be good? Just think about grass and female rabbits, like an animal. Don't think about kidnapping innocent girls. Your mistress, who you adore, wants you to drink it."
No, no, NO screamed Eric mentally, but the powerful will of the beastmistress overrode his own. He bent down and began to lap up the liquid from the vial, and the screaming, and all thought in human language, fell silent in his mind.
Forever.