{"id":4093,"date":"1983-07-12T00:01:56","date_gmt":"1983-07-12T04:01:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tellest.com\/?p=4093"},"modified":"2016-08-10T08:10:41","modified_gmt":"2016-08-10T12:10:41","slug":"transformed-first-chapter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/transformed-first-chapter\/","title":{"rendered":"Transformed, First Chapter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Transformed
\n<\/strong>A Tale by Michael DeAngelo<\/strong>
\nChapter One:\u00a0Wild Magic<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A black wave of startled birds erupted from the treetops, fleeing toward the cloudless sky.\u00a0 The shrill profanities of an elderly woman filled all the forest below.<\/p>\n

\u201cConfound this wretched shrubbery!\u201d the woman cried.\u00a0 With a huff, she set the heavy baggage she carried on the ground, and sat upon it, her posterior flattening it at its top.\u00a0 While she paused to pick the twigs from her disheveled grey hair, she tapped against the dark mahogany cane that never left her side.\u00a0 She lifted it into her lap, placing it there with the gentlest of movements, though the scratches and leaf remnants left upon it proved she was willing to use it without hesitation.<\/p>\n

She adjusted her large bosom, crammed tightly into an embellished purple ensemble. \u00a0With a much needed weary sigh, that adjustment came undone, and she huffed in annoyance again, peering up toward the heavens.\u00a0 The thick forest canopy blocked her view, and she had to settle her sights on a squirrel who sat innocently upon one of the lower boughs.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou there,\u201d she cooed.\u00a0 \u201cCan you believe these Forsynthians have the audacity to call this<\/em> a road?\u00a0 And expect me<\/em> of all people to walk unescorted through the brambles?\u00a0 I won\u2019t have it.\u201d\u00a0 Though her voice reached a low, rich timbre, her cadence was singsong.\u00a0 She could have conversed with any of the forest\u2019s many birds.<\/p>\n

The squirrel flicked its nose, and twitched its tail\u2014and then it turned and leapt to a lower branch, further from the plump, purple woman.<\/p>\n

With narrowing eyes, the woman clicked her tongue.\u00a0 \u201cHow incredibly impolite!\u201d\u00a0 She stood and waved her cane with an aggressive flourish, and a bright pink aura was produced at the head of her magical implement.\u00a0 In a moment, that light enveloped the little grey squirrel, rooting him in place. \u00a0He chirped and squealed as his body was pulled this way and that, lifting him into the air.\u00a0 At once, the light flashed too bright for him to see.\u00a0 \u201cMuch better,\u201d the plump woman exclaimed.<\/p>\n

He looked up, and the world he knew seemed somewhat smaller.\u00a0 That strange woman turned her attention from him, then, collecting her bag with the end of her cane.\u00a0 When she had it in her hands, she rummaged through it for a moment before tugging out several garments from within.\u00a0 She spun about with deceptive poise, and tossed the bundle of fabric at him.<\/p>\n

Reflexively, he set about to hop away, but he only rolled over instead.\u00a0 That bundle hit him on his rump, and he tried to squeak in protest.\u00a0 A startled little gasp erupted from his mouth instead, and he lifted his hand to his face in shock.\u00a0 None of his proportions were right anymore, though, and he slapped himself instead.\u00a0 He looked at his new, human hand, and his eyes went wide.\u00a0 He scanned the rest of his body, tracing the furless skin down his back until he noticed the lack of his beautiful, fluffy tail.<\/p>\n

The woman silenced his confused shout with an overpowering clearing of her throat.\u00a0 \u201cMake yourself decent, dear boy.\u00a0 We have a long way to travel yet, and it would be unwise for you to do so in the nude.\u00a0 What would the townspeople think, seeing a naked young man carrying my belongings?\u201d\u00a0 The former squirrel clutched the garments close against his bare skin when a mischievous grin crept to the witch\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cThen again, if you don\u2019t mind, neither do I.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know that this is such a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrevor, my boy,\u201d Gaston said, wearing that same smirk he always did.\u00a0 \u201cThe more you talk, the more that shield shakes.\u00a0 Now keep quiet, hold still, and remember not to drop it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lad was huddled behind a hefty heater shield, a donation from the knights of Gardone.\u00a0 It had seen its share of battle, and was covered in dents and gouges.\u00a0 Beyond that, though, it was holding up rather well.\u00a0 It was still one solid piece, though no one could predict just how long that would last.\u00a0 Trevor peeked around the shield to catch a glimpse of the sage\u2019s apprentice.<\/p>\n

Adelia Kreegan was no longer the meek, timid thing she was when she first arrived in Forsynthia.\u00a0 She had grown into a capable young woman in just over a month, learning all the basics of the arcane arts without trepidation.\u00a0 Staring down a black dragon had set her fears aside.<\/p>\n

She blew out a nervous sigh, her fingers flicking as she considered the task before her.\u00a0 Straw dummies\u2014which had seen better days before the aspiring sorceress arrived\u2014were prepared on either side of the keep\u2019s courtyard.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you ready, Miss Kreegan?\u201d the sage asked.<\/p>\n

Adelia kept her eyes focused on that shield.\u00a0 She nodded, and a faint white aura surrounded her hands.\u00a0 Gaston pointed toward the far wall of the courtyard, and spun his finger about.\u00a0 The aspiring sorceress and the archer hiding behind the heater shield both heard the mechanism twist, and turn and fall into place.<\/p>\n

The apprentice\u2019s eyes glazed over with that otherworldly blue tint, and she sprang into action.\u00a0 That colorless aura that grew outward from her fingers shifted into a more violet tincture, and she whipped about, focusing on the first of her straw opponents.\u00a0 An orb of that same color took shape before her, spinning and pulsing for a moment before separating into three smaller projectiles.<\/p>\n

Gaston stood just a few steps behind and to the side of that training dummy, studying every subtle nuance of his pupil\u2019s casting.\u00a0 Adelia was still in motion, looking aside after a miniscule twist of her hand.\u00a0 The sage couldn\u2019t suppress a widening smile as those arcane missiles rotated, stacking in the air.\u00a0 A moment later, they collided with the straw body, blasting most of it apart and knocking it from the post.<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t wait to see it fall.\u00a0 Adelia was already focused on another foe.\u00a0 With a flick of her finger, a tiny vapor formed before her, funneling in the air.\u00a0 The dummy sped forth on a rail, but she paid it no further heed.\u00a0 Instead, she turned her attention toward the only human target available to her.\u00a0 Trevor peeked out from behind the shield again, just in time to see her enact her newest incantation.\u00a0 She muttered words that were foreign to him, bringing them to focus in her mind.\u00a0 Like spears ripping through the earth, tall icy stalagmites formed between the apprentice and her target.\u00a0 That frigid wall was thick and uneven, blinding Trevor to what transpired beyond it.<\/p>\n

The dummy on the rail neared the end of its track, just over a dozen feet away from the young woman.\u00a0 Those vapors she had summoned transformed, growing into something dark and powerful.\u00a0 A storm cloud hovered over the straw foe, churning with energy.\u00a0 A mere wave of her hands had lightning ripping through that cloud, striking upon the training dummy.\u00a0 It blew apart in magnificent fashion, its remains catching fire in the blink of an eye.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now the archers on the high ground,\u201d Gaston whispered.<\/p>\n

Though he had not cast a spell, those other targets were timed to act perfectly.\u00a0 Two more dummies flipped forward upon the second floor of the keep, sending stray bits of straw flying.\u00a0 Another mechanism activated when they were upright, slowly bringing up crossbows as if they were aiming.<\/p>\n

Adelia was quicker, and already in motion.\u00a0 With a snap of her finger, an arrow of her own took shape in the air.\u00a0 She urged it forth, turning before it neared its mark.\u00a0 As she focused on the second target, a ball of light formed in her hand.\u00a0 She brought it to bear, and that light churned out, forming a direct line of energy that reached the dummy.\u00a0 Every second that passed, the ball of light shrunk until it finally dissipated.\u00a0 By that time, the arrow had struck the first foe.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne more target, Miss Kreegan,\u201d Gaston muttered.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t rest just yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

The apprentice unruffled her dress then, and pressed her hands against the fabric.\u00a0 But even she must have heard that telltale click behind her.\u00a0 Her mentor peered up toward it, and the lad behind the shield furrowed his brow as he saw the faux archer take position.\u00a0 Still, Adelia seemed unaware.\u00a0 Another click sounded, and that makeshift foe actually fired a weapon.<\/p>\n

The arrow\u2019s aim was true, screeching right toward the aspiring arcanist, who remained oblivious to the attack.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Kreegan!\u201d the sage cried.\u00a0 Gaston reached forward, and Adelia could feel the magic taking shape beside her.\u00a0 So, too, could her master feel his own enchantment enveloped by an arcane presence of his pupil\u2019s.\u00a0 She turned to him with a smirk on his face.\u00a0 \u201cMiss Kreegan?\u201d he queried.<\/p>\n

The arrow hit a conjured shield, a large sphere that encompassed the girl completely, yet remained invisible to the naked eye.\u00a0 That shield stopped the projectile completely, but when it was struck, a violet pulse ripped over the transparent surface.\u00a0 At once, a wave of energy cascaded over the sphere, meeting and concentrating in the area where the arrow had struck it.\u00a0 A beam of energy blasted out from that point, firing back at the constructed archer, and knocking it off its stand.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery good, young lady,\u201d Gaston remarked.\u00a0 \u201cVery good indeed.\u00a0 Just remember that next time you fright me so, there will be consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo worse than what I\u2019ve done to your study in the past,\u201d she joked.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite,\u201d he returned.\u00a0 Though he crossed his arms over his chest, eh could not hide the smile that crept to his face.\u00a0 \u201cThat was an interesting change in your routine, but do consider that a real foe would not simply wait for a counterattack.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Master Gaston,\u201d she implored.\u00a0 \u201cI just wanted to try something different.\u00a0 Something with fireworks, you know?\u00a0 All the best wizard stories always talk about fireworks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed.\u00a0 But fireworks rarely have a place on the field of battle.\u00a0 They are a reward for surviving the hardships of that conflict.\u00a0 And you, young lady, still have one more foe to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those words hit her harder than the arrow would have.\u00a0 She looked the heater shield and her friend huddled behind it.\u00a0 With trepidation, she reached out, energy forming upon her palm.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust like we talked about, Miss Kreegan,\u201d Gaston said.\u00a0 \u201cFeel the flame.\u00a0 Embrace the warmth.\u00a0 Cast it out like a breath from a mighty dragon.\u201d<\/p>\n

That aura on her hand warmed and cooled, pulsing different colors as she focused on the task before her.\u00a0 The ascendant\u2019s fingers trembled s she chose her magic and willed it before her.\u00a0 A flickering flame danced on her skin, but only for a moment.\u00a0 She and her master heard the crackling energy before it manifested, though it was already too late to change that course of action.\u00a0 A bolt of lightning shot forth from her extended digits, striking the shield with extreme force.\u00a0 All that concentrated power sent the lad behind it flying backward.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no, no,\u201d Gaston chided.\u00a0 He walked to his pupil and shook his head, oblivious to Trevor, who labored to climb to his feet.\u00a0 \u201cThere were specific wards that we prepared on that shield, Miss Kreegan.\u00a0 It was protected against flames, not lightning.\u201d<\/p>\n

She bowed her head.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u00a0 I can\u2019t work with fire.\u00a0 It\u2019s too painful\u2026 too\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand,\u201d he said as he placed a hand on her shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cYou still remember that terrible day and carry it with you.\u00a0 I shouldn\u2019t ask so much of you.\u00a0 You\u2019ve been learning at a remarkable pace and I\u2019ve been pushing you accordingly.\u00a0 But perhaps I should rein it in a bit.\u00a0 You\u2019ve exceeded even my expectations.\u00a0 Perhaps its time for fireworks after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adelia nodded, though his words did little to lift her spirits.\u00a0 He was right.\u00a0 She had hit a snag with that particular school of magic.<\/p>\n

Trevor finally stood upon two feet, however unsteady they were.\u00a0 \u201cNo, no.\u00a0 I\u2019m alright,\u201d he bade.\u00a0 When the two arcanists looked at the poor lad, neither could suppress a chortle.\u00a0 His hair shot up in several strands, and his eyes were wide and wild.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome here lad, let\u2019s take care of that,\u201d Gaston offered.\u00a0 \u201cAs for you, young lady, why don\u2019t you head to study and collect our things?\u00a0 We\u2019ll take a walk through the gardens.\u201d<\/p>\n

A bright smile crept across the girl\u2019s face.\u00a0 She gave a slight bow and stepped away, only turning back to watch Gaston work some magic of his own.\u00a0 With a snap of his fingers, a tiny blue marble came into being just above his hand.\u00a0 The sage opened his hand then, like a blooming flower, and that marble grew in size, its contents rolling and swishing about.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow you just hold still, Trevor, and we\u2019ll have that coif taken care of in an instant.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lad held his hands out to placate the old sage, but it was no use.\u00a0 That swirling orb rose over his head, and with another snap of Gaston\u2019s fingers, the magic was unleashed.\u00a0 The sphere popped like a bubble, spilling its contents on Trevor\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s better,\u201d Gaston said, stifling another chortle as Trevor spat out the water that streamed down his face.<\/p>\n

Adelia couldn\u2019t keep from smiling.\u00a0 For the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt as though she was home.\u00a0 She opened the door to Gaston\u2019s study, where another member of her new family eagerly approached her.\u00a0 The small black cat coiled around her legs, his purrs already loud enough to hear.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Merlin,\u201d she cooed.\u00a0 \u201cHow would you like to join us for a walk?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

Forsynthia\u2019s gardens seemed to grow more beautiful by the day.\u00a0 And those wildflowers seemed to stretch on farther south than ever before.<\/p>\n

Adelia followed close to Gaston, weaving through the strangely situated paths.\u00a0 He spoke to her of her journey and studies of the arcane arts, but half of those words rolled over her.\u00a0 Instead, her focus was cast on the feline that hopped in and out of those beautiful flowers.\u00a0 She laughed when a butterfly landed nearby, catching Merlin\u2019s attention as though it were the most fearsome beast.<\/p>\n

Every trip to the gardens felt like a brand new experience.\u00a0 The pathways never quite felt the same, the flowers always seemed to take on a different hue, and Gaston inevitably told some new story about his past. \u00a0And what a past it was.\u00a0 Ever impressed with everything that Tellest had to offer, he related tales of long lost heroes, of daring high seas adventures, and\u2014on a more personal level\u2014of some of his most wild encounters.\u00a0 Such occasions were rare, but Adelia relished in them, when her mentor seemed most human.\u00a0 And so it was when they arrived at the bench in the gardens, only to find it already occupied.\u00a0 The busty woman\u2014her dress filled with more curves than it could possibly accommodate\u2014draped her arm across the back of her seat, and watched Gaston intently with come-hither eyes.\u00a0 When she was sure she had been noticed, she flicked her eyebrows and clenched her teeth tighter around the rose there, her tongue playing a delicate dance against an intact thorn.<\/p>\n

\u201cLucinda?\u201d the sage queried.<\/p>\n

The woman spat the rose to the ground and flashed her most intense gaze his way.\u00a0 \u201cTis I, Gaston.\u00a0 After many years apart, her we are, finally united.\u201d\u00a0 With every spoken word, she inched closer toward the edge of the bench.\u00a0 \u201cI do hope I rememberd your favorite flower, my dear.\u00a0 Marigold, yes?\u00a0 Or were they\u2026 forget-me-nots?\u201d<\/p>\n

With a wave of her hand, every one of those flowers in the garden bent and swayed, as if some invisible force swept across and touched them.\u00a0 When they returned to their initial position, though, they had changed from their bright orange hue to a more delicate set of tinctures of blue and purple.<\/p>\n

\u201cI sent for you nearly a month ago,\u201d the sage said, apparently uninterested in her sorcery.\u00a0 \u201cWhat has taken you so long?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, but I am here now, my dear,\u201d she said.\u00a0 Lucinda sprung up, and those curves rippled into place once more.\u00a0 \u201cI had to be at my very best to finally see you, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the two magicians reconnected, as uncomfortable as it was, Merlin brushed up against Adelia\u2019s leg.\u00a0 She scooped him up, and pulled him close to her chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re too late,\u201d Gaston stated.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t need you anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sorceress took a step back, and held her hand to her chest.\u00a0 \u201cMy love, you say these feelings of mine are unrequited?\u201d\u00a0 She offered up a disarming grin then, and at last took account of the sage\u2019s young companion.\u00a0 \u201cOh, you lecherous old codger.\u00a0 Is this the tart you\u2019ve found to replace me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adelia felt her cheeks awash with heat, as though the mere thought of romance was so foreign a thing.\u00a0 She clutched the black cast tighter, and took a step away from her mentor.<\/p>\n

\u201cPay her no heed, Miss Kreegan,\u201d Gaston bade.\u00a0 \u201cLucinda is known for these antics.\u00a0 Salacious tales and lewd remarks are all a part of her repertoire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m pleased you remember,\u201d the sorceress teased.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, you should be grateful I\u2019ve arrived at all.\u00a0 Do you think a woman of my social standing can just drop everything willy-nilly to travel across half a continent?\u201d<\/p>\n

Gaston drew his arms across his chest and furrowed his brow.<\/p>\n

Pursing her lips in defeat, Lucinda readjusted, standing taller.\u00a0 \u201cI am here now, and that is all that matters.\u00a0 You can rest assured that I am ready to lend my aid, no matter what you need.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve already taken care of the issue I called you here for.\u00a0 When I never received so much as a reply, I took things into my own hands.\u201d\u00a0 He arched an eyebrow then, and turned to his pupil.\u00a0 \u201cBut\u2026 we may have use for you yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, use me however you like, Mister Camlann,\u201d she cooed.<\/p>\n

Gaston bowed his head, and pushed out a weary sigh.\u00a0 \u201cAdelia\u2014that is, Miss Kreegan here\u2014is learning her talents as a sorceress.\u00a0 My skills are more studious in nature, but you have an affinity for the arcane arts that coincides in some ways with hers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lucinda scoffed.\u00a0 \u201cYou think your little pet here could play with transformative powers?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be more surprised if she couldn\u2019t,\u201d the sage assured.<\/p>\n

The sorceress looked to Gaston\u2019s pupil, who returned a sheepish glance before averting her gaze.\u00a0 \u201cOh all right,\u201d she relented.\u00a0 \u201cWhatever keeps me close to you, that is.\u00a0 You, girl,\u201d Lucinda said as she stepped forward.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure this deliciously dull man has thrown books and tomes and research at you since you\u2019ve arrived in Forsynthia.\u00a0 How\u2019d you like to trade paper cuts for real magic?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adelia shrugged, and gave Merlin a gentle pat.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Gaston, you\u2019ve sheltered the poor thing.\u00a0 No matter.\u00a0 We\u2019ll break you of that reticence.\u00a0 Before long you\u2019ll speak every word that comes into your pretty little head with nary a thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Lucinda,\u201d Gaston said.\u00a0 \u201cWe don\u2019t need two of you.\u201d\u00a0 She gave a dainty little harrumph to which the sage could not suppress a laugh.\u00a0 \u201cNow then, you did bring some manners of comfort, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat kind of woman do you take me for, Mister Camlann?\u00a0 Do you expect me to just show up in your bed?\u00a0 Again?\u201d\u00a0 Seeing that he was not amused by that recollection, she let that humor flutter away on the ends of her fingers.\u00a0 \u201cNot to worry, Gaston.\u00a0 My man is already delivering my bags as we speak.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Transformed A Tale by Michael DeAngelo Chapter One:\u00a0Wild Magic   A black wave of startled birds erupted from the treetops, fleeing toward the cloudless sky.\u00a0 The shrill profanities of an elderly woman filled all the forest below. \u201cConfound this wretched shrubbery!\u201d the woman cried.\u00a0 With a huff, she set the heavy baggage she carried on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1UVey-141","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4093"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4093"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4093\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4094,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4093\/revisions\/4094"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}