Transformation

by Michael Ocheskey

  What happened? I’m not sure how that man lost. Thomas had run through every scenario he could think of, but to his recollection the woman had done nothing but smile at the man.

  “Ah,” the voice answered. “You were not paying close enough attention. Did you happen to notice where the man was standing?”

  He was standing in a puddle of water; the water from his wall of ice.

  “That is correct. It was that water that caused his doom. You see, the female sorcerer sent electricity through the water into the man’s body. Magic is an incredible tool and she was a master of using it effectively. The man she was dueling was a sorcerer who had insulted her abilities and the abilities of sorceresses in general.

  “He had used rather impolite language when he told her that women were not as well adapted to using their magic as men. It was a duel of honor to prove that he had been wrong and to punish him for his insulting and vulgar words.”

  The scenery blurred and Thomas found himself back inside the realm of blue that enveloped him.

  “Do you now understand who I am?” The voice seemed to be enjoying his guessing game.

  I’m not entirely sure, but it seems to me that you are the ghost of sorcerers passed. Is that correct?

  “Well, you are almost correct. I am no ghost; I am magic. Magic is a very powerful force, but do not get the wrong impression.” The voice became accusatory, like he was chiding a child. “It is not omnipotent and thus it cannot do everything. The sorcerer race relied fully on magic, just as the human race relies on technology in their culture. Since their magic was not powerful enough to accomplish all that they desired, they took eight precious gems, one for each magical element, and placed a spell upon them.

  “Those gems became magical vessels. Whenever a sorcerer would die his magic would disperse into the gems. The gems, as we absorbed the immense magical power, grew from mere pebbles to enormous gemstones like the one you just touched…me.”

  You are the Sapphire of Power? But how?

  “The immense magical power and residual memories carried with that magical power my fellow stones and I absorbed gave us the ability for speech as well as incredible magical capabilities. The sorcerers hoped to use us to achieve their ambitions. They hoped to use us to gain an unlimited source of magical power.

  “But they soon discovered that no matter how much we grew in size our powers would still not be enough for their ambitions to come to fruition. This is because no matter how powerful, all magic has limitations.

  “Yet, they continued pouring their power into us, hoping that one day we would be able to help them achieve their goals. That is what I meant when I said ‘I am not one, but many.’ I am the collective magic and memories of all the sorcerers who died after my creation. I am not a living being. I am nothing more than a magical echo; a shadow of the past.”

  Well then, what happened to the sorcerer race? Did you become too powerful for them to control or something? Thomas instantly realized he had been unintentionally rude and insulting in his quest for answers.

  “Of course not! The memories and thoughts of the sorcerer race are etched inside us. We would never have harmed them because they were us. No, something else ended the lives of the sorcerer race. Shall I show you?”

  The scenery began to swirl again and Thomas found himself back in that same forest, but it was no longer the lush green paradise he had seen previously. Now the trees were burnt to ashes and none of the grandeur of old remained. The river was gone; nothing more than a dip in the earth. Strewn among the wasteland were the countless bodies of sorcerers of old. Thomas had to use all of his remaining strength to keep from being sick.

  What happened? This is so horrible!

  Sensing Thomas’ disgust at the sight in front of him, the Sapphire returned him to the sea of blue light.

  “Although it isn’t clear because it happened so fast, we think that the Earth was hit by a meteor or possibly a solar flare. The gemstones were scattered in the chaos that followed and were buried beneath the sands of time. We cannot be sure how much time passed since we disappeared, but it must have been millions of years because we were dug up by a new race of beings. This race couldn’t use magic, but their technology was incredible. They called themselves human. These humans had incredible machines to dig up the earth and managed to discover seven of the eight magical gems. The only one they hadn’t managed to uncover was the Ice Gemstone.

  “These humans could sense that we possessed power, but they weren’t sure what it was. They assumed we were gods trapped in stone and placed one gem inside each of the seven human capitals of that time. There, they worshiped us as deities and, since we were unable to communicate with them directly, we used our power to protect them. We had discussed the matter among ourselves and decided that since we had been unable to prevent the destruction of our own race we would do everything in our power to prevent the destruction of this race.”

  Seven cities? Wait a minute!

  “Ah, are you catching on yet? Yes, the seven capitals of the human race were the central governing powers for the human race. They had the most advanced technology and they also had us to supplement their technology with our magic. The humans called these seven cities Arcania, Ballia, Koreberos, Lothania, Paralenthia, Serkumis, and Atlantis.

  “One day, around one and a half million years ago, the earth was experiencing a life-threatening change. A dreadful cold spell had come over the earth and all the land was beginning to freeze over as never-ending snowstorms fell on humanity. We gemstones feared the destruction of your race from the cold, so we did the only thing we could think of to save your lives. Before the waters could freeze over, we expanded our magic as far as it would stretch to create an enormous barrier around the capital cities. We then ripped these cities from the earth and submerged them in the deepest depths of the oceans for their own protection.”

  Thomas pondered what he’d heard for a moment. Could this Ice Age have been caused by the missing Ice Gem?

  “The Ice Gem? No. The Ice Gem wouldn’t have been powerful enough to cover the earth with ice. This was a natural phenomenon. Anyhow, once we submerged the humans we had another problem. They would run out of food in only a few short years and they weren’t capable of leaving the barriers we’d created or they would die, crushed by the immense water pressure.

  “After discussing amongst ourselves, we decided to use our magic to alter the appearance of these humans. We would create bodies for them that could change from human in appearance outside of water to having the characteristics of sea creatures while inside the water. This way, they could leave the barrier and live a normal life in the warm waters. It took nearly three years and constant magical application to create the bodies for the thousands of people who resided in the cities, but now they are free to travel wherever they like. Both above and below the sea.”

  That’s incredible! You and the other gemstones created the merfolk race? But why didn’t you return them to the surface when the Ice Age had ended?

  “It is because they do not remember their original home. They were turned into merfolk so long ago; they no longer remember having been human at all. If we were to return them now, it would be a disaster. Humans and merfolk would look at one another as separate species and as enemies.

  “It could cause an all-out war between humanity and merfolk. Human beings have always feared what they don’t understand. It’s for that reason alone that you were in danger of being executed when you first arrived here. In these times, the only merfolk who travel to the surface are brave warriors and scouts who are in charge of gathering data, or thrill-seekers who believe they are fooling humans by pretending to be one of them.”

  Well, why don’t you tell them what you’re telling me?

  “We can’t communicate with others outside of the eight gems and our own race.”

  This response really baffled Thomas. What do you mean? You are communicating with me, aren’t you?

  “This is as puzz
ling to me as it is you. Hundreds of thousands of people have come in and touched us over the ages and not even one of them has been brought to our dimension or even felt our presence before. After you entered my realm, I quickly consulted with the other gemstones about you. We are currently discussing the possible reasons for your being here. So far, we have not discovered any plausible reasons for this and we are as baffled as you are.”

  Well, since I can communicate with you, I have a favor to ask of you. Would you please cure me? I need...

  “I know what you need. I see everything that goes on inside the magical borders of this city. I will gladly help you to regain your mobility, but it comes with a price.”

  That’s what King Aquarius said. He said I wouldn’t be able to leave the city and return home.

  “Well, this price isn’t the one he stipulated. I will explain the price to you in six months’ time. I must be honest with you. There is no way for me to heal your current body.”

  What? Six months! But you said you could fix my body!

  “Please calm yourself down a little. Let me explain. I cannot repair your current body, but I can create a new body for you. I will turn you into a Sapphire merman. I will start the process at your neck so that you will gain your mobility back immediately, but you will not be allowed to leave the city borders until the magical transformation is complete.

  “My magic will take six months to complete and until that time, you will be incomplete. You will be neither human nor merman. If you leave the city, outside the influence of my magic, my magic will stop working and you will die. You won’t be able to live underwater and you won’t be able to break the surface.”

  What do you mean break the surface?

  “Inside here, my magic protects you and keeps you alive. If you leave the barrier, my magic can no longer reach you and you won’t be able to breathe. Your gills won’t be fully developed, so you won’t be able to retrieve air from the water properly. At the same time, if the intense water pressure doesn’t crush you and you are able to break the surface, you will be like a fish out of water and suffocate to death. Are you willing to stay inside this barrier for the time required?”

  I am.

  “Good. I will begin the transformation now. As a bonus, I will also correct your eye sight.”

  How did you know I have bad vision?

  “I told you, I see everything that happens within the confines of this city. Now, return to me again in six months and speak with me. We will discuss the price then.

  “Remember! Do not leave the barrier until after you’ve communicated with me again. Oh, and one final thing. Don’t tell anyone about the conversation we’ve had today. You can tell them you were taken to my realm and that you spoke with me, but you cannot tell them what we spoke of as it could cause a war, or at the very least, your death.”

  Wait! What is your name? Please tell me....

  Thomas began floating slowly away from the blue light of this dimension. Then he was jerked hard from behind and began soaring swiftly backwards like a fish on a hook. He knew he was being forced out of the blue stillness of the magical realm and returning to his own.

  The Sapphire gave its response as if from a distance in a clear, whisper that almost sounded like a muffled scream.

  “I have no name, so you can just call me Sapphire.”

  Those words echoed in his head as Thomas came crashing down hard on the multicolored gem floor of the Sapphire Chamber Room.

  FORBIDDEN LOVE

  Thomas pulled himself to a standing position, noticing as he did that there were no more problems with his body. Well, aside from a sore backside. Having just come from a realm of brilliant blue light, Thomas needed time to readjust his eyes to the light in the room, which now appeared faded and dim in comparison. As he rubbed his eyes he could hear a muffled wailing.

  When his vision came into focus everything became clear. The sight before him was more vibrant than it had ever been, even with his glasses. He saw Alana kneeling, sitting on her own feet, shaking uncontrollably. Her hands covered her face, hiding her distraught features from view. Her voice kept cracking. She’d clearly been crying for quite a while.

  A river of pearls surrounded the floor around Alana, to Thomas’ confusion. When Thomas finally glanced Alana’s face as she moved her hand to wipe her nose he discovered she was the source. As each tear fell from her eyes, it hardened into an unblemished, perfectly round pearl that rolled down her exposed cheeks onto the floor with a gentle clatter.

  Thomas had trouble removing his eyes from Alana's distress, but he needed to search the room. An instinct to protect her had risen within him. With some effort, he tore his eyes from Alana to search for the cause of her distress. There was nothing unusual about the area.

  His eyes rested upon King Aquarius and Dr. Algie instead. They were staring disbelievingly at Thomas, their faces white with terror. Their jaws were hanging as if unhinged by surprise.

  Thomas walked silently over to Alana. Kneeling down in front of her, he placed one hand peaceably on her shoulder. The other removed her hands from her eyes. Alana, expecting to see her father comforting her, stopped sobbing immediately upon meeting Thomas’ gaze. Her tears continued to fall, yet all sound had ceased.

  It took a brief moment for the sight in front of her to register through her shock, but when it did she screeched in a scratchy voice about two octaves too high and wrapped her arms tightly around Thomas.

  “Thomas! I was so scared! I didn’t know what had happened to you. You just vanished when I put your hand on the Sapphire.”

  She broke down into dry sobs again and plunged her face into Thomas’ chest. She wrapped her arms around him even tighter, gripping firmly with the tips of her fingers. Her grip continued to tighten, her nails digging into Thomas’ back. She held him to her as if to prevent him from ever disappearing again.

  “What happened to you, Thomas?” King Aquarius walked over and lifted Thomas to his feet, Alana still firmly attached to him by her ceaseless embrace. “You just vanished.”

  “But you seem to be cured now.” Dr. Algie added on a side-note, pointing his trembling hand at Thomas’ legs.

  “Oh, yes.” Thomas pulled Alana away so that he could examine his own body. He bounced on his toes a couple of times enjoying his new freedom from pain. “I’m perfectly fine, except I won’t be able to leave the barrier of the city for six months or I’ll die. The Sapphire told me so.”

  As Thomas made this declaration, the entire room went quiet. Alana’s final tear hardened into a pearl and banged against the floor, ringing like a monstrous bell over the dead silence. The entire room, even the inanimate, seemed to focus intently on Thomas and his words.

  “What did you say?” King Aquarius spoke in hushed, defiant tones. “The Sapphire doesn’t talk.”

  “Well, not to everyone, but it did talk to me. Come, let’s go somewhere else and discuss this. This chamber room is of great importance to your people and shouldn’t be disturbed without reason. I will explain after we’ve relocated.” As they all turned to leave, Thomas turned back to the Sapphire and whispered, “See you in six months.”

  After relocating to the throne room, Thomas conveyed his tale to the others, leaving out the history of the sorcerer race and the merfolk race.

  He told them about being sucked into the dimension of magic by the Sapphire and that he spoke with it. He told them that the Sapphire wasn’t able to heal his human body, but was currently transforming his body into that of a Sapphire merman to repair his body instead. He explained why he wasn't allowed to leave the barrier until his new body was created. When he told them the Sapphire's request that he speak to it again in six months, King Aquarius became irate.

  “What?” The king’s face burned red as he tried not to shout. “Why would I let you touch the Sapphire again? You have to be joking. The Sapphire is sacred to us. Why should I let you touch it when even I don’t touch it except on special occasions?”

  “I�
�m sorry, Your Highness, but it isn’t our decision to make.” Thomas looked fearlessly into the king’s green-flamed eyes as he spoke calmly and resolutely, remembering how the king had said something similar to him only a short while ago.

  He needed to play his cards carefully or he was sure he would not be permitted to speak to the Sapphire again. “You said the Sapphire is sacred to your people, am I right? Then you should not be angry, but excited to know that it can actually converse. The Sapphire has requested that I speak to it again, therefore I must. It is giving me my new body and it protects as well as powers your entire city. Isn’t it only polite to honor its request? And it requests to speak to me again in six months’ time.”

  “Why am I to believe that you spoke to it?” King Aquarius was finally calming down, but he still spoke in a defiant tone, obstinate to admit his jealousy. “I have touched the Sapphire many times and so have many of my people throughout history, yet none of them have ever communicated with it.”

  “As I have told you before, King Aquarius, I don’t know why I can communicate with it and neither do the Gems of Power. They conversed amongst themselves while I was in there and they still aren’t sure why I can communicate with them.”

  “That’s another thing I don't understand. If what you told us about your conversation is true, it doesn’t fit. What you’ve told us couldn’t have taken very long to discuss. You disappeared for an extremely long time. I’d say it was at least two hours, so what happened during the rest of that time?”

  Thomas gauged King Aquarius’ eyes for a moment, trying to tell if he was speaking the truth or exaggerating.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I couldn’t have been in there for longer than ten minutes.” Thomas hadn’t really felt like he was inside the dimension for very long, but he could see King Aquarius starting to flare up again. He realized that King Aquarius wasn’t exaggerating.