SRU-AF: A Wizard's Altered Fate free porn video

Author's Notes by Bill Hart This was initially intended to be the second posting of the collaborative crossover set in the 'Spells R Us' and 'Altered Fates' universes written by myself and Raven. However, after finally making contact with Raven, we decided my story could be posted first, with his story becoming a prequel of sorts, instead of the lead in. Before I do anything else I would like to thank Jenny Adams and Elizabeth Bennett for their cooperation in this endeavor. For those who do not know, Jenny is the creator of the 'Altered Fates' universe. Without Jenny answering all of my Altered Fates questions, I doubt this could have been done. Elizabeth has written several stories written in the town of Zenith. Even though I generally do not mention locations in my SRU stories, Raven and I decided to set our crossover in Zenith Heights, essentially a suburb of Zenith. We're not exactly sure how many stories will be set in this crossover setting. Both Jenny and Elizabeth are invited to join with us by writing companion stories with the assembled cast of characters, or new ones. This is *completely* at your discretion. I believe there will be other authors joining Raven's part of our collaboration. But for now - Enjoy. SRU/AF: A Wizard's Altered Fate by Bill Hart The old man breathed a large sigh of relief as Angelica Morgan left his shop, taking that abomination, currently known as the Medallion of Zulo, with her. He wondered how and why that thing, which had been known by several dozen names over several millenia and had been considered both ancient and mysterious even before that first time he'd laid eyes on it, could now be present in his own reality, when it couldn't possibly have traversed between the two realities without some assistance. But on the other hand, he wasn't totally surprised it had somehow managed to find its way here. Such was the inexplicable mystic ways of certain magical instrumentalities. Not only that, but of late, Zenith and the surrounding area had seen a disproportionately high ratio of magical activity within its borders, which, he believed, had resulted in his small shop appearing in the nearby mall of Zenith Heights, where Angelica could easily find it, and be told of the power of the Zulo Medallion. And yet, he had always been well aware that nearly any magical item, particularly those both ancient and powerful, had an uncanny, as well as often oddly disturbing, tendency to show up in places where they couldn't possibly be. Of course, the town of Zenith could have somehow become charged with a surge of magical energies, source totally unknown, that resulted in the creation of a temporary nexus of arcane energy. Such a nexus, even though far from common, could have easily drawn that abhorrent thing, along with who knew what else from who knew where, to it. It was the simplest explanation, not only for the increased magical activity, but also the presence of both the Medallion of Zulo and his shop. He might even be outside his own reality. And by a simple application of Occam's Razor, Zenith Height's being an arcane nexus seemed the most likely possibility. Even though he'd managed to keep reasonably good track of the medallion's rumored whereabouts - it had still managed to disappear every few decades or so and vanish without a trace for a century or two - over the passing millenia, he had not set eyes on that antique medallion, nor had he _ever_ wanted to see it again, in far more years then even he wanted to acknowledge living through. And yet, Angelica Morgan had brought the thing directly to _his_ shop for _him_ to identify. His own magic had likely called to its magic. It was unlikely Angelica would even guess that Medallion had influenced her to seek him out. After all, it wasn't as if he and it were strangers. The old man thought it might be possible, although not overly probable, that simply by telling her about the medallion, the geas of helpfulness on the store would be satisfied. But if it wasn't, what could _she_ require from _him_, that _it_ couldn't provide, as easily, for her. Certainly he could as easily provide Angelica with some artifact that would prevent her husband, Buddy Morgan, from doing _those_ things to their ten-year-old daughter Aspen, as he had done earlier to their older daughter Autumn. But he really didn't think he needed to do anything as long as Angelica had the Medallion. It always seemed to have its own unique, and often peculiar, sensibilities about certain things. And the old man doubted he would be able to improve upon whatever _it_, through Angelica, had in store for Buddy Morgan. But yet - it had been so very long - since he'd even wanted to think about that time so long ago. There had been so much that had happened to him then, not to mention everything that had been taken away from him. He'd been just a young man, still in school, the first time he'd even heard of the Zulo Medallion. Hastily closing his shop - he wanted no visitors now - the old man began reminiscing about ancient, but very personal, history. * * * * * Jedina could not believe her ears when their instructor Tenaya - her own mother - had informed the class of _her_ partner for their all important term project. Her _own_ mother had partnered her with _him_, of all people. How could she do that to her own flesh and blood? She had hoped to be partnered with her current boyfriend Mahtok, but, knowing her mother thought him a pompous supercilious buffoon better suited to being a small frog in a large pond than a wizard, she hadn't actually expected to be accompanying Mahtok anywhere, if her mother had any say in it. But _him_! She'd never forgive her mother for partnering her with _him_. She'd rather work with any_thing_ else, even a lowly slug would be preferable to _him_. "Why does _he_ have to go with me?" objected Jedina, pointing her finger at _him_ - the young man, who'd been named her partner. "_I_ do _not_ need _him_!" she spat furiously. "_He_ is going with _you_, Jedina, simply because _he_ is the best student this term, and has earned this project assignment," replied Tenaya calmly. "_You_ are going in order that you might, hopefully, learn a few things from _his_ example. Things might have been different, if _you_ were this term's best student ..." "But mom ..." The class snickered. Tenaya glared at her daughter. "Jedina," she said sternly. "How many times must I remind you that when _you_ are a student in one of _my_ classes, you will not address me as 'mom'. You _must_ call me Tenaya, like every other student." Jedina blushed brightly, then glared back at her mother as the class continued to snigger. "Yes, m..., Tenaya," she replied. "But won't you please reconsider, and assign someone else to be my partner, Tenaya," she whined. "It's just that he's such a dull and totally unimaginative, stodgy little boy. If you didn't know any better, you could almost swear he was already several centuries old instead of less than a couple of decades." "It's all settled, Jedina. My project assignments, as well as who accompanies whom are final," reiterated Tenaya. "You and _he_ are working on this project together. That is, unless you want to _fail_ my class and have to repeat _all_ of this session's coursework again next term." "No, m..., Tenaya," answered Jedina, trying to control her temper, while she thought how unfair her mother was being to her. "I don't want to repeat everything." "Good." Tenaya turned to the young man sitting across the room that her daughter had objections to working with on their class project. Tenaya knew her daughter didn't like him, but she also knew that sometimes you had to work with people, as well as do things, you didn't like. That was the way of life "Do you have any problems with Jedina being your project partner, young man?" "Of course not, Tenaya. I'll have absolutely no problems at all working with Jedina on this," replied the young man evenly, and nearly devoid of emotion. "Jedina should be the perfect partner for whatever assignment you choose to give us, Tenaya." "Very good, young man," she replied. But to herself Tenaya thought, 'That young man is nothing but a brown-nosing ass licker.' She didn't really blame her daughter for not liking him, since she didn't like him very much either. The boy, although quite talented, tended towards extreme overconfidence, as well as being borderline arrogant. 'If not for him,' she thought ruefully, 'then my daughter would be the best student in this year's class.' She nodded her head at the young man. "Then it's all settled." As the bell ending class sounded, Jedina stood up, glared briefly at her mother again, and then stormed angrily out of the classroom. 'As if mom making me work with _him_ wasn't bad enough,' she thought, '_he_ also embarrassed _me_ in front of the whole class.' * * * * * "You know, Elmer, I don't believe Jedina likes me very much." "And just what gave you your first clue," laughed Elmer. "But all kidding aside, you had better watch your back around her, my friend." The young man smiled. "I really doubt she'd do anything overly foolish. After all, there will be an instructor sent with us to observe everything we do. And if she even tries doing something to me, they'll probably expel her, after purging her of all her powers. I really can't believe being expelled and purged of her powers would make her mother overly happy." "That may be true," replied Elmer. "But if I were you, I'd still keep a close watch on my back. From what I've heard recently, there are also several members of the faculty that don't particularly care very much for you either. They mistakenly equate your quietness with arrogance, and believe you're too overconfident for your own good." "They're just jealous, Elmer," answered the young man. "I'll just make certain I don't give whoever is sent with us any problems. As long as I do exactly what I'm asked, I should have no trouble with any member of the faculty. Even Jedina couldn't argue with the logic of that argument." "Maybe you'll get lucky," grinned Elmer. "Oh really, Elmer," sighed the young man. "Jedina is definitely not my type." "That's not what I meant," smiled Elmer. "I was just thinking that, perhaps, Tenaya will be your assigned faculty advisor." "That seems highly doubtful. You must remember that Tenaya is also Jedina's mother. And for her to be our advisor sounds like a potential conflict of interest to me." "Maybe so, my friend. But it's a conflict that might benefit _you_ far more than her," suggested Elmer. "It might be just my overactive imagination, but Jedina and Tenaya don't appear as close as a daughter and her mother should be." "I've noticed that as well," replied the young man. "But for all practicality, I think there's as much chance of Tenaya being our faculty advisor as there is you getting _lucky_, in _that_ way I thought you meant earlier, with Jedina." "Do you really think so?" asked Elmer with a bashful grin. "Or are you just yanking my chain, because you know I like her." The young man shook his head. "It'll never happen, Elmer. The two of you would never survive long as a couple. You two are like oil and water - you won't mix. And even if it might inexplicably happen someday, you're the one most likely to wind up getting hurt by her eventually. Jedina is a very selfish person," observed the young wizard. "She thinks of herself, first and foremost - always has, probably always will. Even her current boyfriend Mahtok knows that truth about her. And I also believe, their current relationship will not last very long. However, I imagine that's one of the big reasons she hates me so much. She just can't get me to jump through her hoops, doing whatever little tricks she wants me to do, as she does with Mahtok." "Maybe she's secretly in love with you," suggested Elmer. The young wizard began to laugh. "That's the funniest thing I've heard all day, Elmer. _You_ are definitely more likely to find your way into _her_ panties then I am, my friend. But just remember, if that day should ever come, you'll be the one needing to keep an eye on _her_ for the rest of _your_ life." "That might not be so bad, you know" mused Elmer. "I can think of awhole lot of things far worse than watching Jedina's sexy behind." "You can now," replied his friend. "But maybe when you get a little older, you'll start seeing a few things differently. Hopefully, you'll understand what I mean, when you grow up." "For crying out loud," retorted Elmer. "You're only a couple of weeks older than me, but you sometimes sound as if you're almost half a millenium old, instead of less than a fifth of a century. _You_ don't know everything, you know." "Not yet anyway, Elmer" replied the young man. "But in time, who knows just how much I'll know. We're just going to have to wait and see." * * * * * * "I still can't believe my mother actually had the gall to assign _him_ as my term project partner, Mahtok," complained Jedina. "I'd really have preferred you going with me instead of him. Even _his_ absurd friend Elmer would have been a better partner than _him_." "Why don't you just relax, Jedina. It's not the end of the world," replied Mahtok as he kissed her. "And you know, he's not worth all the headaches you're putting yourself through. But, if you keep speaking so favorably about that little twerp Elmer, I'm liable to start thinking you're seeing him behind my back." He smiled at her, knowing how impossible her seeing Elmer really was. "You heard your mother this afternoon. He's either going to be your partner, or you're getting held back. And _you_ all but forced her to threaten you in front of the whole class, so if she has to flunk you, and hold you back, you know she'll do exactly that." "I know," sighed Jedina in resignation. "But mother just pushes me so damn hard. I don't think it's fair for her to expect more from me than she expects from anyone else just because I happen to be her daughter." And yet, a random thought of _her_ and Elmer together made her smile. "You don't have to worry about me and Elmer, you know. If you haven't already figured it out yourself, he's most definitely _not_ my type." Mahtok smiled at her. 'However,' she mused inwardly, 'he might be quite an interesting diversion for a day or two, once I've finished with you.' "I really think every parent pushes their kids hard like that," replied Mahtok. "Its something they all learn in 'Parenting 101'." Jedina smiled at him. "At least I won't have to worry about my mother being the faculty member sent with us as our advisor. Even _she_ wouldn't stoop so low to do that to _me_." "Now, that's a better attitude. You'll see that if you just work along with him, and concentrate on this assignment, it will be over and done with before you know it." "I only hope that's true," replied Jedina. "But believe me, Mahtok, if I should somehow get the chance, that asshole won't be coming back." * * * * * Early the next morning, the young man was surprised at finding both Jedina and her mother waiting in the classroom, where he'd been told to report. Actually, Jedina's presence wasn't all that surprising, since she was his designated project partner. On the other hand, Tenaya's presence certainly surprised him. Perhaps Tenaya, being Jedina's mother, was simply there to see them off. But he wondered where their faculty advisor might be. "I'm glad to see you could make it, young man," remarked Tenaya as he entered the room. "For your class project, _we_ will be observing a few of the many rituals surrounding the ancient Zaltora Amulet." "_We_?" questioned the young man. Jedina glared at her mother with nearly equal surprise. "What do you mean _we_, mother?" Jedina fumed, thinking this couldn't be happening to her. "I said _we_," began Tenaya, "because _I_ am going with with _you_. I am your faculty advisor." Jedina's already sullen expression fell even further. "The Zaltora Amulet was the subject of my own class project a few mil..., er cen..., that is, years ago. The school board nearly always has me accompany the students assigned to observe it, although I did try to have someone else assigned, once I found out you two had been the lucky ones selected to observe it this session. But the school board wouldn't hear of it." Jedina glared at her mother. The young man said, "I look forward to observing the Zaltora Amulet with you as our advisor, Tenaya." Jedina turned her angry glare to him and fumed anew. 'Fucking ass kisser,' she thought. "As you should remember from your studies, the Zaltora Amulet was named after the sorceress Zaltora, who is now a high ranking member of the wizard's council," said Tenaya, almost as if she were speaking from a prepared script. "It was an ancient artifact, when she first encountered it ages ago. And even those natives in the neighboring reality, who currently possess it, hold few, if any, insights into, or knowledge of, its true origins. From where the Zaltora Amulet originally came, when it was first crafted, or even who originally made it may never be known to us." Tenaya took a deep breath. "Of course, the natives of that reality refer to the Amulet by a totally different name, but whatever they choose to call the amulet is not as important as what it does." "Is there any potential danger we should be advised about concerning the Zaltora Amulet, Tenaya?" "And just what does it do anyway?" asked Jedina. "It's a transformative amulet," replied Tenaya. "And it is definitely _not_ to be taken lightly. We must be very careful around it, since its magic is actually more powerful than our own." Tenaya paused in order to let that news, and her warning, sink into their minds. "If one or more of us should be transformed by it, then only the amulet has the power to restore us to our true forms again. Our best scholars have postulated that its stronger magical powers derive from its very antiquity, when magic itself might have been a stronger, and much more potent, force than it is today. Of course, no one is a hundred percent certain. But even its powers aren't unlimited. If one of us is subjected to the amulet's transformative nature, we shall be bonded to the form it gives us for a minimum of twelve hours." "This amulet sounds most interesting," said the young man. "Yeah, _most_ interesting," replied Jedina sounding totally disinterested. "When are we leaving?" "I have an even better question. When are we returning?" "We shall be leaving in the next few minutes," replied Tenaya. "As for how long the three of us will be in the other reality observing, Jedina, that is completely open-ended, and completely at _my_ discretion." * * * * * Tenaya led her students to their point of embarkation. The young man smiled as he looked about his surroundings. Jedina appeared quite calm to him, but he guessed her mother Tenaya being their advisor _and_ de facto chaperone had undoubtedly upset Jedina far more than she would ever let on. At least, he assumed, when he was around. He was certain that Tenaya's very presence with them would make life far more bearable for him during this assignment. Why should he spend a lot of time worrying about Jedina, when her own mother would be keeping an eagle eye on her? "Are you ready to leave, young man?" "Yes, Tenaya." "And how about you, Jedina?" "I suppose I'm ready, mo..., Tenaya." "Then the three of us should be off." From a deep pocket in her long flowing skirt, Tenaya pulled out a small crystalline sphere. She spoke a few strangely sounding words into the air, while making several small hand gestures. An odd hum suddenly filled the air. And after the briefest moment of disorienting dizziness, the three travelers found themselves somewhere other than the place they had been just the previous moment. They were now in the _elsewhere_, as they collectively referred to any reality outside their own, standing just outside a moderately-sized village. Both Jedina and the young man assumed, they were now in the reality that was home to the ancient Zaltora Amulet. As the three of them stood on the outskirts of the village, obviously waiting for someone to come out and greet them, they soon saw an older man on foot approaching them. And as soon as he had come near enough to recognize Tenaya, he waved and smiled. "Tenaya. It really is you," greeted the older man warmly. "How very good it is to see you once again, my old dear friend." "Not _that_ old, I hope, Xoltin, my friend," replied Tenaya returning his warm welcoming smile. Tenaya and Xoltin hugged one another. Looking towards the two students accompanying his friend, Xoltin smiled. "How can it possibly be that time again?" he asked. "It truly seems not that much time could have conceivably passed since you last visited with us." Tenaya sighed. "The time seemingly passes quicker and quicker each session, Xoltin. The young man with me is my _best_ student this session. And the young woman, if you haven't already guessed, is my daughter Jedina." "It is my pleasure to meet both of you," replied Xoltin. He turned to Jedina. "I am especially pleased to make the acquaintance of the daughter of my dear old friend." However, both students noted an air of sadness in their host's voice. "Where is Cjelindra?" asked Tenaya. "Our daughters are nearly the same age. I would like _your_ daughter to meet _mine_, Xoltin." "Alas, that is not at all possible, my dear friend." A tear formed in his eye, before gently rolling down his cheek. "Cjelindra has gone to join her mother in the solemn place where the spirits dwell." "What happened to her, Xoltin?" "She was to be married, but I am now of the opinion she did not wish to wed, he to whom she was to be wed," explained Xoltin. "At the time, our village was at war, and in need of warriors. She apparently went to the priest, then convinced him to use the Medal of Czermanos to transform her into the warrior our village required, instead of remaining the bride, she should have been." Xoltin paused, obviously distressed, to wipe away another tear. "It was just last week that the dreadful news came. The mighty warrior, who had been my daughter, had died bravely defending _his_ homeland. He was buried in a mass grave with _his_ fellow departed comrades." The old man wept copiously. "And what made matters even worse, the war had ended _before_ that battle had begun. I miss her so much, Tenaya. She was all I had left." "If there's anything I can ever do for you," replied Tenaya, "you need only ask." Xoltin suddenly grinned. "There might, perhaps, be something you could do for me," he started, then turned for another quick peek at her two students. "But I think, I shall have to speak with you of these matters alone." "Of course, Xoltin," she replied. Tenaya turned to her two charges. "It would be an exceptionally good idea, if each of you took some time to wander around and become more familiar with this village. But remember, whatever else you do, please do not get yourselves into any trouble with the natives." "Yes, Tenaya." "Whatever you say, _mother_," said a very annoyed Jedina. And as the young man and Jedina watched, Tenaya and Xoltin walked off into the village, discussing whatever it was Xoltin had, very obviously, not wished to discuss in their presence. Both of them wondered why. * * * * * * "What do you think they're talking about?" asked Jedina curiously. "Who knows?" replied the young man. "But since your mother has been here many times over the past several years, I'd guess the most reasonable subject they'd be talking about is whatever happened to his daughter." "I suppose that is the most likely," said Jedina. "It would be just like my mother to try any way she could to make her friend feel better. But other than providing him a friendly shoulder to cry on, I can't imagine what she could possibly do to help him." "I suppose we should walk about the village, as Tenaya suggested." But before they could move, several well-built young women and men about their own age strolled by the two young strangers. Busily talking among themselves, none of the passing villagers spoke so much as a single word to them. The young man stared after each of the young women. And, in a similar manner, Jedina gaped at each of the males. "I didn't think _you_ noticed girls," she said nearly breathless. "I notice girls," replied the young man, "but these girls seem ... even more noticeable ... somehow. I really can't explain it." "Could it be those big boobs?" asked Jedina, nervously cupping one of her own breasts, feeling totally inadequate in comparison to the village girls. "The smallest girl that just walked past has tits larger than the most developed girl in our whole school." "I hadn't noticed that ... exactly, but there is something ... quite unusual about all of them. Did you get that same sort of impression staring at those passing males, that I sensed from the females?" "I was _not_ staring at those strangers," protested Jedina. "For your information, _I_ have a steady boyfriend waiting for me back at the school. _I_ don't need to stare at any incredibly muscular, exceptionally handsome hunks that embody total male perfection, like someone _I_ know, who quite unreasonably and insistently ogles every buxom girl he sees." For a moment, the young wizard thought about debating with Jedina, but decided it wasn't worth his effort. Besides, it might end up getting _him_ into hot water with Tenaya. Instead he turned to her and said, "I'm going to explore the village. If you want to tag along with me fine. And if you don't want to tag along, that's fine as well." "Go ahead," replied Jedina, who didn't want to be seen with the young wizard any time she didn't have to be seen with him. "I'll take some time and look around the village myself," she added quickly, realizing they would probably have a big - very likely embarrassing - fight, if they stayed together much longer. And a big fight meant having to face her angry mother, which was the last thing Jedina wanted to do. "Mom would probably just take his side unquestioningly, and fail me," she muttered. And with that, the two students headed off into the village in as close to opposite directions as the village allowed. * * * * * Jedina rejoined her mother just in time for the feast honoring them. "Did you enjoy your stroll around the village, dear?" "Very much, mother." "You went alone?" Even though it had sounded like one to those who heard it, Tenaya had not actually asked her daughter a question. Instead, it had been a statement of fact. "Of course, I went alone," snapped Jedina. "As I'm sure you're well aware, that young fart and I can't stand being together for very long. We would have certainly come to blows had we wandered about this small village together. We would have completely embarrassed ourselves, and you, as well, mother." "Given your feelings for one another, I think that scenario most likely," replied Tenaya. "And I am definitely pleased, although thoroughly astounded, by _your_ sudden display of thoughtfulness on these matters." Jedina winced at her mother's oblique criticism. "I've arranged, through Xoltin of course, to have the priest give us a small practical demonstration of the power of the Zaltora Amulet, although everyone here constantly refers to it as the Medal of Czermanos. But then, its name is not overly important. I would imagine, it will be known by several additional names in future times. And I doubt there is anyone who could possibly know how many other names it has been identified as in its lengthy history." Xoltin and the priest, each carrying something covered in cloth, entered the dining area. Very oddly, Xoltin's much larger bundle appeared to be comprised totally of clothing. And Jedina surmised that the priest carried in his smaller packet, his precious, possibly even priceless, Zaltora Amulet. Xoltin quickly scanned the dining area. Turning to Jedina, he asked, "Your young man seems to be missing, my lady. Do you know where he might be?" "He is _not_ my young man," snarled Jedina. "And I have no idea where he could possibly be at this very moment. Nor do I care." Damnation, she thought. If these people keep insisting on calling me 'my lady', as everyone I've met in this village has done all day long, I'm going to scream, even if it proves embarrassing to my mother. Xoltin smiled an odd, and quite puzzling, little grin at her. It made her feel very uncomfortable and set her to thinking that this man knew something she didn't, but should, know. She'd never cared much for people who kept secrets from her. And Jedina still wasn't certain she trusted this Xoltin character, who constantly smiled at her so mysteriously, and was apparently _very_ friendly with her mother. "Might you know where he could be, my lady?" asked Xoltin again. "I told you, I have no idea where he is. I'm not his keeper, you know," snapped Jedina. Tenaya glared at her daughter. "I haven't seen him since shortly after we arrived. But he's probably wandering about ogling all your buxom, and ridiculously over-endowed, village women." "Jedina!" exclaimed her mother. "It is alright my friend," replied Xoltin warmly. "All of our people, men and women alike - as you've no doubt already discovered for yourself, my lady - thoroughly enjoy all attentions lavished upon them by the many visitors to our humble village. Our people believe their bodies are gifts from our gods, whose beneficence has been bestowed on them by the instrumentality we call the Medal of Czermanos." Xoltin smiled that disconcerting smile at her again. "If your young man views our women's bodies as overly pleasing to gaze upon, he is, in his own way, merely paying his respect to our gods." 'These people are incredibly weird,' thought Jedina. Suddenly the young man rushed into the dining area. "I'm awfully sorry I'm late for the feast," he apologized profusely. "I sort of lost track of the time." Jedina stared at him, wondering if he'd somehow managed to get laid by one of those bountiful village bimbos. The young man turned to Xoltin. "Your village is totally fantastic, Xoltin. I've never seen, or experienced, anything like it in my entire life." Jedina continued staring at him, now _almost_ certain the young man had been laid, possibly even more than once. With any other man she knew, she would have been absolutely certain he'd been laid several times, but this was still _him_ she was thinking about. "Thank you, honored gentleman," replied Xoltin. "I am certain all who live here would like to thank you for your generous appraisal of our fair village and its inhabitants. We most definitely hope _you_ will stay among us for a _very_ long time." 'Oh brother,' thought Jedina. 'And I thought _he_ was bad. Xoltin's just another fucking ass kisser.' Although something seemed oddly irreverent about Xoltin kissing up to _him_. Tenaya interrupted them. "Perhaps we should eat now." She turned to the young man to repeat what she'd told her daughter earlier. "After we've eaten, I've arranged, through Xoltin of course, to have the village priest provide us a demonstration of the mystical power of the Zaltora Amulet." "That's great!" exclaimed the young man. "I am very curious about how it works. I'm already looking forward to watching the demonstration." "I thought _you_ might," smiled Tenaya. Jedina saw Xoltin smile across the table at her mother in that same strange manner he'd been smiling at her most of the day. And very strangely, her mother seemed to be smiling back at him with the same kind of peculiar smile. The two of them must be up to something, she could only assume. But what the hell could it be? Oddly, neither Jedina nor the young man seemed overly hungry at the feast in their honor. Jedina was too busy wondering what conspiracy her mother and that shifty-looking Xoltin had up their collective sleeves. And the young man, eagerly anticipating a complete demonstration of the Zaltora Amulet, had long since lost his appetite with all the excitement. * * * * * * As soon as the three visitors finished their meals, the priest, who had sat in silence and eaten nothing himself, carefully unwrapped the cloth that covered the small parcel he had brought with him. The young man eagerly eyed his every motion, not wanting to miss anything of importance. But when he saw what the priest had unwrapped, he was extremely disappointed. For something so ancient and incredibly powerful, he had expected something more grandiose, as _he_ felt would befit such an important magical artifact as the Zaltora Amulet. But the amulet wasn't overly grand at all. In fact, it was rather common, and quite ordinary, maybe even less than ordinary, looking. It appeared to be composed of tarnished copper, possibly even bronze. And, being about the size of a fifty kopeckne coin, it was no where near as large as he'd imagined it would have to be. On its face was engraved an angel, or possibly a fairy. Something like this should be priceless, but if he were offered it on the street, he'd think himself terribly cheated if he paying more than a fraction of even a single kopeckne. The young man turned to Tenaya, disappointment etched across his face. "It is ... so ordinary," he said, his voice echoing the obvious disappointment in his face. "There is an old saying, young man, 'Do not judge a book by its cover'," replied Tenaya, who, whenever necessary, was ever the instructor. "If you learn nothing else during this assignment, make certain you are never again quick to judge anyone, or anything, only from their appearances. That which appears to be nothing more then a harmless little trinket might be, as Zaltora herself quickly discovered long ago, far more powerful than you might even consider possible. "Yes, Tenaya," replied the admonished young man solemnly. "But I expected so much more." "You expected it to be as splendid as your expectations." "There's another old saying that also seems appropriate here," added Jedina, eager to cast _him_ into a bad light for once. "You mentioned it in class, 'All that glitters is not gold'." "Well said, Jedina," smiled Tenaya, surprised her daughter had actually remembered something from one of her lessons. "But the real demonstration of its power is just about to begin. Watch carefully, students." As they watched, a young man and a young woman, presumably husband and wife, were selected from among the villagers present. The man had closely cropped black hair, and was several inches taller than his wife. The woman had long waist-length light brown hair, and the large full and firm breasts that were so very common among the women of this tribe. The priest carefully placed the amulet around the woman's neck, then said a few words to the woman none of them could hear. She held the amulet out to her husband, who took a firm grip of the proffered amulet in his hand. For several long minutes, nothing seemed to happen. And then, as if chilled by a slight sudden breeze, both the man and the woman shivered slightly. As time passed, the man slowly became visibly shorter, while, at the same time, the woman was growing taller. His short black hair grew longer and lighter, while her own light brown tresses grew darker, and impossibly appeared to be drawing back into her scalp. After several more minutes, perhaps fifteen at most, had passed, they had become the same height, their hair lengths were of equal shoulder length, and their hair colors were likewise identical. They looked as if they might even weigh the same. They could have been readily mistaken for twins, who visitors would likely confuse with each other, despite their ever-lessening differences of gender. He now appeared to be an effeminate boy, while her appearance had become one of a muscular girl. But he continued to shrink, while her height continued to increase. Both Jedina and the young man, awed by what they observed, watched the couple's continuing alterations in near breathless amazement. Then her massive breasts began to flatten beneath her blouse, as the musculature of her chest altered and expanded. Her waist thickened, her hips narrowed, and her behind became more angular. At the same time, his waist had contracted, his hips had broadened, and his butt had swollen into an exceptionally pleasing soft feminine roundness. Beneath his shirt, two newly budded breasts began to swell on his now smaller chest. After no more than another five minutes had passed, his facial features more closely resembled hers than his. And, likewise, her very semblance was more of him than of her. And even though she was now, just slightly, the taller of the two, it was plain to both students that each one's appearance had become the other's. Not long afterwards, he had finally shrunk to her old height, just as she had stretched as tall as he had once been. She now appeared _exactly_ as he had looked before grasping the amulet. And, in a like manner, he too seemed no different from the woman his wife had been, before the amulet had been placed about her neck. They might have doubted their sanity, or the truth of what they'd observed, save the man now wore the amulet. And the he and the she they had become were now indistinguishable from the she and the he they had been before. With only _one_ notable exception. And even that lone difference of their new forms soon began altering under the influence of the amulet. A small, but growing, bulge appeared beneath the new man's skirt, while a similar, albeit shrinking, bulge beneath the new woman's pants would soon disappear. Until finally, the priest whispered something in the ear of the man, who then removed the amulet from around his neck, handing it back to the priest. The demonstration was over. It had taken no more than thirty minutes to complete. And in that half hour, they had witnessed a man and a woman amazingly exchange their bodies, one for the other. "That was truly amazing," said Jedina simply. "It certainly was," replied the young man. "I doubt I would have believed it possible, if I hadn't seen it for myself." The new man walked over to Jedina, slid his arms around her waist, pulled her closer, and kissed her. And the new woman did the same to the startled young man. Both students blushed brightly, as the man and the woman pulled away from them. Then the couple turned and, as if nothing at all had changed between them, walked away arm-in-arm laughing. Tenaya smiled as she watched her students' reactions. Jedina and the young man were speechless, a rare event for either, and neither could do anything, except stare after the departing couple. "Don't they feel differently?" asked the young man. "Perhaps. Perhaps not." answered Xoltin cryptically. "Did _her_ lips feel any differently than the lips of any other woman you've kissed. The Medal of Czermanos bestows a certain inherent level of familiarity with the form, along with the altering of their physicalities. But, regardless of anything else, they are still husband and wife. It matters not, which of them is the husband, and which of them is the wife." "How long will they have to stay that way?" asked Jedina. "For the next twelve hours, at least," replied Xoltin. "It takes the body that much time to renew itself from the trauma accompanying a change rendered by the Medal of Czermanos." "They didn't look very traumatized to me," said the young man. "If you ask me, they looked positively horny." "Jedina!" scolded Tenaya quickly. But Xoltin only smiled. "There is no offense taken from your daughter's words, my friend," he replied. "An awakening of sexual desires is a common aftereffect whenever the transformation involves a change of gender, although a heightened state of arousal is in no way a guaranteed certainty for all, or any, of the participants." Xoltin casually looked out in the general direction the couple had disappeared. "Of course, although they have been unsuccessful so far, _they_ do desire children." "Can they do that?" asked Jedina. Xoltin's knowing smile grew even larger. "Why not?" he answered her question with another question. "One of them is male, and the other one is female. Unless you do things differently in your elsewhere, then I believe one male and one female possess all the ingredients necessary for the successful conception of a child." Jedina's face turned beet red. "But he was a man ... before being changed into a woman." "That means nothing, child. For both of them, what they _were_ before being transformed is of no meaningful significance, or importance. It is only what they _are_ now, which is ever important here," replied Xoltin, as if speaking to a young child. "However, should she, who was the man before, conceive a child this day, then she, as the woman she is now, shall carry and bear that child. The Medal of Czermanos will not permit alterations to the gender of a gravid woman." "Utterly amazing." "Totally fascinating." * * * * * * "Perhaps Xoltin can persuade the priest to allow both of you to experience a firsthand transformation by the Zaltora Amulet," said Tenaya. "What!" shrieked Jedina. "You can't really mean you want to transform us into each other. How awful!" The young man looked at Jedina. "Changing _me_ into _her_ is by no means acceptable to me. Please don't take offense, Tenaya, but I do not wish to become your daughter, even for as little a time as twelve hours." But the young man wondered, if this could have been what the two of them had discussed earlier. Jedina stared daggers at the young man. "Well, I sure as hell don't want to be transformed into you either, you overstuffed pompous ass." "Then, perhaps there is another way. One that both of you might find more acceptable," suggested Xoltin calmly. "Perhaps, just _one_ of you would be willing to experience a total transformation of your form controlled by the power of the Medal of Czermanos." Tenaya smiled. And Jedina noticed her mother's odd smile. "How would that work, Xoltin?" asked the young man curiously. He was now convinced this proposed solo transformation must be an integral part of their class project. "From what we've already seen, I thought you needed two people." "Two people are not always necessary," replied Xoltin, as Jedina noticed the return of that odd smile to his face. "The Medal may also work its magic in other ways. For example, there are times when the priest _must_ become female in order to correctly perform certain rituals in strict accordance with our traditions. "And also, when we are at war with other nearby tribes and require additional warriors to adequately defend our village, some of our women can be quickly transformed into those needed warriors, just as my daughter was herself transformed." "But don't they object?" "Why should they, young man? As you have already seen, our people willingly accept whatever roles they must play, whenever they must play them." "But what happens to any warriors _you_ capture during your wars?" asked Jedina curiously. "We simply transform those captured warriors into women, my lady. They eventually become indistinguishable from any other of our village's women. It is a simple, yet most enlightened, solution that allows them to live and us to change more of our own women into warriors, if that need should arise." "Are you telling us these transformed warriors willingly accept this change of gender?" asked the young man. "Not at first, of course," replied Xoltin with a smile. "But, in general, given sufficient amounts of time, nearly all of them accept and quickly adapt to the joys and pleasures of their new roles as women of our society. And in some cases, a few of them have earned the right to become male warriors again." "What about those who can't readily accept their transformation?" "Another simple, although not as enlightened, solution," replied Xoltin coldly. "After all, a few of our more obscure religious rituals still require the occasional _virgin_ sacrifice." "How does the amulet work its magic when only one person is involved?" asked the young man. "From all that you've shown us so far, it seems that two people must be involved in order to swap forms." "In order to _swap_ forms, then two people _are_ required," explained Xoltin. "But the Medal's magic works just as effectively with only a single person involved. In these cases, the magic of the Medal of Czermanos is invoked differently. As you watched in the earlier transformation, the Medal would be hung around the neck of the person to be changed. That person would then clasp some object belonging to someone else against the Medal. And then, just as before, over the course of the next thirty minutes or so, the wearer of the Medal will become as one with that object's owner. "For example, if you wore the Medal of Czermanos around your neck, then held the ring my friend now wears upon her finger against it, you would be made over into Tenaya." "But what would happen to the real Tenaya, if I were to become her?" asked the curious wizard. "Would she become me? Or would she become someone else entirely?" "She would remain herself, of course," replied Xoltin. "You would become her, yet you would not be _exactly_ her. Your mind would still be yours, although the magic of the Medal would allow you to be as comfortable wearing Tenaya's form, as Tenaya is herself. The two of you would be almost, as if born, identical twins." "And if he were to touch _my_ skirt to the amulet, he'd become _my_ twin sister?" "Exactly," replied Xoltin. "Provided, of course, that you were last person to wear it." He smiled at her with _that_ disturbing smile again, making Jedina even more nervous. "So, which of you would like to experience the transformative effects of the Zaltora Amulet firsthand." Tenaya looked over her two charges, although she was certain she already knew who would volunteer. "Not me!" exclaimed Jedina. "No way are you going to change me into someone else. _I_ don't ever want to be anyone other than me." 'Just as I expected,' thought Tenaya with a small knowing smile. 'My daughter's reaction to being transformed comes as no great surprise.' The young man smiled, as Jedina refused. He figured he'd get extra credit for being the volunteer. "It would be in very poor taste to refuse the generosity of our hosts," said the young man. "And I am quite curious about how it feels to be transformed by the amulet. I suppose I can try it on for size." He smiled tauntingly at Jedina. "From what you've said, I assume the effects are reversible after the twelve hours have passed." "Totally," smiled Xoltin. Jedina glared back at her fellow student. 'Brown-nosing, ass kisser,' she thought. 'It won't be my fault, if he can't see something's not right about this.' "Then as a wizard, it behooves me to find out what it's like, and how it feels, to be transformed by the Zaltora Amulet. It will be most interesting to be fully functional, according to some completely different physical aspect to the one I have always been." "Excellent!" exclaimed Xoltin. Tenaya smiled again, then turned and stared for a moment at her daughter. "Watch very closely, Jedina," she instructed her. "You just _might_ learn something very useful." "Yes, _mother_," she snapped back angrily. But Jedina was quickly taken aback by her mother's failure to correct her, when she'd called her 'mother', this time. Never before had she failed to correct her in a classroom-type situation. Now she knew for certain, something just wasn't right. Jedina also realized that her mother, by virtue of just being her mother, must have known she would _never_ willingly volunteer to be transformed into anyone else. It now seemed obvious that Xoltin and her mother were conspiring together to do something to _him_. But then, _he_ had volunteered. Hadn't he? 'And as long as whatever they're doing was being done to _him_,' she thought, 'then I'm not about to interfere, or let it bother me.' Xoltin nodded at the priest, who carefully placed the Medal of Czermanos around the young man's neck. Then Xoltin handed him the bundle of clothing that he had brought with him. As the young man unwrapped the bundle, he found several items of female clothing within it. He wasn't all that surprised seeing the feminine attire, since he'd already determined the term project probably dictated changing male volunteers into girls, and female volunteers into boys. Had Jedina volunteered, unlikely as that event would have been, she would now be staring at the equivalent variety of masculine attire. For a moment, he wondered how Jedina would have reacted at the thought of being male. 'Having my gender altered, as well as living as a female instead of as the male I was born, even if only for the next twelve hours,' thought the young man, 'will likely be an absolutely incredible learning experience I will never forget.' And as he looked at the clothing before him again, he wondered how it would feel to be a girl. "What do I do now?" he asked. "Select an article of clothing," replied Xoltin. "It matters not which item you select." To himself he added, since they were all last worn by the same girl. "Then hold it in contact with the Medal." The young man did as he was told. And yet, after the first couple of minutes had passed, nothing seemed to have happened, or even started to happen. * * * * * * The young man suddenly shivered, although neither from the cold nor from the persistent gentle breeze. Gazing over in the direction where Xoltin, Tenaya, and Jedina stood watching, he thought it very strange that _they_ appeared to be growing, even though it was he, not they, who should be the one transforming. And then he realized, _they_ weren't growing, _he_ was shrinking. He felt a sudden pressing tightness about his waist, as if he were now wearing something binding, but he knew he wore nothing so constrictive about his waist. But when he looked down, his waist had already noticeably thinned. His pants had also grown progressively tighter across his hips and buttocks. With each passing minute, they became even tighter, and more constrictive, until he finally had to undo the fastening of his pants to seek relief from the discomfort caused by their increasing snugness. His hair, which he'd never worn very long before, now rested on his shoulders. It had felt extremely strange while his hair cascaded down his neck, lengthening increasingly longer and longer with each passing second. But still, as time continued passing, his hair persistently extended further downwards, while, at the same time, becoming softer and fuller with each new inch grown. He ran his new smooth and slender fingers through his luxurious mane of hair, amazed at the feel of its softly silken texture. Once more glancing across towards Jedina and Tenaya, he found it odd to now look them both eye to eye. Still odder was having to look up at Xoltin, who had been at least four inches shorter than him before beginning this incredible transformation. Xoltin stared intently at the altering frame of the young man. But there was something disturbing about the peculiar look the wizard saw building in Xoltin's eyes. Even though, he couldn't quite place its meaning, it still, for some unknown reasons, made him very nervous. 'If only I knew what that disconcerting gaze of Xoltin's means.' After several additional minutes passed, he felt an odd prickly sensation begin spreading swiftly across his chest. Two small nubs suddenly poked out from beneath his shirt. And even as his newly formed nipples expanded, the two underdeveloped breasts accompanying them began slowly swelling as well. His face began to tingle. Feeling as if the bones and muscles of his face had become plastic, he perceived, totally without attendant pain, his bones shifting positions, and changing shapes, while his muscles tensed and relaxed, then tensed again, while the amulet's magic realigned his face and appearance. And when he once again felt the tautness fade, he guessed he must appear very different than he had before. He slowly raised his hand, now even smoother, and more delicate, with longer and more slender fingers. He touched his fingers to his face, which was both soft and smooth, making the young man wonder anew about his altered appearance. And, running through his mind, he had the strangest and most peculiar thoughts, that, not long after starting to think them, he no longer regarded as all that odd. He wondered if he might be pretty. He wondered if the boys would like him. Jedina glared at him as his breasts, which had been expanding almost continually, became unmistakably larger than hers. Back in their reality, she had been, although by no means were hers the largest, considered well-endowed, but here, where she was smaller than even the smallest girl she'd seen in the village, she might have been regarded, as barely into adolescence. Finally, his hair stopped growing, as it reached the top of his broadened buttocks. It tickled, as it swished about his narrowed waist. And more strangely, it felt odd to have hair so long and silky, yet, at the same time, not very odd at all. By now, the young man had totally lost track of the passage of time. But with the building tingling sensations across his chest to remind him, he knew time continued to steadily elapse. Within each new minute, his breasts continued grew ever larger, until suddenly, he blushed with embarrassment, as his shirt, which had obviously been strained far past its elastic limitations, ripped open, leaving bare his two large breasts. He was amazed by their size, which easily was as large, if not even larger, than the breasts of any girl he'd seen walking around the village earlier. He casually looked down at his crotch. As he did, the shifting weight on his chest felt strange, but the jiggling of his breasts up and down with his every move also felt oddly pleasurable. The bulge, which was his penis and testicles, as well as the final vestiges of his vanishing maleness, was still noticeably visible beneath his unfastened pants that continued clinging to his widened hips. But as he watched on in amazement, _his_ bulge began to shrin