Transformation

by Michael Ocheskey

  “You cannot tell anyone about what I have just told you, Alana. You are sworn to the same secrecy that Thomas is. The knowledge that merfolk and surface dwellers are actually the same species could cause mass hysteria, riots, and even wars to break out. It must be kept confidential.”

  While warning Alana, the Sapphire’s voice had seemed to return to its harsh and eerie tones. It seemed to sense its return to its usual speech was frightening her and slipped back immediately into a much lighter tone, this time sounding like a salesman.

  “Now to new business. Thomas, when I was creating your new body, I uncovered a lot about my races past. I realized as I was working on building your body that you were a descendant of my race because your cells weren't like other humans. They weren't like the sorcerers of old either. It was a mixture of the two.

  “It seems that a small portion of my race survived and persevered. When the human race came into existence, what remained of my race must have mated with humans in order to protect the sorcerer race from extinction. They must have made a conscious decision to not inform the humans that they could use magic, afraid that the humans might rebel against them. As such, the children who were born half sorcerer, half human, didn’t know that they could use magic and never seemed to grasp their ability to use it. My race continued to expand inside yours and there is no telling how many of my race currently exist.”

  Something about this didn’t seem quite add up to Thomas. Why would sorcerers, who could easily overpower humans, fear a human rebellion? He could sense something more hidden behind the Sapphire’s words, but was unsure of what. He remembered having the same feeling the last time he spoke to it as well. It seemed as though the Sapphire kept them on a need to know basis and hid just as much from them as it explained. Was this possibly for their own protection or was it because the Sapphire didn’t trust them fully yet?

  Then, how did Alana and I learn we could use magic? If there are a lot of us out there, how come we can’t all use magic? And how come you didn’t know there were descendants of the sorcerer race among those you’d transformed into merfolk originally? Thomas inquired as Alana stood, silently absorbing this new information.

  “When I created your body, I was only working on your body and so you had my full attention. When I created the Atlantian merfolk, I was working on creating thousands of merfolk at one time. I admit that I should have noticed then, but my attention was divided among so many that I never noticed the traces of sorcerer genes in those I’d transformed at the time. I still don’t know how many of the current Atlantians may have some sorcerer ancestry.”

  “As for why not all of them can use magic, even my race couldn't use magic from birth. Although they were born with the ability, magic was something that had to be obtained through physical or emotional trauma. It was a ritual of my race. When a sorcerer or sorceress turned sixteen they would be bombarded with magical attacks until they either used magic to defend themselves or were left barely alive. Attacking them with magic until they were barely alive was a physically traumatic experience and would bring out the magical powers of the sorcerer. The sorcerer would then use healing magic to cure himself and that was the ritual that gave the sorcerer adult status.”

  But what if the sorcerer didn’t learn how to use magic after he was nearly killed? Alana spoke up for the first time after hearing the shocking news. Her disgust at what she'd just heard easily distinguishable in her tone.

  “Then the adult sorcerers would heal him or her and they would continue the ceremony the next day. I know it sounds cruel, but there is no other way to bring out the magical powers of a sorcerer. Magical powers dwell deep inside the soul of a sorcerer and the sorcerer needs to be able to harness that power. No sorcerer has ever learned to harness that power without extreme trauma. I know because many have tried. We were always trying to find other ways to bring out the magical powers of our children because we hated what we had to do, but over the course of countless millennia, we never found a solution. So, you see Thomas, your magical power began to awaken when your old body almost died. After that, it emerged when you were hit and caused you to activate its power instinctively. The same thing happened with Princess Alana. She went through a lot of emotional and physical stress last night. That trauma unlocked the magic within Alana’s soul and she used it instinctively to aid her. In truth, although both of you have awakened to your magical powers, you don’t know how to control them. Not just yet.

  “Thomas, you have learned a little bit about controlling them, which shows how clever you are, but Alana hasn’t had any time to tinker and discover the true powers she possesses like you have.” Thomas got another strange feeling, as if the Sapphire was either lying or hiding something. What could the Sapphire be hiding?

  Then how do we use our powers effectively? Thomas and Alana questioned in unison.

  “In order to use your magic, you need to clear your mind. You cannot focus on anything trivial or mundane. Focus your mind so that you are concentrating on one thing and one thing alone, the magic itself. Imagine what you want to have happen and it will happen, as long as you are focused and you aren’t thinking something outrageous. Remember, you can only use the eight elemental magics. Bringing people back from the dead, controlling people’s minds and bodies, and mind-reading are only a few things that magic cannot do. There are many other limitations to magic. All you have to do is use your common sense. If something seems too grandiose and impossible, then it probably is. Magic is powerful, but its range and ability are limited.”

  Is that all there is to it? I already knew that much. Thomas didn’t mean to sound condescending, but it came out that way nonetheless. He was beginning to get irritated at the secrecy that the Sapphire hinted at through the subtle variations in its tone.

  “No, that isn’t all there is. That is merely the portion that you knew and Princess Alana did not. Now to other things. Magic needs to be focused. Thomas, you are very limited in your magical ability because you can only focus magic into your arms. Alana, on the other hand, has not used her magic at all. She will need to practice so that she can learn to focus magic and use it intentionally. Both of you will. Once a sorcerer has mastered their control over magic, they no longer have to focus magic into a single part of their body. Their entire body becomes a vessel and all they have to do is use their imagination.

  “Thomas, when you fought the Kraken, all of your attacks were focused into your arms which caused your arm to shatter. If you can learn to spread your magical powers evenly throughout your entire body, then you no longer need to worry about straining yourself. A master sorcerer can concentrate and use up to eight magical attacks at a single time, one for each element. At present, both of you will only be able to use one or maybe two magical elements at a time. Both of you will need to continue practicing and growing in order to succeed.”

  Succeed in what? You sound like you are going to send us on a quest or something.... Thomas suddenly remembered the missing magical gem and the price he had agreed to pay for having his body restored. It seemed as though they had finally reached the heart of their conversation, what the Sapphire had wanted to discuss most of all.

  “Well, there is the matter of the price we agreed on for your new body. Your body is complete, so here is my price. Since Alana is also a sorcerer, sorry, sorceress, the price will fall on her shoulders as well. What I want, no, what I need from you two is to retrieve the Ice Diamond. It is the missing piece to the puzzle. If we can combine all eight of the sorcerer’s gems, then our magical power will be complete. Have you both noticed that the fairies in the Seven Cities are dying out? This is because of us. The sorcerer race created the fairies with their magic. They were created to protect the earth and help it prosper, but when the eight gems were scattered, the power keeping the fairies alive began to fade. It takes all of our strength for the seven gems to keep the current fairies alive. If we can combine the eight gems again, we can not only keep the current fairies alive, but create more
fairies as well.”

  Thomas didn’t like the idea of creating more magical slaves, but pretended to agree in order to make things run smoothly. He wanted to bring this discussion to an end as soon as possible.

  That’s interesting, but where do we begin? You know the task you ask of us is like finding a needle in a haystack. It could be anywhere on the surface or underwater.

  Thomas realized the grandiose scale of the task they had been assigned and hoped that it could fall on someone else's shoulders instead, but he knew there were only two people in the city that could find the Ice Diamond, Alana and himself.

  “I know the task I ask of you is tough, but I beg you. Not only me, but all of the gems beg you. The Ice Diamond will help you as well. When you are near it, it will sense you and send out a call for help that you will be able to detect. You have already made contact with the Ice Diamond, so I know it will recognize you when you see it.”

  Excuse me, but what do you mean we’ve already made contact with it? Alana asked politely.

  “When the two of you kissed for the first time. Do you not remember it? You were connected to all of the magical gems in that moment. All of the gems felt your presence. You kept jumping between us. Don’t you remember being bathed in light and having the light change colors repeatedly? That was all eight of the magical gems being in contact with you. At first I thought it was due to Thomas’s power, but now I realize it was due to both of your power combined.”

  Then his voice became pleading, “Please? I am begging you. You two are the only ones who can reunite the eight gems.”

  Alana and Thomas could sense each other’s reluctance, but they knew they had no choice, so Thomas spoke the words to bind them. Alright. We’ll do it, but we request that we have a break before we start. Our wedding was to be after I was allowed to leave the barrier.

  “Of course. I wish you all the best on your marriage. Who would have thought Atlantis would have a king sorcerer and queen sorceress? It’s a wonderful development.”

  There was jubilation in the Sapphire’s voice that seemed to border on an unhealthy obsession. Once again, Thomas felt a twinge of what may have been mistrust for the Sapphire, but it was probably his imagination. The Sapphire may be mysterious, but it had given him his life back.

  Alright. We will get started the day after our wedding. Alana spoke with the air of a queen and Thomas turned toward her, the effort of which felt like it would snap his neck.

  It was the first time he had ever managed to move his body inside this dimension and he realized that it would undoubtedly be the last. Attempting to move had been more painful than when his arm shattered. He tried to catch her eye as if to say, “what about our honeymoon,” but since her head was not turned toward him the gesture went unnoticed, or so he thought.

  Alana seemed to sense Thomas’ concerns and added, It’ll be an enjoyable honeymoon. How many merfolk can say they went on an epic quest for their honeymoon?

  “One more matter must be dealt with before you leave, Thomas. After the Ice Diamond is found, you must be its keeper and protector. As the new keeper of the Ice Diamond, you will need a name of strength; one more powerful than Thomas Cornell. From this day forward, you are no longer Thomas. Your new name shall be one that has been passed down through the sorcerer race for ages. Your new name is Draco.” This time, Thomas was positive that he caught a trace of falsehood in the Sapphire’s voice when he mentioned being the Ice Diamond’s keeper. He knew that something was wrong. Something was being kept secret from him. But what?

  Draco? Isn't that the name of a constellation?

  “Yes, it is, but it is so much more than that. In your human mythology Draco has many names and shows up in many myths from many places, but Draco is in reality the Dragon King of the Sorcerer Race. Our legends state that Draco is the source of the magical powers we sorcerers possess and all of the sorcerer race are his descendants. I can only imagine that the myths about Draco must have been started by a sorcerer who wanted to keep the name alive. That name is powerful and suits you since you are a merman with powers above and beyond all others.”

  Powers above and beyond all others? Thomas was slightly stunned by this announcement. Perhaps this was what the Sapphire was hiding from Thomas? Thomas contemplated the remark for a second, but resolved that the Sapphire was merely speaking of his ability to use sorcery while other merfolk couldn't. Thomas, now christened Draco, really wanted to end this conversation, but he had one more important thing to discuss. This was something that had worried him since the day he'd fought the Kraken.

  Speaking of my powers, something has been bothering me slightly. When I attacked the Kraken, people told me I looked like a demon. Why did that happen? And what happened to my hair and eyes? They’ve changed drastically and don’t look anything like a Sapphire merman’s.

  “Your body’s transformation was instinctual. I told you that a master sorcerer could cast eight spells at once, right? Well, your anger caused your body to try to cast multiple spells at once, but since you lacked the training required and a clear vision of what you wanted, your body took on strange characteristics. Your fangs and claws were earth magic. Your body was trying to transform you into a wolf, but the change was incomplete. Your eyes were glowing with fire magic. The hatred inside you caused your eyes to burn with fury in a literal sense. The wind that was whipping around your body was a wind barrier. It was a protective shield that your body created so you wouldn’t be harmed by falling debris and it ignited when you prepared to attack; also due to your anger. If you can learn to control your emotions and use multiple magical attacks consciously instead of instinctively, then it won’t happen again.”

  Wait a second! All thought of leaving had momentarily been driven from his mind. Draco had heard something unexpected and needed to confirm it. You said I could change into a wolf? Are you serious?

  “Yes, I was. That is one of the powers of earth magic. Perhaps I should explain more clearly what the elemental magics can do so that you don’t attempt something impossible and get yourself killed. Earth, wind, water, fire, ice, and energy magic all enable you to use those respective elements for attack and defense. Earth, wind, and water also let you transform your body into creatures that dwell in the sky, on the earth, and in the sea. Light magic lets you control light. You can use it to light your path, blind your enemies, or any similar action. Dark magic is the ability to control the night and shadow. You can control shadows, make them do your bidding, and you can also block out the light. If you need to escape from a situation, you can use dark magic to hide in the black and escape.”

  That sounds wonderful! I didn’t know you could do all that with magic! Alana interrupted. She was burning with a newfound excitement.

  “That isn’t all. You can also combine the elements to do other things. For instance, if you combine wind and fire magic, you can transform yourself into a phoenix. Combining earth and wind can let you turn into a griffin or pegasus. You can transform into any mythical creature as long as you combine the appropriate magical elements. Healing magic is the most difficult magic to perform because it requires that you combine all eight of the magical elements in equal proportions.

  “You, Draco, have used it effectively, but only when your emotions were at a peak. I doubt either of you would be able to call upon healing magic as you are now. Both of you will need to learn to use healing magic under normal circumstances as it is the most important magic any sorcerer can cast. It may very well save your lives one day. And there is something else you need to know. If you ever have to fight against someone else who can use magic there are elements that don’t work against each other. Each of the elements has a partner element. These partner elements can be used together in combination attacks or defenses, but they cannot be used against each other. If you try, the magic will cancel out and nothing will happen. The partner magics are fire and ice, earth and wind, water and energy, and light and dark. Now, I’ve kept you long enough and King Aquarius is l
ikely getting very worried. Good luck on your quest, Alana, Draco. Goodbye.”

  After the familiar pulling sensation ended, Draco and Alana found themselves back in Atlantis. King Aquarius was pacing the room, shaking his head, and muttering that he shouldn’t have let Alana go. When he noticed their return, he hurried toward Alana and embraced her.

  “Alana, my dear. What took so long? After three hours I was getting scared witless.” King Aquarius turned toward Draco while wiping sweat from his brow, “I wish you’d have told me you planned on being in there for so long, Thomas.” It was the first time he'd used Draco's name in a long time. He must have been more worried about Alana than he let on.

  “I’m sorry, Aqua, but it didn’t feel like we were in there for three hours.” Draco then realized something like this had happened the last time he visited the Sapphire too. “I think time inside that dimension must differ from here. I spoke with you about this the last time I went into the Sapphire’s dimension, remember? Oh, and Aqua, please don’t call me Thomas anymore. My new name is Draco. It is the name that was given to me by the Sapphire just now. I cannot tell you more than that...and neither can Alana.” Draco decided to head off trouble before it started. Alana reluctantly nodded to her father in agreement.

  King Aquarius, looking very agitated, searched for a change of subject, “So Thom...Draco, did the Sapphire say you could leave the barrier yet?”

  At Aqua’s words, Draco remembered his promise, “Yes it did…and I have a promise to keep. Alana, shall we go visit Tiger?” Alana and Draco left, the king looking on in frustration. He hated being kept in the dark.

  As they approached the barrier, Draco was caught up in awe. High above him were hundreds of small floating green dolls; the fairies. He had been able to see the fairies since the day he had fought the Kraken, but he had never seen them in such a massive quantity before. It looked as though the entire fairy community of Atlantis was gathered for some important occasion. One of the fairies shot out of the middle of the flock and landed on his arm. Noticing that it was the same fairy he had met a month ago, and not wanting to insult her again by mistake, Draco was as cordial as possible, “Hey there, cutie.” His speech was soft and soothing.