It was a small room they had walked to, just down the hallway from the smooth-tiled and rather cold ritual room where the ritual circle had been inid into the floor, able to be altered depending on need by ging out the ‘decorations’ in the room that aligned with the in-id magically-imbued metal that made up the binding circle that made the whole thing work. “Okay, hang on. Lemme see if I got this right…” Peter, after another cup or two of water, had found his voice more clearly now. He stood behind a curtain and in front of a mirror. He had taken off his robe once Shepherd Vaunn had slipped him a pile of clothes to ge into.He rubbed at his , pulling down his cheeks to widen his eyes — he had left them on the purple color with the gold ‘highlights’ at both the inner and es of the iris. ‘Peter’ sighed in mild annoya fetting to switch them baore normal green color. I don’t remember futzing with the ears though…He mused as he traced over the slight poiip his ears had — He was sure he had kept it base-human and not half-something.

  ?Oh, that was me!?

  ‘Peter’ jumped, making a noise in his throat. ?Easy, kiddo~? Na’at giggled teasingly, ?Don’t wanna give your secret away just yet, after all.? The voice drifted through ‘Peter’’s mind as easily as a spring breeze. It seemed they had some sort of mental e — whiow that he thought about it, made obvious sense.

  “Aum… Everything alright?” it was Traya, who had been going over some basiformation before he had asked for a pause to catch up.He cleared his throat and spoke up, “Y-Yeah. Just pinched myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.” “Oh. Alright then. Shall I tinue?” “Just a moment.” ‘Peter’ sighed, rubbing his face, “So. The world is named ‘Aetyros’.” “Yes, Champion.” She answered. “Please, Just Peter… especially if we’re supposed to be w closely together.” He gently requested. “Of course, Just Peytr.”‘Peter’ blinked and stuck his head out, keeping the rest of his body from the neck down hidden — mostly for her be — and looked at her, “That was a horrible pun.” He grinned, “I think we’ll get along just firaya.”“I… oh, apologies, I just—“ She had started to stammer an apology as ‘Peter’ spoke, but when he smiled and said they would get along she blushed, “I… alright…” she sounded awfully fused.“In my old world, I was well known for making bad puns and word-py jokes. Not uhe one you did.” He chuckled, “I appreciate the attempt at keeping things light with a joke too.”

  Vaunn, for his part, was sitting off to the side, chuckled, “I’ve long said that if you ’t ugh about something all you do is cry.” “Sounds like how my dad felt.” ‘Peter’ smiled, “He would always say something simir. If you ’t make a joke when you’re stressed out over bad stuff happening, you’ll just go ih worry. Some call it 'gallows humor', or dark humor…” “Oh.” Traya squeaked, not sure how to join in on the versation, “So. Um. Yes, as you said. The world itself is named Aetyros.” “Right.” ‘Peter’ cleared his throat, pulling his head back behind the curtain and refog on his refle in the mirror, looking over his new body.

  ?Not bad, if I do say-so myself~?

  Alright, ‘Mom’, ease up…‘Peter’ sighed, “And there’s two main tis… ‘Ior’ aayn’. A third ti, or super-isnd, up north…” “Norr.” Traya corrected. “Sorry. Up norr.” ‘Peter’ tinued, “Called ‘Haeborya’.” “Correct.” Traya nodded. “Then there’s a group of isnds just norr of Estayn, twe isnd masses to the wenn of Ior, a small group betweewo tis with a couple to the soth. Oh, and a rge isnd to the sothest of Estayn…” “Right.” Traya nodded, “We show you a map ter, but that’s good, Peytr.” “Thanks.” He said. And thank you, Na’at, fiviter memory retention.

  ?Aww~? She giggled, ?I liked it when you called me ‘mom’.?

  …We talk about that ter…

  “And magic is real…” He sighed.Traya blinked, “Of course it is. The energies of arkyn are well-doted and studied. We… Were they not where you hailed from?” “No.” ‘Peter’ said as he turo the side and looked at his body in profile, a hand on his slight barrel of a belly. His arms were fairly defined in their muscuture, but not overly so.Na’at had given him a start and he would have to maintain it; something he most certainly wao do ‘this time around’.While he did not want to take too long staring at himself he did want to ‘take stock’ of his new form so he could, simply, get used to seeing it staring back at him.He swung his hips from side-to-side a little.Huh. Not ht anymore — gonna have to get used to that. Certainly don’t miss the knees being stantly in pain, that’s for sure.

  “Do you have any questions about that?” Traya asked.‘Peter’ shook his head, out of habit, and made a ‘ive’ noise in this throat, “No, I’m good. But a map would be nice, but like you said, that e ter.” He grabbed the short-legged pants with a simple drawstring at the waist ahe material. Soft, slightly stretchy, simple. Cotton? Or the closest local equivalent, I’m sure.He put them up, pulling them up and wing a little before adjusting things. Yup… gonna have to get used to that…Traya cleared her throat, “Do you have any questions at all?” “Well, not gonna lie, I’m kinda curious who all saw me in all my glory iher room… my head was swimming, ears ringing and I felt like I had just been trounced by a very rge, very angry troll.” He admitted as he slipped on a pair of ankle-height socks of the same materials as his short-pants. “In all hoy, you looked it.” Vaunn chuckled, “Besides myself and young miss Traya here — there was Shepherd Santis d’Zaier… who was quite put out you did not give him the deference due to him, I’m sure.” “Is that why he was holding out his hand?” ‘Peter’ asked, looking around and, seeing that her Shepherd Vaunn, or Traya, could see him… he struck a body-builder pose: one foot forward, his torso partly turo show off his arm muscles — speaking of, he curled body inward at the elbow, fists at his waist, and flexed.

  ?SNRK— pffffft~? Na’at gave a hearty, long cackle.

  Blushing, ‘Peter’ immediately stopped and grabbed the ‘cotton’ tunid slipped it over his head, sliding his arms through the long sleeves and adjusting the flopped-over colr so it was straight a. “He was expeg you to kiss his ring.” Traya expined.‘Peter’ gave a sighing groan, “Of course he was.” He muttered. “And… if I may be so bold, Peytr, you should watch out for the man who Shepherd d’Zaier made fetch you water.” Traya whispered. “Oh?” ‘Peter’ asked, “I got the impression that he wasn’t too pleased with that.” “He was not, no.” Traya looked to Shepherd Vaunn, seeing if the elder cleric was giving her a warning gre or something, but seeing only a gently impassive face got a nod for her to tinue, “Elbert Havengard is of a notable family. He is the you of three brothers, chosen to joiemple Guard by his father.” “Let me guess. He was unpleased with the indignity of his father’s decision?” ‘Peter’ ventured, “Because it took him away from the forts of his family estate, but he’s forced to grin and bear it for the family’s honor and prestige. So he takes great pains to ehose around him know that he is of a greater station than them?” “… I dare not presume the truth of what you suggest.” Traya whispered, “But he… is quite keen on, and quick to, as you say, remind others of their pce.”Vaunn only coughed behind a fist. “Grand.” ‘Peter’ grumbled as he picked up the piece of clothing; a pair of soft, worked, leather pants. “Don’t worry d.” Vaunn spoke, “You’re not alone in this. You’ve got people on your side.”That made ‘Peter’ pause, having pulled on his pants and adjusting the simple leather belt, after tug iuniake sure they did not fall off, “That… means a lot to hear, Shepherd Vaunn.” His tone was soft and genuine and almost sad sounding. “I imagihis is quite the shock. Torn from your home, the world you knew, into something that could be anywhere from similiar-but just different enough to give you a sense of uo something so vastly different it feels truly alien.” Vaunn spoke gently, “I’ve seen it enough in the past…” “You aren’t wrong.” ‘Peter’ admitted, holding a simple leather jerkin, dyed green but with brown shoulder pads, in his hands as he spoke, “This world feels like it’s the past of my world, and with the fact ‘magic’ is real… something out of a children’s storybook.” He chose his words carefully; certainly he did not want to insult, but he also did not want to referehings they might not uand. He would have to see more of Aetyros to see what they had avaible so he did not sound like a loon. The st bit of clothes were shoes — leather things he would call slippers, but they were a smooth-soled thing that were two-tone in their make; the toe was a medium brown while the part further up, around the bad up to his ankle was green, matg the jerkin. They shut with a small buckle.Brag himself by one arm against the wall he slipped one on and theher, croug down to fasten them. I could’ve just crouched down to put them on; or hell, sat on the floor. I’m not a fat lump anymore so I wouldn’t be like a turtle on its back.The st thing he had were some leather bracers , again in green, that he slipped on and tightehe leather thongs to secure them. “Okay, here we go.” ‘Peter’ said, ing out from behind the curtain, pulling his long hair bato a loose, low, ponytail with a simple leather strap, also green, “I have to ask, is there any reason why so much of the leather is dyed green?” “Actually, yes.” Shepherd Vaunn, spoke up, “Green is used to mark a certain rank of Temple worker. This way you ’t be ordered around by someone else, getting in trouble because you didn’t defer to their rank or whatever their grievance is.” He o ‘Peter’, “In essence, you are a civilian w with but not for the temple in some fashion. As such you are… bott of the dder, for both good and ill.” “Fair enough. I’m outside the hierarchy structure which means I don’t have a lot of sull, or access… but at the same time, being outside that structure means no one boss me around.” He held up his hands, “Though, of course, guards are still guards, and if they say I’m not allowed past certain points or iain rooms, that means I turn around and walk away.” “You caught on quite quickly.” Vaunn nodded. “Well, thankfully I’m no fool and apply on sense and creative thinking.” He snickered softly. “Does it all fit?” Vaunn asked, “I had to guess at your sizes.” “I think so? Everything feels fy right now.” ‘Peter’ answered, shaking a little bit, still getting used to things. He also stretched, twisting at his waist, “I move easily enough.” “Good good.” Vaunn smiled, grunting as he stood, in the way all old meo do. Heading for the door, he tio talk, “Now that we have you in something a… little less sensational…” He snickered, just a little, “We return to Shepherd d’Zaier and you listen to the whole story of why you’re here.”

  As they opehe door a small figure tumbled into the room, squeaking in shod windmilling their arms and nding ft on her face.Vaunn had taken a step back to walk around the door, and Traya was still over by the curtaier was guessing she was doing some sort of ‘distance deferment’, out of respect for Vaunn’s station.) aer was just a moment too slow. All three wi hearing the crack of the young person’s face meeting the tile with Peter quickly kneeling, “Are you alright?”Looking up, pushing herself off the floor, Peter was looking at a young girl. The first thiiced was her ears; like Peter’s own they had a slight point to them. She wore a long ‘cotton’ tunic that, like his, had no color to it and ended up almost at her knees, a pair of ‘cotton’ pants, dyed a light brown and simple browher boots.Her hair was cut ‘boyishly’ short and her eyes were watering just a little. She sniffled, sitting ba her knees and wiped at her eyes. “And what do you think you’re doing, little one.” Vaunn said, his toern but not angry, again it reminded ‘Peter’ of a grandfather. “… I… had heard they had summoned a Champion…” She whispered, “Have I not been… good enough, Shepherd Vaunn? A-Am I being repced?”

  Vaunn sighed, ‘Peter’ looking up to him caused him to hold up a hand, “Well. Allow me to expin sihese events occurred.” He motioo the little girl before ‘Peter’, “This is Ennalyssa. And she has been called by the Goddess of Light to be one of her warriors.” Uhoh… I don’t like where this is goier recalled his versation with Na’at before being pulled from her realm. “Hi Ennalyssa. And, to answer your fear… I’m pretty sure I’m not here to repce you.” ‘Peter’ said gently.Another sniffle and Ennalyssa wiped her nose on her sleeve, ‘Peter’ blinked as he saw the streak of red. “Traya, you get that robe?” ‘Peter’ asked.Taken aback by the sudden request Traya nodded arieved it. Vaunn, curious eter’ was thinking, tialking, helping Ennalyssa to her feet and ‘Peter’ standing with them. “That’s right.” The older cleric agreed, “This is Peytr Kharl.” He introduced the young man before her, “He has been summoo be your mentor and protector, not your rept, Ennalyssa.” “Protector aor…” ‘Peter’ repeated.Vaunn nodded, “Yes. This is… not going to be easy for you to hear, I’m sure. But our world, Aetyros, is soon to be besieged by a great and powerful evil. The DaiMaou is an a evil that predates our try, in fact, its defeat… well, first defeat… preceded the founding of the try.” “And… I’m guessing Ennalyssa was ‘called to the Goddess’ to fight this a evil.” ‘Peter’ whispered.“That…” Vaunn shifted from foot-to-foot unfortably, “… That is correct.” “You don’t think I do it!” Ennalyssa squawked, pouting, her hands ched into tiny fists even as tiny streams of blood ran down her upper lip, “I ! I’ve been training!”Traya returned with the robe and ‘Peter’ took it, gripping it between his two hands and, using his thumbs as a point, tore the soft fabric.He ripped a strip from the garment before tossing it aside, taking that strip and ripping it into two smaller pieces. “I said no such thing.” ‘Peter’ said gently, “I know that children, young people I should say, are capable of great and amazing things.” He offered her a piece of the fabric that he had bunched and rolled, “Stuff that up one of your nose-holes, would you? It’ll soak up the blood from the floor leaping up to attack your face.” “I…” Ennalyssa took it, blinking and stuffing it up one nostril, “Thanks.” “Don’t tha. You’re about to sound silly.” He gave her the sed piece of fabric, “That’s for the other nose hole. You’re bleeding out of both.” “Oh.” She dutifully took the proffered fabrid stuffed it up her nose, “Dhenkyuu.”Traya hid a smile behind her hand and Vaunn cracked a small, genuinely amused grin as well. “Told you.” ‘Peter’ smiled gently at her.Vaunn chuckled a bit louder, “Traya, be a dear and show him around the temple’s grounds, and the city. Lad, we best get you out of here…” “Why?” He asked as they all left the room.Vaunn shut the door behind him, grinning widely, “That was Santis’ robe you tore up.” He ughed brightly.

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