PART I - CONSCRIPTION

“Your … boobs?” Lena asked.

Lena’s questions snapped Callie’s attention back to what was apparently reality. She cupped her hands to her chest. “Yeah! They should be a lot bigger.”

“Your breasts?”

“Yeah. Breasts. Boobs. Tits. Whatever you call them.” Callie pawed herself some more, and realized, with some relief, that she did indeed have a pair of breasts that were several sizes smaller than she was used to. She frowned.

Something felt really not right, now that Callie finally was starting to feel calm enough to begin taking in her circumstances and actually process. She hadn’t exactly been a tiny girl before, and having a smaller chest was just the first of the changes she was beginning to notice. She also now had very little body fat, and while the muscles she was feeling weren’t well-defined, they were much-more obvious. Was this … reincarnation? Was she dead, maybe? Callie was pretty sure you weren’t supposed to remember your previous life if you were reincarnated, but it would at least explain how she was different now.

”You look disappointed,” Lena said.

“I guess. Maybe a little. They just used to be … right there y’know? Getting in the way, swinging to and fro. Now they’re just tiny. It just seems weird.”

“Used to be? How could they ‘used to be’?”

“It’s as if I’m somehow in a different body,” Callie said, relaying her thoughts. “I don’t get it. They used to be gigantic in comparison to these. I used to be bigger, too.”

Lena stifled a giggle. “Well, what you have now is very well-proportioned for a Gnome.”

Callie stopped feeling herself up and looked quizzically at Lena. “You all keep calling me a Gnome. What gives? And why are you so tall? I get why Tazrok is so big, he’s an Ogre. But aren’t Elves pretty much people sized?”

“People sized?”

“Sure. Five to six feet, give or take.” Callie sized Lena up. “You must be at least eight feet tall. That’s huge!”

“What is a ‘feet’,” Lena asked. “I’m not familiar with that type of measurement.”

“How do you measure stuff?”

“In meters, of course. I’m a little over one and three-quarters meters tall, if I stretch a bit.”

“Ok, you use metric. I can try to remember that.” Callie did some quick mental calculations. “Wait a minute. How tall am I?”

“About one meter, maybe a little bit more.”

Callie’s eyes exploded to saucer-sized. “Wait. I’m only three feet tall? Er, one meter, I mean? What the hell. This isn’t right!” Was she in the body of a kid? Was ‘Gnome’ what they maybe simply called children in this strange place?

“I don’t understand, Callie, that’s a perfectly normal Gnome size.”

“Yes. Good size for Little One,” Tazrok echoed.

Well, so much for that idea then. The only Gnomes she knew about were the Garden Gnomes her Grandmother used to have in her backyard, and they were barely a foot tall. Still, Lena was an Elf and Tazrok was an Ogre and there were Dwarves only a few feet … er meters away. Were Gnomes a different race of people here? No! She was a Human! That she knew for sure! “But I’m not a Gnome,” Callie said absently as she pondered her way through her thoughts.

“Sure you are,” Lena said assuredly. “Gnome height. Gnome hair. Gnome ears. Gnome … boobs.”

Callie reached for her ears and realized they were an odd shape. Larger than one would expect, elongated with a slight point on them. “This isn’t right. These ears are wrong. I’m not a Gnome.”

“Well, what are you then if not a Gnome?”

“I’m a Human.”

In an instant, Lena’s face lost all traces of joy and took on a deadly serious tone. “What did you say?” she demanded in a lowered voice.

“I. Am. A. Human.” Callie said slowly, but keeping her volume low to match Lena’s.

Lena got down on one knee and spoke very softly, almost in a whisper, putting a hand over Callie’s mouth. “You ought not say such things, Callie. It’s liable to get you hurt.”

“What? I don’t understand.”

Lena looked Callie deep into her eyes. For a long moment she stared Callie down, and Callie returned the stare, falling mesmerized into those beautiful green eyes. “You’re telling the truth, aren’t you. You really think you’re Human,” Lena finally said in a whisper.

“Because I am!”

Lena looked up at Tazrok. “Did you see if she banged her head on something, maybe? Could she be injured?”

“Not see. Don’t think hurt.”

Lena grabbed Callie’s head and began inspecting it all over. “No sign of any injury or lump,” she mumbled before holding up two fingers. “How many fingers do you see?”

“Two,” Callie responded with slight sarcasm and growing frustration.

“Please, be serious. Follow my fingers with your eyes.”

Callie stowed the sarcasm and followed Lena’s fingers as she moved them around, testing her eye movements.

“Do you feel dizzy or sick?”

“Not really, considering all that is going on. I have a bad headache, but that could be the sun. It’s really bright.”

“Gnomes generally live underground with artificial lighting,” Lena said. “So it could take some time to get used to the sunlight. But you know that. Or … you should.”

Callie shrugged. “I’m not a Gnome, and I’m not from here. I was somewhere else before this. In Chicago. And I was a Human, not a Gnome, or whatever I apparently am.”

Lena frowned and looked up to Tazrok for advice. “What do you think?”

“Little One confused. Confusing day. Give time?” Tazrok said.

Lena pondered the issue for a bit. “Callie, is it alright if my friend joins us?”

“Sure, I guess.”

With a sharp whistle, Lena quieted the room. Several people started rubbing their ears, wincing in pain. “Sorry everyone,” Lena said, “Vanis, would you come over here please?”

“Ow!” Callie whined, grabbing her long ears and doubling over in pain.

“Oh I’m so sorry, your poor hearing. I forgot Gnomes are so sensitive.” Lena winced, then she smiled sheepishly. “Won’t happen again.”

Callie wiggled her fingers in her ears to try to get the ringing to stop, instinctively glaring at Lena. Then some dots connected. Overly-sensitive hearing? Bright sunlight? Was she really a Gnome … a non-Human?

A moment later, the trio was joined by another Elf. A man this time. He had a similar height and build to Lena, perhaps a half-head taller, and similar golden hair. This hair, however, was cut above the ear and had no beads or other adornments.

“Legolas!” Callie gasped, looking at the face of the male Elf.

“What?” Vanis said, confusion on his face.

“Who?” Lena asked Callie. “Someone else you know? Another Elf?”

“Um … nevermind,” Callie responded sheepishly.

“Did you need something, Lena?” Vanis asked, ignoring the strange little Gnome and refocusing on his friend.

“Yeah, Vanis. Could you do me a favor?” Lena asked.

“Of course. Is there a problem with the Little One?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. Something’s not right.” Lena said. “This is going to sound really strange and I ask you to please not speak too loudly and keep this quiet.”

“Of course. Please, how may I help?”

“Thanks, Vanis.” Lena gestured, “This is Callie. She’s had a really hard day and I’m worried she may not be in her right mind.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Hey!” Callie said. “My mind is just fine.”

“Well, I can check her for any physical injuries, but I’m not a Healer.”

“No no, that’s not what I need you for.”

“What’s the issue?”

Lena sighed and asked in almost a whisper. “We all just assumed she was passed out from drinking all night, but she insists she wasn’t. The problem is, she doesn’t remember anything before waking up in this wagon. Or, I should say, what she does remember doesn’t make much sense. She was in some Gnome city called She-cag-o before waking up here. I’ve never heard of it, but I’ve never been west of the capitals.”

“I’ve traveled to those lands, even to a couple of the Gnome enclaves, but I’ve never heard of it either,” Vanis said. “But I’ll admit I haven’t seen many.”

“Even worse, she doesn’t seem to know anything about … well anything. Almost like some kind of amnesia.”

“She definitely needs to see a Healer then. If she injured her head, we can’t let that go untreated. Have you summoned one of our escorts?”

“Not yet, because I don’t see any sign of injury and she says she’s not hurt.”

“I’m fine,” Callie said tersely, feeling as if she was being ignored.

“But that’s not the weirdest thing, Vanis,” Lena added, continuing with her whispered explanation.

“Oh?”

“This is an odd question, but I ask for a reason. I thought I overheard that you used to have a Human lover. A woman? Before … y’know?”

Vanis stiffened and snarled. “What?”

Lena held up her hand defensively. “Things were different then. I understand.”

Vanis glared for a long moment, but with Lena’s apologetic face, tension slowly faded, until he finally sighed. “Then yes. For a while. Back before. Why?”

“This little Gnome…”

Callie glared.

Lena leaned in, almost whispering. “This little Gnome swears that she is actually Human, and she’s telling the truth, or at least she believes it. I don’t see any real resemblance, but I don’t know Human physique well and I thought that, maybe, you would know better what Human female bodies look like.”

“Seriously?” Vanis said.

Lena responded with a sheepish smile. “Sorry. I just wanted someone else’s thoughts.”

“Well it is curious,” Vanis said. “Are you sure she was truthful?”

“Yes, I have an Iron Tier Truthseeking skill. As long as she believes what she says, I can tell she’s being truthful. She was quite sure of what she was saying.” Lena thought some more. “I was thinking that perhaps she could be a Human child?”

Vanis squatted and looked at Callie closely, as if giving her an exam. He put his hand on her chin, moving her head left and right, inspecting. Finally, he made a verdict. “It’s doubtful. For her height, if she was Human she’d only be around six years old, so hardly able to speak intelligently. Plus, the hair and the ears are wrong, and her body is matured. I don’t see it either.”

“She said yesterday she was a Human as tall as I am, with bigger …” Lena looked down and held her hands in front of her chest..

“Hey, I’m right here,” Callie said with frustrated annoyance. The two Elves were talking about her and not to her, and it was quickly getting old. “I’m no child. I’m twenty-six. And what’s wrong with my hair?”

Vanis shook his head, startled, before making a face of assuredness. “Oh, I’m sorry. Miss Callie, if you are indeed that old, then there’s no way you could be a human child mistaken for a Gnome. In fact, visually I see no sign of Human in you at all. My initial conclusion would be that you are suffering an unseen brain injury and are delusional. Apologies for being so direct. You need a Healer.” Then he added, “There should be plenty of medical care available when we arrive.”

Callie was beginning to feel as if she simply wasn’t being seen and heard. This Vanis character seemed a little full of himself and Lena was busy jumping to her own conclusions. She put her foot down. “I said I am not injured. I feel fine. Mostly. Except for the sun. It’s bright.”

Kneeling down again to get to Callie’s new height, Lena put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure this out, I promise.” She looked up at her Elf friend. “What should we do, Vanis? This isn’t the right place for her, and if she insists she’s Human she’s going to get into even more trouble. Worse, if she’s Conscript, that’s going to cause some serious complications.”

Vanis also kneeled down, looking Callie firmly in the eyes. “Do you know if you are Conscript, Miss Callie?” Vanis asked directly.

“I have no idea what that means,” Callie responded flatly. Conscripts were soldiers, but the Elf’s usage didn’t make any sense.

“I see…” Vanis trailed off. Finally he sighed and said, “Callie, Lena … I don’t think this is something we can solve here in this wagon. We’ll be at the camp shortly. If she’s not supposed to be here, the people there can take care of the problem. But if she’s Conscript …”

“What exactly does that mean?” Callie asked.

“It means you have to fight,” Lena said.

“Fight? Against what?”

“Against the Demon army, silly.”

“Demon army. Right.”

“Yes. Thousands of them to the south. We’ve been at war with them for years now.”

Callie scoffed. “Demons? Really? Are you sure I’m the one that needs to be checked for brain damage?”

“This is where we are going. To a training camp for advanced soldiers,” Vanis said.

Callie looked at Lena and then looked at Vanis. She turned to look up at Tazrok. All three had a stone hard expression on their face. “You guys are actually serious? Demon army. And we have to fight them. How can they make us?“

“Conscription is a form of curse,” Vanis said. “We’ve all been cursed with it, and thus we have no choice.”

“A curse? Now I know you’re joking.” Callie laughed, almost starting to giggle. “So next you’re going to tell me that magic is real. Good one, you two.”

“Of course it’s real,” Lena said.

Callie looked at Vanis, who nodded. She looked up at Tazrok. “What about you?”

“Magic real.”

“You, too. Huh. Okay fine. Prove it.” Callie put her hands on her hips, donning a smug look. Easiest just to call people out on their bullshit.

“Most of the skills I know would need a sword and more space to use them. Tazrok?”

Tazrok shrugged. “Am Ogre. Only know fight abilities.”

“What about you, Vanis?”

Vanis smiled sheepishly and held out his hand. “We were warned not to use any magic,” he said quietly, "but perhaps this is demonstration enough.” His attention focused, and tiny little lights appeared in his palm and began to soundlessly swirl in a spiral of vibrant colors.

Stunned, Callie stared at what the Elf was doing in his hand, lost in the spirals of color.

Smiling, Vanis took Callie’s hand with his free one, before pouring the spiraling light into it, which flowed as if he was pouring flickering sand. He then took her other hand and forced her to pour the lights into it. He repeated this back-and-forth action between Callie’s hands a couple times before he let her go. Callie continued to pour the lights from hand to hand, a look of unbelieving awe appearing on her face. After a short while, the whirlpool of lights finally broke apart and faded away.

“Wow!” was all Callie could whisper.

“You’re an Illusionist?” Lena asked Vanis, a curious eyebrow raised.

“Warlock, actually. I just happened to pick up a minor light-illusion skill along the way called Dancing Lights. My aptitude is quite poor, but it always amuses younger children, and my grandmother, surprisingly.”

Callie looked up from staring at her hands. “Magic is real? Real as in ‘real, real’?”

Lena stifled a laugh. “Of course it is.”

“And this is why Conscription is serious,” Vanis interrupted. “If you bear the Conscription Curse, you must join the army and fight.”

“What happens if I don’t?”

“If you are not under the influence of a Command Aura put forth by an officer, the Curse will begin to rot your body. If addressed quickly enough, the rot can be reversed or healed. Soon, however, your body will show the effects and no civilized city or town or village will allow you entry. You’ll be shunned. An outcast. And given enough time, it will finally kill you.”

“You’re actually serious? Kill you?”

“Very serious,” Lena confirmed.

“Wait, you said everyone here has it. If you have this curse, how do you get rid of it?”

“I only assume everyone is Conscript, but it’s likely. There are benefits to fighting if you are cursed, so even most volunteers will purposely get Conscript cursed.” Vanis said.

Purposely getting cursed? That seems crazy.

“As for how to overcome the curse, there are three ways,” Vanis continued. “First, if you fight long enough under the Command Aura, the curse will eventually fade. Second, you could be promoted and become an officer yourself, and thus have your own Command Aura, eventually removing your own curse. Or, if the war ends, the commanders can issue an order to break the curse, allowing the army to disperse.”

“That’s it? There’s no other way?”

“Well, there is one other way,” Vanis said. “You could …” and he trailed off.

“You could what?” Callie said.

“You die,” Tazrok added flatly.

“Die?

“Yes,” Lena said. “If you die, the curse is broken. Of course, it doesn’t really matter at that point.”

“Surely someone could find a way to break their own curse, right?” Callie asked. Curses could always be broken in the stories, somehow.

Vanis shrugged. “I suppose it’s theoretically possible for, say, at least a Platinum tier Enchanter, or maybe a Shaman of similar power, to remove it. But it wouldn’t be easy, nor inexpensive. Very likely quite risky, too,”

Callie was silent as she mulled what she’d just learned. Finally, she asked, “How do you know if you have this curse? What happens if you have it?”

“In general, over time, you’ll feel an increased calling to get under the command of an officer with a Command Aura. It’s not hard to resist the call, but, well, I’ve already talked about what will happen over time if you do. Only a Scryer can truly determine for sure if you are afflicted, if you don’t already know. I’m confident there will be several Scryers at the camp,” Vanis said.

“And if I have it, I have to go fight in the army? How? I don’t know anything about fighting. And since I’m in this Gnome body apparently, I’m so small.”

“Ahh, Little One,” Vanis said, “Some of the most-powerful Wizards and Healers ever have been Gnomes. What class are you? I’m sure you can rise up with the right class and good skills.”

“I don’t know.”

“Tazrok and I thought she may have been kidnapped, knocked unconscious, and loaded on the wagon,” Lena said. “I’ve heard of it happening. Rare classes being dragged off and Conscripted by thugs hoping to make a quick bounty payout. I didn’t think the Army was paying those kinds of bounties, but maybe for someone extremely rare they would.”

Vanis nodded slowly. “I assume there is nothing to this … Human thing, so that could very well be what happened. And if she was heavily drugged, it could explain this amnesia she seems to have, as well as the fantasy of not being a Gnome. We’ll have to make sure to let the officers know once we make camp. If she’s not Conscript, they should let her go.”

“What if I am?”

Vanis looked down at the little Gnome, placing his hand on his head in an apparent moment of dizziness. “We will just have to see.” He looked at Lena, and then up at the big Ogre, before adding. “Be assured that you have at least three friends to be with you while we do.”

Tazrok grunted.

“Perhaps Tazrok counts as two people by himself.”

“And my class? I don’t have one that I know about.”

“When you are scryed, to see if you have the Curse, they will be able to see your class and maybe even figure out what race you really are.”

“I’m a Human, Vanis,” Callie snapped instinctively, almost more of a frustrated hiss, still coming to grips with her predicament.

Lena winced. “You need to stop saying that so loud. Keep this to yourself unless you absolutely need to share it.”

“Why? How come you all hate Humans so much?”