As we descended the stairs and entered the hospital's lobby, we discovered that it had just started raining outside. It was a brief April weather burst of rain, and we decided to wait it out and chat for a while. I quickly used the coffee machine in the lobby to grab a black coffee, and Tom found an available bench in a corner where we could have a conversation.
A few policemen were also seeking shelter from the rain inside, and that made me a bit uneasy. Since the Bounty County situation, police patrols had increased throughout the town, and any glance in our direction heightened my paranoia.
I always panicly used my
White Flower had honed a skill to trick any identify spells, and I should be able to instinctively cast it, but I feared that in my demoted situation, it may not work as perfectly as it should.
My illusion-spelling had become routine, even if, from time to time, I still winced, surprised when the mobile vibrated. My friends thought that I was getting a lot of messages, obviously aware of my mobile's vibrations or maybe the way I reacted to those. Tom commented on that once, but there were no further questions about it.
Up in Matt's room, we had talked about Sunny's party invitation and Hew's idea of the singer's unmasking, and they agreed to it. I was not particularly happy with the idea, as I hated to be put in a situation where I would become the focus of attention. But was that not exactly what we were seeking? As I had managed to jump over my shadow and sing in front of many people, I should be able to face this situation too; it should not be more difficult than that.
Tom would have liked us to add a live performance, but due to Matt being ill, the group would have been incomplete. So, we gave up on that idea.
We drafted and sent an email to Sunny with a couple of suggestions and the question of whether he could integrate any of that into his party. There was no use fretting about that before seeing what his answer was going to be.
The theme of Sunny's party was 'Oblivion,' another online game struggling to become relevant. They probably saw an opportunity with Dreamland's Mephisto facing issues and paid Sunny handsomely to host this advertising party for them.
For me, that was fine as it gave me the perfect excuse to appear with a mask and solve my 'weather-lady-face' problem, which I had impersonated when I first met Sunny. I only needed to find the proper game character for me.
After a couple of hours, the doctor hushed us out of Matt's room to let him rest, and that's how we ended up in the hospital's lobby.
As soon as the rain stopped, we left, having decided to meet the next day at the same hour at the hospital and then go to Mike's home to work on a new song Tom was writing.
As the days went by, there were no further summons for me, and I started to think that the summons I had been subjected to might have been some huge cosmic error. The only problem with that was that my identification returned the same values for me: demon, level twenty-six. But perhaps that was it for me now?
To ease my mind, I started reading the transformation book. I had made a printed copy of it. It was written in Taganlog, the language of that obscure kingdom where I had been summoned with their strange runes. Curiously, I found that I could understand it, and gradually, I became comfortable with their alphabet as well, almost no longer needing the cheat paper I got from Alina. The strange fact was that I did not remember ever using any spell to learn that language.
"The Many Forms of Transformation and Transmutation: A Catalog of Metamorphoses
by Charmoise, great Shaman of Norsey."
Oh, well, a promising title!
"In this chapter, we will explore various forms of transformation, metamorphosis, and transmutation achieved by renowned shamans, druids, and other mages throughout history. From the ability to take on the appearance of animals to adopting ethereal forms, these magical practitioners have expanded the possibilities of transformation. While some forms are widely known and practiced, others remain obscure and mysterious. Our goal is to shed light on the diverse range of transformations that skilled magic users can achieve.
Animorphosis: The art of assuming the shape and characteristics of animals is a fundamental aspect of shamanistic and druidic transformation. Shamans often connect with the spirits of animals to gain their essence and adopt their forms. The level of detail in the transformation can vary, with some achieving complete physical and behavioral mimicry.
Ethereal Projection: A more advanced form of transformation involves projecting one's consciousness into an ethereal state. This allows the practitioner to traverse the spirit realm, interact with other ethereal entities, and gain insights beyond the physical world. Ethereal projection requires a deep understanding of the spirit realm and mastery over the magical energies involved.
Elemental Fusion: Certain shamans and druids have mastered the art of merging with elemental forces. This transformation allows them to embody the essence of fire, water, earth, or air. Elemental fusion requires a strong connection to the respective elemental spirits and the ability to harmonize with their energies.
Shadowmeld: A unique form of transformation that involves blending seamlessly with shadows and darkness. This ability is often associated with more clandestine practitioners who use stealth and subtlety to navigate through various environments. Shadowmeld requires an understanding of shadow magic and the manipulation of darkness and is related to Ethereal Projection.
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These are just a few examples of the diverse transformations explored by skilled magic users. The catalog aims to inspire further research and experimentation in the field of transformation, pushing the boundaries of magical understanding."
It seemed that this book was more about the practical aspects of transformation rather than theoretical considerations. I continued reading, eager to discover more about the intricacies of magical metamorphosis.
"Mostly, it's the shamans and druids diving into the art of transformation, while warlocks and other mages focus on transmutation. Are there any links between the two? Do they share common ground? Does transformation lead to spiritual enlightenment, or is it just a path to brutality?
These questions and more are thrown around in the scanty transformation literature, offering few answers. Druids and shamans have sorted out a handful of reliable transformations, and that's what the existing literature delves into. However, there's a noticeable scarcity of exploration into additional forms, especially in the realm of self-transmutation. Why the gap?
Blame it on the treacherous terrain of self-transformation and, not to mention, transmutation. It's like navigating a minefield without a map. This book isn't for the greenhorns picking up the basics of transformation spells from druids, warlocks, or shamanistic magic. No, it's tailored for the true magic aficionados who've delved deep into the mysteries of magic, pushing the boundaries to create new spells."
Ugh, this wasn't the introductory book I was aiming for as a beginner, but perhaps it was for the best. I decided to pass on the opening chapter and moved on to the next one:
"Chapter Two: The Major Don'ts of Transformation.
Before delving into the first point, let's clarify the semantics to be used: what distinguishes transformation from transmutation? Transformation involves altering the physical attributes of the spell's subject without changing the magical attributes, while transmutation entails modifying the magical attributes with or without altering the physical ones. It's crucial not to mistake a transformation that reorganizes the priority order of these magical attributes or inhibits some for transmutation.
If you're looking to craft a new transformation spell and intend to test it on yourself, you must be exceptionally clear about what you wish to become. Clearly defining the transformation's target in your mind is crucial to avoid inadvertent self-transmutations.
Now, onto the first significant DON'T: never attempt to transform into a non-magical person or creature. You might be surprised if you succeed in transmuting into one, but reverting without magic is impossible. Yet there exists a lengthy list of idiots who've made precisely this error."
I burst into laughter; did he really write that? Charmoise, the great Shaman of Norsey, from an obscure kingdom, did indeed.
I continued reading:
"A horse is just a horse, a bear just a bear, a swan just a swan. A horse cannot magically transform into anything unless it is a magical horse, but then, it is not truly a horse. Keep that in mind! The outcome of magic spells, especially new ones, depends greatly on your mind's intent."
Alright, this is a point to remember. It's clear and logical, though I never considered it before. I even transformed into a human, but luckily, it didn't work like this—I only looked like a human but didn't lose my magical attributes. Perhaps it's because I approached transformation from Flo's magic mirror spells, which only changed appearance!
A cold shiver passed through my spine. I had been so close to becoming one of the fools he mentioned.
I appreciate the book and the way he structured it, starting with the caveats, the no-go options, and the direct addressing, as if the great Shaman were talking directly to me.
I took a deep breath and continued.
"The next crucial rule, or big DON'T, perhaps even more important than the previous one: do NOT transform into a creature or person with less brain matter than yourself. You may come out of the transformation without the missing part of your brain or, more accurately, never come out of it by yourself. A magic horse needs to be able to think to transform himself back into a shaman."
Okay, how do I do this? Oh, he mentions it in this part:
"In your magic spell, think about your brain, too. Do not attempt to transform into a disease or a lower life creature. Don't be a worm, or if you want to be one, choose one with enough room to put your brain in, at least a wolsh. A lot of your physical attributes and even memory can be saved by your magic and recovered, but don't forget that transforming is becoming. It is possible to save part or, theoretically, the whole of your being into magic, but do not rely on that. A pure magical structure may be unstable.
An example of pure magical creatures is the djinn and their equivalents, but they cannot transform into non-pure magical creatures. These are aspects of transmutation spells that will be treated separately in a special chapter later on.
We've already touched on the third point: transformation is becoming. Once transformed into a beast, you will always carry that beast within you. Just as the druid is also the fox, the cheetah, or the bear he transforms into, you will be and bear within you the beast of your transformation!
In a similar way to learning a new language enabling you to talk and even think in that language, the transformation will enable you to think as the beast, and the beast will live in you.
This brings me to formulate the third point: DO NOT transform into something you do not want to be.
It is not without reason why the great druid Hormonius started slithering and betrayed his order after he transformed into a serpent.
One point to note: the more beasts one can transform into does not make it easier to dominate your beasts. There is the danger that one beast becomes dominant over all, even over your own nature, or that one trait of character is suddenly exacerbated by two similar transformations, and that trait becomes dominant over your nature, even if the beast is not.
It is thought that this was the case for Hormonius.
Note also the tragic story about the druid school experiment that led to the closure of the Mensata school."
I was a bit sad not finding the description of the Mensata school incident, but then I found a note at the base of the page: Mensata school incident - trying to protect his colleagues who were experimenting with transformation into various animals being attacked by a wolf pack, an apprentice transforms into a lion, becomes self a predator, and instead of killing the wolves, he ends up wounding and killing several apprentices. He runs away as a lion and cannot transform back.
"I have an idea for our disguises at the party!" Lola declared triumphantly as she entered my room, interrupting my lecture.