Wiping the sweat from her brow, “Wow it’s been nearly a month and I still can’t believe I finally have a place to live” Maya said with a smirk across her face. Still covered in dirt, she takes a few steps back to admire the cottage that she finally got up. “No more slumming it in the woods and your place” with a slight chuckle looking back at her new friend Emma. Emma, a young woman somewhere around 20 years of age, possessing a captivating appearance which almost hides how strong she really is. With dirty blonde hair, tousled and free-spirited, which falls just shy of her shoulders when it’s let down framing her face naturally and effortlessly. While her petite size may fool most, after working with her it’s shocking to see how much strength she possesses. Most shocking of all are her striking emerald eyes, her smile giving a sense of warmth but when she is serious it feels that she can stare right through your soul. “Thanks for all of your help, I don’t think I would be here if not for you.”
“Of course, if not, those wolves would have eaten you alive” Emma said laughing. “Though I’m still not sure what compelled you to walk straight into that den to begin with.”
“Well, I am known to be kind of a klutz at times when I’m in my own head” laughing, then thinking to herself, “If Enit was so wise then that entire threatening situation could have been avoided, well at least I met Emma from it.”
“We should have a look inside to see how it looks and to make sure nothing is already falling apart.”
Both Maya and Emma walk inside the tiny wooden cabin to inspect their handy work. “You know, after building this I failed to realize I don’t actually have furniture to put in here.” Sighing, Maya continues to look around the baren cabin which, other than the dust and dirt that built up from the building of the cabin, is just empty. The absence of furnishings is appallingly apparent, leaving it feeling sparse and abandoned. If there were some cobwebs and a random lit candle someone would probably think it was an abandoned haunted shack. If not for the smell of freshly cut timber lingering in the air one might think it’s been empty for a while.
“Looks good, the walls are stable, nothing looks like it is going to crack under its own pressure. The real test is when it rains next and hope for no leaks in the ceiling” Emma says while inspecting the inside ignoring the comment from Maya about the emptiness.
With the completion of the cottage, the sky outside is bathed in a canvas of red-orange hues from the setting sun. The vibrant colors blend seamlessly with the encroaching darkness inside the cottage. Tiredness and weariness now quickly kicking in for both the girls, Emma looks to Maya, “I think I’m going to head back to town tonight for some rest, did you want to join me?”
“No, I should be alright to try sleeping here, plus I haven’t made a lock for the door so I think it will be best to rest here and watch over the place to make sure no one tries anything” Maya replies, her voice tinged with a touch of uncertainty. She can't shake off the nagging guilt that accompanies her decision to stay in the cabin. It's not lost to her that she has deliberately avoided going to the town for rest, and she hopes her reasons don't arouse suspicion at this point.
Misreading the uncertainty brought on by Maya, “Do I need to stay and protect you from the wolves in case they learn how to open doors?” Emma teases and begins to laugh, “With as small as this town is, and lack of people passing by, I doubt there is anything to really worry about.”
“Ha.. Ha.. I’ll be fine, go enjoy tonight, I’ll see you tomorrow, Emma.”
Emma bids Maya farewell and begins her walk towards the town, her figure gradually fading into the distance as the setting sun casts long shadows across the land. Maya remains at the doorway, her gaze fixed on the diminishing silhouette of her friend. As Emma disappears from sight Maya slowly reaches out and gently pushes the cabin door shut, the fresh wood emitting a soft squeak before finally clicking into place. The sound reverberates through the empty space, accentuating the solitude that envelops her. A sense of isolation and relief settles upon Maya as she stands alone in the empty cottage. Feeling the weight of the moment, Maya's fingers find their way to the necklace around her neck. With a deft motion, she unclasps it and removes the enchanting accessory. In an instant, her body undergoes a subtle transformation, and Kozmo emerges once again, reclaiming his original identity. A new wave of relief washes over him, and a sigh escapes his lips as the burden of disguise is momentarily lifted. Sitting on the floor, Kozmo quickly and forcefully removes the bra, tossing it aside with a mix of weariness and gratitude. He finds solace in the privacy of the empty cabin, knowing that within these walls, he can freely be himself without fear of judgment or discovery. With a deep breath, he rests against the wall, embracing the tranquility that comes with his true form, even if only for a short respite.
“Hey Enit, are there any spells in this tome of spells that can help me furnish my new home?”
~ Yes, however, with the current material you have you would only be able to use the power of transmutation to transform your sleeping bag into a temporary bed ~
“Awesome, I am ready to sleep in a bed tonight rather than on the ground. Breasts and rocks do not mix well and the light padding in the sleeping bag is not enough.”
~ Understood, please grab the spell book, chalk, and your sleeping bag from inside me ~
Carefully removing Enit from his head, he reaches inside the dark void of Enit to retrieve the items he needs. His fingers grasp onto a thick book, pulling it out and placing it to the side. Next, he retrieves a piece of chalk, and sets it to the side of the tome. Finally, he grabs hold of the edge of the sleeping bag that he was too lazy to roll up, strangely reminding himself of a magician pulling a never-ending handkerchief from their sleeve. With everything set out before him, Kozmo replaces Enit upon his head. His fingers glide across the pages of the spell book, searching for the transmutation spell. Each turn of the page resonates with a delicate rustle as Kozmo finds the page he was looking for. Enit, ever eager to help Kozmo on his journey, the familiar voice says:
~ Now remember to focus, imagine, visualize what you want to do and let it naturally flow through you ~
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"Yeah, yeah, I know," Kozmo sighs, his voice carrying a hint of annoyance. He takes a deep breath, inhaling the freshly built wooden tones of the cabin, and exhales slowly. With each breath, the weight on his shoulders seems to lessen, and a sense of calm settles within him allowing the stress of the day to wash away. Standing up from his seated position, Kozmo holds the spell book securely in his left hand. He extends his right arm, pulling the left side of the cloak back to grab his wand. With a fluid and practiced motion, he releases his grip on the book, but his hand remains flat, palm upturned, and steady. With the book now at eye level, Kozmo's gaze fixates on the intricate markings inscribed within its pages. His mind focuses on analyzing each symbol and line, committing them to memory; before visualizing them in the space ahead of him. Inhaling deeply once more, Kozmo raises his right hand, wand pointing towards the piece of chalk resting on the ground. The chalk responds to his silent command and begins to hover only but an inch from the ground. Starting from the top left corner, he envisions the first symbol, its intricate design etching itself onto the ground. With a steady and deliberate motion, Kozmo guides the floating chalk, mimicking the path of his thoughts as he traces the symbols and the overall circular pattern that will enclose the sleeping bag on the ground. Each stroke of the chalk mirrors his intentions, creating a perfect replication of the markings. Once the last symbol is completed, Kozmo gently pulls the chalk towards his waiting hand, and carefully tucks it into his pocket.
~ Great, now imagine the bed you would like. Please remember that with this spell it has quite a few limits, one of which is that the bed you create cannot be much larger than the sleeping bag, so this bed will only fit one person as well as it will not be very high off the ground nor thick ~
“Now you tell me. Whatever, a bed is a bed and better than the ground still.” Kozmo begins to visualize, a simple yet cozy bed designed for a single occupant, crafted with a delicate wooden frame with a smooth finish.
~ Now repeat after me, ‘Transmute’ ~
“Transmute.” As soon as he finishes saying the chant, a surge of raw natural energy flows through him, sending a shiver from the tips of his fingers along his arm continuing down his spine. The very essence seems electrified, as a slight prickle on his skin and spreading a tingling sensation throughout his entire body causing almost all his hair to stand on end. Focusing still on the spell Kozmo misses that, only for a moment, the tips of his white hair darken to a deep black before fading back to its original color. The sleeping bag begins its metamorphosis as a subtle ripple courses through the fabric, threads of magic weave through the material, subtly rearranging its structure. Gradually, the sleeping bag transforms before his eyes, its form shifting and reshaping to what he had just visualized only a moment before.
The chalk lines that brought the bed into existence gradually fade away, leaving no trace of their presence. As Kozmo gazes upon the bed, a mix of satisfaction and a touch of realization dawns upon him. Seated amidst the spaciousness of the open room, the newly transmuted bed occupies the center. With a sigh Kozmo now realizes how impractical it was to do this in the middle of the main room, only to move the bed to whichever room he makes his bedroom.
“I can’t believe that worked, and I can’t believe I didn’t think to do this in the other room so I wouldn’t have to move it afterwards” feeling stupid, Kozmo puts his wand up, then begins to drag the bed to the room on the left…
~ You should just use your powers to move it ~
Slapping his forehead, “You go 18 years of your life not knowing anything of magic and doing everything without it and then trying to remember it’s at your disposal” Kozmo reply’s snarkly feeling even more stupid that he forgets he has magic immediately after casting a spell. Pulling his wand out once again, Kozmo focuses as he channels his magical energy towards moving the bed to his future bedroom. Kozmo then proceeds to hit the door frame three, four times trying to precisely get the bed through. Finally getting the bed set in the room, with a sense of accomplishment, he removes Enit from his head and reaches inside to retrieve a warm blanket and a fluffy pillow, and places them on the bed. “There, now I have something to sleep on” he proudly states with a big smile on his face.
Sitting down on the bed, Kozmo can feel the slight firmness of the newly created bed beneath him. It may not match the comfort of his bed back at home, but it still provides a sense of relief, and he could call it his own. “Hey Enit, with the transmute spell, does that work on clothes as well?”
~ Yes, but once it transforms you will need to wait a full day to change it back, if you don’t wait, the material that was altered has a chance to mis-form, whether it be missing pieces or merging them together. You may also run the chance for the material to just turn into its original state or in some cases just dissolve itself. ~
“So, if I changed my top into a dress I would need to wait until the following day to change it back into my top? And if I were to alter it sooner, I could just wind up with a pile of fabric or a top that looks ruined, am I understanding this correctly?”
~ Precisely, when it comes to rearranging materials and their composition, it's crucial to allow sufficient time for them to fully set within the object before attempting any further alterations. Otherwise, if the materials haven't properly set, they might crumble or dissolve, rendering them unusable. Now, not everything takes that long of a time, it’s just a rule of thumb to wait a day to be safe. ~
“Good to know, well I am starved but thanks to Emma I still have food from earlier.” Kozmo then proceeds to pull a sandwich from lunch that day out of Enit and chows down. “Finally, I’m starting to feel at ease with somewhere to call home.” Kozmo then begins to lay down in his bed and shortly falls fast asleep.
*Knock knock knock*
“Maya are you here?!” A voice from the front room can be heard.
“What.. who.. SHIT! I can’t believe I slept this long. That must be Emma, where is my necklace? She can’t see me like this.”
With the next sound, the door squeaking open slowly, Emma proceeds into the small empty cottage she had just helped build with Maya the day prior. While looking around for Maya she notices a bra on the ground near the door. “Is everything ok Maya?”
“Found it” Kozmo quickly places the necklace back around his neck transforming back into Maya.
“Yeah, everything is fine. Is that you Emma?” Maya shouts from her room, barely out of bed.
Footsteps could be heard coming closer to the closed door *Knock knock* light knocks from the other side of the bedroom door can be heard, “I’m coming in” Emma says through the door not waiting for a response from Maya.
Hurriedly approaching the door to welcome Emma, Maya swings it open to reveal her friend standing on the other side. "Well, good morning, sleepyhead. I see you've managed to get yourself a bed," Emma remarks with a smile. "Oh, but I think you'll be needing this," she adds, extending her hand to give Maya her bra.
Feeling overwhelmingly embarrassed, “Yeah, sorry I was just ready to no longer be wearing it, I ripped it off and forgot about it”.
"I know that feeling too well," Maya responds with a knowing smile. "Though I usually don't wear one with my leather armor. It restricts my arm movement too much." Emma turns around with a smile and says, "Get ready quickly, it's time to start the day!" With an energetic stride, Emma leaves Maya to her privacy and heads back into the main room.
“You’d think after 3 weeks I would be better at this” Maya mumbles as she struggles to latch the back. Still, I’m grateful for meeting Emma so early into my journey….
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