From: Bill Hart 
SRU/AF: A Wizard's Altered Fate
Date: Monday, August 23, 1999 1:15 PM


SRU/AF: A Wizard's Altered Fate
by
Bill Hart


The old man breathed a large sigh of relief as Angelica Morgan left
his shop, taking that abomination, currently known as the Medallion
of Zulo, with her.  He wondered how and why that thing, which had been
known by several dozen names over several millenia and had been
considered both ancient and mysterious even before that first time
he'd laid eyes on it, could now be present in his own reality, when it
couldn't possibly have traversed between the two realities without
some assistance.

But on the other hand, he wasn't totally surprised it had somehow
managed to find its way here.  Such was the inexplicable mystic ways
of certain magical instrumentalities.  Not only that, but of late,
Zenith and the surrounding area had seen a disproportionately high
ratio of magical activity within its borders, which, he believed, had
resulted in his small shop appearing in the nearby mall of Zenith
Heights, where Angelica could easily find it, and be told of the power
of the Zulo Medallion.  And yet, he had always been well aware that
nearly any magical item, particularly those both ancient and
powerful, had an uncanny, as well as often oddly disturbing, tendency
to show up in places where they couldn't possibly be.

Of course, the town of Zenith could have somehow become charged with a
surge of magical energies, source totally unknown, that resulted in
the creation of a temporary nexus of arcane energy.  Such a nexus,
even though far from common, could have easily drawn that abhorrent
thing, along with who knew what else from who knew where, to it.  It
was the simplest explanation, not only for the increased magical
activity, but also the presence of both the Medallion of Zulo and his
shop.  He might even be outside his own reality.  And by a simple
application of Occam's Razor, Zenith Height's being an arcane nexus
seemed the most likely possibility.

Even though he'd managed to keep reasonably good track of the
medallion's rumored whereabouts - it had still managed to disappear
every few decades or so and vanish without a trace for a century or
two - over the passing millenia, he had not set eyes on that antique
medallion, nor had he _ever_ wanted to see it again, in far more
years then even he wanted to acknowledge living through.

And yet, Angelica Morgan had brought the thing directly to _his_ shop
for _him_ to identify.  His own magic had likely called to its magic.
It was unlikely Angelica would even guess that Medallion had
influenced her to seek him out.  After all, it wasn't as if he and it
were strangers.  The old man thought it might be possible, although
not overly probable, that simply by telling her about the medallion,
the geas of helpfulness on the store would be satisfied.  But if it
wasn't, what could _she_ require from _him_, that _it_ couldn't
provide, as easily, for her.

Certainly he could as easily provide Angelica with some artifact that
would prevent her husband, Buddy Morgan, from doing _those_ things to
their ten-year-old daughter Aspen, as he had done earlier to their
older daughter Autumn.  But he really didn't think he needed to do
anything as long as Angelica had the Medallion.  It always seemed to
have its own unique, and often peculiar, sensibilities about certain
things.  And the old man doubted he would be able to improve upon
whatever _it_, through Angelica, had in store for Buddy Morgan.

But yet - it had been so very long - since he'd even wanted to think
about that time so long ago.  There had been so much that had happened
to him then, not to mention everything that had been taken away from
him.  He'd been just a young man, still in school, the first time he'd
even heard of the Zulo Medallion.

Hastily closing his shop - he wanted no visitors now  - the old man
began reminiscing about ancient, but very personal, history.

* * * * *

Jedina could not believe her ears when their instructor Tenaya - her
own mother - had informed the class of _her_ partner for their all
important term project.  Her _own_ mother had partnered her with
_him_, of all people.  How could she do that to her own flesh and
blood?  She had hoped to be partnered with her current boyfriend
Mahtok, but, knowing her mother thought him a pompous supercilious
buffoon better suited to being a small frog in a large pond than a
wizard, she hadn't actually expected to be accompanying Mahtok
anywhere, if her mother had any say in it.  But _him_!  She'd never
forgive her mother for partnering her with _him_.  She'd rather work
with any_thing_ else, even a lowly slug would be preferable to _him_.

"Why does _he_ have to go with me?" objected Jedina, pointing her
finger at _him_ - the young man, who'd been named her partner.  "_I_
do _not_ need _him_!" she spat furiously.

"_He_ is going with _you_, Jedina, simply because _he_ is the best
student this term, and has earned this project assignment," replied
Tenaya calmly.  "_You_ are going in order that you might, hopefully,
learn a few things from _his_ example.  Things might have been
different, if _you_ were this term's best student ..."

"But mom ..."

The class snickered.

Tenaya glared at her daughter.  "Jedina," she said sternly.  "How
many times must I remind you that when _you_ are a student in one of
_my_ classes, you will not address me as 'mom'.  You _must_ call me
Tenaya, like every other student."

Jedina blushed brightly, then glared back at her mother as the class
continued to snigger.  "Yes, m..., Tenaya," she replied.  "But won't
you please reconsider, and assign someone else to be my partner,
Tenaya," she whined.  "It's just that he's such a dull and totally
unimaginative, stodgy little boy.  If you didn't know any better, you
could almost swear he was already several centuries old instead of
less than a couple of decades."

"It's all settled, Jedina.  My project assignments, as well as who
accompanies whom are final," reiterated Tenaya.  "You and _he_ are
working on this project together.  That is, unless you want to _fail_
my class and have to repeat _all_ of this session's coursework again
next term."

"No, m..., Tenaya," answered Jedina, trying to control her temper,
while she thought how unfair her mother was being to her.  "I don't
want to repeat everything."

"Good."  Tenaya turned to the young man sitting across the room that
her daughter had objections to working with on their class project.
Tenaya knew her daughter didn't like him, but she also knew that
sometimes you had to work with people, as well as do things, you
didn't like.  That was the way of life.  "Do you have any problems
with Jedina being your project partner, young man?"

"Of course not, Tenaya.  I'll have absolutely no problems at all
working with Jedina on this," replied the young man evenly, and nearly
devoid of emotion.  "Jedina should be the perfect partner for whatever
assignment you choose to give us, Tenaya."

"Very good, young man," she replied.  But to herself Tenaya thought,
'That young man is nothing but a brown-nosing ass licker.'  She didn't
really blame her daughter for not liking him, since she didn't like
him very much either.  The boy, although quite talented, tended
towards extreme overconfidence, as well as being borderline arrogant.
'If not for him,' she thought ruefully, 'then my daughter would be
the best student in this year's class.'  She nodded her head at the
young man.  "Then it's all settled."

As the bell ending class sounded, Jedina stood up, glared briefly at
her mother again, and then stormed angrily out of the classroom.  'As
if mom making me work with _him_ wasn't bad enough,' she thought,
'_he_ also embarrassed _me_ in front of the whole class.'

* * * * *

"You know, Elmer, I don't believe Jedina likes me very much."

"And just what gave you your first clue," laughed Elmer.  "But
all kidding aside, you had better watch your back around her, my
friend."

The young man smiled.  "I really doubt she'd do anything overly
foolish.  After all, there will be an instructor sent with us to
observe everything we do.  And if she even tries doing something to
me, they'll probably expel her, after purging her of all her powers.
I really can't believe being expelled and purged of her powers would
make her mother overly happy."

"That may be true," replied Elmer.  "But if I were you, I'd still keep
a close watch on my back.  From what I've heard recently, there are
also several members of the faculty that don't particularly care very
much for you either.  They mistakenly equate your quietness with
arrogance, and believe you're too overconfident for your own good."

"They're just jealous, Elmer," answered the young man.  "I'll just
make certain I don't give whoever is sent with us any problems.  As
long as I do exactly what I'm asked, I should have no trouble with any
member of the faculty.  Even Jedina couldn't argue with the logic of
that argument."

"Maybe you'll get lucky," grinned Elmer.

"Oh really, Elmer," sighed the young man.  "Jedina is definitely not
my type."

"That's not what I meant," smiled Elmer.  "I was just thinking that,
perhaps, Tenaya will be your assigned faculty advisor."

"That seems highly doubtful.  You must remember that Tenaya is also
Jedina's mother.  And for her to be our advisor sounds like a
potential conflict of interest to me."

"Maybe so, my friend.  But it's a conflict that might benefit _you_
far more than her," suggested Elmer.  "It might be just my overactive
imagination, but Jedina and Tenaya don't appear as close as a daughter
and her mother should be."

"I've noticed that as well," replied the young man.  "But for all
practicality, I think there's as much chance of Tenaya being our
faculty advisor as there is you getting _lucky_, in _that_ way I
thought you meant earlier, with Jedina."

"Do you really think so?" asked Elmer with a bashful grin.  "Or are
you just yanking my chain, because you know I like her."

The young man shook his head.  "It'll never happen, Elmer.  The two
of you would never survive long as a couple.  You two are like oil and
water - you won't mix.  And even if it might inexplicably happen
someday, you're the one most likely to wind up getting hurt by her
eventually.  Jedina is a very selfish person," observed the young
wizard.  "She thinks of herself, first and foremost - always has,
probably always will.  Even her current boyfriend Mahtok knows that
truth about her.  And I also believe, their current relationship will
not last very long.  However, I imagine that's one of the big reasons
she hates me so much.  She just can't get me to jump through her
hoops, doing whatever little tricks she wants me to do, as she does
with Mahtok."

"Maybe she's secretly in love with you," suggested Elmer.

The young wizard began to laugh.  "That's the funniest thing I've
heard all day, Elmer.  _You_ are definitely more likely to find your
way into _her_ panties then I am, my friend.  But just remember, if
that day should ever come, you'll be the one needing to keep an eye
on _her_ for the rest of _your_ life."

"That might not be so bad, you know" mused Elmer.  "I can think of a
whole lot of things far worse than watching Jedina's sexy behind."

"You can now," replied his friend.  "But maybe when you get a little
older, you'll start seeing a few things differently.  Hopefully,
you'll understand what I mean, when you grow up."

"For crying out loud," retorted Elmer.  "You're only a couple of weeks
older than me, but you sometimes sound as if you're almost half a
millenium old, instead of less than a fifth of a century.  _You_ don't
know everything, you know."

"Not yet anyway, Elmer" replied the young man.  "But in time, who
knows just how much I'll know.  We're just going to have to wait and
see."

* * * * * *

"I still can't believe my mother actually had the gall to assign _him_
as my term project partner, Mahtok," complained Jedina.  "I'd really
have preferred you going with me instead of him.  Even _his_ absurd
friend Elmer would have been a better partner than _him_."

"Why don't you just relax, Jedina.  It's not the end of the world,"
replied Mahtok as he kissed her.  "And you know, he's not worth all
the headaches you're putting yourself through.  But, if you keep
speaking so favorably about that little twerp Elmer, I'm liable to
start thinking you're seeing him behind my back."  He smiled at her,
knowing how impossible her seeing Elmer really was.  "You heard your
mother this afternoon.  He's either going to be your partner, or
you're getting held back.  And _you_ all but forced her to threaten
you in front of the whole class, so if she has to flunk you, and hold
you back, you know she'll do exactly that."

"I know," sighed Jedina in resignation.  "But mother just pushes me so
damn hard.  I don't think it's fair for her to expect more from me
than she expects from anyone else just because I happen to be her
daughter."  And yet, a random thought of _her_ and Elmer together
made her smile.  "You don't have to worry about me and Elmer, you
know.  If you haven't already figured it out yourself, he's most
definitely _not_ my type."  Mahtok smiled at her.  'However,' she
mused inwardly, 'he might be quite an interesting diversion for a day
or two, once I've finished with you.'

"I really think every parent pushes their kids hard like that,"
replied Mahtok.  "Its something they all learn in 'Parenting 101'."

Jedina smiled at him.  "At least I won't have to worry about my
mother being the faculty member sent with us as our advisor.  Even
_she_ wouldn't stoop so low to do that to _me_."

"Now, that's a better attitude.  You'll see that if you just work
along with him, and concentrate on this assignment, it will be over
and done with before you know it."

"I only hope that's true," replied Jedina.  "But believe me, Mahtok,
if I should somehow get the chance, that asshole won't be coming
back."

* * * * *

Early the next morning, the young man was surprised at finding both
Jedina and her mother waiting in the classroom, where he'd been told
to report.  Actually, Jedina's presence wasn't all that surprising,
since she was his designated project partner.  On the other hand,
Tenaya's presence certainly surprised him.  Perhaps Tenaya, being
Jedina's mother, was simply there to see them off.  But he wondered
where their faculty advisor might be.

"I'm glad to see you could make it, young man," remarked Tenaya as he
entered the room.  "For your class project, _we_ will be observing
a few of the many rituals surrounding the ancient Zaltora Amulet."

"_We_?" questioned the young man.

Jedina glared at her mother with nearly equal surprise.  "What do you
mean _we_, mother?"  Jedina fumed, thinking this couldn't be happening
to her.

"I said _we_," began Tenaya, "because _I_ am going with with _you_.  I
am your faculty advisor."  Jedina's already sullen expression fell
even further.  "The Zaltora Amulet was the subject of my own class
project a few mil..., er cen..., that is, years ago.  The school board
nearly always has me accompany the students assigned to observe it,
although I did try to have someone else assigned, once I found out you
two had been the lucky ones selected to observe it this session.  But
the school board wouldn't hear of it."

Jedina glared at her mother.

The young man said, "I look forward to observing the Zaltora Amulet
with you as our advisor, Tenaya."

Jedina turned her angry glare to him and fumed anew.  'Fucking ass
kisser,' she thought.

"As you should remember from your studies, the Zaltora Amulet was
named after the sorceress Zaltora, who is now a high ranking member of
the wizard's council," said Tenaya, almost as if she were speaking
from a prepared script.  "It was an ancient artifact, when she first
encountered it ages ago.  And even those natives in the neighboring
reality, who currently possess it, hold few, if any, insights into, or
knowledge of, its true origins.  From where the Zaltora Amulet
originally came, when it was first crafted, or even who originally
made it may never be known to us."  Tenaya took a deep breath.  "Of
course, the natives of that reality refer to the Amulet by a totally
different name, but whatever they choose to call the amulet is not as
important as what it does."

"Is there any potential danger we should be advised about concerning
the Zaltora Amulet, Tenaya?"

"And just what does it do anyway?" asked Jedina.

"It's a transformative amulet," replied Tenaya.  "And it is definitely
_not_ to be taken lightly.  We must be very careful around it, since
its magic is actually more powerful than our own."  Tenaya paused in
order to let that news, and her warning, sink into their minds.  "If
one or more of us should be transformed by it, then only the amulet
has the power to restore us to our true forms again.  Our best
scholars have postulated that its stronger magical powers derive from
its very antiquity, when magic itself might have been a stronger, and
much more potent, force than it is today.  Of course, no one is a
hundred percent certain.  But even its powers aren't unlimited.  If
one of us is subjected to the amulet's transformative nature, we shall
be bonded to the form it gives us for a minimum of twelve hours."

"This amulet sounds most interesting," said the young man.

"Yeah, _most_ interesting," replied Jedina sounding totally
disinterested.

"When are we leaving?"

"I have an even better question.  When are we returning?"

"We shall be leaving in the next few minutes," replied Tenaya.  "As
for how long the three of us will be in the other reality observing,
Jedina, that is completely open-ended, and completely at _my_
discretion."

* * * * *
part 2
* * * * *

Tenaya led her students to their point of embarkation.

The young man smiled as he looked about his surroundings.  Jedina
appeared quite calm to him, but he guessed her mother Tenaya being
their advisor _and_ de facto chaperone had undoubtedly upset Jedina
far more than she would ever let on.  At least, he assumed, when he
was around.

He was certain that Tenaya's very presence with them would make life
far more bearable for him during this assignment.  Why should he spend
a lot of time worrying about Jedina, when her own mother would be
keeping an eagle eye on her?

"Are you ready to leave, young man?"

"Yes, Tenaya."

"And how about you, Jedina?"

"I suppose I'm ready, mo..., Tenaya."

"Then the three of us should be off."  From a deep pocket in her long
flowing skirt, Tenaya pulled out a small crystalline sphere.  She
spoke a few strangely sounding words into the air, while making
several small hand gestures.

An odd hum suddenly filled the air.  And after the briefest moment of
disorienting dizziness, the three travelers found themselves somewhere
other than the place they had been just the previous moment.  They
were now in the _elsewhere_, as they collectively referred to any
reality outside their own, standing just outside a moderately-sized
village.  Both Jedina and the young man assumed, they were now in the
reality that was home to the ancient Zaltora Amulet.

As the three of them stood on the outskirts of the village, obviously
waiting for someone to come out and greet them, they soon saw an older
man on foot approaching them.  And as soon as he had come near enough
to recognize Tenaya, he waved and smiled.

"Tenaya.  It really is you," greeted the older man warmly.  "How very
good it is to see you once again, my old dear friend."

"Not _that_ old, I hope, Xoltin, my friend," replied Tenaya returning
his warm welcoming smile.

Tenaya and Xoltin hugged one another.

Looking towards the two students accompanying his friend, Xoltin
smiled.  "How can it possibly be that time again?" he asked.  "It
truly seems not that much time could have conceivably passed since
you last visited with us."

Tenaya sighed.  "The time seemingly passes quicker and quicker each
session, Xoltin.  The young man with me is my _best_ student this
session.  And the young woman, if you haven't already guessed, is my
daughter Jedina."

"It is my pleasure to meet both of you," replied Xoltin.  He turned
to Jedina.  "I am especially pleased to make the acquaintance of the
daughter of my dear old friend."  However, both students noted an air
of sadness in their host's voice.

"Where is Cjelindra?" asked Tenaya.  "Our daughters are nearly the
same age.  I would like _your_ daughter to meet _mine_, Xoltin."

"Alas, that is not at all possible, my dear friend."  A tear formed in
his eye, before gently rolling down his cheek.  "Cjelindra has gone to
join her mother in the solemn place where the spirits dwell."

"What happened to her, Xoltin?"

"She was to be married, but I am now of the opinion she did not wish
to wed, he to whom she was to be wed," explained Xoltin.  "At the
time, our village was at war, and in need of warriors.  She apparently
went to the priest, then convinced him to use the Medal of Czermanos
to transform her into the warrior our village required, instead of
remaining the bride, she should have been."  Xoltin paused, obviously
distressed, to wipe away another tear.  "It was just last week that
the dreadful news came.  The mighty warrior, who had been my daughter,
had died bravely defending _his_ homeland.  He was buried in a mass
grave with _his_ fellow departed comrades."  The old man wept
copiously.  "And what made matters even worse, the war had ended
_before_ that battle had begun.  I miss her so much, Tenaya.  She was
all I had left."

"If there's anything I can ever do for you," replied Tenaya, "you need
only ask."

Xoltin suddenly grinned.  "There might, perhaps, be something you
could do for me," he started, then turned for another quick peek at
her two students.  "But I think, I shall have to speak with you of
these matters alone."

"Of course, Xoltin," she replied.  Tenaya turned to her two charges.
"It would be an exceptionally good idea, if each of you took some time
to wander around and become more familiar with this village.  But
remember, whatever else you do, please do not get yourselves into any
trouble with the natives."

"Yes, Tenaya."

"Whatever you say, _mother_," said a very annoyed Jedina.

And as the young man and Jedina watched, Tenaya and Xoltin walked off
into the village, discussing whatever it was Xoltin had, very
obviously, not wished to discuss in their presence.  Both of them
wondered why.

* * * * * *

"What do you think they're talking about?" asked Jedina curiously.

"Who knows?" replied the young man.  "But since your mother has been
here many times over the past several years, I'd guess the most
reasonable subject they'd be talking about is whatever happened to
his daughter."

"I suppose that is the most likely," said Jedina.  "It would be just
like my mother to try any way she could to make her friend feel
better.  But other than providing him a friendly shoulder to cry on,
I can't imagine what she could possibly do to help him."

"I suppose we should walk about the village, as Tenaya suggested."

But before they could move, several well-built young women and men
about their own age strolled by the two young strangers.  Busily
talking among themselves, none of the passing villagers spoke so much
as a single word to them.  The young man stared after each of the
young women.  And, in a similar manner, Jedina gaped at each of the
males.

"I didn't think _you_ noticed girls," she said nearly breathless.

"I notice girls," replied the young man, "but these girls seem ...
even more noticeable ... somehow.  I really can't explain it."

"Could it be those big boobs?" asked Jedina, nervously cupping one of
her own breasts, feeling totally inadequate in comparison to the
village girls.  "The smallest girl that just walked past has tits
larger than the most developed girl in our whole school."

"I hadn't noticed that ... exactly, but there is something ... quite
unusual about all of them.  Did you get that same sort of impression
staring at those passing males, that I sensed from the females?"

"I was _not_ staring at those strangers," protested Jedina.  "For
your information, _I_ have a steady boyfriend waiting for me back at
the school.  _I_ don't need to stare at any incredibly muscular,
exceptionally handsome hunks that embody total male perfection, like
someone _I_ know, who quite unreasonably and insistently ogles every
buxom girl he sees."

For a moment, the young wizard thought about debating with Jedina,
but decided it wasn't worth his effort.  Besides, it might end up
getting _him_ into hot water with Tenaya.  Instead he turned to her
and said, "I'm going to explore the village.  If you want to tag along
with me fine.  And if you don't want to tag along, that's fine as
well."

"Go ahead," replied Jedina, who didn't want to be seen with the young
wizard any time she didn't have to be seen with him.  "I'll take some
time and look around the village myself," she added quickly, realizing
they would probably have a big - very likely embarrassing - fight, if
they stayed together much longer.  And a big fight meant having to
face her angry mother, which was the last thing Jedina wanted to do.
"Mom would probably just take his side unquestioningly, and fail me,"
she muttered.

And with that, the two students headed off into the village in as
close to opposite directions as the village allowed.

* * * * *

Jedina rejoined her mother just in time for the feast honoring them.

"Did you enjoy your stroll around the village, dear?"

"Very much, mother."

"You went alone?"  Even though it had sounded like one to those who
heard it, Tenaya had not actually asked her daughter a question.
Instead, it had been a statement of fact.

"Of course, I went alone," snapped Jedina.  "As I'm sure you're well
aware, that young fart and I can't stand being together for very long.
We would have certainly come to blows had we wandered about this small
village together.  We would have completely embarrassed ourselves, and
you, as well, mother."

"Given your feelings for one another, I think that scenario most
likely," replied Tenaya.  "And I am definitely pleased, although
thoroughly astounded, by _your_ sudden display of thoughtfulness on
these matters."  Jedina winced at her mother's oblique criticism.
"I've arranged, through Xoltin of course, to have the priest give us
a small practical demonstration of the power of the Zaltora Amulet,
although everyone here constantly refers to it as the Medal of
Czermanos.  But then, its name is not overly important.  I would
imagine, it will be known by several additional names in future times.
And I doubt there is anyone who could possibly know how many other
names it has been identified as in its lengthy history."

Xoltin and the priest, each carrying something covered in cloth,
entered the dining area.  Very oddly, Xoltin's much larger bundle
appeared to be comprised totally of clothing.  And Jedina surmised
that the priest carried in his smaller packet, his precious, possibly
even priceless, Zaltora Amulet.

Xoltin quickly scanned the dining area.  Turning to Jedina, he asked,
"Your young man seems to be missing, my lady.  Do you know where he
might be?"

"He is _not_ my young man," snarled Jedina.  "And I have no idea where
he could possibly be at this very moment.  Nor do I care."  Damnation,
she thought.  If these people keep insisting on calling me 'my lady',
as everyone I've met in this village has done all day long, I'm going
to scream, even if it proves embarrassing to my mother.

Xoltin smiled an odd, and quite puzzling, little grin at her.  It made
her feel very uncomfortable and set her to thinking that this man knew
something she didn't, but should, know.  She'd never cared much for
people who kept secrets from her.  And Jedina still wasn't certain she
trusted this Xoltin character, who constantly smiled at her so
mysteriously, and was apparently _very_ friendly with her mother.

"Might you know where he could be, my lady?" asked Xoltin again.

"I told you, I have no idea where he is.  I'm not his keeper, you
know," snapped Jedina.  Tenaya glared at her daughter.  "I haven't
seen him since shortly after we arrived.  But he's probably wandering
about ogling all your buxom, and ridiculously over-endowed, village
women."

"Jedina!" exclaimed her mother.

"It is alright my friend," replied Xoltin warmly.  "All of our people,
men and women alike - as you've no doubt already discovered for
yourself, my lady - thoroughly enjoy all attentions lavished upon them
by the many visitors to our humble village.  Our people believe their
bodies are gifts from our gods, whose beneficence has been bestowed on
them by the instrumentality we call the Medal of Czermanos."  Xoltin
smiled that disconcerting smile at her again.  "If your young man
views our women's bodies as overly pleasing to gaze upon, he is, in
his own way, merely paying his respect to our gods."

'These people are incredibly weird,' thought Jedina.

Suddenly the young man rushed into the dining area.  "I'm awfully
sorry I'm late for the feast," he apologized profusely.  "I sort of
lost track of the time."

Jedina stared at him, wondering if he'd somehow managed to get laid
by one of those bountiful village bimbos.

The young man turned to Xoltin.  "Your village is totally fantastic,
Xoltin.  I've never seen, or experienced, anything like it in my
entire life."

Jedina continued staring at him, now _almost_ certain the young man
had been laid, possibly even more than once.  With any other man she
knew, she would have been absolutely certain he'd been laid several
times, but this was still _him_ she was thinking about.

"Thank you, honored gentleman," replied Xoltin.  "I am certain all who
live here would like to thank you for your generous appraisal of our
fair village and its inhabitants.  We most definitely hope _you_ will
stay among us for a _very_ long time."

'Oh brother,' thought Jedina.  'And I thought _he_ was bad.  Xoltin's
just another fucking ass kisser.'  Although something seemed oddly
irreverent about Xoltin kissing up to _him_.

Tenaya interrupted them.  "Perhaps we should eat now."  She turned to
the young man to repeat what she'd told her daughter earlier.  "After
we've eaten, I've arranged, through Xoltin of course, to have the
village priest provide us a demonstration of the mystical power of the
Zaltora Amulet."

"That's great!" exclaimed the young man.  "I am very curious about how
it works.  I'm already looking forward to watching the demonstration."

"I thought _you_ might," smiled Tenaya.

Jedina saw Xoltin smile across the table at her mother in that same
strange manner he'd been smiling at her most of the day.  And very
strangely, her mother seemed to be smiling back at him with the same
kind of peculiar smile.  The two of them must be up to something, she
could only assume.  But what the hell could it be?

Oddly, neither Jedina nor the young man seemed overly hungry at the
feast in their honor.  Jedina was too busy wondering what conspiracy
her mother and that shifty-looking Xoltin had up their collective
sleeves.  And the young man, eagerly anticipating a complete
demonstration of the Zaltora Amulet, had long since lost his appetite
with all the excitement.

* * * * * *
part 3
* * * * *


As soon as the three visitors finished their meals, the priest, who
had sat in silence and eaten nothing himself, carefully unwrapped the
cloth that covered the small parcel he had brought with him.

The young man eagerly eyed his every motion, not wanting to miss
anything of importance.  But when he saw what the priest had
unwrapped, he was extremely disappointed.  For something so ancient
and incredibly powerful, he had expected something more grandiose,
as _he_ felt would befit such an important magical artifact as the
Zaltora Amulet.

But the amulet wasn't overly grand at all.  In fact, it was rather
common, and quite ordinary, maybe even less than ordinary, looking.
It appeared to be composed of tarnished copper, possibly even bronze.
And, being about the size of a fifty kopeckne coin, it was no where
near as large as he'd imagined it would have to be.  On its face was
engraved an angel, or possibly a fairy.  Something like this should be
priceless, but if he were offered it on the street, he'd think himself
terribly cheated if he paying more than a fraction of even a single
kopeckne.

The young man turned to Tenaya, disappointment etched across his face.
"It is ... so ordinary," he said, his voice echoing the obvious
disappointment in his face.

"There is an old saying, young man, 'Do not judge a book by its
cover'," replied Tenaya, who, whenever necessary, was ever the
instructor.  "If you learn nothing else during this assignment, make
certain you are never again quick to judge anyone, or anything, only
from their appearances.  That which appears to be nothing more then a
harmless little trinket might be, as Zaltora herself quickly
discovered long ago, far more powerful than you might even consider
possible.

"Yes, Tenaya," replied the admonished young man solemnly.  "But I
expected so much more."

"You expected it to be as splendid as your expectations."

"There's another old saying that also seems appropriate here," added
Jedina, eager to cast _him_ into a bad light for once.  "You mentioned
it in class, 'All that glitters is not gold'."

"Well said, Jedina," smiled Tenaya, surprised her daughter had
actually remembered something from one of her lessons.  "But the real
demonstration of its power is just about to begin.  Watch carefully,
students."

As they watched, a young man and a young woman, presumably husband
and wife, were selected from among the villagers present.  The man
had closely cropped black hair, and was several inches taller than his
wife.  The woman had long waist-length light brown hair, and the large
full and firm breasts that were so very common among the women of this
tribe.

The priest carefully placed the amulet around the woman's neck, then
said a few words to the woman none of them could hear.  She held the
amulet out to her husband, who took a firm grip of the proffered
amulet in his hand.

For several long minutes, nothing seemed to happen.

And then, as if chilled by a slight sudden breeze, both the man and
the woman shivered slightly.  As time passed, the man slowly became
visibly shorter, while, at the same time, the woman was growing
taller.

His short black hair grew longer and lighter, while her own light
brown tresses grew darker, and impossibly appeared to be drawing back
into her scalp.

After several more minutes, perhaps fifteen at most, had passed, they
had become the same height, their hair lengths were of equal shoulder
length, and their hair colors were likewise identical.  They looked as
if they might even weigh the same.  They could have been readily
mistaken for twins, who visitors would likely confuse with each other,
despite their ever-lessening differences of gender.  He now appeared
to be an effeminate boy, while her appearance had become one of a
muscular girl.

But he continued to shrink, while her height continued to increase.

Both Jedina and the young man, awed by what they observed, watched
the couple's continuing alterations in near breathless amazement.

Then her massive breasts began to flatten beneath her blouse, as the
musculature of her chest altered and expanded.  Her waist thickened,
her hips narrowed, and her behind became more angular.

At the same time, his waist had contracted, his hips had broadened,
and his butt had swollen into an exceptionally pleasing soft feminine
roundness.  Beneath his shirt, two newly budded breasts began to
swell on his now smaller chest.

After no more than another five minutes had passed, his facial
features more closely resembled hers than his.  And, likewise, her
very semblance was more of him than of her.  And even though she was
now, just slightly, the taller of the two, it was plain to both
students that each one's appearance had become the other's.

Not long afterwards, he had finally shrunk to her old height, just as
she had stretched as tall as he had once been.  She now appeared
_exactly_ as he had looked before grasping the amulet.  And, in a like
manner, he too seemed no different from the woman his wife had been,
before the amulet had been placed about her neck.

They might have doubted their sanity, or the truth of what they'd
observed, save the man now wore the amulet.  And the he and the she
they had become were now indistinguishable from the she and the he
they had been before.

With only _one_ notable exception.

And even that lone difference of their new forms soon began altering
under the influence of the amulet.

A small, but growing, bulge appeared beneath the new man's skirt,
while a similar, albeit shrinking, bulge beneath the new woman's
pants would soon disappear.

Until finally, the priest whispered something in the ear of the man,
who then removed the amulet from around his neck, handing it back to
the priest.

The demonstration was over.

It had taken no more than thirty minutes to complete.  And in that
half hour, they had witnessed a man and a woman amazingly exchange
their bodies, one for the other.

"That was truly amazing," said Jedina simply.

"It certainly was," replied the young man.  "I doubt I would have
believed it possible, if I hadn't seen it for myself."

The new man walked over to Jedina, slid his arms around her waist,
pulled her closer, and kissed her.  And the new woman did the same to
the startled young man.  Both students blushed brightly, as the man
and the woman pulled away from them.  Then the couple turned and, as
if nothing at all had changed between them, walked away arm-in-arm
laughing.

Tenaya smiled as she watched her students' reactions.  Jedina and the
young man were speechless, a rare event for either, and neither could
do anything, except stare after the departing couple.

"Don't they feel differently?" asked the young man.

"Perhaps.  Perhaps not." answered Xoltin cryptically.  "Did _her_ lips
feel any differently than the lips of any other woman you've kissed.
The Medal of Czermanos bestows a certain inherent level of familiarity
with the form, along with the altering of their physicalities.  But,
regardless of anything else, they are still husband and wife.  It
matters not, which of them is the husband, and which of them is the
wife."

"How long will they have to stay that way?" asked Jedina.

"For the next twelve hours, at least," replied Xoltin.  "It takes the
body that much time to renew itself from the trauma accompanying a
change rendered by the Medal of Czermanos."

"They didn't look very traumatized to me," said the young man.

"If you ask me, they looked positively horny."

"Jedina!" scolded Tenaya quickly.

But Xoltin only smiled.  "There is no offense taken from your
daughter's words, my friend," he replied.  "An awakening of sexual
desires is a common aftereffect whenever the transformation involves
a change of gender, although a heightened state of arousal is in no
way a guaranteed certainty for all, or any, of the participants."
Xoltin casually looked out in the general direction the couple had
disappeared.  "Of course, although they have been unsuccessful so far,
_they_ do desire children."

"Can they do that?" asked Jedina.

Xoltin's knowing smile grew even larger.  "Why not?" he answered her
question with another question.  "One of them is male, and the other
one is female.  Unless you do things differently in your elsewhere,
then I believe one male and one female possess all the ingredients
necessary for the successful conception of a child."

Jedina's face turned beet red.  "But he was a man ... before being
changed into a woman."

"That means nothing, child.  For both of them, what they _were_ before
being transformed is of no meaningful significance, or importance.  It
is only what they _are_ now, which is ever important here," replied
Xoltin, as if speaking to a young child.  "However, should she, who
was the man before, conceive a child this day, then she, as the woman
she is now, shall carry and bear that child.  The Medal of Czermanos
will not permit alterations to the gender of a gravid woman."

"Utterly amazing."

"Totally fascinating."

* * * * * *

"Perhaps Xoltin can persuade the priest to allow both of you to
experience a firsthand transformation by the Zaltora Amulet," said
Tenaya.

"What!" shrieked Jedina.  "You can't really mean you want to transform
us into each other.  How awful!"

The young man looked at Jedina.  "Changing _me_ into _her_ is by no
means acceptable to me.  Please don't take offense, Tenaya, but I do
not wish to become your daughter, even for as little a time as twelve
hours."  But the young man wondered, if this could have been what the
two of them had discussed earlier.

Jedina stared daggers at the young man.  "Well, I sure as hell don't
want to be transformed into you either, you overstuffed pompous ass."

"Then, perhaps there is another way.  One that both of you might find
more acceptable," suggested Xoltin calmly.  "Perhaps, just _one_ of
you would be willing to experience a total transformation of your form
controlled by the power of the Medal of Czermanos."

Tenaya smiled.

And Jedina noticed her mother's odd smile.

"How would that work, Xoltin?" asked the young man curiously.  He was
now convinced this proposed solo transformation must be an integral
part of their class project. "From what we've already seen, I thought
you needed two people."

"Two people are not always necessary," replied Xoltin, as Jedina
noticed the return of that odd smile to his face.  "The Medal may also
work its magic in other ways.  For example, there are times when the
priest _must_ become female in order to correctly perform certain
rituals in strict accordance with our traditions.

"And also, when we are at war with other nearby tribes and require
additional warriors to adequately defend our village, some of our
women can be quickly transformed into those needed warriors, just
as my daughter was herself transformed."

"But don't they object?"

"Why should they, young man?  As you have already seen, our people
willingly accept whatever roles they must play, whenever they must
play them."

"But what happens to any warriors _you_ capture during your wars?"
asked Jedina curiously.

"We simply transform those captured warriors into women, my lady.
They eventually become indistinguishable from any other of our
village's women.  It is a simple, yet most enlightened, solution that
allows them to live and us to change more of our own women into
warriors, if that need should arise."

"Are you telling us these transformed warriors willingly accept this
change of gender?" asked the young man.

"Not at first, of course," replied Xoltin with a smile.  "But, in
general, given sufficient amounts of time, nearly all of them accept
and quickly adapt to the joys and pleasures of their new roles as
women of our society.  And in some cases, a few of them have earned
the right to become male warriors again."

"What about those who can't readily accept their transformation?"

"Another simple, although not as enlightened, solution," replied
Xoltin coldly.  "After all, a few of our more obscure religious
rituals still require the occasional _virgin_ sacrifice."

"How does the amulet work its magic when only one person is involved?"
asked the young man.  "From all that you've shown us so far, it seems
that two people must be involved in order to swap forms."

"In order to _swap_ forms, then two people _are_ required," explained
Xoltin.  "But the Medal's magic works just as effectively with only a
single person involved.  In these cases, the magic of the Medal of
Czermanos is invoked differently.  As you watched in the earlier
transformation, the Medal would be hung around the neck of the person
to be changed.  That person would then clasp some object belonging to
someone else against the Medal.  And then, just as before, over the
course of the next thirty minutes or so, the wearer of the Medal will
become as one with that object's owner.

"For example, if you wore the Medal of Czermanos around your neck,
then held the ring my friend now wears upon her finger against it, you
would be made over into Tenaya."

"But what would happen to the real Tenaya, if I were to become her?"
asked the curious wizard.  "Would she become me?  Or would she become
someone else entirely?"

"She would remain herself, of course," replied Xoltin.  "You would
become her, yet you would not be _exactly_ her.  Your mind would still
be yours, although the magic of the Medal would allow you to be as
comfortable wearing Tenaya's form, as Tenaya is herself.  The two of
you would be almost, as if born, identical twins."

"And if he were to touch _my_ skirt to the amulet, he'd become _my_
twin sister?"

"Exactly," replied Xoltin.  "Provided, of course, that you were last
person to wear it."  He smiled at her with _that_ disturbing smile
again, making Jedina even more nervous.

"So, which of you would like to experience the transformative effects
of the Zaltora Amulet firsthand."  Tenaya looked over her two charges,
although she was certain she already knew who would volunteer.

"Not me!" exclaimed Jedina.  "No way are you going to change me into
someone else.  _I_ don't ever want to be anyone other than me."

'Just as I expected,' thought Tenaya with a small knowing smile.  'My
daughter's reaction to being transformed comes as no great surprise.'

The young man smiled, as Jedina refused.  He figured he'd get extra
credit for being the volunteer.  "It would be in very poor taste to
refuse the generosity of our hosts," said the young man.  "And I am
quite curious about how it feels to be transformed by the amulet.  I
suppose I can try it on for size."  He smiled tauntingly at Jedina.
"From what you've said, I assume the effects are reversible after the
twelve hours have passed."

"Totally," smiled Xoltin.

Jedina glared back at her fellow student.  'Brown-nosing, ass kisser,'
she thought.  'It won't be my fault, if he can't see something's not
right about this.'

"Then as a wizard, it behooves me to find out what it's like, and how
it feels, to be transformed by the Zaltora Amulet.  It will be most
interesting to be fully functional, according to some completely
different physical aspect to the one I have always been."

"Excellent!" exclaimed Xoltin.

Tenaya smiled again, then turned and stared for a moment at her
daughter.  "Watch very closely, Jedina," she instructed her.  "You
just _might_ learn something very useful."

"Yes, _mother_," she snapped back angrily.  But Jedina was quickly
taken aback by her mother's failure to correct her, when she'd called
her 'mother', this time.  Never before had she failed to correct her
in a classroom-type situation.

Now she knew for certain, something just wasn't right.

Jedina also realized that her mother, by virtue of just being her
mother, must have known she would _never_ willingly volunteer to be
transformed into anyone else.  It now seemed obvious that Xoltin and
her mother were conspiring together to do something to _him_.  But
then, _he_ had volunteered.  Hadn't he?  'And as long as whatever
they're doing was being done to _him_,' she thought, 'then I'm not
about to interfere, or let it bother me.'

Xoltin nodded at the priest, who carefully placed the Medal of
Czermanos around the young man's neck.  Then Xoltin handed him the
bundle of clothing that he had brought with him.

As the young man unwrapped the bundle, he found several items of
female clothing within it.  He wasn't all that surprised seeing the
feminine attire, since he'd already determined the term project
probably dictated changing male volunteers into girls, and female
volunteers into boys.  Had Jedina volunteered, unlikely as that event
would have been, she would now be staring at the equivalent variety of
masculine attire.  For a moment, he wondered how Jedina would have
reacted at the thought of being male.

'Having my gender altered, as well as living as a female instead of as
the male I was born, even if only for the next twelve hours,' thought
the young man, 'will likely be an absolutely incredible learning
experience I will never forget.'

And as he looked at the clothing before him again, he wondered how it
would feel to be a girl.  "What do I do now?" he asked.

"Select an article of clothing," replied Xoltin.  "It matters not
which item you select."  To himself he added, since they were all
last worn by the same girl.  "Then hold it in contact with the Medal."

The young man did as he was told.

And yet, after the first couple of minutes had passed, nothing seemed
to have happened, or even started to happen.

* * * * * *
part 4
* * * * *

The young man suddenly shivered, although neither from the cold nor
from the persistent gentle breeze.  Gazing over in the direction where
Xoltin, Tenaya, and Jedina stood watching, he thought it very strange
that _they_ appeared to be growing, even though it was he, not they,
who should be the one transforming.  And then he realized, _they_
weren't growing, _he_ was shrinking.

He felt a sudden pressing tightness about his waist, as if he were now
wearing something binding, but he knew he wore nothing so constrictive
about his waist.  But when he looked down, his waist had already
noticeably thinned.

His pants had also grown progressively tighter across his hips and
buttocks.  With each passing minute, they became even tighter, and
more constrictive, until he finally had to undo the fastening of his
pants to seek relief from the discomfort caused by their increasing
snugness.

His hair, which he'd never worn very long before, now rested on his
shoulders.  It had felt extremely strange while his hair cascaded down
his neck, lengthening increasingly longer and longer with each passing
second.  But still, as time continued passing, his hair persistently
extended further downwards, while, at the same time, becoming softer
and fuller with each new inch grown.  He ran his new smooth and
slender fingers through his luxurious mane of hair, amazed at the feel
of its softly silken texture.

Once more glancing across towards Jedina and Tenaya, he found it odd
to now look them both eye to eye.  Still odder was having to look up
at Xoltin, who had been at least four inches shorter than him before
beginning this incredible transformation.

Xoltin stared intently at the altering frame of the young man.  But
there was something disturbing about the peculiar look the wizard saw
building in Xoltin's eyes.  Even though, he couldn't quite place its
meaning, it still, for some unknown reasons, made him very nervous.
'If only I knew what that disconcerting gaze of Xoltin's means.'

After several additional minutes passed, he felt an odd prickly
sensation begin spreading swiftly across his chest.  Two small nubs
suddenly poked out from beneath his shirt.  And even as his newly
formed nipples expanded, the two underdeveloped breasts accompanying
them began slowly swelling as well.

His face began to tingle.  Feeling as if the bones and muscles of his
face had become plastic, he perceived, totally without attendant pain,
his bones shifting positions, and changing shapes, while his muscles
tensed and relaxed, then tensed again, while the amulet's magic
realigned his face and appearance.  And when he once again felt the
tautness fade, he guessed he must appear very different than he had
before.  He slowly raised his hand, now even smoother, and more
delicate, with longer and more slender fingers.  He touched his
fingers to his face, which was both soft and smooth, making the young
man wonder anew about his altered appearance.  And, running through
his mind, he had the strangest and most peculiar thoughts, that, not
long after starting to think them, he no longer regarded as all that
odd.

He wondered if he might be pretty.

He wondered if the boys would like him.

Jedina glared at him as his breasts, which had been expanding almost
continually, became unmistakably larger than hers.  Back in their
reality, she had been, although by no means were hers the largest,
considered well-endowed, but here, where she was smaller than even the
smallest girl she'd seen in the village, she might have been regarded,
as barely into adolescence.

Finally, his hair stopped growing, as it reached the top of his
broadened buttocks.  It tickled, as it swished about his narrowed
waist.  And more strangely, it felt odd to have hair so long and
silky, yet, at the same time, not very odd at all.

By now, the young man had totally lost track of the passage of time.
But with the building tingling sensations across his chest to remind

him, he knew time continued to steadily elapse.  Within each new
minute, his breasts continued grew ever larger, until suddenly, he
blushed with embarrassment, as his shirt, which had obviously been
strained far past its elastic limitations, ripped open, leaving bare
his two large breasts.  He was amazed by their size, which easily was
as large, if not even larger, than the breasts of any girl he'd seen
walking around the village earlier.

He casually looked down at his crotch.  As he did, the shifting
weight on his chest felt strange, but the jiggling of his breasts up
and down with his every move also felt oddly pleasurable.  The bulge,
which was his penis and testicles, as well as the final vestiges of
his vanishing maleness, was still noticeably visible beneath his
unfastened pants that continued clinging to his widened hips.  But as
he watched on in amazement, _his_ bulge began to shrink.  And within
his altering body, he now felt peculiar movements, and the strangest
sensations, as his internal organs rearranged in accordance with the
dictates of the physiology into which the magic of the amulet was
transforming him.  As the bulge's steadily decreased, he could see,
as well as feel, the area around it becoming increasingly smooth.
Until finally, and inevitably, the bulge, which once defined his
manhood, was gone.

His initial sense of strangeness having passed, he quickly became
aware of a brand new, even more alien, set of feelings pervading his
body.  In particular, he wondered about the increasing dampness around
his newly reformed crotch.

Raising his hand slowly to his new breasts, which had, unnoticed in
the excitement of his changing genitals, finally stopped expanding,
he carefully touched them.  Not only were they firm and full, but
they were also incredibly sensitive to his touch.  From only his own
mere touch, a flood of awesome and unbelievable pleasure had raced
unchecked throughout his transformed body.  "These are fantastic," he
whispered in wonder.

Jedina stared at him, as the young man fondled his massive new
mammaries.  He decided she must be really envious of him by now,
since his breasts were definitely larger than hers and, in addition,
he was convinced he was also the prettier one of them.  For a fleeting
moment, he thought those thoughts should be bothering him, but they
weren't.  After all, what could he do, if Jedina was jealous of him.

As he shifted his feet slightly, making his breasts jiggle ever so
slightly in his hands, he smiled.  Never in his life had he ever felt
something so totally fantastic and overtly pleasurable.

"So how does it feel to be a girl now?" asked Jedina, clearly trying,
without much success, to hide the envy in her voice.

"Actually, it doesn't feel much different than being a boy," he
replied, surprised by the sexiness of his new soprano feminine voice.
"But I really believe I'm going to have some kind of sensory overload
with these awesome new breasts of mine."  He noticed Xoltin, for
whatever reasons he had, continuing to stare at him with that really
peculiar look in his eyes.  He still wondered what that look of his
meant, and why Xoltin was staring at _him_ that way.  But, regardless
of the answers, he definitely wished Xoltin would stop gaping at him.
Not only did the man's incessant staring make him feel extremely
uncomfortable, he also suddenly knew, without even knowing how or why,
that he didn't like being ogled by him, or any other man, that way.

The priest, at Xoltin's nod, walked over to young man, and spoke a few
unintelligible words.  The young man felt a passing wave of
strangeness for a moment, but almost as suddenly as the feeling
started, it had disappeared once again.

"What was that?" he asked, suddenly thinking that being female wasn't
that big of a deal.  It might even be fun ... for a while.

"A little help," replied the priest, "for your old mind to be more at
ease with your new body."

"Thank you," he replied uncertainly, not quite understanding why he
needed such help.  But as he saw Xoltin staring at him, he realized
why that help had been provided.  For the young man now quite easily
recognized the lust in Xoltin's leer as exactly what it was.

It didn't take long for the young man to realize that, for the next
twelve hours, he would have to keep his luscious and buxom new female
body as far away from Xoltin as he possibly could.

* * * * * *

The newly transformed young man, standing before  them was an odd
sight to behold.  His unfastened pants hung from his wide hips.  And
his ample new breasts were bared beneath the tatters of his shirt.
The wizard doubted it would have bothered him being clothed this way,
except for that way Xoltin constantly leered at him.  That man's
continual lustful gaze made him wish Jedina had volunteered to be the
amulet's subject instead of him, but he knew he was stuck with this
female form for at least the next twelve hours.

Tenaya studied the young man's new outward physical aspect carefully.
Noting his apparent discomfort, she said, "Perhaps you might feel a
little better, and more at ease, if you were dressed in a manner more
consistent with your new appearance."  Not bothering to wait for his
reply, Tenaya simply waved her hand in his direction.  What remained
of the clothes he'd been wearing, whether simply ill-fitting, or in
tatters, slid off his body into a small clump at his feet.

Jedina stared at him curiously.  In spite of what she'd seen earlier,
she had at first thought it impossible for him to now be female.  But
now that she could see _all_ of him as he stood before them with his
nudity revealing all of _his_ womanly, the last of her skepticism
vanished.  Without a doubt, the young man was totally, and undeniably,
female - _very_ female.

And seeing the young man openly exposing his womanly attributes for
all to see, Xoltin's leer became increasingly lustful.  His steady
gawking at the young man's form, remolded by the amulet's magic into
the very pleasing shape of an amply endowed, comely young village
woman, made him feel, not only terribly nervous, but far more
vulnerable than he'd ever felt in his life.

"Tenaya!" he exclaimed, unhappy about his nakedness.  He had already
surmised that, for as long as he possessed this shapely female body,
he would need to avoid Xoltin like the plague.  And, having felt that
uncomfortable clothed only in tatters, he realized, now that he was
both nude and on display, how correct his earlier assessment had been.

Tenaya casually smiled at him, which, for some unknown reason, did
very little to reassure the young man.  Including both the young man
and the remaining female attire still laid out on the nearby table,
Tenaya made a wide sweeping pass with her arm.  Article by article,
each piece of women's clothing on the table popped out of existence,
only to reappear mere moments later on the young man's feminine frame.

Before he knew what had happened, he was fully clothed once again.
However, the young man thought the clothes he wore stretched a little
too tightly across his breasts.  After putting one of his hands atop
his newly covered breast, a flood of shame and embarrassment spread
rapidly throughout his body.  He was afraid he might enjoy being able
to touch _them_ this way.

"Is there something wrong?" asked Tenaya.

"No, Tenaya, there's nothing wrong," he replied with a shake of his
head.  "It's just that these breasts of mine are so incredibly
sensitive.  And I'm slightly embarrassed about how touching them makes
me feel.  It's amazing really.  Whenever I touch one of them I
experience waves of incredible pleasure throughout my entire body."

"Might _I_ examine you more closely?" asked Tenaya.

"I don't see why not.  I certainly can't see what harm can be done,"
he replied with a nod of his head.  And then, rubbing his hands across
his sensitive breasts again, he moaned softly.  "After all, both of us
are women, at least for the next twelve hours or so."

Tenaya smiled.

And Jedina continued wondering what was going on.

For several minutes, Tenaya slowly ran her hands gently across the
young man's breasts.  With each of her soft caresses, the young man's
pleasure noticeably increased.  And then, for no discernable reason,
Tenaya's softly petting hands traveled upwards over his neck, before
finally coming to rest upon his temples.  Preoccupied with all the
blissful sensations coursing through him, he failed to hear Tenaya
say, just barely above a whisper, "You must be who you appear to be."
With her simple spell cast, her hands sensually retraced their path
across his body to his breasts, which, to the young man's elation,
she began fondling once more.

The young man continued moaning softly with her pleasant touch.

"Is there something wrong?" grinned Tenaya.

"No, Tenaya," he replied, even though his mind had strangely begun to
cloud.  He felt somewhat dizzy, and he was also experiencing some
newly confusing memories of things he didn't remember, as well as
recalling events for which he had no memories of attending.  "It's
just that your caresses are so erotically pleasurable."

'Dumb slut!' thought Jedina.

"How long have you had such wonderfully sensitive breasts?" asked
Tenaya.

Jedina couldn't believe her ears.

'What an odd question to ask me,' thought the young man.  'What would
make her ask me something like that?  Tenaya was here, and she must
have watched, while the Zaltora Amulet transformed me into this buxom
female form.  She must know that I haven't had these breasts even an
hour.'

A new wave of dizziness swept through him before he could answer his
instructor's question.  And yet, when he did make his reply, his
answer surprised even him.  "I have had them for several years now,
Tenaya.  They began growing as I entered into my adolescence, when I
began my transition from boyhood into womanhood."  The young man
shook his head with budding confusion.  Something didn't seem right
about what he had just told that woman - what was her name again? -
from elsewhere.  But, try as he might, he could not think of anything
that might have possibly been wrong.  The young man looked at Tenaya
with an odd look of curiosity.  "Do not these same changes occur where
you come from, my lady?" he asked.

Jedina stared at her longtime rival.  'My lady', he had called her
mother, just as if he were another of those tiresome villagers she'd
spoken with earlier in the day.  She had guessed her mother and Xoltin
were up to something, but she had never expected something as devious
as this.  Obviously, her mother had caught the young man off guard
with a spell designed to make him believe he was just another simple
village girl.  'Way to go, mom!' she happily thought.

"Of course it does," replied Tenaya with a mischievous smile.  "How
long have you been a girl?"

He suddenly felt dizzy, even somewhat nauseous, as more confusing
memories he hadn't possessed moments earlier suddenly flooded into
his mind.  And as the mental conflicts with his older recollections
began resolving, it dawned on him what was wrong with what he'd told
the woman visiting from elsewhere.  _Boys_ didn't become women with
the onset of puberty.  It was _girls_ who became women.  He looked at
himself again and, after quickly determining he was very obviously a
woman, he decided he must have been a _girl_ before his adolescence
began.

His answer to Tenaya's question seemed quite natural to him, but it
easily caught Jedina off guard.  However, Jedina could tell that her
mother and Xoltin had both anticipated the reply he gave.

"I have always been a girl," _she_ told them.

Xoltin looked on eagerly, his growing lust for this _girl_ now more
evident than before to Jedina.  'That man is really sick,' thought
Jedina with disgust.  She decided she didn't like this friend of her
mother's very much, and wondered how her own mother could possibly
be friends with someone like him.

"Do you have a name, girl?"

The new young woman looked at her.  "Yes, my lady," she replied.  "We
all have names.  Do we not?"

Another surge of fresh new memories flooded her mind, overlaying those
no longer relevant for her.  As she now remembered, her mother was in
the dwelling place of the spirits.  And it saddened her greatly never
having known her.  She remembered that her mother had passed over to
the spirit land in giving her life.

And then, she remembered that terrible and persistent sadness that had
always surrounded her father as she had grown to womanhood.  And there
was something she was supposed to do - a marriage, she thought - which
had somehow brought happiness to her father again.  But to whom she
was to be married remained a mystery.  She just could not recall his
name.

"My name is Cjelindra," she answered finally, having sorted through
nearly all of _her_ memories just to discover her own name.

Tears quickly welled in Xoltin's eyes.  "Is it truly you, my
daughter?"

"Yes, father," she replied, wondering what new sadness caused her
father to cry once more.  She knew _she_ could not be the cause, as
she had not been away from their village long enough to cause him
such grief.  "Who else would be standing here now ... with your
friend, and her daughter, from the elsewhere ... to assist your
showing them about our village."

Xoltin exchanged smiles with Tenaya.  "Thank you, my friend."  He then
turned back to Cjelindra, "We have much to plan my daughter.  We must
now return to our hut to plan what will soon be required of us."

"Yes, father," replied Cjelindra, wondering what they needed to plan.
But suddenly, another partial memory surfaced in her consciousness.
And with its arrival, she was no longer completely certain she wanted
to accompany her father anywhere.  And, for some reason she had yet
to recall, she just didn't like the idea of going anywhere with him
_alone_.

Jedina stared as Xoltin and his _daughter_, who had been, not more
than an hour earlier, her male classmate, as well as the bane of her
existence, walked off together in the direction of his hut.  But even
after witnessing firsthand everything that had happened to him, she
still found it difficult to believe how totally feminine he appeared
and acted.  It was almost as if _she_ might have always been the girl
Cjelindra.

And yet, even Jedina could tell there was something amiss, beyond
what was obvious, with the girl's relationship with _her_ father.  She
had looked nervous, almost frightened of him.  Jedina turned back to
Tenaya.  "What the hell have you done, mother?"

* * * * * *
part 5
* * * * * *


Tenaya looked her daughter squarely in the eye.  "Does it really
matter to you?  Besides, I could have sworn you didn't like _him_,
Jedina."

"I don't like _him_."

"Then why should it bother you, if _he_ now believes himself to be
Cjelindra, the recently deceased daughter of my friend Xoltin."

"It doesn't bother _me_ at all, mother.  And I'd really like to thank
you for getting rid of my butt-kissing rival, and the biggest pain in
the ass I've ever known.  But something - I can't really explain what
exactly - just seems very _wrong_ about their new relationship.
Besides, won't you get into a lot of trouble when the powers that be
find out what you've done to him?"

"You need not lose any sleep worrying about _their_ relationship.  All
will work out for them exactly as it should," replied Tenaya casually.
"And as far as me getting into any trouble, I find the possibility
highly unlikely.  Before we left our own reality, I made certain to
call in a few markers owed me, just in case I was given an opportunity
like this.  Surely you don't think _you_ were the only person at the
school who disliked that supercilious and arrogant little fop.

"With the help I've already garnered, we'll just report him 'missing'
as soon as we return home.  He won't be the first student, nor even
the last, for that matter, to vanish a probable victim of the Zaltora
Amulet after unknowingly transgressing on one of the local native
taboos.  It'll be a real shame for someone so talented to disappear,
but, as I'm sure _you_ will remember, both of you had been warned
earlier."

"Won't someone come looking for him?"

"Perhaps.  But anyone who does should present _no_ major long term
problems.  I doubt anyone coming here to look for _him_ will pay
_her_ much attention, except, perhaps, as an overly willing bed
partner.  _She_, of course, will be utterly unaware of any need to
call attention to herself.  And if that weren't enough, my daughter,
according to _her_ father Xoltin, the girl will soon be getting
married."

"What about his inherent magical energies?"

"What about them?"

"Can't they trace his whereabouts through them?" asked Jedina.  "And
if _you_ took _his_ magical energies as your own, wouldn't they be
able to tell whenever _you_ tapped into his conjuric potential instead
of your own."

"You need not worry about that, or his magical signature either,
Jedina.  Although, I am pleasantly surprised you remembered something
so mundane from your lessons," replied her mother.  "They can't trace
his magic anywhere, or even connect it to anyone else, _if_ it is
never used again.  And I've purposely left all of his magical energies
intact within her.  If she only knew how to tap into them, she could.
But even with all of his potential safely stashed within her, and
ready for her to use, _she_ will have no idea she even possesses it,
or that she might be capable of wielding it.  It's a terrible pity to
have to waste so much power, but it's a lot safer for us overall.  No
one should ever discover him living here ... in this village ... as
Cjelindra."

"Then no one, except you and me, will ever know his true fate, or
_your_ involvement in his disappearance," said Jedina, an interesting
idea beginning to take shape in her mind.

"Don't even think about that, Jedina," warned Tenaya with a knowing
grin.  "With my standing in the academic community, all I need do is
deny any involvement, and no one will further consider that I played
any part in his disappearance.  Just think about the circumstances
for a couple of minutes.  _Who_ do you think has the most to gain
with him gone forever?"

Jedina gave her mother a blank look of innocence in return.

"_Who_ would be the new _best_ student of this session with _him_
out of the way?"

Jedina still remained silent and unconcerned.

Tenaya smiled, then played her trump card, as she asked, "And who was
it said," her voice suddenly shifting registers upwards to match her
daughter's voice, "But believe me, Mahtok, if I should somehow get
the chance, that asshole won't be coming back."

"Shit!" exclaimed Jedina, wondering just how long her mother had been
eavesdropping on her conversations.

"Exactly, my dear daughter," smiled Tenaya with a Cheshire cat smile.
"Right now, I'm going to take a long evening stroll about the village.
Might I suggest you do the same.  I'm certain a little walk will make
you feel a lot better.  I've found that a good walk in the evening
always does wonders for me."  And no longer concerned with what her
daughter thought, she turned and walked off, soon disappearing into
the surrounding village.

Jedina shook her head.  "But if anything goes wrong," she mumbled,
"we'll both have hell to pay.  I sure hope mom knows exactly what
she's doing."

* * * * * *

After a couple of hours of wandering aimlessly about the village,
Jedina unexpectedly encountered Cjelindra in one of the marketplaces.
She seemed dazed, and apparently upset about something.  From the
redness of her puffy eyes, Jedina guessed she had been crying.

"What's wrong Cjelindra?"

Not expecting anyone to speak to her, Cjelindra's head jerked up as
if she'd been caught in the act of doing something she shouldn't be
doing.  "Oh," she sounded surprised, when she saw who had asked the
question.  "You're Jilema, daughter of my father's friend from the
elsewhere.  Aren't you?"

"That's Jedina," she calmly corrected the girl.  But quite obviously,
the girl still retained some minor bits and mostly insignificant
pieces of _his_ memories.

"Please forgive me, my lady," replied Cjelindra contritely.  "I meant
no offense."

"None taken.  But would you can the 'my lady' crap," she snapped back.
"Please, Cjelindra.  Just call me Jedina."

"If that is what you wish," replied the upset girl.

"What's wrong, Cjelindra?"

"You must not tell anyone what I tell you," said the girl nervously.
"Will you promise, Jedina?""

'Ah, sounds like some really juicy stuff,' thought Jedina.  "Of course
I won't tell, Cjelindra.  I give you my word of honor."

"That is sufficient," replied Cjelindra, scanning the nearby area of
the marketplace nervously.  "It is ..." she began, "... my father."
She acted skittish, almost as if she expected something _or_ someone
to jump out of the shadows at any minute.

"What about your father?"  Jedina had already decided Xoltin was kind
of weird, but just what, she wondered, could Cjelindra have discovered
about Xoltin that was so distressing in the few short hours she'd been
his daughter.

"When we took our leave from you earlier today," replied Cjelindra,
once again nervously looking around.  "We went back to my father's
hut."  She paused, surveying the grounds again.

"And ...," prompted Jedina.  Just what juicy piece of gossip could
she have?  And why was she always looking around all the time?

"He had his way with me," replied the girl, quietly as her face turned
beet red.

"He what!" exclaimed Jedina, not actually believing what she'd heard.

"He took me to his bed," she repeated in an even lower whisper.  "And
once there, he took me in that way only a man can take a woman."

Jedina was stunned.  "How could that damn bastard do _that_ to you!"

"Please Jedina.  Whatever else he might be, he is still my father,"
replied the girl quietly, even though still noticeably upset by what
had happened.  "Afterwards, he told me _these_ things he now required
from me was nothing more than what was due him, because _my_ mother,
in giving _me_ life, had been most unfairly, and far too early, sent
to dwell in the land of spirits.  He said _I_ owed it to him.  And
_everything_ he has missed by her absence in all those years since her
passing, he now intends on taking from me."

"But he can't do something like that to his own daughter,"  argued
Jedina, mentally adding, at least, you're _her_ in body, more or less.
"It's immoral."

"I tried repeatedly to convince him of that," she wept openly.  "But
he wouldn't listen to me.  However, very soon, he will no longer be
able to take me as if I were nothing, but his wife and property."

Jedina was puzzled.  "What are you planning to do?"

"Early tomorrow morning, I shall speak with the priest," explained
Cjelindra.  "I shall tell him exactly what my father has done to me
this day.  Then, I shall ask him to use the Medal of Czermanos to
transform me into a warrior, so that I, as a virile _man_, might be
better capable of fighting the enemies of our village.  If I should
die, then I shall die with the honor of a warrior, not this shame my
father has cast upon me."

Jedina studied the new Cjelindra carefully.  Very obviously, the
same, or some similar, event must have occurred between Xoltin and
the original Cjelindra.  Except, given that the priest had actively
assisted Xoltin transform the wizard, she doubted his original
daughter had actually confessed either her father's abuse. or their
sin to the priest.  Either that, or the priest might not consider
wrong what the father had done to the daughter.

Jedina now found herself in a very odd situation.  'How many times in
the past have I wanted to do away with that obnoxious young fool?' she
wondered.  But now that this golden opportunity had presented itself
to her, she hesitated.  Here _he_ was, albeit he was not completely
himself at the moment, and might never be again, virtually proposing
a scheme by which he'd do herself in.

But Jedina really didn't approve of the girl's plan.  Somehow, it
didn't seem very fair.  The girl's death, as she had proposed it,
would result in making her a hero.  But such a heroic death might
conceivably be quick and painless.  And yet, Jedina had _always_
anticipated making that little asshole suffer greatly before she
finally destroyed him.  Jedina decided that using the Zaltora Amulet
to transform Cjelindra into a warrior to die in the defense of her
village was unacceptable.  It was a far more dignified end than Jedina
could ever allow _him_ to have.

"Perhaps I can help you out, Cjelindra," said Jedina with a wicked
grin.

"I do not think it possible," replied Cjelindra.  "I doubt that
anyone, save the priest, of course, might successfully aid and
comfort me now," she said forlornly.

"Just give me a chance.  I really think _I_ might be able to help."
Jedina gently placed her hands gently on Cjelindra's temples, just as
she had seen her mother do earlier.  She wished she would have paid
more attention when they discussed this technique in class, but, for
now, she could only hope she was doing it correctly.  With gentle
circular motions, she caressed the girl's temples.  And in response,
Cjelindra's eyes slowly closed.  "Can you hear me, Cjelindra?"

"Yes."

"You no longer want to go the priest in the morning.  Nor do you wish
to tell him anything of your father's wickedness.

"You no longer need to be transformed into a warrior.  You are a
_girl_, who desires only to be Cjelindra - now ... and forever."

Cjelindra said nothing.

"You know what you and your father did together earlier was wrong.
But it won't stop you from enjoying his lusty advances toward you
in the future.  _You_ want to be with him again, just as any woman
is with _her_ man.

"After each time you have lain with him, you will feel guilty, and
unclean, for a short while.  But, with each new time, you will enjoy
his attentions even more than the time before, and your time of guilt
will lessen.  You will thoroughly enjoy giving him pleasure, _and_
being pleasured by him in return.

"You want to be with him, as often as you can.  You want to replace
your mother, and be _her_, for him.  Don't you, Cjelindra?"

"Yes."

"You also greatly desire to be the mother of his _many_ children.
Don't you, Cjelindra?"

"Yes."

Jedina smirked.  'Much better,' she thought.  'I have now provided
_him_ a far more fitting punishment to endure.  Instead of some simple
hero's death, my longtime butt-kissing rival will now be a common
village girl, who will spend the rest of her life as a wanton and
incestuous little slut.'

As far as Jedina was concerned, this constituted a far superior, and
more appropriate revenge, than mere death.  But, as her mother had
done before, Jedina now needed to protect herself from the possibility
of her part in this affair being revealed.  Consequently, before she
would pull her hands back from Cjelindra's temples, a few final
commands to the girl were required.

"You will _never_ remember that you and I have spoken about this
matter existing between you and your father.  You will likewise
_never_ remember that I have helped you cope with this problem in
any way.  Do you understand what I've told you, Cjelindra?"

"Yes."

'That went better than I anticipated,' she thought, as she gently
pulled her hands away from the girl's temples.  "Wake up, Cjelindra."

Cjelindra's eyes slowly opened.  Surprised by the wetness of her
cheeks, she wondered why, and for how long, she'd been crying.  "Where
are we, Jilema?" she asked the daughter of her father's friend, who
she'd just noticed standing beside her.

"That's Jedina," she repeated.  "We're still in the marketplace."

"Oh, yes.  Of course, I remember now.  But please, you must forgive
me, my lady," she replied, afraid she might have insulted one of the
guests from elsewhere.  "I must go now," she suddenly said.  "I need
to go at once to my father's hut."  Cjelindra looked about nervously
again, but now, as if trying to keep some secret hidden.  'Whatever
else has happened today,' she thought, 'I still can't let anyone know
my father bedded me as if I were his wife.'

Knowing what they'd done together was wrong, Cjelindra felt very badly
about having done it.  And yet, even as she'd been pleading with the
spirits for guidance, she couldn't stop daydreaming about being with
him  - again and again - in _that_ same way.

Leaving the smugly smiling Jedina in the marketplace, Cjelindra
quickly made her way towards her father's hut, all the while
fervently hoping he was still inside, and eagerly awaiting her
return.

* * * * * *
part 6
* * * * * *


As Tenaya ambled carefree about the village, she couldn't keep from
thinking that old friend Xoltin was a fool.  But then, that was
understandable - after all, he was just a man.  And Tenaya had long
known that men like him, regardless of which reality they called home,
tended to think first and foremost with that little organ hanging
between their legs.

When Xoltin had first approached her about the possibility of using
the Zaltora Amulet to transform one of the students accompanying her
into the twin of his daughter, she'd laughed at him.  She hadn't meant
to laugh, but his request had seemed so ludicrous she couldn't help
herself.

After his transformed-into-a-warrior daughter had left the village,
he'd been alone - totally alone - for the first time since before his
daughter had been born.  And he detested that loneliness.  The death
of his daughter appeared to have partially unsettled his mind and, as
a consequence, his actions were not always logical, or predictable.
The only certainty in his life was his strong desire not to remain
alone.

But eventually the sadness of her friend's plight had caused Tenaya to
change her mind about helping him deal with his loneliness.  After
all, Xoltin was still her friend.  And while she definitely wouldn't
allow him to have _her_ daughter as a replacement for his own, the
young _male_ student was a completely different story.

Just like her daughter, Tenaya had never liked the brash young wizard,
who had nearly always been at the top of his every class.  And, in
case she'd found some way of permanently ridding herself of him, she
had called in several favors from other members of the school staff.
Before even thinking of doing something to him, she'd known both her
and her daughter's asses needed to covered.

And, if _he_ were suddenly gone, then her daughter Jedina, as she
should have always been, would be the school's best student and, with
that status, obtain all the little perks that went with it.

At first, Xoltin had inquired about the possibility of transforming
the young man into the likeness of his departed wife, but that turned
out to be an unviable option.  Tenaya had never met Xoltin's wife,
Lynaklurei, which would have made it more difficult to adequately
reproduce Lynaklurei's mental emanations with the requisite
consistency to alter his thoughts into hers, without a lot of
assistance from the amulet itself.  But its help would not - could
never - be forthcoming, as most importantly, the amulet required
something Lynaklurei had possessed in order to physically transform
the young man into her.

But after all the time that had passed, there was nothing physically
left, which had once belonged to Xoltin's departed wife.  And without
something belonging to her, the amulet was useless.  In accordance
with their customs, all of his wife's clothing had either been given
away to those in need, or incinerated.  And every other object he'd
kept to remind him of her had eventually been given to their daughter,
Cjelindra.  And in those acts of giving, those items had ceased being
Lynaklurei's, becoming Cjelindra's instead.  And, as _its_ magic
dictated, the amulet, which could only transform its wearer into the
owner of the object in contact with it, would metamorphose the young
man into Cjelindra, not her mother Lynaklurei.

Although it saddened her to disappoint Xoltin, Tenaya explained to her
friend the impossibility of bringing Lynaklurei back using the amulet.
And without the necessary distractions resulting from his voluntary
transformation by the amulet, she would never catch the young man off
his guard long enough to change his mind.  It wasn't easy for Xoltin
to hear, but he finally accepted that his wife Lynaklurei was simply
lost to him until he too passed over and joined her in the place where
the spirits dwelled.

And yet, considered Tenaya, had Xoltin actually wanted his wife back,
as badly then, as it now appeared, he could have very easily taken the
amulet, slipped it over the infant Cjelindra's tiny neck, and touched
something of Lynaklurei's to it.  Had he done that at the time, the
infant girl would have essentially become Lynaklurei's physical twin.

However, unless he'd known some powerful magic wielder who could
strengthen the effects of the object's emanations, which the amulet,
under normal circumstances, only translated into a fundamental
familiarity with the new body, the changeling infant would have been
little more mentally than the infant she actually was.  Even then,
there would have been no guarantees of success, without casting some
aiding spell, something the priest was incapable of doing, that the
girl would have ever come to love him as Lynaklurei had.

But he'd waited.  And after waiting so long, Lynaklurei could never
be truly restored to him.  Someone could easily be given her form,
but, without using the amulet, that someone could never truly replace
his wife.

And yet, their daughter Cjelindra, as beautiful as her mother, had
grown up and become her own person.  Once she was confronted with that
distasteful notion of her own father wanting her in those same ways he
had wanted her mother, the morally indignant Cjelindra had been driven
to seek out the priest for guidance.  She could never replace her
mother like that, even though her father kept insisting she could, and
would.  She had consequently resolved _never_ to lie in the same bed
with him.  And to escape her repugnant situation, and its attendant
shame, she decided to have the priest transform her into a warrior
and, in that way, she would seek, as a man herself, to regain the
dignity her father had so casually taken from her, as a woman.

'What the distraught girl did was so plainly obvious,' thought Tenaya.
'How could Xoltin have failed to see something as blatantly visible to
everyone else?'

As if she'd lived through it all herself, Tenaya had seen the events
transpire in those few moments, when she'd cast her spell, and touched
his mind, while he had been preoccupied with her sensual caressings of
his breasts.  'How typically _male_ of him,' she thought.

She hadn't expected, or been prepared, to receive Cjelindra's complete
life history, but it had explained nearly all of Xoltin's mysterious
actions.  However, she hadn't been certain what she had proposed to
do, could actually be done.  Having long been aware she could neither
alter nor reverse the effects of the amulet's physical transformation
herself, she'd been pleased to discover that _mental_ alterations were
permissible.

There could have been a major paper detailing this new discovery.  A
vast new field of previously untapped study could have easily come
into existence.  This could have made her as famous, as Zaltora
herself.

That is, provided she was willing to live with the consequences of
what she'd done, which she wasn't about to do.  It was better for her
and Jedina, if she just _forgot_ everything _new_ she'd learned the
past few hours about the Zaltora Amulet.

But, on the other hand, there might not be adequate time to study the
girl.  Tenaya believed Cjelindra might retain some fragmented memories
of the boy's, as well as oddly incomplete thoughts she'd never be able
to explain.  But those incongruities in her memories would never prove
to be an issue.  With the nearly total submersion, and general
inaccessibility, of the young man's memories beneath Cjelindra's,
it was still obvious to Tenaya that those tragic events, having
already happened once, were now likely to occur again in the immediate
future.

Her misguided friend Xoltin would probably repeat his earlier actions,
and take, or try to take, his newly restored daughter, who would still
be confused by the flood of _her_ new memories, to his bed.  The old
Cjelindra had refused him, but it was likely this new one would
succumb.  And, although nothing in life could be predicted with any
certainty, there was little doubt in Tenaya's mind that this new
Cjelindra would soon follow a similar path to the spirit's dwelling
place, as had the real Cjelindra.

Xoltin had already lost his only daughter once.  And now, the
probability was high, he would soon lose her again, almost exactly
as he had lost her before.

Fearful for her friend's already fragile mental state should he be
rejected once more by his daughter, and then forced to endure her
death again, she concluded she must warn Xoltin of this possibility.

But when Tenaya arrived outside her friend's hut, she was surprised
to see Cjelindra just leaving.  'That's odd,' thought Tenaya.  It had
been several hours since she'd left nervously, almost fearfully, with
her father.  Certainly by now, Xoltin must have taken _her_, as he'd
always planned on doing with his original daughter.

However, quite unexpectedly, Cjelindra did not appear overly upset by
what Tenaya guessed must have occurred between her and her father.
She actually seemed ... kind of happy ... almost radiant.  In truth,
Cjelindra appeared more like someone who had something to hide, almost
as if she might have tasted of the forbidden fruit before thoroughly
enjoying something she was never meant to enjoy.

For several moments, Tenaya stared curiously at the girl leaving
Xoltin's hut.  Was what she was thinking possible?  Deciding to
investigate, she examined the girl with a deeper and more probing
sight.  "Well, I'll be damned," she muttered, surprised by what she'd
discovered.  It was weeks too early for either Cjelindra or Xoltin to
even guess what Tenaya now knew, but she would be certain to return,
at least for a brief visit, in a few months time.

As she touched the small globe tucked away safely in one of the many
pockets of her robes, Tenaya smiled.  The globe, a souvenir of sorts,
contained the only remnants of the young wizard's shredded shirt.  But
even if she would allow - something she wasn't about to do - Cjelindra
to touch its contents to the Zaltora Amulet, the young woman would
transform into the young man again, even though incomplete, for only
a few short minutes before the amulet returned him to her Cjelindra
form.  'It would be interesting to observe,' thought Tenaya, knowing
the amulet would not allow a _pregnant_ woman's gender to be changed.

* * * * *

Shortly thereafter, Tenaya decided it was time for her and Jedina to
say their farewells to both Xoltin and _his_ daughter and return home.
But first, a few quick, hopefully unnecessary, spells of concealment
would be cast.  Tenaya hoped they would be unwarranted, but, to be on
the safe side, she cast them just the same.

As required, she would file her report with the school officials.  She
knew, from all the favors she'd called in before they'd left, that
most of them would accept her explanation solely on her word, but
there would be a few members, who would decide to investigate, or to
search for the missing, and promising young wizard.

She guessed anyone attempting to seek him out would concentrate their
attentions with the priest, and the village elders.  There might be a
few, who deemed it necessary to speak with other villagers, Cjelindra
herself included.  However, they would never find _him_.  No one in
the village would even remember seeing the young man after they'd
first arrived.  And in a similar manner, no villager, Xoltin included,
would consciously remember the _real_ Cjelindra had been transformed
into a warrior, and subsequently, passed on into the spirit world.  As
far as they would _all_ recall, the Cjelindra living with them now
_was_, and had always been, the Cjelindra who had been born to
Lynaklurei and her husband Xoltin.

* * * * * *

As soon as Tenaya and Jedina returned to their own reality, Tenaya
dutifully filed her report with the school authorities.  And just as
Tenaya had expected, nearly everyone readily accepted what she had
reported without asking additional questions.  With her reputation and
integrity beyond reproach, no one considered she might be less than
totally truthful.  She had also informed the proper authorities that
the disappearance of such a fine and promising young wizard was most
unfortunate, but _he_ and Jedina had been warned about violating local
taboos.  She regretfully informed them, 'It is my belief the young man
himself is the root cause of his own disappearance.'

But there were a few, who still had questions.  And the brief
investigation, held in the reality of the Zaltora Amulet, turned up
nothing of any significance.  Some of the investigators thought it
odd that every villager interviewed could not recall seeing him after
they'd first arrived.

But over the course of the investigation, the only thing any of the
villagers had found strange was the marriage between Xoltin, one of
the most respected village elders, and his only daughter Cjelindra.

Marrying one's own daughter was not generally an acceptable practice
in the village, but, from time to time, under certain circumstances,
it was allowed.  In this case, the girl, who most villagers believed
had wantonly seduced her own father - it was, after all, what they'd
been told - was totally at fault for her current situation.  It must
have been her fault, since she had been impregnated by him in an
obvious attempt to entrap him.  But, in their society, even such a
conniving woman raising a child without a father, especially when that
father was known, was an even bigger, and more immoral, sin than the
father of that child being the mother's father as well.

They villagers admired Xoltin for what he'd done.  He could have had
her cast out, but refused to do so.  And not a single villager
recalled, how happy Xoltin had been at their wedding ceremony.  But
not long afterwards, no one, except Cjelindra herself, ever again
referred to Xoltin's daughter as anyone other than his wife.

Even Elmer had found plenty of time to search for his friend in that
other reality.  But his search, like all of the others, was to no
avail.  He spent time speaking with several villagers, one of them
being the girl Cjelindra.  He found the pretty young wife of the
village elder both fascinating and quite intriguing, but of no real
help in his search.  But all the while he'd talked with her, he'd had
the most curiously insistent feeling that he must have met her,
somewhere and someplace before.  Of course, Elmer knew that was
totally impossible, since he'd never been to this reality before.
'Too bad she's married,' he thought.

The formal investigation was closed in shortly over a month for lack
of physical evidence.  Since they had no body, the official report
listed the young wizard simply as 'missing by misadventure'.  And by
the time seven additional months had passed, no one any longer saw any
great need to actively continue searching for the young man.  But he
would still be officially listed as 'missing', as he would always be,
unless he returned, or until someone produced a body that was
confirmably the young wizard.

There were those who believed, he might suddenly turn up again
sometime in the future.

And others believed, he might never turn up again.

But all that could be certain, everyone agreed, only time would tell -
he'd either return, or he wouldn't.

* * * * * *

When Tenaya returned to the elsewhere nine months later, she was
alone.  Her daughter Jedina, having finally dropped that foolish
Mahtok, only to surprisingly take up with Elmer, the friend of her
former longtime foe, had stayed home so she could be with her new
beau.  Tenaya was overjoyed her daughter had stopped seeing Mahtok,
who must have easily been one of the most shallow people it had ever
been her misfortune to meet.  She had always been puzzled by what
Jedina could have possibly seen in him, as the only thing the shallow
dolt coveted above everything else was more and more power for
_himself_.

As he had always done for her past arrivals, Xoltin came out to greet
her.  Only this time, unlike her last few visits, he was not alone.
Accompanying him was his wife, and daughter, Cjelindra, whose belly
was visibly swollen huge with the child, which appeared likely to
arrive at any moment.

Greetings between them had barely been exchanged when Cjelindra
suddenly doubled over in pain.  "It must be my time," she told her
husband and father.  As Xoltin hurried off to fetch the priest, and
whatever midwife he could find, Tenaya was left behind to attend
the girl.

"Thank you for your timely assistance, my lady," said Cjelindra.

"It is the least I could do for the daughter, and wife, of my friend."

Cjelindra smiled curiously at the woman from elsewhere.  "My husband
has not so much as touched me for the past three months," she fretted.
"He will not speak of it with me, but I believe he constantly worries
about doing some harm to our child or, quite possibly, to me.  I have
been told, not by him, of course, that he and my mother had passionate
sexual relations on the morning of my birth.  Because of that, he has
blamed himself for my mother now dwelling with the spirits.  But I
really miss his attentiveness, and all the fun we used to have
together.  I certainly hope that soon after _our_ child is born, he
will quickly return to our bed."

Tenaya wondered again what she might have done to make the girl so
wanton.  There had been nothing in the girl's memories she'd shared
that day to suggest what she now observed.  'On the other hand, at
this moment,' she thought, 'Cjelindra should not be giving birth to
their first child, she should be nearly a year dead.  Maybe some
unusual event disrupted _her_ memories as they took hold in _his_
mind.'

A contraction rippled through the girl, just as the priest, Xoltin,
and the midwife arrived.  Under the midwife's expert direction, Xoltin
and the priest carried her to their hut, then gently and carefully
laid her in their bed.  Only a few moments, babies' crying heralded
the birth of ... twins - fraternal, a boy and a girl.

Seeing the small newborn twins, Tenaya smiled.

Xoltin was overjoyed being the father of healthy twins.  But of far
greater importance to him, his wife Cjelindra had survived their
birth.  Unlike _her_ mother, she had given life to others, and not had
her own taken in return.  Visibly relieved, he leaned down, kissing
his wife softly on the lips.  "When your strength has fully returned,
my love, I will return once more to our bed.  That is, if you will
still have me."

"Of course, you can return, my silly one," replied Cjelindra, happy
just knowing her husband still desired her.  "For far too long have
I missed your attentions, my husband and father."

With that, Tenaya had both heard and seen enough.  And with legal
visitations to this reality under strict control, she dared not tempt
fate by staying too long.  Without saying a word to the lovers, and
new parents, not that either of them were likely to miss her for the
next several hours, she crossed back over to her own reality.

* * * * * *
part 7
* * * * * *


Time passed quickly.  Another five years passed before Tenaya was
allowed - legally - to return for another visit.  As a result of the
disappearance of the young wizard, the school's governing body had
unilaterally placed severe restrictions on the movement of all
students and staff to and from the reality, which was home to the
Zaltora Amulet.

However, finding easily observable arcane artifacts with the amulet's
vast magical potential had never been an easy task.  And after the
passage of five years, a suitable replacement had not been found.
Many members of the school's board of wizards began openly expressing
the opinion that they had overreacted to the unfortunate young man's
disappearance.  Most of them believed students, properly warned about
the power of the amulet, and respective of local customs, should once
again be allowed the freedom of traveling to its reality.  After all,
hadn't everyone always conceded that the young man's disappearance
was actually his _own_ fault?

And yet, some of those investigators, who had delved into the young
man's disappearance, had been far less diplomatic and discrete in the
other reality then they should have been.  Many members of the board
feared the possibility of residual backlash from the villagers should
they return.

In order to test the waters for the possible return - once again
unilaterally - to more normal relations, the board decided to send
Tenaya, since she had friends among the elsewhere villagers, on a
little fact-finding junket.  She would determine, if there were any
residual hostilities among the populace, stemming from that most
unfortunate circumstance of nearly six years earlier.

As Tenaya arrived in the village, an amulet ritual - one she didn't
recognize - was underway.  They appeared to be in the middle of
swapping the bodies of two children - a boy and a girl, whose names
she found out later were Radolphick and Clorissa, respectively.  Both
children, who bore a strong familial resemblance to one another,
appeared to be somewhere in the neighborhood of five years of age.

Following their exchange of physical forms and identities, the
children were, for a short time, slightly disoriented.  But soon
afterwards, each child ran off to play, as if nothing out of the
ordinary had occurred.  The apparent girl, now played with other
girls _her_ age, while the equally apparent boy joined in the games
of the other boys _his_ age.

Tenaya was surprised seeing Xoltin and Cjelindra present among the
unusually large crowd.  From her previous experiences with amulet
rituals, she knew that generally, they were reserved for only family
and honored guests.  But, for some reason, the whole town appeared
to be in attendance.  'What makes this particular ritual so special?'
she wondered.  'And yet ... the children ... both of them could have
_five_ years old.  Could it possibly be them?'

Both Xoltin and Cjelindra smiled, when they turned and saw Tenaya
standing amidst the gawking crowd.  The two of them quickly made their
way to her, but, as they approached, Tenaya was completely surprised
by the four small children following closely behind them.  The oldest
was a girl, who looked no older than four.  'These two _have_ been
very busy these past few years,' she thought.

"Welcome, my old friend," said Xoltin, as he hugged Tenaya.

"Welcome, my lady, and good friend of my husband," said Cjelindra, as
she too hugged their visitor.  "It has been much too long, since you
last came to visit."

Not that it mattered, but Tenaya wondered when Cjelindra had begun
referring to Xoltin _only_ as her husband.  "I wish I could have
returned earlier."

"Has there been some trouble?" asked Cjelindra with concern.

"Not between us, I should hope," replied Tenaya.  "But there was a
large stink made by some of my people, when the young man, who came
with me to observe the Zaltora Amulet, did not return."

"Then I take it, you have not yet found _him_," said Xoltin with a
wide smile.

"We have not found him either, my lady," added Cjelindra, unaware of
the secret shared between her husband and his friend.  "But it is most
strange, my lady.  For none of us have ever been able to remember him
distinctly.  We know he arrived with you, but after that ... had your
people not told us he had been here, not a one of us might have
remembered him being here at all."

Quickly changing the subject, Xoltin said, "We have often wondered
where you vanished that day Radolphick and Clorissa were born.  For
some time now, we have felt most badly about being unable to thank
you properly for all of your assistance that day."

"I did nothing that day that another friend would not have done,"
replied a reddened Tenaya.  "Would I be correct in assuming the two
children, I saw being swapped in the amulet ritual as I arrived, were
your twins?"

"Did you get to see any of the ceremony, Tenaya?" beamed Cjelindra.
"The twins made us so proud of them.  Radolphick has now accepted
being his sister, just as Clorissa has embraced becoming her brother.
But, of course, they are still young.  For five-year-olds, there is
little difference between being a boy, and being a girl.

"And, when the two of them swap back again five years from now, there
will still be little gender difference between them.  However, I would
imagine there will be far more traumatic changes for them both when
they swap after reaching the age of fifteen."

Tenaya looked puzzled.  "Why have I never seen this ritual before?"

"It is one that has seldom been required, my friend," replied Xoltin.
"But our Clorissa and Radolphick are very special children.  They are
unlike any other village children."

"How so?" asked Tenaya nervously, hoping Xoltin hadn't mentioned
something he shouldn't have said to anyone.

"They are _twins_, Tenaya," replied Cjelindra proudly.  "They are the
_only_ twins in our entire village.  Not only that, they are also the
_only_ twins to have been born in our village in well over a dozen
lifetimes."

"And since they are twins, our traditions dictate each child must
spend parts of their lives as _both_, first one, then the other,"
added Xoltin, "alternately every five years, until both can finally
decide, which twin they were meant to be."

'An odd belief,' thought Tenaya, knowing the report of a new amulet
ritual to observe, even one at five year intervals, would definitely
favor a decision to reinstate annual term project visitations.  "And
these other children?" she asked.

Cjelindra blushed brightly.  "Why, they are _ours_ of course, my
lady," she replied with a small, but equally proud, smile.  "The
oldest is Tenaya.  We named her after you, my lady.  We hope you
do not mind."

"Of course not," replied the surprised Tenaya.  "I'm very flattered
you named one of your children after me."

"The boys are Chirem and Dylurm," added Xoltin, his father's pride of
his children on display for all to see.

"And this is our youngest girl," said Cjelindra.  "We named her Jelima
after your daughter."

'Jelima?' thought Tenaya, smiling as she corrected the girl, "My
daughter's name is Jedina."

Cjelindra blushed a bright beet red.  "I am so embarrassed, my lady.
We sought only to honor you again, and instead, we have insulted you.
I can't understand why I never seem to remember your daughter's name
correctly.  I could almost swear, I used to call her that when we were
younger."

"No insult has been given Cjelindra," Tenaya assured her.  But Tenaya
was now fairly certain that six years earlier Jedina had stuck her
fingers into the mix.  If her daughter had contributed to Cjelindra's
mental state, it was no wonder the girl had wound up the way she had.
'I'll have to talk to her when I return home,' she thought.

"Thank you, my lady.  You are far too kind to one who is unworthy of
such kindness," replied Cjelindra.  "But perhaps, we might still honor
you again.  If the child I'm now carrying should be a girl, would you
object to us naming her Jedina?"

"You're pregnant?"

Xoltin began to smirk.

Cjelindra bowed her head in response.  "I don't know why it should be
so, my lady, but it seems I am most exceptionally fertile," she tried
to explain.  "It is almost as if my husband need only come near me,
and if I am not already with child, then seemingly the next day, I am
once again expecting another of our children."

Xoltin's smirk widened further.

Tenaya shook her head, still thinking her friend was just a fool.  But
then, how could he not be?  Nothing had really changed with him.  He
was still a man, whose simple thoughts were governed by what hung
between his legs, and being a fool came naturally to self-important
men like him.

* * * * * *

As a result of Tenaya's report, particularly the new ritual involving
the rare set of twins, _and_ the nearly total lack of any residual
animosity from the villagers towards their elsewhere visitors, the
school's board of wizards had voted unanimously to restore visitations
to the reality of the Zaltora Amulet.

Tenaya breathed a great sigh of relief when the board announced the
restoration of school sponsored visitations with all the attendant
sanctions lifted - unilaterally, of course.  To her, this action was
a clear indication they had finally decided to abandon the search for
the missing young wizard.

That was exceptionally good news for her to hear.  For now, even in
the unlikely event of Cjelindra somehow finding a way of tapping into,
or otherwise inadvertently using, the magic she possessed as the young
wizard, but couldn't possibly know she had, it was improbable anyone,
other than herself, would ever spot _his_ magic being used, simply
because no one else would ever be consciously looking for the
slightest trace of it now.

Tenaya wondered if this news might break up Jedina and Elmer, who had
become quite a hot item of late.  Tenaya didn't mind all the time her
daughter and Elmer spent together, but she definitely didn't believe
Elmer was the right wizard for her either.  She truly thought Jedina
could do much better than him, but then, as she'd already proven with
her earlier relationship with that foppish self-centered moronic
popinjay Mahtok, Jedina could also do a hell of a lot worse.

* * * * * *

Although her intent had always been visiting more often, it was
another five years before Tenaya returned.  Something always seemed
to up that prevented her from visiting and, somehow, the intervening
years passed far too quickly.

Once again, Jedina was to have accompanied her mother, but at the last
minute, she had, not all that unexpectedly, cancelled out.  Tenaya
despaired that her only daughter would never earn her Applied Sorcery
doctorate, if she continually bailed out on her assignments and other
obligations.

But Tenaya reasoned her daughter missing this particular assignment
had more to do with that power hungry ignoramus Mahtok than anything
else.  Jedina, much to her mother's chagrin, had recently taken up
with that dunderheaded impotent fool again.

Tenaya found herself wishing she could borrow the Zaltora Amulet for
a few days when she left this reality.  She could use it to change
Mahtok into someone, or maybe even some_thing_, more consequential.
The thought of swapping him with a fat and lazy bullfrog immediately
sprang into her mind, but, with her poor luck with frogs and Mahtok,
she was certain nothing would work out the way she wanted.  She'd
probably wind up with an even more insufferable Mahtok, but, at least,
the frog have provide Mahtok a larger brain.

But for the most part, she returned to this reality to observe the
ritual involving the ten-year old twins Radolphick and Clorissa.  And,
arriving in the village earlier this time, she sat, as an honored
guest, with the twins' proud parents, Xoltin and Cjelindra, and their
now _nine_ in number younger siblings.

Cjelindra had told Tenaya the names of all five of their children born
since her last visit, but the only one she still remembered was
Jedina, the _girl_ with whom Cjelindra had been pregnant the last time
she'd been here.  Quite obviously, Xoltin and Cjelindra had continued
being active, as well as quite productive, during the preceeding five
years.  But the girl's fertility was a continual surprise to Tenaya -
she would have never dreamed the young man had it in him.

From where Tenaya observed, the ritual went smoothly, exactly as was
expected by everyone involved.  But ten-year-old twins, even though
one was a girl and the other a boy, were still not much different yet.
However, enough differences existed between them that neither child
at first felt overly comfortable, or happy, about being returned to
their birth forms and genders.  And yet, after several minutes had
passed, they both appeared to have acclimated reasonably well,
although, for the next several hours, both would continue feeling the
strangeness of being themselves after five years of being the other.

After the ceremony concluded, Xoltin and Cjelindra, having sent their
other children home ahead of them, approached Tenaya.  "I can only
hope that I might be here when next you come visiting, my friend,"
coughed Xoltin in apparent pain.  "It is good that Cjelindra continues
to be so very young.  I only wish that I might watch all of our
children grow to adulthood."

"Is something wrong, my friend?" asked Tenaya with mounting concern.

"Nothing a sudden influx of youth would not set right.  I've just
grown old," he replied sadly.  "I am over fifty years old now, which,
I'm sure you realize, is quite old for someone of our village.  But
then, I must seem to age before your eyes, my friend, for you have
not aged very much in the time since we first met, when I was just a
small boy."

Tenaya sighed.  For whatever reason things occurred as they did, time
ran faster here.  As a result, the people of this reality aged faster
than even the normals of her own reality.  It was one of the reasons
she had so few friends here.  It was just too difficult for her to
watch them age and die.  And even harder still was the realization
that her memories of those villagers she called friend today, would
likely vanish before she passed on herself.  But their gene pool might
be enhanced with his many offspring by Cjelindra.  The amulet,
according to the design of its unknown makers, had transformed the
young wizard into the genetic equivalent of the original girl, but,
for some unknown reason, she was _not_ aging as quickly as she should.
Perhaps her slow aging resulted from her subconscious mind unknowingly
tapping into _his_ cache of magical energies, which she unsuspectingly
held within her.  But, on the other hand, it might as easily be some
simple random genetic mutation already present in the original
Cjelindra.

"Perhaps, there is something I can do to aide in your continued
existence."

Cjelindra, perking up at her remarks, smiled.  "Could you really do
that, my lady?  We would most greatly appreciate whatever help you
might have to give us."

"Of course, I can help," replied Tenaya, even though it was expressly
forbidden to attempt the contravention of any reality's natural cycle
of life and death.  She spoke a few strangely sounding syllables,
directed towards Xoltin, with peculiar articulations.  Surprisingly,
Cjelindra thought it all sounded vaguely familar.

Xoltin began to smile, suddenly feeling younger and more energetic
than he had at any time in the last several years.  Even his lingering
cough was gone.

Tenaya looked the couple over with a mischievous grin.  "Once the
spell I've cast on Xoltin fully activates, the two of you will always
_appear_ nearly the same age."  And, although she saw no reason to
tell either of them, Xoltin's body would continue appearing young and
vital, until it finally lost its cohesiveness and crumbled to dust
from great age.  Of course, his mind would probably fail first, but
there shouldn't be anything to worry about for at least a hundred
years.  "And in order to fully activate the spell properly, you must
impregnate Cjelindra."  Smiling wickedly, Tenaya looked around as
their children returned.  "However, since you already have five boys
and six girls, I really doubt making another one should pose either
of you any problems.  What do you two think?"

"It should not present me a problem _now_," replied Xoltin, leering
hungrily at his wife.  "It's never been a problem before."

Cjelindra blushed brightly, but it was obvious she was eagerly looking
forward to fully activating the spell Tenaya had cast as soon as she
possibly could.  It seemed so long since Xoltin had felt up to doing
much of anything.  And if it required her and her husband to make
continuous mad passionate love for a day or two, maybe even  for a
week, then she would more than willingly make that sacrifice for her
husband.

* * * * * *
part 8
* * * * * *


The next five years passed no slower.  If anything, the time sped by
more quickly.

Once again, Tenaya had been determined, when she'd left five years
earlier, to return to this reality more often.  She had always
intended to become better acquainted with her young namesake, now,
almost incredibly, fourteen years of age.  But for a long time, fate
seemed to conspire against her every wish, and be contrary to whatever
she desired.  As a result, she had never found the time for a single
intervening visit with the young girl, bearing her name.

Her daughter Jedina had not accompanied her this time either.  And
yet, Tenaya would have been very surprised had she agreed to come.
Once again, she and Mahtok had split up, going their separate ways.
However, this time, it definitely appeared as if their breakup was
final.  And yet, Tenaya wasn't completely certain whether or not she
approved of the brash new wizard in her daughter's life.  But at
least, if Tenaya was soon to become a grandmother, she was extremely
pleased that the father of her grandchild would not be Mahtok.

Tenaya had once again made the time to attend the ritual.  With the
twins now aged fifteen years, the results of their forthcoming
exchange of forms should prove far more interesting than it had either
time before.

As with her previous visit, Tenaya sat with Xoltin, Cjelindra, and
their continually-growing family, which now numbered fourteen,
excluding, of course, the twins, who were center stage for the ritual.
There were now seven of each gender.  And their mother, Cjelindra, not
at all surprisingly, was again visibly several months pregnant.

'Amazing procreative fecundity,' thought Tenaya.  Whoever would have
believed it possible of any former young man.  Having sixteen children
in fifteen years with only the one multiple birth of twins was an
exceptional feat.  Perhaps, it was good Cjelindra had apparently
retained, for whatever reasons, some of the stamina of the wizard she
had once been, even though _she_ should have never gained anything
like that from _him_.  Otherwise, she would have probably been worn
out years ago.  However, given her past history, Tenaya had no good
reasons to doubt that, when the next five years had passed, there
would not be another five, possibly more, offspring present to greet
her arrival.  Not only that, but given the current ages of their older
children, Xoltin and Cjelindra might themselves become grandparents.

Within the family's box, the younger Tenaya sat beside the older one.
Each had been happy to see the other, but the older Tenaya could sense
something was definitely disturbing her namesake.  She wanted to ask
her what it was, but, at the same time, she didn't want to risk
offending her friend.  But she had noticed that with the younger
Tenaya sitting beside her, the girl was sitting as far from her father
as she could possibly sit.  In addition, her young namesake had
positioned the older Tenaya _directly_ between her and her father.

The ritual of twins, as it had both previous times, went off without
a hitch.  In approximately thirty minutes, Radolphick had again become
Clorissa, and Clorissa had, in turn, become Radolphick.

For a short while, both teenagers moved about awkwardly, following
their transformations back into their sibling twin.  Unlike the two
previous times, there were several major physical differences between
the boy and the girl.

Radolphick, who had been noticing pretty girls for well over a year,
was now one himself.  He now had his sister's developing breasts.  And
as he swayed back and forth clumsily on his smaller feet just trying
to learn how to walk again, he wondered how girls managed to walk
around so easily with all the weight on their chests.  'Why weren't
they always falling down?' he wondered.  But he realized that, unlike
_him_ suddenly obtaining large and unmanageable breasts, regular girls
must have had plenty of time to get used to them as their breasts
_and_ bodies grew larger together.

'They're going to get bigger?  Now that's a worrisome notion,' thought
Radolphick, knowing his sister's breasts, which would be his for the
next five years, had not yet reached their full adult size.  He didn't
want to believe they could get even bigger.

In the surrounding crowd, Radolphick saw the boy he knew his sister
had been showing some interest in of late.  The boy smiled at him,
even though he must have known Clorissa was actually her transformed
brother.  And very oddly, although quite embarrassing for him,
Radolphick casually returned the boy's smile.  'Why did I do that?'
he wondered.

But, just as her brother had been noticing girls of late, Clorissa had
been equally cognizant of her growing interest in many of the boys
around her, not to mention their obvious interest in _her_.  Although
she had never been overly fond of the way some of them ogled her, she
had, over time, grown inured to being treated as little more than some
_object_ among the boys her own age.  But now, she _was_ her brother,
and one of those _guys_ her own age.

Initially, she had trouble walking in her brother's body.  His weight
was distributed vastly different from anything she was accustomed to
feeling.  His body lacked her breasts, and all of her soft feminine
curves, she'd been so proud of, which made her feel positively
pre-adolescent.  And she wondered, 'How can I walk around with this
thing hanging between my legs?  It's so huge!  I can't remember it
being so big before."

But she smiled when she realized that by becoming her brother, she had
solved her own complex problem simply by giving it to him.  'I should
have told him earlier,' she thought guiltily.  "But I didn't think he
would have believed me.'  Hopefully, one day her brother could forgive
her for not explained her _problem_ to him.

She looked out into the crowd and saw one of the girls from her gym
class.  'How many times have I seen that body naked?' she wondered.
And in thinking of what she'd seen in the gym earlier, that odd
swelling, this time accompanied by some very pleasurable, even if
unidentifiable, sensations, of that thing between her legs began
anew.

Tenaya smiled, wondering what the twins would be like after the
passage of the next five years, especially after spending this
formative stage of their lives as the gender opposite to the one
they had been born.

Excusing themselves, Xoltin and Cjelindra quickly left the concluded
ritual.  They said nothing to anyone, and headed off in opposite
directions.

Have I missed something?  'Maybe,' Tenaya thought, 'my namesake can
shed some light on the odd things going on.'  But as she turned back
to the seat where the girl had been, she was surprised to find it
empty.  The younger Tenaya had vanished.  And even though, she had
wanted to spend some time discussing whatever was bothering the girl,
Tenaya didn't feel she had the time to run around the village looking
for her.

But with the ritual of the twins now completed for next five years,
Tenaya also knew she must return to her own reality.  She could only
hope Xoltin and Cjelindra would realize some problem existed, and
would sit down with their daughter to solve whatever was apparently
bothering her.

* * * * * *

Even though several hours had passed since the completion of the
ritual, Radolphick still felt more like a boy than a girl, as well as
incredibly alien wearing his sister's supple body.  But from his
previous experiences of being transformed, he knew, sooner or later,
he'd adjust to being female, or his life would be a living hell.  He
decided to ask his father for advice about what he should do, now that
he was not only his sister again, but a girl.

As he neared his parents' hut, he noticed his younger sister Tenaya
stealthily approaching from the other direction.  To him, she was
unquestioningly trying to avoid being seen, which he thought peculiar,
even for her.  But as soon as she saw him in the vicinity of their
parents' hut, she turned around, and ran off in the direction from
which she'd come.  Thinking his sister Tenaya's recent odd behavior
must be somehow related to being a girl, Radolphick hoped he wouldn't
start acting as goofy as she had of late.  Even Clorissa, now that he
thought about it, had been a little more weird than usual the last few
weeks.  Whatever it was, he hoped it was wasn't contagious.  After
all, he was going to have to live as a girl himself for the next five
years.

Entering his parent's hut, he found his father sitting alone,
apparently waiting for someone.  Radolphick wondered why his mother
wasn't here, and where she had gone.  "May I talk to you father?"

"Of course you may, Clorissa," replied Xoltin with a curiously wide
grin, his son had never seen from his father before.  It made him
nervous for some reason.

"It's me, father.  Radolphick."

"And yet, for the next five years, you shall wear Clorissa's form, my
son," said his grinning father.  "That means you must now respond as,
and be my daughter, Clorissa, as the priest has repeatedly informed us
is written in the Ritual of Twins."

"I know that, father.  I've already heard his litany several times,"
replied Radolphick, suddenly more aware of the growing sense of
uneasiness in his father's presence.  "A lot of time has passed, but
I still don't feel much like a girl.  This form that was my sister's
until this morning has weird bumps, and peculiar bulges, in the
strangest places."

"That is just the way girls are made, my son."  Xoltin casually put
his arm around his son's soft feminine shoulder.  Radolphick, although
wary of father's actions, assumed he was only trying to comfort him,
just as he would any of his _other_ daughters.

"Will I ever get used to being like this?"

"You've adjusted to being your sister before," consoled his father.
"Did you not?"  Xoltin's arm gently slid down to his son's waist.

As he wondered what his father was doing, Radolphick replied, "But
it's not the same this time.  Everything feels so much different.
Being a girl didn't feel this weird the last time."

"Then perhaps, I can help make _your_ girlishness not feel so 'weird'
to you, my son," grinned Xoltin lustily, his arm, without any warning,
tightening around his son's waist.  Just as suddenly, Xoltin pulled
his son closer, then kissed Radolphick's pouty, and unexpecting,
female lips with unbridled passion.

His mind swirling in a sea of confusion, Radolphick struggled against
this unwanted embrace of his father.  With great difficulty - his new
girl body was not nearly as strong, as his former male one had been -
Radolphick finally managed to free himself from his father's grasp.
Xoltin stared at his oldest son with a look in his eyes, Radolphick
had never seen directed towards him.  Not knowing exactly what that
worrisome leer meant, he was nevertheless certain, it was an overly
greedy gaze, with which _no_ father should ever look at his children.
It was a hungry look that terrified him shitless.  "What the hell do
you think you're doing father?" he screamed.

Xoltin, still gazing at him with _that_ annoying look, simply grinned
back at his son.  "I'm merely helping _you_ explore your _new_ self in
order to assist your adjustment to possessing your sister's body,
_Clorissa_.  After all, my son, you are taking your sister's place for
the next five years, so you'd better be capable of replacing her in
_every_thing."  Xoltin leered at his shocked son's female frame.  "I'm
sure you'll come to enjoy being my _daughter_."

"There's no way you did this with Clorissa - she wouldn't have let
you," argued Radolphick.  "And she would have warned me about you
before we swapped."

"Do you really think so, _girl_," sneered Xoltin.  "Do you actually
believe she would have told her brother all about _her_ very special
arrangement - the one _you_ must now fulfill - with your father?" he
asked his shivering son callously.  "Just think it through for a few
minutes.  Now that you're a _girl_, would _you_ have told _any_ of
your brothers what we were just doing?"

"But _we_ weren't doing anything," snapped back Radolphick.

Xoltin's wicked grin broadened.  "That's what you say now, my dear
_daughter_.  But what will they think of _you_ once I tell them, _you_
were the one lusting after _me_?  That it was _you_, trying to seduce
_me_?"

"Those are lies!"

"_I_ know that.  And _you_ know that," replied Xoltin callously.  "But
_they_ won't know it.  And who do _you_ think they'll believe?"

Radolphick was becoming increasingly confused.  But he was suddenly
positive, without knowing why, that he didn't like the build up of
these strange new sensations within him.  He needed to escape - go
somewhere alone - and think all of this through for himself.  Was it
possible Clorissa would not have warned him about what their father
was attempting to do for some reason?  And would his other brothers
even believe _him_, over anything their father might say to the
contrary.  He shuddered briefly, suddenly realizing - if he were
himself, not his sister, right now - he likely would not have believed
Clorissa's story, even _if_ she had told him.  "Just leave me alone!"
he shouted, as Xoltin started advancing menacingly towards him again.
"Don't you touch me!" he screamed.  Don't you ever touch me again!"

"Or you'll what, little _girl_?" Xoltin asked contemptuously.

Radolphick grabbed at his last resort.  "I'll tell mother."

Xoltin glared at his son angrily.  "You'd really hurt your mother with
a wild accusations like that, you little bitch.  But your mother won't
be convinced by anything _you_ tell her about _me_, sweetheart.  Why
should she start believing now?  She has never questioned _me_ about
_my_ business before."

'What?' wondered Radolphick.  'He's done this before?  With whom?'
But not wanting to hear any more, and not knowing what else to do,
Radolphick turned from his father, and bolted from the hut.

Xoltin yelled after his fleeing son.  "Don't take too long to think
over what I've told you _girl_.  Just like your younger sister, you'll
quickly learn to accept without question and even look forward to
everything I have to offer you."  Xoltin smiled wickedly.  "Your
sister Tenaya has already learned how enjoyable being with me is," he
muttered.  "And so will you, in time."  Xoltin began laughing madly.
"I'm your father, _girl_.  You _must_ listen to me!"  He watched his
son's backside as he fled into the village.  "Didn't I tell you I'd
help you adjust to being a girl, my _son_?  Even you must now admit,
you're certainly moving a lot more like a girl than you were when you
first arrived."

Xoltin continued roaring with mad laughter.  He had plenty of time to
wait for his soon-to-be wayward son - the pretty girl - to realize
_she_ could do nothing except return, and lie with him in his bed.
'After all,' he considered, 'I am her father.  And what I want from
her is nothing more than my just due.'

* * * * * *
part 9
* * * * * *


Running blindly into the village, Radolphick cared nothing about where
he ran.  It made no difference to him where he fled, as long as it was
far away from _him_.  He no longer knew what to do.  Nor did he any
longer know who, if anyone, he could truly trust.  He was confused and
frightened by what had just happened.  He didn't know what to think
any more.

The only thing he knew with certainty was he didn't want to be stuck
with the form of his sister Clorissa.  And yet, that stupid tradition
of the amulet ritual wouldn't allow him and his sister to re-exchange
forms for five years.  Like it or not, he knew he was stuck with her
body until then.  He would never adjust now.  As a result, his life
was quickly turning into the living hell, he'd thought it might
earlier.  And it would likely remain hellish until he could get his
own body back.

As he continued running, he wished his new large breasts would stop
jiggling up and down.  His jostling boobs only served as a constant
annoying reminder that not only was he a girl now, but also of the
total horror he'd just been through.

As he rounded a corner, the distraught, nearly out of breath,
Radolphick ran into whomever had been standing in the path of his
frantic escape.  As he fell awkwardly to the ground, the frightened
boy with the girl's body gasped for breath.  Never in his whole life
had he been so scared, or felt so utterly helpless.

"What's wrong Radolphick?" asked a male voice with obvious concern.
"Let me help you up."

Radolphick cowered from the hand extended towards him by the man who
still stood in the shadows.  "Go away!" he shouted at him.  "Don't you
touch me!"

"Radolphick," admonished the male voice.  "Would you just listen to
me?"

"No!  Go away!" he screamed.  As he began sobbing uncontrollably,
Radolphick felt a hand lightly touch his shoulder.  He began screaming
hysterically.  And then, he was stunned, as the man slapped his face.
Radolphick stared at the young man still hidden in the shadows.  "You
hit me," said Radolphick incredulously, while trying to sound as
indignant as he possibly could.  "Why the hell did you slap me?" he
asked, finally beginning to sound more coherent.

"I slapped you because you were acting like some silly little twit,"
replied the man from the shadows, "and not _my_ twin brother."

"Clorissa?" he asked nervously.  "Is that you?"

"Of course it's me, silly," she replied.  "Who else would have defied
the priest by calling you Radolphick in a public place, but me?  And
besides, just how many sisters do you have that are currently boys?"

Radolphick hugged his sister tightly, drawing strength and reassurance
from her presence.  He never wanted to be parted from her again.
Somehow, Radolphick, who now wore his sister's form, knew he was
absolutely safe being with his sister Clorissa, who now was clothed in
his old male form.  _She_ would always be around to protect _him_, now
that she was a boy, just as _he_ had always protected _her_, before
he'd become a girl.  But Radolphick still felt confused, but with his
sister here to look out for him now, things just had to get better.
Clorissa might look like a boy, but she was still his brother, just as
he was still her sister.

"Would you tell me what's wrong?"

Radolphick said nothing.  He looked down at his feet, while blushing
brightly with apparent embarrassment.

"Are you going to tell me?" she asked again.  "Or do I have to guess?"

Radolphick shuffled his feet, but still remained silent.  How could he
tell her what had happened?  And if he told her ... what if ... _she_
wouldn't believe him?

Clorissa shook her head with mild annoyance.  "You know, you're too
damn stubborn for your own good.  It _was_ father, wasn't it?"

Radolphick slowly nodded his head.  "Did you?" was all he could manage
to ask weakly.

"Did I _what_?"

"You know," he replied softly.  "That stuff father told me you did."

"How can you ask _me_ a stupid, asinine question like that?" snapped
Clorissa.  "Did _you_?"

Radolphick glared at his sister in obvious shock.  "No fucking way,"
he replied adamantly.  "Those things he wants me to do, while I'm in
your body, are just plain wrong."

"That's an excellent answer," smiled Clorissa.  "And I believe you've
also answered _your_ own question, as well."

"We must tell someone."

"Who would you suggest?"

"We should tell mother."

"I doubt she'll be much help to us," sighed Clorissa.  "How could she
be of much help with something like this.  She's just as bad as our
father."

"That's not true."

"Of course, it is," replied Clorissa sadly.  "It's all in the old
village records.  It's buried awfully deep, but the whole story's
there, if you're willing to invest a little time looking for it."

"What whole story?"

"The terrible secret about our parents, of course."

"What terrible secret?  What could they have possibly done, they'd
need to hide?"

"That explanation can be a little confusing," replied Clorissa.  "Our
mother is actually father's _second_ wife."

"There's nothing wrong with that, Clorissa.  I know lots of men, who
have had more than one wife, as well as several women, who have had
more than one husband.  What's so terrible about mother being father's
second wife?"

"That isn't the _hidden_ secret.  If only it were," sighed Clorissa.
"Mother is also _our_ father's daughter by his first wife Lynaklurei.
Not only is our mother our mother, she's also our half-sister.  And
our father, being also our mother's father, is therefore, also our
grandfather, which also makes our mother our grandmother, as well."

Radolphick stared at his sister in stunned disbelief.  "Since we
obviously can't tell mother, then we should definitely go tell the
priest."

Clorissa, smiling at her brother, shook her head.  "And who do you
think helped them bury all those records so deeply.  I suspect the
priest of being their accomplice, who must have always known mother's
true relationship to father.  I would not be very surprised if the
priest already knows everything, and a lot more, we could tell about
what father does with all of his daughters."

"What about father's friend from the elsewhere?"

"What about her?" asked Clorissa with undisguised disgust.  "She only
comes here to observe the ritual that makes you me and me you each
fifth year of our lives.  She was here this morning, which means we
won't see her again until we turn twenty and stand before the priest,
who will use the Medal of Czermanos to swap us into each other again.

"She's not very useful.  And she _is_ father's friend.  If you'll
remember, she was the one who made father youthful again when she
visited before.  Is it just chance that his noticeable changes in
behavior and attitude towards us, or rather _you_, girls, began
shortly afterwards?  Or had _you_ even noticed?

"And besides, I simply do not trust her.  I don't know why I feel that
way - I just know I don't.  For the last five years, I've believed my
dislike of her was my feminine intuition, but, now that I'm a boy, I
feel even more strongly we can never truly trust her."

"Father told me that the others had eagerly accepted the attentions
he had offered me."

"I didn't," replied Clorissa.  "But our little sister Tenaya might
have.  It would explain why she's been acting so strangely of late."

"I'd noticed her odd behavior, but I just thought it had something to
do with being a girl," replied Radolphick sheepishly.  "Hopefully, our
younger sisters Jelima and Jedina, who have as yet not begun their own
blossomings into womanhood, shall be safe from him until that time.
But for neither of our sisters is that time very far away."

"What about our brothers Chirem and Dylurm?" asked Clorissa.  "Do you
think they are safe from father?"

"They should be, but to be truthful, I don't really know.  Father
doesn't seem interested in boys at all.  He never approached me _that_
way when I was male, but tonight, even though he still knew - at least
I hope and think he still knew - I was his son in his daughter's body,
he seemed unable to control himself at times.  He looked at me in
ways, I've seen him look at mother.  And, as terrible as it seems,"
Radolphick began shaking, "I'm quite certain, if I hadn't managed to
run away from him tonight, he would have definitely found some way to
take _me_ to his bed, as a man takes his woman."

"I should have you told you about him," said Clorissa guiltily.  "We
must both be on constant guard against his wickedness."

"And we must also speak with our other brothers and sisters," replied
Radolphick.  "It is our responsibility, as the oldest, to protect the
rest of our siblings.  We must tell them everything we know, and
whatever else we may discover in the future."

"We must trust in ourselves."

"I've always trusted you completely when you were my sister," said
Radolphick solemnly.  "I see no reason to trust you less, now that
you're my brother."

"And for as long as I am the oldest son, and _you_ are my sister,"
answered Clorissa, "I will watch out for you, my brother."

"As shall I, my sister, who is, for now, my brother."

Radolphick and Clorissa hugged one another.

For a while, after she had become him, and he had become her, the
twins had been highly vulnerable and mostly alone.  And while things
would be decidedly different for both Radolphick the girl and Clorissa
the boy, neither of their lives would be the living hells they had
expected earlier.

And even, if they felt unable to turn to _anyone_ else for help, the
two of them had each other.

They always had, they always would.

* * * * * *

Once again, it was another five years before Tenaya returned.  'Why
does time pass so quickly?' she wondered.  As before, her intents had
always been to return earlier, and to visit more often.  But, as had
always been the case before, something had always managed to come up,
keeping her within her own reality.  And, also as before, only the
Ritual of the Twins forced her into rewriting her schedule, so she
could return at all.

Like her previous visits, she sat with her friend Xoltin and his wife
Cjelindra, and their - as she'd been expecting - swollen family.  Six
new children had been born - most curiously, all girls - in the
intervening years.  All of them had lengthy names Tenaya would not
long remember.

Oddly, their daughter Tenaya, her namesake and her parents' oldest
child after the twins, was not sitting with the rest of the family.
Neither were the next two oldest children - two boys, Chirem and
Dylurm - in attendance.  Tenaya was certain something must be very
wrong.  It was a serious breach of the villager's faith for any
member of the immediate family participating in a ritual to be
missing otherwise.

Their daughter Jelima, the next born after the missing boys, was
present.  And Tenaya wondered why their daughter Jedina, not
Cjelindra, sat next to Xoltin.  She began wondering, if Xoltin
might have, for some as yet unknown reason, slipped back into a few
of his earlier behavioral patterns, now that his and Cjelindra's
oldest girls had become young women.

But more strangely, there were two young women seated with the family
Tenaya had never seen before.  They were both pretty, and Tenaya
wondered how, and if, they were related.  Oddly, they looked as if
they be twins themselves, but Tenaya knew that was impossible.
Neither of the girls looked very intelligent nor overly useful for
anything past what was patently obvious.

Tenaya turned towards Jelima, who gave her a peculiar knowing smile
in return.  'Whatever is going on here,' thought Tenaya, 'I'll bet
Jelima knows something.'

But before she had time to speak with anyone, the Ritual of the Twins
commenced.

As he had done the three previous times, the priest placed the amulet
around Clorissa's neck, although her brother Radolphick still
possessed his sister's form.  However, everyone in the village
referred to him as Clorissa, giving little, if any, thought to him
being anyone other than her.  And far more often than not, he too,
after the last five years of being a girl, thought of himself as her,
while his sister most often thought herself him.

The priest whispered something in Clorissa's ear.  For no apparent
reason, the girl suddenly appeared exceptionally nervous to Tenaya.
To her, it almost seemed as if Radolphick would rather forego this
ritual altogether, _and_ remain female.

However, one twin remaining the other was not an option available to
either of them.  Perhaps, had they not been _the_ twins, a permanent
exchange might have been acceptable, and subsequently allowed.  But on
the other hand, such permanency required the real Clorissa, who stood
alongside him in _his_ true form, willingly agree to forego the
exchange back.

More importantly, even were Clorissa as willing as Radolphick appeared
to be, the Ritual of the Twins, and their faith, demanded their
exchange of bodies, exactly as had been demanded of them those three
prior times.  According to the priest, only one known cause could
circumvent the ritual.  As far as the priest was aware, _that_ lone
possibility had not occurred.

But the two young adults had always known their duty - both to the
village, as well as their faith and family.

As a result, the crowd watched the _girl_ Clorissa hold out the amulet
to her twin brother Radolphick, who had, twenty years earlier, been
born his sister.  Taking hold of it, he tightly clasped the medal
hanging from the chain about her neck.

For several long minutes, nothing seemed to happen.

And then, both the female Radolphick and the male Clorissa shivered
slightly.  Slowly, almost imperceptively, Clorissa, who was only a
few inches taller than her true female form, began shrinking, while
her brother Radolphick's shorter female frame stretched taller.

Clorissa's short cropped hair began growing longer, while the long
hair atop Radolphick's head apparently, and impossibly, began pulling
back into her scalp.

After the passage of several minutes, the twins had become the same
height.  Their hair lengths were of equal, slightly above their
shoulders, length.  Each probably weighed the same, or within a few
pounds, of the other.  A passing stranger might have easily confused
them for identical twins of indeterminate gender, with either one
capable of passing as the other.

But their changes continued.

Clorissa's male body soon rounded sufficiently enough for her
appearance to be thought that of an effeminate boy.  And Radolphick,
although still retaining somewhat slightly larger breasts than his
sister, was no longer as well-rounded as he'd grown used to, during
the past five years.  He looked more like a mannish girl.

With Clorissa's continuing decrease in height, Radolphick grew taller.
And with the ritual proceeding as smoothly as it had each of the
previous times, the assembled crowd, although restless, watched the
twins' transformations in near total, almost boring, silence.  There
was nothing happening about which to get overly excited.

Soon Radolphick's larger breasts began flattening beneath her blouse,
as the corresponding musculature of her chest started expanding into
a more defined, decidedly masculine physique.  Her waist thickened.
Her behind became smaller, and increasingly less rounded.

At same time, Clorissa's thick masculine waist had contracted
inwardly.  His butt had slowly rounded into a shape more definitively
feminine in appearance.  And beneath the shirt he wore, two newly
budding breasts began noticeably swelling.

After several minutes had passed, Clorissa's masculine facial features
had totally reformed into those of her female brother.  Radolphick's
feminine features had been replaced his sister's masculine ones.

In actuality, with them being twins - even fraternal - there wasn't
much difference between them.  And yet everyone, who had gathered to
watch the ritual, could plainly see that the boy they had been calling
Radolphick now had a decidedly more feminine face.  And at the same
time, the appearance of the girl Clorissa had become definitely more
masculine.

And yet, the crowd sensed something might be wrong.  Inexplicably, the
newly restored female form of Clorissa was still taller than the girl
her brother had been.  And likewise, Radolphick, having regained his
outward maleness, was still shorter than the boy his sister had been.
But that should not be true.  However, other than that single
discrepancy, each now looked as the other had appeared before the
start of the ritual.

But finally, much to everyone's great relief, after a few more brief
seconds, the height discrepancy had vanished.  Radolphick had fully
regained his formerly male sister's old height, while Clorissa was
now his once female brother's old height.

Clorissa appeared to be every bit as female as her brother had
previously been.  And likewise, Radolphick matched his sister's former
male appearance.  Except, of course, Radolphick, once again the male,
wore the amulet around his
neck.

One was indistinguishable from who the other had been before.  The
she, who had been, was now him.  Likewise, the he, who once was, had
become her.  All appeared as the magic of the Medal of Czermanos
dictated it should be.

With the requisite half hour passed, their transformations were
complete.  Everyone, who had observed the ritual, realized the twins
would likely be awkward and confused for a short period of time, while
they readjusted to being the people they would be for the next five
years.

But one last thing remained to be done.  Each still wore the other's
clothes.  And, as the ritual required, the priest bade them doff the
clothes they currently wore in favor of donning those worn by their
sibling.

But as each one complied with the priest's request - Radolphick
dropping his tightly fitting skirt, and Clorissa letting her bulky
pants fall to the ground - the stunned crowd audibly gasped in
shocked disbelief.

"That's not possible!" shouted someone from the crowd.

"This can't be happening!" yelled another voice.

Radolphick, despite otherwise looking totally male, still possessed
a female's slit between his legs.

And Clorissa, who likewise appeared totally female, had a large, and
by no means flaccid, penis hanging between her legs.

And as the stunned crowd watched, the changes that had only moments
earlier apparently finished, began anew - this time, slowly undoing
what had just been done.

Radolphick's breasts began to swell again.  And his body began
recasting itself into the female mold he had previously possessed.

Clorissa's breasts re-flattened, as her frame slowly, but steadily
masculinized.  In little time at all, her body was well on its way
to resuming her brother's form again.

And, with the passing of the transformation's required half hour,
Radolphick, totally female again, and Clorissa, once more completely
male, stood before those gathered for the ritual, _exactly_ as they
had stood before them not much longer than an hour earlier.

A smile, unnoticed by everyone else, passed quickly between brother
and sister.  They, and they alone, had known and expected everything,
which had just transpired would occur.

* * * * * *
part 10
* * * * * *


The startled priest gazed intently at the unexpectedly returned, and
naked female form of Radolphick.  He knew of _only_ one reason that
would explain what had just happened.  And it was knowledge he'd
obtained himself - first-hand.

It had been several years ago.  In the first ritual - his initiation,
of sorts, into the priesthood - he'd been allowed to actively
participate, his part had required him, not only to be _female_, but
also to provide an evening's entertainment to some village man in
_that_ manner _only_ a woman can possibly entertain a virile man.

After the Medal of Czermanos had been used to transform him into a
female, he had doubted he could do what was required of him.  But that
sweet-tasting liquid they'd given him - an aphrodisiac, he'd found out
later - made all of his doubts vanish.  As a result, he had thoroughly
enjoyed _her_self with the lucky selected villager.

But the priest, under the influence of the aphrodisiac and never
having been a woman before, neglected to take the appropriate
precautions that were second nature to any naturally born woman in
his circumstance.  He didn't even know he should have taken any
precautions, until _he_ had changed back into the girl again.  As a
result, _she_ had had to spend the next nine months, until the
birth of _her_ daughter, as the woman he'd become.

Radolphick, guessing the priest must have already surmised what had
happened, blushed brightly, and returned the priest's gaze sheepishly.

The priest's eyes passed swiftly to Clorissa, who was once again the
brother of the set of twins.  Clorissa smiled back at him, but slowly
shook her head in answer to his unasked question.  Although she had a
good idea, she didn't know for certain which village boy had fathered
her brother's child.  But, as long as her brother was pregnant, she
was glad she _knew_ the father wasn't _him_.

* * * * * *

In the stands, Cjelindra glared furiously, and accusingly, at Xoltin.
After jumping to her feet, she stormed past their still sitting
daughter Jedina, and her husband Xoltin, angrily muttering, loud
enough for even Tenaya to hear, "You god damn fucking bastard," before
running away from the stands in tears.

Xoltin could feel the accusatory stares burning into his back from
everyone sitting behind him.  'What did _I_ do?' he wondered, as only
his favorite daughter Jedina was not accusing him of whatever it was
everyone else was already assuming _he_ had done.  "I didn't do
anything!" he exclaimed in innocence.

Tenaya could tell from their body languages that none of their
children, other than Jedina, believed him.  And knowing Xoltin's past
history as well as she did, she wasn't certain she believed his
innocence either.

"I must go speak with your mother," Xoltin turned to tell his
children.

"I'll go with you daddy," smiled Jedina.

However, none of his other children spoke a single word to him.  As
their father, accompanied by their sister, both stood to leave, all
of his offspring, in unison, turned their backs to them.  And now,
Tenaya could guess some of the truth.  From their mixed expressions,
it was obvious all of the children wondered whether their father was
really going to speak with their mother, or just going off somewhere
to fuck their slutty sister, Jedina.

And with both of their parents having hastily departed, the remaining
children quickly dispersed, heading anywhere other than their parents'
hut.  Within a few minutes of Cjelindra's departure, only Tenaya and
Jelima, along with the two pretty, yet unknown and apparently vacuous,
girls remained.

* * * * * *

"I thought you might appreciate having someone with whom you could
talk," said Jelima.  "You are Tenaya, the elsewhere friend of my
father," she spat.

"Jelima?" asked Tenaya, surprised at the anger she heard in the girl's
voice.  "What has happened here?"

Jelima stared at Tenaya with evident surprise.  "Most amazing.  _You_
actually remembered _my_ name," she frowned.  "How very unusual.
Generally, I am only thought of as the one who brought shame to our
family by having been mistakenly named Jelima, instead of Jedina, as
is the name of _your_ daughter, as well as _my_ younger sister, now
our father's favorite."

"But I never ..."

"What you did, or did not, intend is irrelevant anyway, _witch_ from
the elsewhere," replied Jelima.  "I am, who I am.  And you can either
like who I am, or not, as you wish.  But _your_ opinion of _me_ is
irrelevant, and unimportant."

"I must speak with your father or mother."

"That's not possible, witch.  When they begin acting like this, it's
better not to approach either of them for some time."

"Then perhaps I could speak with either Radolphick or Clorissa."

"That's not very likely either," replied Jelima.  "The priest will no
doubt have them thoroughly occupied for the next several hours, at
least.  He dislikes having his tiring and boring little rituals
unexpectedly interfered with in any way.  He's probably shitting
bricks by now.  But I'd also guess, with my brother Radolphick being
with child, we have finally seen the end of this completely asinine
_twin's ritual_, unless another poor set of unsuspecting twins should
happen to be born in the village.

"I'd love to see that stodgy old priest's face when he discovers that
Radolphick prefers being a pretty girl to being the boy he was born.
After a brief discussion of his plans with Clorissa, and getting her
full cooperation in remaining our brother, Radolphick went out into
the village to find a boy, so he could get knocked up and remain a
girl."

Tenaya looked shocked at this new development.

"Don't look so shocked, Tenaya.  That kind of shit happens all the
time around here," explained Jelima.  "If _that_ bothers you, then I
suppose it will come as another great shock to you when I tell you
Clorissa - as the male she was, and currently is - also has a pretty
little girlfriend, who's every bit as pregnant as our brother.  It
seems Clorissa didn't need much convincing - she wanted to remain male
almost as badly as Radolphick wanted to stay female.  Once they found
out they wanted to stay the way they were, it didn't take very long
for Radolphick to find some able, eager, and willing village boy to
impregnate him."

"What about my namesake Tenaya?"

"It's funny you should ask about my older sister," frowned Jelima.
"My sister Tenaya is the main reason all the shit, between mother and
father finally hit the fan."

"What do you mean?"

"My sister is _gone_, witch," replied Jelima.  "And, at this exact
moment, no one knows exactly where."  She stared at Tenaya for several
seconds.  "I imagine _this_ little tale will sound _very_ familar to
_you_.  It seems my sister Tenaya, after succumbing to some unwelcome
advances from our father, went to the priest, and had him use the
Medal of Czermanos to transform her into a big, hulking, virile _male_
warrior.  Most of us believe, although mother still refuses to accept
it, that Tenaya now resides with the spirits.  However, that is only
a guess - as I said, none of us really knows.  But wherever she is
now, _I_ am confident she is far better off there.  Anything would be
better than being here with _our_ father."

Jelima suddenly turned to the two girls Tenaya had still been unable
to identify.  "Why don't you return to our hut?  It seems the
elsewhere witch and I will be having a much longer conversation than
I'd first anticipated.  I wouldn't want either of you becoming bored,
or restless, by all these words you don't understand.  Nor do I wish
to keep you from having the fun you've been expecting."

Both girls swiftly answered, "Yes, Jelima."  They both began giggling,
then quickly turned and skipped away without any apparent concern in
the world.  Laughing and twittering all the way, they hurriedly, and
with evident intent, made their way towards home - the hut, they
shared with Jelima.

"Perhaps, I could speak with your older brothers Chirem and Dylurm,"
suggested Tenaya, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable about how much
Jelima might actually know.

"I'm afraid you won't get much useful information from either of them,
witch," said Jelima with a knowing smile.  "Neither of them are very
good conversationalists any more.  They just have so many other - more
important, at least to them - things now occupying their minds.  But
I'm sure you had already guessed that from their appearances."

"But I haven't seen either of them yet."  Tenaya was becoming more
confused.

Jelima smiled at her, realizing the witch couldn't actually read her
mind.  "Of course you've seen _them_, Tenaya," she replied.  "After
all, I just sent _them_ home to our hut."

"But those were girls you sent to your home," objected Tenaya.

Jelima began to laugh.  "As if _that_ were something unusual here.  Or
are _you_ trying to tell _me_ you've never seen _boys_ changed into
_girls_ before," she commented sarcastically.  "_Boys_ become _girls_,
and _girls_ become _boys_, all the time here.  It's not unusual, it's
a fact of life.  And _I_ was certain _you_, of all people, would know
that."

"But they're so ..."   Tenaya paused, trying to decide on a suitable
description.

"Feminine," suggested Jelima.  "No, not feminine.  I think sluttish
would be a more appropriate description of them now."

"But the amulet doesn't make mental alterations like that."

"No, the _medal_ doesn't.  Does _it_, Tenaya?"  She flashed another
knowing grin that made Tenaya wonder anew exactly what Jelima thought
she knew.  "A little over a year ago, our father slipped some sleeping
potion into my brothers' drinks at supper.  And while both of them
slept that night, he transformed them.  In turn, he slipped the Medal
of Czermanos around their necks, while making them clutch some
possession of an extremely buxom, not to mention quite oversexed,
young whore from the village.  The whore, who father had visited
often, had recently passed over to the spirit world.  Her need for
sexual gratification became even greater than her desire to eat, or
breath, and overshadowed her very will to survive.  At least, that was
what the elders told us.

"As you might well imagine, my brothers were totally pissed when they
woke up the next morning in their voluptuous new forms.  Not only had
they awoken undeniably female, they both constantly experienced
incredibly strong female sexual urges, which they were obviously
incapable of understanding, let alone control.

"The fools sought out our father for help, never knowing he was the
real cause of their newly-blossomed sexy femaleness.  He promised to
help them regain their missing manhood, but he lied.  Instead of the
customary drink used for sealing bargains, father slipped them both a
Mickey Finn laced with a rare, fortunately for all of us, herb he'd
apparently stolen from the priest.  The potion made them fall into a
deep sleep again.

"But when they awoke this time, they no longer retained many complete
memories of who they truly were.  However, their sext new bodies,
overladen with female hormones, as they were, knew exactly how to
obtain whatever they required from any man in order to achieve their
own total and complete satisfactions.  And after little additional
time had passed, my brothers completely accepted themselves, as who
they were, and who they had become.  As far as they were concerned,
they looked, as well as felt, like girls.  So they just accepted what
was obvious to them, unquestionably believing they _were_, and had
always been, girls.

"Chiremyla and Dylurielle, as we have since renamed them, will bed
anyone, or for that matter anything, for as long as is necessary to
achieve their ends.  Father had his way with both of them, at first.
But, other than their insatiable needs for nearly constant sex, much
like a normal person needs food or air, my two newest sisters are
rather dull, overly predictable, and incredibly unimaginative.
Consequently, it didn't take long for 'daddy' to grow tired of them.

"That's probably the reason he didn't use his disgusting and vile herb
on me.  Instead of trying to change my likes and dislikes, as he had
always tried in the past, he just gave me Chiremyla and Dylurielle,
then told me to stay out of his way."

"He gave them to you?"  Tenaya was totally confused, and had developed
a splitting headache.

"Of course, he did.  What else could he do with them?" asked Jelima.
"Once he grew tired of fucking their brains out, not that either of
them had much to lose, he had few choices available to him.  They'll
sleep with anyone that asks, which isn't a good selling point these
days.  And, besides, father already knew I preferred sleeping with
other girls."  Jelima smiled broadly.  "Just think about _that_ for a
few minutes, Tenaya.  My whole weird family has always believed that
I'm the _aberrant_ member of this family."

"But that's not the Xoltin I know," replied Tenaya.  "He couldn't ..."

"Oh, couldn't he?" asked Jelima, smiling mysteriously.

"Just what do you think you're talking about?"

Jelima smiled a Cheshire cat smile.  "Think back a little over twenty
years, Tenaya.  _You_ knew exactly what my father liked then, _I_ am
sure."  Jelima's smile widened.  "Father _was_ involved when _you_
took care of that young wizard _you_ and _your_ daughter despised,
and wanted out of _your_ way.

"And my father _was_ involved, when the Medal of Czermanos was used
on that same wizard from your elsewhere to remold _him_ physically
into the girl, who would one day become my mother.

"_Wasn't_ he, Tenaya?

"But then, father certainly couldn't have made that same wizard
actually believe he was really his daughter, without _some_ additional
_witchly_ assistance from _elsewhere.

"Now _could_ he?"

Tenaya stared at Jelima in shocked disbelief.  There was no way this
brash young girl could possibly know, or even suspect, what she'd just
told her.  All of it had happened long before she'd even been born.

* * * * * *
part 11
* * * * * *


"You look a little surprised," smiled Jelima.

Tenaya continued staring at her in disbelief.  "You can't possibly
know any of that."

"And why not?" asked Jelima.  "Just because something happened before
I was born, doesn't mean I can't know everything about it."

"Who told you this outlandish story?"

"I don't find it all that outlandish, witch.  It actually clears up
many mysterious things for me, which have always been otherwise
unexplainable," replied Jelima.  "My family is sort of weird, but
_you_ must know that already.  That wasn't meant as a criticism, it's
merely a fact.  But, as far as who told me these things - Jedina did."

Tenaya looked shocked again.  "And why would my daughter tell you
something as utterly fantastic as this tall tale?"

Jelima smiled at her father's friend again.  "It wasn't your daughter
Jedina who told me anything, although I'm certain she knows exactly
what happened here over twenty years ago.  It was my own _sister_
Jedina, who explained everything to me."

"But she can't know anything about any of this either," snarled
Tenaya in protest.  "She's younger than you are."

"That's quite true, witch," replied Jelima, continuing to smile
knowingly.  "And she probably wouldn't know anything, except for that
tiny little flaw in father's mental state, you've either overlooked or
knew nothing about."  Jelima paused to gauge Tenaya's expression.
"You _don't_ know.  Do you, witch?"

"Know what?" questioned Tenaya impatiently.

Unlike my missing older sister, my younger sister Jedina actually
enjoys sleeping with her daddy."  And then, Jelima dropped an
unexpected bomb.  "Did you know my sister's pregnant?  Given what
happened earlier today, mother will surely hit the roof when she finds
out about it.  But nothing bothers Jedina at all.  You might think
knowing the father of her child will also be its grandfather, _and_
its great-grandfather would bother her, at least a little bit, but it
hasn't fazed her at all."

"But your sister still can't _know_ what happened before both of you
were born," replied Tenaya confidently.

"Of course, she can, as do I.  We all know plenty of things that
happened hundreds of years before we were born.  They teach history in
_our_ school.  Don't they teach that subject in _yours_?" said Jelima
with another of her annoying knowing smiles.  "You've obviously never
slept with my father.  Have you, witch?"  But it wasn't really a
question.  "I did once, but it was nothing overly special, and nothing
_I_ wanted to repeat.  Afterwards, I knew I'd rather sleep with other
girls than someone else like him.  But that's all past history, and no
longer overly relevant."

Tenaya began tapping her foot impatiently.  "Then _what_ is so damned
important?"

Jelima laughed.  "Father talks a fucking blue streak in his sleep.
I'm surprised mother doesn't know every intimate detail of father's
unseemly escapades with his daughters, or that she's actually the
missing elsewhere wizard.  But until her outburst today, I would have
sworn she knew nothing about what was going on at all."  She stared at
Tenaya.  "I'd always assumed that was a part of _your_ spell cast on
that poor wizard to make him believe he was father's daughter, so he
could become his bride."  She paused for a moment.  "I'm sorry.  I
seem to be wandering again, don't I?" she asked not really expecting
an answer.  "I just think daddy's endless prattle is so utterly
boring, but Jedina listens raptly to everything he says."  Jelima
paused, letting the full implications of what she'd said sink in.
"The others don't know anything, simply because they all refuse to
listen whenever Jedina tries telling them anything."

"But you listen to her?"

"Of course I listen, witch.  She's my sister," replied Jelima.  "And
_I_ know exactly how she feels being shunned by the rest of our
so-called _normal_ family."

"And what do you intend on doing with this knowledge?" asked Tenaya
warily.  "You aren't going to try blackmailing me, are you?"

"Of course not.  Do you think I'm stupid?  Even if I wanted to tell
them, my family won't listen to anything I tell them anymore than they
listen to my sister," she stated.  "And waking up tomorrow morning as
a frog, or something worse, for _them_, isn't worth my taking that
kind of foolish risk."

"Then, what do you want from me?"

"Other than your leaving us - me, Jedina, Chiremyla, and Dylurielle -
completely alone, I _want_ nothing from you," she snarled.  "In fact,
I'd be pleased if none of us ever laid eyes on you again.  In return
for leaving us alone, we won't tell anyone what really happened."

"And what about the rest of your family?"

"What about _them_?  They're all weird, only they just don't realize
how weird _they_ really are.  And I'm sick and tired of them passing
their perverse judgments on us based solely on their own suspect
morality, and alleged normality.  We are who we are, that's who we
want to be."

"How do _I_ know I can trust you four to remain silent?"

"How do I know we can trust _you_ to leave us alone?  You're the one
with all the power, witch."

"Yes, I am, aren't I?" she grinned.  She stuck out her hand.  "I
believe, we have struck an acceptable arrangement.  But I'll advise
you right now, you'd better never welsh on it."

Jelima shook her hand, but seriously doubted she could trust the witch
to keep her word.  She wondered if she should have mentioned Jedina's
diaries, and the verboseness of her entries.  But it was too late now,
the witch had disappeared.

Jelima decided it was time to join her 'sisters' in their hut.  After
her confrontation with the elsewhere witch, she was in immediate need
of rest and relaxation.  And, while they were no longer very useful
for many tasks, she knew Chiremyla and Dylurielle, as they had been,
since that day they'd become her sisters, would be absolutely perfect
for the fun little chore she had in mind.

From not far away, Tenaya smiled as she watched Jelima make her way
towards home.  For only a few heartbeats, she wondered if Jelima
trusted her, before deciding it was highly probable she didn't, and
never would.  But as the girl herself had said, all the power was in
Tenaya's hands.  And she was certain that Jelima was much too
intelligent to break their agreement, and risk the consequences of her
action.  But, as far as she was concerned, everyone in this reality
could be told the secret Jelima thought she held over her.  After all,
no one was likely to believe her strange, overly fantastic, story.

Besides, Tenaya never planned on returning here again.  But that was
something Jelima had no need to know.  With the Ritual of the Twins
abruptly ended, and with the prospect of another village girl bearing
a set of twins in the immediate future less than slim at best, there
was _almost_ no reason to ever return here again.

She believed her old friend Xoltin was quite likely insane.

His family seemed on the verge of self-destruction.

And Tenaya saw no need to watch any of it, if she could avoid such
unpleasantness.

However, there was still _one_ remaining thing that might force her
return to this reality.  But that one reason had not happened in the
past twenty years.  And after such a long time of silence, she was
confident the lone event she dreaded would never happen at all.

With that thought still lingering in her mind, Tenaya stepped back
across the tenuous bridge linking her reality with the one of the
Zaltora Amulet.

* * * * * *

"How could you!" Cjelindra screamed at Xoltin in indignant rage.
"You god damn fucking bastard!  First our daughter Tenaya.  And now,
you've impregnated our son Radolphick."

"I never touched Radolphick," replied her husband, protesting his
innocence.  "If our son is pregnant, then it's by his own doing,
not mine."

"Liar!" screamed Cjelindra.  "Our oldest son could have never got
_himself_ with child without some help."

"But ..." began Xoltin.

"But nothing, asshole," snarled Cjelindra venomously.  "Get the hell
away from me!  I don't want you ever touching me again."

Xoltin watched his angry wife storm out of the room.  A few moments
later, he heard the slamming of their bedroom door, followed by the
sound of the child-proof bolt being thrown.

"Damn ungrateful child of mine," he muttered.  "Who the hell does
that bitch think _she_ is anyway?  No child of mine can be allowed
to speak to me like that."

Xoltin began thinking about the recent past, when he'd once again
discovered the joys of bedding his own daughters.  And now, he had
so many girls of his own from whom to pick.

But his _son_ Radolphick wasn't one of them.  Ever since that boy had
been transformed into a girl the last time, _she_ had never allowed
him to come anywhere near her.  But then, that ungrateful bitch of a
son of his was just too much like his sister Clorissa, when he had
been a girl.

Of course, it wasn't as if their pretty daughter Tenaya had been the
first of his daughter's panties, he'd eagerly found his way into.  But
Tenaya, just like her mother, wasn't a very grateful child either.
How could she have run off the way she'd done?  Didn't she know how
much _her_ selfishness would upset her ungrateful mother?

Even his two sons Chirem and Dylurm had been interesting diversions
for a short while.  He'd used the Medal of Czermanos, in conjunction
with the priest's rare herb, to transform them both into his whorish,
nearly twin, daughters Chiremyla and Dylurielle.  'It's too bad,' he
thought, 'they turned out so dull and unimaginative.'  But, even
though they had performed exceptionally well in his bed, both of them
had quickly grown stale and boring.

He'd eventually had to give them away to another ungrateful bitch of
an offspring, not to mention a perversity of all things natural.  He'd
tried repeatedly, without success, to set his wayward child straight,
but Jelima was hopeless - a lover of other girls.  And Xoltin knew no
daughter of his had received such a trait from him.

Only his truly beautiful daughter - his favorite child, Jedina - now
really understood him.  And only she loved him in all those ways he
fully expected one of _his_ girls to love _him_.

And obviously, his suddenly unappreciative wife Cjelindra was no
longer thinking like herself.  She should remember that she had been
first his daughter, before becoming his wife.  But Cjelindra, just
like most of his other daughters, had turned into an ungrateful wench.
'She's forgotten her true place in _this household,' thought Xoltin.

"Perhaps, the priest has something I can give her," mumbled Xoltin.
"He should have one of his calming herbs or potions, that will make
her more manageable again."  His grin turned suddenly feral.  "Maybe
he has more of that wondrous herb that made Chiremyla and Dylurielle
so malleable _and_ sensual."

* * * * * *

When Xoltin knocked on the door of the priest's hut, his oldest
children, the twins Radolphick and Clorissa, were sitting inside.  As
he went to open the door, the priest was noticeably annoyed at having
his chat with the twins interrupted.  But he became more agitated as
he cracked open the door and discovered Xoltin was the source of the
intrusion.

"Just a minute," said the priest, as he closed the door.  He turned
to the twins.  "Go into the other room," he told them.  "Stay there,
and out of sight, while he's here.  I won't tell him you're here.  And
I'll try to get rid of him as soon as I possibly can."

As soon as the twins had left the room, the priest re-opened the door
a crack.  "It's late.  What do you want, Xoltin?"

"A little help, priest," replied Xoltin.  "I'm sorry if I interrupted
you doing something important," he grinned.  Xoltin could tell the
priest had visitors - at least _one_ visitor anyway.  And at this late
hour, his visitor almost certainly had to be a woman.  'Imagine that,'
thought Xoltin enviously.  'Who would believe this?  The priest and
some nubile young village woman doing things together that an old fart
like him shouldn't be thinking about, let alone doing.'

"It's still late, Xoltin," replied the priest impatiently.  "What kind
of help do you want from me?"

"Something simple, priest.  At least, I hope its something simple,"
replied Xoltin.  "I'm sure you noticed how worked up Cjelindra became
over the way that damned ritual of yours ended today.  I just need a
little something that will calm her down, and return her to an even
keel.  I think you _know_ what I mean, priest," replied Xoltin with a
conspiratorial wink of his eye.

"Of course, Xoltin.  I believe I have exactly what both of you need,"
replied the priest.  "Just wait here.  I'll be back in just a few
moments."  The priest entered his small study, but quickly returned
with a small stoppered vial.  "A couple of drops in her drink should
be sufficient," said the priest.  "It will make her sleep."

"Good," replied Xoltin, as he snatched the vial from the priest, and
left without saying another word.

But as the priest turned back into the room after shutting the door,
he faced his two, very angry, remaining guests.

"How could you possibly give _him_ anything to use against _our_
mother?" asked Clorissa angrily.

"If I were still a man, I'd break you in half," proclaimed Radolphick.

"It's not what you think," protested the priest in his defense.  "I'm
afraid your father came looking for more of that rare herb he gave
your brothers Chirem and Dylurm.  Fortunately, he didn't know about
the new place I've hidden it.  If he had, we probably wouldn't have
known he'd been here tonight, and your mother would have awoken
tomorrow morning in a state not much different than your transformed
brothers."

Both twins gasped.

"Had I known then, what I know now," continued the priest, "I would
have never told him anything about that vile herb.  But I must live
with the consequences of that decision for the rest of my life.  Your
mother is likely just overwrought at the news of your surprise
pregnancy, Radolphick.  And, when several other past events, of which
neither of you have any knowledge, are added into the mix, I'd be
surprised if she doesn't blame your father for your condition, even as
I had first thought.  I believe your mother only needs a little time
to sleep unencumbered by her thoughts, fears, and imagination.  She
should be fine after a good night's rest.

"All that was in the vial I gave your father was a simple sleeping
draught.  It should let your mother sleep peacefully.  It will do
_nothing_ more.  It should also provide her a general peace of mind,
something she hasn't known in years.  In addition, your mother will
view things more clearly than she has in the last several years.  As
a bonus of sorts, she might very well remember a few things long
thought forgotten."

"It had better not do any more than that, priest," said Radolphick.
"As the oldest son, even though I'm now a girl, and pregnant, I will
seek the fullest retribution possible, if something happens to her."

"_You_ will do nothing to endanger _your_ child, Radolphick," said
Clorissa firmly.  "While _I_ wear this male form, _I_, not _you_, am
the oldest son.  Believe me, priest, if something unexpected happens
to our mother, you _will_ answer to _me_.  After I'm finished with
you, you will beg me to make you _exactly_ like my brothers."

"You have nothing to fear from me," replied the priest, silently
praying he'd given the correct vial to Xoltin.

* * * * * *
part 12
* * * * * *


Jedina was overjoyed at seeing her father return.  "Where have you
been, daddy?" she asked curiously.

"I went to see the priest."

"Why would you want to visit that foolish old quack?"

"I needed something to calm your mother," he replied.  "She's so angry
right now - she won't even talk to me."

"But daddy," wheedled Jedina, "surely you must know you don't need
mommy any more.  You have _me_ to look after you now."  She smiled
coquettishly at her father.  "And aren't I, not mommy, the one
carrying your next baby girl?"

"Of course, you are my little muffin.  But that still must be our
little secret for the time being.  We couldn't possibly tell your
mother about _your_ condition, right now.  You saw how badly she
reacted at the ritual, when she, as did all of us, found out your
brother Radolphick was pregnant."

"How could mommy possibly think _you_ were the father?  Everyone in
the village knows that since my brother Radolphick became a girl, he
has acted like a horribly cold little bitch towards you, daddy.  And
my sister, Clorissa, isn't much better.  I really think she envied you
your manhood, until she finally got a penis of her very own to play
with."

Xoltin smiled warmly at his understanding daughter.  'Why can't all of
my children be like her,' he wondered.  "But right now, muffin, we
must make certain your mother gets the rest she needs, so she will
cease being so angry with me."

"What can I do to help, daddy?" Jedina asked, wanting to be helpful.

"If you took some tea to your mother, would she accept it from you?"
he asked.  He removed the small vial the priest had given him from his
pocket.  "A couple of drops of this in a cup of warm tea should solve
all of _my_ problems with her."

Jedina smiled as soon as she saw the stoppered vial her father held in
his hand.  Having seen one very similar before, she guessed what it
must contain.  "She'll accept the tea from me, daddy.  So far, mommy
hasn't even guessed you and I have been sleeping together.  Although,
it won't be long before she'll be able to tell I've been sleeping with
somebody."  Jedina patted her still-slim stomach.  'But then,' thought
Jedina, 'once mommy tastes what's in that vial, she'll no longer give
a damn about who sleeps with you, daddy.  And you'll quickly grow as
tired of mommy, as you did my former brothers, Chiremyla and
Dylurielle.'

Jedina happily made her mother's tea.  And while she watched, her
father measured out two drops ... then another two, before adding two
more, just to be safe ... into one of the cups.  Carrying the tea on a
small serving tray, Jedina knocked on her mother's bolted door.
"Mommy, I've made us some tea," she announced.  "Will you let me in?"

As the door opened a crack, Cjelindra could see that her daughter was
alone.  "Where's your father?" she asked cautiously.

"He's outside, I think," answered the girl.  "He's really upset about
all of this.  And it bothers him a lot to see you acting this way."

"I'll just bet it does," replied Cjelindra sarcastically.  "But let's
not waste time talking about _him_, right now.  Come inside, and sit
down with me.  That tea smells rather good."

After entering the room, Jedina set the tray down on the nightstand
next to the bed.  She served her mother the cup with the doctored tea.

Cjelindra took a quick sip.  "It tastes even better than it smells,"
she smiled.

"Thank you, mommy."

Cjelindra took another sip of her tea, and then another.  Before she
even realized it, she'd emptied her cup.  Suddenly, she yawned.  "I'm
very sleepy, Jedina.  This has been a terribly exhausting day for me."
She yawned again, as she pulled the bedcovers down.  "I think I'll
retire for the night."  Sliding into the bed, she yawned again, barely
able to keep her eyes open.  "But we can talk again in the morning,"
she slurred.  "Is that alright with you?"  Cjelindra's eyes closed,
her breathing deepened.

"Of course, mommy," she replied, uncertain whether or not her mother
had even heard her reply - not that it really mattered.  'When mommy
wakes in the morning,' thought Jedina, 'she won't likely remember she
is my mommy.'

She pulled the remaining covers over her mother, then gave her a small
peck on the cheek.  But something about all of this felt strange to
Jedina.  After all, the sleeping woman was her mother, and she was
still her daughter, but tomorrow morning, they might as well be
strangers.  And then, she began wondering, if someday, her daddy might
not have one of _their_ daughters do this to _her_.

As Jedina exited her mother's room, her father waited outside.
"Well?" he asked impatiently.

"It's all done, daddy," she replied.  "Mommy is sleeping like a little
baby now."

Xoltin grinned wickedly.  It felt good finally  getting that misguided
bitch his wife had become off his back.  "And what should we do now,
my loving daughter?"

"Need you ask, daddy?" she answered coyly, her earlier fear forgotten.

Xoltin's grin turned lustful.  "I suppose not, my little muffin."

Jedina strolled across the room, and kissed her father.  He slid his
arm around his daughter's waist.  And together, the two of them headed
for the bed in Jedina's room.

* * * * *

When Cjelindra woke the next morning, sunlight was already streaming
through her bedroom window.  She had the remnants of a horrible
headache, and felt awfully confused.  "Why am I still in bed?" she
asked herself, not able to remember when, if ever before, she'd slept
so late into the day, as it obviously must be.

She wondered, 'What happened to me last night?'  Her head reached up
to her throbbing head.  "Why do I feel so strange?"

She knew there must be answers to her many questions somewhere in her
mind, but when she closed her eyes in an attempt to sort out and
collect her own errant thoughts, she found no immediate assistance.
Nearly all of her memories and thoughts - among them several questions
for which she had no answers, with nearly as many answers to questions
she had never asked - seemed be madly thrashing about within her head.

Yesterday was the ritual ...

What ritual?

But Radolphick ...

Who was Radolphick?

She was her son ...

And he was pregnant now ...

But none of those odd memories seemed to make a great deal of sense
to her.  They were too disjoint.

And Clorissa ...

Who was Clorissa?

He was the twin sister of Radolphick ...

But Clorissa, her son's twin sister, was her _son_ ... now.

Cjelindra shook her head.  'There must be something wrong with me,'
she thought.  She was _almost_ certain boys didn't get pregnant.  But
then, how could her son be pregnant?  And shouldn't her son's twin
sister be her daughter, or at the very least a girl?

And Tenaya ...

Another daughter?

A teacher?

No, a sorceress from the elsewhere ...

And yet ... _also_ her daughter.  She had _also_ become a _male_
warrior.  _Also_?  Who else did she know had done that?  How could
_she_ be a _male_ warrior?  But did it matter?  She very likely dwelt
with the spirits now.  _Why_?

When had she birthed these children?

Who had been their mother?

Cjelindra's aching head began to throb more intensely.

The images of two more sons, Chirem and Dylurm, sprang unbidden into
her befuddled mind.  _Her_ sons - she _was_ their mother - had been
boys once, but _now_ they were girls.  Guided by _their_, or was the
man _her_, father ... the Amulet of Czermanos ... that didn't sound
quite right ... her sons had become her daughters Chiremyla and
Dylurielle, who now lived, and played, with their lesbian sister
Jelima.

Jelima?

Another of her daughters?

How many daughters did she have?

But she also remembered having a friend named Jelima long ago.
Cjelindra suddenly frowned.  Jelima had been her friend - hadn't she?
Right now, Cjelindra was just not certain she could distinguish who
was friend, and who was foe.

From out of nowhere, she had a most peculiar, oddly disjointed thought
that heightened her confusion even more.  Jelima had been a name she'd
often called Jedina, when _they_ were both children.  And yet, _both_
Jelima and Jedina were her own daughters.

How could she possibly confuse one with the other as she was doing?

And how could _she_ have possibly been a child at the same time Jedina
had been one, when she _was_ Jedina's mother.

Her mind swirled with confusion.  Too many things still made too
little sense to her, that is, when they made any sense at all.

But wasn't Jedina also the name of the daughter of Tenaya? ...  But
her daughter had had no children.  Wait.  That was _not_ her daughter
Tenaya  ...  but that sorceress Tenaya from the elsewhere.  Weren't
she and that Jedina about the same age?  She vaguely recalled Tenaya,
sometime very long ago, telling Cjelindra's father - her father? -
that their daughters were nearly the same age.

And that Jedina, she now remembered, did not seem to like her at all.

'Why doesn't she like me?' wondered Cjelindra.  'I hardly even know
her.'

But that Jedina's attitude towards her wasn't all that bothered her.
How could she and the daughter of that sorceress have possibly grown
up together?  She knew she was from the here, and that Jedina was from
the elsewhere.  'There must be some other rational explanation for all
my boyhood memories of her,' she thought.  'But what could it be?'

_Boy_hood memories?

'But I'm a girl.  How can _I_ have boyhood memories?' she wondered.

And then, she remembered her daughter Jedina bringing a cup of tea to
her room last night.  It had been delicious.  But very oddly, shortly
after finishing it, she had become very drowsy.  She wondered, if that
tea might have been drugged.

However, Cjelindra could not believe her own daughter, even if she
were pregnant with her own father's bastard child, would actually
make any attempt to harm her.

"How did I know Jedina was pregnant with her father's bastard?" she
wondered.  "It must be something he said in his sleep."  She shook
her head.  "But when did I start listening to any of his boring
endless prattling while he slept?"  She shook her head again.  "How
do I know he talks in his sleep?"

Although Jedina might not wish to hurt her, the same could not be said
of her husband Xoltin.  She wouldn't put it past that man to ...

Her headache unexpectedly worsened.  It felt as if someone were
alternately whacking the sides of her head with giant sledge hammers.
And then, all of a sudden, she remembered she had to continue avoiding
Xoltin, no matter what.

And then, she remembered recognizing that pure wanton lust she'd seen
earlier in Xoltin's lecherous leer for what it was.  But this was also
_their_ bed she'd been sleeping in.  And yet, without knowing exactly
why, she unquestionably knew she must avoid Xoltin completely for the
next twelve hours.

The next twelve hours?

'What the hell is so damned special about the next twelve hours?' she
wondered.

Suddenly, Cjelindra's eyes snapped wide open, her headache completely
gone.  "Twelve hours!" she exclaimed.  "The time required between
alterations wrought by the _Zaltora Amulet_!"

The young wizard had remembered.

He felt the long hair resting on his shoulders, and was surprised by
its soft and silky texture.  One of his hands sought out his chest,
where he found two large mounds of female flesh.

Rising slowly from the bed, he walked over to mirror.  It surprised
him how gracefully he walked, and how totally natural it felt.  But
he'd only been a girl for such a little time.  Staring at his
reflection, he thought, 'I'm beautiful.'  But he soon realized the
_woman_'s image reflected by the glass was older than the last time
_he_ been aware of looking at his transformed self.

And yet, he knew.  'All of _my_ memories.' - all of _her_ memories
were still present - 'of all those past times must be true,' he
thought.  It was a sobering thought, not only to know those twelve
hours had already passed, but the last of them had expired over
twenty years ago.

The wizard thought about her - Cjelindra's - children, all twenty-two
of them.  He still considered himself as much their mother, as she
was, since they were as much of his flesh - at least, the flesh given
him by the amulet - as hers, and he retained the same joys and
memories of each child's birth, as she did.  How could he not?  He
_was_ her.  After birthing twenty-two children in the span of only
twenty years, he marveled at how good she still appeared.  A _normal_
woman, even one from his own reality, would have been physically spent
long before by such an arduous ordeal, but obviously, he had not been
intended to be a normal woman.

He remembered volunteering for the demonstration of the amulet's
power.  It was almost the last thing he clearly recalled as _him_self,
until now.  The priest had utilized the Zaltora Amulet to transform
him physically into a girl, who had obviously been Cjelindra, Xoltin's
daughter, and bride-to-be.  And sometime later, when he'd been off his
guard, probably when he'd let Tenaya - he blushed as he felt his
breasts -  examine him, _she_ must have cast some subtle spell over
him that altered his thought patterns, and his memories, somehow
rewriting them into Cjelindra's own.  But she must have allowed him to
retain his own innate magic - otherwise, it would have been easily
traced to the perpetrator - and those energies must have kept her
younger and made her more fertile than the real Cjelindra would have
ever been.

And yet, just the thought that he and Xoltin had been so intimate with
one another sickened him.  But he had thought himself female and his
wife, and he knew she'd thoroughly enjoyed every little attention
Xoltin had paid her all those times they'd been together.  And yet, he
had also been transformed, essentially into Xoltin's daughter.  And
everything they had done - how could a father do those things with his
own daughter? - for the past twenty years, he now condemned as
immoral.

Making matters even worse, their own daughter was now pregnant by her
lascivious father, who was also their daughter's grandfather.

"This nonsense must stop," said the wizard.  "And it should be easier
for me to stop it, if I approach this as my true self."  The wizard
wistfully gazed at her reflection.  For the past twenty years, he had
been her.  And it was unlikely, he would ever forget her.

The wizard gestured at her image in the mirror.

Closing his eyes, he felt his body begin tingling.  However, when his
spell's prickly tell-tale sensations coursing across his body abruptly
ceased, the wizard opened his eyes, staring with disbelief at the
image in the mirror.

Something had gone wrong.

He was _still_ Cjelindra.

* * * * * *
part 13
* * * * * *


'What went wrong,' wondered the perplexed wizard.

He had felt the power building up within him as he prepared to cast
the spell.  He had felt his body start tingling - a clear indication
of the start of a transformation spell.  And then, as if his own body
had somehow cast the spell aside, nothing.

He hadn't changed at all.  He was still, just as she had been for the
past twenty years, Cjelindra.

Spotting a single red rose sitting in a small vase on the dresser, he
cast a transformation spell upon it.  As he watched intently, it
almost instantly changed into a violet.  That meant the problem wasn't
with _his_ magic, or its lack of use over the past twenty years.  He
sat down on the edge of her bed to think things through.  "What could
the problem possibly be?' he worried.

"Is there something wrong, Cjelindra?" asked a familar voice.

The wizard looked up, "Tenaya," he spat. "I should have guessed _you_
wouldn't be far away.."

The sorceress smiled at Cjelindra.  "I hope you realize that it was
my intention, after I left this reality earlier, never to return
again.  I had quite an interesting confrontation with your clever
little daughter Jelima.  But that was only a few short hours ago, and
here I am back in this reality again.  I had hoped, young man,
although young _woman_ is still far more appropriate for you, that
the brief surge of magic I detected being used here was nothing more
than an accidental and unintentional discharge of magical energies by
the _wife_ of an old friend."

"Wife ... _and_ ..."  The wizard shook is head.  "Daughter."

"That could not be helped."

"I'll bet."

Tenaya smiled, then flicked her wrist casually in the wizard's
direction.  "You should just relax.  Try taking it easy for a few
minutes, _Cjelindra_."

And for a brief moment, she was Cjelindra, and _only_ Cjelindra,
again.  "What did you just do?" he asked, shaking her head as his
own thoughts re-exerted control of his mind.

"Just a little test, my dear," replied Tenaya.  "You must realize
you've been Cjelindra longer than you were your old male self,"
explained Tenaya.  "Obviously, altering your thoughts will be somewhat
more difficult for me this time, but all I need do is catch you off
your guard for just a moment or two, just as I did twenty years ago.
Then you will be yourself once more, _Cjelindra_."

The wizard shook her head.  "Even though this is _apparently_ her
body, I am no longer Cjelindra.  I am myself once again, not her."

"But you will be her again ... _eventually_," grinned Tenaya.  "You
should just give in to what is inevitable, you know.  Even if you have
more endurance than any other person whose body us native to this
reality, that very lovely form you currently possess still tires.  I
do not."  Her grin became a vengeful smirk.  "I'm in no real hurry, my
dear.  I have plenty of time.  I'm sure you must realize, I can
outwait you ... indefinitely.

"And once _you_ fall asleep - as you must, eventually - it will be
_Cjelindra_ who wakes.  You'll be gone again, young man.  But for how
long, this time?  It's a big question mark.  It might be another
twenty years.  It might be less than twenty hours.  But the other
hand, it could be twenty centuries, provided that sexy little frame
of yours can last that long.  And yet, who can really tell?

"One thing that has always amazed me is how you survived that first
week without doing yourself in.  You should have followed the plan.
The original Cjelindra, whose physical skills and mental attitudes
you were given, had the priest use the Amulet to transform her into
a warrior, who was later killed defending his village.

"If I could, I'd transform you into whatever passes as a donkey here,"
smiled Tenaya.  "That would solve my problem of what to do with you -
_forever_.  But since I can't make any physical changes in that
luscious body of yours, I'll just have to settle for this much cruder
mental assault."

The wizard smiled.  He let Tenaya continue speaking uninterrupted in
the slim hope she might let something useful slip, that he might use
to his advantage.  Thinking this might be useful, he queried, "You
_can't_ alter me physically?"

"That's what I said, _young lady_," she smiled back at the confounded
wizard.  "You can't deny trying to change yourself physically, just
before I arrived.  And it failed utterly.  Didn't it, my dear?"  She
sent a mental burst towards the wizard.

"Don't even think it, Tenaya," he replied, shaking off the anticipated
attempt to alter his mind.  "As long as I'm on guard, there's nothing
you can do to me."

"I had to give it another try," remarked Tenaya casually.  "But, since
I'm in no real hurry, we'll have ourselves a little truce for as long
as you can stay awake."

"Why can't you alter me?"

"It's a very simple reason," answered Tenaya.  "But you were always
such an attentive student in my classes.  Even though its been twenty
years, I'm really surprised you haven't recalled the reason yourself."

"What is it?" asked the wizard.

Tenaya smiled.  "You were changed into that pretty form you wear so
well by the magic of Zaltora Amulet.  And, until the amulet restores
your _true_ shape again, _only_ by the magic of the Zaltora Amulet
may you be transformed again."

"And why is that?"

"To be completely honest with you, I don't have the slightest idea,"
replied Tenaya.  "But if you'll remember, I told you twenty years ago
that the amulet was ancient at the time Zaltora first found it.  What
I didn't tell you was something so unbelievable that very few people
will ever be told of it, or allowed to know it.  Zaltora's research
determined the inornate amulet she'd discovered was ancient when _our_
people were nothing more than the simplest of primordial sludges.
Zaltora, in a paper _never_ allowed to be published, stated there were
several indications, contrary to anything believed logical, or
possible, the amulet was _old_ at the sane time our _universe_ was in
its infancy."

"Are you saying that because its magic is so much older than ours, it
must, therefore, be more powerful?" asked the wizard, shaking his
head.

"Exactly.  That's the current theory, my dear," said Tenaya.  "And I
am pleased you still remember a few things, even with a little
prompting, from your lessons of twenty years ago."

"Then I'm doomed to remain this way forever," sighed the wizard.

"No, you're not," replied Tenaya, thoroughly enjoying the young man's
plight.  "Actually the Zaltora Amulet can change your form again and
again without limit.  Did you not learn anything as you watched the
ritual your own twins suffered through at five-year intervals over the
past twenty years?" she asked.  "The amulet needs only something that
once belonged to _you_ in order to make you, _you_ again.  Or perhaps,
you'd prefer becoming some other young lad or, possibly, young _lass_,
instead."

The young wizard Cjelindra sighed.  "After twenty years, there is
likely nothing left that once belonged to me."

"Normally, that might be true," replied Tenaya, as she reached into
one of her pockets, and pulled out a small crystalline sphere.  "You
may have this, young woman," smiled the sorceress as she tossed the
globe to the wizard.  "It contains shreds of the shirt you wore that
day the amulet transformed you into Cjelindra."

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"I did not intend on ever returning to this reality, but I've now
decided that _you_ can stay here forever ... _exactly_ as you are
right now."  Tenaya stared at the globe now tightly clutched in
Cjelindra's hand.  "I've decided I don't want to wait for you to fall
asleep, my dear.  The cloth within that small sphere shall soon be
less than worthless ... once I destroy this."  She pulled the Zaltora
Amulet from another of her many pockets, holding it up for the wizard
to see.

"But there's a curse, or something, on the thing?" said the wizard.
"You can't destroy the amulet."

"A curse, indeed."  Tenaya glared at the wizard.  "You think I can't
destroy this?" she asked.  "Then, just watch me."

Tenaya turned her full attention to the Zaltora Amulet.  As the wizard
watched, she began casting the forbidden spell of unmaking.  With
each syllable of the spell Tenaya pronounced, the amulet glowed
increasingly brighter.  The young man soon had to shield his eyes
from the intense glare, but Tenaya continued her spelling, as if her
eyes were unaffected by the blinding glow.

Within moments of Tenaya completing the unmaking spell, there was,
abruptly, a totally unexpected high-pitched whine permeating the very
air.  But that ear-piercing sound was not emitted by the amulet - it
was the sound of Tenaya screaming.

Her body began distorting.

Her arms and her legs folded at places, where there were no joints.
One foot became a cloven hoof, while the other changed into a clawed
feline paw.

Her hands transformed into new feet, which, except for seven toes
facing backwards, were not much different from the feet she'd
possessed before.

Her nose became a hand with a thumb and five wriggling fingers.

Her breasts merged, forming a single mammary that hung tautly from the
center of her chest.  More oddly, her new large sole mammary possessed
two nipples, larger than before, but now opposable.  Her large breast
began to swell like a balloon.  Until finally, as if overinflated, it
stretched past its elastic limitations, and, for lack of a better
explanation, exploded, making plenty of smoke, but neither noise, nor
mess.

And when the smoke eventually cleared, the remaining _thing_ that had
once been Tenaya was completely unrecognizable.  It had now six
breasts, each with a single nipple, arranged in a triangular pattern
with its apex pointed downwards.  And if the wizard weren't mistaken,
the thing had a set of twin penises, one each distending from just
below what might have once been its kneecaps.

_It_ was a hideous sight to behold.

And soon thereafter, a sizzling sound could be heard coming from the
thing that had once been Tenaya.  Incredibly, and mercifully, _it_
appeared to be _melting_.

And after a few very short minutes, all that remained of the _thing_
was a puddle of goo.  But its consistency continually thinned, finally
becoming as runny as simple water.  It started bubbling, as if it were
boiling.  And in short order, what had remained of thing once Tenaya
had evaporated into the air, leaving no visible trace of anything
behind.

But, laying on the floor, the ancient Zaltora Amulet appeared
completely undamaged.  Tenaya, in her haste to lock him into this
form forever, had forgotten one of the oldest fundamental laws of
magic.  She had always taught her first-year students about the First
Law of Thaumatodynamics, which stated magical energies could be
transformed between states, but neither created nor destroyed.

Tenaya had willfully attempted the destruction of the Zaltora Amulet,
which by her own earlier logic, even disregarding the First Law, was
an impossible task for anyone native to this universe.  Its magic was
the older, therefore more powerful, magic.  As a result, the amulet
had apparently destroyed Tenaya instead.  And yet, if the First Law
were truly universal, could Tenaya truly have been destroyed?  And,
given that hideous thing she had become, he wondered what Tenaya might
have become, as well as if he might one day see her again.

With great caution, the wizard nervously picked up the amulet.  After
observing what it had just done to Tenaya, just holding it in his hand
frightened him.  "You are very dangerous, you know," he told the
amulet. And then, he suddenly shivered.

"Only if misused," came a bemused, soft and faraway sounding _voice_
that the wizard _heard_ only in his mind.

Wondering who had spoken, he quickly scanned the room, but neither
saw nor sensed anyone else in the room with him.  He was still all
alone.  As he stared at the Zaltora Amulet, he suddenly frowned.
"That couldn't have been you - could it?" he asked it.

But he _heard_ nothing in reply.

The wizard shook his head causing his long hair to brush over his
large breasts, the pleasant sensations reminding him he still
possessed Cjelindra's female form.  "My imagination must be running
overtime," he whispered.  "How could an _amulet_ possibly _speak_ to
me?"

The wizard knew he must use the amulet to restore himself to his true
form.  But to do so required him to wear this disturbing amulet about
his neck.  'Can I trust it?' he wondered, before dismissing that
curious thought, as more of his wild imagination.

After quickly stripping out of Cjelindra's nightclothes, he took a
final look at herself in the mirror.  He was still surprised at how
good she appeared, especially considering she'd given birth to
twenty-two children over the past twenty years.  The girl reflected
back at him from the mirror could have very easily been mistaken
for a girl of barely twenty-five summers.  And after so much time
being her, he was certainly going to miss her.

He slid the amulet carefully over his neck.  It felt very cold, as it
settled between his breasts.  Strangely, it warmed there more quickly
than he would have thought possible.  The wizard sat down on the edge
of her bed, then opened the small crystal globe Tenaya had tossed to
him earlier.

Carefully removing the cloth from the globe, he laid down on the bed,
clutching the cloth to the amulet.

And began waiting.

* * * * * *
part 14
* * * * * *


After the required thirty minutes for the transformation had passed,
the wizard, no longer feeling his body change, rose slowly from the
bed. Nervously, he walked over to the mirror. He smiled at _his_
reflection. The image looking back at him from the glass was _him_.
He was no longer Cjelindra, and neither was _he_ female.

He'd been half afraid she might have been pregnant again, inasmuch
as pregnancy seemed to have been her natural state during those years
he'd been Cjelindra. And, just a little earlier in the day, he had
witnessed what might have happened, if she had been with child again.
But, breathing a sigh of relief, he knew that wouldn't happen to him.
For the first time in over twenty years, his reflection had a penis
hanging between his legs.

But the image reflecting back at him from the mirror was not the young
man he remembered himself being. He'd grown older. And he thought,
he looked much older than the passage of only twenty years should have
made him. But he was, without a doubt, himself again. Older looking
perhaps, but certainly no one would question his identity.

Finding an old threadbare bathrobe in the closet, he pulled it on to
cover himself. It wasn't much, but it was comfortable, and better
than wearing nothing.

Unexpectedly, he heard the door into the room open. And as he turned
towards it, he saw Cjelindra's husband enter the room. "Xoltin!" he
exclaimed. Being in this man's presence angered the wizard past
anything he'd ever believed himself capable of feeling.

Without a hint of recognition in his eyes, Xoltin looked at the
wizard. "Who are you?" he demanded. "What are you doing in this
room?"

"Don't you remember me?"

Xoltin stared at the wizard, studying him very carefully. A small
flickering light of recognition appeared in his eyes. "You came here
with Tenaya and her daughter from the elsewhere. But that was more
than twenty years ago ... you disappeared suddenly." The man shook
his head in confusion. "Where have you been all these years? You
look a lot older now. Have you seen my wife, Cjelindra? Did you
know, this is _our_ room? But she was alone and sleeping earlier.
I think she might be mad at me for some reason. I know she must
be around here somewhere." Xoltin sighed, then sat down on the bed.
Without thinking, he sprawled out on the bed, closed his eyes, and
fell fast asleep.

The wizard looked over Xoltin with utter disgust. He hated this man
for all the things he'd done to him and her. And yet, he didn't seem
to know what he'd done. As Cjelindra, he had borne his children, even
though Cjelindra herself was also his child. More than anything, the
wizard wanted this man dead and long forgotten. But Xoltin seemed
only a pitiful shell of the man he'd been, and, regardless of how he
felt, the wizard couldn't bring himself to even attempt to kill him.
As pitiful as Xoltin was, killing him would be as morally repugnant,
as everything Xoltin had done to either him or their children.

The wizard was at a loss for what to do. He had no idea how he should
punish Xoltin. And, since it appeared that the elder's mind had
snapped, was any more punishment even necessary?

Once again, he heard the soft faraway voice in his mind. "Compassion?
Most unusual. You did not take from him his life, even though your
cause was great." Quickly looking around the room, the perplexed
wizard again found no one, other than himself and the sleeping Xoltin,
in the room. "There is a better way for _him_ to pay, in kind, for
what he has done. There are still the young ones, who have much need
of _her_," said the disembodied voice.

Realizing the voice's intent for Xoltin, the wizard smiled. 'It is
a just and fitting punishment,' he decided. After picking up the
clothes he had been wearing as Cjelindra, he draped them over Xoltin's
drowsing form. Not actually wanting to touch that thing again, he
levitated the Zaltora Amulet over Xoltin's head. As soon as the chain
encircled his head, the wizard let the medal fall gently onto Xoltin's
chest, now covered by Cjelindra's nightclothes. To make absolutely
certain that unbroken contact would be retained until after the
transformation's completion, he cast a small spell to make Xoltin
tightly clasp the amulet, along with a handful of her clothes, for
the next forty-five minutes.

The wizard waited while the amulet worked its magic on Xoltin. Oddly,
and quite inexplicably, he felt an incredible, yet almost perverse,
sort of pleasure in knowing that this man, who had transformed _him_
into his daughter, then made him his wife, had now been transmuted
into his daughter himself.

The wizard gently placed his hand against the new woman's face. As
he touched the mind within, he found it muddled and fragmented, a
mishmash of confusion. But regardless, when _she_ woke in a short
while, she would be, who she would be.

After a final look around the place _she_ had called home, the wizard
stepped across the ethereal bridge between their realities. After
having been gone for so long, the wizard had finally returned to
_his_ home.

* * * * * *

A very long year would pass before he would return again.

In that long, slowly passing, year, the wizard had faced long sessions
of questioning. They wanted to know where he'd been the past two
decades. And, although he steadfastly stuck to the truth of his
story, he was never certain there were many, if any, people who
believed he'd spent his missing twenty years, as the daughter-wife of
one of the village elders. Particularly, since the girl Cjelindra,
who he'd claimed to have been all that time, was still living in the
village with her many children. It had been the elder Xoltin, not his
young wife, who had been the one who'd disappeared without a trace.
More than one of those questioning him openly laughed at the absurd
thought of _him_ - a male - actually thinking _he_ could be a mother
at all, let alone one with twenty-two children.

But then, he'd never once attempted explaining that the Cjelindra,
who still lived in the village, they had all met and spoken with
wasn't the Cjelindra, who had actually mothered all those children.
How could he possibly tell them _she_ was actually the children's now
missing sire Xoltin. If they weren't going to believe he'd been
Cjelindra, then they'd hardly be likely to believe that Xoltin was
now his wife Cjelindra either. But, who would believe an explanation
like that, especially after the last interview team returned with the
news of Cjelindra's latest pregnancy.

And, for some peculiar reason he couldn't explain, or understand, they
all seemed very doubtful of the ancient arcane powers of the Zaltora
Amulet. 'What is wrong with all of them,' he often wondered, while
answering their questions.

The wizard told them everything Tenaya had told him about the amulet.
And he'd tried explaining to them, how she'd attempted to destroy it,
failed miserably, and the horrible things he'd seen the amulet do to
her, presumably, in order to protect itself.

They didn't believe a _single_ word.

They laughed derisively at him, while he'd explained about the
theory Tenaya had related to him, about the amulet possibly being
even older than the universe itself.

"Absurd theory," one had said.

"Quite impossible," another had said.

And yet another, just looked at him and shook his head.

"Then you must speak to Zaltora herself," the wizard had pleaded with
them. "It's _her_ theory - not mine."

"We can't," someone had told him. "Zaltora suddenly and inexplicably
passed away, just the day before you returned."

As far as the council was concerned, Tenaya was simply _missing_.
They just couldn't believe that anyone, other than an equally powerful
wielder of magic, could overpower someone as powerful and intelligent
as Tenaya. And, although they all knew the wizard would one day far
surpass his former teacher's skill and power, he was still not quite
up to Tenaya's level yet. Their own flawed logic quickly dismissed
_him_ as a possible culprit in her disappearance. And the very idea
that some old magical artifact could potentially kill someone like
Tenaya, in apparent self-defense no less, was deemed ludicrous.

The council never mentioned Zaltora's theory again. None of them had
ever been informed of any _secret_ or _withheld_ theory involving the
Zaltora Amulet. Any action suppressing knowledge had to be approved
by the council. Since there was no record of any such council action,
it had, of course, never been done.

Jedina, of course, blamed him for her mother's death, even though
officially Tenaya wasn't dead - the council had simply listed her as
'missing - whereabouts unknown', just as his own 'official' status had
been for the past twenty years. Jedina had never liked him before.
And, after this incident, she absolutely hated and despised him.

In the end, the council decided absolutely nothing. But that result
came as no great surprise to him. It seemed that not much had changed
politically in the two decades he'd been _missing_.

However, he couldn't understand how they could all ignore the
potential danger the Zaltora Amulet posed. They treated it, as if it
were all his imagination, and the problem would go away if they chose
not to think about it. But, if they didn't believe the power of the
Zaltora Amulet was real, why did they continue sending students to
study and observe it? Their actions made no logical sense to him at
all.

And so it was, having sworn to himself never to return to the Zaltora
Amulet's reality, he did exactly that - not quite one full day after
the council's final decision had been announced.

He really couldn't help himself.

He _had_ to cross the ethereal bridge into the amulet's reality again.

After all, he _was_ the mother of the twenty-two children, he'd left
behind. And, in deference to his mothering instincts, he needed to
make certain all of his children, who he hadn't seen in over a year,
were safe and sound.

* * * * * *

Not knowing what to expect, the wizard nervously stepped across from
his reality into that of the Zaltora Amulet. It felt odd looking out
at the village as some stranger might, but, at the same time, it
seemed almost like a homecoming for him as well. After all, he'd
spent over twenty years of his life in this village as one of the
native girls.

Just in case of something unforeseen, he had purposely not allocated
much time for visiting. He'd even appeared on the outskirts of the
village in order to minimize any possibility of his arrival creating
any undue disturbances. But he knew that no one, other than perhaps
Xoltin, who he'd left behind in the form of his own daughter,
Cjelindra, and the old priest, would likely remember _him_ this way
at all. In addition, anyone, who still living in the village from the
time of his first arrival over twenty years earlier, would be unlikely
to recognize him now.

He had accepted, not that there was much he wanted to do about it, he
appeared physically older than he should have. Even though he was
less than four decades old, he could have easily passed for a mature
wizard nearing an age of three centuries.

He also wore the same tattered bathrobe he'd put on that day a year
earlier, when he'd left this reality. What could be said about _his_
robe that he hadn't already heard several times before? He just liked
wearing it. The bathrobe was more comfortable than anything he'd ever
owned, and he didn't care that the majority of the sorcerors and
sorceresses on the council disapproved of him wearing it. Nearly all
of them had remarked that an old secondhand robe wasn't dignified
enough to be worn by a wizard of his stature. But then, ever since,
in their single-minded arrogance _and_ stupidity, they'd dismissed his
warnings about the Zaltora Amulet as _mere_ foolishness, he didn't
really give a bloody flying bat's ass about pleasing any of those old
stuffed fuddy-duddies. And one day, after he opened up his own
business, the council wouldn't be able to tell him what he could and
couldn't wear. Then he'd show all of those old farts. He'd wear this
robe all the time.

As the wizard entered the village, he saw the priest, who looked at
him curiously for several minutes, as if he should know the stranger.
The wizard, wondering if the old priest might eventually remember
_him_, smiled back.

But from everything he observed as he walked about the village,
nothing had really changed. But then, he'd only been gone a year,
and there had never been many changes in the village during the
entire time he'd lived there.

The wizard was quite pleased when he found Xoltin. The fragile grip
the former village elder's mind had held on reality had obviously
snapped completely, but exactly when, even he couldn't tell. Xoltin
now unquestionably believed, he not only was, but had always been, his
daughter Cjelindra. And yet, perhaps that was for the best, since she
was pregnant once _again_, as well as still breast-feeding her last
child, a healthy little boy, who was not quite four months old. The
wizard wondered, who the father might be.

And among the villagers, not a single one had noticed anything strange
in Cjelindra's behavior, or any of the several minor changes in her
personality. They'd simply chalked up anything out of the ordinary to
her being pregnant _again_, which most of the villagers regarded as,
more or less, the girl's normal physical state. On the other hand,
had she managed to go four, or possibly five, months without an
announcement of a new pregnancy, everyone would have immediately noted
something was amiss with
Cjelindra.

* * * * * *
part 15
* * * * * *


The wizard wandered silently about the village, gathering bits and
pieces of information about _his_ many children.

His son Radolphick, with the approval of the priest, had legally
changed her name to Radelfia.  She had married the young man, who
had conspired with him and his sister to put him in a family way
before the last twin's ceremony.  And, having come to think of
_her_self as the female of the twins, Radelfia had decided she would
_never_ become male again.  During her first pregnancy, she had grown
so large that the villagers had fearfully thought she might have
twins, which would serve only to restart the twin's ritual.  But
instead of bearing twins, she'd delivered, with the help of a midwife,
a healthy boy, who was better than twice the _average_ size of
children previously born in the village.

His daughter Clorissa had also legally changed his identity and his
name, shortening it somewhat to a more masculine sounding Clorick.
As the male of the twins, he had become the father of a healthy baby
girl.  And Clorick's wife was once again expecting.

Even his worrisome daughter Jedina, who had, in the year he'd been
away, given birth to the _last_ of her father's many daughters, seemed
to have adjusted, even better than he'd expected she would, to her
father's sudden, unexpected disappearance.  However, the wizard
wondered if Jedina, or any of his children, for that matter, had any
true inklings whatsoever that the woman, they now called 'mother' and
Jedina had once thought her rival, was actually their missing father,
as well as Jedina's part-time lover.  What would they say if they only
knew the truth?  Would they even believe their _real_ mother was
actually the male stranger walking so casually among them?

But there was one thing about Jedina's new life that bothered the
wizard.  And that was the new man in her life.  As her _real_ mother,
he did not approve of his daughter being married to the old priest.
The wizard entertained no doubts that the priest had married his
daughter only for the use of her body.  And he could only wonder how
much time the priest spent as himself, and how much time he spent as
Jedina.  But he knew he couldn't openly object, or say anything,
without revealing himself to be her true mother.  And that was not an
available option, for as far as Jedina was concerned, her mother, who
had once been her father and lover, had given them _her_ approval and
blessing before _her_ daughter's marriage to the priest.

And, in the light of _her_ having given approval, how could _he_
voice any objections?

As the wizard continued his aimless wanderings about the village, he
became determined to find out all he could about the rest of his
children.  Since he'd been the one, who gave birth to them, he felt a
strong, motherly need to know all of them were well.  In spite of all
the peculiar changes constantly going on around them, the wizard was
pleased with each new discovery that another of his children was happy
well.

And finally, there were only three children, about whom he had neither
seen nor heard anything.

'No.  Make that two,' he thought, as he spotted his daughter Jelima
striding directly towards him with an unmistakable purposeness to her
stride.  She stopped in front of the wizard.  With a broadening smile,
she said simply, "Hello, Mother.  Welcome home."

"What did you say?" he gasped in evident surprise.

Jelima's already wide smile widened further.   "I said, 'Welcome home,
_Mother_.'  Is there something wrong?  You seem a bit surprised."

"But, you couldn't ..." the wizard began.

"You can't deny it, mother," she interrupted.  "I know exactly who
_you_ are."

"But ... How could you possibly know something like that?"

"If you'll just think about it for a few seconds, then it's really
pretty simple, mother," replied Jelima.  "You're the first wizard to
visit here from the elsewhere in the past several months.  And, unlike
all those others who came here from there, you've just been looking
around, not bothering anyone.  However, you have been seen closely
observing all of _my_ brothers and sisters with a look that fairly
shouts out to the world they mean more to you than they should to
someone from the elsewhere.

"Given that I _know_ my _real_ mother was actually some male wizard
from the elsewhere transformed by the Medal of Czermanos, _and_ your
odd, almost obsessive, interest in my family, _and_ that _old_ plain
robe you're wearing - I've often wondered where it might have
disappeared - was one of mother's favorites, I just put two and two
together."

The wizard shook his head.  "But how could you have possibly known
your mother was originally a male wizard from the elsewhere?"

"My sister Jedina, who, as you must now know, even if you didn't then,
used to sleep with our father," replied Jelima.  "She told me the
whole story of who you originally were."

The wizard looked at his daughter with perplexed surprise.  He
wondered how it was possible for Jedina, who was a year younger than
Jelima, to have known he could have been their mother Cjelindra.

Jelima smiled at her mother in amusement, as she noted the wizard's
surprised expression.  "I really thought you would have guessed the
answer to that as well," she answered his unasked, but obvious,
question.  "Father _talked_ in his sleep."  But the wizard only looked
more surprised and confused.  "You didn't know either, did you?"

The wizard could only shake his head in response to her question.
He'd sort of known Xoltin had talked in his sleep, but, as Cjelindra,
he'd never been very interested in any of her husband's endless
babblings and tiring prattle.

"I suppose it doesn't matter now," sighed Jelima.  "But I think
leaving father behind as mother was truly an inspired act.  Absolutely
no one, not even Jedina any longer, really misses _him_ that much.
But then, aside from Jedina, at first, none of my siblings were really
overly fond of him, since the time he began acting so strangely
towards my sisters.  But all of us would have missed mother."  Jelima
smiled at the wizard.  "And besides, I think she's far happier now
that _she_ is our mother, than _he_ ever was being our father.

"And as an extra added bonus, his becoming our mother has also freed
him of his lascivious need to impregnate his daughters, not that _she_
has any of the equipment necessary to perform that particular deed any
longer.  But, apparently, as some sort of compensation, she's become
quite a horny woman, who willing screws anyone with a dick, real or
otherwise, to thrust inside her."

"How fitting,' thought the wizard.  "But what about your two older
brothers, who became your sisters Chiremyla and Dylurielle?" he asked,
knowing whatever his daughter told him would fill in the last two
missing gaps in his knowledge concerning his children.

"They are both quite well, mother," replied Jelima.  "As they have for
the past several years, as I'm sure you must remember, they live with
me.  They will never again be anything other than the female sex
kittens father made them, but, quite fortunately for them, they will
never remember being any different."

"Do you mean nothing can be done to help them?"

"They are happy as they are, mother.  There is really no need to help
them," replied Jelima.  But, on noting the wizard's sour look of
disapproval, his daughter quickly added, "There is no known antidote
for the effects of that vile herb father slipped into their drinks
that night.  It insidiously blanks out, then rewrites, a person's
mind, making their mental outlook totally reflective of their physical
aspect.  And father had previously used the Medal of Czermanos to
remold them physically into the whores he thought he wanted them to
be."

The wizard sighed.  "Then, as long as they're happy, I suppose it will
have to be alright."

"They are both happy _exactly_ as they are, mother," said Jelima.
"You should not feel sad.  However, since you obviously haven't found
out yet, I suppose I should tell you Chiremyla is pregnant.  She must
be as large as a hut by now, and she's not quite six months along."

"Do you think it's twins?" asked the wizard worriedly.  He certainly
hoped not, given the asinine production the priest had made over _his_
twins, Radolphick and Clorissa, who were now Radelfia and Clorick.

"She is _not_ expecting twins, mother," replied Jelima, "that is,
unless _all_ who prepare to midwife her have erred badly in their
judgements.  As incredible as this sounds, they expect Chiremyla to
birth _five_, and possibly even _six_, children."  She paused to let
the wizard consider what she'd told him.  "There has never been
anything so momentous - nothing even comes close to this event in
comparison - in the whole history of our village."

"_Six_?  That's remarkable," whispered the awestruck wizard.  But
inwardly, the wizard, about to become a grandmother again, beamed
with a mother's pride.  "But what ritual does the priest plan?"

"Who knows?  Who gives a shit," replied Jelima.  "The priest has told
Jedina there are no provisions in any known ritual involving more than
two children at a time.  Twins are very rare occurrences.  As you
might remember, before you gave birth to Radolphick and Clorissa,
there had not been twins borne to any village woman in several dozen
lifetimes.  _Five_ or _six_ babies at _one_ time is nothing less
than a fucking miracle."

Jelima began to laugh.  "You should have seen the expression on the
face of that old fart of a priest, when we told him Chiremyla would
soon be mother to five children.  He turned pale as a sheet, and shit
profusely in his fine white pants.  And then, when we then mentioned
_six_ children might also be possible, the old fart passed out.  We
just let him lie where he'd fallen, until he came around on his own.
By the time that old stinker finally woke up, he really was an old
stinker."

The wizard joined Jelima in laughter.

"I would have loved to have seen that," replied the wizard.  "And you
say Chiremyla's due in only three more months?"

"That would be my guess, but, from her vast hugeness, it'll probably
be earlier.  But just how much earlier, neither I nor anyone else have
any experience with which to judge."

"I wish I could stay longer, Jelima," replied the wizard, "but I'm
afraid I must return to my own reality.  But I'll do everything I can
possibly do to return here in three months to observe the birth of
_my_ quintuplet, or possibly sextuplet, grandchildren."

Jelima hugged her mother, even though she appeared to be only a man
from the elsewhere she'd just met.  "I'll see you when you return,
mother."  A small tear rolled down her cheek, as she smiled and waved
towards the departing wizard.

Slowly and very reluctantly, the wizard stepped across the ethereal
bridge and back into his own reality.

* * * * * *

But it was nearly a year and a half, not three months, before the
wizard returned, as circumstances, which couldn't be helped and he no
control over constantly delayed his reappearance in the amulet's
reality.  He thought it very annoying for things to be consistently
working out to his disadvantage.  Things happened exactly as one of
his old professors, a wizened old enchantress named Murfia, had once
explained the complexities of life in one of his classes.  "Whenever
you set out to do something important," she had told them, "then
something else will necessarily need being done first."

The wizard had been given an opportunity to work with Sam, one of the
four Eternal Guardians of Reality.  Working with one of them was the
opportunity of a lifetime, and an assignment he couldn't refuse.  He'd
jumped at the chance, and never looked back.

But as the wizard finally stepped over into the amulet's reality, he
was unprepared for the nearly total devastation of the land, and the
almost absolute stillness of the air.  Where the village should have
stood, there was now _nothing_.  The area looked no different than the
rest of the surrounding devastation.

'This is very odd,' the wizard thought.  'I'm certain I did everything
exactly as I've done before.'

As a test, he stepped back into his reality, then quickly returned
to the amulet's reality once more.  But nothing had appreciably
changed in the moments he'd been gone.  All about him was unexplained,
total devastation.  Quickly probing the surrounding area for signs of
anything recognizable, he identified several geological landmarks from
when he'd lived here.  It took little time for the wizard to determine
he was standing in, what had been, when he'd last visited, the very
center of the village.  Everything, and everyone, he'd ever known in
this reality was gone - apparently vanishing in some catastrophe
sometime in the past eighteen months.

"Has the village really been destroyed?" he wondered aloud.  "But if
it were not demolished, then to where _or_ to when had it been
transplaced?"

What could have caused this?

Was that a movement over there?

Hurriedly walking over to the spot where he thought he'd seen some
movement out of the corner of his eye, the wizard stared down at the
burnt circle on the ground.  Carved within it, he read the strange
words "HISSARLIK FURCULA" that looked as if they might have been
etched into the now brick-like soil.

What did those strange words mean?

As he continued seeking additional evidence that might explain what
had happened to the village and all its people, the wizard found
nothing to help explain the meaning of those two unknown words.

Neither was there any trace - not even the slightest hint - that
anything might have ever been built, or even stood, on this ground.
Nor could he find any sign of anyone ever having lived in this place.

And much worse for the wizard, there was no trace - absolutely no
shred of evidence whatever - of any of the twenty-two children he'd
borne.  His mother's heart screamed out in distressed anguish, as
tears of sorrow, pain, and anger copiously flowed down the wizard's
face.

"This isn't fair!" he screamed angrily into the air.

But he heard no answer.

He had long known, life sometimes wasn't fair.  Sometimes life could
be a bitch, a plain and simple hellish painful shrew.  His old teacher
that last term, the late Tenaya, had taught him that a long time ago.

* * * * * *

Tears rolled the old man's face, as they always would whenever he
allowed himself to think about those terrible times so very long ago.
He was glad he'd decided to close his shop, as he would have hated
having any of his potential customers see him weeping like a helpless
little baby.  Although most of those pretentious council members
believed he had none to lose, he had his wizard's dignity to maintain.

But for the wizard, the worst part about what had transpired had come
even later.  Without the slightest idea _what_ had actually happened,
or when it had happened, their was little he could do.  He couldn't
even spend all the time he'd been given to search for his missing
children, because, other than the two unknown and mysterious words
"HISSARLIK FURCULA", no other clues, with which he could work, had
ever been discovered.

Even the Eternal Guardians of Reality had been unable to help him.
When he'd asked for their help, all Nessie - he was the only person
Nesfendatwabblesocksentard allowed to call her that - had told him
was, "All things happen for a reason."

Even his longtime friend Elmer, who was also missing now, had helped
search.  It thought it probable something "Trojan" must be involved.
Elmer's tireless researching of ancient tomes had actually turned up
the word "Hissarlik" as an ancient, nearly forgotten, name for the
legendary walled city of Troy, which was located in another
neighboring reality.  But their combined efforts had only yielded
some mostly insignificant talisman referred to as the "Trojan Fylfot",
which, from the description of its abilities, neither of them believed
capable of harnessing the power necessary to lay waste to an entire
village.

In spite of what he had seen happen to Tenaya, when she had tried
destroying the amulet, the old man, for several centuries afterwards,
had wanted to believe the Zaltora Amulet destroyed during whatever
holocaust had befallen _his_ village.  But throughout the passing
millenia, he'd kept hearing rumors of its continued existence, but,
upon his further investigation of every new rumor, the amulet's
alleged existence never turned out to be anything more than
unsubstantiatable gossip.  That is, until today, when, he himself
was witness to its presence in his shop.  He had finally confirmed,
after all this time, that the Zaltora Amulet was still extant.

But old wounds were opened.  The wizard wondered deep down in his
heart, if it might be possible that the amulet, now known as the
Medallion of Zulo, might have somehow been involved in the mass
destruction that had engulfed _his_ village.

He knew the amulet had been known by many names in the past.  He had
known it as the Medal of Czermanos, and the Zaltora Amulet.  In the
rumors, myths, and legends always surrounding it, there were several
scores of names by which it had also been known.

But, most importantly, had the Medallion once, a long, long time ago,
been known as the Hissarlik Furcula?

Just seeing that thing in his shop had frightened, then angered him.
Why should the damn thing have been allowed to survive that carnage,
when _his_ family had not?

However, if he hadn't so vividly remembered, and been fearful of, what
had happened to Tenaya so long ago, he might have tried to destroy the
medallion himself, before Angelica Morgan could have left his shop,
taking it with her again.

And yet, he knew the young woman, also known as Angel to her friends,
would probably return to his shop, sooner or later.  But it was
unlikely she would return, before her errant husband Buddy Morgan had,
in accordance with whatever plans Angelica had for him, been suitably
transformed by the magic of that ancient amulet, known now as the
Medallion of Zulo.

However, the amulet still shouldn't be in _his_ reality.  Nor should
he be in _its_ reality.  He would have known, if _he_ had bridged
realities, and the amulet was only an inanimate thing.  But it made
him start pondering, if he and the amulet might be in another reality
altogether, perhaps one overlapping the other two.  He'd heard several
new theories postulating the existence of reality nexuses - places
where multiple realities were joined as if one.  They were currently
thought purely theoretical, as there was no empirical proof, nor could
there be until one was found, of their existence.  However, if they
existed, they explained many things otherwise unexplainable.   And
interestingly, it had been further postulated, these nexuses could
be places, where even _normal_ people could walk effortlessly and
unknowingly from one reality into another.

And if someone could walk between realities, they could take things
with them.

If this were such a nexus, the wizard was convinced there must be
another reason, other than just helping Angelica Morgan, for his shop,
and the amulet, being present in Zenith Heights.

But what could that reason be?

As he looked over at one of the shelves normally hidden from the sight
of his customers, a glint caught his eye.  It was the class ring his
old friend Elmer had given him, shortly after he'd related his own
decades-long misadventures at the whim of Zaltora Amulet.  "Just in
case," he heard Elmer's voice echoing in his mind.

Although he'd thought her involved before, he was suddenly certain
his arch-foe Jedina was behind the disappearance of Elmer and his two
talented mortal assistants.  Somehow, she'd managed to hide all three
of them from him quite effectively.  And for well over a year, he'd
been unable to locate any traces of them.

Both of Elmer's missing assistants had been male originally.  But
then, the wizard had tried to help out his old friend, who had needed
a scantily clad young female assistant to spice up his act.  Who could
have guessed that Milt would completely ignore the warnings he'd been
given, and purposely slip that blond wig onto his own head?  With that
simple act, he had taken Miranda's form until such time as Milt could
remove the wig again.  But then, Miranda couldn't become Milt again,
under after Milt had removed the wig from Miranda's head.

Knowing Jedina as well as he did, she'd probably trapped Phil into
wearing the brunette wig he'd sent them that changed him into Elmer's
second female assistant Phyllis whenever it was worn.  But there were
a few things Jedina didn't know that would likely surprise her.

And somehow, she must have forced or, more likely, tricked his friend
Elmer into putting on _his_ head, another of those magical wigs.
Hadn't he warned him about her a long time ago?

If Jedina had made Elmer put on the same brand of wig Milt had slid
onto his head, then only Elmer could remove it again.  But, just like
Milt and Miranda, the female Elmer wouldn't be able to become the male
Elmer again until after his male self could remove the wig from his
transformed female self and break the spell.

And, if _that_ were what had happened, there was nothing he could do
to restore Elmer to himself.

He glanced up at the shelf again.  But, maybe there _might_ be
something that could been done.

Elmer was most likely female.  A change in his friend's gender made
the most sense, knowing the devious way Jedina's mind worked.  In
addition, he probably believed himself female, and would also likely
think and act as if he'd always been one.  From somewhere in his mind,
he seemed to recall that was something Jedina could easily do.

For a moment, the wizard froze in his tracks, as a new thought,
disjoint from any other thought, crept into his consciousness.  It was
just so obvious.  He wondered why he'd never thought of it before.
When his mind had been first restored, Tenaya had wondered why he, as
Cjelindra, had not followed the girl's original pattern of
self-destruction.

He didn't know it for a certainty, and he had no real proof, but he
now believed that Jedina, although he couldn't actually remember her
being involved in any way, must have been primarily responsible for
making the girl, into which the Medal of Czermanos had transformed
him, the insatiable wanton slut she had eventually become.

The wizard suddenly laughed.  For more years then most people could
count, Jedina had been endlessly trying to rid herself of him.  But,
when she'd been given the perfect opportunity, she'd just re-made him,
then made him think herself a horny little incestuous bitch, instead
of doing what she'd always wanted.

The Zaltora Amulet was more powerful than him.  He knew that was
true, because its power was something with which he had first-hand
knowledge.  But Tenaya had said it could have changed him _over_ and
_over_ again.  With that being true, and since he possessed Elmer's
class ring ... if he could only put the amulet around Elmer's neck,
and have his friend clasp his ring and the amulet tightly together,
then it should be possible to restore Elmer to himself again.

But that required him to have the medallion.

And he didn't have it.

Although he was quite certain Angelica would return to his shop, he
wasn't certain she'd still possess it.

But for his plan to work, he also required Elmer.

And, at the moment, he had no idea where Elmer could be.  Although,
given the current circumstances, he couldn't shake the peculiar
feeling that Elmer must be somewhere nearby ... perhaps, right here
in Zenith Heights.

* * * * * *

THE END

    Source: geocities.com/westhollywood/heights/2671/stories

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