Chapter Five: Third Metamorphosis
Ariana was laying limply on the floor; Simon could see her breathing but she seemed barely aware or awake. She stopped glowing, and there was a barely peceptible change in her. Simon watched Ariana's breathing for a while, and realized she was sleeping lightly. He was head shaking slowly. "Unreal." then he turned to Dreamer. "Take her to a guest room, and hurry!"
The dragon lifted the woman in one foreclaw and places her carefully on her back. "Simon, what is happening?"
"She's paying the price," he replied, ignoring Timat's wide-eyed stare. "Take her quickly!"
The dragon vanished down a side passage and Simon turned to look down, shaking his head. Ilth spoke first. "What was that?"
"She is changing. I wonder now what will happen."
"Will she fit in these caves?" Timat asked. "It seems each time I see her she's grown quite larger from the last time."
"I don't know." Simon looked away.
"What's wrong, Simon?" Dreamer had returned.
"It frightens me, Dreamer." Simon whispered.
"How so?"
"It's almost as if it were someone else there. But it's Ariana, I can feel that." Simon held his hands in his lap, looking lost. "But over the last two days, she's been . . . well, distant." He launched into a short explaination of that, and as he finished, they were thinking.
"She's protecting herself." Dreamer said, walking next to Simon and throwing a wing around him. "You must understand that she's probably never felt anything like this. It scares her."
"You can tell that?"
"She said it. She's dreaming, and it is not normal dreams that plague her but nightmares."
"Of what?" Simon looked at the dragon.
"You know better than us, Kereminde. Tell us, will you?"
Simon took a deep breath and looked at the ground. eyes distant. She was left alone and to the changes to come, that was what it was. But he couldn't explain how he knew that . . . he barely knew. Then he looked up. "This is confusing, disconcerting . . . and on another level very enlightening."
Ariana barely felt the changes sweeping her body, drifting in a world of shadows and dreams. She watched her fears come true, in visions, watching herself become twisted and grotesque. Then she watched herself turn and saw her eyes glowing red. Gasping, she felt a sharp pain rip through her, and wondered what was happening. Then she passed on into sleep, fitfully.
Her body seemed to be moving on its own without thought or will of her. She began to breathe rapidly and shallowly, making small, frightened sounds. Her body bent and she arched her back; her legs spread open into a wider stance and her feet disappeared slowly, shrinking. In their place small round pads, then hooves came into being.
Her legs began to grow a dark tan hair, similar to an animal's fine fur. At the same time another set of legs seemed to sprout from her, shredding the skirt she was wearing. The second pair of legs made it so her upper body seemed now bent oddly upward, perpendicular to her lower half. Below her waist was a mass of brown hair very fine and close knit, certainly not human. Her lower half was now firm, solid, and completely covered in soft brown hair. A tail of long hair swished the air once from where her second pair of legs join her 'midsection'.
Simon waited outside, talking with the dragons. They had many questions, and he couldn't answer them at all. "Excuse me. I don't want her to be alone. These changes leave her more often than not frightened of what she will become." He stood, and walked to the room.
He opened the door and his eyes widened in shock. He saw Ariana laying on her side, and still going through a change. He had the presence of mind to close the door softly, stepping within.
Her upper body was leaning back almost, still changing before Simon's eyes. It was now supporting her lower half, strangely. Her arms and chest changed to an even more musclar state, despite the previous state. Her hands clutched at her body almost fearfully as mental visions tore at her mind; nightmares in shadows just beyond her sight; he could sense them if not know them.
Her long red hair seemed to shorten to just below her shoulders, gathering into a cascade of firey red. Her face seemed to shift from a baby smooth face to that of a maiden, rougher and older. The beauty of the facial features is an improvement to her old face, removing the innocent look that was no longer true of her. Her eyes stirred once and she quieted, still laying on her side. Her breathing is normal once more, and Simon approched with trepidation, looking for something . . . anything to help Ariana look decent.
"A centaur," he said in awe. "Why that, I wonder?" He looked away; her clothes were laying nearby, shredded in her thrashing. He cast around and found a robe hanging on a peg, a gold robe with blue embroidery around the cuffs and neckline. With a sigh and a whispered prayer that Dreamer wouldn't mind Ariana borrowing it, he took it up into hishands.
When he turned around, Ariana was stirring, starting to wake. He sat on the edge of the bed and waited. Eventually she opened her eyes. "Simon?"
"I'm here. I didn't want to leave you alone for this." He handed her the robe.
"Welcome back."
"I feel strange." She threw the robe about her, her upper half bending slightly so that she was almost sitting upright. The robe settled across the horse-half's back, and the front didn't settle right. "I can't seem to stand. My legs feel weird."
"You changed." Simon looked around. "Look in the mirror." He gestured to a mirror hanging not too far away.
She was already trying to look at herself. "My god! Half of me is missing."
"Not missing . . " Simon looked around. "Please take a look in the mirror before you say more?"
She struggled to stand again, her front two legs the only ones that were moving. "It feels as if I have more than two legs." Then she looked at her lower half. "I'm covered in hair!"
Simon tried to smile at her unknowning mind, or perhaps her unwilling mind. "Let me help." He walked behind her and lifted with an effort. Her back two legs landed with a pair of 'clops' that caused her to look over her shoulder at him. But she was busy running her hands along her body, trying to form a mental picture of herself. Simon turned away, not wishing to watch her puzzlement. "Those sounded like horse feet."
He remained silent and tried again to turn her towards the mirror, but she had turned around to see her lower half.
"What is this?" Her voice was loud and she seemed ready to panic.
"Look in the mirror . . . please."
"I . . . I'm a horse. Or half of one." She looked at last in the mirror and seemed in awe of herself, or perhaps fright. "I din't want this . . this is too much change." Then she looked at him, looking fearful. "Is it done? Am I still changing, or growing?"
"No." Simon was looking in the mirror as well. "It's not as bad as you make it sound. After all, you picked this form for some reason." He stepped closer to her and considered comforting her, then decided against it. She was unpredictable at the moment, panicked. "You were in here for half an hour after you fell down. I just entered five minutes ago."
Dreamer poked her head in, but thankfully Ariana didn't see the look of naked surprise on the dragon's face. "Excuse me, lady Ariana. I just wanted you to know he's back." The dragon left, looking pale and shocked.
Ariana was still staring at the mirror, hands still running along her sides and legs. "I can't face my friends and family like this!" Simon heard her unspoken statement: "I'm a monster!"
"Can't you?" Simon felt tired suddenly, and looked up at her. "Should I leave, then?"
"NO!" She turned and looked at him in wide-eyed horror. Then she calmed herself. "Stay Simon, please . . ."
"As you wish." He stood there silent while she was still trying to get over her shock. "A bit large for a centaur, but not ugly. Not ugly at all."
Ariana was still silent, and he placed a hand on her lower back. She sighed and smiled suddenly. "It could have been worse."
"At least you're yourself." Simon said.
"Am I?" She turned and stared into his eyes. "What I have known as Ariana Tryken is long gone, Simon."
Simon flinched and looked back into her eyes. "Not to my eyes." That threw her into thought, and after a long silence, she spoke again.
"At least I'm still here."
"That's what I said, isn't it?" He looked into the mirror. "I never saw otherwise, even that one time."
She didn't seem to hear him. "Clothes are going to be a problem," she mused.
"All you would need is a shirt, right?" Simon smiled at her.
She smiled and laughed. "Yes, I suppose it is cheaper in the long run."
Simon smiled back. "It doesn't matter does it?"
"No . . I guess not. I'm still trying to get over the shock of the change. What does matter is that I'm still alive and have a purpose to find."
Simon looked around, seeing what was in the guest room. "This is where Dreamer keeps her clothes for when she goes human." He gestured to boxes and chests around the room. "I'm sure you can find something you like, right? I'll leave you alone to change." Then he covered his mouth. "Sorry."
"That's ok, Simon."
"I'll be in the hall if you need me." He turned and left, trying to sort out his feelings. Dreamspinner was standing there, one eyeridge raised and a small smile.
Simon closed the door behind him, shaking his head unbelievingly. Ariana . . . a centaur. And more changes to come, if what he believed would happen does indeed happen. Dreamspinner spoke up, cutting into his musings. "I have a suggestion, if you want to listen."
"About what?" Simon seemed far away as he spoke.
"Perhaps fixing Ariana's form." Dreamspinner sat down, his tail curling around his form as he sat down. "I think if I use the Crystal after retriveing it, she can be restored. It might restore her to her original form."
"Absolutely not. I remember the other effects the Gift has on people." Simon looked into his friend's eyes and scowled.
"I think it's possible, Kereminde, that the Gift will fix some of the problems she's experiencing."
"No, Dream! Not in your wildest dreams!" Simon almost shouted, eyes blazing.