The Transformation

He knew that to find out who he really was, and who he was to become would involve an inordinate amount of work. He knew something was missing in his quest to become fully Human with feelings and emotions, wishes and dreams. What it was, he had yet to discover. And discovery was not without its risks!

           Here he was, trapped between two realms. Could he transform and return, or was he destined to evolve in this realm? Would the quest to find himself be too great?

He was told about the tasks he was to perform. In the end, he would return to his people, the Shadows. He was caught in his transformation and existed as a Changeling in the Ether-Real World, and a Being in the Human Realm. To survive, this state would not do. He had to become fully – fledged in whatever state he chose to exist in. 

           The magic he would perform tonight would do its work. Satisfied he grinned and muttered the chant to himself. As if testing it out, he wiped the blade, and as swiftly as he had retrieved it, replaced it carefully in its previous place above the doorway.

He hurried about the hut making ready. The pot, more like a cauldron, had to be filled with water. The potion had to be prepared with precise ingredients and the fire had to be lit.

Everything had to be prepared exactly. Each of the seven stones had to be placed around the circle at precise spots. He would sit at the head when the potion was ready to be served. He had to focus now. He could not make a mistake. Any mistakes would prove disastrous to the whole procedure. No, he had to be focused, precise, ready.

The night was fast approaching. And even though the sun was slowly sinking into the horizon, he could not help but think about the magic he would have to perform tonight.

Tonight, would be special. He would make sure of that. But for now, he had to be content with waiting.

There was one good thing about waiting. You could use the time to prepare. To ensure you didn’t forget. Yes, he would use this time to reflect and go over in his mind exactly what he had to do.

He sat by the clearing outside the hut. The Shadows were beginning to attend. Whom and what Shadows were in attendance, he could not tell, but he knew he would have an audience. They would be looking at him to make sure he had everything he needed and did everything right.

Now! He had to begin! The Shadows did not like to wait. He stood up and approached the enclosure in the middle of the clearing. He reached into the trap and made a sucking sound. The chicken in the trap came to him without hesitation. Did it know what awaited it? 

When everything was ready, he took the chicken, reached up above the doorway to get the machete he kept there. With one swift swing, he cut the head off the fluttering fowl and drained the blood into the metal pot to which he had added a white powder, some black leaves and muttered something that was inaudible to the Shadows. The Shadows answered back, then began a dance in which there was intermittent shrieking.

 He took the large ladle, and dipping it into the cauldron, removed some of the contents. He filled the indentation of the seven stones and served it to the Shadows. As they drank, he made seven incisions on each of their arms.                                 

When they were finished drinking the potion, they casted the stones into the cauldron and sat at the table. The meal was ready to be served. It was at the end of this ritual that the transformation would be complete.

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           The jobs were ready to be doled out. The Shadows were now Changelings, then they would graduate to Waifs if they could pass the two challenges that awaited them. The Changelings were on their own. No one would be there to guide or protect them.

He could not help but wish he could be there for them a while longer. After all, he had seen them to this stage, and he felt a wee bit responsible for what was to become of them.

Now that they were Changelings, they had a better chance of survival in the Ether-Real World.

The Ether-Real World was a place where goblins, fairies, elves, gnomes, and waifs lived. There was no discrimination. Everyone shared and existed in peace and tranquility. Each Being had to earn the right to go through a different kind of transformation to get to the Ether-Real World. A Being from the Human Realm would lead them through their respective transformations, then they would have to prove that they were strong enough to survive each task which became increasingly difficult.

The Being from the Human Realm had to be endowed with special powers. It could be strength, agility, or magic. Lots were cast and the special powers would be used to bring on or begin the transformation. If the special power was done successfully, the Being would be elevated in the Human Realm. He would get to choose tokens that would allow him special privileges. No one knew why the Beings chose magic. Maybe it was something they thought they could carry out efficiently, or maybe it was something they knew they could aspire to. Since he became a Being caught in the Human Realm, he needed to prove to himself and others that he had what it took to complete the transformation. The Beings had to mentally and physically prepare for the chosen feat.

There were specific rituals that had to be done and adequate preparation of the place in which the ritual would occur. Successful completion would culminate in a feast. Even the food and drink were specific. The Gnomes would gather the best mushrooms; the Fairies would collect honey, dew milk, and nectar; the Elves were responsible to get lichens and moss to make cakes sprinkled with nectar; the Goblins contributed roasted vegetables and Hobbit stew. The Waifs decorated the table with flowers and lemon grass and made bark brew. Each seat at the table was designated to a specific Waif who had to choose a meal and perform a ritual. If the ritual was accepted by the attendees, then they would pass to the next level and achieve graduation. If they did not perform a passing ritual, they would stay a Changeling until their ritual was accepted. In cases where after three trials they did not achieve a pass to the next level, then they would stay a Changeling with Shadows staying close by incase they were needed for guidance or safe passage back to the Ether real World.   

Nothing was bad about being or staying a Changeling. It was just something that the Beings aspired to be. If it did not work, then they would be content to contribute to their Ether-Real World. Or a great decision would be made to stay in the Human-Realm world. Once there, each Changeling would help the Humans. Some would stay in this world permanently giving ideas and making dreams come true. Some would exist between both worlds. They would lend their assistance where needed.

           One Changeling liked the Human Realm world so much that she wanted to live in the forest where she thrived as a Shadow. She had been watching him for some time and although she didn’t quite get his name, she liked the way he completed the magic potion ritual and invited them to the feast. She liked the way he prepared everything precisely and she enjoyed the food that he prepared. She thought about how she could live in this Realm and not go through the ritual to be a waif. She would make a potion to retreat into the shadows once more. She would work on reversing the magic potion. She had to go back, but she didn’t want to stay a Shadow. She wanted to adopt human-like characteristics and help him do things. Maybe if she told him how much she would like to stay, he would agree to adopt her into the Human Realm. She decided to re-enter the Human-Realm and let him know she wanted to be there. She wanted to learn everything he could teach her, then maybe she could help him perform the rituals for the Shadows. She would go back and let him know how she felt. She would gather some things for her journey and borrow some traveling magic from her fairy friends. This would protect her from harm and prepare her passage for travel.

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           When she got back to the forest, she saw him in the clearing. He was sitting with his back towards her. How strong his shoulders looked! She did not know if the Gnomes brought him the message of her return, nevertheless, she would let him know of her intentions. She boldly walked up to him. He heard a rustle but did not turn. It was as if he knew through some sort of vicarious intuition that she was there.

           “I knew you would come” he said dryly.

Then as he turned, she saw the corner of his lips quiver. He did miss her, as she did him! He had prepared a meal which was perfectly set on the table.

“I was waiting for you”.

He smiled, held out his hand, took hers and drew her to him. She went willingly.

“Come, let’s eat, you must be very hungry.”

When they were seated, they ate in silence. The Shadows did not yet appear, but there was a sense that their appearance was not very far from happening. As if thinking about them, he jumped up suddenly and secured a box from the hut. He opened it and blew what looked like ashes into the air. She looked at him expectantly.

           “That will keep them away. I do not want to entertain them tonight. Tonight, I want to learn about you. Why did you come?” 

           “I want to be here,” she said almost inaudibly. “I want to be here with you.”

           She now knew that he had a name and that he had been an accidental visitor to this realm. He had found it interesting, so he deliberately faked his passage back and thus the time had passed for his transformation before twilight and so he stayed in this transformation permanently. That’s why he could exist in both worlds, but it was not an easy existence. There were always potions and magical transformations to engage in, and if you were lucky, you were able to cohabitate in one or the other by following the rules with the respective Beings.

           She wanted to know more, but she sensed a hesitancy. Then there was this harsh look in his eyes. Suddenly he grabbed her arm and without a word, propelled her into the light beneath the tall oaks.

“There is so much you won’t understand. Things you must do. The price to stay is very great. The transformation may cost you your life. Is this what you really want”? he asked rather harshly.

With one swift blow, he struck her before she could utter a sound. She fell to the ground in a lifeless heap. He took a vial from the tiny satchel he wore around his neck, opened it and held it to her lips. Satisfied she had had enough, placed it from where it was retrieved. With a few incantations said, he placed the white powder onto her body, inhaled and immediately fell into a trance.

The transformation, though in its infancy, had begun.

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           When he opened his eyes, he noticed he was lying on a bed of lichens, and Elcia, (for that was her name), was bathing his body with a greenish-brown brew. Those in attendance were waiting expectantly for his arousal to transform into complete wakefulness. Before he could utter a word, a sponge was held to his lips. He tried to turn away but found he could not do so.

           “Drink. Go on. Drink all of it!”

Elcia waited for her command to be obeyed. She caressed his face gently and waited. He would once again regain his place among the Shadows. Then he could decide to join her, if he really wanted her as his fairy princess. After all, he was Prince of the Shadows, and the time had come for him to find out who he truly was. Elcia held the brew to his lips. He drank obediently.

When he was finished, Elcia stood and raised both arms to the attendees. They all applauded and shouted then retreated to the tables on which were laden platters of food. There was a fountain flowing with sweet dew milk which were only served on solemn and other ceremonial occasions. And the fairies were touching everyone with fairy dust for good luck. The Elders praised her good work and placed the flower crown on her head. This was worn every day until nuptials, then would be replaced with a permanent crown. She had saved the Shadow Prince from existing between both worlds. He had completed the transformation of being back in the Ether real World!

 When Shadow Prince found Elcia, he pulled her to him. Things stirred within her that she did not understand. She knew once and for all that she wanted to be here with him.  

     “What have you done to me?”

“I had to prove if you truly loved me. I wanted to know if you were willing to go through the transformation to come back to me. I loved you enough to allow you to live out your curiosity in the Human – Realm World so you could choose. I was willing to go through with the Transformation, but would that satisfy you?”

The Shadow Prince pondered. Now he remembered what had propelled him to be inquisitive in the Shadows who had infiltrated the Human Realm. They seemed to be happy, but when he entered, it wasn’t quite what he thought.

“I needed to know if that was the world, I could live in. I was very unhappy there. It was as if I was searching for something that could not be found.”

“And now?” she asked quizzically, looking into his eyes. Did you find what you were searching for?”

“Now I know for sure that whatever world I’m in, I want you there with me,” he whispered.

“Come, we must prepare for the final rituals, I cannot wait to share my life with you.”

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