AN: This would have gone up days ago but...life. Due to formatting problems with IV, resubmitting it. This is the end of it. March 17th, 707 "Is he awake?" "I think so." I could hear voices. I scrunched my eyes closed as hard as I could. Wait, how can I feel this? I had been in a room with a ragman, now I felt like I was waking up. "Yep awake. Let's say hello." "You'll scare him. Let him wake up naturally." Two voices and I recognize neither. My sleepy brain filled in the blanks for me. Obviously, I'd been kidnapped and was being held hostage by two people for reasons I did not know. Now when you think you've been kidnapped, there is an easy way to tell. If for example, you are laying in a soft bed with your head wound treated, you've probably not been kidnapped. Statements like this are what qualify me to control a city. I could still feel my arms, but not move them. The two voices were talking but I felt a barrier between us. If you think you're qualified and your kidnappers are torturing you by putting you in a warm soft bed, you have several options. You can scream for help, that's always a popular one. You can try to escape. Or you can stealthily throw your arm around looking for something to hit them with. "What is he doing?" "I think he's looking for something to hit you with." "Why me?" "You're a three hundred pound green monster Cope." "He doesn't know that! His eyes are closed anyway." I think I felt something. Nope, just the side of the bed. "Maybe we should wake him up." "Eh let him have a few more minutes." My hand hit a wooden nightstand. I felt along the top for anything I could throw, to catch the two kidnappers off guard. "It's a good thing I didn't leave a glass of water, that would make a mess." I felt the urge to open my eyes but tried to suppress it. Hot breath rolled across my face, I scrunched my nose. The urge to see what overwhelming. Can't keep the world out anymore. I opened my eyes. "Hi." A massive green scaled thing stared back at me. Okay, no need to panic James. Just react the most calm and rational way you can. "Die!" I threw up my arms and reigned blows upon him. I put all of my energy into every punch, making sure he felt my pain. "Feel the agony!" The green lizard man looked at the other figure and shrugged. "Why won't you die?" "A few reasons." I pounded away at the invincible lizard man. "You can stop now." "Never! I will escape this kidnapping!" "We're not kidnapping you." The lizard said. "Lies!" "Why would we want to?" The raccoon man asked. I tired pounding the lizard's face now. My problems included having no energy to fight, no plan of attack, no experience in fighting and no hope in general. "Cope knock him back down, he's going to hurt himself." "Alright." The lizard placed one finger between my eyes and pushed me down. I struggled valiantly under that finger. "Do not touch me!" "He's a grateful patient." The second speaker came closer, this one a raccoon an. 'Maybe I can beat him to death.' "Why am I so weak?" I asked. "Did you two poison me?" "If we had poisoned you, you would be dead." The raccoon said. "You were initially. You took a bad blow to the head and must have been laying in the woods for close to an hour before anyone found you." "This was the closest place you could be healed." The lizard said. "You're not kidnapped, you've just been resting." When someone has done something nice for you like say, healed your nearly fatal head wound, there are several ways to react. The right way is to show gratitude. The wrong way is to follow my example. "I'm done resting and this place smells like a barnyard." Because you usually see lizards and raccoons around barns moron. "I want to leave and I want to leave now. Where is this place?" "This is Metamor Keep, you— "I do not want to hear anything else!" I snapped. "This is the cursed place!" "Well yes and— "You will escort me out now." I said. "I won't hear another word!" "You're going to have too." The raccoon said. "My name is— "Don't care." Now they both were looking annoyed. "You may call me Coe." The raccoon mumbled something else under his breath. "I'm a raccoon morph as you can tell, kind of a— "Don't care!" Coe grit his teeth. "Your party will be coming for you soon thankfully. It's rather fortunate you woke up." I think that's how things went… "Are they here now? Why didn't they wait for me?" "This place is cursed." The lizard said. "They didn't want to be. So they left you and will be returning. Probably not today but in a few days. They didn't forget you if you're worried." "They also refused to tell us why they were here." Coe said. "What is the Lord of Isenport doing not in Isenport?" "I do not have to speak to you." I said. Yep James, just keep working those people skills. That'll endear you to many a reader. "I want to leave and you will escort me out immediately." "Okay your family will be coming here." The lizard said. "You just have to wait. My name is Copernicus, yours is James correct?" "James of House Dorothea, oldest child, servant of the empire and future lord of Isenport." I said. Copernicus smiled. He was actually there for a reason, but we'll get to that later. "You will not address me; I do not wish to speak to you." I forced the covers off my body and gave a shriek. "What am I wearing!?" "A tunic and pants." Coe said. I gripped the bed to avoid passing out. The feeling of this rough, ugly and dull cloth made my skin crawl. "What?" "Where is my clothing?" "They were covered in mud and blood. We didn't think you'd want to wear them after that." "This is terrible!" I said. "The stitching on these pants are wretched, I could do a better job than this. I have done a better job than this! And why will you not explore colors outside of the beige spectrum?" "You had to be dressed in something." Cope said. "And I'd have rather gone nude." I said, showing that gratitude I've become so known for. "I couldn't have been that bloody anyway." "We thought you were dead!" "I'd rather have been than in this place." I said. They both visibly tensed up. This would not be the last time I'd utter those words, but I'll get to that later. "I'm getting out of this bed now." "You've been unconscious for two weeks." Coe said. "You will do no such—" I flipped my legs over the side of the bed. "Stop! You are going to hurt yourself. You will not be able to stand up." "Watch me!" By sheer force of will, I forced myself to stand up. I almost toppled over again. 'Their eyes are on you James. Show them you are strong.' I forced one foot forward. Then another. One two, one two over to a chair against the wall. Finally I collapsed, panting hard. "Ha!" "Was he supposed to be able to do that?" Copernicus asked. "Not as far as I know." "I'm strong willed." I said. "I want out of this disgusting room. I want to be doing something!" "You know, if you want to get out of here" Coe said, "Cope sometimes gives tours of this place." Cope shot the raccoon a death glare. "Why would I want to spend more time in this place with either of you?" I asked. "Ugh, it'll get me out of this room, I accept." That's so kind of you moron boy. "Well I used to do tours." Copernicus said, "Uh not had the time anymore. Besides, aren't you too weak to be standing up?" "Are you trying to avoid me?" I asked. "I just said I'd allow you to show me around this backwater stain." Was I really this obnoxious? "Can't imagine where you got that I idea." The lizard said. "Do you really think you're strong enough?" "I know it!" "Alright I can show you around." Cope, being far nice than I would have been, helped me too my feet and lead me out. He started talking I believe but I immediately blocked him out. I moved through sheer force of will. Every step was labored and my muscles were virtually frozen. 'Can't let them see me look weak.' I pushed on while focusing my gaze on my own feet. I willed the muscles too unclench. Nope, still stiff. No matter how much will power you have, you can't unhurt your body through sheer force. Not that I wouldn't try. I was so distracted by this exercise in stupidity I failed to notice I was outside. I did notice Cope had stopped moving once I had bumped into him. "I thought you weren't listening." "I'm distracted." I said, looking up, "Don't worry about me, go a-uh-uhhh." With every event in your life, there are two moments you remember. The second is during the event, when you realize that your life has changed. At that moment I was struck dead where I stopped by the new world I was standing on the edge of. Isenport is not small. I'm used to seeing buildings stretching out in all directions with people crammed into them. What I wasn't used too was the image of a wolf on two legs and an utterly beautiful woman walking in front of me while discussing something. "…wow." I whispered. Cope smiled. Animals and people of all ages and sizes interacted. Species I had never seen walked beside children who had an air of authority. The din of noise was unlike anything I heard in a marketplace or dock. 'What are those creatures?' People with feathers. Lizards with faces shaped like knives. Creatures that were brightly colored, things I had never seen before. A desert where you could feel life swarming all around you. I swallowed. "Done gawking?" "I wasn't gawking." I stammered. "Just wondering why we stopped moving. I don't want to just sit on my ass doing nothing." The smile was replaced by a frown. "Is there anywhere I can get very drunk while waiting?" "You could show some gratitude." "Not to any of you." What an ass. "In fact I can't wait to leave this place. I bet you can't too." He shook his head. "What's that for? You're never going to see me again and thankfully I'll never see you." "You were in a bed for two weeks!" Cope said. "Yes we've established that." "We've been trying to tell you something—" "I don't want to hear it!" Copernicus sighed. "Feel the skin around your eyes." I didn't want to do what he asked, but even more than that I wanted quiet. So I reached up and touched the area beside my left eye. 'No no no no' I scrambled away from Cope, moving as fast as my frozen legs would carry me. 'Nononono' I stopped at the first window I could find and stared at my face. "No…" And golden eyes stared back at me. "No!" Across my nose were scales, small pebbles, cool to the touch. "Oh no no no I can't no no no." 'I asked for this.' "I tried to tell you." I turned to see the lizard man approaching me. "We both did but you wouldn't listen. You've been in bed for over two weeks, in and out of consciousness." "Am I cursed?" I asked. "Yes." "What am I?" "I don't know." Copernicus said. "A reptile of some kind. You have scales, that's all I know for certain. You are changing slowly—I collapsed. The lizard man rushed over but I brushed him away. "Don't touch me. Don't…damn it I didn't want this." Blood rushing through my ears blocked out the world and my head dipped between my knees. "I want this to stop, get me out of here." "James you— "Don't talk to me!" I cried. "Don't look at me, don't talk to me, leave me alone." Copernicus didn't say a word but he did sit beside me. He put an arm around me and I couldn't knock it off. For that I am grateful. When your life goes into a stop, you have two options. To try to pull out back to your previous pitch or to ride along with it until you reach the end. Often if you do not decide, life will decide for you. I decided too to crash. I spent my next days in a fugue, unaware of the world. I didn't get drunk that day. When I next awoke the next scales had further coated my face. The curse of Metamor Keep is a strange thing. For some it comes upon them like a wave crashing from the sea. To others it is the bite of a viper that leaves a slow burning poison. I only remember the days after I discovered I was cursed as white noise. I was allowed to stay in the lodging of…someone. I don't believe it was an inn, though it might have been. I feel regretful now; I can't remember the individual I lodged with. I ate but otherwise I didn't leave where I rested. As the scales rolled across my face, I felt they mocked me. When a second patch appeared on my right arm, I knew they did. I don't want to be here. I sat in a chair and stared. I could see past the wall, I could see what was coming. I knew and every day my family did not return for me my sense of dread rose. This is my fault. I learned how the curse would work for me in this time. I'd be able to shift into an animal form and possibly a taur form. A taur form of whatever I was becoming. I have noticed the morphs in the Keep are thrilled with their form after they have it. I believe many felt different while they were still changing. I didn't feel excited at the prospect of a new form, I felt terrified at losing what made me human. Maybe a little excited at that. Four days passed before the moment I dreaded arrived. "Your family is here."
Why did they leave the edge of the valley? Why did they wait so long? I knew walking out into the day light I wouldn't receive a satisfactory answer. 'Please let them be wrong.' I was led by someone into a courtyard, middle of the day. Warm today, I noticed it now more than before. 'Don't be here. Don't be you.' I recognized the small train of horses, my father, Nemo, a few knights and Muffin. My father was the first to spot me. I could see excitement fall from his face. 'He knows. He knows what happened to me. Anyone save me.' Whoever lead me left me at this point. I had to walk by myself to meet them. The people around me melted into phantoms, none could see me. 'What's that sound? No way, that's my heart.' "James?" My father asked. I swallowed. "Hi." "Wow…" Muffin whispered. "Are you…James?" Why is this a surprise? The curse can strike anyone regardless of where they come from. It cares not for rank or desire; it recolors all who are under it. Nemo finally got a glimpse of me. Instead of horror, he looked happy. 'Why you bastard?' "It's me." I said. "This is me…" No it wasn't. It was a me half mutated and a flush with scales. This was not the me I had been. "We-we-we" My father swallowed. "We weren't we weren't gone that long were we? This can't be right." "He's a freak." Someone laughed. "A monster! Ha!" Now some of the phantoms looked toward us. "This can't be happening." Father said. "Sir!" Nemo spoke up. "No matter what, this is your son. Maybe with more scales then the last time you saw him, but your oldest son none the less." "My son is not an animal." "He is your— "This is not my legacy!" Now everyone looked at us. "James go stand..somewhere else." "But I— "Do it!" He glared down at me. I moved back. Phantoms parted around me, a few giving pitying glances but none spoke. I sat down on the ground, hoping to sink into the dirt. This is a disaster. My head spun out of control, I had to steady myself against the ground not too collapse. They're not even looking at me. Why not? Why won't anyone say something? Back at home, my brother still was waiting for us to return. Would it be a dry day there? Would the market ring out with the sounds of throngs of merchants and sailors? In that moment I would have given all the years of my life for the chance to walk for a day upon those streets again. "James?" I glanced up. Muffin smiled and knelt down beside me. "Hey…" She said my name normally.Muffin reached out and brushed her hand across the scales on my face. If they upset her she didn't show it. "Yeah they're real." Muffin did it again, letting her fingers linger. "You're becoming a lizard." "Could be a snake." I mumbled. That was no comfort. Still, at least I had my arms, assuming that snakes in Metamor Keep lost their arms. Metamor Keep is a place where you can do the math and end up with three halves. "Does it hurt?" Muffin asked. "No. It doesn't. They feel normal. I-I mean!" My heart froze. This was normal. "I mean I hadn't noticed them." "I like you more with golden eyes." Muffin said. Why can't I remember her name? She kissed me on my nose, or where my nose had been. "I'm turning into an animal." I said. "You're still human." Muffin said. "I've grow scales. I'll grow a tail. What's human about that!?" "Depends on how you act." Muffin said. "You're made by your choices." "You were made my fiancé by our parents' choices." "Sorry you think that." Muffin said. With her other hand she slipped something over my right. I flexed. "My falconry glove?" "If you want it." Muffin said. "I mean, I know you won't see Ulysses for a few more days, I figured you might like it." I caressed the leather. The glove obscured my reptilian hand. "Thank you." I said. "I'm still me holding this." "You're still you no matter what." Muffin said. "What's Metamor Keep like? What are the people like?" "Strange." I said. "You wouldn't like it. They're rude and they don't listen to you when you talk." Muffin frowned. "What?" "Just surprised. I think this place is amazing." "Oh what do you know?" I snapped. She sighed. "Nothing Jay-Ames." She stood back up. "I know nothing." I glared at the phantoms until they turned away. Then I stood up. "I hate this place." Funny how we will transform, not just in body but in mind. One blue lizard gave me an especially lingering look and didn't turn away no matter how much I glared. "Hate me, I don't care." "James!" Time to face destiny. I walked toward my father, Muffin walking beside me. Turn around! Flee! My body wouldn't let me. My father couldn't look at me. Nemo came to stand beside me. "Hold tight kid." He whispered to me. I swallowed. All the phantoms had resumed watching this nightmare play out. "So what is my fate?" I asked. "What are you going to do to me." "I don't want to do anything to you." He said to me. "I don't have any choice. I can't have a lizard for a son." "You don't have much choice." I said. "Yes I do." He swallowed. "My son was injured but the injuries were far worse than we thought." "…No" "When we found him, he was bleeding, near death. We got him to Metamor Keep to be healed but they couldn't do anything." "No!" The crowd of phantoms took a step away from us, yet kept watching. "My son died after eighteen days. His body was bloody and broken so we buried him on the journey." "I'm not dead!" I screamed. I lunged at my father but Nemo held me back. "Let go of me!" "No. Consider this beneficence." Nemo said. I squirmed futilely against the larger man. "Nemo has agreed to stay behind and watch you." He said. "He will protect you, I promise. We will leave you with a small sum of money." "I'm not dead!" "You have to be." My father said. "I'm sorry James." I screamed at him. Primal, without meaning, just rage and fear. I yelled every obscenity I could think of. I screamed every curse I knew. Anything to stop them from leaving. Father handed a bag to Nemo. Muffin gave me a lingering glance but left with him. They walked out of my life and left me in a city of strangers. My hand grows tired. I will stop no We have no control over our first birth but we do over the many little births that follow. We choose them. We have no control over the many little deaths in our life though, no more than the final one. In front of people I would know, I experience my first death. This was to be one of the lowest points in my life, though not the lowest. At the time I was terrified. Now it seems foolish of me. This place was perfect to tame an obstreperous, licentious youth. I'll close by wishing all readers luck and encouragement. Nothing is as hard as it seems, not once you've survived your own death. And to you my friend, thanks for your encouragement to write this. May the blessings of Eli follow you. Your friend in the South J. AN: Thoughts still appreciated
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