Part 7

Eadric was awoken by Ox who shook him by the shoulder.

"Your turn, boss." He whispered.

Eadric yawned deeply. Despite only resting for a few hours, he felt great!

"Thanks, Ox." Eadric whispered back to him.

Ox yawned and turned towards his bedroll. He dropped down and was snoring almost immediately. All three of his party members were sound asleep.

Eadric stood and knew something was wrong. Maybe it was because he had just been awoken, but his armor felt even heavier today! Not only was it heavier, but it felt bigger as well. It was like he was wearing armor that didn't belong to him. Had he gotten even shorter? What was going on!?

Eadric figured he was a bit sore from yesterdays fight...but even still...he was supposed to be better today! He rubbed his chin and felt nothing but smooth skin. He hadn't grown any stubble.

After rubbing his chin, Eadric looked at his hand and noticed the pink gem ring had returned to his finger!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NtQk8yPm90oDY1fwniUhvxoMHqCTkK3K/view?usp=drive_link

He took a sharp breath. His hands looked smaller as well! They were definitely smaller! He was sure of it! They weren't girly or even androgynous by any means; but they were less calloused, hairless and thinner than they had been just a few hours prior. To illustrate the point, the ring that barely fit on his pinkie before was now on his index finger!

As he watched, the ring glowed brightly once again sending a shockwave of fear crashing through Eadric's body.

His smaller hands shot up to his ears which felt like they were being stabbed with millions of little pins. He opened his mouth to holler in pain, but stopped short. He didn't want to wake his companions and have them see what was happening to him! It took every ounce of discipline in him to stay quiet but he managed to do it. His ears re-shaped and morphed under his fingers. He knew what this ring was doing to him and was completely powerless to stop it. It had already taken his body hair and his beard but now...

His rounded, unmistakably human ears came to a point and began to sharpen and lengthen. Eadric felt tears welling in his eyes as the worst thing he could possibly think of happening to him occurred.

When it was done, the ring disappeared from his finger. Eadric rushed to his helmet and gauntlets. He shoved the helmet on his head and yelped in pain as his long, elven ears were pinched by the helmet. This helmet had been made for humans.

"W-what's going on?" Gus asked in a sleepy haze.

Eadric carefully moved his new ears to fit comfortably in the helmet as he muttered, "D-don't worry, Gus, I just pinched my- my finger in my gauntlet...Go on back to sleep."

Gus turned over and was snoring once again.

Eadric was so shaken up by his new ears that he didn't immediately know what to do. He felt anxious and scared. He also felt so very alone. He couldn't tell his companions and he absolutely didn't want any of them to know. He had to hold out hope that these changes were temporary and could disappear just as quickly as they had appeared.

Eadric needed to take a leak. He figured that he would feel better after relieving himself. Maybe it would help him clear his head. He headed to the stairway leading to the zombie horde. As he moved, he noticed how strange his plate mail felt now. He would never get used to this! It was way too big and made him feel like a kid wearing his father's armor. But he didn't dare take it off and would bear the discomfort no matter how ill fitting it became.

When he reached the staircase, he unfastened his greaves and grabbed for his cock. Where was it? He fished inside again and found it.

It was barely an inch long.

Eadric winced and was forced to push his hips forward to ensure his urine cleared his itchy, ill-fitting armor. The thought of squatting down crossed his mind but he quickly pushed it away. He was no woman!

Just temporary. Just temporary. Just temporary.

It was like a waking nightmare that kept getting worse and worse. Eadric couldn't help it. He began to softly sob as his pitiful dick trickled a weak stream of urine. He finished and replaced his greaves without looking down at himself. He didn't want to see it and chose, instead, to ignore the problem for the time being. He couldn't think of anything to do to remedy the situation anyway.

Eadric repositioned his mask. He still had his trusty executioners mask. No cursed ring or honey water or treacherous elven magic could take it away. He could hide behind it and let his reputation precede him. He'd earned that reputation and nobody knew who he was beneath the mask anyway.

Eadric returned to the camp where he sat in silence for the next few hours. He stoked the fire a few time, just to ensure it didn't go out. He could have sworn that he could physically feel strength leaving his body like sand through a sieve.

Twinkle was the first to awaken. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. Eadric felt faint, and nearly collapsed, as he gazed at Twinkle's face. He had- he had stubble on his chin! He also had rounded, human ears! He looked like a human man!

Twinkle seemed to notice it as well and his hand stopped as he felt the rough hair on his chin. He looked very confused.

Twinkle stood up and walked towards the fire in a daze. He continued rubbing his chin and wore a listless stare. He looked taller and stronger as well! He even had a bit of chest and leg hair!

Ox and Gus got up at around the same time.

Ox immediately noticed Twinkle's changes and gasped, "Holy shit! Twink, is that you? Your ears! And is that a- a beard? Are you a fucking shapeshifter or something?"

Gus stared with his yellow cat eyes at Twinkle in disbelief.

Twinkle hadn't noticed his ears yet. He reached up and Eadric could see his breathing increase as fear and confusion gripped him. He fell back against the wall and tried to calm himself.

Eadric's eyes narrowed as he watched Twinkle. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. Twinkle was stealing Eadric's humanity! He knew Twinkle was just another jealous, angry little elf man! But Eadric couldn't call the traitorous, backstabbing elf out on his treachery because then the party would find out about his changes! He had to find a way to reverse whatever Twinkle was doing- and fast!

Eadric and his companions put away their camp. All the while, Ox was continually asking Twinkle what had happened. Of course, the envious little shit was pretending he didn't know. Eadric was very upset at the way Ox and Gus were now treating Twinkle. They were beginning to speak to him like her was member of the party and not as the outsider, elven trash that he was. Rounded ears and a beard did not make somebody a human being!

When they'd finished putting away the camp, Ox approached Eadric, "You good boss? You've been really quiet. You have any idea what happened to T?"

Eadric snapped, "Oh, now we're calling him 'T'? What happened to 'Twink'?"

Ox took a step back, "Woah, calm down there little guy, I was just asking a question!"

Eadric grunted in frustration. Ox had always called him 'little' or 'small' to get a rise out of him. When he did it before, they both knew it was just joking around...but now? It rubbed Eadric in a way that was disturbing and extremely distressing.

Ox didn't press the issue and walked towards the staircase leading down. Eadric followed him and joined the other party members who were already waiting. Twinkle carried both packs like a champ and Eadric saw he was rippling with muscle.

His height was nearing that of Eadric's now! That wasn't right, elves were supposed to be tiny!

They needed to find this artifact and get out of here quick. Maybe it was just down this next staircase? Eadric pulled on his mask and fiddled with his ears when he knew nobody was looking. He had to hope they were almost at the end.

The party descended further into the dark unknown.