Eleventh of Ymiden, Arc 720
Ezili woke up early, in the sense that she'd only been sleeping for about two breaks at most. They were so close though, and she had only gone to sleep so that she could enter Emea and check on some matters. The biqaj surveyed the camp first, to make sure the slaves were accounted for, then she went to find Saza and wake him up. He wasn't too far away, but she hesitated while she observed him asleep. For a moment, Ezili felt a slight spike of guilt but she quickly set it aside. It had been the other biqaj's choice to come along, to accept the offered job, and despite the immense danger... Saza Moshe proved capable.
But for how long?
How long until the danger took an unlucky turn?
How long until Saza Moshe ended up like all the assistants before him?
Ezili hesitated, then she looked toward the dunes. Just past the spot, she knew the Crescent Docks were near. They would arrive before the sun would rise, and they would board a ship, and be on their way to Yaralon... so she turned and she allowed Saza to sleep a little longer. Just for now.
The rest of the trip to the docks went uneventful, other than getting sand in awkward places. Just as Ezili had suspected, they arrived at sunrise and boarded a ferry-type vessel that made rounds between the docks and Yaralon's port. Of course, Ezili could have just dreamwalked over to Yaralon but not with all the slaves they had. She couldn't escort that many or... she didn't really want to try.
On the boat, however, once the slaves had gotten settled below deck... Ezili went to Saza and took him by the elbow to lead him away. With a smooth turn of phrase, and a small bribe of coin, she got the captain's quarters for them to use. Because she wanted privacy. Of course, the Yari captain thought it was privacy for a certain type of thing between the two biqajs (complete with winking and nudging of elbow), but poor Saza had no idea why.
"Saza, there's still more that I haven't told you," said Ezili with a sigh. The halo flickered above her hair. She said, "I wouldn't show you this, otherwise, but I wish for you to know and understand and..."
She made sure the door was locked, a second time, then went to the center of the quarters. The biqaj moved aside the chairs, then pushed the desk away to make some room. Ezili peeled off her dress, and sandals, and left in plain undergarments. She took those off too, nude in front of her assistant. Her skin glistened with all the mutations that lit up in bioluminescence and Becomer tattoos...
"It shouldn't take long," she said in a last comment... and then, she started to transform. It started with her tattoos brightening. Her skin glimmered in iridescent hues... and then the steady drip... drip... of skin melting away into a puddle at her feet. Whorls of flesh while her body gave away to skeletal frame. Bones cracked and angled and reformed into a taller structure. So many times had the mage transformed that the pain wasn't perceptible to the observer, except for the faintest whimper that escaped the Becomer while their spine snapped like a whip before settled into place. Melted skin arose from the puddle, reformed around the sinewy lithe muscles.
The first thing that Llyr did... was stretch. He yawned, too. The male biqaj lifted his arms high above his head, and stretched out his spine. The same mutations showed on his silvery skin. The same blond of hair, though far shorter with long bangs. His eyes still changed colors, with similar shapes to them. In fact, he didn't look all that different from the body before - only that now he was very obviously male. Llyr reached down and grabbed the discarded undershorts. He pulled them on, and they were a little tighter in different spots but the fabric fit all the same.
"Questions?" asked Llyr in his deep, southern-accented voice.
But for how long?
How long until the danger took an unlucky turn?
How long until Saza Moshe ended up like all the assistants before him?
Ezili hesitated, then she looked toward the dunes. Just past the spot, she knew the Crescent Docks were near. They would arrive before the sun would rise, and they would board a ship, and be on their way to Yaralon... so she turned and she allowed Saza to sleep a little longer. Just for now.
The rest of the trip to the docks went uneventful, other than getting sand in awkward places. Just as Ezili had suspected, they arrived at sunrise and boarded a ferry-type vessel that made rounds between the docks and Yaralon's port. Of course, Ezili could have just dreamwalked over to Yaralon but not with all the slaves they had. She couldn't escort that many or... she didn't really want to try.
On the boat, however, once the slaves had gotten settled below deck... Ezili went to Saza and took him by the elbow to lead him away. With a smooth turn of phrase, and a small bribe of coin, she got the captain's quarters for them to use. Because she wanted privacy. Of course, the Yari captain thought it was privacy for a certain type of thing between the two biqajs (complete with winking and nudging of elbow), but poor Saza had no idea why.
"Saza, there's still more that I haven't told you," said Ezili with a sigh. The halo flickered above her hair. She said, "I wouldn't show you this, otherwise, but I wish for you to know and understand and..."
She made sure the door was locked, a second time, then went to the center of the quarters. The biqaj moved aside the chairs, then pushed the desk away to make some room. Ezili peeled off her dress, and sandals, and left in plain undergarments. She took those off too, nude in front of her assistant. Her skin glistened with all the mutations that lit up in bioluminescence and Becomer tattoos...
"It shouldn't take long," she said in a last comment... and then, she started to transform. It started with her tattoos brightening. Her skin glimmered in iridescent hues... and then the steady drip... drip... of skin melting away into a puddle at her feet. Whorls of flesh while her body gave away to skeletal frame. Bones cracked and angled and reformed into a taller structure. So many times had the mage transformed that the pain wasn't perceptible to the observer, except for the faintest whimper that escaped the Becomer while their spine snapped like a whip before settled into place. Melted skin arose from the puddle, reformed around the sinewy lithe muscles.
The first thing that Llyr did... was stretch. He yawned, too. The male biqaj lifted his arms high above his head, and stretched out his spine. The same mutations showed on his silvery skin. The same blond of hair, though far shorter with long bangs. His eyes still changed colors, with similar shapes to them. In fact, he didn't look all that different from the body before - only that now he was very obviously male. Llyr reached down and grabbed the discarded undershorts. He pulled them on, and they were a little tighter in different spots but the fabric fit all the same.
"Questions?" asked Llyr in his deep, southern-accented voice.
