Taka laid down on his plate between Zirko and Deon. Zirko's aura crackled with power as he gathered mana into his hands, the swelling creating ripples in Taka's vision. Deon watched Zirko carefully, the lizard man looked as focused as Taka had ever seen him. According to Deon, living transmutation was 'forgotten magic,' Magia that had been lost to time. Most forgotten magic was ancient magic, but there were various other assorted spells, both elemental and enchantment magic, that had entered the realm of being considered forgotten. There was no governing body that dictated the legality of magic across the realm, but every empire supposedly had its own way of doing things, and there were certain ethical considerations that everyone followed, Deon had told Taka. Living transmutation was one such magic spell that was thought of as taboo and had been intentionally left behind centuries ago. However, those who practiced it in secret still remained, as seen by the abomination that was known as the Holy Tree that Syla had forced to become a part of.

  "I'm ready," Zirko said quietly.

  Taka slowed his breathing and closed his eyes. If this doesn't work... he pushed the thought away. If this doesn't work, I'll be fine.

  "Brace yourself, Sir Filo," Deon said. "And do your best not to move."

  Taka felt Zirko's mana stretch out toward him, wrapping around his wormy body. Zirko's mana felt cold as it coiled up to his head, encasing him. It felt like someone was dragging a freezing stone across his skin and made him want to run away, but he stayed still. Through his TELEPATHY skill, he could feel Zirko's nervousness, and Deon's fear. They both tried to hide it, but it was there, and that made Taka question his impulsive decision to let them transmute his body. The Magia began to press against him as another external force helped guide it, and then broke the surface; Taka felt it inside of him, like oil in water, moving throughout his body. It felt like there was a monster crawling under his skin deep inside of him, and Taka wanted to scream out and expel it from his body. It hurt, but what made his skin crawl was how unnatural it felt to have someone else's mana working its way inside of him. It moved up to the sides of his head and began to swirl around. The discomfort focused there, growing stronger as the rest of his body settled down. The world around Taka began to spin while on the sides of his head, the mana swirled faster and faster until it became a raging whirlpool as his skin began to stretch in a swirling shape on both sides of his head, something forming just below the surface and then, POP.

  A cacophony of information hit Taka's brain all at once like a flashbang, almost knocking him unconscious and cutting off his TELEPATHY skill, severing the mental links to Zirko and Deon. Taka's eyes shot open and he felt completely overwhelmed. All around the worm, the world seemed to be shifting around: the grass danced, the roots on the ground swayed back and forth, and the branches of the trees waved to him. Taka could feel Deon and Zirko beside him, Deon hunched on all fours and Zirko leaning back on his knees, both panting heavily. Taka looked around and again and it seemed as if the forest was closing in on them, the branches caging them in, the roots encircling them, and Taka realized he was burning through his mana reserves without realizing it. He took a deep breath in and let go, releasing, something, whatever it was that he was holding since his world spun around, and the forest returned to its natural state of stillness.

  Deon's breath was ragged, the sound of the older lizard man's panting cut through the low buzz of the forest -- Taka choked on his breath. The sound of his panting. The gentle swoosh of leaves blowing... I can hear it.

  Deon looked up at Taka, his scaly brow soaked in sweat. The lizard man leaned in and examined him, looking at the sides of his head, then smiled.

  "Can you hear me?" Deon asked.

  Taka nodded. Deon let out an exasperated sigh of relief as he crumpled into himself. Taka looked around, still feeling overstimulated by the sudden addition of auditory information to everything his brain had to process.

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  Taka had gotten used to the silence. At first, it felt unnatural, but his High Worm body didn't feel like it was missing anything, even if his soul remembered the experience of sound. Tears welled in his eyes as he listened to the forest around him. The scuttling of some animal in the distance. Zirko's panting. The click of Deon's tongue. The sound of the wind, all so beautiful in their purity.

  His ears, or whatever the holes were on the side of his head that functioned like ears, did not feel as natural. Zirko's mana was no longer inside of Taka, but he felt the traces linger, like a stain upon his body. Something in his gut told him this was wrong, and the voice in the back of his mind, Beja, he felt a strange sort of repulsion coming from the presence. Taka didn't care -- I can hear again.

  Taka used his TELEPATHY skill to link with Deon. As soon as he established the connection, Taka could feel his brain begin to buzz. The telepathic link on top of all the new auditory information was overwhelming his processing abilities. It'll take a bit to get used to that, Taka thought to himself.

  It worked, Taka sent to Deon. I can hear again, thank you.

  Deon cocked his head at Taka, "again, Sir Filo?"

  "What are you two talking about?" Zirko asked as he looked up.

  Taka froze. Shit. Up until that moment, Taka's High Worm body did not physically possess the anatomical parts needed to have the sense of hearing. That was a massive slip-up, and Deon had caught it. Taka had to tread carefully, as Deon was still hiding something, likely many things, from Taka, and Taka didn't fully trust him.

  "Sir Filo?" Zirko prompted.

  This feels reminiscent of... something, my past experiences, Taka sent to Deon. I believe I once had the ability to hear, but that sense was taken away from me. I cannot remember the details, but, thank you, Deon.

  "It's nothing," Deon replied nonchalantly. "More importantly, the spell worked. Sir Filo can hear."

  Zirko's jaw dropped as he too examined Taka's head and new ears. They felt like little holes that peeled back from the sides of his head, but Taka didn't care if they didn't look pretty. He was already a worm, so personal aesthetics was not high up on his priority list, although he did like his hat.

  "I can't believe it worked," Zirko exclaimed.

  Taka used his TELEPATHY skill and opened a link to the battle mage.

  What do you mean you can't believe it? Taka demanded.

  "Well, it's just," ZIrko stammered, "I haven't actually used the spell before..."

  "As I told you, it is incredibly risky for both the caster and the target, so..." Deon's voice trailed off.

  Taka felt conflicted. He knew the spell was dangerous, but he didn't realize that he was a lab rat, a test dummy to try the Magia out on. Taka wanted to get angry and yell at them for experimenting on him, but he couldn't, because they did warn him, and after all, it did in fact work with no glaring negative side effects. Being mad won't solve anything, Taka told himself as he moved past it.

  What about speech? Taka asked both Deon and Zirko. Are you able to use the spell again?

  Zirko looked to Deon, and the older lizard man shook his head slowly. Taka sunk down into himself.

  "Not for now, at least," Deon said. "Your magical presence is strong, very strong, and using the transmutation spell on you proved to be much more difficult than we imagined, and took almost all of the mana between both myself and Zirko. We should consider ourselves lucky that we were able to do both ears."

  Taka nodded. It was greedy to ask for more from the lizard men, but he had to ask.

  Thank you, truly. Taka sent to both Zirko and Deon. I am indebted to you both.

  Deon grinned back, "consider this repayment for your help with the attack. And for now, do not tell anyone back at the castle of your ability to hear: hide your ears beneath the hat until you reach Modonia. Zirko will tell you how to explain your... change, once you are there."

  Taka nodded and wriggled his head around, sliding the hat slightly further down onto his head to cover his ears. The hat sat right above his eye-line, but that was fine. Being able to hear was well worth the slight inconvenience.

  Deon stood up and stretched his arms, then picked up Taka's plate as Zirko rose to his feet and collected the wood he chopped earlier.

  "Let us return to the castle," Deon said. "There is still much to do."