Chapter 8

Belkio shivered inside. Now? I thought we were to be trained first! But Brostiff seemed to be positive they should start their project without delay, and Centare for one, did not disagree with the mighty Cloud King. Brostiff motioned to them to follow, and led them through icy halls and snowy towers until they reached the most magnificent room of all. Belkio and Jerru gasped as they entered, for in the room it was snowing. The snow appeared to drifting out of the ceiling itself, and it glowed with a blueish tinge. Brostiff held his tail in front of them for them to stop. "Stay still." he ordered. With one hand, he took some of the mysterious snow in his hand, and mumbling some words Belkio couldn't understand, he crushed the snow into dust and threw it into the air. Sparkles of blue magic glittered through the air, and Belkio inhaled some by mistake. It felt cold, but warm at the same time. Suddenly he was tired. Extremely tired. Jerru looked worried. "Belkio, are you o-" he led off as he inhaled the magic too. Centare had remained in the doorway, away from the magic. Brostiff seemed to be unaffected by the magical dust, however, and watched as Belkio and Jerru grew sleepy. "Don't let yourself fall asleep. It will ruin the spell." he instructed them. Belkio strained to keep his eyes open, but all the weariness of his journey, his lack of sleep yesterday, and his muddled thoughts seemed to weigh heavily on his eyelids. Jerru looked similar. Belkio fought the sleepiness. I have to stay awake! he gritted his teeth.
And then it was gone. His strength returned to him, he stretched, only to find terrible agonizing pain in doing so. Did I tweak my wings hard? he wondered, before noticing that Jerru's eyes were wide in pain as well. He guessed that this too must be an effect from the blue magic, and tried his hardest not to call out. His whole body was wracked in pain, as if he had been beat by an Iop and then tossed off a cliff. He panted, and almost slumped to the floor. He was eternally grateful, then, when the pain receded, replaced by a warm glow inside him. He looked at the Cloud King; Brostiff nodded his head. The hard parts were over. Belkio renewed his strength and confidence with the blue magic's now-soft touch.
Then he shrunk. Belkio almost panicked, wondering if this was supposed to happen. Brostiff nodded encouragingly, so he guessed it was. His tail shrunk and receded, his long maw flattening, and his scales were replaced by skin and- what was it? Fur? His large eyes became small and piggish, and his wings folded into his arms. And all in all, he shrunk. Till he was little bigger than Centare's toe. He shook with fear, trying to remain calm. Then he spotted a creature not unlike him over to the left. Belkio gasped. Did he look like that? "I look disgusting." he mumbled under his breath. He quickly assumed that the other creature must be Jerru, for he had amber eyes like the dragon and he whirled around trying to look at himself.

They were humans.