By Zapper

Synopsis: In the golden age of Hyberia; an age of magic, swords, and sorcery there is a land in the far north. The kingdom of Vanaheim is ruled by Oberon and is enjoying a time of prosperity and relative peace. Prince Caspar is bored with his decadent life and seeks out his father’s Court Sorcerer demanding an artifact to help him satisfy his every lust . . . mischief and chaos ensue. [This story contains elements of possession, transformation, and body-swapping. There are graphic erotic scenes that might offend some readers. ]

By Zapper

“Are you sure this is what you desire, my lord?” Horus asked. The sweat on his bald head gleamed in the lamp light of the tower the Court Sorcerer called home. Even though it was the middle of the night neither the prince nor the sorcerer showed any signs of being tired.

“Yes. You said you’ve finished it, where is it?” The authoritative voice of the young, handsome, prince was spoiled by the slight slur induced by his habitual over indulgence. Despite this, his body was lean and hard and he towered over the smaller darker form Horus. He slowly hooked a rawboned hand in the loop of his trousers next to the rapier. “You didn’t lie to me, did you?” His voice dripped with menace.

“No, of course not. It’s just, this is a powerful artifact. It took almost a year to craft and great mischief might result from its use.”

At this Prince Caspar grinned his brilliant smile lighting up the dark room and the hint of laughter crinkled the corner of his eyes. “I’m counting on it. My father and mother are in good health and I don’t have to start acting responsible for years yet.”

“What of your wife? The mid-wife has predicted that she will deliver twins to you in six months. As a father, shouldn’t you be more responsible?”

At this the look on Caspar’s face shifted. “Don’t lecture me old man. You serve the King and I am his son and heir. Lest you wish chastisement, bring out the artifact.”

Horus bony shoulders slumped and after taking a moment to rub his beak like nose he moved to a trunk that had been sealed with wards and locked with iron. The prince watched as Horus chanted words he didn’t quite catch and then pulled a long iron key from under his robes. The lock clicked open and Prince Caspar moved to peer into the trunk. Try as he might the shadows that filled the trunk prevented the prince from observing what was inside. When Horus reached in the shadows seemed to writhe and slither up his arm as if they weren’t just alive, but sentient.

Horus slowly pulled back a bony arm and for a moment Caspar wondered if the shadows would come out along with the hand. Abruptly, the clinging darkness fell back and Horus lifted the prize and turned to present it to Caspar. In that instant Caspar saw the glow of red power in the old man’s eyes and took a step back, his hand dropping to his sword.

“As you commanded, my lord.” Horus offered the necklace to the prince. Caspar’s eyes devoured the item. The long gold chain looked like a work of stunning craftsmanship, but the part that caught the prince’s interest was the teardrop shaped crystal that hung from it. The crystal had been bound with gold and silver wire and then attached to the chain. For a moment, Caspar thought it glowed with an inner power. Then he shook his head, ‘It must be a trick of the light.’ he thought.

“How does it work?”

Still holding the artifact to the prince Horus answered, “The necklace has three powers, my prince. First is possession. When you are wearing it, touch the crystal with a hand and look at a person and whisper “Invoca.” Your mind will fly like a breeze into the object of your gaze and it will be as if you were that person. When you do this your body will fall asleep until you say, “Reditum.” This will cause your spirit to return to your magnificent royal flesh.”

Caspar’s eyes lit up, but he didn’t move. “That isn’t exactly what I asked you to craft.”

“True, my lord. The second power, is transformation. This is the power you requested. Hold the crystal in one hand and touch an item of clothing, a personal possession, or the flesh of another and say, “Invoca.” When you do this your royal body will change into a perfect copy that person. To end the transformation while wearing the necklace grasp it in one hand and say, “Reditum.” This will return you to your masterful flesh.”

Now the prince grinned, “Perfect.” He reached for the chain only to have Horus pull away.

“There is one final power and a warning.”

This time the prince glared, but said nothing. Horus could see he was trying the royal patients, such as it was. With a shrug, he dropped the crystal into Caspar’s outstretched hand. “The third power is the ability to exchange minds with another. Hold the crystal in your hand, speak the person’s name and and say “Invoca” and your mind will inhabit that person’s body while his mind moves into your royal body. To return to your royal flesh you must wear the necklace, hold it in one hand, and say “Reditum.””

At this Caspar closed his fist over the crystal. “Why that last power? I didn’t request it.”

The sorcerer shrugged, “My lord I’ve known you since you were a little boy. You love to cause mischief. I feared that you might become bored with the ability to transform so I added additional powers in the hope of keeping the royal curiosity satisfied.”

Caspar laughed. “Well done, Horus.” He lifted the chain and dropped it over his head. “Now, what of this warning?”

Horus was slightly surprised that the prince had been paying attention. ‘Perhaps he’s not as drunk as I thought.’

“The warning is simple. The longer you remain within the form of another the more that body will affect you. The memories, skills, needs, wants, desires, and preferences are all locked within the physical being. I would suggest only short uses of the necklace’s power until you become accustomed to it.”

The prince nodded, “I will heed your words.” Then before Horus could finish he touched the crystal with one hand he said, “Invoca.”

A tingle raced through the prince’s body and then he felt a wind pull him up, even though he didn’t move and everything in the room remained locked in place. Then he zoomed toward Horus as he too stood frozen. The form of the old man grew bigger and bigger and then he felt a snapping sensation and he gasped. Air filled his lungs, his whole body ached and he blinked. He heard a noise and looked down to see that his body had slumped to the ground. Moving forward Caspar grimaced, “I had no idea old Horus knees ached so badly.” he muttered in Horus’s tenor.

Stopping next to his body Caspar was relieved to see his chest rise and fall. “I look like I’m sleeping.” He ran a bony hand over his bald head, “This is what it feels like to be bald? Ha!” Slowly Caspar moved around the room, he felt small, feeble, frail even. Yet every sensation was new and interesting. Caspar moved to a chair Horus must use when studying magic and settled into it. “Reditum!”

Once again, the astral wind lifted Caspar’s spirit up from the aged sorcerer’s flesh. He flew across the room and settled into his blonde body. An instant later Caspar and Horus’s eyes flew open.

“W-what?” Horus gasped slowly standing.

“Well, done Horus! This is indeed a princely gift!” Already on his feet Caspar looked down at the tiny sorcerer, “What did you feel, while I possessed you?”

Horus shrugged, “It was like I fell asleep. Only now, if I think on it, I vaguely remember walking around the room and settling into my chair.”

“Excellent! Well, I’m off, the night is late, but not too late!” With that he spun about and rushed from the chamber. As the door banged shut Horus shook his head.

“My prince, you are a fool. Playing with magic has consequences and you didn’t hear the second part of my warning.” Then he shook his head and returned to the trunk. This time he retrieved a ring, with a crystal made from the same stone as the one hanging from Caspar’s necklace. Horus locked the trunk and activated the wards. When he straitened up he rubbed his back and then grinned, “I wonder what will happen when the prince discovers that the necklace will not work during the three days of the full moon?” Then he slid the ring onto his hand admiring the much smaller crystal. “I must remember to thank the prince for his sponsorship. I’d never have been able to craft the necklace or this ring without his wealth and authority backing me up!”