Preperations

Scandium brought Shiro's team up to speed while shaping himself into an intricate map of the cave systems that housed must of the slime civilization.

"These highlights through here' corresponding flashes of color illuminated the areas in question 'represent how far the effect we call the 'barrier' extends. This barrier originally only affected those in the Champion's chambers with them. However, as the centuries have gone by said barrier has expanded a few millimeters at a time. However, at a time that you say corresponds with you own freeing Miss Willowlark, it suddenly started expanding meters at a time."

Ever the scholar Ezma inquires "You say barrier, what properties are we looking at? Does it prevent physical passage or is it an anti-magic type effect?"

Scandium's map dims in sorrow "Unfortunately neither, for our people it produces an effect worse than death. If one of our kind crosses the barrier in the masculine or female form of another race we are forcibly shifted into the other and locked into that form. While on the other hand, if we enter in our slime shape we are merely locked in that state."

Shiro frowns, not quite seeing the problem with the arrangement. Willow catches his frown and chimes in "being locked into one form against your will is akin to one of us mono-shapes losing the use of our legs or hands?"

Scandium glows affirmative before adding, "Some discovered that we can make the effect work for us by exiting and reentering the barrier zone, but at the cost more barrier expansion.' he spins the map and highlights new areas 'This brings us to our second concern, due to the crystalline nature of the seal our territory is causing it to grow as well. Wherever it comes in contact with a creature madness and destruction follow. You all saw what it did to a beast you could see but much of our land is made up of tiny imperceptible organisms. So fungus that normally we would harvest for food or trade have been corrupted into noxious and corrosive substances, thermal healing springs have turned into pools of necromantic energies that will take instead of heal."

Willow knits her brow in puzzlement "Why are there all these extra affects? From the reports I have received upon my waking no such issues arose during my hibernation."

Aspen shook her head "Not quite my Champion, you may have missed it due to the bulk of reports but for us elves things were almost just as dire to moral and who we as a people fundamentally are. Consider, one of your caretakers coined the idea that disruptions in the behavior of the fauna were due to you having 'nightmares' of varying magnitudes. Since we as a people pride ourselves on symbiosis and mutual benefit with the wildlife of the Deep Woods, any thing that caused our beast cousins to act irrationally…"

"Would be just as disturbing to the elves as this is to the slimes' Willow finished the though before adding 'I suppose since Champion Hassium's gifts and skills were focused on helping people and things embrace their true natures this flipping of things on their heads would follow along with that.' She pauses then turns to Aspen 'Remind me later to make a list of the rest of the champions and their strengths so we can start formulating an idea of how their imprisonment might be affecting their peoples. I cannot imagine how bad things will be once we free Hassium if just me coming free was enough to bring this barrier expansion from millimeters to meters.

Scandium bubbles in agreement, "We do not know for sure what will happen to Mono-shapes that enter the area, but considering that the most likely way to stop this is for you two Champions to go in there and save our dear Hassium…" Here he shrugs as much as he is able.

***

The next day the party stood in front of the barrier gathering their nerves to step past the barely visible shimmering energy that they could have easily missed if not for the briefing.

After talking they had finished talking with Scandium they had rested and gathered what supplies they could think of and worked on memorizing as much of the provided maps as they could at the instance of Astatine as their guide, on the premise that everyone should be prepared in case of separation.

Everyone one looks at each other, then with a deep breath the party steps forward.

The barrier passes with the feeling of a thousand legs across the skin, before passing away into a sensation of hair flattened the wrong way.

Aspen the source of comfort and help to Willow had been shaped with a sickly and frail man with a face that was set in a permanent leer.

Willow the diplomat and gentle soul whom creatures of all sizes now wore the visage of a musclebound brute with a face full of casual cruelty.

Ezma the knowledgeable had received the face of an arrogant air-headed noble's son who bore the unchallenged belief that they alone were the source of all wisdom in the world.

Shiro… Was unchanged.

Willow took charge running everyone's new bodies through their paces to make sure no one would get any nasty surprise reactions when, not if, combat were to happen. This was very good thinking on her part as Willow's new arm span proved to create serious balance changes, while Ezma had to run through her scales to ensure her spells would not deviate from their desired affects with her new voice.

That just left Aspen and Shiro to their own devices.

The biggest shock for Aspen was that she felt practically useless now, she could not even carry her lady's pack should the need arise let alone be of use in combat. She was almost tempted to turn around then and there. Little did she know everyone had a similar idea.

Willow wondered if she was just really a cruel brute, just look at how many innocent animals she had monsters of over the years, She had not been an angel before the previous Champion had selected her after all. With this being a mission of delicate mission of healing surely she would be better staying behind.

Ezma and Shiro were practically unaffected. Shiro due to always feeling out of place in his own life. Ezma because this would make a great story, and since the truth of it was already fantastical beyond belief she had no reason to worry about remembering all the tiniest details like she usually did. Besides even if removing the barrier did not solve their current predicament the odds were highly in favor of this coming in handy when it finally was reversed.

Astatine, now male shaped and looking dower about it, broke the musings before anyone else could reach a decision "Time is wasting, and every moment we dally brings the barrier closer to the town."

So despite their misgivings the party ventured forth.