Rianna: Mage in the Beastworld

Testing the Limits

I blinked my eyes open, disoriented and bewildered by my unfamiliar surroundings. The room I found myself in was strange, and the air held a scent that I couldn't quite identify. Sitting up, I glanced around, my heart pounding with unease. I remembered the flood, and of finding Papa Liam who brought me to a grouping of tents where I was given to a woman with dark black hair and green eyes who held me rather tightly. That was Mama. She was as beautiful as her name suggested and just as delicate. Rose.

Then, in the corner of the room, I saw a strange movement. My eyes widened as I watched Papa Liam's form shift before my eyes, transforming into a sleek cougar. Shocked, I stumbled backward, struggling to comprehend what I was witnessing. The cougar version of Papa Liam purred softly, curling up near Mama's head so that she could use him as a pillow.

As I drifted off into sleep, memories of my past life flooded my dreams, painting vivid images of a time long gone. I saw myself as a newborn, abandoned by my parents due to my albinism, a condition deemed as a deformity in the eyes of my world. But fate had other plans for me. The priestess of our village, a kind and wise woman, took me in as her own. Under her guidance, I discovered my innate connection to nature-the ability to coax life from the earth itself. Though my magic was limited, I found solace and purpose in tending to the plants around me, nurturing them with the little power I possessed.

Together with the priestess, I delved into the secrets of herbalism, learning to harness the healing properties of various plants to create potions and remedies for our village. It was a simple life, but it was one filled with meaning and fulfillment.

Years later, like a dark shadow looming over my tranquil existence, a man entered our village. His intentions were not pure; he desired me, seeing me as nothing more than a prize to be won. When I rejected his advances, his anger flared, twisting his features into a mask of malice.

In his fury, he sought to silence me forever. One fateful night by the river, he decided to end my life, his hands cruelly closing around my throat, intent on drowning me in the cold embrace of the water.

Between the events of the day and my rather disturbing nightmare, sleep was the last thing on my mind. I carefully wiggled my way out of Mama's grasp, making my way to the opening in the small tent. As I cautiously ventured out of the tent, I realized that the world around me was not the one I once knew. Everywhere I looked, men shifted between human and animal forms effortlessly. Confusion turned into growing unease as I realized I was no longer in my own reality.

It wasn't long before I learned the rules of this strange new world-men above the age of 5 could shift between animal and human forms, while those under 5 were born in animal form, only gaining the ability to transform as they grew older. Women, however, were devoid of such abilities, and they were a rarity in this society. I discovered that due to the scarcity of women, it was common for families to have multiple husbands-a concept that seemed utterly foreign to me.

With a sense of determination burning within me, I decided to venture into the woods, the familiar embrace of nature calling out to me. Despite the uncertainty gnawing at the edges of my mind, I felt a glimmer of hope stirring within my heart.

As I walked among the towering trees and dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves, I closed my eyes, allowing myself to reconnect with the essence of the forest. Breathing deeply, I reached out with my senses, seeking the dormant magic that lay within me.

At first, there was nothing but the quiet rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds. But then, like a whisper on the wind, I felt it-a faint stirring of energy, a flicker of power waiting to be awakened.

With newfound resolve, I focused my thoughts, channeling the latent magic within me. I reached out to a nearby sapling, its delicate branches swaying gently in the breeze. Closing my eyes, I visualized the life force coursing through the plant, willing it to grow, to flourish under my touch.

To my amazement, I felt a surge of energy flow from my fingertips, weaving through the air like a delicate thread. With a soft gasp, I watched as the sapling responded to my touch, its leaves unfurling, its branches reaching toward the sky in a graceful dance of growth. A sense of wonder washed over me. It wasn't just the fact that I could still wield magic-it was the realization that I was stronger now than I had ever been in my past life.

With each passing moment, I could feel the power coursing through me, a potent force waiting to be unleashed. It was as if the trials and tribulations I had faced had forged me into something greater, imbuing me with a strength I had never known before. With newfound confidence, I reached out to the surrounding flora, my touch igniting a symphony of growth and vitality. Trees stretched skyward, their branches reaching toward the heavens, while flowers bloomed in a riot of color at my feet.

I was elated. I skipped back to the tent where mama and Papa Liam were, ready to tell them about what I could do. When they saw me they were relieved, though angry I had wandered off without an escort. They told me that from now on I had to have either two of my brothers or one of my papas with me at all times.

"But mama! I have magic! I can make pwants gwo." My voice sounded so strange to me. A child's teetering words with the lisp of growing teeth. It was difficult to find words that my current mind was able to speak. Let alone get my point across to the parents who seemed terrified that they could loose me at any given moment. They didn't believe that I had magic abilities, and the ground where we had placed our tents had been ruined by the flood to the point that nothing could grow. I sighed, accepting my new fate as a protected daughter.

It was rather obvious that they didn't believe in magic. Perhaps this world didn't have the same meaning for the term. Though I found it odd that they didn't even question the possibility when men in this world were able to shift into animals at will. I had decided to keep my ability as secret as possible for now. While I was still a child, I would learn as much as I could about this new world, and help my new family.