The Tale of Gauge Quack

Calyx nodded “That must have been what Isis meant, it should help enormously.” She returned to the Herb Closet, gathering her smudge pot and herbs. After preparing the contents, lit them, and blew out the flame, the smoke from the smoldering contents wafting upwards and through the room. Calyx knelt beside Gauge, using an owl wing fan, and washed him with the smoke of the Sage, White Cedar and Sweet Grass.

Windy, unaware of the goings on inside the pub burst in through the doorway, a goofy grin upon her face “Is there a party going on that I didn’t get an invite to?”

“Windy, O Thank Goddess!” Sage’s worries seem to dissipate upon seeing Windy.

Meanwhile, Calyx was focusing solely upon invoking Isis. “Almighty Isis, Mother of All living things, Hear the call of your Calyx… Send your life-giving breath to our friend Gauge, a worthy servant, oh Isis… Heal him; remove the effects of the poison.” As she spoke the words, the smoke of the smudge pot started to glow a bit, the herbs and the phoenix tears in the compress heating up. Gauge squirmed a bit, a wave of tiny pinpricks washing over his body. Calyx spoke again, but it was not her voice that was heard, it was the voice of Isis “Arise my son.”

Phantasm watched Calyx and Gauge intently. Windy, suddenly becoming aware of what was going on spoke quietly. “Um… Who is this Gauge Quack?”

Still focused upon what she was doing, Calyx spoke. “Sage, Windy, join me for one final invocation…” Sage placed her hand upon Calyx’s shoulder, her hand glowing and her energy entering into Calyx, helping to fuel her. Windy stepped forward to the pair cautiously. “What can I do?” Gauge moved a bit again, feeling something happening where he was poisoned. Calyx stretched out her arms, placing her hands upon Sage and Windy’s shoulders. “Just anchor us for one final cleansing…”

Sage’s eyes turned golden as she and Calyx begin to chant, almost as one…

“I am the Light, the Light is within me…”

“Almighty Isis, we thank you for your grace and for kissing our friend, your son…”

“Flow from your Host, into this Priestess of Isis’ Light, I ask this of Thee…”

“Arise Gauge, and feel the strength and life return to your limbs…”

Gauge suddenly began to shift form again, his bones returning to their previous size, his skin stretching painfully to accommodate for the transformation beneath it. Flamewarrior’s eyes grew wide as he realized that frogs don’t wear clothes, and the shape shifting is leaving Gauge as naked as the day he was born, quickly covers the man with a coat. Gauge let out a primal scream, the pain from the transformation overwhelming.

Calyx let out a heavy sigh and breaks the circle formed by Sage and Windy, removing her shawl and hands it to Gauge, not much, but enough to keep him decent and spoke. “Gauge, keep that compress on until tomorrow, just to make sure that the wound completely heals” She reached down, extending a hand to Gauge and helping him to his feet.