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When the tentacle is cut and Jester is free Essek breathes a sigh of relief as she makes her way over to Essek and smiles at him.
“That was soooo close!” Jester says stretching out the words. Essek nods, glancing around to see Caleb. But...He’s not there. Why isn’t he there? Essek saw him teleport and then…Nothing.
“Wh...where is Caleb?” Essek asks.
“Baa!” A noise says and Essek turns to look at whatever made the noise and sees a...sheep? Why is there a sheep?
“Oh no,” Essek says when it finally clicks in his head.
“Yep, Caleb is a sleep,” Veth says.
“I could try to reverse it when we get to solid land?” Essek offers but he doesn’t know if he can. These ruins have been horrible for magic. He doesn’t know if he is even powerful enough to undo it?
“Baaa!” Sheepleb bleats and he wiggles, giving himself enough momentum to get to Essek. Essek doesn’t know what’s happening until he has a faceful of orange wool.
“Awww you look so cute Sheepleb,” Jester says, before she is dragged away so Fjord can look her over.
“Hello Caleb,” Essek says, reaching out to run a hand over the wool. It feels nice.
“Baa!” Sheepleb bleats butting his head into Essek’s hand again and again. After a few minutes later his hand starts to itch. He looks down in the light of the Astral Sea and sees a slight discoloration on the palm.
He shakes it off, it's nothing. Just a reaction to the elemental's acid or something. But it keeps itching.
“Baa!” Sheepleb bleats and Essek finds his face buried in wool and now his face is itching now as well.
He doesn’t understand the only thing he touched was Sheepleb’s wool...wool...there’s no possible way that Essek can be allergic to wool...is there? Verin is and so is the Umavi. Essek himself has never had a reason to touch wool. None of the spells he used require it usually and normally when he is doing a spell he has gloves on.
He should push Sheepleb away. Push him away and then explain more when he is back to normal. But looking into those eyes, the idea of making him sad even for a few moments is too much for him to handle.
So he suffers through the itching and the teary eyes. He knows that Caduceus has figured out what is happening to him from the smile the cleric is giving him. Essek hopes he’ll be able to help him.
Finally their feet touch down and he is helping Sheepleb get settled on the ground when suddenly he’s being bonked in the forehead by ginger hair.
“Essek, I am so sorry. I didn’t know the spell was ending!” Caleb says.
“I am alright. Are you?” Essek asks.
“Ja, that was an interesting turn of events to be sure. I must learn to be more careful with my magic here. Teleporting was a very stupid idea but the only one I had,” Caleb says.
“Just be thankful that it is over now. And try to be more cautious with your spells in the future,” Essek says and because Caleb looks upset he adds, “But I am very glad that you are back to your normal form. However your sheep form was much cuter.”
“Is that why you forced yourself through an allergic reaction to me?” Caleb asks, with a smirk, and Essek feels his cheeks heat up and it has nothing to do with the rash.
“Someone had to make sure you didn’t wander off,” Essek says.
“In the Astral Sea?” Caleb asks.
“I...I’m just glad that you are safe,” Essek says, and makes his way over to Caduceus to get him the rashes addressed.
“You two are very nice together. I am glad you are here. Caleb needs more people with him,” The Firbolg says. Essek looks at the ground and peeks at Caleb who is now talking to Jester and a newly enlarged Veth.
“I don’t think we’re there yet,” Essek says. How can they when he can still sense the mistrust amongst the Nein towards him, but...He hasn’t gotten any of that since they’ve been here. It’s nice.
“Well, I think you know more about time than anyone else,” Caduceus says, and finally there’s relief in his hands and face.
“Thank you Caduceus,” Essek says.
That night when Caleb sets the tower up the room Essek has been using now has fluffy cotton pillows designed to look like sheep.
The heat on his face has nothing to do with allergies this time.