If Roland seems a bit ooc, its because he's been subject to whatever it is the Horned One has been doing to him for like a month. And then he's thrown to a strange new place where things are not quite like he's used to. He's a bit stressed out.

Familiar Worn Out Faces

By Bilbo-sama

Chapter 2

As Roland stirred, he heard voices arguing near by.

"What do ye mean ain't him?!" someone who sounded familiar shouted. The pain in his head refused to let him think over where he heard it before. "He looks just like him!"

"Indeed," agreed a more familiar voice that registered faster in his sore mind. Leander. "However, I can detect very little magical essence outside of the Horned One's Kingsbond. Given how he reacted while the Horned One was active in this world, it's most likely this one isn't faring well either."

No shit, thought Roland before groaning from the growing headache. He could still sense the Horned One's presence in the back of his mind despite its promise earlier to leave him alone. It (she some part of him corrected but went ultimately ignored) seemed more interested in observing.

"Ah, you're waking up," noted Leander unhelpfully.

"Anyone could see that," said the other voice. Roland imagined the owner rolling their eyes at this. Meanwhile, Roland took a deep breath before opening his own.

The pain blurred his vision but he could see long dark shapes blocking the view of the two figures in front of him. Bars, a more alert part of his mind supplied. A dungeon.

At least it's not their equivalent of Cloudcoil Canyon, Roland thought darkly before repressing a shudder as the Horned One gave in to its curiosity and retrieved a memory of the place before he could object.

"How are you?" asked Leander as a greeting.

"Ow," supplied Roland.

Leander made a 'hmm' sort of noise before a green light erupted over Roland's head. The pain cleared and his vision returned to normal. Roland then registered the cold stone beneath him and against his back. Ah. At least whoever brought him in here was kind enough to leave him in a dignified position.

Roland's blinked as he watched Leander lower the wand while the room returned to dim lighting. "Since when did you know healing magic?" he asked.

"Every magically inclined person learns Healing Touch in their first year of study," said Leander before he tilted his head, "I thought you knew that."

Roland shook his head in confusion, "No? We've been relying on Soreaway, Higgledies, and Bracken's drones." He wished he payed more attention to Bracken's explanations on how she had drones that could heal.

"Fascinating," stated Leander while someone close by asked, "What are Higgledies?"

"Personifications of the elements and other natural phenomena," recited Roland after hearing the lecture so many times from people encountering Auntie Martha, "You don't have them in this world?"

"We do not," replied Leander.

Leander's companion, who was leaning against a wall, growled, "Leander, why are ye humorin' him? It's obvious the swab is tryin' to pull tricks on us to get out of here."

"Well, Batu," Leander began before raising an eyebrow at Roland's confused expression as the prisoner quickly glanced at the third person in the room, "if he really was a sorcerer, he would've gotten away by now. I don't suppose you know how to cast Zoom?"

"Zoom?" was the prisoner's incredulous reply before he groaned as he mentally felt the impression of the Horned One leaning forward in interest, "it's been pretty damn obvious to me that I'm not where I am supposed to be ever since I got here. So can you please get your version of Doloran so he can send me back?"

Leander quickly held up a hand to stay Batu who had pushed himself away from the wall and started to furiously stomp over to Roland, "I'm afraid I can not do that, Roland the Arcane. Doloran Crane returned to his world a month ago."

Roland blinked before he let out a more tired sigh, "Of course there would be worlds with that premise. I don't suppose this is all an illusion I've been put under?"

"I'm afraid this is not an illusion," corrected Leander.

"That's what an illusion would say," Roland pointed out. The Horned One let out an amused snort.

"Leave him, Leander," decided Batu (who, the more Roland thought about it, sounded...younger somehow), "it's clear the swab isn't goin' to give up playin' with our heads."

Leander sighed, "Perhaps we should continue this another time." He motioned to Batu as he headed to the entrance of the dungeon. The other man reluctantly followed.

"At least you act like a Batu," they both heard Roland say.

Zoom is the travel spell from the Dragon Quest series. This is not the only spell change I have in store.

Chapter three will appear as soon as I am five chapters along so this may take awhile.