Small Bargain

Alone in his dorm room, Blake Heart gazed into his special crystal ball and whispered a series of magical chants. In little time at all, the orb began to emit a ghastly green glow, and summoned to the young man's presence were three otherworldly spirits - one short and fat, one tall and thin, and one of average height and form.

"You again?!" The first spirit, the short one, complained. "Whaddaya want?!"

"Hush!!" The second, tallest spirit spoke. "I'm sure we were summoned for good reason."

"Let me guess..." The third spirit started to ask. "This is about Aria? Blake, you need to learn to talk to her on your own!"

"I will!" Blake responded. "I just...need to be tougher and stronger for her first."

"Fine...have it your way. I'll grant you the strength you seek, but it will come at a price!"

Blake's eyes lit up. "Thank you, spirits! Anything to prove myself to Aria!"

Chanting in the mages' ancient language, the third spirit followed up with a snap of her ghostly fingers, and Blake found himself surrounded by a sudden cloud of black smoke. An abrupt surge, similar to electricity, then assaulted his body, knocking him out cold...

...

Blake slowly and groggily awoke in an unfamiliar place, rubbing his aching head. Looking around, the mage was quick to notice that his surroundings were much larger than they had any right to be. But in truth, he had just been shrunken to about an inch in size! Before he could get his bearings, Blake noticed a towering young woman approaching his current location, recognizing her as...