The shimmer of the glass prison vanished in an instant. The air no longer carried the sharp sting of razor shards. Zakar stood frozen, his body still tense from battle, eyes locked on the figure before him.
The transformation was so sudden it nearly left him breathless. The frail old man had melted away, the hunched spine straightening, the withered limbs filling with strength. What remained was not a man at all, but a woman tall, and elegant, radiating power .
Zakar's mouth opened slightly. "…Carene?"
She turned her gaze to him, the faintest smile touching her lips. "Yah. Surprised? My system allows me to cline into something but not purely perfect."
Atelon staggered back, clutching his ribs where her fist had struck him. His face twisted with frustration and fear. "You…! You vanished from the Wasteland decades ago. Everyone thought you were dead. To think you'd show yourself here, protecting some cursed brat!"
