The cavern hung silent, save for the rasp of breath and the faint rustle of cloth.
The woman crouched beside her companion, pulling a strip of fabric from her pouch. Her hands trembled faintly, yet she moved with the focus of one who had done this many times before. Slowly, carefully, she pressed the cloth to the cut along the man's arm, wiping away streaks of crimson until the skin showed through.
Leon did not complain. His jaw tightened, his breath hitched, but he endured. When she wound the bandage tight and reached to withdraw, he caught her wrist.
Wordless, he took the roll from her hand. His own grip was rough, calloused, yet his movements were surprisingly gentle as he wrapped the shallow cut across her palm.
For that brief span of moments, the two were not warrior and mage, not knight and spellcaster, but simply survivors tending each other's wounds in silence.
When the final knot tied into place, Sally's crimson eyes lifted toward the cavern's deeper shadows. Her lips parted, words cracked by exhaustion:
"Leon… let's go see that crystal. We should leave soon—before danger finds us again."
He gave a short nod, lifting his bloodied sword. The faint sheen of dragon's blood clung stubbornly to the blade, dark and wet. Together they began forward, their steps steady if heavy.
But not steady enough.
Sally faltered. The battle had drained her far more than she realized. Her staff trembled in her grip, her legs threatened to fold beneath her. Leon's eyes sharpened with worry, his hand reaching—too late.
She stumbled.
Her injured hand shot out to steady herself. Instead of rough cavern stone, her palm slammed against the crystal's smooth surface.
The bandage tore. A bead of blood seeped through the cloth, dark and wet, staining the glowing surface.
The reaction was instant.
The crystal shivered. Light erupted outward, a flood so blinding it seemed to strip the cavern bare.
Leon cursed under his breath, raising an arm to shield his eyes. Sally froze, hand still pressed against the glowing stone, caught between shock and dread. The cavern drowned in radiance, shadows erased, rock and blood alike consumed in white fire.
Something stirred inside.
Leon's instincts screamed. He lunged, dragging her back, arms wrapping tight.
"Sally—DOWN!"
But the explosion never came.
When at last he dared open his eyes, what he saw stole his breath.
---
Moments earlier…
Her awareness shivered. They're coming closer! What do I do? System—what should I do?!
Ding.
"Host, their movements indicate curiosity, not hostility. They approach you directly."
Her mind trembled. Curious? About me? I don't even know what I look like… Can I see myself?
"Unavailable. All surrounding crystals emit interference. Reflection impossible."
Her chest—if she still had one—tightened. So I don't even know which crystal I am. I can't see myself at all.
The pair drew closer. The woman stumbled, her hand striking hard against her vessel.
Shock tore through her soul. She touched me! Why—why now?
Ding.
"Human DNA detected. True Form Shifting compatibility confirmed. Host may now establish a permanent human form. Unlock form? Yes/No."
Her thoughts spun. Now?! But then… maybe this was not misfortune. If she could appear human, they might believe she had been sealed in crystal all along. That story was plausible.
Her decision came sharp. Yes.
The crystal trembled, her form stirring. Lines of power coursed through the lattice, reshaping.
But then—another drop.
Blood fell across her surface, darker, heavier. Not the woman's.
The man's sword—cast aside—still dripped with crimson not his own.
Ding.
"Dragon DNA acquired. True Form Shifting compatibility confirmed. Host may now establish a permanent dragon form."
Her being reeled. Dragon…?
Realization struck like lightning. The roar earlier. The cavern soaked in battle. They had fought a dragon here—and won. This place, glimmering with crystal light, could indeed have been its lair.
Ding.
"Merge True Forms? Human + Dragon? Yes/No."
She froze. A choice, so vast it stole her breathless thoughts. A dragon's body. A human's body. To merge both at once—what would she become?
But caution prevailed. If she revealed too much now, if she showed anything beyond human, they would see her as monster.
Her answer was firm. No. Hide it for later.
Ding.
"True Form Shifting initiated. Human form established."
Ding.
"Evolution into Human True Form successful. Warning: Host will lose consciousness for several minutes."
Her mind jolted. W–wait, what?!
Drowsiness struck like a wave. Heavy, choking. Her thoughts blurred, her will faltered.
No— not now… I can't… stay awake…
Ding.
"Host, do you wish me to take over until your consciousness stabilizes? I can simulate behavior and construct the scenario of a human soul sealed within the crystal. This will prevent suspicion."
Relief washed over her. Even fainting, she would not be defenseless.
Her voice trembled in thought. H… how do I allow…
Ding.
"Ability detected: Conscious Command. Host may temporarily transfer control to system. Confirm: Yes or No?"
The haze thickened. She could barely string thought together.
"…Yes…"
Ding.
"Confirmed. Control transferred. System will maintain illusion until Host recovers."
And darkness swallowed her.
---
Now…
Leon's sword arm trembled. His voice broke the silence, hushed and shaken.
"…What… is that?"
Sally forced her eyes open, her vision still reeling from the glare. She followed his gaze—and stopped cold.
Where the crystal had glowed, where fragments now lay scattered, a figure rested.
A child.
Curled within the broken remains, skin pale and untouched, hair shimmering faintly with silver light. Like a being carved from the crystal itself.
Sally's breath caught. "Leon… a child? From there…?"
Her voice was weak, but disbelief sharpened it.
Leon's jaw clenched. His eyes swept the cavern, wary, ready for threats. "I thought it was going to explode… but instead—" His voice trailed off. "…A child appeared."
They edged closer, wary steps crunching against the cavern floor.
Sally's crimson gaze softened. Awe crept into her tone. "Why would a child… come from a crystal? There must be a reason. Some secret buried here."
She tried to step nearer, but Leon's hand caught her arm, steady but firm.
"No. Not yet. It could be dangerous."
Her lip trembled with frustration, but she yielded. He was right. In this world, nothing miraculous came without peril.
Instead, they spread out, searching among the cavern debris. Fragments of battle, shards of stone, scattered scales of the dragon's hide littered the ground.
Sally's hand brushed something hard. She bent, lifting carefully. An old book—its cover burned, its pages torn. Ash clung to its edges, but faint letters remained, carved into leather.
Her breath hitched.
"Leon… look. A diary."
She brushed the soot away, her eyes narrowing at the faint inscription.
Diary of Hizmond.
The name clung to her lips in a whisper. "Hizmond… the alchemist who delved into forbidden craft. If this is his diary—"
Leon's gaze sharpened. "Then it explains the crystal. And maybe that child."
She turned fragile pages, her fingers delicate, reverent. Words half-scorched hinted at experiments beyond reason. The ambition of a man who sought to bind soul and vessel, to twist life itself into new shapes.
A chill seeped through her bones. This was no mere relic. This cavern, this crystal, this child—they were the legacy of a madman who had dared to play with creation.
Her crimson eyes flicked once more toward the boy, still motionless in the shattered light.
And within her heart, unease stirred.