Chapter 161: The Alchemist Called Lina
"What... Do you really want to share something this important with me? Why now?"
Aideen widened her eyes, taken aback by Ahspid’s sudden desire to share the details about such a mysterious part of his life, yet she couldn’t deny her curiosity.
The man moved his chair closer to the princess and nodded, confirming his intention to tell her his life story. But before that could happen, he had something else he needed to do.
"You already know, Your Highness, that my specialty is disguise. I have spent the last twenty-six years in hiding, changing my appearance almost every year. Now, as so many things are about to change, I believe it is time I reverted back to the only constant that my life used to possess."
Ahspid’s words seemed burdened with pain and unfathomable regret. He sounded as if he were giving up, and Aideen hated that. Nevertheless, she had no idea what she could say in response, especially since she, too, was utterly lost in the midst of this complicated situation.
With a resounding snap of his long gloved fingers, the mage leaned back against the chair and fixed his gleaming purple eyes on the woman’s confused face.
At first, she thought time stood still; nothing around them was moving, not even their own bodies seemed to have been frozen in space, until finally, she saw it. Ahspid’s appearance was undergoing a drastic transformation.
His straight purple hair changed into an unruly cascade of long, thick, wavy hair that nearly reached the floor due to his sitting position; the thin lines of his eyebrows became fuller, while his sunken eyes acquired a narrower, almond-like shape with thick lines of dark lashes framing them, giving them a more prominent outline. As the change continued, the overall features of his face turned from sharp and angular to softer ones, granting him a kinder yet more mature look.
At last, the lady’s eyes focused on Ahspid’s body. From his tall and slender frame, the man seemed to have lost a little bit of height, whereas his frame became wider and more muscular, stretching the clothes he was wearing to their limits.
Strangely, he still looked just as young, not a single line on his face betraying his real age. And even though he appeared more mature and dignified, he exuded a somewhat youthful aura that shielded him from the unforgiving touch of time.
Just when it seemed like nothing else in the mage’s appearance could change, Aideen had to silently admit that the man before her was an entirely different person. Though his new form would definitely take some getting used to, it was what lay inside him that was dear to the princess’s heart.
"My hair is white like linen, and my eyes are gray, like a rainy sky on a warm summer day."