Chapter 7: With Peace comes a New…Witch? (7)
As Demond approached the door, his legs felt stronger and more nimble than they had in years. He reached for the handle with a heart beating like a drum in his chest, and swung the door open to reveal a sight that would have been impossible mere moments ago. Standing before him was a young woman, her skin glowing with the same golden hue as Adrei's scales, her eyes filled with the same fiery passion. She was clad in robes of an emperor's finest silk, woven with threads of pure gold.
"Adrei?!" Demond gasped, taking a step back in astonishment. The dragon before him had transformed into a creature of unparalleled beauty, yet the fiery intensity of her gaze remained unchanged, and more importantly, her mana indistinguishable from the eyes of the old...well, former old mage.
"This... this isn't right. No maybe I'm dreaming, am I having a flash before death moment? What..." Demond's voice trailed off as he took in Adrei's new form.
"It seems your vigor still remains, even when your form has changed." The golden dragon, now a woman, spoke with a warmth that made the chilly morning air seem trivial. She offered a hand to help him steady himself. "Be grateful, Demond, your life is not lost but transformed. I have granted you a chance to experience this newfound peace in a way you never thought possible."
"...d-don't tell me..." Demond smiled wryly, as her gaze trailed downward. There were two things...two small pillows, where his beard once was, his, or now, her robe clung to her new form in ways she had never felt before.
"I can't believe it..." Ignoring Adrei's stretched palm, the former old mage curled up in her newly found hands to feel the smoothness of her cheeks, the softness of her skin. It felt so real, yet so surreal.
"This old man's dignity is in shambles..." Demond murmured to himself, blushing like a schoolboy caught peeking. Adrei chuckled, her fiery eyes twinkling with amusement. She retracted her hand gracefully and gave him the space to fully process his transformation.
Ah, but first. The dragon took from something hidden in her robes and handed it out. "Need a smoke?"
Demond's eyes widened, recognizing the familiar pack of ciggies. He took one with trembling fingers, the paper feeling so strange against his now youthful skin. "How...how did you even get these?"
"A dragon's ways are mysterious, aren't they?" Adrei smirked, a hint of mischief playing on her lips as she offered a flame from her fingertip.
"So mysterious they find a disgusting hobby to turn a poor sob of an old man into a little girl." Demond rolled her eyes, as he took the cigarette and placed it between her lips, feeling a sudden urge to laugh. It was absurd to become a dojin-like character, yet here he was.