The soft glow of life force continued to flow from the trees into Azalea's massive, scaled body.
The last traces of corruption hissed as they peeled away, revealing gleaming sapphire-blue scales underneath.
I stood nearby, watching quietly, my wings folded behind me, Silver resting just a few paces away. The clearing pulsed with warmth and restoration—life reclaiming what had been twisted by death.
Her body shivered once more, stronger this time.
Then, her tail shifted.
The earth trembled slightly beneath her massive form as her long, serpentine body coiled ever so slightly. I took a cautious step back as her head lifted from the ground, her eyes—slit and glowing with a deep ocean blue—fluttered open.
She was awake.
Azalea rose, majestic and towering. Her serpent form stretched nearly a hundred feet, regal and imposing, yet there was no aggression in her eyes. Only confusion, and a trace of exhaustion.
Her voice echoed in my mind, deep and ancient.
"Who are you?"
