He screamed in pain, beginning to lose himself as fear seared what was left of his soul.
Shadows are safety.A vestige of remembered magic remained in his consciousness.He stopped fighting the pain and fear and instead focused on the shadows, seeking the earth the way he’d done countless times.
Power slammed into him and rebuilt him, and he felt himself falling.He wrapped the shadows of the earth around himself as he fell.
The air stopped its horrendous assault, and the fire faded.His body felt raw and battered.Worse than any battle he’d ever fought.How was it possible to feel broken and whole at the same time?
His eyes stung as he opened them.Dim, amber light infused the room.Barely enough to see by.A glint of metal drew his attention, and he shifted enough to see a sword.His sword?
Wincing, he sat up and reached for the sword.Dragged it through the soft earth.It was his sword, but the hilt had been changed to the black mineral.His mother’s amethyst stone sat where it always had.Relief coursed through him.The mountain hadn’t destroyed his past or his connections.Just transformed him.His memory, too, was intact.Clearer than it had ever been.
Across the room, he saw a new set of the enhanced armor, made for him.Staggering up, he went and picked it up.
You are mine now.Shield of Hannelore.
I am.
Welcome home.
A sense of rightness, of belonging, swirled within him.Home.
Passingthroughanotherveilof shadow, Connor left the transformation chamber he’d woken in.The dark mist caressed his bare skin as he walked through, shimmering over his senses pleasantly.
A short hall led to another chamber, though this one wasn’t barred by a veil of shadow.Steam rose from a small pool of water, looking blissfully warm to his trembling muscles.
Better yet, a familiar dark-haired beauty sat at the edge of the pool, her back to him.
He reached for her instinctively, as he’d wanted to do since the moment they’d met.The wall blocking her from him was gone, and he could feel her soul radiating brightly.
Dayanara.
Connor!Leaping up, she spun around and came to him with arms open.
Dropping the armor and the sword, he caught her and held her to him.Pressing his lips to hers, he kissed her deeply.Feeling like he’d finally earned the right to keep her.
Raiden.I’m Raiden now.He felt the rightness, the truth of it in his soul.
I don’t care what name you use, as long as I get to keep you.Daya’s voice filled his mind as she kissed him.I love you.I’m sorry I didn’t say it before.I couldn’t.I love you.
I love you too, anaiah.
Kissing her once more, he squeezed her hand and turned toward the pool.He groaned as the heat immediately began to work against his aching body as he lowered himself into the water.The scent of damp earth and minerals surrounded him as he rested his head back against the wall.
Daya sat on the edge behind him and ran her fingers through his hair.Soothing peace came with her touch, and he relaxed fully as he rested against her.The stress and anxiety of the process leeching from his muscles into the water.
You need another haircut,she murmured fondly.
Hmm?
Your hair.
He paid attention to the feel of her fingers trailing through it and realized it was longer.Significantly longer.He’d shorn it before they left Calderre, but it felt as if it had grown out for months.
I don’t understand.
Time moves a little differently when you’re with Hannelore.Sometimes it feels like it doesn’t move at all.Sometimes life forever has passed.Her warm presence shimmered in his mind.Are you really okay?The process can be intense.
Intense?His throat was raw from screaming, so he responded mentally.That was the most incredible, horrible…He really couldn’t describe it.It felt like burning alive.The fear, the pain.I wasn’t sure I was going to make it.
