Apophis didn't respond, instead, her power surged.
From every crack across the space, black liquid erupted like a geyser. The dark water writhed and twisted through the air, then rushed toward her from all directions. It swirled around her body, rising like a tide, wrapping her form in a dark cocoon.
Ben floated back, eyes narrowing. The cocoon pulsed once, then it imploded.
A shockwave rippled out as the dark water vanished into vapor, revealing Apophis. She no longer the seductive woman, but something else.
Two pairs of enormous wings stretched wide from her back, each one formed from solidified dark water. Her once smooth, pale skin had darkened into a glossy dark shade, covered in hardened scales that shimmered with violet reflections.
Her face remained a beauty, but more inhuman. Her eyes burned like molten gold, her mouth curled into a sharp grin.
