Kael sat motionless for several minutes, sipping his coffee slowly.
His mind wandered.
He began reflecting on the changes he had undergone—on the transformation he'd endured.
Ever since stepping into the second stage, something had shifted. He could feel it. A stronger connection to his bloodline. A deeper resonance.
He understood it more now.
Yet, frustratingly, he hadn't had the time to test it.
He stood up.
Focused.
And then—his body began to change.
Bones shifted with soft, unnatural cracks. Muscles bulged and expanded. His height increased. His silver hair darkened, turning pitch black. His face grew older, more weathered, the lines of maturity carving themselves across his skin.
Seconds later, Kael was no longer himself.
He had become the prison warden—the very man whose bloodline he had stolen.
He stared down at his hands, flexing his fingers with eerie calm. Then he moved toward the bathroom, where the small, cracked mirror greeted him.
