Pain, raw and immediate, tore through Kael's awareness. A searing agony burned through his core, a sensation far beyond any hangover or papercut from his previous, pathetic life. He gasped, but no air filled his lungs. Only a ragged, tearing sound escaped his throat.
Cold, hard stone pressed against his back. A rough, jagged edge dug deep into his chest, pinning him. He tried to move, a desperate twitch, and a fresh wave of blinding hurt consumed him.
Blackness, then a flicker of vision. Murky, oppressive shadows clung to the cavern walls. Dim, phosphorescent moss cast a sickly green glow, highlighting grotesque stalactites that hung like predatory teeth from the ceiling.
Jagged crystal shards, crimson and needle-sharp, pierced his chest. They impaled him, radiating an icy cold that warred with the inferno in his veins. This wasn't a dream. This was real.
His hands twitched again. They weren't his hands. Long, sharp claws tipped digits that were too slender, too powerful. He flexed them, and the hard crystal scraped against his new skin. Skin that felt... scaled. Resilient.
A guttural growl, deep and resonant, vibrated through his chest. It wasn't human. It was a sound of primal power, of something ancient and terrible. He flinched, startled by his own voice.
Reflexively, he tried to open his eyes, but they were already open. Crimson eyes, he realized with a jolt, as a faint reflection shimmered in a nearby pool of dark water. Luminous, demonic eyes, burning with an inner fire.
Fear, cold and sharp, pierced through the pain. This wasn't him. He was Kael, a salaryman, an insignificant cog. He died, a humiliating fall down a flight of stairs at work. Now… this?
Hunger, deep and ravenous, clawed at his gut. It was a terrifying, all-consuming need that made his new teeth ache. His jaw felt sharper, his tongue thicker. He could almost taste the air, thick with mineral and something else – something faintly metallic and vital.
Morbid excitement, a forbidden thrill, mixed with the terror. He felt powerful. He felt dangerous. This wasn't the weak, overlooked Kael. This was… something else entirely.
Slowly, he pushed against the pain. The jagged crystal groaned as he shifted. He ripped himself free, a tearing sound, and a fresh gush of something warm coated his hands. But the wounds… they closed. Knitted themselves back together with unnatural speed, leaving only faint lines on his chest.
Astounded, he stared at his body. Lean, defined muscles rippled under dark, almost obsidian skin. His back felt heavy, and when he twisted, he saw two leathery wings, folded tightly against his shoulder blades, still nascent, but undeniably there.