Jessi: I am very pleased with the way the last two chapters have turned out. When I read the first chapters of the Chronicles or some of the original work from five years ago I can't believe how much my writing has improved!

Chel fell to his knees, swallowing his cries of pain. His claws appeared and disappeared at random, digging deep gouges into the earth. His fangs were trying to grow but were being stopped by his clenched jaw.

Oh gods, it had been so long! So long that it hurt!

He hunched over as his ribs seemingly constricted tightly around his lungs. His breathes came in rapid, panicky gasps.

Slowly he forced himself to calm down, to breath normally, to let go of the pain. His eyes closed as he concentrated to the magic.

"Is this meant to impress me?" Tiamat stood with hands on her hips, her eyes never leaving Chel. Her entire stance was weary. Tiamet also looked uncertain, his hands clenching and unclenching, his head tilted to one side. The brilliant green orbs never left the hunched figure either.

Had Chel noticed he would have laughed. But he was not paying attention, completely lost in the sheer sensation of the change.

His rib cage abruptly expanded, air filling his lungs. New, stronger muscles built up on his chest, his back - everything becoming so much stronger. The bulk looked freakishly grotesque on his slight elven body. More pain flared along his back. His spine creaked and snapped as it lengthened, straining upwards against his pale skin. The leather belt around Chel's waist snapped, falling to the ground.

His face and jaw bulged outwards, the misshapen features shifting. The curtain of hair that hid it just fell from his scalp.

"What is going on here?" a slight quaver entered the voice of the Dark Lady.

The sound of tearing material filled the air, strips of the stuff clinging to the jagged crest that stood out of Chel's back. Horns burst out of his skull which bore a visage more suited to a demon instead of a beautiful angel.

Unnoticed in the shadows of an eyrie Vale turned away, tears filling her eyes. The young cleric slumped to the ground, sobbing into her hands. Almost mockingly Chel's face appeared in her mind, his expression deeply concerned, telling her to run... To run if she loved him.

"You didn't love me enough to tell me what you truly were? Oh, Chel..."

Praying that her magic still worked she whispered the words to a flight spell and began to make her way down the mountain.

The rest of Chel's transformation continued unabated. White feathers littered the ground amongst the long strands of hair. Instead of seraphic pinions he had huge bat-like wings, sharp claws decorating the joint. The pupils of his eyes faded out, the whole orbs becoming the blue-green colour of his iris.

Now he did scream. Each bone of his body simultaneously grew, increasing drastically in size. Even the fangs in his open mouth became longer and sharper. Light engulfed his body, forcing both deities to look away, shielding their eyes from the blinding radiance.

They did not see the last stages of Chel's transformation, but they did see the result.

Chel opened his eyes, just stopping himself from gasping. The wondrous vision that he'd tried to recreate in an elven form was back in full, seemingly every detail clamouring for his attention. He marvelled at the feeling of having four feet on the floor instead of tottering about on a mere two legs.

The list could go on forever... The sensation of having a tail again... His own proper wings... Even tasting the air with his tongue which he did several times as though he missed it.

And he had missed this... his own form... his own true form.

He stood more than twice as tall as the surrounding buildings and towers. Had he spread his wings they both would have blocked the sun from the summit. Scales, platinum coloured with a hint of silver, covered his body.

In exultation he threw back his head and the roar of a dragon echoed over Waterdeep.

Jessi: Were you surprised?