The moment Alys removed the earring, the illusion shattered.
The transformation was immediate.
Brown hair faded like mist beneath sunlight, revealing strands of brilliant gold that cascaded down her back. The color of her eyes deepened into a vivid scarlet that seemed to glow beneath the evening light.
The arena had been filled with screams, orders and the distant shrieks of the Chimera only moments ago, yet an uneasy stillness spread through the colosseum as people stared up at the beautiful face that was now displayed all over the Aether Screens as the Viewing Orbs hovered around Alys.
The nearest spectators were the first to react.
Confusion appeared on their faces before disbelief quickly followed. Conversations faltered midway through sentences. Several nobles found themselves staring openly toward the arena floor while others instinctively rose from their seats as though standing might somehow help them make sense of what they were seeing.
