Grief

Wren's eyes fluttered open, her mind foggy with confusion. The first thing she noticed was the silence - a heavy, unnatural quiet that pressed against her ears. As her vision cleared, she saw the destruction around her, and memories came rushing back like a tidal wave.

The attack. The man in black. Vell's family... her family.

She tried to move and found her body responding strangely. Something felt different, but she couldn't quite place what. There was a new energy flowing through her, dark but not threatening. It felt almost familiar, like Vell's presence but deeper, more primal.

Then she saw him.

Vell lay crumpled on the floor nearby, his body broken and still. Blood had dried on his face, trailing from his nose and ears. The sight sent a jolt of fear through her.

"Master?" Her voice came out as a whisper. When he didn't respond, she crawled toward him, her movements clumsy as she adjusted to her changed body. "Master, please..."