---
One heartbeat.
Two.
Then the change came.
Her runes lit up across her body in a cascading wave of tiny glowing sigils along her spine and it flanks like a living script carved in light. Her wings flicked once, briefly catching the wind. A pulse of aura flared off her scales.
The system blinked in Kai's vision:
[Companion Essence Intake Complete.
+5 Strength
+5 Agility
No mutation detected. No instability.]
Luna gasped, one hand flying to her chest. "She's okay. It worked."
Kai let out a long breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He nodded. "Perfect balance. Exactly what we needed."
Miryam turned and burped a puff of silver mist. Then she curled into a crescent and chirped, already dozing again.
"She always wants more sleep after a power up," Luna whispered.
Kai didn't reply immediately.
