The dome of light arcing over the valley swirled and crackled. Kryos, Zev, and Karuna looked as if they were made of the liquid light, while Ava and Lesath hung suspended in it. Ava, arms spread, eyes closed, suddenly screamed, but no sound issued forth. Her eyes shot open, burning with red flame, then she convulsed, twisted, and began to change. Her skin tore like paper, revealing bone and dark fur beneath, then all her bones cracked and elongated into a tusked snout and four bear-like limbs with claws. She roared in her moloch form, then just as quickly her hide began to tear. Writhing in her monstrous body like a snake, her thick dark fur peeled away to reveal nothing but muscle and bone. The muscle and skeleton of the moloch disintegrated, rotted away, then burst into ash. The cloud of ash swirled to reform a human skeleton, then the muscle, sinew, skin, hair, and even Ava’s clothing re-materialized.
Held by the light, her eyes remained closed, and she looked as if merely sleeping while the illuminated sky began to rain down like a melting sun. As every golden drop touched a roaring beast or screeching skeletal face, every moloch began to morph, to change back. Lesath twisted, roared, then his cursed body tore apart with fiercely lashing black hooves and sapphire horn. Ava felt nothing but quiet warmth. Everything was so peaceful, so calm.