Crown of Purple Fire (English)

~XVI~

Tessa had faced an attack on her fleet, a (fake) psychopathic alpha wolf, and a (real) psychopathic dragon.

But she had never been as afraid in those moments as she was now, facing the population of Uiscelle asking to be shifted into a Faerie.

Sure. Why not?

But Tessa had never even seen a Faerie before, aside from those bronze statues outside the temples in Iasshar. She isn't even familiar with the body parts of a Faerie, much less the entire body itself.

Gael nudged her, and she reprimanded herself for the doubt she cast upon her magic. As the horse prince had said, The All is the most powerful force in the universe. Shifting an entire population shouldn't be hard, shouldn't it?

But the rational part of herself argued that while she hosted the most powerful force, she had yet to explore every aspect of it's power. Sure, shifting into a faerie may seem easier than shifting into a dragon, but Tessa had been familiar by what a dragon looked like then. She studied the history of her land, her royal citizens that were special animals. Not an entirely different type of...being.

So Tessa seeked the only help from the only one she could rely on. The All itself. She asked the power that now slept in her soul, Help me shift into a faerie.

The All responded, Mimicking a heavenly being has consequences, a leannán. You are already in the midst of many trials simply for successfully summoning me and binding me to your soul. Surely you don't want to bring that fate upon yourself?

Tessa answered back, If a sacrifice is needed for me to claim back what is mine, to give peace to my citizens, then I am more than willing to accept that fate.

A leannán, think this through--

I have no time to think this through, a leannán. Help me, or kill me. Right now. I will open the barrier of our souls, and I will make you consume my essence. Would you prefer that happening? Or would you rather help me shift into a simple faerie.

The All kept silent for a while. The tension was rising so high, the crowd began to stir. Then, a flood of images began to flood her mind. Two legs, two arms, two hands, five fingers--

Nose instead of a snout, lips instead of a beak, toes instead of talons, hair instead of feathers--

And finally, pointed ears instead or round holes.

Tessa's body glowed, a blinding, searing pain coating herself that she let out a yelp and closed her eyes. Then, she opened them, and saw that she was...taller. She ran a hand through her hair and saw that it was the same color as her feathers; mostly coppery red with streaks of silvery-gold. She traced through her skin, which was now the color of porcelain. Her lips were soft and thick (Full, the All whispered, was the proper word). She felt the tip of her ears be sharp and pointed, and she smiled, betting it revealed a different kind of teeth.

She turned around and saw that the entire nation was gaping at her, her lord friends and Gael included. She spotted Rhian in the crowd, silent, but gaping as well. Tessa smiled wider, and did what she had been asked to do.

She spread her hands and a burst of light erupted from them. Suddenly, the entire population of Uiscelle was no longer horses, but faeries reincarnated.

Tessa looked back and saw Gael, who had long white hair with a bluish tint, tanned skin, and a muscled faerie male body, gasp.

Tessa asked, "Did I pass the test?"

Gael didn't reply, and she took that as a yes.

~ ~ ~

Once Tessa shifted back everyone to their original form, a roar overcame the world.