When Faldis finishes reading, he sets the journal down. "It's your handwriting, Azeen." Yellow eyes turn to the human woman, staring into her unyielding face. "There's no sign of tampering, magical or otherwise. What a monster we let into our midst..."

"That's uncalled for, Faldis!" Kabira rounds on his fellow elder, and Amadeo clears his throat.

"Let's have our esteemed Elder Azeen explain herself." He gestures to the magic circle.

"And don't even think about lying, lass. I'm good at sussing out the truth, you see." Tyrion folds his arms and grins.

Kabira sighs, slumping into his seat. "Very well. Faldis, if you would."

The dark elf moves and grabs Azeen's arm, which she snatches away from his hand. "I am very much capable of walking on my own, thank you, darkling!" She huffs, standing and moving toward the center of the room.

Her long white robe does little to hide the voluptuous figure beneath. Hips sway to and fro as if in rhythm to a song only she can hear, arms folding in front of an ample bosom. Tyrion opens his mouth to speak, but Hope clears her throat and he shuts up. Even Amadeo has to take a moment as the human's eyes fixate on his own, looking away and stepping back. Anna, on the other hand, folds her arms and huffs. "She's just bouncy. Like a high priestess; all flash, no substance."

Azeen glares at her before she enters the circle. As the white fills her eyes, the high elf nods. "She will speak truthfully."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Kabira rises once more, hands folding behind his back. "Elder Azeen, you stand accused of instigating the assault and banishment of Mercy Warren for personal gain. Furthermore, the actions of which you are accused led to her spirit seeking vengeance on the village of Misery. How do you plead?"

"I do not plead. I did everything that book says." Azeen reaches up, undoing the hijab. The other members of the council speak in hushed tones amongst themselves, seemingly shocked by the unmitigated brazenness.

"Do you want me to beg for my life? Do you want me to say I'm sorry?" Azeen removes the garment, her dark hair slicked back...And then it starts moving. Each strand, at first looking like dreadlocks, begins to shift and shake. Beady eyes appear along each lock, mouths parting to reveal sharp fangs. Rather than hair, the woman's head is covered in snakes. "I will not beg. I will not apologize. She did this to me. Her hubris and stubborn refusal to share the secret." The serpentine hairs hiss and coil around her head, Azeen's eyes beginning to glow with an unnatural green light. Her skin turns a greyish blue, eyes passing over the rest of the council.

The elders begin to groan as they look upon her. There's a sound as of rock shifting against rock, their figures freezing into stone. She rounds her gaze on the party, sneering with a chuckle. "Now it's just us, my darlings." She grips the robe, throwing it off.

As her bare skin is fully exposed, armor-like scales begin to emerge around her joints and neck. Azeen flexes her wrist, gripping the dagger that drops down from under her arm.

Tyrion is stuck partway between ogling and a grimace. "I dunno whether to shoot you or take you out to dinner."

"Shoot her, little man!" Amadeo readies a spell.

Hope draws Valkyrie and Anna holds out her rod, both girls shouting "Definitely shoot her!"

Azeen smirks, running the blade of the dagger over her tongue. "Can you do it, little love? Can you really loose a bolt at such a body as this?" One hand runs over her curves. "I think I'll save the two boys for last. You will be so much fun!"