Lilia stepped through the front door of her family's modest suburban home, taking in the familiar surroundings with relief. The overseas trip, while eventful, had left her weary and longing for some sense of normalcy.

"Welcome home!" Her mother, May, emerged from the kitchen and pulled Lilia into a warm embrace. "How was the trip? Not too stressful, I hope?"

Lilia returned the hug, allowing herself a moment to relax into her mother's comforting presence. "It was interesting, to say the least. But I'm just glad to be back."

As they parted, Lilia noticed Alistair lurking in the hallway, practically quivering with anticipation. His eyes shone eagerly, tail swishing back and forth.

"I have a surprise for you upstairs, Mistress!" the imp exclaimed. Before Lilia could respond, he scampered up the steps.

Lilia chuckled and shook her head. "Well, I suppose I should go see what has him so excited." She bid her mother goodbye before following Alistair up to her bedroom.

Stepping through the doorway, Lilia froze, stunned by the lavish furnishings that now occupied the previously mundane space. Plush carpets covered the floor, tapestries draped the walls, and ornate antique furniture had replaced the simple desk and bed. The entire room was awash in sensual crimson and violet hues.

In the centre stood Alistair, beaming with unconcealed pride. "Welcome home, my lady! I took it upon myself to transform this drab chamber into accommodations worthy of your magnificence." He flourished his hands with an elaborate bow.

Lilia took a moment to absorb the grandeur, a mix of amusement and exasperation stirring within her. She was relieved to see her PC still in place, albeit somehow nestled among the opulence as if it had always belonged there.

"You...redecorated," Lilia said finally, careful to keep any criticism from her tone. She didn't wish to hurt Alistair's feelings when he so clearly meant well. "It's quite lavish, though might take some getting used to after the rather mundane design from before."

Alistair's chest puffed up with pride. "I am overjoyed it pleases you, Mistress! I shall continue striving to serve you in any way I can."

Lilia managed a small smile. "Yes, well...thank you, Alistair. I'm sure I'll find it quite comfortable." An awkward silence hung in the air before Lilia added gently, "Though in the future, perhaps check with me first before making significant changes to my private spaces."

The imp's ears drooped slightly. "Oh, of course, my lady. I apologize for overstepping - I merely wished to surprise you."

Lilia softened further, placing a hand on his slumped shoulder. "It's alright. I know you meant well, and I do appreciate the thought behind it."

Alistair perked up at her reassurance. With his spirits lifted, he eagerly began pointing out the various new furnishings and luxuries he had procured for her comfort. Lilia nodded along politely, not having the heart to explain this was all still a bit much for her tastes.

After patiently allowing Alistair to walk her through the remodelled space, Lilia finally pleaded fatigue from her trip abroad. "I think I'll rest for a bit if you don't mind," she hinted gently.

"But of course, my lady," Alistair replied, instantly contrite. "Please, take all the time you need to recover from your weary travels. I shall stand vigil outside your door in case you require anything."

With a final flourish, the devoted imp departed, pulling the door shut behind him. Alone at last, Lilia sank down onto the plush bedspread with a deep sigh. She leaned back, waiting for the transformation's inevitable end.

Two to three hours, she estimated. Then she could finally be back in her normal, male body. Lilia smiled at the thought, rolling her neck and shoulders to ease the lingering tiredness that the long plane ride had left between her shoulder blades. She would rest and do some reading to pass the time until the shift back to James occurred.

Her thoughts turned to the mysterious tome granted by Vigil, pulsing with ancient magical knowledge. Lilia's palm itched to summon it forth and delve back into its arcane secrets, especially any further mentions of herself - or rather, the original Lilia who had seemingly crossed paths with Merlin long ago.

But summoning an ancient book of magic out of thin air would no doubt send Alistair's devotion spiralling even further out of control. Better to wait until she was herself again to investigate the compendium's origins and connections to her in more depth.

Satisfied with this plan of action, Lilia allowed her eyes to drift shut, comforted by the familiar sounds of home. The low murmur of her mother moving about the kitchen downstairs, the chirping of birds outside the window, the creak and groan of floorboards as her father arrived back from work. Before long, she slipped into a light doze, welcoming the chance to recharge.

On the bustling city streets downtown, the young and upcoming hero known as Ace whistled a cheerful tune to himself as he strolled along on an uneventful patrol. Twirling his extendable baton absently, Ace let his gaze wander, keeping a subtle eye out for any trouble brewing. But this area was usually pretty quiet at this hour.

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Still, heroes had to keep vigilant. Evil never slept, as the saying went! Ace dreamed of one day graduating from these boring patrol routes to real action going toe-to-toe with supervillains. For now though, he was stuck playing clean-up crew for the small fry crooks and thugs.

A faint crash from a nearby alleyway caught Ace's attention, followed by muffled cursing. Looked like some petty criminal was up to no good in there. Perfect, just the kind of minor bad guy an up-and-comer like him could handle!

Grinning, Ace quickly slipped into the mouth of the alley, extending his baton with a flick of his wrist. "Hold it right there, evildoer!" he declared in his deepest heroic voice. "Your reign of terror ends today!"

But the sight that greeted Ace rooted him in place, bravado evaporating. Near the grimy brick wall, a jagged fissure had torn through the very air, as if reality itself had cracked like a shattered mirror. Blackness swirled within the rupture, emitting an awful pressure that made Ace's knees weak.

Before he could react, a figure stepped smoothly through the impossible tear - a tall, handsome man with flowing blonde hair and piercing golden eyes. His pristine suit and polished shoes seemed bizarrely mundane contrasted with the warped abyss at his back.

For a second, the man simply surveyed his surroundings, seeming oblivious to Ace's presence. But suddenly his head snapped around, pinning the young hero with an icy stare that chilled him to his core.

"Is this the reality she's hiding in?" the stranger murmured, almost to himself. In a flash, he had crossed the distance to Ace, hand latching around his throat in an iron grip. Ace choked, vision going spotty from the crushing pressure on his trachea.

"Well now, what a convenient guide you'll make," the blonde-haired man remarked. With impossible strength, he hauled Ace's weakly flailing body back toward the spatial rift. Ace's struggles proved useless against his captor's casual might.

As darkness crept into his vision, Ace had one final panicked thought - this was no ordinary villain at all. He had stumbled across something far more dangerous than he could have ever imagined. But it was too late. With the terrifying stranger's grip unyielding on his throat, Ace slipped into merciful unconsciousness just as they passed back through the portal.

Lilia gradually awoke to a persistent itch on her arm. Blinking blearily, she realized she was back in James' body, the transformation having ended while she dozed. Smiling in relief, James sat up and rolled his shoulders, eager to inject himself with another dose of serum, to fully revert the changes.

James slowly got out of the lavish canopy bed, taking care not to disturb any more of the ornate furnishings Alistair had procured. He still felt disoriented surrounded by such opulent decor, though he appreciated the imp's thoughtful gesture.

Opening the bedroom door, James was greeted by an eager Alistair, still dutifully standing guard outside.

"Good morning, Mistress!" the imp proclaimed brightly. "I trust you slept well in the comfort of your chambers?"

James smiled at the imp's antics. "Yes, quite well, thank you Alistair."

"Would my lady care for some refreshments after her restful slumber?" Alistair asked hopefully.

James considered for a moment. He really wanted take his serum first, but ignoring the devoted imp somehow felt wrong.

"Perhaps just some water," James replied. " But leave it at a table, I need to freshen up first."

"Right away, my lady!" Alistair scurried off, leaving James free to head to the bathroom in peace.

Once inside, James turned to examine himself in the mirror. Just as he had feared, the changes had progressed substantially during his weekend as Lilia. His skin now had an odd greyish pallor, and the tiny nubs on his forehead had developed into small but visible horns. Worst of all, his physique has shifted, giving him an undeniably feminine silhouette.

With shaking hands, James prepared a dose of the serum Dr. Wolf had provided. He pressed the injector to his arm, wincing as the strange liquid entered his bloodstream. For several agonizing moments, nothing happened. Then finally, the changes began incrementally reversing.

His cheeks grew less full, shoulders broadened, and horns receded. However, some of the softness as well as the silver hair and violet eyes stubbornly remained.

Setting down the injector with a shaky sigh, James ran his fingers through his hair. Some of the changes were still visible, even after dosing with serum. How long until it stopped working completely?

As James turned to exit the bathroom, a small, traitorous part of his mind whispered that perhaps fully becoming Lilia wouldn't be so terrible. Lilia's body felt so much stronger, faster and more resilient than his original one. If this was his fate, wouldn't it be easier to embrace it? To become her fully?

James froze, shocked by the momentary thought. No, he couldn't let his resolve waver! He was still James Brooks at his core, no matter how much the ongoing metamorphosis tried to strip that identity away. He had to keep faith that Ren would find an answer in time.

Shaken, James shoved the momentary doubt away and headed downstairs where he could hear his father puttering around the kitchen. To his surprise, Arthur sat at the table intently focused on...gluing together parts of an elaborate model battleship? This was new.

Arthur glanced up from his project, face lighting up when he saw James. "Morning, kiddo! Sleep well?"

"Yeah, I uh, guess I was more tired than I realized," James replied, still bemused by this unexpected morning activity. "What's with the model? New hobby?"

His dad shrugged self-consciously. "Well, now that I'm retired, thought I'd try my hand at model building. Always found ships fascinating, and it keeps my hands busy."

James' eyes widened as he peered closer at the intricate details. "This is really impressive! How long have you been working on it?"

"Just started yesterday," Arthur admitted. "Went a little overboard once I got into the zone."

James glanced at the wall clock, realizing with surprise that it was already almost 7 AM. He had slept for over 14 hours straight!

"Wow, I didn't know I was dead to the world for so long," James apologized. "Guess that trip really wiped me out. Sorry about that."

Arthur waved off the apology. "No need to be sorry, sounds like you needed the rest. Though you'll have to tell me about the trip sometime. You mentioned you flew overseas?"

"Oh yeah, I was trying to learn more about my ability," James replied. "I will tell you more about what happened once I'm back from school." He didn't want to lie outright but wasn't in a mood to get into details right now. Maybe later.

Glancing at the clock again, James realized he should start hurrying to get ready for school. After eating a breakfast, he went upstairs to grab his backpack. With a little of luck today would be just another ordinary day.