Of all the mystical relics Crawnav had left for the fortunate, Isaac's vine-like fingers coiled around an unusual sharp object. Cradling it within his palm, the paladin's eyes examined the relic in curiosity. Odd intricate designs lay etched into the dagger, granting it a mystical, almost ethereal quality.
'No…' Isaac's thoughts raced as he further scanned the artifact. The material was oddly metallic, and could very well serve as the blade of a dagger, yet it was far too short to serve any practical use. The golden color glinted dully within the darkness.
"...Not a dagger, but the claw of a dragon." Isaac whispered to himself, pausing moments after as if to process the words he had spoken; sounding less like a question and more like a statement. Hazy memories, childish fairy tales, found themselves drifting into Isaac's mind, his brow furrowing at such an outlandish yet incredibly plausible explanation for coming to such an abrupt conclusion.
If it were so, the paladin could only wonder how Crawnav could have gained possession of an artifact so priceless, dragons were rumored to have been all but extinct. A solution was revealed to him as he found his gaze drifting downwards to the table of relics, a note catching his eye, illuminated by a candle on the table.
"This claw is the only remainder of the progenitor's physical form." Isaac read out in interest, gaze momentarily falling back to the draconic claws within his hand. Not a moment to waste, he found himself reading the rest of the rather incoherent scribblings of Crawnav. Notes, written in clear haste.
"My predecessor was said to have sealed away the fragmented soul of a dragon within this claw, the soul of a dragon rumored to have been known as the 'progenitor.' Reactions against corrupted folk have proven to be rather interesting in the time I've carried it, yet I cannot determine the true extent of it's worth or abilities. The soul within remains dormant, yet it continues to fight off individuals carrying the blighted corruption, consuming them at times."
"Crawnav, of Snowpoint Mountain."
Isaac's gaze fell back to his hand, the claw in his grasp shimmering as it reflected the dying light of the table candle. For all the notes that appeared to be given for the other relics, the claw had information quite vague, which proved to be rather unhelpful given his current situation.
The paladin's curious gaze began to cloud over as he gazed into the claw once again, the designs decorating it appearing to shimmer in a hypnotic luster. Driven by an unknown force, the paladin's arm rose, grip tightening around the claw as he aimed it towards his chest.
Eyes dark and expression blank, the claw plunged into the paladin's chest, piercing through vines and flesh alike.
Pain rippled through his body, the runes of the draconic claw glimmering as it's forbidden power flowed into Isaac. Each pulse of energy caused his form to contort, limbs shaking and digits clenching wildly. Eyes bulging and mouth agape, not a scream nor tear could convey his pain as the claw twisted, only sinking deeper into him.
The pain grew faint as it halted meters before his beating heart.
'A human?' A gravelly voice echoed throughout Isaac's mind, the paladin's hands shooting upwards to clasp around his head, sword clattering to the floor beside his feet.
'A human... Wielding the magic of a paladin…?' It seemed to question, scrutinizing him. Astounded at first, Isaac could do little but grit his teeth at the splitting pain of a migraine, alongside the claw being inches deep within his chest. Even so, no blood flowed from the wound.
"...Get out of my mind!" He screamed, vines clasping the sides of his head in madness. The voice within his mind was akin to bells of a church, yet loud and unceremonious all at once. It was all that he could hear; his cries muffled by its intensity.
Relief was fleeting as his screaming mind quieted. Immediately Isaac's hands shot to his chest, throat locking up as it tightened to such an extent he couldn't breathe. Stumbling to his knees, the paladin could only glance upwards in dread as wisps of grey runes flowed from the slit the claw had made in his chest, jaw agape in a silenced cry. The mass of runes swirled before him, surroundings glimmering as a shape formed from the magic.
Isaac's eyes widened, a gasp caught in throat as he met a pair of slitted eyes, the predatory gaze piercing through his soul as the claw did his chest. A reptilian maw faded into his sight, menacing horns adorning the entity's head. A torso formed below the creature's neck, muscles large and thick in more ways than one. Spikes peered out from the entity's biceps, large broad hands clawed. A second pair of arm-like appendages flapped from its back; wings, draconic in nature.
The dragon Crawnav's ancestor had sealed within the claw had been awoken by him.
The draconic spirit's body was a cloud of mist from below it's crotch, yet he assumed it's legs and feet were similar to it's arms and hands. It had chosen to reveal only a part of itself.
Gritting his teeth, Isaac could only glance in awe as the spirit's maw parted, the once gravelly voice taking on a much softer tone.
"A paladin of the Order has awoken me from my slumber. How awfully curious…" It thought aloud, reptilian eyes scanning the paladin's plant-like form. "No, it was not you who had awoken me, but the foul radiance of darkness latched onto you…"
"W-What is this?!" Isaac rasped, a hand remaining at the claw in his chest while his other grabbed his sword with haste. Even with the pain screeching through his body, he managed to raise his blade to the mess of runes taking the shape of a humanoid dragon.
The dragon's hand rose to its lower jaw, claws massaging it's scales in curiosity. Reptilian eyes fell to the paladin's engorged member, head tilting at the unusual shape. "...That is what had stirred me? Such a pitiful state it has left you in."
Teeth grit, Isaac sluggishly jumped to his feet, sword arm shaking. "I've already had two individuals try to get rid of it, but for a cost I am not willing to pay. If you are the same as them, I will not hesitate to--!"
The runes trailing from the claw within his chest seemed to shine brighter as they flowed, causing another spike of agony to shoot through him. An amused grin formed across the entity's bestial maw, rows of sharp teeth glinting despite not being physical.
"It was merely an observation, paladin. How often humans are offended by such trivial things." It commented. The spirit leaned to examine Isaac closer, the grin on it's maw shifting to a somber frown. "The mere sight of you makes my scales tingle in revulsion. Your soul may be pure, but this foul substance has twisted your form beyond recognition. It will not be long before that purity in your soul is overtaken as well."
Grunting as he stumbled back to his knees, the paladin's hands clamped onto the table, struggling to lift himself back up. His eyes became knives as they glared at the draconic spirit. "If you could kindly halt your observations, dragon, I implore you to remove your claw from my chest."
The spirit sighed at his request, slitted eyes closing in thought. "The magic of my claw is already flowing through your corrupted form. Removing it would be fatal, yet leaving it would also prove fatal, would it not?"
"That doesn't sound very reassuring, dragon."
"What is your name, paladin?"
"What...?"
Isaac's brow furrowed, teeth clenching at the sound of being asked such a trivial question in such a dire moment. With the spirit's claw in his chest, he figured he'd comply, lest it stab his heart.
"Isaac."
The dragon's spirit grew close to him, lowering so it's eyes could meet his own.
"Isaac…" It's voice was deep yet held a sliver of softness. The complete absurdity of such a tone left Isaac dumbfounded, the pain in his chest slipping away for a second.
"The corruption eating you away will eventually break your mind, yet I know of a solution..."
"E-Elaborate, if you would. I'm not a fan of having my heart pierced or becoming female, so it better be good." Isaac hissed urgently, stifling a pained gasp.
"In life, I was known as the progenitor. My claws served as weapons against the dark hearted, my scales impenetrable against their foul magic. The corruption instills both within the individual." The spirit paused, gazing deeply into Isaac's eyes. "Paladin... No, Isaac."
"I am proposing that you and I form a pact. Our minds will stay seperate, while your body will act as a vessel for my power."
The dragon rose a clawed finger to the Isaac's lips, causing the paladin's words to instinctively halt. "I promise that it is you who will be in control of this new body. I am not a vengeful spirit who craves to take the body of another, I simply wish to help you."
"In the process, I will seal and regress the corruption plaguing you back to its most basic state. You may decline, but the claw in your chest gives you little choice, since I cannot remove it without the possibility of leaving a fatal wound."
"...So by accepting your offer, I will return to normal?"
The dragon's head shook, sadness apparent.
"As I said, the corruption will be sealed by my innate resistance to it. In order to seal it, we will need to merge. Your body will shift to how I once was in life, as the progenitor."
Isaac's teeth grit, his gaze falling to the edge of the claw within his chest, grey wisps and runes trailing out to add to the draconic spirit before him.
The claw was left by Crawnav, so perhaps he was simply being far too cautious, especially with the spirit being so humble. The proposition, while akin to possession, gave him reassurance with the promise to let him be in control of his new form.
His limbs shook no matter how hard he tried to still them, ache in his chest growing more intense by the second as his muscles tightened.
Gaze rising to lock with the reptilian eyes of the dragon spirit, Isaac's lips parted.