Ilvir groaned as he gazed upon the suit of demonic armor, the only remnants of the statue and ethereal spirit that had tried to use him as a makeshift vessel. Frigid air brushed against his still wet form, an involuntary gasp escaping him. He scratched the back of his head anxiously, purple-stained eyes scanning the plates of black metal.
The inside of the demonic armor had been warm, slick, and incredibly uncomfortable with how much it crushed him.
Amongst other things.
"...I suppose it's better than running around naked." Ilvir grumbled out loud, sinking to his knees as he drew close to the black armor.
Fingertips gliding across the metallic plates, he quivered at the thought of the demon returning to overtake him once more.
"No…" He breathed, closing his eyes. "The demonic spirit was purged by the dragon. There's no possible way it could return."
He failed to regain courage as the words left him. Instead, his sight drifted towards the large open gash at the chest plate of the armor, torn open by said dragon in his effort to save him.
Rolling his shoulders, Ilvir grunted as he lifted the chest plate over his head. The torn front would require repair, for it wouldn't exactly provide the most ideal defense in its current state.
But it was all he had.
Sliding the demonic chest plate over himself, a gasp slipped past pursed lips as cold metal met wet skin. The mere touch felt as if his skin was being burned, forcing him onto his hands and knees.
Biting his lip in agony, Ilvir's gaze apprehensively shot to his arms. A grunt of pain escaped him as the pauldrons and arms of the armor latched onto his own needfully, the black plates tearing into his bare skin without repent. Forced further down onto his elbows, more pain tore through his body; the greaves and ankles of the armor coiling and snapping around his legs.
Panting and regaining his wit from the abruptness, the raven-haired man's eyes drifted downwards to his now armored body. Rolling onto his side, he grimaced as he flexed an arm. The cold plate against bare skin was incredibly uncomfortable, if anything, it only served to chafe his skin.
Examining how the armor clung to his body, a frown crossed his face. His hands and feet were practically left bare, no doubt due to the original wearer having claws that would warrant gauntlets and boots useless. Cold air lapped at his exposed manhood, the armor somehow lacking plates for the most vulnerable part of himself. Most of his chest and a bit of his stomach were left exposed as well, more than he had thought.
"Well, this proved to be a good idea…" Ilvir whispered in displeasure, beginning to regret his decision of donning the dark armor.
Before he could even think about removing the armor, the human paladin yelped as a sudden coolness washed across his skin. Eyes wide and mouth agape, he brought his hands up to his face.
"What is…?!"
Thick globs of vicious, crimson slime burbled from beneath the plates of armor, accompanied by a torrent of gurgling and squelching. Tendrils writhed and coiled around his fingers, before forcing his hands into fists.
Grunting, Ilvir's gaze darted to his feet, a pool of the sludge pooling below him. Sharp pain tearing through his legs, the structure of his feet morphed and changed. Heels jerking upwards and toes merging together, with a series of squelches, black claws burst from them.
Falling back onto his rump, the armored man cringed. His fingers unclenched, black claws bursting from their tips as they elongated. His head fell to his chest and crotch below, the exposed skin of his chest and hanging member no longer as such.
His pecs and exposed stomach were much larger, the red substance increasing his muscle mass. His manhood lay secured within a large bulge, slight pleasure radiating from it as he experimentally danced a black claw across its surface.
Sighing to himself in relief, Ilvir's eyes fell back to examine his feet. While already inhuman due to their monstrous claws, they bore a resemblance to the hind legs of a beast.
Driving his new claws through his hair, the human breathed as he realized the odd substance had not decided to alter his head or face. It seemed to be purely restricted to his body.
His awe and examination of his body were interrupted, the sound of a guttural gasp resounding from behind him. Jumping from the noise, the armored paladin spun to meet the stirring form of the dragon, his golden eyes fluttering open.
Claws grasping at his head, with a grunt the silver-scaled beast rose to his feet. Not an ounce of drowsiness plagued his expression, the slumber appearing to have restored every bit of his strength.
"You're awake." He exclaimed, face alit with relief.
Isaac's gaze shifted to Ilvir, the draconic entity pausing to examine the black armor that adorned him and claws that sprouted from his red-coated limbs.
He blinked rapidly, unsure whether he was within a dream or the waking world.
"...I am." He replied tersely.
His stoic gaze left the armored human without further word, drifting to the stone double doors. Claws clicked against the floor, the runes shimmered as he drew closer.
"Is something wrong?" The human called in concern, his brow furrowed in confusion.
He felt a voice, bells ringing through his head as he set eyes on them. A faint memory appeared to him, a recollection.
A recollection of what?
Silently, Isaac's changed tail rose, a bladed tip reminiscent of an axe slashing forth. Impacting the doors, the runic stone glimmered; cracks of light pierced through, and with a rumble, the doors parted to reveal a gateway of white.
Isaac hesitated for a short minute, watching, waiting for any response from the fountain of light pouring out of the open doors. His tail returned to lazily swing idly behind him, the axe head dangerously waving about.
“What… Where does that doorway lead to?” Ilvir felt calm, peaceful despite the feeling of caution filling his heart. It gently welcomed him, a place to rest his weary head.
“I do not know…” Isaac briefly looked down towards the recalled tail, the runes running from the blade up into the tail, disappearing from his gaze as it tattooed onto his back. The blade gleamed, knowing. “But I believe the answers lie within.”
Both transformed beings did not hesitate as they walked into the light.