You know what they say. Don't go touching glowing orbs in ominous dungeons, even if you think you've gotten rid of the curse. What's that? You want to touch the orb now? Well, at least I won't be short-staffed for much longer.

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11) Object

The Orb of Remani, a priceless artefact, said to hold unfathomable magical power, enough to turn even the least skilled magician into an unstoppable archmage. But you were not in the very least unskilled. You had easily disposed of the numerous gargoyles and golems that guarded the dungeon, and made quick work of any traps that stood in your way, and soon, you were in the final chamber, not a foe in sight. Everything so far had lined up with what you had learnt from the rumours and tomes. You slowly approached the ornate pedestal on which the orb rested. Immediately, you sensed a foreign force in the air. Was that the supposed curse? But you weren't even close to it yet! You bit back your fear. No no, you were fine. Your barriers were holding off the curse's tendrils. You continued forwards, only to feel a stronger wave of energy. It was really trying to keep you away, wasn't it? That only made the reward even more appealing… further, your feet touched the first step. At this point the sheer density of mana was starting to weigh on you. Who knows what would happen if your barriers weren't in place? You drank a vial of mana recovery. No risks taken this close to the end.

You climbed the stairs slowly. At this point it was like wading through water. Then, like honey. When you finally made it to the top, it was like you had been submerged in tar. You had to pull yourself forwards using magic alone. There would be no second chances if you failed. It felt like an eternity, positioning your hands over the orb. From here, you could sense the pure unfettered power contained within, and the potent, burning power of the curse around it. This was it. If you could break through this enchantment, the world would know your name! You gathered your will, and forced open the inner mechanisms of the curse, the scenery around you exploding into colour from the numerous magical circles and runes that composed the curse that even now threatened to claim you at the slightest misstep in the dispelling process.

You channelled your magical might into the pedestal, navigating through the numerous traps and false openings in the barrier. You'd never faced such a challenge before, but the reward… It was worth it. You weren't going to fall to this supposed curse! You dug deeper and deeper, weaving your mana through the numerous layers, to which there was seemingly no end. This rune, this symbol! They didn't belong! You slowly picked apart the curse, but its potency remained uninhibited, a tiny crack opening up in your first barrier, and that was all it needed to seep inside like a malevolent fog. This was a battle of endurance, on top of being a race against the clock.

You dug even deeper, piercing into the inner workings of the curse, trying to chip away at its very essence, but it was like trying to chisel away at stone. It would take time, time you might not have, as your second barrier shattered. You could practically feel the chill of the curse on you already. Come on… break already! A chip. Break! A crack. You poured every inch of power you had into the pedestal, channelling everything you had into this. The curse howled like a dying beast, its runes starting to flicker and falter, the cracks widening, spreading, like a spiderweb, until finally, it broke. You felt the curse splutter, spell circles shattering like glass, its power starting to dissipate along with the remains of your barrier.

Finally… it was over… you had reached the brink, but you had triumphed! All that was left was to claim your prize, a shaky hand grasping the orb. It was warm. You could feel its energies flooding your body just from that one touch, power returning to you. It was like you hadn't been on the brink mere moments ago. What a powerful artefact… you picked it up, staring deeply into its tranquil surface, swirling with arcane forces yet untapped. You couldn't wait to see what you could do with it. What legends would come about from this? You couldn't help but wonder, drawing on its energies as you prepared a simple firebolt spell, an arc of red energy shooting from your fingertips, exploding a nearby pillar into a pile of charred rubble. What power… and it was all yours!

You celebrated, unaware of another force seeping into your body. You didn't even seem to notice as the hand gripping it tightly suddenly shifted into a trio of talons, or when your body started to lengthen, stretching out like taffy as deep crimson scales covered your body. Your teeth shifted into razor sharp fangs as your hair thickened into a golden mane, some of it instead coalescing into winding horns that jutted out from behind you. You subconsciously tilted your face forwards as your spine shifted position, your limbs moving to the sides of your serpentine body, which was still slimming down. You only snapped back into reality as you realised you could no longer hold the orb, your orb, with one hand! It seemed to be growing, swelling in size. You were forced to use both of your claws to keep it within your grasp, holding it to your chest, even as two leathery wings burst from your back.

Of course, it wasn't that the orb was growing, it was that you were shrinking! A quick glance around you would have revealed that, but your gaze remained fixated solely on your prize even as it grew larger and larger, your scaly forelegs barely holding up the beautiful orb which was half your size now! Fear flowed through your mind. Like this, someone could steal it from you! You couldn't let that happen. And so, your coils began to wind, as you protectively curled your body around your treasure, its warmth seeping into your draconic body.

Even as the orb continued to grow, you continued to shift your body around to keep it securely in your coils, holding it in place with all four of your claws, your wings wrapped protectively around its exterior, until finally... it stopped. The orb was secure. The orb was yours, at last... no one could take it...

You lowered your head atop your new prize, and rested it against the warm crystal, your body relaxing. You didn't notice your scales start to lose their colour, nor did your body start to stiffen into place as your claws fused with the orb, turning to sculpted silver. Or maybe you did notice, and just didn't care. After all... now the orb would never leave your possession ever again~. The silver continued to climb up your body, until it finally reached your head. You could no longer blink as you felt your eyes widen, turning into two citrine gems embedded into your sculpted head. Now... you were the perfect guardian. The orb clattered to the ground, the silver dragon now decorating its surface, so lifelike, yet... immobile.

"I hope you're happy with your fate adventurer,” a voice would echo dimly through the fog in your metalic head. An aspiring thief? You would try and get a look at them, but of course, that would require you to avert your gaze from your treasure. And you couldn't have that, so you remained fixed in place.

“Well, you certainly look satisfied with your new role. But now that the curse is gone... whatever shall I do with you... How about..."

There was a tingling in your body as you felt one of your spines grow numb, stretching out into a long metallic pole, leather wrapping around it to form a protective grip, now making you, and your treasure, the perfect magical staff for any aspiring mage.

“Good… very good. Now to find you a new owner. Until then, sleep…” You felt another dull tingle, this time throughout your whole body, as you fell into a deep trance, your orb growing dull, and your consciousness with it.

When you next came to, you found yourself within an oaken room, a man holding your pole. Stranger! Enemy! You immediately took to defending your orb from this unknown individual, flaring out your wings for intimidation. You drew on the Orb's power, starting to channel it to smite this wannabe thief, only to be stopped as mana shot through you like a bolt, seeping into every inch of your being, imprinting on the orb, and in turn you as a part of it.

You immediately lowered your wings, feeling a strange sense of… importance from the person you had thought to be a thief. But they were no thief, after all, how could they steal what already belonged to them? You felt nothing but obedience towards the man, no, your owner. A part of you felt like you should be concerned with these strange new thoughts, but... all that mattered was that the orb was safe in your possession. As long as it was yours, you were happy, and as long as it remained yours, you were happy to do whatever bidding your holder demanded.