Here we go! Yet another fun TF, involving a mage becoming my latest apprentice, after signing a contract agreeing to such. Well, maybe not directly, but the Dragon's in the details, no?

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22) 'Contract’

You considered yourself a wize and powerful mage, learned beyond your years in all manner of spells and rituals. There was no doubting your expertise when it came to the art of magic. But you still desired more, to learn more. Your hunger for knowledge was unsateable. No matter how much you studied, or journeyed, there was always something else on the horizon to discover. But then one day, that influx of knowledge dried up. You had learnt everything there was to know about the world. Well, your world.

That is when you heard about the dragon.

An oddity amongst its kind, with pale, almost translucent scales that glimmered like jewels in the light, craving not gold nor jewels, but knowledge as its treasure, even more so than yourself, having constructed a grand library between the Realms to store it all. You knew it held what you desired.

And so, you found yourself tracking down the gateway, journeying far across the land to where it lay, a simple gate of stone and spruce. On the surface at least. Even at a glance you could see the mana pouring out of it like a fountain. This was it. You didn't know if this would be a one way trip or not, but this world had given you everything it had to offer. It was time to see what this new one had in store for you. You grasped the handle, pushing the door open, before stepping through, the door slamming shut behind you, empty, as though you had never existed at all…

With naught but the slightest breeze blowing past, you found yourself stepping onto the depths of a large, carpeted enclave, only able to stare up in awe at the towering walls of bookshelves stretching up into the heavens, past layers upon layers of open floors, populated by bobbing lights and floating islands of metal and wood, held aloft by pulsing crystalline structures, networks of ornate bridges and stairs connecting each of them to one another. Both Paper and crystalline constructs could be seen flitting from place to place, weaving through the open area, some shaped like birds and other winged creatures, bobbing and weaving as they flapped their wings, others like serpents that danced in the air, while others still seemed shaped like geometric impossibilities, folding in on themselves as they tessellated out of view.

So this was the library… such a grand location. And there stood it's master, a large imposing Dragon, their scales shimmering and shifting like Alexandrite, their strange
crystalline wings shifting and bobbing as they flipped through the pages of a book, before handing it off to one of golems to put away, its head letting out a ringing chime before flying off, leaving just the two of you as they turned their attention towards you, emerald eyes gazing through you as they lay down, tail curling around their side.

“So, what brings you here, Mage?”

“Knowledge. I desire knowledge, above all else. Why else would I have come here? I heard there is none more abundant in knowledge and text than this realm, and nobody wiser in its contents than yourself. Truly, I am honoured to even step foot in this place”

The Dragon's expression didn't change, though their eyes seemed to glimmer with pride. “Ah… someone with respect. Maybe a bit of a sycophant, but still, I am glad someone else appreciates my library for what it is. A bastion for knowledge and learning. You aren't much dissimilar either, I see. Student AND teacher, having gathered much over the course of your lifespan. Everything you could muster from your world. And now, you are here, seeking new worlds to explore, are you not?” They would grin, having immediately caught onto your goals.

“Well, I can grant your wish. A new life, in another realm. Free to explore and learn as you wish. In return, I want that” They said, gesturing to your head

“You want…? Ah.” You said, immediately guessing their meaning

“Indeed. How else would I be able to grow this library? All information in these halls requires a trade. Knowledge for knowledge. A life's experience, for a life's experience.”

They'd snap their fingers as their wings broke apart and reformed into a desk before you, a piece of paper, no, a contract adorned on its surface.

“Do not worry. It will merely make a copy of all you have gathered over the years. There will be no harm to yourself.” The Dragon assured.

Trusting them, you approached. Being a magical contract, no pen was needed. You simply touched the tip of your finger against the dotted line, and drew your name on its surface, stepping back as the contract glowed, sealing the pact.

Almost immediately after doing so, magic suddenly surged from the paper, wrapping around you like a blanket as your body tingled. Before you could question what was happening, your skin started to itch, before starting to… peel? But not in the way you expected. It was large, flat, and… covered in writing? It fluttered to the ground, just a piece of paper, before suddenly being drawn into the contract. And then another, and another, your body turning to paper as it was all stacked beneath the contract, its surface turning to leather and hardening, string binding all the paper within, as the contract turned into a book, rapidly filling with, well, you!

But that wasn't all, as you watched in shock and awe as beneath the shedding pages of your body, you saw… scales. Deep, midnight blue scales. Coating your arms, your legs, your chest. With each page stripped away, a new form was slowly uncovered. Sharp silver claws replaced your fingers, thicker talons replaced your toes. As your torso flew away, a long scaly tail uncurled itself from around your waist, swaying behind you, a similar process happening to your wings as pages tumbled from your chest, as the new limbs opened up and stretched to their fullest extent, before folding neatly against your back. You watched as a plated underbelly formed beneath your clothes, whatever process occuring seeming to leave the fabric alone, for the most part at least, as noted by the lack of confinement to your new limbs.

Your neck ached as the pages flowed like water, the cause soon being apparent as it suddenly burst out, leaving behind a small deluge of papers in its wake as it stretched out, long, and clearly having been rather cramped if that crick was anything to go by. You barely even registered the new snout on your face until you realised the little ‘stretch’ had dislodged a bit more than just the pages around your neck. Indeed, a large angled snout with flared nostrils now sat in clear view of your eyes, your new finned ears twitching in surprise as you reached up to feel it, rubbing your claws along its length as your hair broke away, revealing a gleaming stary mane in its wake, alongside two new long curving horns, branching out like those of a tree in many directions. This was so odd, you'd read about cases like this during your tenure in ■■■; ■■■, ■■, even ■■■■, but never that of a Dragon. Unless of course you were counting the curse of ■■■. Wait. Why couldn't you remember the names?

Your hand darted up to your scaly scalp as more pages drifted away, a little bit of the unending knowledge you had accumulated going with it. Monsters, Spells, the ways of the ■■■, even the geography of your world, ■■■. All of it was slowly stripped from you as your eyes turned a deep, majestic Indigo, the same stars decorating your mane seeming to take root within them. Until no pages remained. Where ‘You’ had once stood, was an entirely new being. A dragon. You knew you had been a mage, you knew why you had come here. But where you had come from and what you had done before arriving… you drew a blank. Emotions welled up within you. Excitement, Regret, Joy, Fear, Anger. Pure unbridled emotion, as you stared at the Dragon, words bubbling within your throat as you tried to find the ones you needed.

“What did you do to me?!” You managed to spew out, the movements of your tongue and maw feeling unnatural, as you quickly realised you were no longer speaking in your old tongue, but something new. “I didn't agree to… this?!”

“You desired endless knowledge, to experience that sensation of being able to learn and discover everything anew, did you not? I have granted your wish. From this day forward, you shall be my apprentice. I will teach you magic, my magic, my knowledge, everything this library has to offer, and in return, you will assist me in preserving its knowledge for all to see and learn.”

“But why am I a dragon? And why can't I… remember anything from before I arrived here?”

“Is there something wrong with being a Dragon? I thought you would be pleased. Your old body would not last nearly long enough to accumulate all you have offered for you. As for your memories, I have taken the liberty to seal them away for the moment, as I find a mind is most keen to absorb knowledge when there aren't any preconceived notions to get in the way, especially in regards to magic. A blank slate, or second chance to live your life, per say. Do not worry though. They're all still safe, in here”

They would slowly stand, moving over to the desk and picking up the book, handing it to you gently, its cover emblazoned with your sigil, its title bearing your name. Well, your old name

“If you ever grow tired of this, if you ever feel I have nothing more to offer you, then simply open this book and read its contents. You will be restored back to your old self, still retaining everything you have learnt during your tenure here. However, I do hope you choose to stay. Willing and talented apprentices are hard to come across in this age, and it is… admittedly rather lonely in these halls. Guests are usually not nearly as willing to converse as you are. Call it selfish if you will, but I do not wish to lose a soul such as yours any time soon.”

“Don't worry about your body. You'll grow accustomed to it soon enough. As for everything else…? Well, there is no better teacher than a library, and hands on experience.”

“Come, I'm sure you're looking forward to your first lesson. We can start with the magic of this realm” They said, tail swishing behind them as they leisurely made their way down one of the many book laden halls, desk breaking apart and reassembling into their wings as they wandered off.

Though you weren't entirely willing to admit it upfront, you were. Though the tree was gone, the seed remained. You wanted to learn. To experience everything this new world had to offer. Cradling your book under one arm, you quickly ran after the Dragon, no, your new Master, ready to start the first of many lessons to come.