Doran"s capitol was a sight to behold the Dragons Keep even more so. The grand fortress built from the mountain itself. Many would believe that the dwarves, but I and a few know that it was the dragons that built this wonder; Nicodemus has talk me an earful of that. I am still surprised that in a short six years, he has managed to do all this. Dragons and other races coexisting, but here I am walking through a capitol with dragons, men, kobolds, dwarves, and many other living and working together.

I still had my suspicions, but at this time I"m not going to mess with a king, especially a dragon one. Reaching what is called the mountains peak, less and less of the other races are seen. This is where most of the dragons make their home, vast and large home carved into the mountain itself. I can already feel some eye upon me, Nicodemus still has a long and difficult road if he wants to create his vision of his empire; one of coexistence.

Making my way to the main gate, the dragon guards already knowing of my arrival. "Ah! Lord Nicodemus favorite human here again. This for your mercenary services? Or is he trying again to convince you to join our empire?" The guard half jests.

"An invitation, for what I really don"t know. And I couldn"t say now that he sent a kobold with a dragon to hand me the invitation and to fly me here." I reply sounding a bit sick as I hold my stomach remembering the flight here. Both chuckle as they open the gate, I make my way through with little trouble, being here a few time. Reaching the large hall, surprised to see not one of his servants, but the blue and gold dragon himself, his warm smile greats me. "Ah Nordstrom I see that you have accepted my invitation!"

"I have... what is this about your lordship?"

He smile, "So formal you are Nordy!" He quickly turns around and start walking. "Come with me I wish to show you something."

"So you"re not going to try and convince me to join your kingdom?"

"Depends, You still set on your decision?" Of course he already knew my answer, giving a smirk as I frown at his question. "Still a no eh?" He says with a chuckle before continuing. "You are quite a valuable asset Nordy, it would be more beneficial for both of us you were to join my kingdom, but you humans and your..... ideals. So set in your ways. But you know I"ll keep trying."

I follow him down elaborate halls and arches till we reached an open room, to the right I can already see shelves upon shelves of books and scrolls. A personal collection perhaps. Many kobolds at work keeping everything organized, we pass over the rows of books and reach more shelves, but filled with many items and trinkets, he looks back at me, taking a small sphere and showing it to me. "You are aware of the mad mages love for making artifacts?" He ask with genuine curiosity in his voice. I simply nod and he continues. "They make powerful items with great boons, but they always have some kind of.... quirk. This one can change you into any species, all you have to tell the artifact what and it will change you."

How he said that last word... was almost unsettling, didn"t help that he had a mischievous grin on his muzzle, but I was curious. "Any species huh...." I mull over his words looking at the grey stone sphere between his two fingers. "Not just any species! What you would actually look as that species!" He said with excitement. I realized that this artifact is using multidimensional magic if it is able to accurately make you become what you look like as that species and not some generic form. I was also skeptical, looking at the mad grinning dragon. "You want me to use it." He nods not even trying to hide it. "Do you know what the quirks are?" I ask with worry.

He shakes his head, then places the artifact in my hands, it almost feels..... alive. "Why don"t you try it? I think you can see what you"ll be as a dragon." His voice fill with eagerness. I just look at him, not able to tell if this is some elaborate joke, or he"s being serious. More than likely both. "IF I use this. Will I be able to use it again to change back?" Looking up at him he shows a toothy grin. "Yes, you can use it again to change back."

I again look at this stone sphere, still not fully convinced that it was a real primordial artifact, mainly given how Nicodemus is so eager to have me test it. Then I have an idea a small smile forming as I walk to the center of the room. "I want to become a kobold" As soon as I finish the command the stone starts to wiggle and shift as if it was liquid. In seconds it changes into a small statuette of a kobold, so detailed that it looks alive, then it blinked. Shocked to see it blink let along sitting in my hand, it looks at me then the hand it"s sitting on, then it bites.

"SON OF A BITCH!!" I scream as its small stone jaws pierce the skin. The kobold statue leaps off as a bright flash fills the room, then in the center of a small smoldered carpet stood not a human, but a kobold. Nicodemus begins to roar with laughter as I just finally noticed the change, looking at my now clawed hands, feeling my loose clothes, no longer fitting me. I feel the horns and my muzzle. I had no words, and in then corner of my eye I see the stone run off a panicked look as it disappears down the vast halls of the fortress. My mind was all over the place, trying it"s best to process that now.... I"m a kobold. One thing I did though is look at a laughing dragon king and yell. "Nicodemus! You fucking bastard!" Of course all he does is laugh.

I"m very happy that I entrusted my friend  CoralliaFluff to make this. They hit it spot one, and I"m very happy how it came out. This is Nordy first interaction of the artifact "The Stone of Change" and won"t be the last that"s for sure. Again thank you Cora so much for your wonderful work ^^

Art by  CoralliaFluff Go check em out on their page! Their style is adorable.
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