13 Dragon Curse!

Princess Lucia has been in the clutches of the evil dragon for over a day and a night now. The urgency to rescue her grows with every passing hour, for the fears of what might become of her in the lair of such a creature are too grave to imagine. This dragon, infamous in tales and nightmares, harbors a known desire for beautiful maidens, a trait distressingly highlighted in popular lore.

Indeed, the dragon's sense of beauty diverges sharply from human conventions. To the valiant knights of the Empire and to Princess Athena, Lucia transformed into a dragon might appear less than comely. However, through the dragon's eyes, a draconic Lucia could be deemed quite captivating.

Thus, if the dragon's lustful gaze falls upon Lucia, and if the Empire of Faroran fails to liberate her swiftly, the repercussions could be dire.

Sorceress Eva, deeply troubled by the thought of her pure and gentle princess Lucia falling prey to such a beast, is determined to see her future unmarred by such a dark fate. Lucia, she believes, deserves a destiny filled with light and promise, not one overshadowed by a dragon's sinister clutches.

"Leave it to the most devoted knight of my beleaguered sister, the deposed empress, to think of consulting the ancient tomes on dragons held by the major temples," remarked Princess Athena, a hint of admiration in her tone. She gestured to an empty chair beside her, inviting Eva to join her. "Come, sit with me. Let us strategize for Lucia's return."

"Your Highness Athena, considering I'm a sorceress, doesn't my presence concern you? What if I were to use this opportunity to bewitch you?" Eva queried with a half-smile.

"You've sworn loyalty to me, what have I to fear? Besides, your concern for Lucia is clear. Sit, let's discuss our next move regarding the plight of the unfortunate empress," Athena responded warmly.

Eva took her place beside Athena, unable to suppress a grudging respect for the princess. Even as adversaries, it was difficult to wholly dislike such a charismatic figure.

In the intricate battle for the throne, Princess Athena possessed a clearer vision than Lucia ever did. From the onset, Athena held an undeniable upper hand in the contest for royal supremacy.

Instead of truly battling Lucia for the crown, it seemed Athena amused herself by playfully taunting her. The rivalry, if one could call it that, was tinged with a peculiar sort of play only Athena could contrive.

"After my fallen sister transforms into a dragon, how long is she able to sustain that form?" Athena inquired with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"I'm not certain," Eva replied cautiously.

"But didn't you cast the dragon curse on her? Shouldn't you know its duration?" Athena pressed, her tone laced with intrigue.

"The intricacies of the curse even elude me, but yes, the spell is my creation, my most formidable one. It was initially intended for my own use," Eva confessed. "As a dark sorceress, I foresaw scenarios where I might need a stronger form of escape. Transforming into a powerful dragon seemed the ultimate safeguard."

Athena nodded, understanding the strategic value of such a transformation. "In normal circumstances, becoming a dragon could indeed obliterate one's enemies."

Eva's magic was a double-edged sword; it could cause harm as well as offer salvation. To most, however, curses were a dark art, associated with unbearable agony or sudden, unexplained deaths, reasons enough for the widespread disdain towards curse wielders.

But Lucia was different. She had rescued Eva, a cursed sorceress condemned to the gallows, and accepted her loyalty. This decision highlighted Lucia's astuteness and her knack for seeing potential where others saw peril. And Eva had proven herself worthy of that life-saving grace. Even when Lucia faced dire circumstances, Eva stood by her, crafting an escape route that granted her some measure of self-defense.

What neither anticipated was that the very curse meant to empower Lucia would lead her into the clutches of an evil dragon, turning a potential escape into a precarious trap.

"Once transformed, can the dragon-Lucia breathe fire?" Athena asked, pondering the capabilities of her sister's new form.

"I truly do not know," Eva admitted, her tone reflecting the uncertain and unpredictable nature of her own dark spells.

Eva genuinely didn't know. She had never invoked this formidable curse herself, and without firsthand experience, she could only speculate about its effects. "If I had transformed before, perhaps I'd have a better grasp of what abilities come with it," Eva mused aloud. "But logically, assuming the form of a giant dragon should grant one their most basic capabilities."

"Didn't Princess Lucia manage to spread her wings and soar into the skies just yesterday?" Athena chimed in, her tone mixing irritation with curiosity. "If she can fly, breathing fire shouldn't be out of the question."

"Your after-sales service of you magic leaves much to be desired," Athena quipped, her complaint laced with a wry smile. "When I purchase a sword from the armory, it comes with a guarantee. But with your curse, it seems Lucia was given just a 'take-off package' without assurances of a safe landing."

"The poor princess," Athena continued with a chuckle, recalling the recent events. "One moment proclaiming her return, and the next, snatched by an evil dragon. Whether she can make it back is anybody's guess."

"Crazy deeds indeed attract draconian retributions," she remarked, the irony not lost on her.

"Princess Athena, we should make haste to the major temples in the imperial capital to seek out texts concerning the evil dragon," Eva suggested, shifting the conversation to a more urgent tone. "If the temples lack the information we need, their divine powers might be our next recourse."

"Don't worry too hastily. As long as the she doesn't revert to her human form too soon, the dragon shouldn't harbor any vile intentions towards her, especially given her less-than-charming appearance," Athena replied, trying to inject a bit of humor into the grim situation.

Eva nodded, though the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on her. "Melissa, accompany me. Madison, proceed to the major temples and inform them that we need books related to evil dragons urgently. The dragon's visit to the capital wasn't unnoticed. While they might guess our purpose, maintain discretion about the empress's transformation. I've issued a gag order; not many know of her fate."

With that, the two women prepared to delve deeper into arcane knowledge, hoping to uncover something that could tilt the scales in their favor.

Melissa, clad in gleaming silver armor, accepted the token from Princess Athena and promptly turned to leave the lush royal garden, her armor catching the sunlight as she moved.

"Eva, is it possible to use your dragon transformation curse on a large scale?" Athena inquired, her curiosity piqued by the potential of such magic.

"No," Eva responded, her tone tinged with solemnity. "The curse is uniquely powerful and can only be cast once per individual. Moreover, for the transformation to succeed, one must utilize something known as 'Seeds.'"

"Seeds?" Athena's eyebrows raised in intrigue. "What kind of seed?"

"The seed called 'Trust'," Eva explained. "The curse will only take hold if the recipient harbors absolute faith in me, the curse wielder, without any doubts or resistance. It's a demanding condition."

"That does sound quite restrictive," Athena mused. "After all, who would place their trust in a curse wielder willingly? The fear of curses can be more daunting than facing an actual evil dragon."

Switching topics, Athena looked contemplatively at the horizon. "Eva, what do you suppose my defiant sister is doing right now?"

"Perhaps... crying?" Eva suggested tentatively.

"I suspect she might be cursing me instead," Athena replied with a wry smile.

Meanwhile, the newly transformed Princess Lucia, now a young dragon, found herself on Black Dragon Island engaged in an unexpected rivalry. She was competing with Marley, a ferocious two-headed hellhound, for steamed meat balls provided by the evil dragon Lance. Marley, with his two heads, managed to snatch two large balls at once, quickly devouring eight, while Lucia struggled to eat just four.

"Don't just eat meatballs, have some porridge as well," a voice suggested casually from the sidelines.

"Let Marley drink it," Lucia retorted, still focused on the meatball.

"Woof woof woof—" Marley barked back, both heads bickering in canine language. Only yesterday, they had been terrified of Lucia in her dragon form, but today they brazenly competed with her for food. It was anyone's guess how this unusual alliance would fare tomorrow.