This was... probably one of the strangest thing Aeryl saw in all his life. And he has seen plenty.
Carved inside a volcano, a strange temple remained. Despite its state, most of the traps were still activated, magic of flame and other deadly trials awaited. In its core... were a simple stone. Full of runes, runes that were engraved on some of the walls while being of foreign nature to Aeryl.
Each of his attempt to understand it, using his notes to translate it, magic to activate it... just... nothing worked. The stone didn't change a bit, and even after the use of extended wind magic... it kept oddly warm. As if heat was coming from inside it.

What even is it ? It was well keeped and hidden, so even time wouldn't destroy it... This can't just be some sort of key to any door right ?

He focus more on the runes written on it... there's no way for him to understand these. But he notices them shining softly, emiting a small green light.

If... if it emits it's own energy, maybe it can be transmitted, to something else ?

Aeryl then concentrate himself, emptying his mind, and tries to connect his own magic with the artifact, strand by strand of magic... As a sort of reaction, each of the runes starts shining brighter and brighter... until the last "bond" is formed.
The bond was strenghtening itself, waves and waves of energy being sent toward Aeryl. At first he thought he might have unlocked something... but each waves of energy changed him, replacing his own by something new.
Scales toughening, spikes and horns shifting and changing. It was like an unending fire was flowing into him. His colors shifting from his sky blue to a fiery red, his plates and spikes blackening as if layer of obsidian covered them. Cracking within a moment, showing the blazing fire flowing within its cracks.
Only last remnants of his usual self were his green eyes, and his red ribbon miraculously surviving the fire show.
Aeryl trembled, in shock of what happened, feeling both extremely exhausted and full of intense energy, like it was burning him from the inside. He took a moment, breathing erratically, looking at the artifact, fire expelled at each of his breath. The artifact went stone-like again, "off".
At the same moment, vision troubled for Aeryl... until he collapsed on the stone ground.

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Gooosh, that is the first time i really made some kind of background and story in one of my posts, besides the little lore tidbits and contextual background of a scene ! I hope it's not too weird to read, i really don't know if that's good or not to be honest, but i did had fun writting that !
Don't hesitate to tell what you think, also if you have criticism on my writing, as long as its cordial i'd love to read them ^^

It was a really old dream of mine, having Aeryl made as a different elemental, i worked a bit on the universe of my dragon and got the opportunity to do that ^^ It's not totally "random" though, there's reasons this exists i might end up talking here in the future !
And who better than Axelon to do that, it was a joy to work with him with his precedent art, and his dragons are some of the most impressive and well designed i know ! It was a pleasure to talk with him again through that and build a "different", more "agressive" looking fiery Aeryl !
... Should i change his name in that state ? "Fieryl" ? Ehhh, i don't know xD
Anyway, i hope you liked that art as much as i do !

Art by  Axelon , go check his impressive traditional and digital work ! He's a great person and a great artist !