The ruins

[Seravious]

Mayah Playah

"But where did they come from?"

Miles was seriously confused.

"What magic made them?"  

[Mayah Playah]

Sebastian_A_Covarrubia

"Not magic, it's technology!" she laughed, clambering over the ruin's line. "There we go, nearly there."

 

[Seravious]

Mayah Playah

Miles followed Michaela quickly.

"Technology? What is that?"  

[Mayah Playah]

Sebastian_A_Covarrubia

Michaela sighed, leaning on a tree and rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Alright, I'm going to buy you a book. I can possibly explain all of this to you without going bonkers."

 

[Seravious]

Mayah Playah

"Maybe it would help if I explain that I come from a different world. I was traveling across my world, and I had stopped in a city to buy food and water. While I was there, I was attacked by a group of thieves. Acting on self defense, I flew away, exposing my true nature. The thieves went to the emperor of the country and he sent a group of mages after me. They found me and there was an intense battle. Somewhere during the fight, one of my spells collided with one of theirs and this rift opened up, dropping us all in the middle of the desert. They were dead, burned to nothing but blackened skeletons. It must have been my immunity to fire and heat that protected me."

He looked at the sky.

"I walked for many miles, but didn't find anything. After walking for three days straight with barely any water, I attempted to communicate with my father through a spell, but it didn't work. I kept making the spell stronger, thinking maybe he was too far away. Eventually I managed to get through to him, but it was weak. He cast a spell to find out where I was, and discovered that I was not just far from home, I was on a different planet. My father, as powerful as he was, refused to cast a spell to bring me home. Claimed it wasn't worth the risk of having me attacked again, and having nothing to gain from staying there, since the woman he loved had been killed over twenty years ago, he cast a spell that moved not just him, but his entire treasure hoard, his cave, and the entire mountain it was in, to this planet. Me and my father escaped our world, me by accident, and him on purpose. The only two dragons on this planet cursed with what we have, and me the only one that can be affected by it."  

[Mayah Playah]

Sebastian_A_Covarrubia

"But there are many dragons on this planet!" she protested. "I've seen them, I know them, my cousin married into them. Trust me, you aren't alone."

 

[Seravious]

Mayah Playah

"No, I know. I've seen them myself. But they do not bear the curse me and my father do. They don't have to worry about being touched."  

[Mayah Playah]

Sebastian_A_Covarrubia

"Then we'll get them to reverse the curse!" she said.

 

[Seravious]

Mayah Playah

Miles sighed.

"The curse was put upon the entire race of shapeshifter dragons by the dragon goddess Alyria. Long ago, Alyria came to our world. She was revered by all dragonkind. Many dragons longed to be her mate, but it was a shapeshifter dragon named Gilead the Littlehorn that stole her heart. But he was a trickster, a liar, and a cheat. He only wanted to prove to the rest that he could win Alyria's heart. He began to mate with not just other dragons, but females of the humanoid races as well, orcs, dwarves, elves, goblins, and so on. Alyria, enraged, turned Gilead into diamond, and cursed all shapeshifter dragons to only love the first they touch, and to never love another. The diamond statue of Gilead had a city constructed around it by shapeshifter dragons who refused to take their dragon forms. An altar to Alyria was built at Gilead the Betrayer's feet, and for twenty-thousand years, they have prayed for Alyria to remove the curse, and every year on the anniversary of Gilead's death, Alyria returns to our world and grants one of our race a single day without the curse. Only the most devoted get selected though."

He pulled a necklace out from under his shirt of a ruby dragon and a diamond dragon making a heart shape, their wings extending outward, making the heart look like it has wings.

"The symbol of our belief."  

[Mayah Playah]

Sebastian_A_Covarrubia

Michaela furrowed her brow, confused. "That...is the absolute dumbest thing I've ever heard. Torturing an entire race because of one horny man? That's ridiculous! Your goddess needs a reality check. Most men are mentally built to be polygamists. Say that we were married. If you cheated on me, I would be upset, yes, but I wouldn't punish your race. I swear, Miles, your goddess is a complete and utter moron!" Finally spent, Michaela sighed and crossed her arms. "I'm...I'm sorry. I just...it makes no sense to me."

 

[Seravious]

Mayah Playah

"It wasn't because he mated with other females. It was because he lied. He deceived her. He tricked her into loving him so he could boast to the other males about how glorious and powerful he was, and so he could become a god. She had come to our world and refused hundreds of others because she was looking for one dragon she could love. She was going to make that dragon a god so he might nest in the heavens at her side for all eternity. How would you feel? Betrayed? Hurt?"

He touched the ruby dragon.

"Alyria guide my path."

He touched the diamond dragon.

"And may Gilead be enlightened."  

[Mayah Playah]

Sebastian_A_Covarrubia

"I would feel stupid for believing that any man would be true to me, but not hurt. Never hurt." Michaela clenched her fist around her necklace, looking away. "Regardless, how can you worship a goddess that has damned your entire race? That has made it so you can never feel the touch of another being so long as you don't love? You have never felt a woman's skin against your own, Miles. And all because your goddess got pissed off at a man that she shouldn't have trusted." She bit her lip, looking back to him. "It's not fair, Miles, to anyone."

 

[Seravious]

Mayah Playah

"Alyria gave us the gift of shape changing so we might do good, and Gilead abused it. We believe that if Gilead, whose soul lives on within the diamond statue, becomes enlightened, he may realize where his heart truly lies, and if he knows love, Alyria may feel compelled to release us. Until then, we pray that Alyria guides our path, that we safely find the one we are meant to love. And we are not the only ones. Thousands upon thousands of the humanoid races have joined the city as acolytes of Alyria. Orcs, humans, dwarves, goblins, lizardfolk, kobolds, ogres, elves, gnomes, dragons, and half-dragons, all living together in one city, a city that prays for love. And that is why we pray. I spent a year in the City of Hearts, praying."

He took off his necklace and held it out to Michaela.

"I was given this necklace when I first learned the story. I felt Alyria's love for Gilead, her rage for the abuse of his powers and the lies he fed her, and her sorrow when she turned him to diamond. Alyria still loves Gilead. When she returns every year, she comes in human form and lays roses at his feet, tears in her eyes. I hope this necklace helps guide you to the one you are meant to love."  

[Mayah Playah]

Sebastian_A_Covarrubia

Michaela carefully took the necklace, slipping it over her head. "It's beautiful, Miles...I have something for you too." Pulling the silver bracelet from her wrist, she warmed it between her palms. "The Bloodwell family crest has a rose in the middle, so it's become somewhat of a lucky charm. It brings us to love, and on every child's sixteenth birthday, we are given a real rose and a silver one. This was mine...and I want you to have it. Maybe it'll help you find love too." As soon as the metal was nicely heated, she held it out for him.

 

[Seravious]

Mayah Playah

"Thank you."

Miles took the bracelet from Michaela carefully so as not to touch her, and slipped it into a pocket on his vest as he had no way of putting it on. (His bracers are too thick.)

"In a moment, you will feel Alyria's emotions. Do not let them overwhelm you."