==

'Nothing matters more than love. It's a feeling that's so strong, it takes over your body completely, almost as if the other had a hold of your heart, pulling them closer with some sort of invisible force. You can't change who you love, no, that would be impossible. There is only one. And you must do what you can to cherish and lavish in it.'
That's what Ezera's mother had told her when she was young, her pearl nearly the size she was. For whatever reason, out of everything, that moment stuck with her the most. She remembered her heart fluttering with excitement as she thought of her one and only. Ezera often perused male dragons in chance of experience the feeling her mother had describe, but it never really felt... right. There was something missing, it seems, whether in the men or herself, she wasn't sure. She searched desperately to find the one who would steal her heart forever, but by the time she had reached full maturity, she was alone. Her siblings try to assure her that she didn't need a mate to be happy, but they were wrong. It was so clear they were living in their own self denial. How can one be happy without a significant other? It wasn't possible, not in the slightest! Ezera couldn't bare to be around them, maybe that's why she decided to leave her clan in search of a soulmate. Clearly, he wasn't there or else she would have found him already. He had to be out there someone. He had to be.
So began her venture into Sornieth, searching the land to the best of her abilities. Ezera searched most of the zones she thought he could be... clearly the love of her life wouldn't be a plague dragon. She shuddered at the thought of the diseases they care and avoided the place. Maybe her love was a smart arcane dragon or a sturdy earth dragon! Oh, but what breed would he be? A pearlcatcher like herself? An Imp? A fae? Pfft, no not a fae, clearly. As Ezera considered to consider the possibilities, she found herself stumbled upon the land of the Lightweaver. It was a better place to start then any, she supposed, and off into the city she went.
After what seemed like hours, the exhausted pearl catcher plopped down under a tree, letting out a frustrated sigh. No matter what she did or who she found or even who she talked to, no one made her feel as her mother described. Was he even out there? Was her mother a liar? What a cruel fate that would be to put meaningless hope into a fragile young mind. Still, it had only be one place. Ezera sighed again before laying her head down to rest for the night.
Daybreak had barely touched Ezera's eyelids when she was awoken to a strange voice.
"Excuse miss, are you lost?"
Ezera let out a low grumble, her eyes still shut as she tried to drift back into her slumber. "No, but you should be," she muttered, putting a claw over her face.
"I don't understand?" replied the voice in a serious matter. "But it's dangerous to be sleeping about alone. You never know what might happen."
She grumbled again before groggily forcing herself up. Clearly this guy didn't take the hint. With some effort, she forced her eyes open. "Look, why don't you just leave me-" she paused "....alone."
Before her, stood a massive clump of fluff known as a gaoler. He stood proudly before her, his coat glistening off the rays of suns. Even more incredible, flowers had seemed to be blossoming from her coat. He was beautiful. She dare thought even more beautiful than the Lightweaver herself. Her heart thumped in her chest when she stared into his gorgeous yellow eyes; her breath caught up in her throat... Was this it? Was this the love she had been searching for? With each heart beat, it was a more clear and define 'yes'. "I see. Well, I'm sorry to disturb you," he replied before turning away.
"No wait!!" Ezera shouted, gaining a curious look from the male. "Who are you? Please, I must know your name." She waited with baited breath for what seemed like an eternity. The wind blew a gentle breeze that glazed against his flowers.
"I go by Amber."
"Amber," she repeated quietly, his name sweetly rolling from her maw. "Amber... Amber..."
The young gaoler didn't seem to quite understand. "Yes... And you are?"
"Ezera. My name is Ezera." she said quickly, all while begging to hear him say her name aloud.
"Ez-" Before that could happen, another voice bellowed from the distance.
"Amber, there you are!" It was a pinkish gaoler with golden locks. "I told you not to patrol that far ahead of me!"
Ezera flinched. She didn't like the way this female said his name.
Amber chuckled a bit. "I'm sorry, Angel, but I noticed this pearlcatcher alone out here so I thought she might need some help." He motioned to Ezera who seemed to be glaring daggers at the other female... but that gaoler was stupid.
"Oh, hello!" the stupid gaoler said, "What can we do for you?"
Ezera edged herself between the two dragons. "Actually, I was looking for a mate." she hissed at the other before turning to Amber. "I think Amber and I would be a nice pair." It wasn't unusual for dragons to be forward about being mates or even becoming mates on the spot, but the two goaler seemed a bit shocked at first before howling with laughter. Though Amber's laughter sounded hardy and echoed nicely in Ezera's chest, Angel's laughter only brought about rage and annoyance.
"I'm flattered," Amber replied, "But you must not know much about Gaolers."
Ezera gave a curious look. "Did I say something odd?"
"We Gaolers are an ancient breed," he explained, "we can only breed with other ancient breeds like ourselves."
"Besides," Angel echoed happily, "Amber and I are already mated."
Ezera shot her a glare, but gave a sneer smile. "Mates change all the time." This seemed to put Angel off, her own smile fading a bit and turning more uncomfortable. She turned back to Amber. There was no way she would let the love of her life go. No, he was hers and she was going to secure that. "If I change into a Gaoler, then nest with me." she insisted.
Angel frowned again before walking back over to Amber's side. "I'm sorry, but we must be going." she gave Amber a bit of a shove before the two went off without another word.
Ezera watched for a bit before slumping after them. It didn't take long until the gaolers had reached the lands of the Gladekeeper. She took note of where they were nesting and set off to find answers. She wouldn't just give up on the only one that would ever have her heart. No, she would find a way to change and then find a way to be rid of the other, annoying gaoler. And then she and Amber would be together forever. For nothing matters more than love.
===

Ezera had never really seen gaoler before until recently and didn't think that even changing into one was possible. No, it had to be possible, Ezera thought to herself. Every night, she returned to check on her love; at first, Amber had thought it odd to see her again but after a while, he seemed to either forgotten or ignore it, and tried to politely be friends with the confused pearlcatcher. Oh how her heart fluttered as she clutched onto her pearl, taking in his words and deep voice. At times, Angel would come around causing Ezera to feel as though she was being robbed, but she grudgingly tried to put on a cheerful face. She couldn't risk the gaoler to chase her away, not after all Ezera had been through to find Amber. Though it felt like Angel was still suspicious, she too made polite conversation, not knowing that the pearlcatcher was plotting a way to be rid of her.
It took her a while, but Ezera finally found the info she needed; surprisingly, it was just as easy to change into a gaoler as any other breed. All she had to do was find a scroll for it. No one was of help to her when she explained her situation. Bah, no one understands... no one needs to understand. As long as she and Amber were together, she was happy and she would do whatever it took to be with him. So, after a bit of searching, she finally got her hands on one... the thing that would make her dreams come true- a gaoler scroll! Eagerly, she opened it and the magic started to pour into her. It was cold. So cold. As if she had inhaled the Icewarden's breath itself. Ezera collapsed onto the floor, feeling her small body twist and morph into a bigger, wider being and her singular horn splitting and growing. After some time, and when the pain stopped, she arose, looking at herself as best she could. It had worked! But... she was bare; just a basic gened gaoler. She couldn't possibly go to Amber like this. Still, she had to go and see him. Soon... so soon, she thought. Even without the right genes, surely now, they could be together. Quickly, she went to her love, excited to show him what she had become, but stopped when someone called her name.
"Ezera!"
She turned, a bit shocked but mostly confused to see Angel before her. She smugly grinned at the other. "Oh, Angel... what are you doing here?"
"Don't play dumb," Angel said quietly, but with the firmness of a stone, "I know what you're doing. You can't have Amber. We are already mated. He won't change his mind just because you're one of us now."
Ezera felt the corner of her mouth twitch. She didn't know how to work this new body yet, so fighting wasn't an option at the moment. "Oh, are you talking about before? I had completely forgotten about that."
"I doubt it. You can't have Amber, Ezera.. He is mine."
A feeling rise in Ezera, something she couldn't push back down. Was it anger? Hate? No, it felt like something much more. Her whole body shook. She wasn't sure if it was the shock from turning into such an ancient breed or if her body had always buried it deep down but she lowered her head, clutching it within her claws and cried out. There were too many emotions for her to withstand and it was getting too much. How dare she try to take the only thing that made her feel good... the only thing in the world she even even wanted! "No...he's....MINE!!!" with that, she lunged towards the pink gaoler with intent to kill and the two collided in a massive ball of fluff, claws and horns. Ezera bit and clawed at Angel who then rammed her horns into her and knocked her back. The two fought on like this for hours, both earning battle scars until Ezera felt herself collapsing. "No...," she muttered out, feeling her strength dwindling. "...I can't... I need him... He's... my love..." and then she was silent.
Angel looked at the other gaoler, a ball of pity deep in her stomach. "It didn't have to end like this," she whispered quietly. After a while, she turned and limped back towards home, disappearing in the firey red-orange sunset sky.













When Ezera opened her eyes, they were a devilish glowing color.

---
Time. Everything takes time….and patience. So much patience.
Ezera knew she couldn’t face Angel again after their last battle. No, that fight showed her she was way too weak to even show herself to her love. Brute force didn’t get her no where, so she decided to go searching for magic. Her head pounded constantly, the glow of her new eyes always in her peripherals. Still, the thought-no, the obsession- of finally being with Amber drove onward to the Observatory, where she would study countless accounts of dark magic. As it turns out, she was very good at it, being able to cast spells with ease. She was even able to change her own genes so that she would appeal to her love even more. Of course, she practiced other magic on unsuspecting victims to ensure that she would be able to face her enemy once more. Everything was going perfectly. Oh so perfect. Finally, finally, finally she was going to see her beloved again. And she had a plan for that dumb Angel. A wide grin sprouted on her face as she thought of it. It was wondrous.
After a few weeks of preparation, she went back to the forest of which the two other gaolers nested and waited until Angel was alone. Oh, the face she made when Ezera stepped into view was priceless.
“No… I thought you were dead…,” she whispered in terror. Those were the last words before Ezera cast her magic on her. Angel screamed in pain as her fur changed in several colors and genes splicing into new ones. Slowly, so slowly, she began to shrink until she was the size of a hatching. Without a second thought, Ezera simply picked her up and tossed her down a hill. “Good ridden,” Ezera grumbled before turning away. Now there was only one last business to take care of.

Amber seemed pretty stunned when Ezera approached him. She wasn’t sure if it was due to her new looks or the fact that they haven’t seen each other in so long. It was probably the latter. “Hello, Amber,” she said coolly, “It’s been a while.” Before Amber could open his mouth, a couple of hatchlings stumbled out of a bush. Ezera stared at them, a rage building into her chest. One of them… looked like that dumb dragon…
“Daddy, we can’t find mommy,” the yellow female said with a hint of worry. The pink male meekly hind behind his sister before glancing at Ezera.
“Dad, who’s that?”
Ezera had it. She had waited too long and she was going to finally have Amber all to herself. With a small, quiet chant, Amber began to swoon.
“Daddy?” questioned the female.
He began to shake his head vigorously, but it was no use. After a moment of stillness, his eyes had turned into swirls.
“She’s…,” he muttered, “...my beloved.”
The hatchlings gave a short gasp before looking at each other. “But…,” the pink one said, “What about mom…?”
Amber glared at the two. “Enough nonsense. Why don’t you two run along and leave Ezera and I alone?”
With another worried look, the two shuffled off back into the woods.
Ezera let out a content sigh before approaching and snuggling into Amber, smelling his fur and flowers as he snuggled back into her. At last, she thought to herself, a happy ending.
----


Art by Lunaralight


art by Echinoderma