I had been in Mythralon, this fantasy land filled with strange races, creatures out of legends on earth, for several months, and it had all been mind-blowing. To top it off, I’d been dropped into this ancient city filled with insane architecture. But the craziest thing I’d seen so far was right in front of my eyes.

"Am I seeing things? It's so dark down here."

"You are seeing precisely what you think you are seeing. It is a dragon," Triolux said. "It was trapped here after the cataclysm, after most of my people had already begun their journey to the surface, or were already centuries into our long hibernation. Drawing power from the Earthheart, the city placed the beast in hibernation to prevent further destruction. But now it is awakening, and the time has come to free it. The Earthheart no longer possesses enough power to keep it suspended. This is why I was awoken."

"Get one of the zephrinids to put it back to sleep."

"Alas. The zephrinids have little power over something this size, and their power is fleeting, at best."

I put my hands on my hips and stared. And stared.

Through the dim light, I could make out the dragon's massive form pinned beneath tons of rubble. Its scales glinted like polished obsidian in the faint glow of the ancient city's lights, and one massive eye—bigger than my head—stared at me through a slit. Not stared at me, more through me. The creature's barely chest rose and fell with slow, deep breaths that took minutes to begin and minutes more to exhale.

I was surprised to find my feet carrying me to the beast. I couldn't help it. When I was close, I cautiously reached out and placed my hand on its massive chest. The dragon was warm to the touch, and its heart beat like a huge drum, but ever so slowly.

"Magnificent, isn't she?" Triolux asked.

"I couldn't agree more. She, huh? Does she have a name?"

"You will have to ask her when she is awakened."

“Her…” I backed away from the dragon. "What in the hell am I supposed to do to help it? I can't move that debris. If I wake it, the damn thing will probably shake even more buildings into toppling."

"I need you to restart the Earthheart. I will guide you."

"The Earthheart. Restart. Free a dragon." I stood there looking over the huge beast, then around the strange city in which I found myself. "Look, Triolux. I'm just a simple tavern owner. Nothing more. I don't know how to restart an Earthheart. I can barely make a decent pot of stew, let alone restart your power station, or whatever it is."

"Ah, but you are much more than a simple tavern keeper, aren't you, Varix? Much more, indeed."

My blood ran cold. "What do you mean?"

Triolux tilted his head. "You, a man from two worlds. This and another which is foreign to me. A world where steel towers rise and carriages are propelled along endless streets under their locomotion."

My poker face was currently on break.

"You know where I'm from," I said, my brow furrowing as I stared at Triolux.

Triolux's gemstone eyes sparkled with a hint of amusement. "Transmigration is not a new phenomenon to us, Varix. Many of our people have experienced it, had their souls transported to other worlds, or known other souls sent here."

"Really? Can you tell me more about that?" My curiosity was piqued, and I couldn't help but lean in closer.

Triolux hesitated for a moment before speaking. "There was a ferrokin named Zephyr who found herself in a world of endless deserts, where the sun never set. She had to adapt to the harsh environment and learn to harness the power of the wind to survive. The stories of those who have transmigrated are often incomplete, their fates uncertain."

“And they came back?”

“Yes. She was summoned back to this world.”

I mulled over this new information. I’d already known of two people, my own Seraphina and the Pale King, both of whom were from my world. How many more were there? I also couldn't help but consider the possibility that I might be able to return to my world. What would I even be going back to? For all I knew, my body was dead and buried. Or filled with Morthisal, if he had managed to survive my condition, and modern life, and wasn't in a mental institution.

I needed to play along with Triolux, for now. I was still worried sick about Seraphina, Elixander, and the others. I needed to know they were safe. If that meant I had to help this strange creature, then so be it.

"We must hurry to the Earthheart," Triolux said, interrupting my thoughts. "I will be happy to discuss this further with you once we have completed our task."

"Very well. So tell me more about this thing we're going to restart."

As we walked through the ancient streets, the lights flickered to life with each step.

"The Earthheart is a colossal crystalline formation, the very heart of our city's life force. Each facet of the crystal is imbued with elemental energy, drawn from the earth itself. It's like the beating heart in a living organism, resonating with the natural world's rhythm and sustaining the balance of the city."

I listened intently as Triolux explained the complexities of the Earthheart. "The dragon's thrashing has caused some parts of the Earthheart to fall out of alignment. The crystal's core, the Prism of Life, has been disrupted, its energies no longer flowing freely through the city. The Resonance Chamber, where the crystal's vibrations are amplified and distributed, has been damaged, and the Elemental Conduits, which channel the energy to different parts of the city, have been blocked. You may be thinking that it is not important. After all, we ferrokin have been sleeping for millennia. But I assure you, it is important. If not repaired, our ethereal forms will disappear."

"Sure. Just keep adding to the stakes," I muttered because what he had just told me flew so far over my head that it wasn’t even funny.

"I apologize, Varix. This is much to take in, but you did ask."

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"You got that right."

We wound our way through the labyrinthine streets until we came to a magnificent building that seemed to glow with an inner light. The Luminous Spire, as Triolux called it, towered above us as tall as any skyscraper I had ever seen. Its crystalline walls shimmered with a kaleidoscope of colors.

"Are you sure my friends will be able to find me once the Earthheart is active again?" I asked, a hint of worry creeping into my voice.

Triolux nodded. "Trust me, Varix. Once the Earthheart is restored, its energy will radiate throughout the city. Your friends will be drawn to its radiance like moths to a flame."

"I'm unsure how I will do all this realignment stuff. Is it as simple as putting crystals in order, or is there something more to it?"

"It will be quite easy for one of your powers. Simply aligning one crystal with a little magic will cause the others to fall in line. You will need to hold the conduit open for a few moments. Nothing more."

I came to a stop and turned to Triolux. "Magic?"

Triolux nodded.

"You don't understand something. I don't have any power. I can't do magic."

"Most assuredly, you can. You are filled with it, even though it is, for reasons I don't understand, hidden behind the gem you wear around your neck."

Once again, my face flushed, and my blood ran cold. "You can't ask me to do that. I don't understand magic, or how to use it. You know I was brought here from another world, but you don't know about the shell I occupy or why I wear this," I said, pulling the Heart of Shadows out. "The person I replaced was a monster. He tried to destroy the world above. He was pure evil, and I want nothing to do with his power. I want nothing to do with any of his magic. It sickens me to my core. Can you understand that?"

Triolux's face was unreadable. After a moment he said, "Magic is magic. It’s inherent. It can be twisted, but I do not sense evil within you. Perhaps I can guide you. This is important, Varix. The future of the ferrokin depends on this.”

“Dammit,” I muttered.

“Please, Varix. If you wish for me to beg, then I shall.”

That somehow made me feel even worse.

“Fine, Triolux. I’ll do it, but I don’t know what I’m doing.”

The proto-dwarf lowered his head and quietly said, "Thank you, Varix. This may well save my race."

Triolux stepped in front of massive double doors embedded with swirling metallic patterns. The doors slid open without a sound.

"Come inside, and look upon the Earthheart."

My jaw clenched. Everything in me screamed to turn around and find another way out of the underground. What if all of this was an elaborate ruse to gain control of the dark lord's power? But Triolux had shared his memories with me—I'd felt his essence, pure and without malice. I had trouble believing that such a pure and ancient soul wanted anything nefarious from me.

"Fine. But just to look."

I followed him through the doors into a vast circular chamber. At its center, suspended in mid-air, hung a massive crystal formation frozen in place. Each was as dark as night, with the exception of one. A bare spark of life danced within its center.

Triolux led me up a spiraling ramp that wrapped around the chamber walls. "This is the Earthheart. The crystal core that once powered our entire civilization. See how only a fraction still functions? It tries to keep the dragon in hibernation, but as you can see, only one crystal still has life. Thus, she stirs, and the tremors grow worse."

"I don't think I can do it," I said honestly.

"Think of your friends, Varix. Their safety, and that of everyone in Everspring, depends on this. Without the Earthheart's power, they are all in grave danger. Your magic, though it may originate from dark sources, can still be wielded to protect those you love. Sometimes, we must embrace our past to secure a future worth having."

I glanced around stupidly. What did I have to lose? Who else was here? Who else would possibly see me?

I sighed and reached into my jerkin, pulling out the Heart of Shadows. The pendant caught what little light filtered through the chamber, its surface drinking in the glow rather than reflecting it. Seraphina had helped me mask its presence from the relic hunters with the help and sacrifice of the former assassin Zyn. It was the only thing that was keeping my head on my shoulders, unless I wanted to go live as a hermit somewhere and listen to the dead calling for me all day and night.

"I really have no idea how to use magic. None at all."

"You must try."

Taking a deep breath, I pulled the pendant over my head and tucked it into my pocket. The change was immediate. My limbs stretched, bones cracking as they elongated. My skin turned ashen gray, and the temperature around me plummeted.

The voices came rushing in—hundreds, thousands of them. Dead souls reaching across the veil, begging to be heard, pleading to be summoned back to the world of the living.

Triolux's crystalline eyes widened in horror.

"I told you," I said, my voice now deeper, rougher.

"Such twisted magic," Triolux whispered. "To bind death itself into service. I had no idea the art could be corrupted to this degree."

I stood there as the voices grew louder, more insistent. They called to me by name—both names. Varix. Morthisal. The dead knew me, remembered me, wanted me to reach back through the veil and pull them forth.

"Let's get on with it!"

"Yes, of course." Triolux moved closer to the massive crystal formation. "Place your hand on the living crystal—the one still holding a spark. Feel its rhythm, its pulse. Like blood flowing through veins, let your power trickle into it, slowly at first. The crystal will guide you, show you how much it can accept."

I stepped up to the crystal formation, my heart pounding in my chest. The voices of the dead swirled around me, growing louder by the second, but I forced them down, focusing on what I needed to do.

My hand trembled as I reached out to touch it. The surface felt smooth and warm beneath my fingers. A gentle thrum passed through my palm, up my arm, and straight into my chest.

"Let the power flow," Triolux said. "Don't fight it."

I closed my eyes and tried to relax. The magic surged through me. My body became a conduit, channeling raw power into the crystal. The voices of the dead roared around me into a loud chorus as their energy poured through me. I fought them back with sheer willpower and allowed pure mana to flow from inside of me.

The crystal's warmth intensified, becoming almost unbearable. My teeth clenched as more power flowed. The crystal began to glow brighter, its light piercing through my closed eyelids.

Without warning, a surge of energy blasted through me and into the crystal. The force flung me backward, and I slammed into the railing of the spiral ramp. The primer erupted in a brilliant flash, its light so intense I had to shield my eyes.

A beam of pure energy shot from the crystal into the center of the structure. The power arced outward, connecting with the other dark crystals. Each one ignited in sequence, creating a web of light that filled the chamber.

The entire building hummed to life. Lights began appearing throughout the city—first nearby, then spreading outward like ripples in a pond. Streets, buildings, and towers lit up one after another, revealing the true majesty of the ancient metropolis.

I could barely move. I felt like I'd been beaten almost to death. I hurt everywhere, even in my teeth and the tips of my toes.

Triolux held his hand up, and a splash of azure light shot toward him. His entire being lit up, and his eyes became sparkling diamonds. His skin appeared burnished, and his teeth shone through as he smiled. This was the first time I had seen such a thing from the ferrokin.

"You did it! My friend! You did it!"

I shook my head because the voices of the dead were already returning. My hand dove into my pocket, but the Heart of Shadows wasn't there. I cast about, searching for the amulet.

"Help me. I need to find the amulet, immediately. They're so loud in my head!" I exclaimed.

"Easy, my friend. It is here. I assure you. Allow me to-"

A burst of light appeared outside the building's open doors, somehow bright enough to compete with the awakening city. A pair of figures stepped through and looked around in awe.

"Oh no…" I said in absolute dread.

It was Seraphina and Elixander, and I was currently in the guise of Dark Lord Morthisal!