I drew my hand back. “Have we… met before?” I murmured to the creature. Piecing together the fragmented memories felt strangely like reconnecting with an old friend. The creature nudged its head against my hand, a warm, scaly weight.

Since I can’t extract memories without causing harm, I’d only gleaned snapshots—fleeting images of its past. I paused, sifting through them.

“So… we’re not on the menu?” Bailey whispered from behind me.

“Probably not,” I whispered back. “We wouldn’t be very appetizing anyway. This creature escaped from Dr. Keyser’s lab.”

"It got out of Master Keyser's lab...?!" Bailey murmured, a puzzled frown creasing his brow. "If it ain't lookin' for a meal, then what's it want with us?"

“I think it might need my help,” I mumbled to Bailey. “This place isn’t just a sinkhole. It’s the mouth of a dormant volcano! But there’s still magma deep down. Someone’s using a machine to siphon power from it.”

The massive, reptilian creature bumped my shoulder with its head. “Garaaaha,” it rumbled, making a sound that almost sounded like agreement.

After properly processing the images, I explained to Bailey, “That machine’s malfunctioning. It’s going to blow if we don’t do something. And that could reawaken this whole volcano.”

"What?! Well, come on then, let's move it!" Bailey yelled.

“We can’t… if that machine goes boom… everything here, this entire underground city… everything will perish…” I said, patting the creature’s head. “Let’s call you Rexy.”

It was the first name that popped into my head, since it did resemble a certain other large reptile from a movie from my past life.

“Garaaaha,” the creature rumbled, nodding in what I assumed was agreement.

“How are you with machines?” I turned and asked Bailey.

"Not ideal...I've got a few ideas, but I'm no Master Keyser." Bailey shook his head and replied.

“That’s okay, still better than me,” I replied, then proceeded to sketch the machine I’d seen, explaining its workings to Bailey as I drew.

Bailey slowly nodded, then explained his understanding of the device. Apparently, it was a converter, but it had been converting and collecting energy without anything to expend it on. Since the incident that claimed Dr. Keyser, the machine had malfunctioned. It might be possible to reverse the process and slowly release the energy back into the magma, preventing a catastrophe.

By the time we’d figured everything out, the sun was high overhead. Bailey suddenly snapped his fingers, as if struck by a sudden realization. "Oh, no you don't! You're not gettin' rid of me now, not after all we've been through! I'm stickin' with you!"

I smiled at Bailey before explaining, “It’s okay, you’ll be much safer up here. You won’t last in that high pressure and heat. Remember, I am Val, Dr. Keyser’s best creation. I am not going to die down there.”

“But…”

I patted Rexy. “Please help my buddy up to safety. I’ll go with you to that machine and see what we can do.”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Rexy rumbled again, then scooped Bailey onto its back before he could object further. I hopped on behind him. Rexy charged up the wall, Bailey clinging on for dear life, and we made it all the way to the top of the cliff face.

Bailey gives me a worried look. “Thank you…for everything.”

“Don’t be so dramatic! I’ll be back!” I say with a laugh. “You should get as far away from here as you can.” I turn back to the hole, ready to descend with Rexy, then pause. I grab my bag and toss it up to Bailey. “Just in case! Don’t want it getting crispy! Keep it safe!” I yell.

“You’d best come back in one piece!” Bailey’s shout echoes off the cliff walls.

“Okay, Rexy, lead the way!” I say, giving Rexy another head rub. Rexy charges back into the hole it came out of, heading straight down. It’s a wild ride, but thankfully, this body is indestructible.

We plunge deeper and deeper, through a maze of existing tunnels, until we reach the massive, hellish cavern where the machine is located.

Rexy carefully navigates around pools of molten magma. Good thing I don’t feel temperature, or I’d be a crispy critter down here. Suddenly, I’m extra grateful for this indestructible body.

Once I deal with this machine… maybe I’ll try jumping into the magma.

We get close enough to the truck-sized machine for me to hop off Rexy. “Good boy,” I whisper, patting its head. “You stay here. I’ll let you know if I need backup. If things get hairy, you run!”

Rexy gives me a confused look before settling down to wait.

I reach the machine. It’s completely bloated now, covered in a network of web-like cracks. I examine the controls—they’re all melted into a useless blob. Okay, reversing this is officially off the table.

How is this thing even still running?

I glanced around the machine. Several thick tubes plunged deep into the magma, and a massive, frayed cable—clearly meant to lead somewhere—dangled uselessly.

Right. Plan B: sever the power source. I gripped one of the tubes, which glowed a furious red. A quick tug proved fruitless. I tried hauling on it, then resorted to punching and kicking it with all my might. It didn't budge an inch.

I feel so pathetically weak. If only I had more adamantine… I could transform into something stronger. A pang of regret shot through me. I really shouldn't have given all those adamantine bars to Bailey.

“Do you have any more ores?” I yelled back at Rexy.

Rexy shook its head vigorously.

I made another futile attempt to yank the tube free from the magma. Then, I stared into the molten pool and plunged my hand in. Nothing… I felt absolutely nothing, not even the warmth from the earlier trap.

I scooped up a handful of magma. It was surprisingly viscous, almost like thick honey. On a whim, I stepped onto the pool and stomped my foot. The moment I did, the liquid lava solidified under my weight. A non-Newtonian fluid! How fascinating.

A daring, if slightly insane, idea began to form. “I’m going down,” I announced to Rexy. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

Rexy shot me a look of pure shock as I jumped into the magma.

So much for these clothes.

Eyes closed, I kept my hands firmly on the tube as I slowly sank, deeper and deeper. It felt no different from sinking into a pool of water—well, more like a pool of jell-o.

I reached the end of the tube, which was shaped like a massive anchor. No wonder I couldn’t pull it up! I sank below it, hoisted the anchor above my head, and then, using my legs and feet, began rapidly treading the viscous liquid below.

Just as I’d imagined, I started rising. Like climbing an invisible staircase, I pushed myself upward through the magma, stomping harder and faster with each “step.” I lost track of time until I finally burst back through the surface, tossing the anchor onto a nearby solid rock with a satisfying thump.

Rexy bounded over, jumping excitedly and letting out a delighted “Arghhh!” as if giving me a standing ovation.

I glanced at the remaining tubes and quickly got to work. One by one, I pushed the anchors up through the magma. With each successful retrieval, Rexy would jump and make more complimentary noises, like a hyperactive, prehistoric cheerleader.

It felt like eons before all the anchors were up. Good thing I didn’t get tired in this body.

My initial plan of a dramatic magma dive for a happy ending, however, was clearly not going to work out. Back to the drawing board.