Today was supposed to be a great day for Kara, until she was attacked by a flock of gargoyles.

After graduating from college, moving out of her hometown, and getting herself a white-collar job in the city, it was finally time for her first day at the office. This was the start of a new page in her life, so she was both excited and nervous, waking up at the crack of dawn to prepare herself to face this harsh corporate world. But all her plans and preparations went awry that morning when she found herself in an entirely different world than she expected— faced down with a gargoyle and surrounded by ancient ruins high above a mountain range.

Now, Kara could have just stood there and let herself be torn to shreds as she wondered, What the fuck is going on? But she didn’t need a degree in archeology to infer that this ancient ruin wasn’t anywhere on Earth, and she certainly didn’t need a degree in zoology to know that this gargoyle was probably going to kill her if she didn’t run for her damn life.

So she screamed and ran as the gargoyle snarled, giving chase. It was half her size, running on all fours like a dog, without any wings. Worse was that she wasn’t wearing any shoes, but she didn’t let that slow her for even a split-second. Unfortunately for her, the commotion drew attention from the rest of the ruins. A second gargoyle leapt down from a half-collapsed pillar made from a purple rock. Then a third emerged from beneath some rubble. A fourth looked up from a broken wall. And a fifth— 

The realization began to settle in.

“I am going to di…” And Kara bit her tongue, a flash of memory of her mother’s voice echoing in her mind, forcing her to focus on her predicament.

Dozens of gargoyles converged on her from every direction as the sun descended from the sky. She continued to run, heading for the only standing structure in the ruins— a temple built into the mountains.

Kara sprinted up the broken steps, and the gargoyles trailed closely behind her. She reached the top before them, and desperately kicked at a small boulder wedged against some rubble. It quickly broke free and fell upon the gargoyles. Kara watched with bated breath as the small boulder rolled its way down. 

And it crushed only a single gargoyle out of the flock that was after her. 

The others reached the top a second later, pouring onto her as they snarled and hissed. She screamed once more as they pounced on her. Stumbling back to the ground, she kicked her legs and flailed her arms helplessly trying to fight back as they snapped their mouths at her. It was pointless. Her knuckles cracked against their hard skin, and her ankles twisted as she desperately struck back at the gargoyles. 

They clambered over each other to get to her, pinning her to the ground with their stone-like bodies. She felt her bones breaking under their weight. Their teeth ripped apart her flesh, and their claws dug into her bones. Her body felt like it was bathed in molten rocks as she cried out in pain. Finally, as the burning sensation faded away, replaced with a stinging numbness, she snapped her eyes shut and waited for her inevitable demise. But it never came. 

Instead, all she heard was a shriek. Then she heard the tumbling of a desperate scrambling, followed by numerous yelps. It sounded like the crying of dogs. She opened her eyes as she gasped for breath, and she watched as the flock of gargoyles… ran away.

They fled the scene, falling down the steps as Kara lay there, bloodied and bruised, completely defenseless. A long moment of silence passed as she tried to process this sight. Eventually, she sat up and stared as the gargoyles continued to flee. 

“W-what… what just happened?” Kara mustered up the question and remained sitting there at the mouth of the temple, her blonde hair a mess, her suit covered in cuts, and her body bleeding all over from her injuries. 

Her panting slowly subsided, and she felt her adrenaline fade away. But she still felt no pain. Her entire being was numb. Both emotionally and physically, she could hardly feel a thing. She simply stared blankly at the scene of the ancient ruins as the copper tint of twilight took hold of the sky.

It was truly nothing like anything on Earth. The mountains surrounding her were of impossible height— they rose up like a dense forest of towering trees layered in sleet. The scintillating stars hung overhead like smelter pots: they dotted the darkling heavens with their light, every single one of them brighter than any star she had ever seen.

The ruins lying before her might have been a city once. But only if its walls were made of amethyst, and its roads were paved from bone. Kara tried to imagine what it could have looked like. Unfortunately, no image came to mind. It was far too alien for her to even envision.

And the fact that she was currently in another world fully dawned on her as her shock wore off. How did she get here? When did she get here? The last thing she remembered was getting dressed for work— then she was just here. 

She took in a deep breath as she tried to steel herself, but burst out into a hacking fit as the scent of ash and brimstone entered her lungs. Her vision blurred, and she lowered her head as she covered her mouth with her sleeves. She looked down at herself, seeing the blood on her clothing, before looking up at the ruins of the city once more.

And a weary voice asked, “It is quite the somber sight, is it not?” 

That made Kara jerk up. She spun around in a panic, trying to get to her feet. But her legs failed her and she dropped back to ground, before she paused to stare at what she saw. 

A massive beast lay there on top of a pile of treasure. Its body covered in scales, and a pair of majestic wings protruding from its back. It wore the face of a serpent, and its eyes were a glinting red.

It was a dragon.

“Y-y-you’re—” Kara squeaked where she knelt. 

“Once, a great city of magic stood here,” the dragon said, practically ignoring her. “It was called Arcos, where relics that could part the seas were forged, and where the first spells were etched onto paper. But now, all that remains is a colossal wreck, boundless and bare from all but death. Oh, how cruel this world is to all things.” 

“I… what?” Her head spun as she heard his words. She had hardly even processed the fact that a dragon was before her, and now it was talking? It was all so surreal. Nothing even seemed real anymore.

“I understand you must be confused, human from another world,” the dragon continued as it barely lifted its head to face her. “My name is Zarkoth Goldenscale, and you do not have to fear me. For I am the one who summoned you to this world.”

“Wait— you summoned me?” Kara dumbly repeated after him, her eyes growing wide.

“Indeed. Although… it appears that the coordinates I inscribed into the spell were off. You have my apologies for that.” Zarkoth bowed its… his head fractionally.

And the young woman stared at the dragon as her head continued to spin. “I… it’s fine— you saved my life…” She paused, trying to gather her thoughts. Then she shook her head. “I mean, why did you summon me? Why am I here?”

She spoke, still in a daze. The dragon closed his eyes in thought, and that was when she was finally able to fully take in the state he was in. He looked… tired. He was nothing like the glorious ideation of a dragon that Kara imagined.

His scales were not a sheening shade of gold, but were instead the color of a rusting metal. And his wings were torn and tattered, covered in dust. What Kara thought to be a mountain of treasure was instead a mound of dirt and debris. 

He opened his eyes once again, and they were faded, the magical glow they emanated was like the faint embers of a dying fire. Even when he spoke, his voice seemed to tremble. Still, he forced himself to raise his neck and face her.

“There is much for me to explain, so please— do not overexert yourself. And tell me your name.”

Kara stared at the dragon, still in disbelief. But there was almost no point in trying to deny the reality before her. So as she lay there, she closed her eyes and whispered.

“Kara. My name is Kara.”

 

—--

 

It was said that during the Era of True Magic, dragons ruled the world. They were worshipped as gods for bestowing their heavenly powers to the worthy few of humankind. Zarkoth was born long after this era came to an end.

He knew not of the era where his kind ruled the skies— where dragons were plentiful, and where they were deified for their mastery over the world. He only knew of the modern age where dragons were sparse in numbers, hunted down and slain for glory or honor by the very same people that once worshipped them. 

Zarkoth closed his eyes as he recalled the faces and voices of all the mortal men and women who had sought to slay him throughout the centuries. He exhaled in exhaustion. No matter what he did, they would never listen to him. Not a single one of them.

“But why?” a voice spoke up, breaking him out of his thoughts.

And the dragon cracked an eye open. He saw a young woman sitting there— a face redolent of those same invidious creatures who had so oft come to claim his life. But she did not bear that familiar visage of enmity he had seen in profusion. Instead, she wore an insipid yet quaint look on her face. There was an eclectic array of emotions there, ranging from trepidation to dubiety. Like a lost child met with a stranger.

However, it was a welcome sight for the dragon. For it was evinced from the way her lips were thinly pressed together as her eyes darted up and down that she was the first human he had ever met who didn’t face him with bloodlust or fury. 

“What happened between then and now?” Kara asked. “Why do humans want you… dead?” 

It was almost a foolish question. Even a child knew the answer to that question. But Kara was no child— at least, not of this world. So Zarkoth answered her questions patiently, explaining every single detail with utmost clarity.

“You must understand, Kara. Humans were never born with the capacity to cast magic. For magic is the manipulation of the very fabric of reality. Only what they called monsters, beings born from mana, were capable of reshaping the world. And it was only dragons who could gift this power to a human.”

Kara listened, sitting quietly as Zarkoth raised his head. His gaze swept past her. He stared forlornly into the night sky, eyeing the twin moons as they rose up above the undulating mountains. There were dark clouds gathering overhead. A storm was coming.

“So we protected humankind from the monsters of the world in exchange for their worship. We granted our powers to their priests, and we called them the Keepers of the Divine. But this gift of ours was what eventually brought an end to the Era of True Magic.”

“But how?” Kara asked, her confusion evident.

“For thousands of years, all was well. But then came a man who thought that it was unfair for only a select few to be given access to this power. That all of humankind should be gifted with magic. Perhaps if he were an ordinary man, he would have not posed a problem. However, he had been a priest— a magi who had risen up the ranks of the Keepers of the Divine, before betraying them all.”

Zarkoth paused as he remembered a name. One that was lauded throughout human history. But it was one that instilled fear to the dragon’s very soul. 

“He Who Stole Magic From The Gods,” Zarkoth whispered.

Hearing that, the young woman from another world shifted uncomfortably where she sat. She scratched the back of her head, averting her gaze as she spoke up once more.

“That… doesn’t sound like a terrible idea? I mean, if I knew I was being gatekept from using magic, I’d be pretty upset.”

She shrank back as the dragon’s eyes flickered towards her. But he just huffed, letting out a puff of smoke from his nose.

“I agree,” Zarkoth said softly. “It was foolish of my ancestors to limit their gifts to humankind. However, they had grown complacent, perhaps indulgent in their ways of being praised. So they refused to listen to reason. For that, they paid the ultimate price. For that, all of dragonkind and their progeny were condemned to perdition.”

Kara blinked a few times. “But how did He Who, uh, has a really long name… even defeat the dragons in the first place? Didn’t he get his magic from them? Shouldn’t they have been able to easily stop him?”

Zarkoth shook his head as he turned to face the young woman. “Truthfully, I do not know the full details of his rebellion as I was not there. But as the story goes, with the magic he had stolen, he built a construct that gave access to magic to all of humankind— he created what is now called the System. It was a different kind of magic, but it was magic nonetheless. And it granted them victory against their former gods.”

He chuckled bitterly, before looking down at himself.

“Now, humans rule the world, while dragons have become but a stain in their history books.” 

Once again, Zarkoth lost himself in his memories. But this time, he recalled a scene from not too long ago. An army of knights, led by a man clad in black armor. 

The dragon traced a clawed finger over a scar on his face. “Reduced from gods… treated as mere monsters…”

The temple grew silent as Zarkoth finished his tale. Kara peered at him for a moment, studying the morose expression on his face. It looked like she was trying to find the right words to say. And finally, she found the courage to speak.

“I am truly sorry about what happened to your people,” she said apologetically, before placing a hand on her chest. “But that doesn’t explain why you summoned me. I am not anyone special. Why am I here?”

Zarkoth faced her. He took in her disheveled state, then looked down at himself. He saw his own weary body. And he sighed tiredly.

“I am dying, Kara.”

“What?” The young woman stirred when she heard that.

Zarkoth once again remembered the man clad in black armor. “A year ago, my lair was discovered by Arden the Dragonslayer, one of humankind’s greatest champions of this era. He had been hunting me down for over a decade, and he finally found me.”

“I tried to reason with him. I tried to convince him that he gained nothing from having me dead. But just like with every human that came before him, it was to no avail. However, unlike them, he emerged victorious, and I barely escaped with my life. Or so I thought.”

The dragon raised his body as Kara backed away nervously where she sat. But all Zarkoth did was place a claw on his chest. 

“Arden had somehow damaged my very soul. So even if my physical injuries healed, my soul was forever wounded,” Zarkoth explained as an ethereal golden flame ignited into existence on the palm of his clawed hand. The flame looked like it had been cleaved in the middle, scarred even though it was impossible. And its embers flickered weakly, shrinking in size with each passing second.

“That’s… your soul?” Kara narrowed her eyes.

“It is merely a representation of it,” the dragon answered, before shaking his head. “And I knew the damage was irreparable. I knew I was going to die. I knew I didn’t have much time. That was why I prepared this ritual.”

Zarkoth looked down at the faded spell circle carved into the ground of the temple. He had worked fast to create a ritual that could tear a temporary hole into another world. After all, with his soul damaged, he could no longer recover his magic— his mana. And without mana, he couldn’t survive. 

Kara rubbed her temples as she swayed in place. “I’m still confused. What does that have to do with me?”

Zarkoth stared at his fading soul, took in a deep breath, then whispered quietly. “When I was born, my mother told me that stars were our ancestors watching over us. When I was born, my father told me that the world was for me to inherit— so I can ascend to be a god like those who came before me.

“But when I looked, there were no other dragons to be found. No gods. No magic. No glory. An empty world, devoid of my own kin. What a thing? To be born into a world built on the death of my species.” 

He wore a melancholic gaze as he clenched his claws into a fist. The golden flame was snuffed out. But it was only a magical projection of his soul. He still had some strength left. 

“Zarkoth…” Kara stared at him, slowly understanding the implications of what he meant. “Are you saying…?”

“Indeed.” He nodded, smiling weakly.

“You’re the last dragon left,” she said in a soft voice. 

“And that is why I summoned you, Kara.” The dragon placed both his clawed hands on the ground, forcing himself to his feet. The temple trembled as the young woman nearly fell off her seat. “For I wish to make amends for my ancestors. To carry out the duty they had undertaken, but without their greed. I wish to pass on my magic to humankind— to leave a final gift before I depart this world.”

His eyes glinted with the fire of his soul as he stared into Kara’s blue eyes. She met his gaze in a daze. He had given this offer to many humans in his lifetime, but none of those in this world would ever listen to what he had to say. Not that it mattered. Since he could not impart his gift to them. And that was why he summoned her.

“I wish to bestow upon you true magic. Not the artificial magic of the System. But the magic of dragons. The magic of gods.”

Zarkoth strained himself to remain standing. He heaved and panted to even take a step forward, and he came to a halt right before the young woman from another world. She looked down at herself, mind clearly reeling from the offer she was given.

And her lips quivered as she began to speak. “Thank you, for this offer. And thank you, for saving my life. But can’t you choose someone else? I do not belong here— in this world. Please, just send me back.”

“I apologize, Kara.” This time, it was the dragon who spoke apologetically. He bowed his head as he closed his eyes. “But I cannot send you back.”

Kara’s gaze snapped up to face him with round eyes. “Why not? You summoned me here— why can’t you return me to Earth?”

Zarkoth saw the desperation in her eyes— the desire to go back. And his heart ached for her, knowing what he had done out of his own selfishness. But even with this regret he felt, he couldn’t help her.

“You were mistaken to thank me for saving your life, Kara,” he said as he glanced towards the ruins of the city. The sky was overcast now, threatening to rain at any moment.

“What do you mean by that?” she asked apprehensively.

“For one, I did not intend to rescue you from the gargoyles. It was my presence alone that scared them off. And for another—” Zarkoth looked back down “Even if I had any intention to rescue you, I did not save you. I was too late.”

“What?” Kara stared at the dragon stupidly. 

And Zarkoth sighed once more, “You are dying, Kara. You will not survive the end of the hour.”

 

—--

 

Today was supposed to be a great day for Kara, until she found out she was going to die.

Her head spun as her knees buckled. She would have slumped over where she sat, but she forced herself to remain upright. Even as her entire body trembled, growing weak.

“I am dying?” she repeated after the dragon as he nodded at her. “B-but I can walk! I can stand! I—”

Kara tried to force herself to her feet, then paused. Even though she felt no pain, she could hardly even move. Her eyes welled up as she collapsed back into her rocky seat. 

“You may not realize it yet because of the surreality of your situation— from the shock of arriving in Xantos, a world so different from your own. But you are dying. Just like me. And with your wounds, you will perish even before I pass.”

“Can’t you heal my wounds?” Kara pleaded, looking up as she tried to calm her panicked breathing. “Can’t you use magic to save me?”

“Unfortunately, I do not have the mana left in me to both heal you and send you back to your world,” Zarkoth said regretfully. “You have to make a choice— either die back on Earth, or live here in Xantos.”

Kara gave a feeble protest, “That’s not fair…”

“I know. I understand. And I am sorry for forcing this decision onto you.” The dragon knelt before her as there was a crackle of thunder in the distance. “Scorn me if you wish. I will not blame you for that. But you must make a choice, lest you die in this world that is not your own.”

The soft pattering of raindrops began to fill the vast chamber of the temple as the first vestiges of a storm poured over the mountains. Kara glanced back at the ruins of the ancient city, seeing the gargoyles scouring the terrain. She saw this magical world. One that was filled with magic and monsters. One that waited for her with death and danger.

And she thought of what was left for her back in her world. They were, quite literally, world’s apart. Yet, while there were no true monsters back on Earth, there were still monsters disguised as humans. While there was no magic, there were still curses.

Kara’s eyes flickered as she saw the face of the woman who raised her. And she remembered the promise she made herself long ago. So she made her decision.

“I choose… to live,” Kara finally said. 

Zarkoth watched her as she forced herself back to her feet. Her legs threatened to give out beneath her, but she still pushed herself forward. It didn’t hurt. It was just difficult to move. However, she didn’t care how much she struggled. She stood on her weak legs as she inhaled. Then she strode forward.

"Today was supposed to be a great day,” she said slowly. With each step she took, she wobbled and paused, each word matching her pace. “It was the start of a new chapter in my life. I had so much to look forward to. I didn’t expect any of… this.” 

Kara clenched a fist and exhaled exasperatedly. Was she angry? Was she scared? Was she confused? The answer was yes— yes to everything. 

“You kidnapped me— you stole me from my life.” Lightning flashed in the distance, and a moment later came the booming of thunder. Kara glared at the dragon as her face was shadowed by the backdrop of light. “You are the reason why I’m dying.” 

Zarkoth didn’t say a word. He only bowed his head in shame. Kara took another step forward, still on unsteady legs.

“I am not doing this for you. I am not doing this for your people. If I had any strength left in my body, I’d punch you in your ugly nose right now— nevermind the fact that you could incinerate me to ashes.” 

She then placed a hand on her chest, recalling the last time she felt this maelstrom of emotions in her heart. The last time she saw her mother. The words that were spoken that day. That expression of pure hate and disdain. It was forever burned into the young woman’s mind, even until now. 

“But even if this is not my world, it is still my life. And if this is going to be my life now, then I will live it. No matter what, I will live.” That was what she promised herself. Because—

And Kara came to a halt right before the dragon’s face. He just stared at her, waiting for what else she had to say. She raised a weak arm, struggling to even raise it. It was balled into a fist— it looked like she was about to punch her. But instead, she proffered a hand to him. 

“So let me fulfill my promise, and I will help you fulfill yours.”

Zarkoth looked down at the young woman as she resolved herself. She was struggling to even stand, but she refused to fall to the ground. He closed his eyes as the rainfall grew heavier outside, turning into a deluge. 

“It appears I have made the right choice in you, Kara,” he chuckled and lowered himself until the two were eye-level. “Very well, I shall now bestow unto you the gift of the gods.”

Kara didn’t flinch as he brought a claw out to her head. She met his gaze, and his body shone with a golden aura— like he was lit ablaze. He touched her forehead as he whispered. 

“I shall bestow upon you the source of true magic— a dragonsoul.”

And Kara felt a scorching sensation blaze on her forehead. She wanted to recoil in pain, but she clenched her jaw as she stood steadfast. The golden aura wisping off Zarkoth’s body began to shift, before pulling itself into the young woman.

It was like her body was set on fire. Kara’s breathing quickened as she was engulfed with the golden aura. The wounds on her arms and legs began to seal shut, and the numbing sensation went away. She was slowly healing. But it was too much for her to handle. She dropped to one knee, letting out a silent scream. And then the pain vanished in an instant.

Zarkoth withdrew his claw from her forehead as she panted to herself.

“Was that it…?” she asked.

But all she heard in response was the thunderous thud of the dragon collapsing. She looked up at Zarkoth as he lay before her, his rusted scales turning black, the golden aura gone. His crimson eyes were no longer glinting. Their light was gone.

And he moved his jaw weakly. “Thank you, Kara of Earth… for fulfilling my final wish.”

Then his body began to turn to dust. Kara watched as the dragon faded away. Even though she had not known him for long, she felt her heart ache as she realized he was gone. The moment they shared with each other was gone forever, lasting only an instant. Like tears in the rain.

And now, she stood alone in the temple, hearing the muffled storm thunder overhead. She remained in silence as she lowered her head, paying her respects to the last dragon. But not every creature cared about the death of a god. 

A gargoyle crept its way up the temple, sensing the disappearance of the dragon. When it got to the top of the steps, it spotted a lone young woman standing there, wreathed in a strange golden aura. It shrieked and charged at her, ready to tear her apart.

“Now, it’s my turn,” Kara said to herself.

And she spun around, sidestepping the attack. The gargoyle’s eyes widened as it crashed into the ground. It hissed and rose back to its feet. But it paused when it saw the young woman standing over it, fist clenched, eyes glowing red, and body ablaze with a golden flame.

She punched once, and the gargoyle shattered into a thousand pieces, collapsing dead at her feet. Kara looked up to face the rest of the ancient ruins— to take in this new world. 

Awaiting her, impossibly tall mountains rose to touch the darkling heavens, their white peaks fusing with the dusk-tainted clouds. The expansive sable dome overhead shed its darkness where the twin moons limned, revealing a perennial dew of stars. 

A curtain of colors collapsed from the clouds— a ceaseless stormwall that concealed creatures creeping through the vast landscape. Eagles of lightning stormed the skies. A behemoth made of stone walked alongside the tallest mountain. A horde of gargoyles continued to scavenge the remains of the magical city.

And Kara whispered breathlessly even amidst the chaos she saw.

“Now it’s my turn to live.”

With that, she descended the steps of the temple into the world of Xantos.