I slowly walked down the stairs, feeling the sides of the passage as I went. They were smooth and embedded with shards of luminous blue crystals. The effect was like looking at a sea of stars. I suppressed a shiver from the bone chilling cold down here. As I descended, all I could hear was the sound of my talons scraping against stone and the thump of the boar carcass slamming into each step.

  The walls weren’t made of brick or pieces of stone. It was concrete or something like it. I thought this was a fantasy world. But fantasy civilizations didn’t have access to anything like this. I really needed to learn more about this world, because eventually I’d meet other intelligent creatures. A little bit of cultural knowledge could be the difference between getting hunted like a monster or treated like a friend.

  Finally, I saw something up ahead. A six foot metal door, with a small flat patch of floor in front of it. The door looked like it was made of sturdy metal panels, bolted firmly together. No visible handle. And it was thick too, I could tell just by knocking on it.

  Despite that realization, I climbed up a couple steps and then rammed the door with my shoulder. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Why did I think that’d work?

  The door didn’t budge an inch. As I rubbed my stinging shoulder, my eyes were drawn to a strange engraving just above the door. I couldn’t understand it…unfortunately, this wasn’t some isekai where I was born with the Gift of Language, or something equally convenient.

  So I likely wouldn’t be able to get in the door, but at least there was room down here for me to rest safely and to eat. If I closed the trapdoor at the top, I’d have my own private lizard-woman cave. No monster or beast would be able to get in. Which meant it was time for my long awaited dinner! My mouth was already watering.

  The boar meat was tough and extremely gamey. My razor sharp teeth didn’t have any issues though. This body was adapted for meat eating.

  That adaptation must have carried over to my taste buds, because this was the most delicious meal I’d ever eaten! By the time I was full, I’d eaten about a quarter of the boar. The rest could last me a few days, if I rationed it properly. After eating I tried to remove the pelt and tusks with my claws, it was hella sloppy but good enough. The tusks were the length of my forearm and pretty sharp, they might be useful eventually. With a full belly, I curled up on the pelt and fell into a deep slumber.

  Over the next few days I made it my mission to explore the area surrounding my hatch. I needed to build a solid mental map, find food sources, and see if there were any other hints of civilization.

  My first discovery was that my hatch was actually in a pretty decent location. The boar fight stream was to the North, and was much closer when I was paying attention to my surroundings. Past the stream the terrain started getting swampy and the trees began to look twisted and dark. I decided to explore elsewhere.

  To the South was a much larger river, probably a hundred feet across. I was going to go for a swim but I spotted some very large alligators lounging on the shore. If that wasn’t bad enough a huge blue spider phased out of literally nowhere, pounced on one of them, and dragged it to god knows where. I very quietly snuck back into the dense foliage, and was extra vigilant for the rest of the day.

  From there, I trekked for a few hours to the East before I found a clearing with some mossy ruins. But I wasn’t confident enough to explore them yet. The vibes were just rancid.

  To the West I found some rocky and hilly terrain. I climbed one of the hills to get a better view. From the top I could barely see a huge tree on the horizon, the size of a skyscraper. Football sized bioluminescent fruit hung from long vines that reached down from its canopy. I saw huge birds flying around the upper boughs of the tree. Either birds, or drakes. Hard to tell. Doesn't matter, I’m not getting close to that nonsense.

  In every direction I found a variety of fruit trees, and the river probably had lots of fish. But I don’t know if the fruit is poisonous and the river is way too terrifying. I also spotted a couple golden colored elk, with horns that branched upwards in every direction. Too beautiful too hunt really..

  Luckily, there was some small game too; white squirrels and one horned rabbits, both of which were lightning fast. I was left munching on the remains of the boar, not that I was complaining.

  After returning from my last exploration and clambering down to my makeshift home I noticed something strange. Everything was exactly how I left it - a mess. That was normal. What wasn’t normal was the strange noise I was hearing. Very faint, barely noticeable, but still there. I put my ear right up against the metal door. It was singing. Very soft singing. Almost mournful.

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  “Hello! Is something behind there! Can you open up please!” I shouted. “Please! I’m friendly!”

  My voice was high pitched now, undeniably feminine. I was hoping that they wouldn’t feel threatened. Instead the singing stopped.

  Well, my curiosity was peaked…no choice but to break in using the idea I’d been cooking up for the last few days.

  After testing my arcane breath a few times, I’d made some big discoveries. First, its power and range is limited. It can’t dissolve metal, stone, and even solid wood is difficult. Outside of about a 10 foot cone directly in front of me, it’s basically useless. And it only becomes usable again after I rest for a while.

  Essentially, in the heat of battle I’d only get to use it once. This wasn’t exactly an overpowered ability. But it’s not all bad news! That one use was enough for my plan…

  I started by finding a nice pointy rock and then a second heavier rock. Truly the height of science.

  Next I found a nice tree near my hatch, thick but not too thick. Just the way I like it. With the heavy rock, I hammered the pointy rock into the trunk of the tree. I must have looked ridiculous, like a prehistoric lizard cave woman. A sexy prehistoric lizard cave woman.

  Soon I’d made a good sized hole in the trunk of the tree. It was time, and damn I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this.

  I stood in front of the tree, put my clawed hands on my waist, and activated arcane breath. Purple energy flooded out of my mouth, and into – also around – the hole in the trunk. Instantly, it started dissolving the wood from the inside out. There was a loud creak and I ducked for cover!

  The tree smashed into the ground with a loud thump. Now I had to drag the fallen tree to my hatch; I dug in my talons and got to pushing! My tail whipped around as I pushed and strained, bushwhacking some unfortunate plants behind me. Finally, my makeshift battering ram was in position.

  “Okay last chance I’m coming in. Stand away from the door!” I shouted down. I didn’t hear any door opening. Come on we were basically roommates, whoever was behind that door was too shy.

  I tipped the log over the edge of the stairs and with one final push it tilted over and down. BANG BANG Bang bang. It was like an out of control bobsled as it slammed down each step and built up momentum. Until there was one final loud CLANK.

  I ran down the stairs eager to see the result…a complete success! The log had smashed down the door, which now llay on the floor with a massive dent. Revealing a pitch black room.

  Cautiously, I entered, giving time for my darkvision to adjust.

  This was much weirder than I imagined. It was a huge circular room. The size of a soccer field. A massive crystal hung from a chain in the center of the room, emitting a dull blue light like a chandelier. Throughout the room were about a dozen thin hospital beds on metal wheels. Rotting and moth-eaten sheets hung on each bed. Next to each one were small metal tables, packed with crude medical instruments.

  I crept between the beds, slowly looking around. I saw some shelves at the far end of the room, along with some old wooden crates. Opposite the side I entered was the only other passage. It was collapsed. Full of huge stones that I’d never be able to move.

  Where was my singing friend? I better not have imagined the whole thing. Was I really that lonely?

  “Kos are hyi vep jitol mui creature?” something said behind me. I hopped back and bared my fangs. Nothing there…

  “Ryil rau creature,” said the gravelly voice.

  It came from one of the hospital beds. From under a dirty white sheet. I could see its outline.

  “Oh hell no,” I said. “If you jump out at me I’m going to scratch you. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

  In a frenzy, I ripped the sheet of the bed. I don’t know what I was expecting, but not this.

  There was a skeleton. Pieces of a skeleton. Its left leg was a piece of curved metal, like amputee athletes use. While its right arm was a wicked looking blade. It was missing a lot of parts and many of the bones were cracked. Including the skull, which was missing its top half, revealing a grey crystal where its brain would have been.

  “Hoip hyi creature,” it said. The grey crystal pulsed with a green light as it emitted each word. The sound came directly from the crystal itself.

  “Hey look, I don’t know what’s going on with you but I’m not a creature okay,” I said.

  “Telar. Lip he is telar,” the skeleton responded.

  I think it was saying its name was Telar. I only know because it was saying it so slowly, like it was talking to a child.

  “What ti he?” Telar said. Again like it was talking to a little kid.

  Now it was asking my name. A pretty awkward question! I remember a lot about Earth but I forgot my name. Now I need something that suits the new me. I looked at my scaled hands. Down at my talons, back at my tail. Felt the horns on my head.

  “Vylet. My name is Vylet. Nice to meet you, Telar!”