It was well within my nature to judge, but as best I could, I listened. 

"There is a train. It's invisible to those without magic. Though, ever since I've had my object, I've been able to ride. Initially, I got lost. 

The train travels between plains of existence, worlds, and even time. I had disappeared from this world for almost two years before I returned. I nearly died in ways that outnumber the wandering days, but I figured it out. Eventually, I knew enough to use the train system to go anywhere. I went places I shouldn't have. I grew bold and confident.

Those places were like dreams. The other worlds are indescribable.

But while I had my fun exploring out there, my family was in crisis here. Tristan's brand of negative magic served me well for a time, but that was when I only used it to travel and protect myself. 

I tried to use his magic to save my family. What son wouldn't save his Mother? But to do a good deed, I quickly learned there would always be a cost. My intention was to stop my mother's illness, but Tristan's magic gave the sickness to my Sister. She nearly died that night, and when I undid the spell, it returned to our mother twice as critical. 

Now I watch over my sister. I try to. I tried to, but we haven't been the same since my mother passed. I wanted to repair some of the damage, to find a light, but there was nothing until my sister saw me. 

She witnessed magic, my magic, and I thought surely she'd have hated me for letting our mother die. But Evlan is just a girl. Magic sparked new life for us. It brought honest joy for a while. Small things like flying, summoning snow, I gave her the power to read thoughts through physical touch. All of it was harmless fun until I introduced her to the train. 

It was foolish of me. Evlan didn't have an object or any magic, so while it was simple to escort her onto the train, I couldn't get her off. She's been gone for a week now. I don't know where the train has taken her, but without magic, I can't save her." 

My mother would have named Hamilton irresponsible. And like her, I might have felt the same, but I had been convinced. 

"I'm sorry," I said. 

"With Tristan's magic, I can summon Evlan, to me, in an instant. But if she's far, I may need to send someone to take her place. It's happened before. I flew, and another man sank into the ground. I summoned a clear sky, and half a city nearly flooded.  If you give me your magic, Black Angel, I hope there won't be a need for trade," Hamilton explained. 

I held out my hand to take Hamilton's watch. As he gave it to me, I saw his shoulders rise before I added, "We'll help you find your sister."

"What?" Tristan said and pulled me away. 

"We have to help him. The Train of Sible is no place for a kid," I argued.

"It's not our problem."

"But we," I started. 

As we spoke, I had forgotten Hamilton's object was in my grasp. Before Tristan or I could say another word, the stone watch vibrated so violently that I dropped it. 

"Trisal?" I said, but the watch exploded and released a wave of energy that knocked everything away from its epicenter.

Bookcases were flung, chairs flew through walls, and I found myself shot through a window. As I fell to the ground below, I knew I would survive the fall, but it would hurt regardless. 

Thankfully Tristan was there to catch me. He sprouted wings kin to that of an albino bat and flew with tremendous speed to grab my hand seconds before I would have crashed into the pavement. 

"Never hold an object for more than a minute. Too much charge and this happens," Tristan explained while we flew back up to the third floor. Hamilton was unconscious, laid out against a wall, but breathing. His watch was dust already floating away on the wind blowing through the hole in the side of the building. 

"We have to help him," I said, returning to solid ground. 

"Hamilton's problems aren't ours. He's a student of Tarlac, not a friend."

"Friend or not, don't you care." 

"It's not about care, Aaron. We have a saying in the Underlands, "Never rob a man of the opportunity to suffer." Hamilton made his problem; he can solve it."

"Maybe he could have, but now?" I remarked.

My demon compressed his wings back into himself before looking about the room to avoid my eyes. I plucked shards of glass out of my skin, and though my wounds healed, the damage took longer to undo on Earth than it would in the Overlands. Without my halo, I couldn't quicken the process, nor could I numb the residual pain that persisted after marks had been erased. Tristan looked my way again and, with a sigh, told me, "I was going to take you for pizza, one of Earth's greatest foods. It's worth three children, maybe even a baby." 

"We can help him. I want to save the girl."

"Noble, like an angel," he remarked and shook his head with disapproval.

He kicked a chair out the window. After it hit the ground, Tristan answered, "Fine, but this is a one-time thing. And Hamilton will pay for every minute of it."