Reincarnation of Nikola Tesla in another world

Tesla sat by the dying fire, his wide eyes fixed on the embers. The weak warmth barely reached him, but something inside felt different after that tiny spark he'd made. It wasn't anything special - just a flicker of flame from a worn-out fire amulet. But that small burst of magic had stirred something deep within him.

He closed his eyes, focusing on the tingling feeling in his hand. The air still felt warm, and he tried to grab onto that sensation again. This time something shifted, not in the hearth, but inside his own mind.

Images flashed behind his closed eyes. These weren't like the fuzzy memories of the hospital room or his old regrets. No, these were sharper, clearer. He saw light - bright, dancing light that cut through darkness. He heard a familiar sound, not the quiet whisper of magic, but a sharp, crackling buzz. Electricity.

The image vanished as quick as it came, leaving him breathless. His heart was pounding hard in his chest. It had only lasted a moment, but it felt... familiar. Like a word stuck on the tip of his tongue, or a melody he'd almost remembered.

That's when he noticed something strange. Near the hearth, just above the fading embers, the air started to shimmer. It swirled and twisted, tiny sparks of blue-white energy dancing through it. From that swirling energy, a shape began to form.

A pigeon appeared. White feathers with gray tips on its wings. But this wasn't any normal bird. Small sparks flickered around it, and its eyes glowed with an inner light, like tiny embers. It landed on the hearthstone and looked straight at Tesla.

Then it spoke, its soft coo somehow clear in his mind: "Nikola. It's been a while."

Tesla just stared. His mind couldn't make sense of what he was seeing. A pigeon that knew his name? And that voice... why did it feel so familiar?

"Who... what are you?" he whispered, his voice rough from not using it much.

The pigeon ruffled its feathers, a tiny spark jumping from its wing. "Call me Spark," it said. "I'm a friend. A messenger. Maybe even a part of you."

Spark hopped closer, its gaze gentle. "You're remembering, Nikola. Little pieces, echoes... it's all starting to come back."

The memories hit him then - not in clear pictures, but in feelings. The thrill of invention, the hum of his creations, how badly he'd wanted to light up the world. Then the darker memories came too - the betrayal, being forgotten, all those bitter regrets. But through it all, there was this warm feeling... the memory of a white pigeon that used to visit him when he was alone.

Tesla's eyes filled with tears. He reached out toward Spark with trembling fingers, and the pigeon moved closer, pressing against his hand. That touch felt like coming home.

Looking around, he saw the other kids sleeping near the fire. Marga was dozing in her chair, face tired but peaceful for once. Aldric's brow was furrowed even in sleep, Lirien clutched a bright scrap of fabric, and Mira was curled up tight like a shadow. They were all connected here, bound together by hard times and shared struggles. A kind of family, even if it wasn't perfect.

But now something was pulling at him. A call toward something beyond these walls. He looked at Spark, this strange bird that linked him to his past, then at the old fire amulet that had somehow awakened something inside him.

His gaze hardened as he thought about the nobles in their fancy houses. How they didn't care about common folk, about places like Braelor's Rest that only existed because of their scraps of kindness. He remembered the rich men who'd stolen from him in his past life, and his anger found a new target.

They were the problem. They hoarded power while others struggled. They were why genius could be used up and thrown away. And in this new world, the nobles were just the same - taking everything for themselves just because they could.

Not this time. He wouldn't be anyone's tool again. He wouldn't bow down. He'd learn this power, grow stronger, and... well, he wasn't sure what came next. But he knew one thing - he wouldn't stay hidden in shadows anymore.

"Spark," he said quietly, his voice growing stronger. "I think... I think it's time for me to leave."

Spark cooed softly, understanding in its glowing eyes. "I know, Nikola. The world awaits."

That night, under the dark moon, Tesla slipped out of the orphanage. Spark perched on his shoulder, giving off a faint glow that lit their way. He looked back once at Braelor's Rest, just a dark shape against the starry sky. A touch of sadness hit him as he thought about the friends he was leaving behind.

Then he turned and walked into the darkness. Determination burned in his heart like a flame. He was Nikola Tesla, and he was finally waking up.