The crimson moon hung low in the sky above Tingen, casting an eerie glow over the cobblestone streets. Klein Moretti found himself standing in a dimly lit apartment, his head throbbing with memories that weren't quite his own. The original Klein had been a history graduate, struggling to make ends meet as a private tutor. But now, Zhou Mingrui from Earth had taken his place, carrying with him knowledge of a world that shouldn't exist.
The apartment was modest, furnished with the bare necessities of a young man trying to survive in the industrial age of this strange Victorian-era world. Klein examined his reflection in the cracked mirror above the washbasin. Dark hair, brown eyes, and a face that was both familiar and foreign stared back at him. The memories of the original Klein were fragmented, like pieces of a puzzle scattered across his consciousness.
"What kind of world have I landed in?" Klein muttered to himself, his voice carrying a slight accent that felt natural despite being completely alien to his Earth-born tongue.
As he explored the small apartment, Klein discovered several items that would prove crucial to his survival in this new world. A worn leather journal filled with the original Klein's notes about his tutoring sessions, a small collection of books on history and archaeology, and most intriguingly, a letter from Welch McGovern, a fellow graduate student, inviting him to participate in some kind of "historical research."
The letter was dated three days ago, and Klein realized with growing unease that the original Klein had been planning to attend this meeting. The handwriting was excited, almost manic, describing the discovery of "ancient texts" and "forgotten rituals" that could "change everything we know about history."
Klein's modern sensibilities immediately raised red flags. In the novels he'd read back on Earth, this kind of setup usually led to supernatural encounters, ancient curses, or worse. But he was no longer on Earth, and the rules of this world might be entirely different.
As night fell over Tingen, Klein made his decision. He would attend Welch's gathering, but he would be prepared for anything. After all, knowledge was power, and in this strange new world, he would need all the power he could get.
The gas lamps flickered as he prepared for what would be his first step into the extraordinary world of Beyonders, though he didn't know it yet. The crimson moon seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy, as if responding to the momentous changes about to unfold in Klein Moretti's life.
Little did he know that this decision would set him on a path that would eventually lead him to become one of the most powerful beings in this mystical world, but that journey would be filled with danger, mystery, and encounters that would test not just his courage, but his very sanity.