Alptraum, Rosalind, and Snow retire after the ritual. Alptraum goes in to the dagger-world to tell her the results of the procedure, which seel to please Kaira. The strange dragon then declares it is time she gave Alptraum her surprise transformation … only when Alptraum seemingly awakes, what he became is a shock.

Pure power and draconic lust. Alptraum finds himself a Steel Dragon in body and nearly in mind. Vorgulremik is there, telling him to enjoy the power, to revel in it, and to make his enemies cower. The evil steel dragon even manages to convince Alptraum to infect a Gallee with a black heart … and then alludes to Alptraum being the next Necromancer King! At first Alptraum seems to accept the offer and does, in fact, do something terrible.

He embraces the feelings and heads into the sky. All seems lost … and then Alptraum hears a voice, the voice of his love, speaking about she never saw the Barsunala as him … and the implication that it is the Eeee, not the power, she loves. This brings Alptraum to his senses and he refuses Vorgulremik's offer! The steel dragon body quits responding to the Eeee mind and he plummets to his death!

Only … he wakes up in the bed with the Countess and Snow. Hiss body still feels very strange … and he quickly learns why! Kaira turned him into a Dark Elf! Not only that, but Snow really likes it and drags the poor fellow off for some … experiments!