"Your magic could sink continents too, it'd just be really slow."

"Buncha bees could sink continents really slow. You made it sound like it happened fast."

"Yeah! Sometimes people pastwatch it for fun, it's supposed to be pretty cool."

"Well, it'd probably beat fireworks. I don't have the white to spare on random scrys though. In a few years I'll have, like, fifty and be able to do lots more."

"Oh, at least your power grows with time."

"Can people where you're from show other people what they're scrying on?"

"Yep! Takes blue and white though. And permanent scry thingies take blue and white and black, and a lot of them."

"Sounds a little like how it works for us, except where I'm from no one has more than one kind of magic. Oh, you know, my friend's not from my world, maybe you could get him to save your friends."

"I don't really think that's a good plan. Unfamiliar magic system, no idea what threats there are. Plus, it sounds like it'd be almost more kidnapping than rescue."

"Yeah. That's... Yeah. It's a bad plan. I'm gonna stick around here for a while and maybe when I go back I can do something." He probably won't. Why would he help those kids who don't even really need help? But these two expect him to be generous, so.

"Let me know if you need anything while you're here."

"Doing adventurey things makes you get points faster. Are either of you any good at fighting or something? Oh, I'd better do the healing potions now so I get my points back sooner... Bar, can I have two glass flasks with caps, full of potion base? It's not magic itself I think."

The requested flasks appear. He stares at them for about ten seconds each and they both turn faintly red. "There."

"I vastly outmatch you to the point that I'd be toying with you. Think it'd still count?"

"It's not a real fight which doesn't help but if I learn a lot it will help, so, sure."

"At least there's no shortage of people coming in who need some adventuring done."

"Some days I feel like we ought to gather immense power and be more interventionist, but, oh what was the phrase... 'When people cried out in prayer, they lament that god did not help them. When I hear them cry out in prayer, I lament that I have not yet become god'." He sighs. "You and I and the rest of me would hate being gods, kid. But we might have to if we can do it, rather than watch worlds burn."

Kid looks thoughtful. "...Sounds risky."

"We really need some people who have morals and want to be in charge of things."

"I could be in charge of things if it were better that I were I'd just be fu- Really miserable all the time. And nice stable governance by someone good at it beats a resentful benevolent dictator any day. Maybe your legendary hero friend's princess or whatever can help."

"She has a country to rebuild. Assuming we ever see her again, which isn't guaranteed. Guess I can't get you to run for governor in the next election, huh."

He sighs. "If whoever's controlling the door would like to give us a shortcut to making everything better and slash-or-immense power, that'd be great."

The door remains closed.

"It was worth a shot. Hey kid, ask Bar if we're the same person from alternate universes. It's a thing. I say ask her because you won't believe just me."

"Bar?"

Yes, alternate universe copies of people are a known phenomenon. And yes, you two are alternate universe versions of yourselves. 'Alts' is the usual term.

"Huh. Feel like giving me presents, old me?"

"Maybe some cash. You wouldn't like the extra magic I could give you much, trust me on that, I'm you."

"Oh, that explains a lot. Don't worry, tiny Nik, you'll turn out great!"

"Of course I will. I'm a smart, decisive, independent young man with more points than his peers of the same age."