The reason for the flash stood silently several feet away, his eyes adjusting to the sudden darkness. The putrid smell of rotting garbage caused him to wrinkle his nose in disgust. 'Wonderful,' he thought sourly to himself. 'A backwater planet in the middle of nowhere. And where do I materialize? In the middle of their garbage dump!' He closed his eyes for a second, then took a deep breath, settling his nerves. 'Well, it could be worse I guess. I wonder just how primitive these people are.'

He picked his way slowly through the darkened alley, trying to avoid the larger concentrations of refuse. By the time he reached the street, the town drunk was happily snoring, the words to his song long forgotten in the stupor produced by the ale. 'At least,' he thought to himself as he inspected the drunk. 'I look like they do, physically.' He squatted down beside the drunk and carefully pulled his tattered cloak aside then frowned. 'Clothing...that's another matter.' he dropped the cloak back down over the snoring man and glanced down at his seamless, black jump suit. 'I'll never fit in dressed like this.' He studied the drunk's ratty attire, then stood and glanced cautiously around the street. The fog drifted past, swirling slightly in the faint breezes as he watched, but no other signs of life were evident. Satisfied things were relatively safe, he cautiously stepped out of the alley and turned left then made his way up the deserted street, hugging the rough brick wall of the building and trying to stay well out of the light as he made his way past silent store fronts.

The buildings ended fairly quickly and the street turned into a lane running out into the open land. The man stopped, sighed and turned around. 'Better and better,' he thought, shaking his head. 'Backwater planet, primitive culture, local inhabitants who appear to have all the civility of poorly bred pigs and now this.' He stared back up the street at the few buildings visible through the fog. 'Maybe it's bigger if I go the other way. I need clothes.'

He studied the buildings for several more seconds, then shook his head. 'No, I need a farm. With a clothesline. And a sympathetic farmer.' He grimaced, remembering the drunk's singing. 'A farmer whose language I probably don't speak.' He frowned and looked up at the invisible stars. 'Why me!?' He glanced over his shoulder into the inky blackness which shrouded the lonely countryside then turned back toward the town. If there was a farm out there it certainly didn't show up in the middle of the night. 'When I get my hands,' he thought vehemently. 'On the idiot that opened that warp...'

Light spilled out of a doorway a few feet ahead of him, and he flattened against the wall. A couple strolled out, waving behind them at a crowded, smoke filled room, then wandered off down the street arm in arm. He waited until they were lost in the fog before breathing a silent sigh of relief. 'Clothes now,' he reminded himself. 'And food. And sleep. Retribution later. After my powers come back.' He glanced around, then continued on up the street toward the alley he'd materialized in.

As the alley came in sight, he could see a dark figure bent over the drunk who was happily snoring away in its entrance. He froze, watching as the figure drew a knife out of a sheath and silently cut the drunk's pouch from his belt. The man narrowed his eyes and glanced around. The street was still empty and the alley was only a few feet away. Trained reflexes took over and he advanced silently, little more than a shadow, as the figure opened the pouch and began rummaging through it. He paused, waiting until the thief was completely absorbed in the contents of the pouch, then stepped forward, one hand going to the thief's throat, the other grasping its knife hand. In a single fluid motion, he bent the thief backwards, lifted it off the ground to its toes by the hand on its throat and forced its knife hand open. The knife hit the ground with a dull thud and he twisted his prisoner's arm up behind its back. The thief began to struggle, stopping as the man's hand tightened around its throat.

"You know, for a thief, you're not very observant," he growled, his voice low. His captive grunted and he applied a bit more pressure to the arm behind its back.

"Ow!" came the unhappy protest.

"Not only that, but your choice of targets is lousy," he continued, then waited for a reply.

"Let me go!" the other managed, then gasped as a bit more pressure was applied to his arm.

'Well,' the man thought. 'Language will evidently not be a problem. That's one positive aspect to this.'

"Let you go?" he asked in a low, dangerous voice. "Let you go? And then what? Wait while you pick up your knife and try to kill me? I think not." He squeezed slightly on the other's throat again.

"NO!" his captive cried out, sudden fear filling his voice. "Just let me go and I swear I won't.."

"No, you're right," he interrupted. "You won't...because you really won't like what I'll do if you try." He twisted the other's wrist slightly, provoking another cry. "I'll let go," he continued, his voice dark and threatening, "but you move and you die. Understand?"

"Yes," came the acknowledgment through tightly clinched teeth.

He let go and the thief stumbled forward, whirled around, then stood uncertainly before him, rubbing its wrist and watching warily. The fog drifted past behind him, diffusing what light the nearby street lamp shed and giving him an unearthly backdrop. The thief looked up into a pair of brown eyes that appeared faintly to glow and gulped, his blood running cold.

"Your name?" the man asked, looking down at the thief and crossing his arms.

"Why?" came the hesitant response.

"Because I asked."

"Kheri," the thief answered after a moment.

He nodded, bent over and picked the knife up off the ground. Kheri's eyes darted to the street but prudence kept him from moving.

"You can call me Dale," the man said, straightening up and handing the knife back to its owner.

Kheri looked at the knife suspiciously, then carefully reached out and took it, sheathing it quickly. "So now what?" he asked nervously, looking back up at the man who towered a full twelve inches over his slight, five and a half feet.

"First, give him back his pouch," Dale instructed, indicating the drunk. "Second, you just became my guide to this place. To start with, I need other clothing. You're going to help me find some."

Kheri opened his mouth to protest, caught the look on Dale's face, nodded once, then dropped the pouch next to the drunk. "What kind of clothes do you want," he asked, his gaze wandering over Dale's strange attire.

"Normal stuff. What any average, working man would wear."

Kheri stared at the jump-suit for a couple more seconds then nodded. "Alright," he decided hesitantly. "I know where you can get something but we'll have to leave town. The only stuff around here is either on someone's back or in a store. And they're locked."

"And stuff outside town isn't?"

"Well..." Kheri squirmed and tried not to feel frightened. "My aunt's got a farm. Its several miles out. I can try to get you some of my uncle's old things unless you object to a walk?"

Dale caught his eyes and held them until Kheri shivered and looked down. "Alright," he replied, satisfied that Kheri was telling the truth. "We'll go visit your aunt. Which way?"

"Uh.." Kheri stammered, his heart pounding, "T...this way." He moved cautiously past the larger man, stepped out of the alley and started up the street toward the center of town. Dale turned and followed silently behind him.

Kheri's thoughts raced as he passed the silent wooden buildings which lined the street. The desire to dash off into the fog filled him and he fought it down, certain that he would fail in the attempt. His arm still ached from the pressure Dale had exerted on it back in the alley and he had no desire to find out just how strong he really was. He rubbed his throat, still feeling the ghostly impressions which Dale's fingers had left in it and shivered. 'Clothes...' he thought, trying to control his overly active imagination. 'I gotta tell her something...' He pictured the ancient steamer trunk locked away in his aunt's attic, full of his uncle's rotting clothing and frowned. 'Maybe I can just offer to clean up,' he thought then shook his head. 'She'll have it locked. I gotta get her to give'm to me.' His arm twinged slightly and he rubbed at the shoulder, remembering the sudden, iron grip which had grasped his wrist, the ease with which Dale had lifted him from the ground then held him on the tips of his toes, and shuddered. The brief events in the alley sprang back to the front of his mind and overpowered his shaky attempt at planning. He swallowed hard, took a deep breath, then forced himself to consider what his Aunt might respond to. He was distracted, still deep in thought, when the last few buildings came in sight. Dale dropped a hand firmly on his shoulder, shattering his concentration and he jumped.

"Stop," came the soft command behind him.

Kheri froze instantly and glanced around. A movement in the shadows a short way up the street caught his attention and he flattened against the wall next to Dale, holding his breath, watching. A figure detached itself from the shadows and crossed the street, visible now as one of the town guards. The two of them stood motionless, waiting as the guard glanced around, then made his way on down the street.

"Alright, let's go," Dale hissed after the guard had vanished into the fog and his footsteps were no longer to be heard. Kheri nodded, then looked curiously at Dale as they started walking again.

Dale returned his gaze and lifted an eyebrow in question. "Yes?"

"How'd you know he was there?"

"I heard him," came Dale's quiet reply.

Kheri blinked. "You heard him?" he repeated dubiously.

"Yes." Dale answered without explanation.

A shiver ran up Kheri's spine and he stopped, turned to face Dale and took a deep breath. "Who...I meant what..." he stammered, unable to turn thoughts into words.

Dale sighed inwardly, crossed his arms and looked down into Kheri's eyes. "Are you sure you want the answer to that question?" he asked.

Kheri nodded, his eyes locked on Dale's face.

"At the moment," Dale told him. "I'm just a stranger who would prefer not to be noticed. You get on my bad side, I might turn out to be your worst nightmare."

Kheri swallowed nervously, unable to look away.

"You do as I ask, and behave, and I may turn out to be a valuable friend," Dale continued, still holding Kheri's gaze with his own. "You want more explanation than that, earn it. How far is it to your aunt's farm from here?"

"Uh..", Kheri stammered and shook his thoughts free from the somewhat frightening flight of fantasy they'd taken. "About three...four miles...not far. A hour or so walk."

"She get up early?"

"Usually yes," Kheri nodded. "And this is market day. There'll be traffic coming into town in a while too."

Dale regarded him silently, watching the younger man fidget. "In that case," he suggested softly, a flinty edge to his voice, "I suggest you turn around and we get going."

Kheri broke into a sudden sweat and turned quickly around, leading the way out of town.

End of Chapter One

Book 1, Wizard's Bane, is now in print. You can find out the details of how to purchase it here:
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