I stared at Rowin, the sword still in my hand. The weight of it felt natural as if I'd been born to wield such a weapon.

  "So let me get this straight. You want me, a complete stranger who crash-landed here yesterday, to go rescue your princess from some unknown danger?"

  Rowin's face remained impassive. "Unknown is precisely the problem. With our Kingdom of Nytherra dealing with a multitude of problems, we don’t have the resources to send our guard away in search when they’re needed around these city walls.”

  "You mentioned a Dark Sorcerer and rival clans before,” I said, lowering the sword slightly but keeping it ready. These elves had already shown they could turn hostile at a moment's notice.

  The elder elf sighed. “True. There are several possibilities, and none of them good. Lyrielle has many who would seek to control her, or worse."

  “What makes you think I can do anything about it?" I asked, though in my heart, I already knew the answer.

  "She chose you," Rowin said. "Lyrielle is the Bearer of the Blade Rune, one of the Great Runes of our world. If she bestowed her Rune's blessing upon you, she saw something in you, perhaps an impression of a future where you hold utmost importance to Nytherra.”

  I handed the sword back to the guard, who took it with reluctance.

  "Look, I appreciate the vote of confidence, and I don’t know if you even understand what I’m telling you, but I'm not from your world. I need to find a way back to Earth."

  “I do not know what this Earth realm is.” Rowin exchanged glances with the guard. "Perhaps the other elders may have heard of it. If you’ll come with me?”

  I weighed my options. I could try to fight my way out, but even with my newfound sword skills, I doubted I'd get far in the confines of castle walls. Besides, these elders might have information that could help me get home.

  "Lead the way," I said.

  ###

  The elders' chamber was a circular room with a domed ceiling that had a painting of the sky adorning it. It looked realistic, with stars twinkling above, and the two moons of this world hung suspended in the artificial firmament, despite it being daytime outside. Seven ornate wooden chairs formed a semicircle on a raised dais, five of them occupied by ancient-looking elves.

  I stood before them in my stained space suit. The elders regarded me with expressions ranging from curiosity to hostility.

  "This is the human?" asked one, a female with silver hair that cascaded down to her waist. She wore a circlet of gold.

  "Yes, Elder Sylindra," Rowin replied with a bow. "Lt. Colonel John Robinson the Space Force."

  "Space Force?” asked another elder, a male with a long beard that nearly touched the floor. “What does this mean?”

  “We, uh, travel up there,” I said, pointing to the sky. I’d never considered having to explain it to an undeveloped people. “Well, mostly just our own moon so far."

  The bearded elder leaned forward. "Yet you are here now."

  "I didn't plan this trip," I said. "My ship malfunctioned, I hit some kind of space anomaly, and next thing I know, I'm crashing on your planet."

  “Or it was divine intention,” said a third elder with pale and wrinkly skin. "A summoning."

  "A what now?"

  The pale elder's eyes seemed to peer through me. “Princess Lyrielle saw something in you, something powerful enough where she bestowed upon you the Rune Blessing. You are connected by threads of fate.”

  I shook my head. "That's impossible. I've never met her before yesterday."

  “And nonetheless, it is true,” said Sylindra. “She may have seen you in a vision of what was to come."

  This was what Rowin had been telling me before we came to the elders. All this talk of fate began to spook me, however. I was a man of science. I could understand how a rocket engine worked with physics. This? This sounded like nonsense. "Look, I'm sorry about your princess. She seemed nice. But I need to focus on finding a way back home.”

  The bearded elder's expression darkened. “There are pathways between realms, spoken of in ancient texts. We could help you when the princess is returned.”

  “You drive a hard bargain,” I said, not seeing the chat choice I had.

  The pale elder changed the subject as if I had agreed to their plan. "Lyrielle disappeared shortly after she visited you in the prison. We fear the worst."

  Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  “That’s what Rowin told me. Do you have an idea as to who took her?” I asked.

  The elders exchanged uncomfortable glances before the bearded one spoke. "There are many who might benefit from controlling the Bearer of the Blade Rune. The rival clans have long envied our position as keepers of such power."

  "Particularly the Mountain Clan," added Sylindra. "They've been amassing forces at our borders for months."

  "Then there's Eodurn," said Rowin, his voice tight with concern.

  "Her betrothed?" I asked, remembering what Lyrielle had told me.

  Rowin nodded. "Eodurn is... possessive. When Lyrielle began to resist the match, he grew increasingly aggressive."

  "You think he might have taken her to force the marriage?" I asked.

  "It's possible," said the pale elder. "He commands a significant force of warriors loyal to him personally rather than to his clan."

  "And let's not forget the Dark Sorcerer," added the bearded elder. "Malekith has coveted the Runes for centuries. He would stop at nothing to possess one."

  Great. A jealous fiancé, rival clans, and an evil sorcerer. The princess certainly had no shortage of enemies.

  "And if I refuse to help?" I asked.

  The elders exchanged glances before Sylindra spoke. "Then you will be executed at dawn. The Blade Rune's power cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands."

  "You know, for wisened elders, you're pretty quick to resort to threats."

  "Not threats," said the pale elder. "Simply the way of things. The Rune Bearer must be protected, even at the cost of individual lives."

  I paced before them, weighing my options. Die at dawn or embark on a mission to find a princess I barely knew, with no idea who took her or where she might be. Some choice.

  But then I thought of Lyrielle—her kind eyes, the way she'd brought me food when I was imprisoned, how she'd trusted me enough to give me this power.

  "If I do this—if I find Lyrielle and bring her back—you’ll help me search for a way home?" I asked.

  Sylindra inclined her head. "We will grant you access to all the knowledge we possess. And we will petition the University Scholars on your behalf to allow you access to their archives.”

  It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. And honestly, what else was I going to do? Sit in a cell until they chopped my head off?

  "Fine," I said. "I'll find your princess. But I'll need supplies, weapons, information—everything you can give me."

  Relief washed over Rowin's face. The elders nodded in unison.

  "You will have what you need," said the bearded elder. "Rowin will see to it."

  ###

  Two hours later, I stood in the armory of the elven citadel, being fitted for leather armor by an ancient elf with gnarled hands.

  "Too tight?" he asked as he cinched a strap across my chest.

  "It's fine," I said, rolling my shoulders to test the fit. The armor was light, and the leather was firm and sturdy.

  Rowin stood nearby, supervising the preparations. "The armor has been treated with protective herbs and minor enchantments from our apothecaries," he said. "It's not as powerful as Rune magic, but it will offer some resistance against common spells."

  "Magical attacks," I said. "Right."

  The armorer stepped back, examining his work before nodding in satisfaction. He then moved to a rack of weapons, selecting a sword that gleamed even in the dim light of the armory.

  "This blade was forged in the fires of Mount Kragath," Rowin said as the armorer presented it to me. "Though we cannot imbue it with true Rune power—only the Bearers themselves can grant such gifts—our smiths have treated the steel with alchemical compounds that will make it effective against most foes."

  I took the sword, feeling its balance. The hilt fit my hand as if molded to my grip, and when I gave it an experimental swing, it felt like an extension of my arm.

  "It's beautiful," I said.

  "It is a weapon," Rowin corrected. "Beauty is irrelevant. Function is all that matters."

  The armorer also provided a belt with a scabbard, a small hunting knife, and a pack filled with provisions—dried meat, hard bread, a waterskin, flint and steel, bandages, and various other supplies I couldn't identify.

  "Where do I start looking?" I asked as I secured the pack. "You've given me three different suspects and no leads."

  Rowin pulled out a small map, unfolding it on a nearby table. "Lyrielle was last seen heading toward the eastern gate after visiting you in prison. The guards there reported that she spoke of visiting her handmaiden at a cottage near the river fork. We believe she was out in the late evening because of concern for you.”

  He pointed to a location on the map. "Start there. The handmaiden, Elindra, is loyal to Lyrielle. If anyone knows where the princess might have gone willingly, it's her."

  "And if she was taken unwillingly?"

  "Then it will be as we feared. Look for signs of struggle, tracks, blood, and other markers. The Blade Rune's blessing enhances your senses as well as your fighting skills. Use them."

  I nodded, studying the map. "What about these other suspects? Where would I find them?"

  "Eodurn's estate lies to the north, beyond the river fork." Rowin traced the route with his finger. "The Mountain Clan's territory begins at the foothills to the west. And Malekith..." He hesitated. "The Dark Sorcerer's tower stands in the heart of Needlin Forest, to the southeast. But I pray Lyrielle is not there. Few who enter his domain ever return."

  "Fantastic,” I said sarcascially as I tightened the straps on my pack. "Any other cheerful information you'd like to share before I head into this insanity?”

  Rowin hesitated, then reached into his robes and withdrew a small vial filled with blue liquid. "This is an elixir prepared by our most skilled apothecary. It contains the essence of a moonflower, which grows only in the light of both moons. It will not grant you the power of a Rune, but it may assist you in your time of dire need.”

  I took the vial, tucking it securely into my pack. I didn’t know what he meant by dire need, but I wasn’t going to turn down anything that might prove useful. "Thanks. I'll take all the help I can get."

  Rowin nodded, then gestured toward the armory door. "The eastern gate will be opened for you. Follow the river downstream until you reach the fork, then look for Elindra's cottage."

  I adjusted the armor one last time. "And if I find nothing there?"

  "Trust your instincts," Rowin said. “Let your warrior’s intuition guide you.”

  “You’re filled with useful advice.” I shook my head, still unconvinced this wasn't all some elaborate hallucination.

  The weight of the sword at my hip felt real enough. The leather armor against my skin and the pack on my back had a solidity that was hard to dismiss.

  "One last thing," Rowin said as we reached the door. “Lyrielle is not just the princess but also a dear friend. She means much to me and the rest of the elders.”

  "I'll find her," I said. "And I'll bring her back safely."

  Whether I believed those words myself, I couldn't say. But as I stepped out of the armory and into the sunlight, sword at my hip and a quest before me, I felt something I hadn't expected—a sense of purpose.

  Time to play detective in a world of elves and magic. What could possibly go wrong?