“Mine?” Arilyn’s bouncy, friendly nature rendered me speechless. As well as her latching on to me the way she had. In that moment, I was not smooth or sophisticated, no James Bond me, and I hadn’t dated anyone for a while. Honestly, I was putty in her soft hands. “Sorry, I’m Finn. I...”

  “Finn? What an interesting name! Where are you from, with a name like that?”

  I had felt this overwhelming desire to tell her everything that she wanted to know. She was so interested in me and I felt like I was on top of the world! I wanted to impress her. And, well, I was really attracted to her. She was the kind of girl I usually liked. Shorter, curly hair with a button nose. And she was rather curvy. I desperately wanted her.

  “Minneapolis. Well, I was born in Denver, but my parents moved us to Minneapolis for their work when I was ten.”

  “Minnie polis? I don’t think I’ve... Oh, you’re from that other world! How exciting!”

  I felt like I would not sleep alone that night, with how she responded to me. “Well, yes. It can be.”

  “Tell me all about it! I’ve never talked to anyone from another world. And you are so handsome, too!” She practically bubbled with excitement, placing her hand upon my arm and fluttering her eyelashes.

  If I had been a little more worldly by this world’s or my world’s standards, I would have been aware of how she was plying me for information, not to take advantage of me, but to gather knowledge and stories. I was being manipulated and had no idea at all, as she played me like a harp. Plucking my strings the right way to cause me to give her anything. She was good. I felt wanted and wanted her in return.

  And, of course, I told her everything I could about home. Of college, the campus and the thousands of other students, the student union building where I would sometimes study or unwind before I went home. I told her about my brother and mother. I explained movies to her and described the traffic in the city. She kept touching me and keeping my wine cup full, urging me on with gasps of wonder and questions. I could have talked to her all night, just to look into her eyes. To lose myself in her gaze.

  Arilyn was such a good listener, hanging on my every word. My train of thoughts jumped the track whenever she licked her lips or laughed at a joke I tried to make. I drank more, my judgement getting further impaired. And I was more than happy to spend my time with her. It devastated me when she got up to get another bottle of wine.

  To pass the time waiting for her, I tried to concentrate on leveling up from the fight with the quillotes. It took me a few tries to get my head in the right space. From what I could tell, there was almost enough experience energy to go up two levels. I hit level eight, putting both my points into endurance to raise my health points to 162. My mana went up 10 points with the new level. The big thing was I needed more health so that I wouldn’t come so close to dying. And armor. I needed armor. I remembered after allocating my points that I was supposed to put them in dexterity and intelligence, as Juan had told me, but I was drunk and didn’t care.

  After I finished my leveling, I looked around for Arilyn. I didn’t see her anywhere, but noticed the leader of the entertainers, a matronly woman with kind eyes, watching me intently. She sat somewhat apart from the shenanigans of her troop and surprised me by motioning me over. I hesitated for a moment, but left my spot near the fire to see what she wanted. I hoped Arilyn would be there when I found out what their leader wanted.

  “You’re a curious young man, wearing clothes like that. Yet you carry a blade longer than a knife. Are you a fighter? A rogue?” she poured herself more wine, narrowing her eyes. “Or are you a mage, young man? Are you one of those?”

  Her line of questioning and tone was not that of curiosity to me, but more pointed. I should have been more careful, but I was rather impaired at that point. “I’m a mage, ma’am. But I don’t really know what I’m doing. I just picked mage because of my brother.”

  “Is your brother a mage?” she asked.

  “Er, um, no... he’s a nerd. I mean, he really likes fantasy things and.... I’m not making any sense, am I?”

  She suddenly laughed at my fumbling and discomfort. It removed any worry I had, like she had been able to just wash it away. Again, I should have suspected something. She spoke to me in a pleased tone, like a parent whose child had done something well. “Oh, I understand. So you knew nothing of classes or anything here and you just... chose because your brother liked mages?”

  “I... yes, that’s exactly why! My brother knows a lot more about this stuff than me. I just want to survive and get home to him and my life.” I really felt I could tell her everything and she would have understood. My world, movies I liked, the trouble with having a dead dad and a mother that worked all the time. Just everything.

  “Have they told you about mages in this world, Finn? What they were like, the people who have chosen to become mages?”

  Wait, what? There was something there that made me nervous. I frowned. “Not really. Juan told me about a mage who saved his and other’s lives. But she, the mage, died since then.”

  “Interesting. Would you like me to tell you a story, Finn? That’s what I do, I tell Stories. And for a favor, I could tell you one that would make many things clear to you. What do you think, Finn? A Tale to go with this wine?”

  I brightened up. And since she was a professional storyteller who just refilled my cup. But a favor? If that was how she wanted to be paid, who was I to question? “A favor for a story? That sounds like a fair price.”

  She smiled. “Then the Deal is struck.” She sipped her wine before clearing her throat. When she began, her voice was full of gravitas. “A long time ago, long before your grandparents were born, there was another young man who came to this world. He was kind, yet ambitious. He had big plans back home to become a leader in his country. But his plans ruined, he embraced being here as an opportunity more than a curse. He studied the classes offered, asking several questions. When the Gatekeeper told him that mage could make him more powerful than the other choices, he jumped at the chance.”

  “At first, he was very helpful to the people and communities he came across, tackling problems they could not. But as his power grew, he desired more. The people he would have once helped out of the kindness of his heart stopped looking like people to him and more like resources. It was not long before he decided he should take what he wanted.”

  “He went to the King and gave him a choice. Step down and hand the kingdom to him, or die horribly through torture. The king had never been talked to in this way, so was inclined to tell his guards to throw the mage out. But he had heard the stories. He could sense the power in him and was afraid. The king gave his crown to the mage, who killed him slowly anyway. Just because he could. The mage used the resources of the kingdom to gain knowledge and wealth at the expense of his new subjects. He forced his people to give him anything he wanted. He took wives and daughters that caught his eye, and killed any who displeased him.”

  “The mage grew fat in his greed. His desire for power led him to invade other countries and begin his bloody rule over an empire. It was not too long before unconquered kingdoms paid court to him, bringing gifts and offers of marriage. He styled himself the emperor and was well on his way to creating a world of darkness, fulfilling his every whim and desire.”

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  She paused and looked at me down her nose, and I felt the horror and fear of what she told me. She continued, “His greedy nature led to his downfall. It is unknown who did it, but someone poisoned several gifts of wine. The mage-emperor delighted in the vintages and consumed many with his women and favored sycophants during a night of feasting and debauchery. All died horribly. Assassins killed every child he fathered. It was a horrible end to a horrible time. The people learned yet again to fear mages.”

  “This was not the first, or the last, time a mage became hungry for power. The reason that mages always go mad is a mystery. Whether it is the type of person who chooses to be a mage or something with the magic itself, I do not know. Perhaps there is a serpent or a demon that comes to corrupt each mage. Perhaps not.”

  She was silent for a long time. When she spoke again, it was no longer as dramatic a voice. “There you go, young Finn the Mage. A cautionary tale which may make more sense later, but you should know now that you walk a dangerous path. It’s been a generation since a mage has walked the world. You are the first to choose it without knowing what it was. At least, the first that I know of.”

  She smiled warmly at me. “Well, Finn. A favor you owe me, but not tonight. Go back to the fire. Soon, the minstrels will pull out their instruments, and you don’t want to miss that!”

  I stood up and looked again at the storyteller. “Thank you.... Uh, Ma’am? I never caught your name.”

  She chuckled and ruffled my hair. “Usually when young men ask me my name, they have to pay for it with a favor. But I like you. I am called Missana the Storyteller. You may call me Missana. Now go, before I require more of you!” she pushed me playfully, and I went back to my seat to wait for the girl with the sunlit curls.

  ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

  When Arilyn returned, she sat down and looked at me strangely. “Did you talk with the leader of our troupe? You seem... off”

  I smiled at her return. “Yes! She told me a story, of all things.” I frowned, thinking about it. “It was more of the dark and dreary type of tale.” I brightened up when she gave a short laugh.

  “She does that sometimes. Her stories are good. Sometimes there is a deeper message. But let us not talk of such things. I want to hear more about your world!” She leaned forward, and I noticed she was wearing a different outfit, one with a lower cut bodice. If that is what took her so long, I was okay with the time waiting. I may have blushed when I looked, and she giggled pleasantly, putting her hand on my leg.

  “Tell me, Finn, what other things do you do for fun in your world? When you are not in classes or taking care of your little brother?”

  “I... I used to go hunting with my dad. Sometimes, I played basketball with my friends. Um, actually, I don’t really do much for fun. Not since my dad passed away.” I suddenly didn’t feel like talking and looked away, my eyes welling up.

  I felt a hand on my face. “Oh, Finn. I’m so sorry,” Arilyn said softly. She turned my face and kissed me. It shocked me out of the dark place I was going to. I closed my eyes, kissing her back. My heart hammered against my chest, and the world was bright and wonderful.

  Whistles and catcalls broke through, almost ruining the moment. I could feel the blood heat my face as we broke our kiss. Arilyn yelled back, “you’re all gits!” They laughed and returned to their conversations. Arilyn sat on my lap pointedly, bringing all of my attention back to her. Not before I noticed Harper looking at me with a knowing smile and a raised eyebrow.

  “Where were we?” she asked. Her smile brightened my evening, and I wanted to make her smile as often as possible. She brought her hands up to my face, cupping it before kissing me again. My mind stopped working for a time.

  She pulled away and looked into my eyes, searching them for any sign of sadness. “Much better. Now you can tell me more about your world. Like, what are your libraries like? Tell me everything.”

  “Libraries? Like the school library?”

  Her eyes widened. “Your school had a library? How many books?”

  “Hundreds of thousands. More if you count what they had online. Plus papers, dissertations, magazines....”

  “What is online?” she asked, her eyes still wide.

  “Oh. That’s kind of hard to explain. So, basically, they have a network of computers in the library that connect to the internet. Through the internet, that library connects to other libraries, allowing access to even more books that aren’t available there. Um, computers are complex machines that are used for typing things up, communication, information sharing, disinformation sharing, and other things, via the internet. The internet is where computers interact with each other. I don’t know what things in this world compare.”

  “I wish I could see this internet. And computers. And your libraries.” She replied. She sounded in awe, like it was better than all the magic in this world. Arilyn grabbed my hands and held them tight. “If you could only take me to your world and show me these things. Would you, if you could?”

  “I would love to show you all of it. Then I’d take you to dinner and a movie. I know it’s cliché... I don’t know how long it will take to get back there. But if you come to my world, I will happily show you everything!”

  She smiled again and kissed me. Some of the troop had pulled out instruments and began to play. She turned in my lap, leaning against me. They played, and a woman stood singing a song of two lovers separated by the sea for lack of a boat. The verses were full of the shenanigans of the two as they tried to build or find boats until the man found a sea creature to drag him across the sea. He reached the other side to find her gone, having found a sea creature to carry her across. It was absurdly funny, and the musical accompaniment played it up.

  Another singer stood up and sang a hauntingly sad and beautiful ballad about the fall of Nalloth. I saw Juan’s face darken as he listened, and tears made silent trails down his face. Yet he clapped as loudly as everyone else at the end. I got the feeling these people knew who he was, and they did not mock him with this.

  Arilyn snuggled into my embrace as I put my arms around her. We listened to more stories and songs as the night grew late. I wished the night would never end, as I felt better than I had in a long time. Memories of that night would keep me warm and strong through many of the cold and dark times ahead. The memory of her in my arms, and her kisses, would warm me still further as I missed her.

  Finally, Missana stood up and clapped her hands together twice. “Alright Jak, that’s enough of that story. We all need to be up in the morning and on the road before the sun is fully over the horizon. Our guests need their sleep too! So put away your instruments and pick up the trash. Then off to bed before I have you all reciting the March of the Gods with all the retainers and their stories!”

  Arilyn squeaked and hopped off my lap, quickly helping to pick up the camp. I had the feeling that Missana’s threat was not an idle one. I got up and started helping Arilyn, but she quickly stopped me.

  “No Finn, this is our duty, not yours. Please. Just go get your sleep roll.” She said. A wink accompanied the last, and I grinned as I went to get it off GB.

  Harper and Juan were already at the horses, having pulled off the saddles and brushed them down. Our saddles, saddlebags, and bedrolls were neatly stacked out of the way. Harper looked up and grinned at me, and there was mischief in that smile.

  “I see you made a friend, New Guy. You going to run away and join the circus?”

  Juan sighed at her badgering. “Seriously, Finn. Please tell me you’ve kept your mouth shut with her.”

  “Juan, please!” I replied dramatically, “I’ve just told her of home. She was fascinated by what I had to tell her about many things, including libraries. Are libraries not normal here?”

  “Common enough, just in the big cities, though. But the literacy rates here are pretty high, so that may change over the next decade. Depending on how things go in the west. But good. I was afraid with the way she was looking at you, and the way you were looking at her, that your tongue would have been more loose.”

  Harper snorted out a laugh. “It looked like she was loosening it up alright!”

  “Harper! Behave yourself. He’s not the only one here who has sought to deal with this place by losing themselves in the arms of another.” The moon and the firelight were just bright enough for me to see her face become a darker shade of purple.

  “Never so openly,” she muttered, embarrassed. She, like me, had been drinking. Juan, on the other hand, either had been drinking lightly or had the liver of a god because of that terrible moonshine he liked.

  Juan’s eyes shone with amusement. “I am going to thank the troupe leader for her hospitality and then I’m going to bed. I suggest the two of you do the same. Don’t stay up too late talking or... whatever.”

  Surprisingly, that was not just aimed at me. Harper muttered something else and grabbed her sleeping roll, stalking off toward the far side of the fire. I grabbed mine as well, and went to find a spot not too far from the fire, but far enough from the other people that if Arilyn joined me, we’d have some privacy.

  After finding a decent spot, I rolled out the primitive sleeping bag and, not seeing her, lied down. I was beginning to fall asleep when I heard a sleeping roll being laid out right next to mine and felt her snuggle up to me. “Arilyn,” I whispered.

  “Shhhh. We don’t have the privacy I would like,” she replied. She kissed me then, more fully than I had ever been kissed. Breathing had been optional for a moment or an eternity. I held her tight until we both fell asleep.