Chapter 6

They had laughed about it a bit. Joked about the ironic ways of the universe. Also they spoke seriously, of how a good or ill action, can in turn produce good or ill effects. For instance, had Rei not been so inclined to share a bit of his meager wealth, he would not have survived the night, nor would he be eating biscuits and gravy in the morning.

At first the bum had been frightening, wearing ragged and battered clothes, but now he had become a dirty angel. Had become a ray of light in a dim and bad-smelling alleyway. What he had was Rei's, and his method of survival, he gladly shared with the befuddled bird.

Despite his kindness, Rei had rudely insisted on probing into what made this particular bum tick. Why was he poor, why was he homeless, and why didn't he try to pick himself up out of his gutter. Not that it was a fruitless attempt, for he had not immediately dismissed the topic. He told Rei, as they sat in that alley, that while it appeared that his body was left in the gutter, it was his mind that was stuck in a gutter far deeper then the ones he slept in.

Something had happened to him, it was a rather minor change at the time, but its repercussions completely altered his life. No longer loved, and depressingly poor, he quickly became an outcast and a pauper. Funds disappeared, and no one would look him in the eye. When the time came, he left, and found a place in the alleys to call home.

Living day to day was tough, and it quickly eroded the body and mind. Forced to deal with pity and charity as the only way to earn even a scrap of food in a vacant stomach. One was lucky to even be mal-nourished on the harsh, uncaring streets. Survival was the order of the day, of the week, of the year. Cold and hunger meant death, and death meant sleep forever, never more to live.

That's exactly what scared him the most, the fact that death was so inviting. Rei then asked if that was enough to give up hope, and the answer was no! Even if it meant deluding yourself to believe that things will get better, then so be it! Petty dreams are better than thoughtless sleep, but he didn’t want to continue on that train of thought. Instead he went about making sure that Rei was safe.

Slowly the day and resulting night had progressed. Rei never thought that life could feel so helpless. Living off of the crusts of others. Just barely getting by. Yet despite the downfalls of living that way for even a day, Rei felt enthralled and excited. His life was so boring, that even this was exciting! Of course, Rei would much rather sleep in a bed, and not a dumpster.

Except that living as a poor man meant that one had a skewed view of looking at life from the other side. Seeing just how green the grass really was. Standing-outside looking-in, and life suddenly takes on new meaning. Being the downcast and an outcast, made you see just how lucky you are, or had been.

The day had gone by fast, and the night slow. For night meant almost certain death if one isn't prepared. Rei was going to have trouble, for feathers don't keep the cold out quite as well as fur. Liquor, on the other hand, kept the heart warm, and a trash bin could be a temperate home. Beyond caring, Rei fell asleep on a pile of black plastic and old milk, while bitter-tasting drink surged through his body.

He woke up with a slight headache, and a sever sense of loneliness and hungriness. Dredging himself out of the bin, he landed in a clump on the alley. No chance of food, or so he had thought. For he had quite forgotten what had happened only a few days ago.

Rei looked over at the bum, and noticed that he was counting a large wad of money. Indeed, just a few days ago, that had been Rei's cash, but no longer. "Git going," the bum said to him, "I'm going to take you someplace real good to eat!"

And so they now sat at a booth, both sipping strong black coffee with just the slightest bit of creamer. Rei rarely went out to breakfast, and he had never gone to a place that had such outstanding character. Yes, character. Something that he had never really known, for everything he had ever seen or owned was empty and hollow.

Busy people were sparsely placed in the small diner, as Rei and his new friend sat in a secluded corner. They had, of course, been separated from the nicer smelling patrons. It didn't really bother them a bit; in fact it allowed them space to talk. They talked, of ideas, of dreams, of cabbages and kings. They spoke of philosophy, and they spoke of faith. Dabbling in conversations of art, and quoting famous quoters, as best they could. They made small talk, and they spoke of vast psuedo-meta-physical hypotheses.

It was rather boring and pointless dribble, but it was interaction that Rei had rarely ever experienced. Having grown up distant from others, cutting him off from so many.

"Where do you go from here?"

The question caught Rei off guard, he hadn't really been thinking about it. Surely this was a trick question, for if anyone would know, surely the bum would understand survival. Would know that when survival is at stake, then that is all that you can think of.

He shoved another biscuit into his gullet, and pondered aloud. "Where do I go from here?"

His companion smiled at him. "You said that you were at the bank when this all happened, but you didn't say why. Surely you wanted to do something other than blow it up."

Rei made a 'keep quiet' sign with his hands. "Honestly," he said, "I don't know what I was doing. I thought that if I got enough funds together, that I could flee the country. Guess I was just someone who was chasing a far off dream and went the wrong direction."

"Well, I hope that you haven't given up."

"Given what up?"

"Dreams. It's that and hope that keep the mortal spirit together. The glue for the other parts. Why if it wasn't for dreams, then I would be dead by now." He took a sip of his coffee, and continued, "Even far off dreams are good. It keeps you fighting, won't let you forget, that if you fight for something, sooner or later you will succeed."

Rei took another stab at his breakfast. "I suppose."

"Well don't you have dreams?"

After he sloppily chewed his last biscuit, and swallowed it. "Once," Rei replied half-heartedly. "It was a long time ago. Then all my dreams died, and I grew up. Dreams are for children, not for adults."

The bum shook his head. "Nah, nah. The only way to really live is to think like a child. Imagination is something that should be embraced, not thrown away. Dreams and aspirations are as important to adults, as they are natural to children. I know that you agree, because the crud you just told me sounded quite forced."

Rei folded his hands together. "Yeah, you're right, but dreams didn't get me anywhere. I won't get into it, but so far the fantastical has wounded me every chance it's gotten."

"Then you don't believe in magic?" As he said that, the bum reached over and pulled a dime from Rei's ears.

Rei feigned laugher. "Very funny, but cheap tricks are not magic."

"Pfft, says you," the bum replied disgruntled. "Then tell me, bird, what is magic?"

Drumming his fingers on the table, Rei thought about it. What was magic? Conjuring or hexes or chants? Perhaps it was something else, something completely different. What gave the dragon power to breathe fire? What makes brave princes love beautiful princesses? Magic, surely. "Magic is the fantastic, and maybe it's… Well don't count me sappy, but perhaps, love?"

The bum slapped the table. "Exactly," he said, "but not quite. For magic is that which can't be described by the five senses, its what can't be seen. Or maybe it is unseen, but its not understood."

Rei rolled his shoulders. "So its irrationality at it's best. It's a solution without a debate, that's what magic is?"

"Yes, it's fiction, it's stories, and it isn't science or rational thinking. Let the busybodies rationalize; let the scientist's ponder the meanings of the world in their limited perspectives. Meanwhile it is the children and the dreamers who shall inherit this world."

"A fool," Rei said in retrospection, "does not believe in the fantastic, and a fool knows nothing."

"Precisely! Now," he paused for a second before continuing, "where will you be going?"

The truth dawned on Rei, and he laughed. That silver stone he had! If Tero could use it to go to the North World, then why couldn't Rei? "The skies the limit, the stars are in reach," he exclaimed happily to the bum. "I know where I'm headed now. I've had a revelation! The truth shines the brightest for me!"

The gold bird began to slide out of the booth. He shook the bum's hand. "Word's will never be able to express my gratitude to you," he said to the bum. "I pray you stay safe, and that whatever you do now, that one day you shall harvest gold."

Standing up Rei reached for his bag. "I am leaving soon, would you want to come with me?" he asked the homeless man. "You could have a true adventure!"

The bum waved his hand at Rei. "I decline, while I may still dream, my heart is weak, and just can't take a fantasy come real, but, pray tell, where are you going? You're heart sounds set on a destination."

Smiling Rei reached into the bag, and slid his hand along the smooth silver surface. "I am going to another world. I am leaving today, right here, right now! I don't remember the name too clearly, but I think I heard it called the North World.

"It is a world not like this one. There magic is real, and science is fantasy. Dragon's at one point ruled the lands, and dead kings lust to continue their legacy in the bodies of others. Now I shall tell you, and everyone else in this diner, just how I plan to get there."

Taking out the stunning silver orb, Rei held it above his head, and asked for everyone's attention. "Listen to me, you people, here is my key to the gate of dreams. I stand before you, ticket in hand, to leave this dull existence, and start life anew."

He was pretty sure that they wouldn't care for anything that he said, and in fact they began to grumble and swear at him. Many began telling him to sit down, and shut it. Yet others were captivated, their attentions stolen, by the beauty of the treasure he held in his hands. At this point Rei would normally begin to panic, feeling frightened by the eyes that rested on him, but he knew, that the people needed this. He could see it in their eyes.

"You are just like me, all of you in this room. Stuck in a menial job, chained by meaningless habitual patterns. I tell you, open your eyes, think like children, and let your dreams fill your wings. Soar like the Angels in the heavens, swim in the oceans, climb the highest mountains." Rei felt excitement for the first time in a long while. It burst forth from him as he spoke.

"Repetition has left you barren, commerce and consumerism has left you thoughtless. You do so much, only to repeat it day after day, and all the while are digging yourself a rut! That has made you pointless. Now I ask you, would anyone in this room, sever ties and cut your losses, and follow me into the great unknown." He was summing up his life, but he knew that what he said was true for each and everyone of them.

All he got were half-hearted sighs, for none of them wished to leave their lives. "Do you feel that you have something to lose, that the precious things in your life are just too precious? Look at the homeless, some of them are happier than you! It is because they have nothing, and are happy because of it. If you have nothing to worry about, to be sick and sad about, then it's hardly a challenge to put a smile on your face.

"Fine then, if you get anything out of my words, let it be fear! Fear that when skeleton hands choke the life from you, that there shall be no one who cared as much for your stuff as you did! Then all your possessions shall become dust, and they shall shovel that dust atop your grave!"

Suddenly the room flashed blue, as that bit of magic, the Eclipse Stone he held, flared up with a vibrant hue. It began to beat a tune of adventure, and the people grew frightened. Rei was not frightened, for he knew what was happening. "Do not be afraid," he shouted to them, "for while this cursed thing has only brought me bane, it has lead me down this path! It is fate's unalterable trail I must walk!"

As he said those words the silver orb struck up a quicker tempo. "Take me!" Rei cried. "Take me to a remote land of splendor, and take me steadfast away from the decay of this world, oh, cut me free from this world! A fool no longer, lest I rot here!"

"I go with the grace of life, and I leave you only these words. Farewell all, for now I travel to that far-off ideal, to those distant lands, and most of all to adventure!"

The lights in the room became unnervingly bright, but in a sudden flash the room was awash in darkness. They figured that a fuse had blown. Their assumption was correct, but when lights were turned back on, all they found as evidence of that preacher of change, was a handful of gold feathers, and a bowling ball bag.

…

Standing on nothingness, he cautiously opened his eyes, to see the brave new world he was in. Really there wasn't anything there. There was a whole lot of light, and some faint music was heard in the distance. No objects and no people and no ground. The only thing he thought he could distinguish, was a faint melody somewhere very far away.

Carefully he shifted his weight from one foot to another, testing the firmness of the ground beneath him. Or was he testing the firmness of nothingness? He began to walk, just a few steps at a time. Content, he then began to stroll across the seemingly never-ending expanse of nothing.

Then he smiled, thinking back to his grandiose speech to the people in the diner. That was something! He had never done anything like that before. Next time he got a chance, he would try that again. He hardly even thought of how it might have not affected them, for surely his words were merely brushed off.

His heart felt merry, sure there wasn't any water or sand, or drinks or tropical girls, but hey, this certainly was different! Maybe a bit droll so far for adventure, but it seemed a good start. Perhaps this was something of a passage to the adventure.

Then he thought of something, and realized that it was ridiculous to not speak one's thoughts aloud. Who was there to debauch your ideas? Who was around to frustrate your musings?

"Wonder how far from home I am?"

Hardly expecting an answer, he got one from the thin air. "Oh, very far."

No malice or malevolence in the voice, nor kindness or sympathy. There was only a wry bit of humor somewhere the voice, as if Rei was comical to the speaker. The voice continued. "You are so far away, that if you reached out your hand, you might brush the face of a star."

Rei looked around for the speaker, but saw no one. "So that's all I'll get, metaphors? Where am I?"

"The place where stars are born, where destinies are written. Beyond the furthest point that mortal's can see with their eyes. You are past the senses, you are among the fantastical, and you might rub shoulders with the Angels themselves. Far in the distance, can you hear the choirs?"

Rei put his hands on his hips and laughed. "So this is the beyond? Just a place of similes and phrases."

"Please," the voice said in a soothing voice, "calm yourself and be humble."

He shrugged. "Sorry, but, can you explain everything? Here I am beside an Angel, or such, I probably don't know anything really. Well, considering that I'm just a mortal being, eh?"

When the voice continued, there was an air of command in it. "You are a bird, cut from the cloth of animal. Yes, you are mortal, your body and mind shall corrode, and your essence, your soul, shall live on. That is when you will truly understand, when you will see that everything you ever learned was only a mask. The beauty is beneath the mask, when your mind is opened, and you can receive truest beauty. It is a challenge for me to compress it even that much, why if you were one like me, I could tell you so much more, but my language is like living gems and gold in the center of the world. It is incomprehensible to you."

"So this place and the world I just left, are both mere illusions. Set up to hide the beauty that lies beneath. I don't mean to be cynical, but that doesn't make any sense to me. Why do that?"

"Because it forces you to fight for what you want. Without conflict both body and soul will become stagnant, and will no longer grow. The fight is hard, because when you finally attain what you fought for then you shall be fully prepared for the responsibilities. Do you understand now little one?"

Rei scratched his head and smiled. "Not quite, but I'm beginning to."

"Good, good. Now, please, continue the adventure you so desire. Surely you have guessed that this was merely the doorway to adventure. Next you must pass a test, it is a simple test, but if you fail, you will be destroyed."

So Rei continued walking. And he walked, and walked. He didn't grow tired, and he didn't become hungry. Even if he had been tired, there was no place to rest. And if he had been hungry, there was nothing to eat. Perhaps that was the point; this was a test to show him only the things he needed.

After walking for a little while, he began to hear a scribbling sound. It sounded like a scratchy pen put forth onto paper. In the distance Rei could see a figure, hunched over an iron table, and writing away furiously. Every now and then the figure would dip his quill into an ink well, and then continue to write. Rei could also see that next to him was a large forging hammer, and an anvil. Next to that pile was a full suit of armor, haphazardly strewn across the ground. The armor appeared to be finely polished iron, and looked suited to a king.

From a speck in the distance, Rei was soon able to make out more features. The armor appeared to belong to a king, but the writer at the desk looked like a vagrant. His head was covered with matted fur, ink had stained his paws, and what looked like sackcloth was wrapped around him. He appeared to be a wolf, but that was questionable. He ignored Rei, as he muttered to himself, and continued to make furious markings on paper.

As Rei approached him, he noticed that there was something very queer about the lonesome wolf. While he did in fact have the elements of writing, which is a mind, a pen, and paper. His inkwell was clearly dry, for every time he dipped his pen into the inkwell, it came up lacking ink. Rei was about to point this out, when the wolf suddenly stopped him.

The wolf held out his left hand, and despite his shabby appearance he had a kingly air about him. "Shoo, go away," he said to Rei. "Can't you see that I am deep in work? I am writing the greatest document that shall ever be written!"

Rei forced some contrived amazement, and patiently waited. Thinking about it, he was pleasantly surprised at how quickly time passes when there really is no time at all. Finally the wolf forced his hand to stop it's mad scribbling, and with an angry motion he set the pen down. Then he blew a bit on the pages to dry it, and with great strength, he closed the great annals.

With a great expelling of air, the wolf began to speak to Rei directly. "Hello wayward traveler, what brings you to this place?"

"Just passing through, that's all."

Dropping his ears, and sagging in his seat the wolf sighed. "I see, so you did not come to read of, or hear of, my book."

Rei looked at the book. "That is quite a book. It's got a nice cover."

The wolf's ears perked up alerted to the sounds of a compliment. "Well, of course it is, I made it myself."

So Rei continued to ham it up with the wolf. "Very nice, very well done. And the pages look crisp and well cut. Are they trimmed with gold?"

"Yes, don't find quality craftsmanship like this nowadays, everyone's in such a darned rush every where. They keep their heads down, and they rush to and fro, but pray tell, don't you want to know what's inside the book? I believe there was a maxim that stated the importance of such a thing."

With the best intentions Rei shrugged. "Well then, tell me about it. It sounds awfully interesting."

The wolf took the book up, and grasped it to his chest with his left arm, and raised his right fist in the air. "This is the most, yes, the most important book ever! Never in all the cosmos has one such as this been written. It is the tale of my life! Indeed, this is my life!"

"Oh, an autobiography?" Rei said with the intent that he was actually interested. "Did you lead an important life?"

Again he slumped in his chair. "Well, it is about me. It is about when I was a blacksmith," he pointed at the hammer and anvil, then to the armor, "and then a king, but I made some mistakes. I foolishly wasted my life much too quickly." Then he perked up again, "But you see, I found a way to change all of that, and this is the book that I'll do so with!"

Rei's curiosity had peaked long ago, but he got the wolf to continue to speak. "I'm sorry, could you explain the significance of that book to me?"

"Surely, for you see this ink here? Well, let me tell you a secret, " the wolf leaned close to Rei's ear, "This ink, can change the tale of your life! Don't you understand? I've rewritten the passages of my own existence! Every decision of my days that someone else decided, I have gone back and decided it for them, so that my own life could increase!"

"But that inkwell looks a bit dry, doesn't it?"

The wolf stared aghast at Rei. "Come here to mock me did you! How dare you mock the King Nacon, the blacksmith who forged the Eclipse Sword and the Eclipse Stone!"

This news caught Rei off guard, was he talking about the same Sword and Stone that Rei had run into before? Rei took the Eclipse Stone from out of his coat pocket, and showed it to Nacon, "You mean, this?"

Nacon smiled, he straightened up, and looked as regal as possible. "Yes," he said with great pride, "that is my handiwork. Furthermore, who do you think sent that lizard to protect you? That was me!"

It made sense to Rei. Only a crazed wolf like this would send an insane lizard like the one he met. "How?"

Nacon waved his hand. "Let me start at the beginning. When I was young I was a blacksmith, and I dreamed to make works of art. I wanted to make a work of metal that would captivate all, and I did that. The shadow creatures known as the Enlightened, gave me silver to work with." Nacon's shoulders dropped, "I should have known better, for silver had been outlawed by the Creator. I willfully disobeyed him, and while the Enlightened were promised my soul, I was instead trapped within that sword."

Rei shook his head. "Now you want to change all of that. Even if you really had been able to put ink to the page, what you lived through was the truth, but whatever else is only your imagination."

"No! You don't understand! You too wish you could change your own misbegotten life! That's why you have that stone!"

He knew what was going on, this was a test after all. "Hardly. I don't want to be someone like you. Looks like I passed the test, though honestly this felt more like a lesson."

"Argh, just be gone with you, I still need to finish my masterpiece! Go away, you infidel!" So the wolf went back to his work, scribbling away with invisible ink, trying to edit the pages of his life.

Rei walked away. When he was out of the deranged creatures eyesight, he spoke to the air. "That wasn't so hard, was that honestly a test?"

"Living, little creature is the true challenge."

"Then what was the point, I'm lost again."

"That was a lesson, and there are some things you just don't need to know at the moment. Just something to prepare you for challenges ahead. Pretend it is a weapon that I have given you. Now, are you ready?"

Rei checked everything on him, and then realized that the Eclipse Stone was still with him. Pulling it out of his pocket, he noticed it didn't look as good as it once did. The Stone was rusted over, and no longer silver, but iron. There was no longer an eclipse on it either. It was now just a hollow metal ball. "I suppose I'm ready, but why doesn't the Eclipse Stone shine? Is it just because of the place we are in?"

"Yes, for that is a beauty of the world, and it's lustrous shine ceases, when it's mask is taken away. Now, come, take a step forward with your eyes closed. Then you shall be in the North World."

"Go with God," Rei muttered to himself. Then he closed his eyes, and took a step into the unknown.

…

The North World was in chaos. Its lands had been at war since the first creature dared to wear a crown upon his head. Yet for a millennium half the world had seen a semblance of peace and prosperity, and it owed it's thanks to one ruler, the Emperor. Time meant nothing to the Emperor, and his people loved him very much.

Far away from where Rei would appear on the North World, across white, shimmering deserts, majestic mountains, and emerald forests, there is a castle in a shining city. Below that castle a crowd is gathered, and in that castle the Emperor prepares to meet his people.

It was taking a little longer then expected, but the people could stand to wait. In fact, at that moment, the Emperor, a giant crimson bird, was being groomed for his speech by a scrawny red fox. A brush gently combed over his glossy red feathers, adjusting them so that they would be just right. "To invoke a great sensation amongst the people, you need two things. The people, and the inspiration, and since I am the inspiration, I must look absolutely inspiring."

"Certainly, milord." The barber was a dull person, straight from birth. Not even this opportunity, that of priming the great Emperor of all the land, was enough to lift his spirits.

With a mirror in hand and one in front of himself, the Emperor shrewdly observed himself. No sculptor who ever lived, had a more perfect vision for his carving, then the Emperor had of himself. "This here," he pointed to a few feathers sticking up on his left wing.

The barber sighed. It had already taken him two hours to reach this point. Usually a tiresome customer was thrown out, but this customer could have the barber beheaded if the barber got tiresome. "That should do it. Is there anything else, Emperor…Emperor…" Quite suddenly a funny thought had struck him.

The gears in the barber's head had begun to turn. Didn't he have a name? That was all he had ever been called before, just, the Emperor. Only that title, there was no family name for the history books and Empire Founder's day banners. Wasn't there even a first name for his buddies, and what was a barber anyway?

"It looks good," the Emperor said as he admired himself. Then he saw the barber's perplexed look. " Is there a problem?"

The barber felt a large knot in his throat, as he tried to speak. "Well, sire, it's just that I was thinking… do you have… that is… a name?"

The barber could see the face in the mirror, as a cockeyed gaze was given to him. "You do a good job," the Emperor said. "You were trained as a barber, and that's what you do. My obligations to you end when they hit the floor, and you collect them in a dustpan, and throw them in the garbage. To me, you are only a barber. For me, you do not need a name."

Tension mounted inside of him. "I see," he squeaked out. Now he feared for his life if he had offended the Emperor.

Yet the Emperor didn't seem to mind. "Now, barber, your job is finished, and you may leave," the Emperor said, and the barber breathed a sigh of relief.

In a few minutes he had gathered up his things, and was headed out the door. He had been thinking of what to say before he closed the door and had second-guessed himself several times. He decided to ask, even though it was a stupid thing to do. "Sire?"

"You will be paid, don't worry."

"Dean Holchak." Then the door closed, and the Emperor could hear the barber scurrying down the hall in a hurry.

The Emperor thought about those two words. Indeed they had been a first, and a last name! Impudence like that should be rewarded with a public execution, but even he realized the fealty in those actions. An ant knows things that a lion may not, and indeed, the Emperor had no idea what his own name really was.

He felt a bit like doing something other than speaking at that moment, feeling a bit down as he did all of a sudden. Then he brightened up. An eerie feeling had run down his spine. There was no way he could really be sure, but hopefully what he had felt was a split in the cosmic fabric. He hoped beyond hope that what he had just felt was not just the Eclipse Stone and a couple ghosts, but a dragon and the Eclipse Sword as well!

Now if only he had his memory so that he knew what that meant!

…

The trip to limbo, or wherever Rei had been, had been instant and easy, but the trip out of the beyond had been painful, to say the least. It had been like being ripped apart, and put back together again. He tried walking on the solid ground to wear off the wobbly feeling.

Searing heat blasted his skin, and a glaring sun beat down upon him. Opening his eyes, they were burned with bright light. After a little bit, the light became less opaque and striking, and the air began to cool down. Soon his skin was greeted with a gentle, steady wind.

Struggling to look around, he saw the Eclipse Stone shining brightly in the sun. Almost a bit too bright, and a bit like a signal, one that he hoped no one had seen. Rei scooped it up, and hid it in his shirt.

Still a bit woozy, he began to walk away from the scene. It took him a bit, but after a short while he was able to catch his bearings. Huge pristine mountains stood behind the horizon line of trees and grass. All around him was grass and rocks. In fact, now that he had settled down he was beginning to note the beauty of the place.

It was like something out of a storybook, the hills and the land were so serene. Flowers dotted the green grass, and a song seemed to waver on the very air. "It sure is nice here, wonder where everyone lives. Well, I hope someone does live here. That'd be like a Garden of Eden and no Eve."

Really he shouldn't think any sort of negative thoughts, for he really was there! He was in a fantasyland. Would a griffon soar overhead at any moment, or was there a prince fighting a wizard in some far off land? And most importantly, Rei thought of how he might fit into it all. Could he be a prince, a traveling warrior, or just a prop? A piece of background, lost in the rest of the play.

Might there be a war where he could be the hero? He could fight heroically and then become king! Or perhaps he might run into a dragon to slay, or maybe a perilous band of thieves and bandits.

Far off the glimmer of silver had caught someone's attention. More importantly it had caught a brigand's attention. Not quite a bandit, and not quite a thief, but he knew precious metal when he saw it.

There was one time though. He confided to his closest thief why he kept Rasa around. "I fear the little runt. Look him in the eye when you mock him, and you'll see the same thing. I see it all, fire, death, and blood. Just below his retinas is the most horrid pain and agony. It almost seems cultivated, that he's holding it all in, and some day it will just explode from him. I swear that lizard is hiding a dragon inside of him."

Harmar himself believed in foolish dreams. A desert coyote born into abject poverty, he had somehow deluded himself that he was indeed nobility. He carried himself with dignity, and had moved the thieves from the desert, to the more inviting green hills up north. Harmar had done other things to advance his group, and doing those things secured his role as leader. No one went against his word, not even when he suggested keeping around a scrawny know-nothing like Rasa.

Circling his mount towards his Com, Rasa galloped quickly to Harmar, who sat in between a few of his closest thieves. While Rasa didn't want the others to hear what he said, he knew he had to risk it. "Com Harmar, I just saw something out yonder."

"Did you now," Harmar replied between bulging cheeks, " then for your sake I hope it really is something. I would hate to get everyone's hopes up, again." After he finished saying this, he spat a wad of tobacco into the grass.

"Really, this time I swear I saw something." Rasa anxiously squirmed on his saddle, hoping that no one else had seen his treasure.

Putting his head on his hand, Harmar looked up at Rasa. "Well go then, I'll gather the rest of the thieves to follow you, just don't get hurt."

Giving Harmar the thieves' salute, Rasa turned and galloped off. Quietly and secretly he said to himself, "I'm gonna be rich, and ditch this lousy gig!"

Kneeling down, Rei cupped his hands, and graciously splashed his face with cool water. Fresh! The freshest water he had never tasted. Words of praise came to his trachea, for sweeter water he had never known of before.

Spinning about, Rei looked off into the horizon, and saw an approaching black spot on the sea of green. Someone was coming, and quickly too. A slim chance was that someone was coming out to greet him. Perhaps he was a bird of prophecy. Yeah, that sounded good!

Rei watched, as the figure came closer and closer. He could see that it was a dark-scaled lizard on a large yellowish-green animal. Well, at least there were animals on this world. That meant that he wouldn’t run into some deranged, crazy-looking ape-creatures or what not.

The thing the lizard rode on, was absolutely out of a different world. Then again, he was, after all, in a different world. The mounted beast was snake like, but at the same time more like an elephant. With fat, trunk-like, round legs, and eyes set low on its long skull, as a very pachyderm-like tail swished behind it. The thing was obviously strong, as it carried quite a few bags and other equipment, as well as a rider.

A bit of laughter came out, as Rei realized how ridiculously short the lizard rider was. As soon as the beast and rider came to a dust throwing halt. "Greetings."

For a brief moment Rasa was surprised at both the kindness of the strange bird and the brightness of his plume. "Feh to your greeting," Rasa angrily said to him. "If you value your life, you'll hand over all of your possessions to me, on the double!"

Rei was aghast. "Where I'm from strangers don't just order strangers around like that!"

"Well you're not where you're from are you?" Rasa mocked.

"Still, I'm not going to give you my things, fat lot of good it'd do a pushy lizard like you anyway."

Rasa spurned his steed on, and kicked Rei in the head. The gold bird fell backwards, sprawled out on the ground. That certainly was shocking, definitely about as shocking as being kicked in the head. It was a laughable threat though, and Rei soon stood up.

"Ow, that hurt! What were you thinking? Was that a threat?"

"What else would it be? Now hand over your possessions, before I have to threaten you some more!"

Rei started to laugh, but that only made Rasa angry. "Are you blind, bird? You forget which one of us has a weapon! And if your honestly going to mock someone, at least I bathed today and don't smell like sun-baked fertilizer!"

"Ooh, now that was a threat and a half." Though the lizard did have a point, Rei had just slept in garbage the night before. Rei was still a bit put off by the insult, so he began to taunt the lizard. "Why don't you get down here and put up your dukes, ya midget of a reptile!" Then Rei started boxing at the air, as he danced around Rasa and his steed.

With calloused angry eyes, Rasa watched Rei mock him. He let Rei get near to his right hand, and before an eye could blink, Rasa took out his sword, and hit Rei on top of the head with the hilt. With that, Rei dropped to the ground.

Rasa then proceeded to rough the unconscious bird up, and soon he found the Eclipse Stone. At first sight he knew that this was a treasure beyond treasures, and it was all his! He was just about to leave, when the rest of the thieves showed up. All of the thieves who saw the stone, even Com Harmar himself, were simply overcome with the beauty of it.

Something happened of all that, but Rei had no idea what. Oddly it wasn't those green fields where he was found either, but rather the clean streets of a town a few miles away called Nogrias. But all of that will be explained soon enough.

At the moment when Rei finally did return from dreamland and wake up, he first cautiously opened one eyelid, and then the other. He then believed that he was looking straight into the eyes of an Angel. For eyes like the ones he saw, must surely have been a gift from heaven.