Kyle rides straight to the police station, but in the confusion is forced to park several blocks away and walk through town. As he approaches the station entrance, a uniformed officer is coming out. “Hey, Kyle you know it is illegal to carry that weapon in public. I could arrest you right now.”<br/><br/>“James, I think you had better go back and study your law again, cause this is not concealed in any way. It is only illegal for me to use it in any way other than self defense, which is kind of why I’m here now.”<br/><br/>“Oh, okay Kyle no need to get riled up. You’re probably right. Besides I don’t want to be the first to try and arrest you if you don’t feel like being arrested at the moment, especially if that blade is real. By the way, where did it come from and why are you soaking wet?”<br/><br/>“It’s kinda a long story, and I don’t want go through it more than I have to. If you would like to come in and take my report, then let’s do it, otherwise I’m going in and giving my report to somebody else.”<br/><br/>“I would love to come in, but I have been assigned to go help out at the school, what with the Prom and the power outage and all. I guess I’ll have to catch you later and read about it along with everybody else.”<br/><br/>Without another word Kyle continues into the station and the officer James heads out to his waiting squad car. Without any hesitation Kyle strides past the older uniformed woman at the front counter and back to a desk where a detective is setting in the dim light of the emergency lighting staring at his blank computer monitor. The detective looks up gives at start of surprise and asks, “Nice sword, where did you get it? Why are you wearing it? And why are you dripping on the floor here?”<br/><br/>“If you are ready to take my statement I will answer all those questions and all the others I’m sure you will come up with, but if you are not ready, then I will wait until you or somebody else is.”<br/><br/>The detective looks at Kyle with a strange expression on his face and waits a short time before saying, “Normally we try to record the whole thing somehow, but without the power I don’t see how we can do that. I wonder if somebody is going to start the generator.”<br/><br/>“Well I sure hope some body is going to start the generator, ‘cause I don’t think the power is going to be coming back on at all. We’re not on the damn grid any more.” No sooner had these words left his mouth then the fluorescent lights flicker and come back on. “Well somebody musta started the generator. Are you ready to take my statement now?”<br/><br/>After several minutes and some heated discussions, as nobody wants to believe anything of what Kyle is trying to convey to them, he stands up in a huff saying, “I can’t believe you people! I come in here carrying a sword. I tell I took it off some strange creature that attacked me. I tell you I killed three of those things, and you don’t even want to go have a look. It might be some people in stupid costumes, but the sword is real enough and they are still dead just about 5 miles out of town.” He turns and marches out of the police station with the sword still bouncing against his left hip.<br/><br/>“I have known Kyle Flanagin and his family for most of my life, and I know he can be a joker and has gotten into some trouble, but I have never known him to take a joke this far. Detective, get your partner and take 2 uniforms with you and go out there and check it out, now!” comes the gruff voice of the captain from his office doorway. The detective nearly jumps out of his chair in his rush to comply with the order.<br/><br/>MORE STRANGENESS<br/><br/>As Tiagar strides down the middle of the solid stone path along the yellow lines in the center, he begins to see more and more lights form up ahead. Light is now coming out of a number of oddly constructed buildings and their large number of glass windows. Even from the distance he is from town, he can tell that he has never seen this many glassed windows in one place before in his entire life, which has already spanned numerous human generations. Getting closer, he can see that all of the town that he can see is covered be the odd black stone paths. Getting even closer, he can see signs every where, but despite his being fluent and literate in many languages, he can read none of the signs they are completely alien to him.<br/><br/>Tiagar is amazed by the strange metal carriages on odd black wheels that seem to be almost as numerous as the buildings setting on the sides of the black paths or on stone slabs nearer to the buildings. His attention is so drawn to the strangeness of his surroundings that he is caught totally by surprise when one of the metal carriages just narrowly avoids hitting him from behind. There is a loud blaring sound followed but some unintelligible shout from the man inside the vehicle. He cannot see any means of propulsion, neither animal nor magic, but it has the stench of some horrible smelling chemical fire. Another of the carriages comes towards him from the front with its bright lights shining into his face before it and a second go passed at an unbelievable speed heading in the direction he has just come from. It does not take more than a couple more seconds for him to realize that these black paths are for the vehicles and the lighter colored stones paths along the sides here in the town must be for foot traffic and quickly gets over to one of those.<br/><br/>The buildings soon get closer together and even being connected to each other as Tiagar travels deeper into the heart of the this strange human settlement. The people are all dressed very peculiarly, as the town seems to be teeming with young adults out in very fancy dress, like those attending an official royal function. Although most royal courts would have not approved of all the bare flesh these young women seem to be showing, from short dresses showing a great deal of leg, sleeveless things showing bare shoulders and a great deal of cleavage. He does not seem to notice that they are just as awe struck by his appearances even if they cannot see his pointed ears under his long black wind swept hair.<br/><br/>Tiagar enters an area that seems to be the most heavily populated at this time by these young adults, when he spots a two wheeled thing that can only be the strange mount the sprite had spoken of. As he approaches the wheeled mount from one direction, he spots the flame haired man coming form the opposite direction and can not help but see the sword, his dead brother’s sword, at the man’s side. He can also see that the human is not in a good mood, and he thinks it is far more than just the fact the man is wearing wet clothing. They reach the mount on either side at the same instant.<br/><br/>Tiagar extends his right hand over the odd vehicle, in what he hopes is the proper human greeting of friendship or at least signifying that he is not an enemy saying in the common trade tongue that is the only language most humans bother to learn, “I am Tiagar Strytaimos, I do not wish to seem rude or overly forward, but that sword on your hip was stolen from my brothers grave. It is very powerful, but will only function properly for a very select few individuals, and can be very dangerous for the wrong person to hold. Dangerous not only to the wielder but to all those around him as well. Now if you will please give it to me so that I may return it to the tomb for safe keeping.”<br/><br/>A SHOCK<br/><br/>Kyle stares at the tall slim man with the long black hair carrying an archaic longbow, as he extends his hand over the top of Kyle’s bike. The man begins to speak in a language unlike anything he has ever heard before. In confusion, Kyle puts his hands on his hips, but the left hand absentmindedly lands on the pommel of the sword. A not unpleasant wave runs up his arm from the cold metal, and suddenly the stranger’s words are understandable. He hears, “… the tomb for safe keeping.” Looking at the stranger with a very puzzled look on his face Kyle responds in the only way he knows how. “I’m sorry but the only thing I understood of what you just said was that last part about the tomb. Could you please start over again a little more slowly this time, please.” He takes his hand of his hip and takes the offered hand in a firm handshake, while allowing his left hand to slip off the sword saying, “my name is Kyle Flanagin, what would your name be?”<br/><br/>Tiagar stares in shock as he hears the tall red haired human speak perfect fluent elvish until he takes his offered hand and the speech becomes complete gibberish. He looks down and sees that the hand that was just on the sword is no longer there. Realization dawns on him, the sword is doing something he did not know it could do, and it must be in the hands of one that can use it. Letting go of the hand he reaches across and takes hold of the left wrist of the big human and gently guides it back to the pommel. When the hand is once again in contact with the metal, Tiagar says, “Please forgive me this bit of rudeness but I believe that the only way we can effectively communicate with each other is if you remain in contact with the sword.” This time speaking in his native tongue, not the crude trade speech that humans through out the world have forced all the other races to learn.<br/><br/>Kyle starts with surprise, when the stranger leans across the bike and takes his left hand, placing it back on the pommel of the sword. The look of surprise and irritation changes to one of comprehension as he hears the eloquent words of the black haired man. He grips the hilt in his hand and says, “Holy shit! Then this IS an ENCHANTED blade. I don’t suppose you can tell me what the hell is going on here, can you?”<br/><br/>Kyle glances around and notices that he is parked directly across the street from the town's old fashioned ice cream parlor. His smile broadens as he sees that the ice cream shop's emergency generator, which the owner had installed several years before during an exceptionally hot summer with frequent power outages, was up and running. Being one of the few places in town with a generator, it is naturally quite busy. He turns back to the strange man the other side of his motorcycle and says, “Hey why don’t we go over to the shop there and talk over some ice cream? My treat, as I’m sure you don’t have anything the clerk will able to accept as currency yet. That is going to change in the not too distant future, I’m sure. Damn, I’m sorry where are my manners. Let’s try the introduction thing again. I’m Sergeant Kyle Flanagin of the United States Army, although I guess that doesn’t mean a whole hell of a lot anymore.” He takes his right hand placing it on his new companion’s left shoulder and urges him towards the ice cream parlor across the street.<br/><br/>Seeing the look of understanding go across the big man’s face, Tiagar smiles broadly and takes his hand away from the wrist standing back up straight. He is a little confused by what he hears, but understands the other man’s confusion. As the man takes his shoulder guiding him in certain direction, he allows himself to be guided and says, “It is an honor to make your acquaintance Sergeant Flanagin, I am Tiagar Strytaimos, you may simply call me Tiagar. I am afraid that I am just as confused about this as you are, or nearly so anyway. Yes, let us have some of this …” he pauses thinking about the strange words that are not elven. “… ICE CREAM. I am not familiar with that whatever it is, but I am not one to turn down offered hospitality when it is freely given.”<br/><br/>Kyle smiles in return to the bright smile on the archer’s face, walks towards the shop and says, “Please just call me Kyle. Ah you are in for quite a treat, ice cream is such a wonderful delight.” He leads Tiagar into the some what crowded ice cream parlor and up to the counter. He says to the rather unhappy looking teenage girl behind the counter, “Ah my poor girl, are you working to night because you were not going to the prom, or are you not at the prom 'cause you had to work tonight? And could my unusual friend here get a couple of sample tastes? He has never had ice cream before.”<br/><br/>The girl brightens up a little as he speaks to her, and even manages a shy smile when she looks into Kyle's green eyes. “It's all right, sir, I'm only a junior my prom will be next year. I'm just a little disappointed cause a couple of my friends got invited to go as somebody's date this year and I had already volunteered to work tonight when I got my invitation. Thank you for your consideration, you are very kind.” Her eyes open wide as she looks over at the man with the long bow in the strange clothing and the long black wavy hair. “Never had ice cream before. How on Earth can somebody grow to an adult around here and never have tasted ice cream before? What flavor would your friend like to try first?”<br/><br/>Kyle glances at his new companion and says, “I think we should start with the basics, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, … etc.” The girl smiles nods and scoops a spoonful of the vanilla into a plastic spoon and hands it across the counter. He takes the spoon from her and offers it to Tiagar saying, “this is the basic, it’s vanilla.”<br/><br/>Tiagar takes the offered spoon with a little trepidation as he did not understand a single word exchanged between Kyle and the young woman. He slowly brings the spoon to his mouth, and takes the frozen cream into his mouth. His eyes widen in surprise, which quickly changes to delight as he moves it around in his mouth and it melts and runs down his throat. When his mouth is empty, he smiles broadly and says, “Oh I see Ice and Cream a frozen cream thing. How did you do it and how do you keep it cold? I don’t sense the use of any magic here.”<br/><br/>Kyle laughs lightly and the laughter stays in his eyes as he says, “Yes it is a frozen cream. As to how it is done I’m not too sure, but keeping it cold is done with technology, machines. As far as I know there is no magic on my world, which I don’t think we are on anymore. Where you rely on magic, we rely on our technology, our machines. Let’s try some other flavors, vanilla is just the basic where most other flavors start.” After several minutes and several different flavors including chocolate, strawberry, fudge swirl, butter pecan, and raspberry swirl, Tiagar settles on the raspberry swirl and Kyle orders a bowl of peanut butter chocolate swirl for himself.<br/><br/>After paying for the two bowls of the frozen treat, Kyle looks for a table where they can set, eat and talk. The only table he sees that is not already occupied is a booth next to the big plate glass window facing the street. They work their way through the throng of mostly young people to the booth. Kyle has difficulty getting on to the bench with the blade on his hip. Tiagar suggests putting it across the back like he wears his, but Kyle points out that it would make it very uncomfortable to do that and maintain the direct contact with the pommel. In the end Kyle undoes the strap fastened around his waist and places the sword on the table where he can keep his hand on it easily and without looking threatening to everybody else in the room.<br/><br/>Shortly after setting and while enjoying the ice cream Kyle asks, “So, what can you tell me about this strange new world we have become a part of?”<br/><br/>Tiagar smiles and after swallowing the savored mouthful says, “There will be a lot to tell I think. I don’t even know where to begin. I am of course going to want to know as much as I can about this town and the world in which you have come from. Where to start? Where to start? Hmmm I guess maybe we should start with where we are. We are in the middle of the Arcane Forests which are part of the kingdom of Cerulean Depths under the rule of a king, this area in the lands of Lord Valerian.”<br/><br/>“Whooah! Hold on right there. Americans do not answer to a king, our nation threw off the rule of a monarch over 200 years ago. You will not get these people to bend over and accept the rule of a king now.”<br/>