On my knees, the sun beamed down while people milled past me. Noise, footsteps, and snatches of speech filled the air, carrying a sense of purpose. The smell of meat hung heavy, tearing into me and making my stomach growl loud enough to draw stares. I leaned forward with my palms out, a humble smile plastered on my face, hoping the passersby might spare me some change.

  A couple of silver pieces dropped into my hand, and a wave of appreciation filled me. I slipped them into the stone cup at my side, grateful I would be eating later. Because for the past few days, I hadn’t eaten anything, all because my limbs were too weak to go to the mines to work.

  Maybe tomorrow would be different, and tonight’s meal would give me enough strength to do an honest day’s work. With the right nourishment, I could swing the pickaxe against the hard stone and make some gold. Then I could start the process of getting back on my feet and finding a place to rest my head instead of sleeping in filthy alleyways at night, shivering against the cold desert breeze that crept through the city.

  Who was I kidding? The accident still plagued me, making it difficult to hold anything for longer than an hour. I should just focus on the immediate and leave the dreaming to those who can afford it.

  For now, I would sit here and daydream about what it would feel like to chew down on some genuine meat.

  As I sat there thinking about what I might eat for dinner, something boiled beneath the surface of my mind, a remembrance of a name, a purpose, and a duty.

  Someone sent to do something of importance. A leader on a mission. Maybe a messenger or even a fighter.

  With the foggy conditions leaving my mind in a daze, I reached into the cup and bit one of the silver pieces. What I discovered nearly broke me.

  Not only did it bend easily between my teeth, but the taste of cheap metal spread across my tongue, making me gag before spitting it onto the ground in disgust.

  What did I expect?

  Sympathy from everyone who passed by?

  I sighed and tossed it away, throwing it as far as my sore arm would allow.

  The bent metal struck a passerby, who snapped at me to get a job. I chuckled, muttered an apology, and prayed he wouldn’t turn around and beat the life out of my poor, out-of-work body.

  As I steadied myself, the fog that had left my mind in a daze returned with sudden, brutal force.

  Glimpses surged through me.

  A gigantic sword.

  An old man.

  And the prettiest woman I had ever known, kissing my cheek and smiling a smile that would drive any man insane.

  Each image hit hard, flooding my thoughts with a clarity so sharp it made me suck in a breath.

  My name. My purpose. The mission I was given. All of it flooded my brain in an instant.

  My name is Lamont. I’ve come from five hundred years in the future. My purpose is to defeat Linuux, and my mission is to reach the king and warn him that the dragon is on his way.

  I looked down at myself and saw the same markings Nefa had etched into my skin, cryptic symbols and designs like spiderwebs pinning me in place. My only clothing was a filthy rag tied around my waist, reeking with age.

  The pangs of hunger were almost crippling, and the injury the man suffered made it difficult to think straight.

  Do I stay here, begging for scraps of food or clothes, or do I push on, find gear, and get on with the mission?

  When I tried to move, my stomach cramped hard.

  Teeth clenched, I rolled onto my side and rose slowly, my knees cracking like knuckles.

  I pulled up the head-up display. My health bar blinked in the red. Mana was just as empty, which only made things worse.

  The next logical step was to open my inventory. The sight of my empty inventory was heartbreaking.

  The predicament was beyond messed up.

  Every movement sent pain through me, and never in my life had I been this hungry. When I opened my mouth, the metallic tang of blood trickled in from my deeply cracked lips.

  To put it simply, I was on the verge of death, so hungry my ribs felt like they were touching, and if I didn’t eat soon, the message I was to deliver would die along with me.

  As I sat there clutching my stomach, an older man sensed my need and put an arm around me. He was a gentle soul, dressed in an expensive robe, with clean skin and eyes full of concern. The way he spoke to me and offered help told me he was wealthy.

  He fumbled with a flask and offered water, letting me drink until my throat felt whole again.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  I wiped my mouth, my voice cracked and hoarse. “Yeah, yeah,” I muttered.

  When he left me the flask, I noticed the rings on his hand, two big rubies and a shiny emerald glistening on his pinky. Thoughts came to me, some kind, some, I had to admit, downright evil. I was on a mission, and when time is short and your options are low, you must improvise. Also, this wasn’t real. It was a recreation of an event from five hundred years ago. All I had to do was survive and make it to the king and tell him the news.

  Bearing that in mind, my next act shouldn’t come as a surprise.

  Just as he turned his back on me, I balled my fist and struck him with a practiced blow across the temple. He cried out and crumpled to the ground. I glanced around, half-expecting someone to rush to his aid, but when no one came, I relaxed.

  Planting a weak foot on his chest, I pried the rings from his fingers and hobbled into the streets, scanning for food and clothes.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  The mini-map displayed the king’s location with a crown icon, even listing the distance from my current spot, six miles and some change. Far to cover on foot, but if I paced myself, I could make it with time to spare.

  Right above it was the counter.

  The whole episode with the old man, robbing him of his jewelry, had only taken four minutes. But now that I thought about it, sixty minutes to complete this trial wasn’t nearly enough.

  On the route to the center where the king was located, I marked a clothing store and a shop for a decent sword. Both were close enough to reach from where I stood. For food, I’d have to grab something quick from one of the nearby vendors.

  Summoning every ounce of strength, I limped toward the scent of roasted meat that was driving me crazy.

  When I found it, a dusty shack with a woman turning a crank over a spit, I threw the few coins I had at the attendant along with the smallest of the stolen rings.

  She pocketed the ring and slid a piece of meat onto a sheet of paper. I pointed at another piece, making sure I got my money’s worth.

  She obliged and sent me on my way.

  My strength returned with each swallow. By the time I finished, I felt like a new man. My legs pounded against the pavement as I sprinted toward the clothing store.

  As for my sore arm, the pain faded as my health gauge returned to normal.

  Inside, I found a simple outfit. Nothing enhanced my stats or offered special abilities. I settled on thin pants and a long shirt that hung to my ankles, light enough for the heat.

  The weapon store was next. Just like the clothing, none of the gear boosted my stats in any way. Every option in the menu was grayed out, and each attempt to equip something came with a dull thunk. It looked like this part of the mission would be raw, no tricks, no shortcuts.

  Still, I bought a longsword. When I swung it, the blade twirled easily through my grip. My base stats still worked, and that was enough to excite me.

  Next, I grabbed some disposable daggers and a few potions. Strapping the daggers inside my shirt, I tied the potions around the string that held my pants up and exited the shop.

  Then, I tore off toward the crown emblem glowing on my map, my boots sliding against the cobblestone streets.

  [0:46]

  With only five miles left, time was burning fast. If I didn’t move quicker, I’d fail the trial.

  Then the ground lit up beneath me, an arrow with a glowing trail veering off to the left, way off course from where the map directed. A shortcut, maybe.

  I planted my foot, pivoted hard, and followed the trail, praying it would lead me to the promised land.

  The streets blurred as I closed on three guards in ornate, impractical armor, hooked swords at their waists. When I tried to run past, one seized my wrist and brought me to a halt.

  “Where do you think you’re running to, with no regard for the law?” he asked, a thick mustache under his nose.

  “Yeah, pitiful urchin. Don’t you know to stop when you see the king’s guard?” the other sneered.

  “I’m new here,” I said. “Can’t you cut me some slack?”

  “We ask the questions.” The mustached man punched me in the face.

  My health ticked down, [-400].

  I paused and lifted my eyes. “You raise your hand to me again, and I’ll break it off up your ass,” I said, scowling.

  “You’re begging for it.” He cocked back as if to hit me.

  Before he knew what struck him, I flipped him to the floor and knocked the other guard back. “Act like a dog, and I’ll beat you until you whimper,” I snapped.

  He reached for his sword, but I caught his wrist and flipped him onto his head as well. The remaining guards ran off.

  Then red sirens blared, and warning lights flashed across my display. The timer now read [0:40]

  The arrow pointed to a ladder attached to a stone building. I dashed to it and scrambled up with speed.

  Rung after rusty rung until I was on a roof overlooking the city.

  I checked the map. The yellow arrow still pulsed, pointing me down a shortcut.

  Behind me, boots clattered against the rungs of the ladder. Someone was climbing fast.

  I bolted like a madman, following the arrow, vaulting debris and broken chimneys.

  “Stop!” they shouted, but I couldn’t.

  I hurled myself across a wide gap, hit the ground in a roll, and pushed back to my feet.

  A glance over my shoulder showed the guards leaping after me, relentless in their pursuit.

  I pulled the daggers and let them fly, hitting one in the leg before I kept going. Suddenly, more guards spilled from a doorway, halting my dash toward the glowing crown icon on the map.

  “We got you now,” one said.

  I drew my sword, set my stance, and slashed at the nearest guard. He leaped back and grabbed his weapon, a wicked scimitar with a short chain dangling from the hilt. Two guards were behind me and three in front.

  [0:35]

  I feinted his thrust, putting my sword through his abdomen.

  [Vicious Kill]

  Four left.

  Two of them glanced down at their friend bleeding out, and then something snapped. They went into a berserk mode, steam hissing from their necks, skin darkening to a violent shade of red. Their movements sharpened, bouncing on their feet faster than before.

  The other two backed away, shouting encouragement, raising their hands as if urging their companions to tear me apart.

  Now this was getting hectic.

  I tightened my stance, sword held loose but ready in front of me, waiting for the first one to dash in.

  “Look, fellows,” I pleaded, raising one hand. “I have to speak to the king before it’s too late. If you two calm down and let me explain myself, everything will make sense.”

  That only set them off more.

  One of them charged me like a pit bull. Just before impact, his weapon flickered, switching to a long spear that drove straight at my gut.

  I spun aside like a matador, but not fast enough. The spear’s tip raked deep across my ribs.

  [-266]

  Hissing, I wiped the blood with my fingers and licked it.

  Why?

  Because it felt like something an action star would do.

  What did it taste like?

  Disappointment and old pennies.

  Adrenaline flooded me. I dropped into a crouch and lunged forward, knocking the spear from his grip.

  While he scrambled for it, I closed the gap, pressed his head against my blade, and twisted his neck, sending a spray of red into the air.

  [Efficient Murder]

  The other berserk guard froze, then bolted, dragging the remaining guards with him.

  [0:25]

  Still miles to go.

  I followed the arrows, sliding over obstacles, leaping debris, dropping down another ladder.

  A mile out, I was gasping for breath. I downed a potion and tore up the remaining stretch, scanning every few feet for more guards.

  When I reached the king, he was surrounded by men in uniform with spears leveled at me.

  “My guards have sung a chorus of your violence through the city,” the king said coldly. “You will not lay a hand on your sovereign. Today, you will die.”

  “What? Assassination?” I said. “I’m here to tell you about Linuux, before he comes and destroys everything you and your people stand for.”

  He looked stunned. “Who is this Linuux you speak of, and why is it important for you to tell me?”

  “Linuux is not a person but a giant serpent bent on your people’s destruction. I was told to tell you about his arrival. After that, I don’t know,” I said, still out of breath.

  At that moment, a massive shadow loomed overhead, darkening the area.

  Everyone looked up.

  Children screamed. Men clutched their heads. The king sank to his knees, and I followed, as did everyone else.

  I am Linuux.

  The voice thundered inside my skull, cold and endless. And now, you shall forever be mine.

  Chaos erupted.

  Then everyone went white-eyed and stiff, frozen like mannequins. All except the king and me.

  He rose and shook off his robes, revealing the same symbols Nefa had etched into my skin. His were engraved into his flesh and traced in gold.

  With eyes lifted toward the sky, he recited a spell.

  Foreign to my ears, but not to my soul.

  The glowing engravings leapt from his body and flowed through the crowd like living smoke, curling around everyone and everything, slipping into doorways, open mouths, even between layers of clothing.

  In my mind, I heard Linuux shriek.

  The darkening sky retreated.

  Whatever the king had done had worked.

  One out of every ten men shook free from Linuux’s control and bolted toward safety.

  The others rose like zombies and marched toward wherever Linuux had fled.

  Then a portal tore open in front of me, its edges hissing with silvery light. Through it, I saw the calm, dark chamber where Nefa and Sparks stood, staring back at me.

  She shouted across the void.

  “You have done well, Lamont!” Nefa said, her voice cutting through the chaos. “Now come to me and begin the final trial.”