'Working for the king isn't so bad,' you tell yourself as you enter the inn. 'It feeds the kids, but it's so boring. Being a king’s guard just standing around all day...'

Your thoughts trail off as you notice a new face at a table. Your table. All you wanted was a quick meal and ale before you went home. Muttering you march over to the stranger and stand before him.

"You know you are at my table, Orcbreath."

The bartender, a pipsqueak of a man shouts, "I told him, but he didn't listen!"

With a curt stare you cut him off.

"Well?" you ask gruffly.

The man sips his tea and looks up. 'What kinda man drinks tea?' You think before the Fear hits you like an arrow. His golden hourglass eyes seem to stare straight through you. You stumble back and muttering you apologies and how he can use the table whenever he wishes.

The stranger smiles and the fear fades. "Please, you startled me. I do apologize if this is your customary seat. I will be just a few minutes more. You can wait if you wish or join me."

He waves a hand and the chair across from him slides back. Startled by his generosity you sit eyes drinking in the man who looks across the table to you. ' A mage.' you think in wonder I haven't seen one since the king's court mage died. You remember the fat pudgy man who drank a little too much and never really did any magic. He smiles again at you and takes another sip of the tea.

"I'm sorry about that,"you start before he cuts you off.

" ‘Tis no matter. Long day looking after the king?" He asks.

You look at him in surprise. A mind reader too? "How did you..."

"I had a meeting with his highness this morning. I believe I saw you." he mentions.

"Oh."

"Forgive me, I am Andeis Hawkstarr."

"Oh um...I am Diven." you stammer.

"Just Diven?"

You nod. "Where are you from? I haven't seen you here before."

He smiles again. "Waterdeep. You haven't heard of it."

"No. Where is this Waterdeep?"

"Another world."

You raise an eyebrow. A powerful mage indeed.

"What's it like?"

"Much like your city here. Inns and shops...bigger though."

"Oh."

"Say that alot?" Andeis asks you jokingly.

Now it's your turn to smile. "What are you doing here?"

"This and that. I needed to speak to your king about a few matters."

You sit back and study this Andeis Hawkstarr. His robes shimmer and seem to fade into the room around him. He looks at you and you notice that he seems very young for a mage. All the mages you knew were old winos...well the one you knew. His shoulder length black hair curls around the odd robes and an amulet draws your attention. It's a six-pointed star with crystals on each of the points. The top point sports a clear gem, while the bottom a dark one. As you look, you notice the other points have the colors of the elements, their opposite elements on the farthest points.

"It was a gift."

His voice takes you from your thoughts. "What was?"

"The amulet."

"Oh. I thought there were only four elements."

He raises an eyebrow, surprised. "You are a learned man then?"

You shake you head. " No. Just picked up some things here and there."

"Ahh...Well to answer your question. There are indeed six. Many know Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, which the world is made from. But there are two more that control them. Darkness and Light."

You think for a moment. " Makes sense."

He nods. "My robes were also a gift. Here...touch them." He gives you a robed arm to touch.

"They feel.... like scales."

The black robe indeed feel like scales. The simmering gold border catches your eye for a moment.

He smiles and nods. "They are dragon scales."

"DRAGON scales?" you shout in surprise a little loudly.

He laughs and nods. "That is a story in it self. Would you like to hear it?"

You nod.

"Well, I must start in the beginning. I was born in Waterdeep as I said on my world about about 20 years ago..."

"You are only 20?" you ask.

He smiles again. " No.. I am about 4000 years old...I gave up counting. Now be patient. I will explain that too."

He sips his tea and continues, "I didn't know my powers until I reached manhood, which is not unusual for my world. And as soon as I had enough training I started adventuring hoping I could gain fame and gold like so many youngsters do. Met up with others looking for the 12 swords of power and ended up dying in that foolish quest. Never did find all the swords... now before you ask no I was not resurrected. As my spirit floated to the mistress of death. I found myself caught and suddenly in another place...another world. A group of magic-users had blotched an experiment and caught my soul, transporting it though time and space to one of the humans they had as servants. They were nearly as surprised as I was. I gradually learned their language and found out where I was. And when.... about 3900 years before I was born on a world called Uenrteia. I learned many things about them including much magic. On their world humans could not perform the magical arts and my situation was extremely interesting. I spent a number of years with them and learned all I could...not really wanting to go home. I even learned how to reduce my physical age. "

You nod, noticing that some of the customs of the inn have gathered closer to hear his story.

"Anyway, I stray from the point. One one of my many travels I was growing closer to the mountains and heard shrieks. I spurred my horse toward them and then to late realized that they were Dragons battling. Gold and a Black...and the Gold was loosing...badly. Before I knew what I was doing. I had cast a spell against the Black...It turned on me and my magical shield bearly held against its breath attack. But I had distracted it long enough for the Gold to sink its jaws into the neck of the Dark Beast. I lay there stunned and darkness surrounded me. When I awoke. I was on a bed of gold and treasure. The Dragons lair. I made friends with that dragon...Ult. She was called. She was not happy at first that I had saved her life. It was unheard of that a dragon would have a life debt to a mere human. But as we talked and as I learned the Dragon language she grew to understand humans and me better. Before I left Ult gave me these robes as a parting gift. They were made by dragon magic and with her scales and the Dark ones."

Andeis sips his tea again.

"Is that all?"

He laughs, "I have had many more adventures my friend but It is late...I must begone."

"But...but." you stammer again.

He smiles and stands up, "I will be here for a few days yet. Perhaps we can talk again. Goodnight."

He then crosses his arms over his heart and with a hawk’s scream he disappears.

You look blankly at the spot where he was, in wonder. You will definitely be here tomorrow.