"Still not afraid of me, are you? We'll change that in due time. I'm really glad they brought you in alive. I was hoping they would. I wanted to talk to you."

"I'm listening."

"Unfortunately, so are others." The Merkon waved his hand. "Guard, take these men and give them a fitting reward. See to it that no one comes in or out of this room until I call."

The guard led Roan and his men out the side door and closed it behind them.

The Merkon walked to the tall chair and sat down. "Now, let's see. Where should I begin?"

"Try telling me why you're so interested in me. And what do you know about the light that brought me here?"

The Merkon sat back. "You are a smart boy. I would have thought you'd have had it all figured out by now."

"The only thing I have figured out is that somehow I am a threat to you and that you have gone to a whole lot of trouble to get me out of the way. You even ambushed your own men on the way to Trisad to get at me. Why?"

The Merkon reached for the strange helmet covering his face and slowly took it off. Mark stared. The Merkon didn't resemble the Tsook or anyone else Mark had run across in this world. Instead he looked more like ...

"I knew you were smart." The Merkon put his helmet back on. "You're right. I am not from Transall. I am from your time. At least close to it. What year was it when you came through the warp?"

"Youa"You came here through the light? Then you know where it is and how to get back."

"Now, why would I want to do that? I knew one day someone else was bound to find the warp. It was just a question of time. I was hoping that it would be far in the future, however, long after my kingdom had ended. When I heard about you I knew something had to be done."

"What are you talking about?" Mark asked. "We can work together to get back."

"But that's just it. I don't want to go back. I am the ruler of the universe here. These people are putty in my hands. Ignorant fools. These savages think I am the wisest, most powerful being that ever existed."

Mark sat on one of the benches. "That's another thing I don't understand. How did all this happen? What caused these changes?"

"From what I have been able to determine, there was a ma.s.sive plague from a strain of virus much like the bola carried by African monkeys. It was very contagious and apparently an awfully painful way to die. If you contracted it, blood seeped out of every opening in your body until nothing was left. Scientists tried everything but they couldn't find a cure. It swept over the world, killing at least seventy percent of the population. The infrastructure broke down, whole countries were virtually depopulated and for several generations the virus kept the population so low there could be no progress. Finally, when the virus at last died out, so much time had pa.s.sed that everything useful had been forgotten; the human race had to start over. It must have been something to see."

"The virus didn't cause the changes in the people and plant life. What did that?"

"That has been a little harder to piece together. The best I can tell, when major powers like the United States began to crumble, the nuclear weapons were taken over by terrorists who shot them off at will. Everything on Earth underwent a tremendous chemical change and over the next two thousand years only the strongest of any species survived."

"What about the light?"

"The light is a time warp, a freak of nature. I found it in the desert in the 1980s when I escaped from a prison detail in Arizona. It was unbelievable. I wanted out and, presto, I was so far out they could never find me."

"Don't you want to go back? What about your family and friends?"

"Weren't you listening? I told you I was in prison. I had no family. I had nothing. Here I have everything. And I don't intend to let you take it away from me."

"I don't want to take anything. All want to do is find that light."

"And what if you never find it? Soon you will start talking and teaching these people. I saw the armor you had made. What else have you taught them? Reading? How to build weapons? I can't allow that. Soon they might rise up and use it all against me."

"You're a lunatic. I'm walking out of here."

The Merkon unsheathed his sword. "I don't think so."

Mark threw his cape off and reached for his own sword. He had it out barely in time to parry a blow aimed at his head.

"Someone has taught you well, boy. But not well enough." The Merkon came at him from the side.

Mark leaped away but the tip of the blade ripped through his shirt. He whirled, bringing his sword around hard. The Merkon was ready. He jumped and swung again, pushing Mark backward onto one of the benches.

"Now you are going to die and no one from either world will ever know what happened to you." The Merkon forced Mark flat on his back.

"Before I kill you, Kakon, you should know that you never would have found the light. It strikes where it wants, randomly. There is no predictable pattern." He pushed his blade closer to Mark's face, the sharp edge inches from his throat.

Mark shoved him but the Merkon was too strong. Then Mark raised his knees and kicked. The Merkon lost his balance and Mark rolled off the bench.

Mark scrambled to his feet and started swinging. He brought his sword up the way Sarbo had taught him and sliced the Merkon's stomach. A red stain appeared on the man's shirt. The Merkon stumbled and gasped for breath. Mark pressed in, hacking and probing, and with a wild sweep knocked the sword from the Merkon's hand.

"Now we will see who's going to die." Mark raised his sword.

A tremendous explosion shook the building. Roan and Jod burst through the side door, each carrying a bulging sack.

Roan winked at him. "If you are almost done with your business, Kakon, I suggest we leave now. Francle used a little more of the powder than you told him to. Half the wall on the east side is gone and all their beasts have run off."

Mark slowly lowered his sword. "I am finished. This ... man ... has nothing I want."

"Surely you are not going to leave him alive?" Jod asked incredulously.

"His wounds are fatal. Let him die the slow, painful death he deserves." Mark reached for the Merkon's helmet and placed it on his own head. "Francle will be waiting for us."

The courtyard was in chaos. The Merkon's men were running everywhere. Francle and the others were already mounted.

Mark took some of the powder and poured it on the steps of the stronghold. When he was a good distance away, he grabbed one of the torches and threw it onto the powder. The blast blew logs and men everywhere. The whole front of the building vanished.

Roan handed Mark his reins. "Not a bad night's work, outlaw."

Mark jumped on his mount. "Let's ride."

chapter 49.

It was early morning. Mark built up the fire and sat staring into it. There was no question that the Merkon was insane. He was so power hungry he couldn't see past himself. It had been a waste of time to come to Listra.

Mark sighed. For now, he and the band of robbers were safe deep in the forest, and there were lookouts posted in case the Merkon's men tried to come after them.

The large sacks of tribute still sat where Roan and his men had dropped them the previous night. Everyone was so worn out from the long ride that they were sleeping on the ground, still wearing their weapons.

Jod had been furious with Mark for not killing the Merkon and Mark couldn't really explain to himself why he hadn't done it. Maybe it had something to do with finally finding a real link to his own time.

Footsteps sounded behind him. He turned to see Roan coming to join him at the fire.

"You are up early, Kakon. What is the matter? Can you not wait to receive your share of the booty?"

Mark threw a stick in the fire. "To tell you the truth, I'm not much interested. You guys can split my share."

Roan c.o.c.ked his head. "You are different from anyone I have ever met. Not just in the way you look but in the way you think." The young man warmed his hands. "You can trust me with your story, Kakon. I will understand."

"My story is that the Merkon considers me a threat to his kingdom. And I thought he had some information I needed. It turns out we were both wrong."

"What will you do now? He is certain to send men to hunt for you."

"I really don't know. I guess the only thing left to do is to go on searching for answers. Maybe I'll go back to my village for a while. There is a girl there ..."

Roan sat up. "A girl? How can I help? My men are at your disposal. "

A loud birdcall shrieked through the morning air.

Roan jumped to his feet. "The lookout. Someone is in the forest. "

Mark followed Roan through the trees to a thick stand of brush, where they crouched and waited. In minutes a large column of men in heavy armor rode by.

When they were well out of sight Roan motioned for Mark to return to the camp with him.

"Did you see the man riding at the head of the column, Kakon?"

"Not really. Who is he?"

"That was Mordo, the Merkon's son. He is even more ruthless than his father. "

At camp everybody was moving. Francle, Jod and the others had been awakened by the birdcall. They had doused the fire and were preparing to leave.

"Who was it?" Jod asked. "Do they already look for us?"

Roan nodded. "It appears so. And Mordo is leading them. We had better move farther back into the woods."

"You and your men go on ahead," Mark said. "I think it's a good time for me to be going my own way."

"What is this?" Jod asked. "You would leave us without your share of the spoils?"

"He has to go, Jod." Roan slapped Mark on the back. "He does not have time for riches. He has a girl waiting for him somewhere."

Mark started to explain but then decided not to. Instead he untied his animal. "I have enjoyed your company. You are welcome to make camp with me anytime."

"And you are always welcome in ours." Roan handed him an extra water pouch. "Take this. You will need it if you are going back through the desert." He watched Mark climb onto his beast. "I hope you find what you are looking for, Kakon."

Mark waved and turned around. "Me too, Roan. Me too."

chapter 50.

The trip back across the desert had been uneventful and lonely. Mark had deliberately stayed away from Trisad and visited the spa.r.s.e water holes only after dark.

It had given him time to think. If it was true that the blue light struck randomly, then there was very little hope of his ever returning to his family and his own time. He knew he would still search for it but finding it would be like looking for a single grain of sand on a beach. It was time to face the fact that he had to make a life in this world.

There was just one place he wanted to go now. Back to the village. It was the only semblance of a home that he had on this strange new Earth. He wanted to go there and see all the familiar faces he had left behind. And then he wanted to sleep. Sleep for a week.

He rode with slack reins and let his beast have its head. They were getting close. The red valley loomed before him. It was all he could do not to break into a run.

A hunting horn sounded from behind a boulder on the mountain. The sound made Mark smile. It was good to be back.

As he approached the village wall there was another blast from the tower horn, identifying him as a friend.

Mark rode through the gates and up the main street. Everything was just as he'd left it. Tybor the blacksmith was busy working in his lean-to and the people were attending to their daily ch.o.r.es.

Everyone waved and shouted greetings as he pa.s.sed. Tybor wanted to know what had taken him so long to come back.

A cloud of dust came flying at him from the other end of the street. A boy on a gray beast pulled up in front of him. "I knew it was you," he burst out.

Mark squinted in mock disbelief. "Could this be Barow? I can't believe it. You've grown into a warrior while I was gone."

Barow sat up a little straighter on his mount. "It will not be long now, Kakon." He turned and rode beside Mark. "I have taken care of all your things as you asked me to. I think you will be pleased."

"Mark. You are back." Leeta waved at him from Tanta's storehouse. She put down her supplies and hurried over. "It is so good to see you. I was worried because you have been away so long. Any news about the light?"

"The light strikes where it wants to. Finding it is a hopeless dream. That part of my life is over. I've decided to put it behind me and get on with my new life. How have things been with you?"

"Good. I have become accustomed to living with the Tsook. I have been put in charge of many things. One of them is keeping an eye on your young friend, Barow. He gives me fits, though, and it is almost impossible to watch him now that you have given him that beast."

Mark winked at Barow. "Every warrior needs a beast."

"Hummp. You are a bad influence." Leeta pretended to be upset. Then she smiled. "I must get the things from the storehouse. I will see you later. We will have a long talk."

"Sounds good." Mark turned to Barow. "How is Sarbo? Did he make it?"

"Come and see for yourself, Kakon." Barow urged the gray into a lope. Mark followed him around the storehouse to a large cabin near the village wall.

Yonk was sitting on the porch carving a stick. When he saw Mark he jumped up. "Master, it is you. Wait until Sarbo hears." He darted into the cabin.

In seconds Sarbo stepped out the front door. He had a wide grin on his face. "So you have returned. It is probably because you found you were unable to finish your quest without me."

"It's a long story. After I've rested I'll tell it." Mark looked at his friend. "It's good to see you well. I thought you said you were coming back here to die."