“It’s…Mmh…It’s, uh.” The self-proclaimed sorcerer paused to munch another mouthful of noodles. “It’s been weeks since I came here, but I haven’t seen anyone like me. Until you showed up, that is.”             

Kazama and Daniel exchanged a confused glance.             

“And how, exactly, am I like you?” Kazama asked.           

The man grinned. “We’re both mages.”           

Kazama stiffened. Then, he smiled and shook his head in a condescending manner. The gesture was so effective that it almost looked practiced. In truth, it was.           

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Maybe you’re going senile, old man?”           

“My name is Melchior, and you will address me as such.” The old man growled. “I don’t care what world this is. A child can’t be allowed to talk like that.”

“We’re on Earth. What other worlds are there?”           

“If you’re a sorcerer, then you must have heard of…” Melchior trailed off as he noticed Kazama’s blank expression.           

“I’m sorry, sir, but I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”           

A bluff. After being pulled around all his life, Kazama had developed a number of strategies for rebuffing encounters. If assuming offers to be scams was lesson one, then Kazama had just demonstrated lesson two.           

“Fine. If that’s how you want to play it…”           

Melchior stood up from his seat and breathed deeply. As he exhaled, every customer at The Nood began to feel a chill. For Kazama’s table, this chill rapidly evolved into a heavy pressure that would make a normal person struggle to breathe. After a few excruciating seconds, the pressure vanished. Daniel fell onto the table and gasped like a dying fish while Kazama sat unaffected.           

“Daniel, are you ok?” Kazama asked while shaking his friend.           

“Ko…Kono reiatsu…!” Daniel mumbled.             

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Kazama let him go, deciding that a few brain cells weren’t much of a loss. The blue-haired boy turned to the sorcerer with a stern look.           

“So, what do you want?”           

Melchior released a hollow chuckle. “A way to return home. For you see…”           

The old man spun a tale of honest effort versus heartless backstabbing. He raved about a kingdom that threw him out and the party members that turned on him. When Melchior finished, one of his listeners rolled his eyes while the other mumbled something about an enemy stand. Daniel still hadn’t recovered from the sensation of Melchior’s mana.           

“So, in short, you created a monster. It went berserk. You created a weapon to kill said monster. Then you scammed a group of idiots to hunt it for you.”           

“That’s one way to put it…yes.” Melchior conceded. “I was banished from my world as punishment, but you’re going to help me get back there!”           

Kazama laced his fingers. “And how would I do that?”           

“With sorcery, of course. I’ll prepare the circle but I need you to procure some ingredients.”           

“And if I refuse?”           

“Don’t test me, boy. If your mana is a lake, then mine is an ocean. Now, how many dragon scales can you get within the week?”           

Kazama blinked. “There aren’t any dragons in this world.”           

“Sea serpents?”           

“None.”           

“Lizard people?”           

Kazama shook his head.           

“Ugh, I’ll even take iguanas if I must.”           

“What are those?” Kazama asked innocently.           

Melchior sunk his head into his hands. “What kind of world is this?”           

“I don’t know what to tell you.” Kazama shrugged.           

“You should be telling me how to get out of this magic-forsaken world!” Melchior shouted as he rose from his seat. “Don’t think I’ll give up that easily! I will find a way to-”           

The supposed sorcerer froze mid-rant. Melchior gazed forward in a thousand-yard stare. Suddenly, he bolted. Kazama had never seen an old man move so quickly. However, that wasn’t the escape tactic of a powerful sorcerer. It was simply a desperate scramble from a terrified man.           

“Ow!” Lia cried out in surprise more than anything as the homeless man bumped her on his way out.           

“Like, what an ass.” Tammy muttered. “Plus, that old man reeked.”           

May and Belle nodded emphatically.           

“It’s strange, I feel like I’ve seen him before.” Lia said, raising a hand to her chin.           

Well, he’ll probably do his best to avoid you from here on out. Belle thought.           

Lesson three: If someone does manage to pull you into a strange situation, make sure they won't want to do it again.