Read Myth-Ing Persons for Free Online

catch my first glimpse of the native life forms.
    I didn't have long to wait. Two figures appeared, a young couple by the look of them, talking and laughing merrily as they went. They looked pretty normal to me, which was a distinct relief, considering the forms I had had to imitate in some of the other dimensions. They were humanoid enough to pass for Klahds… or Jahks, actually, as they were a bit pale. Their dress was not dissimilar from my own, though a bit more colorful. Absorbing all this in a glance, I decided to make my first try for information. I mean, after all my fears, they were so familiar it was almost a letdown, so why not bull ahead? Compared with some of the beings I've had to deal with in the past, this looked like a piece of cake.
    Signaling the others to stay put, I stepped out onto the road behind my target couple.
    "Excuse me!" I called "I'm new to this area and in need of a little assistance. Could you direct me to the nearest town?"
    Translation pendants were standard equipment for dimension travel, and as I was wearing one now, I had no fear of not being understood.
    The couple turned to face me, and I was immediately struck by their eyes. The "whites" of their eyes glowed a dark red, sending chills down my spine. It occurred to me that I might have studied the locals a bit longer before I tried to pass myself off as a native. It also occurred to me that I had already committed myself to this course of action and would have to bluff my way through it regardless. Finally, it occurred to me that I was a suicidal idiot and that I hoped Massha and Guido were readying their back-up weapons to save me from my own impatience.
    Strangely enough, the couple didn't seem to notice anything unusual about my appearance.
    "The nearest town? That would be Blut. It's not far, we just came from there. It's got a pretty wild night life, if you're into that kind of thing."
    There was something about his mouth that nagged at the edges of my mind. Unfortunately, I couldn't look at it directly without breaking eye contact, so, buoyed by my apparent acceptance, I pushed ahead with the conversation.
    "Actually, I'm not too big on night life. I'm trying to run down an old friend of mine I've lost touch with. Is there a post office or a police station in Blut I could ask at?"
    "Better than that," the man laughed. "The one you want to talk to is the Dispatcher. He keeps tabs on everybody. The third warehouse on your left as you enter town. He's converted the whole second floor into an office. If he can't help you, nobody can."
    As vital as the information was, I only paid it partial attention. When the man laughed, I had gotten a better look at his mouth. His teeth were…
    "Look at his teeth!" the girl gasped, speaking for the first time.
    "My teeth?" I blinked, realizing with a start that she was staring at me with undisguised astonishment.
    Her companion, in the meantime, had paled noticeably and was backing away on unsteady legs.
    "You… you're… Where did you come from?"
    Trying my best to maintain a normal manner until I had figured out what was going on, I moved forward to keep our earlier conversational distance.
    "The castle on the hill back there. I was just…"
    "THE CASTLE!?!"
    In a flash the couple turned and sprinted away from me down the road.
    "Monster!! Help!! MONSTER!!!"
    I actually spun and looked down the road behind me, trying to spot the object of their terror. Looking at the empty road, however, it slowly began to sink in. They were afraid of me? Monster?
    Of all the reactions I had tried to anticipate for our reception in this new land, I had never in my wildest imaginings expected this.
    Me? A monster?
    "I think we've got problems. High Roller," Massha said as she and Guido emerged from the brush at my side.
    "I'll say. Unless I'm reading the signs all wrong, they're afraid of me."
    She heaved a great sigh and shook her head.
    "That's not what I'm talking about. Did you see their teeth?"
    "I saw