I leave the building, coming around the side to stand by the training dummy that is outside. Looking around at the people gathered and even more up by the archery range, I’m just taking in all of what is going on around me. There are so many things here that are the same, and others that are just fantasy. A closer look at the training dummy, the chalk marks are faded, but still visible. Going over the strike zones, I’m thinking that this is probably not what you want out in public or for children to see. I start wiping off the chalk with my hands. It doesn’t work very well, so I turn back to look around for a rag or something that I can clean off the dummy with.

I don’t see anything useful, turning back to the dummy, I’ll wipe it off what chalk I can with my hands.

As I turn, Jack is there, leaning against the dummy, smiling like the Cheshire cat. “I wanted to thank you for the gift. I saw you practicing here the other day with Jaxx and what he was trying to teach you. I think this is a more practical learning tool. But it’s not for polite company. It’s ok if you refuse and I will not be offended.” Pausing, he is waiting for an answer.

“Ok” I reply, a little wary, but he is already holding something in his hand. Jack has pressed and turned into the training dummy a bit, to block anyone from seeing what is in his hand, except for me. I look down into his hand and see a small thin plain-looking dagger with a sheath, about the size of a steak knife.

“What I would like for you to do is practice pushing your power through the knife. Doesn’t matter what kind of power. If you are able, it will look like this.” Jack is holding the knife in a light pinch grip between his thumb and index finger. A circle of power appears just beyond its point, about the size of a large coin. “The next step would be to try and make it smaller, but don’t worry about that. It’s easier to show you why than to try and explain it.”

Jack lets the circle of power wink out, then lightly starts poking at the dummy with the knife, all the while still keeping prying eyes out. “Don’t look at the knife, look at what the knife is doing to the dummy. Nothing right?” I shake my head, yes, still trying to understand what he is trying to do. The circle of power again appears while he is poking at the dummy, but now I can see slight damage as if it was hit with a hammer, where he poked it. Then I see the circle of power shrink to a small dot-like laser pointer and the knife is now poking right into the dummy with ease. After about a dozen more pokes he stops and I look at him. “The more solid the circle looks, the more power it contains. Sometimes if it’s brighter too, but that’s usually just inefficiencies. The size is the area it’s acting against, just remember smaller is sharper. And if you ever see circles in front of each other, just run, because they’re multiplying the effect.” Jack returns the knife to its sheath and offers it to me on his open palm, handle first.

“Thank you, Jack. I have never seen anything like it.” Thanking him as I accept the gift. “You’ll have to show me how to wear it properly, maybe a couple of tips on how to use it too.” Having already pulled the knife out and looking it over, trying to make it work.

“That’s not something you want to do, wear it.” Jack says to me rather coldly. “Just like wearing that ID band, people will think you are special needs. If someone knew you carried that, they would think that you are someone who you are not. I think that it would be useful as a tool to give you visual feedback, to see if you have or can focus on any talent, as it can be powered by any means. As far as equipping it, I would not risk equipping an Assassins Blade if I were you. That is why I will not be offended if you refuse the gift.

As if on cue, a light circle of power appears at the tip of the blade as I grasp what this tool is used for. “Son of a Bitch!” I hear Jack exclaim under his breath as the dagger and sheath vanish out of my hands like a card trick. I know he has them, but how, I have no idea.

A little bit of shock is on Jack's face as he backs away and regains his composure. “I will leave this safely hidden where you can practice.” As I watch him leave, I’m thinking maybe he should have let me know where that might be.

Watching Jack turn and fade away through some of the people milling about, it strikes me as particular until I realize that he must be hiding himself somehow, as each person just continues doing whatever they were doing without acknowledging Jack, and he just goes around.

I am kind of at a loss for what to do next. It is not like I have a job or any responsibilities here. Thinking about my wife and family, I wonder what they are thinking and how they are reacting to me not being there. I would think that they would be concerned, but not in a panic because I was talking to them about what I thought was going on. Hopefully, the camera recorded what happened. Not sure if it would make them feel better or not. I’m thinking that they may not have noticed yet, because I don’t think a day has passed there. Gauging from all the time I spent here on the last visit. Maybe I’m not remembering the details quite right. Right now, I mostly feel like I’m on some fantasy adventure vacation that I wish my wife and sons could be here too.

Standing here by the training dummy, daydreaming, I’m starting to notice the activity and excitement starting to pick up. I hear in the distance the faint sound of a horn, then the screech of a girl far behind me that draws my attention to her. I smile at the sight as I know who that is and can imagine what her father is going through.

It took me a moment because she seems to be wearing some shinny silvery cosplay plate mail costume. But there is no mistaking Jenn as she is dancing around like a toddler having to go to the bathroom. I can’t hear them, but her father is still trying to talk with her, as I can see her mouthing something that I am pretty sure is “Grampa”.

The people are gathering, making an empty row between two lines of people opposite each other, like a parade is coming, which I’m sure is. Jenn and her father Dr. Lightbringer are close to the front of the opening. Then everything snakes closer to where I’m at, up to the archery range by the tear, ending at the tent that was put up.

I can hear the roar of crowds in the distance as the parade is starting to come into view. I have not been that way, but from the roar of the crowd, I know that there are at least a few stadiums worth of people. More than I would have ever guessed.

Coming into view, the parade is splitting, with most seeming to spread and fill out the area between the town (city?) and here. There is a formation still coming this way riding four across. The formation is changing up to two across and I can get a better idea of the complement as it is happening. Thinking of it in terms of seeing a couple of sports teams facing each other on the field, it looks like about four teams worth of people. Maybe about twenty on horseback, the rest on foot.

As the parade troop closes, there is excitement in the crowd. One has singled himself to lead, as the rest have fallen in formation behind him, still two by two. Jenn is jumping around excitedly, holding one arm up, looking like she wants a high five or something. I can see now that the lead rider is in plate mail, similar to what Jenn is wearing. As he comes closer to Jenn, he reaches out with an arm. Jenn steps forward, clasping each other’s wrists, he swings her up to sit behind him. As they ride past, I can see that they are in matching armor. This must be grandpa.

Grandpa is waving to the crowd as he continues. He gives me a look that lingers a little bit more than a curious glance. While he is in what looks like some silvery plate mail with some robes that are a bit more on the flamboyant side, the riders behind him are mounted soldiers with splint mail. Officer Trailblazer is one of the last two on horseback, also giving me a look that betrays more than a casual glance. Following up the rear, the Footman are double-timing it, to keep up with the horses. Wearing ring or chain mail (it’s not like I’m an expert on armor types, just know what I have seen in video games) with a pike for a weapon.

As the parade passes, the excitement quickly dies down with people already heading back towards the town. “I told you the Zealot was his dad” Jackie and a group of her friends are walking past as they notice me, then quickly straighten up and turn, quickly walking away. While I’m wondering what that was all about, I find myself face to face with Dr. Lightbringer.

“How have you been?” he asks.

“I’ve been doing pretty well. I have a much better understanding of what has been happening, even though I still don’t know where I am. Office Trailbreaker brought me over to the ranker housing and Burt gave me a place to stay.” A light behind me, up at the archery field, lights up the area with most everyone pausing to look.

“That would be my father, Inquisitor Lightbringer.” Dr. Lightbringer says as the light is dying down. “He’s closing the tear. I am glad to hear that you are doing better. There is a reason that they call my father the Zealot and I’m sure he is going to want to talk to you.”

As if on cue, two footmen have come. They were going to says something but stopped when Dr. Lightbringer turned to face them. “The Inquisitor has requested Doug come speak with him.” Talking to the doctor, not me.

“He is in my care. We will be there shortly.” There is a standoff as the doctor and footmen stand looking at each other.

“The implication from the Inquisitor was that we are to bring him now.” The footman explains.

“I know that.” Replies the doctor. Obviously, there is more going on here than I am aware of.

“We can follow you around if you want, but I am not going back to tell him you will be there shortly.” Says the footmen.

“Ready?” The doctor looks over at me as I give him a nod that I am.

As the doctor starts walking up to the archery field, the footmen follow in behind us. I wonder what would have happened if his son wasn’t here for me. When we get up to the tent, I can see that the tear is gone and the area is being cleaned up, wagons being moved away. We stop before the guarded entrance, a few more footmen are circling the tent. I hear Jenn’s voice inside, they move to let us enter.