Adrian arrived at his uncle's shop, nothing seemed odd other than what had happened that morning, because it was like re-living the same day, in replay.

"Adrian, at last you're here," his uncle emerged from somewhere in the back of the shop. I'm expecting a delivery today," his uncle told him. "It's from my cousin in Chou Wan, shipped all the way from China. You make sure it is undamaged and put it in the store room until I get back."

Adrian nodded, "No problem."

He'd had this conversation before, yesterday.

His uncle gave him an odd look before weaving his way past all the curios to the door. "I'll be back by the end of the afternoon."

Opening the drawer of the old desk Adrian retrieved the leather bound copy of Niulang and Zhinu. An hour passed, the large black metallic wall clock counting the minutes.

Something was different. Of course, no Joel.

No Joel! He screamed in his head.

"Delivery!" A voice announced."

Adrian stared at the guy.

"I need a signature. Just here," the young man smiled, profering a touch pad. "With your finger."

"Oh yeah, sure." He signed and returned the pad.

It was the medallion, the amulet. He picked it up, the bell rang as the guy exited. He had no idea... the potion. It was the mage.

"I've only a few old books here," he told the lady who had entered the shop. He held up the leather bound book he had on the desk, exactly like he had done yesterday..

The lady smiled at him. "Not exactly what I'm looking for." She turned back towards the front door.

"The next door along," he called out after her almost laughing at the absurdity of everything.

The bell announced her departure. At the same time it rang again.

It wasn't the lady and it couldn't be Joel. He sliped into the store room out back and quietly closed the door as he had done before.

He waited nervously. The door handle turned and slowly opened. Adrian held his breath...

"There you are," his uncle said. "What are you doing hiding in here?"

"I, uh... Did you see anyone in the shop?"

"No, no one. Did the parcel arrive?"

Adrian picked up the package and they walked back into the shop. He placed it on the desk in front of his uncle. Mr Chang carefully pulled apart the brown wrapping, peeling away the tape, and laying everything aside. He lifted the lid off the box and delved into the wads of tissue, removing an object which he held still covered by a layer of white tissue.

"This is a family heirloom," he announced. Then he uncovered the object and held it out in front of Adrian. "It's a fine object, is it not?"

Adrian stared at it in disbelief. Yesterday he had seen it explode. Had he gone back in time?

"I have one more errand to run this afternoon. I shouldn't be long. When I get back you can go home. Just about an hour."

Adrian nodded and watched his uncle go out the door. He looked outside into the street, checking in both directions. Everything seemed normal. He went back inside, sat down, and stared at the object lying on the desk.

His thoughts were disturbed by the bell and hurried footsteps stomping through the shop.

He peered through the collection of junk. A boy in a long red robe with gold braiding came running towards him.

"We haven't got much time," the Prince told him. "I see you have the amulet."

"But how... where have you been?"

"You forgot. We spent all day and... all night together."

A shock passed through Adrian's body like a shiver creeping up his spine and giving him goose bumps. The Prince reached out for the amulet, but Adrian snatched it up.

"Remember, Zhovian has your companion." A strange glint lit up the Prince's eyes.

"Is that a threat?"

"Do lovers make threats?"

"What!" Did he hear right?

"Never mind. Things are urgent. There are only two solutions in this world, two ways to win and make things right, mortal combat and love."

Adrian's jaw dropped. "I don't remember anything but reliving this day."

"You will. Please give me the amulet."

They stood facing each other. Adrian undecided. It was all a confusion.

"I think I'm going insane."

"No, Yuxia. You are not mad."

The Prince leaned across the desk and kissed him lightly on the lips. Adrian recoiled. He froze.

"I am yours, but you are also mine. The amulet, please."

He handed over the amulet and the room filled with a green hue as the Prince cradled it in his hands. The next moment he opened both hands and a brilliant light shone. The amulet floated in the room.

"How did we get here?" Adrian was lying in bed. His bed. The Prince was next to him.

"The potion," he replied.

"I'm home," Adrian sat up and looked around his bedroom.

"Not really," the Prince replied.

"What do you mean, not really?"

"This would be difficult to explain, but imagine a jigsaw. The pieces all fit together in order, one piece is laid down, then another, and soon the picture is complete. But here the pieces are not laid down one after another, in order. The pieces are all jumbled up. Time is all jumbled up. This is so as to retrieve the amulet. We have to have it."

"Time is jumbled up?" Adrian didn't understand. "And how do we get the amulet? I saw it explode."

"Like I said," the Prince smiled. "Nothing is in order. We already have the amulet. Now we are living one day and one night together. In your world. Relax, you will be back in my kingdom soon enough."

"In the game?"

"You may call it that. This is all the game."

Now he looked closely, the Prince appeared to be about his age, but whereas Adrian had dark hair which grew a little in a few places on his body, the Prince's hair was so fine and whispy, it appeared as if he had none.

"In the morning," the Prince was staring at him. "In the morning," he repeated, "the barbarians will come and destroy the house. I've already seen it happen."

"How?"

"It doesn't matter. But they will capture me. I will meet you in your uncle's shop. We already have. As I said we have the amulet. Only this is important. You must take hold of it and bring it back with you. Then you can look for me."

"This is all mixed up."

"Yes it is. Don't try to make sense of it. Play your part as I play my own."

There was a terrible crashing noise and the sound of wood breaking. Clamouring voices shouted out commands in a language Adrian did not understand. It seemed as if a large group of people were in the house and destroying everything. What could they do?

Adrian sat in bed, the Prince sat next to him. They listened as footsteps raced upstairs. The door flew open and slammed back against the wall. The figure of a man dressed in goat skins and wearing a round shiny metal helmet charged at them, followed by others.

They grabbed the Prince. Hauled him up out of the bed. As Adrian moved forward, about to protest, the flat side of a sword swiped through air and smashed into his head. Unconsciousness turned the scene into darkness.