Breathing heavily Aaron ignored the proffered hand and got to his feet. The giant in white was expressionless, considering him with apathy. Arjun came over and handed the same glass plate he used before the attack on the encamped army. Zarkhan took it in his hand for a minute, it responded by glowing white and pulsating with different colours until it stopped at which point it was returned to Arjun. The scholar intently looks at flashing lines of text on the screen. Aaron still a little shaken started backing away slowly. Zarkhan spoke calmly " We mean no harm, Mr Wren. What just happened although unpleasant was necessary. I understand that the experience may have left an indelible mark. But, rest assured there is much historical precedence for the use of ......such penetrative methods to acquire information. Especially considering your unique circumstances. If it makes things better, I only looked at the parts of yourself that are currently allowing me to communicate with you. Now come, we have much to speak about"

Zarkhan snapped his fingers and the world changed.

They were now inside a dimly lit room that funnily didn't smell of anything. Zarkhan sat in front of Aaron on a wooden stool. The room was spartan in its decoration sported no windows and was decorated with ceiling-high stacks of books. In fact, the entire room was full of them. "Sit," said Zarkhan. Aaron hesitated and then sat on a stool near him. Zarkhan waved his hand and a book flew into it. A thick volume leather-bound and brass tacked volume almost a foot across. He offered it to Aaron. "This was all that was taken". Trembling hands opened the book, It was a dictionary, in English. Aaron flipped the pages, rows upon rows of words in English followed by what he assumed was the explanation in a foreign script. He gave a cursory glance. All the words listed there were familiar. At first glance, this seemed to be a compendium of every single word he knew. He closed the book with a snap. " I still don't agree with what you did. Whatever your explanations might be" spat out Aaron, now fully aware that this foreign being comprehended his language. " And I understand your anger, you may very well reconsider your decision after hearing more". Aaron stayed silent. "You might now be aware that you are not originally from this plane of existence, you were brought here. By whom is still a mystery? But it is most possible that it was by one of what we call the ruinous gods". "Gods?" asked Aaron. "The closest equivalent in this language is god yes. For all intents and purposes, they are untouchable these beings hold unimaginable power and we most often find ourselves being pawns in their game. Many spanning millennia, civilizations raised and collapsed, and billions of lives changed or destroyed. Unimaginable chaos sowed at the behest of these apathetic soulless beings of infinite power. And you Aaron are the Herald of this chaos.