I slide the bag across the table, the hooded stranger opposite me peers inside.

“Where the hell did you find this?!” He rasps in a deep voice.

I shifted uncomfortably glancing around the dirty tavern, far to nice for my taste, “I don’t think I’m supposed to tell, I don’t even know what_ it_ is.”

“Good for you, perhaps,” the stranger said, “I suppose you cannot inform me as to who gifted you this…surprise?”

“I’m just the messenger, I never knew the man,” I sat a moment longer, “he only paid me a single copper chip.”

The stranger snorted, obviously impressed by my tact, or rather lack there of. He flipped me a second coin. I palmed it from the air and stared at it, a full gold pellet. I turned intending to scurry away before the dark man changed his mind.

“Boy!” I halted, and turned back, “Would you like to see what’s inside?” I hesitated, shook my head feeling sick and ran out the back of the in into the alley.

I ran out the door and into the dark alley adjacent to the tavern. Running towards the street I was slammed against the wall.

“I trust your assignment was completed to satisfaction,” the unseen attacker hissed in my ear, a knife to my throat.

“Yes, yes,” I answered, my voice an octave or two higher than usual.

“Good,” his breath was hot, and his voice oily, “and the bag, you didn’t look inside did you?”

“N-no sir”

The man paused.

“You’re lying, I can smell it on you,” with that he slid the knife across my neck with a quick jerking motion.

I fell, I wish I could say the pain of the knife was the worst part, perhaps the fear of death. No, it was the breathing, as my lungs pulled air from around me very little entered through my mouth or nose. Instead it was sucked through the slash in my neck, making a gurgling sound that I didn’t want to believe came from me. Every inhale racked my chest with a burning pain as blood from my neck was pulled into my lungs. I always had a fear of drowning and made a point of staying away from deep bodies of water, now it seemed that I would drown without being submerged.

As my eyes were beginning to dim I saw a flash of light accompanied by a loud crack. I gurgled a second longer, then felt a warmth enter my body. I sat up my fingers flying to my neck, no injury marred the skin there only wet blood already beginning to dry.

I happened to see a crumpled form in my periphery, and scrambled away when I saw a blood covered knife clutched in its charred hand. Watching the knife that had tasted my lifeblood as I was, I didn’t see the other man until I ran into him.

“Watch where you are going boy!” Snapped a deep raspy voice. I turned to face the stranger from the tavern. His cowl was pushed back revealing a man with a short salt and pepper beard.

I looked back at the dead man, the man who had successfully killed me, he was charred beyond recognition.

“He’s dead,” I said queasy.

“Would you rather he wasn’t?” Said the bearded man. He held up a hand to cut short my reply, “rhetorical question boy, we have more pressing matters to discuss than one dead member of the Black Hand.” He is eyes and voice softened, “boy I saved you, and by doing so I placed a mark over your head plain to any sorcerer, witch, wizard, or hag you might come across. You will be hunted, so I offer you a choice: leave town now, go live as a hermit on some mountain top; or you can go with me, I will train you as my apprentice, protect you, and teach you to protect yourself.”

My head spun, _sorcerers, the Black Hand, training, protection…hunted_. He spoke so calmly of such things while standing over the body of a man he himself killed only a few minutes ago.

Questions poured out of me, “why am I alive? How did you kill him? Why would the Black Hand want me, or you for that matter? No wait actually, who are you? What kind of training are we talking about? And what was in that bloody bag?”

The man sighed and grumbled something about young men and too many questions. “I am a wizard. I healed you with magic, and killed him with a thunderbolt. The Black Hand is a group of sorcerers tied to the shadow, bound and determined to kill every wizard tied to the light, and those they show special interest in. As I am a wizard of no small ability I am a primary target. In saving you I gifted the same status to you. As for training, it will be difficult but I will teach you the intricacies of magic, and the laws that govern it. You have a great power inside of you, I sensed it when I first saw you enter the same room as I. Unfortunately this means that others can see it too, since you are untied to either the light or the dark you are particularly dangerous to yourself and others. In short, I will teach you how to access your power without killing yourself. As for the bag, it was a warning, it held the head of a close accociate of mine. It, along with your inborn ability is what persuaded me to follow you. I believe I have answered all the questions.” He began to turn away.

“Wait, you didn’t tell me your name,” I said.

He paused, “names have power, boy, if I tell you mine it will seal our agreement, and you will be my apprentice.”

I swallowed hard, “I accept,” I croaked in a whisper.

“My name is Celphidrius,” he he waited a second longer, “and yours boy?”

“I-I am Merlin.”