Chapter 1

It had really been a bad day for Alan; his wife had kicked him out of the house, literally kicking his rear end as he left, slamming the door in his face. Only an hour before that, he received a call that his job had laid him off. The fact that he’d withdrawn most of the money from the bank account was about the only good thing that had happened so far this day. Trudging down the street, he’d already tried the few friends he had to see if he could stay with them for a few days; each had no time for him, no space, or hell just laughed at him. Well, so much for those three friends. Sighing, Alan headed toward the cheap section of town; might as well get a cheap room for a few days. He just hoped he could find another job soon; starving wasn’t something he really wanted to try.

Checking in, Alan made his way to the room, damn he was tired, and the bitch had really drained him of energy with this last fight. Laying down, sleep took him almost as fast as his head hit the pillow, something that just didn’t happen to him the last few months. Usually Alan didn’t dream; he thought it had something to do with stress he wasn’t sure, this time though, almost as soon as his eyes were closed the dream started. He was floating, where he wasn’t sure, it was warm, it was peaceful something Alan wasn’t accustomed to, in fact it was too comfortable. Then just as suddenly he was standing on the ground, well he thought it was ground he wasn’t sure it had a yellowish tint to it like sand but this felt like he was standing on a sponge.

Wait Alan thought this is a dream I shouldn’t be able to feel and...? What was that god awful smell? Covering his nose as best he could Alan stepped forward almost sinking into the soft ... ground? Fuck this shit he thought, this should be solid when I walk on it, rising he was now on top of the ground. Huh? What the fuck just happened? Walking for a few minutes almost choking, Alan thought the air was so putrid it needed to clear up so he could breathe better and like before the air was suddenly clean, clear and sweet smelling. Ok, what the fuck is going on? A noise drew him to a clump of small purple ... ugh he guessed bushes, on the other side, what could only be describe as a spiked black ball with eyes, was flinging an energy whip like weapon at a group of docile, pink, slug like creatures. The thing was these pink creatures had six legs and almost human like faces. Alan was about to turn and leave when he heard a single word in his mind, help!

The thought had been tinged with pain and suffering of a type Alan couldn’t even begin to imagine. Turning back Alan was starting to get angry, stepping through the bushes, Alan faced the spiked ball which had stopped its whipping, you have to imagine Alan was 6’ 2”, the spike ball was almost as tall and about 4 feet across. Alan heard it think at him who are you? It is a crime to interfere in the emperor’s business.

Alan could almost feel venom from the thoughts. I know not of who this emperor is but you won’t hurt them any more Alan thought.

Ah a Slimtori lover huh? the ball thought, raising the whip it was about to strike, when Alan he held up his hand, the ball froze then shook, NO! not a Trictatori! I beg your forgiveness lord! I was only following orders! I beseech you not to kill this unworthy soul!

Alan was a little unsettled and didn’t move, in a flash the spike ball drew back the whip aiming for Alan.

What happened next was talked about for days among the Slimtori. As the whip traveled toward Alan, it suddenly stopped and reversed course, striking the spike ball. The screams Alan ‘heard’ almost brought a smile to his face. The whip repeatedly struck the spiked ball until there were no longer any sounds or thoughts from it, then the black shell cracked and an odd purple fluid began to slowly ooze from it. Alan couldn’t feel any remorse about it; he’d given it a chance. It was strange, though; he had thought only moments before that if the ball attacked, he hoped the whip would beat the creature to death. The largest of the pink creatures slowly walked over to Alan, bowing, it thought to him, we wish to thank you, great Trictatori, your intervention has saved all our lives; he was about to beat us all to death.

Why didn’t you fight back? You are many; he was but one. It would have been simple for you all to overpower him, uh, it, Alan thought, stumbling over his words.

The pink Slimtori looked at Alan with a strange look, Fight? What is this fight? We know nothing of this; we are storytellers and record keepers, the emperor is rounding all of my race up to extinguish us.

If you don’t fight or even know what it is, then what harm could you be to him? Alan asked, now curious.

As I have said, we are record keepers. Centuries ago, there was a bold seer who foresaw the defeat of the emperor by a strange and extremely powerful Trictatori, so powerful in fact that he could exist in two planes at the same time. It was said that though not as powerful in the dream and spirit plane, he was still a force too powerful to be defeated by normal means.

I am new here; what is a Trictatori? I do not recognize that word, Alan asked, feeling a little stupid.

A Trictatori is you, one who can manipulate air, fire, water, make things they need from other things, the large Slimtori said.

Alan thought for a moment. It sounded like they were talking about the Sorcerers and Wizards of old, but ... he wasn’t ... he couldn’t ... Thinking a moment, he knew that the Slimtori were starving, almost on the brink of passing out. Waving his arm, he thought of a feast for those there, all their favorite food; poof, it was there. All the Slimtori bowed low as they went to eat.

Okay, this was getting weird. Walking to the large Slimtori, he asked if there was a safe place they could go to, yes, but it is so far away; I am sure even with this food, most of us wouldn’t make it, it sadly thought.

I can get you there when you are finished; I will take you there, Alan thought.

You are Trictatori; why would you help lowly creatures like us? it asked, confusion in its thoughts.

It is the way I am, alright? The Slimtori just nodded and went back to eating.

After they had all been transferred, Alan looked around the thick-walled building; there was a lot of destruction. Waving his hands, the walls were like new, better even, as Alan had strengthened them over a thousand times stronger. Almost all the Slimtori were amazed, having never seen a Trictatori this close.

Alan was about to go; he’d felt a tug every hour for some time now and knew he was about to wake up.

Damn, this was a sweet dream. Just for fun, since none of this was really real, he told all the Slimtori that if they had need of him again, just call him. When they asked what his name was, he responded, “Alan.” There was a collective gasp in all the thoughts he heard. Then he heard them all say “A-la-n” just as he was pulled back, then awoke to the phone ringing.

Damn, that was a sweet dream! Shit, with powers like those, he could do so much damn good in the world, but not in this world. Good shit never happened here. Setting out, he started looking for another job, stopping anywhere they might hire him. Sighing, he headed back to his room; a lot of prospects but nothing solid yet.

Tired beyond belief, Alan hit the shower, almost falling asleep in it. Laying down again, he was out as soon as his head hit the pillow. Just like the night before, he landed in almost the same spot. The sound of many feet drew his attention, that and the sound of several whips again. Not even needing to look, his anger grew. Stepping through the bushes again, he saw that the visitors were examining the body of the ball creature. The visitors included a few more of the spike ball creatures, a few creatures that looked like cucumbers with hair, ten legs, and four eyes, and above all these was a two-legged, almost rat-like creature, hairless and whiskerless.

You! Did you see what happened here? one of the cucumbers demanded, a scowl on its almost face.

Alan just stood there, his arms crossed. The rat creature glanced his way and immediately flicked her whip at the cucumber creature.

Your Majesty, we cannot allow such... it started.

You will shut your mouth and pay respect to the Trictatori, the rat-like leader’s thoughts almost seemed like a shout. Suddenly all the creatures were on guard, though many were also shaking.

This useless creature attempted to use his whip on me, a bad mistake, Alan thought forcefully, looking at all twenty of the guards with the rat creature. He’d missed the walking snake creatures plus more of the pink Slimtori he’d met the day before.

You will speak with respect to the daughter of the emperor, you sho... the cucumber creature began to gag and choke, then it split into four parts, its grey body fluids spewing everywhere. All ten of the snake creatures attacked, chanting and spitting. Alan pushed all that they sent back at them, each screaming as it died. The spike balls were the next to die; they tried to roll over Alan, who simply moved, motioning his hand down upon his other hand, and all the spike balls were at once flattened, crushed beyond recognition.

Now then, if you are through playing, release the Slimtori NOW! Or the next one I crush will be you, and there is nothing they can do, Alan said to the emperor’s daughter, indicating what was left of her guards. I suggest that you go home and don’t return to this area again. It is under my protection, and believe me, I won’t hesitate to kill ALL that come here! the last Alan said as he made a choking motion with his hand, and the Princess was choking, unable to catch her breath. I hope we understand each other.

The Princess threw dagger-like looks at Alan, sucking in air as soon as Alan released her. This is not over; you may be powerful, but no one can withstand the entire army. Turning his back to her, the Princess started to choke again. The last of her guards all rushed Alan. Waving his hand, time slowed as Alan walked up to each and, to the Princess’s horror, he split then resplit each of her last guards. Walking right up to her, he looked straight into her eyes, that was the last warning, walking to the Slimtori, he released them, then the Princess, remember, Alan thought to her as he whisked the Slimtori away.