Shadow and Flame

It's night at a remote caravanserai on the spice road, where the wyldlands stretch in every direction, barbarous, dangerous. The desert chieftains have come in, lured by the glamour and guile of a traveling company -- a troupe of acrobats and conjurers, dancers and wrestlers. And of the richest attractions is a young fire juggler from Gupar. His name is Tai Emreth, and if he performs tonight, he'll be walking into the most terrible danger. Alak Zhar is in the great yurt, and the Zhar has a nasty reputation for reaching out and stealing whatever, whoever, he wants.

But tonight's performance is the price of liberty for Tai, and he's determined to perform, despite the warning from a mysterious stranger who melts out of the shadows just before he makes his entrance. The big man moves like a panther, has the eyes of a hunting hawk and the voice, the accent, of the old, wicked cities of the west. Tai is immediately fascinated -- who is this one who calls himself Giero, what does he want, and what does he have to give? Giero melts back into the shadows as if he is one of them --

And time is up. The music has already begun, the audience is poised, waiting for the young fire juggler who's been given an immense build-up. Tai steps into the lights, sets eyes on Alak Zhar, High Chief from the fortress of Murkul-zahd, ... and realizes he's made a terrible mistake.