He hadn't asked for any of this. He hadn't asked to fall into another place, another dimension. He hadn't asked to be part of some strange prophecy. He didn't want to be the savior of a race from ancient times.

He hadn't bargained for any of that. He had come to them accidentally and unwilling.

But what choice did he have, really? Because there was no escape. No way back. Unless he could find it. The trouble was, he had no idea how to find it or where to begin looking.

The situation really wasn't is thing. He climbed mountains and worked as an accountant. He wasn't some mythological savior or fiery warrior. He was just one man. How was he to save them, help them, or free them as they thought he could?

He couldn't. That was the answer. He just couldn't.

***

Alex Hallyra stood in the sweltering heat of the Tunisian summer. He had won a contest to take a vacation here for a whole week. And it started as soon as he touched down in Tunisia.

Now he was waiting for the small transport car that would take him into El Kef, the village where he was vacationing. The village was located in one of the highest altitudes in Tunisia, and it was next to the Dorsal, the part of the Atlas mountain range that ran through Tunisia.

This suited Alex just fine. He had done a lot of mountain climbing in his spare time and when he took vacations. He had climbed mountains all over the world, in fact. He'd climbed several peaks in the Alps and a few in the Rockies. And after that, he'd also done some climbing in the Higher Atlas mountains in Morocco.

Now he was planning to try some of the peaks in the Dorsal. First, of course, he had to actually et to El Kef, and that meant a long ride through some of Tunisia in the heat. That was one part that Alex didn't look forward to, but if it meant a nice vacation in a place he'd wanted to visit for years he was certainly willing to deal with it.

The car pulled up, and Alex hopped in. "El Kef, sir." He handed the driver a small sum of the Tunisian currency.

The man grunted and began driving.

Alex leaned back in the cracked leather seat of the dingy cab to get some rest for the duration of the ride. Not that he got much. The roads were rather bumpy, and Alex found it difficult to maintain even a semblance of sleep.

The driver didn't speak to him, and Alex figured that perhaps he ought to strike up a conversation. The quiet and heat was stifling and conversation would at least relieve his boredom. "So, you live in El Kef, sir?"

"No." The driver grunted.

Strange man. Certainly not very friendly or talkative! "Well, then... I suppose we won't be seeing each other again, eh?"

"No."

The man didn't say much, Alex reflected. "I'll just look out the window then."

This time the man didn't say anything.

Irritated, Alex amused himself by imagining the man in all sorts of strange predicaments. Really, the chap has got to have a more extensive vocabulary than just no!

***

When they finally reached El Kef, Alex was relieved. He grabbed his suitcase quickly and bid the driver a hasty goodbye. Then he headed off to find his inn.

 ***

El Kef was a small town. It had one fairly nice restaurant, the Restaurant Venus, which doubled as a bar. It had a few places to stay, and Alex was staying in the Residence Venus, a nice little place run by a cheerful family.

Once he was settled in, he left his clothing and other necessities in the room, taking everything else of value with him. Then he wondered around town for a while taking in the sights and the people. Everyone was friendly, but he understood little of what they said as he didn't speak any of the languages they were using. He wasn't even sure what it was they spoke as he didn't recognize it.

Eventually, weary from his journey and wandering about El Kef, Alex returned to the hotel where he promptly fell asleep on his bed without so much as removing his shoes. 

***

When Alex woke, he went downstairs to find the manager of the little hotel. "Excuse me, sir, but might I inquire where the best place to eat is?"

The manager looked up. "Of course. The Restaurant Venus is the best place. Do you need directions?"

Alex shook his head. "Thank you, but no. I saw it on the way in, and I am quite confident I can manage."

"Very good, Mr..." The manager looked at him expectantly.

"Hallyra. But you can just call me Alex. Most people can't pronounce my last name." Alex grinned.

The manager smiled back cheerfully. "Alright then, Alex. Enjoy your day!"

"I'm sure I will. Now, are the mountain trails open to tourists and visitors? I climb in my leisure time, and I was hoping I might be able to try some of the peaks here."

The manager shrugged. "We have some places open to the public. Mountains aren't exactly private property, and I'm afraid that the village authorities have no real laws about climbing mountains. Just one, really."

"And what is that, pray tell?"

"Write your will first and the town isn't liable for anything that happens to you." The manager smiled.

Alex laughed. "Well, you certainly don't have any regulations if that's all you require." Well, this chap certainly has a sense of humor. I’m glad that not everyone around here is as unfriendly as that cab driver! Alex thought.

"One of the many advantages of being a very small town in a very tiny country, I'm sure. We practically live in the mountains anyway, and some people take their sheep up on the slopes to graze, so it’s difficult to have laws saying people can’t go up there. Not much up there though."

Alex shook his head, smiling. "Like I said, I climb. I’m not really looking for towns or things to look at site seeing wise. Thank you for the help, sir." Yes! I’ve been wanting to test this mountain for years! Alex struggled to keep himself from jumping up and down in joy. Really, sometimes he acted like a little kid.

The manager smiled. “Of course. My pleasure, sir.”

Alex walked out, heading for the Restaurant Venus. And now, for a much delayed, much needed breakfast. I hope that Restaurant Venus has a good selection and a good chef.

Breakfast did not disappoint, and after he was done eating, he headed out into the sultry summer day.

The mountain path he chose was clear and low bushes were scattered sparsely over the lower slopes. Higher up copses of trees dotted the mountainside.

Further along, he felt a shift in the air. It became more humid and dark clouds loomed overhead. Alex looked back down at the village, worried. If a rainstorm was coming, he could be in trouble. He had no idea how stable the mountainside was or how hard it generally rained during the summer months. He knew that normally in mountain regions it was usually hot with little rain during the summer months. But if a rare rainstorm did hit, who knew how hard it might rain?

The clouds roiled darkly above him and raindrops began to patter on the ground. “Come on!” Alex muttered. “Seriously, why does this sort of stuff always happen to me?” He looked up at the roiling sky, shouting up at it. “Hey! Stop raining!” He knew it wouldn’t do any good, but it felt good to just vent his frustration on the irritating change in the weather. There was no way he could make it back to the village in time. He needed shelter and it couldn't wait.

Glancing around, he noticed that there was a large grove of thickly leafed trees. He walked over to it as the sky darkened. Peering up at the sky, he realized he had no time to find something better. He darted into the trees just as the rain began pouring down.

Deeper into the trees, Alex discovered a small rock cave. Nothing appeared to be living in it, so he crawled in, hoping to find further shelter from the sudden storm.

And so he did, but not the way he had imagined.

Perhaps it would have been better for Alex if he had stayed outside in the pouring rain. Because the cave was a far less safe option, and for someone who never once asked for an adventure and who didn't particularly want one either, staying outside to be soaked was certainly the better choice.

But it was too late for that. Alex had committed himself to the tangled trouble of adventure the moment he crawled into the cave, and there was no going back.