[ WP ] A dangerous sorcerer ends up in the Wild West .

I did n't know how I ended up here, but I found myself in a dusty town, in some part of the world I did n't recognize. My last memory was fighting that damned do-gooder, Kaen. He and his band of'heroes' had assaulted my tower and slaughtered my golems. I was just about to destroy him once and for all when that irksome mage of his cast a spell that even I did n't recognize. When I awoke I was in this heat baked hell, my mouth dry and clothes covered in dust. 
 
 I got to my feet and brushed the dust from my robes, casting a spell to conjure water in a canteen. As I drank deeply, I looked around the area, seeing that I was on the outskirts of what looked like a township. Hoping I could find a teleportation circle, or at least a Ghuntler I could hire to take me home, I began walking. 
 
 As I neared the town, I heard a whooping cry coming from down the street. A pack of wild animals rode in, bearing human riders. These strange beasts had four legs and elongated heads, with long hair streaming down their necks, and similar hair for tails. They were some manner of mount, but I could n't recall ever seeing their like before. As the band of cavaliers got closer, one of them stopped and pointed at me, gesturing to his comrades and speaking in some strange language. They all stopped then, staring at me with confusion and disgust. The one in the lead, clearly some sort of commander, shouted something at me, in a crude language that I did n't understand. 
 
 `` Yes?'' I responded calmly, deciding not to provoke these strange creatures yet. They might have some power I did n't know of yet. They stared at me agape, no understanding on their face. Deciding not to waste time with their foolishness, I raised my hand and cast a simple spell, pulling the knowledge of this *English* from the first rider's mind. As he bent over, clutching his head, I completed the spell, their rough shouts finally making sense. 
 
 `` Jack, you okay?!'' 
 
 `` What the hell was that?!'' 
 
 `` Who the hell is this bastard?!'' Well that seemed downright rude. Their leader, this Jack fellow, would be fine, and he had performed a valuable service. I spoke again, this time in their crude language. 
 
 `` My name is Rasividious Aerendearth, Lord of the Crimson Isles and High Mage of the Red Tower. To whom am I speaking?'' The greeting was a bit formal, but protocol demanded that I display my full titles, so these ruffians knew the danger they faced. 
 
 `` Rasi what now? The hell'd you do to Jack?'' The one who must have been the second-in-command spoke. His pockmarked face was dirty, and he clearly had n't shaved in weeks. 
 
 `` I cast a spell of understanding, that's all. He'll be fine. I just needed to know your language, primitive though it is.'' Was it that hard to understand? Even a child could have read the runes while I was casting. Where on Hurnd was I, that they could n't read runes. 
 
 `` You... cast a spell? Is that what you said? You some kinda wizard-fella?'' A wizard? Pah. Those bookworms could n't command one tenth of the power I wielded. Even Kaen's pet wizard only sent me here because I was distracted by his square-jawed fool of a leader. 
 
 `` I am no wizard, fool. I am a Sorcerer, the Lord of the Red Tower. Surely you've heard of me.'' When I called him a fool, his face turned red, and his hands moved towards his belt, where it appeared he had some sort of weapon. Behind him, his men did the same, while their leader let go of his head and began to straighten. He must have recovered from the spell. 
 
 `` Hold on there, Wiley. I wan na talk to this fella.'' His voice was deeper, more commanding, and at his word, his men relaxed their hands, moving away from their strange weapons. 
 
 `` You must be the leader of this motley band. As I told your lieutenant, my name is Rasividious Aerendearth, Lord of the Crimson Isles and High Mage of the Red Tower. To whom am I speaking?'' I tried to remain calm and patient. Clearly they had n't seen a mage before. 
 
 `` Well, Rasividious, my name is Jack Durnham, and these are my Blood Riders. We own this whole town.'' So, I was dealing with a minor lord of some kind. At least he had some sense of protocol. 
 
 `` A lordling, hmm? Very well, take me to your king, and we can parley. I desire only passage out of this hellhole.'' This would work. His king had surely heard of the Crimson Isles and the Red Tower, which meant I could soon be on my way. 
 
 `` A king? We ai n't got a King, mister. Matter a fact, we beat the last guy who thought he could be king of these United States. Beat him bad too.'' No king? Than how did this pitiful land govern itself? They were clearly rebelers and usurpers of a sort. 
 
 `` Well, if you do n't have a King, take me to whoever is in charge. I need passage away from here. Is there a teleportation circle nearby?'' The man stared at me in bewilderment. 
 
 `` Telewhat? No. I'm the one who rules here, so you deal with me.'' A pity. It seemed I would need to find my own passage out. These fools were hardly able to hold proper negotiations. 
 
 `` Very well, lord. I need directions to the nearest city where a Navigator's Guild is located.'' Again, blank stares. These idiots had never heard of the Navigators? Where in the seven hells was I? 
 
 `` Listen mister, you got some nice clothes, and you talk real fancy. Makes think you're kinda rich. Seems to me you should share that with us, so can help you better.'' A bribe? Me? Ha, these fools should know better. 
 
 `` I refuse to pay some backwater brigands a ransom. If you wo n't help, you'll be destroyed. So be it.'' As I said this, Jack and his men reached for their weapons, pulling out small devices, somewhat like a dueling wand. With a thought, I brought an invisible ward up, in case they were some sort of magic device, though I sensed no mana from them. 
 
 `` Get him lads. We'll take our price from his corpse.'' Their wands made loud booming sounds and dozens of small objects impacted my ward at great speed, faster than even a crossbow's bolt. It buckled under the force, but held strong, their strange rounds falling at my feet. They stared at me in wonderment, before grabbing at their belts for small pieces of metal, which they put into their wands. I surmised this was some form of ammunition, and decided not to let them have another shot at me. 
 
 I brought up my hands, and with a word, a great bolt of lightning blew outwards, striking the leader in the chest before branching outwards, forking to burn clean holes through the chests of his whole team. As they sagged in their mounts, the beasts reared up on their back legs with a terrible screech and scattered, sprinting in every direction. Satisfied with my work, I walked over to where the leader had been sitting on his mount and grabbed his strange wand from the ground. I would examine it later. For now, I set off towards the setting sun, assuming that eventually I would come across a more reasonable settlement. I would escape this strange prison, and vengeance would be mine.
