Naturally, the man was Mark. A moment earlier, during the same moment that Sarah was looking down at her phone, Mark stood there pensively. During transit, he encountered what amounted to a fork in the road. Having no prior experience, all he could do was choose a path and continue on. During his numerous short distance teleportations, nothing of that sort had ever occurred.


    However, Mark realized he’d have to ponder this issue later as his attention soon focused on the vehicle in front of him. “What is that mysterious metal box? It has wheels, so perhaps it is a means of transportation? I have never seen something so well-crafted before. It must be a one of a kind treasure. Without horses, it must run on magic,” Mark thought to himself. At this point, his attention switched from the car to the woman, and their gazes met. “So that girl must be a Wizard too and a powerful one at that in order to move such a large and heavy contraption.”


    “Young miss, I am called Mark. Might you be able to help me? My short range teleportation went awry and I’m not sure where I am.” Mark, although typically honest, felt the need for a minor discrepancy of the facts here. Short distance teleportation was difficult enough, and long distance teleportation like he had just accomplished was previously simply fantasy. As such, he didn’t want the woman in front of him to think him to be insane.


    Mark was surprised as the car’s window rolled down. From his perspective, the transparent surface next to the woman simply retreated into the metal box’s frame. Mark quickly reasoned it must be due to the woman’s magic, again reinforcing his belief in the woman being a powerful wizard. The woman then poked her head outside and asked, “Wha- what did you just say? Teleportation? You can perform magic?” Disbelief mixed with a strange modicum of acceptance filled her voice.


    A moment of silence reigned as both parties were slightly startled. “Why would she be asking these question?” Mark thought, “I’d understand if she were a country bumpkin. After all, wizards are rare existences. In fact, most people go their entire lives without meeting one. But, she clearly must be a powerful wizard herself? I’d best try asking again without offending her.”This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    “Yes, that’s right, I’m a wizard. Although I’m clearly not as powerful as you are being able to operate that metal contraption with wheels and all,” Mark replied attempting to flatter the woman.


    The woman withdrew her head and reached down for something. A black rectangular object appeared in her hand. Her fingers began to touch the front in various motions. Mark became worried that the woman was preparing an attack. He raised his hands and began to prepare a defense of his own. Mark was only exceptional in teleportation, but he believed his defensive skills to be competent. His offensive skills were another story, but Mark determined he’d teleport away at the first sign of trouble.


    It turned out that Mark’s worries were unfounded. The woman put down the device and nothing occurred. At least, nothing he could detect. Still, it was better to be safe, and Mark activated his magical shield anyways. A layer of translucent light extended from his hands becoming a plane in front of him. Mark could have it envelop his entire body, but that required more effort and was much more exhausting. The shield he made already put an enormous toll on his body since he had not had any time to recover from his teleportation. Mark determined that he had the ability to perform at most one more magical ability in the near future. Of course, he’d save this for teleporting away in the event of danger.


    The woman again popped her head out and was about to speak when the light caught her eye. “So, you really are a wizard? What is that light in front of you? And what do you mean by calling me powerful? I’m but an ordinary young woman.”


    Now it was Mark’s turn to have a realization. The woman did not seem to be lying. However, how could she be calling herself ordinary? She could clearly operate the vehicle and she had that strange rectangular object Mark had never seen before. “Maybe I’ve teleported further than I thought?” Mark reasoned believing that to be the only reasonable explanation. But where in the world would it be commonplace to have ordinary citizens operating such wondrous treasures? Something didn’t quite sit right with Mark. All he could think back to was that fork he took during his teleportation.