The thin man beckoned and the men with him shed their black cloaks and came for Flane with naked swords in their hands. Flane grinned as they ran toward him. He lifted the gun and aimed it at the cloaks that lay on the sand.
The violet light came forth from the gun and stole all around the black cloaks that lay on the sand, and ate them up. It ate up some of the sand, too.
The men skidded to a halt in the sand, staring; beneath their white faces was the pallor of fear. Flane said softly, "Go back to your ship and be grateful to Flane. If I had wanted, I could have aimed the gun at you."
The tall man started; he stared at Flane with his dark eyes, as though absorbing his every feature.
He said, "Are you Flane in truth? The Flane who fled from Klarn with Vawdar?"
"I am that Flane."
"And Vawdar? What of him? Did he give you the key to the Machine?"
"Vawdar died. He said the key was lost, which we knew; but he also said it was not what we think it is, that key."
"I am searching for that key, even now. If I do not find it, the Darksiders will overrun Moornal. I am overlord of Moornal. My name is Harth."