~~Author’s Note:
This is something of a proof of concept project.  Had an idea that simply had to be put down, and this is it.  Now I just need to decide if it should be expanded and developed.

The Encounter

It was a diner like any other, convenient located on a street corner with lots of foot traffic.  It had a wall full of windows, a bar, a series of booths lining the walls, a busy cook running the grill, and two waitresses keeping track of the patrons.

Walter, as usual chose the booth at the end.  He studied the menu for a full five minutes before finally deciding to order the same thing he always ordered at this particular diner; a cheeseburger with fries and an iced tea.  The same waitress waited on him who always did, but as near as he could tell, she didn’t remember him.

A bell chimed as the door opened to admit a new man into the diner.  He immediately caught Walter’s attention as the man was strangely dressed.  The weather was warm out, yet the man still wore a long loose fitting overcoat over at least three layers of long loose clothing, and a scarf.  All of his clothing was colored in earth tones.

Walter wasn’t the only one to notice the man’s arrival; one of the patrons who was sitting on the bar noticeably stiffened at the man’s entry.   The man at the bar was dressed a little more smartly, his clothes all in green.

The man in browns was about to take a seat at one of the other booths when he noticed the man in green.  He stood still, and turned to face the man in green.

The background sound of overlapping conversations dimmed as the man spoke.  “You aren’t supposed to be here,” he said, simply.

Turning on his barstool, the man in green raised his hands, showing that he was empty handed.  “I’m not here to cause any trouble,” he said, “I just wanted a bite to eat.”

An energy filled the air, and Walter could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

“I don’t think that is the only reason you are here,” the man in brown said, “in fact, I am sure—“

The sentence went unfinished.  The man in green pushed his hands forward, a yellow plasma energy gathering in his palms as they moved.

Yellow bolts shot outwards at the man in brown, who with a swirl of his coat, deflected them.  The bolts shattered a window, and caused a bench to shatter into particle board splinters.

The man in brown’s own arm shot forward, and the man in green leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the orange ball of plasma that shattered the counter top.

There were no words spoken at this point by the two combatants, and no wands or sticks, but something told Walter without a shadow of a doubt that he was watching magic in use.  Not technology so advanced that it looked like magic, this was something else, perhaps a technology so different that it was magic.  The commotion and the violence froze Walter in his seat, unwilling to move or draw attention to himself.

The rest of the diner workers and patrons took a different view as they began screaming and diving for cover.  They would have run for the exit if the man in brown had not been standing right next to it.

Two more orange bolts shot out towards the man in brown, but this time the energy bolts were enveloped by a vortex of swirling black energy.

Holding his arms out to the sides, the man in brown caused everyone in the diner to remain motionless.  The cries of the now immobile patrons became more frightened, and the man in green struggled to force himself to move.

With a very deliberate move, the man in brown directed another single surge of energy at the man in green.

The man in green assumed a pained expression, but by then he was already dead.  What was left of him blew away like dried leaves.

The man in brown looked around without moving.  He shook his hands, and instantly the damage done to the diner had been repaired.  It wasn’t quite perfect, there was a visible crack separating the previously damaged counter from the untouched countertop.

Finally, the man put his arms back down, and instantly all the patrons returned to their meals.  He turned to leave, but then stopped.  Suddenly he turned to face Walter.

Calmly, he walked over and sat on the bench opposite.  “It didn’t work on you,” he said.  “Why?”

Walter swallowed, and glanced around at all the people busy eating their meals, completely oblivious to the violence they had just witnessed.  Walter had no answer for the man.

“Are you one of Them?” he asked.

“Who?” Walter asked in return.  “Why don’t they remember anything?”

“So, you aren’t?” he said.  “Well, no doubt they will be contacting you soon, after this.”  He leaned back in thought.  “As for your question, I made them forget for the simple reason that life is too difficult if everyone knows that I could destroy them with a thought.  I don’t like people running for their lives, when I only want to buy a hot dog.  Maybe I should burn you now, and save myself a lot of bother later.”

It took Walter a moment to find his voice before he finally answered, “I rather you didn’t.”

The man uttered a hearty and genuine laugh.  “Very well, my name is Thorn.  Remember it if we should chance to meet again, and remember that we are not all bad.  It could be interesting to see how your game plays out.”