Lt. Colonel Travis Morgan of the United States Air Force is attacked while on a reconnaissance mission over Russia. Fleeing towards the Arctic Circle, he is forced to abandon his dying aircraft in Yukon Territory, and parachutes through a swirling mist into the strange and unrecognizable land of Skartaris

While wandering through the unfamiliar forests, he happens upon a beautiful barbarian girl, Tara, who is being attacked by a Dinosaur, and rescues her. He questions her about their surroundings, but finds she speaks a strange language. They are interrupted by a group of armored warriors who attack them as well, but when Travis shoots two of them, they are afraid of his technology, and instead offer to take them to their King at his palace in Thera.
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Deimos

Morgan and Tara are introduced to the king, as well as his high priest, Deimos, who feels threatened by the foreigner. Deimos tests him with an attack from a magical orb, but Morgan simply shoots it out of his hand. He is bathed and clothed, and a feast is prepared in his honor, although Tara clearly disapproves of the civilization pampering them. When Travis goes into a deep sleep, he awakes with a large beard, and realizes time has little meaning in this strange land.

Over a period of time, Morgan learns the language of the local people, and begins to learn from Tara. She explains to him how although she seems less cultured than the people around them, her people look down on them for atrocities committed in the name of human sacrifices to their god. Morgan theorizes that the peculiar details of Skartaris can be explained by it existing inside of the Earth itself, which is how he fell into it.

A spy overhears them, and reports back to Deimos. He sends trained killers to murder Travis and Tara in their sleep, but Travis, lying in ambush, surprises them, and the two are able to slay the mercenaries together. Realizing they are no longer safe in Thera, Tara decides to take Travis back to her own people, and the two leave the city to strike out on their own

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