Do you ever feel that you are missing something big, something profound? Do you ever feel that it is staring you right in the face? Does it feel so vast that you can neither see its beginning nor its end? Today I realized that feeling of something being ever so slightly off was not misplaced. I can feel it clearly now. There is someone or something beyond that is looking at me. I hope whoever you are, whatever you are can hear me. I know that you are watching me. Know that I know. You may think you are safe. Far from the grasp of me. Well you’ll soon realize how misplaced your confidence is.

The girl who was talking, but a moment ago lunged out toward seemingly nothing trying to grasp nothing. Nothing was there, but she felt something on the tips of her fingers. She grazed something near intangible. Again she lunged faster than the eye can see, but there was nothing this time. Tripping over herself after confidently grabbing thin air she falls over onto the ground. After recovering from her clumsy fall she held still, focusing her mind feeling for whoever was watching her. She felt the eyes on her back again, but this time she held still, not even making the slightest movement. Opening her eyes she looks around trying to find nothing until she locks her eyes on … me?

I look back to see if there is anything behind me. Nope, the only thing in her line of sight was me. Well that’s not good. I thought she was just going crazy. I guess I should back out before she actually finds out. Boss will be mad that there will be no story today, but that’s better than getting myself discovered. That would just ruin everything. Before I could move to leave a hand came out of nowhere grabbing right onto my face.

“Fuck”

“Oh, so you can talk.”

This is not good. I need to back out now. I feel for the metaphysical seams of reality searching as fast I can. The second I grab hold I pull hard, not caring where I land just trying to get away. Reality around me deforms and degenerates into an ugly mess of distorted colors and extra dimensions. The rush of silence fills the void around as I burst into the kaleidoscope of realities, a colorful cosmic compendium of worlds. The hasty entry and lack of coordination result in my graceless crash landing toward a non-linear reality. I scrape against and hit several realities, some I even crash directly through briefly appearing and disappearing out of a few realities before I finally reach my hastily decided destination.

Oh my god. What a wreck that was. Now that my cover has been blown I need to write a lot of paperwork when I get back. I might even be forced to retrain. Boss will also have to file that reality for quarantine.

I felt it. There was something there that I barely grazed with the tips of my fingers. I need to focus. Find that which lies beyond. Seek for the non-existent. I open my eyes. I scan around myself until, there, I see something, a blur in the sky. I know that it can see me so I’ll have to surprise it before it figures out what I’m trying to do, but I have the advantage right now since it doesn't know that I can see it.

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I reach within my soul and push all the power I can into my body, increasing its physical capabilities beyond. The perspiration on my body bursts into steam. My body starts to glow, becoming iridescent from the pure energy radiating off me. The steam around me shimmers in prismatic rays of light. I step forward, instants of a second not even passing as I walk toward the blur. I could feel my tendons snapping, bones fracturing, muscles pulling beyond taut. I could only walk lest I be overwhelmed. Even then it was but an instant before I was right in front of the blur, the incongruity and with my outstretched arms I grasp it with my hand. It feels warm, alive. Curious. The thing cries out in an unknown language. I respond to it, but before I get more than a few words out it disappears. One moment I was holding something solid the next I was holding air again.

It ran away. I can’t say I’m not disappointed. I thought it would finally fight once I caught it or at the very least give me an answer for why it is watching me. I’m not sure if I should let it go this easily. Though I should heal myself first before deciding on anything.

Man, maybe I should just retire. This entire mess has probably ruined my career for the foreseeable future. I don’t think I have ever heard of any story warden failing this badly before. I sat on a rock resting and deliberating about my near future. That was until I felt the telltale sign of reality rending. A tear the size of my pinky finger expanded out until it could fit a single humanoid person and out came the worst possibility, the girl from earlier. What even is she? None of the things she did today was even stated on her file. Are the documents on her outdated or did she figure out how to cross realities and spot intangibles in such a short amount of time?

“Hey you idiot. Did you really think you could get away from me?”

“...”

“Are you just gonna stay quiet? Because I don’t mind just beating you up.” She pulls back her arm, readying a punch to my face.

“Wait wait wait.”

“I can’t understand you at all. I guess all I can do is beat you up huh.” This time she launches forward, closing the distance before us in an instant.

Oh crud I forgot to turn on the translator. “Wait wait wait. What do you want?” She stops right in front of me, her fist barely a centimeter away from my face.

“Oh so you can actually speak english.”

“Yeah. I forgot to turn on the translator.”

“A translator sounds pretty handy. Mind giving one to me?”

“Yes I do mind I only have one of these. Wait, we're getting off topic. What do you want?”

“I want answers and maybe a bit of retribution. Why were you spying on me?”

“I wasn’t spying on you. I’m not even a spy. I’m a story warden. I was recording your story for others to read and experience.”

“Story warden, spy. I don’t care what you are, stop watching me. I’m going back now, but if I even catch you watching me again you better have a god to pray to.” And with that final sentence she was gone with a flourish.

Well that went better than expected. I actually thought she was going to punch me half dead before leaving. I guess I better get started on my paperwork.

In a flash the story warden was gone as well. Both going their separate ways most likely to never meet again. Ara was satisfied to find her suspicions true, but even then she could have never guessed that there was something beyond the story warden. That I was beyond the beyond.