The sun peeked through my dust-tainted windows. The rough embrace of dawn had come upon me once more. A day not like any other, one where I had a purpose to pursue until I had dealt with the matter at hand. Another mystery had found its way to my table, and I did not have the time to sit around eating the eggs and toast served on my plate. I didn't have time for some nicely served eggs, there was danger afoot in my town. I couldn't go searching immediately. They'd probably recovered their agent by now and were on the lookout for anyone who could've taken them down. Why did they send him here? Before he threw a fist at the gal, I thought he might've been some lost drunkard, but the immediate violence means that he was there for us. She wasn't even ten words in when he decided he'd heard enough. I wonder where they got a man like that. Maybe he was Rhodesian, they have men twice the size of your average flurn there. Who would hire a man from all the way up in Rhodes to come down to Prymdor? What'd they need him for? I know that my reputation has probably spread across the city, but I didn't think I'd go international so quick.

Whoever these people were, I couldn't afford to ignore them and whatever they had planned for the nation. If they wanted me taken care of, then they must be up to something that could bring down the very structure of this country.

I didn't end up having the conversation I wanted with the gal. We exchanged glances when I woke up, and she hadn't said anything to Chief Rayner. I had to assume that I was in the clear, maybe she knew that something larger was at stake the same way that I did. While I could use her smarts for dealing with these nefarious plotters I knew that she was too valuable to risk on a mission like this. Maybe if she had a specific role to play I could bring her in, but I couldn't be with her from day one. She was the kind of girl who would be frail when it mattered most, the kind of girl who you couldn't trust to stay the same. Spontaneity, the death of every good public servant. I had left the eggs given to me by Chief Rayner on the table. She didn't say a word, she must've had some understanding of what was happening to me.

Maybe she knew to sit this one out. Chief Rayner could only deal with the issue if it was out in the open, but this new villain operated strictly in the dark. They all sat behind closed doors and made decisions about what was to happen to the people around me. I knew that they would trade this empire for gold if they were given the chance, and leave the rest of these citizens to pick up the scraps. I left the house immediately. If they had spies trained on me since last night I didn't want them attacking my base of operations. I needed somewhere to stay for the day where they couldn't openly attack me so I would at least have a chance at being safe. They may have infiltrated every crevice of this city already, but that's a risk I had to take if I was going to stand any chance against them. It was either this or deserting the city for good if I wanted to keep my life.

I found my way into the nearby cleric's office. There were nurses out and about, running around the place frantically screaming about some new patient. I overheard some of what they were talking about. Apparently, a girl had come in earlier today and her face was a mess. What wasn't covered by her own blood was either broken or bruised. They worried that they wouldn't be able to return her face to what it was originally. I sat down in a nearby chair next to what I thought was the mother, who was lying her head down on the back of the chair with her eyes closed. She was beautiful, the very figure of an angel combined with a look that would start wars. Despite the fact that she was clearly in pain herself, from the bruises and scratches I could see scattered across her skin I still found her to be nothing but pretty. She looked like she was used to being roughed up though. Her sleeves were rolled up, her clothes weren't particularly dainty. She was the kind of girl who could fool you with her appearance. Silky blonde hair that brought in an unsuspecting victim, made them believe that she could be controlled. She was the kind of girl who you'd buy a drink for only to realize that she had money for drinks with her the whole time. The kind of girl who would lead you on and still make you feel lucky. Above all else, she was the kind of girl who you'd throw your life away for. I wondered what kind of sick beast could've brought itself to harm such a pretty gal and their presumed child.

I didn't have time to spend swooning over this woman I had just met, just seen. I needed to figure out what my next step was for this new group of saboteurs. First of all, I needed to think of a good name. I'd be thinking about these people a lot while solving this debacle, I needed another name to refer to them by. What sounded ominous enough to make you afraid, but not so ominous that I couldn't defeat it? I needed the name to strike fear among the public, but not strike fear and me. It needed to be a threat, but a threat that I could deal with. I got it.

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Windbreaker.

I'd call them Windbreaker. It was perfect.

For the time being I needed to figure out what I'd do about the first attack from Windbreaker. I didn't know when they'd appear again, but I should set up a line of connections throughout the Prymdor streets so I had eyes and ears in every part of the neighborhood. I could offer the propagandists some time off on their sentence if they offered to keep watch for anything suspicious, maybe I could rummage through Chief Rayner's drawers and find something of value that I could offer to local merchants. Either way, I needed some understanding of what was going on during these misty Prymdor nights. I couldn't roam the streets by myself, I'd run the risk of bumping into whoever they'd send after me next. My thoughts were interrupted by a man who had approached me, he was trying to talk to me but I wasn't focused on whatever he was saying. Eventually, he grabbed my attention after snapping his fingers in front of my face. What was more important than saving this city?

"Hey there kiddo, do I know you?"

Good opening question. He's trying to gauge my ability to think fast. If I respond too coldly he'll think that I'm on edge and he might become more inquisitive. If I respond with confusion he'll know about my lack of wit, anyone would jump to take advantage of such a thing.

"Are you from around here?"

"Not necessarily."

"Then I don't think you would. I'm well known around this city, but my name hasn't reached outside these walls just yet."

"Well, aren't you ambitious? What's your name, I think I should write it down so I can say that I met you before you became an international sensation."

"Flynn Holde, could you spare me the privilege of knowing your name?"

"I'm Klein."

"No last name?"

"I don't tell a lot of people my last name. Maybe I'll write you a letter with it once you're a topic at the dinner table."

"You better prepare some parchment soon then. It won't be long before my prowess is heard of throughout this continent."

"Well, I'll make sure to keep a ready supply."

"Seeing as I've already amassed some local fame, don't you think I deserve more from you? At least give me the initial."

"M."

"What?"

"The first letter of my last name is M."

"Why'd you give it up so easily? I thought I'd have to barter for a clue."

"Well, no harm in giving you a single letter. If my last name was something egregious like Mthulapontian, there's no way you could get all that from the letter M."

"I'm well known for beating the odds around here, so I'd suggest you shy away from making bets so soon."

"Well, if you do figure out my last name I'll be quite impressed. Say, do you know the lady next to you?"

"I don't believe so. Do you?"

"I do actually, longtime friend of mine. I had caught wind of the news that she and her daughter got into some kind of accident, so I came rushing over to check on her."

"Well that means I've stolen your seat doesn't it?"

"The seat belongs to the clerics really, but I appreciate you handing it over to me."

I got up and slightly bowed to him to exhibit my generosity. Maybe he could spread my name around outside Prymdor if I left a good impression on him. Someone who could travel in between cities from news alone is someone who had influence.

"Say, you seem like a good kid."

"Is that so?"

"Don't be so skeptical, I appreciated you giving me your seat, that's all. I've been given a separate task by another friend of mine, well she's actually related to this friend. You see I used to be in a party with all these people, we would go adventuring throughout the entire continent taking whatever quest came at us. The leader of our party was an asshole but we don't talk about him anymore-"

"What was the task that your friend gave you?"

"Right, sorry. So direct, I'd think you were a child of Alena's."

"Alena?"

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, I've been told to go out and find some children who are prospects for this new academy we're making. We plan to find anyone with a large amount of potential and offer them the opportunity to forge a new path for themself, one that they wouldn't even be able to scrape the surface of if not for us. You seem like a kid with the potential that we're looking for, so what do you say-"

"Yes."

"Huh?"

"Yes. I agree. Is there a card, or something? A place I need to go to? A time?"

"Yeah I have one on me-"

"Can I see it?"

"Alright, slow down, slow down."

As soon as he brought the card out from his jacket I immediately ripped it out of his hand. I ran from the cleric's office all the way back to Ms. Rayner's house as quickly as I could. This was my big break, this was the opportunity to figure out what I could do with my life. Nothing else mattered. I burst through the door and immediately shoved the card into my pillowcase for safekeeping.