The world spirals dizzyingly as I'm propelled uncontrollably forward. Several more explosions rip through the apartment as the soul gem array continues its catastrophic meltdown. I desperately grab at the casting focus in my hands, trying in vain to equip it. Even the simplest things can become difficult when you've been sent airborne.

And instead of splatting against unyielding concrete, my landing is surprisingly soft, if smelly.

"Lazy trash collection for the win." I groan in triumph, digging my way out of the mountain bagged garbage left on the premises of the housing estate. I had never been so grateful in my life for the lax attitude of the regular public servant. I note with distaste that one of the bags had inadvertently split from my landing, smearing my clothes with various crap. But who cares?

I had already pissed my pants earlier tonight. Unidentifiable stains are like another tear and in an ocean of sorrow.

Not bothering whether the watchers still have eyes on me, I dash toward the the apartment block's main entrance, hoping to intercept the Fat Man before he gets too far. I draw Love, ready and eager to bust a cap in Andrew's obese ass. Its the least I can do after the literal hell he has put me through tonight.

And murdering Ned Ted Fred. Can't forget that. I might not have known that guy very well, but we did work for the same Guild. So call this me showing some solidarity with my colleagues.

Come to think about it, why was Ned Ted Fred there in the first place? Who in the Guild had sent him? Was there someone else other than Breath interested in the mysterious Mrs Moira?

My ruminations are cut short by the roar of a car engine and the peeling of rubber. A beat up sedan blitzes through the block's parking area and hits the road at full speed, dodging through traffic with sharp, aggressive turns.

And of course, its the Fat Man at the wheel.

"You're really pissing me off." I mutter while scanning the area for any means of continuing the pursuit, finally managing to spot a cab. After some frantic flapping of my arm, the cab comes to a stop beside me and the driver winds down the window.

"Yeah? Where to?" the driver grunts, crinkling his nose at the unique aroma of piss and garbage exuding from my clothes.

"After that car!" I command, reaching for the passenger door.

And the cab promptly drives off before I can get in, the driver shaking his head in annoyance. Damnit, movies made this look so much easier. With nothing else for it, I pull out my phone and call what passes as my backup these days.

"Seeker?" Breath's muffled voice squawks over the handset, "I am glad that you are well. Report."

"Nice to hear from you to." I hurriedly shoot back, "Listen, the Fat Man is making a break for it using a car. Red sedan, Pay 2 Win plate, AEW1122EWW. I'm not in the position to mount a pursuit."

"I understand, Seeker." Breath notes amiably, "I will take it from here. Do not worry."

"Yeah, you're the man with the van." I sigh with relief, "There's another thing, I took a look at the Fat Man's shopping back at his apartment. Guess what I found? Sanitary pads."

"How is that relevant to our mission?" Breath asks as sirens sound in the background.

"Do men need sanitary pads?" I snort, "Fat Man's obviously buying them for someone else."

"And you think that person is Mrs Moira." Breath concludes, "It is a fair assumption to make, since the Fat Man is Mrs Moira's sole contact that hasn't been fully accounted for. Well done seeker."

"Well, as long as everything is under control." I remark, "Got to admit, this is the first time an employer has been so gracious about doing my job for me."

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"I am not unreasonable." the monk shrugs verbally, "You had done fine work in wounding and driving out our quarry from his lair. Besides, you have more pressing matters to attend to right now."

"Like what?" I slump on to a nearby bench, weakness overwhelming my body. The fried snack stand grips my attention fiercely, with near magnetic power.

"It has been close to three days since we last spoke, Seeker." Breath explains, "I was worried that you were not strong enough to break free from the Fat Man's grip on your own."

"Fuck me." I groan, checking my wristwatch. The date confirms what Breath just said. I'm missing three days worth of time. I don't know which is luckier, that the Fat Man was equally comatose as I was during that time or that the soul gem array endured long enough so that we weren't barbecued before coming back to our senses.

"So you can imagine my concern over the last few days." Breath rambles on casually.

"You could have come over to the apartment to check on me. You know that right?" I grumble accusingly back at the monk.

"About that, something had come up." Breath plows on without a hint of apology in his voice, "I was communing with the universe and -"

"Meaning you were getting high in your van." I note with just a hint of sourness.

"Please, I was meditating on the cosmos." Breath dismisses breezily, "And it told me that leaving you be was the right move to make."

I rub my glabella tiredly, recalling all the junk Breath kept in his van. I didn't go through all the cargo, but given the Sensorium's business, Breath's van probably had enough uppers, downers and everything in between to stock a small emporium.

"Sure. That's what happened." I mutter, giving up on making whatever point I had in mind. Breath's weirdness was once again getting too much for me to handle.

"Most indeed. And aren't you alive and well right now?" Breath contentedly remarks, confident in the wisdom of the cosmos.

"Whatever. I'm hungry." my stare returns to the snack stand, not caring whether it might be compromised by one of the watchers, "If there's nothing else, I'm going to break for dinner."

"Actually -" Breath begins.

"Of course. There it is." I sigh theatrically in mock exasperation.

"I do have something I need to tell you." Breath suddenly becomes serious, "The cosmos informed me that danger lurks."

"Lurks? Lurks where?" I scratch my bum, before realizing that I just got piss smell over my fingers. The same fingers I need to use to eat chicken nuggets with.

"Around the apartment." Breath barrels on, sounding somewhat distracted, "Its the main reason why I am not there to pick you up. My dreams told me that driving there would put us both in grave peril."

"Breath, I'm sitting on a bench right now." I say with an even voice.

"Yes Seeker?" the monk replies.

"In a public place. Near a main road." I roll my eyes, "And you're saying that there is grave peril around me?"

"No." Breath's voice is grim, "Seeker, the danger will only be triggered once you attempt to leave the neighborhood. I am being totally serious right now. Do not take this warning lightly."

"Holy shit. I can't believe this." I groan in defeat, "Right out of the dungeon and straight into the mire."

"Do not panic." Breath says reassuringly, "I am authorizing the Guild to release payment to you. Use the money to rest and recuperate in the neighborhood. It will be more than enough for a nice hotel. Only leave once the danger has passed or you feel that you are up to the challenge."

"There are no nice hotels here." I grind out, "Its a working class neighborhood. And I'm totally charging all of this cost back to the Guild as a business expense."

"I will approve it. So rest easy." Breath agreeably replies, "Leave the task of intercepting the Fat Man to me. I will let you know when you're needed again."

"I can't believe that I'm being trapped in this district because of someone's dreams." I mumble disconsolately to myself.

"What is life but a dream?" Breath asks rhetorically,

"Maybe to someone who gets high regularly, sure." I snort, "I prefer to be more grounded in reality. Reconciliations aside."

"Life, a dream that lasts as long as our journey is." Breath, "How many ways are there for us to find happiness in this journey?"

I remain silent, not really knowing how to answer this question. Is Breath preaching to me right now?

"And we will keep dreaming, seeking the elusive happiness that only exists in our hearts." Breath rambles on, growing agitated, "Even when the road twists and turns with no end in sight."

"Breath, are you OK?" I nervously ask.

"Tears, tears, from gazing at the moonlight. How many ways are there to find happiness that only exists in the heart?" Breath whispers, his voice sending a shiver up my spine.

My vision spins and -

Under the moonlight of a nameless village. A man stands in the square. A woman kneels at his feet.

And his fist rises and falls, with the beat of the crying wind.

Beating and beating and -

"Gah!" i reel back, the world regaining its solidity. The phone is dead in my hand, Breath having hung up already. That was no vision. That was a voice of the heart.

Breath's voice of the heart. So strong that I could inadvertently hear it when he spoke to me. What if he really used his full power? Could he rewrite my reality to be in line with his whacked out dreams?

"Does Breath cry under the shopping bag on his head?" I ask myself. The night has no answers for me.

Only the buzzing of my phone as it registers money being sent to my account.