The Guide

"I'm heading out again," I sighed and picked up my coat from a chair. The sleeping Nea probably didn't hear my words and continued breathing rhythmically. I peeped at the man in the mirror. Baggy eyes and messy hair covered his haggard face. His mouth was turned into a tight frown — Oh wait, that's me. Yup, that's me. Even in this state, my face is so attractive. How does that even work? Haha.

I walked out of the house with a strained gait. The employees at the front desk gave me looks of pity as they saw me leave. I think they said something about how the pink-haired lady was more intense than she looked, along with a few words of sympathy for me. I didn't understand what they said, so I ignored them and continued outside.

It was already the evening of the sixth day since we started looking for the artifact. A lot of my attention went into making sure that just enough of the pocket watch was opened up as I traversed through the bustling streets of the commercial sector for the umpteenth time.

Everywhere. I looked at any place even remotely vital to this city for the lightning artifact just to be met with more and more exhaustion. Hundreds passed by each other in another lively evening at Xeonodan, each telling a story of their own. I swept my gaze through the surrounding scene. This surreal sight had already become a standard. From the performing actors to the singing musicians and the drinking masses. My eyes finally stopped at a signboard.

Brehm Aquarium.

My feet moved towards it as if they had a mind of their own. I don't know why I went to the aquarium and probably never will. There were a couple of visitors at the place, looking at the fickle fishes through the brittle glass. A teen grumpily followed their parents around. My head is hazy. Is the exhaustion finally seeping in?

Click~

I took a tiny step forward, stepping on the laces of the grumpy teen walking past me. The kid pushed his dad, who dropped his walking stick, which startled an employee, who pushed a desk that fell right on the glass of one tank. The eel tank.

A flood of water came gushing out from the crack, widening it into a hole. They had filled the bottom of the tank with gravel and stone that the flowing water carried along.

What was happening? My head felt clear, like sunshine, and clouded like fog. I could feel a chill spread through my nerves. The heavy heart in my chest pounded while I took in deep, ragged breaths. I was elated. My exhaustion was gone, yet I could have collapsed any second. What was this feeling? What was this fear? What was this thrill? What was this anticipation? I wanted more of it. More.

It was right there, right at my feet. One of the keys. What possibilities did this thing hold? That did not matter to me. With this, I could begin. This world. This filthy magic. I could destroy it all. I could possess it all. I could recreate it all.

YET!

Yet, I dared not. God had given me a mission, an oracle, a destiny. I just had to follow it. I dared not destroy it. I dared not possess it. I dared not recreate it. I was but a mere mortal. A mere messenger. A mere pebble on the road. How could I dare do anything? Anything, but guide it.

I would guide this world. I would show it. The path that it has strayed from...

I will bring it back.