A secret kept is a door to one day be opened.

Wise words spoken from the lips of my teacher, his mustache twitching as he took a sip of the tea I made him. He said those words to me as a warning- a precaution of what could come should I continue to harbor that which I shouldn’t.

I suppose someone with better intelligence than me would have listened. Though if I were smarter, I would never have found myself in this position, anyway. That day, in a room decorated with ornate furniture- with walls painted a dusty red- never would have happened. The stone currently resting in my pocket would not be there. My leather boots wouldn’t be hitting the cobblestones and taking in the impact of my fear-induced getaway. But I’m not particularly smart. And really- impulse decisions can be used to your advantage if you know what to do. If you’re the person who knows such things, anyway.

But what person would know such things?

Maybe the one whose shoes are hitting the cobblestones, whose years of avoiding the outside world for the company of books are catching up. My heartbeat is in my ears, my legs burn, and my lungs gasp for breath, which I cannot give.

The stone feels heavy in my pocket.

Let’s stop for a moment. What exactly is this stone?

The stone in my pocket isn’t a diamond, nor some cherished ruby from the Queen’s crown. It is just a normal-looking stone with a smooth surface and rounded edges- though perhaps the symbol marked upon it means something to the swordsmen chasing me. If I were smart, I would know a little more about said symbol. But well- you know, I’m not smart. All I know is that the symbol upon this stone- a stone I found in an abandoned temple- is one of several. And when these stones are brought together- legend speaks of a power that could bend reality.

Perhaps these swordsmen have the right idea then. But I’m already in the middle of being chased by them, so I might as well see it through. Well, also because I know where the other stones are- and maybe (just maybe) I know a couple of people who want to use them to… what did they say? Bend reality to our will. Can’t say that’s not appealing.

My feet take me into an alley that conveniently has a ladder leading to the rooftops. Convenient. Quickly, I climb the ladder, and with a wave of my hand, I’m leaping across the tops of houses. If I was smarter, I could just fly. But I’m not particularly smart. A little impulsive? Sure. But not smart. Behind me, one swordsman screams my name. With the roaring in my ears, I hear not a thing. I reach the end of the market, and there are no rooftops- but there’s a forest. With another wave of my hand, I jump off the building and hit the ground running. And I’m running with a smile on my face, the swordsmen behind me trying to keep up. Their armor is so loud in this quiet place. I imagine the stomping of my feet is too.

Then there’s a cliff. I look back before I stop, to see the out of breath swordsmen halting at the tree line. One of them says something like, “you have nowhere to run.”

And I’d be more than happy to agree, but well- I’m not happy. Which means I don’t agree.

I salute them, then turn around and catapult over the edge. As I soar over the ocean, thinking of the events which brought me to this moment, a voice speaks in my head.

Was that necessary?

No, I respond, but I wanted some fun.

A disapproving sigh, which I can’t hear over the roaring of the ocean waves.

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