Excited and ready to embrace my new friend, I joyously reach out to poke the mysterious twisted seal exactly as I would my own. It should instantly unwind and dump all its contents out onto the alley floor. Then I’ll simply shove as many books as I can fit into my pack and arms before sprinting off to hide in the sewers. I’ve even already planned my exact escape route. This moment is finally here after so long and so much planning!

  However, my finger simply jams up against the rock solid twist, as if it’s just another brick in the white wall. What’s the deal? It should’ve opened. To test my sanity, I create a pocket of my own, closing a dagger inside. Then I peer closely at its twisted seal. It looks roughly the same. Poking it with my finger, the twist immediately yields, and the pocket snaps back open, dropping the dagger into my hand.

  Yes, it should be easy, but this one definitely isn’t. Oh, oh! Perhaps it’s the same blindness as when I tried to find it in the first place? Empowered eyes were necessary then, so now I must need to provide power to my hand. However, as soon as I let go of the channels to my eyes, the tiny, hidden twist disappears from my vision. I’m very certain that powering three parts at once won’t be possible without a lot more practice. Then what?

  Ok, here’s the plan. Keeping my finger on the twist as I transfer power from my eyes to my hand, I’ll then push rather than poke. That might work. It’s as good an idea as any other, right now. Worst case scenario, I injure my finger, and there’s still red potion left for that.

  Holding my finger still against the remarkably solid little spacial screw hanging in the air, I slowly and carefully transfer power from my eyes to my hands. It’s surprisingly easy and natural. However, my finger doesn’t budge. Closing my eyes and checking the flow, I smack myself in the head hard with my other hand. Stupid! The energy’s getting dispersed all over my hand. It should go into only the one finger, and I just learned that song!

  Focusing again, I internally watch as the previously dispersed flow concentrates itself into the finger contacting the twist. For the briefest moment, I feel it dig in, but then it stops.

  It’s not enough. How can I get more leverage? More power? Ah yes, my arcane potential song. I’ve barely practiced that since learning it. After all, it was only the other day that I realized that consciously turning it on and off was possible. That time, it was a small, continuous flow of energy that I used for my eyes. Usually, for manipulating spacial concepts, it’s only tiny spurts of energy. Right now, I’m channeling to my finger in addition to ejecting a tiny spurt for the push. I don’t think I can increase the steady flow more than this, but what if I do a really, really big spurt instead? Is that possible?

  Closing my eyes tighter, I look deeper inside, tracing the active channel backwards from finger to core. The continuous flow constantly draws from my scattered, standing pool of energy. My intuition says that its drain won't be a problem any time soon. Focusing closer on the core, I release another tiny spurt of energy for the push. The core shrinks for a moment, before quickly pulsing back out again. After, a slightly higher burst of energy rides the active channel back to and out of my finger.

  I do it again and again, rhythmically feeling out the core like a new muscle. After the tenth or twentieth time, I think I have the hang of it. For the next pulse, I try to consciously grab control of the core. Vigorously squeezing it as small as possible, I hold it tightly for a few seconds before letting go.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  An enormous pulse explodes out and tumultuously rides the open channel to my finger and out into the twist. It’s so intense that an incredibly bright flash of light from the point of contact is visible through my closed eyelids. Then my finger, hand, arm, and the entire rest of me slips through, stumbling forward and following the excited, squeezing pressure as the twist reseals itself behind me.

  Briefly, I sense a red alert danger level of low energy before passing out face first on the ground.

  I’m certainly no stranger to dreams, but this new kind is unusual. Someone with a stern yet hazy face has detained me for breaking and entering. He’s very upset with my poor decisions, and repeatedly scolds me. However, I don’t worry. What does a little goblin care about some big hazy face’s stupid rules? Although, I really don’t appear able to leave this detention. He must have me tied down? My groggy, weakened head can’t even turn enough to see the bindings.

  Struggling to stare up in defiance directly into his eyes, my noodle neck completely refuses to budge. Why won’t he shut up? I don’t care. I said, I don’t care!

  My hands, my arms, my legs. All of them continue grappling against the binds restricting me. Whatever they are, they’re slowly starting to give. I’m winning the fight! About to steal victory, a new distraction interrupts.

  BzzzZZZzzz. BzzzZZZzzz. BzzzZZZzzz.

  Is it the hazy face again? Where is he?

  BzzzZZZzzz. BzzzZZZzzz. BzzzZZZzzz.

  Wait, no. It’s on my hand. My finger.

  BzzzZZZzzz. BzzzZZZzzz. BzzzZZZzzz.

  It’s that ring. For detection? It vibrates when close to a hidden space. Right, that hidden space in the alley. Where am I?

  Feeling half asleep, it dawns on me that I’m also only half dreaming. There really is a voice here with me.

  “You have illegally entered the private property of Lord Garret of Tranas. Guards have been notified and are on their way. Leave immediately.”

  Lord Garret?! Oh no, no, no, what have I done? I should’ve researched this more before trying to break inside. Greedy, greedy, too greedy. This stupid greed is going to get me killed! I can’t upset the stupid town lord, or they’ll never stop hunting me. I’ll lose Tranas as a hunting ground. After working so hard, I can’t let that happen.

  “You have illegally entered the private property of Lord Garret of Tranas. Guards have been notified and are on their way. Leave immediately.”

  The voice repeats itself verbatim. I creep up into a low squat, wishing to remain as small and insignificant as possible. There’s the figure of a big one in front of me, but it’s strangely smokey and not solid. Wait, it’s not actually a real big one. An illusion?

  “You have illegally entered the private property of Lord Garret of Tranas. Guards have been notified and are on their way. Leave immediately.”

  Suddenly, I remember that I did do research on Tranas before coming here. Extensively. I listened to so much gossip. Read so many stolen books and other silly little papers. The lord of Tranas is someone named Thomas. I’m certain of that. If that’s true, then who is this Garret?