Every muscle screamed for respite. And lungs burned against each cold gasp of salty sea air that filled it. The pounding seas roared in his ears, drowning out the sound of his pounding heart. Cold black and foaming white filled, blurred his vision and stung his eyes. Clouds screened the moon's view of the lone man cutting across the current, pressing against each and every wave that crashed over him trying to take him under the dark surface.

Breathe.

But he couldn't breathe. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to breathe. It hurt? Another wave crashed down upon him. The world quieted around him. The churning black and white stilled to a mosaic of glistening silver against an ebony canvass.

She said to give it to you. He could hear her voice?her words?.spoken softly?tentatively.

Where'd you find this? He could hear his voice?his words?spoken in whispers?tentatively.

In a dream...I think it was dream. He saw her smile fade. Something was wrong. We played hide and seek. Her words were meant to comfort. And chimes whispered. She said to give that to you...and...

And?

Her voice?their voices. It burned. Her words?.their words. It hurt. Spoken softly. Spoken tentatively. Breathe.

The cold salty air seared through his lungs again. The roar of the seas filled his ears once more. The waves taxed his muscles as he broke through the water?s surface. The moon, which had broken through the clouds, cast her silvery light upon the lone man finally making his way out of the dark waters. The ocean crashed into him in a parting gesture, before slipping back away from the shore.

He crawled further up the beach and remained on his hands and knees, hearing the strain of each breath against the backdrop of the waves foaming behind him. He closed his eyes as he could still see the tall young woman stepped toward him.

She said you feel it...the touch when she is near. She whispered, then she leaned in to him and there, upon his cheek, she brushed a light touch of her lashes. Her voice was more breath than voice. It was a "kiss" she would give you.

She stepped away from him. And then it happened again. A ghost of a touch upon his cheek. Butterfly kisses upon his cheek.

Breathe.

Forgive? Lyrical had asked softly. She sweared you needed it. Her words were meant to offer comfort?.offer hope.

In his hand, laced around his fingers, pressed against the sands, he clutched the locket. The one he thought was lost in the explosion. His daughter?s locket. His muscles screamed. His eyes stung. His ears rang. His lungs burned.

Breathe...the priestess had bade him softly at his parting.