The curious sense of dislocation growing, Jason Magwier turned away from the window. He scanned the room, momentarily unsure of where he was, of who he was. Hadn't he been just talking to a nightmare in yellow? Hadn't he just been hanging upside down? Or had it been a dream? Or was this the dream? He rubbed his temples trying to ease his whirling thoughts. The music helped.

Music?

Skirting around the mattress lying on the hardwood floor Jason approached the ancient-looking record player. He knew this album, it was one of his favorites-Scary Monsters by David Bowie. He put a hand against the speaker feeling it throb. The apartment was unlit save for the wash of red neon coming from the Chinese restaurant next door.

Lorelei was on the bed, fast asleep, the sheet tangled around her feet. There was a thick bandage covering her left bicep. It was her first tattoo and it was going to give her mother conniptions. Jason smiled as he watched her snoozing. She was always trying to re-invent herself, always trying to re-define herself, always trying to drive her instructors at the Academy insane. 

A rustling disturbed Jason from his thoughts. He looked up to see himself exiting the bathroom. His hair was tousled; he was wearing a frayed maroon bathrobe. At the sight of himself he slumped against the doorframe, "Well bless-"

 "-my buttons," he concluded.

His other self shushed him and cast a glance Lorelei's way, "Best not wake her."

There was a twilight flickering at the periphery of his vision, the vision was almost over and he'd learned nothing, "I'm not sure why I'm here. One of us is dreaming . . ."

"Or both of us."

"Lorelei and I-I mean you and Lorelei need to rethink this whole road trip thing. We're in Sandor Perth's manor of all places and something's not quite right . . ." The half-light seeped in from the corners of the room and ran like shadows over the walls. It made it difficult to focus on the conversation.

"Sandor Perth's manor? How is the old fellow?"

"He's dead. Don't know why I know that but I do." Creeping twilight obscured the room. It was as thought the entire scene was being erased, being stolen from him. "You need to-Can you still hear me?"

"Sandor Perth's gone . . ." His other self frowned at the name, and receded into the half-light, "I wonder whatever became of his library."

"You tricked me." My voice is full of panic. It all makes sense now, I cast an accusing glance at the Hierophant, "You tricked me."

"Not quite the prophecy you imagined, eh? You should have been more specific." 

For a moment I hang there in silence, the Hierophant gazing down at me. I can see my reflection in the mirrored eyepieces of his mask. I have to look away.

"Congratulations," he chuckles, "You win."

I want nothing more than to free myself from the ropes and scaffold and hurl myself at him but I know better. He plays me like a puppet, he steers me like a mule. He goads me to transform myself Suit after Suit until I am no better than he is.

My surroundings begin to fade like an old photograph, and a strange weightiness assails me. I will be better than he is, I promise myself, I have to be. Otherwise the Tower waits for me yet again . . .

The gentle pressure of Lorelei's body resting on his turned Jason's waking grimace into a smile. All that worrying and thrashing about-for nothing. The only thing his dream-tormentor had managed to do was sidetrack him. So what if his episode had led him on a wild goose chase? In the end, he and Lorelei would laugh about it, and maybe, just maybe, they would leave here with a valuable book or three. He shivered slightly-the fire was dwindling. Time to put another chair on the fire. And maybe, just maybe, he thought as he gently caressed her damp hair, I can convince this young lady here to help me explore the house. With any luck I can find something interesting to take back home.

I wonder if Sandor Perth had a copy of the Revelations of Tian-gou? That would be-

He tried to ease out from beneath her but she stirred gently and held him in place. Placing a hand on each shoulder he tried to lift her up only to feel a razor's sting she raked her long nails across his chest, skin and cloth tearing.

Lorelei doesn't have long nails. She's a habitual fingernail biter.

Akantha the nursemaid raised herself up. With a cry of surprise, Jason Magwier tried to kick away from her only to find that his legs had been shackled. Her clothes were filthy and crusted. Her face was painted wildly with cosmetics, leaving her looking like a cross between a circus clown and a cartoon whore. With one hand she grabbed him by the throat, with the other she expertly and deftly cuffed his hands. "Silence-" when she spoke her expression and her voice where both devoid of emotion, "is golden."