Find Edward

Chapter eight: Florent

I was storming back to my tree house, feeling oddly angry at the world. I just gave up my chance at adventure and magic for what? I wasn't scared of magic but there was something about the Keeper that made me feel weird. The feeling scared me, it made me wonder if I wasn't cursed. Maybe the curse was all fake and it never actually happened? Then I felt pain shoot through my left shoulder, it felt like fire. My knees buckled and I fell out of the tree I was in. I landed heavily on the ground and grunted as more pain shot through my body. I could almost hear her voice talking to me.

"You are cursed to never love. Any feelings of love will vanish before you even understand them. Any feelings of platonic or romantic love are forbidden from you." That was the last day I was welcomed into the village, the last time I ever felt something that wasn't empty. Ever since then whenever I tried to get close to someone I got cold and distant. It wasn't something I knew I did until I was walking away; leaving them broken somehow. I did it with that Keeper, I got cold and distant and left her alone. I regret it already.

I reached over to my aching shoulder and lifted the sleeve. The brand was a dark scar that stood out on my lighter skin. It was a simple diamond shape but it reminded me of my curse; left by the person who cursed me. I don't know where she got the magic to curse but she wasn't afraid to use it.

Now, because of my curse, a Keeper with no memory was trying to find her way across the Lands of Magia. Anything that harmed her would be on my head; which meant I should go after her. I groaned and pulled myself off the ground. It was some random time of the night so hopefully, the Keeper would be asleep somewhere. Sleep could wait, I needed to find her so she wouldn't die.

I turned to the direction I was coming from and leaped back into the tree, then I started running. Even though my legs felt like giving up and my lungs screamed for air I kept running. Only death would stop me from getting to her and hopefully that wouldn't happen.

I kept running until the birds came out and the sun rose. At that point, I needed to stop before I killed myself. I also needed to start traveling on the ground, I was getting close to the main roads and I didn't need to be mistaken for a thief. I climbed out of the tree and dropped onto the ground. My legs instantly buckled and sent me face-planting on the ground; I guess I wore myself out. This made me question how important this Keeper was, was she worth running all this way? I had to force that thought away, it was just the curse trying to make me give up. This was someone with magic, who knows what kind of trouble will go after her?

I forced myself to my feet and started heading to the main path, if the Keeper was smart she'd travel on this path. It leads right to the bridge. Of course, when I gave her instructions I didn't mention that, I just said to go North East until she found water. I was an idiot who desperately needed to find his lost Keeper. I decided to travel the path and head towards the bridge. If the Keeper didn't use the path it'd take her longer to get to the bridge than the path. Hopefully, I'll beat her there or find her along the way. Hopefully, she hadn't already crossed the bridge. This was all depending on if she slept the night or if she stubbornly kept traveling.

"How hard can it be to find a Keeper, she stands out among a crowd of elves." I just arrived at the path and saw a few lonely souls walking it.

"I guess it's early for traveling." I walked to the edge of the path and was ready to start heading to the bridge when I felt a hand touch my shoulder from behind and a blade touch my throat.

"So you're friends with the Keeper, I guess we better take you too. We don't want you spreading rumors about magic coming back. It would inconvenience us terribly." I tried to turn around but the blade dug deeper into my neck, then something slammed into my head and darkness engulfed my vision.