Chapter One: The Traveller
He hadn’t always been this way. He couldn’t quite remember but he was sure of it, the knowledge of being something different danced around the edge of his mind. Whatever he had been, whoever he had been, no longer mattered. This was what he was now and would be eternally, timeless, unchanging, forever as ice.
Nate let out a sigh and with that breath he seemed to deflate, collapsing into a chair where the sun wash over his tanned skin and the beads of his hair swayed gently in the breeze. To all that looked at him he would simply appear to be a traveller enjoying the day, but the truth was, Nate was exhausted. The curse had been placed on him when he was very young and ever since he had wandered, never able to stop for long.
He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, he could almost feel the ache washing away. All he wanted to do was rest but the curse would never allow that. He’d never be able to settle down, hold a job or own a home. Already he could feel the curse plucking at him like invisible strings attached to his spirit.
Nate stood again and stretched, scratching his goatee as he pondered where to go next. Suddenly he caught sight of the Black Tower. This gigantic structure had appeared mysteriously a year ago and could be seen from anywhere in the land.
Rumour was that there had once been a boy who could feel what others felt, all their happiness and joy but all their pain and suffering too. The boy worked day and night to try ease the suffering of those around him, desperately trying to make their lives better. But to the world he was just a tool and no one person is meant to deal with that much pain. In the end it became too much for the boy and in a final attempt to beat back the feelings that threatened to overwhelm him, he cut out his heart.
At that moment, the despair inside him surged out of his body and formed a tower around him. He would now stay at the top of the black tower forever, high above the world where he would be safe.
Nate contemplated this as he set off. The truly amazing thing about this story he thought, was that despite the tower’s dark appearance, it brought hope to all those who looked at it, because in the end, the boy’s intent had been pure. He hadn’t cut out his heart for himself, he’d done it so he could better help those around him.
Nate paused for a moment and thought of the boy in the tower. He was reminded of a saying he had heard once, “Some people build walls not to keep others out,” he muttered to himself, “But to see who cares enough to tear them down.” Wasn’t it possible that the boy had subconsciously created the tower to see who cared enough to climb it and restore his light?
Deep in thought, Nate began to head in the direction that would eventually take him to the tower. There was no proof that the boy even existed but curiosity now had him in its grip. He wanted to see what was at the top of the tower. If the curse wasn’t going to be happy unless he was travelling then he might as well do something useful.
His mind made up, he hurried on his way.
