Everlast: Story of the Horizon

Chapter Two

Not long after sneaking myself out, I found the way to an old ruin. It only took about ten minutes or so to get there, but it was a good run. It was the one place I could do what I wanted without being criticized about it. At least, so long as no one noticed my absence.

I'd found this place a few years ago when I was exploring outside of the barrier. I'm not entirely sure what it was for, but my guess was it was an old stone church. I'd read about them with my friends in this book Grandma Esmie had in storage.

Sure it was run down and all, but the massive holes in the ceiling, the stream running through the broken stone walls and the wild vines gave the place character.

"I just wish I could show my people this place..." I said and let a sigh escape my chapped lips.

If I'd told anyone outside of my group of friends I'd even been outside the barrier, Gaian would have my hide on a silver platter, no questions asked. I wasn't going to give them a reason to put me on lockdown. This place was too amazing to give up.

To be completely honest, this ancient cathedral was what inspired me to explore the world. At first I just enjoyed being away from village life. That was the only reason I left the barrier, but then one day I came across this treasure.

I know. Curiosity killed the Purmith, but look me in the eyes and tell me you wouldn't be curious about something like this so close to your home, especially when everyone was so adamant about not leaving. Why didn't they want us seeing things like this? If this wasn't what they were hiding from us, then what was it?

Looking around the inside of the old cathedral was breathtaking. Just imagining this place when it was in its prime sent chills up my spine. Only a few of the stained glass windows were still intact, but the glow they held when the sunlight hit them was just incredible.

I let my fingers trail over the rotted wooden pews while my feet lead me down the center aisle of the church. Over in the corner just to the right of what I guessed was a weird decoration were the massive roots of a tree that managed to break through the walls. The thing that stood next to them seemed like a chunk of rotted wood with long metal pipes at the top of it. Whenever the wind blew through the place, they'd make strange noises, like they were hollow.

This place was so cool.

Eventually I made my way through the large room and up the slowly crumbling staircase that lead me to a balcony overlooking the inside of the building, hanging just above the weird decoration piece that made noise. There was a fair sized hole that stretched up from the wall to the ceiling where you could see the sky above.

It was getting dark, which told me the sun was starting to set. The perfect time to climb as high as I could and begin stargazing.

Scrambling my way up the slanted stone wall to the hole, I hauled myself up to the roof. It took some effort, but I found a spot to lay back and not roll off to my untimely death.

It was nice to get away from it all. To lay around without other villagers popping up to ask for help with the annual feast.

Don't get me wrong. I don't mind helping, but if you can do one thing, they'll be more than likely to pile you with more than you can handle. The people in my village have no issue putting you to work if they think you're capable.

This was my life. Training with my magic, helping around the village, and sneaking off to stargaze outside of the barrier. Not much to it, right?

Exactly why it drove me insane.

It's not like I was ungrateful for what I had. I was lucky to have what I did. People who cared about me and a safe life. I could go on with it as it was, but it wasn't what I'd wanted. Day after day of the same thing, over and over. The very idea of it had me withering of boredom.