The Last Light Keeper

Chapter 5: Tom-ay-toe, Tom-ah-toe

The next day, Aster was determined to find some answers. She had a plan to take a sweet offering to the Fae in hopes of them returning their knowledge. Back home, the Fae loved the honey and danishes Aster would purchase from the market in their village. She often traded them for knowledge of magic and casting. They never told her about her being a Light Keeper simply because she never asked.

It was the first day of the weekend, the only two days they didn't have any classes. Aster had planned to head to Jobbleville to purchase some sweets from Lam's shop. She asked Sebastian the night prior if he would go with her, considering the last time she was attacked by a Dark Keeper, but he had plans to visit his mother that weekend. Aster wasn't too worried about going alone considering she had just learned a strong cast, but Sebastian was against it.

"At least take Sorbit," he had told her. "She might be annoying, but she isn't useless when it comes to defensive casting."

Aster found Sorbit in the cafe that morning. She was sitting at a table with a cup of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and dashes of cinnamon. It looked so good Aster decided to order one for herself along with breakfast before approaching her friend.

They greeted and Sorbit began to tell her all about her training session with Huck. How he hadn't talked really, but he did tell her good job at the end. And she thought she really seemed to impress him. Aster listened to her go on about it for a little while longer, genuinely excited for her friend. After they were done eating and Aster sipped the last of her delicious hot chocolate, she asked her friend for the favor she intended.

"You want me to come to Jobbleville with you for Lam's shop?" Sorbit asked. "Must've made an impression on you the first day you came here, huh?"

"It's not for me, I want to offer it to the Fae," Aster explained.

Sorbit scrunched her nose. "Why would you want to get the attention of those punks?"

"I have some questions I want to ask."

"That's right," Sorbit recalled. "You want to talk to them about your mother."

Aster nodded. It was true, but questions about her mother would have to wait. She needed to find out about her healing abilities before it's too late. But that wasn't really something she felt was necessary to burden Sorbit with.

"I'll go with you to Jobbleville, but I'm not going to the Greenwood with you," Sorbit declared. "Like I said, the Fae love to mess with me. I can't just go and make myself an easy target."

Aster failed to tell any professors about her trip, in fear they wouldn't allow her to go. She explained to Sorbit the situation, and she assured Aster that they wouldn't find out, so long they were in and out quickly.

The trek to Jobbleville was easy enough. Aster was high on alert for the same eerie feeling she got from the Dark Keeper during her first day, but there was no sign of it this day.

Sorbit offered to go into Lam's shop for the sweets, just in case word got back to Professor Ara. Aster waited down the road, occupied by the lively village. There were so many people, all who seemed so occupied with what they were doing and where they were headed. Aster could sit and watch for hours.

Her favorite part was seeing the Keepers. They always made sure to nod and smile at the villagers. She imagined herself as a Keeper in the village. How she could help make sure no Dark Keepers ever infiltrated, since she could sense them. She began to get excited about her future, something she never really put too much thought into. A week prior the only thing on her mind was how she was going to sneak away from Nelly long enough to practice her magic.