Lost Magic

Beyond Broken Edge

I woke up the next morning just as the first of the sun's rays were shining on the horizon. I didn't have many belongings, and there was nothing that I had that I really needed on the trip. Instead I packed a leather shoulder bag with water and food for a few days, or at least until we reached the nearest village.
I crept into the kitchen where there was a plate of fruit on the table. I packed a few of the fruits into the bag and grabbed an apple to eat on the way. Before I left I tiptoed to my nan's room and peered in. My nan was asleep peacefully. We had already said goodbye the night before, and she knew I would be leaving early, but it still didn't feel right to leave without leaving something behind. I silently ran to the kitchen and grabbed a rough piece of parchment paper. Quickly, I scribbled a note to my nan and left it on the table.
Then I walked outside and closed the door behind me. For a few seconds I stood rooted to the spot. Did I really want to do this? Did I really want to step right into a war just to chase a myth? And what if it wasn't even true? What would I do then? A million doubts filled my head. I could still turn back right now and forget this had ever happened.
My nan's words echoed in my mind. "...your destiny is far different, far more important.....You were born to be free, Ashley." I clenched my fist.
No. I wasn't going to turn back. I couldn't let my nan down like that. Taking a step forward, I began to walk out of the village, away from all I had ever known. I didn't look back.
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Kai hadn't exactly been specific about where I could find him if I did decide to join him, so I took a wild guess. I ran through the trees, desperate to reach the Breakwater to find Kai. My dress reached almost to my ankles, the tattered brown belt around the waist holding a small dagger in case of emergencies. The dagger was concealed by a black cloak that I wore, and my bag hung over one shoulder. The necklace from my nan was hanging securely around my neck.
It was hard to believe that only a few days ago I had been on my way to the Breakwater too, but unlike today I had been totally unaware of how my life was about to change. For the worse, or for the better, I still did not know.
Relief flooded through me as I reached the Breakwater and saw Kai sitting there. I stopped and knelt down, panting. Kai turned around and grinned when he saw me.
"Decided to show up after all, eh?" He said, smirking. I rolled my eyes and smiled.
"Change of plan, that's all." I replied.
"Well then. Lets not waste any time. I plan to reach the next village by noon tomorrow." He said, standing up. I straightened and together we walked back through the forest.
"So Miss Ashley," Kai turned to me, "you still owe me an explanation. You promised you'd tell me about the Breakwater, remember?"
"Well, it's quite simple really. You see, travellers used to always walk through the forest to reach their destinations. What they never realised was that there was a rocky overhang on the other side, and they would walk straight over the edge and fall into the perilous ocean below." I explained.
"Spoken like a true historian." Kai said. I blushed and turned my face away.
"Not really." I said. "It's just that when you live in a place like Broken Edge, stories like that get around pretty quick."
We walked for a while without talking before Kai suddenly stopped and pointed through the trees. By now the sun had risen and there was sunlight streaming through the thick foliage, which meant that we were finally approaching the end of the forest. He grabbed my hand and started running through the trees with me. It was a strange feeling being dragged through the forest, and I soon found myself laughing. We reached the end of the forest and burst through the trees out into open air. The sight that greeted me was nothing like I had expected, and it immediately took my breath away.
A green, grassy plain stretched out in front of me, bees humming around clusters of flowers, and butterflies dancing in the sky. There were mountains in the distance, with a purple sort of haze hanging over them. It looked magical. I gazed in wonder at everything around me.
"So this is what lies beyond Broken Edge." I spoke quietly, while still verbalising my thoughts aloud. I looked over at Kai, who was grinning from ear to ear.
"You bet it is!" He said. I wished I could stay here forever.
We stayed like that for a while, until finally Kai told me it was time we moved on. So we carried on walking.
It was going to be a long day.