The 500 year Curse

Lief lay on the mystic waters. But for the first time, he wasn’t at peace. He was agitated. He forced his eyes shut as his thoughts slowly drifted away.

Then he could hear inaudible muttering. Different voices mumbling at the same time. Lief opened his eyes to a gust of blinding bright light.

“Did you honestly think it would be that easy?” multiple voices spoke in unison. “Did you think you’d have it your way just like that?”

Lief suddenly shook awake. He opened his eyes to the pitch darkness. Love knew. He knew Love would catch on anyway, but he had hoped it would be when the one true love potion was almost complete. He stopped. Once the love potion was complete…if that happened…then he would also…

***

After his last encounter with Love, Lief remained cooped up in his castle. He did not attempt to see Aine or even answer to the Book’s summons. He merely let the days pass by, shifting in his seat in the study, facepalming, or burying his head in his hands, and endlessly sighing.

He barely ate. He rarely slept.

“Is that really the only problem?” Cheddar asked. “Well, you’ve chosen to risk it all. And this was bound to happen anyway. Now your only option is to go all out against Love. Don’t tell me after all of that you want to give up now?”

Lief bumped his head on the table.

“It’s the human girl, isn’t it?”

Lief pursed his lips.

“Are you worried something might happen to her?”

“Well…”

“You know,” Cheddar said. Love can be very scary, but he rarely picks on his chosen humans. She’s a main character. She’s got Love’s blessing.”

Lief gave a short nod in response.

“Say…what are you worried about? That Love found out? Or…this is no longer just about the love potion, isn’t it?”

Lief opened his mouth to speak, but couldn’t find the words.

“Okay.” Cheddar sighed. “That does it.” Cheddar jumped off from the stash of books he was standing on.

“Where are you going?”

“Somewhere,” Cheddar grumbled.

***

“Why hasn’t he been coming recently? That asshole,” Aine muttered. She had come to her workshop once again, waiting for Lief. But he hadn’t been showing himself for the past two weeks. He had not come on weekdays and even skipped their usual Sunday meet-ups. “I should give him a good kick once he shows himself.” Aine clicked her tongue, then pounded her hand on the counter. It wasn’t because she was missing him. Definitely not. She just hated being stood up. And she just wanted to see his magic again. And she got a little used to seeing his black hair. And his hazel eyes. And that smile. She wasn’t missing him at all.

Then, she heard the sound of meowing. Aine turned to the glass door and saw a large cat with golden brown fur pawing at the door.

“How did that cat get here?”

The cat pawed continuously at the door. Then, the locks of her door one by one unbolted. Aine watched wide-eyed as the paper with magic circle shredded on its own.

The door then opened, and the cat let himself in.

“You’re Aine Darien, right?” the cat spoke, and Aine let out an excited shriek. “Okay, pipe down, human girl. I know I’m stunning, but keep it together.”

“Y…you’re talking!”

“Yes. I know…and my voice is hypnotizing. You’ll get used to it a while.”

“Who…why…what…I’m sorry. What are—”

“I’m Cheddar. Lief’s familiar. I need you to come with me.”

***

In a flash, Aine and the cat were in a dark room. It was all pitch black around them.

“Here,” Cheddar called, his paw clutching on Aine’s finger, pulling her along.

Aine’s eyes took some time to adjust to the dark. But now that she could vaguely see her surroundings, she saw they were in front of what looked like a small body of water…a pond.

“We call this the mystic waters,” Cheddar said. “You may not be able to see it clearly, but the water is red. The red hearts chronicles earned are stored in the mystic waters. This is Lief’s mystic waters. “Sit down, human girl.”

Aine did as she was told, and she squatted beside the cat.

“Let me tell you a story.” Cheddar dipped his paw into the water.

“Can you—”

“Hush!” Cheddar hissed at Aine. Cheddar swirled his finger on the water, disturbing the still waters. “Over 500 years ago, there was a beautiful human.” As he spoke, a white silhouette of what seemed to be a woman appeared on the surface of the water. “Love adored her.” Another figure of flashing light appeared beside the woman. “She was his favorite human. Love conceived a beautiful story just for her.” The figure of a Book appeared. “A wonderful love story befitting for Love’s most cherished human being. She was going to marry a celebrated hero.” The figure of a knight on a horse appeared. “They were going to live as royalties.” The knight approached the woman, and they held hands, as crowns appeared on top of their heads. “But sadly, the woman’s life did not unfold the way Love wanted.” An X figure appeared, crossing out the Book. A young man,” The figure of another man, appeared behind the knight, “an ordinary farmer, who was madly in love with the beautiful woman, stole the love potion created by an infamous witch.” The figure of a woman with a pointed hat appeared behind the farmer, and a heart-shaped bottle appeared in the farmer’s hand. “The farmer tricked the beautiful woman into drinking the love potion, and that was all it took to ruin Love’s story. The farmer took the woman away. They married and successfully hid from Love for years.” Another X appeared, and the knight was crossed out. The figures of the farmer and the woman were now beside each other. They embraced. “Years after, the woman bore a child.” A figure of a baby appeared in the woman’s arms. “It was then that Love finally found them.” The figure of the flashing light moved toward the woman and the baby. “Love wanted the woman back. Love promised to find the antidote to the love potion and cure. Love was going to correct her story, return things to how it was supposed to be, to how the plot was supposed to unfold. But the woman refused.” The figure of the woman shook her head violently. “For her, it no longer mattered if the love she felt for the farmer was fake, if it was only due to the love potion. Because by then, she had discovered a new love. One that she was so sure was true, with or without love potion. That was the love she felt for her child.” The woman’s figure kissed the baby’s forehead. “Love was furious.” The figure of the flashing light, grew bigger. “And so he cursed the child. By the time the child turned seventeen…” The figure of the baby slipped from the woman’s arms. The baby crawled on the ground and then transformed into a young man. “…the child’s heart stopped, and Love took him as one of his chronicles. He was going to live forever, serving Love for eternity. The only way to break the curse…was that one true love potion.” Cheddar encircled the figure of the heart-shaped bottle. “The same potion his father gave his mother. But the problem was, the witch…” Cheddar pointed at the figure of the woman with the pointed hat. “…suddenly disappeared.” The figure vanished as he spoke. “Never to be seen again. And the one true love potion was lost with her.” The figure of the heart-shaped bottle disappeared. “Hundreds of years passed, and the child lived on…generation to generation, leading an endless life…that although gave him magic, riches, and knowledge…gave him quite the suffering, too.” The figure of the young man hung his head.

Cheddar clapped his paws, and all the figures disappeared on the surface of the water.

“That story…” Aine spoke. “was that…the child…Lief?”

Cheddar nodded. “That’s why he needs the love potion. Or else he’ll continue living forever.”

“But isn’t this unfair,” Aine said. “It wasn’t his fault. And this Love thing. Isn’t he just throwing a tantrum because he didn’t get what he wanted. I don’t understand him at all.”

“Well…I kind of do. I mean…if someone stole my favorite cheese wheel, it’s a bloodbath.” Cheddar revealed his claws. “No questions asked.”

“Uhh…okay. But what happens…if he obtains the love potion? What happens to him?”

Cheddar stared her straight in the eyes, his orange eyes glowing bright in that pitch darkness. “He…moves on…like all the other chronicles who managed to break their curses.”

“And what does moving on mean exactly?”

“Death. Peace.”

Aine pursed her lips. She had her theories, but she always refused to entertain the darkest ones.

“Will you help him?” Cheddar asked.

“To die?”

“To find peace. He’s suffered enough. Although he would never admit his 500 years of life weren’t all about using magic and writing exciting stories. He’s bound to suffer more if he continues. You’re the first chance he’d had in forever. So, will you help him?” Cheddar sighed. “Anyways, I’ve said what I had to say. It’s your choice to make.”