The Artisan and The Curse
Once upon a time, in a small yet burgeoning village named Crestwood nestled in the heart of a dense forest, lived a skilled artisan, Justus. He was renowned for crafting the most exquisite pieces of jewelry. Although his work was extraordinary, his unhappiness was profound. His only child, Adelina, was subjected to an ominous curse. A heartless witch who was expelled from Crestwood had cast an unbreakable curse upon Adelina before leaving, restricting her to remain within the village’s boundary.
The child held a unique charm, sparkling hazel eyes, chestnut hair, and an enchanting melodic laugh, which was silenced by the cruel curse. The more disturbing part of the curse was the unknown condition – only when certain undisclosed terms are fulfilled could the spell break. As Adelina grew, so did her dreams. She desired to explore the world beyond the entrapping fences, but all she got was the confinement of the village gates and the gripping fear of the non-existent past.
On Justus's 50th birthday, he received a mysterious package. Unwrapping gently, he discovered an antique scroll inside, with an inscription in an old language that Justus barely recognized. After days and nights painstakingly deciphering the scroll, he unraveled the riddle to break Adelina’s curse, 'The heart that shines bright, needs the night’s light, and a feather so light.'
Justus was overjoyed but perplexed. The first part of the riddle reminded him of his unique creation - a heart-shaped ruby pendant that shone the brightest. He assumed the 'night’s light' referred to the moon, but the 'feather so light,' puzzled him.
With no guidance to understand the last clue, the despaired Justus held onto his hope firmly. He set out on a journey, leaving his precious daughter in the care of trusted villagers, with his creation - the heart-shaped ruby pendant, securing it around his neck. He traveled through desolate deserts, crossed treacherous mountains, and bravely navigated tumultuous rivers.
Months passed, yet he couldn't find out what the feather signified in the riddle. Exhausted, he decided to return home. As he was making his way back through the dense forest surrounding his village, a brilliantly colored feather fell right in front of him from the sky. He observed the feather - it was unlike any bird feather he had ever seen. It was as light as the air itself. Feeling a sense of immense hope, he carefully secured the feather.
Once home, he hurriedly referred to the scroll yet again. The instructions were clear, combine the heart that shines bright, the night’s light, and the feather so light inside an ancient circle of stones situated in the village outskirts only when the moon is at its zenith.
That particular night, with the entire village standing outside the stone circle, Justus placed the pendant and the feather inside the circle and waited for the moon to be at its zenith. Then he instructed Adelina to step into the historic circle.
As she did, the objects levitated in unison, glowing in an ethereal light. The villagers gazed in awe; Adelina watched the spectacle, her eyes widening. Suddenly, a blinding light erupted from the circle, consuming everyone's sight. Once the light dimmed, Adelina felt a surge of energy, a newfound freedom.
Ecstatic, she escaped the circle and ran towards the village boundaries, something she never dared to do before. As she crossed the boundary without any repercussion, tears escaped her eyes. The villagers cheered in joy, and Justus watched, his eyes gleaming with relief. The ominous curse had indeed been broken and Adelina lived the rest of her life exploring and learning, unshackled and free. Thus, the tale of the Crestwood village became a legend, glorifying the face of hope and determination.
Justus's journey of love, hope, and unyielding spirit towards overcoming the impossible and his strong belief in miracles inspire many to this date. Despite the adversities, he never stopped chasing the glimmer of hope, and in the end, he succeeded in freeing his daughter from the blighting curse, emphasising that, with hope and determination, no obstacle is insurmountable.