Chapter 2:

The Quest

"You're going where?!" Steven Kennedy's bewildered expression was utterly priceless as Edgar coolly presented to him the state of affairs. 

   Kennedy had become quite riled. 

   "Your mother is a hen, she would never let you—"

   Edgar punched Kennedy hard in the jaw. "Don't you dare insult my mother in that way! She only wants me to be safe." He stalked off in high dudgeon, making a list in his mind of the things he must gather before setting out with Zi-Zi to find out where their timekeepers had gone. He did not want to waste a moment more, especially knowing the myth as well as he did, which meant he knew how instantly wrong everything could go. He hadn't wanted to leave Zi-Zi—for she'd begun to look so ill and aged all of a sudden—but he needed to head home for a few things before they could set out, and he had been forced to leave her.

   At home, Edgar gathered items into a knapsack frantically, throwing on a cloak and grabbing a weapon, then hurriedly kissed his mother goodbye, swiftly relaying to her the very words that had alarmed Steven Kennedy.

   She was struck with horror by this, and made a great deal of protesting against his plan, even following him out of the house, shouting reprovingly—and this caused an outbreak in the town. Edgar did what he could to avoid it, calling on Zi-Zi and slipping away from the mobs by way of Zi-Zi's backyard. The two fled into the hills, fearing for their lives—the mobs were pressing close and demanded to know why the twosome was leaving, and if they were the cause of the vanished timekeepers. 

   Though Zi-Zi appeared weak and frail, she kept pace with Edgar and even outran him at intervals. They ran until nightfall, only ceasing their flight once safely within the Emerald Hills, whereupon they contrived to build a shelter and by firelight study a map brought by Edgar and an ancient scroll which Zi-Zi had so thoughtfully placed in her sack.