| abstract | - Once I could see, I saw we were back at Bower Lake on I was on Hero hill as before me was a plate with a symbol on the Bower Lake Seal I have as Hammer Garth and Reaver stood by their own plate with symbols of Strength, Skill, and Will as Theresa and Jake stood off on the side. "What exactly does Lucien want?" Reaver asked. "Aside from godlike power? Hmm, that's a tough one" Hammer said. "That kind of power is a means, not an end...what does he want to do?" Reaver asked. "When I knew him he wanted to resurrect his family, probably still does. But give a beggar a million gold he'll buy food until he's full. And then he realizes bread isn't the only thing for sale" Garth said. "Meaning Lucien has gone completely insane with power" I said as Theresa spoke. "Now we can begin" she said. "Were ready" I said "Stand in the center. You represent that which binds the three together; Strength, Skill and Will. Together you will call forth the great weapon that will defeat Lucien" she said as I stepped onto the center as I glowed white as Hammer stepped on hers and it turned blue, Garth on his that turned red, and Reaver's who turned yellow as nothing happened. "So now we just...do what, exactly?" Reaver asked as he groaned in pain and fell to his knees as the other started to groan as they were lifted into the air as a yellow bolt from Reaver chest stuck me as I began yelling in pain as a red bolt from Garth hit me then the blue bolt from Hammer as a white mass of energy formed around me as I struggled to stay standing as a bright white light covered the entire hill as it cleared away and I fell to my knees as I saw the others on there as I stood on a still glowing plate. "Bloody hell...that hurt" Hammer groaned as she lay on her knees and I looked over to see Reaver and Garth on the ground. "I agree" Garth groaned as he tried to get off the ground. "Well...I did enjoy making that pretty light with you but with that done. What happens now?" Reaver asked as he and the other got onto their feet. "You're lucky I'm too weak to walk over there and kick your ass" I said. "I took no. We crossed beyond the far edge of my knowledge when he stepped in the center" Garth said. "Sorry about that, just did what Theresa told me" I said seeing her gone and Jake sniffing around for her. "Wait, where's Theresa?" Hammer asked. "Well this can't be good" Reaver said as four Great Shards surrounded the hill as it shot down guards around Garth, Hammer, and Reaver as weapons were held to their necks as Lucien stepped from the darkness "Heroes, enough power to build a new world and you waste it trying to save the old one" he said. "You're...you're Lucien!" Hammer said as the guards kept her from reach for her hammer. "Open your eyes, Lucien the ruins of the Old Kingdom are all around us" Garth said as the Will using Guards that looked like the Commandant held their blade to him. "And soon they will be buried under the New Kingdom. And you are look at the new king" Lucien said. "Pretender. Your fall will be hard indeed" Garth said struggling to even use his weakest spell but failed to as Reaver spoke. "Um...deal still stands Lord Lucien, er King Lucien!" Reaver said trying to weasel his way out of this but before I could yell at him Hammer beat me to it. "Oh Reaver, will you shut it!" She yelled. "In fact, you can have these people for free!" Reaver said. "And so I shall. And you as well" Lucien said. "Where is she?" Hammer asked. "Your fortune-telling friend?" Lucien said. "What have you done to her?" Hammer asked. "I swear Lucien if you hurt her!" I yelled. "I merely listened" he said as the shards transported everyone but me and Lucien away. "No!" I yelled as Hammer and Garth were taken away with that bastard Garth. "I should have gone out into the dark and found your body that night" Lucien said stepping into the light that my plate was still giving off "but I was hasty. I let the bloodline flourish and you have flourished" he said. "Yeah isn't that a same" I said reaching for my gun but realized it was gone as my sword was also gone. "But this time is different. The last of the heroic blood will flow out onto this hilltop" he said pointing his gun at me as Jake came from the side and jumped toward Lucien arm to bite his arm but Lucien shot Jake as I heard my dog whimper and hit the ground motionless. "No! Jake!" I said trying to go to him but the shield around me prevented me from moving just like in Lucien study twenty years ago. "Pitiful creature, misguided and weak" Lucien said. "He was not weak you crazy son of a bitch!" I yelled trying to use Blades but it wouldn't work. "The last time I killed you, it tore my heart out, of course you were only a child but then...so wise I" he said as I heard the gun shot and everything went dark. "Death is not your destiny toady, Little Sparrow" Theresa voiced echoed as all I could see was darkness and heard nothing till I heard someone blurred voice echoing as I saw everything go white as the voice became clear. "Come on Little Sparrow wake up" a familiar voice said. "Rose?" I said an in unfamiliar voice as everything got cleared and I was staring up at a familiar celling as I looked to see I was a kid again and in mine and Rose old bedroom in our old home before the accident. I then got out of bed and saw Rose standing next to my bed "Mum and Dad have gone out! You've missed saying goodbye" she said. "They have?" I asked remembering this day. "Come on get up, it's beautiful outside" she said turning to leave the room. "Is this heaven?" I asked as Rose spoke again. "Come on! They won't be back for ages we're going to have such a fun day. I've got so many things planned" she said. "Like what?" I asked. "I've hidden bottles around the farm for you to shoot the chickens need rounding up or we could kill some beetles, all sorts of thing" she said as we walked down the stairs of our parent's home as Rose stepped out into the bright light in the door way as I stepped out and couldn't see for a few seconds till my visions cleared and my home appeared before me. "So, what shall we do first?" Rose asked as I made my way to the field to see beetles. "There are loads of bug in this field, fancy killing some?" she asked as I pulled out my toy gun and began shooting at the bugs and Rose cheered. Once the last bug was dead Rose and I looked over to see if there were more "I can't see any more, shall we do something else?" she asked. "Let's get the chickens" I said as I shot a bottles that we passed as we made our way to the barn right next to an empty chicken coop as the five chicken were around us. "Those chickens wander all over the place, peck-peck-pecking away, reckon you get them all back in their pen?" Rose asked. "No problem" I said kicking the first one into the pen. "Right you silly chicken now stay!" Rose said as I kicked another one in. Once the last chicken was kicked in and the last bottle was shot me and Rose looked into the coop at the chickens. "That's all of them! I should call you Chicken Chaser" she said. "No thanks, I don't need another birds name" I said as I saw it got dark. "That was a fantastic day, but I'm worn out" she said. "Yeah so am I" I said. "Let's go to bed" Rose said. "Yeah bed" I said as me and Rose made our way back to the house as we got back to our beds. "Night Little Sparrow" Rose said. "Night Rose" I said as I climbed into bed and fell asleep. When I awoke to the sound of the music box from Bowerstone I got out of bed and stood the stack of books by the windows as I saw the gate to the farm was open and Rose woke up and stood next to me rubbing her eyes. "It's nothing Little Sparrow, go back to sleep" she said as I remembered how I got here and knew my friends were in danger. "I'm sorry Rose" I said heading out of the room as Rose followed. "Oh come on, get back to bed. There's nothing fun to do here now" she said as I made my way down the stairs. "Where are you going?" She asked. "Outside" I said. "Are you mad! It's dangerous out there" she said following me outside. "Get back inside you're going to get me in so much trouble" she said. "Trust me Rose you won't" I said as I was about to go outside the gate. "Don't go! Please don't leave me again I don't want to be alone again" she said. "I'm so sorry Rose, but my friends are in trouble and even worse Albion is too" I said not turning to her "I have to do this, not just for you but for the world too" I said stepping out of the gate as Rose screamed. "No!" screamed like the night at Lucien study as I turned to see her vanish as everything went red as it started to rain as I ran down the trial to the source of the music as the horrible sight of what became my poor parents appeared in front of me. On their way back to Bowerstone Market they were attack by bandits, and Dad as strong as he was did fight back to protect Mum but both met horrible ends. As I ran past the corpse on fire with spears swords or other form of weapons in them as the music grew louder as I ran into some ruins. I ran up the stairs on a pedestal before me and glowing in a bright light as I floated and I grabbed it as the everything went black and the only light I had was from the music box as the voices of the people I encounter with threw my head. "Castle Fairfax looks so nice in the snow, if only we could live there" Rose voice said. "Perhaps that could be arranged" Lucien voice said. "No!" Rose said in her bloody scream before the gun shot that took her life as I saw my body grow and the weapons I first started off with were on my back. "For centuries this academy trained the supremely gifted sons and daughters of Albion, bound together by the blood that flowed through their veins, can you feel the power coursing through you?" Theresa voice said as I heard Hammer sobs. "Father! I could have stopped him!" she cried as the clothes I wore in the Crucible appeared and I had new weapons. "That was something else. Best Crucible in years!" Mad-Dog said. "A classic performance that will be remembered for all time. Or at least, as long as there are people around to remember it" Murray said as my Spire Guard uniform appeared with the weapons I used to escaped with. "Everyone has their breaking point and I will find yours" the Commandant said as my clothes changed to the ones I wore to the Shadow Court. "The rules cannot be broken. We will take whoever bears the Dark Seal" the Judge said. "And looking as youthful and spirited as ever! Aren't you a tricky one, good for you" Reaver voice said. "The last time I killed you, it tore my heart out, of course you were only a child but then…so was I" Lucien voice said as everything went white. "You have passed the test. Your rewards are the opportunity to confront your enemy...and the means to destroy him, take the box and got to him" Rose voice said. "I will Rose and I promise we'll be together someday!" I said. When my vision cleared I awoke on the docks of the Spire as I saw the box in front of me as I picked it up and heard and felt a loud rumbling as I saw dead Spire Guards and new recruits on the ground as I headed towards the flickering white light before me on top of the stairs as I walked into it and was blinded for a few seconds as I walked into a room that had a similar plates like on Hero Hill as Hammer, Garth and Reaver energy was being drained into Lucien. "You let them go you bastard!" I yelled getting his attention. "Your power is astounding. Twice you've cheated death. Yet your abilities are trivial compared to the infinite power of the Spire, which will soon be mine!" He yelled. "Not if I have anything to say about!" I yelled. "Now...sleep" Lucien using the sleep spell which didn't work on me this time as the music box in my hand shook as I held it up to him. "What? What is that?" Lucien asked. "Just my weapon" I said as the power Lucien collected began to drain into the box. "Do you think a mere trinket will save you? Do you think anything can?" Lucien asked as the blue light coming from Hammer chest disappeared as Lucien realized what I was doing. "Stop! Think about what you're doing!" he yelled. "I know what I'm doing!" I yelled. "I will put an end to chaos!" Lucien yelled. "It's in chaos because of you!" I yelled as the red light in Garth chest vanished. "Stop now, you fool! You insect! I order you to stop!" he yelled. "I don't take orders from you!" I yelled as the yellow might broke of Reaver and the box began to pull me in as the last of the energy was drained from Lucien. "Sleep! I command you to sleep, sleep!" Lucien yelled as a bright light filled the room followed by Lucien scream of anger as the light cleared and I put the box down as I saw the others heroes lying on the ground as Lucien got off the ground with glowing eyes. "Do you consider this a victory? You are merely dealing the inevitable" he said. "Tell someone who gives a damn Lucien" I said shooting him as he feel over the edge screaming as he fell into the bottomless darkness. "I thought he'd never shut up" Reaver said standing. "Lucien's...dead so...what happens now?" Hammer asked as she got up from the ground. "I don't know, I actually thought he would put up a decent fight" I said as a light appeared in the center of where the four of us as Theresa appeared. "Now? Hero, it is time you gained your reward, your gift for saving the world from a madman's selfish dreams. The Spire has awakened, and it still has the power to grant one wish...yours" she said holding her hand out "come take my hand" she said as I heard Rose voice. "It's all right Little Sparrow. Don't be afraid" she said as I walked up to Theresa and took her hand as everything went white as me and Theresa stood in a white room. "Where are we Theresa?" I asked. "You stand in the heart of the Spire as the Archon of the Old Kingdom did thousands of years ago. Now it is your turn. Make a wish but choose wisely for it will affect all of Albion" Theresa said. "I have choices?" I asked. "You have three. Sacrifice; you may choose to revive all those who died in the Spire's making but in doing so know that you will never see your loved ones again." she said as a card with a statue with people cheering at it appeared before me. "Love; those dearest to you even your faithful dog will be restored to life, but their lives come at a cost of the countless innocents who died in building the Spire" she said as a card with a heart stood before me next to the other card. "Or wealth; more gold than you can imagine, to spend on whatever pleases you, but any you loved and all the Spire's prisoners will remain will remain dead, and will not witness your new found affluence" she said as a card with a treasure chest with gold under it appeared next to the Love Card. "What will you choose?" Theresa asked. "if I was Reaver I would pick the gold and what's the point on bringing my dog to life if thousands will remain dead. So I'll pick Sacrifice" I said picking the card as the other two disappeared. "So be it" Theresa said as the clouds above the Spire began to glow as the wish was made and the clouds disappeared. "All those who have lost family and friends to the Spire have had their loved ones returned to them, confused but unharmed. Soon all Albion will be filled with gratitude and praise the name of this great and selfless Hero forever and they will know what you gave up for their sake" Theresa said as I was returned to the room where Hammer, Reaver and Garth were waiting for us. "We heard everything" Hammer said. "Yes a wish was made and the world will bear its consequences" Theresa said. "When my father died, it was awful I could hardly bare thinking about it but sacrificing him myself. No it took amazing strength for you to do that more strength then I'll ever have" Hammer said. "Yes, yes, yes, yes let's move onto important matters, what about me what do I get? Cash would be nice" Reaver said. "That is up to you, I can send you anywhere from here. What do you wish?" She asked. "I wish to return home in Samarkand" Garth said. "Oh I've been to Samarkand. Hot night's exotic substances and inhibited people" Reaver said. "It's nothing like that" Garth said. "Trust me I'll find the exciting bits" Reaver said. "Fine just stay out of my way, Hammer?" He said as I looked to her. "No I'm done. I know why we got attacked in the cave the day we met. You brought those Hollow Men in with you. Two monks would have found nothing but a warrior finds battle always. I want to go north to study with those Warrior Monks, I was so sick of avoiding violence, and now I'm sick of causing it" Hammer said as Reaver turned to me. "Goodbye hero I simply must thank you enough for dragging me into this mess" Reaver said. "My pleasure I hope nothing bad happens to you" I said sarcastically. "Oh I should tell you that I do have to make the occasional sojourn to Albion I have obligations with some friends in Wraithmarsh" he said disappearing in a beam of light. "Good riddance I hated his guts" I said as Garth spoke. "I had my doubts about you at first but I'm glad we met and we shall meet again, you can count on it" he said. "Goodbye Garth and take care" I said as he nodded at me and disappeared as I turned to Hammer. "So you think you can handle Albion all on your own?" She asked. "I think I can manage" I said. "I need to get away for a while. Do some thinking for a change, not like I'm leaving much behind...well maybe one thing, about the greatest friend I've ever had, but it's time to say goodbye, take care of yourself" she said. "Goodbye Hannah I hope you come back soon" I said. "Farewell Hammer" Theresa said as Hannah disappeared and Theresa turned to me. "And now it is time for you to leave, the world is yours to enjoy, but the Spire is mine. Be gone" she said as I was teleported from the Spire. I was transported to the docks of Oakfield looking out to the Spire in the distances as I found a letter in my hand as I opened it to read it. Hero among Heroes, the people of Albion, an organization formed by representatives from every region in the land and every walk of life, thank you for your selfless acts in the Tattered Spire. We don't pretend to understand the events that took place there, yet all that matters is that those who were taken from us are alive. To celebrate their return, and commemorate your heroic deed, we have erected a statue in your honor. We hope you like it. The People of Albion. "A statue for me huh?" I said putting the paper into Rose diary as I looked at my quest list and saw something. Two new quests were available as I saw one in Knothole Island which ticked me off. "Can't those people solve anything on their own!" I yelled as I made my way to Knothole Island. Once on the docks I made my way to the town as I saw a dog statue by the Chieftain house as I looked at a sign. To bring back a loved canine sacrifice one life in exchange for him it said as I got an idea. After entering the woods and knocking a Hobbe out as I dragged it back to town and chucked it into the dog tomb as I pushed the lever down as a lightning bolt hit the Hobbe as the doors closed and when they reopened Jake came running out as I got down on my knees and let him lick my face. "Jake you brave mutt, I thought I'd never see you again" I said as he barked and licked my face. "Come on boy we need to pay Murgo a visit" I said as me and Jake road back to Bowerstone Markets docks.
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