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| - "What on earth do we need to be here for?" Leo asked now with his hair cut short again and facial hair shaved off. "The Quest Card said to come to Orchard Farm" Ace said with his hair also cut short but kept the beard and trimmed it nice and even. "Even so a Quest a quest" Zane said with his beard shaved lightly and his long hair cut back to short hair as they approached the farmer. "Ah it's you! The heroes who protected us from those bandits remember? But these are not happy times my mother was murdered not long ago her grave by the side of the farm and I know it sound ridiculous but I swear I've seen her ghost there and it's all because of me. She was killed on her way to our anniversary party! I can't bear to see her restless spirit. Would you go to her grave and see if she's still there?" the farmer asked. "We'll go and see, we've dealt with ghosts" Zane said. "Thank you. Anything you can do will be a great help" he said as the three went around to see the ghost of the woman. "Wooo! Hello there, my dears. Oh don't be scared, m'boys. I might be dead, but I still just an old lady." "How you die?" Ace asked. "It's a sad tale really. I was on my way to give Isiah, that's my son, a necklace for his wedding anniversary, you see. Then just by Greatwood Lake, a bandit attacked me from out of nowhere. Stabbed me in the chest three times he did and took the necklace too! If you could get the necklace to my son I might be able to rest in peace. I was a family heirloom. Been with us for generations!" "We'll find the Bandit" Zane said as they headed for the Greatwood Lake. "Sparky, do your thing" Zane said as they followed Sparky to the Greatwood Lake. "Another Focus Site" Leo said as they passed by it and reached a bridge where Granny appeared. "This is the place. Killed me right here. Hurt like hell, I can tell you. I think he came from that path. The one going to the waterfalls in fact, I think I see someone there now" Granny said as they saw a man by the stone wall, "it's him! That's the little beast! Get him!" "Sick 'im Sparky!" Zane yelled as the dog ran ahead and after the man and bite his leg. "GAH!" the man yelled trying to kicked Sparky off but Leo kicked him in the face. "So do you enjoy hurting defenseless people? An old woman?" Leo growled. "Piss off" the man said as Leo stab the man in his leg with a knife, "AHHH!" "How many times did he stab her?" Leo asked. "Three" Ace said as Leo stab another knife into the bandit hand. "GAHH!" "And it hurt like hell too" Zane said as Leo held the final knife to the bandit neck. "Beg Avo for forgiveness when you see him before he sends you right to hell" Leo said plunging the knife into the man neck as the woman appeared. "Oh, thank you. Thank you so much, take this necklace to my son Isiah and I will be able to rest at last" she said vanishing as Leo held up the blue box with the necklace in it. "No one should suffer like that scum bandit" Zane said as they later headed back to the farm and handed Isiah the box. "The necklace! How can I ever thank you?" Isiah said. "No need this one on us" Zane said. "Please take this gold with my thanks. I'm afraid it's all I can offer" he said handing them a bag of gold, "please let my mother know I've received it. Maybe her soul can find peace then." The three then went to the grave where Granny was waiting, "oh you gave my son the necklace. How lovely of you if I still had my lips I'd kiss each of you, the worms ate them though, ah at last I can take that nap, goodbye dearie" she said before vanishing as they returned to the farmer. "She moved on" Zane smiled. "She's finally at rest! You don't know how happy that makes me feel! We owe you a great deal, Heroes. Thank you." Later that day the heroes returned to Darkwood Cullis Gate as they walked across the bridge. "You need to get to the Cullis Gate in the middle of Darkwood. The Gate will only open when it's hunger for undead souls is sated" Scarlet spoke. "So kill as many Hollow Men as we can" Leo said reaching the unactivated Cullis Gate as Hollow Men rose from the ground. "Let's make this quick, Vortex" Zane spoked sending the Hollow Men in the air and exploding opening the way to Hook Coast as the heroes used the Cullis Gate and end up on the Hook Coast Cullis Gate. "We're here" Zane said. "You need to find the ruined abbey now" Scarlet spoke as they headed down the hill and reached an old town. "None of these buildings look ruined to me" Ace said. "Maybe this way?" Leo said as they headed up some old stairs and found the ruined abbey. "Uh-oh!" Zane said seeing a barrier on a door to where the key hid, "mom?" "Hmmm. That magical barrier wasn't there before. It explains what I just found in the Guild. Meet me in Maze's quarters. I've found a book that may help" Scarlet spoke. "Maze's quarters?" Zane said as he used his seal to take them to the Cullis Gate at the Heroes' Guild and the three headed to Maze's Quarters. "Are you on your way? Something isn't right here...what? No! NO NO! AHH!" "MOM!" Zane said as they headed up the stairs to see her surrounded by Minions. "Get away from her!" Leo yelled. "The book! Don't forget the book!" Scarlet said as the Minions teleported her away. "NOOO!" Zane yelled. "How the hell did they know she was here?!" Ace asked. "Never mind that! Remember what she said! We must keep the key away from Jack! Find the book!" Leo said searching a bookshelf. "Right!" Zane said as he and Ace took two others. "...what's this?" Leo said looking at a book with Jack of Blades as the title. "What's it say?" Zane asked still searching. "He is known by no one, and he is known by all. He is said to be as ancient as the Old Kingdom, and yet he has the strength of ten Heroes. Some say he is not of this world, and has come to us only for the pleasure of death and destruction. Some say he is but a legend, and the mask has covered the faces of dozens over the centuries, all claiming to be the same Jack of Blades. Whatever he is, he prevails in stories and in nightmares, and he is feared even by the Guild" Leo read. "AH! Found something!" Ace smirked holding the book Arban's Thaumaturgica. "Let me see" Leo said taking the book, "uh-oh." "Uh-oh?! I don't like to hear uh-ohm why you say that?!" Zane asked. "Yes this is an ancient volume that describes the forgotten rituals and magic of Hook Coast, including ways of erecting and disabling force fields but it's written in an arcane language I can't decipher!" Leo said. "Maybe the Guildmaster will be able to read it?" Ace said. "Let's keep our fingers crossed" Zane said. "I have a Quest Card from your mother. Quickly come to the map room and speak to me" the Guildmaster spoke. "On our way" Zane said as they headed back into the map room and approached the Guildmaster. "This is terrible. Jack has captured your mother again, I spoke to her briefly today. She told me about the Sword and the existence of a Key to unlock it. Jack can never be allowed to succeed. You must stop him getting the key from Hook Coast. There is a Quest Card for you, but if you choose to take it you will forsake your other tasks. This is too important" the Guildmaster said. "We cleared the other quests! The key must be recovered first!" Zane said. "Good. Now, quickly, give me the Thuamaturgica" he said. "Here Guildmaster" Leo said handing him the book. "When you approach the barrier to Hook Coast Abbey I shall contact you on your Guild Seal. If I read from the correct passage, it should disable the barrier. Now, go!" "Come on!" Zane yelled as they took the Cullis Gate back to Hook Coast. When they arrived running to the town they saw people running towards them. "We've got to get out of here! It's after us!" a man yelled as a shrieking hooded female like beast chased them, "No! We're all going to die!" "INFERNO!" Zane yelled hitting the Screamer and making her fade. "Hurry!" Leo yelled as they raced up the stairs. "Hurry Guildmaster!" Ace said as they reached the barrier and heard him speaking the spell as it went down and they ran in to see Maze holding a barrier over Theresa and making a key appear on an old the ruins. "MAZE?! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Zane yelled. "You're alive! I was worried when you disappeared" Maze said. "What is this?!" Zane growled. "Your sister...I know. I had to tie her up. Jack controlling her somehow. That's why I'm here. I'm trying to stop him." "He's lying. He's the one working for Jack" Theresa said. "...which explains how those Minions got into the Guild!" Ace growled. "No, she trying to confuse you. She's..." Maze spoke before his eyes widen. "There is really no time for this, old wizard!" Jack spoke as Zane, Leo and Ace spun around but only to be put in a barrier like Theresa. "GAH! AHHH!" Zane grunted hitting the ground feeling his powers drain. "NGH!" Leo grunted falling to his knees. "UGH!" Ace grunted falling over with Sparky. "Finish the ritual, Maze. I'd like my key now" Jack spoke. "It's almost over and it will be easier with the boy here" Maze spoke continuing the ritual. "You traitorous bastard!" Zane growled. "So you escaped my little cage. I'm surprised it took you so long. I trust you didn't lose too much of that precious blood of yours getting out" Jack spoke as the key appeared in the center of the ruined Abbey as Jack took it "the Septimal Key...you've hidden from me far too long. Take our two bloodbags to the Chamber. I shall be there soon and kill the two extras and the mutt." Jack then vanished as Maze turned to face there heroes cage as they glared at him. "Surprised? You shouldn't be. Only an idiot would oppose Jack" Maze said. "But a hero! Would die then serve him!" Zane growled as Theresa used the very last amount of her will power to free Zane and his friends from their cage as they felt their powers returned and got up as Maze teleported Theresa away. "You can't win boy. The world belongs to Jack now" Maze spoke. "Screw that! As long as the three of us stand were taking Jack down and you!" Zane growled pointing his sword. "Hn!" Maze grunted using a Force Push to send Ace and Leo slamming into a wall. "Ha! Hu! Ha!" Zane yelled hitting Maze a few times before he teleported away from the Abbey and began to fire Inferno spells at Zane. "HA!" Zane grunted dodging each one and approached Maze, "Force Push!" Zane yelled as the spell sent Maze smashing through a stone wall and land in the center of the town as Zane ran after him. "Ugh!" Maze grunted getting up from the ground before teleporting away to a high lighthouse, "I should of killed you then that night I lead that raid!" "...that night was because of you!" Zane growled clenching his fist, "SHARD!" Zane yelled forming the stone spell and jump on it and launched it up the tower and jumped off tackling Maze down the stairs. "UAGH!" they grunted hitting the bottom. "AHH!" Zane yelled swinging his sword as Maze teleported away only to appear at the tow with Zane behind him stabbing his sword into his back and out his chest. "GACK!" he chocked as he turned to look at Zane. "Guess what I learned that little trick too!" Zane growled pulling the sword out and watching Maze fall over on his back in the sand as he panted. "I was wrong. Maybe you are strong enough to defeat Jack" he spoke before coughing, "...you haven't got much time. He's using the key to activate the Focus Sites all over Albion GACK then the sword will be his and it will be too late...they'll be trying to stop him. None of them can...you want to know why I did it, don't you? I suppose I'm just an old coward boy. We don't all AH embrace death for some of us the quest, the only quest, is the escape death, whatever the cost...it looks like I failed... " he spoke before dying as Zane bent down and closed his eye lids and placed Maze seal on his cheat and crossed Maze hands over it. "Leave everything to me Maze. Jack going to get it" Zane spoke as his friends approached. "Where is Jack taking them?" Leo asked. "To the Chamber at the Guild we must hurry!" Zane said taking Maze's Clasp and squeezed it hard in his fist.
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