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| - Ten years had passed since that terrible night, no…“terrible” didn’t even begin to describe it. During those ten years I lived at Bower Lake’s Gypsy Camp…still living with the pain of my sister's death. Every night I saw Lucien kill her and every night I remember my survival. The chance I was given to revenge Rose’s death. I still don’t know how I could have possibly survived that night. Being shot just below the heart, then falling out of the top tower’s window, plummeting down a cliff, only to hit one of the roofs of Bowerstone and then hit the pavement and to survive with the majority of my bones broken…it was just not possible. Anyone else would have died, but not me. Maybe it had something to do with having Hero blood flowing through my veins like Lucien said, but then…why didn’t Rose survive? The strange lady with white eyes, Rose and I met previously that day, found me and took me away from Bowerstone, bringing me to Bower Lake. It was a place where I was safe. It was a place where I was safely away from Lucien. It was a place where I could heal. And most of all, it was a place where I could plan and train for my revenge. Anyway, I awoke several days later and the first thing I noticed was that I was in pain. The second thing I noticed was someone's horrible breath breathing on me. The dog from the streets of Old Town had watched over me ever since that night, never leaving my bedside, or so the strange lady named Theresa, told me as she nursed me back to health. She also told me about Lucien fleeing from Fairfax and that he believed me to be dead. It took me over a month to gain my strength, strength to get out of bed anyway, but over time the pain from Rose’s death became my strength and my grief became will. The will to revenge the death that I saw every night in my dreams, my nightmares. During those ten years, I trained to avenge Rose and now…that time had come! I stood on the bridge inside the Gypsy Camp, admiring the view, as I waited for Theresa. Currently, I was wearing a horrible, light brown pauper blouse with a disgusting, patchy and unflattering, brown pauper skirt and boots. The first chance I got, I would be ditching this outfit. Honestly, nobody wore clothes like this anymore…not even beggars! Oh, I also had my hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. My dog, Storm, who had remained by my side faithfully over the ten years, was currently lying down at my feet enjoying the sun. I have to admit, I wasn’t completely honest then, seeing as faithfully didn’t even begin to describe his loyalty. He protected me, comforted me, listened to me, and above all…he was now my closest friend. ‘Ah, there you are,’ said a quiet voice next to me, startling me from my thoughts. ‘And your faithful friend too.’ Theresa added, when Storm barked a lazy greeting. ‘Many years ago I promised you that I would help you revenge your sister’s death.’ Theresa said, turning her attention back to me. ‘That day has come. Today, you leave the safety of this camp and seek out Lucien. The journey will not be easy.’ I gave her a look. I didn’t need her to tell me that it was going to be dangerous. The man had already proved that he would do anything to get what he wanted, even if it meant killing the innocent! ‘There is a chest near your caravan,’ Theresa continued, ignoring the look I gave her (she normally did). ‘I have left a few things inside that might prove useful. Meet me by the gate when you’re ready to leave.’ she added, before walking off. I looked down at Storm, who looked back up at me wagging his tail. ‘Race you to the caravan,’ I said before running off with Storm chasing after me. We wove in and out of the gypsies and chickens, something I was surprisingly talented at. In the end, Storm ended up beating me. He sat on the caravan step looking happily up at me. ‘Savour your victory, my friend, for I shall be victorious next time!’ I laughed, bending down to pat him. I return he licked my cheek affectionately. ‘Shall we see what Theresa left us, boy?’ I added, hopping up and opening the chest. It was actually quite disappointing. The first item I pulled out was a rusty longsword. Honesty, a rusty longsword? An item that farmers use to protect their crops from Hobbes, but not for a warrior like myself! Well, at least it was better than nothing. Sighing, I sheltered it on my hip, with a distained look on my face, before turning my attention to the other weapon present in the chest. A ranged weapon…and it was as disappointing as the longsword. It was a light splintered crossbow! Out of all the ranged weapons in Albion, it had to be a crossbow! I hate crossbows! I preferred pistols and rifles! Besides, this crossbow is one of the most pathetic crossbows ever made with it being slow and clunky…and it doesn’t even do that much damage. Swinging the crossbow onto my back, I looked back into the chest and found something quite satisfactory. Dog Elixir, a potion made to heal the wounds of any dog, and as a bonus, it keeps their coats shinny, nose cool and their breath smelling like daisies. I looked down at Storm debating whether to give him some now, for his breath, but I decided against it and put it in my magical satchel (it was a small bag that could carry anything within it). I then pulled an ordinary garden spade out of the chest. I stared at it blankly, before I said to Storm, ‘How is this supposed to prove useful? Does she expect me to do some gardening or something?’ Storm just cocked his head to one side and looked at me. I was beginning to think that it was for something really obvious, but I didn’t know what. Shrugging to myself, I put the spade also in my satchel and pulled out the next item. Smiling, I examined the collar of holding. ‘What do you think? Want to wear it until I can afford to get you a new one?’ I asked Storm, who barked in agreement. I fastened the collar around Storm’s neck, before pulling out the final item, which was a placebo health potion. A health potion I use to take, once I hit my teens, after brutal sword practices with a retired guard, who was a good friend of Theresa. ‘Well, the chest is now empty, so we might as well go and meet Theresa, but first, I’m getting rid of this horrible top. When I’m hunting Lucien I want to be comfortable.’ I said to Storm, dropping my belongings outside my caravan and going inside to change. I knew going around in my bra would be frowned upon in society, but the blouse was just not practical for fighting or anything else I would end up doing. Emerging from my caravan, I shoved the blouse in my satchel, before picking up my weapons. ‘Come on Storm,’ I said over my shoulder as I headed towards the gate. Along the way, many of the gypsies wished me luck, especially those that remembered me as a child. Theresa was already waiting for us at the gate. ‘Now, come with me,’ was all she said, when we came to a halt in front of her. ‘Open the gate,’ someone yelled as Theresa to face the gate. ‘Good luck!’ he added to me as we exited the camp. ‘Take this,’ Theresa said, handing me a strange seal, when we stopped at the end of the bridge leading to the camp. I looked at her questioningly. ‘It is a powerful artefact,’ she explained, ‘one that all heroes carried. It will grant you access to places others cannot go. It will also allow me to talk to you, when necessary.’ I didn’t know how this small seal would allow her to talk to me, but I let it go. I figured that I would find out soon enough. ‘Now, look down towards the lake.’ Theresa ordered, and I obliged. ‘The seal will allow you to enter that tomb. In its darkest depths lies the Chamber of Fate. When you come out, you will be stronger, much stronger. Now go.’ she said finally, before heading back towards the camp. I stood there staring at the tomb in silence before Storm startled me slightly by barking and running down the path. ‘Storm? What is it, boy?’ I yelled, chasing after him. Halfway down the hill he stopped, turned and looked at me, before starting to dig. I stood there watching him as he repeated the same action over and over again. Look at me, look down at the spot he was digging, looked at me again before starting to dig once more. After a few minutes, it hit me. I now knew what the spade was for! It was digging up treasure! I quickly took out the spade and began to dig in the little hole Storm had made. After three shovels of dirt, I saw something red in the hole. I quickly put down my shade and grabbed the item, which turned out to be…a rubber ball. Feeling as though I had just wasted my time, I chucked it over my shoulder and continued down the hill, shoving my spade in my satchel as I went. Just as I was about to reach the bottom of the hill, Storm came racing past me and knelt playfully in front of me with something red in his mouth. Something that looked a lot like… ‘I should have known.’ I muttered under my breath, taking the ball - with much difficulty - out of Storm’s mouth. ‘I’ll play with you later, Storm, but right now I think we should get to that tomb. Come on, I’ll race you again. Not that it will be fair,’ I added, thinking of all the things I was carrying and as a result, Storm won yet again. ‘Okay, you win again,’ I sighed, before adding, ‘you won’t beat me in a swimming race to the island the tomb is on, though!’ Storm wagged his tail enthusiastically and ran into the water with me and man was it cold! Nevertheless, we plunged through the water, determined to get out of its icy clutches. I quickly hoped out of the water and turned to encourage a struggling Storm along. The moment Storm was out of the water he shook his coat dry, sadly he sprayed it all over me. ‘Thanks for that, Storm,’ I said dryly, but when he bowed his head, I bent down and gave him a hug. ‘It’s all right, boy. I know it was an accident.’ I said, before turning my attention to the tomb door. ‘Hmm, Theresa said that the seal will allow me to enter,’ I mused, getting up and examining the door. In the exact middle of the door, I saw an indent. Upon closer examination, I saw that it was roughly the same size and shape as the seal Theresa gave me. Heart thumping, I unattached the seal off my skirt and slide it into the hole and turned it. To my delight, I heard the clunking of the unlocking of locks and I pushed the door open, retrieving the seal as I went. Once Storm and I were inside the tomb, the door swung shut behind us. Luckily, there were torches burning inside, producing light. ‘Lovely place,’ I muttered, looking around before I looked down at Storm who was standing between my legs shaking. ‘Hey, it’s all right. Nothings going to hurt you, not while I’m here.’ I said gently, bending down to comfort him. Once Storm had calmed down, we headed down the hall that looked like it headed to a dead end. ‘Do not be alarmed,’ came Theresa’s voice, when we were halfway down the hall, scaring the crap out of me, which resulted in me scaring Storm. ‘I’m speaking to you through the Guild Seal.’ My heart rate began to slow down and I stopped looking around for Theresa. ‘You will need to jump through that hole to continue.’ I looked ahead and saw a hole in the ground at the end of the hall and I cautiously looked down. It was several meters deep! ‘You’ve got to be kidding me!’ I said, looking around for another way. ‘Don’t worry, the water at the bottom will break your fall,’ said Theresa’s voice. Hesitantly, I looked over the edge once more, before picking up Storm and jumping down the hole. Theresa was right, the water did break our fall, but it was freezing cold…colder than Bower Lake! I swarm to the shore with Storm on my back. Reaching the shore, I put Storm back on the ground and headed through an arch way that lead to a small ledge. I stopped and looked around. We had come to an open area with bones scattered everywhere, and by the looks of them, I’d say they were human bones. Next to me, Storm was alert and growling at some unseen enemy. I quietly drew my sword and leaped lightly off the ledge. I began to move forward cautiously when I noticed the ground in front of me begin to move. Storm went lower to the ground, ears back and teeth bare. Whatever the enemy was, I was going to find out soon. Maybe it was some kind of troll or some other monstrous beast, or maybe it was…giant beetles? A group of giant beetles had broken to the surface buzzing angrily at me. Here I was expecting something much more…deadly. I put my sword back in its sheath before taking the crossbow off my back and lazily shooting every single one of them. After all, they were only giant beetles…they weren’t even the bloody red one that never seem to die! Shaking my head, I praised Storm for warning me and headed through the cavern, crossbow ready for anymore pests that might get in my way. It was a good thing that I did keep my crossbow at the ready for I ran into another group of beetles before I entered a small room with a rock bridge that lead through a gate. Guessing that I needed to go through there, I headed towards the bridge when something yellow shot out of a rock and stopped in front of me. It was a flit switch. ‘You’ll need to shoot the switch to go any futher,’ came Theresa’s voice once more, and like the last time, it made me jump, though not as bad. This was going to take some getting use to. ‘I know that!’ I muttered angrily. I knew all about the different flit switches; switches that were yellow and had a Cross Hair on them meant that they needed to be shot, blue with an upside down sword needed to be hit, and red switches with a lightning bolt on them needed Will. Anyway, I shot the switch and the gate opened. Walking through the gate, I walked into, yet another, group of beetles before I was once more in the freezing cold water. I made two pit stops on my way to the other side of the lake inside the tomb. The first stop was on a stone platform where I found a skeleton with a piece of paper in his hand. Curiously, I took the paper out of his hand and read it. It was a letter to someone called Harriet about the skeleton's voyage with two other men, Brendan and Drake, and how he planned on poisoning their water supplies. The bottom of the letter was signed Erik. Wondering if he did end up poisoning the other two, I put the letter in my satchel - who knows, maybe I could get some money for it - and continued on to the second stone platform (my second pit stop). On the second stone platform I found another skeleton, Brendan, only this time instead of a letter to a loved one, it was a diary entry and it to spoke of the voyage and how he too was planning on poisoning his companions. Slightly bewildered at their behaviour, I pocketed the diary entry as well. When I made it to the other side of the lake, I hurried along the hall and I came across a third skeleton. ‘Let me guess, this must be Drake.’ I muttered, while Storm cocked his head to one side. My hunch was correct. In the skeleton’s bony hand was a crunched up suicide note, which read:
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* * 'The Spire was intended as a conjurer for all the magic in the world.' explained Theresa. 'Granting the kingdom ruler a power so great he could bend reality to his will. On the day it was completed, the first wish made, a light bloomed inside though its nature could not be darker. Albion shattered. Centuries of civilization was wiped out in moments. Its people erased from existence. Some say this way the first wish, an end to a hollow and corrupt world and for a purer one to take its place.
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