(Yes, this is my first fanfic. No, this won't be a bad fanfic...hopefully.)
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Sparrow had never had an easy life. From the time he was born, he'd had challenges to overcome. First was the untimely death of his parents. Whenever he asked his older sister Rose about it, she always simply told him they were scholars, who were attacked by bandits. Pretty vague. One day, they came across a merchant named Murgo, who spoke to a crowd of people about an enchanted box. Needless to say, it didn't sell after the mirror that only worked in complete darkness. Bad business move. Sparrow's life would have continued the same, if a woman named Theresa hadn't put ideas of magic in their heads. What first seemed like a gift from the heavens became living hell for young Sparrow.
Now, Sparrow, his sister, and a butler, ironically named Jeeves, walked through the halls of Fairfax Castle. They came across a room where a man stood over his notes, a touch of sorrow in his eyes, and, as Sparrow looked deeper into them, he saw anger. Madness. The moment Lord Lucien saw them, his expression changed. But the madness remained. Sparrow didn't listen to the conversation between his sister and the respected Lord; he simply contemplated what was happening in the scholars mind. He was jarred from his thoughts when his sister told him to follow her into the circle near the window. He was amazed as a blue light surrounded the circle. Lucien touched it, and it turned red. Menacing.
"What's happening, Milord!?" Rose asked, scared. Sparrow simply remained amazed, his strong mind processing what he saw. He'd never been one for physical strength, having to rely on aim, and his mind. He had a toy gun for just that, scavenged from the trash by his sister. Toy or not, it packed a punch. Now Sparrow saw Lucien draw a gun of his own, but not a toy one. It was all too real. He leveled it at young Sparrow's sister, and fired. Sparrow didn't know how to process what he saw. His sister had always been there for him. When he was hurt, she made bandages from her own sleeves, whether there was rain or sleet or snow. If he was being attacked, Rose would charge in and beat who ever the bully was into a bloody pulp. If he was sad, she made him happy again. Now she was gone.
Lucien now leveled the gun at Sparrow, saying his apologies. His words were lost on Sparrow, now pale as a ghost, not even able to be afraid, all other emotion driven away at the death of his sister besides sadness. Fire burst from the gun, and a bullet flew out. Sparrow fell from the building, glass cutting through him, his eyes pierced, his arms cut. He felt his head hit the roof of a building, and fell to the snow covered ground, feeling immense pain. He felt something wet and warm lick his hand, reminding him he was alive.
"Death is not your destiny today, little Sparrow."
Ten years later
Sparrow reminisced on his memories of the gypsy camp, sad to be leaving soon. His greatest memories were here, after all, even before he became a permanent resident. Especially before he was a permanent resident, his sister had been alive then...
No time to dwell on that. He searched for his two oldest friends here, Regina and Twig. They were still missing. They'd gone missing about a day before, now Sparrow was worried. He sensed Theresa's presence, and turned to face her, for all the good it did him. His eyes still bore the mark of the glass that pierced them. Immense cold, and years without use hadn't helped either. He was just as blind as Theresa now, and always would be. About nine years prior, immediately after his full recovery, Theresa had begun teaching him to "see". He saw with his mind, using a force she called Will. He had never told others of it, even Twig and Reg, but none thought him helpless. He carried with him a quarter staff, for self defense, and wore the clothing of a pauper, dirty clothes and all, his only other attire being a blindfold. His dog, named Faithful, was at his side, waiting obediently for an order. Sparrow loved that dog.
"Ten years ago, I promised I would help you avenge your sister, and that day has come," Theresa said to him, in her blank, emotionless voice. It was actually kind of creepy.
Sparrow was silent, so she continued, "Follow me to the gates, as you have everything you need currently, come," Theresa said, leading the way to said gates.
"Open the gates!" A man called, and they swung open, for Theresa and Sparrow to walk through, followed by Faithful.
Theresa handed him an object, and explained that it was a guild seal, an artifact all heroes once carried. She instructed him to go to the ruins, in the middle of the lake, and he complied quickly. One quick swim later, he was at the island the ruins were located on, placing the seal upon the door. It spun, before the door opened, and he retrieved the seal, placing it on his back. He and Faithful entered the ruins, ready for anything. Sparrow nearly fell when an unexpected voice was heard.
"Do not be alarmed, I am speaking to you through the guild seal," the voice said, Theresa's voice.
"A little late for that, Theresa," Sparrow said to her, a smile on his face.
Theresa didn't laugh, as he approached a hole in the ground. Sparrow was ready to call off this little adventure, when Theresa told him the water would break his fall.
"Theresa's never lied to me before," Sparrow thought, as he dived, followed by Faithful, who lived up to his name. Sparrow fell into the water, and emerged, gasping. Sparrow traveled to land quickly, and entered a room with crystals embedded in the ground. More importantly, beetles were sprouting from the ground. Sparrow swung his staff, smashing a beetle in the process. His dog bit one beetle, and quickly bit into another. Sparrow was hit in the back as a beetle smacked him, to be quickly killed by an angry Faithful. Sparrow rubbed his back, before swinging his staff and crushing a beetle in mid air. These battles continued, until he eventually reached a room, with energy resonating from the center. He also noticed paintings on the wall, only because of the energy coming from them as well, however. Will sight did have its downfalls.
"Those pictures are of your forebear. While he was young, he suffered a loss he…never truly recovered from. When the world fought him, he fought back. He became strong, strong enough to make the world what he saw fit. That is what you must do, young Sparrow," Theresa said to him, through the guild seal.
For Sparrow, this was a lot to process at once. He decided to think of it later, as he entered the light in the center of the room. He felt power coursing into him, his will sight strengthening. For the first time in years, he saw perfectly, in complete detail. He thought for a moment his eyes had recovered, but then realized he saw through his will power. He felt energy surging through him, at his command. Theresa's words were lost on him, as he launched blades, fire, and lightning all around him, enjoying the power.
"SPARROW! You must use your will to activate the cullis gate!" Theresa said, for the first time sounding annoyed.
Sparrow blushed in embarrassment, and launched a bolt of lightning at the only other source of energy in the room. He stepped through the gate, and found himself on top of Hero's Hill. He also sensed beetles. He destroyed them with a few well executed blades spells, and stepped down the hill, followed by Faithful, still somewhat scared from Sparrow's outburst of magic.
"I will meet you in Bowerstone," Theresa said to him, having regained her composure.
Sparrow came to Bowerstone gate, to find a barricade in his way. "Sorry citizen, but the road has been blocked, on account of bandit, activity!" a guard, who was positioned on top of the barricade, "If you need to get to Bowerstone soon, you could do something about it yourself."
Sparrow nodded, and walked in the direction of where he thought the bandit camp would be. He proved right, and found his friends Twig and Regina trapped in a cage.
Twig
Twig looked in despair as his friend Sparrow entered the camp.
"Look out, it's an ambush!" He said, as bandits fell from the trees. One rushed at Sparrow, and swung his blade...to hit nothing but air. Sparrow was behind him, and swept his feet from under him with his staff. The bandit fell, as Sparrow dodged under another bandit's blade, and unleashed...something from his hand. It looked like lightning. The remaining bandit that had fallen from the trees looked in surprise, and drew his rifle. This was indeed a case where ammunition had to be used. He shot at Sparrow, and the bullet hit the first bandit in the head, killing him. Twig and Regina looked in awe, as Sparrow, helpless, blind, Sparrow, fought the bandits almost effortlessly. The second bandit swung his blade over his head, aiming for where Sparrow now was. Sparrow blocked, and kicked the bandit in the stomach, before he crouched, placed his right hand on the ground, and blades appeared from thin air. They impaled the bandits, two in the third, and one in the second, ending them both.
More fell from the ground, as some shot at Sparrow from the trees. Sparrow seemed to move faster, as he quickly spun his staff expertly, hitting two bandits in the face and sword hand, and then donkey kicking another, winding him. Sparrow launched fire over his head, setting a tree alight. Twig cringed at the tortured screams of burning bandits, and Sparrow seemed to be sad for their deaths as well. Sparrow launched blades around him, impaling foes, and dodged under a bandit's cruel blade, which struck another bandits neck. Faithful hadn't been sitting quietly all throughout this either. He had jumped up the trees, branch to branch, and now brought bandit gunmen down, with a bite to the neck for each. The ground was littered with the bodies of dead bandits, and bile rose in Twigs throat as he looked at them. Faithful was growling at the door, before a man kicked it opened, and kicked Faithful in the face. Thag the Impatient.
"You have three seconds to get ready! No two! Ah sod it! AARRRGGHH!" Thag said, before rushing at Sparrow with his cutlass. Sparrow launched a bolt of lightning at the man, which he shrugged off and swung his blade. Twig averted his eyes, but realized he heard no collision. He chanced a look, to see an amazing sight. Sparrow had blocked the weapon with his staff, before he spun it. Thag was disarmed as his sword flew out, nearly killing a man who'd been watching the fight, looking at Twig and Regina greedily. Twig saw Sparrow snap his staff forward, hitting Thag under the chin, before he spun it around, hitting the bandit's skull. Thag fell, and saw a staff pointed at his face.
"If you will come quietly to jail, and unlock the cage to free my friends, I will spare you, and you can happily rot in your jail cell. Or hang. Probably hang. Better then what I have planned. Burning slowly to death, before being beheaded is not a pleasant thought," Sparrow said to the fallen bandit, ready to cast a spell if he needed. This was the first time Twig had gotten a good look at his friend, and saw faint blue marks in his skin. Regina had seen it too, and looked as surprised as he did. Thag's answer was an attempted kick to the groin, which was dodged, before his leg was removed by a magical blade. Thag gasped in pain, as fire enveloped him, and a blade came for his throat.
Thag could rest easy knowing his death was quick and he could get to the afterlife sooner, rather then later.
"Thag kept the key to the cage in his chest!" Twig said, and Sparrow entered the house, after giving his dog some of the healing elixir he always carried. A bandit approached the cage, rubbing his hands against one another greedily. Sparrow returned with a journal, and a key.
"Those slaves there belong to m-" was as far as the bandit got before Sparrow had already unlocked the cage. The bandit rushed at him in his fury, swinging his blade, only to be hit with a staff, and shocked with lightning.
"You'll live. You may never move your legs again, on account of the fact I aimed for your spine with that Shock spell, but it's better then complete death. I'll call for a guard to arrest you. Unlike Thag, you'll get off easy," Sparrow said, as he led Regina and Twig away, followed by a tired Faithful.
"Thank you so much Sparrow!" Twig exclaimed to his friend.
"I'm glad your alright, guys. I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you..." Sparrow said to his friends, a smile of relief on his face.
"Well, we're okay because of you. Where did you learn to fight like that?" Regina said to their savior.
"It's...in my blood. Anyways guys, I'm going to embark on a journey. I may never be back. I have to say my goodbyes...I'm sorry," Sparrow said, his smile being replaced by a look of sadness, and anticipation.
This news did not bode well with Regina and Twig. Sparrow was their oldest friend, as they were to him. Regina was the first to speak.
"I'm going with you," She said, drawing a look of surprise from the blindfolded hero, as well as Twig.
"Look, Reg-" Sparrow began, but was cut off.
"It's Regina! And there's no chance I'm leaving you to your own devices without anyone to help you! Knowing you, you'll get eaten by a Balverine on your first day! You need a voice of reason. Sure, you have Faithful there to help you fight, but he has no idea how to tell you, 'hey idiot, let's not get killed by monsters!'. Face it, you need me!" Regina said to Sparrow, as they approached the gate to Bowerstone.
There was no derailing her, when she devoted herself to some plan or idea. Both Twig and Sparrow knew all to well.
"...very well. Just let me do the fighting, Reg. It's what I do," Sparrow said, and Twig spoke.
"I'm going too. You really think I'm going to be able to make a living without Regina yelling at me to work? I'm too lazy. Besides...this sounds like fun," Twig said, putting an optimistic smile on his face. Sparrow was too tired to fight, and simply sighed with resignation.
"You may want to arrest the only bandit left alive at the camp, we'll be on our way," Regina said to the guard who leaned on the edge of the gate, the barricade now gone. The bandit looked at them in surprise, and left, as the three friends walked through the gate… To their destiny.
