Introduction:

It's a miracle! That's what most proud parents exclaim after witnessing the glorious process of childbirth. However for the parents of newborn Michael Collins, the only thing his parents could think of was, "Dear Lord, it's a curse." The moment Michael was born, everyone could see what he was. The luminous red glow was a dead giveaway. Peter ran the delivering doctor through on his sword to prevent the news from spreading about his newborn son, and immediately wrapped him up in a tattered blanket. Joanne knew exactly what her husband had to do, and she kissed him goodbye.

"Good luck," she whispered.

"Luck is for our son my love. Our fates have been sealed," he replied regretfully.

Peter ran off into the night with his son and his blade, hurrying to the one place he knew his son would be safe from himself. Peter only hoped the place existed as he had heard, and that he could get there before he was caught with his terrible secret.

Chapter one: The Hero's Journey, Beginning.

Willow trudged frustrated through the wide stone walls of the ancient castle of which she and her peers called home. Willow had lived here ever since she was five years old when her mother brought her, against the will of her father, to grow up and develop her special gift as she only could do here. The new Hero's Guild.

Willow, now eight years old, had grown to become one of the most promising young Heroes in the early age group, causing even the more experienced students and teachers to take notice of her skills. And yet no matter how much praise and admiration she receives, it only succeeds in annoying the golden haired sharp-shooter, for Willow prefers to be left alone as her concept of reality has made her a skeptical and very moody femme fatal.

Moments ago, Guildmaster James requested that Willow go and wake up another one of the students so that he would not miss his training today, and she begrudgingly obliged. Willow rapped on the door and shouted impatiently into the room of her least favorite Hero in training.

"Wake up stupid! You're going to be late again, she yelled with no answer from the inside.

"Michael! Wake up or I'm going to kick your butt!"

A few thuds and rustling sounds could be heard from inside the room and moments later the shirtless young Hero appeared at the door.

"Hey Willow, good morning," Michael greeted her kindly, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Get outside, Guildmaster doesn't want you to be late for training again," Willow made her point quickly, wasting as little time as possible with the boy. After getting her message across she walked quickly back down the hall towards the training ground, not wanting to be late herself.

-Vrump-

Willow jumped in surprise when Michael appeared fully clothed in front of her with a goofy grin on his face.

"Don't do that!" She shouted at him.

"What? I thought that was a pretty skilful use of Time Control. I'm ready aren't I?" Michael chuckled before turning around and jogging down the hallway, "Hurry up! You're going to be late Willow!"

Willow huffed and stormed back down the hallway, determined not to let the boy beat her there.

"You irresponsible little snot!" Willow cursed Michael, sure that he wasn't listening, as always.

-Vrump-

Both children fell on their rear ends after bumping into the same thing, a very un-amused Guildmaster.

"I am usually in full support of friendly competition young Heroes, but when it interferes with your training instead of supplementing it then I have to object," Guildmaster James scolded them in an authoritative tone. Both children hung their heads and grumbled.

"Sorry Guildmaster," they apologized in unison.

"Good," James smiled and assisted Michael and Willow to their feet and patted them on the shoulder, "Now Willow, go to the shooting range and work off that frustration. Michael, I would like you to come with me if you please," as soon as the words left James' mouth Willow was gone, wanting to get as far away from young Michael as possible. Michael nodded his head and walked with the Guildmaster through the courtyard.

This wasn't the first time that the Guildmaster had taken Michael aside for a lecture. Michael was different from the other trainees, and not in a small way like personality. You see, when Michael uses his Will magic, the runes that appear on his body are a vibrant red instead of the beautiful blue which is the norm. No one knows why, and as a result Michael has become a sort of outcast among his peers. Not only do the children mock and ridicule him, but the adults are critical of training such a boy without first knowing what he might become. Guildmaster James was one of the select few who did not fear Michael and his differences, and had taken it upon himself to raise him properly to adapt to the world and how it might respond to him.

James put his hand on Michael's shoulder and gently guided him around the grounds of the Guild. James brought him to the cemetery, where many great Heroes from the past were laid to rest.

"You know my son, hundreds of great and powerful Heroes have dedicated their lives to bettering this world, making sure that there was a world for us to grow and live in. No matter what hardships they've endured, adversity they had to overcome, and the enemies and friends alike who decided to stand with or against them, they persevered, and they came out better for it. I have had the privilege of knowing each and every one of these fallen Heroes during my many years teaching at this Guild, and each one has had to deal with struggles similar to your own. They grew up in a time where Heroes were thought of as an absolute evil, as demons, as something that was to be exterminated on sight, and yet these brave men and women still fought on to make the world safe for the very people who demanded their extermination, and for the future wave of Heroes like you to continue they're struggle. Do you understand what I am trying to tell you son?" James queried the quiet and intrigued boy.

"Yes Guildmaster, I understand," Michael replied.

Because of the Guildmaster's special caretaking of young Michael, he had come to see the boy as his own son, and Michael felt as if James was the father he never knew.

During the lecture, the two had been walking through the peaceful scenery of the graveyard, and eventually Michael came upon a large gravestone that was completely blank.

"Guildmaster?" he asked, "Do you know who this Hero is?"

The Guildmaster approached the stone and laid his hand upon it gently, "No my boy, whoever this was, it was no Hero that I knew. I must ask the gravekeeper some day and discover who it could be."

James then led Michael back to the training grounds so that he would not miss a full day of work.

"Now go and become a Hero Michael, and do not let the simple adversities way you down," he said.

"Yes Guildmaster, I'll try," replied Michael, and he ran off to join his brothers and sisters for their day of learning.

The Guildmaster sighed as he watched over the boy, truly questioning if he was doing the right thing.