*Flashback (4 years ago)*
"Well, I guess this is where I leave; I have much work to do." Garth said in his usual cryptic fashion. Of course, I knew what he meant. By "work" he meant planning to get his revenge on Lucien. But unlike Garth, I knew that he wasn't going anywhere. I'm sure he saw Theresa standing there as Chase bounded up to us. I'm also sure that he had no clue why the seeress was there.
I watched with an amused smirk as she sauntered her way over to us. That smirk grew into a full-fledged grin as I listened to her give him the same speech she gave Hammer, with a slight twist just for him. I waited a moment, to watch them disappear as she teleported them both to the Chamber of Fate, before digging through my bag for my normal clothes. I wanted nothing more than to burn my Spire Guard uniform, so I dressed hurriedly. Pulling on my long black trousers, brown boots, and old red shirt, I stood and dumped the uniform on the ground with a strange smile.
Taking a moment to watch the evil garb burn, I almost laughed before running back toward Rookridge. Theresa had hinted that Hammer waited for me at the Lucky Heather and I was excited to see my best friend yet again. Although she insisted on being called Hammer, I could never abide by that and had firmly stuck to calling her Hannah. A few hours later, Chase and I had left the green of Oakfield behind us and now stared at the Temple of Shadows. Even from this far a distance, the place still gave me shivers.
I shook my feelings off and walked down the road towards the lone tavern. We didn't get far before Chase ran off ahead and began growling menacingly. I knew what that meant: trouble. As predicted, four bandits stepped from behind rocks and abandoned mine carts, brandishing swords and looking excited. I let out a short laugh before unsheathing my beloved cutlass. The laugh seemed to unhinge them for a moment before they yelled out and rushed toward me. I smiled; the dance had begun. Weaving through their misguided stabs and swings, I cut them down in no time at all. When I looked back at the pile of corpses, a wolfish grin made its way onto my face. Blood was all over the surrounding area, but not a drop had landed on me. I'd never admit it, but I loved the adrenaline rush from combat.
"Just can't avoid fighting, can you?" an amused voice rang out in front of me. Hammer stood with her customary warhammer and a broad smile on her face. I noticed her clothing had changed; she had added bits of armor into it, but battle never would suit her in my eyes. I would always remember when we had met. She had looked so peaceful, sitting on that wall, singing to herself. Then I had come and battle had taken a swift foothold into her life.
"It's good to see you, Hannah. You're looking well." Her smile grew wider and she shook her head.
"After all these years, only you still call me Hannah." She cut, off laughing. "Well, you and the monks back at the temple, anyway. I went back there while you were gone. Same old rubbish; silly men devouring superstitious nonsense from ancient books. Some things never change." She waited a moment to see if I would speak, but I had nothing to say on the subject. Then, she laughed again. "And you haven't changed either, Anne. Still letting me do all the talking, eh? You always were a quiet one, I suppose."
"Still calling me Anne, huh? Most of the world is becoming convinced that I'm getting to old to be called 'Sparrow', but it was my sister's nickname for me and old habits die hard, I'm afraid." We shared a grin before walking towards the tavern.
"Well, it's really great to see you, anyways. I couldn't have done what you did, that's for sure. I can't begin to imagine what you saw in there."
"I can't begin to describe it, so we're even," I said, effectively closing the subject. Hannah knew not to continue when I spoke like that. I couldn't tell her everything I saw, everything I had experienced in the Spire. I didn't really want to think about it just then anyway. "Has Theresa told you where the third Hero is?"
"Nope, she left it to me," Hannah said smiling proudly. I gathered from the smile that she had found the answer, so I waited for her to unveil her grand discovery. I was left waiting, too.
"Are you going to tell me?"
"No can do. I'm waiting until I get back to the Chamber to tell everyone. Plus, I'm still waiting to meet the great 'Hero of Will' as well." I smiled as I imagined the meeting Garth and Hannah would have. It would be...interesting to say the least.
"Oh, I think you'll like Garth. Just listen to what Theresa has to tell you about him first; it'll help you… get to know him better."
"Alright, I'll see you back at the Chamber then," she said lightly before running out of the tavern. Hmm, I thought to myself, I wonder if I should've told her that Garth can be…somewhat annoying… Nah, she'll figure it out soon enough. I laughed quietly into my ale as I made my way to my room for the night.
~The Next Morning~
I arrived in the Chamber of Fate to find Hannah and Garth arguing. I almost laughed until Theresa looked in my direction sharply. Sometimes I wonder how she knows exactly where I am with her eyes like that. I got a strange feeling that she knew what I was thinking so I turned instead to the fight before me.
"Hmm… Theresa told me that you would be impatient and short-sighted, but she did not tell me of your fleeting wit." Garth said in his typical 'the world is so boring' voice. I chuckled; Garth was wrong in thinking he could disguise his insult with pretty words. Hannah may be a large woman, be she was far from stupid.
"Oh yeah?" Hannah challenged. "Did she also tell you that I like to take a hammer and whack smug little spell-flingers?!" That's when I knew it was time to step in; when Hannah made references to her weapon, her temper was at its peak.
"Ok, guys, this isn't solving anything. We're all on the same side here, so let's focus on our next objective, shall we?" I looked from Hannah to Garth, mentally willing both of them to put their differences aside.
"Fine," Hannah said before moving to stand at my side. I smiled at her thanks while Garth moved back toward Theresa. He, however, said nothing. I assumed that silence was his way of agreeing.
"Now that you are through fighting," Theresa began, "I believe Hammer has some information for us." Hannah's mouth dropped for a moment and I'm sure we were both thinking the same thing: How the bloody hell had she known that?! Hannah regained her composure and she set her warhammer on the ground before speaking.
"Right; I've been doing a bit of traveling since you were gone, Sparrow." I was taken aback by her use of my nickname until her eyes shifted towards Garth. I smiled; she didn't want him to know my real name. I nodded and she continued. "I've been traveling between towns gathering information, taverns specifically, and I think I know who our third Hero is."
"You know this based on information gathered among drunks? Very astute," Garth said wryly. Hannah's eyes flashed dangerously, but she looked back to me and continued.
"Yes, Garth," she said, grounding his name out, "I learned this information in taverns, from drunks. Anyway, I think our third Hero is this pirate called Reaver."
"A pirate?" Garth asked. A look from Hannah shut him up once more. I shook my head; He'll learn to stop playing with her temper soon enough.
"Yes. A pirate. This bloke, Reaver, he makes a shot and never misses. He would capture ships by shooting the Captain from across the water no matter the distance or conditions. The more impossible the shot was the faster the crew would surrender." There was a moment of silence while the three of us thought the possibilities over. Garth opened his mouth to say something, but Hannah resumed her grip on her warhammer and he thought better of it.
"Well I guess that settles it," I said evenly. "This Reaver is our final addition. But one question remains: where is he?"
"Reaver resides in the port town of Bloodstone, which has its roots in the camp of the Bandit King Twinblade," Theresa explained. She had a knack for telling you what you wanted to know and everything you didn't. "Bloodstone is bordered by Wraithmarsh on three sides and ocean on the fourth."
"We can reach it by Cullis Gate." Garth said suddenly.
"Not from this one," said Theresa, "It only leads to Hero Hill."
"I built one," Garth replied smugly, "at my home in Brightwood. It can get us there." I wasn't surprised by that or by his smugness. I knew from our dealings in the Spire that Garth was not only a master of the Will, he was also highly intelligent and a proud scholar. It was all I could do not to roll my eyes.
"Well then, your grace, if you'd be so kind as to lead us there," Hannah said.
"Barbarian," was Garth's only reply before stepping onto the Cullis Gate with Hannah following close behind. I shook my head before teleporting after them. This is going to be a long trip.