Okay, long author's note this time.

First off, I'd just like to say that I'm incredibly sorry for how long this chapter took to upload. I know that I said it was going to be a really fast update but I hit a few– okay a lot of snags. A had this chapter all finished and ready when I posted the previous one and it was supposed to be up the next day, but I read over it and it just sounded awful! And no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get the words on the page. So yeah, extreme writers block on this one.

In fact, it was so bad that I sent it off to one of my friends to edit for me and she agreed that it sucked. So I got back the edited copy but there was so much stuff that I had to fix that I ended up just rewriting the whole thing. Even after all that, I'm still not satisfied with it. I've worked really hard on this chapter, but it just never worked out the way I wanted to.

So I'm sorry that this took so long, and I'm really sorry that it sounds like crap. I really hope that the next one comes out better and I can get it up soon, but no promises.

Okay, now to answer some questions:

1. I've had a lot of people asking me if I am planning on sticking with the Lionhead storyline or if I'm going to rewrite parts of the story. My main purpose was to basically retell the story with my character so it would follow very closely with the Fable story, but recently I've come up with some things to add in.

I've decided that I'm going to be daring and try to give it a few plot changes. The major points of the story will stay the same, but I'm also going to add some major things of my own. :) If you follow my Tumblr blog, then I occasionally give out a few, "little secrets." So if you want to be ahead of the game, feel free to follow me.

Btw, this story is in progress, so it is open to suggestion. If you have something I can do to improve it, please feel free to tell me. I would really like to know what you guys think of an original plot versus a Canon one. So let me know!

2. So this one is a little more difficult, (if the first one wasn't enough already. :P) It goes along with the first, but I'm going to tread lightly to avoid giving away too much story material.

Alright, here goes. I've had a few questions regarding Elise. Yes, you guys wanted to know if I was planning on bringing her back or not. Usually when a character dies, or is supposedly killed, I like them to stay that way just because I strongly dislike fake death because it just gets confusing and annoying. But in this case I might just make an exception. Sort of...

Elise is a really intriguing character, and I think that it's a shame she died at the very beginning. I'm still mulling this over, but I think it's safe to say that Elise will come back, but it may not be in the way you think. :] Even if I decide to let her stay dead, I assure you that she will be alluded to in one way or another. You will certainly hear more about her since she is a major driving force in Erick leading a revolution against Logan.

Okay, I'm done. Sorry for my babbling, but I hope I answered some of your questions in greater detail. If not, you can message me and I will be happy to clear things up for you.


Erick cautiously walked down the enormous staircase, the domed ceiling high above him, held up by thick columns. The walls inside the academy were wood, but down here there was nothing but rough grey stone.

A few steel lanterns hung from the ceiling on thick chains, partially lighting the large room. Collapsing bookcases lined the walls, their contents dumped onto the floor. It was a shame that the academy didn't have enough funding to fix up the place. There were a lot of books left to rot.

He had time to spare, so he scanned through the books on the shelves, occasionally finding some gold between them which he slipped in his pocket.

Erick always enjoyed reading. Back at the castle he would slip into the library every chance he got. Most of the books were about politics or history; not adequate reading material to keep a young boy entertained for very long. Even so, he enjoyed grabbing random volumes and inspecting their contents quickly before moving on to the next. He spent hours skimming through the countless books until Logan kicked him out for being too noisy.

Down one of the three allies there was a small podium with a book called How to be a Master Swordsman, by Captain Arkwright. The very beginning read;

When you find yourself in a sword fight, just be sure to gut the other fellow first. Easy, what.

It was humorous, but not very useful. He took it anyway. It was probably important, so he decided to return it to Samuel. On the other side was a large chest with an intricate keyhole. He'd have to keep an eye out for the key then come back to open it.

Erick's fingers brushed over the dusty bindings as he cocked his head to read the titles. He paused over a series by a monk named Silvestre Magus. He picked up the first one, opening it to a place somewhere in the middle. At first it seemed like the babels of a mad man, but when he read further the horrific nightmares sounded more like prophecies. As he flicked to random pages, the words reminded him of the legends that Walter used to tell him about the Heroes Guild and even his own father. When he kept that it mind, it sounded more like a disorganized history book.

He returned the book and went to grab the last one in the series. A fierce chill ran down his spine as his finger glazed over the title; Darkness Descends On Albion. If the books were chronological, than whatever was in that book hadn't happened yet. It was his future.

Erick ripped his hand away and stepped back. He hated prophecies. Whatever was in that book, he didn't care. He wanted to control his own future, he didn't believe in a predetermined fate. Whatever it was, he would deal with it his own way.

He stubbornly left the books behind as he went down the staircase at the other end of the room.

This part of the reliquary looked more like a tomb than a library. The gigantic room was filled with a thick fog preventing him from seeing the other side. He peered over the balcony where the railing had fallen away, but couldn't see the bottom. A tower stood in the center surrounded by many levels of walkways descending into the fog, but there didn't seem to be any access to it.

He went down the staircase along the wall, passing thick spiderwebs and patches of white candles. He didn't get very far before his path ended. A huge column had collapsed, destroying the stairs to the next level down. A large door was to the right, but it had no visible doorknob and he couldn't find a way to open it. To his left the railing opened and it looked like there used to be a bridge there, but instead there was a floating blue orb.

He tried grabbing it, but it wouldn't budge. he even tried kicking it but nothing happened.

"Ah hello, Jasper here again," the familiar voice echoed through the Seal. "I believe that amazing device is what is known as a flit switch."

Okay, it had a name now, but he still didn't know what to do with it.

"However, on the subject of amazing things you will not believe what I have just found in the Sanctuary. You should come back as soon as you possibly can."

Not that he had anything better to do. He tapped the Guild Seal and he was instantly transported to the mystical sanctuary.

"This sanctuary contains an armory. In which there are some truly remarkable weapons; heroic weapons which your father left for you. This way please." Jasper led him through the last door on the left which until now had been the only one still closed.

The armory looked just like the other rooms; shaped as a keyhole with thick green carpet and a large chandelier hanging from the domed ceiling. The candles on the wall were lit, lighting the cobwebs still clinging to the walls. Four decorative suits of armor bordered the room and when he entered further he saw two statues in small alcoves. One held a simple sword, the other a large hammer.

"Now admittedly these weapons don't appear particularly impressive yet, however, according to the book, they actually change as you use them; becoming more deadly and developing fantastic properties. They are living weapons and the way in which you fight with them determines how they evolve."

And that's not creepy at all... Erick wasn't too keen on using a weapon that was alive. Even so, he picked up the sword.

"That sword should serve you well for as long as you carry it and depending on whom you kill and how, it will grow ever more powerful. Well, now that you are properly armed, you should be much better prepared for whatever awaits you beneath Brightwall Academy."

"Why, is there something dangerous down there?" Erick asked, suddenly on guard.

"Well yes, I would expect there to be. Why else do you think that Sabine would send you down there?"

"So I was right, that old fool really does hate me."

Jasper gave a light chuckle and smiled warmly, making thin wrinkles appear around his eyes. "I wouldn't say he hates you, he just wants to make sure that you are the right person to lead Albion."

"Well, if I die down there I'm blaming him."

"I have complete faith that you will emerge unscathed. Well, not seriously harmed, at least not lethally. Just, be careful down there."

"Yeah, no problem," Erick muttered distastefully, returning to the reliquary.

"Ah yes, the flit switch. Now, the way you activate these is by hitting them. Your new weapon should serve that purpose ably."

"Sounds good, thanks Jasper." He smacked the flit switch with his new sword and it launched across the chasm, settling in a small hole. Immediately after, a stone bridge extended across, offering him safe passage to the tower.

After crossing the bridge, he was fascinated by the cluster of blue lights that floated near the ceiling on the other side.

They were Wisps, if he remembered correctly. He'd never seen them before, but Walter had told him plenty about them. Wisps were souls of those that died, but something kept them from leaving. He didn't really believe in an afterlife and he wasn't sure if they really were Wisps, but they sure were pretty to look at.

One of the circular lights broke off from the rest and disappeared beneath the ground. It promptly emerged, bringing with it a fully armed skeleton. The light sunk into its ribcage, and its empty eye sockets began glowing bright green.

Okay, not so pretty after all.

Erick had forgotten the other part of Walter's stories; the vengeful, kill-everything-in-sight, part. According to Walter, one of the reasons that Wisps stayed behind, was because they had something to protect. Something that they would kill for. These pretty little lights would reanimate the dead and use their rotted bones as marionettes. The skeletons that the Wisps inhabited were then called Hollow Men, an accurate title.

The creature watched him with glowing green eyes, its exposed jaw clacking loudly.

Erick tensed as the Hollow Man charged towards him, a sickle in one hand and a bent pitchfork in the other. In his panic, he instinctively shot a ball of fire into its chest, charring its bones and making it crumble to the ground with a ghastly cry. More Wisps quickly followed; submerging in the ground and returning with more Hollow Men.

He drew his sword and began hacking away at the supernatural creatures but they quickly surrounded him. When training with Walter it was always one on one, he wasn't ready for this. It took all he had to keep them back. One got him from behind, slicing open his shoulder and breaking his guard. As he faltered, another hacked down at his exposed chest. Pain flared through his body and he was forced to retreat for a moment.

"Come on then," he hissed between his teeth, charging his gauntlet. The Hollow Men stumbled forward, and when they were in range he slammed his hand to the ground and flames rose up from the ground to engulf them. Luckily, those were the last ones. The blue lights were gone, leaving him crouched on the floor in pain.

He was shaking like an autumn leaf, whether from exhaustion or fear he couldn't tell. He had never been so terrified in his life. Never been so close to death. This was real. Those things wanted to kill him. He couldn't do this. He couldn't survive another fight with those awful creatures. He didn't want to keep going. He wanted to turn back around while he still could and leave the artifact.

Sam whimpered, and came forward to lick his wounds. It stung badly, but he tolerated it. Slowly, the pain vanished, as if it was never there. He carefully touched his shoulder, but the wound was gone. He opened his thick coat to see where the Hollow Man cut him. Not even a scar remained. He was completely healed. That must be part of being a hero. Kind of scary he had to admit, but very cool.

He pet his dog as it licked away the rest of the blood. There was a deep rumble, and another bridge extended leading to the other side. He turned around to look back at the way he came.

It wasn't too late. He could still go back. But then what would he tell Jasper? What would Walter think of him? How could he ever hope to stop Logan if he couldn't even fetch a stupid artifact? Sabine was counting on him. So was Brightwall. Heck, all of Albion was counting on him. Now was not the time to be selfish. This was his kingdom, and it needed a Hero. Someone had to do it, so it might as well be him.

He just hoped that he wouldn't end up as another Wisp eternally guarding this cursed tomb.

Erick got to his feet and headed deeper into the reliquary. "Come on Sam."

The walkway continued on the other side, but was broken off on either end so the only way to continue was through a crumbling doorway. The stone floor was replaced by hard packed dirt. Pieces of the walls and floor were crushed and moved to either side, leaving a small pathway in between. He continued through and ended up on a slab of un-carved stone overlooking a giant pit. He was now in a sort of large cavern, whether natural or manmade he was unsure.

He thought that Reliquary ended there, but when he peered though the mist he could see a building built into the wall of the cavern. A raised platform stuck out of the fog but was too far away for him to reach it.

Another one of those flit switches flew off of the ledge and hovered above the pit. This one was red, and there was no way he could get close enough to hit it with his sword. Instead, he launched a fireball at it. He stepped back as the ground rumbled and a large staircase rose up to meet him. He cautiously walked up the steps, afraid that it might fall back down. When he got to the top there was a glowing blue arrow and when he stepped on it another platform rose.

He looked over the cavern as Sam joined him on the platform. Tiny groups of Wisps were hovering in the expanse. He didn't feel like tangling with Hollow Men on such perilous terrain, so he did his best to arrange the platforms so he would avoid them.

He continued this little puzzle across the gap sometimes finding little things such as potions and gloves in-between the cracks. A staircase on the other side deposited him on the lower level of the crumbled tower. Most of it was blocked off by stone, so the would have to jump down on to the lower level, but it was pretty far down.

"Guess it's time to see if this healing thing can fix broken bones." Erick took a deep breath, and leapt off. The ground sprung up to meet him much quicker than he would have liked, but he landed solidly on his feet. He fell forward and had to support his weight on one hand, but luckily no shattered bones.

He looked back up to see that his dog remained crouched on the edge.

"Come on Sam," he coaxed his dog, patting his thighs and whistling. Sam whimpered and spun in a circle, approaching the edge then retreating again. "It's alright, I'll catch you. Come on."

Sam finally got up the courage and leapt off, landing solidly in Erick's arms.

"Oof! You're not the small puppy you once were," he chuckled, setting the Border Colie back on solid ground.

He had gone only a few yards when he came to a narrow bridge. The problem was that it was broken halfway across. The other side had to be at least fifty feet away. The rock walls were too steep to climb and no flit switch came to save him this time. The only way to go was down.

When he peered over the edge, there wasn't a nice solid floor to greet him. Just a small underground pool. He couldn't see how deep it was, just that it was a really long way down.

He never really liked water, and this certainly wasn't helping any.

"You up for some swimming?" he asked Sam. The dog barked, and leapt off the edge into the water below.

Well, there was no way he would let a dog show him up.

Erick waited for Sam to emerge before leaping off. He landed in the frigid water with a large splash, regardless of how hard he tried to do a perfect dive, and quickly fought his way to the surface, his wool clothes dragging him back down. He worked to keep his head above the surface as he quickly swam across to the staircase. He flopped onto the raw stone and heaved his body out of the water.

Sam followed and shook vigorously, giving Erick an unwanted shower. He scratched behind the dog's ears as he sat down. He slipped off his sodden shirt and gazed into the water as he caught his breath.

He returned to the sanctuary briefly and tossed the wet wool shirt to Jasper. "Hold on to this for me."

Jasper fumbled to grab it, then held it out at arms length in disgust. "What? Sir I–"

Erick left the sanctuary before Jasper could finish. He noticed that he was still wearing the head wrap, so he took it off and went back to the sanctuary. Jasper stood in the same spot, the thick coat leaking water all over his clothes and onto the newly swept floor. To say he looked displeased would have been like saying torture is just a tad uncomfortable. Erick cautiously extended the dripping cap with an apologetic smile. After a few moments Jasper methodically accepted it, still silent.

Erick backed away and gave a quick, "thanks Jasper," before disappearing again.

He went up the stairs and at the top there was an archway with a large disk instead of a door. The stone surrounding it looked lighter, like it was recently built. There was a metal platform in the shape of the Guild Seal, also added after the original construction. It was like the one back in the catacombs, so he figured that it worked the same way.

He drew his hand upwards, creating a small burst of flame at his feet. Still, the disk didn't move. As he started to charge his gauntlet to try again, five spheres on the disk began to glow light blue. He launched a ball of fire at the large sphere in the center, and the disk rolled to the side.

This part of the Reliquary was relatively intact. A few piles of broken columns and chunks of walls were pushed to the side, but other then that it was in pretty good shape.

He was just looking up at the arched ceiling when a group of Hollow Men suddenly sprung up out of the ground underneath his feet. He quickly rolled out of the way and sliced an arm off the nearest one. He twisted on the balls of his feet and thrust his blade into the next one. They didn't really block, so the only trick was to avoid their attacks and strike in between. It was getting easier each time. He even found himself smiling as he sliced into another's ribcage.

He had barely finished off that batch when another group sprung up. The Wisps were getting smarter now. They hid in the ground and waited to ambush him. Even so, the Hollow Man couldn't touch him. He would fiercely attack one then suddenly whip around and strike another. By the time he sheathed his sword, shattered bones where littered across the ground.

He went up a few stairs and noticed a skeleton laying still on the floor. He glanced around for those blue wisps, then nudged the bones with his sword. When the remains didn't magically spring to life, he crouched down to inspect it closer.

Some poor old sod must have gotten trapped. He was in front of a barred door, he probably thought it was an exit. He was about to leave when he saw a paper sitting beside the skeleton and picked it up. It read:

So, this is how it ends. I steal the blueprints for the dungeon from the architect that built it, find the secret entrance on the other side of Mistpeak, almost get killed by several Hollow Men, stub my toe against a rock so it hurts really bad when I walk, and now this. I know there's a great treasure in here somewhere, and I know it has something to do with these braziers, i just don't know what. But I'm not leaving until I solve this riddle.

A great treasure huh? Maybe that was what he was looking for. He riffled through the other research papers on the floor, but didn't find anything worthwhile. He inspected the closest brazier which was the only one still lit. He couldn't see anything special about it, there wasn't any writing and it didn't move at all. Well, he couldn't find any evidence of some difficult riddle, so he figured he might as well light all of them.

The moment that he ignited the last one, the iron door lifted.

Was that really all there was to the riddle? The braziers probably had to be lit with magic, so that was why the researcher never got in.

Behind the iron door he found a complex silver key on the floor. It looked like it belonged to the chest he found earlier. He leapt off a ledge and found that the tunnel looped back around to the door he came through earlier. There was no sign of any great treasure or something that he could return to Sabine to prove his worth as a Hero. He did find a cool healing potion though. Hopefully he wouldn't have to use it.

He circled around a large column and found a path dug through the wall of the cave. It exited out onto a narrow walkway at the edge of a steep cliff. He just started up a steep incline when a single Hollow man climbed out of the ground in front of him.

Erick charged his gauntlet and slammed his hand against its chest, burning it from the inside out. He stepped over the blackened bones and continued up the hill. A large colony of Wisps hovered right in the middle of the path.

They already knew that he was there, so there was no point in trying to avoid them. He sheathed his sword and ran through them, not the best idea he'd ever had.

Wisps showered down all around him and Hollow Men blocked his escape from either side. These ones were wearing metal breastplates, so his magic didn't do much good. He unsheathed his sword and knocked back the closest one, but another hacked at him with a long scythe. He tried to roll out of the way, but ran into two others.

If he focused on attacking one of them, two others would strike him. Every one that he killed was quickly replaced by another Wisp. He kicked one over the edge of the cliff only to get a chunk of flesh taken out of his back. He he did his best to ignore the pain as he kept attacking. Just as the crowd was thinning out, one hooked his shoulder from behind and ripped him back towards the cliff.

Erick latched onto the edge right before tumbling off, but his shoulder instantly gave way, leaving him dangling by one hand.

The Hollow Men all began converging on him, their jaws clacking in delight. The added weight made the ledge begin to crack. Erick, being the quick thinking young man that he was, kicked the supporting column with all his strength. The Hollow Men stumbled as the ledge shook, but kept coming.

Erick's hand shook as he charged his gauntlet, blood dripping onto his white glove. Just as the first Hollow Man raised its sword, he launched a blast underneath at the support. It crumbled and fell, taking a large chunk of the ledge and a few Hollow Men with it.

Erick scrambled up as the rest of the walkway began to fall. The Hollow Men grabbed for him as he leapt across the gap, their gnarly fingers brushing his skin. Erick had to leap to his feet and run for the other side as his part started to fall as well. He made it inside the cave safely where Sam was waiting. He leaned against the wall and waited as his wounds healed on their own.

"That was too close," he said softly, petting Sam's black and white fur.

He was going to continue deeper into the caves, but Sam lead him down another corridor where he found a small bag with five gold coins. He was going to turn back, but there was a small trail along the rock wall that he decided to go up. There was a large balcony over hanging the place with the rising platforms. At the center was a lever, but he couldn't see what it opened.

"What do you think Sam?" Sam sniffed the lever, then scratched the base with one paw. "Alright, let's see what this does." He pulled the rusted lever, but nothing happened. He gave it a quick kick, and a bunch of blue Wisps came zipping in from the ceiling, bringing more Hollow Men.

In a few moments, he was surrounded. "Oh come on!" he shouted in exasperation. One of the Hollow Men shot at him with a rifle, clipping his shoulder. "Alright fine! I'm sorry I touched your lever! Here, I'll put it back." Before he could grab it again, a heavily armored one swung at his face. He returned the favor by chopping of its head. And killing the rest of its hollow buddies. It wasn't as easy as it used to be. These ones were heavily armored and had gruesome weapons. Still, he felt a bit of satisfaction when the disembodied skeletons collapsed.

"Well, that was an adventure wasn't it Sam?" Sam growled harshly, and faced Erick with barred teeth. "Samantha? What's wrong girl?" He slowly moved forward to pet her, but a bony arm suddenly wrapped around his throat. The hollow man ripped the sword from his hand and twisted it around towards Erick's chest.

Erick grabbed hold of the guard while still trying to remove the arm from around his neck. It was amazing how something could be so strong without any muscle. Sam leapt forward and clamped the Hollow Man's leg in her teeth and shook it vigorously. Erick released his hold on its arm so he could keep the sword from impaling his chest. Sam ripped the bone off, and the Hollow Man fell off the edge, bringing Erick down with it.

He landed hard on his back, smashing the Hollow Man underneath him. Luckily he landed one the platforms, and didn't tumble over the edge. There was a deep rumble and he craned his neck to see a staircase rise on the other side. "Oh, so that's what that level did." He rolled over and got to his knees as Sam leapt down to meet him. "Thanks girl. I don't know what I'd do without you." He scratched her behind the ears and retrieved his sword before getting up and heading towards the stairs.

The head of the Hollow Man began snapping at him as he passed. "Oh shut up," he said, nudging the head so it rolled off into the chasm. The staircase lead to a open room with a sarcophagus in the center. He saw something laying beside it and began sneaking towards it. His fingers danced over the object, then he quickly snatched it up. Still, nothing happened.

He opened his hand to look at what he picked up. It was a silver key. It looked just like the one he found earlier. Why would there be a copy of the same key? There was a scuttling sound, probably just a mouse, but it was enough to send Erick leaping over the edge. He landed back on the trail and quickly headed back to the main corridor.

All that trouble for a lousy key that he didn't even need. That would be that last time he took a detour. The problem was that the floor quickly ended. However built the place must have been one strange architect. A yellow flit switch hovered over the gap, just out of arms reach. He leaned as far over the edge as he dared, but still couldn't reach it with his sword. He even tried launching fire at it, but that didn't do any good either.

"Uh, Jasper? A little help here?"

"Ah, hello...yes," his butler answered after a few moments. "You'll recall that I mentioned that flit switches require a knock from a melee weapon."

"Yes, but I can't exactly reach this one."

"Well, it seems that was only partially correct."

"Jasper! Then what do I do?"

"According to the book, only blue switches require melee weapons. The red variety requires magic, and to activate yellow switches you must shoot it with a firearm."

"That doesn't help. I don't have a gun..." Would he have to go back up to the surface and buy one? He really wasn't looking forward to climbing back up all the holes he had jumped down to get there.

"Fortunately, that section of the book also indicated where some firearms were located. And these weapons...well, they must be seen to be believed. Please return to the Sanctuary as soon as you can."

Erick had tapped the Seal before Jasper finished the sentence.

"Ah! The weapons in question were also left for you by your father. They are in the armory."

Erick followed him into the armory and looked at the guns. Not exactly something he would trust his life with.

"What's so special about them?" he asked.

"Like the sword and hammer, these astonishing weapons evolve over time as you use them, becoming even more fearsome. They can cause more damage and achieve other incredible effects."

Erick looked at the two guns in turn, both made from study wood and dull grey metal with wraps on the handle. Walter didn't teach him how to shoot, but his father showed him a few things before he died. He remembered how to reload, but other than that he was clueless. He finally decided on the pistol.

"The pistol, excellent choice. You are in an enclosed space at the moment, after all. I'll keep the rifle here in case you change your mind. In the meantime, experiment and see what incredible properties are waiting to be unlocked!"

"Thanks, see ya." Erick gave a quick goodbye wave and went back to the Cullis Gate. He gave a sly smirk as he raised the gun at the flit switch. "You can't outsmart me you annoying little orb." He pulled the trigger, only to get his glove caught in the hammer. He reflexively opened his hand and the pistol tumbled over the edge before he had a chance to grab it.

Drop a priceless object from long lost dad into a bottomless pit? Check.

Erick shamefully tapped the Guild Seal and returned to the main room of the sanctuary. Jasper was already standing in front of the Cullis Gate, the rifle resting in his extended hands.

"You saw?" Erick asked.

"Yes sir. These weapons are very special, please try not to lose this one."

Erick slowly nodded and took the rifle. He went back to the Reliquary and shot the flit switch, this time being very careful to keep his fingers away from the firing mechanism.

A bridge quickly extended, bringing with it a small group of Hollow Men. Guess it was time to put his new weapon to the test. It took just one bullet for each Hollow Man, but one got too close when he had to reload, so he just killed it the old fashioned way.

He continued up the walkways that connected the small towers, running into small groups of Hollow Men at a time but nothing that he couldn't handle easily. He quickly got used to using the rifle and switched between it and the sword frequently.

Shortly after that, he was attacked again. The amount of Hollow Men kept growing, and it was taking longer each time to finish them off.

He got to the last tower where two Hollow Men in thick silver armor waited. One had a huge hammer and the other a glorified meat cleaver. And if that wasn't enough, they had a small army assembled behind them.

Erick ignored the small ones and went straight for Mr. Hammer. He slashed at its chest, but it only stumbled back and counterattacked with a brutal hit to Erick's hip. The force of the blow sent him flying back, smashing into a couple of Hollow Men. He landed right at the feet of the little misses with her kitchen knife ready to turn him into the main course. He rolled to the side, narrowly escaping the butcher knife.

Erick sliced off its leg, and when it feel forward he chopped down at its neck. Mr. Hammer, a little upset at its wife getting beheaded, charged towards him with an unearthly roar. Erick limped backwards until he was up against the railing. He waited until Mr. Hammer was only a few feet away, then dived between its legs then spun around and hacked at its kneecaps, sending it tumbling over the edge.

Now he only had the little kiddies to deal with. He quickly put them to bed with a little tough love and continued on, a job well done.

Erick massaged his wounded leg, the pain slowly fading away. It was still fairly sore as he went up yet another walkway and entered a large room. It was completely enclosed except for a large skylight in the ceiling. He expected to get attacked again but he got to platform in the center without any interruptions.

There was a large steel music box on top of a pedestal which was playing a soft lullaby. A stream of white light emanated from the top. This had to be what Sabine was talking about. It had better be, there was no other place to look.

He cautiously picked it up, the light still bursting from the top. there was a brief flash of light, and the familiar pulsating symbol appeared behind the pedestal.

"No!" Erick said harshly, jabbing a finger at the portal. "I am not going back there! I'll find another way out!"

Still, the portal waited for him. Erick started walking towards it, but chickened out and went back to the other side of the pedestal. He paced back and forth, glaring at the portal the whole time.

"I really really don't want to go back there," Erick muttered to himself. He had a mini staring competition with the immobile portal before tucking the music box under his arm. "Fine. Not like I have another choice."

Erick took a deep breath and stepped into the portal. The world faded away and the air was violently sucked out of his lungs. The dusty room vanished and in a few moments later he was back in Theresa's realm. Yippee.

"Congratulations hero," Theresa said, standing in front of the closed gate. "Touching the Guild Seal was an indication of what you could become, reaching the music box has proven what you already are."

"It wasn't all that hard actually. The worst part was that I–"

"No one but a Hero could have done it," Theresa interrupted.

"No one but a Hero. Got it. Why, exactly is that? There was an explorer that made it pretty far."

Theresa ignored him as she continued. "You have begun to learn what powers you posses, and there is still greater potential within you. But you have only taken the first step in your journey. Albion is crying out for a revolution and for someone to lead it. Winning supporters to your cause will be hard. Leading them against Logan will be an even greater challenge, but it's one you must accomplish."

"I'll make him pay for what he did," Erick said between clenched teeth, his nails digging into the sides of the music box.

"This is not a matter of personal vengeance," Theresa said reproachfully. "As long as your brother sits on the throne, Albion is in great danger."

"I don't understand. Sure, there's a few protestors, but peasants always are complaining about something. Logan's not that bad is he? I don't think I can do any better at least. I'm no king."

Erick never really wanted the crown, mostly because his brother already had it, but also because he wouldn't know what to do with it. He had never been much of a leader and spent most of his life walking in shadows. He didn't stand out much, and it was likely that more than half of Albion wasn't even aware that he existed. His name had been forgotten behind the admiration for his father and the hatred for Logan.

Theresa gave an understanding nod. "Open the music box. It will show you the truth."

Erick raised the music box, holding it in both hands. There was a large key in one side, and when he twisted it the top sprung open.

Black smoke spewed from it and surrounded him. It began to take shape and the next moment Erick saw an image of the map room back at the castle. Everything in the room was silent and still. The ghastly moonlight wedged its way through the thick clouds, its cold fingers resting over the table.

The world froze as King Logan emerged form the shadows.

The king approached the molded table, his silver armor reflecting the light of the candles. A slender sword brushed restlessly against his hip and the tassels on his sleeve waved mournfully as he moved forward with a ghostlike grace.

"This is my Albion," he stated in a hushed tone, his eyes glazing over the map. The very air seemed to withdraw from his touch, but the darkness drew closer to listen.

"Its cities will bow to my law, or they will burn. Its mountains will bend to my will, or they will fall. This is my Albion," he repeated softly, brushing his gloved hand over the edge of the map. "Its people will do as I say, or they will die. It's future will be as I decree, or it will end. I've seen what must be done, and nothing will stand in my way. We will be greater, and we will be stronger, no matter what sacrifices we must make. This is my Albion, and I will see it destroyed before I surrender it."

Erick got a clear view of the silent determination in Logan's black eyes before the scene faded away.

"He really doesn't care. He wants them all to die," Erick whispered as the tendrils of smoke disappeared into the white expanse. He turned to Theresa in his anger. "How can he do that to all those innocent people? How can I even be related to such a heartless tyrant?" Erick threw his hands up in in exasperation, dropping the music box. Theresa looked slightly upset, but he didn't care.

"If any part of you still doubted the necessity of a revolution, you have your answer."

"Yeah. I do."

"The kingdom will face its own annihilation under your brother's rule. Now, do whatever you must to gain your first ally, for you can't lead a revolution without followers. Sabine is a good man, and his people are strong."

"Sabine won't be enough to stop Logan. I don't think anyone can."

"You can," Theresa assured him before vanishing into the mist.

No, I can't.


I'm going to try to get this story going a little quicker, but my summer's getting pretty busy. If I suddenly stop updating, then either I'm really busy, or I'm dead. Because there is no way I'm going to abandon this story. :D

I just want to warn you that this will be a very long story. I have made quite a few promises, but they will take a while to take effect. Obviously this is not a quick read. I intended for it to read like a novel, so it may be a little slow going at times, but I will try my best to keep it interesting.

Be sure to let me know what you guys think or what you would like to see more of in the story. I seriously love hearing from you guys!

Ah, almost forgot. If you guys are interested, I do have a Facebook page where I upload the pictures I draw for this story and some silly little comics. And I will also post a link to my new chapters so if you want to get notified when I post a new one be sure to 'like' my page. If you do, I'll love you forever. 3

My username for almost everything is Wildfire707. So if you search Facebook, my page should come up. Just look for the page with a bunch of random drawings. XD

Thank you all so much for reading and a special thanks goes out to all those who reviewed. I really appreciate your encouragement, and hope I can meet your expectations.

Thanks again, and see ya'll soon!

~Wildfire