I knew I'd have to finish this chapter today before work starts up again tomorrow. Introducing...Reaver!

A Brief Intermission

Reaver sat comfortably in his chair sipping a pleasant brandy. The five semi-conscious women upstairs a testament to his skill and endurance; a brief knock on his door roused him from his thoughts. He approached the door with a…mild…frustration. "This had bloody well be worth my time, you know how I hate to be disturbed!"

He opened the door and it was young Shiv. The boy was one of Reaver's lieutenants, and unbeknownst to the poor sod, he was Reaver's son. His mother had died in childbirth, and Reaver took it on himself to make the boy a good pirate…by selling him at age five to a rival pirate lord. He had returned not but ten years later with the same pirate lord's head in a box. Reaver was so proud he had made the boy a lieutenant on the spot. He had served him well over the past ten years, and at twenty-five, Reaver could honestly say that he was the longest living crew member Reaver had. "What is it Shiv?"

"A man's 'ere to see ya cap'n."

"Well tell him to go away, and if he refuses I'll send him off personally."

"Well…the thing is…"

"I'm already here 'Reaver'" The cloaked man behind him said with sarcasm.

Reaver saw the blue lines running down the man's face like a stream of tears and was stricken with fear, but he did not show it. "Please…by all means…enter…"

He entered, and Reaver closed the door behind him quickly drawing his pistol and pressing it to the man's head. "How the hell are you still alive…you…you should have died at Oakvale!"

"Put down the gun Matthew…I have no intention of harming you…besides…that gun has no bullets. You never keep it loaded."

"How…how do you know that!?"

"Because," He said turning to fix his golden eyes on Reaver, "It's the very same gun I gave to you many centuries ago, under the context you changed your ways…you have not…"

"Old man Mest?" He said as he dropped the pistol, "But…but you died before I ever summoned the Shadow Court."

"No…I was simply granted the same gift you were…only my court is composed of a single person…a blind Seer."

"So…you are granted eternal youth?"

"I am thirty years of age in appearance only…I was given the age of when I first met the Seer…but that's not what I'm here for…"

"Then what are you here for?"

"I am here to talk about your son…he is to be a Hero as you are."

"I'm no Hero…we both know that…"

"But you will be…and so will he…in five year's time, a group of Heroes will arrive to take your son with them to face the Pirate Lords…they will succeed, and in doing so seal your position as Pirate King truly…he will realize who he is…and become a true Hero."

"But…what if we refuse?"

"You will not…and neither will he."

"Is that a threat?"

"Call it a good guess."

"And if you're wrong?"

"I'm not…"

"And if I kill you?"

"Well…you can try."

He drew his Dragonstomper, but in the next instant it was in the man's hand. "Just play your part Reaver…and do as I tell you."

The man left, and Reaver slumped back into his chair and rubbed his temples. He stood and threw his brandy at the wall with a scream. He leaned over his desk and Shiv entered. "Master?"

"Just…leave…tell the women to get out…and bring me a bottle of wine…"

Shiv left to do as he was told and returned with the wine and a slap-mark on his face. He poured Reaver a glass and stood to leave, "Shiv!" Reaver cried as the young man turned to face him, "Please…stay…have a drink with me."

Andrew felt his hand being crushed as Jessica screamed. Their first child was being born, and Jessica was intent on letting him know how much agonizing pain she was in. In the five years since Sparrow left, she had remained the same in looks. He had changed though. His hair was slightly longer and he had grown a beard. Maria had become the head of her family after the murder of her parents by the Highwayman guild hired by Lord Woodsworth. It had been a large burden on her and her usual strong nature was replaced with a growing weariness. Woodsworth had been imprisoned and his son Maxwell had taken control of the family. Hunter had taken it upon himself to hunt down the Highwaymen and find out what they were up to. Another contraction and another crippling squeeze, "You son of a bitch, you put this in me!"

"You said you wanted a baby!"

"Are you yelling at me!?"

"Are you yelling at her?" The midwife asked.

"Yes! I mean no!"

Sparrow's wife Alex walked up behind him and slapped him in the back of the head, "You have no idea the agony she's in, just shut up and take it like a man!"

He honestly didn't know how this woman had arrived at his doorstep, eight months-pregnant, five years ago, but she had and she had been a key part of their family ever since. Another few hours with the 'Iron Maiden' and it was over, and he was looking down at his daughter Anna. She had her father's golden hair, and her mother's striking blue eyes. She was beautiful. Hammer arrived later, and Andrew let her hold his daughter. "A right angel she is…and a strong little grip on her…even I can't get free."

He smiled and left Jessica with their child as he entered his office to speak with Hammer, "What can I do for you?"

"Hunter found the headquarters of the Highwayman Guilds…we take them on, and they fall into disarray. Maria avenges her family, and you solve another trial…I'm pretty sure that's what it will be at least."

"Alright, and what's your stake in this?"

"Theresa wants me to train…to get stronger not just physically but in how to fight as well."

"If she says so…then who am I to argue?"

They went to Rookridge to the ruins of the Temple of Shadows, it was rumored that the Guild was using this as a place to meet. They entered the courtyard and the Highwaymen turned to look at them. "Hello…we're here to…"

"Which one of you bastards killed my family!" Maria screamed drawing her Spellshots.

"Listen," One of them said, "You'd best turn around now if you don't want any trouble."

Hunter shot him in the throat, "Answer the lady…who killed her family?"

The Highwaymen drew their weapons, "Looks like we're doing this the hard way." Andrew said drawing his axe. It burned in his hand and vibrated furiously. He dropped it in confusion, and felt a dark presence beneath them writhing through the earth. He had little time to think as they rushed his group. Hammer jumped in and swung her hammer crushing a good bit of them. Hunter jumped in and swung his hatchets hacking and slashing as Maria fired her guns, a variety of spells flying from the barrel of her guns. Meanwhile, Andrew receded into darkness. The sounds of battle faded and he was alone. "You bring the key to usssss. Sssssset usssss free. Free usssss…and we ssssshall give you untold richessssss."

"You…you're lying…"

"It matterssssss not…Lucien is breaking the sssssealsssss that hold usssss…we will sssssssoon be free…and Albion will be ourssssssss."

He awoke to a scream, as a single Highwayman backed away in fear of Hammer, "I won't ask again you sodding asshole, where are the ones who killed her family!"

"Please, we're just the Morrowind Guild. You're looking for the Forsaken…they're residing in the Forsaken Fortress…but right now, they're at a meeting with the other Guilds in Bowerstone…in the catacombs."

"Thanks," Maria said, before shooting him,

"Maria!" Andrew cried, "That's not how we handle things."

"That's not how you handle things…I have my own way of dealing with scum."

They returned to Bowerstone quickly and headed for the Cemetery. They entered the catacombs through the old Godwin crypt and made their way through the tunnels arriving at a central chamber where the leaders of the individual guilds were around a map. "You've gone too far Darius!" They cried, "Attacking the Highwinds was out of the question…you should've just told Woodsworth to shove it."

"I don't need to listen to you, I serve Lucien first and foremost…not you pompous dicks!"

At this Maria rounded the corner and opened fire on them killing at least half. Darius turned and saw her and took off running, screaming to arms; the others tried to do the same but Maria gunned them down before taking off after Darius. "Avo be damned! Hammer, Hunter keep them away, I'm going after Maria!"

He pursued her as quickly as he could, staying right on her heels the while time until he heard a gunshot. He rounded the corner and saw Darius slumped against a wall with a bleeding leg. "You bastard…you killed them!"

"Maria stop!"

She placed the gun to his head, "What were their names!? You killed my parents, who were they!?"

"Do you keep track of every ant you squash?"

This threw her over the edge, she tried to shoot but Andrew tackled her. "Dammit Maria turn him in to the guards, let them handle this."

"After all the bandits you've killed you ask me to just let him walk!"

"I ask you to let it go…the people I've killed…I don't do it for revenge…I do it to protect people."

She sobbed and struggled, but he held her close until she had calmed down. Apparently Darius had tried to run, but Hammer caught him and took him to the guards. They re-entered the central chamber where one member had simply been grazed. He apologized on behalf of the guild for Darius and Maria forgave him, and apologized herself for the slaughter. "Are you kidding, I can't thank you enough! Now that I'm the head of the Guild, things will change. From now on we serve as mercenaries not assassins. And we'll start by repaying our debt to House Highwind…as your personal guard. The axe throbbed again, and the handle changed to gold and silver metals. He stared at the gleaming piece and was surprised. One more trial to go…but who was the final hero? And what was the voice he heard at Rookridge?