I hope nobody hates me for this, but I added some stuff to the story that wasn't there in the games. It's an explanation of how heroes come to be born, and it was hard (HARD) to explain, so it might seem a little repetitive. I tried to make it as clear as possible.

It had been two months since the engagement party, and the wedding was scheduled in a little under two weeks. Ben had decided to stay in Bowerstone until then, hoping Ava would change her mind. The army had recently been commissioned as a wedding present for Ava, and Ben had canceled his plans to go to Aurora, rejoining the guard instead and spending a lot of time down in the pub with whatever pretty lady felt like buying. Tonight, he had drank alone, and Bryan and a very large barmaid had to carry him upstairs to his room. He lay with his head where his feet should be, his guard uniform a wrinkled mess and stinking like ale.

"Ben. Wake up."

The voice penetrated his dreams. He sat up immediately, as though on command rather than at request. Standing at the foot of his bed was a woman, her face hidden by the cloak she wore. Ben was certain he had never seen her before. "Who are you?"

"I am Theresa, the seer of the spire. I have much to tell you, and very little time. Take my hand."

Ben hesitated. After looking over the events of the night before, he decided he had very little to lose, and took the woman's outstretched hand. There was a strong wind, a flash of light, and then the two of them were standing on a kind of platform, high above a chasm Ben couldn't see the bottom of.

"Don't be afraid. We are in the spire, and you are standing where the Hero King stood when he saved Albion. Now listen and pay very close attention. There is a lot to explain. Do you know how heroes are born?"

Ben was completely surprise. "Ahh...? From their parents?"

"True. A hero can only be born from a hero- but the child must possess more than their parent's hero blood. There is the quality that sets heroes apart from others, it's what made Ava different from Logan. Though they were both born from the Hero King, Ava was born with something more- a kind of spark that allowed the unique attributes in the blood to flourish and manifest as extreme skill, strength, and the ability to use will. Any person can be born with the spark, not just the children of heroes, but it is rare, and it is not apparent without the blood.

During the time of the Heroes Guild, many of the heroes had children together, and most children born to two heroes became heroes themselves, as they inherited both their parent's blood and that special quality. When the guild was destroyed, many of the bloodlines were destroyed with it, and the remaining heroes scattered. Those that did have offspring did so with spouses who were not heroes, and rarely had a spark to pass on to their offspring. Fewer and fewer heroes were born, so that in the time of the Hero of Bowerstone, there were only four people left in the world who possessed both hero blood and the spark essential to using it. They were each directly descended from a hero who's bloodline could be traced back over the centuries to the heroes guild. The Hero King from The Hero of Oakvale, The Hero of Strength from the Bandit King, Twinblade, The Hero of Will from Whisper of the Southern Islands, and The Hero of Skill, Reaver from Briar Rose."

Ben was still feeling the drinks he'd had, but was trying his best to follow. Did she say Reaver? "Okay...?"

Theresa continued, "Twinblade had two children, and where Hammer was descended from one born from a hero mother, you, Ben, are a descendant of the other, who was born to a mother who was not a hero. Because none your ancestors since Twinblade have had the essential quality to become a hero, the hero attributes in your blood have been diluted. You will never be a fully realized hero, but you were born with a strong spark. The hero's attribute of skill has manifested in you. You were born with a gift for using firearms, and are more skilled with a gun than anyone could be without a hero's blood."

Ben had never heard the word "Hero" used so much in such a short amount of time. "Will my children be heroes?"

"Yes. You will have a hero child. But focus, Ben. I have a task that only you, with your unique ancestry, could hope to complete. The blood of a hero and the spark is essential in wielding the weapon that will stop Reaver from annihilating Albion.

Every year, Reaver sends a sacrifice with a seal to an organization called the Shadow Guild. When the creatures in the guild see the seal, they sap the youth of the bearer, leaving them a dying husk, and granting Reaver another year of life. This has gone on for centuries, and the guild is becoming bored with Reaver's sacrifices. They would be satisfied with Reaver himself, but if he becomes king, they will demand he sacrifice entire cities, and he will not hesitate to deliver."

It was a lot to take in, but she had Ben's complete attention, now that he had a mission. "Tell me what I need to do."

"You must get Reaver to entrust you as his sacrifice, and give you the seal. It won't be hard- he knows Ava cares for you, and he believes that if he can get rid of you, Ava will become more docile. He is already considering giving you as a sacrifice, as he believes you have drunk yourself past reasoning. Once you have it, you must take it to Wraithmarsh, near Bloodstone. The creatures there won't harm you once they see the dark seal- they'll know you're marked for the guild. Do not go near the shadow guild, but rather, find the demon door hidden in the marshes. It will be expecting you, and it is hiding an ancient, powerful weapon that can only be wielded by one with the blood of a hero and the spark. You must get to this weapon- you cannot destroy the seal with anything else. Once the seal is gone, leave the weapon and you may come back to Bowerstone."

Ben nodded and repeated, "Leave the weapon and come back to Bowerstone."

"Yes- you cannot have both the weapon and your freedom. It belongs to the dead heroes, and the door will not allow you to leave with it. In the morning, go straight to Reaver. He's eager to find a sacrifice before the wedding, as he suspects that the shadow guild will want larger tribute. If he marries Ava, there can be no hope of your children becoming heroes, and there may never be another hero again. Do not fail."

Theresa offered Ben her hand again, to send him out of the spire.

Before he took it he had to ask, "Wait. Will you tell me my future?"

He thought he saw her smile in she shadow cast by her hood, "I thought I just had."

Ben blinked. He was standing by the pond in Millfields again. He had visited it occasionally, hoping Ava would turn up but she never did. The sun was coming up on the far side of the lake, and he climbed down the rocks again, and made his way towards Reaver's manor. By the time he reached it, it was well past sunrise. Ben had assumed Reaver would still be asleep this early in the morning, but to his surprise, Reaver was in the garden, shooting birds flying so high Ben could hardly see them. Reaver smiled when he saw Ben approaching.

"Ahh! Captain Finn- just the man I wanted to see! Would you like a drink?"

Ben knew Reaver was mocking him, but he had to get on Reaver's good side to get the seal. "You're up early, Reaver."

"I'm up still. I feel just awful that you, the friend of my fiancee and I got off on the wrong foot. I would hate for that animosity to continue once Ava and I are married. I know it would make her so happy if you and I could be friendly. And I am all about making her happy." he lied.

Ben could lie just as well. "I actually came to apologize to you- it's been eating me alive that I ruined your engagement party."

Reaver laughed. Another bird down. "Well wonderful! We're chums then. And as my friend, I hope you wouldn't mind running a little errand for me? I have to return something to some friends before the wedding. Just a little objet d'art. I would do it myself but it's a bit of a trip and I'm needed in the throne room in a few days to meet with Ava and Sabine. I'm sure my friends would love to meet you."

Ben went to the castle, cleaned up and all packed for his trip, to say goodbye to Ava. Hobson had him wait in Ava's parlor, and after what felt like hours she finally entered, cautiously, surprised that he could come to see her after not speaking to her for so long. They embraced each other- Ava had been so depressed and with Ben there, she almost forgot that she was being forced into a marriage. She saw the pack and pulled away, "Where are you going?"

"I have to run an errand for a friend. I just wanted to say goodbye, and I need to apologize for all the things I said to you the night of your engagement party. I was so angry- I thought that you had used me and it hurt. I love you, Ava."

She couldn't cry anymore, but she was both overjoyed that he loved her and saddened that it couldn't change anything. They kissed for a long moment and finally, Ben had to go. "I'm going, Ava."

"Please just stay these last few days with me, Ben." She knew it was wrong but it was all she had left that she could spend with him.

"I can't. But I promise everything is going to be okay. When I get back, everything will be much, much better."

Ava didn't understand, but she didn't cry. After months of disappointment and depression, it was easy not to.