Chapter Three

Things Change with Age

Joel laid in his bed staring up at the ceiling. Morning was nearing but he couldn't go back to sleep! It had been three years since Thunder left for the arena, and he had come back as the first champion in years. Whisper left with him shortly after and had been training specially with him while Joel had to stay and do ordinary training. He missed his best friend a lot! But today was a day he had been awaiting for three years. Yes, Whisper was coming back to complete her training at the Guild. All the memories he shared with Whisper, all the fun times they had flashed through his mind and he smiled just thinking about them. He couldn't wait for her to come back so he could make her laugh and they would go fight off wasps together. She was such a sister to him and he missed her almost as much as he missed his family.

He was now seventeen, and so was she! Was she as excited to see him as he was to see her? He knew she was. Yes, perhaps she was better than he was now, but he knew her weakness was that he could always make her laugh. It seemed like eternity as he watched the sun rise. Then, finally, he heard the bell ring and everyone started to get up. Joel leapt out of bed, threw on his apprentice robe, and ran down to meet the guild master.

"I can only guess what that hopeful smile means." the guildmaster chuckled once Joel had run up to him with the biggest smile he had worn in years.

"Is she here?" he nearly jumped on the Guildmaster with excitement.

"No…" he laughed and shook his head. "Apparently there was a delay. They are going to be a bit late."

No one had ever seen such a disappointed look on Joel's face till then.

"Oh come now, she'll be here tomorrow."

Training went especially slow that day. Joel even had a sort of a bad attitude toward the guildmaster at some times! He fought extra hard so that he would be so tired that sleep would come quickly, so then he could see Whisper in the morning.

And he was right. All the hard work and exercise put him to sleep like a pill. When morning came, he turned in his bed at the sound of the guild bell. Oh, she's never coming back. He thought to himself and groaned.

"Get up, lazy-bones." Someone ordered from above. Joel turned over quickly and stared up and none other but…

"Whisper!" he yelled with joy and sat up. "You're back!"

Whisper looked shockingly surprised once seeing his face. "You look different." She crossed her arms.

"When did you get back?" he jumped out of bed and nearly tore apart his shirt as he put it on himself.

"In the middle of the night." She yawned. Whisper seemed a little distant, but that was expected of her. She was always like that.

"Well, I am so excited to see you!" she grinned and grabbed his stick.

She looked at him almost disgustedly and taunted. "Still using that baby-stick?"

Joel's smile vanished and he tried to take a second look at Whisper. She had just given him the same crushing look that Thunder had given him all those years ago.

"Whisper…" he stared at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She rolled her eyes. "It's just that I have start training with an amateur again."

Joel couldn't believe his ears. He thought they got over the childish rudeness! Weren't they friends?

"Come on, we have to meet the guildmaster in the fighting ring. Race you there!" she winked then started running off.

Without a second wasted, Joel took off as fast as he could and passed her by in seconds. Apparently, all of the running the guildmaster made him do made him a lot faster than her! Once they reached the ring, the Guildmaster smiled and greeted them.

"I have something..." he held up a long box. "For you, Joel."

Joel, guessing what it was eagerly took the box from his master and opened it. Yes, he was right. Inside was an iron longsword.

"Finally." he sighed and took it in his hand. With his fingers around the hilt, he knew almost exactly how to use his weapon.

The Guildmaster placed both Whisper and Joel in the fighting ring and they started practicing. Whisper had gotten a lot better... but so had Joel!

As they were fighting, Thunder strutted up and stood next to the Guildmaster.

"Children!" the Guildmaster whistled and they both stopped fighting and looked up at their teacher. "May I present once again to you, Thunder: the great winner of the arena!"

Thunder proudly nodded his head and snuck a wink at his little sister who smiled back.

"How about you show us what you've learned on this farm boy." he crossed his arms. Both Whisper and Joel knew exactly what he meant. Thunder wanted Whisper to beat him in the fight...to prove she was better. Joel could barely stand to be in the near sight of Thunder... he nearly hated him beyond reason after how he treated him all those years ago. Not only that, but he had changed Whisper into a snob. He'd show them who was better.

They both faced each other in the ring with their weapons gripped tightly. Then, just as the Guildmaster whistled, they were upon each other. Joel found that the blocks and flourish attacks that he learned from the Guildmaster were beating Whisper to the point where she could barely handle to hold up her sword in front of him. Joel fought until he had her down on the ground and then stopped as if to "spare her life".

"Enough!" The Master held up his hands. "We have few enough heroes as it is without you two killing each other off!"

Joel removed his sword from her neck and looked back at the Guildmaster. Whisper quickly bounced up to her feet at said, "Let me try that again! I know what to do now!"

"You did that all wrong, Whisper! I wish you could have seen me fight in the arena." He crossed his arms in disappointment. "But I have no doubt you'll beat him soon." He then turned to the guildmaster. "I need to get going." He said and then walked off without even saying a word of god-bye to his sister.

Whisper looked down in shame as she wished she could have beaten Joel.

"You're brother's so hard on you," Joel put his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" she jerked her arm away. "I don't need your support."

"Aren't we still friends, whisper?" Joel's eyes filled with tears. "Why are you so…--"

"Things have changed now." She frowned and stared him in the eyes. "If a hero is going to be powerful, she needs to stand on her own."

"That's your brother talking." Joel stomped his foot hard into the ground and crushed a flower. "You never used to think that! We were always best when we worked together!"

"We were little children." She rolled her eyes.

"Separation isn't a strength." He shook his head.

"In Albion it is." Whisper turned around and headed for the Guild.

"What happened to you?" he asked, even though she couldn't hear him. The last friend in the world besides the guildmaster had betrayed him and his heart was once again broken.

"I'll never stop being a friend to you, Whisper." He bowed his head and then walked off into the guild woods, gripping his new sword.

Joel was seated on his bed when the Guildmaster quietly walked into the room to talk with him. This was unusual, because he normally went to meet him outside.

"What is it?" Joel yawned and stood with a stretch. "I was getting up!" he walked over to his small dresser and pulled on his shirt. Whisper was still asleep, so the guildmaster spoke quietly.

"It's been four years since Whisper came back, and I've only seen you get even better than her." He smiled proudly. "You have talent I've never seen, I just hope you use it wisely. It is so easy to get carried away." He grinned and then sat down on Joel's bed with a grunt. Joel hurried over to help the old man sit. "No, no, I'm fine." He laughed quietly. "I just wanted to tell you," Joel sat down next to him, interested at what he had to say. "Whispers graduating today."

"She is?" he exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes," he chuckled. "And so are you!"

"WE ARE?" Whisper was suddenly up and on her toes. The Guildmaster laughed openly and leaned back against the wall.

"Well, I had a feeling you were awake."

The two 21-year-olds both started screaming like little children and ran around the room celebrating. The Guildmaster smiled and watch them actually laugh together for the first time in four years. When Whisper realized what she was doing, she quickly resumed her bratty-self and crossed her arms.

"Well It's about time!" she raised her eyebrows. Joel only laughed at her and kept dancing.

"This is it!" he whacked her with his old stick, "We're going to be heroes!"

And so they were, after they both completed their final tests, which were fighting against Maze. Whisper barely passed, and Joel passed with flying colors. And at the end of the day, they stood proudly as they were names heroes.

well, there goes childhood!!!! NOW ONTO THE ADVENTURE! and trust me, this wont be like walking through the game, im going to add stuff.