A/N: I am feeling like this is going to be the death of me..... I want to rewrite... but can't..... i have sealed myself in a sinking coffin.... ah, woe is me. Where did i hear that from?

The Fourth Guild

What Ashe did not expect when she 'signed' on, was a strict training regiment. She knew how to handle a blade and firearms, but to go so far as to re-train her? The morning came with a rude awakening by a large muscular man with a mustache that could very well poke her eye out. A quick breakfast made by a cook who could not look any more feminine despite being a guy. She couldn't guess that the chef was a guy if he didn't speak. Of course, not she wished he didn't speak at all. The chef would take the orders of the Heroes and cook them specifically.

What she ordered was simply a whole bowl of salad. She had to watch her waistline, afterall. Nothing grates a woman's nerve more than her waistline and her weight going somewhere she doesn't want it going. Ashe hardly finished her salad when a man walked up to her, introduced himself as Telio and her fighting instructor, before pulling her away from the mess hall. Telio was a slender and tall man. He did not to have the build of a fighter, but he proved Ashe wrong rather quickly. He moved with precision and grace, easily knocking her training sabre out of her hand more times than she would like to count.

"What we're aiming to do, isn't to teach you how to hold a sword, but rather how to use it."

That's what he often said. After the hundredth time of getting her sword flying away from her hand, Telio decided that she needed to go through basics again. So he piled a whole stack of books before her, pulled out a large board from particularly nowhere, and began drawing diagrams and figures, illustrating how the training is suppose to go and where she went wrong. Apparently, while Ashe's techniques may work on bandits and low life creatures, she lacked the proper training and skills that would allow her to take on a more difficult opponent, like a white balverine, or a banshee.

Heck, even a shadow would make her dance to its tune. Her foot work needed to be corrected, her postures were a mess and she needed to build up experience. When she was finally released from her torture, it was time for dinner. And just when Ashe was finally feeling drowsy and ready to sleep, Robin appeared before her.

"Want to take a tour of the place?"

Robin asked cheerfully, much to the irritation of Ashe, who really wanted to say no. But somehow she ended up nodding her head. It felt like an unspoken rule not to go against the wishes of Robin. It was like she ruled this place with an iron gauntlet. That petite girl was definitely a demon under that smile.

"The Heroes of old used to be revered and respected, but they soon fell upon greed, eventually causing their own downfall."

Ashe did not even bother to grunt a reply as she dragged her feet across the floor. Robin had led her down a corridor where rich pictures were painted onto the walls. Within the guild, every wall had a picture on it. Ashe had learned that all of them depicted history of the Guild and its Heroes. Almost all of them were beautifully drawn and painted, most showing scenes of greatness and deeds that would normally be impossible.

"The old Heroes of Strength, Skill, and Will were all but forgotten. The end of Heroes seemed inevitable."

"Till the Hero of Bowerstone."

Ashe finally said something. But the answer was obvious. Almost everything in here seemed to show the deeds of that one particular Hero. Robin smiled at Ashe's reply.

"Yes. Indeed, it would seem that the Hero of Bowerstone is almighty and knowing, but in reality the Hero was a simple human being. Capable of being hurt, capable of being confused, capable of not being able to do anything."

To Ashe, that last bit did not make sense.

"Moving along. The Hero revived the Heroes of old, and brought down the tyranny of one who would seek to destroy this world. But the Hero saw something within the evil of the man that no one saw, and the Hero wanted everyone to remember that. Unfortunately people's opinions are hard to change, so the Hero hoped that at least future Heroes would know and understand. Each and every being has a reason for doing what they do. The same applies to us. The teachings of the Hero also show us that there can be no meaning to deeds that would lead us only to ruin. As of such, we are careful to observe each and every Hero who walks within these walls."

"Meaning... we can't do bad things."

Robin placed a finger on her chin, a small smile on the edge of her lips.

"Bad things isn't exactly a proper definition, nor is it truly a sin. I am not condoning anything, but i would say that as long as the ends are justified, we should be prepared to be the devil."

"... That doesn't exactly sound very 'Hero-like'."

"There are rules to how far we can go, and personally, we would all like to avoid going at far."

"Hmm...."

Ashe did not seem very convinced of that.

"Right after the demise of the threat, the Hero of Bowerstone, and the three heroes of strength, skill, and will left for their separate ways, swearing to unite once more if ever the call for help was ever sounded."

"And did they?"

"... The land wasn't plagued by any major evil after that, till now. The original three Heroes are lost to us, and only the Hero of Bowerstone is left."

"... Is this Hero someone special? Being able to survive for over two hundred years?"

Robin only gave that same sly smile of hers.

"Who knows? Ask the Hero yourself when we find the location where the Hero rests."

"... And about the three Heroes.... if there are only suppose to be three, then who is the Hero of Bowerstone?"

"The fourth."

"The... fourth?"

"Yes. Unlike the other three, the Hero of Bowerstone is unbound to the limitations of one type. Strength, Skill, and Will. All three and even more. Limitless potential and endless possibilities. These are the characteristics by which the fourth was known by. The fourth type of Hero is never mentioned normally, and only those within the Guild know of this. This type of hero is rare, and can only be found within those of the same bloodline."

"So that is why you said we need the Hero of Bowerstone to kill Jack."

Robin nodded.

"Yes. The fourth's blood flows strongly in the Hero of Bowerstone's veins. Yet those who carry this blood must hold a heavy burden. The curse of the fourth."

"The... curse?"

"Yes. Forever would you bear the consequence of your actions. The World would look at you and what you would do. You life would never be the same, nor would it be normal again. Many times in history, whenever a great evil would rise to power, the wheels of fate would start the chain, forcing the forth forward without warning, thrusting him or her into the darkness to fend for themselves. The fourth is the one who would change the pages of history forever, bringing forth either justice, or chaos into the World.

Driven by fate, they have the ability to change lives and destroy hope. The weight of such power and responsibility isn't something normal Heroes can shoulder. Most would be driven past the line of insanity, or would simple self-destruct. Normally, the family of the fourth would be killed, massacred. Many times has this occured in history, and it will continue as long as the fourth still live. This is the curse of the fourth."

Ashe never knew of such a dark past that the Heroes had. Now fear gripped her chest, as though trying to strangle the life force out of her. Fear. It was one thing she taught herself to forget, but she could never do so.

"The Heroes who gather within these halls are mainly the three types of Heroes, but there are those who carry the fourth's blood within them."

Ashe's eyes widened at that.

"... You?"

Robin smiled once more, placing a hand against the wall, looking into the picture painted on it of the Hero of Bowerstone, sword raised and shining brightly in the sky.

"Yes. I am a descendent of the fourth. I wouldn't say that my family is safe, since i haven't seen my parents since young. But at least i will try to find them again. That is what i swore when i came here."

Robin turned to Ashe with a solemn look in her eyes.

"And Avenger Ashe... No, Judge. You too carry the will of the fourth within you."

Ashe did not want to believe what she was hearing. She? A hero of the fourth? Why? How? Was that why her family was killed? Because she had the blood of the forth? But wouldn't that make her entire family the same? Why did she have to be the one to survive? Why did she have to be the one to suffer the sight of her entire family burning before her eyes? Why? Why did it have to be like this?

"Do not blame yourself, or the curse for the death of your family."

Robin's calm voice snapped Ashe back to the corridor of the Guild. Tears ran down her cheeks, and she was quick to wipe them away. An old habit from her bounty hunting days. Never show your weakness. Ever.

"I know what you're thinking, and i wouldn't blame you for doing so, but think first. Almost everyone of the fourth had lost their loved ones. Do not think that you're the only one."

"But... why me?"

"Who knows. Maybe it is because the blood flows stronger in you that the others? Or maybe it is simply luck? We do not hold that answer, and perhaps we never will."

Ashe did not like that answer, but she somehow found that Robin was right. Unfortunately.

"There are a few others who carry the blood of the fourth as well. Sonia is another."

"So... has she-"

"Yes, she lost loved ones as well. Her entire crew, in fact."

"Crew?"

"Oh? Didn't you know? Sonia the Blade. I thought she was a pretty famous pirate.."

Ashe suddenly remembered that name. And she nearly shouted in her surprise, if not for Robin's quick gaze. That Robin seemed to know everything that Ashe was thinking, and going to do.

"... You mean, she's Sonia the Sonic Blade?"

"Hmm, i'm not sure about that 'sonic' part, but she does have some impressive swordsmanship."

"Impressive? She's the only pirate to have a bounty on her head, and yet not having a single bounty hunter brave enough to challenge her!"

"Or dumb enough. Well, looks like you know her well then. Sonia lost her entire crew, who were like family to her."

"Was it Jack again?"

Ashe dared to ask. Robin looked down at the floor, as though thinking about what to say. Ashe could never tell what Robin was thinking, seeing as how that girl was just as mysterious as this entire story.

"... Yes and no."

"You're not giving me a straight answer."

"The act was planned out by Jack, most likely. But the attack itself was carried out by someone else."

"Someone else?"

"Yes. Jack is gathering all of the evils together in an attempt to rid of us for good. If all goes according to his plan, he would be able to summon the dark Court."

"The... dark court."

Somehow that name in itself made Ashe shiver, and the back of her throat felt like it was burning.

"An organization, if you will, that once plunged this World into chaos. If it weren't for the very first Hero, this World would be destroyed."

"That... is a scary thought."

"Yes. And we are determined not to let that happen."

Ashe was rather worried about that part.

"I think we should stop for now. Take your time to rest and accept these facts into your reality. Your training would continue till you are ready."

"And when would that be?"

"... When you are, you will know."

A/N: I'm not too familiar with the history of Fable, so i'm just throwing stuff in at random, like i said, this thing should burn.