Chapter 2

Brightwall Academy

"Citizens of Mistpeak, Millfields, Bowerstone, even those who have traveled here from distant Aurora, welcome to Brightwall village for our second annual week-long celebration of Academia Extravaganza!It was four difficult years ago when King Logan closed this very Academy, preventing men and women from learning and growing in their knowledge or skill, claiming it was too costly to maintain the facility. Then, it was two and a half years ago when a hero, one of the blessed people of Albion who have immense powers in strength, skill, and magical abilities known as Will, came into our city and liberated it from Logan's rule. At that time, the hero promised to reopen the Academy. This woman became known as the Hero of Brightwall, and now stands as our Queen. She has, without fail, helped Albion's center of learning, keeping her promise and reopening it as a free center of learning, increasing funding time and time again, and finding numerous rare books to fill our shelves. She will be arriving later this week, but for now, we'd like to honor her with our newest statue. Gentlemen!" Several men pulled the heavy cloth over the new statue of the Queen, who stood with her sword in one hand and a pistol in the other, wearing full warrior armor. She was smiling and looking out over the city. The crowded streets of Brightwall where filled with cheers at the sight of the statue of their beloved ruler of Albion.

"Now, as part of the celebration, there will, of course, be many more shops open for you to buy and sell goods, and the Ye Quill and Quandary is offering a deal that every night stayed at the inn gets free drinks the following night, as well as concerts all week and the world famous chicken race track, but the most exciting part is that in the entire east wing of the Academy, there are books which you can barter for and take home. And even better, we're opening up our rarest collection of books and allowing folks to borrow them for three days, when one couldn't even leave the library with them before! The books are first come first serve, so get in line now, and get ready, for the Academia Extravaganza!"Samuel bellowed, finishing his opening speech to the festival. The people of the city cheer thunderously at this request, some hurrying to the shops and inn, some to the world famous chicken races, but most stayed right in front of the library, waiting for a chance to borrow and buy some of the famous works of Albion literature. Samuel was smiling proudly at the sight. Ben Finn, who was watching from a distance, approached and tapped him on his shoulder.

"Why, Major Finn! Isn't this just wonderful?" Samuel said happily.

"I'll say! It's even better than last year's. And best of all, the Queen raised our soldiers pay even more this year."

"Indeed. Now, I'm assume you've increased the guard around town. People get vicious when they get alcohol in the system or see rare books on the line, and they get even worse when they experience both."

"Don't worry. I've taken care of it. Every guard in Mistpeak valley is standing ready around town. I've also hired a little extra help, to keep things stable." A large man with a cigar, bright red jacket, and thick mustache smiled as he walked up to the small librarian.

"Saker?!" Samuel said, drawing back fearfully.

"Aye, Samuel. It's been almost three years since the Queen defeated me and my mercenaries and forced us to make peace with our allies to the north. We've turned over a new leaf. We already defend caravans that go between Brightwall and the Dweller Camp, and when Ben Finn asked us to help keep watch on the city, why, we were overjoyed. I hope that we can finally prove that we can be trusted to the people of Brightwall." Saker took his cigar out in one hand then held out the other. Samuel watched it cautiously, reaching out slowly and shaking it. He was suddenly much more personable.

"Welcome, friend of Brightwall!" Samuel said. Saker smiled even wider then put his cigar back in his mouth and turned to Ben Finn.

"Major Finn, where do you want my men?"

"Come with me, and I'll show you what you all will be covering." Ben Finn walked Saker through the town, showing him the different posts around the village. He was explaining a guard station near an evil looking portal to another world when he noticed a line of carriages in the distance. Ben Finn told Saker to wait and rushed to the front of the town, pointing his soldiers to various places.

"The Queen is arriving! I can't believe she came this quickly. Stand to attention. Ready yourselves!" The guards of the town stood in two lines, saluting. Ben Finn stood at the front of one line, waiting as the lead carriage stopped at the gate.

"All hail her majesty, the Queen of Albion!" The people in Brightwall had noticed the commotion of the guards and were gathered around them. They cheered as Finn declared the arrival of the Queen. However, it was not the Queen who stepped out of the carriage.

"Hello my friends! You would do all of this for me? I'm honored, so very, very honored!" Reaver yelled, hands out wide as he stepped from the carriage. The cheering turned to booing instantly.

"Oh, come now. I own that blasted academy. Without me, you'd be nothing!" He said forcefully. Everyone quieted down, except for one woman who ran to the front of the crowd and started cheering.

"Reaver rules! Reaver rocks! I love Reaver's smelly socks!" She chanted excitedly.

"Oh, dear goodness, not that woman again."

"Reaver," Ben said coldly, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to make good on a promise. Now, I must get to the Academy. Excuse me Mister Finn!" Reaver tapped his cane on the steps several times then started up the paths of Brightwall. A dark-skinned man wearing rather intricate gold relics on his body and marked with bright glowing blue lines, stepped from the carriage and followed Reaver up the hill. Ben Finn stayed with the two, remaining just in earshot. All of the people, save Reaver's crazed fan, stood silently, watching the two.

"Reaver…" the man said, his arms folded. Ben Finn had seen the intricate lines on the man's body somewhere else, but he couldn't recall where.

"Yes my dear comrade Garth?"

"I thought you knew I didn't like crowds."

"I do indeed know, but I'd forgotten about this bloody festival. It's quite irritating when people who should be studying seem to spend all their time drinking and celebrating, but that's college life for you. I should know; I started that tradition some hundreds of years ago. Though, they don't know that." He said with an insidious smile and wink. Garth looked at him coldly then turned around.

"Disperse," for a moment, nobody moved, "Now!" Garth yelled, summoning a fireball spell and creating an explosion around him. The people ran screaming from the two men, as the guards ran forward and pointed their weapons. Saker was there as well, holding a flaming bottle.

"A will-user! Run for your life!" Ben Finn heard people scream as he drew his rifle.

"That's against the law, transgressor!" One soldier said.

"We've been hired to make sure the laws are followed, and we'll do just that! I don't care what kind of magic you're wielding!" Saker threatened.

"Now, boys, hold on, this is a simple misunderstanding, right Garth…Garth…?" Reaver, who'd stepped in front of the man, turned around to find him already high up the path, headed toward the academy. Reaver turned with a smile and nodded.

"Unfortunately, it seems that we'll have to do this most important business of upholding your precious laws later. Excuse me!" Reaver walked, somewhat hurriedly, but still with the devious air that made him so hated, after the man. Ben Finn brought his hand up and dropped his weapon.

"Return to your duties. I'll keep an eye on Reaver and his friend. And get the spirits of the people back up! This is a celebration!" A soldier nodded and took a lute from where a fleeing man had left it and started playing a tune. People began cheering as the celebration slowly came back to life. Ben Finn ran quickly after the two as they enter the Academy.

Garth's patience was wearing thin. If Reaver didn't come up with something quickly, he might kill the man just for being so damned annoying. As he entered the academy and found himself surrounded by another crowd, he became even more enraged.

"If you don't show me some evidence of my old home quickly, I'm going to burn your face off!"

"Oh, Garth, how could you even think of destroy these beautiful looks with you fireballs? It's just a little further, I promise!"

"Disperse!" Garth yelled, ignoring the Hero of Skill. Garth thought about that fact for a moment. He hadn't considered the fact Reaver was a Hero as well during the entire time he'd been in Albion. This man had immense ability with a gun, and could hit a target from almost any distance. He assumed his enemy's accuracy had not decreased during his time as a relatively respectable businessman. A man he'd seen before at the castle stepped forward as most of the people turned and backed away from him.

"By the blessed quill pen! A full blooded Samarkander! And a Will-user at that! To see you here in Albion, why, it's just amazing! My name is Samuel. To what do we owe the honor?"

"This man!" Garth pointed at Reaver, who smiled broadly at the old man. Samuel, in turn, drew back in disgust, "He claims that this was my former tower." Samuel humbled himself further in response, and was almost kissing the man's feet by the end of it.

"The Hero of Will and savior of our world, Garth, has come to our dear humble academy! What a true honor! Welcome, welcome home!" Samuel said. Garth looked at him coldly and uncaringly, his arms still folded.

"Where are my things?"

"Right this way, Garth!" Samuel hurriedly showed the Samkander into the next room, the people still in awe. Garth turned to them angrily.

"The people of Brightwall seem to have trouble taking orders…" Garth grunted as he summoned a balvarine shadow, a dark representation of a balvarine, yet completely under Garth's command. The people ran as the monster jumped into the crowd, howling and swiping at them with ethereal claws. Reaver watched with a laugh then turned to Garth.

"You really don't like crowds, do you?"

"Your hat is terrible. I keep expecting smoke to start billowing from the top."

"Oh, what's this, losing focus on the mission? You have time to comment on my clothing now?" Reaver said, laughing harder.

"I…it was a reflex. It looks awful," Garth said, his face still a cold frown. Garth didn't know why he'd insulted Reaver. It wasn't out of spite, though he still spited the man deeply. Perhaps his hate was weakening. Images burst into his mind as the once brown tall grass was turned black, and darkness spilled onto the ground. It drove through the cities and villages, through everything he knew until finally, he saw it taking control of his brother. He shook the thought away, hatred again filling his every breath.

"I appreciate it, Garth…" Reaver said suggestively, following Samuel and walking in a fashion which only intensified the hate. Garth brought up the rear, almost growling at Reaver.

"Ahem, here you are!" Samuel said, slightly shaking as he entered the room. Reaver stepped into the room, smiling mischievously in the corner. "He's waiting for something," Garth thought as he entered the room. Garth walked past the armored figures, which were no doubt his, and began to look through the books in the room. After a few moments, his hand fell to his side.

"This isn't even a quarter of my library. And this isn't my tower. What is this Reaver?" The man slyly held out his hand as he spoke.

"My friend, look around. Brightwall academy may not be the tall spiraling monster that you no doubt missed so much. But these are definitely your things, are they not? The old crumbling sin of architecture is decrepit and abandoned. This is the new Brightwood tower. Or all that's left of it."

"There was more. A bed, which I warned of sleeping in, several hundred volumes on enchantments. Several volumes of my own work…one of which you stole from me!"

"One of which? Ha, that's a laugh," Garth leaned over to Reaver with a fireball forming in his hand, "I mean…I've put them in a safe place…for safe keeping."

"Where?!" Garth said, grabbing Reaver's shirt and holding the fireball close to his face. The man simply turned to look at a door in the room, which was closed with some old gears and bolts, obviously Hero technology.

"…the…the reliquary? What…what do you know about the reliquary? Only the Queen knows how to enter the reliquary!" Samuel said, drawn back.

"Come now Samuel...I am, much to everyone's disbelief, a Hero. And I can do things Heroes can, though I much dislike doing so," Garth released Reaver's collar and allowed the man to stand up straight. He walked over to the door and stood in front of it.

"Watch in awe as I do the impossible," Reaver took his cane and tapped it on the door, sending the protruding gears to work and finally opening it to reveal a dusty and dark cavern.

"Bless the great books of old! Can it be?"

"Come now Garth, Sparrow raided your old home as he did mine, and the old Temple of Light. All the volumes and collections, as well as any precious items we may have lost, are in here." Reaver said this with a sigh. Garth assumed he'd grown bored of being threatened, but didn't care. Reaver had a lot of ground to make up to earn his life back.

"Here?" Garth walked through the open door, arms folded, and gazing only at the staircase before him.

"Yes, that would be the way. Now Samuel, be good while we're gone. I hear you've got some rare books to give away. Tatty-bye!" Reaver called back, waving at the man. Samuel looked around then shut the door quickly, trying to maintain the supposed secret of the reliquary. But if Reaver knew, it was only a matter of time before the whole world knew.

"I suppose there is nothing I can do about that now…" Samuel said, rubbing his head. Saul, his most loyal book shelfer, ran to him, panting hard.

"I can't do it sir. Pete's getting overwhelmed with sales of the modern books, and I'm trying to cover both rare books and checkouts. But I can't do it."

"Don't worry Saul; I'll take over the rare books. You just worry about other checkouts," Samuel said, moving quickly to his position and leaving the reliquary to the real heroes…at least Garth, anyway.