Update 4.1.08 - Corrected errors, revised some text
A Fabled Shadow – Chapter 2: Apprentice Training
The Guild had become their lives. They focused on nothing more than training and study in the library. As the years drew by the boy and Silver became more agile with each passing day. Shadow was already agile to begin with. Soon the four of them were ready to become Guild apprentices. The training had only just begun...
"C'mon! Get up you lazy bums!" Whisper shouted. Her and Shadow were already awake. The other three arose from their beds.
"You do know we were suppose to meet with the Guild Master at the Battle Ring. However that was an hour ago!"
"Well why aren't you two there already?" Silver questioned with messy quills and a droopy ear.
"We were, but we had to get you guys up because the old man refused to officially start without all of us present." Shadow said frustrated as he walked out of the room. Whisper motioned for them to hurry as she followed. The boy, now a teenager, got his clothes on and ran out the door with Silver and the ottsel close behind.
They arrived at the area and they noticed the Guild Master holding two long swords. "You two won't be needing those twigs any longer. Now, we begin training with real weapons!" He handed Silver and the boy the swords.
"Now, lad I want you to battle Whisper first. Try to hit her as much as you can. She'll be blocking, so don't worry about chopping her arm off or anything." The boy got into the ring and hit Whisper's staff with the sword.
"Excellent power boy! Now let's see Silver in action."
Silver gulped and entered the battle area. "Here it goes." The sword levitated just like the stick he used before. He threw his arm outward and slashed at the staff.
"Great job! Now, in order to survive in battle, you must block every now and then. Shadow and Whisper already did some practice rounds earlier...so I already know he's got the dodging skill down." The black hedgehog smirked with pride.
"So you and the boy both get into the ring, and Whisper will deal blows to each of you. Block with everything you've got."
The two held out their swords and waited. Whisper lunged at the boy and hit his sword. She turned to Silver and did the same. As the staff and sword collided, Silver closed his eyes and prepared to be whacked. He reopened them to see her on the other side of his weapon. He shivered with relief.
"Well done! Now, I know that you've been in a fight before, Silver. According to Shadow's tales. So boy, you will have a face off with-" As the Guild Master was about to finish, a bulky African male in armor approached.
"Ah, Thunder. What brings you here?"
"Maze told me you have Whisper training with some scrawny farm boy."
"Yes, Maze believes this boy can accomplish a great feet one day. He and your sister are about to start a melee battle."
"Bah! No farm boy can win against Whisper!"
"We shall see..." They turned to the two, who were in their battle stances. "Okay, start the battle!"
The boy and Whisper lunged and collided weapons. They flew back and Whisper lunged again. The boy rolled out of the way and whacked her in the back. Thunder shook his head ferociously.
"No no! That's unacceptable! Whisper, you must practice some more. You should have watched me in the arena. You may have learned something!"
"Pushy guy. I wander what makes him think he's so great" Shadow thought to himself as he examined the warrior.
"I would've whipped him if you hadn't stopped us." Whisper stated as she exited the ring.
"Well, good show my boy. Well done. The four of you follow me to the archery range. It's time you all learned how to use a long ranged weapon." The Guild Master stated as he walked away.
"Surely it's not a gun he speaks of?" Shadow joked as he followed the old man.
"You'll be learning to use a bow and arrows." He handed the three a bow. "As well as you ottsel."
"What?!"
"Think, if your friends were to fall in battle, what would you do to protect your self?" He handed Daxter a special made bow, a small one to fit in the ottsel's hands.
"Eh, I guess you're right."
"I'm sure you can use this weapon without powers, no?" He turned to Silver. The hedgehog nodded.
"Good. Now, step in the ring and try to hit the farthest target with a lot of force." Silver placed an arrow on the string and pulled back. He aimed at the dummy in the back. He released the arrow and it shot through it's chest.
"Great now try with it moving..."
"Huh?" He looked over at the dummy. It was sliding side to side. He gulped and drew back an arrow once more. He let it go and it whizzed by the dummy.
"Darn!"
"Timing is everything. Why don't you all choose a moving target and try to hit it?"
The four of them lined up and drew back an arrow. Silver shot first with some success. The arrow barely stuck into the front dummy's arm. The boy and Daxter shot at the same time. Both of their arrows hit the middle dummy.
"Hey this isn't too hard." Daxter praised himself. Shadow shot last and his arrow hit the last and fastest dummy dead center. Once again, the dummy shattered into pieces of cotton and cloth. They all looked at the black hedgehog as he smirked.
"Excellent power behind that arrow! Great work, all of you." The Guild Master pulled out four belts. "Have these. They will hold your weapons. Arrows and all." He handed the smallest one to Daxter.
"Now then. Follow me to the north bridge. We shall begin your Will training there." He motioned for them all to follow. Shadow smirked.
"Finally. The only training I really need..." The black hedgehog strolled after the old man and the others followed behind. As they made their way over the bridge, three dummies stood before them. Silver tilted his head to the side as he observed the stands. It resembled a spring or bolt of some sort. "Yes. These targets are quite different." The light gray hedgehog darted his head to the source of the voice. The Guild Master smiled at him warmly.
"Every time you strike these targets, they will turn around. But you won't get any where hitting the back sides. You'll have to wait until they turn back around..."
Shadow stared at the dummies. "So, not only is it a Will test, it's also strategy..."
"Indeed. Now then, why don't we let the boy go first?" The young hero stepped forward.
"Try hitting those dummies with lightening." The boy gave the old man a confused stare. "Right, just hold out your hand and summon up the energy. Imagine a severe storm deep in your palm...and release it!" The boy turned his attention back to the targets. He tensed up the muscles in his arm and held his hand out. A bolt hit one dummy and traveled to the others.
"Splendid! Now how about you Daxter?"
"What?! Now way! I'm not the type to throw weather out of my hand! That's a total lady repellant!!"
"Alright, if that's your choice, so be it. How about you then, Shadow?" The hedgehog stepped forward with pride. "Now just follow the same instructions I told the boy." Shadow drew his hand back and tightened up his muscles. He threw his hand forward and held it out. An orange streak flew at the middle dummy, knocking it's head wide off. He looked at his hand with disappointment.
"Damn." The hedgehog stared back at the target "The only time Chaos Spear has failed me..."
"Well, it may not have been lightening, but it's more than close. I've never seen a spell like that!"
"I bet you haven't..." Shadow mumbled under his breath. "I was hoping to learn something other than a move I've been using my whole life."
"It's your turn, Silver." The light gray hedgehog stared at the Guild Master then at the three targets. He gulped.
"Here goes nothing." He stepped forward. He did as the two before him did. His muscles tightened and he held his hand out. As a blue glow developed from his wrist to his finger tips, a huge bolt shot from his palm, eliminating the middle target and burning the other two. Even Shadow's jaw was dropped. Silver blushed and chuckled.
"I guess my will is more powerful than I thought."
"Stupendous! Amazing work, lad!" The Guild Master clapped. "Excellent. You all have now learned the three Hero Virtues. We can now further your training in order for you to receive your Guild Seals and be able to leave the Guild. Or...Whisper is training in the woods. If you wish to join her, we can always finish later." The old man stated as he headed back to the Guild, Silver gazed off to the woods entrance.
"Whisper..." He turned to Shadow. "You know, some small training won't hurt. You could actually try to get the whole Will thing down before things get tough, too." He grinned widely, hoping his companion would agree. The black hedgehog sighed.
"Fine. Honing our skills would be the better choice." He walked pass Silver and the others, but gave a quick, sly grin to the grayish hedgehog and continued on to the Guild woods. Silver blushed at Shadow's reaction but shook it off and followed after him. Daxter hopped onto the boy's shoulder.
"C'mon kid! We've got nothing better to do." The teen nodded and ran after the two hedgehogs.
--
Whisper turned around as she heard a group of foot steps approached. "So, you guys decided to show up?"
"Um...hi...eh Whisper. Heh." Silver greeted nervously. Shadow eyed the hedgehog but turned his attention to the female warrior.
"We hear you are training..."
"Correct, I'm hunting some creatures to fight. A hero is only as good as her enemies. And I'm gunning to be the best before I graduate." Daxter looked around nervously.
"So, eh...I suppose we should be...looking then?" He gulped.
"Yes, I'm getting tired of standing...let's go." Whisper turned around and walked forward with the other four right behind, but she stopped and motioned for the others to stand still.
"Did you hear that?"
"Yes, there's something across the river." Shadow quietly noted as he peeked around a rock. A group of bandits, four of them, were patrolling the area. Whisper pulled out her bow and grabbed an arrow. She reared it back on the string and released it. The arrow shot a bandit in the arm. He fell to the ground, bleeding and holding his wound. Silver blushed at the force she put behind it, but the other bandits were now alert and firing back. Whisper fired another arrow and shot the bleeding bandit in the stomach, killing him. The remaining bandits began to fire all their arrows back at her. Shadow pushed her out of the way of a dead center arrow and held his hand out to throw a chaos spear, but he tightened the muscles in his hand this time and released a bolt of lightening, burning the three bandits and their mid-air arrows to a crisp. He stared in shock, then looked at his hand. Whisper pushed herself up.
"Thanks for that. I owe you one." She said whilst petting the black hedgehog's head. Silver growled with jealousy. "That's the first time bandits have gotten close to the Guild. This will be quite the story..." She walked toward the exit and headed for the Guild.
"I suppose we should go to the old man and continue with our business." Shadow stated as he walked out of the woods. The boy, with Daxter on his shoulder, ran after the hedgehog as a disappointed Silver slowly followed the three.
--
The Guild Master waited patiently in the map room. "I see you all are finished? Good, the real training begins. Don't worry, you only have a few more years of it before you receive your seals."
"And we'll finely be free!" Daxter shouted with glee.
"Follow me and we shall begin..."