Chapter Eighteen: The Westcliffe Trials
At the Sanctuary Logan returned with his allies watching Gabriel study the map table, who then turned to them, "Well done, Aurora light has brightened incredibly, I've also located our next target."
"Who is the target, Gabriel?" Tali asked approaching the table with the others.
"The target seems to have taken over the Crucible in Westcliffe," Gabriel spoke pointing.
"Oh! I love watching those matches! Bloody good time! Especially when a poor bloke gets thorn to shreds!" Saker grinned getting an annoyed look from the others.
"Saker that's awful!" Echo spoke looking at the map, "I'll guess this Crucible was the replacement to the arena that Albion lost to the Balverines on Knothole Glade?"
"That's correct, the Crucible has been a violent form of entertainment for years, the town once a dump for criminals and bandits became a thriving city thanks to your father Logan," Gabriel spoke.
"I remember, he mentioned that when he was adventuring and became partners with an odd bloke who took a picture of him and his sister when they were children," Logan spoke remembering how much his father treasured that photo.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get this Agent!" Saker grinned.
"Why do I get the feeling you are more interested in getting into the arena than actually finding the agent?" Tali spoke eyeing him suspiciously.
"I am offended! I am all about saving the people and all that other boring shit," Saker spoke with a mischievous grin.
"You're gonna try to steal the grand prize money," Gabriel spoke going back to studying the map, "greed aside, the town has been taken over by the Corruption, and since the area is usually overcast it's the perfect location for an Agent."
"Let's get going, that agent not gonna off it's," Echo spoke touching the map table to take her to Westcliffe followed by the others.
Studying the map again Gabriel couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong, "I don't know why Gabriel but even with the threads of time showing me many outcomes I am sensing that something gonna happen."
"Perhaps it's just nerves sir?" Jasper suggested seeing Gabriel frown at the table.
"Perhaps it is? Or perhaps one of the generals is about to pull some strings, Jasper I'm going to Bowerstone Castle, keep the others on the tasks at hand," Gabriel spoke vanishing in a beam of light.
At Westcliffe Logan and the others made their way through the Corrupted city passing by the citizens all taken over by the corruption. Ahead they could see high up the stairs was the entrance to the Crucible and above was a massive red cyclone.
"Seems Gabriel was right about the agent taking refuge in one of the layers of the Crucible, my guess is the last one where the Trolls used to reside," Logan spoke.
"Didn't you hunt those things to extinction?" Saker asked seeing Logan shake his head.
"No, we didn't, while some were killed we mostly forced their numbers far from Albion and its citizens, while some can be found in the wilds of Albion I think I made it clear to them not to mess with humans," Logan spoke ascending the stairs with the others.
"Why does this feel too easy?" Tali spoke looking over her shoulder to see the Corrupted villagers all looking up to them.
Noticing the aura Saker looked up ahead to the unguarded gates, "Yeah, this scream 'trap' best to keep your guards up."
Drawing their weapons Logan pushed open the two large doors into the Crucible where they entered an empty waiting room.
"This is odd," Tali spoke picking up a copy of the rules and skimming through the Crucible rules.
"Oh, don't mind if I do!" Saker grinned helping himself at the unguarded trader booth to pocket a few things.
"Saker you're unbelievable," Echo spoke rolling her eyes as she approached the doors into the Crucible pushing open the doors leading to the stairs, "shall we?"
Climbing the stairs, the four heroes entered the first room of the crucible which appeared to be a medium-sized room with ruins and blood-soaked floor.
The doors then slammed behind them as the heroes watched a small pool of Corruption sheep through the ground and from the Corruption Beetles, Rockmites, and Stingers all covered in Corruption began to emerge shrieking.
"The Heroes have arrived! Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the Crucible of Darkness! I am your host the ever handsome, skillful, remarkable Reaver!" they heard the man on the intercom speak as they watched the Corrupted villagers fill the stands.
"Reaver?!" Logan yelled about to demand why he was here but quickly dodged a Stinger sting and slammed his palm with a light Spell into its face then smushed it on the ground.
"Tonight, we have an exciting match! The Hero of Brightwood himself, the former Tyrant King of Albion, Logan, and his compatriots!" Reaver announced as the Corrupted Villagers all began to boo.
"Firework!" Tali yelled snapping her finger to burn Corruption off a group of bugs that Saker dealt with by jumping above them then smashing his fists and crushing all the bugs sending blood body parts in different directions.
"Tonight, our heroes will fight through eight vigorous rounds against the vilest hidden among Albion shadows! Round one against the rather irksome and downright unhygienic, bugs of Albion! How exciting!" Reaver spoke as more bugs emerged and Saker tossed a few bombs, Logan then quickly used a barrier to protect the others from the explosion of the bomb, burning away the corrupted armor.
"RAH!" Echo yelled smashing her pole down on several bugs while Saker grab her arm and spun her around smashing several bugs in a row while Logan and Tali used magic to burn enemies and then finished them with their blades.
"Now that's no fun! The little vermin are almost all dead! Perhaps we should let the second and third waves have some fun!" Reaver spoke as more bugs began to flood the room.
"I hate these bugs!" Tali yelled smashing her boot down on a beetle and crushing it under her foot.
"Keep it up!" Saker spoke seeing Logan's eyes glow and flames appeared in his palm and a powerful aura began to spin around him.
"Logan?" Echo spoke seeing him turn to his allies with glowing blue eyes.
"Take cover," Logan warned stepping to the center of the room with the fire spinning around him.
"Behind here!" Saker yelled pushing the girls behind some ruins to shield them, watching Logan who held up his hands in the air creating a massive fireball.
"Inferno Maxima!" Logan yelled creating a large wave of fire that burnt all the bugs Corruption then began to pull them in towards Logan in a firey tornado that spun around him destroying all the bugs that got caught in it.
Shielding the girls from the heat Saker peeked when he felt the room start to cool and watching in awe with Logan in the center of the room surrounded by burnt bug carcasses, "GOD DAMN!"
Touching a rock Tali pulled it away shaking her hand from the burning rock and looking around at the destruction the Inferno spell did, "did you just use the most powerful level of Inferno?"
"It was so weird it was like my body knew what to do," Logan spoke looking at his hands.
"Well, well, well, it appears we have a winner! One could say in some cultures these burnt vermin are a delicacy! Of course, I am not gonna try one of the little nasty but feel free to try it for yourselves! Let's see how our heroes do in round two~" Reaver spoke as the doors to the next room swung open.
"You know, I recall that your brother could fuse magic, do you think you have that power now too?" Saker asked as Logan looked at his gauntlets.
"That's a good question, hey Gabriel is that possible with the new spells in my arsenal?" Logan asked waiting for a response.
"Hello, Jasper here, sorry to report but Master Gabriel had to step out for a moment, and to answer your question Master Logan with the gauntlet you should be able to fuse spells like your brother, perhaps try fusing the light spell with something with some destructive kick to it, like Vortex or perhaps Blades?" Jasper suggested.
Climbing the stairs into the next room Saker noticed giant squares in the room and a button directly in front of them, placing his boot cautiously over the button he watched spikes come out of the floor leaving an opening in the middle.
"I see two pressure plates, watch your step! We don't want anyone to get impaled," Saker warned as they all entered and the doors slammed behind them.
"Let us begin round two! Whom will our brave heroes battle against this time? Why none other than the vile! Mischievous Hobbes!" Reaver announced as pools of Corruption emerged and Corrupted Hobbes began to crawl from it.
"Form up!" Logan yelled stepping in the middle of the boxes with the others taking a side watching the Hobbes began their attack.
"Back off your nasty little beasts!" Echo growled blocked a Hobbe sword and punched it away.
"Logan! Now would be a good time to show us some combo spells!" Saker yelled pulling out a gun and shooting a Hobbe in the forehead.
Nodding Logan concentrated, watching the Blade spell form in his left hand and the light spell in the other bringing his hands together the spells combined and grew in power with every passing second.
"Light Blades!" Logan yelled slamming his hands in the air creating twelve swords of light that spun above him then flew stabbing themselves into Hobbes burning away the corruption and killing the target they hit.
"Bloody brilliant!" Saker grinned lighting a bomb as more Hobbes emerged.
"Don't let up!" Logan yelled throwing a single light blade at another Hobbe.
Back at Bowerstone Castle Gabriel appeared at the doors to the castle touching the door but stopping to peer over his shoulder to the main gates to the city sensing eyes watching him.
Entering the palace Gabriel walked to see Page and Ben at Anna's side who sat on the throne holding an audience.
Spotting Gabriel Ben stepped away and joined him in the hall from prying eyes, "Hey mate! Whatever you're doing is working, both Kalin and Sabine of all people have reported back at how much Logan changed in fact I would of thought they were describing a whole other person!"
"That great Ben, however, I have a favor to ask of you and Page since you are in the Queen's court, be weary and keep an eye out for anyone, suspicious, I sense one of the generals may make their move here at the castle, I sensed their presences when I arrived here," Gabriel warned looking to the doors to the palace.
"You think Anna's life is in danger?" Ben asked watching Gabriel who turned to him.
"Hers, yours, Page, everyone in King Adam's circle life is in danger, I don't know when they will make their move but I know it's coming, keep your weapons close," Gabriel warned returning to the Sanctuary where he approached the map table with Jasper.
"Aw welcome back! Master Logan's magic has reached its max potential and he's learned to combine the magic he wields," Jasper reported.
"Really? That's interesting, I knew he would reach his max potential in magic soon but this was quite the turn of events, how far are they in the arena now?" Gabriel asked looking at the map.
"Seventh Round, should be one more match left, oh and it appears Reaver has become the announcer for the matches," Jasper explained.
"Doesn't surprise me, considering he will be aligned with the Corruption in my timeline," Gabriel spoke.
In The Crucible Logan panted while he removed his sword from the last of the dead Corrupted Balverines from the ruins he stood on.
"Is everyone ok?" Logan called below to see the others regroup and make their way to the exit.
"Fucking bastard tore my arm!" Saker growled holding his bleeding arm.
"Hold still Saker," Logan spoke using his magic to heal his wounds.
"We can't keep fighting like this," Tali spoke taking a swing of a health potion before handing it to Echo for a sip.
"Oh, the poor heroes appear to be running on fumes! Do we think they will last against the final Corruption Ladies and Gentlemen? I'm a betting man and I know who my money is on~" Reaver spoke as the doors to the final room opened.
"Getting real sick of his spectating!" Echo growled walking up the stairs to the final room.
"What do you think the agent gonna be?" Tali asked looking around when they entered a large room with Corruption all over and in the center was a mound where the Corruption was leaking from.
With the doors slamming behind them a massive arm burst from the Corruption and a Troll-like monster with a mask on its face rose roaring with spikes growing out of its back and its body covered in its corrupted armor.
"Are you ready ladies and gents for the final round? Our noble heroes against the Agent of Corruption, the Crusher!" Reaver spoke as the Crusher rolled and slammed its foot on the ground sending a wave of Corruption spikes at them.
"WATCH IT!" Saker yelled as they all quickly dodged the spikes and readied their weapons when Corrupted Hobbes jumped down into the room.
"Not these guys again!" Saker yelled punching a Corrupted Hobbe away.
"Out of my way!" Logan yelled burning the Corruption off a Hobbe and slicing it with his sword before quickly dodging a spike that was launched at him.
"Firework!" Tali yelled snapping her fingers and launching the spell at the Crusher hitting its head but seeing it didn't affect it as it threw a boulder at her and she quickly dodged.
"We are gonna need a really powerful light to burn that armor! Logan, we'll cover you!" Echo spoke spinning her staff.
"Tali! We're gonna pull off a first! Three combined spells!" Logan growled forming Light in one hand and Inferno in the other hand.
"Three? Logan that gonna be dangerous!" Tali protested turning and dodging another attack from a Hobbe and kicking it into the way of the Crusher fist that crushed the unfortunate Hobbe.
"We gotta try!" Logan spoke as Tali approached bringing her spell in and Logan formed his close to her the force of the growing magic almost pushing them apart.
Spotting the two the Crusher got ready to launch another spike but was hit with several bombs that exploded on its head turning its attention to Saker who lit then inhaled a cigar.
"Oh no bitch, your dance is with me!" Saker growled punching a spiked rock and sending it smashing into the Crusher's face.
Roaring the Crusher dug its fist into the ground pulling out a boulder and throwing it to Saker who kicked it aside sending it smashing into a wall before yawning and making the Crusher growl in anger.
Winds then began to pick up, Echo kicked away a Corrupted Hobbe looking at Tali and Logan with the combined spell creating a brilliant blinding light.
Narrowing his eyes Logan and Tali slammed their spells together and both turned to the Crusher with their eyes glowing blue and Logan will markings glowing brightly.
"Together! Inferno - Light - Firework Maxima!" the two yelled launching a large ball of light at the Crusher the force of their combined spell sent them both flying and slamming into the wall the spell hitting their target and creating a massive fiery explosion that sent Saker and Echo flying back from the force of the explosion.
Coughing Echo rose trying to see through the smoke narrowing her eyes to where she saw the Crusher crawling on the ground with one arm toward Logan and Tali who lay on the ground.
"Oh no you don't!" Echo growled picking up her staff and rushing towards the exposed troll back jumping from the hill and stabbing her staff down onto its exposed neck.
Roaring the Crusher tried to reach for her only for Saker to jump and with all his strength slammed Echo staff deeper down the troll's neck and out of its throat.
Gasping the Crusher began to burn away, weakly Logan approached panting and holding a light spell in his hand making the agent burn away and vanish from this world.
Collapsing to the ground Logan tried to catch his breath looking over to Echo who was helping Tali up, Tali who was rubbing her head, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm ok, wasn't expecting a spell like that to pack quite a punch like that," Tali admitted pulling out a healing potion and taking a swig.
"Saker you, ok?" Logan asked noticing their companion was gone, "Saker?"
Hearing a whistle the three looked up the commentator box where Saker leaned out, "Up here! Reaver skedaddled sadly."
"Figured he runs before we came up there to kick his arse," Logan spoke pulling out a potion and taking a drink before heading up the stairs to the exit where Saker joined them from another set of stairs whistling a happy tune.
"You stole the prize money in there didn't you?" Echo spoke with narrowed eyes.
"Maybe I did love, maybe I didn't," Saker smirked pushing open the doors to the entrance of the Crucible where they exited out to see the entire village had gathered below the stairs and cheered for the heroes.
Descending the stairs Logan and the others nodded and smiled at the villagers making their way to the center of town, "Hey Gabriel where's the next target?"
"Mourningwood, however, I'd advise you all rest up first, especially you and Tali, with a spell like that you need to allow your Will time to replenish with a good rest and a meal," Gabriel advised.
"You heard the man, this place looks like a good place for some rest," Saker spoke not noticing an old greying man with a beard approaching the group.
"Sparrow?" the old man spoke getting Logan's attention who turned to the man in confusion, "by Avo grace is it truly you?"
"I'm sorry sir I am not Sparrow, I'm his son, Logan," he spoke watching the man smile.
"Sorry lad, can't blame me, you're a spitting image of your old man," he smiled, "how rude of me, my name is Bob, Sparrow was a friend of mine once upon a time."
"You knew my father?" Logan asked curious who the man was, who gestured for them to follow.
In a large house, Bob took a seat while his wife hummed in the kitchen cooking with her adult daughter while a young man and his wife set up the table.
"Smells great Lil!" Bob smiled taking a seat at the dining room table with their guests, "So Logan did your father ever tell you about his time in the Spire?"
"Actually no, out of all the stories my father was proud to tell Adam and me as children, he never talked about his time in the Spire," Logan admitted recalling how his father would look when he asked as a child what happened after the Crucible.
"Those ten years lad, they destroyed men and women in that horrible place, I met your father at the docks to the Spire both of us being champions of the Crucible, I foolishly thought joining Lucien at the Spire would provide for Lil and I but that was a lie, we had to do horrible things in that horrible place, so many deaths, so much suffering, your father he was a light in that dark," Bob spoke smiling at the memory of Sparrow before looking to Logan and saw a young version of Sparrow that he met.
"That Lucien was a real piece of work," Saker spoke seeing Bob nod.
"The collars we were forced to wear the 'Obedience Collars' that is what broke us, at first I got used to it but I never noticed what it was doing to us, stealing our precious memories, breaking our minds, turning us into mindless killing machines, I had forgotten my beloved Lil, even my name, I was just a number," Bob spoke while from behind his wife approached placing a hand on her husband shoulder.
"How horrible, how did you escape?" Tali asked seeing Bob's face saddened.
"I didn't, I died," Bob spoke getting a questionable eyebrow raise from Saker.
"Huh? Bloody hell you mean died? You're sitting right here," Saker spoke going quiet when Logan shushed him.
"The collar you see in time broke my mind, the Commandant had no use for me so he ordered your father to kill me," Bob spoke making Logan's eyes widen.
"No, he wouldn't he would never kill someone innocent," Logan spoke defending his father before seeing Bob smile.
"You're right, he wouldn't, when given a sword he took it and struck the Commandant, even when the collar sapped his life force several times he refused to obey, so the Commandant killed me, I remember your father on the ground reaching out how sad he looked that he couldn't save me," Bob spoke looking up to Logan.
"Ok, so how exactly are you alive now?" Echo asked turning to Logan.
"The wish, this father told me about, during his final confrontation with Lucien and with the Spire at full power he was given a choice to pick one of three wishes, he sacrificed seeing his sister again to bring back all the innocent lives who died in the spire," Logan spoke seeing Bob nod.
"That's how I came back, I woke up on the Westcliffe beach, no clue how I got there, and I didn't even remember my own name, I ended up wondering for a day or two till one day when the sun caught my eyes and I held a hand up I saw a little sparrow bird on a branch chirping, then it all came flooding back, my name, Sparrow, my beloved Lil," Bob smiled as Lil kissed the top of his head.
"Bob ran like a madman to my village in Oakfield to find me, of course I hadn't seen the man in ten years so you can imagine my shock seeing my husband very much alive," Lil smiled, "because of your father Logan people like Bob got to return to their families, so many lives changed, that how the people choose him to be our king."
"Wow, Logan your father sounded like an incredible man," Echo smiled seeing Logan smile.
"He was," Logan smiled glad he was given an opportunity to see how his father's actions saved people like Bob firsthand.
"I never had a chance to properly thank your father for all he had done, how can you thank someone who gave you so much? A Thank you alone doesn't seem enough huh?" Bob smiled turning to his two adult children who help their mother bring plates to the table.
"Well, darling you did become a father shortly after," Lil chuckled pointing to her son, "this is our eldest son Sparrow and our daughter Raven."
"You named your son after my father?" Logan spoke with a smile seeing Sparrow place an arm around his wife.
"That's right, and this is my wife, Meg, we're expecting our own little one soon too," Sparrow smiled as his wife rub her rounded belly.
"Please be our guests, letting Sparrow's son and his friends sleep outside wouldn't sit right with me after they saved our home," Bob smiled.
"We'd love to Bob," Logan smiled as the group began to have dinner with Bob and his family.
At the Sanctuary Gabriel smiled, "I think this encounter was good for Logan, King Sparrow truly was a remarkable man from what I hear."
"Indeed, he was sir, it was an honor to have served him for the years I had with him," Jasper smiled recalling the first time he met the newly crowned Sparrow and his wife Alex.
"Must admit I am envious of Logan and Sparrow, my father hatted my fascination with Fables and Heroes, makes me wonder what he'd think of me now," Gabriel spoke then shrugged, "well no time to dwell on the past time to focus on our next target."
A.N. I can't be the only one in Fable 2 who wished we could of been reunited with Bob to see how he adjust to life after the wish.