Note: Two things

1st, I'm releasing a new chapter every Wednesday now to keep a schedule. So look forward to a series of steady chapters for the foreseeable future.

2nd, Send me a message or make a post on my thread on the Lionhead Forums. I'm accepting custom made characters (or you yourselves) made by the fans to be put into my story. Give me a brief template and I will weave your character into the story of Fable: Online.

I don't like long notes so yeah, that's all. Enjoy!

The size of Bower Road never ceased to amaze Maia, not just its immense length but the width. Able to hold at least fifteen players lined shoulder to shoulder comfortably down its tanned gravel make. They had taken a few detours of the main path to visit a few towns and do a few quests, but now they were back on track and within striking distance of the lake. Above them the daylight was beginning to fade, the temperature slowly going down as did the virtual star in the sky. All around her the players walked, some in small groups while others paced forward alone, lost in their thoughts.

At the head of the helm was TJ Luther, holding a conversation with a tall fellow clothed in indigo dyed leather who walked to his right. "There should be a town by the water, an inn at the very least. If not then I say we make camp within the hour, maybe even lake's shore if we have to" the tall man said as he looked intently at Luther, the warrior listening as he kept his eyes on the road ahead.

"You sure that's safe? We don't know what kind of things spawn out here." Luther skeptically.

Maia was only a handful of steps behind the men, so even subtle body language was noticed by her. She saw the tall man turn to his left and furrow his brow, slightly raising the letters above his head. "It's just a last resort if anything, I'm more then certain we'll find something out here. I mean those NPCs can't lie right? This is where we should find the first God."

"May the real God help us all." Luther said as he closed the topic and they begin to discuss the damage output and speed of their weapons. Maia could've swore she felt the boredom pelting her in the face. "Wonder what Barry's doing…" she thought as she let the majority of the players pass her until she was in line with short fellow with a username of "OopsAllBarry".

"Hey Barry." she said in a soft tone, a warming smile across her face.

The boy then casually looked to his left, revealing his rounded face to Maia. Complete with the features of a boy who hasn't even reached his twelfth year. His short height was only exaggerated by his rounded body, mirroring his rounded face in all but size and giving the impression of a human snowman. "….Hey M4ia" he returned the comment awkwardly.

"Skittles says we should reach the lake soon" her smile still holding "we might even see the first boss soon."

The boy seemed up unfazed however, his expression unchanged as well as his eyes, still clear on the path ahead. The war axe slung to his back swayed back and forth slightly faster after Maia's comment. Heavy bags hanged under this small blue dotted sockets. He was in no mood to talk, Maia only shrugged and kept her pace.

Not five minutes late and Luther signaled the group of over two dozen to halt. Maia had to push her way up to the front to see what the commotion was about. There at the head of the group Luther stood, feverously discussing the object in front of him with the other leading players. As she approached said object the words on the wooden post finally revealed themselves to her eyes.

"Inn ahead" The sign said, an arrow on it pointing paved, yet small road to their left. Luther, Skittles and the others had already seemed to reach a verdict by the time her ears began to pick up their discussion.

"Alright everybody" Luther said as he raised his voice high, the more obedient members like Raiden focusing intently on his words while others let you yawns and groans. Elsewhere bugs added small sounds to the night while a cool wind blew gently at the players, indistinguishable from reality. "Looks like theirs an inn down this path, probably only a ten minute walk." He paused for breath. "We'll stay there for the night and then head out for the lake in the morning, alright?" There were a few nods and small hollars in agreement.

"Alright" Luther murmured to himself as he took the first step down the road, the loud scream causing his ears to ring before the foot even touched down. The pitch was of a girlish high, snapping at everyone's ears like the crack of a whip. At the rear end of the group, behind even Barry, stood a nervous man with his long sword drawn. M4ia couldn't make out his name but that soon became irrelevant when she noticed him frantically waving his weapon at a group of men within talking distance of the player.

"Put that sword down little fella, don't want to get hurt now…" the bandit said, the fluency and timing of his words nearly deceiving the fact that was his NPC status.

"What the hell?" Seemed to be the most spoken comment immediately following the bandits words and consecutive movement of several bandits from the darkened forest, forming a semi-circle around the back half of the group. Slowly, step by step, Maia saw the bandits encroach on the group. Each of the members took several steps backward until they were shoulder to shoulder with bandits on three sides.

Three.

Luther came charging from the front of the group the second the first bandit spoke. Now standing defiantly in front of the outlaws, in the sight of this some of the members rallied and loosened their formation against the bandits. Behind him Skittles and Raiden had followed, Skittles taking a place to the mans left.

Suddenly a one eyed bandit spoke up, his face eye to eyes with Luther. "In the name of the bandit Thag, we demand you hand over all yer' valuables. Do that or die you hear?"

Maia saw Luther pause for a moment, just moment. A second later he turned his head to Skittles at his left and gave him a nod. The tall man then turned around and nodded at the rest of the group, a gravely serious look on his face. Just as the warrior began to draw his sword from his side, another voice came hollering from directly behind the group, again.

"Woah, woah, what do you fellas think you're doin' over here?" Asked a ragedy old voice in a mocking tone. Maia was still caught in her gaze in the back so this one registered immediately to her. Standing tall with a messy beard and massive war axe was…

"Another bandit?" She thought dumbfounded.

In the name of Galmur the Bandit, we demand you folk hand over all your valuables, less you want us to kill you."

"Edd?" The one eyed bandit on Luther's side shouted, his uncivilized voiced echoing across the forest. "Get out of here this is our prey!"

"Johnny?" The bearded bandit replied in a similar fashion, scratching his fore while a few of his men tilted their heads in confusion, a very convincing script made by the developers. Maia had no doubt that this would turn into some sort of quest event in a minute.

Finally after a few seconds he regained his composure and shouted back at Johnny. "Tell Thag that he can go shove a horse up his ass, Galmur even offered to do it himself." he said, drawing a great deal of laughter from behind him. He then opened his mouth and shouted "Attack!"

And with that he let out a war cry, lifted his blade, and charged towards the group and Ed's bandits. The surprise of the attack temporarily stunning Maia, Luther and the others. With that Edd buried his massive axe into the overweight player next to Maia. His face distraught with pure terror as blow after blow rang from Edd, soon being joined by other laughing and screaming bandits.

By the time Maia had regained her senses the poor man was on the ground, his body flailing violently as blow after blow cut down his health wildly. His cries were not of pain, such a thing not existing in the world, they were of fear for something far worse. A gruesome fate Maia had not seen someone go through since the start off…
He shattered, a thousand shards of bright and colorful glass spreading through the night air like galaxies in a new born universe. Maia's eyes widened in disbelief, she had her blade, it was drawn. "But not fast enough" she could only think as it collided with Edd's not a second after.

Through her right ear she heard the sounds of men drawing their swords and string their arrows behind her, even the distinct crackling sounds of fire and electricity joined in. At the far end of the field she could of swore she heard Luther yell "Fight!"

And fight they did, Maia swung her two handed long sword with a brutal efficiency at the bearded bandit. Matching the NPC blow for blow for a solid minute, her steadily rising anger aiding her concentration on the one target. Small sparks flew from the blades as they clashed, an event now occurring all around her aswell.

Her battle was only interrupted when an unknown fireball made its mark on Edd, causing him to stagger. This was then followed by a plump boy burying an axe in the mans chest.

"Barry" Maia thought

The boy let out a battle cry like no other, the physics of the game allowing him to move and jump like he couldn't possibly do in real life. He landed multiple hits on Edd before the bandit got up, thinking quickly Maia dashed back towards Edd. Getting a clear cut to his side before he could return fire upon Barry. Together the two continuously struck him in this sort of pattern until his health entered the red zone.

A quick glance to the side revealed the battle going in their favor, bandits were dropping like flies as the players confusion faded and their tactical awareness kicked in. Heroes of will consumed the outlaws with massive balls of fire while Heroes of skill rained down arrows. All while melee players like Maia and Barry cleaved down the bandits like they were chopping down tree limbs. Victory seemed absolute.

"Retreat!" Edd yelled as he tried to flee, stopped seconds later by Barry's axe, thrown over ten feet into the wood and burying itself deep in the bandits back. His body did not hesitate to shatter the moment later. Though some of the bandits did manage to flee, most were cut down. Leaving small bags of loot behind to be claimed by the victories players.

Back at the front a similar shout of surrender echoed off of the lips that Maia could only guess was Ed's. She turned her back briefly to woods and gazed at the front of the group. Luther and Raiden were chasing down Ed into the woods while Skittles cut down two weakened foes simultaneously with his two blades. Her fellow group members were charging from behind her to join the other players at the helm of the group. Even Barry charged blindly, still caught in the bloodlust.
She should have heard it, she was still in the midst of what she thought was a sort of virtual mimic of an adrenaline rush. Her senses felt heightened, her body filled with energy and her mind fully mobilized and ready for even the slightest change of movement in her vision.

Maia's eyes widened as a sharp kick hit her in the side, activating some sort paralysis effect as she felt her whole body go limp. She fell swiftly into the bandits arms, his rough face staring down at her with a maniacal nearly toothless grin.

"Shit." was all she could think hopelessly, her voice not even working.

No one seemed to notice until the bandit put two fingers in his mouth and let out an ear piercing whistle. Actually managing to halt all movement in the camp, the other bandits all but gone from the road.

"Listen here you heroes" he said, venom in every word "My name is Rash, and I'm the second fastest man in Albion. To prove that I thought I'd take myself a little prize-"

"Not so fast" came another raggedy voice from the front of the group, appearing seemingly out of nowhere, "My name is Slash, and I'm the real second fastest man in Albion. Anything that men can do I can do better and faster." He said, referring to the body slumped across his shoulders. It took Maia a moment to recognize from his clothing, his name to far. But before another word could be spoken she knew who it was.

"DeX!" Skittles yelled, sprinting towards the bandit with both his blades still drawn and at his sides.

"Screw you Slash!" Rash yelled in an annoyed tone, darting off immediately after. Seconds before Skittles was on him.

"Screw you faster Rash! Erh….I mean…Ah whatever never mind!" and with that he was off as well, too fast.

A minute later and a great deal of the way into the forest Maia knew.

"Too fast for them to follow…" she thought solemnly.

"So you're saying you're all from Australia?"

"More or less yeah, why?"

"Don't know, just never knew anyone from their I guess."

"It's not that big of a deal, I mean the house me and Jared grew up in was…"

The seven of them walked idly along the Bower road, the sun high above their heads as was the lake gleaming brightly to their left. The grass was of a beautiful green, overwhelming amounts of beautiful and colorful plants growing along the sides of the path while trees, although few and far in-between, jutted towards the sky with a sort of boldness that made Apollo feel safe, in a very odd way.

Apollo saw NeonTiger glare at TankGod from his left annoyingly, holding the stare for a good few seconds before the older brothers casual glance at the lake picked up on it. "Calm down Jared" TankGod said, dragging out the words as if he had said them hundreds of times. "Do you really think this kid is going to anything bad with our personal information?" His arms were outstretched widely, well within ear and eyeshot of Apollo. Though it bothered him little, the Tanks words still carrying a lighthearted tone.

NeonTiger talked little after that, fading to the back of the group to hold conversations with the rest. TankGod then continued talking unabashed, telling the tale of the groups adventures through Albion and all the quests they had done. He named more then a few close calls and sticky situations, leaving Apollo to wonder how exactly he made it so far. Nevertheless there he was, endlessly talking with a constant smile while Apollo only nodded and added the occasional "Yeah" at every question, rhetorical or literal.

"A hobby he really enjoys" Apollo thought as a smirk crossed his face, the constant conversation didn't bother him. Keeping the silence at bay was a task he loathed greatly.

Soon a small hill came into view, it's shape morphing and changing as it grew nearer. Brown blobs morphed into caravans and small buildings by the time they began to climb the hill. Atop it stood a large sprawl of the once blobs, made lively by the good amount of people calmly walking its dirt paths.
Though most of this was still out of sight, Apollo getting a quick look by leaping high into the air upon a already high rock. The encampments full view was not revealed until the walked the path to the hills top. Crossing a small wooden bridge and up to a pair of sturdy wooden gates. Above it a worn sign read "Bowerlake Gypsy Camp".

"A big camp.." Apollo thought inquisitively as he gazed at all but ahead of him.

"Excuse me" a familiar female voice said in a soft tone, just a head away from Apollo's ear. The voices timing was on par with that of him bumping into a body abruptly, he backed away immediately and rubbed his eyes.

"Oh, hey."

She was clothed in all red, head to toe. A large hood covered her face while linen robes covered the rest of her body. The only potential way of telling her sex being the occasional strands brown hair flowing down from the top of her hood, which in of itself rarely showed her face. Only when she gazed slightly upwards did the uppermost regions of her face become visible, green eyes and all.

"Uloveme?" RICH asked from the back, curiosity spelled out across his own face as he read the woman's name. "So you do have friends hehe?" TankGod asked, being the first one of the group to begin smiling. "Hey, how are you doing? My names Jason nice to meet you" he said, putting out a hand to the girl. Behind Apollo could almost feel his brother face palming.

But then she was already gone, midway across the bridge by the time Apollo and the rest noticed her absence. Apollo sighed.

"What the hell?" Lightweight asked, mildly offended by the gesture. Behind him his teammates shared similar expressions of bewilderment.

"Uh don't worry about it, she's like that, I'll tell you more in the camp" Apollo as he motioned the six to follow him past the gates. One by one, reluctantly for most, the group followed him into the Gypsy Camp. The events transpiring so quick Apollo thought they had already forgotten about the girl by the time they reached the main fire of the camp, barely even a two minute walk.

"Huh, this sure is a big camp.." Cheesus said, in mirror of Apollo's thoughts

For the next hour they went through every caravan shop in sight. Members like Trixforkidz, Cheesus and Lightweight happily searched through the items of the vendors while holding loud and hardy conversations with one another. Well on the other end of the spectrum RICH and Neontiger thoughtfully sorted through the wares quietly and intently, looking for anyway to change their characters for the better. "Yep, all five members…" Apollo thought with a mental sigh, TankGod had stuck close to him for the entire shopping spree. The topic of the red girl quickly spiraling out to questions about other players in the area, their abilities and stats, and even Apollo's own level.

"Wow, that's a pretty high number compared to us kid, I mean I'm only level 16. Some of the guys are level 14." he said, pointing to the majority of his members as they browsed the tattoo shop. "You mean to tell me you go their all alone?" Tank asked, leaning forward.

"I mean pretty much…" Apollo said as he ran his fingers through his hair, him and the leader were seated on respective crates idling in the dirt next to the fire. Near them Lightweight was arguing with a fat NPC dressed in faded purple. "It's a lot faster if you go by yourself, but also a lot more dangerous. Still there's likely another two or three people like Uloveme who are higher leveled then me." he shrugged, before continuing.

"If you think about it there's probably a lot of people out their who would be way higher leveled then me if they didn't…" His voice ended their, continuing in his mind as he thought of his two-
"Relax, don't think too much on it, what's done is done." Jason interrupted "We need people like you if were gunna beat this game in…" he pulled out his menu, glaring at the date in the corner with an ominous three digit number above. "…787 days" he said plainly. When Milo didn't respond he added in "Maybe we'll have a Christmas miracle and beat the first god tomorrow, who knows."

With that Apollo watched the man stand up from his crate and stick two of his fingers in his mouth, letting out a high whistle and gathering the attention of all the players. It amazed Apollo how lifelike the game engine was. Actually powerful enough to allow players to let loose a real wolf whistle.

"Yeaaaaaaaah that guy's prices are overpriced to hell." Lightweight said as he spat.

"There'll be more places to but stuff later on" he then turned his attention to the other four members coming from the tattoo parlor, Apollo saw his eyes slightly widen as Cheesus walked up.

Cheesus shook his shaggy long hair and smiled. On his right cheek and going up the side of his temple was a long black mark. The many different swirls and lines confused Apollo, yet it looked strangely good. TankGod seemed to agree, as a smirk took shape across his lips.

"Doesn't look half bad Aaron." A few of the members nodded in agreement for a bit before RICH spoke up.

"I got a quest earlier, something about a bandit camp that needs clearing in the forest not too far from here."

NeonTiger joined in before Tank could reply. "Yeah" he said, his tone making obvious his stance on the matter. "And it pays a lot" he said with a grin.

"How much?"

"300."

"Per person?"

"Yeah"

"Then why are we still here?" TankGod said with a tidal wave of motivation, enveloping the others within seconds. Apollo looked around to see the players talking happily, he sighed.

"This might be a bit high level for them" he thought as RICH and NeonTiger lead the way back to the quest giver. Shortly after followed by them skipping the dialogue and accepting the mission. "I like the dialogue" Apollo thought, now strangely feeling the annoying sensation forthcoming. Not a second after they accepted did it pop up in everyone in the parties quest log entitled "Ed and Thag". He then opened up his 2d menu and scrolled down, reading a text detailing how the two bandits were actually twin brothers whos feuds affected the lake's people as they walked towards the exit. His focused eyes almost missing the giant golden exclamation point on a bridge high above the gate, acting as a lookout for the entire region.

"Hey guys did you get that one?" he said as he stopped and closed his menu.

"Huh?" One of them asked

"That quest, above your heads." Apollo was pointing now, causing all the players to turn. "Did any of you check it out?"

Five minutes later they were all on the bridge on top of the hill, some sitting on the edge while others stood eye to eye with the old female NPC, a patched red and grey cloak covering her whole body. Apollo being almost sure that RICH was the only other player listening to the dialogue. The old lady talked about the god Oceanus and how he needs to be stopped so they can reach the spire. Apollo wondered if the developers new just how badly the players needed to stop him and reach the spire.

As she continued talking something became apparent, a sort of vague familiarity about the women, he wondered if she had been in any of the previous games he had read about. As apart from the old Fable V, this was the only one in the series he had ever played. Though Apollo had not seen her so he shrugged the thought off and kept his ears open. When at last the Gypsy woman was finished she took a deep breath and spoke one last sentence. The name above her head "Mysterious woman" moving slightly.

"So will you vanquish this threat young heroes?" she said as a pillar of blue light enveloped her body and she vanished from thin air.

"W-wah!" Cheesus blurted as his heart sank, his body nearly fell over the side of the bridge.

"Who was that?"

"Did she just teleport?"

"Did you guys just see that?"

A multitude of questions erupted from the group at once, everyone taking an instinctual step back after the woman vanished. Even Apollo felt his heart skip a beat. TankGod was quick to calm everyone down. "Relax guys its probably just a quest script, kind of like the balverine thing." His hands were up, a smile across his lips. "Still, I wasn't listening, what does she want us to do again?"

RICH was quick, taking the words right out of Apollo's mouth. "She wants us to kill the 2nd son of the God Oceanus, Vector." After which Apollo saw him straighten his arms and fold his hands, awaiting his leaders inevitable reply.

"Then why the hell aren't we going after that thing right now?" TankGod said fiercely, mere moments away from rallying the players before RICH added the second part in.

"It's a level 14 and up quest, I don't think it would be wise for us to do it just yet. Even with our overpowered friend over here" RICH then glared at Apollo, forcing him to speak.

"Yeah he's right, we should do the bandit quest first, level up, get some new gear with the money then kill Vector. Just to be on the safe side I guess." Apollo said with his hand scratching the hair on the back of his head.

Jason gave Milo a long hard stare, everyone looking at him for a few seconds before he made the call. "Alright, I guess a power up would be good…" Everyone cheered lightly and TankGods trademark smile was back. "What was the name of the bandit guy anyways?"

Apollo looked at RICH, not feeling like explaining it again. Far away, near the limits of his characters optical focus ability a faint sound reached Apollo's ear. He turned his eyes, off in the distance as small black and brown blur raced along the dirt path. In between RICH's words he could hear the then constant thumping of hooves. He squinted his eyes, just before the player turned and went further he caught a glimpse. A knight, in all black armor on a….

"Horse?"

The player then turned left seemingly onto a bridge, exceeding Apollo's eyesight and once again going back to a blur as he trotted off away from the camp.

A cough

Maia's eyes opened at once, black turned to a murky grey as she became aware of her surroundings. She shook her head as to sharper her vision, all around her the iron bars became visible again. For every second that passed a new memory flooded in, the path, the battle, her kidnapping and...

"Here…" She thought as she gazed around at her surroundings for the hundredth time. Dark, rusty iron bars sealed inside a mobile prison smaller then even the least expensive room in a village inn. Metal shackles bound her arms together behind her back. Although no pain was felt by her character, the fear still pulsed throughout her entire body like a virus. A virtual stream of sweat ran down the side of her cheek, that combined with the dryness in her throat reminding her how annoying the sensation of thirst could be in F:O. She had still clung to the hope that perhaps she could send a message to Luther or Skittles when she first arrived but reality was not hesitant to come crashing in almost immediately.

"The message system was disabled at the start of the game" And as if to add insult to injury they bound her hands, not even allowing her check the clock on the menu or at the least have hope for a disabled message system that would magically work again. The only way she had of telling the time was of the sky above her head, Maia remembered the chilling words Galmur told her when they first locked in the cage.

"Your little friends have till sundown tomorrow to come to the camp to pay your ransom, if not then we'll put a axe through your pretty little skull, little girl"

She gazed at the sky, the sun was still good way down in the west. "Eight hours at most" she thought before returning her eyes to the camp around her. The bandits went about their daily activities like any real camp of bandits would. Some would leave in big hunting parties while others drank and fought in brawls around massive campfires, their friends placing bets on the winner. Even in the face of death she had to admit how truly stunning the AI of the game was.

Turning her attention she set her eyes upon the only other body in her cell, at the exact other end was an NPC. A dark skinned Gypsy women named Kara. Maia had talked with her when she first arrived in hopes of finding a way to escape or at least kill her boredom. But there was little conversation to be had with the female NPC, she only muttered short responses such as "yes" or "no" and the occasional sentence or to only when absolutely necessary.

"There must be a point to her" Maia thought as she squinted the girl dressed in raggedy clothes, likely designed to look Maia's own age. No other words likely come out her mouth, Maia then threw back her head and sighed. Hoping that Luther and the others would come to her rescue and not...

She shook the thought out of her head "No they'll rescue both of us, they have to."