OoO( 6 )OoO

Alex sat in the library scanning books on gardening for hours. She became frustrated with her failed attempt to find the meaning behind the riddle. She turned the pages of a book, skipping past the sections on the tree and shrub life of the forests, and even a page saying that an earth troll could be considered a plant due to its lack of brain power. She went to the flower section of the book and repeated the second line again, as she had many times before.

"Seek out he who holds the blooming flower..." she said, scanning the pages for a 'Blooming Flower'. But there was no such entry in the books. Closing the book roughly, she leaned back in her chair and sighed as she kicked her feet onto the table. Then, realizing she was beginning to mimic one of Van's bad habits, she dropped her feet to the floor giggling slightly at the thought.

A young apprentice walked by her and sat at her table, looking at her. She looked back at him and smiled. He was scrawny, to put it lightly. His face was thin and pale, and his body was very frail. She figured he would most likely become a teacher, or at the very most a mage. "Hi..." she said smiling at the boy. He blushed furiously, and tried to hide it with the book he had chosen. She looked at the cover and saw the fine ink print on the cover. 'The Guild of Heroes'.

"Is that an interesting book?" she asked him as he hid his face. Peeking out from behind the book, he nodded.

"Y...Yes..." he said as he slowly laid the book on the table. "It's about the history of the guild..." he said.

"Oh really? You mean it has all the previous guildmasters, and all the hero exploits and everything?" she asked, moving closer so she could see. The boys tempurature began to rise as the gorgeous woman moved closer to him.

"Y...Yes..." he said nervously. "Everything that has ever happened since this guild has been built is recorded in here. This is an older version, so the recent happenings of Jack haven't been added yet, but it has up until the burning of Oakvale." he said, becoming less nervous. Alex looked at him and smiled when she figured it out. The more he talked about books, the less nervous he became. So she persisted.

"Oh really, tell me about the guildmasters. What were they like?" she asked curiously, scooting her chair closer.

"Well....the first was a man by the name of Solus. He was a great mage that saved Albion from a great disaster. After he saved Albion, he began to wander the country and do his best to help people. He became very well known. So well known, that he began to have followers. Eventually, they stopped on top of a giant hill overlooking Lookout Point and decided to build a fortress to help people. The followers kept coming and coming until finally, the guild was constructed and christened by the sign on the door, the Phoenix." he said happily, looking to the book for anything he might have missed.

"The second was only a florist named Wellow. He wasn't really a hero in any way, but he did help people in many ways. Mostly by creating different vaccines and cures for many of the poisons found in the world. Did you know that before he created a vaccine, anybody stung by a forest wasp would die? Now though, it has circulated and hardly anyone dies from them." he said. Alex perked at the sound of this one.

"A florist you say..." she asked. "Did he like flowers?"

The boy nodded eagerly. "He had a whole garden of them. In fact, he is shown in a painting at the far end of the library holding his favorite flower." said the boy pointing towards the far end of the hall. She looked at where he was pointing and immediately ran. She saw the painting as she approached. The man had a very caring look about him. He had a genuine smile on his face, with long black hair to his shoulders. In his hand, he held a rose that had barely begun to bloom.

The hero frantically looked around, then grabbed a nearby chair. Setting it under the large portrait, she stepped up onto it and pulled the bottom of the painting away from the wall. A small scroll parchment fell from the hiding spot and hit the floor. She put the painting back and stepped down from the seat, grabbing the parchment and unrolling it.

Go to the island of magic, and peer through the moving curtain.

She stared at the parchment for a moment before smiling. Walking over to the boy, she kissed him on the head and walked out of the library, leaving him stunned as if he had been hit by lightning.

OoOoO

Van and Briar Rose sat in his house, staring at the old drawings of the fireheart, making it look like some ancient rock with runes on it. The most they could get out of any of the books was that it was some magic stone that shunned darkness and created a path for those who were lost.

"So far, we haven't learned anything on where this stone is at all. It could be anywhere!" sighed Briar Rose.

"Well, what we learned from the diary, we have to find the four prophets in order to get the fireheart. But it doesn't even tell us where we should look. Just says 'The answer will come to you.' Whatever thats supposed to mean..." Van said as he sat in the chair. Then, out of nowhere, he felt a sudden tingling in the base of his neck. "What the..." he said as he rubbed the spot.

Rose looked at him. "What is it?" she asked curiously.

"Not sure...just..this wierd feeling..." he said. He stood up, and immediately he was ripped from his house into a pit of darkness. He stood in an abysmal cavern, with nothing but darkness for miles around. "W...Where am I?" he asked as he looked around.

"Where you are isn't the question." said a voice behind him. Van spun around and aimed his hands at the voice. It was a man, very tall and thin. He wore black robes, emblazened with magic symbols down the front and back of them. His face was hidden behind a black cloth mask that was tightly wrapped around his face, most likely to conceal the scars and wounds he had gotten from battle. In one hand, he held a can made of dark wood, with a single gemstone at the top. "I'm afraid your magic won't work here." said the man in a sinister tone.

Van looked at his hands. It was true, for some reason, he wasn't able to summon lightning. Looking up at the man, he clenched his fist. "Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Scythe." he said, and Van dropped his fists.

"Scythe, as in Scythe from Snowspire?" he asked curiously.

"Indeed. And you are Vangard, am I right?" he asked, already knowing the answer. Van nodded, and he continued. "Maze told me that you would be the one I entrust with my knowledge now." he said.

"Knowledge of what?" asked Van curiously. "And why did Maze tell you that? How does he know you?"

Scythe smirked slightly, warping the mask on his face. "Me and Maze were friends since we both started in the guild so many years ago. I have information for you and the one known as Lyle. Are you prepared to listen?" he asked. Van nodded immediately. "First, I am to tell you that Jack is being ressurected as we speak...but you already know this thanks to the hero's sister..." he said. "So, I am to help you where I can. You intend to come to Snowspire, am I correct?" he asked.

Van nodded. "Yes, we have figured most of the things we need, but now we are stuck. Using the maps from Maze's library, we have concluded that getting to Snowspire isn't going to be some vacation sunny trip across the sea."

Scythe laughed silently. "Indeed."

"From the maps we can assume that some barrier is in the way. And we need this fireheart to clear the path again. But, we don't know where to find it. We don't even have a clue." he said frustrated.

"That's because Maze didn't even know where it was. All he knew was what I told him." he said. Van looked up at him.

"Does that mean you do know where it is?" he asked.

"Indeed it does. But I need to know that I can trust you Van. Maze was a very good friend of mine, but I couldn't trust him. He was too deep in with Jack. I need to know that you can be trusted with what I am about to tell you..." he said in a mystical tone.

Van nodded. "I have been a hero for a long time, and never once have I betrayed one of my friends. Anything and everything you give me, I can promise will be used with just and honorable intent." he said.

"Very good. Use whatever you need of this knowledge to stop Jack of Blades again, for I won't be able to hold him back much longer." said the dark hero.

Van looked up at him, then nodded. Scythe placed a hand on Van's head, making his eyes widen as information, visions, places, people, relics, events, and many many more thoughts flashed through his mind.

OoOoO

"Van! Van wake up!" shouted Rose as she shook his unconscious body. He didn't respond however. Healers from Bowerstone came into the house to see what had happened, when finally his eyes flew open and he shot to his feet, scaring them all. Briar Rose glared at him and beat his chest. "What the hell is wrong with you!?" she shouted.

"I know where to find it..." he said, then ran out of the house.