After giving Theresa her bonus birthday gift—Skorm's Bow—we were teleported to the Guild. Elvira believed she had made the right choice, but surprises were never my favorite. Theresa may pretend to enjoy them, but if that were true, she wouldn't spend so much time worrying about the future. Always analyzing every possible outcome, trying to mold reality to her liking. Sometimes, you just have to let go of control and embrace life as it comes. Why does it seem like all the women in my life fail to grasp this concept?

  Maze, for reasons known only to him, teleported us outside the Guild instead of directly inside. I recalled he had done the same with the original hero when he first brought him here. The Heroes Guild was an impressive structure, its wood-shingled roof rising majestically against the backdrop of the setting sun. A large steel bar and stone fence encircled it, lending an air of both security and grandeur.

  "Here we are!" Maze announced, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "I'll introduce you two to the Guild Master. He will guide you during your stay. And, of course, seek me out if you need anything. I’ll also be expecting your help with my spell research, young man. With your knowledge level, I doubt you'll need to spend much time studying," he added, his tone laced with expectation.

  "I wouldn't have it any other way, Archmage," I replied, offering him a respectful acknowledgment. His choice to call me "young man" instead of "boy" felt significant—a small gesture of recognition that I was no longer merely a child.

  "I have two new apprentices! Put them in the dorms upstairs!" Maze instructed the Guild Master as we arrived. The Guild Master, a familiar figure, was the same bald old man with a white mustache from the game. His elaborate leather robes looked even more impressive in person than they had in the low-graphic 2004 release.

  "These two are a bit old to be apprentices, aren’t they?" the Guild Master questioned, raising an eyebrow.

  "Theresa is twelve, and I'm two years younger," I informed him.

  "Ye gods! What are your parents feeding you?" he asked, clearly astonished.

  "Well, you see, their mother is Scarlet Robe herself," Maze explained.

  "Ah, now that makes sense! As always, Maze knows what he's doing," the Guild Master nodded, fully convinced.

  "Seems you two will excel in might and skill, just like your mother. Follow me; I’ll show you where you’ll be staying," he added, leading us up the stairs.

  "You two will be sharing a room with Wisper, one of our brightest young pupils. She’s also related to another Hero. Ever heard of Thunder?" the Guild Master asked over his shoulder.

  "I’ve seen him before. Yes, he’s massive and strong, but his greatest failing seems to be his pride. I don't think I’ve ever met someone so arrogant," I replied, expressing my opinion of the ebony giant.

  The Guild Master paused to give me a quick, appraising glance. "Quite a head on your shoulders, boy, and some wisdom to boot. Just a word of advice: never repeat that around him or his sister. His temper is almost as bad as his arrogance, and you don’t want to be the target of either!"

  "Yes," was all I could manage in response. I couldn’t explain to the Guild Master that I was far beyond the level of a sharp-stick-wielding barbarian. Thunder had a pretty cool version of the lightning spell that made him invulnerable to melee attacks—or at least it did in the game. I knew better than to underestimate my opponents; had I done so against Jack of Blades, I’d be dead now. That exploding 10,000-degree knife trick was definitely not in the game!

  On another note, I was aware that Alfred, the ex-bully, was retrieving a knife that had just reappeared in Oakvale's town square. I had instructed him on when and where to find it, emphasizing the importance of hiding it until I returned. I had grand plans to implement while I was in the Guild as an apprentice.

  We were led into a modest side room that contained two beds. An older apprentice wearing a black tunic seemed to know to bring in an additional bed, setting it down on the far end, near the door.

  "This will be your shared residence during your stay. I believe Wisper is currently out playing in the woods. You’ll probably meet her in the morning," the Guild Master announced before leaving the room.

  "Okay," I replied flatly, realizing I hadn’t even considered what meeting a young Whisper would be like. It was somewhat the last thing on my mind. I remembered her brother Thunder pitting her against the Hero of Oakvale at every opportunity. She had gone out of her way for years to compete with him.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  "I call dibs on this bed!" Theresa exclaimed.

  "What?! No fair! Girls should be over there!" I protested, pointing toward the two beds near the window.

  "Then you should’ve called dibs first," Theresa smirked, her eyes gleaming mischievously.

  "You know, sister, sometimes being around you sucks donkey balls," I stated matter-of-factly.

  "But it’s my birthday!" Theresa exclaimed, adopting a sad tone and batting her eyelashes innocently.

  "Shut up, DEMON!" I shot back.

  "What? You don’t want to be close to the only black girl you’ve ever seen?" she teased.

  "Don’t act like this is about that!" I retorted, caught off guard.

  "Oh, I can make you sound racially biased. Think about it, bro; this is a losing battle," she grinned evilly. It looked sweet to anyone else, but to me, it seemed as if the devil herself were taunting me.

  "I hate you so much right now," I groaned in surrender.

  "See? I bet you’re not even mad at Elvira anymore," Theresa giggled, clearly enjoying this playful banter.

  I squinted my eyes at her. "What?"

  "I bet you weren’t even thinking about it anymore," she explained, her tone teasing.

  "Theresa, I’m giving you a ten-second head start because it’s your birthday, but when I catch you, there will be pain!" I warned.

  "You’ll have to catch me first!" Theresa declared, darting out the door.

  There was no way she could outrun me, and when I caught her, she was going to get a kick in the pants. Or so I thought, but I couldn’t find her in any of the usual hiding spots. Then I saw it! The Demon Door in the Guild had been opened, and it was closed with someone inside. Theresa had beaten me to the Demon Door and was hiding inside!

  I sat outside the Demon Door for about an hour after sunset, boredom creeping in as I calmed down a bit.

  "You gotta come out sometime, sister!" I called.

  The door creaked open a crack, and a stick with a white cloth waved through the gap.

  "Parle!" Theresa declared, mimicking a pirate.

  "You know you’ll have to come out to eat at some point, Theresa!" I reminded her.

  "I’m sorry. Truce?" she pouted, her big eyes pleading.

  "Maybe. But what are you offering in trade?" I asked, intrigued.

  "This!" Theresa replied, holding out the "Elixir of Life" that was contained within the Demon Door at the Guild.

  "Fine, but you’re sleeping in the bed near Wisper. I’m not interested in getting another girlfriend!" I demanded, trying to assert some control over the situation.

  "Aww, but you two would look so cute together!" Theresa exclaimed, slumping her shoulders in exaggerated disappointment.

  "I think you may be mentally unstable, Theresa," I replied bitterly.

  "Aw, don’t be like that. Didn’t you say I should be more like a kid while I still have the chance?" she retorted, her expression turning mischievous.

  "I know what I said, and don’t go using my own words against me!" I countered.

  "Well, how else am I supposed to use them?" she asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

  As I drifted off, the world around me faded into darkness, and another strange dream overtook me. Instantly, I was flooded with the sensation of always having been this person.

  Amidst the chaos of clashing steel and the acrid smell of smoke, the battlefield echoed with cries of terror and despair. Bodies lay strewn across the ground, remnants of a fierce conflict that had escalated beyond anyone’s control. The sun hung low in the sky, casting an ominous red hue over the scene.

  This time, I was a man, clad in a worn green uniform, sprinting forward with determination burning in my eyes. My heart raced, not from fear, but from the desperate need to reach the one thing that mattered most—the child caught in the fray. A young girl, no more than five, stood frozen in terror, her wide eyes reflecting the carnage around her. She had lost her parents in the chaos and was now alone, a lone beacon of innocence amidst the brutality.

  “Stay right there!” I shouted, my voice a steady anchor amidst the storm. I dashed forward, dodging the swings of swords and the blasts of magic that erupted around me, all while keeping my gaze locked on the girl.

  “Come to me!” I urged, unslinging my rifle and setting it aside. I outstretched my arms as she began to waver, torn between her instinct to flee and the cry of the stranger who seemed to care. The distance between us closed, and I could almost taste her fear—sharp and acrid.

  Slowly, the girl approached with caution and finally latched onto me, her tiny body trembling. I could hear her quietly sobbing, so I carried her without a word, allowing her to relax a little in my embrace. With my camp just ahead, the distant sound of gunfire rang out. The enemy was all around us, and my only choice was to sprint for the reinforced encampment.

  I knew I wasn’t fast enough to make it through the onslaught unscathed, but I shielded the girl long enough to get her to safety.

  Darkness once again enveloped me, and I heard that same sickly sweet voice welcoming me home.

  I awoke to a cold sensation on my back. I realized the neck of my t-shirt had become too tight, choking me a little when I moved. I had removed my shirt before bed, and now I regretted it.

  "AH, what the f@&k?!" I yelled, simultaneously rolling out of bed. The cold sensation that had startled me had traveled along my skin, and I hit the wooden floor like a bag of bricks.

  Looking up from the floor, I found a panic-stricken Wisper staring at me. We exchanged a series of bewildered looks until I pieced together what had happened.

  "Did you just poke me with your finger while I was sleeping?" I demanded.

  "No! I was just curious about those blue marks you have. I’ve never seen a blue boy before," Whisper replied, her cajun-like accent adding an odd charm to her words, but her flushed face betrayed her embarrassment.

  "That is just rude! You can’t go around touching people because you think they look different," I lectured, feeling my irritation rise.

  "I know that!" Whisper shot back, her pride flaring.

  "Clearly not!" I declared, unable to hold back.

  "Pfft!" Theresa chuckled from the corner, enjoying the show.

  "Avo help

  DEMON!"

  pain!" I told her.

  Why are people here so weird?