I got dressed and headed toward the melee arena. In the original timeline, Arn had been late and had run there, but I chose a different path this time. I could have just gone downstairs like Whisper did to meet the Guildmaster, but I didn’t care much for ceremonies. So I went straight to the courtyard arena.

  I wasn’t waiting long before the Guildmaster and the other students arrived. To my surprise, it wasn’t just Whisper, as in the game. Alongside her were several other white-robed apprentices and a young teenage Briar Rose.

  She looked like a female version of Harry Potter, with the same round glasses and unruly hair. If only she knew the reference. I could give her a "sick burn" about it.

  Briar was a senior apprentice preparing to take her final exams and become a Hero. I could tell she was already developing an air of arrogance, her posture suggesting she knew she was better than the others.

  I had little patience for obnoxious individuals who looked down on others. So what if someone didn’t have powers? They were still people and deserved respect. The medieval mentality that might is always right was frustrating enough without adding her attitude. She wasn’t even born a noble, yet she carried herself as if she were one.

  The Guildmaster began by having Briar Rose fight another senior apprentice to showcase their techniques and skills. Briar displayed grace and precision, fighting like a fencer with her falchion-like sword. Her opponent, a clumsy fellow named Tom—the Guildmaster’s son—lacked her finesse. His sloppy footwork and poorly aimed swings made it painfully obvious he wasn’t cut out for this.

  I remembered from the game that Tom claimed to be the fastest apprentice. When Arn had beaten his fastest time to the Demon Door, Tom had made some snarky comment about needing to be good at something. I always thought he should have been a more central character—at least for comic relief—but alas, he never became a hero and vanished after the protagonist graduated.

  It made sense for the game to simplify the hero's intro for a younger audience, but I couldn’t shake the thought of how Briar, barely older than the protagonist, acted as though she were untouchable. What a stuck-up attitude!

  As expected, when it was time to pair Whisper with an opponent, I anticipated that I would be facing her. My expectations were wrong.

  “Theresa, you will be sparring with Whisper,” the Guildmaster announced.

  The ensuing fight was even more one-sided than Briar's had been. Theresa, with swift grace, knocked Whisper to the ground repeatedly, moving with the confidence of a kung fu master. I shouldn’t have been surprised; Theresa was capable of holding her own in close combat if necessary. How much time had she spent living through other timelines?

  Whisper struggled, her frustration mounting until she finally shouted, “Fat cheater!” That comment earned her a beating, leading to her near unconsciousness before she surrendered and begrudgingly apologized.

  Next, it was my turn to spar with Theresa. The Guildmaster, visibly impressed by my sister’s skill, observed intently. Briar Rose, too, was watching with a mix of curiosity and wariness. Looks like you’ve got a rival now, sis, I thought with a smirk.

  As I took my position opposite Theresa in the small melee arena, I noticed her nervousness. It was a clear sign she had tried to glimpse the outcome of our duel and had failed.

  “Never put all your eggs in one basket, sister,” I said, activating [Time Control].

  How could someone accurately foresee the future when they couldn’t be certain when it was? My method? Ever heard of military-style encryption? I overlapped an accelerated field of time with a thin barrier of slowed time. To onlookers, it would appear as if we moved super fast, but the field I created surrounded the watching apprentices and the Guildmaster, allowing me to evade Theresa’s future sight.

  I could sense her hesitation to strike out on her own. Theresa had become too reliant on her gift. I struck out with my wooden sword, and she narrowly dodged to the side, almost tripping. Being able to see other weaknesses meant she had never lost a fight, but that had left her unprepared for a real challenge. She had yet to learn the critical lesson of always being aware of her surroundings.

  As we fought, she kept backing away from me, trying to regain control. I forced her sword to the side and charged forward, ramming her into the low fence of the arena. She accidentally toppled over.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Haha!” some of the apprentices mocked.

  “SHUT UP!” I shouted sternly.

  “NO ONE MOCKS MY SISTER BUT ME!” I added with a fierce glare, and a few young apprentices gulped fearfully.

  I helped Theresa up, shaking my head. “Do you know why you lost?”

  “Because you countered my power?” she asked, brushing herself off.

  “No... because you’ve become too reliant on knowing the outcome beforehand. For everyone else, we have to cross boundaries through skills like reading body language and memorizing the terrain accurately at a moment’s notice. You’ve taken a shortcut, and it could someday get you killed.”

  Theresa nodded in response, “Thank you for pointing out my deficiencies, brother.”

  “You are very humble, sister. Many at your level would have repaid my answer with scorn.”

  “I am not those fools,” she smiled.

  Our moment of sibling bonding was interrupted by the other apprentices.

  “I call bullshit!”

  “Me too!” said a second apprentice.

  “Yeah, she mopped the floor with me and yet went down so easily when her brother charged her. That doesn’t even make sense,” Whisper added.

  “Now, children, there is a logical explanation,” the Guildmaster cut in, looking at me to elaborate.

  So Reaver, the Guildmaster, could sense my time manipulation spell? Or perhaps he was simply enjoying the display of skill from both Theresa and me?

  “Theresa and I have Will Magic and our speed and might are already above a starting hero's. My power counters hers, evening the odds,” I explained.

  “WHAT??? SHE WAS CHEATING!” Whisper yelled, stomping in frustration.

  “There are no rules that say you can’t use body-enhancing Will powers during a melee duel, child,” the Guildmaster remarked.

  That silenced Whisper momentarily, but I could tell she was still fuming, contemplating her next statement. “But we don’t have Will powers yet.”

  “Best not to point out your own deficiencies, child,” the Guildmaster retorted. Damn, Whisper was going to need some aloe vera for that burn.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a massive man in bronze armor striding toward us, looking furious. Oh, it's Thunder, come to complain about me... err, us?

  “Ah, Thunder, come to see how your sister is doing, have you?” the Guildmaster asked, his tone slightly mocking.

  “Yes, the servants tell me you have her training with… cough… some farm children.”

  “The girl cheats!” Whisper added.

  “THAT IS ENOUGH, WHISPER!” The Guildmaster shouted commandingly. The girl went quiet and visibly pale; it was the only time I had ever seen him raise his voice.

  “So my son and daughter aren’t good enough for an upstart hero like you?” Scarlet Robe questioned, her voice dripping with a murderous aura.

  “You… You are?”

  “Scarlet Robe, the one and only, in the flesh!” she declared proudly.

  Most of the students had seen her come over to watch the spars and were quietly gossiping. What loving parent doesn’t want to check in on their kids if they can? You see, Nemo and Maze had worked something out with the Heroes Guild demon door to keep it secure for us. Just like "Hits" did for the archaeologist later in the game. "Hits" is a demon door that will only open for those who know his name. This was the safest place for us all to be right now. Dad was currently taking care of Kren in the demon door nearby.

  “So my children are too dirty to train with your royal highness now?”

  “I… I never said that…” Thunder tried to reason.

  “My children are far more gifted than your little sister. She will gain from training with them, as I’ve personally trained them before. This should be enough for you unless you doubt my power and skill,” Scarlet berated, slowly bending a steel greatsword in her hands.

  The greatsword in Fable 1 is not like the ones on Earth. It has no taper, meaning the blade stays the same width the entire length. It also has no point at the tip, resembling more of a giant hacking cleaver. Historically on Earth, this weapon was called the “executioner's sword.”

  Scarlet had taken a liking to this weapon from the guild shop and bought it to train with. She also possessed a master greatsword but mostly trained with the steel one because it weighed more. The master greatsword is made of enchanted bronze, which weighs significantly less. I had even seen her dual-wielding two at once. I didn’t think such a thing was possible until she did it. Eventually, I will guide her to "Huw's Sword," which is sealed in a boulder outside Avo’s temple. Unfortunately, due to its proximity to the Witchwood Arena where Jack resides and the village Scarlett grew up in, it would not be wise to go there with her anytime soon. She was more than strong enough to rip it from the stone with sheer force, but... maybe there's a way to get Avo’s Tear without the end-game boss battle... I had no idea how her skills would develop going forward, especially with all the plans I'm trying to put into motion. Brom used a shield, unlike other heroes; only "Nostro," the hero who founded the guild, was ever known to use one. His shield is buried with him at Lychfield graveyard. Plus, I also should get him a pair of magic gauntlets that let the user cast spells unless I find a workaround for the problem.

  “... Mam, I meant no offense. I was unaware these children were yours,” Thunder apologized, backing away. Bending a steel cleaver the size of a six-foot-tall man would send shivers down anyone’s spine. If she kept going like this, I wouldn't even have to fight Jack again myself! I thought jokingly. I would still have to confront him, as he could steal life force and may have other aces up his sleeve. It was still nice to watch the arrogant Thunder be put in his place. I never realized that Thunder’s arrogance story arc only happened because the protagonist's heritage was unknown at the time and because of Lady Grey’s advances towards him in that timeline. Once he knew who the MC was, he said it didn’t matter because he’d always be just a farm boy to him. That was because he already hated him and made up his mind until he lost a battle to the death and was spared.

  This time, however, Lady Grey had always been mine! Wait... What? I asked myself.

  a more central character. At least for comic relief or something. That guy never becomes a hero or anything. He's never seen after the protagonist graduated.

  What a stuck-up bitch!

  How much time has she spent living through other timelines? Whisper got her butt handed to her until she finally called Theresa a "Fat Cheater" which resulted in getting herself beaten to near unconsciousness before ultimately surrendering and being forced to apologize.

  Looks like you got a rival now sis, I chuckled internally.

  So Reaver the Guildmaster could sense my time manipulation spell? Or maybe Theresa's future sight? It could possibly be both and he was just enjoying watching a fight of melee and Will between two skilled users.

  Damn, Whispers gonna need some aloe vera for that one.

  Oh, it's Thunder come to complain about me... err us?

  If she keeps going like this I won't even have to fight Jack again myself! I thought jokingly. I would still have to fight him because he can steal life force and may have other aces up his sleeve. It was still nice to watch the arrogant Thunder be put in his place. I never realized that the whole Thunder's arrogance story arc only happened because the protagonist's heritage was unknown at the time and because of Lady Grey's advances towards him in that timeline. Then once he knew who the MC was he said it didn't matter because he'd always be just a farm boy to him. That's because he already hated him and made up his mind until he lost a battle to the death and was spared.

  This time, however, lady Grey has always been mine! Wait... What? I asked myself.