After giving Theresa a bonus birthday gift named "Skorm's Bow" we were teleported to the Guild. I know Elvira did what she believed was the right course of action but I don't like surprises. Theresa may pretend that she does but if that were true she wouldn't be such a worrywart about the future. Always looking at every possible outcome and trying to make the best a reality. Sometimes you just have to let go of control and live your life. Why does it seem all the women in mine don't understand this concept?

Maze for some reason teleported us outside the guild instead of directly inside it. Thinking back I remembered he did the same thing with the original hero when he bought him here. The heroes guild was a massive building with a wood-shingled roof. It had a large steel bar and stone fence around it.

"Here we are! I'll introduce you two to the Guild Master. He will be your guide for the majority of your stay here. Of course, seek me out if you need anything. I'll also be expecting you to help me with my spell research young man. After all, I will be needing that spell you promised. I doubt with your knowledge level you'll ever need to spend much time studying," Maze said expressing his thoughts.

"I wouldn't have it any other way Archmage," I replied. I was giving a respectful acknowledgment back because he chose to call me "Young Man" instead of "Boy". It was a small gesture that he was recognizing a middle ground between my two ages.

"I have two new apprentices! Put them in the dorms upstairs," Maze told the guild master right after we teleported in. The guild master was the same bald old man with a white mustache he had been in the game. His elaborate leather robes looked even more awesome than the low graphic 2004 release had made them look.

"These two are a little old to be apprentices aren't they?" The guild master questioned.

"Theresa is twelve and I'm two years younger," I told the Guildmaster.

"Ye gods what are your parents feeding you?" The Guild Master asked.

"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 to where you both will be staying," The guild master added while heading up the stairs.

"You two will be sharing a room with Wisper one of our brightest young pupils. She too is related to another Hero. Ever heard of Thunder?" The Guild Master asked.

"I've seen him before and yes he is massive and strong. Although his great failing appears to be his pride. I don't think I've ever seen someone so arrogant," I said expressing my opinion of the ebony giant.

The Guild Master paused and gave me a quick appraising glance, "Quite a head on your shoulders boy and some wisdom to boot. That being said I suggest you 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 reply with. I couldn't explain yet to the Guild Master that I was way beyond the level of a sharp stick-wielding barbarian. Thunder does have a pretty cool version of the lightning spell that somehow makes him invinsible from melee attacks or at least it did in-game. The fact is I won't make the mistake of underestimating my opponents. Had I done just that to Jack of Blades I would be dead. That exploding 10,000-degree knife trick was not in the game!

On another note, I knew Alfred the ex-bully was picking up a knife that just reappeared in Oakvales town square. I told him when and where to find it. He was instructed to hide the damn thing until next time I came by. I have a lot of plans to implement while I'm in the guild as an apprentice.

We were led into a side room that had two beds in it. Somehow one of the older apprentices wearing black tunics knew to bring another bed into the room. Setting it down on the far end near the door instead of by the other two near the window.

"This is your shared residence during your stay here. I believe Whisper is currently out playing in the woods. You will both probably meet her in the morning," The Guild master added as he left the room.

"Okay," I replied flatly. Honestly, I hadn't even considered what actually meeting a young Whisper would be like. It was sorta the last thing on my mind. I remember her brother Thunder pitted her against the Hero of Oakvale every chance he got. She went out of her way for years to compete with him.

"I call dibs on this one," Theresa said.

"What!!! No fair! Girls should both be over there," I shouted pointing towards the two beds near the window.

"Then you shoulda called dibs," Theresa smirked.

"You know sister sometimes being around you sucks donkey balls," I stated as a matter of fact.

"But it is my bwirthday," Theresa exclaimed in a sad tone batting her eyelashes innocently.

"Shut up DEMON!"

"What you don't wanna be close to the only black girl you've ever seen?"

"Don't act like this is about that," I replied caught off guard.

"Oh, I can make you sound racially biased. Think about it bro this is what you call a losing battle," Theresa smiled evilly. I mean it looked sweet to anyone else that might see it but to me, it looked like the devil herself.

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

"See I bet you after this you ain't even mad at Elvira anymore," Theresa giggled.

I squinted my eyes at her, "What?".

"Bet you weren't even thinking about it anymore," Theresa explained.

"Theresa I am going to give you a ten-second head start because it is your birthday but when I catch you there will be pain!" I told her.

"You'll have to catch me first!" Theresa said running 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. That's what I had thought but then I couldn't find her in any of the general locations. Then I saw it! The demon door in the guild had been opened and was closed with someone inside. The doors looked like regular stone doors that were closed. Theresa had beat me to opening the Demon door and was hiding inside!

I sat outside the Demon door about an hour after sunset. While getting seriously bored I had calmed down quite a bit.

"You gotta come out sometime sister!" I yelled.

The door opened a crack and a stick waved with a white cloth on it.

"Parle!" Theresa said.

"More like walk the plank. You got to come out to eat sometime Theresa!"

"I'm sorry. Truce?" She pouted.

"Maybe, what you offering in trade," I asked.

"This," Theresa replied holding out the "Elixir of life" that was contained in the demon door at the guild.

"Fine, but your sleeping in the bed near Whisper. I'm not interested in getting another girlfriend," I demanded.

"Aww but you two would look so cute together," Thersa exclaimed slumping her shoulders.

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

"Aw don't be like that. I'm just messing with you. Didn't you say I should be more like a kid while I still have the chance?"

"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?"

I sighed, "Let's just go back and sleep".

I awoke to a cold sensation on my back. I found the neck of my t-shirt to be too tight around my neck when I slept. If I moved too much it would choke me a little. So I would take my shirt off first before going to bed. It is not like I went to sleep indecent or something but I got a rude awakening.

"AH, what the [email protected]!" I yelled simultaneously rolling out of bed. The sensation that woke me up felt like something cold traveled along my skin and then I hit the wooden floor like a bag of bricks.

I looked up from the floor to see a panic-stricken Whisper staring at me. There was a series of exchanged stares before I realized what had happened.

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

"No, I was just curious about those blue marks you have. I've never seen a blue boy before," Whisper said in her cajun-like accent like it made it okay but her face was flushed.

"That is just rude! You can't go around touching people because you think they look different," I lectured.

"I know that!" Whisper replied pridefully.

"Clearly not!" I declared back.

"Pfft!" Theresa chuckled.

...

"Avo Help us all!" I proclaimed facepalming. Why are people here so weird?

That is how my first day at the Guild began.