Fable: Shadows Among Us (Book 1)

Chapter 11: Training Part (1/3)

I walked into the guild to see a man with a strange man who had a symbol on his head.

"Hello Maze, who are these young pupils?"

"There names are Kylie, Peter, and Lyllianna."

"Will they be taught the ways of the Guild?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I will call down one of my current apprentices. Her name is Whisper. I hope you get along. Whisper!"

Then a black girl ran down the stairs and said "Yes Guildmaster?"

"Meet your new friends. You and your friend, as most people refer to him, Chicken Chaser have new mates. They have a terminology test tomorrow at dawn. Make sure they have it down or I will assign extra cleaning work to be done in the tavern part of this Guild. Understood?"

"Yes Guildmaster. Follow me."

So we followed Whisper to our new rooms and saw the boy the Guildmaster was referring to. He was a tall, skinny lad. He looked to be my age and had dark brown hair. He wore an apprentice cloak and then looked up at me.

"Hello. You must be Chicken Chaser, I believe."

"Correct and who are you?"

"My name's Lyllianna White."

"Nice. So why are you here?"

"I was heading to Oakvale as a present for my cousin. My aunt got me from Bowerstone to ask me if I'd say yes. Then some things happened and when I went back home, my parents had left so here I am."

"So why do you want to be a hero?"

"To help and protect my family. My mom and dad had to leave because of money. I also want to save my aunt and my cousin."

"I'm here because I lived in Oakvale. I was saved by Maze but I don't go into detail about the raid. The memory has destroyed all hopes for my family."

"Wow! I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. Let's just learn your terminology."

Then we learned and went to bed. That next day, Kylie was waking me up. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and Peter had the same hairstyle as Chicken Chaser now except his hair color is a beautiful golden brown. So we walked outside and passed Whisper and Chicken Chaser. Chicken Chaser had just learned how to fight with a stick that he now carried around for practice. Whisper just read up on some old texts for her studies. So the three of us (Kylie, Peter, and I) walked down to the practice circle where the Guildmaster trained his students.

As we walked up to him, he said "Welcome pupils to the Guild. Here are your robes which you will start wearing tomorrow. Have you learned your terminology?"

"Yes sir!" We barked.

"Good. Now you already have experience in fighting so you will practice and in time, you will test. Use these items, not your bloodstained weapons." He said as he handed us all an iron longsword and a yew longbow, "You will get those back after training. Now Kylie, you go practice archery, Peter, you test your skills at melee combat with Lyllianna." So then he opened the ring and drew our swords. "Now, today will depend on your fighting skills. Go at it!"

Then Peter jumped at me and I rolled out of blade distance. Then I began swinging and he kept blocking me. So I hit him with a flourish and he fell to the ground. I had one foot on his blade, the other foot on his chest, and my blade at his throat.

"Magnificent Lyllianna. You have excelled past many years of Guild training but lack in patience. You also have no will experience. You have been well disciplined and if you keep this up, you will graduate this Guild 4 years ahead of Whisper and the boy."

"What about Peter, Guildmaster?" I asked.

"He has also excelled but needs more training. He will have to catch up in order to graduate with you. Now let us check on Kylie. Peter, stay here."

"Yes, Guildmaster."

So we walked over to where Kylie was practicing.

She turned around and said "Hello Guildmaster."

"Hello Kylie. How is she doing instructor."

"I haven't seen someone with her potential since Briar Rose and she had a huge acceleration in archery."

"Yes, what a pity she chose melee combat instead of ranged combat."

"Guildmaster, will Kylie be training with me too?"

"Yes. But you must practice archery while she practices melee combat."

"Yes, Guildmaster."

Then I drew my bow and hit the target dummy straight between where the eyes would be.