"This will be your new room. It used to belong to one of our legendary heroes. I'm sure you'll find yourself quite content here."
Cloud stared at the balding man, unsure of how to respond. All he knew was his own name and that he was in some sort of academy or guild that trained individuals into heroes.
The old man had explained to him that he was found lying unconscious inside a newly found demon door by a hero exploration party deep into Darkwood. There wasn't anything to indicate his origins, so eventually they decided to bring him into the guild and raise him as their own.
"Your origins are indeed a mystery, but I'm sure you'll come to remember them with time," the guild master smiled, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You don't seem too old, maybe a little over eleven or twelve. It's a prime age to learn and grow. Take some time to rest, and tomorrow, come see me in the library. You've got some reading ahead of you."
After he left, Cloud stayed seated, staring at the empty wall of his room, the air smelling of old musky wood. To his left was a bookshelf and beside that was a drawer. Another empty bed lay across from his.
The boy got up and walked towards the nearby window, peering out. There he saw a training yard with straw dummies strewn all over. There were many guild apprentices donned in the guild uniform, some his age, and others younger and much older.
Two apprentices were in the midst of combat inside a small circular arena. They seemed younger than him and were being instructed by a much older apprentice. Their wooden swords clashed. One twisted theirs, managing to redirect the other sword before landing a solid blow on their opponent's chest.
The instructor clapped and praised both of the combatants. The one who got hit grumbled as they rubbed their sore spot.
On the left side of the yard was an archery range. Cloud noticed a crowd gathering around a blonde-haired teen, skillfully striking the target dummies with his bow as they quickly zoomed from side to side. Apprentices and guild servants cheered for him as he swept his hair over his face, knocking one arrow after another.
Cloud touched the glass window, intrigued by the display of skill.
Just then he noticed a blue arch shine in the corner of his vision located on the far right of the yard. Turning his head, he saw a girl with long black hair standing across another dummy under an oak tree.
She was in a stance, with her right arm stretched forward. Her eyes were closed as if in meditation. She took a breath before her eyes shot open and let out a yell. A tendril of blue light arced out of her fingers and struck the dummy, followed by low a rumbling noise that almost rattled the window that Cloud was staring out of.
He found himself even more fascinated at what the girl had done than the bow user. His eyes widened, unable to help but lean on the window to get a better look.
Several questions formed in his mind.
What did she just do?
Could he do it?
Feeling as if being watched, the girl looked around before her eyes landed on the guild dormitory windows. There she saw a boy with grey unkempt hair staring at her with wide eyes.
A hint of pride welled within her, seeing that someone was finally recognizing her abilities.
There weren't many Will users in the guild. It was a forgotten aspect of power that was slowly making its way back into the world of Albion. The hero of Oakvale was one such user who had popularized the subject. Another was Maze, although most tended to see him in a darker light after news of his betrayal.
Even the guildmaster was overlooked, though he didn't seem to mind, preferring his quiet time.
"You think that's impressive? Watch this," she said with a small smirk forming on her lips.
She channeled her will, imagining a ball of fire as she focused on the target straw dummy. This was the second attack spell she knew, after finally managing to conjure a small flame from months of practice. It wasn't big enough to do much damage but it was enough to impress the guildmaster, declaring her an exemplary student of Will.
Will was an energy, that to this day, had always remained a mystery. It was a power that had the potential to reshape and control the very aspects of reality itself. Some believed that it came from the soul while others speculated it was mental energy. Others believed it was a bloodline power originating from the original user himself, William Black, hence why not many could use it.
Cloud watched with increasing fascination. This time, a small flame materialized in her hand, rotating in her palm. She stayed that way for a few moments until she looked as if she was unable to contain it any longer. With a fierce cry, she thrust out her hand, launching the fireball. It spiraled in the air before smacking the dummy in the center.
The girl noticed the boy was unable to take his eyes off her. She raised her chin and flipped back her hair. In her mind, she had imagined this very moment, with others standing around and basking in her glory. Even though only one person was paying attention, she believed soon there would be more.
"I'll definitely be as powerful as Grandpa!" she spoke under her breath, gazing at the lone tower just beyond. A hint of anger mixed with shame washed over her before she set her eyes back on the target dummy.
...
The next day came by in a flash and Cloud found his body now fully rested and refreshed. After witnessing yesterday's events, he had asked a servant who came by later that day to bring him supper. As it turned out, what he saw was a feat of will.
"Ah, you must mean Labyrinth," the servant had replied. "She and Tom are the only Will users around here. She's pretty handy with a blade too. Scary girl, she is. Dark air about her. Tom's a fine fellow, though a bit dull that one."
Cloud had asked her several more questions. That's when he had come to learn that the Guild master himself was also a renowned Will.
An hour later, there was a knock on the door.
"Good morning Cloud." The guildmaster walked in. "Ready to start your day?"
Cloud nodded.
"Good. Follow me."
He followed the old man to a large room lined with bookshelves and tables.
"All right there lad, let's start with the basics. Reading and writing."
Cloud sat down. A thick dusty book was placed in front of him with brown pages that were barely readable. A small cough escaped his lips before he turned to the guildmaster.
"Guildmaster?"
"Yes, my boy?"
"May I learn more about...Will?"
The guildmaster stayed silent for a moment before chuckling. "Interested in Will, are we? I assume you saw someone perform such acts from your bedroom window."
"Yes," Cloud responded. "It was amazing! I...I would be very interested to know how to do it!"
"Haha. Your enthusiasm is appreciated. But first comes a bit of studying. Most apprentices who get accepted here would never think that the first thing they're taught is the academics. We can't have heroes bumbling around unable to perform even simple math or read and write now can we?"
The guildmaster had a point. They would be the laughing stock if their heroes weren't at least intelligent enough.
"But I think I already know how to read and write sir."
"Hm? Do you?" He rubbed his chin. "All right then, I'll tell you what. If you can prove in the next hour you're at least somewhat proficient we can skip straight to the history lesson."
An hour later, the guildmaster was pleased to see the boy was already capable of at least the basics, despite his memory issue, or whatever he was suffering from.
'If he is even suffering at all from anything,' the guild master mused.
Weaver could feel the boy was very much in tune with the powers of Will. It wasn't a surprise he was interested in it. He could feel the boy's will almost bleeding out of his body. Still young and on the verge of forming his first Will lines. It was faint, but a skilled user like him was able to notice.
"Now that we got that out of the way. Let's get to some history, shall we? You know what they say. The more you know of the past, the better you're prepared for the future."
...
Cloud found the subject of history to be as interesting as he had thought, especially as it related to Will itself. The lands of Albion were quite chaotic back in the day. From the rise and fall of civilizations to the utilization of Will to control and lead kingdoms, to their destruction and downfall all the way to the present era. Not to mention the mysterious entity who was known as Jack of Blades.
He had learned that Will was a powerful force not to be reckoned with. Too much of it without the proper wisdom to regulate had oftentimes led to the corruption and downfall of its users.
"And you're no exception lad. Too much power can corrupt," Weaver stated, standing over the boy. He had taken the liberty to educate him personally. "I'm telling you this because I sense a great power within you. It's not to be taken lightly."
"Yes, guildmaster."
After a week of study, Weaver could tell the boy was getting eager to start his hero training. He was very obedient for a child his age who would've, by now, thrown a tantrum at not having to swing a sword already.
'If anything, he just might be able to take my place as the next guildmaster. I can already feel my years gaining on me.'