Hunter, Mary, Alex and Grace stood outside of the Throne Room a bit disheveled and confused, as they had been rushed out only moments prior without much more than a word. Mary had lost the fervor she had gained from before, and went back to her previous state of embarrassment, feeling the guards penetrating her with their gaze. The guards weren’t actually paying attention to Mary as they had seen her before and were more interested in Alex trying to listen in the conversation happening inside. Alex pressed herself to the door harder and shushed at Hunter, who was in the middle of trying to convince Alex that the doors were too thick to listen through and her attempting to do so was pointless. Hunter eventually gave up on his endeavor, realizing his task to be more pointless than Alex’s as her skull was probably thicker than the door. Having resigned himself to this fact Hunter sat down on the floor, while Grace decided that it might be fun to go try to listen to the conversation inside. Hunter sighed as he watched Grace scamper over to the door and slide herself next to Alex and pressed herself against the door as well. Mary watched giggling, as she felt the knot loosening in her chest and began to relax for the first time this afternoon.


    Alex was whispering nonsense into Grace’s ear when the doors swung open nearly knocking them off their feet. The Butler appeared shortly thereafter nearly knocking into them as well, he didn’t seem to notice or care about this fact, as he cleared his throat and declared “I have been tasked with ‘leading you into greatness’, so my first task is to escort you all to learn the skills of your respective trades.” Barely leaving a pause he then proceeded with “Follow me” and set off at an alarming pace towards the other set of doors in the Great Hall.


    Mary was still processing the events that had just occurred when she saw Hunter and Alex rush past her and Grace tail behind them. The three of them stopped at the entrance to the Great Hall and waved at her to follow them as the Butler had already left them in his proverbial dust. Mary’s muscles tensed as her year of high school track experience took over and she sprinted off to meet her friends and begin their adventure in the strange world that they have found themselves in.


    The sun had already begun its decent in the sky, as the group of future adventurers finally exited the Keep of the Castle and ran through the Castle Garden, letting out various sounds of excitement. The group had started to find their stride when they noticed the Butler ahead of them steadily making his way through the narrow streets. Alex put on an extra burst of speed nearly catching up to the Butler, before getting distracted by an extravagant bookstore in front of her.


    “Whew” Alex whistled when she had finally caught her breath, “this place is real nice”


    “Must be the rich side of town” Hunter mused, breath still a little haggard from the run they had just finished.


    “I don’t know, maybe the whole town is like this?” Grace countered breathily.


    “Oh hey guys, I don’t think now is the right time to discuss this, our tour guide is missing again” Alex announced unexpectedly.


    The four of them set off at a sprint until Alex got distracted again, this time by a restaurant that reminded her of a café where they used to hang out after school.


    “Why don’t we stop here and eat something?” Alex piped up.


    “Because,” Hunter started, ignoring his stomach that had also sensed the café nearby, “once again we’ve lost that darn butler.”


    “What? How does he even?” Alex sputtered flabbergasted, before setting off to once again catch the butler.


    Determined not to lose the Butler again Alex sprinted a whole block ahead of their elusive target, before getting distracted by what appeared to be a pet store. Practicing extremely poor etiquette Alex stuck her face to the glass to gain a better look at the animals inside and was quickly joined by Grace who mimicked Alex’s actions immediately. Though Hunter seemed to disapprove of their actions, he too quickly glanced at the cages, seeming to take note of each individual animal and their conditions.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    This time Mary piped up “Hey guys we’re losing him again.”


    “What?” Alex started “You know what, I don’t even care. These things are cute as heck.”


    Setting off once again they eventually caught up to the butler who had stopped at a decrepit church in the middle of a dirty town square.


    “This is where you depart Healer, come back to the castle before sundown if you wish to be fed.” The Butler stated insincerely in a bored manner.


    “Well guys, this seems like goodbye for now. You better run before you lose that bastard again.” Alex said, waving her friends farewell one last time. Alex turned herself to face the rundown church, as her friends ran off into the distance, and she mentally prepared herself to open the door. Expecting to find the church full of nuns and tetanus, Alex swung the door open and found a diverse gathering of healers treating a room full of an equally diverse set of townspeople and a distinct lack of rust related injuries. Adding to her surprise and growing annoyance, none of them we’re wearing the same stupid robes that she was, instead they seemed to be wearing their everyday clothing. Having resolved that she would punch that smug butler in the face until she felt considerably better, Alex entered the Church and was greeted by a soothing wind permeating throughout the Church. She felt the number of times she would have to hit the butler in the face lowering, as she wandered through the Church aimlessly. Stopping when she reached a dirty pulpit, curious to see if she would find a bible within, Alex began to rummage through it.


    Alex was still rummaging through the pulpit when a woman in her mid-forties finished their work and noticed that Alex appeared to be lost “Excuse me,” the woman asked her, “there are still some in this world that would find what you are doing quite rude.”


    “Sorry” Alex apologized, face red from the embarrassment of being treated like the nosy child she was.


    “No worries child” the woman continued “You must be one of the Great Heroes that was summoned to the castle earlier today. Though we did not expect you until tomorrow.” She mused, clearly interested with the child who had decided to wear their bedsheets to church.


    “Um, yeah, that’s me” Alex replied a bit nervously, “yeah, they sent us to train immediately.”


    “Well you must be starving, child” the woman chided “Follow me, child. You simply cannot learn on an empty stomach.” The woman motioned to a passage to the side that held the faint smell of food aided by the soothing air flowing throughout the building.


    “I could eat something” Alex said, an understatement to say the least as her stomach rumbled loudly from a lack of food and the large amount of running that she had done today.


    The woman made her way to the passage that she had motioned to before, lightly touching each of the other Healers on the way. They all seemed to relax at her touch their shoulders lowering and their brows unfurling slightly as they worked. Alex followed the woman in awe as she made her way very gracefully through the slightly crowded church.


    Before Alex knew it, she was sitting at a pew with an empty bowl, a full stomach, and no memory of ever eating “Now what should I call you, child?” her mother inquired.


    Alex shook her head knowing full well that the woman sitting next to her wasn’t her mom and it was foolish that she had even thought that in the first place. “My name is Alex, Ma’am.” Alex said and started shaking her head even harder, surprising herself by using the word Ma’am in a non-sarcastic manner.


    “Do not worry child, you shall get used to it with time” the woman next to Alex told her. Noticing Alex’s confused face she continued “It’s a little bit of magic to soothe the pain of the wounded, though it can often lead to confusion and disorientation. Concentrate a little and your mind will clear up, my dear.”


    Alex focused with all her might on the woman in front of her and ended up covering her mouth as the woman’s face transformed to that of an old hag.


    “Shhh” the hag put her finger to her lips “a lady must keep her secrets.” The hag cackled as her face blurred and the beautiful woman that was sat next to her returned letting out an equally beautiful laugh.


    “Wait. What. How did you,” Alex stuttered, mouth hanging open as she tried to concentrate on the old hag’s face only able to perceive a slight shimmer on the beautiful woman’s face.


    “Like I said a lady must keep her secrets,” the hag told her. “Though most people would consider it rude to be stared at so intently, my dear.”


    “Oh sorry,” Alex replied blushing once again embarrassed at her continual treatment as a child.


    “You are a lovely child, darling, do cheer up,” the matron told her, “now I believe you are here to learn the intricacies of healing another.”