Logan's Journey: Chapter One

WRITTEN: 18 October 2012
===Warning: Logan will be a little out of character in this story due to the different path he takes than that in he game.===
==Chapter One: The Beginning of Two Worlds==
Logan looked into his father’s desperate pained green eyes, and nodded his head as tears began to flow freely down his face. He sobbed as he unsheltered his dagger and held it above his father’s heart.
‘I love you, Dad,’ he cried.
‘I love you too, my son,’ Sparrow smiled before closing his eyes.
Logan cried as he plunged the dagger into his father's heart, and as Sparrow passed on, Logan fell to his knees bawling his eyes out. He had never cried so much, not even when his mother, Hammer, had passed away at his sister’s birth.
'MURDERER!'
Logan jumped violently and looked at the bedroom door. His ten year old sister, Lillian, stood there glaring at him while tears were pouring down her face. She was shaking violently.
'Lily,' Logan began with a choked sob.
'HOW COULD YOU?' she screamed at him. 'LOGAN, HOW COULD YOU KILL DADDY?'
'Lily, please listen -'
'GUARDS!' Lillian screamed.
Moments later several guards appeared. Two immediately bent down next to their crying princess while the others took in Sparrow's body with Logan's dagger through it.
'MURDERER!' Lillian yelled at her brother again before crying hysterically into a guard’s chest.
The guards’ eyes hardened as they marched over to their prince.
'What are you doing?' Logan exclaimed. 
'What do you think?' one of the guards replied coldly. 'You are under arrest for the murder of the king.'
'I didn't murder him!' Logan tried to explain as the guards dragged him to the dungeon. 'I mean, I did, but Dad told me to end his pain! Please, let go!'
Meanwhile, Jasper was walking calmly along with a tray of two hot chocolates. Every night he would go to Logan's room and they would have a quiet drink together. Over the years it had become a tradition. However, as he was walking along, he could hear Logan pleading, before he watched in horror as four guards led the struggling Logan to the dungeons. The tray he was holding slipped from his hands and fell to the ground with a smash as he hurried off to find his cousin, Sir Walter Beck, one of King Sparrow's best friends.
'WALTER!' he yelled as he ran into his cousin’s room. 
He saw the startled Walter on his couch with a book in hand.
'Jasper, what' wrong?' Walter asked, getting to his feet.
'It's Logan. He's been arrested!'
‘On what grounds is he being arrested?' Walter demanded, heading for the dungeons.
'I don't know, but I think they believe Logan murdered Sparrow,' Jasper explained as he hurried to keep up with the furious Walter.
'Ridiculous!' Walter huffed.
He stormed into the dungeon and walked into the guards who had arrested Logan.
'The killer is down there,' one of the guards informed Walter.
Walter's eyes narrowed.
'What gives you the right to arrest my godson and call him a killer?' Walter demanded in a deadly whisper.
'Because that is what he is, sir,' replied the guard. 'Princess Lillian saw him plunge his dagger into King Sparrow's body. We saw the dagger with our own eyes. Prince Logan even admitted to murdering his father!’
Walter stood there dumbfounded, before marching past the guards to hear the truth from Logan’s own lips. He could not believe that his godson could ever do such a thing. Logan loved his father dearly. He never did turn into a Mummy’s Boy like they had all feared when he was a baby.
As the cousins approached Logan’s cell, they could hear the teenager crying. Walter quickly unlocked the cell door and was immediately by the Prince’s side.
‘Logan?’ he said, sitting on the hard stone bed next to him.
‘Walter, I swear what they say is not true!’ Logan exclaimed immediately. ‘I didn’t murder Dad out of spite or to claim the throne! I went to his chambers to check on him and he begged for me to end his life. He told me to kill him to take away the pain of the poison and living without Mum. He said that his life would end soon anyway, he just didn’t want to be in pain.’
‘We believe you, Logan,’ Walter said calmly, holding back tears of hearing that his best friend was now gone. He had watched Logan grow up and it was for that reason he could tell when the teenager was lying and when he was telling the truth.
‘What’s going to happen to me now?’ Logan asked quietly.
‘I don’t know,’ replied Walter. ‘The guards, nobles and, most likely, Lily, would all see this as treason; as such the penalty is death.’
Logan tensed up beside him.
‘Logan, listen to me. I won’t allow them to take your life, I swear this to you!’ Walter said firmly, pulling the younger man in close to him. ‘Jasper and I will remain by your side and protect you.’
Logan mutely nodded as tears trailed down his flawless face.
On the one hand, he hated himself for taking his father’s life even though he was fulfilling a dying man’s wishes. Once he had finished hating himself, he began to hate his father. How could he ask his own son to end his life, especially when there was no one to witness what he had specifically asked? How could he ask something of him, which in turn, could end his very own young life? As his hatred disappeared, he spent the rest of his time grieving his father’s passing before hating himself again.
Jasper and Walter stayed with Logan all through the night, giving him as much comfort as they could. It is always hard to lose a parent who was one of your best friends, but it is even harder when you are the one who had to end their life and were now at risk of losing your own. As a result, it was no surprise that Logan cried himself into an uneasy sleep.
‘I cannot believe Sparrow would ask Logan to take his life,’ Walter muttered bitterly to Jasper as he watched his godson sleep. ‘I never thought that he would be such a cowered or would be so selfish. Didn’t he realise what effect this would have on Logan?’
‘He might not have been thinking clearly if he was in as much pain as Logan said he was in,’ Jasper whispered back glumly. ‘Besides, Sparrow had many secrets and was a mysterious man. Maybe he had a reason for asking Logan to do such a painful task?’
‘He had better of had a very good one,’ Walter grumbled.
The next morning, a trial was held before the entire Royal Court to decide on Logan’s fate. 
‘Just tell them exactly what you told Jasper and I,’ Walter told Logan as they waited in a room near the throne room. Logan has his hands chained behind his back and his eyes were red and filled with grief. ‘You haven’t done anything wrong, just remember that.’
Logan nodded his head and offered his godfather a smile.
‘I will speak to you again after the trial,’ Walter told him gently, before heading off to the throne room. 
As he entered, his eyes found Jasper standing nervously in the crowd before they travelled around the room and saw Lillian sitting on her throne, dressed completely in black. Her best friend, Elliot, was sitting on the throne’s arm, holding her hand trying to offer what little comfort he could.
Sighing sadly, Walter went and took his seat.
Minutes later, the trial was ready to begin.
‘We are gathered here today to determine the fate of Prince Logan, son of the late King Sparrow and Queen Hammer, older brother to Princess Lillian, and godson to Sir Walter Beck,’ began the Judge. ‘Due to the laws of Albion, set down by the Archon, everyone is innocent until proven guilty, so please dismiss anything you have already heard since King Sparrow’s passing and bear in mind everything said during this trial. Please bring in the accused.’
Walter watched on sadly as Logan was brought in.  He was proud to see that Logan was still keeping his head held high.
‘Prince Logan, you have been brought here today, accused of murdering your father, King Sparrow,’ the Judge continued once Logan stood before him. ‘You were seen by your sister, Princess Lillian plunging your dagger into your father’s heart. Do you deny her seeing this?’
‘No, sir,’ Logan replied. ‘She indeed saw me doing this, but only because Father asked me to.’
‘King Sparrow asked you to end his life?’ asked a member of the Court. She and her fellow Court Members looked sceptical. ‘Why would he ask you to do such an act?’
‘He said that he wasn’t going to be around much longer and that he wished for his pain to be gone. He no longer wanted to live with the pain of the poison that was slowly killing him and the pain of having to live without Mum.’
‘Was there anyone else around in the room when King Sparrow told you this?’ the Judge inquired.
‘No, sir.’
‘Did your father tell anyone else of his wish?’ 
‘Not that I know of, sir.’
‘Do you have any proof whatsoever of what you said being true?’
‘I only have my word, sir.’
‘Is there anyone here that would like to say anything more to help the Prince’s case?’ The Judge looked around the room, but his eyes stopped on Walter as he stood and addressed the court.
‘As you all know, I have watched Logan grow from a baby into the man he is today,’ he said. ‘During this time, I have seen Logan do many things and, as such, I have seen no evidence to support why Logan would want his father dead. He has shown no interest in the throne and when I questioned him last night, there were no lies in his eyes. What he says is the truth.’
‘Thank you, Sir Walter,’ said the Judge. ‘If there is no further evidence, the Court, Princess Lillian and I will go and determine Prince Logan’s sentence, if there is to be one.’
Logan’s eyes widened slightly when he heard that his sister would also be in charge of determining his fate. How could they let a little girl pass judgement?
The Court and Lillian were gone for fifteen minutes and when they returned, Logan’s heart began to throb painfully in his chest, though his face did not give away what he was feeling inside.
‘The Court and Princess Lillian have all come to a consensus that we find  you, Prince Logan, guilty of treason for the murder of King Sparrow,’ the Judge declared. ‘You shall be executed at dawn tomorrow by firing squad.’ 
‘No!’ Walter gasped, while Jasper closed his eyes sadly.
Logan, however, stared at his sister, who was death glaring back at him. He could not believe that his sweet baby sister had just sentenced him to death. He could tell that by the look in her eyes she had not been talked into it. He absently allowed himself to be led out of the throne room and back to his prison cell.
Moments later, Walter came hurrying down into his cell.
‘Well, that’s that than,’ Logan said, giving his godfather a half-hearted smile. ‘I guess my destiny, and the only reason that I was born, was to be there to take my father’s life. Now that it is done, I can just be thrown away like yesterday’s paper.’
‘That’s not true, Logan!’ Walter said firmly. ‘I will not allow you to walk to your death tomorrow!’
‘What can you do?’ Logan asked bitterly. ‘What power do you have over the Royal Court? Even Lily has more power than you!’
‘True, but I do have a few friends that have power within the Court. I’ll try and pull a few string to remove your death sentence,’ Walter said. ‘Promise me, Logan, you will not give up hope.’
‘Too late, Walter,’ Logan said indifferently. ‘You should go. I doubt the Court will be too happy about you conspiring with a murderer.’ 
Logan turned away from his godfather and went to lie down on the cold, hard, stone bed.
Walter watched him sadly for a while, before leaving the cell and hurrying off to try and free his godson while cursing Sparrow in the process.
-----LOGAN’S JOURNEY-----
That night, Logan had managed to fall into an uneasy sleep, where his dreams were filled with different events happening as he was led to his death. Fortunately, he was awoken from a particularly nasty event.
‘Walter? Jasper? What are you doing here?’ Logan mumbled as he sat up and looked at the two cousins, before fighting off Titian as he tried to lick Logan’s face. Titan was Sparrow’s dog Pearl’s son. He was quite fond of both children. 
‘I wasn’t able to change your sentence,’ Walter whispered quietly. ‘Apparently Lily refuses to change her mind –‘
‘Wait… Lily? What’s that got to do with anything? I thought you were seeing the Court?’ Logan said, looking totally bewildered.
‘I did, but they informed me that Lily was the first one who decided to sentence you to death,’ Walter said awkwardly.
‘Does she really hate me that much?’ Logan whispered, looking and sounding heartbroken.
‘I’m afraid so,’ Jasper said sadly.
‘So why are you here?’ Logan asked again. ‘Surely it wasn’t just to tell me that.’
‘No, we’re breaking you out of here,’ said Walter, grabbing Logan’s arm and leading him out of the cell. ‘Neither of us can bear to see you sentenced to death, Logan.’
‘But if you are caught, you will be sentenced to death too!’ Logan said.
‘We know, but we are willing to take the risk!’ Jasper said firmly. ‘We shall follow you wherever you go.’
Logan smiled at the two men. At least someone still believed and cared about him.
‘So why’s Titan here?’ he asked. ‘I thought he would be sleeping in Lily’s bed, like he usually does.’
‘Lily kicked him away,’ said Jasper. ‘She said that she wanted nothing to do with him.’
From the dungeon, Walter cautiously led Logan and Jasper out into the main garden.
‘There is something rather sinister about this garden at night,’ Jasper commented as they headed towards the Royal Catacomb.
‘Where are we going? I thought we were leaving the castle,’ Logan said, not understanding where they were going. The exit, after all, was on the other side of the castle, not in the backyard.
‘We are,’ replied Walter, ‘but there’s something we must do first.’
‘And that is?’
‘We must pay our respects to Albion’s last two Heroes.’
‘What do you mean “last two”? Uncle Reaver is the last Hero.’
‘Reaver isn’t someone I’d class under Hero,’ Walter muttered as they arrived at the catacomb.
‘I never thought I’d enter this place again,’ Jasper admitted.
‘You should have known better,’ Walter said to his cousin as they snuck inside.
‘What are we doing here?’ Logan asked, not looking too thrilled about being around his parent’s tombs. Sparrow had been laid to rest the afternoon after Logan’s trial.
‘Before your father passed away, he told me that there was a Hero that would replace him,’ Walter explained. ‘He told me that it was either you or Lily, but he didn’t know which one of you it was. He said that I would know when the time is right, and that time has come. I am sure that you are the Hero he spoke of, and that is why I have brought you here. This is your history and legacy.’
‘But how do you know it is me?’ Logan asked. ‘You could be wrong. It could be Lily.’
‘A true Hero would not sentence their sibling to death or look so evil in the eye,’ said Walter.
‘But why bring me here?’
‘There is something your father wanted the next Hero to have, and it is hidden in this tomb.’
‘Did Sparrow tell you where it was hidden?’ Jasper asked. He didn’t feel like going on a wild goose chase. Knowing Sparrow, he probably hid it somewhere very clever.
‘I made sure to ask him,’ replied Walter. ‘I just need your help to lower the angel’s hands once more.’
Jasper nodded his head and moved to stand in between Hammer’s sarcophagus and a wall, while Walter did the same thing on the other side of a giant angel statue in between another wall and Sparrow’s sarcophagus. In unison, they then bent down and pushed in a stone. With the levers pushed, the angel began to lower her hands. Inside her hands was Sparrow’s Guild Seal.
‘Father’s Guild Seal,’ Logan muttered, walking over and picking it up. Sparrow had forbidden Logan and Lily to ever touch it while he was alive.
Walter nodded his head.
‘One of your father’s most treasured possessions,’ he said. ‘It is said that the Guild Seal choses those who have the power within them. It is supposed to choose those who have the potential within them.’
‘Right… so is something supposed to happen?’ Logan asked, looking down at the Seal in his hand. How was the Guild Seal supposed to choose him?
Walter never replied. Instead, he watched as the Guild Seal began to glow and Logan began to scream as he felt a strange sort of energy fill his body. As it entered his body, he began to feel stronger and more powerful. He began to feel as though another side of him was starting to appear.
As the pain slowly began to disappear, the world around Logan went white and before he knew it he was standing on a narrow strip of land surrounded by fog before a gate with the Guild Seal marked upon it.
Logan gazed around wondering what else laid in store for him.
‘Good evening, Logan.’
Logan turned to look back at the gate and saw a blind lady standing before him in a red and white dress with matching hood.
‘Who are you?’ Logan asked.
‘I am Theresa, the Seer of the Spire,’ the woman replied.
‘Theresa? My father spoke of you fondly. He said that you are my something-great aunt,’ Logan replied. ‘You were also his guide.’
‘Indeed I am,’ she said, ‘and I will help guide you along the path you were born to take in this world; the path that lies before you. The Guild Seal awoke at your touch as it only would with a Hero. This means one day, the fate of Albion will rest on your shoulders.’
‘That doesn’t sound too appealing,’ Logan commented.
‘Indeed it will not be all fun and games, but like all Heroes, you will face many trials, but you cannot face these trials alone, as your father learnt in his youth.’
‘I understand,’ said Logan.
Theresa nodded her head and handed Logan a gauntlet.
‘There is a great power inside you,’ she said. ‘You merely lack the means to unleash it. This gauntlet will help you. It will channel the magical energy within you. Stand in the Guild Seal symbol in the mausoleum, and the way out of the castle will open for you.’
‘Thank you, Theresa.’
‘Go now.’
Logan’s surroundings changed once more and he was standing before the curious Walter and Jasper.
‘Well? Do you feel any different?’ Walter inquired.
‘I do feel stronger,’ Logan admitted, before walking over to the Guild Seal symbol Theresa spoke of. 
Once he was standing inside the circle, he closed his eyes and began to concentrate. The gauntlet made finding his Will easier than it would have been without them, and before the cousins’ eyes, he summoned the power of fire and flung the energy down at the circle. This simple act made the stone floor his parent’s tombs were on to move and a secret passage was revealed, but it also made Logan’s vision fade for the briefest of moments.
‘It bloody worked!’ Walter exclaimed joyfully. ‘You really are a Hero!’
‘I never doubted it for a second,’ Jasper declared.
‘Well, of course, neither did I,’ said Walter, ‘still though… it bloody worked!’
Walter turned and looked down at the passage leading out. His smile vanished immediately.
‘Somewhat narrow, isn’t it? Dark too,’ he muttered sounding uncomfortable.
‘You never did care for confide spaces, did you, Walter?’ Jasper commented. He had forgotten all about the night his father locked Walter in the small dark cupboard. In fact, Jasper had pushed all memories of his childhood away, except for a few happy childhood ones of Walter.
‘I never did care for being poked in the eye or having my head chopped off, what of it?’ Walter snapped at his cousin as they headed down the dark and narrow passage.
‘Oh dear, I seem to have struck a nerve,’ Jasper muttered to Logan. Walter heard.
‘Well, how about I strike a butler on the bounce!’ he growled warningly.
Logan looked at his godfather curiously. Clearly Jasper had struck a very big nerve, but what nerve it was, he did not know.
‘Ah, now this is more like it!’ Walter exclaimed happily, suddenly, when the corridor led out into an open, underground cavern. ‘Grand, spacious, a plentiful supply of oxygen… just the way a castle escape route should be.’
‘I hesitate to ask, but what is our plan, supplementary to leaving the castle, which I absolutely approve of, obviously?’ Jasper asked as they all continued on their way. 
‘It’s simple,’ Walter replied. ‘We have to train Logan to become a Hero.’
‘But, Walter… how are you to train me when I will be the most wanted criminal in Albion tomorrow morning when they realise I’m gone?’ Logan asked. ‘There is nowhere safe enough –‘
‘Nowhere except Oakfield,’ Walter interrupted.
‘Ha, please tell me you’re joking,’ Logan laughed. 
‘I’m being seriously, Logan.’
‘Are you insane? How is Oakfield the safest place? Guards already are all over the place and with my escape –‘
‘There is one safe spot in Oakfield,’ Walter interrupted again. ‘When your father was exploring Oakfield, he came across a Demon Door. To open this particular Demon Door, he had to show it him proposing to someone. It was outside it that he proposed to your mother. The Demon Door ended up leading to Serenity Farm. Sparrow told me that some of the most skilled Will users of the Heroes’ Guild designed it as a sanctuary from the real world for Heroes to spend their final years. The Hero of Oakvale, surprisingly enough, was one of these Heroes. Only those who bear the Guild Seal can enter, as well as any the bearer wishing too.’
‘It sounds perfect,’ Logan muttered, ‘but getting there will be difficult.’
‘I’m sure we –‘
‘BATS! TAKE COVER!’ Jasper yelled suddenly before cowering behind Walter.
Shaking his head and trying not to laugh, Walter withdrew his pistol and began to shoot the bats. Logan, however, began to use his Will. What other choice did he have? His Will was his only weapon.
‘Excellent!’ Walter said approvingly to Logan, as the teenager rubbed his temples. The use of Will was making him sick for some reason.
‘Indeed,’ Jasper agreed, straightening his clothes. ‘Your father would have been proud.’
‘It was just bats,’ Logan muttered, not seeing what the big deal was.
‘Ah, but it was how you defeated them,’ Walter disagreed. 
‘I don’t see how he would be impressed by that,’ Logan said as he led the way down the path. ‘He could use his Will without gauntlets.’
‘Well, even if Sparrow isn’t proud, I sure am,’ said Walter, before turning to Jasper with a sly grin on his face. ‘And I am proud of you too, cousin. I have never seen a man cower with such grace from bats.’
‘It is merely a matter of hygiene!’ Jasper replied gruffly. ‘Bats are filthy creature!’
Walter laughed as did Logan. 
‘Anyway,’ Walter began, turning back to Logan, ‘I think we have just seen proof of what you have. You will surely be a great Hero. Bats are just the beginning.’
‘Thanks, Walter, but you are my godfather. You have to say stuff like that!’ Logan continued to laugh.
They walked a fair distance in silence, before Jasper yelled, ‘MORE BATS!’ making Titan, Logan and Walter all jump. While Jasper cowered behind his younger cousin again, Walter and Logan took care of the bats. Even Titan gave it go. He found it great fun jumping up at them.
‘Another impressive display, Logan,’ Jasper praised. ‘To think, a few mornings ago my job consisted of laying out clothes for royalty. Now, I’m a midnight snack for bats.’
‘You’ll get used to it,’ Walter said with a chuckle.
‘I seriously doubt it.’
Walter chuckled again.
Again they walked in silence until they arrive at the Bowerstone Sewers where Walter warned them to cover their noses before fighting off more bats. At the end of the sewers the party came to what appeared to be a dead end. They were about to turn around and find another passage way out when Logan realised there was a cullis gate at the end of the dead end. To activate it, Logan had to use his Will again. Exactly the same way he had in the mausoleum, only this time it made him feel drained of energy. He wondered if his father ever experienced this when he first learnt how to use Will.
The cullis gate ended up taking the party to a strange room. In the middle of the room was a map of Albion. It also had four doors leading off the chamber. The room they were standing in was also a down right mess.
‘What is this place?’ Logan asked, looking around at the mess. ‘Did this belong to Father? It’s messy enough to have belonged to him.’
‘You know, I think it did,’ Walter muttered walking over to the map of Albion and having a look. ‘I think this is Sparrow’s Sanctuary. He told me of it when we last spoke. Well, I don’t believe it. Jasper, this book… there’s a note with your name on it,’ he added, pointed down at a book on the table.
Logan and Jasper hurried over.
‘That’s not possible.’ Jasper striked down the very idea, but sure enough there was a note on the book saying, For Jasper. ‘Well, I grant you, it is possible, but it must be a coincidence.’
‘Do you think it was a book Dad was going to give you for your birthday?’ Logan questioned.
‘I seriously doubt it,’ said Walter. ‘You’re father stopped giving gifts to everyone when your mother died, except for you kids, of course. He said that Hammer was always in charge of gifts saying that she always knew what to get us. With her passing, he just gave us money.’
‘Then why would there be a book here for Jasper?’
‘I’m guessing Sparrow left it here for Jasper,’ Walter said thoughtfully. ‘He must have seen him here in a vision with his Fate Cards. What’s the book called?’
‘The Book of Heroes,’ Jasper replied. ‘It’s quite extraordinary. Everything that we could possibly want to know about Heroes and this place is right here in these pages.’
‘Does it tell us how to get out?’ asked Walter.
‘Yes, apparently this map functions as a travelling mechanism,’ Jasper explained as he read from the book. ‘Simply choose where you want to go and, well, it should take you there.’
‘Sounds easy enough,’ said Walter. ‘It will also help us avoid guards. Let’s find Oakfield on the map.’
‘It’s here,’ Logan said, pointing to a spot on the map. Unlike his parents, he was a keen navigator.
‘Good, we should travel there now. The sooner we get there, the less chance there will be of anyone noticing us.’
Logan nodded, took his godfather’s hand - Jasper said that he would remain in the Sanctuary - and held his Guild Seal to Oakfield. Before they knew it, they were standing outside the Sandgoose. The streets were deserted.
‘This way,’ Walter whispered, taking Logan down the left path, before turning right and walking through an orchard. Once through the orchard, they turned left again and followed the path down to the water. When they arrived at the water, they saw a stone arch with a pinkie-purple portal. 
‘Come on,’ Walter muttered, grabbing Logan wrist and pulling him through the portal.
On the other side of the portal was the most a beautiful farm Logan had ever seen. It was like a picture out of Lily’s fairy tale books. He could now understand why the Heroes of old would come here in their final years. It was so relaxing and peaceful.
‘Might as well get settled in,’ Walter sighed, letting go of Logan’s wrist and walking towards the house.
Logan quietly followed. He had the feeling that the years that were to follow were going to be difficult.