"In her position?" I asked, not understanding what Liz ant by that statent.
"So, you didn't know… Well, I suppose that she doesn't really act like one!" Liz answered not really explaining anything further.
"Doesn't act like one what?"
"A mber of the Elven royal family, a princess and heir to the throne in fact."
"A princess!"
"I'm surprised you didn't realise. All of the summoners are a princess or high priestess from one of the allied races. I think you've also made the acquaintance of one of the others that are in town, Altria?"
"She's a princess too!" That seed even more unbelievable.
"I wouldn't worry about it too much, the catkin are pretty lax about these things. It definitely wouldn't be the first ti that Altria has ssed around. Lillia on the other hand… The elves would probably have you killed, but you wouldn't be silly enough to have…" My face must have said it all. "Oh my, haven't you been quite busy in such a short period of ti since your summoning!"
"I had no idea she was a princess!" I had done more than just fooled around with her a little. I didn't want to think what they would do to if they found out.
"Don't worry your secret is safe with … So, just how much has Lillia told you?" Liz asked switching subjects.
"Well, I know that there is a demon lord and that I am expected to fight him for so reason, but that is all know!"
"Oh dear, she really has kept you in the dark. Then I'm not surprised after what happened with her last summons."
"I heard that he was destroyed, but when I asked her about it, she wouldn't tell what had happened, she just said the mory was too fresh for her."
"I expect it is."
"Please, can you tell what happened?"
"I can, I don't mind telling you, seeing that the shop is quiet at the mont and telling you will probably save Lillia reliving so of the trauma for a little while, but you will have to co in off the street. This could take a while I don't want to stand out in the street all that ti."
"Sure."
I followed Liz into her shop. Once inside she popped behind the counter for a mont, before reappearing with a stool.
"Here sit on this."
"Thanks."
I did as she suggested and sat down in front of her counter. Liz made her way back behind the counter, taking her own seat. She leant over the counter resting on her elbows, her ample cleavage leaning on the top.
"Well, where to start? Hmm…"
"How about you just tell what happened with the previous hero and then see if I have any questions?"
"Sure, I can start there. When your predecessor found out that he could never return to his own world and that the only way to gain a permanent existence in this world was through the destruction of the demon lord, he shirked his duties and left town…"
"Hold on." I interrupted. "I can't ever return to my own world?"
"No, well your body there has died after all…"
"I'm dead!" I yelped.
When I was summoned, it didn't just feel like I was dying, I actually did die.
"In way yes, but you aren't really dead, dead, are you? Otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation."
"She killed !"
"I wouldn't hold it against her, she had no choice in the matter. It's a closely guarded secret by the allied races that even I don't know, but there is so chanism that ensures that the selected summoners from each of the mber races complies with the request to summon the heroes. Knowing them it is sothing particularly unpleasant."
"But Altria hasn't got one right now?"
"Yes, well like I said earlier the catkin are a rather lax race, but even they will eventually trigger the chanism if Atria doesn't summon a new hero. That is if soone doesn't kill the demon lord in the intervening ti that is." She answered, looking in the eye expectantly.
"And you think that might be ?"
"Hmm, I'm not so sure, but the other two seem to have high hopes for you."
"If the all the others have failed, I don't see why it would be any different for …"
"Exactly."
"So how was the previous hero destroyed by the demon lord?"
"Oh, it wasn't the demon lord that destroyed the last hero that Lillia summoned. It was the guild elders; they destroyed the relic he was bound to in the world…"
"What? A relic he was bound to?"
"Are you going to keep interrupting ? It was you that suggested I start from his demise." Liz said giving a sideways glance.
"Sorry."
"It's okay, I was expecting as much. I am only teasing." She told with a laugh.
"What did you an by a relic that he was bound to?"
"It is part of summoning ritual. The details are hidden, but in order for them to summon you to this world they need to bind your soul to a relic in order to hold your presence here. It is also a ans of controlling the heroes and stopping them if they out of control. As only a summoned hero can defeat the demon lord, they are necessary, at least according to the ancient text. The relics are held by the guild masters in the capital."
"And they killed him by destroying his relic?"
"Yes. Lillia found out they planned to do so after the masters discovered that he had fled his task. She found him and begged him to return to his duties, but he was killed before she could convince him otherwise and died in her arms. It is a rather unpleasant death, so I am told…"
No wonder Lillia was shaking a little when I first asked her about it.
"And I suppose if I don't do what they say I will suffer the sa fate?"
"Of course. As I said before the only way for you to gain a permanent existence here is to claim the heart of the demon lord."
"So, chances are, whatever I do, I am going to die horribly?"
"That is the fate that has befallen all of the others that have co before you. I am sorry that you have been forced on this path." The pain in her eyes was visible as she told this.
"Thanks, but this really isn't your fault… Anyway, you do seem to know a lot about this for soone that runs a potions shop."
"Ha! Soone that runs a potion shop. I don't simply mix potions I'll have you know, once upon a ti I was considered the high sorceress of the west… Granted that was many, many years ago. Most people here simple think of as Liz the witch in the potion shop."
I must have given her a sideways glance when she ntioned many, many years ago… There was no sign that she had lived that long.
"Don't expect to ask my age." She told . "But to avoid confusion I will let you know that I am a half elf, that is why my age is hard to guess."
"I would have guessed you were only in your twenties!"
"Flattery will get you nowhere!" She said whilst winking at .
We had been sat talking away for quite so ti, Liz got up from her seat stepped out from behind the counter.
"I'm afraid, that will have to be all for now. I have soone to et later and I need to close the shop. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all. Thank you everything you've told ."
"Oh, don't worry about it. Please do co again, I would love to find out more about you and these special skills that you seem to have acquired." She told with a suggestive smile.
"S-sure I will."
It was early evening when I stepped out of the shop. I decided that it was late enough to head back to the adventurer's guild, and it was definitely ti for to find sothing to eat.
Reviews
All reviews (0)