Elin Folcey listened attentively as the names of the recently departed were listed off. When Sir Jerold's name was listed she set her jaw on edge. He was the last one in the squad to die last night.

Then the prostitute’s death was pronounced, called out as, “An unknown soul.” She had failed to get the woman’s name. Now it would be, likely, lost forever. If she had family waiting for her they might not even know she had died. Another unexplained missing person.

After that they read off the names of the three wizards that caused the entire mess in the first place. She clenched her fists to summon up the minimum decorum necessary for the service. Her squad, the one she was recently attached to, was dead. The woman was dead. The wizards got themselves killed.

It was a miracle their folly had not gotten the visitor and herself killed.

The detestable Mage’s Guild was to blame. They claimed the wizards acted on their own accord. Elin refused to believe this. The Mage’s Guild and the temples were at odds with each other for as long as Elin could remember. It was clear they were trying to snatch up a summoned [Hero] for their own goals.

Openly though, there was no choice but to accept their excuses.

“Let us pray.”

On cue, Elin got on her knees, interlaced her fingers, closed her eyes, and prayed. There weren’t many in the makeshift shrine, so the voices repeating the cleric’s prayer were few. Everyone else was absent from the service performing military duties. Three attacks happened last night and they were still on alert. Everyone was barely louder than a murmur. One might mistaken their behavior with being sacrosanct but the truth was they were exhausted.

In fact, Elin asked for special permission to even attend this service.

Her orders were to continue guarding the visitor, Walter Alvis. But it felt far too cruel to not attend the funeral, considering how rushed it was, since she was the last one to see them alive.

“Go with peace.”

Once the service was over a nun approached her, “Lady Elin.”

“Sister Lora?”

The nun before her bowed, “Priestess Evelyn calls on you.”

Elin shifted nervously, tapping her fingers on the saber hanging on her hip. Suddenly her armor felt restrictive. When she got back to camp the first thing she did was remove her parade uniform and hastily strap on her half-plate armor. Never before had she felt so naked, going into the Necropolis without armor. Now, wearing it instead of the parade uniform before the priestess, it held the opposite protective feeling it was meant to.

“When?”

“Immediately, ma’am. Her exact words were, ‘Please inform her not to consider changing into her parade uniform and come right away.’”

Elin nodded. Of course Priestess Evelyn would have thought of that already. Sister Lora led the way.

Last night was a hasty mission. Every second was considered precious so she had none to prepare, once they heard several wizards went rogue and were attempting to open a [Dimensional Portal].

Opening a [Dimensional Portal] was illegal. In fact, it was considered so illegal that attempting one was subject to summary execution, as were a collection of other spells that connected this world to others. The five kingdoms had met and signed a universal charter on it, one of the few. As such, using any of the spells would create political panic and possibly spark a war. The fear of using these spells was because of Ouroboros. Any attempt to use these magics invariably led into direct contact with it, which lead to more monster spawns and corruption.

While it was true a [Hero] could be invited into this world through a [Dimensional Portal] it was declared by all that attempting it again was not worth the price. In most cases Ouroboros consumed the [Hero] outright. On the last attempt the [Hero] was corrupted and became an agent of Ouroboros.

Did she make a mistake saving the visitor? Is he secretly a corrupted [Hero] and she didn’t recognize it? There were no signs but she could not be sure. And what about leaving the last wizard behind? Leaving him callously to his fate in such a fashion could easily be construed as being counter to the pledge of the paladins. Would her own status as paladin-select be revoked?

If he truly is a [Hero] I would gladly sacrifice my chances at being a paladin.

Silently, she prayed he was. The wizard’s gamble was tragically foolish but if it paid off so much more would be gained. The first [Hero] in over a hundred years… but until she was sure he was just the visitor. False hope could destroy true faith if left unchecked.

“Please wait a moment.”

“Oh, yes, of course.”

Lost in her own thoughts Elin failed to notice they were at the tent already. Sister Lora immediately returned and bid her to enter.

Elin wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad omen. She stepped inside. Sister Lora had taken up a position by the door with her head down. Priestess Evelyn was behind a large heavy desk, which must had been difficult to deliver and set up, and it was cluttered with all manner of books, writing implements, and scrolls. This tent was Priestess Evelyn’s personal quarters and office during her time at the knight’s camp. It had the appearance of being messy and organized at the same time.

“Lady Elin Folcey reporting, ma’am.”

Elin stood at attention before Priestess Evelyn’s desk after rendering a salute. As the knights of the Order of Idrin were assigned to the Temple of the Witness the priestess was considered her superior. As a paladin-select doubly so, since paladins were completely under the church’s authority.

Priestess Evelyn looked up from a scroll she was reading and rolled it back up.

It was Elin’s report.

Despite her clerical aura the priestess certainly wore the mantle of leadership easily. Usually Elin preferred to get her orders filtered through the proper chain of command. For some reason, despite Priestess Evelyn’s lack of direct military experience, her orders still carried weight. It could only be chalked up to the strength of her character.

And, unlike some of her chain of command, she didn’t simply delegate. She investigated and got involved. She studied. And more importantly she made the best attempt she could to fully understand a situation before issuing orders, provided she had time.

In this capacity, Priestess Evelyn served both as the Order’s military liaison and Chaplain.

The priestess’s voice was soft, “I understand this was a tragic mission, Lady Elin?”

Elin wasn’t sure which way to answer. If she said, “Yes,” she would be in conflict with her pride as a knight, which is the expected and trained response of a warrior. If she said, “No,” then she would be lying. Unable to answer Elin simply raised her chin a bit higher.

“Can you explain why the wizards did it?”

“They claimed it was worth the gamble, ma’am.”

“Summoning a [Hero]?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Did they succeed?”

Priestess Evelyn leaned forward in anticipation. Her fingers gripped the scroll before her. In this world any bit of hope is a desperate gulp of air for a drowning person.

“I can’t rightly say, ma’am.”

The priestess released the scroll and rested back in her chair. Crossing her arms she finally said, “I see. What’s his name?”

“Walter, ma’am. Walter Alvis.”

“Did the mages say anything else? Anything at all?”

“They cast an [Infatuation] spell on the visitor.”

“They did? I suppose they would. How they got access to that magic is beyond me, as that is typically outside their sphere of influence. However, it cost that poor lost soul her life, being dragged into this. The poor woman they meant to use, I mean.”

“Ma’am, the target of the spell is me.”

“You?!” Priestess Evelyn said suddenly, her usually calm exterior rippling suddenly. She closed her eyes and regathered her wits. “How did that happen?”

Elin mentally chided herself. She had failed to make a comprehensive report and she made a mental note to get permission to revise it later.

“That… complicates matters. Does anyone else know he passed through a [Dimensional Portal]?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Is there anything you wish to add?”

Elin took a deep breath.

“As a paladin-select it is my duty to inform you that I made a decision to leave behind one of the wizards. I had to choose between saving the visitor and the wizard and I made a judgement call--”

“Stop, child.”

Elin fell quiet. She stood statue still, holding the well-practiced military posture rigidly.

“Many decorated paladins have been forced to make the same decision you have. It’s a fact of war. No one can rightfully fault you for that. Even the most righteous paladin is still human but that does not mean you were wrong.”

“There’s something else, ma’am.”

Priestess Evelyn waited silently. After a beat Elin continued to explain.

“I came into contact with Ouroboros, ma’am. I can feel a… a sort of scales, I suppose?”

“Have they bid you to act in a way counter to your beliefs?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Then we will have to address that after this pressing business. The appropriate dispelling and cleansing rituals will be performed, I promise. Ouroboros is a powerful entity but we are prepared to handle such eventualities, child. You have no need to worry.”

Elin allowed herself one breath and then pulled her shoulder back again.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I understand your orders are part of the detail to guard Walter Alvis?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Please arrange to be on guard when I visit him.”

“You’re going to see him, ma’am?”

“Of course. I want to see with my own two eyes who this newcomer is. Perhaps I’ll see something everyone else missed.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be sure to make the arrangements.”

“Furthermore, I need your silence on this matter. No one is to learn he’s a newcomer. I hope you can understand the need for this sensitive matter to go unnoticed, for now.”

“I see.”

It was easy to imagine the surge to the temples once their followers found out there was a new [Hero]. But, if it turned out false it could turn into a violent tragedy.

“You may go. And please take some time to take care of yourself.”

“Thank you, ma’am. I will.”

At the dismissal Elin left the tent. Outside she took in another breath. Her status as a paladin-select wasn’t revoked. All that time doubting herself was wasted. But she could not help but run the scenario in her head over and over.

Her business to request a schedule change at the behest of Priestess Evelyn was simple enough. No one argued it. Everyone needed a break and most were glad to give their segment of guard schedule to her.

When she returned to the tent and relieved the current knight on guard the visitor was still slumbering. She wanted to sleep, herself, and her eyes felt itchy. After stretching she chewed a splinter-sized piece of Blackroot, an herb to help raise attention and starve off sleep. Most thought it was because it was horribly bitter.

Then the visitor, Walter Alvis, grunted, stretched, and sat up. His hair was completely lopsided and he squinted in confusion to look around the tent.

“Where am I?”

“Good! You’re awake!” Elin exclaimed, “Do you require a healer?”

“Oh, it’s you! I’m quite alright. Thanks, Elin.” He stood, then shifted awkwardly while scratching his head. A couple of minutes of silence fell between them.

Hope swelled in her bosom. He was already on his feet again. If he shrugged off the corruption this easily he could be powerful after all. Maybe he was a new kind of magic-user, something no one had seen before? Or perhaps he was an extremely knowledgeable scholar who could improve their alchemy and skills? Both types of [Heroes] are documented, not all were warriors or traditional mages. He might even have secret knowledge to defeat Ouroboros once and for all.

He looked at her a moment, smiling. His smile, however, faded the longer he looked at her.

“All of that really happened.”

“Yes,” she said simply. She had no way to comfort him from the reality, and honestly felt it would be unwise to do so.

He dropped down onto his cot and put his head in his hands.

“Magic is real.”

“Yes.”

“Monsters are real.”

“Yes.”

“All those people actually died.”

“Yes.”

When she looked him over he did not have the physique of a fighter. In fact, it barely seemed the sun touched him at all. He might be nobility, as she had met a few pale from lack of sunlight, but his actions were too unrefined to support this theory. He sat with his head in his hands.

It was clear he was upset people got hurt. The corruption didn’t even touch him.

After a stretch of time he finally asked a question.

“Why am I here?”

“That’s… somewhat complicated. Priestess Evelyn will explain it to you better than I.”

“Who’s Priestess Evelyn? Can I get home?”

“She’s a high ranking cleric in the Temple of the Witness of Idrin and… and it doesn’t seem likely.”

“Why not?”

When Elin thought about it she realized the legends about the [Heroes] never cover how they were prepared for this world. It just describes how they were invited over by a [Dimensional Portal] and then took up the fight against Ouroboros, with a few exceptions. There must have been a forgotten tradition about receiving them, instructing them on the basics, and an attempt to sway them. None of the tales, as far as Elin could remember, were about summoning in the Necropolis or in such a haphazard way.

Elin dodged his question, “How do you feel?”

“Exhausted. Stiff. I’ve never run so hard in my life. Hey, thanks, for saving me.”

As a paladin-select she had saved many people, even at her age. All of them had revered and thanked her, with tear-stained and relieved faces, offering rewards and pledges to her. Invariably she turned them all down. When she did her duty she only took enough in recompense to keep doing her duty, and she did not take more than could be comfortably given. Nothing more and nothing less was her life.

When a soldier had asked her, “Why don’t you take more money?” she replied, quoting Idrin, Paladin-the-First, “I perform good deeds, I am not a merchant selling good deeds.”

None had ever given her such a ernest and simple thanks, though, as if speaking equally. For the first time Elin did not feel she was standing over someone but next to them.

“You--you’re welcome,” she stammered.

Elin remembered that Idrin, Paladin-the-First, was one of the few paladins to take a wife.

Why am I thinking about that now?!

A few silent moments passed with the two standing there, avoiding looking at each other, which were interrupted by Walter’s stomach growling.

“Would you like some food?”

“Yes, please.”

She went to the supply depot, picked up a few ingredients, vegetables and dried meat, charcoal, pot, and a brazier, then brought it to his tent. Elin took her time, searing the meat first before adding it to the pot full of stock and cutting the vegetables into even chunks.

“You must camp a lot on adventures and gotten pretty good at cooking, huh?”

Elin cleared her throat but didn’t answer.

I’m a paladin-select. I shouldn’t have to hide the fact that I practice cooking. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Almost all women know how to cook.

Still, she only memorized cook-books and practiced in secret. She was still a knight and had a reputation as a fighter to maintain.

“It’s really good,” he declared, sighing, “Uh, are you going to eat some, too?”

Elin’s face blushed a bit. In turn so did he.

“Well, I mean, I feel a bit silly just eating in front of you.”

With that she picked up a fork and quietly ate from the same pot.