Returning back with a fix platter the boy brought two goblets filled to the brim with an odd smelling juice. Not interested in the moment I just brought up my hand and he immediately got the signal. Smart kid. Grabbing a goblet from a smaller priest and coughing out a bit, the large priestess continues, "The hero of emotions was summoned a decade later, all knowledge on summoning lost during the wizard’s massacre." She said the last words with an unhidden amount of venom.

"It was a man of unfit body and mind, and as such, the summoners of the time treated him horribly and called him a failure." She teared up a bit before continuing on with her story. Though I was more interested in the now-blank screen that hovered above her, I pointed at it, hoping to gain her attention.

Looking up, she says, "Ahh yes, we only have written, vocal, and fey records; this will be explained in a bit," with a slight pause. “I can’t say much on the topic, it’s better to feel the story than to explain.” Feel the story?

"This hero worked under his summoners for years; for the first three, he was worked to the bone to the point he was touched by death on three different occasions." She said it somberly, which she quickly brushed off as she gained more speed in her words. The was bit of fogging in my breath I noted.

"It was said that he was sold and used for labor by no less than fifty masters over the next ten years, each one no less cruel than the last," her breathing became shallow. Her words were pouring out in torrents. The rooms a bit chilly, I’m fogging up quite a bit.

"It was said that his will to care shattered while helping a child across the street." Her exhales are now coming out in white, wispy clouds. “He had found her the next day hanged by his masters.” I’m now losing vision as the fog fills the room, frost trailing its path.

“The hero of emotions, made a deal with the spirits and removed his heart, slaughtering all his previous masters, the nobility that were involved, and any merchants he met on the way." At this point, I feel the chill in my bones as she continues, "He was found dead a week later, heart missing by his own hands in the theorized ritual circle." Each word eliciting a sharp cold pain.

“His name as far as records go started with D, and as such was called D-frost seeker (Said as Defrost seeker, Italian accent.)” The cold now feels physical, like it was given hands and is now playing with my insides. My heart is beating, but it's getting slower, not faster, and I feel a bit lightheaded.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

*thump-thump*

*thump, thump*

*thump, thump*

*clap* A warm wave of energy hit me as I started to lose consciousness; the feeling was no different from being in front of a nice campfire with the cold on your back. "Sorry, hero, but the story as you have felt, is cursed not only that but all forms of slavery” Shivering even with the warm glow originating from her. Did she get hit worse? “Breakers of such rule suffer a bone deep freeze until they perish.” Her body finally unwinding in the warm glow.

The boy priest holds my arm as more warmth floods my body. "The story acts more like a medium for the curse than being cursed itself, it's semi-intelligent, but it just lashes out at anything it can reach." The sound of his mutterings drowning out his wise words.

"Two out of four heroes have fallen, each corrupted by magic and man." The head priest straightening her back before continuing, "You may ask another question before we continue." Looking down I can still see frost covering her matt, it’s receding but not at fast clip.

Knowing she would ask again at the end of the story, I wanted to remove some unknowns from the deck. "What is this corruption in the circle?" She had used the term too many times to ignore it. Considering that all the falling heroes had to deal with it, it sounds more like a dark urge than anything else. I’m hoping it’s as simple as never drinking.

Nodding her head, she pulled down the screen above her and placed it in front of her. "Corruption is the instinctual drive summoners implant into their summons to ease the fact they are being used," she said. She pointed to a pie chart showing four blue representations and one large red pie cut into four. "Heroes are special as they take the inverse of the four dominant traits of the demon lords, using that as a source of motivation and power." Her face looked like she had eaten a lemon when she continued.

“So, we are motivated by the inverse of the demon kings’ goal?” Disbelief as such a system, even if it was required to give heroes an equal playing field, they could have done some other arbitrary aspect.

"But sometimes the demon lord could have positive traits." She said with a bit to my disbelief, "Maybe they are brave, making you cowardly; maybe they are compassionate, making you heartless." And that’s the crux of this issue, the first hero wanted to conquer, so he doesn’t, the second lost his heart, so he must have one. The third did the same so he is what, emotional? Loves people? Ok and then there’s me. “Aye yaw” My head feels like it will split.

“Beyond the first demon lord, demon lords were born with more and more positives traits as their bloodline thinned.” Her lips pursed as she spoke. “As such heroes were slowly corrupted taking the inverse of less negative traits, until they become the thing they wanted to destroy.”

The First Demon Lord? There was a first? My eyes winded as the last piece of the puzzle came together. I’m obsolete.