Chapter 215. Farewell to the First.
I was pulled from the police conference room, and left wondering what those in the room might notice. Supposedly, when summoned, those around the point of summoning don’t even know it was happening, but Marie was there, and she was also a summoned being with mana. Maybe she’d sense or see something. Just when I began to wonder what kind of summoning, and which of my linked summoners I was going to, the system kicked in with information.
Your summoning parameters are as follows:
1. You are being summoned by the mage Sharnlynn.
2. Summoning tier, 2.
3. Summoning rank, 0.
4. Rewards level, generous.
5. This summons is support related. Prepare accordingly.
6. Full autonomy is active.
7. Your armory loadout has been equipped.
The portal opened in front of me, and stepped out, eager to see Sharnlynn again. She had been my first summoner and the last time I’d seen her; we had recovered an artifact from some ruins to save her people from some hostile orcs. From the system description, I was going to be pretty much on my own. I’d never had full autonomy without any restrictions before.
Warm sunlight hit me as I exited the portal. I was standing in a small courtyard garden in the middle of some large, impressive stone structure. The well-tended garden was surrounded by a walkway held up by ornate stone pillars. Several doors led from the courtyard, and I had the feeling that I’d stepped from the police station in Huntington Beach and into ancient Athens.
“Welcome, summoned being, may I inquire as to your name,” a young man in robes asked as he stepped from the walkway and headed toward me.
“Hello, I’m Rico Kline,” I replied trying to follow my summoner link. It led through one of the doors and deeper into the structure.
“You are one of the honored, I’ve heard the stories about you,” the young man said, bowing deeply before me.
“Thank you, I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name, and I’m not quite sure why I’m here,” I said a bit confused.
“I am but a humble servant of the household and my name is Berinas. It was our queen who summoned you. I’m afraid this summoning is a bittersweet one,” he said.
“I’m not following, Berinas, how about some details,” I said, getting annoyed at the vague answers.
“My queen, Sharnlynn, summoned you. Please, allow me to escort you to the family, and they can explain. It is not my place to say,” Berinas said, leading me through the door that followed my summoners link. Inside, the estate was just as impressive as the small garden courtyard.
As we walked, the right side of the walkway opened to a bright, sunlit sky with the sea in the distance. A fresh, ocean breeze blew down the hallway, and the whole setting had me feeling like I was on a rather expensive beach vacation. We stopped near a door where several other people turned to look at us.
There was another servant in robes similar to Berinas’ and two guards in plate armor and halberds on either side of the door. A middle-aged woman in fine traveling clothes stood against the railing. She was the only person not looking at me, and instead, her gaze was fixed on the water.
“Your majesty, I present to you the summoned being Rico Kline,” Berinas said before turning and walking back the way we’d come.
“I’m honored to meet you Sir Kline, my family, and our people owe you a great debt,” the middle-aged woman said, bowing before me. The guards and servants did also.
“I’m not sure anyone owes me a debt, but I could do with an explanation. I’ve never been on a summoning like this before,” I replied, still more than a bit confused over the situation.
“You’re so young, tell me Sir Kline, how long ago was it that my mother summoned you?” the woman asked.
“It’s not Sir Kline, just Rico, if you please. I’m not some knight or anything. Your mother? I thought the summoner was Sharnlynn, she was about my age, and I guess the last summoning was a couple months ago,” I replied, picturing the young woman who was my first summoner. This older woman had claimed that she was her daughter, and I could see a resemblance, they both had the same, long brown hair and determined look in their eyes.
“That’s amazing. Here, Rico, nearly sixty years have passed since that fateful summoning. The artifacts you helped mother secure saved out people and helped us to grow our small town into this,” the woman said, waving me over to her. Standing at the railing, I could see a beautiful city spread out below me. Ships pulled in and out of the port, and the population seemed to go about their day in peace.
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“I’ve been remiss, I should introduce myself. I am Princess Estrid of Ushadlia, and please, allow me to explain why you are here. My mother, the honored leader of our people, is dying. While her mind fades in and out, her powers remain as strong as ever. She’s been occasionally summoning random things and people into the palace.
“Most of these are random summonings, but you are one I was hoping to meet. You are one of the few she summoned more than once and remembered fondly. Both times she called you forth, you saved her life, and the second time, you saved her people as well,” Estrid paused, choking up as she spoke of her mother, and I could see tears welling up in her eyes as she gathered herself to continue.
“Thank you for saving her, I would not be here without your efforts. I love my mother dearly and I would ask if you would be willing to visit her. Maybe your presence will grant her some peace, her passing is not a quick or easy one,” Estrid asked.
“I’d be glad to help in any way I can,” I replied. Time didn’t pass the same between worlds, and it was always changing, even for someone with a linked summoning it appeared. I was humbled that what I considered a simple summons had changed so many lives for the better and saddened that my first summoner now lay upon her death bed.
Estrid motioned for the guard to open the door and I walked in. There upon a large and ornate bed, lay Sharnlynn, who I would have never recognized if it weren’t for the summoner link binding us together. She looked thin, almost skeletal, and her skin had a waxy, unhealthy sheen to it. Two people in gold-colored robes stood at the head of her bed, channeling healing mana into Sharnlynn.
Even with the constant healing, it was obvious that this poor woman wasn’t long for this world. Despite her drained and dying form, I caught a gleam in her eye, a small flicker of that determination I’d seen during our last summoning.
“Rico, you’re still so young after all this time. Did you come to save me again?” her frail voice whispered.
“Tell me how to save you and I’ll do everything in my power to help,” I promised. My eyes began to burn, and I felt a tear drop from my cheek. I’d only met this woman twice, but here I was, standing amid the nation she had built and the people she had guided. I was proud to have played some small part, and honored that she would even remember me.
“You can do nothing for me at this point, my old body is worn out, and it’s my time to go. Thank you for coming, and I’m sorry if this old woman accidentally summoned you from something more important. I still have my mana, but I no longer can control it like I used to. I’m probably giving the staff all kinds of fits with what I’ve been summoning up,” she said.
“I’m glad I was able to see you once again,” I told her, reaching down to pat her hand. She grasped my hand, holding on with surprising strength.
“We sure gave those orcs a sound drubbing that day, didn’t we Rico,” she muttered, her voice going weak.
“That we did, though I also recall a bit of hiding and praying that the Ettin stomping about didn’t spot us,” I replied, recalling the two headed giant that we barely escaped from.
“Estrid, show him before he goes.” Sharnlynn said, dropping my hand and grasping onto her daughters as Estrid moved to her side.
Your summoner link has been transferred to the being known as Estrid. Please note that this summoning link will be shorter in duration than your original.
I waved away the system notification, focusing my attention on Sharnlynn and her daughter.
“Don’t be sad my beautiful little girl. You’re strong, and you’ll lead them well, I know…” Sharnlynn said, her voice drifting off.
“Your majesty, the queen has passed,” one of the gold-robed healers softly said.
“Thank you for your ministrations. Please, make the arrangements for her. There will be a full state funeral for my mother, let the people have an opportunity to say goodbye to their queen,” Estrid said, wiping the tears from her face, as she tried to put on a brave face and be seen as the queen she was.
“Rico, if you don’t mind, I have one more thing to show you before your summoning ends,” Estrid said.
“Estrid, I’m sorry for…” I began to say.
“Don’t, please, I’m barely holding it together now, let us walk in silence for a bit,” Estrid said, leading me from the room and further down the hallway. It ended in another small courtyard. This one was covered in neatly trimmed grass with stone benches set around the perimeter. In the center of the courtyard was a statue.
“Guards, leave us please, I’ll summon you shortly,” Estrid said ordered.
I didn’t need Estrid to tell me who the statue was, it was easy enough to guess as I doubted that too many statues in the nation of Ushadlia featured a guy wearing khakis and a polo shirt. The statue held a longsword in one hand, and his other grasped a bag that he was thrusting behind him. A plaque on the statue gave a bit of information.
The hero from another world, Rico Kline, holds off an orcish horde and hands Queen Sharnlynn the artifacts that saved our nation.
“I hope the depiction is a good one,” Estrid said.
“It’s better than I deserve, though I do remember the blade in my hand was a crude dagger that I’d taken from an orc, not a longsword,” I said.
“Artist’s interpretation, I suppose. Thank you for everything, back then, and today with mother,” Estrid said, beginning to sob, finally breaking down now that none of her subjects were nearby.
Not knowing what to do I put my arm around her and let the poor woman weep. We were alone in the courtyard, and here, she could just be a daughter mourning the loss of her mother. Once she left this place, Estrid would be forced to be queen once more, and put on a brave face for her people.
I don’t know how long I stood there, comforting the new queen, but eventually, the system determined that my time here was over.
Your summoning time has expired.
Your performance rating is calculated as Excellent.
Your rewards will reflect that you were summoned at tier 2, rank 0, and earned a performance rating of Excellent.
You have earned 14 experience points.
You have earned 11 summoning points.
Congratulations, you have reached Tier 2, Rank 1.
You have earned 1 point in Mind.
Your link to this summoner has ended.