After the short discussion the group fell silent as the food cooked away over the fire. I digested what I had just heard. The chances were that even if I was able to kill the demon lord and acquire their heart, the chances were that the guild would have me destroyed before I could ever enact the spell to have my soul permanently bound to this world.

“So, whatever happens I’m as good as dead?” I asked.

“We don’t know for sure that they would destroy your relic.” Altria added to try and cheer me up.

“But it’s highly likely isn’t it?”

There was no answer from any of the girls, seemingly none of them had anything that they could say on the matter.

“Okay, what would you say to a proposition?”

“A proposition?” Asked Serin.

“Yes. All three of you seem quite against this system of summoning heroes here to fight this demon lord. If the hero is lucky enough to complete their task, they are likely to be killed by the very people they were trying to protect… So, my suggestion is simple. I will do everything in my power to get strong enough to defeat the demon lord, but before I get that far I would like to come into possession of my own relic, so I can’t be stabbed in the back.”

“Possess your own relic? Do you have any idea just how much of a hidden secret that is? It’s the guilds only means of preventing you from going out of control.” Lillia explained.

“I understand, but it can’t be a greater task that destroying the demon lord can it? And the guild, I have no interest in them if they leave me alone. I just don’t want to be executed for no reason.”

“You know if you had told this to anyone, but the three of us your own death would have already been set in stone.” Serin explained.

“Yeah… Lillia said as much when I last started asking questions the last time.”

“If there is the even the slightest hint that it is what you are after they will kill you.”

“But that’s likely to happen at some point anyway. At least this way if we are successful then I would have a chance to make it through this alive. Sure, it’s a long shot, but it looks like it’s the only way. I’m not talking about trying right away or anything. I was just wondering if any of you wouldn’t be against the idea?”

The girls fell silent for a little while again. It was Serin that was the first to speak up.

“I can’t speak for the others and I expect that they will need time to think things over before they can give you a proper answer. For my part, I’m already deeply unhappy about things are run in this realm, If I can do anything in my power to keep you alive I will. This might only mean helping with your training or watching your back when on a quest. I don’t know what help I can be beyond that, but I promise you, that any information I gain on the relics I will happily hand to you. My conscience wouldn’t allow it any other way.”

“Thank you Serin…”

The next to speak was Lillia.

“You know, I want to do everything I can to help. Not just to destroy the demon lord and free our land. I want to help you, I don’t want you to die, I want you to be able to live a normal life here. It’s the very least I could try to do after bringing you here. However, if I start enquiring about the relics it’s only going to draw suspicion on you. I’m sure I could find something out, but I think it would only make your situation worse. Sorry.”

“It’s okay Lillia, I understand. It would make sense after what you tried to do for your last summons, that they would suspect you if you started asking around.”

“That just leaves me then I suppose.” Altria pipped up. “Huh, well it does seem like quite a bit of bother, but I would be upset to lose Theo, so perhaps it could be worth it. The catkin aren’t likely to suspect much if I asked among my own. I even have the odd acquaintance that could delve deeper without any of the suspicion falling on us. So, I suppose you can count me in too.”

“Thank you, Altria! We can all work together so we all can come out of this alive.”

The wine skin made another round as we made a toast to the impromptu arrangement.

“There was also something I wondered, about Liz and Beth, where do you think they stand on these matters?” I asked.

“Well…” Said Lillia. “I’m can’t be sure about Liz, but she is old, and she has made it clear that she wasn’t the most pleased about the way things have been run. Not being nobility, she lost a great number of friends during the first waves of battle. Then the information that she gave you when I was away. There’s no way that she didn’t know that she had told you more than you were supposed to know. The thing is, I’m not sure if she can be trusted.”

“I see.”

“And Beth, well… I’ve been trying to get her to join the guild for years and her sense of honour and justice is strong, so I doubt that the situation would sit well with her, but that doesn’t mean she would be willing to help. I think for now the best thing would be to keep any discussion about this between the four of us.” Explained Lillia.

“Yeah that sounds sensible enough, at least until we know where they stand.”

“Yes, and that includes the girl from the guild you’re fond of.”

“Of course, I won’t say a word to Jules either.”

By the time we had finished talking dinner was well done and it was time for us to eat the simple stew along with a few pieces of bread each. The food was fine, and it had only been the second night, but I was already looking forward to a proper meal once we reached the next town.

After we had eaten and cleaned away it was time to draw lots for the order of the night’s watch. This time I was on the first watch, followed by Lillia, then it was Serin’s turn and finally Altria would take the last watch into the morning. After the last of the wine was drained from the skin the girls all headed to bed, leaving me alone to keep watch over the camp.

With plenty of time on my hands to think in silence I ran over the problems I faced. I had to somehow defeat a demon lord powerful enough to wipe out entire armies. One that no one had the slightest idea of what powers they possessed, that was if I made it that far. Then there were the guild masters, the slightest hint of my disloyalty to them and they would destroy my relic, killing me. Which is what they would probably do the moment I defeated the demon lord anyway, that is if their previous actions were anything to go buy. I did have the support of the girls, they did seem genuine enough, but I had known none of them for very long, so there was really no telling how far they would be likely to put themselves out just for me. They could always summon another hero and start again if they wanted to. I did want to trust them, and well they were all great fun to be with, but that could all change if they were put in danger themselves.

The hours of my shift were almost spent, so I quietly walked over to the girl’s tent. It sounded from outside like they were all sleeping, so I said my apologies and poked my head inside looking for Lillia. Having spotted her I gently wobbled her leg.

“Huh, what is it?” She asked sleepily.

“It’s your turn on watch.”

“Aw already.”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Okay, just wait by the fire and I’ll be out in a moment.”

“Okay.”

I walked back to the fire and warmed myself while I waited for Lillia to appear. It was only a couple of minutes before a very sleepy looking Lillia came and sat down.

“Are you sure you’re okay to take watch?” I asked her.

“Yes. I just had trouble sleeping at first.”

“Why was that?”

“I was worried, about what’s to come… I might not show it, but I would hate it if anything happened to you.” She blushed a little as she spoke.

“Thanks… Just so you know, I would feel the same if something happened to you.”