“Yes.”
“I’m...” she hesitated, trying to remember her supposed name, “I’m Eriana.”
He looked her in the eye and frowned. “No, you are not.”
She hesitated, unsure what to say.
“I appear to be the only one not fooled by your charade,” the man continued, looking from one to another, “presumably on account of the length of time those you impersonate have been absent.”
They exchanged a nervous look.
“Why does that matter?” Matt asked faintly. If he didn’t look at the bodies or all that blood, maybe he wouldn’t pass out.
“Four years is a long time to humans and your memories fade.”
“So...” Eric started, “four years is not a long time to you?”
“Correct.”
“Because... you’re an elf?”
“Of course.”
Ryan pulled his hand down and opened his eyes. “An elf?” He scrutinized the man and finally said. “Are these supposed to be real, too?”
“Do you think I’m an illusion of some sort?”
“No,” replied Ryan quietly, “I just don’t think you’re for real.”
“I am of the flesh.”
Eric interrupted. “We can discuss this later. The important thing is these men just attacked us, and everyone thinks we’re Andier, Eriana, Korrin, and Soliander, but you don’t. Why don’t you tell us what’s going on?”
The elf cocked an eyebrow. “I was hoping you would tell me. I am Lorian of the House of Arundell in the elven city of Noria, in the Great Honyn Forest. I have known the champions on several occasions and know you are not them. However, it may be best to continue your charade with others until we can speak further.”
Eric nodded, suggesting, “We need to get some guards in here in case there are more of these guys.” He looked at the bodies in consternation and Anna knew he had to be upset about having killed someone, maybe less so than Ryan, but still. Any curiosity about this champion stuff had abruptly ended.
Lorian put away his sword, bending over a corpse. “We must inform only the Queen’s elite guard. Few others can be trusted.”
Surprised by that, Anna asked, “Do you think someone here sent these men?”
“Possibly,” replied Lorian, turning down the collar of one to reveal a tattoo of a dragon silhouette. “These are Dragon Cult members. It is interesting only two were sent. For such a formidable group as the champions, this is absurd. Professionals would not have been so easily dispatched, either.”
“That was easy?” Ryan asked quietly.
Matt asked, “Does that suggest these men knew we aren’t the champions and could be more easily killed with just two assassins?”
Lorian turned appraising eyes on him. “Excellent question. I do not know.”
Eric observed, “Either way, this means the cult knows we’re here, and they’re likely to tell the dragon we’re coming if they’re in contact with her. The element of surprise is gone.”
“That was unavoidable from the start,” Lorian remarked matter-of-factly. “With the queen’s announcement of your arrival, they’d have known long before you reached the castle. They’ll be expecting you.”
Anna hadn’t thought of that, but it wouldn’t matter with them going home soon.
Eric lent a hand as the elf dragged one body to the other. As Lorian picked up the dead man’s sword, Anna noticed it was badly nicked from contact with either Ryan’s sword or the elf’s, but Korrin’s was unscathed.
“Now might be a good time to decline the quest and be sent home,” suggested Anna, worried about Ryan but unsure what to say.
The elf cocked an eyebrow. “That is not possible.”
“Why?” Anna asked.
Lorian looked confused. “You cannot refuse a quest. It is woven into the spell that summons you and requires completion before the counter spell, that which sends you back, will work. If you refuse the quest or fail in it, you will remain here until your death.”
Ryan went pale and a stunned silence followed. Anna’s eyes fell on the dead.
“And if we accept,” she said, “we’ll all get killed.”
Chapter 5 – A Conscience Riddled
After the attack, the elf Lorian had fetched the Prime Minister and a few elves to discreetly remove the bodies and blood-soaked rugs. They’d been given a new suite to the relief of both Matt and Ryan, one for being squeamish about blood and the other to escape the reminder, though it didn’t help. Death had left no room to think this wasn’t real.
Lorian had convinced Queen Lorella to let him lead the quest through the elven woods to save time, help them approach Castle Darlonon unseen, and to let Lorian gather elves to assist. They didn’t mention wanting to speak more in private and Ryan wondered if the queen had suspected something from the long look she gave before agreeing. Perhaps politics were at play, yet another thing about which they knew nothing here. Maybe they shouldn’t tell the truth about anything except to Lorian.
Now they nervously waited for the banquet, unsure what was expected of them. Each wore new finery courtesy of the queen, Ryan and Eric in tunics and tights, Anna in a lovely gown that had required a maid’s assistance to get into, and Matt switching his somber, black robe for a more pleasant white.
“You know,” started Matt, “we should all be really tired by now, since it was night when we left Earth and we’ve been here for half a day it seems, but I don’t feel that way.”
“I noticed that, too,” Eric said. “It’s probably four in the morning on Earth.”
Matt suggested, “Do you think the summoning spell rejuvenated us in some way?”
“Possibly. It did change our clothes.”
“And trapped us here,” Ryan interjected sourly, breaking his silence. He hadn’t spoken much since the attack. Anna had privately consoled him for a few minutes, but it hadn’t helped, partly because he didn’t let it.
Matt asked, “Do you think we can we trust this Lorian guy?”
Anna shrugged. “He’s an elf.”
Ryan shook his head. “How do we know he’s not human with prosthetics taped to
