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The world was in danger, a blight was spreading across the land. This was not the first time catastrophe had threatened to happen, and so the Council of Light was ready. Once it became clear that the local heroes would not be able to stop the disaster, the summoning ritual was prepared. Implements were gathered, stars were charted to determine the correct time and location, invocations were practiced. At the appointed hour the ritual was performed and worked perfectly. Lighting struck the circle and inside it was standing a man.
This is where things started to go a little strangely. The man’s clothing was very scruffy looking and the man himself was looked unsteady, weak even. He also seemed far too tired to be surprised at his summoning. He was the first to speak.
“Do you have any food or water?” He asked weakly.
The head of the council stepped forward and spoke, “I am Kazor, head of the Council of Light. We have summoned you to help us to defeat a great evil that threatens our world.”
“Yes, yes I know.” The Summoned Hero responded, “But please, I am very hungry and thirsty.”
Kazor motioned to his apprentice, “Quentin, go fetch this man something to eat and drink.”
“Thank you.” Said the Hero.
“As I was saying.” Kazor continued, “Our world is in danger. A corrupting blight is spreading across the land corrupting everything that it touches. We have summoned you to save us.”
The apprentice had returned with some meats and fruit and handed them to the man, along with a glass of water. The man took them gratefully. He then asked, “Are you sure that you are not able to to handle this threat yourself?” And then began eating the offered food with a great deal of enthusiasm.
“Quite sure.” Explained Kazor, “The spell we used to summon you is no small feat. It is only used in the most extreme of circumstances. This is in fact only the 5th time we have had to summon a hero to save us.”
“And what makes you so sure I can help?” Asked the Hero between bites of food.
“The ritual is constructed to ensure that you are.” Answered Kazor, “It is designed to lock onto an individual who Is willing and capable of helping us fix whatever situation forced us to resort to using it. Sometimes that means having some power or insight that our world lacks, other times it means not being vulnerable to the danger in the same way we are. But all four previous heroes were able to face their respective disasters and overcome them.”
“I suppose I should ask what the nature of this Blight is?” Said the hero pausing briefly and then drinking the water he had been given.
“It’s still not clear to us.” Kazor answered thoughtfully, “It seems to be a sort of sickness that breaks down whatever it touches. In living things it moves the fastest, but even inanimate stone can become blighted if it is exposed for long enough.”
“It sounds rather distributed.” Said the hero. “You’ll be needing lots and lots of fire. you have a dragon, I see.” The hero observed gesturing to Ignarion, the draconic representative.
“Fire works,” Ignarion rumbled in reply, “And if we had seen the problem soon enough it may have solved the problem, but now there are not enough dragons to burn a continent.”
“Right.” Considered the Hero. “The perhaps you could give the cancer cancer?”
When he was met with confused looks he continued, “make the blight infect itself somehow, get it to die faster than it kills.”
Kazor stepped forward confusion in his voice, “You speak of things we might do. Surely you understand that we already tried such things as we can do. We summoned you because we needed outside help.”
“I understand that.” Said the Hero, “The thing is, you won’t be able to get the help you need from me. I’m sorry.”
“Surely you would not leave a world in such dire straits!” Exclaimed Kazor.
“Not willingly, no.” Confirmed the Hero. “But it’s not exactly up to me.”
“What do you…” Kazor started to say. But he was interrupted.
Motes of light had started to gather around the summoned Hero. Swirling around his form, they grew in number and speed too quickly for anyone to react. There were so many the obscured the Hero from sight, and while individually they were not very loud together they roared. The Hero could barely be heard shouting over the din.
"I’M SORRY!” Was the last they heard from their last hope to save the world.
And then with an anticlimactic pop, he vanished. Leaving the Council of Light in a much darker situation than they were prepared for.