After her warning Lillia turned back and continued silently observing the altar. The priest and attendants were still standing there, waiting for something. The girl was still laid motionless on the altar. I guess they were just waiting for her to come to. I glanced across to Altria and Siofra, both were silently observing the ritual just like Lillia. I looked over at Serin sat next to me, she noticed and smiled at me, but didn't say a word. I pulled my gaze back to the front. As I did so Serin placed her hand on mine, the warmth from her body was comforting in the middle of this bizarre experience.

I wasn't sure how long we had all been sat there in silence, just watching the five figures by the altar and waiting for something to happen. As the time continued to pass, the sense of anticipation for what was going to happen next seemed to grow. I could almost sense it coming from the onlookers. It felt like a long time had passed, when finally, the girl on the altar started to move once again.

The girl slowly got to her feet and as she did the priest climbed back onto the altar. He was holding a blue robe now, he stood behind the girl and placed the robe over her head. She seemed to have been expecting this and put her arms through and pulled it down, covering the white gown she was wearing before. Once she was fully dressed the priest then stepped off the platform. He turned to face the girl and got down to his knees. The four robed men at each corner also dropped to their knees at the same time.

The girl now fully awake stepped to the side of the altar. She began chanting, I knew straight away that she was beginning a spell. Her entire body was covered in a soft glow as she continued the incantation and the air around the shrine seemed to crackle with energy. Then almost without warning there was what sounded like a loud tearing noise and a bang. It was accompanied by a blinding flash. When my vision cleared from the flash, I saw the wolfkin girl on the altar dropped to her knees, exhausted from the technique. She was accompanied on the altar by another woman who lay unconscious next to her.

I didn't need to turn to ask Lillia what had happened, I could guess as much for myself. This was the first summoning the girl had performed and the woman that lay next to her had been brought here from another world, just as I had been. The priest hurriedly climbed onto the altar to check on the summoner girl and offered her a potion. He paid no attention to the unconscious woman that had just been brought here.

While the wolfkin girl drank the potion the woman gradually regained consciousness and sat up. At first the look on the woman's face was pure bewilderment, having no clue as to what had happened, or how she got here. Then as she took in her surroundings, it switched to fear.

"What's going on? Where am I?" She asked.

There was no response from the people around her. She awkwardly got to her feet and walked towards the priest.

"Hey who are you and what have you done to me?" She asked impatiently.

The priest just spun around and pushed her back. He seemingly wanted to keep her away from the princess who was still sat on the altar recovering.

"What the hell. Just who do you think you are?" She shouted angrily.

She stepped towards the priest again, but she didn't get far. One of the men in black robes had climbed on the altar behind her and bludgeoned her on the back of the head. The woman fell to the floor unconscious. My body seethed with anger watching this, but I knew if I stepped up there and tried to intervene it would be the end of me. This place was full of royal guards and adventurers, I doubt I would have made it to the altar.

I wasn't the only one that was angry, Serin's hand shook on top of mine. I could tell she was having to restrain herself from acting as well. While this was happening a second member of the black robes climbed on the altar and along with the one that had hit the woman, they each to an arm. Lifting her a few feet off the ground slowly stared dragging her off the altar, there was a thud as her feet hit the shrine floor. The pair paused for a moment, then continued to head towards the exit of the shrine.

The wolfkin girl had seemed to have recovered herself a little and with the help of the priest, was now up on her feet. She waived to the onlookers as she stood, then the priest led her away from the altar and the two remaining black robed men followed behind. This signalled the end of the ritual. The sound of people talking started to fill the air once again as the onlookers started to file out of the shrine building.

The five of us sat there in silence for a while just watching the shrine empty out, until finally Lillia got to her feet and said something.

"Come on, we should leave."

The rest of us got up from our seats and we all did as Lillia had suggested. We stepped into the aisle and filed into the queue behind the rest of the people leaving. When we left the shrine there was still a huge crowd assembled outside. This time we followed the path that was kept clear by the royal guards before making our way back into the city. We were all quiet as we walked, no one seemed to want to break the silence.

Once we had passed the rows of guards and re-joined the usual hustle and bustle of the city, I finally decided to speak. I stopped in front of the group and turned to the others.

"Did you both have to go through the same thing as that girl did just now?"

My question was obviously directed at Lillia and Altria. Both Serin and Siofra looked to them, expecting a response. It was Altria that answered first.

"Yes, the ritual was the same for us. We both had a shard implanted, just like her."

"That's awful and in front of everyone like that."

"I can't say it was a pleasant experience."

"It wasn't pleasant, in fact it was horrible. Painful and scary getting up in front of all those people, then having that done to you… But it is a great honour to be chosen. The shard also grants power." Lillia chimed in.

"Not just the power to summon?" I asked.

"It does that, it also increases a person's mana capacity beyond what is normally possible. Not everyone can bare it though."

"You both wanted this?"

"We both agreed to it…" Replied Altria.

"We both agreed, but neither of us realised what it would feel like to have to keep summoning innocents to our world. You know how we both feel about that." Explained Lillia.

"I know… What about that woman, what will happen to her now?"

"I don't know." Lillia's words stumbled. "That depends on the princess, if she decides to aid her or not and if the woman decides to fulfil her duty. You know yourself what will happen if she doesn't."

"That princess didn't look like she was going to help her out. They wouldn't just chuck her out on the street, would they? There has to be somewhere they will put her up, at least for a while."

"I don't know what will have happened… But most of the summoners don't look after their hero, not like Altria and me. I told you before, remember?"

"I do… That settles it. I'm going back to shrine. I can at least check the area and see if she is nearby."

"But Theo…"

"If there is any way that I can help her, I will."

"You can't take every person that is summoned here under your wing. You can barely take care of yourself yet!"

"I know that, but I can't walk away knowing that some poor woman has just been pulled out of her life and left here on the street. They didn't even explain to her where she was, before they knocked her over the head. I'm going."

"But the guild might think you are trying to interfere…" Lillia trailed off.

I turned around and started walking back in the direction of the guild.

"I'm coming with you!" Serin said and jogged to catch up with me.

"Me too." Siofra said following us.

I glanced back to see the pair of them following, so I stopped and waited for them to catch up. While I did Altria took Lillia by the arm.

"Come on, stop being stubborn Lillia. You know you to help and are just going to follow in a moment anyway. Let's just go already." She told her.

"I know, but what if they…"

"We'll just have to make sure they don't."

Lillia finally yielded to Altria and the pair followed. As soon as the five of us were together again, we made for the shrine to look for any sign of the woman that was summoned.