Asa awoke suddenly in a room that he didn't recognize. Slowly, he managed to sit up. Shaking his head in order to clear it, he took in his surroundings. With a noise that seemed deafening in the silent room, he cleared his throat.
"Hello?" He said. His memory was unclear as to what had happened. It was quite possible that someone had put him here because he had been... inebriated the night before. In that case, he wanted to be sure that he had not done something embarassing. He felt none of the tell-tale symptoms that something of that nature had occured, but it would not hurt to find out anyway. "Is anyone here?"
The door to the room opened loudly and Asa recognized the figure as one of the summoners he had seen at the town meeting. It seemed his memory was not totally gone after all.
"Oh- hello." She said, looking at him worriedly. "Are you feeling all right?"
"Uh...." Asa replied, wondering why this woman was in this room with him. "I'm- I'm okay. What happened?"
"You passed out." She answered, watching him for a reaction. Asa's memory returned in full force at that time, and he groaned in embarassment.
"I'm sorry, I don't normally pass out for no reason." Asa tried to explain.
"There was a reason."
"What?" Asa was more confused than ever. "Who are you, anyway?"
"My name is Theresa Hinton, and there was a reason you passed out. You were summoned."
Asa's mind absolutely refused to accept that as an explanation. He had spent his entire life as a summoner, and as such, would probably know if he had been summoned. He wouldn't be sitting here on this bed, that was for sure. He'd probably be using the extent of his powers to eradicate some creature for some other summoner. He tried to speak, but Theresa started before he managed to say anything.
"I know that doesn't make sense to you, so I'll try to explain." She said slowly. "Norax, the only remaining overlord of the Dark Plane, has summoned you. I have used what little I know about summoning magic to prevent it, but my spell is not permanent. That amulet you wear" She gestured to an amulet that was hung around Asa's neck. "will protect you from being teleported. However, " She gestured for silence as Asa was about to object. "you are still being summoned."
"This amulet isn't mine, I can't keep it." Asa managed to say.
"It's mine, and you will keep it. It's either that or be a slave to Norax. As I was saying, even though you cannot be teleported to Norax, you are still being summoned. If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?"
Something in Theresa's tone made Asa answer immediately without thinking about it first. "The Nexus." He said, before he had realized he was speaking.
"You do realize, Asa, that the Nexus could bring you to the Dark Plane?"
"Yes...." Asa replied reluctantly, embarassed at his sudden answer earlier. "But I don't see how I'm still being summoned."
Theresa sighed and tried to explain again. "Even though you can't be brought directly to him, you still unconsciously will go. Every step you take, whether you know it or not, will bring you closer to the Nexus, and Norax. You must go. Asa, pack whatever things you can and prepare yourself for travel."
Asa was befuddled and slightly agitated. "So what good has it done to prevent me from being teleported? Why not just let it be over with?"
Theresa looked directly into Asa's eyes, and he was frozen in place. "Asa, Norax is not someone you want to have looking for you. Since he is, however, I have tried to buy you some time. I cannot come with you, for I will be trying to find an answer. You must go because you cannot stay. Every day you remain idle will drain your strength, and your ability to call upon your magic. You shall age five days for every one you tarry, and eventually you will waste away... your body will be gone, but your soul will belong to Norax. You now have time to prepare yourself, for with the proper magic, you can negate his summon. This voyage will allow you to become strong so that you may face him and cast away his claim, freeing yourself. It is something you must do. I have to go now. The room is paid for until the end of the day, but I suggest that you leave before then. Go south, toward the Tyre mountains. There is a pass through them that should still be open at this time of year. Go quickly, because winter is nearing and Norax's strength grows stronger." Theresa stood up and gathered what little she had with her quickly. "Farewell, brave soul. We will meet again, hopefully under better curcumstances."
With a swift movement, Theresa was out of the room, leaving Asa alone to consider his fate.