"Aya?" Shane repeated after hearing the little girl's name. The summoned human from the Master Recruitment Stone was completely different from what he had expected.
"Yes... That's my name. I am entrusted with the knowledge of the sacred talismans... Unfortunately, before the mysterious gray fog saved me from the Zombies in the Temple, I only learned six types of Talisman, so please don't expect too much from me."
Aya humbly said, afraid that Shane would expect a lot from her Talisman Skills. She couldn't help but recall what happened to her Temple.
***
Aya could no longer tell how much time had passed when she was still living in the secluded Temple atop the mist-shrouded mountain...
She spent her days as a devoted shrine maiden, honing her skills in the ancient art of Talisman Crafting under the watchful guidance of the temple elders.
The Temple, perched on the summit, was a place of solitude and sacred knowledge, accessible only to those who dared to navigate the treacherous paths that led to its sacred ground. Going up or going down this mountain was incredibly challenging unless you have trained a lot.
As the youngest apprentice in generations to possess the rare gift of Talisman Crafting, Aya's days were filled with quiet contemplation and diligent practice.
With a steady hand, she would inscribe intricate symbols of mystical spells onto wooden plaques and enchanted papers as if she were weaving threads of magic into each item.
One fateful night, as Aya sat in the dim glow of flickering candles while also engrossed in the delicate art of calligraphy with her new brush, a sudden disturbance shattered the tranquility of the Temple.
"Fight them!"
"Hide the children to the vault!"
"Let's all escape!"
"No! These demonic creatures are everywhere! We need to get their attention to let the children escape!"
"We can only fight!"
"The Priestess will lead the battle!"
Aya heard these yells and some even started crying for help! Then, it was followed by the distant echoes of growls, and shuffling footsteps, sending a chill down her spine.
Anyway, she was now looking at the Foreign Survivor, who was supposed to be the chief or lord of the shelter assigned to her by the Gray Fog.
"I didn't expect that a child would appear from my Master-Grade Recruitment Stone..." Shane muttered.
"I might be talented compared to how I look." Aya replied with a knowing smile. She also knew that she was quite special before the voice she heard from the fog and the skills she obtained.
Shane continued observing her.
Her appearance was definitely that of a child, but she was trying to act or show how mature she was with how she spoke and acted.
Clad in intricate robes adorned with language Shane wasn't aware of, she exuded a noble aura, befitting the title of a Shaman even though she was young...
"Interesting..." Shane muttered.
Intrigued by Aya's presence, Shane welcomed her with a respectful nod.
"Welcome to Springriver Manor, Aya," he replied, his gaze reflecting a mixture of admiration and intrigue. "I am honored by your arrival and eager to learn more about your skills."
"I'm also excited to help your shelter. However, I only knew six kinds of talismans before the zombies attacked our Temple."
"Six talismans... I'm sure it's already impressive that you learned so much despite your young age. Can you tell me more about these things?" Shane asked.
"Of course!"
.net
With a gentle smile, Aya began to inform Shane about the six types of talismans she had mastered before she was taken by the fog.
They were the Talisman of Lightning, Talisman of Healing, Talisman of Warding, Talisman of Strength, Talisman of Insight, and Talisman of Illumination.
Shane immediately felt curious about these talismans he had never heard of. Of course, he could tell just from their names that they would be very useful, especially for the Warding and Healing Talisman.
With this in mind, he planned to stay in the estate for a little while until he obtained a few of these talismans in case they could help in his journey...