The bird of Providence part 5

A bit intrigued, Carlos asked," What good does it do to sorcerers or alchemists?"

The young woman responded," Owning that Diligo little to no actual merits. But if it's killed, if you know already how to consume its meat, a lot can happen actually."

Richard Rivers spread a large thin piece of paper on the table for Carlos to look at. Carlos saw a poorly-drawn: anatomy of a bird with all its internal organs drawn separately on the paper.

As he was studying the parts, the young woman continued," Head for the crown, Heart against death and Liver for a hundred coins. These words have been famous among sorcerers, alchemists and necromancers in all nations. But there are only a few who know the actual meaning of them."

At that moment, Bennett, who was wearing a new set of clothes, entered the room and seeming as though he had heard their conversation, he walked across the room and took a brief look at the table.

"Liver for a hundred golden coins." he repeated to himself.

The young woman's eyes widened with surprise, but she said nothing as Bennett fell silent and stepped away from the table. As she studied him from the corner of her eyes, she continued. Godric is after the three sacred treasures hidden in the body of this very special Diligo that will grant whoever possesses it, three types of supernatural powers."

Carlos argued," But Godric is a very wealthy man. He belongs to a generation of kings and aristocrats with resources and territories that we could only dream of. If it's power he wants he could buy the whole Silvermoon Realm without having to lift a finger."

"Well," the young woman responded." What's obvious is that he doesn't want to be just a ruler, because the powers of this bird represent much more than that."

"Well, what are they?" Carlos asked, excitedly.

Instead of the young woman, Bennett's voice rose from the corner of the room," Immortality, of course. Head for the crown means that by swallowing the Diligo's head, you will be crowned king no matter who you are or where you are in life. Liver for a hundred golden coins means whoever swallows the liver, will find a satchel of one hundred gold coins under his pillow every night wherever he sleeps. And lastly, Heart against death...well, that is what everybody wants more than anything else. By swallowing the heart of that bird, death will never come for you or have an impact on you."

The woman added," Not that it won't come for you, but rather have its course running backwards somehow. If you eat the heart, however death may present itself to you, you will be immune to that manner of dying, so to speak. For example, if someone who has eaten the heart, gets thrown off a cliff, he will die, resurrect and continue living without ever being able to die from a fall. However peculiar that might be..."

The young woman's eyes landed on Bennett's face. She approached him slowly, placed a hand on his stomach and suddenly, pressed on it so hard that he had to bend over to stop himself from throwing up. Gasping for air, he angrily looked at the young woman whose face was now beaming with mischievous smile.

"And which part of the Diligo did you eat, if I may ask?" She smiled, cunningly.

Carlos almost jumped up in shock and cried out,"You have got to be joking!"

Bennett passed him a brief look, stood gracefully straight and answered," The liver. Of course,the liver! How did you think I got so far without any money from my father? You of all people, should know better. Theater didn't pay that well."