Chapter 86: Help from beyond the grave
"Did you oversimplify a legend?" Komin lifted his face and looked at Aric with anger, as if Aric had just insulted his girlfriend or something.
"Whoa, whoa. I didn’t mean it like that," Aric said, raising his hands defensively. "I just meant that at the end of the day, it’s a story. It’s supposed to be enjoyed, not... you know, worshipped."
"But it’s not just a story, Aric. It’s already becoming something bigger. People are talking about it, debating it, getting lost in it. You’ve created a world that feels real to so many of us."
"I guess I didn’t realize it would resonate so much, especially this quickly. I just wanted to share something that I thought was cool," Aric replied, and all he could think was, "Damn Tolkien. You are a legend."
"Well, you did more than that. You’ve given people a place to escape to, a world that they want to believe in. That’s not something to take lightly."
"I appreciate that, really. But I’m just a writer. I’m still figuring this whole thing out."
"I get it. But to a lot of people, you’re more than just a writer now. You’re the creator of a universe that means something to them. And that’s... well, that’s kind of a big deal."
"I suppose it is. But let’s not make it too big of a deal, okay? I’d rather just enjoy a meal with a friend without all the fanfare. If all you want is to be a friend."
"I can do that. The author of LOTR and a friend of mine? You bet I will be more than a friend. But I can’t promise I won’t bring up the book again," Komin replied.