Prologue, Expository

The Temerian landscape was typical. Wind breezed between the trees, up and down the hills and across the streams. There was not a cloud insight, the world seemed made from a perfect image. However, it was a tainted image for darkness grips the land ever since the Conjunction of Spheres, an event that made a world of pure darkness and hate collide with one of idealism. The world of darkness sent horrible monstrosities down onto the humans, vampires, giants, and werewolfs are but a few of these deadly beasts. Yet, with the coming of the monsters there came the creation of a caste or group one would say called the WItchers. Chemically augmented and trained since birth, their skin has become pale and they have eyes that are golden and slit like a viper's. With their deformed features came great power, they are faster, stronger, smarter and more durable than any other race in their world. They take their training and don swords of silver and steel, both of which for monsters, to combat what was sent from the Conjunction. A witcher of special importance was Aeden of Lyria, for while being a Witcher for only one year his fame has spread like wildfire comparable to the fame Geralt of Rivia earned. Unlike Geralt however, our "hero" hails from the Manticore School of Witchers, this school focused more on knowledge of their vast bestiary and their powerful concoctions even more potent than that of the other schools. With his knowledge Aeden went onto his journey as a Witcher leaving the school at 16.

Chapter One

Both Are For Monsters

He stood at the mouth of the cave, judging by the pebble he threw in and the echo it returned Aeden judged it to be rather small. He had tracked a water hag that had been terrorizing a village river and capturing any women who went near it to get water for their family. Aeden drew then coated his silver blade in Necrophage oil, a slick and gooey substance made to burn away flesh eating monsters, and strode in. The cave was nearly pitch black, yet his WItcher senses allowed him to see almost perfectly clear. Only after a few steps in he noticed that there was a ring of stone to walk around what appeared to be an extremely deep pond in the center of the cave. A pile of bones could be seen in the other end of the pond. Aeden crouched low and stalked over to the pile on the balls of his feet. His armor was essentially just padded leather pants and boots along with a leather chestpiece that covered him from waist up and a long sleeve shirt underneath. The upper body regions had chainmail attached on his stomach and chest as well as the back, his shoulders were adorned with layered panels of chainmail attached to leather squares making armored pauldrons that were dependable and flexible. A large leather backpack was slung over his shoulders full of potion ingredients, notes, and diagrams of gear he may need a craftsmen to make for him.

Aeden pulled out a small wooden sphere and gave a testing tug on its fuse, for unlike most wooden balls this one was full powdered pearl and ducal water that when combined and ignited would freeze nearly anything. Aeden then grabbed one of the bones from the pile and violently threw it into the water. As soon as he did so he could see the hag swiftly make a go for the surface. As the monster breached the water Aeden threw the bomb and froze the creature with just it's head peeking above the surface. With all the water around it frozen solid, Aeden strode forward and raised his blade.

"Damn you're ugly."

The beast screamed and shook violently in one final attempt at escape. Aeden sighed and with a shake of his head, decapitated the foul beast. He pulled out a brown canvas bag and with his meat hook deposited the trophy inside as he needed proof to complete his contract and get money from the village elder. Aeden turned towards the entrance of the cave and walked out only to see dozens of rifts appear and monsters began to pour out. Creatures never seen before and ones made extinct centuries ago. It was the first time since his training Aeden felt fear. He whistled for his horse but the sounds of time and space tearing were far too loud. A portal appeared next to him as a Manticore appeared next to him, with a wild slash he cut the beasts snout and ran under its legs into where it came from.

"Any place has to be better, I'm not fighting an ice giant, Manticore, and Basilisk all at once. "

As Aeden jumped through he felt as though he was in freefall in a void. He tried to orient himself but there was nothing to orient to. Time passed and there was no telling how long he was in the portal. A minute at most yet a month at least, the worry was most portals used by mages were instantaneous. Suddenly, he crashed onto a floor of bright green grass and tumbled side over side into the trunk of a rather tall oak tree.

He shookily stood and readied his sword. As he scanned the forest he began to surmise what he was seeing in review.

"Tall, thick trees. Healthy ecosystem. Smell of… wolves nearby. Oh wait."

Aeden stopped recollecting his thoughts for his medallion which all Witchers wear began to vibrate. A sure sign of magical energy nearby that nearly every monster carries. Aeden lowered his stance in a defensive one since he lacked any information and could not even guess what he was going to fight.

Suddenly, with a rapturous roar a gigantic wolf made of pure darkness bursted through the treeline and into the center of the grove Aeden landed in. Their eyes locked as Aeden could only guess this was some kind of werewolf curse that was extremely advanced. Undoubtedly done by some dark god. He stood his ground waiting for a fight.

Ozpin sat at his desk going over reports about his new batch of students who are showing up tomorrow for the new year at Beacon. Most importantly, Ruby Rose's file. As he began to turn one of many pages in the dossier his colleague Ms. Goodwitch barges in to the room out of breath.

"Ozpin, pull up Camera Emerald-7. There's a boy, he seemingly teleported into the forest."

Ozpin simply nodded and didn't question the outlandish idea of someone teleporting into the forest so close to the school. As he pulled up the video feed onto a large screen nearby he saw the young man Glynda spoke of.

He was big for what Ozpin perceived his age to be, looking to be around 6'2 and at least 200 pounds of athleticism, he had silver hair that was short yet unkempt covering his eyebrows as he danced with his warrior had armor on, rare for anyone facing down Grimm even if it was as light as his appeared to be, Aura would make it quite redundant. As the Beowulf jumped at the boy Glynda tensed in fear but the young man ducked down and simply decapitated the beast. As it turned into shadow the boy looked in shock and tensed back up, Ozpin, with immense foresight turned on the audio as Aeden declared his thoughts.

"Oh shite, it didn't actually die."

Ozpin was befuddled, of course the beast died young man… Oh wait, this is his first time slaying Grimm. His outfit and stature betrayed him.

"Glynda, get the boy. He seems to have not slain a Grimm before and will most likely need rescue."

Glynda gave a curt nod and sprinted down to the elevator to get a pilot to help her save the boy.

Ozpin turned his attention back to the screen to observe the Witcher spread a thick liquid like an oil over his sword.

"Well, this is getting intriguing."

The boy came under attack by more Beowulf's and carnage ensued.

Aeden ducked and weaved through the werewolf like daemons. He adorned his blade with Cursed oil, made of dog tallow and wolfsbane herb, since these were some cursed beings. The oil coated blade was thrust into an approaching wolf and it glowed bright red at the point of , instead of dying the beast fell to its knees clawing at its chest till it died. His attention lapsed at the sight of the monsters screams as a result he was thrown to the side by a backhanded strike from another wolf. He rolled when he hit the ground and stood at the ready swiftly. The other wolf sprinted towards him. Aeden sidestepped and cut of the foreleg of the monster. The wound glowed red like the other one. The Witcher ignored the flailing beast and continued his work entering an almost trance like state of weaving around the beasts.

As the last of the horde laid on the forest floor living their last moments a large metal construct appeared above him sending fallen leaves everywhere and getting dust in his eyes. The Witcher covered his face and cast a Quen sign on himself.

"I can't fight this thing. If it attacks Quen can absorb a blow from anything but only once. After that I need to get out of here."

Aeden tensed up as the construct lowered to the ground and its side opened to reveal a middle aged woman with blonde hair and glasses approach him. She wore glasses and had a scholarly disposition yet the dress flamboyant enough to be a sorceress. He tensed up in anticipation of a fight.

"Young man I insist that you put down your weapon and head back to Beacon with me. This forest is not safe."

Aeden uneasy sheathed his silver blade and the woman sighed releasing a lot of tension from his body. However she tensed back up immediately when he drew the other sword on his back. Glynda now noticed that the blade glowed with runes that were from a language she knew nothing of.

"Sorry miss, that will not do. I'm afraid a second Conjunction may have occurred. I need to get back from whence I came and assist what few Witchers are left. Now stand down."

"I insist you come with me, I mean no harm and Beacon can help you find whoever you're looking for. We train people who hunt the creatures you just fought. So come along before I have to take you."

The forest stood still for a moment but just a moment as the sounds of another horde of Beowolves made their impending arrival known with their signature blood curdling howls.

The young Witcher nodded, sheathing his steel he walked onto the giant metal ship.

Okay, get on the large flying metal bird and get to this, Beacon. Get information and resources, learn what I can and bounce.

As the young Witcher was planning his next month of survival Glynda stood over him judgmentally. With so many questions flying through her mind she settled on the one she found most interesting.

"Young man?"

The Witcher looked at her and gave a curt nod.

"Why two swords?"

The Witcher stood up even straighter now and began to walk away, before he sat down in the Bullhead he spoke with a heavy voice, " Both are for monsters."