The Witcher: Black and White

The Knight and The Raven Sorcerer

Marvo walked into the Rosemary and Thyme late that night to find it deserted. Aside from a light candle here and there, the place was completely dark. He ascended the stairs cautiously, just in case. Marvo reached the top of the flight without seeing any signs of anyone there, then his sense caught someone moving around in one room.

Marvo opened the door to the room to find a tall figure dressed in well tailored robes standing before him. The various pieces of armor sprawled out on the bed. The armor was painted red and white, a Redanian. Then, in the dim light, Marvo recognized the man.

Sir Adius Turnican was in the room all by himself, no guards. Nothing. Marvo sensed an opportunity to end the conflict before it began.

"If you are smart; creature, you'll stay your blade." Turnican hissed, his back still turned to the Witcher.

"Why are you here?" Marvo sneered.

Turnican turned to face Marvo. "I am a guest. I fairly rented a room at this armpit of an inn from Mr. Dandelion, I am as welcome here as any other."

Marvo saw no immediate threat and sheathed his sword. "You aren't here without reason, so why are you here?"

Turnican blinked, then sighed softly. "I know you search for your friend Geralt of Rivia, but it is a lost cause. You'd have better luck finding Anna Henrietta baring her tits for members of the court."

Marvo shrugged. "We Witchers pride ourselves in achieving the impossible."

"Indeed. Like a higher vampire, you've achieved the form of a completely average human being whilst being anything but." Turnican said elegantly.

"Really don't like Witchers, do you?" inquired Marvo.

"Witchers, sorceresses, relicts, ogroids, cursed ones, draconids, specters, vampires, elementa, whatever isn't human is an abomination and must be purged from King Radovid's perfect society."

"Pray tell, does a perfect society openly partake in genocide?"

Turnican shrugged. "Anything to uphold Radovid's vision for us all."

"I think Radovid has proved himself to have a few loose bolts." Marvo said mockingly.

"Watch your tongue, boy. For I might make it easier for you and have it removed." Turnican warned with a deep scowl.

Marvo took a step forward. "Try it." he whispered.

Turnican looked as if he'd take Marvo up on his offer but instead, he backed down. "I'll rest easy tonight, knowing it'd be foolish of you to murder an official of the Kingdom of Redania in Novigrad of all places. Begone, vile monster." he said, waving him away.
Realizing Turnican's logic, Marvo reluctantly turned and walked out of the Rosemary and Thyme.

/

The next morning, Marvo returned to find Turnican's room abandoned. Apparently, he didn't sleep that peacefully and decided to vacate to premises before Marvo returned. The gathering of Triss, Yen, Zoltan, Ciri, Dandelion, and Marvo reconvened to discuss their next move. Even Jakob Tizus came into attendance. The crowns Marvo had given him was enough to sway the nimble mercenary.

They sat in the large room in chairs and sofas. Yen was the first to speak. "Marvo of Claremont has brought us a new ally, Jakob Tizus of Kaer Trolde."

Tizus nodded silently as the group turned his way. "Jakob was the last to see Geralt before he disappeared." Yen continued.

"This is true, we were at the base of the Blue Mountains looking into a stronghold held by the Knights of Roshytta." Tizus said.

Zoltan leaned forward. "Blue Mountains are littered with them Elven ruins, could be they seized one of 'em."

In contrast to Zoltan, Dandelion leaned back in his chair, balancing on two out of four legs. "Indeed, it is possible but it could also have been constructed recently."

Tizus shook his head, making his mass of red curls flutter. "No, I've seen the damned thing. It's an elf design, but the thing was so small, too small to be a fort."

Triss cleared her throat. "If it truly is Elven, then it's likely mostly underground. A network of caves maybe."

"Caves open everywhere," Marvo chimed in. "find a cave near this fort, we could have a way in."

Yen stood up from where she sat on the sofa. "It'd be too risky to scout the place out for ourselves, so I took the liberty of inviting another old friend.

"Another? Who?" Dandelion asked.

A man in a dark leather long coat and black leather boots strolled in. A hood of the small black material covered his face but strands of silver hair poked out.

"Really, Dendri? Take the damn hood off. We know who you are." Triss said.

Dendri cleared his throat. "Of course."

Dendri pulled away the hood to reveal long silver hair that ran down his back and almost to his waist, held at the back of his head and away from his eyes with the use of products. Speaking of his eyes, they had no pupils or irises and were a solid blood red.

Marvo stood up and faced the mysterious man. "You a vampire?"

Dendri laughed. "Hardly, I'm a sorcerer. A bit risky for me to be in Novigrad, but my lady Yennefer beckoned and I am obliged to heed her sweet call."

Yen chuckled. "You embarrass yourself, talking like that. Marvo, this is Dendri the Silver Snake. I summoned him some time before Ciri found you. He was hiding from Radovid in Nilfgaard's territory."

"Yes, Emhyr var Emreis has a wonderful taste in wine, and hasn't a problem speaking with someone like me." Dendri noticed Ciri scowl at the mention of her father. "He mentioned you quite a bit, might I add, Cirilla."

"Enough, Dendri!" Yen finally said, noticing Ciri's discomfort. "You do still have control over a certain flying creature?"

Dendri grinned and in an instant, entirely transformed into the image of a raven, even contracting in size to fit the appearance. The raven's beak opened and Marvo expected to hear a caw.

"My eyes are as keen as ever, Lady Yennefer." the raven spoke to Marvo's surprise, although no one else seemed to be surprised.
Some time later, after Yen had already given Dendri the task of finding an entrance into the Elven fort. The raven had flown and was on it's way to the Blue Mountains. Yen, Triss, and Ciri later decided to take a walk through Novigrad.

The rest of the crew was simply sitting around, waiting for really nothing in particular. Suddenly, as they were lounging about, one of Dandelion's assistants came into the meeting room.

"Dandelion, sir? There are armed men standing in the parlor asking for you." he said.

Dandelion and Zoltan glanced at each other and Dandelion got up to leave the room. He followed the assistant down the stairs and into the main room where five men in unmarked knight armor were standing, with their broadswords already drawn.

"My friends!" Dandelion chirped happily. "To what do I owe the pleasure of warriors such as yours to come into my establishment?"

One of the girls stroked her hand up and down the breastplate of one of the knights. He put his armored hand on her shoulder and gave the girl a solid shove, she toppled to the ground before wailing and running off.

The leader of the group, a very, very tall man with a helmet designed to look like a phoenix stepped forward towards the bard.

"You are harboring nonhumans here. Need we remind you of the law?" the knight said.

Dandelion chuckled nervously. "Whatever do you mean, sir knight? I harbor no filthy nonhumans here."

"Do you call the word of Lord Commander Turnican untrustworthy? He was here himself but a night ago!"

"I do remember the gracious gentleman but I assure you, no nonhumans!" Dandelion said with a flash of his white teeth.

The knight again stepped closer and put a gloved hand on Dandelion's throat. Lifting him effortlessly into the air, the knight lifted his visor to reveal a hideously burnt face. Two black clouded eyes stared back at him.

"You do not amuse me, bard. We know a Witcher is here, and we will find him."

"Might I get you name, oh charred one?" Dandelion asked tauntingly. Dandelion's dig sparked a snicker from a few of the knight's men.

"Sir Silas Longhill. Second in command of the Knights of Roshytta."

"Oh, I hope that's on your resume." Dandelion interjected.

Longhill growled again and raised his sword. "Hey!" a voice shouted.

Longhill dropped Dandelion on the floor as he and his knights turned to see a Witcher standing behind them with his sword drawn and in a readied posture. He eyed each knight up before speaking again.

"Dandelion?" Marvo said.

Dandelion gasped. "Yes?"

"Cover your eyes and ears."

Dandelion did as he was told as Marvo unhooked a sphere from his belt and tossed it at the knights. The Samum bomb detonated and blinded and deafened them all. Marvo charged forward, stabbing one knight in the gap of his armor and giving a second knight a blast of Aard that sent him careening into Longhill.

Two more knights came to meet Marvo in melee and the young Witcher managed to hold his own against them but was eventually beaten back by the overwhelming force of two fully armored knights.

Zoltan came bolting down the stairs with a large hammer in hand. He swung it at the back of Longhill's head and the steel hammer connected with his ornate helmet, distorting the phoenix image into a twisted mass of metal.

Longhill fell to the floor as the knight who had been blasted back turned to face the dwarf, but instead got a faceful of dwarven hammer on Zoltan's second swing. Meanwhile, Marvo had managed to break a link in one of the knight's breastplate straps, making it disconnect and fall off, bearing a chainmail shirt underneath. As the knight realized his predicament, the Witcher had already tore through the chainmail and into the knight's stomach.

The first knight fell to the floor and the second charged with his sword held over his head. Marvo discarded his own sword, grabbed the knights arm with one hand and forced the knight's visor up with the other. The knight and the Witcher came face to face as Marvo sent another Aard right into his face.

The Aard send his head folding in on itself as his brains burst out the back of his head and began running down his neck and onto his chest and back. Marvo released his hold on the knight and let the body topple to the ground. The only knight remaining was Longhill, who could barely see out of his ruined phoenix helm.

Marvo picked up his sword and sheathed it. "Never return here again." he threatened.

Longhill growled under the mass of steel but he ran out of the Rosemary and Thyme anyway. Stumbling over his comrades as he went. Zoltan chuckled at the sight.

"Like a pup with it's tail between it's legs, eh?"