The Witcher: Through the Worlds
Chapter 91: The End VI (Tor'Gvalch'ca)
Narrator: The King of the Wild lay dead! After a long journey, after facing near death more times than he could ever count, Dominik along with his younger sister Bella faced down Eredin, King of the Wild Hunt. Together, the two siblings combined their powers, and were able to slay the King. Eredin fell to them both, but as he lay dying at their feet, he revealed to Bella that Avallac'h, the elven sage had betrayed them all, and taken Ciri, intent on forcing her hand to sacrifice herself to destroy the White Frost. Ciri meanwhile, lays plans of her own to counter Avallac'h. Unaware she fully controls her powers, the sage believes that she will die in her battle with the White Frost, and for her plans to succeed Ciri must keep this a secret from the sage. So… Dominik and Ciri both now race towards each other again, and the most difficult test either of them have ever faced.
"Borch will keep him busy, Yen stay at a distance and blast him if he starts focusing on me!" Geralt shouted out the order, not giving Yen anytime to argue, before he dashed forward and Borch crashed into Kilgarrah on the ground.
Both dragons seemed too exhausted to fly again, and Geralt was going to take full advantage. The rain drenched his silver hair, and the wind nearly knocked him over as he ran, but he stayed the course as Borch and Kilgarrah slammed into each other and fought. The two dragons' bit clawed and lunged at one another. Geralt must have looked like an annoying insect to them both, but he kept his course, dodging down over one of Kilgarrah's massive claws that slammed down towards him. He cut his sword across the massive stump like leg, and Kilgarrah roared as for a moment he looked down at Geralt ignoring Borch.
It looked like he was going to snap Geralt up and toss him into the sea, but a bolt of lightning slammed down into the dragon's neck. Geralt heard the distinguishable sound of Yen yelling out in Elder speech, as the dragon was hammered with stone. Borch was exhausted he knew, so Yen and himself were trying to keep Kilgarrah as busy as possible. The gold dragon still snapped his jaws at fought but took the time to heal and rest if even for a few seconds.
Geralt madly rolled out of the way of Kilgarrah's tail and came up right near a set of docks that led out to the bay. His eyes widened when he looked out at the Nagalfar, and above it he could see a giant swirling storm of magic above the deck. It flashed bright blue and white, as if in rhythm with the clashing of a sword.
Dom's out there and Bella… gotta hope they can end this. Geralt was worried. Was he really going to leave his son to fight the King of the Wild Hunt alone?
No, he wasn't leaving Dominik alone, he was believing in his sons' abilities.
A roar sounded behind him, taring his attention away. He spun back around and madly dashed out of the way as Kilgarrah's tail slammed into the docks. The wood crumbled into the icy depths below, and Geralt came back up just as a torrent of rocks slammed into the dragon's head, incased in Yennefer's magic. They only served to make Kilgarrah angry, as Borch came up standing menacingly behind Geralt. Kilgarrah turned and roared. Geralt could clearly hear the pain in the dragon's echoing cry. It was as Bella had told him, the control Eredin had over the beast was clearly distressing.
Standing before a dragon for the first time in decades, Geralt didn't know where to attack, what to do. Kilgarrah spread out his bleeding wings and roared again. Stretched out fully, Kilgarrah could easily cover an entire Novigrad street in their shadow. How did he fight a beast like this? The Witchers code-which was simply his own code- stated that a Witcher shouldn't kill a creature of high intelligence unless they were a true threat. Kilgarrah had been extremely intelligent when they met him on that beach outside the Cave of Life, and Geralt didn't want to hurt the beast too bad, not even just at Dominik's request.
But I can wound him… go for the wings, that's what we do for wyverns….
Borch roared and blasted out fire, prompting Kilgarrah to do the same. Ice came from the white dragon's mouth as he got low to the ground, giving Geralt the perfect opportunity to strike. He lashed out, spinning past Kilgarrah as lurched out his neck to unleash his breath. Geralt thrusted his sword towards the side of Kilgarrah's mouth as he did, and the Dragon lurched back with a roar. He was flashed back to the siege at La Valette Castle, losing Aerondight in a similar way he lost his silver then as Kilgarrah howled.
Another dragon, another lost sword… he thought, as he twirled steel from his back, and just as Kilgarrah came back down, he slid on his knee and cut across the beast's wing.
Another roar of pain came from Kilgarrah, but before Geralt could even figure out where he was, the flailing wing slammed into him. He felt his bones crack and ache as he flew back. He was about to crash into the stone, but before he did, he felt his stomach lurch, and he was teleported again. He came back some distance to the left, just in time to see Kilgarrah's tail slam into Borch and knock the gold dragon over.
Geralt looked to the right, and Yen nodded towards him. What would he do without her?
"GO!" She shouted at him, and as she did Borch howled in pain. Geralt looked over to see Borch had been knocked to the side. Kilgarrah towered over Geralt's friends, ready to snap his jaws into the gold dragon's neck.
Yen's voice ripped out over the thunder, shouting a spell as large stone, chunks of rock ripped from the side of the cliff itself, and slammed into Kilgarrah before he could end Borch's life.
The White dragon's scales were caked in blood, and after being hit by the rocks he fell to the right. Borch was able to get up and smack a claw across Kilgarrah's chest, but before he could advance Kilgarrah roared as ice flew from his mouth. It hit into Borch's chest and the gold dragon had to scramble back again. Geralt cursed seeing this and ran forward again.
Kilgarrah roared and spasmed even more erratically as the minutes passed. Did it have something to do with the dragon's connection to Eredin? Did it mean that Dominik and Bella were winning, or did the dragon mimic Eredin's emotions?
Geralt didn't have time to find out, not only was Dominik fighting Eredin, Ciri was still nowhere to be seen. Avallac'h still hadn't been seen either. Geralt knew that the two things weren't mutually exclusive.
He was beginning to think that Dominik had been right. Should they have simply killed the sage and been done with it? They probably could have found a way to summon the Hunt themselves between all the sorceresses, surely they would have been able too.
He'll get what's coming to him… I'll make sure. Geralt was angry, angry at Avallac'h, at the Hunt, at the universe for not simply letting him live in peace. What had Dominik and Ciri done to deserve the things that had happened? They had done nothing, but in the over hundred years that Geralt had lived, he learned that things were never fair.
You had to make what you wanted to happen, happen.
Geralt yelled as he rolled to the right just as Kilgarrah tried to snap at him. Using his enhanced legs, he leapt and found himself on Kilgarrah's neck. The dragon lurched back and swinging his steel down he cut across Kilgarrah's eye. Borch roared in defiance, as across from him it looked like he was going to charge again but stopped when he saw Geralt.
Kilgarrah's now one eye looked up at him, black and red webs in the pupils. His sword stroke had cut one closed, but the other glared at him. Panic quickly built up in Geralt as he saw the swirls of ice forming behind the dragon's teeth. Yen screamed for him and Borch roared. The frost built up in the back of Kilgarrah's throat, and Geralt readied himself to try and leap away in time.
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
A loud scream, a blood curdling scream echoed throughout the entire plains just as a blast of thunder rattled the very foundations of Undvik. Geralt's head shot over to the plains, as every single fighter, even the riders of the Hunt froze. The scream even stopped Kilgarrah who's one open eye shot towards the Nagalfar. Every pair of eyes fell on the Nagalfar. The scream eventually died down, but the echoes still rang, and Geralt felt it pierce the very depths of his soul.
Soon, he found himself smiling.
That wasn't Dom's scream….
The moment of triumph and pride for Geralt was interrupted when Kilgarrah screamed and roared at the same time. The voice was the same Geralt had heard the day he met the dragon. It pounded Geralt's eardrums, and he was sent flying when Kilgarrah's neck snapped back.
Another portal opened before he could slam into the mountain, and he fell on his stomach into the snow next to Yen.
"Are you alright!?" She asked, frantic as she yanked him to his feet.
He looked and nodded at her. "I am, Yen that scream it-."
"It wasn't Dom's, or his sister's," She finished for him. Scoffing she looked over the icy bay, "do you think that he really-."
She was cut off by Kilgarrah's pained roar, and then Borch's voice.
"KILGARRAH! CALM YOURSELF!" The gold dragon shouted out in his booming voice, and Geralt spun around with Yen.
Borch had finally rested, and now he launched himself back towards Kilgarrah, just as the white dragon began to writhed in pain. Yen and he looked on, as Borch reached Kilgarrah, and reached up, wrestling his massive body into Kilgarrah's as the struggle soon became a twisting mess of gold and white.
"Yen what's happening to him!?" Geralt said, rain streaking down his steel to the ground.
Yen's eyes were wide, but she shook her head. "I don't know! It could be something happening to Eredin, or maybe the curse is killing him!"
"Can you do anything!?"
"I don't know what they did to him," Yen said, wiping her rain-soaked hair out of her eyes. "I don't know the spell we must-."
"ARGHHHHHH! VILLENTRETENMERTH," Kilgarrah screamed, roaring as the dragon collapsed under Borch's weight, spasming like an insect who's head had been removed.
"FIGHT IT KILGARRAH! YOU ARE STRONGER THEN THIS!" Borch loomed over the dragon, and Geralt watched, as miraculously, they started to shrink.
"ARGHHHHH HE- HE IS NEAR DEATH!" The words seem to burn from Kilgarrah's throat. "URGHHHHHH! BELLAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"DAMMIT!" Geralt cursed and turned to Yen, the dragon was in so much pain, and Borch was beginning to have trouble holding him down. If Kilgarrah got loose in that state, it would spell disaster for everyone on the battlefield.
He turned to Yen. "Yen, teleport me to the Nagalfar!"
"But I thought you said-." He shook his head to cut her off.
"I need to get there," Geralt said, as they both looked out at the ship. "Even if Dom's winning it needs too-."
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The scream came again. And again, it wasn't from Kilgarrah. It was the same deep, demonic, blood curdling scream that Geralt heard earlier. It echoed throughout the bay, snow and rocks even fell from the mountain behind them. The scream accompanied thunder, and just like before, every fighter in the bay went still.
"Geralt…" Yen said next to him, her hand touching his arm, "does… does this mean."
"ARGHHHHH! BELLAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Kilgarrah's screams made Geralt turn back around. His eyes widened when he saw Borch, shrinking back to the size of a regular man and rushing to him.
As the two dragons shrank back down into the forms of men, more thunder boomed, more incessantly, violently, and the storm of rain and wind only got worse. Geralt was almost knocked over by the wind as he finally reached Borch, back in the form of the man Geralt met all those years ago. He eyed Geralt with wild eyes, as his arms were still wrapped around a raging and thrashing Kilgarrah.
Borch had cut across his face, down his arms as he only wore light linens and trousers. Kilgarrah however didn't even have a shirt. His massive, chiseled arms and body were bruised, beaten black and blue. Geralt noticed that his one eye was shut and bleeding from where he had cut the dragon, however, Kilgarrah seemed to be in pain from much more than that. Geralt could barely see his long snowy white hair, or his bushy beard. When he screamed, his arms flailed out of Borch's grip.
Geralt lunged and caught the man. Borch leapt and grabbed Kilgarrah's other arm, as both men tried to hold the dragon down.
"Fight it! You must fight it my friend!" Borch yelled, as he and Geralt pulled Kilgarrah to his knees. "You are stronger than them! Show them the power of your will!"
"ARGHHHHHHHH! ARGH! ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Kilgarrah screamed and grabbed his head, falling onto all fours as the storm blew back his hair. The thunder seemed to rip open the sky, and Geralt looked up to see massive clouds beginning to swirl, casting a dark shadow out over the battlefield. The only light came from the moon, the lightning, and all the fire that raged.
Geralt cursed as Borch tended to Kilgarrah on the ground, he looked out towards the Nagalfar. What had happened? Did he fail again?
"It… it… it is done…." Kilgarrah's voice made Geralt spin back around. The dragon vomited over the ground, and Geralt quickly knelt next to Borch who had gotten to his fellow dragon's side.
"Are you alright!?" Geralt asked, his voice frantic. "It's done!? Does that mean Dom killed him, are Bella and he alright!?"
"Yes… it… it is done," Kilgarrah said, slowly looking up, exhaustion overwhelming on the dragon's face. "Bella… she… she and her brother…. The King… the king is dead."
And when Kilgarrah looked up, his eyes held irises of amber gold.
Geralt almost keeled over. It was done. Dominik had done it. Geralt was the first to admit how nervous he was, sending Dominik to even face his sister alone, let alone Eredin with her.
But again, just like he had been doing this entire journey, the boy had surprised Geralt yet again. That goofy, lovestruck little boy he had taken to Kaer Morhen eleven years ago, had just killed the King of the Wild Hunt.
No… he isn't a boy anymore, not even close, Geralt thought, sitting in stunned silence, before a smirk creeped onto his face. He's a man… a witcher… and most importantly a survivor.
He had gone from hot-headed and over-anxious when they left Vizima, to calm, confident, collected, and powerful by the time they got to Undvik. Geralt didn't know how much finding Ciri again had to do with his son's transformation, but he wouldn't contribute it all to simply finding her.
No, Dominik had grown on his own, through years of hardship and struggle, he had grown into what he was today.
Geralt was proud, damn proud.
Borch smirked over at Geralt. "Your boy exceeds expectations Geralt," he said, before looking down to Kilgarrah. "Let's get you out of here my friend. Your injuries are severe, with the King dead, the Wild Hunt should retreat. Geralt! Where's your daughter?"
"Don't know…" Geralt said. "Dom and I tried to find her. I'm not gonna feel safe until we do. But you're right, let's get Kilgarrah out of here-."
"NO!" Kilgarrah yelled from below them. He reached up and gripped their arms. Geralt quickly helped Borch get the other dragon to his feet. Kilgarrah grabbed onto his missing eye and winced.
Geralt felt slightly guilty. "Sorry about your eye…."
"It is alright, I have one more," Kilgarrah said dryly, wincing as he shook his head. "I know where the girl is. I overheard talk… the… the sage. He takes her. The King he… he wanted to get to her before… before the sage summons the storm… and sacrifices the girl to stop it."
Geralt's blood went cold. He looked up and saw the swirling clouds. His mind began to grow abuzz, as he looked to the Nagalfar and cursed. He needed to get Dominik and get Ciri. If anyone could sense Ciri's signature it was Dom, he spent the most time with her. If Avallac'h had taken her, and got away with it, Geralt would never forgive himself. He had so many warnings that he ignored. He should have slit the elf's throat back when he first met him, he should have done with when he first realized it was Avallac'h with Ciri.
He should have done it after he learned what the sage had done to her in the Aen Elle world, and he should have let Dominik bleed the sage dry that day he and Ciri returned to Novigrad.
Borch met Geralt's eyes. "We must go Geralt! We must find the sage. Kilgarrah, are you alright to take flight!?"
"I am alright," Kilgarrah said through gritted teeth. He looked at Geralt and Borch both and his eyes fell. "My… my eyes did not deceive me, did they? Did… did Bella…"
"She did," Geralt assured him, "she was with Dom on the Nagalfar, helped him kill Eredin."
Kilgarrah let out a breath. "Good… good, she is safe then."
"For now," Geralt said, turning to where he had left Yen. "Yen! We need to get to the Nagalfar, get Dominik and Bella and then find Ciri. Did you hear what Kilgarrah said? Avallac'h took her!"
"Geralt…" She said, standing a distance away her gaze unmoving. "You should come see this."
Geralt cursed and rushed next to her, Borch helping Kilgarrah along behind him. He came up next to Yen as another clap of thunder rang in his ears. He looked out over what Yen had seen, and Geralt's breathing lurched.
Every single rider of the Wild Hunt was in retreat. Cheers of victory were going up from the exhausted army but seeing the retreating riders didn't bring Geralt any joy then.
Because all of them, headed straight for the Nagalfar.
Geralt turned and grabbed Yen by the shoulders. "Yen! Teleport to the Nagalfar, grab Dom and his sister they should be together. Get them back here now!"
"What about you!?" She asked, freeing herself and bringing magic to her hands.
Geralt bit back his anger for now. "I'm going to find where Avallac'h went."
Yen nodded and seconds later she had ripped open a portal. She stepped through it, and when she did both dragons finally came up to his side.
Yen was gone in a flash, and Geralt right away went to trying to figure out where the sage could have gone.
But he didn't need to think much, because as soon as Yen was gone, lightning struck from the sky. It exploded in a bolt of bright blue light, and the clouds all swirled in a tempest.
And a bright blue beam of magic shot up from a tower not far away. The exact one Dominik had warned them about.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Dominik felt himself yanked violently through the portal. He kept hold of Bella as they landed, and as he did all the pain and ache from the fight with Eredin finally come back. He could hear Bella groaning as well on the ground near him, although his vision was still cloudy. Despite this however, he could still only focus on one thing.
Ciri. He needed to get to her, to find her again.
"Dominik! Dom wake up, are you alright son?" A voice hit his ears, followed by a remarkably familiar scent that somehow attacked Dominik's nose despite the smell of sulfur and charred flesh having been so overwhelming the entire fight.
Lilac and gooseberries, just like when he had been half-conscious in Claywitch what felt like ages ago.
He eventually blinked and saw Yen, who scrambled to hug him once he was finally awake.
The sorceress's hug crushed his bone worse than any fall he'd sustained.
"You're alright, thank whatever gods are up there you're alright." She squeezed him and Dominik coughed. His head was pounding, he had stopped using his magic to slowly heal his internal pain, knowing he may need to use the extra portion of it for a fight with Avallac'h.
"I'm alright… somehow," He said, pulling back, as Yen pulled him to his feet. Right away he almost fell, but Yen caught him. Letting out a shaky sigh, Dominik looked around frantically. "Bella! I was holding onto her did you-."
"I'm here," Bella said from a short distance away, a wince cutting her off from saying more.
He turned with Yen, to see Geralt helping Bella to her feet as well. His sister's skeletal armor was collapsing at the joints over the dark purple gambeson she wore under it. After arising she nodded to Geralt in thanks, before reaching up to her shoulders and pulling on two straps with her gauntleted hand.
The armor clunked the ground, soaking wet from the rain, stained with the blood of Eredin and herself. She yanked off the gauntlets, so her bare callused hands showed and chucked them into the bay. She only had on the gambeson now, with a belt settled above her armored lower half. Slowly, shivering from the cold, she picked Coram from the ground, and struggled to get it back into her belt.
"I got something that'll help," Geralt said, pulling an empty sheath from his back. He tossed to Bella, who almost dropped it she was so surprised. Geralt smirked at her. "Goes on your back."
Bella looked reverently at the sheath for a moment, before smiling and nodding at Geralt her thanks. Like she had been doing it all her life, Bella slung the sheath over her back. After it was in place, she slid Coram and before he knew it his little sister was wearing her sword just like he was.
"Gods darling, you must be freezing now," Yen said, stepping up to his sister without even having to be introduced. Bella nearly jumped back as Yen reached out for her. The sorceress grabbed her hands, and Bella instinctively went to pull them back, but before she could Yen muttered words in elder speech.
Bright light enveloped Bella's arms, and sturdy brown hunting gloves appeared around her hands. Bella flexed her fingers, before pulling her hands from Yen's looking down at her gloves.
"They're just enchanted, they'll disappear after a time," The sorceress said, scoffing as she looked up into the air. "I wish I could do something about the damn rain…"
Bella looked flabbergasted. "I… I don't… I… thank you I… um-."
"Yen, Geralt's already met her," Dominik said, "but this is my little sister Bella."
Dominik made sure to stand next to his sister. Bella seemed to shrink under the gazes of Geralt and Yen, as if she spoke, she'd be struck.
Yen, however, didn't hesitate in giving Bella the same enchanting smile she had given Dominik all those years ago upon meeting him in Ellander.
"It's a pleasure to meet you darling," She said, laughing as she looked between Dominik and Bella both. "You're very beautiful my dear, gods, you the both of you look so much alike!"
"We always got told that…" Bella said, so quietly Dominik could barely hear her over the wind. She looked sheepishly touched by Yen's comment, and despite the situation, Dominik smiled seeing his sister like that.
Geralt nodded and looked between them. "They do look alike… powerful together too… so it's done?"
Bella stiffened at the mention of Eredin. Dominik saw she wasn't going to give much a response, and knowing the tower was behind him he answered for her.
"He's dead, won't have to be worry about him anymore," Dominik said, his mind racing elsewhere. He took a few seconds to marvel at that fact. He really had done it… he killed Eredin, with his sister by his side.
He looked around them, and noticed he was on the same beach he had said goodbye to Ciri on before the battle, not far from where the old Nilfgaardean camp was, and that feeling of accomplishment quickly went away.
He looked at Geralt and Yen again. "Please tell me one of you found Ciri?"
"We haven't," Geralt said, his tone growing angry. "Kilgarrah told us he overheard things. Avallac'h took her, he's the one who summoned this storm."
"Kilgarrah?! He's alright?" Bella said, finally finding her voice. The rain pounded them from above, but the smudged makeup that streaked down her cheeks wasn't from that. It was from the tears that welled up in her eyes and slowly traveled down her face.
Dominik had completely forgotten about Kilgarrah. He had already forgotten most of his fight with Eredin as well. All he could think about was Ciri. He knew she was close, but he felt as if she was a continent away as he did at the journey's start.
He wouldn't let her go again, never again. He wouldn't go back to that dark place; he couldn't survive it again.
"He's alright," Geralt assured her. "He and Borch went to scout the island, make sure the Hunt hasn't opened up anymore portals."
"After you two killed Eredin, the riders fled like we expected," Yen informed them. "The rest of the army is cleaning them up now."
Dominik looked out over the icy bay, the graveyard which would likely remain so for years afterwards. Sure enough, he could spot Skelligers along with Anton's knights and the Black Ones who had stayed, rushing around the portals, chopping down the last of the riders who resisted. However, most of the riders were on the run. It looked like the day was won.
Then Dominik saw the tower, and he was quickly reminded how wrong he was. The giant spiral of magic jutted up from the center of the tower. It spiraled and reaching out with just a bit of the magic still left in him, he could feel Ciri's magical signature. She was there, and despite the fact the tower was in his sight, he couldn't help but feel it was on another planet.
It didn't matter, because he'd make it, and he'd save her.
I can't… I can't go back; I can't lose her all over again. He had let her down once. Before she had gone to Thanedd, he had known something bad would happen. He had dreams, nightmares, and saw what would happen to her if he weren't there. Geralt hadn't let him go, but Dominik knew he could have done more. The dreams had been right then, Ciri had been taken, and it was the start of himself descending into darkness.
Now he had another dream. He remembered what happened. The swallow had entered the tower, never to be seen again, and the wolf fought the evil, dark spirit.
A single choice you make shall seal their fate. The last line of the prophecy had been what haunted him since he first heard it from the Crones in Velen. He had thought initially it was Ciri, then thought it was about Bella… but he had been right the first time again. What decision could he make? It wasn't even a decision; it was clear what he had to do. He had to get Ciri away from Avallac'h, before he threw Ciri against the White Frost, sending her to her death.
His eyes hadn't left the tower, as Dominik could only stare up at the massive portal that opened above it. Cracks of thunder were followed by falling stones, he could hear the distant roar of a multitude of monsters. Lightning was knocking over trees, smashing holes into mountains. The apocalypse itself was happening around him, but Dominik could only focus on the tower.
Bella seemed to realize how distracted he was. She steeled herself and looked over to Geralt and Yen.
"Avallac'h took her to that tower," She said, trying to tame her hair as it blew back in the fierce winds. "He's opening and interdimensional portal to the White Frost! He wants to use Ciri to close it. No matter what, if she survives or dies, it's destroyed! He's going to use it as a springboard to take control of the Aen Elle and get rid of Ciri in the process!"
"And we're not going to let him," Dominik said through clenched teeth, turning back to his family. "We're going up to that tower, and we're going to get her back."
Don't let your anger control you now… you're better than that. He was done stomping his foot like a child. He had just stood toe to toe with the King of the Wild Hunt. He had fought monsters three times his size before even knowing about his powers. He had fought, and already won against the person he hated most in that world, and it wasn't Avallac'h, or Eredin.
It was himself. He had won that battle as well. After all he had been through, all he and Ciri had been through, after working so hard to forget, to heal, to finally give them both the life they deserved, Dominik would be damned if he let someone like Avallac'h- someone with a petty grudge and a rejection issue- take it all away from them.
Geralt sighed, crossing his arms and looking at him. "Go ahead… say it."
"Say what?" Dominik asked.
"That you were right," Geralt said, his eyes falling, his voice nearly cracking. "That you were right in saying we should have killed Avallac'h from the start… that I should have let you kill him."
Dominik shook his head. "I don't care about that. Whether I was right or not doesn't matter. Now, what we need to do is get to that tower. It's all I care about."
A few months ago, he probably would have taken that opportunity to gloat over being correct, but now, he simply didn't care, and didn't have the energy.
A small smile came to Geralt's face as he nodded. Dominik felt a surge of adrenaline, as he looked now towards Yen and his sister. "Can the two of you teleport us all?"
"To unstable," Bella said with a shake of her head, "besides, I called on the White Frost to teleport. I don't know how it would react with a portal being open!"
"And I can't teleport four people," Yen said, "we'll have to ride, there should be horses left over-."
A loud crack of thunder over their heads cut Yen off. All four of them turned to looked up, and a massive portal had opened above them. Chunks of rock flew down on them, lightning struck not too far away. Magic sprang from Bella's hand, it looked as if she was going to cast a shield over them when a massive boulder was coming towards them, but the boulder never reached them. A torrent of fire and ice shot from the left and knocked the boulder from the air into pieces.
"GERALT!" The familiar voice of Borch rang from his left over the storm, and it was followed by two massive shadows looming overhead.
Bella was the first to see them both. "Kilgarrah!"
With more energy than Dominik thought she had left, she rushed towards where Kilgarrah had landed. He looked over with Geralt and Yen, and Dominik saw the white dragon had quickly turned back to his human form, standing next to Borch who was still in the form or a massive gold dragon. Dominik's eyes widened at seeing the horrible state of Kilgarrah, an eye missing, gashes across his chest and arms, but still, the dragon had an air of strength, of wisdom. He didn't hesitate when Bella hugged him.
"I'm sorry… gods Kilgarrah I'm sorry." She cried, wrapping her arms around the dragon's waist. Kilgarrah was at least two heads taller than her. The dragon wrapped his arms back around her as well, squeezing his sister as a breath of relief left him.
For a minute, the thunder stopped, only the pattering of the rain could be heard, as Bella sobbed again. She cried as she buried her head into Kilgarrah's chest, and the dragon held onto her just as tightly.
"Are you well child?" Kilgarrah said, slowly as he pulled Bella back from him. He rested his massive hands on her shoulders, but Bella still clung to both the dragon's arms.
Bella shakily nodded, still sobbing as she looked up at him. "I… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry Kilgarrah. I… gods I…I almost got you killed."
"My dear… it is alright," The dragon said, looking down at her, a small smile coming to his lips. "You have done it my child… as I always knew you would. You found yourself… your true self. And I could not be prouder of you."
Bella looked at Kilgarrah incredulously. "But… but I don't understand! I thought you'd be furious with me!"
Kilgarrah scoffed. "Bella… I was never angry with you. I was simply afraid you had lost your way…"
Bella hugged him again, and Dominik finally found himself smiling as well. He watched as his sister pulled back, wiping the makeup and tears from her cheeks, before slowly looking at him.
"I didn't do it alone…" She said, and Kilgarrah looked at him.
The dragon looked at him with those wise amber eyes. He nodded at Dominik, a small smile coming to his beaten face. "Good job lad…. The both of you."
"A very touching moment indeed," Borch said, still in the form of a dragon above them. Everyone turned to the gold dragon, as Borch looked down at them. "However, I must apologize and interrupt it. Geralt! Kilgarrah and I have seen trouble on the horizon."
Geralt stepped up from next to Yen. "What king of trouble?"
"We saw an army of the horizon, marching back towards this shore," Kilgarrah said, letting go of Bella and spitting on the ground behind them. "A black army…"
"Emhyr! That bastard," Yen spat in disgust. She looked over at him and Geralt. "He's coming back after the battle's done to eliminate us, to try and get Ciri."
Bella seethed next to him. He could tell she was thinking the same thing as him. Yen acted surprised, but to them, it wasn't surprising at all. This was the kind of man Emhyr was, the kind of eel the man was.
Geralt cursed. "Dammit, how many did you see?"
"One a thousand or so," Borch said, growling from the back of his throat. "And from my estimation, only a few hundred of our troops remain in the bay."
"Emhyr will wash over them, he'll see it as a chance to weaken Skellige for his campaign," Yen said, shaking her head again. "With Cerys here as well, he could get the Queen. We need to do something Geralt!"
The two argued about what to do for a moment, while Dominik, simply met Bella's eyes. He was confused then. He wanted to get angry, to shout and do something about Emhyr. However, he simply wasn't surprised, just as his sister didn't seem so either. It amazed him how still after so many years, he found himself able to easily understand what Bella was thinking.
He didn't care about Emhyr, he was just another obstacle. One that Dominik knew how to get passed.
"Dom look!" Bella grabbed his arm, taking his gaze away from the tower, and pointing towards where the old Nilfgardian camp had been.
She pointed directly at a cluster of horses, just as another clap of thunder rang overhead. He slowly looked over at Bella and together their gaze went to the tower.
"Bell… be honest with me, how powerful is he?" He said, as they looked at the tower together.
"I don't really know," Bella said, her eyes turning back to him.
He could see so much in her bright green eyes. They looked so much like his when he looked at them, and not just because of the color. Bella carried all the same pain he did. The people who were hurt the most, they always tended to have the same look in the back of their eyes. Reading people had been something he learned well in his years alone, and couple with the fact it was his sister, Dominik could read her like a book.
Bella was just as scared as he, she had been in the darkness, and was possibly still there.
Another reason he'd make it through the day.
She shook her head, sighing as he wet brown hair blew behind her. "Eredin… he always spoke like he could defeat him but… but he always said to approach with the utmost caution. He trained Caranthir, he was the one chosen to marry Lara for a reason."
"Alexander beat him… pretty handily at that," Dominik said.
"Yes… but that was hundreds of years ago," Bella said, looking up towards the tower again. "He's grown more powerful. Eredin and he, they both argued after Ciri escaped Tir'Nala. Eredin went right away to chase her, kill her to help keep their gate to other worlds open. It was what they used to keep getting fresh slaves from other worlds.
"Avallac'h wanted her to experiment on. That was what his original plan was. He wanted her to have a child with Auberon, before imprisoning her in Tir'Nala, to conduct his experiments. After she escaped, he tried without her for years. Until the White Frost began to threaten them, that was when Eredin went to find her he argued with Avallac'h. After the incident with Yennefer and Geralt, Avallac'h tried to track her down. Took him years until he did. Now he has a new plan, hope Ciri dies fighting the White Frost, now with Eredin dead, if he does it, he can return to the Aen Elle a hero, become King."
"And… if Ciri survives?" Dominik said, shuddering at the thought.
Bella bit her lip. "He'll try to take her back with him to experiment on… or worse. He's been preparing this for years Dominik. Eredin claimed it was to humiliate him… but I know the real reason he cursed Avallac'h, was because he didn't know if he could truly best him. I have no idea the extent of his true power, but… but if Eredin was worried about it…"
Dominik shakily sighed. He had spoken for weeks about wanting to kill Avallac'h. Now however, that his moment to do so was finally here, he realized he had never thought about the sage's true power. Ciri had told him of course the sage had powerful magic, and was no slouch with a staff or sword, he did manage to help her fight the Hunt off. Him helping her of course had sinister ulterior motives, but he still had done it.
For the previous few weeks, the sage to Dominik had just seemed so… flimsy, like Dominik could kill him easily if he wanted. Avallac'h would always sneer, said Dominik would 'try' to kill him, as if it would be no problem for himself to fight Dominik off. Dominik hadn't thought about that much, he simply thought when he finally did get to kill Avallac'h, it would be as simple as stabbing the sage and being done with it.
But now, Dominik was coming to realize, Avallac'h had truly been holding back his true power, and they had no idea the extent of it.
He looked over at Bella. "Well, we took down Eredin together, don't see why we can't take him… got my back?"
"How many times did I try to kill you?" Bella asked a slightly amused look to her. In the short time he'd had his sister back, he was realizing she only did that with him, joked and smiled even if it was a small one.
Dominik scoffed. "Three if you're just talking about recently. Much more if you count the times you used to trip me into the lake, fountain or anywhere else."
She rolled her eyes at him. "I owe you for those…and… you're my brother. Of course, I have your back. I will make all this up to you, I promise."
He shook his head. "You don't need to make anything up to me Bell… I'm just glad to have you back."
A small smile came to her, which was enough to inspire him further. She nodded and sighed. "And I'm glad to be back… come on, let's go get this son of a bitch."
"I couldn't agree more," He said, smirking as he looked over horses, before bringing his hands to his mouth and letting out a shrill whistle, hoping the horses were trained.
Sure, enough they were, and a group of lucky enough four of them, started rushing over.
"Alright, Borch, Kilgarrah," Geralt said, as he and Bella turned back to them. Geralt was talking to two full dragons' now, one gold, one white. "Can you fly us up to the tower?"
Bella's eyes widened as the two of them both jogged back over. "You won't be able to fly there! Avallac'h will surely have set up a magic barrier, you'll get thrown around in the wind."
Yen looked at her. "Then how are we supposed to get there? And what about the Black Ones?"
Geralt looked like he was going to say something, but Dominik's mind already began to work. He wasn't going to fail Ciri when she was trapped again, he'd get to her, and finally they'd both get the break, the peace they both deserved.
"Borch, you and Kilgarrah head to the bay!" He said, pointing out towards the icy plains. "Find George, Faram, Freya and Anton! Tell them what's going on and help them fight off the Nilfgaardians. If Emhyr see's two dragons against him, it'll give even him pause!"
"And what will we do?" Geralt asked.
Dominik heard the thundering of hooves get closer, just as another blast of thunder made them all jump back. Above, the storm, the apocalypse has gotten worse, the freezing winds were making it hard to even stand, as chunks of stone fell. Fires began to burn as lightning shot from the sky, the moon completely blocked out by the light of the magic tower and the portals opening in the sky.
None of it matters… only Ciri. Not at lot else had ever mattered since he met her, and Dominik didn't mind at all. Ciri was the sun. The sun that had shone to save him from the darkness that he had been covered in. He would never forget the first time that he told Faram the truth about Ciri after they began traveling together, the real truth.
Faram had laughed at first. Ha! Must be quite the woman to keep you looking so long mate… is she worth it?
Was she worth the pain of being separated from her when they were young? Knowing that he could have done something? Worth carrying that failure, that darkness, that feeling of losing the one person in your life who understood you, knew what you had gone through? Was she worth the eight years he spent on the Path alone with nothing to think about except how almost everyone he loved was dead, and the person he loved most was in mortal peril?
Was she worth the pain, all that time he had spent in the darkness, with one foot over the edge of the cliff?
Yes. It had been his answer then, and it was his answer now. He loved her, and he was done letting people be in their way, he wouldn't, couldn't lose her again.
It wasn't a different situation, a change of scenery that healed the trauma that was in people's minds, the terror that lurked in our hearts. It's the relationships you formed with people, friendship and love, that healed those wounds that no surgeon could heal.
Ciri had healed him, saved him. He had done it for her as well. They were still doing it now. Healing from the things that they had gone through, it didn't take a few days, a few weeks, maybe not even a few months.
It was a slow process, but one that he couldn't wait to start with her.
But first, he had a few more things to take care of.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
The horse he rode was no Clop, but the beast spurred Dominik along through the twisting maze of fallen trees and debris. A small part of him wished he had Clop with him-he had blessedly left the animal back in Novigrad under Dandelion's care- to make him feel as if the journey came full circle. He didn't want to risk his stallion, but the horse Dominik rode them galloped ahead of Bella, Geralt and Yen behind him. Dominik didn't realize but he had activated his magic again, and it seemed to help spur the horse on.
He saw the tower get closer and closer as he rode. They passed the massive ship he remembered the giant had been building on the island. Harpies and sirens darted down towards him, one massive one at the head. He pulled his crossbow from his waist, and despite the wind it found home in the siren's chest. It cried and fell, only seeming to make the rest angry. A huge flock came down towards him, but before they could attack him and his horse a massive wave of ice shot in front of him.
It slammed into the flock and sent some screaming in terror and knocked others to the ground. Bella galloped next to him, her mane of hair blowing back behind her, Coram bouncing on her back. Dominik nodded at her before looking back, Geralt and Yen had fallen slightly behind them, but it was understandable upon seeing the magic swirling around his horse's limbs. Similarly, to Bell next to him, their magic had extended out around their horses' legs, making the mounts they rode speed towards the tower at blistering pace.
Geralt and Yen followed behind, but Dominik found it hard to focus on them, Bella or anything besides the tower. He kept asking himself rather foolishly, why hadn't Ciri simply fled? Teleported back to him, or killed Avallac'h herself, she without a doubt had the power too.
It's because she wants to help… wants to save people, even if Avallac'h tricked us, it's just who she is. Ciri would undoubtedly be furious with Avallac'h, but in order to save their world from the White Frost, and all the other's it threatened she was going to do it. It was simply the kind of person she was… and Dominik loved her for it.
But now, all he cared about was getting her away. Surely if they killed Avallac'h his portal would close, wouldn't it? Or was Ciri really the only way that the storm around them would end? All around, monsters, giants, cyclopes, sirens and harpies, all of them swarmed the island, Dominik had past sections of mountains blasted to pieces, trees uprooted, winds that almost knocked him off his horse, was this really the fate that was in store for the entire continent? From Nilfgaard, to Cintra, to Novigrad all the way up to Kovir?
If Ciri really could stop this, the deaths of hundreds of thousands, but she would face near certain death… could he really keep to the answer he gave Ida when she asked him that exact same question?
No… it's not even close to it. Ciri had given enough, they both had given enough. Couldn't they simply let someone else handle it for once?
He veered left as a massive clap of lightning shot down another boulder. The horse he rode got out of the way, and he looked back to see the distraction gave Geralt and Yennefer time to catch up with him and Bella. The rain had stopped, but the wind combined with the coldness of the night still froze his bones from the drenched armor. He pulled his horse back after he realized, there was quite literally no road left for him to run up. All he could see was the cave to his left, the one where Faram and he had pulled Folan from a troll's cauldron.
Pulling the horse up to stop Dominik slid off the saddle, Fate was in his hands in seconds. The horse ran off a moment later, as Bella pulled up next to him doing the same as him. She looked like she was going to say something, but a large rumbling from the woods behind them cut her off.
"Look out!" She screamed and pulled Coram from her back, spinning around as a tree was uprooted.
Dominik had seen giants and cyclopes before, he had killed one as little ago as a few weeks with Faram, but this one was larger. It sprinted towards the two of them, it's mouth ravenous as it roared, swinging a tree in its hand. Dominik summoned the mist of magic around him, and it connected with Bella's just as they both ran forward.
The giant swung his tree down at them, but before it could hit either of them Dominik shot Aard from his fingers. It slammed into the hand the giant was using to swing the tree, and the power was so great he stumbled back. Bella took the opening, yelling as she leapt up and cut Coram deep across the giant's arm. It bled and roared, before stumbling back. Keeping his run going Dominik slid down and cut across its thigh.
Dominik was coming back with Bella for the kill, but a blur of white shot past them towards the giant.
It was Geralt, he yelled as he leapt from his horse, steel in hand as he plunged it deep into the giants back. Steel could work on giants, and it proved effective then as Geralt ripped his steel down the giant's back before he landed on the ground. The giant let out one last roar, before slumping to the ground dead.
Dominik looked at Geralt as he turned to them both, and all three slung their swords to their backs.
"And you wonder where I inherited my flare for the dramatic," Dominik said, as the giant twitched and finally died.
Geralt scoffed. "So long as the jobs done," he said, looking over at Bella. "Do you know how much time we have!?"
"Not much," Bella said, looking up at the tornado of magic that was spiraling from the tower. She shook her head, looking confused. "He could have done it by now… I have no idea why he hasn't."
"Ciri must be stalling him," He said, turning a small trail he saw along the side of the cave. It was too small for a horse, but a person could climb it. It spiraled all the way up to the tower.
The magic at the tower seemed to implode on itself. It shot up around the tower in a perfect spiral but clouded at the top. All around it he could see a spiraling, churning storm of ice, a barrier in the shape of a sphere, was that the reason Ciri hadn't teleported to them? Did Avallac'h somehow have her captive and unable to use her power?
No, he has to keep her alive to throw at the White Frost, he thought, pushing back his anxiety, but with each step he felt it gnawing at his stomach. Keep calm… keep calm, only a few more steps, I can't lose it now.
"The three of you!" Yen's voice called from across the way. Dominik looked over and saw his mother dismounting her black mare near the path, a small rock ledge up led to it. She waved at them urgingly. "Come on we must move!"
Yen tried to climb up the ledge herself, but as soon as she got up and went to help up Bella the wind almost knocked them back. Dominik caught his sister as Yen stumbled back to her feet. Bella looked back and nodded at him, before pulling herself up next to the sorceress as well.
Dominik didn't need help; his limbs were numb to any kind of strain he could feel. He didn't know if he was using his magic or not, because after Geralt followed up behind him to the ledge, he broke out in a run. He sprinted, hearing the winds howl overtake all noise in his ears, he ran like he never had before. He saw the entire journey stretched out before him, the entire journey not just in the last few weeks, but in the last eleven years, ever since he had first met her.
It didn't matter what the reason for it was, Avallac'h was going to die, and he'd make sure she was safe. He had promised her that the days of people using her were over, and he was already about to fail that promise to her. He couldn't stomach it, the very thought made him want to lurch over the side of the mountain then. It was happening again, Thanedd, her being taken from him. It was happening all over again, his worst nightmare.
That's what history is… a never-ending cycle that repeats itself, he thought, remembering what Alexander had once told him. Unless… we go out and change it. No… I won't let it happen again!
He felt a growl come from the back of his throat. All the pain, it all was seeping itself back up to his brain. When he had lost Ciri the first time, he not only lost the person he loved, but the only person who understood the pain, the loss that he had experienced all those years ago in Cintra. She had been the only one, who had the nightmares as well, who he could speak too, and have able to know what had truly happened. He had loved her before the massacre, and the time they spent healing from that first wound they received on their psyche, only intensified it.
Now however, she was something even more. She was the sun, she was the moon, she was what made him believe that the pain had all been worth it. He loved the way she pouted and folded her arms when she was upset, the cute scar on her lip that perked up whenever she was happy. He loved hearing her call him 'stupid boy', despite what others would think. She was the only person he trusted his entirety too, more than any of his friends, more than Yennefer, more than even Geralt, it was always her.
Trust, love, dedication, it was the hallmarks of what made them great together. She could change his mood by simply walking into a room, by being near him, her touch, her laugh, her smile, he had no other way to describe what she meant, other than she was the one he wanted to experience the rest of his life with.
The two of them, a warm fire, a roadside inn, horses, each other, and eventually Fiona. It was all that Dominik wanted. Now, Avallac'h wanted to take that from them, just like everyone always did.
No more… never again. He felt his legs pick up more momentum and ignoring the winds he kept running. The tower got closer and closer, the winds got rougher, the air colder, his limbs number, but Dominik didn't stop running.
"DOMINIK STOP!" Yen's voice had been enhanced, it boomed into his ears, but Dominik couldn't stop himself before he slammed into the barrier.
Instinctively he pushed his magic forward and it softened the blow, but it didn't stop him from being thrown back. Thankfully Geralt was there with Bella to catch him. Dominik nodded at them but quickly left their grasp, looking up at the barrier. It churned like river rapids around the tower, only a short climb away, and Dominik cursed when he realized just how close they were.
"DAMMIT!" He shouted as he looked back at Yen, Geralt and Bella. All of them stood freezing on the side of that mountain, the winds and snow almost blasted them back, but they all stood firm and Dominik shook his head. "It's a magic barrier, he's probably got the whole tower surrounded!"
"Yen!" Geralt yelled over the wind. "Can you disable it!?"
Yen stepped up towards the shield and cursed as she looked back at them. "I can't disable it completely! But I should be able to put a tare in it! Bella!"
Bella's head shot up, as if she couldn't believe the had asked for her.
"You know this magic better than I do I'd assume!" Yen yelled over the wind. "I believe it should be possible correct?"
Bella shook off her shock and nodded. "It is! We can't disable it, only Ciri going through it will close it, or Avallac'h closing it himself!"
"Then I'll cut his fucking head off!" Dominik yelled, unable to stop his anger from leaking out.
Yen looked at him and shook his head. "You can't do that from here, I can open up a tare. But it will only be big enough for one of you!"
Dominik's insides shook. He looked back at Geralt, who's tough outer shell was breaking. He wasn't the only one who would want to kill the sage, Geralt was going to be right alongside him, at least that was what he wanted.
Geralt looked like he was going to offer some other solution, but before he could Bella stepped up next to the barrier with Yen.
"If… if I use my power with you, we should be able to help them both through!" She said, looking over at Yen. "Agored, teirgane agored?"
Dominik didn't know what the words meant, but clearly Yen did. She hid her worry for a moment to smile at Bella and nod.
"That should work yes, very good darling," She said, before looking back to Geralt and Dominik. "Well, are the two of you ready!?"
Dominik's heart dropped for a moment, but when he looked over at Geralt, he felt his confidence surge. Geralt often did that for him. It had been that way since he was little. Yes, his adopted father was of course hard on him at times during training, but he never failed to make Dominik know, he could do anything. It had helped immensely in the last few weeks. He wouldn't have made it without him.
Geralt sharply nodded. "Well!? This is what you wanted. Let's go get this bastard!"
It was true. Since the moment, the sage had woken up at Kaer Morhen, from that first meeting, Dominik knew he would be a problem. He had been right.
This was one of the few times, he wished he had been wrong.
Despite how much he seemed to do it, Dominik hated killing. However, he wasn't afraid to admit, the thought of finally getting to kill the sage almost excited him.
"Let's…" He said, pulling steel from his sheath, the blade Ciri had fixed for him.
Geralt nodded back, and he watched Bella rush up next to Yen. His sister looked nervous, but Dominik nodded to her, and she shakily sighed. She turned with Yen, and both of their voices boomed in Elder Speech.
"Agored, teirgane agored!" Both of their voices overlapped, and slowly a rippled in the barrier opened, and Yen turned back to them. "GO NOW THE BOTH OF YOU!"
Dominik rushed forward, careful to keep hold of his blade. He saw Geralt running behind him, and once he leapt into the ripple in the barrier that had been opened, he looked and saw it slowly begin to close. Geralt leapt behind him hitting the snow next to him, just as the part of the barrier Yen and Bella opened exploded back on them.
Bella stepped in front of Yen to take the brunt of the blow, and Dominik yelled as she was shot back. Thankfully, Yen was there and caught his sister. Geralt had stepped up next to him, but before they could even ask if the two where alright Yen was waving them on.
"GO! Go on, we'll be alright!" She said, helping stand Bella back up.
Dominik nodded to her. "We'll come back with Ciri!"
"I know you will darling, watch after her like you always have," She said, before turning to Geralt, a pleading look in her eyes. "And Geralt… make sure they both stay safe."
"You know I will," Geralt nodded, his voice darker than normal.
Dominik looked over at Bella next. "You okay!?"
"I'm fine! Go! And be careful, don't underestimate him," Bella yelled, winching as she held her stomach from the pain. "Even Eredin was wary of challenging Avallac'h. I'll rush in to help as soon as the barrier's gone!"
Dominik nodded at this. No matter how powerful Avallac'h was, between himself, Geralt, Yen, and Bella? The sage would be dead soon, and Ciri would be back with them.
Another fight…. One more, for good this time.
Geralt tugged at his arm, when he met his father's eyes, he didn't need to say anything, and neither did Geralt. They nodded at one another.
And Dominik turned, running up towards the tower with Geralt.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Keep your cool when you get up, don't let him get you riled up…. Dominik kept repeating the words to himself as he followed Geralt towards the tower. His adopted father looked at him when they got near, not stopping his sprint.
"How's your magic!? Enough left?" He asked, as they rounded the final bend.
Dominik scoffed. "To kill Avallac'h? Plenty. You go in close, and I'll keep you covered."
Geralt nodded, and Dominik's hand shot to his waist. He pulled out the Temarian crossbow, and reached next to a pouch on his bandolier, and pulled out one of the barbed bolts Elise had given him, before he left Novigrad.
Always keep one in the chamber at the start of a fight. It was Elise's first lesson in using the weapon.
Sucking in a breath, he and Geralt entered the swirling mists. His own magic had formed around him, combating the swirling gale that tried to swarm around him. It coalesced around him like fine mists, but the magic that Avallac'h produced seemed to be fighting him with every step he took. It nipped at him, tried to prick at his skin and turn him around, but Dominik kept moving.
He had been waiting for this chance for weeks. Avallac'h had been the one to trap Ciri in the Aen Elle's world. He had lied to her, tricked her, stalked her family line for generations, wanted to use her for some sick experiment to create a new Lara Dorren. Now, knowing that she wasn't in full control of her powers, he was throwing her against what was almost certain death, when he could have showed her how to make sure she survived.
He would never forget the Cave of Life, his second task, seeing Ciri in his world. Belittled, degraded for almost a year. He thought about the way he talked down to her, thought about his condescending grin.
How he hid Bella's identity from him.
And when Dominik rounded the corner, all precautions he took to try and keep himself calm were gone when he and Geralt finally round the corner.
Avallac'h stood in the center of the tower, white vapor surrounding him, as he spoke soft words in Elder Speech. His robes flew behind him, and he twirled his hand above as the magic rose from it. It seemed so much quieter inside the barrier. He could hear his own footsteps rushing as he gripped his steel in one hand his crossbow in the other. Geralt rushed behind him, and when they entered the tower Avallac'h finally stopped, slowly turning back around to them. He seemed to have known that he and Geralt were coming, because his staff was already in one hand, and Dominik also noticed a sleek longsword at his belt.
He turned to them, that self-satisfying, condescending look in his eyes, and Dominik's vision filled with magic.
The sage sneered. "Ah, you've both finally arrived. How unfortunate, I was hoping Eredin would have dealt with you," he said with a wave of his hand towards Dominik. He looked over towards Geralt, and damn near looked sympathetic. "I will admit Geralt, it is unfortunate that you-. GAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
"NEXT ONE'S IN YOUR FUCKING EYE!" Dominik shouted, having reloaded his crossbow in seconds.
His bolt had found its way into Avallach's hand. It pierced through the skin and the barbed tip stuck out the back of his hand and the sage wreathed, seething in pain as he dropped his staff. The sage let out a satisfying groan of pain as he hunched over gripping his now bleeding hand. Removing the bolt would have been even more painful than it going in. Dominik wanted badly to fire again, but he didn't know where Ciri was yet. Avallac'h looked like he was going to say something else, but as soon as he saw Dominik's crossbow pointed at him, he grinded his teeth and sneered again.
"Where's Ciri…" Dominik hissed, taking a step closer, his crossbow not lowering as he stalked towards the sage. Avallac'h didn't say anything, only staring at the weapon, and Dominik lost it, his chest exploding. "WHERE!? WHERE IS SHE!?"
"Nearby you blathering fool!" The sage snapped, scoffing as he looked down at the weapon, then at Dominik. In his pale blue eyes then, Dominik saw everything again. The elf was a monster like Eredin, like the rest of the Aen Elle, only Avallach was the worst kind of monster.
The one who was intelligent, who came to you under the guise of wanting to do good, wanting to help you, before taking you for his own sick purposes. Dominik didn't care what he was trying to do, he was doing it for himself, and trying to kill Ciri in the process.
He looked sneered at Dominik again, before looking over at Geralt. "Geralt, surely you're more sensible than this. Zireael is nearby, but you must listen to what-."
"Shut your mouth," Geralt hissed from behind him, his sword pointed out towards the sage with Dominik's crossbow. Dominik looked and saw a dark glare in his father's yellow eyes. Geralt like always had been containing his emotions, his anger and worry, but now it was leaking out, and the slightly worried look that came to Avallach's eyes, told Dominik all he needed.
Geralt shook his head. "We know exactly what you want to do, and we're here to stop you. You're a sick fuck, and I should have killed you the minute I figured out what you did to Ciri before… some father I am…. I don't think I'll stop Dom from killing you this time, that is, if I don't cut your head off myself first."
Avallac'h took a step back, eyeing the two weapons pointed at him warily. He looked at them, disgust plastered across his face. "You two would both truly doom your world to destruction!? The White Frost will devour this world-. GAAAAAHHHHH!"
Dominik fired another bolt and reloaded. This one found the sage's bicep. It stuck into the elf's flesh, and his eyes shot open wide as he stumbled back, blood dripping to the stones below them. A look of shock came to him, he looked like he was going to yell but stopped when he saw Dominik's crossbow pointed at him again.
"YOU FUCKING BROUGHT IT HERE!" He said, his eyes beginning to sting as he still saw no sign of Ciri. The sage wasn't bleeding enough for his liking, and now his hand shook as he held the crossbow out at him, anger spilling from him. "YOU COULD HAVE TAUGHT HER TO USE HER POWERS! TAUGHT HER TO MASTER THEM BEFORE THROWING HER AT THE WHITE FROST SO SHE SURVIVES! BUT YOU DON'T CARE!"
"I'M SAVING ALL WORLDS BOY!"
"YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT YOUR OWN!" Dominik said, taking another step with his crossbow out towards the wounded sage. "IF YOU CARED ABOUT OTHER WORLDS YOU WOULDN'T HAVE HELPED ENSLAVE THEM, BURN THEM! YOU'RE AN ARROAGNT, SELFISH BASTARD WITH A REJECTION PROBLEM, AND I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"
"WE ARE THE ULTIMATE BEINGS IN THE COSMOS BOY," Avallac'h screamed, finally losing his temper as he held his bleeding arm. "I SHALL SAVE IT; WE SHALL FINALLY HAVE WHAT BELONGS TO US! AND AFTER THAT WE SHALL REESTABLISH OUR DOMINANCE!"
"ENOUGH!" Geralt screamed next, pointing out his sword at Avallac'h, his hand sturdy and still, un-like Dominik's whose hand was shaking. Geralt shook his head at the sage. "Stop trying to moralize, I know what you are, who your people are, you're nothing but monsters."
"Is what we do any different from the humans of your world!?" Avallac'h snapped at them, wincing from the two bolts stuck in his arm. "Do you not recall what Nilfgaard and the North did to the non-humans, the elves of this world!? Yes, we invade other worlds, but we only seem worse to you because we are stronger than you are. You belittle me when your world is no better!"
"Evil is evil…" Dominik said, shaking his head, gripping tighter on the crossbow, feeling a surge of strength come back into him as he faced down the sage. "Lesser, greater, middling… the degree is arbitrary…. I'm a witcher, I snuff out evil, fight it and kill it whenever I can. Nilfgaard will have its day… but right now, it's time for you to have yours."
The sage, for the first time since Dominik had known him, was speechless, only wincing to hold onto the bolt in his bicep.
Geralt looked at Dominik, the faintest trace of a smile. He turned back to the sage. "I've had enough of this… draw your weapon now, and let's get this over with!"
Avallac'h looked back up at them both, his teeth clenched as he tried to use magic to staunch the bleeding in his arm. Both bolts lodge into him had to be causing immense pain, but the faint wisps of white magic slowly whirled around him. With pain, he drew the longsword from his belt, before looking up at Geralt and he.
And the sage, tossed his sword aside.
Dominik had to stop himself from cackling.
Geralt scoffed, shaking his head. "Do you really think that's going to save you!?"
Avallac'h, with his bleeding slowing now, slowly shook his head. "Not normally no… but I do not believe you will strike down an unarmed man," he said, sneering towards Dominik. "Even you… have inherited that sense of honor."
Geralt shook his head before Dominik could answer. "I wouldn't be too sure about that… I'm in quite the foul mood, and Dom… well he's been waiting for this."
Avallac'h scoffed, waving his none bleeding hand. "You both must understand… I was merely trying to help Cirilla realize her true-. ARGHHHHHHHH!"
The word help sent Dominik over the edge, and a third bolt found its way into the sage's shoulder, jutting out he stumbled back to his knees, and Dominik's eyes exploded with light. The magic around him turned dark blue from his anger, and with his steel in hand he lunged.
"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!" He lunged, swinging his sword in a wide arc from above with both hands, it was encased in magic and would have been enough to cleave any man in half.
He saw Avallac'h scramble back, reaching to the ground for his blade, but Dominik was too quick, he was going to cut down through the sage's arm.
But before he could he finally heard her.
"DOM WAIT!"
Dominik was mid-lunge when he saw a flash of light next to him. Arms wrapped around him, and before he could process what was happening, he felt his stomach churn as he was teleported. He would have stumbled after the teleport he was so disoriented, but he was grabbed and steadied by a pair of delicate hands, hands he recognized.
He looked over and saw her. Ciri stood next to him, her eyes glancing up at him like he was they had when she first saw him on the Isle of Mists. Like she hadn't seen him in years. Relief washed over her face, and gods was she beautiful to him then, the light of the magic swirling around them, the moon outside the tower, all of it casted the perfect glow off her and Dominik melted. He forgot even that she had just stopped him from killing Avallac'h, he forgot his anger, his pain.
All that mattered then was that she was there, and after a minute, she melted as well.
"You're alright," He said, dropping his steel and suppressing a sob. "Gods you're alright."
He saw in her eye's tears starting to swell as well. She let loose a sob first, nodding fervently and reaching to grab his neck.
"I… I was so worried," She said, nearly strangling him as he arms wrapped around his neck. "I thought it was Kaer Morhen all over again, that… that I…"
She didn't finish as he kissed her. He didn't care who watched, he kissed her and pulled her into him tightly wrapping both his arms around her waist. He held her against him like she would disappear if he let her go.
Which she very well could, but for one glorious moment he simply didn't care, and he held her.
She still smelled like juniper and cedarwood, and he stayed there with her for what felt like hours. She didn't move, she didn't try to let go of him, she squeezed him just as tight as if he were going to disappear if she let him go. The storm outside got worse, thunder, lightning and portals were sprawling over the sky, but all Dominik could focus on was Ciri.
"Ciri…" Geralt came rushing over to them both, and reluctantly Dominik had to let go of her.
Ciri wiped her eyes and melted into Geralt's hug. They stayed like that for some time before she pulled back from him as well. She looked back at to Dominik and latched onto him as well, turning her gaze back up to him.
"I… I'm so sorry, I left you alone, I left you alone again," She said, shaking her head as she squeezed his arm. "I… I would have come if I could, I was so worried that… he killed you. Since you're here that… that means…."
"He's dead, we don't have worry about him anymore." He gently held his gloved hand up to her face. Her makeup ran down her cheeks, she had been crying, and just like his entire life, its broke Dominik when he saw it. He shook his head, gently smiling at her. "Bella and I… we killed him, got him damn good too."
"Bella!" She said, relief washing over her face, as she looked between him and Geralt. "That means she's alright? I saw her trying to ride Kilgarrah, I was worried that…"
Dominik finally broke himself. He couldn't stop the tears any more than one could stop the rain. Seeing her, after fighting for so, so long it brought all the aching of his bones to the forefront. He had Ciri, the fight was over, this was it. Even though he had seen her in the battle, it had felt like days since they separated just from how long the fights had felt.
He wanted to rest; he could see in her eyes she wanted to rest. Both had been fighting for half their entire lives, and even if it only lasted a day, he just wanted them both to rest.
She wiped the tear for him, as he nodded towards her. "She is, so is Kilgarrah. Faram, George, Freya they're all okay…. It's over Ciri. It… it's really over, we won."
Geralt nodded next to him. "He's right. It's over. We can finally get out of here. Come on, we can-."
"I can't."
The words cut Dominik deeper than any sword had in his life. He looked down and the words seemed to rip Ciri's guts apart to say. She for the first time in his life couldn't meet Dominik's eyes, and it felt like a knife was twisting into his chest. The storm around him grew loud again, all his wounds flared up again. He stood there shellshocked, holding onto her, Ciri looked at him, crying herself as she shook her head.
"I… I can't," She said sharply inhaling. "You know what this is… what I have to do."
She had slipped out of his grasp, as Dominik floundered for words.
"It is as I told you, you pig-headed fools!" Avallac'h made all of them turn. The sage had ripped one of the bolts out of his shoulder, and out of his bicep. The one was still stuck in his hand, but he had managed to grip his staff.
Dominik's blood boiled and around him his magic started turning dark. He spun, letting go of Ciri glaring at the bloodied sage as his look of self-satisfaction made Dominik want to shoot again. He reached for his crossbow but found his hand trembling too much to even take aim. He saw Ciri looking out over the carnage, over the graveyard of ships, and went to walk over to her, when Avallac'h tried to speak again.
"She knows this is her purpose!" The sage shouted, a triumphant smirk on his face. He scoffed and smirked but groaned from the bolt stuck in his hand. "It is all she is good for now. Her blood will finally-."
"STAY OUT OF THIS!" Geralt snarled, finally losing his temper as he glared at the sage.
He then turned to Ciri, his yellow eyes pleading. Dominik still hadn't said anything, all he could do was stare at her. What had he been expecting? Ciri to let the world face certain doom? He didn't know what he expected, only that he didn't want her to leave again, didn't want to have to find her ever again.
All he could do was stand there, looking at her. His entire body was numb, the hair on the back of his neck stuck up, his stomach in knots. Ciri looked back at him, and for the first time in their lives, she couldn't hold his gaze. Although, her one hand was around the ring on her neck.
Geralt turned from Avallac'h who seemed-wisely so- to realize Dominik and Geralt's attention wasn't on him. The sage proceeded to groan as he tried to yank the crossbow bolt out of his hand.
"Ciri you can't seriously believe that prophecy nonsense," Geralt said, turning to her. For the first time in his life, Dominik saw his adopted father starting to panic. "Bella told us what he's going to make you do, you can't really be considering it!"
"He's not making me do anything Geralt…" Ciri said, her voice barely above a whisper. She turned back, finally looking at him and Geralt, then up towards the spiral of magic. "Avallac'h opened the portal, I aim to enter it…"
Geralt was about to say something, but Dominik finally found his voice.
"Did you know…" He said, laboring to form words. She looked back at him, her eyes watering like his. Dominik shook his head. "Did… did you know that he was going to do this the whole time… and… and you didn't tell me?"
Her eyes widened, her hand still around the ring's chain. "Of course, I didn't… I didn't know until after I teleported away from Caranthir. I ended up here and that was when he told me what was going to happen… and started opening the portal."
"That's not him giving you a choice Ciri!" Geralt snapped, shaking his head furiously again. "You didn't think to come find us? Teleport out of here, walk out of the tower to find me or Dom after you learned about this?"
"I wanted too…" Ciri said, turning to the staircase again. She spoke slowly, each word slowly trickling out of her mouth. "But I knew both of you would try to stop me…. That you wouldn't understand the true severity of what I must do. You'd both just want me to be safe."
Dominik didn't fail to notice, she kept glaring back at Avallac'h, as if she were trying to make sure the sage was listening. He wanted to say something, each second that passed was like a punch in his chest, making him unable to even speak. All he could do was look at her.
Geralt scoffed again. "It feels like I'm talking to Yen…. Ciri you're not this naïve, I know you aren't! Avallac'h isn't doing this to help you, it's for himself and his world! He could spend the next few weeks training you, showing you how to survive, but he doesn't give a damn about you, so he's throwing you into that portal now!
"He knows you have a huge chance at dying if you do, it's what he wants! He hates humans, hates this world, has said so himself. You may think it's you being able to choose but it's him really forcing your hand! HE is the one who opened the portal and brought it here, put us in danger! He's not going to wait because his world is in danger! You're not naïve enough to actually think he's doing this for your benefit, I know you aren't!"
Ciri shook her head, her hands tightening to fists, as he eyes on Avallac'h turned to a glare. Dominik turned and saw the sage yell out in pain as he ripped the crossbow bolt free from his hand. Blood slowly spilled down the sage's palm, it poured turned his robes dark red from the spots on his bicep and shoulder. He looked at Ciri staring at him, glaring and he had the nerve to smirk.
Dominik looked at Ciri again, and the years of learning how to read her face, her emotions and even her thoughts partially from just her facial expressions were paying off.
She was furious, she was angry with the sage. He had seen this kind of look on her before. She wanted to pull her sword from her back and cleave the sage in half, but she held herself back, with some difficulty.
"You're right Geralt I'm not that naïve. I know what he did. He played us all, he's an arrogant, selfish bastard… but he played us, and it's partly my fault," She said, her glare lightening as she met Geralt's eyes now. "But… there's nothing we can do about it now. You're wrong about one thing… this is my choice. I'm not doing this because Avallac'h said so, or to save his world. This… this is for all the other worlds, for ours… I'm a witcher, I save people, it's what I do."
Dominik's knees began to shake. His eyes stung from the winds, but he couldn't blink, he couldn't move, he was barely able to breath. In his head, it was as if someone was pounding and chipping away with a hammer and chisel. It swirled, pounded, all down his body, all his limbs ached, and it wasn't just from the fighting. Every bruise, every cut, every scar from his face to his legs, it all just pounded, it ached, and no matter how hard he tried to get the magic to fix it, it didn't go away.
In his stomach, it was like the Crones were slowly stirring their bloody spoon. It was a bubbling cauldron, the feeling rose to his chest, pain rose in it. A stabbing pain that shoved deeper and deeper with each rise and fall. He sharply breathed out, and quickly inhaled, it felt like a knife was being dragged down the inside of his throat.
He had felt like this before, many times during the nights when he was alone through the years. It felt as if the inside of his neck were bleeding, like his head would explode while stomach imploded in on itself. All the while he breathed in short, quick, labored breaths.
Geralt looked to him for support in the argument, and Dominik wanted to say something, anything at all. However, once Ciri looked over at him, tears in her eyes as well, Dominik couldn't speak.
He had promised her, that from now on she would decide what she wanted, not other people.
Geralt's eyes widened when he didn't respond, and he turned back to Ciri. His eyes were desperate, Dominik rarely saw that look on Geralt.
"Ciri… please, you don't have to do this," Geralt said, meeting her eyes. "We can leave here now the Wild's Hunt's defeated!"
"But the White Frost isn't," Ciri said, wiping the tears from her eyes, which were quickly replaced by new ones, before she turned from them again, her eyes having lingered on Dominik.
She looked out past the barrier, and Dominik saw what she was looking at. The barrier was turning to ice. Out in the plains, it was utter chaos. The chunks of debris that fell from the sky, were hampering Borch and Kilgarrah who were trying to reach the army. In the distance, Dominik could see the army Emhyr had retreated with, that he was now attacking with.
He watched her gaze at the sky, the destruction, the death, the carnage.
Dominik couldn't focus on any of it, and he didn't care how selfish he sounded for thinking how he didn't, particularly care. The breaths got quicker, shorter, and more difficult, as all he could do was go back and forth in his head.
How could he let her do what she wanted… when the thing she wanted to do had a great chance of killing her.
And why did she keep glaring back at Avallac'h? The way she spoke… it was so unlike her. She was far too calm, it could have been her confidence yes, but Dominik knew that would be there. He expected her to show her rage at the sage for tricking them all, but instead… it was almost as if she was making sure he realized he had successfully tricked them.
Avallac'h tried to stand behind them, his hands clasped in front of him. He kept trying to smirk, but the blood dripping from his wounds, the holes the crossbow bolts had left in him, were obviously causing him great discomfort.
What is going on? This can't be happening, no… no it can't. Every thought slammed into his head like a boulder, and only made the breathing worse.
He had almost forgot what this feeling was like. Hopelessness… he had done everything he could, was he really going to be punished again? Was Ciri really going to be punished again by being forced to face near certain death? Was this really their rewards for all the years of fighting?
Ciri slowly turned back to them both again. She shakily sighed, wiping her eyes furiously, and looking at them, her eyes watery and pleading.
"You both haven't seen what I've seen…." She said, beginning to pace, something she often did when she was nervous. "I've seen the destruction the White Frost causes. One by one worlds will be destroyed by it… like ours is now."
"Because Avallac'h brought it here Ciri!" Geralt argued, stepping towards her. "I wouldn't care if he had taken the time to actually help you. To teach you how to survive, but he didn't, because he doesn't care! Please… Ciri leave with us now."
"I know what he did Geralt, I truly do… and one day he'll pay for it," She said, venom spilling from her voice as she glared at the sage. "But for now… I'm making this choice. I promise, I'll leave with you… with both of you… after I emerge from the tower… if I emerge."
If. The world cut through Dominik as he almost fell to the ground. His body was shaking, his throat burning, his head exploding. So many nights he had laid awake, having fits like these where he'd cry, struggle to breath, be unable to eat or even think. Most of those nights, had him thinking of a situation like this.
Ciri's eyes were still watery. They quivered, as did her lips, but she clasped onto the ring like it was the only thing giving her life. She still couldn't look at him.
Geralt growled, his frustration mounting. "Dammit Ciri Avallac'h has filled your head with fortune telling nonsense. There's gotta be another way, you think I'm just going to let him get away with throwing you to near certain death? Forcing your hand like this!? He doesn't care about your Ciri!"
"I know he doesn't Geralt!" Ciri said, exasperated, crying more as she turned and came up to their adopted father. "But this is me choosing to help save us all. The prophecy is true, no matter what you want to believe, I wish it weren't. I've seen the worlds covered in ice; it will destroy us eventually, only the Elder Blood can stop it."
"There's no telling how long it would have taken to get to our world." Geralt said, not shouting anymore. His voice had gone back to just above a whisper. "We can wait, take more time so that we know you'll definitely survive!"
"Other worlds don't have that kind of time…" Ciri said, slowly meeting Geralt's eyes and shaking her head. "Geralt… you and Uncle Vesemir always taught me, that witchers saved people. That we're heroes, we fight the things children get told horror stories about growing up, we fight where others are too afraid…. That's what I'm doing. This is my story… and you have to let me finish writing it."
Geralt tried to form words, but like Dominik he found it hard, impossible. Ciri had managed to stop crying, she hugged Geralt around the neck, and Geralt weakly wrapped his arms back around her. She pulled back from him, her eyes still quivering but dry for now. Her makeup was smudged. Dominik had seen her in the mornings without it, and when it got smudged while she tried removing it at night. She was beautiful in both ways, in any way.
I can't do this… I can't let her go, I can't lose her again, he thought, his short, choppy breaths stabbing into his chest and down to his stomach. The pain, the shaking, the breathing, he thought he had beat it, he thought he had fought it and finally won but now at the worst possible time it was back. I can't go back to that… I can't do it… not without her.
Geralt stuttered for words, as Ciri looked up at the beam of magic again, casting Avallac'h another glare. Dominik stumbled as he tried to step forward, he couldn't feel his legs.
Geralt turned and saw him, shaking his head. "Dom…. Talk to her! Talk to her and… and just… just talk to her!"
It was more of a desperate plea then a request. Dominik shakily breathed again, and he realized that all three of them were looking at him. He saw Avallac'h and his smirk, Geralt looking at him, pleading for him to say something.
And finally, Ciri met his eyes. Tears fell down her cheeks, as she saw his own crying eyes, his quick, hampered breathing and the shaking of his legs and arms. Dominik slowly looked down at his gloved hands.
They shook uncontrollably.
"Ciri…" He said, his voice barely above a whisper. He forced himself to look at her. "Please… please don't… don't do this to me… please don't. I… I can't-."
She rushed to him, taking both of his trembling hands. For the first time, her touch didn't calm him, his hands still shook it hers, but he realized that her's were shaking just as much as him.
He looked down at her, wrapping his arms around her with everything he had. His hands tightened around her waist, and she squeezed him back with just as much ferocity. She fit in his arms perfectly, like a doublet that had been tailored to perfection. It had always been like that with her, from the first night she hugged when they were eleven. He hadn't wanted to leave her then, and it didn't change now.
They melted into one another, the tower silent, save for the sound of Avallac'h laboring from his wounds. Dominik didn't care, all he could do was hold her, hold her and shake. He took in the scent of her hair, the feeling of her body pressed and hugged against his. Normally this, hugging her, holding her was calming, relaxing, and was sometimes the only way he could ever calm down.
Now, it only made him shake more. He cried into the crook of her shoulder, into her scarf.
A single choice you make shall seal their fate. He knew what that choice was now, and he didn't know if he could make it. He didn't want to make it.
"Please… please don't do this," He said into her neck. "Don't go… don't go again, please Ciri. I've never begged for anything in my life, but please… please don't go again."
"Dominik listen to me… listen to me please," She said, pulling her head back, and softly leaning her forehead against his. Gently she kissed him, and her shining eyes looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes as well. "I… I must do this… Dominik… so much is at stake, the world is at stake. I need to give this everything I have, for all of us."
"We've given enough to this world Ciri don't you understand!?" He said, he sobbed as he held onto her tighter. "After everything we've done… everything we've been through to get here to get to each other… we deserve this, we deserve life Ciri, why do we have to give the world more after all we've already given?"
"Because… we're witchers, we're heroes," She said, slowly trailing her finger down his cheek, down his scar. "We save people… it's what we do. It's because we are strong for people when they can't be strong themselves. And all the people of this world… and every world, they don't have the power to stop what's coming but I do. So, I have to be strong for them now."
He sobbed again, his face slick with wet tears. "You're strong… you're the strong one. You're the strongest person I know but Ciri I'm not. I can't do this… I… I can't watch you walk into another portal; I can't let you do it again!"
"Dominik…." She said, sobbing as she did. She tried to say more, but Dominik gently cupped the sides of her face and looked down into her eyes as they both cried.
"I watched you walk into that portal eight years ago and I knew Ciri… gods I knew," He said, his hands shaking around her face. "I knew something would go wrong, and I was right. Having to watch you leave was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Please… please don't make me watch you walk into another one…"
His face fell back into her shoulder, and she pulled him as close as she possibly could. His breathing only got worse; he shook as he held her no amount of magic able to stop what was happening to him.
It was his worst nightmare… and was he just going to let it happen?
"Dom… Dominik look at me, please… please look at me," She said, moving his head off her shoulder, and holding his face in her hands again. Tears streamed like a river down her cheeks, specks of her makeup mixed in, as she met his eyes again. "That… was the hardest moment of my life too… leaving you, but Dominik I need you to know-."
"You promised you wouldn't leave…." He spoke. "You promised me you wouldn't leave… me and you against everyone… that's what we agreed, we wouldn't face things alone anymore."
She paled at his words, sobbing again and pulling his head back into her shoulder.
"I know I did… but gods Dominik I'm sorry," She said, pulling back but still holding him close, "but… but this is something that I can only do on my own."
"Let me come with you," He said, "let me go into the portal with you this time…. Where you go… I go, that's how it was supposed to be now."
"You'll die… only I can face this, I won't risk you…" She said, shaking her head, before gently holding him again. "Dominik… do you trust me?"
"Of course, I do, more than anyone else you know that! But Ciri the last time that I-."
"Then please… trust me now when I say this," She said, squeezing his arm and trailing her one hand along his cheek. "Trust me when I say… I will be back. That I will come back to you again… and it will be at lot shorter of a wait this time. Believe me when I swear to you now, that I'm going to emerge from that portal."
"How can you be sure?" He said, the breathing getting worse. "You said the same thing the last time that I-."
She cut him off, as she always did by kissing him. A deep kiss, and Dominik held onto her back, and the crook of her neck. She dug her fingers into his hair and pressed against his lips with every bit of strength she could muster and didn't stop. Dominik melted again wrapped around her as close as was possible, not wanting to let her go because if he let her go, he knew what would happen.
Ciri finally pulled back, and the pounding in his head turned to dizziness, the feeling of her lips had been overwhelming. It made him dizzy and all giddy whenever she kissed him, but now, it only heightened his senses, making him feel his panic even more then he already had been.
But something, an exceedingly small feeling at the base of his skull, was urging him to keep calm. Ciri looked up at him, and while her makeup was still smudge, her face damp, tears still welling up in her eyes, she looked at him, and that confident look that gleam he always loved about her was slowly returning.
However, seeing it, only crushed that little feeling of hope.
She was still firmly in his arms, and they continued to tremble. On the road, during the times when he often had fits like these, it would take him hours to fall asleep. He would wake up soaked in damp tears, probably smelling of alcohol, and clutching the swallow around his neck.
That wouldn't do anything for him now. And just like eight years ago, nothing Ciri said was reassuring him, because he knew that if he let go of her then…he could be sending her to her death.
"I'm not strong enough… I'm not strong enough Ciri," He said, sobbing again as now-when she previously couldn't- she kept his gaze, her confident look slowly leaving her as more tears came from her as well.
He wasn't strong. He was never as strong as he led himself to believe, as people told him he was. The truth of it was Dominik of Cintra had been being beaten down for eight years. He thought for a moment, that the beatings would stop, and they had, whenever he was with her.
He had been a fool, and the cold fist of reality, the world was ready to start beating him again. The first one now, was going to be the worst.
And all he could do was cry.
"I can't watch you do this… I just can't. I'm not as strong as you think Ciri I'm just not," He said, feeling her gently stroke her fingers through his hair. "I'm not strong… I've never been. And… and I can't be."
"Dom… you survived on your own, the Witchers Path for eight years all on your own," She pleaded with him, stroking her finger across his scar again. "You're the strongest person I know. You survived all of that, you were strong enough then… and you are now."
"No, I'm not," He said, sobbing, barely able to breath. "Ciri with… without you? I'm weak… I'm nothing. I'm not strong… I'm not…. I was only able to be strong because of you, the memory of you. I'm not a strong person… I'm weak… pathetic… I always have been."
"Dominik… I love you… but that might be the stupidest thing that I've ever heard anybody say in my entire life."
Dominik felt his heart shatter, but his head shot up to meet Ciri's eyes. She shook her head, gently cupping his face again. Despite everything that was happening, a small smile came to her face as she laughed through a sob and shook her head at him.
"You weren't strong all those years because of me," She said. She softly kissed his lips and pulled back from him again. "You were strong those years because you are strong. Yes, I helped, Geralt helped, your friends, Yen they all helped… but make no mistake. It was you who made it through because you are strong. I love you Dominik, I have since we were kids, I've never loved anyone else, and I won't ever love anyone else. I love everything about you, you make me strong too, but the both of us are strong… because we are strong. I'm going to be strong now, I'm going to come back to you I swear it… and you can be strong now!"
Panic welled in the back of his throat. "But Ciri… how am I supposed to-."
"I'm going to enter the portal… and I will come back," She said, pulling his tighter for one last hug, her lips right near his ear. "And when I do… it'll finally just be me… you… and Fiona."
The mention of Fiona did nothing to calm the attack his brain was launching on his body then. What would he tell the girl is Ciri didn't come back? How could he possible raise her on his own, without Ciri?
"Think about it, how marvelous it'll be," She said, sounding almost giddy. "We can take her to Kaer Morhen, watch her on pendulums, help her forge a sword, her own medallion! We'll show her how to control her powers, how to be a witcher. We'll go from one end of the continent to the other, give her the life we always dreamed of!"
Dominik wiped the streams of water from his eyes. "We can… but to do that… I need to let you go… to let you face near certain death."
Ciri leaned up and kissed him again. "I won't die… I promise. You said you trust me… right?"
He nodded, his hands still on her waist, not daring to let go yet. How could he? He knew what would come if he did. Yet… what would happen if he didn't?
The screams of soldiers, of men and women outside the tower were distant, overtaken by the wind and sounds of magic. His own was a dull hum around him, waiting for command, but his head was still swimming. It was homed in on the screams.
How many had died in this storm, in the apocalypse Avallac'h had brought to them? Had Freya, Faram, George, Bella and Yen been alright? How much worse would it get if the storm were allowed to spread? Kaer Morhen, Claywitch, Cintra, Novigrad, Crow's Perch, all the places he had been? What of the women, the children who were caught up in between? The sick and the elderly on the continent, what about them?
And what about, all the people on the thousands of different worlds Ciri had said existed? What about the people of Camelot who had taken her in? Or the world, where the throne was made of a hundred melted swords, that had people fighting atop dragons, the world where she got the camera and had taken shelter in? How soon before this same apocalypse that threatened them now, reached those worlds, worlds full of people, who weren't equipped to handle it?
Could he really doom all those worlds, and his own now by not letting Ciri go?
A single choice you make… shall seal their fate. He imagined what his life would be like if Ciri entered the portal… and didn't return.
"I know… I know what I have to do," He said, taking a shaky breath, his calmest for quite some time. He looked down into Ciri's eyes, two shining emeralds like his own. "But… but I can't do it on my own…. Please… help me. I can't let go of you… it'll kill me."
He had managed to start breathing like normal again, but he could stop himself from sobbing. Ciri grabbed him by the back of the neck, and kissed him one last time, hard, deep, passionate, everything she had left she put into that kiss.
Finally, she pulled back, taking the first of her steps back. He instinctively stepped forward, until she looked up at him, and only their hands were touching, holding, gripping onto each other. He looked up and saw her eyes had closed. Her hands gripped onto his, squeezing them as if they'd fall apart if she weren't. It was silent for a moment. Dominik looked and saw Geralt watching the two of them, his eyes on Ciri, as if he may try and talk to her again.
And to his right, near the staircase leading up to the spire of magic. The moment Dominik caught his eye, even for a second, the look of triumph in the sage's eyes made him sick all over again. He had really played them; the sick bastard had done it.
Dominik wanted to get angry, but all he could do, was look at her. The silence brought the panic back, the quick, labored breathing.
But then she opened her eyes, and she looked as broken as he was. She sobbed one more time, before steadying herself with a breath. Finally, with that cute scar on her upper lip quiver, her hands shaking, she met his eyes and shook her head.
"I know it will," She said through a sob. She cried again, shaking her head as she squeezed both his hands one more time. "I love you… so… so much. And… and I'm sorry."
Dominik's pulse raced. "What? Ciri what… what are you-."
In the blink of an eye his stomach churned, and he saw the flash of bright blue light. The familiar feeling of being teleported enveloped him, surrounded him and moved him from one place to another. It was a familiar sense to the magic, he hadn't teleported himself, Avallac'h hadn't teleported him.
It had been Ciri.
He looked up and saw Geralt rushing towards them from a distance, while Avallac'h had picked up his staff and chased as well. The portal of magic was the entire length of that circular chamber away, and he finally looked down he felt himself shoved back. His knees had been so weak he stumbled backwards and into a pillar. He looked up, tears welling in his eyes, and screamed when he saw Ciri standing in front of him, her hands trembling, her face wet with tears as she looked at him and sobbed again.
"NO! CIRI STOP DON'T" He realized what was happening and tried to lunge after her, to hold her again, to plead with everything he had, to beg if he had too, but just like so many times in the past, she slipped right out of his fingers.
Just before he touched her, she teleported in a flash of light, and another similar flash appeared across the other side of the room.
Ciri reappeared, right in front of the streaming, spiraling portal of magic. She had stopped before she entered, turning back and looking towards him and Geralt, and it looked like for a single glorious moment, she was reconsidering.
Dominik broke out into a sprint, his magic exploding to life around him to make him move even faster. "NO! CIRI PLEASE DON'T GO, DON'T DO THIS! LET ME GO WITH-."
"ENOUGH YOU BLATHERING IDIOT!" Avallac'h stepped in front of him, his staff swirling with magic at the tip directly in Dominik's path. "I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO-."
"OUT OF MY WAY!" Dominik didn't stop running, he looked down and saw magic-a spell- beginning to form at the tip of Avallach's staff.
He cut the sage off before he could launch. With bright blue magic enveloping his legs, his arm and his fist, and hearing a loud, distinct, crack when he did, he slammed his magically enhanced fist into Avallach's nose.
The sage cried out and crumpled to the ground and Dominik continued to run, making his way towards the stairs. Ciri stood there, fists clenched, looking at him run, and for a split second she stepped forward and it made Dominik run faster.
"DOM STOP DON'T!" Geralt yelled behind him, and Dominik heard him running as well.
"CIRI!" Dominik looked up and he caught her eye for only just a moment. Ciri didn't say anything, only frowning, tears down her cheeks she reached up and grabbed the ring around her neck. She said words, but Dominik could hear them over the wind, the thunder and Geralt yelling behind him.
After she finished talking, Ciri turned her back to him.
And clutching the ring around her neck, she walked into the portal.
"NO!" His screamed echoed over the thunderclap that came after Ciri was taken away by the portals magic. For a second Dominik saw it opened and throwing all the magic to his legs he ran towards the still spiraling portal, intent on jumping through it himself.
But just as he reached the steps, a loud ripping sound pierced through the air.
The portal vanished, the storm outside seemed to vanish at once. All was quiet.
And Dominik fell to his knees, every single part of his body numb. His hands fell limp at his side as he sat there on his knees. He faintly noticed Geralt standing similarly stunned off to his left, but all Dominik could focus on was the spot where the portal had closed. The last place where he had seen Ciri.
She promised… she promised she'd come back… and she will.
So, on his knees there, was where Dominik would wait. He'd wait for her, for the love of his life, for the only person who had made it all worth it.
For his princess, for his Ciri.
That was where he would wait. Whether it was eight minutes, or another eight years entirely.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Bella paced on the side of the mountain. She was worried for a moment she would annoy Yennefer; however, the sorceress had quickly taken to doing the same thing as they stood in front of that barrier.
Her hair had finally dried, the rain had stopped, and she didn't know if her magic had anything to do with the drying. It blew back behind her, long, waving in the wind. If it were any other situation, she'd tell herself she needed to get a haircut.
But there was only one thing Bella cared about now. That was keeping Ciri and her brother-the only family she had left- safe from whatever was up there, from the mess she had helped create.
Avallac'h was dangerous. Eredin had often boasted about being the sages better, about how he would kill him. However, Bella knew the truth. Eredin had been afraid to face the sage in combat, afraid, or worried that Avallac'h could possibly best him. It was the reason he had unleashed a curse on the sage, instead of simply attacking. Bella could remember the day the Hunt had tracked the sage and Ciri after they first arrived back on Ard Skellig. Eredin had made her stay at his side, she knew now it had to be because he was afraid to let Bella so close to Ciri yet. That curse had been the best option.
If even Eredin was afraid to face Avallac'h… could they really have a chance? It hadn't just been Eredin who was wary of Avallach's power. Every unicorn Bella had met spoke of the sage, the fox they called him in their language, they feared Avallac'h even more than they did Eredin or Auberon when he had been alive.
And if the unicorns were afraid, then she believed they had reason to be. She would get them all one day, every Aen Elle she could get their hands on. Not just for what had happened to her, but for all they had done to other worlds, for all she knew they planned to do. Eredin and Imlerith were dead, and she would kill Avallac'h somehow with her brothers help. Then one day, perhaps she would find her way back to Tir'Nala, and kill that eel Ge'els as well.
She would never blame anyone other than herself for what she had done. She'd find her redemption somehow… and if she could stop an evil race from doing evil things, she would, whether that be Nilfgaard or the Aen Elle.
She didn't know if it would ever make her disgust with herself go away… but maybe as it had been with Eredin, it was a start.
All of this was contingent on what happened up at the tower. Looking down at herself now, she was starting to think it was a bad idea getting rid of her armor. The purple gambeson had a thick woolen shirt under it, and the gambeson itself was hardened. Her boots and grieves still provided protection, and the gloves Yennefer made appear for her were warm. She would make do with what she had. She didn't know what came next, but for now, she'd protect the family she had left.
That included only two people, Dominik, and her 'Big Sister' Ciri, if she could ever forgive Bella for what she'd done.
After several minutes had passed of pacing between her and Yennefer, the magic barrier still hadn't gone down. Bella had expected it to be down by now, she didn't know if the portal to the White Frost would close with Avallach's death, but if it could, she assumed it would have by now.
She also knew the other way, would be Ciri entering it. Either Avallac'h had killed Dominik and Geralt, or Ciri had entered the portal. Neither were good outcomes.
"This is taking far too long," Yennefer said, as if reading Bella's mind. The sorceress stopped next to Bella and looked up at the tower. "Do you have any ideas on what could be taking so long?
It took Bella a minute to realize the sorceress was talking to her. She turned to see indeed the woman was. She was beautiful, beautiful and powerful. Enough so to make Bella question why she would bother talking to her. After all that she had done to her, after she had tried to kill Ciri and Dominik both, why was Yennefer even giving her the light of day. Bella could sense no ill intent, no bitterness or contempt when Yennefer spoke to her. How was that possible, why wasn't she furious with Bella?
It's because you're Dominik's sister… that's why they're not angry… not because they forgive you… but because you're Dominik's sister.
She supposed it was better than them being angry with her, screaming at her and trying to get retribution. Not that she didn't deserve it. But did she really want people to forgive her… simply because she was Dominik's sister?
"Bella? Bella dear, are you alright?" Yennefer spoke again, and Bella felt like she had been zapped by a bolt of lightning.
She looked at the sorceress and Yennefer scoffed a laugh. "Ha, again you don't have to be so nervous darling. We're all in this together. But first we must finish this."
"You should hate me… you all should," Bella said, her voice just over a whisper, unable to stop herself before the words came out.
Yennefer paused, turning to face her. Her violet eyes were intense, yet… soft at the same time. They lightened, and Bella jumped as the woman put a hand on her shoulder. She expected to be grabbed, squeezed and pulled. She had plenty of marks on her from times that had happened. Yennefer's touch, however, was soft like her eyes. She didn't smile as she looked at Bella… but somehow her looked was reassuring.
"You were manipulated darling, brainwashed, misled," She said, shaking her head her other hand coming onto Bella's shoulder as well. "You didn't know what you were doing."
"I almost killed me brother… killed Ciri," Bella said, her throat lurching, as breathing soon became hard. "I… I almost killed them both. I've killed people… so… so many people, Eredin didn't do it, I did it. Me. I hear them, see them every night…"
"You've been hurt darling… more so than most of us," Yennefer said, pulling back and giving her that reassuring look again as she nodded. "The important thing is you know what happened was wrong, and you're going to work to better yourself. We're going to be there to help you… we swear it."
"Why? Why do you care? Why hasn't anyone tried to get me back yet?" She said, her voice still quivering.
Yennefer scoffed a laugh. "Because we know what you've been through dear, and-."
"And because I'm Dominik's sister…" She said, shaking her head, tears coming to her eyes. "If it weren't for that… everyone would see me as irredeemable… they'd see the monster that I see when I look in a mirror."
"You are not a monster Bella," Yennefer said, her raven locks-now dry- blowing back in the wind. She met Bella's eyes and they had a certainty to them, as if she hadn't been surer about anything in her life. "You are a brilliant young woman who's been misled and abused. We are going to be here to help you, no matter what-."
A loud ripping sound cutting through the air cut Yennefer off. Bella's magic came back to life around her, the misty haze that was her power erupted in a glow. Yennefer turned back to the tower before Bella could, tossing up a magic shield as the magic barrier discharged and tried to knock them back. Bella could feel the massive influx of magic, it pounded against her head and if not for Yennefer's shield she would have tumbled back down the hill.
Bella looked up and watched the sorceress with power oozing from her fingertips. Her raven hair blew back with a new ferocity, but the woman held firm keeping the shield in front of her and Bella. Despite the massive amount of raw magical energy coming towards them Yennefer held firm, pushing back against it until the discharge finally stopped.
Bella was awestruck. Gods she's powerful… powerful and confident, that's magic in its purest form she's using. If only I could do that.
Everything Bella had learned, she learned from Caranthir, from Eredin. Her magic… the gifts she had been given, she corrupted them, abused them. Maybe she could use them for a little good that day… but what would happen after?
"Bella! Bella are you alright?" Yennefer's voice echoed in her ears, and Bella found herself pulled back upwards.
Her vision cleared and Yennefer was staring down at her. "Look! The barrier's gone, do you know what it means?"
Bella's head pounded but her vision eventually cleared. From down below she could distantly hear the chaos, along with the roaring of the two dragons. The wind died, the portals above had closed, and the only thing that hampered her now was the quiet.
She couldn't hear anything, outside of the distance shouts of the army. The tower above them, was completely silent.
And the silence made Bella panic.
"Ciri! The barriers gone that means the portal closed," She said, turning back to Yennefer, who's eyes were glued up towards where the portal had been.
The sorceress didn't look at her, but her voice rose to a panic as well. "Could it just mean they killed Avallac'h? And his death made the portal close?"
"Only one way to find out come on," Bella shouted over the winds which returned.
She drew Coram of the sheath on her back and ran forward. Subconsciously as she had been doing for years, she spurred her magic into her legs. Yennefer followed behind but Bella quickly left the sorceress in the dust with her magically enhance legs. Snow trailed up behind her as Bella ran against the wind. The tower got closer and closer, and a million different scenarios ran through her head.
Ciri could be alive, Avallac'h dead. Ciri could be gone still and Avallac'h could be dead. Or worst of all… her brother and Geralt could be dead, and Avallac'h standing over their corpses. What would she do if that happened? What would she do if Avallac'h was trying something else?
I must start somewhere… and his crimes are just as great as my own. But her brother wasn't dead. It would take a meteor to kill her brother so long as Ciri was alive… and as long as Bella was too, at least she hoped he still felt that way. Either way, she was going to make sure they both survived, two of the three people who had believed in her the entire time.
And maybe along the way… I'll feel I've done some good… maybe. Ridding the worlds of someone like Avallac'h was something good, it had to be a first step. The first step of a long journey. If she could survive that was.
"DOMINIK! GERALT!" She shouted for them both as she heaved herself up the last cliff.
Bella didn't hear a response, and it made her move faster. She ran around the bend, finding one of the four entrances into the tower, and when she turned, and her boots clunked onto the stone floor she came skidding to a stop from what she saw.
"Dom!" She yelled for her brother when she saw him. Dominik was on his knees, a hand around that swallow he always wore on his neck. His eyes were open, they were wide, shocked, frightened, looking at a smaller chamber in disbelief.
She yelled again for him, but her brother seemed completely catatonic. He didn't move, he didn't blink, and Bella thought for a moment he had died like that.
But then he fell forward, onto his hands and knees, his eyes still not leaving that one room. To his left, Geralt was in a similar state, although the witcher looked slightly better off than Dominik did. Geralt looked between Dominik, and between the fixed point he was looking at. The spot right where Bella assumed the spiraling portal had been.
Bella finally realized why her brother was like that.
She couldn't see Ciri anywhere.
"I was too late… gods I… I was too late," She whispered, falling to her knees herself. Bella began to cry, tears welled up in her eyes, as she looked over towards where the portal had been as well. "It's my fault… it's all my fault again… all of this… I could have prevented this…."
Ciri, her big sister. All the memories came flooding back. She winced as her head began to throb again, as if her brain was slowly leaking from all the memories that were being funneled back into it. Cintra, all those happy memories. The days looking at dresses in her closet, the pranks on her brother, the laugh she got when the two of them would try to put makeup on each other. The embarrassed blush she got the first time Bella called her 'Big Sister'. It was all Bella had ever wanted, to have her family, to be a part of it, to be important to people, to feel that love. Ciri, her brother, her parents, they all had tried to give it to her.
Now, right when she thought she got it back… it was ripped from her again.
She could remember what happened after she revealed herself to them both. Ciri had pleaded with her, begged her, apologized and cried. And what had Bella done? Almost killed her as a response. She could still feel it buried deep in her stomach, that rage, that unbridled fire that led her to want to kill Ciri, kill her more than she wanted to kill any of them. It had been Bella's goal, that thirst for revenge that Eredin had stoked. It had been what kept Bella up at night for months on end, that rage.
And now, just when she had beaten that person she was, when she had finally remembered, Ciri was gone.
Bella hadn't even gotten to see her, to apologize to her.
"It… it is unfortunate… but it was what ALWAYS was going to happen!"
Dominik didn't move, and neither did Geralt, but Bella's head shot up. She looked to the back of the stone open room, and she finally spotted Avallac'h.
The sage was blood. His nose was completely crooked, dripping deep red globs of blood to the floor, a giant black and blue welt on the side of his face. From his hand, his shoulder and arm, Bella said his robes bloodied and bleeding still.
But the sage didn't seem hampered. Bella watched as his staff materialized in his hand, his sword reappearing at his belt. The sage's eyes were feral, like a wild dog that had gotten to sink his teeth into a fresh corpse. Bella had always heard the sage was composed, intelligent, calm yet powerful.
She saw none of that now.
"It was ALWAYS HER PURPOSE JUST AS IT WAS LARA'S. HER ONLY PURPOSE," The sage screamed, as if he were an uncaged bear. The blood slowly started to disappear; a sickening crack rang through the temple as his nose was snapped back into place by the magic. His black and blue cheek and nose, it slowly returned to the normal color of his skin. Magic light burst from around the sage, it erupted at the top of his staff as he turned his wild eyes on Dominik's back.
Dominik still didn't move.
Geralt finally turned towards the sage, his look of shock, turning to rage, a glare that would have made any regular man soil himself. The witcher, drew his blade, and turned on the sage.
Avallac'h however, finally seemed to be done holding back.
"I HAD WHAT WAS MINE STOLEN FROM ME!" He yelled, his voice echoing through the chamber as Bella slowly rose to her feet. The sage's staff exploded with magic, and she got sent stumbling back the same as Geralt did. She recovered to see Avallach's wild eyes trained on Dominik's back still. Her brother miraculously hadn't fallen over. He still sat on his knees, looking where the portal had closed. Bella stumbled back up to her feet, looking to see Geralt grab his sword from the ground and do the same across from her.
No reaction out of Dominik only seemed to make Avallac'h angrier, his magic grow brighter.
And he took a step forward. "Now… the abomination that was a result of that theft is finally gone, erased, destroyed like it should have been the moment she was created."
The sage disappeared in a puff of ice, but his voice again echoed throughout the chamber.
"And now… I shall erase another disgusting abomination! Something I should have done long ago…."
A flash of light appeared right behind Dominik and still her brother didn't move. Avallac'h reappeared, his sword and staff both in one hand, his bright aurora of magic burning the air with bright magic around him.
The pit of anger that had been deep inside Bella's stomach erupted again. "DOMINIK!"
She sprang from the ground, yelling as her magic exploded around her and she took off in a sprint.
"GET BACK!" Geralt yelled out from where he was as well, he was closer than Bella and got to the sage first. He leapt and spun for a blow with his steel, he came down to cleave through the sage, but Avallac'h spun and smashed his staff into Geralt's chest.
The witcher yelled in pain and got sent shooting backwards and slamming him into a pillar. Bella spared a glance for him just before she turned back to Avallac'h, and just before she reached the sage as well, he spun back around, and Bella saw the tip of his staff erupt. She skidded as she yelled out her spell and shot her hand up. The shield barely had time to cover her before the spell from the sage's staff slammed into it.
The force sent Bella falling backwards, Coram clattered out of her hands. Her vision went blurry again, but she worked her magic quicker to try and heal any injuries she had, but it worked so much slower on internal injuries. She fumbled for her sword and got back to her feet a distance away from her brother and Avallac'h.
"DOMINIK! DOMINIK FUCKING MOVE!" He still hadn't, and despite Bella yelling and rushing for him again, her brother still hadn't gotten off his knees and stopped looking at where Ciri had been last.
Avallac'h sneered behind her brother. "Pathetic…just like I always knew you were. You humans are so sentimental… and it will be your downfall. You failed just like your pathetic ancestor did boy… she's dead, her only purpose fulfilled."
The sage's staff was still alight, and his blade leveled towards Dominik's neck. She looked and saw Geralt stir from the pillar, stumbling up to his feet and forward weaponless towards the sage. Bella yelled for her brother again and took off in another run.
But she was going to be too late.
"Her purpose is fulfilled… she's right where she was always meant to be," The sage sneered, magic churning around him. He scoffed, and that demonic smirk came to his face. "But fear not… you will now finally join her."
"DOMINIK PLEASE MOVE!" Bella yelled as Avallac'h brought his sword back, bearing it above Dominik's right and swinging it down with a magic enhance strike.
I'm too late… I'm too late again….
But then, Dominik exploded with light.
Bella got stopped in her tracks, but she looked up and saw her brother finally move. Avallach's strike hadn't stopped, it came for Dominik's neck, but her brother with magic around his limbs moved quicker then she had ever seen any man- magical, mutant or mortal move. He was a blur as he spun around, shooting up to his feet.
He screamed, screamed as if his entire body was on fire, pain, anger, resentment and agony spilled from the back of his throat, as his magic was a deep, dark blue. As he spun, his left-hand caught Avallach's sword hand, and slammed the sages strike down into the ground.
Avallac'h yelled and his eyes widened in shock, but he didn't even have time to blink before Dominik's other hand came around. Bella hadn't even seen him draw it he had done it so fast, but in a reversed grip Dominik held his silver dagger. His one hand held Avallach's sword hand to the ground, and his other brought the dagger up and it cut deep right across the sage's face, up clean through his eye.
"GAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The sage's scream could have been heard on ever island in Skellige. Blood erupted and shot from Avallach's eye, and Dominik still wasn't finished.
Letting loose that guttural scream again her brother finished his spin. All the dark blue magic that was around him formed into his palm and he blasted it forward into the sage's chest. Bella recognized the witcher sign Aard, but it was larger than anything she had ever seen. It slammed into Avallac'h and shot the sage back as he screamed all the way until he slammed into one of the pillars cracking the very stone itself.
Bella stood across from Geralt, now only a few steps away from her brother. She met Geralt's eyes and right away they both looked at Dominik who stood up with trembling hands. Smoke came up from his glove, and after laboring to breath for a few seconds her brother looked at Geralt first, and then turned to Bella.
Bella had never seen him, or anyone like this. She thought she carried pain, but today she realized her brother had been right.
He knew how she felt and could possibly be the only one.
"Dominik…" she said, her voice light as she tried to step towards him.
Dominik coughed, sobbing at the same time. Tears fell down his cheeks, he shook his head at Bella, before slowly turning back around.
And just like that, he fell to his knees again, watching where the portal had been.
Bella turned as well, Geralt met her eyes, and gently nodded at her. Bella did the same back, and Geralt moved next to her brother. The witcher didn't say anything. He didn't try to offer any words of encouragement to Dominik, didn't try to tell him everything would be alright.
Geralt, simply placed a hand on his shoulder, and groaning from his undoubtedly aching bones sat down on his knees next to Dominik to watch the portal. Neither of them said a word.
This is what real love it… Bell thought. She looked at her brother, and at Geralt, waiting for Ciri to come back. And she knew they'd be there until she did... if she did. This… this is what a family does… they never leave each other behind… never give up on each other… like they didn't on me.
Bella was about to sit on her brother's opposite side, but that was when she heard the rocks crumble.
"DID YOU THINK IT WOULD BE THAT EASY BOY!?"
Geralt shot to his feet with her, but Bella knew he didn't have the power to stop what was coming. Bella felt the magic before she saw it, a giant wave coming from her. Taking every bit of magic, she felt around her, taking it away from healing her wounds, she spun and shot both her hands up.
"PELIAN COAEL CALLIATAD!" Her voice echoed throughout the tower, and a massive shield of magic shot up from her hands just before the wave of ice slammed into the three of them.
The magic was overwhelming. Never in her life had she felt anything like it, not in training, not in combat, not when she fought Eredin, not when her own powers unleashed. Her legs buckled behind her, and she spun to see Dominik and Geralt had both turned back to her. Her brother's eyes were that of a broken man, one who had already lost everything a man could lose. And she found herself-just like when she was younger- hating seeing that look on his face. He looked up at Bella, and he was pleading, he tried to get up, but fell face first to the stone below, his hand smoking, completely exhausted. He didn't even have the energy to control his magic, he simply was unable to move.
He had given everything he could… and Bella would do the same.
The journey… it starts now, Bella looked past the magic, and she could see Avallac'h. His demonic eyes pressed forward with his magic trying to blast straight through Bella's shield. She felt the push, it was like someone was slamming her fingers against a table with a mallet and Bella felt her arms buckle. How could she beat this? She was horrified.
Being afraid, is the catalyst for being brave. The measure of being brave, isn't about not being afraid, it's having the persistence to push through being afraid. Eivor had taught her that, the first time Bella had an incident, and her magic had knocked over a tree.
Bella saw her brother, imagined Ciri, and thought about all the people who needed her now. She needed to be strong for them… her self-loathing could wait.
Grinding her teeth, she turned back towards the sage. She remembered Yennefer holding the shield to protect her moments ago. Beautiful, powerful, confident. All the things Bella wished she could be.
No… it's the things you have to be now!
She commanded her magic; she was one of the last members of the line of Lod. Power resided in every bone in her body, and she was going to use it.
She yelled, pushing and taking a step forward. It surprised Avallac'h, and more magic mist appeared around Bella, it joined up with her shield, and Bella's legs straightened behind her and she pushed back. She pushed back against Avallac'h as all she thought about all the things she could do now, all the possibilities, the chances she had at her new life, with her big brother.
Bella took another step forward, yelling as the sage yelled back and finally after another few moments, yelling in frustration the sage stopped his assault. A giant cloud of smoke erupted around the room. For a minute Bella couldn't see anything. Grabbing her sword from her back she spun in the smoke, scanning for the sage, but didn't see anything. However, she did hear footsteps from her right, and turned just in time to block a sword blow that came her way. Avallac'h advanced on her like a whirlwind. He slashed and struck with his blade as if it weighed nothing, while occasionally swinging his staff towards her.
"YOU THINK YOU CAN CHALLENGE ME GIRL!?" He screamed at her as he leaped and swing with his staff. "YOU ARE NOTHING BUT EREDIN'S PATHETIC EXPERIEMNT! HE FEARED ME! WHAT HOPE DO YOU HAVE!?"
Bella stumbled back from the sheer number of blows, and she was left open for an attack. Avallac'h advanced and lunged for her, his sword would have cut him in half if not for a flash of lightning erupted and slamming into him. Bella saw the makings of a shield appear around the sage, but it didn't stop him from being blown back.
"I WARNED YOU SAGE!" A booming voice erupted behind Bella. She turned and saw Yennefer striding into the tower. Her eyes were alight with magic, her hand was outstretched, lightning and magic crackling from it. She turned her glare on Avallac'h and let lose another barrage of spells. "I TOLD YOU I WOULD REDUCE YOU TO ASH SHOULD YOU MEDDLE WITH MY CHILDREN AGAIN AND THAT IS WHAT I'LL DO!"
"YOU DO NOT FRIGHTEN ME YOU DESPICABLE WITCH!" Avallac'h yelled and deflected the spells, but one got through and slammed into his shoulder smashing him up against the pillar.
The sage had no time to recover because next Bella saw Geralt's steel come for Avallach's neck. The witcher moved like no man Bella had ever seen before. Avallac'h teleported away from the blow, coming up behind Geralt and going for a strike at his exposed back.
The witcher shot his blade up behind him without even looking. It deflected Avallach's blow, and Geralt spun, cutting across the sage's arm and making him stumble back, bleeding again.
"YEN CHECK DOM!" He shouted to the sorceress, lashing out at Avallac'h again in a flurry.
Bella turned and saw Yennefer's eyes return to their violet coloring. She looked at Dominik, and Bella realized her brother was unconscious, laying on the stones. Yennefer rush to him, falling to his side while the sounds of Geralt and Avallach's blow cut through Bella's ears.
She turned and saw the sage cutting forward at Geralt, both his staff and sword moving in perfect motion. Geralt kept up, and while Bella knew Geralt could best Avallac'h in swordsmanship, he would never match him in magic. As soon as Avallac'h realized that, he would resort to it.
She took one last look at Yennefer, who was already casting a spell over Dominik's head, and cursed. She couldn't simply stand around, she wouldn't be useless, her path started now, the path to undoing all the damage she had caused would start with the sage's death.
Like she predicted she turned and saw Geralt go for what could have been a kill shot. He had knocked the sage back and advanced for a killing blow, but before his sword could cut Avallac'h through the Aen Elle teleported. Seeing him reappear behind Geralt, Bella called on her own magic.
She teleported herself and reappeared behind Geralt, raising Coram to block the blow that was meant for the witcher. Bella got look at the sages face finally. The entire right side of Avallach's face was cut through. The outside of his cheek hung off as a bit of flabby skin revealing the muscles and sinew beneath the face, his eye had been cut in half, now dangling in two pieces out of the socket. The sage's entire face was covered in blood, the cut that Dominik had given him reached all the way up to his forehead, and Bella knew that no amount of magic would stop Avallac'h from having that scar for the rest of his life if he survived. It was only thanks to the bits of magic swirling in the sage's eyes and across his face now he was alive.
He won't have a chance to live with a scar… because I'm going to kill him now!
Bella yelled and pushed the sage's blade away. Avallac'h stumbled away, groaning in pain as he held his sword hand to his eye. The staff in his hand still spun with magic at its tip, but Bella knew better then to take this as a moment of weakness. Feeling Geralt spin behind her, she lashed out with the witcher towards the sage. She struck from one side while Geralt struck with the other. They got off a few blows, she struck across the sage's thigh, and Geralt got another cut across his arm, but soon he was deflecting them with his sword and staff.
Geralt lashed out from the front, and Bella spun around him to surprise Avallac'h from his flank. The tactic worked and the tip of Bella's sword cut through the bottom of Avallach's staff which he barely raised to stop her. He growled in frustration and it gave Geralt time to knock his sword away. At the same time, she and Geralt both lunged forward again going for the killing strike, but that was when the sage exploded with magic.
"ENOUGH!" Magic shot from Avallac'h, and while Bella was quick enough to get one hand up to summon a magical shield, Geralt wasn't. His witcher shield Quen didn't arise intime and the witcher got sent flying back towards Yennefer. Bella stumbled herself, her vision blurry, but she saw the sage falling and grabbing onto his now cut in half eye.
The sage looked up at them all, and finally cursed in Elder Speech. It had to be an old curse because Bella didn't understand it. Turning around the sage slammed the end of his now shortened staff to the ground and black and yellow swirling portal erupted in front of him.
NO! He can't get away; I can't let him! Bella knew that Avallac'h wasn't the same as Eredin. The sage would know the advantage of a tactical retreat. In his state after Dominik's surprise attack on him he was in no shape to fight off her, Geralt and Yennefer.
This is where it starts! I'm going to finally do some good! Avallac'h tripped over his own feet, his injuries finally seeming to affect him as he tried to get into the portal, and this gave Bella time to steady herself and break out into a run.
"BELLA STOP DON'T!" Geralt tried to shout from her but Bella tuned him out as she made a run for the sage.
With her sword pointed out she got to the sage just as she turned around. She thrusted forward towards him, but Avallac'h was still quick. The sage's blade slammed into hers, knocking it away, but Bella kept running. Avallac'h yelled out as she slammed her shoulder into him before he could fire a spell, and Bella felt the sage grab her.
The grip however didn't stop Bella. She pushed forward her shoulder slamming into the Avallac'h, and they both tumbled forward.
Straight into the portal.
A/N: TWO CHAPTERS REMAIN! Now! Before ANYONE asks me the question 'oh why didn't Ciri just tell Dominik she controlled her powers', its because 1.) She still doesn't know if full control of her powers will guarantee her survival as she doesn't know how to beat the White Frost, all she knows is it will give her a much greater chance. 2.) She said in the last chapter we had with her, that she wanted to keep her complete control a secret from Avallac'h, because if he thinks she doesn't fully control her powers, he'll continue to underestimate her, and that will be very valuable. So I just wanted to answer that question first because I know I'll get it xD
BUT, now we finally have the biggest challenge of both Dominik and Ciri's journeys. I had so much fun writing this chapter, despite the fact I teared up xD I was going to originally have this chapter and next chapter as one, but it would have been insanely long, plus it would be a complete tone shift from one part to the next lol Next chapter, we have Bella squaring off against Avallac'h! A new Nilfgaardean army is on the way to attack out survivors, and of course… Ciri will face the moment of her destiny.
This chapter, I really wanted to show how fragile Dominik, and all people with mental health truly are. As I've said before, Dominik's struggles with his mental state throughout this book, mirror my own life struggles. There is a horrible stigma around men's mental health. Too often do we in real life, (And I've been told of Dominik in this story) that as men we simply need to 'man up!' and that we 'should be emotionally stable!' I've gotten so many people review and message this story, complaining about Dominik's mental state, 'oh will he just stfu about missing Ciri and how he failed' or 'he's an emotionally unstable toddler' or how he should 'man up by now!' or 'he's 22 you think he'd be emotionally stable'. Now to all these people I need to ask… has anything like this ever really happened to you?
How would it be for you, if you watched your entire family die before your eyes at eleven years old? How would feel if you had to run for your life through the woods at ELEVEN, and hide from an army? And how would you feel if you GOT another family, but then you had THAT family ripped from you as well as Dominik had? And ontop of it, how would you feel, if the ONE person who went through all that trauma with you, the ONE person who truly understands your pain, who you have come to fall in love with, was missing, gone when you knew something bad was going to happen and you couldn't save them?
Then imagine eight years searching for that person alone, believing your second family dead for two of them, every day thinking about how you could have done something. Would you be emotionally stable by twenty-two? If you would be after all that… well you're much stronger then most of us so congratulations lol
So of course, all story we see Dom obsessing over wanting to right his failures, constantly thinking about Ciri, talking about how much he loves her, how much she makes the pain go away, that's because he IS broken, and he sees a chance to put himself and the person he loves back together, and when he finally DOES find her… it isn't a magic bandaid. Now they both have to deal with what they've done, learn what the other went through, and deal with those repercussions.
The Witcher: Through the Worlds, isn't the story of Dominik finding his lost love, of him finding Ciri no… it's a subplot really. The REAL plot, the real story, is Dominik slowly healing his fractured mind, and fighting his depression, his anxiety, his fears and failures, and eventually coming out on top, the same goes for Ciri. And you know what? Just like in real life, that takes time, so he and Ciri WON'T be okay after this book, in short stories and sequels we'll see them get better and better, slowly but surely just like how it is in real life.
That's why this chapter was so hard to write, because I've spent 90 chapters slowly writing Dominik healing, getting better and better, fighting that darkness… only for it to all come back in this chapter. He failed his prophecy, he made the wrong choice… it was Ciri who had to help him, to be there for him like she always will be. However, despite him not being able to make the choice on his own, Ciri teaches him one important lesson that l think all people with mental health should hear.
You are strong enough, you aren't strong enough because of one person, or even multiple people, you are strong enough to beat what you're going through because you are strong, no matter what you may think….
So despite the people who complain and call him 'emotionally unstable' and complain 'gosh its so annoying how he always mentions Ciri' I'm proud of Dominik's journey, and Ciri's, and I can't wait to write them in these sequels, when they can finally have some peace….
SO I've ranted long enough! It's time for me to once again tell everyone, if you want to see some AMAZING Witcher fanart for THIS story, (I just had an amazing portrait of Bella done) please go and follow the Instagram for this story!
dominik_of_cintra go follow it on Instagram to see!
And as always, be sure to follow and favorite this story if you enjoyed! Also if you enjoyed make sure to follow MY PERSONAL PROFILE! Because with only two chapters of this story left, I'll soon be starting the first sequel! And I want to make sure everyone is informed when that drops!
As usual, please review if you have time, please stay safe, and have an amazing day! I'll see you all next time!
