Chapter 1: Black and Blue (3/4)

Tracking down Adda's smell turned out to be an easy task. Mostly because Adda had a peculiar smell, which was a mixture of a sweet smell that you often get from nobles with a filthy smell that you get from a beast. A smell that Malak always noticed in Adda since the day that he met her. Galloping through the woods with the black horse that his aunt Triss got him, Malak could sense that the scent that he was following was getting stronger and stronger.

Where did they take her? He thought as he kept on tracking her. There's no way that they'll be dumb enough to camp or take refuge somewhere that is just considerably far from the spot where they took her. Malak was trying to understand. Although, they probably didn't expect that a Witcher would be accompanying the Blue Stripes. He concluded.

Galloping a bit more, the Black Wolf unfortunately sensed more scents. There are elves nearby. Elves have a very strange but sweet smell that is very easy to identify, if you only know how to properly focus.

Unfortunately, the horse that Malak was riding was going too fast. Which didn't left enough time for Malak to check his surroundings, which resulted in him not being able to stop his horse before it felt into a trap. In a split second, the Black Wolf had to jump off his horse as it felt into a pit trap. Malak could only hear the horse making a sound of pain as it was being impaled by the spikes that were on the pit. Dammit! He thought in frustration.

But he didn't had time to recover, as he actually heard the sound of a bow shooting an arrow at his left. Which he quickly lifted his left arm and used the vambrace on his forearm to block the arrow. It bounced back as soon as it hit it and Malak quickly reached for one of the throwing knives on his bandolier and threw it at the exact same direction that the arrow came from.

"AHH!" He heard a small scream coming from the top of one of the trees and then he saw someone falling from it.

Archers on top of the trees. Malak concluded before quickly taking cover behind one of the trees. It means that there's a probably a camp or refuge nearby, they wouldn't have watchman otherwise. He makes the throwing knife that he tossed teleport back into his bandolier. I need to careful. He thought as he took a peek in order to try to discover how many archers were. But he quickly had to take cover to escape upcoming arrows. Three arrows, so there are three archers or more. I need approach this carefully. The Witcher thought as he reached for his Bullet thrower.

The Black Wolf took a deep breath before moving out of his cover and run passed the pit trap where his horse was impaled on, evading a few arrows before taking cover behind another tree. The reason why he did that, was to spot the direction from where the arrows were coming from. Which allowed him to identify the exact trees which they were hiding in. Okay, need to take my shots precisely otherwise- As the young Witcher was coming up with a strategy to deal with situation however, he heard noises of galloping coming from the way which he came from.

I was hoping that they'll take longer to reach me, this will complicate things. The ones coming on his way were Vernon Roche and his man. They were galloping their horses quickly into the aim of the archers. "ARCHERS AHEAD!" Malak tried warn them, but unfortunately, his warning came out too late.

As several of Roche's man are hit by arrows coming from the trees. "Fuck!" He heard Vernon Roche curse as he jumps off his horse to take cover on a tree close to the one where Malak was hiding. "Take cover!" He ordered his man.

His man obeyed but only a few managed to find themselves some cover, while the rest were shot by the arrows. There's definitely more archers than I thought. Malak concluded as he sees the Blue Stripes being killed by those archers.

"Fucking Scoia'tael!" Roche said out loud in deep anger.

"Save your anger for later, it will certainly not be of any use here." Malak advised him. Then he looked at the fallen Blue Stripes and saw one of them holding a crossbow. "Catch." He told Roche before using telekinesis to throw the crossbow at him, which he catch it.

"The ones who aren't carrying a bow or a crossbow, stay in cover!" Roche ordered his man. "How many are there?" He asked Malak.

"I don't have an exact number." Malak replied. "But I have targets." He explained before aiming his Bullet thrower at one of the trees and taking a shot. Which landed perfectly as he sees one of the archers falling from one the trees.

"What the fuck is that thing?!" Roche asked in deep confusion as he sees Malak easily dispatch the archer from a very considerable distance with his weapon.

"Short version; it's a weapon that shoots lead bullets in a speed that surpasses the one of a crossbow." He explained. "Don't ask where I got it because it's a long story." That was a lie, Malak just didn't want to talk about it. "Are you any good with that?" He asked regarding Roche's ability with a crossbow.

"I'm better with a sword, Ves is the one skilled with a crossbow." Roche claimed.

"Who's Ves?"

"The only female member of the Blue Stripes." Roche informed.

"Where is she then? We could use her skill with a crossbow now." Malak asked as he prepares to fire another shot.

"She injured her foot during our previous mission, we couldn't have her limping during this operation, so she stayed behind." Roche explained as he also prepared to take a shot as well.

Malak didn't respond, he just aimed the Bullet thrower and shot at another archer. Which landed and caused the archer to fall from the tree.

Roche also attempted to take a shot, but he was met by a upcoming arrow, which he was barely able to dodge. "Fuck!"

If I can just push them off the trees, Roche and his man could charge ar them. Malak thought as he tried to think of how to do it. Maybe... Suddenly, Malak put the Bullet thrower back on the holster. "Tell your man to brace themselves and prepare for battle." He told Roche.

"What?" He asked in confusion.

"Just do it."

"Everyone, brace yourselves!" He ordered his man, who quickly obeyed while looking a bit confused.

When Malak was certain that everyone was prepared. He started to speak in Elven language in order to use a spell. Strangely, the wind started to get stronger, much stronger, which Roche had to hold his hat so it wouldn't fly away. "Holy shit!" He cursed as the wind just becomes more and more intense. Suddenly, a full on windstorm starts and the trees get pushed to the point of them either falling or bending over in an unnatural way. Roche and his man barely managed to grab something in order to no fly away alongside the storm, while Malak just stood there, on the same spot, completely unfazed by the windstorm while still speaking in elven language.

As that happened, they could hear several screams coming from up ahead. A sign that the archers weren't able to grab on to something. Soon enough, the windstorm stopped out of nowhere as Malak stopped speaking in elven language. Which caused a certain commander to ask. "You did that?!"

"Yes, now come on." Malak replied like it was nothing. "Some of the archers probably survived." He told him as he drew his sword.

The Black Wolf then moved forward, with Roche turning around to call his man. "Come on, and stay on your guards!" He yelled his orders.

Malak moved forward with his sword at hand, looking around for the archers. The windstorm that he conjured was pretty intense, chances of any of them being able to hold on to their tree were pretty small. I'm surprised that none of trees collapsed. He thought, although some definitely lost quite a few branches. Looking around, he sees no sight of the archers, which is very strange.

Unless...

Out of nowhere, Malak heard steps coming at his direction. Turning to the left, he saw an elf charging at him with a saber. But once he got close enough, a crossbow bolt hit him in the arm, causing the elf to fall into the ground. Malak turns his head a sees that Roche was the one that shot him.

"Look out!" One of Roche's man yelled in warning.

It turns out that all of the archers that were on top of the trees, hid themselves after Malak's windstorm knocked them off from the trees. As several of them started to come out from hiding spots in order to attack them.

"Kill the whoresons!" Roche ordered his man as he drew his sword.

A long haired elf carrying a saber, tries to attack Malak. But he easily deflects his attacks and strikes the elf's face with his left back fist, before chopping his head off with his sword. Then another elf charged at him and tried to stab him in the back, but Malak just extended his left hand and used a fire spell on the elf, which set him on fire. After that, he stabbed another one on the back while he was trading attacks with a Blue Stripe.

Ironically, it didn't take long for the Black Wolf and the Blue Stripes to dispatch the elves. With them not exactly putting up a good fight, which Malak thought it was strange. Luckily, Roche managed to incapacitate one of them.

"Alright, I'll only ask this once." Roche told the injured elf in a intimidating voice while grabbing him by the hair. "Where are you fucks keeping Princess Adda."

"What?!" The elf replied in confusion.

Roche then put his sword on the elf's throat. "Where is Princess Adda!" He yelled at the elf.

"I don't know!?" The elf replied in desperation. "We were just camping around here." He told Roche.

That caused Roche to smash the pommel of his sword into the elf's nose, hard. Which by the crack that Malak heard, he was sure that it broke.

"Last chance!" Roche warned him.

The elf's nose was bleeding profoundly from the impact. But instead of complying, he frowned and spit on Roche's face. Which the commander reacted properly, by smashing the elf's face a few more times with the pommel of his sword as Malak and the rest of the Blue Stripes watched. But the Black Wolf decided to intervene by grabbing Roche's arm.

"Enough, he's no use for us dead." Malak told him.

"He's not useful at all, if they were keeping watch, it means that they're close by." Roche replied as he let go of the elf's hair.

"Probably, but an exact location is more than welcome." Malak also replied.

Malak then looked at the elf and decided to read his mind in order to get the information that they need. He's not as good in mind reading as his mother was, but he's decent enough. As he looks into the elf's mind. He makes a very shocking discovery. "What?" He spoke out loud in confusion.

"What is it?" Roche quickly asked.

"He was telling the true, they were just camping around here." Malak checked into the elf's mind and saw that they were camping on this location for five days, but they haven't left this spot. Meaning that they weren't the ones that took Adda.

"How do you know?" Roche asked in deep confusion.

"I-" Malak was about to explain, but unfortunately, he didn't had the chance to. As he sees a strange object flying into their direction. This object, as soon as it got close enough, Malak figured out what it was. It was a Talgar Winter, a powerful ice bomb. "Watch out!" He yelled at everyone around as soon as the bomb hit the ground. As he quickly grabbed Vernon Roche and pulled him to the cover behind a tree. That barely covered them, but provided enough protection thay, unfortunately, the rest of Roche's man weren't able to get it in time. The moment that the bomb detonated, a giant wave of Ice surrounded the area that it exploded on. Freezing everything on it's surroundings, with Roche's man being the first ones to be frozen by it.

Soon enough, the wave of ice dispersed and the two who weren't hit by it, left their cover. "AAAAAAHHHHHH!" Vernon Roche screamed in deep rage, as he saw his man completely frozen by that explosion. "WHO DID THIS?!" Roche yelled at Malak, hoping for an answer.

Malak didn't answered, he just observed his surroundings trying to figure it out what exactly was going on. What if... The Scoia'tael don't really have anything to do with this. I already suspected that the guard was not really being honest, Scoia'tael aren't exactly clumsy or stupid enough to allow someone escape. But then, what... Is this part of Adda's plan? Malak thought deeplybeforeobserving another detail. Talgar Winter, only a

Witcher would know how to make one. That means... Malak looked around and caught a scent. "Come on out! I can smell you, Bear." The Black Wolf recognized the smell, which was the exact same smell that the Witcher from the School of The Bear possessed. Which meant.

But, no one appeared. Instead, something came into Malak's direction. A crossbow bolt, that landed perfectly in the middle of his chest. But bounced back as soon as it made contact with Malak's armor.

"What the!? Come out, you bastard!" Roche yelled with his sword at hand as soon as he saw the crossbow bolt hit Malak.

But as Roche was searching for the one who shot him. Malak actually checked the crossbow bolt and noticed that there was something attached to it, a piece of paper. He knelled down to grab it, and see if there was anything written on it. Ironically, the piece of paper with a drawing on it. A perfect drawing of the La Valette Castle.

The moment Malak saw that, he reached for two things. One was his pipe, because he really wanted a smoke. Second was Adda's amulet, in order to clear a suspicion that just came to his head. As soon as he light his pipe and put it on his mouth, he analyzed the amulet that they found on Adda's transport. And to both his annoyance and frustration, it wasn't Adda's amulet, just a cheap copy. Upon close inspection, he could tell that some of the details were off, details that Malak had no reason to notice before.

While inhaling smoke from his pipe, the Black Wolf had a single thought in his mind. Gotta say, Adda definitely has the makings of Queen. He thought humorously. This type of elaborated plan almost matches the ones that my aunts tend to come up with. After exhaling the smoke from his pipe, he speaks up to Roche. "Whoever did this, wants us to meet with him." I guess we're going to the La Valette Castle.

Thanks everyone who followed and favorited this story.

As always, Questions and Answers:

Always love it when a new chapter pops up

Now then glad Malak told Triss about what Adda is up to and that Triss isn't going to tell anyone

About the squirrels kidnapping Adda to be honest I hope there's no big plot behind it them finding her was just happen chance

Makes sense that when it comes to elemental magic Malak has a natural gift with air magic given the nature of the Djinn that created him and I did like that Yen made it a point of showing while he's been hampered in learning the other elements when it comes to other branch's of magic he's not limited at all

Hope Adda dropped the necklace on purpose having complete faith that Malak would be along soon to find it and thus save her and hope he gets to her before a incident occurs just because she doesn't have the necklace doesn't guarantee one is instantly going to happen after all

Fair enough on Malak not having killed any notable monsters yet so does that mean his legend stems from nothing more than or mostly his unique birth got to admit that does suck a little but hey ho but it would be nice if he had killed two or three of those monsters and old spear tip at least

Okay so Ciri was born in 1253 and since there's no date for the last wish on the wiki timeline Hm I would have said Malak could have been born in 1239 same year Adda was born but while older than Ciri he didn't strike me as that much older than her so Hm say 1244 point is I think Malak should have a few years on Ciri

Shame about Malak and Letho not being best friends or anything as I do like Letho a lot and from what you imply Malak will be a kingslayer to which I can see after all what reason would Malak have to care for the Kings of the North but like how Letho had the condition of the Emperor helping to rebuild the viper school as his condition I hope Malak has a few conditions if he starts offing kings one being not killing Adda or Meve

Right before I forget I'm glad Malak thinking about his sword confirmed that he's been to other dimensions with Ciri

Malak fully trusts his uncles and aunts.

You got that right.

Yen knows what she's talking about when it comes to magic.

You partially got that right.

I didn't want his achievements to happen off scream, or page, whatever you wanna call it. But don't worry, he will have some memorable monster fights. (Like, when he helps a certain Virgin of Aedirn fight off a certain black colored creature that wants her as a mate.)

I'll leave Malak's age ambiguous due to the lack of proper dates. (But there is a mention on the mission, The Last Wish in The Witcher 3. Where Yen mentions that she and Geralt's relationship has been going on for more than 20 years.)

Let's just say that... The last thing that he wants, is to help Emhyr:

{

Emhyr: Strange, I repeatedly heard that you were a example of etiquette.

Malak: I would gladly bow to every single beggar, prostitute and even rats in Nilfgaard. Before I ever bow to you, Duny.

}

Malak's sword is based on a real life sword called Joyeuse.