The Witcher and Cleric nearly thumbed down the stairs they were climbing, exhausted and in low spirit, the day had not been kind to the traveling companions. Starting with being plucked off by a bird who (after hours of flying) merely tossed them on the ground which lead to Eawyn cursing with words a cleric shouldn't use. All while a rude man in chainmail laughed at the duo's expanse (much to the Jad's dismay, who was busy trying to calm down Eawyn). Luckily, The chainmail man while still being rude at least pointed them into the right direction, but from there the day quickly turned into a mess of crawling through sewers, bartering with (unfair) nearly mad merchants, sneaking around hulking black armored warriors, and top it all off hollows just sentient enough to set traps and use explosives.
"Pa... Pa..pardon me Sir Witcher but I believe a quick rest is in order" Eawyn panted, her stamina gone after having to sprint away from a flaming barrel. Jad rolled his eyes and nodded rearing off from the stairs onto an open floor, Eawyn quickly took a seat next to the wall happily draining her water flask as she did. A few moments passed before Eawyn broke the silence "Thank thou Sir Witcher."
"What do you mean?" was all the Witcher replied eyes still focused on where they entered from in case of an ambush.
"That should be clear especially for one with heightened perspective skills such as thou self" The Witcher continued to speak with his back turned,
"If you are referring to my assistance in combat your gratitude is unneeded."
"and why would that be my dear Witcher" Eawyn said sliding back up the wall her legs strength returning, and a smile plastered on her face.
"Because I did not do it from any moral obligation, but simply you are paying for me to do so."
"is thou saying if a…. hypothetical maiden was in danger thou would not offer assistance without something to gain?" Eawyn said walking up to the Witcher.
"Exactly" the Witcher curtly responded, " Since you are up does tha-" before Jad could finish Eawyn had thrown her arms over the short Witcher's shoulders, "I don't believe that thou would at all" she said excitedly while shaking Jad gently back and forth.
"HEY WHAT AR-"Jad began to shout to only be interrupted yet again by Eawyn looking over his face,
"Thou do good to take better care of thy hair and skin, no maiden will want to approach thy like this, smiling would do wonders as well"
Jad wrestled himself free of Eawyn's playful grip, "I have no need for someone less so a client to mother me."
"Well someone needs to take up the task, you Witchers always lack parenting, too focused on being mentored" Eawyn said her smile falling to a frown. Jad merely glared at her, "let's get going"
"yes, I apologize for distracting you." Wordlessly the Witcher turned and rose up the steps with Eawyn falling close behind her eyes carefully watching Jad
It was only a Minute before the two found themselves upon a giant bridge opened to the sky. The winds blew through the air colder than what it had been down below, Eawyn wrapped her arms around herself attempting to warm up without the aid of her previously discarded cloak. Before she could take another step Jad stopped with one hand the other with his index finger covering his mouth in a 'shushing' motion. Once Eawyn realized what Jad was doing he slowly pointed up to the shadows being cast across the bridge. The darkness taking the shape of two hollows positioned atop the spire with ballistics in hand. Before Eawyn could suggest anything the Witcher had taken off in a blur scaling the ladder with inhuman speed, there was a clang of swords followed by the low growl of a creature that had lost hope long ago.
Eawyn took a few steps from outside the spire only to let out a small 'eep!' narrowly missing being hit with a hollow who has smashed against the stone. No blood could be seen, the body had hollowed far beyond that point, only a dust-like substance spread out from where the impact occurred. From above Jad had called out for it is safe to cross now, and so (hesitantly at first) Eawyn made her way across the crumbling bridge as Jad re-sheath his steal and begun to descend the ladder.
And like a bat out of hell the demon appeared, punching its way through the sky like an arrow. This beast of pure muscle shook the bridge with its landing, stones falling off and separating from the bridge. The kicked-up dust cleared to show a body of fur that concealed its impossibly large muscles, with the only bare spot being its goat skull that shat where a head would be.
The demon descended on Eawyn it's barbaric hammer being swung with the ferocity to match the demon's appearance. Eawyn's adrenaline flooded into her system allowing her to narrowly roll out of the path of the hammer, but not the blast left by the blow that threw her back multiple meters dust being kicked up by her cascading body. With trembling arms Eawyn managed to pick herself up and came face to face with the charging form of the demon, closing her eyes she braced for the worse.
Instead Eawyn was greeted to the roar of the beast that shook her to the core, the demon stumbled back it's hammer abandon as its hands clutched its head where a bolt had punctured it's eye. Over the commotion Jad bellowed out at the top of his lungs "EAWYN GET BACK TO THE TOWER NOW!" and with all her strength she took out the estrus flask that had been gifted to her by Oscar and took a sip, the drink burned in her throat worse than any of the liquor and clouded her mind as if it was being repressed. However, once the effects had resided with newfound strength Eawyn took off across the bridge as fast as she could carry herself. The demon soon recovered a follow in pursuit it's longer legs quickly covering more space than Eawyn could put between with only Jad's crossbow bolts halting the hulking demon.
Eawyn was only a meter or so from the archway they entered from and with a finale leaped she soared straight into the tower landing with a rough CREEEEEK from the wooden boards. Once Eawyn had made it to safety Jad hastily unwrapped his silver sword and just as the demon was about to slam into the spire, Jad lunged as a tiger from atop his vantage point sword shining brilliantly as he did so. By the time the demon responded the sword had already punctured through its hulking neck with such precision it almost couldn't feel the blade.
The brute thrashed and roared shaking its strength a tidal wave with the cat caught in its pulls. Jad gripped his sword with all the strength his mutated muscles could offer, his weight being thrown across the sword caused it to wiggle within the demons wound serving to only enrage it more.
Till and with a thunderous roar and in the demon's blind rage it brought its hammer through the spire stone fragments, bricks, and dust where launched across the sky as a section of the spire collapsed, Eawyn still inside. But Jad could not spare a thought as he managed to retrieve his sword from the demon's flesh with himself being flung off in the process. Jad fell back onto the bridge rolling back to his feet at the same speed.
The demon's untouched eye focused in on Jad glowing red with such a primal rage that any man would have frozen on the spot, Jad was a Witcher. So, their fight raged the demons strikes ripping and splashing across the stone continuing to weaken the already ruined bridge. Jad danced through his opponent's attacks with speed and precision, every dodge executed at the last moment every slash of his sword was without hesitation, the battle continued like this for some time but to the combatants it felt like ages.
Leaping backward Jad with his increased reflexes saw that all his attacks had done nothing to slow the creature down. Its arms and chest were covered in hundreds of bleeding cuts however, the demon would not tire its rage and adrenaline pushing beyond such trifles. Deciding to change his strategy Jad ripped from his back pockets a Witcher made bomb and hurled it right into the demon's face.
The creature stopped for a moment and only a moment, but it was enough for Jad to drop his guard and it was only saved by his Witcher's reflexes and managed to quickly cast quen as the demon swung with his hammer shattering the spell. But all Jad could hear was the cracking coming from his right arm as he was flung across the bridge.
The demon marched over triumph filled its steps as it brought its hammer overhead for one final strike. "Dam it I shouldn't be dying here! I was going to be the first to die in a fucking bed!" Jad thought as his mind slowly began to slip back to his time at Dyn Marv, "Well pox on it all! Pox on this life, pox on Aron, Juily, Decan, old Leon and if they exist pox on the gods that cursed me with this life"
The last thing Jad heard before closing his eyes was the chanting of a language he did not know, and then it hit him a force sent him rolling across the bridge he immediately looked up, maybe the demon had missed? But no, the demon was toppling off the bridge it's balance completely lost. It was then his eyes fell on Eawyn, she stood where once he lay, her arm outstretched chime clearly in hand. Her skin was worse from before like a rotting corpse and practically all of her hair was gone the only thing recognizable was her clothes and sent. As Jad grabbed on to a piece of the bridge's railing he hoisted himself just as Eawyn rushed over, and quickly chanted a healing miracle. Once Eawyn had finished her and Jad locked eyes his arm now only feeling numb.
"Thank you," was all that could be heard over the freezing winds.