Vensa watched as the dock was hammered over and over again with four giant tentacles. Each has hundreds of suckers lining it till the end in a dark purple colour, and a greenish looking slimy ooze that seemed to stick to anything that it touched. The fishermen were frantically running around to find a suitable hiding place from the creature. Most of them managed to make it except a young boy no older than his eighteenth year. One of the tentacles grabbed him and picked him up only to shake him in a fury. It was painfully clear to anyone that was watching that the boy's movements suddenly stopped and he remained motionless. Geralt reached for his silver sword but before he managed to fully draw it from its sheath, several spells were cast from their right forcing the monster to drop the boy onto the deck and retreat into the murky waters. The witch was dressed in all black with a very formal looking headgear, and a pleased look on her face. The damage was already done though. They boy lay unfailingly sprawled on the deck and the frightened citizens were beginning to gather around him in order to figure out what was wrong. The outlet for their rage seemed to have become the witch as their accusing eyes seemed all too pleased at the prospect of her death. luckily for her, she seemed to know a lot about the monster she just sent off and was just as interested in getting rid of him which was just what Geralt needed.
"What's going on here?"
"I'll tell you what! This witch was supposed to protect us from the beast and get rid of it and she does nothing. Look at the state it left one of my men in!"
"What's the problem? Everyone's still alive after all aren't they?"
"Shut the **** up witch. I bet it was you that summoned the monster here in the first place!"
"We should get rid of her!"
"Yeah! make her pay!"
"Everyone calm down, fighting won't help us now and I need her if you ever want to see that monster dead got it? Good, Vensa could you take a closer look at the boy? I'll talk to her."
"I'm fine with that."
While Geralt walked towards the new witch, Vensa approached the motionless boy on the ground. She could see Triss following Geralt slowly but she paid no attention to it. If she became a problem then Geralt was more than capable of taking care of her. her main concern right now was the boy, and she needed to do all she could otherwise the villagers surrounding them could turn on her just as easily as they did on the witch mere moments ago. Checking his vitals she noted that they substantially slowed down but at least they were still there. There was slight marks remaining from the green slime on his clothes but only traces, not enough to figure out what it was. Instead she performed a simple diagnosis spell looking at the boy's vitals directly. There was nothing specific but her initial assessment was correct, something was preventing him from moving. fortunately it seemed a rather quick poison so it should be discarded from him body just as quickly. It did mean though that Geralt would have a much harder time fighting the monster than they originally thought. She stood up and the crowd looked at her expectantly.
"He'll be fine. It seems like the monster can paralyze him victims with that green slime so be careful not to touch it. It should wear off in about an hour, maybe a little more."
"And what if it doesn't?"
"Then come and find me."
The med stared at her for a minute as if measuring her up before nodding, seemingly deciding to trust her for this moment. The picked up the boy and carried him slowly towards the poorer housing district in Flotsam likely to find him a place to rest. She turned around and watched for a couple of minutes as Geralt argued with the stranger, tensions rising even further when Triss approached them. Vensa could see how white Triss went at the sight of the witch, and it was very easy to tell that they knew each other but she couldn't work out how. By this time only she and Avis remained on the dock with the arguing trio, as everyone managed to already disperse, their companions no doubt returning to the tavern to finish their pints of beer. Avis climbed up to her face and licked her as if reminding her that she wasn't alone, before snuggling into her arms. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes waiting, until the new witch finally left. Vensa approached them, eying Triss with suspicion. She was still very pale.
"Who was that?"
"Shela de Tancarville, the witch I saw at Loredo's before I had a chance to talk to him. Apparently she'll be my new partner in eliminating that monster we just had the pleasure of seeing."
"Did she say why she is doing it?"
"Unfortunately not."
"Well then, she doesn't seem too friendly does she?"
"She isn't."
Vera and Geralt's gazes were back on Triss watching in surprise as she stormed away back to her room in the tavern. There was definitely something with her and it all seemed to be linked to this Shela.
"Did something happen?"
"Not here but it looks to me like the two of them had already been acquainted with each other before. We should give some time to cool off, but in the mean time I need to find an elf called Cedric. Shela said that he knows the most about this monster in the entire town. Know where I can find him?"
"Yeah. He spends most of his time in the outpost near the back gate. he's a nice guy and knows everything that goes around here. There's something else that you should know though. That green slime the Keyran is covered in, it's some sort of paralysis poison. You won't be able to fight it if you can't move. You should talk to Triss when she cools off, and take her down to examine it. there was too little left here for me to do it."
"I will. What about you? What are you going to do now?"
"I don't plan on putting myself before a giant monster like that again so I was thinking to visit the forest again.I never did find that rose of remembrance and at this moment that's as far as I'm going to get away from the water."
"Be careful then."
"I'm always careful."
Geralt gave Vensa a small smile before bringing her close to his chest in a hug. He missed her through the years that they haven't heard from each other. He may have lost a good chunk of his memory but he could never forget Vensa. Patting her back he pulled away from her and walked towards the back gate where Cedric would no doubt be, guarding the post for danger. Vensa watched him with a smile on his face. It was clear to her that he missed her, but that his manly pride wouldn't allow him to word it. Picking up Avis she looked at him critically. She was planning on going back to the forest but she had no idea as to what to do with him. She couldn't leave him in her room, he wouldn't allow her, and carrying him in her arms would not only be tiring but dangerous if she were to be attacked.
"You're so much trouble aren't you?"
A small, soft whine was all that she got in reply. Avis clearly couldn't tell her what to do and she herself was out of ideas. Shifting to hold him closer she felt something slide against her right hip. Looking down she noticed the small leather bag that she always carried with her. It was old but still sturdy, besides it was a present and she would never dispose of it even if it was riddled with holes. It was small enough for her to easily carry everything she needed in it but maybe if she removed something…. The cub fit into her bag and settled comfortably on top of her many potions and medical supplies. Avis was not situated in a comfortable spot for the both of them but that still left the twin double-edged daggers that Vensa had in her had. She couldn't put them back in the bag but at the same time she had no holsters at her waist to hold them either. Grumbling, Vensa placed them in her brown boots. It wouldn't be as comfortable but at least they were within easy reach and nowhere near to hurt Avis.
Finally being able to freely walk again, Vensa made her way back through the town and out of the main gate into the darkly wooded forest. The forest itself seemed much calmer with the sunlight streaming through it's leaves and the melodious chirping of the various birds that inhabited it. Glimpses of deer and other smaller animals could be caught, trotting around the shrubbery as if there was no danger. Indeed like this morning there wasn't a single monster in Vensa's path, just several bear traps, no doubt set by the local hunters. The presence that had followed her this morning was also gone and she relaxed fully.
She reached her destination much quicker than before, now knowing the quickest path to it. The water was clear and lightly reflected sunlight, as if every single drop was a single diamond. Small silvery fish could be seen swimming around the mass of water, showing signs of peace and calmness like all the other animals. Vensa had an undeniable urge to strip herself of her suddenly strafing clothing and immerse herself within the cool, mirror like liquid. She pressed down the urge though slightly shaking her head. Despite the fact that she hadn't seen a single one, monsters still teemed the forest and she didn't want to be caught unaware by a drowner or something else. Another motivation was the other residents of the forest, the Scoia'tael. She liked the thought of stranger men looking at her body far less than being drowned. She was never one to show off her body and sleep around and she wasn't about to start if she had a choice in the matter.
Tearing her gaze away from the waterfall she headed up the hill beside it, passing the enormous pillar guarding it. The path was clean simple to follow at first, but soon the first rocks and branches started appearing slowing down her journey. Eventually she was forced to climb up small rock face in an attempt to get higher while lugging her bag behind her. The small barks originating from it told her that Avis didn't enjoy being tossed and dragged around like that, but there was nothing she could do about it at the moment. While climbing over the 5 rock face of her journey, vensa pondered how lucky she was not to have to wear a dress like most women were expected to. She doubted that she would make it through the forest in one not even mentioning the current obstacle she was attempting to pass. her thoughts were soon stopped as she noticed that she reached the same flat path as below leading into a small green clearing. It weaved between two lightly damaged marble walls, overgrown with lush rose plants bringing in outstanding colours to the darkness around her. A snow white marble arch acted as a gate welcoming travelers into the small respite, the designs of the curls and waves displaying excellent craftsmanship.
Vensa made her way below the arch and her breath was knocked straight out of her lungs in wonderment. If she didn't know better she would have thought that she was in the middle of some sort of fantasy novel. A stunning marble statue proudly adorned the centre of the small clearing. It showed a man and a woman tangled in a loving embrace, their lips mere inches away from each other's. The care and attention put into the small details on the statue led vensa to believe that it could only be elvish work. Only the elves could carve a pair of statues so well that you could visibly see the love they had for each other in their eyes. It was surrounded by numerous rose bushes with a seemingly unlimited amount of blood red roses, giving it the appearance of a satin bed the couple rested on. A single rose bush clearly stood out from the others directly before the statue, contrasting their beauty with it's own. Only one bud grew upon it, presenting itself in a startling white colour that could have made Avis look like a glob of mud. Not being able to help herself vensa reached out yearning to experience the satin feel of the luxurious petals of her fingertips. Her lack of attention was a high price to pay though, as Avis growled at the presence that stood directly behind her. Startled, she spun around trying to discern the situation, only to be rewarded with a firm hit to the back of the head. Before she gave herself to the dark abyss she saw a man dressed in dark green leaning over her and the soft barks of Avis while falling to the lush grass below her, the gifted necklace gently falling from where it was hidden among her clothes.