A/N: Now with my new reading of Tower of Swallows and getting my hands to read Lady of The Lake,I really love the feel of the chapter as it recalls happy and nostalgic adventures for me,and yes I have written a very cute encounter with the succubus for the next chapter ;) So feedback would be appreciated :)
Chapter 3-Baptism of Fire
"Now, what could Geralt of Rivia prefer to keep to himself-" Geralt knows of Regis' intelligent wordings to dig out the secrets,not forgetting that drunken party at the hut,that laughter,stories of lifetimes by the fire. Seems that Regis eased slightly over the cemeteries,watching over the fireflies flutter slightly in the hazy fog in the warm illuminations of melted candles. "Everyone's got some secret-",Geralt joked slightly as he could see that half smile of Regis "I agree wholeheartedly,perhaps it is wise to unburden's one secrets for those you trust-" as Regis slowly passed the cloudy infusion to Gerald's hands "Is it a sophisticated way of asking me if I could trust you-" as he raised an eyebrow slightly,he could recall Regis complaining about how Milva, Dandelion, and Angouleme used sexual organs as insults,which repulsed the taste and intellect of Regis "I prefer almost to ask indirectly. It seems a test of intelligence one you just passed-" as usual Regis pulling his leg slightly with his rather prophetic like words-hell his appearance. Of course, Geralt taking his wit slightly,snitched that drink slightly "hmm,maybe you go first,reveal one of your secrets,you vampires lead very interesting lives-" as he took that gulp quietly.
Regis gave that shrug on Geralt's question,truly that he has a history longer than the existence of witchers themselves,but unlike the lesser vampires who lead on instincts like Fleders,Bruxas, and Ekimmas,there are perhaps many things that Geralt wanted to know,Regis smiled quietly "Anything in particular interest you-" as he gave that sip of his infusion,though not as potent as previous mixtures but it did crack the stoic gaze of Geralt "Curious what you did after you were reborn.." Regis tried not to recall the painful process of regeneration,but he could recall the madness of the assault,moments ago he was a simpler herbalist,living quietly in Dilligen,painting illustrations of plants,experimenting with formulas to make brews for the neighboring village warming their bodies in cold winters,now he risked his arm and leg as he christened it to Geralt many moments and years ago "A baptism of fire-" as he recalled on that night before the castle assault,full of anxiety. "To summarize,I was thoroughly absorbed with recovering,I've still not recovered completely,yet I could barely move or walk in the first year" Regis grew quite somber on the agony he has to bare,as he was plagued with fevers and his legs all wobbly.
"Once I can stand unassisted,I set myself off to my one-time home in Dillingen and lead a peaceful life as a healer/surgeon-" His eyes widened slightly that Regis' first reaction to his new body revert back to the simpler life,recalling little of that past adventure,perhaps vignettes of flashbacks as he walked by the woody scents of the grounds,picking herbs and recalling the names from memory and the children loving that gentle nature of Regis as he took them by the arms. "Brugge you said? Rebirth makes you sentimental-",that place sounds familiar,as they wander by the cemetery to a frightened man,who whispered quietly amidst the rotting corpses of ghouls,he feared for the witchers ,as told by his kind to be hungry like the wolves,carrying their heads as gristly bounty for horses near and far warning the crowds of the evil nature of vampires.
"Perhaps a dash? I recall Milva being all skeptical about me, raising her neck ,waiting for me to suck it-" as Regis spoke dryly as he passed that bottle after that sip of his mandrake "Everyone thinks that vampires are nothing by bloodsucking creatures harassing all of the sexuality-" Geralt gave that small laugh recalling Regis' debate on the meaning of vampires by the campfire and Geralt being quite amused and yet perplexed by his explanation,perhaps those years of walking through mortal lands unnoticed by mortals,seeing him as a humble healer which he particularly liked, rather than that painted image of handsome men with pale features sucking at the swan-like necks, given his past that he was wild,drinking blood carelessly,and rather reckless,seems that even in five hundred years he is still knowledgeable of perception and appearance. "And I recall you passionately advocating and debunking all myths of vampires,remember that feast with Anna Henrietta-" as he took that gulp of his mandrake infusion. "that itself was perhaps the most amusing thing I ever saw,other than old ladies asking me to search for their pans in their houses"
Regis gave a small laugh as if bemused "A Witcher trained for years to hunt for monsters,now becoming an errand boy-". Somehow Regis could recall a happier time- "Speaking about Anna Henrietta, Toussaint was lovely,in fact I recall hollering you out and you looking perplexed on that quaint campfire-" He could recall Henrietta's amused expression,unaware that Regis as a vampire, rather intrigued by his philosophical insights as amusing entertainment than bards who sang out of tune ( well expect for Dandelion, while they are in Toussaint making undying devotions to the duchess who did not take it that well to his unfaithfulness and for himself he could recall that fond memory other than that unfortunate tryst with a succubus which he wished to forget while they traveled to Beauclair), and fire eaters spitting fires by the pit. "Speaking about Dandelion, how is your strange friend-",he could recall that ethereal man,penning ballads about the eternal love between Yennefer and him,and that compliments on bandaging his wounds to make him looking like a battle hero. Regis somewhat subconsciously rubbed the ego of his dear friend and he even took his suggestions when he discussed on doing memoirs "As always-" as he gave that laugh,as he gave a sip of his mandrake infusion 'recently I have to rescue him from a notorious underworld leader in Novigrad-" as he pointed quietly at the bottle imitating the mannerisms of Djisktera,a man he could not forget,with his cut throat words and piercing gaze "A former Redenian spy-Sigi Reuven or some may know by a certain few Dijkstra-" Regis laughed quietly,he recalled the stories told by the fire while Cahir is trying not to doze off from watching the unlikely crew,all weary from their wild adventures. "I assume that you have a bad association with him,I presume-" Regis thought quietly by the tone of his voice as he passed the bottle to him,that they did not have a good association "There is once I kicked him in the shin,causing him immersive pain-" Regis' eyes widened with amusement on how brutal Geralt can be,kicking the shin of a spy,for it must take balls. Regis thought quietly 'unfortunate encounter, have to rob a vault to pay to an another underworld leader,Whoreson junior,the worse in Novigrad to get payment of a box for Ciri "
"Speaking about Cirlla -"Regis knew his deep love for his adopted Cirilla,she was then a gangly young lady,still frightened of the elder blood,pursued by The Wild Hunt and the maddening forces of Nilfgrad,he could recall her shattering her teeth as she tried to embrace him in a form. " Have you ever find her after the assault at Rivia,for I could only recall is Yennefer,bleeding and injured-"
"Back then yeah-" Geralt's face turn somber recalling his period of amnesia,and now with most of his memory back,his hunt for Ciri grew stronger as if is bound by destiny itself "but we parted soon. But when the time was ripe she came back,defeated The Wild hunt together-" His eyes widened slightly to hear that wild adventure "If I am not wrong I recall that you mentioned about that so-called Whoreson junior at some point crossing paths with Dandelion,what happened actually and why he wanted to help Cirilla-" Geralt laughed slightly as he gave that gulp of the infusion to see Regis' bemused expression,perhaps it would be perhaps too much for Regis "Oh seems I certainly missed quite a lot while I was absent" as if somber that he did not get a chance to glance the grown Cirilla. "True enough,but it would be a different conversation for an another time-" as he took an another drink "Need to know about you now-" Regis slowly sipped the little drops of the remaining infusion,"Gotta ask you the big question,one everyone wonders about-" staring at the praying figure seeking salvation for the poor and desolate. "…What happens after death-".