Nobody's Memories
Chapter 5 - It had to be unwashed, uneducated peasants in a Deathworld.

"How... am I fucking tired?" I groan, finally spotting the village. I had no idea how, but mental fatigue had somehow set in on my walk to the nearest village. Not because of the walk, mind you - no, I never would have gotten tired by walking for a hour or two. It was the fact that I was, apparently, a goddamn shining beacon drawing absolutely every monster and magically inclined beast within a hundred miles to me. Now, how would I know this?

It definitely wasn't when the pair of Griffons began to circle above me, attacking not even ten minutes after the Cockatrice had. I could accept the fact that from up above, I was a particularly squishy looking human, wearing incredibly eye-catching robes who looked like a easy catch, especially for the meat I could provide. Of course, I had also needed to do some more testing, so I had been more than willing to accept their presence, leaving behind their corpses within a minute. I probably started to suspect it sometime near when a fucking dozen Alghouls attacked me after I fell into a fucking sinkhole they had covered with a net covered by dirt! My surprise and suspicion came not only from the fact that while yes, Alghouls were intelligent, the most I had ever seen in one place in the game had been two of them, and they hadn't even had an AI distinguishable from a normal ghoul's! Yet I digress.

Perhaps -perhaps- I had been willing to accept that as simple bad, horrendous luck on my part. That my lack of truly in-depth lore was simply biting me in the ass, or that I had encountered a particularly menacing and dangerous pack that had been operating in this area for a while, their last victim before they moved on so as to not catch a Witcher's attention... or so I had reasoned as I slaughtered them all, 3 Alghouls making a run for it and surviving due to my 'mercy'. Mercy, of course, being defined as "They didn't jump into their trap turned my trap" , which I spent several minutes trying to climb out of before realizing it was probably well within my capabilities to jump out of the pit.

It was.

Now, I definitely began to think my suspicions had some merit after the first cat started following me. No, maybe it was after the second? Third? Fourth? I honestly dont know, but they were definitely confirmed once I had - count 'em!- 56 cats following me, both wild and domesticated. It was definitely after the third bear, the fourth pack of Nekkers - a full nest each time, also known as 'I am literally drowning in them!', a fucking Forktail, 3 Wyverns attacking at once, a duskwraith attacking me at noon, the especially large group of drowners, who were miles away from any body of water, a Grave Hag, and finally - but not least - five different fucking earth golems!

The best conclusion I had reached so far?

I, a Nobody, was radiating magic at such a high fucking frequency that I was attracting monsters who normally couldn't even sense the stuff. I was basically a giant neon green sign screaming 'Come eat me or tear me up to use my bones for your unholy fucking rituals!". This theory was further supported by the... 57 now, cats following me. Within the world of the Witcher, Cats were one of two creatures that could sense and absorb ambient magical energies. They would sit out in sunny spots, soaking it up for hours on end. Cherished, if unfortunately rare, creatures, because of their ability to do so. The other creature?

Goddamned Dragons.

I was honestly surprised I hadn't already managed to snag the attention of one, even with how rare they were, because considering my luck with everything else, I should've already caught the attention of one. Not an understanding, or witty, or particularly old Dragon, no - I should've caught the attention of a sick, goddamned lunatic of a dragon by this point, who felt like murdering me. An actually challenging, difficult fight. But no, couldn't be bothered, because of the fucking mental fatigue. That was outright impossible for a Nobody, and yet basically wading through body's the entire way to the village had managed to do so to me. Right now, I just wanted to figure out exactly what area of the game I was in, and leave this world as soon as goddamned possible. My entertainment was not worth this.

So then, Imagine how glad I was when I finally reached the town, hood pulled up, bloody and goo-covered sack slung over my shoulders, to see the town that took me 6 hours longer than it should've to get to? More than glad enough to fool me into thinking I truly had some form of feeling, considering I broke into a mad dash for the town. Of course, that was a tremendous mistake, because the second several farmers caught sight of me they dropped their tools, broke into a mad sprint, and began to scream. Closer examination at the time revealed that my robes had been totally covered in monster goop and blood, not quite sticking, simply viscous and sticking against it. That... probably helped no ones opinion of me.

Now solstice, are you done narrating to yourself in the past tense? You are? Great! Now then, self reflections done, I slow down, hoping to calm the villagers-

"Wraith! Wraith!" A woman cries, slamming her windows shut, all the Townsfolk hiding, running out of the village, or baring themselves away in their homes. Ok, perhaps not the most... unexpected reaction I could've gotten from them. Now, why would they assume I was a Wrai-

Oh. Right. The hood that obscured my face in shadow and the blood-covered robes. Probably... probably wasn't a good public image. Breaking into their homes and 'interrogating' them was... an equally terrible thing to do if I ever planned on returning here or gaining a positive reputation as well, so...

"People of... err... this town! I come in peace! Please, allow me to speak with you face to face!" I shout, having walked into the rough center of the town. The wind began to blow, heavily howling in the late day's heat, shutter fluttering - and immediately slammed and held shut - , the noise ascending into a roar that whistled past my ears, producing a popping noise. Was... was that a tumbleweed blowing past me?

"I mean you no harm! I simply wish to speak, and to obtain information!"

Still nothing but massive, sickly green winds... well, there were the cats, but they had scattered throughout the town the moment I arrive, several sitting on barrels simply licking their paws.

"Look, I even come bearing gifts! I declare, swiftly removing the ring from my finger, and taking several gemstones from my bag. Placing them in a circle around me, I raise my arms out wide.

"So come, and accept them! I only seek knowledge!" I proclaim, raising my voice above the wind, spinning around and letting my robes billow even as the winds grew unnaturally fast and loud, almost as though it was whispering in raspy throes of madness, and greener and greener... with rotting grass... and that was a wraith behind me, wasn't it? Slowing my spin, I face the wraith that glows with a sickly green light, from which the wind was originating, whispers coming from a mouth which could not produce sound, simply staring me down. It had taken the form of a woman in a tattered dress, tongue extended, swollen and hanging from her jawless mouth, a skinless skull with hair a pale green color, her entire form wispy and immaterial, a marker that she did not currently exist within this realm in a way most could interact with her...

"Hm. Don't suppose you feel like leaving, Mrs. Plague Wraith?"

"AAAAAAAR RAAAAAAAAA!"

"Thought so." I sigh, taking a step closer to her. She raised her hands, preparing to attack; for though she was not affected by those in this realm, she was able to affect those within.

Normally, that is. I mean, I didn't break the trend of 'Normally', but I could definitely affect her. I had done enough testing with the Duskwraith to figure it out, earlier in the day. Case in point, she was about to lunge at me, something I might easily dodge... but chose not to. There she is, moving forward quickly, momentum just a tad bit too fast for her to stop...

"Gateway, Bitch." I said, opening up a dark portal in front of her that I closed the instant she vanished into it.

"Have fun on the moon!" I called up, looking towards where the moon would rise. Looking back and forth, I found... absolutely nothing. The wind was gone, yes,but the villagers had not returned.

"I have taken care of your wraith for you!" I call out, getting nothing in response.

"Fine, be that way..." I sigh under my breath. Arms raised once more, I raised my voice higher. "So be it! I understand your doubt, and your fear; yet I shall not be angered by your actions, for they are fair and understandable. I shall leave, and return soon to seek what knowledge you hold! I shall leave my gifts here, as symbols of peace and understanding! Farewell, townsfolk!" I finish, bowing and backing away into yet another gateway. Several cats followed me, steeping through

I reappear upon a hill overlooking the town,waiting a moment for the final cat to follow through before closing the gate behind me. Well then, if this was the reaction I was to expect from everyone I came across...

I supposed it was time for plan B, then.