Geralt
The White Wolf woke up to Renfri laying on top of him. Now it was the second time that she had proven to sleep much more deeply than Geralt, after her first life when she had snuck out of their shared room before he had woken after their one night together. A mistake that had proven to be fatal for the young woman.
They were still in the village of Yantra, having found an abandoned house to spend the night in after their meeting with Gaunter O'Dimm. Small, with only two separate rooms and one bed. Geralt had been about to sleep on the floor again, but Renfri had begged him to join her so she wouldn't have to be alone.
Seeing her now, Geralt knew there was nothing extraordinary about Renfri. She was just another girl, a child, with the needs of any child. Needs that had not been fulfilled. And the burden had fallen upon him to make sure that they were. A second chance. He wanted to find Yennefer. To ignore the tasks of this Master Mirror, and find wherever the sorceress had fled to. The mark didn't matter, no more than the debt he owed. But he wouldn't leave the girl to O'Dimm's mercy.
He wished there was something else he could do. Someone he could seek out for answers. Vesemir would surely have some ideas, and Eskel or Lambert would make worthy helpers in this. Yennefer, Triss, even Kiera or Margarita or gods forbid, Phillipa Eilhart all would have been worth even more than that. Instead, with Geralt being chosen as O'Dimm's proxy, he had a twelve year old girl that he had killed many years before.
With a yawn, Renfri finally woke up. "Geralt… is it time to leave yet?"
"Soon enough," he answered. "Once we've dressed and gotten ready."
"Are we meeting Master Mirror today?"
"Today we need to ride to the Garin Estate, yes." Geralt felt resigned to that fact. They had to return to the Garin Estate where Olgierd had been before, he was certain of that. In addition to being what O'Dimm wanted, Geralt could confront the man about what had happened in the sewers.
"Do you think we can stop anywhere else on the way?"
"No. We shouldn't test O'Dimm more than we have."
"When will we get there?"
"Tomorrow most likely." Geralt remembered the location of the estate, but he did not know the route between Yantra and the Manor, or how far it was between the two. He only hoped that O'Dimm had chosen this place since it was relatively closeby.
"I was hoping to go somewhere," she said, her voice obviously displaying her disappointment. "But we won't be able to, will we?"
"Sorry, Renfri." The girl had been given another chance at life, but it seemed cruel that it was still owed to the one who gave it to her that would use her like this. That she might never really get to live a life that could be her own again. "When this is done, I promise we'll go there."
"Thank you," she said, softly, then stood up.
It didn't take long for them to prepare for the day. They had no belongings besides their gear and his trophies, so once they were dressed they began riding northeast in the direction of the Garin Manor.
It was nightfall when they finally began to approach the estate. He could tell Renfri was exhausted, but he told her that they had almost arrived.
Yet, something seemed… off…
The smell, that was what was wrong. He could smell the smoke of a burning fire, not too far away in the direction of the manor.
As they approached, Geralt could see indeed that the manor was what was on fire. There was no hope of quelling this fire, which was consuming the entirety of the house, and the flames were burning quite high. If von Everec is dead…
He and Renfri both dismounted, with him instructing Renfri to remain behind with the horses.
"Well look who's here," one of the Wild Ones greeted- Robbert, he remembered, "the witcher with the stick up his arse. That mark on your face… the work of the prince?"
"No."
"What's the girl there for," he said, pointing at Renfri, "pretty thing she is. A few years and I think she'll be ripe enough for me."
"If you lay a finger on her."
"You'll what?" the man laughed. "You won't do nothing."
Geralt would have drawn his sword and killed the man if he didn't have information that he needed to gather. "Where's Olgierd? Why is the manor burning?"
"Oh… Well, we got a little carried away it seems in our merriment."
Putting it lightly. "Olgierd?"
"Oh he's somewhere or another."
They were interrupted by the pleadings of a man. "No please, I beg you!"
Geralt spotted three more of Olgierd's companions, one of them a woman rolling out a rather thick block, a stump for executing someone, and the man pleading for his life being pushed there by a third. The man being executed was Herodore, the one who'd been mistreating the lord's daughter
"Lemme go! Leave me be!"
They continued to prepare for the execution, dragging him further to the stump. "Shut it," the woman said to try and quiet him.
"I ate with youse! Drank with youse! Fought beside youse! And you'd kill me now? I'm one of youse!" the man pleaded.
His words didn't move either of the ones who were preparing to execute him though. "You might have been, but not no more, you ain't," the man holding him down said.
Geralt walked over to them. Even if he doubted that this man was innocent, he still needed to hear a reason. "What's he guilty of?"
"What the fucks it to you? Not your concern, mate," the woman spat. It was Stefanie Mebalt, one of the Wild Ones who he only could barely remember the name of.
"Tell you what's gonna happen now. I'm going to ask again, polite-like, and you'll answer, just as politely." Geralt didn't like this Herodore, but he also wouldn't watch an execution that wasn't without justification.
"And if I don't?" the man asked. He did not remember this one's name.
"Then I'll get angry, stop talking, and slaughter you all like swine. So what will be? Am I gonna hear why you want to take his head… or not?"
"Aren't you a thorny prick up the arse," the woman retorted, "Ataman said to kill him!"
"Got your answer. Happy? Now piss off. We've got work to do."
Just then, Olgierd von Everec emerged from the burning mansion, with a nonchalant look on his face. "What is this row? My ears hurt from all this commotion."
"Your companions are trying to execute a man without just cause," Geralt said.
"Ah, Geralt! I see you've cleared the Oxenfurt sewers. Here for your reward."
"Here for the man's life," he doubted that this man was even worth the trouble, but Geralt had to stand for something.
"Very well. Let's duel. If I win, he dies. If you win, I let him go free. How's that sound?"
Geralt looked for just a moment at Renfri, standing by the horses. She looked scared, but he sensed that she knew if he lost that she would know what to do. "Done."
The witcher drew his steel sword, and Olgierd did the same. If I win this, our debt ought to be lifted, shouldn't it?
As the fight began, Geralt didn't know what he ought to have expected from Olgierd von Everec, but the man was easily one of the best fighters that he had ever faced with a sword. Skillfully swinging his sword, the man's attacks were quick, putting Geralt's superior reflexes to the test.
Each of Geralt's strikes had to be timed well, waiting for his opportunity as he continued to block Olgierd's blows. The one advantage he had was that Olgierd was wearing no armor, where he was, meaning von Everec would need to do more work to actually succeed in killing him, whereas Geralt just needed to land one good hit and mostly had to protect his head.
In any other fight, he might have cast the sign of Igni, or used another sign, but he knew that would be unwise now. If he employed signs against Olgierd, there was no telling what his companions might do, and that could have meant that they would not honor the outcome of the fight and attempt to kill him and Renfri.
As von Everec continued to swing his sword about like a madman, with an inhuman recklessness, Geralt kept waiting for his opportunity. Finally, it came, as a swing from Olgierd led to Geralt spinning around to dodge it, and ducking his head, he was able to stick his sword through the nobleman's stomach, cutting through his clothes and flesh easily, with the sword jutting out the other side.
Despite yelling with pain, Geralt's foe seemed almost unconcerned with the blade sticking through him, and started to pull the blade through him. Recognizing what Olgierd was about to do, he managed to dodge the swing at his head and then casting the sign of Aard was able to send him flying backwards, freeing his sword in the process.
Olgierd rushed at Geralt again, but this time, Geralt whirled, and the sword took off the man's head.
To his surprise, the headless man did not fall to the ground as expected. Instead, it seemed to take several steps forward, even if their form was a little off, and then the man began to clap.
"Well fought, Geralt!" he said, reaching his hands over his shoulders and grabbing his head, pulling it back into place, the wound immediately starting to heal. "Now, where were we?"
"You're… immortal?"
"As it happens, I am," von Everec's voice remained unchanged. "Let him go," he said, nodding at his companions, and Geralt watched as the man and woman allowed their prisoner to get up, and he started to run away, not towards the road. Likely never to be seen around here again.
"Was this show really necessary?"
The immortal man shrugged. "Can't say for certain. But I suppose you're here for the reward on the Toad. Here," he tossed a thick pouch to Geralt that was full of coin. "You're welcome to take anything from the house if you'd like as well. If it's left uncharred, that is."
Geralt held the bag of coin in his hands, hoping that none of the others had noticed Renfri yet.
"Was it a tough fight?"
"Yeah," he answered honestly. "When I sliced its guts open, the frog turned into a man. Did you know that would happen?"
"Of course he did," Gaunter O'Dimm answered, entering the conversation. "He'd never have dragged you into this otherwise."
"Gaunter O'Dimm," Olgierd said, displeased, "come to cast aspersions."
"No," the Man of Glass said, "I've come to collect a debt."
"You know you must-"
"-Grant you three requests.. .by proxy. I present to you my champion- Geralt of Rivia."
Geralt wasn't sure what else to say to that. "Is it true that you knew the toad was a prince?"
"He didn't just know," Gaunter said, once again taking Olgierd's chance to speak, "he brought about the curse himself."
Geralt looked at the two men confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Did he not mention that bit? Well, allow me to tell. It's quite the gripping story. Olgierd once loved a beautiful maiden named Iris. Yet her parents chose to offer her hand to the crown prince of Ofier. Olgierd came to hate the poor sot. At first, he wished to kill him, then he decided this would be too simple. So instead, he condemned the prince to a base life in a toad's bloated corpus. Yet he grew bored of watching him suffer and decided to end it. By your hand."
"Remind me, O'Dimm, who is to fulfill my last three requests?"
"My assistant, Geralt. And his ward, young Renfri Vellga."
Damn you O'Dimm, he thought to himself as the man gestured towards her still hidden near the edge of the woods.
"Come forward girl. The horses won't go anywhere." Renfri did as she was instructed, and as the Master Mirror said, the horses did not go anywhere. When she took her place at Geralt's side, Gaunter spoke again. "They shall fulfill your wishes."
Olgierd snorted. "A girl…"
"Indeed…"
"Begone, O'Dimm. I have no wish to look at your face any more than I must."
Gaunter O'Dimm stepped back, and bowed politely, before walking away.
"Come," Olgierd said, gesturing to Geralt.
"Where?"
"The stables. My men are preparing to depart. Bring your ward too, if you must."
Geralt and Renfri followed. When they stopped, he spoke first, "this a good place for a private conversation."
"As good as any," Olgierd replied.
"What do we need to do for you?" he asked, bluntly.
"Let me think…" von Everec stepped away a little bit, looking at the still burning mansion. "We're currently without a roof over our heads. Perhaps we should start there. Bring me the house of Maximilian Borsodi."
"A house?" Renfri asked, interjecting for the first time, "we need to bring it here?"
"Well I need some place to live. His house seems as good as any." Olgierd paused again, then glanced over at one of his companions who was preparing his horse. "What's the meaning of this? Taken leave of your senses? You mean to mount a filthy horse?"
The man gave no answer.
"Out of my sight, wretch. Know what Vlodimir would do if he saw?"
"Aye…" the man said, hanging his head low as he started to walk away.
"Vlodimir?" Geralt asked.
"My brother," Olgierd's voice sounded wistful now, "there were times he would go days without bathing or washing. He'd stink like a bandage that hadn't been changed in three days. But his horse always looked ready to be ridden in a parade." Olgierd gave a small shrug. "None rival Vlodimir with feasting, carousing. But he's been celebrating less often of late. Find him and give him the time of his life. That's my second request."
"Fine… And the third?"
"Complete them and we'll talk about the third."
"Once we're done with those, where will we find you?"
"Oh… I have some plans coming up soon, but once you're done with that, let us meet at the Alchemy Inn in Oxenfurt."
"See you there," Geralt said, then he took Renfri's hand, and they walked away and to the horses.
"You're free to take what you want from the burning manor," Olgierd said, gesturing, with a slight grin on his face.
Geralt decided not to engage the immortal man any further from there. Later when Geralt and Renfri were riding away from the house, they began to discuss it. "The brother shouldn't be too hard," he told her, "but the house?"
"Are we supposed to move the entire house?"
"Maybe there's enough magic in you…" his voice trailed off. It was a pointless thought. Training Renfri to be a sorceress would take a long time, and the only true power he'd ever seen out of her was a resistance to magic.
"Actually, it's the opposite." Gaunter O'Dimm was right there, standing against a tree, and both Geralt and Renfri stopped their horses. "I wouldn't worry about the house. The brother will be the tough bit."
"Borsodi's house- no idea how I'm supposed to bring him that."
"Hmm," O'Dimm mused, "the only Borsodi I know of around here runs an auction house in Oxenfurt."
"I've heard of it… My swords almost got auctioned off there a long time ago, but that auction was held in Novigrad."
"Then it seems the auction house has moved," Gaunter suggested. "You may have a chance to ask why."
"What then?"
"I don't know," O'Dimm shrugged. "Perhaps you'll feel inspired. I can't give you everything, Geralt. You'll want to take plenty of coin though when you do go."
"Alright… What about Olgierd's brother? Why do you think he'll be tough?"
"I'm afraid Vlodimir has not been counted among the living for quite some time."
"Ughh, never agreed to necromancy."
Gaunter looked at Renfri and gave a smile. "Necromancy is hardly your only option. An old-fashioned ritual, a Blood Summoning, that's what you need."
Geralt was not amused. "I'd need his blood for that."
"Blood- yes, that's true. Though it doesn't necessarily need to be of the summoned." He took out a vial from his pocket. "Here, this will do the trick."
"Where'd you get that?" Renfri asked.
"Oh dear child, aren't you curious? I must have some secrets, mustn't I?"
Geralt didn't want this to take longer than it had to. "Where will I find his remains?"
"I can't do everything for you, Geralt. Use your head. The von Everecs are well known in these parts. There must be someone you know who has heard of them. The charming redhead- the medic. You know the one."
"Leave Shani out of this." She's already been involved in this too much.
"She'll be willing to help you and will know where to look. You'll need her help."
He grumbled. "Fine. Pleasure doing business with you, O'Dimm. We should be on our way now."
"Yes… I'll be keeping tabs on the two of you. If you need help, I shall find you."
Good to know.
"Show a little cheer. You know, you may have fun even while you're doing this. Good luck, then. And try not to kill each other while you're at it."
Before Geralt had a chance to say something back, Gaunter walked away. And once again, it was just Geralt and Renfri alone on the road. "So what are we going to do now?" Renfri asked.
"We'll start with the brother, I guess," he sighed.
"Who is the medic that he mentioned?"
"Shani. The one we met last night."
"Oh."
"Do you think you'll be able to make it all the way to Oxenfurt tonight?" Geralt might have been fine with sleeping on the side of the road, but it had started to drizzle. Riding in the rain wasn't ideal, but sleeping in it was even less so. "It won't be that long."
Renfri frowned. "I suppose…"
"If we come across a good inn, we'll stop there for the night," he promised. With the gold they had gotten from Olgierd, they would be able to afford that much, he was sure.
It turned out there weren't any open inns though that they could stop at, and Geralt and Renfri were forced to ride all the way to Oxenfurt. The only blessing was that the ride was only a few hours to the city gate, and once they were inside, the ride to Shani's clinic was easy.
The sun still had not begun to rise as Geralt and Renfri finally dismounted. Renfri went to the door, and gave three knocks, while he finished tying down the horses.
When Shani came out, she wore clothing similar to her usual fashion, a practical green skirt with black leggings underneath and boots that were almost knee high. "Geralt! You're back!" she said, excitedly, before she noticed the brand was still on his face. "Um… how can I be of service to you two today?"
"We met up with Gaunter O'Dimm," Geralt told her, "he wants us to fulfill the three wishes of Olgierd von Everec. Once we're done with that, we'll be free, he promised."
"Oh," Shani said, "so… do you need my help for them?"
"As it happens, I do. With this first one, at least. I don't know about the others."
"What is it?"
"We have to give Olgierd's dead brother, Vlodimir, the time of his life."
"You mean… necromancy?"
"Not quite. We don't need a mage or necromancy. O'Dimm gave me a ritual for summoning the dead, one that doesn't require such advanced magic. All we'll need is a censer, and to know where he's buried."
"Von Everec…" Shani mused, "the name sounds family. I took a class as an elective on famous noble families of Redenia… perhaps there's details in the book…" she began to look through her book shelf, until she found the book.
Shani flipped through it quickly, looking for a particular section of it. Then, once she found it, she started to read aloud. "Von Eyegrid… von Esteken… Ah, von Everec!"
After a minute or so of reading, she closed the book. "Says here that Olgierd had a brother named Vlodimir. He was laid to rest in their family crypt, just below their estate."
"You know where that is?"
"There is a map to it," she said, "and I've heard stories about it. I'm actually curious to go there, if you wouldn't mind me joining."
"I wouldn't."
"Alright then. I'll go fetch a censer from the Academy."
"Would you allow us just a few hours to rest here?"
"Of course," Shani said, paying only a quick glance at Renfri to see how tired the girl was. "There's a bed in the other room for you if you need it, just try not to make it too dirty."
"Alright," Renfri yawned, starting in that direction without even starting to remove her armor.
"I'll be back soon, and then we'll head to the crypt."
Geralt sat down as Shani left. He wasn't very tired himself, though he was hungry. Luckily, he still had some food on him from their travels, which he snacked on as he dug through his possessions.
He had a pouch of various trophies and artifacts; Letho of Gull's diamond that he had stolen from Sile de Tanserville's megascope, the wine goblet that had been used to poison Saskia and King Henselt's dagger. All won with some amount of blood and pain. After studying them for just a bit, he put them all back away in their pouch, and took out his swords instead. While Geralt began to sharpen his steel sword, the legendary Winter's Blade- which he had been gifted by Crach an Craite as a reward for helping the man's children, he wondered when he would need to use it next.
Gaunter O'Dimm had told Geralt to bring plenty of coin when he visited Brosodi's auction house as well. Rummaging through the bag that he had been given by Olgierd as payment for slaying the Toad Prince, he counted a thousand Gold Crowns. With already a little over six hundred to begin with, as well as two hundred Orens, and seventy Florens, he guessed that he would be alright. And if he needed more… well perhaps O'Dimm would prove to be generous and give Geralt the time to perform a few other contracts to get more coin. Or even supply it himself.
There was the matter of how Geralt and Shani would be able to show Vlodimir the time of his life too, and what they could possibly do to excite this dead man who they hardly knew, but Geralt pushed those thoughts aside. First we need to bring him back from the dead. Then we'll worry about all the rest.
Geralt was just beginning to see the first signs of light as Shani finally returned to the clinic. "I got the censer, Geralt," she said as she walked in. "Got a few other things, in case we needed them too, juniper, amber, and aniseed. Figured they might be useful. Do you think you're ready to go?"
"Yeah," he said, standing up. He went to Renfri's room, wishing that they didn't have to bring her along, knowing that this would likely put her in danger, but O'Dimm had said it was her debt as well. "Wake up, Renfri," he nudged. "Shani is back."
"Oh… Just a little bit longer, Geralt. Please?"
"Just a bit," he allowed. "But we need to get going soon."
He walked out, and found that Shani had elected to sit down. "Is she alright?"
"She's tired."
"And sore too, I bet… I would say we can wait until tomorrow, but… the wedding is tomorrow."
"The wedding…" Geralt repeated. "That might just work…"
"What do you mean, Geralt?"
"Olgierd's wish isn't just to bring Vlodimir to life. He wants us to show him the time of his life… He said Olgierd loved feasting and celebrations…"
"Are you saying we bring a dead man to a wedding?"
"It was you who invited me to come with you, and Renfri would have to come along as well."
"Fine," Shani sighed, "go lay down, Geralt."
He did as he was told, laying down next to Renfri in the other room, and almost immediately, he fell asleep.
"Geralt…" Renfri's hushed voice was saying, which woke him up. "Geralt, are we leaving soon?"
"Soon, yes. We decided to stay here for the day, find the brother tomorrow."
"It's night time." She pointed out the window.
Geralt stood and looked out the window. They had managed to sleep almost entirely through the night. "The sun will be up soon." He didn't want to know how they had slept so well.
Renfri groaned as she sat up, and realized she had slept with her armor on. "Sleeping in armor… does it normally leave you feeling sore?"
"It's never very comfortable," he answered, starting to put his own armor back on. "Not something I recommend doing very often."
"Oh… can you help me up?"
"Yes." He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. After a moment to collect herself, Renfri walked out.
Geralt took a moment to look at himself in the mirror once she was gone. Several days in a row of what felt like non-stop riding and no time to wash had left him quite dirty, and his armor was surely in need of cleaning too, especially if they were going to a wedding, but there just wasn't any time. Instead, he finished dressing and went out, following Renfri.
"My… Geralt, I didn't know you were such a deep sleeper." Shani sounded amazed by it. "I didn't think anyone ever mentioned sleeping for that long as being a side effect of your mutations."
"It isn't…" he grumbled. If it had been, Renfri wouldn't have slept that deeply too.
"You seem ready to go."
"I am."
"Is there anything to eat before we set out?"
"There is," she said, pointing to some bread on the table. "You're welcome to enjoy it."
"Thanks," he muttered, picking up the sandwich and wolfing it down in almost no time at all. When it was done, he covered his mouth to let out a belch, and drank a little water. "Let's go now."
The three of them left the clinic, and Shani locked the door behind them. It seemed that she had also tended to the horses while Geralt and Renfri had been sleeping.
Geralt took Shani on his horse, while Renfri rode by herself once again, and the three of them set off for the Western Gate, and once they had left the city, they rode north for several hours.
With her map, Shani was able to guide them in the direction of the von Everec estate, and much to Geralt's relief, they arrived at the edge of the estate within several hours.
Though the von Everec's mansion had been abandoned for years, it didn't quite look abandoned. It looked very old though, there was no denying that. It had a haunted beauty to it, its well designed gardens and pathways that Geralt could make out through the gate.
"The tome described it well," Shani remarked. "This place looks lovely."
If anything, Geralt felt a little perplexed about this place. There was something strange about this place, something that he couldn't quite put his finger on. "Well, let's get going then." He pushed the gateway open, and the trio entered the von Everec estate.
He expected that they would have to wander around the area for some time, looking for the crypt, but to Geralt's surprise, it seemed the entrance was right there at the foot of the house, with an open walkway that led directly into a lower level.
"Oh… that's a little too creepy for me," Shani muttered, as they got a glimpse of it. "I think I'll stay up here."
"As you will." Shani was here to guide them, but they wouldn't need her down in the crypt. He took the censer for her and attached it to his belt. "You can stay as well, Renfri."
"No I can't," Renfri protested, "I'm going with you."
Geralt sighed. "Fine… let's go."
They started down the stairs into the crypt. There were no light sources, but Geralt's eyes adjusted to the darkness easily enough, and Renfri also didn't display any issues either.
"What if the ghosts don't like us?" she asked after they had just walked through a door that seemed to serve as the entrance to the first level of the crypt. "Can they hurt us?"
"Ghosts aren't normally a threat…" Geralt said. "If they are, that means they've gained a material form somehow."
"And what do we do about them?"
"Fight them like any other monster. Hit them and don't let them hit you."
"Is that it?"
"Just stay out of my way mostly, let me do the fighting."
"Fine," she pouted. "But I want to help."
"I'm sure you do. But monsters are no game. This isn't a silly little story where the heroes always win, Renfri. And if we aren't careful, what do you think will happen?"
"We'll die…"
"That's right." Geralt sighed. "Come on, let's find this Vlodimir's grave."
They descended further into the crypt. There were riches and swords that were laying at each grave, but he instructed Renfri not to take any of them. The last thing we need is a bunch of angry ghosts, he thought to himself, as he read each grave carefully, wishing he had any idea which direction to go in. Olgierd would surely have known, but this task was for Geralt and Renfri, not for him.
"Where is he?" Renfri asked, frustrated at their lack of success. "These graves… There's no order to them at all…"
She was right. Most family crypts that Geralt knew buried their members based on when they passed away. Yet this one seemed to have entirely separate branches. "I think I know what's happening," Geralt said, as he looked at the most recent grave, which was of a member who had died in 1234. "The different paths are divergences in the family tree. Olgierd's father was…" Geralt wished that he had asked about this in advance. "I don't remember…"
"So we'll just have to keep looking until we find the right way?"
"Yup."
Renfri groaned. "How many can there possibly be?"
"We'll have to find out," Geralt replied, as they turned around and started back to the main hub. "Vlodimir would be the one most recently buried… hm… maybe…" he studied the floor, looking for some indication of activity, though there wasn't anything recent that he could detect besides their own steps. But one of the pathways seemed a little different than the others. "This one…" he pointed.
Geralt read the names of each grave aloud, searching for Vlodimir. Finally, they came upon one with a saber not unlike Olgierd's hoisted above the grave.
"Vlodimir, son of Bohumil and Kristina. Died in 1253," Renfri read. "This is him, isn't it?"
"It is."
"So what do we do?"
Geralt took out the censer, and put some of the von Everec blood into it. "You need to spread the incense around the room, and in the area outside. What's that's done, return to me." Using Igni, he lit the censer, to allow the smoke to spread, and then he gave it to Renfri. "Do it quickly."
She did just that, spreading the scent of the von Everec blood around the area quickly enough, and it was strong enough that Geralt could detect it even. As she came back, he lit the main motive fire in the middle of the room.
"Life and death, fire and blood. Arise from the dust, ye whose blood I have brought." Geralt paused his chant for just a moment, drinking some of the blood from the bottle, and then pouring the rest onto the fire. "Return, and walk midst the living, ye who hath departed. Arise as a friend, for I am no foe."
The color of the fire changed into a glowing green, and suddenly, various ghosts began to appear.
"What have you summoned us for?" one of the ghosts hissed at Geralt, as they gathered together. "You outsider who has spilled von Everec blood," another said.
"Relax," Geralt said. "I'm looking for Vlodimir."
"What business do you have with my grandson?" one of the women demanded. "Who are you to enter our place?"
"Here on a mission," he told them, "Olgierd sent me to find Vlodimir."
"That blood… how did you come to possess Olgierd's blood?"
"Got it from ah… a mutual acquaintance."
"He lies," one of the ghosts.
"We didn't hurt Olgierd," Renfri insisted. "Just let us see Vlodimir."
"You'll meet him soon enough," one of the ghosts said with a nod. But then he drew his sword.
"Get behind me," Geralt told Renfri, as he put his hand down to the ground, casting Yrden. A purple ring formed around him, and the ghosts were slowed as they attempted to enter the trap. Meanwhile, Renfri tried to cast Aard to repel the ghosts, but that did nothing except create a momentary wind within the area, as the ghosts advanced. "Let's dance," he said, drawing his sword.
He moved freely within the circle, trying to avoid getting hit by the ghosts, and making sure they stayed away from Renfri. Now he wished that he had taught the girl how to cast Quen so that she could at least be able to avoid getting hurt by monsters in a fight like this, but there was nothing he could do right now to fix that.
Despite the wraiths not being able to be killed again, his silver sword did inflict pain on their specters, and most disappeared after one or two hits. And as Geralt finally finished off the very last one, the room seemed to lose all of its haunting aura.
"Did we fight Vlodimir?" Renfri asked, when it was done, "was he one of the ghosts?"
"Maybe…" though the way the ghosts had spoken made him think that Vlodimir was not among them.
"I'm right here," a voice said, coming from the direction of Vlodimir's grave. They both turned, and saw that Vlodimir was standing there, leaning against the wall. "You fought well. Quite the entertainment if I say so myself."
Renfri looked at him with puzzlement. "You're not angry with us?"
"No. I wanted to see how you would handle my relatives before I came to you. It's not like you killed them, they're dead already."
"Olgierd sent us."
"Olgierd! Now that, sir, is a brother! Tell me, how is the old rogue?"
Making trouble and conspiring with people he ought to stay far away from. "He seemed well when last we saw him. We have to fulfill three wishes for him, and one of them was to find you and give you the time of your life."
Vlodimir grinned. "I knew that Olgierd hadn't forgotten about me. And he sent such a fine pair too…" he seemed to ogle the two of them with his eyes. "A splendid young maiden and…"
"You won't be touching Renfri," Geralt told the ghost.
"There are plenty of other women," he smiled, "I shall enjoy plenty of them. Oh to feast and frolic, the world shall remember my return."
"It will only be for one day. At midnight…"
"Right… Then we best not delay," Vlodimir said. "First I must grab my sword…" He tried to grip it, but was unable to.
"You're a ghost, remember? You can't grip physical objects."
"Blasted…"
"Come on. You'll have to do without." Geralt started to walk towards the exit, taking Renfri's hand as well.
The specter of Vlodimir von Everec appeared in front of them, blocking the way out. "We're going nowhere until I have a body."
"Fine," Geralt conceded, "but your remains will be too decomposed. Maybe we can find a peasant, willing to give up a night for some coin… or one of Olgierd's men…"
"No no… That won't do," Olgierd said, sounding disgusted. Then, he grinned, "I've got a better idea."
"Oh no, no, no," Geralt replied, "not gonna happen."
"Yes it is." The shade of Vlodimir von Everec began to rush towards Geralt, and with only a moment to react, the shade suddenly entered into Geralt's body, and everything went black.