I do not own Witcher or any of the characters.
Cursed
"You should have seen him!"
"He fought them alone! He killed hundreds!"
"With his armor, I don't doubt it."
"You're so loud," Eldin groaned, dragging his eyes open.
"Eldin!" Aralyn gasped. "You're awake!"
"Finally!" Renfri smiled. "You were asleep for two days!"
"I'm not surprised," Eldin groaned, pushing himself up to a seated position, looking up at Geralt. "Geralt." He returned his gaze to Renfri. "I fought an army alone. Did Yennifer finish them off?"
There was a long silence before anyone spoke.
"Between the two of you, you killed almost all of them, and then the Northern Armies showed up and cleaned up the last of them, but..." Aralyn hesitated.
"After her fire magic, she disappeared," Renfri said. "No one's seen her, and Tissaia used her magic to see what the dead soldiers saw."
"Oh, shit," Eldin sighed, pushing himself to his feet. "Geralt...your girlfriend's almost as crazy as mine. She's going to be fine."
Geralt tilted his head for a second, then shook it once before looking at him. "How do you know?"
"You're bound by destiny, right?" Eldin asked, stretching and wincing. "Hate to break this to you, buddy, but you're not getting away from her that easy."
Geralt smiled exasperatedly, sighing. "You sound so sure."
"Of course I do," Eldin said. "You used a Djinn to wish for it."
Geralt blinked, staring at him. "How did you..."
"I met some bard who sang a bunch of songs about you," Eldin said. "Poorly, at that, but he had a lot of very interesting songs about you. Inaccurate ones, of course, and he hates you. Really hates you."
Geralt sighed.
"Honestly, Geralt, I didn't know you had any friends besides me," Eldin grinned. "I'm a little hurt."
Geralt made a noise of annoyance and disgust, rolling his eyes.
"You're Geralt's friend?" a young blonde girl asked, walking over.
"About as close as he gets, or one of them, at least," Eldin said. "I'm Eldin."
"Ciri," the girl introduced herself.
"Cirilla," Eldin breathed, kneeling. "I'm so sorry, Ciri. Truly, I am."
Ciri's eyes began to water, and she simply nodded.
"What are you doing here, Eldin?" Geralt asked. "As I recall, you don't associate with mages. Except for Aralyn."
"We were on our way to Cintra to look for work, but by the time we arrived, Nilfgaard had already taken the city," Eldin explained. "A few of them chased us, but then Triss found us and paid us to help them hold the Keep." He glanced at Aralyn, and she nodded, letting him know they'd received the rest of their payment.
"I see," Geralt nodded. "If it was her asking, I suppose I understand. You always did have a thing for red hair."
Eldin rolled his eyes. "Money is money no matter the color of hair that delivers it."
Geralt smirked. "Are you going to Kaer Morhen this year?"
"Yeah," Eldin nodded. "That's my plan. We've been on the road for a long time. It'll be nice to rest somewhere."
"It'll be nice to finally see your home," Aralyn smiled.
"I'd hold off on calling it nice," Eldin said. "It's cold, and it's a ruin. Plus, not all of the Witchers are as pleasant company as me and Geralt."
"I can't wait to meet the rest of the family," Aralyn beamed.
"Come on," Geralt grunted. "We have a long way to travel."
"Agreed," Eldin nodded.
They all headed north across the bridge, Eldin and Renfri retrieving their horses, then started north toward Kaer Morhen. They didn't travel with haste. They had plenty enough time to reach Kaer Morhen, so they rested when Ciri needed, made camp at night, and Geralt answered Ciri's questions about how she came to be his Child Surprise. He'd saved her father's life from her grandmother, who wanted to kill him in order to stop Ciri's mother from marrying him. After saving him, Geralt claimed the Law of Surprise in order to be rewarded by that which Ciri's father had but didn't know he did, Geralt expecting the excess of a crop or a pup, or some trinket, only for the news to come out at that exact moment that Ciri's mother was pregnant with Ciri. And Ciri decided not to go to her father's kingdom only to be married off to the most powerful Lord there. So, they continued on toward Kaer Morhen.
"So, what sort of place is Kaer Morhen?" Ciri asked, riding Geralt's horse as Geralt walked alongside it.
"It's a place Witchers can go for the winter," Geralt said. "Where we can rest, get new armor and elixirs. It's my home. Though Eldin hasn't been there for nearly a decade. Not since he met Aralyn."
"After everything she went through, I didn't feel like trapping her in a ruin with a bunch of grouchy human men all winter would be the best thing for her," Eldin said. "Since I was bound to her, I couldn't exactly abandon her for it, either."
"Was it the Law of Surprise?" Ciri asked.
"No, no," Eldin smiled. "Nothing that dramatic. I owed her father a life debt, and his dying wish was that she travel with me."
"And it only too you, what, a decade to finally get together?" Renfri asked.
"We had a lot to work through, first," Aralyn said. "And now it's just a good thing he can't get me pregnant."
"Hey," Geralt said, gesturing to Ciri.
"Oh, please," Eldin snorted. "She'll hear, and maybe see, worse than that when we get there."
"And I've not been so sheltered as to not know about those things," Ciri said. "It's gross, but it's not like I haven't heard people talk about it."
Geralt sighed. "And what about you, Renfri? What's your part in all of this?"
"I have the most medical training of the three of us," Renfri said. "The eventually succeeded in teaching me to let go of my revenge, so I've stayed with them. They're important to me."
"You'll have to try harder than that to get into our bed," Aralyn smirked. "There's not a lot of room."
"You don't now the half of it," Eldin snorted. "The beds might be big enough for Ciri."
"We don't need big beds," Geralt grunted.
"Warm feet would be a nice change," Eldin shrugged.
Everyone was silent for a few minutes.
"Why have I never heard of Kaer Morhen before?" Ciri asked.
"There was an attack," Eldin said. "Back when Geralt was just a boy, and I was barely old enough to know what parts went where."
"Whoa!" Renfri said. "Hold on! You're older than Geralt!?"
"Because of his magic, he took to the mutation better," Geralt said. "He'll have double my lifetime, assuming he doesn't get killed first."
"I think you mean the mutations took to me better," Eldin said.
"Whichever order," Geralt dismissed. "Anyway, the attack nearly wiped us all out, so now we like to keep a low profile."
Ciri smiled. "In Cintra I used to dress up like a boy just so I could play knucklebones."
Geralt chuckled. "We both need to keep a low profile, it seems."
"Were you attacked because you're different?" Ciri asked.
"Sure," Geralt said, after a pause. "We can't see the future like you can." He stopped. "Back on the battlefield, when you saw me and that woman before it happened."
"Yes, well, it was...more like a dream," Ciri said as Geralt began to walk again. "Hazy. It was weird."
"Geralt," Eldin said, eyeing a deer that had been partially devoured.
"I see it," Geralt said, moving to his saddlebag and pulling out a silver knife.
Roach began to braw and throw his head, but Geralt calmed him with Axii.
"How did you do that?" Ciri asked.
"It's called Axii," Geralt said. "It's a calming Sign."
"Magic," Ciri realized. "Like...Like a druid?"
"Not really," Geralt said.
"Witchers can only perform vary basic spells by utilizing one-handed gestures," Eldin explained. "We call them Signs. Mine are stronger, because I can also do actual magic, though I mostly trained with my Magic to enhance my Signs, but normally there are only the basic ones for Witchers. It's nothing compared to a druid."
Ciri nodded, then frowned as Geralt knelt, cutting a small piece of meat from the dead animal, sniffing and then eating it. Just then, something began to shriek in the trees off to the right.
"We should keep moving," Geralt said, jumping up behind Ciri and spurring Roach into a run, Eldin and Renfri doing the same.
By nightfall, the temperature had dropped dangerously, and a storm was beginning to pick up. Eldin began to keep Aralyn, who had neglected to buy any more clothing than she ever wore, warm using a very light and constant application of Igni to raise her internal body temperature, but even then, it was too cold to stay outside. And just as Eldin suggested making camp, maybe with a fire inside the tent, they spotted a village ahead.
"Oh, thank gods," Ciri sighed. "Think there's an inn?"
"I think there's probably someone who would accept two hundred coin to let us warm up for the night," Eldin said. "Race you all there!"
He spurred his horse forward, Renfri cheering and following, and Geralt grumbled something under his breath and followed. Within another ten minutes, they'd reached the village, only to stop. The gates were open, but there were no guards or barking dogs. There were always guards or barking dogs.
"What is it?" Ciri asked.
"There are no guards," Geralt said.
"Maybe they're hiding from the st-" Ciri began, but Geralt stopped her.
"Quiet," he interrupted, keeping his voice low. "There are no barking dogs either. This place never sleeps. I know a place nearby. An old friend. Come on."
Eldin and Renfri directed their horses after Geralt, and they followed him to a manor on the edge of the field the village was built in, surrounded on two sides by trees. The lights were on inside, but Eldin was getting a very bad feeling about the place, worse so than the abandoned village.
"Stay on Roach," Geralt instructed Ciri as he dropped off his horse, Eldin dropping off of his own horse and casting Aralyn a knowing look, Aralin nodding in understanding.
Then, suddenly, a voice began to bellow angrily just as all of the doors and windows began to open and slam shut again, over and over, scaring the horses but driving no one away. However, just as it stopped, the gate they'd rode through into the manor's courtyard slammed shut and the doors burst outward. What charged out of them on all fours wasn't entirely monster, nor entirely human. It had the face of a man, a boar's tusks and fur below the face, hooved feet, and a man's hands. It wore a white shirt, dark pants, and let out a bellow between that of a boar and that of a man as it bounded twice and leapt at Geralt, tackling him to the ground. However, just as they hit, and even before Eldin could blast the creature with Aard, Geralt had roared and drawn a silver dagger.
"Geralt!" the creature shouted, holding its hands by its head placatingly.
"Nivellen?" Geralt asked.
"What the fuck are you doing here, you old whoreson?" Nivellen asked.
"Your friend?" Eldin asked, releasing his sword's hilt.
"Yeah," Geralt said. "But he's changed."
"I know," Nivellen said. "I look a tad different since you saw me last. But I could say the same about you. Put away your knife and come in out of the cold, Witcher. I'll tell you everything."
Geralt hesitated, then sighed, putting away his knife. They all followed Nivellen inside where he displayed his ability to control his manor at will, simply by giving a command. He started a fire, made a copper tub filled with hot, soapy water appear for Ciri, Aralyn, and Renfri appear from nowhere, closed the doors to the room the three were bathing in, and conjured Geralt and Eldin a bath all with a simple word or command each. He also refused to allow Geralt to refuse his bath, though Eldin gladly accepted the opportunity to finally scrub himself and his armor clean of Nilfgaardian blood, as well as change from one set of worn out, ragged clothes to an only slightly more presentable set. After everyone had bathed, they all met back up in the Great Hall for dinner where Nivellen was recounting some stories of scaring away brigands to Geralt. As Ciri, Aralyn, and Renfri all entered, dressed in fine silk and fir to be princesses, two of them actually being princesses, everyone stared. Eldin stood as Aralyn reached him and she wrapped her arms around him, kissing him before leaning in to whisper.
"Someone was watching from a hole in the ceiling," Aralyn breathed, so softly even Eldin could barely hear. "Not human."
Eldin smiled and responded in just as low a voice. "You're making me jealous."
Aralyn rolled her eyes and took her seat at his side, Renfri sitting on her other side. Once again, Nivellen summoned food as he had everything else, calling it out and making it fall from above. Geralt caught the alcohol before it could spill, and when Nivellen summoned Eldin and Geralt monster flesh, calling it Witcher's Quale, Eldin rolled his eyes, he and Geralt both tossing the poison meat aside before their host conjured them mountain pheasant instead, both trapping it on their plate to keep it from bouncing away. As they ate, Nivellen recounted his first meeting with Geralt to them all. Geralt had been hired to clear out a wyvern nest, but when Nivellen had gone to do it himself in order to make his father proud, Geralt had saved him, then lied to Nivellen's father and told him Nivellen did it. Geralt defended himself that since he cleared the entire pack from the forest and got paid either way, it didn't matter, but it was the generosity that made Ciri smile.
"Since we're telling no lies, tell us about your curse," Geralt said.
"In front of the ladies?" Nivellen asked.
"Two of them are experienced monster hunters and have experienced horrors deserving of worse fates than your curse," Eldin informed him.
"And the girl is tougher than you think," Geralt added.
"I was a gormless young twat, that's how," Nivellen said. "Fell in with a bad lot. I trashed the Temple of the Lion headed Spider. High on goldfish mushrooms."
"All the mushrooms in the world wouldn't make someone that stupid," Geralt said.
"If only it was so," Nivellen disagreed. "After the damage was done, this priestess cursed me to live like this. Forever. Alone."
"All curses have cures," Eldin said. "The way out is what give them their power. What did she say?"
"She screamed something about...love and blood," Nivellen said. "I don't remember." He heaved a heavy sigh. "I'll be honest, I've tried to end it, Geralt. More than once. But I kept coming back. That priestess won't let me off so easy."
Conversation fell silent as they all finished their dinner, and after, Nivellen summoned a board game that would play itself against Ciri to entertain her. As she played, and Geralt questioned Nivellen about the village, Eldin and Aralyn excused themselves to find the bathroom. Instead, they wandered through the manor, Eldin keeping one hand on his medallion.
"Anything?" Aralyn asked.
"Not yet," Eldin said, shaking his head. "I'm betting on the attic, but we'll be missed before we get there."
Aralyn nodded, and they doubled back, reaching the room just as Nivellen was glancing at the door to see if they were back yet. Just as they walked in, something made a scratching sound above them.
"Nivellen, do you have a cat?" Ciri asked. "I think it might be stuck."
"I do, in fact," Nivellen nodded, standing and walking to the window. "Nereena, she's called. I'm so glad of her company, even if she's a shy, wee thing."
Eldin looked to Geralt, and as Geralt glanced at him, Eldin tapped his medallion.
"Not fond of strangers," Nivellen said.
"Didn't you say you were cursed to live alone?" Geralt questioned.
"Didn't you say cats are afraid of Witchers?" Ciri asked.
"How about a show?" Nivellen asked.
"How about we scour the property?" Geralt asked. "Make sure it's secure for the night?"
"Go on, Geralt," Ciri said. "We'll be alright."
Geralt hesitated, then sighed, walking out of the room, Eldin following. Outside, they walked to the horses, checking Geralt's weapons.
"It's like she's determined to do the thing least likely to keep her safe," Geralt growled.
"You're right," Eldin nodded. "But it's only because she doesn't have our experience. She still trusts people."
"Like you can talk," Geralt said. "You fought so hard to save Renfri's soul."
"So did you," Eldin said. "I just happened to have Aralyn as my key into Renfri's trust. Besides, it's better this way. She's not ready to fight whatever else is here."
"What do you think it is?" Geralt asked.
"Why don't we go ask," Eldin said, turning his gaze away from Geralt.
Geralt followed his line of sight, narrowing his eyes, then drew his silver sword. There were fresh footprints in the snow, much too small to be Nivellen's, and none of the others had passed by them. Together, they followed the tracks through the courtyard. However, just outside of the manor's gate, the footprints ended, as though the person making them had simply vanished, or had taken flight.
"Bruxa," Eldin growled.
"It can't be," Geralt said. "He's still alive."
"Maybe she hasn't gotten to him yet," Eldin said. "Or maybe she's taken a shine to him. Maybe he feeds her. Whatever the case, it's a Bruxa."
"How can you tell that's specifically what it is?" Geralt questioned.
"Firstly, unless it's a mage who portalled, they flew, short list," Eldin said. "Secondly, look at the last footprint. It has claws."
Geralt frowned, examining the footprint, then sighed, nodding. "Let's go."
"Sheath your sword for now," Eldin said. "He may not be an enemy, yet."
Geralt nodded, and they both headed back inside to the room they'd left the others, finding Renfri was with Nivellen, enjoying some wine.
"Aralyn's with Ciri," Renfri explained as they walked in, noticing they were two short. "We figured Geralt wouldn't want her alone, even asleep."
Geralt nodded as he and Eldin accepted their drinks from Nivellen. "Let's play a drinking game."
"Now we're talking!" Nivellen grinned. "What sort?"
"We through daggers," Geralt said. "Whoever misses your dear father's head drinks...and tells a truth."
"Prepare to lose!" Nivellen grinned, waving an arm downward and summoning a half-dozen daggers, which fell into a small table, blade first. "Would you two like to play?"
"I'll pass," Eldin smiled.
"Same," Renfri said. "But I'll play one with you."
"Which?" Eldin asked.
"Two truths and a lie," Renfri grinned. "Guess wrong and you drink. Guess right, and the other drinks."
Eldin smirked. "Alright. I'll start. I've fucked a Bruxa. I've fucked a Naiad. I've fucked a Succubus."
Renfri and Nivellen, both of whom had been in the middle of drinking, sprayed wine from their nose.
"Shit!" Renfri coughed.
"And I thought Geralt was a filthy whoreson!" Nivellen laughed.
"You'd be surprised how many Witcher's can't claim at least one of those three," Geralt said.
"Geralt!" Nivellen gaped, then grinned. "I know what I'm asking you!"
"You've never fucked a Bruxa," Renfri guessed.
"Drink," Eldin said.
Renfri's jaw dropped before she took a drink.
"It was the Succubus," Eldrin said. "I'm not a fan of furry legs and hooves."
Renfri laughed, nodding. "My turn. I've never stolen from a single mother. I've robbed a temple. I've been turned into a crystal."
"That raises many questions," Eldin said. "Especially since my guess is that the lie is you not having stolen from a single mother."
Renfri smirked, nodding and taking a drink. "Not bad. Stregobor, but a prince payed a hefty sum to free me, only to try and force me into being his bride. It didn't work out."
"Clearly," Eldin nodded, just as Geralt missed his first throw.
"Let's start with the obvious," Nivellen said. "How, in the name of all that's sacred," he paused to pass Geralt his mug, "how did you find yourself looking after a young girl?"
"I promised her grandmother before she died," Geralt said, Nivellen sending a dagger spinning into the portrait of his father's head.
"I've slayed a dragon," Eldin said, Geralt waiting for Eldin and Renfri to take their turns, halfway including them in their game. "I've slayed two Nekker Queens. I've never seen a Griffin."
"Well, Griffin's are rare, but..." Renfri considered for a moment. "You've never slain a dragon."
Eldin smiled, taking a drink.
"Alright," Renfri considered. "I've never been in love. I've never fucked a Witcher. I've never owned a cat."
Eldin raised an eyebrow. "You've never owned a cat."
"Mittens," Renfri smirked. "Drink."
Eldin frowned, then looked to Geralt. "Geralt, you whore."
Geralt glared at him as he drank, then missed his next throw.
"What's the plan?" Nivellen asked.
"Keep her alive," Geralt said, picking up his mug.
"That's it?" Nivellen asked.
"I can protect her from any mark of man or monster," Geralt said. "You said it yourself, the world is changing. Perhaps that's why the Law of Surprise brought us together."
"Oh, that devious old chestnut," Nivellen said. "The plot thickens."
"Your turn," Geralt said.
Nivellen chuckled, then picked up two knives, hurling one into his father's head. "Bull's eye!" He held the other knife out to Geralt, but Geralt looked to Eldin as he accepted it.
"Let's see," Eldin smirked. "I lost to Geralt when we trained and he was a child. I've only been in love with one person. The Bruxa was the first time I had sex."
"Oh, that has got to be a lie!" Renfri said. "For your sake!"
Eldin smirked. "I've been in love twice."
Renfri sucked in a breath. "Ouch. My sympathies."
Eldin shrugged as Renfri drank. "You're up."
Renfri considered for a long moment. "I've given up on killing Stregobor completely. I've recently discovered I'm attracted to women. When I kissed you and Aralyn after the battle, it was just adrenaline."
Eldin stared at her, blinking several times before frowning and taking a drink.
"That confident, are you?" Renfri asked.
"It wasn't adrenaline," Eldin said.
Renfri raised her mug and took a drink, maintaining eye contact all the while.
Geralt and Nivellen shared an uncomfortable glance as they turned back to their game. Geralt's next throw was a miss yet again.
"You've become a lightweight old friend," Nivellen said.
"So it seems," Geralt agreed.
"You spend a lifetime alone, and then you claim a child of an ancient promise of destiny," Nivellen said. "What changed you?"
"Who," Geralt corrected him. "Yennifer of Vengerberg."
"Oo-hoo-hoo!" Nivellen grinned. "And where is this rarest and fairest of all maidens? The one who could crack an icy Witcher's heart?"
"She's dead," Geralt admitted.
Nivellen was at a loss for words for a long few moments. "I'm sorry, my boy. How long ago?"
"A few days," Geralt answered.
"How are you not heartbroken?" Nivellen asked.
"Who says I'm not?" Geralt countered.
There was silence for a few moments before Geralt gestured for Nivellen to go. Once again, Nivellen hit his father's head directly. The game went many more rounds, the questions, and options for Eldin and Renfri's game, remaining innocent for a time, out of respect for Geralt. Then, finally, Eldin decided to break the easy streak.
"Aralyn and I are both happier than we've ever been," Eldin said. "Aralyn and I have never considered letting you join us. Aralyn and I want to find a way to have a child."
Renfri snorted. "You don't want a child. You've both said how many times that this is no life for a child?"
Eldin raised an eyebrow and gestured at her mug. Renfri blinked in surprise, looking from it to him and back, then drank. "How are you not happy?"
Eldin's other eyebrow rose as Geralt and Nivellen both grinned. Slowly, Renfri's eyes widened.
"What!?" Renfri finally yelped. "And you never said anything!?"
"I said considered," Eldin said. "No decisions have been reached. Trust me, if they had, you'd know."
Renfri nodded, smiling. "I'm tapping out."
Geralt rolled his eyes, then pulled a knife from his boot, sending it into the center of Nivellen's father's face. "Care to tell me why you're cheating?"
"Oh, are we done with pretenses, then?" Eldin asked, standing and drawing his sword. "My turn to ask, then. Where's the Bruxa, Nivellen? Vereena, was it?"
Nivellen's eyes widened so much they might have been in danger of falling out. "I-I...I don't...what...Bruxa? He's...He's had too much wine, Geralt! A Bruxa!"
Edin held his blade to Nivellen's throat. "Last chance before I see if silver can end your curse, or if dying is as painful for you as it seems to be for everything else."
"I...I don't...know what you're-" Nivellen began.
"Eldin!" Aralyn shrieked.
Eldin was out of the room in the blink of an eye, speeding through the halls toward the room where Aaralyn was watching over Ciri. Just as he shouldered through the door, something exploded out of the window.
"It's Vereena!" Ciri said.
"Aralyn!" Eldin said, running over to her.
"I got lucky," Aralyn smiled tiredly. "She wanted to talk and convince us to leave peacefully, but when I yelled for you, she fled rather than attack. She's-"
"A Bruxa," Eldin said. "I know. You're not hurt?"
"You're welcome to give me a full inspection later, but for right now, go."
Eldin nodded, giving her a quick kiss before jumping out the window, Geralt just behind him. Vereena fled toward the village, and Eldin and Geralt leapt onto their horses, chasing her, Nivellen not far behind them. As they reached the village, they leapt off of their horses at a sprint, pursuing their prey toward a barn. However, just short of it, she landed and spun, unleashing a deafening shriek. Eldin and Geralt's hands snapped up, a barrier forming around them, but as Geralt was sent skidding backward, Eldin struggled forward.
"I fucking hate Bruxas!" Eldin snarled.
Finally, after several seconds, the shriek ended and Eldin broke into a sprint. Vereena's fingernails extended into claws and she shrieked as she launched herself forward, swiping at him. His left arm's armor deflected her claws before he slashed, only managing to cut a slit into her dress before she shrieked from behind him, this time launching him into the barn. Then, just as Geralt slashed, she was suddenly a massive bat, flapping her wings to avoid his blade and grabbing him. However, after a moment of using Quen to keep her from biting him, he blasted her with Aard, sending her crashing through the roof of a well before she took off into the sky, quickly disappearing from sight. Then, as she swooped back in, the wall of the barn suddenly exploded outward, the shrapnel remains of the walls shredding her wings and sending her crashing to the ground. Eldin walked out of the barn, snow packing a cut on his forehead to stem the bleeding, but beginning to stain red.
"Fucking parasite," Eldin growled.
"Says the man who lost his virginity to one," Geralt countered as they both stalked forward.
"I wasn't very good at fighting back then," Eldin said. "It was easier to slit her throat while she's distracted by my cock."
"Fair enough," Geralt said.
"Stop!" Nivellen shouted, charging into the square and stopping between them. "Don't hurt her!"
"If she stays still, it won't hurt a bit," Eldin said.
Then, Vereena slammed into Nivellen from behind, knocking her to the ground before streaking toward Elden and Geralt. She ducked past both of their blades, slashing at both of them, missing them. Both struck several more times, only for her to repeatedly avoid them before shrieking again, this time catching both of them and sending them bouncing away.
"Geralt!" Ciri shouted, running over with Aralyn Renfri.
"Ciri, no!" Geralt shouted. "Get away!"
But it was too late. In the blink of an eye, Vereena had slashed both Aralyn and Renfri aside, then had Ciri around the throat.
"I'll rip her throat out, unless you leave us alone!" Vereena threatened.
Eldin's eyes flicked to Aralyn and Renfri. Neither of their wounds looked fatal, just painful and in need of stitches. His gaze turned back to Vereena, murderous, and Vereena snarled, mouth opening wide, exposing her two rows of needle-like teeth. Except, at the last second, a spear burst from Vereena's chest.
"I'm sorry," Nivellen apologized. "I'm so...sorry!"
Vereena's joints and muscles began to pop and jerk unnaturally as she reached behind her, gripping the spear. Then, her head twisted around to look at Nivellen. "Mine." She began to drag herself along the spear toward him. "Or nobody's." She dragged herself closer. "I love you." Closer, this time grabbing his shoulders. "Love you."
Just as her mouth stretched open to bite Nivellen's throat out, Eldin's blade sprouted from it, edge upward, then slashed up out of her head.
"No!" Nivellen shrieked, falling to his knees and catching Vereena's corpse. "No!"
For a moment, Vereena's eyes darted over to Ciri, then her corpse burst into flames, Nivellen barely getting clear of them. He fell backward, roaring and shouting in agony as he began to change, reverting to a human form at long last.
"Why, Geralt?" Ciri whispered, but Eldin ignored them, wiping the blood from his blade and sheathing it as he hurried to Aralyn and Renfri, who were both holding their hands to their wounds, grimacing.
"Are you alright?" Eldin asked.
"I'm going to scar from this one," Aralyn sighed. "Oh well. I made it a decade with a Witcher as my companion without any scars. I'll accept these."
"These were because you got sloppy," Eldin said. "Let them be a reminder."
He kissed her fiercely, then pulled both into a tight hug. "Let's get those bandaged. We can stitch them later."
Both nodded, and Eldin tore his shirt and cloak into strips, bandaging them, smirking to himself as he realized that their wounds were mirrored claw scars on their sides, Aaralin's on her right and Renfri's on her left, both in the fleshy, relatively unimportant part of the abdomen between the ribs and hip bones where there were no organs, just meat. By the time they he was done, Geralt and Ciri were ready to leave.
"Use your sword!" Nivellen was pleading with Geralt. "End this for me!"
"You're mortal now," Geralt said. "Do it yourself."
Eldin helped Renfri and Aralyn onto his and Aralyn's horse, then climbed up behind them both, Aralyn holding Renfri gingerly and Eldin holding Aralyn equally gently. He took Renfri's horse's reins and spurred his own forward, following Geralt and Ciri out of the village.
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