The Witcher: The Emerald Dragon

By

Spyro 423

Interlude

MOIRE

Right after Harry was trapped

When Moire saw the village off in the distance, she pulled the reins on Midnight, stopping the horse's trot. A quaint little settlement it was, plain to see; it was much like her old home years ago, before she ran away.

She could pick out the villagers, little more than upright ants at this distance, going about their business as the sun loomed in the background. The evening was drawing to a close, and soon the night would fall, bringing with it its own set of problems.

Although she supposed that a village set here, away from any notable wood or forest would see less trouble than an average hamlet. At the least, when it came to trouble of the supernatural kind. The fields themselves were relegated to one corner of the village, although what crops they were farming she could not tell.

It took Midnight fidgeting for her to realize she had been standing still for some time now, appraising the settlement. She knew the reason why. It was not because it was a particularly beautiful sight, and neither was it because she wanted to know the ins and outs of the village from afar. Moire, for all her training, simply knew not what to do.

This was the village where Vesemir had informed her that Lana worked. This was where her sister was, where she had been for the past year and half or so. This was where she had gone through whatever she had gone through, while Moire was training to be a witcher. Vesemir had kept feeding her information about how she was and what she was doing, and by all accounts, she was getting by.

Moire did not know a thing about how she would even attempt to approach her. Lana was young, was younger when Moire had chosen witchery over her. Vesemir had given her a job, sure. But how had she fared? Was she good? Did she like it? Where had she stayed? What did she have to do? These -among many, many others- were all questions that Moire had no answers to. More than that, they were questions she dreaded the answers to.

If she was still here, how would she react to seeing Moire again? And if she weren't, how would Moire track her down? If she was being honest, there was a small part of her that wished that perhaps she wouldn't have to see her. But she had to. She had been living with that fear ever since she had finished her training at the School. It had taken seeing Harry's determination to find his friend to convince her to take that first step. And it was why she would have appreciated him with her now. He would have told her to meet Lana. He would have given her the confidence she needed. But that was why she wanted to do this alone. To prove to herself that she could. After a few more moments of quiet contemplation, Moire guided Midnight to the village.

Even as she approached, she could see the villagers gawk. She assumed she must have cut an unusual figure, what with her hooded cloak, twin swords, riding on the all black stallion that was Midnight. She kept her head down as she made her way through quickly; hopefully she could slow the spread of the 'there's a mutant in town' rumor. She rode up to a child who had her eyes on the horse, her eyes almost falling out as Moire approached. "Point me to the tavern?" Moire asked in a quiet, yet kind voice, trying to keep her face hooded.

"Um…" The child was scared, that much was plain to see. "I think it's ahead. You should turn right when you see the sword shop." She stammered out, and Moire nodded in thanks. Perhaps asking a child was not the best way to get directions, but at least she could keep things quiet until she reached the tavern. And then -hopefully- perhaps she could meet Lana in private, and she would know what to do.

The evening meant that torches were being lit, albeit lazily. Mothers guided their children into houses. Others without children guided chickens and pigs and cattle into their coops and sheds. As she moved further in, she could see a signpost with what appeared to be an anvil near a building on the side of road. And as she neared it, she could hear the sound of raucous celebration grow. She supposed that was as clear a sign as any.

Indeed, when she turned at the signpost, she could see a few people scattered around a large, wide, single storey building made of wood. Some were in conversation, some were perhaps waiting for others. Some were leaving the building, some replaced them. She supposed in a small village as this, the tavern served as perhaps the best and only source of entertainment and leisure. She also supposed that meant it would perhaps be crowded. And she didn't really want to make a scene. So Moire decided to circle around to perhaps scout the back entrance.

The streets surrounding the tavern were reasonably quiet, other than the occasional settler, and the group in front of the tavern were intrigued enough to stare as she rode by, but not enough that they were willing to follow. The streets behind the building were a lot narrower, and off in the distance she could glimpse the Sun, all dark red and sinking. The dirt paths were relatively clear, patches of grass or wildflowers growing on the sides near the other buildings. She saw a door -left open to ease the burden of throwing the trash out or bringing in stock, no doubt- and rode a bit closer, dismounting near it. Midnight would stay here, and he would make sure no one would try to take her pack or possessions away.

With that, she walked up to the door, and peered in. The sounds of laughter, singing, and general merriment greeted her with the warm smell of mouth-watering stew and roast and herbs and spices. Something bubbled in a large pot above a fire, and a man was worrying all about the kitchen, obviously making sure everything was in order. "Excuse me." Moire raised her voice so he could hear her over the noise.

Taken by surprise and shocked back to reality, he turned around with an audible shuddering gasp. "Don't scare me like that." And then he noted her hood and sword hilts. "What do you want? If you're looking for food or drink, I'm afraid the entrance is on the other side."

"I know." She stepped in, removing her hood. "I was actually hoping to talk to you in private."

"Huh." He looked her over again, seemingly unsure of what to make of her. "Last I checked, we haven't put out any bounties in a while. And I don't really have anybody I need to be paying or would like the shit kicked out of me."

"Oh no, no." She clarified. "I'm not here for anything like that. I'm looking for Lana; I was told I could find her here."

A pause. "Why?"

"I'm her sister, Moire." She supposed that wouldn't be enough to make him believe. "Vesemir sent me, from the School of the Wolf." She took out her medallion, letting him take a look at the intricately crafted wolf head.

"Hm." He relaxed, although Moire could still sense a hint of doubt from the man. "Master Vesemir did write me you might arrive. Although you need to forgive me, girl. I couldn't be completely sure who you were. If I'm being honest, I still don't."

"I see." She glanced around. It was a fairly large room, and rather well ordered and kept for a tavern in the middle of nowhere. A doorway led out into what she assumed was the main body, judging from the noise. "So what now?"

"Now you can wait until Lana's done, and then do whatever you want."

"Just like that?"

He shrugged. "It's not that I don't like the girl, I really just don't want to get into any trouble involving her. Or you, for that matter. I've got my own skin to take care of first; I don't know if you can understand what that's like."

"Hm." Though her anger rose over the nonchalance with which he admitted to not caring what happened to Lana, she could not bring herself to dispute him. "Is she out there now?"

He nodded. Moire walked up to the doorway and peered outside. The tavern, small as it was, seemed to be packed. Benches and tables lined the sides, and a couple of desks were littered around the enclosure. Space was cleared out toward the centre where two men played a fast song on their instruments whilst a group danced around them. It was easy to tell who was part of the band and who was not.

There seemed to be around fifteen or so people in the tavern, seemingly having the time of their lives. Easily enough, Moire spotted two women who appeared to be the ones catering to the guests, serving up drinks and engaging in chitchat.

One was tall and lanky, with long raven hair and a very cheery, fun sort of demeanour. The other, conversely, was shorter, with brown hair of average length and a quieter, more reserved way of carrying herself. Butterflies flew hither and tither in Moire's stomach as her breathing quickened. Her heart beat harder and faster as the girl turned toward another table.

Then, she knew. She had only glimpsed her face, and that too, from the side. But with that alone, Moire knew that this was her sister. This was Lana. She had grown in the past two years; gotten taller, her hair had grown, and her face had taken a shape not so dissimilar to Moire's own. 'She's gotten pretty.'

She watched, content to simply stay back and follow her sister as she served the table. It seemed she had gotten over her shyness a bit, as Moire saw her engage in conversation with the table. She may not have been as indulgent as the other girl, but having known how she used to be, Moire was proud of her little sister. As she continued to serve them, Moire saw a man, obviously drunk and barely there, eyeing her sister up. She knew exactly what that felt like, and a rage started to build up in her. She broke when he ran a hand across her sister's back, coming to a tight clenching grip on her bottom.

Without even thinking, even considering what she was doing, Moire withdrew her crossbow, unleashing a bolt straight into his shoulder joint. He was surprised for a moment, until the pain truly registered past all the alcohol.

"AAAARGHHH!" He screamed as he clutched his shoulder in pain, slumping to the floor. Lana, surprised at the sudden scream, dropped the tray she was holding, spilling alcohol all over the table and the ground. The group at the table took a few moments to register their fallen companion, though the rest of the tavern whipped their heads toward the commotion. The singing ceased. The dancing ceased. The tavern went silent as Lana turned toward the origin of the bolt. Moire could see the surprise on her face change to doubt, apprehension, and finally to disbelief.

"What the fuck?" Their 'pleasant' reunion was cut short by the owner rushing up behind her, only to see the man writhing in pain on the floor, and every pair of eyes in the room on Moire. "I thought you weren't here to cause trouble. What in fuck is all this?"

Moire stood silent, not knowing what to say, her focus still on Lana. "Don't just stand there like a fucking idiot, woman. Read the damn room." He whispered in her ear. Moire knew everyone was looking at her. She also knew they would be less than happy with an outsider essentially crippling one of their own, even if he was getting handsy with her sister.

She felt a tug on her shoulder and relented, though not without some faint resistance. She was not looking forward to explain anything to Lana anyway. The owner guided her to the back room, guiding her out the door. "Come back later." He said, making sure no one had followed him out of curiosity. "I'll see what I can do about the crowd, though I'm going to warn you, you're not exactly going to be a hero anymore."

"Fine." She acknowledged. "I'll be back in a few hours, when you've closed up. Can I ask you to keep Lana here?"

"She lives here, so yes."

Moire nodded, saddling up before steering Midnight away, leaving a wary and perhaps glad man in her wake. She let Midnight do as he pleased once she was on the main road, and the horse trotted through the village, enjoying the trip. He eventually took her out to the fields, amidst all the crops and other plants.

At the edge of the field, Moire pulled on the reins, bringing him to a halt. She dropped down, petted Midnight's head, and let him roam. He wouldn't roam far, and he would return once she whistled for him. With that, she knelt down amidst the crops, and calmed herself. She couldn't remember the last time she meditated properly; even at the School, she was not an admirer of the practice, but she supposed now was a time that required some introspection.

Night had fallen now, and the village was a lot less busy. She supposed it was nearing curfew time. The tavern itself was but a shade of the vision she had seen earlier, silent and alone, no more than a large building among the other structures of the village. This time, she walked up to the front door, and knocked on it hard.

It took a few seconds, but she heard some footsteps, some fumbling around with the lock, and then the door opened with a creak. From behind the small window, the owner's quizzical face peered out at her. He acknowledged her with an annoyed sigh, letting her in and shutting the door behind him. "Lana!" He called out. "Your sister's here for you." With that, he left for the kitchen.

Moire looked around, and took a seat at one of the tables nearby, her heart beating furiously. A few moments later, her sister appeared from behind the doorway of the kitchen with a neutral expression on her face. Looking at her now, in the firelight of the candles and torches, Moire felt a faint sense of pride. Her sister had become beautiful. Maybe not in the same way as her, but most certainly so. As she approached, Moire could note how she had matured. She lacked the joy she had before; each step was measured and precise. As she came and sat opposite her, Moire did not know what to think. She had run various scenarios in her mind, but now, none came to mind. Something caught in her throat, and words would simply not form.

A faint smile graced Lana's lips, and Moire found despite everything, she could do no more than reciprocate the gesture. She wanted to laugh, to hug her sibling, to fully take in how she had grown. But at the same time, Moire felt as though she was about to cry. It was a jumbled mix of feelings that she found she did not know how to show.

"Are you going to say anything?" Lana asked her, and all she could note was how even her sound had changed. It had gotten… airier somehow, with a depth that was certainly not there before.

"I'm… I'm sorry." She managed out of the constriction in her throat. She felt anything else would only break her control over her emotions.

Lana nodded, casting her gaze down. "Yes. I suppose you are." Silence fell upon their conversation, save for the crackles and whoosh of the fires. "You're a witcher now." She noted, no doubt having seen her swords and medallion. "Your eyes… and your skin… They've changed."

Surprised, Moire unconsciously reached for her face, before pausing. 'I forgot.' She remembered now. How could she ever have forgotten? 'This is the first time someone's reminded me since the Trials.'

"Still pretty though." Lana noted with that same faint smile.

"You too." Moire said, perhaps too suddenly. "You've grown up as well." She paused. "You're beautiful now, Lana." The pride she had felt was now mixed with both fear and a bit of pity. 'You're like me now.'

"You don't look too happy about it." She seemed to have noted the lack of enthusiasm in Moire's face and tone. "I couldn't help it. I suppose it simply runs in the family."

"I'm sorry." She apologized. "I must seem so distant now."

"To be expected, sister." Moire was surprised at the genuine understanding in her voice. "The old man did warn you back then… Although," She paused. "That apathy wasn't very prominent when you shot that man."

"I couldn't help myself." She began, a few embers being stoked in her mind. "He was grabbing at you, Lana. I just… I slipped."

"I thought the entire point of those experiments were so you wouldn't." She retorted. "Besides, sister, I'm a serving girl, surrounded by drunk men in a perpetual mood of festivity. That wasn't the first time someone's grabbed my ass, although if everyone remembers what you did, perhaps it'll be the last."

"You allow them to touch you?" Moire asked incredulously.

"I don't allow anything, sister." She detected a hint of irritation in Lana's voice. "If you've forgotten, this is the only thing keeping me fed and housed. I break a mug on some poor fool's head, I get thrown out onto the streets. And then what am I supposed to do? Whore myself out? That wouldn't exactly be a better solution, now would it?"

"No, but surely there's something else you could do, isn't there?"

"Like what?" She replied with a hollow laugh. "Have you seen this village? This is the biggest and only thing even resembling a shop here. Everything else is either bought in from passing merchants, or homemade. Would you rather I try my luck on the caravans?"

"No. That's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant. But unlike you, I wasn't trained in monster hunting. Or anything, for that matter. I was lucky this man even took me in without wanting to fuck me."

"Vesemir did that for you." Moire said, though she noted the jab at her.

"Tell him thanks, won't you? You see how marvellously helpful this has been."

"It was better than being out on the streets with nothing, wasn't it?" Her anger flared, though that was what Lana wanted, it seemed.

"Exactly." She leaned back, with that same faint smile. "This is better than nothing. And what you saw is what I have to deal with if I want to keep it that way."

Another pause as Moire considered how to respond. She had supposed that Lana would bring something like this up, and she knew she could give her no acceptable excuse for what she had done.

"You don't need to keep it that way." Moire told her, earning a quizzical, annoyed glance from her sibling. "Hear me out, Lana. You don't need to stay here, working for this man. Come with me. We can travel together."

"Did you forget already, Moire? I'm not a witcher, and I don't really fancy the idea of travelling around from place to place scrounging for food."

"I know." She clarified. "Which is why we'll travel to Kovir."

"Kovir?"

"Or a village nearby Kovir, until we can save up enough to move into the main city. You can find a better job there, perhaps. Or you can still work at an inn, if you want. And no one would dare lay a hand on you if they know you're with a witcheress."

"And how would we get to Kovir?" Moire could tell from her tone that she was still doubtful, yet interested. "It's not exactly around the corner."

"I didn't say it would be easy, Lana. Not in the beginning, at least. Now, I've got a bit of money from a contract I just undertook. I don't know if you have something saved up or not, but I also have a couple of monster parts that I could sell off. Food shouldn't be too much of a problem. I can hunt, and I can teach you the basics as well. I'm sure you know how to cook, and I don't eat much anyway."

Lana sat silent as Moire continued. "Midnight -my horse- won't mind an extra rider, which means we can cover a fair bit of ground every day. And who knows, maybe we'll come across other travellers of caravans, and perhaps we can get a ride from them. After all, a witcher's protection is worth a lot."

Moire knew she was beginning to consider the idea seriously. "Kovir's a good place, from what I hear. Weather's pleasant, the people are nice, and there's a lot there to see and do. Maybe you could learn a new trade, or perhaps an art."

'It also means we never have to come back here again.' That she thought to herself. 'And even he can't reach as far as Kovir.'

"It's a city you deserve to be in, Lana. Not like this middle-of-nowhere settlement." She persuaded, hoping that her argument would get through.

Lana took a deep breath. She glanced away from Moire, at a crackling torch, thinking, weighing the options. Her eyes flitted here and there, still discussing the idea with herself. She then brought her attention back to Moire. "What about mother?"

"Mother?" Moire was taken aback at the question. She had a few faint ideas about what would have befallen her mother with their leaving, although none of the scenarios were good.

"Did you forget about her?" Lana asked quietly. "Or father? Or brother?"

"Father is dead." She replied immediately. "And we have no brother, last I recall."

"Maybe not by blood." It was more a gentle reminder than a piercing statement. "But they were still family, Moire. Father always treated me well, and Philip was a good big brother too. Would you rather leave them behind?"

"Does it matter?" She asked. She had never told Lana the truth of what had happened the night they had run away. Never told her what she had done and why she had to do it. Back then, Lana was too young, too innocent to have her know the truth about their so called 'family'. But perhaps now would be a good time to come clean.

"Of course it does." Lana told her. "Do you know how worried Father sounded in his letter when I told him what had happened?"

At first, Moire was not quite ready to believe what she had said. "Mother was burned bad in the fire, and Philip's been out looking for us all this time. Do you not think they deserve to be in on your plan?"

"What are you talking about, Lana?" She asked, her heartbeat rising again. 'It can't be. He couldn't have found us, he wouldn't care enough to look.'

"What do you mean, what am I talking about? I'm talking about our family, Moire. Remember them? The people we lost when we had to escape? The people that we grew up with? The-"

"How?" She interrupted her. "How did they find you?"

Lana's expression changed again, back to one of doubt. "It took some time. After the first couple of months, when I didn't know what happened to you, if you were alive or not, I thought maybe I should try and find out if anyone else was still alive. I remembered the village name, so I asked the innkeeper, and he didn't know, so I started asking the customers. A few months ago, I finally found a person that knew the village, and Father as well. We've been sending each other letters ever since. He said once he got a hold of Philip again, he'd send him here, for me. I'm supposed to stay put until he arrives."

The inn suddenly seemed as unsafe as the wilds in the night to Moire. "We need to leave. Now." She got up from her chair, walking swiftly to the windows. A quick scan outside betrayed nothing, but she wanted to be out of here before that changed.

"Why?" Lana asked, bewildered as Moire walked over to the next set of windows. "What's wrong?"

"He's coming here. That's what's wrong." With the check done, Moire took a quick inventory of what she had on her. She had a few throwing knives, her dagger, swords, and crossbow. Potions however, were a completely different matter.

"So?" She felt the hesitance in Lana's tone. "Shouldn't you be glad that he is? We can go back to our old life before everything."

"No." She walked up to her sister next. "Lana, I swear, I'll explain everything later, but right now, I do not want to stay in this place any longer. Please, get whatever you need to and let's leave."

"No!" She replied defiantly as she got up to face Moire. "You left me back then at the school. All that time I've spent learning what it feels like to suddenly not have anyone you can be with. Two years, Moire. Two whole years I've been in this place, trying to live off of something meagre, living with people who have no qualms fondling me, about if they're being subtle about it or not. Two years, with no word of you." She pointed an accusatory finger at Moire. "And now that I found a way I can get back to some semblance of what I had before, you want me to just leave? Without even explaining why?"

"We don't have time for this." Moire pleaded. "Please, Lana. I'm your sister, aren't I? Trust me, I beg you."

"Trust? Hah!" The defiance hurt Moire more than it should have. "I trusted that you wouldn't abandon me, and look at what happened. I trusted you when you took me away from the village, but now I have to question that as well. I'm sorry, Moire, but I'm not moving a step until you give me some answers."

"I'm really sorry about this then." Moire made the Sign of Axii in front of Lana's face. When the glow in her eyes receded, Lana was but a silent husk. "All right, is there anything necessary that you need to take?"

"Yes." She replied in a calm, sleepy voice.

"Then go pack them up." She paused. "As long as it's not jewellery or clothes."

"Then I have nothing important." Moire found a smile forming on her face. Even under all that maturity, Lana still had shades of the little girl she had been before. She grabbed her hand, and guided her to the door, unlocking it quickly.

The tavern owner came out to check on them when he heard the door opening. "Leaving, are you?"

"Yes." Moire nodded, with another quick scan of the surroundings. It was a darker night than usual, cloudy and silent.

"Where are you going to go?"

"You should be more worried about finding a new barmaid."

"I read ya." He nodded. "'Mind your own business' it is."

"Good." And with that, Moire exited onto the roads. She whistled quickly, and the sound of hooves ripped through the silence. Just like that, Midnight trotted up next to her. It cut an imposing figure, dark, large and ominous in the darkness, helped in no small part by the pack that extended over its frame. She cast Axii on Lana again, just to make sure the Sign would linger for a few moments more, and ordered her to climb onto Midnight.

The saddle would be tight, but she would worry about removing it once she put some distance between her and the village. She took off her cloak, and wrapped it around her sister before cracking the reins on Midnight. The horse galloped forward, cutting through the cold air of the night and over the dusty roads.

A slight chill nipped at Moire through her layers of clothing as Midnight raced, his mane whipping in the wind like her hair. A few inquisitive people poked out of their homes to see what the noise was in their quiet little place in the North, but all they would see was a dark blur that swept by them.

They made it out of the settlement, and had made it a few paces out onto the road before Moire calmed down a bit. She knew that her fear was perhaps unnatural, but she couldn't help it. Checking on Lana, she saw that her sister was still under Axii, her eyes blank and unfocused, with just the slightest hint of panic in it. With her eyes on Lana, Moire couldn't understand what happened next.

There was a sound of something sharp and piercing, and Midnight reared up. Initially taken by surprise, Moire quickly pulled one rein to the inside to calm him down, but the addition of Lana's weight and the sudden movement made her slip off the saddle. Moire tried to grab her with the other hand, and Midnight lost his balance, sending them flying onto the grass nearby.

Moire rolled onto her feet, but just as she was regaining her balance, an arrow struck her left leg. "Argh!" She cried in pain as she registered the shaft, the point sending jolts up her body. Her leg gave, and she sat down hard on the ground, scanning the surroundings.

Lana was lying a few feet from her, seemingly unconscious. Midnight was writhing in pain near the road, whinnying uncomfortably. On the path, she thought she saw something sharp and pointy. 'Caltrops.' She understood with a grimace as her eyes finally caught the bowman. Bowmen, rather, as she saw there was more than one. More than two, in fact. All in all, there were around eight people around her, all walking toward her from both sides of the road. They were in the distance, but they were a chilling sight to behold.

She quickly pulled out the arrow, throwing it aside, wincing. She tensed, noticing a man drawing his bow, and rolled to the side as an arrow sank itself in the dirt where her leg had been with a squishy thud. Casting Quen, she rolled toward Lana, drawing her sword once she righted herself.

They were upon the sisters now, and they were not unarmed. Roughly five of them had drawn their steel, still on the approach, although they were a bit more guarded now. The others had their bows, all nocked and ready, just waiting for an opening. Moire truly regretted not having her bombs on her now.

"What do you want?" Moire asked loudly once they were fairly close, as she tried to look for a way out of the current predicament.

"Just a few enforcers, girl." One of the men answered, his eyes wary from underneath his helm. "Here to enforce the will of our employer."

"And what would that be?" She enquired, running possible attacks in her head. There was no way she could go on a rampage; that would just leave Lana defenceless. And these men were no joke. They were all garbed in black, matching armour sets with well-crafted swords and apparel.

"You." He gestured with his chin. "And your sister there. Alive, of course, so you needn't fret. Which is why you shouldn't be trying to make this hard on us."

Moire did not reply. She couldn't attack anyone with the bowmen watching from afar. At least, not until they got closer.

"Boss wasn't joking." Another man whistled from her right. "Girl's a mutant now."

"Aye." The first one agreed. He seemed to be the ring leader. "Be careful. I hear they've got some tricks up their sleeves."

If she drew her crossbow, she could possibly catch one of them off guard, and that would be the end of him. Of course, then the other five would rush in. If she could get a Yrden off, she could at the very worst, trap at least two others, and could make short work of them. The problem was what she could do next. Her Quen would hold for one or two arrows, but then she would be on her own. Aard would help her both attack and defend, and Axii would help finish off the swordsmen. The bowmen would be a different matter though.

"I get the feeling you're thinking of an escape route, so let me make this easy for you." The leader took a step forward. "When we say alive, we mean ideally. Now, maybe you could kill me and my men surrounding you, what with your prowess with the blade and all. But you slip up, and your sister there gets a shot straight through her nice welcoming chest." He pointed to Lana with his sword. "You don't want that, do you? Well, that's what's going to -or rather, it's what may happen if you don't want to come quietly. So It all comes down to this." He planted his sword into the ground. "On whether you're willing to take that risk."

Before she even looked down at her sister's face, Moire knew what her answer was going to be. She didn't even need to say it out loud.

"Good girl. Now stand up. Slowly, if you will. And get your hands behind your back. Arek, tie her up. Get those swords off her, and check her for anything else. Art, you get the other one. And someone put that horse out of its misery."

"Stop!" Moire interjected suddenly. "Leave him alone!"

"Alone?" The leader chuckled. "Why? So that he can keep whinnying? Yeah, we ain't got the time or patience to take care of a wounded horse, even one as fine as that one."

"I said stop!" She had taken barely two steps before she heard the sword swing. She whipped around to see one of the attackers positioned above Lana, his sword ready to be lodged into her skull. And that sight stopped her in her tracks.

She couldn't bear to look, but the sound was a different thing. A few warbled cries accompanied some grunts and some squishes, and suddenly it was no more. She didn't even budge when her hands were tied with the rope. The man behind her unclasped her sword belt, and with it she lost her throwing knives as well. He patted her body down, and noticing the dagger and crossbow, took those away as well.

"All right, we seem to be done here. Bring them along, quickly. Boss's waiting in the village, and you know how impatient he's been so far." He smiled at Moire. "We wouldn't want to keep him any longer." And then he turned to his men. "Right. If someone decides tonight is a night to play hero, you know what to do."

And with that, they guided them back into the village. They waltzed in proudly, straight through the main gates, where there weren't a guard in sight. The folk nearby the entrance had been woken up, it seemed. Though the sight of the men and their captives was enough to send them back into their homes, curiosity be damned.

They guided her straight through the roads, past the ones she had taken in the morning, all the way to the other side of the village. Here they turned, and Moire saw a relatively big building greet them in the darkness. 'A barn?' She wondered, although she couldn't be completely certain. Not until she got closer, at least.

And then she was sure. The building stood much taller than the inn, and it seemed quite spacious as well. It was quite near to the village proper, although in a tight knit community, she supposed that was to be expected. At the large main doors of the building, the leader stepped forward, and knocked thrice. "It's me." He called. "I've got the girls. Alive, both of them."

The doors swung open, and they guided them into the firelight in the barn. The first thing Moire noticed were the guards. In addition to the eight that had come upon them, there were four here, along with an older man at the back of the barn, covered in shadows.

The other occupants were cattle; sheep and cows fidgeted around in their stalls at the disturbance the humans were causing as the door shut behind her. Stacks of hay and other feed were kept to one side of the wooden building. Lana was still unconscious, but Moire was completely alert. She couldn't risk anything with Lana's life on the table, but she also knew that there was only a slim chance that they would be killed outright. He wouldn't want that.

Her witcher eyes made out his face even before the light gave it clarity. A hard, square face, with salt and pepper hair and a grey stubble, he walked toward her with a limp in his step. Moire felt some faint glee at the fact that the wound hadn't healed properly. He was dressed simply, in a red doublet and some brown trousers. His boots crunched against the floor as he came up to her. For a moment they stood face to face; she had grown taller, after all. She looked past him, while his eyes appraised her from head to toe.

"You've gotten taller." He spoke, in an older voice that still had some tones of the gravelly sound he had before. "And your eyes." His face suddenly whipped in, and Moire instinctively pulled back. "Your skin, too. I didn't know if I should have believed her at first, but she was right. You're a mutant now."

"…"

His eyes travelled downward, and he raised a hand toward her breast. Moire tensed, and he felt it too. So did the rest of the room. "Ah ah ah," He spoke quietly. "You know I don't like it when you disobey. Especially now, with all that you've done." He leaned in closer. "I wouldn't want to take it out on your sister here."

"…"

"There's a good girl." Moire felt a creeping sense of dread when his hand cupped her. He ran his hand under, feeling the shape, the firmness of it. There was a part of her that wanted to run, run like she had before. There was a part that wanted to grab his hand, and break each finger, joint by joint. And there was also a part that was simply terrified. Even now, he held power over her. Only this time, it was by virtue of her sister being there.

"Where is he?" She finally asked, and he stopped, bringing his eyes to her face. In part, the question was asked because she thought it would make him stop, and partly because she wanted to know.

He knew who she was talking about; there was no need for names. "Philip?" His eyes were blank. Or perhaps the anger had been there all along. Contained, measured and slight, but there nonetheless. "Dead. He burned to death, that night you set fire to everything."

She couldn't help the smile. That was why she got slapped. Hair spilled over one side of her face, and there was a faint sting, but nothing more. "You smile?" He asked, a bit more irked. "My son is dead! And you smile?" He swung again, but to no avail. Moire would not give him the satisfaction. "You…" The words took time for him. "You bitch! Do you know what you cost me!?"

"No." She replied quietly. "But I know I cost the world a rapist."

"NNGAAH!" It wasn't even a slap this time. His knuckled fist drove into her face, and she was thrown off balance. The second one was worse than the first. But Moire endured. She knew how he thought, how he functioned. Or she hoped she did.

He grabbed her hair, and puller her up to his face. He looked at her again, the anger clear in his eyes. There was a part of her that wanted to cower, but she had to stay strong. For both herself and her sister. The beginnings of a plan was forming in her mind. It would put Lana at risk, but if it all went well, it would pay off. And they weren't getting out of this mess easily, so perhaps a gamble was required.

"No…" He said, his breathing heavy and ragged. "Nothing I do will get to you. I can hit you, I can kick you, but you're not going to be bothered by that anymore, right? You're one of those freaks now. It's going to take something massive for you to show some emotion, isn't it? Fine, so be it." He pulled her with him, and threw her to the end of the barn before announcing, "Any one of you who wants her can have her, for tonight and tonight only. Just make sure you keep her there. And breathing." He walked over to Lana. "Wake this one up."

Moire got to her feet quickly and rushed forward. She was immediately stopped by two of his lackeys who pushed her back.

"Fired up now, aren't we?" He smirked. "You two, go make arrangements for the caravan. I want to be out of this shithole before dawn. You, and you, go stand guard. I don't want anyone interrupting us, you understand? Good." They left with curt nods, and another was in the process of waking Lana up. Moire looked around. There were eight of them left, excluding her 'father'.

"Uh…" A soft moan came from the other end where Lana was, and Moire saw her stirring, her eyes slowly opening. "Wha…" She managed before her father shoved his underling aside, and held her in his arms. "Father?" She whispered.

"Yes, my sweet." He replied, running a finger across her face, pulling it close. "Oh, look at you. You take after your family, child." The hand dropped to pull up her skirt. "So ripe."

Moire could feel the anger build again, but she'd have to keep a cool head. 'Just enough.' She thought to herself while yelling, "Stop it!" They stopped her again, as she guessed they would. This time, they pushed her to the ground, and Moire subtly raised her hands over her head, so that there was a clear view of them toward the other end where her father was. 'Just enough to convince him.'

"Just remember, child. What's about to happen, is all because your sister disobeyed." He spoke to Lana, though his eyes darted back to Moire. And that was all she needed. In that moment, Moire cast Axii. Her eyes glowed, and she saw his go out of focus. "Kill everyone but the girl!" She yelled, and he obeyed. Lana fell onto the floor from his arms, groaning. He got up, withdrew a knife tucked in its sheath on his belt, and before the others could respond, stabbed the leader of the enforcers standing near him through the neck.

He gurgled the blood that rose in his throat, clasping the wound with one hand, while reaching for his employer with the other. But he didn't care. He couldn't care. She had given him an order, and he had no choice but to comply.

"What the fuck?" One of the two holding her down yelled, and Moire turned her hands toward him, making the signs for Aard in the process. He was thrown backward with a boom, with the breath knocked out of him and falling over a stall gate into the midst of the cattle.

She used her feet to push herself forward when the other man released his grip on her from the shock. She turned to look at him just as he looked at her in wonder. With her hands in his line of sight now, she cast Axii again, though this time the order would be different. "Cut me loose." He complied, drawing a dagger and slicing through the ropes binding her just as another yelled, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Now get the others." She ordered him, and he complied. An enforcer rushed to engage him just as he got up, and the one she had blown away with Aard had already gotten his bearings. The animals cried frightfully as they panicked around in their stalls. Soon, the village would be roused and everyone would be around them. Over on the other end, her father had already been cut down by the men, which meant she didn't have much time.

She rushed forward, casting Igni at the bales of hay stacked in the corner; the Sign and the ensuing fire providing some well needed moments of distraction for her to come upon the enforcer nearest to her, throw an open palm into his face, and break his neck. In one fluid motion, she then grabbed his sword and rushed into the fold where was Lana was lying, and lay a Yrden circle on the ground.

To the four caught within it, Moire must have appeared no more than a blur as she cut them down swiftly. From behind, she heard someone get a sword plunged through them, and reasoned that her puppet must have died. She knelt, pried the dagger from her stepfather's hands, spun around, and launched it straight into one man's face. His head whipped back, and he fell to the ground. She was getting a bit light headed now, what with casting so many Signs at once, and she knew she had to end the fight quickly.

She heard the door open behind her, and knew the two who had gone out had come back as well. Her Yrden still held, and they had walked straight into it. With one hand on her sword, she whirled around, cutting across the neck of one of the men. With her free hand she grabbed the other man, and using the momentum of the spin and whatever strength she had, shoved him at the man approaching from behind. With him distracted at the sudden body thrown at him, she quickly finished off the man she had cut before, and lunged at the two behind her.

The one in the back had barely pushed the other off him when he caught Moire lunging with the sword extended to ram him. He stepped to one side and used his sword to divert the attack. Moire held herself firm with her feet, and brought her sword up just in time to deflect a thrust from the man, the fire roaring behind her. The other was orienting himself now, and soon it would be two on one. She used her back foot to push off and dodge a downward swing, and with her enhanced speed, righted herself quickly and stomped down on the sword hard. As the surprised man looked up, she rammed the sword's hilt into his face, and then used the edge of the blade to slice up, and he screamed. Not for long, once she had her sword through him.

"Stop! Please stop!" The one remaining man cried, backing away with his hands waving. "I was just doing my job, mistress, please, mercy, I beg you! Mercy!"

"Drop your sword. I will not be tricked." She said, panting. Fighting so many without potions had its toll. "Slowly."

As he crouched down, and the sword left his fingertips, Moire rammed her own blade through his face. "This is the mercy you deserve."

She withdrew the sword, and jogged toward Lana, who had finally managed to sit up, her head in her hands. "Are you okay, Lana?" Moire asked. "Do you hear me? Lana?"

"He… What did he mean, Moire?" She asked. "When he…"

"Later, sister. Later. First…" She dropped the sword, and lifted her stepfather's body up. She walked to the still burning fire, and threw his body in. Despite being winded, she cast Igni on the body just for good measure, and for some satisfaction. Then she ran back to where the enforcer leader lay, and took back the weapons he had taken from her.

"Alright Lana, let's get you up." Moire put an arm around her sister, and lifted her up slowly. "Come now, as quick as you can." The two he had sent out to worry about the caravan would also surely see what was going on, and she wanted to be out of here with Lana before the villagers came upon them, wanting someone to blame. They would handle those two men if Lana and Moire didn't stay behind and complicate anything.

As they exited the barn, they could hear the commotion from where the village centre was. Torches were being lit and people were banding together. "All right then. Lana, I'm going to have to carry you for a while. At least until we get a bit deeper into the thicket." With that, Moire swept the legs out from under her sister, and after adjusting her grip, started jogging toward the wall of trees that were near the building.

It was not until she had been running for a few minutes that she finally stopped. She tried to be gentle when putting Lana down, but her muscles were burning up and her heart beat so fast all she could hear was a thumping in her ears. Once she was on the ground, Moire slumped over against a tree, and slid to the ground with what she hoped was some grace, before taking in air by the lungful. She couldn't remember the last time she had exerted herself so much. The fringes of her vision had gotten dark; she had no clue where she was going or what she had been doing for the past few moments. And then, ever so slowly, clarity returned. But she couldn't bring herself to do anything. So she simply lay on the dirt, appreciating its coolness while hoping nothing too dangerous spotted them.

Eventually, she was able to push herself up, and this time leaned against the tree under which she had stopped, much like Lana. The cool air was a blessing, and the dark didn't scare her anymore. But Moire thought maybe it was different for Lana. She reached an arm out for her, and for a moment was scared when she only found air. Then something cuddled up against her just as she turned to look for her, and all was right again.

She squeezed her sister's shoulder, and hugged her tight. She kissed the top of her head, letting her rest. "It'll be okay, little sister." She whispered, the quiet emphasising the words somehow. "Everything'll be okay."

"How?" She asked, so soft it was barely audible. "How will it be better? You killed father, Moire. Do you know what Philip will do if he finds out? Or how mother's going to feel?"

"Philip is dead, Lana." She interrupted, but took care not to sound harsh. "That man told me he died in the fire. As for mother… I doubt she's alive either. He never married her for her, sister. He married her for us."

"No." The dark hid nothing from Moire, and certainly not her sister's tears. "You don't know that. Father wrote me. He told me Philip was looking, that he was worried. He told me mother was fine, and he told me…"

"I know, sister. I know." She stroked her hair. "He lied. He lied so that you would stay here. So that you would… hold out hope that everything could go back to how it was."

"But… those men… I thought he… He never…"

"Of course he didn't. He was never what he told us he was. He was always someone… more." She paused. "He couldn't have you know anything; you were too young to be scared enough to know to keep quiet. But you saw, didn't you? You saw a glimpse of what he would have done if…"

"If I had stayed." Lana finished the thought. "Was Philip…"

"The same as him. Yes."

"How can you be so calm? You just accept that Mother may be dead? You just kill people when you feel like it? And you… you did something to me, didn't you? I don't remember anything from when you showed me something and when I woke up in the barn."

"It was for your own good, Lana. We didn't have time to be wasting." Although everything else she accused Moire of was something else. She didn't even feel sad when thinking about mother anymore. In fact, there were very few things she would feel sad about. She had to wonder, when her afflictions from the bleeding stopped, would she be completely emotionless? 'What would you think of me then?'

"How do I know you haven't enchanted me now?" She asked through the tears, and Moire felt something in her throat. Not because of the accusation, but because there was a bit of fear with it.

"I can't make you trust me, Lana." She replied. "I can only try to convince you that everything I did was for you. I didn't know what he would do. I didn't know if Philip was alive. I didn't know how many he'd bring, and if I could fight them all off. He let his emotions control him, and he underestimated what a witcher could do. But I couldn't be sure at the inn, and I didn't want to risk you. I'm sorry, sister, but I would do it again in a heartbeat if it meant your safety."

There was a long pause for a moment, and Lana's sniffling receded slowly. "So then the fire back then was you."

Moire nodded, though she knew Lana couldn't see her. "I had had enough. I was scared, Lana. Mother was… infatuated, and she wouldn't listen to anything I said. I couldn't tell any of the villagers either. He had threatened everybody. Everybody except us. And back then, I didn't… I didn't know what else I could do. So one night I decided to set fire to the house. I just wanted to get them both, Lana. That was it, I swear." A pause. "I still don't know how it got so out of control. It was small at first, the way I wanted it to be. But then it just kept growing and growing. So I got you from inside, and I ran out. I'd locked the door to his room, I suppose back then that was all I thought I needed to do to stop him. But then I saw him kick it open, and I saw him see us, and then I ran with you. By then the fire was too large to stop."

"I knew he'd be looking for us if he was still alive, and I couldn't think about anything else. I didn't want to lose you to him… and I didn't want to lose myself again. And then, when the witchers took us in, I saw a chance for me. A chance where I could… maybe have a future that I didn't have to be scared of. I thought that maybe if he came after us… no, after me, I could hold my own."

She pulled her sister closer. "Back at the inn, you were right. I didn't like the fact that you were pretty. I was scared, scared that your beauty would make you go through the same things that I did. When I shot that man who grabbed you, that was partly why. I don't ever want you to have something like that happen, ever."

"Mmm…" She took a few moments to take everything into consideration. And then she asked, "So what now?"

Moire had been thinking the same thing. Now that he was dead, the Northern Realms would perhaps be a safer place for them. But she also wanted a fresh start. A true fresh start. And for some reason, she felt she couldn't get it here.

"We'll go to Dol Blathana."

"What?" Lana looked up at her sister, and Moire was a bit happy to hear the curiosity in her voice. "Don't they all hate humans?"

"For the most part." She agreed. "But that's where I did my last contract, and maybe if I beg hard enough, we can get a 'shortcut' to the ranges. And then we can make our way to Kovir, like we'd originally planned. And even if they don't help us out, we'll find a way. But more importantly," She looked down at her sister. "Does this mean you want to come with me?"

"For now." She conceded. "But if I end up deciding not to go where you want to go, what then?"

Moire considered that for a moment. "I'll try to make it work as best I can. If not, then… as long as I can be satisfied that you'll be safe and happy wherever you choose, I'll just have to accept that we are meant to travel different Paths." She smiled. "But until then, promise me we stay together."

"Promise."

HERMIONE

The night Harry was injured by the leshen

Hermione had been walking for an entire day now, and she had come to a realization: she had no luck. Either that or whatever God there was in the world took pleasure in tormenting her. Before she had jumped down from the jutting stone she had had a clear idea of what she needed to do, and where she wanted to go.

But nothing had been going in her favour. For starters, even with a map, she had somehow gotten lost. All she had to go by was her four points spell and the hope that somehow she would happen upon the Braa river. So far, all she had been seeing were trees. Sometimes she would come upon an obstruction of some sort, and she'd be forced to go around. When these obstructions were big, she'd be forced to divert from her original path. When this happened, all she could do was try and reorient herself with Four Points.

The fact that it was night time did not help at all. The faint golden light she held in her hands was enough to show her the forest floor and a few steps in front of her, although she also knew it made a beacon for whatever lurked in the shadows. She had mana, to be sure. But still, the last thing she wanted to do was waste anything on some random predator or hunter.

And then there was Harry. She had no clue what was going on with him anymore. After she had put some distance between the ranges and her -enough to feel safe, anyway- she had tried the xenovox, only to come up with nothing. She had had no contact with him at all when she was in the ranges, and with what happened now, she didn't know what to think. On one hand, she knew Harry was resourceful, brave and skilled. But then on the other hand, so was the person after them.

There was also the fact that she was famished. She couldn't remember the last time she had actually eaten something other than handfuls of wild berries. Occasionally, thanks to her elven training, she would catch hints of what could be some tasty meat: hints of a rabbit that just ran by, tracks by a doe that may have been grazing, the calls of pheasants and quails and other birds that would probably make her very happy.

She was busy thinking of the best way she could eat a pheasant when she noticed the sound. It was a slow gurgle, with a bit of a whoosh. 'Water.' She realized. Quickening her pace, and correcting her course as necessary, Hermione finally emerged out of the treeline to see the Braa river. "Finally." She sighed to herself happily. The light she was holding dissipated as she released the spell. The sky was clear and there was enough light for her, both naturally and otherwise.

Off in the distance, over on the other bank was what she assumed to be a camp. A fire was obviously burning, and she could see a man tending to it. She was unsure if he was the only one at the camp though, and she would need to be sure. She looked around at the floor near the river. There were a couple of small pebbles and some leaves strewn about along with some branches, but that would not do. So she walked back to the treeline, and spotting a low hanging, somewhat thick branch, jumped up to grab it. It took a few tugs, but she eventually managed to break it off.

'Avifors.' She thought, cupping the base of the branch. The cracks in the bark of her oaken catalyst glowed a faint gold, and the branch started changing shape. She lay it on the ground, and slowly it changed into a very small bird. It looked at her expectantly, its little head twitching excitedly. She commanded it via her magic, and it took off quickly to where the fire was. After a few moments, it returned to land on her shoulder, and by the same link, Hermione learned that it had not seen anyone else nearby.

'Okay.' She thought, walking toward the river. 'Wingardium Leviosa.' Her body felt lighter, and she made herself levitate just above the waterline. Gliding across the river, Hermione cancelled the spell once she was on the other side. She approached the man quietly, and once she felt she was close enough, ordered the bird to distract him. She started her approach again once she saw the bird flit about in front of his face, annoying him to no end. With this, she had made it all the way behind him.

She lunged, using her foot to kick at the back of his knees, bringing him to his level. With one arm wrapped around his throat, Hermione cast a web of golden light over his face. He struggled a bit, and then slowly sank into unconsciousness. She lay him on the ground, and gave him a once over. He was wearing a well-made vest with gold thread laid about the cloth in ornate shapes. Underneath, he had a very well kept shirt, coupled with some baggy trousers of rich material and seemingly sturdy boots. Her under armour was still fairly good, although the layer over that had gotten quite torn and shabby. With it not serving any major purpose, Hermione left it behind, and took the man's vest for herself.

He was some sort of hunter, it looked like, for he carried a well-crafted bow, a nearly empty quiver, and a knife. She took those too, along with a surprisingly heavy coin purse. Archery wasn't her strongest suit, but at the very least she could try not using magic all the time. He seemed to have been in the middle of finishing off some nice roast, which Hermione helped herself to. Once she was fed, she walked up to the river, and tested the waters. They were fairly cold, but refreshing nonetheless. Perhaps she couldn't afford a bath, but at the very least she could wash up a bit.

Fed, cleaner than she had been before, and finally having something good happen, Hermione walked back to the camp, took a seat by the fire, and breathed a deep sigh. The warmth was comforting indeed. It seeped into her and made her feel all cosy and warm; just what she needed. She took the xenovox out of her pouch and gave it a quick prod. 'Still nothing.' She put it back in. 'What did I even expect?'

After a few more minutes of sitting by the fire, she decided it was time to leave. The man had a bedroll with him, and though she felt a bit guilty, she took that as well. She found a secluded spot a way away from where the man had been, and threw the roll onto the ground. Like her teachers had taught her, she made a few wards around her and the roll, and decided it was beyond time for sleep.

When Hermione awoke, it was already well through the daytime, nearing noon, even. She lay where she was for a few more minutes before getting up with a sigh. Checking her surroundings, she felt that she was in the clear, so she released the charms surrounding her spot. She stretched as she got up, and took a breath. She washed her face and hair in the river nearby, rolled up her bedroll, made sure she had her newfound weapons and things, and was on her way again. She knew she was now in Caingorn, which meant she was also near Hengfors, its capital city. Hopefully she could stay there until she could get a hold of Harry, and then they could work out what to do together.

'Maybe I'll finally get lucky.'

THE MAGE

The night Harry was injured by the leshen

"What brings you back?" She asked. 'Always blunt.' He thought. The matron was that way with everyone. No time for pleasantries, no time for chitchat. Always to business. Not that he minded.

"This." He said, lifting his undershirt with his functioning hand. The wound had become much worse over the course of the day, although he couldn't fathom why. He was sure it was just a simple arrow wound, and all through the day as he was finishing up everything he had to in Aedd Gynvael, nothing happened to prove him wrong. Until he conjured up the portal to visit the healer at the academy, he was even only in moderate pain. And then the pain had shot up his arm, felling him to his knees, his eyes tearing up.

"Hmm…" He could hear both curiosity and thought in her voice.

"Why are you doing that?"

"What?"

"The 'Hmm…'" he clarified. "You only ever do that when things are either bad or interesting."

"Happily then, this wound is both." She turned away from him, already fiddling about her office, no doubt going to work on the solution.

"How so?" He came to a conclusion before she could answer. "It becomes worse the more magic one uses, doesn't it?"

"Precisely." She took some sort of herb from a drawer on a cabinet, examined it closely, and put it back. "And given your rather unique form of magic, suffice it to say this particular arrow coating is your bane."

"Perfect." He scowled as he examined the wound. 'Who knew those degenerates even had the brains to do something like this? And to top it all off, the more time I spend here, the further away she gets.' He turned to the matron. "How long will it take for you to create an antidote?"

"Around four or five days." She replied, her eyes skimming through the pages of a large tome on her table.

"Four or five days?" He repeated in disappointment. "Surely it won't take that long, matron?"

"Well, that depends, doesn't it?" She turned to him with an exasperated glare. "Do you want your arm to fall off? If yes, then I can have you on your way right now."

"No." He drawled. She always made him feel like a child. "That wouldn't be very nice."

"No, it wouldn't." She turned back. "If I may ask, however, who did this to you?"

"Oh, some filthy elves." He said casually. "Even now they get in my way."

"Hm." Was the irking reply. "I see time away from the academy still hasn't changed you."

"The things that are unchanged are things that do not need changing." He retorted.

"I -and every other tutor here- have at some point tried to steer you in the right direction. But why is it you never heed our advice?"

"Have I not?" He tried to gesture, but forgot that one hand was wounded. He continued with a wince, "Am I not one of your best students? Have I ever disrespected you in any manner? Or your opinions, for that matter?"

"No." He could see her shoulders rise and fall with the sigh. "You are. You're quite courteous and friendly in general. But I know- for a fact- that you don't respect, or even consider our opinion when it comes to the elves. And it pains us that one as talented at the arts as you wish to do something so… severe with your powers."

"And? There are people, even here, that think of elves as the filth they are. I don't see anyone preaching to them." Perhaps that came out harsher than he intended.

"No." She agreed. "But none of them have the power to do anything about it." She turned to him. "What scares us is that you do."

'That is what I shall be doing, and you all will thank me for it.' He thought. 'If not now, when it's done.' But there was no need to tell her that. "You needn't fret." He said. "I shall be in the library then."

"I'll have someone get you when it's done."

Outside, he lingered a moment near the courtyard. The night was cool, and the sky was clear. The chill helped ease his pain for a second. 'Five days, hm?' The girl would most certainly be out of his grasp by then. He decided that he needed to get to Hengfors once he was done here, if he wanted to be able to catch the girl. Of course, he could not hope to do it himself. At least, the finding part of the ordeal.

But that was where Shade came in. The Zerrikanian he had been introduced to in Aedd Gynvael while he was clearing up seemed to be resourceful enough. 'She better be, for the price she commands.' Money was no object. If he ever found himself low on funds, he'd simply rob some wealthy merchant or lord or count, and that would be that.

He had already given her a name and general description of the girl, and warned Shade of her magical capabilities. He doubted the Zerrikanian would find the girl; after all, she was a mage. But at the very least, he wouldn't have to go at it alone. She said she had some other business to take care of, and would be waiting for him in Aedd Gynvael. Despite being in pain, he resolved to send her a message explaining his situation as soon as he could.

'I'll find you, sorceress.' He twirled the golden pendant on his neck. 'I'll learn exactly what this thing can do, and then I'll change this world.'

- - -T- - -H- - -E- - }|{- - -W- - -|- - -T- - -C- - -H- - -E- - -R—

To Be Continued in Chapter 14

A/N : Okay, so, you've probably guessed from the title and the contents that this is not a direct continuation of the plot. If you were disappointed, that's understandable. This chapter sets everything up for the next part of the story. Which brings me to my point.

With the Interlude, we've officially reached the midpoint of the story. It's taken me three years, most of which was writer's block and general lack of time, but we're here. I mean there's still an update schedule that's so bad it's annoying at best, but still, we're here.

I look back at the first few chapters I wrote, and by the Gods are they cringeworthy as hell or what? I'm still learning, so hopefully I keep going up, eh? I know that the initial chapters turn off a lot of readers because of the poor editing and story, but I'm not going to change it. It's a good reminder to me how crap I was when I started out, and how far I've come.

So, I guess what I'm saying is, thanks to everyone who's been reading and offering me criticism. Who knows? Maybe we'll even finish the story in another three years.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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