The wind howled across the cliffs, tearing at my blanket. The path north had grown narrower. Snow gave way to jagged stone, and the forest loomed with unnatural silence. Even the crows didn't cry here.
Geralt slowed Roach to a sudden stop. His calm demeaner shifted to a more focused one. I tensed, "Do you hear something?"
"I smell something close, too close," Geralt muttered, His eyes scanning the trail and ahead.
I then focused looking around, and then I noticed something. The wind carried the scent my nose. It smelled like wet iron, rot, and something sharp, like spoiled vinegar. Then my codex from the system pinged softly in the corner of my mind.
Codex Alert: Monster Presence Detected Matching Scent Profile...Candidate Match: Alghoul – Juvenile
Traits: Fast, vicious, armored spines during combat.
Weaknesses: Necrophage Oil, blunt trauma, silver to vital zones
An Alghoul? So one is near by. "I think there is a monster around us?" I said.
Geralt didn't look at me, but the corner of his mouth twitched. "Good intuition. That smell it's definitely a Alghoul we're dealing with. It's probably a juvenile."
Geralt dismounted smoothly, drawing his silver sword. "Juveniles are sloppy. Stay by the horse."
Geralt slowly stepped up the trail with focused eyes. I slid off the saddle but crouched low beside the trail. I summoned my Hunter's edge from my inventory, just in case. My heart thumped fast. Some from fear, and a little from readiness.
Then I saw it. The alghoul sprang from the snow like a nightmare come to life. It looked just like it's game counterpart but more real. Gray skin, long claws, and eyes glowing. It shrieked and bounded toward Geralt.
Geralt shifted his stance instantly and feinted. The alghoul missed, crashing into a fallen log. Then I noticed something?
Its left leg was limping.
"Geralt! Back leg, it's weak!"
He pivoted, and dropped low, then drove his blade into the creature's spine. The alghoul twitched, hissed, then fell to the ground and went still. It's blood flowed into the snow.
Geralt stood silently over the corpse. Then, finally, glanced at me.
"Good eye."
I blinked. "What?"
"You watched it without panicking. And you noticed it had a injury. That's rare."
I didn't answer. I just nodded, staring at the body. This world is brutal. So I need to learn fast. And then the System chimed.
[New Ability Gained!] Mind's Eye: (Passive – Basic):You gain bonus Codex Insight and reaction time when spotting enemy weaknesses in real-time.+3% chance to exploit enemy vulnerability during battle.
I smiled. Good, I need every advantage I can get. This will help me out a lot.
Geralt cleaned his blade, and collected ingredient's from the corpse. After that he went to grab Roach and called to me. "Come on. We're close now."
Arrival at Kaer Morhen
It loomed out of the cliffs half-covered in snow. Stone towers, falling apart parapets, and stone walls wrapped in frost and mist. Kaer Morhen: fortress of the School of the Wolf.
My breath caught. I've seen it in art, and games. But in person? It feels... heavier. To Real. Like I couldn't deny the truth anymore of where I was.
Geralt led us past the gates and across the stone bridge. Other horses were stabled nearby. I counted four, maybe five.
Then I saw them. The other trainees.
Boys around my age, maybe a year or two older. All different. One lean and quiet, sitting with his back to a post. Another with curly red hair and a cocky grin, flipping a coin between his fingers. Two more were in the courtyard talking by a bonfire.
An older Witcher, and I swore he looked just like Jeffrey Morgan. Or as some people new him as Negan, from the Walking dead. Or John Winchester, from Supernatural.
He was broad shouldered, with a gray beard and scarred lip. The man looked old, but had a build to him under his clothes. I noticed more of his physical features as he stepped out of the keep. Grey long hair folded back into a ponytail, and he was tall.
"Geralt. You brought us stray, and a half elf to. He looks different ?"
Geralt nodded once. "Name's Cain. Found him near Dol Blathanna. Survived an Katakana attack. And didn't piss himself when we met a Alghoul. Says he want's to become Witcher. Kid doesn't remember anything past his name and age."
The older Witcher eyes examined me up and down. "I never seen an elf like you before, and you say you don't remember anything?"
"Yes sir." I said. So he must be Vesemir. I wounder why he look's different then his book and game counterparts? This world really is different, and I wonder by how much. I don't remember a lot from the books, but if to much is different. I might be in trouble. But if it's just cosmetic changes like appearances, I can make do.
"Well this is a predicament. It's not like we don't accept elves into our ranks. But The Cat school is more familiar with the mutation process for elves and half elves. We do have some of their notes on the process, but their is no guarantee it will work. If we use our normal methods, half human or not. It might have a lower success rate than normal."
Oh that's right the Cat School. In The Witcher 3 game it had elven origins, and there was a half-elf witcher, Gezras. I can't believe I forgot that. Not to mention elven Witcher's aren't really a thing because the process is meant for humans.
Geralt paused for a moment, with a thinking expression on his face. "I think Coën said something to me about finding notes from the Cat School, when I came across him. Said he found them in a ruin while on one of his Jobs. He said he was gone to give it to you when he got here."
Vesimir pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Coën got here a day ago with on of those boy's over there, and never said anything about those notes. I will go talk to him about them. Hopefully these notes are useful. Or we will have to use our mutation process and hope for he best. It's to bad we don't have a sorcerer or sorceress to help with the process."
That name made my ears perk up. Coën? From the books, the Witcher who fought at Kaer Morhen before the Slaughter.
"What about getting a druid to help this time. I know they would disagree with the process to become a Witcher. But it doesn't hurt to ask especially for Cain, and any future Elven recruits. Not to mention the druid could help with the trial of dreams as well." Geralt suggested.
Vesimir nodded his head. "Your not wrong if we could find one it could help the process. Not to mention it will make the trial of dreams go by smoother. I will let Coën, handle the kids preparation for the week. In that time you and I will try and look for a Druid to help."
Geralt nodded. "Okay, but I just got back can I relax for tonight before we start?"
Vesimir nodded. "Go relax and see your brother's. You earned it."
Geralt placed a hand on my shoulder. Then he gestured me to where the other boys were. "Go inside. You'll meet the others, and listen to what your told by the older Witchers."
I nodded. "Yes Geralt." I straightened my back, and stepped forward. That's when I received a notification from the system.
[Quest Complete: "Wolf's Path"]
Rewards Granted: +1 Random Stat Point.
Codex Entry: Kaer Morhen.
Item: 1 Common Equipment Chest
[New Quest Received – "Pack of Cubs"]
Objective: Become close with one or more Witcher recruit.
Reward: 1 Ability Point, Common Equipment Chest.
Failure: Future quest lines will be lost permanently.
Okay great another quest. But I wonder what is a ability point, and what are they used for? But I wonder why does the system want me to make friends with the recruits? So far I have more questions with each quest I get. Right now I need to focus on getting through the week.
Leading up to the Trial of Grasses is gonna suck. First is the "The Choice." Which isn't bad. They will just ask us if we are sure about becoming a Witcher. Which I respect the order for. Some of these kids were either given to the Witcher's because of a number of reasons. But some don't have homes to go back to.
So conscious decision or not for some this is their only option.
Next is the intense physical training. I'm use to that so it's not a problem, but that was my old body. This new one will definitely need conditioning. The truly bad part is dietary changes. They will feed us a special diet. Which will include toxic herbs and mushrooms.
This will help prime our bodies for the coming mutations. But it will suck , considering vomiting, and diarrhea. Some won't even be able to sleep because, their nervous system is under attack.
I will have to endure all that for a whole week. An to make sure to become friends with a recruit or two. Not to mention hope I survive the trial. Especially if it will be more difficult since I'm a half elf. Well hopefully the notes from Coën help, and that Vesimir finds a druid.
Fingers crossed my mysterious luck stat helps me.