The next morning, we were woken up early and gathered in a room. The room was dark and there were multiple wooden lab tables with straps. Then Vesemir spoke up.
"What we put you through next will break you. Not all of you will come out alive. That is not a threat. It's a fact."
He paused, giving us a chance to digest what he said. No one spoke.
Then, Vesemir began the breakdown.
"The Trial of the Grasses," Vesemir said, voice firm, "is first. You'll be bound to a table and injected with alchemical compounds, mutagens, toxins, and magical reagents harvested from monsters. You'll sweat, scream, convulse, and burn. Many die before the second day."
I swallowed hard.
"Those who survive the Grasses are enhanced physically and develop enhanced senses, night vision, reaction speed, and the first signs of mutation. But it comes at a cost. Your body will begin to change. So will your mind."
"The Trial of the Dreams", he continued, gaze darkening " What comes after that. You'll be sedated, but not unconscious. Fed a dream-inducing toxin that opens the doors of your mind. You'll confront fears, memories, and visions, some real, some not. Some... ancestral."
Cain felt a chill. "Many go mad during this phase. The body can survive. The soul might not. But we have a druid here to help with the process this time." Vesemir gestured to an elderly man by the stairs. The druid did not say anything, only stared at us. Mostly me.
My knuckles went white, but I didn't break eye contact. I knew he was here to help with my
"The Trial of the Mountains" came next. "No medicine. No warmth. We take you into the mountains with nothing but your will. It's not a fight against monsters. It's a fight against the cold. Against hunger. Against your own mind. You'll be sent to retrieve a Witcher Medallion. If you return with one, you pass."
Then Vesemir finished: "If you survive all three… you'll be fully trained Witchers."
Then a system notification pinged in my mind.
[Quest Triggered – "To be a Witcher "]
Complete the Trials of the Wolf School.
Objectives: Survive the three Trials.
Reward:Class: Witcher (Wolf School): 2% increase to all attacks against monsters. 1% increase in defense against monster attacks. +1 Ability Point. 1 Epic Equipment Chest.
Failure: Death
Then we were all strapped down to a table. Within minutes, we were all injected with alchemical compounds and mutagens.
Within seconds the sounds of screams filled the room. I couldn't count the number of liquids injected into me. Then I couldn't feel my legs. Then I felt them again, as the blood in my veins boiled. It felt like my organs were liquefying. My bones cracked like dry wood under pressure from all the struggling I did. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think.
Time just blurred, as seconds felt like hours. But I continued to endure, because... I want to live.
System Notification: Ability Unlocked:" Cold-Blooded (Passive )" – You will remain calm under intense physical and mental stress.]
My mind began to become calmer. The pain still hurt like hell, but I learn to accept it as part of the process. My screams began to stop, and I just grunted in pain. That's when I began to notice other kids around me. They were dead or dying one by one.
Choking and seizing. Drowning in their own blood. Even in my haze, I recognized each voice. Until only Callum's scream remained.
I clenched my teeth, forcing my body to keep breathing, to keep enduring. Until I passed out from the intense pain. When I came to I noticed a notification from the system.
System Notification: Trait: Elder Blood- Awakened. To completely unlock (0/5) Ability Points required.
So I unlocked my Elder Blood, but I need ability points to use it. Well, that's not tooo bad. I then noticed next to my cot was Callum. He was covered in sweat, but breathing. When I looked around the room, the other boys were gone, and all that was there was blood on the floor.
When I saw a bucket of water next to me, I leaned over and dunked my head in it. I drank from the bucket like I hadn't had water in days. When I lifted my head, that's when I saw them. The cat eyes of a Witcher. Mine were even cooler. My golden yellow eyes had a cat slit in my irises.
That's when the system notification ping: Quest complete: " Trial of the Grasses" :Objective: Take the trial of grasses and survive. Rewards: 5 random Stat Points. 1 Ability Point. 1 Rare Equipment Chest.
That's when I noticed Coen and Geralt come in with Vesimir. "You're up already, Cain? Guess it wasn't just luck that kept you alive."
Geralt said. "I hope I wasn't lucky, or I think I just used up a whole lifetime's worth," I said casually.
"We were lucky the notes Coen, found helped with your mutation process."
Yeah, no kidding, if Coen didn't find those notes, who knows how bad this could have gone for me.
"Get some rest, Cain, you and Callum are the only surviving recruits. You will need to be in better shape for the trial of dreams. But don't worry, the trial of the Mountains won't be for some time."
I nodded, " Yes, Vesemir." I laid my head back down to sleep. I was out in an instant.