Kaelen's grip was firm as he pulled Alina to her feet, his eyes searching hers as if trying to gauge whether she was truly ready. She wasn't sure herself—her limbs ached, her lungs burned, and fear still coiled in her gut—but she nodded. If she faltered now, she might not get another chance.
They didn't speak much as they moved through the shadowed landscape, which Kaelen finally named: the Echo Vale. It was a realm twisted by dark magic, one that few had entered and even fewer had left. It existed between worlds, created—he explained—by rifts like the one that brought her here. It was a place of corruption, where the lines between realms blurred, and creatures from all sides leaked through.
"This place isn't just dangerous." Kaelen said as they descended a craggy slope, his voice low. "It's alive. The land listens. It remembers."
Alina swallowed hard. "Remembers what?"
"Pain. Death. Regret."
She didn't press him further. The way he said those words made her think he knew exactly what kind of regret lingered here.
As night fell—or what passed for night in the Echo Vale—the air grew colder, thick with tension. They found shelter in the ruins of a stone temple, half-buried in ash. Inside, the walls were lined with crumbling murals depicting strange beasts and ancient battles. It felt like a graveyard of forgotten gods.
Kaelen lit a small fire with practiced ease and handed her a strip of dried meat from his satchel. Alina chewed slowly, her hands still trembling.
"You handled yourself well against that shadefiend." he said after a long silence.
Alina shook her head. "I almost died."
"But you didn't." Kaelen said, his gaze steady. "You're learning... Fast. And not just how to fight."
Alina looked up. "What do you mean?"
"You're starting to think like this world does. To adapt. That's more important than swinging a sword."
Alina stared into the fire. He was right, though she hadn't realized it. She was reacting differently now—less like someone playing a game, more like someone fighting to survive. To protect. To endure.
Suddenly, Kaelen's expression darkened. He stood abruptly, his hand on the hilt of his blade.
"What is it?" Alina whispered, rising to her feet.
He turned toward the entrance of the temple. "We're not alone."
From the shadows, a figure stepped into the firelight. A woman—tall, elegant, and impossibly striking. Her eyes were violet, her silver hair bound in intricate braids. Alina recognized her instantly from stories and cutscenes.
"Yennefer?" she breathed.
The sorceress arched a brow. "I see my reputation precedes me." Her voice was smooth, cool, and laced with danger. "You're the one Geralt spoke of. The one not of this world."
Kaelen tensed, but Yennefer's gaze was focused solely on Alina. "You're attracting attention from powerful beings, girl. You've torn a seam in the fabric between worlds, and now others are looking through it."
Alina took a step forward. "I didn't mean to—"
"Intentions are irrelevant," Yennefer cut in sharply. "What matters is that you're here. And something followed you."
The fire crackled. Wind howled through the temple ruins.
"What kind of something?" Kaelen asked, his hand never leaving his sword.
"A Wyrm of Echoes." Yennefer replied. "A creature that shouldn't exist. Born in the void between realms. It feeds on memory, on time itself."
Alina felt cold down to her bones. "How do we stop it?"
"You don't." Yennefer said grimly. "But you might outrun it—if you close the rift before it fully anchors here."
Kaelen glanced at Alina. "Can you do that?"
She hesitated. "I don't know. I didn't even open it on purpose."
Yennefer's violet eyes softened slightly. "Then we'll teach you. You've survived this long. That means something."
Alina's mind raced. The idea of wielding magic—or whatever force had pulled her into this world—was terrifying. But if this Wyrm was truly feeding off reality itself, there was no time to be afraid.
"Alright." she said, lifting her chin. "Show me how."
Yennefer stepped closer, her hand glowing with arcane energy. "Then brace yourself, Alina. You're about to learn how to tear the veil between worlds—and how to stitch it back together before everything unravels."
And as the firelight flared brighter, casting long shadows on the ancient walls, Alina knew this wasn't just a journey anymore.
This was war.