— –Alexander Montclair– —
Waking up with a headache, Alex let out a low, tired grunt.
'God.' He thought, squinting against the dim light. 'Not again.'
It always ended the same, waking up in strange places, surrounded by unfamiliar sounds, unsure what day it was. And, so far, every time he woke up, he ended up in a worse place than before.
This time, it was a cave.
He lay stretched out over someone's cloak, his shirt balled beneath his head like a makeshift pillow. His arm was bandaged, hastily but with care, and a small fire crackled near the wall, casting dancing shadows along the stone.
Someone had patched him up. Someone had kept him warm.
He pushed himself upright with a quiet groan, rubbing at his face. His body still ached, his limbs sluggish, but the dizziness was starting to fade. He shuffled toward the mouth of the cave, bracing a hand against the rock as a sudden wave of anxiety crawled up his spine.
'What am I about to see?'
If he was being honest, he was afraid. Ignorance was bliss, and at least for now, he could be ignorant. But he had to quickly shake that thought away, earning himself a few more minutes of delusion wouldn't do him any good.
But then, he stepped out. The sunlight hit his face. The breeze touched his skin. Trees rustled softly in the wind. A forest.
He blinked. He was outside. Not in a cell, not a nightmare landscape, not the endless red skies or clawing silence.
This wasn't Limbo. He could feel it in the air, in the way it moved. Fresh, alive. He was free.
His legs gave out before he realized what was happening. He dropped to his knees, laughter bubbling up in his chest until it tore loose, wild and shaky.
He was free. He was actually free.
He had stopped believing this moment would ever come. Stopped thinking it could. But now, he was out. He was really out. Back in his world. He could go home. He could see Tandy. He could call the Xavier mansion, make sure Illyana was safe.
He could live.
He pressed his forehead to the ground, smiling through the dirt, just breathing. Letting it all wash over him. The smell of pine. The feel of sunlight on his back.
And then, he heard footsteps.
He lifted his head, blinking against the light.
A woman stood at the treeline, half-silhouetted by the sun. She had ashen-gray hair that fell messily around her shoulders, and sharp green eyes that watched him with cautious interest. A scar curved down one cheek, old, pale, but it didn't take away from her beauty. If anything, it added to it.
"Ah." He let out, noticing the woman approaching before the weakness came crashing back down. He slumped to the ground and let his forehead knock against the soft dirt once, twice, three times. Then a long breath left him. "Fuck."
He wasn't home.
Hell, he wasn't even close. Not the same country. Not the same planet. Not even the same universe.
Multiverse?
Honestly, at this point, he wasn't even surprised.
He wasn't too familiar with The Witcher, not really. He'd never touched the games, didn't watch the series. But her? He recognized her instantly. Ciri.
And that was because, despite not being a gamer back in his first world, he had one weakness. Gwent.
Everything he knew about this world came from that game. From card art and flavor text. Which… wasn't much. Okay, maybe he knew slightly more than that. But if his knowledge of Marvel was surface-level, then his knowledge here was basically a shallow puddle.
"I see you're awake." Ciri said, stopping some distance away.
He let his head rest on the ground for another moment, then slowly sat up, facing her. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the trees for a few moments before settling back on him. She was keeping her distance, slowly circling him while keeping a hand close to her sword.
"I am… yeah. Thanks. For helping me." His voice was hoarse, and he couldn't help but flinch slightly. Pulling away from Ciri as his eyes wandered to the hand close to the sword. "I'm pretty sure I'd have bled out, or worse, if you hadn't found me."
"Hm." Her answer was more of a hum than a word. She must have decided that he wasn't a threat, because her hand finally left her sword as she approached closer and crouched to meet his eye level. "Who are you? And why did you look at me like I'd just walked out of your dreams or nightmares?"
Fair question. He had acted like a lunatic. Still, he sighed, locking eyes with her. At this point, he didn't have the energy to lie.
"Alexander Sterling Montclair." He answered. She raised an eyebrow. He could tell she was already filing that name away. "As for why I reacted that way, well…" His words caught mid-thought.
How had he gotten here?
There was no portal. No machine. No magic circle. Nothing. And judging by the dull, aching pain in his muscles, this wasn't some alternate version of him, either. This was him. Still dealing with the aftermath of everything that had happened in Limbo. He could faintly remember the sounds of glass breaking, but the more he tried to remember, the more he felt a headache, so for the moment he simply pushed the thought away.
"Because this isn't my world." He muttered, almost to himself.
Something in his tone must've registered, because she didn't press for more information about it. At least not yet.
"Are you feeling disoriented?" She asked instead, standing up and offering a hand. "Sick? Confused?"
"A little." Alex admitted, running a hand through his hair as he looked up at her. "Do you know how I got here?"
Ciri shook her head, helping him up.
"Maybe. But tell me, were you in danger? Under stress? Pain?"
That question made him let out a weak, tired chuckle.
"Yeah." He said, his expression faltering. "You could say that."
She opened her mouth to speak, before suddenly stiffening. Ciri's gaze flicked past him, scanning the treeline. Her hand drifted to the hilt at her back, thumb resting lightly on the guard.
"We can't stay here." She said, already moving past him. "On your feet."
"I'm—" Alexander's voice cracked. He cleared his throat, tried again. He hadn't realized it, but his body felt incredibly heavy, and as he reached for his chest, he could feel something was missing. "I'm not sure I can—"
"You can." She cut in, her tone leaving no room for argument as she quickly ran into the cave grabbing her cloak and his shirt before quickly running back to check on him.
She had given him just long enough to try before she crouched down beside him again. With a sharp motion, she hooked an arm under his and hauled him upright. His knees wobbled, pain flaring in muscles as he felt a burning pain in his chest, no, his soul.
"Where—"
"Somewhere else." She said, scanning the brush again. "Somewhere they won't catch our scent so quickly."
"They?" He asked, focusing as best as he could on what he could remember from the Witcher. He didn't know where in the timeline he was, but he could remember that somewhere in one of the games, the main antagonist was The Wild Hunt.
He had hoped that perhaps, he would have appeared somewhere peaceful. But from the looks of it, he was in the middle of the mess. But anywhere was better than Limbo.
She didn't answer, just kept half-dragging, half-guiding him toward a mare tethered a few paces away. The horse stamped once as they approached, ears flicking forward at the sight of him.
Ciri swung up into the saddle in one smooth motion, then reached a hand down.
"Come on."
Alexander hesitated, glancing at the saddle, then at her.
"You know I'm not exactly—"
"Not asking if you can ride." She said. "Just if you can hold on."
He took her hand. She hauled him up behind her, and he barely got his arms around her waist before she gave the mare a sharp nudge.
The forest blurred into streaks of green and shadow as they rode. The wind burned his eyes and bit at the cuts along his face, but he didn't complain. He could feel her tense under his grip, head turning every so often as if expecting something to step out of the trees.
"Do you mind telling me who exactly we're running from?" He asked over the sound of hooves.
For a moment, the only answer was the rush of air and the pounding rhythm beneath them. Then, quietly, almost reluctantly, she said, "The Wild Hunt."
'Of course.' Alex thought, feeling even more tired that he did just a few seconds ago.
"Listen… I appreciate you saving my life." Alex said weakly. "But, if you are being chased, maybe it would be for the best if you dropped me off somewhere safe. I can find my way from there."
He really was tired of dealing with one mess after the other. Perhaps, if he could be left alone for a few months, he might be able to figure out a way back to his world. Or, hell, at the very least find somewhere stable.
He had clearly been able to use the spells that Belasco had taught Illyana. So perhaps, here in this world, he would also be able to learn magic. Combine that with his brains, and he might have been able to build something.
"If I don't keep an eye on you, they'll come for you and take you." She said, flat and certain. "And they won't care if you're breathing when they do."
That shut him up.
They rode hard until the light began to fade, the shadows stretching long over the trail. Every so often, she'd glance back over her shoulder, eyes sharp, scanning the horizon like she could already see the Hunt's hounds closing in.
— –Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon– —
They rode for nearly two hours without a word. Ciri kept her focus on the trail ahead, and the man clinging to her waist seemed too busy staying alive to start a conversation. His grip was firm but uneven, his balance far from steady. The first fifteen minutes had been the worst, he'd bounced so much she'd nearly lost her own seat twice. The man was a complete amateur on horseback.
She almost pitied him. In his condition, walking would have been punishment enough. Hours in a saddle without experience was something else entirely. Still, she had to admit, he was stubborn. More than once she'd felt him slipping and prepared to turn back, ready to haul him up before he hit the dirt… but each time, he somehow managed to hold on.
Not that it made her trust him.
It was all too convenient, another Elder Blood appearing right in front of her in the middle of nowhere. It reeked of a trap. Either that… or destiny.
Destiny always had a way of tangling lives together, forcing paths to cross no matter the cost. She'd learned that lesson far too early, and far too often.
And yet here she was again, with more trouble dropped into her lap. Trouble that all but screamed for the Wild Hunt's attention. She'd half expected riders to appear the moment she'd stopped to rest her horse. Luckily, they'd left the area quickly enough to avoid it. For now.
Still, she kept her eyes moving, watching the treeline, the sky, even the shadows in the grass, searching for the first sign of an ambush. Nothing came. Not yet.
When he'd first woken up, she'd been harsher than maybe she needed to be. But suspicion had been the only thing keeping her alive lately. She still didn't fully trust him now. Even so… she couldn't shake the faint pull she felt toward him. Whether it was their shared blood or something else entirely, she couldn't say.
She really did have the worst luck.
The trail opened into a clearing, revealing a small village, no more than a hundred souls, if that. She almost rode past without stopping. Bringing the Hunt down on these people was the last thing she wanted. But the man behind her needed a break, and if she was being honest, he needed food she couldn't give him on the road.
After a moment's hesitation, she turned the mare toward a squat building with a timber frame and a stable attached. The smell of hay and old wood reached her before they'd even stopped. She slid from the saddle in one practiced motion.
"We'll rest here for tonight." She said, glancing back at him. "We'll ride in the morning."
She offered her hand. He took it without question, and for all his effort, his landing was still clumsy. She caught him before he could stumble, steadying him with a grip as quick as it was firm, then released him the second he found his feet.
Heading into the inn, Ciri didn't waste time. She cut straight toward the counter, passing a few coins across to the innkeeper, Strenger's coins, with quick, clipped words for food and a room. Without waiting for a reply, she motioned for Alexander to follow, leading him down a narrow hallway.
The floorboards groaned under their steps, the smell of wood smoke and old ale hanging in the air. At the end of the hall, she opened the last door and stepped inside, holding it long enough for him to enter before shutting it behind them with a firm thunk.
She turned to face him.
For a few moments, she just looked.
He was paler than she'd realized on the ride here, his frame too thin beneath the rough clothes he wore. His hair was a tangled mess, and the look in his eyes, that flicker of fear when she met his gaze, wasn't something a person could fake. She stepped closer, took his hand, and turned it over. No calluses, no hardened skin. Not a swordsman's hands.
Ciri let out a quiet breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as she finally acknowledged the truth.
"You really aren't a trap, are you?" She said at last, voice lower now. Her expression eased, not much, but enough to take the edge off. She unbuckled the sword from her back, letting it drop to the floor beside her with a dull thud, then found a spot against the wall and slid down until she was sitting on the bare boards.
"I know I've been less than kind with you." She went on, looking him over again, "especially with how you look right now. But…" She shook her head, trailing off. "You aren't supposed to exist."
Her fingers came up to pinch the bridge of her nose. Eyes closed, she leaned her head back against the wall and gave it a light tap, as though that might jar an answer loose.
"What the hell am I supposed to do with you?" She muttered, the words slipping out before she could stop them. "I can barely keep myself alive."
Alexander didn't answer. She didn't need to look to know he'd moved, the shift of boots on the floorboards was enough. A few steps, then the sound of him lowering himself to the ground. He mirrored her posture, leaning back against the opposite wall. A soft sigh left him, tired and defeated.
She opened her eyes. He sat with his face in his hands, elbows braced on his knees.
"You look like shit." She said flatly.
That got his attention. He glanced up, meeting her gaze with a tired half-smile.
"Yeah." He said, voice low. "I've had better days."
She snorted, shaking her head once. "Where were you before you ended up here?" Back in the cave, they'd had no time for questions, only running. But now? She needed answers, even if they weren't the ones she wanted.
He hesitated, just long enough for her to wonder if he'd lie.
"I got kidnapped by a demon, Belasco." He said, the expression in his face finally changing from exhaustion to one she knew far too well, anger. "Took me to Limbo. Which, by all means, is just… literal hell."
"Demon?" The word felt strange to say. She was familiar with monsters, wraiths, curses, and many more. But demons were not something one often came across. They were mysterious beings from other planes, and the summoning of said beings was strictly forbidden by the Brotherhood of Sorcerers.
At the very least, she knew one thing, demons were not to be messed with. And, if he was telling the truth, then whatever he had gone through was probably far worse than she had expected. She could vaguely remember her uncle Vesimir telling her about a man who had been possessed by a demon. And, well, the experience was far from pleasant.
"Yes, Belasco was definitely a demon of some sort. He…" Alexander continued, and she saw his breathing become heavier, the exhaustion in his body practically vanishing. His fist clenched, his jaw tightened, and, then, suddenly, he stood up and began to pace. "Argh!" He shouted, punching the wall before cursing as he drew his fist back, shaking the hand in pain.
For a moment, she was simply going to let him let out his anger. It was good to vent from time to time, and from the looks of it, he needed it. However, the sudden warmth in her blood reminded her that letting strong emotions like that go free could force them to run once more.
Quickly standing, she grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Look at me." She ordered, and that seemed to snap him out of it. "Breathe. With me." She exaggerated the motion, dragging in a slow inhale, holding it long enough for him to notice.
He hesitated, but then mirrored her, a hand pressed to his temple as he lowered himself back to the ground.
"Goddamn it." He muttered, fingers digging into his scalp as though he could hold his skull together. His face twisted, and Ciri crouched beside him, steadying him with a hand on his shoulder until the tension bled out of his posture. "God, it feels like my brain's about to explode."
"It's alright." She said, voice softer this time. "Just think about the food. If you get too worked up, we'll be out the door before we even get a bite."
The mention of food seemed to anchor him. Slowly, his grip loosened on his head, though he slumped back against the floorboards like the fight had been pulled out of him. Ciri sighed inwardly. She wasn't built for this, not really. But before she could stew on it, a knock came at the door.
Her hand shot for her sword on the ground, drawing it halfway before she called out. "Who is it?"
"I got yer food." came the innkeeper's muffled reply.
Ciri exhaled, sliding the blade back before opening the door. She accepted the tray, offered nothing more than a nod, and shut it again with her hip. She didn't even get the chance to call him before Alexander was already reaching for one of the plates, his eyes fixed on the food as though it were treasure.
And then, he began to stuff his mouth with it, letting out a small moan of satisfaction as he took a sip of the soup before simply tilting the entire thing and drinking it. Then, he quickly began to stuff his mouth with the bread, eating it as if it were the best thing he had ever tasted.
Ciri didn't need to ask. Limbo hadn't fed him anything worth chewing. Still, after a moment of watching him devour the meal like a starving wolf, she sighed and slid her own plate across.
"Take it."
He didn't argue, only grabbed it and kept eating.
She leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, letting her thoughts churn. Avallac'h would have known what to do with him. He always had answers for the Elder Blood. But Avallac'h wasn't here. She was alone. Or well, not entirely.
Perhaps she would rather it if she were.
Her eyes lingered on Alexander, watching him set the plates aside. Part of her wanted to smash her head into the wall just to shake the frustration loose. It would be so easy to walk out, leave him to his own fate. Maybe the Hunt would finally take him and be done with her. But the thought didn't stick. She knew she wouldn't.
"Tell me about Limbo." She said, cutting into the silence. Her tone was steady, but inside, her chest felt tight. "If this demon captured you once, then we need to be ready for him to try again. I need to know what we're dealing with."
Alexander looked up, calmer now, though the exhaustion in his face hadn't lifted. He placed the bowls neatly beside him as if putting them down gave him time to collect himself.
"You're right,." He admitted, voice low. "There's a chance Belasco might come back. But right now… I don't feel him watching me. So, for the moment, we should be safe. At least from him."
Taking a deep breath, Alexander began, talking about his world. A world not too far from the world she had trained with Avallach. Well, perhaps, a bit less advanced. However, from his words, the world he came from was incredibly dangerous.
There were humans with powers, he explained, the next step in their own evolution. Mutants, he called them, though the word carried an entirely different meaning than the one she was used to. It was nature's doing, not a "curse". Unlike the mutants of her world, these mutants could have children, grow in number. They were part of the fabric of his world.
And it wasn't only them. His world teemed with the extraordinary, sorcerers, mutants, even things he called "aliens." Whole races of beings beyond human. For a fleeting moment, Ciri wondered if the Wild Hunt had sensed him there, felt his blood, and chosen to leave him be rather than risk the fight. A world like that would not bow easily.
But she kept her doubts alive. He could be exaggerating. People often did when they wanted to impress. Yet there was something in the way he spoke, methodical, focused, that made her think he wasn't lying.
He wasn't what she had expected. Alexander hadn't gone fully in depth with his life prior to Limbo, but from the sounds of it. He was just a common man, one that had lived a relatively peaceful and stress free life. Not someone who had the time to build some mental fortitude.
After getting a better picture of what he'd gone through, she'd thought she'd find a broken man, hollowed out by whatever horrors he'd endured. Instead, he talked about Limbo, magic circles, and all of the incantations he had learned like it wasn't himself who had gone through it. He was resilient, deliberate. Strangely so, if she was being honest.
"I'm impressed." Ciri said at last, unable to keep the note of surprise from her voice. "You must have had quite the strong mentality."
"I… did not." His answer came quick, almost too quick, and his face folded into confusion. "No. I definitely didn't. I should have broken in there. With or without Illyana, I… I should have snapped."
Her brow furrowed. The way he said it, as though he was convincing himself more than her, unsettled her more than if he had simply bragged.
He reached for his head suddenly, fingers digging into his hair as if fighting off another headache.
"I—" He cut himself off, wincing. His frown deepened as his eyes darted to the wall, unfocused. "Do you hear that? It's like…" He searched for the word, his breathing uneven. Then his face dropped, pale and grim. "Glass."
"Glass?" she echoed, the single word sharper than she intended. She stepped closer, watching him, waiting for him to explain.
"Goddamn it…" He whispered, sounding almost defeated. "This whole time…I was just walking on Belasco's palm." And, then, his eyes widened in realization. "Shit…. Illyana."
~ Long-ass A/N ~
"Mastah Witcha!"
Alright, new chap! Been really enjoying writing this fic and I am writing chap 15 rn.
As for those who don't like the Witcher… welp, it do be a multiverse story lol, so uh yeah. But, the Marvel storylines will continue as Alex's story progresses. Chapter 13 / 14 continues to expand on the Marvel side of the story.
I remember the comment that "this is basically just the comics but worse" (which to be fair, was accurate.) So I will say, things will start changing for Tandy and Illyana, (and the rest of the Marvel universe, at least currently in New York) from now on. The setup is done, so now it's time to do what I had planned.
Also, for the Witcher storyline, that one won't really follow canon at all. Once they get to Novigrad, stuff's gonna be changing a ton. So yeah.
So now, it will be something original but worse! Lol. I hope y'all enjoy it a bit at least.
Anyways, if you have questions, drop a comment and I'll answer as long as it ain't a major spoiler. And remember, the story is written from the character's pov, so their thoughts and realizations might not always be accurate.
Shoutout to @Basilisk and @Tertius711 for helping me brainstorm and keep on coming up with ideas for this story.
Thanks to @Harman and @Tertius711 for Beta Reading.