Hey everyone, this is your author just a quick note to check in with you readers, and with future readers too.
First, some of you may have noticed already, others maybe not, but I’d rather be upfront and honest: this is going to be a long story, one where I focus mainly on relationships, backstory, and world consistency.
So if you’re expecting an extremely powerful, politically dominant hero right out of the gate, sorry, that’ll come later I’m taking my time with this.
Second, if you want to talk Witcher lore, discuss my fanfic’s story, or even just throw out ideas, drop your Discord here and I’ll add you as a friend so we can chat for instance, one of my readers, Andre_D_5820, who I added a while back, gives me really good ideas, like weapon enchantments, which could be fun to develop.
“thanks for the chapter” it genuinely boosts morale for a small, unknown author like me.
At least, that’s how I experience it.
All right, enough feelings another huge thank you, and enjoy the read!) — POV Aiden I ran through the forest bordering Kaer Morhen, weaving effortlessly between branches and roots, never slowing down.
Behind me, I could hear ravens, and wolves closing in fast through the trees.
Honestly, that was exactly the plan.
I easily dodged a wolf’s lunge by sliding through the mud, summoning an ice spike that pierced it and killed it instantly, before continuing my run toward the river.
Reaching the top of the slope, I jumped to slide down, dodging a root attack from the monster.
I landed cleanly at the bottom, and as I approached the lake, I saw the wolves closing in, growling, slowly surrounding me.
The ravens suddenly swirled together into a vortex, and a massive leshen emerged, letting out a howl some mix of cracking wood and something else entirely, hard to put into words.
I smiled slightly, drawing the silver sword Geralt had lent me.
I dodged a raven swarm, then drove my blade into the water: the river froze instantly into a massive block of ice, trapping the wolves’ legs they howled in pain along with the leshen, which struggled uselessly to break free.
Skating effortlessly across the frozen river, I decapitated the wolves one after another, then closed in on the leshen.
I dodged another root attack, and with a simple gesture of my hands, summoned massive ice spikes that tore through its back it howled in pain.
Sliding beneath it, I built a bridge of ice to gain speed, and with the momentum combined with my strength, I took its head clean off.
Landing on the ice, the leshen’s head slid over to me.
I picked it up, smiling honestly, I’d come a long way since I first started training.
— Flashback POV Aiden I winced, rubbing my shoulder.
It had been three months since I’d resumed training Geralt really wasn’t holding back anymore.
But that was normal: I’d basically absorbed the entire Wolf School swordplay technique by now, so the only thing left for him to teach me was experience.
Even that had its limits.
Arriving at the spot where Triss had asked to meet me, I found her sitting on a tree stump, watching the sunset.
Seeing me, she smiled softly.
“Looks like Geralt’s really not holding back anymore, huh.” I shrugged, smiling.
“Doesn’t really bother me anymore.
I know he’s doing it for my own good, and honestly, I’m starting to enjoy these fights.” Triss laughed, standing up, brushing off her clothes.
“Sure, but if you ever need me to, just say so.
I’ll tell him to go easy he actually listens to me.” I laughed.
“That’s so true.
You’re literally the only one he listens to without arguing.” She smiled.
“I don’t think so, no.
He’s just as weak to your requests, and Ciri’s, you know.” I smiled, a little amused.
She went on: “All right, let’s start training.
What do you know about magic, in general?” I thought about it.
“Mousesack taught me a bit.
From what I know, it plays a lot with our emotions a fire mage, for instance, is more prone to instability, to madness, from using it.” (Small author’s note: the fire magic Triss uses in the games is a CD Projekt scripting choice in the books, Triss is actually traumatized by the wounds she suffered at the Battle of Sodden.
She’s still one of the most brilliant sorceresses, but more oriented toward healing, herbalism, and protective spells.
Your author well, I think I’m your favorite author, I chose to merge both versions of Triss, the games’ and the books’.) Triss nodded, smiling, conjuring a small fireball in her palm.
“Mousesack taught you well, then.
Our feelings shape our magic a lot fire, like you said, can drive its user mad, unstable.” I looked at her, a little puzzled, pointing at her fireball.
“So how do you do it, then?
I asked Geralt, and apparently you’re one of the most fearsome fire mages around.” She gave a small laugh, amused.
“Guess I’ll have to reward Geralt for that compliment even though he’s probably forgotten I’m way more than just that.
But for my part, I use my fire magic with intense feelings too, except I’ve trained myself to channel love, passion, desire instead.” I looked at her, surprised.
“So if I’m getting this right, we’re not limited to just our most basic emotions?” She nodded, conjured a small shield with her other hand, then threw the fireball at it I saw the shield crack slightly.
She explained: “See, that fireball’s already pretty destructive, and I didn’t put any real feeling into it.
Now, if I add the desire to protect someone instead…” She cast the spell again.
I noticed the small shield in her hand looked denser this time the fireball slammed into it without breaking through.
She continued: “And if I put my most intense feelings into it, like the love I feel for Geralt, then…” The new fireball was noticeably hotter; it slammed into the shield, which cracked badly this time, eventually giving way but it had held up regardless.
She smiled.
“You get it, Aiden?
Magic is extraordinary, both in terms of imagination and power it all comes down to whoever’s wielding it.
Of course, despite what you just saw, I keep perfect control over my emotions.
But if, say, I were genuinely furious, my fire magic would get a lot stronger in exchange, my protective spells would suffer, because anger feeds raw power, not support.” I nodded, curious.
“And Yennefer?
What’s she specialize in?” Triss smiled, like she’d just been handed some good gossip.
“Yennefer, huh?
I’ll skip over the fact that you watch her a lot during training… Anyway.
Yennefer’s extremely versatile.
I even know and this stays between us that she practices some things that are normally forbidden.
And even as her best friend, I honestly don’t know the full extent of her power.” The minutes slipped by without me noticing.
I kept training with ice magic, but all I managed to produce were tiny snowflakes barely enough to chill a beer.
Triss laughed softly behind me, took my hands in hers, and said: “Let’s try something else.
Close your eyes, Aiden, and focus only on my voice, okay?” I nodded, closed my eyes, and focused on her voice, which began: “Picture a lake, flowing gently.” I pictured the lake as a calm stream, deer coming down to drink from it.
Triss continued: “Now, picture winter.” I did as she said small snowflakes started falling onto the grass and the water, which slowly turned to ice.
She went on: “Now, picture yourself skating on that ice, with Ciri.” Without even realizing it, I smiled I saw myself skating beside her, trying to teach her the basics, laughing at my own falls.
I heard Triss say softly: “Aiden.
Open your eyes.” I opened my eyes and found the whole area around us covered in snow and ice.
Triss’s hands were shaking slightly, but her smile hadn’t wavered.
I rushed to warm them between mine.
“Sorry!” She shook her head, clearly touched by the gesture, and used her own flame magic to warm her hands instead.
“Do you remember the feeling you had, just now?” Closing my eyes, I nodded.
“It was calm.
Gentle.
Warm like affection.” She smiled.
“Then hold onto that feeling, and use it for your ice magic.” I nodded, focused on that emotion, pictured an ice spike, and threw it at a tree trunk.
It pierced through, then two more trunks behind it, before stopping on the fourth.
I was thrilled I’d actually done real magic and I said to Triss, grinning like a kid: “I did it!” She laughed.
“Nice work.” End of flashback — POV Aiden I walked toward Kaer Morhen’s gates, leshen head in hand, smiling without even noticing, lost in that memory one of my most treasured ones, since it was the very first time I’d ever produced real magic.
Since then, I’d been taught the witcher Signs.
I’d turned out to be particularly good at them: Quen, thanks to the foundation Triss had laid, remained my strongest, followed by Igni, Aard, Yrden, and Axii.
As for my training with Triss, it kept getting better and better ice held no real secrets for me anymore.
I’d already started secretly training with other liquids too: in my room, I tried to make my own blood move.
After all, blood’s still a liquid, and I figured it could come in handy someday forcing an adrenaline spike mid-fight, for instance.
But for now, it was still really difficult.
And Ciri?
Her training with Yennefer was going well and at the same time, not really.
She was getting better at controlling herself, but the instability was still a problem.
Sometimes I’d catch Yennefer and Geralt in the middle of an argument about her, but every time I asked, they both told me it was nothing.
Arriving in the courtyard, I found Geralt, arms crossed, smiling, with Yennefer and Vesemir beside him.
He said: “Looks like the leshen didn’t put up much of a fight.” I shrugged, smiling.
“Had some good teachers.
Mostly just used the environment to my advantage.” Vesemir patted my shoulder as I reached them; I could see the pride on his face.
“Nice work.
I’ll tell you, it’s not every day a witcher takes down a leshen those things are dangerous.” Even Yennefer smiled softly, teasing.
“They’re right.
Impressive, for your age, Aidy.” I rolled my eyes, laughing.
“Since when do you call me that, like Ciri does?” Yennefer shrugged.
“She lost a bet.
Now I’ve got the right to call you that too.
She’s a little sore about losing exclusive rights to the nickname Triss is still off playing mom, comforting her.
You should go see her too, by the way.” I shook my head, amused, but Geralt cut back in: “You ready for your final trial?” I looked at him, nodding.
“Yeah, of course.” Vesemir pulled a Wolf School medallion out of his pocket.
“Your final trial is to solve a witcher contract on your own.
It’ll prove you’ve completed every stage, and you’ll be able to proudly carry the title of Wolf School witcher.” He handed the medallion to Geralt, who stepped closer and slipped it around my neck.
“Even though I know you don’t really need it, given your knack for detecting magic, it’s tradition to hand this over.” During my training with Triss, we’d actually noticed that my old magic gave me full visibility on anything magical spells, curses, enchanted objects.
I answered: “Thanks, Geralt.
Don’t worry, I don’t mind wearing it anyway.” He nodded, smiling.
“Go see Ciri, and get ready.” I nodded and walked off, rubbing the medallion between my fingers with a smile.
I’d almost finished my training I was finally going to see the world, even if it was just for a simple contract.
— POV Geralt Watching Aiden walk off smiling, an automatic smile crossed my own face but Yen’s words wiped it off instantly.
She said, fairly hostile: “You should’ve told him about your decision.
About Ciri.” I frowned.
Vesemir, behind us, simply said: “I’ll leave you two to talk.” He headed off in the same direction as Aiden.
I turned to Yen, sighing.
“I would’ve liked to, but you know how he’d have reacted.
He’d have wanted to come with us.” Yen, arms crossed, kept her eyes on me.
“That’s true, you’re right.
But he had a right to know.
Now, it’s too late.” I looked at her.
“Don’t worry.
We won’t stay long at Aretuza, and there’ll be three of us protecting her.
Nothing’s going to happen we’ll be back before Aiden even gets home.” She shook her head.
“Maybe.
But he’ll hold it against you for not telling him especially about Ciri, especially since we’re taking her to Aretuza while he’s gone.” She started walking in Aiden’s direction, calling back as she left: “But I can’t really blame you, it’s true this isn’t easy to bring up.
Don’t worry if he’s mad at us for making this call without him, Triss and I will still be right there with you.” I watched her walk away.
She was right I did feel guilty for leaving Aiden in the dark.
But sending Ciri to Aretuza was still necessary: the instability of her power had only gotten worse over the months, and there, she’d be protected by me, by Triss, and by Yennefer.
And if Aiden had come with us, with his old magic in tow… I didn’t even want to imagine the chaos it’d cause if someone detected it.
It was the best thing to do: leave while he was on his way to his own final trial, and be back before he returned.