Witchers of Nifelheim - Part 2

(Radiance)


"Sure.. I'll give you a nightmare.." a phantom voice laughed from somewhere above and the picture became muddied and changed.

You stood atop the shoulder of a massive, towering robot. Its guns were trained at a city, dozens of kilometers away. Its tiny orange lights were faintly sparkling in the distance.


"Years ago, your hands took the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent souls, because you failed to decipher Mareks ruse in time.
You are correct. Try as you might, you cannot rewrite your past.."


A bright flash of light suddenly engulfed the city, swallowing it in a pillar of fire that decimated everything in its path.


"...tell me... Radiance... how will you prevent such a catastrophe in the future?... how far are you willing to go, to stop something like this from repeating itself? What will you do different?


The harmless, scarred, elderly man, turned out to be a monster, hiding in plain sight.
What will you do now, if you find another like him? A person who cannot defend himself, yet may potentially bring down the demise of thousands, including you, by simply uttering a few simple words.


When you will find another such person, someone who seems defenseless and yet, may potentially destroy your world...

How will you treat him now?"

(Silent Mist)


"You don't like it? Awww.." the girl quietly said, continuing to carefully walk along the guard rail, until she was closer to you:

"I've constructed this place, based on your memories of Earth. Its not a real place, I just imagined it" the girl stopped and turned toward the ocean, watching its blue waves:


"...after living in Nifelheim for so long.. the cold and the.. snow and the.. long nights.. I guess I wanted to imagine the complete opposite of it" she smiled, looking at the golden beach, as the wind gently swayed the palm trees in the distance.


"I guess.. it would be something like this" she said, before turning around and releasing a bright smile:

"I'm Laylah by the way. Your new friendly neighbor.
We can go somewhere else if you want"


She nodded to you encouragingly, energetically waving her hands:
"Come on! You just have to imagine! If you could go anywhere, where would you go?"

(Rogue Fire)


The pony looked back at the sky, contemplating your words:

"...would I.. make the ultimate sacrifice.. to save another of my kind, or my entire species...?"

He looked down:

"I don't know... I've never thought of it before.
Our species values individuality, above all else. Internal power struggles and fighting among ourselves is common place. When driven mad by the hunger.. the parasites sometimes consume each other.. did you know that?..."


He slowly rose his head and looked back at you, his eyes were empty, blank. But something began to gradually glow there. A tiny, barely notable spark:

"...I would like to know what it feels like... to fight for someone... other than.. myself...
I want to know this feeling... I want to experience as many different things as possible"


The sea pony blinked:


"I was born roughly 2 days ago. The only reason I'm like this.. is because Glystaria can pass down certain memories to their descendants.
How to speak. How to read.... How to fight... How identify food. How to identify a threat.. how to identify a Witcher...

I was born with all of these memories, but they are detached from me. They have no meaning of my own.

I am a blank slate.
I don't know who I am.
The only thing I know for sure... is that I want to live" He quietly said and looked at you.

Rain smiles, "So thats it then." She says quitely, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, imagining the middle of a forest, Pine trees scattered left and right. The forest floor covered in a pillow of pine needles, snow gently falling across the trees in the dim daylight, "You know squiggles... I love fall and winter..." she says quitely, "How about instead of fighting we go on a trip. I can show you some of the most beautiful things and places and you can show me the same for here."

The forest is silent, only the trees can be heard through the wind, so quite you could hear the gentle pitter patter if heavy snowflakes hitting the ground, "I treat you like this because well... I guess I care about things more then I think I do. When you were in that big dogspider i thought it was horrifyingly addorable." She imagines the monstrosity sitting with them, "Then you spoke to me and oh boy did that change everything." She smiles and laughs quitely, giving him a gentle push on the shoulder, "Come on your supposed to be breaking me, not the other way around."

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Rogue Fire)


The pony looked back at the sky, contemplating your words:

"...would I.. make the ultimate sacrifice..  to save another of my kind, or my entire species...?"

He looked down:

"I don't know... I've never thought of it before.
Our species values individuality, above all else. Internal power struggles and fighting among ourselves is common place. When driven mad by the hunger.. the parasites sometimes consume each other.. did you know that?..."

"I did not know that" Rogue shakes his head, "Y'all seemed like a pretty unified horde when we ran into you, though I guess that was because there was plenty of grub to go around. Must make friendships hard to come by?"

Kaylee Brown wrote:

He slowly rose his head and looked back at you, his eyes were empty, blank. But something began to gradually glow there. A tiny, barely notable spark:

"...I would like to know what it feels like... to fight for someone... other than.. myself...
I want to know this feeling... I want to experience as many different things as possible"


The sea pony blinked:


"I was born roughly 2 days ago. The only reason I'm like this.. is because Glystaria can pass down certain memories to their descendants.
How to speak. How to read.... How to fight... How identify food. How to identify a threat.. how to identify a Witcher...

I was born with all of these memories, but they are detached from me. They have no meaning of my own.

I am a blank slate.
I don't know who I am.
The only thing I know for sure... is that I want to live" He quietly said and looked at you.

"Don't we all, in the end, want to live if the option's open to us? It's two very big worlds out there, and they're not all doom and gloom; there's a lot of beauty and goodness out there too, and it'd be almost a crime to miss it all just stuck in an endless predator/prey cycle. I'd be happy to have you along for the ride, so that you can become your own person" Rogue nods

"But only two days old with memories passed down from progenitors? That gives me an idea... Can you go back to a memory of a dream I had a few days ago, it would've been based in this world before I actually came to it, and I was running first through a forest, and then down a staircase carved into a tunnel?"

"How curious." She replies. "A straight up battle already. I'm not complaining, it's how I prefer it as well. Mind games like before only serve to waste time."

She slightly bended her knees. "To be honest, I don't have the intention of letting you take over my body. That has happened too much already. Perhaps we can find a way to let us both be happy." She lets out a small smile.
"But that has to wait for now."

Twilight's small smile suddenly turned into a wicked, psychotic grin. She stomped the ground, testing her power.

"I have one word for you, Alyx."

She reared back her arm, preparing to fire her magic at him, if possible."

"SUBMIT!"

“Nowhere really. Nowhere seems to have nice memories. I’ve killed to many peaople to have nice places.” Mist mumbled, crossing her arms.

“And I would hardly call you a neighbor. More of an invader.... or a parasite. Not the sort that I would invite for cakes and tea.” She closed her eyes, ignoring the surroundings for a moment before looking again. She glanced down at her arms, wondering if they were still metal.

"Do you think that I wanted to kill Marek after he mind-controlled me and exponentially raised my personal kill count? Or that I held any anger towards Emerald when she betrayed us? I don't see these people as enemies but as victims to be saved. 

I will always expect the worst in people, it's part of our selfish human nature. That doesn't mean that I will give in to those negative thoughts though. 

I only physically see darkness. These images under any other circumstance would have a much greater effect on me. However, your attempt at shock failed before it even started. I knew that my fears would be realized and so I prepared.

But to answer your question, I will continue to treat every being I meet with the same level of decency that they deserve. Marek was lost. So I worked to help him find himself again. Even if it was too late to cure the anger he held I never lost sight of him as a person.

You, on the other hand, are simply arrogant. Had you picked a mind who had not already interacted with criminals, and unspeakable horrors of all kinds you would have already had the victory. But you made the mistake of entering my mind and like an arrogant child, you're going to experience the discipline of a parent.

Dig deep, deeper than you ever have. Down to each kill my hands made when taking Slavegear for the first time, to the sound of bone snapping when I granted Serena death over potential hell, to each and every crime scene filled with the scent of death, and the utter terror of survivors of murder and rape victims.

You could spend hours with each one constructing the perfect nightmare. But then you'd be trapped in here with me and by the time you found something that might break me, the Witcher's out there would end us both. My body is not a temple for you to rule but a prison and you're stuck in here with me.

Stay with this course of action and you will never escape! You will die long before you ever gain control! I claimed I would break you and I will!

SUBMIT TO ME!!!"

(Rain Runner)


Squiggles laughed a little: "If you keep imagining me as a dogspider, I might actually turn into one. This is your subconsciousness after all. I'm not sure how I feel about looking like a dogspider again"

He twisted his head left and right, looking at the pine trees in awe, the snowflakes slowly falling on his black suit.

"This place is very beautiful..." he quietly said, then looked at you: "I think we have enough time to visit at least one more location.
We shouldn't linger here for too long. You're basically comatose in the real world, not the most healthiest state for a human body"

(Rogue Fire)

Rogue wrote:"Y'all seemed like a pretty unified horde when we ran into you, though I guess that was because there was plenty of grub to go around. Must make friendships hard to come by?"

"Friendships?... yes... hard..." the pony quietly said, looking down: "Almost impossible.
Driver by self interest and our competitive nature, parasites strive to amass power, as much and as quickly as possible. The weaker parasites often get consumed in the process."

He absentmindedly waved his feet in the air, back and forth:

"...the only friendships I've seen in my ancestors memories... were the connections between parasites and their Witchers... after decades of fighting together, they sometimes formed certain bonds... mutual respect... a friendship... it is a strange thing.." the pony looked ahead at the city.

Rogue wrote:Can you go back to a memory of a dream I had a few days ago, it would've been based in this world before I actually came to it, and I was running first through a forest, and then down a staircase carved into a tunnel?"

"...yes..." the pony absentmindedly looked around and the world around you began to change. Becoming muddied, its colors fading and quickly replaced.
An ancient dried tree, just on the edge of the forest, massive mountain peaks on the horizon, piercing the sky. A barely notable hole, among the trees roots.
The pony slightly gasped:


"Yes... I know this place..." he quietly whispered: "I know how to get there..." the picture changed again, this showing the dark tomb, built into the massive stalactite. The after image of the transparent woman in a blue dress, appeared before your eyes.


The pony suddenly gasped, a vivid spark appearing deep in his eyes:

"Lucretia!"











The entire world suddenly flashed out of existence, replaced by a thick fog. It cleared away slowly, revealing an endless black desert. Heavy storm clouds moved up above, casting long, heavy shadows.
A small patch of gray sand was illuminated by an unseen light. You ended up at its center.


The sea pony slowly rose to full height, fixing you with a heavy stare. His hand jerked to the side, and the next second, a massive buster sword shot out of the clouds and loudly crashed into the sand. Its handle coming to a perfect rest in the pony's hand.


"... you're working with her" he frowned for the first time, gracefully pulling the sword out of the sand and aiming it right at you:


"I will not let you. Lucretia is the enemy! She is the enemy to all parasites!!! HAH!" He screamed out, lashing forward into a stabbing motion, his massive sword pointed right at you.

(Twilight Sparkle)







Your palm lit up with a bright orange flame, the fireball beginning to dance at your finger tips, longing to be fired.

"...I taught you too much.. too much for your own good..." Alyx smirked:

"You wish to achieve the Glasgow Synergy?... I will not enter such contract with just anyone. Prove you have the strength of will, to carry the power of Glystaria and I will consider it... HAAA!!!" He suddenly and quickly jerked forward, aiming the tip of his sword at your neck:

(Silent Mist)








"...they can become real, in this place.. your arms I mean" Laylah quietly said with a smile: "You just have to imagine"

She turned in place and looked at the blue oceans horizon, sparkling in the mornings sun. The seagulls continued to fly over the water, gently cawing in the distance:


"...the world can be a scary place sometimes... Conflict. Fear. Pain. Death. Sorrow.
Sometimes, there's not enough time to stop and take a breath. There's just too many things happening.

But... I like to think... there's more to this world that just violence" she gently smiled, looking at the horizon:


"I am a Glystaria... a parasitic life form that cannot survive on its own. To exist, I must consume the life force of other living beings. Be it plants, or trees or, sentient creatures. Its not that much different from Moon, I think.. she must drink blood to survive. But she found a way to do it, without harming others, didn't she?.. and.. from your memories, at least..

I think she's a good person" Laylah smiled.


"...the parasites are locked in a bitter war with the Witchers... relentlessly lashing out at each other, killing each other, sacrificing themselves... dying... and one day, one side is going to win.."



She looked down at the palms of her hands with a sad smile: "I... am a parasite... a Glystaria...
as such, my place in this war was made for me...
But I want nothing to do with it.

I don't want to harm or kill anyone... I want to... create..." she wistfully looked at the golden sand below her feet, its tiny grains faintly sparkling in the sunlight:


"...create... things like this place... something beautiful, among the world of violence... a place of peace... for the soul... where people can come and feel safe... feel.. happiness..." She collected her palms, holding them over her heart and closed her eyes with a smile:


"That is my purpose.
For I am called Laylah, the Infinite Canvas"

(Radiance)








A low, quiet laugh rang from somewhere above and the entire world flashed out of existence.

"...I will not bow to you, simply because you demand it" the voice called, as an endless black desert slowly opened before you. Heavy storm clouds moved up above, casting long, heavy shadows.
A small patch of gray sand was illuminated by an unseen light. You ended up at its center.


A very long Naginata was stuck in the sand, at a perfect 90 degree angle. At the tip of its hilt, sat a sea pony, dressed in dark robes. He smirked:


"So much confidence in your voice, after so many failures. Makes me wander if you are a paper tiger"


The sea pony rose to full height, standing at the tip of the hilt, in perfect, impossible balance:


"Ursula almost died today. You know that, don't you. She would never admit it, but just one more gun shot, one more wound and she would have burst into flames and turned into a pile of ash, right in your arms"

The figure grinned: "...under that winged helmet, she could have been anyone's daughter. She could have been Yurria.


Don't even tell me you didn't plan to take her life, when she began the suicide spell. What would you have done, when you'd realized you murdered your own daughter? Where would be your confidence then?"



The pony did a violent back flip, kicking the naginata out of the sand and grabbing it with both hands, aiming its blade at your throat:



"Tell me, Radiance... the next masked Witcher you'll meet... the next Witcher, that will try to take your life and the life of your comrades... what will you do, exactly, knowing she may be your daughter...


If she will force your hand, just like today, making you choose between the death of your comrades, or the death of your daughter... what will you do then?..."

Rain takes a deep breath, "I can pull one more you probably dont exactly see other seasons here, then again I have no idea." She closes her eyes and looks down in thought, "What to make, What to make." After a few seconds the picture changes, the tempature goes up but remains somewhat chilly. The area is dark and stormclouds can be seen rolling through the sky casting a dark light across a new forest. New colors surround them as the wind picks up bringing a whole new bite to the air. The trees are coated in oranges, yellows and reds, the wind throwing their leafs off their stems and to the ground where they sit. A creek can be heard very close by. Rain releases a happy sigh and slowly rises to her feet, "come along, I have much to show you." She says quitely holding out her hand to help the boy up.

Not losing the grin for a moment, she slightly jumps back, tossing the fireball at his feet. After the toss, she spread her wings and took the air. Getting about 5 meters in the air, she began to hover in place.

"You're right, you shouldn't submit to just anyone! But you might have missed something, Alyx. You merely had to teach me how to tap into this energy, Because vast magical knowledge on spells and control were already mine!"

She thrusts both index fingers in the air, to gharge a large ball of energy. One of fire, the other of thunder. She tested the combination, before hurling it down.

"Don't worry. Once we achieve the synergy, I will satiate your curiosity. I'm an avid reader as well, as you know. All you have to do, is grant me power until this journey is over. When I get my own magic back, don't worry about the rent anymore."

"The master has failed more times than the apprentice has even tried" Radiance shifts into a combat stance. Wings slightly open and sword raised in front of him "You spent all that time in my brain and still don't know that taking a life is not something I do just because I am threatened. If I wanted Ursula dead I wouldn't have jumped in front of that fire spell or held Mist down when she opened fire.

We've spoken in circles long enough. No matter what either of us say next, we'll be no further along. Let's settle this with steel"

Having seen that almost any race can cast magic in this new world and that they are technically insdie of his own mind Radiance attempts to cast some magic of his own. While speaking, he attempts to summon forth an orb of light.

Rogue throws up a forcefield to stop the sword thrust in its tracks, figuring that in his mind he would still be able to use magic. "Dude, before you try to kebab me, just listen! You have access to the memory, so go back to it, focus on it, get the context! I'd just fallen into a coma and had no idea what was going on in Nifelheim back then, I had and still have no idea who she is, she just showed up in my dreams and told me where to find some holy trail that would save my world, I just had to take her by her word in good faith!

Now you can confirm what I'm saying is true by going back and just taking a moment to think about this calmly, remember what I said, don't let your emotions get the better of you and control your actions! Now you say that she's your enemy, but you haven't given any evidence for your claim and have just jumped to conclusions, so how about instead of fighting, you show me the memories from your side of the family, show me who you remember her to be!"

"You really seem to have taken to the name Laylah. She was one of my former girlfriends. Ended up joining the army, and I followed her. All the way to Nyx. She was the one who told me to run and reveal the corruption. She got stabbed, and I ended up driving my motorbike over a minefield." Mist sighed and turned to look at the sea, closing her eyes and rubbing one arm with the other. She turned her head and looked at Laylah.

"What are we going to do then? Are you going to take over my mind? By rooting through my memories, you should know that I have to make it. I have a daughter to find, and a magical problem to fix. That's assuming the others make it out alright, I don't know what their parasites are like. Probably less conversational."

(Rain Runner)


Squiggles gingerly took your hand and got up, looking around with a mix of weariness and curiosity:

"Where.. are we?.." he quietly asked, looking around the autumn forest: "Its so beautiful here"

(Twilight Sparkle)


Being too close, Alyx didn't have time to dodge and the fireball hit him across the legs, making him trip and fall flat on his face. The boy quickly recovered, rolling forward over his head and raising his sword again, aimed at you.

His eyes widened in surprise slightly, as two spheres of fire and lightning suddenly materialized in the air and flew right at him.

"Heh... don't take me lightly.." he quietly said, releasing a small smile, before suddenly hurling his giant two handed sword right at you, like a projectile. For a massive blade of its size, it flew eerily fast, squeezing right between the two spheres of magic and flying directly at your chest.

(Radiance)


A bright orb of light began to materialize in the palm of your hand, making the sea pony in front of you frown.

His frown soon changed into a smirk: "...we'll be no further along?.. I'm getting exactly where I'm headed.
Whether you choose to lie to yourself, is irrelevant. It matters not, how charismatic you are.
I know... in that small time frame, after Ursula began casting the suicide spell, but before you knew she was Rains daughter...


You plotted her death... just like many of your comrades...
And since you chose to deflect my last question to you, I already know what's happening in the depths of your mind"


His smile became crazed: "...you fear... you doubt... your ability to get through to your daughter, or even identify her, the next time you'll end up in a fight for your life. And when your comrades lives will be threatened, you will fear, if you'll have to choose between their lives... and the life of your daughter...

And if that fear did not exist before... it will now... because I mentioned it" the man's smile became unhinged, as he pointed his naginata right at you:



"I am called Echo of Doubt... and you have lost this fight, the moment you began hearing my voice. HAAAA!" The man turned into a blur, charging forward and ducking low. His naginata aiming to pierce your neck as he charged right at you.

(Rogue Fire)


The buster sword loudly bounced off the force field, making the pony stagger and stop in his tracks. He looked at the force field in surprise, it seems he didn't think it was possible.

After a few moments, he closed his eyes. You could see his eyelids move slightly, as if he was in the middle of REM sleep. Another moment passed before he opened his eyes again and looked at you:


"I have looked at your memories. I understand now" he slowly moved his sword, sticking its edge into the sand:
"But I cannot show you my own memories. Its too risky. I do not know what will be the consequences of such an action.. my brothers and sisters, the other Glystaria.. it may endanger them.."

He looked at the palm of his hand: "...is this what you meant... to care for someone.. other than.. myself?..."


The pony thought for a moment, then shook his head and looked at you:

"I cannot show you my memories. Please do not ask me that. It may endanger Glystaria. You understand."


He looked down at his palm: "But I cannot sit idly by, either. If Lucretia really is-..."


The sea pony firmly looked up at you: "I wish to see it with my own eyes, this tomb you're looking for. And... I wish to learn more, about myself. About the kind of person I want to be.

In our current predicament, it is only possible, if we enter a special contract.
Humans call it.. the Glasgow Synergy.
A state in which we co-exist together, covering each other's weaknesses while amplifying our strengths.

It is the only way both of us can survive..."


The buster sword slowly faded and vanished in thin air. The pony slowly extended his open palm to you:

"...what do you wish to do... Rogue Fire...?"

(Silent Mist)


Laylah continued to quietly look at the ocean. For a few silent moments, only the cawing of seagulls could be heard.

"...I'm sorry.. about what happened to you" the girl quietly said after a moment:

"I do not wish to fight. I don't want to cause harm to anyone. Its.. not who I am."


She looked at you, her sad eyes reflecting the ocean:

"...there is a contract we can make... you and I... the Witchers call it.. the Glasgow Synergy.
It means we'll be able to co-exist together, without harming each other.
Whatever pain we will feel, we'll share it together. Whatever hardships we'll face, we'll face them together.

Covering each others weaknesses, while amplifying our strengths.


I can help you find your daughter. While you-" the girl brightly smiled: "You'll just have to keep me alive, so I can create many beautiful things, like this world here"
She spread her hands wide, spinning in place for a moment. Standing on such a short, tiny guard rail, her feet really moved with incredible balance, never tripping or loosing her footing.

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Rogue Fire)


The buster sword loudly bounced off the force field, making the pony stagger and stop in his tracks. He looked at the force field in surprise, it seems he didn't think it was possible.

After a few moments, he closed his eyes. You could see his eyelids move slightly, as if he was in the middle of REM sleep. Another moment passed before he opened his eyes again and looked at you:


"I have looked at your memories. I understand now" he slowly moved his sword, sticking its edge into the sand:
"But I cannot show you my own memories. Its too risky. I do not know what will be the consequences of such an action.. my brothers and sisters, the other Glystaria.. it may endanger them.."

He looked at the palm of his hand: "...is this what you meant... to care for someone.. other than.. myself?..."


The pony thought for a moment, then shook his head and looked at you:

"I cannot show you my memories. Please do not ask me that. It may endanger Glystaria. You understand."


He looked down at his palm: "But I cannot sit idly by, either. If Lucretia really is-..."


The sea pony firmly looked up at you: "I wish to see it with my own eyes, this tomb you're looking for. And... I wish to learn more, about myself. About the kind of person I want to be.

In our current predicament, it is only possible, if we enter a special contract.
Humans call it.. the Glasgow Synergy.
A state in which we co-exist together, covering each other's weaknesses while amplifying our strengths.

It is the only way both of us can survive..."


The buster sword slowly faded and vanished in thin air. The pony slowly extended his open palm to you:

"...what do you wish to do... Rogue Fire...?"

"Well, now that I know first hand you guys aren't just parasitic animals like I was told, but sentient people with dreams and aspirations, I'm not really fond of the sound of anything that might put your species in danger, I don't exactly plan on putting a genocide on my resume in any context other than 'the prevention of'.

But at the same time, we've been told one thing about how to save both our worlds, by this apparently now-deceased Lucretia person, and you remember a slightly different scheme of things, where seemingly that same method to save our worlds'll doom your race.

Now we're all agreed our final destination and goal is behind that door, whatever it actually is, and now we know how to get there, so one way or another, we're going to find out the whole truth eventually, and it'd be better if it came willingly from one of you guys before we reach it.

I'm new to this neck of the woods, and there're still a lot on unanswered questions being thrown around, as you well know, but the fates of two planets and two races all hang in the balance here, everyone's running out of time, there's a shadowy organisation scheming in the background, the local authorities distrust us as it is, and we're about the only ones that can pull off the big job.

It's just like I said, being in the right place, at the right time, with the right people, the chance to change the world. Well this's your chance, so you got a name, roommate?" Rogue asks, clasping his hand in a firm handshake.

"What are the drawbacks of this? There have to be some, what is it?" Mist frowned and turned back towards the sea.

"I've made bad deals in the past, I don't want to make anymore mistakes. And I want you to be honest with me. It's my body we're talking about here. Damaged it may be, but it's still mine."