Witchers of Nifelheim - Part 2

"I assume that once we've lost it's to the same effect as us winning. Or could she gain a second win and subdue the parasite?" Radiance joins the two at the window, "But, I'm almost not surprised it's happening like this. As much as I sound like a monster I've been wondering for years now when she was going to finally lose it. 

The things I've heard and witnessed about her. I'm amazed she stayed sain this long. But sadly even the best-built defense will eventually fall."

Kaylee Brown wrote:

Ursula looked at Rogue: "Lucretia?..." she thought for a moment then shook her head: "No, I'm not familiar with that name. Who was she, what did she look like?

"To be continued" Rogue replies to Ursula as Kaylee bolts for the door.

Kaylee Brown wrote:Going through the exit door, you end up on a stone circular staircase. It was leading up, to the upper floors, and down to the ground floor.

You heard faint footsteps from below and for a split second, you saw Kaylee's shadow literally running on a wall and heading to the ground floor. She vanished from view shortly after, obscured by the circular staircase. You can't seem to sense her through the walls.


Every seasoned Witcher in the room stampeded after her. Ursula was the only one who didn't run toward the stairs, she calmly turned and walked toward the window, opening it wide and looked down.
The sight of the snowy field and the strongholds main entrance, came into view down below.


"What the hell happened!" Johan nervously yelled, running closer to Ursula.

"Kaylee failed her ritual.." Ursula grimly said: "The parasite took over her body and will try to escape us, by any means available to it."

"Her parasites' in control? Then what about Kaylee?" Johan asked, looking down from the window as well: "What's happening to her now?"

"She's dying" Ursula quietly said: "The parasite is now consuming her soul. She will be dead in minutes"

"But not dead yet. If we get her back, we can try the ritual again, right?" Rogue says, joining Ursula at the window and judging the distance to the ground and across the yard, "Rolo, i'm gonna need some juice! How do you feel about flying?"

Mist ran up to the window as well, wondering if she could survive the jump. It seemed like a stupid idea. Personally, she didn’t know Kaylee well. But she was important to Moon, and dreaded telling the unicorn that she had outlived yet another friend.

“Is there nothing we can do?” She asked quietly.

Rain takes ursulas hand, "lets meet her down there and pin her when she gets out the front door." Rain steps. Back and crawls out of the window, lowering herself onto the ground she presses her back against the side wall, she holsters her revolver and gets ready.

Entering Overwatch. as soon as Kaylee opens the door rain will deliver a swift punch to the head

Ursula frowned, rapidly thinking: "To attempt the ritual again, we'll need to force feed her the potion again. It will send Kaylee's parasite into a comatosed state, during which he'll end up in the depths of Kaylee's soul.

There, Kaylee will have another chance to fight him again."


Ursula quickly rushed toward the pot, still smoking over the fire place and poured the last of its contents into a small vial, then promptly closed it and attached it to her belt.


"Kaylee's parasite knew exactly which buttons to press. He had complete access to her memories, even subconscious ones. Every horrible thing she may have forgotten as a defensive mechanism, the parasite could force her to remember.
Reinforce her self doubt, echo whatever negative feelings she had towards herself.

And if she felt guilt or blamed herself about something, the parasite would exploit it, until he crushed her will."  




Looking down from the window, it seems the ground was a good 10 meters below.

Rogue could feel Rolo shivering, as the height of the drop sank in:
"If by flying you mean jumping and breaking our knees and regenerating, I suppose we could do it..  but I think we should pass.." Rolo nervously said:

"I can give you a lightning spell. It has a chance of stunning its target, but also causes heavy injury."




Laylah suddenly gasped, as if remembering something:
"Mist! Do you remember what I said about Sanity? It works the same way on parasites.
If we destabilize the parasites mind using magic, it will send him into a coma,
allowing Kaylee another chance of taking control."

Bizarre, very complicated mathematical formulae began flooding into Mists mind. Drawings and pentagrams, strange symbols she never saw before. But somehow, she understood all of it.


"Mist, I'm giving you a very powerful spell" Laylah said:
"Its called - 'Fear'. It attacks the targets Sanity, without causing physical harm. It is a spell from the Parasites Spellbook.
A spell that's been banned by the Witcher community and is highly frowned upon.

However, I believe its our best option.
Hit Kaylee twice with it, and it should be enough.

Mist, you must not miss. You can only cast this spell twice, before exhausting your Mana"




Ursula took Mist, while Johan took Rogue and the two unfolded their wings, jumping out the window and rapidly descending onto the ground.




Inside the stronghold, the Witchers and Twilight made their way to the first floor, just in time to spot Kaylee running along the far wall. Her boots were slightly glowing as she literally ran on a wall, making a beeline toward the main doors of the stronghold.

Without missing a beat, the Witchers discharged a barrage of fireballs in her direction.
Kaylee released an unhinged smirk, you never saw her make an expression like that in her life.
Unfolding her wings she suddenly made a bizarre aerial maneuver, dodging the fireballs and zooming toward the door.


Flying feet first, she smashed both boots into the door, making it fly off its hinges.

She flew out of the stronghold, riding the door as a skateboard, so fast that Rains punch missed, passing a few inches away from Kaylee's head.


The door crashed into the ground, Kaylee rolled over it, ending up back on her feet and broke into a mad sprint towards the forest line in the distance.
She still has about 100 meters of open ground to cover, before the forest would begin.
At her current pace, it should take her no more than 10 seconds to get there.

"Well I sort of meant levitating but oh well, guess we'll just have to work on the slang a bit" Rogue says to Rolo as Johan carries him down. As Kaylee smashes through the door and pelts it across the yard, Rogue cries out to Johan "Don't put me down, fly ahead of her, we'll get to the treeline faster than her and block off her path with one of my gunner's lightning bolts!"

“Laylah has an idea! Not saying it’s perfect, but it’ll do.” Mist said, hoping others would hear before outstretching her right hand, the metal fingers tracing out the symbols shown to her, pointing at Kaylee. Casting magic was still alien to her, it had always fallen within the realm of things she could never understand. But if it could save Kaylee, then it was worth a shot.

Running out of the door and watching the girl escape, Twilight held her hand up, ready to fire.

"As if I'd let you! No way I'm letting you escape, even if I have to put you down!"

With no time to see what realms have opened up to her by then, she just sended a fireball to Kaylee's body, with the intent to hit her legs or in front of her to slow her down.

Radiance jumps out the window as well. Placing his feet on the wall just below the ledge of the window the launching off of it. Using the speed to try and get overhead Kaylee as she is running.

"I need something of a disorientating concussive blast. What have you got for me?" Radiance calls to Echo within his mind.

"Guys, don't all target her at once, you might end up getting in each other's way and doing more harm than good. Take it in turns to cover each other, and call your attacks before you launch them!" Rogue shouts out to the others.

Rain opens her wings and takes to the sky drawing her revolver she takes a deep breath letting her body loosen up as she flys, she judges the distance between her and kaylee, "This shot has to be perfect squiggles, We are going for the shins." She takes a deep breath and holds it, pulling back the hammer she  steadys her aim and fires.

"I'll attack with you Rouge," Radiance shouts back "Ariel interception!"

Radiance wrote:"I'll attack with you Rouge," Radiance shouts back "Ariel interception!"

"Then flank her on the other side, we need to deny her the area in front of her, and herd her away from the forest and back towards the others" Rogue nods in confirmation.

"Levitating?.." Rolo asked in confusion: "..I'm not familiar with a spell like that"


Echo emitted a muffled sound, seemingly thinking: "Disorienting spells are too powerful, you're not strong enough to cast them yet.
I can give you a spell called 'Strength Sap'.
It takes away the targets health bar, without actually harming them. If you make their health drop to zero with that spell, they won't die, instead they will loose all their strength and be paralized.
Some often loose consciousness"

Echo said, as extremely complicated blueprints and mathematical formulae began flooding into Radiances mind. Pentagrams and strange symbols he never saw before. But somehow, he understood them.



Out on the field, Kaylee looked back over her shoulder and smirked, before unexpectadly unfolding her wings and using them to push the air forward, breaking momentum and coming to an abrupt stop.

The gunshot and the fireball violently struck empty ground, where Kaylee would be, if she had kept running.



The next second, a pale red sphere loudly materialized at the tips of Mists fingers and discharged towards Kaylee. Emitting muffled electric screeching sounds, the sphere smashed right over Kaylee's back, making her stagger and scream out.


Kaylee fell on one knee, covering her head with one hand. The smile faded from her lips, replaced with a distorted scowl.
Her eyes began darting back and forth, reflecting confusion and fear, before she emitted a brief shriek. It was filled with terror and pain.




Rogue and Johan had flown in from one side, while Radiance flew in from the other, cutting off Kaylee's path forward.

Twilight, the seasoned Witchers and Ursula caught up from behind.
Ursula looked at Mist, her expression heavy. The sight of that red sphere had notably unsettled her, but after a few moments Ursula grimly nodded to Mist and looked back at Kaylee.



Kaylee was grunting, her eyes angrily darting back and forth, looking at something that wasn't there. Her expression kept changing from frustration to fear, then back.


The seasoned Witchers slowed down, then raised their hands in unison, aiming at Kaylee and a row of fireballs began to materialize in the palms of their hands.

Ursula loudly barked at them, shouting something in an unknown language and raising her hand, blocking off their line of fire.
The Witchers frowned, but lowered their hands, their fireballs dissipating.



"...that's right... call off your dogs...hahahahaaa.." Kaylee emitted a low, gravely laugh, as she slowly rose to her feet.
Her left palm was holding the side of her head, seemingly trying to combat a sharp pain in her skull.

With a sudden motion, she flicked her wrist and a knife had fallen out of her sleeve, ending up in her right palm.
She immediately rose it up to her own neck, pressing the edge eerily close to her skin.



"One more move, scum, and your friends arterial blood will spray all over your faces"
Kaylee released an unhinged smile, her eyes glowing red:

"I am called Harris, the Unyielding Cruelty.
And you will let me walk out of here, or I will murder your friend, making you drown in her blood"

Rain Is the last to touch down her revolver still in her hand, "Unyealding cruelty huh?" She raises her brow, "I think I know someone a bit worse." Her mind going back to Burner, the muffled laughter echoing in her mind and making her shiver, "...and im willing to bet not just on kaylees... but on your life as well that you know just as well as I do that even if you dont heal after the cut... you wont do it." Rain pulls the hammer back on her revolver and takes aim at kaylees kneecap, "Tell me Harris. Do you see any open bodys to take before you? Because from what I can see your surrounded by nothing but witchers." She smirks, "Even if you kill kaylee your going down with her." She cocks her head, pausing a moment, "Im also willing to bet everyone here is open to killing Kaylee if it means she doesn't become a souless monster." She looks to ursula and then the witchers before flicking her eyes back to Kaylee.

"Very well, we accept those terms of yours." Twilight says with a cold face. "You won't kill our friend and we let you go. It's a fair decision."

She smiles, staring up her words again before others could interject. "However, you're already eating away at her soul as we speak, so the honor we granted to protect you stands, but since you're already commiting the murder..."

She points at the surrounded parasite. "Men! Break her limbs!"

In her head, she spoke to Alyx. "So I suppose you don't have any nonlethal abilities to give me, or is it just energy to be molded as I want? Because that last one would help a lot.~

Rain chuckles, "Twilights got a point here but allow me to add onto it. We can break all of kaylees limbs and stay here until shes fully healed... we have all the time in the world. We aren't being eaten alive, kaylee living or dying doesn't change the fate of our current situation." She glares at the parasite.

Rain consults squiggles, "nonlethals, anything, come on squiggles I need something to stall the situation longer."

"Laylah, I need some ideas and I need them quickly. Do I cast that spell again or try a different approach?"

Mist's right arm reached behind her back, seemingly a casual move. Her fingers wrapped around the grip of her revolver. Of course she didn't want to shoot Kaylee, but it wasn't like she had much of a choice but to hurt her friend.

While the others have her distracted Radiance fires off the Strength Sap spell.

Kaylee Brown wrote:"Levitating?.."  Rolo asked in confusion: "..I'm not familiar with a spell like that"

"When this is all over, it might be a good idea for you to do a bit of research, go over all of my recent memories to get you up to speed, both on the political situation we find ourselves in, and the magic powers we can potentially start using again. I also have the entire boxed set of 'Babylon 5' saved up there, so go wild with that" Rogue suggests to Rolo, keeping his eye on Kaylee and making sure her exit is blocked.

The purple glow of the spell Radiance fired, reflected off the fallen snow. Before anyone could react, Kaylee smirked, as her knife sliced half her neck open, just before the spell hit.

Blood sprayed all over Twilight and Rain, as Kaylee slowly fell on her knees. With each of her heart beats, a small fountain of blood was coming out of her neck.

"..death before alliance.." Kaylee whispered, her face rapidly growing pale as she crumbled onto her back. Her wound wasn't healing.



"NOOO!!" Johan screamed, rushing towards her and grabbing a hold of her wound. No matter how much pressure he applied to it, the high pressure of blood kept leaking through his fingers. A large pool of blood began to form around them, turning the snow red.


"Kaylee.. no!.." Johan weakly called.


Kaylee smiled, but it didn't seem unhinged anymore. For a brief moment, her eyes stopped glowing red:
"...bye-bye.." she quietly whispered, closing her eyes.



"NO!" Johan shrieked, grabbing hold of the wound with both hands, trying to stop the bleeding. A dim, ghostly light began to form under his palms. Teal, faintly glowing, it began to flow from his hands and into Kaylee.

The blood gradually stopped coming out, the wound began closing.


Ursula's eyes slowly widened: "...where did you learn that.." she quietly asked.




Kaylee was laying motionless amidst the red snow. Only the faint clouds of breath escaping her lips, showed she was still alive. When Johan removed his palms, the wound was gone.

"Ursula.. the potion.." he quietly called. Ursula remained frozen for a moment, before she nodded and rushed forward. Carefully lifting Kaylee's head, she unplugged the vial and slowly poured its contents into Kaylee's mouth.
Kaylee subconsciously swallowed and coughed, her eyes remained closed.



"...the ritual has started..." Ursula quietly said: "..but people are not meant to go through this ordeal twice. Her body is reaching its limit. If she fails again.. there won't be a third chance.."


Johan quietly sighed, wiping the sweat and blood from Kaylee's forehead:
"...she wants to die..." he suddenly whispered.


"What?!" Ursula exclaimed, frowning at him.


"...I saw it in her eyes.. just before she-" Johan cut himself off, then shook his head: "...I think she came to Nifelheim, expecting to die. I think she wanted it. All the burden, the fatigue, the guilt she felt, real or not.. I think it.. caught up to her...
After all the horrors she had to endure.. she's... tired.
She came here to die"



"How do you know that?" Ursula called, looking at him with haunted eyes: "How could you possibly know that!?"


"Because I had the same look in my eyes... once" Johan quietly said, looking down.


Ursula heavily stared at him for a moment: "Yet... you're still here."


"That's right" Johan firmly looked up at her: "Because there were people who didn't give up on me.
I wanted to die, I wanted them to kill me, but they didn't.
They never gave up on me. And she was one of them" Johan firmly looked at Kaylee:

"So I'm not gonna give up on her either"





Kaylee was laying motionless in the snow, just barely breathing. Her eyelids closed, you could see rapid eye movement behind them, as if she was dreaming. Her pale face sometimes twisting into a small frown or an expression of fear.

Johan gently took hold of her shoulder:

"...do you think she can hear us?" he quietly asked.



Ursula firmly nodded: "I know she can.
There is a reason, why the ritual is best conducted, with a family member or a close friend spotting you.
Your voices can reach her, while she is down there.. in the depths of her soul.

Locked in a phantom realm, fighting... she can hear all of you..
Your words.. can give her strength" she slowly looked up at you.

Kaylee Brown wrote:The purple glow of the spell Radiance fired, reflected off the fallen snow. Before anyone could react, Kaylee smirked, as her knife sliced half her neck open, just before the spell hit.

Blood sprayed all over Twilight and Rain, as Kaylee slowly fell on her knees. With each of her heart beats, a small fountain of blood was coming out of her neck.

"..death before alliance.." Kaylee whispered, her face rapidly growing pale as she crumbled onto her back. Her wound wasn't healing.



"NOOO!!" Johan screamed, rushing towards her and grabbing a hold of her wound. No matter how much pressure he applied to it, the high pressure of blood kept leaking through his fingers. A large pool of blood began to form around them, turning the snow red.


"Kaylee.. no!.." Johan weakly called.


Kaylee smiled, but it didn't seem unhinged anymore. For a brief moment, her eyes stopped glowing red:
"...bye-bye.." she quietly whispered, closing her eyes.



"NO!" Johan shrieked, grabbing hold of the wound with both hands, trying to stop the bleeding. A dim, ghostly light began to form under his palms. Teal, faintly glowing, it began to flow from his hands and into Kaylee.

The blood gradually stopped coming out, the wound began closing.


Ursula's eyes slowly widened: "...where did you learn that.." she quietly asked.




Kaylee was laying motionless amidst the red snow. Only the faint clouds of breath escaping her lips, showed she was still alive. When Johan removed his palms, the wound was gone.

"Ursula.. the potion.." he quietly called. Ursula remained frozen for a moment, before she nodded and rushed forward. Carefully lifting Kaylee's head, she unplugged the vial and slowly poured its contents into Kaylee's mouth.
Kaylee subconsciously swallowed and coughed, her eyes remained closed.



"...the ritual has started..." Ursula quietly said: "..but people are not meant to go through this ordeal twice. Her body is reaching its limit. If she fails again.. there won't be a third chance.."


Johan quietly sighed, wiping the sweat and blood from Kaylee's forehead:
"...she wants to die..." he suddenly whispered.


"What?!" Ursula exclaimed, frowning at him.


"...I saw it in her eyes.. just before she-" Johan cut himself off, then shook his head: "...I think she came to Nifelheim, expecting to die. I think she wanted it. All the burden, the fatigue, the guilt she felt, real or not.. I think it.. caught up to her...
After all the horrors she had to endure.. she's... tired.
She came here to die"



"How do you know that?" Ursula called, looking at him with haunted eyes: "How could you possibly know that!?"


"Because I had the same look in my eyes... once" Johan quietly said, looking down.


Ursula heavily stared at him for a moment: "Yet... you're still here."


"That's right" Johan firmly looked up at her: "Because there were people who didn't give up on me.
I wanted to die, I wanted them to kill me, but they didn't.
They never gave up on me. And she was one of them" Johan firmly looked at Kaylee:

"So I'm not gonna give up on her either"





Kaylee was laying motionless in the snow, just barely breathing. Her eyelids closed, you could see rapid eye movement behind them, as if she was dreaming. Her pale face sometimes twisting into a small frown or an expression of fear.

Johan gently took hold of her shoulder:

"...do you think she can hear us?" he quietly asked.



Ursula firmly nodded: "I know she can.
There is a reason, why the ritual is best conducted, with a family member or a close friend spotting you.
Your voices can reach her, while she is down there.. in the depths of her soul.

Locked in a phantom realm, fighting... she can hear all of you..
Your words.. can give her strength" she slowly looked up at you.

"Should we draw another pentagram around her, just in case?" Rogue asks Ursula "And Johan, remove all her remaining weapons and grenades and throw them over here. In retrospect, we probably should have made sure we all disarmed before we sat down" he gestured to the Witchers "You guys would have had no idea what a smoke grenade was, and that gave her all the edge she needed to escape the first time..."

With the fresh blood still staining her skin and clothes, she walks over to Kaylee and crouches next to her. She tries to lend a hand where possible.

"A close friend, you say? Let's hope we qualify for that."

She gets a bit closer, speaking to the unconsious body.
"Kaylee. Kaylee! Get your act together. You remember why you came here, right? Right? So don't you dare die on us before we get Zoy back, you hear?"

"It's not even just zoy that matters. Didn't you have a lover? Didn't you have a baby? I remember, I gave you the thing to make it! Me, Twilight, your shitty friend."

She looks solemn. "You're the glue holding this boat together. if you leave, who can do it? So for Zoy, for your country, for your friends, for your family, kick that parasites ass! And if you fall after that fight, we'll be there to catch you."

She looks up. "Kaylee, you've carried these burdens alone far too long. It's time to accept our helping hands."

She sighs. "Thanks for letting me speak. Now let's get her inside. I reckon this cold isn't helping her body keep it's strength."

Mist nodded quietly, watching Twilight speak. She seemed to debate whether she should say something but decided against it. Words had never been her strong point, and probably never would be. Violence was her stronger point, and it wasn’t much help in this particular situation. Had Moon been there, she would have known what to do.