(Radiance)It sounded like everyone was slowly led through an empty field. The snow kept crunching under the boots of at least 30 people around you. About 10 minutes later, a heavy door was opened with a loud screech and you were led inside some kind of building.
It was considerably warmer here, especially after the guards closed the door behind you. The walls were pretty thick, you couldn't hear the wind outside anymore.
A pair of rough hands led you down a corridor, until one by one, you heard everyone from the party split up, each one led into a different room.
Soon, your turn came and someone made you make a sharp turn, into an adjacent room to your right. Judging by the echoes of your footsteps, the room you were led into, was small. No windows.
You were led around a table and sat in a simple chair.
Your hands were once against tied around a wooden ball, in front of your body, so you couldn't move your fingers. Then you were made to sit closer to the table.
Everyone left the room, except one guard. You and him were the only ones there for a while. You could hear his quiet breath, as he waited by the door, possibly drilling you with his eyes.
Then, the bag was removed from your head by the guard.
He took the bag and left the room.
And then.
Your wife entered.
The sensation was insane, yet painfully true. You recognized her by her gate almost immediately.
Although, she was wearing extremely heavy, plate armor this time. Each individual plate slightly clattered with each step and move she made.
Her breathing sounded exactly the same. The sound of her lungs, slowly inhaling and exhaling. Everything was the same.
It was your wife. Every one of your senses told you that.
The door finally closed and you were left alone in the room with her.
For a moment, that seemed like an eternity, she seemingly just looked at you. Then finally sighed and looked at some kind of document that she was holding firm in her hand:
"...Radiance... of the Machine World...? Is this correct?" she spoke, half asking, having stating the matter. Her voice was maybe a little firmer than you were used to.
"We don't have your family name on your record" your wife slightly lowered the document, looking at you:
"I understand your trip here was less than ideal. You must excuse the men. The Machine Folk that usually show up here, end up butchering everything in sight. Extremely dangerous. Perhaps doubly so, now that you learned how to become Witchers.
... you must be hungry... would you like a bonsai, perhaps?" she asked.
You could almost palpably feel her gaze on you. Your wife was drilling you with her eyes, possibly trying to reach some sort of conclusion from every little detail she could pick up, your voice, your posture or body language. You could almost palpably feel it.
(Twilight)It was some time, walking blind through the snow, being led into some kind of structure, walking through numerous corridors, until you were finally led into a small room and seated behind a desk.
Your hands were tied up in front of you, forcing your palms to grasp a wooden ball, so your fingers couldn't properly move. All the guards had left, leaving you alone for a few seconds, before the door to the room opened again and two blurry figures walked in.
You could vaguely see their outline through the bag over your head. One of them took a seat in front of you, on the other side of the desk. The second figure stood slightly behind the first one. Before one of them reached out and finally removed the bag from your head.
You knew them.
Both of them. Even if the memory was nine months old and possibly fleeting. Even if you only saw them as children and toddlers before. Even if they grew up, their features changed, becoming more mature, their eyes heavy, their hearts strengthened by hardship, you could still see those kids from back then. Their soul still lived, lingering somewhere behind their eyes.
Zoy wistfully sighed, carefully watching you. Perhaps similar thoughts were running through her head, as she studied your eyes, your facial features. After several silent moments, she finally let herself release a small smile:
"...my god. Twilight. You haven't aged a day"
She momentarily closed her eyes and smiled, placing a hand to her heart:
"I don't know if you remember me. We only met briefly on that cruise liner. And a great many things changed since then. Many... many things" she looked at the table. Some sort of shadow passed over her, before she collected herself and firmly looked up at you:
"I will introduce myself non the less.
My name is Zoyah Alstreim. Commander of the North Watch. My job is to maintain a
constant watch over the Machina Portal to deal with any invading armies, whenever they decide to appear."
Her name momentarily put you off balance. Back on Earth, you remember her name being Zoy Belkin.
Zoy didn't give you much pause to think, as she continued on:
"The fluff of blond hair leaning on me, is my brother, Ryuuken Alstreim, King of Rakshata Castle Town."
Ryu slightly nodded to you with a smile. Despite how Zoy introduced him, you weren't nearly convinced that its actually Ryu, or if its actually Viki who just decided to dye her hair and pass for her twin brother.
The longer you watched him, the more you realized you couldn't tell for sure if it was actually Ryu or Viki, who was leaning on Zoy's shoulder. 'Ryu' must have picked up on your train of thought in your eyes and released a barely notable smirk.
"How are you feeling Twilight" Zoy asked and pulled out a bonsai tree from under a table, placing it nearby.
(Rain)The guards had unceremoniously half pushed, half escorted you into some sort of building. You heard Ursula's vocal protests, before you were separated and finally led alone, into some kind of room.
The guard seated you behind a desk and tied your hand up in front of you, forcing your palms to grasp a wooden ball, so your fingers couldn't properly move. All the guards had soon left the room, leaving you alone for a few seconds, before the door to the room opened again and a blurry figure walked in.
You could vaguely see its outline through the bag over your head. The figure lingered by the door for a few seconds, then decided to take a seat in front of you, on the other side of the desk.
It reached out and finally removed the bag from your head.
"Hi" the woman in front of you brightly smiled. At least, you thought it was a woman. The long hair and long eyelashes suggested it was Viktoria, yet something subtle about her voice and mannerism hinted to the opposite.
You momentarily caught yourself suspecting weather this was actually Viktoria, or her brother just dyed his hair and tried to pass for her. The longer you stared at the White Flame, the more unsure you became of who you were actually talking to.
The White Flame must have noticed it in your eyes and released a small smirk. Then dived under a table and pulled out two object.
A small bonsai plant in a pot, and a glowing Memory Orb. Then brightly smiled again:
"I am Viktoria Alstreim, the King of Rakshata. I will be conducting this interview.
And you are Rain Runner. The Machine World assassin sent here to kill me. This will be the main topic of our discussion. But not the only one."
Viki placed her hands on the table and interlocked her fingers. For some reason she seems to be in a good mood:
"...you must be hungry from the journey. Bonsai?" she asked, tilting her head with a smile.
(Rogue)After the guards had escorted you through the snowdrifts and into some sort of building, you were separated from the others and brought into some sort of tiny room.
For some reason, you were left to wait there for almost an hour, under the vigilant gaze of four guards who stood in the room beside you, before some kind of activity started to happen again.
The guard seated you behind a desk and tied your hand up in front of you, forcing your palms to grasp a wooden ball, so your fingers couldn't properly move. All the guards had soon left the room, leaving you alone for a few seconds, before the door to the room opened again and a blurry figure walked in.
You could vaguely see its outline through the bag over your head. The figure lingered by the door for a few seconds, then decided to take a seat in front of you, on the other side of the desk.
It reached out and finally removed the bag from your head.
"I'm sorry you had to wait so long, busy, busy day we're having" Viktoria smiled to you, hiding the bag under the table somewhere:
"I'm afraid I got held up in another interview. But I'm here now, that's what matters" she dived under a table and pulled out a potted plant for some reason. Gently and carefully placing it on the table, she slightly moved it towards you, closer to your left side and smiled.
From what you can tell, the plant appears to be a bonsai, or at least some kind of alien plant that resembled it.
Viktoria smiled again and continued:
"Your name is Rogue Fire of the Machine World, and my name is Viktoria Alstreim, the king of Rakshata Castle.
I believe this is the first opportunity any of us here on Nifelheim had a chance to actually speak with someone from the Machine World. Usually you guys just try to kill us, whenever you pop up" Viktoria released a carefree laugh:
"I actually wanted to use this opportunity to ask you a few questions... about the Machine World. Is that okay?" She asked, slightly tilting her head.
For some reason, something in her voice sounded a little too high pitched. The longer she spoke, the more you subtly began to suspect that it may not be Viki, but actually her twin brother, who just dyed his hair and tried to pass for his sister, attempting to imitate her voice.
The purpose of this was not readily clear, apart from the White Flame just trying to confuse you.
'Viktoria' brightly smiled to you, awaiting your answer.
(Circi)Under very heavy guard, that consisted of 6 different Witchers, were you led through the field and into some kind of building. For some reason you suspected the other didn't receive such a heavy escort.
Some time later, you were brought into some sort of cramped room with nothing but a desk and two chairs on its either side.
Four guards remained in the room, standing behind you and on each of your sides, when some sort of figure walked in and finally removed the black bag from your head.
It was one of the 'merchants', who traveled with you, ever since you first saw him enter your cottage. Although now it would be more accurate to say, he was a member of the White Lotus, Rakshata Castle's honor guards. One of the veteran Witchers who answered directly to the king of Rakshata.
You caught yourself thinking that you don't actually know his real name.
As if echoing your thoughts, the middle aged man sighed and nodded to you, taking a seat on the other side of the table:
"I am called Michail of Scharlacrot, member of the White Lotus.
You are called Circi. A.. Sinner, as the folk usually say" he sighed, locking his hands over the table:
"...Circi, I wanted to speak with you.
You're not Machine Folk. You're not an invader. You are a citizen of Nifelheim. You were born here, you lived here. As such, I am sworn to protect you. Regardless of weather you are a Sinner or not.
It is my job, as a Witcher. To protect all creatures of Nifelheim." he sighed again, looking at you. The longer the pause dragged, the more you got the feeling that he's trying to figure you out.
He finally spoke again:
"Circi I don't understand.
These people are invaders. Enemies from another world, sent here to destroy everything and everyone. Their missions got your home subtly leveled, if I remember.
Why are you aiding them? Why travel with them, when you know they came here to seed nothing but death and destruction?"
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