Witchers of Nifelheim - Part 4

(Radiance)



Bastila was silently looking at you. She was a little hard to read. Her heart beat and breathing were very slow and even, throughout the conversation.

You got the feeling that her demeanor softened slightly, but not by much:



"Everything you've done since entering Nifelheim, was for the purpose of making sure I was alive...?

Did that include endangering lives of the local folk? Innocent humans and spirits who have no defense against parasites?

Do you hold my life, above the lives of my people?"



Bastilas lips collected into a very thin line:

"...during your journey here, the guards ran a Deep Scan on your group. I was looking over their report of your stats, trying to understand, what kind of person my allegedly biological father was.

Do you know what I found? Or, rather, what I haven't found. A Dance of the Swallow"



Bastila's grip on her clipboard tightened, crumpling the papers on it:

"Is this a joke. Am I to believe my biological father is so irresponsible, he didn't even equip a suicide spell? Or did you leave it out because you feared for your life?"


Bastila leaned towards you. Her heartbeat slightly increased. Judging by how heavy and large her heart sounded, she was an athlete and her heart rate didn't increase often.



"Every other member of your squad had it equipped. This leads me to believe that you knew the purpose of the spell and its significance, and deliberately decided not to equip it"


Bastila ever so slightly bared her batpony fangs in agitation:
"...if you're trying to pass for my father, you're not doing a very good job. MY father, would never do something so irresponsible"

(Rain)



"My patience is wearing thin" Viktoria coldly replied:
"The only thing I understood is that you're a master of playing your interrogators like a fiddle.

You lied at least once. To that parasite, or to me now. And you're a very good actor."


She slightly leaned forward. Her empty eyes seemingly drilling holes in your soul:


"...can you provide a single piece of evidence, that would prove you were lying to Carvos?"

(Circi)


"Her life was in danger Circi" Michail sighed in sorrow:

"People often spill their guts when they're about to die. When they're out of options, when they believe it is their only chance to survive.

And Carvos had her completely cornered. There was nothing she could do, except tell the truth."



Michail leaned slightly forward, looking at you:
"You weren't traveling with them on the ships, so you joined their group very recently.

How well do you really know them? Circi, they are Machine Folk. Every time Machine Folk showed up here, they killed everyone in their path.


Think this through, Circi. You heard the memory.
Expansion of the realm, taking our land, killing the kings.

They tried brute force before, it didn't work. So they took a more subtle approach. These people our professional infiltrators. Its the only logical conclusion.


Just take a moment and think about this." Michail sat back in his chair and sighed:
"You don't know these people. We have no idea what they're really capable of.

Are you really going to risk your life? Risk your peoples lives, all Sinners, risk their lives by trusting them?"

"You make it sound that black and white but given the choice between you and someone I don't know I'd always chose to save you. That doesn't mean I don't want everyone to live, it's just that sometimes you know you can't save them all so you make sure to save at least one."

"You're right. I didn't equip it because of what it entails. Not the core idea of it preventing the glysteria from spreading and maybe even killing a few with you in the process, but the underlying idea. Killing your self is not something that you can ever undo.

I've seen more people take their own life on Earth from grief or failure than I care to admit. I've watched comrades drink themselves into near death because a friend took their own life." Radiance take a pause. "If you go into a fight with Dance of the Swallow equipped you doubt both your bodies ability to fight and your mind's ability to contain or reconfirm the bond you have with your glysteria. Though it you leave it you are not only putting full confidence in your ability to come out victorious but also that if your sanity does drop to zero that you can and will keep the Glasgow synergy together and live to fight another day."

"I understand your disposition, even if I find it uncomfortable to be in these conditions." Twilight says calmly, though it did weigh on her. "These words sting, but I suppose it is strange that some women that originate from the enemy side barge in and claim to be wondering where their childeren are."

She only briefly got a sharper gaze. "Clever to keep those of another side at length. But, if I have to guess, this war does not have two sides fighting, it has 5 sides. And you have to choose which side is the most importat to fight with, and which side could be reasoned with."

Her eyes goes softer, along with her face. "You haven't killed us on sight yet, even take the time to talk. I hope we can have more conversations like then."

She turned to her child. "Thank you for the offer. If possible, I would like a snack... And a hug. That may keep me warm enough for now."

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Rogue)

"An anti-Glystaria superweapon?" Viktoria asked, shifting her weight in her chair:

"..it almost sounds too good to be true. Almost.. I don't know.. too easy. Do you really believe it exists?"

"I've only ever seen it, in the memory orb we recovered from the last tomb we were in" Rogue explains, "But when Kaznachey learnt that we were searching for it, he looked genuinely terrified.

So yes, I believe it does exist.

If, as you say, no strike team ever left Nifelheim, then it should still be here. It'll just be a case of looking through the memory orb libraries, to try and identify where it went. It was stored in a sealed canister, should be relatively distinct from other military equipment they had."

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Rogue)

"And this.. Chairman.. that's how his title is pronounced? He's been after this.. Dark Machine this whole time?"

Viktoria fell into thought: "But why would he need it? There haven't been any Glystaria on Earth.. at least not until the Nagisa Castle incident.
And why is the Chairman trying to wipe out all the humans on Nifelheim?"

"Like I said, I don't know much more than that. I don't work for the guy, I'm just a private military contractor" Rogue shrugs, "But since we weren't aware of the existence of Glystaria, the leading theory was that there was some sort of contagious disease on Nifelheim, and that everyone here was infected.

The Chairman's efforts to wipe you out could be a crude attempt at disease control?

Irrespective of his motives though, he'll be guilty of war crimes back home. It shouldn't be a problem proving it in a court of law, what with all the memory orbs you have of the attacks, nobody on Earth has any idea this's happening."

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Rogue)

Viki spent a few moments, thinking things over, then finally continued:

"Alright. We'll discuss it further with the other kings. At any rate, I can guarantee that no Machine Folk strike team ever made it off Nifelheim.

Every invasion soldier that came here, eventually stayed here. Their bones are still burried under the snow.. close to the Machina Portal" Viktoria looked off to the side somewhere, possibly in the direction of the portal.



Then she looked back at you and smiled:

"Just.. one last question..

How did you level up so fast?"

"Was our levelling up particularly fast?" Rogue asks, "I'm still getting to grips with your magic system, ours was completely different.

If you're asking where we earned our experience points from, there were a number of sources. There were some large Glystaria, including a lizard one that attacked the mineshaft where we got the metal for our Witcher weapons, the fish one that attacked the naval fleet, and a hedgehog one set on us by Kaznachey.

We also killed the Glystaria Carvos, that murdered Ursula's adopted mother, and kidnapped our colleague Rain. And there was a rogue Witcher who died, when he and his gang were hired to kill us.

Ursula was a great teacher too, her performance thoughout was exemplary, a real credit to the Witchers and the people of Nifelheim."

(Rogue)


"A sealed canister, yes" Viktoria nodded: "I understand. I will let the others know, we will look into it"


At the mention of a contagious disease on Nifelheim, Viktoria's face contorted.
She sat in dead silence for almost a minute, her right hand slowly bending and crumbling a piece of paper on her clipboard, until she so hard, her knuckles turned white:



"Mangy, filthy, disease ridden peasants are we?" she quietly muttered through gritted teeth:
"...so... that was his plan... he exiled us to this fucking rock... and when he learned there's an infection spreading here, decided to wipe us all out... as a form of Disease Control!?"



Viktoria loudly slammed her fist into the table, leaving a very deep dent. Her entire face was completely distorted, with silently burning hate, as she gritted her teeth harder and harder.


After another minute, she quietly said:


"Rogue...... I'm going to kill that man."





Viktoria took several more moments to compose herself. Sort her hair, fold her documents, briefly checked her bruised arm that was rapidly healing, before taking a deep breath and looking up at you:


"...Rogue... about your current power... the guards took a Deep Scan of your stats...


To put things in perspective, I became a Witcher at 15 years old. Two years before the legally allowed time.
I spent the rest of my life hunting down every parasite I could reach. Growing my power and killing parasites, were the only things on my mind.

I was considered something of a prodigy, among my peers. One of the youngest to become a Witcher, one of the youngest to become king, the strongest mage of all Nifelheim.

There are very, very few peope who grew in power as quickly as I did.
I'm not saying all of these things to boast"



Viktoria leaned slightly forward, grimly looking at you:

"...do you know how long it took me, to reach the same power you have?
Two years.


It took me 2 years, to achieve what you did in 2 months.

And mind you, I was raised on Nifelheim, where there are no shortage of parasites, and I loved, hunting them down, every day."




Viktoria blinked: "The speed of your growth isn't just fast, its abnormal.

To run into an ancient, powerful parasite and kill him, is a very rare, often impossible occurance. But you've run into several ones, in a row?

Statistically, this shouldn't be happening. The ancient parasites are far and wide in between. And for you to kill them, without using Level 3 magic or higher, they would have to be heavily wounded, or out of shape."



Viktoria narrowed her eyes, not at you, just in general:
"...something is off. This shouldn't be happening... yet the results cannot be questioned. You have the same strength I did, two years after my joining.

Something is off" Viktoria looked away into space, frowning.

(Twilight)


Ryu locked you in a tight hug, resting his head on your shoulder. Some kind of maternal instinct, or the memory of how differently your children acted in the last battle, made you convinced that the one hugging you was Viktoria.

It seems she really did dye her hair blond and pretended to be her brother. The scar over her lip also looked fake, up close.



She finally released you from her grasp and took hold of your palm again, staring deeply into your eyes:
"Mom, listen.. me and my other siblings, we talked about what we should do.."


Her eyes became really sad:

"And we.. decided.. unanimously.. that its safer for you to return back home.
Nifelheim is a very dangerous planet, harsh and cruel. Everywhere you go, there's some parasite trying to kill you. Its not safe.."



Viki tried to blink away her forming tears and tried to smile:
"Its safe on Earth, right? No monsters, no parasites. You don't have to worry about dying every day and I won't have to worry about you being hurt either.


Besides-" she released a forced, pained giggle:
"Time on Earth runs really fast right? It will only be a few seconds for you, maybe a minute, and nine months will tick by on Nifelheim, and before you know it, we'll all Migrate to Earth and you'll be able too see us again, right away!

You won't even have time to be worried, and there we'll be, safe and sound, all of us on Earth, together again"




Viki released a very big smile, trying very hard not to cry:
"...we're right next to the Machina Portal. Its only activated from Earth but we're sure they keep watch on whats happening on this end.

If you guys all stand in the middle of the portal, they will probably teleport you back to Earth right away.
You'll be the first Machine Folk to return from Nifelheim! I'm sure they'll keep you safe as well... I'm gonna bring you some food now.."


Viki just barely notably sobbed and stood up, then stiffly walked toward the door. Zoy waited for her, then turned back and looked at you grimly:


"...weather you're our enemy, or our parents.. the safest option is to send you back to Earth." Zoy quietly said:

"...thank you for coming this far... we know you live now.. and you know we live. For now, it will have to be enough. Maybe, once we're back on Earth.. we can reconnect. Until then, its just too dangerous."




Zoy turned away, facing the door:
"...just... one more thing...
If you see Kaylee... tell her to stop looking for me. I have nothing to say to her.

Tell her, if I ever see her again... I will kill her, for what she did to me"

(Radiance)



"I suppose when you go mountain climbing, you don't take safety gear with you either, crampons, prusik cords, ice screws, nothing. It would mean you doubt your abilities." Bastila's voice was cold and quiet:

"A much better safety net is just putting full confidence in your abilities.
Of course, if something unforseen happens, like, the rock suddenly giving way and you falling to your death, you will loose only your own life."



Bastila planted her armored palms on the table:

"But if you mess up your Synergy, your actions will also takes the lives of the innocent people around you! They did not sign up to be Witchers, they shouldn't suffer for your actions!"





She slowly straightened up, her metal armor creeking slightly:
"The Witchers are a ticking time bomb. It is the price we pay for our power. So we need safety straps too.


Or are you so full of yourself, that the possibility of failure doesn't even cross your mind? That is the definition of irresponsible.




Bastila crossed her arms and shifted her weight:

"That aside, there seems to be a confusion regarding the spell.

If you reach a point where you need to consider its use, you're already dead. Its not suicide. Not really.
It is meant to be used when you realized you failed to contain your parasite, and have seconds left before loosing control. At that point, your death is already certain. Inevitable.

You're not choosing to die. That part will already be set in stone. You're only choosing not to drag the rest of the world with you."






Bastila lowered her arms alongside her body:

"When you equip the spell, you don't doubt your abilities, you are preparing for every possible scenario, and facing the harsh truth of the world.

Everyone is prone to err.

If you're not prepared, you and the ones you love will die.

To fail to acknowledge this is to be divorced from reality. This cannot continue. I cannot allow such reckless behavior to go on."





Bastila marched to the far side of the table and pulled out a small cart from under it. There was some kind of cargo inside. Bastila rolled the cart around the table and stopped by your left side:


"This, is a Calibration Stone" Bastila tapped the cargo inside the cart:

"You can hear its location by the echo, can't you" she straightened up:


"You will equip the Dance of the Swallow and carry it, for the rest of your life.
If you refuse, there will be conseqences." She said quietly and firmly.

Twilight smiles as her daughter gives the hug, trying to return the favor as good as she can. After watching Victoria leave, she looks at Zoy, trying to keep her head straight.

"I understand your motive for sending us back... But I can't guarantee our survival if we go that way. If my guess is correct, then going through there will send us straight to the heart of the enemy base. They will imprison us for intorregation, maybe torture us, perhaps even kill us for coming back alive after we became "infected." "

She looks down. "And... A world without my childeren is not a world I want to live in... In case we stay alive, the 3,5 hours apart would still mean 9 months of fighting for you. They can miss me over there for a few more hours, you can't miss any hands willing to work."

She sits back. "About that woman... I will tell her. I'll do my best to keep you two apart and convince her not to seek you out. She wanted to know about your survival, to make sure her choice of action was not for naught."

"That is all for now."

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Rogue)

Viktoria loudly slammed her fist into the table, leaving a very deep dent. Her entire face was completely distorted, with silently burning hate, as she gritted her teeth harder and harder.


After another minute, she quietly said:


"Rogue...... I'm going to kill that man."

"No complaints here, but try to hold back until after the trial" Rogue nods, "It'd be better for him to be properly convicted in the eyes of the law before he's executed."

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Rogue)

Viktoria blinked: "The speed of your growth isn't just fast, its abnormal.

To run into an ancient, powerful parasite and kill him, is a very rare, often impossible occurance. But you've run into several ones, in a row?

Statistically, this shouldn't be happening. The ancient parasites are far and wide in between. And for you to kill them, without using Level 3 magic or higher, they would have to be heavily wounded, or out of shape."



Viktoria narrowed her eyes, not at you, just in general:
"...something is off. This shouldn't be happening... yet the results cannot be questioned. You have the same strength I did, two years after my joining.

Something is off" Viktoria looked away into space, frowning.

"You're right, that is odd... What kind of things affect this growth? Can the lineage of the Glystaria symbiote affect it?" Rogue asks.

Rain rests her elbows on the table, bringing her weight forward, "I have in my possession a particularly important knife. Alders knife to be specific. I found it off his body as odd as that sounds, the bodys were in the swamp surounded by a crater." She pauses, "Which is most odd, because last time I checked parasites dust bodys apon their victims death. Yet we found alder and his friends still somewhat intact." She looks to the memory orb, "Alder was working for carvos way back. However I believe he and his team died to the treasurers big arse hedgehog." She falls quiet, a wave of gloom falling over her, "Regretable. We still gave them a proper burial. Nobody liked Alder but the way he looked." She meets Victoria's eyes, "A mask of terror still across his face, pale as the snow. His archer friend essentially liquified from the inside. We find Alder torn in half, I took his knife in his memory." She sighs, "Its just not right!" She suddenly blurts out, "Where does whomever get that much power. Why use it like that? I just dont understand how anybody could brutalize another being like that, I've done my fair share of kills I'll admit but the sheer disrespect to bodies, using the bodys of others to send your message! Its wrong."


Circi sighs pressing the ball to her forehead, "You arrived at my home with them, meaning you were with them up until you came to my house. I assume that you've been watching for far far longer. Perhaps give it a break with the prosicution and give me your side."

Radiance swaps Avatar for Dance of the Swallow, "Since you made the choice not a choice any more I will accept it.

Those nearly two months ago when we were first being introduced to the spell system it was highly recommended that a Witcher carry it and not that it was required. It's actual purpose as a failsafe and not a method of giving up wasn't sold properly. At least to me. I'm not sure if my allies understood or took tit simply to proove our good intentions."

// Hey everyone, sorry for the inactivity lately, the new job really drained all the energy outa me >.<



(Twilight)


Zoy heavily sighed: "...I appreciate the kind words you have for my brother and sister. But..

We simply can't rule out the possibility that you're enemy infiltrators. And the people on the other side of the portal, are the ones who sent you here.
The four children of Alstreim will convene and discuss what we should do next.

At any rate" She turned back and heavily looked at you: "...we cannot allow you to freely walk among Nifelheim.
Its simply too dangerous. For you. For us. Our duty to Nifelheim must come above all else.



As for Kaylee" Zoy bitterly smiled: "...we all have to live with her choices now, huh?..."

Zoy turned fully towards the door. You could only see the mess of blond hair on the back of her head now:

"Her choice................. she should have let me die"




Zoy opened the door, left the room and locked it behind her. Her footsteps in the hallway still echoed throughout the building, until only the howling wind outside was heard.


Subconsciously, you realized you were alone in the room now. And Alyx didn't waste a second, before he started feverishly whispering at the back of your mind:


"...Twilight cast the Avatar spell, now! We might not have another chance!" Alyx sounded like he was feverishly looking around:

"They're not buying our story, and if we let them send us back to Earth, its over!!! We have to escape, now! Think of a way to convince them along the way, but not when we're chained up like this!

Cast the spell, hurry, before they come back!"

(Rogue)


"The Glystaria's lineage? No" Viktoria shook her head: "It doesn't have any effect.

The only thing that affects growth, is the number of parasites you killed, and how powerful they were."


She bit her lower lip, rapidly thinking: "...the appearance of the Drowned Serpent, when he attacked our evacuation ships was very odd... our shipping lanes are pretty far from his stomping grounds.
His death would bring a very significant boost to your power, that's true, but it wouldn't be enough on its own.


There had to be other incidents.. other very powerful enemies you defeated... its just... so many in a row... something is off. I just don't understand what"


Viki looked off to the side. Her face was incredibly troubled, grim.

(Rain)



"Alder's Marauders... yes I've read the report" Viktoria said, shuffling through a stack of papers on her clipboard:

"It was.. odd. Yes. Parasites dust bodies, to consume their enemies power. Witcher's usually do the same. But the bodies weren't dusted.


My men reported, you hypothesized that the only explanation for this, was that Alder and his men were killed by a covert Machine World strike force."



Viktoria leaned towards you over the table, with a very grim expression:

"...Rain. We combed the forest. We combed the Ashra island before leaving. And we combed the shore of the mainland.
There are no sings of a Machine World strike force.

Rain. You are the only Machine Folk on Nifelheim. There's no one else out there"




Viki leaned back and tried to reorganize her papers again:

"The Treasurer is often called 'The Collector of Souls'. And Alder was extremely powerful, skilled. The Treasurer would have consumed Alder, given the chance.
It probably wasn't him.


But if it wasn't the Treasurer, it still invites the question, who killed Alders Marauders? What kind of message were they trying to send, by leaving the bodies like this? And to whom?"



Viktoria slightly narrowed her eyes at you: "...how do these questions prove your innocence?"

(Circi)


"My side?" Michail sighed: "From afar, they seem like decent folk. Fish out of water, unsure where they are or what to do, but still trying to do good.

But that's just it Circi" Michail heavily looked at you: "...those are only appearances.
That's how they seem to me, to my untrained eye. An eye of a soldier, who only knows war.


An enemy infiltrator would probably be a high class actor. Someone who knows how to play the fool, the naive, the kind hearted man of the people.
I probably wouldn't be able to tell, even if I met one. I'm not the best to interpret these things. I am only an old soldier.

So I have to go by the facts."


Michail sighed again: "And the facts are, every time Machine Folk showed up here, they tried to kill us.

And Rain Runner went on record, stating her hostile intentions towards us.
That's all I know."


He shook his head, then looked at you:


"Technically speaking, you haven't committed any crimes. You will be free to go soon.
What will you do now?"

(Radiance)



For a few moments, Bastila was just silently staring at you:

"So it is Ursula's fault, for explaining it poorly...?
Am I to understand that she knew you didn't have the spell on you, but had nothing to say on the matter? She didn't throw a hissy fit, when she realized you didn't have it equipped?"

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Rogue)

She bit her lower lip, rapidly thinking: "...the appearance of the Drowned Serpent, when he attacked our evacuation ships was very odd... our shipping lanes are pretty far from his stomping grounds.
His death would bring a very significant boost to your power, that's true, but it wouldn't be enough on its own.

"I scanned him when he first appeared, he seemed to already be heavily damaged before he attacked us" Rogue mentions, "Like he'd been the victim of a previous attack, and forced to flee his home?"

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Rogue)

There had to be other incidents.. other very powerful enemies you defeated... its just... so many in a row... something is off. I just don't understand what"


Viki looked off to the side. Her face was incredibly troubled, grim.

"We didn't fight any other enemies here that I can think of, and I assume enemies fought before joining with the symbiote don't count" Rogue shrugs,

"As for why we might be running into so many big ones, it could be Kaznachey sending them after us. We know he's also after the Dark Machine, and he's been following our progress as we investigate the ruins, so it might fit?"

Twilight just looks down in thought. She spoke to her parasite.

"Only if you can untie me a little. I have to look like I'm still bound by their ropes. The more it seems I go with them, the faster I can reunite with my childeren."

She lets out a sigh. "If not for them, I 'm better off doing a swallow dance."

"At first I told her my dislike like of it because of the suicide aspect. She, as you said, threw a hissy fit. My comrade convinced me in a calm and logical manner to equip it. Time passes and Rain, her mother, gets kidnapped. I'm able to convince Ursula to let me drop Dance of the Swallow for another spell temporarily and requip it later.

That ship we ended up, the one attacked by the higher tier glysteria, I believe she thought I re-requipped it during the voyage"

He looks her dead in the face. His eyes seeming to find hers despite them being mostly solid due to the cataracts. There is a sort of intensity to them. Not hostile but something else.

"Finding you was why I came here. Earth is slowly going insane due to the pillars showing up there and until you were taken it was never a consideration that behind them was another world entirely. We tend to get a lot of psychopaths and I figured that one of them had finally succeeded in whatever the hell they were doing.

Traveling through the portal and meeting Ursula I knew that eventually I'd be caught up along side my allies with whatever is happening. I also knew that you wouldn't be the same person you were back on Earth."

He maintains the eye contact but its intensity drops

"You grew up to be the woman I hoped you would be and I am incredibly proud of you. Whatever happens next remember that your mother and I will always love you."

Rain takes a moment to think, "Alder had somebody with him, someone under the gise of Tim; the wounded man on the caravan." She bites her cheek, "Enormous bite marks taken out of his head, teeth the size of my arm. We found footprints the size of our heads and then they just dissapear as if the thing took flight." She takes a deep breath, "If you can find out whatever that thing is you can eliminate the real threat. Alders knife is just a piece of the puzzle, believe me or not there is a far bigger threat out there and it cant just be left alone."

Circi raises her brow at the witcher, "Is it so hard to believe that theres a first for everything?" She shakes her head and sighs, "Are you here to interrogate me or to turn me against those weirdos?"

(Twilight)


"Twilight I appreciate your self sacrificial intent, but that's not gonna help your children" Alyx nervously sighed:

"If you go along with your children right now, they are gonna ship us back to Earth, straight to Chairman Central.
If that happens, its over!"


You heard what they said. Viki, Ryu and Zoy grew up in a savage, cruel world and it turned their hearts to ice. A very strong sense of duty was instilled in them and they look like they're gonna follow it to the letter.
Even if it means sending their possible mother away. If their duty, their social, military post demands it, they're gonna do it.



Twilight, they're not willing to listen right now. And we don't have an immediate way to convince them. Its not something we can solve on the spot. This will take time.


I know this sucks, I know it hurts, but we have no choice right now. If you're serious about helping your children, I mean really helping them, shaping their hearts back to the way they were supposed to be, then we must escape this prison.


Twilight, nobody likes to be ruled by an iron fist. The people of Nifelheim cannot be different. Your children are on the edge of a cliff right now, pushing on forward with their iron will and hearts of ice.

If you do not dissuade them from this path... it won't end well."




Alyx heavily sighed again, sending a palm through his hair:

"I don't know how we're going to convince them.. its something we'll have to figure out along the way.
But right now, the best thing you can do for them, is to remain on Nifelheim. Somewhere close by. Where you can keep an eye on them.


Cast the Avatar spell, we've wasted enough time"

(Rogue)


"..someone forced the Drowned Serprent out of his home?.." Viki slowly repeated, then grimaced:

"You're right, enemies fought before joining with the symbiote don't count. Only after.. but,

Kaznachey couldn't be doing this. If he wanted you dead, you'd be dead"



Viki's expression darkened significantly. For a few silent moments she just stared at the table, as if trying to decide weather she should continue, and trying to gather the strength to speak the words out loud.
She finally shook her head with a sigh and went on:


"...My father... General Alstreim was the King of Lieselotte.. and the High King of Nifelheim. At the time, he was the strongest Witcher alive.


Two years ago.. he...... Kaznachey set a disgusting, despicable trap for him. Once my dad realized what was happening, the trap was already sprung. He was stuck with a dilemma, on the one hand, there was the city of Lieselotte. On the other, him and a few hundred of the strongest Witcher Officers of Nifelheim.

And he could only save one of those two. He chose to save Lieselotte."


Viki looked at the table with an empty expression:



"Kaznachey is an abomination. A being of disgusting power and a master manipulator. He.. killed my father.. and removed the most high ranking Witchers off the face of the planet.

When we tried going after him for revenge, he.." Viki stopped herself and looked away:



"What I'm trying to say is... if Kaznachey wanted you dead, you'd be dead. But you're not.
You have survived several encounters with him, according to my men's reports.

It means you're not on his hit list. And there would be no reason for him to send ancient parasites after you. If he was serious, he'd come after you himself. He certainly has the power and he doesn't shy away from wet work.


No. Whatever's happening, whatever reason for your extreme level growth, Kaznachey is probably not involved.
There must be something else. Something we're missing"



Viki grimly looked down for a moment. Then began gathering her papers:

"...I will discuss this with the other kings. You've given me a lot of new information to process.
Rest for now, you must be feeling worn out after the journey here."


Viktoria stood up straight and nodded to you: "Thank you for your cooperation, Rogue Fire. I hope we can meet again on more pleasant terms one day..." she looked away:

"...after the war with the Machine World is over" she politely nodded to you and marched out of the room, locking the door behind her.



A few moments passed before you realized you were completely alone in the room, for the first time.

Rolo excitedly quacked, in the depths of your soul:

"Rogue! Now's our chance!
I do appreciate their polite hospitality, but risking being shipped back to Earth is not something I wonna risk.

Cast the Avatar spell and lets bounce!"

(Radiance)



"I already have a mother and father! And you're not my dad!!!" Bastila suddenly screamed out. For some reason, all her reserved temperament vanished in a split second.
She was fuming, her heavy breaths loudly echoed over the room as her armored knuckles creaked, clenching tighter:


"...my father, was General Alstreim... king of Lieselotte... and High King of Nifelheim!" she slowly and angrily muttered through gritted teeth:

"His last act, was to sacrifice his life... to save the city he had sworn to protect, the people in it... and his children." angry tears began to appear in her eyes, as she shouted in anger:


"He gave, EVERYTHING HE HAD, to protect his people... and now he's dead.



He made me everything I am today. A strong Witcher. A king like no other. A Curse Breaker, not a certificate one receives lightly. I became all these things because of him.

Because I wanted to be him. To be like him. But also, because I had a searing fire in my soul, that couldn't be quenched! The desire to thrive! To challenge! To achieve greatness!
If General Alstreim, my dad, could awaken all those things in me, I could only imagine what my biological father was like.

What kind of person he is? What sort of greatness and status did he achieve?"





Bastila's voice became cold, a barely heard whisper:


"So when I heard that my, alleged, biological father had suddenly appeared on Nifelheim, I couldn't contain my desire to meet you. To see first hand, what kind of person my biological father was. My blood.

And what do I find?..."



Bastila angrily pushed her chair aside in disappointment. She launched into a brief rant, speaking on Nifel very quickly.
Unfortunately your knowledge of the language wasn't strong enough to understand everything she was saying, but you caught a few words about honor and duty.



She finally shifted her gaze to you and scowled:


"...you don't even understand what I'm saying" she switched back to Soren: "...I took the time to study your language... apparently you couldn't extend me the same courtesy.

You do not respect our laws, you do not respect our traditions. You walked here, leaving a trail of damning evidence behind you, painting you an enemy infiltrator, and you.. what?... believed I would welcome you with open arms?"




Bastila bitterly wiped her eyes: "... this is a bad joke."



She turned around, showing her back to you. When she spoke, her voice sounded broken, quiet:

"You're not my dad." she straightened up:

"You came here to find me, that much I will believe, Assassin." she brought her head high:


"Our Pillars physically cannot cause mental breakdowns on Earth. You lie. Its impossible."



She looked back at you, over her shoulder:

"............I will deal with Ursula and her air head later..." she quietly muttered: "Letting you drop the spell, even temporarily, is a heavy violation of our law. Failure to notice that you haven't re-equipped it, is another.


I only have two questions for you. And then our conversation is over. Do not try to get me emotionally compromised. It will not work. Not on me."



She fully turned around to face you:

"...When is the date, of the next Machine World Invasion?

How many flying machines will you bring this time?