Witchers of Nifelheim - Part 6

Circi wrote:"We still dont know why you're recieving double the experience we are."

"Its the price Sinners pay for our power." Adam said, quietly laying down on his back, fastened to a makeshift stretcher and covered in blankets "Our tainted blood gives us tremendous strength. Once spilled, it damages our attackers. It may infect them. It also protects us from many known pathogens and gives us limited immunity against the Shimmer."

Circi wrote:"...Do we plan on taking part in the succession tournament? What would we even do if we won?"

Viktoria caught a bit of a troubled expression "I understand testing your mettle against the strongest Witchers of Nifelheim is very appealing, but please take the tournament seriously.
In our culture, you only chose to take part in the tournament, if you have dedicated your body and soul, to serve the people of Nifelheim, for life.

Once you begin the tournament, there's no backing out. Especially if you earn a spot in the top 100 list. If that happens, you will be entered into the Royal Chain of Succession. And should a king pass away, the next in line of succession will have to take his place.

If you make it to the top 100, one day, that someone may be you. You will be made king, even if it happens decades from now, even if you'd have changed your mind since then. You will be called upon to serve and dedicate your life, to protecting your assigned castle town.

Its a tremendous responsibility. Please, only enter the tournament if you're serious about assuming responsibility of a castle town and its people one day."



"I don't know if we'll have time for that," Ryu somberly said "With all that's going on."


"Oh, we'll make time, if we have to. Right Lightning?" Ursula playfully hugged Light over the shoulders and smiled "Once you're feeling better, we still have to show everyone you're the strongest mage of all Nifelheim hmm?"

Lightning didn't react. Her expression remained blank, her stare empty. You can't even tell if she can hear you. Ursula continued to hug her however, resting her chin on Light's shoulder.

Circi wrote:She glares at Rose a moment with a frown... but bites her tongue, tolerating her presence, turning her attention back to the pages.

"Rose, are you coming with us to Lieselotte?" Kaylee asked, leaning over the side of the wagon, her long hair falling over the side.

"I don't know." Rose shrugged. She looks like she has a small rain cloud raining on her:
"Do you want me to? You know I can't enter Castle Towns right? Not without a host. The Suppression Field will push me away." she sighed, looking off to the side "I'm not sure what to do, truth be told. Not really looking forward to wandering the woods alone, with every parasite in the immediate vicinity perceiving me as a traitor to my people. But I guess I can make a breakthrough and head somewhere south, where no one has heard of me."

Twilight wrote:"Is it to warn me, or is it saying I'm already like him..." She sighs. "Why does Logan Kraus's image haunt me so?"

Kaylee looked at Twilight and watched her for a long moment, before quietly speaking:

"...Logan Krauss was a man who believed the ends justify the means. Somewhere along the way, in his quest to achieve world peace and stability, he lost all sight of what's important. He forgot the value of human life.

He stopped seeing humans as individual people, and instead began seeing them as pure numbers. A question of math. Cold. Bureaucratic. Uncaring and un-empathizing. Just numbers on a briefing report.


And if you turn human lives into a question of math, suddenly, ordering to kill and injure a hundred innocent people, to save a hundred million, seems perfectly sane. Even logical."



Her expression became grim: "Only... in that logic... he ended up, unknowingly maiming his own daughter. Because she happened to be unlucky enough, to end up in his kill sweep."

She heavily looked at you: "...its all very logical and sane, deliberately and knowingly ordering the deaths of innocent people for the greater good, until you become directly affected.


That is what happened to Logan Krauss.
He thought, that killing an innocent human, even just one, was okay, as long as it benefited humanity. He is nothing like you. Not even close."

Kaylee Brown wrote:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO RAAAAIN !!!!!


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



                   

// What they said!

//Stats lol

"I hope so..." Twilight says with a certain heaviness.

"Do remember, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Even if he did aprehensible actions, not all he strived for was lost, and is actually carried on. He did make the Union rise as quickly as it did, and ultimately it's for the best, even if the expansion has gone a little too fast for my liking."

She the looked over to Viki and Ryu, her gaze becoming heavier. "When I fought with him, I told him to get over his grief. And he told me that I didn't have children, and didn't know what it's like to lose one. He was 100% correct. I was childless back then, and I have done may questionable acts because my twins ended up here, which shows little difference."

Her eyes cast down. "When you told me our kids went missing in the hospital, Kaylee, I was overtaken by grief, and berated you too harshly for the wrong reasons. When Circi infected Viki during our escape, there was a moment I could kill her, and was seriously considdering it." She held a hand over her eyes. "Too often I have seen both of them in pain or in life-threathening situations, and despair and rage overtook me, making me do things I would never do logically."

She let out a ragged sigh and squeezed the sides of her head with the hand covering her eyes. on both sides of her face, thin streams of water start running. "I understand what he went through. The pain, the grief, the anguish. It's all so clear to me now. It's a near inescapable hell he ended in, I saw that place briefly, but too long."

Her tone goes flat. "I can now empathize with his sentiments, see his logic. Not only his, but also that of Marek. Their ways of thinking, where certain options are not visible in their despair..." She removes her hand, showing the face of a haunted mare. "I'm sure I have the potential to be like that. To eliminate that risk to my loved ones, once and for all."

She looked at Kaylee. "If I ever fall onto that path, and continue to pursue it... Then please... Put an end to that ambition of mine, no matter the cost."

"Everyone has the potential to do evil. It only makes us human.
But you're the only one in charge of your destiny, Twilight." Kaylee quietly said, giving you a long, hard stare:
"Don't put this responsibility on others. Only you, can truly control yourself."

She looked into the distance, where the snow covered pine trees met the winter horizon:


"Its not that I don't understand Marek or Logan. I do. But I also know, in my heart, that what they did was wrong. A victory paved in innocent blood, is a hollow victory. And it makes me sick to my stomach, that I have to cover for Logan, even now.

We took that vow, to hide his crimes from the rest of the world, so the Union won't fall into chaos. The people still think he's a hero, while he quietly serves his time in jail, in secret, away from prying eyes. Its not fair.
Not to his daughter, or his other victims."


She sighed, deeply and heavily "Don't forget, the value of human life, Twilight. Never forget that.
Every person out there, is somebodies son, somebodies daughter. And if we can show kindness to strangers, maybe strangers will show kindness to our children one day."

She smiled to herself and shook her head: "No. They already did." she wistfully looked at the children and smiled "The fact that they yet live, after 18 years on this world, is a testament to the kindness of strangers.

Only you control your own destiny Twilight. So whatever happens, lets make sure we treat others, the way we'd want to be treated."

//birthday time!


Circi suddenly points at Rose, "No! You are staying right where I can see you. You're walking with us." She growls slightly, "You actually have an intrest in restoring your race compared to how Kazinchky has completely removed any semblance of whatever culture you used to have, only with us is that potentially reversible."

She raises her brow at Victoria, "Then I suppose a Sinner will rise to the challenge." She looks back down at her book, "I need to have some kind purpose after Kaz is dead. Why not give succession a shot." She shrugs.

"You're right." Twilight says softly.

She looks up. "It's not easy keeping a clear head that remembers that. Emotions are very powerful, and block rationality. Especially the ones we think we have overcome, but are still controlled by." A small smile appears on her face. "To that end, we need those who remind us about the things we could forget about in the heat of of the moment."

She looks forward, wiping her face clean. "Thank you for listening."

Circi wrote:No! You are staying right where I can see you. You're walking with us."

"....Okaaaaay..." Rose defensively rose her forearm while you shouted at her, then settled into a frown, eventually hitching a ride on Rains fox.

Twilight wrote:"To that end, we need those who remind us about the things we could forget about in the heat of of the moment."

She looks forward, wiping her face clean. "Thank you for listening."

"You got it. I'm here for you" Kaylee smiled. Looking down at her fox, she softly clicked her tongue a few times, prompting her fox to start moving and the convoy departed, heading toward a well trodden path, snaking into the snow covered forest, the wild trees of which had stretched out to the snowy horrizon for centuries.




The road was long and difficult. The weather turned sour on day 2, when the skies became covered by a uniform layer of clouds that blocked out the sun. The next day, freezing winds began lashing out at the trees, painfully biting into your skin, and by day 4, a heavy snow storm had settled over the area.

Visibility had reduced to maybe 5 meters ahead of you, following the road to Lieselotte proves increasingly difficult by the minute, even walking slowly and with heightened senses on, you struggled to spot the trail in the forest, as fresh layers upon layers of snow continued to rest on the ground.


You soon began losing all track of time and spacial awareness, the nights differed from days very little, as the storm raged on for days, blocking out the sun and the sky. Massive snowflakes, the size of which you've never seen, were constantly sticking onto your clothes, making you feel cold and heavy, and flying into your eyes, restricting your vision even more.


Under the faint whimpering and howling of the foxes, you thought you saw a faint yellow light in the distance, through the thick wall of snowfall and wind. Slowly making your way toward it, you soon came out into a clearing, where a massive caravan spread.


A series of 6 covered waggons stood in a circle, around a giant campfire, the blaze of which rose almost 8 meters into the air. And well over a dozen people were gathered around it, happily dancing and singing, warming their hands at the campfire and cooking meat and stew.

Jolly music began reaching your ears, played by several Nifelheims national instruments and the smell of freshly baked potatoes began reaching your senses.


Your fox turns its head toward you and quietly whimpers, you can see in its eyes that it wants to rest above everything else.

"A second can be the diffrence between life and death. What do you think a night will take?" Circi hums.

"I dont trust that. Not for a second." Rain says peaking her head out from the carriages canopy, "A group of 'humans' hosting festivitys in the middle of a snow storm. Thats screaming 'Stall' or 'Trap'" She eyes the eager Hadachi, "I'd be careful what you wish for. They could very well be eating their hedachis. You wouldn't want to be the next one in that pot would you?" Rain Cautions.

Judging by your foxes rapidly widening eyes, its really scared by your words and seemingly forgot all abouts its fatigue. A faint whimper escapes, as it looks toward the fire again.

"We'll run into more and more caravans like this, on the main roads, the closer we get to Migration." Ryu said, squinting at the dancing silhouettes in the distance. "Everyone who still lives in the country side, will make their way to a castle town, or risk getting left behind"


"It doesn't look like they noticed us yet." Kaylee said: "What should we do?"

"We could scan them to find out what we would be up against if their hostile and just... not engage. If anything, if they are friendly, we should at least warn them the possibilities of parasites in our wake?" Rain quitely begins charging scan.

Kaylee Brown wrote:Judging by your foxes rapidly widening eyes, its really scared by your words and seemingly forgot all abouts its fatigue. A faint whimper escapes, as it looks toward the fire again.

"We'll run into more and more caravans like this, on the main roads, the closer we get to Migration." Ryu said, squinting at the dancing silhouettes in the distance. "Everyone who still lives in the country side, will make their way to a castle town, or risk getting left behind"


"It doesn't look like they noticed us yet." Kaylee said: "What should we do?"

"I'm with Rain on this, those guys're waaay too cheery" Rogue says.

"We should scout before judging." Says the former unicorn. "It's odd they're all so jovial in this weather, especially so far from safety, where you would want to stay quiet in case of parasites. That said, it could be they're prepared for any threat, or have just passed something dangerous."

She looks at her fox, giving it a pat on the head for it's hard work. "These guys do deserve a rest, but again, let's send someone out there to scout first. Use one Shadow for now to see what's going on before making up scenario's."

"Mom, wait." Ursula placed a hand on Rain's palm "A Scan is a very hard hitting spell. Even to a civilian, it feels like a bucket of cold water's been dumped on you. They don't know we're here yet, but if we scan them, they'll be looking for us."


"Rogue, you're a Shadow, right?" Johan called, peaking out of the wagon, where Lightning and Adam rested "Maybe you can check out the camp."


"Be weary of the shadows cast by that campfire though." Ryu cautioned "The snow storm is making the visibility pretty bad, but that campfire might still casts long shadows. If they see a shadow without a body, they might panic."


The fox Twilight patted, started making very pleading noises and trying to lick her face. You get a strong feeling that its playing it up, seeking attention and trying to coax you into letting it rest.

Kaylee Brown wrote:"Rogue, you're a Shadow, right?" Johan called, peaking out of the wagon, where Lightning and Adam rested "Maybe you can check out the camp."

"Be weary of the shadows cast by that campfire though." Ryu cautioned "The snow storm is making the visibility pretty bad, but that campfire might still casts long shadows. If they see a shadow without a body, they might panic."

"Will do" Rogue nods, before activating Shadow, and slinking off towards the caravan.

Rain nods to her daughter, "Understood." She holds on to the spell. She continues charging, just in case.

Circi quitely stands and releases a long stretch and a quite yawn, "I'll be ready for a fight in a moment... Just let me get warmed up." With a soft sigh she begins going through a routine of stretches, loosening up.

"Heres hoping we wont have to fight them at all." Rain sighs, "If we do lets try to spare lives this time around yeah? I know its usually life or death but we're at a level where we can determine the outcome." She raises a brow at Ursula, "It could be Zoblecs crew. That makes some sense for them to be out here like this and if thats the case... I'd say strike my previous statement."

The massive snowstorm masks your approach, as you near the caravan. The shadowy silhouette on the ground is near invisible in the veil of snowflakes, dancing in the chilling wind. Thankfully, the elements no longer trouble you, in this shadowy form.

You count around 19 or so people, gathered around the campfire. A closer look at their clothes and mannerisms signals to you that they have very little understanding of martial arts, if at all. Most appear to be dressed like merchants and scholars, their clothing seems tailored for warmth and easy travel, but no armor was visible.

Some are wearing slings and belts, filled with pouches of spices and dry leaves. The others have some sort of very long tubes, filled with schematics, drawings or parchments, that they seem to be jealously guarding, at least until the alcohol kicks in.


Among the whole group, you only spot one sentry, if you can call him that. The lonely balding man in his late sixties (although with Witchers who can tell, he might be pushing a hundred for all you know) appears to be heavily intoxicated and the only one with glowing eyes, as far as you can tell at least. The snowstorm is so strong you're struggling to make out who's who, but on the first scouting run, the rest seem to be regular civilians.

The only Witcher in the group appears to be the only one sitting slightly apart from the rest and with his back to the campfire, 'Vigilantly' watching the forest with one eye half closed and his hand firmly grasping a jug that smelled of poorly cooked moonshine.

You're struggling to call it booze, it smells more like 98% alcohol, the kind you pour on wounds for disinfection, rather than digestive intake.


The overall gang seems to be in high spirits and getting progressively more drunk, as one of them plays some sort of bizarre looking local musical instrument, that vaguely resembles a Verrian Balalaika, if you really stretch your imagination, while the others sing and dance around the campfire. The mood is cheery and quite infectious, you find it hard not to subconsciously nod to the beat.






"There's no way that's Zlobec's crew." Viktoria shook her head with a grimace "The are no camouflaged guards, no barricades, no trenches, no defensible perimeter. They made camp right in the middle of a major road and they lit up a giant campfire."

She grimaced "Zlobec is a veteran military unit. They'd sooner dig a cave in the ground and camouflage the entrance, in the middle of nowhere, than telegraph their presence like that. If we ever ran into them, we'd likely become aware of them, only when a knife snaked around our throat, in the middle of the night, by men dressed in ghillie suits."

"Then its just a random caravan set up for the night?" She raises her brow, "I suppose a snowstorm would be the time to do something like this. The snow is good cover, A fireball spell makes for a quick bonfire, load up one of their pots with goods and make a stew." She sighs, "Even if it isn't hostile. I dont think we should stay. Remember Zoy is in danger and Lightning needs aid as soon as we can get it."

Kaylee Brown wrote:You count around 19 or so people, gathered around the campfire. A closer look at their clothes and mannerisms signals to you that they have very little understanding of martial arts, if at all. Most appear to be dressed like merchants and scholars, their clothing seems tailored for warmth and easy travel, but no armor was visible.

Some are wearing slings and belts, filled with pouches of spices and dry leaves. The others have some sort of very long tubes, filled with schematics, drawings or parchments, that they seem to be jealously guarding, at least until the alcohol kicks in.

Among the whole group, you only spot one sentry, if you can call him that. The lonely balding man in his late sixties (although with Witchers who can tell, he might be pushing a hundred for all you know) appears to be heavily intoxicated and the only one with glowing eyes, as far as you can tell at least. The snowstorm is so strong you're struggling to make out who's who, but on the first scouting run, the rest seem to be regular civilians.

Rogue moves in for a closer look, hoping to catch snippets of conversation, but making sure to always keep to the shadows so as not to expose himself.

Rain wrote:load up one of their pots with goods and make a stew." She sighs, "Even if it isn't hostile. I dont think we should stay. Remember Zoy is in danger and Lightning needs aid as soon as we can get it."

"Sounds good." Viki nodded.

Rogue wrote:Rogue moves in for a closer look, hoping to catch snippets of conversation, but making sure to always keep to the shadows so as not to expose himself.

As you attempt to listen in, most of the conversations that reach you, appear to be a cacophony of drunken laughter and inappropriate offensive jokes. People were whistling, singing, drumming in beat with the 'Balalaika' and talking about salting tomatoes and cucumbers. Most conversations were so empty of meaningful content, you began to fear a black hole might open up and suck the whole world into it, when something vaguely resembling a coherent conversation reached you:


"...-are you still stuck on that? She's not a botanist." A young man in merchants clothing said, raising an eyebrow and shrugging "Don't you think she has more important things to worry about?"

"This is the greatest scientific discovery of the century!" An elderly scholar with a monocle and fancy traveling clothing heatedly replied "I must inform Lady Alstreim! Not to mention, the entire University!"

"How do you image that conversation going?" the young man hopelessly sighed "Hello Your Grace! I Found A Tree! You'll be laughed off the steps of Rakshata."

"Bah!" The fancy scholar waved at him "You just don't get it." the conversation seems to have stopped as both decided to hit the moonshine and barbecue. The meat at least smells pretty nice.

Kaylee Brown wrote:

Rogue wrote:Rogue moves in for a closer look, hoping to catch snippets of conversation, but making sure to always keep to the shadows so as not to expose himself.

As you attempt to listen in, most of the conversations that reach you, appear to be a cacophony of drunken laughter and inappropriate offensive jokes. People were whistling, singing, drumming in beat with the 'Balalaika' and talking about salting tomatoes and cucumbers. Most conversations were so empty of meaningful content, you began to fear a black hole might open up and suck the whole world into it, when something vaguely resembling a coherent conversation reached you.

Rogue makes sure nobody is looking his way, then quickly peaks into one of the caravans to see what is inside.

As you peak inside, most of the wagon is filled with boxes and pots of spices, rare fruit and honest to god potatoes. Some fancy rugs are standing rolled up in the corner and some lamp oil is resting in a small jug. A heavy smell of cinnamon envelops the inside of the wagon, making it a little hard to breathe, someone may have hidden some pastries in here as well.

Kaylee Brown wrote:As you peak inside, most of the wagon is filled with boxes and pots of spices, rare fruit and honest to god potatoes. Some fancy rugs are standing rolled up in the corner and some lamp oil is resting in a small jug. A heavy smell of cinnamon envelops the inside of the wagon, making it a little hard to breathe, someone may have hidden some pastries in here as well.

Rogue goes around peering inside all the other caravans as well, keeping to the shadows at all times.

The other roofed wagons seem to be carrying the same kind of supplies with little variation. You were about to give up the search, when suddenly, a dark shape, vaguely resembling that of a human, can be seen laying on the floor, motionless, in one of the wagons. Dressed in plain peasant clothing, the fabric covered in a thin layer of snow that just started to melt, the figure is completely motionless.

You can't even tell if he's breathing. The pose he is laying in, seems unnatural, bizarre, as if he was a rag-doll who's stings had been cut and he dropped on the floor in a heap.

Something is clutched in his hand, you slowly move closer to try and make out the shape in the wagons twilight, when suddenly the figure jolts and screams at the tops of his lungs:

"ACHOOOOOOO-BLYAAAAAA!!!"



Half the camp jolted together with you, looking like their souls were nearly scared out of their bodies, before slowly exhaling, shaking their heads and face palming.

The figure in front of you scratched his nose, sneezed again and rolled on his side, hugging a giant bottle of moonshine with a pleasant smile and went back to sleep. The smell of 98% alcohol, garlic and pork meat shot through your senses so hard, you momentarily felt you might actually throw up... if you weren't a two dimensional shadow.