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TWL Chapter 95: In the Lion's Steps
🕑 Added 2024-03-15 02:38:03 +0000 UTCA villager asked in puzzlement: "Is that Lord Lannister? Didn't Queen Calanthe say that he was given to the Nilfgaardians in Toussaint..."
Someone else murmured: "Exactly, it is Lord Lannister. I received his favor once, I will never forget his face."
“It’s exactly the same as the one on Gwent…”
"What happened to those eyes? How did Lord Lannister become like this, and the fire on the ground and the wind just now..."
The refugees looked blankly at the devastated village destroyed by Nilfgaard. Their home was gone, and if they continued to stay here, they didn't know when the Nilfgaardians would return and take their lives.
“Where should we go, what should we do?”
Some people knelt on the ground helplessly, while others prayed and cried to the sky.
Hearing the voices of the refugees, the girl suddenly withdrew her gaze and said decisively: "Let's go to the north, to Brokilon. Lord Lannister has turned into the lion of Cintra and came to save us. We must follow his pace."
The refugees were suddenly quiet for a moment. They looked at the girl who was mumbling something, and were surprised: "What lion, what north, little Fensi, what are you talking about?"
The girl Fensi suddenly laughed, as bright as the sun, and said: "Didn't you all see it just now? Lord Lannister has golden lion eyes, and he also has golden hair, just like our national emblem."
Fensi turned around to show the flag he carried on his shoulders, with the emblem of three lions, as if he was displaying a divine gift.
"Look at these Nilfgaardians on the ground. If it's not a lion, who can take on so many soldiers at the same time? Besides. Those lion eyes are proof! So are the fire and wind on this ground!"
"Lord Lannister died a year ago, but he was the most noble knight in the history of Cintra, so at this moment of national crisis, he is back, breaking free from death, empowered by the Three Lions Banner!" Fensi said loudly, and as she spoke, the eyes of all the refugees became brighter and brighter.
The people stopped crying, the confusion in their eyes dissipated, and those who were praying began to look in the direction Lann had gone.
“When I was working as a tutor in the capital, I often heard servants and even ladies from noble families praying...”
Fensi knelt down gently, crossed her hands and placed them on her chest, closed her eyes and prayed. "May the lion carry us into his safe arms, may his light envelop us and protect our souls from the darkness of the empire."
Fensi said: "That is the prayer of the royal family. Is their belief wrong?"
The refugees nodded and seemed to gradually understand everything: "Yes, that's right!"
Fensi added: "The lion heard the prayer of the royal family and gave power to the noblest knight among all the dead heroes. That is Lord Lannister, he possesses the power of the lion. No, he is the lion!"
The refugees muttered: "Lord Lannister is the lion..."
Some people even began to pray.
Some smart people asked Fensi questions, and they began to think that Fensi could answer all the questions. "So what should we do now? Just head north towards Brokilon? How can we avoid the Nilfgaardian soldiers?"
Fensi responded firmly. "Has not the lion shown us the way? Should we not follow him?"
She pointed in the direction Lann left, and then pointed at the charred corpses and mutilated limbs on the ground.
In the past, these bloody things would have frightened the people. But after a day of looting in the town, seeing such things only brought them relief.
The girl opened her arms and said loudly: "Just like this. Wherever the lion walks, it will bring death to the Nilfgaardians with fire and wind! Follow the lion's footsteps, and we can reach the north!"
“In Brokilon, we chant the name of the lion together, there will be people to protect us, and we will build our new hometown there!”
More and more people were shouting along with Fensi. They quickly packed their bags and took the weapons of the dead Nilfgaardian soldiers as they left. Every time they met new refugees, they told them about the experiences in their own town and told them: “Follow in the footsteps of the lion.”
"Go to Brokilon!"
...
Lann walked stealthily along a narrow path along the city wall, eliminating any soldiers he encountered without making a sound.
Lann was originally worried that if he encountered refugees, his progress would be hindered. He couldn't help but didn't want to be dragged down in his search. But later he discovered that his worries were unfounded.
Because there are no more refugees in the capital of Cintra.
There are holes all over the city wall of the capital, and soldiers in black armor are running around inside.
Most of the southeast corner of the castle collapsed. Lann knew that place. Mousesack and Ciri usually had classes in that room.
Dust, debris and bricks were scattered from that point in all directions, indicating a massive explosion that took place there.
It was evident that he had arrived too late.
After realizing this situation, Lann found an opportunity in the alley to kill a team led by a cloaked Nilfgaardian officer, briefly disguising himself with the Black Sun's cloak. After all, his current dress and appearance were too conspicuous, and he did not want to alert the thousands of Nilfgaardian soldiers who were still cleaning up the battlefield in the capital.
Fortunately, the Griffin School armor he is wearing is mainly silver and black. Although there is an obvious difference compared with the black armor of the Nilfgaardians, it can still be slightly confusing when covered with a cloak.
He first went to the Lannister family mansion, which had long been deserted, and then he went to the path next to the castle, trying to find some clues.
According to the events in The Witcher Series, Lann remembered that Ciri would be intercepted while escaping under the escort of the Royal Guard and kidnapped by Cahir. Fortunately, Ciri suddenly awakened the Elder Blood in the process and escaped. Then she dressed as a street child and was adopted by a merchant in the suburbs.
Finally, she will meet Geralt under the guidance of fate, and follow the White Wolf to Kaer Morhen to learn the skills of the witcher.
Lann now just hopes that there will be no accidents during the process. Don't let any surprises happen to your own retainers.
Then, he saw Swade's body.
Lann approached quickly. His former squire now wore the armor of a royal guard. Apparently a lot had happened during this time.
He had more than a dozen stab wounds, large and small, on his body. The fatal wound was a penetrating wound on his chest, and his blood had now drained away.
There was a gap the width of a sword blade on a wall not far behind him. Apparently he had been nailed to the wall by the enemy.
He had his eyes closed and a slight smile of resignation or relief at the corner of his mouth. What did he think in his last moments?
Lann covered the horrendous wound in Swade's chest with his hand and said in his mind: 'Follower, contract.'
He was glad that he hadn't spent the skill point he had just acquired by leveling up, but nothing happened.
Lann hesitantly opened the inventory, which could display the names of the items he came into contact with.
[Corpse]
He didn't even have a name.
Lann no longer had any hope and was unwilling to put the squire's body into the inventory as an item. Even though he would interfere with his movements, he still decided to put Swade on Black Wind's back.
"Go carefully for a while." He whispered.
Black Wind also knew Swade. The horse snorted softly and steadied its pace as much as possible.
Lann continued to survey the battlefield. The alley was already blocked by densely packed corpses of soldiers and horses. It was obvious that a major battle had occurred here. The body count of Nilfgaardian soldiers far exceeds those of Cintra, and it is evident that each of them fought bravely.
At this time, Lann suddenly saw a cloak-like object with a very familiar color on the ground. He picked it up and shook it. It turned out to be the fur of the Archgriffin that he had hunted with half his life.
The entire piece of reddish-brown fur is enough to wrap Lann's entire body, and the length hangs down to the middle of his calf, which matches Lann's height very well. The griffin's head had been preserved as a hood, with the black feathers around the head and shoulders treated with a special liquid that preserved its lion's mane appearance.
The only flaw is that the stitching on this cloak is a bit messy. It is obvious that the person sewing the cloak is a beginner. To be stricter, one could even criticize her for wasting this fine fur.
It’s Ciri. There is absolutely no other person in the entire Cintra Palace who dares to handle the fur of the Archgriffin with this kind of needlework.
