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TWL Chapter 90: Threads of Fate
🕑 Added 2024-03-08 00:42:44 +0000 UTCAt this time, although the existence of the Elder Blood is not a secret to the supernatural world, the exact genealogy of the descendants with the Elder Blood was only known to a few mages who had dedicated themselves to their study.
In other words, those who knew that the royal family of Cintra was related to the Elder Blood were very powerful figures, and they kept the apocalyptic secrets closely guarded.
Except for Mousesack, who had known Lann for a long time, there are not many people who can say that Lann has the Elder Blood, even more so when considering that only women can manifest its powers.
Lann was not afraid to tell Jerome at this time. Not to mention that the witchers themselves have no need for the Elder Blood, and the Gryphon School is famous for its chivalry. Furthermore, the current relationship between Jerome and Lann was already that of master and apprentice.
Considering the setting of 'Surprise Child', it would be nice if he even called Jerome a foster father.
It is true that witchers have no need for Elder Blood, but it would be more profitable if they had it. Elder Blood is a power that Elves and many powerful wizards have dreamed of obtaining for centuries. And now it was obtained by the Gryphon School in such a confusing way?
As for the Elder Blood's sudden awakening, he didn't think there was anything wrong. After all, her Source abilities had also awakened after going through the second mutation, right?
Jerome can only choose to believe that the Elder Blood can do what Lann just did. Because the Elder Blood has always been described in vague terms as 'save the world' and 'destroy the world' in the records, no one knows what the Elder Blood's ability is.
So Jerome is happy to see the results, and at the same time he is more certain about the guidance of 'destiny' and has confidence in the future of the Gryphon School again.
"Then, Lann." Jerome's tone became more friendly. "You need to return to Kaer Seren with me. You need to learn a lot of knowledge, go through the training of a witcher, master the Signs..."
Lann listened with a smile, and after the other party finished speaking, he replied: "But before that, I need to go back to my home."
He pointed to his eyes. "After all, before I came out, no one thought that things would turn out like this. Although I am very happy to see this result, I have to explain it to the people around me."
Jerome had no reason to refuse, but he frowned upon hearing that. Witchers were not thieves or human traffickers. Apprentices were usually sent by their parents through the Law of Surprise or were orphans. There had never been a case like Lann's.
That's not good. This little griffin is still a knight. Will they be willing at home to let him go...?
Jerome looked at Lann's body, which was covered only by a pair of shorts due to the experiments. He suddenly turned around and entered the laboratory. After a while, he took out a set of black-silver medium-weight armor, a steel sword and a silver one, as well as a medallion with a griffin emblem.
Lann had a strange look on his face. The simple appearance of this suit of armor gave it the feeling that it was an heirloom. Could it be the same one Jerome used to wear?
Fortunately, Lann and Jerome are about the same size, and the inventory also gives timely prompts: [Obtained: High-quality griffin armor set.], [Obtained: Gryphon School Witcher Medallion.]
In the Witcher Series, Jerome had the diagrams for the Grandmaster Griffin armor, but it seems he hadn't had time to upgrade his own equipment.
This armor had clearly been well cared for. According to Jerome's introduction, it was made of an alloy of iron, meteorite ore, and silver, and some of the joints were made of dragon skin. Even the two swords were laced with dimeritium ore.
It should be said that he is a witcher from the griffin school who lived in the golden age... The value of this armor was even greater than that of a small estate.
In addition to having the character and demeanor of a gentleman, griffin school warlocks also have the best lifestyle and personal image. Lann noted that this armor did not have the same design as in The Witcher Game.
It should be modified to meet the combat needs of various environments. It makes sense to think about it.
At that moment, Lann looked like a gentleman who had just stepped out of the illustrations of a poem.
Jerome looked at Lann with satisfaction, then took out a couple of books, then handed one of them to Lann and said: "This is a magic item."
"What you write on the blank pages of this book will appear on the corresponding pages of another, allowing mutual communication."
This was one of the finds Jerome had made in Kaer Seren. The shocking avalanche destroyed everything in Kaer Seren, and the mages were unable to take their legacy with them. Although most of the magical books and artifacts had been lost, something could always be found if one looked carefully.
“I will open a portal for you to return to Cintra in a while. Contact me with the book when you have resolved your issues there.”
Lann was stunned. "Aren't you coming with me...? Wait, can you open a teleportation portal?"
Jerome nodded reservedly, and then explained: "I have to go back to Kaer Seren first to make some preparations for your future training. This is a very long project."
Lann felt helpless after hearing this. He originally thought that he could kidnap a two-hundred-year-old powerful witcher to accompany him back, which would increase his safety. He now he can only think of other ways.
Lann had yet to see Jerome in action. If he had seen him, he probably would have insisted on taking him back home.
"By the way." Lann seemed to suddenly remember something. "How long has it been since I started the mutation?"
Jerome counted the days and replied: "About a year."
The faint smile on Lann's face disappeared in an instant, and a bad premonition surged in his heart.
Seeing his disciple's complexion change drastically, and as he hurried into the portal he opened. Jerome stayed there for a while, then waved his hand and opened another portal to Kaer Seren.
Looking at the snowy landscape and the scattered ruins that covered everything in Kaer Seren, although his heart was filled with dark clouds, a light of hope managed to filter through them. The weight she had been carrying on her shoulders had been lifted. The future of the griffin school no longer seemed so bleak.
“Let the young people go out and have their own adventures, I have to keep the house in order...”
Jerome laughed at himself. He didn't expect that he would one day address someone as 'young man'.
Renovating this castle is a big project, and even using magic may take months or even years. But what Jerome had in abundance right now was time.
“I’ve become a mentor too... The words I just said, the things I gave you, and the arrangements I made, should be all right, right?”
Jerome felt uneasy and secretly prayed in his heart: 'He must come back...'
Suddenly, in this place that should be quiet and deserted, a voice echoed from below on the mountain.
“Jerome?”
Jerome suddenly turned around and saw an old man wearing a medium-weight yellow-brown plate armor. He came from the sentry tower at the foot of the mountain. He had a satchel full of books and scrolls slung across his body. His temperament was more like a scholar than a warrior.
When his eyes met Jerome's, the melancholy that surrounded him began to slowly fade away, replaced by an indescribable vitality.
A Gryphon School medallion hangs gleaming from his chest.
“Keldar?!”
...
The capital of Cintra.
Mousesack walked quickly in the corridor, his face gloomy.
Every five steps in the halls there was a royal soldier on guard, and behind them were the nobles who had sought refuge. All the doors were wide open, and the people inside were anxious not to miss any news from outside.
Every time Mousesack passed a door, someone would salute him until he reached the end of the corridor.
It was the only room with the door closed, and there were many more guards than usual standing in front of it, protecting it. From inside, heated discussions could be heard.
Mousesack pushed the door hard, and immediately, the scream of a young girl pierced his ears: “It’s not fair that I’m the only one stuck here!”
“This is an order from the King and Queen, Your Highness.”
“Then why didn’t you go, why are you here!”
“My duty is to protect you. This is the honor of my life, Your Highness.”
"What can you protect? You can't even protect Lann! I took you out of the cell just because I didn't want Lann's property to be infringed. It doesn't mean you are qualified to be here!"
In addition to the guards outside the door, there were many more inside the room, as well as royal officials. Seeing Mousesack suddenly enter, everyone turned to him and bowed, interrupting Ciri's shouts towards Swade.
Mousesack said expressionlessly: "He is here because of my suggestion, and the reason why I suggested this is because he defeated all the royal guards."
Ciri’s eyes were red, and she said nothing.
Mousesack was calm on the outside, but in his mind, he sighed compassionately. 'You can't be a girl anymore, Ciri. You need to grow quickly.'
“The Nilfgaardians have entered the city.” Mousesack looked around at the guards around him. After finishing speaking, he turned to the royal steward and asked: "How many citizens and nobles have hid in the castle?"
Hearing Mousesack's words, the atmosphere in the whole room suddenly changed.
"About three hundred people." The royal steward bowed. "They are all nobles related to the royal family and guests who arrived too late to leave. The other knights took their weapons and stayed outside, and the citizens only sent some children and women."
Mousesack sighed, and then ordered the royal steward. "Go and check if the supplies are sufficient."
The steward nodded in agreement, turned around and walked out of the room.
Turning around, Ciri looked at Mousesack in disbelief, with tears in her eyes: "What do you mean the Nilfgaardians... have entered the city? Where are grandma and grandpa?"
Mousesack hesitated for a while, then said: "The scouts who escaped said that a group of Skellige sailors intervened in the battlefield and rescued the king and queen. I just don't know why they haven't come back yet."
He tried to console her. "They definitely did not fall into the hands of the Nilfgaardians, otherwise the Nilfgaardians would have used this as a threat rather than choose to attack by force."
Ciri was shaking involuntarily, she was about to say something when they heard a deafening roar from outside.
Everyone in the room shivered and ran to the windows to see what was happening. They saw a terrifying gap in the castle wall, and Nilfgaardian soldiers were rushing towards them like a tide.
"How can it be so fast?" Mousesack heard the shouts of the soldiers, and his gaze became sharper. The calm druidic composure disappeared instantly.
He took his oak staff in his left hand and formed a claw gesture with his right hand. All the plants around the castle seemed to come to life instantly, connecting with each other to envelop the castle in a tight defense.
The Nilfgaardian soldiers attempted to enter through the gap, but as they attempted to pass through the plants, they were suddenly met with a green barrier of light and were thrown back. Those already inside the wall tried to retreat but were stopped.
The knights of Cintra pounced on the Nilfgaard soldiers who had been trapped inside the castle.
Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief, but Mousesack knew that things were not that simple at all.
"Swade!" Mousesack shouted. "Geralt is outside the north gate of the castle. Enns and Hardy have my order, asking them to pick up Geralt... I need Geralt to locate the portal to Kaer Morhen!"
“Steward, go get Ciri’s cloak!”
Mousesack looked around at the guards around him and said: "I know the queen gave you an order to chop off the head of the witcher when you see it, but now he is here to protect the princess. I believe you can distinguish the priorities."
The guards nodded in agreement, and a man dressed as a captain walked out of the room with Swade, notifying all the soldiers along the way.
"Wait, Uncle Mousesack." Ciri suddenly panicked. "Where am I going? Don't you wait for grandma and grandpa? Where is Kaer Morhen?"
"Listen to me, Ciri." Mousesack said softly. "This may be difficult for you to understand. Although you have been fighting fate all your life, fate is still on our side now. We have made many wrong choices and now we must step back from the brink."
"Geralt will take you one step ahead. I will continue to wait for the king and queen here and help as many people as possible evacuate. I'll come back to you later, okay?"
Ciri shook her head fiercely and couldn't hold back her tears anymore. "You all think I don't understand anything, and you are all lying to me. Lann lied to me, grandpa and grandma also lied to me, and now even you are lying to me.”
“Ciri, listen to me...”
“I am also the Lioness of Cintra!” Ciri suddenly shouted. “I’m not going anywhere!”
Her voice was surprisingly high, not a scream or a roar, but it made everyone's eardrums hurt.
Immediately afterwards, an invisible wave spread out around Ciri, shattering all the cups, vases, and mirrors in the room.
The magic wave in Mousesack's hand swayed for a while, but he finally stabilized it. He looked at Ciri with wide eyes, full of disbelief.
"Ciri...why now? Why right now?"
