Chapter #57

On their way back, System did his best to explain Zeno's circumstances while putting all the blame on Merlin

The children easily accept the fact that their brother is a dragon from fairy tales and Vesemir was apparently done with questioning due to Merlin.

Illyana on the other hand was too shocked about her transformation, she had hoped to go back to her home and use her resources to fix the image of witchers but she doubted that she could go back home.

'They would probably accuse me of sorcery and colliding with the Witchers to get my youth back before beheading me.' Illyana thought.

She felt regret since she won't be able to see her children both her own and the adopted ones.

Then she looked towards Vesemir who was scolding children for poking bugs with sticks as they passed by before blushing.

'Then again I can stay with him as well. He wouldn't throw me out and these children could use a mother.' Illyana nodded to herself satisfied with her idea.

Zeno looked towards her and sighed thinking Merlin must have done something to her, there's no way she went from old and wise woman with considerable political power to a blushing maiden.

They soon reached the keep and saw Zeno throwing up bodies in a newly dug out moat.

Seeing it the children had some vindictive satisfaction, seeing the people that wanted them killed like this also made them relieved.

On the other hand Vesemir was about to pop a vein from anger.

"What the hell are you doing?! You'll end up turning them all into ghosts!" Vesemir yelled.

"Yes, yes, I know give me a second." Zeno waved his hand nonchalantly before clasping his hands in prayer.

He looked really solemn, the group had never seen him this serious apart from the times someone died during the trials.

They didn't exactly hear his prayers, only the end "... Requiescat in pace."

After the prayer golden lights popped out of the bodies, they were the souls of the dead still clinging to their bodies stubbornly due to how Zeno disrespected them.

Zeno sighed before he started yelling something in latin. If there was anyone who knew the language they would recognize that it was actually the exorcism incantation from Supernatural.

Following that a majestic palace appeared in the sky before it shot out golden chains that forcefully dragged the souls to afterlife.

The children and Illyana watched everything like a light show, they knew what he had done but they couldn't grasp the weight of it.

Vesemir on the other hand finally decided to become a man of religion, he decided to pray to this Merlin character regularly just in case.

He will never know that this decision will save his life many times in the future.

But for now he just sighed and started to bring the bodies of his fellow witchers together so they could give them a proper burial.

Seeing him and Zeno, the others also joined the effort.

"Eat these you can barely work, it should keep you up until dinner." Zeno tossed some apples after seeing the others joining.

_______

The sun had set by the time they were finished with the funeral and handled the proper measures to make sure they passed in peace.

Now they were eating something that Zeno cooked. He had never stopped cooking from his days in the orphanage back at Crysis, his cooking had reached the point of professionals.

'I don't think this will be enough to make a loli attached to me.' Zeno sighed as he put the food on the plates.

Yeah, plates. Now that he had his full powers Zeno finally made proper cutlery. No more using wooden bowls and glasses.

"God damn! Why haven't you cooked all this time if you can cook like this!" Vesemir exclaimed while shoving the whole plate down his throat before going to take more.

Illyana watched in horror as she realized she needed to re-educate her love in some areas.

On the other hand the rest were already on their third plate as their new metabolism and the fact they spend so much energy running they were in dire need of food.

During the course of the meal Zeno explained his circumstances, he didn't explain his powers but he said they were locked by someone stronger making all think about Merlin.

Zeno's explanation of his bloodline being sealed was believable for Vesemir, especially after seeing the damage Zeno could cause.

After dinner, everyone was dead tired, they couldn't stay awake any longer and went to bed. They were grateful to find their rooms repaired and warmer than they remember.

Vesemir looked at the moon from the window of his room, he was in thought.

He was thinking about what to do with the kids and their training. He had set out on the path right after his last trial but he felt like he should teach the kids more.

'I have to make them more than witchers… Make them better men.' He thought. But this left some problems he didn't know how to solve.

'The kids need more training but we also need coins. My savings won't tide us through unless I take them all with me on jobs. With Zeno however I can rely on him to take care of his brothers.' Vesemir thought to himself.

He figured Zeno could afford to learn from his mistakes considering the freaking kid survived being beheaded.

"You seem troubled?" Illyana said as she hugged Vesemir from behind.

This broke Vesemir's thoughts and momentarily made him forget the problems piling on his shoulders.

"I am thinking about the kids." Vesemir said, turning towards her.

"I'd never thought I'd see the day you took something seriously... It suits you." Illyana chuckled before grasping Vesemir's face with her hands.

"Illyana you!?" Vesemir exclaimed as Illyana went for a kiss.

"I just got my youth back. Allow me to enjoy myself." Illyana laughed.

_______

On the other side of the keep Zeno was covering his ears with his hands, his face was blank and his eyes dead and there was a massive tent on his pants.

'Fuck this! Why can't I dull my senses!?' Zeno was sad.

He was happy that Vesemir was getting some but the noises alongside his unleashed instincts were not helping him.

<You shouldn't have sent Tetra off we could have used her...> His instincts muttered.

{This guy is really getting on my nerves.} Ouryuu muttered.

[Well, he does make sense. Now what are we going to do? Hope to run into a succubus?!] System finished with a scream as the newbie got too close to him.

'Sigh stop licking the poor thing for fuck's sake we're not that desperate!' Zeno smacked the horny dragon causing him to back off.

[Thanks boss.] System thanked him.

Sighing to himself Zeno left the keep and went for the mountains at full speed. His flight speed didn't increase much after the mutations but Zeno discovered new ways to increase his speed by decreasing his air resistance with Aard.

[Man, I wonder what a sorcerer would do to you if they saw you using signs like this?] System wondered as Zeno flew over the mountain looking for something to calm his dragon.

'I am too horny to care for such things.' Zeno grumbled while looking over to his compass.

Soon Zeno found himself a lonely Ruskala who was somehow stuck in a tree groove and landed next to her.

"Oh Step-Witcher can you help me out of here?" Ruskala wiggled her butt towards Zeno.

"..." Zeno was dumbfounded until he looked towards the sky.

There he saw the constellations making out Merlin's face giving him a wink and some words of encouragement.

<Best fucking god I ever had the pleasure of meeting.> Said the dragon while choking on his words due to his sobs.