15 Chapter 14:

In the Garden of Eden, Eve showed more courage than Adam.. When the serpent offered the forbidden fruit, she knew that there was something better than paradise. - Cesare Borgia

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Few Hours Later:

Current Year: 1259

We were currently trodding our way down the mountain pass, the walls of Kaer Lorna were finally in sight. I was...Glad to be back. It's strange, to me, I was here only hours ago. The fact that it had already been a month had still not set in.

"You know Harkon, your use of that healing magic that your mother taught you has healed up that wound on your face quite nicely. It's a shame that it will leave quite a scar, but it's like a badge of honor for us witchers." Ivar interrupted my train of thought. "Listen, I know you don't want to speak about what happened, I did not want to either my first time around, but I want you to tell me how your mind is feeling. Going into another round of mutations with a broken mind could be disastrous. Doubly so considering you are a source."

Ivar stared at me seriously. He was a tad bit worried. I'll have to admit that despite what he just put me through, I did truly care about him. My hatred for humanity was only reserved for the general populace as a whole, not for certain unique individuals that laid within. Ivar had proved to me that he was a cut above the rest. He was strong and wise and he cared for me. Most importantly, he cared for my mother, which was an incredibly strong point in his favor.

He has been mentoring me all of my reincarnated life and I'm technically his 'disciple, if you want to call it that. He has given me personal lessons regarding the themes of being a witcher, despite not having to do so. Whether he did this because he happened to be in a relationship with my mother or not, I did not know. After a bit more time...I would be happy to call him father.

"Actually Ivar… My mind feels clearer then it has in many an age. I feel good, hopefully this effect will last me the length of my future trials. I hope that I do not need to return to that god forsaken cave." I said with hope. I truly did feel a lot better, I just hope it would last.

"Good." Ivar replied with pride, probably thankful that his plan for me worked. "Make sure to get plenty of rest tonight, you will be allowed to sleep in for three extra hours. I'm sure you've already read up on what this set of secondary mutations will cause you. You already know how to craft our witcher potions and mutagens when you worked studiously under Torsten."

I nodded at Ivar's words. I did know how to craft the potions for the trial of grasses and the trial of dreams. I knew how the trial of grasses was administered as well, they connected me to several I.V like tubes that lead directly to my bloodstream. Despite my knowledge of how to craft the trial of dreams, I did not know how it was administered. I knew that this set of mutations only somewhat increased my body's properties. The main purpose of this mutation mainly dealt with altering my eyes and senses. They could inject it though my urethra for all I know. That would be unpleasant.

"Yes, I do understand the properties of the trial of dreams. How will the trial be administered, though? The last trial was injected straight into my bloodstream. Will this trial be much the same?" I asked Ivar. I wanted to be as informed as possible before I stepped back into hell.

"Well...You're almost right. The trial has two entrance points. One will be run through a tube that is connected to your arm and into your veins, leading directly into your bloodstream just as you said before." Ivar said before hesitating.

"And the second?" I asked with curiosity.

"The second...Will be connected right into your temple. The potions need to be cycled in close to your eyes and brain in order to vastly increase your senses. Luckily though, this mutation does not last a week in length. It only takes three days." Ivar replied reluctantly.

"Oh… I see." I said with a bit of trepidation.

I'll be honest, that did not sound pleasant. I put it out of my mind for a while as we continued our remainder of the way to the castle in silence. After a few minutes we reached the tall walls protecting the keep. Ivar hollered for us to be let inside. A few more moments passed and the familiar sounds of gears turning were heard as the gate opened. Ivar and I stepped through.

"Harkon! Ivar!" The familiar tone of voice that could only belong to my mother said with glee.

The woman in question quickly ran over to Ivar and I. She came up to her betrothed and embraced him. She engaged him in a passionate kiss for a moment and then released him.

She stared into Ivar's eyes for a quick second longer, her gaze filled with passion, then she averted her eyes and quickly moved over to me. She gazed at my face for a moment, noticing my scar. She looked a bit sad at that before she quickly embraced me in a tight hug, similar to the one she had given Ivar moments before.

"Hey mom, did you miss me?" I asked the obvious.

"Of course son, I missed you both. The rest of the residents of this school aren't nearly as pleasant as you two." My mother intoned with a smile.

"Obviously my dear, we're both extremely pleasant to be around! Although, I'm quite a bit more handsome than he is." Ivar said with a tone of mock arrogance.

"Rubbish. I'm twice as handsome as this old bastard, isn't that right mother?" I said while looking at my mother expectantly.

"What did you say brat?! With that recent addition to your face, I know for a fact that I'm more handsome than you!" Ivar yelled out at me with outrage.

"Oi! What did you say you old fart?! Have you looked in the mirror and seen that disgusting scar you have above that infamous 'Evil Eye' of yours?! Just that alone makes me incredibly more handsome than you!" I screamed back at Ivar.

Ivar and I began glaring at each other, sparks flying between our eyes. This was a battle between handsome men!

"Boys, boys!" My mother yelled out to interrupt us both. "You are both incredibly handsome to me. Can we just drop this? It's absurd."

Ivar and I settled down after she yelled. We both didn't want to make her unhappy. She might be a druid that focuses on healing, but I don't want to test what sort of nasty spell she could design with her knowledge of healing magic.

"Truce?" I asked Ivar questioningly while holding out my hand for him to shake.

"Truce." Ivar replied back solemnly, not wanting to upset his betrothed.

We both smiled at our antics and headed inside the keep. Ivar and my mother both told me to get some rest. I will have a long day tomorrow. I left them both to do whatever it was they were going to do as I continued to walk towards my quarters in the trainee barracks.

As I passed by the final corridor that led to the barracks and in turn, the door to my room, I noticed a familiar feminine figure standing at my door. I stopped and gazed at her for a moment while she did the same. She was wearing a black dress and had her hands held behind her back.

"I saw you arrive from my window. I take it you were successful in curing the ailments that plagued your mind?" Fringilla asked with the tone of an aristocrat.

I just smiled at her. She was acting so professional. She might hold a lot of political power, but she should know that when talking with friends you can be more casual.

"Why are you talking like a noble? I know you are one, but geez. Learn to relax a little bit. We are friends. Did you need something?" I said with a bit of a sarcastic tone.

Fringilla sighed at my antics. She brought her hands to lay by her side which revealed she was carrying something. It looked to be a bottle of champagne. It is probably some sort of Nilfgaardian spirit.

"Well...Since we are friends," Fringilla started to say before pausing. "I thought we might share a drink. You might die tomorrow and I figured...That...I don't know. I guess I just want to know more about you. I assume it's the same way you feel about me, no?"

"Haha," I heartily laughed. "You do know that I'm only ten still, right?"

"I know that. However, you are more than just a child. You are a witcher. If you're old enough to kill, you're old enough to drink in my books." Fringilla said sensually. This sorceress certainly had charm.

I pondered on Fringilla's request. I did want to spend some time with her. I don't 'love' her yet, at this point it's just extreme interest. I'll admit it though, if something formed between us, I would certainly be happy. It doesn't help that she's my type. The gothic women bring out the worst in me, what can I say?

"Hmm, fine. My quarters are too small to have a proper binge though, your place?" I asked.

"Excellent! Come by in around twenty minutes once you've unpacked." Fringilla said with a smile. She turned around and walked away down another corridor. I obviously took the time to admire her 'assets' while she was walking. I'm a simple man.

I unlocked the door to my quarters and stepped inside. This place has been my home for seven years now. There was a chance that would no longer be the case tomorrow. It doesn't matter, I had steeled my will. I don't believe I'll die from something like this. There's still so much of this world that I want to experience.

I quickly sat down in my chair and unpacked a lot of my things. I placed my sword against the wall shared by my desk and began putting away my throwing knives. As I took out my last knife, the sudden urge to carve something took over me. I looked at the smooth dark wood that made up my desk. I gazed at my blade for a moment before I took my knife and began to chip a phrase that I had heard not too long ago onto the top of my desk. After I was done, I blew away the wooden chips onto the floor and gazed at my work. I wrote the words in 'Elder Speech' in a form of jagged cursive that was primarily used for rituals. It read out, 'What is it they say about fruit and serpents?'

I thought that I heard a hissing sound come from behind me. I quickly turned my head around to check, but it must have just been my imagination. Nothing was there.

I did smell something though. It was a terribly awful scent. I got up out of my chair and tried looking around the room for a moment to discover the awful smell. After a few seconds, and after briefly smelling my armpit, I realized it was me. I hadn't taken a bath in over a month, I should go take one now. Wouldn't want Fringilla to smell a filthy beast in her room now, would we?