Glass? Mirrors?

Alan walked inside the inn that was surprisingly clean and saw a woman behind the desk. She had a miniature Monument of Sodden Hill Battle at the corner with several candles lit and fresh flowers around.

"What would you like?" - she asked, but seeing his two swords and medallion in the shape of a dragon head was a bit unearthed, albeit for a moment.

"Whatever you will give, owner. It is good enough not be thrown out as it is." - Alan sat by the little window that was too thick to see through anything more than a blurry image of a tree behind the ward.

"You jest, young witcher." - she gave him a reserved nod. - "Here, in Sodden, we know whom to say thanks to. And in Green Hill we don't discriminate against your kind. But you surely are different from another witcher I saw." - she looked at his eyes, that still went into slits.

"Different color only." - Alan said evenly.

"Still different, no?" - owner smiled, while taking a plate of variety of food from a little boy, who brought them from the kitchen. The later was directing curious glances at Alan from time to time.

"Witchers are not exactly everyday visitors." - noted the youth, while giving a little guy a calm gaze which he avoids, hiding behind the woman.

"Don't mind him, my boy is a bit too curious."

"It is fine to be curious, we learn the world better that way."

"Hmm... you are well educated, like every witcher. The one who came here several years ago was very educated too, yeah. But everyone was afraid of his face, ah. You folks really have it hard in your line of work." - woman sighed and her compassion wasn't artificial.

"What was his name?"

"He never introduced himself and didn't like to talk at all, mostly staying silent. But when we spoke about his contract I thought he was very attentive and polite. Oh, and he had a medallion of a grinning wolf around his neck." - said the woman and a small dreamy look plastered itself on her face.

Alan only smirked, roughly guessing the man. There are only so many witchers left after all.

'Seems like there is more to the story and it's not all that nightmarish. Woman is more or less smitten with that witcher and they had a good time together. Hmm, maybe he knows something about the hill. Saves me the trouble of going myself, if anything, I don't have time for it now. Okay, no Vibe on her anymore, she is drifting to 18+ fantasies.' - thought Alan and again directed his attention to the food.

"Here, a bit of everything. Eat while it's hot." - owner of the inn noticed his line of sight and smiled a bit, retreating to the bar stand.

"Thank you, kind lady." - he answered and sighed at the plate. It was good. But just as he was about to eat, he saw a man taking a seat opposite of him with a pint of beer.

"I presume you won't mind me sitting here, young battle mage." - he was middle aged with a sly, slightly fat face and eyes, seem to be very kind, but giving off a vibe of an all knowing creature.

Alan nearly jumped out of his seat when he saw the man, but knowing his principles, or, better to say, limitations, he calmed down, albeit with hardships involved in the process.

"I don't mind a pleasant company. Take a seat." - Alan said, but the man already was there.

"Ah, how great to find a young man with manners and courage. Rare sight to behold these days." - a man smiled, leaning a bit closer, but not close enough to cause inconvenience. He measured it very well indeed. - "But I forgot my own manners. This one is just a mangy vagrant, Gaunter O'Dimm at your service."

"A vagrant. What a strange thing to be these days. Not like this place is there for sightseeing."

"Oh, that depends on perspective. I prefer to wonder inside the most fascinating places life can offer." - Gaunter looked with meaning at the heart of Alan and seems to be fascinated by what he saw.

"Vagrant. A person without place." - said Alan quietly. - "One that opted to wonder places he will never had as his own."

"Outstanding comparison, Alan Violergos Salvatore Skymorne. Outstanding indeed." - he smiled cunningly and locked hands together. His strange yellow coat tightly pressed on the leather bags, as if unintentionally outlining them. One was holding a manuscript and Alan guessed it was made to sigh contracts. Another was closed. - "Do you wish to know what is inside there?"

"No." - Alan said plainly, but inside he was quite terrified of the being in front of him.

"Hm... you truly don't. That is great." - he said cheerfully. - "So, let's us jump to my offer. I want something of yours. It fascinates me and you know what I mean. In exchange I can give you something you wish for even in your dreams." - he smiled. - "I can tell you how to go back and how to remove the curse on her and bring back memories and love she felt once."

Alan gnashed his teeth. He expected something like this. Truly expected. But with that he felt suspicious.

'He knows where to hit. But damn, how come he knows? And removing it on top of it. Maybe this worlds magic can give me a way to bring Fleur back to me?' - Alan felt excited for a brief second and after that finally let go of her for good. - 'What will I do with her here? I already can tell that this world, albeit more brutal and dark, is mine by something way more than just a feel of it. I belong here, but she don't. She is used to fortune, bright peaceful life and good neighbors. Not like you can get any of it here.'

'She is no more than a beautiful memory now. And always will be. But the Fleur I love and who loved me died that day. I killed her and it is for me to live with it and accept it, not some supernatural being to solve it in my place.'

"Ah, what a marvel. You are a fascinating young man, Alan. Unable to forget, but being forgotten. Isn't it good to change and strive for your love? It is not like what happened was something natural. I can even tell you who placed this curse on her. Alan, you will be surprised when you know." - Gaunter smiled with patience of a being that have eternal life.

"N-No need." - hoarsely said Alan. - "You see, I already get over all of it. As for returning, I have a way, a long way, yes, but it will be done with my own power."

"By the way, a cheap information for you. Don't worry, it is free of charge. You better visit Novigrad one of these days you will be traveling, otherwise you might regret it for life." - Gaunter drank the beer.

"Why?" - asked Alan.

"Because I won't owe anyone anything." - said the vagrant glancing at empty pint.

"No, why should I go there?"

"If you want to learn more or even let me help you with the issue, you just have to wish for it." - Gaunter smiled. - "Well, it is just a gentlemanly way to show appreciation of each other."

"I don't wish anything from strangers, but I will thank you for the more precise tip with second pint of beer." - Alan said, while pointing at another one Gaunter already drank in half and for which he threw money to the bar table just this instant.

Strange man gave it a pensive look and sighed in defeat with a smile that was not a smile.

"You are a very interesting young man, Alan. Still, my offer stands, If you ever need anything, just say my name. And for the like you said 'more precise tip'. Your adventure sent something to a highly unwelcoming place, where it might be used in a quite bad way. Rang a bell?" - with that he clapped his hands and disappeared like he was never here.

And not a single soul noticed it.

No one even remembered this obscure being sitting and drinking beer a moment ago.

'Damn it. Novigrad is not exactly a place good for me to go to, but it is still far away from becoming outright deadly. What might have happened? It is clear that he was referring to 'something' not 'someone' but what is it exactly? It's not like we managed to scout everything in the ruins. Maybe someone from Order of White Rose actually did find something there.'

'And how much time exactly will it take for me to get there... Still, if I will never make it on time, will O'Dimm even mention it? Or he wanted me to wish for a fast travel there? No, I better not go there in near future. O'Dimm is to cunning and dangerous. It might as well be an elaborate trap.'

'No way in hell I will sell him my soul.'

Alan payed for the meal and walked out. This village had nothing noteworthy aside from the hill itself, but Alan preferred to not meddle in that thing, knowing that nothing good will happen. Plus people don't suffer, there is only a recent attacks of ghouls, but that was expected with the armies fighting all over the country border and bodies pilled up in mountains.

So he just went, killed couple of ghouls with long distance fire spells and ended it all that way, returning with a bit of money to Yurga house, where Geralt was already near his steed, fastening his bags to it.

"You are back." - he said heavily and looked Alan all over. After some time he nodded with strong gaze. - "Good. Are you going with us?"

"Yes, if you don't mind I would be glad to have your hospitality." - said Alan.

"You are welcome to Kaer Morhen." - said witcher in return and threw him a parchment with a map of their mountain pass. He had a spare one in his bag for occasions like that. - "That is for the future. I will properly train you. You learned some moves, but lack basis of sense and body agility for it."

"Thanks old man. And one more thing." - Alan took out several potions. - "Take them. This one will reconnect the bones in an hour and that heal wounds in several minutes."

That were the potions he traded with Nicolay family who knows how many events before.