Sparnox (Part 1)

After all was done the duo went out to figure out what to do with Lambert issue.

They spend the day roaming around collecting information. Just like Alan thought, the fortress gradually was becaming tense over the upcoming battle and more patrols can be seen lurking everywhere. Aside from it they visited several doctors, only finding at the end that the one who performed autopsy already gone to the keep.

But what they saw arriving there nearly gave Alan heart attack on the spot.

'My goodness! Why is he here? Now... now... calm down... he turned over new leaf when got to know Geralt, right? But the later can easily got his ass handed by him, let alone we three. It won't even be a challenge.'

"You good, kid? Why are you so pale, something happened?" - asked Coen, eying two people coming their way.

'Yeah, Coen. Something big happened. An entity happened that can make everyone here go extinct in minutes, but aside from it it's okay, no sweat.'

"N-No..." - Alan sighed and even berated himself for the moments fright. - "I'm fine, just never expected Lambert has such a friend. I mean... it is Lambert we are talking about."

"You know, right!" - Coen immediately agreed. Looks like Lambert's poisonous mouth got him no small aerie even among fellow witchers. - "But I wonder who is that gentleman. Looks pretty harmless to me."

'Like hell he is! He can bath this whole fortress in blood in a matter of minutes! Harmless, my ass, where are your witcher senses?!'

"Lambert, nice to see you alive and kicking." - smiled Coen.

"Why do I clearly see that your smile is sad and disappointed like fuck?" - grumbled Lambert.

"You are mistaken my friend, look at my shining face, I'm happy. Even my bald head is radiating light of good mood after seeing you!" - witcher still smiled not minding the offensive words from his comrade by craft and looked at his companion, who was slightly amused by the duo, but all this time never broke his gaze full of utmost curiosity from the boy by the side of the coming party.

'Shit, that really irks me.' - thought the subject of attention.

"If I may introduce myself, I'm Regis Godefroy, pleasure to be your acquaintance." - he bowed his head in polite gesture. Alan breathed out and calmed down, as much as it was possible in front of four centuries old high vampire. He even opted to suppress his emotions through Eternal Mind. And the two witchers by the side, clueless of this don't add to his confidence.

It is a positive thing Regis actually is one of the 'good' higher vampires and don't like to drink blood, but it is a question in itself, whether Alan's blood is different and Regis might even be able to smell it, so better stay cautious. Even that friend of Geralt had his own share of 'bloodgolism' back in the days.

"Alan Violergos, a pleasure." - Alan nodded.

"Coen, the witcher, but I bet you can guess as much." - said the witcher reverting to his stoic look after making fun of Lambert. - "I suppose it is you we should thank for assistance."

"Ah, I happen to be acquainted with a great witcher, Geralt of Rivia. Mister Lambert is his friend and I presume if I don't offer a helping hand, my white haired friend will come and drink all my stash of marvelous wines I collected with great difficulty. Can't let that happen, right?" - Regis smiled with poise and politeness. He really had a very refined manners and speech. Even his intonations were full of grace and some strange peaceful vibe. - "But of course there was no falsehood in my testimony, after all the brain of the victim was thoroughly contaminated by dark magic. Well, I have to go as there is much work to do recently. So many conflicts found their way into our fortress. Can't humans and non-humans live peacefully? We are not that different after all."

"True." - said Alan in thought, looking at withdrawing figure of a higher vampire. Then he frowned deeper and glanced at Lambert. - "What was he talking about?"

"Recently he and doctors had their hands full with injured people. Conflicts between elves and humans for most part." - Lambert said without a care. He really was an airhead.

"And you don't care?"

"Listen, kid, I'm a witcher. So yes, we are unfeeling bunch of monsters who really don't give a fuck, got it?" - Lambert said with a severe look.

"I don't mean about politics, but at least about your own safety! If I'm right, soon this fortress will be besieged and on top of that a riot of non-humans will ignite simultaneously." - Alan tried to understand how the brain of Lambert worked, but opted to think in a simple manner.

He lacks brain.

Easy to predict and remember, no headache involved and no disappointments in the future.

Taking a quick glance at Coen he saw his dark yet stoic look with no humor, that most of the time was there to cover wounds, both of heart and mind.

"We need to leave now. Your assignment is probably not that simple and there should be a sorcerer involved. Lambert, we won't be able to find him, most likely he is long gone."

"I figured as much, but fuck! I hate it." - he cursed. Looks like he has a bit of gray tissue working after all. - "And there is more. I got it why kid is telling me to look around. While I was in prison heard many rumors and among the non-humans who sat there, more than half was instigated one way or another to start conflicts and some cried about joining Scoia'taels. But regardless, sparnox should be found and dealt with."

Alan sighed, the guy surely is a stubborn one, but suddenly an idea appeared in his head.

"Do you have any way to attract it?"

"Not exactly, but if our hunch about it being controlled is correct we might as well play to attract the one controlling it and not the wraith." - answered Lambert and scratched his head. - "So damn complicated!"

Alan was very reluctant to reveal himself here. It was not because of anyone, but a certain mage insane with ambition. He was still alive and if by some chance he draws attention of this guy it will be very bad. There is no correct way to even understand his level of power, but he was surely way stronger than Dumbledore and Voldemort combined.

'If this magical creature was in someone's possession, than it as well can be that damn sociopath. Wait, no, he is currently in Sodden. But the main issue with sparnox is that it can be lended away like some weapon.'

'If the owner of such a rare thing is that damn maniac, it might be troublesome. And he was able to wipe the floor with Geralt, Yennifer and Regis combined. He was killed only because of a fluke, not actual power of the party. Well, of course they fought on his home grounds, but still the dude is very bad news.'

Alan breathed out and thought why he actually care? The best course of action will be leaving Dillingen as soon as possible, but the thing is – he never heard of sparnox before and thus this thing never entered the scope of Witcher universe from Earth. And who knows how all of that might influence the future?

Yes, the best direction of action would be to escape, but he is done running. He did it in previous world knowing his own weakness, but here... here it is time to live in different way.

"Alan, I will go out and cause some trouble for all who tried to create chaos. Stay close to me, that way if anything happened you can help out with your 'snap finger thingy'." - Coen winked with a slight smile.

"Do you think I am some kind of djinn, or what?" - Alan rolled his eyes with exasperation and received contemplating look in return. He is actually considering the possibility of it!

'I don't even know whether to cry in hopelessness or feel flattered.'

"Wait, there might be one thing actually!" - Alan suddenly thought of several artifacts in his vault and felt funny. There was that flute that forced people to dance once being played. It was actually an average thing at best as it will not work on strong souls or mages, even monsters are a question, but that was enough to quell the uprising!

'But it might work differently here.' - with that thought Alan took out a flute from his chest as if it was always there and gave it a probe with special vision, while observing the outcome of mana infusion. - 'Good, if anything it became slightly more powerful here, but generally nothing changed.'

"Take it." - he handed it over to Coen. - "If you need to stop someone just play and move on. You will surely be noticed."

"What does it do?"

"You will know." - mysteriously said Alan. - "It should start at rush hour to cause the most chaos."

They went for food and drinks, killing time and waiting for attack to start. It wasn't until after dinner, that the first scream attracted their attention. Coen looked at the duo near him and nodded. Alan went for dark corner and shifted to Tenebris, hopping into former bag, as he had no idea whether his body can keep up with the speed of a witcher without magic.

He soon got his answer – at least for now he is totally unable to. Even Coen reflexes are higher than his, what to think of Geralt?

By the book his white hair were a result of additional mutagens used during the Trial of Grasses. It was a call from other witchers when they saw how tolerant Geralt was and subsequently it gave him more powers than other witchers.

'I still can't adapt to the current strength levels of this world and understand where is my standing. But one thing for sure, if I didn't use my magic, just by virtue of my strengthened body, I am weaker than Coen. And by not a small margin. I really need to be patient. Power of my bloodline will gradually enhance my body the more I train. How Amalgal said, my forte is adaptivity and essentially non-existent limit. What I need is time, proper forces, reagents and training and I can become anyone. Hmm, I need to take note to know what mutagens are. Later.'

They reached the open street where a group of soldiers was fighting a crowd of elves and dwarves, armed and adorned in armor way above your regular passerby.