Chapter 110

A couple more days after we decided on our plans for the near future flew by in lightning speed. We actually started learning on the same day, as we couldn't afford to put it off. Ian and Triss have been learning to shoot pistols and throw grenades since the first time they were put in the Coffin. Of course something more complicated could have been invented, but why?

They are mages, for them extra weapons in their hands are only a hindrance, a grenade is more of a weapon to prevent the enemy from approaching if he by some miracle broke through their spells, and a pistol is a weapon of last chance...

In general, they learned only the most necessary things, well, and along the way also uploaded their knowledge into the training program in which we were already trained.

Of course to practice magic in the Coffin we could not, but at least much faster to learn the theory...

I answered the summons of one of the clan representatives who was now at the observation post.

"Fixing the portal, two men came out of it, a white-haired man with two swords behind his back and an elf... at least the pointy ears say it's an elf... at least the pointy ears suggest an elf.

"Sleeping bullets with them."

"Understood, proceeding to execute..."

"Just watch with backup, a man with two swords is very dangerous and it's not clear how his body may react to sleeping pills, he may just pretend to fall asleep, and then attack..."

"Roger that...getting to it..."

A couple seconds of silence.

"There's a hit, both sentients are hit. The elf fell to the ground, the guy with the swords obviously a little slow before he fell."

"Do any of you have advanced optics?"

"David, don't tell your grandfather to scratch his balls... We're going to check it out."

Another twenty seconds passed before the same voice came over the comms.

"That's it. he's definitely asleep now."

"Okay. load them into the car, don't forget to put them in metal, then take them to the old clan parking lot."

"The old one?"

"Yeah. we're not going to take likely opponents to a clan with a bunch of people who could get hurt if they have a way to hurt us even while chained up..."

"Got it. I'm taking you to the old camp site."

The connection was broken, and I got up from my desk and immediately began to call everyone, but Tsiri had to get out of the coffin, but it was a matter of two minutes, so in five we were all gathered near the car.

"Is something wrong?"

"Well, apparently Geralt and this elf have arrived. they're sleeping now, and they're being taken to where the clan camp used to be."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Ciri jumped up from her seat and looked at me excitedly.

"It's nothing, really. I've gathered you here to break the news and also to warn some of you--

I looked at Ciri, Ian, and Triss with a hard stare.

"...so you don't do anything stupid."

"We get it..."

They nodded at my warning, and then we all packed up and headed for our destination, which we arrived at well ahead of the clan representative, so that Judy, Kiwi, and Lucy had time to get into position for sniper fire.

We had to wait for about twenty minutes, and during that time I managed to get some collapsible metal tables out of the trunk, on which I planned to fix the delivered sentients. When the car finally arrived, we fastened Heralt, then cut off the elf's clothes and fastened him naked on the table.

"Ha... I feel sorry for the elves..."

Becca shook her head with a glimpse of the elf's cock, and then lost all interest in our prisoner. But we did not think of undressing Geralt, though we had captured him, but he was not an enemy...

Not yet is...

"Ahem... what happened?"

"Geralt..."

Ian's voice was arctic cold.

"Ian? You're like, uh."

The man opened his eyes, which opened with difficulty, and quickly looked around, twitching a couple of times, but to no avail.

"What the hell is going on?! You decided to join the Wild Hunt?! And you're Triss?!"

"Geralt. have you been brainwashed?"

"What are you talking about..."

"It's about, Geralt, I wasn't kidnapped by a Wild Hunt sympathizer, as I'm sure this one must have told you..."

Ciri nodded disdainfully at the naked elf.

"Uh... Why is he naked?"

"Because, Geralt."

I decided to answer him.

"...that he's an enemy, unlike you. By the way, my name is David, and I'm the one who saved Ciri when she was in this world, and then helped her fight the Wild Hunt."

"You?"

The witch's voice was filled with genuine surprise and doubt, and the look he gave me was far from the look of a man who believed my words.

"He, Geralt. he found me when I was unconscious, told me about the world and its dangers, and helped me fend off a Wild Hunt attack."

Geralt frowned.

"Do you have proof?"

"Does he have them?"

Ciri nodded at the elf.

"Well, his story at least sounds a lot more believable than the one in which this little kid deals with the Wild Hunt."

"This little guy is a lot stronger than he looks at first glance. You, on the other hand. for some reason you've chosen to trust a former Wild Hunt representative like I once did."

"What?!"

"He told me about it himself, though he emphasized that he had long ago not adhered to the same radical views as the representatives of this merry bunch."

We were silent for a while.

"Uh... well, uh."

Geralt chose a very cautious tone to begin speaking again.

"...Then why is he still alive if you think he's the enemy?"

"David wants to try to question him."

"Try?"

The witch doctor's voice was filled with incomprehension.

"It's just that I've never tortured anyone, Witcher. So I'm not sure I can get what I need from him and not just kill a freak who thinks he can play with Ciri's fate... he's been awake for about five minutes, by the way."

"It's, uh. you realize I've come to my senses."

The elf opened his eyes.

"...that commands respect. I am not your enemy. I want to save the universe from a terrible fate, and only the Swallow can save many worlds from the White Cold!"

I sighed and covered my eyes for a few seconds.

"Now it turns out there's a prophecy..."

"You're right. a prophecy and only a child of the Elder Blood can fulfill it. Fulfill it and save us all."

I laughed, and so did everyone else, well except for Triss and Ian and Geralt.

"You know what's funny, elf?"

"What?"

He frowned.

"This white cold of yours is only your problem, neither in Ciri's world nor in this one. Moreover, this world, even if the portals that your kin open to the white cold, and judging by the strong drop in temperature around the portals, they open them there, will be permanent, this world will not be threatened."

"This is..."

"You're the one who messed up, most likely because of your own experiments, your world is dying of Chlade."

"Yes. we were very wrong, but it is not only our misfortune, after our world White Cold will go further and what you feel now from the portals, it will be like a drop in the sea..."

I shook my head.

"You still don't get it. I don't give a shit about your problems. After all these years. you could have solved them in other ways... gradually relocate to another world, develop a seal to block the portals to White Cold, stop using the portals to it, but..."

I shook my head.

"You just don't care about anyone, you only want to keep yourself safe, yet continue to use Hlad as a weapon against others."

The elf gritted his teeth.

"You don't understand anything. I've lived a long time and I know a lot more than you, the average person. White Cold will not stop at our world..."

"Perhaps..."

I nodded a couple of times, showing that I was not denying the possibility of such a development.

"...but who says we have to help you?"

"Boy..."

There was an easy-to-read threat in Geralt's voice.

"What? The Wild Hunt kills everyone they deem a nuisance with impunity, enslaves ordinary civilians and thinks that's the way it's supposed to be-- and if he--

I nodded at the elf so that no one would have any doubt who I was talking about.

"the race thinks I'm gonna help them after this. they're so naive, it's scary how they're not extinct."

"Are you willing to jeopardize the extinction of an entire race just because of a few members?"

"Yeah..."

I shrugged my shoulders answering the Elf's question.

"You... You're just like Eredin. A monster."

"I'll ask for no insults..."

I threw the knife at the elf and it easily entered his leg near the foot, piercing it through and causing him to hiss in pain and gnash his teeth.

"I don't go around kidnapping intelligent people and killing them. I'm not forcing you to die, I just don't want you to solve your own problems with other people's hands."

"Yeah, and I, uh."

Ciri joined the conversation.

"...I don't want to help you anymore. When we first started traveling, I was grateful. Perhaps if you hadn't abandoned me, I'd be eating out of your hand right now, figuratively speaking, but you chose to try to leave me alone so you could tie me down even tighter..."

"You don't realize... there is a terrifying power hidden within you... such power needs direction and--

"And you wanted to take on such a burden?"

Triss joined the conversation throwing a brief glance at Ciri.

"Isn't that a lot to take on?"

"You-- you don't understand anything.

"Maybe, but you've already confirmed our words by not denying them. You were just playing with Ciri, but in reality you're doing the same thing as Wild Hunt, trying to take her power. And I didn't even have to torture you..."

Ian shook her head.

"Ian..."

Geralt looked dumbfounded at his familiar.

"What do you want?"

"I--what's become of you? Why do you hate me so much?

"Don't you think it's a little out of time?"

She shook her head irritably, but I walked over to the elf and pulled the knife from his leg under his hateful gaze.

"You will fail. Zirael will belong to us, she will fulfill her destiny, and you will all fall before the greatness of our race..."

"Well..."

I shrugged.

"...we've already seen your face under the mask of nonchalance and pseudo-willingness to help. So your words have not opened our eyes to you and your race.

A wave of his hand and the knife pierces the elf's eye and enters his brain.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Geralt was clearly not very happy with what I had done.

"Taking out someone who is definitely the enemy."

"You..."

"Geralt, even after what you heard, you wanted to defend him?"

Ian spoke in a voice full of frustration while shaking her head.

"Yeah. It's a good thing I found a way to undo the Genius' influence on me. or I'd still be oblivious to what an asshole you are."

"You, uh. did you?"

"Yes. I did."

"And... what's with Nami now?"

"With us?"

Yen grinned.

"There is no us. You know, I'd rather go to David's harem than get back together with you."

"Pfft. Girl, don't lie to us, you're not looking at David at all..."

Triss decided to interject herself into the conversation.

"Yeah, well. unlike you, he's not the one I have my eye on, but you still have an interview to do."

Triss blushed slightly and looked away.

"What are we supposed to do with him?"

I nodded at Geralt.

"I don't know..."

Ian shook her head.

"It's like he's had his brains kicked in, so he's delusional about helping the elves."

"I'm a witch doctor. it's my duty to help the intelligent, whatever they may be, and the entire race certainly doesn't deserve to die because of some of its members..."

"Well, let the elves work on their own rescue..."

I shrugged.

"...they can make portals, they can train mages to do it, and so they can move to another world that is not affected by the White Cold. But they'd rather just rely on someone to come and save them..."

"Maybe they just can't leave..."

"Yeah? What's stopping them?"

"For example, not everyone knows how to open portals..."

Geralt was stubborn.

"But they trained me and Triss to open portals between worlds? Heralt, even if you take into account that portals consume a lot of energy, and a limited number of intelligent people can pass through them, I can open such portals five times a day..."

Ian shook her head.

"In a day, that's a hundred reasonable... In a year. thirty-six thousand five hundred sentients, along with Triss...

"That's seventy-three thousand intelligent people.

Triss continued after Ian, who actually, judging by the look in her eyes wanted to wait for Geralt's response.

"And people are very weak mages, well, compared to elves, simply because elves live a long time, and during their lives have the opportunity to develop in magic developing their reserve to a large size. And we have much less mages..."

Geralt looked at Triss confusedly.

"What are you trying to say?"

"What the Elves have, even without training, are strong enough mages that you can just train them to create portals. Yeah, it might take a couple months, maybe six months, but after that..."

Ian shook her head.

"A hundred mages who can create at least one portal for five elves, that's five hundred elves a day and a hundred and eighty thousand a year. And that's if there are only a hundred mages and for some reason, creating such spells as a portal between worlds will not develop their reserve..."

"Are you saying."

"What she means to say, witcher, is that the elves could have solved their problem long ago, but they don't want to. They want to take possession of the Elder Blood that flows in Ciri."

"..."

"It seemed, judging by the look in his eyes, that he finally realized he was being manipulated once again."

"Fucking..."

"David, you can let him go, he realized how wrong he was to trust that elf. And he didn't want to hurt Ciri before..."

I shrugged and quickly got near Geralt and freed him from the steel cables that bound him.

"Damn... how so..."

Garellt sat down on the table and pounded his fist on it.

"Something upset you, witch doctor?"

You could easily hear the chuckle in my voice.

"Only that you seem to be a racist..."

Saying this he hummed unhappily.

"...But the fact that those in power were once again playing me for a fool trying to solve their problems at my expense did not upset me at all, nor did the fact that for a change the one in power turned out to be an elf."

"Uh, no..."

I shrugged.

"...I'm not racist, it's just that so far specifically you haven't earned my respect, that's why I don't want to call you names."

"Uh, uh. I should get home. get my people together."

Geralt cast a glance at Ian.

"You can hold out for a couple months, right?"

"How do I know..."

She shrugged.

"We can."

I nodded a couple times confirming my words.

"Except that fighting in this world is not a good idea, I'm not the biggest frog in this swamp and you can all be captured and then dissected..."

"So we have to meet the enemy at our place, but even so, they need to be distracted, which means you shouldn't be in our world for a while. I'll prepare the site and--

"I can single out the reasonable ones to get it done faster..."

"Okay. send me to Caer Morhen, we'll round up the witches, and then in a couple months, send the sane ones there. rebuild the fortress so it can withstand a siege."