Chapter 54

"... and so when you get that many oiled up rotfiends grouped together with a lot of other necrophages who have no idea who is attacking them, a few Dancing Stars is all you need to make them go up in bloody chunks." I told the story. "Makes me want to learn how to use a sling to be totally honest, being able to use special ammo with it would be easier than with a crossbow."

Leo's jaw had dropped somewhere around the part I mentioned 'bloody fireworks'; Vesemir let out a low whistle that sounded impressed. He glanced at Ivar with newfound respect. "I remember when all Witchers knew how to use a sling, but then crossbows became the norm because they were 'easier to use'. Easier my foot, all those overly-sensitive mechanics and ammunition you have to buy or craft yourself rather than pick up out of the dirt. Talk about one step forward, two steps back." Vesemir said in his typical old man 'back in my day' attitude that was weirdly charming rather than annoying. "I may have to tell Eskel and Lambert about it. Putting it back into our arsenal might be quite the advantage."

"I would gladly welcome a teacher there. Ivar tried but apparently his teaching style isn't for me." I joked to the scholar.

"Not my fault you don't have a head for applied mathematics." Ivar huffed as he took a drink of his ale. "Is a basic understanding of geometry, trigonometry, and physics too much to ask?

"So you took out all those necrophages… that easily? Then you went and destroyed a dozen harpy nests?" Leo asked, impressed in spite of himself.

"Let that be a lesson, Leo. A good Witcher uses as many tools as he can to get the job done, and one of the best tools if their brain. Let the knights seeking glory be the ones that charge blindly into danger. Meanwhile we Witchers will come out of most hunts with only a few scratches and a full pouch for our work." Vesemir adopted a lecturing tone, which Leo soaked up in his oddly adorable way.

We were all eating and drinking at a back corner booth in an inn Vesemir said he had been going to for decades, 'I was there when they first opened in fact', after Leo parked their horses, wagon, and goods. I was a little worried leaving it alone was asking for thieves but Vesemir assured me that shouldn't be any issue.

Not sure why that was the case but I decided not to question it.

"Also helped with cleaning up the battlefield afterwards. Make sure not as many ghouls showed up to bug the living or stick around very long. Seltkirk is a good employer and I even crossed swords with him for a bit. I was shit though since I barely know the basics. I hope you can help me fix that, Grandmaster." I bowed my head respectfully towards Vesemir.

He looked at me with surprise. "You don't know how to fight with a blade?"

I waggled my hand in a 'so-so' motion. "I may have once, but when I lost my memory I lost all but the basics of using a sword. I know well enough to fight thugs and simple beasts, but that's about it. And even then, I used Signs more than my sword. I certainly won more fights relying on them at least."

Vesemir shook his head sadly. "A Witcher who can't fight with a sword. Shameful, truly shameful." He narrowed his eyes at me. "Guess I'll get to try whipping you into shape this winter."

"And I suppose that will technically make Leo here my senior when it comes to sword combat. I hope you can teach me well." I nodded towards the Witcher in training, who looked a little put out by my words.

"Ah-but, I-I haven't gotten my mutations yet…" Leo tried to say before I cut him off.

"Neither did Seltkirk and he is lauded as one of the finest warriors in all the Northern Kingdoms. Mutations make us physically stronger than the average human, but that is no substitute for true skill. Pretty sure you could beat me if I didn't use any Signs or potions." I encouraged the young man.

I paused as I realized something that Vesemir had said. "So, you're decided to let us stay?" Including Ivar went unspoken, but Vesemir understood my intent.

"Aye, you and the scholar can both come. But he'll need to agree to be put under Somne for the first day off the main road, and blindfolded for the second. It's a one week journey back to Kaer Morhen. Also, the two of you will need to agree to let me look over your gear for magical trackers. Can't be too careful." Vesemir laid down the law.

Ivar was already nodding. "Of course! Anything you say, Grandmaster. You have my word that I will comply with any requirements you may have. Not that I would tell anyone your secrets, but if those are your terms, then I happily accept!"

"Heck, I would take the same conditions if it made you feel any better." I said as I took a bite of my mutton. I never did eat sheep before, it wasn't bad. A bit pungent, though.

"I don't think that will be necessary. You're a Witcher after all and there are precious few of us left as it is. We need to be able to trust one another, especially when most of our homes are gone." Vesemir paused to shovel in a mouthful of potatoes mixed with ham.

Well since he brought it up…

"Hey Ivar, mind if we chatted privately for a moment?" I asked my friend, who easily nodded and walked off towards the innkeeper no questions asked. I then turned back to the two before me. "Speaking of which, how old is Leo here? He will need to take the Trial of the Grasses soon if you want the best chance of him taking the mutagens well." I asked.

"I turned fifteen about five months ago." Leo spoke up before Vesemir could, obviously keeping track of his age for this very reason. "I have also been working hard with The Choice to make sure I am ready for when… if it happens." Leo finished on a slightly sour note.

"If?" I raised a brow.

Vesemir sighed. "When the fortress was sacked, all of the notes, chemicals and mutagens on how to do the Trial were lost. Afterwards we worked hard to recover what we could and in more recent decades I've collected some more, but I was a fencing instructor, not an alchemist. We lost all of our mage assistants and I don't know how to do it now." He scowled, and for a moment looked every one of his years. Working hard to keep a crumbling guild together with what few members left while the other schools as far as he knows all died out, and thinking the Wolf School would be next.

All things I knew and I was sorry to bring up painful thoughts, but I was about to bring in some hope as well.

"I said how I lost a lot of my memories from that blow to the head, but I maintained some specific things. Basic sword combat, monster knowledge, Signs, and other things. However the thing I maintained the most was my alchemy skill. I've been using it to make more efficient potions and even potent mutagen mixes, however there is one thing I know without a doubt is the most valuable…" I then lowered my voice to such a level I knew only Vesemir could hear it. "I know how to make the Decoctions of the Grasses."

Vesemir gave a slight twitch. For someone like him, I suspected that was the equivalent of a shout of surprise

"I know it isn't much use without a friendly mage on hand, the only one I know I wouldn't trust not to do her own research with it, but if you have any contacts yourself you trust…" I trailed off.

"I may know one or two people," Vesemir whispered. "Tell me everything; if I'm satisfied with what I hear, I'll send them a letter and arrange a meeting."

Leo meanwhile was trying hard not to eavesdrop at the low volume we were speaking.

"The Trial needs six main ingredients, along with alchemical bases of high purity naturally…" I started to list the ingredients off, even offering my own insight on how to make them more efficient and less likely to kill those who receive it thanks to my knowledge. All the while I could see the gears in Vesemirs' head turning, likely going over what he could remember in the past and what he had recovered over the years to see if what I was saying was adding up.

But there was one thing I did notice past the wall of stone that was Vesemir's face, hope.

"I'll be right back. Leo, stay here." Vesemir said suddenly as he got up and marched out of the inn.

"Is something wrong? What did you talk about?" Leo asked concerned, likely never seeing his mentor act like this before.

"The future, Leo. The future." I said vaguely as Ivar brought over a tray of sweet rolls.

"These are just divine! You must try some!" Ivar said with a smile.

Ivar, mood-killer supreme.

---

Vesemir returned to the inn about an hour later; Leo, Ivar, Dogmeat and I were hanging out in the common room listening to a half-decent bard sing one of Dandelion's songs. This one was about the Battle of the Bridge.

I tuned it out since I know how that went.

I turned to him as he took a seat next to us. "Stormed out of here pretty quickly. You alright?" I asked.

"Had a letter to write; the express rider departed about fifteen minutes ago, and I had to get it written and passed off to them before they left. Next one wouldn't have been for a week." he explained.

"I assume you sent it to those one or two mages you can trust then?" Who would he have chosen? Triss for one, but the other?

"Just one, but she knows her stuff. She'll be enough." The taciturn Witcher left it at that.

"Guess that means that we got an agreement then. Once we get to Kaer Morhen I will be sure to write everything down, and I do mean everything, that way you have it again. I also had some new potion ideas I've been playing with like one that increases blood flow so that you don't have to worry about cold weather and snow as much-" Vesemir cut me off.

"Like I said, lad, I'm no alchemist… but I wouldn't be opposed to learning more beyond the basics I know. We'll have plenty of time for that in the winter when you aren't learning which end of the sword to stick in your opponent." Vesemir teased.

"Oh! I know this one! It's the pointy end, right? Took me a few fingers to figure that one out." I joked back.

"Full marks, lad. We'll start you on the more advanced material once we get home." Vesemir said, for once starting to relax.

'Home', heh. I wonder if Vesemir just realized he offered some words I didn't realize I needed.

Home is a safe place where you can rest without fear, a place you found comfort in, and a place with a family who could support you.

I planned on making that home even better than before if it was within my power.

---

Vesemir was poking through both mine and Ivar's luggage, doing something with his medallion that I couldn't quite figure out. I'd stripped of most of my gear save for my clothing, and even that Vesemir had gone over like a bloodhound on a scent.

"What's this?" Vesemir said as he picked up the xenovox Síle had given me. "A xenovox? Haven't seen one of these things in ages."

"It was a gift from a sorceress I, er, met back in Oxenfurt. We use it to talk to each other sometimes. She owes me one and says if I ever need her I can call on her." I explained.

Vesemir lowered his medallion over it, and whispered something I couldn't quite make out. Suddenly his medallion pointed hard towards the southwest, vibrating like a violin string.

Uh oh, that doesn't seem good.

"Does that mean something I should be concerned about?" I asked, having little hope in it being good news.

Vesemir nodded. "There's a spell on this that tracks your coordinates. Part of it is linked to the function of the xenovox, so that it can make calls, but it's much more active than I would have expected. Short version, it is telling whoever is on the other end where you are at all times." he explained.

"I want to say I'm surprised… but I can't. Sorceresses, am I right?" I tried to joke.

No one laughed, instead choosing just to stare at me like I was an idiot. Even Dogmeat.

"Yes. You're right." Vesemir answered grimly. "Did you mention to this sorceress your destination?"

"Just that I was heading towards Kaedwen, that's all. If you think it'd dangerous to bring with me I can just stick it in a safety deposit box at the bank and for all she will know is that I'm wintering in the city." I offered. I'm honestly not sure if I should be insulted or weirdly attracted to the fact a hot sorceress felt the need to know where I was at all times of the day.

"Worried. You should be very worried." Vesemir said abruptly. What?

"You were mumbling just now," he told me.

"Oh."

"Youngsters and sorcesses, bad combination." Vesemir just shook his head, not in anger or disappointment, but with the attitude of a man who had dealt with this too much already. Under his breath, I could barely hear him grumble, "It's like dealing with Geralt all over again."

"I heard that! At least my exploits aren't the focus of popular songs and stories!" I protested.

"Yet." Ivar said with a smirk.

"Just don't go corrupting poor Leo here. I've already lost four Witchers who listened too much to their lower sword, I don't need a fifth." Vesemir tossed me the xenovox. "Destroy it or store it, but either way it's not coming with us."

"On it. Since I will be at the bank anyway how much gold should I take out to buy supplies? How much do you think we can reasonably bring with us?" I asked.

Vesemir gave me a toothy grin. "Bring 500 more gold pieces to start with. I'm going to work on a wish list while you're gone." The grin widened. "It's a very long list."

I know I said I was willing to give away all my gold in order to buy my way into Kaer Morhen if needed, but seeing that look on the old man's face made me kinda think that was going to happen sooner than I expected.

Eh, I'm a Witcher. We are supposed to be nearly broke all the time, that is why we risk life and limb for dangerous jobs that pay crap. If anything, I've been spoiled too much.