Chapter 51

The next few days passed just like that; me getting beaten up by Seltkirk while he tried to pass on even a bit of his knowledge and when not doing that conversing with his fellows as I spent the days with Ivar in the inn talking or working on potions. However, a day before Henselt was to invade Seltkirk cancelled our sparring sessions and met with the other leaders, no doubt going over a report saying Henselt was going to invade, delivered by Aedirnian spies.

So it was to no great surprise that the morning gave way to several horns going off and the many soldiers either leaving Vergen to head to the battlefield or manning the walls.

I didn't even get to speak with Seltkirk, having to make due to a message delivered to me saying simply, 'Thank you, what comes next falls to me. Deus Vult!' I really hope he would be coming back to expand on that afterwards.

So it was that I watched as Vergen and its surroundings were emptied of troops and they went off to the north to face off against Kaedwen, for better or worse. Seltkirk and Stennis at the head of the column as they rode off.

So it was that even after a few hours after they left I found myself looking over the horizon in the general direction of the battlefield, Seltkirk's seal ensuring I could do so long as I didn't interfere with the defense. Said walls were manned mostly by town militia and mercenaries, most of them dwarves in heavy armor.

I tried to use the spyglass to see if I could spot anything, but sadly with how hilly and craggy this region was I couldn't see much. I was stuck waiting till the army returned… or if I saw fire falling from the sky.

"Dwarves are used to being patient, though even I can understand how frustrating it can be in war." Elder Barclay said at my side, his impressive white beard falling to his chest while he wore his own high quality armor and had his hand on his sword's hilt.

"I imagine it was even worse for you since you fought against Nilfgaard before and they aren't the friendliest bunch." I said, which got me a hard and short laugh.

"Indeed, but then again you humans in general can be rather hard to deal with on a good day, even amongst allies. No offense."

"None taken, humans are commonly assholes sadly. I don't even count as one anymore according to most." I brushed the comment off. "Curious, why is a war hero like you hanging out in Vergen and not back home in Mahakam getting free drinks for life for leading the volunteer army in crushing Nilfgaard?"

"Technically speaking most of those that volunteered to fight are banned from returning to Mahakam by order of the Elder-in-Chief. Most of us simply settle in dwarf-majority settlements in the lowlands like here in Vergen or continue working as mercenaries like most here. I actually prefer it since it is peaceful, present times excluded, and I don't have to deal with cutthroat clan politics anymore. For all that he has a tamping rod shoved up his ass about damn near everything I can respect the fact that Brouver has kept the realm together for centuries through nothing but will, grit and determination against threats external and internal. There is a reason why Mahakam is one of the only still standing non-human realms in the world after all." Barclay explained.

I didn't doubt it. From what I saw in Thronebreaker I wasn't sure if the dwarven king was always that stubborn or had to become that way in order to best lead his people. Either way, didn't make him any more pleasant to interact with I imagine.

"I actually hope to go to Mahakam one day to do business with some experts. I hope they don't turn away those willing to pay well."

"As long as you don't mind having a sack over your head and disarmed before being allowed past the first gate you'll be fine. Brouver hates it when outsiders ask for things but will at most grumble as long as you pay for services rendered. Just don't expect a warm welcome in our cold mountain home." Barclay said.

A very fair point since I find it unlikely I will do anything to earn a Leaden Ring or something of that sort after all. I turned away from the conversation and I once more hopelessly tried to see anything through spyglass.

"I do wonder what is happening over there though, and hope everything ends like I hope it does." I idly said as I nervously waited for whatever may come.

---

The Lieutenant took great care as he peered over the lip of the cliff face behind Henselt's camp. Although the sun was still coming up, the hills flanking the Kaedweni army camp prevented the rays of light from striking him and his men just yet; nevertheless, there was no point in taking unnecessary risks. Many an operation had failed because an alert sentry had spotted someone as they backlit themselves by accident.

Fortunately, it appeared that most of the enemy forces were absent from the camp - as was to be expected for a battle of this magnitude. Good. As the Prince-Consort was so fond of saying, 'Hit them where they ain't.' And they ain't here, oh no.

At a gesture from him, a half-dozen Supercommandos, along with several Aedirnian scouts and another six dwarves from Vergen moved over the edge and fanned out. One scout was dressed… unusually.

"Corporal, take point, and let us know if you see any soldiers. If you do… distract them."

The shapely, scantily clad woman grinned wolfishly. "Will do, Lieutenant." She wore the attire of a camp whore, although a sharp-eyed person could make out the dagger hidden in the sash she wore around her hips. Most soldiers weren't sharp-eyed.

The sabotage squad made their way through the camp, stopping to check tents for any occupants and douse their trailing edge with oil. They were careful to avoid lighting it. Yet.

There was one heart-pounding moment when the corporal ran into a drunk Kaedweni soldier. "Well hello, love!" the wobbling man slurred. "Would you look at this? And people say Odrin has no luck!" He draped one arm over her shoulder. "Come on to my tent, lemme show you a good time."

The corporal scrunched her nose at the overwhelming stench of alcohol wafting from his person. "Of course! But what else can the woman of your dreams do for you?" She slunk behind him, shaking off Odrin's arm and trailing one hand along his own shoulders. She embraced him from behind, making sure to press her breasts into his back. Odrin gave a sappy smile, right before her arm went around his neck and put him into a sleeper hold.

Five seconds, and the sot was out like a light. "He's an idiot, but he's a harmless idiot," she said as she dragged him into a latrine and propped him up against the wall. "Let's douse the quartermaster's tent and be done with this."

They did precisely that. With all of the tents from the quartermaster's tent to Henselt's back up the hill touched with oil, the saboteurs took brands and lit them in a firepit in the center of the camp. They then raced back to their entry point, touching the flames against every tent that had been treated with oil. The remaining accelerant was all dumped in Henselt's tent, but not before they stripped it clean of any loot they could carry.

The Lieutenant took one glance back; the upper camp was fully engaged in flame. He couldn't help but grin. See how the horse fuckers liked having their possessions stripped from them for a change!

---

"Huh, that is a rather large amount of smoke." I noted with a confused tone in my voice since I only expected to see something like while fire was raining down from the sky. I mean, I wasn't complaining but still…

"Judging from the distance I judge that must be the Kaedweni camp!" Barclay said with a laugh to my side. "Seems like those Supercommandos live up to their name at least. Henselt will be having a much harder go of it with his logistics up in flames, and I don't imagine seeing their backlines in flame will be doing their mood any good neither." the dwarf explained with a smile.

"I imagine so." I nodded a bit dumbly as I wondered how this might affect the rest of the battle.

"Seltkirk told us how it's you we got to thank for the opportunity by bringing back that scouting report whilst you were killing beasties. Couldn't act on it till the actual battle started and enemy camp was near empty, but still quite the stroke of good fortune. Even if Vandergrift drives our forces back to Vergen they will be in no position to do an actual siege and will be forced back across the Pontar if they don't want to starve during winter." Barclay said with a slightly vicious look in his eye.

Before I could respond to that though I heard a chime go off that apparently only I could hear, since no dwarf around me was paying attention to it, so I assumed it was some magic directed at me. I quickly found the source of it; the xenovox apparently had a magic ringtone.

"Excuse me a moment." I said to Barclay as I moved away from the edge of the wall and went down the steps a bit before channeling a little bit of my own power back at the device to 'answer' it.

"Hello? Síle? That you?" I asked.

"Who else would it be? Some other sorceress you have been speaking to recently?" came the annoyed response.

"Yeah, dumb question. Mostly curious why you are the one calling at the moment, especially since if you need anything from me all I can offer is knowledge unless you want to pick me up via portal, and now... isn't the right time. Kinda waiting on the results of something." I said as I looked over the top of the stairs to see if the sky was raining fire yet, still nothing.

"Might a woman check in on a valuable contact? Especially since he is one of the most contested places in the North at the moment? According to the coordinates you are giving off you are still in Vergen. I do hope you are not involving yourself in the petty conflict there." she said dismissively but at the same time I thought I noticed some concern in her voice.

"Well then you will be happy to know I'm only staying around until the conflict dies down and I can cross the border without issue… maybe less happy that said conflict is happening in full right now. I am safe behind dwarf made walls at least… what are you up to?" I asked since I knew that if Sabrina was going to call down a firestorm she needed to call in help from the Lodge to get it done, of which Síle was among those that assisted her in doing so.

"Simply getting some research and other work done while also conversing with some colleagues of mine over the megascope. Boring things really from a Witcher's perspective since it involves women, magic and other things that men in general would hold no interest." she dismissed my question without a second thought, which made me worried that she was in a meeting with Lodge debating whether or not to burn the battlefield while we talked. "Good to hear you are not a part of any foolishness over there at least."

"I did meet Seltkirk of Gulet though, and he certainly lives up to his reputation. Even did a few jobs for him on behalf of the Aedirnians while here, killing monsters bugging him and the army. Got to spar with the man and he is certainly no slouch with a blade; he kicked my ass over a dozen times. I hope he lives and puts Vandergrift in the ground." I mentioned, trying to see if that got any reaction.

"I see, must have been quite the experience. I think you are the envy of every maiden in the North now." her teasing tone came out.

"Funny. Anyway, the point is that I'm fine and all I'm doing right now is waiting… you want to talk while I do that?" I asked curiously.

"Hmmm, I normally detest smalltalk… however I think I can make an exception for you as long as you do not bore me." was the impish response.

"I will try to entertain, m'lady." I said back sarcastically. "Came across a magical stone circle thing made by celaeno harpies to project dream crystals recently." I began.

"Do tell."

So I did, feeling slightly better as I waited out the results of the battle talking with a… 'friend' I suppose rather than stressing out and bugging dwarves. Ivar had the right idea originally just working on notes back at the inn with Dogmeat.

---

Seltkirk panted as he cut down yet another Kaedweni soldier. By the Lord, it was if they were all fixated on him! And, for all he knew, they might well have been told to focus their efforts on killing him.

His escort provided invaluable support as they formed a flying wedge that cut to the heart of the Kaedweni positions. The dwarves were stout as a living wall, holding off those who sought to overwhelm him with numbers. Tybalt, keeping to cover and the high ground, picked off would-be snipers. His brother Silgrat served as his shieldbearer, helping cover his back. And the Supercommandos of Lyria and Rivia's Prince-Consort were making a valiant effort to take down those who evaded the dwarves or Tybalt.

Kill Vandergrift. Kill Vandergrift, and this fight would be done. He could only pray that Markus had been correct in foretelling that Glevvisig's treason was contingent on the outcome of his duel.

Ah, it looked as though that question would be answered sooner rather than later. As his merry band made their way along a path that led them to the Kaedweni center, he saw Vandergrift. The man himself. He was accompanied by a company of men-at-arms and his own bodyguards along with men of the legendary Dun Banner.

"SELTKIRK!" He roared. Vandergrift was a big man; a hair's breadth over six feet, he was broad and muscular even in his heavy armor. A heavy spiked shield and claymore were hefted in his brawny hands as though they were children's toys. His receding black hair was worn long and loose, reaching down past his shoulders, while his neatly trimmed mustache had been styled to cover most of his cheeks.

Seltkirk had had enough. "Oh, just shut up!" He charged at Vandergrift, his sword held out to the side in a fencer's guard. Vandergrift tried to end it quickly, hefting his blade towards Seltkirk in an attempt to make him impale himself on it; the old man was canny though, and swept his blade up in an upward slash that parried the Kaedweni commander's own sword skyward. With his off hand, Seltkirk reached under the two swords and tried to grab the edge of Vandergrift's shield to pull it off his arm, or at least pull him off-balance.

His plan was thwarted as Vandergrift, utilizing the momentum from Seltkirk's parry, whipped his arm around like a windmill and brought his sword in an ascending slash that threatened to remove Seltkirk's arm at the elbow. He was forced to pirouette to prevent precisely that, and put some space between himself and Vandergrift.

"That's it?" The Visitor scoffed. "Even a child could-"

He was interrupted as the Samum bomb Seltkirk had dropped behind his shield at his feet detonated in a flash of light and a burst of sound. Vandergrift reeled backwards in shock and surprise. "AARGH!" He blinked furiously, trying to get the spots out of his vision, and just barely managed to block Seltkirk's chop with his shield.

"Tricks?" said Vandergrift in surprise. "Didn't think you had it in you."

Seltkirk pitched his voice so that it only carried to Vandergrift. "Anything to defeat you, Vlad Dracula." It was a gamble - Markus hadn't ever told him the man's full name - but it was worth a shot.

It worked; Vandergrift staggering like he'd been punched. "What?!" He hissed. "How do you know that name?" He threw aside his shield, his blade whipping towards Seltkirk in a flurry of cuts, thrusts, and slashes that the older man was hard-pressed to deflect, block, and avoid. He got a few nicks in on Vandergrift, the other man's rage making his defense a bit sloppy, but was unable to keep blood from being drawn from himself as well.

"It… Doesn't… Matter." Seltkirk growled. "Let's end this." Vandergrift seemed all too willing to oblige, charging at Seltkirk like a wild bull, such was his fury.

He cut at Seltkirk; the other man parried it with his sword, then returned it with a one-handed overhead chop of his own. Vandergrift caught it on his own blade, both hands supporting it. Seltkirk used his momentum to briefly step into Vandergrift's space, sparks flying as his blade scraped along the other man's and the pommel of his sword pounding into Vandergrift's chest plate like a hammer. It wasn't nearly as effective as the same move had been on Markus.

Then again, it didn't need to.

With his off-hand, Seltkirk drew a dagger and rammed it into a gap in Vandergrift's armor, just under his right armpit. The Visitor gasped in pain, drawing one leg back and snap-kicking him in the chest. He tried to reset himself, but staggered with sudden weakness.

"What… Did… You… Do?" Vandergrift hissed in pain. He attempted a feeble slice at Seltkirk, who deflected it contemptuously.

"I won." He said simply. "Hanged Man's Venom. It should be killing you right… about… now."

As if on cue, Vandergrift fell to one knee. He bared his teeth at Seltkirk, and spat a bloody gob towards him.

"It… it should have been me…" the knight whispered.

Then he slumped over and died.

"Requiscat in Pace," Seltkirk whispered. Even if he had been a monster, he deserved that much of a courtesy. He hadn't asked to be dragged here, after all any more than William had.

He would have liked nothing more than to collapse and rest right then and there, but there was still a battle raging all around him.

"Vandergrift has fallen! To me, men of Aedirn!" Seltkirk cried out with his sword raised high.

The cry was taken up by both sides - "Vandergrift has fallen!" For Aedirn, it was the sound of hope and near-certain victory; for Kaedwen, the toll of despair. Within minutes, the Kaedweni formations began to waver.

---

"I must say, while I am not particularly skilled in that branch of magic I find the idea of an expert oneiromancer creating dreams to store in crystals and then displaying them for others to enjoy a rather entertaining thought. After all, the mind is much more capable of making enjoyable stories than simple playwrights." Síle agreed as I explained my idea to basically make magical movies and tv shows.

"Is there anything that magic doesn't make better?" I asked jokingly.

"It made both of us so I doubt it. Though I can already hear the fools and simpletons drone on about how it takes away the 'art' of things. Any form of change or even a drop of magic when it is inconvenient for some will bring a mob on one's head yet they still want to have their boils and rashes fixed because they can't do it themselves. That is stupidity of the highest order and-" Síle suddenly cut off.

"Hello? Síle? Did this thing cut out or something?" I spoke into the xenovox and gave it a shake.

"I apologize Markus, a development has come up that requires my attention. However, let it be known you are one of few people who has not bored me with idle chatter and have in fact entertained me and given me useful ideas to ponder. We shall speak again at a later date." Síle said to me with some warmth.

"Nice talking to you too. I hope whatever you are dealing with can be solved with liberal amounts of magical lightning."

"If only all of my problems could." she said in mock despair and the call ended.

Huh. Wonder what that was about?

---

"Your Majesty! We are being pressed on all fronts by the Aedirnians! Our lines are folding and the men are routing! Seltkirk is at the fore and with Vandergrift dead the commanders are in disarray! What are your orders?!" a panicking soldier asked his liege lord.

King Henselt of Kaedwen could only growl in anger at the sudden turn of events after constant back and forth between his army and the enemy. His mix of armor and richly made robes would seem out of place in most places, but for a warrior such as himself was quite natural. The sight of his crown and golden medallion was usually a great morale booster for his men, knowing their king fought by their side.

Not this day though.

"Reform the lines and fall back to defensive positions! You are soldiers of Kaedwen! Not simpering children!" he ordered and the soldier saluted before running off to spread his orders.

"I fear we are past the stage of recovery, your grace. For all that I am no warrior and general such as yourself, even I can see the tides have turned too heavily to our disfavor." a calm voice spoke to his side. Sabrina Glevvisig stood there in her low-cut red and black dress, her voice grating in Henselt's ears for all that he could not disagree. "Like yourself, Vandergrift was much as a symbol as he was a man. With his death by Seltkirk's hands the men have lost a great deal of hope for any kind of victory and that is now affecting their performance as warriors themselves."

"Damn it woman, don't tell me what I don't already know!" Henselt swore. "Damn that Vandergrift! He let his grudge override his good sense. I put up with him because he was a fine warrior and leader of men, but he couldn't even follow orders and wait to settle his grudge until the battle was mostly won."

"I did say he was as uncontrollable as he was… disrespectful." she growled.

"Everyone knew how you two detested one another, Sabrina. The man is dead now so no need to hide it." Henselt sighed heavily. "Can you not do anything to turn the tide with your magic?" he asked hopefully.

"Not on a scale as what you are likely to ask, not without time and ingredients. Of which most have gone up in flames along with most of the camp if our messengers and the smoke behind us are any indication. Respectfully, my lord, I think it would be best if you were to order a retreat." She advised him.

Henselt could only growl in rage as despite everything within himself wanting to deny it, the warrior and leader in him also agreed. The day was lost and throwing away the lives of his men would save it not.

"'Run away to fight another day?'" Henselt glared at her.

"Think of it as more of a tactical retreat for a time. Lormark will still be here to reclaim later after all." she replied.

"... Very well." he turned to a nearby soldier. "Spread the message to all commanders of an ordered retreat at once. We will recover what we can back at camp before making our way across the river and back to Kaedwen. We have lost this day but the army of the unicorn will return one day. I will reclaim my birthright." Henselt ordered and began the process of getting his broken army to pull back.

And so it was that day that the people of Aedirn and Vergen met the Kaedweni on the field of battle and pushed them back, all the while a certain sorceress was quite glad she did not have to intervene to maintain the balance of the Northern Kingdoms.