80. The Ancient Ritual.
"Qua-la~ Qua-la-la~ Qua-qua-la..."
When Allen used the Ice Spear Spell alone before, he didn't feel this way, but chanting "Qua-la" in front of everyone now made him feel particularly embarrassed. Especially when he saw the twisted expressions of the witchers and sorceresses around him, trying to hold back their laughter.
Wait!
Where are Hughes, Bond, and Fred?
They should have been back by now, right?
Allen stopped his chant and looked around.
Seeing Allen stop chanting, everyone thought he had failed in casting the spell and was about to comfort him when they suddenly heard Allen ask:"Where are Hughes, Bond, and Fred?"
"They should have returned before me!"
"Slap!"
Almost simultaneously, the witcher masters slapped their foreheads with their right hands, then turned around and ran towards a thick tree behind them.
In their tense standoff with the sorceresses and curiosity about what Allen was carrying, the witchers had completely forgotten that three apprentices were still tied to the tree. Vesemir, being the closest and fastest, was the first to reach the tree. His face turned bright red with embarrassment.
After all, Hughes and the others were his apprentices, and forgetting about them like this was truly inappropriate. Avoiding their resentful gazes, Vesemir untied the knots binding them. After removing the cloth from their mouths, Hughes and the others glanced at the witcher masters, who were now looking down with sheepish smiles, and decided not to make a fuss.
With a huff, they ran over to Allen and started jumping around him.
"Allen, I knew you'd be okay."
Hughes was the first to speak and also the first to be called out.
"Who's the one whose eyes were red and about to cry, wanting to run back and save Allen? Does Allen really need us to save him?"
"Bond! Didn't you turn back too?"
"I... I did it out of habit, just instinctively followed you..."
...
The familiar chatter filled the air around Allen, making it lively and noisy. But at this moment, he only felt a warm sensation in his heart, as if he were soaking in a hot spring.
Vera stood nearby, resting her left arm on her right elbow, with her right hand supporting her chin, watching the children laugh and play. An involuntary warm smile appeared on her delicate face.
In the midst of their chatter, the three suddenly directed their gaze towards the heads of the old Speartip and the Drowner king.
Hughes couldn't help but look at Allen with admiration and excitement, "Allen, you're amazing! When we left the cave, I thought we'd never see you again, but you even managed to kill the old Speartip."
Bond and Fred looked at Allen with the same admiration. Just seeing the old Speartip from a distance made them tremble uncontrollably. But Allen not only killed the one-eyed giant, he even managed to kill the equally formidable Drowner King.
"No wonder he's Allen, a born witcher!"
Bond thought to himself. He glanced at the surrounding witcher masters and had a sudden inspiration: "Allen, does this mean you're also a witcher master now?"
Bond's question made the witcher masters look at each other. They finally realized it too. They didn't need to debate whether to bestow the title of witcher master on Allen anymore. The head of the old Speartip alone was enough, not to mention the head of the Drowner King.
As for Allen's method of opportunistic hunting. Most witcher masters used similar tactics when hunting large monsters. Sometimes they even used poison, a method seen as dishonorable by nobles. So, Allen's hunting method not only didn't diminish his glory but made them appreciate him even more.
After all, Seizing an opportunity to turn the tide under the threat of death is a rare talent. Even more so than facing a large monster head-on.
Although they had accepted it in their hearts, the witcher masters only exchanged glances and did not respond to Bond's question. Bond glanced at the witcher masters, saw they didn't react, and felt disappointed for a few seconds before rejoining the praise of Allen's achievements.
Allen naturally noticed this scene but didn't feel disappointed like Bond. As soon as the heads of the drowner king and the Old Speartip fell, the honor of a witcher master was already his. However, he didn't notice the even more tender curve at the corner of the sorceress's mouth, like an outsider.
----------
Even the most enthusiastic conversation couldn't last long under the watchful eyes of seven or eight adults. After venting their anger from being tied up, Hughes and the others quieted down when they saw others approaching.
"Allen, continue demonstrating for us!"
Letho reminded, seeing their emotions had calmed.
Hughes and the others consciously stepped back, looking at Allen with anticipation.
Although tied to the other side of the tree, their keen witcher senses had not missed what had just happened. Allen nodded at Letho's words and redirected the magic within him.
"Qua-la~ Qua-la-la~ Qua-qua-la..."
As the strange chant echoed, a glowing blue light gathered in his right palm.
In a moment, it condensed into an ice spear the thickness of a thumb, and his right hand pointed at the tree that had bound Hughes and the others.
"Whoosh~"
The ice spear shot through the tree in an instant, leaving a hole big enough to see through to the Killer Lake.
From the moment Allen began chanting, Vera's initially nonchalant expression gradually turned to a mix of seriousness and joy. The reason was simple. She felt the magic around Allen gather and diminish in a controlled manner, a characteristic of spellcasting. The witcher's signs used the magic from their mutated organs and wouldn't produce such a phenomenon.
"When did Allen gain the ability to cast spells?"
This was the only thought in her mind at that moment. As her child, Vera had tested Allen's talent countless times. Each result showed no spellcasting talent. However, with others present, despite her surprise, she didn't ask directly. The other witchers, however, were left with their mouths agape in shock.
Is this a spell or a sign?
No, since Allen can use it, it must be a sign!
So.
Could they learn it too?
Long-range attacks had always been a witcher's weak point. They would often carry a crossbow for such situations, but it was never as effective as their signs. Moreover, in special situations, external tools often proved useless. Most importantly, although the Ice Spear Spell had a chant time, it was only a few seconds. Its destructive power might be reduced against monsters, but it was still considerable.
With this in mind, the witcher masters focused their eager gazes on Allen.
"Allen, is your Ice Spear Spell a spell or a sign? Can we learn it? What's the cost?"
The witcher masters might have been reserved, but Letho, seeing the impressive effect, directly asked.
After thinking for a moment, Allen smiled and said: "You can think of it as a sign."
"No cost, just help me transport the bodies of the Drowner King and the old Speartip to Kaer Morhen."
"Vesemir Master agreed to this condition as well."
The Ice Spear Spell, although partially powered by external magic, mostly drew from his mutated organs, so ordinary witchers could learn it too. Hearing this, the witcher masters looked at Allen with even more intense eyes.
Especially when they recalled the role the Ice Spear Spell played in Allen's tales of hunting the old Speartip and Drowner King, their desire nearly set Allen on fire. But Allen pretended not to notice.
Want a free ride?
No way.
He was just an ordinary witcher, not the school head, and had no obligation to selflessly share with unfamiliar people. His past experiences had deeply taught him. Unconditional generosity doesn't earn respect, only endless demands. Fortunately, the witcher masters, seeing Allen's demeanor, got the hint and didn't insist.
After all, Witchers always charge for completing a commission, no matter how poor the client. Allen's approach was very witcher-like. Since he was willing to teach Letho and Vesemir, it was merely a matter of interest distribution. So, they all looked at the head of the Wolf School.
"I'll discuss the Ice Spear Spell with Allen tomorrow."
The head nodded, moving past the topic. Then, looking at the sky, he walked up to Allen. The other witchers' expressions turned serious simultaneously. They formed a circle, surrounding the apprentices and the head.
Next,
The head took out Allen's school medallion. Pricking his right thumb on the sharp wolf fang to draw blood, he drew a line of blood down Allen's forehead. Then he moved to the next apprentice, drawing another line. The other witchers followed, smearing blood on Allen and the others' foreheads. This seemed to be an ancient tradition of the Wolf School. But Allen hadn't seen this ritual in the game.
Throughout the ceremony, no one spoke, and all wore solemn expressions. It felt like attending a funeral or witnessing the birth of a newborn. Whether by coincidence or the ceremony's effect, After the head applied the blood, the dense clouds scattered. Golden sunlight shone on the witchers, casting shadows on the snow.
Light and darkness intertwined at that moment.
After all the witchers had applied their blood, the head proclaimed loudly: "The sun is setting, and the wolves of Kaer Morhen have new blood today."
"Let's bring the good news back to the Old Sea Fortress, light the bonfire, and drink till we drop!"
"Aye! Aye! Aye!"
The witchers rhythmically patted their chests, responding with an ancient, melodic chant: "Light the bonfire, drink till we drop!"
"Light the bonfire, drink till we drop!"
....
📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
For advance chapters: p@treon.com/Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
81. Who is Allen?
82. How to Handle the Corpses?
83. The Cold and Ruthless Leader.
84. Is Allen Going to Get the Axe?
85. You're Not Even as Good as Letho!