Chapter 8

Geralt drew his sword with a disorientating ringing sound that caused the air to tremble. I recognized the blade as silver.

"The sorcery you use is peculiar and unknown to me. Your parents did not lie. But right now you will follow my orders or risk both our lives." He said seriously, never taking his eyes of a spot in the distance.

Witchers silver swords were the bane of all things monster. Whatever abilities they possessed were useless if they didn't have a head.

I also noted with some surprise that Geralt's blade was magical. Strange and complex runes decorated it's length and released rays of dull blue light when Geralt gripped the sword's hilt.

The purposes of these runes were unknown but like everything related to Geralt they were most certainly extraordinary.

The thought of breaking down and testing this unfamiliar form of magic sent tingles down my spine.

"Focus. Now is not the time to be distracted!" Geralt hissed.

I could tell by the rotten smell that was becoming increasingly pungent as time passed that the monsters were getting closer. It was rare for undead creatures in this world to emerge in daytime but they seemed to make an exception for the powerful Witcher.

Geralt took a long sniff and his cat-like eyes darted wildly. "There's too many of them. This isn't right."

His words took me by surprise.

I had devoured every page of knowledge concerning the supernatural in father's libraries. The authenticity of many of these books had been dubious but some contained accurate information.

Geralt had given the name of the monsters earlier, Nekkers. The books described these creatures as taller than a fully grown man with sickly grey skin that hung loosely at their chins. They could be found in forests across the continent, posing grave danger to merchant caravans and unfortunate travelers.

Nekkers were not picky about their prey and lived in colonies, taking refuge underground in long and winding burrows.

A lone Nekker was weak, an ordinary soldier could kill it with little difficulty. But Nekkers didn't hunt alone.

The size of their colonies were only limited by the availability of food. Their methods of reproduction were unknown but a scholar claimed that their bodies lacked any form of sex organs.

Perhaps somewhere on the vast continent, hidden away in treacherous mountains or unconquerable forests and beyond the reach of Witchers and Knights, these creatures had conquered the land.

"How many can you count?" I questioned.

Geralt remained silent for some time. Then he spoke in a grave tone, "I can't. I can't count them."

My countenance turned solemn, "Oh."

Spreading out my perception I quickly confirmed the severity of the situation. For as far as I could sense and in every direction Nekkers crouched behind trees and crawled along the forest floor. Their howls and shrieks could now be faintly heard. Terrifyingly they seemed to be communicating.

This was nothing like the colonies recorded in the books. The largest had been several dozen, this-this was an army.

"Boy, you must run. Far away from here. Tell your father what you have seen, tell him to contact as many sorcerers as he can. What you have seen here must reach the ears of the mages. You must make them listen." Geralt uncorked vials of colorful liquids as he spoke and tossed back his head, pouring the concoctions into his throat.

These were the alchemical potions only Witchers could take.

Geralt was preparing himself for battle. A battle he knew he could not win.

"No."

Geralt snarled, his handsome features becoming dark and menacing as the potions took effect, "Are you stupid boy, stupid or hateful which is it! Your father's men cannot kill these monsters, their sacrifices will not even slow them down.

This forest cannot contain them, they will grow until they spill out from its borders and then they will begin to attack humans. Do you think your riches will spare you, no, your mother will be torn apart by their claws and your father's skull worn as a trophy! Do as I said, run. Now!"

The Nekkers cries rose in volume, excited by their prey's distress.

Geralt's eyes burned with intensity. I met his gaze with a cold apathy, "I will not allow that."

Laughing dryly I continued, "Besides, will these monsters allow me to simply walk past them? Are you really telling a child to run out from an encirclement that even you cannot escape?"

Geralt gripped his sword tightly and cursed unintelligibly. He could not deny the barbed truths I spoke.

"Rather than attempting to scare me with your stories do you think you could tell me the plan?" I asked.

While the Nekkers tightened our encirclement and Geralt readied himself with potions I had not been idle.

I still sorely lacked a magical education but my proficiency in wielding the elements was immense. They were my most loyal companions and would never betray me.

Right now they swirled above my flat palms, waiting to be unleashed.

The woods that surrounded the manor were ancient. The trees towered high and their trunks were broad and sturdy. It was as I had entered another world.

Fire magic was too destructive for such a place.

The elements whispered happily at my decision. Though they were not native to this plane they held a strong wish to protect it.

I dispersed the fire elements that had gathered in my palms. After some thought I also allowed the water elements to drift away. This left earth, air and nature. There were other elements too like space and time but they were less suited to combat.

"We wait for them to attack." Geralt responded. He gave me the impression of a wolf, ready at any moment to burst forth and sink its teeth into its prey.

I found it odd to give these creatures the first strike. They depended on ambushes and traps to overwhelm their prey. Surely it was better for us attack first and not allow them the advantage. We were already fighting them in an area that they knew well and we didn't.

On top of this we were so close to their colony that their numbers constantly grew as more of them clawed out from the dirt.

"I could-" I started to speak but Geralt cut me off.

"Your tricks are useless here. Keep yourself alive, that is it."

He still underestimated me.

His judgements were not unreasonable. I was a child less than ten years of age, my magic was weak and useful for little more than tricks and entertainment.

Sorcerers honed their magic for decades. They were as old and cunning as they were powerful. At the battle of Sodden Yennefer was well over a hundred years old. Her magical talent was tremendous and scarcely rivalled. It made sense for her to wield the immense strength she did.

The fire magic she had unleashed stunned me, the level of control needed to manipulate the elements on such a grand scale. Fire burned all it touched, including the mages who channeled it and Yennefer had tapped into it with all that she was.

To produce an event of such scale posed difficulty to even me.

Now was not the time for such thoughts but I had the unshakeable feeling that the sorcerers of this world were more complex than the show or the books gave them credit.

My thoughts were interrupted by Geralt's roar,, "Now!"

Then they came for us.