Across the rift

After testing the influence of the Origin bloodline on his Signs, Wayne experimented with the newly awakened Blink ability. While Blinking proved powerful, allowing him to bypass obstacles and teleport short distances, it wasn't without limitations. Wayne's incomplete understanding of the underlying spatial magic restricted his teleportation range to roughly thirty meters. Longer distances required more time to calculate and consumed significantly more energy.

Despite this, Wayne found Blinking invaluable in combat. He could easily teleport short distances, dodge attacks, and even briefly levitate for aerial strikes. Combining Blinking with his swordsmanship, Signs, and alchemical tools like bombs and blades, Wayne became an even more formidable Witcher.

No longer vulnerable to being overwhelmed by small groups, Wayne could now employ hit-and-run tactics against larger forces, picking off opponents while remaining elusive. Even facing a small army, he could escape before being completely surrounded.

After testing the first two abilities granted by the Elder Blood, Wayne's attention turned to the third, the ability to traverse worlds. This was the most unique and potent ability the Elder Blood could offer. It was this very power, the ability to navigate time and space, to enter different worlds, that made Ciri, the Child of Destiny, so memorable and beloved.

However, what Wayne possessed was the ability to travel to a mirror world through a spatial rift. With no knowledge of what lay on the other side, this ability felt like a dangerous gamble. It was impossible to know what dangers lurked in this mirror world, or what kind of monstrous creatures resided there. Perhaps, upon arrival, he would be captured by a powerful being and end up as a lab rat, dying alone and unnoticed.

Yet, human curiosity is an unstoppable force. Despite the dangers, Wayne couldn't resist the urge to explore the unknown. After a moment's hesitation, he approached the spatial rift he had created. However, Wayne wouldn't recklessly enter the mirror world. Instead, he tapped into his powerful magical perception as a newly awakened sorcerer, using the faint essence of the other world seeping through the rift to sense what lay beyond.

It was an indescribable sensation, like holding a marshmallow beneath your nose and trying to discern its flavor through smell alone.

Wayne carefully attuned himself to the essence of the other world emanating from the rift for nearly ten minutes. As he had suspected, he sensed a feeling of tranquility, peace, and nature - not the evil, fear, or strangeness he had initially imagined. As Triss had assured him, the world on the other side seemed safe, at least in the area connected to this particular rift.

Standing before the rift, he pondered for a long time, then finally gritted his teeth and reached out to touch the shimmering void. In that instant, the scent of the other world intensified, and Wayne even caught a whiff of a rustic, paradise-like aroma. This further solidified his belief that the world on the other side was safe - a place where magic was used, untouched by evil forces, and free of the trappings of modern technology.

Though risky, his decision was made. Without hesitation, he activated the power of the Elder Blood. His body transformed into a beam of light, plunging into the spatial rift.

Upon entering the rift, Wayne felt weightless, as if floating in a void, devoid of gravity, space, and direction. It was an indescribable sensation, like drifting through a starry expanse at an unimaginable speed.

After what felt like both a moment and an eternity, Wayne's body touched solid ground again. He cautiously raised his head, surveying his surroundings with heightened senses, ready to escape back through the rift should anything go wrong.

But luck seemed to be on his side. Careful observation revealed that he had landed on the outskirts of a forest. The time of day differed from the dusk of his world; it seemed to be early morning, the sun just rising, the air filled with the unique dampness and chill of dawn.

A gentle breeze carried the scents of grass, earth, and trees to Wayne's nostrils. The sounds of various flowers, birds, fish, and insects filled his ears. The warm morning sun bathed him in its glow, evoking a sense of excitement and pleasant tingling.

To his surprise, Wayne saw a cluster of quaint and charming houses about a kilometer or two away, forming a small, picturesque village. The village was surrounded by golden wheat fields, lush orchards, various gardens, vegetable patches, and farmland. It was undoubtedly a settlement. While he couldn't be sure whether it was inhabited by humans, it was clear that the creatures who lived there were diligent, peaceful, and life-loving. Wayne had never heard of any evil species capable of building such beautiful homes and cultivating such lovely fields and gardens.

After a moment's consideration, Wayne decided to investigate and make contact with the inhabitants of this world. It was a risky move, but he was confident in his abilities, and with the help of his Blink ability, he could escape any situation. He memorized the location of the spatial rift that led back to the Witcher world. While the dormant rift might be invisible to others, it stood out clearly to Wayne, thanks to his gift for perceiving space and time. He knew that as long as he got within a hundred meters of it, he could easily locate it.

Ten minutes later, Wayne emerged from the forest and approached the village. It was still dawn, and the villagers had not yet risen for their daily tasks. The distance had initially obscured his view, but as he drew closer, Wayne was astonished to see that the beautiful houses were actually miniature, dollhouse-sized replicas.

Based on the size of the doors, windows, and roof, Wayne estimated their inhabitants to be about half the height of an average human. Could they be a community of dwarves?

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the door of the nearest red-roofed house opened. Out stepped a short, stout figure, barely a meter tall, carrying a hoe and dressed in farmer's attire. He was clearly surprised to see Wayne approaching but showed no fear. After observing him for a few seconds, he smiled and asked, "You're a human, aren't you? How did you end up in Hobbiton?"

"Would you like to come in and have some tea? I just brewed a fresh pot, the likes of which you've never tasted."