Departure(1)

Atram dashed through the winding tunnel corridors, swiftly maneuvering around corners and hurdling over debris left by the now-deceased rock troll. Focusing his ki on his legs, he enhanced his speed and agility, effortlessly navigating the treacherous terrain.

As he ran, he couldn't help but think about his companion, who was clearly not in the right state of mind to fight whatever had taken down the previous inhabitant of these mines. The source of his distress? A letter delivered to him by his friend, Yennefer, via a magical crow.

Assuming the worst for his friend, Atram ran at a speed that was simply unattainable by any ordinary human being.

The path forward had been completely blocked by a rock collapse as the ancient wooden supports, erroded by the ravages of time, were no longer able to hold the weight of the massive boulders. Turning left at the intersection instead, he found himself inside a large cavern adorned with rocky stalactites and stalagmites that resembled a menacing, toothy maw. The chamber was strewn with nekker corpses, their bodies contorted in unnatural angles as if struck by an incredible blunt force.

Taking in the sights, his attention was drawn to the ensuing fight between his friend and a being that appeared to be a misshapen humanoid with a huge, blocky body made of mud, clay, sand, and rock dust. The creature's most prominent features were a human-like head protected by a thick 'collar' of stone and two hands, each serving a different purpose.

However, this particular earth elemental had only one arm that ended in a mace shaped appendage, which it used to great effect in battle. The other arm, which should have been a claw like hand, was completely missing, and a stamp of jagged rocks protruded from the stump. Despite its handicap, the elemental was a formidable opponent. The magically created creature not only boasted insane resistance to cutting and piercing weapons, but the sheer weight behind its blows was enough to kill a fully armored warrior in one hit.

As Atram approached the creature, he observed Geralt fighting. To any spectator, it would seem that the witcher had the upper hand in the situation. The seasoned monster slayer moved with grace and precision, dodging the slow monster's attacks and striking back with powerful blows of his own. Yet, to Atram, who had sparred countless times with the man in question, it was obvious that his comrade was struggling to penetrate the 'boulder' in front of him, and the fault lay completely in his lack of preparation.

Earth elementals had very few but specific weaknesses. The first was dimeritium, as the being was energized and put together by magical forces, and the second was elementa oil, one of the famed witcher oils. Despite being aware of these flaws, Geralt exploited none of them, and to make matters worse, he delivered blow after powerful blow to his assailant, hastening the deterioration of his sword.

Only after seeing Atram's reprimanding expression did Geralt finally back away, realizing that he had been too 'unwitchery' in his fight.

The earth elemental tried to pursue Geralt, but it was knocked off course by a titanic blow from Atram. "Hey big guy! How about you and I duke it out? Leave the useless gezzer out of it." He taunted, his voice booming across the cavern.

The earthen construction couldn't care less about mockery and bravado. It had only one purpose: to protect its creator's sanctuary. Fortunately for its eyes, the bear posed a bigger threat than the wolf, so it focused clearly on him.

Geralt let out a low growl at Atram's comment, but he didn't have a comeback. The man was absolutely right. With his mind in shambles at the moment, he couldn't fight such a monster.

He was angry and irritated at Yennefer for not contacting him sooner. No, he was downright furious at her, as she could teleport to Kaer Morhen at any moment, yet she chose to send him a letter, requesting that he travel almost a third of the continent to some backwater village. Calling him 'friend' after everything they had been through together only added fuel to the fire.

On the other hand, he was riddled with worry and concern for her safety, as he loved and cared for her deeply. The tumultuous years they had spent in each other's company had forged a volatile yet unbreakable bond, and he knew that he would do anything to protect her from harm. For her to ask for an urgent meeting meant that she was at her wits end, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over him.

His mind was racing with all the possible scenarios that could have led her to call for such a meeting. Was she in danger? Yennefer was a very powerful and talented sorceress that few could match in either wit or magical prowess. Had someone threatened her? He shook his head.

I pity anyone foolish enough to try.

It could only be about one thing—a precious thing that was one of the reasons their aforementioned bond was unbreakable. Ciri, their daughter.

His initially unwanted child of surprise, the one bound to him by destiny's inescepable tethers. A child whose cheekiness, abrasive nature, and resilient spirit had wormed her way not only into his heart but also into the hearts of his fellow witchers, who had accepted her as one of their own.

However, when Ciri started showing strange prophetic dreams and uncontrollable magical abilities, the witcher's knowledge and skillset were found wanting. As such, with the recommendation of Geralt's one time fling, Triss Merigold, he and Ciri traveled all the way to the Temple of Melitele to meet Yennefer, one of the most powerful sorceresses in the realm. And while her relationship with Geralt had been rocky in the past, Yennefer agreed to help train Ciri in the ways of magic.

Student and teacher had a rough start. Yennefer was a demanding mentor, pushing Ciri to her limits and beyond. But with time, Ciri began to understand the importance of discipline and dedication in mastering the arcane arts, and eventually they developed a strong bond, which began with Yennefer calling Ciri her 'ugly duckling' and ended with Ciri becoming the daughter Yennefer desperately wanted but could never have.

She was the reason why Geralt and Yennefer put aside their differences and joined forces to protect her from the dangers that lurked in the world. They had faced countless obstacles and challenges, but their love for Ciri had always been their driving force. Geralt knew that Yennefer would do anything to keep their daughter safe, even if it meant sacrificing her own life. And he would do the same.

And here I am, watching two goliaths collide in an uneven battle to the death.

During the time he had, he worked through his feelings and calmed his temper. As such, when he wanted to join the fight, he found out that his help would be unnecessary and unwelcome, judging by Atram's maniacal grin.

Geralt observed as Atram, or the 'bear' as Lambert liked to call him, drew circles around the monster, dismantling it with ruthless efficiency.

Truly, the man's strength and durability are unmatched.

Atram swerved left and right, half-turning and evading the slow elemental's attacks, and retaliated with devastating swiping kicks that ripped chunks of his opponent's legs off. The monster swatted at him as hard as it could, but even that proved useless. His arm rippled with energy, and their fists connected, creating a shockwave from the impact. Immovable object met unstoppable force in a clash that shook the very foundations of the mine.

The outcome? Unstoppable force won. The construct's arm broke into tiny pieces, and without any other possible way of attacking, it jumped in a desperate attempt to bring down the cave on the intruders. However, Atram jumped as well, closing the distance instanly with his newly created 'flash step'. He grabbed the elemental's head and brought his knee crashing down on its face. The collosus landed on the ground with a booming thud. Its opponent followed shortly after, and with his thighs firmly fastened on the elemental's torso, he unleashed a barrage of punches until, finally, he shattered its head and the magical construct went limp.

Breathing heavily, he stood up and wiped the sweat from his forehead. The constant fighting had caused his immaculate, long, thick braid to come loose. With his hair cascading down his face and boisterous, wild laughter bursting from his throat, one image came to mind: a berserker.

After a brief pause, he turned to face Geralt. The witcher caught the expression on his face and felt a slight shiver run down his spine, reminiscent of Vesemir's presence.

He's going to rip me a new one, isn't he?