Chapter 16:

Red serpents, fiery forms, and yelling hags, Fit company for mad adventurers. - Philip Freneau

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A Few Moments Later:

Current Year: 1259

Fringilla and I continued to talk after that for a few more hours. We completely drank through the bottle of champagne and had a few more glasses of some milder spirit. By the end of the night, Fringilla had become completely intoxicated. A mix of my mutations and my proud Skelligan blood kept me from suffering the same fate. When it was clear that the fun of the night had ended, I helped put Fringilla to sleep and made my way back to my own quarters. She made a fuss about it, but I helped her see reason.

As I walked back to my room, I stumbled a few times throughout the halls, but it was nothing major. After what seemed like forever while I was traveling through the long and dark hallways, I reached my door. I rummaged through my pockets to find the key for a moment. After I had found it, I quickly made my way inside the room and soundly plunked myself down and onto the bed.

As soon as I hit the bed, I started to gradually drift off into my dreams. It was strange, I was almost sure the carvings that I had whittled away at earlier were glowing red just before I fell asleep.

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The Next Day:

Current Year: 1259

I woke up after a long night's rest feeling rather okay. I was starting to thank my mutations more and more. They sure are handy. I got up out of my bed with a bit of a spring in my step. Today is another day where I can increase my strength, so I'm happy. Most other people would be terrified at the thought of entering the mutations, but I'm pretty sure I would survive. Ivar had told me that my affinity towards them were quite high. So high, that if I survived, I would be subject to additional ones.

I did a quick twenty-five minute meditation where I focused on myself and the goals I wanted to achieve. I got into the witcher like habit of doing these meditations whenever I had free time. They only benefit me and aim to clear my head. After I had finished, I made my way out of my room and towards the kitchen. I needed to grab something before this trial began. After taking what I needed, I headed down towards the basement. I assume everyone is already waiting for me. They have had over a day to prepare for the single trainee left in this castle.

After walking for a few minutes, I reached the stairs the lead towards the torture ro- I mean basement. I slowly made my way down the cold and dark steps. As soon as I reached the bottom, I noticed that everyone was waiting for me. Fringilla, my mother Revna, Ivar, Letho and several other mages, druids, sorcerers, and unimportant witchers were awaiting within. All of them were surrounding the singular death trap esque gurney that was inside the chamber.

Everyone looked to be fine, despite the obscene events that were about to occur. However, Fringilla looked to be avoiding my gaze. She was in the corner, standing behind several other mages. Our eyes met for a moment before she quickly tore her gaze away and looked at the ground in sadness. I… Sensed something was wrong, but I chalked it up to her being embarrassed from yesterday's events. I made a note in my mind to remember to reconvene with her later and check what was happening.

"All this fuss for 'little old me? I'm touched, truly" I said in a half mocking tone.

Everyone gave a small chuckle at the desperate attempt to avoid the awkwardness. They were all essentially about to watch a ten year old be tortured, for the second time. I did not care for their plights though, I only cared for my own. I had already steeled myself for the, no doubt excruciating, pain to come my way.

"Are you prepared?" Ivar asked me solemnly.

"I'm always prepared, Ivar. You should know this by now." I said with a smirk. I didn't want him to worry. I wanted him to be hopeful that I would survive.

"That you are, my son. That you are. Now, take your shirt off and get on the table. We will begin shortly." Ivar requested of me with a soft tone of voice. It's never a great idea to make anyone more nervous than they already are before commencing with a trial.

I did as Ivar bid and slowly took off my shirt and then hoisted myself on top of the gurney. After I finished, Letho helped strap me in and restrain my limbs.

"When I wake up, big man, I'll have eyes and senses just like you lot. We'll truly be brothers in arms soon enough." I said while smiling at Letho. Underneath, he's a pretty alright guy. He's always been rather helpful with my training.

"Well, as long as you're not late for sword training, we'll get along nicely as witchers in arms." Letho said while giving me a nice pat on the shoulder.

After Letho had given me that nice little pep talk, my mother had come over to wish me well.

"I'm sorry, Harkon." My mother said with sadness. "If only I didn't agree to hand you over as a child of surprise, you wouldn't be here now. I'm sorry, please forgive me for the pain you're about to go through."

"Mother, please." I said with a bit of frustration and pleading. "Destiny cannot be avoided. I want this. I've always wanted this. Even when I was three years old and before you let me go with Ivar, I wanted to be a witcher. I don't care about the prejudice I'll face. This, this right here has been calling to me for my entire life."

My mother looked a tiny bit shocked at my words, but then quickly calmed herself. She probably just thinks that being raised in the School of the Viper has taught me to think this way. She's wrong, but I don't see the need to correct her.

Ivar, the man in question who would be administering these trials, finally came over to gaze upon me.

"Are you ready to receive the injection?" Ivar asked me.

"I am. I'll be back in time for dinner, Ivar. Make sure to keep the soup warm for me." I said with a small chuckle.

"Haha. Only you can be so confident in passing these trials. One more thing before we begin… Why do you have an apple in your hands?" Ivar said while gesturing at the red fruit resting on my palm.

"Well… Let's just say it's a good luck charm. Enough of this, let's proceed." I said solemnly. Ivar just looked confused at my words and then nodded

I waited for a moment while Ivar got everything ready. He came over to me and placed the first tube directly into my arm after tapping my bicep a few times and checking for the correct vein. After that, he took the second tube and, unfortunately, hooked it straight into my temple. It hurt like a motherfucker, but I didn't scream out in pain.

After a few more moments, and after Ivar asked me once again if I was ready, the trial began. Ivar turned the valve, releasing the brews that were contained within. A pale yellow liquid slowly made its way down the tubes. It's consistency was similar to molasses. My heart rate started to speed up as I knew that once that liquid reached me, my willpower would not save me from the pain. Finally, the potions reached my flesh. The agony had begun.

"AAHhahahaahh ha ha AHHhheaaahahhhhaHAHHHA" I screamed out like an absolute feral animal. The pain could not simply be fought, the only form of release was the useless screams that bellowed out of my mouth.

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Current Year: ?>1\$<%

I was...Back. Not back in the basement, mind you, but rather I was back in the place where I was transported for my first trial. I looked up into the sky to see a very familiar crimson tinged crescent moon and accompanying crimson and black trees all around me. A new development was here though. There were...Snakes. As in, there were several groups of different species of snakes all slithering around and near me. There were King cobras, Pythons, Boa constrictors… There were even some species of serpent that I could not recognize. They were of all different colors, shapes, and sizes.

As soon as I got my bearings and made sure that none of the snakes around me were going to do anything, I got up off my feet and turned around. I still had the apple within my hands. I held it tightly in my grasp as the familiar site of the giant black tree with rusty crimson leaves stood before my gaze.

I'll be honest, I really didn't want to be here. I knew there was a chance of me returning after I initiated my trial, but I just prayed that it would not happen. The man or entity that lives here is way above my pay grade...For now. He obviously has some god-like powers. I can't even function if he tries to exert his 'presence', let alone if he actually tried to do something to me. However, solemnly, I made my way over to the entrance of the hollowed out tree and began slowly walking inside.

The candles that were seated upon iron pedestals within burned with a crimson light. I took one look around before laying my eyes on the familiar jagged throne made out of charcoal like bark and twisted metal.

The man, that I was not too happy to see, was lazily seated upon this throne. One of his legs was resting comfortably on the arm of the fearsome chair. He was wearing the same luxurious green robes with black accents and he still wore his hood.

"Harkon, Harkon, Harkon… You've returned. I can sense that your body is undergoing yet another mutation process. Well now, isn't this whole situation wonderful…" The man or entity said with a bit of gusto.

"My lord." I said while bringing myself to kneel, clasping my hands behind my back. "I have indeed returned. There seems to be some recent additions that have been added to this place since the last time I arrived."

"Please, Harkon. No need for the theatrics, I already can tell that kneeling is something you find extremely distasteful, no? As for the serpents that you are now able to witness… Your soul has acclimated well to this place. You are very…'Snake' like." The man said with what I imagined was a smirk from under his hood.

He was right, I did find it distasteful to kneel to somebody else. I only do it when I have to and sometimes to those I respect. His other comment though… Well it seems my soul is 'Snake' like. That's interesting, there's nothing I can do with that information at the moment though.

"So…" I said questioningly. "Is it you who keeps bringing me here, my lord?"

"Hmm..." He said while drumming his fingers on the side of his throne. "Well… Somewhat, I suppose. You've no doubt figured out by now that you and I have a connection of sorts. You seem to come here when you undergo periods of intense stress."

That… Gave me a lot to think about. Somehow, I seem to come here whenever I've undergone something traumatic.

"Do you know why, my lord?" I asked. I was pushing my luck by asking these sorts of questions, but I needed to know.

"I do indeed." The man said while nodding his head. "However, you have not yet earned that wisdom. Or, rather, you have no such wisdom in which to trade. Nothing that is of equal value, at least. I would sense it if you did."

Wisdom to trade? Interesting. This is actually extremely valuable information. This fact alone means that this man is not omnipotent. This also means that he only knew I was undertaking a trial the first time we met because he could sense the mutations changing my body.

"What about this, my lord?" I said while holding out my ripe red apple. "What wisdom can I trade for this?"

The mysterious man just let out a small chuckle at my apparent efforts.

"You know Harkon… The 'Apple Of Eden' is supposed to represent the 'soul' and 'wisdom'. When I asked you to bring me an apple the first time we met, what I really wanted you to bring me was knowledge. It is the only thing that I find has any worth."

Well, I had miscalculated. I shouldn't have been that stupid. I knew that an apple represented the 'soul' and 'wisdom', I had at least some of the bible. I should have been smart enough to see that. Hopefully, coming here without a gift doesn't upset this man too much. I don't want him to do anything drastic like devour my soul, or something like that.

"But…" The man said once more and then paused, seemingly contemplating on something. "I'll give you this freebie, just this once. Next time, I expect all our transactions to be done in exchanges for 'wisdom'. Truth may differ from person to person, but my appetite for knowledge is never satiated. That, and items of extreme interest. I would assume you would want to keep those for yourself if you ever found them, however… If you come across them and deem them worthy enough to sell… Please do keep in touch."

I was both shocked and glad at his words. I don't know exactly what knowledge he is looking for, but if I find out, I could trade them for 'wisdom'.

"You are most generous, my lord." I spoke with reverence. "However, my liege… I do not know how I arrived within your domain. These past two times have been a fluke. I also don't know what 'knowledge' you would find to be of worth. to one such as yourself."

"Well… I suppose I could give you my 'brand'. It would allow you to come here in order to trade some 'wisdom' with me whenever there is a crescent moon in the night sky. After you receive it, you will know in your heart when you have good enough knowledge to trade." The man said with a tone that I did not entirely trust.

Everything he just said sounded great, except for this 'brand' of his. I didn't like the sound of being branded with a, possibly power hungry, entity's mark.

"Does this 'brand' you speak of possess any other functions?" I asked. If he said anything other than 'no' I would not be taking this deal. I won't be enslaved to this serpent loving entity.

"No. It does not. Don't worry, I am incapable of telling any lie. I can deceive, but I must tell the truth. It is part of my 'nature', so to speak. The mark will only allow you to transport here during a crescent moon. It will also burn with a red glow when It deems that you have knowledge worthy enough to trade, or if I wish to speak with you. Now, what wisdom do you seek? Do not ask for much. All you have given me is an apple in return." The man said with authority. He clearly saw himself as above me despite how cooperative he was being. I couldn't really blame him, he's a god-like entity and I'm just a mutated half-elf.

"I know that the apple won't buy me something extravagant, like an advancement in my alchemy. Could I dare ask instead for wisdom regarding my swordsmanship? Compared to the monsters in my world who have been practicing swordsmanship for nearly a century, my martial prowess is extremely lacking." I asked with humbleness. I hope that the apple will at least buy me this much. I could improve in swordsmanship on my own, but I would never be able to beat someone like Geralt, Vilgefortz and Eredin in a swordfight before the events of the third game take place. I simply don't have enough time to reach their level of prowess.

"This wisdom… Is acceptable. I will give you some knowledge regarding swordsmanship. If you want more, you'll have to pay like everyone else." The man said with a clear cut tone.

I felt a queasy feeling come over me as I felt the knowledge being directly inserted into my brain. I… Understood swordsmanship a lot better now. I wasn't on the level of someone who trained their whole life for it, but I had received a few new moves that I found to be extremely satisfying. I would have to catalogue these new experiences later, but it was worth it.

As soon as I was starting to acclimate to the new 'wisdom' I had received, a sudden familiar burning and suction feeling gripped my entire being. I fell to my knees and took short quick breaths.

"It seems like our time is up. I hope you have some luck on your path, Harkon. You're going to need it." The man said with a small chuckle while turning his head to the side.

"Before I go my lord," I managed to squeeze out. The feeling of being pulled away was starting to get intense. "Who exactly are you?"

The cloaked entity turned his head back towards me for a moment. He pondered on something for a few seconds before deigning to speak.

"I have many names, Harkon." The hooded man said with a chipper tone. "I was Jörmungandr, the serpent who grew so large that it was able to surround the Earth and grasp its own tail. I was also Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god. I was Apophis, the great serpent of darkness. I was the Ouroboros, the serpent endlessly eating its own tail. I was also Lucifer, the serpent who deceived man into eating the forbidden fruit. Most recently, I was the great old one Yig, the father of serpents. You see, Harkon, I am the very concept of what it means to be a Serpent. When all snakes die, they come to me. Goodbye for now my lovely friend, I'll see you next time."

I managed to hear what he had to say with an utterly disbelieving and shocked look on my face before the suction force became too much and I was whisked away. I was going to remember this interaction, though. I imagine that I'll never be able to forget it.