Monastery (Part 8)

It was snowing. Not heavily like one might expect from a winter of northern lands, no. The snow was rare, big, and fluffy. It fell quietly and slowly, bringing a very calm ambiance to the small creek amidst the pine trees that were flagrantly green.

At the center of the white meadow, that caused eye irritation after a short look, sat a young man about eighteen to nineteen years of age. He was as still as a rock statue you usually see in the monastery prayer hall, but his posture told about meditation, not some leisure time.

The hood he kept on and shoulders were long ago full of snow. It seems the young man had spent hours here, right from the early morning.

One must think he was mulling over something or thinking, but in truth, he was communicating.

With whom? No, that's the wrong question, more like with what.

With every single animal in the vicinity of a mile.

It happened several days ago, after his full recovery. He noticed several changes to his body and powers, especially what he never expected is a new step of growth now only bloodline, but Eternal Mind powers!

He called his newfound ability a Net. It was very similar to Vibe in a sense and can't be forceful. If one refuses with a strong will, Alan can't force himself into someone's mind. What is more, like Vibe, Net was suitable for the surface reading of thoughts and communication only.

It can't go deeper than that.

But there is one significant difference.

Using Net Alan can surround the area around himself in a type of telepathic field and if there is someone sentient there, starting from a little animal and ending with humans and the like, he can communicate with them.

But the most amazing part is the ability to control beasts through images. Albeit he tried to do it with monsters and failed. Something was very wrong with their minds.

That was a vital skill to do reconnaissance or direct spying on the place. Cats, dogs, rats, birds. Even wolves and bears can be easily controlled and not just one or two, but packs. There was nearly no limit to the number. However, he still needs to be cautious to not overload his mind.

He can even give animals simple orders and make them move how he liked while looking at the world from their perspective. Yet he can't control them firsthand, only giving convincing commands and making them feel doing this or that was their own decisions.

He tried to implant a bird with the image of Geralt and sent it out with a letter and left an image of himself to come back after it received a reply.

It worked and old man wrote a reply.

Geralt seemed to get into trouble with the Temerian secret service squad in Oxenfurt. He first thought they were simple thugs, as people behaved themselves like bandits and tried to use force without any explanation. Yet he made a mistake at that time and left a dozen bodies as a trail.

Alan only snorted at this. Who asked them to provoke the old man? No really, are they insane or never see the witcher in battle? Alan felt shocked every time he heard that this world has so many idiots who are willing to provoke that reaper with a sword.

Eventually, Jaskier appeared there. When Geralt found out that Rience attacked Alan in Novigrad, he... well he wrote many words that could easily force ears to burn even on a worker of Toussaint port.

But in the end, he asked how is Alan doing and whether Rience died or not and said that he will investigate the matter using his own channels. Alan knew full well where he is heading to and thought about going there too at first but later dismissed the idea.

They will die, but Alan alone will risk his life to save the brothers if he went without magic.

And for now, he recuperated the power of bloodline and mind, plus healing that annoying curse. However magic was still overburdened and crippled. Yen herself only shrugged at his question when it will come back. Still, she was sure it will, and he only needs time.

A slight smile adorned his face when he looked at the girl stealthily making her way to his side through the woods. She never thought a little squirrel on the branch can be so treacherous, as to transmit her efforts to stay undiscovered directly to the subject of her avoidance.

She was wearing normal leather clothes that looked like summer attire with a naked stomach. It was flat and strong, but not to the point of losing feminine charm. Her figure really developed astoundingly and was a sight to behold and admire.

Even while crouching, she moved silently with a grace of a lioness on the hunt, just like they learned it in Kaer Morhen.

She soon reached the side of the creek and saw a meditating figure in the distance. Her eyes squinted a bit and perfect face wore a warm smile. The one with a very crafty curve to it.

Alan's brow trembled. Every time she has this smile on...

'Ah, I will be attacked again. This little demoness again going for it.'

Ciri unsheathed a sword and moved forward as seamlessly as she can. Alan had to admit, the girl was a talent and already learned to be a powerful fighter. She controlled her breath and heartbeat expertly. Even he will be hard-pressed to notice her with the usage of regular human five senses only.

But sadly, he had more at his disposal.

Suddenly she attacked.

And at the same moment, a figure of the young man blurred sent snow flying around in a whirlwind and faced her. The next second a loud collision was heard, while Ciri felt tremendous physical power travel into her body through the handle. She stepped backward and swirled in place to negate the force, but her feint and another swift strike were seen through and easily parried again.

The snow was falling down. It brought the image of pureness and tranquility with a slow descent.

Girl and a young man at each other and sheathed their swords simultaneously.

Ciri sprinted forward and jumped, clapping his waist with her legs strongly and embracing his neck with her slender yet fit arms.

"How did you know?" - she asked and arched closer, staring with her large forest green eyes.

"I can use many things, including a special sense of surroundings. You can't sneak attack me." - Alan half smiled at her and supported her waist with his hands.

"Really? How is it? Can you teach me? Hmph, there is nothing I can't do, you just wait and see." - she stuck her cute little tongue out in defiance while placing her elbows on his well-developed shoulders and leaned to the side.

"Ciri, you are doing it again?" - Alan sighed. For some time she developed that strange habit to play with his hairs on the left side of the head.

She will braid them by the temple and lead behind the ear, creating an asymmetric hairstyle.

"You look great that way! Don't interfere with my work of art, you Wolfie. I said don't! No, please. Ahh! Stop tickling me... come on, Alan hahaha... hey!" - she could escape, swirled in place and slapped his buttocks with glee. - "Revenge!"

Alan stared at her wide-eyed.

"So you swing that way?" - he smiled at her and Ciri pouted in exasperation but remained silent. Her red face told volumes about what she thought right now. Alan stopped teasing her. - "Are you here for something specific?"

"Do I need some reason to come find you?" - she asked in return, giving him a hard eye.

"Nope, naturally you don't have a reason, but you love to avoid your lessons is well known, however, you won't leave just to give me a hug, right?"

"Caught me." - she smiled and slapped his shoulder. - "Come on, I need some slack, I just can't stay there all the time. It is so suffocating. Do you know that before you came I felt like in prison? Without Yen, I would have escaped finding you and Geralt long ago."

"Speaking of Geralt, have you written him a reply?"

"Yep, that is why I'm here. You said you will send it, right? Please send it. I terribly want you to send it." - she smiled and hugged Alan again.

"Who just said that she came to see me without reason?" - he asked, rolling his eyes at her.

"Hmph." - she snorted and seizing the back of his head, forcefully planted a kiss on his lips. - "That was part of the reason, too." - Ciri smiled bashfully and silently let go of him, giving a letter. - "Don't think too much, that was a down payment!"

Ciri turned her head to the side and breathed out, calming herself.

She finally did it again.

'Damn, it felt great. I need to do it more often.' - she thought and smiled to herself.

"Khm... down payment, huh? Fine, I can work with that. Speaking of it, it is good that you found me. I have something for you." - Alan rubbed his nose but inwardly liked it too.

"Why so serious? Wait... no... I'm not ready yet... I... I need to go pee."

"Ciri!" - Alan rolled his eyes at her, knowing full well the girl was just fooling around. He sighed and thought about it again, finding nothing wrong. He stretched his arm, and a necklace fell on the wind, unfolding its double silver chain.

It was in the form of wings.