Kaer Morhen

Reima spots Geralt coming back after the sound of combat had stopped.

"Did you slay the monsters?"

"Yes."

"What were they?"

"Drowners."

He lightly kicks Roach as they start travelling again, Reima decides to try and settle the debate on where Drowners actually come from once and for all.

"Sir, where do Drowners come from?"

Geralt raises an eyebrow at his inquisitive charge but decides it's better to learn earlier than later.

"If a male corpse is left in water for a long time, it becomes a Drowner..."

Reima had read in the past that Drowners bred within the nests located around the world, apparently, it's similar to some Necrophages who come from bodies that are not burned nor buried.

They continue travelling until Reima can barely see ahead and Geralt decides to camp. They travel off the road a few metres and tie Roach to a tree, Geralt pulls out a single sleeping bag and throws it to Reima.

"Sleep."

"Thank you Mr Geralt."

Geralt gathers branches and dry leaves and uses Igni to start a camp fire.

Reima "Are you going to sleep?"

Geralt "I'll be fine, go to sleep."

He goes to Roach and takes a pouch from which he grabs a handful of salt, which he proceeds to spread around to circle their campsite. After all is done Geralt drops to his knees and starts to meditate.

Birds tweet and chitter as dawn approaches and lights up the damp dark forest. Geralt still sitting in the same spot and position stops meditating and looks to Reima.

"Get up, we will arrive today."

Reima rubs his eyes and gets out of the sleeping bag shivering at the chilled air, "Yes Sir."

He helps Geralt pack up and they continue travelling, as they go he tries to bring up different subjects and engage Geralt but only receives brief responses cutting dialogue short.

After what Reima assumes is 4 hours he spots an old looking castle in the distance, like a grey dilapidated of lord of the rings white keep. As they get closer Reima can see the discarded bones and damaged walls from what he believes is the last massacre.

"Mr Geralt, did someone attack the castle?"

"Yes... Thousands of peasants in a frenzy attacked the Kaer Morhen while I was on the path, killed everyone and left Vesemir for dead."

"How did they get inside?"

"I don't know."

They approach the gates of the keep and while it seems more lively than in the Witcher 3, Reima can still spot blood not yet cleaned from the stones. The gates are already opened and they make they're way in.

Inside they approach the courtyard and see around 20 children from ages 5-8 with 5 Witchers keeping watch over them, Reima can spot Eskel, Lambert, Vesemir and 2 Witchers he doesn't know.

Geralt approaches Vesemir and clasps hands.

"Master Vesemir"

"Now, now Geralt... We are past that, did your journey go well?"

"Took of few contracts, not much. When I received word of your attempt on the trials I had to be present."

Vesemir looks past Geralt and spots Reima.

Lambert "Hey Geralt, that kid yours? I can see the resemblance... Although Yen might have something to say about it."

Geralt grimaces and firmly stats "I picked the kid up on the way, he wants to be a Witcher."

Eyes drift onto Reima observing everything about him, Vesemir is the first to speak.

"So lad, you want to be a Witcher? Why?"

Reima turns the child dial up to 11 and speaks "I want to be a cool Monster hunter like Mr Geralt and protect people!"

Amusement is the main emotion from the chuckling Witchers.

Eskel "We should probably get started Vesemir."

Vesemir "Yes, everyone is present so we shouldn't dawdle. Line up with the others lad and we will start."

Reima nods and approaches the other recruits, most of them are wearing dirty ragged clothing but some are wearing what look to be fine clothes worn by nobles. All of the children in front of him are male and look nervous.

He stands at the end of the line facing the Witcher.

"Hey, I'm Reidun" A brown haired gaunt child introduces himself to Reima.

"I'm Reima, nice to meet you Reidun."

Vesemir "Silence" The group of children stop talking and look to Vesemir.

"You are all here for one reason and one reason only, to become a Witcher... Although I do not like to admit it, most of you will not survive the trials... Those of you that do will never be able to have children but will be stronger than any human alive, we will not force you to become a Witcher but you will have to make a choice now. This is the last chance you will get, the only way to leave after is being dead or becoming a Witcher."

Vesemirs words shake the resolve of some of the kids but Reima remains confident.

"If any of you have doubts, speak them now..."

Vesemir stands there with a grave look on his face... 1 minute... 2 minutes, and the first child speaks up.

"I want to go home! I don't want to be a Witcher" He states as he starts sobbing.

Vesemir looks behind him at Lambert who proceeds to usher the sobbing child away from the group.

Three more after the first child end up refusing, leaving a still rather large group left.

Vesemir gives a grandfatherly smile "You will be given a room to rest and meet your peers, they will be your brothers for hopefully a long time. Eskel please escort them to their quarters, we will start the trials tomorrow."