The Divine Hunter

Within a dark room of Kaer Seren, a witcher sat, his face illuminated by naught but the moonlight that shone through the window. His eyes were closed, and his legs were crossed. The witcher was in a state of meditation.

A little white dog lay beside him, night winds billowing its fur. The dog was sleeping with its belly revealed, a snore escaping its nose ever so occasionally. Its legs would twitch, perhaps because it was running in its dream.

A peaceful night this would be, if not for one fateful moment. Whispering winds turned into howling gales, blowing away the bluish-grey curtains up. Moonlight showered the room with no interference, a dark, circular silhouette appearing on the illuminated ground.

It poked through the ground like a ball of viscous mud, until eventually, a black, muscular, humanoid creature with two swords strapped to its back formed without a sound. It first knelt on one knee, but eventually the monster stood up, its hand on the hilt of its sword. Moonlight shone on it, but like a black hole, the monster absorbed it all.

The witcher’s pendant vibrated all of a sudden, waking him up. Roy leapt into the air like a flash of a lightning bolt, while Gryphon barked and turned around to hide in a corner. He grasped the air, producing a hand crossbow that glimmered red, and he stared at the silhouette in silence.

Roy tugged at the trigger, pointing his weapon at the enemy, and he cast Observe.

‘Kosti

Age: A hundred and twenty-four years old

Gender: Male

Status: Griffin School witcher, spiritual entity (a being that’s between a soul and a living thing)

HP: 190

Mana: 260

Strength: 18

Dexterity: 16

Constitution: 19

Perception: 14

Will: 9

Charisma: 7

SpritiL 26

Skills:

Strengthened Witcher Signs Level 3, Alchemy Level 8, Meditation Level 8, Griffin School Swordplay Level 8, Witcher Senses Level 9

Griffin Arts Level 6

Teleportation Level 2, Magic Maneuver Level 1

Source (Passive)

***

The moment Roy was done going through the information, he pulled the trigger. At the same time, the silhouette made complicated gestures in the air. It looked like six pairs of hands were making circles at the same time, creating a gigantic, golden Sign at incredible speed.

Roy’s enchanted bolt flew through the air, and a crackling net of electricity popped into existence. Magical lights shone, and the bolt hit its target. A blinding golden light exploded before it shattered into pieces, raining down on the room.

But that flash of light had completed its mission. The silhouette was unharmed, and the bolt was deflected, flying back at Roy at an even greater speed.

Shocked, Roy rolled away. A gust of wind flew by his cheek, cutting off a lock of his hair.

The silhouette froze for a split second from the bolt’s enchantment, and the next moment, both fighters made a Sign at the same time. It was Axii versus Yrden, and yet Roy was still slower than his opponent. Even though the silhouette was making a Sign with both hands, it still managed to cast it at an incredible speed, finishing its Sign before Roy could.

It shoved Axii at Roy, and the hypnotic Sign made him freeze. As if fallen under a spell, his eyes glossed over, and his muscles tensed. His hand crossbow fell to the ground as his arms hung limply by his sides.

The silhouette muttered something under its breath as it slowly approached Roy. It kept Axii going on with its left hand, while it held its right hand up before its chest.

But before it could land an attack on Roy, a crimson light flashed in the room. Aerondight tore through the air, forming an arc from left to right.

The blade hit its target’s neck and cut the curtains behind the silhouette in half. A wooden rod fell into the snow-covered ground, and moonlight shone on the young witcher.

Roy’s eyes were clear. The Sign failed to affect him. His Will was great enough to shield him against any mind control. And now for the finishing blow.

Roy eased up and calmed down a little, though a smile of irony tugged at his lips. “This might sound preposterous, but someone ambushed me.”

“What?”

“That’s right.” Roy took a deep breath and raised his voice. “To be precise, a Griffin ambushed me.”

Five minutes later, Coen stared at the pile of ash in disbelief. “In my forty years of living in this fortress, I have never seen another witcher.” He noticed the look in Roy’s eyes, and he said, “On the honor of my school, I swear this has nothing to do with us. We have no idea this happened. If a word of what I said was a lie, let my name be spat on and insulted forever.”

Coen looked at Keldar.

“For the past forty years, there have only been two witchers in Kaer Seren: me, and Coen. And perhaps we’re the only remaining Griffins in this land.” Keldar was staring at the pile of powder as well, and he frowned. “The would-be assassin was shrouded in black, and you couldn’t discern its face. It must have been a spiritual entity.”

He extended his fingers and waved them across the air, feeling for some lingering trails of the battle. “It used a Dual Sign and imbibed it with a Roar.”

Roy rubbed his shiny head and tried his best to imitate that weird sound. “I think it went like this…”

Keldar shook his head, displeasure glinting in his eyes. He looked at Roy like he just gained the worst grades in an exam. “That’s incorrect. You’re missing a key skill in producing the sound, but it resembles one of the four Roars.”

“It was using Igni,” Roy said. “But not from its palm, no. From the skies above, and I couldn’t evade it. It’s how I ended up like this.”

“Your testimonial points to a mutated Igni we call Skyfire.” Keldar pinched his beard. “From what I know, there were two Griffins who possessed this power. They were called Kosti, and Modan.” He sighed. “But they perished in that avalanche. I buried them behind Kaer Seren, where they rest forever with more than sixty brothers. But if what you said is true, then one of them has turned into a spiritual entity and started this fight.”

Roy crossed his arms and cocked his eyebrow. Things were getting more shrouded in mystery now.

***

“So the spirit was attacking Roy?” Coen was shocked. “But why did it show up tonight of all nights and come after Roy? Why not me or Keldar or Igsena?”

“Perhaps it sees me as an intruder,” Roy proposed. But I did nothing. Didn’t disrespect the school either.

Coen was still suspicious of one thing. “A mutated Igni is powerful beyond measure, and yet you only lost your hair? Your clothes are charred, but there’s not a single burn mark on your skin. That is odd.”

I can’t tell him that I almost died and used a revive chance on myself. And so, Roy gave all the credit of his healing to the Trial. “I gained some powerful regenerative abilities from my Trial. I’m not like most witchers. My wounds heal incredibly fast, and they leave no scars behind.”

***

“You do not have to tell us about your secrets. These battle marks tell me of another story entirely,” Keldar interjected. “We know not of what the entities want, but you should stay the night in Coen and Igsena’s room. Just in case the entities were to come again. Don’t come out until dawn breaks. I’ll look into this and see if I can get any answers.”

“Take me with you.” Anger flared in Roy’s eyes. I got ambushed and was forced to use a Full Recovery. No way I’m letting this slide.

“No. There’s no guarantee that was the only entity.” Keldar shook his head. “If you were to come with us, it might anger them further and cause unnecessary problems. Some of the dead were as powerful as I am. Worry not. I will come back with an answer.”

Roy stayed silent for a moment, and he nodded.

***

And then peace ensued, though for how long, nobody knew.

Roy was in Coen’s room, holding Gryphon in his arms as he fell into his thoughts.

Coen was holding the sleeping Igsena in his arms. The village lady knew nothing of the commotion that took place.

“Sorry you had to go through that, mate.”

“It’s not your fault.” Roy patted Gryphon’s head. He was not at all sleepy after that ordeal. “But if you have any information, please tell me.” He paused for a moment. “Do you receive many guests in this fortress?”

Coen shook his head. “This is a remote place, and Keldar doesn’t like being disturbed. We’ve only received a dozen or so guests. Most were lost travelers, some were witchers. That includes Vesemir.”

“Did anything of the sort happen to them while they were here?”

Adamantly, Coen answered, “No. You’re the first.”

***

Keldar held up a candelabra as he slowly descended down the spiral staircase, heading deep into the dark underground. On and on he went, until he finally reached the base of the fortress. To one particular tome on a bookshelf he approached. Beautiful and complex were the patterns embroidered on its cover, but its beauty was tainted by a black cloud surrounding it.

***

***