Chapter 383: They've Come
The acrid smell of burning fish flesh hung in the air, but the night's battle was far from over.
From other directions, more Fallen Mermen charged forward, brandishing their fishing spears.
Clang!
A spear struck the massive blade blank in Lynn's hands, ringing sharply. In the next second, Lynn deflected the weapon, letting the merman slide past him while simultaneously smashing the creature's fish-head into a pulp.
Although the object Lynn wielded was hardly a proper weapon and felt unbalanced in his grip, it was more than enough for these creatures. With Lynn's current strength, no single Fallen Merman could withstand his attack; they were either decapitated or split in two, their blood raining down to stain the lake's surface red.
Beyond the raw power imbalance, the mermen simply couldn't match Lynn's speed. At least a few hundred Fallen Mermen surrounded him, yet it felt less like they had encircled Lynn and more like Lynn had encircled them. His speed was so blindingly fast that most of the mermen couldn't track his movements. They only had a chance to attack when Lynn cast a Sign like Igni, which required him to pause briefly.
Even in those fleeting moments, their opportunity was useless. Lynn easily blocked their attacks using his weapon, evasive maneuvers, or his Quen shield.
If one were to zoom out and view the scene from high above, it would look like a game of Fruit Ninja. The horde of Fallen Mermen was the 'fruit,' and Lynn was the slashing light of the blade.
This one-sided fight didn't last long. Owing to the Elder God's influence, none of the Fallen Mermen fled; they fought to the death. Lynn obliged, sending every last one of them to meet their god.
After cutting down several hundred Fallen Mermen in one continuous burst, Lynn finally took a moment to check his status. He found that far from being injured, he had barely depleted a fraction of his stamina. This was his first true battle after the secondary mutation. Though the mermen didn't wear armor, their hardened fish scales were equivalent to decent chainmail. Even if they had been a company of human soldiers, the outcome wouldn't have changed.
Such overwhelming power brought with it a profound sense of reassurance.
However, the Elder God Dagon's corruption seemed to be deepening. He hadn't been able to summon the Lady of the Lake using this method this time.
Hmm...
Lynn gave it some thought. He had another approach.
He changed direction, running toward a swamp on the outskirts of Vizima. Because he had come in a hurry at Triss's request, he hadn't brought his horse, Níðhöggr. When he and Triss split up, she had offered him a mount, but he refused. Where he was going next, a horse couldn't follow. And if he left it behind, he feared it would be stolen. In any case, his current physical endurance and speed far exceeded that of a horse. Having one or not made little difference. For him now, the main use of a horse wasn't saving energy; it was looking impressive.
Running at full speed, Lynn quickly arrived at the marshland outside Vizima. Aided by the dark vision granted by the Cat Potion, it didn't take him long to locate the village nestled in the bog. The village was called Swamp Village, also known as Murky Waters.
The village was poor, so almost no one lit lamps at night, leaving it shrouded in darkness. Lynn didn't enter but followed the perimeter until he passed the last house. He could faintly make out a small, dilapidated shack built several hundred meters away, closer to the lake.
Lynn quickly walked over and knocked on the door. No response.
He knocked again. Still nothing. It was as if the place were abandoned.
That was impossible, of course.
Lynn put his hands on his hips. "Fisher King, if you're in there, chirp once. I need to see the Lady of the Lake, and I need you to ferry me across."
Finally, a faint candlelight flickered inside the shack. A moment later, the door opened. An old man, wearing rags, clutching a candlestick, and wearing only grass sandals, stood in the doorway, staring intently at Lynn.
He didn't speak, but his gaze seemed to be assessing whether Lynn was worthy to meet the Lady of the Lake.
Lynn remained silent, allowing himself to be scrutinized. He knew this man was not simply a fisherman. The Fisher King's true identity was that of a Knight of the Lake, dedicated to protecting the Lady—or what was left of one. There was once a brotherhood of Knights of the Lake who swore to protect her in the vicinity of Lake Vizima, but now only the Fisher King remained. Perhaps due to the loss of his comrades, or perhaps sworn to secrecy, the Fisher King rarely spoke, communicating mostly through simple gestures.
There was a shrine to the Lady of the Lake on the Isle of the Black Swan, but only a select few "Chosen" deemed worthy by the Fisher King were permitted to take his boat and meet her.
After a long while, the Fisher King seemed to deem Lynn suitable. He nodded, turned, walked back inside, extinguished the candle, and returned with an oar. He motioned his head toward the witcher, indicating Lynn should follow.
The two boarded the small boat waiting at the shore. Once Lynn was seated, the Fisher King grasped the oar and rowed them toward the Isle of the Black Swan in the center of the lake.
Upon arriving at the Isle of the Black Swan, the Fisher King stepped out first and pointed Lynn in a direction. The gesture indicated the shrine of the Lady of the Lake was that way. Although the old man had been cold throughout, his service was faultless, and he had done his duty. Lynn thanked him and proceeded in the direction indicated.
Under the cold moonlight, the shadows of the trees stretched long. The glow from the fireflies dancing through the woods looked like ghost lights. But Lynn quickly swept the area with his witcher senses, confirmed no monsters were lurking in the shadows, and ignored them, walking straight ahead.
After a short while, he arrived at a small pool on the island.
Yes. This unassuming pool was the local shrine of the Lady of the Lake.
Lynn bowed toward the pool in a knightly salute. "Good evening, my Lady."
A few seconds later, a familiar, graceful figure rose from the water. "You have come, my champion... I can sense that you are far more powerful now than when you last returned the Holy Grail."
Clad only in light gauze, the Lady of the Lake stepped onto the water's surface with her jade feet and approached Lynn. The moonlight fell upon her, making her glow with a gentle, pale white light.
.............
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