My travels through the Pass of Klamat continued mostly undisturbed. I had transcribed the entirety of Alzur's Double Cross into my own journal, then I had leafed through the rest of madman's writings. I had not expected to find anything of note and simply did so out of thoroughness before burning the book.
Then my eyes had nearly escaped my own sockets as I spotted another extremely rare transcribed spell, Triangle Within a Triangle. Significantly less so than Alzur's Double Cross, but still nothing to scoff at.
Reading further, I couldn't help but reevaluate my opinion of the sorcerer. He had intended to create a small monster using the Double Cross only to then increase its mass significantly using the Triangle Within a Triangle. In his theory, this would result in a much more controllable monster, avoiding another Viy of Maribor.
Considering that the man was almost certainly not right in the head, I wasn't too inclined to take him at his word. But as loathe to admit it as I was, the theory was not unsound. Naturally, Fregenal took it in a truly idiotic direction.
'The smaller the creature, the more it will understand my omnipotence. Once it is remade, this fear will be ingrained, allowing for easy control. Unfortunately, my mastery of Alzur's Double Cross is not sufficient to cast it onto insects, but I doubt there is much of a difference between those critters and scorpions.'
I felt the urge to travel back in time and slap the man. I did not properly understand what changes the spells would cause, but I felt confident that Fregenal's approach could have resulted in a powerful and controllable beast if only he had used a dog, or another highly trainable animal as the base.
Train it, cast the Double Cross, and then check whether it is still obedient. Let it get used to its new body, then cast the Triangle. As the latter spell caused a large amount of mutations, you'd want to limit its effects, but it very likely could be done. Ants or similar insects, after figuring out a way to produce pheromones, could be another avenue to pursue, though the Viy of Maribor was reportedly a centipede. Not that I had a reason to pursue this, but it was an interesting thought experiment.
I sighed. More transcribing for me, I supposed.
The next few days passed with no new revelations.
The only thing of note that happened was me passing a heavily guarded caravan. I had taken care to conceal my features. While some of them were clearly suspicious, they had just ignored me.
I had already left the main road, following along the Trava River. Despite this path being less travelled, it was only a day or so away from the Razwan fort, so I had not anticipated any trouble.
That made the five shabbily dressed men currently approaching me quite an unpleasant surprise. I had spotted them lounging around earlier, and unfortunately, one of them had seen me only a few seconds later.
I debated just blasting them from a distance, but there was a chance that they were refugees or some such. Despite sorcerers possessing certain legal leeway, my career as a royal advisor would end sooner than it could begin if I started killing every suspicious-looking person.
I put my hand on my dagger as the five approached.
They stopped a few meters from me, and then one of them stepped forward.
Then he dropped to his knees, "Honoured Lady, you have to help us!"
I blinked.
"What is the issue?" I asked. Were I back on Earth, I'd expect this to be some sort of scam, but I didn't think that bandits had a need for such things here.
"A band of monsters plagues our village, we beg of you to help us!"
I looked the man over. He was fat with greasy hair and brown teeth. His clothing was cheap, but not dirty.
"And the Baron of Razwan? He is unwilling to help you?" I asked, keeping the group well within my sights.
"No! He told us, pardon me, my lady, 'to eat shit and fuck off.'"
That wasn't that surprising. Nobles tended to not be the most noble of people, ironically. Often, they only grew concerned about their people when the taxes they were collecting started noticeably dipping.
Now, unlike an unknown magical phenomenon, this definitely wasn't my job.
However, I could at least hear them out. If nothing else, I'd learn about a location to avoid.
"What sort of monsters? And why do you think a sorceress would work better than a witcher?"
The five exchanged glances, before the fat man in the lead spoke again, "Sorceress?"
I frowned. It seemed that the deductive reasoning capabilities of the Klucz villagers were a notch above the rest.
"Oh, uh," the man continued elegantly, "We had just wanted for you to try and talk to the baron, they say he listens to women more, the motherfucker," he muttered the last part, before he paused, eyes flitting towards me, "uh, pardon my language. But if you can do witchery, then you could help us yourself?"
"Help with what?" I asked again, already slightly exasperated. I was going to ignore the bit about the baron listening to women more, whatever that was supposed to mean.
"Right, right. They are monsters of the worst kind. Set up in the forest near our village, hunting our animals. When we went to chase them out, poor Jorah ended up with an arrow in his shoulder!" He spat to the side.
I stared at the man.
"What sort of monsters use bows?"
His eyes flickered from side to side, "The very worst sort, the very worst. They use bows, true, but that does not change their nature. You must help us, Lady Sorceress."
I debated with myself for a second, before I read the man's thoughts. It wasn't something I was particularly comfortable doing, but I was willing to violate the privacy of the man's mind if it helped me avoid an ambush. As he hadn't recognised me as a sorceress, I doubted he knew enough to connect the uncomfortable sensation in his head that he was now feeling with mind reading.
My eye twitched as the man scratched his head.
He was thinking that my face looked quite nice for a freak. His thoughts were laced with an undercurrent of fear and hate. While he seemed honest in his conviction that there were monsters threatening his village, his opinion of me did not seem to be that much better, though my appearance confused him greatly. Unfortunately, I lacked the skill to discern much more.
There was obviously something he wasn't telling me, but there were tool-using monsters, even if they were rare. I'd wager a good chunk of my money on a group of bandits abusing the superstition of the locals though, since I doubted real monsters would have only caused an injury. In any case, if the villagers tried their own hand at driving their problem away and survived, then it couldn't be that dangerous. I wasn't averse to running out a band of human miscreants or killing them, should their crimes be sufficiently heavy, provided I was compensated properly.
An opportunity was an opportunity. Improving my reputation a bit more either couldn't hurt, and there was something I needed.
"I find myself in need of a horse. Perhaps we could help each other?" I told them my terms.
I did technically have enough money to buy one, but it'd put a considerable dent in my funds. I had managed to save a decent amount of money during my studies in Aretuza by doing odd jobs here and there on Thanedd and not all of it had gone towards my tuition, but that didn't mean I was keen to squander it, especially when I still did not fully understand how my position in the Cintran court was going to work.
His eyes lit up and his thoughts were filled with joy at being believed and finding an ally, which cemented my decision. At the very least, I could be certain that these people had an actual problem and weren't planning on murdering me.
"Thank you, my lady. It is a steep price, but if you can rid us of those creatures, we'll gladly pay it."
Despite his unsightly demeanour, the man didn't seem like a bad sort.
The man, whose name turned out to be Jakub, was all smiles the rest of the way, though none of the men were keen on conversing with me, even if they couldn't stop stealing glances. This suited me fine since it let me keep an eye on my newfound companions. I had refrained from further intruding on their thoughts, both out of basic respect and because of practicality. They were bound to put two and two together eventually. It didn't take a genius to realise that the weird feeling in your head that happens when the witch is looking at you might be her doing. Most people didn't react well when they realised someone was messing with their minds, something I understood all too well. Fortunately, they did not do anything suspicious.
We reached the edge of the forest near his village two or so hours later and I endeavored to keep to the back of the group, just in case. As we entered the forest, the men immediately grew nervous, removing clubs from their belts and clutching them tightly.
It was an hour later that Jakub slowed down and pointed through the underbrush at a small, dilapidated temple of some sort. A singular building, nearly overgrown by greenery, but built with good stone. Chunks were missing here and there, with what once must have been a sturdy gate lying broken to the side. I could barely make out the symbol of a spider web on one of its walls. I set down my luggage behind a tree.
"They are in there," Jakub whispered.
"Adda invaerne," I chanted in response.
As the spell took effect, I noticed more battle damage present on the temple, along with some fresh blood on the ground. Probably the result of that Jorah being shot.
Of course, that was when I noticed someone gathering Power in the temple. However, if my own spell had been a bathtub, this one was a small pond. A couple of seconds later a woman in a light yellow dress exited the temple and I swore in a loud whisper as I connected the dots, "You fucks."
The woman - the elf - immediately zeroed in on our little group. She had dark red hair, adorned by amber-coloured accessories, though I could not tell whether they were gemstones or something else. They complimented her amber-coloured eyes nonetheless.
Jakub hastened to explain, "That's one of them! Kill her before she gets us!" He screeched.
I quickly tried to distance myself from the group as I berated myself for not seeing through this sooner. I had known, intellectually, that the humans of this world were prejudiced, but Aretuza had been a rather isolated environment, and Tissaia certainly did not tolerate such ideas in her school. The fact that a man would be all but begging for help to kill elves that were, by his own admission, mostly just minding their own business never even occurred to me. Why would someone risk their life for such an idiotic reason?
I hadn't fully succeeded in gaining distance when the woman finished her spell.
"Vaeltha!" I incanted as fast as I was able.
A second later, a lightning bolt impacted between myself and the five racist morons. I breathed a sigh of relief as my shield held, sparing a cursory glance at the bowled-over idiots - they seemed to be breathing - before I fully focused on the sorceress. I recognised the warning shot for what it was.
Then I felt the woman begin gathering power again, though words couldn't describe the sheer artistry of what I was seeing now that she was closer. There was no doubt in my mind that fighting this woman should be an absolute last resort.
Quickly, I shouted, "Voe'rle Aen Seidhe! Dice!" My Elder Speech wasn't the best, but it'd hopefully do. I wouldn't have graduated from Aretuza if I couldn't at least hold a conversation in the language, yet the elven speech proved tricky to master when it came to actual conversations. Incantations were much easier.
The woman hesitated for a second before stopping, "Cease butchering my language, dh'oine. We can talk."
I cast an evil look at the groaning villagers, "Fuck off if you want to live."
Slowly, they gathered themselves. Two of them needed support, which left Jakub free to worsen the situation.
"We won't abandon you, m'lady! I swear we did not know they had a witch!" He shouted, brandishing his club above his head, in a manner he must have thought heroic.
With dread, I realised that either the lightning bolt had deafened him or he was even more moronic than I thought possible.
With a fierce battle cry, the lone villager rushed towards the elf at a not-very impressive speed while his comrades looked on with wide eyes.
I hesitated, unsure of what to do, but the elf did not.
One second he was there, the next he was replaced by a very confused-looking bunny, leaving both me and the villagers goggling.
"In three days, a beast bearing the face of your kin shall arise to claim him. Should you stand firm and guard him well, your kin's true self will be restored and your village spared further misfortune," the elf spoke softly, breaking the silence.
The peasants looked at me.
"Grab him and go," I hissed.
Thankfully, the rest complied. A brief struggle ensued as the bunny tried to escape, but luckily they managed to catch the creature, their departure making me breathe a sigh of relief.
I stepped forward and gave a courtly bow, "I apologise for the circumstances of my arrival. My name is Tanya von Degurechaff, a Sorceress of Aretuza. It shames me to admit, but I had fallen for the lies of those men. I mean your people no harm."
A little bit of humility was always a good way to show contrition. I wasn't about to fight an elven sorceress and who knew how many other elves for a stupid horse. I had also never heard of such an esoteric spell. A curse that would not only turn one into an animal but also create a monstrous doppelganger? Another good reason to avoid hostilities.
"Ah, you," the elven sorceress responded, her severe expression mellowing out, as her gaze roamed over me.
I blinked, "You've heard of me?"
"The daisies in the valley whisper your name," she said with a small smile. As if we were not on the brink of killing each other a moment ago.
"Come," she beckoned towards the temple, "I'm sure you will find this interesting."
Thanks to the still-running reflex enhancement, I managed to stop the intense befuddlement I was feeling from showing on my face. I examined her more closely. The amber accessories were true amber, set in what looked like coral. A pearl necklace completed her undoubtedly expensive look, making me even more confused. Metal and gemstones were the preferred accessories for mages, thanks to their beneficial effects and uses.
"Where I am from, it is customary to return the favour when someone introduces themselves," I interjected, unwilling to just follow this strange woman inside a building likely filled with her compatriots.
She paused, "So it is, little Argent, so it is. I am Ida Emean aep Sivney. Of the Blue Mountains now, I suppose," then she began walking towards the temple, "Come along now," she said over her shoulder.
I stood frozen on the spot, mouth open stupidly, before double-checking my mental protections and finding nothing amiss.
Cursing quietly my foolishness, I jogged to catch up with the elf, before speaking up, "How do you know that name?"
"Your ring," her eyes flicked to my left hand, "It is argent. A cute nickname, no?"
My mouth clicked shut as we passed the entrance to the temple.
'Could it have been just a coincidence?'
My ring was silver, but I didn't buy that explanation for a second.
The question was, did the elf know about my past, or had she simply divined a word that would be effective at shutting me up, or some such? With the sheer breadth of options offered by magic here on the Continent, both options were possible. As the reflex enhancement ran out, I barely suppressed the grimace that threatened to break out on my features.
The last option was, of course, Being X. I had not seen hide nor hair of that bastard since I had been reborn here, but there were plenty of the so-called gods here he could be masquerading as. That someone I met next to a temple would possess knowledge of my past was suspicious. I felt the urge to investigate, cautiousness be damned. The elf did not seem to be hostile, at least.
As we entered the temple, I surveyed it carefully. The inside of the temple was in an even worse state than the outside. What little furniture remained was nothing but scrap and any leftover space was filled with bones.
Human bones, if the skulls were any indication. A fitting place for the worship of Being X, though I doubted the self-absorbed creature would agree with me.
The stone walls of the temple were carved with spiderwebs, while the floor had thin canals dug into it, originating from a stone altar set at the far end of the building. A lion's head with a human skull in its jaws and spider legs sprouting from the neck sat above the altar, the entire effigy made out of stone. No other elves, though.
"What did you do to that man?" I asked changing the topic, not yet willing to push Ida on her comment, lest I reveal even more.
Ida looked at me with a twinkle in her eye, "Transposition."
Silence reigned as I grappled with the implications, eventually deciding to just ignore the matter. As far as I was concerned, Ida would have been in the right had she decided to kill the man. That she did not was to her credit and made me respect her more. It was nice to meet another individual averse to unnecessary bloodshed.
"What is this place?" I quickly changed track once more.
"A temple dedicated to Coram Agh Tera, the Lionheaded Spider," Ida responded, voice tinged with happiness, "Interesting, is it not?" She finished, tracing part of the spiderweb carved into the wall with her fingers.
I looked at the wall the elf was praising, unsure if she was joking or not. Personally, I felt that the spider web motif was a bit overdone. Plastering it everywhere was tasteless even to my sensibilities.
Ida turned to me, her smile widening upon seeing my face, "Did you know, little Argent, that there are a great many ways of manipulating the Power?"
I nodded, unsure of her point. This was mostly common knowledge. Priests and druids utilised different principles for their magics than a sorceress like me, or so they claimed. In Aretuza, we were taught that though their methods work, they provide little proof of the divine, as the core principle behind magic has always been the will of the caster, an explanation I very much favoured myself. That Being X and other entities like him would happily ascribe their own benevolence for feats done solely by the caster went without saying.
"The source remains the same, but the methods differ. Only the will of the caster is paramount. Priestesses of Coram Agh Terra achieve so through what they term weaving," the sorceress continued, tracing more of the carved spiderweb, "I have decoded the spell carved into this temple just before your arrival, a disappointing endeavour."
I looked around the walls, some of which had cracks in them. That must have taken a lot of work. As I looked around, I was once again reminded that we were alone in here.
"That is interesting, but I don't quite see what it has to do with me. Where are your companions anyway?"
"My companions?" The elf tilted her head, "Oh, those were illusions meant to scare off the humans, I'm afraid. I find that your kind often struggles to comprehend the danger a woman can pose."
"I see," I responded, but it made me like the situation even less, as another one of my assumptions was thrown to the wind. I almost wished the woman was lying, but I saw no place where anyone could have hidden, nor did I hear anything indicating the presence of someone veiled by magic.
Unwilling to let her retake control of the conversation, I pushed further, "Why are you here? And how do you know of me?"
The sorceress turned to face me properly, "Your questions have the same answer, little Argent. I am an Aen Saevherne - a sage, as your kind calls us in the common tongue."
"Perhaps that answers my first question," I said. I could see a sage being interested in a rare religion, "But not my second one."
Did she want me to believe she had read a book about me or something?
"A question I have already answered," Ida responded.
I opened my mouth to press but thought better of it at the last moment. I didn't actually have any leverage in this situation, the opposite, in fact.
I stood there awkwardly as Ida turned back to the wall, producing a small book out of nowhere into which she began scribbling while quietly humming a melodious tune.
As I mulled over her words, a thought struck me.
'Daisies in the valley…'
"Enid an Gleanna?" I muttered. The Daisy of the Valley.
Ida raised her head from her journal, shooting me a small smile, before returning to it.
That explained how she knew who I was in this world, if not how she knew the name Argent.
Enid an Gleanna, more commonly known as Francesca Findabair, was one of the members of the Chapter, like Tissaia. That the Chapter knew of my existence was a given, considering my tutelage under the Rectoress. Had I done anything to arouse her attention, I had little doubt that someone like Francesca had ample means of finding out more about me. At least I could rule out Being X. Probably.
'But I had kept my head down for the entirety of my time in Aretuza!'
I had worked hard during my time there, with little room for distractions. I had tried to network with my peers, but Being X must have given my new life a bit more thought than the last one, as I had found myself stymied from the onset.
Unfortunately for me, Aretuza students fell into two categories. The first and most populous category were the unmarriable daughters thrown out of their, often rich, families in a way their parents didn't have to feel much guilt over. As students were forced to forswear their familial relations, they couldn't return even if they wanted to.
The second type were those personally scouted out by one of the faculty, a much rarer occurrence. It didn't necessarily mean the person in question was more talented, only that their magical talents were noticed and the Academy thought them worth the effort to obtain.
Triss Merigold was the last person who joined Aretuza that way before me, but she had been nearing graduation already when I joined.
This proved a rather large obstacle for me, as it instantly isolated me from my peers, especially as most of them were quite jealous of my appearance. Unmarriable didn't refer to personality. My unnatural intelligence born out of my past lives only exacerbated the issue as did my resistance to the corrupting effect of magic on my reproductive system, especially considering my actions to rectify that matter. So instead of beating my head against a wall, I had turned my efforts towards the faculty, eventually catching Tissaia's eye.
In other words, I had not done anything of note in my time at Aretuza. No enemies, no real friends. No incredible feats of magical prowess, either. I had learned my lesson from the Silver Wings Assault Badge.
As I stood there, furiously thinking about what I had done that could have attracted such attention, Ida started speaking again, without turning away from her journal.
"In truth, the spell weaves of Coram Agh Terra are more of a curiosity, as their clergy cannot be said to possess any real skill. Take this weave, for example. A spell encompassing an entire temple, yet its sole purpose is only to enhance certain curses wrought by the lifeblood spilt here. Interesting principle, lacking execution."
Finishing her writing, she closed the book with a snap before once more turning her amber eyes upon me, "It is not often that a truly novel way of spellcasting comes along. You have almost managed, however."
I blinked, "I have?"
Ida Emean aep Sivney nodded, "An extension of the Brotherhood's systematisation of magic, in truth, but an impressive one."
She raised her right hand, speaking softly but clearly "Aine."
A verdant ball of light about the size of a fist appeared above her hand. Ida then raised her left hand, incanting again "Aine," A ball of light the size of a melon appeared above that hand.
"Fascinating, is it not? The Brotherhood has long been trying to apply their breed of rationality to Chaos. An obvious paradox, would you not agree? And yet," she nodded to the larger ball of light, before dismissing both spells, "It is a shame that your numeromancy outstrips our understanding of mathematics," she finished turning her piercing eyes towards me, making me a bit uncomfortable as I could not shake the feeling that she was seeing more than she should be.
Understanding dawned on me a moment later.
Ida was networking, if not outright trying to poach me! She must have really liked my thesis.
Much calmer now that I understood, I shrugged my shoulders, "Efficiency breeds efficiency."
Ida hummed, "A succinct way of describing the phenomenon. Is this what you humans call the march of progress?"
I nodded, happy to talk up my meagre achievements. It seemed that she was impressed with my attempt to introduce math-based magic to this world, a fact I felt little pride in, considering I wasn't the real inventor of the system, even if I had adjusted it to this world's conditions.
"My work builds upon the countless mages and mathematicians that came before me," I explained, completely truthfully, "I just integrated the two fields."
Still, it was good to see that my scheme was working. Attracting possible employers and contacts was one of my chief aims when I started working on the task, along with showing Tissaia the wisdom of her investment in me and securing my position further. That it would help me avoid a meaningless fight as well was an unforeseen, if welcome, boon.
Ida's smile slipped, her expression growing blank as she stared at me. Then she turned towards the lion's head above the altar, staring at it.
"You are heading to Xin'trea," she stated, "Your Rectoress will not be happy with me for depriving you of your opportunity to experience the world, but I am capable of creating a portal close to the capital."
I mulled over her words. At this point, I wasn't even surprised that she knew my destination, even if she used the old Elvish name for Cintra.
"That would be appreciated," I responded after a few seconds. Tissaia had wanted me to travel to Cintra in a more roundabout way, but I was sure that an attempt on my life warranted taking a shortcut.
In other words, I had no good reason to refuse her offer. It'd mean I'd owe Ida a favour, something she was no doubt aiming for, but that would also be an excellent opportunity to build a closer relationship with her. I had not heard of her before, but her skill and knowledge were undeniable. An owed favour would guarantee more chances to interact with the sorceress and hopefully forge closer ties. I had little to offer her now, but that would hopefully change quickly once I assumed my post in Cintra.
By all accounts, a win-win situation.
I quickly retrieved my suitcase from outside, before coming back into the temple.
Now that I thought about it, there was another, much smaller favour I could ask and test her a little in return, "Before I go, do you perchance know what this is?" I asked, pulling out the mystery coinage I got from one of my assailants. I thought about asking her about Coehoorn, but that could give away more information than I'd be comfortable with, depending on who the guy was.
Ida glanced at it, "A Floren. They are used in the Nilfgaardian empire to the south, though I imagine it will become more common as mercenaries return from Ebbing."
I frowned. I had learned of Nilfgaard in Aretuza, though there was little known of the city-state turned empire as it was on the southernmost edge of the known lands. I recalled that the Emreis dynasty had been overthrown a few years ago, but that was about it. Much more concerning was the second piece of information, freely thrown in by Ida.
"What do you mean, mercenaries?" I questioned further, a dark premonition in my mind.
"You have not heard? The Imperial army marched upon Ebbing a month or so ago," Ida explained.
My expression froze.
'Damn you, Being X!'
The King of Cintra was Roegner… of Ebbing. While he was only a former duke who married upwards, I doubted he'd be happy with his homeland getting conquered. Rumour had it that it was Queen Calanthé who wore the pants in that relationship, so hopefully the Cintran army wasn't getting ready to march south on some harebrained scheme. Not that the kingdoms between Cintra and Ebbing were likely to allow them passage in any case, but that just meant there was an opportunity for the whole thing to turn into an even bigger mess.
"I would not be worried much, little Argent. It is not yet time for the Hen Ichaer to spill," the elven sorceress interrupted my thoughts. Then, in an impressive display of sorcery, she opened a portal a few meters in front of me.
Hen Ichaer? The Elder Blood? Did she mean the blood of the elder races, of elves, dwarves and the like? I did not see how the elder races were connected to Cintra or Ebbing, however.
Before I could ask for clarification, the sorceress spoke again, "Váfáill, Sorceress of Aretuza. May your future be as peaceful as your past."
I bowed slightly, suppressing an eye twitch, "Váfáill, Aen Saevherne, you have been most helpful. I will remember this."
A smile worked its way onto my face as I thought her words over more. She likely did not know of my past after all. My stay in Aretuza had been peaceful, while my past life had not, so her farewell would not make any sense if she truly knew of my past life.
All in all, this entire venture took an excellent turn. I may not have gotten a horse, but I made an acquaintance with someone of influence and successfully forged closer ties, while also securing transport to Cintra.
Really, I should return to thank those idiotic villagers.
I gave Ida one last nod, then turned to the portal.
As one of my legs went into the portal, I saw Ida's expression grow stony out of the corner of my eye.
The spell flickered for a moment, before stabilising.
Then I was through.
Ida Emean aep Sivney watched as the portal safely closed, no trace of her previous smile on her face. Uncertainty plagued her mind, the information she learned too strange. Had she made the right choice? Yet killing the prodigious child would risk too much.
With a wave of her hand, she dispelled the invisibility spell cast over her two guards. They immediately relaxed, lowering their bows. Staying so utterly still was trying even for elvish bodies.
Ida ignored them, staring at the place where she had opened the portal a scant few moments ago.
She stayed like that for a while.
In her mind, the unborn dream of the Valley of Flowers turned to cinders.
Once the last embers faded, she quietly breathed out and walked out of the temple. Her gaze was glued west. To Cintra. The uncertainty was gone now, with only resolve remaining.
"First the earth will flow with the blood of Aen Seidhe, the Blood of Elves," she muttered.
But the sword of destiny was double-edged. Whether one could make use of it depended solely on one's grip. Ida intended hers to be tight.
Stepping through the portal, I heard and saw nothing, feeling only a bit of pressure in my head. Cold quickly crept into my bones, until suddenly, I stood in a meadow, the sun rays warming my skin, the previous sensations, or lack thereof, gone as if a mere dream.
Turning around, I quickly spotted a road, along with an open-mouthed merchant staring at me. As I spotted him, he awkwardly bowed from his wagon's perch, before he used the reins to urge the mules into motion.
As my gaze followed the departing wagon, I gazed over the surrounding farmland, until my eyes landed on the city walls in the distance and the plethora of wooden houses built in front of them.
"So that's Cintra, huh," I muttered. The city looked fairly impressive from a distance, certainly better than Maribor, the biggest city I had seen so far in this world.
I suspected it'd lose its lustre once I made it closer, but then again, I doubted there were any cities in this world which could come close to the Imperial standard, let alone to that of Japan.
I hastened my step, eager to get acquainted with my soon-to-be home.
As I neared, the towering, yet weathered stone walls, loomed. People, mostly humans, but I spotted a few dwarves and halflings along with the occasional elf among them, mingled in a sort of shanty town in front of the walls.
Immediately, I thought the place a ghetto, but many of the inhabitants smiled, while the guard contingent overseeing the nearby gate seemed indifferent, rather than wary as one would expect.
Ignoring it, I beelined it for the back of the line at the gates, right behind an older man with a backpack. As I stepped behind him, the man glanced back, frowned, and turned his gaze back to the front.
While I waited, my mind went over the encounter with Ida.
In truth, the entire venture had been very sloppy. I had clearly gotten too used to the peace and familiarity of Aretuza, but there were lessons to be learned here.
The untrustworthiness of the common people, for one. I should have questioned others before agreeing to the request of the villagers and I should have scouted more. I had been simultaneously too emboldened by the presence of the meatshields and too cautious to devote my concentration to a scouting spell.
I'd like to think I did decently well with Ida considering the circumstances, but if I counted our talk as a fight, then I had definitely lost. I might have figured out her game, but I still did not have a good idea as to the extent of her knowledge in regards to my past. Thanks to her farewell, I knew she did not know much, if anything, but that was not nothing. Worse, had she not been inclined favourably towards me from the start, then my fumbling might have jeopardised what was bound to be a very valuable relationship.
Of course, considering my fumbling had been largely her fault…
Still, while definitely not my finest moment, it had worked out well enough.
Before I knew it, I made it to the front.
"Name?" The guard, equipped in chainmail and leaning on his halberd, asked.
"Tanya von Degurechaff," I responded, brandishing the letter I had received from Cintra, royal seal and all.
The guard did a double take, "Wait here for a moment, err, my lady. Please."
Then he slinked off.
A few minutes later, a much better-dressed man approached, checked the letter, and then led me to the royal castle.
Sometime later, I found myself kneeling in a chamber alone with the Queen who lounged on her throne. The second throne was conspicuously empty.
Seeing my glance, the ashen-haired Queen broke her silence, "Kingly duties do not suit my husband, except the one," she winked at me, "You will meet Roegnar once he comes back from his hunting trip, but until then, you'll have to be content with this poor Queen."
I wasn't sure how to respond to that, so I stayed silent.
The Queen's green eyes narrowed, "The silent type, huh? Or do you think my ears are unworthy of your wisdom, sorceress? Aren't you supposed to be an advisor?"
I blinked, raising my head, "I apologise, Your Majesty, I am still unused to courtly etiquette. I would not wish to offend you with empty words."
"Mhm, that's better. Haxo will tell you more about your duties," she indicated to the young castellan that had led me to the room, "Oh, and if I catch you spying for the Brotherhood, I'm having you quartered."
I cast a look at the slightly awkward-looking castellan, before turning back to the young Queen with a frown of my own, "What constitutes spying, Your Majesty?"
I wasn't about to discard my relationship with Tissaia unless absolutely necessary, but I had no idea whether the Queen would consider a letter to be 'spying,' let alone a communication spell.
"Find a dictionary. Anything else?" she responded dismissively.
I suppressed an eye twitch. Well, despite her flippant answer, I could work with the textbook definition well enough. Turning my mind to the matter brought to my attention by Ida, I spoke,
"I have one last question, Your Majesty, what of the war in Ebbing?"
"What of it? Do you want me to armour up my firstborn and send her to fight the evil Usurper?"
The idea of an armoured toddler was fairly amusing, but I took care not to laugh.
"Err, no. I merely wanted to ask whether Your Majesty plans on doing anything, considering your husband's familial ties, so that I could better prepare."
Calanthé stared at me like I was stupid for a few seconds, "No, there will be nothing. Let the Vassermillers deal with their own problems, the gods know we have enough of our own. Now scram."
I bowed, before hastily making my exit behind the castellan.
"Please do not think much of it, Lady Sorceress," Haxo broke the silence as he led me through the winding hallways of the castle, "The Queen can be… irritable when the King is gallivanting around our forests."
I didn't react, keeping my face impassive. I wasn't about to start shit-talking my employer right as I was starting the job. Besides, the Queen had not been truly unreasonable. I sincerely doubted that she could ever reach the levels of the general staff from my past life.
After fruitlessly waiting a few seconds for a response, Haxo continued, "As a Court Sorceress you will be expected to advise the Queen on matters of magic, perform spells at her convenience, and keep watch for hostile magics as well as protect the royal family, should such become necessary."
The Queen and not the King, huh? I supposed there was more truth to the rumours than I had expected. Well, if the King went away on hunting trips frequently, then all the work likely fell on Calanthé whether she wanted it or not. She didn't strike me as particularly saddened by the responsibility, though I could understand her annoyance.
"You will also be expected to attend court every so often," Haxo paused, looking me over, "In respectable attire. A golden lion here and there to indicate your allegiance would not be amiss."
Soon, we exited the castle proper, entering a courtyard. Haxo pointed towards one of the towers, "The Harbour Tower. A court sorcerer used to live there in Queen Adalia's time, but he got skewered by a knight after he had an affair with his wife. It's been used for storage ever since, but we've cleaned it up for you.
"How did that happen?" I could not help but ask.
The castellan snorted, "The knight was one of his guards, but a man murdering another in his bed does not make for a good story. He was executed for it regardless."
Ah, the woes of lacking a proper understanding of HR.
As we reached the door, he gave me a key, "Here. I'm the only one who has another key and barring a royal command, I won't use it."
"Thank you," I said as I took it before I unlocked the door.
The inside of the tower was… empty. The entire ground floor, in fact, had no furniture or windows.
Seeing my face, the castellan quickly spoke up, "The top floor has been furnished for you, it's where the previous sorcerer lived. Now that you are here, guards will be stationed outside and servants can be made available, should you desire them."
"No servants," I quickly interjected. I can take care of myself, thank you very much. On a more practical note, the idea of letting unvetted strangers prance throughout your home was a security nightmare. It certainly wasn't something I was willing to entertain.
"Right," Haxo responded, before taking me on a tour of the next five floors. Not that there was anything to see. Barring the top floor, every room was empty.
I had to admit the man had done a good job with the top floor though. Tasteful wood furniture that must have been a pain to bring up this high along with a nice bathroom, a guest room as well as a walk-in closet, and a very nice balcony with a view of the harbour.
As I looked around my new home, Haxo spoke up again, "There is one more matter concerning your duties, my lady."
I turned my attention to the castellan.
"As our Queen's own mother was a mage of great power, it is not impossible that the young princess might share the talent. The child has yet to show any indication of such, but the Queen thought it prudent to keep an expert on hand," he glanced at me meaningfully, "Naturally, you are not to speak of this matter."
"As Her Majesty wishes," I said. I certainly hoped she didn't expect me to be a nanny, but I wasn't about to say that out loud. Checking the princess every once in a while and being ready to counter any possible outbursts should be fine.
"Good. I'll leave you to get settled. Here," he took out a pouch, "An advance on your salary. Should you require anything, tell the guards, they'll know who to pass it on to. Lastly, should you require funds to conduct any personal projects that would benefit the kingdom, come to me."
"Thank you once again, Castellan Haxo," I told him, extending my hand for him to shake. He looked at it as someone might look at a snake, before shaking it.
With one last bow, the castellan left, leaving me alone in my new tower.
"Not bad," I muttered.
The Queen was a bit… fiery, but nothing I couldn't deal with. The accommodations were nice and the pay, I glanced into the pouch, my eyes widening at the amount inside, was more than sufficient. I might even pay my debts to Aretuza in a few years. I'd have to check exactly how much the Ducat was worth compared to the Novigrad Crown. A year of tuition at Aretuza cost a thousand crowns, a veritable fortune. Yet magical knowledge could not easily be acquired anywhere else, making the price well worth it, even ignoring the excellent opportunity to network with some of the Brotherhood's elites.
Better, the war in Ebbing was far away and I was now protected by the Cintran Royal Guard, while my duties promised to be not overly strenuous.
Despite the hiccup on my way here, I had made it. A peaceful, rear-echelon position. Respect, good pay, influence, and safety. All mine for the taking.
There were just four, teeny, tiny details that were bothering me.
One. The assassins were well-trained and funded. Two. One of them possessed Nilfgaardian coinage. Three. The attempt happened just as the Empire began expanding northward. Four. I was Cintra's new court sorceress.
Coincidence? Maybe.
There was, however, one remaining piece of evidence that I could use to cut the Gordian knot. The name my erstwhile foes had so helpfully shared with me. Coehoorn.
So I got to work. Descending to the fourth floor, which had a suitable circular room I got to carving. Using magic, of course. Just as Gaeth was enough for simple air manipulation, Nollaallowed me to do the same with earth and stone.
The stone yielded easily under my not-so-gentle ministrations, letting me carve the necessary geometric shapes into the floor.
Two hours or so later, the room was changed utterly. To an untrained eye, it might have looked like an unhinged geometrician was let loose here, but that could not be further from the truth. Each line had to be placed precisely and with great care. Checking my work had taken over half the time.
Done, I filled the carved channels with water, then I went upstairs and grabbed a pouch of bone dust made out of blackbirds, before finally going back and sprinkling some of it inside the channels.
Then I waited for it to dissolve, recovering my strength. Condensing the water had not been overly strenuous, but the spell I was about to cast was a difficult one to perform without a megascope, a device far outside my means. Luckily, the Cintran castle had been built on top of an intersection, speeding up my recovery greatly.
A megascope likely would not remain outside of my means for long, considering the fat salary the Queen was paying me, though I was unsure if I'd want to spend the money regardless. After all, I had already gone through the trouble of learning an equivalent spell properly.
Half an hour later, I was ready.
"Dice glamarye ghar," I incanted, my hands moving lighting quick, forming arcane signs, then paused for precisely seven seconds, "Gaeth glosse pont."
Power gathered, pulled from the Air and the Water. It was enough, though I would have preferred Earth instead of Water for this sort of spell. Unfortunately, the ground was far away and the ensorceled walls of the keep were quite resistant.
A strong pulse of magic exploded, likely alerting any magically sensitive individual in the castle. The water boiled instantly, suffusing the room in steam, but one that I knew would linger for far longer than it should.
Then I waited.
Twenty minutes later, the steam coalesced into the image of one Tissaia de Vries, clothes as neat as always.
"Tanya. What a pleasant surprise. I did not expect to hear from you so soon without resorting to telepathy."
"Rectoress de Vries," I greeted her formally. Long-distance telepathy was a much less intensive spell, but one that needed familiarity with the recipient, amongst other things. Not an issue with Tissaia, but there was also a risk of interception, if a small one. As facilitating rapid communications over long distances was one of the core duties of court sorceresses, I chose to think long-term. The idea of connecting my mind to another's did not appeal to me in the slightest in any case, so Dice glamarye ghar et cetera it was.
"I've arrived earlier due to unforeseen circumstances," I continued, "which also happen to be the reason behind my call."
"Unforeseen circumstances?" Tissaia asked, centering her necklace. The Rectoress tended to be a bit obsessive about neatness. It was something we had bonded over, even if my own preference for a clean appearance did not run as deep as hers.
After hearing her question, I explained. I told her about the assassins, then about my encounter with Ida and my suspicion in regard to Nilfgaard. Tissaia stayed silent throughout and though the steam image was not a fully accurate recreation, I could still make out consternation on her face.
"I would like to ask for your knowledge in regards to both this 'Coehoorn' character, as well as the sorceress Ida Emean aep Sivney and her title of Aen Saevherne, as I know nothing of the first two and only a little of the last," I finished.
"I see your time outside of Aretuza has been eventful," the Rectoress responded after a few seconds.
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REPORT
A NOTE FROM EKOLOGICAL CHIMERA
Fun fact: Long-range telepathy is an absolute mess in the witcher. We know it's regularly used as a form of communication between royal courts (when the kings trust their mages at least), but at the same time we never really see it used when you'd expect it. For example, when Triss realises that helping Ciri is beyond her means and they contact Yennefer, they do so by sending her a letter. The reason for not using telepathy is never addressed, even if it should have been perfect for the situation.
However, in one of the short stories, Geralt is capable of intercepting short-range telepathy messages when the communication is happening right in front of him. This as far as I remember never gets brought up again, but it felt like a good enough explanation.
"The name Coehoorn sounds familiar, give me a moment, dear," Tissaia said, her steam image dissolving.
A few minutes later she came back, holding a book.
"This is an armorial of the southern kingdoms, though it covers genealogy too," she explained, rapidly flicking through the book.
"Coehoorn, Coehoorn…" She muttered, "Ah! Here. Noble family of Nilfgaard, seat of power in the Capital, two main branches. Known members Carl, Isaiah, Menno, Alder, Alice, Frisk, Cara and Siev. Heraldic symbol is a black kestrel, if that interests you. It seems your hunch was correct, Tanya."
I grimaced. I really did not like having this particular suspicion confirmed, mostly because it indicated a level of competence and long-term planning that I very much hated to see in an enemy.
I could see no other explanation. The Nilfgaardian Empire did not plan to stop their march, already working behind the scenes to soften their next conquests.
It seemed that my safe retirement still faced one last obstacle.
"Do not worry too much, child," Tissaia's kind voice brought me out of my gloomy thoughts, "The Brotherhood is, above all, neutral and you will always be welcome in Aretuza."
I fought hard to keep my expression even. As if any self-respecting employer would ever hire me again if I ran away the moment the going got tough. That was half the reason nobles hired sorcerers in the first place. If I ran away like that, my reputation would be forever ruined.
Leaving now, before Cintra realised the danger wouldn't be much better. Sure, it'd probably be attributed to the general eccentricities surrounding sorcerers, but the outcome would be nearly the same. I would be seen as unreliable. Unprofessional. I'd probably have to mooch off Aretuza for decades, racking up debt, achieving nothing. It was an option of last resort.
Even worse, such an action would reflect badly on the Brotherhood as well.
"I appreciate the offer, but any conflict is still far away. I will keep it in mind, however," I responded, voice kept carefully neutral.
"As you wish, but do not let politics consume you, Tanya," she paused, fixing her sleeve, "Philippa was just like you when she started, I only fear that her work will consume her. Remember, Tanya, that you are a sorceress first. Our duty is to humankind as a whole, not any singular kingdom."
I blinked, not quite sure how to interpret that. Philippa Eilhart was Redania's Court Sorceress and one of Tissaia's star pupils before me, so on one hand, the comparison was quite flattering. On the other, it was a public secret in Aretuza that Philippa was a bit more entangled with Redania's inner workings than a member Brotherhood was supposed to be, something I knew very well Tissaia disagreed with, even without her reminding me just now.
The Brotherhood was everything to the ancient sorceress. She believed in its rules and laws quite a bit, something which I personally found admirable. Humans without rules and laws were just animals. Another reason not to quit, since it was the Brotherhood that facilitated my post. Tissaia might put on a gentle face, but she sat on the Chapter, not to mention that she was old enough that she could have reasonably talked with Jan Bekker, one of the original human settlers of the Continent and the founder of the human magical discipline.
That a person like that would be great at masking their real feelings was obvious. Too big of a slap to the Brotherhood's face and I'd get dropped like a pile of hot rocks.
My eyes widened in realisation as I connected my current train of thought with her offer. Running away from my post in Cintra might just constitute a big enough slap.
Tissaia was probably testing me. There was no way someone who cared about the Brotherhood as much as her would be happy with me tarnishing their reputation like that.
Though I was happy that I had surely passed her test, I wasn't about to touch whatever conflict was there between the two sorceresses with a ten-foot pole.
I asked my next question instead, "And Ida Emean?"
"She is one of Francesca's associates, that is all I can tell you about her. I know of her existence, but I was not aware that she has left the Blue Mountains in recent history," she paused, "As for your last question, my ever-hungry student," I straightened my back unconsciously, "Aen Saevherne are a bit of a mystery, both because of their rarity and the secretiveness of the elves. They are said to possess a vast amount of knowledge about many subjects, great skill with magic and some special abilities. Though whether the last is a prerequisite for the title, I do not know."
"Special abilities?" I probed further.
"Mm, yes. Oracular abilities and powers over space and time, though this is more rumour than fact. I've never met any Aen Saevherne and I know of only two others apart from Ida. Lara Dorren and Simlas Finn aep Dabairr."
Lara Dorren had been dead for many centuries, her existence was considered half a fairy tale by the common people, so that wasn't terribly helpful. Simlas was likely dead as well, though it was possible he was alive somewhere, as being both a mage and an elf would have given him an extraordinary lifespan. I had no way of tracking down the erstwhile elvish leader in any case.
Even so, I could extrapolate some things. Power over space and time in any significant capacity was obviously nonsense since the elves never would have lost against humankind were they in the possession of such great power. Some limited ability to see the future was plausible, as such things were not unheard of even amongst humans, if still incredibly rare and of dubious value.
"I've heard it said that the White Rose of Shaerrawedd, Aelirenn, had also been one of the Aen Saevherne," Tissaia continued, "But this talk only started appearing near the end of the twelfth century and never spread by elves, so I would not put much stock in it."
I didn't think I'd ever get used to these casual reminders of Tissaia's age. Aelirenn's rebellion happened over two centuries ago, in the middle of the eleventh century. It was the thirteenth now. The elvish woman had a near mythological status today, for both human and elvenkind, even if the tales told about her were drastically different depending on the race of the narrator.
"That is everything I know about the matter," Tissaia finished.
"Thank you, it is more than enough," I responded politely. I could perhaps ask the Rectoress to question Francesca about it, but that would be quite a large favour just to satisfy my curiosity.
"Ah, there is one more favour I'd like to ask, Rectoress," I said.
"Yes?"
"When you next see Lady Findabair, could you ask her to relay my gratitudes to Ida Emean? I fear I did not thank her properly during our encounter," I answered. This was only partially true. Mostly, I wanted to reinforce my name in her mind. Also, having Tissaia relay this through Francesca, two members of the Chapter, would let her know that I did possess at least some influence, despite my youth, signalling the mutual benefits we could glean through cooperation.
If Ida truly possessed oracular abilities, then securing her help would likely be a good idea, though frankly, I doubted the usefulness of such things.
If the elves could reliably see the future, then they would not be nearing extinction now, would they? Aen Ithlinnespeath, the most famous and widely believed prophecy, basically just predicted that the world would grow colder, except with some added vague nonsense—most of which I had forgotten quickly after being forced to study the parts of it known to Aretuza. Not that I could completely ignore the matter, as people claiming that the signs were coming true and that the world was ending next tuesday came about every few months, like clockwork.
Yeah, the most famous prophecy in the world was basically a very vague and dramatic weather report. I mean, what did the spilling of elven blood have to do with climate change? Besides, the earth had already been soaked with the blood of elves and the climate hadn't cooled. Suffice it to say, I did not put much stock in those who claimed the ability to see the future, nor fate.
Any overtures to Ida would have to wait until I had properly secured my position here anyway, so I put the matter out of my mind.
Tissaia didn't hesitate, "Easily granted, child," she sighed before continuing, "Be careful and remember to ask for help, should you need it."
With that, the spell was cut from Tissaia's end, leaving me in silence with my thoughts. I had to metaphorically pat myself on the back for the idea of ingratiating myself to the Rectoress as the effort once more proved its worth. Having one of the oldest and most knowledgeable people in the world available for advice was worth its weight in gold, especially in a world without the internet.
Mulling my situation over, I reached the conclusion that my problem was not immediate or insurmountable.
First, I would have to convince the Queen that there really was a threat.
Then… I'd look for a good dog trainer. Since the King liked to hunt, the castle should have a kennelmaster. This was a project I could tackle on my own and with the potential to significantly augment Cintra's military strength.
Alzur and Fregenal had already done a good chunk of the work. With a serious threat on the horizon, it didn't make sense to leave such a potent weapon unfinished.
I nodded to myself. Properly mastering both Alzur's Double Cross and Triangle Within a Triangle would take a while, but magically empowered hounds had a lot of potential. Any city was bound to have plenty of mice and rats I could practice on, Cintra included.
Anything more significant would have to be discussed with Calanthé and would likely involve more than a little teeth-pulling, possibly literally. Not necessarily on account of the Queen, but the realm itself. Being a medieval-ish kingdom, I was sure that there were plenty of improvements that could be wrought here, but progress was ever the enemy of those in power.
Still, I was getting ahead of myself. I would need to understand the situation in Cintra significantly better before I could start poking things on my own, but I could bring some key matters to the Queen's attention before that.
"But first things first," I muttered, going back to the top floor. Sitting at my new desk, I took out a piece of paper and began writing.
More paper, cages, a few reagents and a silver dagger to start with. After some more thought, I added a silver-coated doorknob to the list as well. A primitive precaution, but anything that'd make life more difficult for any hostile monsters was worth it.
I tsked, realising that I'd have to ward the tower as well. Vet the guards too, or even better, find some of my own.
A golem wouldn't go amiss either. I wasn't an expert in the art, but the basic spell was not overly difficult, even if demanding. I couldn't say I was particularly skilled with sculpting or metalworking, but magic made the moulding of materials quite convenient and the end result didn't need to be pretty, just functional. The hard part of golem-making was creating a sufficient power source, as powering it yourself made the entire point of building a golem moot.
However, a golem's heart, as the nomenclature went, was beyond my abilities. But keying it to a power-gathering ward linked to the tower? I could manage that. The intersection the castle stood on would provide enough power. The golem wouldn't be able to leave, but well, I mostly wanted it to protect me while I slept.
Yes, another worthy project.
Satisfied, I handed the list to one of the guards who had materialised in front of the tower while I was preparing the communication spell, and then I started working on warding my new abode.
That occupied me for most of the day, the rest I spent on researching Nilfgaard. I had brought some general books with me and the castle had an extensive library I could make use of.