Chapter 47: A fair elf

The residents of Kaer Morhen were now gathering around an operating table, Uma was laying on it, on the dirty cage-like steel table, looking around as if he didn't know what's going on. He keeps mummering something, mummering his name, 'Uma…', 'Umama…' again and again like he used to do.

Mikael however, was sitting on the dining table as he drank many cups of water, trying to cure his hangover using that way. He saw the others talking at the operating table in the middle of the keep, he also saw Geralt still sleeping at the corner of the room on a makeshift bed, well, more like beside it, as he had fallen to the cold floor.

Mikael stood up, and walked up to Geralt. He kicked him at the back, jolting him awake.

"Huh, what–" Geralt instinctively grabbed his non-existent sword from his back, and stood up.

"Wake up." grumbled Mikael.

Geralt looked at Mikael, and relaxed his muscles as he sat on the bed. "So it's not a dream?"

"What?"

"Me… wearing Yen's pants…"

"Oh, that's not a dream…" said Mikael calmly. "Probably, you kicked me out by the time you went to play with the megascope."

Geralt groaned as he massaged his forehead, still hungover. He looked around, and saw the people talking. "It's starting?"

"Not yet." shrugged Mikael. "Waiting for you."

"Wait…" Geralt narrowed his cat-like eyes at the table. "Is that… Shani?"

"Yeah…" Mikael sighed tiredly.

"Why's she here?"

"Apparently Ban Glean's been conquered." said Mikael. "The Nilfgaardians bribed the mercenaries inside."

"Ah… heard about that plan during my emperor's meeting." stated Geralt as he stood up, looking for his shirt. "But why come here?"

"A blockade near the Kestrel mountains." stated Mikael once again. "That's her excuse at least, don't know if it's true or not. I mean, she could just travel by boat to Novigrad using the Pontar."

"Probably wants to see you," Geralt said as he wore his shirt.

"Flattering." Mikael shrugged. "But idiotic."

The two then approached the table, greeting the rest.

"I see everyone's up and about." said Geralt casually.

"Ugh… you reek of booze," said Vesemir in disappointment. "I left the keep for one night…"

"Hey, we're not children, old man." Lambert snorted.

"Might as well be one." scoffed Vesemir. "I'm guessing you didn't replace the beams?"

"You can give the boys a rap on the knuckles later. Let's get to work." interrupted Yennefer.

Geralt hummed. "I'm guessing your method didn't work, Vesemir?"

"No, but I learned something," said Vesemir. "I noticed that Uma, at moment's of… hmm… how do I say it… relaxed consciousness, he behaves differently."

"Different how?" questioned Eskel.

"While falling asleep, he'd pause awake for an instant. Something different about his movements, his gaze, then. But only for a moment."

"Personality disorder?" suddenly questioned Shani.

"That's what I was thinking." nodded Vesemir. "I hypnotized him essentially. Nothing at first, but, as he dropped into a deep sleep, I heard something… a sigh, or a moan… and it wasn't Uma's voice."

"So something's definitely inside Uma." hummed Geralt.

"Thank you Vesemir, for the information… and… I apologize… for what I did this past week. Have the boys told you what we plan to do?" said Yennefer.

"Yes." nodded Vesemir grimly. "Don't like it one bit. But I suppose I have to trust you."

"What now?" questioned Geralt.

"Well, I've just brewed the potions." said Shani, dragging a set of potions that are hanging at a feeder stand. "I've also disinfected the tools. I just need to insert the needle now."

"You brewed the potions?" questioned Mikael, frowning. "You an alchemist now?"

"It's not much different from a normal medicine, Mikael." Shani rolled her eyes as she put an incision on Uma's right hand, inserting the tubes to his veins. "Done this hundreds of times, I'm a medic, I tend to know what I'm doing."

"Thank you… Shani…" Yennefer said, a bit awkwardly.

"Right. Done." she said calmly.

"Vesemir?" Yennefer said.

Vesemir put something into Uma's mouth. "Hookweed extract to deaden the pain. I know, I've done this before."

"Then Shani, you could open the valves. It doesn't matter in which order."

All the Witchers frowned as they heard that. Lambert shook his head in disapproval as Shani was about to open the valves. She then opened the biggest one, and the liquid slowly entered Uma's body.

As soon as the potion entered the body, Uma's body was shaking violently, and he screamed at the top of his small lungs.

"Yyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!"

Uma continued to shake, struggling to break free, but he had been strapped to the table, unable to move. His mouth started gurgling, bubbles came out of his mouth.

"Aaaa…. Aaaa….. Ummmmmmmmmaaaaaamamaaaaaaaaama…."

"Ugh… Vesemir… did the hookweed work?" questioned Shani, her face a bit pale.

"If it hadn't, young lady… he would've died out of shock."

"Wow…" gulped Shani. "I heard about it being violent… but still… to be able to watch it up close…"

"Open the next valve Shani."

"This is a bad idea…" Lambert stated his dissaproval.

Shani then continued to open the next valve. And Uma once again screamed.

"Aaaa…. Aaaach! AAAAAAACHH! UMMMMAAAAMAAA! UUUUU…. UMAMAAA!"

Vesemir sighed deeply as he heard the screams. "I had hoped… I'd hoped I would never have to watch this again…"

"Why'd you keep the table then?!" Lambert protested. He then walked away from the table, upset.

"Shani, next potion please." ordered Yennefer.

Shani nodded grimly, and opened the last valve.

"Ummmamaama… AAaaaaa… AAAAACCHH!!!"

Yennefer then pushed Shani gently toward the side, and stood beside Uma. she raised her hand, magic started to gather around her hand, and she spoke an incantation.

"Oesi, caefyn!" her voice echoed.

Magic then started to enveloped Uma, flashing every so often.

"What now?" questioned Shani, curious.

"We wait for the potions to do their work." explained Vesemir. "Might take a day, might take more."

"True, but I must maintain the stabilizing spell." stated Yennefer. "Unlike witcher-candidates, Uma isn't trained to take the trial. Without it–"

Uma then suddenly threw up to Yennefer, dirtying her hair, her clothing, and the floor.

Yennefer cringes in disgust. "Shani, I'm sorry, would you mind?"

"Right, I'll get some rags…"

—

A couple of hours have passed, the vomit has been cleaned by Shani, along with Yennefer's clothes, and now, Shani is sitting on the table, writing in her journal.

"What are you writing?" questioned Mikael suddenly, sitting besides her.

Shani turned and smiled softly at him. "Writing an entry about the trial." she said. "It's not everyday that a scholar was able to witness the legendary witcher trial."

Mikael hummed. "You okay then?" questioned Mikael. "Even I was a bit disturbed by the screams…"

"Honestly, I never get used to it." said Shani as she continued to write in her journal. "The screams… the wails… sometimes I just want to stop, forget it all. But I'm a medic, it's what I do."

Mikael hummed as he patted Shani's shoulder. "I know, remember about the time that I told you I was a soldier?"

Shani just hummed and looked at him.

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"Endless wars." sighed Mikael. "I saw families torn apart, children killed in front of their parents and vice versa, I saw fellow soldiers r*ped their own comrades, a city vanished in an instant, giving the people of the city a state that is worse than death…"

Shani held his hand. "Must be hard."

"Not really." said Mikael softly. "When you live in that kind of world, you're used to it. But… it's getting tiring…"

Shani just sat closer to him, and kissed his cheek. "You're fine now."

Mikael hummed. "Which is why you shouldn't be here Shani. It's dangerous."

Shani sighed. "I know… I'm sorry, don't be mad at me…"

"I'm not. Just, why?"

"I just wanted to see you." she said. "Look, I'll go home after this, portal me anywhere you like, just, let me stay with you for a bit…"

Mikael sighed. "Fine… after today, you will go home, understand?"

"Yes…"

"Where's Cildal by the way?"

"Sleeping," said Shani. "He worked hard. The battle was really chaotic. The mercenaries slaughtered almost everyone in the fortress."

"Damn, I need to give him a raise…"

—

More hours have passed, Mikael and Shani were sleeping on the floor, leaning against a wall as Shani slept on Mikael's shoulder. Mikael however, kept watching Yennefer talk to Geralt, watching Uma carefully.

Geralt was telling a story to Yennefer, but then, she interrupted him.

"He's awake. It's time." said Yennefer. "Prepare the phylactery."

Mikael shook Shani awake, and stood up.

"Shani, it's time," he whispered.

Shani woke up slowly, and Mikael helped her stand up.

As Mikael and Shani walked closer, Yennefer already spoke the incantation. Uma once again screamed at the top of his lung, trying to break free of the chains.

"Nevid, cyvir!" Yennefer's voice echoed as she made a pulling gesture to Uma's body. Black smoke starts to come out of the skin, seeping through like a disease. "Caniatad… Nevid… Cyvir…"

The smoke is starting to pile up on Uma's body. Yennefer kept pulling, speaking an incantation.

"Coalle… Ariva… Aendir…"

But then, the spell broke. Uma layed motionlessly on the table, while Yennefer had a trace of panic in her eyes.

"No… no. I won't let you!" shouted Yennefer desperately. She punched Uma's chest, trying to make him breathe again.

"Let me try!" Shani quickly rushed to the body. She pushed Uma's chest back and forth, stimulating breathing.

"Geralt! Yellow flashk! In my satchel!" Yennefer said, panicking.

Vesemir then interrupted, pushing Shani and Yennefer away. "Quiet. Listen."

The old man heard a faint heartbeat from the creature. Then, Uma twitched, and a voice came from his mouth, not his.

"Coalle… Coalle… Caniatad…" it whispered.

Yennefer quickly focused herself, and she pushed everyone from the table once more. She raised her hands, and spoke the incantation.

"Nevid, cyvir! Coalle, coalle caniatad!" her voice echoed. Black smoke started to come out once again, at an alarming rate this time.

"Nevid! Ariva! Aendir!" her hands started to shake from the pressure of the curse. "Geralt, the phylactery! Open it!"

Geralt then clumsily opened the Phylactery.

Yennefer then slammed the black smoke towards the phylactery. "Caniatad! Taron Anede! Dis!"

Geralt then quickly closed the phylactery, finally lifting the curse.

Uma then slowly changed. Into that of an elf. His body has many tattoos, his skin pale as snow, and his hair gray.

"An elf?" questioned Shani.

"Avallac'h." frowned Geralt.

"You know him?" questioned Vesemir.

"A sage." said Mikael, making the others turn to him. "Aen Elle."

The others frowned as they heard the words 'Aen Elle'. Yennefer then looked at his eyes closely. "Where is Ciri?"

"Hidden…" he whispered. "Isle of mists… but… it's not… safe… the hunt…"

"Where is it?" Geralt questioned impatiently.

"Everywhere… and nowhere…"

"Just give him the damn guide!" Mikael shouted.

The elf groaned. "Praevein, arwein, cyrraen…"

A yellow light suddenly appeared from his hand, floating towards Geralt.

"I-In Skellige… follow it… into the mists… hurry… hurry!"

Geralt then caught the light, trapping it between his hands.

"I tried to protect her… but the curse… find the isle… 'Tis a matter of time… but if she leaves… they will detect her… at once…"

"I- I think he should rest first," said Shani. "He's exhausted. His nerves have been overloaded."

"Shani's right." nodded Yennefer. "I must tend to him if he wants to survive."

"I'm going to get Ciri then." nodded Geralt.

"Hold up." said Eskel. "Don't you want to explain who he is?"

"Got no time. Yen will explain it to you. Just keep an eye for you, he's not a friend."

"Perhaps not, but Ciri apparently trusted him. We should at least take his words seriously."

Mikael chuckled at Vesemir's words, making the others turn to him. "Trust me, you don't want to trust all of his words."

"But he's right." said Geralt. "Once Ciri's found, the hunt will be able to track her."

"What then?"

"What's your suggestion?"

"I'd say, fight." said Mikael, making the others turn to him once again, and making Shani frown. "You've got me now."

Vesemir crossed his arms and nodded. "Time we the hunted became the hunters. The hunt will follow Ciri here. They'll expect to catch us by surprise, and they'll be sorely disappointed."

"Fight them?" questioned Yennefer. "In a crumbling castle?"

"Do we have a choice? Besides delaying the inevitable?" questioned Vesemir back.

"Don't worry about that." said Mikael. "Geralt could bring more people. Or not, his choice."

Geralt hummed. "Fine, I'll get Ciri, and recruit some allies. Bring everyone here. Got a few favors I can call in."

"I can hire mercenaries if you want," said Mikael.

Yennefer shook her head. "No time, can't trust them anyway." she said.

"True…" said Mikael. "Then maybe I'll bloom once again…"

"Bloom?"

"You'll see," said Mikael. "Vesemir, you don't mind if woods nearby got destroyed, are you?"

Vesemir sighed. "What are you gonna do?"

"I mean, just making sure…"

"For Ciri? fine."

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