Extraction In The Witcher

Abel stared at the feather in front of him. It was huge, as long as his forearm. A faint smell of blood drifted into his nostrils. The feather was incredibly durable, the dull hatchet he usually used to chop wood was unable to damage it even when he swung with all his strength. 

He was just a humble woodcutter, he had never come in contact with something so magical. 

"Just when I started to like this simple life." Abel sighed. 

His hazel eyes showed an internal struggle and his lips pursed. Abel had spent the last 18 years of his second life keeping his head down and doing exactly what he was supposed to. He woke early, he chopped wood and he avoided anything that could bring trouble. 

After learning to read and write as a child, Abel had been horrified to recognize several characters in his new life from a series of incredibly well written books he'd read in his previous life. The Butcher of Blavekin, the mighty enchantress Yennefer of Vengerberg. He had spent the next week constantly looking over his shoulder for fear that a monster might charge out of the undergrowth and tear him in two. 

Abel eventually came to accept that there was nothing he could do about the perilous nature of his new world. Millions of ordinary people got on with their lives despite the threats hanging over their heads and he was perfectly capable of doing the same thing. All he wanted to do was live his life far far away from danger. 

"I was satisfied with sunsets and sunrises, this world free from pollution is so beautiful...but..."Abel said through gritted teeth. 

He stared at the huge white feather with an even more intense gaze. 

A string of golden words floated above the feather. 

[ Feather from a Male Adult Griffin. ] 

Beneath this string of words, a singular white word hung in the air. 

[ Extract? ] 

Abel had the distinct feeling that if he agreed to the unknown white word, his life would never be the same again. Up until the present moment he had dedicated all his being to staying far away from the brutal power struggles of the Witcher world. Now he was presented with the opportunity to perhaps gain some ability to protect himself. 

"Screw it!" Abel growled. 

The white word glowed a blinding white. Like a supernova it grew brighter and brighter, turning everything in Abel's vision into blinding white. 

A burning pain erupted between Abel's shoulder blades. He dropped to his knees and his face contorted in agony. He scratched madly at his back, his eyes red like those of a beast. Demonic strength coursed through Abel's limbs and his nails dug into the muscles on his back, tearing off his skin and gouging out his flesh. 

The last shreds of his sanity urged Abel to keep his mouth shut. If he screamed he would inevitably attract attention. He had absolutely no doubt that the other woodcutters would scream and flee if they saw him. It would only be a matter of time until they returned wielding their axes. 

Shockwaves of pain continued to assault Abel's mind. His body seized and shook uncontrollably, forcing him to the ground where he writhed in agony. 

[ Extraction complete. ] 

Finally the pain ended and Abel was left panting on the blood-covered ground. With a trembling hand he reached towards his back. His eyes widened with shock and a gasp escaped his lips. 

"Wings." Abel said breathlessly. 

Strength gradually returned to his limbs and after a few minutes he was able to use the chair to pull himself to his feet. He stood with trembling legs, a heavy weight pulled on his shoulders and it took his full concentration to not fall backwards. 

"I can't stay here." Abel whispered to himself. 

He cast a glance out the crack in the window not covered by the curtain. It was fortunate that the woodcutters were allowed to build their own dwellings with the sub-standard lumber not able to be sold. As a foreigner from another world Abel struggled to make friends, he was a well-known loner amongst the woodcutters and lived in a secluded valley a few minutes walk from the processing site. 

The night was beginning to fall. Escaping under the cover of darkness was his only hope. He couldn't allow anyone to discover the incredible mutation that had taken place in his body. 

Abel stumbled to the corner of the room and grabbed his axe. The axe shaft was made from a strong oak, instead of chopping wood it now became a crutch to help him walk. 

The cold air of the forest greeted Abel as he opened the door. He looked into the night with a somber expression. With gritted teeth he took a step forwards, knowing that he might never return to his previous ordinary life. 

Abel walked silently through the trees, heading east away from the lumber camp. He knew that for nearly a hundred miles in that direction there was only unexplored forest. 

'Is this my fate, to live amongst the birds and trees?' Abel thought to himself. 

He walked on, gradually learning how to shift his body weight further forwards so that his wings would not pull so heavily on his shoulders. Nonetheless he fell several times, his face crashing into the damp earth. Each time he picked himself up without saying a word and continued to walk. 

Without any way to measure time Abel didn't know how long he had been walking for. He estimated that it had been nearly an hour but it could've just as easily been 10 minutes. His mind was too tense to think clearly. 

"Food!" Abel cursed suddenly, his head whipped around and looked in the direction he had came. In his haste he'd forgotten to bring anything from his cabin. All he had was his axe. 

'I can't go back.' He thought grimly. 

If he was unable to find food or water in the forest then Abel would risk exposing himself and return to the lumber camp, but that would be his last resort. Abel knew all to well the prejudices held by the people of this world. Men would spit and curse upon the mere mention of an elven name. 

'If only I could find somewhere to shelter.' 

Abel wasn't familiar with the topography of the eastern region he was currently walking through. He knew that he was headed east, but other than that he was essentially walking blindly. Since losing sight of his cabin he had essentially been lost. 

Abel paused abruptly. He couldn't help but laugh at his own stupidity. 

"You've got wings you blithering fool!" He said, cursing his muddle-headedness. 

Abel had only seen the edges of his wings. In his panic he hadn't thought to actually look at them, let alone try to use them. Their presence was a heavy weight on his shoulders. 

Hesitantly he tried to imagine his left wing extending outwards. 

A powerful force burst forth immediately, sending Abel stumbling into the trunk of a tall oak. The impact knocked the wind out of him and left him doubled-over fighting for breaths. 

Once he caught his breath Abel was astonished to see a huge white wing stretching out for more than two meters. He noticed that for the first time his shoulders no longer felt burdened by the weight. 

A mysterious confidence swelled in Abel's heart. With a smile his right wing slapped through the air and extended to its full length. Abel tilted his head to the sky. Thousands of stars twinkled above. 

Abel took a deep breath and gathered his courage. Then with a mighty flap of his wings his feet shot up from the ground. Adrenaline coursed through his veins and excitement overcame his nervousness. Grinning madly he flapped harder, soaring higher into the air. With every beat of his wings he drew closer and closer to the canopy above. 

"Hahaha!" Abel couldn't help but laugh aloud, a sense of expansive freedom washed away the fear from his heart. 

Bursting through the canopy into the open air Abel felt the moonlight bathe his skin. He pirouetted and danced through the sky, laughing wildly. For hours he shuttled through the skies, running his hands through the clouds and startling the occasional bird. 

From above Abel easily identified numerous water sources and abundant fruit bearing bushes. With his speed it was no problem to hunt and kill some smaller mammals. 

Abel noted happily that his vision had been significantly enhanced, mirroring the incredible eyesight possessed by birds of prey. He could examine the veins in a leaf from a dozen meters away.. His eyelids had also changed significantly and now worked side to side, clearing any small pieces of detritus from his eyes. 

"Perhaps this won't be so bad after all." Abel said, looking out onto the vast sea of treetops. His wings were folded behind his back and he rested in the crown of an ancient oak. Soon he drifted off to sleep to the sound of the breeze.