The Witcher: Elder Blood

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***

The Rector's office hadn't changed at all in my absence. The appearance of the office probably hadn't changed in a dozen years.

- Greetings, Eren, have a seat,' Hela Gedimdeit was sitting at his desk when I entered the office. He offered me a seat in the chair opposite. - What is the purpose of your visit?

- I think it's time for me to get into artefacting. It would be dangerous to go to other worlds without the same protection you have.

A week had passed since I'd talked to Jennyfer and Galanthea about my secret, and having finally had enough free time - I'd reduced my morning sword training and helped Jennyfer spend the reagents we had on potions - I'd gone to Ban Ard Academy, having literally appeared on the doorstep ten minutes ago via teleport. I only had time to notify the deputy of my intention to meet with the rector, and get permission.

- So,' he nodded in satisfaction and asked rhetorically, 'Have you had time to see the world and settle in?

- Yes, I've settled in enough. Now I live with a wizard named Jennyfer in Wengerberg,' I had told him earlier about wanting to see how the world was, and to get a better feel for the wizarding life before moving on to explore new worlds.

- Yennifer...' the Rector repeated the name thoughtfully. - 'I've heard it somewhere.

- She was a personal student of Tissai de Vries, graduated at the same time as me.

- I'd heard her speak of a gifted sorceress at one of the meetings of the Chapter of Sorcerers. Is she that talented?

- It's hard for me to judge, except to compare her to the other students at the academy with me, but there weren't that many of them, and myself,' I gave in to brief memories of lessons with students at the academy, including Detmold and his brother. - She's far more capable than they are, and I only manage to stay ahead of the enchantress because of the gene.

The rector was surprised at my words, apparently Tissaya had not told him much about her former student, or, quite likely, he had let it pass without giving it much interest. Hela Gedimdeit is a passionate person, and in my world he could have been a famous scientist who discovered one of the many theories and other things that most people only learn about from educational videos, like I did.

- You're undervaluing yourself, Eren. The Elder Blood is certainly helping you, but don't forget that the help goes only towards working with space. The first bearer of the gene also activated it, and as I know she was able to use magic, but she was not your equal, as evidenced by her poor condition before she went missing, - I have never thought about how another carrier of the Elder Blood would have learnt magic. - Of course, your affiliation with the Origins affects your achievements in the sorcerous arts, but then again, you were surprisingly quick to master the control of your own energy.

- So it wasn't so much the gene that contributed to my achievement, but my own energy source, awakened by the gene?

- Yes and no. It is easier to manage your own energy when you manage to control it, I have already told you about it, but did the gene simplify this control, or is it only your merit? I don't know the answer to that question. No one, not even the elves themselves have all the knowledge of the Elder Blood, not even me.

I will be honest, I never had any problems with self-esteem, but from the moment I decided to study magic, and the subsequent discovery of the Elder Blood, I started to attribute all my merits in magic to the gene. And that's why it felt so good in those moments when the quality of my swordsmanship grew, albeit slowly, but the difference became more noticeable without the use of foresight. The rector's words made me reconsider my earlier attitude.

- But you probably didn't come to me for clarification, right? You were talking about artefacting,' he decided to let me get to the main topic.

- Right, I think it's time to learn protective artefacts to start searching for other worlds.

- Hmm, it wouldn't be hard for me to give you the right artefacts, we only took three that time, and they were enough along with a couple of protection charms, but your caution is understandable, and I support it. The possibility to create a new artefact in case of destruction of the past, as well as to learn a new branch of wizarding arts is useful, - the rector got up from his chair and went to one of the bookshelves and took a thin book from it. - It contains all the basics of artefacting, everything a trained wizard will need to create his first creations,' he then opened one of the small chests on the long table on the other side of the room. Inside were items of various shapes and appearances, ranging from some rustic amulets to a necklace with a star carved in silver. - My old crafts, completely useless at the moment, most of them need to be re-filled with energy, but they'll do as an example,' a few of the items were on the table in front of me. - What do you know about artefacts? - The rector finally sat back in his chair, looking at me questioningly.

- You can make an artefact out of almost anything, but some materials are better at keeping Chaos inside, some are better at releasing it outside, some combine both pluses, and others. They can be filled with energy with the help of Places of Power or other storages, but they are difficult to create. Also, as I remember from your words, the Origins are able to fill artefacts with their energy.

I only know about artefacts from rare mentions during my studies at the academy, as well as Jennyfer's brief explanation about the pendant that was given to the girl from her mentor. The entire function of the pendant is to hold energy from the surrounding area at all times, while creating spells Yennifer is able to draw this energy. Not to say that the artefact was anything incredibly cool, but the usefulness of such a pendant could not be underestimated. Unlike me, she doesn't have a personal supply of Chaos energy, and being able to quickly transfer energy from the pendant into a costly spell can be a big help when you're in a hurry and don't have seconds to gather energy from the environment.

- Right... in general terms. Read the book, study my old work and try to recreate it. Unfortunately, running the academy and being a member of the Brotherhood of Wizards takes up a significant chunk of my time. I can meet with you in my office on Fridays, preferably closer to evening. During the meetings I can tutor you in artefacting, explain things you don't understand, and give you more complicated artefacts.

- Good, then I'll be back in Vengerberg,' I put the items in my belt pouch and take the book in my hand. - Goodbye.

- See you next week, Eren.

***

Standing in front of the two-storey building - not counting the attic and basement - was a beautiful (let's be honest, most wizards are) wizard with red dyed hair, a mole above her lip and on the lower part of her left cheek, a slightly long nose and predatory eyes, bright lipstick to complete the look. She wore a light dress of red and dark colours with a neckline and streaks of lace stripes, fitted at the waist and passing into a knee-length skirt. The girl wore a seemingly expensive necklace around her neck and had a confident look.

'Quite-quite, looks good, Yennifer wasn't lying,' Sabrina pondered as she walked closer and closer to the main entrance.

Above the entrance hung a large rectangular sign, a metre by two metre by two metre sign with the words 'Alchemy Shop: Pestle and Stamen' in two rows. On the door in the closed opening was a sign that read 'Open'.

'So this is the entrance to their shop on the ground floor? They probably take the sign down after hours,' Sabrina stepped inside, smelling the mingled scent of many herbs, pleasant rather than repulsive, and one that one could quickly get used to. Something similar she had smelled in her alchemy classes in Arethusa. - 'A blonde girl with a wreath-like braid and light freckles. The same Galanthea? Hehehe, little Ian downplayed the bard's looks, she's actually such a cutie. Should we invite her to Mother's birthday party in a month? They wouldn't call an inept bard straight to the palace festivities.'

Galanthea heard a faint knock on the door, put aside the book that had been occupying her mind for the past half hour, and turned her gaze to the woman, 'Hello, how can I help you?

- Oh, I've come to visit my friend,' Sabrina smiled as she came closer. - Sabrina Glevissig, Jennyfer's classmate. And you must be Galanthea, the bard with the alias Snowdrop?

- Yes, did Jennifer tell you about me?

- Not only that, rumours have a way of accumulating, your lute playing and songs have become famous in Ard Carraig just as much,' her noble parents had instilled in her from an early age, flattery was especially easy to flatter in front of people of interest to the enchantress herself.

- I'm glad to hear it, I do my best,' Galanthea said, pleased at the praise. - Come on, I'll walk you to her room, - she led the enchantress up the stairs to the first floor, then along the corridor to the bedroom, at the door of which she knocked: - Ian, your friend is here.

Ten seconds later the bedroom door opened, revealing a second sorceress in a house dressing gown.

- Who are you talking about... Sabrina...

At the annoyed look on the face of her main 'rival' and friend in the same person, the enchantress couldn't help but smile as hard as she could. 'Mm,' she looked critically at Yennifer's appearance. No make-up, hair tied back in a ponytail, and a simple, albeit good quality dressing gown. - Am I too early? The evening starts in a couple of hours, it's strange to see you like this. Wait, are you sick? An incurable disease? Is your man going to leave you now?

- Keep your stench out of your mouth,' Yennifer nodded to the bard before she walked off in the direction of the ground floor. - I've just finished working and washing up,' she let her friend inside and sat down in one of the chairs in the room, Sabrina sat in the same one across from her. - So, what the hell are you doing here.

- But how about that, your words hurt my heart. You bragged so much about the wizard who chose to live with you out of pity, and your new home. How could I not visit and see how you live after a long time? So, am I going to have to look at your sullen face or are you going to spice up your best... and only mate with wine?

- You're not my only friend,' Yennifer grumbled, but got up from her chair to go to the basement for a cold bottle. - I'll be right there, I have to go downstairs. I hope you have enough patience to keep your arse in place and not touch anything?

- Don't be ridiculous Ian, who else has the patience for you? - Sabrina let the question pass her ears, watching the departing enchantress.

- 'Galantea is my friend,' she said one last time.

'Will she get really pissed if I start joking about the bard's hidden affair with this Eren? We'll have to check it out,' Sabrina Glevissig made herself comfortable in her chair with an anticipatory smile.

Her index finger began to twirl a red curl in anticipation. Glancing at her hair in the mirror, she snorted, tucking the curl behind her ear and crossing her arms she began to look towards the door. One of the reasons for dyeing her hair had just left the room: Sabrina had always compared her looks to a warlock, and if she couldn't make her dark eyes as beautiful as Yennifer's, she had found a solution with her hair by simply recolouring it, and thus drawing more attention to herself.

The two sorceresses have a complicated relationship, on the one hand each envying the other in some way, on the other hand they have a similar personality and way of talking, which made them rarely spoken to by other sorceresses in Arethusa - which had a great impact on their bonding.

Both of them are bossy, behaving at times unceremoniously, often making judgements based on hasty conclusions, sharp of tongue. The daughter of Kmet and a noblewoman of the Glevissig family. Different at the same time, yet similar. Each of their conversations turned into a verbal duel, at least until they started discussing someone else, in those cases the dialogue was like a purposeful twisting of all known information in order to find faults. Perhaps their youth played into it. Or perhaps their insufferable personalities somehow enter into symbiosis and double in size once they're near each other.