The Witcher: Elder Blood

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***

Yennifer twirled around the mirror in a long black silk dress. Meanwhile, I was getting dressed for the walk to the atelier where my own suit was waiting for me. I didn't like the local men's clothing for the most part, so insisted as best I could on simplifying my own suit. The screaming embroidery on the original version put me off.

- You could have picked it up two days ago,' the sorceress grumbled as she continued to check her own dress.

- I've been busy,' I tightened my belt, so I could put on my boots and get out.

- I've been preparing to jump into the very world I came back from,' she said, stepping closer to me. - Would you stop taking risks like that? Vampire, Eren, you were attacked by a vampire. What happens next?

I decided not to say anything about the vampire's brief assault on my mind, or Yennifer might worry even more, so I only told her about the vampire's attack after the Ghouls and how I'd escaped. Even so, the sorceress had insisted yesterday that I stop jumping into the other world until I could at least take an experienced witch with me as help, or the rector himself.

Sometimes you have to go to a meeting, so I generally agreed. In any case, a new world with vampires would definitely decide to visit Gedymdate, and it would be safer with him. We'll have to be careful, vampires aren't one of those monsters that you can't prepare in advance for a possible confrontation with.

- We had our talk last night, so let's not repeat it. Tomorrow night we'll visit Arethusa. Think about the warlocks' meeting.

- Think about Arethusa? How can you think about it when you almost get killed in the middle of nowhere?

- Ian, I'm hugging her. - I'll try to be careful. I was confused by the vampire's talk that time, I didn't expect her to want to talk.

'Or maybe she didn't intend to attack at all, and I provoked her with my actions,' I added to myself.

I didn't lie to Yennifer, the vampiress' monologue really confused me, especially the inability to understand its meaning. I'd seen sketches of vampire transformations in Gedymdeita's library, and the more they transformed, the less human they looked. Still, I can't believe that the vampire just wanted to talk and then leave.

- I hope so, and now let me go, you'll wrinkle my dress,' I was tapped lightly on the shoulder.

Leaving the girl alone in the bedroom, I went to get my costume alone. It's not a long walk, the city isn't that big in width. Just need to get to the artisan quarter.

Also, it was necessary to prepare mentally for a whole evening among wizards and monarchs - the latter would be within the walls of the academy in case they needed to get a new court wizard, or wished to visit the academy at will.

'At least I won't have to dance. I'll hold out for the evening, talk to someone there, and at the same time I'll meet Litta and talk about working at the shop,' he thought to himself before leaving the house.

In addition to talking to a possible future assistant for Jennyfer at the shop so that I don't need to help her myself, I also need to meet with Hen Gedimdeit after the event in Arethusa. I need to talk about the last of the found worlds, the people who live there, and the vampires. He'll probably visit Arethusa, but we won't talk about such an important matter among the other warlocks.

***

Galanthea sat alone in Eren and Yennifer's bedroom, sitting on one of the armchairs. The two warlocks had left the house just half an hour ago to visit Arethusa, there was no one else left at home.

In her hands the girl held Eren's diary, on the pages of which were written his notes on the worlds he had encountered. The more interesting the world, the more time he spent describing it. At least that was the intention, but there were no such worlds to be encountered at the moment, except for the prehistoric one and the one he had visited a couple of days ago.

The diary was mostly filled out so that he could relay important information to the rector without lengthy conversations.

'Less than a page written, not thick,' Galantea read the last of the notes, the rest she had managed to familiarise herself with earlier.

She could only see one village, the houses were similar to those on the Continent - perhaps the same level of development. I could say for sure that there were humans and vampires living in the world, and Ghouls, the name of the monsters I had killed in the village.

- A human-populated world... - sighed the girl. - ...and vampires, bad choice.

She was interested in worlds with certain criteria. And the most important criterion was the possibility of life for the elven race without aggression from others, or the possibility of development away from them.

For many years Dana Meabdh searched for the possibility of a quiet life for the elven race, among which she came to the Continent. She had come with the elves long ago, from one of the worlds they had found in times long ago, before the Conjunction of the Spheres had occurred.

Immortal life and being in the different bodies of every known intelligent race, allowed her to deny favouritism to one of them. But her affection for the elves remained, and it was not for nothing that Dana had lived among them many times longer than she had with the others: humans, dwarves, redhumans or lowlanders, as well as nymphs and dryads. Though the nymphs and dryads were closer to nature than the others, and Dana had always had a warm regard for those two races, it was the elves who had a stronger influence in shaping the creature from an immortal spirit that patronised nature into a full-fledged deity, though one who was not fully that.

'Eren was lucky, perhaps vampires are different in that world, but should he meet a supreme vampire.... trouble would befall him. Blink was very helpful in getting away from that kind of trouble,' the world with humans and vampires began to faintly interest her, but boredom took its toll and Zhivia continued reading.

The higher vampires on the Continent are dangerous in that they can take the form of a nebula, a form considered the manifestation of a true vampire. A creature that flies faster than the wind, whose exorbitant strength can pierce armour, and whose quick regeneration and stealth will prevent such a monster from being at a disadvantage during battle. Dana could only be glad that the warlock hadn't encountered such a creature in that village, or the vampire simply hadn't intended to kill it originally, and so hadn't used all of its capabilities.

Ghouls/gypsies/lower vampires - I didn't choose the right definition - look like morbid humans: white skin, skinny (possibly a sign of malnutrition, not a consequence of treatment). When encountering them, I didn't notice them feeding on blood, mostly just killing the inhabitants.

In my opinion, the Ghouls appeared to be controlled by a slain vampire whose head was brought back by a second vampiress.

The vampiress looked like a human, except for the glowing eyes and a slight pallor (not as pronounced as the Ghouls'). She showed no signs of transformation. Moved quickly in human form. I noticed a dark haze around her as she tried to catch up with me.

Didn't have time to check the effects of the sun on their bodies.

'Doesn't sound like a native to me. Definitely not bruxa, those change immediately,' Galantea thought for a moment. - 'The Highs are capable of moving quickly without a full transformation, but Eren mentioned the haze, so also said the vampiress jumped up on the house and pushed off too quickly. In cases like that, the Highs have to undergo a primary transformation. Most likely a new species.'

Finished reading, she put the journal back in its place in the bottom locker by the bed. The worlds she'd found didn't interest her.

***

The sound of the sea came to my ears, the waves crashing against the rocks below us as Jennyfer and I walked along the stone bridge that connected us to Thanedd Island.

Earlier we had passed the tall magical tower of Tor Lara standing alone in front of the bridge. The crenellated tower is larger than the other buildings on the island, and even the stone spire on the other side of the island, whose height exceeds Arethusa, loses to Tor Lara.

The academy building is not the only one on the island. A palace by the name of Garstang also adorns the rocky area in the middle of the water. Garstang hosts a large OWLs Gathering and is home to the Council and Chapter of Warlocks. The palace is protected by a powerful anti-magic defence erected by one of the Continent's greatest spellcasters, Nina Fioravati.

The last building, apart from the academy itself, is the Loxia Palace, the only place on the island accessible to outsiders. It is to this palace that the bridge leads, which we were now walking along with other mages arriving through the portals next to the bridge.

The planned event will take place in the palace of Loxia, there should be a spacious hall for the feast and ball.

- Will you give me a tour? - Yennifer walked beside me, holding my left hand. - Or shall we go straight to the venue?

- Tissaya doesn't allow you to walk around Arethusa without her permission, and Garstang's not even worth mentioning. Are you that interested in seeing the wizard academy?

- Honestly? Not really, the architecture is similar to the academy in Ban Arda, except the twist of it being located on an island gives it an inimitable ambience. I was hoping to spend most of my time exploring the buildings and the island.

- No, you promised to be there with me,' she squeezed my hand tighter and led me towards the open gates of Loxia.