Diving

Geralt left the blacksmith to it, running down the path where a woman was washing her clothes in a tub, in the centre of the path, it's all they seemed to do all day while mumbling constant complaints. Geralt ignored them and ran on, further away from the striking of metal coming from behind him at the forge. Went straight on ahead and climbed into the horse stood next to the fence, settling himself into the saddle. "That's it, Roach!" Geralt said gently kicking the horses sides. He rode forward onto the path and instantly tugged on the reigns, a peasant walking directly in front of him. "Not so fast, Roach" he said. He continued on after a few seconds, getting a sense of direction, he took the longest path straight ahead of him that took him away from the village riding past a Nilfgaardian soldier on a pale horse and a group of three Nilfgaardian soldiers walking just ahead too, there seemed to be more of them everywhere he looked. He rode across the fields, ignoring the path once he left the village and rode on, getting to the path after a few minutes which led him to a little spit at the edge of a large group of trees that seemed to occupy only a few houses.

Geralt could tell it was an abandoned site, there wasn't a sound beside the deer running around. Scared. He narrowed his eyes, he could hear something up above, but it wasn't people or soldiers. Ghouls. He drew his silver sword out from his back to see the creatures jumping back and forth, lunging one minute and snarling and growling the next, Geralt jumped forward and struck the first in the face. "how you like that silver?" He asked as the monster screeched, in the few seconds he had he cast the protective sign on himself, he didn't want to take any critical hits. Moments passed, a good few minutes until the last one fell dead to the floor. He sheathed the sword on his back letting out a few heavy breaths. The smell was unreal, he looked up hearing the sound of multiple footsteps approaching him, a group of three men returning to the village with a horse, not one of them said a word, but got back to work, the area liberated of the monsters they needn't worry anymore. Honestly. He started going around the ghouls, their dead bodies, collecting what he could from them, ghouls blood if course, monster eye from one of them, venom extract too from two of the dead ghouls.

He stopped briefly as he turned around, one of the men hard at work stopped briefly and looked at him as he walked past. "Ye know, Witcher. Folk can say what they will. Me? I'll never forget what ye did for us!" He said. He heard him, and moved on, not commenting, instead walking along the curved path to see and talk to the merchant. Geralt could always tell who they were, almost at an instant. Most worse bespoke colours or bizarre hats that covered almost the entirety of their head and face or strange glasses perched upon their noses, or had a simple pouch hanging from their neck, most of all, because they just stood there like lost souls without a thing to do but wait for people to need them. "Greetings!" Came the croaky voice of the merchant to Geralt as he stood in front of him, honestly, who thought it was a good idea to blend green and white with red. "Wouldn't mind a look at your stock." Geralt mumbled. He looked at what the merchant had to offer. Optima mater, Alchemy ingredient, a magic item that cost far too much, seemed a bit excessive to spend 120 crowns on one, never mind 600 crowns for 5 when geralt only had 64 crowns on him at the moment, or the Nostrix, mistletoe or the blowball the merchant had on sale, he certainly liked his Alchemy ingredients. But he didn't need to buy, he needed to sell, more specifically his junk. He tossed the merchant the worn leather pelt he had, gaining 2 crown, and the old goat hide he owned, receiving 4 crown from the merchant in return. "farewell" he mumbled, if not for anything he had more crowns than before, and he never knew when he'd be needing to use it, or what for.

The Witcher made his way back to Roach, mounting the steed again that day. He spent minutes following the path, making his way back to White Orchard where he needed to ask the Nilfgaardians about Yennefer. But after minutes of riding and a loud growl to his right and his Witcher senses firing off, he stopped Roach and took himself carefully from the saddle planting both feet on the floor. Making his way closer to the noise.

"Hm. Magic...a place of power" he stepped forward seeing the oddly shaped stone, it wasn't the worst feeling, but he knew something wasn't right, not with Roach neighing wildly behind him. He drew his sword immediately at the presence of a wraith, it hovered, it's ghostly form lit by a green light, carrying a lantern as if to see the path ahead. It vanished in an Instant, appearing quicker behind Geralt in a burst of neon green fire, or smoke. It growled, swinging it's glowing green lantern at Geralt, the Witcher only just turning around, the Witcher planted one foot firmly into the ground and threw up his leg. Trying to kick the wraith in the chest. He wasn't sure if he made contact, but the wraith was fast, violent and angry. In a moment where the arms of the wraith weren't trying to slash him he cast Quen, barely in time to avoid taking any real damage from the wraith as it struck out at him, successfully. "Show me what you got" he challenged, carefully manoeuvring around the wraith.

The wraith made some sort of unnatural noise and groan every time is struck out against Geralt with the sword the wraith now had in its hand. The slashes of his silver sword against it barely seemed to be doing any damage, and without Quen, Geralt wasn't sure how badly he'd be bleeding now as he'd been hit now by the angry wraith more than once. He stepped forward, grunting, swinging his sword, but it his a cloud of green smoke. Striking air and doing no much more damage than hitting the wraith itself. But he had to continue. A second later. The flash of green caught Geralt's eye. Thankfully this time it didn't spawn behind Geralt. But just further ahead, next to a big boulder. At least this way Geralt could keep his eyes on the foul thing. It attacked and Geralt pressed on admit glided forward towards him, he struck. Deflecting the given blows. He swung his blade from left to right. Stepping forward into the swing, more momentum that way. Only problem was the wraith disappeared again, toying with Geralt. The silver blade struck against the boulder, making the metal vibrate. Shaking Geralt's wrists and sending a tingling up his arms. He can't say the sound of silver against stone was an exactly pleasant one either, but there were bigger problems at the moment. He backed up, slowly, thinking the wraith might appear in front of him again. Which it did. Geralt stepping back three paces before it showed up. A quick jump back as he heard the inhuman scream succeeded in avoiding a sudden slash to his torso, or even his neck. The wraith missed. It's head falling down as though it had just stumbled and Geralt took the opportunity to leap into the sir and strike at the wraiths head, it screeched and looked up, Geralt skillfully swinging his blade the other way and sending another strike to the head of the wraith, another few quick slashes as it was dazed and a final heavy strike as it arched backwards in agony sent it exploding in a cloud of green that had Geralt turning his head away slightly.

And. Just with every kill. There was something to be gained. It left behind some trace that the wraith had been there. And Geralt happily took advantage. He looked at the ground and picked up the items. Infused dust, specter dust, wraith mutagen and essence of wraith. He sheathed his sword and went over to the intricately shaped stone with the glowing light in the middle and immediately drew from its source. Gaining more power, kneeling on the floor in front of it. He felt the tingling all through his body and slowly stood back up. His Axii sign intensity had increased and he could feel it, that'd certainly help in the future having to convince people. Or find more arsonists. With that. He made his way back to Roach, mounted and set off galloping back towards the path. He went to the path. Heading over to the small dirt bridge that crossed over the stretch of water and stopped. Jumping off of roach and pulling out his silver sword. A drowner had emerged from the water side, if he was in a hurry, and he was, he wouldn't have bothered unless he needed materials. But he doubted that the idiot Nilfgaardian soldier he'd past seconds ago would know or have the so called skill to even harm the drowner no matter how many push ups they did at their posts.

Geralt quickly cast Quen, he flipped his body over in a spin. His sword drawn, fast on his feet the creature hadn't even noticed him yet. Not until his sword could he heard cutting through the air. It backed off immediately, Roach neighing and going off into a frenzy, he stepped back as he swung at the creature. His sword getting caught in something in the water. He pulled back and then stumbled back briefly at the pressure of being hit in the chest by the drowner. He quickly found his balance on the slope of the hill beneath him. Hoping he'd not walk or hit any of the prominently huge white stones scattered around. Then he'd much less be able to walk to White Orchard never mind ride. Especially if Quen wore off before he'd killed the monster. He struck the edge of the blade against the drowners face as it stood there waiting to attack, not expecting Geralt to do so first. It lurched back in pain. A croaky groan coming from its mouth until Geralt slashed it's throat open, the body of the drowner fell into the water and floated away from Geralt, who had already bent down to pick up the broken monster close on the floor and the Drowner brain, he walked off. Up the rest of the slope until the orange of the sun rays cast a bright light at something that reflected painfully into his eyes, he bent down and picked it up. A key. Silver. An oval shape at the top. A place to turn the key once it found the hole, it was skim with an extended key shake at the end. Thick, it seemed important, but it could have been a key to anything. (Temerian lily key)

Geralt sighed and looked at the water, one Drowner thankfully, and now it was dead. But he was at a bridge and he knew what that meant, he walked to the edge of the slope and sheathed his sword. Seeing something in the water. A block of shape under the small waves and ripples of the stream. He dove in. His armour becoming uncomfortably wet as he then held his breath and pushed his head under the water, he narrowed his eyes and swan to the bottom, gripping onto the box and tugging at the edges until it opened, he found florens again. Useful. He pocketed them and the silver amber necklace that was there and the Temerian special forces insignia that was weighing something down. The veins in his neck and face began to show. He wasn't far under the water. But just fighting and now holding his breath after he'd all but depleted his energy wasn't a good idea. Especially with the few minor wounds he'd acquired from the drowners claws. He reached into the bottom and read the top of the writing that seemed to be a book. Blood-soaked military orders. He gathered it all before swimming back up to the surface and opening his mouth grateful for the oxygen that rushed into his lungs. He walked over to roach and pulled out the other scrolls he hadn't had a chance to read yet.