Chapter 56

"So, is this the village?" I asked Regis while holding my horse's reins.

We had left the inn shortly after our discussion, deciding to head to Roselune first. We hoped to find clues about the vampires there, as investigating Count Albert directly was too risky without solid proof. As for the ritual, we were still missing the saliva of a spotted necrophage a supposedly extinct species and we didn't even know if the link between Dettlaff and Regis would be enough to help us once we retrieved that piece of Crimea.

Regis dismounted and turned to me."Yes. Welcome to Roselune. It used to be a highly sought-after retreat for the nobility."

I dismounted as well, resting a hand on Ganon's neck. The village before us was anything but romantic: its streets were empty, several buildings looked on the verge of collapse, and the dry wind rattled loose shutters in an eerie rhythm. In the distance, a dog barked, while a few beggars eyed us warily.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" I murmured, staying on guard.

Regis offered a faint, melancholic smile."Yes. Roselune was very popular a few years ago. Even the duchess came here with her husband in secret. But…"

He crouched down and picked up a withered rose, holding it between his fingers as if it were a relic from another time."Another city, Lysanne, was built to seal the friendship between Toussaint and Nilfgaard. Closer to the court, more profitable. And so, Roselune slowly fell into ruin. The knights, seeing no reason to patrol here anymore, left the place to monsters and bandits."

I frowned."The duchess didn't do anything to stop its decline? Surely, she had memories of this place. Abandoning people like this is… disappointing."

Regis straightened up, gazing at the dead rose in his hand before letting it fall to the ground."At the time, Anna Henrietta was too inexperienced to stand against her advisors. The nobles convinced her that Roselune was nothing but a financial drain, too difficult to secure. She let it happen, whether willingly or not."

He turned to me, a resigned smile on his lips."But we're not here to debate politics. Let's focus on the task at hand."

I nodded, though all of this left a bitter taste in my mouth."You're right. Where do we start? Do we question the few people left here, or do we search on our own?"

Regis gestured toward an area east of the village."I suggest we look for the cave we heard about. As a witcher, you'll be better suited to spotting tracks or detecting strange scents. Meanwhile, I'll try to question these people. If necessary, I'll use my gifts… though I dislike hypnotizing innocents."

I glanced at my weapons, making sure my silver sword and steel sword, Noctalgivre, were secured, along with my bombs and potions."Do what you think is best. I'm not a fan of hypnosis either, but we're short on time."

Regis nodded, then rummaged through his satchel. He pulled out a small glass vial filled with a dark red liquid."Here, take this. It's a mix of my own blood and a magic I've developed. If you find the cave first and run into danger, smash it on the ground. I'll be able to sense its emanation from several miles away."

I took the strange vial, inspecting it briefly before tucking it into my satchel."Thanks. Hopefully, I won't have to use it, but you never know."

Regis ran a hand over his horse's bridle as if to soothe the animal, then turned toward the village center. Meanwhile, I fixed my gaze on the empty path leading into the woods. Judging by the state of this place, I had no doubt it harbored its fair share of monsters and long-forgotten secrets.

After one last glance at Regis, I headed into the forest, determined to find this so-called cave and uncover the mystery that plagued Roselune.

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POV Regis

Watching Aiden disappear down the path leading into the forest, I felt relieved knowing he had that vial in his possession. It was nearly impossible for me to reproduce, and I only had two left. Deep down, I felt a certain duty to protect him after all, Geralt had entrusted me with many things, and Aiden was one of them.

Mmh… I wondered if it was the right time to tell him about Geralt's memory loss, or about that curious romantic tournament Fringilla and Triss were waging over the White Wolf. Geralt had barely escaped the pitchforks of angry villagers and had to be rescued at the last second. I still recalled that incident with both gravity and amusement: ever since, he remained wary whenever he spotted even the slightest farming tool, as if afraid of reliving that nightmare.

I let out a soft sigh, caught between nostalgia and the amusement those old stories brought me. Then, an odd sensation caught my attention the air had grown heavier, charged with an almost electric tension. I lifted my gaze toward a narrow alley, where two ruined houses stood on either side.

"It's been a long time, my friend…" I murmured, stepping forward a few paces.

A figure emerged from the shadows. The man, regal in bearing, wore dark clothing adorned with delicate embroidery. His pale skin made his crimson-red eyes stand out, and his shoulder-length brown hair fell elegantly over his forehead. He radiated a silent strength both mesmerizing and menacing.

"Dettlaff…" I said under my breath.

So, we finally met again. While my immortal heart rejoiced at seeing the friend who had once saved my life, I couldn't ignore the twinge of unease creeping in. Dettlaff was now among the enemies I had come here to hunt. And though our paths had crossed in this forsaken village, the real question remained when the time came to choose a side, where would he stand?

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POV Aiden

Crouching down, I scanned the ground. I saw only faint traces of boars and rabbits nothing that hinted at the presence of vampires or other monsters. I let out a quiet sigh, a hint of frustration creeping in.

"Alright…" I murmured to myself. "Let's try something else."

I placed my palm on the ground and took a deep breath, steadying my mind. Immediately, an icy chill spread from my hand, seeping into the earth. The idea still in its experimental phase was to detect temperature variations in the area. If I was searching for a cave, a place with a naturally stable and often cool climate, this method might help.

Through my trials, I had come to understand that my power wasn't just a simple gift of ice. It was more like the very essence of winter itself, allowing me to summon winter winds, influence ambient cold… and drive away wild animals, as if they sensed a looming threat.

Suddenly, I picked up on a faint signal further ahead, near the trees. I sprang to my feet, unable to suppress a grin.

"Found it."

I took off running, tearing through the underbrush, branches snapping under my boots. Finally, I stopped in front of the entrance to a cave, from which the scent of blood wafted out. For a brief moment, I wondered if this lair truly belonged to the creatures we were hunting or to something else entirely. But urgency and curiosity won over caution: I chose not to alert Regis.

Drawing my sword, I stepped cautiously into the growing darkness. The deeper I went, the more the air thickened with a stomach-turning stench a mix of stale blood and rotting flesh. I downed a Cat potion to see in the dark, tinting my vision in shades of gray while sharpening my perception of shapes in the shadows.

The further I ventured, the more unbearable the smell became. Finally, I entered a vast chamber. My chest tightened the center of the cavern was piled with corpses, men and women of all ages… even children. They were kneeling in a circle around an altar, their heads bowed.

I approached the nearest body and gently lifted its face. Its eye sockets had been gouged out, its mouth twisted into a grotesque smile, and a bloody imprint stretched across its frozen features.

"What the hell is this…?" I whispered, my throat tightening with disgust.

My gaze shifted to the altar, where a crimson orb pulsed faintly, as if alive. Nearby, a man stood impaled, a wooden stake driven clean through his torso. The look of ecstasy on his face sent a chill down my spine.

"Dammit… what is this…?"

I reached out to touch the orb, but a faint noise rang out behind me. I whirled around, senses sharp, but all I saw were the kneeling figures. Still, I could've sworn I had heard movement… a whisper…

Refusing to let my guard down, I turned back to the orb. But the moment my finger brushed against its scarlet surface, a shiver rippled through the room. My pulse quickened the kneeling bodies, heads still bowed, slowly began to straighten, one by one turning their faces toward me.

A muffled laugh echoed through the cavern. My eyes snapped to the impaled man. He coughed out a mix of blood and garbled words before speaking in an inhuman voice:

"Ahahaha… never thought that fool still had enough hope left to bet on you."

With agonizing slowness, he gripped the stake and, with a sickening crunch of flesh, lifted himself free. My stomach twisted at the sight.

"So, you're the famous witcher Aquila." He let out a chuckle, both eerie and melancholic. "Tell me, what became of my dear old friend, the werewolf? Did he finally find peace, or did you have to force him into it?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I lunged, my silver sword slashing toward his throat. But the man caught the blade between two fingers with almost casual ease before lifting his gaze to meet mine, his eyes gleaming with a dark crimson light.

"Now, now… so impatient, these young ones…"

With a terrifying force, he struck me. I barely had time to summon a winter wind to soften the impact, rolling across the ground, but the sheer power of the blow made me cough up blood. As he straightened, he shook his head, a predatory smile on his lips.

"Well then, Aquila… show me that my old friend was right to believe in you."

He raised both hands toward the kneeling corpses. As one, they rose, twisting their broken necks at unnatural angles, their frozen smiles locked onto me. A shiver ran down my spine as they began to advance, like a grotesque chorus of the damned.

Without hesitation, I crushed the blood vial Regis had given me. I could only hope he would sense the call in time to reach me because alone against this horde, I wasn't sure I'd make it out alive.