The Divine Hunter

A mysterious ouroboros was engraved on the black door. A group of furious witchers surrounded a treant before it. The treant was tied up in circles of dimeritium chains, and its leaves, mushrooms, fruits, and garlands had lost their vitality, hanging low.

There was a sneer on the face of the treant. Idarran ignored Roy's question. It was as if it were the victor here, despite being tied up.

"Why aren't you running anymore, you piece of rotten wood?" Lambert rubbed his bald forehead and swung his blade around, then he cut off the treant's arms. The branches fell with a thud, and green blood flew everywhere. The branches wriggled and writhed like vipers in their death throes, and then they fell silent.

Idarran let out a gasp of pain, his eyes getting bloodshot, and he looked at the group manically.

"What makes you think you can give us that look?" Auckes cast Igni and burned Idarran. The treant's crown burned, and it writhed and howled like a crying baby. "When I was drowning in that acid pool, I swore you'd pay for it. That you’d suffer ten times my pain."

Idarran's face contorted in pain, but there was still a sardonic smirk hanging from his lips.

"Revenge can wait, people. Let's sort things out first." Letho rubbed his head, his eyes glinting coldly. "You're going to die, Idarran, but work with us, and you will have an easier death." Letho paused. "Or I'll put you through something even more exciting than the Trial we had to go through."

Idarran's eyes rolled around, his green stubble quavering. "I have underestimated you. You have strength that rivals the grandmasters if you work together, but you have nothing in your heads." He looked coolly at the furious witchers. "A brawny fool will never change. You're nothing but narrow-minded, shallow insects, forevermore caged in a boring, two-dimensional world. You can never feel the vibrance of a higher dimension."

***

Kalkstein put his hands on his hips and cocked his eyebrow. "You seem to be very interested in body modification, and you spew a lot of shit. How about this? Turning yourself into a tree is boring. Why don't I merge your head to a harpy's butt? Then you'll really be spewing shit all day like you want. It'll be an improvement to your mouth too."

Finally, fury and humiliation filled Idarran's face. He gritted his teeth and averted his gaze, turning instead to his broken garden. The bushes and vines looked dead and beaten down. There was love and heartbreak in Idarran's eyes.

Roy had an idea. "Tell us the truth, or your precious garden gets turned into a sea of fire." He made a gesture, and a spark of fire danced between his fingers. The temperature rose a little. "We can find the answer after we get rid of you anyway."

Idarran's eyes went wide, and an animated look of fear flickered on its face, then he heaved a sigh of hatred.

"Don't test our patience." Eskel smacked Idarran's crown with his blade. "One more useless word from you, and I'll cut off your arm."

"What are the grandmasters and Alzur planning inside?" Roy asked. "To cleanse this world of its sins with the red light they developed through the shard of the Most High?"

Everyone looked at the shut door behind Idarran.

***

Idarran took a deep breath. "Promise me you won't destroy the greenhouse, then I'll tell you everything I know." He looked at Roy. There was madness, rage, and fury in his eyes, but there was also a hint of plea.

Everyone exchanged a look.

"You're not included in that part of the deal," Roy said. "And what we do depends on how much you answer."

"I gave up on escaping from the moment I was captured. Death is the end of life, but it is also another beginning. Make the oath, Roy. Promise you will not destroy this place." Idarran looked at Roy calmly, without fear. "In the name of your precious honor of witchers. In the name of the shard residing within you."

Roy mused over it and made the oath. Idarran closed his eyes and stayed silent. He gave up resistance and let go of his violent tendencies. The look on his face was serene, and his screeching voice turned into something more calm.

"I must correct you on one point. The red light you said is called Cleansing Flame. It's an extension of the shard. Unlike the soul-devouring tentacles you came up with, Roy, the flame only cleanses those who have sin upon their shoulders."

"What is the shard of the Most High?" Kalkstein interrupted.

"The Most High presides over all dimensions. It controls the infinite branches and leaves of the world tree. That is what Alzur, the original owner of the shard said. I cannot explain further than that. I am unable to."

***

"And why did you hide in the dark, dirty sewers for more than a century? Just to collect souls from different battlefields? Why?" Roy asked.

"Simple. Souls are nutrients for the shard. It helps the shard grow. It makes the shard complete so it can awaken its true power. It is exactly the same process that happened to you. You should know that more than anyone." Idarran sighed, dismay appearing on his face. "If you hadn't stolen one of the shards, our torment would've been over a few years ago, but we're close to the end now."

***

"Close to the end? The grandmasters and your mentor are in the final step?" Serrit guessed. "They're going to use the complete shard and summon the Cleansing Flame like they did in Mayena? But this time, it'll be one that can cleanse the whole world of its sins?"

Everyone's hearts skipped a beat, and they looked at Idarran. His answer, however, surprised everyone.

"That is a pointless action. It's simple. Even if we kill all the sinners in this world, it won't change this world into a utopia. My mentor and the grandmasters have lived for more than a few hundred years. They are not that naive."

Roy nodded. He didn't think it was plausible that they would cleanse the world. Alzur wasn't that naive.

"Even if we kill all the sinners, that does not turn back any tragedy that has happened," Idarran continued. There was melancholy in its voice, but its eyes were shining. "It is nigh impossible to rectify a wrong decision.

"Get to the point, Idarran. Stop taking us in circles."

The witchers were getting more uneasy by the minute.

"Did the decoction fail to cure your stupidity, Lambert? It's simple. They don't want to cleanse the world," said Aiden.

"Everything we've worked for, we did it to complete the shard and recreate the power of the Most High. To recreate a miracle. My mentor did not tell me the details, for I did not take part in the final process. I stayed behind as their protector."

"Because you aren't worthy enough?" Lambert mocked, rubbing his head.

"I am satisfied with this world and myself. I do not need to make any changes to anything. I wouldn't have taken part in this century-long operation if not for Alzur. If you wish to know the answer, if you wish to know the truth of the Most High, if you wish to know what the grandmasters and Alzur are going after, then go inside," Idarran said temptingly. His wriggling crown was brushing against the stone door behind him. "The answers are right in there, but be prepared. Observe and make your choice. Follow your heart."

"Aren't you worried I might ruin Alzur's plan?" Roy interrupted.

"You are too late. His shard is complete, while yours is still not. The difference between you and him is staggering. You cannot change anything," said Idarran confidently.

Three branches broke, and Serrit crushed a few crimson fruits underneath his feet. Idarran howled in pain.

"I get it now. You're saying all this just to trick us into entering that door. There's Cleansing Flame behind that door, isn't there? You're trying to burn us to cinders."

Idarran tensed up, his eyes roving over the people before him slowly. "I understand that most people in this world, everyone here included, are not innocent, but there's not a sliver of the flame within. In the name of the land underneath me, in the name of this beautiful greenhouse, and in the name of my sacred body, I swear. You have defeated me. Do you really want to give up at this point?"

Geralt crossed his arms. He blurted, "If Idarran does have the Cleansing Flame, he wouldn't use it on us."

Idarran continued, "I see you as my enemy, but the Griffin, Viper, Wolf, and Alzur do not think so. They have never seen you as their enemy. They were adamant about not staying in touch or disturbing any of you. They would never set any traps for you."

Everyone fell silent. They had conflicting feelings about the grandmasters.

"Spare this place, and I shall open this door for you. You shall have your horizons expanded. Alzur has, on more than one occasion, emphasized that there is great danger beyond this door. Once you step inside, you cannot leave unless you reach the end. However, the risk comes with its reward. You will have to seek that out yourselves, I'm afraid."

Idarran's crown that was leaning on the door was wobbling. Weakly, he extended a few branches and pressed down on the rings of the door. The ouroboros on the door sprang to life, spinning and turning slowly.

The door shrank up and down, splitting in the center. Behind it was a grey, murky space draped in a thick layer of mist. The mist obscured everything, and anything beyond two yards was not visible to them."

Roy's temples throbbed. In this murky land, he once again saw the vision he had. Four men with their backs turned to him, pacing around the edge of a cliff. Beneath them was an abyss, while the skies were covered in a crimson shade, the sun hanging high above.

***

"You can't be thinking about going in, Roy." Aiden rubbed his chin and patted Roy's shoulder.

Coral looked at Roy and shook her head.

Roy took a deep breath and looked at everyone. "Something tells me that the answer is inside. We lose this chance, and we'll never find the truth."

Coen took a step ahead and stopped beside the tree. "Erland is inside. I must see him. For Keldar, for Jerome, and for myself."

"What if something happens to you? What will happen to Igsena?" Eskel held his arm.

"Take care of her in my stead, brother."

Eskel was speechless.

Letho took a step ahead. Adamantly, he said, "We shouldn't let Ivar wait."

"I'd like to spar with Arnaghad." Felix held his blade and approached the door. He extended his hand and touched the swirling mist.

"Elgar will need someone to talk to." A hint of reminiscence flickered on Vesemir's face.

"Count me in, then." Lambert sighed and walked up to Vesemir.

"Get back, Lambert." Serrit pulled Lambert back. "One representative from each school. Everyone else stays here."

"Hey, not fair. Letho and Roy are both Vipers."

"Are you dumb? Roy's obviously an exception."

"Alright, shut it. We'll do it this way. I, Letho, Vesemir, Felix, and Coen will be going in. Everyone else, stay back and deal with Idarran," said Roy. He then turned around and held Coral's icy hand, then he patted her head with his right hand and touched her forehead with his. He stared into her eyes. "I promise I'll come back in one piece."

"I know." Coral grinned toothily. The light of trust twinkled in her eyes. Roy had never let her down before.

"What are you doing? This isn't farewell." Auckes clapped his hands and got everyone's attention. He grinned. "We had our heads blasted and our flesh eaten, but we still came back. It'll be the same this time."

He grabbed Roy's shoulder and shook it. "We leave them in your hands, captain. Bring all of them back, or else."

***

The five witchers eventually disappeared into the mist, and the branch pulled back from the ouroboros. The door rumbled and was sealed shut, the rings in the middle interlocking with each other, and then it was done.

Auckes, Lambert, and Coral glared at Idarran, raring to go.

"Told you I'd cut you up and make you into charcoal."

There was no fear on Idarran's face; only the fanaticism and determination of a martyr. "Dying in a body I changed. My soul shall be forever with my proudest creation. Come. Release me, but do not forget your promise."

The witchers unsheathed their blades.

"We can kill it off once they come back, people." Kalkstein smiled at Idarran with passion. "Idarran, for the last time, I shall address you as grandmaster. Now, let us talk about your research. I am very much interested in the sea of knowledge you possess as well as the tomes you have collected. It would be a shame if you were to die just like this, so why not be generous for once before you die and contribute to the world of magical academia?"

***

The mist brushed against Roy's skin. It felt like a stream of icy water. The door behind him crashed, and moments later, he was separated from his comrades, even though they held hands when they came in. One lapse in concentration, and there was only endless white mist around him. Even with his great eyesight, he could only see two to three yards around him. His witcher senses couldn't pick up any ribbons, as though it had malfunctioned.

"Letho! Vesemir!" Roy shouted, but his voice didn't travel far before the wandering mist swallowed it up. For some reason, he couldn't hear any echoes.

Roy lost his direction in the roiling mist. He wandered around as his instinct told him to. Perhaps an eternity later, an inexplicable sense of disorientation filled Roy's heart. Five balls of light shone in the mist ahead, with only a bit of distance between each of them.

They were like lighthouses in a misty sea. The balls of light had different intensities. Roy shouted a few times, but he gained no answer. Following his instinct, he made his way toward the biggest and brightest lighthouse.

At the same time, Letho, Vesemir, Felix, and Coen picked their own lighthouse to approach.

***

The moment Roy made his choice, the mist around him pulled back for some reason. The young witcher found himself within a garden of blooming flowers. The sun shone in the sky, its golden light warming the land underneath.

If this was an illusion, then the creator must be a god. Then he heard roars coming from a rose patch.

"You son of a whore!" a childlike yet fierce voice shouted.

Roy turned his attention to the direction of the voice. Three children no older than twelve surrounded the flower patch. Some were in beautiful suits made of silk, and their hair was primly cut. There was also a girl wearing a frilly dress and hair clip. She looked like a princess, but all of them were pointing at a deadpan boy, cursing at him.

"You lowborn!"

"You lowly, hideous creature."

Roy slowly approached the children.

***

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