Vaer aén Birke - The Witcher

Under the shades of Manel

Bloedd, this is taking way longer than I expected! This forest is huge and filled with plants that disrupt magical emissions. It will take days to explore it, I'm seriously starting to regret coming alone. Why did I come alone?! A troop of Dol blathanna Watchers would be so useful to me now... How are we going to spend the night? I haven't come across any monsters yet, I don't know if I'm lucky or if this shaman has exaggerated their presence in the forest but I don't want to see if the evening will change that... what... ?

Aenye'gaerm, who is moving more and more slowly as they go deeper into the forest, has just stopped, his head down and breathing loudly.

_Que suecc's, me wedd? oh... said Calened dismounting and inspecting his mount, gods, I'm sorry, I should have... I should have guessed it when I identified those damn plants: they affect you too . We need to get you out of here as quickly as possible.

The spectral deer raises its head, staring with its twinkling eyes into the elf's. No? But, look in what state... Good if your life is not in danger but... it is not so important that it is absolutely necessary that you undergo this, I can search alone... I am a Sage, I can defend myself, you... aouch

The psychic vibrations of his compass have become so powerful that they pierce his skull like sabers. He takes it out of the purse where it is stored to examine it and sees that the runic writings have turned red incandescent.

_Thank the gods, finally a sign. He must be nearby, he exclaims, relieved before turning to the Saov Ainmindh. We found it, I can take care of it myself now... you're sure that... okay, the sooner we're done, the better for you.

He takes the compass in his hands and concentrates on the waves it emits, slowly turning around to find the way. It's confused. Raaah, why can't it be simple? if he's that close, it should be able to point me in the right direction, is that those plants? Their anti-magic aura is so strong it can mess up my compass this close to its target? North.... South.... East... North... Bloede carraigh, go for the North.

Calened starts walking determined in the direction indicated, Aenye'gaerm at his heels. The sunlight continues to dim, giving the forest a darker and more sinister look.

_Iarranbleid? he called, Aessea an Aen Saevherne aen Dol Blathanna, neén an morvudd.Caen taedh cáemm? ninnau eigean dice.

Only silence answers his calls. No screams are heard, no sound pierces the forest cover, not even the chirping of birds. The shadows thicken a little more. Bypassing a tree with a huge and ancient trunk, Calened has the unpleasant surprise of falling on a reindeer corpse.

Gods, i didn't needed that too, he thinks as Aenye'gaerm sniffles nervously behind him, his neck down, I hope I don't have to run into whatever caused it. At least it's a reindeer and not an elf. What funny marks, never seen anything like it. I'm not a tracker, but given the redness of the wounds and the absence of putrefaction, the death must have been recent. Judging by his face, the poor beast must not have had a gentle death... Hey, is that... is that moving?

The reindeer's skin begins to convulse as if a snake was thrashing underneath just before tearing it with an ignoble noise. A monstrosity comes out, a kind of brown worm, covered in blood and bits of entrails that rose like a snake coming out of its basket. The thing has no eyes or ears yet it begins to stare at the very spot where Calened is standing, opening a mouth filled with many small sharp teeth.

_Oh gods... Just have time to say Calened before the creature rears up like a snake ready to bite.

A whistle sounded and the creature was impaled on the reindeer corpse by a grey-feathered arrow. More worms emerged, making horrible sucking noises. Calened puts his hand on one of the Saov Ainmhi'dh's antlers to draw some Power from him.