Van Bereaver

Chapter 21- Humanity

Sage

We had made our way back to Toussaint to see the particularly flamboyant troubadour. I had expected to see him wooing the crowd with a new ballad but instead, he was getting booed at as he stood on an execution stage next to five other hanging bodies.

Toussaint's government had accused him of killing the former Duke of Toussaint in order to reach Duchess Anna Henrietta's pants. I knew that it was a lie because Dandelion was unable to kill a fly, let alone a person, which was why we left him there when we ventured to Styga Castle.

I could never understand why humans felt like they were the superior being, even to powerful mages and Elves. They had the power to dictate who lives or dies, even to their own race. Even if humanity was on the brink of extinction, they would find some way to blame their own kind and instead of helping each other; they'd slaughter masses. Humans had become something else. Even in minute situations, one didn't have to die. They could at least be ridiculed and cast out, not their life being in someone else's hands. Death wasn't always the answer.

"Julian Alfred Pankratz, Viscount de Lettenhove, will be sentenced for hanging," the executioner stated.

"I didn't do anything!" Dandelion exclaimed. "I-I-" He stammered as a noose was getting tied around his neck. "Geralt! Better yet, Sage! Oh yes, it's Sage Anika van Bereaver, she's a banshee, she can speak for me."

"You've been summoned," Geralt muttered.

"Let me speak with her," Anna Henrietta announced. Her voice sounded more like a dictator than her previous tone as a whimsical princess. I assumed she had been advised to act her age and take upon her position.

I made it to the front of the crowd where the lady had sat in a spot next to the stage to watch her former lover die. She sat up straight and was ready to hear me out.

"Julian doesn't kill," I said, using his respective name. "He would rather write a piece of poetry about it than actually commit the crime. If he wanted to kill Raymund, he would cry because he wouldn't know how."

Anna Henrietta smirked, "Thank you for your word but that won't-"

"I will be taking him now," I cut her off and her court gasped. "If you wish to get in my way... you won't be able to see the end of it."

She pursed her lips and clenched her jaw, seeing Geralt and Ciri standing behind me. She snapped at her knights who released the bard and set him free for us.

"Where's Maria Barring?" Dandelion asked. "The Nilfgaard-Vicovarrian?" I glanced at him, giving him a look of distraught and he immediately understood, putting his lips in an O form to sharply inhale.

I was about to climb onto my horse when a flame flickered in midair. It warped in a circle as a sheet of paper formed and fell into my hand. I opened the invitation from Triss Merigold for Ciri and me to attend a meeting with the most powerful mages on the continent.

"I am no sorceress," I said after informing the rest. "Neither are you, Cirilla."

"We're different but powerful," she said. "We should go to see what's in store for us."

"Geralt?"

"Go," he nodded. "Dandelion and I will head to Rivia. I haven't been home for some time."

"Okay then," I softly smiled. I held Ciri's hand and made sure she wouldn't travel through spheres by turning us into a wraith and flew to Montecalvo.

***

The location of the castle was in Redania and as I had expected, the leader of the council was Philippa Eilhart. Ciri and I entered and made our way to our seats around a table. Sitting at the circle and staring at us was Margarita Laux-Antille, Triss Merigold, Keira Metz, Sabrina Glevissig, Sheala de Tancarville, Francesca Findabair, Assire var Anahid, and Fringilla Vigo.