A New Witcher

Chapter 1

Our tale begins with Geralt, Ciri, and Cairn returning from a victorious battle against the griffin that was terrorizing the people of Greensfellow.

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We have been traveling for hours now after Geralt, Ciri, and I saved the town of Greensfellow from the pesky griffin that had been killing their cattle and stealing their children but it turns out that the chief of the town had stolen its eggs. We offered the chief to the griffin and she flew off with him. At least we still got our gold.

"Hey Geralt how do you think the boys will react when we tell them about this griffin hunt." I jokingly asked.

"What's so funny about a village losing it's leader and a family without a father?" Geralt bit back.

"Oh lighten up Geralt this was his first monster hunt. He just wants some war stories to tell around the fire with his lads." Ciri tried to back me up.

"Stories like these aren't the ones you tell around the fire these are the ones you try to forget." Geralt said.

Geralt and Ciri were both very similar and somehow drastically different. Geralt and Ciri were both white-haired witchers wise beyond their years but Geralt was very serious and pretty much emotionless. Ciri was feisty and always ready for a fight and has been a good friend to me since I was a kid. Ciri wasn't a full witcher because she didn't undergo the chemical mutations that gave us our strength and powers but she had the elder blood which made her a powerful sorceress. Ciri could teleport through dimensions and was granted superhuman strength in battle. Even though they are very different they are just like father and daughter.

"Cairn snap out of it. We are witchers we live for thousands of years you will have enough time to tell your stories." Geralt tried to joke.

I chuckled at Geralt's attempt at a joke.

"We should hurry back I think Triss is starting to miss me." Geralt said spurring his horse.

"Ah gross." I said as Ciri and I spurred after him.

I looked towards Ciri and offered to race her. Of course she accepted. Ciri and I always raced each other when I was growing up and she always kicked my butt. The path back to the barracks was straightforward without any twists and turns perfect for a race.

"Alright Ciri, on your marks. get set. go" I said.

I sped past Ciri and gained the lead but she wasn't letting up. I usually don't cheat but this time I was hell bent on winning. I cast the Axii sign, which is used for mind control, on Ciri's horse to slow it down.

"Aw come on Cairn. You're playing dirty. Geralt would be disappointed." Ciri called from behind me.

"Geralt's not here so eat my dust." I joke back.

"Wait Cairn slow down something is wrong." Ciri called to me.

I did not see what Ciri was talking about because I was talking back to her but when I whipped my head around what I saw was horribly unexpected. Kovir had been invaded by the Nilfgaardian Army from the south and had began to siege the capital city Avon. Ciri and I lived in Avon and Geralt and Triss lived in a house outside of Avon with the rest of the witcher trainees. Geralt was standing by the burnt remains of his house. Ciri and I arrived too late.

"No Triss. She had to have escaped she had to." Geralt said on his knees sifting through the debris.

"Geralt she's probably assisting the king during the siege. We need to get inside the walls now and help the Kovirian army." Ciri said with her hand on his shoulder.

"Yes of course I'm just being foolish." Geralt reassured himself.

"How are we getting back into Avon? The Nilfgaardians have the place surrounded." I asked.

"I can teleport you guys into the walls. More specifically back to the barracks and hopefully the apprentices will be there." Ciri said.

Geralt and I grabbed onto Ciri and she teleported us back to the barracks.

"Master Geralt thank the gods that you are back." the witcher apprentice said while hugging Geralt's leg.

"I'm alright boys. Do you know what's going on outside?" Geralt asked while reassuring the apprentices.

"Miss Triss is at the King's court helping evacuate the royal family." The youngest boy said.

Geralt let out a sigh of relief.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

I turned toward the door and opened it. It was a Kovirian messenger with news for Geralt.

"Is Geralt of Rivia here? This is urgent." The messenger barged into the witcher house.

"Yes I am in here." Geralt confronted the man.

"The king needs you and your witchers to ride out with the Kovirian army to meet the Nilfgaardians in battle." The messenger got out his message.

"No absolutely not. My witchers and I will be leaving. We stay out of these political disputes." Geralt said in frustration.

"I'm sorry Geralt but Miss Triss said that she would not be leaving the king's side and the king will not lose Avon."

"God damn that woman. Alright I'll help."

The messenger hurried outside and mounted his horse.

"Geralt do we even have the gear to fight in a war. Witchers don't fight wars only monsters." I was worried.

"A witcher is more valuable than any warrior or scholar. I was going to wait to give you your witcher sword and armor but now is probably the best time." Geralt said heading into the next room.

I followed Geralt into the next room. He was pulling out a trunk with my name on it from a closet.

"For you. Ciri and I are gonna meet with the King and his commanders. We'll meet you there." Geralt left the room.

The armor was of Nilfgaardian origin and must have cost a fortune. It came with a tunic depicting our sigil, a black wolf on a dark blue background. The swords were beautiful and brand new. They had runes that stretched from the blade to the hilt. My. I sheathed my new weapons and rushed to the castle.. The citizens of Avon were running to the King's castle for evacuation. Geralt had built a safe house in the witcher house with a path out of the city for the witcher apprentices. I mounted my horse and headed towards the castle.