The Path: A witcher's tale

Chapter 27

     "So you're telling me that you were insulted by a Nilfgaardian, almost killed by a bomb exploding right next to you, you left that very same Nilfgaardian to die, you almost slit your friend's throat, and you were ready to die fighting among an entire council of mages. Is all of that right?" Karadine said with astonishment and a bit of anger. "Yeah, that sounds about right." I replied softly. "What the hell were you thinking?!?!? I told you not to get killed and I thought you knew how to stay out of trouble! Now you're probably a wanted fugitive in whatever province that Nilfgaardian is from!" I remained silent, she was right.
     A few moments later, Anna teleported and barged in the house and she saw Karadine with a somewhat murderous gaze directed towards me. "Pardon me, I seem to have come at a bad time, I'll leave you two alone for a while and-" Anna was cut off. "Oh no, you can talk to him all you want, I was just about to go and blow off some steam." She angrily huffed as she grabbed her silver and went into the wilds.
     Once Karadine was well out of earshot, Anna said in a regal tone, "I wonder what got her knickers up in a twist, anyway, I have news regarding that Nilfgaardian you killed and what has become of your situation. Apparently that ambassador was from Metinna, and because you were responsible for his death, you will be shot and killed on sight and there is a bounty on your head. Also, if I were you, I would stay away from Kovir for quite some time and all of the mages present now hold a grudge against you and will attempt to kill you, if provided the chance. Now, do with that information what you will, I'm off, there's still things to smooth over." I looked at her in silence, pondering what had become of my situation.
      I then spoke up and said, "Well, it's a damn good thing that I'm not planning on riding to Metinna anytime soon and as for the bounty hunters looking for my head, let them come, I'll slaughter them without batting an eye. In regards to Kovir, then I guess I won't be seeing you for a while, and I couldn't give a shit about any mages anyway, they're just part of the long list of people that despise me."
     A heavy silence fell, with Anna hesitating to leave, she came up close to me. She got closer and closer and she pressed her warm, soft lips against mine and kissed me. She them gave me a shameful glance and softly said, "Forgive me, I couldn't help myself. I want you to know that no matter what anyone thinks of you, you'll always be amazing to me. And thank you." She then promptly walked off and teleported away. I was then left there sitting in my house, alone. I then went to my bedroom and lied down gazing at the ceiling, contemplating.
     As soon as night fell, I heard Karadine come back home, she was talking with someone outside, the other voice was familiar, but I wasn't quite sure who it was. Then Karadine came in, a lot happier than before and said melodiously and in a kind of sing-song voice, "Someone has come to see us! Come and see who it is!" I walked out and saw Pawel, now a man of about 18 standing before me, his mismatched eyes with their same mischievous glare and his pitch black hair, now long and loose, held back with a snakeskin headband and his face made more like a witcher's with the addition of a vampire fang scar on his neck and a slash going down from his cheek down to his chin.
      "How you been old man? It's been a while since I've seen you, ain't it?" He said in a deep voice. "Long time no see, you bastard, and hey, don't call me old, I'm still as spry and just as capable as you are, if not more." I said as I firmly grasped his hand for a handshake.
-"What happened to your cheek by the way? That scar doesn't exactly look like your typical ghoul"
-"Bruxa, happened when she got to my neck for a drink, but already had some black blood in my system so the fight ended pretty quickly after that. You say that you're as capable as I am, right? How about we put the to the test?"
-"What do you propose?"
-"A fight, you versus me, no signs, no potions, just steel against steel and reflexes against reflexes."
"What do you say Andrezej?" Karadine said as she subtly winked at me, surely she knew how the fight would end. "Alright, let's duel, just let me know when your ready."
     We walked into a large open space and we both drew our steel. Pawel lunged at me ready to strike. I nimbly twisted to the side and knocked him off balance with the hilt of my sword. He sprang back up and was then on the defensive. My blade was a blur while I pirouetted and twisted and feinted and parried his counter strikes as he was flailing like mad trying to maintain balance and keep his eyes on me. After wearing him down with repeated blows from all sides, I pushed him to the floor and held the tip of my blade at his throat.
     "Good fight, but you need to improve your stamina and reflexes, they're too slow and you exhaust yourself too quickly. You're too inexperienced." "Maybe for a witcher, I'm just a man who survived was trained like a witcher." He said as he rose to his feet trying to catch his breath. "You do know that a striga or ekimmara isn't going to go easy on you for not undergoing the mutations, right?" I said jokingly as Karadine was standing aside nearly bursting into laughter. "Alright old man, you win this time." We told Pawel to come inside so we could catch up on what's happened to him for the past year and what the hell he's doing in Toussaint. He looked at us and said "Well, where do I begin..."