The Witcher The Swallow and The Monster

The Wolf and The Viper

Geralt walked through the woods with his sword in hand. The silver blade was glowing in the rays of the sun, he could hear howling in the far distance. He was dealing with a werewolf, there was no doubt. But he didn't know how aggressive it would be. The witcher gripped his blade even tighter, the woods were almost silent, aside from the chirping off birds and the snapping of twigs. It only added to the tension, but Geralt had done this enough times to never show fear.

The sun was slowly rising, as he got close enough to the howling, but as the witcher got closer he realized it wasn't a werewolf howling, it was a man crying. The man had black hair and scars all over his body, he was completely naked, he was curled into a ball sobbing. Geralt held his silver sword tightly, he had seen more convincing tricks, the man stunk to high heaven, "Don't move, Werewolf!"

The man looked at Geralt, there were still tears streaming down his face, he looked more sad than afraid. He focused on his yellow cat-like eyes, "A witcher? The village has finally had enough, have they? Very well. Strike me down, I only ask you end my suffering quickly."

The witcher stared at the man, his job was to strike him down, but something in his gut was telling him to investigate, "Your suffering? You terrorized a village, you almost ate a boy, you have the gall to speak as though your own suffering is worse than others." The man shook his head, "No master witcher, I...I-I," Geralt interrupted, "Out with it man."

The man nodded, "I was cursed many months ago, I have an unbearable hunger, and the only thing that can sate it is...is..." The witcher finished his sentence, "Human flesh." The man nodded, "The last time I turned was my worst night, I smelled something, something different, it smelled delicious. I went looking for it, but I only ended up finding that boy...I was so hungry I almost killed him. But I regained control in the last moment. But I cannot risk it again, I wish not to worry about any children, or my wife, I love her more than myself. So I please ask you to end it."

Geralt paused for a long time, he wanted to kill him, that was the only way he could ensure the man wouldn't turn back to his other form and hurt anyone. But something inside of him was just telling him not to, he couldn't explain the sensation, "What if I know of a way to help you?"

The cursed one, stood up, "You can take this damned curse away? Yes! Please! I'll give you anything." Geralt bit the inside of his cheek, he wanted to ask for a fair amount of gold, that way he would get paid twice, once for helping the man, and another for getting rid of the werewolf. Geralt looked at the man, as he slowly sheathed his weapon, "Anything?"

The man nodded, he didn't even think about it, of course he wouldn't hand over his wife if that was asked of him, but he would give him anything else, his home, his possessions, his clothes, if he had a pair. Geralt didn't think about what he said next, it just sort of came out of his mouth, "You will give me the first thing that comes to greet you at your home, yet you did not expect." As soon as he said it the witcher clenched his fists, and thought, 'Fuck. What the fuck was I thinking?'

The man smiled, but shook his head, he was familiar enough with the custom he was requesting, "I do not expect? M-master. I would happily give you a child, b-but my wife and I...we're unable to have children, we've been trying for years with no luck, I'd be happy to give you something else." Geralt sighed, he wanted to just call the whole thing off, and ask for gold, but something kept telling him not to, something powerful, "We'll worry about that when the curse is lifted."

That's when the men left the forest, and headed back to the man's house, Geralt wanted to try something, it was unlikely to work, but he had to try. The man was dressed in a spare black jacket Geralt had, he was walking shamefully, and slowly, as if he wanted the whole village to be ashamed off him, to mock him. Geralt waited for the man to point his wife out, the man looked at his house there was a woman waiting there expectiantly, her blonde hair was tied up in a bun, she was truly beautiful. The man's brightened up, "Viana!!!" The man ran to his wife making sure to keep the jacket closed. Viana smiled, but she seemed a bit surprised by his lack of clothes, "Syphren, why are you naked? Who is this man?" The woman looked at Geralt.