Chains of Destiny (book 2)

Chapter 17

The pair had finally arrived at Lurtch and much to their horror the town was in ruins. "No...." Geralt frowned as he looked at Selene before placing a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't we look around, maybe we can find some clues, see if anyone survived." Selene slowly nodded as she dismounted Raven and tied her to a tree, Geralt not far behind. "Alright, I'll take the left half, you take the right, we meet right back here in an hour or we yell if we find something."

   Selene only nodded as she walked towards the left half while Geralt went to the right. The second Selene entered the first house she saw it felt as if time stopped. She couldn't move, it felt like that day in Kaer Morhen all over again. "Selene, is'kal vened kas'en ilen varah." Selene, Listen, time is drawing near. Selene tried once again to speak but like at Kaer Morhen, her voice was mute. "Leva Ank'en, envía a'sál. Ve'rek a'sola. Revena, enja." Leave this place. It does not have what you seek. Return home.

   Silver eyes widened before she was finally able to force herself to speak. "Kailem ajò vinye?" Who are you? The voice was silent for a moment. "Vinye arah interu." I have no name. "Esh aká, vinye dohra?" Then where Shall I go? "He'iva." Home. Silver eyes widened once more. "Lu'vey?" Why? Yet the voice didn't answer. "Lu'vey?!"

    "Vos, eei venta ca'ende" the answer you seek. Selene went to snap back at the riddles when two gloved hands grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. "Selene?!" Selene blinked as she tried to focus on the voice that was calling to her, but not before the whispers were heard one final time. "Vos eei venta ca'ende, Selene." "Selene damnit, answer me." Geralt was worried, he had heard her hell in some unknown language clear across the village so he came running thinking something had happened.

    It took her a few moments before she was finally able to make out the person's face. Worried gold eyes met unfocused silver, and ashen colored hair was stuck to his face. "Ger...alt?" Geralt let out a sigh of relief the second she spoke. "Yes Sel, it's me. What on earth happened?" Selene frowned before she told him what she heard.

   Said man was silent for a few minutes before he frowned. "So this voice wants you to return home. Claiming the answers you want are there." "That's correct." He shook his head. "That's gonna Wait, we will see what else we can find on our way back. Besides we need to see if Ciri is still at Skelliga, and then we need to head to Toussaint so we can meet up with Iovrath." Selene nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine with that idea. I have no desire to go back home yet, and I don't even know what answer it is I'm seeking." "Exactly, so why don't we get the hell out of here. I know we have to go to Novigrad first if we wish to get to Skelliga." "Then what are we waiting for?" "You to completely come out of that daze and settle down."

   Selene sighed before she suddenly wrapped her arms around him and hid her face against his chest. Geralt didn't even hesitate, he simply wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss to the top of her head. "It'll be alright Sel, You'll see." Selene Didn't respond, she was just listening to the sound of his heart as she tried to chase away the feeling of uneasiness.

   After a few minutes she simply pulled away and he looked at her, worry still evident in his golden eyes. "I'm okay now." She mumbled as she pulled back, her silver eyes looking right at him. "I promise, I'm okay now. We can go. However....did you find anything here, anything at all?" Geralt sighed before he led her out of the house and back to the horses. "No, I gave up on looking the second I heard you screaming Lu'vey." "Oh....I'm sorry." He chuckled. "It's fine, doesn't seem like anything is here though, not even a trace of survivors."

    Selene frowned but couldn't speak as Geralt quickly helped her onto Raven before he climbed onto Roach. Without even a word the horses took off at full speed, leaving behind the broken and ruined village of Lurtch.