The Witcher The Swallow and The Monster

The Free City of Novigrad

(F/N) tied Nosfer, to a hitching post, near the guard station, it had cost him an arm and a leg to get it, but it was the only guarantee that thieves wouldn't steal from his horse, and if the guards got greedy...well he was on his own. (F/N) took his scabbard and attached it to his back, he remembered to take deep slow breaths as he walked through the streets. He tried not to think about how people would react if they tore his hood off, that had happened to him once, it ended very badly.

But he sensed the tension in the air, his medallion wasn't vibrating at all, people were tense from the war with Nilfgaard. Tense people needed a scapegoat. Who was responsible for the war? Who profited off it? Who enjoyed it? The answer was obvious, to The Church of the Eternal Fire, at least, it was non-humans. Mages, elves, dwarves, vampires, anyone who didn't look exactly like a human was on the chopping block or the stake. (F/N) shook his head, as he made his way to the Hierarch Square, maybe he was being over dramatic, it wasn't like they were just grabbing random people who practiced healing magic or herbalists. The witcher shook his head as his muddy boots, smacked against the stone streets, he was being paranoid, there was no way things were that bad. Suddenly, he heard a woman scream, the witcher turned, and saw a crowd of people gathering around something. (F/N) quickly pushed his way through the crowd, thinking that a woman needed help, but when he broke through the front of the crowd. His heart fell into his stomach, there wasn't a woman being assaulted, she was being murdered.

The woman was tied to a stake, standing over a stack of kindling, she was screaming because a man had just thrown a torch on the pile. She was dressed like an enchantress, none he knew of, but he couldn't take his eyes away as she burned, screaming for mercy, what scared him more was that the people cheered on. The woman struggled as her skin began to melt and then went still. The other stake held a man, who looked like he had been badly beaten, he wasn't dressed like a sorcerer, but he was still on the stake over a pile of wood, tears slowly fell down his cheeks he knew he was next. (F/N) only stared in disbelief, as the man who had thrown the torch laughed, he looked like he was a high ranking Witch Hunter. He turned to the crowd, and spoke as if he was doing the holy, just thing, "No evil can survive the Holy Fire! The Holy Fire enlightens, burns and cleanses!"

(F/N) was about to start booing the man, but suddenly the crowd cheered and started chanting, "Holy Fire! Enlighten, burn and cleanse!"

The Witch Hunter smiled as he grabbed another flaming torch, "Behold the flame of grace and mercy!" He walked over to the unlit pyre, the man started struggling and yelled out to the crowd, "I've done no wrong! None! I wanted only to live like you! Help me, kind folk! Please! Ahhh!" (F/N) felt sick, but he couldn't look away, this was disgusting, slowly the mans body turned grey, and became disfigured. (F/N) shook his head and turned away, as the crowd started pointing at the man, "Gods, look a Doppler!"

(F/N) hated how afraid people were of dopplers, they were scary sure, but they were such gentle and kind creatures, he had stumbled upon one once. It had been so scared, when it saw a witcher, that it took his shape and swung it's sword at him, begging him to let it go. (F/N) ended up just talking with the identical version of himself, he had even given him some instructions on the best places to stay alone. In the end it thanked him and just ended up walking off.

(F/N) walked over to the nearest blacksmith, and set his bag of coin on the counter, trying to put the image of what he had just witnessed out of his head. Things weren't as bad as he had originally thought, they were worse. He was going to see Triss again, that was enough to put him in a good mood. The witcher cleared his throat as he looked at the man, "Show me you wears."

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(F/N) adjusted his new silver bracers, they looked perfect and would definitely hold up against a werewolf or ghoul biting into his arm. He looked at his new chest plate as well, that had been the most expensive piece he had bought. The outside looked like it was made of a black slightly styled cloth with steel studs decorating all over it, and the interior was chain mail, so it would offer more protection than his last armor. He decided to have the smith repair the armor for his leg, to save money, but he decided to dye the armor black with red streaks in it, he looked incredibly intimidating. (F/N) nodded to the smith as he grabbed his last purchase, a more expensive looking crossbow, the design was more sleek and professionally done, there was even some engravings on the side, it would definitely do more damage.