Time of Destiny (book 3)

Chapter 34

Selene and Iorveth were finally back at Kiera's home and like before they just waltz in without knocking. "Oh for the love of fuck who- oh shit." Selene chuckled. "Hello Kiera, surprised to see me again?" Kiera trembled but looked around to see if Geralt was with her. "I can't say I was expecting it. Where is Geralt?" Selene shrugged. "Probably in Skellige with Yennifer. His new lover." Kiera blanched, she did not see that one coming. "He left you?" Selene laughed. "More like I left him. Once I learned first hand that he cheated on me, let's just say ending it was mercy."
      Kiera once again flinched. Before stealing her nerves. "So why are you here Selene?" Selene raised an eyebrow. "I want you to come help us at the battle of Kaer Morhen. We'll be going against the hunt." Kiera raised an eyebrow. "Very well,  but first you must do something for me." Selene narrowed her eyes as she crossed her arms and Iorveth laughed. "Oh that's priceless, you really think she'll do you a favor?" Kiera shrugged. "Why not, its a win for both of us. She gets rid of a curse, and I help out at Kaer Morhen." Selene raised a simple eyebrow as she listened.
      "A curse huh?" "Yes, I went there once, the magic was so powerful I thought I would burst." Selene continued to listen as she tilted her head. "What island is cursed?" Kiera had how piqued her interest. "I'm so glad you asked. It's called Fyke Isle. In the tower you should be able to find out what's causing the curse." Selene shrugged before looking at Iorveth. "We might as well check it out. Besides, I always enjoy breaking curses." Iorveth rolled his eyes. "Yes but what about the unit?" "Oh, they can stay here and you two can use my boat to get there. I'll even give you a xenophone so we can stay in touch."
       Selene once again shrugged and took both the lamp and the xenophone before leaving with Iorveth. Cedric however was waiting for them by the trees. "What's the next plan?" Selene sighed. "You and the others stay here. While Iorveth and I go to the isle of Fyke and break a curse." Cedric frowned. He had heard of that island and shook his head. "Sor'ca I would feel better if I tagged along as well." However Selene shook her head. "I need you here. Incase she tries to trick us." Cedric frowned but soon nodded. "Very well. I shall remain here. Good luck the both of you." And with that Iorveth and Selene left.
      It was hours later when they finally made it to Fyke isle only to have to fight off a few drowners and rotfiends. "What nasty fuckers." Selene nodded as they continued to walk, using the lamp at the area's where her medallion hummed. As they listened to the conversations of the past Selene was becoming more and more disturbed by what she learned. How she watched as they tried to flee only to die. "Gods that is the most disturbing thing I've seen. And I've seen disturbing shit." Selene could only nod. What happened here was no accident not a normal curse.
     Yet she needed more information. She needed to find its source. But to do that they had to find this lab so that meant they had to go into the Tower. Once they had arrived at the tower Selene simply held up her hand as she listened to what was around her. Within moments she was drawing her silver sword and with no warning whatsoever she had beheaded the hag. "Right, let's go in shall we?" Iorveth blinked before he drew his sword. "After you." Rolling her eyes the two soon claimed the stairs and went inside. Only to flinch at the god awful smell. "Gods it smells in here."
        Selene nodded as she did her best to ignore the smell. Using the lantern she looked around the room and once again listened to the ghosts. Only to repeat the process as they went into the basement then the rest of the tower. An eerie chill in the air as the torches lit themselves and had a greenish hue. A pesta. Selene was almost sure of it. Yet they had to keep going. Once they made it to the final floor did she frown. "Have uou fount it yet?" "No, I don't see a lab and We are on the top floor." "You're not. There's still one more. You must find it." Selene frowned and Iorveth cursed. "Annoying hag."
      Selene nodded in agreement before she saw a switch on the wall. Walking over she studied it for a moment before pulling the lever. Iorveth raised an eyebrow and watched as a bookcase moved revealing a hidden door. "Well I'll be." Selene frowned but went though the door and up the final set of stairs only for her eyes to widen in horror at what she saw. Items in containers some looked human, and some she couldn't name. Others were broken. Then she saw the notes and slowly gathered them up.
         Just as she grabbed the last one did she turn to see a spirit by using the lamp, this one much stronger then before. "Hello, can you hear me?" "I can, how is it you're aware of me, the others below clearly weren't." The spirit shrugged. "I'm different from the rest." "I can tell, my medallion went crazy when i saw you. Who are you?" "My name is Anabelle, I'm stuck here. I'm alone all alone. Why, why did he leave me here to die?" Iorveth flinched yet Selene remained unmoving.
      "What happened to you?" Anabelle looked at her and sighed. "I died." "No how." Anabelle took a moment before she spoke again. "A mage named Alexander, he was experimenting on rats, infecting them with the Catriona disease. One day peasants broke into the tower. Thinking we were rich, we weren't we barely had any food ourselves. They....they started killing people. They, they tried to kill me, they were tearing my clothes off I was scared, so scared. So I ran up here and closed the door. Alexander gave me a potion."
      Neither one spoke as she continued her tragic tale. "I heard my lover Graham, he was banging on the door, he was trying to get to me. So I let him in only to be surrounded by the others. So i drank the potion. When I next woke up, I was cold and alone. I couldn't move but I felt it." Selene raised an eyebrow. "I could feel the rat's eating me alive. And then nothing. When I next came to I was here. Graham was gone. He left me here to die!" Selene frowned as she listened. "I don't think that's the case. I think he thought you were dead. And to save himself he fled with the guilt of knowing you perished."
      Anabelle looked at her. "You must be what cursed the island. I need you to remove the curse." "why should I?!" "Because I can't. Meaning I need you to do it. You need to forgive Graham." Anabelle crossed her arms. "No! He abandoned me!" "I'm sure he still loves you." "Prove it, take my remains to him and if he buries them and still loves me I shall remove the curse." Selene Only shook her head. "I can't take anything off this island. Not while the curse is in effect." "So you would leave me here to rot?!" "No, I'm saying I'll bring him here." However that only angered the woman and she soon revealed herself to be the plague maiden. "So I was right, you are a pesta!"
       She looked at Iorveth and the two ran after the pesta. Selene knew though she knew she couldn't kill her, no the curse had to be broken. So she put the bag down with the notes and followed. After a short fight with the spirit did the two finally head to Oreton where they could convince Graham to come with them.
      "You're telling me she wasn't dead?" "No, only in a deep paralyzing sleep." He was silent for a moment. "But she was cold, like ice, she had no pulse I checked, I called her name so many times....but to learn she was alive...oh gods I'm horrible." Iorveth shrugged and Selene sighed. "No, you didn't know. But now you can help fix this." He stared at her shocked. "How?" "You still love her?" "With all my heart and all that I am." Selene nodded. "Then you need to come with us to Fyle Isle. Only then will the curse be broken." After a bit of coaxing the man finally agreed and the three headed back to the tower on the boat.
      "Selene? I haven't heard from you for hours. What's going on?" Graham stared at her a bit shocked and saw the magic bauble in her hand. "Sorry Kiera, we found the source of the curse, the the girl, Anabelle, she's a Pesta. We're working on breaking it now." "Oh thank you Selene, but how are you gonna do that?" "I have my ways. Mainly in the form of her lover." "Good, good luck. I'll see you shortly." And with that the connection died out. Iorveth spoke before Graham could. "You're positive this will work?" "Yes, it's been done before." "Right, you get hurt doing this Sele and I'll kick your ass." Selene laughed and Graham was silent.
       By the time they reached the tower it was late into the night and waiting for them was Anabelle herself. "Anabelle? Is that you my love?" She snorted. "You're love. You left me all alone. You left me to die." "No! Had I known you weren't dead i would have never left you!" She was silent for a moment while Iorveth kept Selene close to him. "Truly? You still love me?" "Yes, I wish we could still be together." "Oh Graham. If what you say is true then kiss me."
     Iorveth wanted to gag as he saw the plague maiden or as Selene called her a pesta. No way the Dh'oine would willingly kiss it. "If that's what it takes to help you move on and end this curse then I will." Needless to say Iorveth was shocked and Selene wanted to vomit but kept a blank expression. She watched as the pesta went into kiss Graham only for her eyes to widen slightly as the Pesta turned into a normal spirit and kissed him.
      The curse broke and Graham fell to the floor dead. However he stood beside Anabelle and smiled. "Is it over?" "Yes my love, and now we can be together forever." Graham smiled before they looked at Selene. "Thank you witcher, I do not know your name, nor do i need to. But I thank you for bringing him back to me." Selene nodded and watched as the two finally vanished. Waiting a few minutes she finally pulled away from Iorveth knelt down and threw up whatever was in her stomach.
     Iorveth simply held her hair as he rubbed her back, he couldn't blame her. "Gods that was....." "Yeah, let's get those notes and leave." Selene could only agree. The faster they left the happier she would be. And with that they grabbed the notes and left the isle. It was dawn by the time they arrived back at Kiera's and after explaining the curse was broken and the notes handed over with the warning to not use it the wrong way did they finally decided to get ready to get some decent sleep. "Alright, you guys rest. I'll see you all at Kaer Morhen." And with that she started to pack. Selene however found a nice comfy spot under the tree where the rest were waiting and promptly passed out, Iorveth right beside her as they finally got some much needed sleep.