Polyanna: A Witcher's Mage

10 | Of Gods & Strange Powers

"You lie," she muttered.

O'Dimm smirked and tsked, shaking his head. "Oh, but I don't. Shall we put my statement to the test? Raise your hand, feel the energy gathering in your fingers-"

"No." She shook her head. "You'll have me cause a natural disaster."

He sighed. "You've no reason to trust me, my dear, but-"

"Nothing you say will convince me otherwise, Geralt has said enough," she interrupted firmly. "Please unfreeze time and allow me to go back to bed. Thank you."

Her politeness surprised him, especially since she believed he was a threat to her, but he continued. An idea struck him.

"What about a deal?" He suggested.

"You'll not have my soul." Her eyes narrowed.

He chuckled. "No, no, no. A different deal,"

"I've no interest in anything you have to say,"

"Raise your hand and I'll tell you where Ciri is,"

She gasped quietly, eyes widening.

He was lying, she instantly thought. He couldn't know.

Out of nowhere, he revealed a glass bottle with what seemed to resemble a firefly inside.

"This will bring you to her," he said, holding it out of her reach. "But first: Raise your hand."

Lips pursed, Euphemiya raised her hand. His lips quirked up in satisfaction.

"Make a fist. Tightly," he continued. She obeyed. "Can you feel it?"

She slowly shook her head. She felt normal - well, as normal as one could feel right now.

He clicked his tongue, looking disappointed. "You're not there yet,"

"Where am I supposed to be?" She asked curiously. "And what was that about?"

He laced his hands in front of him. "Not of importance-"

"But-"

"Would you still like to know where Ciri is?"

Her eyes widened slightly and she nodded hastily.

"I would like to aid you," he began again. She looked at him, dumbfounded.

"I don't understand..." she slowly uttered. "Aid with what?"

He cocked his head to the side. "Almost an entire century on this earth... and you still have no idea about the power you possess?"

"I-I do and I can control it just fine-"

"No, you don't," he instantly disagreed. "The Hierarch Square in Novigrad has been destroyed entirely. If not for me, the neighboring cities would have heard of it and sent a witch hunt."

"What did you do?" She asked cautiously.

He shrugged innocently. "I simply repaired the place. Unfortunately, I cannot return the lives you took. Which, by the way, is why it's imperative you learn to control that power as soon as possible,"

"I didn't mean to," she said in a small voice, sitting on the foot of the bed the moment she was near it. Her legs trembled and her chest constricted in guilt.

He kneeled down in front of her. "I know you didn't. Accidents happen,"

"Not accidents like this." She brushed a tear from her cheek.

He paused. "You had a similar incident decades ago. I remember,"

She looked down at her lap, more tears escaping. "Please stop,"

"You were enrolled in Aretuza, but you weren't popular. You possessed a power you couldn't - can't - control and you were antagonized to the point where you committed a massacre-"

"It wasn't on purpose!"

"It was, unknowingly." He leaned down to try to catch her gaze. She closed her eyes tightly, overwhelmed. "Deep down, you hated them... and you wanted to hurt them for the way they treated you."

"I don't hate anyone," she choked out. She glanced at the door, hoping someone would come in and interrupt him.

"But you do. It's a nice persona you put on, but you can't keep pretending until the day you die,"

"I'm not pretending!" She cried out, pushing him away as hard as she could. He seemed unfazed by her outburst, but stepped back anyway.

"I'm not here to antagonize you," he said after a moment of silence.

"Then why are you here?" She said bitterly, placing the bottle on her blanket before she dropped it.

He smiled briefly. "We seem to stray from your subject again and again, don't you agree? I want to aid you. You need to learn how to use your power before you destroy the world with it,"

Her body fell ice cold when his words sunk in. She had the ability to cause such a destruction?

"All I need is a yes or no," he went on. He lifted his index finger. "But - if you decide you do want my help, you will benefit greatly from it. I will offer you protection and I am even willing to grant Geralt the same."

"And if I say no? You'll give me bad luck for sixty years?"

"No." He shook his head, chuckling. "But I will not stand idly by as you destroy this planet. If you refuse to learn how to control yourself, I will kill you myself."

She breathed out slowly, then swallowed. "So I don't have a choice?"

"Of course you do! One choice is simply more attractive than the other,"

She glared at him. "Fine,"

"Fine?"

She cleared her throat. "I accept your help."