After months of travel, they finally reach the Kaer Morhen.
Kaer Morhen was a fortress with mountains surrounding it. Whoever builds the castle has used the terrain to the highest potential and create a tight defensive fortress. The fog around the mountain gives it a whole mysterious feeling like out of this world.
"Now this is what a view should look like," she said to herself
"Wonderful isn't?"
"Yes" she nods looking up
"This will be the place where you will stay from now on." Then he stops and looks down at the curious child.
"Once you enter, you can't never back out. This is the last chance you will get a normal life. Think about it carefully."
She didn't answer immediately and look at the mountains as she spoke;
"The first time, I thought about being an ordinary child, but I feel out of place, that I feel like I don't belong there at all. Fate didn't let me as it gave me powers that I don't know how to control. I need a purpose to use this talent in something worth it. Maybe that's my mission in life"
"Purpose huh? Sounds kinda nice"
Her wavy wheat hair flap with the wind.
As a person given by a system (even its broken), she was not willing to live an ordinary life. She wants to see all the mysterious things in the various world and explore them.
She will become strong and protect her family with all she had. She won't waste a chance given to her.
-
They were entering the castle from the bridge when someone shouts at the top of the castle.
"Geralt!"
They look up to see a blond hair kid was waving at him from the top
Geralt wave back.
"That's Ciri"
She nods looking at the Ciri curiously. Ciri also notices her and smiles.
"Okay, let's introduce you to everyone."
They gallop the horse inside leaving a trail of dust.
-
Unlike the impressive view outside the castle, the inside was already worn out ruins and she can see the structures were already crumbled ages ago.
Of course, she already expects this, she watches the beautiful but old Kaer Morhen, the forgotten keeper of Blue mountain, and the ancient ruins of Wolf school. Although they still exist, their number didn't increase anymore after the incident years ago.
Geralt disembark and brought her down. Ciri rushes down the stairs and lunch herself at him.
"Geralt!" the young Ciri excitedly hugs him tight.
"Your back!' she said excitedly she pull back and look at the little kid curiously
"Yep, I'm back. Is Vesemir in here?"
"Yes, he was currently studying something"
Geralt nod
"Keep her company for a while will you?"
"Who is she?"
Geralt looks at his side at the little girl who was watching their interaction from the start.
"She's Illyah, I brought her here"
"Why?" Ciri tilts her head
Geralt didn't speak and rub his temple.
"She has the potential to be a mage, I was wondering if Triss can help me with her."
"Triss? She was here!"
"Oh, where she's at?"
"She was talking to Vesemir a moment ago, the last time I check she was going to your room"
"I see."
Then Geralt leaves them two alone.
Ciri look at her upside down
"Hello"
She nod
"Hello"
"So I'm Ciri" She held out her hand
"Illyah" she shakes her hand firmly then let go as they observe one another
"How did you meet Geralt by the way?"
"He saves our village, and then I follow him."
"Oh," then suddenly Ciri s eyes bulge out.
"You follow him?"
She nods again
"But why?"
She slowly let out electricity from her finger creating small lightning.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
"Cool..."
Joan can feel her face twitch. She was ashamed of herself for showing off before a magic expert, but who cares? As long as she increases her favorable impression on Ciri, nothing's wrong with being a side-character/friend.
"So...you're going to stay here too?" Ciri said sounding hopeful
"Maybe?"
"Cool! Then let me show you around. I can show you some cool stuff!"
Then Ciri began to drag her everywhere. She shows her every part of the training facility.
-
After the long tour, they stop at the balcony facing the larger than life mountains.
"It quite here," she remarks looking at those mountains from the distance.
"Sigh" yeah, it's boring too."
Then someone coughs behind them. Ciri covers her mouth and turns around only to laugh when she saw a red hair beauty.
"Triss!"
Triss approaches them and looks at Joan.
"Is she the one Geralt was talking about?"
"Umm" Ciri nod
Triss look at her upside down
Suddenly, Joan frown when she felt someone trying to invade her mind. She bulges her eyes and panic. She hastily uses her energy and pours it to her [Mind Enhancement].
Ciri gawk when Illyah was suddenly surrounded by lightning.
After a few seconds, the lightning surrounding Illyah vanish.
Illyah gasp, she grits and look at Triss vigilantly.
"Interesting..." Trissr smiles and looks at her curiously.
Suddenly Illyah remembers the content that Triss was proficient in mind arts, she can control them as she like, one of her examples was Geralt who she forced to love her.
She bit her lip wishing she didn't read any of her memories before coming here.
"Don't be scared little one, I didn't look at anything important"
She looks doubtful at her, but still staying vigilant
"Triss!"
"Right sorry for doing it." Triss not sounding a bit apologetic
Joan just nod. Not saying anything.
"So you're the one that Geralt found, I heard you want to be a witcher, but there was never a woman becoming a witcher in history- "
"What about me?" Ciri put a hand to her hip and chin out.
"Well darling, you're an exceptional case."
"I want to try." Joan stubbornly look at her
"You're just going to die if you insist on becoming one, I can teach you how to harness your powers and become a sorcerer, at least there will be a little painful process."
"No, I want to be a witcher!"
Triss eye twitch, wondering where Geralt found this brat.
She calms her breath and looks at her.
"Suit yourself little girl, but the training of becoming a witcher was brutal. If you change your mind, you can find me." Then she teleports away
Ciri looks at her with happiness and worries. Ciri knows how hard the process to become a witcher, on the other hand, she was happy because finally, she won't be alone in her training session.
"Let's meet Geralt and see what he says."
-
Geralt look at Vesemir and Triss.
Vesemir was the oldest witcher of them all. Same as Geralt, he has long white hair and yellow eye. He has a look of vicissitudes around his eyes that speak experience, he was his mentor.
Triss was a beautiful red hair woman sorcerer who he asks to help Ciri with her problems. Their relationship was quite complicated but due to Ciri, he was forced to seek help to her.
"She will die if she tried to become a witcher, and besides we haven't had a witcher in years. We have no prior experience of transforming one and it's a female." Vesemir said, "She should try to be a sorcerer."
"But she wants to be a witcher," Geralt said
"Who cares if she wants to be a witcher? She still a runt, soon her mind will change after she grew up. Just wait."
Geralt just sigh, knowing both Triss and Vesemir was right.
"Triss-"
"Don't look at me, although the kid has potential, she needs to discover it herself. If the kid wants to be witcher then there's nothing I can do. I'll just teach her a few tricks on my sleeve."
Geralt just shakes his head.
"By the way, what did you find out?" Geralt asks her
"Nothing much, the kid has no memories at all of her childhood which is interesting, but I watch her perform her magic spell naturally."
"Possible of possession?"
"No, I didn't detect any demonic magic or force spiritual invasion on her. She's a natural gifted. That's why it's fascinating as someone like a kid like her who knows how to use magic from the very beginning, it's like hereditary. It's my first time seeing someone like her."
"Is that even possible?" Vesemir frown when he heard it.
Geralt scratches his chin, he remembers how fast the little girl learned. He frowns when he remembers how she easily killed someone without batting an eye.
"Is it possible that she's another experiment?"
Both of them became silent.
"Then that will be big trouble." Triss sigh
Ciri's case was enough to have them a headache of a lifetime. Now a girl of unknown origin was giving them a headache.
"Tomorrow I'll check her background and hereditary to see anything do not hold up."
"So you're leaving her here?"
"Yes, the girl has been abandon by her mother immediately after she saw me, I don't think I can give her life back again. At least I can do is make her life better."
-
"Geralt!"
Geralt was currently on the balcony in his room looking at those mountains while thinking.
He was wearing a white tunic shirt and tight black pants. He turns around and saw both the girls approach him.
"Hello girls"
"Hello"
"So, how's the castle?" looking at Joan
"It's big"
"Of course"
"And very quiet"
Geralt nod.
"I'll be leaving tomorrow," he said to both of them
Ciri look disappointed when she hears that.
"But you just got back..."
"Don't worry, I'll be back soon."
Ciri just nods looking downcast.
Geralt then look at Joan.
"Starting tomorrow, you be training with Ciri together. If you want to be a witcher, you need to be tough. No crying when I got back okay?"
"Yes"
"Good, how about we eat for dinner, Triss has cooked something delicious."
Ciri's mood became joyful when she heard Triss cooking something.
"Is she going to stay for dinner?"
"Of course"
"Yes!"
Joan watches in sidelines as Geralt and Ciri carried their father-daughter moment.
She suddenly remembers her father teaching her to ride the bike, although he sucks at teaching, they have fun exploring and learning how to ride it.
It's one of the best moments between her and her dad.
-
The next day, while Geralt leaves with Triss to investigate her origins, Joan finally started her training as a witcher.
Although she was a girl, Vesemir never been biased and been very strict on his teachings. She watches and absorbs every detail of the training while secretly practicing the others skills.
At first, she learned how to handle a sword (she already knows how to handle swords, but it will be suspicious to show her skills.) but even she slowly wields her sword, Vesemir was still surprised how easy she learned the form of combat easily.
The second lesson was about knowledge about monsters and their origin.
To know your enemy, know their details, their habitats, their weakness, and their strength. In the witcher world, many super natural creatures were not from this world. They came from a different world like the multiverse.
As a witcher, they have been trained to slain their enemy in the combination of magic and combat. As they discover their enemy weaknesses, they also created a potion to use as buffs to combat monsters.
"Before I leave this world, I'm going to become an alchemist." She said firmly to herself.
That's why Vesemir was surprised when Illyah starts to study on her own.
"Can I study alchemy?"
"Hmm sure, if you're up for it."
-
"What did you find?" Triss was currently drinking at a seedy bar where a chaotic scene was normality, strangely enough, everyone was ignoring her existence as if she doesn't exist.
"Nothing, just they're family was just an ordinary farmer. Nothing can prove that they have undergone some human experimentation. I also check their blood and found nothing strange." Geralt sit at the empty stool bar and order a pint.
"So it's a coincidence then?"
"Perhaps."
The bartender bought the pin and back it down splashing in the nearby table.
"Watch it, buddy"
The bartender just looks at him indifferently and start cleaning wooden cups.
Geralt just sigh.
"Whatever she is, I already promise to help her and I will follow to it"
"How noble of you."
"That's what you like about me" he chuckles while drinking the cup
"What I like about you is you are a very smart man and know what's you're doing."
"I tough you like me because I'm easy"
"Geralt don't push your luck." Then she stood up
"Come on, let's get out of here"
"Where are we going?" but stood up and follow Triss
"If you're a smart man, you don't need to ask where I am going with this right?" she looks back at Geralt and gives a charming smile
"Right, why don't we continue this talk in my room."
"See, smart man"