Chapters Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be turned to stone. No? Then let me tell you.
It's boring, but not just boring like if you were reading uninteresting book to school that you hate, but still know that it's really needed to pass an exam.
No it's BORING ! It is like if you were reading phone book over and over again to the point that you know every single number in it and are able to call anyone in the entire world at any time of day but you can't because you have to yet read this fucking book another thousand three hundred twenty seven years to be sure that you really know every single fucking number that is inside of it.
You ask how the hell I get myself into situation so severe that there was no other choice but to put me into this forsaken prison with only god of chaos to talk to, my own thought that are much depleted (because my tormentors have stolen part of my soul before they were able to imprison me) and this stupid view on the middle of the royal gardens?
The answer is actually really simple. I have been accused of killing one monster too much. Then without the right to a lawyer or any other means to defend myself I just some day, during my free day I get zapped by an rainbow, (what actually hadn't worked at first,) then after confirming identity of my attackers and little quarrel, I am stripped of my anti-magic protection and get zapped again, and am slowly enveloped in stone. (I must say that my battle pose don't look half bad, but try to stay in it for over thousand years yourself and then we will talk again).
What monster I have in mind, you ask? Ah, but to answer this question I must first tell you who I am and who I was.
You see for the last 1377 years between Diamond Dogs packs I was know as White Wolf, for Changeling's hives I was Butcher from Blaviken, for Griffins tribes I was Gwynbleidd and for Ponies kingdoms I was known as Geralt of Rivia, but it was Dragons that know who I was before coming to Equestria and as their dragon code prevent them they never told anyone the truth about it.
Namely before I stumbled into this land of false tolerance and order, I was known as Konrad, (yes my name is written by K not C as any other Konrad in my country and I refuse to change any name from my home to language that you are using so if you want to know how it is translated use a fucking dictionary) and I was living in Poland, had 21 years, studying biology on UAM and was big fan of RPG's and almost anything that was related to them.
So it shouldn't surprise you that when in my city was held an fantasy fans convention I was one of many cos-players that came to share their love to this subject with others.
To be honest I was actually preparing for years for this event. I let my white hairs grow, sewn my own leather armor with all its accessories, bought special contact lenses, made my own medallion, elixirs itp. and even made a fake scar on the eye. Unfortunately I couldn't get any fake swords or even matching knives and plastic chains are too delicate, but hey it was still solid piece of work.
So when I came to the convention as, dun... dun... dun... Geralt of Rivia, it was obvious that my first choice was to went straight to stale that was dedicated to him.
And what a shock, there were my missing weapons right before my very eyes. And what's more, they weren't some plastic shit that you normally see at places like this. No they were the real metal thing, the knives looked sharp enough to cut off my finger if I just tough it's edge, the hook was looking ready for any trophy that would get into its reach, the chain was shimmering with light and of course the swords.
First the steel sword measured about forty inches, and weigh no more than thirty-five ounces. Covered for a considerable length by the runic characters (for some reason it looked for me as if they really were actual Zoltan's saying 'Na pohybel Skurwysynom' (the closest thing would be 'On Death to Motherfuckers' ) I still remember the time when I first read about how this normal sword repelled spell from the strongest wizard in the story,) blade had a bluish tint and was sharp as a razor, with a little practice you could shave with it. Twelve inch, crisscrossing straps wrapped leather lizard handle instead of the head was a cylindrical brass tag, dace was very small and intricately decorated. It really looked like actual dwarven Sighil that changed Geralt's destiny.
And the second sword, similar in length and weight, silver. In part, of course. Steel pin shod with silver, as the blades are steel, covered with a layer of silver. pure silver is too soft to sharpen them well. On the hand-guard and the entire length of the blade runes and glyphs, (as well as with steel one I had the impression to actually understand the writing 'Dubhenn haern am glâdeal, morc'h am fhean aiesin. - Mój błysk przebije ciemności, moja jasność mroki rozproszy.' (again the closest translation would be 'My flash will pierce the darkness, my brightness will disperse the gloom'.))
So as any normal fan I just had to buy them before someone else do it.
I was about to ask the merchant how much for the set, when I realized who the fuck was sitting before me, it was this fucking motherfucker, spy and fence Talar from first game, he even welcomed me with his legendary 'No to jak kurwa będzie, robimy interes?' (What is really not the same with translated to English as the closest would be 'So what, will we deal?')
Of course after my shock had passed I was able to determine that the prize was actually every last pln that I was planing to spend during this con, but hey you live only once right? So I bought it and put everything in the proper places.
And when only the last knife found its place inside its sheath that all shit began.
Time as if stopped, medallion began to vibrate like a fucking vibro-action and in front of my eyes opened some freaking portal to who know what hell and the only sound that I could hear was laughter of this fucking Talar wanna-be.
Ah you think that, that was it? Then stop thinking 'cause it's apparently not your thing.
There was no fucking way that I would go without any fight, so without even thinking what I was doing I took out the steel sword and cut through the portal and believe it or not, but when this gate of doom shattered there was nothing so satisfying in the world than that shocked expression on the merchant's face.
"How?" he asked so I explained him how retarded someone must be to first give someone weapon that can destroy magic and then try and use magical portal on the same person. He just looked on me angrily and before I have time to react I was unconscious.
To this day I'm not sure how he got me, but when I had awoken in the middle of some field, I had felt the worst kind of pain that ever happened to me, it was like if my entire body had went through every step of witcher's mutations in one go (and as I think about it probably had.)
Fortunately or maybe unfortunately it hadn't last long, because while I was lying unable to move any muscle, I wasn't yet aware of the presence that was slowly approaching.
Before I could do anything, I was hit by something... hard.
That way I met my first customer and later my only friend in the whole land of Equestria...
Author's Note
So this is my first displaced story that I've made to get rid of creative blockade.
...Something begins. (edit)
When I have woken up again? I'm not sure myself. My hourglass, (yes I have the hourglass from the first game, as well as many other things that I will tell you about later,) can only count max 24 hours so I had to be unconscious for more than that, but if I could believe in words of my captor at that time it wasn't by much.
Ah yes, my captor. She was actually the first thing that greeted me after my forced nap. And as you probably realized yourself when I saw her I understood that I was no longer in Kansas. (Yes I know it's cliche and I'm not even from America. Shut up!)
So how do I describe her? Well to begin with the most important shit when I first saw her that day, inside of this cave that she took me into, (don't you dare to ask,) most obvious were her facial features.
What do I mean by that? If you must know it's nothing much, it is such a minor detail that her face was a FUCKING horse muzzle. See nothing of much importance. Of course it wasn't exactly like the muzzle of the horses from home, because then I would had thought that I was just being pranked.
OK but I'm getting sidetracked here. So to put it blunt she had looked like some kind of Pony-Human hybrid straight from this furry hentais that were really popular in the net. She had muzzle, yes. But it was much shorter when compared to any other ponies that I saw before, her whole face was covered by thick, yet short, green fur (I have told you to shut up? No? then SHUT UP!) pony ears at the top of her head and between them there was her short, straight hairs (or rather mane) that were of yellow color neatly groomed to resemble human hairdo. (Don't ask me what kind of hairdo I'm no barber.) And of course we can't forget about her gigantic, violet eyes that were occupying almost every inch of her face (I swear if she were a dog I wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to give her anything she would want with this eyes of hers.) But besides this her face was as human as it was possible.
As what comes to the rest of her body let's begin with that she was looking for about 1,90 m height, she had slender figure, long arms complete with hands and all five fingers, (what? When you consider the fact that she also had long, muscular, hooved legs it is a big relief.) She also had nice looking pair of breasts and quite firm ass (oh and tail I almost forgotten to mention the tail,) if you really must know. Besides this she was wearing primitive yet firm yellow dress that was emphasizing her shape very nicely.
So all things considered she was a beauty.
There were only two things that weren't right with her look, the first one was that she looked to be too perfect and believe me when I said that there is no such thing like something perfect, besides God himself. (Yes I know Geralt was atheist, but I'm not. Something else? Good.)
And the second that what have been reason for my awakening was that my medallion began to twitch with enough energy that there could be only one reason for that. Magic, rather powerful and in close proximity, most likely illusion. Ah but I haven't realized that at first, (give me some slack I was just hurled through dimensions and lying tied with ropes in presence of an anthro... plus I had the biggest headache in the history of headaches... Yes I was hangover.)
So there we were, I on the ground in one corner, she standing in the darkness (oh yeah I can see in the dark, how do you think I knew how she looked like.) And next to her were all my things not counting clothes and medallion.
As we were silently observing each other, she finally decided to make a first move and talk. "So what the hay are you and what are you doing here creature?!" In that moment I had realized that my life suck, 'cause it look's like the inhabitants of this world speak only English (I can speak English, but there was no way in hell that I was going to write using it. Of course later it came to bite me in the ass as it occurred that whatever language they were using to write wasn't even that, or any other language known to me.)
"Answer me! I know that you can understand me, so don't you dare to make me repeat myself." In mere seconds she changed from politely asking to coarse threats.
That was when I decided to use the only thing that almost always worked. Telling as much truth as it was possible and as much half truth as needed. "Sight* Homo Sapiens Sapiens , also known as human, currently mutant." The look on her face was totally worth it. " As to why I'm here? I have honestly no idea where I am in the first place let alone why. The last thing I remember was minding my own business, meeting this stupid fence and puff I wake up in the middle of nowhere.
"Does that answer your questions?" I asked.
I still remember how my answer distracted her so much that her whole body was shaken with flicker of green fire before she retrieved her composure. Of course that was little too late as it was that moment when it all came to me. (That's right I was in anthro version of magical land of Equestria. Oh and my medallion was vibrating in presence of a disguised changeling.) As you probably may know, this kind of realization isn't a nice thing to have.
"OK hooman what's your name then? And why are you wearing so much weapons with you?" Was her oh so brilliant response.
"First it's human, not hooman and you can call me Geralt," I swear that she snorted when I corrected her, but she said nothing, so I continued. "and second, this weapons are my tools of work as I am a witcher." she was about to question me further, but I swiftly outdone her with answer. "And before you ask, witchers are defenders for rent. They were created specifically to ensure safety from the plague of monsters that was widespread in the past. Most of the time they are hired to do exactly that, but can also work as bodyguards as they never leave the job undone and are incorruptible," On her confused look I added. "They never betrayed their clients. Got it?" She nodded and began to consider something. "Good, so now tell me your name and tell me how exactly can I help you?" I know that I was laying it thick, but I wasn't in any condition for subtlety.
She visibly scoffed, but regardless answered. "I'm Buttercup." Of course I didn't bought it, I still remember how suspicious of me she was at that time, so when she had say that, I had to stop her there.
"Pretty name, but I asked for your real one." This actually make her speechless for a moment, so I tried more diplomatically. "C'mon I haven't lied to you so far, it's only polite to repay the same way." I was hoping beyond hope for some advance in our talk.
Finally after some quick thinking she sighed and said this five words that have hunted me from that day onward. "My real name is Dandelion." (No the irony of that statement haven't escaped my mind as well as the few things she said later.) "And I am traveling bard that actually could use the services of an bodyguard." (That's right she's the fucking equestrian version of Jaskier, also known as Julian Alfred Pankratz viscount de Lettenhove and the fact that her false name is the actual translation for 'Jaskier' haven't escaped me either.)
That was it. From the next thing I was going to said depended my fate for the next 1377 years. I of course didn't knew that then, so I shrugged and said. "Working as a bodyguard for a changeling?" The shear horror on her face was so funny that I almost smiled. Key word: Almost. "Ok. I can go with that, but from this day until the day of my death I'm calling you 'Jaskier' whenever private, or public." (Yes I know that I'm a damn hypocrite. Piss off, I couldn't resist myself ok? It's not everyday that you find other world version of your favorite character best friend. And I told you that names that I consider as ones from my home I will use as such. Fuck you too.)
Of course she was more than a little taken aback by this statement and was about to say something, but I stoped her before she could do so whith a quick flick of my bound hand, (not so easy to do as it could seem).
"Consider it a part of the agreement, or maybe a part of your disguise just humor me." I said. "Payment every other week,... or if there would be any complication that would make you unable to pay, the moment when it will be again possible."
This time I didn't even botherd to wait for her to finish opening her mouth before continuing. "We will decide upon the prize later when I will get to know this place better, such as the common curency and the like, then it will be mostly depending on the difficulty of the task, namely how much trouble do you have get yourself into to be asking a total stranger for protection.
"Whether these conditions are acceptable or not decide yourself and do what you feel is right." I finished.
I saw that she was thinking very hard about my proposition. I could understand that. On the one hand I was aware of her true identity and still were proposing to work for her, so it's no trouble for her to find it doubtful. On the other hand I was able to see past her disguise within past few minutes what means the skill that can be very useful for a lonely changeling, (what can only means an outcast, or the last from it's hive. Spy wouldn't use this method as it was against the purpose of being a spy.) So what she said next hadn't been a surprise. "Ok I accept your terms..."
This time it was her that stoped me when she continued. "But before I will free you, you must tell me how did you find out, or what gave me away, so that I could know what to expect from you."
We were slowly getting close to the end of our negotiations. There was only two things that I had left to do.
One was to tell her what's she wanted to know. Second was to proof my abilities, (who need a boudyguard that can't guard?)
So I tried to do the one thing that I wasn't sure of first, namely magic. (Yes I know that it was playing a long shot but hey as I already said - you live only once. So even if I'm stuck in the different world than mine I will try to make the most of it. And now shut up.)
As I said I wasn't sure if it would work or not, but still before she could come closer to hear my answer properly I quickly made the sign Igni and even before the rope had catch the fire I had momentary knew that it actually worked, as I felt quite a loss of strength as if something was draining energy straight from the inside of me.
I then sat on the spot at the same time throwing burning rope far away from me. "Oh don't bother yourself." I swear her jaw literary had hitted the ground at that very moment. "And as to answer your question, if you watched carefully you have probably realized that I can use magic," Her face was priceless, "as well as I am in possession of this special medallion that is continually vibrating on my chest," She shot a quick glance at the forementioned item and nodded finally able to move. "that's because it is enchanted in such a way that whenever there is something that shouldn't nearby, it will do that to warn me about possible dangers. In short this is how I knew that you were using magic. But what actually betrayed you was that when we were talking earlier you let your disguise to flicker and that was enough for me to know for sure what kind of magic it was."
After this our talk practically ended and I don't want to quote how it gone from that point but it was that moment that my adventures in Equestria truly began.
Author's Note
After a year of blockade and many distractions I had decided to finally edit this chapter myself, as there was no one else. So tell me how do you like the little changes that I had put there and of course try to show me some other errors so I could take care of them as well.
So yeah, the travel through the magical land of Equestria, where ponies are the dominant species and the most powerful magic is friendship and love. You ask how I knew that I was thrown into Equestria? It's really simple. You see when I was still on Earth I was the only child from lonely hard working mother so you can imagine that I had a lot of free time to spend and a lack of resources to use it efficiently. (To say it in other words, I was bored as fuck.) So as such kid that I was, I had fell in love with fantasy and after that I began to get in contact with a wide range of different medias, which in turn led to not long after my meeting with "My Little Pony Friendship is Magic". (I just had finished watching second movie so my knowledge about this world was still fresh and after my travel to the actual place, it just remained in my head.)
Oh but you want to know why I hadn't done a shit about my new situation? After all I had told you myself that I wasn't willing to go anywhere, so how could I be so calm about that then? You see, at first it was just the fact that because of going through the whole process of mutation at once, (as I think about it, it seems to me that the merchant made me go through it out of pure malice.) I was in so much pain that I couldn't even think about how much it hurt, let alone about what had happened, before I had met with the blissful grasp of unconscious.
Later thought I just hadn't felt any need to freak out. No really, I was almost entirely stripped from any feelings. Believe me when I had first time awoken in that cave I was mentally readying myself for an attack of panic, but it had never came, (after talk with Jaskier I was even trying to force myself into any form of emotion that would even slightly resembled that of going crazy, really I was. My best effort had paid with an small shudder when I had imagined seeing some old man under the shower, brr.)
You may wonder how is something like that even possible, but you must understand that the mutation that every witcher had to go through isn't something that can be taken lightly. You see before creation of the first witcher was considered a success, there had to be after all the failure, or rather many failures, (I'm sure that you know that nothing in the world comes without a prize and even if sometimes it was supposed to be too high for anyone to pay, there were always people that were willing to take the risk, or more likely sacrifice others to gain what they wanted,) until finally after many experiments and hideous abominations, (that for a long time were posing a threat for peoples that they were supposed to protect,) thanks to connecting together powerful magic, most advanced science, technology and secrets of mysterious alchemy, there were created special system that was called "The Trials".
The witcher trials are primarily a series of three grueling stages in the witcher training process. First comes The Choice, (It consisted mainly of a voluntary decision to follow the special witcher diet which consists of mushrooms, mosses and herbs and grueling physical training. Many did not survive the trial, succumbing to liver or heart failure and sometimes madness, many with being left with excessively aggressive tendencies.) Young witchers were also taught sword skill, monster lore and herbalism. Next are The Changes and the main trials that are as follows:
The Trial of the Grasses. Which involved consuming various alchemical ingredients, or "the grasses" and affected the nervous system, it also involved mutation of the eyes, bone marrow and hormones, allowed for better night vision, among other benefits. It also resulted in infertility. The trial was performed in the witchers' laboratory at Kaer Morhen. Process of the whole mutation would normally be taking about a week and trust me, it wasn't pleasant. (I know I had felt the whole nurture on a witcher during mere minutes! The fact that I had survived is a fucking miracle.)
The Trial of the Dreams. Only boys who were unlikely to undergo total mutation were administered this test. It was primarily intended to verify whether the candidate remembered anything from the prior of "the grasses".
The Trial of the Mountains. As well as dreams were used only if there wasn't certainty to the full mutation. Young witchers were left on the desert for thirty days without water or food only the ones that were fully transformed were able to survive the trial.
Due to his remarkable resilience to the "normal" trials, Geralt was also subjected to additional, even more experimental trials, hence his superior abilities and also his white hair. (What was also the reason for even more pain for me, yay.)
All the trials would survive only about one from all twenty candidates. After them they would be re-taught all the information that they had forgotten during trials and would gone through even more grueling physical training, that was the final stage of the nurture. Trials connected with training were also responsible for almost complete lack of emotions.
And this is the reason why I couldn't fall into grasp of any emotion for a very long time, or why I couldn't really call myself by my old name. (I later had discovered that the name that I had chosen to use as my new one suited me better than I could had ever imagine, as during my bath in the nearby lake, it occurred that my form hadn't just went through the mutation into a witcher. No it went full transformation into that one of Geralt of Rivia. The only difference were our different histories. When I had realized that, I had almost shivered. Almost.)
But the effects of the finished process was incredible.
Witchers were stronger than the strongest human, faster and more agile than most of the monsters, they were able to move in a way that wasn't making any noises, they were able to see almost any imperfection from far afar and even in almost total darkness (with use of a special potion even in absolute one) and they were also very long-lived (through the whole life of an normal human you wouldn't be able to see a change.)
But as I said they were only almost perfect, because as it happens they also had defects. At the beginning of their existence it quickly came to light that mutation deprives the witcher of possibility to cast even the simplest of spells that even normal human was capable of. For this there quickly was found an remedy in form of magical amulets, that were the gateway to let magic from the inside of witchers to the outside and with proper time and training let them use higher and higher deposits of energy. (It is also known that when magic from the outside get into contact with one that is getting out of the medallions they are reacting in the form of vibration.)
But going back to the story. You see the most important informations that I was able to get out of my traveling companion (besides of course confirmation about being in Equestria,) were: A) our destination and B) information about recent events.
Why in this order and not vice versa? Because at that time I didn't know that I will be going to the nearby, recently established, located on an island, village of Manehattan. You see originally I had came out with the wrong assumption that if I had came to Equestria that would mean a time during, after, or little before the history showed in the series. I wasn't expecting that big of a difference in time frame, just after I had came with the land of Equestria right.
So yeah Manehattan was just a village build about six years ago, in honor of two alicorn sisters, after their famous victory against the very same lord of chaos who's statue is currently standing next to mine. Other cities that were existing during that time were small port city Baltimare on east, (also the closest town to Manehattan), western town of Las Pegasus (on west), recently restored Cloudsdale in center, capitol of Hoovington with castle of two sisters also close to center, slowly growing city of Crystal Empire ruled by freshly crowned King in the north, (yes it is Sombra, shut up! I never liked episodes in the Empire so I have forgotten about him) and finally in the far south there was one city that I wasn't expecting to hear about ever again. Bloody Blaviken! Don't ask how, why or what 'cause I still have trouble to understand it myself, after all in the place of this forsaken city was supposed to be legendary badlands and not the only city that Geralt of Rivia shouldn't ever visit.
What else you should know is that about two years ago died the greatest wizard known to pony-kind, Star Swirl the Bearded was gone and with him dangers of meeting Tirek or three sirens were gone as well, (or rather I was sure that they were not my problem. Now as I am stuck in this stone, I'm not convinced anymore.)
So yeah that would be about all history that I had luck to get to know, as it looks that anything before the Discord (and isn't the info about creation of Equestria) was lost to time and chaos. What do you want, my history tutor was bloody changeling, the fact that she had knew even this about Equestrias history was considered quite much for her species.
So after the lecture we finally began to move forward. And as it happens in such stories, not much time had passed before everything went straight to hell. You see as everyone probably know that, eventually Discord isn't a bad person, he's just an old prankster who's jokes never have been lethal. The only problem was that after he wasn't there anymore, then not every one of his creations wanted to stay that way.
You knew every single monster that isn't Windigo was actually made by him? Yeah I haven't then either, so when in front of us showed a lonely manticore, I would normally be frightened like shit. (Only because of the reasons that I had explained to you earlier, I wasn't.) I'm sure that Jaskier was because when only she had noticed it, she had quickly hid behind the closest tree. I haven't stopped her, after all if someones first reaction to danger is fright rather than fight then they are better out of the conflict.
I had time only to take out my steel sword, before it had made quick jump toward me with a sudden and equally fast attack of it's right paw. I admit that I wasn't exactly expecting from it anything beyond what I had saw in the second episode of the show, so to tell that I had been surprised would be an understatement of the millennium. So don't judge me too severely when I tell you that my reaction was dull, slow, completely instinctual and no so completely successful, as when I had been jumping to the side one of beast's claws had landed a lucky hit cutting me across the cheek.
The actual wound was only skin deep but the stinging pain from the cut that was there, (even if comparing to the shit that I just went through, it was like small bite from a mosquito,) was actually unnerving enough to make me feel something much closer to an actual fear, that I would had liked at that moment. Besides I hadn't even had any time for any reflections on myself, 'cause in a fraction of a second the manticore had realized that it first attack wasn't as deadly as it assumed it would, it apparently decided that maybe attack of the other paw would be more successful, what it immediately performed.
That time I was fully aware of the speed at with the punch was coming, but even then my pirouette to the other side proved to be again too slow providing me a matching cut on my other cheek, (at that moment I looked as if I had fucking feline whiskers. Irony that I was fighting against one hasn't escaped me, thank you very much.)
Of course this parody of a lion wasn't discouraged from another missed attack, on the contrary it looked quite enraged that the supposed easy prey were causing it problems, angry enough to actually went and use it's ultimate weapon against this annoying weakling that dared to oppose it.
It was during the time when the monster was preparing for an finishing move, when I realized that if the manticore even scrape with it's tale then even with witchers natural resistance to any kind of poison or sickness it may give the beast advantage big enough to actually finish the fight in it's favor. I couldn't let that to happen, but how? (Attack of this tail is fast enough to actually hit Rainbow freaking Dash who, when want, is faster that fucking sound. There was no way for me to avoid it with my current speed.) The though about the possibility of incoming doom made me actually nervous enough that I couldn't think straight. I had to somehow calm myself and think about way out.
And as if on a cue it was that moment, that I had chosen to use my empty hand to grab amulet of a wolf that was peacefully hanging around my neck. It dawned on me that I knew an old witcher way of calming nerves. The sign of Igni. I had quickly placed my fingers into the sign and not even a moment had passed before I felt as part of my nervousness had left me, together with some of my strength.
Please note that it was only a very small part, but in the end it was sufficient, because when I had calmed myself this little bit I had remembered what had been taught to Ciri in the stronghold of Kaer Morhen. What was it you ask? Only the simple truth that if your enemy is stronger than you, you must use his strength against him.
And the time of realization couldn't had been any more appropriate, as it looked that the manticore had finished its preparations and was ready to strike at any moment now. It began to circle around me slowly, with each step getting closer and closer and its tail at the ready. I had answered it by getting into circling motion myself and improving grip on the hilt of my sword as to to secure maximum efficiency during my next and possibly last stun during that fight.
How it had chosen the right moment to attack? I don't know, it could be instinct, it could be the bird that had picked that moment to flew over our heads, or it could be something entirely different what was known only to manticore itself. The only thing that I actually can be sure of is that when the deadly sting was coming toward me with the speed of an bullet, I was well focused and ready.
The tail was exactly an inch from piercing me right through the chest when I decided to try my trick, I had made most daring pirouette in my live, using my own momentum, the flat side of my sword to push myself away from the attacking limb at the same time utilizing energy of the attack to escape even faster.
My work had proven to be mostly successful, but I had underestimated the power with which I had again met with the ground and was stumbling a little while trying to retrieve my balance. a second more and I would be beheaded at that moment as the manticore had made another attempt to slash me with its right claw. Fortunately it had ended only with shortening few of my hairs that were sticking out too much.
After that our battle shifted into something that in form had been more resembling some kind of murderous dance rather than actual duel. The brute would continue the output of attacks, while I would continue to carefully avoid every one of them. First it would go right hook of the beast and I would jump to my left, next would be left one, I would jump to my right and finally the tail straight forward on what I would answer with save and bounce to the side. Sometimes the manticore would try an feint but at that point i was too much focused to fall into it's trap. (One time it even tried to bite, but a single right hook to the jaw was enough to stop another attempt.) And with every next attack I would be getting better and better, to the point when I almost began to enjoy the fight. (It was as if I was in the first game all the skills were there hidden inside of my body, I had only to retrieve them.) Unfortunately I had also began to feel the effects of incoming fatigue and looking at the manticore it was in much better shape than me. If I would be stalling this fight for much longer, without a doubt I would finally die and that wasn't going to happen.
As such there was no other option as to actually go and try to kill the beast, before I won't be able to fight anymore. (What, like I should had tamed it? As if, I'm not a fucking Flutershy for god sake, at that time I couldn't had subdued little puppy, let alone hungry and angry beast.) And the killing is exactly what I had decided to do.
So when the manticore had decided to again attack me with a wide coup of it's right claw, (much too wide as I think about it today,) I had made simple feint to the left just under it's arm and at the same time cutting through the armpit, and with an continued momentum, finished by cutting attack toward very base of it's tail. (I'm sure, that I don't have to tell you that it had been severed from the body with an clear cut.)
I was about to continue our dance fully aware of the fact that without it's tail and with wounded leg it wasn't going to pose much threat anymore, but too many times I had heard about how the wounded animal is the most dangerous one to lower my guard just yet. But before I had completely readied myself for another attack, this brute was already bleeding itself to death. (You see under armpit there is an very big artery that when cut can kill an adult during mere seconds and you can't forged that I had also cut out the tail, very important part of manticores biology, that to proper use it requires to be well vascularized. And why am I explaining this to you? Because I know that this end may seem very disappointing for you, even if you won't admit it openly. Hell I was almost disappointed because of it myself, so much hard work and for what? But you just have to understand that to kill someone, or something you don't need any literal bust of the guts, sometimes you just need to have the misfortune of getting a cut with a paper on your finger, or something even less spectacular than that, to actually drop dead.)
Here's how that adventure had ended. It was actually first real fight in my life and as it later occurred it was also the easy one at the same time. 'Cause when compared to just other manticores, this one had proved to be one of the weakest and dumber, beside it was only one rather than it had happened many times later, in a group made of three to four animals. But it was actually enough for Jaskier to never doubt into my abilities. (That at that time were actually one big shit compared to the ones from the time just before my imprisonment.)
Our journey from that point had proved to be a peaceful one, so nothing was stopping us from some small talks during the way, (don't ask about what exactly this talk was, 'cause it was just a normal bullshit that people talk about during their travels and I was unable to remind from it anything after only few minutes of silence, that was actually lasting much longer than any kind of a talk.) And that way we had eventually reached our first target. The village of Manehattan.
During that time the city wasn't even close to the metropolis from the show (it was more in the taste of Ponyville rather than actual Manehattan,) but the look of it was still quite pleasant for eyes, the buildings were neatly arranged according to their purposes, yet it all contained in itself some kind of a charm that made the whole place looking aesthetically enough.
But we hadn't came there for the sightseeing, only to work our asses out, so the further object of things to do on our list was getting into the closest inn. When that was checked it was finally time for Jaskier to make her first performance in the town to get so much needed love from her audience and for me to do exactly the one thing that I was supposed to be paid for, protect her. (Yes protection. Don't even ask how many times I had to punch some drunken dolt into mouth because he thought that it was a great idea to go and make kinky propositions toward Jaskier while she was in the middle of a show.)
And what a show it was. When I had heard the melody of the song that she was about to sing for the first time I couldn't believe my ears. Why you ask? Because no matter how many times she had later explained what were the actual words of this specific song, it wouldn't have change that when she was performing it, I would be only able to hear her voice that was singing this song . (The same would be true for her every other song, no matter what would she sang, I would had heard something from my home.)
After the exhibition was finished it was time for a little relaxation at the bar, (that was the moment that I had met with a real disappointment, namely their beverage. It had tasted like a bad apple juice, was as much strong and as I asked the bartender was also the strongest thing that I would met while between ponies. How the hell were they even able to get drunk with this shit was high beyound me. It would probably had broke me then if not for my emotionless state, after all I had great need in alcohol when making my potions and making it myself was going to be time-consuming.) Later we would call it night and go to sleep inside of the rented room in the tavern. (It was also then that I had discovered that I rather than sleeping I am going into state of some kind conscious meditation and it occurs only then if I had first prepared my hourglass beforehand. It's really help to remain alive in the wild, as despite feeling of an accelerated passage of time, I am still able to react adequately to the situation.)
The next day we would eat some breakfast, go explore the town and after return, we would get back to work.
This process would continue for next few days before she decided that it was time for our departure to the next city.
And so we did. For the next ten years we would travel from town to town looking for love, fame and bits.
During the way we were sometimes encountering various obstacles, (monsters of many forms, bunches of thugs and sometimes just a wrong twist on the road,) but even then we had enough time to get to know each other better, to the point that I was honestly considered her as my friend, enough to tell her whole truth about myself.
While in the town Jaskier would give from one to ten performances during the stay and then we would go to another place, the townsfolk would be actually quite nice, even if they were spending most of the time to stare at me with a reluctance or even fear, it wasn't that discouraging as I would had worry.
Rumor would have fly fast and it wasn't long before I would be known between ponies as an exceptional bodyguard 'Geralt of Rivia' in the service of someone equally incredible. Poet and musician 'Buttercup' also known as 'Jaskier'. And it would probably stay that way for a little longer if not for the fact that after this ten years of the routine traveling together, we had finally visited the only place that I should had never agree to do.
Where you would ask? The closest thing that I can thing about would be hell. Why you ask? Because my dear companion had told herself that she can't be recognized between people as great poet if she wouldn't perform in every town that exist and with that reason on tongue she had spend five years trying to persuade me into coming to that cursed place. She was quite persistent about that and after many insinuations that I just had a paranoia I had finally agreed to go.
Yes that's right. We had came to the fucking Blaviken.
Blaviken, city that looked as normal as it is in Equestria ever possible. Oh why I hadn't knew better than that? When we crossed the border everything was quiet, ponies were freely walking through the streets and there were this nice feeling in the air that you can find only in the most peaceful of places. Even the always present stares were likely less focused on me and more on the person besides me.
So why I had this chilling feeling that soon everything was going to screw up very badly? I'm not sure, it could be a simple prejudice, but considering what had later happened, I'm tempted to doubt it.
At first all issues went just like in other towns, Jaskier's performance was met with an eager audience that was big enough to fill her stomach with a decent meal and her purse with nice amount of golden bits, so she decided to stay for the night and try another show the next day. I of course expressed my concerns that something hadn't suit me in that town, but she wasn't listening and as you may predict yourself it hadn't end well. We had an argument and in a fit of anger I left for some air.
As I roamed through the streets for a good half an hour, I had finally realized what was wrong the whole time. Whenever I get close to any home, or lonely pony my medallion would go into frenzy as if there was some motor inside.
When only I had understood that, without waiting I had sprinted straight to our tavern to warn Jaskier about possible problems. Only she wasn't there. (For a very long time I couldn't forgive myself for what I had done that night. I was supposed to protect her with my life, because this is what I had promised her to do, in my entire life I had never broken any promise. When I knew that I couldn't keep one I just didn't make it. But then, in the time of real danger I had left her alone because of a half-assed anger that you could call barely a spark of my former emotion. Only later I had eventually came to terms with myself when I realized that if I hadn't left her then it could had ended much worse. After all she had never showed herself without an disguise before, so I wouldn't be able to distinguish signal about her presence from other spells like the ones present in that town.)
But what I met inside the room was about to take me to her, even if I would had to use methods that earlier, or later would be for me too cruel to attend them.
Because what I saw inside of our room was a pair of undisguised changelings that were shamelessly ransacking our stuffs. (How they looked? The same way as in the show only more anthro, uglier and their eyes were green rather than blue, they also had vague differences between each other like different structure of holes that marked their hooves, or a different number of ommatidia in the eyes, stuff like that.) And of course when they had saw me coming they had attacked me at once.
The one that was coming from my left was instantaneously hit in the neck with an blade of the steel sword before he even realized that I was moving. Fortunately for him it looks like changelings belong to the group of enemies that can be cut only with the silver sword. Yay lucky him. Only that haven't save him from sheer strength of my punch, which was strong enough to send him on the wall under which he laid unconscious.
You ask why only the silver sword? Dunno from the books and games I can only remember that it always was that way. Monsters that witchers would stood against always had some kind of weakness. One monster you would kill with a normal sword no matter from what it would be made of. As long as it was sharp enough to cut it was good, but to kill something such as werewolf or vampire you would have to use a blade that was covered with silver. Also there were always monsters that were resistant to it, or even had an carapace too thick to cut and you must destroy a fucking mine to deal with them. Sometimes there were always chance to avoid the whole killing shit but it was rarely the case. These same rules apply to the monsters that roams in Equestria. Manticore for example, is vulnerable to steel, but to actually kill something like a timberwolf you must use silver. I know that it is strange that it works, but it works, so I won't question it in order that it won't suddenly stop working because of some stupid questions. (Don't laugh, Murphy's law is a bitch and can screw even something so simple like that.)
The second thief hadn't even turned around to see the fate of his friend before I had grabbed him by his throat and make a swift throw to the ground with a simple lever, where he couched out splashes of green blood.
As he was lying there in pain, I had decided that it was the best moment to began an interrogation. Of course at first the little bastard was resistant, but after I had showed him that one of my weapons is actually able to hurt him, few times used Aksji on him and connected it all with tortures, I had finally convinced him to speak.
What he had told me was disturbing and at the same time reassuring. You see it looks like Jaskier was very popular between changelings hives as it turned out that she had not so much had been exiled from her home as quite the contrary, she had escaped herself when she decided that ponies weren't just a food and it all would had ended at that point if not one simple problem that she had forgotten to mention to me herself. Namely she wasn't a simple drone that can be replaced due time, no she had to be fucking heir of the queen and as such there can't be any next heir until Jaskier had died, or became queen herself, as the first haven't happened yet despite her being alone for a long time and for latter it would be needed for her old mother to be killed first.
Because of this circumstances, there was offered a reward for bringing her alive back to her homehive so she could be properly punished by her mother. That was the good news because I knew that she was still alive.
The other thing was that I had only about half of an hour before she would be transferred out of the town and the problem was showing with the fact that if whoever would try to go and stop that. That person would be killed on the spot, without any unnecessary questions.
So there I was left alone with one hell of a decision to make. The first option was for me to go escape from the town myself as some cowardly rat and abandon the only creature in this world that I consider as friend and maybe, maybe try to track her down and save her from yet smaller group of enemies before Jaskier would stand in front of her mother that may, or may not be merciful enough to let her die painlessly, rather than slowly torn her apart.
Or I could go against whole hive of who knows how many changelings, that were camouflaged inside of the entire town of ponies, (or as it occurred, at that moment, there weren't any actual ponies to begin with) and probably had to kill anyone that would stand on my way, (most likely dying during the struggle,) fast enough to be able to rescue her, before they would be able to took her away.
As you probably guessed yourself the first option was out of the question. That's why against all odds I had decided to kill them rather than let them to indirectly kill her. But before that I had yet to give them one last chance for redemption, so I instructed the still conscious changeling to take his friend and go warn the rest that if they won't release Jaskier and send her unharmed back to me, they wouldn't leave me a choice as to go and fight them all in purpose to retrieve her personally. And to pass them the message that I would kill Every Single Changeling that would try to stop me.
You are probably wondering what an idiot I must be to go and give information about my intentions straight to the enemy, aren't you? Stop it then and listen for a minute. You see just put yourself in my place won't you? I am about to go against force that prides itself on it's skills in stealth attacks and besides that their only other strength lies in the sheer number of strikers, correct? Then tell me if it's better to go into shit vulnerable to any sudden attack from hidden changelings, or maybe to gather all the foes at the one place, where they'll be left open only with their number to protect themselves, hmm. ('Cause chances that some of them would actually consider me as a real threat and would had listen to my demand, or even would had fled in panic were really lousy, weren't they?)
Of course the motherfucker was again trying to disobey me. At first he just he laughed at me and my crazy idea, calling it an impossibility and assuring me that I would never succeed. When that hadn't worked, he was trying to intimidate me with threats that even if I was to somehow survive and save Jaskier from her fate, then I would had to face the consequences of meddling in politics between changeling hives, what's he had assured me, won't end well for neither one of us.
I of course wasn't going to listen to any of that crap. When I believed that he would at least go and inform others about me coming as I had said him to. Without further ado I had grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulled him and his unconscious friend through the window and let go of him that so I had heard the thud of their fall and went to make a quick preparation.
What kind of preparation I mean, you ask? The obvious one would be to try and calm myself 'cause if you haven't realized I was about to fight against the fucking army, so I couldn't went there without the use of Aksji. The second think was even more important but it could be dangerous even before the actual battle. Namely witchers elixirs, the three that were necessary to be used were in turn, Full Moon, (an all-purpose potion that greatly increases the amount of blood that the witcher can lose before he would bleed to death.) Blizzard, (one of the most powerful witchers' potions, it improves reflexes and reaction time.) And finally Swallow (that greatly accelerates regeneration of witcher body,) was held in belt for quick access in case of troubles that were certain to come.
After that was done I had to do only one more before I was ready to go, namely sharpen my silver sword with the use of diamond dust, touch it with the Perun rune, (that will prevent the blade from getting stuck in the flesh) and coat the blade with an Insectoid oil, (that will inflicts increased damage on all insectoid creatures, including the changelings.)
You are probably wondering where the hell I had get all this items, aren't you? The answer to your question lies in the words 'magical bag' that is hanging next to my belt, inside of which lies one of every single potion, oil, alcohol, herb, tools to sharpening and runes that were ever met in the game. (What's more whenever one of this items would be used, as long as the empty flask, or used rune would be putted back to the bag it would be replaced by an fresh one. That fact had solved the problem about which I had already told you.) Plus it is also consisting the already mentioned magical hourglass, that can count from one to twenty four hours and a single notebook that as well is magical cause it consist a written description of every single of creatures that I had fought against, places that I had visited and peoples that I consider as important ones. (Yeah it really feels like cheating, but I like this cheats and I don't want to lose them.)
After all the preparations were finished it was time to rescue Jaskier.
Finding the changelings wasn't exactly a hard thing. I just had to go the way where my amulet vibrated the most. What happened after that can be only called as a massacre. Against me stood two hundred seventy three changelings and not even a single one had escaped, what's more as I had suspected, the two that I defeated earlier had joined they friends, sure of their number, they were confident that it will stop my attempt to retrieve her back.
Of course together with their family they were going to be very difficult enemy especially since most of them were actually bearing weapons, but in the end I wasn't going to back out of my promise only because an army had stood on my way, was I?
If you want to ask about who was the one to actually began the whole thing, then with the full confidence I can assure you that it wasn't I. No, it was exactly the same idiot that had attacked me in the room earlier. Why? How the hell I am supposed to know that, maybe he wanted to get a revenge for the previous humiliation, or maybe he was just plain stupid hot-head that was the first to attack. No one will ever know that, because this idiot had went on me alone and if that wasn't enough he had attacked exactly in the same way as he had done in the tavern, only this time I had the proper sword in hand.
As you can probably guess effect of this single motion of my hand had very sad consequences. But it wasn't until this changeling head had rolled to the wall of the closest home and the green blood from his neck had gushed on my form, that the whole hell exploded.
Just a moment before you could had heard falling needle, but that silence had been instantaneously replaced by the buzzing of changelings wings that like a single organism assaulted me with all their might at once. (Believe me if you would be there in my place you would had probably wet yourself in an instant.)
Of course I wasn't going to stay in the same spot meekly waiting until the first one of them would actually come close enough to use a sword, was I? You are probably thinking that after all the fuckers had went into the air and there were no way for me, (a wingless mutant,) to actually went there after them aren't you? Then again stop thinking, because this is exactly what I had done.
But how you ask? To begin the first thing that I had done was to climb on the closest home's roof, from which I would jump to the next, higher one and from that one to the next, all the time running towards the annoying bugs. When I had finally reached building that was closest to the lings I would had them all in the exact spot that I had wanted, still under the roofs level.
They never had seen me coming when I had jumped centrally on the backs of the highest one and the onslaught had began. Firstly I had cut off the head of the guy that I had landed on, from there I began to jump from one flier to another all the time remembering to inflict quite the damage to the nearest guys and the shifters that I had landed on. Believe me if this would had continued to went that way during the entire fight, it wouldn't be long before all the bugs would had fell to the ground.
And probably that was enough of a reason why it hadn't, 'cause it wasn't long after my game in 'GoW' had began that I was hit by a green blast straight to the chest. Oh no, of course I hadn't died there, how would I be telling you about this then? I admit that the beam was probably a strong one 'cause the energy that it was carrying with itself was enough to knock me down, straight back to the ground, but you need something much stronger than that to penetrate barrier made with the use of the Quen sign. (Sure it still wasn't close to the border of it's fullest capabilities, or was as effective against magic as book version of the Heliotrop sign, but it was enough for the changelings magic, that ,while you don't count the one belonging to Chrysalis during the wedding, is much weaker than any spell made by most of even weakest unicorns.)
Even then as I was back on the ground the damage was done, as the whole changeling forces were already depleted of another thirty six changelings, that died and of another two that were moribund, (for that moment I was left with another two hundred thirty four still breathing and ready for another attack insects.)
And next attack they performed. With all the fury of the swarm small group made of six individuals headed at me with full speed engulfed in the green flames planning to crash me with the force that was making craters in stones. They were sure of success and wasn't expecting from me any more resistance as I was still kneeling from the impact...
Only as they were about to experience on their own skins, that wasn't the real reason why I had knelt down. No, the real one was to take time and carefully draw on the ground a single symbol, (yes it was Yrden,) that just before they had reached me, had sparkled with a purple glow of activation causing that the flames coating the six had stopped just before they crashed on the ground painfully, also non of them had found themselves closer to me than in radius of a half meter. Oh yes three from six had survived the impact but a single flick of the wrist had resolved that problem.
After that I had taken advantage of the distraction that this little show made on the rest of hive, to repeat my assault on the guys that were stupid enough to remain in the air. This time however, I had changed strategy from getting on the top of the one that was highest, to grabbing the hoof of the one that was the lowest and use him as a kind of swing to go far upwards, where the whole game would start anew.
Of course the changelings aren't stupid, so when they had realized what was happening, all at once they began the blasting with their lasers, only problem that I wasn't going to let them hit me again. I was dodging them in the air, covering from them behind other changelings once I had even used original Heliotrop to disable quite accurate shot that almost get me into face the very moment when my Quen stopped to work. (It almost took me down, but I got lucky and had fell on the back of some unfortunate fellow.)
But they had eventually realized that I had the advantage in the air and with a single order from one eyed changeling, (I supposed that he was doing as someone of their commander judging by fact that the motherfucker had similar to me number of scars,) they decided to land.
The situation was quite problematic. I may had diminished their number from over two hundred to mere ninety five but it was still a numerous group. I was deprived of any free space that battle in air was providing and I hadn't killed even four of them before I get surrounded.
I had marched into a corner, before me, there was an army, behind me, there was an army, on my left, there was an army, but on my right, there was single biggest building in the entire town, that's why rather than a frontal attack I had decided to run into the edifice and like the moths to the fire changelings had followed me to the inside of it.
To say that it was mistake on their part is like to say nothing, 'cause the very moment that I had reached first floor I had used Igni to set fire to it. Then I had jumped through the window and repeated the motion on the ground floor. Of course some part of them had remained outside but most of their forces had crowded in the center of fire, only forty had escaped via windows, (before fire had reached the adjacent buildings,) what together with the group that was outside had made for sixty six in total.
I had slaughtered them all, I had slashed, burned with Igni, pushed with Aard, trapped with Yrden and then again slashed them with all my prowess, at the same time trying to repel any spell that they would use against me with Quen. Of course I hadn't escaped their onslaught without getting myself hit many times. (there was only that much what I could had done at that time.)
On my right shoulder was deep wound, (made by the one eyed guy, just before I had beheaded him,) that was profusely bleeding (it was the first real wound.) Under my left knee was quite a burn from one of the blasts, on my chest was big gush that was reaching ribs, just over my right eye there was a cut from which blood was flowing to the eye disturbing my vision. There were also many minor scratches that were already healing thanks to the use of Swallow somewhere in the middle of struggle.
In the end I was looking as if I was about to drop dead at any minute, but I had survived. (You see there is one thing that you should remember for the rest of your life, to never underestimate speed of the witcher, after the elixirs.)
But it wasn't yet a finish, there was still a little group of changelings that wasn't participating in the fight 'cause their whole attention was focused with keeping an eye on Jaskier's limp undisguised body. And so when I had reached them, (limping with the wounded leg,) I recalled more of a demon rather than human. (I was covered in blood and everywhere around me there was an abundance of corpses and a burning town. Show me a better picture of a demon and maybe then we will talk.)
When they saw me coming there wasn't in them any will to fight. Can you really blame them? The group was entirely made of frightened mares and fillies. Besides who would want to fight against the monster that had just destroyed your home and killed most of your family? Only someone incredibly brave, or stupid would be able to do that and from the many things that you can say about them, word stupid you can't. That's why when I saw this single little girl, (with the green mane and cat's eyes, also wielding a sword definitely too big for her,) came out of the group and challenged me to a duel, she exerted on me a considerable impression. Of course the fight wasn't long and after a second she was kneeling on the ground with tears in her eyes. (Have you thought that I had fell so low as to kill a child? You are sick.) She was begging me to let the others go and stop at killing her.
I wasn't listening and just went toward the others and as they had fearfully made enough space for me to go between them, I had grabbed Jaskier's form and went back to the girl.
Then I had asked her about her name. At first she was hesitating, but eventually she had told me it. After hearing her, I just went past her for about a minute, before I had turned toward her with the promise, that in the future we shall met again and until that time she should took care of the guys that lives she just saved, I had also told her that the reason why I had listened to her plead was because as I was ready to sacrifice everything to safe this one friend of mine, she had proved herself being ready to do the same for the ones she cared for.
After that I was gone for good. I had never again returned to that wretched place known modernly as badlands. (While I was already inside of this stone, I had learned that they had became that place because of a mysterious conflagration that had devoured the only city, which was responsible for maintaining that places nature and no pony had ever again wanted to go into that place they had called it cursed, what had ended with destruction of entire ecosystem inside of it.)
That was also the last time when I had saw Chrysalis, the young heir of changelings.
Thirty years of a different routine.
Author's Note
WARNING IMPORTANT SHIT.
This chapter isn't filled with action, as it wasn't supposed to be. It purpose is to give a little break before the real action in the past will began, so don't expect any great revelations.
Still it explain few things that I was asked about, so you still can read it just for them, or you can just enjoy it as a little calm before the storm. (the links show about how fast a witcher is.)
Oh and I also have to warn you that next chapters will be little delayed as I plan to make three at once.
Thirty years of a different routine.
It took me about half of a day to bring Jaskier's body to the closest safe home, that happened to be called Dodge Junction and even then it wasn't without the use of few Aksjis to hide Jaskier's identity from farmers preening eyes.
After that I only had to wait a little while before she had at last woken up. At that moment I had time to take a look at her more precisely. Only after I had confirmed that she was indeed alright, I had put my hand with already made sign of Somne on her forehead and with use of it I had put her back to sleep. (Why? Just wait a moment and I will tell you jeez.)
Oh you want to know how an undisguised Jaskier looks like? Well as it is probably the best moment to describe her, as I will get from you, then I can tell you this. First thing is she hadn't changed so much as you could had thought. Her mane, even as it became made of a more grayish than blond and holed silk hadn't changed at all in style; her body structure as a whole hadn't changed in anything, besides the fact that it was now covered by a black exoskeleton rather than her green fur, her normal height of 1,75m, (the time in cave she was trying to intimidate me with a false difference in size that showed her bigger than me, rather than use her normal disguise, I had 1,86m as a human, so I estimate other measurements by this standard,) was the same as well.
The real differences from her shifted form were only: her jagged horn on her forehead, her bug wings on her back that were protruding from under her clothes, holes perforating through her hooves, her sharp fangs that were long enough to stay out of her mouth and the most interesting, her eyes were blue slits like the snake ones.
On what have I stopped at? Oh right, Somne and putting Jaskier back to sleep, You asked why would I had done that? It's obvious, because I had failed her. It's true that from any other danger I had saved her without any flaws, but let be honest here she could had escaped from them without my help, (before we had met each other she had fared quite well by herself,) but the one time when she was supposed to run away, she had let her guard down and why? 'Cause one of the abductors had took on my form.
No I couldn't let for her to be exposed on this danger without a way to distinguish her from other changelings and let her get into any situation similar to that one, especially now that I am going to be chased by changeling variant of bounty hunters.
So what I had done in this situation? I left her alone again, leaving only a single note in with I explained what had happened in the village, (I had tell her in it about everything how I had failed, how I fought and how I let some of them, live fully aware that it made me their target, everything.) Then I had left and for the first time from my arrival, I was truly alone in the magical land of Equestria.
I have to at once mention that it was only about week after my lonely journey began, that I had finally began to realize how far from home I was. (Nothing make a man suffer as much as a loneliness.) If not for my lack of emotion I would probably had sulked under some tree even earlier and probably would continue to do that for a long time. Fortunately as I was about to surrender to the crushing guilt, I was suddenly reminded about the validity of the decision taken in Dodge Junction when my amulet had began to vibrate informing me about incoming danger.
At first I had thought that it was some stupid monster that had mistook me with some easy prey, but I had quickly dismissed that as possibility when I had spotted a single pony that was trying to look as unsuspicious as it could be possible. If I would be a pony or even a normal person he would had probably succeeded. But I wasn't, so when this fellow has approached me with his fake smile and very clear killing intends I just laughed at his ridiculous idea to fight me solo.
I hadn't forgotten to inform him about fact that I know about him being a changeling. At first he had pretended to be surprised but when the expression of my had changed from slightly amused to the neutral one, he realized that his disguise was uncovered and instantaneously attacked with a single dagger that he was awkwardly hiding in his right hand. (Really, he was that stupid.)
Of course the blade hasn't came even close to actually hit, as I had swiftly repulsed it to the side with a single Aard. That unfortunately hadn't stopped my opponent from another attack, so I had to stop him with the use of force. (What had I done? Meh, I had just simply punched him straight into his mouth and that single strike has been enough.)
It wasn't any real danger, but it was enough to reassure me in my conviction to further travel alone.
From that time I would encounter about one to two changelings ambushes each week, besides that I would still be encountering many monsters at my way, so at one point I had decided that why couldn't I work as the original Geralt had?
It was a turn around decision, that had made my life into one that resembled more of RPG rather than actual work, but hey I was paid for it.
For every monster that I would kill someone would always find a decent pouch of bits, Then if there wouldn't be anymore creatures that I was supposed to get rid of, there would always be someone else that was willing to pay for protection during transportation from one end of Equestria to another.
And it was during one of that kind of a job that I had met Yarp and her pack of the diamond dogs that including her was made of six dogs. (Oh the irony about her being equivalent of Yarpen Zigrin and his company of dwarves haven't escaped me as well as many other ironies that I had met earlier. It just seems that this universe is trying to put me into more shit that I am able to take with a calm head.)
And in the opposite to Jaskier while I was with them my amulet was calm, so it hadn't been long before she had became my most lucrative customer, as she was often willing to use my services during their travels and they were traveling a lot. She wasn't even bothered by the changelings that were attacking us from time to time.
Ah, but you want to know what she was looking like and what she was doing to travel so often, aren't you?
The answer to the first one is that she and other diamond dogs had looked almost like the ones in the show, but with the significant difference that while the dogs from the show were bigger and more hunched than ponies. The ones here were actually smaller compared to ponies, (an average dog had from 1,20 to 1,30m,) but they were walking upright with the visible pride in each step. (Despite their height every travel with them could be compared to a fucking marathon even with my abnormal stamina.)
Besides that nothing else could be noted as different 'cause there wasn't shown even a single female diamond dog in the show so when I say that she had looked like an anthro, brown eyed, German Shepherd with actual human breasts in the right places as well as other human curves, but the rest you must imagine yourself.
As what's regards her outfit then I can said that it wasn't anything special, what after taking in account her profession it wasn't any surprise.
Namely she was working as a blacksmith, that was actually well known in the environment of smiths as the single diamond dog that was able to make armor for every single person in the entire Equestria be it pony, dog, minotaur, or even dragon after single meeting with the buyer, but only after the actual meeting. That was the reason why she was traveling so often, as there weren't actually that many customers that were willing to go endanger themselves personally, (or sometimes were just too lazy) and were rather willing to pay extra for her services at their place.
As you may had already realized it hadn't made her into a nice person. No, she was grumpy, her language naughty, and she wasn't averse from all kind of stimulants like sex, or alcohol, (because of the first I had almost lost my virginity in this word, for the last I'm so much grateful, as it turned out to be an actual alcohol and not this pony pisses that they used as substitute.) Oh and she was quite greedy when it came for any kind of gems. (Get a hint.) It was also that bunch that had gave my third name 'White wolf' in gratitude for my work (dogs don't give title wolf to anyone as it is reserved only for the best warriors between packs.)
So yeah, nothing of an actual problems had get to me at that times. I would go with them to any place that they were currently needed and during the time that they were spending with their work in the forge, (which they were always moving with them as mostly this was the reason why there was need for all six of them to move all their shit,) I would look for any job that was suitable for a witcher. After that I would normally get back to the company that was in most cases ready to go to another place.
Of course there were exceptions as the one time when I hadn't returned from the hunt on time and the pack had gone without me. (That wasn't best period of my life.) Or the times when someone else was in need for protection, (even if they weren't gonna pay as well as the dogs it was more important than my payment.)
But in the end we would eventually met again before even one year would pass.
But there was still one more thing that I would always do, whenever I would find any free time. (Mainly during the winter when monsters were hiding in their lairs and I was only bothered by bandits, or changelings bounty hunters.) I would train, hard. Why? Are you retard, or what? It is obvious that I practiced because I know that I was and still am way too weak, too slow and my signs were nothing more than little tricks what almost costed me two lives.
The way how I would train with the sword was easy I just had to remind myself how my previous battles had looked like, how I had fought, how my enemies had fought and then I had to imagine myself what I would had changed, and how they would had reacted to this changes at the same time doing all the moves in the real life. If you could see it, it would be most likely looking like this . Or maybe rather it would be something more like this ? I am not sure.
However what I am sure of is the fact, that further development of the signs is nothing less than an insane asylum to achieve.
Ah yes, the signs. You are probably still wondering what the hell exactly I am talking about? What are those signs exactly, you ask?
Ok, ok I will explain. So to begin with as you already know because of the mutation witchers are naturally unable to use any kind of magic, right? But thanks to the specially enchanted amulets, (each of them represent different guild of witchers,) this problem has been resolved right? Then you are wrong. Normal witchers were still unable to use any spells. (Don't ask me I still don't know the reason behind this.) As I said earlier this medallions allowed only for the energies from the inside of the witcher to get outside and nothing more. (To become a wizards people needs to learn special formulas that all the wizards are hiding from the world.) That's why the signs were created, they allowed even the simplest human to use magic with some simple gestures, but their cost in energy was much more higher than any spell with the same power. Most people had considered the signs as useless because of it, but not the witchers who has much higher energy reserves than any human being, besides the signs allowed for witcher to still hold his sword what was impossible with spells. That's why they had assimilated the signs for themselves.
At the time when I was sent to this world there was known only seven of the signs.
Aard, one of the simplest magical signs. It is comprised of a telekinetic thrust that can stun, repel, knock down or disarm opponents, as well as remove barriers and other objects. (At the beginning it had allowed me only to push back little objects and nothing more.)
Igni. It is comprised of a pyrokinetic burst that can repel and ignite opponents, as well as start fires. It is also one of the most powerful signs as the one created to spread destruction and death in the ranks of enemies, (or simply repair metal things.)
Aksji. It is a mental wave that triggers a hex that causes an enemy to fight alongside the witcher, (in other words a mind control spell that with proper training can work on every creature with a mind.)
Quen. When cast it forms a protective field around the casting witcher, (magic barrier, the stronger defense the better offense as I like to say it.)
Somne. This sign let a witcher to put to sleep any living target. The simplest sign from all, but hard to use as caster had to actually touch the forehead of his target. (Duration of the spell depends from the power used during casting, simple right?)
And now for the two more problematic signs as both were different between book and game.
Yrden (in the opposite to the others it is made by drawing the sign on a place not in the air.) This sign have three variations. First work just as a blockade from opening, (when once used it won't let anyone enter into selected location for the time lasting until caster deactivate the sign, or leave protected arena. Second, it forms a magical trap on the ground that triggers a limited number of times when traversed by a foe causing knock back, damage, and a chance of inflicting status ailments. (Magical trap that hurt any trespasser.) And finally the third variation that I had showed during my fight in Blaviken. It is a combination of the two that results in hurting any creature trying to enter protected arena at the same time still blocking the enter (quite effective but it have a prize in form of the constant need for pouring energy into the sign.)
And maybe even more problematic sign, Heliotrop. (It is made by crossing one's wrists rather than fingers.) As well as the Yrden it too has three variations even if at that moment I was only able to use two of them. (Third is a secret for another time.) First works as a buffer against attacks, (it allows to redirect energies, what give a witcher an ability to dispel any spell and cushion the collision of matter.) Second creates a temporary immobile circular force-field area around caster, which considerably slows down everything inside the field except himself. (Yes, that's right I can slow down the time itself, but it is costly and requires special circumstances to even being activated.)
For now that would be all about the signs that I want to explain (there are many applications and possibilities with every sign, but I feel lazy so I may say something about them later.)
But the real problem isn't about how each sign works, it rather lies in the fact that to make some of them work I needed to have a concrete target. Not to mention that to see any changes after the practice I had needed to test them someway, right?
The answer had came to me in a way that is most common for the biggest part of the society. It came to me when I wasn't looking for it and as you may probably think, was so easy that I wanted to hurt myself for not thinking about it earlier.
What the proper way for signs development was then? Meditation. Yes I know, how the hell some meditations can let me to improve in the arcane art of magic? Simple, you must only to understand that while it is needed to train the body when you want to get better with sword, so it shouldn't be any surprise that to get better with magic you must train your mind. And that is exactly what I had been doing after each session of physical exercise, the mental one and so on.
So yeah I was working as bodyguard, hunting on the monsters and training like crazy so it shouldn't surprise anyone that before I had even looked back thirty years of my life was gone, as if that wasn't enough I would had not even realized that if not the fact that after all this years Yarp had finally died from old age, (she had leaved only her work and a son behind her.)
So you are probably wondering what I had done after her death, aren't you?
The answer, I had decided to visit the only city that I wasn't in yet. It was time to see what the city made of crystal is looking like.
Yep, I had went to the Crystal Empire.
