Vyr’s Journey Through The Multiverse - Chapter 46

Happy New Year! I hope this new year will be another step forward into everyone’s ideal life! May the new year bring with it growth of character, and the growth of our small community. I wish by this time next year we may see double, triple, or more people, in this little world we are creating. Again, Happy New year, and merry tidings to all yall!

This is a chapter don’t worry~, I just wanted to ask yall, who don’t mind, to join the discord server. It is where i can really get to know my fans and what they want to see. Yall can ask questions or even get a heads up when things are happening.

Alright ill stop pestering ya. I hope you enjoy and let’s keep growing together!

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It was time. The sun had started to set and those wealthy enough stoked their fires, drawing a sense of security from heat in the cold night. But contrary to the common populace many were still awake. A thief was casing a house, guards were gearing up for the night patrol, none in the city were as tense as the Witcher’s group.

They walked the street following a trail only the witcher’s could see. From corner to corner, they traced the trail, many times having to backtrack due to just how faint it was. Even the smallest marks didn’t escape the witcher’s enhanced senses, untold calculations moving through their minds as they recreate the trail, many times having to fall back on experience more than any actual tracks.

Finally, when the moon had risen into the sky, they reached the first obstacle on their hunt. The trail had been followed and only when they were doubly sure did, they confirm the end.

A small hovel in the lower town. Barely a house, it was a rundown wreck. The walls had cracks in them with whole chunks missing, and the roof was sunken and seemed to sag.

But this did nothing to stop the party, only the ice princess showing any adverse reaction. She held a small cloth to her face as she advanced with slight hesitation, falling to the back of the group. The witchers took a moment to prepare, taking several different doses of various potions and applying oils to their swords before leading once more.

Entering into the structure they found a small living space. All one room, with a broken fire pit built into the far wall. Against the far wall near the fire pit lay a small form, huddled to itself in a pitiful attempt to ward off the night’s chill.

With the only form of light being the moonlight coming through some of the more spacious cracks in the walls, only Bea could make out the form. She quietly got the two witcher’s attention and signaled to them where the figure was. Nodding the two carefully took a dose of cat’s eye potion before creeping forward together.

Seeing the two ready Bea leaped forward immediately going for a fatal blow. The figure moved as if it had expected this and rolled away, avoiding Bea’s deadly lunge. With quick movements the figure was in a crouch, a small knife in its grasp.

The witchers were quick to move as one swung down, forcing their opponent to roll once more. This time across where they had been laying, right into the reach of the white wolf himself. A flash of his sword was met with a clang as the figure tried to parry with its small knife. A poor idea on all accounts as the figure had neither the strength nor the skill to succeed in the maneuver. The knife was quick to give as their wrist snapped from the force of the white wolf’s swing.

The pain seemed to be too much for the figure as they screamed. They may not have parried the blade as they planned but it still saved their life. They held their broken wrist and retreated backwards, never leaving their crouch seemingly used to the position. They were now trapped between their attackers. Bea behind, with the witchers at the sides, forming a loose triangle.

They advanced cautiously, slowly tightening the circle so there would be no escape from what came next. The figure could tell this was the end, it was hurt, and they had it surrounded. Looking at those closing in on it, the figure yelled “Come then you noble bastards! I’ll kill you! Either in this life or the next! Come!” Before launching itself at the doorway, hoping against all odds that it could still live, despite its words.

Bea seeing this leapt once more pinning the desprit figure to the ground. Her whole weight on its back as her arms stilled its struggles, and her fangs neared the figure’s throat intent on tearing the vocal cords from their place.

Weiss and Ruby were stunned by this scene as the moonlight showed down on the figure giving a clear view of a young man not much older than themselves, and Bea’s fangs as they closed in on their intended target. The man’s face was a twisted blend of hatred and fear of what’s to come. He scratched at the ground in desperation, knowing the next few moments would most likely be his last. In his panic flooded mind one thought prevailed over all. He would no longer have the chance to see the girl he loved ever again.

“WAIT! STOP!” Ruby yelled, the harsh reality of the situation pushing her forward as her instincts screamed at her that this was wrong.

But it was too late, Bea had already sank into her prey, and with a brutal pull the man’s throat parted with his body. Great rivers of blood flowed in a pool beneath the two as the heady rush of fresh blood filled Bea’s mind. It had been so long since she last drank that she couldn’t help but shiver at the pŀėȧsurė.

There she sat, a picturesque scene, a beauty with fresh, bloody meat in her mouth. On the back of the man said meat she had just pulled it from. The blood ran down her form onto the back of her victim, before joining the growing crimson pool below the two. The shadows only served to enhance the morbid beauty of the act by framing the scene.

They could only watch as the light faded from the man’s eyes, his final actions a poor attempt to plug the ragged hole with his own hands. An attempt doomed to fail from the start. The witchers did not seem surprised by the action as they calmly walked over, sword still in hand.

“He the one?” Geralt asks with a low tone, ready to defend himself if Bea got lost in the moment and turned on them. He reached slowly towards his grenade belt just in case.

“Hmm? Ah, no. I wish it was to be this easy,” she sighed, “but I highly doubt it. And don’t think I don’t know what you are reaching for. I’m fine, it’s just been some time since my last drink.” Bea explained standing up from the corpse, eyeing it with reluctance. ‘Such a waste.’

Geralt nodded before turning back and examining the room further. Trey sent an appraising gaze at the two stunned girls before following the elder witcher.

Bea Looked at the two girls and could see the fear in their eyes. While ŀɨċkɨnġ the remnant blood from her lips she scoffed at the girls thinking ‘these are Vyr’s “team” now? More like spare rations. And here I thought they were worth the time. Whatever’

‘Like a guard dog’ Geralt couldn’t help but think. Reaching down he grasped the draw ring and pulled open the door. The passage below wasn’t far and had a makeshift ladder to ease passage. But there was no denying it was a deadly risk to use. There is no way to know if something was waiting at the bottom.

He and Trey began a silent battle with their eyes. Trey telling Geralt to go first and Geralt telling Trey to fuċk off, and be a man. Truly a beautiful battle of wills.

At least it was until Bea called them both pussies and jumped in, using her vampirically enhanced abilities to cusion her fall.Trey quickly followed her as he wanted no part of trying to comfort the two heavily shaken girls.

Geralt, seeing this, quietly cursed Trey before walking over to the two. Weiss seemed to be handling it better than ruby. But only slightly. The occasional training her sister put her through helped in this moment, if only slightly. Ruby though was almost entirely under prepared.

Tai, Qrow, and especially Vyr had told her that this day would come. Where she would see someone die in front of her. That she might even be the one to kill them. And she thought she was ready. But as she watched the light leave the now corpse’s eyes, she realized she was never ready. She had only tricked herself into thinking, no, believing she was.

Geralt said nothing as he watched the two, appraising them. They wouldn’t be the first to break at “first blood”. But they could get over it as well. What he was really looking for was if Ruby was a good match with his daughter. If she couldn’t get over something like this then they had no future together. No matter how much they wanted it.

Witchers were some of the unique few that could see the deepest darkness that lay within the heart of the world. Raised as monster hunters from childhood, starved, trained, and mutated. Few survived and fewer still would live past a decade in the field.

He had seen parents sacrifice children to false idols. He got the title butcher of blaviken because he tried to save a town from cultists. And even through all of that, Vyr made him change more than anything. More than once he had to sit down and truly question himself on how to handle her. One moment she is just his student, struggling to learn the wolf sword style. The next he is arguing with her about her eating bandits after a battle.

He had been close to killing her many times but he never went through with it. It had always been a thin line he tread with her, but after years she had become close to his heart. Now was one of the few times he could really act as the father he took himself as. Could this girl his daughter fell for actually be with her. Or would she shatter the feeling and relationship they had built.

“You tired of looking yet?” Geralt asked harshly.

“What?” Weiss questioned, still stunned.

“I said, are you done looking. He isn’t getting back up, no matter if you stare or not. We need to keep moving.” Geralt stated in a no nonsense tone.

Weiss nodded and went to the ladder, she didn’t like it but she recognized it was the right call logically. Ruby only acknowledged his words by softly asking “why?”

“Why what?”

“Why did he have to die?” She said, tearing her eyes from the body for the first time.

“Cause he was stopping us from hunting the Mula.” Geralt tells her bluntly.

“He died because he was in our way?!” Ruby asks in disbelief.

“He died because he was GUARDING the way. Probably some idiot hopped up on fairy tales and thought he would become a vamp himself.” Geralt reasoned.

“You don’t know that.” Ruby argued.

“You’re right. I don’t. If it really matters, why don’t you ask the mula if you get the chance.” Geralt says sarcastically with a shrug. He was quickly losing hope in the girl.

Ruby wanted to argue with Geralt but she didn’t. She had always followed her instincts on what’s right and wrong. And right now as much as she didnt want to admit it, her instincts said that Geralt wasn’t “bad”. So she steeled herself and decided she would do what she always did, and listen to her instincts.

Geralt meanwhile was surprised. Right when he was about to give up on the girl, she pulled herself together. He was thinking she would have been dead weight for the rest of the night but it seemed she got her head back in place.

Nodding to her he turned back around and followed down the ladder, the hunt was back on. At the bottom he could only thank that Vyr wasn’t with them. The tunnel connected into the sewer system, on the walls there were still scorch marks from Vyr’s last visit. And if the smell was anything to go off of it would seem it had been reinhabited.

“What is that ungodly stench?!” Weiss choked out, dry heaving at the overpowering smell that seemed to stick to the very walls.

Trey sniffed twice and said calmly, “Zeugl, or is that just the old smell?”

“No, that’s fresh. Seems they came back after last time.” Geralt answered, catching back up to the group with Ruby not far behind.

“What’s a Zoogal?” Ruby asked, trying to distract herself.

“Shit eel.” Bea said with disgust as she regretted her enhanced sense of smell.

Seeing the confusion on the two otherworlders faces Trey helpfully explained “she’s not far off. Zeugl are eel-like monsters that live in filth and cesspits. They are really common in sewers that aren’t cleaned frequently.”

“I can see why Vyr torched this place.” Weiss stated as they came to a fork in the tunnels.

“No. It was worse than this back then. There was a pack of them.” Geralt said as they took the path right.

“Worse than this?” Bea asks, it was hard to believe the smell could get worse than this.

Geralt only nodded before motioning for silence. Ahead they could hear some slithering and popping sounds. Rounding the next bent the group could see a large pit with heavy burn marks. At the bottom was a pool of “water”, inside sat the source of the sounds.

A large face reminiscent of an eel with worm like tentacles spreading from the neck area. The tentacles ended with mouths that, along with the heads, were filled with sharp teeth. The creature along with its nest created a stench so potent that it could be used for warfare. Though one would have to stomach the smell, and somehow work with the highly aggressive monster to make that work.

It watched from its filth flooded lair as the group held their breath and gave the pit a wide berth. Getting past they all took a moment to recover from the odor’s ȧssault. Even the most chatty of the group were at a loss of words. The Nonwitcher’s of the group had a newfound respect for their mutated companions knowing they would hunt such heinous creatures for coin.

After a few moments they started following the mula’s trail once more. All thankful that the stench lessened the further away they were from the source. Tracing the winding tunnels up and down they eventually reached what seemed to be a living space.

They didn’t have time to inspect the area as a long dramatic sigh came from a chair in what they could only guess was supposed to be a library. Though that was being a bit generous for what amounted to a large rug and two bookshelves sparsely filled. In the cushioned chair was a man dressed rather well for the lackluster surroundings .

What was once probably an expensive suit worn at noble gatherings. Now had rather poor repairs done, with patches of replaced material and sloppy stitching. The man in the suit looked noticeably of higher living even in the dark depths of the sewer. With a sharp pale face and slicked back dark hair, he looked to be a model young nobleman that had met with hard times. Even sitting in a sewer, with a well-worn and patched suit, he still carried an air of superiority.

Looking upon his uninvited guests he closed the book in his hand with a crisp clap. He stood calmly and placed it on one of the nearby shelves as if he was certain the group would not stop him. He then turned to the five and bowed slightly, never looking away. “Hello, and welcome to this humble abode. I would offer you some tea but I doubt you would agree, and I’d rather not have what little I own going to waste.”

The more experienced combatants began taking advantageous positions around the man as Trey said “I would have accepted, but I doubt you could make tea better than my sister.”

“Your sister is quite knowledgeable in tea?” The man asked.

“She tried to teach me about it once. Something about oxidation and steeping. It was good if you asked me but she said she was shit at it.” Trey said trying to keep the man occupied as long as possible.

The man looked surprised and cheerfully said ” And where could I meet her? I would love to exchange notes.”

Before Trey could respond Bea lunged forward, her claws raised ready to rake against the man’s throat. But it was not to be as the man, unsurprised by the action, caught her.She was faster than the man but she didnt expect when he simply overpowered her counter. There was no doubt this time, He was clearly their target.

Without stopping he reversed her momentum with one hand on her wrist and the other on her neck. He threw her across the room taking advantage of his immense vampiric strength and watching as she crashed into the wall, before looking at the unmoving witchers. “Ah yes. You must be the dog sent to nip at my heels.”

Ruby ran to the crumpled Bea as Weiss covered her back, shock clearly on both of their faces. After Bea’s earlier display they never would have thought that she could be manhandled in such a way.

Trey could only curse inwardly at Bea’s haste before changing his approach to buying time “A dog eh? Funny, from what I heard you’re a pretty nasty animal yourself.”

“And you think you humans are any better? The swine you call nobels feast and fuċk in their castels while their subjects starve and toil. You tracked me here, no? Then I’m sure you met poor evans. His own wife was taken by the so called nobels, On their wedding day no less! Poor girl was “used” and disposed of after. The boy practically gave himself to me. All so I would help him get revenge. What a foolish mortal that one. A word here, a promise there. And all of a sudden I have a loyal pet of my own.” He said casually. As he talked, he tried to straighten his cuffs only to realize in his exchange with Bea she had left a long cut down the length of his arm. He cursed loudly at this realization, and began to inspect the ripped sleeve further.

Geralt took this opportunity to slam his hand to the floor casting yrden on a large portion of the room. He had used the time while Trey was distracting the man to charge the spell, hopefully giving them the edge in this fight.

With the preparations set both witchers began a careful dance against the unperturbed mula. With their mutations and preparations they had many advantages, but the vampire’s abilities evened the playing field. For every hit their target would try to counter, and with his frequent use of invisibility, and transforming into mist to avoid hits, it was unclear who would come away victorious. They were both thankful Geralt was able to put down a yrden, weakening the vampire.

Ruby and Weiss watched as silver blades met flesh, blades met claws, and claws met armored flesh. Ruby now fully realized why vyr stressed the importance of armor. She watched as what would have been a crippling or fatal wound became a superficial cut or bruise. Sure the vampire’s claws were making it past the armor at times but not without losing most of its force.

Weiss meanwhile was more in awe of the masterful display the witchers were producing. As a fellow sword user she was fully aware of the importance of every move. A step here, a twist there, and cut after cut would land on their target. If it had been a normal human as their opponent, she had no doubt the human wouldn’t last the first handful of exchanges. SHE wouldn’t last the first few exchanges. These men-, no, these witchers wouldn’t struggle against a single boarbatusk like she had. But in the back of her head she kept going over what the man had said. Again, and again.

Both of them were drawn from their thoughts, though as Bea ġrȯȧnėd loudly. She staggered to her feet, using Ruby’s help. As she was shaking her head trying to rid herself of the likely concussion she suffered, A loud roar echoed off the stone walls of the room.

Geralt landed a particularly deep cut on the man’s leg, hindering his movements for a short time. But it was not without consequence, the mula could see he wasn’t winning anytime soon and he had doubts the girls were there just for looks. So he did the best thing available to him. He transformed.

No longer was it the well spoken, if ragged, nobleman. What stood in his place was a monster, bat like in nature. It was large, near 12ft tall, and more or less no hair. Its mouth held fangs, particularly two large kanines and the ears grew out before coming to a point. On the other hand the eyes receded into its head as it gained a large overbrow. It swung its now lengthed claws and once more the deadly dance resumed.

Bea was quick to join in once again, and unlike before she was being much more cautious. With her inclusion the battle was slowly tipping in their favor. Weiss seeing Bea run forward followed as well. Her experience forced her into a supportive role but she was still contributing to the fight. Truthfully the others were mixed in response to her addition. On one hand the extra blade was helpful, but her lack of protection led to them having to cover her.

Ruby didn’t sit still either. Using Vyr’s training as a base she stalked the outer edge of the fight. When she saw an opportunity, she would use her semblance to accelerate through and land a hit or two. The first time she did so caused a lull in the battle as all, but Weiss were shocked at the display of speed. By the second time though the witchers were ready and able to capitalize on her strikes to land blows of their own.

The mula was slowly but steadily losing ground now. It had tried to move the fight to a wall, thereby narrowing the ways the group could attack it. It also used this to narrow the pathes the red girl could use in her strikes. What it didn’t expect was for ruby to not care about the wall, instead using it as a springboard, and land a near decapitory hit.

The mula could only curse them as it used one arm to hold its head in place from ruby’s blow, forcing it into an even more disastrous position. The only reason it was still fighting was due to its regeneration. Thankfully some higher power seemed to be looking out for the vampire. An opportunity to turn the fight around appeared.

Weiss messed up, what was supposed to be a basic counter thrust with a bit of dust added for extra power, was ruined due to the dust not activating properly. With her having expected the recoil, and it not being there, she fell. And as she fell, Trey was forced to cover for her blunder. The mula quickly securing him in its hold.

Trey put up a paltry resistance to being grabbed by the Mula. The bipedal leech’s fangs were quick to find an artery and begin the draining process. The Vampire took great gulps of blood in its haste, not even stopping to savor the taste of witcher blood.

But soon it found out why the witcher had not fought harder to escape its grasp. While they may not have wanted this outcome they were prepared for it all the same.

Before they had even entered the sewers the witchers had prepared by taking potions and elixirs of different kinds. And while Trey might not be able to take as many due to his lower resistance to the toxins within, He made sure to take a certain potion called black blood.

Made of dwarven spirit, sewant mushrooms and Ghouls blood. This bracken concoction is something both frowned upon and highly useful in a witcher’s arsenal.

See what black blood does is, it makes the drinker’s blood into a poison. It was developed specifically for those creepy crawlies who like partaking in a sip of something’s insides.

But it is also frowned upon by witchers due what needs to happen for it to be of use. Particularly the need for the user to be ingested by their target. It is never a good idea if your plan to victory hinges on being eaten.

In the end whether they like it or not black blood was effective even in its worst form. Something the mula found out quickly. His regeneration flat out stopped. His body started to ignore commands, and everywhere treys blood touched started to dissolve, slowly.

That was the deciding factor of the fight. Sure they probably would have won without it but now there was no question. The finale of this fight being Bea’s own fangs plunging into the mulas neck. The only way really known to kill a higher vampire fully.

The after battle was short and uneventful, besides the witchers looting the room nothing really happened. Well, Weiss did apologize to Trey but he just shrugged it off, not really angry. Sure he got hurt but that was just part of being a witcher. And something as small as a vampire bite would be fixed with some swallow he would be taking anyway.

They quickly made their way back out of the sewers and onto the streets. There was a brief debate on whether they should kill the zeugl, but Geralt ended it swiftly saying “No contract. If you want to swim in shit and kill it out of the kindness of your heart, Don’t let us stop you.”

So the zeugl survived the mighty party. Because it was strong? No. Because it stank, and they wouldn’t get paid for it.

As the night passed they had turned in the bounty, got the money, and parted ways with not just Bea but the town itself. Just a few short hours since the fight, and as the last of the adrenaline left their systems, they were already on their way back. It was underwhelming really.

And that was the moment it fully hit the two girls. They had just risked their lives and defeated, no, killed the “bad guy”. All for a bag of coins that would most likely be used to fix what they had broken in the fight. Repairs for armor and maintenance for weapons. At the end of the day they made next to no real money.

Seeing the look on the girls’ faces Geralt spoke “do you get it now? We risk our lives for coin. Few even realize the dangers we face and the trials we live through. This was an easy, if unique, contract. And over all we walked away with a decent amount of profit. Most of the time witchers are bȧrėly above breaking even. And even then, we are scorned almost as much as the monsters we face.”

The girls didn’t know how to respond to this and could only nod.. The trip back was much quieter than the trip there, but the thoughts of the huntresses were much deeper, and heavy.