Chapter 15: Hunted.
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Looking back to where he arrived in this frozen world and finding no gateway to take them back, Richard said gravely, "It seems we are stuck here."
Gazing intently at the gentle, exquisite face of this stranger, Ciri expressed her expertise after a few seconds of silent contemplation, "Don't worry… I can bring all of us out of here… It's just that Eredin… will be able to sense us…"
"Ciri, no. Your body is still weak. You are barely able to move. And I can sense that your Elder Blood is already devoid of any color. You will not be able to activate it for the time being."
Clenching her fist around Richard's hand as hard as she could, Ciri unknowingly asked in a broken voice, "What can I do then… I am useless… without my power…"
"Ciri… You are a Witcher. With or without Elder Blood, you are still a Wolf child."
"Now, now. There's no need to get soppy. We still have a way. Richard dear, may I borrow the greatsword Hofund for a moment?"
Puzzled as to why his sturdy sword, which he looted from Eredin and his company, had anything to do with traveling to another world, Richard nodded, "Yes. You can."
"Urgh. What a heavy sword. Geralt, help me."
"What do you need me–You're right, Yen. It's really heavy. How on earth do you swing this?"
"Make it stand. I want to read the rune inscription. 'Brimir ór loptrinn, Hofuð. Opnað upp leiðinn um Bifröst. Krafteð inn sagar til einn erlangrr endjumk.' Hmm. 'Sword of the sky, Hofund. Open up the path through Bifröst. Crafted in tales that have long ended.' Now let me see the magic circuit. So, it is like that. Yes, yes…"
Ignoring Yennefer, who had started musing to herself, Richard answered Geralt's question earlier, "I didn't. I mean, not yet. I still don't have the strength to wield it. I merely used the wind in the air and the earth within it to guide it whenever I slashed."
"So it's like that. You are using the magic of elements."
"No, Geralt. He is not. He is not using magic in any way. How can I put this… He produces real fire and wields that fire like an extension of his limbs. Not like us practitioners of magic who need to draw from Chaos to create fire and need consent from the Order of this world. And then bring that fire into this physical world. Richard's ability here is the Order itself. That's why when he wanted to shape the elements, the physics all around him responded to him. Because the Order of this world does not clash with the Order created by Richard. Instead, they welcome each other like blood-related brothers."
Finally understanding why the atoms created by sorceresses are always phasing in and out of existence, unlike his that always stay in the physical world and need to be drawn in if he doesn't want his attacks to hurt others, Richard then heard Yennefer's request.
"Richard, can you kill this bird here? I just wanted to confirm something."
Looking at the "alive" raven that suddenly popped into existence, but upon closer inspection in the Transparent World, the inner structure of its organs was very strange, not like that of normal ravens. Not only that, but upon seeing deeper inside its body, half of its cells seemed to be cut off. What was strange was that the cells were still functioning normally, like any other living cells. Richard asked Geralt, "Can I borrow your knife? Hofund is just too big."
"Sure."
Sun Breathing activated, he stabbed the knife where the raven's heart should be. But seeing his hand just go straight through the bird, he finally confirmed that it was true: all of his powers only worked on the Material Plane. His attack merely parted the cells inside the raven's body temporarily, which would return to their normal state after he removed his hand.
"Just as I thought. You cannot harm any spectral beings. Or more accurately, your power is unviable when it comes to affecting Ethereal power."
"Crap. Here I thought we had a chance to fight back. If they decided to descend using their spectral projections… I can't imagine."
"Don't worry. For now, they don't know what he is capable of and incapable of. And let's make sure it stays that way. Moreover, Geralt, did you not see here? They were generous enough to leave compensation for Richard's vulnerability."
Looking at Hofund, which according to Yennefer is able to harm spectral beings, and remembering the look on Eredin's face when he teleported away, leaving behind the greatsword as a sacrifice for their safety in that split second, Richard chuckled. He couldn't imagine what that guy would think when he realized that the item they left behind was the solution to his weakness.
"Hmm? It seems there's a hidden story to this."
Chuckling again, Richard explained, "When I helped Ciri fight the White Frost, Eredin and his men launched a rainbow laser beam attack. After I vaporized it, they instantly teleported away, afraid that I would catch up to them. They left Hofund and Kambi behind. At that time, I was able to glimpse Eredin's face filled with foam in his mouth while roaring in indignation."
"Bwahahaha."
"Hehe. The ruthless and always poised Eredin able to lose his mind."
Continuing, "And you can imagine his reaction when he finally realizes what happened later."
"Bwahahaha! Ouch, my stomach! Bwahahaha! It hurts!"
"Hehehe. I could definitely picture that."
Hearing their conversation filled with joy and unconcerned about facing the Wild Hunt, Ciri asked weakly in confusion, "What is… going on… They are the… Wild Hunt…"
Turning to Ciri, Richard asked, "Are they your nightmares? Then, don't worry. I was able to repel them. And… I want to hunt them, wherever they go. To their homeland. To their hideout. To the end of the world."
"The hunters become the hunted. It feels like a dream. Richard, if you need an extra sword, count me in."
"Hmm… Emhyr has already lost his usefulness. Skellige? Yes, they will gladly offer their lives to Hemdall. We need ships like Naglfar, capable of traversing to another world. I need to contact the others."
Gazing at the uncomfortable Richard looking at her mother, Ciri requested, wanting to feel the gentle warmth all throughout her body, "Richard Harris… Is it… Can you give me… Piggyback ride…"
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