章 268: Fractured Kingdom
Still, with Kaer Morhen under his control, he now had a safe haven. Even if the truth of his Elder Blood were exposed, it was no longer a critical concern.
Wayne's mind raced, but his expression remained composed. Without offering any lies, he responded in a calm tone, "Are there others among the elves with Elder Blood? And how did you discover mine?"
Francesca had been observing his expression closely, wary of causing a rift with this young man of great potential. She smiled slightly, her clear eyes meeting his as she replied sincerely:
"There are no other male elves with this bloodline. But we do have a female elven sage—like you, she carries Elder Blood, though not in its purest form, and she cannot fully wield its power."
"She encountered you from afar, Wayne, and she is well-versed in the intricacies of Elder Blood. Recognizing it within you was easy for her."
"The power of the Elder Blood carries immense significance for our people."
Francesca paused for a moment, biting her lower lip before continuing, her voice holding a hint of temptation:
"Before our arrival in this realm, the Elder Blood was a gift passed down through our royal lineage. It was not without reason that it came to be known as royal blood."
"And our current king, although a capable leader, does not carry this bloodline. He is not the rightful ruler of the elves, at least not by the old traditions."
Wayne understood the underlying message in her words, and although he sensed it was an attempt to entice him, he chose not to make any promises.
After a moment of thought, Wayne responded with a serious expression, "I have traveled to several different worlds, that much is true. I've gained many things from them."
"But these other worlds are perilous. To be blunt, even a witcher like me would not be considered powerful in some of them."
"There are gods in these realms, beings of immense destruction. I take every precaution when traveling and avoid exposing our world at all costs—otherwise, I could bring unimaginable danger to us all."
Francesca nodded, understanding the gravity of his words. The elves of Tir ná Lia, the former Aen Elle explorers, had ventured into countless realms, encountering powerful forces beyond comprehension. They knew the risks of traveling between worlds better than most, even better than Wayne, who was still new to the intricacies of Elder Blood.
With a soft, reassuring smile, Francesca placed her hand gently over Wayne's and spoke in a soothing tone, "Wayne, I know you've gained much from these journeys, but remember—you only have one life. Be cautious and don't take unnecessary risks."
She looked at him earnestly, her voice filled with sincerity. "Your existence is important to our people. Trust me, Wayne. I would never do anything to harm you."
Wayne felt a flicker of warmth at her words, though he could not entirely set aside the caution instilled in him by the tales of Francesca in the Witcher lore. His instincts warned him that while she seemed trustworthy now, alliances could shift when personal interests were at stake.
However, Francesca had done nothing so far to betray his trust. On the contrary, she had been a valuable ally, providing aid and insight without hesitation.
With this new understanding, Wayne decided it would be wise to deepen his cooperation with the elves in the future. Francesca already knew most of his secrets, and building a stronger alliance with the elves seemed like the most practical choice. Working together would yield the best results for both parties.
The two rode in silence for a few more minutes. Francesca suddenly patted Wayne's hand resting on her slender waist, smiling playfully.
"Haha, Wayne, I was so startled by your Deathclaw earlier that I completely forgot the main reason I came to find you!" she said with a lighthearted chuckle.
"You've been in another world for two months, so I doubt you've heard about what's happening in the Kingdom of Kaedwen. I came specifically to update you on that."
Wayne's expression shifted, piqued with interest. Before his departure, the portal in the Kaedweni mountains—one that connected to a realm much like the world of Diablo—had begun exhibiting strange behavior. Tremors and earthquakes followed, and creatures from other dimensions had started to emerge.
This anomaly had thrown the kingdom into turmoil. King Henselt himself had fallen into a coma, and the Brotherhood of Sorcerers had dispatched members of the Supreme Council to investigate.
Now that two months had passed, Wayne was eager to hear how the situation had developed.
Francesca, noticing his keen interest, didn't delay her explanation.
"The situation has taken a dangerous turn," Francesca began. "It seems the disturbance is indeed connected to another world."
"You remember the spatial rift that caused all the chaos? Well, two of the Warlock Brotherhood's top councilors led a contingent of sorcerers to the rift, protected by a regiment of soldiers."
"But when they arrived, they found that the rift was slowly expanding, influenced by some powerful dark force from the other side. Worse still, they were unable to seal it."
Wayne's brow furrowed as he processed her words.
"This power is advanced, unlike anything from our realm. Even the most skilled members of the Supreme Council couldn't decipher or contain it quickly," Francesca continued.
"And, as if that wasn't enough, the rift has become a gateway for endless streams of monsters from that other world. They're flooding into ours without cease."
"They remained near the rift for half a month," Francesca continued. "But soon, the army was overwhelmed. The creatures from the other world didn't just come as beasts or simple monsters—they were organized, like an army. They had sorcerers among them, commanded legions of undead, and could even raise fallen soldiers to fight again."
"In the end, the forces of Kaedwen couldn't hold out, and the Supreme Councilors had no choice but to retreat. Their mission ended in failure."
Francesca smiled as she spoke, clearly amused by the outcome.
It was evident that the Kingdom of Kaedwen's misfortune suited the interests of the elves. Although another world had invaded Kaedwen, the losses were mainly borne by human forces. For Francesca, seeing a kingdom that was openly hostile to non-humans in turmoil brought a certain satisfaction—it was the perfect scenario of letting rivals exhaust each other.
Having shared these insights with Wayne, Francesca now seemed even closer to him. Her hand remained lightly on his arm, the warmth between them adding an unspoken layer to their growing bond.
With a playful smile lingering on her lips, she continued, "In these two months, the strange fog that accompanies the monsters has spread across nearly a fifth of Kaedwen's territory. The fog has cut the kingdom in half, isolating regions and communities. Even their capital, Ard Carraigh, has fallen under its shadow."
"Though the Brotherhood of Sorcerers has cast powerful sealing spells to slow the fog's spread, it has effectively split the kingdom in two."
"To make matters worse, with King Henselt still in a coma, the kingdom is on the brink of collapse. Refugees wander the land, the nobles are consumed by petty rivalries, and two claimants to the throne—both with royal blood—are vying for control."
"The whole country is in chaos, teetering on the edge of civil war."
Wayne listened intently, his mind racing. He hadn't imagined that Kaedwen's situation could deteriorate so quickly. The threat posed by the rift and the chaos it had unleashed made him uneasy. If space rifts from other worlds remained unchecked, they could bring ruin to entire nations. It was a stark reminder that any future breaches needed to be properly sealed to prevent disasters like this.
Just as Wayne thought Francesca's news couldn't get worse, she paused briefly before delivering another troubling revelation.
"And there's more," she said with a knowing smile. "According to intelligence gathered from neighboring realms, other northern kingdoms are already positioning themselves to interfere in Kaedwen's succession crisis."
"At the very least, I have solid confirmation that King Demavend of Aedirn is eyeing Kaedwen with interest."
"With the fog dividing the kingdom, its capital lost, and the military weakened, this is the perfect opportunity for Aedirn to strike. And as you know, Aedirn and Kaedwen have a long history of animosity, with countless bloody skirmishes over border disputes."
Francesca's expression remained one of amusement, reflecting her satisfaction at the predicament the human kingdoms found themselves in.
"Demavend is nothing if not ambitious, and he isn't going to let this opportunity pass by. A large-scale war between Aedirn and Kaedwen seems inevitable. Soon, we'll see them tear into each other."
Wayne absorbed her words, recognizing the grim reality. The idea of Kaedwen and Aedirn going to war was troubling, but for Francesca and the elves, it was a welcome development.
Both kingdoms posed a threat to the elves. Kaedwen was notorious for its hostility toward non-humans, and Aedirn had long coveted Dol Blathanna, the Valley of Flowers, the last bastion of elven sovereignty.
Many innocent elves had perished at the hands of humans in both Kaedwen and Aedirn. For Francesca, the thought of watching these two kingdoms tear each other apart was nothing short of gratifying—a poetic justice for centuries of suffering.
After hearing Francesca's account, Wayne found himself stunned. His actions had drastically altered the history of the Witcher world, causing ripple effects he hadn't anticipated.
By his calculations, Ciri of Cintra should have already been born. However, Duny—the cursed hedgehog knight and Ciri's father—had been cast into another world by Wayne's intervention. This meant that Cintra's fate, and by extension, Ciri's, was now far from certain.
At the same time, the southern Kingdom of Nilfgaard remained under the control of a usurper, with Emperor Emhyr var Emreis, Ciri's future father, yet to reclaim his throne.
But now, the north was in disarray as well. The unexpected turmoil in Kaedwen had thrown the balance of power into flux. Wayne couldn't help but wonder—would Nilfgaard still wait six years before launching the first Northern War, as it had in the original timeline?
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