章節 8: Chapter 7:

Woman is at once apple and serpent. - Heinrich Heine

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Three Days Later:

Current Year: 1259

As funny as Ivar's joke was, or at least, I really hope it was a joke and he wasn't serious. I didn't want my mother to come here. I didn't want my mother to see just how evil I truly was. I'd become a lot more ruthless throughout the years, I don't want her to see that side of me.

I also don't want my mother to witness my trials. The trials basically amount to the most terrible amount of torture a person can go through. Everything else you could experience in life was a cake walk compared to the absolute dread the trials bring.

It was already too late though, my trial was today and my mother was going to arrive any moment. I really don't know what I'm going to say once I see her. Hi? How are you? What have you been up to? I really don't know. I'll expect it just to come out or something.

These thoughts were useless, I have work to do before the trial begins. My plan is almost at the cusp of succeeding. A plan that was years in the making. My few enemies I have made while at this school will no longer be a problem.

I walked into the alchemy lab to find master Torsten working on the potions and mutagens for the first trial, the trial of grasses. He noticed me open the door and called out to me.

"Oi Harkon! Today's the big day. How are you feeling? I made sure to be extra careful when I was concocting your potions and mutagens. I even made sure they came from top of the notch monsters in the prime of their lives. Although it's never been proven that the age of the monster itself helps with the mutagenic process, it's better to be safe than sorry! You're my favorite by the way, I hope you succeed!" Torsten said, he had a chipper tone of voice. He truly loved alchemy, the man could barely be away a couple hours from the alchemy table.

I'm pretty sure most of the schools finances come from him making a litany of potions for us to sell. Not witcher potions, mind you, probably potions that the common folk need. The stuff that makes your dick hard and the like.

"Hey Torsten! I'm doing well. It's another glorious day in the alchemical world, am I right my friend?" I said, being friendly to one of the nicest men I've met in my life.

Torsten smiled at that and continued.

"Indeed it is Harkon, indeed it is. What brings you by? Jitters about undergoing the trials?" Torsten asked, happy to have me here.

I shook my head at that. I'm here for an altogether different purpose, but he doesn't need to know that.

"No, I was just wondering if you wanted help brewing the trials, I'm almost as good an alchemist as you now. How many have you done? Perhaps I can help." I said, eager to help Torsten lessen the amount of work he needed.

Torsten smiled at that, glad he has a young friend so willing to help him with his alchemy.

"Thanks Harkon, I just completed your set of brews for the trial. It's on the counter over there. It's labeled with your name on it. Took me thirty bloody minutes to finish, but it's one of the finest batches I've ever made. With your help, we'll be out of here in no time. You get to work on Ulf's batch while I do Vivienne's, female witchers need a special replacement because of the different hormones they produce." Torsten said, thankful I was helping

I looked at Torsten and smiled, a smile that did not quite accurately portray what I was actually feeling.

"Sure thing, Torsten, I'll get right on it." I said.

Slowly I made my way over to my side of the alchemy station and got to work. I had already learned the recipe for the witcher trials, I was already a master alchemist here after all and Ivar trusted me, that was good enough reason for me to learn the alchemical secrets needed to make a witcher.

I expertly moved my hands, my fingers moved with grace as I concocted Ulf's brew of the witcher trials. After around thirty-five minutes of stirring, shaking, and brewing later...Ulf's witcher brews have been completed. I showed Torsten my work and he praised me for my effort. He finished Vivienne's trial at around the same time as me. We both labeled the potions with a special brand that goes on the metal potion bottles we possessed. Didn't want to accidentally mix them up now, did we?

After making this batch, Torsten left to go take a piss before getting back to work. I silently stared at Ulf's and Vivienne's brews before me.

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A Few Hours Later:

Current Year: 1259

I reached the first floor of the keep and walked out the front door, preparing myself to meet the guests. I really didn't want to meet them, a bunch of mages that are going to be watching while you are tortured in order to study you is very strange. I was wearing a simple pair of clothes consisting of a black tunic and pants, classic Nilfgaard style. I looked presentable enough, I thought.

I heard the castle gate being drawn up as a few people were being let inside. It was clear a couple of them were mages from their way of dress. My mother wasn't among them, but she would be here soon. There was a litany of different mages and druids. Some looked like they were from Zerrikania while others were from Nilfgaard and some of the northern kingdoms. There was one face among this crowd though that I really didn't want to see. A mage that should not be here. She was wearing a black, almost gothic style dress. Her hair was cut short and she had dark eyeliner.

Fringilla Vigo.

She is a witch, currently belonging to the Brotherhood Of Sorcerers. Eventually, in the future, she is approached by Assire var Anahid and inducted into the Lodge Of Sorceresses. She also is a Nilfgaardian mage. She looked exactly like she did in her Gwent card.

No, No, No. She can't be here. Is the brotherhood trying to gain access to witcher secrets? Or was she sent by Emhyr? Fringilla held office in Toussaint which is part of the Nilfgaardian empire. Emhyr might have sent her. If the brotherhood sent her, I should be ok. The brotherhood probably only has a mild interest in witchers. Emhyr on the other hand…. If she's spying for Emhyr, she could be here to decide if the castle is worth attacking or not. God I'm panicking, I need to be calm.

I've calmed down a little, but shit! This is bad. I need to make certain of her intentions. I immediately concocted a plan in my mind and prepared myself. I didn't want to do this, but if she's going to try and attack this castle, I'll kill her before she can get away.

I walked over to Fringilla. I had a frosty look on my face, I couldn't help it. This woman might lead to everyone I care about being killed.

I reached Fringilla and stared at her, she noticed my stare and raised an eyebrow at me.

"You're a cute one, little witcher. Is there something you need?" Asked the sorceress, Honey in her words as she bent down a bit to look at me. I was still just a child after all.

God, she's extremely pretty and her words are sweet. I can see why Geralt was seduced so many times by sorceresses. Actually, didn't she seduce Geralt one time? It hasn't happened yet I'm pretty sure, but it might. I have to be strong though, I won't fall to such temptations.

"Master Ivar would like to talk to you personally, if you would just follow me." I spoke emotionlessly, making sure to keep the nervousness out of my voice. She just stared at me and smiled.

"Oh you are a very cute one, little witcher. Maybe when you get a bit older you can visit me in Toussaint." She said while staring directly into my eyes.

I used the hatred I held in my heart to stay calm. This sorceress would not tempt me. I have work that needs to be done, this human would not get in my way.

I turned around and beckoned her to follow me, she didn't know her way around the castle so I led her upstairs towards my room. No one will be in the trainee barracks today, the trials were going to begin in like 20 minutes.

As soon as I reached the door to my room, I turned around and looked at Fringilla. She looked at me confused before speaking.

"Is this where Ivar is?" She asked softly and with a smile as she pointed between me and the door.

I simply nodded at her words.

"Very well then, I'll go see him." Fringilla said as she walked towards the door and opened it. She looked into my room, confused as to why no one was in there.

As soon as she had half a step in the doorway I acted. I pushed Fringilla through the doorway and then shut and locked the door. As I did that, a bomb dropped from my pocket.

A dimeritium bomb, capable of stopping the use of magic in its entirety. The room flashed up and glowed in a green light. Fringilla had a shocked look on her face. I quickly ran over to her and held a knife to her throat.

She looked scared, this is probably one of the few times she had been at a disadvantage in her life.

"W-woah, woah hold on now, little Witcher. What are you doing?" Fringilla said, allowing the fear to creep into her voice.

I looked at her with my emotionless blue eyes.

"Why are you here?" I said, letting hatred leak out into my voice as I put a bit more pressure on the knife.

Fringilla looked very scared. She needs to speak quickly, the effects of the dimeritium bomb won't last long.

"I-I'm here to o-oversee the trial, just like anybody else. P-please believe me." Fringilla said, pleading. Her acting was good, her only fault is her body. She looks like she's crying, but there's no tears coming out of her eyes.

"Bullshit," I said. " What are you really here for?" This time my tone assured her that something bad would happen unless she starts talking, fast.

She looked at me, before looking away. She spoke once more.

"Please, he'll kill me." Fringilla said, this time not feigning her terror.

"Well then, you're in a difficult situation. If you tell me why you're here, you might be killed. However, if you don't tell me why you're here I'll kill you now. I'd advise you to speak. Was it Emhyr that sent you? Was it the brotherhood? What do they want? Speak quickly before my hand slips and makes a cut you'll regret." I spoke with a tone of authority.

Fringilla looked shocked that I even knew about the existence of the brotherhood. She also looked shocked because she was under the threat of death from a ten year old. Finally after a few moments and a look of resignation, she spoke.

"His majesty, Emhyr Var Emeris sent me. He wants me to look into whether you witchers from the School of The Viper are a threat to his rule. He knows that you take contracts on humans and are well versed in stealth. He wants me to assess whether or not your existence can be tolerated." Fringilla spoke, this time allowing a tear to fall from her eye.

I somewhat pitied her, in the future she will help Yennefer escape from the lodge so she could find Ciri. Later on, she is held captive for several years for her crime of colluding with the lodge. However, my sentiment for the fact that she's a reasonably good person meant nothing. If she were to tell Emhyr that we're a threat, the school would be destroyed.

After a few moments of contemplation, I decided on something. Fringilla was a very dangerous individual, but she could also prove useful to me.

I removed my knife from her neck and put it back in its sheath. Quickly I opened a drawer to my desk and shuffled around a few things before pulling out a certain potion I'd been working on.

"Drink this." I ordered Fringilla. She looked at me and then at the potion.

"...What is it?" She asked with hesitation.

"Drink it now or I'll kill you." I said while I handed Fringilla the potion.

She took it in her hands and looked down at it and then at me. I gestured for her to drink it. Finally after a couple of seconds, she drank the potion.

She wiped her mouth then looked at me.

"That wasn't so bad, it tasted like raspberries and honey. It makes me feel great. What was it?" Fringilla asked, eager to know what was inside the delicious drink.

I looked at her and then smiled.

"Poison." I said emotionlessly. She looked at me in shock.

"Poison?!" Fringilla asked frantically while clutching her throat, her knees falling to the ground in shock and fear. I was amused at her efforts.

"Yes, Poison. You see Fringilla, what you just ingested was a potion of my own design. I was trying to make a drug that made people relax so that I could sell the product to the poor of a city and make myself quite a nice profit. Instead I ended up with this. After having one sip of that oh so delicious drink that I just gave you, you formed an addiction. A very powerful addiction. An addiction so powerful that if you don't have one of those delicious potions once every three days, you will die. It won't be a simple death either. Your blood will feel as if it's tree sap and your bones will be like glass. Your eyes will start to lose the sight that they once had and finally all you'll be able to do is lie down on the floor and clutch your chest in pain before finally succumbing. Feel free to attempt to find a cure after you leave here, you will not succeed." I spoke while a positively evil smile creeped up onto my face, curving farther than any normal smile should go.

I do so love it when a plan works out in my favor. Makes me feel alive. Fringilla on the other hand looked like she was about to start balling her eyes out. Ugh, act like an adult, I'm only a 10 year old. You shouldn't cry in front of me.

"...What do you want?" Fringilla intoned, seemingly drained of her will.

"Oh, I want a great many things Fringilla," I said as I got on my knees in order to look into her eyes. "So many things indeed, however, all I want from you is to make a deal."

Fringilla looked at me, her eyes narrowing.

"What kind of deal?" Fringillas asked, wary of me.

"The kind where I get what I want, and you get what you want. A deal where we all benefit. The deal is simple, once you leave here after the trials have been completed, you'll take Svend with you. I know that you know of his existence, otherwise the vipers wouldn't be on Emhyr's shit list. Take him to Emhyr, he will love having a chat with him. You will then tell Emhyr that we are not a threat to him. You will tell Emhyr that instead of having us join his army, it would be wiser to just give us contracts from time time to time. That way everyone benefits. The witchers of the School of the Viper get to continue their existence and Nilfgaard has a few less enemies to deal with. Win, Win, no? You will use all your cunning and guile to accomplish these tasks. Make sure Emhyr understands that we have given him the son of the usurper as a gift. Finally, you will heed my commands and serve me. I want to know what Emhyr and the brotherhood are up to at all times." I told her of all my demands and waited for my response.

She looked shocked honestly, it was hard for her to digest all of the information I was telling her at the moment. There were a lot of demands there, I just have to hope she won't be stupid and say no. Otherwise I'll have to kill her and then evacuate the school. Fringilla looked up from the floor she was staring down at and spoke once more.

"How exactly do I benefit from this?" She asked. "You seem to have listed quite a lot of demands that benefit you, but nothing so far that has benefited me."

I just smiled at that. In the future Fringilla, you will receive a lot of benefits, but for now the benefit will only be one thing.

"I thought it was obvious, Fringilla. The benefit I'm giving you is the most important one of all. Your life." I said as I smiled a devilish smile. "Some other "minor" benefits you will receive in the future will be a dukedom. I plan to make you the Duchess of Toussaint after all. My ambition isn't content with just being a witcher. I plan to do great things in the future."

Fringilla looked incredibly shocked at my words. Probably fantasizing on what it would be like to be the duchess of Toussaint. She also looked shocked from the fact that a ten year old was putting her through this mess

"Ok." Fringilla said after a few moments of silence. "I'll do what you ask."

Good, today is turning out to be quite good after all. It's time to head back to the courtyard now, the guests are still arriving. I opened the chest in my room and got another potion of the one I gave Fringilla out. I handed it over to her and told her to drink it after three days. The trial of the grasses lasts a week after all. I won't be awake to brew her another potion in order to keep her alive.

We left my room and made our way back out to the courtyard, waiting for the arrivals. I told Fringilla to go back to doing whatever it is she was doing before as I waited by the gate. Soon enough after around 10 minute, a feminine figure wearing a cloak accompanied by Ivar made their way through the black and dreary gate and over to me. Ivar was holding the woman's hand until she came straight up towards me. She lowered her hood revealing the face that lay underneath. Raven black hair, blue eyes, and an extremely enchanting face. It was my mother.

"Harkon..." She managed to squeeze out as she touched my face.

"Mother." I replied as I gazed up at her eyes. It had been seven years since I had seen her, truly too long. I hoped she still cared for me.

As soon as the thought entered my mind, my mother bent down and gave me the fiercest hug she could. I returned the hug in kind, I sure did miss her. My life since I met her has been 24/7 training, fighting and surviving. No room for anything else. Feeling the warmth of her hug made me feel happy inside.

"What is this hat you're wearing? You're covering your handsome hair." She said in between sniffles. I looked up at her and smiled.

"It draws less suspicion mom, I can blend in easier." I said with a chipper tone.

My mother just smirked and reached over and took my hat off, seeing my handsome face in all its glory. My cheeks heat up a bit, I wear that hat almost all the time so humans don't get the wrong idea.

Fringilla who was over to the side looked over at us strangely, seeing my pointed ears must be making her think of a million conspiracy theories in her head. Too bad they're probably all wrong.

"You've grown so handsome. Ivar has been keeping me up to date on your activities. He told me you're very talented. He said you're the best they've had in generations. I would expect nothing less from my son." My mother said, caressing me.

"You look good too mom. I'm glad you're here." I said truthfully. Ivar apparently had something to say and interrupted us.

"Sorry to interrupt, but the trial needs to be underway soon. We are already late as it is. We can hug it out and cry later." Ivar said with a smile, but his tone was serious.

"I understand, but first I need to talk with you. Something important has come up and we need to speak now." I spoke with an urgency in my voice. Ivar nodded and took me off to the side to speak with me for a bit.

I told him all about Fringilla and what I had done and what she was here for. He looked shocked at the development. I told him about the deal I had made and that I needed him to tell Svend that he would be undertaking his mutations next week instead of today. I told him to make up an excuse by saying that his brew of the trial of the grasses came out wrong and that he'd need to wait till next week before undergoing the trial. That way Fringilla can teleport Svend to the royal palace once the week is over.

Ivar acquiesced. He realized this was the only option, otherwise Emhyr would Invade the school and kill us all. A couple might survive, but not enough to try and fight the wild hunt. Ivar told us to get below the keep to ready ourselves for the trial while he goes and tells Svend the news.

As I was on my way towards the basement of the keep, the boy in question appeared.

"Hey Harkon, how's it going? Listen, Master Ivar just told me that my brew for the trial came out bad, so I'm going to be taking the trial next week. I just wanted to say goodbye, just in case, uh, you know." Svend said, trying to be nice to me as there was a 70% chance that I could die. His classic Nilfgaardian accent was flourishing and his voice was still squeaky. It honestly made me feel a bit horrible. I had already condemned this kid to death so that the school would survive.

It wasn't fair that his father was the usurper and that he had to take refuge in the witcher school. It also wasn't fair what I was doing, essentially selling him to Emhyr. Emhyr would definitely kill him, he can't have any threats to his line of succession. If Svend managed to get into power and rouse the support of the usurpers allies, it would be a disaster. It won't happen, he'll be killed and his body will be hung in the middle of the streets as a warning.

"I'm doing alright, I'm gonna face the trial after all. If this is the last time we see each other, know that you've been a good friend to me Svend." I lied as easily as I breathed. This wouldn't be the last time we see each other. I'll see Fringilla taking him away to sit before the emperor. I felt like a scumbag, but what can you do? Svend wasn't the most amazing friend to me. I think he thought we were better friends than we actually were, he was just gasping for a life line in a place as dreary as a witcher school.

I walked past Svend after patting him on the shoulder and made my way into the cold dark basement, my mother following after me. We were currently somewhere deep below the keep. At Least a 100 feet below the earth. It was a dark dimly lit room, the only light being from those of torches that lined the walls. It looked like a torture chamber. Tools and equipment were set out and the devices for administering the witcher brews were set up at each individual station. There was giant metal and wood Gurney's where we would be strapped in by restraints in order for the process to begin.

My Gerney was noticeably farther away from the other witcher trainees. Ivar knew I was a source, my mother had already told him apparently. This was a just in case scenario, source's have been known to cause widespread destruction when in periods of extreme emotional volatility and pain.

Torsten was there ready and waiting for me, the late arrival. I could see that all the other witcher trainees were already strapped into their death trap esque gurney's, waiting for the trials to be started. I saw Vivienne and Ulf, both of them glaring at me, and four of the other bland Nilfgaardian trainees all strapped in and waiting with their shirts off. I imagine Vivienne was a bit embarrassed at that development.

I made my way over to my Gurney that was farther away, once I reached it, I took off my shirt and lied down. My mother looked at me, shed a tear from her eye and told me everything was going to be alright. I smiled at her and told her I'd be fine. Then she moved away, joining the group of mages and druids that were overseeing the trials.

Ivar came up to me and strapped me in. Making sure that my arms and legs were bound so I wouldn't end up hurting myself or tried to commit suicide during the trial. He gave it another once over before bringing over an ancient looking I.V drip that was going to administer the brews into my system.

"We're about to begin Harkon, are you ready?" Ivar asked as a courtesy, it was too late to turn back.

"I'm ready." I replied, preparing myself for the torture to come.

"If you have a place that you find happy, I would advise you to go there." Ivar said, about to turn the valve to let the potions into my body.

"I don't have anything like that." I managed to say. Ivar looked down at me once again, his brows furrowing.

"Then, I advise you to cling to your hatred. Live for the vengeance you feel in your heart. Live for the pain that lets you know you're alive. Live for the day you will kill the Aen Elle who raped your mother." Ivar said, especially emphasizing the last bit.

I scowled and stared at Ivar in his red eye. I would live through this and I would come back alive. When I'm done with this fucking trial, I'll come back to this world and kill anyone who gets in my way. Human, elf, dwarf, or gnome. After I'm done here, they'll all meet the same fate.

"I won't die here," I said through gritted teeth, scowling at the ceiling and allowing my hatred to flow. "There is much work to be done."

I kept the scowl on my face, showcasing the hatred that I keep buried deep inside my heart. Ivar looked down and smirked at that before turning the valve.

"Prove it." He said, just before the liquids inside reached my arm.