"Don't look at me, look at the Blue Mountains, the Blue Mountains!"
Vesemir shouted at Lambert and Eskel before vaulting over the railing. Landing on the stairs below, he immediately sprinted toward the mountains.
The two Witchers followed his gaze.
On a distant snowy peak, a gigantic Celestial Wyvern was rolling around in the snow.
"Fuck!"
Lambert cursed.
"What kind of dragon is that?!"
Without hesitation, he charged forward.
Eskel followed close behind, shaking his head in amazement.
"I've never seen anything like it! Maybe today we'll become dragon slayers!"
"Or dragon food," Lambert shot back. "Sounds fantastic."
The pair quickly caught up with Vesemir.
Behind them, Triss struggled to keep pace.
Seeing her running after them, Lambert shouted over his shoulder.
"Triss, stay behind us! Dragons are a warrior's problem. Just be ready to deal with its breath attacks!"
"I'm not an ordinary sorceress, Lambert!"
Triss lifted her skirt slightly and continued running.
As the initial shock faded, something felt increasingly strange.
The magical disturbance surrounding the creature seemed oddly familiar.
Before she could figure it out, the dragon suddenly moved.
On the mountain peak, Axel patted the Celestial Wyvern.
"Ah Yin. That's your name from now on."
He pointed toward Kaer Morhen.
"See that ruined castle? Take us there."
He physically turned the creature's head toward the fortress.
The Silver-Winged Star studied the distant structure and released a thoughtful rumble.
"Roar."
It lowered its wings and prepared to launch.
Seeing that the creature seemed to understand at least part of what he meant, Axel lifted Ciri and set her on Ah Yin's back. His left arm wrapped securely around her waist.
Ciri held onto him and grinned.
"It looks like the two of you can communicate even without help."
"Eventually," Axel replied. "I'd rather speed up the process."
Using his telekinetic abilities, he floated Avallac'h onto the base of Ah Yin's tail.
Then Axel stomped down on the dragon's back.
"Awoo!"
Ah Yin roared and exploded forward at a speed invisible to the naked eye.
Vesemir and the others had barely blinked.
Whoosh!
Boom!
The air screamed.
A violent sonic boom echoed across the mountains.
One moment Ah Yin was on a distant peak.
The next, it crashed directly into Kaer Morhen's training yard, smashing through two crumbling walls before finally stopping.
Vesemir stared in disbelief.
"What is that speed?! No dragon should be capable of that!"
He instantly drew his silver sword.
Lambert and Eskel followed suit.
Eskel gripped his weapon tightly.
"I came here to bury Geralt. I didn't expect to witness the end of the Wolf School too."
Lambert activated Quen and rushed forward.
"If we're going down against something like this, at least we'll become legends!"
Before his sword could strike, a blue flash appeared.
Clang!
Ciri blocked his attack with both hands.
"Lambert!"
"Ciri?!"
"Cirilla?!"
"Ciri!"
The entire Wolf School froze.
Triss reacted first.
She hurried forward and grabbed Ciri's wrist.
"It's really you!"
Her voice trembled.
"How did you get here? And what is that dragon?"
Ciri laughed.
"It's good to see you too, Triss. I'll explain later."
She turned toward Vesemir.
"Vesemir! Have you missed me?"
The old Witcher smiled despite himself.
"A little."
Then his expression became serious.
"But that's not the important question. What exactly is going on here? And who are those two?"
His gaze shifted toward Axel and Avallac'h.
Noticing the elf's attire, Triss frowned.
"An elven mage?"
Avallac'h bowed politely.
"I am Avallac'h. It is an honor to meet the famed Fourteenth of the Hill."
Then he stepped aside.
Ciri immediately returned to Axel's side.
After sheathing her sword, she hugged his arm.
"This is Axel. He's my friend and a god from another world."
She pointed toward Ah Yin.
"And that's his pet."
The enormous dragon immediately tried to look innocent.
Ciri's grip tightened slightly.
When she glanced toward Triss, a trace of embarrassment appeared on her face.
Triss noticed immediately.
The little girl she remembered had clearly grown up.
Still, one detail concerned her.
A god.
Gods rarely brought anything simple.
Suppressing her concerns, Triss stepped forward.
"I am Triss Merigold. Welcome to Kaer Morhen."
Axel smiled.
"I'm Axel."
Then he glanced at Vesemir.
"Although I think the welcome should probably come from the owner of the fortress."
The comment earned a few amused looks.
Nearby, Ah Yin had begun chewing on part of a damaged wall.
Axel casually kicked the dragon.
The creature immediately froze and tucked its tail beneath itself.
Watching the enormous beast behave like a scolded puppy, Vesemir swallowed.
"A dragon this large should be impossible to tame."
He studied Ah Yin carefully.
"Dragon riders are supposed to be legends."
Then he turned back toward Axel.
"What brings you to Kaer Morhen?"
His tone became cautious.
"The Wolf School is a shadow of what it once was. There are only three Witchers left.
"If Geralt were alive, perhaps he could assist. Unfortunately, he isn't."
Vesemir paused.
"So, what do you need from us?"
The concern in his eyes was obvious.
Experience had taught him that whenever gods became interested in mortals, trouble followed.
Axel chuckled.
"Relax, Vesemir."
He draped an arm around Ciri's shoulders.
"I didn't come here because I need something from Kaer Morhen."
Then he pointed directly at Triss.
"I came here for her."
Triss blinked.
"For me?"
"Of course."
Axel stepped forward.
"Ciri told me quite a bit about you."
Ciri immediately sensed danger.
Axel continued without hesitation.
"According to her, you're the most beautiful and charming sorceress in this world."
"What?!"
Ciri's eyes widened.
"When did I ever say that?!"
Axel waved a hand.
"Don't interrupt."
Ciri immediately found herself unable to speak.
Triss stared at him.
A faint blush appeared on her face.
"You really think that?"
"In my opinion, absolutely."
Axel gently lifted a strand of her auburn hair.
Triss instinctively stepped back.
Her heartbeat accelerated.
Axel smiled.
"I've wanted to meet you for a very long time."
With a flick of his wrist, a magnificent necklace appeared in his hand.
The blue gemstone seemed to contain an entire ocean within it.
Even Triss was stunned.
As a sorceress, she had seen countless treasures.
Nothing compared to this.
Axel fastened the necklace around her neck.
The weight and beauty of it left her momentarily speechless.
"But we've only just met," she said softly.
"That doesn't change anything."
Triss looked into his eyes and found herself unable to look away.
A moment later, Axel wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her toward the tower.
The stunned silence that followed lasted several seconds.
Ciri finally pointed toward the tower.
"They... they're just leaving?"
Vesemir rubbed his forehead.
"Gods tend to do things their own way."
Then he smacked Ciri lightly on the head.
"And you. How exactly did you end up traveling with a god?"
Ciri rubbed her head in protest.
Vesemir sighed.
The child he remembered had grown into an adult.
Part of him was relieved Geralt and Yennefer were not here to witness the situation.
As for Triss...
That was no lo
nger his business.
His gaze shifted toward Ah Yin.
The giant dragon had resumed investigating the training yard.
Vesemir studied it thoughtfully.
Whatever else happened today, one fact remained undeniable.
This was the most extraordinary dragon he had ever seen.
Without even realizing it, the old Witcher found himself smiling.