The rift hung in the air like a festering wound carved into the fabric of existence itself. It pulsed with colors that shouldn't exist, hues that existed somewhere between deep violet and a darkness so absolute it seemed to devour light. The edges writhed and twisted, crackling with what looked like black lightning that sent ripples through reality with each discharge. Looking at it directly made my eyes water, made my brain try to process something it fundamentally couldn't comprehend.
The air around it was thick, I could taste it, metallic and bitter, like blood mixed with ash and something else, something that reminded me of ozone but carried an undertone of decay that made my stomach turn. The temperature fluctuated wildly, one moment freezing cold that made frost form on the ancient stones, the next scorching hot enough that heat waves distorted the air.
As Callum and I stood there, staring at the wound in reality itself, my system interface exploded with notifications. The cascade of warnings hit my mind like a physical assault, each one more urgent than the last.
Warning! Warning! Warning!
System Notification: Unforeseen scenario has occurred. New Quest will accommodate this occurrence.
System Notification: High Magical Anomaly Detected.
System Notification: Void Rift Detected.
System Notification: Dimensional Instability Critical.
System Notification: Reality Fracture Imminent.
The notifications kept coming, faster and faster, overlapping each other until they became a blur of blue screens across my vision. My enhanced senses were being overwhelmed, picking up things that shouldn't exist, whispers in languages that predated human speech, the sensation of being watched by things that existed in spaces my mind couldn't properly conceptualize.
I collapsed to my knees, the weight of the notifications and the wrongness of the rift pressing down on me like a physical force. My head was pounding, my vision swimming. I could hear Callum calling my name, but his voice seemed distant, muffled, as if coming from underwater.
Then, cutting through the chaos, a new notification appeared:
System Notification: Unforeseen scenario has occurred. New Quest will accommodate this occurrence.
I gritted my teeth, forcing my mind to focus through the pain. "Silence notifications," I thought desperately, trying to clear my vision enough to see what was happening.
The cascade of warnings stopped abruptly, leaving only one final notification hanging in my vision:
System Notification: Rare Void Quest Received
Rare Void Quest: Mysteries Beyond The Void
Objective: Slay the void entities invading your world, and close the void.
Rewards: 1 Common Item. +2 Ability Points. +2 Attribute Points.
Warning: Failure to complete this quest will have your world invaded by the Great Old Ones.
My mind reeled. Void Quest? Great Old Ones? Why the hell was a Rare quest only giving me a common ranked item? None of this made sense. The system had never given me a quest like this before, never mentioned anything about void entities or Great Old Ones. What the fuck was happening?
But before I could process any of it, before I could even begin to understand what I was facing, I felt a great push that sent me sprawling across the ancient stones.
"Cain, watch out!" Callum's voice cut through my confusion, sharp with fear and warning.
I hit the ground hard, the impact driving the air from my lungs. I rolled instinctively, my Witcher training taking over even as my mind struggled to catch up. When I looked up, my blood ran cold.
A towering black wolf with crimson red fur had emerged from the thick fog that was pouring out of the rift like blood from a wound. The creature was massive, easily the size of a horse, maybe larger. Its fur was midnight black, but streaked with crimson that seemed to glow with an inner light, like veins of molten metal running through coal. Its eyes were pits of absolute darkness, deeper than the void itself, and when it opened its mouth, I saw rows of teeth that looked more like obsidian shards than anything natural.
The wolf had pounced on Callum while I was distracted by the notifications. I watched in horror as those massive jaws clamped down on his shoulder. There was a sound like breaking glass, Callum's Quen shield shattering under the force of the bite, and then I saw the yellow light of the protective Sign explode into fragments that dissolved into the air.
Blood spilled from the wolf's mouth, dark red against the black and crimson of its fur. Callum grunted in pain, a sound that was half gasp, half scream, his face going pale as the wolf's teeth sank deeper into his flesh. I could see the muscles in his jaw clenching, could see him trying to stay conscious through the agony.
Time seemed to slow down. My Cold Blooded trait kicked in, suppressing the panic that threatened to overwhelm me, forcing my mind into that state of crystal clarity that came in moments of extreme danger. Every detail became sharp, as I focused. I could see the individual drops of blood falling from Callum's wound. And the way the wolf's muscles bunched and shifted under its unnatural fur. I could feel my own heartbeat, steady and controlled despite the horror of what I was witnessing.
Then I moved.
My body reacted before my conscious mind could fully process what I was doing. I was on my feet and running, closing the distance between myself and the wolf in seconds.
I slammed my elbow into the beast's head with all the force I could muster. The impact jarred my arm, sent pain shooting up to my shoulder. It felt like hitting a stone wall. The wolf's skull was impossibly hard, dense. My strike did next to nothing, the creature didn't even flinch.
But I wasn't done. Even as my elbow connected, I was already moving my other hand, already channeling mana through the familiar patterns of Sign magic. I thrust my fingers forward in the gesture for Igni, focusing all my will and power into a single point.
Fire erupted from my fingertips like a small flamethrower, a concentrated stream of flame that hit the wolf directly in its left eye. The creature's eye was massive, easily the size of my fist, and when the fire struck it, I heard a sound that made my skin crawl, a shriek that was part animal, part something else entirely, something that shouldn't exist in this world.
The wolf released Callum immediately, its head jerking back from the pain. Black smoke rose from its burned eye, carrying a smell that was acrid and wrong, like burning tar mixed with rotting meat. The creature stumbled backward, shaking its massive head, and then it did something that made my blood run even colder.
It disappeared as it vanished into the thick fog that was still pouring out of the void rift, its form dissolving into the mist as if it had never been solid to begin with. One moment it was there, massive and terrifying and real. The next, it was gone, leaving only the fog and the smell of burned flesh and the sound of Callum's labored breathing.
I rushed to Callum's side, dropping to my knees beside him. He was pale, too pale. The bite wound on his shoulder was deep, ragged, and bleeding heavily. I could see torn muscle, could see the white of bone beneath the shredded flesh. The wolf's teeth had done terrible damage, and Callum was losing blood fast.
"Callum," I said, keeping my voice steady through sheer force of will. "Callum, can you hear me?"
He looked up at me, and despite everything, despite the pain, despite the blood loss, despite the fact that he'd just been mauled, he actually smirked.
"Cain," he said, his voice weak but still carrying that familiar humor. "I found lunch. That wolf looked big and tasty, but has a mean shit biter it does."
I wanted to laugh and cry. I wanted to shake him for making jokes when he was bleeding out on the stones of the Circle of Elements. But instead, I just said, "Hold on, Callum. You're bleeding a lot."
My Cold Blooded trait was working overtime, keeping me calm and focused. I could feel the panic trying to claw its way up from my chest, could feel the fear for my brother threatening to overwhelm me, but the trait pushed it all down, locked it away, let me think clearly even in the face of horror.
I needed to heal him. Now!
I reached into my system inventory, and summoned a Common Healing Potion. The red glass bottle materialized in my hand, filled with liquid that glowed faintly in the dim light.
"Hold on, Callum," I said, uncorking the bottle with my teeth. "Drink this, okay?"
He tried to ask where I got it, his eyes focusing on the bottle with confusion, but I cut him off. "Just drink, brother. Ask questions once you live through this."
I put the bottle to his lips and tilted it, letting the red liquid flow into his mouth. He swallowed reflexively, grimacing at the taste, healing potions in any world were notoriously bitter, but he got it down. I watched as the potion took effect, saw the way the bleeding slowed, saw some of the color return to his face.
But it wasn't enough. The wound was too deep, too severe. The Common Healing Potion was closing the worst of it, stopping him from bleeding out to quickly, but he was still badly injured. He needed something stronger.
I looked at my system inventory again, my mind racing. I had equipment chests, I'd been hoarding them over the years for when I really needed them. Well, if this wasn't that moment, I didn't know what was.
I had a combined number of 10 Common Equipment Chests and 5 Rare Equipment Chests sitting in my inventory. I'd been planning to open them strategically, to maximize my rewards. But Callum was dying, and no amount of strategic planning was worth his life.
"Open all equipment chests," I thought, sending the mental command to the system.
System Notification: Equipment Chests opened.
Items materialized in my inventory, appearing in neat rows that only I could see. I scanned through them quickly, looking for anything that could help:
Common Healing Potion (x5): A potion capable of healing an average amount of health.
Common Mana Potion (x2): A potion capable of restoring an average amount of mana.
Common Elixir (x3): A low grade elixir, capable of fully restoring Health, Mana, and status ailments.
Rare Elixir: A mid grade Elixir capable of fully restoring Health, Mana, and status ailments. Bonus: Restores Lost organs and limbs.
"Eirael" Sword (Rare): Eirael ("Moon Frost" in Elder Speech") A Elven sword forged from Moon Blessed Silver and a Meteorite, forged by an ancient dimension traveling arcane blacksmith elf before the Conjunction. This is a growth weapon that can only be wielded by elves. Stage 1: Unlocked. Stages 2-4 sealed.
Effect: Emits Moonlight. +2 Attack against night monsters, and specters. Can absorb Celestial energy.
Stage 1 Effect: +10% Sword Skill Growth.
(Rare) Potion of Strength: +2 to Strength Attribute for 30 minutes.
(Rare) Potion of Arcane: +2 to Mana Attribute and Spell potency for 30 minutes.
My eyes narrowed as I processed the list. These were good items, really good items.
I summoned a Common Elixir from my inventory, hoping it would be enough. The bottle that appeared in my hand was different from the healing potion, larger, made of crystal-clear glass that showed the swirling, iridescent liquid inside. It seemed to glow with its own inner light, shifting through colors that reminded me of oil on water.
I stayed vigilant as I worked, my enhanced senses on high alert for any sign of the wolf returning. The fog was still thick around us, still pouring from the void rift above. I could feel the wrongness of it on my skin, could taste it in the air. The creature could attack again at any moment.
I poured the Common Elixir down Callum's throat, tilting his head back to make sure he swallowed it all. The effect was almost instantaneous. I watched in fascination as the wound on his shoulder began to close, the torn flesh knitting back together, the bleeding stopping completely. Color flooded back into his face, and his breathing steadied, becoming deeper and more regular.
But he was still unconscious. The trauma of the attack, combined with the blood loss, had taken its toll. He needed rest, and needed time to recover fully. And I needed to make sure that wolf didn't come back to finish what it started.
I made a decision. I couldn't fight that thing and protect Callum at the same time. I needed to get him to safety first.
I picked him up as carefully as I could, mindful of his healing shoulder. He was heavy, all muscle, but my own enhanced Strength made it manageable. I carried him down the stone steps, away from the Circle of Elements and the void rift, and placed him at the bottom of the forge where the fog was thinner.
"Stay here," I said, even though he couldn't hear me. "I'm going to take care of this."
I stood and turned back toward the stairs, toward the fog and the rift and the creature that lurked within. My jaw clenched with determination. That thing had hurt my brother. It had nearly killed him. And I was going to make it pay.
But first, I needed to prepare.
I reached into my inventory again and summoned three items: the Hunter's Edge Knife, the Runic Sharpening Stone, and the Eirael Sword.
The Hunter's Edge materialized in my left hand first. It was a beautiful weapon, even in the dim light of the mountain. The blade was narrow and slightly curved, polished bright silver-steel that caught what little light there was and reflected it back like a mirror. The edge was razor-sharp, honed to perfection. The grip was wrapped in dark leather, worn smooth from use but still providing excellent traction. The pommel bore a stylized hawk, the mark of its original owner, a hunter from the Forgotten Realms who had traveled the planes hunting creatures from other dimensions.
The knife felt good in my hand.
Next came the Runic Sharpening Stone. It was barely the size of my palm, smooth and dark, looking like nothing more than a river stone at first glance. But when I focused on it with my enhanced senses, I could feel the magic thrumming within it, could see the barely visible runic symbols that appeared and disappeared on its surface, shifting and changing like living things.
Finally, the Eirael Sword appeared in my right hand, and I caught my breath.
It was beautiful and elegant. The blade was curved in a fluid, graceful arc, forged from what looked like silver but with a sapphire-blue hue that seemed to glow from within. The edge was impossibly sharp, sharp enough that I could see the air itself seeming to part around it. The hilt was standard in design but had a dark blue tint to it, and the crossguard was shaped like crescent moons facing each other.
The sword hummed in my hand. I could feel it responding to my elven blood, recognizing me as its rightful wielder. It was a growth weapon, the system had said, something that would become stronger as I did, that would unlock new abilities as I progressed. Right now it was at Stage 1, but even at this basic level, I could feel its power.
I smirked, feeling a surge of confidence despite the situation. "Let's get to work."
I knelt and placed both weapons on the ground in front of me, then picked up the Runic Sharpening Stone. I needed to activate my system notifications if I wanted to know what random runic blessing I would receive, the stone granted a different blessing each time it was used, and I needed to see what I was working with.
I activated the notifications and began with the Hunter's Edge. I drew the blade across the stone in smooth, practiced motions, the way Vesemir had taught me to maintain my weapons. Once. Twice. And on the third stroke, I felt the magic activate.
The stone flared with light, and runic symbols blazed across its surface, ancient letters that I recognized from my studies as Elder Futhark, the oldest runic alphabet. The symbols burned themselves into the blade of the knife, glowing with a fierce blue-white light.
System Notification:
Hunter's Edge Knife (Rare): A weapon from a renowned hunter of the Forgotten Realms, who traveled the planes and hunted planar creatures.
Effect: +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity
Bonus Ability: Can be thrown and summoned back to the thrower.
Temporary Runic Blessing - Thurisaz: This weapon is imbued with the power of storms. With every strike: +4 lightning damage.
Duration: 24 hours...
Lightning damage. Perfect. I can work with that.
I set the knife aside and picked up the Eirael Sword, drawing it across the stone with the same careful motions. The blade sang as it touched the stone, a clear, pure note that seemed to resonate in my bones. The magic activated again, and different runes blazed across the sword's surface, these ones glowing with a soft, silvery light that reminded me of moonlight on water.
System Notification:
"Eirael" Sword (Rare):
Effect: Emits Moonlight. +2 Attack against night monsters, and specters. Can absorb Celestial energy.
Stage 1 Effect: +10% Sword Skill Growth.
Temporary Runic Blessing - Goðsljós: This weapon is imbued with the power of Divine light. With every strike: +4 Radiant damage.
Duration: 24 hours.
System Notification:
Runic Sharpening Stone (Common): A sharpening stone made by elven blacksmiths.
Effect: Restores a weapon's sharpness and improves it by 5%. Grants one random runic blessing for 24 hours. The stone will break after the third use.
Remaining Uses: 1
Radiant damage and lightning damage. One weapon blessed with holy light, the other with the fury of storms. I couldn't have asked for a better combination. Whatever that wolf was, wherever it had come from, it was about to learn what happened when you hurt someone I cared about.
I stood, twirling both weapons in my hands, feeling their weight, their balance. The runic symbols glowed on their blades, casting strange shadows in the fog. I looked back at Callum one more time, making sure he was still breathing, still safe.
"Wish me luck, brother," I said quietly. "I'm going to go skin this beast in your stead."
Then I turned and walked back up the stone stairs, back toward the Circle of Elements and the void rift and the creature that waited in the fog.
The mist grew thicker with each step I climbed. It wasn't natural fog, it was too dense, too dark, and it moved in ways that defied the wind. It seemed almost alive, reaching out with tendrils that wrapped around my legs, that tried to pull me down. The temperature dropped as I ascended, my breath coming out in white clouds. By the time I reached the top of the stairs, the fog was so thick I could barely see my own hands in front of my face. My normal vision was useless. But I had other senses, senses that went beyond mere sight.
I activated Mind's Eye, feeling the skill surge to life. The world shifted, became clearer. I could see through the fog now, not just with my physical eyes but with something deeper, something that perceived the world in terms of essence rather than light and shadow.
And there, moving through the mist like a shark through water, I saw it.
The wolf's aura was massive, a roiling mass of darkness and crimson that pulsed with malevolent energy. It was circling me, I realized, moving around the perimeter of the Circle of Elements, looking for an opening. Hunting me the way it would hunt any prey.
But I wasn't prey. I was a student of ghe school of the Wolf. And I was about to show this thing what that meant.
The wolf attacked from my left, bursting out of the fog with terrifying speed. It was even faster than I'd thought, moving in a blur of black and crimson. Its jaws were open wide, those obsidian teeth gleaming, aiming for my throat.
I cast Quen in the split second before impact, the protective shield forming around me in a sphere of golden light. The wolf's jaws clamped down on the shield, and I felt the impact reverberate through my entire body. The Quen held, but I could feel it weakening, could feel the wolf's unnatural strength eating through the magical protection.
I didn't wait for the shield to break. I twisted, bringing the Eirael Sword up in a rising slash that caught the wolf across its snout. The blade bit deep, and I felt the satisfying resistance of steel cutting through flesh. Black blood sprayed from the wound, hissing where it hit the ancient stones, and the wolf jerked back with a yelp of pain.
But it didn't retreat. Instead, it lunged again, this time going low, trying to hamstring me. I jumped, using my enhanced Dexterity to vault over the attack, and lashed out with the Hunter's Edge as I passed over the wolf's back. The knife's blade traced a line across the creature's spine, and I saw blue-white lightning crackle along the wound.
The Thurisaz rune was working. The lightning damage was real, visible, and from the way the wolf's muscles spasmed, it was effective.
I landed in a crouch, both weapons ready, my enhanced senses tracking the wolf as it circled me again. It was wary now, more cautious. It had learned that I could hurt it, that I wasn't easy prey.
Good. Let it be afraid.
The wolf attacked again, this time from behind. I felt it coming through Mind's Eye, saw its aura flare with killing intent a split second before it moved. I used Warp, teleporting five feet to the left, and the wolf's jaws snapped shut on empty air where I'd been standing.
I was already moving, already attacking. I cast Igni with my left hand while slashing with the Eirael Sword in my right. Fire and steel struck the wolf simultaneously, and it howled, a sound that was part animal, part something else, something that made the air itself vibrate with wrongness.
The creature was incredibly durable. My attacks were landing, were cutting deep, but it kept coming. Black blood poured from a dozen wounds, hissing and smoking where it hit the ground, but the wolf didn't slow down. If anything, it seemed to be getting faster, more aggressive.
It lunged again, and this time I wasn't quite fast enough. Its claws raked across my left arm, tearing through my tunic and the flesh beneath. Pain exploded up my arm, white-hot and immediate. I felt my own blood, warm and wet, soaking into my sleeve.
I gritted my teeth and kept fighting. Pain was just information. My Cold Blooded trait helped me process it, helped me push it aside and focus on what mattered, surviving, winning, protecting Callum.
I casted Aard, the telekinetic blast hitting the wolf square in the chest and sending it sliding backward across the stones. Before it could recover, I was on it, both blades flashing in a series of rapid strikes. The Eirael Sword cut across its shoulder, the Goðsljós rune making the blade glow with silvery light. The Hunter's Edge followed, stabbing into the wolf's flank, lightning crackling from the wound.
The wolf twisted with impossible flexibility and bit down on my right thigh. I felt its teeth sink in, felt them scrape against bone, and I couldn't stop the scream that tore from my throat. The pain was indescribable, overwhelming, threatening to drag me down into darkness.
But I didn't fall. I couldn't fall. Callum was counting on me.
I brought the pommel of the Eirael Sword down on the wolf's skull with all my strength. Once. Twice. Three times. On the third strike, I felt something crack, and the wolf released me, stumbling backward.
I cast Quen again, reforming my protective shield, and took a moment to assess. I was bleeding from multiple wounds now, my arm, my thigh, several deep scratches across my chest and back. I could taste blood in my mouth, could feel it running down my leg, pooling in my boot.
But the wolf was bleeding too. Black blood covered its fur, dripped from its jaws, pooled beneath its feet. The lightning damage from the Hunter's Edge was taking its toll,I could see the way the wolf's movements were becoming slightly slower, slightly less coordinated. The electricity was interfering with its nervous system, making it harder for the creature to control its massive body.
We circled each other, predator and prey, though I was no longer sure which of us was which.
The wolf moved so fast it left afterimages, multiple copies of itself seeming to exist in the same space. I tracked it with Mind's Eye, following its true aura through the illusions, but it was getting harder. The creature was learning, adapting, using the fog and its unnatural speed to confuse my senses.
It attacked from three directions at once, or seemed to. Two of the wolves were afterimages, phantoms created by its impossible speed. But one was real, and I had a split second to figure out which one.
I chose wrong.
The real wolf hit me from the right, its full weight slamming into me like a battering ram. My Quen shield shattered, and I went flying, hitting the ground hard enough to drive the air from my lungs. The wolf was on me before I could recover, its jaws closing around my left shoulder, the same shoulder it had bitten Callum.
I felt its teeth sink in, felt them grinding against bone, and the pain was so intense that my vision went white. I could feel my consciousness trying to slip away, could feel my body wanting to shut down, to escape the agony.
No. Not yet! Not while Callum needed me, and not while this beast is still alive.
I still had the Hunter's Edge in my right hand. With the last of my strength, I drove the blade up into the wolf's throat, burying it to the hilt. Lightning exploded from the wound, blue-white electricity arcing across the wolf's body, making its muscles seize and spasm.
The wolf released me, stumbling backward, the knife still embedded in its throat. Black blood poured from the wound, more blood than should have been possible, and I saw something in the creature's eyes, not just pain, but surprise. It hadn't expected me to be able to hurt it this badly.
I forced myself to my feet, swaying, my left arm hanging useless at my side. I was running on fumes now, my mana reserves nearly depleted, my body screaming in protest. But I wasn't done.
I cast Chronomancy, channeling the last of my mana into the spell. Time magic was difficult, dangerous, but I needed every advantage I could get. I cast Haste on myself, and the world seemed to slow down around me.
My perception of time doubled. The wolf's movements, which had been impossibly fast, became merely very fast. I could see it now, could track it, could predict where it would be before it got there. My reaction speed had doubled, and suddenly I had the advantage.
I pulled the Hunter's Edge from the wolf's throat with a thought, the knife's bonus ability allowing me to summon it back to my hand, and then I attacked.
I moved in a blur, dual-wielding both weapons in a deadly dance. The Eirael Sword in my right hand, the Hunter's Edge in my left, both blades flashing in the fog-shrouded light. I cut and slashed and stabbed, each strike precise, each one aimed at a vital point.
The wolf tried to fight back, tried to use its speed and strength to overwhelm me, but with Haste active, I was faster. I dodged its attacks by inches, my enhanced perception allowing me to see them coming before they landed. And every time I dodged, I countered, my blades biting deep into the creature's unnatural flesh.
Lightning and radiant light crackled with each strike. The Thurisaz rune on the Hunter's Edge sent electricity coursing through the wolf's body with every cut, slowing it down, making its muscles spasm and seize. The Goðsljós rune on the Eirael Sword burned with holy light, searing the creature's flesh, making it howl in agony.
The attacks were stacking, I realized. Each strike made the next one more effective. The lightning was building up in the wolf's body, interfering with its nervous system more and more. The radiant damage was burning away whatever dark magic animated it, weakening it from within.
I warped behind the wolf and slashed across its hindquarters. Warped to its left and stabbed into its ribs. Warped above it and brought both blades down on its spine. I was everywhere at once, a whirlwind of steel and magic, and the wolf couldn't keep up.
Then it happened.
The wolf threw back its head and let out a howl that shook the very foundations of the Circle of Elements. The sound was physical, a shockwave of pure force that radiated outward in all directions. The ancient stones cracked under the assault. The fog was blown back, revealing the full horror of the void rift above us.
And my Quen shield, which I'd managed to recast during the fight, shattered like glass.
The shockwave hit me full force, and I felt ribs crack, felt something tear inside my chest. I was thrown backward, slamming into one of the elemental pillars hard enough to see stars. Blood filled my mouth, and when I coughed, I saw red spray across the stones.
The wolf stood in the center of the Circle, its body wreathed in darkness and crimson light. Its wounds were still bleeding, but it seemed to have found a second wind. Its eyes, both of them now, the one I'd burned had somehow regenerated, glowed with malevolent intelligence.
This was phase two of the fight. I could feel it. The wolf had been holding back, testing me, and now it was done playing.
But so was I.
I activated Limit Break.
The ability surged through me like liquid fire. I felt my body change, felt every attribute increase simultaneously. My Strength, my Dexterity, my Constitution, all of them surged beyond their normal limits. The pain from my wounds didn't disappear, but it became distant, manageable. My senses sharpened to an almost painful degree. My mana reserves, which had been nearly empty, suddenly had just enough for what I needed to do.
System Notification: Limit Break Level 4 Activated.
Effect: All Attributes increased by 14 for 90 seconds.
Bonus Effect: Current health below 40%. Additional +13 to all Attributes.
Total Bonus: +27 to all Attributes.
The world came into crystal-clear focus. I could see everything. every drop of blood on the stones, every wisp of fog, every muscle in the wolf's body as it prepared to attack. My enhanced perception made time seem to slow even further, made the wolf's movements seem almost leisurely.
And then Mind's Eye showed me something new.
Red lines appeared across the wolf's body, glowing bright against its black and crimson fur. Dozens of them, maybe hundreds, crisscrossing its form in intricate patterns. I understood immediately what they were, critical weak points, places where my attacks would do maximum damage, where I could strike to cripple or kill.
My Mind's Eye ability had evolved, had reached a new level of perception. It wasn't just showing me the wolf's aura anymore. It was showing me exactly how to kill it.
I didn't waste time. I cast Slow on the wolf, channeling mana through the Chronomancy skill. The spell took hold, and I saw the creature's movements become sluggish, saw it struggling against the temporal magic that was trying to drag it down.
Then I cast Yrden.
Purple runic symbols blazed to life on the ground, forming a perfect circle around the wolf. The magical trap activated, and I saw the creature's movements slow even further. It was caught now, trapped in overlapping fields of temporal and spatial magic, unable to move at full speed.
I had maybe ten seconds before it broke free. Ten seconds to end this.
I used Warp.
I teleported to the wolf's left side and slashed with both blades, hitting two of the red weak points. Black blood sprayed, and the wolf howled. I warped again, appearing behind it, striking three more weak points in rapid succession. Warp. Strike. Warp. Strike. I moved so fast I was barely visible, just a blur of white light and flashing steel.
The wolf tried to track me, tried to defend itself, but it couldn't keep up. Between the Slow spell, the Yrden trap, and my enhanced speed from Limit Break and Haste, I was moving faster than it could perceive. I was everywhere at once, my blades finding weak point after weak point, each strike cutting deeper than the last.
Lightning crackled across the wolf's body with each strike from the Hunter's Edge, the electricity building and building until the creature's entire form was wreathed in blue-white arcs of power. Radiant light burned from every wound made by the Eirael Sword, holy fire eating away at the darkness that animated the beast.
I lost count of how many times I struck. Twenty? Thirty? Fifty? It didn't matter. I just kept moving, kept attacking, kept hitting those red lines that Mind's Eye showed me. The wolf was bleeding from dozens of wounds now, black blood pouring out so fast it was forming pools on the ancient stones.
The creature tried one last time to fight back. It gathered what remained of its strength and lunged at where it thought I would be, jaws open wide, ready to tear me apart.
But I wasn't there. I was above it, having warped into the air, both blades raised high.
I came down like a meteor, like divine judgment, both weapons aimed at the wolf's skull. The Eirael Sword and the Hunter's Edge struck simultaneously, punching through bone and brain, sinking deep into the creature's head until the hilts touched fur.
Lightning and radiant light exploded from the wounds, so bright I had to close my eyes against the glare. The wolf's body convulsed once, twice, and then went still.
I landed on my feet beside the corpse, both blades still embedded in its skull. My breath came in ragged gasps, my body shaking from exhaustion and the aftereffects of Limit Break. Every muscle felt like it was on fire, every nerve screaming in protest.
But it was over. The wolf was dead.
"That's what you get for hurting my brother," I said, my voice tight with pain and exhaustion.
I pulled my blades free and stumbled backward, dropping to one knee. My vision was swimming, black spots dancing at the edges. I'd pushed myself too far, used too much mana, taken too much damage. My body was shutting down, trying to force me to rest.
I looked up at the void rift, and as I watched, it began to collapse. The edges drew inward, the colors fading, the wrongness in the air dissipating. Within seconds, it was gone completely, sealed shut as if it had never existed.
System Notification: Rare Void Quest: Mysteries Beyond The Void - Complete
Rewards Received: 1 Common Item. +2 Ability Points. +2 Attribute Points.
Item Received: Sequence 9 (Unknown) Pathway Potion (Common/Uncommon): This is a potion is the lowest tier beginner potion of the set pathway.
My eyes widened as I read the description. A Sequence 9 potion? From the Lord of the Mysteries universe? That shouldn't be possible. The system had never given me anything from that world before. What the hell was going on?
Before I could process that, another notification appeared:
System Notification: Codex Updated
Species: Demonic Wolf
Description: Demonic Wolves are mythical creatures in the Lord of the Mysteries universe, deeply connected to the Darkness and Fool pathways. They are highly proficient in concealment, dream manipulation, and anti-divination, but are fundamentally vulnerable to high-level purification and attacks targeting their unstable, god-driven minds.
Key Abilities: Concealment and Deception: They excel at anti-divination, making them incredibly difficult to track or locate.
Dream Manipulation: High-sequence wolves, such as the Demonic Wolves of Fog, are masters of dream control, illusion, and sleep inducement.
Mythical Creature Form: In their full mythical form, they possess terrifying physical traits, like eight legs and six arms, combined with complex spiritual traits.
Telepathy and Horror: Capable of inducing horror and telepathically communicating or manipulating the minds of others.
Weaknesses: Purification: They remain highly vulnerable to extreme purification powers, such as the Light of Holiness from orthodox pathways.
Anti-Demon Items: Banishing weapons, exorcism-type mystical items, and Beast Slayer weapons can cause significant, sometimes fatal, harm to their physical and spirit bodies.
I stared at the information, my mind reeling. A creature from the Lord of the Mysteries universe. Here. In the Witcher world. How was that possible? Why was it here? And more importantly, what did it mean?
The void rift. It had to be connected to the void rift. Somehow, that tear in reality had opened a doorway not just to the void, but to other universes entirely. Other worlds. Other realities.
And if one creature could come through, what else might follow?
More notifications appeared, cutting through my spiraling thoughts:
System Notification: Your skills have grown!
Swordsmanship Lv.9 (Common) to Swordsmanship Lv.10 (Common)
Limit Break Level 4 (Common) to Limit Break Level 5 (Common)
Warp Level 2 (Common) to Warp Level 4 (Common)
Chronomancy Level 2 (Common) to Chronomancy Level 3 (Common)
I felt the changes settle into my body, felt my skills solidifying at their new levels. Under normal circumstances, I would have been thrilled. Reaching Level 10 in Swordsmanship was a major milestone. The improvements to my other abilities were significant.
But right now, all I could think about was how close I'd come to dying. How close Callum had come to dying. And the terrifying implications of what we'd just faced.
I forced myself to stand, my legs shaking like a newborn foal's. I needed to get the Witcher medallions. That's what we'd come here for, after all. That's what this whole trial was supposed to be about.
I limped over to the forge, my body protesting every movement. The ancient structure had been damaged by the fight,cracks ran through the stones, and one of the elemental pillars was leaning at an angle, but it was still standing. And there, resting on the edge of the forge where they'd been placed centuries ago, were two silver medallions in the shape of wolf heads.
I picked them up, feeling them hum in my hands.
They were warm to the touch, thrumming with subtle magic. These weren't just symbols of our achievement. They were tools, enchanted items that would help us sense magic and danger.
I clutched them tight and turned back toward the stairs. I needed to get to Callum. Needed to make sure he was okay. Needed to get us both out of here before something else came through a void rift.
I stumbled down the stone steps, each one feeling like a mountain. My wounds were catching up with me now that the adrenaline was fading. I could feel blood running down my leg, could feel the deep ache in my shoulder where the wolf had bitten me. My ribs screamed with every breath.
But I made it. I reached the bottom of the stairs where I'd left Callum, and I saw him stirring, his eyes fluttering open.
"Cain!" He sat up quickly, then winced, his hand going to his shoulder. But the wound was healed, thanks to the elixir. He looked around, taking in the scene, the blood on the stones, the fog dissipating, and me, standing there covered in wounds and barely able to stay upright. "What happened? I thought I was about to die? Wait where's that wolf?"
He saw the state I was in, saw the blood soaking my nearly destroyed clothes, the way I was swaying on my feet, and his eyes went wide. "Cain, what the fuck happened to you? Did you, did you kill it?"
I managed a smirk, even though it hurt. "I killed the son of a bitch so you can eat it." I said smirking slightly as I held out one of the medallions, offering it to him. "Here. We passed the trial."
He took the medallion, staring at it in wonder, then looked back at me. "Cain, you need.."
That's when my legs gave out. The world tilted sideways, and I felt myself falling. The last thing I saw before everything went black was Callum's face, his mouth moving, calling my name.
Then nothing but darkness.
I woke up some time later in my bedroom at the Wolf School keep.
For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to remember how I'd gotten here. The last thing I remembered was collapsing at the bottom of the Circle of Elements. Everything after that was blank.
My body ached. Every muscle felt like it had been beaten with hammers. My wounds had been treated, I could feel bandages wrapped around my shoulder, my thigh, my ribs,but they still hurt like hell.
Then I saw it. Floating in the air above me was a system notification:
System Notification: Rare Quest: Trial of the Mountain - Complete
Rewards: +1 to All Attributes. Job Class Unlocked. 2 Rare Equipment Chests
Job Class Unlocked: Wolf School Witcher (Common)
Description: A Wolf School Witcher is a highly adaptable, professional monster slayer. Trained at Kaer Morhen, they excel in both precise swordplay and combat magic. Rather than hyper-specializing, they are renowned for their versatility, resourcefulness, and deep encyclopedic knowledge of the supernatural.
Effect: +2 Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom.
Trait Unlocked: Jack-of-all-trades (Common): Trained by Wolves to be a master of the hunt, your Wolf School training refuses to limit you to a single doctrine. You possess the rare ability to adapt to any foe or terrain by seamlessly blending martial combat, magic, and skills of all kind. Rather than over-specializing, you excel at exploiting the situational weaknesses of your enemies and situations, making you a lethal and unpredictable opponent.
Effect: +10% Proficiency across all skills. +10% Proficiency when leveling up or learning new spells and skills....
I chuckled, the sound coming out as more of a wheeze. I'd done it.... No, Callum and I done it. We'd passed the Trial of the Mountain. Now we were Witchers, truly and completely.
I felt my eyes growing heavy again, my body demanding rest. I let them close, let sleep take me.
But before I drifted off completely, I pulled up my status window one last time, wanting to see how far I'd come:
Status Window:
Name: Cain
Age: 15
Race: Half-Elf Half-Human (Mutant)
Bloodline Trait: Elder Blood (Legendary)
Class: Wolf School Witcher (Common)
Attributes:
Constitution: 11.0
Strength: 10.3
Dexterity: 10.3
Wisdom: 10.7
Intelligence: 10.8
Charisma: 10.8
Luck: Unknown
Mana: 10.1
Abilities & Skills:
Wolf Pack (Epic)
Swordsmanship (Level 10) Common
Meditation (Level 7)
Poison Resistance Level 10 (Common)
Mind's Eye Level 10 (Common)
Limit Break Level 5 (Common)
Charm Resistance Level 10 (Legendary) Max
Warp Level 4 (Common)
Chronomancy Level 3 (Common)
Sign Magic Level 5 (Common)
Traits:
Cold Blooded (Epic)
Elder Blood (Legendary)
Jack-of-all-trades (Common)
Ability Points: 7
Attribute Points: 2
I smiled as sleep finally claimed me. I'd come so far from that confused transmigrated soul who'd woken up in a child's body. I was stronger now. Faster. And more skilled, and I wasnt alone I had the wolf school Witchers and Callum as my family.
But I also knew that this was just the beginning. That void rift, the demonic wolf, the Sequence 9 potion, they were all pieces of a larger puzzle, hints of threats that existed beyond anything the Witcher world had prepared me for.
Whatever came next, I would face it. I had to. Because I was a Witcher now.And Witchers didn't run from monsters.
They hunted them.