The Witcher: My Own Path

There is no time to delay further, I look at the woman and reassuringly say:

''Relax, Loona and let me take care of everything.'' I turn my head towards Hela. ''You can stay with us, however, please don't disturb us and sit down, as I don't know how long this will take.''

I look at my first patient in this life and get to work. I discard the old woollen blanket with which she is covered, showing her only in her nightgown. Dirty, soaked with pus and blood, her body covered in boils. I could hear sounds coming from Hela behind me. She was trying with all her might to hold back her gag reflex at the unimaginably unpleasant smell I had released as I pulled the garment off her mother. I could also hear the moan of grief and pain she felt at seeing the only person she loves in such a tragic state. Fortunately, it doesn't affect me, the power bubble still working. Loona looks at me, her face betrays extreme discomfort, embarrassment, shame, yet I also see hope.

I place one hand on her chest and the other on her forehead, her gaze changes, showing determination and a readiness for the pain I may cause her in the process.

I delve into the power, as deeply as I can, because what I want to do now will be extremely difficult for me, for a still not fully trained power user. I also have no experience. However, this is not stopping me from giving it my all, as I know that the potential within my cells will, in time, allow me to create miracles. Power healing is a technique of the light that allows the user to pour their own life force into another person. With this technique, it is even possible to resurrect the dead, but at the cost of the user's life. Fortunately, I don't have to go that far. This technique was taught to me by my master Darth Sidious, after all, he was not so complacent without studying the techniques of the light side, but I am sure that due to his contamination with the dark side he could not use it.

I pour all the accumulated power along with my own life force into Loona's body, flushing out every virus, every harmful bacteria behind the dire state of her body. I heal not only her internal condition, but also her external one. The boils slowly begin to diminish and disappear. Her scarred and wrinkled skin is returning to its proper appearance, her face is losing its pale, morbid hue and gaining colour.

I can feel myself getting weaker, however, if I stop now, there will be a relapse. I only postpone the time of her death, I reach even deeper into the power, into the deepest depths of me so far, but this time I do not bend it to my own will, but beg it to support me in this manifestation, of its own sincere goodness. She does not let me down, she reassures me, whispering cheerfully.

I don't know how long it took, but when I finished, I was completely exhausted. Sweat was flowing down my forehead and spine, I felt like I was going to vomit at any moment, and not because the bubble that insulated me from all the smells in the house had stopped working, but rather from exhaustion. The stench didn't matter to me now.

I looked at Loona, at her healthy body and face. I don't think she had ever looked so good and I don't think I was the only one who thought so. Hela threw herself at her mother, hugging her and washing away tears of joy. Loona, on the other hand, looked at her own legs and hands in bewilderment. She also checked her face for any remnants of the fatal illness. Two thin streams of tears began to run down her cheeks, she whispered.

''Thank you, thank you, thank you!''

I was weak, but also happy. I had managed not only to save her life, but to cure a fatal disease, not in its worst stage, but still... This gives me more possibilities for the future, more paths stand, in front of me.

I rise from the bed, give the mother and daughter a moment to rejoice before I move on to what I really want from her.

Our gazes meet, I nod to her as a sign that I will wait in the kitchen downstairs. While I know she has a lot of questions, she also knows that I want something from her.

(An hour later…)

Both women were coming down the stairs. Hela still looked the same, apart from her reddened nose and puffy eyes. Loona, on the other hand, looked beautiful and healthy, now I could finally see what was really underneath that life-damaged exterior. Her outfit was poor, though I suspect it was her best, but it didn't matter to me, except perhaps for the pleasant hint from her steeple at how seriously she took me and was grateful to me, because she had nothing but that.

They found me sitting at the table contemplating what to say and how to present my plans to them.

They sat down and I waited for a wave of questions. After about a minute of silence.

''Thank you, Tyr. For what you did for me… you saved my life. You also did something much more important to me, you allowed me to watch my daughter grow up.''

I see the tears gather under her eyes once again.

''Mom…'', Hela places her delicate hand on her mother's palm, also ready to burst out crying once again.

''Therefore, I have decided not to ask you anything unless you are willing to explain everything to me yourself, and I swear on Melitele and everything dear to me that I will not tell anyone your secret that you are a magician!''

This statement surprised me greatly and I was truly grateful to her. My reaction did not escape their notice.

''Is this your real reaction or a feigned one?'' She asks with a broad smile.

''She suspected something after all…'' I smile in my mind. This time her words did not surprise me, but she was surprised by my lack of reaction to this provocation. This time it is me who smiles. Winning this unspoken clash.

''When and what did you infer from your interactions with me?'' I ask genuinely curious. Now there is no point in beating around the bush.

''I knew you were different after just a few of our lessons, I know how a child behaves when being taught the basics of reading. After all, I was teaching Hela. You... you were... artificial, as if you were pretending to be dumber, it was good acting however it was... how would you put it, stiff and untrained.''

''Hmm... but you decided to play along with me?''

''I needed the money, badly!'' …the interest fell silent and she was slightly embarrassed, it was going poorly and Hela was ill.

''Weren't you afraid? You come to a five-year-old, wanting to teach him to read and it turns out he's playing the fool in front of you because he actually already knows everything.''

''Was I scared; you ask? I was terrified! But losing my little girl was something much more terrifying to me. I had to take a risk. Besides, I have... *cough* a lot of… *cough* …friends, so I would find out quickly if something worrying was happening in the outskirts and at that time it was calm. Believe me, I've checked it out thoroughly!''

''Why didn't I notice anything from you?'' I asked myself in a whisper.

''I would say that's arrogance.'' she replies uninvited.

I raise my head and look at her intensely.

''So what?'' She lifts her shoulders and asks innocently. 

''You thought you were so cunning that you didn't allow the thought that someone could see through you, especially a simple prostitute from the poor district.''

She was absolutely right. I was careless, arrogant and I made a terrible mistake. Yet that's better now and in front of her than in front of a witcher or a sorceress, because the consequences could be terrible…

''AHAHAHAHA!'' I start laughing uncontrollably. Not only did she indirectly save my life by showing me, a very serious error, in my thinking, but she turned out to be intelligent and able to gather information when she needed it. It is someone like her that I want. No! is her I want!

The women look at each other confused.

''Sorry guys, I just thought you were great, Loona. I want you!'' I declare.

Suddenly there is a grave silence…

''WHAT?!'' Hela is the first to shout, rising from her chair, violently knocking it over.

Damn that sounded bad… a red light goes off in my head.

''Sorry! That's not what I meant.'' I hold out my hands in a gesture of apology.

She calms down after a moment, picks up the chair from the floor and sits down in her seat, looking at me strangely.

Now it is I who gets up from the table, I pass them and they follow me with their eyes. I walk over to the window, which has a good view of the tavern "The Shaggy Bear" and the surrounding buildings and people.

''What do you see when you look through this window every day? What do you see when you walk along the dirty, rat and beggar-filled, muddy roads of Temple Quarter and its surroundings?''

The question hangs in the air, waiting to be answered. I turn my head towards them. Nothing, still silence. They look at me, waiting for me to continue.

Not to mention that there is also the Gamblers' Den, inhabited by hundreds of elves and dwarves, living in even more filth and squalor!

I don't know why, but when I think about all this now, I'm really overwhelmed with sadness, I was focused before, only on what I can do for myself and my own goals, but now...

''Why do you ask that?'' Hela speaks up, curious about the direction of my argument. I don't answer, turning back to Loona.

''How long have you lived in this world Loona?'' She looks at me confused, not knowing where this is going.

''Thirty years.'' she answers honestly.

''How many changes have occurred in the world and in Vizima itself since you were born?'' I ask. She opens her eyes wide, beginning to understand what I mean.

''None!'' She hisses, as if she is about to spit on the floor, with her face contorted in contempt.

This time I direct my gaze towards Hela and say:

''Because I want change, Hela!''

Both women widen their eyes in amazement and tense their bodies.

''This world is standing still, stagnant! Nothing is developing, technology, medicine, agriculture, nothing! People just as they lived in poverty, in shit and despair, still do. Elves and dwarves have it even worse, murdered every day for their mere existence. The rich get richer, trampling and destroying the lives of the people around them. Kings sit on their fancy thrones, having their subjects somewhere. Foltest's daughter in the form of a monster has been prowling for three years and has already slaughtered hundreds of people, yet no one can do anything about it, because we are just cattle to such. Wizards and sorcerers have the power to do unimaginable things, but they plot in enchanted towers to gain more power for their own needs, and on the piles of dead bodies, of innocent people, which these complacent creatures with no heart for others have created, the monsters feast, increasing their numbers!''

I don't even recall when my peaceful tone turned into a scream.

''Is this what our lives and the people we love are supposed to be like?!'' I ask, looking at them with all the intensity of my claims.