The Witcher: Elder Blood

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***

A new day promised to begin with a detailed account of my past world. I didn't spend too much time talking to them last night before going to bed, just briefly informing them about the Elder Blood gene and my connection to it. They were quite calm about the previously hidden details about me, only asking for more information the next day.

After we all cleaned up after our sleep and ate breakfast, we decided not to delay with explanations and sat down again on the same table to continue yesterday's conversation.

Galanthea was interested in everything about my past world. The bard, with her usual restlessness, asked me about everything I'd managed to tell her during our conversation. She marvelled at the technological development of my world, cringed at the mention of environmental problems that only promised to increase with population growth, and couldn't believe the sheer number of people living on Earth at the time of my displacement.

Yennifer didn't ignore the bard's questions, but she was most interested in my life before I'd moved and in the Elder Blood. I would have liked to know more about her if I didn't know everything about her life at this point.

When Galanthea's thirst for knowledge about my world was quenched - enough to recount the most advanced technologies with brief explanations and sketches of drawings on paper - it was time to move on to the second part of the planned dialogue, which Jennyfer began without delay:

- How does travelling between worlds even work? - She asked. - Does this gene help much? I've heard from Tissai about elves travelling across the available worlds before the Conjunction of the Spheres, but to be able to walk so freely across worlds.... How do you choose where you go?

- Slow down, Ian, you've got all day to explain, take your questions one at a time.

- Yes, you're right, then answer the first question.

- I'll try and answer it in detail, so we should start with the elves. Hen Gedymdate told me about their way of travelling, I tell you at once, their way and mine differ in one point, but this point is considered to be the key, - I take a sip of cold cow's milk - it is useful to have near farms in the Middle Ages, as well as to have a good cellar under the house with a couple of useful charms for cold and dryness in the room. - Elves are unable to make their way between worlds on their own, only relying on previously discovered passageways. I have no idea how they created the first passages or found them, maybe they were available in advance, the rector was inclined to the theory of unicorns - he believed that the horned horses created the original passages between the worlds accessible to elves.

- Okay, they're clear, so what's the difference between your movements? If they can't open the passageway themselves, can you? - The sorceress was genuinely interested in the Elder Blood, or was she just interested in the very possibility of travelling between worlds.

- Yes, I can make a path between worlds. I perceive the transition between them as a dodecahedron..... - I had to explain more simply to their questioning looks. - Um, like a polyhedron in general, with myself at the centre. I can change the direction of my vision inside the polyhedron so that I can stop it on one of the planes,' my explanation was accompanied by visual drawings on parchment. - On each plane you can see dots, some bigger, others smaller - most likely depending on the distance of the world from where I am when I move. And the dots only represent worlds that I've been able to visit after mastering travelling between worlds. Unfortunately, my home world is not shown there.

There was a short silence, each of us thinking about what I had said. We continued to slowly sip our cold milk while the girls looked at my crooked drawings in their own thoughts.

- Are you incapable of going back? - Jennyfer asked.

- Not at the moment. I might be able to find him in the future, but what's the chance? The Rector and I have only tried jumping at random a few times, it's worse than looking for a needle in a haystack. Just finding a world with humans or other sentient beings would be a good start.

- What worlds have you travelled to in those attempts? - Galanthea took the floor while the sorceress returned to her thoughts.

- Worlds not meant for human life. Let's just say there were terrible weather conditions and two of them were inhabited by strange creatures, not exactly peaceful. We were only able to be in them because of enchantments and artefact protection.

Seriously, if there were a majority of these worlds, I'd be too tired to jump around. On one of them even the gravity was very different and the planet looked a bit like Mars, it was horrible, why didn't they upload all the coordinates to my brain with explanations, it would have been much easier.

- But there might be some decent ones, right? - The bard asked again. - I mean livable for intelligent races from our world.

- Certainly there are, my own and yours only confirm that possibility. In fact, two of the visited ones might be suitable, but only for people from my Earth and more advanced in technology. There are only unfriendly fauna and extreme weather changes there, nothing that could not be handled with advanced technology and resources.

Then the conversation turned to assumptions: Galanthea asked me what worlds I thought I might encounter in my search, and my imagination ran wild and I began to recall all the worlds I knew from films, books and games - most of the examples she didn't like. An hour passed like that, until we were interrupted by Jennyfer, who had time to prepare a meal.

- I've realised something,' she said, smugly twisting a lock of dark hair. - I'm more talented at magic than you are, because you're ahead of me because of that gene.

- Really, Ian? Is that what you care most about from what I've told you? And what do you mean by talent?

- Pfft,' she lifted her chin and looked away. - Just that I'm not far behind you without any Elder Blood genes. And no, your ability to travel worlds excites me more....

- But you couldn't go on without telling us what a wonderful sorceress you are.... - I interrupt her with a slight smile.

- I said that for a different purpose,' I was interrupted this time. - Don't even think about forgetting about me when you decide to set foot in the new world. We can travel together, and I'll help you.

Does she seriously think that if I find a better world, I'll just forget about her and stay there?

- Hey, how can you think that? I want to realise my ability, that doesn't mean I'm trying to find a replacement for the Continent as soon as possible. While I was still in Ban Arda, Hen Gedimdeit and I agreed to work together: he would help me learn defence charms, most of which I had mastered, and support me in learning artifacting once I was up to speed; in return for his help, I agreed to help him explore a world inhabited by intelligent races, if I could find one. It was because of our agreement with him that I decided to tell you early. Maybe next week I'll go to the academy, arrange for artifacting lessons, and start preparing for world hopping,' I paused for a moment, at the same time deciding to moisten my throat, which was dry from the conversation. - Of course, I won't do it often, but once a week, maybe twice, there's no hurry.

- You decided to tell me early, well, well, all right with you,' the sorceress rose from her chair. - I'm not angry at your secrets. Since your portals are the consequence of the Elder Blood, then towards them, but I'll expect your help with the artefacts when that old man helps you... and, well, since there are so many bad worlds, I'll leave you to wander through them alone, but in the good ones, we'll travel together!

- You're so cute when you're trying to boss me around,' I replied with an annoyed snort, followed by Jennyfer walking away towards the stairs.

- I'm going to the market to think and get some vegetables, we're out of them.

Eventually there was silence again, broken by the sound of dishes as Galantea and I finished the lunch we had prepared earlier.

- Can I travel with you? - The girl asked quietly with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

- No problem, Snowdrop,' I put my left palm on her hair, stroking it lightly. - If you write some epic about our adventures, I'll be happy to listen to it in a year or two, maybe your listeners will like it during the holiday performances.

- You mean a ballad? - she started to giggle, taking my hand off her head. - Eren, of course I could write an epic, but they'd all fall asleep from the length of it - they wouldn't listen to it. But I could sing a ballad, even in a tavern or at a nobleman's birthday party.

- Yes, I suppose so,' I said, scratching my cheek thoughtfully with my finger. - I thought they were the same. Well, enough talking about other worlds today, it's time to get down to business,' I added, taking the dishes to the ground floor: - I'll tell you right away, you're the one who's going to crush Ian's hopes of a romantic journey through uncharted worlds.

- Don't worry, we're getting warmer and warmer with her. By the way, I'm going to go help her with the groceries at the market, or she'll start grumbling to me again about how she has to do everything herself.

- I mean, I'm always busy, and now too, potions don't make themselves.

- Oh, you misunderstood, it's about her and me. We've decided to divide up the chores of the house by day,' she dresses in her casual attire and heads outside, leaving me alone at the alchemy table.

Potions, potions, potions, how I love selling you, and how I hate making you...