Corinne Tilly led a regular life much like any other citizen of the city. She would go to the lobby in the morning and treat the insomniacs her friend referred to her and close up shop in the afternoon to enjoy the breeze beside the window on the second floor.
Some tea and sunshine would add to her enjoyment, and then she would close her eyes to clear her mind. Teatime was not only an enjoyment, but her daily training. Because of her profession, Corinne had come in touch with patients from all walks of life. She had seen many dreams. Some were bizarre, some hilarious, and some terrifying.
The pain, hunger, abuse, and negative emotions the patients felt in their dreams would be projected onto her. Coming in touch with these negative emotions in the long term placed a lot of stress on her mind. In the end, she had to spend every afternoon meditating and regulating herself.
But then someone knocked on the door downstairs. Corrine cocked her eyebrow and turned around only to see two unfamiliar faces below the windowsill. One was a brutish man, while the other was a handsome lad who was walking silently like a cat. In just a few moments, that young man was already inches away from the entrance to her abode.
She looked down and was met with a pair of wild eyes, and then all color was drained from her face. “Damn those fools! They took my money and told these people where I live?”
***
“Are you training your body, lady?” The young witcher blocked the backdoor, stopping Corinne from escaping.
She had her back turned to him, and her legs were swinging over the window. Unlike her petite body suggested, she was an agile woman, but Roy’s summon made her freeze. A moment later, Corinne gave up escaping and went back to the balcony. As her dress fluttered, the gentlemen were treated to the sight of her legs, and they saw a crimson rose blooming on it.
Roy finally could see her face. She was about twenty years old, and her skin was tanned. Her hair tumbled down her shoulders, and she looked great, though she was scantily clad, just like some sorceresses. However, she had no protective talisman around her neck, and the chaos energy swirling around her body felt thin.
‘Corinne Tilly
Gender: Female
Age: Twenty-five years old
Status: Oneiromancer (She can glimpse into the past and future through dreams and filter out the useless hints to find out real clues about the past and the future.)’
Roy was surprised by what he saw. Oneiromancers had low levels of mana, and they weren’t that much more talented than him in magic. “They have their own unique talents like soothsayers do, but their magical abilities aren’t really great.”
***
The woman stared at the witcher nervously. Her face was white, and her voice was raspy and filled with terror. “Are you Chappelle’s soldiers?”
“Chappelle?” Roy was reminded of that brooding man armed with a Lamia. They ran into that guy back when Dandelion was searching for that map. He was the head of patrols and the Chancellor of Security for Novigrad.
The man was cruel and nigh-omniscient in Novigrad. He was in charge of all the forbidden items in this city and would never allow any monsters prohibited by Eternal Fire to appear in public, or that would be negligence of his duty.
All the small-time villains and anything ‘heretical’ in Novigrad were terrified of Chappelle and what he could do. Oneiromancers were no different. Naturally, she was scared of them.
Still, Chappelle was in a tacit agreement to stay out of the witchers’ and the gangs’ business.
“This is a misunderstanding, lady.” Roy smiled apologetically. Should have informed her before we came. “We’re not Chappelle’s thugs, nor did we mean to cross you. We just need your help.”
***
Corinne was surrounded by Todd and Roy on the first floor. “It’s not like I haven’t tried searching for someone through dreams before, but it’s not easy.” Corinne was seated on a chair, but she was fidgeting.
After the witcher explained himself, she was clear they were no thugs of Chappelle. Even so, the witcher still felt imposing. That sense of pressure was even worse than the retired soldiers who had PTSD. He won’t kill me all of a sudden, right? She shifted her gaze away from his ears and took a deep breath.
“If you can do it, you’ll be handsomely rewarded.” Roy sweetened the deal and tossed a bag of something onto the table. There were two hundred crowns in that bag, and all of them were straight out of Todd’s savings.
The coins rattled beautifully in the bag. Corinne pushed her hair back and narrowed her eyes at the money bag. For a moment there, fear was not on her list of problems.
Most of the patients she took were only peasants, and they could never give her any big rewards. Not to mention she had to pay Cleaver a hefty sum of tribute every month just to keep his mouth shut.
Finances were always an issue for her, and she wouldn’t dare get in touch with the wealthy. Chappelle would prefer if the rich insomniacs prayed and tithed at the church, not ‘waste their money’ on oneiromancy.
The Tillys lived a careful life. That was their only way to survive in this city, and the money Roy was paying her could change her life for the better.
She could buy some new clothes like any regular lady. It had been two months since she had a new dress, and that was unacceptable for a proper lady like her.
But she was still hesitant. “I’ll try my best, but I can’t guarantee anything. Oneiromancy isn’t all-powerful. There are a lot of limitations at play. You have to at least establish contact with your target. Or you need to share a bond. The deeper the better, or I can’t do anything about it.”
Todd said, “It’s my daughter. My blood flows in her. Is that bond deep enough?”
Corinne thought about it for a moment. She picked the money bag up and shoved it into her cleavage. “What are we waiting for, then?” She looked at the two of them. “I need to be alone with Todd. A quiet environment is conducive for dreams.”
Two minutes later, Roy stood outside the closed room, muttering to himself, “I wonder if she can find Elsa.” The young witcher rubbed his chin and paced around. Then he stuck his ear against the door to listen in.
Todd was lying on the bed, while Corinne was on the chair beside it. She was holding his hand gently, brushing her fingers across his like she was giving him a massage.
There was a look of melancholy in Todd’s eyes. He was reminded of a similar scene that had taken place more than a decade ago. His wife, Kolleen, was still alive back then, and she did something similar. I let her down.
“Take a deep breath and relax.” Corinne noticed the sadness and guilt in Todd’s eyes. She dimmed the lights further and said, “I’ll guide you into your dream, but first we have to build a mental connection. I have a few questions for you, and you have to answer them. Honestly.”
Todd took a deep breath and held down the urge to resist telling her real answers. He had to let his guard down, and that was not easy to do, considering he’d been a mercenary for years. It took about five minutes to do that. “I’m done.”
“Tell me a bit about Elsa. The memory that left the deepest impression on you will be best. If you don’t have a memory of her, tell me about the opinion about her you heard from someone else. That left an impression on you, of course.”
Todd looked into the distance and flipped through his memory.
“My dear Elsa was born in Novigrad. On the day she was born, the sun…”
“The day she took her first steps, she vaguely called my name…”
Todd kept talking for about fifteen minutes, and he started tearing up.
“Calm down and don’t let your sadness take over you.” Corinne stayed calm and put her hand on his forehead. “Now you have to lie down and relax. Hold my hand and tell me everything about Elsa. Tell me what you think happened to her, why she disappeared, and where she might be right now.”
Corinne lit up her scented incense, and white smoke that smelled like grass wafted into the air.
The smoke slowly obscured Todd’s face, and as he answered Corinne’s question, the cloud of smoke slowly changed shape. Todd’s voice slowly became softer and softer, until it was gone.
He closed his eyes and breathed quietly.
Corinne stood up to take a closer look. Once she determined he was in a deep sleep, she took a half-finished shirt beside her dressing table and started knitting it.
The smoke engulfed Todd and Corinne, merging them into one.
***
“Elsa? Elsa!” a silvery voice called.
Todd snapped out of his sleep, his eyes refocusing. The first thing he saw was a petite, beautiful girl waving at him happily.
There was fog covering her, keeping the girl out of Todd’s sight. Around her stood baskets of flowers, but they too were shrouded in the mist.
Lucky Cat? And that girl seems familiar. Where have I seen her before…? Oh, right. She’s Yarrin, the shopkeeper.
“Lost sleep again, Elsa? Thinking about someone, were you?”
“You were thinking about someone, not me!” Todd said, but he wasn’t in control of his body. He heard himself giggle like a girl and left without turning back.
What’s going on? I thought I was asleep. But I can’t control my body.
The world around him spun, and Todd realized he was leaving the flower shop. The sun was shining down on the streets, and the throng was jostling. Rows of shops littered the streets, and all kinds of merchandise were on sale.
But everything was shrouded in the mist, and Todd finally realized what was going on. “I’m in a dream! And they called me… Elsa. Elsa?” Oh, I’m like a ghost who’s living in my daughter’s body, reliving her day. “Oneiromancy sure is a magical thing.”
For a moment, Todd was moved and had conflicting emotions at the same time. He never expected his reunion with Elsa to go like this.
Fifteen years. It’s been fifteen years since I last saw her, and now we’re connected by something magical. His heart finally calmed down as he felt contentment rising in his soul. “You’re all I have, Elsa. Please be alive.”
Elsa hopped and skipped down the street as she made her way to the marketplace in the south. She looked happy and lively, apparently over the sadness of losing her family.
Todd was glad. His wish was for Elsa to live in peace and happiness. Todd tried to control the body just so he could see her face. I wonder if she takes after her mother or me.
He tried to embrace her just like how he did a long, long time ago, but alas, he couldn’t. All he could do was watch and change nothing. This was the past, and he couldn’t change that.
***
Elsa came to an abrupt stop when she arrived at the crossroads. A frown knitted her brows, and she looked to the side, where a dark alleyway stood between the tall building.
The confusion in her eyes mounted. She looked around her, but everyone seemed to be normal. So why do I hear something? She leaned in to hear more.
Todd’s heart skipped a beat. He was reminded of what happened on that day. “No, don’t stop. Don’t take this corner. Just keep on going ahead, girl. Please, I beg you!”
***
A hauntingly beautiful voice sang from the alleyway. It felt like a siren was singing to her. The voice was angelic and seductive at the same time. Elsa was drawn to it immediately. Even a spectator like Todd was drawn to the voice. He turned to the alleyway as Elsa did, and they walked into it uncontrollably.
“No! Get away! Get away!” Todd snapped out of it in the end, but fear welled up within him. He screamed at the top of his lungs, but he couldn’t stop Elsa from heading into the alleyway.
There was nobody in the alleyway. Elsa trudged ahead almost mechanically, like she was a puppet held by strings.
And then the voice disappeared.
A flash of red light appeared, and out came a man with a crystal-clear pendant hanging around his neck. However, his face and body were shrouded in a layer of shadows, obscuring him from sight. He murmured some esoteric incantation that felt like pity or order. Todd wasn’t sure.
So you did this? Why did you take my daughter away, you bastard?
Fury and sorrow gripped Todd. He felt like his heart would burst into pieces, but he couldn’t move his body at all.
Scared, Elsa took a step back, but the mysterious man gesticulated in the air. “Aecáemm!”
Invisible energy wrapped around Elsa and shut her mouth up. She stared around in horror, and her limbs were turned backward as she flew over to that mysterious man’s side.
A powerful air current blew out of nowhere as a square door frame appeared out of thin air. The winds howled in the alleyway as the man took Elsa into the portal.
***
The world spun, and Todd was engulfed by darkness and dizziness. He was trapped for gods knew how long, and when he opened his eyes again, Todd found himself in an unfamiliar place.
The ceiling was pitch-black, the lights were blinding, and long, wooden boxes lined up around him. In the center of those boxes stood wooden beds covered in white cloth.
Todd was lying on one of the wooden beds, and standing before him was a burly man in a mask and bloodstained apron. He was holding a scalpel in his hands, and the last thing Todd saw was that man stabbing that scalpel into his eye…
“AAAHHH!!!”
“Todd!” Roy stormed into the bedroom and held Todd’s shoulder down.
The mercenary sat up stiffly and covered his eyes. He was drenched in sweat, but he kept shouting and sobbing. Roy could see his chest heaving.
“Calm down, Todd. That was a nightmare. You’re safe now. Tell me what you saw.”
Todd didn’t answer at first. He screamed in rage and buried his face in his hands as he cried his heart out.
“Elsa… My Elsa… She’s no more.”
He was like a patient afflicted with madness. Roy couldn’t talk to him when he was muttering to himself, so he turned to Corinne.
Corinne put her half-knitted shirt into the box behind her carefully, and then she rubbed her cheeks in exhaustion. She too participated in that dream and saw everything Todd saw, and she was still shocked by the events that took place.
Roy used Axii to calm her down, and it worked, though Corinne still shuddered when she thought about it. Slowly, she said, “I saw what happened to Elsa on that day. She ran into a man in the alleyway. Possibly a sorcerer. He controlled her with supernatural powers and took her with him. Left in a portal.”
“A sorcerer, you say?” Roy’s face fell. This is the worst-case scenario.
“Dreams are usually laced with lies among the truth.” Corinne sipped some water and heaved a few long sighs. She said, “I can’t be sure about the kidnapper’s identity, since I couldn’t see his face.”
She gave Todd a look of pity. He witnessed his last family member getting taken away. That must have been harrowing. Anyone would suffer a mental breakdown if they saw this. And there’s that strange man.
Just thinking about that man made her shiver. It felt like someone was watching her somewhere.
“You couldn’t see him?” Roy was disappointed.
“Give me some time to figure this out. I need to repeat that dream,” Corinne said hesitantly. “Perhaps I can find out what the culprit looks like.”
Roy nodded. “Thank you then.”
“You did pay me a handsome sum of coins. I would sully my family’s name if I couldn’t find anything.” Corinne shook her head and frowned. She started recalling the dream again, and she said, “Oh, and I saw a man in a mask and apron in the second dream sequence. He was in a room filled with corpses. And he was holding a scalpel. He looked like a…”
“He was wearing a mask and apron? And he had a scalpel? Could he be a coroner?” Roy was reminded of his experience back in Ellander.
“Yes. He’s possibly a coroner who works in Novigrad’s morgue. So that means Elsa is…” Corinne covered her mouth.
“It’s too early to make conclusions, but time is not on our side,” Roy said. “Todd and I have to pay the morgue a visit.”
***
***
