The morning sun rained down its gentle warmth on the encampment. The tent was illuminated by a lone oil lamp, its light shining on a pale, tense face. Visenna was distracted for a moment, her mind going back to a moment decades ago.
She was holding a baby swaddled in a blanket. Though the journey was long and perilous, she traveled to the fortress of Kaer Morhen, handing her child over to a grizzled witcher to raise. From that day onward, Visenna thought she would never meet her child again, yet fate brought his news to her. Geralt.
Everyone fell into silence, and Visenna's assistants held their breath.
A long while later, the druid composed herself, and she took a deep breath. "Auckes." She pursed her crimson lips.
"Ah, to make one thing clear: my name is not Auckes," Roy interrupted, and he turned to Yugni, who was covering her mouth, and gave her an apologetic smile. "I am Roy, a Viper. I know what you're trying to say. You wish for me to forget all about this and pretend we never met, correct? But let me say something. Those who Destiny have bound together will meet again. Even if you run away today, there's always tomorrow. Delaying the inevitable will only make the eventuality harder to face."
Visenna clutched her towel tightly.
"And Geralt's in a predicament. He is now a prisoner of Mayena, and he might die soon." Roy sighed, a solemn look creeping into his eyes. "Still you refuse to see him?"
Geralt's a prisoner? But he's a witcher. Visenna was reminded of the story a patient told her. That a merchant from Rivia kidnapped Ainz, the honorary ambassador, and he had a white-haired witcher as his accomplice.
She shrugged that story off at first, but now she was breathing heavily.
Roy smiled. No mother would leave their child for dead. "You've been going around the fortress. You must've heard of Yurga and his story, but I assure you, there's more to it. They didn't kidnap Ainz. They are innocent, but I need a bit of time to explain everything."
Visenna looked out the window. "I have dozens of patients waiting for me."
"I've checked on them. Minor wounds and ailments. They can wait, but Geralt cannot. The head of security might torture them at anytime."
***
The assistants left the tent reluctantly and reassured the refugees that the doctor would tend to them soon, while Roy explained everything to the druid. Then the witcher showed her the corpse of the mutated wolf and a few of the mutated plants to the druid.
"I've noticed the flow of energy within you. It's strong. Are you a Source?" He just grabbed something out of the air.
"Just a little trick. You should be focusing on the wolf."
Visenna brushed her hand across the wolf's mangled body and checked its teeth, then its pupils, claws, limbs, even its reproductive organs. The look on her face turned solemn. "Something supercharged its body, causing its bones, muscles, and claws to grow at an abnormal rate."
"I think it's the light," said Roy. "They must've been affected by it."
"I am not dismissing that possibility. The remnants of this untold energy is far too obvious to ignore, but it is different from the chaos energy we know." The druid scooped some of the soil up and had a sniff, then she stuck a few oleanders, roses, and azaleas on her forehead. The druid cast Breath of the Wild and listened in silence, while Roy observed her.
A surge of green light swam out of the druid's robe and flitted into the oleanders. A breeze kissed her hair, and a layer of light covered her face, blinking with life. A connection was formed between her and the plants, and she entered a mysterious state. A smile curled her lips as she felt the emotions swirling within the plants.
Five minutes later, she cut off the connection and carefully placed the oleander on the ground beneath her. "Your guess was correct, witcher."
The oleander slid into the soil and grew a lot in mere seconds. It slithered up a stick, blossoming in pink and green. "Thanks to the red light, the plant absorbed a lot of life force. It's why it grows so well. That effect extends to animals too, including this wolf. It's stronger and more feral. That's why it attacked during the day."
Roy observed the oleander and confirmed that it was just a regular plant. They can communicate with plants, eh? Druids are something. Nervously, he asked, "Did the flower say something else? About Ainz, I mean."
"Killed by the red light." A hint of relief filled Visenna's eyes. "Geralt and that merchant are wrongly accused."
Roy heaved a long sigh of relief as well. "But why'd plants get nourished by the light, and the humans get burned instead? How'd that happen?"
"Well, the power that nourishes the plants has to come from somewhere."
"You're saying…" Roy's pupils contracted. "That the red light turned Ainz into … into nutrients? But he's just one man. There's no way one man's energy is enough to feed the woods and animals. That's not an equivalent exchange." One person's energy fueling the growth of a patch of woods and a pack of wolves?
Roy was a little uneasy. This spell hurt humans to benefit nature. It almost sounded like an evil spell exclusive to druids.
Visenna shook her head, and a conflicted look crept into her eyes. "Not the only one. The flowers told me there were twelve who came before him."
Roy froze.
"I am not sure if they went willingly or if they were forced. Plants are limited in terms of communication. Ainz stepped into the forest at the wrong time and was burned to a crisp, leaving nothing behind. Their life force is absorbed and nourishes the land. This is not natural, however." There was a hint of iciness seeping into Visenna's tone. "The process is too simple. It lacks fermentation of the fungi and bacteria. It lacks the process of breaking down the flesh. This is nothing natural, and it must not be allowed to go on."
Roy wiped the sweat off his forehead. So she means if the process is natural, humans deserve to be turned into nutrients?
"Anyone who breaks nature's rule will be punished by the circle." Visenna extended her left hand and held her palm up, then a black wild pigeon flew into the tent and fluttered down to her hand. She held the fowl up and whispered into its ear, then the pigeon flew westward.
"My companions will search the whole of rural Mayena to find more about this red light."
Roy nodded. As expected of a druid. Roy asked one crucial question. "So how'd Yurga, Brofi, and Mateo escape unscathed?"
"That I do not have an answer to, but I do have a conjecture. The light is seeking something only certain people possess. Humans, I mean. Something plants and animals do not contain. Do you understand?"
It's seeking something humans have. Roy was reminded of what Yurga, the former butler, and Mateo had to say about Ainz. A sinner. And Mateo's suffering for his past sins. Is the red light looking for sins? The filthy memories engraved in the souls of mankind? So the creator of the light is some sorcerer of justice? Roy took a deep breath. No use focusing on that.
"So what is your decision, Lady Visenna? Will you come with me to convince the head of security to release Geralt?" Roy put on an exaggerated look. "If you won't do this, he might die."
Visenna was quiet for a long while, the look on her face stormy. Roy could see that she was in a dilemma. She hadn't seen her son in nearly eighty years, and now she was told he was in the fortress and in danger. Of course she was nervous. Perhaps she had something else she must consider as well.
Visenna hesitated for a long while, and she heaved a sigh. The hesitation melted, replaced by determination. "We'll see the head of security." She draped a red cloak over herself and pulled the hood over her head.
"Should we check out the forest? I can lead the way."
"There is no need for that. They have told me everything." Visenna came out of the tent, greeted by a loud crowd cheering and praising her.
"Good morning, doctor. Where are you going?"
"Are you hungry, doctor? I just made some potatoes. Would you like to try?" The former butler came up to her, simpering as he handed her a dark, wrinkly potato.
"Thank you for your kindness, but please give me some time. I have a pressing matter to settle. More than one innocent life is awaiting my help. You know I would lend my hand to those who need it. This is how I live."
Visenna spoke softly, but her voice was soothing. The patients quickly calmed down and showed their support.
"Go, doctor. They need you."
"We can wait."
Roy went past them and quickly followed the druid. "A minute. I'll need to summon the witness."
***
***
