The Witcher: My Own Path

As we all passed the steel bars, we started to go down the wide spiral staircase, with each step the sewers started to change and from a simple human structure it turned into something more like an ancient catacomb, of an unknown race or civilisation to me. I was extremely surprised by this. We all tried to keep as quiet as possible so as not to alarm the people we were about to launch a surprise attack on. Suddenly I noticed a signal given by hand by our temporary commander. He stopped and quickly wrapped a cloth around it, setting it on fire and extinguishing it, Gavorn at the back did the same. As it grew dark, I noticed a soft glow of light coming from below. I knew we were almost there. He let us know to wait while he himself headed quietly and slowly towards the light. A few minutes later he returned.

Two men, one slumbering on a table, the other checking crates, probably full of fisstech already ready for transport. ''Light leather armour, for safety I recommend a shot to the throat, possibly the head, to eliminate them quietly.'' he announced.

I volunteered, I knew I could do it, Tomo volunteered behind me, he was only slightly worse than me, but he would never admit it. I looked at my companion, we both took our bows off our backs, put our arrows on the strings and started down the stairs. The captain was right, two men, one sleeping, the other walking and looking through crates, both not far from us, about fifteen to twenty metres away.

The room they were in was huge, I breathed a sigh of relief that the bows would come in handy, however I wondered what this place even was and why it was under the Vizima, I need to find out at some point, however this is not the time for such musings. I let Tomo know that I can manage on my feet, and he sleepily does not protest, thus giving confirmation that I am better than him. However, I see the corner of his mouth twist up in a mocking smile, he thinks I'm unsure of the shot, so I choose the closer one, a jerk. We get into position and tighten our bows; he nods to me that as soon as I get up, he'll take care of the sleeper.

I release the arrow, in the blink of an eye it pierced his neck, passing through his throat, he stood for another two seconds before falling to the cold and hard stone floor lifeless. The other didn't even react as the arrow passed through his head, pinning him to the table he was sleeping on. I turn to Tomo and want to let him know to take care of the rest. However, I see that he is smiling broadly like a fool, showing that even if the bandit survived, he will have to fight us with the table attached to his head. I roll my eyes and show him to take care of the rest while I wait and see if anyone shows up.

When we are together again. The captain orders a return to formation and we start walking further into the tunnels. Everything was lit by torches, so it's not a problem not only for us, but for them as well. Moving slowly and quietly we came across a few marauders sleeping in small chambers, but they were quickly eliminated with a shot to the throat or head. We also passed a laboratory with all the equipment, various powders, liquids and a whole lot of glass flasks and bottles, cauldrons and alembics.

The alchemists were asleep, maybe tired, maybe intoxicated by alcohol or fisstech, it didn't matter. Whether they had been forced to work here or were here of their own free will, we could only guess, but the captain's order was one. They are all to die, we were shocked how someone so young and with such a radiant reputation could be so ruthless, yet he made it clear to us that he would not risk our lives by betting on people who might turn out to be our enemies or simply betray us one day by accident. I couldn't stop admiring him, not just me but all of us, because it was a difficult decision and only someone who can make such a decision and live with the consequences can call himself a true leader, and he showed at every opportunity that he was.

At one point we came to a fork, we could have split our forces but for safety's sake the captain decided to keep us together, especially as the rooms in front of us were louder, which could mean that this was the main chamber with the most people and perhaps this was where we would find the Catch and once he was eliminated, it would be easier to deal with the survivors scattered elsewhere.

The louder and louder sound of metal objects hitting each other meant that with each step we were getting closer to our destination and we felt more and more nervous, the kind of sound you can hear when someone is practising fencing and from the number and intensity you can deduce that there are several, if not a dozen, practitioners. We slowly started to enter the corner, which at the end was probably going to turn into the biggest and also the main hall, I could feel my palms sweating, my heart beating harder, the fear increased my concentration. Tyr gave a hand sign for us to stop, he knelt down and we followed his example. Sam walked to the end of the corridor, discreetly looking around the corner. He watched us for a few moments, then returned. We retreated about ten meters to plan our attack.

''There are about twelve of them, eight paired together in the middle of the chamber, one practising about six metres from the end of the corner on the left, just behind the wall, two practising on the dummies far to the right. The Talon is not there.'' He announced.

A few curses rang out.

''However, the situation has not changed, we continue. We still have to eliminate them all, and as for The Talon, maybe he is sleeping in another chamber.''

''Those I am pairing up with are our main target, so...''

He started drawing a plan on the stone floor with his finger, it didn't take long once everyone knew what to do. We all looked into each other's eyes, wishing each other good luck in a silent gesture, and then took our positions. The captain advanced to the front of the line, as he had been doing all along, for that hour since the whole operation began, I had gained a great deal of respect for him. If we come out of this safe and sound, I will personally thank him for everything.

Tyr raised his hand, then lowered it at this sign, and I and all my elven brothers ran out of the corner and unleashed a hail of arrows, eliminating the few who were in the middle of the chamber. Our dwarven companions ran to the designated individuals, while Tyr himself rushed to the centre of the chamber to confront the survivors. My initial assessment was that we had completed our objectives by almost eighty per cent, which was a good result, but hopefully there would be no surprises. I looked around the battlefield for enemies, one of the dummies was running away instead of helping his comrade, to my misfortune I didn't have a clear shot to eliminate him. As the coward ran out of the chamber, I turned my gaze to Tyr to help him if he needed it, although I had heard he was very talented with a sword, you never know.

I wasn't wrong to turn my attention to him when everyone was busy, the two who had paired off earlier and weren't originally targeted by our archers had taken aim at him, plus two others who had only suffered light wounds from our arrows, someone had screwed up the job, but now wasn't the time to investigate who it was.

''Damn it.'' I cursed in my mind. I kept my bow taut, but I didn't have a clear shot, I couldn't go up there and help him, because I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'm hopeless at fighting at short range, so I waited, but then I saw something unusual.

The captain drew his sword, it was certainly his work, for it shone beautifully, the early head and shaft already looked like the work of a blacksmith's genius. He did not run, but walked, swiftly and resolutely, his right hand, in which he held the sword, was lowered along his right leg, and his left hand was bent behind his back and clenched into a fist. His whole torso was open, as if encouraging them to attack. When they all attacked at once, I thought it was the end for him... but something happened that I will never forget in my life, he gently moved his body to the side, avoiding the first blow, he took a step to the right, quickly deflecting the next blow with his sword, and then I watched in amazement and admiration as he gently moved his body, without any unnecessary movements, thoughtful, as if he anticipated the movements of his opponents, every deflection, every dodge, every thrust, it was... It was beautiful, full of elegance, he was elegant. This was not the fighting style of the Vizima guards, I know their style, simple and brutal, lacking finesse, focused on fast, brutal movements. Effective, but stiff. What I was watching now, not only me but my colleagues as well, made us gasp with delight. His face betrayed nothing, it was calm, focused. I'm no expert in sword fighting, but I knew one thing, they were like mice locked in a cage, with the tiger lounging lazily. It didn't matter if it moved now or in fifteen minutes, either way they were dead. Eventually he stopped messing with them, it only took four quick and precise sword moves to kill them all, one for each.

As I recovered from my awe I took another look around the chamber, the battle was over, all our enemies lay dead, there were only two slightly wounded on our side, I wanted to take a deep breath and sigh in relief, but the loud stamping of several pairs of feet stopped me, suddenly about ten men appeared in front of us, all well armoured and equipped with crossbows, and at their head was that ugly bastard The Talon. The situation was very bad, every one of them was aiming at every one of us, where the hell did they come from? weren't there supposed to be between ten and fifteen of them? We've already got rid of about twenty, this isn't some small group, it's a fucking company for fuck's sake, I cursed in my spirit.