The Witcher: My Own Path

I don't know how long I was unconscious, though it must not have lasted long, as my torch was still burning. The pain of my wounded chest came back to me with redoubled force, I put my right hand over my wounds and delved into the light side of power, I used power healing. My goal was not to heal the wounds completely, but to apply first aid and make the pain go away, my rapid regeneration would do the rest. Although nothing had attacked me while I was unconscious, I didn't want to take any chances, tiring myself out by using the power to fully heal my wounds. Standing up, I picked up my sword and torches from the floor, I had to continue exploring the ancient temple, I wasn't going to give up halfway through.

It might seem like a stupid idea, but this time I wasn't going to be taken by surprise. I moved forward slowly and carefully. It wasn't long before I reached the main room, with a magnificently gilded throne and a teleport spread out. The air, though stale, was saturated with power or magic, I don't know which and that's what I need to start exploring as soon as I build my own lab. I felt it from the moment I entered these ancient ruins. But with every step its presence was stronger, I was getting closer to the source, probably the circle of power. Having passed the throne room, I entered the next chamber, this one, however, was not empty. It had an occupant, but judging by the remains lying on a makeshift bed, this person was long dead. I don't know if the alp I recently fought was the source of the person's death, but I know for sure that it doesn't matter now. What does matter is all that the unlucky person left behind.

I could tell at a glance that the deceased was a mage or witch, evidenced by a mirror for communication along with a magic crystal and other instruments whose uses I did not yet know, and if memory serves me correctly, only those who can wield magic use them. There were also quite a few books and scrolls, not forgetting the layout of the encampment itself, the location of the elemental circle almost a few metres away cannot be a coincidence.

It was all noteworthy and I was going to examine it carefully, there could be very important information written in the books for me, but my attention was directed to a rather sizable chest. As you know, magicians are quite wealthy, maybe not in cash, but all their items such as magic crystals have their value in gold, and as I am very short of money right now, I was very much hoping to find something in it.

As I approached the chest and knelt down beside it, I stretched out my hand and began to examine it for any hidden mechanisms triggering traps or spells against anyone who was not the owner of this container. After fifteen minutes of careful examination, I found nothing. All in all, it would make sense as who could rob a mage in a place where no one has access to well, except another mage. To be sure, I moved back three metres and opened the chests with my power, nothing happened. I caught myself all tense and held my breath. Without hesitating, I went to the chest and began to carefully search through the contents. Books, scrolls and... heavy looking pouches. I picked one up and shook it, the sound coming out of it sounded beautiful, the other sounded the same, but that wasn't all that was there, underneath the pouches was a casket like those for jewellery. Not being greedy, I picked it up with the power and thanks to it I opened it too, ahh... Its contents made a smile adorn my face from ear to ear, necklaces with diamonds, rings with rubies, bracelets with sapphires, pins and expensive combs. Now I know that this dead man was a woman, a woman I had grown very fond of in those few minutes when I started sifting through her possessions.

Now I was in even less of a hurry, I found candles and other items that could serve as sources of light, I set them off and began meticulously sorting through my now-vanished property, calculating their value in orens.

Others might think that this is a very tedious task and someone of my status shouldn't do it, after all I have subordinates, but I am a person who doesn't like to dump such onerous work on others. After all, I have to work hard myself too, right? After an hour of looking through the items and a cursory look in the books, I found out some interesting things. The deceased was a half elf looking for a cure for the illness that was consuming her, apparently, she had hoped to find it in this temple, but was very disappointed since she died here. Maybe she didn't have the strength to fight the vampire, or she was caught by surprise at the end she died. I did not delve too much into the books, but they were certainly essential reading for any mage or witch. Theory of magic, ancient spells, information about runes, everything every mage should know, for example: the basics. But there were also some more advanced books and scrolls. Valuable knowledge that's for sure. But back to what she needs most at the moment. The pouches hid as much as eight thousand Novigrad crowns inside, I wasn't sad about this problem, as the crowns and orens were one to one in value I only needed to exchange them at Vivaldi's, the jewellery I valued at around ten thousand, but to be safe I will melt it down and extract the gemstones so the value will drop to around seven. I have two thousand in my inventory plus a thousand from Foltest, together it makes eighteen thousand. Eighteen thousand! Almost half of what I need to close all the projects I have started. Now I'm so happy that I feel like resurrecting the vampire I roasted to sizzle not long ago and apologising for being a bit angry with her.

Agh... I won't be comforted by this money for long, though. I have to give at least seven to Gavorn to finish the inn, three thousand to Mirim to start recruiting people and buying necessary equipment, three thousand to Nightingale for further development and another three thousand to Albert to lease more land, workers and grain. Two thousand for Haren to look for people to protect my properties. One thousand I will keep for myself for unexpected expenses. That's it, I've just spent in my head the whole eighteen thousand I earned an hour ago. Where will it end?

The good mood didn't leave me though, I turned off all the lights except the torch and started heading for the entrance I had made myself in my house. When I left the place, using the power, I jumped through the hole into the house, then covered it with boards and placed an old wardrobe on top. I will have to bring Gavorn and Mirim here to look at everything more closely. I'll need to find out where the elven corridors connect to the Vizima sewers, plan the passages and create them, I'll need more money. I guess it's time to go home and start writing books and, at night, exploring the Commercial Quarter and relieving the rich inhabitants of their heavy burden of cash and jewellery.

(Two days later, the corridors of the elven temple)

The flames of six torches illuminated everything within a fifteen-meter radius, the six walked down the corridors, looking around in silence, examining every nook and cranny and asking themselves questions in their heads that one of them might know the answer to. When they reached the main chamber, they stopped to admire the beauty and craftsmanship of the room.

''I don't know if you know, but the entire Den was built on the foundations of an elven city, and here, where we are right now, are the remains of an ancient temple.''

''Whaaaat? My lord, are you saying that this temple was built by my people?''

''Yes, and not only this temple, the catacombs where we fought not so long ago were also built by your people. Forgive me Mirim though, but I did not bring you all here Gavorn, Nightingale, Mirim, Haren and Albert to talk about history. It is of course an important topic but not now and not today. I brought you all here to show you where our headquarters, the command centre of the 'Order of the First Reconciliation' will be located.''

''The Order of the First Reconciliation? Is that what you called our organisation? Why?''

''I named it so that it would be known that the 'Order' was built on the strong bonds between all races that share our ideals and goals and the primary goal of the 'Order' is to gain as much wealth and influence as possible to force first Vizima then all of Temeria to change, be it culturally or economically. I am a Temerian and I love my country, but what Temeria and its elite, led by the King, used to and now represents is not what I want for it. Monsters rampage through the cities, devouring and tearing people apart, but no one cares, famine, disease, murder, pogroms of non-humans, pervasive racism. It is only what we see on the surface. I will do everything to change this, but I cannot do it alone, I am too weak, too inexperienced, so I ask you again, will you follow me? Will you help me make my dream come true?

''Of course, they exclaimed in chorus!''

''Thank you all!''

''Moving on, this will also be the home of the 'Threat Elimination Sphere'. Yes, Mirim, this is where you and your people will live and rest, train, and plan missions that I and the council will assign you. Gavorn, you will be responsible for thoroughly investigating everything here, you will work with Mirim and Nightingale to explore the corridors, how we can renovate and rework this place to suit our needs, check where the elven ruins end and the Vizima canals begin. Designate places where secret passages can be built between them. Haren, you will assist and support them if you encounter any danger. Be careful and be very cautious, two days ago when I found this place I was distracted and attacked by an Alp, a monster of the vampire family I nearly lost my life, so if you encounter something you are not sure you can handle, back off and let me know and I will personally deal with it. Finally.

Out of nowhere, five bellows filled with money appeared.

''One for each of you, these are funds to further develop your 'Realms' you know what to do!''

''Yes!''