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[PR: Ash]

“I will need your essence. Your blood.” Roy stared at the sickly face. He said, “You hail from another world. Your blood carries the scent of your homeland. It shares a deep connection with that planet. It’s a waypoint.”

The Elder fell into silence, and he stopped moving. He felt like deep winter personified. Regis had regained his bearings. He heard the conversation, and he blanched in horror. A witcher is asking the Elder for his essence to send him home? That sounds like a horror story.

“If I can use the gate in this abode, I am confident I can get you home,” Roy said.

The Unseen Elder cocked his nonexistent eyebrow. “You know that gate?”

“Of course. It’s a passage that connects your birthplace to this world. Pity it shut down completely after the Conjunction. I can reboot it, however. With it as a starting point, I can leap from this place and reach your home planet easier.”

The gate was an ancient and mysterious teleportation device. It could activate the Elder Blood’s power to its maximum and increase the number of beings that could be teleported as well as keep the portal open for a longer time. From what Roy knew, a gate existed in the world of the Wild Hunt as well. As the Wild Hunt slowly lost the power to traverse different worlds, they had to rely on those who had Elder Blood as pilots to open the gate. They would then turn their brethren who’d gone through the gate into phantoms and continue pilfering other worlds.

“And that is how the plan will work.” Roy’s explanation ended, and a long silence followed.

The Unseen Elder was musing over his options, slivers of black smoke dancing around him like jackdaws. In the end, he asked hoarsely, “What do you desire?” His eyes twinkled, as if telling the witcher to keep his greed in check.

“I am a fair person.” Roy smiled. At this point, his plan was halfway to completion, but it was not the time to rest on his laurels. The latter half was the crucial part. “Helping you return to your world costs a heavy price, so I have some minor requests of my own. First, no matter the outcome, the case of Gruffyd will come to an end. You will not demand any more answers about his death from me or my companions.”

The Elder tacitly agreed.

“Two, if I do manage to carve a return path for you, then I’d like…” Roy turned to Regis, who was eavesdropping, and smiled, then he said, “for all the higher vampires in your tribe to serve me for fifty years. Just fifty years.”

Just fifty years.

That last part echoed in the air, and the flames swayed. The Unseen Elder stood petrified. Regis’ jaw dropped, and goosebumps coursed through his skin. The arrogance. He wants to turn the Elder into his slave and humiliate him.

“You want me and my brethren to serve a witcher… for fifty years?” Wrinkles spread throughout the Elder’s face. Its maw opened up, and the winds coming through the cracks between his teeth almost gobbled Roy up. “Damn you!” A pair of arms, broken into multiple pieces shot out of the Elder’s back. Webs with black fur on it quickly formed on the arms, and they turned into a pair of gigantic bat wings a moment later. The wings flapped, and black smoke flew into the air before spreading out like a hurricane. Eventually, the smoke covered the whole chamber.

“Try me, if you dare.” A crimson barrier covered Roy. He grasped at the air and produced Gabriel. Without hesitation, he marked the Unseen Elder. A glittering gemstone marked the transforming body.

“Die!” The Unseen Elder opened his maw and let out a furious screech. Everything started to rumble. Debris flew, and dust swirled. Regis covered his ears in pain, blood flowing out of his face. He turned into a swarm of bats and flew toward the exit.

The soundwave slammed into Roy’s barrier like a sledgehammer, the impact throwing Roy through the air. He landed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. When he raised his head, flames and light had died out, and everything around felt darker than the abyss itself.

The Unseen Elder did not attack Roy right away. Instead, he circled the dark skies like a bird of prey looking at its target.

The gemstone mark was nothing more than a bat-shaped blur. Roy fired shot after shot, but he couldn’t even hit the Elder. He was moving so fast, it was as if he was teleporting. Unable to lock on to the Elder, Roy could not Fear it.

Another scream screeched through the air. Bloody whirlpools appeared, sucking in everything around them. Roy shivered, and he lost control of his blood. His blood was turned into needles, piercing through his skin, armor, and finally, his barrier. It flew toward the whirlpool like moths to fire.

From afar, it looked like countless chains of blood had appeared in the air, and they were all locking onto Roy. He was unable to move. His strength was failing as his blood was drained. Eventually, a gust of gale flew at Roy, a gigantic bat swooping down on the weakened witcher.

Roy raised his head, golden light filled with life shining around him, suppressing the energy that was sucking his blood away. He raised Aerondight high over his head. A bloody sea roared. A crimson tentacle climbed up to Roy’s shoulder, flailing its tentacles. Behind Roy’s head, a gleaming black dragon appeared. It opened its maw and lashed its tail. Its wings were spread, covering everything, and a scorching stream of heat came from its maw.

Roy leapt and brought his sword down at the bat coming toward him. The black dragon swiped its claws, tearing through the air and charging ahead. A red energy beam came charging out of the bonelike sword, and the dragon’s shout tore through space.

Claw and sword clashed. The abode itself shook. An explosion of mana burst forth from the point of impact, turning into a ball of black-red sun. The sun hung in midair, radiating light and heat.

A hole was torn through the darkness as light came back to this chamber. In the center of the chamber, the sturdy rock ground had a crater carved into it, cracks spreading through its edges.

On the east side of the crater, the witcher was thrown back where he came from, and he left a hole in the wall. He spat blood and chunks of his innards, then he fell, his bones crushed. On the west, the Unseen Elder fell to the ground and slid backward a few yards. The Shout had stunned his soul, and he’d forgotten to evade Roy’s attack. His wing was cut off by the energy beam, turned into a pool of blood. The tentacles were wrapped around him, eating away at his skin, leaving holes in it.

But the most frightening thing was the wound left by the black dragon. The dragon had hit the Elder’s head and broken his neck. The tip of the Elder’s bone jutted from his skin, and flesh fell from the wound. He was nearly decapitated, his head lolling over his shoulder.

The Elder snapped his neck, and his head was the right way up again. Black smoke blinked, and flesh wriggled from the wounds, closing them up. In the blink of an eye, the Elder had healed the wounds that would otherwise be fatal for humans.

Coldly, he looked at the witcher. Roy was supposed to be dying. His pupils were dilating, but then, a sea of stars burst forth from his back. The stench of death was turned around, replaced by life. The Ring of Time cured all of Roy’s wounds, his broken armor, and exhausted mind. The witcher stood up and put one leg before the other, his sword held up parallel to his cheek.

Roy pointed his blade at the Unseen Elder, his eyes flaring with the desire to battle. “You ancient, stubborn, foolish, arrogant vampire. I tried to reason with you. I tried to strike a deal, but you just had to resort to violence. Then come at me. Let’s see if you can push me to my true limits. I will bring an end to your boring, long overdue life. I will tear your abode apart.”

Sparks flew, and the fighters met eyes, fire flaring within their souls. The battle was once again about to resume, but then, a bloody doorway tore through the air, and a raspy voice came from within, breaking the battle.

“Elder of the Unseen, Sif, halt.” Slivers of black smoke came out of the door and fell beside the Unseen Elder. The smoke quickly turned into another gaunt, sickly man. He had the same sallow skin and ancient air.

Roy looked dark. A second Unseen Elder? Why’d he show up all of a sudden? He looked at the two Elders, his mind racing. Judging from what he said earlier, he didn’t come for a fight. If he did, I’d just take out both of them. But then he had another question. Regis told me there’s supposed to be three elders. Why didn’t the third just show up? And where is Regis, anyway? Roy looked around and found the barber-surgeon in the corner. He was grimy and unconscious. The power shown by the Elder affected his kin more.

***

“Trayche… Elder of Garasham… You invade my domain… instead of staying… in Toussaint? You… question… my decision?”

The Elder who fought Roy earlier had an icy look, but he eased up a little, his rage held down by force.

***

“This isn’t… your personal desire… This is… my life’s… wish. It has been… fifteen hundred… years. The second Conjunction… might not come. Even if it… does… how long… do we have to… wait? Two hundred years? Three… hundred? Or… a thousand? I… have had enough… of waiting.”

The Elders met eyes. Not budging, Trayche said, “Don’t you feel it? The chill is coming fast… to this world… The era of the White Frost… is coming.”

Roy was engrossed in the conversation. He was surprised an Unseen Elder knew of the White Frost. “If the White Frost… descends before the… Conjunction… We will… slumber within the cold… never to return… It has been more than… two thousand years… yet you still know not… how to see the… big picture?”

Sif fell silent, crossing his chest. The smoke and wings disappeared. Trayche nodded and turned to the witcher. He was calm, but his eyes were icy, as if he wanted to see through the witcher. “Witcher… not everyone… has the privilege… to negotiate… with us… But you possess… the Elder Blood… You are no… mere mortal… You possess something… I cannot see… We can agree to your terms… but you must make amends…”

Roy was looking a little better. He put his sword down. That’s how you negotiate. He nodded at Trayche, telling him to continue.

“Exclude me… and Sif… from the agreement… Should we return successfully… the members of Unseen and Garasham… will serve you… for twenty years… You may summon them… anytime you wish… They will follow… your every order… save for the killing… of their own… We will make a blood pact… for you… Once the pact is done… you will have the rune… to command the higher vampires… Should you break your word… the rune will curse your bloodline.”

Curses? I’m not afraid of them. But I have questions. He looked at the Elder who just came. “Twenty years is not a long time for you two. It’s like taking a nap.” I can use the Elders to fight the Wild Hunt and White Frost then. “Why did you refuse? Why did you want me to exclude you two from the contract?”

The Elders exchanged a quiet look, and one of them explained, “The Elders… only obey… those with superior… bloodline… And… many years ago… Faromir, Elder of Kovir… made a deal… with a cunning merchant… to pioneer… He was tricked… by the loophole… He never came home… and we cannot feel him anymore… That is why… we do not enter… pacts of the same nature… anymore.”

Roy was shocked. A cunning merchant? Who else but the Master of Mirrors? That skinhead devil actually tricked an Unseen Elder? So that’s why only two showed up.

“So… what do you… think?”

The Elders looked at Roy. The witcher could feel the anticipation and something else hiding within their gaze. If he said no, he would have to kill them both before he could leave this place, but that wasn’t what he came here for. He came to gather allies, not make enemies. Enslaving the Elders was just Plan A. Temperamental beings like them would only hinder more than help if he made them stay. He didn’t mind giving that part up. What he needed was allies who would do his bidding. Obedient higher vampires, so to speak.

He turned to the Elders and smiled, as if the conflict earlier hadn’t happened. “We have a deal. Now tell me in detail about your blood pact. And take me to the gate. We need to prepare for the teleportation.”