Geralt and I walk through a forest. We were quiet after the incident in the castle. The silence was thick that anything could break it with one single word.
"Gonna tell me what that was?" I heard him ask breaking the silent as he rides Roach and I walk.
"Gonna kill me for it?" I asked him turning around fully to face him stopping on my tracks. He looks at me for a moment.
"You didn't kill her which gave me no reason to. Just wanna know why." He says getting off of Roach and walked towards me while I cross my arms and look to the side before looking back at him.
"I manipulated her shadow to revealing only herself. The Shadow showed her things that I don't see." I told him as he crossed his arms as well.
"What does it usually show her?" He asked as I sighed and rub my neck a bit.
"The bad things she has done. It seems like she killed someone from how she grabbed the dagger and attacked me." I told him as I watch the gears in his brain turning.
"But it happened so fast? I didn't see how she moved towards you." He mumbles.
"I let you forget it. I manipulated your shadow to cover what you saw until she attacked me which is why you saw her on top of me trying to stab me." I told him truthfully.
"Do you know who she killed?" He asked and I nodded my head before turning around a bit. I closed my eyes as I lift my hands up slowly mumbling. Whispers of voice covered my mind as I saw images of what Anastasia had seen from her shadow. I opened my eyes and turned facing him again.
"She had a lover once who had an affair with a girl. She caught them in an act and well...killed both of them before burning the house down as she walks away." I told him and he looks at me before humming.
"Guess your powers are useful." He mumbles and I shrugged. He walks back to Roach gently petting him.
"Sometimes. The Shadows didn't like doing bad things, but they cannot control what their host did." I told him as he looked at me.
"Can you see mine?" He asked and I nodded my head slowly.
"Yes." I said as he walks back towards me again.
"Did my shadow hate what I do?" He asked and I looked at his shadow on the ground seeing it shake his head.
"Your Shadow doesn't. He knows your doing the right thing. You didn't have a choice at all even if there are choices to be chosen. You didn't know the outcome of it." I told him looking at his shadow.
"What about yours?" He asked causing me to look at him.
"Shadow Knights don't have one. Which is why we are called Shadow Knights for a reason. We had our host centuries ago and those who had potential Shadows get selected." I told him truthfully as he looks at me.
"Who were you back then?" He asked as I opened a pocket and shove my hand in before taking something out and showing him a necklace as he takes it and opens it.
"My host was Queen Helena of Centrie. Monsters and human were at peace with us until she was murdered by her jealous sister Margaret who took the throne and began ordering guards to kill monsters. The Shadow Council took me in seeing the potential in me after she died. They trained me harder, better, stronger, and faster. That is when I led the war along with my fellow brothers and sisters. We won...with a price." I told him as he gaze at the picture.
"The war was centuries ago." He mumbled and I nodded my head. He hums and handed the necklace back to me as I put it back into my pocket.
"Anything else that I should know about?" He asked me as I shrugged and began walking away.
"I told you my story already." I told him only to be turned around roughly causing me to look at him.
"Let me go." I growled trying to yank my arm away, but to no use.
"I will if you tell me more." He says as I sighed and looked towards the direction I was going before looking back at him.
"There is a tavern I know from here. Get me shite faced drunk then. I tell you everything." I told him as I yanked my arm away and began walking again.
"Hurry up before the sun lowers it self." I told him loudly as I heard grumbling before footsteps from behind.
——
We entered the tavern as I got greeted by monsters that were peaceful. I waved my hand before walking towards the bar and sat down.
"Devara, it's been years since you've come here." I turned around and I smiled seeing my old friend Roxfield. I stood up and we gave each other hugs.
"Roxfield! You've grown large." I laughed as we did our secret hand shake before I point a dagger on his throat and he blocks it making both of us laugh as we backed away. We heard some clear their throat causing us to look and see Geralt standing there.
"Sorry, Roxfield meet my partner Geralt-"
"Of Rivia. Nice to meet the famous white wolf." Roxfield said bowing before snorting.
"Geralt this is Roxfield. His family helped me after the war. How's your mother?" I asked him as Roxfield shrugged
"Mama is good. She is growing old as always, but she's still strong and can woop my ass." He chuckles snorting again making me laugh. His name was being called as he waved goodbye and went to his friends.
"Your friends with...pigs?" Geralt asked making me hit his chest as he looked at me instantly.
"Shut it." I sat back down again and pound my fist two times on the table getting the barkeep's attention as he made our way.
"I thought I wouldn't here that sound again." He chuckles making smile.
"Well, not dead yet, Herold." I told him making him nod as he looks at Geralt.
"A Witcher. I thought I'll never see one in my lifetime here on this place. My name's Herold." He held his hands out to Geralt and I nudged Geralt causing him to sigh and shake it before pulling away.
"So, want the original?" He asked as I nod my head.
"You know it." I told him and he left right away. I looked towards Geralt seeing him scan the areas.
"They have heads of an animal, I know. You think they're cursed, but they aren't. They're just born that way." I told him as Herold placed two cups in front of us making me grab it and lift it up for him as a thank you.
"So...these are the monsters you came in peace with?" He asked and I nodded my head looking towards the tavern.
"Yep, some helped the war and some are traumatized, but they don't let it get to them." I drank the cup before placing it on down and knock as Herold came back pouring me more.
Geralt turned and looked at me before taking his drink and chugging it as well before spitting it on the floor causing me to laugh.
"Taste awful." He scrunched up his face with disgust causing me to laugh and lift mine up close to my mouth.
"You'll get used to it." I told him chugging before asking for more.
"Are you gonna tell me more?" He asked and looked at me as I hummed drinking my last drink.
"Ask away then." I looked at him as he looks back at me.
"What was the Shadow Knights like, I mean during your stay there?" He asked as I sighed and rub the back of my head.
"That...one is a complicated question, but I'll just say its kinda like yours. Having powers, but you have to go through a lot of torture to get rid of human emotions." I told him drinking and putting it down.
"Did you get through it?" He asked.
"Every shadow does. If you still feel emotions in 2 weeks. You get eliminated suddenly and if you'll start training." I told him looking inside my cup.
"I'm guessing you didn't?"
"I did for a moment until I started training. Emotions came flooding back like a flowing tide on the sandy land. I didn't tell anyone of course since that would be a foolish move." I spun the cup around watching it with interest.
"You can train Shadows then why not recruit?" He asked as I chuckled deeply.
"I don't hold that much power to recruit Shadows. If the host dies then so does the Shadow itself. If I want to recruit any then I'll need a lot of power."