Exclusive access to 40+ min chapters (up to chapter 60 for other tiers+ 5 chapters every week ) on my Patreon, plus new fanfic every week! Your support starting at just $5/month
Chapter 26: Temerian Border
POV: Adam
The Temerian border materialized as an arbitrary line marked by nothing more substantial than weathered stones and the shared assumption that sovereignty meant something to people with enough soldiers to enforce it. Adam and Ciri crossed from occupied territory into theoretical safety with steps that felt lighter despite carrying the same packs and the same accumulated exhaustion.
Different kingdom. Different laws. Maybe different chances.
The border inn crouched beside the main road like a merchant's fever dream—all timber and thatch and windows that glowed with lamplight , warmth available for reasonable prices. The sign above the door bore a faded painting of a prancing pony that might once have been white but had become the color of old bones and forgotten promises.
Information. Inn gossip is better than any intelligence network.
They approached the common room with carefully controlled casualness, two young travelers seeking nothing more than ale and conversation while their ears strained for any mention of white-haired witchers or monsters that might require professional attention.
"...heard tell the White Wolf was through here not two weeks past," a merchant was saying to his drinking companion, his voice carrying the authority of someone who traded in rumors as much as goods. "Heading toward Vizima on some business or another."
Geralt. Two weeks ago, heading toward the Temerian capital.
Adam felt his pulse quicken with the first solid lead they'd found since leaving Cintra's ashes. Fifty miles to Vizima, perhaps four days of travel if they maintained good pace and avoided delays. Manageable distance, assuming Geralt remained in the area instead of following whatever contracts took him to places they couldn't follow.
Finally. A destination that might actually lead somewhere.
"Who is Geralt?" Ciri asked as they settled into their room for the night, her voice carrying curiosity mixed with the careful trust of someone who'd learned to accept explanations that didn't reveal everything. "Why do you trust him?"
How do I explain destiny to someone who doesn't know she's the center of a prophecy? How do I describe the Law of Surprise without sounding insane?
"He's... connected to you," Adam said, offering as much truth as he dared without revealing knowledge that would raise questions he couldn't answer. "Your destiny."
"My destiny?" Ciri's laugh carried bitter amusement. "My destiny was to be Queen of Cintra. That didn't work out so well."
Your destiny is to reshape the world. To carry power that kings and emperors will kill for. To survive trials that would break people twice your age.
"Sometimes destiny looks different than we expect," Adam replied, which was true enough without being the whole truth.
The road to Vizima cut through countryside, prosperity maintained through careful distance from recent conflicts. Farms showed signs of recent harvest, their fields golden with stubble that would feed the realm through winter months. Villages they passed bore no burn marks or abandoned houses, their populations going about normal business with the contentment of people who believed wars happened to other people in distant places.
Peace. They still have peace here. For now.
The bandit attack came without warning on their third day of travel, eight men emerging from roadside cover with weapons drawn and expressions , professional competence mixed with casual cruelty. Their leader bore scars that suggested survival of conflicts where others had died, his smile revealing teeth filed to points for intimidation rather than practical utility.
Eight bandits. Level 12-15 range. We can handle this.
"Well, well," the leader said, his voice carrying amusement that made Adam's skin crawl. "What have we here? Young lovers traveling without proper protection?"
Young lovers. Is it that obvious?
"We don't want trouble," Adam said, his hand moving casually toward his sword hilt while he assessed positioning and escape routes. "We're just travelers."
"Oh, I'm sure you are. Question is: what kind of travelers carry the sort of coin that makes this worth our time?"
They're going to attack regardless. Might as well make the first move count.
Adam triggered Air Gust without warning, the invisible force scattering three bandits while Ciri moved with liquid grace that turned royal sword training into practical violence. They fought as a couple now, their different styles complementing each other with coordination that felt telepathic.
Wind Barrier around Ciri. Let her fight in protected space while I handle ranged attacks.
The defensive technique manifested as shimmering distortion that turned arrows into harmless projectiles while Ciri's blade work carved through opposition with surgical precision. Adam provided support through Air Blade attacks that took down enemies before they could close to melee range.
Linked Combat bonus working perfectly. We're stronger together.
Six bandits died in the space of minutes, their professional competence proving inadequate against opponents who fought with desperate intensity and supernatural coordination. The remaining two surrendered when faced with odds that had shifted decisively against their survival.
Capture them. Interrogate them. They might have information.
"Geralt of Rivia," Adam said, his sword point resting against the lead bandit's throat with pressure that promised painful death for incorrect answers. "White-haired witcher. Where is he?"
Fear. Good. Fear makes people honest.
"Vizima outskirts," the bandit gasped, his filed teeth chattering with terror that made his voice almost unintelligible. "Hunting some monster in the sewers. That's all I know, I swear!"
Vizima sewers. Probably a contract. He'll be there for days.
Adam and Ciri bound the surviving bandits with rope that would hold them until other travelers found them or they worked free through their own efforts. Professional courtesy suggested killing them would be safer, but neither felt comfortable with executing prisoners who no longer posed immediate threat.
Mercy. Even for bandits. Some lines we won't cross.
[Experience Gained: 120 XP (combat) + 80 XP (information gathering)]
[Total: 200 XP]
[Level Progress: 14 (75% toward Level 15)]
Vizima appeared on the horizon as afternoon shadows lengthened across countryside that had remained peaceful while kingdoms to the north burned. The Temerian capital sprawled beside its river like a merchant's dream made manifest—walls ,serious defensive planning, towers that reached toward sky with architectural ambition, and smoke from countless chimneys that suggested prosperity worth protecting.
Civilization. Real civilization, not just villages hoping to avoid notice.
They approached the city gates with the careful confidence of people who belonged wherever they chose to be, their improved equipment and accumulated experience marking them as travelers worthy of respect rather than suspicion.
Information first. Find Geralt's exact location before we commit to anything.
But looking at Ciri's face—seeing hope mixed with apprehension as they drew closer to whatever answers Geralt might provide—Adam felt the weight of responsibility that had been growing since Cintra's fall.
This is it. The next phase of her journey. Whatever happens in Vizima will determine everything that comes after.
The city's gates opened before them like possibilities made of stone and iron, leading toward answers that might provide the safety they'd been seeking or might simply present new challenges disguised as solutions.
Together. Whatever we find in Vizima, we face it together.
The road ahead stretched into urban maze that contained somewhere within its boundaries the White Wolf of legend, destiny made flesh, and answers to questions that had been building since the night everything burned.
Time to find out what destiny looks like when it has a name and a profession.
+1 CHAPTER AFTER EVERY 4 REVIEWS
MORE POWER STONES == MORE CHAPTERS
To supporting Me in Pateron .
Love [ In The Witcher With Avatar Powers ]? Unlock More Chapters and Support the Story!
Dive deeper into the world of [ In The Witcher With Avatar Powers ] with exclusive access to 40+ min chapters (up to chapter 60 for other tiers+ 5 chapters every week ) on my Patreon, plus new fanfic every week! Your support starting at just $5/month helps me keep crafting the stories you love across epic universes like [ Game Of Throne ,MCU and Arrowverse, Breaking Bad , The Walking dead ,The Hobbit,Wednesday].
By joining, you're not just getting more chapters—you're helping me bring new worlds, twists, and adventures to life. Every pledge makes a huge difference!
👉 Join now at patreon.com/TheFinex5 and start reading today!