"How are you feeling?"
His master, Gonz, stepped into the room to check on his apprentice. He was wearing a brand-new ceremonial outfit, but from the way he tugged impatiently at his collar—as though it were choking him—it was clear that he found the clothes rather uncomfortable.
His follower, Terry, peeked curiously through the doorframe. Seeing the man's inquisitive expression, Aldric couldn't help but chuckle.
"Master, I'm feeling fine. My recovery's faster than I expected. But… where is this place? Those Chaos cultists—were they being backed by Count Anthony? I couldn't contact you in time, so I had to look for clues myself. I didn't expect that shadow assassin to seize the opportunity and ambush me."
Gonz finally loosened his collar and leaned back in the chair, stretching his legs across the edge of Aldric's bed. Folding his hands behind his head, he said calmly,
"This is the Temple of Ulfric. It's safe here. Not leaving a way to reach me was my mistake—I underestimated how serious the situation had become. We were all deceived by that assassin. He betrayed the steward, Antoine and took a contract from Count Anthony, while at the same time secretly feeding us information. He leaked the young count's plans so we'd focus all our attention on the lord's manor. Now, the young count is dead. But that wretch Antoine survived and still serves as acting lord. I suspect it won't be long before he's officially promoted."
With a few concise sentences, the witcher summarized everything that had happened in the city. Then he turned to his apprentice with a rare look of relief.
"But it's all over now. Thanks to you, the crisis has been resolved. If not for your actions, the entire southern frontier might have fallen into chaos."
Aldric shook his head. "It was pure luck. I almost died in there. By the way, teacher, that place I entered—was that what you call the 'Realm of Chaos'?"
At the mention of this, Gonz swung his feet off the bed and sat up straight. With the patience of a seasoned mentor, he explained,
"Strictly speaking, that wasn't a true Realm of Chaos. It was more like a minor dimensional rift—an unclaimed fragment of space."
"However, the vanguard of Nurgle you destroyed had managed to connect to the power of the Plague Lord. Using itself as a conduit, it attempted to summon the Plague Lands into this world. Had you not stopped it, that area would soon have been completely overrun and absorbed into the Chaos Realm of Nurgle. Of course, if the creature hadn't been in such a weakened state, by the time I arrived, your body would have long since melted into a pool of pus."
He continued,
"Normally, a witcher apprentice's final trial— Trial of the Valley —is conducted within a controlled section of the Chaos Realm, protected by the runic formations of Kaer Morhen's Valley. That's why it's called the Trial of the Valley."
"What you entered wasn't a true Chaos Realm, but without the protection of the runes, it was even more dangerous. And you slew a Vanguard on top of that. As your mentor, I'd say you've passed the Valley Trial. Though you still need to complete your two earlier trials before officially becoming a full witcher, you've earned the right to forge your own Valyrian steel weapon. I've already collected the remains of the Vanguard you defeated."
From within his coat, Gonz drew out a rune-engraved container and held it up for Aldric to see.
"Thank you, teacher." Aldric hesitated, then asked, "Will there be any lingering problems from this incident? That place's air was filled with deadly toxins—if even a bit of it leaks out, it could cause a massive plague in the city."
Gonz smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. The church here may be weak, but a few of them have experience dealing with the Plague Lord's followers. Everyone who came into contact with the site or any contaminated materials has undergone purification through a Holy Light cleansing array. They're safe."
Then his expression grew thoughtful. "But as for you—your blood seems able to resist the corruption of Chaos itself. That's quite the discovery! Such a constitution is exceedingly rare. Every person who's ever had it became a pillar in the fight against Chaos invasions. Don't squander this gift. Remember: 'In victory, speak not of success; in defeat, speak not of excuses.'"
"Yes, master. I'll keep honing my craft until the day I die," Aldric said firmly, his eyes filled with resolve.
"The Witchers' fortress, Kaer Morhen has encountered some trouble. I'll need to return there in a few days. Stay here in Temple of Ulfric and rest for now. If you need to contact me, you can do so through Priest Richard here. The temple has a small teleportation array that can send minor objects and letters. If anything urgent happens while I'm away, go to him—he's trustworthy. But still, always keep your guard up."
As he spoke, Gonz retrieved a small clay stamping tablet from his coat.
"Witchers' Valyrian steel weapons are usually reserved for those who've officially graduated. They're not only made of priceless materials but require master craftsmen and mages to forge them together." As he spoke, he pressed Aldric's hands against the tablet to record his palm prints. "Each weapon is one of a kind, crafted specifically for its bearer. The process takes eight to twelve months and must be scheduled in advance—some of the materials need to be prepared early."
Aldric watched, expression blank but intrigued, as his teacher put away the tablet. He couldn't help but think it felt a bit like ordering custom-made sneakers back home.
Gonz continued, "So you'll have plenty of time to decide what kind of weapon you want. Other than the Vanguard's remains, I'll also need some of your blood—but not yet. The stronger you become, the more potent your blood will be. It's added at the final stage of forging. I'll let you know when the time comes; you can send it through the temple's teleportation array."
He paused, then added almost as an afterthought, "And don't imitate that female warrior companion of yours. I know she uses a flail, but that doesn't mean you should. The Witcher Council doesn't restrict weapon choices, but it's best not to request heavy weapons like flails or war hammers. Valyrian steel is in short supply, after all."
He stood, brushing off his coat. "Now, come with me. We're going to meet the acting lord of the city. It's time for you to receive your due reward. You're the hero who saved this city—don't be modest about it, my apprentice."
After speaking, Gonz gestured for Terry to help Aldric change clothes, then left the room.
Aldric, meanwhile, soon realized that the rewards for his mission were not yet over.
"Congratulations, Witcher Apprentice.
You have completed the Trial of the Valley—the formal graduation test for Witcher apprentices.
Dexterity +1.
When you slay enemies of Chaos, you gain +20% additional experience.
For all Chaos-related resist and corruption checks, you gain one extra roll.
You will also receive a personal Valyrian steel weapon, customizable in type and appearance (excluding heavy and ultra-heavy weapons)."
Then, he noticed that his mysterious equipment—the [Damaged Pendant]—had also changed its attributes.
(End of Chapter)