Chapter 105: Plots, Plans, and Prophecies
After hearing Ciri say that she wanted to stay with him, Lann shook his head. "Ciri you must understand that we cannot hide forever. We are the only members of the royal family left and it is our duty to rebuild Cintra. Letting Geralt take you is not to make you hide, but to give you a task."
"I need you to befriend the witchers of the School of the Wolf and gain their support for Cintra."
Geralt looked at Lann and Ciri with a complex expression as they loudly plotted their own school and said: "The Wolf School is an absolutely neutral school."
Lann pinched Ciri's cheek and said to Geralt. "You just have to take Ciri with you and, while you're at it, help me tell your school leader: The Gryphon School wants to rebuild the Order of Witchers in Cintra."
"We already have the support of the royal heir and a resident mage. Ask him if he doesn't want to join us."
Geralt thought for a while. "I can only help you bring the message, but I can't guarantee that my mentor will accept it."
Geralt turned to Mousesack and said. "Don't worry, we won't subject Ciri to the Trial of the Grasses. We no longer have a resident wizard and we have given up on the witcher mutation. That kind of cruelty has been ruled out by us a long time ago."
Facing Geralt's promise, Mousesack felt slightly relieved.
Lann said: "Not undergoing the Trial of the Grasses is not important, you will soon discover that Ciri does not need those things."
"Didn't you hear what I said about our blood? She's a Source, that's the power her blood gives her."
Mousesack had told Lann about Ciri in the forest, how the girl awakened a flow of magic during the fall of Cintra.
Geralt was stunned: "Then... She needs to be taught by a mage. But the Wolf School doesn't have a resident mage right now. I... I used to know one." His voice became smaller and smaller, and he became more and more disappointed: "But I can't contact her now..."
As Geralt spoke he still maintained an expressionless face, but the background behind him seemed to suddenly become dyed with a gloomy color, and he began to exude the melancholic temperament of having been abandoned by his lover.
Lann sighed and turned to Mousesack, no longer paying attention to Geralt's drama. "This is something I also need to ask of you, Uncle Mousesack. Help us find a sorceress to teach Ciri. Also, do you still remember my previous dreams?"
Mousesack's eyes were complicated. "I can teach Ciri myself, and I can go to Kaer Morhen together!"
Looking at the old man who suddenly became menacing, Lann hurried to calm him down. "Uncle Mousesack, I have something more important in mind that I need your help with, we really can't do it without you... Let's better start with the sorceress matter, remember to Triss?"
Mousesack nodded, she is one of the few mages friends he had. "I can look for her for you, but I can't guarantee her help. The mages of the north seem to be meeting to discuss something lately, and they have cut off communication with the outside."
Given the timing, the Battle of Sodden Hill should be happening soon. The northern mages should be actively preparing for war right now.
Although they couldn't contact Triss for now, this situation was beneficial for Lann's plans. "I had another dream recently. In my dream, I saw a monument used to carve the name of the dead, with Triss's name engraved on it."
"But she's not dead, she's screaming in agony inside a laboratory. Uncle Mousesack, do you know if Triss has any magical laboratories of her own?"
Mousesack's expression became serious. "I once had academic exchanges on magic with her, and I know the location of her secret laboratory. But if Triss is going to experience such a terrible thing, I must stop it..."
The old druid looked at Lann, remembering Queen Calanthe's final words. The favor of saving her life might lead Cintra to gain a new sorceress, but Triss was a friend of hers. Seeing her wounded on the battlefield without doing anything...
Lann has no psychological burden on this kind of thing. His friendship with Triss was reduced to pure interests.
But he saw the old Druid's dilemma, and he comforted: "Knowing Triss's personality, even if you warn her of danger, she won't stop her path, right?"
"So, how about this? You can talk to Triss and try to dissuade her. If you can get her to avoid the battlefield, when she sees the monument after the war, she won't forget our favor and will come to help us."
"But if she doesn't listen, we will be ready to rescue and recruit her. What do you think?"
Mousesack rubbed his head. "Let me think about it again... Didn't you say you have other things you want to ask me for?"
Lann nodded. "In fact, the second request is related to Ace, my servant, remember? I recently discovered that he has magical talent. Although he is not as powerful as a Source, he still has it..."
"I want to send him to a magic academy for training, and I was hoping Triss would help us with this."
Mousesack nodded and said: "I remember the boy. I'll check on him later."
"The latent magical talent may not be as powerful as you imagine but sending it to study is not a problem."
"Even if we don't find Triss, I have other mage friends I can ask for help. Is there anything else you need help with?"
Lann took out his Griffin School medallion and mentioned the last matter.
"I haven't told you in detail about my transformation into a witcher. But, I had found a way to mutate a witcher for the second time, as well as more information about mutations."
"I want you to continue researching ways to increase the success rate of mutations to become a witcher and make existing witchers stronger."
"I found this information in Tomas Moreau's laboratory, and it is now in the hands of his son, Jerome Moreau."
Lann added. "I will slowly tell you about the specific process later. The current situation is as follows: Jerome is my witcher mentor and he has these mutation materials in his hands. I would like to find an opportunity for you to chat with each other..."
Mousesack touched his beard after hearing this and was very impressed by Lann's words. "Is this so important? Improving the witcher mutations... Lann, your ideas... Okay, I'll go see this Jerome Moreau."
Then the old Druid sighed again, recalling the series of arrangements Lann just mentioned, and sighed. "Lann, you have really grown up..."
...
The days passed one after another amidst the fire of war, and information from outside constantly flowed through the refugees, who served as information collectors. Lann had also sent experienced scouts to gather information.
After the fall of Cintra, only a small territory around Brokilon remained as the rest of Cintra's territories.
The kings of Brugge and Verden had gathered almost half of their armies to defend the borders. This was both to protect themselves from the large number of Cintra refugees amassing at the borders and to protect themselves from Nilfgaard. Although, if Nilfgaard broke the blockade and advanced towards them, they wouldn't be able to stop them at all.
What can really act as a deterrent is the five thousand mercenaries sent by Temeria.
Among the Kingdoms bordering Brokilon, only Sodden had not sent troops because they were busy with their own problems at the moment.
In October 1264, the war in the north broke out. Nilfgaard captured Sodden. The Black Sun Cavalry conquered the southern half of Sodden.
In November 1264, the Northern Alliance and the Brotherhood of Sorcerers officially intervened on the battlefield, and the Battle of Sodden Hill broke out.
Later historical data stated that a total of 100,000 people participated in this battle, and at least 30,000 people were killed or wounded in this battle.
Fourteen mages are believed to have died in this war, and a monument was erected in their honor.
Mousesack began opening portals frequently to find Triss. Some mages claimed to have seen her caught in flames and then a soldier attacked her with a sword through her heart, but no one could find her body.
Mousesack was distraught.
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