MLTO C6, P1

This is the first Part of "MLIV:TO"'s sixth and final Chapter.
It was released on 15.04.2023.
== Plot ==
Hardened by their perilous journey in the wild lands of Avernum and ensuring the safety of all of the land's residents, our heroes finally climb back to the Surface to finish what they started... although this task becomes harder and harder with each passing day.
Their sights are set on Redmark's final sanctuary- Blackcrag Fortress. An ancient settlement, used by the emperors of old as their headquarters, but it was brought to ruins after the previous emperor relocated the capital elsewhere. Now, with nowhere else to go, Emperor Redmark is forced to move there with his strongest warriors, restoring the mighty fortress as soon as possible. And if Geralt wants to take this rare opportunity, he must hurry up and travel to this final destination before it is too late.
But the first order of business still remains. Geralt and his allies must rescue Aurelia and Dante from the clutches of evil. To do so, they must travel to the infamous prison known as Blackstone Keep. Easier said than done, as most wise men would say. 
Unlike Blackcrag, this dark and gloomy prison is completely settled by the Empire's warriors and is home to some of their strongest fighters, as far as rumors go. In order to achieve victory, they must fight their way through a huge group of warriors that is as strong as a small army.
Whether they are worthy enough to complete this task or not... is up to them.
== Story ==
Geralt and his allies travel back to the kingdom of Goznor to deliver the bad news to its King and Queen. As they arrive, they notice that the tension in the air is still present. Everyone in the throne room seems to be very worried and the sovereigns themselves are outright trembling.
Seeing that some of his greatest allies have arrived, Donovan waves them forward, eager to get some good news in those dark times.
"My friends! It is good to see you again!"- He exclaims- "This kingdom needed you and you answered its call! I am most grateful for your arrival!"
He looks around and raises his eyebrow.
"But where is everyone else?"- He asks- "My son? The young maiden who was accompanying you? Where are they?"
Geralt steps forward, bows and shakes his head.
"I'm afraid that some... very bad things happened to us while we were in Avernum, Your Grace."- He says- "But there is no point. To talk too much about it, you know. Instead, I will say that Aurelia and Dante... and not with us anymore."
Everyone in the room gasps. Donovan and Sharla look like they have seen their own lives flash before their eyes.
"What do you mean, my boy?"- Donovan asks- "Are you saying that they... they... "
Geralt shakes his head.
"No, sir."- He says- "I mean that they disappeared. Out of sight, and out of mind."
Hearing the news of her beloved son's disappearance, Sharla cannot help but faint and collapse. Fortunately, Donovan catches her in time and shakes his head.
"This is truly very unfortunate. Both Dante and the girl are great warriors. Hearing of this brings me and my kingdom much sadness."- He says- "But we must not falter. Just because the two of them are not here with us does not mean that they are gone for good. We must do our best to rescue them, even if the odds are stacked against us."
Geralt nods.
"And that is what we've been planning to do, Your Grace."- He says- "Me and my family, few as we are, are planning to travel to the lands of evil and rescue them from the wicked emperor and his lackeys. We will try to use stealth and not cause much trouble for the rest of the Known Lands, but we suspect that force may be necessary to achieve victory. So, we shall march on and see what happens."
Donovan smiles sadly.
"I wish we could help you out, brave heroes. But our kingdom is often beseiged by the same forces that you try to defeat with your own hands."- He says- "So, the best thing that we can do is wish you good luck on this tremendously perilous journey and pray that you return in good health."
Kaiden takes a step forward.
"Before we go, sir, I want to ask you something."
Donovan raises his eyebrow.
"A question from a young man who knows so much?"- He asks- "You truly amaze me, Kaiden!"
He smiles.
"Still, I would love to hear what you have to say."- He says- "Speak further. I am all ears."
Kaiden sighs.
"While we were coming to Goznor, we encountered a fair maiden who goes by the name of Abigail. She is a young city girl, but a very competent and beautiful one."- He says- "She asked us to deliver this letter to you, in the hopes that she could get your blessing to... well, you know."
Donovan raises his eyebrow.
"A letter, hmm?"- He says- "This is truly intriguing! Let me see it!"
Kaiden steps forward and presents a neat little letter, tucked in an even neater white envelope and sealed with a large red heart. As he does, the people in the room start whispering to each other, mostly about how the young prince may have a secret admirer.
Donovan considers breaking the seal and opening the letter. However, he soon has a change of heart and decides to leave it as it is.
"I understand why you brought this all the way here. Such a crucial matter can only be solved by a young man's parents. You did well by bring this to us first."- He says- "However, I'm afraid that I would never dare to read what is meant for my son. The letter is meant to be delivered to him, not me. That is why I must honor the young maiden's wishes and allow you to take this to Dante instead, in the hopes that he will relent and allow true love to take its course. And, believe me, I know true love when I see one. It is truly a rare opportunity for our kingdom's fair man."
He smiles.
"You mentioned that the girl asked if I could give her my blessing to... meet my son."- He says- "Well, I'm afraid that I cannot give my blessing to someone who is not brave enough to deign us with a visit. So, I consider this matter to be s-- "
"Wait!"
Everyone in the throne room watches, surprised, as the large door opens. A young, purple-haired young woman enters the room, runs up to Donovan and bows to him.
"Your Grace, I arrived to finish what my friends just started!"- She exclaims- "My name is Abigal Lawson! I hail from a little town to the west and I hereby ask you for your permission to take your son's hands.
Curious, everyone else watches as Donovan stares at the young girl.
"You are the one that they were talking about?"- He asks- "Hmm. You seem to be most... unusual."
Abigail smiles.
"Heh."- She says- "That's the least weird thing I've been told about my hair."
Donovan nods.
"Either way, I am glad that you made it all the way here to ask me about this important matter."- He says- "It's truly important to discuss this with us and I, as the patriarch of this family, am meant to deliver the final judgement."
He raises his eyebrow.
"So tell me, Abigail."- He says to her- "If I decide to allow this to happen, are you going to be a good partner to my son Dante? Will you treat him with respect and shower him with love, like any good woman in the Known Lands ever could?"
Abigail bows again, this time a little bit more than usual.
"I shall do my best to give my true love what he truly deserves, Your Grace."- She says- "Dante will never feel neglected when I'm around!"
Donovan thinks about this.
"Hmm. I've listened to many fair maidens who promised the same thing to my son when he was younger. And yet, I cannot help but see that they all lied to me, just to get their hands on the kingdom's most precious treasure- its legacy."- He says- "Still, I can tell that you are being completely honest about it. I can see the sparkle of love inside of your eyes, the fire of passon inside of your heart. Perhaps it would be very unwise to send you away, especially after all that you've done to reach me."
He smiles.
"Very well, Abigail."- He says- "If that is what you wish to do, go right ahead! You have my blessing to take my son's hand!"
Everyone in the room gasps, surprised that the king would give his only child to a commoner.
"R-really?!"- Abigail exclaims- "You... truly mean it?!"
Donovan smiles.
"Of course, my dear."- He says- "True love can never be stopped, no matter how hard a parent tries to do so. My only regret is that you didn't decide to come here sooner. My son has been... quite lonely in the past few years. Having a fair maiden like you around surely would have made him feel better."
He nods.
"Now go. Step toward the light and follow your heart's greatest desire."- He says- "You have my blessing, Abigail Lawson. Do not misuse it."
Abigail bows deeply.
"This is truly a great honor, Your Grace! I'm flattered!"- She exclaims- "I won't let you down! I promise!"
Having said that, the young maiden eagerly runs out of the room, but not before leaning close to Geralt and whispering "Thank you very much".
Donovan sits back in his throne and sighs.
"Now that this wonderful matter has been settled, we must get back to the main task."- He says- "As you heroes mentioned before, my son and the girl may be held inside one of the Empire's greatest prison. My greatest fear is that they're locked up in their bost secure and dangerous one. Perhaps they're torturing them and extracting all of the precious information from their minds, even as we speak."
He looks back at the map behind him and points at a location far west of the kingdom of Goznor.
"This is the place where Blackstone Keep is located."- He says- "If our two unfortunates were taken deep into the imperial territory, chances are that the foul emperor ordered them to be taken all the way there."
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"A huge prison, deep in the lands of our enemies?"- He says- "But this is madness! There's no way we could fight so many of them at once, even on the roads!"
Kaiden looks at his grandfather.
"Are you scared, grandpa?"- He asks- "I thought that you were always very fearless and strong. What happened to all the vigor inside of your heart."
Jared nods.
"Of course I'm brave and strong, you little fool!"- He exclaims- "It's just that I... I fear for your lives. I don't want to lose you, like I lost Kiara and my son."
Donovan smiles.
"And that is where me and my court's mages come in."- He says- "You see, we're not just going to send you on your way. We're not just going to allow you to face an entire regiment of those villains, possibly hurting yourself while you do. Instead, we are going to use a portal that was recently created by my mages, in the hopes that it will take you to the right destination."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Isn't it too dangerous?"- He asks, seemingly doubtful- "I mean, portals are already pretty unstable to begin with. Sure, they do get worse as they get older, but the youngest of them are the most unstable. If the magic inside of it is still raw, doesn't this mean that it is far too dangerous for someone who is not a competent user?"
Donovan smiles.
"Ah, but you are not an incompetent one, young Geralt."- He says- "Even though you make a very good point and that you are wise as always, I assure you that everything will be fine. My mages have managed to wire the machinery's magical circuits to the kingdom's power source. It will often take you to its intended destination without fracturing your body or tearing off your limbs."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Often?"- He asks- "Does this mean that there have been incidents in the past?"
Donovan looks down.
"Trust me, mistakes have already been made."- He says- "And I... don't want to talk about them."
Geralt sighs.
"Very well, then."- He says- "If that is what it takes to bring our friends back, then so be it. We will take the risk."
Jared looks at his grandson, surprised.
"Have you gone mad, my boy?!"- He asks- "That portal's like a bomb that's primed to explode! An unstable person, about to be obliterated! If we go in there, then it's surely going to be the end for us!"
Donovan sighs.
"It's true. This is a one-way portal and we won't be able to bring you back once we get there."- He says- "But. I assure you, this portal is perfectly safe. Nothing bad will happen to you if you use it."
Jared shakes his head.
"I'm not going in there!"
Geralt glares at him.
"Fine! Then I will do it alone!"- He yells- "You are only a hindrance to my goals, anyway! You can stay with everyone else for all that I care! I am done reasoning with you!"
Without a moment of doubt, he starts to step forward.
"Geralt!"
Geralt does not stop. He continues to move.
"Geralt Minervus Kaos!"- Jared exclaims- "Stop it right this instant!"
Donovan shakes his head.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Kaos."- He says- "You cannot stop those who are bound to Destiny itself."
Jared looks down.
"But our family. They need to know what happened."- He says- "Am I just going to... to... "
Kaiden sighs and steps forward.
"Geralt."- He says- "Stop."
Surprisingly, Geralt does so. He looks back at his brother.
"What is it, Kai?"
Kaiden sighs.
"You're not going to be alone in there, little bro."- He says- "I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not."
Geralt smiles.
"Well, I appreciate it."- He says- "Thank you, Kai. This is truly invigorating to hear."
Jared sighs.
"I guess that I am overexaggerating. A lot."- He says- "It is not wise to worry you as much as I already did, so I will join you. Maybe we can achieve victory before anything bad happens."
Geralt smiles.
"I am glad that you finally came back to your senses, grandpa."- He says- "Even though we don't always understand each other, you are always welcome in our group."
Jared nods.
"Sure thing, my boy."- He says- "Just make sure to dispel my fears. I don't want to be a bad influence."
Geralt sighs.
"I will do my best."
Donovan smiles sadly.
"Then the matter is settled."- He says- "Let's proceed to the portal, family. The rest is, of course, up to you."
It turns out that the portal is located in a huge underground complex under the kingdom's feet. It is almost as tall as the room itself and its crackling makes Jared even more worried. However, he decides to keep his fears to himself... for now.
"Our kingdom's mages have been trying to find a way to connect it with the rest of the world and allow visitors from the rest of the Known Lands to see its glory."- He says- "However, it is going to be a few years before it becomes completely functional. This will surely cause an uproar in the kingdom, but I'm sure that they will get over it. Eventually."
Geralt nods.
"I like how your mages made it bigger than most normal portals, sir."- He says- "Even though the amount of energy radiating from it is strong enough to kill an entire group of people, the powerful frames around the portal are capable of absorbing the worst of it. This makes me think that your investment was a good choice and that it will become a national treasure in the years that come by."
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"But will it last for long?"
Geralt shrugs.
"Only time will tell."- He says- "Time and patience."
Then, he sighs.
"Anyway, I think that we have been wasting our time for too long. Talk is cheap, but the lives of our comrades are not."- He says- "So, if you do not mind, we must move on. Every second that we waste is a chance to save those unfortunate prisoners."
Donovan nods.
"I couldn't agree more."- He says- "Whenever you're ready, step into the portal. The rest should be done as soon as you do so."
Geralt nods.
"Very well, sir. Thank you for trusting us."- He says- "We promise to bring Dante and Aurelia back as soon as possible."
Donovan smiles.
"I know that you will, young Geralt. Your determination is only rivaled by your immense power."- He says- "While you're in there, please make sure that you hurt the imperials as much as you can. Even a victory like this one could be catastrophic for their beloved empire."
Geralt nods.
"We will do our best, sir."- He says- "Farewell, for no. We will bring back the good news soon."
Donovan nods.
"See that you do, my friends."- He says- "Good luck. You will need, especially in those dark lands."
Then, he watches as the three of them carefully step into the portal and are wrenched away as soon as they do so.
----It takes a few minutes for the heroes to adjust to the darkness around them, but they succeed. When they look around, they realize that they arrived at their intended destination. There is no mystery, no kind lies. 
Our heroes have arrived in the lands of the Empire, arguably one of the most dangerous places in the Known Lands.
"Well, this is an unpleasant change of scenery."- Kaiden says- "But at least there aren't any enemies.'
Geralt sighs.
"Not yet."- He corrects him- "We have not seen them yet."
Kaiden shakes his head.
"Don't be so negative, little bro."- He says- "They could have gone to battle the residents of the Surface or conquer more lands for their emperor."
Geralt sighs again.
"If that is the case, it is even worse."
Jared stares at something in the distance. It looks like a huge tower, but it is too cloudy to make out any significant details.
"Boys."- He says- "Stop your bickering and look at this."
Geralt and Kaiden look at the strange tower themselves. They are able to make out its color- black. Even from this distance, they are able to recognize the banner of the Empire- their worst enemies.
"Ah, yes. This must be Blackstone Keep- the most dangerous prison in the world."- He says- "It is truly a sight to see, though not a very pleasant one."
Kaiden sighs.
"Astute as ever, Geralt."- He says to him- "So, what is our plan, if there was one to begin with?"
Geralt nods.
"From the looks of it, this tower seems to be quite tall and strong, just like the emperor himself. We cannot bring it down with ease, unless we wish to invoke the wrath of the people of Redmark."- He says- "In order to free our friends from the chains of evil, we must break them in a more... discreet manner."
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"Like what?"
Geralt sighs.
"Well, stealing the keys from the guards is one way to get this job done."- He says- "But keys are not being used anymore and the guards are very alert for intruders. If we truly want to get in, then we must rely on our own instincts and reach the cells before the guards take them out. Without attracting too much attention, of course."
Kaiden nods.
"This will be a very epic jailbreak."- He says- "Let's get going, shall we?"
Geralt smiles.
"I could not agree more."
As the heroes proceed toward their destination, they come across a small, dark river. Despite being initially doubtful about it, they decide to visit it and see what they can do.
"A small river, flowing in the lands of evil?"- Kaiden says- "This doesn't seem like a good thing, if you ask me."
Geralt shakes his head.
"Nature does not choose where to place its gifts to the world."- He says- "Even if they're not in the right place, they are still in our lands. And that's all that matters."
Jared takes a look at the river, noting how far it is from Blackstone Keep.
"So this is what they're using for sustenance."- He says and sighs- "How typical. A water source left in the open world like this is always vulnerable to its anomalies."
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"Does this mean that we can poison it?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"We are not crafty assassins, nor vile miscreants. Such a thing is far beyond our capabilities."- He says- "Besides. poisoning the source of an entire settlement will not kill them off. They always have a Plan B, in case something happens to their water."
Kaiden looks at him.
"Then what should we do?"
Geralt kneels.
"For now, we shall drink from this source of sustenance."- He says- "We have been given the chance to restore our strength. Let's take advantage of it."
Having no other choice, the three of them decide to drink from the sacred water. And they drink for quite a while, until they are finally able to move on.
Now that their strength has finally returned, our heroes are able to continue their journey. However, Geralt soon feels a sharp pain in his back, painful enough to make him think that someone just stabbed him. However, when he looks back, nobody is there.
"Is something wrong, little bro?"- He asks him- "Are you alright?"
Geralt sighs.
"I've... been having visions recently. Painful visions. Unwanted visions."- He says- "I dreamed of how I became the victim of an unexpected attack, a mistake of mine that ended it all. And I... I fear that it may come true, sooner or later."
Kaiden shakes his head.
"Not while I'm around."- He responds- "Fear not, little bro. I'll never allow them to hurt you like they did before. Some mistakes are best left in the past and I'll make sure that they never happen again."
Geralt sighs.
"I appreciate it, Kai."- He says- "But the pain of the aftermath, it still remains."
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"Pain of the... what?"- He asks- "What are you talking about?"
Geralt sighs and points at his back.
"I took the risk to arrive in those dark lands through an unstable portal."- He says- "This is the price that I had to pay."
Kaiden smiles sadly.
"At least it's not anything worse."- He says- "Back pain is usually associated with using portals unprepared. However, it goes away after a while, so I'm sure that you'll get better. Eventually."
Geralt rolls his eyes.
"That is very thoughtful of you, Kai."- He says- "Thank you for having me in your thoughts."
Kaiden smiles.
"I'm always glad to help!"
As the three of them proceed toward Blackstone Keep, Kaiden looks back. It is almost as if he is seeing things Geralt and Jared cannot see themselves, a vision of the future (or maybe the past?) that shakes him to the core. Eventually, he turns around and looks at Geralt.
"Hey, little bro."- He says- "Do you think every person in this world deserves forgiveness? Even the most wicked and insufferable ones?"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Why are you asking?"
Kaiden sighs.
"I've been thinking about that Baron Bridges. You know, the so-called vigilante that we were forced to put down."- He says- "From what I saw back there, I was certain that he was truly evil. He never meant anything good for the people of Avernum and he always worked for money. However, there was a certain side of him that very few people were able to see. There was torment inside of his soul, pain inside of his eyes. It's almost as if he was the victim, not the people around him."
He looks at his brother.
"Do you think that he can ever be forgiven?"
Geralt smiles sadly.
"Well, I already did."
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"You... did?"- He asks- "But you had to kill him!"
Geralt nods.
"That is true. I do not deny it."- He says- "But I did it because I saw how desperate he was. He wanted to teach the world a lesson through the people who were brave enough to end his tyranny. And the reason why I was so merciful toward him, it was because I wanted to give his tortured soul a chance to rest. Men of burden, even ones who dedicated their whole lives to cause harm to others, deserve to be shown mercy. How much of it will be shown depends, of course, on the severity of those crimes."
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"So minor villains deserve more mercy."- He says- "And the worst villains deserve... less?"
Geralt smiles.
"Touche, Kai."- He says- "You solved the mystery."
Kaiden is about to say something else, but Jared stops him. He looks up and sighs.
"Well boys, we've done it."- He says- "Blackstone Keep is within our reach. We are here, at long last."
Kaiden sighs.
"My, my."- He says- "This will be... intriguing."
Geralt shakes his head.
"Calling it intriguing is not quite enough."- He says- "Spectacular is the right word for this matter."
Jared nods.
"It's true, my boy."- He says- "We are entering one of the most secure prisons in this world. If we manage to triumph over the dark forces within, then the respect that the people of this world for us shall rise dramatically."
He smiles.
"Not that all of this matters, of course."- He is quick to add- "Respect or not, we just want the people to be happy. Is that so, my boys?"
Geralt nods, confident that he will do the right thing.
"Of course it is, grandpa."- He says- "Our destiny lies beyond those cold and uncaring walls of black stone. Our enemies are patiently awaiting our imminent arrival. It is going to be one of our greatest challenges yet, and I am ready to make my move."
Kaiden nods.
"And so are we, my dear brother."- He says- "Now, let's go inside. Wasting a lot of time out here will only give our enemies a chance to regroup and prepare for our siege."
Geralt nods.
"Then what are we waiting for?"- He asks- "To Blackstone Keep!"
As our heroes go inside the keep, they cannot help but feel that everything is eerily quiet. There no guards on the walls, no envoys to attempt to send them off. It almost seems like they are in a dark, gloomy cemetery. A place where only the deceased have the power to speak freely.
And it almost seems like that they do. Somewhere far ahead of them, they can hear the voices of people. Angry, vengeful people. They are seemingly infuriated by something, but neither Geralt nor his allies could tell what it is.
"I have a really bad feeling about this."- Jared says- "Should we just... wait outside and wait to see what happens first?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"No way, grandpa!"- He exclaims- "We have gone too far to give up on our friends! I am going in!"
Kaiden nods.
"And so am I.'
Jared sighs.
"So there's no convincing you, huh?"- He says and chuckles dryly- "Very well. But don't say I didn't warn you."
Geralt nods.
"We will not."- He responds- "I promise."
Ignoring the lands around them, the trio immediately heads into the obvious landmark of this settlement- the huge tower in the center of town. Surprisingly, they do not stumble into any guards and are free to enter as they see fit.
Once they are finally inside, they immediately notice the lack of prisoners in the cells around them. That explains why there are so few guards, as well.
"It seems like Redmark's warriors have gone on a vacation. Perhaps a forced one, perhaps not."- Kaiden says- "But one thing is for sure. Whoever came in here before us, they surely caused more damage than we had anticipated."
Geralt nods.
"I have the good feeling that the people of the Known Lands have finally woken up. Despite the fact that Blackstone Keep is deep inside the lands of the Empire, they must have gone all the way out here and rescued their loved ones."- He says- "And yet, I imagine that this might not be the case, and that we just stepped into giant spiderweb. A web of deceit and treason."
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"The most important question is- do you hear Dante and Aurelia yet?"
Geralt listens to the voices of the few prisoners for a while. Unfortunately, he cannot recognize the voices of his friends and sighs as he looks back at his allies.
"Unfortunately, there is no such thing."- He says- "If they are still in here, they must be located on one of the higher floors. Thus, we must explore to find the answer."
Kaiden keeps his weapon close.
"You don't need to tell us twice."- He says- "Come on. Let's rescue them before it's too late."
As the trio climbs the stairs, they finally encounter a group of confused guards. Fortunately, they did not see them well enough and they simply watch them suspiciously as they hide behind a pile of crates.
"Who are you?"- One of them asks- "Identify yourselves."
Geralt carefully peaks from behind the crates.
"We are just a group of loyal imperials, sir."- He responds- "We only wish to pay a visit to our relatives. Nothing more."
The guard nods.
"If you're truly one of us, you should know our sacred motto."- He says- "Well? What is it?"
Geralt thinks about this for a while.
"Umm."- He says- "The Empire is... above everything?"
The guard shrugs.
"Yeah. That's it."- He replies- "Now emerge from that place and stop hiding like a bunch of dirty rats. Typical rascals... "
As the guards back away, the trio emerges and stares at each other.
"Now's our chance to learn more."- Jared whispers- "Geralt, those guards are closest to you. Try to take what you can."
Geralt nods.
"You can count on me."
Silently and carefully, Geralt sneaks behind one of the guards. He rummages through his pockets and finds a large key ring. It contains keys for at least 50 cells and is labeled "Floor IV".
Kaiden soon joins his brother and takes something from the other guard's pocket- a large list that describes something seemingly important. Truly intriguing, but they cannot tell what it is until they have the chance to look at it.
When the guards start to turn around, Geralt and Kaiden hide behind another pile of crates while Jared simply sits in front of the first one. They stare at each other, even more confused than they were before.
"Is it just me or those "visitors" are spying on us?"- The first one says.
The second guard shrugs.
"Typical weirdos, aren't they?"- He says- "Don't worry. They're harmless. Or, at least, that's what the Warden tells us."
The Warden? Now that's the person who is truly capable of ruining our heroes' jailbreak. They listen carefully as the guards continue to talk and realize that the man who was appointed to this prison is one of Redmark's most powerful allies. A skilled tactician and combatant who was picked out of the leaders on the battlefield to torture the most dangerous prisoners that end up in here. A man with a cold heart and a cold soul, determined and unbreakable. Truly a worthy enemy, many brave heroes might think.
Oh, and they also learn that his name is Samael. A truly demonic name, meant for one of the Empire's coldest and most ruthless warriors. It truly brings chill to the pure hearts of our young heroes.
"I've heard about this Samael guy."- Kaiden whispers- "Back when I was a child myself, he was one of the most feared mercenaries. A cutthroat vigilante with visions of grandeur. Some of the people even considered him to be "noble". But it seems like he found a more... lawful life, if we can even call it like that."
Geralt nods.
"A former sword-for-hire, hmm?"- He whispers- "This is good enough. Every villain has a backstory of his own and this one's is dark enough to prove the reason why he is so demonic and deceitful."
The guards continue to talk to each other.
"But isn't the prison supposed to have draconic rules and a strong regiment?"- The first one asks- "How does anyone ever hope to escape from here?"
The second guards shrugs.
"Well, I can't say that this is the case anymore."- He says- "Not after the recent siege by those underworld fools. We barely got through that one."
Geralt and Kaiden stare at each other.
"Underworld fools?"- Kaiden whispers- "Well, this explains who caused them so much trouble."
The first guard sighs.
"I'm starting to doubt our leader's ability to keep everything under control."- He says- "Maybe we should-- "
Suddenly, a tall, muscular man enters the room. He has black hair and is dressed in a military-esque uniform. He looks down at the pitiful soldiers and shakes his head.
"Is that what our mighty regiment has been reduced to? Just the two of you?!"- He yells- "How pathetic! Stand up and present yourselves!"
As if under a spell, the two guards proudly stand up and salute him.
"We're always vigilant, sir!"
The man nods.
"Hah! That's a good one!"- He yells- "Well? How are the preparations going? Are those rebellious children ready to be punished?!"
The first guard nods.
"Yes, sir. We've prepared the guilottine for both of them."- He says- "Soon, the boys are going to take 'em to the punishment site. And then, it'll be off with their heads."
The man grins.
"Excellent, you chums! Excellent!"- He yells- "Now, if you don't mind, go outside with me right now! The holy emperor is calling for duty and we must answer it!"
The guards salute him.
"Yes, sir!"- They say in unison- "We're right behind you!"
The man glares at them suspiciously.
"I'll be watchin' you, boys."
As the three of them finally leave, our heroes sigh and emerge from their hiding spots. When they do, the serious-looking man looks back, almost seeing them in the process.
"Huh?!"- He yells- "What's that?!"
The three heroes hide again. The man looks around for a while, sighs and shrugs.
"Eh!"- He yells- "It must've been the wind!"
He turns back to his companions.
"Move on, you runts!"- He yells- "Nothing to see here!"
The guards salute him.
"Yes, sir!"
The three heroes emerge again, finally safe from their enemies.
"Wow. That one's quite vigilant."- Kaiden says- "He won't be tricked that easily."
Geralt looks at his brother.
"Didn't you see who he was?"- He asks- "The man in the big green coat, I mean? It was the big boss!"
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"You mean the big daddy?"
Geralt shrugs.
"Call him whatever you want."- He says- "But I am sure that you are aware of the fact that every important level has a boss. Are you?"
Kaiden nods.
"Like the games that we played when we were children."- He says- "Right?"
Geralt sighs.
"Exactly."- He says- "And that is why we must find a way to eliminate him first."
Jared nods.
"And that will be our priority in this zone."- He says- "But first, we must find the prisoners and bail them out."
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"Forcefully bail them out, you mean?"
Jared shakes his head.
"This is not the time to make snarky jokes, Kaiden!"- He exclaims- "Come on! Our allies need our help!"
Kaiden sighs.
"Yeah, right. Sure thing."- He says and turns to Geralt- "Lead on, little bro. We're right behind you."
Geralt smiles.
"Alright then."- He says- "Let's break our friends free, at long last."
As our heroes proceed toward the fourth and final floor, a feeling of pure dread washes over them. In their eyes, it is almost as if they are being watched. And it is not just a mere feeling of deja vu. No, it is much worse.
And yet, it does not feel like an existential threat. Not yet, at the very least. This gives them the courage to proceed and see if there is anything left for Redmark to "cleanse".
Much to their surprise, there are still prisoners on this floor. A lot of them. Once they get a good look at our heroes, they start to bang on the doors to their cells, begging to be freed from their little prisons.
"It's alright, noble ones. Do not be afraid."- Geralt says to them- "Once we are done here, we shall free you from your restraints."
The prisoners calm down and watch warily as Geralt and his allies inspect the cell doors, looking for Dante and Aurelia.
"According to this prisoner list, the worst of them are supposed to be locked up on the highest floor. That means here."- Jared says- "From what I could see, it seems that Dante and Aurelia are staying in Cells 824 and 826 (Wow. That's a lot of cells). If we want to find them quickly, we must survey this entire area. No exceptions."
Geralt nods.
"And so, it begins."
As Geralt and his allies get to the end of the fourth floor, Jared continues to read the list of prisoners. Getting close to the end, one entry catches his eye.
"This must be some kind of a mistake."- He says to himself- "How could he be here? In this eternal prison?"
Geralt looks at him.
"What is it, grandpa?"- He asks him- "You seem to be worried."
Jared stares back.
"According to this list, it seems like your dear uncle was locked up, as well."
Geralt gasps.
"Uncle Linus?"- He says- "Where is he?! We need to find him!"
Jared looks down.
"Cell 825."- He says- "Once we get to Dante and Aurelia, we'll find the answers for Linus' capture."
As the three of them get closer, they hear a weak voice coming from one of the nearby cells.
"Geralt?"- It says- "Is that you, my boy?"
Geralt turns around, surprised.
"Are my ears deceiving me?"- He says to himself- "Am I starting to hear things?"
And then, he hears the same voice again.
"I am not deceived!"- He exclaims- "It is true!"
He looks at the cell and immediately recognizes his uncle, even in his current emaciated state.
"Uncle Linus! There you are!"- He exclaims- "We've been so worried about y-- "
Then, he takes a closer look at him. He gasps.
"Oh my god! You're wounded!"- He exclaims- "What have they done to you, uncle?! Answer me, please!"
Linus slowly shambles closer and smiles.
"Geralt, my boy. I knew that my visions had a grain of truth inside of them."- He says- "When we lost you, me and your aunt thought that you and Kaiden were gone for good. And yet, here you are, shining so bright in the face of eternal evil. You're truly a sight to see for those sore, tortured eyes."
He weakly shakes his head.
"But it doesn't matter. Not anymore."- He says- "I just wish to get out there and fight for the good of this world. One... last time."
Geralt stares at him, completely dismayed.
"Uncle."- He mutters- "No... "
Jared inspects him for a while. Tears start to fall from his eyes as he looks back at his grandsons and shakes his head.
"Unfortunately, your uncle is right."- He says to them- "Whatever those freaks did to him, it cannot be reversed. He is too wounded to ever be healed."
He takes another look at Linus and sighs.
"And it seems like they injected some kind of poison, in case he's lucky enough to escape."- He adds- "Your uncle is a dead man walking, boys. All that we can do is ease his pain by letting him join us one last time."
Geralt shakes his head.
"No! There must be another way!"- He exclaims- "What will I tell aunt Akira when we come back home? I do not want her to feel sad again!"
Linus shakes his head.
"Your aunt is a good woman, Geralt. I'm lucky that I got to know her."- He says weakly- "Sometimes, however, you must let go of what you hold dear to save those who are dearest to you. You can't save... everyone in this world."
Kaiden sighs.
"I'm afraid that uncle Linus is right about this, Geralt."- He says- "Try as hard as you might, but you will only feel dispair in the end. It's not fair, but there's no other choice."
As Geralt continues to wonder what to do next, Kaiden gets closer to the cell, pulls out the key ring from his brother's pocket and attempts to find the right key. Soon, he manages to find the right key and inserts it into the lock.
Unfortunately, the key disintegrates as soon as it touches the knob, leaving behind only a small pile of blackened ashes.
"It didn't work!"- He exclaims- "This place must be protected by some powerful magic!"
Jared shakes his head.
"The only way to free those poor souls is by shutting down the magical defenses!"- He exclaims- "Only then, they will have the chance to fight back against their captors!"
A few moments later, the prisoners get their attention. They start pointing at a large button in the middle of the room.
"The left!"- They shout, implying where it is- "The left!"
Motivated to rescue everyone who still lives, Geralt and his allies attempt to reach the middle of the room. Unfortunately, they soon hear talking coming from downstairs.
"The guards!"- One of the prisoners shouts- "They're back!"
Geralt and his allies attempt to hide, but the guards are faster than them this time. Soon, the entire floor is swarmed by imperial warriors.
Among them, they recognize the wall of a man that they saw earlier. It's Samael- the same imperial lackey who was shouting orders at his subordinates. And now, he is more than eager to shout at our heroes, as well.
"HAH! I knew that there were visitors in here, but I didn't think they'd be so open about it!"- He yells- "Welcome, surface worms! We've been expecting you!"
He gets closer to Geralt, standing uncomfortably close to him and making him feel his bad breath.
"Ugh."- Geralt says to himself- "Not only is this guy evil. He is also very... disgusting."
Samael frowns at him.
"What is it, soldier boy? Are you rebelling against me?!"- He yells at him- "You know how we treat maggots like you here, right? Right?!"
Geralt shakes his head.
"I am not your soldier boy!"- He yells- "And please, show some respect and keep your horrible attitude a thousand feet away from me!"
Samael grins.
"Well. That can be arranged... "- He says- "... once you're dead!"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"The tides can turn easily, you know?"- He asks him- "Lady Luck may favor you know, but nobody knows where the next 
Samael laughs.
"Hah! That's a very good one, maggot!"- He yells- "Who taught you how to be a such a good, hopeful hero? Your mother?!"
The soldier behind him laugh, as if he said some kind of a joke.
"Excuse me, but my mother is a very noble and loving person!"- He yells back at the warden- "Plus, she is a thousand times better than you will ever be, imperial scum!"
Samael leans close to Geralt again.
"What did you call me?"
Geralt leans closer, completely unafraid.
"I called you imperial scum, loud and clear."- He says to him- "What? Are you telling me that you are not just morally blind, but also morally deaf?"
The warden shakes his head.
"Argh! You insufferable maggot!"- He yells- "I'll teach you how to treat your elders!"
In front of his brother and grandfather, Samael grabs Geralt by the neck and lifts him in the air, making sure that he is unable to defend himself.
"Redmark has put quite a price on your head, young maggot. Mercenaries and imperial soldiers alike have been looking for you for a very long time."- He says to him- "Well, the hunt's over! I'm the winner! And once I deliver your head to the holy emperor, I'll be a general once again!"
Geralt looks back at the prisoners who are watching him.
"Prisoners of the Empire! Freedom seekers! Justice bringers!"- He yells- "If you still value the remnants of your former lives at least a little bit, jump out of those filthy cells and fight like it is your last battle! This is your chance to shine!"
Having said that, he delivers a very sharp kick to Samael's skull, runs forward and pushes the panic button.
Soon after he performs this brave deed, the defenses that keep the prison cells secure are broken. The prisoners kick their doors open, grab whatever weapons they could fight and emerge from their cells with shouts that can easily shake anyone to the core. Even the mighty emperor is not immune to their absolute rage.
"No! This can't be!"- Samael yells- "Maggots! Stop this conspiracy immediately! I must get back and check on the sacrificial lambs!"
The soldiers draw their weapons and salute him.
"Roger that, sir!"
As soldiers and prisoners start to fight against each other, Geralt and his allies frantically search for their loved ones. Much to their dismay, they are not here.
"The lambs! The lambs!"- One of the prisoners yells- "Your friends are the lambs! They're goners!"
Geralt gasps.
"N-no way!"- He exclaims- "Come on, everyone! We must hurry!"
As Kaiden and Jared run forward, Geralt attempts to stop them.
"Kai! Grandpa! Wait!"- He yells- "I can't do this all by myself!"
It is no use. They soon disappear from sight.
"Ugh."- He mutters- "This is unfair."
Geralt approaches his uncle's cell and drags him out.
"Come on, uncle."- He says- "We will go downstairs and join the battle. Maybe then, you will witness the battle that you deserve."
Linus shakes his head.
"That's fine, Geralt. I don't need it."- He says weakly- "I'll just stay here and fight those soldiers while I still have the strength. Don't worry about me."
Geralt shakes his head.
"No family member of mine is going to go down without a proper fight!"- He yells- "Come on! With me! Downstairs we go!"
Linus sighs.
"As you wish."
As the two of them go back to the entrance of the mighty prison, they come to the realization that the imperial ritual is far bigger than they expected. There are many imperial warriors standing around the altair. Envoys, messengers, visitors from foreign lands. Even the emperor is present.
From the looks of it, saving Dante and Aurelia is going to be a completely (nearly, at best) impossible task.
"See what I meant? The ones in here are far too powerful."- Linus says weakly- "It's no use, Geralt. They're already gone. We can't fight for those who are already doomed."
Geralt shakes his head.
"Nonsense!"- He exclaims- "Just because there's a lot of imperial scum, I will not surrender!"
He looks back at him.
"But you seem to be wounded."- He says- "Do you want me to heal you? Bring you something, maybe?"
Linus sighs.
"Just search for a small picture."- He says- "In my right pocket, that is."
Geralt rummages through the things in his uncle's coat. Eventually, he discovers a small picture and hands it to him without looking twice.
Once he sees that the deed is done, Linus smiles weakly.
"Much appreciated, kiddo. Your work here is done."- He says- "Now go out there and make that emperor pay."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"But what about you?"- He asks- "You still need my help!"
Linus shakes his head.
"Just leave me here, my boy. It's no use."- He says- "Saving a man with one foot in the grave will only make you walk the same path yourself. Don't do it."
Geralt looks down.
"But I... I... "
He sighs and gently lays him near a large rock.
"Stay here, alright?"- He says- "I will be back for you!"
Linus smiles.
"I appreciate it."
As Geralt walks closer to the meeting, he encounters his brother and grandfather. They seem to be doing the same thing. As he starts to scold them for leaving his uncle, however, they look back and tell him to be quiet.
"We have a plan to disrupt this ritual."- Jared whispers- "Stay here and help us out."
A priestess of the Empire approaches the altar and begins to speak, possibly to ease the souls of the tortured ones and to give them a better life in Heaven. This is not reassuring for Dante and Aurelia, however, and they simply shift from foot to foot, awaiting their final judgement.
"Is that a bazooka in your hands, Kai?"- Geralt asks his brother- "How did you acquire it?"
Kaiden smiles.
"A little bit of force... and a little bit of luck."- He responds- "One of Mr. Samael's personal guards was carrying it while I plunged my sword in his vile body. It still has one rocket left."
He frowns.
"But we must be very careful."- He is quick to add- "If I manage to miss, all kinds of trouble will rain down upon us."
Geralt nods.
"We will not fail."- He says- "I am certain of it."
As Kaiden continues to aim for the target, the emperor steps forward and starts to speak. He turns around to look at the people he knows so well, smiles and says something upsetting to them.
"Your souls will never find peace in the Afterlife, you treacherous rats."- He says clearly- "You may have escaped justice for so long, but justice now rains upon you."
Kaiden aims at the emperor and nods.
"There we go."- He mutters- "Just a little bit closer... "
As the emperor says "Long live the Empire!", Kaiden's eyes widen.
"This is it!"- Jared yells- "Fire!"
Just as the emperor starts to turn around, Kaiden fires a missile at the altar. The resulting explosion causes a massive wave of chaos among the enemies as imperial soldiers start to search for the perpetrators.
"What in the name of the mighty Hawthorne is this?!"- The emperor's muffled voice can be heard- "Guards! Seize the troublemakers now!"
As the villains around them start to die from the explosion, Geralt and his allies make their way through the blasted battlefield. They fight their way through lines of weakened soldiers, managing to reach Dante and Aurelia without a scratch.
"Is that you, Geralt?"- Aurelia says and hugs Geralt- "Oh, my hero! You saved me again!"
Geralt shakes his head.
"There is no time for pleasantries, Aurelia!"- He exclaims- "We must escape! Now!"
Kaiden looks at him.
"What about the emperor?!"- He yells- "He's still somewhere around here! We can kill him and be done with it!"
Geralt shakes his head.
"There is too much smoke around us! If we try to face him in battle, we will be slain!"- He yells- "Besides, killing the emperor in a place like this is most unwise! This is a very immoral way to end it all!"
Jared nods.
"I completely agree with your brother."- He says- "If we want to finish him off, we need to fight him in his own domain, not in the middle of nowhere!"
Kaiden sighs.
"You and your moral principles."- He mutters- "Always held in high regard."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"What are you trying to say?!"
Kaiden shakes his head.
"I just want to get out of here faster!"
Somewhere nearby, they can hear a cacophonic laughter.
"Well, that can be arranged!"- They hear a familiar voice- "You maggots!"
The five of them turn around and see that they have been joined by Samael- the imperial warden that nearly killed them all.
"Well?! Where do you think you're going?!"- He yells- "You're not just going to run like a bunch of cowards, are you?! Hmm?!"
Geralt shakes his head and draws his weapon.
"We will fight until the end, even if it means certain defeat!"
Samael laughs.
"That's the spirit, Kaos rat!"
As the two of them start to fight, Geralt urges his allies to find a way out without him. Once they're safely out of sight, he continues to struggle against his sworn enemy.
"You think that I won't be off with your head, huh?!"- Samael yells- "Well, you're wrong! I always get everything done!"
He delivers ten sharp blows, easily breaking through Geralt's multiple layers of magical protection. Then, he delivers an even sharper stab to Geralt's chest and watches coldly as the young hero falls to the ground.
"Now drop and give me twenty!"- He yells- "Twenty drops of blood!"
Geralt stands up and shakes his head.
"You will not break me, imperial fool!"
Samael grins.
"Oh, I will! I will, maggot!"- He yells- "Just wait and se-- Ugh!"
As Samael continues to talk, he is shot in the left shoulder. While turning around, he is also shot in the right shoulder. Then, without waiting for another chance, a third shot pierces its way through the mighty warden's neck, severely wounding him.
"Agh! Someone else is rebelling against me!"- He yells- "What is this? A slaughterfest?!"
Geralt points his blade at Samael.
"Yes! This is a slaughterfest!"- He yells- "A slaughterfest where we slaughter you!"
Then, he lunges forward and bravely pushes him out of the smoke. As soon as they are out, he grabs him by the neck in the same way that the warden did earlier, jumps in the air and crashes down into the earth with all of his might, just like a falling star.
Mortally wounded, Samael watches as Aurelia joins Geralt and glares at him.
"He is all yours, Aurelia."- Geralt says and steps back- "Give him what he deserves."
Aurelia steps forward, fury dancing inside of her eyes.
"Haha! Ha... ha!"- The warden yells- "So, we've settled the scores now! H-haven't we?!"
Aurelia smiles.
"Far from it, fiendish soldier."
Without thinking twice, Aurelia grabs the biggest, sharpest rock she could find and plunges it into the vile warden's head, ending his life once and for all and preventing him from coming back.
"Wow."- Geralt says- "That was... heartless."
Aurelia sighs.
"Life taught me how to be a capable person."- She says- "I'm just doing what every other sane warrior would've done."
She kneels and picks up something from the recently deceased's pocket.
"Blackcrag Fortress, huh?"- She says to herself- "So that's where that pretender is hiding."
Then, she looks back at Geralt and smiles.
"He's much less annoying when he's dead, isn't he?"
Geralt sighs.
"I... suppose so."- He says- "How did you get back here, though?"
Aurelia shakes her head.
"There's no time for idle chat!'- She exclaims- "We're still in danger!"
Geralt nods.
"That is right."
The duo soon regroups with their allies and make sure that they are not missing anymore.
"So, we're all alive? That's great!"- Kaiden says- "More beer for everyone!"
Geralt nods. He is about to say something wise and thoughtful, but soon realizes that someone is missing.
"Wait!"- He exclaims- "Where is uncle?!"
Jared looks at him.
"We thought that he was with you!"
Geralt nods.
"He was!"- He exclaims- "But I had to leave him behind to rest... "
Then, he notices the rubble around the place where he left his uncle.
"Oh no. No."- He says- "This... is not real."
He runs forward without a second thought.
"I am coming, uncle!"