MLTO C4, P8

This is the eighth and final Part of "MLIV:TO" 's eighth Chapter.
It was released on 14.02.2023.
== Plot ==
Once again, Geralt and his allies managed to save the world from unspeakable evil. Thanks to their valiane efforts, the tyranny of the evil alien being known as Gaspar was defeated and locked away for good. Whether his powers will be diminished or not remains to be seen, but one thing is clear- the heroes' fast reaction saved thousands of lives. And the world cannot feel but be eternally grateful for this noble deed.
Even though most of Redmark's most powerful allies and acquaintances are already gone, the troubles that our heroes have to experience do not cease to exist. The Emperor's most powerful warriors are still by his side and one of them is on his way, to disrupt the balance that they just reformed.
Will Gaspar's defeat open a new path toward the heart of the Empire?
== Story ==
As Geralt holds the crystal that houses Gaspar's soul, he cannot feel but realize that it is searingly hot to the touch. He is tempted to scream and drop it on the ground like any other person would, but he refuses to give in. Like he said earlier, a true hero always endures everything, even the worst of troubles, so he keeps a stern face in the light of pure pain.
After five minutes of resisting the dark urge, he hears a faint laughter from within the crystal.
"... too persistent."- He hears someone's whisper within his mind- "You... ... too late. The emperor is still... out there."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Who is speaking to me?"
More laughter.
"Gas... "- He hears the same voice again- "... par."
Geralt gasps.
"Gaspar?"- He asks- "So, this means that you're not gone forever."
Even more laughter.
"You... killed me good. But my body... still clinging to life."- He hears Gaspar's whisper- "I know that I... won't last. But I still have... one last gift... for... you."
Geralt smiles.
"Oh, good! I love gifts!"- He exclaims- "What is it going to be? Some kind of a soft plush? A board game for the family? Or maybe even an MP3 for the road?"
Gaspar laughs again.
"No, you fool!"- He yells, his voice much clearer than before- "You will... receive pain!"
Emela has been staring at Geralt for a while. She has been worried for him and tried to monitor his actions for the time being. As soon as she senses Gaspar's presence again, she has a brief vision of the future.
Without wasting any time, she runs toward Geralt, in a desperate attempt to warn him.
"Look out, Geralt!"- She yells- "Throw the crystal away! Don't waste any time!"
Panicked, Geralt runs forward and attempts to throw the crystal outside. However, he soon hears Gaspar's laughter, indicating that this action might not be enough to prevent an impending disaster.
"Too late, foolish humans!"- He hears in his mind as the crystal shatters into hundreds of tiny pieces, releasing the fiery energy within.
Aurelia notices what is going on. She is, understandably, distressed.
"Geralt!"
Then, she runs forward, pushing Geralt away and saving his life from the quickfire that was released upon the castle.
"Aurelia!"- Geralt exclaims- "The castle! It's in danger!"
Aurelia shakes her head.
"I know! I know!"- She says, terrified- "I just... don't know what to do!"
Emela takes a step forward and raises her hands in the air. Globules of water magic appear in front of them.
"Everyone, leave this palace! Now!"- She yells- "The guardians will handle this!"
The White Phoenix sighs as he watches everyone scream and flee from the scene.
"Once again, we become the witnesses of another disaster, caused by uncontrolled magic."- He says to himself- "Will this madness ever end?"
While everyone runs away from the castle, Geralt looks back.
"Even though the guardians are powerful, they still need some help to put the fire out."- He says to himself- "I hate to leave everyone behind like this, but I have to help them before they get hurt."
Then, without a warning, he runs back into the castle, shocking his friends and family.
"Geralt! Have you lost your mind?!"- Jared yells- "Come back, my boy! It's too dangerous!"
Geralt shakes his head.
"I am sorry, grandpa. I cannot do that."- He says- "My friends are still in there. I must aid them as best as I can."
Aurelia is horrified by Geralt's decision.
"Geralt! No!"- She yells- "Don't throw your life away like this!"
Geralt smiles.
"I will be back soon, Aurelia. I promise."- He says- "One way or another, I will make my way out of here."
Having said that, he runs into the castle, in the hopes of stopping the quickfire as soon as possible. He immediately notices the guardians and runs up to them, shocking everyone but Emela.
"So, you came back to help."- She says, relieved- "How heroic of you, dear."
The White Phoenix raises his eyebrow.
"You praise this young, reckless hero?"- He asks- "What kind of a child are you raising, anyway?"
Emela glares at him.
"A chivalrous one."- She says- "He might be young and unsure in himself, but he's better than all of you combined!"
The Fire Guardian nods.
"Maybe you speak the truth, guardian of the everflowing waters."- He says- "He has the undefeatable spirit of the ancient ones. Even that demon of a man was not enough to subdue him."
He turns around and looks at his fellow guardians.
"I trust the young one and you should do the same."- He says- "Perhaps he's the missing element in our perfect order."
The Earth Guardian sighs.
"If your claim is proven true, then this means that we'll have a formidable ally in the face of evil."- He says and turns to Geralt- "Carry on, child. Show us your power."
Geralt nods.
"Thank you for trusting me."- He says and smiles- "Maybe the mighty guardians also have a few things to learn themselves."
As Geralt prepares himself, Emela stands by his side.
"Once again, life unites us to overcome yet another challenge. Another demon that seeks to defile our pure world."- She says- "Let's go, Geralt! Destroy the darkness and bring peace to this humble keep!"
Geralt nods.
"I will not let you down, Miss Emela!"- He exclaims- "My soul is pure and my heart is strong! I shall prevail in this everlasting fight!"
While the young hero prepares his first move, the White Phoenix raises his eyebrow.
"Earlier, you mentioned that we guardians have things left to learn."- He says to him- "Is there some kind of a meaning behind that?"
Geralt smiles.
"No matter how big or small we might be, we are all equal in the face of the world."- He says- "Nobody is perfect and thus, there is always something left to learn. Life may not be eternal, but knowledge is."
The White Phoenix deigns Geralt with a rare smile.
"Well, I think that I see your point, young one."- He says- "Then let us discover this sea of knowledge together."
He takes a step back.
"For one, we guardians shall obey the orders of a simple hero like yourself."- He says- "Use this honor wisely, as it will happen only once."
Geralt smiles.
"I will lead us to victory, mighty ones."
He turns around and glares at the quickfire.
"Alright, everyone. The mission is clear and so are our hearts."- He says- "Use the power stored within your very beings to form a vortex of banishing energy. Only a demonstration of true power and valiance will force the quickfire to relent."
He raises his sword in the air.
"So strike forth with the fury of the world!"- He yells- "Do not be afraid, because we are the guardians of the world!"
Geralt and the guardians unleash a wave of powerful magic, forming a giant rainbow in a matter of seconds. It crashes into the spreading quickfire, putting out a large part of it before it is able to fight back.
But the quickfire refuses to give up. It starts to burn even brighter, attempting to snuff out this powerful force of light with its tendrils of pure fire.
"Stay strong, team!"- Geralt exclaims- "I think that I can see a flaw in the fire's defenses! We are getting close!"
Emela nods.
"Geralt's right, fellow guardians!"- She yells- "The fire is strong, but not undefeatable! We must be like the coursing river if we want to stop it for good!"
Geralt focuses a large amount of his energy at the source of the quickfire- the crystal shards. He manages to prevent the raging flames from spreading to the west, helping the guardians contain the flames to the east.
"Here we go! This is the end!"- Geralt yells- "Keep fighting!"
After a huge struggle against this force of nature, Geralt and the guardians are able to put of the quickfire. Not a single trace of it is left behind and most of the castle is left unharmed. Goznor has been saved once again.
Somewhere from within the shards of the broken crystal, the faint scream of a being who failed his mission can be heard. However, our heroes do not notice it. They won the fight against one of the world's most dangeorus fires and they are basking in the glory, ignoring the cries of the fallen ones for now.
"Wow! We actually did it!"- Emela says and smiles- "I never thought that we might stop this disaster!"
She turns around and hugs Geralt.
"But we were never going to succeed without you!"- She exclaims- "Thank you, dear! You're such a golden child!"
The White Phoenix shakes his head.
"Gold is not enough to explain what he truly is. In fact, even diamonds will not be enough."- He says- "Goznor doesn't know it yet, but they owe you a massive debt that they might not be able to repay."
Once again, he deigns Geralt with a smile.
"As for us, we are convinced that you're truly powerful and determined."- He adds- "Well done, Geralt. Your name shall be remembered by the guardians of this world in a favorable light for many, many centuries."
Geralt bows his head.
"A true hero asks for no reward. He only fights for the good of his fellow humans and is unmoved by the materialistic world."- He says- "All that I want is to see them happy and safe. That is all."
The White Phoenix nods.
"And happy and safe they shall be, thanks to you."- He says- "Now go out there and reunite with your loved ones. They need you much more than we do."
Geralt looks at the guardians.
"Will you be able to take care of the aftermath, though?"
The guardians nod.
"With your help, the balance in this world was restored. Now it's our chance to redeem ourselves."- She says- "Me and the Light Guardian will stay here to take care of the remaining work that has to be done. The rest of the guardians will, umm, I'm sure that you know that already."
Geralt smiles.
"I am glad that we managed to work again, Miss Emela."- He says- "Farewell."
Emela smiles back.
"Yes, Geralt. But this is no adieu."- She says- "We'll meet again very soon. I'll make sure of it."
Now that the matter has been settled, Geralt emerges from the crystal. Before he leaves, he takes a brief look at the crystal shards behind him and shakes his head.
Once he is outside, his friends and family welcome him back. His stepmother and Aurelia hug him and Jared places his hand on his shoulder.
"And so, the power of Geralt Kaos, our world's new savior, shines again!"- Jared exclaims- "Well done, my dear boy! This place is much safer now, and it's all thanks to you!"
Geralt smiles.
"I am glad that everything is coming back to normal."- He says- "The entire kingdom feels much safer already!"
Aurelia looks up and lightly slaps Geralt.
"I thought that I was going to lose you for a second!"- She exclaims- "Don't scare me like that ever again!"
Geralt sighs.
"I am sorry, Aurelia."
Aurelia stares at him for a few seconds. Then, she hugs him again.
"I can never be angry at you, my dear."- She says- "You're too innocent to be treated like this."
Geralt looks down.
"Aurelia... "
After a few hours of bidding farewell to the residents of Goznor and their queen, Geralt and his allies retreat to the west gates, ready to go on another journey- a journey that will lead them toward their final destination.
"Unfortunately, I shall follow the example of everyone else and leave you here, my dear family."- Dante says- "Since my dad's in no condition to lead Goznor for many months to come, I must take the lead and restore the kingdom as best as I can. My mom won't be happy to let go of the throne this early, but choices have to be made. Risks have to be taken and relationships have to be mended. We must undo every single bit of damage that our enemies did to us and I must stand firm on my post, for the sake of everyone who believes in me."
Geralt smiles.
"And we will always believe in you, no matter how far away we are from each other."- He says- "Thank you for everything that you did for us, Dan. It has been an honor to travel with you and work together against the forces of evil. I hope that our paths will cross again, but I know that we will always share the same bond, even if that does not happen."
He places his hand on Dante's shoulder.
"Until then, I wish you good luck in your future endeavors."- He adds- "I am sure that you will excel at your line of work and keep the world safe for a very long time."
Dante wipes a tear from his right eye. He cannot help but feel sad because this adventure is over, but continues to smile because the memories of it shall always remain inside of his mind.
"I also thank you for the risks that you took, cousin Geralt. In my eyes, you are a true hero. Redmark's minions will never win against your absolute might."- He says- "The world needs a strong leader and I'm confident that you're the one that they deserve. My kingdom's minstrels will always write songs about your courage and our children will learn about the one who risked everything that he had to keep everything that the world has intact."
He continues to smile.
"Farewell, Geralt."- He says- "May the winds of destiny lead you to your true goal."
Geralt nods.
"See you soon, Dan."
Geralt and his allies leave the capital as Dante waves at them. Tears continue to fall from the young warrior's eyes, but he does not try to cry anymore because he knows that there is still hope in this world. He looks on and wonders what kind of adventure Geralt will stumble into next.
----As Geralt and his allies walk on the road toward their next destination, they are approached by a group of Goznor guards. They think that the soldiers are just another possessed (or fooled) bunch, but soon realize that they are actual loyalists.
"Greetings, mighty warriors. We came here because we want to speak with Miss... Moonglow."- Their leader says- "Something terrible happened and we fear that we must be the bringers of the bad news."
Aurelia raises her eyebrow.
"Bad news?"- She asks- "Excuse me, but what do you mean by that?"
The captain shakes his head.
"It's about one of your loved ones. One of the evil emperor's warriors found and did something horrible to him."- He says- "The culprit is currently in jail and the poor man is roaming in the wastes near Silverdale. Something must be done soon."
Aurelia gasps.
"What could be... be... "
She falls to her knees and shakes her head.
"I don't know!"- She exclaims- "I'm not sure if I... I can take it!"
Geralt bends down next to her.
"It is alright, Aurelia. Breathe. Exhale. Keep your head high and do not give up."- He says- "I am sure that this must be some kind of a misunderstanding. Once we get back home, everything will become clear. Until then, try to keep the calm and cheerful demeanor that you had before. It suits you so well."
Aurelia sighs.
"Oh, Geralt. I don't know anymore."- She says- "Should I believe it? Should I see it as a lie? Only God will know the answer!"
The captain raises his eyebrow.
"Maybe you should... go there soon?"- He suggests- "I feel like your father is going to be thrilled to see you again."
Aurelia sighs again.
"Yes. Maybe it's for the best."- She says- "Thank you, guards. You're free to go."
With that, the heroes rush toward Silverdale, in the hopes of finding the disaster while it's still fresh. They are not disappointed to find out that this is the case. 
Marlon welcomes the team as they step through the gates and hugs his daughter, reuniting with her after what feels like years of separation.
"There you are, my dearest! I knew that you would arrive!"- He exclaims- "Everything became so much worse for us since you and Geralt left! Redmark's forces have been attacking us from every direction, and there are rumors that some of his spies roam on our streets! In fact, it was one of them who made the worst nightmare in my life become a reality!"
Aurelia nods.
"Tell me everything, daddy! Don't skip any details!"- She says- "I want to know everything from A to Z!"
Marlon fills his daughter and Geralt's group in with all of the information that he could. Apparently, one of Redmark's people stumbled into Edward and Isabella while they were trying to get them back at got one of them killed. Who the unlucky victim might be is currently unknown, but Marlon seems to be very worried.
Aurelia's legs feel weak. She falls to her knees and starts to cry.
"I knew that it was a bad idea! It's my fault!"- She exclaims- "I'm so sorry, Geralt! I should've listened to you and daddy! Maybe I could've averted this disaster with my own hands!"
As the Moonglow family continues to mourn the fallen ones, Geralt points back at the gates.
"Aurelia, I got some good and bad news."
Aurelia raises her eyebrow.
"What could be worse than this?!"
Geralt sighs.
"Apparently, a group of guards stumbled into your brother in the outskirts of the capital. They saw him roaming around aimlessly and he seemed to be alive and well on first glance. Those are the bad news."- He elaborates- "The bad news are that he tried to attack them when they approached him to take him back in town. His skin was light grey and his eyes were red, just like a Bloody Mary. And I fear that the worst may have happened to him, so I have to go out there and investigate myself."
Aurelia lets go of her father and takes a few steps forward.
"Take me with you, Geralt."- She says- "What more could I lose than what I already have?"
Geralt looks at Marlon. The governor flashes him a smile, as if to say "Girls. Can you blame them?" and humbly takes a step back, allowing his daughter to join him.
"Very well, Aurelia. You may come with me."- He says- "But I do not want you to see... what is out there. I want to protect you from it."
Aurelia sighs.
"Just lead the way."- She says- "I fear nothing anymore."
The duo step outside the gates. They walk a few miles away from Silverdale and come across a sight that can make a rock cry. The undead self of Edward Moonglow, Aurelia's beloved brother, is shambling just ahead of them, seemingly unaware of their presence. His body is filled with numerous bullet holes, possibly inflicted by the villain who attacked him, and he is still bleeding, much to the distress of his living sister.
"EDDIE! NO!"- Aurelia screams- "No... no! What have they done to you?! Why did you end up like this?!"
Geralt looks at her.
"Aurelia... "
Aurelia shakes her head.
"No! I can't take this anymore!"- She screams- "Leave me alone!"
Then, much to Geralt's surprise, she turns around and runs back into the city.
"Aurelia!"- Geralt yells- "Wait!"
Unfortunately, Aurelia does not intend to stop anytime soon. Geralt wants to chase after her, but decides to let her do what she wants, in the hopes that she might get better someday.
Then, he looks back and notices that the undead Edward managed to notice him. He is shambling toward him, arms outstretched, ready to bite as soon as he gets close.
"It's really pitiful, isn't it?"- He hears a familiar voice coming from nearby- "An innocent soul, so cheerful and lively, turned into a cold shell in just one adventure. Doesn't it make you feel... sad?"
Geralt looks around.
"Who is there?!"- He yells and draws his weapon- "Show yourself! I know that you are here!"
A few moments later, a middle-aged man emerges from the wastes and stares at him. He is wearing the regal clothing of the Empire, his hair is dark red as the vile blood inside of his veins and his maddening gaze induces a feeling of unease inside of Geralt's soul.
"Redmark! I knew that you were behind this one!"- Geralt yells- "I will make you pay for treating Aurelia's family like this! Mark my words!"
Marcus smiles and shakes his head.
"Oh, you foolish boy. You don't understand."- He says- "I commanded one of my minions to decimate that poor fool, but I did not do it because I hated them. I wanted to get this done because I wanted to make you desperate. Losing your friends one after the other is sure to have a lasting effect on your sanity, so I had to take my risks."
Geralt takes a step forward and glares at him.
"You've been looking for me for so long?!"- He yells- "Well, here I am! And I am coming for you!"
Without another word, he pushes his way past the undead Edward and charges at Redmark. He attempts to strike him with his sword, but the emperor easily wards off his attacks with his impenetrable shield. Geralt's attempt to kill the emperor is futile, even though he has grown so much.
"Weak as you always were, I see. What a disappointment."- Marcus says and sighs- "I feel bad about killing you in such a dishonorable way, so I'll spare you."
Geralt shakes his head.
"Well, I won't!"- He yells- "En garde, emperor of darkness!"
As he prepares to cast a spell, the emperor pushes him back with a jet of fire.
"Stop, you fool."- Marcus says- "You won't be able to win. Don't you see it?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"I do not care!"- He yells- "I will give my own life away to stop you!"
Marcus laughs.
"Oh, how amusing!"- He exclaims- "And how do you plan to-- "
Suddenly, he feels the touch of cold steel as his back is pierced by a long blade. Holy fire runs through his veins as the feeling of absolute pains runs across his entire being.
"Argh."- He mutters- "Curses."
Geralt looks at the mysterious attacker and sees his brother- Kaiden. The young hero is still blind, but he still managed to deliver a deadly blow to the emperor, as if he had no problem at all.
"Your time in this world is long gone, emperor of darkness."- Kaiden says- "Step down. The world is changing, but you never will."
Marcus glares at the two brothers.
"I'll be back soon... "
Then, he disappears from sight, leaving Kaiden's sword to fall on the ground below.
"Well, here we are again. Alone in the face of danger, but united by our common interests."- Kaiden says as he picks up his weapon and cleans it- "Destiny surely has its own ways to play around with us, doesn't it?"
Geralt sighs.
"I am just glad to see you again, Kai."
Kaiden nods.
"Me too, little bro."
The two of them stare at the undead Edward as he shambles toward them.
"So the rumors were true, huh? The governor's son, my good friend Edward, is actually dead."- Kaiden says- "I never thought that I would ever experience such a wave of... grief. Guilt. Sadness. It feels as if I lost a part of myself today."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Like the feeling of emptiness that you felt when Kia died?"
Kaiden sighs.
"Please."- He says to him- "Don't remind me of that."
He looks at the undead Edward, wishing to put him down himself. However, he soon decides otherwise and steps out of the way.
"You can put him down. You're the only person who can do so."- He says- "But you're not alone. I'll help you with this, just like you helped me so many times before."
As the undead approaches them, Kaiden draws his sword and pins Edward to a nearby rock.
"It's the best that I can do, though."- He adds- "The rest, it's up to you."
Geralt approaches the growling Edward and stares at him for a few seconds.
"You know, I never came to know Edward very well. From what I saw back at the docks, he was caring but also a bit reckless. He meant well, but he conveyed his feelings in more questionable ways. I did not approve of that, but I still respected him a lot, because he was a true warrior."- He says- "I am not Aurelia. I cannot say that I truly miss him, or that I wish to bring him back. However, I shall always respect his wish to keep fighting for the good of his world and I will try to carry it out myself. As long as the ones who remember him are still here, his legacy will never fall apart. In the name of everyone that he fought for, the flames of justice shall never stop burning."
Kaiden stares at his brother.
"Geralt... "
Geralt sighs and points his sword at the undead Edward's head.
"It is time to let go, my brother."- He says to him- "Farewell. You shall always be remembered."
Without another word, he plunges the blade into Edward's skull, putting the young do-gooder's soul to rest, at long last.
As Kaiden watches his good friend perish again, he looks down and wipes the tears from his eyes. Losing a friend like him must be hard for the young Kaos and it is clear that Geralt feels the same way.
The two brothers stare at each other, still disturbed by this unfortunate situation.
"Shall we... return to Silverdale?"- Geralt says.
Kaiden sighs.
"Yes. Yes, we should."- He says- "Come on. Let's bring Edward's body back and give him the proper burial that he deserves."
The two brothers work together to return Edward to his rightful place- behind the walls of the capital. Once there, they meet with Marlon, who arranges a quick burial for his beloved son.
"What you did out there, it was a kindness for my soul."- He says and smiles sadly- "Thank you for relieving my son of the curse that befell upon him."
Geralt sighs.
"I am... just doing my job."
He looks up.
"How is Aurelia doing?"
Marlon shakes his head.
"Tired. Infuriated. Vengeful."- He says- "My little girl will never be the same after this. Redmark's fools made sure of that."
Kaiden sighs.
"I swear to God, they keep getting more powerful with each passing day."- He says- "Even though we did our best to hold them back, some of them managed to break through our defenses and harm us on the inside. And the damage is far too big to ever be healed... "
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Maybe I should just... leave until things get better?"- He asks- "All of this happened because of me. Had Aurelia not wanted to come with me, Edward would still be alive. I... need to atone for my sins. Somehow."
Marlon shakes his head.
"It's not your fault, my boy. I don't blame you for this."- He says- "Redmark's fiends are always on our backs. With or without Aurelia, this would have happened eventually. Edward wasn't a very sensible person. His reckless attitude was going to be the end of him."
He looks down at his son's lifeless corpse.
"I just wish... we had more time to spend together."- He adds- "I wanted to see them all united, happy and safe. But I guess that all of us were just born under a bad moon."
As the three of them continue to talk, a group of reporters approaches them.
"Excuse us, Mr. Kaos."- One of them says to Geralt- "Can we have a minute of your time?"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"What do you want?"
The reporters start to bombard Geralt with a wide array of questions. The young hero gets more and more annoyed with each one that they ask, until he cannot hold his anger back anymore.
"Easy now, little bro."- Kaiden says, trying to calm his brother down- "We don't want anyone to get hurt."
Geralt shakes his head and glares at the reporters.
"Leave me alone."- He says.
The reporters look at him, confused.
"But Mr. Kaos! We want to know more about the recent events!"- One of them says- "What is going on outside? Are we go-- "
Suddenly, Geralt's eyes start to glow white. Flames appear around the palms of his hands as he glares at the insolent people.
"I said LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Terrified, the reporters scream and run away, leaving Geralt alone like he wanted.
"Thank you."- He says and sighs- "Much appreciated."
He looks back at Kaiden.
"Did I... lash out again?"- He asks him- "Did my magic become wild?"
Kaiden sighs.
"I'm afraid so."- He says- "It would seem that the rage inside of your mind has not subsided yet. That might be a problem in the long run."
Geralt shakes his head.
"I guess that I am a monster, too."- He says- "How unfortunate."
Kaiden sighs again.
"No, little bro. You're just misunderstood, not different."- He says- "Maybe you'll calm down for a bit once we get to the real mission."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Real... mission?"
Kaiden nods.
"When you returned in Silverdale, we were interrogating the culprit who killed Edward on the spot. He was red-handed, but continued to claim that he didn't do it."- He says- "We were wondering what to do with him. Maybe you can help us out."
Marlon nods.
"Yes, Geralt."- He adds- "We would be very grateful if you decided a punishment for my son's killer."
Geralt sighs.
"I will do my best, but I make no promises."- He says- "I am good at carrying out punishments, not devising them."
Kaiden shakes his head.
"Just keep up the pace. Don't slow down."- He says- "Like I said earlier, the world is changing. Don't become a victim of the eternal flow."
The trio walk around the capital for a while and soon come across the judgement hall of the settlement. When they step inside, they realize that a court is in session. A young man, possibly in his late teens, is held by two muscular guards while a judge recites a long and boring series of laws.
"Well, this is new."- Geralt says- "The law is being kind of... slow."
Marlon shrugs.
"What can you do?"- He says- "Sometimes, the slowest poison is the best one."
Geralt sighs.
"Except in this case."- He says- "Whoever this person may be, he or she may perish before the punishment is declared."
Kaiden rolls his eyes.
"Maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea."- He says- "Should we... leave?"
Geralt is about to agree with his brother. However, he soon looks at the face of the alleged murderer and gasps. The young man in front of him is someone that he has seen before.
"N-not yet."- He mutters- "There is... something that must be done first."
He starts to approach Jacob- the boy that he has seen as a good friend for a very long time- but stops when the doors to the hall swing open. He and the rest of the people stare as an infuriated Aurelia storms inside. Her clothes are torn and her hand is always close to her weapon.
"Where is he?"- She yells- "Where is that murderer?!"
The judge shakes his head.
"Miss Moonglow, please calm down."- He says- "A court session is happening right now."
Aurelia shakes her head.
"Oh no! This fiend deserves no court session!"- She yells- "Bring him out here! Let me see his face!"
The guards push the culprit forward. Aurelia takes a good look at him, recognizing him almost immediately.
"So you're the guy that Geralt sees as his friend. The one that we let go just like that."- She says- "How does it feel to be an actual murderer? Huh?!"
Jacob shakes his head.
"I feel no remorse for what I've done."- He says- "That fool was standing in my master's way and I had to take care of him. That is all."
Geralt approaches the infuriated Aurelia.
"Umm, Aurelia."- He says- "Maybe we should try to understand the situation a little bit better... "
Aurelia stares at him.
"Don't decide for me!"
Then, she unknowingly punches Geralt in the stomach, causing him to fall on his knees.
Realizing what she had done, Aurelia immediately helps him stand up and stands beside him, shocked.
"No! I'm so sorry!"- She exclaims- "Please forgive me, Geralt! I didn't mean to hurt you!"
Geralt sighs.
"It is... alright."- He says- "I am fine."
Aurelia glares at Jacob.
"It's your fault, criminal!"- She yells- "You made me cut ties with my own family, pretend that I'm an aimless traveler and hurt the people that I love! You'll pay dearly for it! And I'll make you remember it for as long as you live... which won't be long!"
Without another word, she pulls out a small dagger from her belt. She glares at Jacob and approaches him, her vengeance burning stronger than a thousand suns.
"I'll make you feel the same pain that he felt!"- She yells- "Vanish from our world, you fiend!"
Much to the surprise of everyone in the room, Aurelia lunges forward and stabs Jacob in the stomach. As the vile child coughs blood, she pins him to the ground and continues to stab him, showing no intention of quitting.
"Aurelia, my dear! This is madness!"- Marlon exclaims- "Leave the boy alone! There must be another way to punish him!"
Aurelia shakes her head.
"No, dad! There isn't!"- She exclaims- "We must punish him here and now. Otherwise, he'll leave for good!"
After delivering many sharp stabs into the boy's stomach, she rises for the final blow. However, the boy manages to kick her away and grab her weapon.
"I... won't go down without taking one of you with me."- He mutters- "Two in a row would be... great."
Aurelia gasps.
"And you still think about killing, even though you're completely doomed?!"- She yells- "Now you've done it! I'm coming for you!"
Before Jacob could make his move, Aurelia takes her dagger back and holds it against the boy's neck. Then, she slits it without thinking twice, forcing everyone to watch as Jacob struggles on the ground.
A few seconds later, the young evildoer finally dies. Aurelia managed to carry out a much more horrifying punishment than the judge ever could. However, instead of being scolded for acting like this, the people in the room rise up and applaud her for doing something everyone else was afraid to do.
Having avenged her brother and murdered his killer in cold blood, Aurelia falls in Geralt's arms and smiles sadly.
"I did it, didn't I?"- She asks- "I killed this fool, right?"
Geralt nods.
"Yes, Aurelia."- He responds- "Yes, you did."
The two of them hear Jacob's growls and notice that he is rising back up, now in his undead form.
"Oh! Are you coming back for round two?!"- Aurelia yells and grabs her dagger- "Let's get this over with!"
With a series of swift attacks, Aurelia brings the undead to his knees. Then, while he is still weakened, she plunges the dagger into his skull and withdraws it, soon to deliver another blow into another part of the skull, successfully putting the vile child down for good.
Now with the blood of a villain on her hands, Aurelia looks back at Geralt and sighs.
"Look. I... know that it's been hard for us and I've been treating you like some kind of a guardian angel, but that's no surprise. I've always been so kind and loving. Mrs. Keymoira and her goons didn't take it away from me."- She says- "Even so, I still missed my family a lot. Seeing one of them die in such a horrible way made me feel angry. I wanted to scream. I wanted to punch everything that I saw. I was going to become a monster myself, if you were not there to trust me when I needed you the most. And I... I'm not sure if I can ever repay you."
Geralt sighs.
"To be honest, I am the one who owes you an apology. I should have been more understanding of your struggles and see you as more than just my companion."- He says- "I suppose that I owe you something more than just friendship, right?"
Aurelia smiles.
"I'm just glad that you're here, Geralt."- She says- "You, dad and Isa are all that I have left. Without you, I don't know how I'll feel if you were gone, too."
Marlon approaches his daughter.
"My dear, I congratulate you for standing up against this bully. You did a wonderful job."- He says to her- "However, I feel like we still have a lot of work to do. The warriors of Redmark are still out there and we also have to clean up this mess."
Aurelia raises her eyebrow.
"Do you want me to help?"
Marlon shakes his head.
"There is no need for that, my dear. The work ahead belongs to us, the adults."- He says- "In the meantime, why don't you and Geralt go out for a while. I'm sure that you would love to spend some time with him, right?"
He smiles and gives her two coupons.
"Show those to the waiters in the fancy restaurant at the west end of the capital and they'll treat you to some very fine meals."- He says- "You deserve it, children. Go have some fun while you can."
Aurelia looks at Geralt.
"What do you say, my dear?"- She asks him- "Do you accept?"
Geralt smiles.
"Why would I refuse such a generous offer?"- He says- "Of course I will be your boy for the night!"
Aurelia grins.
"Yes! I have you all to myself!"- She exclaims- "Someone pinch me, because I don't want this dream to end!"
As Geralt and Aurelia leave, Kaiden and Marlon stare at each other.
"She got over her brother's death way too quickly."- Kaiden says- "Is this normal?"
Marlon sighs.
"Aurelia has always valued two things in life- love and family. Sometimes, one of them overlaps the other and she takes risks to be with her loved ones."- He says- "Staying with Geralt has been a dream of hers for months. Allowing them to be together for the time being is probably the best way to make her forget about the pain."
Kaiden shakes his head.
"At least she's doing better than us."
The two of them watch as Geralt and Aurelia leave and return into the judgement hall, eager to continue their duties.
----Geralt and Aurelia arrive at the restaurant. Aurelia presents the coupons to the waiters and they welcome the duo inside. They are given the finest table and sit on it as the local band plays a beautiful song for them.
"Just like a dream, huh?"- Geralt says and smiles- "Well, it seems very real to me!"
Aurelia smiles.
"You're my real fortune!"
Geralt sighs.
"I know, Aurelia,"- He says- "I know."
The two of them stare at each other for a few awkward moments, unsure what to say to each other. Then, Aurelia decides to take the first step.
"So, umm."- She says- "Have you... ever loved someone before? Like, truly loved?"
Geralt nods.
"Of course."- He says- "I have always loved my family. They mean everything to me."
Aurelia shakes her head.
"No. Not like that!"- She exclaims- "I was asking if you've ever loved a girl! You know, sparks and stuff! Have you ever done that?"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Are you asking whether I have a girlfriend or not?"
Aurelia grins.
"Bingo!"
Geralt smiles sadly.
"Well. I have always been sworn to my duties, so I never looked into having a girlfriend."- He says- "My life has always been a mess and I am not sure if there is a girl who can ever tolerate my flaws."
Aurelia smiles.
"What if I told you that there is?"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
Aurelia gently takes Geralt's hand in hers and smiles, causing him to blush slightly.
"Geralt. When I said that I like you when we met for the first time, I was serious. I wanted to see if you truly are the one for me and I'm proud to say that you are."- She says- "However, I can never feel complete if I don't have a loving and caring boy by my side. I want to have a family someday, and you would be my perfect partner. My target for love. My sweet melody in the darkest nights."
She stares into his eyes, noticing his confusion.
"I want you, Geralt."- She says- "Do you want me back?"
Geralt looks down.
"Aurelia, I am not sure if I could be a good boyfriend."- He says- "I have always been busy and I'm forced to neglect my loved ones. Are you sure that you want our lives to be like this? Maybe there are better boys for you out there. Thousands of them, to be exact. Maybe one of them is better than me?"
Aurelia shakes her head.
"Nonsense, Geralt! I refuse!"- She exclaims- "There is no man who can make me feel more complete than you. You're the one that I want."
Geralt stares at her for a few seconds.
"Aurelia... "- He says- "I... "
Aurelia smiles.
"Yes, my dear?"
Geralt looks down.
"Oh, come on!"- She exclaims- "Please! Don't break my heart!"
Geralt smiles.
"I... think that I feel the same way."
Then, he leans forward and kisses her hand.
"I think that I love you, Aurelia Moonglow."
Aurelia gets very flustered. Hearing such a thing is both shocking and exciting for her. She looks away for a second, barely able to contain her excitement.
"Oh, my dear prince. I can't believe it."- She says- "I revealed my true feelings to you and you... revealed them back?"
She smiles.
"Can we... have a little dance?"- She asks- "To-together?"
Geralt smiles.
"Whatever you wish, my dear."- He says- "The night is still young. Let us enjoy it together."
The two of them stand up and start to dance as the music continues to play. They hold each other close, feeling like the whole world is watching them right now. It is a magical moment that can only be felt once in a lifetime. 
"And yet, we have so much work left to do."- Geralt says- "Do you think that we should... "
Aurelia places her finger on his mouth and smiles.
"Shush, my dear. Don't worry about that."- She says- "We can worry about our troubles tomorrow. For now, let's enjoy this lovely night."
And so, the two of them danced until the dawn, united at last.
The End... For Now