MLTO C4, P4

This is the fourth Part of "MLIV:TO" 's fourth Chapter.
It was released on 06.02.2023.
== Plot ==
After making a promise to a group of spirits that they will defeat a notoriously dangerous villain in their name, Geralt and his allies set off on an adventure that will determine whether they are strong enough to take him on.
Unfortunately, fate decides to meet them early. The young hero is forced to face a harsh reality that will change his life forever and turn him into a colder, more determined hero. The innocence from before is still there, but it seems to be much less prominent than before, making place for other feelings that Geralt thought he would never experience himself.
And yet, cowardice is one of a villain's greatest traits, especially for those who are considered to be leaders. Such is the case with the dreaded Akuma, who always prefers to allow others to do the job for him while he plans their next move from the shadows. His allies will come face to face with the heroes and teach them a valuable lesson that they will never forget- "A group doesn't always need a leader to perform well, both in the fields of battle and outside of them".
Will the villainous group be able to bring our heroes down? Or will it be the other way around?
== Story ==
Geralt takes another look at Jacob, attempting to find signs of humanity in his eyes. Unfortunately, he seems to find none, and is forced to step back.
"Jacob, I can see that you have changed a lot. That is not good for anyone."- He says- "But why did you end up like this? What kind of a villain did this to you?"
Jacob shakes his head.
"There was no villain that convinced me to act like this. I acted on my own accord, guided by my own hatred. I was forced to hold it back for years, but I can finally unleash it upon all of those who wronged me."- He says- "If there's anyone that I have to see as a villain, then that person is you, Geralt. You were always a bad influence for me and never dared to see my true self."
Geralt shakes his head.
"That is not true, my friend. Those fiends are trying to brainwash you into thinking that I am the bad one, but the truth is different."- He says- "Even though I was forced to ignore you in the past, I considered you to be one of my dearest friends. I valued our friendship and tried to keep it alive for as long as possible. Although I can see that you don't feel the same way like I do."
Jacob looks at him.
"And yet, you and your brother abandoned us when the troubles started."- He says- "You fled to the safety of your home and stayed there while the rest of us suffered."
Geralt shakes his head.
"But we... "- He stutters- "We did not... "
Emela takes a step forward, annoyed by Jacob's persistence.
"Stop with those blatant lies, you ill-mannered child! You're only making a fool out of yourself!"- She yells- "While you were messing around with the forces of darkness, Geralt and his brother did their best to keep the world safe from villains like you! And they've done much more than you ever will!"
Jacob raises his eyebrow.
"And you think that your words will change me?"
Emela shakes her head.
"I can see that you've gone too far. As I feared when I saw you for the first time, your soul was consumed by the eternal darkness and you were turned into a mindless slave of the corruption inside of your own heart."- She says- "Believe me, I want to save you. I want to give you a chance to redeem yourself and prove that you're better than this. But your hatred is burning strong, and even my words cannot break through your veil of malice. There is only one cure for your condition. It pains me to say it, but it must be done."
Akuma sighs.
"You heroes are always the same. Blaming others for the misfortunes of this world and getting them killed because they're disrupting the sacred balance."- He says- "And yet, you never dare to look at what's on the inside. You never share the same feelings as them and never understand them as they are now. Why are you trying to change something that has already changed?"
Dante glares at him.
"Excuse me, but who are you to tell us how to act toward others?"- He asks- "Even though I am Lawful, I think that killing others is not a sin, if your reasons for the deed are justified. And believe me, we have tried to understand those people. We did our best to change them, even though our motives were never clear enough for them. However, it seems like some people are too ignorant, too foolish to ever look back at the horrifying things that they have done, to see what kind of monster live inside of their own bodies."
He sighs.
"Of course, I don't deny that our government is also responsible for the things that are happening right now. The good people are also responsible for huge mistakes. And I know that Redmark just wants to change the world, even though it's in a way that only a true monster is capable of."- He says- "But tell me, outlaw! What gives him the right to slaughter thousands of innocent people, souls who would never dare to raise a hand against him? Why would he raise entire settlements to the ground, just to make some sort of an example? And, my biggest question is, does he even realize how much of a freak he really is?!"
Akuma shakes his head.
"Your arguments cannot change our view of the world. We've already chosen our path."- He says- "However, mentioning our mighty leader in such a dishonorable way is an insult to our entire regiment. I ask that you take your words back before we're forced to destroy all of you."
Dante sighs.
"I already know that you will slaughter us either way. You've seen us as your true enemies ever since Day One. We're an existential threat to your entire government. It would be pointless to ever parley with you."- He says- "There is only one thing that we will say to you... "
He takes a deep breath, preparing for the worst that has yet to come.
"Bring. It. On."
Akuma nods.
"Whatever you say, heroes."- He says- "Your wish shall be granted. In the worst way."
Then, he takes a few steps back, as if to alert someone who is hiding somewhere in the distance.
"What are you doing?"- Cyrus asks- "Aren't you going to fight us yourself?"
Akuma smiles.
"What's the point of fighting you when I have an entire squad to do that pointless work for me?"
Dante points his spear at him.
"You spineless coward!"- He exclaims- "You're the same as the rest of your kind!"
Akuma raises his eyebrow.
"And that's supposed to be a bad thing?"- He asks- "Face it, do-gooders. A group does not need a leader to fight well."
He smiles.
"Or, at least, not on the battlefield."
Without another warning, Akuma turns around and whistles to someone. Our heroes watch, amazed, as dozens of bandits heed his call and emerge from the shadows, ready to skewer them all to death in the name of their leader.
"So long, heroes."- He says- "May our paths never cross again."
And then, he slinks back into the shadows.
"What are you doing?"- Dante asks- "Get that outlaw! Now!"
He tries to run forward, but Emela stops him.
"There's no point to chase a ghost like him. Even as we speak, he has gone far away from here."- She says- "We'll deal with him later. I promise."
Dante raises his eyebrow.
"How do you know that we'll be able to draw him out again?"
Emela smiles.
"Believe me, slaughtering all of his allies will not go unnoticed."- She responds- "Once we've done our job, it won't be long before he comes back."
Dante nods.
"I know that you're a wise person, so I'll trust you."- He says- "Let's hope that your plan works."
Geralt shakes his head.
"I hate to interrupt the two of you, but we have a bigger problem in our hands right now!"- He exclaims- "Get your weapons ready! Fight in the name of the light!"
The four of them firmly hold their ground as a the bandits approach them. They are surprised to see that the villains stop a few feet away from them. It does not take long for them to figure out why.
Another figure of pure malice emerges from the shadows. However, this one seems to be different, not just because of the way he looks, but because of the aura that he emits. An aura of barely restrained determination, or absolute potential and unwavering loyalty. It is clear that this man seems to be close to Akuma and his goons, but our heroes are still not sure how much power he has in himself.
"And so, our chosen leaders runs from the scene like he always does. A true shame, as he is a great warrior himself."- He says- "Welcome to your doom, heroes. It's nice to have you all here, on this frabjous day."
Geralt nods.
"I suppose that you must be a highly ranked official in your group."- He says- "Are you the one who commands those bandits to assassinate good people?"
The man nods.
"Aye. That's me."- He says- "My name is Sylvar. I'm a member of Sir Akuma's mighty group- Sector Alpha, and act as its second-in-command at the same time. Our warriors obey my commands and destroy the unlucky targets that I end up to select. Our leader always trusts my judgement and allows me to perform the mission alongside my comrades. It's an honor to be a part of this group, because I can be something that I never was in the past- useful in my own way."
Cyrus raises his eyebrow.
"And I suppose that you're here to bring us down, because your leader told you to do so?"
Sylvar nods.
"That is correct."- He responds- "Our mission is to eliminate all faulty elements in the system. A universe can never be perfect when there's people like you to corrupt it."
Cyrus smiles.
"Oh! What a surprise!"- He says sarcastically- "For a second, I thought that you were going to bring us to a tea party so we can talk about how helpful and kind you are!"
Sylvar clenches his fists.
"Is this meant to be some kind of a joke?"
Dante raises his eyebrow.
"Like your beloved empire?"
Sylvar shakes his head.
"Argh! I've had enough of you!"- He exclaims- "Me and my warriors are going to destroy you! Prepare yourselves for the inevitable!"
Geralt draws his sword.
"I am glad that we're getting straight to the point."- He says- "Alright, everyone. Heads up!"
Dante raises his eyebrow.
"Why?"- He asks- "Is something falling from the sky?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"No, there is not."- He says- "I am saying 'heads up', because something worse than that is coming our way!"
Dante gasps.
"Oh, right! A whole sky's worth of corrupted stars!"- He says and draws his weapon- "Let's put them out of their misery!"
As the bandits run toward our heroes, the four of them prepare their formation for the battle. Emela envelops the entire team in a magical bubble while Cyrus and Dante bombard their enemies with a multitude of powerful spells, trapping them and incinerating them whey they're weakened.
Geralt stares at their leader and prepares to face him in battle, knowing that he is going to go for him instead of his allies. Much to his surprise, he pulls out two vicious-looking daggers and stabs the magical bubble with them.
"Well, that was, umm, pointless."- Emela says- "Maybe you should learn more about magic like this before trying to bring it d-- "
Suddenly, a burst of dark energy is unleashed from both of the daggers. It is directed toward the magical shield, shattering it in two seconds and sending our heroes flying back.
Geralt wipes the blood off his mouth, grabs his blade and charges without asking any questions. He is done trying to figure out what his enemies are trying to do. Right now, he is just trying to save his people, and the best way to do that is to keep fighting valiantly.
Just as his blow connects with Sylvar's neck, the bandit smiles and quickly leaps to the left, surprising the young hero. He tries to hit him again, only to notice the same result as before.
"Aha. A worthy challenger."- Geralt says- "You must have trained a lot for this moment. But will it be enough?"
Sylvar smiles.
"Step forward and find out."
Geralt leaps forward, enchanting his sword with the power of light and performing a series of devastating attacks, capable of slaying a normal person in just a single hit. But that is not enough to stop Sylvar. Once again, he smiles and simply leaps out of harm's way, annpying Geralt with each blow.
"Excuse me, but what kind of villain are you?"- He asks him- "Are you even human?"
Sylvar shakes his head.
"I have the blood of a foreign race. The heritage of ancient warriors long gone."- He says- "I joined Redmark and his people for a simple reason- to stay away from my so-called 'noble' kind. And with the abilities that I mastered along the way, I'll defeat you once and for all."
Geralt sighs.
"It would be a shame to defeat someone whose views are different than ours. Who has different traditions, different beliefs."- He says- "And yet, you are still a human being. No matter how much you deny it, you are a part of our world. But this mockery of everything that we are fighting for cannot be pardoned."
Sylvar nods.
"And that's what I hope for."- He says- "Don't pardon me. Just keep fighting."
Geralt nods.
"As you wish, villain."
Geralt takes a few steps back and jumps in the air. He bombards Sylvar with a barrage of light beams, all headed in his direction. However, the villain dodges all of the beams, just like a well-trained ninja. All of Geralt's efforts turn out to be in vain.
As the young hero wonders about his next move, Sylvar takes a few steps back and disappears! Then, unbeknownst to Geralt, he appears behind him and tries to plunge his daggers into his back. The boy was prepared for this and manages to stand his ground, only getting knocked down in the process.
"I can see the fire in your eyes. The desire to make everything better."- Sylvar says- "Such things are irrelevant to me. When you're marked by Sector Alpha, you have no choice but to give up your life."
Geralt shakes his head.
"Not while I still have light inside of my soul."
Sylvar smirks.
"Then allow me to snuff it out for you."
Emela sees that her godson is in danger and abandons everything that she was doing. She attacks Sylvar with her rod and attempts to knock him down, but the villain turns out to be too fast, even for someone as experienced as her.
Annoyed, the young guardian raises her rod in the air and casts a powerful spell. A large rock appears in the sky and she directs it toward Sylvar, intending to trap him underneath tons of rubble.
"Do you think that your pathetic tricks can stop me?"- He says and smiles- "Allow me to prove you wrong."
As the rock Emela launched continues to float towards him, Sylvar jumps in the air and strikes the rock with his fist. The impact is so strong that it smashes the rock into many pieces.
Amused by this charade as if he is a little child, Sylvar kicks the rocks toward Emela. The guardian attempts to avoid the flying rubble as best as she can. She seems to be doing fairly well, until a large fragment pierces her stomach and sends her flying into the nearby mountain.
Geralt and his allies watch, horrified, as Emela stands up and tries to get back, her face bloodied and her movement slow.
"Hold on, Your Guardianness!"- Dante exclaims- "You're going to hurt yourself!"
As Dante rushes forward to help her stand up, Geralt and Cyrus glare at Sylvar.
"You monster!"- Cyrus yells- "How could you do this to her?"
Sylvar shakes his head.
"It's not my fault that you were marked by the darkness."- He says- "Soon, all of you will be consumed by it. Just like her."
Geralt points his blade at him.
"Dream on, fool!"
He lunges forward and tries to strike Sylvar down again, but the villain simply stands out of the way and smiles.
"Didn't you learn your lessons at school, young one?"- He asks him- "It's futile. You can't hit a shadow, no matter how hard you try."
As Sylvar speaks, his allies surround Geralt and Cyrus. Now that the two are all by themselves, they cannot fend them off anymore. The corrupted ones are swarming them and it is clear that they are in a lot of trouble.
"Keep your head up, Cy!"- Geralt exclaims- "We'll get out of this! I promise!"
Cyrus nods.
"I truly hope so!"
Sylvar sighs.
"Ah, the youthful naivety. So invigorating, yet a bane to one's existence."- He says- "Heroes may think that they are immortal, but they are not. Everyone is forced to face something really dangerous in their lives. Everyone ends up like this, trapped with no hope for salvation."
He raises his eyebrow.
"You're probably still thinking about how your dear allies will arrive, right?"- He asks- "But tell me this. What will happen if they don't hear your screams?"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Do you hear us screaming, though?"
Sylvar frowns.
"Good point, I guess."
He sighs.
"Still, you're too far gone to be able to escape this."- He says- "Try as hard as you might, but you've already fallen into the abyss. And when you do, there's no coming back from that."
Geralt shakes his head.
"It is true. There are many bandits out here, each with a different set of abilities that can bring us down. Few people are able to survive such an encounter, let alone regular folks like the ones who are still out there."- He says to himself- "However, there are a few people who are able to make it out. People who are pure of heart, determined to complete their missions. And we shall be four of them."
He raises his sword in the air.
"If you think that we are scared of you, you're lying to yourselves."- He says- "A true hero never feels any fear. He always keeps fighting with a fire in his heart and those who dare to oppose him are always incinerated by it."
He points it toward Sylvar.
"So, come on. Do your worst."- He says- "Let us show you what we are truly capable of."
Sylvar smiles.
"I was hoping that you'd say that."- He says- "It makes everything much easier for me."
He looks at Emela and Dante.
"But first."- He says- "We have to make sure that your friends will die alongside you."
The rest of the bandits approach the two of them and draw their weapons, effectively surrounding them, as well.
"And now, this will be the end of Geralt Kaos and his brave comrades."- Sylvar says- "But don't cry because you've lost. Rejoice, because you won't have to suffer any longer."
He raises both of his daggers in the air.
"Once you're gone, the entire world will see the power of Sector Alpha and its mighty allies!"- He exclaims- "We shall become the kings of the world! We'll be the strongest of them all! We'll incite fear in their hearts and conquer the world, because we're better than G-- "
Unbeknownst to Sylvar, a spear flies forward and pierces him in the stomach. Too late, he realizes it and yells out in pain, terrifying all of the warriors under his command.
Horrified, he looks back and sees a lone figure, half-human and half-horse. He is standing a short distance away, fearless and confident, and seems to be smiling at the same time.
"Alright, bandit. It's lights out for you."- He says- "This is the fate of those like you. The ones who try to change the laws of this world."
Sylvar shakes his head and pulls out the spear.
"That was a lucky hit, you fool. A good one, but still lucky."- He says- "You haven't taken me down yet."
The man smiles.
"I might not be able to do the job."- He says- "But I'm sure that those folks will give you what you want."
As if to prove his words, Dante rises his spear in the air, making sure that each one of his enemies sees it. Then, he lets out a fierce battle cry, sending out a wave of fire that incinerates everyone (except for himself and Emela) who is standing in the immediate vicinity.
Just as the bandits turn around to attack Dante, the young sorcerer leaps forward and slashes the air with his spear. The impact is strong enough to set the air on fire and create a massive explosion that sends everyone flying.
As our heroes safely descend to the ground thanks to Emela's help, Sylvar crashes into it like a falling star, being severely wounded in the process.
In this moment of peace and quiet, Geralt takes a look at the person who just saved their lives from Sylvar and his gang. He soon realizes that it is Dillon- the same centaur whose life he spared one week ago. The one who left his group to become a hero and keep this world free and safe from evil.
"I am amazed."- Geralt says- "I never expected to see you again."
Dillon smiles.
"And yet, here I am."- He responds- "We centaurs value our promises, young one. When I said that we'll meet again, I truly meant it."
He looks at the wounded Sylvar.
"It seems like I came at the right time, though."- He adds- "Is everyone okay?"
Cyrus nods.
"A little bit shaken, but otherwise fresh as newly sprouted saplings."- He says- "In other words, we're fine."
Dillon nods.
"That's good."- He says- "I would've blamed myself if something happened to you."
Emela raises her eyebrow.
"I have a question, if you have the time to listen to it."- She says- "If you came all the way here, does this really mean that you're alone? It sounds like someone helped you out, but I'm not quite sure."
Dillon smiles.
"Oh, I was not alone on this journey."- He says- "Were it not with her help, I never would've found you in time. She is truly invaluable."
The four of them turn around and notice that a familiar person has joined them. Geralt is the most overjoyed to see her, alive and well.
"Aurelia!"- He says- "You... came back?"
Aurelia steps forward and smiles.
"Like our dear friend here just said, a promise is always kept, no matter what happens next."- She says- "I took this opportunity as a chance to reunite with the people I truly care about. I just couldn't resist the call of the adventuress inside of me."
She turns around and glares at the wounded Sylvar. Then, she approaches him and sharply kicks him in the leg.
"Serves you right for trying to get my dearest killed, you miscreant!"
Sylvar smiles.
"You're quite a sharp one, young lady."- She says- "It's a shame your cool attitude won't stay intact for long."
Aurelia raises her eyebrow.
"Huh?"- She says- "What do you mean by that?"
Sylvar simply continues to smile. He says nothing else.
Cyrus sighs and shakes his head.
"Ugh. I've had enough of this one."- He says- "Let's just finish him off and be done with it."
He and Geralt approach him, weapons drawn.
"Well? How does it feel to be on top of the food chain?"- Sylvar asks them- "I hope that you're enjoying it, because you won't be there for long."
Cyrus shakes his head.
"Your mysteries do not scare us, corrupted one. You only say that, because you know that you're defeated."- He says- "And man who has fallen into the abyss has no second chance."
Sylvar raises his eyebrow.
"And who said that, if it's not a secret?"
Cyrus smiles.
"I learn only from the worst of the worst."
Sylvar clenches his fist.
"You're more annoying than I expected."- He says- "Oh well. At least the damage inside of your beloved hometown is still there."
Cyrus raises his eyebrow.
"Are you implying that you're responsible for it?"
Sylvar nods.
"I was the one who organized the warriors. I was also the one who orchestrated the assault."- He says- "On that day, many people felt like us. They were angry at the government for not helping them out. They caused lots of chaos as riots happened on the streets. It was a perfect nightmare."
Cyrus clenches his fists.
"I won't let you escape this place alive!"
Without saying anything else, the shaman raises his staff and casts another spell, entangling Sylvar and rendering him helpless. He uses his rage to tighten the brambles, causing the vile bandit to start choking.
"We're all... the same."- Sylvar gasps- "We're all... murderers."
Just before his allies try to stop him, Cyrus realizes that this is not enough punishment for Sylvar. He will perish eventually, sure, but this is a very easy way out. He backs down and the brambles untangle themselves from Sylvar's body.
"What a mistake."- He says- "Your unwillingness to finish me off only made me stronger."
Before the shaman can respond, Sylvar smiles and leaps behind him, surprising everyone by pointing both of his daggers at the back of his neck.
"You should've stayed in your precious town, shaman."- He says- "Now you'll suffer the same fate as those you tried to save."
Just as the blades are about to pierce Cyrus's neck, Geralt leaps forward and knocks them out of Sylvar's hands. Then, he enchants his sword with the power of water and points it at the villain.
"Freeze, dishonorable one!"
Sylvar looks at him, then at his sword. Seemingly amused by his act, he laughs.
"How interesting! The brave hero's trying to save his friend from the inevitable!"- He exclaims- "You might as well try to reach the sun instead, because that's more possible than-- "
And yet, Sylvar did not count of Geralt's ability to deceive his opponents. Just as he is distracted, the young hero unleashes a powerful spell and freezes him in place.
"... curse you."
Still infuriated by the fact that Sylvar was the mastermind behind the sacking of Canonia, Cyrus approaches him and glares at his frozen body.
"Do you know how many people died because of you?!"- He yells- "That day, I felt so desperate that I wanted to become an exile! I felt all of the pain that my people felt! And it was all your fault! Your fault!"
He raises his staff in the air.
"You're not getting out of this one, you monster!"
Sylvar tries to teleport away, but Cyrus's blow connects before he is able to do anything. The impact is strong enough to shatter both the glass-like surface of the ice and the bandit himself.
At this brief moment, Sylvar's spell finally works. He starts to teleport away, but the instability of the spell causes it to become irreversibly chaotic. His body floats left and right, shaking violently as he tries to reform himself. And then, it explodes, turning whatever fragments remained of the vile bandit into unrecognizable, bloody bits. A parody of the human being (or rather, what remains of it), lies on the ground around our heroes, never to reform again.
"Ugh."- Geralt says- "I... I think that I'm going to puke."
Emela looks at the young shaman.
"Umm, Cy?"- She says- "Wasn't this a bit too extreme?"
Cyrus sighs.
"The fool said that we're all monster, but he forgot one important thing. There are no bigger monsters than the ones who try to seize this world for themselves."- He says- "Fate had its way with this unworthy soul and he paid the price for all the horrors he inflicted upon the innocent. In my opinion, it was well-deserved."
Dante shakes his head.
"I'll never look at you the same way."- He says- "Ever again."
Cyrus sighs again.
"We all have to do things like this to save our dear humankind."- He says- "If we turn away from our duties because we can't kill someone, aren't we the ones who are doomed to fail?"
Dillon nods.
"The young shaman is right."- He says- "We all have our own demons. The only difference is how we fight them."
He looks at him.
"And it seems like Cyrus already has his own way."
Geralt sighs.
"Well, I guess that it does not matter what happened here. Not anymore, at least."- He says- "We managed to defeat another sector under Redmark's command, this time his most powerful one. Their second-in-command is gone and that will disrupt all of their work, in the present and the future." 
Dante raises his eyebrow.
"I think that that Akuma guy's words are still valid. Even without one of their leaders, the group will continue to fight."- He says- "But their numbers have been greatly reduced, and Redmark has no way to restore them to their former glory in such a short amount of time. Today, we managed to deal a grievous blow to their regiment."
Geralt nods.
"Even though this battle did not take Sector Alpha down for good, it managed to open a gap in their defenses. A flaw that they cannot repair with ease."- He continues- "It may look small and insignificant, but it will be enough to bring their evil order to ruin."
He looks at the mountain behind him.
"Though this will not happen very soon, they will soon feel the wrath of all the people that they wronged."- He says- "However, we must focus on our task for the time being. Blackflame Mountain awaits."
Dillon shakes his head.
"I'm afraid that I won't be able to join you on this journey, folks."- He says- "I only came here to save you from those bandits. I have to go elsewhere, to be useful to those who still need my help."
He takes a few steps back and nods.
"So, if you'll excuse me... "
Geralt smiles.
"Of course, Dillon. Thank you for the help."- He says- "I hope that you have a wonderful journey."
Dillon smiles back.
"You too, young Kaos."
As Dillon leaves the area, Cyrus stares at his staff and shakes his head.
"As much as I regret it, I think this is I will stop, too."- He says- "I risked a lot to come all the way here with you. I helped you defeat a truly dangerous villain. But now, I'm afraid that my duties are calling me back. I can't adventure with you anymore."
Dante raises his eyebrow.
"But it's only been a few hours!"- He exclaims- "Are you sure that you want to leave? You'll miss all the fun!"
Cyrus sighs.
"I'm sorry, everyone."
Geralt nods.
"This is completely understandable, Cyrus. I know what it feels like to have an incomplete duty. Your desire to protect your own people is great and you do not take risks like us."- He says- "I truly appreciate your aid and I am glad that you went all the way here to help us out. Were it not for you, I would have left that villain behind, probably making a big mistake at the same time."
He smiles.
"We owe you a lot, dear cousin."- He says- "I hope that your journey is a safe one. And remember the most important thing that we learned today- 'No matter how far away we are, we'll always support each other'. "
Cyrus nods and smiles.
"Thank you for everything, Geralt. Farewell, for now."- He says- "I'll be leaving you in safe hands and I know it. Your friend is a strong one. She'll take good care of you."
As Cyrus leaves, Aurelia hugs Geralt and waves at him.
"Bye bye, shaman boy!"- She exclaims- "Don't be a stranger, okay?"
Cyrus turns around, smiles and gives her a thumbs-up.
Now that there are only four of them left, our heroes prepare to climb the dreaded Blackflame Mountain at long last, hopefully to find what they are looking for. Or perish while trying to do so, at the very least.
"The last few hours were quite perilous for us. And yet, there is no doubt that everything is only getting worse."- Geralt says to himself- "We will continue to march onward, in the hopes of dicovering the top of this wicked place. And, hopefully, my father. Will we make it? I guess that only time can tell that... "
He raises his sword in the air.
"Onward, everyone!"
His allies cheer.
"Let's do this!"