MLTO C6, P3

This is the third Part of "MLIV:TO" 's sixth and final Chapter.
It was released on 17.04.2023,
== Plot ==
Hardened by bidding farewell to his loved ones, Geralt proceeds to perform the good deeds that he still has left, the ones that forced him to leave his own family behind. It is for the good of this world, so he knows that he is doing a good thing. Most likely.
The first order of business is his duty to the kingdom of Goznor. Even though Dante has gone elsewhere and is a free man now, he feels responsible for his actions and wishes to inform the King and Queen about their adventurous son's decision. They shall be most displeased, of course, but that is the expected reaction of someone who has been staying in a kingdom for most of their life. Either way, they must know about this unfortunate upbringing.
In the meantime, Isabella- Kaiden's beloved girl- is about to give birth to his successors. However, not everything goes as planned and the young woman may get in trouble by doing this. Still, no child shall remain unborn and she must do her duty- as a future wife... and as a future mother.
But the task to bear heirs to the Kaos family shall not be an easy one. While she is going into labor, the forces of Redmark arrive at the gates of Silverdale, led by their deceitful emperor. With danger breathing down on their necks, our heroes have to do their best to protect the most valuable thing in their lives- their own family.
Will the future shine bright again?
== Story ==
As Geralt and Aurelia continue to move forward, the young hero stops for a moment. He sits on the ground and shakes his head.
"What's wrong, Geralt?"- Aurelia asks him- "Are you feeling sad again?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"Not quite."- He responds- "It is just that I... try to remember."
Aurelia lays Linus' corpse on the ground and sits next to him.
"Then let's remember together."- She says and smiles- "I know that it will be hard, but remember. I'm always on your side. You're not alone."
Geralt smiles back.
"Thank you very much, Aurelia."- He says- "Perhaps I can finally find the answers that I am looking for."
The two of them lay down. Geralt sighs.
"Can you imagine how wild uncle Linus' life was?"- He says to her- "When he was a young boy, he was an unwilling servant of an notoriously evil entity. He was a classmate of my father and a good friend of his. Even though uncle was not on his side, he never gave up on him. He did his best to save him from the vile clutches of evil. And you know what? It actually worked, for once! He did not fail him, unlike me!"
Aurelia looks at him.
"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself."- She says- "Just because you were too late to save him doesn't mean that you didn't do your best! I know that, wherever he is right now, he's probably smiling when he thinks about you."
Geralt sighs.
"I do not know if he will remember me or not."- He says- "I just hope that he is happy out there. That's all."
He looks up.
"Anyway, my point is that I am amazed by my uncle's persistence. No matter where he went, he was always a pillar of goodness and sanity."- He says- "And he never forgot about his true love, even as his life was being drained away from him. It is a true miracle. Few people would be able to handle the pressure like he did."
Aurelia smiles.
"Do you think that your uncle and aunt's love was just like ours?"
Geralt sighs.
"I am not quite sure. They had a pretty rocky start and aunt Akira even mistrusted him for a while."- He says- "However, their love blossomed as soon as they got to know each other and my uncle became one of the most important people in her life. That is why she will feel very depressed when we tell her."
Aurelia looks down.
"I just hope that Miss Akira will be alright!"- She exclaims- "The poor woman's already gone through a lot of bad things. The death of her husband will only make it worse."
Geralt shakes his head.
"Unfortunately, we cannot turn back time."- He says- "Our ancestors may have done the impossible to save their loved ones, but we cannot. We are just normal heroes who live for the Present and the Future. We cannot change the past."
Aurelia raises her eyebrow.
"Maybe it'll be different someday?"- She suggests- "Maybe the good people of this world will find a way to reverse the flow of this world and allow the good heroes to save the ones who were doomed to fall?"
Geralt sighs.
"Only time will tell the answer to that."
He looks at her.
"Anyway, have you been thinking about our relationship as much as I do?"- He asks her- "Do you think that it can still work?"
Aurelia looks back at him.
"Of course it will! We've gone too far to make mistakes!"- She exclaims- "I haven't given up on you and I hope that you did the same!"
She lays on the ground again.
"I just want to have a beautiful love life, just like the one of my sister. She and Kaiden have always been so happy together. And now, they'll become an even happier family of four."- She says- "Maybe we can have the same thing in our lives?"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"You... want to have children?"
Aurelia smiles.
"A lot of them!"- She exclaims- "Not just one or two. I want more than that!"
Geralt looks at her.
"So, you want four children?"
Aurelia smiles.
"Nope!"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Five?"
Aurelia continues to smile.
"Nope!"- She says- "Try again!"
Geralt looks at her.
"You want ten of them?!"
Aurelia frowns.
"Umm, that's too much!"- She exclaims- "Even I don't want that many!"
Geralt looks up.
"Well, some of our ancestors did."
Aurelia shakes her head.
"That's a different thing!"
She looks up and smiles.
"But don't let that disturb you! It's just the fantasies of a young woman, brought to life by the magic of Life!"- She says- "I just want to be happy, Geralt."
Geralt smiles.
"With or without children, we will be happy."- He says- "I promise."
Aurelia looks at him.
"Well, it's up to you."
Geralt looks back at the ruins of Blackstone Keep. Something in his mind tells him that there is more in this place than the blind eye can see.
"Do you think that the place has more to offer us?"
Aurelia raises her eyebrow.
"Why are you asking?"
Geralt sighs.
"Nothing special."- He says- "It's just that... it is pulling me back, like a magnet. My heroic senses are tingling and I feel that my work is not done just yet."
Aurelia stands up and smiles.
"Then let's get it over with!"
Geralt stands up and looks at the corpse of Linus.
"But what about my uncle?"- He asks- "We can't just leave him in the dust like this!"
Aurelia sighs.
"Your uncle's not in trouble. There are no vultures around here."- She says- "We can just leave him near the gates. Nobody will bother him."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Do you mean the person who is, unfortunately, named "Nobody" ?"
Aurelia shakes her head.
"This is not the time for weird jokes, my grace!"- She exclaims- "C'mon! We've got to get to the keep!"
Wasting no time, the duo leave Linus at the gates and proceed to walk into the burning ruins.
"Wow."- Aurelia says- "It's even uglier than it was when we left it!"
Geralt sighs.
"The empire usually strives to achieve beauty."- He says- "But this place? Well, let's just say that it is the bottom of the barrel. The worst of the worst,"
Aurelia nods.
"Hmm."- She says- "That explains why it's so dark and gloomy."
Our heroes arrive at the same spot where the imperials were holding the execution. They discover many corpses that belonged to imperial warriors in life. Some visitors were killed as well, but they were probably just as wicked as the soldiers themselves.
"This place brings me a lot of unhappy memories. They remind me of the time when I was still a slave to Mrs. Keymoira."- Aurelia says- "Can we hurry up a little bit? Please?"
Geralt nods.
"As you wish, Aurelia."
He bends down and rummages through the rubble that has formed around them.
"Something tells me that there is priceless knowledge hidden deep within."- Geralt says- "Do we dare to search?'
Aurelia sighs.
"Let's just get this over with."
Geralt sighs, as well.
"You know, I want the same thing."- He says- "This place is giving me the chills. Let's go."
As the two of them continue to search, a group of creatures appears. Once they see who they are, they draw their weapons.
"Are they more imperials?"- Geralt says.
Aurelia takes a good look. Then, she shakes her head.
"Nope."- She replies- "Just a bunch of trash goblins."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Wow."- He says- "You have a weird way of describing those who are just desperate to survive."
Aurelia shakes her head.
"Desperate, but dangerous. I know a powerful humanoid when I see one."- She says and draws her staff- "I'll keep them at bay! Don't stop looking!"
Geralt sighs.
"Says the one who is supposed to be the healer of the team.
Aurelia looks at him.
"I may be a healer, but that doesn't mean I can't fight!"- She exclaims- "Now c'mon! We don't have all the time in the world left!"
Geralt sighs again.
"Well, that is not actually true."- He says to himself- "But whatever. I must comply, so I will not object."
While Aurelia whacks the incoming goblins with her staff, Geralt continues to push the rubble away. It takes him a while to discover something worthy of his time, but he soon does. And it is more interesting than he had anticipated.
In the battered hand of a recently deceased imperial, he discovers a small scroll. It is made of fine papyrus, possibly belonging to a member of the high court of the Empire. Or something to that extent.
"Well, some traditions are never forgotten."- He says to himself- "At least Redmark hasn't forgotten about his beloved empire's origins."
He gently grabs the scroll from the deceased human's hand and waves it at Aurelia.
"I found something!"- He exclaims- "Let's get out of here!"
Aurelia looks back and nods.
"You don't need to tell me twice!"
The two of them make a run for it, aiming to get to the gates as soon as possible. However, their fatigue prevents them from running very fast and the goblins catch up with them fairly easily.
As the vile creatures are about to strike, part of the keep's gate collapses on top of them. They are buried under tons of rubble and perish almost immediately.
"That... was quite lucky."- Aurelia says and looks at her companion- "Are you doing well, Geralt?"
Geralt sighs.
"I am just glad that we're safe and sound."- He says- "The world is full of miracles. It is truly astounding to be the witness of one of them."
Aurelia smiles.
"And don't forget about you!"- She exclaims- "You're a miracle, too!"
Geralt nods.
"Yes,"- He says- "Right."
The two of them lay down and stare at the scroll.
"So."- Aurelia says- "What is written on it?"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Can't you tell?"
Aurelia looks at him.
"It's written in some kind of mysterious language."- She says to him- "I'm no expert in linguistics. I'm not that smart."
Geralt nods and takes a good look at it.
"Hmm. It seems to be written in ancient Latin."- He says- "It's different from the usual form, but I can still make it out. My grasp in this glorious language may help us out, after all."
Aurelia raises her eyebrow.
"You know Latin?"- She asks- "How?"
Geralt smiles.
"When I was younger, my father was really obsessed with ancient and powerful languages like those. He aimed to teach me and all of my siblings how to speak them. However, the training did not go well and the only one who was able to absorb a few of those lessons... was me."- He says- "Kai was completely uninterested when it came to other languages. Kiki was just as studious as me, but she was unable to absorb the knowledge as well as I did."
Aurelia nods.
"Then you're a miracle kid!"
Geralt sighs.
"I can still hear my father's words. How he told me that this language may help me out someday."- He says- "Well, I am glad that he was right. It brings a lot of joy to my heart that the training was not in vain."
Having said that, he starts to read the scroll. And he reads it for a while. And then, a while more. The whole process becomes annoying for Aurelia in just a few minutes, but she is able to withstand the boredom very well.
Finally, Geralt lays back against the wall, shocked by what he just read.
"Geralt!"- Aurelia says- "Are you okay? You look... paler than usual."
Geralt looks at her and shakes his head.
"Aurelia, I have some very bad news."- He says- "The emperor that we met over there... he was not who we think he was."
Aurelia gasps.
"Are you telling me that he's an impostor?!"
Geralt sighs.
"Something to that extent."
Aurelia looks at the scroll.
"But there's the official seal of the Empire right here!"- She exclaims- "How can an imposter ever hold such a thing?"
Geralt looks at her.
"We were fooled, Aurelia. All this time, the emperor was far away from us, in a place where we couldn't find him."- He says- "And he's preparing a raid against the region of Silverdale, even as we speak."
Aurelia gasps.
"What?!"- She exclaims- "But our families are still in there!"
Geralt frowns.
"That is the point, Aurelia!"- He yells- "Everyone is in danger! Including us!"
Aurelia stands up.
"We must warn my father before it's too late!"
Geralt sighs.
"We will."- He says- "But first, we must tell the sovereigns of Goznor about their adventure-loving son's fate."
Aurelia nods.
"R-right."- She says- "We still have duties to fulfill. C'mon, let's go."
The duo walks for a few days, with no end in sight. However, they soon encounter a passing caravan. Despite the fact that they are not friends of the Empire, the caravan master offers them a ride.
Geralt discovers that he left all of his money at home. He is about to politely refuse, but Aurelia pulls out her purse and pays the kind caravan master, allowing them to hop on the ride.
The journey is long and uneventful. Occasionally, the caravan master talks about how he used to be a talented swordsman when he was younger. Geralt and Aurelia nod everytime he mentions it, but their minds are focused on something else.
Finally, the caravan arrives at its intended destination.
"Last stop for Goznor!"- The caravan master says- "Well... there's only two passengers now. So, go ahead."
Geralt nods.
"Thank you for the ride, sir."- He says to him- "We appreciate it."
The caravan master smiles.
"Sure thing, kiddo!"- He says- "Good luck!"
As the caravan leaves, Geralt and Aurelia arrive at Castle Goznor. Once they step into the throne room, they immediately notice that the mood in the room has gone from bad to worse since their absence. Everyone is staring at the ground, as if they anticipate the bad news that the two youths will deliver. As for the King and Queen, well, let's just say that they look like they're having the worst day of their entire lives. Which is probably true.
"Ah, yes. The mighty hero is here."- Donovan says and smiles serenely- "Please come in. We have been expecting you."
Geralt takes a few steps forward.
"We are back from our journey in the lands of the Empire, Your Majesty. And I am proud to say that it was a success."- He says, trying to think about the good sides of the jailbreak- "Aurelia and Dante were being held in a very secure prison- the Blackstone Keep. My uncle, Linus, was in there too. Unfortunately, even though we managed to rescue our allies in time, uncle Linus was severely beaten by the guards and we were unable to save him."
Sharla gasps. Donovan looks down and shakes his head.
"Another good person has fallen victim to the ferocity of the vile emperor Redmark."- He says and sighs- "A shame, too. Linus was a good friend of mine. I was proud to call him my brother-in-arms. And now, the evil in this world took him away from us."
He looks at Geralt, sympathetic and apologetic.
"I know how much your uncle meant to you, Geralt. To lose him in such an unfair way is... concerning, to say at the very least."- He says- "My kingdom shall grant him the highest honors, even though he was not a part of it. A brave man like him deserves no less."
Donovan raises his eyebrow.
"But tell me, my boy."- He says- "When you said Dante's name, you seemed a little... worried. Is there something that you want to tell us?"
Geralt looks down.
"Well... "
Sharla looks at him.
"Please, Geralt."- She says- "If there's something you wish to say, now's the right time."
Geralt looks up, his burden weighing him down like a thousand stones.
"He... ran away."
Shocked, Sharla stands up from her throne and grabs Geralt by the neck.
"You saw our son trying to run away? And you didn't stop him?!"- She yells- "How could you?!"
Geralt shakes his head.
"I am so sorry, Your Majesty!"- He exclaims- "He was too reckless! I had no other choice!"
Aurelia pushes Sharla away and stands between her and Geralt.
"That's enough, Your Majesty!"- She yells- "Geralt's not the troublemaker! Your son is the one you should blame for this! When I was in the prison with him, he was dreaming of escaping and starting his life anew, free from the bonds of his royal life! He wanted to be a normal person, and you took everything away from him! You shattered his dreams! Locked him in his own thoughts! Even though you showered him with love, he never felt complete! He was an outcast, don't you understand?!"
Sharla stumbles back, horrified.
"This... can't be right!"- She exclaims- "My little Danny would never do such a thing!"
Aurelia glares at her.
"But he did! And it's over now!"- She yells- "So, suck it up and live your life without your beloved Dante! I'm sure that he will come back from time to time, but that doesn't mean that he will be a servant of your regime any longer!"
Sharla attempts to scold Aurelia, but Donovan stands up and shakes his head.
"I think that it's time for us to come to terms with the past."- He says- "My boy has always wanted to be a free man. To understand what the people around him truly feel. And I... I've been too ignorant. But no longer."
He looks at Geralt and sighs.
"As the sovereign of one of the world's most renowned kingdoms, I've always wanted my son to succeed me. I dreamed of seeing him on the throne. But I knew that every dream came with a risk. No sovereign has ever been timid and loyal when he was young, and Dante has been even better than that."- He says- "All the time when I kept him in the kingdom, he pleaded me to let me go. He begged me to be merciful and allow him to leave for the outside world. He even promised that he would return to see us. But I was heartless. I allowed his mind to degrade into inner madness. I was not aware of how desperate he felt. But now, our only son has found a way to escape from the bonds of reality. The bonds of royalty will weigh him down no longer. And, were it not for you, he would have been a prisoner of his own tortured thoughts for much longer, if not forever."
Then, he smiles.
"My boy will soon become a true hero. And an excellent one, on top of that."- He says- "Hearing of his glorious deeds brings me much more joy than seeing his face everyday. I'm very happy for him."
Sharla looks at him, surprised.
"But what if something happens to our little Danny, dear?"- She asks him- "Aren't you going to feel bad?"
Dante sighs.
"Of course, I still care about our son a lot. He's our priceless treasure, our light in a dark world."- He says- "But that is the least of my concerns. My son is a free man now. No matter what happens next, he'll always prevail. I'm certain of it."
Sharla sits on her throne and looks down.
"I... hope that you're right."
Donovan nods.
"Me too, my dear."
He looks at Geralt one more time.
"As much as I would love to keep you around here, I think that it's time for you to go."- He says- "There are many people who still need your help. I don't want to keep you away from them."
He sighs.
"The same portal room that you used to go to the lands of the Empire contains a portal that will take you back to your family, in Silverdale."- He says- "Feel free to use it."
Geralt looks at Donovan.
"Before we go, sir, I have something to show you."- He says- "An important scroll that you should see."
Donovan raises his eyebrow.
"A scroll, hmm?"- He says- "Alright. Let me see it. Maybe we can make sense of the writing within."
As Geralt presents the scroll, Donovan reverently takes it in his hands. He takes a good look at it and nods.
"It's no secret. This fine piece of parchment is written in ancient Latin."- He says- "Only a master of the ancient arts can decipher it. Fortunately, I've had quite a few lessons in Latin when I was younger."
Geralt smiles.
"So, you're just like me!"
Donovan nods.
"Indeed."
After Donovan reads the scroll for a while, he looks down and shakes his head.
"Oh my. This is truly an international crisis."- He says- "If Redmark's planning to conquer Silverdale, then this means that he's on his way to conquer the rest of the Known Lands. If we want to put his wicked plans to a halt, this is our only chance."
He looks at Geralt and hands him the scroll.
"Once you get inside the portal, I will start sending soldiers into the region. We will concentrate our forces around our enemies, but it will take some time to drive them back."- He says- "In the meantime, why don't you try to get some rest? I know that it's been a long journey for all of you, so you might need it."
Aurelia grins.
"Don't mind if we do!"
Geralt sighs and shakes his head.
"I am sorry, but I must refuse."- He says- "A true hero does not rest. He continues to fight, even if fatigue is wearing his body down. I must stay alert, because our enemies can attack us anytime."
Aurelia looks at him and frowns.
"Aww."- She says- "You're no fun!"
Geralt sighs.
"Yes, Aurelia."- He replies- "I already know that."
Donovan smiles sadly.
"So it be, Hero of Goznor."- He says- "No matter what you do next, I'm sure that you'll do great."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Hero of Goznor?"
Donovan continues to smile.
"Even though it's not quite official yet, you're the hero of our humble kingdom."- He says- "And soon, we shall grant you the highest of honors. The ones that are truly worthy of a hero with your status."
Geralt smiles.
"There is no need for that, sir."- He says- "I am just happy that everyone is alright."
Sharla looks away.
"Everyone... except for our son."- She mutters.
Donovan nods.
"Well, we'll still grant them to you. Out of respect for you and your family, that is."- He says- "But until then, I think it's time for you to go home. Protect it as best as you can. I give you my word that reinforcements will arrive soon."
Geralt sighs.
"We hope so, Your Majesty."
Aurelia smiles.
"We'll do our best to keep my hometown safe and sound!"- She exclaims- "Oh, and the rest of the region, of course!"
Donovan nods.
"Good to know!"
Geralt and Aurelia bid one last farewell to the royal family. Then, they take their leave approach the portal room for the second time, but not before they take Linus' body with them.
Once there, Geralt experiences a brief episode of deja vu. It is almost as if the previous adventure has left a bad feeling inside of his mind. Whatever happens next, it will not be different from what he saw back in Blackstone Keep. That is for sure.
"Are you ready to go, d-- umm, I mean my friend?"- Aurelia says and smiles- "We've got a long road ahead of us!"
Geralt nods.
"And we will conquer it. Together."- He says- "Come on, Aurelia. The people of Silverdale need our help."
Having said that, Geralt steps into the portal. Aurelia joins him soon after.
The two of them soon find themselves in Silverdale's town square. They immediately notice that there is something wrong with the town- empty streets, blinking city lights, dead monsters on the ground around them.
It is almost as if they are in a horror movie. Except, you know, without all of the scary stuff.
Fortunately, they are not completely alone in this place. The same horseman who encountered them on the road approaches them, clearly relieved that both of them are alright.
"Thank the Gods! You made it back!"- He exclaims- "We thought that we lost you for good!"
Geralt nods.
"Well, we returned to Silverdale. That is right."- He says- "But I have a question- Is everyone alright?!"
The soldier nods.
"In your absence, a large group of monsters attacked the capital. We were able to drive them back, but not without losing some of our own units."- He says- "Lady Isabella was staying at the hospital, but Sir Kaiden deemed it too dangerous to allow her to stay there. So, the family packed their things and moved her to the Kaos residence, just to the west of you."
Aurelia sighs.
"Well, at least Kaiden was wise enough to keep my sister safe from harm."- She says- "Is anyone else in there, brave warrior."
The soldier shakes his head.
"Few people decided to join them, Lady Aurelia."- He says to her- "Only Mr. Kaos, Mrs. Kaos and the caretaker were brave enough."
Aurelia raises her eyebrow.
"What about our dad?"- She asks- "Doesn't he want to see his newborn grandchildren?"
The soldier sighs.
"Umm, I'm afraid that your father's a little bit busy hiding in the Moonglow mansion."- He says- "After the monster attack began, he correctly assumed that it would be wise to hide in the mansion and direct the region's efforts from there. And he's guarded by a lot of warriors. It won't be easy to convince him."
Aurelia nods.
"Then I won't."- She replies- "Let the old wolf stay in his safe haven for as long as he wants. We'll be there for Isa instead of him."
Geralt looks at her.
"What if Redmark's attack starts soon?"- He asks her- "We may not be able to protect our people!"
Aurelia looks back at him.
"We'll worry about Redmark's raid when it actually happens!"- She exclaims- "Now c'mon! We've got to help Isa with her predicament!"
Geralt and the soldier stare at each other.
"She's a fiery lass."- The soldier says- "Are you sure that you're getting along with her?"
Geralt sighs.
"Aurelia is like a wild beast. Beautiful, yet untamed."- He says- "This is what makes her feel so... special to me. Why we get along so well."
The soldier smiles.
"You're a lucky one, lad."- He says to him- "Don't let her go. She's a great one."
Geralt nods.
"I will never let her go."
The three of them run toward the Kaos residence. Once they arrive there, the soldier stands near the entrance and draws his weapon.
"I'll make sure that nobody else gets in here."- He says to them- "Now go in there and help Lady Isabella."
Geralt nods.
"Good luck, noble warrior."
The soldier smiles.
"Good luck to you too, young hero."
The duo steps into the residence and takes a look at it. The room around them is completely dark, except for a faint light coming from the top.
"That must be the stairway to the second floor."- Geralt says- "Me and my brother used to live on the third one, though. That is where Kai must have taken Isabella."
Aurelia nods.
"We've got to get to Isa before it's too late!"
Geralt sighs.
"We will."- He says- "Calm down, please."
Aurelia looks down.
"I'm... trying to!"
Geralt nods.
"That is good."
Two floors ahead, they finally discover the room where Kaiden used to stay. Once they open it, they realize that their entire family is there.
"Welcome back, Geralt!"- Jared exclaims- "It's good to see you!"
Amber runs up to her son and hugs him, overjoyed that he made it back.
"You got me really worried, you little rascal!"- She exclaims- "Where have you been?!"
Geralt says.
"Being a hero, mom."
Amber sighs.
"Oh, you and your wild dreams."- She says- "You'll never change, will you?"
Then, she smiles.
"Well, it doesn't matter. I still love you a lot."- She says- "Want some strawberry pie? I baked it recently."\
Geralt shakes his head.
"Thank you, but I am full."
Amber smiles.
"Full of excitement, I assume?"- She says- "I mean, you're going to become an uncle soon! Isn't that wonderful."
Geralt nods.
"Of course it is."- He says- "I would love to see my nephews."
Amber continues to smile.
"And you don't have to wait, my dear!"- She exclaims- "Lady Isa's going into labor! The little ones are going to join us soon!"
Aurelia grins.
"Ooh, I can't wait!"- She says- "C'mon Geralt, let's see how my sister is doing!"
Geralt nods.
"Go ahead and talk to her."- He says- "I need to see my brother for a while."
Aurelia sighs.
"As you wish."
As Aurelia goes to see her sister, Geralt joins his brother.
"It's been a long one, huh?'- Kaiden says and smiles- "But I feel like the worst of our troubles have yet to come."
He offers his brother a tankard of beer.
"Drink for our common future?"
Geralt sighs.
"You know how low my alcohol tolerance is."- He says- "I cannot drink that."
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"Oh, come on!"- He says- "Just this once?"
Geralt looks at Aurelia. She smiles and nods.
"Alright."- He says and smiles sadly- "Just... this once."
He gently grabs the tankard and tries to drink some of the beer within. However, as soon as his lips touch the liquid, he gets a very bad taste in his mouth and starts to cough. So much for the celebrations, that's for sure.
Seeing that his brother is not doing very well, Kaiden shrugs and takes the tankard back.
"Oh well. Alcohol's not for everyone, I guess."- He says and smiles again- "But I've got an alternative option, in case you don't tolerate that one."
He presents a much better drink to his brother.
"Here's some strawberry juice!"- He exclaims- "I'm sure that you'll love this one!"
Geralt smiles.
"Thank you very much!"- He says- "I love it!"
Kaiden watches as his brother starts to drink the juice and sighs.
"But the beer still remains."- He says- "I wonder who might want to have it... "
Suddenly, Aurelia approaches them and smiles.
"I'll take it!"
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"Are you sure, Aurelia?"- He asks- "I mean, you're far too young for this kind of poison. Aren't you going to hurt yourself."
Aurelia shakes her head.
"Hard times call for hard measures!"- She says and grabs the tankard- "Give me that!"
As Aurelia starts to drink the beer, Kaiden looks back at his brother.
"She's quite weird."
Geralt sighs
"Believe me, this is a compliment for her."- He says- "On our adventures, she has been seen in worse ways than that."
Kaiden nods.
"Understandable."- He says- "She's my future sister-in-law, so I will refrain from judging her further."
Aurelia approaches her sister and sits next to her.
"So, sister!"- She exclaims- "Is everything going well with ya?"
Isabella sighs.
"You're a little drunk, Auri."
Aurelia grins.
"Convenient, I know!"
Isabella nods at looks at Geralt.
"May I have your ear for a second, Geralt?"
Geralt nods and stands up.
"Of course, Isabella."
Up until the moment when he came along, Isabella has been a little worried. As he sits next to Aurelia, she calms down. A little bit.
"You know, I've always felt horrible about treating you so badly. You were always so busy and I was always so worried. And I... I took all of the blame on you. For Edward's death. For Aurelia's inability to stay home. For our father's current condition. I selected you to be my scapegoat and I never thought too much about it."- She says to him- "Can you ever forgive me for what I did to you. I would never expect it from the man who's always bound to his duties, but I dare to dream... "
Geralt smiles.
"Do not worry about this, Isa! It is not your fault!"- He exclaims- "You acted like that because you were scared. Scared of the dark world around us. Afraid of what people have become. It was easy to tell. Besides, there is no need to dwell in the past. We have a bright future ahead of us!"
Isabella smiles back.
"Maybe you're right."- She says and looks down at her belly- "I should make peace with my demons and move on to the next page of my life. It's for the best."
She motions at it, continuing to smile as she does.
"You're going to be their uncle and aunt, so you deserve to feel them as much as Kai."- She says- "C'mon! Touch my belly!"
Geralt sighs.
"This is a slightly weird request."- He says- "But alright. We will."
Geralt and Aurelia touch Isabella's abdomen. Immediately, they feel someone kicking it. They discover that there is more than just a single soul inside of it.
"You're going to have twins?!"- Aurelia exclaims- "But... you didn't tell me a thing!"
Isabella sighs.
"I was going to do that."- She says- "But you've always been so busy. So infatuated with... you know who. I had to hide the truth until the right time came along."
Aurelia smiles.
"Well, I completely understand that!"- She says- "Carrying such a heavy burden must be quite hard for you. But there's no need to worry. We'll be here for you!"
Then, she leans forward, hugs her sister and looks back at her companion.
"Right, Geralt?"
Geralt nods and smiles.
"Of course we are."- He responds- "Do not let fear overtake you, Isa. The struggle is almost over. With us by your side, you are certainly going to succeed."
Isabella smiles.
"Well, that does make me feel better."- She says- "Thank you, dear sister. Thank you too, Geralt. Your presence is truly a sight for my poor, sore eyes."
As the three of them continue to speak, Kaiden approaches his brother and sighs.
"Umm, Geralt. Now I need to have your ear for a second. Or rather, your eye."- He says- "Can you come with me?"
Geralt nods and stands up.
"Obviously, Kai."- He says- "What is it?"
Kaiden sighs again.
"You... won't believe it until you see it."- He says- "To the window. Now."
As the two of them approach the nearby window, the Moonglow sisters stare at each other.
"Oh dear."- Isabella says- "Could it be... something bad?"
Aurelia sighs.
"Evil or not, I'm sure that the boys have got us covered."- She says- "Just sit back and relax, Isa. You shouldn't get too stressed about it."
Isabella lies down on the bed.
"I'll... try to."- She says- "No promises, though."
Meanwhile, Geralt and Kaiden stare at the window. They take a good look at the area just outside the walls of Silverdale.
"I think that I saw something suspicious in the wild lands ahead. It looked like a torch."- He says- "However, I assume that it might have been just a group of fireflies. That happened way too often when we were children."
Geralt sighs.
"But we are not children anymore. Plus, Redmark's threat is too omnipresent."- He says- "If you saw something bad out there, it is bound to be something truly bad."
As the two heroes continue to stare, a few men emerge from the forest. And then, a few more. After that, a lot more. 
From the looks of it, this looks like the raid that Geralt read about in the scroll. Fearful of what might happen next, he inspects the scroll again. He finally notices the date when the raid will happen- today.
"So the warriors of Redmark finally came out of their shells!"- Kaiden exclaims and draws his weapon- "I'll go there and show them how a true Kaos fights!"
Geralt looks at them.
"Are you out of your mind?!"- He says- "There are at least a hundred of them! You are just a single warrior! I'm sure that the soldiers already have everything under total contr-- "
Suddenly, a large explosion can be heard. When they take a peek, they see that one of the walls was broken. Redmark's warriors are pouring inside and the soldiers are barely able to stop them.
"There's no time for doubts, Geralt!"- Kaiden yells- "I'll go there and aid the effort to eradicate the fiends! You stay here and make sure that Isa safely gives birth!"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"But... don't you want to see your children when they are born?"
Kaiden sighs.
"As much as I would like to say yes, that won't be possible."- He says- "The rest of the world needs me. I can't let them down."
Then, he places his hand on his brother's shoulder.
"Stay safe, Geralt."- He says- "I love you."
Without another word, he descends to the first floor of the residence and runs outside, blade drawn and heart on fire.
"Kai!"- Geralt yells- "No! Come back!"
Before he can yell at him again, he hears Isabella scream. When he turns around, he notices that she is in excruciating pain.
"The inevitable! It's begun!"- Aurelia exclaims- "Geralt! Get the caretaker!"
Geralt nods.
"I am on it!"
He quickly runs to the next room and alerts the caretaker. Soon, he comes back with him.
The man approaches Isabella and sits next to her.
"Stand back, children!"- He says to Geralt and Aurelia- "I'll get the job done."
The two of them nod.
"Yes, sir."- Geralt says- "We will."
As Isabella continues to scream, Geralt starts to hear footsteps coming from nearby. Quiet footsteps, almost unhearable by the inexperienced ear. He carefully draws his weapon and looks around, ready for everything to become even worse.
"Geralt?"- Aurelia says- "What are you-- "
Suddenly, the door to the room slams open. A hooded man runs forward and attacks.
"Agh! It's one of Redmark's assassins!"- Aurelia yells- "Kill him, Geralt! Kill him!"
Geralt lunges at him, but the madman avoids his attack and slams his head against the nearby wall, temporarily stunning him. Then, he runs toward Isabella, intending to finish her off while she is down.
Isabella almost has a heart attack when the man's dagger gets close to her abdomen. However, Aurelia runs forward and swiftly kicks it away from her sister, saving her life and disarming the assassin.
Angered, the man pulls out a second dagger and attacks her. Fortunately, Jared comes to her aid and pulls him away from her. Once he throws him on the ground, he slices the assassin's mask in two, revealing the face of a young, blonde man.
Suddenly, Aurelia has a brief vision of the past. She remembers the man who nearly killed her entire family- Jacob Quade. Fearing that the same killer might have come back as a different person terrifies her, and she falls on her knees, helpless and confused.
"Aurelia?"- Jared says- "What's going on with you?"
This moment of surprise gives the assassin enough time to strike back. He trips Jared, stands up and kicks him in the head. Then, he approaches Aurelia, his second dagger still in his hand, and prepares to finish her off.
"Please... just end this already!"- She mutters- "I don't want to see your face anymore!"
It is more than clear enough that the assassin will take Aurelia down. However, just as his dagger gets close to her skull, Geralt leaps to his feet and drives his sword through the man's mouth, mortally wounding him.
As the assassin looks back to see his killer, Geralt glares at him and shakes his head.
"You made a big mistake, slave of Redmark!"- He yells- "Get out of our house!"
Then, without a moment of hesitation, he grabs the assasin by the neck, runs forward and throws him out of an open window. Soon, a loud crunching sound can be heard, confirming that he is gone for good.
Having defeated the assassin who attempted to take their lives away, Geralt approaches the terrified Aurelia and hugs her.
"It is alright, Aurelia. I am here."- He says- "I will not allow them to hurt us. I promise."
As Aurelia lays in Geralt, she looks up at him, her eyes filled with tears.
"I saw him, Geralt!"- She exclaims- "It was him!"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Hold on, Aurelia!"- He exclaims- "What do you mean!"
Aurelia shakes her head.
"Don't you understand? It was Jacob!"- She says- "He was the one who attacked us!"
Geralt sighs.
"You are seeing things, my dear."- He says to her- "Jacob is long gone! There is no way for him to come back and haunt us!"
Then, he raises his eyebrow.
"Or is there?"
Aurelia shakes her head.
"I... don't know what's real anymore!"- She yells- "Let's just get this over with!"
When the two of them look back at Isabella, they realize that she is more terrified than they are. Her eyes are filled with fear and her breathing has become more raspy. She was clearly affected by this unexpected attack.
"Auri. Geralt. I... don't think that I'll make it."- She says to them- "If I become a victim of my own emotions, can you please take care of the children? Treat them as if they were your own! Show them as much love as you would for yours! I need to give them a safer future... even if I'm not the one to provide it!"
Aurelia shakes her head.
"Nonsense, Isa! You'll be fine!"- She exclaims- "Just breathe carefully. Don't overexert yourself. Rest if you have to, push if you don't. Soon, this nightmare will be over. And we'll be a happy family again!"
Isabella looks down.
"I... don't think it's that simple!"
Geralt sighs.
"Just listen to the pleasant melodies of your heart. Do not allow it to get corrupted by fear and grief."- He says- "We are the masters of our own emotions. How severe they are, it depends on us. So keep on fighting and you will soon find the light at the end of the tunnel!"
Isabella blinks a few times.
"The end... "- She mutters- "... of the tunnel... "
Aurelia shakes her head.
"No, Isa! Not that end of the tunnel!"- She says and holds her hand- "C'mon, sis! Stay with us! Please!"
Suddenly, Isa starts to scream again. She continues to push her children out, but it is clear that she will have a lot of trouble.
"This is it! The final lap!"- The caretaker says- "Alright, children, I might need your help here. Make sure that Lady Isabella remains calm and collected! We won't be able to pull the children out otherwise!"
Geralt nods.
"We've got this!"
As Geralt and Aurelia stand next to the future mother, the caretaker continues to look for the children that are about to come out. Soon, he sees the head of the first one.
"There we go!"- He exclaims- "We are almost there!"
The caretaker leans forward and carefully pulls out the baby. He wraps it in a thick blanket and places it on a nearby chair.
"Yes! That's the first one! Now, we only have to wait for his brother!"- He says and looks up- "Are you doing okay, children? We're almost done!"
Geralt nods.
"Everything is alright here, sir!"
Aurelia looks down at her sister.
"Umm, I think that something's wrong with her!"- She exclaims- "Has she lost too much blood?!"
The caretaker sighs.
"It does not matter."- He says, regretfully- "Now, we must pull out the children! It may be too late if we keep delaying!"
Aurelia looks at the caretaker.
"My sister is in danger!"- She yells- "Don't you value the life of the mother, as well?!"
The caretaker shakes his head.
"Forgive me, Lady Aurelia. But this is something that must be done."- He says- "Now stop wasting time and get moving!"
Meanwhile, the head of the second baby shows itself. The caretaker does the same thing that he did with the first one. Soon, both children are safe and sound, out of their mother's womb.
"And... it is done. The mission was a success."- He says- "Both of the babies seem to be alive and well and... "
He takes a look at the second one and notices that something is wrong with it.
"Umm... you might want to take a look at that."
Geralt approaches the baby and takes it in his hands.
"Oh no!"- He exclaims- "It is not breathing!"
Aurelia looks up, alarmed.
"What?!"- She exclaims- "No! Try again! It must be some sort of a mistake!"
The caretaker nods.
"Give him some attention."- He says- "Perhaps he is feeling a little... neglected."
Geralt nods.
"Very well."
Then, he looks down at the baby in his hands and gently cuddles it.
"Come on, little man. It is time for you to rise and shine."- He says- "You're in our world now. Wake up and make us proud."
As if the baby understood what his uncle said, it opens its mouth and starts to cry, prompting the other baby to do the same thing.
Geralt smiles and picks both of them up, holding them in his hands for a while.
"They are so beautiful."- He says as tears start to fall from his eyes- "The miracle of Life, it is truly astounding."
Aurelia smiles as she picks up one of them.
"I'm a very happy auntie! And I'm sure that Isa's the happiest mother in the world!"- She says- "Right, Isa?"
She looks down at her sister and notices that her eyes are closed. She gently pokes her with her finger, but quickly realizes that she is not breathing.
"Isa?"