MLTO C5, P3

This is the third Part of "MLIV:TO" 's fifth Chapter.
It was released on 05.03.2023.
== Plot ==
On their way to the lands of Avernum, Geralt and his allies are forced to take a tram to one of the most secure portals. They encounter a few strange people, hear about a few strange occurences and become aware that not all is well inside of the Known Lands (Barring Redmark and his people, of course).
Soon, the seemingly harmless set of troubles turns into total chaos as the man behind the confusion reveals himself, releasing all kinds of gelatinous trouble for the unfortunate passengers. On the same tram that Geralt and his allies are using.
Will our heroes be able to prevent yet another disaster? Or will they succumb to the sharp jaws of their soft opponents?"
== Story ==
As the four heroes look around, they become much more alert. They know that even the slightest of sounds could mean trouble for them and they are ready to find its source as soon as possible. However, despite their best efforts, they fail to discover anything out of the ordinary. The muffled sounds of the people around them are the only thing that they can hear. 
Or maybe the same sounds that they hear are the ones that are hiding something sinister...
Either way, nothing seems to be quite strange. Just a bunch of people, traveling on one of the world's safest trams. Nothing bad could happen all the way out here. Nothing. 
A few moments later, the driver gets out of this cabin and approaches the passengers. He seems to be worried about something, but he is doing a surprisingly good job at hiding it. To the rest of the people, he seems to be calm and collected. But to our heroes, he is just as scared as they are.
"Dear passengers, there is nothing to worry about. The unidentified pile of mysterious substance turned out to be just a gigantic pile of slime. Our workers are currently working on swooping it away from the tracks."- He says and gives them a reassuring smile- "There is nothing to be afraid of, everyone. Nothing at all. Once the road is clear, we can move on again."
One of the people rises up.
"But sir! Aren't you hearing the strange slurping sounds?"- He asks- "They're everywhere!"
The driver shakes his head.
"I said that everything will be fine!"- He exclaims- "There's nothing that can harm us out here! We will be sa-- "
Suddenly, a gigantic slime breaks one of the nearby windows and grabs the man's leg. He tries to get away, but the force of the slime is too strong for him. Soon, he is pulled back by the massive creature and devoured within mere seconds.
Panic ensues in the tram. Now that the driver is gone for good, the passengers are unsure what to do next.
"We're doomed!"- One of them yells- "We're doomed!"
"The prophecy was right!"- Another one exclaims- "I shouldn't have eaten those beans!"
Geralt gasps.
"I knew it!"- He exclaims- "Something did go wrong!"
Aurelia draws her weapon and smiles.
"Yay!"- She says- "Finally, a foe to fight!"
Smaller slimes slither into the tram, trying to devour the rest of the passengers. As they enter, Aurelia starts to whack them with great enthusiasm, finally able to redeem herself again.
"You seem to be much more eager to help than I expected."- Kaiden says- "I have to admit, Aurelia. When me and Geralt met you for the first time, I underestimated you. For such a small woman, you've got a really big heart!"
Aurelia giggles.
"Oh, you flatter me!"- She exclaims- "But my sights are set on someone else! You can't woo me!"
Kaiden smiles.
"I would never dare to."- He says- "I know that he deserves you much more than I do. I would never interfere."
Aurelia smiles.
"I'm glad."
As more slimes keep pouring into the tram, some of the passengers start to panic and are swiftly devoured by those surprisingly vicious predators. To make matters even worse, our heroes hear the sound of ticking, coming from somewhere nearby.
"Geralt!"- Aurelia exclaims- "Did you forget to turn off your alarm again?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"My alarms do not sound like that!"
Then, he takes a look at the middle of the train and realizes that this is the core of the current problem. The place where the ticking is coming from.
"Oh... no. Oh no."- He says to himself- "This is bad. Very bad. If that device goes off, then... "
He turns around and looks at his allies.
"Evacuate all of the living passengers from the train as soon as possible!"- He exclaims- "I need to get something done!"
Aurelia raises her eyebrow.
"Geralt? Geralt?!"- She asks- "What's going on? You're worrying us!"
Geralt shakes his head.
"There is no time to explain."- He says- "Just get out of here. Now."
Dante nods and points his spear at the approaching slimes.
"If they won't listen to you, I will."- He says- "Come on, everyone! Let's blow a way through that mass of nothingness!"
As Geralt's allies attempt to help the terrified passengers, Geralt leaps forward and approaches the explosive that is planted in the middle of the tram. He kneels and inspects it, keeping a calm face during the entire ordeal.
"Hmm. Yes."- He says to himself- "This seems to be the work of the people from the west. Probably some villainous organization that wants to make everyone feel miserable. The question is: How miserable they can become."
He looks back at the end of the tram and realizes that his allies have blown a way through the slimes. They are escorting the passengers outside and making sure that the giant creature does not harm them.
"Well done, everyone."- He mutters- "I am so proud of you."
Then, he looks down and starts to disarm the explosive.
"I am no expert at this, but I think that my magic should work."- He says to himself- "It has helped so many times. Why would it not help us again?"
As he continues to disarm the device, the spirit of his mother appears and stands next to him.
"Are you being reckless again, my dear?"
Geralt sighs.
"It is for the good of everyone, mom."- He says- "I must not make a mistake."
Aalia nods.
"I understand."- She says- "With every single mission that you complete, you start to become more and more like your father. That angel of a man always had courage flowing inside of his veins. He was the embodiment of light and his actions were always done in the name of our little world. It's a shame that I'm here instead of him. He would have been in awe with what you've become."
Geralt briefly stares at her, then returns to disarming the explosive.
"What are you saying, mom? Of course you were meant to be here!"- He exclaims- "It is very unfortunate that dad is not here with us right now, but I know that he still believes in us. And someday, we'll be able to reunite with him. Just keep on helping people, and you shall soon see the light."
Aalia smiles.
"Yes!"- She exclaims- "You're just like him!"
Then, she looks up at stares at something nearby.
"Uh oh."- She says- "I think that someone's trying to-- "
And then, she vanishes. Temporarily.
"Mom?"- Geralt says- "What is going on, mom! Please, answer me!"
When he looks up, he sees the face of a familiar individual. He starts to greet him, but he soon realizes that he is not here to help.
"Wait. You are the same person that we met earlier. Jones, if my memory serves me right."- Geralt says- "What are you doing here? What are your intentions?"
Jones smiles.
"Why, to get rid of you, of course!"- He exclaims- "Boy, this is no ordinary attack. Everything was planned from A to Z and I am the mastermind behind it!"
Geralt gasps.
"But... you looked like a very good person when we first met! Maybe a little mysterious, but that is just the way some people are!"- He exclaims- "Why did you become like this? And what do you want from me?"
Jones shakes his head.
"All this time, you've been a prick in the side of my holy leader. He saw you as a soul that's unworthy of respect and was one of the few who realized that your visit in Blackcrag Fortress would only bring us harm."- He says- "So, I was sent to track you down and, hopefully, eliminate you before you get the job done. It would be best for all of us if you never made it there in the first place."
Geralt sighs.
"And how are you going to do that?"
Jones smiles.
"Well, it's simple."- He says- "First, I'll get you distracted. And then, I'm going to do this!"
Suddenly, Jones rips out a large pipe and smashes it into Geralt's head. The boy is disoriented by the attack and is unable to defuse the device for the time being.
Jones smiles and shakes his head.
"Oh, the heroes of the Known Lands. Always so righteous and powerful. Always so worried about others."- He says- "But they never realize that the most horrible demons... are hiding in plain sight!"
Geralt wipes some blood from his mouth and draws his sword.
"I do not want to fight you, but you give me no choice."- He says- "Trying to get me out of the picture is one thing, but trying to kill innocent people who have done nothing to you and your master is where I draw the line!"
Jones smiles.
"Bring it, you lawless fool."
As Geralt attempts to stab Jones with his sword, the man swiftly blocks his attacks with the large pipe and manages to hit back. Eventually, he traps him in a corner, grabs his sword and plants it into the wall to right of him.
"And now, let's finish what we started."- He says and smiles- "Long have you been a sign of trouble for everyone, young Kaos. Your persistence has caused many to believe that they can take you out. But they won't do it! Do you want to know why! It's because I'll be the one to do it instead of them!"
Just as Geralt prepares to make his move, Jones lunges forward and places magical shackles on his wrists. He gleefully watches as the young hero attempts to dispel the magic that locks him in place.
"And yet, you're just like everyone else. You fight for the good of this world, but you never realize that the world itself is your true enemy."- He says- "Sorry, Geralt. When we talked on the tram, I started to like you. A little bit. But a job is a job and I'll only receive disappointment if I return to our HQ empty-handed. So, farewell, young Kaos. Maybe you'll realize how foolish it is to oppose the true law in this world during your next life!"
As Jones gloats and laughs about his easy victory, he fails to notice that Kaiden is sneaking on him. Just as he finally gets a bad feeling, the young man lunges forward, taking him by surprise and stabbing him in the right side of the neck.
Pushing the villain away, Kaiden runs to his brother and swings his sword at his shackles, breaking them in just to hits.
"Are you alright, little bro?!"- He yells- "Thank goodness I decided to look back! This looks bad!"
Geralt smiles.
"I will be alright."- He says- "I promise."
Kaiden rolls his eyes.
"You always say that."- He says- "But it's never alright for us. Never."
Then, he turns around and glares at the wounded Jones.
"What's your problem?!"- He yells at him- "Why did you treat my brother like this?!"
Jones smiles.
"The bonds between loved ones never stay forever, young one."- He says- "Your future is pre-determined. You can't... change it."
Kaiden tries to ponder what Jones just said to him. However, he does not have much time to do so, as Jones attacks him almost immediately, forcing him to defend himself.
Just as Jones is about to stab him, he hears something rumbling above him. He wisely takes his brother's hand and leaps away as the ceiling above collapses on top of Jones, severely wounding and immobilizing him in the process.
"You... fools. It's not over."- Jones says- "Baron Bridges will make you pay. The law will be restored once he... teaches you a lesson."
Geralt and Kaiden approach him.
"Who is this 'Baron Bridges' that you're talking about?"- Kaiden asks- "Answer me, fake hero!"
Jones refuses to budge. He simply lowers his head.
"You will see."
Kaiden sighs and looks back at Geralt.
"This is one is hopeless."- He says- "Should I?"
Geralt considers showing him mercy instead of doing the inevitable. However, he soo remembers how he was betrayed by him, especially since he thought that he could trust him.
With a little bit of hesitation, he looks away, allowing his brother to do the job.
"Feel free to make him pay."
Kaiden smiles.
"Thank you, little bro."
Then, he approaches the severely wounded Jones. Without a warning, he presses his foot against his skull and stomps it with all of his might. It takes a few tries for him to take this vile man's life away, but he soon succeeds, leaving behind a villain with a severely disfigured face.
"I'm sorry, Geralt."- He says- "It had to be done."
Geralt sighs and shakes his head.
"I will not shed any tears for such a mindless drone."- He says- "Thank you, Kai. Truth be told, I could not have done better myself."
And then, the two siblings hear something ticking behind them, loud and fast. They realize that Jones distracted them for long enough to forget about the explosive. And now, they are forced to race against time, in the hopes of stopping this seemingly imminent threat.
"Make sure that the slimes do not get any closer."- Geralt says- "I shall do the rest."
Kaiden nods.
"I trust your judgement, Geralt."- He says- "Be careful. The world still needs you."
As Kaiden pushes the invaders back, Geralt continues to disarm the device. Fortunately, most of the work has already been done, so he is able to focus on the three cables that connect the timer to the main source. It takes a while to discover the routes without blowing himself up, but he soon manages to deactivate the explosive, one second before it explodes and takes him down with itself.
The timer goes off and the ticking stops. Geralt leans back and lets out a sigh of relief.
"Being a hero is hard, isn't it?"- He hears his mother's voice- "Your father was just like you when he was younger. Poor man didn't know what to do. And yet, he still did it well. Maybe it was because of the allies he had gathered along the way, maybe because of his unstoppable bravado. Nobody was quite sure of that."
Geralt smiles.
"Hard as it may be, it actually helped me become more determined. My heart is still on fire and I am still ready for more."- He says- "Perhaps true adventure is not that far away, after all."
Aalia smiles.
"Who knows?"- She says- "Maybe the next one is just around the corner ahead!"
She looks at the nearby exit.
"But your friends are still out there. They still need your help."- She adds- "So, what are you waiting for. Keep on shining, my greatest creation."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Do you really believe that I am the best?"
Aalia smiles.
"You may not look like it, but you're the best thing this world has ever seen."- She says- "Now, go out there and make your old mama proud of you!"
Geralt nods.
"Of course, mom."- He says- "Just keep watching. I will make this world a safer place for us."
Aalia continues to smile.
"I know that you will, my dearest."
As Geralt walks outside, Aurelia quickly runs forward to embrace him, thrilled to see that he is still alive. Meanwhile, Kaiden and Dante destroy the last bits of the giant slime monstrosity and approach them.
"You know, this whole situation starts to seem like a certain event that started it all."- Kaiden says- "The vehicle of destiny. The shock of the surprised townsfolk. The vile, heartless creatures that slaughter without any remorse. It all just feels like a case of... umm... "
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Deja Vu?"
Kaiden nods.
"Exactly!"- He exclaims- "It's like playing dice and always knowing what number you're going to roll! Isn't it strange?"
Aurelia looks at him.
"Or maybe a game of Twister?"- She adds- "You never know where the wind will blow you away!"
Geralt sighs.
"This is not some kind of a coincidence or repeat of past events."- He says- "Someone is trying to mess with us. To prevent us from discovering the secrets behind Redmark's horrible deeds. Whoever they are, they must be either directly allied with his forces or are really, really comfortable under his wing and are determined to keep his tyrannical rule the way it already is."
He looks at his allies.
"At the very least, we made it to the portal. We will be able to unravel this mystery ourselves."- He says- "So. Are you ready for another adventure?"
Kaiden smiles.
"I am always ready to help a person in need."- He says- "Especially if it's my dear little bro."
Aurelia grins.
"Count me in!"- She exclaims- "I'm always eager to stand beside my one true lo-- umm, I mean my good friend!"
Dante nods.
"And I am glad that I will be away from the kingdom for a while longer."- He says- "Spending time with you's been very exciting so far. I wonder what has yet to happen."
Aurelia smiles.
"Maybe we're going to fight some kind of a giant dragon or something?"
Dante sighs.
"In that case, I would love to be a part of this adventure."
Geralt nods.
"Then the matter is settled."- He says- "Let us enter that portal. Have no fear, as it will lead us toward the next step of our common destiny."
The four of them make their way through the confused guards and toward the portal, eager for adventure and mystery.
"Here we go, everyone."- Geralt says- "Brace yourselves. This is going to be over in a moment."