Chapter 157: Thanedd Coup (Part 2)
Several hours earlier.
The room was dark. So dark that normal person won't be able to see a thing. Yet, it lit up in cold colors from a blue magic firefly after a cast of a silent spell, revealing two people.
"Geralt?" - asked Alan.
"Sleeping." - said Yennefer. - "And I wanted too."
"Then go and sleep. Less trouble for me. We can wait it out in Aretuza." - Alan shrugged.
"We both know it won't work that way if Vilgerfortz is the way you described him to be. He will come for you even in Aretuza. Still, it might be a good back-up plan."
"And endanger innocent lives here? Many sorceresses in training will die."
"Many of them who failed the exam, will be converted into eels to fuel the island with magic. As far as I see it, death is a better option."
"You are surprisingly ruthless and willing to take the risk to get involved in all this mess."
"There is always a risk. Even when you are attending a noble gathering. Oh, please, just that face of yours is enough to tell what you are thinking right now. Yes, I realize there is a risk and yes, I'm not the only one to decide this."
"Tisaia De Vries. She ordered you." - stated Alan and sat on the bed in meditation pose.
Yennefer stayed silent. It was enough of a confirmation.
'So, this Thanedd thing is a total mess. How many sides do we have? First – northern kingdoms. Essentially four kings and a queen. Temeria, Redania, Kaedwen and Aedirn with Liria. And here, in Thanedd they are represented by Philippa Eilhart, Sabrina, Triss, Keira and Dijstra with his men. Well, the latter won't do much. It is hard to be of help with broken leg.'
'Second – Nilfgaard party, the one that followed orders of the Emperor. Mainly Scoia'taels and the knight that helped Ciri out of burning Cintra. The one that became her nightmare. He is here and will most likely die at her hands this time around. All of them will show up only if we cannot stop Tisaia and she removes the shield around Garshtang. Better to prevent it, but if a five century old mage does it, there is nothing anyone can do to stop her. Let alone Vilgerfortz will help her for sure. He needs chaos.'
'Third – Nilfgaard party that is fully loyal to Vilgerfortz. Scoia'taels again. Their task is simple – to catch me and, perhaps, Ciri. Let's hope what Yen saw while talking with him is true and he won't target Ciri. However, I would have a back-up plan in his place. So Ciri is not out of danger entirely. Let alone kings and Emhyr are still on her tracks because of her political standing and lineage.'
'Fourth will be mages side. The one that has nothing to do with politics and it is Tisaia with people loyal to her coupled with Aretuza academy. They are a force to reckon with.'
'And fifth is us... me, Yen, Geralt and Ciri. Well, Jaskier is here... but it is Jaskier, right? Let's hope he won't cause too much trouble. Trying to save his ass today will be out of my league. Ah, what I am about to do will piss off old man for sure.'
"What are you thinking about? Alan, I don't know what is happening with your mind and soul, but my spells won't work until you let me. We need to force you into magical trance." - Yen stood by his side with an impatient look. - "If we can't do that, only Ciri..."
"Try again. I let it go." - said Alan cutting her sentence short. Eternal Mind really can prevent many things from interfering with him.
Alan felt pressure at the border of his senses and lowered the defenses. The unique spell broke in. His consciousness fell down to the crevice of a magic trance and he saw images of everything in the world.
Information flooded in like a never-ending torrent. It was almost too much to understand and see even for him. He subconsciously chose what people asked or talked about, voicing it out loud.
Alan was unaware of his whereabouts but could sense many bright auras. Yen brought him in the main hall of Garshtang, where Philippa, Tisaia, Vilgerfortz, and others were currently confronting each other.
He sensed how scheming Philippa was. He saw rage in Tisaia, a cold smirk of Vilgerfortz and disregard of Francheska Findabair. From that moment Alan could tell that they will never back down. Negotiation time was over long ago. They are at their wits end.
And then Alan saw a dead king on his throne.
The second later, his vision was back at present.
He saw maniacal greed inside Vilgerfortz the moment their eyes met. His magical presence was tremendous and burned like the sun in his senses.
"No, stop! Tisaia!" - he heard a scream from the side and wasn't able to react in time due to confusion. That second was an opportunity they all lost.
"I won't permit kings to interfere into affairs of the mages!" - Tisaia De Vries raged and with a wave of a hand removed the spell that guarded peace of Thanedd for centuries. She was a true grandmaster of magic. No one, even Vilgerfortz, can do it like her.
But that weakened old sorceress considerably. Was that a part of Vilgerfortz plan too? Out of all people here, only she can stop him. In her top condition, not the one she is in now.
"Scoia'taels! They are flooding the palace from dungeons! They were here, under the island!"
Alan immediately jumped out of the encirclement and pulled Yennefer over.
"Don't sleep, we need to run!"
The first spell was fired by Vilgerfortz in the two's direction. Yen turned around and created a shield. Black lightning rammed into the blue dome of energy, both breaking apart. The collision created an explosion of mana. Palace shook, shock wave spread out. It pummeled Yen and Alan towards the end of the hall.
Alan shifted in space, took hold on Yen, and shifted again to the door.
Right at this time the door was opened by a body rolling over.
"Ciri? I should have known better. Of course, you will do everything yourself." - Alan sighed at the girl with long pale hair. The latter looked shocked, to say the least.
"Elves are there." - she said.
"Move. To the hall." - Yen screamed at them and used spells to create an opening in the side corridor. She gave a last glance at Tisaia, who stood firm to stop Vilgerfortz.
Just as they moved forward, Alan swirled in place, unsheathing the steel sword and not looking placed it in by the side. The blade was like a ghost. It appeared on the trajectory of an arrow and with a sonorous ring deflect it to the side.
"Move, don't stop, down the stairs!" - Yen moved her hand. The elf screamed and fell down in a mess of flesh and blood, but others poured inside like a never-ending tide.
"Teranova, you son of a b..." - screamed someone at the side. Alan saw Keira receiving a wind blast at her protective spell. She was flung out of the window down below.
The old mage looked sideways, and when he saw Alan his eyes flashed with recognition.
'He is one of the Vilgerfortz people.'
"You little boy looks like the cat wasn't enough." - he said aloud and followed. At the same time, a squad of scoia'taels came from down below. - "Yennefer, I don't need your little girl-toy, leave the boy and you can go."
Yen ignored his rattling, gesturing Alan and Ciri to climb out of the window. There was a narrow curb that they can trespass. Both were agile enough.
"Take my hand, I see the destination." - Alan took held Ciri with one hand and pressed another on the shoulder of retreating Yennefer, who hurled spell after spell down the corridor. The entire Garshtang was crumbling down under the destructive spells.
"Artaud, I wonder what Vilgefortz offered to you? Riches? Power?" - Yen shouted, and an old man stepped out from behind the column.
"Both, Yennefer, both. And life. You don't know how powerful he really is. You will never win. Vilgerfortz will find you and your boy." - answered old mage.
"Hold them down!" - shouted someone from the approaching forces, and Alan felt Ciri trembling in his arms. He saw a knight in black armor with a winged helmet getting closer to their position.
Alan swiftly observed the forces, seeing several distinguished faces of both elves and humans, but failed to identify them. He didn't wait any longer, teleporting away to the broad stairway.
"Alan, don't teleport anymore." - said Yen while breathing heavily. - "The space is too distorted, you will be fine alone, but dragging Ciri and me can be dangerous. We might all die."
He sensed it too. He is not strong enough to protect others from such spacial disturbance. Ciri will be hurt too, she is yet to understand how to control her powers and drive chaotic energies away from the body.
"Then we go on foot." - he swirled his sword and looked at the steps in front. Several scoia'taels were approaching them with blades in hand.
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