The environnt in the North was currently far better than the South. Since the Cat School and Bear School strongholds had been destroyed, life for witchers in the South was becoming increasingly difficult. So wealthy nobles in the Nilfgaardian Empire couldn't tolerate the sight of a witcher walking openly and were even willing to pay high bounties to rcenaries to eliminate them.
Since the overall climate in the South was worsening and it was harder to earn coin, why not try the North? Furthermore, Iwo was a traditional witcher—taking pay to solve problems. If he needed an employer anyway, why not sign a long-term contract with a generous one?
It was Gaëtan's persuasive argunt that finally convinced Iwo.
With only these few witchers left active in the South, the company departed the Nilfgaardian Empire, entered Toussaint, and arrived at Lynn's estate, Corvo Bianco Vineyard. Following Lynn's instructions, they announced themselves using the na of Baron Brandon. To ensure the estate's majordomo, Sebastian, would trust them, Lynn had provided them with a handwritten letter and his baronial seal while they were still at Kaer Morhen that spring.
As expected, once the handwriting and the seal were confird, Sebastian welcod them warmly. There, they also t the sole female witcher of the Manticore School, Raven, who had arrived at the instruction of Borin "Borchy". Raven joined the company after verifying the identities of the rest of the group.
The company remained at the vineyard. Eskel's communication had two purposes: first, to report on their successful recruitnt, and second, to request further instructions—should they return directly to Kaer Morhen, or did Lynn have more tasks for them?
Lynn imdiately instructed them to divide into two parties: the newly recruited witchers were to head to Novigrad, while the others could return to Kaer Morhen.
Lynn waited another two full months before finally eting the newly recruited witchers in Novigrad.
He took a little ti to introduce himself and, crucially, to demonstrate his own martial power. Although the witcher caste was created with high hopes, they were ultimately sword-for-hire footn, living and dying by the blade. To earn the loyalty of such n, one had to display strength greater than their own. This was true regardless of the School; even the solidarity of the Wolf School and the knightly ethos of the Griffin School were built upon the powerful abilities of Vesemir and Erland.
It was especially unfortunate that the five newly recruited witchers—of the Cat, Viper, Bear, and Manticore Schools—were all, to varying degrees, n who prioritized money. This ant that while Lynn could buy their loyalty with coin, others could do the sa. To prevent this, Lynn needed to demonstrate the necessary strength.
Three days later, Lynn took them to the edge of a forest in Velen. Lynn had previously scouted this area with his witcher senses, confirming it housed a hive of Endrega that numbered at least several hundred. While the swarm never left the forest, any traveler unfortunate enough to wander in was virtually guaranteed death.
Lynn instructed the other witchers to wait outside. He entered the woods alone, without even drinking a potion, carrying Aerondight on his shoulder.
Aiden, Gaëtan, Coën, Iwo, and Raven watched as Lynn's figure was swallowed by the dark forest.
Soon, terrifying noises began to echo from within the woods.
Initially, the other witchers considered going in to help. Only the Bear School witcher, Iwo, said impassively:
"Lynn is our employer. If the employer tells us to stay outside the forest, we stay outside the forest. Whatever unforeseen consequences happen are not our concern."
Aiden and Gaëtan paused at his words. Only Raven and Coën ventured into the woods.
The two witchers were imdiately stunned upon entering the forest.
The ground was littered with the corpses of Endrega resembling small oxen. Individually, an Endrega might not be overly formidable, but they always operated in swarms, and their social structure mirrored the most ideal feudal kingdom. The Endrega Queen was supre, as she alone could lay eggs and ensure the survival of the colony. Consequently, Endrega Warriors would fiercely protect the Queen at all costs. Endrega Workers handled all non-combat tasks, including building the nest, caring for eggs and larvae, and gathering food. While positioned as laborers in this insect kingdom, the Workers would also fight if the Queen or the hive was threatened.
Because of this 'universal conscription' nature of the Endrega, a single witcher usually dealt with an entire colony by using alchemy bombs and traps to slowly thin their numbers.
Yet, all Raven and Coën saw were sword wounds. Every single Endrega corpse was cleaved in half or into several pieces, with no trace of bombs or traps being used.
The two witchers suppressed their astonishnt. They looked toward the distance. The sounds of battle still rang out, proving the fight was ongoing. Raven and Coën cautiously moved toward the sound.
As they got closer to the hive, the Endrega resistance was expected to intensify. Even with Lynn's exceptional strength, he surely couldn't maintain his effortless pace. Both witchers pulled potions from their pouches and swallowed them, preparing to join the fight at full strength should Lynn require assistance.
When Raven and Coën finally located Lynn near the nest, they realized they had been overthinking it. The area surrounding the hive was saturated with even more Endrega corpses, piled up in small, horrifying mounds.
They were about to rush forward when a dark shadow burst from the nest. The creature moved incredibly fast; even the two witchers could only clearly make out the enormous form of the Endrega Queen.
It was the Queen.
Raven and Coën were shocked, but before their warning cries could escape their lips:
Clang!
A tallic shriek suddenly erupted. A foreleg, thicker than a spear, struck the blade of Aerondight.
The foreleg was instantly shoved aside. Lynn swung his sword and surged forward. Aerondight bit deeply into the Endrega Queen's mouth. The sheer pain caused the insect Queen to shudder violently. Lynn tightened his grip and lunged forward, dragging Aerondight from the Queen's mouth down the side of its body, leaving a gaping, bloody wound.
And that wasn't the end.
Lynn leapt into the air, soaring several ters high, then dropped down with brutal force, slamming heavily onto the Queen's back. The thick, broad blade of Aerondight plunged deep into the Queen's head, burying itself up to the hilt.
Finally, the insect Queen ceased its struggling.
.......
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