Elder Blood Witcher 258 Ciri's Been Around...

Once everyone is seated Ambrose clinks his wine gla.s.s with his nail and stands up, "Now that everyone is present I'd like to welcome our first guests in quite a while... Dear, have you retrieved the drinks?" Talicia holds up the two bottles and starts pouring Ambrose and herself a gla.s.s of the red liquid. Afterwards she goes over to Nerissa and fills her gla.s.s.

Reima "Er, is it ok to have Nerissa drinking?"

Talicia only smiles, "Of-course, she is a vampire afterall." she says as Reima finally gets a whiff of the blood from the bottle. Oh, of course, he mentally retorts.

Talicia "Would you like some?"

Ciri refuses "Sorry but I'm not sure I'd like blood..."

Talicia shakes her head "I've got some wine here, 700 years old if I'm not mistaken?"

Ciri "Oh? Please then." she says as she holds out her gla.s.s, Reima mimics her and sips it. Wow it taste like... Wine... Ciri seems amazed by it but he literally can't taste the difference between this and the boxed wine you'd get at the corner store.

Reima "lovely, thank you." he compliments anyway, this isn't his house after all.

After the atmosphere relaxes slightly Ambrose speaks over the table, "So, I'd like to hear why you've come here... It sounded as if our daughter tried to warn you away, wise advice I might add."

Reima nods, "Actually I have some rather dire information that effects you... Some vampires seem to be mutilating humans in the nearby village, this has caused the magical community to take notice and they may well invade the forest soon enough."

Ambrose and Talicia seem to scowl, the latter speaks first, "I think I know who may be responsible for this... In our community this kind of thing is known as the least honourable action possible, we call it "Wizard Baiting", a few hundred years ago during the clan wars this tactic was frequently used by my family, or former family I should say...

Ciri "Why would they be doing such a thing?" she asks, angered at the fact those murders were literally only to draw the wizarding worlds attention.

Ambrose "Now, now. While my daughter seems to trust you, such information will remain secret. While I highly doubt you are spies we cannot take the chance."

Reima "That's fine but there is a more pressing matter, the magical law enforcement are probably already planning to scour the forest. I heard from Nerissa that there is a binding keeping you here?"

Ambrose "There is indeed the case, unfortunately the binding is only supposed to keep other vampires from invading the inner forest. It's old and lost most of it's power, those magical's will likely breach the protection and find us... We'll have to fight them off."

Reima "This is the reason we came, I want to see if there is anything I can do to release this binding..."

Ambrose chuckles, "You? A young wizard who's likely unable to tie your own shoe laces? Don't insult my intelligence." he states irritably.

Talicia "Now, dear. Perhaps they could do something? It's not like we've had a wizard try to break the wards, maybe that's what we're missing?"

The elder vampire sighs and seems to think, a minute pa.s.ses when he finally seems to make his decision. "Very well, after we've eaten I'll escort you to the wardstone set up by that infuriating man."

The dinner itself was pretty good, Reima hadn't expected vampires to be able to cook so well, the roast pork was succulent and gamy while the boiled vegetables were a nice accompaniment, especially with the wine that Reima was slowly starting to appreciate. Once everyone was done Nerissa and Talicia took the plates away on the cart as Reima and Ciri followed behind Ambrose as he led them through the winding path leading to the wardstone.

Eventually they reach a dimly lit room illuminated by many torches scattered on every wall, the place seems to consist entirely of stone, the previous wooden floors had transitioned into stone bricks along with the roof. The most eye drawing thing though is the black alter in the middle of the room, it stands around 5ft and has many markings that pulse blue occasionally. The small pillar-like object seems to be made from a black gla.s.s like material, it reminds Reima of Kalameet, his Obsidian blade.

Ambrose "This is the wardstone, it was set up before we even arrived here. It was a trap by that essentric old man you all seem to worship as a G.o.d." he scowls.

Reima looks at him confused, "Dumbledore?"

Ambrose frowns, "Who on earth is Dumbledore? I mean the doddery old fool you know as Merlin."

...

Ciri seems shocked, "Merlin? He was here?"

Ambrose "Yes?"

Ciri "Sorry but this is strange... The Merlin I met in Avalon didn't seem a thousand years old." she says confused.

Reima is incredibly confused, when did Ciri meet Merlin? Did she go back in time or something? And Avallon actually exists?

Ambrose "I'm not sure if we've met the same person, unless you're capable of time-travel or know a way of resurrected someone long dead.

Ciri seems slightly downtrodden, "Perhaps, the man I knew had long white hair and glowing blue eyes."

Ambrose crosses his arms, "Seems like you've met a doppelganger of some sort, I wouldn't continue spouting such things amongst wizards... You'd likely be burned at the stake for saying such "Blasphemous" things about the man."

Reima gives Ciri a look "We'll talk about this later." he says as he steps forward and leans over the wardstone.