The Divine Hunter

Lit braziers flanked the laboratory's entrance, the light of their flames shining on the figures before the door.

"Before we open this door, there's something I want to say. My precognition tells me there's something wrong with the witcher locked in the lab. He's filled with the desire to kill, and his eyes look like… red lightning bolts. There's no hint of sanity in him."

Roy looked at Felix. He was nervous. "I think he's lost all semblance of sanity and can't recognize friend from foe." Roy sighed. "He might attack us the moment we go in. And he won't stop until he's dead."

"So you mean that poor bastard's a madman now?" Auckes stopped turning the key for a moment. "Can't you cure him? What'd your precognition tell you?"

"I can't be sure, but the chances of him regaining his sanity are slim." Roy was a little frustrated and sad. What he remembered was that the witcher inside that lab had become a terrifying creature after all the torture he endured. He was no longer human.

Roy looked at Felix. "Do you have anything to say, Felix?"

Felix was sticking his ear to the door and listening intently. His eyes were closed, and then he clenched his fists. "What you saw was probably the side effects of the Trial. He lost control of his emotions and fell into insanity. There is some chance of bringing him back. And there's five of us, but one of him. We should be able to pin him down easily. And then we'll decide what to do with him."

"We'll go with that plan." Letho looked at his companions, and they nodded. "But just to be clear, if things go south, we're putting ourselves first. I hope you can understand that."

"As you should."

"Very well. We'll stop him from moving with our Signs and then tie him up so we can conduct further observation."

Roy took a few ropes the size of an adult's forearm out of his inventory space and tied them up before giving them to everyone.

Auckes opened the door, and the witcher came into a spacious lobby. At first glance, the place was split into two parts. The right side was the living quarters and experimentation area. Bizarre alchemical apparatuses stood on the right. There was also an unknown metal canister the shape of a gourd there, and it was the size of an adult man.

There were also necessities, furniture, and bookshelves around. Obviously, someone had lived and worked in this place for a long time in the past.

The place right in front had a flight of rotting marble stairs with floral patterns engraved into them leading downward. The stalactites that hung from the ceiling turned this passage into a narrow one.

Hundreds of white candles were burning quietly at the end of the passage. The light illuminated the whole clearing, and a hexagram made out of white ash covered the ground.

The witchers froze. A slender humanoid creature was kneeling in the center of the circle. His back was turned to the group, and he was facing a statue that resembled a cheetah. The creature himself was maintaining a meditating stance.

His back… was not pretty, to say the least. His skin was charred from the flames and electric shocks. Twisted crimson scars and lumps of flesh hung on his back. The skin on some of his back was burned off, revealing the muscles, tendons, vessels, and bones underneath. Weirdly enough, there was no blood.

Roy stared at the horrifying creature and cast Observe.

'Kiyan

Age: Ninety-three years old

Status: Cat School witcher, test subject (After undergoing extreme experiments and getting his body modified by unknown energy, his spirit and body are now incredibly twisted. There's another unfamiliar existence dwelling in his body.)

HP: 200

Mana: 160

Strength: ?

Dexterity: ?

Constitution: 20

Perception: 16

Will: 3

Charisma: 2

Spirit: 16

Skills:

Witcher Signs Level 6, Meditation Level 9, Cat School Swordplay Lavel 10, Witcher Senses Level 10, Alchemy Level 7…

Cryptic Strength (Passive): A modification by unknown energy. Strengthens HP and Mana. +5 to Constitution and Spirit. -5 to Will. Loses all sense of pain. Loses the need for food. Can absorb elemental energy from the air to replenish any spent energy. Gains powerful regenerative abilities.'

***

The veteran witchers were in disbelief. What the hell happened to him to make… this?

Felix was livid. He was clenching his teeth so hard, everyone could hear it. The veins on his neck popped, and his eyes were getting bloodshot. No. Saving him takes priority. He took a deep breath and cast Quen over himself.

The Cat held his sword in one hand and the rope in the other. He charged ahead of his other companions, distracting the creature.

The Vipers followed closely.

When the silhouette noticed their presence, it picked up the blade beside it, and then it stood up. When it turned around, what greeted them was a more horrifying sight than the creature's back.

It was like a human who had his skin peeled off. It looked like something that came out of a horror story. His muscles, tendons, and bones merged into a grotesque armor that covered what remained of his flesh.

This creature looked like a monster who just crawled out of a grave. It set its sights on the witchers, and just as Roy had warned, they were cruelly crimson. There was no emotion within it, neither was there mercy. Only a void remained.

"There is no… justice… or evil…" the creature growled. His voice was as unpleasant as knives scratching a blackboard. "There is only… pain."

It swung its sword around and pounced at the witchers like a cheetah arcing through the air. It hit Felix first, and it sounded like a mini explosion had just happened. Sparks flew in the air as they clashed blades.

Felix dipped down to dodge the blade and thrusted his sword at the back of the creature's hand.

The creature cast Quen without missing a beat, and the sword hit the shield. It shattered immediately, but for some reason, Felix was blown back by the recoil.

The creature held its sword up in the ox stance and tried to thrust it into Felix's throat, but the Vipers were already coming at it from the sides and behind.

The air rumbled. Auckes cast Aard from its left, and the shockwave almost knocked the creature down. On its right, Serrit pushed his hand down, and a purple light shone. Yrden caught its target easily.

The creature dropped down a little the moment Yrden caught it. Its speed and reaction slowed.

Letho went around it and quickly made the sign of Axii in the air.

The Sign hit the creature, and it froze up for a moment like it was struck by lightning. Its muscles loosened up, and it was starting to let go of the sword.

Roy hit the creature's right hand with Gwyhyr and disarmed it.

Once its sword hit the floor, all five witchers tossed a rope at the creature from five directions, tying up its neck and limbs.

The creature growled and struggled to break free, but a single witcher couldn't fight against five.

Just a moment later, it was helplessly dragged to a pillar.

The witchers quickly tied it up around the cold, hard, and big pillar. Roy thought it wasn't enough, so he whipped out more ropes and tied the creature up with everyone's help. Eventually, the only part that wasn't tied was its head.

The young witcher rubbed his chin and nodded. "Now we're all set. Not even a chimera can escape these."

"There is no good… or evil… There is only… the void." Even though it couldn't move, the creature kept muttering that indecipherable message. It was staring at the witchers.

"So what now, everyone?" Serrit touched the creature's head. It was filled with crimson scars that looked and felt like dried jerkies. Not a strand of hair could be seen.

"We're checking his body and seeing what he has gone through." Felix kept staring at the creature as he tried to remember who this was.

"Can you recognize him?"

Felix shook his head. He thought the creature looked familiar. Maybe I've seen him once many years ago. But he couldn't remember who the creature was. He even wondered if this guy was one of them. I don't see the pendant anywhere.

***

The witchers split up their work and went for it. Felix and Letho checked the man's body, while Roy and the others searched the lab for clues.

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