The wind howled like a starving wolf across the cliffs, tearing at Cain's cloak and whispering ancient curses through the trees.
The path north had grown narrower, wilder. Snow gave way to jagged stone, and the forest—once merely dangerous—now loomed with unnatural silence. Even the crows didn't cry here.
Geralt slowed the horse suddenly.
Cain tensed. "You hear something?"
"Smell it," Geralt muttered, eyes scanning the trail ahead.
Cain focused. The wind carried the scent of wet iron, rot, and something sharp—like spoiled vinegar. His Codex pinged softly in the corner of his mind.
Codex Alert: Monster Presence DetectedMatching Scent Profile...Candidate Match: Alghoul – Juvenile
Traits: Fast, vicious, armored spines during combatWeaknesses: Necrophage Oil, blunt trauma, silver to vital zones
Cain whispered, "Alghoul. Juvenile. It's close."
Geralt didn't look at him, but the corner of his mouth twitched. "You know your monsters."
Cain tapped the side of his head. "Got my ways."
Geralt dismounted smoothly, drawing his steel sword first—not silver. "Juveniles are sloppy. Stay by the horse."
Cain slid off the saddle but crouched low beside the trail, fingers on the hilt of Hunter's Edge. His heart thumped fast—but not from fear. From readiness.
Then he saw it.
The alghoul sprang from the snow like a nightmare come to life—gray skin, long claws, and eyes glowing with hunger. It shrieked and bounded toward Geralt.
Cain's Codex flashed: "Spines Extended – Defense Phase."
Geralt shifted his stance instantly and feinted. The alghoul missed, crashing into a fallen log. Cain noticed something—
Its left leg. Limping.
"Geralt! Back leg—it's weak!"
The Witcher pivoted, dropped low, and drove his blade into the creature's spine, slipping past the armor just as it tried to rear up.
The alghoul twitched, hissed, then went still.
Blood steamed in the snow.
Geralt stood silently over the corpse. Then, finally, glanced at Cain.
"Good eye."
Cain blinked. "What?"
"You watched. You didn't panic. You noticed. That's rare."
Cain didn't answer. He just nodded, staring at the body.
This world is brutal. But I'm learning fast.
And then the System chimed.
[New Trait Gained!]Observer's Instinct (Passive – Basic): You gain bonus Codex Insight and reaction time when spotting enemy weaknesses in real-time.+3% chance to exploit enemy vulnerability during battle.
Cain smiled.
Geralt cleaned his blade. "Come on. We're close now."
-Arrival at Kaer Morhen
It loomed out of the cliffs like a half-buried god—stone towers, ruined parapets, and ancient walls wrapped in frost and mist. Kaer Morhen: fortress of the School of the Wolf.
Cain's breath caught.
I've seen it in art, in games. But in person? It feels... heavier. Real.
Geralt led them past shattered gates and across the stone bridge. Other horses were stabled nearby. Cain counted four, maybe five.
Then he saw them.
The other trainees.
Boys around his age—maybe a year or two older. All different. One lean and quiet, sitting with his back to a post, sharpening a dull blade. Another with curly red hair and a cocky grin, flipping a dagger between his fingers. Two more were mid-spar in the courtyard, wooden swords clacking.
An older Witcher—broad, bearded, with a scarred lip—stepped out of the keep. His voice was gravel over a thunderclap.
"Geralt. You brought us another stray?"
Geralt nodded once. "Name's Cain. Found him near Dol Blathanna. Survived an alghoul and didn't piss himself. I say we test him."
The older Witcher snorted. "Your call. But Coën's already claimed the next batch for basic conditioning."
Cain's ears perked. Coën? From the books—the Witcher who fought at Kaer Morhen before the Slaughter.
A warm hand landed on Cain's shoulder. Geralt leaned in low and said:
"Go inside. You'll meet the others. Stay alert. No one here's your friend yet."
Cain nodded, straightened his back, and stepped forward.
This was it.
The path of wolves had begun.
[Quest Complete: "Wolf's Path"]Rewards Granted:– +1 Stat Point– Codex Entry: Kaer Morhen– Item: Worn Witcher Training Tunic (Auto-Equipped)
[New Quest Received – "Bonds of Blood"]Form a connection with at least one other trainee. Allies will shape your survival, strength, and story.
Objective: Gain one true allyReward: ???Failure: Isolation. Increased difficulty during training.