Object of Destiny

Heading east.

The flow of people and vehicles on the road gradually thinned out, and eventually the area became deserted.

As dusk settled, behind Ailin, riding his white horse, the sunset painted the evening glow a brilliant gold, as if the gates of a divine kingdom had been opened.

It could be right in front of him.

The undulating horizon was illuminated crimson by the firelight, and the early-rising crescent moon was tinged with blood.

A black column of smoke rose straight up, slicing through the sky.

At this moment, Ailin seemed to be someone who had the back of heaven, yet was walking toward the abyss.

Not long after, a hot breeze blew in, bringing with it the smell of smoke and a burnt odor of indescribable composition.

For a moment, Ailin on horseback was somewhat dazed, almost thinking that he was a hero chosen in those novels to defeat the world-destroying demon king.

However, considering the Wild Hunt's identity, their past atrocities of conquering and slaughtering various worlds by using the Ard Gais Gate, and the world-destroying White Frost following behind them, it's hard to say that this is just an illusion.

We traveled through one deserted village after another, and then followed the path across a forest.

The sound of rushing water rang in my ears for a short while.

A great river, shimmering with red light in the dim light, flows under the stone bridge and rushes downstream.

The other side of the river.

Thick smoke billowed from the city, and flames illuminated the sky.

After crossing this river, you still have to pass through a small forest and two villages to reach Ban Ade.

The reason for landing at such a distance was not only to gather information from the refugees, but also because the Greater Griffin was too large and would be too conspicuous to land near Ban Ad.

As for the river in front of us...

Its name is Lexilas. It originates in the Blue Mountains, meanders through Ban Ade, Ade Kale, and the elven ruins of Shaer Lavhed, and finally joins the wide Pontar River near Ban Green, a fortress on the southern border of Kedwen.

Ailin was quite familiar with this river, having already crossed it two or three times in the first half of the year.

"This is pretty much it."

Ailin dismounted and tied his newly bought white horse to the locust grove by the river.

The nearby Rixhil River has a rapid current, and this stone bridge is a place where people often come and go. Hiding the horse here would not be a problem if it were attacked by water ghosts.

Do all this, and stand at the bridgehead.

The sun had completely sunk below the horizon, and the sky grew dark.

However, this was exactly the time that Ailin had calculated before he arrived.

At this time, villagers, travelers, mercenaries, and merchants would find even fleeing too slow; how could they possibly head towards Ban Ade?

There wasn't a single pedestrian on the road. If I were to walk normally, no matter how I disguised myself, it would seem too conspicuous.

Regardless of the Wild Hunt's strength, Ban Ad Academy, despite being attacked, must have suffered a significant loss in strength.

But the fact that it can still maintain a protective barrier means that there are still quite a few male witches alive.

Unless Ailin encounters someone who is alone or weak, it would be too dangerous for him to be discovered.

He was only there to try his luck, hoping to find a trace of the Wild Hunt and extract some information about El El and White Frost; he didn't intend to confront the warlocks head-on.

And this timing was just right for him.

[Name: Night]

[Type: Magical Item]

[Function: Wearing a mask and activating a small amount of magic allows one to become invisible at night or in dimly lit places.]

[Note: This is just stealth mode!]

[Name: Color]

[Type: Magical Item]

[Function: Wearing a headscarf and activating a small amount of magic can eliminate the sounds of breathing, footsteps, and even heartbeats.]

[Note: This can only be muted!]

The night suit that Francesca gave him was perfectly suited to the current situation.

They're all silent and invisible in the darkness. So what if they walk openly down the street? Who would notice them?

"Speaking of which, the aid that Sadia promised from the elves should arrive in Kaer Morhen soon..."

"Although the School of the Wolf doesn't seem to need this assistance much anymore..."

Ailin put on the mask and tied the headscarf, thinking to herself.

Things change so fast.

Who could have imagined that just six months ago, the School of the Wolf, still facing the crisis of its own destruction, had two major enemies—the nobles of Kedwen and the wizards of Ben Ade.

A kingdom, whose king had just died, was plunged into war. Without a leader, it was attacked by Ard, and now its battle lines are collapsing repeatedly, with large swathes of land being swallowed up by Ard.

Another city was caught in the crossfire and its own main city was almost completely destroyed.

And the changes in both sides were actually closely related to him—an ordinary witcher.

No!

It's not even fair to say they're closely related; you could just call him the mastermind behind it all.

The king died at his hands, Wild Hunt, sensing the "Planetary Alignment" he unleashed during the Apprentice Combat Tournament, is now attacking...

Apart from Ard's exceptionally strong initiative, which is not currently closely related to him, almost every other factor is related to him.

Standing on the bridge, looking at the red flames under the night sky across the river, Ailin was somewhat dazed, unable to believe that the flapping of his butterfly wings could cause such a huge change.

His existence is truly influencing the world, altering history, and changing the fate of witchers, wizards, and countless humans.

Good or bad...

"Pat-pat~ pat-pat~"

The narrow, muddy stone bridge was covered with tire tracks and the footprints of refugees, making a strange noise with every step.

But as he walked across the stone bridge, overwhelmed with emotion, and was about to don the Nightclothes and conceal his tracks, he suddenly froze...

"Buzz~"

The Wolf Emblem hums.

"This is..."

Ailin paused for a moment. A thin, silvery veil seemed to shroud him, one end wrapping around him and the other stretching into the endless darkness.

In a daze, the strangeness around me completely disappeared.

A familiar, strange feeling arose in my mind...

My heart is racing, a sudden urge...

"This... this is the call of fate!"

He wasn't unaware of the call of fate.

More than a month ago, he made Accident Law with Yennefer's father, accepting his child as payment for saving him.

Two months ago, I rescued Sadia from Viscount Hudson's abandoned mine and accepted a fragment of the Gate of Ade Gais as payment from her.

He had clearly sensed the fate of the Witcher world, a world so vibrant and brimming with immense power.

But!

However, the intensity of those two perceptions was far less than this one.

At this moment, even fate took shape.

She is...

"Fate is guiding me..."

Ailin muttered something to himself.

[Following the call of fate, I returned to Shaer Lavhed.]

But by then... the Rose Palace of Ain El, Shaer Lavhed, had already... become ruins...

I... I followed the guidance of fate and came to the Shaer Lavhed Center...

A gem was retrieved from the bushes of white roses that Laurelin loved dearly...

Sadia's voice suddenly appeared in my mind.

The slightly diffused blue Cat Eyes suddenly narrowed to slits as it looked towards the upper reaches of the Rixhil River.

That's where the yarn of fate seems to extend...

There was something there that was drawing him in, drawing him in very strongly.

"Could it be another fragment of the Ade Gais Gate?"

——

Spatial Mastery, blinking, portal...

Although the former was merely a passive method to conceal his identity, Ailin rarely used the latter two methods, but the difference between using them and not using them, and between having them and not having them, is enormous.

Even though she had hardly ever used them, Ailin had to admit that both skills were divine.

Especially the "Blink" skill; possessing this skill almost guarantees control of the battle.

They were soldiers, and they closed the distance instantly.

As a mage, one must constantly dodge attacks and maintain casting distance.

For demon hunters, whether dealing with large monsters or powerful mages, a single blink could mean the difference between life and death.

Portals are also very useful.

Currently, Ailin doesn't have any extra Experience Orbs or enough stored coordinates, so his usefulness is relatively limited.

If his level increases, the time that he can save for Ailin by traveling long distances in an instant is immeasurable.

Both of these skills were obtained by absorbing a fragment of the Gate of Ade Gais.

Such a powerful artifact, and seemingly the origin of the mysterious Witcher's Handbook, made Ailin naturally consider collecting the other fragments after he completely absorbed that fragment some time ago.

Unfortunately, there wasn't a single piece of information about the Gate of Ad Gais in Kaer Morhen's library, let alone any clues about the distribution of these fragments.

Who would have thought that getting close to Ban Ade would lead to such a coincidence?

"No," Ailin stroked the prickly stubble on his chin, "It can't be a coincidence...it definitely isn't a coincidence!"

"I've been to this same stone bridge three or four times before, and I've never triggered this kind of destiny before. Why is it happening now?"

"Etc..."

Ailin frowned, suddenly realizing a problem he had always overlooked.

Ailin had always been convinced that the Wild Hunt's target was him, specifically the Witcher's Handbook and the Ard Gais Gate on his person.

The Wild Hunt's behavior also proves this point.

So here's the question:

How exactly does the Wild Hunt track down the trail of the Ad Gais Gate?

The "Planetary Alignment" had ended almost three months ago, and they actually found it not long after Ban Ad's blue barrier disappeared?

How did Wild Hunt manage to do that?

Could it be that it's based on a fragment of the Gate of Ad Gais?

Thinking of this, Ailin's expression turned serious, and he immediately activated "Night Color" above his head.

In an instant.

On the north bank of the Rixhil River, a figure carrying two swords became transparent, blurred, and then completely melted into the night.

Only the deep indentations left on the broken branches and fallen leaves on the ground proved his existence.

"That's it!"

"The only difference between here and the previous times I passed through is that the Wild Hunt attacked nearby Ban Ad. The thing that fate has drawn me to is most likely in the hands of those Ain El!"

Ailin clenched his fist excitedly.

They could obtain the treasure that was closely related to them, and also have a chance to capture the heavily damaged Wild Hunt...

This is killing two birds with one stone!

With her spirits lifted, Ailin didn't let her guard down. Instead, she became even more careful to conceal her tracks, walking towards the direction her destiny had pointed out while occasionally using "Tracking" to reveal various marks on the ground as conspicuous bloodstains.

For a moment, it felt like using the Witcher Senses in the Witcher 3 to search for traces of monsters.

Bathed in red light, the plants extended their roots and branches, reaching towards the riverbank, towards the blood-stained tentacles of demons in hell.

The already dim blood moon was obscured by black smoke.

Darkness, darkness spread from the pitch-black woodland, like a vast swamp.

But this is better.

This would make him even harder to spot, and unlike the strange and unusual monsters, the Ion Els don't have the ability to see in the dark.

Ailin's hand unconsciously rested on the reagent pouch at his waist. As he cautiously moved forward, he pondered how to deal with the Wild Hunt.

Then at some point.

Ailin suddenly stopped thinking and walking, holding his breath and staring intently at the ground.

There.

Dark red bloodstains formed the shape of a fallen person, along with small splattered pools of blood.

Near the bloodstain, roots that had sprung from the forest were shattered by sharp objects, and countless small craters were blasted into the ground.

After scanning his surroundings, Ailin carefully stepped forward, squatted down, and picked up a piece of black cloth with dim starlight from the ground.

"A male wizard, and a high-ranking one at that, a black-robed male wizard..." He pursed his lips. "Did the male wizards of Ban Ade Academy fight here?"

Ailin's attention was focused on the humanoid blood seal.

The red light that formed the blood seal danced up and turned into tiny red dots, but they only combined to form a pair of legs and feet that only extended below the knees, floating on the legs of the humanoid blood seal.

Then it started to move.

After getting up from the ground, he quickly ran towards the dense forest behind Ailin, where the fire that had been burning the city was still burning at the other end of the forest.

"He... escaped?"

Ailin followed those legs and ran into the dense forest, but gave up after chasing for thirty or forty meters.

Given how far away this wizard is, and that he's still alive, he'll most likely be able to get back to Ban Ade, and...

"Even with such severe injuries, the Wild Hunt couldn't kill him..." Ailin looked at the bloodstains and marks on the ground where the illusion had disappeared and then lit up again, "The Wild Hunt that chased him was also in poor condition."

"A great opportunity!"

Her azure Cat Eyes lit up, but then she frowned as she thought of the wounded and escaped wizard, looking ahead at the darkness that seemed to swallow everything.

It seemed as if several male wizards dressed in black star robes and wielding staffs might rush out at any moment.

"The Wild Hunt has also suffered heavy losses, and the warlocks could catch up at any moment. There's no time to move forward cautiously, little by little..."

"I must find the Wild Hunt before Ban Aard the wizard catches up!"

Having made the decision, Ailin no longer cared whether he would leave too deep a footprint on the ground and expose the traces.

With a gritted tooth, he stomped his foot hard on the ground, anxiously stepping over the human-shaped bloodstains on the ground.

Ahead.

The upper reaches of the Rixhil River.

Fate guides the way.