The Divine Hunter

"Can't you just destroy it?" Igsena asked carefully. "Burn it with fire, or… or cut it up into pieces. It may be an odd book, but it is still just one book."

"It is not as simple as you think," Keldar answered calmly. "The Book of Shadows shares a bond with the very land we step on. Its rich mana keeps the book safe at all times. Regular methods do not work on it." Warily, Keldar said, "I tried Igni, Aard, and even burned it in the fireplace the whole night. It did not work. It's no metal, but the book is stronger than diamond and possesses more flexibility and heat tolerance than draconid leather."

The four of them did not look happy to hear the news.

"Roy, since you wish to help, why don't you ask your brotherhood's mage what she thinks of this? Perhaps she may have a way to dispel this curse." Keldar stared into Roy's eyes. "Of course, I won't ask you to help for nothing. Once we release my brethren from their prison, you will have the privilege to research our secret arts. You and you only."

Roy was about to say something, but Coen clenched his fists and interrupted. "Sir, what happens to you if we destroy the book?" He was worried. Keldar only lived because of the book. If it were to be destroyed, then death would reclaim him.

"Do not be pessimistic, Coen." Keldar suddenly patted Coen's head. "Death comes for us all. That is the law of nature. I should have died a hundred years ago, and yet I cheated death." He smiled. "I've lived my life for no one but myself. In Kaer Seren I stayed. In Kaer Seren I hid. I live the simple life of a scholar, and I raised you."

"No…" Coen shook his head. He was reluctant to go on with the plan, and he wished to change Keldar's mind. "Perhaps they're not tormented. Perhaps they're used to the book. It is possible that they do not wish for release."

Coen's eyes went red, and he shouted, "We should keep things as it is."

"Coen!"

Coen froze, but this time, he refused to budge. He stared straight into Keldar's eyes.

"Why do you not understand, Coen? I've lived for far too long. More than what I desire." He sighed. "Yes, this extension of life is a dream come true, but extend it long enough, and any dream would inevitably become a nightmare. Be it a dream or nightmare, we must wake from our sleep. But with nightmares, you wake with a scream."

It was the truth. And it hurt.

"I've woken. And screamed I have. No longer can I turn a blind eye to my brethren's suffering, not even in the pursuit of knowledge. And my life as a tool is fast coming to an end. Change must happen. I have one wish remaining. Do you want to deny me that?"

Coen buried his face in his hands, his mind reeling in shock. Igsena huddled closely to him, her eyes tearing up.

Roy… Roy sighed. He had conflicting emotions regarding the matter. It was not every day he came across someone who wished for death, and yet he would not want to refuse. "I am more than happy to help, but I have a question. Once the Griffins leave the book, they will not be allowed to remain in the material world. Their souls will soon vanish, and only the void awaits. Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Keldar shook his head. He asked, "Roy, if you were in their place, would you rather live on as an entity imprisoned in a book that is your master? Or would you sacrifice your life if it meant you could be free of the chains that bound you and step into the real world, even for just a moment?"

Roy froze. He had no answer to that.

"No Griffin would prefer a caged life. I am the only one who's different. I know my brethren. To them, their homes will always be the skies, the wilderness, and the mountains. Not a cage. No."

***

A long, long silence later, Roy licked his lips and turned his gaze to the basement. And then he looked outside the window. The sun was still shining bright upon the ground.

"Keldar, first we must see that tome. The sun is still shining. I reckon it can't do any harm just yet?"

***

The stony walls of the mountains gleamed gold, white snow shimmering on the ground. But one speck of darkness ruined the purity of the snow. One black tome with golden highlights sat in the center of the ground. The tome was at least three times larger than most books and had the thickness of a balled-up fist.

Upon the dark cover, the words dhu saov morc were emblazoned. In Elder Speech, it meant Book of Shadows. Dark mist as viscous as honey overflowed from the cover, surrounding it, and keeping it out of the gleaming sunlight.

Two witchers in armor made of brigandine and chain stood around the book. Accompanying them were Roy and Igsena.

'Book of Shadows

Type: ?

Components: Leather, mana, souls, knowledge…

This book contains all of the Griffin School's secrets. The magic of this land has granted it a soul.

??'

***

Roy grabbed his vibrating medallion. "Keldar, does it understand our tongue?"

"This book has been given life. It would take a human ten lifetimes to learn all the knowledge within it. But it grows differently than us." Keldar had conflicting emotions about the book. "Despite being a one hundred-year-old entity, its intelligence remains at an elementary stage."

He made a detailed description. "Its behavior is governed by what I suppose is a system akin to instinct within feral beasts. And its instinct only has four goals: the pursuit of truth, the protection of this land, the search for its next tool, and self-preservation. If anyone can cause enough damage to it, that is. It does not do much aside from the aforementioned actions."

"It has chosen me as the next tool. Are you sure it won't summon a soul to attack me out of the blue?" Roy was still worried.

"You may touch it, but do not open the book."

Roy touched the cover with his index finger, then his thumb, and then his whole hand. Unlike how its exterior would suggest, the book felt different to the touch. It was warm and smooth, not unlike a warm breeze that just kissed Roy's skin. A feeling of comfort welled up within him, and a voice spoke within his heart. It was silvery, but there was an urgency in it.

"Open my pages. Read me. Record—"

Roy let the book go without hesitation. That level of temptation was nothing before his iron will. Coen and Igsena touched the book as well, and they let go easily.

"Did you hear a voice when you touched it?"

"What voice?" Igsena stared at Coen in confusion, and her lover shook his head as well.

"Definitely odd." Roy nodded. The book is only trying to entice me. What are you trying to gain, book?

***

"I shall prepare a magical circle to weaken its contact with the chaos energy lingering in the air." Keldar started delegating duties. "Coen, retrieve my specter dust and my collection of potions and decoctions. A difficult battle awaits."

Coen froze.

"Go. Now." Keldar kicked Coen's arse, and the younger witcher shuffled into the lab. The grandmaster shook his head and turned his attention to Roy. "You should contact the mage. Or would you like me to open a portal?"

"There is no need for that. I have a telescope. Coral should be doing her experiments at this hour. However, the entities in that book will prove to be a great threat once this ritual is underway. I'll get some of the members here to help us out."

Stubbornly, Keldar shook his head. "I cannot afford the services of so many witchers. This battle is an affair of our school. And with the sun on our side, we alone shall suffice."

***

The telescope's crystal rendered a rainbow out of the sunlight that shone upon it. A slender, powerful hand rubbed the crystal three times, and his Mana dropped by fifty points. Blinding light shone from the crystal, congregating in the air. Ripples spread across the screen at first, but it eventually refocused.

A beautiful silhouette in a red dress stood before a boiling cauldron. Magical lights flowed from her hands as she weaved the spells needed for her experiments. Her fiery hair danced across her shoulders, and dried herbs flew from atop the shelves into the cauldron, causing little splashes.

She noticed Roy's summon, and the mage turned around. Her eyes were filled with surprise, and a big smile curled her beautiful red lips. Slowly, she approached the telescope, but what she saw made her cover her mouth in surprise. "What happened to your hair, Roy?"

"Um, Keldar taught me some new tricks. I went and cast it before I managed to master it, and it burned my hair off. But don't worry. It'll grow back soon enough."

The sorceress clutched her belly, a string of giggles and laughter escaping her lips. At the same time, she made a gesture with her left hand. "I need to take this down."

A blinding flash covered the screen, and Roy's face fell. Oh gods, why do I have to go through this? "My dear Coral, this is an emergency. You can laugh after you help me out."

"A second, please." Coral raised her head abruptly and tried her best not to smile. She sighed at the mirror, anticipation glowing in her eyes. "Say that again?"

"I need your help."

"No, before that."

"My dear Coral—"

"Good. I'll let this… disfigurement slide." Happily, she nodded. A hue of red flooded her cheeks. "I'll help you just this once."

Roy finished the story in half an hour, and Lytta was rubbing her cheeks, deep in her thoughts. "That item is sentient, has control over spiritual entities, is able to devour shadows, and shares a bond with a Place of Power. I almost can't believe it's a book. It almost sounds like a phylactery. It's something necromancers use."

"It's a phylactery? So it's man-made?" Roy's heart sank. "Is it possible it came into creation because of the overlap of a few unfortunate circumstances?"

"I would not rule out that possibility. This is a big world, and anything is possible, especially when it comes to magic. There are mysteries we would find almost impossible to crack."

Roy heaved a sigh of relief, but he remained vigilant.

Lytta crossed her arms and leaned over. "Regular methods will not work on a phylactery, if destruction is what you seek. You must attack its core."

"Its core?" Roy stared at Lytta's bosom. Once upon a time, he spent one week just playing with Coral's chest.

"Its soul. You need to conjure a spell that can destroy its soul. It's the only way to kill the phylactery and give its prisoners a final release. But be warned. Phylacteries can and will retaliate fiercely."

"Do you know any spell that can be useful against it?" Roy stared into Coral's eyes nervously.

Regrettably, Lytta shook her head. "This is necromancy. A long, long time ago, the brotherhood forbade the practice of necromancy and demonic summoning. Most of their archives are destroyed. I cannot help you. And no friends of mine know much about necromancy. This is obviously beyond you, Roy. Do not attempt this." Lytta spoke sternly, but the concern in her voice was unmistakable.

"I know. I won't do it. That's all for now. I'll come back soon." Roy nodded, but then he imagined how he would go about this. Hm, Fear can devour demons. If I'm right, this core is also a soul like those demons. Wonder if Fear can work.

Roy was about to turn the telescope off, but Lytta shot him a nasty glare, and her face was black as thunder. "Hey, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Muah. Goodbye, Coral."

"Hmph!"

Roy shook his head and placed his chipmunk in a corner. He scratched its chin, telling it to hide, and then he left the room.

***

Back in the courtyard, Keldar had already drawn out a magic circle made of specter dust, infused dust, and other components. The circle was divided into two parts. The outer part was further broken down into four parts, each having the basic elements written down in Elder Speech. The inner circle was filled with words like isolation, seal, and mana exclusion.

Roy could feel the mana within him running slower just by standing close to the circle. Within the center of the circle sat the Book of Shadows, its magical light confined within itself.

The circle and sun managed to cut off its mana supply, even when it was lying on its Place of Power. No longer did it shine like it used to. It was as dull as most tomes now.

"I have an idea." Roy told the Griffins about Lytta's suggestion. She might not have the power to solve this matter, but Roy possessed something she didn't: the spell Fear. "I will launch an attack at the tome every two minutes. You guys are on the defensive. If the tome deems me a threat, it most possibly will attack me with its soldiers. I leave them in your hands."

Roy wasn't sure if reincarnation worked in this realm, but if he were to be the one who landed the kill, all those souls would be annihilated. And he would never want to annihilate a Griffin's soul.

Coen wanted to say something, but he held his tongue. Keldar shook his head.

"Focus, Coen. Remember the lessons I taught you. A difficult battle lies in wait for us. If you are distracted, it would mean the death of your comrade. That is not the way of the Griffin."

"I-I understand, sir." Coen hung his head low and balled his fists.

After much persuasion, Igsena left with a reluctant heart and hid in the mountains, leaving the witchers free to surround the book. They stood in a triangle, and Keldar distributed the potions and decoctions.

Everyone had a juiced up Petri's Philter to increase their Sign intensity, a powered up Full Moon to level up their Constitution, and an Ekhidna's decoction to heal them every time they spent any Mana.

As they would avoid killing the spiritual entities, the battle would be a defensive one. Roy gulped down all the decoctions. Their sickly sweetness, bitter taste, and spicy kick exploded in his belly, and a surge of warmth coursed through his limbs.

Black veins crawled across the witchers' chins and cheeks. They stood around the circle, exchanging glances before the battle.

Keldar suddenly let out a laugh, the breeze billowing his hair and beard. "Do it, Roy. I'll watch your back. In the name of my school, I swear I shall protect you, even if the price is my life."

"I swear!" Coen shouted as well, his face red with fury.

Roy nodded and covered himself with the shields of Heliotrop and Quen. Then, his attention was finally turned to the tome.

***

***