The Divine Hunter Chapter 634: A Knight’s Procession

"A thousand years have passed, and the Aen Elle still tread the path of theft? Depart, Avallac'h. Cease your transgressions." Francesca halted the sorceress at her side, preventing a spell from being cast, and addressed the Wild Hunt's sage.

Avallac'h inclined his head. "My apologies, kinswoman oppressed by humanity. My life's ambition has been to return the Elder Blood to Tir na Lia, and peril now threatens both our worlds. This is our sole recourse for survival. Cooperate with us, surrender Ciri and the child, and I will command Eredin to cease this conflict instantly. You and the remaining witchers shall endure. It is conceivable that you might elude the impending cataclysm alongside us."

Ciri clutched her younger aunt, her eyes burning with animosity. "Begone, you deceitful murderer! Take your ghastly skeletal soldiers and leave! You are unwelcome here!"

"I perceive that foolishness and defiance are inheritable traits. Your mother, Lara Dorren, abandoned her people to consort with a human. Ultimately, she was betrayed and manipulated mercilessly. Not a trace of her remained."

"What gibberish are you spewing? I know of no Lara Dorren. My mother is Pavetta."

A gentle smile graced Avallac'h's features. "The matter is complex, but I shall elaborate fully upon our return. Humans possess a saying: the errors you commit shall one day serve as invaluable lessons. I shall permit no further continuation of this error."

He then commanded with an imperious tone, "Come, Zireael."

"Perish, scoundrel!" A sphere of azure energy shot through the air, striking Avallac'h. However, its only effect was to singe his fringe before dissipating. Four more sorceresses unleashed their full might upon Avallac'h. Serpents of flame, shrieking gales, and unseen hands formed of raw energy assailed him.

Chaos energy detonated in the sky like a spectacular display, yet it merely dispersed Avallac'h's illusion. A sigh of acceptance resounded through the air. "A misguided choice, but I shall oblige."

A rift tore open in the sky, and a pack of Hounds erupted from it, their howls echoing as they charged towards the sorceresses.

Coral and Triss exchanged a glance, the amulets adorning their chests shimmering with multicolored light. A vast shield of cerulean energy enveloped them, expanding outward until all their companions were sheltered within its embrace.

Francesca thrust her hand forward, and the very air around an approaching Hound ignited in azure flames. Debris and soil were flung in all directions. The Hound shrieked as the inferno consumed it.

Yennefer chanted with great fervor, causing the atmosphere to tremble. A bolt of indigo lightning struck the contested ground. The Hound lunging from her left transformed into a grotesque, pus-dripping toad, its croaks drowned out by the stampede of its kin crushing it.

***

Yet, these were the limits of the sorceresses' arcane power. The Hounds were now perilously close, their maws agape. Frosty breath began to erode the energy shield, and mere moments sufficed for its complete disintegration. The biting cold assaulted the sorceresses, rendering them pale with frigidity.

"Ciri, do you recall your training? Grant me your mana."

"Understood."

Eileni beamed and nodded. Yennefer clasped Ciri's hand, sensing the influx of power stemming from the Elder Blood. Biting her lip, she extended a finger. The roars of three Hounds devolved into delicate chirps as three vibrantly colored kingfishers took flight.

Francesca incinerated them into ash with a blast of fire.

***

The protective barrier lay in ruins. Triss and Coral shivered, crimson trickling from their lips and noses. They swiftly activated their rings and talismans. An unseen force field undulated around them like the ebb and flow of tides.

However, one Hound managed to evade the onslaught, approaching the ladies with a menacing snarl. It was too late for any further reaction from the women.

But then, a beam of golden energy sliced through the air. Grimm roared, dramatically swinging his golden blade downward with immense force, cleaving the Hound in twain. "Fear not, noble ladies." The champion knight of Toussaint positioned himself before the ladies and children, raising his visor, his gaze piercing. A martial spirit blazed within his eyes, a roaring inferno.

His elite knights of the Order of the White Rose swiftly formed a protective cordon around the ladies. "By the sworn valor of knighthood, I pledge to ensure your safety."

After a brief pause, he turned his attention to Ciri. "And is Cahir well, child?"

Ciri faltered for an instant. She then comprehended that Cahir was the knight Roy had mentioned as her protector. "The Wild Hunt slew him," she whispered, her voice choked with sorrow.

"Did he fall with honor?" Grimm inquired gravely.

"He perished bravely. A knight truly worthy of the title," Yennefer affirmed, her violet irises shimmering with a mixture of respect and profound gratitude.

Grimm shut his eyes, drawing a deep breath. He turned to face the torrent of soldiers and Hounds pouring from the portal before leaping into the air. As he descended towards the snarling Hounds, his greatsword began to whirl like a windmill's blades, slicing through the icy ranks of the enemy.

Three Hounds met their end, their heads severed. It was a feat the knight had never accomplished in his entire life – slaying three legendary creatures.

Yet, the moment of triumph was fleeting. The knight had plunged himself deep into danger, drawing the attention of countless foes. The frost swirling around him began to encase his armor, slowing his swings and chilling his fighting spirit. Though he nearly succumbed to a stupor, he propped himself up, sword planted firmly on the ground.

Glancing sideways, he witnessed harrowing scenes of despair. The Order's knights, who had been protecting the sorceresses, lay frozen in their own blood after a brief clash with the Wild Hunt. The Hounds howled triumphantly as they trampled over their fallen bodies.

Humans, Grimm realized, were as fragile as glass when pitted against legendary creatures. He bit his tongue, the sharp pain and metallic taste of blood jolking him back to awareness, his pupils constricting.

A hulking Wild Hunt soldier, standing well over six feet tall and clad in a horned helmet, appeared before him. He brought his massive two-handed hammer down towards Grimm.

The air shrieked with each swing of the hammer, a weapon capable of shattering any defense and reducing its target to mere pulp.

Grimm raised his blade, its golden edge shimmering in the sun, ancient and noble visages appearing on its surface. A powerful battle hymn resonated within his mind.

Flames erupted from the sword's hilt, soon engulfing the knight entirely. His eyes blazed like molten gold, and his armor transformed into a fiery construct.

A surge of power coursed through his veins, banishing the chill of the White Frost. Grimm thrust his blade forward, meeting the descending hammer.

A cascade of sparks erupted mid-air, resembling a magnificent waterfall. The momentum of the strike sent the Wild Hunt's knight stumbling backward.

Grimm unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks, each swing more potent than the last. He advanced like a divine being, pursuing victory. Dancing flames consumed the battlefield, punctuated by the cries and roars of his vanquished foes. His sword moved with increasing speed, blurring into an indistinguishable streak. The enemy attempted to parry, but he was like a trembling tree against a tempest.

Several Hounds were reduced to cinders, devoured by the encroaching flames.

With a final, decisive swing, Grimm pushed the soldier away. He then shifted his stance, gripping the weapon's midpoint with his armpit, the blade now pointed directly at the enemy's chest.

A palpable solemnity descended upon the battlefield. The Sword of Justice had transformed into a lance, stretching over six feet long. Grimm charged forward, lance held steady, with a warhorse forged from flames appearing beneath him. Ethereal figures cloaked in fire materialized behind him, raising their own lances and uttering war cries. Crimson cloaks and tattered banners whipped in the howling wind.

Grimm, the knight who had embodied the ideals of his order throughout his life, uttered a final cry from his heart. His entire existence flashed before his eyes.

Then, all his experiences coalesced into a singular, unwavering purpose, a goal that soared higher than any army.

The fiery steed galloped forward, carrying its golden knight into the fray once more. The Lance of Courage sent the hammer flying and impaled the enemy's chest. The Wild Hunt's knight thrashed on the lance, roaring in agony, but Grimm's charge pressed onward, carving a path through the battlefield.

Another Hound disintegrated into ash beneath the raging inferno.

An enemy attempting to flank Felix and Aiden from behind was impaled.

The White Frost bearing down on Coen's back was repelled.

The Hounds overwhelming Vesemir were torn to shreds.

Every part of the knight's armor, his hair, his flesh, and his bones were consumed, fueling the weapon. Grimm himself burned away with the flames, becoming little more than a translucent specter. Yet, he pressed on, undeterred by the onslaught of magic, blades, and White Frost.

His spectral steed left a blazing trail in its wake as the Wild Hunt's knights fell before his lance. Grimm saw visions of smiling faces; the heroic souls of the House of Sigurd welcomed him.

Cahir, still frozen, offered a final salute. In his final moments, Grimm rode towards the white-haired witcher, pausing for one last look. A satisfied smile graced his features. "Ravix of Fourhorn. You bested me at the Battle of Cintra. I entrust the treasure of my family to you."

Grimm's smile froze. He was finally consumed by the flames, crumbling into dust like a statue left to the elements for a millennium, carried away by the wind.