Hello! Thank you all so much for the comments and views! This fanfic is available on fanfiction.net and webnovel.com. I'm having a great time writing this story.
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Chapter 18
The day after the battle with Wraith. Morning. Nezu's Office.
Nezu watched the fight with Wraith once more. Unfortunately, the boy didn't take the sword that had been gifted to him, so Power Loader couldn't gather the same data as he did during the duel with Mr. Brave. Still, they compared both recordings and concluded that Mr. Brave wasn't even close to being a match for Vesemir. The boy's movements under the bridge were different. His reflexes revealed training and knowledge of how to fight this specific enemy. He made Wraith vulnerable to attack. He had embarrassed all the heroes who had previously tried to defeat the monster. The public went wild over the boy. Nezu had already received twelve calls from various talk shows inviting "Gwynbleidd" to interviews. All of Japan was talking about him. Everyone wanted to know who he was. Where he came from. What his quirk was, who taught him to fight that way, and who instilled in him such knightly manners. People were shocked when he made his vow. They were thrilled when he defeated the monster. They felt ashamed when Vesemir didn't rejoice in his victory.
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NEJIRE POV
Nejire flinched when Vesemir was struck with a sword, but fortunately, he was unharmed. She wanted to jump with joy when he defeated the villain... but Vesemir didn't celebrate. He just knelt and froze in place. Why didn't he triumph? Then she remembered what he had said:
"Our main goal is to undo spells and help people, but not all monsters can be helped... some have to be killed..."
He didn't celebrate because he had to fulfill his duty... He didn't celebrate because he had to take a life... even if it wasn't his choice...
Nejire had never seen a smile on his face. Maybe she hadn't known him for long, but something had happened that she couldn't explain. She wanted to hug him, check if he was hurt, tell him it wasn't his fault...
"Oh Vesemir... what happened to you that you're so... cold?"
Nejire made a decision. Starting tomorrow, she would do everything she could to help him.
YUI POV
Midnight finally joined Yui on the couch. Neither of them spoke. They stared at the TV screen. A few days ago, Vesemir had saved her from villains. Now he stood against Wraith. She watched as he drew his sword, showing no fear. She listened to how he spoke to Wraith, how he made his vow... how he didn't want to fight... but had to.
"He didn't want to fight,"
Yui said to her aunt. Midnight looked at Yui and replied,
"Yes. He didn't want to fight. He could have attacked straight away, but he didn't. He waited, listened... as if he wanted to understand the cause."
"Auntie... does he know what death is...?"
"Yes, Yui... unfortunately, he does... you saw it yourself... but Vesemir is not a monster. He's very lost..."
Yui hugged a pillow tightly, trying to shake off the feeling of helplessness.
"He thinks he's alone... why?"
Midnight hugged Yui close.
"That's because he was raised that way. In his... 'world', there wasn't much room for affection. He was raised to be a man who wouldn't ask for help. Wouldn't want to talk about his problems and would just bury them deeper and deeper... that's my theory."
Yui looked up and met Midnight's eyes.
"How can I help him?"
"Oh Yui... that's a very hard question... I think you should start by... simply being near him. Don't judge, don't pressure him to talk. Just be close."
"And... what if he doesn't want to be close to anyone?"
"Yui... there's no such person in this world. He may act distant and cold, but you have to know that Vesemir is deeply hurt. You saw how he fought. You heard how he spoke to Wraith and you heard his vow. That wasn't acting. You saw the real Vesemir. You saw a boy who did what had to be done, even though he didn't want to... besides... I want to take you somewhere tomorrow morning."
"Where, Auntie?"
"To the lake."
IBARA SHIOZAKI POV
That morning, Ibara sat in her classroom while her classmates played the news broadcast on the class TV during the break. On the screen was footage of a young boy fighting a terrifying villain called Wraith.
At first, she wanted to look away. She didn't like violence, didn't seek thrills. But something made her stop. She looked at the close-up of the boy's face, Vesemir. She saw sadness... humility...
"What a guy! So full of himself he doesn't even celebrate after beating a villain!"
One of the boys shouted.
"Duuude... the guy must be some kind of emo."
Another replied.
Ibara ignored their words. She held her rosary. While the others laughed at his silence, she tried to look inside the boy's soul... and she saw suffering. She watched him kneel next to what remained of the villain... it looked like he was praying. Ibara stood up slowly and left the classroom, heading for the school garden she tended as a member of the gardening club.
She knelt on the stone floor. Closed her eyes. Through the open window, a ray of light fell upon her. She began to pray.
"Lord, I came to beg for help. Not for myself, but for the boy called Vesemir... Gwynbleidd... I see how his soul bleeds. I hear the silent cry for help in his eyes. His soul is wounded and stained. I fear he's never seen Your light. I don't beg You to change him, but to place me on his path. I want to be near him to listen, not to judge. To walk beside him, not lead him. Not to save him, but to show him the way to You."
Her hands trembled. A breeze came through the open window, making the flowers sway.
Ibara raised her head to the sky. The sun didn't blind her. It warmed her.
"Lord... grant me the patience to sit beside him and listen. If he pours his sorrows onto me, do not let me retreat. Let my hand offer him a chance to walk out of the darkness. Amen."
Several students who were near the garden later swore they heard harp music and a choir singing...
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The day after the battle with Wraith. Morning. Vesemir's Room.
Vesemir lay on the bed. He was exhausted. He hadn't slept that night. He stared at another painting he had created. It depicted the moment he pinned Wraith to the ground with his sword, and from beneath the hood, a human eye was visible. Wraith's body had just begun to burn. Vesemir closed his eyes.
"Thank you... Vesemir."
He heard it again... Yet he still felt guilty... Could he have done more? If he had come to this world earlier, could he have saved them? Now all that remained was the vow. He had a feeling few would understand him. In this world, fighting meant saving someone—not killing. Still, he couldn't give up. He would fight, because this world needed a Witcher.
Someone knocked on the door.
He didn't answer. The door opened slowly, hesitantly.
"Vesemir?"
It was Midnight's voice. Calm, quiet. He stood and bowed slightly.
"Good morning, Miss Midnight."
"I brought Yui. She really wanted to see you."
Yui entered the room, carrying a tray with three cups of tea.
"Good morning, Vesemir. I thought you might like some tea."
"Thank you very much, Miss Yui."
Midnight, Yui, and Vesemir sat at the table. Yui served the tea. Vesemir smelled chamomile and raspberry... He took a sip. The tea was calming. Yui watched him closely. She had made it herself and hoped he liked it. They let him savor the taste... Yui looked around the room... she and Midnight glanced at the painting he had made. The smell of fresh paint lingered.
Yui instinctively brought her hand to her mouth. Midnight stayed silent. She looked at Vesemir. He sat still, eyes closed, occasionally sipping tea.
"Vesemir... did you sleep at all? You must've painted this all night..."
"Sleep... just didn't come. So I..."
Vesemir didn't finish... he didn't know how to put it into words.
Midnight trembled. Yui looked at her aunt with concern. The boy's voice was... hollow... absent... as if he were stripping himself of emotions on purpose.
Midnight typed a message on her phone to Hound Dog.
"Vesemir. Severe signs of PTSD. Insomnia, emotional isolation, channeling emotions through art. Tell me you've got a treatment plan ready?"
Hound Dog replied:
"My old classmate just arrived. We studied psychology together. Her quirk creates musical videos from the thoughts of those she touches. We'll be able to see what's in Vesemir's mind."
Yui walked up to the painting.
"He... he looks like someone who just wanted to be heard..."
Vesemir shifted slightly, nodding.
"He wasn't heard. Not until it was too late. The so-called police failed him. Him and his wife."
Yui knelt beside him to meet his eyes from below.
"You didn't kill him. You helped the only way you knew how."
Vesemir looked at her. Not with anger. Not with indignation. More like disbelief. Did Miss Yui... understand?
Yui gave a weak smile, trying to give him faith in himself. Tears welled in the corners of her eyes.
Midnight spoke after a moment.
"Vesemir... I'd like you to talk to someone today. Someone who can help us understand what's going on. She has a very unique quirk..."
"I'm going too."
Yui said.
"Yui, that's not a good idea,"
Midnight said softly but firmly.
"This session might trigger very painful memories. This isn't something you should watch."
Yui didn't look away. Still kneeling beside Vesemir, she held his hand... he let her. She could only say...
"...Please..."
Midnight opened her mouth, but Vesemir spoke first.
"All right."
A voice came from outside the door.
"I'M GOING TOO!"
It was Nejire.
Midnight looked toward the door in surprise. A moment later, it creaked open, revealing a disheveled Nejire in her school uniform. It seemed she had followed Yui.
Vesemir still sat at the table. His gaze, calm yet piercing, went right through Nejire. He was silent for a moment, then sipped his tea and said quietly:
"Nejire-senpai..."
He began, but Nejire cut him off.
"Don't you dare tell me not to come! I saw on TV what that battle did to you! Please, Vesemir, I have to be with you!"
Midnight froze. She looked between Nejire and Yui, trying to figure out when it happened. When did this quiet boy, who pushed everyone away, manage to capture the hearts of two girls?
"Fine. If everyone agrees, I won't stop you. But remember—once you see what's in my head... you'll never look at me the same way again."
Yui squeezed his hand.
"Don't say that, Vesemir. You saved me. You're a hero."
"No... I'm not..."
Nejire noticed Yui holding Vesemir's hand. Without hesitation, she approached and did the same with his other hand.
Vesemir looked at their intertwined fingers. First Nejire's, then Yui's. He sighed heavily, as if he had no choice.
"Last chance to back out."
"Hmm..." Yui tightened her grip.
"Don't even think about it." Nejire squeezed his hand.
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The room they entered was spacious. The walls were painted green and decorated with images of flowers, meadows, and distant suns. On the sofas sat Hound Dog, Aizawa, Nezu, Recovery Girl, Present Mic, and a woman Vesemir didn't recognize, wearing a white coat. She smiled warmly at him.
"Good morning, Vesemir. I'm Doctor Himari Osaka. I'm here to help you. We want to understand your thought process and see your memories. You're safe here. You can refuse, and nothing will happen. You have my word."
Vesemir didn't reply. Yui and Nejire walked in behind him, nudging him forward. They each held one of his hands. Midnight entered last and closed the door.
He looked around. The room was clearly designed to soothe the senses. It didn't work on him, but he appreciated the intent behind Hound Dog's idea. He looked at the people inside. Each of them watched him differently. Aizawa with cool neutrality, Present Mic with concern, Nezu with analytical curiosity, and Hound Dog... with the careful empathy of someone who truly understood trauma. Recovery Girl looked worried, but calm.
He finally nodded and sat on the couch near the television and disk player—within reach of Doctor Osaka. She continued:
"For my quirk to work, I need to place one hand on your forehead and the other on the disc player. Everything will be recorded on the disc, and we'll see it on the screen too. During the process, you'll be... inside your mind."
Vesemir nodded. He felt a slight tension. The unknown... made him uneasy, but Yui and Nejire still held his hands. Doctor Osaka gently placed her hand on his forehead and whispered softly:
"Close your eyes, Vesemir... You're safe..."
He did as told... and felt an unfamiliar power draw him into his mind... He was back on a street in Novigrad. It was dark, raining... He looked into the gutter... and turned away...
The television screen showed darkness... The sound of rain hitting the cobblestone… and footsteps echoing on stone…
The night is cloaked in shadow's veil
The rain beats down a mournful tale
The camera turned toward Vesemir… he was younger… but his eyes said everything...
A young Witcher walks the cobbled street
Vengeance burns where hearts should beat
He held a pendant in his hand—the one he had given to his friend the last time he was in the city. He was following her trail. He could smell her… and the scent of several men…
Six Redanian soldiers will die in the night
Their laughter fades beneath the fight
Vesemir saw her… or rather, her body, for her spirit had long left this world. The soldiers were laughing. One pulled up his trousers. Another snorted some drug. The rest were drinking alcohol.
Their sins are carved in blood-stained lore
Vesemir stands to even the score
The camera showed Vesemir slowly stepping out from the shadows. Only his eyes and the glint of a Witcher blade were visible.
Through the storm he moves unseen
A phantom born of rage and keen
His face was twisted in pain. Hatred surged through his veins.
Steel will sing its final hymn
The rain will weep for what's within
Finally, one of the soldiers saw him. He shouted to the others. They began to laugh at the teenage boy. They mocked him—and the victim lying between them.
His blades hum low in the midnight air
A wolf's resolve
A hunter's stare
One of them focused on the boy's appearance. Two swords… one for monsters, one for men… and it was the latter he held… a wolf medallion on his chest… in fear, he muttered a single word—
"Witcher…?"
Each step a promise
Cold and stark
The rain his witness
The night his mark
Vesemir advanced without mercy. The soldiers had nowhere to run. They were near the river. They had planned to toss the girl's body into the water, to hide all traces of their crime.
One by one
They meet their fate
A dance of steel
They drew their weapons. The dance began. Vesemir fought in rage. He didn't kill with a single blow. He wanted them to suffer.
A love turned hate
The rain it washes crimson streams
And silences their haunting screams
The screams of the soldiers and the clash of steel on steel were muffled by the falling rain… But one man heard them… An older man with white hair, two swords on his back, and a wolf medallion on his chest. He ran toward the sounds.
Through the storm he moves unseen
A phantom born of rage and keen
The enemies couldn't locate the boy. Vesemir, subconsciously, was opening portals—disappearing… only to reappear behind their backs...
Steel will sing its final hymn
The rain will weep for what's within
With every strike, Vesemir shouted. Not from pain or effort—but from hate. He killed them all.
His grandfather came to check on him
He saw a boy on the brim
Geralt entered the alley and saw Vesemir cradling the blonde-haired girl against his chest. She showed no signs of life.
Vengeance is done, they paid the price
So why his heart is full of ice
Geralt knelt beside his grandson. In his eyes, he saw grief and guilt...
The screen dimmed... A heavy silence fell over the room. No one moved. Even their breaths seemed suspended in time.
Vesemir opened his eyes. He felt… tired, as if he had returned from a long journey. He had seen it all again… Anna's body… Slowly, he raised his head and looked at the people in the room. He started with Yui...
Yui was crying. She wasn't sobbing. Her tears simply slid quietly down her cheeks, but she was still holding his hand. Her face was pale, and her lips trembled slightly.
Vesemir turned his head to look at Nejire... Her eyes were wide open. Her fingers tightened around his other hand. Normally so full of life, her smile was gone. She looked at him as if she were seeing him for the first time. Vesemir felt pain… maybe... he feared her judgment… her gaze… feared she would hate him.
Recovery Girl had her eyes half-closed. She let out a quiet sigh, as if her heart had broken from what she had just seen.
Present Mic didn't say a word. His hand trembled on his knee. His usual loud personality had vanished. He wanted to shout, but this wasn't the time or place.
Aizawa looked away. He stared to the side, as if trying to process what he had seen. As if struggling to control his emotions. He had seen his own son... killing... for revenge...
Nezu was still staring at the dimmed screen, his paws clasped together. Even he had nothing to say at that moment.
Hound Dog looked like he had seen something like this before. Not this specific event—but something similar, many times in his career as a hero… but never something so brutal... so painful. He lowered his head and stood up.
Midnight clenched her fists. She was holding back tears.
Doctor Osaka slowly withdrew her hand from Vesemir's forehead… Her face was marked with tear stains.
Vesemir looked down at his hands… they trembled slightly… Yui and Nejire were still holding them… He wanted to speak in his usual calm voice... but instead, he spoke with a trembling one.
"I... I didn't want you to see that..."
He clenched his jaw. His breathing quickened, as if he were fighting off a surge of pain. It wasn't supposed to be like this... He was supposed to stay calm... but the words spilled from his mouth on their own.
"I... I killed them all... because I loved her... she helped me find peace... she knew when to speak, and when to just hold me... I wanted them to be afraid... to feel a fear they'd never known... I wanted them to beg for mercy... I... I wanted..."
Vesemir didn't finish... his throat closed up... he just shook his head.
Hound Dog stepped forward and knelt on one knee in front of the boy. He began speaking calmly.
"What you did… isn't easy to accept in our world… but I understand why you did it. I understand the rage. I understand the loss. I understand that you thought... there was no other choice..."
The school psychologist turned to look at the others.
"He's not a monster. He's a boy carrying far more than he should. And if anyone here has something to say against him, they better ask themselves what they'd do if it happened to someone they loved."
Nezu looked at the boy. He finally decided to speak.
"Vesemir... with great power comes great responsibility... but in your case, someone simply dumped that responsibility on you far too early... too early for such a young boy. You had to grow up too fast... It's not fair... but we'll help you... we won't leave you behind..."
Aizawa rested his elbows on his knees and hid his face in his hands for a moment. Then he lifted his head and looked at him with a cool gaze, though it was clearly strained.
"None of us really has the right to judge you... that was a different world... different laws... but now that you're here, I'll do everything I can to make sure you'll never have to do what you did again... I'm sorry, son..."
Present Mic didn't say anything. But he walked up and placed a hand on Hound Dog's shoulder, looking at Vesemir with a hesitant but warm expression.
"From now on, I want you to call me 'Uncle Hisashi'. I'll support you for as long as you need me."
Recovery Girl gave a sad smile.
"You're not alone, boy... My door will always be open to you."
Nejire still said nothing. Her hand was warm, steady. But after a moment, with unexpected strength, she leaned in and hugged Vesemir from the side. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Somehow, she managed to whisper:
"I won't leave you..."
Yui also whispered:
"You're not a monster... you're a good person."
Vesemir sat in silence, both girls clinging to him from either side. Nejire's tears dampened his shoulder. Yui's warmth comforted his left side. For the first time in a long while... he didn't feel cold.
He didn't know how much time passed before someone finally spoke again. Time felt fast and slow all at once...
At last, he managed to ask:
"Am I... still welcome at U.A.?"
"Don't you even think otherwise!"
Present Mic shouted, throwing his fist into the air.
"And by the way... where do you come from, my favorite nephew?"
Vesemir began to calm down... he recalled his training... inhale... exhale...
"I come from a place that you would probably call a fairy tale or a legend. I already told Miss Midnight and Miss Yui about a battle I was in... and they said my world resembled your medieval era. In my world, there's magic and monsters... creatures like Wraith... and others... some weaker, so most heroes would be able to deal with them... and others so dangerous that even my grandfather would think twice before fighting them.
I come from a world ravaged by war... The Nilfgaardian Empire has split into two factions... the war's been going on for... honestly, I don't even know how long anymore... I was probably six... maybe seven when it started... I had to flee... because I am the son of the Empress of Nilfgaard. Geralt... my grandfather, is a Witcher. He took me with him and started teaching me how to fight, because my life was constantly in danger..."
Present Mic opened his mouth… and for a long moment, no words came out. Finally, he let out a breath, scratched the back of his neck, and chuckled softly.
"Okay... that was definitely not what I expected, but... hey! What a story!"
Nejire looked at him, wide-eyed.
"So that's why you talk so strangely... and don't understand our customs..."
Vesemir focused on what everyone in the room had said... his mind started analyzing again... Aizawa had called him... son...
He looked up. He stared at Aizawa. Long and silently. Trying to understand. Was it a slip? A rhetorical turn of phrase?
Aizawa didn't avoid his gaze.
"It wasn't an accident... that I called you that."
Vesemir froze. He felt his whole body tense, as if someone had aimed a crossbow at him.
"A long time ago... before you appeared here... a woman came to us. She had white hair, eyes like a green gems. Strong, composed... and incredibly stubborn. She claimed she wasn't from this world. Her name was Ciri."
The room grew even quieter. Vesemir felt Yui's hand tremble. Nejire held her breath. Vesemir felt... something, but he wasn't sure what.
"She was here briefly. Wounded. In hiding. She ended up at U.A. by accident... or maybe fate led her. We took care of her. Helped her recover. She didn't want to say much. But... one night... we talked longer. I was in my third year back then..."
Aizawa took a deep breath. His voice trembled slightly.
"We spent a night together... and a few days later, she vanished... without a trace... I thought..."
Aizawa shook his head... unable to finish the sentence.
Nezu spoke instead.
"When you were injured, I ordered a blood analysis to compare your DNA with our quirk user database, to find your parents... Your genetic code is a perfect match with Aizawa... one hundred percent..."
Aizawa raised his gaze. There was no turning back now.
"You're my son, Vesemir."
End of Chapter 18
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