The Monster Makes An Appearance (Part 2) (Page 36)

The guards hold up their weapons and indicate for us to stop right where we're at. "What business you got 'ere? I've neva seen your faces 'efore." Talk about Neanderthals can't even speak right. They're wearing weird face paint too... I look at Ciri and see she's thinking the same thing I am.

My answer is prepared, and I know the longer I wait, the ruder these men will get. "We've heard this is a place to pass the time. We can pay for entry if that's what interests you." It'll be a good way to spend some time until. I have a feeling it isn't going to be that simple.

The guards share a look, one that conveys a plan. I've been through this routine too much in my travels. "You need to know someone who got pull in Novigrad. This place ain't for regular people to enter as they please." Here I thought they would sell out for some coin... We need to know someone...

Digging for more info is dangerous, but I'm not scared of these idiots. "Exactly who do you qualify as influential? It seems strange to reject coin..." I'm sure that I can outwit these simpleton's. They may be working together, but that won't help them.

Who I assume is the leader gives a sick and twisted smile. "Someone more important than you could know... You two should sod off. If you don't leave, we'll take your whore and fuck her right! Doesn't that sound good, princess?!" Something inside me snaps, and power quickly builds in me. "*RRRUUMMMBBBLLLEEEE!!* *CCCCRRRRRAAAACCCCKKK!!*" My old self is quickly coming back. And I can't stop him.

It feels like all of Novigrad is shaking. An aura of deep turquoise light surrounds Cera, and the energy rolling off him is like a beacon for anyone with magic.

My eye's light in bright fury, my mind is being consumed with hate. "What did you just say..." I'm having extreme problems holding back. My right hand is shaking... Trying to keep it away from my sword.

~~~(POV Ciri)~~~

The power rolling off Cera... It's absolutely insane... The area is shaking, some rocks and pebbles are rising and falling with every breath he takes. I've never seen something like this from Cera... The hate, the anger, the bloodlust. I can see in his posture and stance that he's ready to kill.

What drawing my attention the most is his eyes. His eyes are always a beautiful Aurora Borealis color. Now, it's like you can actually see the colors glowing out of his eyes. Like you're watching the beautiful event when you look into his eyes.

I look away from him for the first time since the shaking started and look to the men who caused this. They're full of fear. The insult didn't faze me in the slightest. It affected Cera. More than I ever thought it would.

I wrap my arms around his right arm. I have to stop him... "Cera... I need you to calm down..." My words don't reach him. The power and shaking intensify around us, and the men lose their balance. I'm only standing because I'm holding onto Cera. I'm beginning to feel like I won't be able to stop him. I've never felt this way in my life. I'm powerless to stop him from killing a person because they said a vile thing. I didn't think anyone other than Geralt would do such a thing for me.

I reach up and cup his cheeks in my palms. I tilt his head down, so our eyes meet. They're raging... A storm of power that takes my breath away... "Cera... Just focus on me... I'm right here, and I'm fine..." His eyes lose their intense light and he looks like the Cera I know. Both of us react differently. I'm worried there's something wrong with Cera... He, on the other hand, looks down in shame.

I look around and take in the actual damage that's happened. Some of the ground is torn open and deep cracks line the alleyway. I look at the buildings and see they've suffered severe damage. Glass lines the ground in the alley from the broken windows. We need to get out of here. "C'mon, Cera... We're leaving..." I try to pull him away. He doesn't budge, though.

He turns to the men, and power begins to leak again, this time more controlled. "Apologize to her... If you don't, you'll wish you died..." The seriousness of his words is frightening. The men are shaking on the ground and have blank faces. Soon, they gain their sense and stand up.

They have no intention of trying anything. I look at Cera, and he's growing impatient. He slowly reaches for his sword. I'm about to stop him when I hear their voices. "We're re-really s-s-sorry... It won't ha-happen again..." He lowers his hand to his side, finally gives me leverage, and we head out.

We rush back to our inn, and there is silence in our room. He's just sitting on the bed, looking at the ceiling. I stare at him for a while. I'm worried about what's going through his head. Thinking back on it, I'm happy that he would do that to someone that treated me like that. On the other hand, it worries me that he was so willing to take there lives. I get they're terrible people.

The spot next to him on the bed is open, and I take it. He doesn't look away from the ceiling. I reach out and rub his arm just so he knows I'm here. He doesn't react at all. He's withdrawing from me... I won't let you run from me, Cera. I stop rubbing his arm and climb on his lap. I straddle him so he'll have to take me with him. "Are you okay, Cera..." I need him to talk to me. He's been there so much for me. Now it's my turn.

He never stops looking at the ceiling. I lean my head in and rest it between his neck and shoulder. He leans his cheek on the side of my head. That's a good sign. I'm getting something from him. "I'm sorry you had to see that..." I'm glad that I saw it. I know that we need to be careful around others.

I run into people like that all the time. "I should've reacted better than that... It's just when he called you a whore... And said that he would take you... I felt something I buried a long time ago... I wanted to hurt him... Brutally... Not like a human would..." I probably would've reacted violently if a woman had made a comment like that to Cera in front of me.

I hug him tighter, and he finally wraps his arms around me. "It's okay, Cera... You know that'll never happen to us..." I feel even closer to him... I want to know more about him after this. I thought I knew everything... But I was wrong... I do want to ask him one thing, and I can't wait till later.

I take a breath to relax my nerves. "Why go straight to killing them..." I need to know this. It'll help both of us empty his thoughts and share them with me. We're still hugging, and I haven't let go in the slightest. I know he needs this right now, it feels so good to be able to support him. To be there for him like he is for me...

He gently rubs his head against mine, which feels better than I would like to admit. "I didn't want them taking you from me..." BA-BUMP, BA-BUMP. I feel indescribable when he said that. I have a lot of feelings going through me right now.

We separate and look at one another. I look into his eyes. I lean in as I close mine. Our lips meet, and it feels so good. Not in a sexual way... Well, a little... But more in the emotional way, like we're connected. We move our lips together. We open our eyes at the same time, and I can see the love and emotion he has for me. I know mine are the same, if not greater. We lean forward and rest our foreheads together. I close my eyes, enjoying the closeness I feel.

The sun is still up. This wasn't the best date. "I think we should take our stuff to Jaskier's... Might as well since we need things to cool down around the area." He nods in silence, and we pack the little stuff we have and head to the Rosemary and Thyme. We walk hand in hand. I want to be close to him, so I bring us closer, and I lean on him. I want him to know I'm here to stay, and I'll always be his.

Unknown to them, there is a discussion about today's events by the higher-ups in the city, government, and criminal overlords. They're discussing the man that made the city shake. We don't know what problems Cera's presence and power have caused in the city, but that is for later discussions.