Cain's gaze lingered on the entry for Elder Blood under Abilities. It was still listed as Locked, with a faint golden outline hinting that an unlock was available. He had exactly three unassigned stat points remaining – points he had earned from recent quest gains and not yet spent.
I would ask the system if I can use the stat points to unlock my elder blood. "System checking... Elder blood can be unlocked through the use stat points". the text said in front of me. Then it continued. "Elder blood can be unlocked through the use of stat points to get to higher level proficiency must be at 100 and the right amount of stat points used.
I smiled at the declaration meaning it would be easier then I thought. "How many stat points will I need to unlock my my blood right now. "System... Three stat points will be enough.
By all indications, those were just enough to unlock the dormant Elder Blood power that lurked within him. I'm glad I had saved those points.
But first, My eyes drifted to the inventory section highlighting the unopened quest reward chests. Six in total – one normal, one uncommon, and four rare. I had accumulated them from various quest now was the time.
I quietly slid open the small window shutter to let in a sliver of moonlight. The pale illumination would help me see any material items that appeared. I sat on the edge of my bed just in case anything dangerous or surprising occurred, I didn't want to be caught off balance.
I focused on the first chest in the list, the Normal Reward Chest. The moment my fingers touched the screen a soft glow emanated from the screen. The chest's contents materialized in my hands: a single glass vial filled with a glimmering red liquid. He recognized it instantly – the potion's liquid swirled on its own, a beacon of vitality.
[Chest Opened – Normal] Obtained: Potion of Healing (Common) – A palm-sized vial of crimson liquid that glimmers when agitated. Drinking this potion will mend minor wounds and restore vitality.
I smiled and turned the potion in my hand. A basic Potion of Healing was always welcome in a Witcher's arsenal. I carefully set the vial aside on the bed. "That'll come in handy when things get rough," I murmured to myself. It wasn't powerful enough to knit serious injuries, but for a quick pick-up during or after a fight, it could be a lifesaver.
Next I concentrated on the Uncommon Reward Chest.
[Chest Opened – Uncommon] Obtained: Bag of Holding (Uncommon) – An ordinary-looking cloth satchel embroidered with a subtle geometric pattern. Its interior space is vastly larger than its exterior dimensions, and it remains feather-light regardless of contents. (Allows storage of up to 500 pounds or 64 cubic feet of items while weighing only 15 pounds. Ideal for discreetly carrying goods.)
I let out an impressed whistle. I'd heard whispers of such enchanted bags in D&D stories—pocket dimensions, basically. This particular one was expertly made; the embroidery in gray thread was actually arcane runes that maintained the enchantment. I opened the drawstring and peeked inside. The inside was dark, seemingly endless. Tentatively, he reached an arm in…and kept reaching far past the depth of the bag's exterior. My hand encountered nothing but empty air.
Laughing under my breath, I placed the Bag of Holding on the bed next to the potion. I mused in thinking how perfectly timed this item was. Ysolde's contracts involved discreet transport – this bag would allow them to hide goods from prying eyes with ease. No border guard would suspect contraband hidden in a normal-looking pouch on someone's belt. Not to mention the convenience of carrying their growing inventory. Their poor horse would have much less to bear now.
My heart beating a little faster with anticipation now, I moved on to the real prizes: the Rare Reward Chests. Four in total. I decided to open them one by one, savoring each. With a wave of the hand,
[Chest Opened – Rare] Obtained: Flame Tongue (Rare) – A legendary enchanted longsword. While holding this magic weapon, the wielder can speak a command word to cause flames to engulf the blade. The sword's fire illuminates the surroundings brightly and sears its targets. (When ignited, Flame Tongue deals significant extra fire damage with each strike.)
My eyes widened as I watched the flames dancing along the blade's edge. I then whispered a word that came into my mind – likely the command word bound to the sword – "Ignifer." At once, the flames dissipated, leaving just a beautifully crafted sword. The abrupt dimming left only the moonlight again, and Cain's medallion settled down from its frenzy.
I finally let out the breath he'd been holding. This was a weapon worthy of legend. I had wielded the even blade before, but this With this blade, I could cleave through beasts and bandits alike, and set abominations aflame. It would even the odds against monsters vulnerable to fire – an elemental advantage I usually relied on Igni for, but the sword's flames were far more potent. Maybe Callum could use the sword since I have a perfectly good one. On to the next one.
> [Chest Opened – Rare] Obtained: Ring of Protection (Rare) – A polished silver band that emanates a subtle protective aura. When worn, it bolsters the wearer's defenses. (Grants a slight increase to armor resilience and enhances resistance to harmful effects, making attacks less likely to land true.)
I flexed his fingers, feeling a soft tingling run up his arm. The ring's magic attuned to mine swiftly. I felt as if an invisible barrier now hugged my skin. It wasn't anything dramatic, but a Witcher's reflexes noticed even a small improvement. I stacking this on top of the my quen and imagined the extra layer of protection which in this work is needed.
[Chest Opened – Rare] Obtained: Cloak of Elvenkind (Rare) – A hooded traveling cloak woven by elder elf enchantment. Its fibers change color to blend with the environment. (When the hood is drawn, the wearer becomes markedly harder to notice – granting enhanced stealth and causing observers' eyes to slide past them.)
Since I already have a very good cloak I should give this to Calanthe, she would benefit most from this. Especially being hiding when needing to cast stonger spells that need longer time to chat or power to build up.
Finally, the fourth Rare chest awaited.
My eyebrows shot up. Was this…? I concentrated and the system prompt confirmed his hunch:
> [Chest Opened – Rare] Obtained: Spell Magic Missiles (Rare) – A slender scroll carved with arcane runes. Turning ones mana and magic to a fast and powerful sphere that can hit almost anything with great proficiency and power based on the wielder.
I couldn't help but laugh softly at the irony and perfection of this reward. After days of me struggling to conjure reliable magical projectiles, here was an item that could do it at the flick of a wrist.I unsealed the scroll it glowed and then disintegrated in my hands.
I then held out my hand and three small orbs of violet energy materialized in the air, swirling above my open hand eagerly. Startled, I quickly pointed my hand at the far wall – with a thought, the three arcane missiles streaked forth, unerringly striking the wooden beam.
They hit with a trio of solid thuds, leaving small scorch marks and causing no real damage beyond a bit of smoldering splinters. The force was modest – perhaps equivalent to a strong punch each. "Better not accidentally blast a hole in the inn." He was glad the Magic Missiles were relatively tame; had he invoked a full volley, the whole inn would've heard the racket.
With all chests opened, I took a moment to arrange the spoils before him and truly analyze the loot as a whole. Six new acquisitions – each gleaming with promise in the gentle candlelight: the Potion of Healing, the Bag of Holding, the Flame Tongue sword, the Ring of Protection on his finger, the Cloak of Elvenkind, and the scroll of Magic Missiles (now used).
Now came the final task of the night: unlocking my Elder Blood ability. I could feel my pulse quicken. This was something deeply personal – not just another item or external boon, but a power that supposedly lay dormant in his very veins.
I stood in the center of the room, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet to loosen up, and took a calming breath. The ability I sought was colloquially nicknamed "Blink" in his mind – a short-range teleportation, the kind Ciri herself could do in combat to flash-step across a battlefield in the blink of an eye. It's a formidable talent for a swordsman, allowing nearly instantaneous repositioning.
"Alright," "Let's do this."
I opened the status panel and navigated to the Abilities section. There, grayed out but flickering now that prerequisites were met, was Elder Blood – Blink (Level 1). The description read: "Elder Blood Activation – Short-range teleportation. Cost: 3 Stat Points." And beneath that: "Teleport up to approximately 10 meters. High stamina expenditure. Allows instantaneous relocation to a visible point."
I confirmed the expenditure. Instantly, the three unspent stat points in his pool drained to zero. The room's ambient noise hushed, as if the air itself held its breath. I felt a sudden warmth ignite in my blood, starting from my chest and coursing through every vein. my Witcher medallion trembled against my sternum as ancient power awoke within me.
"Ah—!" I gasped softly. It wasn't painful, but it was overwhelming for a moment. I doubled over, palms on my knees, as a rush of energy surged in my limbs. It was as though some inner dam had burst, flooding my with raw potential. my vision swam with motes of pale green light. I recognized this color – the same hue that often accompanied Ciri's portals and leaps between worlds in the tales. Elder Blood energy, primal and chaotic, yet now it was his to command.
> [New Ability Unlocked: Elder Blood – Blink] – You can harness the power of Elder Blood to teleport short distances in the blink of an eye.
The system notification flashed before fading. I straightened, breathing hard but steady. I flexed my fingers; they crackled subtly with that greenish aura which then dissipated into the air. This felt different from my Witcher signs, which were like drawing on a well-practiced spell; this was part of me, like flexing a new muscle I never knew I had.
Time to test it, i decided. Cain fixed his gaze on a spot across the room – just in front of the closed door, about three or four paces away. He visualized himself standing there. The Elder Blood within him resonated, ready to obey. Cain willed the Blink.
In an instant, the world stretched and blurred. For a fraction of a heartbeat, Cain felt weightless, bodiless, as if slipping between the fabric of reality. A muted whoosh and a flicker of green light later, Cain found himself exactly at the point he'd aimed for, halfway across the room. It had happened so fast – one moment he was near the bed, the next he was by the door, a gentle swirl of emerald particles drifting around him. He had teleported.
A wild grin spread on Cain's face. It had worked flawlessly. He turned back to where he had stood and let out a breathless laugh. A faint afterimage – like a ghostly shimmer – lingered where he'd been a second ago, fading quickly. There was also a slight distortion in the air in his wake, which settled. If one blinked, they'd have missed it; hence the name.
He felt a momentary wave of dizziness and noticed his heart pounding. The stamina cost was noticeable – as if he'd sprinted that distance instead of teleporting – and a bit of an extra drain as well, likely due to the strain on his body and the still-low level of mastery. But Cain could already see how invaluable this ability could be. In combat, he could dodge an attack by blinking behind a foe in the blink of an eye, or close a gap to a bowman instantly. It was mobility and surprise distilled into one.
Cain focused inward to gauge how often he could do this. His stamina had dipped, but not disastrously so. Perhaps he could manage a handful of teleports in quick succession at most before tiring, and then would need rest or a potion to replenish. There might not be a strict cooldown, but his physical endurance was the limit. That was fine; it meant he'd have to use it judiciously, not spam it recklessly.
He also recalled stories that uncontrolled Elder Blood power could teleport one unpredictably or even across worlds. But this felt grounded and targeted – the system's influence likely kept it limited to a safe, short range under his conscious control. Level 1 Blink: just a quick step in line of sight. That was enough for now. He wondered if higher levels someday might extend the range or reduce the stamina cost, but that was a thought for the future.
Feeling giddy, Cain practiced a couple more times within the room: from the door back to the bed (nearly tripping over the rug as he rematerialized – he'd have to be mindful of orientation), then from the bed to the window. After three blinks in total, he felt a sheen of sweat on his brow and decided that was plenty for one night. He didn't want to collapse from exhaustion or accidentally blink himself halfway into a wall by pushing too far while still a novice at it.
He sat back down on the bed, catching his breath. "So this is the power of Elder Blood," he murmured. It was exhilarating. A part of him whispered that unlocking this might draw attention – powerful magical attention. Elder Blood in the world was rare and sought by dangerous entities. He would have to be cautious where and when he used Blink openly. But at least in dire straits, he now had this ace up his sleeve.
Cain brought up his Status once more to see the updated entry. Sure enough, under Abilities it now listed: Elder Blood – Blink (Level 1) as active. His stat points were at 0, and he noted that his Charisma remained one point higher thanks to the dinner event. Everything looked in order.
He mentally dismissed the interface and began to strip off his gear in preparation for sleep. He was bone-tired now – it had been an eventful day: finishing contracts, the emotional heart-to-heart, training, feast, and then this flurry of power-ups and excitement. His body and mind needed rest. Tomorrow would be busy with final errands and setting out.