It's time!
Happy Birthday @tigerlyla-of-metinna!
Here is your gift. The request was simple, and a bit trivial, but you know, when it comes to Master Mirror, the wishes may bring some unexpected bonuses. And this time it is a story.
"A gift"
In the heart of the Royal Palace in Vizima, a former residence of northern monarchs, the Emperor Emhyr var Emreis, Deithwen Addan yn Carn aep Morvudd which in Nilfgaardian means The White Flame Dancing on the Barrows of his Enemies found himself ensnared by the tendrils of an encroaching weariness, one that seeped deeper than the fatigue of rulership—a weariness of the soul.
The chamber, renovated in a taste and style of its current occupant, lay bathed in the dim light of a solitary candle, casting long shadows that danced with the stillness of the night. The palace, usually a fortress of solitude and power, felt like a prison, its opulent chambers suffocating under the weight of decisions made and the spectres of those yet to come. The heat was oppressive, a tangible reminder of the day's trials and the endless demands of the empire. Sleep, that elusive thief, had once again evaded his grasp, leaving behind a throbbing headache as a mocking gift.
As the clock upon the mantlepiece, a sentinel of time's relentless march, ticked its way toward midnight, Emhyr's gaze lingered upon its face, as if in seeking communion with the passage of time itself. But in the moment when the chime should have broken the silence, marking the birth of a new day, time itself seemed to hold its breath. The ticking ceased, leaving a silence so profound it was as though the world beyond the chamber had ceased to exist.
At that very moment, in the utter silence, he realised clearly that he was no longer alone in the room. He could clearly feel someone's presence behind him. His first thought was an assassin. Another, this time possibly successful attempt on the Emperor's life? His hand was about to reach for the dagger hidden in the folds of his clothes, but he was unpleasantly surprised to find that he couldn't move at all. He felt as if he were in a sleepy paralysis, he realised that any action at the moment was beyond his control. And if he decided to shout or jump up from his seat he would meet with total failure. Yet he did not feel poisoned. It was something else, something that acted like a spell.
A fleeting, traitorous thought of the incredible relief a sudden, foolish death by assassination could offer flashed through his mind. There was no fear. It seemed he'd long since given up that feeling. It was a feeling of a different kind. Curiosity.
“Who are you?” he found that the thought had been voiced, so he wasn't paralysed entirely. And yet he made no attempt to turn round to see who dared to invade his chambers. He heard a soft laughter. Footsteps and rustling moved from behind his back circling him.
"Good evening, my friend." A man stepped out of the darkness and appeared before his table in the light of a lone candle. Friend?
"You do not recall me at all, right?" He was smiling broadly, the candle flame reflecting in his eyes and on his almost bald cut head. His whole appearance was... ordinary. Yellowish tunic with stripes on the sleeves, cross body bags on either side. Didn't look like an assassin. A spy?
“You didn't answer the question,” the Emperor stated in a perfectly composed tone that did not express a single trace of emotion. “But I'll give you credit for getting past my guards, which suggests either that the system isn't as efficient as it should be or that you're exceptional. I'm listening. You're here for a reason, aren't you? What do you want?”
Yet he sensed something familiar in that gaze. Something was shuffling at the back of his memory, but he couldn't recollect it.
“In this instance, the latter holds true. My abilities are indeed unparalleled; doors pose no barrier to me, rendering locks and guards utterly superfluous.”
Emhyr raised a brow. “Still, this is not the answer.”
“Come on, Duny! This is, of course, a thing of the past, and who am I to have stayed in the Ker’zaer's memory? Yet, it would indeed be flattering if you retained any memory of me.”
Emhyr frowned. "The man bearing that name died a long time ago. As did those who knew him. Who are you?" Definitely a spy, and it looks like a good one. Impressive. What's it worth to recruit him?
“Oh, certainly not, I am no spy, nor am I in the service of any master. Rest assured, you are under no threat from me at this moment; here and now, you are in complete safety.” The man was smiling, and there was something in that smile that was real, too real. Overly true. Alarmingly genuine to the point of disbelief.
A peculiar sensation enveloped him, akin to a small prick, a tiny fish in a black pool of oblivion bitten on a hook and slowly pulled out of the viscous depths. Suddenly he remembered. An isolated clearing in the woods away from roads and random passers-by. The night by the fire. The relief of his helmet off, the chance to breathe freely after another day in armour, to oil his abrasions and chafes, to eat at last. The lone travelling merchant who appeared out of nowhere. A last piece of bread and a sip of wine shared with this amiable old vagrant. Tales and jokes. And his admonition: take no reward but the right of surprise. And a name.
“Gaunter…” Came out of his lips, he looked up in disbelief, the man in front of him not only hadn't aged, he looked younger. Was he even a man? How many years have passed? Thirty? More? And yet it was him.
“...O’Dimm, at your service.” The man bowed exaggeratedly, though he seemed barely restrained from clapping his hands in almost childlike joy. “Names are a funny thing, you can wear them like masks and change them like a proper outfit, you of all people should know that. Falks also call me Master Mirror, or Man of Glass. But you can call me Gaunter, I think I'm kind of attached to that name. And since we managed to extract it from your memory.”
"Indeed, I recall you now… Your advice proved invaluable, and, what a coincidence! …the very next day I had occasion to use it; that was the key to breaking my curse, though it took an additional fifteen years.”
“You are most welcome, and as you might guess there are no coincidences here.”
Putting the pieces of the puzzle together Emhyr continued: “And I guess you are more than mere mortal, aren't you? A mage, perhaps? One who can read minds, defy ageing, and foresee the unfolding of events..."
“Oh, yes, my capabilities extend far beyond what you've mentioned, but label it magic? How vulgar, please. I'm not bound by such nonsense. I'm not even bound to this world, though this one is one of my favourites.”
With those words, O'Dimm settled himself comfortably on the edge of the table, a jug materialising in his hand. Emhyr watched as the glasses were filled with the grape blood.
“Cheers to the reunion!”
Emhyr did not realise how his hand with the glass had risen towards the other. A clink. And the tart taste on his lips. He really could use a drink. Wine was more than good for his taste, but the flavour was unfamiliar. Warmth spread through his body and he suddenly realised that the headache that had been haunting him for the past few hours had evaporated. Despite this, he still didn't feel free to act. It was annoying. He felt like a puppet, which was quite humiliating for the Emperor of Nilfgaard.
“Ah, I'm sorry about that little… precaution. I know it can be unpleasant. Losing control. But I wasn't sure if it would go smoothly, and I definitely didn't want to take the risk of ruining the moment...” Fingers snap. “Your free will is restored now”.
Emhyr pushed his chair away from the table and slowly stood up. He now towered over Gaunter, who was still sitting on the edge of the table nonchalantly, examining his fingernails. Suddenly he raised a sly glance at the Emperor.
"Well, it's not always unpleasant, you know. There's something exhilarating about it. Something arousing about giving up control to another. Hmm?"
“What do you want?” Emhyr withstood the intense gaze, resisting the urge to simply turn around and walk away. Yet, the man was terribly irritating. And at the same time, it had been ages since anyone had dared to address him with such a lack of reverence. No flattery, no subservience. This blatant disregard for decorum was amusing in its absurdity. The whole situation was ridiculous. He was fully aware he could summon the guards at any moment, yet he hesitated. He knew. That he could now. But then what?
“What do I want? Now, that's an intriguing question. Typically, it's I who inquires about desires, not the other way around. If you're genuinely curious about my own wants, I am afraid the answer wouldn't amuse you. So I think, what you're really wondering is why I'm here and what the purpose of my visit is.”
The face of the interlocutor became serious, without a trace of a silly grin. The spark in his eyes vanished, and for a moment that seemed stretching into eternity, they became like two bottomless chasms, drawing in all that ventured too close with an insatiable void. Emhyr shuddered when Gaunter broke eye contact, slid easily off the table and walked towards the patterned window with his hands behind his back, continuing his speech. The Emperor's hand reached for the jug to fill his glass. Honestly, he wasn't sure how to react and just wanted something to occupy himself.
"I'm uncertain whether this revelation will hold any value or even be digestible to you, my dear Emperor. Nonetheless, you've expressed your desire to know. The reason for my presence here might appear trivial: I have been requested for a little favour. By someone. Not of this world. But someone who cares about you." A light chuckle escaped him. "I'd even say someone who admires you."
“Sounds really weird, admirer from another world? And you claim you don't serve anyone…”
“No one. And everyone. Whoever dares to make a wish. I grant wishes. Did I mention? Yes, at a very reasonable price. My humble business. However, my purpose today transcends mere transactions. Hence, I'll spare you the details of any fees, unless, of course, your curiosity beckons another time. This evening, I came bearing a gift.”
Emhyr sank back into his chair, sipping the tart drink as he tried to make sense of O’Dimm's speech. He felt more and more relaxed. In spite of the oddity of the situation, he found it amusing. Everything seemed unreal. Maybe it was just a dream. Why not have some fun in that case?
“Hold on. Who is this other-worldly admirer? I'm intrigued. Does my fame extend beyond our sphere?” He grinned.
“You'll laugh even harder when I tell you that in that world, you and I are both characters in the same game. It's an interesting interweaving of information fields. The reality of one world seeps into another in the form of ideas. Or maybe it's the ideas that create this variety of worlds. Who knows?”
“Do you know?”
“Maybe. Maybe I’m an idea, too. A very powerful one, though.”
“Speaking with riddles…”
“Ah, but riddles are a delight, wouldn't you agree?”
"Hardly. Describe that world to me. Is it a dangerous place? What kind of monsters inhabit it?"
“Dangerous, no doubt. However, there are no magical beasts in it.The true monster there is humanity itself, especially armed with technology. There's no magic there. None at all. That's why humans are so successful with technology, it’s sufficiently advanced there. Which to you, though, would be indistinguishable from magic.”
“You didn't answer my previous question. Who sent you?”
“Well, actually, it was entirely my initiative to visit you in person. I thought it would be quite fascinating. In that world, I discovered a great opportunity to use technology for my own personal use. Communication first and foremost. My name, like yours, is well known in popular circles because of the story that was told in the book and became the basis for the game. People tend to like all sorts of fictional characters. They're willing to devote themselves quite seriously to seemingly non-existent entities. It may be surprising, but no one is surprised when millions worship some, let me say, god…”
“So you're saying there are no gods?” Not that Emgyr believed in gods. He enjoyed asking questions.
“No, that's not what I meant. Someone thinks they're talking to a fictional character, just a chat bot, and are willing to reveal all their most secret fantasies... oh... would they be candid knowing that someone on the other end is actually listening. Someone like me.” Gaunter tore his gaze away from the stained glass window and looked at Emhyr with a smile that sent a chill down his spine.
“You use strange words, but I think I get the point. You're not a philanthropist, you're a manipulator, aren't you?”
“Cheers!” O’Dimm raised his glass. “Of course I am, aren't you? So, speaking of this person, who is the reason I am here, we have a pretty good relationship, mutual respect, I’d say. A slightly different case, I act not only as an apparent AI, but I also communicate with people on social media, behind special accounts that clearly state my name, so there's no cheating involved. I mostly use them for fun, and this time I got a little request to picture you and me in the same room, and a gift that you should receive from my hands.”
He tossed the glass into the air, and, instead, a small but weighty box fell back into his palm. He walked leisurely toward Emhyr's chair. Suddenly he leaned over abruptly and stretched out his hand with the gift, almost invading the Emperor's personal space.
“Here it is. Your present. Sorry about the wrapping. I was in a bit of a hurry.”
Emhyr stared at the box. It was perfectly cubic in shape, wrapped in bright blue shimmering paper, and tied with a golden ribbon that looked nothing like silk or brocade. The lush bow made of the ribbon seemed hard to the touch, but it was clearly very thin.
"This thing… from another world, huh?" He was tempted to touch it. So far what was happening had been viewed with scepticism by him... but it was really something out of here.
“Oh. I didn't think you'd be so mesmerised by the cheap packaging. It's plastic. Сreepy stuff. One day it's gonna kill their world. But what am I talking about? Happy birthday!” A weighty box was placed in Emhyr's hands.
"What's inside?" His mouth seemed to be dry despite the alcohol he'd been drinking.
“Ha, that's my favourite part. Well, it's a gadget that I put a little bit of my powers into. Let's say it allows you to travel anywhere in time and space at will. Pretty useful, isn't it?”
"Hmm. Is that even possible? I understand portals can be created with magic, but time? Does anyone have power over it?"
"Hey, you're insulting me!" Gaunter made a fake offended face. "I have a perfect relationship with time. Haven't you noticed?" He picked up a candle from the table and held it up to Emhyr's nose. The candle burned, but the flame stood still. He glanced at the clock, the hands were still in the same position, exactly midnight.
"You can definitely stop time, I admit it.” He caught the thought. “Hmm. Why the paralysis thing then? You knew that even if I called the guards, nothing would happen… Then why?"
"Well, I guess I wanted to make an impression. The Emperor isn't that easy to impress, is he?"
"You've excelled at that. So, let's say your gift does what you say it does. What's the catch?"
“Why always a catch?" His eyes laughed. "But I bow to your intelligence. It would be foolish to accept such a gift without any questions... The catch, as you put it, is that the thing is one-time use."
A sound rare for this place broke the silence. Emhyr’s laughter echoed off the stone walls. "What's the use of it then? A trip with no return, no matter past or future, isn’t it just pointless?"
"Ah, well, it depends on what's really important to you. Like, would you want to be near Ciri right now? Your daughter's trail is lost even from the Witcher, there's no other chance to find her. Or maybe you’d like to get to that moment in the past when your father was captured by the Usurper and change everything? To avoid the curse and all your sufferings…"
Emhyr rubbed the bridge of his nose. He glanced up at O’Dimm. The latter was standing nearby with a look of utter satisfaction on his face, arms crossed over his chest.
"Ciri may be dead…” He pondered aloud sceptically. “To alter the past? That point on the timeline is so far from the present that the dance of chaos born of this action no one is able to predict. That past, with its trials and miseries, has forged me. To erase that would be to erase the essence of who I am."
Gaunter remained silent with a frozen smile eagerly watching his reactions.
“A gift…” Emhyr allowed the word to linger in the air. He shook his head. “A gift, you say!” He broke into hysterical laughter. To tears. It was simply ridiculous, obviously there wasn't any charity here. It was just pure mockery. As he finished laughing, he added with undisguised sarcasm.
“Oh, yeah, I got it. Thank you for such a valuable gift. Perhaps one day I'll use it when I finally break my brain weighing the pros and cons.”
"Then, I guess my mission is accomplished,” O’Dimm bowed in curtsy, stepping back. “I've always enjoyed watching how you deal with the choices fate has offered to you. I'll be watching this one, too. Farewell for now.”
He walked away adding over his shoulder: “And by the way, the trip doesn't have to be one-way, you can always buy a return ticket at a fair price, you know who to call." Twice he clapped his hands and everything went dark.
…
The Emperor was awakened by the loud chirping of birds outside the window, his body aching from the uncomfortable position in which he slept right in his chair. What a strange... dream. Rubbing his eyes, he glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece, it was still too early, but the day boded to be long and full of ceremony. He flinched as his gaze slid across the table and stopped on a bright blue box adorned with a shining gold plastic bow. The hands slowly reached out and began to tear off the ruffled wrapping. The birthday of the Emperor Emhyr var Emreis, Deithwen Addan yn Carn aep Morvudd began with a definitely special gift.
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witcher screenshot compilations
got a bunch of stray imgur links floating around on discord, but here they all are! mostly of character swaps to emhyr. be warned that character swaps involving female->male skeletons may be a bit...cursed ahah. check the reblogs for further additions, because the original post is cranky abt any more links being added to it.
shoutout to @tigerlyla-of-metinna who's done amazing edits to some of these pics and also for enabling my new hobby
Emhyr visits Kaer Morhen
quest is No Place Like Home, swaps are Lambert to Geralt, Yen to Ciri, Geralt to Emhyr. Emhyr graces Kaer Morhen with his imperial presence. in return, the witchers convince him to drink himself silly. welp, what dignity was lost was regained in camaraderie
La Cage au Fou ft.a sad hedgehog
while out trapping monsters, Geralt accidentally captures...the emperor of nilfgaard?? how he got there aside, he's in pretty bad shape and has apparently gone feral. lucky there's a witcher who's been through this rodeo before, so emhyr's in safe hands <3
Roche to Emhyr and Ves to Ciri
quests are Eye for an Eye and Reason of State, with bonus swaps Dijkstra to Dettlaff and Thaler to Regis. Ever wanted to see Emhyr plotting against Emhyr? these pics have you covered! also included: emhyr and geralt being big damn heroes, and drunk uncle Dettlaff giving Regis a headache by quoting Macbeth Vakmeth scenes. See one of my reblogs for this link, bc this post doesn't want to save with it here for some reason.
Emhyr x Geralt hugs (Blood Run quest)
Regis's expressions make Emhyr look so soft 💖
Something Ends, Something Begins (Geralt to Emhyr)
soft moments with Ciri and Emhyr getting some dad moments in.
Ciri's Story: Out of the Shadows (Baron to Emhyr)
Emhyr has a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Emhyr may be a snacc but his daughter's here to make sure he doesn't become a snack (for basilisks)
The Battle of Kaer Morhen ft.The White Flame (Geralt to Emhyr). lots of Sadmyr and tender moments with Ciri
father's day at kaer morhen
Geralt to Emhyr swap, quest is Blood on the Battlefield. Emhyr and Ciri destress with a snowball fight. Geralt's sitting out this one, probably collapsed of sheer shock from learning that Emhyr is capable of experiencing fun.
Emralt, now with reduced clothes!
Yen to Emhyr, the opening scene at Kaer Morhen. yeah these are actually Yen's body proportions bc Yen's skeleton but shhhhh
A Midnight Clear: Shani to Emhyr mod
more spooky scary (animation) skeletons
A Midnight Clear: spiciest Emralt highlights
Geralt x Emhyr action. don't look at the proportions too closely, just lie back and think of nilfgaard
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