By nightfall, Cain stood at the edge of the old cemetery. Moonlight filtered through drifting clouds, casting long shadows between weather-worn gravestones. The whispering had already begun—a low, cold murmur that carried no clear words, only dread.
[Quest Updated: "Cemetery Whispers"] Difficulty: Rare Objective: Investigate the spiritual disturbance and neutralize the source Rewards: 50 Crowns | Silver Rune Fragment | Reputation: + Moderate
He knelt beside a grave marked with half-erased runes and drew a simple sign in the snow. Yrden. The rune circle shimmered, and the air grew colder.
From the earth, a shade emerged—a faintly glowing wraith, twisted by regret and bound to the soil. Cain didn't hesitate. A quick Aard staggered the spirit, while his silver blade sang through its form. It hissed, dissipated into frost and dust.
Cain exhaled. That was the fourth.
Meanwhile, Callum approached the livestock barn under torchlight. Mangled remains of goats lay in the mud. A low snarl echoed from the rafters.
"Come out," he said evenly, drawing steel.
The beast dropped. Not a wolf. Not quite a ghoul. Some hybrid, likely mutated by leftover necromantic residue. Quick, feral, and angry.
Callum blocked the first lunge, rolling beneath its claws, and cast Quen mid-motion. His blade found the creature's throat before it could regroup.
[Quest Completed: "Beast in the Barn"] Reward: 30 Crowns | Hardened Bone Shard | Reputation: + Minor
Cain returned first, cloak wet and boots heavy with dirt. Calanthe waited at the hearth of the local tavern, arms crossed. She nodded when she saw him, her golden eyes catching the firelight.
"You handled it."
"One shade left," Cain said. "Bound to a cursed locket. I'll deal with it before dawn."
Callum arrived shortly after, covered in sweat and claw marks.
"Barn's cleared. Whatever that thing was, it wasn't natural."
"You both move fast," Calanthe noted. "And you," she nodded toward Cain, "fight like you were born in shadow."
Cain raised a brow. "I was born out of place. That's close enough."
[New Regional Quest Data Unlocked: Hiltstead Province]
Available Quests:
Cemetery Whispers (Rare) ✓
The Beast in the Barn (Normal) ✓
Hollow Creek Haunting (Rare)
Roots Beneath the Orchard (Epic)
Missing Child: Donovan (Normal)
Fog Over Lake Drelnor (Rare)
Region Reputation: 18% Recognized System Notice: Completion of 3+ quests may trigger local story branch or unlock unique interaction.
Cain reviewed the list quietly. "This village has more problems than people."
Callum snorted. "Welcome to nobility. They invest in walls, not people."
The next morning, Calanthe led them through the upper path toward the old manor estate. The keep was modest by noble standards, built more for tax collecting and displays of entitlement than for war.
"Try not to glare too hard at my father," Callum said, adjusting his collar. "He won't like you."
"I know," Cain said simply. "He's a noble. And I'm half-elf, a Witcher, and better dressed."
Calanthe laughed aloud at that. "If you live through the visit, I might start liking you."
The guards let them pass without question—Calanthe's presence clearly carried weight. Inside, the stone corridors were warm, if unwelcoming. Oil paintings lined the walls. Ancestral pride bled from every corner.
They entered the sitting room to find a woman waiting. She was slender, her hair red like her children's, but her eyes were soft and kind. She rose at once.
"Callum. Calanthe."
"Mother," they both said at once.
She embraced them, then looked to Cain. "And who's this brave soul?"
Cain bowed slightly. "Cain. I travel with your son."
She studied him with quiet understanding. "Thank you for watching over him."
Before Cain could answer, a door creaked open.
A tall man entered. Thick-bearded, stern, with eyes that belonged in a ledger.
"So this is the bastard I've heard so much about. And his... companion."
Callum's smile vanished.
Calanthe folded her arms. "Careful. He's smarter than you."
The lord ignored her. "A half-elf Witcher. That explains the smell."
Cain didn't react. "And you must be the man who failed to raise two of the most gifted children on the continent."
The silence was immediate.
Callum blinked. Calanthe grinned.
Lady Meressa sighed. "Please, not here."
Lord Halric growled. "You come here for coin, Witcher? Hoping to impress your way into a contract?"
Cain met his eyes. "No. I came because I believe your village is worth protecting. Even if its nobility isn't."
[Hidden Trait Progress: Presence – +5%] [Reputation with Hiltstead Nobility: -5% (Halric), +10% (Meressa)]
Halric stormed out. Meressa remained.
"Ignore him," she said quietly. "He fears the future. But I do not. Help this village, Cain. And you will always be welcome under this roof."
Cain nodded. And behind him, the twins shared a look.
The world was watching.
And Cain was already shifting its weight.