Chapter 9: The Wraith - Koghgrim
The battle had just ended, and Geralt, slightly relaxed, suddenly noticed an unusually foul stench.
While a putrid smell is normal in a crypt, this fresh, meaty stench was distinctly different from the smell of decades-old corpses and could not escape a Witcher's senses.
He followed the smell and, sure enough, saw a highly decomposed body, its face unrecognizable, wearing worn gray leather armor, and a Witcher medallion hanging on its chest.
It was slumped against the crypt wall, maggots tearing at its surface, similar to corpses in zombie films, a truly gruesome sight.
Judging by the style of the Witcher medallion, there was no doubt that the corpse before him was that unfortunate Viper School Witcher, Koghgrim.
The other party had indeed died in this underground crypt, and its body was left exposed, unburied.
Out of sympathy for a fellow Witcher, Geralt stared at the corpse for a few seconds, suppressing his nausea, and was about to go collect the other party's belongings and bury the body, giving this colleague a proper send-off.
However, before he could act, a surge of necromantic energy suddenly enveloped the corpse. The two Wraiths that had just fled had not truly escaped; instead, they reappeared beside Koghgrim's body, glaring at Geralt with malevolent, resentful eyes, seemingly intending to do something.
Geralt frowned, vaguely sensing that something was amiss. He was about to swing his sword at the two Wraiths when something he hadn't expected happened.
He saw Koghgrim's body, enveloped by necromantic power, suddenly tremble all over, then slowly stand up. Its largely decayed face also opened its eyes, revealing a pair of pitch-black hollows from which black necromantic smoke continuously emanated.
And its mouth opened and closed, uttering in a hoarse, resentful voice:
"Damn... Lord, I want... revenge... revenge...!"
Huh, trying to get revenge on the Lord?
Could it be that because the time of death was still short, Koghgrim's remaining wraith had not completely dissipated and had taken over this body?
Geralt thought so.
However, soon, something more troublesome happened. As Koghgrim's body stood up, the two remaining Wraiths directly transformed into black mist and merged into the corpse.
In an instant, the necromantic energy around Koghgrim's body surged. Its movements, initially stiff like rusted machinery, became as smooth as a normal person's, and a chilling, necromantic glow emerged from its pitch-black eye sockets, clearly indicating some form of enhancement.
Geralt was stunned by this development, something he hadn't anticipated.
However, he did not attack rashly, suspecting that the other party might be Koghgrim's wraith, and there might still be a possibility of communication.
He held his longsword horizontally, adopting a defensive stance, and at the same time, called out to the wraith in a probing tone:
"Hey, Koghgrim! Is that you?"
"Brother! Can you understand me?"
However, the wraith before him seemed to possess no rationality, not answering his questions, still muttering words like "I want revenge!" in a hoarse and broken voice.
Is it a remnant soul?
Or did Koghgrim not become a complete Wraith, only leaving behind the resentment to seek revenge on the living?
Geralt speculated, gripping his longsword and preparing for battle.
He didn't think that the other party, having become a wraith, would let him, a fellow Witcher without even a medallion, go.
However, without knowing the other party's strength, it was not suitable to attack rashly.
Sure enough, after a few seconds of dazedness, Koghgrim's wraith before him seemed to suddenly become aware of him as an enemy, directly turning its nearly half-rotted head to stare at him.
At the same time, it agilely squatted down and picked up a dagger shaped like a viper's fangs, a weapon that appeared to be unique to the Viper School.
It continued to murmur words like "Kill! Revenge!" Its chilling, deep gaze fiercely fixed on him, showing no intention of communication.
Damn it, it's become an elite wraith monster. Looks like I still have to fight.
Geralt cursed inwardly, no longer hesitating. He extended his non-sword hand forward, and a fishing net he had prepared earlier appeared in his hand.
This was a weapon he had specifically prepared in the past, thinking of dealing with agile enemies.
He hadn't taken it out when dealing with the incorporeal Wraiths, but now, against this corporeal one, it was just right.
Before the other party could act, Geralt estimated the distance, forcefully threw the fishing net, and at the same time, moved his feet, approaching the wraith, preparing for the subsequent attack.
Whoosh!
The low-intelligence wraith clearly did not anticipate the sudden fishing net attack. It was directly caught face-on by the net, and its body movements became chaotic.
However, the venomous fangs dagger in its hand was quite sharp. With a forceful swing, it cut several breaks in the fishing net in a very short time, clearly indicating that the net could not hold it for too long.
Taking advantage of this opening, Geralt quickly approached Koghgrim's wraith. His silver sword, coated with wraith oil, repeatedly thrust into its chest, stabbing seven or eight times, and constantly stirring to enlarge the wound, causing its broken internal organs and putrid fluid to leak out, splattering everywhere.
Damn it, it stinks too much.
The smell of the putrid fluid made Geralt feel nauseous. If he hadn't fought those foul ghouls and drowners many times before and seen many rotting corpses, he might have thrown up by now.
Speaking of which, being a Witcher is really an unlucky profession. Every day, they have to fight these filthy monsters.
Low pay, a lot of work, and it's damn dangerous. What's more infuriating is that their social status isn't high, and they are often discriminated against.
If it weren't for wanting to become stronger, and his golden finger also being Witcher-related, he definitely wouldn't be this damned Witcher.
Wouldn't it be better to be a mage or a noble lord? A lavish and dissolute noble life is what a man yearns for.
Geralt cursed, and his attacks became even more fierce due to the anger in his chest.
However, with a body as a barrier, the silver sword's restraining effect on the wraith seemed to be significantly weakened. Although attacked many times, Koghgrim's wraith showed no obvious weakening apart from opening its mouth and wailing.
Seeing that the fishing net was about to be completely cut through by the other party, Geralt violently kicked the other party's body, directly knocking the wraith to the ground.
At the same time, he aimed the blade of his sword at the exposed neck under the fishing net, changing his thrust to a slash, intending to cut off its neck and decapitate it.
Things went smoothly. The wraith's neck was not very sturdy. Geralt's sword flashed, and the blade in his hand precisely severed the corpse's neck.
However, with a squelch!
Koghgrim's wraith didn't care about its own life or death and had no intention of defending or blocking.
As Geralt cut off its neck, the venomous fangs dagger in its hand also plunged directly into the Witcher's calf, piercing straight through it.