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Reality: The Witcher
Johnathan Grey
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When I said everything, I really did mean everything. And Cortana, bless her heart, delivered on that. It took a few weeks — more like almost 2 months — but I now knew everything she knew, everything saved in her AI code from all the terminals she had been connected to. From human technology and science due to time spent with the UNSC to Forerunner hard light technology, slip-space navigation and more, thanks to her time spent in the Diamain — the repository for Forerunner knowledge.
Once again, [Essence of Archmage] proving it's worth.
I was learning so much simultaneously that it reached a point where I had several screens in front of me, with Cortana teaching/showing me multiple subjects at a time. Over time, Yennefer and Ciri would even come down to make sure I got some fresh air and sunlight, but that would just end with me going for a walk to get some fresh air and being asked to heal some people as soon as I got close enough to the Temple or Village. I knew I could have easily avoided them, but the points were too tempting to refuse.
Though I knew I wasn't going to be using planetary shields any time soon, I was able to meld the knowledge of the Mjolnir armour systems and Forerunner tech to make what will be my new amour improvements. With the points earned from healing more people — so I wouldn't need to go into the millions I was saving for a rainy day — I purchased the necessary prebuilt components for the armour, removing, adding and improving them to be as streamlined as possible.
It had multi-layered and adaptive shielding that would regenerate almost instantaneously, gravity manipulation to manoeuvre in zero gravity, neural link without the neural implant, environmental adaption and all the other good tech a nerd like me would want, like palm and chest beams. By the time I was done it looked like Doom's Infamous Iron Man armour, including the three areas on the chest for the power source waiting to be added once I had finished. Though, unlike Doom, I kept the surcoat instead of leaving the torso bare.
[Infamous Enchanted Armour - Magical Item]
[Description: A full-body set of plate armour designed precisely like the Infamous Iron Man armour worn by Victor Von Doom in the Marvel universe. The armour was created by a master craftsman, Johnathan Grey, using his personally invented Dragon Metal method developed after learning the process of creating Goblin Silver, knowledge of science and technology from the Halo universe and Enchanting from the Potter and Elder Scrolls verse.]
[+Absorbs that which strengthens it] [+Highly durable]
[+Repels mundane dirt] [+Retains Its Lustre.] [+Comfort Runes]
[+Water-breathing] [+Resist Poison] [+Muffle]
[+Stamina Regeneration 500%] [+Terrain Adaptation]
[+Adjustable size] [+Voice Modulation]
[+Resistance to Energy-Based Attacks and EMP Effects]
[+Augmented Strength, Agility and Reaction Speed]
[+Kinetic Dampening] [+AI Integration]
[+Neural Synchronization] [+Slip-space Integration]
[+Enhanced Sensor and Slip-space Communication Systems]
[+Hard-Light Palm and Chest Beams]
[+Stealth, Invisibility and anti-tracking]
[+Gravity Thrusters] [+Enhanced Energy Shields]
[+Environmental Adaptation]
Big-boy armour.
And that was me not using the Forerunner skin suit, which was supposed to be one of the most OP armours in the Halo verse.
Taking the remaining unused metals and cabling that I purchased from the system, as well as making a few more purchases to round things off, I added more tech to the house to allow Cortana to materialise in all the rooms. But then came the power. Not only for the armour, but also for Cortana to start using Hard-Light in the house and for my future ship which will be using the Forerunner Slip-space Drive I got from the system when I arrived.
I thought of using my saved-up point to just buy it from the System and save a bunch of time and effort, but my stingy hoarding nature won out, forcing me to find another way first before going that far. So I started working on reverse engineering the philosopher stone, hoping the fact that I had yet to hear it running out of juice meant it had an unlimited supply of magic or something of the sort.
That alone only took me a few days to complete, and a few extra to refine and improve. Having farms full of ingredients to burn through really made the whole thing less of a hassle because if I had to constantly stop to go out and buy them like a normal person, I would have really started to get fed up with it and moved on to something else.
But boy was I surprised when I understood what the stone really was and what it could do. The stone itself seemed more like code allowing the Witch or Wizards to simply tell it what to do and apply the necessary amount of magic to change one thing to another. Something I could easily accomplish with the [Transmute] spell.
But what really got me was what I read when I used [Observe] on it.
Just to be sure though, I worked backwards to figure out how the stone could get Flamel's body to how it was when I scanned it during our meeting, but I ended up with the same conclusion on the [Observe] panel.
[Philosopher Stone - Magical Artefact]
[Description: A ruby-red alchemical stone with magical properties which can be used to transform any metal into pure gold. If the required amount of magic or souls is provided to the stone, it can be used to create the Elixir of Life, which provides lifespan immortality to the drinker as long as they continue to drink it. Once activated, the stone can produce a large amount of magical energy indefinitely, recharging either with magic provided to it or via ambient magic. Johnathan Grey created this stone after reverse engineering one of the failed experiments by the famed French alchemist Nicolas Flamel.]
[+Produces A Large Amount Of Magical Energy After Activation]
[+Key ingredient to create the Elixir of Life]
[+Can be used to transmute metals]
Yeah, the fact that It needed at least a hundred souls to create the [Elixir of Life] even after I refined the process to require far fewer souls was not a good sign. I had checked the amount of magic it would need to activate for minimum magical output without souls, and I could safely say that it would need a hundred average souls — fewer if you had Wizards of Flamel or Dumbledore's calibre — to get it working. All within a short amount of time. Otherwise, it would all leak out, and the process would need to be restarted.
So I concluded that either Flamel had help creating the stone, or he took advantage of the more… loose morals in those times to trap a bunch of souls in a stone to achieve immortality. If it was the latter, I hoped they were at least bad guys. They weren't exactly hard to come by back then… or now for that matter.
I was too tired to go crazy with mine, only spending 2 hours pumping magic into it. But even then, the readings showed it would be able to power an entire continent with natural output alone, which was just insane levels energy output.
After making four more stones, one for the [Den] and the other for the car, I placed three of the five in their rightful places on the [Infamous Enchanted Armour] and marvelled at the feeling of the entire thing coming to life with [The Force] as I watched the eyes and chest light up. Obviously, I had included runes that would transform the magic produced by the stones to whatever form of energy it needed to function at any given time, something I planned to do for the ship that would house my Slips-pace Drive.
To prevent others from sensing the masterpiece like I was — through liberal use of [Mechu Deru] — I immediately got started on pumping the armour full of controlled [Mechu Deru], using a technique Revan used to prevent others from using [The Force] to exert their influence over his Droid. It was when I had just finished and wanted to finally give the suit a try when Ciri tried to barge into the basement asking for a spar, having just been released from Yennefer's magic study for the day.
Humouring the girl — like the dozens of other times I had done so the past few months — I accepted, putting the suit into the [Hoard] and leaving for the backyard. Having allowed Yennefer to check the Wards to make sure the [Ward] around the [Den] prevents accidental teleportation out of it, as well as making sure others couldn't find or attack us through it, she finally allowed Ciri to start training the teleport. It also helped that I also had the Elder Blood and knew how to teleport already, having had to do so to prove a point and assuage her worries.
And here I was, in the backyard, as a now black-haired Ciri darted forward, her wooden sword firmly gripped in her hands as she narrowed her eyes.
We had made it mandatory to dye her hair if she were to go out of the [Den] at any point because of how easy it would be for others to recognise the resemblance, especially when Nilfgard, or more specifically her father, was so intently looking for her to have some incest destiny baby.
There was also the fact that some spies for lords and kings started snooping around Melitele, looking for its beloved 'healer mage'. We had to start moving the Den every few days due to how many people were constantly trying to follow us home after a visit to the temple or the town. I wasn't really worried about anyone getting past the Ward, but it was just the amount of annoyance it brought that had me move closer and closer to Thanedd Island.
All I had to do was travel a while every few days and choose a new spot for the [Den] and it would appear. When I checked on its previous position, it would always look like it did before the [Den] appeared there to begin with. Grass, rock, pond, it didn't matter. It would be like nothing was there to begin with. The only signs we were there to begin with were the footsteps left behind when we travelled to and from the [Den] to visit the locals. Something easily rectified with a spell.
As for why we were moving in that specific direction, well, Yennefer wanted Ciri to learn at the magical academy there — Aretuza — to make sure she got social skills and connected with others who would most likely hold high positions in court. Something Geralt was against at first but came around over time after considering she wasn't actually a Witcher and would need allies to help against her father, Emhyr var Emreis, in future.
One of Geralt's arguments was that she had me, but when I said, 'yeah, I'd just kill Emhyr, no politics involved', it was seen as even more reason for Cirir to meet more normal people. Personally, I didn't see the problem. With Emhyr dead, it would solve so many problems. But apparently, I spent too much time indoors playing with magic, so my knowledge wasn't up to par.
Ciri teleported, leaving behind white glowing streaks of magical energy, vanishing from her position using [Blink] and reappearing behind me, aiming a sharp strike at my back. It wasn't difficult to teach how to [Blink]. Even without my [Essence], I would have found it rather easy to teach. It was basically this verse's version of [Aparating] without the feeling of being sucked through a tube after all.
Even her leaving streaks of magical energy that fade after a few seconds was actually due to lack of magical control, like how Dumbledore can silently [Aparate] but others can't due to their lack of fine control. I could [Blink] without a light show just fine, but I was a walking cheat code. Life wasn't fair like that.
Blindfolded, I reacted with unnatural precision thanks to [The Force], twisting my body and blocking the attack with my wooden sword, knowing exactly when and where the attack was coming. The sharp crack of wood meeting wood echoed through the air, and I could sense Ciri gritting her teeth in frustration.
Without hesitation, she [Blinked] again, this time materialising in front of me. She swung her sword in a horizontal slash, aiming for his midsection. Unfazed, I casually bent backwards, letting the wooden slice harmlessly through the air an inch away from my face. Before she could recover, I kicked out precisely at her wrist — even while unbalanced — sending her sword spinning into the air as Ciri winced in pain, barely holding back a yelp.
I made sure the kick wouldn't be enough to end the fight, but Geralt had trained her well enough to make sure she kept a firm grip on the sword when necessary to maintain a good hold, so I had to make sure there was enough force to really hurt. But she still wasn't done yet. Before I could fully stabilise my stance, Ciri [Blinked] toward the airborne sword, grabbing it with her uninjured hand before [Blinking] once more, appearing behind me again, this time aiming a sharp strike for the back of my knee.
I was already reacting. With a graceful flip, I twisted my body mid-air over her strike, bringing my wooden sword arcing downward to land a light but precise tap on her shoulder, near her neck. Ciri stumbled slightly, groaning as she realised the attack would have been fatal in a real fight. I landed smoothly on the ground, I straightened, lifting the blindfold to my forehead to meet her gaze as a faint smile made its way to my lips.
"That's 12 to 0," I casually informed the girl, loving how easy combat had become with the addition of the force. "If you're going to press your opponent like that, you need to be certain your reflexes will allow you to Blink away quickly enough to avoid a counter. Otherwise, you're leaving yourself exposed."
I knew teaching her how to use [The Force] would have drastically improved her combat effectiveness, but I wasn't really looking to give a girl barely in her teens a power that was so highly linked to one's emotions. Maybe I would change my mind when she got her emotions under control or improved her [Occlumency], but for now she will just have to stay as she is.
Unsurprisingly, Geralt and Yennefer took to [Occlumency] and [Legilimency] rather well, with Geralt being better with [Occlumency] due to all his time spent meditating even before I got them started, and Yennefer being better with [Legilimency] due to her telepathy magic training in Aretuza.
Ciri huffed in frustration but didn't argue my words, lowering her sword as she channelled [Healing] to heal her hand, easing the pain in her sore wrist. She let the golden light die after a few seconds before switching to cast [Respite], restoring her lost stamina. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, she flexed her wrist experimentally, ensuring it moved without pain.
"When your weapon's removed from your grasp like that, it may be better to prioritise healing your injured hand first," I continued my critique, watching as she took another deep breath to calm her frustration over the loss. "Take a few seconds to evaluate the situation and think of a different strategy, I know you have Cortana go over several combat strategies before bed… and before asking for this fight."
Yennefer and Ciri had been abusing Cortana's database since I integrated her into the entire [Den]. I added to her knowledge by summoning dead Knights, Witches and Witchers for her to question and create scans of their movements while I studied Halo knowledge. While I was at it, I turned one of the rooms into a magically enlarged [Room of Requirements] according to the scan I finally got around to completing.
Yennefer has yet to be away from that room for more than 24 hours since I cleared her [Occlumency] strength for learning from there. In fact, she was there right now with her feet up and a book on geography in her hand.
Ciri grumbled to herself while her cheeks flushed. "Easy for you to say." She muttered, the deep breath she took clearly not being enough to rid her of the anger in its entirety. "We're the same age, and you've already reached the point of fighting with a blindfold in a real fight."
"I trained in swordsmanship since I was eight, and I'm what some — Geralt," I coughed shamelessly. "Would consider highly skilled with a sword, it would be rather odd if you had the same or better skills with the weapon. You're improving, though. If it was anyone else around our age then —" I paused, thinking about all the overpowered teens in fiction before correcting myself. "Most kids our age would have easily been defeated with that strategy."
While she took a deep breath, I could feel Ciri finally steady herself properly, adjusting her grip on her sword and sliding into a ready stance, "All right." She said, determination flashing in her emerald eyes as she slowly exhaled. "Time for my comeback."
As Ciri readied herself for the next round, Geralt, who I had sensed a few rounds ago casually leaning against the wall near the back door, spoke up in his usual deep, gravelly voice. "Ciri, you really shouldn't compare yourself to prodigies like him. Even Yennefer and I, skilled as we are in our own fields, see him as beyond our reach."
"We've both got Elder Blood and we're the same age. He's the only one I should be comparing myself to." Ciri shot back as she glanced over her shoulder while Geralt straightened from his relaxed posture and began walking toward us. He held a wooden sword of his own, wearing plain black trousers and a black long-sleeved shirt with rolled-up sleeves.
"How's the dragon silver sword treating you?" I asked, the now black-haired man. He had gone out to do some jobs for the village close by, mostly to stretch his legs and test out the spells he learned and Enchantments I placed on his equipment.
Geralt's lips curled into a faint smile. "It works like a charm." Ciri sighed in resignation at the pun while I smiled. "The absorption feature is saving me a lot of time, effort and coin in preparation. No need to constantly buy supplies for oils and potions before getting into a fight."
"Good to hear." I nodded in satisfaction, knowing full well I didn't need to worry about it getting stolen and used by others due to linking it to his bloodline and enchanting the sheath.
Geralt's expression softened as he continued. "Yennefer's still looking forward to that wand you promised her, though. She's been spending a large amount of time in the library, making sure she remembers all the spells for when she finally has it."
I rolled my eyes as a faint smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. "She's not subtle about it, is she?" I leaned on my sword like a cane before adding, "I just need to upgrade my car, then I'll get started."
Geralt held up his free hand defensively. "Take your time. She wouldn't want you spending even more hours cooped up indoors working. She might enjoy the results, but she'll have my head if she thinks I encouraged you to overdo it."
"Noted." I chuckled softly before turning to Ciri to translate. "Geralt is afraid of Yennefer."
Ignoring his daughter's giggle, Geralt shifted his grip on his wooden sword as he sized up both John and Ciri. "How about a free-for-all?" He suggested challengingly. "Awareness training. All against all."
Ciri's eyes lit up at the prospect, a grin breaking across her face. "I'm in."
I tilted my head slightly with a smirk, shifting my posture. "Free-for-all, huh?"
It would normally start as a free-for-all, but it always ended up being 2v1. And considering Geralt just watched his daughter in all but blood, I knew full well this time it wouldn't even start as a free-for-all. My smirk widened as I lowered the blindfold from my forehead, ignoring the vindictive smile that was making its way to Ciri's face. "Let's see if you guys can keep up. A bird and a wolf against a dragon."
I sensed the father-daughter duo share a look before Geralt titled the sword in his hand to adjust to get used to the difference in weight compared to his real sword, falling into a ready stance. "You might be surprised what those two animals might be capable of."
"I'm really going to love wiping that smirk off your face," Ciri added as she took a few silent steps to increase their area of attack, not that she needed to, considering her ability to [Blink] at any time. But misdirection was highly unlikely to work against someone with Revan's skills.
She would learn that in a few minutes. They both will.
…Again.
[P]-[W]-[M]
"Things are not as they were."
—Doctor Doom, Infamous Ironman.
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Hello There
This will be my take on the Philosopher Stone for this fic. I may not be the same if I write another though.
John will be using it to power any ships, space stations, planets or equipment when needed.
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Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OCs and original ideas. All credit goes to their respective owners.
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Thank you for reading.
Special thanks to my patrons.
As always, stay awesome.
Until next time, Light's out.