The Last Wish

Geralt arrives in the town of Wyzim from the north. He passes the crowded Old Narakort tavern and instead enters the smaller, emptier The Fox. When he asks the innkeeper for a room, the innkeeper tells him none is available, while another patron tells him the town of Wyzim doesn’t need people like him. The patron and his friends try to force Geralt out before he’s finished his beer, but he fights back, killing the three instigators. Guards immediately arrive at the tavern to arrest him, but he agrees to come with them willingly.

They bring Geralt before Velerad, the castellan of Wyzim. Geralt pulls an advertisement from his pocket signed by King Foltest advertising the need of a witcher. Foltest tells Geralt that despite the reward—3000 orens and, by rumor, the princess’s hand in marriage—he might as well leave town given the difficulty of the task. Geralt explains, however, that it is his job, regardless of difficulty.

Velerad explains the details of the king’s proclamation. When Foltest was a prince, he impregnated his sister Adda. Adda gave birth to something monstrous, and neither Adda nor the child survived the birth. Typically, the child would have been burned or buried in the woods, but on Foltest’s orders, she was placed in a sarcophagus in the vaults of the palace.

Over the next seven years, the infant grew into a striga and began killing at night. Numerous experts offered various solutions. One suggested that the spending a night in the vault with the girl could cure her, but the man who tried, died in the attempt. Foltest became obsessed with the idea and forbade any attempt to kill the striga.

For seven years, no one has been able to lift the spell. Even the witchers who have come for the reward, left upon hearing that they were not to kill the girl. Eventually, powerful men eager to put an end to the business with the striga had offered a separate reward for one of the witchers to kill the striga and say it had been an accident. Once that witcher had seen the striga in action, he chose to forego any attempt and left at once.

Geralt recognizes that Velerad is one of those powerful men and begins discreetly negotiating a price. He is unhappy with Velerad’s offer of 1000 orens, but Velerad argues that no witcher will ever collect the king’s reward, so 1000 orens paid is better than 3000 never received. Geralt and Velerad agree on 1500 orens and leave to meet with the king.

When King Foltest asks about Geralt’s experience and how he intends to lift the striga’s spell, Geralt reminds him that witchers are forbidden from discussing their work. Foltest acquiesces, reminds Geralt that he is not to harm the girl, and debunks the rumor about gaining his daughter’s hand in marriage.

Velerad and Ostrit, the king’s magnate, fill in more details. The Knowing Ones who visited were not in agreement that the spell could be lifted, but some did believe in the method Velerad mentioned earlier. Attacks outside the palace walls only occur on the full moon, though within the palace people have died at all times of the month. Two people have survived attacks.

The next evening, Geralt meets one of the survivors, a miller who has since lost his mind, and who doesn’t provide Geralt any useful information. Afterward, the king visits Geralt for an informal talk. Geralt is careful to refer to the girl as “the princess,” but Foltest tells him not to be diplomatic and to call her a striga. Geralt believes that spending the night could lift the spell, but warns the king that it is not necessarily that simple.

The question of harming the girl comes up again, and Foltest explains that he’s aware Geralt will need to kill her if necessary and that he will not punish anyone who harms the girl in self-defense.

Geralt explains that if he dies, the king must remember that the girl must always wear either a sapphire or an inclusion on a silver chain around her neck. Geralt calms Foltest’s concern that the girl became a striga because of Foltest’s incestuous relationship with Adda—only a spell can create a striga. Geralt intends to make his attempt after the next full moon. Foltest tries to insist upon coming with Geralt in his attempt, but Geralt forbids it.

On the night of his attempt, Geralt ingests several potions designed to heighten his senses and abilities. In the courtyard, he finds Ostrit, who offers him 1000 orens to simply vanish. Ostrit is part of a group who view Vizimir as their true monarch—if the striga continues to cause unrest, Foltest can be overthrown. Geralt doesn’t care about politics—his only intention is to complete the job. Ostrit attacks Geralt, believing that the turtle stone he carries neutralizes witchers; however, this is untrue, and Geralt knocks him unconscious.

Ostrit awakens in the vaults, restrained by the witcher, who intends to use him as bait. Pleading, Ostrit tells Geralt that he loved Adda—that’s why he wants Foltest to die. Ostrit denies casting the spell that made the princess a striga.

When the striga emerges, Geralt releases Ostrit. When she catches him and returns, she and Geralt fight. The silver studs of Geralt’s sword affect the striga tremendously, so he switches to his arsenal of silver weapons. Eventually, he forms a psychic link with the striga and redirects her hatred back at her. She flees in terror. Alone, Geralt drinks another elixir, climbs into the striga’s tomb, covers it, and waits until dawn.

He awakens later than intended and emerges from the sarcophagus. The girl is lying next to the tomb. Geralt believes she has reverted to her human form; however, she attacks once again, slicing open his neck. She has lost most of her strength, so Geralt easily overcomes her until she fully reverts. Exhausted, he faints.

When Geralt comes to, he is bandaged in the palace; his belongings are in his trunk, along with the promised 3000 orens. Satisfied, Geralt sleeps.