Lambert would tend to agree with that sentiment, if Shima had voiced it. It's not like he hadn't considered running away, or once he was on the Path, quitting being a witcher altogether. But even then, the idea of a normal life, doing something other than what he'd been put through hell for? It's a nice fantasy, sometimes, but it's impossible for him to wrap his head around actually living that. He might bitch about how he got here, but he doesn't know what he'd do without it.
Shima's question, though, makes him snort. The number probably wasn't as much as eighteen, if only because the heyday of Kaer Morhen was long past by the time Lambert was being raised as a witcher, but he's heard stories and they weren't pleasant. Still, since he's asked, Shima's probably going to get more answers than he bargained for.
"They train you physically, first. Need to turn all those skinny war orphans into warriors, right? 'Cept the area around Kaer Morhen's not short on monsters. They lose a few to those, the rest toughen up. Then they get to run a little obstacle course that puts 'em up against a cyclops and some rock trolls. If they survive that..." He trails off.
"Remember the potion I gave you?" The one that had probably made Shima double over with pain for like five minutes and wrought who knows what havoc on his body afterwards (he'd survived, which was the important thing). "Now imagine getting ten times the dose put directly into your body, and you need to be strapped down to a table for seven days to hold you still while your body tries to tear itself apart. That's why they don't survive." And doesn't he sound bitter about it.
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Shima's question, though, makes him snort. The number probably wasn't as much as eighteen, if only because the heyday of Kaer Morhen was long past by the time Lambert was being raised as a witcher, but he's heard stories and they weren't pleasant. Still, since he's asked, Shima's probably going to get more answers than he bargained for.
"They train you physically, first. Need to turn all those skinny war orphans into warriors, right? 'Cept the area around Kaer Morhen's not short on monsters. They lose a few to those, the rest toughen up. Then they get to run a little obstacle course that puts 'em up against a cyclops and some rock trolls. If they survive that..." He trails off.
"Remember the potion I gave you?" The one that had probably made Shima double over with pain for like five minutes and wrought who knows what havoc on his body afterwards (he'd survived, which was the important thing). "Now imagine getting ten times the dose put directly into your body, and you need to be strapped down to a table for seven days to hold you still while your body tries to tear itself apart. That's why they don't survive." And doesn't he sound bitter about it.