11 A deal I can't refuse

I haven't seen Gaunter in forever. In fact I thought I'd never see him again. I don't know how he got here, or knows that I'm here. Yen isn't letting me speak. Gaunter said I owe him, probably for Lara's diary. It is no ordinary diary either, which means he isn't an ordinary merchant. Maybe not even man. I sneak in a question from the silence.

"Are you talking about the diary? It has been a great help." I say to him trying to get an answer. He turns his attention to me.

"You were always smart Cera. Also very powerful." He says in a sage like voice. Yen quickly gets angry with me.

"I said not to speak or look at him!!!!" She says frantically. I look at her face and see she is generally scared. I then take a look at everyone else and they are as confused as me. Except Triss, she looks like Yen right now.

"I don't care what you want with my Cera demon, but I won't let you have him!!!" Yen yells at Gaunter. I then look over at Gaunter again. He has an annoyed look on his face.

"It seems this won't be progressing anywhere with you Yennefer of Vengerberg. I think Cera and I will have a private conversation." As soon as he said that Yen started casting magic. However, Gaunter claps his hands and everything stops. I walk out from in front of Yen and look at everyone. Nobody is moving an inch. Even Yens magic has been stopped in the middle of being cast. I look over to Gaunter as he has the same friendly face he always has.

It seems Gaunter has a lot more secrets that what I originally thought. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he froze time. I don't know how he can control a fundamentally part of reality, but he definitely isn't a normal mage. If he is one that is, I am doubting he is mortal at all.

"Now that the interruptions are out of the way. We can talk about a problem I have." Gaunter says to me as he is now behind me. I turn around and look at the man.

"What is it you want from me. I get wanting payment for the diary, but I seriously doubt I can give compensation." I say trying not to anger the powerful man. Geralt always taught me to be patient and listen to the information I am given. That way I can find a way out of a tough spot if I ever find myself in one.

"True, you have no money to give me for the diary. You do however, have talents I need to help me collect debts from certain individuals." He says in a cryptic voice. I guess he has been watching me for a long time. Yeah, I'm a great fighter. I seriously lack in the strength department though, I'm only 10.

"Like fighting? I can fight pretty well, but I doubt I could live through multiple enemies." I say to the merchant. He gives me a slightly scary look.

"Yes and no. I have contracts with people that need a proxy to finish. You will have to fight, but it will be quite rare. If you tell me what you wish for the most, I will grant it for you after the job is done." He says with a charismatic voice. So he is a Djinn? Well I know Djinn's don't have physical bodies so no.

"Anything I wish?" I ask to see if it's true.

"Anything." He says to me in a low happy voice.

"Even on how to defeat the one's that took my mom and dad?" I ask. If I am being honest, this is my only wish. To kill them all myself. I will never forget that day. Gaunter's faces goes from a sinister one to a solemn one.

"I should have know that greed wasn't in your heart Cera. You want revenge for what happened to your family. Most human's only want money or extravagant things. Those are the one's I deal with. I don't have much contact with people like you Cera. People who aren't just out for undesirable things." I guess that's a compliment. I can't refuse someone this powerful. He also gave me the diary of Lara.

"I won't be killing or hurting anyone of innocence's right?" I ask him. If I can get the information to kill and stop those bastards I'll take it.

"No one of the sort will be harmed. The men I need help taking care of are truly scum. So we have a deal then?" He says as he holds out his hand. I contemplate for a second and come to the conclusion that if I do these, I'll get what I need to avenge my parents.

"Deal." I say as I take is hand. He gives a wicked grin. Soon my face is burning as I get on my hands and knees to hold the spot. I trace it with my fingers. It seems like some sort of brand. I look at him.

"What was that for?" I say to him thinking it was uncalled for.

"To show we are associate's. I can't have my enemies know they can mess with you without consequence." I guess this is ok. I would guess he can remove it to. Since he can put it on with a wave of his hand.

"Can you unfreeze everyone? I would like to get back to Yen and her wanting to take me away." I ask Gaunter.

"I am afraid not. We are leaving, I want what I am owed from those unsavory individuals." I look at him as though I have been played.

"Can I at least say good bye?" Surely he will allow that.

"I am afraid not. Come we must go." I am disappointed to say the least. He open's a portal I have never seen before. Guess it's unique to him like mine are to me. I follow him and look back at my friends and family.

'I don't know how long I'll be gone. Hopefully you can forgive me.' I think with conviction. That information is as good as mine. I go through the portal and we disappear and reappear near a port.

"This is as far as I will take you. Go to Skellige, that is where the first contract is. I have other business to attend to here in Novigrad." I hear him say. Well I guess it's time to find a ship to this Skellige.

~~~(POV Yen)~~~

I launch my magic at the demon and as the dust and smoke clear's I see he is gone. I am relived that he has left. I don't know his true Identity, but I don't want Cera to have anything to do with him. I better check on my Cera to make sure he is okay. I turn around and notice he is gone as well. It feels like my worst fears times a million. He took him, he took my Cera. I couldn't control my anger anymore.

"HE TOOK MY SOOOONNNN!!!!!!" I scream as magic is released in all directions. The wall's crack and the ground shakes. After a couple of seconds someone hits me on the back of the head pretty hard and I fall unconscious.