Anomaly IV

We stayed in Lofoten for a few days until Skjall finally recovered enough to talk. Ciri had gone off in the morning to speak with the man. I sat outside the town quietly sharpening my ax before replacing it on my belt and switching over to my steel sword. The training I had gone through left me with the habit of constantly making sure that both my weapons and my gear were in top condition. In my past life I had been somewhat of a 'knife guy' and I had watched plenty of YouTube videos on forging as a teen. Of course, this led to me getting my steel sword and ax custom forged in Skellige years ago. The smith looked at me strangely when I gave him the diagram for making damascus steel. 

The beautiful rippling pattern reflected the rising sun and I looked over to the horizon. I had come a long way from being that depressed shadow. Sure I still had some reservations in this life, but I felt that I had finally found something to do for myself. Even if it did involve being a sort of reluctant hero killing monsters and humans alike. I returned to honing the edge of my sword before sheathing it on my back and taking out my silver sword. 

There were lots of famous silver swords with names in this world. Even if my blade was just a normal Witcher's silver sword it had tasted the blood of hundreds of monsters over the years. I had been lucky enough to save up enough money to actually get a silver alloy sword instead of a silver lined sword that most Witchers get. That didn't mean that mine was any better, if anything it meant that I had to perform maintenance on the soft blade more often. 

Finishing up my maintenance routine I replaced the sword in its sheath and stood up looking around the quiet village. 

Memories of the day before when I threatened that villager resurfaced and I groaned. Somehow I knew it would bite me on the ass either soon or sometime in the future. Ciri was still talking with Skjall, I knew I could have felt jealousy like I would have in my past life, but for some reason it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. Turning I looked over to the mainland of ard Skellige and tried to remember where the ruin that contained the stone to summon the Wild Hunt was located. I knew it was on the western side of Skellige but it had been nearly a hundred years since I played the game. That is, if I was going off of years I had been technically alive.

I say 'technically' mainly for the fact that I didn't really know if this was just me getting sent to another world or if I had been reincarnated, my spirit may have even been just stuck into the body of a dead child as morbid as it sounded. 

Pulling free from my internal musing I made my way down the path to the lower docks. After asking around I found a man willing to rent out his small boat for the day. Tossing the man a few ducats from my pouch of assorted coins. Making my way over to the boat I began to row towards the mainland. Normally it would have taken an hour or more but I was a Witcher, is what I'd like to say. Even with my enhanced strength I found it difficult to steer the boat towards the mainland against the rough currents. 

Two hours later I arrived at the foot of Kaer Trolde, taking in the smells of fresh bread and fish being cooked over fires I smiled. Most of my contracts came from Skellige. Secretly I found the little island a bit charming in its own way. It reminded me a lot of Norway, in a sense it was based heavily on Norse traditions if I went on the looks of the villages and towns alone. Making my way up to the keep I took the lift and eventually came to the blacksmiths shop. 

"Yanne, you in there!?"

"Aye just give me a minute." 

The smith came out of the forge covered in soot, a grin broke out on his face when he saw me. 

"George! How are you? It's been a while since I last saw you." 

"Less than a year Yanne, don't exaggerate. How's the sister?" 

"She's doin' alright, I can never thank you enough for saving her from them beasts." 

"Think nothing of it, I've got a job for you." 

"What can I do for you?" 

I took out the ruined armor and set it down, Yanne bent down to look at it. 

"What the hell happened George? Did you run into a troll or something?" 

"Something like that, think you can fix it?"

"Lad, the thing is close to irreparable. I can try but it might take a while." 

"That's fine, I've got some spare materials here for it." 

I set down a separate bag before handing the smith a heavy pouch of gold. 

"I can't take that." 

"I insist, if not for yourself then take it for your sister and mother." 

The man hesitantly took the pouch and looked at me with tears in his eyes. I raised a hand, "No hugging Yanne, just tell your sister I stopped by and I hope she's doing well." 

"Thank you master Witcher." 

"Think nothing of it. Send for me once you've got the armor done. Do take your time though, I know Crach likes to load you with orders from time to time." 

"Aye I will, thank you again George." 

I raised a hand before turning back and leaving the keep. The sun was now high up in the sky, if I had to guess it was closer to noon. 

'I should get back to Ciri.' 

Heading back down to the town I picked up a loaf of bread as well as some smoked meats. Finding the boat still tied to the dock I put the food in my pack and began the slow journey back to Hindarsfjall. I heard distant singing and groaned, the one monster I hated to deal with were sirens. Sure they looked like beautiful women from the waists up, but below that they had snake-like tails and their arms would turn into wings. Even if they were dangerous monsters killing 'women' always left a bad taste in my mouth. 

Praying they wouldn't notice me I rowed the boat a little faster until I was finally back at the docks on Hindarsfjall. Taking the food out of my pack I walked back to Lofoten just as Ciri came out of the village looking around. Once she saw me she waved me over. Sighing I picked up the pace and jogged over to the Witcheress. 

"What is it?" 

"Nothing, I was just waving." 

Sighing before shaking my head I looked at her as she eyeballed the loaf of bread and smoked sausage. 

"How was Skjall?"

Tearing the loaf in half I handed her one side before splitting the meat with her as well. She took a mouthful of bread and began to chew before replying. 

"He's good, healing quite well. He wants me to thank you." 

I watched her talked through a mouthful of smoked meat, she met my gaze and frowned. 

"What?"

"Do you always talk with your mouth full?" 

Ciri blushed before lowering the loaf of bread and looking up to me. To be perfectly honest it was all rather adorable. She took another bite of bread before looking down and whispering. 

"I was hungry." 

I ruffled her hair, tousled it and she swatted my hand away. "Relax princess, it was adorable." She glared at me, shrugging, I motioned towards the mainland. 

"You ready to go?"  

She nodded before grabbing my arm, the world spun as she jumped us through a portal to the mainland. I waited for my head to stop spinning. 

"I hate portals, can you at least warn me next time?" 

"Awww, are you okay princess ?" 

"That doesn't work with me, I'm just a Witcher. You're actually a prince-" 

Ciri threw the half eaten bread at me. Catching it I took a bite before grinning at her evilly. 

"No more food for you." 

She made a face and I let out a laugh, dodging a swing I began to run towards Kaer Trolde, Ciri hot on my trail.