Killing the Crones

The Crones were surprised by all this as they took their true form when the biggest of them asks, "What do you want from us?"

"From you, I don't want anything but your birthright," says Vincent coldly as he summoned a chair to sit down.

"And that would be?" asks the one that has an extra pair of legs hanging by her waist.

"Your death," says Vincent as Vlad and the two shadows rush at them.

"I take the big one," says the shadow looking like Vincent as he rushed at the Crone that had a haystack for a head.

"I take the one with all those ears," says the shadow looking like Lorkhan as he rushed at the Crone which had a veil on with a necklace with human ears.

"Leave to me the one with those creepy extra legs," says Vlad as he rushed at the said Crone when he suddenly disappeared in the Darkness like two Shadows.

Vlad appears from behind the Crone and pierces into the neck of the Crone with both daggers before ripping the head off her shoulders. Lorkhan's shadow just appeared in front of the Veiled Crone and ram his Black Sword into the abdomen of the Crone before circling her separating upper and lower body.

Vincent's shadow also appeared right in front of his Crone and interlocked his hands with the ones of the Crone. The Crone was thinking that she would win when it came to brute strength only to find out that she was lifted by the shadow of the ground.

"You thought that brute strength was your forte. Think again if you can beat a Dragon in brute strength," says the Shadow of Vincent before throwing the Crone to the ground.

Then he put his foot on her back and grabbed one of the arms and ripped it from the Crone's body before the Shadow of Vincent says, "That was nothing compared to what the children must have felt."

He continues as he ripped the other arm off before continuing with the legs making the Godling seeing everything feel fear. The Crones that were like Gods in Velen were killed easily by those three warriors.

The Shadow looked at the Crone when he says, "I might be done with you but remember this your torture only just began."

Then the Shadow ripped her head off cleanly when the Soul Trap laid down under the barrier triggered and all three souls wandered in the three Black Soul Gems.

"Your torture has only begun," says Vincent looking at the Soul Gems before putting them as the shadows slowly approached him and entered his body.

The Darkness was slowly retreating into his body again as the four women stopped holding the barrier up when Kirvena says, "We thought you would fight yourself."

"If I did the cave would have come down and that is something I didn't want to happen," says Vincent as he stood up from the chair and it disappeared into Oblivion again.

"What now?" asks Ellana looking at the corpses of the Crones.

"We could display them," says Kirvena as Vincent just burnt them.

"They don't need to be worshipped as Martyrs," says Vincent as he turned away from the burning corpses.

"What now?" asks Ellana as they walked towards the mountain top again.

"He is going to speak to Velen and give it an ultimatum," says Karliah knowing Vincent.

"So we are going to conquer this world after all?" asks Ellana as Vincent shook his head.

"No, I will just make them fear me more than they fear the Crones that way they will stop worshipping them and many people will be saved from their false gods," says Vincent as Vlad puts his hand on Vincent's shoulder.

Vlad smiled at Vincent knowing that his Emperor will make the wisest choice as always when he entered Vincent's shadow again.

They arrived at the top of the mountain where once the Oak Tree was and find the Succubi there. They were nervous about what would happen to them when Vincent sees them.

"Do you have another place to stay?" asks Vincent as the Succubi looked confused at him.

"Why are you asking?" asks one of them worried.

"Because you can't stay here any longer. I will destroy this area by razing it to the ground. That's why I am asking if you have a place to stay. If not you will be brought to a place in which you can live peacefully by following simple rules," says Vincent firmly giving the Succubi the impression he wasn't lying about it.

"And what are those rules?" asks another Succubus of the group.

"You will live peacefully between normal people. The rules are just there to keep them safe from you. We will also need to gather information about your race. Be their good or bad but you will live free able to show your body and face in plain sight without anyone judging over you," says Serana as the Succubi trusted Serana's word more than Vincent's.

"And where would that be? We weren't even welcome between the outcasts of the Free Pontar State before it fell," says the same Succubus.

"The Highwind Empire welcomes every race as long as they can carry their weight," says Serana as the Succubi were confused.

"You mean the Blacks?" asks another Succubus as Serana shakes her head.

"No, you haven't heard of the Empire because it isn't in this world. Why do you think I look different than the other Vampires? It's because I'm not from this World," says Serana when the Succubi looked at Serana as if she has lost her mind.

"She is telling the trust but this offer will expire in the next fifteen minutes. Decide if you want to be razed with this area or join a society that will accept you as what you are," says Vincent stretching his hand out to them.

"It's your choice," says Serana as she looked at them while the others were entertaining Johnny since he was behaving as a child would.

The fifteen minutes pass and the Succubi came to a decision when the Leader of them says, "We will join that Empire, but how are we getting there?"

"That will be easy," says Vincent as he brought the Mirror out of the bag and place it down.

He wrote a note which was for Mina to examine the Succubi before giving them the freedom to leave Highwind City and join a place of their choice.

Ellana murmured the chanting and the Mirror brightened up when Vincent gives them the note while saying, "Follow the orders they tell you and you will soon live free under the people. If you try something funny a Dragon might eat you for breakfast do be warned."

The Succubi took the note and passed through the Mirror before it stopped glowing. After that Vincent pocketed the Mirror and Kirvena says, "I really hope they find a place they can call home."

"I hope so too. But for now, let us see what Vincent will do shall we," says Serana as Vincent looked towards the Horizon seeing a city.

"That must be Novigrad," says Vincent as he looked at his wives indicating to them to shut their ears because it was going to be loud.

Johnny didn't know what was going on as he was the women use magic to block sound on their ears when he hears Vincent's roar. This made everyone hearing that feel fear as the mountain was still in flames.

"I am the Black Dragon Highwind. I claim this Mountain as mine after having killed the Crones. If someone in Velen dares to pray to them again they will know my terror as no one will be left behind in their village to count the tale. Be warned try to get to the mountain and death will follow you," shouts Vincent as the Earth was shaking because of his voice making everyone fear for their lives because never a Dragon before shook the land by talking.

Then Vincent turned into a Dragon again and put the five on his back before burning the mountain down to the ground leaving ash behind of what once was before flying towards where they left the horses.

Once nearby he landed as he squished some Drowners and a Water Hag with his legs. He put the five down before he turned back.

"Johnny, do you want to come with us or stay in the swamp?" asks Vincent as Johnny scratched his head.

"I will stay in the swamps. Maybe guide some children out of it if they lost themselves in it or are still sent by their parents," says Johnny quite mature as Vincent petted his head.

"If you ever need help blow into this pipe. You will receive help immediately," says Vincent handing over a pipe that was enchanted with a Summoning Dremora Spell.

Only a Dremora knowing Vincent would answer that call making it perfect to keep the little guy safe.

"Then it is time to say goodbye, little friend. May we meet again under better circumstances," says Vincent as the group waved at the Godling while the Godling did the same.

"He is a nice child. Strange that you didn't try to adopt him," says Serana as Kirvena smiled while Karliah has an annoying expression.

"That's what we needed. A child that will never grow up like Babette," says Karliah as Serana began to smile because the first time Karliah met with Babette in the Network she took care of her until finding out that Babette was a Vampire.

"We should rest for tonight in the shack you mentioned before Karliah and summon a boat to carry us to Fyke Isle," says Vincent as Karliah took the lead.

They went to get the horses only to find them dead with bite all over them when Vincent says, "Well now I don't need to feel bad about the Drowners and Water Hag I stamped to dead a moment ago."

"We should be able to reach the shack in fifteen minutes on foot," says Karliah as Vincent nods and the group follows Karliah to the shack where they made camp for tonight.