World State

Vincent and the others stayed at Kaer Morhen for a month learning from Vesemir about the world and its dangers while Vincent was helping Vesemir rebuild the Fortress that the Witchers called home.

In the meantime, the rumors about a Black Dragon appearing in Velen circulated through the Northern Kingdoms and Ard Skellige making Avallac'h and Ciri nervous.

They know what Vincent was and heard how many bloody battles he won. They also know that something must have provoked him to do what he did.

"What do you think happened for Vincent to incinerated a whole mountain?" asks Ciri to Avallac'h who had no idea.

"I don't know but we should try not to follow in the footsteps of the thing that made him do that," says Avallac'h as he was frustrated.

"Something wrong?" asks Ciri again seeing Avallac'h like that.

"My homeland is being invaded by demons that seem immortal. For one we kill five more follow in his place. It seems that they are toying with us by stopping their battle after taking three cities," says Avallac'h not knowing that it was Vincent who released Mehrunes Dagon upon them.

"Is it that bad," says Ciri worried as Avallac'h nods.

"Yes, the only positive thing about everything is that my people somehow get sent to Highwind City where they are treated fairly by Vincent's people as they get transferred into other provinces," says Avallac'h as he saw how fair they were treated while staying there before returning with Ciri and Vincent.

"We should rather worry about the Wild Hunt activities lately. Since the battle against the Demons came to a hold they focused on getting me again," says Ciri as she was a bit worried since they wouldn't underestimate her any longer.

"You are right since the Demons stopped their advance they are trying to get you back. But we must focus on the White Frost and how to stop it," says Avallac'h when a new portal opens and the Wild Hunt spring out of it making Ciri shout at them before Avallac'h opened a portal himself.

They jump through it as they escaped again the Wild Hunt while Ciri says, "Maybe we should find Vincent and ask for some help."

"We shouldn't drag them deeper into this matter. We only know what they told us about them. We don't know if Vincent is the son of a god," says Avallac'h as he really didn't believe in that.

"He is," says Ciri as she met Akatosh and trained under him for a while after all.

"I met his father while training. He taught me how to shape Time and Space while Vincent taught me how to shout like him even if it was only one shout," says Ciri as the Wild Hunt found them again.

This time Ciri stopped the time around the Wild Hunt before opening a portal and passing through followed by Avallac'h.

"This should give us more time," says Ciri as she wasn't exhausted at all, not like Avallac'h.

"You really should have trained with them as I did," says Ciri seeing Avallac'h like that.

"We can talk once we are in a safe place," says Avallac'h as Ciri pulled the piece of paper out that Vincent gave her.

It was pointing towards the Northeast even if she didn't know the direction it when she says, "If we follow that direction we should be able to find them."

"But how long will they stay in one place is the question. They wanted to explore the Northern Kingdoms that means they won't stay in one place for a long time," says Avallac'h as the rumors say that the Black Dragon flew away from Velen and hasn't returned yet.

In the meantime in Kaer Morhen, Vincent was helping Vesemir reconstructing Kaer Morhen when Vincent says, "It has been long since I swung a hammer to reconstruct a Fortress."

"I thought you were an Emperor," says Vesemir surprised that he even touched a hammer.

"I was but before that, I was only a Soldier like you. After leaving my throne to my children I retired into a simple life until I had to step back into the fray," says Vincent as they were fixing the walls of the fortress the normal way.

Karliah and Kirvena returned from the hunt bring a bear back as Kirvena says, "Are you really working. I don't see you sweating as you should."

"Kirvena, bring the bear inside and let the men work," says Serana as Vesemir was still not over the fact that a Bruma was living with them.

"I don't know how you married her but was it worth it?" asks Vesemir as Vincent smiles.

"Every damn second. We have many Vampires in the Empire. Even my shadow is a Vampire," says Vincent as Vlad appeared for a moment before disappearing again.

"He lives in your shadow?" asks Vesemir as Vincent nods.

"Yes, except he takes a paid leave then my daughter takes over for some days. She is also a Vampire that passed willingly through the transformation to gift her mother a child," says Vincent happy but at the same time sad about it.

"Why do you sound so sad about that?" asks Vesemir as Vincent sighs.

"Immortally can make people go crazy once they lose their loved ones. She saw her husband and daughter die as well as her grandchildren, brothers, sisters and so on. She is holding on to life because my brother has pardoned her most trusted friend from death," says Vincent as he was also holding on to his life because of his duty.

"I know that feeling. I saw many Witchers younger than me die paining me as I ask myself why I am still alive while they are dead. Only four Witchers remain of the Wolf School including me. I as the oldest needed to be a Paragon for them when they were younger," says Vesemir as he knew the pain that Vincent was talking about even if he wasn't immortal he saw people close to him die before it was their time.

"Anyway, let us talk about other things," says Vincent when a messenger arrives at Kaer Morhen.

"It seems someone wants something from us, Witchers," says Vesemir as both see the messenger at the gate nervous.

They find the messenger as Vesemir asks, "Is something wrong, lad?"

"No sir, I was just a bit nervous. It's the first time coming this far out," says the messenger as he handed over the letter before leaving.

He seemed to be in a rush as the messenger jumped on his horse again and left towards the south. Vesemir opens the letter and he reads the first two words before putting the letter away.

"Bad News?" asks Vincent as Vesemir didn't agree or deny the question.

"It depends on what she wants from my student. You never know with Sorceresses. It could be a piece of good news or a bad one depending on it," says Vesemir as he knew that handwritten.

"That means that she is either a common friend or foe," says Vincent as Vesemir sighs.

"I wished she was an enemy. It would be easier for me to destroy said letter but no. The Sorceress is Ciri's mother-figure, Yennefer of Vengerberg. She helped raise Ciri but her attitude isn't the best," says Vesemir before sighing.

"But she could help you with what you want regarding the Trial of the Grasses. But first I will need to find Geralt and inform him about this letter," says Vesemir as Vincent was on board when he heard what Vesemir said.

"If she can help me in this matter I would be grateful," says Vincent as Vesemir could see that he was telling the truth.

"Then we must find Geralt first. He is following the path again trying to find Ciri and Yennefer at the moment," says Vesemir as Vincent understood that.

"Well, we will have to leave as well. We came here to see this world after all but we stayed longer than predicted in Kaer Morhen," says Vincent as he now used magic to repair the rest of the Fortress.

"Thank you for helping me," says Vesemir as he appreciated the help of Vincent.

"Anytime, but we should leave beginning tomorrow," says Vincent making Vesemir nod before they joined the women.

"Where are you going next?" asks Vesemir curious as Vincent took his map out.

"I heard of an independent state south of Kaedwen and North of Aedirn. We will go there next," says Vincent as Vesemir had a complicated look on his face.

"That State is no longer. Nilfgaard has conquered it long ago with Aedirn. I would recommend you to visit even farther south like the Duchy of Toussaint," says Vesemir lying about something as Vincent shakes his head.

"Too bad that the state doesn't exist any longer. I wanted to see if it was like the Empire and if they were I would have stretched my hand out towards them," says Vincent as Vesemir had a complicated smile on his face.

"To tell you the truth, if you really go to Vergen then it would be to go to war that's why I didn't want to send you there. Nilfgaard is fighting against the independent state right as we speak," says Vesemir as he stated the truth about Vergen.

"War. It has been almost fifty years since I didn't step into a real battlefield. Maybe, we can stop Nilfgaard on its path for a while if we aren't too late," says Vincent as he seemed excited to fight in a war again.

"It seems you are different than normally, Vincent," says Serana not seeing his normally cold eyes when he went to war.

"It's because I don't have any responsibility on this battlefield. I'm just a Mercenary and not the Emperor everyone looks up to," says Vincent as he wasn't burdened by the usual responsibilities of finishing the war as fast and clean as possible so his men can return home.

"It seems we know our next objective. We will have to fight in a war again," says Karliah as she handed a bowl of food to Vesemir while Vincent showed Serana neck.

Vesemir didn't see it for the first time but he still couldn't get on good terms with Serana because of what she was before Serana went to bring Vincent's food. They ate together before they went to sleep.