I am absolutely sorry for the delay! Some things have been happening around the house (particularly college matters) and I haven't had time to write! I'll do my best to keep going, and as usual, will be open to any story ideas/suggestions!

Track List

1. watch?v=gokhBJWSjeM

2. watch?v=2bAsyGvAlpc

3. watch?v=g2AKB7g3hr0

4. watch?v=7BArA23NqVI

5. watch?v=7vpct4pZANg

Chapter One: Unlikely Allies

[1.S]The three beings found themselves beginning to materialize after the spell had been cast, feeling solid ground come underneath their feet. The tingling feeling had worn off, and Stefano shuddered greatly while his color returned to normal. Dane seemed to be indifferent to the spell's effects, and Raphael simply found it interesting as he looked at his gloves and at his feet.

"Curious, wouldn't you say?" he asked as they finished materializing.

"Curiously intimidating, that's what it was!" Stefano shot back.

The Hunter couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the young pyromancer's discomfort, shaking his head as he did so.

"You're the more magical one of us, yet you are the most disturbed of us. Ironic, da?" Raphael asked.

"Oh go stick that scythe where the-" Stefano started before Dane shot a look at the both of them through his helmet.

"Enough. We're going to draw attention. We need to find out where the spell has dropped us. Got any ideas?" Dane asked while looking at the pair.

Here, the two looked around to get a good view of their surroundings. It was definitely night, inside a forest that had some of the greenest trees that the group had ever seen. The air was cool, and the tinge of salt was apparent. Raphael drew the conclusion that they were near the coastline of the land, or something to that degree. But what creatures were in this place? And were they dangerous?

"Raphael, you are a Hunter, yes? Are there any tracks in the vicinity?" Dane asked.

"Perhaps...though it would be easy if we could find a certain direction to go." the Hunter replied as he began to walk forward.

"Wait, wait. I actually might know a solution." Stefano suddenly chimed in.

He then approached a tree and immediately hacked off two small branches, both straight yet one was a few inches larger than the other. He made sure to shave off the small studs to make them both linear as possible, and once done he faced an open part of the forest where he could clearly see the stars. He then sat down and focused on a star that was bright enough to see, making sure it was eye-level.

"Now we wait for five minutes." Stefano replied.

The pair looked at each other, then back at the pyromancer who continued to stare through the sticks at the star. It looked like he was just being a fool, but Dane couldn't help but grow curious.

"Stefano...what are you doing?" he asked.

"Seeing which way the star travels, Dane. You see, the world rotates on an invisible axis, which causes our night and day. If one has learned enough, thou can tell which direction it is based on the star he is gazing at. Ah...the star has moved to the right. We are facing east." Stefano stated as he got up and pulled the sticks out before tossing them to a nearby tree.

"Well now...looks like I am not the only one who's learned in some ways." Raphael complimented with a smirk.

"And where did you learn all this?" Dane asked.

"Hmm? Oh, from a scholar that was exiled in the Great Swamp. His teachings defied that of the Vinheim Dragon School, who claimed that not only was the world the center of the realms, but also the world was flat as well." Stefano replied.

"I'd much rather have a compass than anything." Raphael replied.

"Quite. Now, shall we go north?" Dane asked.

"Yes, we shall...wait. Wait..." Raphael suddenly just said.

"What is it?" Dane asked again.

The Hunter's eyes narrowed as he knelt to the ground and placed his ear to it, grimacing softly as he listened. He could hear and feel vibrations through the brown soil, and he cursed softly as he recognized the danger it seemed to bring. Whatever it was, it was most certainly big. Standing up, Raphael pointed east with narrowed eyes.

"There's something over there...some creature that's big and fast. It was certainly no werewolf or Cleric Beast though." Raphael commented.

"So I see...then we should definitely head north." Stefano commented.

"Or...we could kill it and get an idea of where we are. It's open that way, and we could find some roads..." Raphael murmured.

"Sei pazzo! What if this thing kills us? We won't be able to rekindle at a bonfire or a lantern!" Stefano complained.

"True...but we need to get an idea of what lives here. Besides...if memory serves me right, the bigger the creature the more Souls and Echoes we will reap in." Dane commented as he hefted his longsword.

"Indeed...first we must prepare." Raphael commented as he opened up his coat.

Both the knight and the pyromancer balked slightly at the assortment of weapons and tools he possessed inside. They could see a what looked to be a silver straight sword on one hip, a peculiar-looking wheel-lock pistol on his other hip, several vials filled with blood and other liquids, a small but heavy-looking box with what seemed to be a sword slot that hung from the back of his waist, a mechanical device that looked like a aerosol weapon with a canister attached, and even a few extremities of creatures that neither of the pair could describe. They also saw that the Hunter's cleaver and blunderbuss was gone, seeming to have disappeared.

"Wait...where is your cleaver and that...other weapon?" Dane asked.

"Ah, they are inside here. All I must do is reach into my coat and draw out whichever weapon I desire. We Hunters call them Trick Weapons. Surely you have the same function with your own?" Raphael asked.

Dane thought for a moment, but then he blinked as he remembered doing something similar in his adventures. He had continually pulled weapons from his side and back, finding them to appear mysteriously in his hand. He asked many times how that was possible, but none of the wise scholars and mages could even begin to explain how the weapons could magically compress into his armor.

"Yes...how does it work with you?" Stefano asked.

"Well, the weapons compress into smaller portable versions, and-" Raphael started.

"Nevermind that. Let's just go find this creature and slay it. I don't feel comfortable in this forest." Dane muttered as he started East.

Both men looked at each other, then shrugged in unison as they soldiered along with Dane. The full moon was high above and provided ample amount of light for the group to see, and it suited their needs perfectly.

They soon cleared the forest, taking a breath of air. The seaside smell was still tangent, but the pine scent was most definitely gone. Raphael lead the way while glancing around for any sort of tracks, while Dane and Stefano flanked him with their eyes open. Open ground was dangerous, especially if this beast could fly.

Dane was about to ask if they had seen anything when his question was answered already. They could see a few carts that had been torn apart, empty crates that had seemed to have been ripped apart, and days-old corpses of men and a few horses on the ground, flies buzzing and maggots feasting on the remnants of the flesh. All three men were used to the stench of death, so they merely cringed their noses at the smell.

"Raphael, you know what did this?" Dane asked as they continued to walk.

The Hunter's eyes narrowed as he continued along, looking from side to side at the bodies and post-mortem carnage.

"It was big and fast, like I had told you. The beast wasn't hungry, or there wouldn't be these corpses left behind. Seeming from the tracks...it can fly." the Hunter observed.

"Fly? You don't think a Corvian flock would have done this, do you?" Stefano asked as he bent down to the body of a warrior that had been ripped open, furs on his armor gummed with dried blood.

"No...there'd be filth and feathers all over here." Dane commented as he turned over a crate and looked inside.

Something caught his eye in the crate, and he examined it closer, reaching inside and pulling out the small object. It glittered in the moonlight, and upon further examination, it seemed to be a gemstone pendant, white gold chain with a purple amethyst in the center. Dane continued to examine it within his gauntlet, but then his eyes widened a bit. These crates were probably filled with shiny things...and that would mean...[1. E]

"Gentlemen, arm yourselves!" Raphael called out as he suddenly drew out his cleaver and blunderbuss.

"W-What? What's happening?!" Stefano asked as his hand axe flashed out as well as his left hand illuminating with flame.

"The thing is coming back!" Raphael shouted as he pointed to the sky.

[2. S]The group then heard a roar off in the distance and faced the source of the noise. They could see a winged reptilian-like creature flying towards them, roaring as it zoomed in with blinding speed. It dive-bombed the group with talons stretched out to grip one of the hapless men, but with quick reflexes they evaded the black talons, earth flying up instead of flesh as it zoomed back up into the sky, circling above them.

"Dragon!" Raphael shouted out.

"Nay, 'tis a wyvern!" Stefano called back as it began to fly back towards them.

"What difference does it make?! It's trying to kill us!" Dane roared in irritation.

Stefano, who had read a few books about ornithosaurs, was about to go into some of the anatomical and biological differences between the two subspecies when it landed right in front of the group, teeth bared with intent to kill.

"Use whatever lightning equipment and skills you have!" Stefano called out as he coated his axe with a Gold Pine Bundle the blade crackling with yellow lightning.

Dane nodded and did the same with his longsword, while Raphael withdrew a glowing blue piece of paper from his coat and slapped it onto his cleaver, his weapon crackling with blue lightning.

The wyvern was confused at the sight of the weapons, and the group took advantage of the attack. They let out grunts of effort as they surrounded the beast, ducking and dodging attacks from its tail, wings and sharp teeth. Dane had the most difficulty, being the heaviest of the group. He had managed to get in a few strikes before the wyvern turned and performed a tail-swipe that sent him tumbling backwards, crashing into a cart. He groaned as he picked himself up, though he let out a curse as he saw the wyvern heading right for him.

"Oh bugger!" he shouted as he scrambled up and rolled under a bite from the wyvern.

Its jaws snapped shut on the crate above him, crushing the wood as if it were a morsel. However, it's mouth opened and a bellow of pain came out from Stefano plunging its axe into the tail of the beast. The young pyromancer was aided by Raphael, who swung his cleaver to clip one of the wyvern's wings with a hard chop. Black-red blood shout out from the hacked limb, the right wing hanging useless from the chop.

However, this enraged the wyvern, who jerked its body to face the Hunter hard enough to club Stefano from the back with its tail. The pyromancer let out a yelp as he was knocked to the ground, groaning as he picked himself up. Meanwhile the Hunter and the wyvern were darting towards each other, the former evading the latter's attacks. The lightning had worn off by that time as well as Dane recovering from his own evasion.

"Keep it busy!" Dane shouted to the Hunter as he began to circle around it.

The Hunter didn't even have time to reply as the wyvern continued to bite and snap at him. Raphael was starting to run out of breath as he continued evading until he realized he rolled too soon. The wyvern's jaws clamped down upon the Hunter's body, it's jaws sinking into his upper torso. Raphael cried out in severe pain as the wyvern jerked him around in his jaws like a ragdoll. Still, the Hunter could move his arms, and he began to bash the wyvern's nostrils with all his might until he was flung onto the ground, the impact thudding heavily.

"Raphael!" Stefano shouted in horror as the Hunter laid there limply.

Soon his horror gave way to anger as the pyromancer conjured up a large red-orange fireball and hurled it at the wyvern. It struck the side of its neck, though it turned and faced the pyromancer, seeming to have little effect. Stefano blanched a little, but he held up his axe and bolted towards the creature, ready to end its life. Heart pounding, he summoned up another fireball in his hand and then brought back his left arm to hurl it with all his might. The wyvern had been charging right at the pyromancer, eager to end the young man's life.

Just as Stefano was about to hurl the fireball however, he heard a piercing shriek come from the wyvern's mouth. In the moonlight he could see a longsword blade sticking out from its mouth, then it shoved upward through the upper skull. Here the wyvern flailed and twitched violently before it fell to the ground, a death rattle gurgling out before the head lolled onto the ground. Stefano saw Dane crouched on the wyvern's head, right arm stuck entirely in the back of its skull. With an effort he ripped his arm and sword out, muscle and soft innards being mutilated as his limb cam free. Sword and arm were covered in black-red blood, and the knight gazed at the pyromancer, the helm robbing him of emotion.

"Wyvern, dragon...it's dead now." he declared through his panting.[2. E.]

[3. S]Meanwhile, Raphael groaned as he sat up, trembling in shock as he clutched his torso. The Hunter knew that the bite was toxic; he'd been slashed and bitten by enough venomous creatures to know that. He looked down at the wound and grunted in slight agony while taking an antidote pellet and mixing it with one of the many blood vials he carried. Once it was mixed, he injected the elixir into his chest, hissing out in pain then sighing in relief as the antidote countered the toxins of the wyvern and the blood vial regenerated the blood. He'd have a new set of scars to tell Jean about.

"Câcat..." Raphael cursed softly as he stood up, picking up his weapons and dusting off his coat.

"Oi, thou alright?" Dane asked as he and Stefano approached.

"Yes, I'm fine. What a beast, though!" Raphael commented as they gazed at the dead wyvern.

The group looked at the wyvern while catching their breath, but as they approached the beast's soul seemed to rise out of its body, looking similar to that of mist. It then split in two ways, evaporating within Dane and Stefano. Both men felt a tingling sensation for a bit, but it soon passed. Raphael looked at the pair of them with a raised eyebrow.

"So...you reap souls, eh?" he asked.

"Yes. Don't you do the same?" Stefano asked.

"No...I do it a more bloody way." the Hunter replied before approaching the wyvern.

Here, he flicked out the cleaver once more and plunged it into the body of the beast, twisting it so that blood flowed freely out of the wound. Dane and Stefano watched in mortified amazement as Raphael began to absorb the blood in the same manner he did with Leonhard, going until there was nothing left to absorb. Once done, he collapsed the now-clean cleaver and hooked it onto his back alongside his holstered blunderbuss, fitting comfortably with the collapsed scythe.

"Bloody Nora..." Dane found himself murmuring.

Stefano had merely stared in wide-eyed amazement, but once Raphael was finished the pyromancer approached the head of the wyvern and then began to chop at the upper jaw with his axe, hacking through scale, bone and marrow .

"What are you doing?" Dane asked as he recovered from his initial surprise.

"What does it look like? I'm taking a specimen!" Stefano replied as he was halfway through decapitating the corpse.

"Yes, but for what? Thou'st going to carry that head all around?" the knight asked sarcastically.

"Si, and why not? It shouldn't be that heavy. Besides, there could possibly be a reward for killing such a beast. Perhaps there's a village hereabouts?" Stefano asked cheerfully as he finally lopped off the jaw and taking the upper part of the head with it.

Dane and Raphael looked at each other and considered the idea. It had its benefits, but it could also draw attention, or that a wyvern was as common as Undead Dogs back in Lothric. Still, they would need all the help they could get, and none of them had a better idea.

Once done with his grisly work, the pyromancer hook used a flame to cauterize the bloody openings on the jaw, the meat sizzling loudly. The bleeding stopped and he hooked the jaw on his belt, dangling as he stood back cleared his throat and looked around at the sky, and noticed that it was daybreak. He could see the first few rays of light peeking over the horizon, and this caught the attention of Dane and Raphael.

"It's already sunrise...how long did we fight the wyvern?" Raphael observed.

"I don't know, and I don't think it rightly matters. Let's find our way to civilization." Dane commanded as he looked opposite of the sunrise and began to head west.

The group caught up with the knight and advanced onward, leaving the headless body of the wyvern behind with the rotting corpses. Not before looting the corpses and smashed crates of any supplies, materials or valuable items of course.

Eventually they did find a road, or rather a fork that seemed to lead to civilization. There was a sign that had said "Kaer Trolde Harbor", pointing to the left fork, which the trio decided to take. The three could feel the early-morning chill as they marched along down the path, taking in the sights and sounds of the land around them. It was certainly no Crucifixion Woods, that was certain.

"My, this land is beautiful." Stefano commented as they continued.

"Beauty always hides danger, Stefano." Dane replied briskly.

"True, true...though I wonder if the people here are truly like what Ludleth said." the young pyromancer commented.

"With our luck, the wyvern jaw might change all that. That was no undead giant, but judging from the bodies, we are fortunate to be Unkindled and Hunters." Raphael mused as he examined a finely-carved dagger he looted off of a warrior's corpse in his hand.

Time passed as they journeyed along, going until they reached the outskirts of the harbor, briefly stopping as they looked at the town before them. It was definitely a trading hub, with a dockyard for ships, shops along the harbor's main streets, and the strong tinge of salt in the air. The three travelers breathed in the sights and sounds, and continued along into the town itself. The buildings were simple but effective, gaining a form of admiration from the practical knight.

"Seems like a good place to make a living..." he commented as they walked through into the main row.

However, he stopped speaking as he felt eyes upon them all. The townsfolk of the harbor eyed them with a mixture of shock, intrigue, suspicion and a good amount of xenophobia. They looked like your average peasants, though there were obvious signs that they could probably fight as well as foot soldiers should the need arise. Wouldn't be a problem for the three, as they've faced much, much worse. Still though...not a good idea to spill blood on your first arrival.

"So...cold weather today." Stefano suddenly chimed in, more to break the tension than anything else.

"Yes, though I've got a feeling the hospitality here will be as warm as the weather." Raphael murmured as he caught the glance of two burly but simple-looking dockworkers staring daggers at them.

Dane said nothing more as he continued forward, ignoring the eyes of the townsfolk. Their helms, hoods and cloths robbed the traveler's faces of emotion, but their eyes darted around, looking for any sign of incoming violence. Raphael had a feeling that this suspicion was created out of fear rather than hate, and he subtly enjoyed that. He might be able to use that to his advantage...but not yet.

"Oi, who th'ell are you three?" a deep voice sounded behind them.

The group turned to see a tall and burly-looking bald man with a crooked nose and thick brown beard standing a few meters behind them. From the looks of his attire and the crest it bore on the chestplate of his armor, he looked like a town guard. Or a hired thug with an axe hanging from his belt.

"We are humble travelers looking for a place to stop and rest for our adventures, good sir." Stefano replied with politeness.

"'umble travelers? Th' day a fuckin' knight, a mage, an' whatever th' fuck he is are 'umble travelers' th' day pigs sprout wings an' fly! Now gimme a good reason as ta why I shouldn't have ya dragged off ta Kaer Trolde fer questionin'." the town guard replied.

His words seemed to have an effect on the townsfolk, as they started to form a small mob around the guard, facing the three with a growing malice. Raphael had seen this before with the madmen of Yharnam; Though they were no more than beasts now, the folk mimicked the same action these peasants were doing now. The leader had to be calmed down, or they would end up having to massacring the entire town.

"You are right, sir. We aren't just mere travelers. You may have noticed our armament and tools we carry, yes? Now what would three simple travelers be doing carrying swords, axes, cleavers, and scythes? What profession would cause them to utilize such things?" Raphael asked not only the guard but the mob as well.

They all seemed to actually begin to ponder the Hunter's question, looking down at their feet before one of them spoke up from the back.

"Are ye' mercenaries?" a villager asked.

"Incorrect." Raphael replied.

"Raiders?" a short woman asked.

"Margaret, if they were bloody raiders they would have attacked us by now!" the woman's father scolded.

"Then what th' fuck are ye'? Witchers?" the impatient guardsman asked.

Now it was the trio's turn to be confused. They raised their eyebrows and looked at each other before Dane looked at the guardsman through his helmet.

"Pray tell what a Witcher is?" he asked.

"What? You tellin' me you t'ree never heard o' Witchers before? Mutant freaks 'at hunt monsters an' other beasts for coin?" The guard asked, legitimately surprised along with the mob.

"No we haven't, but we are monster hunters of a sort. In fact, we happened to slay a wyvern along the way here by a crossroad." Dane replied while motioning Stefano to show them the head.

"Si, and we have proof!" the pyromancer replied as he started to withdraw the wyvern's jaw.

The crowd gasped a little as Stefano held up the jawbone and handed it to the guardsman. He was surprised, and an impressed look came across his face as he recognized the scales and the freshness of the appendage.

"I know this beast! That's th' scaled fuck that wiped out Gunmar's group!" he exclaimed.

The mob began to surge forward as they saw the appendage, whispering among themselves as they pointed and touched the jaw. Someone that managed to kill a full-grown wyvern like that must have been dangerous. The guard turned to the three while his impressed look began to slide off, being replaced with that suspicious look once more.

"What's yer business 'ere in Ard Skellige, monster 'unters?" he asked with a cold voice.

Raphael's eyes narrowed as he began to digest the question and build up an answer. He was tempted to ask them about the Wild Hunt, but he thought better against it. Those folk didn't seem like the kind of people who would know about skeletal cavalry or mysterious disappearances. So, he decided to fabricate a lie instead.

"My comrades and I are on a sort of tour around the lands, looking to hunt monsters and villains for sport and coin. We were wondering if this town had a sort of monster problem, considering the wyvern we stumbled upon." He stated.

Stefano cast a slightly confused glance at the Hunter, but Dane slightly shook his head, indicating to play along with the lie. The guard and the townsfolk seemed unimpressed, and it was clearly vocalized.

"Sport? Yous' either a liar or a madman. You seem new ta th' Skellige Isles, so lemme give ya some advice: We've a manner o' beasts that'll rip ya to fuckin' mincemeat 'ere, or drown ya if yous foolish enough to go sailing in th' deep." the guard stated.

To the surprise of the mob and the guard, Raphael began to chuckle while folding his arms across his chest and looked right at the group. His voice was warm as a hearthfire, but his eyes were as cold as a blizzard in the far north.

"We don't carry these tools to make ourselves look intimidating. Now, if you do have a monster problem anywhere nearby, come to us. If not, then we will be at the tavern nearby." Raphael said before turning and walking down the street.

Dane turned and followed without a single word, his armor slightly clanking as he walked down the cobblestones. Stefano merely glanced back at the guard and crowd before giving a shrug and following, though he cast glances back at the slowly dissipating mob. Raphael's words seemed to have left a cold effect upon the group, but he wasn't so sure about their chances here.

"So much for the wyvern jaw." He murmured as he caught up.[3. E.]

[4. S.]After finding the local tavern with no trouble at all, the three entered inside and looked around. It was spacious enough and was sparsely filled due to the early hours, but it would mean a good breakfast for them...hopefully.

They found a booth that would accommodate the three of them, sliding in and fitting comfortably. Their weapons were placed by their legs, and they removed their hats, helms and hoods to eat. The buxom barmaid came over, looking bored at first but soon her eyes widened at the sight of three patrons she had never seen before.

"Erm...what d'ya three want to eat?" she asked while looking at them.

"It's our first time in Kaer Trolde, so what do you recommend?" Stefano asked.

"Well, we've got plenty of fish an' seafood 'ere, so you've got your pick." she replied.

The group thought about it for a minute, then they placed their orders: Dane wanted fried fish with potatoes, Stefano ordered a plate of boiled crab legs, and Raphael ordered a plate of salmon tossed with wild greens, all served with three mugs of Rivian Kriek. The barmaid took the orders while casting glances back at the three odd travelers, but went into the kitchen to pour their drinks.

Meanwhile, Dane withdrew the maps that Orbeck had given him, sifting through until he found the map of the Skellige Isles. He laid it out over the table and searched until he found Kaer Trolde, his finger landing on top of it.

"So we are on Ard Skellige, in their capital it seems. Harbor along here has boats and there's a castle connected by a bridge to the town. My guess is that the castle might have some information about the Wild Hunt." Dane stated.

"Yes, but how are we going to gain access? Last I remember the people here aren't so friendly with outsiders." Stefano remarked as their drinks came first.

Dane nodded and took a sip from his mug. The Kriek felt smooth going down, making the knight let out a small grunt of approval. It was not a bad spirit at all, and Dane reminded himself to find a bottle of this later on.

"Agreed, but there are always more ways in than through the front gate. Raphael seems to have the tongue of a serpent, so he could try talking us in there." Dane suggested.

"I'm not that good when it comes to persuading, but I could give it a try." the Hunter replied.

"I'm open to more ideas if you two have any." Dane barked as he took another gulp from his mug.

The pyromancer and the Hunter tapped their chins as they thought of more alternatives, though their thoughts broke as their food was delivered to them from the barmaid. The smell made all three of them salivate, and once she was gone, they began to eat their food.

It is uncommon for Unkindled and Hunters to eat food such as this, living off of Estus and Blood Vials most of their time alive. The unfamiliar tastes and textures of the food made them appreciate how much of a delicacy this was to their kind. Food...practically unheard of in their worlds.

"I haven't had something this good since I tasted Siegwald's Estus soup!" Stefano commented after swallowing a mouthful of crab meat.

"Well, it's certainly better than eating umbilical cords..." Raphael murmured under his breath as he speared a piece of salmon with lettuce and began to chew.

Dane merely nodded quietly as he supped from his mug, setting it down to the side and making sure none of the crumbs or spirits fell upon their map. It was their only guide after all.

As they finished up their meal, getting ready to pay with the gold that they had looted, the door opened with a loud creaking. The three looked up to see a tall man walk through, very eye-catching to them but a semi-common sight to the locals of Kaer Trolde.

The man wore layered jackets made of leather and reinforced with metal studs and rivets, the outer jacket reinforced with panels of mail armor and metal spaulders on the shoulders. He carried two large swords on his back, one with a normal cross guard and the second one with a v-shaped guard facing the blade. However, it was the man's snow-white tied hair and his viper-like eyes that caught the attention of the men. They remembered the guard saying something about Witchers; could this man be one of them?

"Want a drink, Master Geralt?" the innkeep asked as the man sat down at the bar.

"Just something small. I'm in a hurry." the Witcher replied.

"Off to see Queen Cerys up in Kaer Trolde?" she asked.

"More or less." Geralt replied as he paid for a mug of peppered homemade vodka.

Here, the men looked at each other then back at the Witcher. This was an opportunity that they couldn't pass up. So all three then stood up after collecting their weapons and headgear then approached the bar area, Raphael approaching the Witcher while Dane and Stefano dealt with the bill for breakfast.

"You're a Witcher, yes?" the hunter asked as he sat down at the bar.

Geralt briefly looked over at the knight without a second thought, then resumed having another sip of vodka.

"And you're heading up to yonder castle?" Raphael inquired.

Geralt continued to sip as if the knight was not seated next to him. Raphael's eyebrows furrowed a little as he was ignored, then he attempted one more time.

"I know you can hear me, Witcher." he said sternly.

"Doesn't mean I'm listening." Geralt replied calmly.

The hunter felt himself redden with irritation slightly, though he shook his head and he began to revise his strategy.

"Thought you might be able to lend a hand to a fellow monster hunter. After all, the world surely does need cleansing of them." he proposed as his partners finished paying (after learning about the entire money system of the Continent within two minutes), all looking at Geralt.

Here, the Witcher stopped sipping and looked over at the three, his viper-like eyes examining each and every one of them. He looked like he couldn't give a damn, but Dane and Raphael could see the readiness in his movements. Geralt must have been expecting a fight to break out soon.

"Monster hunters, huh? Didn't know knights, mages and aristocrats took up the trade of Witchers." he observed.

However, his senses were screaming that these three weren't ordinary men at all. Something about them was off...they were and weren't human, and at the same time alive yet dead. It was a riddle that Yennefer would really enjoy.

"Listen, I don't know what your business with Queen Cerys is about, but I don't think it involves me. You're better off trying to find work in the notice boards" Geralt concluded before standing up and started to walk out.

A gloved hand stopped his advance, and Geralt prepared himself for combat instantly. Turning, he saw that it was the knight who stopped him, looking up at him with firm eyes. Geralt could already tell from this man's bearing that he'd seen much combat, and the eyes that he bore were not unlike his own.

"Geralt, we're going to come at you straight. We're hunting something called the Wild Hunt. We have knowledge about them, but just scraps. We think that the castle has information, but we know outsiders aren't welcome here. You seem to know the monarch here, and we'd appreciate it if you could just get us in, then we'll be out of your hair for good." he stated truthfully, though out of earshot of the innkeep.

Geralt stared at the three men with an expressionless mask, digesting what he had just heard. These men...were hunting the Wild Hunt? They had to be either the biggest fools in the realms, or the most well-prepared warriors he'd ever seen. He didn't doubt Dane's sincerity at all; his heartbeat was calm and steady, as if fighting the Wild Hunt were just like fighting a pack of bandits.

However, Geralt's mind whirred at the thought. He needed allies to defend Kaer Morhen from the incoming attack. He'd managed to get Ves, Roche, Triss, Kiera, Zoltan, and then the rest back at the old castle, but these three looked deadlier than any monster hunters he'd seen. His gut told him to find out more about these potential allies.

"Why do you want to hunt the Wild Hunt? Seems like a fool's errand" he asked bluntly.

"Because they've been crossing into our lands and we mean to stop them at the source. We know they're capable warriors, Witcher, but we've fought worse than them." Dane declared.

"Oh yeah? Like what? An old wyvern getting attacked from all sides?" Geralt asked sarcastically.

Stefano blinked a little as he thought of the wyvern they had killed, though he was surprised Geralt knew about it so quickly. Word must travel quickly here indeed.

"That, and also Lothric Knights, Basilisks, Corvians, Mimics, Ghrus, Deep Accursed, Knights of the Deep, Darkwraiths..." Stefano listed.

"Don't forget Lycanthropes, Gravekeeper Scorpions, Brick Trolls, Silver Beasts, Snatchers, Undead Giants, Vermin Balls, Maneater Boars, Gargoyles, and-" Raphael chimed in.

"Alright, alright. I get it, you're superior warriors with a thing for killing monsters." Geralt stated, holding his hand up to stop the flows.

"Look, we can see we're wasting your time. Just get us into the castle and we'll leave you alone." Dane offered.

"No, hold on a minute. You three said you need to find the Wild Hunt, right? Well, I might have an opportunity for you to meet them head-on." Geralt offered back.

The three perked up at the words, though Raphael crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

"Do you now? Pray tell." he hissed.

"Why don't you follow me into Kaer Trolde? That's what I'm going to talk to Cerys and a few others about. You'll get the full story there." Geralt replied as he turned and left the inn.

The three stared at the door, then Stefano looked over at the knight and hunter with a suspiciously confused look.

"Could be a trap..." he warned.

"Do we really have a choice?" Dane asked as he stepped outside of the inn after the Witcher.[4. E]

[5. S]After they have caught up with Geralt, the Witcher quickly lead them through the battlements of the castle and into the interior. The three noticed how it wasn't as lavish as they had come to expect it. It certainly was no Anor Londo, but it was fortified and well-guarded. The residents cast suspicious glances at the travelers, but the three ignored them. Geralt seemed well-known here, as people nodded their heads in recognition and respect. For what purpose the travelers didn't know, but that was secondary to what they were looking for.

"What do you think this Cerys will be like?" asked the pyromancer.

"She's young and fair, and one hell of a warrior, much like most of the people here in Skellige. She can do anything a man can do, and believe me she will probably show up quite a few people." Geralt commented.

The three didn't seem impressed at all; rather, they had grown used to statements like that. Every day, they've seen mixtures of all races and genders coming to the lands they fought in, be they phantoms, invaders, or just plain Hollowed creatures. It didn't matter who or what you were. You were going to die either way.

"Lovely." Dane replied with an uncaring tone as they made their way through the corridor into the armory.

There, they happened upon the queen of Skellige herself. Cerys an Craite stood by the fireplace looking over the arms in her red and brown armored robes, looking as much a warrior queen as any woman in the old Skellige legends. The trio had different reactions when they saw her; Dane's eyes merely narrowed as he examined her bit by bit, finding her a rather strong-looking heroine despite her looks. Stefano couldn't help but blush a little at the sight of such a woman, causing him to attempt to preoccupy himself by gazing at the rather skillfully painted tapestries depicting Skellige battles; and Raphael merely gazed at her, thinking of what kind of monsters she had slain, or what they might do if they were in private.

Cerys noticed the four in the room, and she smiled as she recognized her friend and comrade Geralt. Setting down a map she had, she turned and faced the group, looking them in the eye with the surety of a warrior.

"Your Royal Majesty, would you spare a moment?" Geralt asked politely.

"C'mon, Geralt. I'm the same lass I was. Save for the title, not a thing's changed." the woman replied in a heavy Skellige accent.

"Got a delicate matter I wanted to bring up. Need your help." the Witcher replied.

Cerys raised her eyebrow as she heard that, then stood a little straighter.

"Oh? What is it?"

"Crach's mentioned Ciri to you - he must've." Geralt inquired.

The queen's eyes widened a little as she heard the name of the ashen-haired woman. Her voice grew a bit higher in anticipation of what the Witcher had to say.

"Have you found her!?"

The three travelers merely looked at each other in slight confusion, but they continued to listen.

"Not yet, but I'm close. Problem is, soon as I get to her, the Wild Hunt'll probably locate us...quickly. So I'll want to take her to Kaer Morhen. Battle the Hunt there. I'm looking for allies." Geralt explained.

The queen's shoulders visibly sagged as she digested the information, though her face creased slightly in thought. There had to be a way to help Geralt, especially after it was by his hand that she was able to become queen. Not only that, he was a friend.

"Hmm...I can't leave the Isles now, it's impossible. What I can do is give you my best warrior. Hjalmar." The queen declared.

"Think he'll be willing?" Geralt asked.

"I'm sure of it! ...in fact, he'll be overjoyed! Come on, you know him." Cerys replied with a smirk.

"Yeah, guess I do. Thanks." Geralt said with a genuine smile.

"No doubt will he be valiant. I hope he proves useful to you. Oh, and see Crach as well. I'm sure he can be of assistance. Good luck." she said.

However, as Geralt turned to go, Cerys finally took notice of the three strangers that stood before her. She stopped Geralt and motioned for him to introduce the three.

"Hmm? Oh, these three men are monster hunters I've picked up at the local inn. They killed the wyvern along the road to Kaer Trolde, or so I'm told." Geralt said.

"Really now? And what's a knight, a wizard, and a...erm...gentleman doing here?" Cerys asked.

"We are here to hunt the Wild Hunt. We have seen them in our own lands, and we intend to stop them at the source." Dane stated.

Cerys let a small smirk slip across her face as she looked at the men. They all looked capable in their own right, but whether they could handle the Hunt, that remains to be seen.

"And what are your names?" she asked.

"I am Sir Dane Whitman, knight of Southern Boletaria. This is Stefano Pompiere, pyromancer of the Great Swamp. And this is Raphael, Hunter of Beasts and Slayer of Great Ones." The knight introduced his men, each replying with a bow.

"Lovely titles. I assume you three are fine warriors, strutting about like that." Cerys jested.

"Doamnă, if only you knew what we had slain in our lifetimes..." Raphael murmrued quietly.

"I'll take your word for it, Hunter. But come, tell me about some of your adventures while Geralt finds my brother." Cerys commanded.

Geralt nodded and took his leave to where Hjalmar would be residing, all the while the group cleared their throats and began to tell their adventures.

First, Dane told her about the creatures that had plagued Boletaria, from the Demons to the Arch-Demons whom their souls would be collected. He told her about the colossal Tower Knight, the gargoyle-like Maneater, the pale yet gentle Fool's Idol, and what he considered the most difficult fight of his life, Old King Allant. If it wasn't for the helm that covered his face, all three would have seen the cringe of pain as he remembered the uncountable deaths he had suffered at that being's hands. However, through perseverance, he came out the victor, and whether as a sign of respect or as a trophy, he kept the False King's soul inside him, sitting idle until it would be used.

Next, Stephano painted a brighter picture of his shorter but no less dangerous adventures. He told the queen about spending time in the Catacombs of Carthus and the Smoldering Lake, where he not only defeated a Fire Demon, but the Old Demon King himself. He went into detail on the duel between flames, as if Hell itself were the battleground of these two combatants. He told her of skeletons, sand worms, finding Izalith's tome, and most of all, carving his way through to Irythil of the Boreal Valley. Cerys wasn't too fond of mages and pyromancers, but when she noticed the axe that he used, a degree of respect came into being. This pyromancer knew how to fight without fire after all.

However, she felt a shudder when Raphael told her about his own adventures. Dane and Stefano listened as well, for this would have been the first they had heard of the Hunter's battles. He had told that he and his brother Jean were Hunters, men and women who made an oath in blood to destroy beasts in return for truly awesome (if not gruesome) power. Raphael told them all about the dreary land of Yharnam, how there was a sickness upon the land and beasts had overtaken it. His voice told tales of gruesome monsters like the Watchdog of the Old Lords, Maneater Boar, Abhorrent Beast and Vicar Amelia. However, he also told them of Hunters turned mad by the blood, honorable beings like Father Gascoigne, the Shadows of Yharnam, Djura and Henryk. Finally, he told of a Great One he and Jean had slain together, a creature called Rom the Vacuous Spider. He sounded bittersweet as he told a mere fraction of the horrors he had seen, leaving Dane and Stefano wondering how this Yharnam had truly affected the Hunter's sanity.

"Well..quite the tale you three told." Cerys commented as she leaned on the table.

"Yes...and we are bound to stop said Hunt from spreading out into other lands. We've heard of what they are and what they can do, but compared to the things we have slain, they will be a welcome breather from the harsh combat we endure." Dane stated.

"Funny. I thought you men would have wanted a challenge." Cerys jested.

All three looked right at her in unison with blank expressions, shaking their heads in unison. The last thing either of them wanted to do was kill some Goliath-like monster with tentacles and paralytic venom, or some gigantic toad that eats whole humans whole.

"No your Majesty, we do not." Stefano declared.

Moments later, Geralt returned with a satisfied look on his face, going to the group with what looked to be a new sword upon his back. Cerys recognized it as Winter's Blade, a weapon that had been in her family for generations. To think that Crach would have given it to Geralt...it must have been hard, but then again a true honor for the Witcher.

"So has Hjalmar agreed?" she asked.

"Yes. He's on his way to Kaer Morhen right now." Geralt replied as he rejoined the group.

"Excellent. Then with the blessing of Skellige, I wish you luck in finding Ciri." Cerys spoke as she looked at all three of them.

"Thank you, Cerys. See you later."

With that, Geralt left, motioning for the three men to come with him. Once they were gone from the armory, he stopped them in an empty small hall and looked into their eyes. He had a plan to get Ciri, since there were now three total. One would come with him, while the other two would go with Hjalmar to Kaer Morhen. He explained this to them in quick fashion, saying they would be heading to the Isle of Mists from Ard Skellige. He also marked the location of Kaer Morhen on their map, and told them to follow Hjalmar and stay with him. He'd act as their guide and their ticket in, but he warned that should they try anything stupid, they wouldn't last a single minute against all of the gathered forces.

Dane, Stefano and Raphael bit back their tongues before any one of them could say that they would all die by their hands eventually if they tried.

"Now, which one of you wants to go with me?" the Witcher asked.

The three looked at each other and began to debate who should go. Stefano was a pyromancer who could be of use should magical enemies attack. Raphael was a Hunter and could locate beasts or try to find Ciri's scent. Dane was practically as strong as a giant and could take quite a bit of abuse from an enemy while Geralt could finish them off. They continued to think it over until the knight stepped forward and raised his hand.

"I'll go." he declared.

"Good. Then head down to the armory and follow Hjalmar. Dane, you come with me to the docks. We've got a bit of a ride ahead of us, so make sure you are prepared." Geralt commanded before heading out the door.

The group looked at each other and nodded, each one shaking each other's hands. They may not see each other for a while, but they knew that they'd come back in one piece...one way or another.

"Buona fortuna, Dane." Stefano said with a smile.

"Try not to die, brother. We've got horsemen to kill." Raphael replied with a grin.

"I'll be sure to save you some enemies when I come back." Dane concluded with a nod.

Then, the crew departed their separate ways for now, wondering what each might find at their own destination. [5. E]

Thanks again for all your support on this story, and be sure to suggest ideas/tracks that I can use! Particularly any Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, or Bloodborne enemies/bosses you'd like to see appear later in the story!