Chapter 1: viper on the road
The night was dark and the full moon was shining brightly in the night sky. It was a perfect time for a vampire attack or a Nightwraith snatching the soul of the next villager unlucky enough to wander tonight. Even a pack of wolves would be aroused by the morose glow of the azure moon. Perhaps in the age of old, when every villager feared the stillness of the night knowing the horrors that lurk within, this would be the perfect night to satiate their ungodly appetites but the world was changing, creatures of the night have no place in this world.
In a town south of verden, just above the yaruga, the people are just as afraid. Not of the darkness and its promise of ekkimeras or wraiths or the deep forests where leshens ruled and fiends rome about or the howls in the distant mountains. No, the common folk do not fear monsters anymore and when people aren't afraid they are less keen on parting with their gold.
"A hundred florens for a half-century old leshen" said the white haired man with a scar across his face. His black black jacket half opened exposing his chest covered in bandages. Across him sat his two swords, one silver –for monsters- one metal. –for humans-
"I guess this will have to do. Two days in this god-forsaken village and 5 days worth of supplies. This won't even be enough to repair my jacket. Damn crows pecked the right buttons" growled the man while looking at his coin laid in front of him.
Just a few more months of travel he thought with both sadness and excitement. This is his last year on the path for he had promised that he will spend the winter with her and all winters to come. He had promised to run away from the world with her. The thought of it filled him with excitement overcoming his worry for the meal after tonight.
His path was clear, from vizima he was to head south to cintra and then east to toussaint then finally going north of the yaruga to rivia and stopping in a the elven capital of dol blathanna. Just a few more months and he can see her again fulfilling his promise of running away and hanging his sword. They could live again, like they have in the lake. Away from the world but not truly alone. The prospect of a life away from fighting brought his mood up significantly. It certainly shoved aside the fishy contract for the half-century old leshen.
All this thinking and counting made him thirsty. He signaled the innkeeper to bring him some mead and a warm bread. The mead was too bitter and the bread was not warm. He thought of demanding a replacement but he knew that this was all he could afford. As he was about to take a bite thedoor opened and a huge bulky man came inside. He almost did not fit in the door so he had to bow his head a little. His clothes were dirty from travelling. He clearly came a long way. In the back of his head two sword handles could be seen and rom his neck hung a medallion with the shape of a viper.
Geralt did not have time to look. Before he could turn his head the man was already standing behind him. He heard his footsteps, heavy but with a certain finesse. This man, he thought, had great foot work for his size. He could smell from him a faint smell of mud and blood. All of this brought about by his heightened senses. Amidst the cheers of peasants drinking in the distant table. He heard the man behind him clear his voice and began to speak.
"It wasn't easy finding you, wolf" said the big bald man. His voice was coarse and with a certain accent. The white haired man need not look to confirm who he was. He knew that voice. He had met him once while on the path. Even more strange circumstances brought them together but he knew he could trust him. After all he helped protect Ciri against the wilf hunt.
"Letho" said the white-haired man.
"Geralt" replied the big bald man.
"You're a pleasant surprise. I would offer you a drink but as you can see my pouch isn't brimming right now" Geralt replied with a smirk.
"I did not come here for a drink Geralt, I wouldn't have tracked you from Dol Blathanna just to share a drink with you." Replied Letho while signaling for the innkeeper which Geralt did not recognize. Before he could complain, Letho assured him by bringing out his pouch. "On me" geralt stayed silent.
A few moments later 2 tankards of wine and different plates came to their table. Geralt did not have time to eye each one. He need only smell to know that this was the best the inn could offer. They drank for a while and started to talk about contracts they have taken while on the road.
"A hundred florens for a half-century old leshen. No wonder you can barely afford a warm meal" Letho exclaimed with an arrogant look. Geralt not minding his tone. "I get by every day. I swear, the villagers are becoming more confident with haggling for prices. But they have the right to. There are less and less monsters each passing winter."
"We are a dying profession" said Letho with a straight face. "Indeed we are"
"Enough small talk. Tell me why you are here, Letho. Seeing as you started taking contracts means only that Nilfgaard doesn't want anything to do with you anymore" Geralt suddenly shifted to a more serious tone. Letho still with a very stark face. "Is that it then? My head for yours? If so then le-" Before Geralt could finish Letho changed his expression into a quaint smile.
"Relax Geralt, no one here is out for blood" said Letho calmly
"Then I see no other reason for you to be here, much less track me down" Geralt still not convinced. He was eyeing Letho making sure his hands were far from his swords. He knew to not be Decieved by his size.
"The white wolf still as stiff. If you insist on discussing business then let's. " Letho said while his grin faded into his usual calm face.
"You see before the wild hunt arrived in Kaer Morhen, old man Vesemir and I had a talk. It seems he was aware of who I was and what I did. Even so he told me something I did not expect. He hired me for a job." Letho paused to take a sip from his mug. Geralt not looking at him. He was busy eating what he thinks would be his last warm meal for the next few days. "Paid in full" continued Letho while he signaled for the barmaid to bring more wine.
"What was the job? I don't imagine Vesemir having a monster problem that he'll need you to fix" interrupted Geralt.
"The job wasn't for a monster. It was a missing person or at least I thought. Turns out the person wasn't missing but was just damn hard to find –even harder than you."
"A good story. Still don't see why Im involved" Geralt said still feigning indifference.
"You see, the old man's condition was, if the battle turned out badly for him or if news were to reach me that he is dead" said Letho without indicating any sign of empathy. "I were to keep my word and seek out this man. And so I did, after the battle I immediately set off to find him eager to keep my word. After months or tracking and interrogation, I found him"
"So you've completed your word to the old man. Good, may his soul lie calmly with the great mother Melitele or the forest nymphs or whatever ploughing god the old man believed in" Geralt not meaning what he said. Still trying to mask his interest. "You still haven't told me who helped you with your Nilfgaardian problem
Letho ignored Geralt's constant interruption and continued, "This man as it turns out, was quite rich and powerful. He had ties to all kinds of people. He solved this problem of mine and in exchange I did a few jobs for him. I'm on my last job. Understand Geralt?"
Geralt did not. All he could do was stay silent. Too many thoughts in his head.
"You are not the only one who wants to hang their scabbard. I have seen enough of this world and the world has clearly no need for our kind anymore. I have been to Dol Blathanna. Who do you think I first went to know where to find you? It was a nice quiet house deep In the mountains. You'll have plenty of time to do your business there uninterrupted"
"Enough prying with my life. This last job of yours, what of it" Geralt said, getting impatient from all this talking. "You are here so the last job has something to do with me. You don't want to kill me so either you have something for me or you want to bring me somewhere"
"Neither. The man simply asked that the two of you meet. Plain and simple" Letho's words sounded of assurance but Geralt is suspicious, not of Letho, but of his employer.
"And who is this man I'm supposed to meet?"
"That is not part of the contract. Meet the man and he will tell you everything."
"How am I supposed to meet him when you barely told me anything. A name would be a good start"
"Just continue your journey to wherever you were headed. That's what he told me to tell you" Letho said with a monotonous look in his face. Geralt was used to this. Witchers, after all, are not famous for their emotional depth.
"This all seems strange, so strange. You know this is my last time on the path. I don't plan to spend my winter in some dank castle of an unknown lord who ordered a bruxa dead or to lift a curse cast by one of his mistresses. No, I have plans and I'm only on the path for old time sake." Geralt paused, doubting the sincerity of his words. He suddenly questioned his intentions. He could have just as easily went to their house in the mountains and spent his remaining days instead he chose to hunt monsters for another season. Then he remembered, it wasn't his idea. It was Yen's. She wanted to give him a chance to live his life as a monster hunter for one last time. He didn't understand why, but neither did he want to argue. So he took her advice, as it always was.
"You know that I don't have the answers for that. This is a contract and the contract was to find you and make you agree that you will look for him. So agree, Geralt. I am not concerned with your reservations, simply not part of the contract. I'm sure you understand."
"Fine. If it's on the way I see no harm. Consider your contract fulfilled." He sighed while Letho stared at him with a slight smile.
The bald Witcher stood up and leaving a few florens on the table. "Farewell Geralt. I wish you a happy hunt. Don't get killed, for her sake." He heard him walk away and heard the footsteps of the horse as Letho rode off. Geralt sat their motionless contemplating his words. That contract, no matter who that man was, was essentially Vesemir's. He had many reasons to reject it but the mere mention of Vesemir's involvement changed how he saw the contract. He was the closest thing he had to a father. He felt that he owed it to him to at least see this contract be done. This could very well be his last contract and a contract from his mentor would definitely be memorable. She would understand. A few more months delay wouldn't hurt. He reasoned to himself half-doubting his thoughts.
"After all these years, the old man still looks out for me." He said with a slight smile in his face.