Witcher tale: The pack survives
AN: This story is based on CD project reds ending in Witcher 3: Blood and wine. It does meld some elements of the games and the fan film Alzurs legacy. This is my take on what happens after the ending of witcher 3 I hope you guys like it. I really suggest reading the books the story in them is great.
This chapter is only an introduction to the story so it's a bit straightforward. I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 1
Seven years have passed since Geralt of Rivia defeated the beast of Beauclair and decided to settle down in Toussaint with Yennefer. His two brothers from the school of the wolf Lambert and Eskel have been spending most of their time in close proximity to him and have even gone on some contracts together but the two witchers still do leave the south to venture north. They would usually travel together and split at the Yaruga, each going in his own direction. This time Lambert decided to go to Vizima and then to Novigrad. On the road to Vizima, he took several contracts, but none were out of the ordinary, just some drowners, ghouls and one cockatrice. As he was going up the main road to Vizima he came across a large column of wagons and riders, he approached the first man he saw and asked what's the holdup. The man was first startled by the witcher but quickly composed himself.
"A monster master witcher is blocking the road. Some have been stuck here for two days now," a peasant man said.
"Why has no one tried to get rid of it?" Lambert asked.
"The guards have tried to chase it off on the first day but it didn't work, it killed four and wounded three more," THis picked Lambert's interest, if the beast could take down a group of guards then it means it's no simple monster like a ghoul, this was something bigger and possibly something that will get him paid.
"What kind of monster is it?"
"I'm sorry but I can't help you there. You should ask the commander or one of the men in the front of the column they know."
Lambert hit his horse and made his way forward. There was some protest from the men around him but as soon as they saw that he was a witcher they shut their mouths. The witcher thought that this was just what he was looking for, a large group of merchants and noblemen with deep pockets. He will kill this monster and ask for a hefty sum for it. Making his way to the front of the column he came across a group of soldiers and merchants arguing, the merchant with a feathered hat was yelling at the commander for not doing anything about the beast and how he will be late because of it. The commander explained how he and his men have tried to kill the beast but only resulted in the death and injuries to half of his men, he was not going to attempt that again. The witcher came down from his horse and walked to the group.
One of the merchants saw him coming to them and was immediately delighted by the sight. "A witcher, thank the gods. He will kill the monster." The rest of the men looked at him with a mixture of hope and disgust but that did not bother him, he was used to it.
"I hear you have a monster that needs slaying, I might be able to help you with that," Lambert said, giving a good look at the group. It was made out of three Temerian soldiers, three merchants and a baron, they were all traveling to Vizima. The officer took a step forward and looked at the witcher.
"Yes, the bloody thing has managed to stop the trade along this route completely. We have tried to get rid of it but that did not go so well," the rough-looking commander said.
"What kind of a monster is it?"
"A griffin, large one at that," the commander answered.
"I will kill the bastard for you but it will coast you."
"A witcher, more like a vulture I say. Comes here to rob us when we are most vulnerable." said one of the merchants, a fat man with a large girth, dressed in fine clothes and boots.
The merchants from before spoke "Shut up Mathias! Considering that our good captain and his man aren't up to the task, this witcher surely will be. Name your price witcher."
"For a griffin 300 crowns."
"You..You bastard!" said the fat angry merchant.
"Enough! You are an expensive witcher but we need to be on our way as soon as possible," he looked with a glare at his college "and I think that with all of us we can spare those 300 crowns you ask for but only after you complete the job."
"Done," The two men shook hands to confirm the contract.
Then the commander glanced at the witcher "I suggest you hurry, a young Ofieri man and his guards have went after to kill the creature. I fear that they won't do better than we did."
Lambert chuckled "There is always a brave fool trying to be a hero." With that, he turned in the direction he was pointed in by the men. He followed the trail and then came up to a field where he saw the fight going on. The Ofieri were trying to take on the griffin and failing miserably, he saw two dead and at least one more injured. A young man on his horse charged at the monster with a lance but was quickly knocked down to the ground and the creature was coming for him. Then Lambert pulled out his sword and joined the battle. He ran at the beast and cut at one of its wings to get its attention. The griffin screamed in pain and turned its attention from the young man to Lambert. The beast charged at the witcher but he managed to avoid the attack and made another slash at its other wing. He hoped that now with its wings injured and bleeding it won't be able to fly off and he was right, the beast tried but it could not take off the ground so it just returned to try and kill the man. The griffin attacked several more times and each time the witcher made a wound at its body using his sword and igni sign, soon the beast was tired and bleeding but it still refused to give up. Then out of nowhere, the young Ofeiri struck the side of the beast with a spear, the beast screamed and then used its bleeding wing to knock him on the ground once again and charged at him to finish him. As the creature put one of its talons on the young man and started lowering its beak to rip him to shreds but then a sword made its way through the griffin's neck and it fell down. Lambert stared at the griffin as the ofeiri were getting the young man out of the monster's grasp. The man stood up, brushed the dirt off, and then approached the witcher.
"Remarkable, truly remarkable. An actual witcher saved my life. You, my friend, fought like nothing I have ever seen," the young man said in an astonished tone. Lambert took his gaze off the body of the griffin to look at the man. He was dressed in fine clothing as any rich man would but there was something different about him, Lambert could sense it but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He then looked at the guards, they didn't look like normal ofeiri caravan guards he had seen before but granted he only saw a few of them in his life.
"It was stupid of you to try and kill this beast. It could have killed you and your men with ease," Lambert said in a chastising tone. He hated when foolish young nobles try to play heroes and decide to slay a monster in the name of their honor of a woman they love, such things are stupid and usually get them killed, as much as he hated it killing monsters should be left to the professionals that way people get to keep their lives and he would be paid more often.
"But it didn't, you came and prevented it from doing it." Lambert looked at the man, wondering how could anyone be so careless. Two of his man died and he is happy. Lambert finally decided to leave this discussion and get his reward, but first, he took his sword and cut off the beast's head. As he was leaving with the beast's head in his hands, he watched as the ofeiri were still pulling themselves together and carrying their dead and injured back to the column.
When he arrived back at the beginning of the column he was greeted by the merchants and soldiers. He tossed the griffin's head at their feet and told them to pay up. The merchant called Mathias gave him the bag with the coins. It was heavy, he opened it to see that it was full of crowns. A delighted smile found its place on the witcher lips.
"You got your reward, mutant," the man said in a hateful tone.
The main merchant put his hand on the others shoulder "Thank you master witcher, we are truly grateful for your help," the man said in a polite tone. At least someone knew how to show some respect.
Lambert lifted his head to look at the man "You are welcome. It has been a pleasure working with you, but now I must go." He sat back on his horse and continued on his journey to Vizima with a full bag of coins at his side. "This is starting to be a good trip," he thought.