The Path: A witcher's tale

Chapter 2

The massacre at the village was quite puzzling. Who goes and butchers a small village that seemed like it was full of decent people? Why would someone go out of their way to do such an unspeakable action? So many questions, not enough answers. I followed the hoofprints of what seemed like about five horses, meaning at least five, probably armed riders. The tracks led me to what looked like an isolated camp near the road.
     I got off my horse and knocked on the door of what seemed to be the main house in the camp. A brigand, tall and built like an ox, answered the door and the first words he said, in a slurred voice with a breath that reeked of hooch, were "Oh, you's of them witchmen ain't you's? Well we's got some monster troubles, come inside and I'll tell you about them." Naturally, I went inside acting like I thought it was just a regular contract and once I was inside, I wasn't surprised to find myself surrounded by four other armed men. Two of them must've been brothers, they had the same build: agile, skinny, and they both had eyes full of crazed bloodlust. The other 2 were almost polar opposites, one was bear-like, broad shouldered and muscular, with a mustache that seemed to belong to a pirate that ravages the coasts of the North, while the other seemed to be well kempt, clean shaven and appeared to be a hired, professional killer. They thought they could hold me hostage and kill me to auction off my swords, armor, and gear for gold.
     I went along with it until they were about to relieve me of my swords, that's when I cast aard and sent the brothers flying into the wall of the hut. I immediately drew my steel sword and said "You want my sword don't you? Well, come on have a taste of my steel." The ones I didn't knock over rushed at me, blades drawn with blind fury flashing in their eyes. I evaded the onslaught of blades and eviscerated the bear-like pirate.
     That stunned the other four men for a moment and I grabbed their leader and threw him out the door and ran outside and soon enough had my blade at his throat, holding him hostage. I told the bastard "Look how the tables have turned, now order the rest of your men to stand down and tell me what I want to know, and I might just let you live." He did as he was told, shrieking like a madman, as most men act more compliant with a blade at their throat. My first question was what they wanted with the folk at the village, to which he responded "We was just looting and pillaging the nearby village, we needed the spoils of the raid." I then asked him why he needed the loot, the bastard said it was to support him and his men, I pressed my blade closer to his throat and said "Are you sure about that? Think harder, as if your life depended on it." He confessed he was working for a nearby Nilfgaardian army garrison commander.
     I put my hunting knife through his hand so he stayed in place and went to hunt down the other three. The hired blade lunged at me and just barely missed me. I retorted  with a sinistra and parried another stab he aimed at my abdomen. At the same time, the brothers rushed towards me. I whirled around and slit the throat of one if the brothers while I ran my blade through the other one, hope they see each other in hell. The professional however was giving me a harder time, he was quicker and more experienced the the others. He could have easily taken on a normal man. But not a witcher. He let his guard down for a second, fortunately, a second was all I needed. I was able to knock the sword out of his hand and then stuck my blade in between his ribs, killing him. The brigand with the knife in his hand was trying to pull it out and crawl away and when I grabbed him he asked with his voice quivering, "Wha... What're ye doin'?" I gave the reply "Killing monsters," and thrust my blade right through his vile heart. I investigated the camp and found the papers the Nilfgaardians gave the mercenaries, it turns out there was a war criminal who was under cover at the village, apparently they wore a silver medallion and was adept at using the sword. I thought this was worth investigating, as they said he was never found after the entire village was killed. I also saw that it was indeed Nilfgaardians who gave the order to this band of blades-for-hire.
     I decided to pay these Black ones, as they were called, a visit. I arrived at the garrison and it seemed like I was expected, the guards let me see their commander without any trouble. I saw their commander, a short, black haired man, with an aquiline nose and a thick Nilfgaardian accent, who greeted me with a surprised look when his eyes met mine. He had told me of a monster terrorizing the woods, and that he would pay me well of I bought him its head. I told him the beast was already dead and along with the coin, I would like some information. The commander, a learned man, who knew that witchers are usually politically neutral, was happy to oblige.
I asked him about the mercenaries and he just replied that he knew nothing as he shut the door. I saw his hand slowly reach towards an object on his belt and I quickly acted and had him against the wall with his own knife at his throat. He quickly confessed in a quivering voice that he hired the band of cutthroats to hunt down and kill a suspected war criminal that was taking shelter in the nearby village. I told him that it would be wise to forget about this experience or I would come back to finish him off. I then took my gold and started on my way back to the village.