The Last Contract

                                                    

Chapter 1: A New Recruit

Geralt rides home to his vineyard Corvo Bianco after he met with The Duchess. his reward for killing the beast was enormous, 5000 crowns but what could he spend it on?
He already has the best gear for his trade Well it'll have a use Some day he is sure of it.
"Finally home hope Triss isn't awake yet wanna surprise her with breakfast." Geralt walks to his bed chambers to find his beloved, Triss Merigold a sorceress from Maribor still deep within her dreams.
"Im no cook but Vesemir did teach me a thing or two when i was still training at Kear Morhen.
Maybe i should visit the fortress again hope that Nilfgaard hasn't taken it with Vesemir dead nobody winters there anymore. Eskel set out on The Path again and Lambert probably has gotten himself into some trouble over a cup of whiskey again." as Geralt walks to the kitchen he hears light footsteps coming towards the house Geralt prepares himself for a possible fight, the door opens and a horrible smell catches his attention. "Oh god that stench smells like a decomposing fiend." "That's exactly what it is." says a familiar voice "Ciri? Is that you." asks Geralt "your damn right its me old man...come on i want a hug."

Geralt walks towards Ciri and hugs her "You look good." "well i just finished the most exciting contract i ever had and i got a rather big sum." "really what?" "5000 crowns for killing the beast of Beuaclair." Ciri stands in shock  "5000!" "Who gave you that amount of coin?!" "The duchess of toussaint...we're friends." "well could you introduce me Geralt i would love to meet her." "Sure but first i have to prepare breakfast for me and Triss althou" "Triss is here!?" Ciri smiles and waits for a answer. "Yeah Triss is here she's asleep." right when Geralt finishes his sentence Triss walks out of the bedchamber. " Whats going on?" Triss looks at Ciri and her eyes grow big. "Ciri!" Triss runs to Ciri and hugs her. "What have you been up to did you take a contract or two?" " yeah here my latest trophy." Ciri shows Triss the fiend head and smiles with pride. "Wow was a big guy wasn't he?" says Geralt full of surprise. "Yeah he was but there was something strange about him though didn't fight back a lot was an easy kill." "Hmm mind if i take a look?" "No not at all go ahead." Geralt takes a closer look at the head of the decomposing fiend and starts examining. "Hmm judging by the teeth he was having a feast fit for a king before you arrived. Whats this? Scars? Not made by a sword but by claws, Griffin claws looks like. strange Griffin's aren't known for attacking Fiends let alone one this big."

"Ciri i know its your trophy but can i examine its head from the inside have a feeling this fiend wasn't healthy." "Sure go ahead." "Did you notice anything strange about the Fiend other than that it didn't defend itself some strange marks or something about the eyes?" "Well it had a strange glow in its eyes a yellowish glow, and when it tried to stand up i noticed a fiery mark on its forehead but when i cut off its head it disappeared." "What did this mark look like?" " it looked like a triangle with a three headed snake inside of it." Geralt looked in shock. "are you sure about that did it really look like that?!" "Yeah im sure why are you so shocked does it have a special meaning?" "Last i saw it it was printed inside of the palm of the hand of the wife of the bloody baron she had made a pact with the crones." "the crones? You mean the crones that we killed at the feast atop bold mountain?!" "Yeah those crones one survived and now she set her attention to Toussaint instead of Velen."

"I'll need to warn the Duchess!" Geralt runs outside and in to the stables gets on his horse roach and races to the Beuaclair palace. when Geralt arrives he runs to the palace doors and demands to be let in for he needs to talk to the Duchess urgently. The guards won't let him in until The Duchess herself greets the Witcher and asks what the problem was. "Well Your Grace my daughter Ciri arrived at my estate with a trophy from one of her contracts and it showed that a evil being is near Toussaint. "what do you mean Geralt the Beast is dead no one will take Toussaint you speak nonsense."
"No its something else Your Grace did you ever hear of the crones?" "Of course i did Witcher but what does that have to do with this all?" Well me and my daughter hunted them down because of a reason that is of no importance now but one Crone survived and is trying to take Toussaint by making certain powerful monsters her slaves, and she will undoubtedly try to take Beuaclair very soon so if we don't do something to stop it  Toussaint will soon fall." " are you sure of this Geralt?" "Yeah Your Grace i'm sure, the trophy had a mark imprinted on its forehead, Ciri tells me that when the beast tried to stand up the mark glowed as if it was burned on with a cattle brand, but these were no black scars they glowed like raw fire, and as she described the beast had a yellowish glow in its eyes." "oh god this is urgent news Witcher i would like to have an audience with your daughter if possible." "of course Your Grace."