On my way to Velen (Page 14)

I make my way off the mountain and purchase a horse to travel faster. I don't want to teleport because the wild hunt will find me. I'm sure they haven't given up on looking for me. Since they couldn't find me as easily, they went after Ciri. That's at least what I've deduced from what Gaunter has told me. I haven't seen her in 11 years... I still care about her very much... The love I felt for her is fleeting, though. All these years have twisted my mind on what I can and can't have in this life. Love is not one of the things I can have.

I've been on the road for a while now. I'm in the swamp lands of Velen as of late. Gaunter had many stories about the creatures here. I'm a week early, so this means I have to wait for her. I can see a town up ahead. I'd bet money that's Crow's Perch. It's the only place around.

I make my way up to the bridge and see two armed soldiers. "Hold it right there. What business do you have in Crow's Perch?" I don't have business per say. I'm just waiting for an old friend.

No sense in lying, but keeping the whole truth is something I picked up from Gaunter. "I'm here to meet someone. Does that cause any issues for you?" It shouldn't. Nobody should care why I'm here.

He eyes my single steel sword. Ahh, I guess the bloody sword and clothes will cause that. I should've soaked in the river first. "Go speak to the Baron. You look like you take care of problems." I guess I have to earn my stay. I'm not looking forward to what he has to say. The rumors that I've heard about him on my way here aren't pleasant.

I pass the guards on my horse and make my way up to the long house. Navigating through the small town and arriving at a gate. "Hold, state your business with the Baron." I'm getting sick of this real fast. However, I have to play nice if I want my plan to work.

I take a breath and clear my throat slightly. "I was told to see the Baron. I'm guessing he needs problem-solving?" That should make this go faster. If it doesn't, then I'm going to make my presence here felt. I don't like making enemies so fast, but the mission I'm on is too important to me.

The guards look at each other and nod. As if confirming something. "You would be right in saying that. A cockatrice has been causing a lot of problems. You also look very familiar..." The white hair and nice-looking face can't be hidden. I get off my horse and make my way to the gate.

I walk up to the gate and lean on it, talking to the guards on the other side. "Depends. I'm pretty good at killing things, not so much at finding them. If your Baron knows where it is, then I'll be happy to take care of it." It would be nice to slay monsters instead of humans for a change.

It's been so long since I actually killed monsters and magical creatures. The guards look at each other again, and one raises his hand to get the man's attention in charge of the gate. "Alright, go speak to him. OPEN THE GATE!!" It's time to meet this Baron. I'm escorted to the house.

The guards stop as we enter the weirdly designed home. I can't really judge. Crow's Perch doesn't look like it's filled with architects. "Just follow the main hall to the left, and you'll reach him." I walk the distance and hear a man talking to another.

The conversation is about the very problem I'm being sent out to fix. "This cockatrice is causing all kinds of shit. We need you to hold off on looking for them and get us a professional." I stand in the doorway and watch the people talking. They stop their conversation and look at me.

The baron stands up and puts his hands on his hips, and sticks out his chest. "It seems I have a solution walking in right now." The baron begins to open one arm towards me. I have a bad feeling about this. The other man leaves. He takes a gander at me and scoffs. Well, fuck you too. I look to the man, and he motions to approach.

I have a reputation on the lands east of the continent, it's not very explored by our people, but there are plenty of kingdoms and rulers out there. "You know me?" My reputation has reached this far by how I'm being treated. I wonder how far it's actually spread. He sits down and puts a hand on his chin.

He looks me up and down, absorbing all my features. The Baron may look like an idiot but is, in fact, an astute man. "Aye, that I do. You're the Emerald Death. You have an evil magic-like fighting style. White hair, tall, and devilishly handsome." I never thought I could be so well known. This could cause problems in the future.

I don't know how to feel about being called devilishly handsome by another man, though. Maybe that's just me. "I don't know you, however?" I want to know more about the alleged Bloody Baron. Besides, the sooner I meet up with Ciri, the sooner I get to meet up with Avallac'h. If this Baron can help with that, then fine.

He nods his head slowly and takes a small breath. Preparing to speak. "I'm Philip Strenger. Others know me as the Bloody Baron." It seems what I've heard in my travels here is true. The Baron of Crow's Perch is, in fact, The Bloody Baron, and his real name is Philip Strenger.

I should get right down to business. The sooner I handle this, the sooner I can be left in peace waiting for Ciri. "I heard that you're having problems with a cockatrice. I may be inclined to help." I want to keep this vague to hear his best offer. I wouldn't mind a room until I no longer need it.

However, he doesn't want to beat around the bush either and gets straight into it. A straightforward man. "How does coin sound?" I'm not short on money. Now I have the advantage in these negotiations.

His house is secure and away from the commonfolk, the most drama of any city or town. If I can get a room here, I'll be all set. "Sounds all good and just, but I need something else that you can give." Now I have his curiosity peaked. Most people don't turn down gold after all.

He leans back in his chair and squints slightly. "What is it?" He says it slowly and patiently as if preparing for some outrageous demand. What I want is simple and should be easy to fulfill. If he can't, then all the more reason to stay away from him and leave him to deal with the cockatrice on his own.

I lean against the fireplace and feel the nice heat from it. "I need housing until a friend arrives. That is all I want." No need to complicate things and ask for something ridiculous.

He raises his eyebrows in surprise, and his expression and demeanor change. "Well, why didn't you say so? A simple request. *WHISTLE!* Guard, prepare this man a room. He's going to be here a while." That solves that problem. Now time for the cockatrice.

One of the first things I learned from Vesemir is information is key. It's a witchers best friend and can determine if you live or die. "So this cockatrice, where was the last place it attacked?" The last place it attacked can hold a clue on where it is living.

He stands up and walks over to the fire, so we are closer. He stares into the fire, and I can see in his eyes he's recalling the information. "A village south of here. It killed a good number of people before it left. Are you going now?" The sooner this gets done—the better for him and me.

I close my eyes and remember my lessons on cockatrice creatures—powerful monsters, but dumb as bricks. "Yes, I wish to walk as well. Riding horseback has given me the need to travel by foot." No sense in becoming sterile like Yen and Geralt. I might end up needing it.

He nods his head slowly now that he's found a solution to his problem—a cheap one at that. "So be it. When you return, your room will be ready for you. I hope you can deal with this. I never caught your name. Your moniker is all I know" Emerald Death isn't a proper name now, is it? Keeping my identity a secret was easy. My looks and magic, however, proved impossible.

Philip seems like an honest man and a smart one too. If he's heard about me, then he might have the insight few have on my true power. "My name is Cera Dorren. You can just call me Cera." I hate spouting the long name. I decided to cut it down for the sake of my own sanity.

However, I do recite my full name when it's needed. Even though it annoys me, I love it. It's one of the few things I have of my parents. "Pleasure to meet you, Cera. I hope your reputation precedes you." Is that a challenge? I'm sure I can kill the cockatrice, but tracking it to its lair will be something that depends on the information I get. I don't have witcher senses like Geralt. Vesemir did teach me how to diagnose the cause of death, however.

I take off into the night and make my way to the southern village, with the information that the Baron has given me the last few hours of discussing the cockatrice. I arrive after about an hour of walking. A lot of the huts are completely destroyed. I see some people are grieving and crying. I walk over to a woman and ask her all the questions I need to know. The attack looks recent. It went east to the caves, go figure, cockatrices love dark and wet places to sleep.

I rest until sunrise and make my way there. That information will make this go so much faster. If it gets away, I can track it in the daylight. Trying that at night would be a mistake. I see the cave and look for signs of an animal. There are corpses and bodies everywhere. This is definitely the place. You can smell it too. Why would a single cockatrice need so much food?

I look around the cave and notice smaller prints. Great, it's had offspring. It seems they've left already, though. They will definitely cause problems later. I need to focus on why I'm here. I can hear snoring and the occasional growl. It's asleep for sure. I don't think I can get close enough to deal a killing blow without being noticed. Teleportation or not, they are fast and nimble creatures. Disabling its ability of flight, however, that I can do fast.

I quietly draw my sword and teleport on top of its right-wing. I give a mighty swing and nearly cut the damn thing off. I did enough damage, so it can't fly now. It's quickly screeching and hollering in pain. It's attacking me, but my teleportation is keeping me way ahead of the fight. I make my next assault with a spell I learned from Lara Dorren's diary. She called it reality quake. I perform the same technique as the green lightning strikes it in the chest. Quite a tough monster. It's dying now. The blood loss from the wing is surely helping. The reality quake lightning bolt would have killed a normal man.

I cut off its head as proof and exit the cave. I have to inform the Baron about the offspring. They'll cause a lot of problems in the future. I make my way back to the village, and they have an empty-hearted celebration of the death of their village's mass murderer. I take a carriage back to the Baron and enter the gate's with the beasts head in tow.