Geralt of Rivia was finally at the Gate to Vergen after traveling for a week when he sees a new flag hissing instead of the old one making him suspect that Vergen was under someone else rule right now.
It got confirmed when he wanted to enter the city and some Dark Skinned Elf stopped him. He never saw such an Elf in his whole life when the Elf walked towards him.
"Hello there, my name is Relras. I have some questions for you before you enter the city," says Relras as Geralt was confused about this situation.
"First, are you a mercenary?" asks Relras as Geralt was really surprised that Relras didn't recognize him as a Witcher.
"No, I'm a Witcher," says Geralt cooperating with Relras as he was asked more questions as to why he was there and so on.
"So you are a Monster Hunter that wants to talk to Saskia the Dragonslayer. You know that the current Regent of the Province of Vergen is quite busy. I hope you don't waste her time but I can't do anything against it if she wants to meet you," says Relras as he looked up and shouts, "Open the Gate."
The gate opens and Geralt was allowed inside but he was more confused as he saw now new species walking around the marketplace like a Reptile walking on two legs or a Cat.
"What is going on here?" asks Geralt himself as he followed the path to the stables leaving Rouch there before walking towards where Saskia should be.
He arrived at the Palace of Vergen and asked for permission to enter since he wanted to talk to Saskia when the Guards looked at him confused.
"What do you want from the Regent?" asks an Elf that had tanned skin from standing in the sun.
Geralt noticed that the guards were showing respect to that Elf when Geralt says, "I am an old friend of Saskia the Dragonslayer. I need only some information from her and then I will leave again from where I came."
"Is that so," says the Elf as Geralt noticed some scars that are quite old on the Elf when the Elf continues, "I will need your name. I will inform her about your arrival and she will decide if you can enter or if you should leave and return another day."
"I can deal with that," says Geralt as the Elf smiles because Geralt was easy to talk to.
"I still need your name," says the Elf as Geralt forgot about that.
"Geralt of Rivia," says Geralt as the Elf nods.
"Briin Camoran, nice to meet you," says Briin as he entered the Palace leaving Geralt outside.
He began to meditate when suddenly a man passed him. He looked like a mercenary to him. Geralt had a smirk on his face when he saw the man approach the guards when suddenly the guards made way for the man and the smirk on Geralt's face disappeared.
'He must be important to be able to enter without being stopped,' thinks Geralt as he saw the man disappear into the Palace before he returned to meditation.
Soon some women passed him and his amulet began to vibrate telling him that a supernatural being was near him. But that could be everyone when he notices the eyes of one of the women that passed him.
He took a closer look and saw fangs while she was talking and he suddenly stood up and prepared his silver sword when suddenly three guards pointed their swords at him surprising Geralt.
Briin returned as he smiled at the group of women before they entered the castle when he notices that Geralt was surrounded by three guards that pointed their blades at his throat.
"What did he do?" asks Briin wanting to know why they were pointing their swords at Geralt.
"He almost attacked the group of women that entered the Palace," says one of the guards when Briin looked at Geralt.
"Is that true?" asks Briin looking at Geralt.
"You let a Bruma enter the Palace all the peop-" says Geralt wanting to warn them when Briin looks at him confused.
"Bruma?" asks Briin as Geralt looked at him confused.
"A lesser Vampire," says Geralt when Briin snaps his fingers.
"Right, you mean Lady Serana. Don't worry she is a Daughter of Coldharbour. Also, you are in the territory of the Highwind Empire. Vampires are permitted to walk to live peacefully beside normal people," says Briin as he looked at Geralt before saying, "Be happy that the guards stopped you. If it was her Shadow you would be dead in an ally."
"What do you mean?" asks Geralt as he couldn't understand why Vampires were allowed to walk peacefully between the people.
"What I mean is that you are on land that belongs to the Highwind Empire and as long as you are on its ground you will follow its rules or we will have a problem even if you know the current Regent of Vergen," says Briin warning Geralt.
"Also, Regent Saskia wants to meet you tomorrow in the morning. Don't be late and don't break the rules," says Briin informing Geralt before returning into the Palace.
Geralt leaves for an Inn as he needed to wait until tomorrow to meet with Saskia. He enters the Inn but was surprised that no one showed him hostility as normally when the man behind the counter comes towards him.
"What can I get for you, Witcher?" asks the man as Geralt wanted some ale and food as well as a room to stay for the night.
The man gives him the key to his room while asking for a fair price from Geralt not like always where he is charged at least ten to fifty percent more because he is a Witcher.
Geralt paid the man when his food and ale arrived when Geralt asks, "Can I ask for information?"
"It will cost you extra depending on what you ask me," says the man as Geralt nods.
"What is that Highwind Empire?" asks Geralt as the man smiled.
"That will be ten coins," says the man when suddenly another man sat beside Geralt.
Geralt looked at the man and recognized him as he saw him enter the Palace when he meditated there. The man ordered an ale when Geralt placed ten coins on the counter for the man behind the counter.
"Well, as the name implies it is an Empire but not from this World. Have you seen the blue portal near the marketplace? We use it to travel between the two worlds," says the man behind the counter while informing Geralt about everything he knew of the Highwind Empire which made the man sitting beside Geralt laugh.
"What is so funny?" asks the man behind the counter.
"You just could send him to one of the teachers the Empire send to teach the children. They would have more information you would want and you don't even have to pay them," says the man as he pays and stands up leaving the Inn.
Geralt looked at the man behind the counter and the man returned the coins out of fear that Geralt would do something. He took his coins and leaves got his room.
The next morning, Geralt went to the Palace again to find the guards letting him pass as Briin was awaiting him.
"Good Morning, did you have a nice day yesterday?" asks Briin as Geralt didn't answer when Briin continues, "You have to leave your weapons here. Only people I trust are allowed to continue to walk with their weapons into the Palace."
Geralt put his two swords down as Briin smiled at him and they went deeper into the Palace arriving at Saskia's office. He sees the man from yesterday sitting beside Saskia with the Bruma and other women.
Saskia was signing some documents that were on her desk when she sees Geralt standing there with Briin.
"Geralt of Rivia, what do you want from me?" asks Saskia as Geralt walked forward when he was stopped some steps in front of the desk by Briin.
"That is near enough," says Briin when the man sitting behind Saskia whispers something Geralt couldn't hear but Briin could as he says, "You are allowed to get nearer but you have to stand in front of the desk."
Geralt continued as he stood in front of Saskia when he asks, "Have you heard of the Black Dragon that appeared in Velen?"
"I have, he came to help Vergen after all. He drove the Nilfgaardian Army away all by himself giving me time to negotiate with the Highwind Empire," says Saskia as she looked at Geralt and asks again, "What do you want, Geralt? I have many things to attend to right now."
"I wanted to ask some questions but it seems you know the Dragon since it helped you," says Geralt as Saskia shakes her head while looking at the man behind her for a moment.
"I didn't know who he was until he appeared but let me tell you this. If you treasure your life don't interfere in his business or this might be our last conversation. Do you know how many people that Dragon buried for Vergen?" says Saskia looking seriously at Geralt before continuing, "He buried the whole Nilfgaardian Army that attacked Vergen. He is also the one who helped me with the joining of Vergen into the Empire since the Empire follows the same teaching that everyone is the same."
Geralt was skeptical about that as he says, "But you know that a Bruma is living between your people."
"I know and the Empire has many more Vampires co-existing with normal people. That includes Werewolves and other such beasts," says Saskia as Geralt couldn't believe that.
"Even Dragons live peacefully with the mortals around there while here they were hunted down by men so they could show off that they killed a Dragon. The Empire has around four thousand Dragons and the number is growing," says Saskia now angry when suddenly the man put his hand on her shoulder and she calmed down.
"Kaer Morhen was quite welcome of Serana when we were there as we met the Old Witcher Vesemir. We parted ways almost a month ago as he received a letter that was for you. He must be looking for you right now," says the man who was behind Saskia as Geralt looked suspicious at him.
"And you are?" asks Geralt as the man smiles.
"I am Vincent Highwind, First Dragoon of the Empire and teacher of 'The Lion Cub of Cintra'," says Vincent when Geralt seemed to make want to grab his sword but forgot that he had to leave them behind.