A week passed since then and Vincent received reports about the people that died and Lucia's advancements as she pushed Nilfgaard out of Temaria.
The Lodge was ready to fight the Wild Hunt making the long standstill end. They boarded the Black Emperor and left Novigrad behind themselves. The people were quite surprised at why the ship was this big until Mina explained it to them why it had to be this big.
"So back then you used those ships for warfare instead of pleasure," says Yennefer as Mina nods.
"Yes, the Black Emperor even has his cannons and ammunition as you can see. Many wanted to disarm the ship but Vincent didn't allow it the same goes for restoring it. As you can see the ship is rotting and it will be its last battlefield before it joins Tyr in Sovngarde," says Mina as Yennefer touches the deck.
"You think that it will travel to the afterlife?" asks Yennefer thinking that it will collapse any moment as Mina nods.
"Yes, it will join his captain and crew that are awaiting him," says Mina as the sails were pulling them forward and not the Magicka Motor.
Vincent was on the steering wheel while Naosane was navigating him with Geralt's help. Ciri was under the deck in her cabin still thinking about what Vincent told her a week before.
"I am not in the wrong here," says Ciri to herself as she was laying in her bed.
"Who is at fault then?" asks a familiar voice as Ciri turns around and finds Avallac'h sitting on her bed keeping her company.
"What do you mean?" asks Ciri as she looked confused at Avallac'h who sighs.
"Your body might age but sometimes I think that your mind is still stuck in being a child. You need to wake up to reality Ciri," says Avallac'h as he looked at the door.
"How about you wake up and stop comparing me to her," says Ciri as Avallac'h stood up knowing that Ciri was just venting her anger on him.
"Then let me ask you one thing that the others haven't asked you until now," says Avallac'h as he looked at Ciri.
"What would you have done if it was your child that was taken by them and they did those things to her," says Avallac'h as he stands up and began to walk to the door while saying, "Think on that, Ciri. You will soon find out that you and Vincent aren't that different from each other."
Avallac'h then leaves the room leaving Ciri alone so she can think about it. He joined the others on deck finding Mina and the others joining them.
"Who do you think will win this war?" asks Philippa the members of the Lodge.
"Nilfgaard will lose and if you try to do something you will be next," says Triss as she once talked with Vincent about what they think about having a Sorceress in the court.
Vincent only smiled at her while telling her that it was alright as long as they were honest. If not they would be removed before they even know what happened. Vincent didn't mention the Network and Triss thought that Vincent himself would kill them.
"What do you mean. If that is so we won't have any foothold anywhere," says Philippa as Triss sighs.
"I talked to Vincent about it and he said as long as we are honest and think about the best for the Empire he could give us a job at court but if we have some agenda we would lose our life before knowing it. That's why I recommend you to not stir up trouble," says Triss as she knew that Philippa would do so if not warned.
"I survived Radovid," says Philippa when a shadow appears behind her holding a dagger at her throat.
"You won't survive us. We are everywhere and everyone and if we find you guilty there won't be a process just your dead body," whispers a feminine voice into her ears before the shadow disappeared again.
This made the Lodge feel shivers passing their back as the shadow appeared and disappeared right away leaving only a mark on Philippa's neck. They all turned to Vincent who was steering the Black Emperor while feeling scared while Triss felt like a puppy in heat.
She still can't look at Vincent without getting turned on. This made Vincent mostly avoid her so she doesn't get in trouble with Geralt. Vincent feels their stares and looks at them normally making them all look away.
Yennefer was the only one that had a smile on her face. She left the Lodge officially when Ciri talked with them. She wouldn't have time to play with them since she had new duties once she married Vincent officially.
The Black Emperor took only a day to reach Skellige as Vincent saw the first isle when he shouts "Land in sight!"
This woke everyone up as they prepared for the landing when Geralt says, "We need to sail deeper in. Our destination is the heart of the isles of Skellige."
"Then you will have to navigate me. Naosane can't help me here," says Vincent as Geralt navigated Vincent through the isles when they arrived at the island they wanted to sail in.
But the Black Emperor was too big to enter the harbor making Vincent to release the anchor on the coast near the harbor as they opened a portal toward the harbor.
They passed the harbor and they were welcomed by a mob that was weaponized to their teeth quite literally until Geralt stopped them all with the help of the Sorceresses.
"What is going on?" asks a woman with red braided hair in armor as she came from the castle followed by two guards and Hjalmar.
"Cerys," says Geralt as he wanted to bow to Cerys but was stopped when Mousesack and another man that resembles a bear joined them.
The people were nervous as they looked at the woman named Cerys when Vincent walked forward making Cerys gasp for a moment.
"You didn't joke when you told me about what happened in Kaer Morhen, brother," says Cerys as she looked at Vincent who could see lust in her eyes.
'Why must my affinity be over the roof when it comes to redheads,' thinks Vincent as he bowed towards Cerys.
"I am Vincent Highwind, a friend of Geralt of Rivia and future husband of Yennefer of Vengerberg. We came here to aid Ciri in her battle against the Wild Hunt," says Vincent as he looked at Hjalmar and Mousesack before looking at the bear of a man beside them seeing some feature between Hjalmar and him.
"I am Cerys an Craite, the Queen of Skellige. I welcome you to Skellige," says Cerys as Vincent smiled before looking at her.
"But I have also another agenda which involves the Highwind Empire," says Vincent making many people nervous as they heard from merchants that the North has completely fallen under the Empire and Nilfgaard was driven out of Temaria.
"And what would the Empire want from Skellige?" asks Cerys as she looked indifferent at Vincent.
"We want to solve everything quite peacefully with Skellige with a duel between our Uther the Bold and your Champion," says Vincent as Uther walked forward overshadowing everyone.
"What will happen if you win?" asks Cerys as she looked at Uther feeling a bit helpless.
"If we win, Skellige will join the Empire out of free will becoming a province of it like Aedirn and Redania. We would also want that you the Queen marry Uther here as he will become the King by tradition," says Vincent as Uther blushed a bit.
"If we lose we will postpone the war between our nation for ten years. It should give you enough time to see how the Empire works to surrender before we invade Skellige," says Vincent as Cerys was quite furious when the bear of a man beside her walked forward.
"I am sorry for interrupting, my name is Crach an Craite. How do we know that you speak the trust?" says Crach as Vincent looked at Hjalmar and Mousesack.
"You didn't tell them who I was?" asks Vincent as Cerys and Crach looked at them as well.
"We thought it was your secret to tell," says Mousesack as Vincent sighs.
"I am Vincent Highwing, First Emperor of the Empire and Founder of the Highwind Dynasty. What I say is law in the Empire. If I say we won't attack the army won't move near Skellige except you are dumb enough to attack merchants of the Empire," says Vincent making Crach and Cerys open their eyes wide.
Crach looked at Yennefer who was across from him with a group of women. She looked back and smiled at him happily making Crach relax since she became Vincent's fiance out of free will.
"I will be her champion," says Crach as he walked forward.
"The duel goes until one is unable to keep going," says Vincent as Uther walked forward.
Uther looked at Crach who was holding a sword while he was holding a great-ax in his hand. Vincent looked at Geralt who walked forward to be the judge for this duel.
Geralt stood between both and says, "May the better of you two win. Fight!"
Crach swings his sword before placing his two hands on it mid-swing only to find Uther block the sword with the handle of his ax not moving an inch before Crach saw a Giant standing behind Uther.
Uther pushed Crach back and swung his ax at a rapid speed that shouldn't be possible for a human being at Crach who only saw the Giant disappear while fear was painting his face.
He turns to his left and sees the edge of the ax near his neck. Uther then breathes out and removes his ax from there and looks at Geralt who only sighs.
"Uther the Bold wins this duel," says Geralt when Uther stretches his hand towards Crach while smiling.
"It was a good sparring. It almost reminded me of home," says Uther as Crach took Uther's hand.
Uther helped him up easily and Vincent walked forward while asking, "Will Skellige honor its promise?"
"We will surrender, b-," says Cerys when Crach interrupts her.
"We will accept all terms. But we need to give Cerys and Uther time to get to know each other before they can decide if they are made for each other," says Crach as Cerys looked furious at her father.
"Father!" shouts Cerys as Crach looked at Cerys seriously.
Crach has ambitions of his own and if Cerys married Uther the an Craite blood will rule over Skellige forever. Cerys couldn't see that yet but Uther defeated him that easily that he looked like a child fighting a Frost Giant.