"I'm sure he would have wanted his daughter to have this," Angelo said, placing the bag of gold into Vesemir's hand. "He earned it." James' body had been placed on a travois, his hands folded over his chest.

"Do you have any idea what happened?"

Angelo shook his head. "Went after a striga. Opted to kill it instead of trying to lift the curse. Got him pretty bad. The wounds were pretty deep. To be honest, I didn't think Witchers could be killed."

"It takes a lot to kill us." Vesemir turned to Angelo. "Thank you, Angelo."

Angelo nodded as a little girl took his hand. "Papa, you promised to listen to me practice."

"Of course, babycakes." He looked back at Vesemir. "Give my sympathies to Juray, Master Witcher."

"I shall." Vesemir turned and mounted his horse, taking the reins of James' and left.

~~~

"A striga did this?" Rennes asked.

"That's what he was hunting," Vesemir said. "Decided to kill it instead of cure it. You know they're stronger the second time around."

"I know." Rennes turned around, rubbing his forehead. Several of the teachers and students had gathered around and a part of him was glad Juray wasn't one of them. "Prepare his body for the funeral. And I need to tell Juray her mentor is dead."

"I'll do it." The students parted to see who had volunteered as Geralt stepped forward. "I'll tell her."

"Geralt, you need to be preparing for your final trial. Leave Juray to me."

"I'm as prepared as I'm going to be. Juray would rather hear it from a friend."

"Geralt's right," Vesemir agreed. "It's no secret you were against her training as one of us. She won't believe it coming from you."

"Fine."

~~~

Juray stepped out of her quarters to find Geralt sitting on the railing of the walkway.

"Geralt?"

The teenager looked up and hopped off the railing. "How you feeling, Juray?"

"A bit like shit." She looked around "Where's James?"

"James was requested for a Contract. A striga."

"When is he supposed to be back?"

"He didn't make it."

Juray looked at him, concern on her face. "What do you mean?"

Geralt moved away from the railing. "He killed the striga, but he didn't survive the fight. I'm sorry, Juray, but James is dead."

Juray just looked at Geralt, searching his face that this was a prank. But she could see it in his cat-like eyes that he spoke the truth. Juray just shook her head. "No."

"I saw the body myself."

"No. You're lying, Geralt! He's a Witcher! Nothing can kill a Witcher! Right?" The last was said with such a vulnerable tone that Geralt felt bad about volunteering to break the news to her.

"It happens sometimes. Witchers are long-lived, not immortal. It got past his defenses."

Juray shook her head. "No." Then she started to wail into his chest "No!" she screamed. "No! No! No!"

Geralt let her take her anger out on him until her legs went out on her. He wrapped his arms around her and went down with her, letting her mourn on his shoulder. Eskel and Berenger silently joined them as she sobbed.

EIGHT YEARS LATER

"You've passed all your trials and you have earned the right to be called a Witcher," Rennes passed the chain of the Witcher medallion over her head, the wolf sitting against her chest. Vesemir then handed her the steel and silver swords of the Witcher and she strapped them to her back. "Welcome to the fold."

As the other Witchers congratulated their new brothers and sister into the fold, Vesemir placed a hand on Juray's shoulder. He had taken over as her mentor after James' death. "Take good care of those swords. They were James'."

"You gave me his swords?"

"And his medallion." She reached up and touched the wolf head. "He would have been very proud of you, Juray."

She gave him a sad smile. "I wish he could have seen me become a Witcher."

"Look at you!" Geralt said with a grin. "Little sister is all grown up and can call herself a Witcher now."

"Shut up, Geralt."

Geralt gave a chuckle. "Now go out there and fuck up some monsters."

"Geralt...," Vesemir sighed as the Witchers around them laughed.

~~~

Vesemir traveled with Juray for her first couple of Contracts to make sure people would take her seriously before she headed onto the Path alone. It wasn't long before she picked up a Contract for a monster terrorizing a small village in Riverdell, the kingdom of her birth and the surname she chose for herself. Juray set her sights on this village. She was met with stares when she arrived, but Juray ignored them, used to it already from her earlier Contracts with Vesemir. Not only because she was a Witcher, but because it was a rarity for a woman to be one. She'd heard the Cat School had a few, but she'd also heard they were more than professional monster hunters. She sought out the village elder, who had requested the Contract. The moment Juray saw the old man's face, she knew who he was. She'd accepted a Contract to help her home village. Juray hid her annoyance at the fact as he greeted her.

"I'm here about the Contract," she simply said.

"You are?" His voice betrayed his surprise.

"You're looking for a Witcher. I'm a Witcher."

"But you're a woman."

"Suit yourself." Juray turned away, reaching for her horse's reins.

"Wait. Please, Mistress Witcher. We need the help of anyone willing to face this creature. We've coin to reward you."

Juray stopped, having counted on this reaction, before turning back to him. "What can you tell me?"

"It's been going on for a couple weeks. We're being punished, you see?"

Juray raised a brow. "Punished? For what?"

"For being the home of a cursed one."

"And you want me to deal with the creature and lift this curse?" Juray had a feeling she knew who this cursed one was.

"No, just the creature. I do not believe there is a way to lift the curse. The child spent too long among us and her curse passed to the village. We should have left her to die once we realized she was cursed."

Juray sighed. "So you're saying a child is the cause of this. Where is this child?"

"Dead for all I know. She was given to a stranger many years ago. But her evil and her curse seeped into the ground and had to have attracted this beast."

"What do you know of it?" She had to resist doing bodily harm to the elder and actually do her job. "Has anyone seen it?"

"Some say they've seen a woman in the woods and not long afterward someone disappears. Talk to John. I think he may have seen what happened to Finn."

"Finn?"

"He was the latest to disappear."

Juray nodded as the elder indicated the direction of the witness.

John turned out to be a young teenager, his parents pushing him behind them when they saw Juray's approach.

Juray sighed. "Need to talk to the kid if you don't mind."

"Why?" the mother asked.

"He'll not talk to the likes of you," the father snapped.

"I'm trying to find his friend, Finn. And since John here was the last one to see him, it's important that I speak to him.

"He'll not talk to you, freak."

Juray sighed again, having a sick sense of déjà vu of her childhood. She moved her fingers in the shape of a triangle, casting Axii on the parents. "It's quite important that I find Finn with John's help."

Axii took effect and the parents nodded, stepping away. John looked at his parents and back to Juray. "How did you do that?"

"I can be quite persuasive. Tell me, when was the last time you saw Finn?"

"A few nights ago. He'd told me he met a girl and he was going to meet her at the edge of the wood. I tried to talk him out of it and I decided to follow him to talk him out of it. I hear this woman singing and I see Finn and this girl."

"What did this girl look like?"

"Dark hair. Prettiest girl I've ever seen. She stops singing and takes Finn's hand and they went off into the woods."

Juray frowned. "The other that went missing? Were they boys too?"

"Yeah. Mostly unattached but there have been a few married men, too."

"Have you been the only one that's seen the woman?"

"There's an orphan that lives in the elder's barn. He doesn't know she's there, but me and Finn do. We've been bringing her food when we can."

"Why haven't you told anyone about her?"

"People around here don't really like strangers. They only let you here because you're a Witcher. Finn helps her because his sister died when he was little. Nobody talks about her and I don't know why." John pointed behind Juray. "It's the biggest one in town. Her name is Charissa."

"Thanks, John. I'll find your friend." Juray left and headed towards the barn.

She circled around, entering from the back of the barn, testing the plank that had been loose when she was a kid. It easily pushed open. "I see you still haven't fixed that."

She slipped in, a tighter squeeze than before, naturally, and her swords were nearly caught. Once inside, she delved into the sixth Witcher sense to find Charissa. Little footprints led to the ladder. Juray climbed the ladder and into the loft, crouching and looking around, the footprints led deeper into the barn and she could see the tiny form of a girl trying very hard to be still in a dark corner. "I'm not going to hurt you, Charissa."

"How did you know my name?" a small voice asked.

"John told me. Said you could help me find Finn."

"Finn's dead. Like all the others."

"How are you so sure?"

The little girl crawled towards her. "She takes them and they're never seen again."

"Have you seen this woman?" Charissa nodded. "What can you tell me?"

"She's very pretty. She comes at night singing. If you're outside when she sings, that's how she gets you. You look for her every night. They wait for her at the fork. Then she leads you away into the woods and you're never seen again. She has to kill them. That's why they never come back."

"Where're your parents?"

"They were killed by a monster. A Witcher killed the monster but it was too late for my parents. Aunty took me away, but I didn't like her so I ran away from her and hid here. John and Finn were my only friends."

Juray gave the girl some food. "Here. I know the boys give you food when they can. You look like it's been a while since you ate."

Charissa's face brightened as she took the food. "Thank you! They say Witchers don't care for nobody, but you're awfully nice."

"Let's just say I know what it's like to be hungry. Take care of yourself, Charissa." Juray moved away from the little girl and back down the ladder.

Juray went to the fork in the road and used her Witcher senses to track where this mysterious woman was leading her victims away. She soon found footprints leading through the woods and followed them. Some were older, but she could see a set that was fresher, and she focused on those. She could feel a monster nearby and slowed, needing to figure out what she was dealing with. She could smell blood and decay. Scanning the area, she found several bodies lying nearby. She approached the bodies, several looked like they had been there a while and she was surprised ghouls hadn't come and laid claim to them. The freshest body looked like it had been there for several weeks and she examined it.

"I have such a glamorous job," she muttered. "Hmm, what's this?" The body had several bites on his neck. "Beautiful, singing woman. All victims male. Bite marks. Blood. Seems this town attracted a bruxa. She won't come out until sundown so I need to go back to the village and prepare." Juray stood and headed back to the village.

Juray waited near the abandoned house as the sun dipped under the horizon, focusing her Witcher senses on the sounds around her until she heard footsteps. A door opened and she could hear the footsteps on the ground. Then the singing began.

Wolves asleep amidst the trees

Bats all a swayin' in the breeze

But one soul lies anxious wide awake

Fearing no manner of ghouls hags and wraith

Juray silently stood next to a tree as the voice came closer, the soft footfalls slow, as if she were trying to appear human.

For your dolly polly sleep has flown

Don't dare let her tremble alone

For the Witcher

Heartless cold

Paid in coin of gold

He comes he'll go leave naught behind

But heartache and woe

Deep

Deep

Woe

The bruxa stopped close to Juray and stopped singing. "I've never attracted a woman with my voice," she said.

Juray hadn't tried to hide, standing where she knew the bruxa would see her when she walked the path towards the village. "I take it you prefer to attract men."

The bruxa turned towards Juray, a surprised look on her face. "Now you are not what I expected."

"I actually get that a lot."

The bruxa smiled. "Isn't it a bit dangerous for a woman out in the world alone?"

"I could say the same thing about you."

"Do you really think a lone Witcher is a match for me?" the smile turned demented. "You'll need to find me first." The bruxa disappeared.

"I just love playing hide and seek," Juray said, hearing the door to the abandoned house slam shut.

She headed to the house, popping the cork on the potion bottle before downing the liquid inside. A moment later, she gave a pained grunt as it went into effect. She shook her head to clear it before drawing her silver sword and pushing open the door. She could strongly sense the bruxa, the wolf head medallion vibrating on her chest. She kept her back against the wall as she heard whimpering to her right. Juray crept that way and saw an open door to the cellar. The bruxa sang again, her voice coming from the cellar.

Birds are silent for the night

Cows turned in as daylight dies

But one soul lies anxious wide awake

Fearin' no manner of ghouls hags and wraith

Juray dropped into the lightless cellar, her night vision allowing her to see perfectly. Two figures were on the far side of the room and where the whimpering was coming from. Juray pulled a round glass bottle from her belt. The bruxa had stopped singing once Juray had dropped into the cellar. She then suddenly threw the bottle towards the ceiling, it exploding in a bright blue flash and littering the room in a fine blue dust. And making the bruxa's invisible form visible. The bruxa screeched and came after Juray. The vocal attack caused Juray to stagger back. The bruxa used the momentary stun to leap at Juray. The Witcher swung her sword up, blocking the attack, much to the bruxa's surprise. She screeched again, this time in pain as the vampire oil and the silver caused the wound to sizzle. Juray attacked and the bruxa defended herself with her claws. The bruxa finally decided to leap onto Juray, aiming to bite her neck. Juray twisted and the bruxa's teeth sunk into her right shoulder. She gave a cry of pain as she felt the sharp teeth through her skin and the feel of the bruxa drinking the blood that seeped through. Juray threw her off her, pressing her hand against the wound.

"Mmm, I've always loved the taste of a fighter," the bruxa said.

Juray smirked. "Do you now?"

The bruxa's smile suddenly faded as her veins darkened and she started to cough and gag. "What... what have you done?"

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to bite a Witcher?"

The bruxa fell to her knees, the Black Blood potion spreading.

"How does that song end again?" Juray walked towards her, the bruxa trying to scramble away. "Oh yes. As the Witcher, brave and bold, paid in coin of gold. She'll chop and slice you, cut and dice you." Juray raised her sword over the cornered bruxa. "Eat you up whole." Juray brought the sword down, severing the monster's head. "I'll take this, though." Juray stuffed the head into a bag, before casting Igni on the lamps in the room.

She turned towards the two figures on the other side of the room. The teenaged boy she assumed was Finn watched her wide-eyed. The man next to him looked weak. Both had their hands bound above them. Juray cut them free and Finn helped Juray carry the other man to freedom.

"Are you really a Witcher?" Finn asked as they carried the man between them through the woods.

"I am."

"What was she?"

"A type of vampire called a bruxa. You're lucky."

"I know."

"Let's get you back home."

"If you hadn't killed the creature, he wouldn't have lasted much longer," the elder said as he walked with Juray to her horse. "The healers believe he'll survive."

"Good."

The elder handed her a coin purse. "We thank you for your help. Hopefully, the curse that is in our village won't attract another one."

"The bruxa was preying on the other villages as well, judging by the amount of bodies I found. Your village is not cursed. It just happened to be one of the feeding grounds of bruxa."

"You are sure there is no curse."

"Witchers have a nose for these kinds of things. Have you not stopped to think that if your village was cursed because of that child, you would have had trouble before now?"

The elder's brows knit together. "I see your point."

Juray mounted her horse, preparing to leave the village.

"Mistress Witcher!"

Juray turned in the saddle to see John and Finn coming towards her. To her surprise, her parents were following behind them.

"You found him," John said. "Like you promised."

"Of course." She looked at Finn as her parents placed their hands on his shoulders. "Now, Finn, don't go chasing after mysterious women you meet in the woods anymore."

Finn gave a laugh. "I've learned my lesson."

Juray picked up the reins.

"You saved our boy, Mistress Witcher," her father said. "How can we ever repay you?"

"Keep him out of trouble. And perhaps tell him the truth about his sister."

"You know about that?"

"I know."

"What is your name?" her mother asked. "We shall tell everyone how you saved us all."

Juray stopped, having expected that her parents wouldn't recognize her. She looked back at them before giving a smirk. 

"The White Demon," she said before urging her horse into a canter, leaving her parents and the elder to stare after her slack-jawed and without any doubts on who she was.