"Gonna have to thank Yen once this is all over," Lambert said as they moved through the woods. "That spell – really something. And the invisibility."

"Hounds could sniff you out," Geralt reminded. "So don't get too close. And you'll be visible as soon as you start fighting. Remember that."

"I'm sure they could hear us, too," Stormrider added. The invisibility amulets kept Lambert from noticing he was looking at him as he spoke.

"He always talk this much?" Letho asked.

"Only when he's nervous," Geralt answered. "Good work with these bombs, Storm."

"Aim at the portals, be precise. We're out of dimeritium. But like Yennefer said, casting Yrden might help."

"They're here," Lambert said as they spotted Red Riders. "Time to say hello."

"Slow down," Geralt said. "Element of surprise is key. Stay hidden, give Triss a chance to show them what she can do. Then we'll hit 'em."

"Mean to say Merigold can conjure up more than a cloud of butterflies?" Letho said.

"She a sorceress, dumbass," Stormrider said.

"Lots more," Geralt said, "Wait and see."

Fire suddenly rained down upon the soldiers that were approaching, rendering them ash in mere moments.

"Next time you get the feeling I'm about to piss off Merigold," Lambert said. "Make sure and knock me upside the head."

"You would think the smart thing to do is not piss off powerful sorceresses," Stormrider said. "Unless you're an idiot."

Letho snorted a laugh and Geralt could imagine that Lambert was glaring at the Bear School Witcher. Geralt led the way through the forest.

"Love these moments. The air before a battle – nothin' smells as sweet."

They closed the portals with Stormrider's dimeritium bombs, avoiding Roche's already triggered pit traps. Stormrider was impressed by how deep he, Ves, and the Skellige Islanders had dug them and the amount of spikes in the trap guaranteed no survivors.

"Geralt!" Lambert suddenly shouted. "C'mere!"

The others joined him.

"Look! They're regrouping!"

At the head was a man with heavy armor, a large mace, and a heavy shield.

"See the commander?" Geralt said. "Name's Imlerith. I remember him from back when I rode with the Hunt."

"That's a story I'm going to ask about if we survive this," Stormrider said.

Their invisibility winked out.

"Damn it," Lambert cursed. "Spell's waning. We're becoming visible."

"We gonna try to kill him?" Letho asked.

"Too risky," Geralt said.

"Pansy."

"Some of us aren't kingslayers," Stormrider said. "Or suicidal. There's too many."

Geralt fired the signal for Triss from his crossbow and they waited, but nothing happened.

"What's with Merigold?!" Lambert asked.

"Shit," Geralt cursed.

Stormrider drew his silver sword. "Some must have made it into the keep. We need to head back. Give them a hand."

"I'm with him," Lambert said.

"Unless the hounds sniff us out." Stormrider went into a defensive stance. "Like they just did."

"Fuck..."

Aiden and Ciri stepped outside just as a flare was fading. They both knew it was Geralt's signal for Triss, but nothing was happening.

"Where's Triss?" Aiden asked.

"Come on!" Ciri led the way to the walls where Triss and Juray were supposed to be. As they approached the wall, they saw Vesemir roll into view, quickly regaining his feet and cutting down the soldier he'd been fighting.

He spotted them as the soldier fell. "You were meant to wait inside!" He looked at Aiden. "You were to stay there with her!"

"You failed to warn me that she's just as stubborn as the rest of the family."

"I refuse to sit idle with a bodyguard while you risk your lives for me," Ciri said.

"Back inside!" Vesemir warned.

"No! Geralt gave the signal from the woods, and Triss hasn't cast the spell!"

"Dammit! Juray's supposed to be with her."

"If they're overwhelmed, they'll need the aid," Aiden argued.

"All right! Go and help them!"

They turned to head toward the bridge and saw a Hunt soldier coming towards them. They heard a wild cry and the next moment, the soldier was twisting around and trying to shake Zolton off him, who had two daggers in the elf's back and hanging on. Zoltan's weight threw the soldier off balance and the two fell off the bridge, Zoltan landing on top of him and cursing in the dwarven tongue. Ciri and Aiden ran across the bridge toward where Triss and Juray were stationed.

Triss and Juray were fighting off the Wild Hunt. They had seen Geralt's signal but there were too many for Juray to hold off, even with her enhanced Signs, for Triss to rain fire on his location.

"Where's the fuck are they coming from?" Juray asked, sending two soldiers flying with her Aard.

"I don't know!" Triss then noticed Ciri and Aiden coming toward them. "Ciri! Aiden! Get back to the Keep!"

"No!"

"Geralt gave the signal!" Aiden said as he jumped in to help his mother.

Together they were able to eliminate the soldiers assaulting them, and Juray was able to destroy the portal they were coming out of.

"Triss!" Juray called. "Now!"

A portal suddenly opened behind Ciri and a soldier stepped through.

"Ciri!" Aiden cried.

Ciri spun around, holding her sword up. The soldier's attack knocked it from her hand and she tripped. Juray threw Quen over Ciri as Triss used her magic to catch Ciri's sword. The sword came flying back, burning white-hot, and impaling the soldier. Ciri jumped back to her feet and grabbed her sword, pushing the soldier back and over the wall.

"Dammit!" Ciri cried.

Triss ran to the wall and prepared her spell.

Geralt, Lambert, Letho, and Storm fought against the Wild Hunt, who had surrounded them.

"We need to get those damned portals closed!" Stormrider shouted.

"Little busy at the moment!" Letho shouted back.

Lambert used Igni on the soldiers he was fighting against, but no matter how many the Witchers cut down, more were replacing them. They managed to separate the two Wolf School Witchers from Letho and Stormrider, circling them while the other two continued to fight. Geralt and Lambert were back to back.

Lambert suddenly looked up. "Geralt!" He spun around, forcing Geralt down and casting Quen around them. As a fireball raced toward them, Stormrider dropped as well, also casting Quen around himself. The fireballs exploded around them.

When the explosion died, Lambert released the Sign and the two stood.

"Head back!" Geralt said. He and Lambert sprinted away, Stormrider right behind them as Letho pushed one of the soldiers off him, who he had used as a shield.

They galloped toward the castle.

"Yennefer's spell is waning!" Lambert warned. "Blizzard's almost at the fortress!"

They continued to race to the keep.

"Don't stop! Merigold'll shield us!"

"Wonder if that took him out?" Stormrider said.

"Imlerith?" Geralt responded. "Doubt it."

They reached the relative safety of the keep.

"Large detachment approaching from the woods!" Vesemir warned. "We need to close the gate before they get inside!"

Geralt went into action, climbing the walls like he'd done hundreds of times before, managing to close the gates in time.

This seemed to piss Imlerith off and he shouted in his native language before starting to hit the gates.

Below them, Lambert was fighting off several of the Wild Hunt, alone. Geralt moved to help him as he was knocked down.

"Lambert!" Vesemir shouted.

He backed away from the Wild Hunt, who were suddenly levitated.

"Azar! Anatha! Vellos!" Kiera shouted, throwing her hands to the side. The soldiers hit the walls at breakneck speed, falling back to earth with heavy thuds.

"That was amazing," Lambert said, awe in his voice. "Thanks."

"You'd never have managed without me, would you? Come, now, admit it."

Lambert only smirked.

"We gotta pull back!" Vesemir cried. "Yennefer's strength is waning!"

Everyone that had been fighting in the outer courtyard retreated, the Wild Hunt in pursuit.

"Heads up!" Vesemir fired a ballista bolt, destroying the entryway they'd just come through and burying their pursuers.

They fought their way to the gates of the inner courtyard, only to find them barred.

"Where's Eskel?" Geralt asked.

"Dammit," Vesemir cursed. "We agreed he'd open that gate."

"Hasn't done it yet, means..."

"He'll be fine. We've got Triss and Juray to worry about now."

They headed to where the two were positioned. To find them with their hands full of the Wild Hunt. With the added muscle, the soldiers fell.

"Everything all right?" Geralt asked.

"Peachy," Juray said. "Just another life or death day in Kaer Morhen."

Triss gave her a look. "We are now, thanks. Things were looking shaky."

"We had to fall back. They tried to get in through the main gate. I'm afraid they could succeed next time."

Triss looked up at the tower they were standing by to see Ciri and Aiden looking down at them. "What's with Eskel? We have to retreat!"

"He's in trouble!" Ciri called. "We're going to help him!"

"Remember the stone I gave you!"

Ciri nodded and turned.

"Don't be a hero, Aiden," Juray called up to her son.

"Heroes don't live long," Aiden called back before turning to follow Ciri.

Ciri and Aiden arrived just as Caranthir disappeared, causing Eskel to slash empty air. A second later he reappeared behind Eskel. He spun around and Caranthir slammed his staff into his chest, sending the Witcher flying across the courtyard. He dropped his sword as he landed, in obvious pain. Eskel tried to stand, but the pain sent him back to the ground with a groan. Anger flashed through Aiden and he sprinted toward him as Caranthir raised his staff to finish the downed Witcher.

Aiden blocked the blow meant for Eskel as Ciri attacked his back. Caranthir spun around to defend himself. He brought his staff down and Ciri bent time and space around her. Aiden hadn't seen her use her powers before, so it came as a shock to him to see the green blur Ciri became as she teleported behind Caranthir. Caranthir's staff hit empty space and Ciri reappeared behind him, slashing him across the back. Aiden crouched next to Eskel to see how badly he was injured.

"See?" Ciri said, her sword held defensively. "I can do it, too."

Caranthir started to walk toward them, Aiden standing and planting himself next to Ciri, his sword held in the exact same position, announcing he, too, was Witcher trained. A guttural horn sounded and Caranthir backed away, before turning and going through a portal, leaving behind the soldiers that had been standing by. Aiden turned back to Eskel, holding his hand out to him as Eskel grabbed his sword. Eskel took his hand and Aiden pulled him to his feet. Together the three faced the soldiers.

"What are you two doing out here?" Eskel asked after they defeated the Hunt soldiers.

"Saving your ass, apparently," Aiden said. "You're welcome."

Eskel sighed, seeing Juray in him at that moment. "Thank you. But you could have been hurt. This isn't your fight."

"We have to open the gate for the others," Ciri said. "They're retreating back to the keep."

"Yennefer's weakening," Aiden explained. "We need to regroup."

Eskel sprinted to the gate controls and opened the gate.

Geralt and the others were fighting off Wild Hunt when the gates opened.

"Eskel's opened the gate!" Vesemir shouted. "We can retreat beyond it!"

"Fall back!" Geralt ordered.

They all retreated back into the courtyard, Stormrider and Kyran coming at the rear.

"You're not supposed to be out here!" Geralt said to Ciri.

"Too late now," Ciri responded.

Geralt gave her a look, then turned that look on Aiden.

"What?" Aiden asked. "Did you really think I would've been able to stop her?"

Before Geralt could respond, Eskel shouted, "They're coming in through the gaps!"

"Dimeritium bombs," Vesemir said. "You'll find more in the crates by the walls."

"We gotta close the portals!" Geralt said. "If we don't, we die!"

"Then cover me so I can get close enough to use Yrden on them," Juray said.

"I've got ya!" Hjalmar said. The two sprinted off, Folan and Vigi with them. The others kept busy with the soldiers. Juray's enhanced Yrden caused the portal to explode once it made contact.

"Well, I didn't expect that reaction." The Skelligers covered Juray as she did the same with the rest of the portals.

"Geralt! I can't hold them any longer!" Triss cried. "They're swarming the yard by the main gate!"

"On my way!"

"Bastard wants to break through!" Lambert said. "Get inside!"

In the courtyard, Triss was tossing fireballs left and right, Stormrider cutting down anyone who came close. Frost was beginning to cover the gate as they approached.

Suddenly the barrier Yennefer had been holding the entire battle winked out of existence, telling them the sorceress' power had failed. A moment later, the doors flew open, frost flying toward them. Juray immediately went to a knee, throwing Quen around her. The frost went around the sphere circling her. After a few moments, the wind died and she dropped the Sign, using Aard to break the ice that had tried to encase her. The Wild Hunt was casually walking around Geralt, who had been the closest to the gate and was now frozen in place, his arm up protecting his face. Lambert, Triss, Stormrider, Letho, and Kyran were nearby, all frozen in nearly the same position.

"Juray," Vesemir called softly and she turned, to see her mentor leading a stunned Ciri towards her.

Juray's eyes widened upon seeing Aiden also frozen in place, his position showing that he'd pushed someone towards the cover of the low wall. Several feet away, Eskel was frozen in the act of casting a sign, no doubt having the same idea she had but not being fast enough.

"Come on."

Juray nodded, knowing that everything would have been in vain if the Hunt caught Ciri.

"Geralt," Ciri suddenly said as they moved deeper into the keep. "Where is he? We must—" She was cut off when the three of them were blindsided by Hunt magic, all being pushed in different directions. Eredin grabbed Ciri by her hair while Vesemir and Juray were busy with the other Hunt warriors.

"You shan't escape me this time," Eredin said. Caranthir opened a portal and Eredin started to drag Ciri towards it.

"Ciri!" Juray cried.

Vesemir was able to break away from Imlerith and charged at Eredin's back, forcing him to release Ciri in order to defend himself. Juray charged at Caranthir as Imlerith strode toward Vesemir. In a desperate attempt to keep Ciri out of Eredin's hands, he cast Aard, pushing Ciri across the courtyard, before Imlerith kicked him in the chest, the old Witcher giving a cry and flying back. Juray held her own against Caranthir, until he was finally able to land a blow with his staff against her back. Juray stumbled forward and he struck her again with the staff, this time succeeding on completely knocking her to the ground. He kicked her, causing her to give a pained cry and rolled her. He did this several more times before she landed on her back and he put his foot on her chest. Ciri looked between the two Witchers in horror. Juray, bloodied and struggling to free herself from the weight against her chest. Vesemir being held in mid-air by his throat by Imlerith.

Eredin took off his mask and looked at Ciri.

"Run!" Vesemir cried.

"She'll not abandon you," Eredin said. He looked back at Ciri. "You humans are so... impractical." He held out his hand. "Come with us and they will be spared."

"Ciri! No!"

Ciri's sword slowly fell from her hand.

"Ciri," Juray gasped. "Don't."

Ciri took a step towards Eredin.

"Don't do this!"

"I forbid you!" Vesemir said.

Ciri continued to slowly walk toward Eredin.

"You always were an unruly child. I adored that about you." Vesemir then drew a dagger and plunged it into Imlerith's side. "Now fly."

Imlerith gave a howl before Juray heard the snap of bone and Vesemir went limp.

"Vesemir!" Juray screamed, horrified at what she had just witnessed.

"Nooooooo!" Ciri screamed at the same time.

Imlerith dropped Vesemir's lifeless body and pulled the dagger from his side as Juray gave a scream of rage and sorrow, the moonstone pendant glowing as she cast Aard and throwing Caranthir several feet into the air. By the time he came back down, Ciri had fallen to her knees, holding her head. She then gave a scream that was unworldly, a greenish light surrounding her. Juray winced from the sheer sound, slamming her hand to the ground and casting Quen around her in order to protect herself from the Power that Ciri had just unleashed. Around them, the Wild Hunt had their hands over their ears and Caranthir opened a portal. As several dropped dead from Ciri's voice, Imlerith jumped through the portal. Eredin trudged towards Ciri, an arm outstretched, determined to take the young woman with him. He was struggling and Caranthir jumped forward, grabbing him around the chest and pulling him through the portal. But Ciri could not pull back the Power now that it was unleashed. Through the unworldly scream, Juray could hear wood snapping and stone grinding. Ciri was going to bring the keep down if she couldn't bring herself under control.

"Ciri!" Juray cried. "You need to pull it back!" The Witcher wasn't sure how much longer she could hold Quen or how much power the moonstone still had, as she was now drawing on its power. "Ciri!"

Over the scream, Juray heard a male's voice clearly speaking in elvish. Avallac'h's spell was able to help Ciri control the Power and all went silent as she collapsed. Juray released Quen and she stood painfully, staggering over to her. Ciri groaned as Juray fell to her knees next to her. "Ciri?"

Ciri put her hands on her head and groaned again before opening her eyes and taking in Juray's worried face, her cheek and lips bloody. "Are you alright?"

"For the most part. Are you?"

Ciri nodded and Juray staggered to her feet again, clutching her left side. She staggered a few paces before collapsing next to Vesemir, who was lying on his stomach.

"Vesemir," she whispered, praying he wasn't actually dead. Tears filled her eyes when she felt nothing. Imlerith's snapping his neck had killed him instantly and she suspected that Vesemir's final attack had been to provoke this to stop Ciri from joining the Hunt. "Vesemir!" she cried, the tears falling down her cheeks. "Why did you do that?" Juray leaned forward, burying her face into the back of his armor and sobbing.