Chapter 3: Learning About My Power [Edited 8/8/24]

After waking up a few hours later and allowing Maester Luwin to clean his wound and change the bandages, Robb waited for him to leave so he could practice with his power. 

Thanks to his prior knowledge of Worm, whether from fanon or canon, he had the advantage of understanding how powerful his new ability was. 

Controlling an extraordinary number of insects simultaneously and the ability to multitask were just the beginning.

However, he felt he still needed to fully explore his potential. Focusing inward, he sensed a faint yet palpable energy that seemed entirely imaginary but now flowed within him.

As he explored this power source, he began to grasp more about his capabilities. A grin crept onto his face, one that could be described as manic. His power was a mix between Taylor and Amy, though different. 

This energy allowed him to create any insect he could imagine, with certain limitations but incredibly functional in his newfound universe. This discovery meant he could fulfill any dream he set his mind to, though he had only considered the prospect of facing the White Walkers and their leader so far.

Despite his excitement, Robb remained calm enough to reflect on the requirements and limitations of his power. 

He needed energy to fuel his insects, but how would he obtain it? The answer was simple: his insects needed to consume biomass, which would be converted into energy through some space whale mumbo jumbo. 

With this energy, he could create more insects, strengthen them, make them more resilient, and even imbue them with specific functions that could be decisive in battle. 

However, to give them specialized characteristics, he would need catalysts. For instance, if his insects consumed biomass from a venomous snake, they could acquire the ability to infect others with that same venom upon biting, faithfully reproducing its original attributes.

These reflections led Robb to consider different inventions that could be helpful in various situations. He imagined spy insects with functional eyes that would allow him to see through them or insects capable of injecting adrenaline into his soldiers to enhance their combat ability. He also thought about depressor insects designed to demoralize his enemies, among other strategic uses he could develop with enough energy.

After days of rest and recovery in Maester Luwin's study, Robb finally felt strong enough to leave bed and walk independently. He sincerely thanked the maester for his care and attention during his convalescence.

"Maester Luwin, I feel much better," Robb said with gratitude as he inspected the still-healing wound on his head.

Luwin nodded, satisfied with his young lord's recovery. "I'm glad to hear that, milord. It seems everything is going according to plan. I believe you can consider yourself discharged. Don't forget to take care of yourself and rest properly. And no practicing with the sword."

Robb nodded and dressed in clean, comfortable clothes, leaving Luwin's study with a relieved smile. He headed towards the large table where his family awaited him for dinner, finding them gathered around the dining table.

Ned and Catelyn exchanged looks of relief upon seeing Robb enter through the door, while Arya, Sansa, Bran, Rickon, Jon, and Theon greeted him with smiles and exclamations of joy. Robb took his place at the central table, feeling reassured by his family's warmth and support.

During dinner, conversations ranged from memories of times past to trying to make Robb remember things to plans for the future. Catelyn couldn't help but ask cautiously, "Robb, dear, how are you feeling now? Are you sure you're alright?"

Robb nodded with a calm smile. "I'm fine, mother. The maester has discharged me, and I feel better every day."

Ned spoke up, proud of his eldest son. "You've shown great strength, Robb. We're proud of you."

By the end of dinner, the Starks retired to their chambers as the fire crackled softly in the fireplace, and Winterfell was bathed in the night's warmth. Though his path was marked by unknown challenges, Robb knew that he had his family's unwavering support to face whatever the future held.

Alone in his room, with the dim light of a candle illuminating the desk, Robb contemplated. Before him, on the extended parchment, he drew diagrams and jotted down ideas while gazing at the cold landscape of Winterfell through the window.

"The available insects here are scarce due to the climate," he murmured pensively. "I need a solution to increase my biomass supply."

With determined eyes, Robb began to brainstorm. He focused on his newly discovered power, summoning several insects he had created. They were few and scattered, slowly feeding on the biomass available in the area. Robb watched them closely, considering how he could enhance their efficiency.

"I can design insects that are more efficient in consuming biomass," he murmured as he traced lines on the parchment. "They need to be able to quickly locate and consume any available biomass source."

Skillfully, Robb began to sketch out new designs. He planned to create insects with more robust, sharper mandibles capable of crushing and digesting biomass more rapidly. He equipped them with wings that allowed them to move quickly from place to place in search of food. 

Additionally, he gave them greater resistance to the cold so they could survive and operate efficiently in the harsh northern climate.

"These should do the job," he muttered satisfactorily as he finalized the last details of his designs. "With this improvement, I should be able to significantly increase my energy production."

With the blueprints ready, Robb carefully stored the parchment in a secret compartment and prepared to put his plans into action the next day. He knew that building and deploying these new insects would be crucial to strengthening his capabilities and preparing for the challenges looming in the future.

Robb, commanding his large fleet (lol) of 80 insects, searched for biomass sources around Winterfell, giving them directions and instructions on what to do and not to touch. 

Robb strove to avoid harming any human who did not deserve it. Though he wasn't sure if he would ever feel ready to consume a human for biomass, deep down, he knew that if the opportunity arose, he would likely do it to his worst enemies after giving them the worst poison stings Westeros had ever seen.

Descending from his room to join his family for lunch in the great hall, Robb pondered whether he should reveal his powers to his family. The situation was complicated due to the various advantages and disadvantages this would entail. 

The advantage would be the lack of need to hide what he could do, at least from his family, as he didn't think it would be best for everyone to know about his capabilities. Robb thought about how he could convince his father of the advantages of his insect control.

Still, he had much to learn about his powers; one of the most essential would be the effective range within which he could control them. When he had that information, he would consider revealing his abilities to his family, first to his parents and then, perhaps, to some of his siblings in the distant future.

The next day, Robb stood in the middle of one of the open fields near Winterfell. He used his control over a butterfly and instructed it to fly as far away from him as possible. Robb waited silently, practicing his power by sending more insects to find biomass.

He specified that they should look for animals or decaying objects that, when consumed, could provide unique characteristics for creating more insects. In the back of his mind, he always kept track of the butterfly that remained on its task.

He estimated it had traveled at least a mile and didn't feel the connection weakening, so he allowed the butterfly to continue. Robb would be pleased if it reached at least 1.5 miles, as he believed it was an acceptable distance that would allow him to fulfill many of his secret plans, such as espionage or sabotage of essential players in the Game of Thrones.

One of his biggest weaknesses for now was that the biomass his insects consumed could only come from prey that was already dead in some form. They did not have the means to defeat anything apart from other insects, which contributed absolutely nothing to energy.

Robb hoped to create insects that would infect animals with deadly or debilitating diseases by consuming decomposing biomass.

Robb had nothing to measure distances, but he calculated that his control over the butterfly broke about five miles away.

He was delighted with his power, as this distance would be helpful. In the meantime, he returned to Winterfell for lunch with his family, thinking about how to reveal to his father that he had an extraordinary power and convince his mother that it wasn't something evil according to her religion or something stupid like she might think.