Journey

Jason never liked to be disarmed, yet often in situations like this, he had little choice. Considering they had found the Knight surrounded by a dozen dead raiders, they were obviously on guard with him. The three men acted quite professional though, not like the rude and bumbling soldiers he had dealt with in the past. No doubt it was because these men didn't know what he was exactly, although their odd looks were more of curiosity than hate or hostility. For now, two of them were focused on searching the slain bandits, examining their wounds and searching for any possible valuables as well.

The only time their soldierly manners faded was when they got a chance to examine his blade, muttering in fascination at the ornate yet deadly craftsmanship. The hand crossbow had them surprised, showing that such weapons either didn't exist or were very rare.

By this point, the other two soldiers would finish their searching. "Dozen bandits, largest group we've had in a few years." One guard muttered, just enough for Jason to hear. "You think one man took them all on?" Again both soldiers eyed the white-haired man, who calmly watched them both. "Got the look of a warrior about him. Not sure what to make of him…the white hair, pale skin and the eyes." They'd speak in lower voices before the group moved to mount their horses.

"The nearest village is on a day's ride. We'll get a horse for you there, but for now, you'll have to walk along with us." The leading soldier explained.

"Great…will we at least be camping soon?" Jason grumbled, not that eager walking after hours of fighting and running around.

The soldier thought for a moment, seeing the stressed hint that the Surgebinder's stance had. "Yes…I say in a few hours at least. Just want to give us some distance from this area in case of more bandits lurking around."

Jason nodded as he'd followed the three soldier through the woods, soon arriving at a wide clear stretch of road. He'd be silent the whole walk, taking time to think over what might have happened to Light. His spren, his partner in crime, he was always with him. Right now, he needed help and so far Ned Stark, Warden of the North sounded like his best chance of getting help.

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As the sunset, the group would find a clear spot of the King's Road to camp for the night. One of the soldiers would be sitting by the tied-up horses on guard duty while the other two and Jason rested by the fire. The soldiers had been nice enough to share their rations with the Surgebinder, yet jerky and other dried food weren't the most appealing dinners he had had of late.

"Heh…you know I realize I haven't bothered to introduce myself." The lead soldier remarked as he finished his ration and removed his metal domed helmet. The man with short cut dark hair, least middle-aged with quite the worn faced and having a visible three racking scars across his face, no doubt from an animal attack or a certain weapon.

"The name is Graffin, the unofficial leader of this patrol. I've been serving House Stark for twenty years and fought Robert's Rebellion about…years back." The man chuckled a bit, scratching his scruffy chin as he'd see Jason's questioning look. "If you don't know about the Rebellion, then you must have been living under a rock for an over twenty years. Even the most distant realms of Essos knows the story."

"Then perhaps you should tell me everything then. Give me a rundown on what the country's situation is like." Jason remarked back. "Just the basics at least. Then I'll tell you whatever I can about my country and recent events."

"Huh, fair enough...hope you can keep up with all of this." The soldier chuckled as he'd get a big flask and pour up some drink. Jason already had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

The next few hours Graffin shared everything he knew about the last two decades about Westeros. The history of the Targaryen reign, the different Houses that managed the vast Seven Kingdoms, life in the north, Robert's Rebellion and much more. Even for a sharp mind like Jason's, it was a lot to take in.

Graffin finished his third mug for the night, sighing downing the last of his drink. "Alright, I've talked your ear off long enough. Your turn I guess."

Jason smirked a bit at the jesting, already thinking over how to answer. "Sad to say. My life is just too secretive. I can't give the details?"

Graffin paused thinking it over. "Then just tell me about yourself. I've had enough talk on kingdoms and politics for one night." Checking his flask, he'd grumble a bit. "Not enough ale to numb me even."

"I'd offer some of mine if my horse and saddlebags weren't missing."

"My home is constantly storm and the light that came with them. From my childhood, I always aspired to be a warrior and fight in wars. So, I later trained under Blackthorn." Jason explained.

"Blackthorn?" The soldier looked with curiosity.

"The Blackthorn is the moniker by which Sir Dalinar has been known since his younger years while fighting for and under the command of his brother Gavilar, then king of Alethkar. His prowess in battle earned him the nickname and a reputation amongst the common folk as being one of the greatest warriors and generals who ever lived. He is considered to be a genius of the battlefield, a fearsome warlord, and a living legend." Jason explained. By his expression, it was clear how much he admired Dalinar.

The soldier asked the other question. "How did you end up here?"

Jason knew what is going to be their reaction but he said it anyway. "I was on battle with the voidbringers."

The soldier asked, "What are voidbringers?"

Jason answered, "Voidbringers are the legendary creatures of the ancient Desolations. Their exact nature is unknown, but it is assumed they are part of the forces of the Evil God."

Jason kept that calm look while the soldier calmed down from his laughter.

"Look, we have our stories and legends on monsters. Heck, we've were ruled by a nobility that rode dragons. Yet in the end, time and war killed the fire breathers while all the talk of fairies and ghosts became little more than fireside tales."

Jason shrugged, deciding not to argue with the man. At the least, his disbelief made the topic short-lived. Graffin, however, spoke up again. "Still, I can tell that training paid off considering what you did to the bandits. This Sir Dalinar must be a strong knight."

The soldier nodded back before shifting up to stand. "Anyway, enough chatting for tonight. I need some shut-eye. Tomorrow we'll be heading to town, get some fresh supplies and a horse for you. Then we'll be riding hard for Winterfell, Lord Stark needs to know of the bandits. Also, the Night's Watch is lacking in numbers…or motivation to do their duty." Sighing and shaking his head, he'd shift up to stand. "Anyway, my turn to be on the watch. You get some rest if anything you look like you need it." With that the man moved off to his bedroll, leaving Jason with more questions now.

However, he was too tired to think over what the man had mentioned of this Night's Watch or this Wall. The Surgebinder moved to his bedroll, moving to lay down and relax his sore body. While he felt he should be more on guard, after all, he was in a strange world.