' Good news and...'
Hello everyone, just a little information to help you in understanding today's chapter. Soon I will publish an additional chapter explaining the skills and powers of the Paladin. If any of you would like to get more information in advance, go and search on the net: [Rules Player Paladin 5e] and you will find everything you need. Thanks and good reading!!!
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POV Duncan;
About 3 weeks after 'The Snow Mill Massacre'....
Torrhen's Square.
'Sturdffh' I fell to the ground for the umpteenth time.
"Up, again!" Said Dywen Stone holding his two training long swords.
I took back my shield and sword and advanced again with my guard up towards my opponent.
This time I tried to start with a side slash to attempt a feint. Dywen stood there like a statue, as if he already knew what I was going to do. He anticipated my feint by parrying with the sword of his left hand and then went for a kick straight to my chest. I managed to parry it with my shield but my legs couldn't keep me steady on the stance. I took two steps back and as soon as I looked up I could see a double slash coming down on me. I raised my shield again waiting for a strong impact...which didn't come. Dywen took advantage of my blind spots to spin around and deliver a blow to my exposed back.
'Sturdff!!!' I was on the ground again....
"Up, again!"... 'Sturdffh!!!'
"Up, again!"... 'Sturdffh!!!'
"Again! Get up!"... 'Sturdffh!!!'
"Get up! On your guard!" ... 'Sturdffh!!!'
Forty minutes later....
"That's enough for today." Said Dywen.
I was covered in sweat and bruises. I was sure I had left a few layers of skin on the ground as well but I got back up....
"Hanf!....hanf!....one more time please...hanf!....hanf!...." I said panting.
"Isn't being defeated 83 times today enough for you?" Dywen.
"85....hanf...piufff...ptui!...and I love the taste of earth!" I replied, catching my breath and spitting some dirt on the ground.
"Hahaha! You've convinced me. Bring it on then!" Said Dywen laughing.
It was time, Syggha had stepped away for a moment and it was just me and Dywen...and maybe Zick somewhere watching.
I covered part of my face with my shield and began to try my breathing technique again.
'Phew!'....'fuuufhh!'...time slowed down again.
I stepped forward, each step seemed eternal and unnatural but by now I was used to it. I made the same move I'd tried dozens of times to try to get Dywen to unknowingly get used to it. Many times I had lost on purpose by falling back on the same mistake...I wanted to try to set a trap for him.
I raised my shield, tried a right cleave but this time it was different...I could follow a more direct and fluid path. I had plenty of time to move my wrist and hand correctly.
'Stuck!' Dywen parried it anyway, instinctively kicking back towards my chest and I raised my shield. 'stuund!' I played my part perfectly...Dywen slid behind me and I felt him swing his sword...IT WAS THE MOMENT! I rotated my body so that my shield could parry the slash that I now knew where it would hit me and I lunged.
'Studkh!', 'Puth!'....the tip of my sword had touched his stomach!
It was the first time I had ever been able to touch him!
"Not bad, not bad at all really...but I'm afraid you should still look up little 'hero'!" I looked up hearing his words and there I saw a wooden spike less than 4 inches from my head....
"I was going to take you with me anyway!" I said not wanting to diminish my success.
"If I had fought naked, maybe...but in armor? No, I think you would have generated a spark at best! Ahah!" Said Dywen.
I didn't know how to respond so I chose an honest and honorable silence.
"Starting tomorrow you will train with Recallio (Swordsman of Braavos Level 8), you are getting too used to my way of fighting. You'll see you'll have a lot of fun trying to hit him...it will also be good training to increase your calm and patience. Ahah!" Said Dywen.
'Aside from Ramas and Syggha, who I don't think have ever cracked a smile in their lives, Zick has influenced everyone else with his giggles.' I thought amused.
"Thank you for your guidance Master Dywen!" I said making a small bow.
"Ah how I will miss hearing that word 'master'. Thanks to you Duncan Tallhart, it was my honor to train the legendary 'Bloody Snow!" A story I could tell my future grandchildren! Ahaha," said Dywen.
'Yeah, I'm getting used to it by now....now I'm just squinting at the words 'Bloody Snow'....it'll take time...but it's doable.' I thought confidently.
The annoyance of hearing 'the nickname that shall not be named' had gone from a loud scratching on a blackboard to a more acceptable mosquito buzzing near my ear. I was slowly turning that knife pointed at my throat into a ruff.
[Make that Subname your armor and no one can use it as a weapon against you!] said Peter Dinklage's voice again.
'Yes, thank you again Tyrion...but I tell you for the umpteenth time...IT'S NOT THAT EASY!!!' I thought talking to the voices in my head.
I sat on a bench wiping my body with a cloth. I drowned in my water bag for at least a minute, sucking up every liquid contained within. I had asked the kitchens to prepare those bags with a drink of my own invention (at least in this world). A mixture consisting of water, lemon juice and honey. I was trying to evaluate its beneficial effects with the help of Qyburn. The drink in the future might become a standard ration for the army.
At that point I heard that 'call' again....
'The God's Wood is calling me back again....but it's still a contradictory feeling...the closer I get, the more danger I sense...it's not time yet.' I thought slightly frustrated.
Since the day of my return to Torrhen's Square I had felt a pull towards the God's Wood, I realized that I had probably acquired the training and experience necessary to reach the first level of paladin, but I also understood that that power was still too dangerous for my body. Perhaps I had moved too fast and my body had not yet grown up enough. However, that feeling of danger was diminishing day by day, with little difference, but it was there.
I went to bed early that night because I wanted to give my stressed body as much rest as possible. Like every night, I drank Qyburn's restorative tonic that he had been testing for over five years prior to our meeting.
Several hours later.....I woke up...suddenly....
I was totally covered in sweat, the bed was soaked.
'Do I have a fever? Could they have poisoned me? What the hell is happening to me' I wondered non-stop trying to figure out what was happening to me.
[Come....Come 'Traveler'...Come....The time has come...Come to 'Us'.....] Said a voice that I was sure was not of my mind.
I stood up and felt that pull again, but this time it was stronger and also...sweeter.
I walked out of my room and the guard at my door looked at me quite surprised.
"It's okay Jeff, I just need to take a walk. You don't need to follow me." I said to Jeff, one of Tom's handpicked guards.
"But....Yes my lord....as you wish." He said bowing.
I walked towards God's Wood at a slow pace, I was eager to gain powers and abilities but I wanted to enjoy the old me for as long as possible.
I reached the temple doors...two more guards watching the entrance let me through without complaint.
Step by step, the feeling and the voices became more and more intense....
[COME.....COME....'THE TRAVELER OF OTHER WORLDS'.....COME TO BEGIN....BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY...]
I approached the tree...I could see the carved face....his carvings were different than usual....same shape same face but it was more detailed. Red tears were dripping from his eyes. I tried to bring my hand closer slowly....
[TRIBUTE...SACRIFICE.....PRICE....]
I knew what he wanted...intuition guided me like autopilot.
I had no blades on me...just a night robe...then I turned down and saw him...a dagger...crude....made of obsidian...it couldn't be a coincidence.
I picked up the dagger, it was hot....no....not so hot....it was as if it had the same body temperature as me, strange symbols were etched into the dagger. I made a cut on my right hand and strangely it didn't hurt. A warm liquid oozed out and my wounded hand moved on its own...attracted like some kind of magnet...no rather...like a silken thread that pulled me to itself gently.
My hand and face were in contact, I could feel my blood being absorbed but it didn't hurt no...it created a pleasant relaxing effect...and then something entered.
An energy, a warmth quickly went through my arm and enveloped me completely. It wasn't fast but it was intense, as if it didn't want to be sure to permiate every millimeter of my body.
The heat entered...and continued...I began to feel sticky...liquids were pouring out of my body but it was something more oily than sweat.
The process continued....a horrible taste entered my mouth and made me want to vomit. I managed to resist...I held back the urge with all my might. It was almost unbearable I had to get rid of it...my stomach ached...uncomfortable itches all over my skin began to grow. It was no longer just the horrendous taste, the most horrendous I had ever experienced before, but now the smell....the stench was unbearable as well. My every neuron was screaming 'VOMITING DAMN!!! HOW MANY MORE SIGNS DO YOU WANT???!"....but then another voice entered.
[...RESIST....] the voice came from the tree.
It seemed like an eternity had passed....I began to use my breathing technique in full force.
Every second lasted a minute for me...Einstein was right about the relativity of time.
And eventually the energy stopped....
"Bleaarghhh!!!!! Cought!!! Cought!!! BLEEEEARGHHH!!!"...
A black slime came out of my mouth...I finally understood what it was...it was 'impurities'....the impurities of my body.
Not only the slime but also my body was covered with a sort of second layer of dark skin....to the touch it felt like clay.
The stench I gave off was that of an old man's breath who had fed for a lifetime on cabbage and rotten eggs without ever rinsing his mouth.....even the dead would get up and walk away.
I desperately searched for the small pond and dove in without hesitation. The water was freezing cold but it didn't matter. I rubbed hard everywhere, ripped up some moss nearby to create a sort of emergency sponge. I had never felt prouder in my life to have chosen 'soap' as the first innovation to be introduced into this world.
Half an hour later...
After scrubbing and scrubbing and scrubbing repeatedly, I made the decision to create a bonfire to: burn the now unrecoverable clothes, BURN THE MALEFICIAL MELM and...not freeze to death.
I placed stones around the slime while holding my breath, added small scattered twigs and used my 'Druidcraft' trick spell.
It wasn't until a few minutes later that I noticed that 'the heart-tree' was giving off a strong light and glowing....more and more.....and then...a tremor....e.
"PDDHUNG!", "PDDHUNG!", "PDDHUNG!", "PDDHUNG!", "PDDHUNG!", "PDDHUNG!", "PDDHUNG!", "PDDHUNG!", "PDDHUNG!", "PDDHUNG!""PDDHUNG!" "PDDHUNG!",....." PDDHHHUUUUNNNNGGG!"
Thirteen energy pulses shot into the sky!....the noise was deafening, with each pulse I had to step back for pressure.....the last one sent me flying at least 5 feet.
One was 'green', two brown, two 'blue', two 'rainbow' colored, two 'black', two 'red' and finally two 'white'.....the last one was way out of proportion.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT????!!! I shouted, realizing only at that moment that the silence from before was now in force....
'Why those pulses? Why those colors? What's going on???' I began to ask still in disbelief.
I calmed down for a moment to think...but I had a more pressing thought on my mind.
'I'M OFFICIALLY A PALADIN!!!' I thought excitedly.
Well well first thing I should be able to see my stats! Once at each level up!!' and as soon as I thought a green mist took the form of eight words with eight digits next to them, and they read:
[LEVEL: 1]
[Strength: 5]
[Dexterity: 6]
[Constitution: 6]
[Intelligence: 18]
[Perception: 11]
[Will: 25]
[Charisma: 10]*
*Author's note:[Go review 'Chapter 1' if you are unclear on stat values].
'Well that seems quite appropriate....Thanks Seraphinus! The 25 is all thanks to you my friend! Mmmm so Qyburn is smarter than me...I should have more knowledge than him....I wonder why?....Ah what a fool I am....After all, Odin's two ravens weren't called 'Thought' and 'Memory' for no reason. Ahaha!' I carefully processed the numbers for a few minutes while thinking. After that, the numbers dissipated like smoke in the wind.
"'Ah Geez!!!' I had just realized that those lights would probably wake up the entire North...not to mention the fact that I was dressed 'like mom made me'.
'I need to heal the cut on my hand!' I thought urgently.
"Lay of Hands!" I said...nothing happened.
"Huh?"..... "LAY OF HANDS!" again I tried....nothing happened.
'What's going on? Why isn't it working? Something is wrong! When I assimilated the ability to use 'Druidcraft' magic it was all so intuitive and natural...wait.....in fact I don't feel any difference from before.....I should be able to use that skill and then proficiency in all weapons.....but.....no...NO.....I DON'T TELL ME....that it's because I haven't reached the minimum value of '13' in 'Strength' and 'Charisma'... IS THAT WHY?' I thought making myself panic. All my knowledge of 'D&D' and various logical reasoning, led to that one and only answer....
"MALEDITION!!!!! ARRGHH!!!" I screamed bitterly and angrily.
I stormed towards the tree.
"YOU DAMN LYING SCUMBAG!!! GIVE ME WHAT I DESERVE!!! YOU LITERALLY MADE ME SPIT OUT SHIT!!! SUGNG! STOCK! I'LL WIPE THAT SMIRK OFF YOUR FACE!!! STONK!" I screamed punching one of the most sacred and revered relics in the North....
'I basically suffered that hell and caused 'only gods know what' in the world.... FOR NOTHING???? ZERO! NADA! NO BENEFITS! NO ABILITY!!!' I thought as I lay on the ground surrendered. Tears were starting to well up in my eyes.
End POV
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POV: Aspiring Maester;
That same night...
Old Town....
"Nothing won't light, I've tried everything. It's impossible to light these candles! This test is impossible!"* Said an aspiring Maester trying hard to light one of the 3 obsidian candles.
Then all of a sudden..... "pfuff"...
The totally dark room lit up slightly....different colors were changing between them.
"I did it!!!" Yes I did it!!! NOW I'M A MAESTER!!!"
The young man walked up to the closed door and hit it hard.
"SDUH! SDUH! SDHU! HEY ARCHMAESTER! I PASSED THE TEST! I MANAGED TO LIGHT ONE!!!!!" Shouted the boy elatedly.
*Author's note: [The night before an acolyte of the Citadel takes his vows, he must keep vigil in a crypt with nothing but the three black candles and no other light allowed. He must spend the night in the dark unless he can light the candle. According to the masters , this ritual serves to show that despite all the knowledge gained, there are still some things that are impossible].
End POV
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POV: A Northern Guard;
The two guards chosen to guard the entrance to the God's Wood of Torrhen's Square heard faint shouts and cursing from inside the temple.
... "Listen but according to you we should enter for" said the second younger guard.
"SHHH! Captain Tom was clear. Whatever bizarre or not happens inside the temple while the little lord is there is none of our business!" Replied the first guard.
"Yes but..." He was interrupted again.
"No buts! Just do your job and shut up! You'll get us both hung if you don't stop." The second guard did not respond and resumed his position.
A few minutes later....
A creak was heard from the doorway. A naked child came out.
Even the first guard, who had seen it all over the years, was slightly shocked. The child even had blood on his hands.
The child continued on as if nothing had happened and then looked around confused.
"Edmund, Garrath...did you see or hear anything strange earlier?" The child asked cheekily.
'It must be a test! A test to prove our loyalty!!!' They both thought in unison.
"No my lord!" They replied in chorus with serious faces.
"Nothing? No sound, noise or light in the sky?" The two guards crossed their eyes only a moment and then in a firm manner replied again:
"No my lord!" Duncan looked bewildered by the answer.
"I see...Thank you and good night then!" and ran off....
After a few seconds...
A gust of light wind carried small traces of smoke in the air that hit the shoulders of the two guards.
"Sniff ! Sniff! Puargh!.....Tell the truth.....you farted didn't you ?" Asked the first guard staring disgustedly at the second.
"WHAT? NO!!! I DIDN'T!!!" Replied the second with a confused and indignant look.
"Please spare me this scene.....and for the love of the 'Old Gods' next time, check your food before you eat!".
End POV...
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POV Author:
Two days later.
The air in the castle was tense. Everyone was waiting for news from the 'battle of the trident' that would change the fate of the Seven Kingdoms.
Even Lady Myra stopped annoying her brother-in-law Leobald.
Now, more than ever, the family needed to be united....
Before dawn, a relay reached Torrhen's Square.
Qyburn woke both Lord Leobald and his master Duncan.
Half an hour later...
The Tallhart family (except for the twins who were still asleep) stared at a soldier holding a sealed scroll in his hand.
The man looked exhausted and tried from the long journey.
Leobald stepped forward.
" My lord Leobald, a message for you from Lord Helman himself." Said the soldier making a bow and handing over the document.
Both Duncan, Myra and Leobald breathed a sigh of relief as they listened, picking up an undertone of the message that 'Helman was still alive!'
"Have this man properly refreshed and rewarded with 100 Silver Deer." Said Leobald authoritatively.
"Thank you very much my lord!" The soldier replied happily and contentedly.
Leobald wasted no time and read the message.
Eternal seconds passed...
He looked up for a moment and contemplated with a sad look...
He called Qyburn with a gesture and whispered something in a low voice.
Qyburn remained impassive in everyone's eyes... but only Duncan could perceive a trace of sadness in the face of his trusted knight.
Qyburn, without further hesitation, made his way to the inner hall...in search of someone...
"What's going on uncle, speak up! Tell us what the message says!" Duncan.
A few moments of silence passed...
Myra and Duncan began to get seriously worried....
"Robert Baratheon defeated and killed Prince Rhaegar in battle. My brother is well and Ned Stark has given him permission to return. Helman is returning home with his army...." Leobald paused for a moment....
"That sounds like good news to me. Why are you reacting that way then?" Myra Tallhart asked, the woman was both relieved and confused.
"The battle...was hard...the Tallhart forces suffered great losses...and..." Leobald sighed closing his eyes for a moment.
Leobald opened his now glazed eyes again and said:
"Captain Tom....Tom has fallen in battle."