Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, and all rights for characters, plots and settings belong to G.R.R. Martin and FromSoftware. I have no ownership.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ah, you must be the new Tarnished. You'd do well to steer clear of Agheel Lake, fledgling. A dragon roosts there... And it's as fearsome as it is majestic.
So, unless you're mad, or wish to be burned alive... Stay clear of the lake. Don't be a fool. Turn back, before it's too late."
Bloody Finger Hunter Yura
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Lands Between, Limgrave
Aerion/Jon
Realising that efficient travel on horseback through the Haunted Forest was practically impossible due to the dense growth of trees, he chose a circumnavigation.
However, in the open space, Torrent demonstrated his extraordinary speed and tirelessness. In a dozen or so hours, they covered almost 400 kilometres (250 miles), including a five-hour stopover when Jon had to hunt and rest.
Not only did he not have the Site of Grace to restore his strength, but if he were to face the Others, he wanted to be in the best possible condition.
But all his plans were turned upside down when, already on the protruding peninsula known as Storrold's Point, where Hardhome lay, he was blinded by a brilliant golden light and awoke in the Church of Elleh, the place where he had fallen asleep.
He looked around, surprised, not so much by the fact that he had returned to the Lands Between, as he had expected, but rather by the unfortunate timing of his return.
He was perhaps an hour's journey from Hardhome at his own pace, and now he didn't know how long he would spend again in this broken world. He had spent about a full day in Westeros, and it seemed the same was true in the Lands Between, but he couldn't be sure. Day and night depended on the brightness of the Erdtree, and he hadn't really counted his time here.
Frowning, he looked around. To his disappointment, the ruins of the church were empty, and there was no sign of Kale, only the charred remains of the fire. With a sigh, he rose to his feet, for all he could do was move forward. This journey and these lands offered him the strength he needed.
He thought back to his earlier plans, where he planned to explore Groveside Cave and the Stormfoot Catacombs. Yes, perhaps that would be the best solution.
So, summoning Torrent, he set off north. Groveside Cave turned out to be nothing more than a series of corridors leading to a large cavern. Within the corridors alone, he encountered a dozen and a half wolves, similar to those trained by Godrick's soldiers.
They might not be as large as Ghost, but they were still considerably larger than the wolves that inhabited Westeros. However, it was in the cave itself that a more challenging opponent awaited him.
A beast, standing on two legs, towered over him by a good two heads and was just as massive.
The two-legged beastmen, standing a good two heads taller than him and three times as massive, seemed to have emerged from some nightmare. While the lesser creatures he had fought on the beach had some human features on their faces, this one had none of that.
Moreover, it was armed with a large blade, resembling a rusty, curved cleaver, only the size of a two-handed sword.
The moment the beast spotted him, it lunged at him with blind fury, demonstrating incredible speed and strength. As the large cleaver landed where Jon stood before he leaped back, he realised that one blow, even in the armour he wore, meant certain death.
He summoned the second blow from his Ornamental Straight Sword to his other hand, then activated their ability, grinding the blades together, which glowed with golden light, and at the sight, the Beast howled even louder.
When she charged at him, he met her this time, blocking and parrying instead of dodging. He counted on his incredibly sharp blades to cut through his opponent's weapon, but it turned out that the beast's rusty cleaver was more durable than it seemed at first glance.
Jon knew that if their fight had occurred before Melina's help had strengthened him, he wouldn't have lasted more than a few seconds; the beast was too aggressive.
With each successive blow, Jon gained a rhythm, parrying blows and launching attacks at his opponent's arms and torso. The wounds, though shallow, began to bleed profusely, and the beast began to slow. When one of its attacks went too far, Jon dodged and then severed the hand holding the cleaver with a single slash.
Wasteless, he stepped into the beast's range and tried to pierce one of its eyes with his second blade. However, the beast began to thrash, leaving a long gash on the left side of its mouth.
Jon jumped back, but it followed him, swinging its left paw armed with long claws, and Jon was actually waiting for it, because a moment later the Ornamental Straight Sword found its way into the beast's chest, and the other one sank up to the hilt into the beast's mouth, which quivered in spasms for a moment before falling dead to the ground.
Enemy Felled
Beastman of Farum Azula
You received 10 000 runes
You received Flamedrake Talisman
After defeating the beastman and roughly surveying what he'd managed to find in the cave, and regaining his strength at the Site of Grace, he headed for the Stormfoot Catacombs, another place Kale had mentioned.
When he sat down at the Site of Grace in the Church of Elleh a few hours later, he wanted to forget his time in those cursed catacombs and those damned, twisted stone creatures.
Not only did they plague him at every turn through the labyrinth of tunnels and rooms, but he also got lost more times than he'd like to admit. All this, only to finally encounter an enemy who was a large stone statue resembling a sitting cat with a sword – Erdtree Burial Watchdog.
Traversing these catacombs was by far the worst experience in the Lands Between so far, surpassing even the desperate battles with the Grafted Scion and the Tree Sentinel.
Returning his thoughts to the present, he began carefully examining the items he'd acquired in both places, trying to read their descriptions carefully. He had already realised that they provided more information than anyone could have expected.
The first items to go were the ones he obtained from Beastman and Erdtree Burial Watchdog.
Flamedrake Talisman
Talisman depicting a red ancient dragon.
Boosts fire damage negation.
The ancient dragons, who ruled in the prehistoric era before the Erdtree, would protect their lord as a wall of living rock.
And so it is that the shape of the dragon has become symbolic of all manner of protections.
After defeating the beastman and roughly surveying what he'd managed to find in the cave, and regaining his strength at the Site of Grace, he headed for the Stormfoot Catacombs, another place Kale had mentioned.
When he sat down at the Site of Grace in the Church of Elleh a few hours later, he wanted to forget his time in those cursed catacombs and those damned, twisted stone creatures.
Not only did they plague him at every turn through the labyrinth of tunnels and rooms, but he also got lost more times than he'd like to admit. All this, only to finally encounter an enemy who was a large stone statue resembling a sitting cat with a sword – Erdtree Burial Watchdog.
Traversing these catacombs was by far the worst experience in the Lands Between so far, surpassing even the desperate battles with the Grafted Scion and the Tree Sentinel.
Returning his thoughts to the present, he began carefully examining the items he'd acquired in both places, trying to read their descriptions carefully. He had already realised that they provided more information than anyone could have expected.
Noble Sorcerer Ashes
Ashen remains in which spirits yet dwell. Use to summon the spirit of a noble sorcerer.
Spirit of a nobleman who once asked to be given a place at Raya Lucaria to learn glintstone sorceries.
His talents were insufficient to be worthy of donning the stone crown, however, and he is only capable of using the most rudimentary sorcery.
Wandering Noble Ashes
Ashen remains in which spirits yet dwell.
Use to summon the spirits of five wandering nobles.
The spirits of nobles who, after death, now wander the Lands Between. Surely they were in search of something once - but whatever it was has long been forgotten.
The Noble Sorcerer Ashes and Wandering Noble Ashes were the third and fourth Spirit Ashes he had received. However, of the remaining two, he had only been able to utilize the Lone Wolf Spirit Ashes for now, summoning them to fight in those cursed catacombs.
However, as for Rick, Soldier of God Ashes, the only effect of attempting to summon that spirit was a message saying, "You do not meet the conditions to summon this Spirit."
Well, he intended to find out later how this Noble Sorcerer performed. Instead, he focused on the other items he found in those two locations. Some of them were truly interesting and could be used as alchemical ingredients.
Glowstone
Polished Ruin Fragment that shines brighter than Rainbow Stone. Craftable item.
Emits light from the location it is placed, illuminating surroundings.
However, the effect is short-lived, and it lacks the diverse colors of rainbow stones.
May serve some benefit in dark places, or at night.
Silver Firefly
Firefly that gives off a silvery light. Material used in crafting items.
Found near bodies of cold water untouched by sunlight.
The light of fireflies is believed to have an alluring magic.
Silver light is considered to invite riches.
Root Resin
Resin secreted from the roots of the Greattree. Can also be found near trees on the surface.
Material used in crafting items.
The roots of the Greattree were once linked to those of the Erdtree, or so they say,
and it is for this reason catacombs are built around Greattree roots.
"Hmh. This is actually interesting," he muttered to himself. "Is Greattree another name for Erdtree or something else entirely?" he should ask Melina when he manages to see her.
And this next thing was actually a bit disturbing.
Prattling Pate "Hello"
Twisted clay sculpt in the shape of a human head.
Emits a voice that says "Hello."
A wistful fetish that imparts voices and words on an eternal journey.
No, he wasn't even going to use that thing.
Smoldering Butterfly
An eternally burning butterfly found near wildfires and elsewhere.
Material used for crafting items.
Serves as the kindling for a number of items.
However, it was the last two items that seemed to have the greatest value and it was on them that he focused most of his attention.
Grave Glovewort [1]
White flower that blooms in catacombs. Each a soundless bell used to summon spirits.
Strengthens ashes to +1.
The art of strengthening ashes is known as spirit tuning. Only a spirit tuner may perform this deed.
Golden Rune [1]
Grace that dwells within the inhabitants of the Lands Between; the lingering trace of gold.
Use to gain 200 runes.
Runes are nourishment for the development of any Tarnished. Provided a Finger Maiden can be found...
He had come across the Golden Runes earlier, having found two lying around, one near the Church of Elleh and another in the forest. Two hundred runes didn't seem like a lot to him, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Besides, the number one next to them suggested there must have been more, likely yielding more runes, or at least that's what he hoped.
However, the more valuable of the two finds in his eyes was the Grave Glovewort, which, according to the description, allowed him to enhance his Spirit Ashes. Moreover, like the Golden Rune, the number one next to the name suggested there were others that enhanced spirits even further.
The problem, however, might be finding a spirit tuner to perform the entire procedure. Perhaps he would find one later.
The last thing left to check was the runes. Defeating Beastman of Farum Azula, Erdtree Burial Watchdog, wolves, and imps, he amassed 41,490 runes, giving him a total of 47,666, quite a significant number, though he knew it wouldn't guarantee him many levels, and consequently, a significant increase in power.
Name: Aerion Sand
Level: 53 → 58
Runes: 2216
Runes required to level up: 10 047
(…)
Focus Points: 260/260
Attributes:
Vigor: 20
Mind: 20
Endurance: 17 → 20
Strength: 20
Dexterity: 20
Intelligence: 20
Faith: 30 (+10 from Eye of the Grace)
Arcane: 17 → 19
Resistance:
Poison - 20% → 20%
Scarlet Rot- 20% → 20%
Madness - 30%
Sleep - 30%
Blood Loss - 17% → 20%
Frostbite - 67% → 70% (+50 from Song of Ice & Fire)
Death Blight - 17% → 19%
Damage negation:
Holy - 17% → 19%
Fire - 70% (+50% from Song of Ice & Fire)
Lightning - 30%
Magic - 20%
He decided to invest runes in Endurance and Arcane not only to even out his stats, but also to increase his resistances, especially to frostbite, which would surely come in handy in the True North, as the Free Folks call the lands north of the Wall.
Getting up, he called Torrent over and began to rub his neck, and steed, though usually silent, neighed in satisfaction in response.
He then led his mount outside, glancing once more at the Erdtree, which loomed on the horizon and obscured most of it, and then at Stormveil Castle.
For now, he didn't feel ready to move against the demigods, and the fate of too many depended on him to be reckless in his actions. One of the most important things Eddard Stark had instilled in him and his Robb was responsibility, especially for those under their command.
With that in mind, he nimbly mounted and steered Torrent southeast to Stranded Graveyard and then along Lake Agheel.
Travelling along the cliff above the lake, he carefully examined its surface. Considering the ruins and even trees rising below, he realised it was unusually shallow, though how shallow he couldn't tell without examining it himself.
Not far from the largest of the ruins, he spotted some shapes circling, probably undead, though that word could apply to him as well. According to Kale, they prayed to the dragon to free them from their suffering with its flames.
According to Jon, this clearly illustrated the true state of this world and how broken the will and minds of its inhabitants were.
When he reached the southern shore of the lake, amidst the dome formed by the ruined buildings, he noticed a burning fire and a figure sitting by it.
A lone wanderer – a potential enemy, or not? Perhaps it was the Nomadic Merchant, though Kale mentioned that they never went anywhere without their strange mounts. Though this one might have lost one.
Without further hesitation, he directed Torrent in that direction and didn't take long to realise that this wasn't one of Kale's people.
The stranger was dressed in some kind of dark, lightweight armour, and next to him, leaning against the wall, were two distinctive objects. One was a conical hat, which, strangely enough, seemed useless, as it was made of disjointed metal strips.
The second, an extremely long, curved, single-edged blade, must have been about five feet long, but he couldn't be certain, judging by the warrior's seated figure.
He rode closer, then stopped Torrent about 30 feet from the stranger, who was watching him intently. Jon also got a closer look at the man, whose distinctive features immediately reminded him of several Yi-Ti merchants he'd seen in White Harbor during one of his visits there with Lord Stark.
Before he could greet him and assure him of his peaceful intentions, the stranger spoke first, speaking in a kind tone.
"Ah, you must be the new Tarnished. I am Yura. Hunter of Bloody Fingers. Tarnished held in thrall by cessblood. Zealots who stalk their own. If you stay the path, you are certain to face more of them. Just remember. No Kinship with their ilk remains. Their madness precludes it. Don't let your emotions stay your blade."
Jon immediately took the man's words to heart. It was good to know that there were Tarnished who hunted their kind. This knowledge could save Jon's life in the future.
He nodded in response. "Aerion Sand," he introduced himself, using the name his mother had given him. "Good to meet another kind soul in these cursed lands... And thank you for the warning. I tend to be cautious, but I'll be especially vigilant now."
Yura laughed lightly, though it was more of a bitter laugh. "Good. You'll live longer. Would you like to sit down and warm yourself by the fire?" he asked, gesturing to a spot on the other side of the peacefully burning fire.
Jon hesitated for a moment. After all, the Church of Elleh, where he had set out, was only a few kilometres away, but there weren't many people willing to talk in the Lands Between, so he finally dismounted Torrent, who vanished a moment later.
"You have a remarkable mount. In these lands and times, he must be the perfect companion," the warrior commented, extending a hand toward Jon, holding a roasted hare impaled on a stick.
"Help yourself, I have another," he offered, nodding at the second hare roasting in the fire.
"Thank you," he replied, taking the offered food and sitting down by the fire. Then he asked curiously, "You mentioned you were hunting Bloody Fingers? Does that mean there are any nearby?"
"Yes, there is one. Bloody Finger Nerijus, who supposedly preys on unwary Tarnished near Murkwater Cave in the ravine north of the lake. He's my next target," Yura admitted with a sigh, picking up his roasted hare and taking a large bite from the thigh.
"But I can't be impatient, lest he find out I'm on his trail. I have something of a reputation, and Bloody Fingers avoid me if they can," he added, then, giving Jon a curious look, said, "I couldn't help but notice your distinctive left eye. The Great Rune. I can feel it, whispering to me, calling to possess it."
The man shook his head slightly with a sigh and added, "I don't envy you, young Aerion. There are many in the Lands Between who would do anything to possess the Great Rune, which isn't in the hands of the Demigods. There are many who specialise in hunting the Tarnished. Bloody Fingers, Recusants from Volcano Manor, the Black Cavalry, and many others, if they learn you possess the Great Rune, will not stop until they kill you."
Jon felt a chill run through him at those words. As if these damned lands weren't already deadly dangerous, he still had to be wary of new enemies.
After Yura's warning, they both fell silent, enjoying their meal in silence. Jon then turned to the warrior, thanking him sincerely, "Thank you, Yura, for the meal, but above all, for the warning."
The man shook his head, replying, "Think nothing of it. You are a kind soul, bearing a heavy burden and the consequences of the gods' plans. I'm glad I could do at least that much. If I may ask, where are you going now, Aerion?"
"I was considering searching the lake and its surroundings, and even fighting..."
"You'd do well to steer clear of Agheel Lake, fledgling." Yura interrupted him, his tone extremely serious. "A dragon roosts there... And it's as fearsome as it is majestic. So, unless you're mad, or wish to be burned alive... Stay clear of the lake. Don't be a fool. Turn back, before it's too late."
"Unfortunately, that's out of the question," Jon replied, shaking his head and then looking towards Erdtree. "I face far more powerful opponents. And even among dragons, Agheel is not supposed to be considered powerful."
He looked back at Yura and added decisively, "If I can't defeat him, I can forget about obtaining the remaining Great Runes and becoming Elden Lord."
After these words, he fell silent, rising to his feet, and Yura stared at him with a blank expression. Suddenly, however, he laughed loudly and added, "You have ambition, young Aerion, and you aim high... but we'll see how long you can follow this path."
After these words, he rose to his feet and added, "No one will say that Yura abandoned the fledgling Tarnished to its fate. Perhaps one day, when you become Elden Lord, you'll remember the old warrior who helped you slay your first dragon."
Jon looked at him with surprise but also hope, seeing that Yura was an experienced veteran. "So you mean you're going to help me... fight Agheel, I mean?"
"That's what I said. But we shouldn't rush things. We need a plan and preparations," the swordsman replied, grabbing his single-edged blade and hat, as well as a bag and shortbow lying nearby.
"First, let's clear the Dragon-burnt Ruins in the southern part of the lake. You can even see them from here. Let's go."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Limgrave, Agheel Lake
Bloody Finger Hunter Yura
Clearing the ruins for the two of them was no problem, though he had to admit that those undead dogs, as always, irritated him immensely.
Young Aerion also proved stronger than Yura had anticipated, and his gold-encrusted swords were clearly of Lyandell origin and bore the blessing of the Golden Order.
The same applied to Tarnished himself, who was clearly marked by the Greater Will, which was as much a curse as a blessing in this case.
The untainted Great Rune must have strengthened him considerably in some way, though it also made him a target for practically anyone. Desperate or greedy; terrified or ambitious.
Yura only hoped young Tarnished wouldn't lose his drive, but above all, his heart. The Lands Between had broken too many already.
He glanced at Aerion, who was sitting on a low, broken wall, sorting through the items they'd found in the ruins. He currently held a twinblade in his hands, but it vanished a moment later. An ability granted, according to the young man, by the Great Rune in his eye.
"What else do we need?" the young Tarnished asked, rising and approaching him. They both looked north, where Agheel lay amidst the vast but shallow waters of the lake.
"Nothing more. Now we must proceed with our plan," he replied, to which Aerion looked at him with slight doubt.
"What if the plan doesn't work?" the young man asked, and Yura merely shrugged, tightening his grip on the hilt of his Nagakiba.
"We'll improvise. Come." he replied.
Yura grabbed his short bow and notched an arrow but didn't draw back the string. He might not be as skilled an archer as a swordsman, but he had decades of experience and could hit a flying bird from 50 metres away.
Aerion followed him, swords in hand, and Yura regretted that neither of them possessed any incantations or spells, which would prove invaluable in battle. No matter, they had to do it the old-fashioned way. Hurt the dragon until it fell. Probably from a lucky strike.
The lake was vast, stretching for miles, and reaching the other side would take them a while. The numerous groups of undead that roamed the lake, seeking death in the dragon's flames, didn't help.
They managed to eliminate several sizable groups, and his companion proved to be a more than capable warrior. Despite his apparent youth and short experience as a Tarnished, Yura understood that the young man possessed good technique and combat experience.
In addition, he was stronger and faster than one might expect at first glance, meaning he had absorbed a considerable number of runes. In fact, he was as physically capable as Yura himself.
He wondered, however, where his Maiden had disappeared to. Had he already lost her, like most Tarnished before him? Yura was curious, but he wasn't about to pry. And so, in helping Aerion hunt Agheel, he had gone above and beyond his usual routine.
This wasn't the first dragon he'd encountered, of course, but the first he'd fought in such a small group. The previous three fights had been alongside several experienced Tarnished, and each time they'd had at least one caster.
Staying close to the cliff, they traversed further stretches of the lake until they reached the dragon's lair. However, there was a problem: Agheel wasn't there.
He and Aerion began to look around, but they saw no sign of him, neither on the lake nor in the sky above. Suddenly, a faint scraping sound caught Yura's attention, like the sound of a sword being sharpened with a whetstone. Then he heard a splash, as if something had fallen into the water behind them.
He and Aerion spun as if on cue, and a gasp escaped his companion's lips. About thirty metres ahead, high above their heads, clinging to the cliff face, practically merging with it, was a dragon with greyish scales.
Its yellow eyes stared at them with hatred and hunger. No, not hunger, greed. And no, the dragon wasn't looking at Yura. In fact, it practically ignored him. Agheel's attention was completely focused on the young Tarnished and the Great Rune, which must have glowed with power to the dragon.
"Kuso," was all he could do to mutter as the dragon burst from the cliff face straight at the young man.