Chapter 78: Breaking The Ice
[Edric's POV]
There seemed to be a couple of wolf corpses scattered across the field, most of which had taken some arrows. I took a look at my company and saw that no one was wounded.
"Your Grace... did you manage to fend off all of them?" Balon Swann questioned. "Or will there be more? If so, we shall be ready."
"No, the matter has been settled." I shook my head, smiling. "The Warrior smiled upon us all today. Not a single person has been wounded."
"Indeed, it is most fortunate." Lyn Corbray agreed. "Though, I daresay that most of the credit falls to you, Your Grace. The number of howls that came from the forest - I cannot imagine how many of those wolves were present."
"A good bit over a hundred." I gave answer to his curiosity. "The wolves won't trouble us any more, however. Before we leave, it is my wish that none of the corpses are wasted. I want each of them skinned and their furs stored. They will have a use in the future, I am sure."
"As you wish, Your Grace." Brandon Tully nodded. "We won't be long."
I decided to help out with the skinning, having plenty of experience from hunting in Storm's End. After we were done, I finally gave myself some rest for the ride tomorrow.
...
After a day of travelling, a night of training with Raiden Shogun would always follow. She was a strict and entirely merciless teacher, to be sure. Her might was greater than her beauty; I couldn't say how many times I died in each dream.
For some, this might be a nightmare... constantly being butchered. However, I'd rather die a trillion times in my dreams than once in reality. She wanted to see my talents blossom, pushing me endlessly, and I remained ever-determined.
My instincts improved, I got a good deal better with electro, and my overall swordskill also took a step forward.
CLANG.
She cut through my longsword like a piece of paper, half of its blade falling off.
I retreated with two quickened steps.
I'll have to get another one... again.
"While your skill with the longsword is adept, I cannot impart all of my teachings onto such a weapon." Her left hand forged another blade of lightning, tossing it to me. A katana almost identical to hers, only a good bit longer. "From this day forward, you shall train with a sword more fitting."
"... Sure."
It made sense to me. Why learn to wield a longbow from a god specialising in recurve bows?
I took the sword, feeling a spark light up in my body. In an instant, I saw memories of Raiden Shogun's techniques and saw their power first-hand. A serpent deity larger and more terrifying than any beast I'd seen in person, mighty warriors by the thousands and plenty more gods.
If I could master her techniques, the Night King and his great undead army would be no more than a pile of ash at my feet... of that I was certain.
"I made your blade longer due to your size. A longer blade would make better use of your strength, height and length."
Yeah, her blade would look like a toothpick in my hand.
I gave it a few swings. The blade was quick yet decently heavy. Nowhere near my warhammer... but there was weight behind it. Did Raiden Shogun intentionally give this lightning blade weight?
"That is a Nodachi." She explained plainly. "Its use extended past that of slaying mere infantry, being utilised against and even by cavalry. Its long reach will make slaying multiple foes at once more effortless than with your warhammer... should your blade cut sharp enough, that is. With electro infusion, you've cut through armour and men easily enough, at the cost of your own sword."
"... Yeah." The blade had all but melted, remaining solely because of the lightning that took its former shape. "No simple steel can endure that much heat. Though, with Valyrian Steel, maybe..."
But the amount of it that would be required to forge a Nodachi... it's definitely more than a longsword.
Raiden Shogun looked at my status sheet, which was floating about to the side. She stepped closer and cut a line across Smithing, which was a fat old 32. It hadn't improved at all since, well, forever. It was thirty when I first landed in King's Landing, but so much was all happening at once that there wasn't really time for it.
"Yeah, it isn't my best skill."
"Mhm." Raiden gave a sound that echoed 'no shit, Sherlock' to me. "You must forge a blade capable of harnessing your full might, or else you'd be fighting every battle with one hand tied behind your back."
"Fair point…"
"For reaching the peak of the Sniper discipline, you gained superhuman sight and the ability to fire accurately from over a thousand paces. I'd imagine that a completed Smithing tree would more than suffice. That god wouldn't give you Smithing without reason. As I see it, every skill you possess here was given to be mastered and perfected."
"And yet, it would take a year of just smithing to reach its last perk. Mayhaps multiple years…"
"Maybe." Raiden Shogun looked on with a more stern expression. "It's better than never, however. Would you rather the Night King emerge, and your sword be unable to even cut him? I would advise putting your Summer campaign aside if you worry for time."
If only I could shadow-clone myself.
If I wait too long, my allied prince in the Summer Isles might fall.
On the other hand, I have no idea when the Night King would strike. It could be next year or in a decade.
Then again, does it always have to be me at the head of every campaign? I have the finest of commanders at the palm of my hand. But - if it isn't me, the losses will be greater… the idea of chilling (burning) in a forge while men are out there fighting my war didn't sit well with me.
"I'll find a way to do both."
"... I see." She nodded knowingly. "There is much for you to gain from those islands, I suppose. I trust that you will make the right decision. Let us move onto your sword training."
I agreed, feeling a bit more eager than I expected. I always had a soft spot for katanas, so this kind of thing was like an old dream coming true. With Raiden's guidance, perhaps my skill with the sword would eclipse even my bow and warhammer.
As she continued training me, the barrier between us began to dissipate.
…
One night, after getting my ass handed to me again, I took the time to sit down beside the tree and decided to explain everything to her. It was only fair as she was doing everything in her power to see me succeed.
"What is it?" She tilted her head slightly. "You can't tire here."
"It's just… I've been avoiding this rabbit hole like the Seventh Hell." I chuckled, shaking my head. "Though you haven't pushed the matter, I want to clear the clouds and move on. I owe that much to you, at the very least."
"You don't have to." She shook her head. "I have not shared much of my past, either. You have no obligations in this matter."
"Yet I desire to do so."
I began with my introduction to Genshin Impact through a friend, easing into the finer details. I could see her expression when she pieced it all together. It was slightly embarrassing, but I pushed through it.
"My Raiden Shogun had to be top 1000 in the world." I chuckled, shaking my head. "I went to great lengths to maximise her strength. The most satisfying thing of all was the Musou..."
"Musou No Hitachi." She added.
"Yes, the ultimate. The amount of damage I dealt with that was absurd." I remarked. "Alas... that doesn't really matter. The main point is that I knew about you through it."
"It did seem that you knew more about me than you should have." She noted, stroking her chin. "Small wonder."
She didn't seem to have any form of existential crisis. If anything, me sharing this information cheered her slightly.
"So... about you being here because of me." I opened my palm and felt the purple blossoms fall into my grasp. Then, I looked up at her purple gaze. "In a way, it was truly unintentional. Before this second life of mine began, I was treated with a survey by the Targaryen god. The very first question asked me which woman was the most attractive to me... and you could guess my answer."
She observed without a word, listening keenly.
I decided to go on.
"I chose you, naturally, and didn't think too much of it. Then, not too long after I woke as Edric Storm, you came to me." I made a self-mocking smile as I looked away. "All of this started because of my superficial views... because I thought you were the most beautiful woman I had ever looked upon. It's a rather poor reason to drag someone to another world and chain them to you, wouldn't you agree? Every action that you ever made is, in part, my responsibility."
"Looking it this way... perhaps I've always been the worst of us."
"You didn't know what would come from your answer." She countered, shaking her head. "The being that bound me to you was that silver-haired god."
"Yet... I did choose you." I shrugged my shoulders. "You didn't have a choice in the matter, far less than I ever did."
"If the choice came to me now..." Raiden Shogun sat down beside me, her hand slowly reaching out to my own. "I would have gladly given my old life to meet Edric Storm once more. Once, twice, thrice... a thousand times... so long as the choice came to me, I would always choose you."
She held my hand tightly, closing it.
As her face neared mine, I felt my heart quicken.
Then I felt a surge of cold - waking instantly.
...
"PWOH."
I sat up, waking to a splash of cold water all over my upper body. It dripped down, chilling me from my daze. Immediately, I looked up at Arya Stark, who was carrying a bucket. Gods, I wanted to curse her out.
"What was that for, you brat?" I spat out the water, rising to my feet.
"You said we'd ride at dawn, remember?" Arya raised an eyebrow. "If you wanted to sleep soundly as long as you liked, you should've stayed at King's Landing."
"Could've used a better method to wake me, surely."
"I did shake you, but you didn't react at all. It was more of a last resort..."
"I slept that soundly?"
She nodded.
"Well, I'll be damned." I chuckled, shaking my head. "Anyways, get out of my tent. I need some fresh clothes before I catch a cold."
As we continued North, past the swampy Moat Cailin, the path to Castle Black and the Wall seemed no shorter. The size of the North felt even more absurd than it looked. It made for practically half of the Seven Kingdoms.
No better, it was snowing heavily and began getting colder and colder the further we went North. The occasional breeze of chilling winds did not help either. Before long, I was forced to don my bear fur cloak, which half resembled a onesie.
"Awww you look adorable in that fur."
Arya Stark laughed, pinching the left ear of the hood as I rode. I frowned, looking at the road ahead as I felt my body weaken. Why is it that Arya can be so energetic in such weather conditions? I could scarcely breathe.
"What's wrong... don't tell me the cold is getting to you?"
"What does it look like?"
I sniffled, as my nose became runny. I began to think of better things: the beach, the summer sun and tasty fruits. What I'd give to have Margaery feeding me some fruits in Highgarden... hm, yes, Highgarden would be sweet about now. Who am I kidding - anything would be better than this cold.
Even the dreadful Iron Islands, I fear.
No wonder hardly anyone lives here...
In the Long Night, every place will undoubtedly be just as cold - if not even colder. For years on end, no less. That thought was... chilling.
I had half a mind to believe the cold was a greater threat than the Night King himself. If a man can't farm, hunt, or find food to eat, he is as good as dead. No undead army is even necessary...
He could just chill at his igloo (or whatever he lives in) until everyone dies to the awful weather conditions.
"You'll get used to it." Arya smiled reassuringly. "Once you do, it's not so bad. I quite like the cold."
"Must be a great time to be a Stark." I mused.
"You can stand in the rain all day long and get hit by lightning without any wounds to show for it. Nevermind wounds, for that matter, lightning heals you." Arya put it in her perspective, her lips curling into a slight cheeky smile. "Would you trade that for some resistance to cold?"
"No," I managed a laugh. "I would not."
"I thought as much."
I glanced at Melisandre, who seemed entirely unaffected by the cold. If anything, the snow seemed to melt as it landed on her dress.
R'hllor couldn't lend Azor Ahai a hand, huh.
Or does Melisandre want me to turn to her willingly?
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