GOT:Sothoryos jon snow gamer

[EmiyaGRZG]

https://www.patreon.com/HADEZ173

[Jon Snow's perspective]

The first thing I did when I woke up, was toss and turn in my bed. I felt a bit of pain in my back and shoulders, so I wanted to find a comfortable position so I could be at ease while I woke up fully. But, when I did exactly that, I realized I wasn't in my bed, or even in my room inside Winterfell. Where I was lying, it was hard, rough, even damp.

It was at that moment that I realized something had happened. I opened my eyes and stood up immediately, only to be hit by a dizziness; my vision swayed all over, as did my body, as I nearly fell to the ground hard.

This isn't my room, nor is Winterfell, nor even the North. That was the conclusion I immediately came to, after having looked around me. The floor was dirt, wet, damp, close to mud.

I let out a grunt of annoyance at the sight and feel of being stained with mud. But, despite the discomfort, I knew this wasn't right. There was no way I would suddenly appear here. The temperature was too high to be in the north, especially with the almost cloudless sky and the sun shining brightly. In the distance, there was too much vegetation, large and long green bushes, trees with large trunks, with branches full of green leaves, from which vines also hung.

"What happened?" I asked myself out loud. On the one hand, I wanted to believe that this was a joke from my brothers. On the other hand, this could be a dream. But it was too real. The feeling of the sunlight warming my skin, the heat that made me feel a little suffocated and the feeling of the mud on their arms and back.

Frowning, I decided to walk forward. I was a little scared, because I was in an unknown place, just in my nightclothes. I didn't even have shoes or a weapon to defend myself with. And this gave me a little chills, in front, where what seemed like a forest began, everything was unknown, from the trees and plants, to the small sounds I could hear in the distance.

But, as I was about to carefully step onto the grassy ground, something appeared in front of me. It wasn't a person, nor a beast. Not even a mosquito. It was a light that appeared. Blue and white in a small sphere, before a line appeared dividing the sphere before that light expanded into a box with floating, written words.

"W- What is this?"

I immediately backed away, trying to get away, but that box of light just followed me, half a meter away from my face. I didn't even read the words, I just turned to the side, but that thing appeared in front of me again. I tried to brush it away by moving my hand, as if it were an annoying fly, but my hand just passed the thing, as if it were a ghost.

I gritted my teeth and looked. The words didn't seem to have changed, they just stayed there for me to read.

[You have been blessed by a certain god.]

[The god likes to listen and see adventures.]

[Complete quests and you will receive rewards that no mortal could imagine.]

[Tap here with your finger to begin your adventure.]

"God?... This makes no sense!"

I gritted my teeth. It made no sense, none of this made sense. God blessed me? I'm just a bastard, one of many that exist in Westeros. There was no way a god would give me his blessing. And yet, I was seeing this, I was feeling everything that was happening. I closed my eyes for a moment, thinking about it all.

What if it was true? What if I was really blessed? Maybe that's why I wasn't in Winterfell. But, still...

Biting my bottom lip, I looked at the words in the damn box, especially the last sentence.

[Tap here with your finger to begin your adventure.]

I never had anything; Since I was little, I could never say that I had anything. In the end, I was just a bastard. In the eyes of most, I was simply someone who could steal what belonged to my brother, Robb.

But if this was true, maybe I can...

I hesitated, I really did. I hadn't moved from where I was standing, I simply stared at the box for a few seconds. I closed my eyes to think for a couple of minutes, I even clenched my fists at the absurdity of this whole situation. But, despite everything, I wanted to believe that someone really favored me.

Slowly, I raised my hand and pointed with a finger, then touched the indicated space. After that, not even a second later, the box only grew larger as a bunch of things hit the ground. I looked, once again shocked by what I was seeing. Out of nowhere, a set of clothes and other things, had appeared out of nowhere in the air, only to hit the ground.

I looked up at the box. More words had appeared.

[You have agreed to begin your adventure]

[You have been rewarded with a novice adventurer package]

[To continue, just think so you can learn more about the adventurer help system]

"I…" I didn't even know how to react. I couldn't think properly anymore. All I did was check the things that had touched the ground. Shirt, pants, socks, leather boots, even leather gloves. There was a set of clothes that looked really comfortable and sturdy. All of a light and dark brown color. On one side of this set, there was a belt with small pouches, a dagger, a knife, a sword, and also a small shield.

I didn't hesitate too much, at least after checking each thing. There was nothing wrong with them, so I decided to use them. For a moment, as I cleaned my feet as best as possible, I thought it might be too stifling in the heat, but when I was all set and dressed, it felt strangely refreshing. The boots and gloves even had certain metal parts for better protection.

For a moment, I thought that this was the best set of clothes I had ever had in my life.

The sword, it was not one I was used to. It was the size of a normal sword, but its shape was different. Unlike a common sword, this one curved towards the tip, looking more like a pointed fang than a sword.

When I had everything on, with the dagger on my belt, as well as the sword and shield in my left hand, I looked at the box. I was still feeling a little nervous, unsure about this whole divine blessing thing, but here it was, with no other apparent alternatives. What else could I do? Walk forward, in that forest that gave me chills just by looking at it? I didn't want to die.

So, I obeyed the last sentence of the box.

[To continue, just think so you can learn more about the adventurer's help system.]

I thought of that phrase, focused my eyes, and thought about continuing. As I did so, the box changed again. Its size increased again, with a bunch of words written on it.

[From now on, the adventurer's help system will be linked to Jon Snow. No one but him will be able to see it.]

[Talking out loud or touching the help system is not necessary. You will be able to think things through to interact with the system, just like you did to advance towards learning this help system.]

That was... useful. I hadn't thought about it, but it sounded good. I was sure that if someone had seen me talking on air about blessings and such, they would take me for a madman.

[The adventurer's help system is a tool that only Jon Snow (Blessed by a God) can use. Its functions are for him to use, but each reward can be shared or given away if Jon Snow decides so.]

[Talking about the adventurer's help system with other people is strictly prohibited.]

[The system's functions will appear at this time, each with an explanation.]

[Status: The status screen is where the attributes and details about the person (host) named Jon Snow will appear. Here you will be able to see things like your age, your name, your adventurer rank, even your physical and mental attributes.]

[Quest Board: In this window, you'll be able to access the list of quests that the system posts. These quests are divided into ranks. You can only take quests that match your adventurer rank, and every so often, only one quest one rank higher than yours will appear, where you can obtain much better rewards.]

[Rank Test: In this window, you'll find the option to increase your rank. Here, you'll be able to access a unique quest to increase your rank. In order to access the quest, you'll need to complete a certain number of quests and obtain merit points.]

[Storage: This window is the system's special storage space. It's an unlimited space where you can store anything you want. Rewards, from now on, will be stored in this place for later use. Warning: Food will rot after a while. It's impossible to store a living thing.]

It was... too much information. More than I had thought. At the moment, I didn't even know what a rank was in this thing. But I understood how surprising it could be. Just by looking at the storage, I realized that this couldn't be done by a mortal, and it seemed too much like magic.

"Um... Can I see my status?" I asked, a little hesitantly. I knew I could think of it, but I was still unsure of all of this. Plus, there was no one around me.

I sighed as the information window popped up, only for another one to pop up. However, when I looked at my name, I was confused, only to stand there motionless, staring at the part where my name was written.

Name: Jaehaerys Targaryen (Jon Snow).

Age: 12

Rank: Iron.

Strength: F

Agility: F

Stamina: F

Dexterity: E

Mind: E

- - -

Special Traits:

[Targaryen Blood]

▪ Minor resistance to fire.

▪ Greater affinity with dragons.

▪ Affinity towards blood magic and fire magic.

[Blood of the First Men]

▪ Skinchanger.

▪ Greater affinity with wolves.

- - - - -

"W- What... does that mean? Hey, help system, respond!"

It didn't make sense. It didn't. I was Jon Snow, the bastard of the Lord of Winterfell. That was me, someone who had nothing and couldn't possess anything. My name wasn't... it wasn't Jaehaerys.

[The status window shows the host's identity and their physical and mental state, as well as their inherited traits. Nothing is a lie.]

"But... but... then, I am...", I swallowed hard, unable to finish my words. I was always a bastard, everyone treated me like one. And now, after an awakening where I didn't understand anything, I thought I could finally clear things up. But I only have more doubts.

My father lied to me.

"No..." I looked at the ground as I clenched my fists and growled. I felt my face heat up from the rage I was feeling.

"Is he really my father?"

It hurt to think about it, but the rage I was feeling overwhelmed the feeling of pain and betrayal. I wanted to go back and ask, I needed answers. But I knew I couldn't. I didn't know where I was and the heat of the place only made me angrier, because I understood that I couldn't receive the answers I wanted.

I was trapped here, unable to have answers.

"Damn it!"

_______________________

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[EmiyaGRZG]

https://www.patreon.com/HADEZ173

The Beginning of the Adventure (II)

Jon's eyes stared ahead as he used his sword to cut down the large plants and bushes in front of him. His dark grey eyes shone with obvious annoyance. Even though he had decided to move forward so as not to stay in the same place, his mind still wandered off from time to time, thinking about the shocking information he now knew.

All his life he was Jon Snow, but he had just discovered that that was not his real name. Which only raised more unanswered questions.

Was my father Rhaegar Targaryen? Or perhaps Aerys Targaryen? Jon, who didn't even know what to call himself, asked himself many questions. But he knew that there weren't too many Targaryens years before his birth. The mad King and the prince who was his son. There was also Queen Rhaella Targaryen, but he doubted that she was his mother.

Is Lyanna Stark my mother? It was another question that was born in his mind. Everyone knew about what happened with his aunt and Prince Rhaegar, but that would still make him a bastard, if it turned out that those two people were his father and mother.

"Jaehaerys… Jaehaerys Targaryen…" Jon muttered as he snorted a little. "Maybe I'm not a bastard?"

"The system says no lies in my status window, so I…" Jon couldn't help but slightly grit his teeth. Sadly, at that very moment, he had to stop. His thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a large spider web with a huge spider and smaller ones walking across the web formed between various trees, branches, and leaves.

"Gods…" Jon stepped back, a little scared by what he was seeing. That large spider, it wasn't normal. It was the size of a grown man's head, with long black legs and fangs dripping with what could be venom. Jon couldn't help but shiver and tremble a little at the large arachnid. It was disgusting, ugly, dangerous. He just wanted to get away and take another path, which he really did. He didn't want to have those little things crawling all over his body, much less that monstrosity biting his face.

So, slowly backing away and still staring at the web, he began to veer off to another side.

"System, do you know where I am?"

The only response he got, was the quest board window in front of his eyes. Jon stopped and looked, slightly squinting his eyes to read.

[Quest: The Infernal Forest]

[Rank: Iron]

[Description: Many adventures, may take you to unknown and dangerous places. Your mission is to find clues about the unknown place you have been sent to]

[Reward: World Map, Adventurer's Camp Pack]

Jon frowned. The quest he was looking at, didn't seem too difficult. But, if that damn spider was any indication of the dangers that lay in the forest, he was in more danger than he initially thought. If there was a spider that big, then there were probably large snakes as well, after all, it was a forest full of vegetation.

"It seems I can only go forward to find out more," Jon sighed a little before looking to his left and starting to walk. The trees all looked the same. Dark brown trunks and large roots sticking out of the ground, making the path annoying. The large canopies blocked out the sun a bit, but the humidity and heat seemed to get worse as he walked and cut down some large plants and bushes.

As he walked, Jon stopped thinking about his identity, deciding it was best to focus on staying safe and completing the mission. While his identity was something very important to him, he didn't want to die here, completely alone and not knowing where he was. But, that was also the problem. Not knowing where he was, he also didn't know where to go. He had no idea what could be around him.

Jon didn't know how far he had walked, but he continued forward, looking around with a bit of fear, but also at himself. He didn't want a huge spider to fall on his head by surprise.

But, to his surprise and terror, he heard a river. From what they had said when he went hunting with Robb and others, a river could be a good thing if you found it when you were lost. So, it was a surprise to hear a river with water running through it, but that surprise turned into terror when he arrived after walking a few meters. The river did not have clean water, but rather a murky, dirty water, almost like mud. And on the other side, he could see animals he did not know.

All the same, with the only difference that some were larger than others. They were four-legged, with their bellies touching the ground. Their bodies were surrounded by dark green scales and they seemed to be resting on the other side of the river, taking in the sun that reached them.

Jon, for obvious reasons, did not cross or touch the river, he simply walked carefully while looking at the animals on the other side. His side of the river did not seem to have other animals. So, he walked to the left. The water was running in that direction, so there might be an end, a mouth.

But, as he walked, he heard growls. Jon looked to the other side, where he saw two of those animals in what looked like a fight. One of them managed to bite the other, only for it to spin on its body.

Jon's eyes bulged as he saw how the other animal's leg twisted at the sudden and powerful movement. The limb was removed, with what seemed to be the greatest of ease.

"Gods... I better not get any closer," Jon muttered, watching as the injured animal, now without a limb, walked towards the river before sinking into it.

"I really need to find a safe place," as he said that, Jon accelerated his walk as he advanced along one of the banks of the river, holding his sword tightly. And so he continued, walking without stopping, feeling the heat of the sun on him. His steps were firm, until he felt that a few hours had passed. Jon was hungry, thirsty, and exhausted from everything he was going through; physically, from being in a place with conditions he wasn't used to; mentally, from what he had discovered about himself and the thought that he might never be able to get out of the jungle full of dangers.

When Jon wanted to take a break, his eyes saw something that prevented him from doing so. They were pieces of broken and rotten wood. However, it wasn't normal wood he was seeing. The pieces didn't look misshapen and pointed as if they were torn or cut from a tree, but wood that could have been refined into long pieces. Jon immediately ran closer, getting closer to see them better.

The pieces were in the river and on each of the banks. Disordered, broken, but straight. There was mold and grass growing on some that were further into the bank, near the trees. Looking further around, Jon saw nothing else, but this was evidence that there were people in those places.

"Maybe boats?" Jon wondered to himself.

______________________

 

[EmiyaGRZG]

https://www.patreon.com/HADEZ173

Sothoryos (I)

Jon wanted to scream, but he didn't have the strength to do so. After having walked after seeing the wood in the river, he decided to continue on his way, as there was no point in staying in that place, not when he didn't even have the resources to make a small, safe camp. But, his persistence to continue forward, paid off when he found what was left of a small boat. The boat was broken in half, sunken in the river, but with enough to cross to the other side, where the reason for his desire to scream was.

There, before his eyes, was a city. Or rather, the ruins of a city. Stones piled up in what looked like remains of buildings, vegetation growing everywhere, trying to reclaim what was left of the city. Jon didn't even take the time to try to investigate the destroyed boat, he simply carefully jumped between the planks and large pieces buried and sunken, in order to reach the other side.

He didn't know what the city belonged to. It could have been part of a kingdom, or just an ordinary city, that rose up in these parts of the jungle. Jon's hope for finding food remained the same, but this might be enough for him to complete his quest. Those thoughts made him want to scream in relief as he walked towards the ruins, looking curiously at the dirt paths between all the destroyed buildings. That's when he realized that the city, despite having things built out of stone, much of the rest were wooden constructions.

There was no evidence of people, not even bones. It was just a ruined city. But, a little further away, he could see what was left of a wall.

[Quest: The Infernal Forest]

[Rank: Iron]

[Quest Completed!]

The system window appeared in front of Jon's eyes, only for another window to appear, with the rewards. Jon, happy to have completed the quest, thought of storage to open said system window and look at his rewards.

The first thing he saw was a drawing of a package and when he thought about it, a description appeared.

[Adventurer's Camping Pack: Contains the essentials to set up a camp and survive for several days]

[▪ Tent]

[▪ Sleeping bag]

[▪ Lighter]

[▪ Several cans of food]

[▪ Small box of medicine]

[Map of the known and unknown world: It is a map of the entire world and shows you where you are at all times]

Jon inhaled deeply before taking out the map. He was hungry and tired, but he wanted to know where he was, he needed it. The map appeared in his hand out of nowhere and Jon carefully opened it. His eyes first went towards Westeros, then through Essos, until he saw a red dot indicating his position with the words "you are here."

"Sothoryos..." Jon muttered as he read the name, but there was also another name right above the dot of his location.

"Zamettar... I don't know anything about that. But I do remember Maester Luwin talking a bit about Sothoryos. I think it was the place Princess Nymeria passed through, long before she came to Dorne," Jon thought, nervous about his chances of returning to his old life.

Swallowing hard, Jon saved the map to the system storage, so he could get a better look at the ruins. He had a lot to think about and needed to rest, so he decided to look for some structure that was relatively in good condition. After doing that, which took several minutes, he went to get some wood around him, so he could make a good fire.

. . .

Looking up at the holey ceiling, Jon was inside his sleeping bag, leaving only his face visible. He was warm and had done the right thing in creating a fire, as the night was indeed cold. But, while he was not cold thanks to completing his first quest, his mind was flooded with things.

After he had created a fire, he pulled out a can of food out of curiosity. The can had instructions on it, so he placed it on the fire for a few minutes, before he opened it and ate some meat and vegetables. It was quite delicious in his opinion, but while he was doing that, he also checked the map.

Jon thought Westeros was big, while Essos was bigger, from what little he knew. But when he looked at the map, he was surprised by how big the world was. Sothoryos, the place he was in, was equal to or bigger than Essos. From what was on the large scroll, Sothoryos was a gigantic piece of land painted green with many rivers. North of where he stood was the Summer Sea, and to the west were the Summer Isles. And beyond that, the Sunset Sea.

South of where he stood was all of Sothoryos. To the east was a land called Ulthos, connected to Sothoryos. But that wasn't all, further east was yet another gigantic piece of land divided by a great sea.

It was so much. And that wasn't even counting the shadowlands, Yi Ti, Mussovy, The Thousand Islands, Ibben; there were so many things he'd never heard of, that Jon felt small. In the face of the gigantic world, he seemed like just an ant that could be crushed at any moment.

The ceiling, dirty and full of openings, didn't matter to Jon. His eyes were fixed there, but his mind was thinking, spinning through every new or old thing that passed through his head. He was still afraid of all the unknown that could be surrounding him right now. But for a moment, just a few seconds, he felt excited. A feeling that came from the possibility of a new life. Not as a bastard, not as someone unwanted by almost everyone, but for a life that he could say was his.

And as he thought of everything and nothing, his eyelids moved involuntarily as sleep had come to claim his consciousness.

That night, Jon dreamed. A dream of immense forests plagued by dangerous beasts and death at every inch. He dreamed of a different forest, a peaceful, beautiful and quiet one, full of life and countless stories.

_____________________

 

[EmiyaGRZG]

https://www.patreon.com/HADEZ173

The North - Eddard Stark (I)

Lord Eddard Stark, the Lord of Winterfall and Warden of the North; an honorable and generally quiet man. Many said he was a man of few words. And that might be true, especially in the current times he was living in. Sitting in his solar, with his elbows on his table and his hands on his forehead, gently gripping the locks of his hair. His eyes were fixed on the table as he thought about everything that had happened recently.

He had lost a son... No, he had lost a nephew.

Jon Snow, the boy he had raised as a son, disappeared a moon ago.

He had searched for him, he really had. He sent out search parties across most of the North. He asked his bannermen to please look for or send a raven if they saw Jon, but nothing happened, nothing to indicate that Jon had passed near the different territories of the North. It was as if he had vanished from one day to the next.

Her other children were sad since they found out, or most of them. The angriest, of course, was Arya, her youngest daughter. The little wolf had been sad and confused about Jon's loss, but then it turned to rage when she heard her mother feeling relieved about not having the bastard, as she called him, around. And if that wasn't enough, even Robb, her eldest son, felt angry at his mother.

Days passed before the cold and sad atmosphere dissipated a bit. Two of her children didn't talk to their mother for days, while he had to try to find Jon. Things weren't as simple as everyone thought. Nothing was simple. Things always tended to be complicated, much more than others could think.

Jon wasn't her son, but she raised him as if he were her own.

He was the beloved son of her sister, Lyanna Stark.

"Lyanna, I'm sorry... I'm really sorry," Ned murmured as he closed his eyes, thinking of his sister. At that specific moment, when they were in the tower, with her close to death.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door to his solar. Three knocks were heard.

Ned gritted his teeth slightly before sighing and running his hands over his face.

"Come in."

The door softly opened, revealing an old man.

"Luwin... Did something happen?"

"A letter, my lord. A raven from King's Landing."

Ned blinked before gesturing with his hand, tacitly indicating for Luwin to come closer and deliver the letter. The man did exactly that, but he noticed Ned's face, which had turned pale as he read the letter. Before, it was already pale from everything that had happened in thirty days, but now it worsened as he read.

"My lord?"

"It's the King... The King is coming, and he's coming to Winterfell."

Luwin's eyebrows rose, only for him to frown a few seconds later.

"This can't be good. The plan..."

"This is beyond bad, Luwin," Ned gritted his teeth tightly, trying to quell the fear that was growing and settling in his chest. He had been through many kinds of situations in his life, but this was different. This wasn't just about him, but about his family, the North, and the entirety of the kingdoms.

For the first time in a long time, a terrible fear appeared within him. It was so much, that he even felt like vomiting.

"Luwin, you will begin the preparations."

"Understood. But, my lord, isn't it better to speak the truth with your family?"

Ned looked at him harshly.

"What makes you think that's a good idea?"

"You never mention that it was a good idea. I said it would be better. My lord, with all due respect, I think it's better that your family, especially your wife, learn the truth from your own words."

"My job... the job you entrusted me with... Jon's true identity. The latter, is something you promised in secret, for the stability of the realm, for the future of the realms. To have insurance in case everything went downhill even more than it already was twelve years ago."

Luwin looked seriously at Ned as he spoke, while the lord of Winterfell listened attentively, before placing a grimace on his face.

"I don't think what he did was a mistake. I don't think what happened is his fault either.

"They'll see it as my mistake, Luwin."

"Perhaps," the maester nodded, only to continue, "But everything is too strange. Nothing in his room was different. There were no signs of a struggle, not even traces of blood, hair, or cloth. Just an empty room, as if no one had entered."

"No horses, weapons, or supplies are missing either. It's like he's vanished."

"No one is perfect and smart enough to steal a person without leaving evidence, not when it comes to a fortress like Winterfell."

"These are difficult things to explain to the King, but they are still evidence of how strange this all is."

Ned sighed a little as he stood up.

"I'll go think a bit in the godswood."

Luwin nodded, before retreating, right behind Ned. The door to his solar was closed by the Maester, as he walked towards the godswood.

_ _ _

Sitting on a rock, next to the heart tree, Ned stared at the small pool of black water. The light breeze touched his cheeks like a caress while the rustling of the leaves filled his ears, almost like tiny murmurs.

Ned's hand went to his jaw, lightly running through his beard, trying to calm his spirits.

He had no words to describe what had happened with Jon. He didn't know how to make her understand that everything had been too strange.

"Ned?"

Lifting his head, a little startled by the voice that reached his ears, Ned saw his wife walking towards him, slowly, with her dress being slightly dragged along the ground. Catelyn, with her red hair over her shoulders and her eyes shining with concern, approached her husband.

"Cat... Did something happen?"

"Besides the King being on his way? I don't know," Catelyn said quietly, looking at Ned's pale face. He was almost white, as if all the blood had been drained from his face.

"Are you worried about the King visiting?"

"I'm worried about the King, Cat. I'm worried about his family. And I'm worried about Jon, too, and many other things."

Catelyn frowned.

"Shouldn't this be good? The King is coming to visit, husband."

Ned laughed, a laugh without any humor, almost hollow.

"The King is coming, as is winter. And I'm sure winter will be much more pleasant than the King's anger, when he finds out that I lost his son."

"I said it... Just like that, as if it were nothing...", Ned thought, raising his gaze from the pond, only to meet his husband's bewildered look, which then changed to an expression as if he understood something, only to end with a face that looked worried, angry and scared. It was a mix of emotions and thoughts marked on his face, which hurt Ned's heart.

"You lied to me... You lied to everyone..."

"It was a secret. It was supposed to stay that way until this moment, when the King comes to tell her the whole truth face to face. It was a promise to my sister, when she thought she was about to die, when she herself thought she would not be able to see another day and she was scared, full of fear of not being able to live."

"It was a secret to... maintain the stability of the kingdoms, Catelyn."

"I don't understand. What does the identity of that... Jon have to do with it?"

"Do you think Dorne would be calm knowing that my sister had Rhaegar's child?" Ned snorted, a little angry.

"They would fight, they would plan, they would do whatever it took to have his blood on that throne of swords. And when we all thought Rhaegar would lose, he ended up winning the war. My sister, who almost died, ended up in bed for days on end, unable to get up. Not even able to hold her son in her arms, because she knew he was in danger."

"What do you think would have happened if Lyanna had died, leaving Jon in that nest of rats and vipers that is the capital?"

"At the end of the war, when Aerys lay on the ground, in a pool of his own blood, when Queen Elia was beaten, almost raped and killed by one of the Lannister men... After all that, do you really think there was a chance my sister's son would stay safe?"

Ned gritted his teeth and turned his gaze to the pool of black water.

"Hence the secret. Rhaegar didn't just want his son safe, he also wanted the throne to have a lock, in the form of Jon. If things didn't calm down, if everything fell apart again, then Jon would have certain things to choose from. He could go to the Wall if that was what he wanted, or he could be a squire. Maybe be raised in a northern house. Or he could even fight for the throne. But at least Jon would be alive to try those things."

"And now... I have no idea how to explain his disappearance."

Catelyn stood there, fists clenching parts of her dress, staring at her husband, not even knowing how to respond to all the information given.

"The worst of it all is that they might already know."

"How? How could they know?"

"Some little birds are probably singing."

"Varys," Catelyn declared, almost growling, something unnatural for her.

The two were silent for a few moments, before Ned felt his husband's arms around his body.

"We'll get through this, Ned. I'm sure."

"I hope so, Cat. I hope so."

__________________________________

https://www.patreon.com/HADEZ173

 

[EmiyaGRZG]

https://www.patreon.com/HADEZ173

Sothoryos (II)




Sitting in a dark room, with only a campfire lighting the place, Jon let out a grunt of pain as he bit down on a small piece of wood. He had his left arm slightly extended as he tightly gripped the bandage he had placed on a wound along his forearm.




It had been a little over a moon (30 days) since he arrived in Sothoryos. Things had gotten worse than he imagined as he made his way south. It wasn't just insects and arachnids, or crocodiles, as he now knew the four-legged, green-scaled beasts were called. The rivers were infested with carnivorous fish that could eat the flesh of a grown man in just minutes. There were poisonous plants and also huge snakes, capable of swallowing even a crocodile.




Worst of all, the place he was currently staying in was evil. Jon didn't know what had led to this city turning into ruins, but he felt bad. The entire city was built of some kind of oily black stone, unpleasant to the touch, in pieces so large that it would take an elephant to move them.




The Forest hadn't even come close to the place. The trees surrounding the city looked dead; the color of ash and wrinkled, as if they would actually turn to ash with a single touch.




The only thing Jon could take away and say that was good about his current adventure, was that he now had a better understanding of how the system worked, in addition to the rewards he had obtained for some missions throughout these days.




Two days after finishing his first mission, he took another one, where he had to kill ten creatures from the jungles of Sothoryos within a period of ten days. It could be a spider, a crocodile, even a fish. It just had to be a creature. What he received as a reward, was a book that detailed a lot of animals, even with very well-made drawings. Thanks to that, he was able to identify crocodiles and fish, which were called piranhas.




Jon's next quest, occurred three days later, when he had rested so he could continue. His quest was about finding more clues about Sothoryos, and was completed upon reaching the next ruined city, where he was currently staying. The name of the place was Yeen, according to his reward, which was a small book containing more information about Sothoryos.




And the quest that gave Jon the wound, was about hunting a special beast. It was not like any other. Similar to a lizard, but it walked on its hind legs. It was a beast that could run quite fast and seemed to have scythes like claws on those hind legs.




If it weren't for him having a good sword at hand, he may have ended up dead.




Finishing with his bandages, Jon cradled his left arm a little as he felt sweat run down his forehead.




"That was really close…" he muttered, breathing easier as he watched the fire in his campfire, while heating up some canned meat and vegetables. He still had three more cans left from his previous bounty.




"But this place still feels off," Jon looked around, staring at the black walls that seemed to drip from the heat of the fire. But it wasn't water that was slowly trickling down, rather it looked like dark blood, as if the walls themselves were bleeding. It was eerie, even terrifying given the silence around the ruins, but it was the only place that could be called safe outside of the horrendous jungle.




"Open the quest board."




The aforementioned window appeared in front of Jon when he asked for it.




[Quest: Hunt for a dangerous beast]




[Rank: Iron]




[Completed!]




[Reward: Strengthening potion]




Jon nodded and went to the storage, to see a purple potion inside.




[Strengthening potion: Special concoction created to increase strength and endurance. Invented by a long-lived race. Warning: can only be drunk once in a lifetime.]




Jon wasted no time in taking out the potion and drinking it. After that, he thought about his status window and looked when it appeared.




Name: Jaehaerys Targaryen (Jon Snow).




Age: 12




Rank: Iron.




Strength: F ➡ E




Agility: F




Stamina: F ➡ E




Dexterity: E




Mind: E




- - -




Special traits:




[Targaryen blood]




▪ Minor resistance to fire.




▪ Greater affinity with dragons.




▪ Affinity for blood magic and fire magic.




[Blood of the First Men]




▪ Skinchanger.




▪ Greater affinity with wolves.




"My strength and stamina increased. That potion really is like magic," Jon smiled, his spirits a little better. His wound hadn't recovered, but it hurt less. The relief of seeing that he was a little stronger made him forget the dangers that surrounded him. Tomorrow he would go out again, but for now, he was calm by not thinking about too many things.




But, seeing his increased strength and stamina also made him think about how much stronger he could become if he could just keep going. According to the system, an F rank meant the aptitude of a man. Now that Jon had an E rank in strength and stamina, it meant he had the ability to compare to two men. The only exception was the mind, which increased as long as you could learn new things and reflect in a certain way. If he could increase that attribute, it could help him think faster and more accurately, as well as increase the power of his magic, should he learn anything.




Jon shook his head a little, deciding to stop thinking too much about things and take the can carefully, so he could open it without burning himself. After that, he let the food cool down a little, since he didn't have any utensils to eat with, so he used his hands for that. Although, with the dirty hands he had now, he would probably have to shove the food directly into his mouth.




While the food cooled down a little, Jon took out his book about the beasts of the world, to read a little. The best thing he could do to not think about things that bothered him, was to study a little, so he could survive.




He had already read a little before, so he left the tip of a folded page as a bookmark and started from there. When he saw the image of a spider, he noticed that it was just like the arachnid he had already seen on his first day.




"Giant black poison spider," Jon read, before reading its description. "A spider the size of a man's head, black in color and with long legs. It is an extremely aggressive and poisonous creature. Its name comes from its size and its lethal venom. When a person is bitten, it will leave small stains, similar to drops of ink. Within a minute, the bitten part will begin to turn black. Within five minutes, all sensitivity and mobility will be lost, while the skin and muscles will begin to rot from where the bite is located."




Jon swallowed hard, relieved to have gotten away at that moment. Only now did he understand the real danger that spider was.




"This place is full of dangers... I want to end all this," Jon leaned against the black wall and turned to the next page, where he saw another spider, but it seemed smaller and with hairs around its body. It was a blood red color.




"Blood Tarantula: A ferocious arachnid the color of blood. This spider can grow to be similar in size to the Giant Black Venom Spider, but unlike the latter, the Blood Tarantula has no venom. However, this detail does not make it any less dangerous, as they will eat anything that has blood on it. They can be more terrifying, as they will first feast on the blood of their prey, creating nests inside their bodies. And when there is not even a single drop of blood left, they will start eating the flesh."




"For the love of all the gods. I prefer thousands of those fast lizards than these things," Jon had his eyes wide open as he looked at the drawing of the red spider.




Jon sighed a little and felt his can of food, then took it with a little force and began to put some food in his mouth. He did it carefully, because he did not want the meat to fall to the floor or on his clothes.




When the food was all gone in his stomach, Jon let out a breath of warm air, satisfied that he could eat something. After that, he pulled back his sleeping bag to sleep. And just like at the beginning of his journey, he found himself in the land of dreams. But this was different. He could smell blood and death. He saw shadows and what looked like obscene and terrifying rituals.




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Sothoryos (III)




Jon's eyes were intently watching a group of large, furry, black animals. Standing behind a tree, he looked carefully, not wanting to get closer. It was the first time he had seen them, but after reading the book on animals, he knew what they were. Gorillas, large and strong. There were some sitting, others walking and seeming to be playing with some smaller ones.




Jon knew they could be dangerous, but compared to other animals, these could be the least aggressive that exist in Sothoryos. Between poisonous, blood-drinking spiders, snakes capable of swallowing a grown man, bipedal lizards with scythes for claws, and carnivorous fish, these gorillas could actually be considered friendly. Of course, Jon had no intention of attacking them or getting close. Walking carefully to make as little noise as possible, he deviated from his path to pass by the sides of what looked like the home of that group of gorillas.




And as he headed south, Jon felt the weight on his shoulders lessen. Yeen, the ruined city created from that black, oily stone, really did feel evil to him. There were times when he felt suffocated, even spied on. But, as the place no one and nothing seemed to approach, it turned out to be the safest place to rest.




Jon didn't know much about Sothoryos. And that bit of information came from the thin book he got as a reward for one of his quests. There were several places described in the book, Yeen being just one of them. Further south, where he was headed, was the Green Hell, a part of Sothoryos, where the worst and most dangerous creatures were found: white vampire bats, tattooed lizards with large claws, which he had already encountered, much larger anacondas, even Wyverns.




But he had a reason to travel south, since far below in the world, there was what the book mentioned as a safe land: The lands of eternal spring, where beasts and plagues never touched anything. Although, to achieve that, he would also have to pass through a place called Ah'Kizin.




With his sword in hand and prepared to reach safe land, Jon moved forward at a faster pace. The jungle, with all its obstacles, was no longer so difficult for Jon. He had to remain aware of the dangers around him, but he walked with greater confidence. And although sweat began to rise from his body and fill his body. Despite feeling thirsty, he did not drink from the water he had in his storage. He tried to save as much of the water he had gained from his camping pack from the adventurer that came along with the food, because drinking from the rivers was a death sentence.




And for that reason, he had to hurry. Quests did not appear every day. And he did not know when he would be able to have food and water once again. But the deeper he went, the more he advanced and traveled through the day, the environment began to change. The jungle, thick, dangerous and untamed, was still the same. But, the feeling was not. The sounds began to fade away, almost as if every animal and insect did not exist.




The shadows that created the sunset seemed to lengthen and move on their own, as if they were alive. Then, out of nowhere, without warning, rain fell from the sky. With his eyes wide open, Jon looked up, seeing that there were a bunch of clouds blocking the sky.




"When...?" Jon was speechless. He didn't understand how the sky had filled with clouds so quickly. It didn't make sense. Not to him. That's when he ran, trying to find something where he could hide from the rain, but as he ran a smell hit his nose.




Jon hunched over, almost as if he had been hit in the stomach. His mouth opened wide and he vomited hard. A mixture of food and bile had been expelled as a putrid smell reached him.




Blood, rot, death, ash and fire. It had all been felt by Jon as his eyes filled with tears, as he vomited once more and fell to one knee on the wet ground.




"W- What the hell...? How can something like that exist? Not even rotten meat can smell like that," Jon said, getting up from the ground as he tried to grip his sword tightly. And that was what saved him, as a shadow jumped at him. If he hadn't gotten up, he would have been thrown hard to the ground, but he had managed to move when he saw something in the side of his vision. And out of pure fear and instinct, he moved his sword, feeling it cut into something heavy and large.




Jon's head snapped to his right as he turned his body a little, now looking at what could have killed him. It was a huge cat, but not quite. Its size was similar to a wolf, but a little longer and black in color. The animal had a large cut on one of its sides.




Jon took a step back as the animal screamed and jumped.




This time, Jon didn't dodge, but slashed straight ahead. His sword cut off the animal's head, but the claws still moved, cutting into its shoulders. The leather parts of his gear tore, leaving marks as they were stained with blood.




"Agh!" Jon screamed and immediately backed away, staring in disbelief at the thing still not dying. The head had an obvious wound, revealing the skull. Its eyes had swerved and nearly popped out of their sockets, as blood poured out.




A scream was heard, followed by another, for a third to echo a second later. Jon's eyes bulged as he moved to the other side, looking at what looked like three tall men running towards him.




Once again, that putrid smell hit Jon's nose.




"Who are they? Why are they attacking me?!"




All he got in response were screams and words that made no sense. To Jon, it sounded like a bunch of jumbled, meaningless letters.




Gripping his sword tightly, using both hands, Jon looked at the appearances of these men. Jon realized when he looked closer, they didn't look like normal people, they were more like half-pig, half-human creatures. Large, muscular bones, not men, with long arms, sloping foreheads, huge square teeth, heavy jaws, coarse black hair, flat noses that look like snouts, and thick skins mottled in brown and white patterns.




All three wore what looked like worn, dirty, old leather skirts. They had necklaces of bones; teeth, more specifically. One of them was even wearing a head of the same animal he just fought, as if it were a hat. This one was holding a staff of bones, with a red skull on the top end.




Jon slowly backed away, noticing that these were the reason for the smell. Standing in front of the trio, it made him feel sick. He wanted to vomit. He needed to wash his face to try and get the smell out.




That same man with the staff, shouted something, causing another of the shoulders to kneel. What the apparent leader did, shocked, angered and terrified Jon. Taking his staff, he slammed hard on his companion's head, breaking his head in one attempt.




Jon was about to scream, forgetting for a moment that they didn't understand each other. But even remembering that a second later, what made his mouth close, was seeing the blood spilled on the ground, moving as if it had life. The huge, dark cat; the beast he fought for a few seconds, roared as blood entered its wounds. Blood all over the ground, from the animal itself and from the recently dead man, entered its wounds. His eyes turned red, scarlet, like two rubies, beautiful and terrifying. But still, his wounds did not heal, he still looked half dead.




"By all the gods..." Jon muttered, frightened by what was happening.




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[EmiyaGRZG]

Sothoryos (IV)




The rain was falling from the sky with force, the ground that was once firm was now slippery and almost muddy. Large and small puddles formed everywhere. Jon ran with all his might while looking back at his pursuers, who did not seem to tire.




He had never seen magic before, even the stories of Maester Luwin or old Nan could not compare to seeing real magic. And this could be the worst. The smell of blood, death and rot, plus the way that animal seemed stronger, made Jon think that an evil magic had been used.




For that reason, he decided to run. He did not know what else they could do with magic, so fighting could be more dangerous than running, at least in his mind. The reality was different, as he felt himself being thrown to the ground when they hit his back. Jon screamed in pain as he hit and rolled on the ground. His black hair was filled with mud, as was one side of his face. The pain in his back felt like he had been hit with a mallet, while his shoulders burned from the wounds caused earlier by the panther.




Without his sword, Jon knelt down before drawing his dagger, looking at the panther, who had launched himself at him. The bright, yet terrifying red eyes stared back at him. That gaze was intelligent, almost as if they were not those of a beast.




"Grr~...", growling, the panther slowly advanced, taking cautious steps as it began to circle Jon.




Jon backed away, so as not to be between the panther and the other two men who might be nearby. However, he felt himself being grabbed. A dark-skinned arm clung to his neck as it growled and spoke to the side, from where the man who seemed to be the leader appeared.




"How come I didn't hear them? It's raining hard, but the footsteps can still be heard. I could hear my own, even the animal's..." Jon thought, alarmed.




"They'll kill me!"




Fear flooded through Jon's body as he raised his hand and used his dagger to stab the arm that was choking him. The man screamed, but didn't let go. Then, he struck once more with the dagger. Then, a third time, to get to a fourth, where he was pushed forward.




Jon ignored the foul smell coming from the blood on the shoulder and turned away, running once more.




[Emergency Quest: Blood Mage]




[Rank: Copper]




[Defeat the Blood Mage and his followers]




[Reward: Healing Potion, a random weapon]




"What?!" Jon shouted, confused and angry. He didn't know something like this could happen. He thought he had understood the system and that only he could choose the quests.




[Quests are not mandatory. The host could run away if he wanted to.]




Jon gritted his teeth. The quest was dangerous, the most dangerous he had seen so far. But he had already been injured, his shoulders ached and he still wouldn't stop bleeding, from what he could feel. If he didn't heal soon, the danger would increase exponentially.




Roaring angrily at the situation he was in, Jon turned around and leapt with all the strength he could muster. The panther, following close behind, crashed into him, but neither fell. Brandishing his dagger, Jon struck again and again. He could smell his own fear as he used his weapon to stab again and again while using his other hand to hold the animal. He didn't even feel the claws scratching at his shoulders and arms. He just focused on attacking as he screamed.




As he fell forward, mud and water from the ground splashed to the sides. Jon looked at the animal on the ground, not moving, as blood poured from its body like small, thin waterfalls, staining the ground red. When he realized he had actually killed it, he looked up.




What he saw was a red skull in front of his eyes.




The world spun before Jon's eyes. He had barely realized that he had fallen on his back from the blow. Suddenly, the world became strange. He was dizzy, in pain, so things seemed to spin, but he also saw one side in red.




Then, just a few seconds later, he felt a squeeze on his neck. The man who didn't look like a man at all, whom he had stabbed in the arm a little while ago, was choking him. It was terrifying. Jon felt himself slowly running out of air, while his enemy smiled, showing his crooked, yellow, some even black teeth. His eyes showed madness and bloodlust. To Jon's eyes, it was a truly terrifying sight, especially because of the blood that had entered one of his eyes from the wound that opened on his eyebrow.




Trying to fight, Jon moved his arms. When he felt one hand loosen, he felt a little relief, but that didn't last long, because he received a punch to the face, then another. Blood came out of his nose and lips, while he felt the cold rain and mud staining his entire body.




Moving one arm, he struck with everything he could. The man growled when he felt Jon's fist on his chin. Then, his head moved up, pushed by Jon's hand, only to be hit with his other fist. At that moment, Jon crawled up and kicked, pushing the man away and retrieving his dagger.




He tried to stand up, but he was in pain. He was dizzy, staring at the two men. And he didn't understand why the wizard didn't use more magic. He didn't understand why he didn't come closer, like when he hit him. And instead, he pointed his staff at him and said something he didn't understand.




Jon simply tightened his hand on the dagger, expecting to be attacked once more. And so he was, as the wounded guy ran towards him. Jon fell again, but he expected it. His sword hurt when his back hit the ground, but he moved his hand immediately. His right hand, holding his dagger, pierced the man's side. A scream finally came out of the wretch's mouth.




Feeling the vengeance in that movement, Jon twisted the dagger before using all his strength to go deeper. The large body on top of him fell to the side as he tried to pull out the dagger, but Jon's hand didn't move and he twisted harder, before pulling the dagger back and stabbing into the head, right through one of the dark eyes.




Blood splattered a bit, growls came at the same time as the nearly naked man's entire body spasmed before going still. Letting out a guttural, almost animalistic growl, Jon turned his gaze towards the last enemy he had to kill.




"You wretched son of a bitch... Since you want to kill me, come!" Jon said with rage and hatred, but the man didn't respond. Regardless of the different languages, he simply received a stoic look. He didn't move, he simply stared.




Lifting his body off the ground, Jon staggered as he felt like he could fall at any moment. He didn't notice the blood on the ground, which moved like worms. He just walked towards the man. He had his eyes set on his enemy, on the reason for his possible death. For Jon, his goal was only to kill and nothing else. If he didn't kill, he couldn't live. And if he couldn't live, everything would have been useless.




The absurd situation he wanted out of, his true identity that had been discovered not long ago. And also, most importantly for him, a future that truly belonged to him. He had finally seen a way out of his meaningless life; he had found the light at the end of the dark path that was his life.




So focused and angry, Jon screamed as he felt his limbs being bound by blood. His last enemy, at that very moment, finally reacted. His lips moved slowly as he showed his ugly faces, in a disgusting smile of victory. And step by step, he approached Jon.




Watching with his reddened eyes, Jon stirred as he growled like an animal. The man smiled even more strongly and moved closer to Jon's bloody face, sticking out his tongue to taste his blood. However, it was impossible as a headbutt sent him reeling back.




"Aaaah!" Jon screamed as he felt his bonds falter. He jumped with all his might, causing the blood holding him to splatter. He didn't pick up his dagger that had fallen when he was held, but he pushed the blood mage hard before striking with a punch. And from there, he didn't stop. Releasing all the emotions contained in his heart, he struck without stopping, again and again. His knuckles bled and peeled, he felt the pain in the bones of his entire body and he tasted his own rage and the mage's fear.




In the rain, Jon was freeing himself from the fear caused by being hunted and almost killed. The bewilderment he felt about his future was fading with the release of his rage. When he finished, he stepped back a little as he looked up at the sky, feeling the burning of his knuckles and all his wounds. The tears were hidden by the drops of water that hit his face.




When he finally looked down, seeing the shattered and sunken face of the enemy, the quest window appeared, granting his reward.




Jon stood up, looking at all the blood; the puddles of water, now blood. He stopped for a few moments to observe everything, then began to walk to another place, leaving the bodies behind.




The rain did not stop in the slightest, further cooling Jon's body.




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[EmiyaGRZG]

Sothoryos V













Staring at the fire in front of him, Jon hugged his body from the cold. The rain had stopped and daylight had come, but it was still cold, especially from how wet he had gotten yesterday.













After his fight to the death with the inhabitants of the lands of Sothoryos, Jon left the place while taking the potion he got as a reward. The pain had started to subside since then, but it never completely went away. His wounds stopped bleeding and he felt nothing from the loss of blood, probably because of the potion. But, still, every wound he had suffered, left his body delicate and scarred. Now, Jon had a scar on his eyebrow, where the skin had split open when he was hit with the skull staff; the wound had been uneven, leaving a mark diagonally across Jon's eyebrow. On both shoulders, he now had claw marks, with his right shoulder being the one that looked the most injured, with the marks reaching almost to his chest.













If it hadn't been for the potion, then he would have likely died. The decision he had made to accept the mission was the right one.













After that, with the rain still on him, he tried to create a small shelter with sticks and large leaves. But he couldn't make a fire until near dawn, when the rain stopped. And, even then, it was a bit complicated because of how wet everything was.













Now he was naked, dry but naked and inside his sleeping bag, trying to gain a little more heat. The little food he had had, had been a relief, as had the water. But now, he probably needed more, since it would only last one more day.













But, with everything that had happened, he felt different. He didn't feel pity for those he killed, since they wanted his life. However, he felt light. A little empty, but free. All the fear he had felt for his future and his life for years, was released when he cried and screamed.













But now, that he was alone and with a feeling of liberation, some questions arose in Jon's mind.













Was it okay to continue on his way? There were possibilities to go back, try to build a boat and sail to the Basilisk Islands. He could also go to Gorosh, to the north and much closer to civilization, on the island of Great Moraq. If he managed to get there, he could go to Qarth, in Essos. That way, he would be in civilization, much closer to Westeros. He was in danger from the slavers of Essos, but it would be much better than the more unknown and dangerous Sothoryos.













But there were his doubts again. What would he do when he reached Essos? If he managed that feat. Travel to Westeros? What would he do there? Continue as a bastard? Or perhaps try to tell the truth about his identity?













If he headed south, he could find the lands of eternal spring, a safe place according to the book of Sothoryos he had. But, once again, what would he do there? Live until his death in that place?













In the end, no matter what he did, his paths were full of doubt and uncertainty.













Part of him wanted to go back, to meet his brothers and face the man who raised him. The other part of him wanted to continue south, trying to find a greater meaning in his life.













Deep in thought, Jon frowned as the system window appeared. He was about to dismiss it and move it out of sight, but stopped when the window this time was different than any other.













The color was brighter, surrounded by frames of a metallic bronze color.













[You have completed a quest above your rank.]













[You have been awarded a merit point!]













[Do you want to increase your rank?]













[Requirements for rank increase: 5 quests (Four normal and one above your rank)]













Jon frowned slightly, before deciding to accept.













The window glowed for a moment, before more words appeared.













[You have been promoted to bronze rank.]













[The rank of your mental attribute has increased (F ➡ E)].













[The paths have been unlocked. Do you want to learn more about the different paths?]













"Paths?" Jon wondered, now curious. The system had never mentioned something like that.













"Was it only accessible by increasing my rank? If that's the case, then it should have its benefits. Okay, tell me more about these paths."













[Upon reaching Bronze rank, the adventurer (Host) can undergo a blessing to obtain the path of their choice. Each path is a route for the adventurer (Host)].













[Once the choice is made, there is no turning back].













[The different paths will be explained below].













- - -













[Knight]













[A combatant focused on close-range battles, capable of using a variety of weapons and protecting allies. A shining knight of justice]













[Special Skill - Defender's Sword: Increases the damage of your attacks while protecting an ally]













[Swordsman]













[A close-range combatant, with unparalleled skill in swords. He cuts through everything in his path to victory]













[Special Skill - Fierce Slash: Cast aside all defense to execute a deadly blow]













[Assassin]













[A combatant of cunning and stealth. [Special Skill - Cloak of Shadows: You become one with the shadows]













[Mage]













[A scholar of arcane knowledge and arts, decimating the enemy at medium and long distances with his powerful spells]













[Special Skill - Arcane Blast: Charges and launches a blast of magic]













[Cleric]













[The adventurer of support and healing. As long as a cleric exists at your side, dying will be a bit of a task, even if that is what you wish for]













[Special Skill - Quick Healing: A spell capable of healing minor wounds]













[Hunter]













[The combatant skilled in hunting animals and master of archery. There is nothing that does not escape the eyes of a hunter]













[Special Skill - Eagle Eye: Allows you to see at long distances]













- - -













Jon blinked at the different paths. They all had their advantages, as the system said. Still, Jon ruled out the path of the cleric and the path of the assassin, almost in the blink of an eye. It didn't feel right to him. The wizard looked nice, but he wasn't entirely convinced. He knew from experience how dangerous magic could be, but it still didn't feel right to him. Ever since he started training in combat, it was always with a sword or a bow. He was used to those weapons.













For that reason, he chose knight. The swordsman, who seemed to leave his defense aside, sounded dangerous. Deadly, but certainly dangerous. And as for the hunter, he sounded tempting, especially with that ability to see long distances, but he preferred a sword.













[The knight path has been chosen]













[From now on, every time the adventurer (host) rank increases, you will be able to choose and obtain a new skill]













[Depending on the skills, there is a chance that the path will undergo changes and evolve]













Jon understood and was about to open his status, but he felt his body relax. He noticed that his body was glowing. Closing his eyes, Jon focused on the warmth surrounding his body, similar to being submerged in water; not too hot, but not too cold either. It was as if he was at the perfect temperature. He felt relaxed, almost rejuvenated as he carefully dropped onto his back.













His scars had not disappeared the moment he stopped feeling well, nor did the slight pain and discomfort from his wounds seem to fade, but he no longer felt cold.













When he opened his eyes, he looked at his status window.













________













Name: Jaehaerys Targaryen (Jon Snow).













Age: 12













Rank: Bronze













Path: Knight













Strength: E ➡ D













Agility: F ➡ E













Toughness: E ➡ D













Dexterity: E ➡ D













Mind: E ➡ D













- - -













Special Traits:













[Targaryen Blood]













▪ Minor resistance to fire.













▪ Greater affinity with dragons.













▪ Affinity towards blood magic and fire magic.













[Blood of the First Men]













▪ Skinchanger.













▪ Greater affinity with wolves.













[Knight Skill]













▪ Defender's Blade: Increases the damage of your attacks while you're protecting an ally













________













"Impressive... All my attributes increased," Jon muttered, delighted to see the result of choosing an adventuring path. All of his doubts had ceased for a moment, thinking only of the system and its attributes.













"System, now that I have D-rank attributes, it means that I have the strength, endurance, and dexterity of three men, right?"













[Negative. D-rank refers to the power of four men. Each rank has its specific upgrade requirements. Since copper rank is the second lowest, it is not that difficult to achieve. The further you advance, the more difficult it will be.]













"So, what does it take to advance in rank once again?"













[Silver Rank Requirements: Twelve quests (ten normal and two above your rank), have all attributes at C]













Jon's eyes widened, a little nervous. He had really been wrong when he thought he fully understood the adventurer's help system.













"How do I increase my attribute ranks?"













[Special rituals, potions, or the more normal way: training]













"There's no way that with training alone I can achieve the strength of eight men," Jon said in disbelief.













[The adventurer's (host) attributes have increased, so he is able to achieve things that others cannot. For most people in the world, rank E is the limit. Some are lucky enough to be born with better bodies, so they can reach an equivalent of rank D.]













[With the adventurer's help system, the limits of your body have disappeared. [So, training, can cause an increase in attributes]













"I see..." Jon sighed a little, relieved after hearing the system's explanation.













Getting up, he put on his clothes. They were a little torn, as well as dirty, but he had nothing else on them. Soon, he frowned, noticing that he had lost his weapons. He had wandered away from the place, leaving his weapons in the middle of the jungle. And when he opened his storage, he found his shield, which he had completely forgotten about. But there was also a new weapon; the one he received as a reward from the recent quest. It was a silver-colored sword.













When Jon took the weapon out of storage, it appeared in his hand. It was lighter than his previous sword, but a bit larger. Perhaps it was due to the increase in his attributes, but he had no problem holding it with one hand. The weapon had no fancy decorations, just a normal bastard sword.













"This will do," Jon said before using his foot to throw dirt into the campfire, to put it out.













"I guess I'll head south now."













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[EmiyaGRZG]

Sothoryos VI

Jon was not happy at the moment. His eyes kept moving as he walked, trying to listen and spot any danger around him. In his right hand, he held his sword, while in his left hand, he had his shield. He learned that it was better to have his shield. He could protect himself better and, in case he lost his sword in any fight, he could use the shield as a weapon, if necessary. But, all this about his weapons, had nothing to do with his discontent. No, his bad mood was due to the dangerous things he had come close to.




About two weeks ago, he had gone through his first life and death battle. And he was also able to choose his adventurer path and advance in rank in the system. He had felt a little more secure at that time. However, according to his map and the book that detailed many things about the continent, he had entered what was called the Green Hell: an extremely dangerous place, with white vampire bats capable of draining a man's blood in minutes, tattooed lizards that run towards their prey and tear it apart with long, curved claws on their hind legs, fifteen-meter-long snakes, spotted spiders, and terrible, terrifying Wyverns.




It had been hours since he entered the Green Hell, and he had found no danger. He could hear the leaves of the trees and bushes moving. He could hear a roar in the distance, even a few hisses. He knew that death could be surrounding him at that very moment. That was why he was in a bad mood, as he wanted and needed to rest. The two weeks of travel, although with few attacks on his person (by animals), had left him little rest. He wanted to pass the most dangerous part of Sothoryos, in the shortest time possible.




As he walked carefully, measuring each step he took, Jon frowned a little. He stopped and listened carefully. It was a somewhat loud noise, almost like a continuous rumble.




He decided to follow that sound. He understood that it could be risky but, among all the jungle, hearing such a loud noise should not be usual. His time in Sothoryos, although still short, had already given him some experience. And what he heard, was not like a roar of some beast, nor the hiss of a snake, much less footsteps. It was as if something was hitting something else.




After about fifteen minutes, the trees slowly began to open up. It was not too much, but enough to notice that beyond, in a portion of land, there were no trees. Jon inhaled sharply at that, inhaling fresher air. He felt a little less tired by doing so.




Then, he moved faster, until he began to run.




The noise grew louder and louder. The roar had begun to pound on his ears.




When he finally arrived, all the bad mood vanished. His dark grey eyes opened wide, while his lips stretched into an excited smile. In front of him, there was a clear lake, while to his right, a waterfall descended from a large rock wall, which rose to the top. For a minute, Jon stood admiring and feeling the freshness that the waterfall brought.




Happiness had hit hard, to the point that he felt the need to laugh with all his might. Although he didn't. Instead, he approached with quick steps towards the waterfall, on the edge of the river that formed the water. He put the sword in its sheath, and extended his hand.




"Cold...", he murmured, feeling the coldness of the water. He stood there for a few seconds, soaking his hand, and also part of his forearm. And when he moved, he did so to pass his wet hand over one of his cheeks. That refreshing feeling had flooded his body again, though only for a few seconds. Jon looked down at his hand, flexing his fingers a little, only to smile even harder.

He had decided at that very moment that he would use the place for a few days.




Although, for that, he needed to check things out a bit. He had already learned that this was a place full of dangers. Because of that, his smile faded and he walked along one of the banks, looking for anything that could endanger his life. He even used the flask where he had kept his water, to take some of the water from the river, since he wanted to check it out a bit. Maybe putting some water in one of the empty food cans and boiling it would be a good idea, was what he thought.




Jon also looked closely at the river, in case there were those fish that could eat an animal in minutes. When he didn't see any of that, he calmed down a bit. So he decided to set up his little camp.




It took him several minutes to do that, but when he did, he took off his clothes and jumped into the lake. The water jumped when he entered suddenly. He closed his eyes when he felt the cold, clean water touching his body. He stood still for a few seconds, until he opened his eyes and moved to the surface, looking at the sky as he floated.




It felt like a reward.




The system had given him amazing things, like the potions and his camp, even the weapons. But this was a different reward. It was the safe place he had needed all this time. It was the moment of relaxation he so desperately needed.




Jon smiled and moved to swim down, further into the bottom of the lake. And since it wasn't too big, it didn't take long for him to get there. And there, he turned to look up, seeing the sky from the bottom.




He had been surrounded by danger.




Death had lurked behind him at every moment. With every step he took, he felt like he could die.




But, at that moment, as his body was cleansed of all the accumulated dirt, he also felt like nothing could worry him. It was as if his own soul had been purified by nature.




And as he moved to the surface, only to float once more, he smiled. He thought of his family, but no longer with sadness or anger. The memories he spent with them, whether good or bad, appeared in his mind for an instant. The doubts about the lies and his identity began to cease to be a problem.




He had needed a moment of rest like the one he was having. Both his body and his mind had craved it. And in that moment where nothing and no one could hurt him, he understood that this was his life.




What did it matter if his birth name was Jaehaerys? He was also Jon. All the things he lived as Jon, he would not throw them aside so he could use the name Jaehaerys.

What did it matter what trouble his identity would bring? He was in Sothoryos! His life was now that of an adventurer, living in the dangerous jungle and trying to reach places never discovered by the people of Westeros or Essos. Even Yi-Ti or Asshai didn't know what lay beyond the first part of Sothoryos.




His life, right now, wasn't in Westeros. Not in Winterfell or King's Landing. His life was here. Anything beyond Sothoryos wasn't important to him right now.




The doubts that had still lingered in Jon's mind were processed and crushed by his current resolve. The clear water of the lake had refreshed his tired body and mind. And the smile on his face didn't seem to disappear.




When he finally emerged from the lake, Jon felt stronger and freer than ever. He sat at the entrance to his tent and stayed there to dry himself off little by little. He took out his map some time later, memorizing the place where the mark that positioned him on the world map was. That way, if the need arose, he would know where to move.




After a few minutes, he took out the book that described certain things about the continent. Now more than ever, he wanted to continue. And he would do it in the best way possible, so he would draw a definitive route with his map, as well as read the entire book and try to memorize all the drawings of the beasts and plants.




He would move forward. He was determined to do that. He would travel to the end of Sothoryos, to move on to Ulthos and continue moving forward. He didn't know how long it would take him, but he would do it.




He would definitely continue to live until the end.




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[EmiyaGRZG]

Westeros: Winterfell




"Wait... We waited for years, Lord Stark. I hoped to apologize to my son. I hoped to tell him the truth... for so long... And you tell me he disappeared?"




The King of the Seven Kingdoms narrowed his eyes dangerously. He was sitting across from Eddard Stark, inside the manor at Winterfell. Beside him, his two wives sat, one more worried than the other.




Elia had a frown on her face. She felt that if it had been years ago, she wouldn't care at all about the topic being discussed. She suffered during the rebellion, especially near the end, when the Mountain, Gregor Clegane, tried to kill and rape her. If it hadn't been for Jaime Lannister, then things would have turned out the worst. And for that reason, the first two years after that, she felt angry at Rhaegar and Lyanna. While she was preoccupied in King's Landing, her husband was off with another woman than his wife. Things had been truly worrying after the rebellion ended, as bonds had to be reformed, both in love and marriage.




And while that was happening, the Faith was taking it upon themselves to butt into a marriage with two wives. It was extremely infuriating. Annoying. Almost to the point where she was starting to hate.




It was a good thing that Lyanna Stark had been so... stubborn, to put it one way. The Stark woman had apologized for being partly responsible for the decisions Rhaegar made. And she really tried her best to bond with Elia.




For that reason and more, right now, she really felt worried. The years had made her form bonds with the northern woman. They were friends who cared for each other. They were wives who cared for their families.




As for Lyanna Stark, sitting on the other side of her husband, she growled angrily when she heard her brother's words. He almost looked like a real wolf for a few moments.




"I should hit you right now, brother," she snapped angrily. "How could you have missed it?! You're supposed to know everything that goes on in this place!"




Ned ran his hands over his face. His expression really showed his tiredness and concern.




"Do you think I wanted this, Lyanna? I raised Jon as my own. I provided him with everything he needed to live: training, studies, food, clothing. Everything I could while trying to maintain his false status as a bastard. He is my family."




Maester Luwin, who was part of the plan since Jon arrived, intervened at that moment. He hoped to quell things a bit.




"Your Grace, we've checked everything, even under the rocks. Please believe me when I say there is no sign of an escape, or any kind of struggle. Not a single horse was missing. The guards saw no movement at the doors. And inside Jon's room, everything is still."




"Do you really think he just disappeared out of nowhere?!" Rhaegar raised his voice.




Luwin slowly shook his head.




"Your Grace, what else can we say? Jon would have been noticed if he had escaped. And something would have been heard if he had been kidnapped. This is just too… weird."




Lyanna let out another groan before standing up. She walked out of the solar, ignoring the calls from her husband and brother. Even for her, it was too much what was happening. She had waited over twelve years to be able to see her son. She only knew about him from the few letters Ned had delivered. And she had to wait years for each one. After all, those letters couldn't be delivered by raven. It took special, very trustworthy people to get to her.




And now… now, when she had been able to see her son and tell him the whole truth, he was gone. He had disappeared without a trace behind. She ran, ran hard, tears threatening to appear in her eyes. She went down the stairs, through the hallways, and up another staircase, until she reached the room that was supposed to be Jon's. The same room she used when she lived in Winterfell.




When she opened the door, she found the room. It was a place she had forgotten, and now she couldn't remember, as things were in a different place. The smell wasn't the same. Even the atmosphere felt different.




She closed the door and walked over to the bed, where she sat down to look more closely. There was a small table and a chair near the fireplace. A wardrobe was attached to the wall on the other side. Lyanna turned her head to the right, just to see Jon's nightstand, her son's. There, was a wooden figure of a wolf. It wasn't very well made, but you could see the clear shape of a wolf. She reached out her hand and gently took the figure.




"Did he make it himself?" Lyanna thought, feeling like crying. Her lips trembled and she brought the small wooden wolf closer to her chest. She closed her eyes, trying to keep the tears contained in her eyes from falling.




But, at that moment, something surprising happened. Lyanna felt the darkness that came with closing her eyes suddenly change. Colors filled her vision. Huge trees and wet earth. The sunlight passing through the leaves. Thick branches and roots. And then, she saw him. It was a young man with dark, messy, and slightly dirty hair. He was wearing light brown clothes with straps and small leather bags on his waist. Around him, there were beasts she didn't know, but they certainly looked dangerous.




Lyanna tried to shout a warning when one of those two-legged beasts jumped at the young man. But, to her surprise, he moved his shield, blocking the dangerous teeth that waited to devour her head. And almost immediately, he moved his sword to cut off the beast's head.




She watched as he fought fiercely. She saw how those things could jump and run at high speed. And in two blows, one from each beast that surrounded him, they destroyed his shield. Lyanna was frightened for a moment, until the relief filled her being when, in a skillful and fast movement, the young man cut off another head, to turn and create a cut that drove away the last of the living beasts.




It had been fast. A speed that seemed impossible for a human being.




When he was left alone, with no danger in sight, Lyanna's vision receded. She blinked, realizing she was staring at the floor of the room.




It didn't take two seconds. She ran out with the wooden wolf in her hands.




. . .




"How are you, Luwin?" Ned asked skeptically. Lyanna had returned in no time, shouting that she had seen Jon in a vision. Everyone inside the manor looked at her in bewilderment. Luwin even with a little sorrow, thinking that the loss of his son had affected her too much.




Lyanna had insisted angrily and asked Luwin to hold the wooden wolf.




The Maester opened his eyes, his face a little pale. He swallowed hard and left the wolf on Ned's desk.




"It's... true. That wolf... that thing, it showed me a vision. And yes, it was Jon. Unfortunately, I can't place where it is."




Rhaegar immediately grabbed it, surprising everyone. He let it go only a few seconds later.




"Gods..." he muttered, completely dumbfounded. He couldn't believe that a mere timber wolf had the ability to show visions. It was similar to how glass candles were described in their use.




"Where did that come from?" Rhaegar asked after a few moments.




"I've seen Jon carving the wolf a couple of times. However, having the ability to see visions? That's something out of a fairy tale."




"And yet, we're experiencing it now," Luwin muttered.




"He was struggling!" Lyanna exclaimed worriedly.




"Struggling?" Rhaegar and Ned asked.




"I saw him holding a sword," Luwin commented. "But he wasn't fighting. He was walking through what looked like a forest full of huge trees."




"They were... they were... like lizards," Lyanna said, frowning a little. "I've never seen things like what I saw. They stood on two legs, with sharp teeth in their mouths. The claws on their feet were large and curved, like scythes."




Luwin's eyes widened in understanding. But then, his face turned into a confused one.




"Is... it true? What you described, is it true?"




"Yes. I saw it!"




"Then I understand less of what has happened," Luwin stated.




"What do you mean?" Elia asked. "If you recognize those animals, we might know where Jaehaerys is."




"That is the thing, your grace. The description of the animal does not belong to one that exists in Westeros, and neither does it exist in Essos. In fact, no one has given it a name. In the citadel, there are only descriptions similar to the one Your Grace named. Descriptions from ancient writings that belong to Sothoryos."




Everyone's eyes widened when they heard that.




"Are you kidding me?!" Rhaegar asked out loud.




"No. Sadly, a two-legged lizard with scythe-like claws and sharp teeth, corresponds to the little there is and that I have read about Sothoryos. In fact, I understand my vision better now. Trees so tall that they let rays of light through their leaves, a seemingly humid environment. The beasts that His Grace has described... everything seems to indicate that Jon is in Sothoryos..."




The solar fell completely silent for a moment. Ned was the one who interrupted that, sighing tiredly.




"How did such a thing happen? I mean, Sothoryos? There is no way he could have traveled and arrived in such a short time."




"I think...", Luwin said, before he stopped, savoring the words that were about to come out of his mouth. But, at the same time, a little unsure and afraid. "... there could be certain more... mystical things going on."




"You mean... magic?", Rhaegar asked carefully, receiving a slow nod from Luwin.




"Perhaps... just perhaps... something or someone, moved Jon to Sothoryos."




"For what purpose would something like that be done?" Elia asked.




"Unfortunately, I cannot give you an answer, Your Grace."




Everyone fell silent again. Everyone looked at the timber wolf.




Lyanna was the one who decided to speak.




"At least... at least, we can see what is happening with him."




Rhaegar nodded.




"Maester, you seem to know more about Sothoryos than we do. Do you think it is possible to send men to go find my son?"




Luwin was silent for a few moments, until he let out a sigh.




"I'm sorry, Your Grace, but I don't think it would be a good idea."




"Why?!" Lyanna asked forcefully.




"Because it would be dangerous. Very dangerous," Luwin said, frowning slightly. "I cannot know which part of Sothoryos Jon is in. And the dangers are only in the known parts of that place, they are surrounded by danger. Fish capable of devouring a man in a matter of minutes, creatures similar to lion lizards, bats capable of sucking a man's blood in minutes. And let's not even talk about the multiple diseases."




"It is said that Queen Nymeria went through hell when she tried to settle in Sothoryos. And so, she sailed further west. These are unexplored lands, and from what little we know, it has already been described as a green hell."




"The men who would go, could end up dead, with no chance of returning."




Rhaegar gritted his teeth, feeling a great helplessness. He had been through many, as had his wives. And not just the rebellion. The almost broken kingdoms he had to rule afterward were a real problem. He had to give out punishments and rewards. He had to make things right with all the kingdoms. He had to rule over people who thought he could go mad at any moment.




And when everything had started to go well. When things had become calm, this happened.




How much more did his family have to suffer? How much more did he have to endure in order to be happy with his whole family? Rhegar felt angry as these things ran through his mind.




"I need to take a break from all this," he muttered under his breath.




Everyone listened to him and felt the same way.




"We can talk tomorrow, Your Grace," Eddard said carefully.




"Yes... Yes, you're right. And by the way, you really weren't to blame for anything. Apparently."




Ned shrugged slightly.




"His reaction was normal. Something to be expected. It's a part of his family."




Rhaegar nodded.




"We'll talk tomorrow. Right now, I need to rest and eat something. Honestly, we haven't eaten anything since we got here."




Everyone nodded immediately, though they were still just as worried. But, looking on the bright side, they now had something to watch Jon with.




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