Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, and all rights for characters, plots and settings belong to G.R.R. Martin and FromSoftware. I have no ownership.
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"Our powers draw upon the powers embedded in glintstone, but what is the nature of such power? Glintstone is the amber of the cosmos, golden amber contains the remnants of ancient life and houses its vitality, while Glintstone contains residual life.
And thus, the vitality of the stars. It should not be forgotten that glintstone sorcery is the study of the stars and the life therein. A fact lost on most sorcerers, these days..."
Sorceress Sellen
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Limgrave, Fringefolk Hero's Grave
Aerion/Jon
With each passing moment, he increasingly regretted setting foot in this place, despite Yura's words, to which he had returned after obtaining his first incantation. Since he was unable to use it, he hoped the old warrior would be able to guide him to a solution.
In the end, it was the swordsman who pointed him to the Church of Dragon Communion as a place where he could use the dragon's heart. And indeed, Yura informed him that he needed a Sacred Seal to cast the incantation.
However, one problem remained: where to find the Seal, because without it, he could hardly use the acquired incantation. Yura, of course, instructed him to find a priest, or perhaps a Nomad Merchant, and purchase it from them.
However, neither Jon nor Yura knew where to find a priest, and the merchants he had encountered earlier didn't sell any Sacred Seals.
Jon turned his head and looked at the woman leaning against the wall, or rather, the spirit of a woman who was assiduously avoiding his gaze. "Can you tell me, Melina, why I listened to you instead of Yura? This place is one big damn trap."
She shrugged slightly, much to Jon's slight irritation. "I didn't tell thou to come here. I merely suggested there might be a Sacred Seal here. These places often encase all sorts of treasures and artefacts."
Jon pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers and began rubbing it, trying to remain calm. In a way, she was right. No one had forced him to come to this place, but the warning that surviving here was harder than fighting Agheel wouldn't have failed.
He had died here a damned four times already, losing several thousand runes. He involuntarily recalled the sight of his status, with indescribable pain, but also a certain relief that he had used the runes he had acquired from Agheel, Demi-humans and others enemies to strengthen himself.
Name: Aerion Sand
Level: 58 → 66
Runes: 0
Runes required to level up: 12966
(…)
Focus Points: 260/260
Attributes:
Vigor: 21 (+1 from Erdtree's Favor)
Mind: 20
Endurance: 20 → 24(+1 from Erdtree's Favor)
Strength: 20 → 22
Dexterity: 20 → 22
Intelligence: 20
Faith: 30 (+10 from Eye of the Grace)
Arcane: 19 → 20
Resistance:
Poison - 20% → 21%
Scarlet Rot- 20% → 21%
Madness - 20%
Sleep - 20%
Blood Loss - 20% → 24
Frostbite - 70% → 74% (+50 from Song of Ice & Fire)
Death Blight - 19% → 20%
Damage negation:
Holy - 19% → 20%
Fire - 71% (+50% from Song of Ice & Fire)
Lightning - 30%
Magic - 20%
Hmh. It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to grow stronger, as each subsequent level required significantly more runes, though he had to admit that even a single point added to Strength or Dexterity was noticeable.
He decided to strengthen Endurance the most, however, as resistance to cold or frostbite, whatever he called it, could prove invaluable both in the near future and during the coming Long Night.
He glanced at Melina, but she had vanished again, and he felt a recurring irritation. If she were some kind of spirit, she could at least investigate this cursed place and warn him about the traps, or at least about that damned chariot.
"Melina," he said, but received no response. "Melina!" he called louder, but still nothing. He simply shook his head in resignation, which a moment later was replaced by his usual determination and stubbornness, which he must have inherited from his mother, if his uncle Benjen's stories were true.
He wasn't about to go through those damned catacombs again. First, the entire chamber filled with poison, then the chariot, which he luckily managed to finally destroy, then two Grafted Scions, as if one wasn't enough.
He didn't even want to think back to the spirit of the Banished Knight he'd defeated in this very chamber. The fucker was more irritating than he'd expected and, on top of that, immune to ordinary blows. Only by imbuing the Ornamental Straight Sword with holy power was he able to defeat him.
Worse still, he felt that wasn't all. On the one hand, he had achieved what he'd come for. He summoned the Dragon Communion Seal and examined it more closely.
Dragon Communion Seal
Formless drakeblood seal with a dragon communion crest. Enhances Dragon Communion incantations.
The sacrificial devouring of the heart gives power. Indeed, Dragon Communion is too primal in nature for the term "incantation" to be appropriate.
This seal scales incantations with one's Arcane attribute. The higher your Arcane, the more power you can conduct through this seal.
"Hmm. So Arcane is crucial to using this Seal effectively?" He muttered to himself. "Agheel's Flame also requires a certain level of Faith and Arcane to use. Does that mean the other Dragon Communion incantations as well?"
Taking advantage of the moment of peace, he checked the other items he had acquired so far in this Hero's Grave, which he hadn't possessed before. It had become quite a useful collection, though his new bow was particularly noteworthy.
When Jon summoned him and propped him on the ground, he was still almost twice as tall as him. It seemed to be made of two thick, twisted tree branches connected by an ornate metal handle. It was heavy and massive, weighing at least 40 kg (88 lb).
Erdtree Greatbow
Greatbow featuring Erdtree styling. In times of old, when faith and battle went hand in hand, this weapon was created in tandem with the Golden Great Arrow.
It reveals its true worth when used with holy-infused arrows.
Jon tried to draw it, and even though they were beyond human strength, it proved difficult. Once he succeeded, he slowly loosened the string, which was made of some unfamiliar material.
In any case, he was convinced that with this bow he could fell even a giant, and bows from his home world, even such famous ones as the Goldenheart bows from the Summer Isles and Dragonbone bows, were far inferior to the one he held in his hand, and supposedly they could penetrate a knight's plate armour.
He sent the bow back to his inventory and then summoned one of the five identical arrows he had acquired outside of it.
Golden Great Arrow
Carved greatarrows made together with the Erdtree Greatbow. Deals holy damage.
Imbued with an oath-sworn incantation, which boosts the attack and defense of the archer and their nearby allies.
The arrow was even more beautifully crafted than the bow, radiating a delicate golden light, and Jon could easily sense the holy energy of the Golden Order emanating from it. It was easily meter and half (5 feet) long and resembled a spear more than an arrow.
More significant items included a new amulet, which he immediately placed around his neck next to the previous one, and two types of grease used to apply effects to weapons.
Erdtree's Favor
A talisman depicting a special blessing of the Erdtree. Boosts Vigor and Endurance +1
It is said that when the Age of the Erdtree began, such blessings were personally bestowed upon their recipients by Queen Marika herself.
Lightning Grease
Solidified grease made from a mixture of fulminating materials. Craftable item. Coats armament, adds lightning damage to attacks.
The effect lasts only for a short time.
Dragonwound Grease
Solidified grease made from a gravel-stone mixture. Craftable item.
Coats armament, granting an anti-dragon effect. It's poisonous to them and allows them to more easily penetrate their scales. The effect lasts only for a short time.
When the dragons were born from their ancient kin, they lost their stone scales, which can now be used to cause them mortal harm.
The additional attributes the talisman provided weren't significant, but each one was worth its weight in gold to him. As for the grease, they would certainly have their uses, especially the one against dragons.
It was a shame he didn't have it during the fight with Agheel, but more dragons would surely come his way.
He summoned the Ornamental Straight Sword from his inventory to his right hand and headed back, constantly contemplating whether he should risk further exploration or return to the entrance.
However, so far, each cave or catacomb he had explored had some kind of elite enemy, and neither the Grafted Scions nor the spirit of the Banished Knight met this requirement, as he hadn't seen the message "Enemy or Great Enemy Felled".
This meant that somewhere out there, a dangerous opponent was waiting who could provide him with a significant number of runes.
"Yes, I can't afford to hesitate. I die, then I'll come back again, and again, and again, if necessary," he finally decided.
Withdrawal was out of the question. Not only because of the ambition that had long been dormant, but because he needed that strength and that determination.
Continuing down the ramp, defeating more ghost soldiers, he finally reached a massive chamber, and upon entering it, he realised he was deep in the swamp. While he had expected an elite opponent, he had hoped for something smaller, much smaller.
The towering monstrosity was larger than even a dragon, not to mention the length of its snake-like body. With its elongated body extending into a tail, it would have resembled a gigantic snake if not for the two massive limbs extending from its torso and the fact that it seemed to be a grotesque amalgamation of tree roots and flesh.
In addition, swollen crimson ulcers, or pustules, covered it, and even Agheel could envy their ferocity and aggression. The creature was also incredibly quick. Jon barely had time to blink before the beast's enormous maw was hurtling towards him.
Jon threw himself to the side, escaping the attack, summoning a Spirit Calling Bell from his inventory and summoning three spirits of Lone Wolves to buy himself some time. The chamber they were in was the worst possible place to fight such an opponent.
In such a small space his movement and evasion options were very limited, and the beast, as it expanded, was able to fill most of the room.
As his summoned wolf companions charged, he dashed toward the far wall of the chamber, to try to run at the beast by its tail, but it was too fast and writhed its body constantly.
Before he could even fully turn, he saw the beast's massive tail barrelling towards him. He grabbed the Ornamental Straight Sword with both hands and tried to parry the attack, but the force of the blow was so great that it ripped the blade from his hands and hurled him into the wall, knocking all the air from his chest.
He felt dizzy but managed to summon the Flask of Crimson Tears and took a long swig, feeling the effect almost immediately. He leaped to his feet, and with speed and agility more akin to that of a shadowcat than a human, he lunged forward, avoiding the beast's powerful, horizontally sweeping forelimb.
He was trying to find some space when the last remaining Lone Wolf caught the monster's attention by jumping onto its back. As Jon ran, he summoned the Dragon Communion Seal he had previously acquired and, grabbing it in both hands, spun on his heel, positioning himself to face his opponent.
The massive amalgamation of tree and beast, however, did something Jon never expected. It opened its mouth, and a wave of yellow flames poured out, right beneath the beast's body.
Jon reacted instantly and cast the Incantation, feeling the overwhelming dragon's power and the heat that accompanied it fill him. Above his head, Agheel's upper body materialised, in no way inferior to the original.
Jon's body was simultaneously lifted about three meters (10 feet) into the air, allowing him to narrowly avoid the beast's flames spreading beneath him.
A river of searing flames shot from its open mouth, but instead of their normal orange-yellow colour, they glowed a blinding blue that immediately reminded him of the Winter Rose that Lord Stark used to leave under Jon mother statue.
Sapphire flames shot towards his opponent, consuming the monster's inferior fire along the way and then striking its body.
The beast began to roar and thrash, but above all, it wanted to escape the consuming flames, and Jon continued to maintain his incantation, feeling his Focus Points draining.
The tree monster was almost completely consumed by fire, drowning in a lake of flames. Desperately, he tried to escape the chamber, slamming his gigantic body against the wall, but it remained unmoved, for behind it lay solid rock.
Having used all his Focus, Jon fell to the ground, feeling slightly dizzy and exhausted, though not physically. It felt more like he had spent hours, or even days, studying Maester Luwin's lessons.
Landing amidst the flames, he felt a moment of apprehension, but the fire filling the chamber did him no harm; instead, he felt as if soothing, warm water were washing over him.
With roars of agony, the monster finally fell to the ground, most of its body consumed by the flames, while the rest slowly turned into ash as well.
Soon, the ash transformed into golden particles that flew toward it in a thick stream.
ENEMY FELLED
Ulcerated Tree Spirit
You received Golden Seed x1
You received Banished Knight Oleg Ashes
You received 120 000 runes.
Jon stared at the number of runes he'd acquired, speechless, and couldn't hide the wide smile spreading across his face. Those runes alone were worth facing the Ulcerated Tree Spirit, let alone the two items he'd acquired.
He didn't know what a Golden Seed was, but the new sprite ashes must have been powerful if they belonged to a Banished Knight. He recalled an earlier encounter with one of them and couldn't wait to use his new companion against his enemies.
He glanced at the information on these items, first summoning a Golden Seed from his inventory.
Golden Seed
A golden seed, found at the base of an illusory tree.
Increases the number of tears in Sacred Flask's. (Can be used after resting at a site of grace.)
When the Elden Ring was shattered, these seeds flew from the Erdtree, scattering across the various lands, as if life itself knew that its end has come.
Banished Knight Oleg Ashes
Ashen remains in which spirits yet dwell.
Use to summon the spirit of Oleg, the Banished Knight. One of the two knights known as the Wings of the Storm.
After his banishment, he attracted the notice of the Grace-Given Lord and later, having slain a hundred traitors as the Lord's hand, Oleg earned the hero's honor of Erdtree Burial.
Both items indeed seemed incredibly valuable. Oleg was described as a great warrior in life, and if he possessed some of these abilities as a spirit, he would undoubtedly be of invaluable assistance.
As for the Golden Seed, he probably didn't even have to consider how crucial having more Tears in Flasks might be. Now he faced a return to the mountain, and he was very careful; he didn't intend to lose all those accumulated runes.
He took one last look around the place before setting off on his return journey.
After leaving Fringefolk Hero's Grave, Jon returned to the Church of Elleh, which became some sort of base of operations for him, a place he returned to think, though the place seemed much emptier now that Kale had set off on his journey.
Melina disappeared and didn't respond to his calls again, but although he could increase his attributes without her presence, as he had many runes to use. Tree Spirit, Grafted Scions, Exiled Soldiers, and Imps, along with the two Runes (5) he found, allowed him to accumulate a considerable number.
Name: Aerion Sand
Level: 66 → 76
Runes: 158 968 → 10 618
Runes required to level up: 12 966 → 17 255
(…)
Focus Points: 260/260
Attributes:
Vigor: 21→ 23 (+1 from Erdtree's Favor)
Mind: 20
Endurance: 24 (+1 from Erdtree's Favor)
Strength: 22 → 25
Dexterity: 22 → 25
Intelligence: 20
Faith: 30 (+10 from Eye of the Grace)
Arcane: 20 → 22
Resistance:
Poison - 21% → 23%
Scarlet Rot- 21% → 23%
Madness - 20%
Sleep - 20%
Blood Loss - 24%
Frostbite - 74% (+50 from Song of Ice & Fire)
Death Blight - 20% → 22%
Damage negation:
Holy - 20% → 22%
Fire - 71% → 74% (+50% from Song of Ice & Fire)
Lightning - 30%
Magic - 20%
After distributing his attributes, he rose to test the difference in his body's performance. He could confidently say that the growth in strength, speed, and other aspects was significant.
Jon was certain that the increase in strength alone between 20 and 25 points was similar to that from 10 to 20. He probably could wrestle a full-grown bear at that moment.
Thoughts began to form in his mind: what if his attributes continued to increase like this? What was his true limit? What would that mean for him and how others perceive him? With his newfound power, he has already entered the same league as the legendary characters from the Age of Heroes in his home world.
With a sigh, he ran a hand over his bald head, feeling his burnt hair slowly growing back, though it was so short it was probably barely visible. He arose from the Site of Grace, regenerated and fully energised, and time began to flow again. Jon surveyed the night sky, for the Erdtree had faded a good few hours ago.
His stay in the Fringefolk Hero's Grave had somewhat distorted his perception of time, but he was certain that he was nearing the end of his second day since returning to the Lands Between, and he didn't know how long it would be before he could return to Westeros.
He also didn't know if, like last time, since he hadn't died in Westeros, he would return the moment he left. It is quite possible that time passes normally there. So Tormund and the other men who went with him to Hardhome will have somehow managed without him and brought the Free Folk safely to the Wall. It will be a miracle if they don't die along the way.
He nervously began pacing around the ruined site of Queen Marika's cult. If nothing changed in the meantime, he would set out for the Waypoint Ruins in some time to find this sorceress or witch, Kale had mentioned. Perhaps he could learn magic from her? Not the kind from Old Nan's tales, but the magic of the Lands Between in all its powerful glory.
Because of Melina and Kale's stories, he now came to associate magic with a single person and a specific field. General Radahn, who, with his gravity magic, held the very stars in place. If Jon could gain even a fraction of this power, the prospects for the future would no longer be so dire.
"Aye, that would be glorious," he whispered with obvious excitement in his voice.
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Limgrave, Waypoint Ruins
Sorceress Selen
"Damn it!" The priceless book, thrown onto the table in frustration, bounced off him and fell to the ground, but Sellen didn't even notice. Another dead end, another failure.
The truth about the Primeval Current seemed within reach, yet distant, as if an infinite chasm separated her from it. She felt as if she wanted to see colours, having been blind since birth, or distinguish sounds, having been deaf.
Whenever she felt closer, she found herself either reaching a dead end or, worse, taking steps backward. And the knowledge that her Master Azur and his friend, Master Lusat, were closer to the truth than she was, even despite so many years of research and sacrifice, gnawed at her like some worm from within.
A ruined reputation, sacrificed lives, exile, and now imprisonment were all she received in return. Had she gone too far in her search and crossed boundaries? Probably so. Ala, did she regret it? Absolutely not.
The only thing she could regret was letting herself be captured and, perhaps, being indebted to Seluvis for his help.
And even now, continuing her research, despite her body being trapped in a completely different place, limited by this mere projection of her body, she was unable to gain any results or get any closer to the truth of the Primeval Current.
Even more gnawing at her was the fact that her remaining option, finding Masters Azur and Lustat, was impossible due to her condition.
She sighed miserably. She couldn't even hope to find an apprentice to undertake this task on her behalf, for the magicians at the Academy had learnt of her presence there, and instead of sending her back to her body, they sealed the chamber, binding her mind and presence here.
They placed Mad Pumpkin Head on guard, who dealt with the few potential apprentices who had strayed here.
Resignedly, she bent down and picked up the book she had just thrown to the ground, placing it on the table before leafing through it again. Perhaps she had missed something obvious in her master's notes.
Suddenly, furious roars reached her ears, unmistakably those of her jailer. They were followed by the sounds of combat and the clash of weapons, and her chamber shook several times, and sand rained down from the ceiling—or perhaps it was part of the mortar holding the stones together.
All this lasted perhaps two or three minutes, and then silence. Suddenly, the massive iron plate, weighing perhaps half a tonne (1,120 pounds), serving as the door, began to rise, and Sellen saw human hands holding it from beneath.
The whole situation so startled her that she couldn't even put on her claystone crown, which lay on a small table in the corner of the chamber.
When the iron plate was fully lifted, it revealed a shaven-headed youth. The absence of eyebrows and even eyelashes suggested a history of fire, though his unburned face didn't indicate any. Interesting. She'd seen stranger things.
The youth was clad in the armour of Godrick's knights, the one they called Grafted, though of course he wore neither helmet nor gauntlets. His face was remarkably handsome, and one eye was a mixture of grey and purple. His left eye, however, was half-closed.
However, all these details ceased to matter when the youth opened his half-closed eye, and within it glowed something that could only be the Great Rune.
Sellen, a powerful and knowledgeable sorceress, immediately recognised the fragment of the famed Elden Ring. The rune radiated power, not like those of the demigods, whom they themselves had corrupted and stripped of their power, but pure, primal might.
She seemed as if she had barely ceased to be part of the whole, without losing much of her original strength. A golden eye regarded her with scrutiny, and Sellen sensed within it an overwhelming presence that seemed to analyse and examine her as if she were some kind of dissecting object.
Greater Will. She understood. The presence of the greatest of the Outer Gods was unmistakable. However, the question arose: who was this young man and what role did this Cosmic Being have in store for him? He must have been one of the Tarnished, those of them with Guidance of Grace.
"Tarnished, are we? A wonder you should turn up here. I am Sellen, a sorcerer, quite plainly. Why are you here?" She spoke first, wanting to gain control of the discussion. Seeing the young man's reaction, whose cheeks flushed slightly, she confirmed that she had managed to make some impression on him, even if not with her mind and knowledge, but with her exceptional beauty.
Her potential saviour, however, quickly recovered and replied, bowing his head slightly in greeting, "It is an honour to meet you, Lady Sellen. I am Aerion, Tarnished of no renown. I have heard of a sorceress residing in these ruins. Forgive me for killing your guard, but he left me no choice. I came here to ask you for the opportunity to learn magic."
Sellen couldn't deny his simple eloquence and culture, feeling slightly flattered whenever someone sought her knowledge. It was a good start and a promising future. Moreover, she sensed the potential within him to explore magic.
"Ahh, a yen for glintstone sorceries? Well, your aptitude does appear... more than passable. But one must choose one's masters wisely. I was exiled from the Academy of Raya Lucaria, as a reviled, apostate witch. Do you still wish to learn from me?"
For a moment, doubt flashed across his face, but a moment later, determination lit up in his right eye. "If you accept me as your apprentice, I agree, but I won't be able to devote much time to studying, as I have other responsibilities that I must prioritize over my studies."
Sellen smiled with satisfaction and replied, "Well, you are a piece of work. Very well. You are now my protégé in glintstone sorcery. But I refuse to coddle. Or cast kind words. Never. Anticipate grievances, young apprentice. Now listen. I'll explain the basics, but after that, we'll have many hours of learning the fundamentals of magic."
Then, without wasting any time, she sat down on one of the chairs, gesturing to the next one. Once they were both seated, she continued.
"Our powers draw upon the powers embedded in glintstone, but what is the nature of such power? Glintstone is the amber of the cosmos, golden amber contains the remnants of ancient life and houses its vitality, while Glintstone contains residual life.
And thus, the vitality of the stars. It should not be forgotten that glintstone sorcery is the study of the stars and the life therein. A fact lost on most sorcerers, these days..."