The sun had not yet cleared the eastern walls of Winterfell when the horn blew. It signaled the start of the morning watch. The air was crisp and a thin layer of frost coated the wooden practice dummies in the courtyard.
Link stood in the center of the yard. He rolled his shoulders to loosen the tension. In his hand he held a heavy blunted practice sword made of ironwood. It was weighted to feel like steel. It was designed to bruise the bone and exhaust the muscles of any man who held it.
"Gather round!" Ser Rodrik's voice boomed across the yard.
The other guards formed a loose circle. They were still rubbing the sleep from their eyes. Among them were men Link had known for a month. There was Desmond and Fat Tom and a few others. They were decent men but in the original story most of them would end up dead in the streets of Kings Landing or on a battlefield in the Riverlands.
Rodrik pointed a finger at Link. "You. You were bold yesterday. Step into the circle. Cayn, show our philosopher here what happens to men who spend more time thinking than practicing their high guards."
Cayn was a seasoned soldier. He was taller than Link and broader across the chest. He stepped forward with a confident smirk. He spun his practice blade with a casual flick of his wrist.
"Do not worry, Link," Cayn chuckled. "I will try not to break any ribs. We need you healthy enough to carry the water buckets later."
The other guards laughed. Link did not smile. He focused on the interface in his mind.
Current Anchor: Armory Previous Night
Status: Ready
"Begin!" Rodrik barked.
Cayn moved faster than Link expected. He lunged forward and swung the ironwood blade in a punishing arc toward Link's left shoulder. Link tried to raise his sword to parry but his reaction was a fraction of a second too slow.
The heavy wood slammed into his collarbone. The pain was immediate and white hot. Link stumbled back and gasped for air as his arm went numb.
"Too slow!" Rodrik shouted. "Again!"
Cayn did not wait. He followed up with a thrust to the stomach. Link tried to twist away but his feet tangled in the frosted dirt. He fell hard. Cayn's practice sword poked him sharply in the throat.
"Yield," Cayn said while grinning down at him.
Link looked up at the grey sky. He felt the sting of defeat. More than that he felt the thrill of the Save point. He did not need to yield. He did not even need to accept this outcome.
Load, he thought.
The world blurred. The pain in his shoulder vanished. The taste of dirt in his mouth was gone.
Link blinked. He was back in the armory. He was sitting on his straw pallet. The shadows were exactly where they had been the night before.
Reload Successful.
He stood up and his heart was racing. He remembered exactly how Cayn had moved. He remembered the lunge to the left and the heavy arc and the follow up thrust. He closed his eyes. He visualized the movement over and over until it was burned into his mind.
"Again," Link whispered to himself.
He slept for a few hours and then he woke up and went to the courtyard.
The scene played out exactly the same. The frost was on the dummies and the horn was blowing and Ser Rodrik was shouting.
"Begin!"
Cayn lunged. This time Link did not wait. He stepped to the right before Cayn's arm had even fully extended. The ironwood blade whistled past his ear. It hit nothing but cold air.
The smirk vanished from Cayn's face. He stumbled slightly because he was surprised by the miss. Link saw the opening and swung his sword at Cayn's ribs.
It was a solid hit. Cayn grunted in pain and retreated a few steps.
"Lucky move," Cayn growled. His eyes narrowed. He reset his stance and moved more cautiously now. He feinted high and then swept low at Link's ankles.
Link tried to jump but he was not fast enough. The sword caught his shin and he went down again.
Load.
Back in the armory. Link took a deep breath.
Third attempt. He went to the yard. He dodged the first lunge. He blocked the low sweep. He lasted thirty seconds before Cayn disarmed him with a clever twist of the wrist.
Load.
Fourth attempt. He lasted a minute.
Fifth attempt. He lasted three minutes.
To the eyes of Ser Rodrik and the other guards Link was just having a good morning. They saw a man who was suddenly focused and incredibly difficult to hit. They did not see the dozens of lives Link was spending just to master this one single spar.
By the tenth Reload Link's forehead was covered in sweat. Even though in this specific timeline the fight had only just begun he was exhausted. He was not physically tired but he was mentally drained. The strain of remembering every variation of the fight was starting to weigh on him.
But then he saw it. Cayn was breathing hard. He was frustrated. He pulled back for a massive overhead strike. It was a move that Link had seen six times already.
Link did not block it. He stepped inside Cayn's reach. He crossed the distance before the heavy blade could gain momentum. He slammed the hilt of his sword into Cayn's chest and tripped the man's trailing leg.
Cayn hit the dirt with a heavy thud. Link stood over him. The tip of his ironwood sword rested against Cayn's leather tunic.
The courtyard went silent.
Ser Rodrik stepped forward. His eyes were wide with genuine surprise. He looked at Cayn and then he looked at Link.
"Well," Rodrik said. A hint of a smile appeared beneath his whiskers. "It seems our philosopher has been practicing in his sleep."
Link lowered his sword. He felt a deep sense of satisfaction. He had not just won a spar. He had proven that his Time Machine worked for more than just survival. It was a tool for mastery.
Skill Improvement: Basic Swordsmanship Progressing
As Link walked out of the circle he saw a shadow standing on the balcony of the Great Keep. It was Ned Stark watching the training. Their eyes met for a fleeting second before the Lord of Winterfell turned away.
Link knew the King's party was only days away. He had to keep pushing. He had to be ready for the moment the world fell apart.
....
Author Note
Hi guys! Thank you for reading my fanfiction.
I wanted to let you know that I'll be releasing bonus chapters for Power Stones. Here are the goals:
15 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
30 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
50 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
75 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
100 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
Thanks for the support!