ASOIAF Perk System

by SovngardeIsHere

Ripped from the world he once knew, a man finds himself in a strange land with a power that is said to grant him mutations to better survive in this land. Join Griffith as he finds his destiny in the world. Note: The Adventure tag will be well earned. Not for the light-hearted. Dark fic.

2. Chapter 2

It was a bleak, cold morning, and the sky seemed to darken as if the light burnt the sky creating ash. The sounds of nature seemed to whistle throughout the forest, carried by the wind and putting me on guard. Basic senses long shackled seemed to burst free like a broken dam as I slowed down my breathing and closed my eyes. The beast within seemed to take over as I sniffed the air like a hound does his prey. Piney wind brought many smells to me, those of dirt and vegetation, but underneath it all, it brought me musk and sweat.

It was different from a man, while they might release their true scents in times when water was scarce, this scent was different. It was brought on by a feeling of excitement, one more primal in nature as if it was strengthening itself before an attack. In this state I seemed to let go of my fear and subconsciously dimmed my mind as in a battle like this you needn't ponder too much, just act.

The howls once again ripped through the air as if they were blown from a horn by a great general waging battle. My opponents were making their way to who they marked as prey, something fatty to fill their bellies for the night, however, even a stag has antlers and they would soon find that out. My eyes opened and felt like they burning, as if sand and dust were whipped into them. My breath puffed out warm and white wisps from chapped lips.

I ground my feet into the dirt below and readied myself, the hunt was on. Often times animals would avoid marking men as prey as they were too numerous and hunted in their own packs. A man alone, however, was a feeble thing. They relied on their brute strength and their eyes, but their nose and ears have long since festered and wasted. Deer were weak, but faster. Bears and lions stronger. Men had tools, but would still be hard-pressed against a pack of beasts and these wolves knew it. By now they should have discerned that I was alone, they would take that risk.

The bushes seemed to rustle, subtlety was not needed here it seemed. Five beasts of varying grey seemed to pour out of the thickets and they flooded the clearing that I stood in. The wolves snarled and bared their fangs at me sharp as icicles. The largest of the pack seemed to breathe in the air, being wary and making sure that I was alone. When satisfied he too bared his hatred onto me as he growled lowly, silently commanding his pack to encircle me.

My throat pulsed as if bracing itself for attack. It was a common strategy among wolves to aim for the throat to end the fight as fast as they could. Each member of the pack knew their place and would plan and act their parts in blocking the prey from escaping. Normally I would be quite restless in a situation that warranted such danger, however, with my newfound abilities I never felt so alive.

I licked my lips and my knuckles whitened around the blade that I held. Movements and stances flashed through my head as if I were trained in the blade for many years. I widened my stance and brought my blade up high in a defensive position. The wolves continued to close the distance, wary of the grey claw that I held in my hands. There was a moment where my eyes fell upon the runt of pack and as my icy blue eyes met his sinister yellow, time seemed to slow down. He tensed up and I readied myself. As I noticed a slight twitch he shot forward like a grey bullet taking aim. At the last second I moved towards the left as he crashed into the ground rolling around in the dirt like a pig. As I moved away, I felt a slight sting in my shoulders. It seemed like he had clipped me slightly.

Quickly I shot the alpha a look and noticed that he was observing the battle, trying to pick apart any weaknesses I showed. I looked at the other wolves, they circled me, and however, they too were content on letting the runt fight this battle. It almost seemed as if it were a test or a punishment for this beast as if he dishonored the pack and needed redemption. The beast sprang into the air like a raptor and fell on me like a great meteor to the earth. As we wrestled into the dirt, my blade slipped out of my grasp.

The beast kept on trying to snap its jaws into my neck, but with my strength I pushed it away. Spittle and putrid breath invaded my senses slightly disorienting me as I grabbed hold of the runt's necks and started to squeeze like a great snake. At once the beast took hold of my left arm and bit down drawing blood. I screamed as the liquid trickled down my arm staining my shirt red. Without any sense I started flailing madly at the beast in my pain. It seemed like I got lucky as my nail dug into his eyeball causing the beast to let go of my arm. As it screamed I quickly raised my fist and smashed it into wolf's nose hard, throwing it off me.

I sprung to my feet as soon as it was off of me. I breathed piney air in greedily and looked to the pack and noticed surprise on their faces, it seemed if I did not finish with this outcast, I would soon be surrounded. I turned towards the downed wolf and he seemed to stare at me for but a moment before running towards me. It would seem as if he thought he knew all of my tricks, he would soon be corrected. A glint seemed to sparkle in the corner of my eyes and as the grey blur shadowed the sky, I made my move. I imagined the area with my blade and soon enough I found myself moving through space and time as I blinked away.

As I appeared, I kicked up the blade and as it twirled through the air I reached out and grasped it once more. To the beasts around me it seemed as if I disappeared out of thin air and moved like the wind. Their brains could not comprehend how it was possible for a human to have done as I had and they all immediately backed off and grouped up with the alpha, leaving the runt. As I gazed into the eyes of the wolf before me I could see something new, fear. It seemed to swallow its fear as a lump appeared in its throat, however, I would not give it that chance.

With the blade extended I imagined the area slightly left of the wolf and blinked right next to him. As the grass crunched beside the wolf, he noticed that I had somehow appeared beside him. As if in disbelief he looked back to the trees where I previously was and in that moment of weakness I struck. As if I was the stranger himself I flew towards the beast, my dagger like claws and my shouts roars. I jumped on his back and stabbed deeply into the neck of the beast. A meaty spurt was heard as I drove deeper and twisted my blade, amplifying the damage. I pulled my blade out and as the smell of iron invaded my nose. Once I started I could not stop and started to stab him again and again. Thick fur providing no resistance for my fury.

Only when I sensed danger did I stop and kick the wolf off me. The carcass hit and stumbled another wolf of the pack. As I looked around the field, I noticed that they all were closing in on me. It seems like the games were over, the real fight was starting now. I glared at the beasts before me, daring one to strike. "Come on then, you bastards, come at me!" I taunted them and it seemed to work.

The wolves didn't bother trying to circle around me this time, they just wanted to overwhelm me and take a bloody chunk out of my neck. Every time a wolf appeared to strike I would bend and weave and if I could not dodge then I would blink away out of their range. I already tried to slay another of their pack, however, it was not that simple. When I aimed at one wolf, the others would rush towards me gifting me no respite. If I wanted to end this fight I had to be smart, I needed to split the pack up.

With that though in mind, I crouched down low toward the ground and picked up a single stone. I tossed it in the air a few times to get the feel of it and then took aim at a random wolf. I chucked it and it sailed through the air and right into the temple of the second largest wolf. The wolf staggered and howled in pain. It seemed to have been blinded its right eye, for it only glared back at me with its left. As second biggest it must have been prideful and resentful of the fact that it was not the leader, so as hotheaded as it was, it was no surprise when it launched forward paying no attention to protocol and the plan of the pack.

The leader growled and barked in fury at its subordinate leaving their defensive line. This would be the last mistake that the wolf made, I would make sure of it. I blinked farther and farther away, always making sure that the wolf was still behind me, and when I judged the distance to have been adequate, I struck. I blinked to high branch in a tree and the beast below jumped and yelped at me, trying to get me to fall. He clawed and scratched at the base of the tree trying to knock it down like a great bear. I decided to oblige it in its desire and leapt of the branch and into the mouth of the beast.

As I fell from my height, the wolf grew excited and I could see a madness in its lone eye. It lowered itself and like a spring it jumped up in the air with its jaw wide open, spittle flying like rain and teeth like ice. While I fell I grabbed a sharp branch and with gravity at my side I snapped it clean of the great oak and continued my fall towards the beast. Just as I was about to meet the beast head on, I smirked and blinked away just below the wolf. The wolf looked shocked as it teeth smashed against each other and did not taste delicious flesh, it looked below and its eye widened greatly as our positions seemed to have been swapped. I raised the branch now turned pike and pointed it towards the now falling beast and with a little push it skewered the mutt deeply in its belly creating a wet gurgling sound.

It seemed like it had gone into shock and could not process its own death. It clawed weakly at me, but its paws were like cotton and its strength was leaving it by the second. Finally, a glazed look took over its eye and it was no more. I threw the skewered wolf off me harshly and spit at its corpse and prepared myself for the rest of the pack. Like it was planned, three howls echoed in the air alerting me to their presence. "Two down, three to go." I panted out in ragged breaths. I felt like I ran a marathon and I might have in this battle, the forest was immense in size.

As three grey shadows blurred around the trees I knew that the beasts had found me again. They rushed at me blindly, but they kept in a circle protecting each other's weakness. I twirled my blade in the air and licked my lips tasting rancid blood. It would later disgust me, however, in that moment it was like a drug that fueled me forward. I rushed towards them and as they thought that I would clash, I instead blinked away into the distance. They had seemed surprised that I did not meet them head on, I would have, but I was not suicidal. Three wolves in such close proximity to one another would prove too much even with my current ability.

In the distance I picked up rocks and started flinging them towards the beasts before me. They were wary of approaching me due to the fate of their brethren, however, they were still beasts at the end of the day. Pride was a dangerous thing and would prove fatal in this instance for the wolves. With a snarl the leader rushed forward and ordered his companions to flank him on either side. My plan was working and I blinked away several dozen meters at a time. With the distance that I seemed create between us, the wolves pushed themselves into overdrive putting all their strength into running as fast as their legs were capable of. When I ended up back into the original clearing I stopped.

With ragged breaths, I could see the grey wolves enter the clearing creating warm mists of air from their vicious jaws. The one I noticed was a female had her legs quivering, no doubt not having been used to this much effort in taking down prey. As the only female in their pack she must have been treated like a queen by the males or at least protected. I decided that she would be the next target. I eyed the field looking for something to help even the odds. As a waxy brown glint caught my eyes, I smiled.

I blinked around the field, confusing my foes and leaving them on edge. With a risk I decided to do something incredibly stupid, but worth a song. I decided to blink right in between the wolves and kicked them in their rear ends. The wolves yelped in surprise and before they could retaliate, I blinked away and in the distance I watched as they danced around one another biting and scratching at friend instead of foe. I whistled towards them earning their attention and they split up, too wary of one another, like I was wearing the skin of one of them. The wolves charged at me and I blinked around the field and into a large thicket of trees blocking any escape.

The wolves looked ravenous as their drool splashed onto the rock below, they would take no chances; this was it for them. As they closed in, I blinked once again and to where my hunting bow laid against a trunk. Within a breath I grabbed the bow and the quiver and blinked a few feet away from the beasts. I inhaled and time seemed to slow down as I nocked an arrow and pulled back on the string. The string was thin like a maiden's cunt and seemed to possess the pressure of one as it shook in my grasp and at last I released the arrow like a man would his seed. Like a maiden's howls during her first night, the arrow sang through the air hissing. The bitch before me widened her eyes before the arrow sank right into her left eye with a meaty thwack.

Silently she dropped to the floor dead instantly. She had been given a quick death, perhaps the rest would be given the same. The beasts seemed startled by their sister's death, it seemed to anger them and more. Before they got any ideas I blinked away as they charged forward. I drew my bow once more and an arrow shot forward and sank deeply into the smaller wolf's neck. It cried out in pain, however, it was soon silenced by three more arrows. As the alpha howled and barked in rage I nocked an arrow and aimed the bow right at his face stopping him dead in his tracks.

As I kept the bow aimed at him, I could see the fear in his eyes. I chuckled slightly and relaxed the bowstring and threw the bow away towards the ground. He looked surprised and eyed me warily, confused at why I would throw away my weapon. I smiled at the beast. "Let us fight like men in this final exchange, I'll let you die with dignity at least. No trickery and cheap tactics this time, just a battle between warriors." I told the wolf and he seemed to understand me in some primal way as he nodded his head like one would before a duel. Seconds passed and then we rushed at one another.

My dagger raised high in the air and his jaw open and wide, we crashed into each other and wrestled one another on the ground. As we tumbled through the mud and the dirt, caking our skin, I grappled the wolf in a reverse hold keeping pressure on his neck. He was frantic in my hold, barking and snapping at my arms to release himself. With some strength I pulled my left arm up and gripped my blade tight and ripped right through the underside of the beast. Hot blood splashed across my face as my dagger cut his belly open. The wolf cried out, but he was not dead, not yet. Tossing my blade to the side I took my hand and burrowed it deeply into his open belly and pulled his innards free and at last the wolf was no more.

For a moment I laid on the ground drained of my energy. The blood from the beast spilled onto me painting me red and making me stink like I was common thief. I panted deeply and then pushed the body off me. I fell asleep soon after and awoke in the night. As the moonlight tickled me with its warmth, I decided to make camp. I gather the bodies of the wolves from around the clearing and blinked them around me. As the fire flickered around me, I got my blade and started to skin the wolves. They would be useful to me and they would not need them where they were now. With delicate strokes I ripped the flesh off them gently and let them dry off in the distance.

Luckily the forest was rich with game and so I roasted a few rabbits that night for my meal. The next few nights were spend hunting as much game as I could. I hunted half a dozen stags and many more hares in my time in the Wolfswood, luckily Griffith was a hunter and as such had a cart for transporting the carcasses back to a settlement. I salted the meat heavily to preserve it and the natural cold helped as well, and trekked my way back into a village of sorts, from my memory it was named something like Woodstown or something like that. It did not matter, it was an insignificant part in a barren region; it was no White Harbour.

My attire and stinking body seemed to repel the villagers from my path. They would have labeled me a bandit and raised the alarm, however, from my memory I seemed to sell meat in this village on occasion and the people knew me, at least to an extent. As I dragged the cart through the village I soon made my way to middle of it and a rank scent invaded my senses. It stank of old skins, dead and sour, near drowned beneath the stronger scents of smoke and blood and rot. It would seem as if I had found the butcher. The butcher, Sylas, was also the tanner of the village and as such stank like hell. Not many would willingly seek him out, at least those not hungry enough.

As I entered the shop a meaty chop was heard. The bells chimed and Sylas turned to face who entered his establishment. When his eyes came upon a familiar face, he smiled. "Ah Griffith! You're looking as grim as usual. Perhaps a smile here and there would allow a young lass to be fooled enough to lay with you for but a night." He japed. I cracked a smile and this time he put down his cleaver and looked me up and down noticing my dirty body. "Would it have killed you to have washed up first before you decided to stink up my shop? By the gods you smell like shit!" Sylas made an exaggerated motion of being affected by my putrid odor.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Really? You're going to talk about smells? I'm surprised the villagers haven't drove you out yet." I retorted back at him with a brow raised.

He bellowed deeply and waved me over. "Come boy over here, you might as well show me what you got for me today."

I scowled lightly at his comment of me being a boy, I was not. "How many times do I have to tell you, I'm no boy, I'm twenty for crying out loud?" I massaged my temples as they pulsed slightly.

He seemed to ignore me and after a few seconds, I sighed deeply. I made my way towards him and dragged the cart. When he saw the stock that I had, he whistled. "The old gods must have blessed you boy for such a bounty. How in the devil did you manage to fell so many bloody stags?" He asked me, impressed.

I smirked at him. Usually it would be quite difficult to hunt this many animals, however, with my powers it was quite easy and fun to say the least. All I would have to do was blink right behind them and strike, it was quite anticlimactic. "They say that the masters of their craft guard their secrets jealously like a pot of gold." I smirked, it was quite fun to speak like those mysterious old men in stories.

Sylas rolled his eyes at my words. "You, a master? I didn't realize you decided to become a mummer in the time I last saw you." He japed lightly. After a moment, he sighed. "Alright, let us get this transaction over with, I have no time for your madness lad."

I smirked. "So how much for the lot of it?" I asked him.

He eyed the carcasses for but a moment and scratched his chin. "Thirteen stags for lot of them." He declared.

I gave him a deadpan expression. "Thirteen silver stags for half a dozen fully grown stags and all these hares? I didn't realize that you had gotten soft in the head as of late. This is a lot of meat and can feed a lot of families for a month at least. This is worth a hundred stags at the least." I demanded.

He narrowed his gaze. "Aye, but coin is rare as of late, plus traders from White Harbour are said to come soon in the following weeks. Perhaps they would have better wares. Forty stags." He bartered.

I shook my head. "Aye, but you said it yourself the traders will take a few weeks to arrive and you need meat right now. Plus their premium goods will undoubtedly cost a premium as well. Plus this meat is fresh, eighty silver stags." I retorted.

He looked backed into a corner, his mind was racing trying to think of something to retort with. He looked at the bodies and then something clicked in his head. "Seventy stags and I get to keep the pelts."

I looked him in the eye and as we stared at one another, we nodded. I stuck my hand out and he shook it. "Aye, that would do." I agreed to his offer.

He smiled. "So lad, how will you be wanting your shiny coins? All stags or some coppers as well?" He asked.

I thought about it for a minute and then answered him. "Give me sixty-eight silver stags and the rest in coppers."

He nodded and went to the back of his shop. After a few minutes he came back with a large bag and handed it to me. "Don't spend it all in one place boy. Perhaps you could share some of it with a special lady or two." He winked at me.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll be going now Sylas. Take care of yourself, perhaps the baths might even let you in this time." I japed lightly as I left the shop.

I strolled down the street, hauling my now empty cart along with me. I came across a tavern of sorts, it also seemed to be an inn of some sorts. At that moment my belly roared like a great beast alerting me of my hunger. It would be good to get my fill at an actual establishment and not eat poorly cooked meat in the woods. With that in mind I pushed the door open and walked on in.

I looked around and it seemed bumbling with life as music and patrons danced and cheered. I took a seat near an empty spot in the tavern and a serving girl soon made her way over. "How may I serve you today, master?" She smiled.

I looked over at her and thought for a second. "Bring me a honeyed roast of your finest meat as well as a few mugs of your finest mead. Also I'll be wanting a room for the night." I told her and paid the sum she asked.

While I waited for the order to arrive, I took in the scenery around me. Songs and people having loud conversations all around me rang out, so loud I almost didn't catch a hushed conversation behind me. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I did as it seemed suspicious.

A man snorted out. "So…is the plan all ready to go, have you rounded up Hadvar and Gimli yet? Did they accept the bribe?" The man rasped out.

Those names rang out in my mind, they were familiar…wait weren't they some of the guards for the village. I paled as I realized that nothing good would come of this conversation. What conspiracy have I come across?

Another man answered him. "Aye, those two have been paid well and they call us cutthroats!" There was a chuckle that rang out in their circle. "We should be good for tonight, they'll leave the gates open and unmanned."

Wait, what the hell were these bastards planning? Don't tell me that these fools were planning a raid on the village, this village isn't even that big. Or maybe that is why they chose this place. My eyes gazed at the people around me and I paled slightly. Perhaps they desire a more lively merchandise. I shook myself and listened in once again.

The original man spoke up once again. "Then let us drink deeply for tonight the rivers shall run red with the blood of many and our pockets fat with coin. Come brothers drink and let's regroup in the Wolfswood. In the dead of night we shall return for the last time!" He shouted lightly and raised his mug in the air and sounds of cheers were heard as they downed their ale and slammed their mugs on the tables. They left soon after, but not before groping the rear end of the serving girl.

Just as the serving girl recovered, she soon brought me my food and mead. I took the mead and downed it in one go. As I wiped my mouth I turned towards her. "I have lost my appetite, please feel free to enjoy this roast yourself, milady." I told her as I made my way out of the tavern, ignoring her cries for me to wait.

I left my cart behind not caring if it wouldn't be there when I returned. There was a sickening plot afoot and I seemed to have found myself right in the middle of it. I trailed behind the men from the tavern, ensuring that I was behind them enough to not alert them of my presence. I passed a man chopping wood and grabbed his hatchet from him. He made to protest, but was silenced after tossing the old fool a few stags without turning back. At the edge of the town, the men scattered and entered the woods where I could not follow closely else be ambushed.

As I reached the line of trees, I sighed. I looked around, but I had lost the men. It would seem that the brigands were smarter than they seemed; they would take no chances. As I was about to take off in a random direction my eye caught a sliver of colour among the dull colours of the forest. I crouched down and pulled at it; it was a ribbon of cloth, torn from one of the men no doubt. I had no idea how useful something like this would be, I had no hounds to sniff it and lead me to where the men where. I pocketed the ribbon regardless, it might serve a purpose yet.

I was not that good at tracking, however, these criminals were not the most subtle at hiding their tracks. All I had to look for was a path of destruction. It would be subtle, but a branch broken here and trampled plants there would paint a picture. I trekked throughout the forest for what seemed like hours. The problem was that the Wolfswood was huge, extremely huge. You could easily spend weeks in the woods trying to navigate around it. The bandits couldn't have chosen a better place to hide.

I looked up at the sky and had to squint as the great canopy of leaves and high branches blocked out almost all light. The sky was darkening and the moon was already visible. Soon it would be pitch black in these lands. I took a single moment to lie down to catch my breath and regain my strength. As I sat down I had visions of home and what was to come. I had just arrived and already so much danger was present. I loved the world of ice and fire because it was so rich and alive. It didn't wait for you to be ready for things, they just happened and everything was very real and brutal. As I was contemplating the philosophy of things, a rustle in the background caused me to shoot forward.

As I withdrew my blade and held it high, I tensed up. The only thought going through my mind being that the bastards had caught wind of me. "Show yourself fiend! Face me with some honour at least!" I inhaled deeply and my eye swam across the darkness that was this forest. I was on guard for anything that would pop out and cause me harm. I twitched at the slightest noise and was getting restless.

Just as I was about to find out for myself what lurked in the dark, it showed itself. At first I had thought a blur of shadow that came to life was dragging itself towards me. However, it was something more. The thing in the darkness was black as the night itself and seemed to have been the spawn of the moon as slivers of white seemed to sparkle in its light. It slunk over to me almost drunkenly as if was not well or it was planning something. It was on all fours, but even in its swayed steps it was silent as an empty room and sounds around it seemed to echo further masking it.

As it came closer, I noticed its size, it was huge as it was long. It could have been three or four feet at its shoulder, I could not tell, and seemed as long as great viper as the body still seemed shadowed by the night. It eyes though, they were menacing. It was said that great creatures of the night have a piercing gaze that when set upon a poor soul would paralyze them in their tracks. Those sinister eyes that seemed to make me think of darkness and death did the same. I seemed to swallow the lump that had formed in my throat and that caused me to regain my senses.

I quickly backed off and pointed my blade at the beast, daring it to come closer. The beast seemed to gaze at me searching my soul for some answer and then all of a sudden it fell to the ground. It was the first sound it made in the whole encounter and I waited for a minute before walking closer. I kept the dagger close and stalked towards it slowly. I kicked the body once and then twice and then waited. When no reaction came I relaxed. I crouched down and examined the body, it was a beast that was more common in the Riverlands, however, was not uncommon in the North. It was a shadowcat, but why did it seemingly drop in front of me. I looked over its body and noticed a piece of wood sticking out of it. I pulled it free and a spurt of blood poured over me caking me in its scent. I examined the piece and noticed it was a bolt, someone had shot the beast, but it had run away only to die before me. My thought was cut off as I heard another rustle.

I stepped back and prepared myself. These creatures were lone hunters, but it was not impossible for it to have teamed up with another and formed a partnership of some kind. As I was about to do something stupid, a small furry creature entered the clearing. I relaxed a little, but was still on guard. The creature was shivering and seemed to be afraid. It crawled toward the dead beast before me, not caring for my presence. It hurt my heart slightly when I saw how it nudged the dead body as if trying to wake it up. Its little cries echoed around me and I could tell it was a song of loss. I looked back at the body and then at the small cat that appeared. No doubt this was the spawn of the shadowcat and was now alone in this dark world.

I crouched down and grabbed the little cat from its mother's side. The sad thing was that it didn't even fight me, it just let me grab it. It looked at me with fearful eyes and was shaking in my hold. It was shivering and cold. I thought about how this child would not live an easy life, it was on the edge of civilization and would be hunted for its pelt or for fun. It would compete with great beasts like wolves and bears for food and it was too young for its mother to have taught it anything. If I left it here it would suffer slowly before dying a gruesome death. With that in mind I brought my dagger towards it throat. I would give it a fast death, an easy one. It could join its mother in the next life, perhaps an easier one.

As I held the dagger towards its neck, its innocent eyes beamed back at me as if it was in tears. My hands shook and I decided I could not go through with killing this child, I was not that cruel. I sighed and sheathed my blade and laid the child on the ground. I caressed it slightly, humming and showing it some love. "Shhhh, it will be alright little one, it shall be alright." I told it and didn't know if I was lying or not.

It seemed like it was hungry so I pulled out some dried meat from my pack and cut off a portion for it to eat. It nibbled it almost cutely, its small teeth trying to tear the tough meat apart. I chuckled lightly and decided to drop the rest of the meat for it to eat. As I was about to leave I noticed it nuzzled my leg lightly. I turned towards it and looked at it. I grabbed it and it purred. I smiled at it. "Do you want to come with me little guy? Join me in my travels?" I asked it and it nuzzled my chin lightly. "So be it, you need a name; Shadow. That will be what you are called from now on." I named it and it cooed at the name.

With that situation dealt with we took off into the night and after a few minutes I had an idea. I looked over at Shadow and pulled out the ribbon. It was a very real possibility that the bolt that killed Shadow's mother was from the bandits in the woods. It would have memorized their scent to avoid them. "Shadow, I need you to smell this cloth. Can you find its origin?" I asked it.

Its nose wrinkled cutely as it sniffed the cloth. Its face soon turned to horror as it linked the scent to one of terror and death. I calmed it slightly by caressing it and it calmed down. "Don't worry, I am here now. You're not alone anymore." I assured it and it calmed down. It took another whiff and then looked towards the left. "So that way?" I asked it and it kept on looking there so I assumed it meant yes.

I sighed and followed Shadow's line of sight. I would change direction whenever the feline would turn its gaze. With the help it was only an hour later where I came across a slight cliff and large clearing. I was both worried and excited. I was happy that I definitely found the camp they were speaking of, however, I was worried as to its size. Dozens of tents littered the clearing and I could make out at least fifty men or more. This was no simple band of bandits it seemed. I hid in the shadows above the camp and watched the men below. I could not make out what was happening, but I noticed that the men were lighting their torches and sharpening their blades. I looked to the sky and noticed that it would be almost pitch black if not for the moon and the fire in the camp. They were going to strike soon.

I noticed a man shouting towards the men in the camp. "We shall march through the night and like the Stranger himself, we shall be the sword in the darkness. Let it burn, let it all burn! Drink for in a moment's turn we shall march and our feet shall be thunder!" The man shouted and the men cheered. I pulled myself back and held a grim face.

I looked to see any weaknesses in the camp and noticed that were none except for the cliff on the edge. I looked towards a tree and then subconsciously fingered my hatchet and then a plan formed. I could only hope it would work. The men below were loud and partying I could only hope it would mask the sounds that I would make.

I grabbed hold of my hatchet and poured all my strength into my blow and struck at the great oak beside me and it shook. I paused and looked back at the camp. They didn't seem to have noticed so I struck again and again and again. I struck the tree like I hated it, like it had done me harm. As the minutes passed, I was getting tired, however the thing with knocking down trees was that you only had to break it till gravity could take over. As I chopped it halfway, I noticed the tree shaking, so with the aid of gravity, I kicked at the base of the tree and it felt like I possessed the strength of the gods as it swayed and dropped towards the ground. A loud rumble echoed throughout the clearing and the men below finally noticed that something was wrong. Before anyone could speak, the great tree rolled downwards towards the clearing. It jumped and roared as it fell and like a great wave it washed against the camp below and seemingly took out most of the camp, until it rolled right off the cliff dragging the men with it.

The screams of agony rang out in the camp below and I decided to make my entrance be known. I blinked towards the middle of the camp and the men around me staggered and fell towards the ground shocked out of their minds. "Demon!" A man yelled out as he pointed a bony finger towards me.

I blinked towards him and he didn't have a moment to react as I plunged my blade deeply within his throat. I withdrew it violently tearing a great chunk of him and leaving him clawing at his throat. The rest of the men seemed to have regained their bearings and I noticed that there might have been a little less than a score of men left. As they charged at me, I blinked again appeared in front of a man and punched him hard in the gut. I pulled the torch from his grasp and pressed it against his clothing. Like it was oiled, it burst into flames and he ran around the clearing screaming, trying to put out the flames, but only making it worse.

I blinked towards the tents and ran by them with my torch held out lighting them all on fire, creating a barrier between it and the forest. There would be no escape for these men here today, this night would be their last. It seemed like a few men were still asleep as screams were heard from inside the tents. They seemed to die out as time passed signifying their death. I blinked towards the men and one by one I appeared before them and slit their throats or parried their strikes with my own. These pitiful shits probably had never been trained a day in their life and it showed. With an average knight's skill I surpassed them and with my ability to blink I slaughtered them.

I grabbed hold of a man and blinked us towards the great pit of fire in the middle of the camp. He was shocked when he reappeared with me which gave me an opportunity to kick him right in the fire. As he cooked in the flames he screamed loudly, but I had already moved on to the next opponent. Just as I was about to strike down another person, I felt a slight sting in my side and noticed that a man had grabbed hold of me to hold me down.

I tried to shake him off, but the man was a massive bear of a man, as I was about feel like passing out, I looked towards the sky and blinked. In the sky we were high and after a second we fell. The man that grasped me started screaming and with his loosened hold I kicked him off me and he released me. I blinked away and in time to see the man fall hard to the ground. If he was not dead then he would be incredibly crippled and would die soon.

I continued my slaughter and at long last a single man stood before me. As I looked towards myself I noticed that I was completely red, painted in the blood of my enemies. With a fire raging behind me I stalked forward slowly like a demon of the night. The man's knees buckled and quivered and a dampness seemed to have formed in his trousers. He pointed his blade towards me shaking it. "W-what are you?" He asked in his final moments. "L-leave me alone!" He shouted and started flailing his blade madly as if I was everywhere and the shadows themselves.

I blinked behind him and stuck my blade deep into him. A wet squelching sound erupted as my blade exited him. He turned to me in horror as our eyes met. "The North remembers." I told him as his lifeless body hit the ground, forever in pain. The statement didn't really fit here, but by the gods did it feel good to say. As I laid in the graveyard that I created, I sighed and my weariness caught up to me.

As I gazed at the bodies before me I realized that I would probably never get a better chance to devour the hearts of the fallen. The moon was out and shined over me brightly and the bodies were still warm, freshly dead. I swallowed the lump in my throat and dragged the last man that I killed and plunged the blade deeply into him, cutting him open and breaking the bones that sheltered the heart. I carefully dissected it and as I held it in my grasp, it almost seemed to pulse like it was still alive.

I brought the heart towards my mouth and as I was about to take a bite, I recoiled as I couldn't bring myself to do something barbaric like this. It was funny how men would eat anything and kill anything, but as soon as another of their race was involved it somehow become taboo. I shook my head and closed my eyes and brought it once more towards my lips and as I licked the foul blood, red glimmered in the distance.

As my eyes fell on a tree, I stopped. The wood was an ashy white like it was a bone of the earth. Red leaves covered the branches like a bloody crown. The most sinister thing about it was the face that stared back at me, judging me and gazing into my soul. Its mouth was deep and wide open and sap seemed to drip from it. A heart tree it seemed. It possessed an ethereal aura and I did not notice as I brought myself towards the tree. As I reached the base I looked into its eyes and somehow I knew of what had to be done. Forbidden knowledge seemed to enter my mind, whispers from the tree as the wind wisped around us.

I picked up the heart with both hands and placed it within the mouth of the tree. The blood and the sap seemed to mix and a vapour danced in the air and entered my nostrils. I felt delirious and the world suddenly turned black. For a moment I thought all was lost, but I awoke and light shone all around me. I found myself in a place of all white. Everything was white from the walls to the floor.

Suddenly a mist entered the room and formed into a table with a rich banquet on it. A chair pulled itself and man or spirit sat itself in it. "Eat my child…you are hungry…sate your appetite." The voice rasped out.

I was startled. I noticed something off about the man; his skin was pieced together as if were a costume, not his true self. "You-you are not alive." I stated, surprised by my sudden fear.

The man licked his lips and frowned at me. "No, you wretched fool death is more than a word. It is a cold hand of rotted flesh, hissing air as foul as a goblin's whisper. Life does not flow through this shell. It is as empty as your philosophy." He hissed out.

I recoiled from his icy words. "What are you? How long have you been here?" I asked it.

"I have wandered through the lands when it was still an infant in its womb. When magic flowed freely like a great river. When creatures of legend roamed around as common as dogs. When the icy barrier in the North was a simple hill. I have seen this world rise and fall many times." He rasped out.

I was startled, how could any creature survive for that long. "Are you a necromancer or some abomination of death? How could you have survived for this long?"

He slammed his hand on the table creating an echo. "Like a fish scuttling on land, you flap your gills, your feeble mind attempting to grasp what is beyond your comprehension. Lichdom is a fool's bargain, for necromancers content spending eternity as skinless wraiths. With a sleight of hand they control their corpse like an avatar, as their souls are bound to phylacteries. I did not subscribe to such cheap necromancer tricks. I sought the path to true immortality, through the techniques long lost to raise oneself to divinity. I live on as my followers exist both in the flesh and the beyond." He let out slowly, to let every word cut deeply.

I paused at that. "Why am I here?" I asked.

He seemed to smile, but it unnerved me greatly. "Men have forgot who I once was. There was a time when I was revered by all…but men forget. Only the trees remember." His voice was soft. "I live in the dreams of all who wander across this world. My lands stretch across the imagination of many and I give my children a place to stay when the mortal world rejects them. You are not here, not yet. You are at the door, but have not lost yourself yet."

I was confused at his words. I began to speak once more, but he cut me off. "Eat child and become one of my own. You have brought me a gift and I shall honour you with your own. Become more." His voice echoed out and his body wisped away.

I looked forward and noticed that the table was gone now, only a single fruit remained and was in my grasp. It was red and shined in the light. It pulsed in my grasp and it drew me forward. My mouth started to salivate and with a snap I tore a chunk of it off. It was delicious, like the sweetest thing that I ever ate. I never felt as good as in that moment. After gorging myself, I noticed my hands were painted a strange red.

A darkness seemed to overcome the once white room. Black as pitch, black as tar, blacker than the feathers of a crow. Light seemed to enter as a trespasser, unwanted and unwelcome, and soon was gone. The shadows in the room danced and made shapes. Finally, smoke misted around me and I found myself back at the clearing once more.

I looked around and the fire was burning brightly like a fallen star. I looked towards the tree and noticed that the heart was not there anywhere. I looked towards my hands and noticed that it was caked red. Before thoughts could form I was alerted of a message.

"?" has accepted your sacrifice. He has bestowed upon you his gifts.

A combination of PERKs have been granted and upgraded due to your Northern blood and hidden talents.

The following mutations have been granted.

Greater Skinchanger: (Skinchangers are those who possess the gift of entering the mind of others and taking control of their vessels. Most Skinchangers will never be able to take a greater form than that of a dog. You are different, you have the old blood flowing through you freshly. The sky is the limit, however, beware not everything will accept you.)

Precognition: (It isn't the Greensight, but it is the next best thing. The spirits of old and of nature will whisper in your ears in times of need. They will warn you of danger and advise you at times.)

It took me a moment to realize what happened. After a moment I was awoken from my trance from Shadow purring and licking the red liquid off my palms. I had an idea, but I would need to be gentle. It was said that cats would fight tooth and nail for control whenever one wore its skin. Varamyr's shadowcat hated him, but then again he didn't form his bonds gently. He would force an animal to bond with him and he always chose them whenever they were grown and ready to be useful to him. Even men back on my planet could tame great beasts if they started young enough. The shadowcat before me was almost a babe, he would not know it to be wrong. He had joined my company willingly and I had been gentle with it.

With that in mind I closed my eyes and caressed Shadow lightly. Like I was taking off a coat I seemed to slip out of my skin and into another. In the dark recesses of a mind, a worried feeling echoed out. I sent a feeling of calm and reassured Shadow that I meant no harm, that we were now one and the same and that I would protect it. Shadow's mind seemed to relax and a path was lit up. As the light tickled against my eyelids, I opened them.

Almost immediately I could tell something was different. Light and shadows danced in the distance and I could not see as far as I once could. The darkness did not seem so dark anymore, it almost glowed. Everything seemed bigger than it once was and I seemed to wiggle out of some bind. I looked back and noticed my body staring back at me. My eyes were a milky white and I knew I had transferred skins into Shadow.

I took a step then another. I danced around and it seemed exhilarating to experience sensations unknown to man. I felt like I could hear everything and smell everything. Suddenly I trudged towards the corpses of the fallen men and instinctively took a lick. Blood flowed thick and sluggish from the wound on the man's throat. I lapped at it with my tongue, licked the ragged and dead flesh of his cheek, then buried my mouth in his neck and tore it open, gulping down a gobbet of sweet meat. No flesh had ever tasted half as good and I lost myself in my appetite. Finally, when I regained myself I moved on to his chest and with my small claws I tore it open. The heart seemed to glisten in the moonlight and I licked my lips. Like the beast came over me, I devoured it and more. I was about to lose myself in my primal carnage, but a message alerted me.

Heart Consumed.

I stood back and then smiled. I got off the carcass and then looked to the bodies littering the graveyard. It would seem that I would feed this night. I ate till my belly almost burst and only stopped when I fell into the gentle embrace of oblivion.