Well, hello there. I didn't expect that I'd be posting another chapter so soon after the first one... but here we are. Another chapter of Godrick the Radiant, for those few folks that are actually looking forward to it. I've been thinking about how I want to write this story for a bit, and I think I have a path on how I want to allow Godrick to grow in strength and power. So look forward to that.
I've also been working on making my chapters longer so you folks have something to read instead of blitzing through it all in a minute. I'll try my best to pace this story, but who knows? Anyhow, enough of my yapping, you came here for a story, so I'll give it to ya.
Welcome folks, to another chapter of Godrick The Radiant
Let's get this show on the road.
Godrick The Radiant
The Break of Dawn
Well, after that anxiety-filled moment, and the subsequent pep talk that followed, my body was too exhausted to do anything other than sleep. And as the days went by, and I began to grow into my own, I began to hear tidbits of information here and there from people. This ranged from my parents, visiting relatives, and even some of the people working there.
Godfrey still seems to be Elden Lord, and his lineage seems to still be in its prime, but certain lines of his family are slowly withering away as the divine blood begins to thin more and more. So I shouldn't be too worried about the Golden Lineage's fall from grace (pun wholly intended) just yet. I still need to find a way to grow stronger than most of the demigods, even Radahn, but that would be tough, considering how much of an abnormality he is.
As I still wonder about my plans for years to come, I am picked up by one of the wetnurses, who seems to be heading to my mother's room. Another thing I realized over time was that I wasn't the only one afflicted with a frail physical body, as my mother was also afflicted with such a thing, and because of that, she would usually stay in the bedroom, attempting to rest. As the door opens, I find my mother, with her hair a shade of pale gold, sitting up in the bed and resting.
"Ah, Amalia, it's good to see you." My mother says, whose name I later realized to be Anneta, as she reaches out to grab me, and place me into her arms. She smiles at me, as I continue to stare at her. "It's good to see you as well, Godrick." She says, and I smile at her, laughing as a child would.
"There are no problems with my son?" Anneta asks Amalia, who shakes her head.
"No, nothing at all. Beyond the physical frailty, my lady." Amalia says as she bows slightly. So I should survive, as long as I don't get sick, or anything like that. That's a relieving thought, but it's soon tempered by the reminder of events to come.
"That's good. My son should deserve a chance at life, even if the odds are stacked against him." She says, the joy in her voice muted. She's probably still a little devastated that I'm not going to be able to experience the outside world, and that I'm going to be stuck in a castle for the rest of my life. But I'm not gonna let that happen, not when I got a second chance to actually become something great. As these thoughts run through my head, a knock on the door is heard by all in the room, and a gruff voice is heard not long after.
"Anneta, are you there?" The voice asks, whom I realize to be Godriv, and he opens the door to enter the bedroom, wearing black robes with golden embroidery upon them/. "I had heard you were feeling better than you usually were." He continues, as he strides next to the bed. He looks at Amalia, and waves her off, as she proceeds to bow and then leave the room afterward.
"Yes, I am feeling quite well today. I also wished to see how Godrick was doing today." My mother says, holding me close, as Godriv stares at the two of us with an indecipherable look on his face. He continues to stare, before sighing.
"I'd rather not see my son trapped inside this home of ours for the rest of his life. I wish to see him out on the battlefield, defending his home from any who would do it harm." Godriv says as he shakes his head. "But the world doesn't seem to care much for my opinion, or yours, Anneta." He finishes, as he takes a seat next to us on the bed.
"Then we will raise him to the best of our ability, and make sure he'll have a family that would show him love and care" Anneta responds, grasping Godriv's hand. He stares back at his wife for a moment, before tightening his grip.
"That we will... That we will." He says, as he reaches his other hand to run his hand through my hair, which is an odd feeling for me, to say the least. Godriv gets up to leave and just as he opens the door, he looks back at us both, with a solemn smile on his face. "I hope you two rest well." He says, then he proceeds to leave the room, leaving only myself and Anneta alone to rest...
Years later...
It's been a lot of time since my rebirth into this world as Godrick, this being my 7th year, but I think I've been starting to acclimate to it all. The realization of being in a new world didn't really hit me until I saw something, that without a doubt, shattered any subconscious notions of this being a normal reality.
I witnessed my first spell.
Now that might not seem like a lot, and granted, it was just an Urgent Heal incantation, but it looked amazing to me nonetheless. I also began my studies, which included expanding my vocabulary at first, but when my parents noticed my impressive growth, they decided to expand my learning to greater heights. New tutors were brought in to help accommodate this seemingly rapid mental growth, and soon, I began learning about arithmetic, history, etiquette, and a whole host of other subjects. I seemed to thrive off of learning and expanding my mind.
Even I was surprised by the sudden increase in my mental capabilities, but I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth, considering how handy said increase has been. I'm beginning to find my feet in this new world of mine, and I've surprisingly been enjoying this. Not the fact that I was a baby and was helpless for the majority of my current life, but I truly did enjoy the feeling of growing, learning, and expanding my mind. I'm starting to consider stealing Offnir's schtick as the "All-Knowing" at this point. But I suppose it's time to move on.
Something else I noticed was that people didn't really age past a certain point. They represented their lives in their primes, so some of the noble families of Leyndell still had their founders acting as the heads of the family, but many had retired from their positions at this point to allow the newer generations a chance to grow. This immortality meant that calendars didn't really have much meaning, beyond tracking the time, but almost all the Lands Betweens still used a calendar, which used Leyndell's founding as its starting point. So it was technically LF instead of AD.
All this learning about the Lands Between, and the places that lie therein had me heading to the library with unmatched consistency, simply to learn all I can. Even if I have to ask servants to carry the books there for me, due to my physique...
And so, there I sat in the depths of the library, as I did for many of the days before, surrounded by the guards watching over the library, learning from the countless books within, even if I had to sift through them a little to find the more unbiased writing. Then I heard the telltale sounds of footsteps clacking against the floor, and through the stacks of books and paper, a man with an appearance similar to my own comes into view. He glances about for a moment as if searching for somebody, before he notices me on the corner, and shuffles his over to me.
"Ah! Nephew, so this is where you've been. I knew I'd find you here, shuffled up into your own corner of this library." The man says, as he slowly takes a seat, and pats me lightly on the shoulder.
"And hello to you as well, Uncle Godefroy. I assume you've been having a good day from your joyous tone?" I ask him, as he stops the patting, and get's cozy in the seat next to me. This was my uncle, Godefroy. Yes, the same Godefroy that was a forgettable reskin of Godrick. He was a pretty chill guy and suffered from the same problem as me, so he understood my pain. We'd usually meet within the library, and we would discuss any topics that fancied us. All in all, I enjoyed my conversations with him.
"That I have been, dear nephew. My work has been relatively light for a bit, so I have the chance to actually relax, instead of drowning myself in the paper as I try to manage this family's finances." He says, chuckling quietly to himself. "Well, I think you've heard enough about my day, so how was your day, Godrick? Find anything else of interest in these books?" He asks me, picking up one of them, and sifting through it.
"Yes, in fact. I've been learning about the Liurnian Wars, and how the champions of Leyndell met their match with the Carian Knights. The battles between the two groups must've been amazing." I say to Godefroy, as he smiles and nods along to my words.
"That they were. I've only heard rumors of the battles between them, but I have seen for myself the might of our home's champions and defenders." He says, as he gets up to pick out a book of his own choosing, and simply read through it for a time. He seems to be disturbed by a thought as he reads through the book, his brows scrunching together for a moment before he realizes what he had forgotten. "Ah! On the topic of the Carians, I recall you asking about the royal family, and their happenings, no? I managed to get some information from a few of my men earlier today regarding their affairs." He says, as he turns to face me, returning to his seat.
"Oh, and what news did these men of yours bring?" I ask him. Godefroy may seem like a shriveled, old man, but he is far more clever than many people assume. He's the man who keeps the family's coffers, yes, but he still has countless bribed guards serving under his orders to keep an eye on things. I had asked him if he would know anybody that could get me the information I needed, and he offered to help. He did also ask about my reasoning, but I stated that it might be best to keep our eyes on anybody who could threaten the Golden Lineage, even if they were nearly half a continent away.
"They said that not much has changed since the beginning of the marriage between Rennala and Radagon, except for the birth of their children, of course. But rumors have been brewing that there seems to be something odd with their marriage, but I'm sure it's nothing more than hearsay." Godefroy says as he waves off at the air, as if the rumors were nothing more than smoke to him.
"Thank you then, Uncle Godefroy, for your help regarding this matter. Would it be possible to send a constant flow of information regarding the Carians down my way?" I ask him once again. Knowing when Radagon is planning to leave for the capital, and when things seem dicey for the Golden Lineage will be extremely important later on down the line.
"I don't see why not. Though, I am curious why you want a constant flow of information regarding the Carians." My uncle says, an inquisitive glint in his eye as he speaks those words. "Consider it payment for the information." He finishes, a small smile on his face all the while.
I sit silently for a moment, as we both stare at each other. I already know my answer, and so does he.
"I suppose I could confide in you regarding certain... suspicions, that I may have." I say, as I shift a little in my seat, reaching out for a small piece of paper, a quill, and some ink. I jot something down quickly, fold the paper and slide it over to him. "I'd suggest you don't read it aloud." I whisper to him, knowing that what was written on that single piece of paper was unimaginably dangerous.
Godefroy stares at the paper for a moment, as if he's unsure if he should pick it up, but proceeds to do so anyway. He stares at me, and then unfolds the paper to read it. He reads it slowly, but soon the realization of what he is reading begins to dawn on his face, his face becoming whiter by the second. Then he puts the paper down, and stares at me once again.
"Is it true?"
Godefroy's voice is nearly silent at this point, but I still managed to hear it, somehow.
"As it is mostly conjecture, I can't guarantee it..." I whisper back to him, my face twisted with concern. "But looking at the evidence? It's extremely likely..."
Godefroy draws away, and he balls his hands together, as he looks down at the table. He proceeds to hold this position for the next minute or so, before stopping. He sighs, and then relaxes.
"Consider it done. You'll get a report sent to you by a servant every month, hidden within the center of a book that will be on your bedside." He whispers to me, as he gets up and prepares to leave with a retinue of guards awaiting him at the door. He puts on a jovial mask, and waves goodbye before leaving.
Well... That went well.
I close the book about the Liurnian Wars that I was reading, realizing that it was nearing the evening. I should probably head back to my room to get some rest for the day. As I get up and prepare to leave the Library, a servant enters through the door, no doubt in search of me. I wave my hand at him to get his attention, and he walks over to me, and bows.
"Young Master, your lord father would like to speak with you." The servant says, getting up from his bow. I wonder what this is about...
"In his study, I assume?" I ask the servant, and they nod. So I walk past him, and through the library doors, as two guards follow behind to act as protection. We continue down through the halls of my home, until we reach my father's study. I knock on the door, and await a response.
"Who is it?" The familiar voice of Godriv sounds out from behind the door.
"It's me, father. May I come in?" I respond, as I was preparing myself for what we were to be talking about today.
"Yes, you may." He sounds out, his voice as gruff as always.
I open the door, and walk into his study. He had a grand room, filled books on shelves, all manner of weapons on display, and a great circular window behind his table, allowing him to peer out into the royal capital. It was illuminated by torches, a candle on the desk, and the golden light of the Erdtree flowing in. "You called for me, father?" I ask him, as I shut the door behind me.
"Yes, yes I did." He replies, as he puts down the quill he was writing on, folding the scroll, and he gets up from his seat. He's wearing his usual clothes, consisting of a flowing robe with golden highlights. "I wished to discuss something regarding your training." He says, as he walks up to me, and starts looking through his bookshelves.
"I assume we'll be restarting my training?" I ask him. My parents had originally planned to have me begin my training as a warrior when I was five, but my frailty of body had forced them to push that back by a year or two, so I could be given more time to grow. I suppose now is a better time than never.
"Yes, we will. You've been given time to grow, but your body leaves much to be desired. Though it is no fault of your own, of course." My father says to me, as he pats me on my shoulder. Like I wasn't already aware of the frailty of this new body of mine. At this point, some part of me has begun to desire for my old body back, but I will find a way to remedy this weak body. Miquella was able to ascend beyond his frail child-like body, why can't I do the same with my mortal and weak one?
As I am moving within my own thoughts, my father takes my silence as acceptance to continue speaking. "You've been sharpening your mind for years, allowing it to grow to become the finest blade in your arsenal, and it will probably remain as such for the rest of your life, considering how dangerous it can truly be." My father tells me, as he returns to his seat. "Now it's time to harden your body, and sharpen your fangs. You may not wish to rely on them at times, but it is best to not allow it to become the weakness that defeats you." My father finishes.
I nod my head in understanding. It is confidence when you believe in your skills and abilities, but it is arrogance when you ignore your weaknesses. "I understand father. What time does training begin?" I ask, because, by the Greater Will, I hope it's not early in the morning.
"Training begins early in the morning for every day, from now on. You will have a day or two to rest in between, but that's only if you truly need it." He lets out a small smile as I audibly groan. "Now scurry along, and get some rest. It's getting late, and you will need it." He says, as he gives me leave, and returns to his work. I give my father a nod, before leaving the study, and heading to my room.
Once I finally reach my room, I move over to my bed, and simply lay on it for a while. I begin thinking of how I can shape the upcoming events, and make my mark on them. And when I move from my bed and gaze at the night sky for a moment, the golden radiance of the Erdtree still shining while I stare out from the window. Then a lightbulb went off in my head while I was looking up at the night. And I smiled.
I return to my bed, laying upon it, covered by the finest blankets.
My final thoughts before sleep took me were those of a great academy, that radiated blue, deep within a land of lakes.
End
Godrick the Radiant
So Godrick's plans expand ever outwards, as he begins to make connections and concoct schemes to hopefully survive the events to come. Hopefully, you've been liking what I've got going on through these first few chapters, but in all honesty, these first few chapters are just meant to establish the world, and will also have a few time-skips as we see our boy Godrick grow over time. This isn't meant to be a major arc or anything, this is just here to act as a foundation so that I can actually get into the meat of things.
The choice to make Godefroy the uncle of Godrick was made due to the sheer amount of similarities they possess (Godefroy is a reskin, lmao), and I just decided to roll with the idea when it hit me. That, and he was a pretty forgettable boss, with only one or two mentions in the lore beyond that. Might as well put em to use eh? Anyhow, I chose to make this a chapter mostly for a bit of worldbuilding, as I really do enjoy checking out these unexplored ideas and concepts in the lore.
Another thing I didn't expect was how well this fic was gonna do. I was expecting 7 to 6 follows and favorites, and maybe a review or two, but I got 50 follows and nearly 40 favorites last I checked, damn. Guess people were really interested in a story like this, huh?
Anyhow, the last thing I wanted to talk about was that I have plans to write another story, around the time I get to the later chapters of Godrick the Radiant. It'll be an SI, just like this story, but I'll be putting a unique twist on it to make things far more interesting. I think you guys might like it.
I think that's enough of me yammering now. As always, I'd like to thank all the people who followed, favorited, and reviewed this story of mine, even considering my meager writing skills, and if you have any questions in the reviews, I'd be willing to answer them to the best of my ability. Make em count, lads.
I'm hopefully gonna see yall soon enough... Provided the next chapter doesn't take a month.