After spending more time talking, Joer made arrangements for Eliza's burial.
He didn't want word to get out that the last living Starlight just died, or rather, the fact that there was a Starlight alive until now.
He hosted a small funeral with Ifrid, himself, and his daughter, Lyanna. She was around Eliza's age, and apparently, they were friends when they were little.
The crypt stood as an underground stone chamber near the ruins of House Starlight. The house lay abandoned, and the town's residents had long since vacated it.
They evacuated after House Vaelor wiped out the family that governed them.
Mormont said even though Isfrid wasn't blood-related to Eliza, that the rights to the castle and the lands were his.
Isfrid appreciated Mormont's offer and wanted to one day revive the house Starlight; however, his pursuit of strength was his priority at the moment.
He's read plenty about the constant magical beast attacks in the North, and considering he needs experience, he wants to spend time using them for training.
Isfrid had a long conversation with Joer, explaining his reasoning and proving he was strong enough to survive on his own.
He also spent some time with Jeor's daughter. Lyanna thought of Isfrid as her nephew.
She wasn't married, didn't have any kids, and really just lived at home taking care of the responsibilities of being Joer's only child.
Lyanna enjoyed spending time with Isfrid. She got rid of all his clothes from Eldara and bought him many traditional northern outfits.
Which consisted of kimonos. Lyanna thought Isfrid looked adorable in white, so pretty much every outfit was white, with slight changes in the accents.
When Isfrid was preparing to leave, Lyanna was very reluctant to see him go.
However, she had been neglecting her duties and understood Isfrid had a life to live. Jeor, on the other hand, was reluctant to let him leave because of his talent.
It wasn't greed that made Jeor pause, but rather the desire to make sure Isfrid lived up to his potential.
But considering Isfrid's achievements were a result of his training alone, he wasn't too worried.
Isfrid told Joer he was going to an outpost in either the east or the west, but his actual plan was to go to the North.
The reason he lied is that the Frotveil forest is what is to the North. And where the most dangerous magical beasts live.
Valenhold is surrounded on three sides by rocky mountains. Magical beasts inhabit the hills.
To the North are the Azhgar Peaks. There's a reason the dwarves live inside the mountains instead of on top of them.
The monsters on top of the peaks are the strongest in the human lands, and the ones that come down and cause problems for the humans are the ones forced out by more powerful beasts.
Azhgar Peaks mean death for anybody under the fifth aura or core grade. And even that is only enough to survive.
The only way people can travel between the Human and Elvish Lands is by flight.
There are beast tamers who have partners that can fly, contracted spirits, as well as flying ships, which are the most common.
And the Frostveil Forest is where the monsters that come down from those peaks gather.
Isfrid wasn't under any misapprehensions about his abilities. He knows he's weak. But the moment he stepped into the North, he felt something pulling him in.
And the longer he's in the North, the stronger the pull becomes. So, following his instincts, he travels to the Frostveil Forest.
After a week of travel, Isfrid arrived at the Frostveil Outpost. He was wearing his robe and changed the color back to white.
Approaching the Outpost, Isfrid approaches the camp's guards.
"State your business. Hunting, escort, or trade?" one of the guards said.
"Hunting," Isfrid replied.
"Head to the registry tent and fill out a ledger."
Isfrid nodded and headed for the tent that the guard gestured to. When he entered, he saw a grizzled old man.
Between his towering body, scars, and imposing aura. One would assume he was a battle-hardened veteran.
Isfrid waited in line. When he reached the front, the man placed a form on the table.
"Fill out the form, then bring it back. Lie on the ledger, and Frostveil will correct you." He said in a monotone voice.
Ifrid took the ledger and went to the nearest table to fill it out.
- Name (or alias)
- Origin (optional)
- Aura grade/mana core (self-declared)
- Weapon type
- Solo or group
Isfrid began filling out the ledger. For his name, he put Isfrid Starlight without paying it much mind.
Decided it would be better to skip over the origin section.
And based on Joer's reaction, he knew putting both his aura grade and core rank would draw too much attention.
They wouldn't be able to tell his age from his appearance, given his height and robe. But progressing down both paths would draw attention regardless.
So he wrote Bronze aura rank, and a katana as his weapon.
After filling out the ledger, Isfrid approached the counter to give back the form. The grizzled man read it over once, glanced at Isfrid, then handed Isfrid a map.
"We've outlined the restricted zones, and the recommended hunting zones are listed as well. Every hunter must buy signal flares, and recovery potions are recommended.
We recommend that novices stay in the outer zone. And if you're hunting alone, you should stay 1-3 kilometers away from the Outpost."
The man gave Isfrid another glance and, based on the little he could see, he concluded Isfrid was young.
"If you're hunting for money, stay on the outskirts of the forest. Look for injured beasts, lone predators, or weaker monsters. Each recorded kill is worth money.
And if you can recover the body, you can sell or exchange it here at the Outpost. Or sell it somewhere else.
Don't be a hero, kid. Always prioritize your life. Greed will get you killed."
Isfrid nodded, then took the map. He made his way over to the trading post and bought some signal flares and potions.
After getting the necessities, he asked a guard where he could book a room for the night.
He wanted to take a look at the items in the storage space and try to figure out the robe's other capabilities.
Isfrid arrived at the Outpost's inn. It was thick with noise and heat. Smoke from the grill clung to the air, carrying the sharp scent of ale and roasted meat.
Warriors packed the long tables shoulder to shoulder—armor half-unbuckled, weapons leaned carelessly against benches—laughing loud enough to drown out the wind howling outside.
It seemed less like a tavern and more like a shelter against the cold, where noise and drink kept death at arm's length.
Isfrid made his way through to the counter. Paid for a room and some food. After a little wait, he took the food to his room and set it aside for later.
He didn't want to put off checking the items in the storage space any longer.