WEEKLY POWER GOALS đ
đ„ 30â2ch | 60â5ch | 100â8ch | 200â15ch | 400â25ch
â° Resets Monday!
~~~~ââ~~~~~~~~ââ~~~~
Night deepened.
Most of Winterfell fell silent. Only patrol guards' footsteps echoed through empty courtyards.
Occasional horse whinnies from the stables.
Lynn's room was on the keep's side, near the kitchens. The hearth fire had shrunk to a small dark-red emberâbarely driving away the cold.
Lynn sat cross-legged on the bed. The longsword Ned Stark had given him lay across his knees.
He wasn't sleeping. He was waiting.
Tap. Tap-tap.
Barely audible knocking on the door.
Lynn opened his eyes. Mouth curved slightly.
He got off the bed. Pulled the bolt.
A small figure slipped through the crackâquick as a cat.
Arya Stark clutched a practice wooden sword taller than herself. Flashed inside.
She closed the door behind her. Exhaled long. Face full of mischievous triumph.
Arya lowered her voice. Spoke proudly. "The guards think I'm sleeping."
She set the wooden sword down. Dusted off her hands.
Her eyes burned with desire hotter than the hearth's embers.
"Remember our deal?"
"Teach me."
Lynn didn't waste words.
He picked up his longsword. Flourished it in the dim room.
Steel cut airâa soft hum.
"Night's Watch swordwork has no name." Lynn looked at Arya.
"It has one purpose."
"Kill the enemy in the shortest time. Keep yourself alive."
"It's not pretty."
"It's even ugly."
Arya nodded hard. "I know!"
Lynn walked to the room's center. Cleared a small space.
"Watch carefully."
He assumed a standard sword stance. Center of gravity dropped. Blade angled toward the floor.
A posture emphasizing stability and explosive power.
"When an enemy strikes..." Lynn simulated a parry.
He didn't use brute force to blockâused the blade's angle to deflect the "imaginary enemy's" attack.
Then flicked his wrist. Sword tip thrust forward.
Movement simple, viciousâstraight to vital points.
"Defense is always for the next attack." Lynn withdrew the sword.
"Wildlings beyond the Wallâmany are bigger and stronger than us."
"If you compete with them on strength, you'll die."
Arya watched intently.
She raised her wooden sword. Tried to imitate Lynn's movements.
Lynn stopped Arya's motion. Handed her his sword.
"Wooden swords are children's toys."
"Use this!"
Excitement flashed in Arya's eyes. First time touching a real sword!
The real thing Catelyn never let her touch!
Arya took the heavy one-handed sword.
"Ha!" She shouted softly. Thrust the blade.
But her movement looked comical. The heavy sword dragged down her speed.
Lynn picked up Arya's wooden sword. Fed her attacks.
When blocking, Arya's thin arms trembled from the shock.
When thrusting, she lacked penetrating power.
"Wrong." Arya stopped. Frowned in frustration.
"I can't deflect the sword like you."
Lynn looked at her tense little face and trembling arms.
He realizedâNight's Watch swordwork, though emphasizing technique, was still built on adult male strength.
For Arya, it was too "heavy."
He had to adjust.
Lynn thought for a moment. Raised his sword again.
This time, his movements changed.
No longer emphasizing solid blocksâfocused on evasion and nimble counterattacks.
The blade no longer made straight, strength-draining slashes and thrustsâtraced light arcs, targeting gaps in enemy defense.
Lynn's movements smaller, faster.
As Lynn immersed himself in this lighter swordwork tailored for Arya, that familiar blue panel quietly appeared.
[Host has achieved enlightenment through analogy. Strength attribute sufficient, Agility attribute sufficient. Successfully comprehended new skill...]
[Congratulations! New skill acquired: Light Blade (Beginner) 1/10]
Lynn's heart stirred.
This "Light Blade"âborn from Night's Watch swordwork yet completely differentâwas exactly what he lacked.
When facing strength-type opponents, his prized longsword felt inadequate.
He couldn't fight such people by competing on strength. Only through evasion to exhaust their stamina.
Then deliver a fatal strike when they tired.
"Try this again." Lynn broke down the Light Blade's prototype into basic footwork and thrusts. Taught Arya.
Arya's eyes brightened.
She raised the steel sword again.
This time, she didn't try to "block."
When Lynn tapped her steel sword with the wooden one, she retreated half a step. Simultaneously, her blade swept toward Lynn's "wrist" from a tricky angle.
"So fast!" Arya cried out excitedly.
She felt like a fish in water. Free from restraint.
But the excitement lasted only a moment.
When she tried continuous attacks, problems emerged.
Light Blade didn't require much strengthâbut demanded extremely high coordination and precision.
Several of Arya's thrusts missed their mark.
She stopped, panting. Little face flushed red.
"Still not working." Arya's shoulders drooped in defeat.
"My sword's too heavy."
She looked at the steel longsword in her hand. Then at the wooden stick in Lynn's.
She suddenly realized a cruel fact.
"I... I'm a girl." Arya's voice dropped. Tinged with unwillingness.
"No matter how much I practice, my strength can't match Robb's. Or Theon's."
She looked up. Gray eyes full of confusion.
"This swordworkâultimately still relies on strength to overpower opponents, right?"
Lynn fell silent.
Arya's instinct was sharp.
Even "Light Blade," under Westeros battlefield logic, ultimately depended on force to penetrate armor or shatter bone.
Lynn knewâArya needed a completely different fighting style.
One that didn't rely on strength. Only speed and precision.
"You're right, Arya." Lynn patted her head.
"You don't need to be the strongest."
"But you can be the fastest."
Just thenâmessy footsteps outside.
"Over there! I think I heard something!"
Night guards!
Arya's face went pale. Grabbed Lynn's sleeve.
Lynn quickly blew out the oil lamp. The room plunged into darkness.
He pulled Arya behind the door. Into shadow.
Footsteps grew closer. Stopped at the door.
Lynn could clearly hear the guard's breathing outside.
Arya held her breath nervously. Her small hand ice-cold. Clutched Lynn tightly.
She was two years younger than her sister Sansaâonly nine now. But she knew she shouldn't be in a man's room at night.
Long silence.
"Probably heard wrong. Let's go." Another guard muttered.
"This damn weather. Even the wind sounds haunted."
Footsteps gradually faded.
Lynn and Arya exchanged glances in the darkness. Both exhaled in relief.
"I should go back." Arya's voice trembled slightly.
"Tomorrow... can I come tomorrow night?"
"Be careful." Lynn straightened her messy hair.
"Lots of eyes in the castle these days. The King's convoy is almost here."
Arya nodded hard. Like a little deerâvanished silently down the corridor's end.
Lynn closed the door. Relit a candle.
He looked at the longsword in his hand. Then at [Light Blade (Beginner) 1/10] on the system panel.
Arya hadn't learned it yet. But he'd gained much.
Lynn knewâhe needed to increase his strength quickly.
The King's arrival meant the storm's center had shifted to Winterfell.
And he was already in the eye of the storm.
~~~~ââ~~~~~~~~ââ~~~~
Read up to (25+Â ) advanced chapters on Patre\on
Visit us here:Â patreon.com/DarkGolds
Happy reading, everyone!